On November 25th, 2023, Toto performed live at the Night Of The Proms in Antwerp, Belgium. Pro-shot video can be viewed below.
Setlist:
"Stop Loving You"
"I'll Be Over You"
"Rosanna"
"Africa"
"Hold the Line"
Toto, featuring singer Joseph Williams and guitarist Steve Lukather, recently announced new North American headline dates within their planned itinerary with Journey, from February through April, 2024. Additional planned shows will be shared in the coming weeks.
The band's European tour will be staged in June and July, with seven performances in Germany also announced. The entire itinerary will be announced shortly which includes the band’s return to the UK.
RFK Media artist Ron Keel has chosen the intimate personal ballad “The Last Bottle On Earth” as his first single of 2024. The new album Keelworld promises to combine Keel’s ‘80s metal roots with melodic rock, southern rock, and this acoustic piece which he claims is “one of the best songs I’ve ever written.”
The album features many hard and heavy tracks recorded by the Ron Keel Band, Keel, and Steeler, but “The Last Bottle On Earth” is all Ron, alone with an acoustic guitar. It’s a format that he’s become extremely comfortable with the past twenty years, having toured the world as an acoustic artist, and he insists some songs are just better that way.
Portuguese heavy metallers Toxikull have shared the video for "Around The World". The track is the second to be revealed from the band's third album, Under The Southern Light, set for international release on February 23rd via Dying Victims Productions.
Stomping and strutting with absolutely authentic mid / late ‘80s swagger, Under The Southern Light is an unabashed throwback to the era where heavy metal ruled the airwaves and arenas alike. Some might’ve doubted whether such Sunset Stripping sounds could come from Toxikull after the all-pistons-pumping speed metal overdrive of Cursed And Punished, but the ten tracks comprising the 41-minute Under The Southern Light are all anthems in the making: larger than life, heavy and spacious, moody and dynamic.
Bright and burning-hot metal pumping blood from a (metal) heart of darkness, Under The Southern Light takes the party down dark, dirty back streets… dare you drink with Toxikull?
Tracklisting:
"Night Shadows"
"Around The World"
"Under The Southern Light"
"Battle Dogs"
"Ritual Blade"
"Ghost Of A Dream"
"Knights Of Leather"
"Going Back Home"
"They Are Falling"
"Filhos Do Metal"
"'Dirty Love' - the first single off our upcoming album, The Body Electric, is finally here," states Paralandra. "Go add it to your favorite music listening platform and crank it!"
The song was recorded, mixed and produced by Michael Elvis Baskette (Mammoth WVH, Sevendust, Alter Bridge, Slash). The video, which can be seen below, was created by Exceleration Media.
Melbourne, Australia-based progressive metal band, Teramaze, have released a video for "The Heist", featured on the band's new DVD/CD, Live At 170 Russell, released back in October. Watch the clip below.
A message states: "We thought we'd start the year off with another live video and the final track to be released digitally online to wet the lips of our fans for what we have install for them in 2024. We have worked extremely hard on a massive body of music, some that sounds like the older stuff and a lot of newer music as well, amongst that maybe something that a lot of our loyal fans have been asking and hoping for from Teramaze for awhile... 2024 is the year of the maze."
For twenty years, The Absence has been flying the flag of melodic death metal in Florida, and the flag continues to fly to this day. The group, which now forges on as a power-trio of Jamie Stewart (Hot Graves) on vocals, Jeramie Kling (Inhuman Condition, ex-Venom Inc) on drums and backing vocals, and Taylor Nordberg (Deicide, Inhuman Condition, Umbilicus) on guitar and bass, will release their sixth, and self-titled album on March 29 on Kling/Nordberg’s own Listenable Insanity Records, with digital distribution through Blood Blast Distribution.
The band’s ferocious new single, “The Silent Eye”, is out now with an accompanying video which can be viewed below.
Vocalist Jamie Stewart said about the single: “'The Silent Eye' is about the quiet before the storm, literal and/or metaphorical. When things are seemingly most calm - it is a silence you cannot trust. Before you know it, a massive storm-wall crushes through you, destroying everything you hold dear.”
The artwork for the album was done by Dan “Babe Ruth” Goldsworthy (Inhuman Condition, Corpsegrinder, Tim “Ripper” Owens, Accept). The album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Jeramie Kling and Taylor Nordberg at Smoke & Mirrors Productions in Spring Hill, Florida.
The album will be available on CD at Bandcamp, and digital platforms. The band will also release a disc of bonus material containing a re-recorded version of “Necropolis”, an Iron Maiden cover, acoustic renditions of Absence songs, and some other hidden gems.
The Absence tracklisting:
"Communion Carbonized"
"The Silent Eye"
"Vagrant Death"
"Planetary Mortuary"
"Surface Of A Dead World"
"Grieving Winds"
"Fleshwalker"
"Escape Artist"
"Breeding Hysterics"
Massive Scar Era is the brainchild of the visionary artist Cherine Amr, who leads a collaborative journey with diverse musicians in every EP, bringing her unique vision to life. Originating from Alexandria, Egypt, and currently based in Montreal, Canada, Massive Scar Era defies genre boundaries, weaving together a captivating tapestry of progressive rock, post-grunge, Egyptian music, and metal, resonating deeply with audiences across the globe.
They just released their seventh recording Metal Goes Egyptian this past November and have a video out now for the single "Color Blind", which Amr comments on:
“We decided to rearrange this previously released song for inclusion in this project primarily because of its numerous delicate vocal ornaments. These ornaments provided an opportunity for an Arabic arrangement. Once the Arabic arrangement was introduced, these subtle elements became much more pronounced compared to the original arrangement. I wrote this song after I was denied entry to the USA to play at SXSW with MSE due to the Muslim ban implemented by Trump. Although Egypt wasn’t on the banned list, the border officer was cautious about bands from our region participating, fearing it could add to the ongoing protests at the festival. Fortunately, that’s all in the past now, and I’ve been able to perform many shows smoothly in the USA since the situation has improved.”
The process of selecting the songs for the EP was a collaborative effort between Weka Soliman and Cherine Amr. Soliman, as the Arabic music arranger, played a crucial role in this decision-making process. His expertise and understanding of Arabic music were invaluable in choosing songs that would provide a suitable canvas for the integration of Arabic music elements. To accommodate the range of Arabic instruments and create an authentic and cohesive sound, project consultant, Katia Makdissi-Warren suggested transposing some of the songs. This adjustment allowed them to maintain the integrity of both the original compositions and the Arabic music elements, ensuring a seamless fusion between the two.
On December 29th, Ratt vocalist Stephen Pearcy celebrated the 40th anniversary of his band's debut album, Out Of The Cellar, by performing the record in its entirety with his solo group at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. It marked Pearcy's first time playing Out Of The Cellar live from front to back.
Check out the fan-filmed video below.
Setlist:
"Sweet Cheater"
"You Think You're Tough"
"Nobody Rides for Free"
Out Of The Cellar
"Wanted Man"
"You're in Trouble"
"Round and Round"
"In Your Direction"
"She Wants Money"
"Lack of Communication"
"Back for More"
"The Morning After"
"I'm Insane"
"Scene of the Crime"
"Lay It Down"
"You're in Love"
"Walking the Dog" (Rufus Thomas cover with Carlos Cavazo and Marq Torien)
The Iranian metal band initially known as Demonic Ritual came into existence in 2013 when vocalist Mani Kewmars founded the group. After navigating numerous lineup changes and releasing two demo tapes, Nima Kewmars, the vocalist's younger brother, joined as the lead guitarist and primary songwriter.
The entry of the Mottaghi brothers - Farhad on rhythm guitar and Faramarz on drums - prompted a renaming of the band to War Angel. In 2017, they marked their presence with the debut album Symphony Of War.
Their second album, Tales Of The Damned, released in 2020, showcased a shift in musical style and lyrical content compared to their debut work. The album's lead single, "Tomb Of The Pharaoh," caught the attention of notable artists like Gary Holt, leading to his support of the band by sharing the song's music video on social media. This was a monumental moment as the band had long idolized Exodus and Generation Kill since childhood. Subsequently, the band established contact with Rob Youells and Rob Dukes.
“Getting to know Mani and War Angel has reminded me what this music can mean to people. Having so much creative fire in their gut, its amazing what they have accomplished with such limited resources. It’s like those organisms that not only survive, but thrive in boiling temperatures near volcanic vents in the ocean. They formed their band in a most inhospitable environment, but in spite of that, these songs and this video have come into existence. It’s all very impressive and inspiring. The bridge between worlds having Dukes in the mix is crazy cool," says Rob Youells, drummer for Generation Kill.
In a heartwarming display of solidarity, War Angel collaborated with Rob Dukes on "Armageddon," both a song and a music video that embodies a powerful message: "We're Standing Side by Side, Brotherhood of Man!"
"'Armageddon' was a dream come true for me. As a child I grew up with heavy metal music because my father was a metalhead. We were always cast away and ridiculed for that in this country, but no matter what we endured. Bands like Iron maiden, Exodus, Slayer, Metallica and mercyful fate shaped who I am and, later on, Generation Kill in my teenage years had a great influence on me because I really liked Mr Dukes' albums with exodus in both lyrical and musical themes the most.
So, when I first talked with Rob Youells it was like a dream. leading to a conversation about Rob Dukes' alleged dislike for the Middle East. Youells dispelled the misconception, highlighting the Dukes' compassionate nature while expressing his aversion to politics and war crimes. In a beautiful gesture of peace, Mr Dukes agreed to do guest vocals on a War Angel song, and we immediately began writing the song and lyrics. The song is about the importance of mankind being united against the common problems like pollution, social media addiction, war, poverty and being controlled by the governments through the media. The song was recorded, and Mr Dukes delivered the vocals, which were on fire! Then we recorded the music video and Mr Dukes provided us with footages of himself singing. An indescribable feeling! Now the song is out, and we just want people to hear it, because we worked really hard for it, and it's our only dream and goal right now.
We made this song in the most harsh environment and in the most horrible time, with so many obstacles and difficulties that will bring everyone down, we endured and pushed through to make it happen. It's everything we are now. Everything we ever had. Everything we wanted to be," says the band's vocalist Mani Kewmars.
Rob Dukes adds, “It was an honor to work with War Angel from Iran on the song 'Armageddon'. They are a great band playing metal in one of the most oppressive environments on Earth, yet they keep moving forward, regardless of the continual prospect of prison, or worse. They come from a dire situation and it’s inspiring. I only hope one day, somehow, I can join them onstage somewhere and play it live with them. They are what metal music stands for - giving the finger to the establishment of oppressors!”
War Angel's musical style encompasses various subgenres of metal, blending high-pitched epic vocals of heavy metal with the relentless riffs of thrash metal and the impactful breakdowns of metalcore.
Facing challenging circumstances in a country where metal is prohibited, and where authorities persecute metalheads, the band exhibited resilience. Despite the risks - including potential danger to their lives - stemming from a government with strict religious beliefs, the band persists in their passion for metal music, driven by their sole desire to be heard.
Operating with minimal to no budget, the band self-recorded and produced all their songs and music videos, showcasing their dedication amidst adversity.
In an exclusive clip from the Sky Arts series "Greatest Guitar Riffs", QUEEN guitar legend Brian May solos over BLACK SABBATH's "Paranoid", accompanied by his friend, SABBATH co-founder Tony Iommi. The video, which was uploaded to the Guitar World YouTube channel, can be seen below.
"Greatest Guitar Riffs" aired last fall over the course of three consecutive nights: November 24, November 25 and November 26. This three-part documentary series unpicks the workings of some of the most famous riffs in musical history, taking audiences on an exhilarating journey which tracks the personal impact of the guitar riff on three legendary guitarists: Iommi, THE POLICE's Andy Summers and HEART's Nancy Wilson.
Episode One
BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi pulls back the curtain on the creation of SABBATH's classic riffs and the creation of heavy metal, delving into tracks including "Paranoid", "War Pigs" and "Iron Man". He's also joined by QUEEN's Brian May for an exclusive jam session.
Episode Two
Legendary guitarist Andy Summers reflects on his favorite riffs of all time and tells the stories of the riffs that brought fame and fortune to THE POLICE, including the opening bars of Grammy Award-winning hit "Every Breath You Take". Andy also pays a visit to one of the best jazz guitar players of all time, George Benson.
Episode Three
HEART's Nancy Wilson takes us on a very personal journey through the music and the riffs that influenced her, tracing a through-line from the music of HEART into the grunge scene of the 1990s. She's joined by PEARL JAM's Mike McCready and SOUNDGARDEN's Kim Thayil.
The iconic music trio are joined by an array of guitar stars, including jazz guitarist George Benson, Dave Keuning (THE KILLERS),Richie Sambora (BON JOVI),Hank Marvin (THE SHADOWS) and Orianthi (Michael Jackson, Alice Cooper). Together, they will cover riffs from the likes of LED ZEPPELIN, VAN HALEN, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and more.
Phil Edgar-Jones, director of Sky Arts, said: "'Greatest Guitar Riffs' is a treat for anyone who loves an axe-based ear worm; with this smart, thoughtful journey through the very best riffs ever written, brought to us by three guitar legends, I challenge anyone to watch without either a) humming along or b) picking up that air guitar and strumming along."
"Greatest Guitar Riffs" was commissioned by Edgar-Jones for Zai Bennett, managing director of content for Sky U.K. and Ireland. The commissioning editor for Sky is Barbara Lee.
The series is produced by Somethin' Else TV, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. Ian Sharpe serves as executive producer.
Killsorrow was created in 2008 in Krakow by guitarist Michał Sokół. The band's roster changed multiple times before finally stabilizing in 2015. Each member of the band is an experienced musician who has played hundreds of concerts and supported world-class bands such as Vader, Decapitated, Electric Light Orchestra, Focus, Paradise Lost, Hate, Hunter, Kat, Acid Drinkers, TSA.
So far, band released two albums Little Something For You To Choke and self-titled album Killsorrow (2019). Later band shared with fans digital single "Atom Heart" (2021). The band has performed tens live shows in major Polish cities in prestigious venues. In 2022, the band began working on their third longplay.
Polish post-apocalyptic metal band Killsorrow recorded music for third full-length album, entitled Wasteland Chronicles at Heinrich House Studio and Studio Centrum. All was mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström at Fredman Studio (In Flames, Arch Enemy, Sabaton, Dimmu Borgir, Septicflesh) in Goteborg. Cover artwork was done by duo Zbigniew Józefczyk and Michał "Xaay" Loranc (Evangelist, Kamelot, Konkhra).
Wasteland Chronicles was issued on CD in November 2023 and will be released digitally in the first quarter of 2024. On the new album the band presents a new musical face, they play mixture melody and aggressive of Trivium and In Flames with catchy Iron Maiden riffs and progression of Evergrey and Kamelot. New video for “Parasite Symphony” is streaming below.
Tracklisting:
“Keep Out!”
“Lost In The Dark”
“Parasite Symphony”
“Prototype”
“Eyes”
“Shelter”
“Straight To Hell”
“Finest Day To Die”
“Play With Me”
“Endless Fry”
“Wasteland”
“Home Sweet Home”
Scarefield, the electrifying, horror infused force in the world of thrash metal, Simone Manuli and Markus Kristoffersson, is set to shake the foundations of the music scene with their latest single and accompanying animated music video, "Ancient Evil." This track is part of their EP, Nightmare Tales, an H.P. Lovecraft inspired masterpiece that promises to plunge fans into a sonic realm of darkness and chaos.
“We’ve always been enthralled by the works of H.P. Lovecraft ever since first reading the story ‘The Call of Cthulhu’. It’s been a great pleasure as musicians to try and put the feelings of cosmic dread we’ve felt reading the stories to paper and into the music itself. When writing the song ‘Ancient Evil’ we wanted to make sure the dynamics of the song fit well with the lyrics and the progression of the story. Even the instruments provide feelings of doom and magnitude, from the chanting of the cultists in the chorus to the impending dread of the guitar solo. It could appear like an easy listening metal song but the structure is more complex than expected: different bpms and time signature, from classic 4:4 to 5:4 and 7:4, several vocal lines and electric guitar layers, very fast double kick drum parts. It will remind you of many metal band styles: Metallica, Iron Maiden, Anthrax, Blind Guardian. It’s what we were looking for and we hope you like it as we do.” – Scarefield
"Ancient Evil" encapsulates the essence of Scarefield's signature sound—ferocious, relentless, and unapologetically heavy. The track weaves a tale of cosmic horror inspired by the works of the legendary H.P. Lovecraft, plunging listeners into a world where ancient malevolence lurks in the shadows.
The accompanying animated music video for "Ancient Evil," created by Andrea Mantelli, is a visual feast, bringing the nightmarish narrative to life with stunning and eerie imagery. Fans can expect a journey through eldritch landscapes and encounter otherworldly creatures, perfectly synchronized with the band's sonic onslaught.
“Since the story of the track ‘Ancient Evil’ was so important and could obviously not be displayed through a live action video, we decided animation was the way to go. The illustrations picked for the animations are meant to provide the listener with a sense the magnitude of the story in the song as a world-shattering event of cosmic horror as the high priest of the great old ones awakens!”
In addition to the new single, Nightmare Tales features four previously released singles, each meticulously remixed and remastered to deliver a fresh and intensified sonic experience. Scarefield's dedication to pushing the boundaries of their music is evident in these reimagined tracks, promising both longtime fans and new listeners an immersive and powerful journey through the realms of thrash metal.
“This EP is the culmination of our previous quartet of singles paving the way for our upcoming album, A Quiet Country. The EP contains remixed and remastered versions of our first three singles as well as our metal cover of 'House Of The Rising Sun,' and a brand new track called ‘Ancient Evil’ from our upcoming album, about the dreaded Cthulhu.”
Four of the tracks off of Nightmare Tales were written and recorded by Manuli / Kristoffersson, with drums recorded by Joe Martino, produced and mixed by Manuli, and mastered by Ronnie Björnström. The metal cover of "House Of The Rising Sun" features Rich Gray (bass) from Annihalator and Hugo Ribeiro (drums) from Moonspell, readapted by Manuli / Kristoffersson, with vocals recorded by Kristoffersson and acoustic and electric guitars by Manuli. The album features illustrations by Nick The Scarecrow.
“During the road towards the release of our upcoming album, A Quiet Country, we wanted to provide a taste of what’s to come, enter our EP Nightmare Tales! This EP contains within it 5 songs of varying style which we feel perfectly displays the range listeners can expect from us moving forward. It is like the publication of a short story to whet the appetite for the upcoming novel. If you like what you hear, you will love what comes next.”
Tracklisting:
“Ancient Evil”
“Shiver”
“Primitive Shadows”
“Always”
“House Of The Rising Sun”
Ted Nugent has shared the video below, featuring his early band, The Amboy Dukes, performing "Migration" on PBS in 1970.
Says Nugent: "Why I was born!!! Pay close attention to the astonishing virtuosity of Andy Solomon on keyboards. Dave Palmer drums, the amazing Greg Arama on bass guitar and the unbelievable manipulation of that jazz guitar by your Byrdland daddy!
Can you believe the adventurous, mystical talent of those 4 young men uniting for such dynamic musical sonic adventure! Watch it over again when you can, and watch those guys play! Phenom!!!
Vanguard, with origins in 2015 in Brno, Czech Republic, play modern melodic/technical death metal with many genre overlaps and influences. The band has three releases to their credit, namely the debut EP "I" from 2015, the full-length "II" from 2019, and their latest release III: Pyrrhic Sequence released in the end of 2023.
Along with the albums, the band has released a total of five music videos including the latest video for the song, "Exomorphic Cascade", from the latest album. Watch the clip below.
The band has dozens of club and festival performances in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, including concerts in Poland and Germany. In 2022, the band appeared at the biggest metal festival in the Czech Republic, Masters of Rock, and in 2023 at the popular Czech death metal festival gathering Czech Death Fest. During their career, the band has had the opportunity to support names like Vader, Catalepsy and Czech legend Root in their home town of Brno.
Vanguard's music will be appreciated by fans of traditional death metal such as Death, fans of more modern styles such as The Black Dahlia Murder, fans of the fusion of black and death metal, and fans of a more technical take on the whole thing.
Serbian heavy / speed / thrash band Jenner have launched a music video for the song "Never Say Die", as a third advance single from their second album, Prove Them Wrong, which will be released on January 24, 2024 through Fighter Records on CD, Vinyl, Cassette, and Digital formats.
Prove Them Wrong artwork and tracklisting:
"No Time For Prayer"
"Prove Them Wrong"
"Born For Something More"
"Down In The Pit"
"Not Even You"
"Eye For an Eye"
"I Saw It All Clear"
"Never Say Die"
"Laws Of The Weak"
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