Atlanta-based rockers, Royal Thunder, are proud to announce their fourth studio album, Rebuilding The Mountain, which will see a June 16 release via Spinefarm. The upcoming full-length is the trio’s first studio release in six years, dating back to 2017’s Wick LP.
Addressing some of the creative drivers surrounding their new album, guitarist Josh Weaver says: “It was really a special time writing and working on this record. There were a lot of hardships we had prior to the pandemic and during, as everyone experienced. The band dissolved and toxic behavior became a priority over the music, addiction being the number one factor for things falling apart. We reconnected with our drummer, Evan Diprima, during the pandemic. We agreed that we needed to get our priorities straight and do the band uncompromisingly right, as in right for us. There was a huge void in us, not playing. We started writing our album immediately. We surrendered our heart and soul to each song. It felt good to work hard and create, to have what felt like a second chance to be a band again. We are thankful for the music and the healing it has brought us. We hope that the music will be a source of hope, inspiration, and healing to all that hear it.”
To commemorate the announcement of Rebuilding The Mountain, Royal Thunder have dropped the second single off the record, titled “Fade”.
Speaking about the new track, lead vocalist/bassist Mlny Parsonz shares, “’Fade’ is a reminder to me that despite the exchange of positive and negative energy, we can heal all of our connections. We don’t have to live with our pain, we have the power to change how we interact with it and others.”
Watch the video for "Fade" below.
Rebuilding The Mountain tracklisting:
"Drag Me"
"The Knife"
"Now Here No Where"
"Twice"
"Pull"
"Live To Live"
"My Ten"
"Fade"
"The King"
"Dead Star"
HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, who consist of AEROSMITH's Joe Perry, actor Johnny Depp and legendary rocker Alice Cooper, along with producer and songwriter Tommy Henriksen, will release their first live album, "Live In Rio", on June 2 via earMUSIC.
The official music video for "My Generation", taken from "Live In Rio", can be seen below.
In September 2015, the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES played their biggest and most legendary gig in front of more than 100,000 fans at the Rock In Rio festival in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. The accompanying music video shows the sheer magnitude of this concert and the reactions that this song still evokes in people — even 55 years after it was written. Originally by the American rock band SPIRIT, HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES cover this classic in their very own way. Rocking, driving, and full of energy, "I Got A Line On You" seems revitalized and bristles with power. It's a three-minute track with hit potential.
In 2015, the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES not only released their first album, but also played one of their biggest concerts, which will now be released as their first live album. After this success and the media interest in the ultimate rock group, sold-out concerts, and tours all over the world followed, and in 2019, finally, the second album "Rise". Over 50,000 physical units sold, millions of streams, and worldwide cover stories in major magazines later, fans, press and the band were ready to bring these songs to the stage. Unfortunately, part of the tour had to be postponed due to the pandemic and will finally be made up for this summer. Fittingly, the first live album will be released a few days earlier on June 2.
"Live In Rio" track listing:
01. Raise The Dead
02. My Generation
03. I Got A Line On You
04. Cold Turkey
05. Five To One/Break On
06. Through (To The Other Side)
07. Manic Depression
08. 7 And 7 Is
09. Whole Lotta Love
10. Jeepster
11. I'm A Boy
12. School's Out
13. Billion Dollar Babies
14. Train Kept A-Rollin'
15. Brown Sugar
The three legends first came together to record in 2015, bonding over a shared love of their favorite songs and a desire to celebrate their "dead, drunk friends" by playing the songs of the fallen heroes. Riotous performances ensued around the world.
In 2019, HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES completed a triumphant seven-city North American tour which included a sell-out show at the famous Greek Theatre in Los Angeles and were voted the "best performance" of 2018 at London's Wembley Arena.
HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES' sophomore album "Rise", produced by Tommy Henriksen and the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, was hailed as one of the purest, most unapologetic and enjoyable rock and roll albums of 2019, made by masters of the craft and true fans of the form. Unlike their 2015 debut record, the latest album consisted mainly of original material, written by the band. There are however, in the spirit of the VAMPIRES' original mission, three covers of songs originally written and recorded by legendary rockers who died far too young.
Four years ago, Cooper told Billboard about his chemistry with Depp and Perry: "That's a very odd thing about this. You've got three alpha males who are used to running the show, and all of a sudden, three guys are sitting there with zero arguments. The whole thing is, 'Okay, let's try that.' Every time they would send me a track with scratch vocals on it, if I worked on it and chopped it up and did my thing, it would turn into an Alice song. I took my fingerprints off of it. I would hear the song and say, 'Let's do it as it was written.' My instinct might be to say that this part goes too long or the intro goes too long, but that's what makes it interesting."
Regarding HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES' decision to record a second album as a follow-up to 2015's "Hollywood Vampires", which debuted at No. 43 on the Billboard 200, Cooper said: "We looked at each other and went, 'Let's do another album, but let's make this one original.' And just like that, Johnny was writing, Joe was writing, Tommy was writing, I was writing … and we just all kind of put it together while I was on tour. Tommy produced it, and the next thing you know, we had an album. The cool thing about it is that it doesn’t sound like an Alice album, it doesn't sound like an AEROSMITH album: It sounds like a HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES album."
Ahead of the release of their album "Atum" and North American "The World Is A Vampire" tour, THE SMASHING PUMPKINS have shared the official music video for "Empires". Watch it below.
The video comes as "Empires" continues to make waves at radio, being the No. 1 most added song to Active Rock. "Spellbinding" is also currently the No. 1 most added to Alternative Rock.
"Atum" is set for release on May 5 and is the sequel to 1995's "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness" and 2000's "Machina/Machine Of God". Featuring 33 tracks in three acts, "Atum" was written and produced by frontman Billy Corgan over the past over years. 22 tracks have been released to date, with "Beguiled" continuing to climb at both Active Rock (peaked at No. 6) and Alternative Radio Charts (No. 12). Act 3 will come with a special edition boxset featuring all 33 album tracks plus 10 additional previously unreleased songs.
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS recently announced their 26-date North American "The World Is A Vampire" tour. Produced by Live Nation, the tour is set to start on Friday, July 28 at The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. It will feature special guests INTERPOL, STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and RIVAL SONS as support on various dates, as well as some of the world’s biggest champions from the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA),who will be competing in most cities. "The World Is A Vampire" has already sold out 30,000-plus-capacity shows in Mexico City this year, as well in cities across Australia this spring, and is set to expand to more countries in the future.
Corgan said: "I grew up in a world where I needed to know bands like SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES and THE CURE existed, it meant there was a place for people like me to hang out and belong. That's what 'The World Is A Vampire' is about. Bringing back that sense of community. If you don't fit in, you belong here. It's about having a shared experience and respecting others, but ultimately having fun. A true alternative festival, where all the self-proclaimed weirdos and outsiders of the world can get together and have a party."
This week, Disney+ revealed special guests for the upcoming mockumentary series "The Muppets Mayhem", which includes Corgan. The entire first season will be available to stream on Wednesday, May 10.
In other news, Corgan's popular podcast series "Thirty-Three With William Patrick Corgan" continues to quench the thirst of dedicated PUMPKINS fans all over the world, offering listeners the chance to hear never-before-released "Atum" tracks, as well as diving into various aspects of the band’s illustrious history. "Thirty-Three With William Patrick Corgan" is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and available on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard.
The undisputed kings of balls-out rock ’n’ roll, Danko Jones have announced the release of their eleventh studio album, entitled Electric Sounds, via AFM Records on September 15. The three-man squad, dedicated to the noble art of riffs, melodies, and life-affirming rock anthems, return to provide maximum satisfaction and serve up all the Electric Sounds you could possibly need!
With Electric Sounds, Toronto’s archbishops of amplification prove that even a global pandemic couldn’t stop Danko Jones. As first album single "Guess Who's Back" showcases, it's just made them even more unstoppable. "Guess Who’s Back is not only the lead-off track to our new album, Electric Sounds, it’s also the imperative sentence everyone is begging to answer - Danko Jones!" quips charismatic frontman Danko.
Get the new Danko Jones song on all digital services here, and watch a lyric video for "Guess Who's Back" below.
“Not working for two years really felt like touring rock bands were being put out to pasture,” recalls Danko. “But I guess that only made us try harder. We were still able to record and release an album during the pandemic (Power Trio, 2021). We toured as soon as we were allowed. Now that Electric Sounds is getting released, it doesn’t feel like we missed a beat. During the pandemic, we moved away from each other. JC lives in Finland and Rich lives in Prince Edward Island. So the writing for this band has changed. We used to bash out ideas in our rehearsal place, day after day, but it’s more about sending files back and forth now. However, last summer, while on tour, we did manage to jam out ideas in a rehearsal room in Berlin for a few days. Out of those jams came the nubs for five songs...”
Five songs have since been expanded to eleven new Danko Jones songs, and Electric Sounds promises to have the instant sound and feel of a classic. With no need to reinvent the wheel, the group have further honed and refined their craft - always at full volume - although Electric Sounds is a deceptively diverse affair. No band has ever sounded more ready to hit the road than the pumped-up threesome showcased on the hell-for-leather ragers featured on their forthcoming album.
Electric Sounds was produced by Eric Ratz, and features guest spots from Tyler Stewart (Barenaked Ladies), Damian Abraham (Fucked Up) and guitarist Daniel Dekay (from Canadian thrash legends Exciter).
"Guess Who's Back"
"Good Time"
"Electric Sounds"
"Get High?"
"Stiff Competition"
"She's My Baby"
"Eye For An Eye"
"I Like It"
"Let's Make Out"
"What Goes Around"
"Shake Your City"
"Guess Who's Back" lyric video:
These road dogs have a few new miles to put on the tour bus yet. Stay tuned for hot tour news from Danko Jones very soon!
Danko Jones is:
Danko Jones - Vocals/Guitar
John Calabrese - Bass
Rich Knox - Drums
With impressive, powerful vocals and sweeping, exhilarating riffs, Sovereign Council have received tons of attention in their home country of Canada and even more internationally. Comprised of five members, this band lineup lends a noteworthy blend of male and female vocals, which is particularly unique to the metal scene. The band’s third studio effort, World On Fire, is on its way and leading up to that is the single “Breathe You In”, the band shares their excitement:
“This is the oldest song from this release. The first versions of this song were actually written and recorded in early 2018. It has gone through various stages of development before we settled on the final version. Our fans may be surprised by our new sound and lineup change. We feel it’s a step in the right direction and hope that our fans agree.”
Since 2012, Sovereign Council has continued to evolve, their sound is maturing and becoming more accessible, relatable, and marketable. Going from gothic melodic metal to now, more modern metal, they are recommended for fans of Within Temptation, Lacuna Coil, and Evergrey.
World On Fire is due out May 5, 2023 and available for pre-order at this location.
Tracklisting:
“World On Fire”
“The Wait”
“Aberration”
“Breathe You In”
“Of The Ashes”
Ghosts Of Sunset recently returned with their latest fix of melodic hard rock, Breathe. The band’s duo of singer-songwriters John Merchant (former Dutch Henry frontman) and multi-instrumentalist Todd Long (previously with the Verve Pipe) had last drawn attention to themselves in 2020 with their debut EP, Headed West, and 2022 follow-up LP, No Saints In The City.
Ghosts Of Sunset not only pays homage to the 1980s hair metal scene they grew up on (Quiet Riot, Ratt, Mötley Crüe, Warrant, Faster Pussycat, GNR, etc.), but for music fans whose tastes run deep, Breathe touches upon post-punk aggression, melodic rock choruses and a quirky Cheap Trick spin on top of it all. From the lead-off track, “Afterthought,” to the straight rocker “Move Along,” and pop rocker “Gettin’ Over You” they cover it all on their latest release. The album made the Top 100 Amazon list while lead track, “Afterthought”, has been getting spins on rock radio.
The writing and recording process for Breathe was a bit unconventional, and at the same time par for the course with 21st century technology. "We did all our recording via file sharing,” says Long. “First, one of us will have an idea, and then we just start sending mp3s back and forth while building the track up. After a basic track was completed, we’d then seek out who we feel might be right to put a guitar solo on it. If they like the track, then we proceed. If they don't, then that's fine too. We just hoped they feel connected enough to the track to want to contribute."
Merchant continues, “The opportunity to make a follow up full-length album was an absolute blessing and a daunting task. Unlike some writers, we’re always hoping our influences are noticeable, but we want them to be surprising and revealing as well. With this set of songs, we wanted to keep the door open for anything that moved us. They tell you where they want to go and we are open to whatever gets them to their destination. These songs take listeners from such sweeping landscapes as an Asian spy adventure, to something as internal and personal as the struggle of loving someone battling addiction. The musical compositions are as important as the lyrics to tell the stories that need to be told.”
Deko Entertainment president, Bruce Pucciarello, states on signing the band, “Todd and John offer up a wonderful collection of new tunes on their new album, Breathe. Every entry is extremely well written and performed…definitely going to be listening to this one for a long time!"
You can order Breathe and limited bundles here. Stream the album here.
Tracklisting:
"Afterthought"
"Hide Her Heart"
"Move Along"
"Cocaine Kisses"
"Two Tickets To Tokyo"
"Gettin Over You"
"Mine Tonight"
"Don't Blame Love"
"Nobody's Baby"
"Never Go Back"
Stardust is back with a new album! The up-and-coming melodic rockers have announced the forthcoming release of their second studio album, Kingdom Of Illusion, on June 16. The new album once again is a stunning showcase of the band's talents in the melodic rock / AOR genre, while simultaneously introducing their ability to effortlessly delve into a more hard rocking sound.
The first single from the album, "The Fire" is out today. Watch a music video for the track below, and pre-order/save Kingdom Of Illusion here.
Hungary's Stardust are one of the hottest new melodic rock bands to come out of the underground European scene in recent years. Their independently released self-titled debut EP stirred up quite a buzz in the underground melodic rock scene, which ultimately led to their signing to Frontiers Music Srl after some ardent fans of the band put them to the attention of label staff during one of the Frontiers Rock Festivals. The band released their debut full-length, Highway To Heartbreak, in October 2020 to great critical acclaim, proving that the early buzz generated by their EP was more than warranted.
Founded in 2015, Stardust's style is an amalgam of the classic melodic hard rock and AOR genres, with hooky choruses, beautiful keyboards, vocal harmonies, and loud guitars in the style of their favourite mid-80's bands, bringing to life this well beloved music in the 21st century. After the great reception to their debut album, Kingdom Of Illusion sees these ambitious rockers further developing and enhancing their sound for another truly delightful release.
Kingdom Of Illusion tracklisting:
"War"
"The Fire"
"Losing Me"
"Sacrifice"
"Love Sells"
"Heroes"
"One First Kiss"
"Make Me Feel Your Love"
"Ain’t No Woman"
"Sarah"
"Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)"
"The Fire" video:
Lineup:
Adam Stewart - Vocals
Facey - Guitars
Ben Martin - Bass
Dave Legrant - Keyboards
Peter Horn - Drums
KEMIKALFIRE, the side project of HALESTORM drummer Arejay Hale and LIT drummer Taylor Carroll, has released its debut single, "Dead And Gone". The official music video for the track, which was shot by Alex Bemis of Bemis Creative at KEMIKALFIRE's first-ever live performance, which took place on January 19, 2023 at the Knitting Factory in North Hollywood, California, can be seen below.
During an appearance on "The Itch Rock Podcast", Hale stated about KEMIKALFIRE's first single: "I think that 'Dead And Gone' is one that just wrote itself. It was something that Taylor and I had been holding on to but were maybe too afraid to touch on when we got in a creative songwriting space. 'Cause we were just, like, 'Well that sounds kind of conceited.' But no, that's a real human thought. 'How am I gonna be remembered when I die, and am I gonna die satisfied?' It's the most beautiful experience when you start writing a song and the song starts writing itself and you're just chasing it. And that's what that song felt like."
"[Producer and co-writer Scott Stevens] and Arejay and myself wrote 'Dead And Gone'," added Carroll. "And the way we [write] is that one of us has a concept and Scott helps us put together the puzzle pieces. He coaches us where we need to go, like, 'Do you really mean that, what you're saying?' And we'll challenge each other on that too. It's kind of a cool process that we have."
Hale noted that this additional focus is crucial to their songwriting. He explained: "When we first started, we were like, 'We need a line that means this and rhymes with this, how about this?' 'Okay, sure.' Now … you have to peel back the layers, like, 'Is that particular word really saying what we're trying to say?' I think you can feel that, when something is just a placeholder. The songs we're writing now, we're finally at a really scrutinous level. And Scott is a huge help, because he's the same way."
"I feel sorry for Scott when we go into the studio," Carroll laughed. "Imagine that you're trying to produce and create something for this new band and this tornado just comes running up your stairs."
Hale quickly agreed. "It's like in the movie 'Twister'. Like, 'We got sisters!' Two tornadoes swirling around him all day. 'Another cow!'"
"I guarantee you that guy has to boil three pots of coffee every morning just to work with us," Carroll joked. "Another cool thing about Arejay and Scott and myself working together is … we're still high school dorks, clinging to each other at our cafeteria table creating this music together. We all understand what it's like to be the underdog. And I, from the beginning, wanted to write music for the underdog. Especially for people who think that they can't, or that they're too old or broken or stuck or stagnant or addicted … We just wanted to be those people who say, 'Hey, dude, we're the same exact way, but check this out: you can still create your own outlet.'" "And this song we just wrote this week is touching on a really personal thing in our relationships, in our love lives," Hale added.
Carroll said: "There's a song that we haven't released that we eventually will that's about relationship stuff … like when you're heading down a bad path and then somebody comes into your life and helps you see where you're at and how destructive it can be. It's called 'Grave'. It'll see the light of day eventually, after a couple songs. That's another one I'm super proud of."
In a recent interview with the "Thunder Underground" podcast, Arejay stated about how KEMIKALFIRE came together: "[Taylor and I are] old friends. I've known him back when he was playing drums for a band called PILLAR. And we met at the Mall Of America in Minnesota when he was in his bus and we were in our R.V. And he just came over and knocked on the bus and he was, like, 'Hey, you guys are in a band?' And we were, like, 'Yeah. You guys are in a band too? Cool. Come on in. Have a beer. Let's hang out.' And we just never lost touch. We both lived in L.A. for a little bit, so we would hang out there. And then the pandemic hit and we got back in touch and we just wrote… Honestly, we were just looking for anyone that wanted to write with us. We had to stay busy, so a lot of Zoom writing sessions with other writers. And we just realized, 'Man, we have a really good chemistry writing music together,' and we both kind of pick up where each other lacks, in a sense; we have a great creative partnership. And not only that, but he's also a really talented producer as well — and multi-instrumentalist. So, as a songwriter, I just felt really glad that I could just put on my creative hat and let him do more of the mechanical work with the song ideas that I would present to him."
As for KEMIKALFIRE's musical direction, Arejay said: "It's different. It's much more aggressive than HALESTORM. I'm doing a lot more singing and a lot more crazy drumming. It kind of throws back to our punk roots; there's punk elements in there… There's moments where it's heavier; there's also moments where it's a little bit more melodic, a little more soaring. And there's moments where it has really stark punk roots start to kind of show through, which is kind of what Taylor and I were raised on. We love punk drummers, so when we're writing the stuff, a lot of that comes out just because that's just kind of really fun stuff to write for us.
"Yeah, it's different than HALESTORM, but it's also easily digestible," he clarified. "I think the average HALESTORM fan could hear it and be, like, 'Oh, okay. I get it. This works.' 'Cause obviously your personal writing style seeps into everything that you're a part of, so you'll probably hear HALESTORM elements in there as well, from my end."
Asked which instruments he and Taylor are handing in KEMIKALFIRE, Arejay said: "He's playing guitar and singing, and I'm playing drums and singing. But we're thinking maybe… We both can play both, so we're, like, 'Maybe we should trade off and do some…' He's also an insane drummer; he plays with LIT now, the band LIT, and we love LIT. But we also have a couple of songs where he was, like, 'Hey, you wanna play piano?' And I'm [like], 'Sure. Why not?' So we might switch some things up for our live show, which we're excited about. That's the dream.'"
When Arejay and Taylor first announced KEMIKALFIRE's formation last year, they wrote in a statement: "We are KEMIKALFIRE! You may know us from HALESTORM and LIT, but we're also 2 drummers, singers, songwriters, producers and long-time friends. We've finally joined our creative strengths, seizing our opportunity to create pure, honest and unbridled music for nobody but ourselves in hopes of helping anyone get through their own life obstacles. It feels good to finally share this project with you guys, and it’s going to feel even better to get going. We have some great stuff coming your way, stay tuned."
The official Lief Thomason-directed music video for "Do Or Die", the second single from ELEGANT WEAPONS, the new project featuring guitarist Richie Faulkner (JUDAS PRIEST) and singer Ronnie Romero (RAINBOW, MSG),can be seen below. The track is taken from ELEGANT WEAPONS' debut album, "Horns For A Halo", which will be released on May 26 via Nuclear Blast. The LP was recorded with bassist Rex Brown (PANTERA, DOWN) and drummer Scott Travis (JUDAS PRIEST) and was helmed by acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with JUDAS PRIEST, ACCEPT, EXODUS and MEGADETH, among many others.
"'Do Or Die' is a rip-roaring track about taking the opportunity and giving it your all," explains Faulkner. "Take the shot, play the game and do it to the best of your ability. It's the fastest track on the record and is a blast to play!"
ELEGANT WEAPONS, which is rounded out by Dave Rimmer (URIAH HEEP) on bass and Christopher Williams (ACCEPT) on drums, will hit the road in Europe beginning in June and running through July. The trek will include performances with PANTERA, festival appearances and headlining shows.
Richie said: "We are very much looking forward to touring and our first tour dates are taking place in Europe starting in June 2023. Fans can expect heavy songs with catchy melodies, great vocals and lots of riffs! We all live to play live, and can't wait to take the ELEGANT WEAPONS out onto the live stage."
Tour dates:
June 12 - Czech Republic, Prague - O2 Arena (with PANTERA)
June 13 - Germany, Berlin - Verti (With Pantera)
June 16 - France, Clisson - Hellfest
June 18 - Belgium, Dessel - Graspop Metal Meeting
June 20 - The Netherlands, Amsterdam - Afas (with PANTERA)
June 21 - Germany, Hamburg - Edel Optics (with PANTERA)
June 23 - Switzerland, Zurich - Komplex
June 25 - Spain, Murcia - Rock Imperium Festival
June 26 - Spain, Madrid - Mon Club
June 28 - Portugal, Lisbon - Evil Live Festival
June 29 - Spain, Viveiro - Resurrection Festival
July 02 - Italy, Bologna - Return Of The Gods Festival
July 30 - UK, Ebbw Vale - Steelhouse Festival
"Horns For A Halo" track listing:
01. Dead Man Walking
02. Do Or Die
03. Blind Leading The Blind
04. Ghost Of You
05. Bitter Pill
06. Lights Out
07. Horns For A Halo
08. Dirty Pig
09. White Horse
10. Downfall Rising
In a recent interview with Pete Pardo of Sea Of Tranquility, Romero stated about ELEGANT WEAPONS: "That's something Richie [brought] to the table a couple of years ago. He call[ed] me and said, 'Listen…' If I remember correctly, he had the album recorded already, but he told me [at the time], 'We feel that doesn't work with the singer we have. So we're gonna try with another singer.' So I recorded a song, and then they loved it. And we ended up working together. And the plans are we're gonna release the album in, I think it's gonna be May, it's gonna be released by Nuclear Blast. And then we're gonna make some summer festivals around Europe. Then probably we'll go properly on tour, if everybody's okay. And probably we're gonna record a second album, and then we will see."
Romero went on to say that ELEGANT WEAPONS is "a very solid project," adding that "it's not something we will do once, and that's it. And also we're not doing it because of a contract that we need to fulfill. It's because we really want to do it together," he explained. "Richie is a cool guy; we are friends. And the rest of the guys also. Andy Sneap, [who did] the production, is a cool guy also. And we really want to see what happens with the band because we think people are gonna be very surprised about what they're gonna listen on the music side. It's not the typical thing Richie and I were doing for the last few years. It's a different thing. And I think the people are gonna like it. So we will see what happens. And we're gonna build the house from that point."
Regarding the ELEGANT WEAPONS band name, Faulkner said: "In almost any endeavor, the craftsman needs the right tools for the job. For a musician, those tools are things like their instruments, their voices and the emotions that the right combination of all those can bring to the surface. You can also consider it a reference to the instruments we play, because they're almost antiquities now. So yes, it references our instruments and also this kind of music, where we're carrying on the tradition of the greats like SABBATH and DIO but also bands the guys are connected to, like RAINBOW, PANTERA and PRIEST."
Richie and Rex have been friends for years, so when Richie was recording "Horns For A Halo" during the pandemic, he called on his friend to record the bass for the album.
"Well, Rex brings a sound, first of all, that is like no other bass sound," explained Richie. "The way he plays bass is instantly recognizable. But I got involved with Rex, you know, as with a lot of things that we do, as humans, really — we got involved as friends first. But Rex has got a great way of hearing the way the bass parts and the drums interact together. I mean, Rex's parts just breathe grit and life and dynamic into the songs. So it's a pleasure to have him on the record and it's a pleasure, obviously, to know him and have him as a friend — he's a legend."
As for Travis's involvement with the LP, Faulkner said: "I always wanted to make a record with Scott playing on it outside of PRIEST. His technique and style are legendary but also his groove."
When it comes to the live show, there was no other bass player even considered other than Rimmer. Davey and Richie go back over 20 years and they played the bars and pubs of London and England together, night in, night out for many years. Their musical relationship is almost telepathic in the way they communicate, from that early hard graft together on the circuit.
"Davey is an untouchable player," Richie said. "In sound, style and presence. A killer writer too, contributing great songs with URIAH HEEP. A great friend and a great musician."
When it came to choosing the drummer for the touring band, it was a no-brainer for Richie to enlist fellow Nashville resident and good friend Williams. Christopher had played and recorded the initial demos for the "Horns For A Halo" album, and was the obvious choice for the drum position. A phenomenal player, a great personality and a consummate professional.
And finally there's the new hotshot on the scene, Romero, Chilean-born, now living in Eastern Europe.
"Ronnie's got that heritage," says Richie, "and he nailed his parts in a week, which was a testament, really, to how good the guy is and how perfect he was for it. And he's just such a lovely guy, and, I think, one of a dying breed. There's not many people like him. There's good singers, like [Rob] Halford and [Ronnie James] Dio, but there's not many of them. He's really something special. When he sings with RAINBOW, he sounds obviously like Dio, but when he sings this stuff, there's something in there that comes out of him — he's his own monster, with his own trademark quality, which is an important thing to have."
Producing is PRIEST's touring guitarist of the past five years Sneap, who has been respectful of Richie's vision concerning a certain classic sound he wanted across the expanse of the record's 11 songs (ten originals plus a cover of UFO's "Lights Out"),and that is a signature Flying V through a Marshall Plexi amp.
"With the Marshall Plexi I've kind of gone back to the ‘70s, really," figured Faulkner. "And, you know, it's just one channel. And I've been using a prototype Flying V by Gibson, a blue Flying V with signature pickups, which I had been using on the PRIEST tour. I used it on the whole record, every track. So it's pretty straightforward technology-wise — the Flying V through a Marshall on 11."
As for the music, Richie described it as "a mix of Jimi Hendrix, PRIEST, SABBATH, solo Ozzy and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, but with a lot of melody, sort of old school and modern at once if that makes any sense, and actually down-tuned a whole step. The Marshall Plexi basically does one thing, but you've got to crank it to 11 for it to have that distorted sound. It hasn't got a lot of bells and whistles on it or different channels and effects. It basically does one thing and does it very well. But again down-tuning creates more of a modern sound, and by using the classic sound of the Marshall Plexi, you get that juxtaposition, that contrast. All told, there are a lot of guitar solos and the songs are on the heavier side. And even though there's a lot of melody, it's still going to shake your bones."
Specific to the songs, Richie explained that, "Me and acoustic don't really get along, so there's only one mellow song on it, a sort of smoky, haunted, New Orleans kind of tune called 'Ghost Of You', with de-tuned 1920s piano on it. That one is about a memory, or ghost of a lost love. But that's about as acoustic as it gets. I'm not really attracted to acoustic guitar in general. It's mainly kind of heavy and full-on, really. There's a song called 'White Horse', plus 'Horns For A Halo', which is like Tony Iommi crossed with ALICE IN CHAINS. That's about the way we justify the bad things we do. When we turn up on Judgement Day, will the angels kind of confuse our horns for halos, if you know what I mean. Then there's 'Rose Girl', which has a bit of a psychedelic '60s hippie vibe. It's about the rose girl who sells roses to the patrons at a strip club, and reflecting on what her life is all about."
Besides having these stories told, another mandate of the band is for Richie to propose more fully than he can across a PRIEST record, his own voice or style as it pertains to the guitar.
"Yes, everything that you do, without sounding pretentious, is trying to find your own voice and extension of your voice," he said. "I've been in cover bands all my life. Then you find yourself replacing K.K. Downing and it's, like, 'Now what am I gonna say?' I can't sound like K.K. Downing. I can't sound like Eddie Van Halen. I can't sound like Zakk Wylde. So it's refining and honing what your voice is, constantly fine-tuning what that voice is. And hopefully when people listen to it, they'll think, 'Oh, that's Richie.' In every song and every solo hopefully there's that sound, that narrative, that voice, and hopefully it stands the test of time."
But really, the over-arching mandate with ELEGANT WEAPONS is to perpetuate the rich legacy of the traditional proto-power metal invented by the heavy metal titans of the '70s and '80s, most pertinently JUDAS PRIEST.
"All four of us have got that original DNA in us, as does the new breed of traditional heavy metal fans," Richie said. "And so maybe a band like ELEGANT WEAPONS, hopefully we've got the credibility to make those original bands proud, because we were accepted by the members of those bands and by their fans. That's really the idea behind ELEGANT WEAPONS — to keep flying the flag for this style of timeless heavy metal."
earMUSIC has released the video below, featuring Annihilator performing "The Blackest Day" (taken from the album Waking The Fury, originally released in 2002) live at the Masters Of Rock festival in 2008.
The video has been remastered in HD for the first time. Enjoy Annihilator at its best, in front of 30,000 metal fans. Previously released remastered footage of Annihilator performing "King Of The Kill" at the same show can also be viewed below.
May 5 will see heavy speed metal giants, Savage Grace, return with a brand new studio album, entitled Sign Of The Cross, through Massacre Records. Today, the band release a video for the new single, "Rendezvous". Check it out below.
On their forthcoming album, Savage Grace are not only introducing their new vocalist Gabriel Colon - who is described as a blend of the early Rob Halford and the young Ian Gillian - but creating and moving into a new dimension of metal while keeping true to their authentic roots. Guitarist Christian Logue assembled the most incredible musicians from across the world to create the most devastating version of Savage Grace yet.
40 years of metal experience went into crafting each of the new album songs into classics they will soon become. In addition, provocative, thought-inspiring lyrics and powerful topics weave their way through this mesmerizing collection of songs.
Christian Logue comments: "This album is my masterpiece and a grand addition to my legacy of universally acclaimed classic metal recordings. Every song on this album is powerful, there is not one weak track on this record."
Sign Of The Cross was produced by Logue and was mixed and mastered by Roland Grapow at Grapow Studios. Slated for a release as CD, ltd. Vinyl LP and Digital formats on May 5, 2023 via Massacre Records, pre-orders are available at this location.
Tracklisting:
“Barbarians At The Gate”
“Automoton”
“Sign Of The Cross”
“Rendezvous”
“Stealin’ My Heart Away”
“Slave Of Desire”
“Land Beyond The Walls”
“Star Crossed Lovers”
“Branded”
“Helsinki Nights” (CD Bonus Track)
Finnish Seinäjoki-based metal band, Mortyfear, have released a new single and music video, "Kaunankantaja". The track is taken from as-yet-untitled upcoming studio album.
Check out the video below.
Vocalist Janne Keskitalo comments: “After our latest album, the fire for making new music was strong in us all the time. We took a breath and thought what we would like to do. We considered between making more new music and live shows and it did not take too long when we found ourselves making new sounds and ideas for new songs. This time the process was way different than when making My Dystopia because nowadays we live close to each other. It brought a new, kind of easiness and naturality, to the composing process.
'Kaunankantaja' (which means 'grudge bearer' in English) had its birth when me and our guitarrist Jorma sat in front of a synth and wanted to make something raw and primal. After this we relied to the same process as on the last album, which gives the opportunity for everyone in our band to give their own and unique touch to the music as a whole. Finnish language was a natural choice to the song and I could not think of a better way to express the atmosphere in the lyrics and in the song. Finnish language has always been a part of Mortyfear and the time was right to bring it more strongly - even to the songs still in process. As in this song, the future songs will have the presence of death and deathwish in lyrics as the soundscapes and composing are part of our own unique way to express us. Like it has always been and will be ”
"Kaunankantaja" is available via streaming platforms found here.
Mortyfear was founded in the late 90’s in Ostrobothnia, the rugged heart of Finland by Tapio Laitila. In 2018, Mortyfear renewed it’s line-up and began to work passionately on their second full-length album, My Dystopia, which was released in the summer of 2021 by Inverse records. On My Dystopia, the band developed the unique Mortyfear sound to even more chaotic and haunting direction, and the album was praised in music media around the world. After that, Mortyfear has been actively practicing and composing new material.
On Wednesday (April 12),the third of METALLICA's four-night residency on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", the Rock And Roll Hall of Famers performed "Master Of Puppets", the title track of their third album, which came out in 1986. Check out video of the performance below.
METALLICA kicked off the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" residency Monday night (April 10) by sitting down for a chat with host Jimmy Kimmel and performing "Lux Æterna", the lead single from the band's upcoming album, "72 Seasons". The following night they played "Holier Than Thou", a song from their self-titled 1991 album, better known as The Black Album.
"Jimmy Kimmel Live!" has the distinction of being the longest-running late night program still on the air.
Last Friday, when METALLICA first announced its "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" residency, the band wrote on social media: "In a first for the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show, it's 'Metallica Week,' as we will be the musical guest each night, beginning on Monday, April 10, through Thursday, April 13. We'll be playing live for all four shows, and you'll also catch us on the couch, chatting with Jimmy one night. Keep your eyes peeled for other sightings during the broadcast, as we really don't know what else Jimmy will get us involved in!"
METALLICA previously appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in 2021 when they read one-star reviews of their classic Black Album on the show. More recently, Kimmel hosted METALLICA's "All Within My Hands" benefit concert and auction in December.
"72 Seasons" will be released April 14 via METALLICA's own Blackened Recordings. Produced by Greg Fidelman with Hetfield and Ulrich, and clocking in at over 77 minutes, the 12-track "72 Seasons" is METALLICA's first full-length collection of new material since 2016's "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct". The album will be released in formats, including 2LP 140g black vinyl and limited-edition variants, CD and digital.
METALLICA and Trafalgar Releasing will hold a worldwide "72 Seasons" listening party. For one night only on Thursday, April 13, "72 Seasons" will be played in full in surround sound, exclusively for cinema audiences worldwide — with every one of the new songs featuring its own music video and exclusive commentary from the band.
The "72 Seasons" global premiere sees METALLICA and Trafalgar joining forces once more, having previously worked together on the October 2019 worldwide cinematic release of "S&M²", which documented METALLICA and San Francisco Symphony reuniting to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their original "S&M" (Symphony & Metallica) concerts and releases.
In the seven years since the arrival of "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct", METALLICA has reissued some of its classic albums, released a second live album with the San Francisco Symphony, commissioned a covers album featuring the likes of GHOST, VOLBEAT, WEEZER, Corey Taylor and THE HU, and landed on the Billboard songs chart with "Master Of Puppets" after a prominent placement in the hit Netflix show "Stranger Things".
Japanese legends Boris have shared the official “Nosferatou” music video. “Nosferatou” is from Boris’ 2022 full-length Heavy Rocks & their split LP with Rocky And The Sweden. Video footage is from the band’s last US tour in Los Angeles & San Francisco.
Additionally, Boris begin their Spring EU/UK headline tour dates on April 29 through June 8. Find dates and tickets at borisheavyrocks.com.
Heavy Rocks (2022) is out now on LP/CD/CS/Digital. Order at Relapse.com.
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