Video of METALLICA's entire concert on November 6, 2022 at the 7,000-seat Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida can be seen below. The show, which celebrated the life, legacy and achievements of Megaforce Records founder Jon "Jonny Z" Zazula and his wife Marsha Zazula, saw the Bay Area metal legends play songs exclusively from their first two albums, 1983's "Kill 'Em All" and 1984's "Ride The Lightning", both of which were originally released on Megaforce. Support at the gig came from British/American metallers RAVEN, who were also originally signed to Megaforce.
METALLICA's setlist was as follows:
01. Creeping Death
02. Ride The Lightning
03. Motorbreath
04. No Remorse
05. Trapped Under Ice
06. The Call Of Ktulu
07. Phantom Lord
08. Am I Evil?
09. Metal Militia
10. For Whom The Bell Tolls
11. Whiplash
12. Fade To Black
13. Seek & Destroy
Encore:
14. Fight Fire With Fire
15. Blitzkrieg
16. Hit The Lights
When the concert was first announced in September, METALLICA said in a statement: "Jonny gave us our first break in New York, released our first albums on his Megaforce Records label, and put us out on the road for our first real tour. With Marsha by his side, Jonny was a mentor, a manager, a label head, and a father figure to us all.... we would not be where we are today without the two of them. Sadly, we recently lost both Jonny and Marsha, just a little more than a year apart.
"We'll be cooking up a special setlist for you full of songs from our days with Jonny and Marsha at Megaforce. Our main touring partner from that time, RAVEN, will be joining us to add to the celebration and bring back the memories."
A portion of the proceeds from this show are being donated in Jonny and Marsha's name to MusiCares, a safety net supporting the health and welfare of the music community offering preventive, emergency, and recovery programs to musicians and industry professionals. Additionally, All Within My Hands once again supported Feeding South Florida with a donation following the show.
Jonny Z died in February 2022 at the age of 69. Jonny died of complications of the rare neuropathic disorder chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP),chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and osteopenia, his family said. Marsha passed away of cancer in January of 2021.
Megaforce is widely credited for launching the career of METALLICA by releasing the band's first two albums, 1983's "Kill 'Em All" and 1984's "Ride The Lightning", before METALLICA landed a major label deal with Elektra. Megaforce's roster has also included such artists as ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT, OVERKILL, Ace Frehley, MINISTRY, KING'S X, STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH and RAVEN.
Born in 1952, Jonny began his extraordinary journey as a renegade youth who went from living on the streets of the Bronx in New York City, to later working on Wall Street, and eventually (and unexpectedly) transitioning into the music business and discovering METALLICA, ANTHRAX and others.
After Wall Street, Jonny Z began selling records at a flea market store in 1981 to put food on the table for his family. Dubbed Rock N' Roll Heaven, the store eventually blossomed into a major record store that influenced the heavy metal movement as we know it today. In the winter of 1982, Jonny Z received an unexpected demo tape from unsigned underground band called METALLICA. Eager and determined to have the music heard by the entire world, Jonny and Marsha founded Megaforce the following year and released "Kill 'Em All". Through this release, Megaforce cemented its position as the de-facto music label in America for heavy metal.
Jon's acclaimed autobiography, "Heavy Tales: The Metal. The Music. The Madness. As Lived By Jon Zazula", was released in October 2019. The book tells the story of how the Zazulas ended up signing a band that shaped the sound of heavy metal for decades to come.
"It's all a blessing when you work hard and you stay smart and you go into the game and then eventually something comes your way and you're ready for it. And you're able to jump upon it and ride it," Jonny told Variety. "We were very fortunate, Marsha and I, that we have them to choose as a band that became the biggest band in the world. Not to mention a bunch of other great bands that made history."
DELAIN has released a new single, "Moth To A Flame". The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Dark Waters", which will arrive on February 10 via Napalm Records. Emerging as a brand new start and safe haven alike, the LP, without any doubt, continues the legacy of the brainchild of keyboardist, founder and main songwriter Martijn Westerholt and contains everything DELAIN is loved for and more: a sonic rollercoaster ride of catchy tunes with explosive elements — ranging from pop to film score-inspired to blistering room shaking metal.
Singer Diana Leah says about "Moth To A Flame": "This song was the last song written for our new album 'Dark Waters' and I'm proud to say I had the opportunity to write the lyrics for it! It has a deep meaning to me."
Westerholt adds: "I'm extremely proud of this song. It's one of the most upbeat songs on the album while also having the heaviest guitar riff, and Diana's vocals are outstanding! It's a killer combination that I think fans will love."
Along with Westerholt, original guitarist Ronald Landa and original drummer Sander Zoer bolster DELAIN's continuity, while new members — Leah and bassist Ludovico Cioffi — continue to evolve their sound. Songs like the previously released single "The Quest And The Curse", as well as "The Cold" (the latter featuring a real, epic choir),lure with a bombastic sound that skilfully combines orchestral melodies, epic heavy riffs and marvelous vocal performances. DELAIN magnificently manages to never lose touch with their characteristic sound, making them a constant without ever standing still. Pop-induced opening track "Hideaway Paradise" shows exactly that by inducing a dream-like feeling flirting with melodic metal guitars, while the ballad-like dark track "Mirror Of Night", featuring WITHIN TEMPTATION guitarist Ruud Jolie, entices the listener with unfathomably catchy lines and melodies. "Queen Of Shadow" merges the orchestral and synth-focused soundscapes DELAIN is known for as it weaves melodic heavy guitars that intertwine with orchestral lines and vocal melodies. "Tainted Hearts" is centred around Westerholt's keyboard arrangements, which skilfully showcase the creative roots of the mastermind. "Invictus" is nothing less than the magnum opus of the album — a rock opera in its own right with heavy riffing, choirs and vocal parts performed by Leah, Ribaldini and Marco "Marko" Hietala (ex-NIGHTWISH),ending in a bombastic climax where everything comes together.
Westerholt adds: "This album captures all elements DELAIN is known for — our distinctive heavy guitar riffs, massive orchestral parts, both heavy metal and pop vocals, rock opera vibes along with '80s synth sounds. In short, this is definitely a recognizable DELAIN album that contains classic 'DELAIN elements' while also moving forward with fresh influences."
"Dark Waters" track list:
01. Hideaway Paradise
02. The Quest And The Curse
03. Beneath
04. Mirror Of Night
05. Tainted Hearts
06. The Cold
07. Moth To A Flame
08. Queen Of Shadow
09. Invictus
10. Underland
The new DELAIN lineup made its official live debut last August at the Riverside festival in Aarburg, Switzerland.
Leah answered a few fan-submitted questions via the band's YouTube channel, including how she joined the long-running Dutch metal act. She said: "It's really simple, actually. I knew they were looking for a singer so I just left a comment on their Instagram page. So a couple of days later I received an e-mail from Martijn, and we talked a bit about how I could audition and he sent me some material that I could sing on. And the rest is history."
Asked how she decided to sing in a metal band, the 32-year-old Diana said: "Well, I've always wanted to sing in a metal band. It was really my desire to do it. In fact, I did sing in a couple of rock bands, but it wasn't really heavy music, which I loved at the time. It was really hard to find the right people to form a band with and also to get along together and all that. But I've always wanted to be in a metal band. Always."
Leah also talked a bit about her background, saying: "I was born in Romania, in a city called Alba Iulia. It's in the middle of Transylvania. And then I moved to Italy when I was 15, and I lived in Italy for, I think, 10 years or something. And then I moved to Canada, in Ottawa, and I lived there for five years. And then I came back to Italy. And now I currently live in Italy, near Torino, so up north."
In February 2021, Westerholt announced the dissolution of DELAIN's previous lineup. At the time, he explained: "For the last year or so, the collaboration within the band ceased to work as well as it once had. Some of us were no longer happy with the current roles in the band. We all tried very hard to find a solution for over a year, but sadly we were unable to find one. As a result, we will all be going our own ways and pursuing our own endeavors.
"I am very sad our cooperation has come to end, but at the same time I am very grateful for all the years we were able to work together. Together we toured the world, shared highs and lows, and met with many successes as well as times that pushed us to learn and grow. We all enjoyed meeting our fans and making new friends all over the globe."
Singer Charlotte Wessels said about her departure: "I know that you might have questions about the 'why' in all of this. I fully understand and respect that. Simply put, it is the sad conclusion of more than a year of trying to find solutions to built up grievances. Part of me feels like I'm letting all of you down, I'd like you to know that this decision was not taken lightly and I apologise to those of you who had high hopes of seeing all of us together live on stage again after lockdown. Until recently, I thought this might still be in the cards for us as well."
In September 2022, Charlotte was asked in an interview with Spain's The Metal Circus TV how she felt about the fact that DELAIN recently made a comeback with a new lineup. Wessels said: "I'm trying not to engage with it too much, honestly. I've seen positive responses about it, which I think is good. But I do try to keep some distance and just focus on what I'm doing rather than checking that out, because I still don't feel like that will make me happier per se."
DELAIN's sixth full-length album, the Westerholt-produced "Apocalypse & Chill", was released in February 2020 via Napalm Records.
FREDLÖS, the new Stockholm, Sweden-based band featuring ENTOMBED guitarist Alex Hellid, has released the official music video for its latest single, "Otto". The track is taken from FREDLÖS's self-titled debut album, which will arrive on February 10 via Threeman Recordings, Fredlös Produktion and Sound Pollution.
FREDLÖS came together in the spring of 2021, rising from the ashes of previous musical adventures, based in the country around Norrtälje, northeast of Stockholm. United by a deep sense of their historical roots and a love of dark sounds, they create a truly epic landscape, blending heavy guitars with more traditional instruments and a need to relate history true to the facts. The result is a brooding yet effortlessly melodic sound where the listener can survive and thrive in the dark.
"Fredlös" contains nine dark, heavy, intense songs. Lyrically the album is a journey through the late Middle Ages, recounting the historical events from the perspective of the common people. Musically, it's a tour de force that defies any one description, weaving metal, rock, folk, and traditional music themes into a rich and varied tapestry.
"Fredlös" track listing:
01. Våt Varm Jord
02. Otto
03. Farsot
04. Missväxt
05. Fredlös
06. Uppror
07. Undergång
08. Deus
09. Requiem
FREDLÖS previously already released two singles, "Farsot" and "Våt Varm Jord", the latter of which was described as "seven minutes and 22 seconds of swirling, dynamic, beautiful heavy music introducing the first chapter of FREDLÖS, where you are implored to reject the light and embrace the wet warm soil."
Hellid and ENTOMBED frontman Lars-Göran "LG" Petrov had been embroiled in a legal battle over the ENTOMBED name for several years prior to the singer's March 2021 death after a battle with bile duct cancer. He was 49 years old.
New York's Sanhedrin have released an animated video for "Scythian Women", featured on their Metal Blade Records album, Lights On, released last March. Watch below:
Lights On can be ordered in various formats at this location.
Tracklisting:
"Correction"
"Lights On"
"Lost At Sea"
"Change Takes Forever"
"Code Blue"
"Scythian Women"
"Hero's End"
"Death Is A Door"
Powerwolf performed at Rudolf Weber-Arena in Oberhausen, Germany back on November 26. WDR Rockpalast has released professionally-filmed footage of the full show, which you can watch below.
Setlist:
"Faster Than The Flame"
"Incense & Iron"
"Cardinal Sin"
"Amen & Attack"
"Dancing With The Dead"
"Armata Strigoi"
"Beast Of Gévaudan"
"Stossgebet"
"Demons Are A Girl's Best Friend"
"Fire & Forgive"
"Where The Wild Wolves Have Gone"
"Sainted By The Storm"
"Army Of The Night"
"Blood For Blood (Faoladh)"
"Let There Be Night"
"Sanctified With Dynamite"
"We Drink Your Blood"
"Werewolves Of Armenia"
Just in time for the highest Christian holiday, Easter 2023, another highlight of Powerwolf's discography, Interludium, will be released on April 7. The new release features six new studio tracks, including the single "Sainted By The Storm", which was already celebrated on the band's exhilarating Wolfsnächte 2022 headline tour, as well as one of the most intense tracks in the band's history, "My Will Be Done". Interludium also features gems and rarities from the band's historysuch as “Midnight Madonna” or “Living On A Nightmare”
Interludium comes in several editions, most of them containing another exciting surprise: the bonus album Communio Lupatum II, where eleven befriended bands like Eisbrecher, Electric Callboy, Korpiklaani and Rage cover some of the biggest hits of Powerwolf’s career. More limited versions also contain the second bonus album Interludium Orchestrale, containing eight orchestral versions of the album tracks.
Interludium will be available in various formats:
- 3 LP Vinyl Transparent / Black in Cardboard Box (1-LP Gatefold + 2 x Bonus Album in Slipcase) with Slipmat – strictly limited to 300 worldwide (Napalm Records Shop exclusive)
- 3 LP Vinyl Marbled Green / White / Black in Cardboard Box (1-LP Gatefold + 2 x Bonus Album in Slipcase) with Slipmat – strictly limited to 300 worldwide (Powerwolf Shop exclusive)
- 3 LP Vinyl Marbled Black / Red in Cardboard Box (1-LP Gatefold + 2 x Bonus Album in Slipcase) with Slipmat – strictly limited to 400 worldwide (EMP exclusive)
- 3 CD Earbook with 96 pages booklet – strictly limited to 1500 worldwide
- 2 CD Mediabook with 48 pages booklet, incl Communio Lupatum II bundled with ticket for Un Holy Metal Mass in Cologne
- 2 CD Mediabook with 48 pages booklet, incl Communio Lupatum II with Aluminium Chalice (Capacity: 0,6l, Height: 20cm, Weight: 750g) – strictly limited to 500 worldwide (Napalm Records Shop exclusive)
- 2 CD Mediabook with 48 pages booklet, incl Communio Lupatum II
- 1 CD Jewel Case
- 1 LP Gatefold with poster
- 2 Music Cassette – strictly limited to 300 worldwide
- Digital Deluxe Album
- Digital Album
"Wolves Of War"
"Sainted By The Storm"
"No Prayer At Midnight"
"My Will Be Done"
"Altars On Fire"
"Wolfborn"
"Stronger Than The Sacrament"
"Living On A Nightmare"
"Midnight Madonna"
"Bête du Gévaudan"
CD 2 Communio Lupatum II:
"Werewolves Of Armenia" (by Wind Rose)
"Reverent Of Rats" (by Mystic Prophecy)
"Dancing With The Dead" (by Annisokay)
"Call Of The Wild" (by Rage)
"Venom Of Venus" (by Ad Infinitum)
"Sudenmorsian" (Where The Wild Wolves Have Gone) (by Korpiklaani)
"Stossgebet" (by Eisbrecher)
"Fire & Forgive" (by Electric Callboy)
"Armata Strigoi" (by Warkings)
"We Are The Wild" (by Lord Of The Lost)
"Night Of The Werewolves" (by Unleash The Archers)
CD 3 Interludium Orchestrale:
"Wolves Of War" (orchestral version)
"Sainted By The Storm" (orchestral version)
"No Prayer At Midnight" (orchestral version)
"My Will Be Done" (orchestral version)
"Altars On Fire" (orchestral version)
"Wolfborn" (orchestral version)
"Midnight Madonna" (orchestral version)
"Bête du Gévaudan" (orchestral version)
"My Will Be Done" video:
"Sainted By The Storm" lyric video:
One day before the release of Interludium, Powerwolf will celebrate Easter with their devotees at Palladium in Cologne. The album release show will be one of the biggest concerts in the history of the band and a once in a lifetime experience for each Powerwolf fan.
Powerwolf are:
Attila Dorn – vocals
Falk Maria Schlegel – organ
Charles Greywolf – guitar
Matthew Greywolf – guitar
Roel van Helden – drums
Europe have shared two live videos, filmed at Ireland's Arena Dublin on May 10, 2022 and Scotland's SSE Hydro Arena Glasgow on May 12, 2022. Watch below:
In late 2022, guitarist John Norum revealed that Europe are planning to enter the studio early this year to record the follow up to 2017’s Walk The Earth. He also revealed that the band hope to work with producer Dave Cobb once more, the producer who helmed both Walk The Earth and 2015’s War Of Kings. Norum made his comments in a brand new interview with eonmusic.
Talking about new music, and the follow up to Europe’s Walk The Earth, which was released in 2017, John said; “Has it been five years?! Oh wow! That seems like a very long time. Time just flies by, it’s crazy. Well, we’ve been talking about future plans and things like that, so we plan to go in the studio in around April / May [2023], something like that, but we are writing songs at the moment for the next Europe album, and we’re looking for producers."
He also revealed that the band plan to work with Dave Cobb once more, who produced the band’s last two releases, Norum said; “We hope can work with Dave Cobb again because he’s the greatest. He’s so good, he’s amazing, so hopefully we can do it with him if he's not busy, and hope that we can do it in his studio because that would be a lot of fun. He has a studio in Nashville, so that would be fun to go there and record the next album."
The Rolling Stones will release GRRR Live!, the definitive live hits album from the band’s career, on February 10 via Mercury Studios/Universal Music. The album will be available in various formats; 3LP black, 3LP coloured white (Indies exclusive) 3LP red (d2c exclusive), 2CD, DVD + 2CD, BluRay+ 2CD. The Blu-ray and digital versions will include Dolby Atmos.
"Wild Horses" from the upcoming release is available for streaming here, and below:
The Rolling Stones also announced a new online concert event celebrating the release of GRRR Live!. The concert will take place February 2 at 8PM GMT / 8PM Eastern / 8PM Pacific / 8PM AWST (February 3).
Recorded on the band’s 50 & Counting Tour, the GRRR Live! concert featured guest appearances by The Black Keys ("Who Do You Love?"), Gary Clark Jr & John Mayer ("Going Down"), Lady Gaga ("Gimme Shelter"), Mick Taylor ("Midnight Rambler") and hometown hero Bruce Springsteen ("Tumbling Dice"), and proved to be one of the most memorable shows in the band’s history. It has not been available to fans since it originally aired on pay-per-view in 2012.
The GRRR Live! experience will bring this history-making concert to fans around the world on RollingStonesNewark.com via interactive video company Kiswe’s global live streaming technology. The concert features some of the greatest songs of all time including "It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It)", "Honky Tonk Women", "Start Me Up", "Gimme Shelter", "Sympathy For The Devil" and "(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction". Unlike viewing performances on other platforms, Kiswe Live allows the fans to be part of the experience. Fans from all over the world will be able to upload short video selfies of themselves to celebrate the band, the performances, see themselves on the screen and be seen by others across the globe, alongside the performance.
The best live band in the world deserve the ultimate live greatest hits album and GRRR Live! is it, The Stones at their best! The album is available to pre-order here and features some of the greatest songs of all time including "It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It)", "Honky Tonk Women", "Start Me Up", "Gimme Shelter", "Sympathy For The Devil" and "(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction".
The Rolling Stones celebrated their golden anniversary in 2012 & 2013 by embarking on the 50 & Counting Tour, a 30-show itinerary for North America and Europe. On December 15, 2012, the band took the stage at Newark, New Jersey’s Prudential Center for the final of four shows in the New York area.
Since its original airing on pay-per-view in 2012, this show has not been available to fans until now. The concert has been re-edited and the audio has been remixed. Three songs from the December 13 show (also in Newark) will be available as bonus features on the DVD and Blu-ray: "Respectable" (with John Mayer), "Around And Around", and "Gimme Shelter".
GRR Live! tracklisting:
CD1:
"Get Off Of My Cloud"
"The Last Time"
"It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll (But I Like It)"
"Paint It Black"
"Gimme Shelter" (with Lady Gaga)
"Wild Horses"
"Going Down" (with John Mayer and Gary Clark Jr)
"Dead Flowers"
"Who Do You Love?" (with The Black Keys)
"Doom And Gloom"
"One More Shot"
"Miss You"
"Honky Tonk Women"
Band Introductions
CD2:
"Before They Make Me Run"
"Happy"
"Midnight Rambler" (with Mick Taylor)
"Start Me Up"
"Tumbling Dice" (with Bruce Springsteen)
"Brown Sugar"
"Sympathy For the Devil"
"You Can’t Always Get What You Want"
"Jumpin’ Jack Flash"
"(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction"
On the second single from their upcoming debut album, Danish power / thrash metal unit Exelerate may take it slower, but “Release” is nothing short of epic and harsh. Taking inspiration from the classic days - and bands - the song is a short and intense hymn, reaching out for all the true heavy metal fans out there.
Exelerate is a power thrash metal band from Denmark. They play fast and aggressive riffs combined virtuose guitar solos and high-pitched vocals to create a new, yet familiar brand of metal. They quickly found strength in combining their individual music influences to create a mix of thrash, power and prog metal. It set the stage for the aggressive, but still approachable sound and the complexity of the compositions that all of their songs are made of.
They are inspired by bands like Megadeth, Anthrax, Dio and Dream Theater and make heavy use of both the traditional and the new in metal. They have a great focus on how their music is perceived in a live situation. “It’s in a live environment you get the chance to grab new listeners by the collar and show them how it’s done”, lead singer Jensen comments. “They need to be enticed, inspired and spoiled until they can’t get enough. It is therefore important for us to give them something to latch on to, like a catchy melody, a fantastic solo or just a massive breakdown. It’s all a part of capturing the audience’s attention and keeping it”.
Exelerate is now in full swing and ready to release their debut album under the Danish label From The Vaults. The record consists of new and original material, designed to showcase just how metal should sound in 2023. It’s a concept work where every track tells a story about humankind’s tendencies towards both dominance and submission. The themes go from old religions to contemporary ideology worship and even further into the ultimate submission to our own mortality.
“To date, these are the most ambitious compositions I have ever been a part of writing, and I am incredibly proud of the end result”, Jensen says. “It has taken up many hours, days, weeks, years in the rehearsing studio, and the entire effort is realized in full on the album, I think”.
Exelerate was recorded with the help of, among others, Casper Augustenborg as the drum recording engineer and Io Brix Klarstrup, who pulls double duty as both the band’s bass player and recording engineer. The skilled hands of Marco Angioni (Angioni Studios) have made sure that Exelerate sounds better than ever, with a new massive sound that the listener easily can let their face melt away to.
The album's artwork was made by the danish artist Steen Jensen who, with his airbrush and proclivities towards the dark and strange, has made a surreal visual universe inspired by the opening track on the album “Arrival”.
Exelerate will be released on LP (black vinyl, limited to 300), CD and digital formats via From The Vaults on March 10, 2023.
Tracklisting:
"Arrival"
"No Escape"
"Spawn Of Satan"
"Release"
"Children Of The Sun"
"God Of Man"
"Lethal Assault"
"In Between Sanity"
"Epilogue"
The Frequency Conspiracy, the new project from former 24-7 SPYZ drummer Joel Maitoza, has just released a new video for their latest single, "Words Get In The Way". The amped-up cover version of the Gloria Estefan / Miami Sound Machine ballad from 1985 features Craig Soderberg from –itis on guitars / keyboards / vocals, Jaimie Scott from Tyketto on bass, and Joel Maitoza on drums. The latest single is from the nine song debut album titled Quarantine Covers on So Cal Records, which is available now on CD through Amazon, as well as all digital and streaming platforms.
Tracklisting:
“Carry On Wayward Son” - Featuring Christophe Godin – Guitars / Jaimie Scott – Bass / Andrew Freeman – Vocals / Joel Maitoza – Drums
“Hell Bent for Leather” - Featuring John Gallagher – Vocals, Bass / Joshua Jones – Guitars / Joel Maitoza – Drums
“Locked Out Of Heaven” - Featuring Jason (JMR) Richardson – Vocals, Guitars / David Pastorius – Bass / Joel Maitoza – Drums
“Words Get In The Way” - Featuring Craig Soderberg - Guitars, Vocals, Keys / Jaimie Scott – Bass / Joel Maitoza – Drums
“Rock Candy” - Featuring Joshua Jones – Guitars / Andrew Freeman – Vocals / Rick Skatore – Bass / Joel Maitoza – Drums
“Turning Japanese” - Featuring Craig Soderberg - Guitars, Vocals, Keys / Jaimie Scott – Bass / Joel Maitoza – Drums
“Shapes Of Things” - Featuring Jason (JMR) Richardson – Vocals / Joshua Jones – Guitars / Miguelon Rodriguez – Bass / Joel Maitoza – Drums
“Sailing” - Featuring Craig Soderberg – Guitars, Vocals, Keys / Jaimie Scott – Bass / Joel Maitoza – Drums
“Life In The Fast Lane” - Featuring Craig Soderberg – Guitars / Miguelon Rodriguez – Bass / Joey McCaw – Vocals / Joel Maitoza – Drums
Other artist appearances on the album include:
John Gallagher (Raven) – Bass, Vocals
David Pastorius (Pat Travers, Tech N9ne) - Bass
Jaimie Scott (Tyketto) – Bass
Joshua Jones (Poster Child) – Guitars
Christophe Godin (Morgibl, Metal Kartoon, The Prize) - Guitars
Andrew Freeman (Last in Line, Lynch Mob, Offspring) - Vocals
Craig Soderberg (-itis, Shockhead) – Guitars, Vocals, Keyboards
Jason (JMR) Richardson (Year of the Dragon, Patrick Gibson) – Guitars, Vocals
Miguelon Rodriguez (Paul Di'anno, The Worshyp) – Bass
Joey McCaw (Brick Bath, Shockhead) - Vocals
Rick Skatore (24-7 Spyz) – Bass
Joel Maitoza (24-7 Spyz, Shockhead, Elysian, Gangland, Seventrain) – Drums
German rockers Kissin' Dynamite performed on the Harder Stage at the 2022 edition of Germany's Wacken Open Air festival. Professionally-filmed footage of the band performing "I've Got The Fire", "Not The End Of The Road" and "You're Not Alone" is available below.
After charting on #2 on the German album charts with their seventh studio album, Not The End Of The Road, in January, Kissin’ Dynamite will finally embark to a German tour to celebrate their new album the way it was meant to be experienced – presented live on stage.
In conjunction with this announcement, the five-piece have released a new single taken from Not The End Of The Road, entitled “Only The Dead” – a smashing hymn luring with the addictive vocal textures of singer Hannes Braun accenting their high-voltage stadium rock sound. The song gets you in the perfect mood for big stages and chanting crowds. With “Only The Dead”, the band picks up where they left off at the #3 spot on the German Rock Radio Airplay Charts, achieved with their previous single “Not The End Of The Road”, which stayed in the top 10 for weeks.
Kissin’ Dynamite on the single: "'Only The Dead can be free from sorrow' is a sarcastic truth: No matter how much you care about your mental health, in the end we're only humans and literally can´t beat off ANY shit that comes our way. So the message to the people is quite simple: Don't take everything so seriously all the time and don't let it get too close to you. Just grin (like skeletons do) and you'll feel better, no matter what is bothering you. Life is too short to be anxious and worried all the time. Start giving a shit!"
Founded in 2007, German heavy metal formation Kissin' Dynamite have made more than just a name for themselves in the scene: With six studio albums and various chart entries, the band established their trademark style - characterized by modern sound, massive anthems and catchy hooks paired with an 80s stadium rock attitude and eccentric look. Now, the five piece is ready to release their Napalm Records debut, Not The End Of The Road, and usher in heavy metal in 2022.
The new studio album was produced, recorded and mixed by vocalist Hannes Braun (Südland Music) himself, who has also worked with bands like Santiano, The Kelly Family and Beyond The Black. Mastering was completed by Grammy Award winning producer Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios, known for his work with bands like Volbeat and many more.
Ande Braun on the new album: "Not The End Of The Road is an album, which accurately describes our experiences as a band since Ecstasy 2018. First and foremost, we highlight with songs like “Not The End Of The Road”, “What Goes Up”, “Yoko Ono” and “Only The Dead”: We're up for it, we're pulling together and we want to reach the rock Olympus! Titles like “Coming Home”, “Gone For Good” and “Scars”, on the other hand, deal with real feelings like loneliness, homesickness and sadness, which are also part of life."
Hannes Braun adds: "With Ecstasy we already didn't make any compromises and just wanted to compose music that speaks from us. Not The End Of The Road seamlessly picks up exactly here."
With Not The End Of The Road, Kissin' Dynamite set another milestone in their successful discography: In guitar-driven power metal fashion, the tune of the intro and title track “Not The End Of The Road” prepares the listener for a thrilling road trip and new anthems straight from the heart of the Kissin' Dynamite universe. Crusher “What Goes Up” takes its listener into the truly spectacular soundscapes that make stadiums shake and convinces with Aerosmith-like guitar attacks and an anthemic hook. But Kissin' Dynamite are also not afraid to show their mellower side, as heard on delightfully tranquil tracks like “Good Life” and “Gone For Good” - not only showcasing the almost calm touches pervading the melodies, but also presenting the softer side of Braun’s vocal repertoire. While tracks like “No One Dies A Virgin” and “Yoko Ono” symbolize catchy party hymns, standouts “Coming Home” and “Defeat It” underline their origins of stadium rock without being pigeonholed. “Voodoo Spell” manifests the variety of the band and their different influences - starting with strong dark rock elements, the song becomes an opus that easily competes with the biggest stadium giants. The album’s closer, “Scars”, proves once again that Kissin' Dynamite can reach the depths and showcase lyrical vulnerability - an impressive ending that screams to be played live.
"Not The End Of The Road"
"What Goes Up"
"Only The Dead"
"Good Life"
"Yoko Ono"
"Coming Home"
"All For A Halleluja"
"No One Dies A Virgin"
"Gone For Good"
"Defeat It"
"Voodoo Spell"
"Scars"
“Coming Home” video:
“Yoko Ono” video:
"Good Life" video:
“What Goes Up” video:
"Not The End Of The Road" video:
Lineup:
Hannes Braun - vocals
Ande Braun - guitar
Jim Müller - guitar
Steffen Haile - bass
Sebastian Berg - drums
Sabaton guitarist / Majestica frontman Tommy Johansson has shared his solo power metal cover of Bonnie Tyler's 1983 hit, "Total Eclipse Of The Heart". Check it out below.
Johansson: "New year - new videos! First one up is an epic power metal version of 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart' by Bonnie Tyler. I wish you a great 2023 and thanks for your support."
Johansson previously shared his solo symphonic power metal cover of the 1984 Chicago classic "You're The Inspiration".
Rexoria have released their new single "Light Up The Sky," today. The song is taken from the band's third album Imperial Dawn, due for release on February 3, 2023.
Rexoria on the new single:
"'Light Up the Sky' is a power metal-song with a chorus that sticks in your head - after only the first listen! It's mix with a great song melody, heavy and rough guitars, distinct drums and topped with a shimmer from the keyboards."
With strong melodies, heavy riffs and exciting keyboards 'Imperial Dawn' is an album impossible to sit still to. Containing a wide spectrum of songs ranging from new electronic hard rock to emotional folk inspired songs, there is something for everyone here.
Mixed by Stefan Hellblad from Within Temptation and mastered by Thomas “Plec” Johansson, Imperial Dawn is of top quality sound.
Rexoria has previously done several European tours and has played with bands such as Battle Beast, Bloodbound, Dynazty, Hardcore Superstar and Raubtier to name a few.
Scorpions have shared professionally-filmed footage of their performance of the Crazy World album cut, "Hit Between The Eyes", from the 2012 edition of Germany's Wacken Open Air festival. Check it out below.
Scorpions' Rock Believer landed at #27 on our BravePicks 2022 list.
Watch the previously uploaded video of "Tease Me, Please Me":
Drummer Thomen Stauch (Mentalist, ex- Blind Guardian) is back with a new video. Watch him perform an alternate drum cover of The Rolling Stones hit, "Angie", below.
Says Thomen: Contact me by email, if you are interested in drum classes online or local and want to know more details about my fair prices, required equipment, a.s.o.! unterricht@thomen-drumchamber.com."
Thomen also released another video, in which he performs an alternate drum cover of the Bee Gees' disco hit, "Stayin' Alive":
Thomen previously shared drum covers of Fifth Angel's "Cry Out The Fools"Metallica's "For Whom The Bell Tolls", and the Roxy Music classic, "Oh Yeah (On The Radio)". Watch below:
THE WINERY DOGS — the powerhouse trio consisting of guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen, bassist/vocalist Billy Sheehan and drummer/vocalist Mike Portnoy — will release its third album, "III", on February 3 via the band's Three Dog Music label (via Burnside Distribution/The Orchard). Following in the footsteps of their first two albums, "III" was once again produced by THE WINERY DOGS and mixed by longtime band associate Jay Ruston.
The official Vicente Cordero-directed music video for the second song to be released from "III", "Mad World", shot in Los Angeles last November, can be seen below.
From the clarion call for connection and societal understanding in "Mad World" to the door-opening personal realizations of "Breakthrough" to the undeniable muscle-flexing reign of the white-hot "Pharaoh" and the album-closing energy spillage of "The Red Wine", all 50-plus minutes of "III" prove THE WINERY DOGS haven't lost a step when it comes to conjuring fresh hooks, gutbucket grooves, and bold harmonies.
That said, it's been a long road back to the collective compound for Kotzen, Sheehan and Portnoy. Back in 2015-16, they hit the road hard together to showcase their mettle as hardcore (you guessed it) road dogs in order to build upon the success of their well-received 2015 sophomore studio effort, "Hot Streak", by touring all across the globe. Eventually, the seasoned trio returned to their respective corners to focus on various other projects for the ensuing next few years. But when that live itch needed another scratching, these three working musicians knew just what they had to do.
"We wanted to tour," Kotzen confirms succinctly of THE WINERY DOGS' 22-date run in early 2019 that was appropriately dubbed "Who Let The Dogs Out", before adding, "We had to get those cylinders firing together once again." Concurs Portnoy, "That was a fun little tour that reignited our enthusiasm — and that's also when we knew a third album was definitely in the cards." Adds Sheehan, "Getting back together like that was really refreshing. We could relax a bit and enjoy being together onstage, playing without any pressure. It was a beautiful thing."
Duly reinvigorated, THE WINERY DOGS were finally aligned to record again by initially ensconcing themselves together in Kotzen's intimate, cozy home studio in Southern California to jam on new material that was mainly created in the moment during many hours of face-to-face musical interaction. Always the driven and intuitive songwriter, Kotzen displays a definitive M.O. whenever he's working out new songs in the studio by scatting melodies and putting forth short bursts of semi-improvised lines and phrases that will soon enough transform into sharply honed subject matter. "My attitude is this: when I'm in the studio creating new music, the last thing on my mind is, 'How am I gonna do it live?'" Kotzen admits. "The reality is, I may never get to where I'll do it live. What's relevant is getting the vision that's in my head, in my heart, and in my soul to come out of the speakers. If it gets to the point where the tour is booked, the dates are confirmed, and we all get back in the rehearsal room together, that's when you figure out, 'Okay, how do I interpret this in a way it can be delivered live, and still be the same song?'"
"III" is the follow-up to the band's critically acclaimed and Billboard-charting album "Hot Streak", which was released October 2, 2015 on Loud & Proud Records via RED (a division of Sony Music Entertainment). After landing in the Top Five on many of Amazon's pre-order charts, including No. 1 on the Amazon BestSellers/Hard Rock chart and No. 1 on the Amazon Pre-Orders/Hard Rock Albums charts, it sold 30% more than their 2013 self-titled debut, landing them on various Billboard album charts including No. 2 on "Top Current Alternative Albums," No. 5 on "Top Current Hard Music" and "Top Hard Music Albums," No. 6 on "Top Current Rock Albums" and "Album Core / Genre Rock," No. 15 "Top Current Physical Albums," No. 16 "Top Current Albums," and No. 30 on the "Top 200 Albums" chart.
Upon its release, "Hot Streak" racked up rave reviews. Allmusic.com hailed, "'Hot Streak' is the trio's second album, and its loose, friendly feel shows that the trio doesn't feel compelled to rely on instrumental pyrotechnics. The bluesy, soulful 'Think it Over' would appeal to those who admire THE ALLMAN BROTHERS, while 'Captain Love' shows that the band also has some hard rock energy to unleash, and the title track lets fly some of the technical proficiency that its members are known for." And GuitarInternational.com praised, "'Hot Streak' picks up where their debut CD left off, but showcases the band coming into their own with straight-ahead rockers like 'Oblivion', 'Captain Love' and 'Devil You Know'."
"III" track listing:
01. Xanadu
02. Mad World
03. Breakthrough
04. Rise
05. Stars
06. The Vengeance
07. Pharaoh
08. Gaslight
09. Lorelei
10. The Red Wine
THE WINERY DOGS is hitting the worldwide concert trail starting February 15 in Greensburg, Pennsylvania at the Palace Theatre for their "202III World Tour". Ticket and VIP package info can be found on the band's official web site.
Inching close to the one-year anniversary release of their debut album The Chronophagist, Montreal's Fall Of Stasis is sharing with fans a new music video for the record's closing title track, featuring guest vocals from Viky Boyer (Voice actor for The Monster Factory, Ariel).
"This is the final song off the album and it tells the story of a deity who has the power to steal time from mortal beings. The song starts off with a slightly modified version of Wilted Forests’ intro, followed by a heavy riff and an epic, vocally-charged chorus. The last chorus is cut short by an eclectic and odd-timed trashy riff followed by a black metal section. The song ends with an epic riff and a fading soaring guitar solo," adds the band.
Unleashed on February 25, 2022, The Chronophagist was produced by Chris Donaldson (Cryptopsy) and garnered much praise from metal media and built a strong local following that lead them to open for Avatar and Light The Torch during July 2022. With a wide arrangement of influences, a high level of precision, and dedication, the band prides itself on creating relentless, fast, aggressive yet melodic, and symphonic opus'. Ranging from black to symphonic metal, plus folk interludes, along with proggy riffs, the band intertwines a brutal yet unpredictable melodic composition that unapologetically grabs the listener’s attention from start to finish.
“We wanted our first album to bring something fresh to the metal scene. Each song was carefully written and fine-tuned to maintain the listener’s attention. We wanted the album to showcase every member’s musical influences without compromising the quality of our music. Overall, each song blends well into the next one, yet they’re different enough to keep the listener involved for the duration of the album. We asked Christian Donaldson to record, mix and master our album since he’s easily one of the most respected and recognized metal producers in the province. Again, we didn’t want to cut corners and we made sure to partner with someone who would do justice to our music. Lyrically, the album showcases fictive storytelling from beginning to end, although the lyrics often symbolize modern social issues along with some of the band members’ personal experiences,” adds the band.
The Chronophagist can be heard on all digital platforms, here.
Tracklisting:
“Wilted Forests”
“Fall Of Stasis”
“Drunken Howl”
“Baal Arise”
“The Cult”
“Twilight Carnival”
“Baron’
“The Last Waltz”
“Swarm Of Casualties”
“The Chronophagist” (Feat. Viky Boyer)
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