Two-time-Grammy-nominated band RIVAL SONS will release a new studio album, "Darkfighter", on March 10, 2023. Produced by longtime collaborator and multi-Grammy Award winner Dave Cobb, the LP is led by the explosive single "Nobody Wants To Die", which is available today all streaming platforms and accompanied by an Eli Sokhn-directed music video. The track notably marks the first new music from RIVAL SONS since the release of 2019's "Feral Roots", which earned the band two Grammy Award nominations.
Regarding "Nobody Wants To Die", vocalist Jay Buchanan shares: "You live your life knowing that the sword of Damocles is hanging over your head by a thread. You're fully aware of the impermanence of your existence, but you can't think about it all the time — or it'll fuck your life up.
"I used to work in a mortuary as a service advisor for a few years, driving and opening the hearses. I'd attend three funerals per day. Sometimes, they would be filled over capacity. Other times, it would just be me, a priest, and a hole in the ground. It doesn't matter who you are; the great equalizer is coming. I was thinking of this because the music sounded like pursuit."
Elaborating on the genesis of "Darkfighter", Buchanan notes: "'Darkfighter' represents the cultural mitosis of isolation, the pandemic, and the national fabric of the U.S. getting looser and looser. When I say 'cultural mitosis', there are lines being drawn constantly. We're so divided, and you can't step over the lines without offending someone. It certainly informed my writing. We recognized a responsibility to put a good word on people's ears so there's a good word coming back on their tongues too. We missed the joy of the live show and that magical interaction. When it was taken from us, that made me want to sing about topics that were important. There are strong themes on this record of loss of identity, preservation of joy, and beholding light and shape again."
Lead guitarist Scott Holiday adds: "Records are a healthy form of escapism. I hope this one takes you as far away as possible. Our intent was to create a cinematic body of work. As soon as the doors shut behind you, you're enveloped on the ride. This is the sound of us really coming into our own. We've gotten further from our influences and gotten closer to what we are. 'Darkfighter' sounds like the RIVAL SONS."
To celebrate the announcement, RIVAL SONS are set to perform an intimate one night only show at Los Angeles's Peppermint Club on October 18.
In 2021, RIVAL SONS celebrated the 10th anniversary of their 2011 album, "Pressure And Time", by performing the landmark longplayer live in its entirety on the "Pressure And Time" tour for the first time. They also lit up Southern California with a two-night livestream event, "Pair Of Aces", live from the historic Catalina Casino on Santa Catalina Island. They performed their debut LP, "Before The Fire" (2009),in its entirety on the first night and their self-titled EP, "Rival Sons" (2010),on the second.
"Darkfighter" track listing:
01. Mirrors
02. Nobody Wants To Die
03. Bird In The Hand
04. Bright Light
05. Rapture
06. Guillotine
07. Horses Breath
08. Darkside
RIVAL SONS is Jay Buchanan (vocals, harmonica, rhythm guitar),Scott Holiday (lead guitar),Mike Miley (drums) and Dave Beste (bass).
Hard rock powerhouse Vilivant has debuted her new video for "Running On Empty". Full of skull-crushing ferocity reminiscent of Lzzy Hale, Taylor Momsen and Dorothy, the music video was shot by Alex McFarland and Matt Guarrasi of The Trenches Media. Behind-the-scenes shots done by Rob Licandro.
"I wanted to make a fun, silly interpretation of what it could feel like to the average person stepping out of the typical mundane lifestyle and actually seeing the beautiful world around them. The Alien and magical headpiece is just a bonus, because why not add a bit of fantasy into it?", explains Vilivant.
The music video begins by following lead singer Julia Gentile in black and white signifying a boring mundane everyday life until she receives a special magical headpiece that allows her to see the world in vibrant technicolour. What begins as all fun and games quickly becomes an out of this-world battle with aliens from another planet. The sci-fi inspired video was shot in and around Toronto on the hottest day of the year this past summer almost leading to heat stroke. With lots of breaks and some shooting inside, the video tells an exciting story of finding strength and passion amidst the bleakness of the world around us.
On October 28th Vilivant will be celebrating Halloween with a headline show in Toronto at The Baby G with support from Fluffio, The Backsteps and The Lookout Service. She will also be supporting Goodnight Sunrise at Mills Hardware on November 4th. More shows to be announced soon.
Nu-Core quintet Tallah have released the latest chapter of their ongoing world-building saga that will become their sophomore album, The Generation Of Danger, out November 18th via Earache Records. The brand new single is titled "For The Recognition" and lands with a suitably frenetic accompanying music video, which can be seen below.
Speaking on the release of their latest track, Tallah frontman, Justin Bonitz, adds: “'For The Recognition' is a song about justifying why you are doing what you are doing. Blind ambition can only get you so far. If you have a dream, and you want to follow it to the end, you have to push yourself, be confident, and not allow anything or anyone to stand in your way. This is your vision, your story, and you have to do whatever it takes to bring all that hidden power to the surface and use it as fuel to show everyone how amazing you really are. Be honest and be the best”
Tallah founder and drummer, Max Portnoy, adds: “When I wrote this song, I made sure the ending pit hit really hard but was simple enough for us to trash our set up live. We took that mindset into the studio as well and smashed tons of lamps, microwaves, vases, etc and put those recordings in the song.”
Tallah's sophomore album, The Generation Of Danger, will be released on November 18th via Earache Records and much like their debut album, Matriphagy, will revolve around an elaborate and horrific story dreamt up by the band, that continues to unfold in the build up to release. Pre-orders are available now at this location. "For The Recognition" follows previous singles "Shaken (Not Stirred)", "The Impressionist" and "Telescope".
The Generation Of Danger is a concept album about a genius scientist who gets fed up with being swept under the rug. After the multi-billion-dollar corporation that employs him takes credit for his latest, award-winning invention, he snaps and retaliates against them by forcing them to take part in the greatest experiment the world of science has ever seen.
The record offers fans more than just an album of pioneering nu-core metal. Whilst it will most certainly be lauded for Justin Bonitz's acclaimed aptitude for embodying numerous characters and emotions in his outstanding vocal shape-shifting and ability to meld the ever-blossoming ingenuity of Tallah's intrepid musicians, The Generation Of Danger will reward those who delve deeper into the album and its supplementary content. The album was recorded once more with producer Josh Schroeder at Random Awesome Studio and continues to build the fascinatingly dark nu-core metal beast Tallah have created and set loose.
Tracklisting:
"Mud_Castle"
"The Hard Reset"
"Stomping Grounds"
"The Impressionist"
"Shaken (Not Stirred)"
"For The Recognition"
"Of Nothing"
"Dicker's Done"
"Telescope"
"Wendrid"
"Headfirst"
"Thistle"
"How Long?"
In celebration of The Generation Of Danger, Tallah have a stacked schedule of touring across the US. Currently on the road with Attila until October 19th, the band will then hit the road again on November 4th November through November 19th with Drowning Pool. Tickets and further info available here.
Modern rock powerhouse Messer are sharing their new single "Unf*ckwitable", the follow-up to their Top 40 Active Rock song "Hope In This World". Known for their catchy hooks and high energy live performances, they continue to build their career as a truly independent rock band.
The band says "Unf*ckwitable" is a state of being. "It's the conscious decision to be unfazed and unaffected by the storms around you. It's a commitment to strength of character. Having the clarity to not back down from your goals no matter what life throws at you. Strive to be Unbreakable, to be Unstoppable... to be Unf*ckwitable."
They continue: "To bring the visual message for this song - it was clear there was only one choice when it came to directing the video: Matt JC (Director) of 1307 Productions. He and Aaron Fariooz (Director of Photography) and their crew brought their award winning cinematography to this 6k, Super Hi-Def video. The location was also a key element - it was filmed at Grace Point Media in Dallas, Texas, which features a high definition 10 foot tall x 40 foot long L.E.D. wall. Our guitarist Jonathan Simmons created the 'video within the video' to act as the backdrop to the high energy performance we put out. The message the video tells is one from inside the diamond and is meant to be a reminder to be strong like a diamond – which is what we are trying to get across with this song."
Messer recorded "Unf*ckwitable" with long-time Los Angeles based producer Chad Gendason. More new music and an EP will be released in 2023, and the band will be supporting it with extensive touring. Stream / download the song at this location.
"Doomswitch" — a term used to describe a theoretical mechanism where an online poker site inflicts bad luck on a player.
And, as of today, it's the very moniker sparking the start of a brand new chapter for Perth metalcore outfit Make Them Suffer. Their new single "Doomswitch" showcases a renewed sonic spirit for the group, as well as being the first song to feature new member Alex Reade.
Taking up the position as clean vocalist and keyboardist aka "The Fifth Member" for Make Them Suffer, Reade (ex-Drown This City) seamlessly welds into the Make Them Suffer psyche. With symphonic flourishes, blasting beats, jagged guitars, and oscillating light and shade between frontman Sean Harmanis and Reade, "Doomswitch" is equally energetic and ethereal, leveling up the band's heaviness alongside emphatic melodics while presenting a resonating narrative: "It's not how you get knocked down / It's how you get back up."
The song's blistering music video was directed by Colin Jeffs and filmed at The Paint Factory in Brisbane.
"Doomswitch' is a term coined by online poker players used to describe a hypothesized mechanism by which an online poker site will continually infer bad luck onto a player," reveals the band about this new single. "Sean related to this term and, at the time, it felt as if a 'Doomswitch' had flicked on his life, so we used the concept as the main inspiration for the song. We've adopted a new element into our sound along with the inclusion of a new member: Alex. This song marks a new chapter and the next step forward for the band and the sonic shift in 'Doomswitch' really drives that home."
Centered around the feeling of claustrophobia as well as the journey Harmanis has experienced with his own mental health, "Doomswitch" was produced by Nick McLernon at his home studio in Victoria, with mixing and mastering courtesy of Jeff Dunne.
Following a long break away from music due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Make Them Suffer are back with a vengeance. They will tour the U.S. in support of Bad Omens and Dayseeker. All dates are in the graphic below.
Make Them Suffer are:
Sean Harmanis – vocals
Nick McLernon – guitars, vocals
Alex Reade – vocals, keys
Jaya Jeffery – bass
Jordan Mather – drums
British heavy metal legends JUDAS PRIEST kicked off the fall 2022 leg of their "50 Heavy Metal Years" tour last night (Thursday, October 13) at Toyota Presents the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, Connecticut.
The band's setlist was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:
01. The Hellion (on tape) / Electric Eye
02. Riding On The Wind (first time live since December 3, 2005)
03. Heading Out To The Highway
04. Jawbreaker (first time live since August 1, 2015)
05. Never The Heroes (live debut)
06. Beyond The Realms Of Death (first time live since December 17, 2015)
07. Judas Rising
08. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
09. Steeler
10. Between The Hammer And The Anvil (first time live since March 23, 2009)
11. Halls Of Valhalla
12. Firepower
13. Genocide (first known live performance since October 28, 1982)
14. Screaming For Vengeance (first time live since December 17, 2015)
15. Hell Bent For Leather
16. Breaking The Law
17. Living After Midnight
In a recent interview with the 96.1 KLPX radio station, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner stated about the setlist for the band's fall 2022 U.S. tour: "Well, I can say it's around the 40th anniversary of [the] 'Screaming For Vengeance' [album], if I'm not mistaken. I'm sure the Internet will say it's not the right month yet, or not the right week, or I'm a week late or whatever. But, yeah, so we're gonna hit some moments from that record as like a tip of the cap to the album 'Screaming For Vengeance'. I know some people like to wait and see what the setlist's gonna be. I won't spoil anything, but we will reference 'Screaming For Vengeance' in a few places.
"There's a couple of things that I haven't played with the band [that we will play on this tour]," he continued. "I've been with the band for almost 12 years now, and we're playing a couple of songs that I haven't played with the band yet, which is exciting. We're digging out a few which we haven't played for a while, and then, as I said, there's a few that I haven't played with the band. So it's a refreshing setlist from our point of view as well, to be able to do some things that we haven't done, and then hopefully that kind of reflects with the fans as well, to hear something new."
Asked how JUDAS PRIEST comes up with a setlist, Richie said: "Well, it can be difficult. There's certain things we have to hit. We have a classic part of the set that we kind of have to acknowledge. PRIEST have had huge radio hits — 'Breaking The Law', '[You've Got] Another Thing Comin''; that kind of elements of the show — that we have to kind of acknowledge, as I said. If there's any moments like anniversaries of albums, we can kind of hit those moments. If there's anything we haven't done for a while that might be interesting to do… We don't wanna repeat too much from the last tour or if there's a new album, we're gonna hit a few [songs] from [that]. This being an anniversary tour, we kind of have free rein. And sometimes what we do is literally me and Rob [Halford, vocals], we'll write down songs that we think would be interesting on paper — literally cut them out, lay them all out on the table or whatever and position them and put them in the setlist, like old school. And we try to get a dynamic flow, so there's a start, like an impact, and then it kind of tapers a little bit, and there's a little bit of an ebb and flow. So we try and create a dynamic through the set, like I think the band have always done. But we literally do it with a pen and paper, cut them out into little rectangles. It sounds a bit 'Spinal Tap', but it works. We've been doing that for a little while. And then we kind of hone it as we go through [a tour]. So we might have a starting point — 16 songs — and we rehearse it, and if something doesn't feel right or it doesn't have that dynamic, we'll put another one in just to get that dynamic right."
PRIEST kicked off its spring/summer 2022 European tour with an intimate concert on May 31 in Berlin, Germany. For the gig, which was held at the 1,600-capacity Huxleys Neue Welt venue, Halford and his bandmates ditched their traditional leather-and-studs look in favor of a more stripped-down appearance.
Bassist Ian Hill is the sole remaining original member of PRIEST, which formed in 1969. Halford joined the group in 1973 and guitarist Glenn Tipton signed on in 1974. Rob left PRIEST in the early 1990s to form his own band, then came back to PRIEST in 2003. Founding guitarist K.K. Downing parted ways with the band in 2011, and was replaced by Richie Faulkner.
Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease eight years ago after being stricken by the condition at least half a decade earlier. Tipton announced in early 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of "Firepower". He was replaced by Sneap, who is also known for his work in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.
JUDAS PRIEST will receive the Musical Excellence Award at this year's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, which will honor Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.
The induction ceremony will be held on November 5 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. It will air at a later date on HBO and stream on HBO Max. There will also be a radio simulcast on SiriusXM's Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Radio channel 310.
According to the Hall Of Fame, the JUDAS PRIEST members that will get inducted include current members Halford, Hill, Tipton and Scott Travis (drums),along with former members Downing, Les Binks (drums) and late drummer Dave Holland.
AUDIOSLAVE's music video for "Like A Stone" has surpassed one billion views on YouTube. The clip, which was uploaded to YouTube in October of 2009, was filmed nearly 30 years ago in an old, giant house in Los Angeles where AUDIOSLAVE was rehearsing for a tour. The video was directed by Meiert Avis, who had previously worked with U2 and Bruce Springsteen.
"He did all of the videos off 'Joshua Tree' and 'The Unforgettable Fire'," Morello told MTV at the time. "Those are really great videos that give portraits of the songs that are compelling and true and honest to both the band and to the music. So we gave him a call and shot a fabulous video with him."
Avis and AUDIOSLAVE decided the best way to capture the band was to artistically document it in its natural environment.
"It was just us in our rehearsal and recording environment," Morello said. "We shot the band in its natural habitat, and it provides a little bit of a behind-the-scenes look, but from an artistic point of view in order to capture the mood of the song."
AUDIOSLAVE featured Morello alongside his RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE bandmates Tim Commerford (bass) and Brad Wilk (drums),plus SOUNDGARDEN singer Chris Cornell.
AUDIOSLAVE came together in 2001 following the then-dissolution of both SOUNDGARDEN and RAGE, releasing three studio albums and a historic concert set recorded in Cuba before Cornell exited in 2007, ending the band.
AUDIOSLAVE performed together for the first time in over a decade in January 2017, reuniting at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles as part of the Anti-Inaugural Ball, a star-studded concert protesting the swearing-in of Donald Trump as the nation's 45th president. The band played three of its best-known songs: "Cochise", "Like A Stone" and "Show Me How To Live".
Cornell was found dead in his hotel room after performing a show with SOUNDGARDEN in Detroit on May 17, 2017. Officials later confirmed he had hanged himself.
Blues-rock band Dorothy have released the video for their new single “Black Sheep”. The single is currently Top 40 on Active Rock Radio, Mediabase & Active Rock charts. Directed by Nick Peterson, the creative is no stranger to working with the Rocktober goddess, having previously directed her in “Rest In Peace” and “A Beautiful Life”, the first two singles from Dorothy’s current album Gifts From The Holy Ghost.
The concept for the “Black Sheep” video was literally taken from a visual page from Dorothy’s life. Shot at Jaxon Boxing Gym in Los Angeles, the video features Dorothy practicing the sport that has helped her keep on point and fit on every level. “I train Muay Thai and boxing for strength as well as mental health. It was great to work with Nick Peterson again and to incorporate this sport with my music. Boxing has helped me immensely, I feel strong inside and out and I hope it inspires fans to make healthier choices,” said Dorothy.
Adds Peterson: “This is the third time that Dorothy and I have worked together, we love all of the same comics, movies and music and we always have a great time coming up with concepts. She brings a ton of energy and gives it on every single take. Dorothy has been busy training these last few months to star in a project that we are working on, portraying her as a bad ass demon fighter. Once I heard the song I knew that the idea of her as a fighter was the perfect theme to hang our hat to.”
Dorothy released her Gifts From The Holy Ghost album in April 2022. The artwork and tracklisting are as follows:
"A Beautiful Life"
"Big Guns"
"Rest In Peace"
"Top Of The World"
"Hurricane"
"Close To Me Always"
"Black Sheep"
"Touched By Fire"
"Made To Die"
"Gifts From The Holy Ghost"
Catch Dorothy live in concert on October 16th at KEGL Freakers Ball at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
Distant, the multi-national juggernaut that emerged from Rotterdam, The Netherlands as well as from Bratislava, Slovakia, have released their new single, "Human Scum". Find the song on your favourite streaming platform, and watch the official video below:
Century Media Records recently announced the signing of Distant. Says the band: "We are beyond excited for signing with one of the greatest metal record labels on earth, Century Media Records. With their perfect foundation for the next sagas of our lore, you can expect a lot more dark and evil albums coming from our camp.”
To celebrate their signing, Distant released their track “Exoflith”, which is available on all digital platforms now. Check out the music video below:
Since their inception in 2014 and the release of their inaugural EP, Tsukuyomi, Distant unleashed two studio albums, Tyrannotophia (2019) and Aeons of Oblivion (2021), as well as two EPs, Dawn Of Corruption (2020) and Dusk Of Anguish (2021). However, Distant have been breaking through the confines of deathcore and created no less than their own multidisciplinary universe by adding the fictional novel The Rise of Tyrannotophia into the mix that accompanies Aeons Of Oblivion.
In the past, the band have played shows all over the world such as the Chaos and Carnage Tour with Lorna Shore, Suicide Silence, Carnifex, Upon A Burning Body and AngelMaker (US) and have supported their friends in Lorna Shore for a handful of shows in the UK.
Lineup:
Vladimir Golic (rhythm guitar)
Jan Mato (drums)
Alan Grnja (vocals)
Elmer Maurits (bass)
Nouri Yetgin (lead guitar)
Former MEGADETH members David Ellefson (bass) and Jeff Young (guitar) kicked off the KINGS OF THRASH "The MEGA Years" tour last night (Wednesday, October 12) at Brick By Brick in San Diego, California. They were joined at the concert for several songs by another former MEGADETH member, Chris Poland (guitar).
KINGS OF THRASH, which also includes drummer Fred Aching as well as guitarist/vocalist Chaz Leon, performed MEGADETH's classic albums "Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good!" and "So Far, So Good… So What!" in their entirety. Fan-filmed video is available below.
In a recent interview with Thomas S. Orwat, Jr. of the Rock Interview Series, Young was asked if he, Ellefson and Poland have gotten any reaction to the tour — either in the form of a blessing or an angry rebuke — from MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine. Jeff responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're really not concerned. I don't pay attention. I haven't really paid attention or followed MEGADETH since, I think, I heard the 'Rust In Peace' album a couple of times, and then what you might hear on the radio or in the press.
"For us, this isn't about any spite or retaliation; it's a celebration of the music that we were all a part of, that we helped create," he explained. "And it's fun for us to do this.
"People said, 'You should do this.' And we said, 'Hey, yeah, you're right. We should do this.' It's a win-win — it's a win for us, and it's a win for [Mustaine], because any performance royalties, anything… If we did include live tracks, he would make money off that. It's promoting albums that hopefully fans will go back and buy, which is putting money right in his pocket. Especially 'Killing Is My Business', I think a lot of people are gonna go back and wanna rediscover that album after this tour.
"For us, it's all about positivity," Young added. "We're all in this moment — we're living in the moment, and we're not looking beyond. We're not reading any of the comments on Blabbermouth or any of the stuff. Because we know what our intent is, and intent is everything. And our intent's positive. We like playing together. We know we're crafting original music. We're not relying on this; we don't need to ride the coattails of this. This is just something that the fans wanted, and you wanna give fans what they want."
Asked if he thinks MEGADETH deserves to be in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Jeff said: "Well, that's funny. I got a letter from Dave Mustaine a few years ago. There's an episode on my 'Music Without Boundaries' [podcast] archives called 'I Got A Letter', and I read the letter. And I tell all the stories. So if people wanna hear all the gory details, they can go find that back episode. He was thinking they were gonna get [inducted into the Rock Hall] a couple of years [ago]. Maybe they will. He wanted me to be there. And as great as it would be to be there, I don't think I would wanna share that same energetic space with such an individual."
Circling back to the KINGS OF THRASH shows, Jeff said: "The cool thing is that Ellefson and Poland and me get to go do this thing without the toxicity in the room. I mean, who could have dreamed that it would have panned out this way? It's just one of those things that we just can't say no to it, it's so cool to do. And it sounds so good. Every time we leave rehearsal, we're just giddy… We didn't have that musicality back then, so to be able to have the luxury and the opportunity to play these songs these years later when we've had all this growth as musicians and as people, it's the coolest thing ever. I can't believe this is even happening. I'm kissing the ground every day. Chris and me together with our sounds on the same side of the stage, they complement each other so well."
Ellefson, Young, Poland, Leon and Aching commenced rehearsals last month in Los Angeles.
In a recent interview with Yes! You CAN Play Guitar!, Ellefson stated about how KINGS OF THRASH came together: "[Jeff] and I got along well. We roomed together a lot, 'cause back on the 'So Far, So Good… So What!' tour, band and crew was always shacking up, sharing rooms together. So he and I had spent a lot of time together. I did a lot of guitar playing with him; I learned a lot of stuff from him, which was fun. So now to connect with him all these years later… We connected through the [making of the upcoming] Nick Menza movie [about the late MEGADETH drummer], quite honestly. And I'd stayed in touched with him. We even jammed together once at a Ronnie Montrose tribute thing at NAMM a few years ago. So we've not been completely estranged from each other."
According to Ellefson, the idea for KINGS OF THRASH materialized after he and Young reunited on stage on May 10 at Ultimate Jam Night, the long-running community-oriented show in residency at the famed Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California, as part of a special tribute to the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX. The event marked the first time David and Jeff had played MEGADETH songs together on stage since the U.K.'s Monsters Of Rock festival on August 20, 1988. "That spawned, basically, the KINGS OF THRASH," he said. "It was, like, 'Wow! That was frickin' cool, and that was a lot of fun.'"
David went on to say that he started thinking about a way to perform some of MEGADETH's classic material last year. "This idea had come to me — and it came to me last fall," he explained. "I was at an autograph show on the East Coast, and people were bringing me 'Killing Is My Business' records left and right. And it just reminded me, this record needs to be played; it needs to be performed. Same as 'So Far, So Good… So What!' To me, those are kind of these two really special records that — they never went unnoticed, but they didn't get the big fanfare like 'Peace Sells' and 'Rust In Peace' and all this stuff. So, to me, I made it my mission. I was, like, 'You know what? Let's unearth these things and let's bring these up on the stage and play them.'
"[Jeff] told me, he said, after MEGADETH, I think he said he intentionally forgot how to play MEGADETH songs; he just wanted to move on," Ellefson continued. "'Cause when you come into the band, it is a deep dive and it is a heavy compression. You really have to live that music in and out, day in, day out, all the time in order to really grasp what it is. And he did that. And then when the gig ended for him, he moved on.
"He has been doing a ton of heavy lifting on [the KINGS OF THRASH]. He is really working with our singer Chaz, the drummer Fred to get through this stuff. Even he and Chris Poland are working on this thing."
David clarified that the intention behind KINGS OF THRASH is not to stick it to his former bandmates.
"This is a celebration, not a retaliation," he explained. "This is a good moment. This is a happy moment, to celebrate these songs and these tracks and these records. So we go at it with just fun… It's, like, 'Wow. Wouldn't it be fun if we went out and played these records?' And we're doing it. So it's meant to be this celebration and bringing people together. And honestly, that was kind of always my role in MEGADETH. Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader] always called me 'The Ambassador', and I was always that guy, and I am that guy. So it's, like, let me just continue that role in our community and have one of good will."
Asked if there are plans for KINGS OF THRASH to play more shows after the already announced dates in October, Ellefson said: "I think so. That was the whole thing — let's pop four of these up, see if anybody cares. And it seems like everybody… The phone's blowing up — people are calling, the promoters are calling, and people wanna see it. It's interesting. It's cool. This is a deep dive into a very particular period of the band's history and catalog that may not get performed elsewhere. So it's, like, 'Hey, we'll do it.' And we're qualified. Certainly our resume and our pedigree and our history with the group — it's legitimate. And I've gotta say — it's fun, man. I think it's fun."
As for KINGS OF THRASH's approach to performing material that was originally written and recorded more than three decades ago, Ellefson said: "I've gotta say, man, 'Killing Is My Business', there is a lot of deep stuff on that record, but because of the tempos and because of the speed, a lot of that kind of gets a bit glossed over, because the production of the record wasn't super great, because we didn't have a lot of money to do it at the time. Now live, going into it, there are some rhythmic figures and some grooves that I think are coming out in a live setting that are so hip. There's this almost funk, kind of R&B vibe to some of the rhythms that are so cool.
"When we wrote those songs, especially 'The Skull Beneath The Skin' and even 'Looking Down The Cross', these songs were written very slow; the original tempos were [much slower]," he revealed. "So they were really cool. So one of the things we're focusing on is bringing out the sleazy, slinky, greasy groove that's in there — because it really is in there. And I think our drummer Fred is helping a lot with that. I think people are gonna really enjoy what they're gonna hear."
Remaining KINGS OF THRASH tour dates:
Oct. 13 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom
Oct. 14 - Las Vegas, NV - The Space
Oct. 15 - West Hollywood, CA - Whisky A Go Go
The Whisky A Go Go concert came four months after Ellefson and Young reunited in Los Angeles for interviews to be included in the upcoming feature-length documentary "This Was My Life: The Story Of Nick Menza". Ellefson has signed on as a co-producer of the film, and also will provide narration to guide the viewer through the exploration of the late MEGADETH drummer's life.
In June, Ellefson told The Neurotic Guitarist that he and Young "have been working on a couple of new songs."
Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH nearly a year and a half ago after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.
David was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.
In 2004, Ellefson filed an $18.5-million lawsuit against Dave Mustaine, alleging the MEGADETH leader shortchanged him on profits and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth Inc. over to him when the band broke up in 2002. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH in 2010.
Young's entire career with MEGADETH was spent recording and touring in support of the band's 1988 platinum-selling album "So Far, So Good...So What!"
Jeff made headlines in December 2009 for accusing Mustaine of, among other things, "dissing, exaggerating and just plain lying on some level about nearly every talented musician that has passed through his dysfunctional little ensemble." He also disputed Mustaine's claim in an interview that Young's drug problem led to MEGADETH's 1988 Australian tour being called off and the group being "banned" from performing in the country.
Poland was a member of MEGADETH from 1984 to 1987, during which time he performed on the band's classic albums "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!" and "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?" He is also a featured soloist on the group's 2004 album, "The System Has Failed".
Back in 2004, Poland and/or his management and attorney filed a lawsuit against Mustaine regarding the use of the three "Rust In Peace" demos on the album's reissue without Chris's permission. Chris eventually settled for $9,500 and thereby ended a professional relationship with Dave and MEGADETH.
For the past couple of decades, Poland's main musical focus has been the fusion band OHM:, which has released several full-length studio albums to date.
Kings of Thrash on the road!! See you this week! 🤘
Oct 12 Brick By Brick- San Diego, CA
Oct 13 Crescent Ballroom Phoenix, AZ
Oct 14 The Space LV Las Vegas, NV
Oct 15 Whisky A Go-Go Hollywood, CA
Speed metal trio, Stälker, are on a blazing roll with two full-length releases under their bullet belts. Now in the Year of the Beast, 2022 marks another batch of Necronomicon-induced incantations from Stälker, as the band releases a 12” double single as their fourth offering, Cranking Evil.
The release will be unveiled to the world on November 4 via Napalm Records. Boundless evil will spew from the musical cauldron as Daif, Nick, and Chris have cooked up two piercing cuts, “Ripped To Pieces” and “Kneel & Worship”.
Today, “Ripped To Pieces” has been unleashed along with an official video and dashes with uncontrollable speed towards the top. There is no stopping this speeding train to hell that Stälker is conducting! As said on “Ripped To Pieces”: “You’ll know his name. With no place to hide. Written in fire.”
Stälker on “Ripped to Pieces”: "What lays ahead? Where will you go? Fate is what you make, But tonight you’ll be… Ripped To Pieces." Watch the official video below.
Never hitting the brakes, Stälker’s underground punk attitude introduces a new age that unites metal and rock n’ roll with no sweat. The group’s 2017 full length debut, Shadow Of The Sword, brought a new voice to the speed metal scene as the band battered their way through the underground metal world with 10 riff-packed tracks of pure Judas Priest, Motörhead and Venom worship! Soon after, fans rejoiced as the band released their heavily awaited sophomore album, Black Majik Terror, in 2020. The album brought another onslaught of pure speed metal cacophony filled with more power and more riffs, enchanting metalheads and rock n’ rollers to open up mosh pits left and right.
Cranking Evil will be available in the following formats:
- 12” Double Single LTD White
- 12” Double Single LTD Red
- Digital Double Single
Lamb Of God's new album, Omens, is out now via Nuclear Blast Records, and available for download and streaming as well as on CD, Vinyl and Cassette, here. In the video below, the band perform the album opener, "Nevermore", at Bloodstock Open Air 2022:
Produced by long-time collaborator Josh Wilbur (Korn, Megadeth), Omens is a vicious new testament for the Richmond, Virginia-based band, a furious entry in their beloved catalogue. "The world is crazy and keeps changing. Omens is a reaction to the state of the world,” Blythe explains. "It’s a very pissed-off record.” He pauses for emphasis. “It is extremely pissed-off.”
The New Wave Of American Heavy Metal architects tracked Omens at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California, a location that birthed classics from The Doors, The Ramones, and Soundgarden, among others. "The inner workings of the band have never been better,” explains guitarist Mark Morton. “You can hear it in Omens. You can see it in our performances, and if you're around us for five minutes, you can feel it."
The Making Of: Omens, a short film documenting the recording of Lamb Of God's forthcoming album, is available to watch on-demand throughout the month of October, here.
DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci played the third show of his first headlining solo tour Friday night (October 7) at Berklee Performance Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Petrucci performed material from his recently released solo album, "Terminal Velocity", as well as songs from his widely acclaimed debut release, "Suspended Animation". "Terminal Velocity" marked the first time that John and former DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy recorded together since Mike left the band in 2010. Now, John is taking his instrumental trio on the road performing live with Portnoy and legendary bassist Dave LaRue in an onstage reunion that has been 12 years in the making.
Fan-filmed video of the Boston concert can be seen below.
Asked in a recent interview with Robert Cavuoto of Sonic Perspectives if this tour will be the first time he and Mike have performed together since Portnoy exited DREAM THEATER, Petrucci said: "It will be, yeah — since Mike left. He left the band about 12 years ago, so our last show was a festival in Japan that we played together. The first show of this tour is in Providence, Rhode Island on October 5th, and when we step on stage, that'll be the first time we've stepped on stage together and performed live since that last show in Japan. So it's a big deal; it's kind of a personal event for the two of us. And I'm so happy that him and Dave could do this tour with me. Obviously, they recorded drums and bass on 'Terminal Velocity', so it's that same trio, that same band. We played a bunch of shows as that same trip back in the early days of 'G3', so the first ones I did in 2001 — it was me, Mike and Dave. So the band is back together. [Laughs]"
The historic tour will run through October and November and promises to be an unforgettable night of live musicianship. The recently reunited all-female band MEANSTREAK is the special guest openers for the tour. MEANSTREAK is comprised of guitarists Marlene Portnoy (Mike's wife) and Rena Sands (Petrucci's wife),vocalist Bettina France, bassist Martens Myung (wife of DREAM THEATER bassist John Myung) and drummer Yael.
In a September 2021 interview with Revolver, Petrucci said about his renewed working relationship with Portnoy: "Chemistry is everything. It's funny, too — with my solo album, I'd gone in, written all the music, recorded all the guitars, programmed drums, played bass. It was all done, and then I had to go in and get Dave LaRue to play bass on it and Mike to play drums on it. And when Mike started playing drums — I remember the first day he came into the studio and he just started playing to this music that I wrote, it just sounded like the two of us. It just was really nostalgic. Even though we didn't write it together, we weren't jamming together, we weren't even in the same room when I was writing it, but there's just something about that chemistry that creates this magical sound. And one of the things I thought was really awesome with the fans out there was when it came out, it just got such a positive reaction. People were just, like, 'I'm just so happy that you did this,' and the music sounds positive and happy. And this was, like, really all during the heart of the whole pandemic. So it was a very good, positive [experience]."
In 2020, Petrucci told "Coffee With Ola!" that "it was really great" for him to have Mike play on the record. "I hadn't done anything musically with him since he left DREAM THEATER over 10 years ago," he said. "And it was really just fun, because it's different when you're in a band with somebody. Really, we grew up together — we met when we were 18. And you're in business together. It's different than when it's, like, fast forward, now it's, like, my friend is playing drums on my album. It was so easy going and so cool. He was able to come to my studio despite the pandemic situation on the East Coast in the U.S. It was safe for him to come to the studio — he doesn't live that far from me. And he spent a week, and we had fun. And he did a killer job.
"These songs take a lot of different skills, I think, as a drummer — some are uplifting and happy; some are metal; some take double-bass chops; some you've gotta do a shuffle; some are blues; some is Latin feel," Petrucci explained. "And it's just a testament to Mike's playing — he knows how to do all that stuff. And he came in, totally easy going, did it. We had fun. And I'm really happy that he did it."
Portnoy, who co-founded DREAM THEATER more than 35 years ago, abruptly quit the band in September 2010 while on tour with AVENGED SEVENFOLD. He has since been replaced by Mangini (ANNIHILATOR, EXTREME, JAMES LABRIE, STEVE VAI).
In March 2021, Petrucci and Portnoy's instrumental progressive rock/metal project LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT released its third album, "LTE3", via InsideOut Music. The effort arrived 22 years after the release of 1999's "Liquid Tension Experiment 2".
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS played "Eddie", a song inspired by legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen, live for the first time this past Sunday (October 9) at Austin City Limits in Austin, Texas. Video of the performance is available below.
"Eddie" is taken from RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' upcoming second album of 2022, "Return Of The Dream Canteen", which will arrive on October 14. The LP will be issued just six months after the release of "Unlimited Love".
In "Eddie", RHCP frontman Anthony Kiedis delivers lines that are a clear reference to the late VAN HALEN axeman. He sings: "Sailing the Sunset Strip, I'm a bit of a king / Granny would take a trip, I'll be bending the strings / Got hammers in both my hands, such a delicate touch / They say I'm from Amsterdam, does that make me Dutch?"
Kiedis commented on the inspiration for the song: "Sometimes we don't realize how deeply affected and connected we are to artists until the day they die. Eddie Van Halen was a one of a kind. The day after his death [RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS bassist] Flea came into rehearsal with an emotional bass line. John [Frusciante, guitar], Chad [Smith, drums] and I started playing along and pretty soon with all our hearts, a song in his honor effortlessly unfolded. It felt good to be sad and care so much about a person who had given so much to our lives."
He continued: "Although the song doesn't speak to Eddie by name, it talks about his early days on the Sunset Strip and the rock 'n' roll tapestry that VAN HALEN painted on our minds. In the end, our song asks that you not remember Eddie for dying but for living his wildest dream."
When Eddie died in October 2020, Flea tweeted: "Oh man, bless his beautiful creative heart. I love you Eddie Van Halen, an LA boy, a true rocker. I hope you jam with Jimi tonight. Break through to the other side my brother."
Like "Unlimited Love", "Return Of The Dream Canteen" was produced by Rick Rubin, who also helmed past RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS albums such as 1991's "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" and 1999's "Californication".
"Return Of The Dream Canteen" marks the second RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS album since the return of guitarist John Frusciante, who rejoined the band in late 2019.
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS had previously said that they recorded 48 songs during the sessions that produced "Unlimited Love", with Frusciante claiming that "some of the best stuff" would surface on the follow-up album.
"Unlimited Love" entered the Billboard 200 albums chart at No. 1 with sales of 97,500 album equivalent units, marking the band's first LP to top the chart since 2016's "Stadium Arcadium".
Finnish sludge metal quartet, Black Royal, have released a video for "Ghosts Of The Dead", featured on their new album, Earthbound, available on October 21 via M-Theory Audio. Find the clip below.
Written and recorded at Studio Watercastle last August, mixed by Oskari Hakala Rahko (Lordi, Blind Guardian) and mastered by Jaakko Viitalähde (Convulse, Oranssi Pazuzu), Earthbound will deliver Black Royal’s heaviest collection of lurching sludge and groove-laden death metal songs yet. Filled with thunderous guitars and drums that trade blows at the gates of Valhalla, all deftly balanced on a psychedelic knife-edge, Earthbound will be released on limited-edition “Phoenix Ascending” coloured vinyl and on Digipak CD. Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.
Tracklisting:
"Earthbound"
"Ghosts Of The Dead"
"Conjuration"
"Law Of Nature"
"13th Moon"
"Phoenix Ascending"
"Bleed Your Soul"
"Queen Of The Underworld"
"Bear Cult"
"Barren Land"
"Rite Of Passage"
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