On March 3rd, German death metal outfit Disminded will release their new album, The Vision. Dramatic melodies, leg-hard grooves, and fast thrashy parts meet profound, unadorned lyrics, straight from the deepest abysses of the soul.
As a first taste of this death metal inferno, the video for the song "Unleash Hate" can be seen below. The album can already via MDD. The Vision, produced by Harris Johns, is a musical statement performed without compromise.
The Vision artwork and tracklisting:
"A Melting Of Worlds"
"Nightmare"
"Unleash Hate"
"Judgement Day"
"Coro-Nation"
"Final Prayer"
"World War 3"
"Dead Water"
"The Cult"
"New God Rising"
After releasing their latest record, "Deceivers", last year to critical acclaim, extreme metal masters ARCH ENEMY have returned today with a new video for the track "Poisoned Arrow". The clip, which was produced by Mirko Witzki of Witzki Visions, can be seen below.
ARCH ENEMY guitarist Michael Amott comments: "I almost can't believe we're releasing a seventh (!) video off our recent 'Deceivers' album. Yet here it is, 'Poisoned Arrow', a mid-tempo track drenched in melodic guitar work and a somewhat different vibe overall compared to the other singles we've had out.
"The video was shot in Berlin, Germany during a hectic whirlwind schedule with director Mirko Witzki and his talented crew — they even made it snow in the middle of the sweltering German summer heat!
"Here's another Deutschland connection for you; our German friend Raphy played the beautiful cello part on the intro and outro of the song, thanks again mate!
"2023 is upon us and ARCH ENEMY is back on the road again, we launch the proceedings in New Zealand, Australia and Japan and have a big European summer run too. Who knows where we'll go after that...but for now, check out 'Poisoned Arrow'!"
Starting this weekend, ARCH ENEMY will hit the road, touring the world in support of "Deceivers". The quintet will first appear in New Zealand and Australia before heading to Japan. This summer, fans will have the chance to catch ARCH ENEMY at the biggest festivals across Europe (with more European shows to be announced soon!).
ARCH ENEMY played its first post-pandemic show at the opening date of "The North American Siege 2022" tour with BEHEMOTH and NAPALM DEATH on April 16, 2022 at The Marquee in Tempe, Arizona.
Amott previously stated about "Deceivers": "Having just celebrated our 25th anniversary as a group and now releasing our 11th studio album, one could easily assume that we would be cruising along and going through the motions at this point. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to ARCH ENEMY and our new album, 'Deceivers'.
"It is, without a doubt, always a challenge to raise the bar each time in both the songwriting and production side of things, and it can feel a bit daunting before we get into it. But once we do get started and fully immerse ourselves in the creative process, it's really like there is nothing else in the world and we are very focused. And believe it or not, for the most part, we have a ton of fun making this music! Creating 'Deceivers' was no different. Once again we shut out the outside world and went deep into the artistic zone. I believe we pulled out some really interesting musical and lyrical themes this time, a few things might even raise an eyebrow or two — while retaining all the signature elements of the band. In the end, it's ARCH ENEMY at full speed and power."
Bordeaux, France-based technical death metal goliaths, Gorod, will release their long-awaited seventh album, The Orb, on March 7.
The follow-up to the band’s Æthra full-length stands as their most accomplished work of their twenty-six year career. With The Orb, the quintet delivers both a synthesis of their previous efforts and opens to new, more accessible horizons. Far from being an average classic tech death act, Gorod continually diversifies its inspirations. With a unique groove mingled with melodies and rich harmonies inspired by ‘70s jazz, funk, and rock, their progressive and sophisticated approach to their sound has always given them a unique identity. The Orb furthers that trajectory.
Comments the band, “The overall composition of this album stretched out more in time than Æthra, which allowed us to try new things. We wanted to go both a little further in new experiments but also return back to our own sources in order to highlight the contrasts. From the most spontaneous to the most polished, we've put together the most accessible and extreme material we could.”
In advance of the record’s release, Gorod has released two videos. Watch a lyric video for “Breeding Silence”, and a video for The Orb’s title track, below. An additional album teaser will be unveiled in the coming days.
The Orb was produced by David Thiers at Secret Place Studio and will be released on CD, LP, and digitally. Find pre-orders here.
Tracklisting:
"Chrematheism"
"We Are The Sun Gods"
"The Orb"
"Savitri"
"Breeding Silence"
"Victory"
"Waltz Of Shades"
"Scale Of Sorrows"
"Strange Days"
"The Orb" video:
Breeding Silence" lyric video:
Gorod’s art is fully expressed on stage thanks to their explosive energy and mind bogglingly tight live performances. In conjunction with the release of The Orb, Gorod will return to North America for a month-long headlining run. The Orb Release Tour will begin March 16 in Brooklyn, New York and run through April 15 in Richmond, Virginia. Support will be provided by Cognitive, Summoning The Lich, and Flub.
Those Damn Crows continue their enviable ascent with the release of empowering new single, "Takedown", included on their forthcoming new album. A ten-track collection of bona fide, modern rock bangers, Inhale/Exhale is set for release worldwide on February 17 via Earache Records. Tiding fans over ‘til the new album is released, "Takedown" is available today on all streaming platforms.
Frontman Shane Greenhall gets personal, confiding, "'Takedown' is the feeling you get when someone challenges you. I’m a very competitive person and have no issue going up against ANYONE… Especially if someone tells me I can’t do something… WATCH ME! You know the people who big themselves up by knocking down others? The ones who talk like they’ve been there, done that, know everything. They haven’t lived a day in your shoes though; they don't know the real you. But 'Takedown' isn’t just about the bullshit you hear from others. It’s also about the bullshit you tell yourself everyday too. ‘You’re not good enough’, ‘you can’t do that’ - the constant put downs we tell ourselves. I used to get caught up in how others saw me and do this to myself… it was a red rag to a bull. I’m always happy to prove people wrong, but these days I can see that coming a mile away and try to avoid it like the plague. Focus on you and what you CAN achieve as you ‘fly and soar’ above the negative, life sucking bullshit!”
Watch the official video for the single:
Inhale/Exhale is available for pre-order worldwide now at earache.com/thosedamncrows on an immense number of formats including: a collector's edition bundle (which will house a burnt orange and black splatter vinyl with alternate fire carousel cover, exclusive to this edition); limited edition coloured vinyl with an exclusive 12-page booklet (clear with black smoke, purple, yellow), plus blue and white splatter vinyl with alternate blue sky carousel cover; signed CD with exclusive 12-page booklet and alternate fire carousel cover; a cassette collection of the band's full discography; USB; and digital download. HMV carry two more exclusive formats: CD with alternate blue sky carousel cover and black vinyl with alternate fire carousel cover. A green vinyl format exclusive to indie stores is also available.
Inhale/Exhale tracklisting:
"Fill The Void"
"Takedown"
"Man On Fire"
"Wake Up (Sleepwalker)"
"This Time I'm Ready"
"I Am"
"See You Again"
"Lay It All On Me"
"Find A Way"
"Waiting For Me"
Frontiers Music Srl will release Archon Angel's second album, II, on April 14. It follows the band's 2020 debut, Fallen, which saw vocalist Zak Stevens (Circle II Circle, Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) and producer/guitarist Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere, Edge Of Forever) delivering a fantastic slab of power/progressive metal.
A new single and music video, "Fortress" is out today. Watch the clip below, and pre-order/save II here.
Fans of Archon Angel's debut will surely find no sophomore slump awaits them on II. In fact, Stevens and Lonobile have locked in on all the key parts that worked so well on their debut and amplified and perfected them for this glorious follow-up.
The seeds of Archon Angel were planted when producer/guitarist Lonobile and vocalist Stevens were collaborating on songs for Timo Tolkki's Avalon's Return To Eden album, which Aldo produced and played guitar on and Zak did some guest lead vocals for. After some discussions about what musical direction they wanted to take, Aldo sent Zak some demos that were reminiscent of classic Savatage records like Edge Of Thorns and Gutter Ballet. The two felt they were onto something and followed their musical muse, ultimately culminating in what would become Archon Angel's debut album, Fallen.
Zak Stevens first came to prominence in the metal scene when he was hand-picked by Savatage's Jon Olivia to take over as lead vocalist for the band. Starting with 1993's Edge Of Thorns, he would record four studio albums with the band, including the aforementioned album plus Handful Of Rain, Dead Winter Dead, and The Wake Of Magellan. He has also performed on multiple Trans-Siberian Orchestra releases, including Christmas Eve and Other Stories, Beethoven's Last Night, and more, while also being a member of the band's touring production.
Around 2001, Zak started a band, Circle II Circle, which has recorded seven studio albums, with the most recent being 2015's Reign Of Darkness. Additionally, he has appeared on albums by Timo Tolkki's Avalon, Machines Of Grace, Jon Olivia's Pain, and more.
II tracklisting:
"Wake Of Emptiness"
"Avenging The Dragon"
"Fortress"
"Quicksand"
"Away From The Sun"
"Afterburn"
"I Will Return"
"One Last Reflection"
"Bulletproof"
"Shattered"
"Lake Of Fire"
"Fortress" video:
Lineup:
Vocals: Zak Stevens
Guitars: Aldo Lonobile
Bass: Nik Mazzucconi
Drums: Marco Lazzarini
Keyboards & Piano: Alessandro Del Vecchio
Synth & Orchestral Arrangements: Antonio Agate
After the successful celebration of the 20th anniversary of their seminal sophomore album "Machine" and a major North American tour supporting ROB ZOMBIE in 2022, multi-platinum selling industrial music icons STATIC-X have announced their eighth studio album, "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2". The LP is a collection of 13 brand-new songs that contain the final vocal performances and musical compositions of founding vocalist Wayne Static, along with the original "Wisconsin Death Trip" lineup featuring Tony Campos (bass),Koichi Fukuda (guitars) and Ken Jay (drums). The new album was produced by STATIC-X's current vocalist/guitarist Xer0 and mixed/mastered by longtime collaborator Ulrich Wild. The new album is scheduled for release on November 3 and is now available for pre-order at static-x.com in various configurations, including limited color vinyl, limited shirts, hoodies and more.
The first single released from "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2" is a cover of the NINE INCH NAILS "Pretty Hate Machine" classic track "Terrible Lie". The re-imagined version features vocals recorded by Static, along with an epic musical interpretation created by the original lineup and their producer Xer0. Wayne's vocals were discovered as part of a series damaged audio tapes that the band uncovered a few years back. The band's unique interpretation retains the electronic feel of the classic NIN song, while injecting it with the signature energy of STATIC-X and their Evil Disco sound. A music video for the single — which features Static projected behind the band — is now available and can be seen below. The video was directed by the album's executive producer and longtime friend Edsel Dope, who is also believed to be touring and recording with STATIC-X as Xer0, and co-directed by Matt Zane.
All of the music associated with "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2" is the result of collaborations between the four founding members along with their new vocalist/guitarist/producer Xer0. No additional guests appear on the album and there were no outside contributions to the songwriting, musical compositions, or the performances on "Project Regeneration: Vol. 2". Between the two releases, STATIC-X fans around the globe have been treated to over two dozen brand new songs — most of which feature Static on lead vocals — and all released after his untimely passing.
Campos says: "I am so happy that the recording for 'Project Regeneration: Vol. 2' is finally finished, and the album is currently being mixed by our longtime producer Ulrich Wild. The only thing left is for the vinyl manufacturing to be completed. I am proud to say that between 'Project Regeneration: Vol. 1' and 'Project Regeneration: Vol. 2', we have been able to bring the fans 25 brand new STATIC-X songs, most of which feature Wayne Static on lead vocals. Nobody would have imagined that any of this could even be possible a few short years ago."
Wayne's mother, father, and three siblings remain involved with STATIC-X's work to this day and have proudly attended several shows since the band's reformation in 2019.
Wayne's younger sister Aimee says: "We all miss Wayne very much and we are so proud of the way that the band has chosen to honor him through the completion of his final works. They continue to place an emphasis on his presence within their live shows and it’s been incredible to see the fans continue to connect with the band's music and with Wayne's memory. We fully support the journey that STATIC-X is currently on, and we know that Wayne would be incredibly grateful for all of the hard work that Tony, Ken, Koichi and Xer0 have done over the past few years."
Xer0 states: "We are so grateful to Wayne's family for giving us their blessings and trusting us to complete Wayne's final works. This has been an incredibly challenging task, to say the least, and it has all been done with an immense amount of love and respect. I am also grateful to all of the STATIC-X fans around the world for all of the love and support they have shown towards me."
Adds Jay: "Due to this being a two-part album and the fans having already been treated to 13 original songs from 'Vol. 1', we thought it would be fun to share the NIN cover, as we announce the completion of 'Vol 2'. 'Terrible Lie' is just a taste of what is to come, and we can’t wait for fans to heart the rest of this album!"
STATIC-X — featuring the lineup of Campos, Fukuda, Jay and Xer0 — will hit the road in 2023, headlining the "Rise Of The Machine" tour with FEAR FACTORY alongside DOPE, MUSHROOMHEAD and TWIZTID. The 42-date trek kicks off February 25 in San Francisco, California and wraps up April 15, in Los Angeles, California. Dates have been selling out across the country, with select markets upgrading to larger venues to meet the demand for the tour. STATIC-X also recently revealed plans for a tour of Australia and an appearance at the Blue Ridge Rock Fest this year.
Swedish melodic death/thrash practitioners Vittra have unveiled a new video for “Sommarfödd.” The track comes by way of the band’s debut full-length, Blasphemy Blues, released in Europe late last year. Blasphemy Blues boasts a gripping combination of crushing death metal with strong songwriting and catchy hooks.
Originally called Vildvittra, based on the characters created by Astrid Lindgren as part of Ronja Rövardotter [Swedish for "Ronia, The Robber’s Daughter," a children’s fantasy book first published in 1981], their name later evolved into Vittra, inspired by the mythical creatures appearing in Swedish folk stories. And while Swedish folk is a recurring theme weaving in and out of their music, the band is firmly rooted in melodic death and thrash metal in the veins of Dissection, early In Flames, Megadeth, and At The Gates.
Comments the band of their frosty new video, “Sommarfödd = The raw forces of a dark cold winter, combined with the strong longing for a verdant spring! The track is groovy melodeath with some intense Swedish melodic black metal vibes.”
The record will see official US release on February 24. Preorder at vittraofficial.ffm.to.
Produced at SolnaSound in the fall of 2021, supported by both Simon Johansson (Soilwork) and Mike Wead (King Diamond, Mercyful Fate), Blasphemy Blues was finalized in April 2022. Lawrence Mackrory (Bloodbath, Lik, Firespawn) handled the mixing and mastering.
In 2018, The New Black guitarist Fabian "Fabs" Schwarz took a bold step out of his comfort zone by launching a solo project dubbed Who Brought The Dog. The independently released debut album, Welcome To The Man Cave, was a far cry from anything he had recorded before in that he consciously kept his metal roots locked away while experimenting with a rock sound that found its way into the realms of indie, blues, alternative, funk, jazz, punk and even pop.
In addition to Fabian Schwarz, the band also includes Frank Stimpfig (ex-Number Nine / bass), Markus "Fludid" Hammer (The New Black / vocals), Philipp Klinger (The New Black / drums), and Benjamin Haupt (guitar). With its unique sound and talented lineup, Who Brought The Dog is quickly gaining recognition as an exciting and innovative new band in the electronic rock scene.
Check out the first single and video, "Live, Love And Struggle", from their forthcoming album, Close To Burning.
Schwarz recently checked in with the following update:
"Looks like we have a plan for next month.... three brand new singles, two amazing videos, and in the end a full album and a release show."
On January 27th, Lynch Mob - featuring former Dokken guitarist George Lynch - performed at the Blue Note in Cincinnati, OH. Fan-filmed video of the entire show is available below.
The setlist was as follows:
"She's Evil But She's Mine"
"River of Love"
"When Heaven Comes Down" (Dokken)
"Unchain the Night" (Dokken)
"Street Fightin' Man"
"Voodoo Child (Slight Return)"
"All I Want"
"Into the Fire" (Dokken)
"Testify"
"Sweet Sister Mercy"
"Lightnin' Strikes Again" (Dokken)
"The Hunter" (Dokken)
"Rain"
"Mr. Scary" (Dokken)
"Wicked Sensation"
"Flesh and Blood"
"Hell Child"
"Tooth And Nail" (Dokken)
In 2021, guitar legend George Lynch (ex-Dokken) officially dropped his Lynch Mob band name, saying it "has always been problematic, and now it's inexcusable to keep the name." He then started working with a band under the name Electric Freedom. Recent shows in Hinton, OK and Santa Fe, NM however, saw Lynch back in business under the Lynch Mob name.
Speaking with Full In Bloom, Lynch explained why he decided to go back to using the Lynch Mob moniker.
Lynch: "Lynch Mob is just a brand I'd established for decades, obviously... over three decades. Nothing's perfect, and I've gotta just live with the fact that it has some negative connotations that I probably have to continue explaining for the rest of my life, and I don't mind doing that. But it is a brand that I built, and I'm just gonna stick with it. As far as a marketing thing and a brand thing and a business thing and a working thing, and it keeps my band guys working and it keeps the fans happy, it makes sense.
It's a brand. I mean, nobody wants Coke to change their recipe. Just stay the same, and that's what you built over the years. 'Why would you change it?' is a rhetorical question. Why I'm probably not more successful in some ways in my career is because I followed my aspirations musically rather than sometimes being smart about just sticking to the plan (laughs)."
Australian hard rock band The Poor issued High Price Deed, their first full album in over a decade, on February 3, 2023. That same day saw the release of the video for the song "Lover".
High Price Deed artwork and tracklisting:
"Payback's A Bitch"
"Lover"
"Hurricane"
"This Is The Story"
"Take The World"
"Goin' Down"
"Cry Out"
"Lies"
"I Know It's Wrong"
"Love Shot"
"Let Me Go"
"Too Long"
"Payback's A Bitch":
"Cry Out":
"Let Me Go":
The Poor started out playing the pub circuit in Darwin nearly two decades ago. The plan was simple -, hard rockin’ hard drinkin’ and world domination. In 1992 the band cut their debut release, the EP Rude, Crude & Tattooed, produced by Rick Brewster and Bob Spencer from The Angels and from the opening line you knew it was going to be something great; Aussie pub rock, in your face, no bullsh*t, straight to the point, rock’n’f%&k’n’roll.
In mid 1993, the band recorded their debut album, Who Cares, which spawned their most notable single, “More Wine Waiter Please”. An unrelenting couple of decades followed where they toured relentlessly, drank hard and rocked harder touring Australia, Europe and Japan, sharing stages with the likes of Suicidal Tendencies, The Scorpions, Alice In Chains and Van Halen.
In 2000 the band went into hibernation until an invitation to tour with W.A.S.P. was too good to refuse. It didn’t take long for them to get back into the rock’n’roll groove they cut so deeply in previous years. Round 1 and Round 2 albums followed in 2009 and 2010 respectively.
After 12 years of touring their supercharged ‘NO BS Aussie Rock’ show with local and international rock bands including AC/DC, The Screaming Jets, Rose Tattoo and The Angels, cut to the present day and The Poor has released new music on their old and new fans. Original members Anthony (Skenie) Skene, Matt Whitby and (almost original drummer) Gavin Hansen are joined by relative newcomer and lead guitarist Daniel Cox.
The Hollywood Stars have released their new EP Still Around via Golden Robot Records.
Born from the ‘70s Hollywood rock scene, The Hollywood Stars have re-established themselves with their four track EP. The previously unheard title track “Still Around” is a high energy song that captures the bands longevity and passion for rock ‘n' roll.
"The band is really psyched to be releasing our first EP on Golden Robot. The fourth single, 'Still Around' epitomizes the band and its long history. Against all odds, we are still rockin!,” says lead singer Scott Phares.
LIMP BIZKIT has released the official music video for the song "Out Of Style". The clip, co-directed by LIMP BIZKIT frontman Fred Durst and Marc Klasfel, uses deepfake technology to show members of LIMP BIZKIT as world leaders — Durst is Vladimir Putin, Wes Borland is Joe Biden, DJ Lethal is Volodymyr Zelenskyy — jamming in a garage while "Tom Cruise" is in charge of the barbeque.
"Out Of Style" is taken from LIMP BIZKIT's latest album, "Still Sucks", which came out in October 2021.
Prior to the arrival of "Still Sucks", LIMP BIZKIT had not released a new studio LP since 2011's "Gold Cobra", although the band has spent a lot of time writing and recording music over the past decade.
Next month, LIMP BIZKIT will embark on a rescheduled European headline tour, with support from WARGASM and BLACKGOLD. LIMP BIZKIT will also make several U.S. festival appearances this spring and summer, including New Jersey's Bamboozle in May and Ohio's Inkcarceration in July.
Nine LIMP BIZKIT titles have landed on the Billboard 200, including two which topped the chart — 1999's "Significant Other" and 2000's "Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water".
LIMP BIZKIT signed with AGI for North American tour representation in 2021 after announcing that they were canceling all the remaining 2021 shows on their "Post Pandemic Popup Party" tour.
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.
A video for "Doom And Gloom" from the upcoming release is available for streaming 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"
John 5 and his band THE CREATURES have a new single out called "Strung Out". The single, which was engineered, recorded and mixed by Barry Pointer, is available on streaming platforms now. You can watch the playthrough video — directed by Mike Savage — below.
John 5 explains: "This song is called 'Strung Out' because I am so obsessed with playing guitar that when I don't play and create new music for a while, I start to go a little insane."
He adds: "There'll be more CREATURES shows sometime in the near future and I really look forward to playing this song live."
"Strung Out" credits:
John 5 - Guitar and Bass
Alex Mercado - Drums
In October 2022, it was revealed that John 5 would be joining MÖTLEY CRÜE as their guitarist following the announcement that Mick Mars would be retiring. John 5 will be seen in 2023 with MÖTLEY CRÜE on "The World Tour" with DEF LEPPARD which will kick off with Latin American dates in February before moving on to Europe in the summer.
John 5 said of the news: "I'm honored to carry on Mick's legacy and am looking forward to playing these songs."
In 2015, following a series of web shows to celebrate the release of his solo album "Careful With That Axe", John 5 decided to take his solo set on tour, and formed THE CREATURES band to support his live shows. Initially joined by long-term friend Rodger Carter on drums, the band continues touring to this day, and now work as a unit on John 5's solo albums, including "Season Of The Witch", the live album "It's Alive", "Invasion" and 2021's "Sinner". The current lineup includes John 5, Ian Ross on bass and drummer Alejandro (Alex) Mercado.
John 5 has also contributed to the work of iconic artists such as LYNYRD SKYNRD, Meatloaf, Ricky Martin and Rod Stewart, among many others.
He says: "I'm busy, constantly busy with work, but I look at who I am in the studio with or sending music to and I think I don't ever want it to stop."
FIRSTBORNE, the band featuring Grammy Award-winning artist Chris Adler and MEGADETH bassist James LoMenzo, has released the official music video for its latest single, "Intercontinental Champions". The clip was built on the Unreal engine by video game artist Matt Burdette.
Commented FIRSTBORNE guitarist Myrone: "Believe it or not, this is NOT a rendering. We look like this now. We're ready for cyberspace, the metaverse, Goldeneye DLC and whatever comes next!"
Added Burdette: "With the power of Unreal Engine 5 we were able to move the needle forward in next generation rendering and animation — further blurring the definition of reality. FIRSTBORNE has never looked so real, today is a watershed moment in graphics, video games and music."
As was the case with "Bad Things" and "One Of A Kind", which were made available in September, and "Dead Rats", which came out in October, "Intercontinental Champions" was independently produced by the band — also featuring soft-shred pioneer Myrone (guitar) and rising-star vocalist Girish Pradhan — with mixing and mastering by longtime collaborator Gene "Machine" Freeman.
When "Bad Things" and "One Of A Kind" were released, Adler had this to say about the new singles and the trajectory of FIRSTBORNE: "We've made good use of the time. For the next year-plus we will be releasing a song a month, starting here and now with a one-two-punch.
"I'm thrilled to be in a creative partnership that can do just about anything. Feels like playing in 'God Mode' on Guitar / Band Hero. It's a passion project and it's fun for us to share. Dig in. Or don't. See you next month!"
Myrone added about the ethos of the group: "No Labels, No Management, NO GODS, NO MASTERS!!!!"
FIRSTBORNE's self-titled debut EP came out in 2020 and marked Adler's first dedicated band release since his departure from MEGADETH and LAMB OF GOD.
"Firstborne" included five songs and two lyric videos. The EP represented several years of dedicated introspection and refined effort to the idea of a heavy and positive message.
As might be expected, Adler chose his bandmates in this endeavor meticulously.
Not too long ago, Adler shared the stage across the Middle East with LoMenzo in HAIL! Prior to that, LoMenzo and Adler orbited each other for years traveling together on tours crossing the globe. The connect was inevitable.
Adler and Myrone began collaborating in early 2019 after Myrone noticed Adler's e-mail address attached to a Bandcamp sales notification email. Adler had been a fan of Myrone's talent for years prior and as soon as they connected, it was game on.
A chance meeting in India, almost a second home to Chris after eight visits, was the spark needed to form the international group FIRSTBORNE and for Chris to return to the studio. Adler met and shared the stage with Pradhan during a six-week clinic tour of India in the fall of 2019. After the first show of the clinic tour, Adler immediately called Myrone, noting he'd "struck gold" in their search for a singer for the then-unnamed project.
Girish Pradhan is the glue that united FIRSTBORNE. Pradhan on vocals represents an almost unprecedented international collaboration.
Pradhan is an established and well-known recording and touring artist in India and resides in Bengaluru. His band GIRISH AND THE CHRONICLES made international headlines with their album "Rock The Highway" and music videos "Rock 'N Roll Is Here to Stay", "Identity Crisis" and "Rock The Highway".
Speaking on his experience creating with FIRSTBORNE, Myrone explained: "Every single part of this experience has been extremely surreal for me. Girish is one of the best metal vocalists on the planet, Chris is one of the most influential drummers of the last 25 years, and JLO can play anything from MEGADETH to John Fogerty to Motown and everything in between. I can't believe I get to share space on a .wav with them."
Myrone is a Los Angeles-based producer/guitarist who pioneered the "soft shred" genre. In the last few years, he has released several albums and two EPs of instrumental guitar music and racked up millions of Spotify streams. In addition to his own recordings, he has collaborated with Rivers Cuomo (WEEZER),SZA, Little Boots, Michael Christmas and Deaton Chris Anthony. More recently, Myrone was Guitar #1 in the L.A. production of "Rock Of Ages", the 29th-longest running show in Broadway history.
LoMenzo is a veteran touring/recording musician since his multi-platinum band WHITE LION in the 1980s. Lomenzo is one of the most in-demand rock bass players in the world. His list of credits includes WHITE LION, Zakk Wylde's BLACK LABEL SOCIETY/PRIDE & GLORY, MEGADETH, Jerry Cantrell, David Lee Roth, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT, LYNCH MOB, FREHEY'S COMET and more. He officially rejoined MEGADETH as a touring member last year and became an official member in May 2022.
LoMenzo had this to say about his collaboration within FIRSTBORNE: "I first met Chris in 2006 on MEGADETH's 'Gigantour'. I was playing bass with MEGADETH at the time. Watching Chris on that tour, I recall being struck by the creativity, speed and power of his drumming with LAMB OF GOD. In contrast, I found him to be a gentle, thoughtful soul. Years later, I had the opportunity to finally play with Chris, performing in the Middle East with the all-star metal band HAIL! We had a great time. At this time, Chris mentioned he was looking forward to exploring making all kinds of music. I suggested he keep me in mind. Next thing I know I'm being introduced to Myrone through a demo that Chris forwarded to me. I was immediately drawn to the music. Myrone's guitar is uniquely untethered to any one style. He's a brilliant and capable amalgam of classic rock, new and classic metal. Girish on top of all this had me stunned! A soaring, powerful voice that while uniquely his own, conjures images of the greatest singers of metal, blues and classic rock. His voice is a powerful, emotive vehicle to inform through his heartfelt and socially conscious lyrics. To my ear, the combination of all this musical talent is wonderfully unique and perfectly familiar."
Adler added: "I've been incredibly fortunate in my creative endeavors. From the start, I sought out the best players I could find to work alongside. It's been an incredible journey that is clearly not over. Some things have changed. This may not be exactly what people expect from me right now, and I'm aware and embrace that. It's time for something new. I'm have a platform to present something important, true and collaborative. Creating FIRSTBORNE beckons cohesiveness as a mission statement. This is not about being mad all the time, egos or fabricating polarizing drama. 'This is right' is now my alarm clock. Girish, Myrone and James have the exact locker room mentality of 'kill 'em all! but let's make sure everyone is okay and having a kick-ass time' that I try and bring to everything I do. FIRSTBONE is the result of all of my experiences, both positive and negative, and I'm proud of what we are doing together."
Adler is a Grammy-winning American metal drummer from Richmond, Virginia. Chris founded LAMB OF GOD in 1994 and helped usher in what critics have dubbed the "New Wave Of American Heavy Metal." LAMB OF GOD's discography with Chris includes multiple gold records and platinum DVDs as well as five Grammy nominations.
Chris received a Grammy for playing drums on legendary thrash metal band MEGADETH's 2016 record "Dystopia". Chris also toured with MEGADETH in support of the record while juggling and occasionally combining tour dates with LAMB OF GOD.
Chris has collaborated and contributed to records with PROTEST THE HERO, TESTAMENT, THAIKKUDAM BRIDGE, Michael Angelo Batio and Ron Jarzombek.
In 2018, Chris created an artist management firm Kintsugi Management.
FIRSTBORNE is:
Vocals: Girish Pradhan
Guitar: Myrone
Bass: James LoMenzo
Drums: Chris Adler
Transatlantic - the prog supergroup of Neal Morse, Mike Portnoy, Roine Stolt & Pete Trewavas - will release of a new concert set entitled The Final Flight: Live At L’Olympia on February 17. It was recorded and filmed in France on the last stop of a tour to promote the band’s fifth and most audacious album to date, The Absolute Universe. This was the multinational group’s first outing in eight years.
Watch "We All Need Some Light" from the set, below:
Released in February 2021 to unanimous praise, The Absolute Universe came in two alternate formats; an abridged 64-minute record known as The Breath Of Life, and a companion piece entitled Forevermore that added a further four songs, clocking in at an hour and a half. Though the foundations of both were shared, each format featured lyrics and music independent of the other.
However, when Transatlantic finally hit the road they opted to perform a third format of the album, a full-bells-and-whistles, 96-minute Blu-ray culmination of both takes known as The Ultimate Edition that had been released in 5.1 surround sound. Following that segment of the show Transatlantic took a short intermission and returned to the stage for a rollercoaster trawl through the remainder of their lavish catalogue. From the first note of "Overture (The Absolute Universe)" through to the medley based around the first two Transatlantic albums that closes the evening, the performance comprised 3 hours of music in total.
“Ever since the start of this band we have played for three hours, so that’s something we’re all used to,” states drummer Mike Portnoy, who grins whilst describing his own experience as “butt-numbing”. However, Roine Stolt is ready to admit that this time felt very slightly different.
“It was a great tour,” acknowledges the guitarist and multi-musician, “but when you include our spot at Morsefest [where besides performing The Absolute Universe the band also revisited their 2009 album ‘The Whirlwind’ and revised a cover of Procol Harum’s ‘In Held (’Twas) In I’ that had featured on their debut from 2000, ‘SMPTe’] I felt the challenge of learning, or re-learning, three-and-a-half hours of music before leaving Sweden. Now that I am getting slightly older, I was a little worried about playing for that long – it requires a lot of concentration: ‘Is this one in 7/8 or 9/8? Maybe we’ll play it in 13/8 and in a different key?’ But of course, once we got out there onto the stage, those thoughts went straight out of the window.”
With a chuckle, vocalist and keyboard wizard Neal Morse reveals that as the tour found its feet Transatlantic threw an additional curveball. “We started playing songs slightly differently to the way you've heard them on ‘The Ultimate Edition”, he grins. “So what you get with this live album is similar, but essentially it’s a fourth version [of the record]. When you play live, from night to night it helps to keep things fresh by jamming a bit and changing things up as you go. There are a few examples of that, for instance, the beginning of the last section that starts with ‘Belong’ is quite different than the record – partly because we couldn’t remember it! So we made up a new structure.”
“We’re always as well prepared as we can be but in a way Transatlantic is kind of a show band” points out bassist Pete Trewavas. “Playing alongside Mike who is a powerhouse on the drums, there is this raw power. If he wants to raise the energy that’s what we do. We’re all taking solos here and there, though we get the songs across we’re all showing off as much as we can”.
Filmed by Paul Green (who also shot their ‘Whirld Tour 2010: Live in London release), and mixed by longtime collaborator Rich Mouser, this set will be available as a Special Edition 3CD+Blu-ray Digipak (incl. 5.1 surround sound) & as a Gatefold 180g 4LP release. Both feature artwork by Thomas Ewerhard & photos by Nidhal Marzouk.
"The Absolute Universe" Intro
"Overture"
"Reaching For The Sky"
"Higher Than The Morning"
"The Darkness In The Light"
"Take Now My Soul"
"Bully"
"Rainbow Sky"
"Looking For The Light"
"The World We Used To Know"
MP Intro
"The Sun Comes Up Today"
"Love Made A Way" (Prelude)
"Owl Howl"
"Solitude"
"Belong"
"Lonesome Rebel"
"Can You Feel It"
"Looking For The Light" (Reprise)
"The Greatest Story Never Ends"
"Love Made A Way"
"The Whirlwind Suite"
NM & RS Intro
"We All Need Some Light"
"The Final Medley"
Trivium - Matthew K. Heafy (vocals/guitars); Corey Beaulieu (guitars); Paolo Gregoletto (bass); and drummer Alex Bent - recently embarked on a sold-out headline tour of Europe along with Heaven Shall Burn. The bands marked the occasion with a twist and came up with a clever way to give their fans some "new" music.
Trivium shared their cover of Heaven Shall Burn's "Implore The Darken Sky". Listen to the song, now available at all DSPs, here. A new video for the track can be viewed below.
The cover is featured on a split 7" that the bands are selling on the road and directly to fans while touring Europe together. Heaven Shall Burn previously released their cover of Trivium's "Pillar Of Serpents," which appears on the band's first album From Ember To Inferno. Listen below.
"In the early days of Trivium, back when we were discovering the many great genres and flavors of heavy music, I knew about the classic greats, I knew about extreme metal, but never before had I heard what HSB was doing," says Heafy. "Heaven Shall Burn's Whatever It May Take album was my first introduction to their brand of metalcore. This fusion of hardcore ethos and metal sounds blew my mind."
Heafy finishes, “'Implore the Darken Sky' is not only my favourite HSB song, but the one that taught me so much about a sound that needed to be injected into Trivium."
Beartooth and Trivium have announced their 2023 co-headline tour. The 29-city tour kicks off Monday, May 1 in Stroudsburg, PA at Sherman Theater with stops in Nashville, TN, Las Vegas, NV, Grand Rapid, MI, and more before wrapping up on Thursday, June 15 in Seattle, WA at Paramount Theater.
Malevolence and Archetypes Collide will join the bands on all dates across the upcoming tour. Full routing can be found below, along with upcoming Beartooth festival dates.
Trivium are stoked about this bill, saying, "TRIVTOOTH! We are elated to announce our co-headlining monster of a tour with the incredible Beartooth. We have been fans of what they do, and pals with them for ages - so it's great we're finally doing something so massive together. Trivium and Beartooth are both bands supported by each of our wonderful fan-bases - so we know these shows are going to go off. Add in Malevolence, one of our favorite bands on the planet, and Archetypes Collide, one of Beartooth's favorites, and we have a hell of a bill.”
"I'm so excited to go out on this amazing tour with metal legends Trivium," says frontman Caleb Shomo of Beartooth (pictured above). "When the stars aligned and it was possible, it truly was a no-brainer. This tour is gonna be unique, fun, and face-melting from start to finish. Strap in, bring your metal horns, and be prepared to get your face ripped off."
Both bands are doing a joint VIP offering where fans can buy ticketless VIP upgrades to meet both bands, head here.
Tour dates:
April
21 - Tampa, FL - 98RockFest*
22 - Orlando, FL - Earth Day Birthday*
23 - St. Augustine, FL - Planet Band Camp*
28 - Newark, NJ - Rock The Rock Fest*
29 - Worcester, MA - The Big Gig*
May
1 - Stroudsburg, PA - Sherman Theater
3 - Green Bay, WI - EPIC Event Center
4 - Milwaukee, WI - Hog Fest*
6 - St. Paul, MN - Twin City Takeover*
8 - Grand Rapids, MI - GLC Live at 20 Monroe
9 - Buffalo, NY - Buffalo Riverworks
10 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount
12 - Hampton Beach, NH - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
13 - New Haven, CT - College Street Music Hall
14 - Portland, ME - State Theatre
16 - Richmond, VA - The National
17 - Raleigh, NC - The Ritz
18 - Daytona Beach, FL - Welcome to Rockville (Trivium Only)
20 - Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
21 - Silver Spring, MD - The Fillmore
23 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE
24 - Nashville, TN - Marathon Music Works
25 - Columbus, OH - Sonic Temple Festival (Beartooth Only)
26 - Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room at Old National Centre
27 - Columbus, OH - Sonic Temple Festival (Trivium Only)
28 - Corbin, KY - Corbin Arena
30 - Omaha, NE - The Admiral
31 - Clive, IA - Horizon Event Center
June
2 - East Moline, IL - The Rust Belt
3 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater
4 - Tulsa, OK - Tulsa Theater
6 - Austin, TX - Emo's
7 - Dallas, TX - The Factory in Deep Ellum
9 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee
10 - Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl
11 - Riverside, CA - Riverside Municipal Auditorium
12 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield
14 - Spokane, WA - The Podium
15 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theater
Scorpions have shared professionally-filmed footage of their performance of "Blackout" from the 2012 edition of Germany's Wacken Open Air festival. Check it out below.
Scorpions french fan club, Crazyscorps, has released a new interview with frontman Klaus Meine, available for streaming below.
During the chat, Klaus talks about writing songs for the band's Rock Believer album, the current political situation in Europe, the impact of the pandemic and the war on his perception of the world, his will to remove "Wind Of Change" from the band's setlist, and his love for France, among other subjects.
Held Hostage with special guest vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens (Judas Priest, Iced Earth) brings the "HEAT" with their Billboard hit (18 weeks on Billboard charts and counting) song “You Rock Our Way” – taken from their 2022 album Great American Rock. Order the album here.
“You Rock Our Way” is all about doing what you love and not being afraid to bring the rock that is deep down inside all of us. This epic song has changed the course of Held Hostage and opened them up to a whole new world of fans.
Held Hostage answered questions about the video, playing at the 2023 Metal Hall Of Fame, and future plans.
What is the band’s plan for their next release?
“Held Hostage is targeting Memorial Day to release the band’s first live album. Following that, Held Hostage is planning on releasing our next studio record this fall of 2023. It will be a full-length record 12 songs total. It will be called Held Hostage - Rescue Me.”
What was it like playing the 2023 Metal Hall of Fame?
“Playing the Metal Hall of Fame and watching such incredible bands/players such as Twisted Sister, Lou Gramm, Raven, Chris Impelliteri, and Doug Aldrich be inducted after we played live, was such an honor for us. Held Hostage was part of what can only be described as rock and roll History.”
Tell us about the video?
“The video for our song ‘You Rock Our Way’ was one of the biggest hits off our Great American Rock Album. It is straight-ahead high-energy rock. It is a song that every time we play it revs up the crowd.”
Sabaton guitarist / Majestica frontman Tommy Johansson has released his solo cover of the Survivor classic, "Burning Heart". Check out the video below.
"Burning Heart" is taken from the Rocky IV: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, reelased in 1985.
Johansson recently shared his solo cover of TNT's 1987 classic, "10,000 Loves (In One)".
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