Touch was the first band to play at the inaugural Monsters Of Rock Festival at Castle Donington in 1980, along with Rainbow, Scorpions, Judas Priest and Saxon. A live version of their hit, "Don't You Know What Love Is", appeared on the compilation LP Monsters Of Rock, documenting the performances at the festival.
Touch's first album was released on Atco Records and their first singles, "Don't You Know What Love Is" and "When The Spirit Moves You", charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Their follow-up album was recorded in 1982 and produced by Todd Rundgren, The record never came out and Touch disbanded thereafter.
The original band recently reformed after almost 40 years to create the new album, Tomorrow Never Comes, out now. Today, the band releases a music video for the song, "Frozen Ground". Check it out below, and get the new album here.
Tomorrow Never Comes tracklisting:
"Tomorrow Never Comes"
"Let It Come"
"Swan Song"
"Try To Let Go"
"Fire and Ice"
"Trippin' Over Shadows"
"Frozen Ground"
"Lil Bit of Rock N Roll"
"Glass"
"Scream at the Sky"
"Wanna Hear You Say"
"Run For Your Life"
Former MACHINE HEAD and current VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel joined LAMB OF GOD on stage last night (Friday, October 7) at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California to perform the song "Redneck".
LAMB OF GOD singer Randy Blythe introduced Demmel to the crowd by saying: "We're gonna bring a friend of ours out. He's from the Bay Area. He's played with us once or twice. He'll play with us on this last song. Make some noise for Phil Demmel. We're going full LYNYRD SKYNYRD — three motherfucking guitars for the first time ever, right here at Aftershock."
Earlier today, Demmel shared a photo of him hugging LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton onstage at last night's concert, and he included the following message: "I've had many life memories made on onstage and last night was another. Thanks to @lambofgod for having me onstage at the local @aftershockfestival set last night. It would be the only chance for my son to see me perform with them and they were the ever gracious hosts. Although it looks like I just accepted a marriage proposal from @mark.duane.morton I'm probably thanking him (and @theartcruz )for saving me from being torched from the Pyro cues I didn't ask about! All top dudes on top of their game. The Demmel Dudes are forever gracious."
Demmel filled in for LAMB OF GOD guitarist Willie Adler on nearly a dozen of the band's European shows in August. Prior to that, Demmel stepped in for Adler during LOG's January appearance on the ShipRocked cruise and in May for the Canadian portion of LAMB OF GOD's "The Metal Tour Of The Year" with MEGADETH.
Although LAMB OF GOD has not officially commented on Adler's absence from the shows, VIO-LENCE singer Sean Killian revealed in an interview in April that Willie is "not down with doing the vaxx," referring to the COVID-19 vaccine, and is being replaced by Demmel for dates in those countries that still require proof of vaccination from U.S. travelers.
In April, Demmel also filled in for LAMB OF GOD's John Campbell when the bassist had to miss a couple of shows on "The Metal Tour Of The Year" in order to "take care a family matter back home."
At the Bloodstock Open Air festival in August, Demmel was asked by TotalRock if Adler's COVID-19 vaccination status is the reason Phil has been filling in for the LAMB OF GOD guitarist at some of the Virginia metal band's recent non-U.S. concerts. He responded: "I think Willie's just in a spot right now, and it's not really my spot to say, but I get the vibe that he's… I don't even think I should talk about it. I don't think it's my spot to say anything about Will. But he's making his decisions, and I am the contingent. So here I am."
Demmel went on to praise his involvement with LAMB OF GOD, saying: "They're one of the biggest metal bands in the world. And it feels good to be, like, 'Hey, we'd like for you to step into Willie's shoes,' which Willie writes those riffs and he's an awesome guitar player. And to be, like, 'Hey, we want you to be the guy,' or whatever… I get along well with the dudes. In a 'me' way, it feels good to be wanted… It's pretty cool. They're all fucking amazing dudes and a great band and a totally pro camp. I love the way they run things. So it's good to be part of that."
When Adler's absence from LAMB OF GOD's summer 2022 European tour was first announced, he released a statement saying that he wasn't able to make the trip" because he had "some things that I need to be home for". He also thanked his bandmates for "supporting my decision."
Demmel's appearance with LAMB OF GOD marked his third high-profile fill-in gig in four years. Demmel stepped in for SLAYER guitarist Gary Holt for four European shows in the fall of 2018 after Gary returned home to be with his dying father. Demmel also subbed for Dave Linsk at OVERKILL's November 13, 2021 concert at The Wellmont Theater in Montclair, New Jersey and on the band's spring 2022 U.S. tour.
LAMB OF GOD singer Randy Blythe discussed Demmel's involvement with the band during an interview with Bloodstock TV's Oran O'Beirne at Bloodstock Open Air. After O'Beirne noted how talented Demmel is to be able to step in on a moment's notice, Blythe said: "We make him put in work, though, to be fair. The guitar parts aren't easy. We are playing a song tonight, 'The Faded Line', and that's a song that hasn't been in our set for a while because some guys are, like, 'Oh, this is hard.' And it's, like, 'No. We need to do this.' And even he was just, like, 'Oh. We've gotta learn that. That's a fucked up riff.' But we saw Phil fill in for SLAYER on, like, two days' notice in Europe at the end of the SLAYER tour, 'cause Gary Holt's dad was passing away. R.I.P. And Phil came over and killed it. We've known him for many years. There's never really been any question of whether he can do it. He's a phenomenally talented guy."
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METALLICA's Kirk Hammett joined JOURNEY onstage Thursday night (October 6) in Hawaii to play JOURNEY's "Wheel In The Sky" and METALLICA's "Enter Sandman". Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below below.
Hammett's guest appearance took place at the second of JOURNEY's two shows at the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena in Kirk's hometown of Honolulu.
"Had a great time with Kirk Hammett of METALLICA last night at second sold-out JOURNEY show in Hawaii," JOURNEY guitarist Neal Schon tweeted Friday morning.
Born in San Francisco in November 1962, Hammett quickly found himself obsessed with watching monster movies and reading books and comics. Transitioning through his teenage years meant taking up guitar and teaching himself how to play by ear for hours on end.
In 1979, Hammett named and founded the metal band EXODUS. After recording a three-song demo in 1982, Hammett was called out to New York to audition for METALLICA, and by the time "Kill 'Em All" was released in July of 1983, he was officially part of the METALLICA plan for world domination. Adding his style and passion into the mix helped define and shape the sound of METALLICA as they grew into the band they are now, and Hammett's solos and signature licks have inspired a legion of musicians young and old.
Over the years he has added numerous awards and recognitions to his name, which have included personal awards such as being included in Rolling Stone's "The Top 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".
As far as achievements go with METALLICA, Hammett has contributed to 10 studio albums, several live albums, a number of extended plays and singles. The band can also boast nine Grammy Awards (out of 24 nominations),and has had five consecutive albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200, making METALLICA the first band to do so. Adding to all of this, he helped METALLICA propel themselves out of the underground scene and into the spotlight of heavy metal. To date, METALLICA has sold more than 100 million records featuring classics such as "Enter Sandman", "One" and "Nothing Else Matters".
Had a great time with Kirk Hammett of @Metallica last night at 2nd Sold Out @JourneyOfficial show in Hawaii Neal blaisdell Center Honolulu I put together a jam today for Wheel w/ Enter Sandman 🤙🏽@erikkabik pic pic.twitter.com/BaDqwe1Pag
King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his singer wife, Toyah Willcox, are back with another episode in their "Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch" series. This time they perform a cover of the Bryan Adams classic "Summer Of '69".
"This week we can certainly say things have gone mad in the kitchen! Chesney Hawkes is back and it’s all a little crazy!"
A selection of Robert & Toyah's previous Sunday Lunch videos can be seen below:
On the heels of their newest studio album, Brothers In Arms, Sunstorm have announced a special new live release, Still Roaring: The Studio Session will be out October 21.
Recorded when they gathered to film music videos for the aforementioned new studio album, the band took advantage of the time together to record a live session in the studio. Still Roaring: The Studio Session sees the band performing songs from the band's two most recent releases as well as previous ones.
For a preview of the the release, watch a live version of "Never Give Up" below. Stream the song and pre-save Still Roaring on digital music platforms here.
New lead vocalist Ronnie Romero's (Michael Schenker, Lords of Black) debut album with Sunstorm, Afterlife, was released in early 2021 and showcased a rejuvenation of Sunstorm's previous musical formula, mixing Melodic Rock/AOR with more '70s oriented hard rock, ala Rainbow (for which Romero performed as singer). That recipe was perfected on the follow-up "Brothers In Arms" with new guitarist Luca Princiotta (Doro, Blaze) joining the lineup of Romero, bassist Nik Mazzucconi, drummer Michele Sanna, and keyboardist Alessandro Del Vecchio.
Prior to the writing and recording of 2021's AfterLife, in discussions with producer and songwriter Alessandro Del Vecchio it was decided that moving the musical style of the next Sunstorm album to the more melodic AOR sound of the early records was what everyone wanted. Romero, with his powerful vocal style, was the ideal fit to deliver the goods for the music. "Afterlife", the then new Sunstorm album, caught many in the melodic rock fanbase by surprise as it, for obvious reasons, arrived with a lot of history and expectations. But for his first foray into melodic hard rock territory, Romero delivered outstanding results on Afterlife. The following album, Brothers In Arms delivered a real treat for melodic rock fans with elements of the more melodic sound of Rainbow and Deep Purple mixed with the sound of Foreigner and Classic Melodic Rock.
The rejuvenation of Sunstorm continues unabated!
Tracklisting:
"Games We Play"
"Brothers In Arms"
"Swan Song"
"Stronger"
"Hold The Night"
"Never Give Up"
"This Is My Heart"
"Road To Hell"
"Edge Of Tomorrow"
"Back My Dreams"
NIGHTWISH will release "Human. :II: Nature. (Tour Edition)" on November 18 via Nuclear Blast. It will be made available as a luxurious 2CD plus Blu-ray digipak and include the band's latest album alongside NIGHTWISH's two interactive experiences in May 2021 when the group performed in a tavern called "The Islanders Arms" built in a virtual world. On both nights, the fans experienced a one-and-a-half-hour performance, hearing songs live off "Human. :II: Nature." for the first time ever. Each of the two nights had its own slightly different setlist. Originally available just as a DVD release and on Blu-ray in Japan, this new edition is the ultimate version to re-experience this unique and magical show NIGHTWISH created after their world tour had to be canceled.
Half a year in preparation and premiered on May 28 and May 29, 2021, "An Evening With Nighwish In A Virtual World" was not just a regular streaming show. It was an exceptionally ambitious production, allowing fans to follow the band playing live in an astonishing 3D world, designed according to the band's vision, while interacting with each other.
NIGHTWISH's two interactive experiences drew 150,000 viewers, setting the record for the largest paid virtual concert in Finland's history. Most of the viewers came from Europe and North America, but the performance was a truly global event, with fans in 108 countries purchasing tickets to the show and the box office gross exceeding one million euro.
"This is definitely one of the coolest things NIGHTWISH has ever done," the band comments. "Entwining visual elements, technology and music in such an extraordinary way offers a unique experience to us all."
About 30 people from seven different countries, many of them longtime fans, put everything they had into the game to craft a high-quality virtual concert featuring a NIGHTWISH-themed tavern, elaborate animations and 3D models that provided an atmospheric and inimitable stage for the group's 100-minute-long, stellar career-spanning set brilliantly mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox.
Celebrating the announcement, NIGHTWISH has released a video for "Noise", taken from "An Evening With Nightwish In A Virtual World".
01. Music
02. Noise
03. Shoemaker
04. Harvest
05. Pan
06. How's The Heart?
07. Procession
08. Tribal
09. Endlessness
CD 2: All the Works of Nature Which Adorn the World
01. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Vista
02. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - The Blue
03. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - The Green
04. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Moors
05. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Aurorae
06. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Quiet As The Snow
07. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Anthropocene (incl. "Hurrian Hymn To Nikkal")
08. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Ad Astra
Blu-ray: Virtual Live Show From The Islanders Arms 2021
01. Intro
02. Noise
03. Planet Hell
04. Alpenglow
05. Élan
06. Storytime
07. How's The Heart?
08. Harvest
09. Dark Chest Of Wonders
10. I Want My Tears Back
11. Ever Dream
12. Nemo
13. Sleeping Sun
14. Pan
15. Last Ride Of The Day
16. Ghost Love Score
17. The Greatest Show On Earth
18. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World: VIII. Ad Astra
NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen recently spoke to Rauta about what fans can expect from the band's upcoming follow-up to "Human. :II: Nature.". He said: "I feel it's gonna be the third part of a trilogy started by 'Endless Forms Most Beautiful' [2015] followed by 'Human. :II: Nature.' and then finished by this upcoming album."
According to Tuomas, NIGHTWISH's next LP will cover previously uncharted ground while continuing in the more cinematic style that has characterized some of the band's recent efforts.
"There's always something new," he explained. "It's important for my own mental health, when it comes to writing music, that you need to search for some new territories and try not to repeat yourself. And that can be heard on the upcoming album, for sure, already on the demo that we've done."
Asked if NIGHTWISH's upcoming LP will once again be an exploration of evolutionary science, as was the case with the previous two releases, Tuomas said: "Yes and no. It sails on the same waters, but there's some new surprises there as well."
Holopainen went on to say that NIGHTWISH fans will have to wait a while before hearing new music from the band. "We'll enter the studio next year and the album is gonna come out maybe early 2024," he said.
In August, Holopainen told Knotfest that he and his bandmates had spent "the past few weeks" listening to a demo of the next NIGHTWISH album. "Because of COVID, lots of free time, I decided to use that well, so I wrote all the songs for the next album, demoed it, wrote the lyrics, and now we have been brainstorming over it with these guys," he said, referring to drummer Kai Hahto and the rest of NIGHTWISH.
Added Kai: "Yeah, it's been great. The six of us, in the same room, listening to fresh demos for the upcoming album, checking the lyrics and the vocal parts and stuff like that. So it's been wonderful. This man [Tuomas] has been really productive."
Earlier in the month, Tuomas told Rock Sverige that he spent "about a year" working on the music and lyrics for the next NIGHTWISH album, "and then we finished the demos about two months ago. We're hitting the studio next summer, so in about a year from now," he revealed. "Like I said, might as well use the time for something."
Asked if he got any kind of inspiration from the pandemic, Tuomas said: "Yeah, lyrically there's a couple of things that reflects the pandemic, but not in the way you would expect."
"Human. :II: Nature." was released in April 2020. The follow-up to 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" was a double album containing nine tracks on the main CD and one long track, divided into eight chapters, on CD 2.
In August, NIGHTWISH announced the addition of bassist Jukka Koskinen (WINTERSUN) as an official member of the band. Koskinen, who made his live debut with NIGHTWISH at the band's two interactive experiences, had spent the last year touring with NIGHTWISH as a session musician.
DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci kicked off his first headlining solo tour last night (Wednesday, October 5) at The Strand Ballroom & Theatre in Providence, Rhode Island. 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.
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".
John Petrucci killing it
Posted by Djecy Ramos on Wednesday, October 5, 2022
California glam metal jokesters STEEL PANTHER will release their sixth studio album, "On The Prowl", on February 24, 2023. The LP was produced by STEEL PANTHER and is now available for pre-order in multiple configurations, including CD, cassette, and two different color variant vinyl records.
From the opening synth intro of "Never Too Late (To Get Some Pussy Tonight)" to the thunderous outro of "Sleeping On The Rollaway", STEEL PANTHER is back with the infectious riffs, pounding drums, unforgettable vocals alongside the witty humor that has earned them a global audience. Songs like "On Your Instagram", "Magical Vagina" and "One Pump Chump" are sure to fit in on the biggest live stages next to the band's most memorable songs. "1987" is an incredible retro look at that unforgettable year and the band even slows things down on the reflective "Ain't Dead Yet". The first single from "On The Prowl" is the memorable "Never Too Late (To Get Some Pussy Tonight)". A music video for the song can be seen below
STEEL PANTHER drummer Stix Zadinia states: "The song and video are an absolute public service announcement. People have been asking STEEL PANTHER for advice on life, love and the pursuit of happiness for decades. 'Never Too Late' is a reminder to never give up, follow your heart, realize your dreams, overcome your challenges, navigate the rough seas, reach for stars and any other cliché you have in your pocket. Basically, what we are saying it is never too late to get some pussy tonight."
"On The Prowl" track listing:
01. Never Too Late (To Get Some Pussy Tonight)
02. Friends With Benefits
03. On Your Instagram
04. Put My Money Where Your Mouth Is
05. 1987
06. Teleporter
07. Is My D**k Enough (feat. Dweezil Zappa)
08. Magical Vagina
09. All That And More
10. One Pump Chump
11. Pornstar
12. Ain't Dead Yet
13. Sleeping On The Rollaway
Late last month, STEEL PANTHER singer Michael Starr spoke to the "Everblack" podcast about his relationship with the band's original bassist Lexxi Foxx who left the band in July 2021. "I just talked to him today," Michael said. "He's doing good, man. He did exactly what he wanted to do. He started a family. He's living in Chicago. Him and his wife just had a baby. So Lexxi Foxx is not gay. I thought he was gay this whole time. It's so weird."
Starr continued: "The party never stops. Just because he's not on tour doesn't mean he's fucking having a good time. And we miss him. I fucking miss him. And we still stay in touch and talk. We talk just about every other day — just stay in touch with one another. I mean, we were together for 27 years, 26 years, and we know each other's moms and dads and all of our cousins. We know everything about one another. So it's been really, really sad not having him in the band, but I understand why he's doing what he's doing. And he was one of the smart guys — he saved up all his money. Not me — I'm still living at my mom's. Let's go."
In September, STEEL PANTHER announced the addition of Spyder as the band's new bassist.
"Spyder has filled in for Lexxi many times," Starr told "Everblack". "He's a super-close friend of the band. We've known him for years. As a matter of fact, [STEEL PANTHER guitarist] Satchel and I were in a VAN HALEN tribute band for a while, and Spyder was the bass player in that. We have a rich history with him… He did all of Europe with us and he did a great job.
"First of all, I just wanna say this: Lexxi Foxxcannot be replaced," Michael added. "That's just the way it is. It's like trying to replace David Lee Roth, in my opinion. You can't fucking replace Lexxi Foxx. And also trying to find somebody that has the ability to make somebody laugh, do choreography moves from 40 years ago, jump around on stage and know what to wear. And not only that — most people think that STEEL PANTHER's music is super easy to play, and it's not. Satchel's an incredible writer, and the stuff he writes [is] not easy to play. So you've really gotta be able to play bass, you've gotta be able to sing, you've gotta be able to engage the audience, you've gotta be able to talk to 'em. There's a lot that goes into it… Seriously, it's really hard to find someone that has all those qualities and you can hang out with them. 'Cause you think about it — the show is an hour and a half. The other 22 and a half hours we're together either sleeping or hanging out, soundchecking or whatever. So it's a lot of time to spend together offstage. So you'd better be cool with him."
To coincide with the new bassist announcement, STEEL PANTHER announced a U.S. tour, "Claus & Paws Holiday Party". The eight-city trek will kick off in late November after the band wraps up its recently announced Canadian leg of the "Res-Erections" tour 2022.
Just four months ago, Starr and Zadinia discussed their search for a permanent replacement for Foxx in an interview with RAMzine. Michael said: "We tried out over… We had how many video submissions… probably [over 700]. And we went through every single video. And we did some test runs with some people. And when we find the right guy, you guys will know."
Added Stix: "On this tour, we have our friend Spyder with us, who is a great friend and an even better bass player. He's not that great a friend. I'm kidding. He's awesome. We've known him since 1990. He's one of our homies and he's killing it. And we cannot wait to jam with him. But we are still searching for the permanent guy 'cause Spyder's got another gig; he's got a paper route that he works on."
Continued Michael: "We may never find another replacement for Lexxi. We love him. We miss him dearly. And I'm glad he's doing what he wants to do in life. But replacing him, it's like trying to replace Stix or me — it's impossible. So we may never, ever have a bass player. We might just be trying out bass players until I die."
Stix added: "And every time we get a new guy, we just say, 'Hey, come out. There's no money involved. So just try out.' We just keep doing it forever."
A year ago, Lexxi — whose real name is Travis Haley — told Rocking With Jam Man that he hadn't spoken with his former bandmates since his exit. "I still talk to the singer a little bit; I have in the past," he said. "But I think that those scars and I think that the departure, the way that it went down, I think there's some sore spots. But that's tough for me to talk about.
"That was something that I'm very proud of — to be that character for such a long period of time, and to play with those cats," he continued. "They're all amazing musicians. And I just think that it is different to not have that [in my life] — I'd been in character for so long — but I have to say it's a little refreshing as well."
When STEEL PANTHER first announced Lexxi's exit in July 2021, the band jokingly said that Foxx "started his side business, 'Sexy Lexxi's Prettiest Pets,' to bring in money for Botox during the lockdown." After realizing that "his love for making pets pretty was greater than his love for being pretty himself," he chose "to hang up his mirror and focus on his newfound passion: making ugly dogs pretty," the group wrote in a statement.
Back in December 2018, Lexxi sat out a STEEL PANTHER tour after being admitted to "sex rehab." The real reason for his absence was never officially disclosed.
During an appearance on an episode of the "2020'd" podcast, Satchel stated about Lexxi's departure: "We didn't want him to quit. Nobody wanted him to quit, including a lot of fans. I'm sure a lot of fans are very sad that he left. But he's the guy who left the band. I think he's got his own things he's dealing with, and he just wanted to go and do that. So, I don't know… I can't answer for Lexxi Foxx. But we will all miss Lexxi Foxx, and we all wish him the best in everything that he does. But we didn't fire him; he quit the band. So we're gonna have to move on and get somebody else who's younger and foxier and doesn't need as much Botox," referencing the drug doctors have been using for years to treat wrinkles and facial creases.
Formed in 2000, STEEL PANTHER specializes in imitating and exaggerating the less flattering aspects of 1980s hair metal, with unrepentantly crude, non-PC sexual content as a favorite lyrical theme.
The group's music has been described as "VAN HALEN meets MÖTLEY CRÜE meets RATT meets 'Wayne's World', complete with operatic shrieks, misogyny, shredding guitar solos and libidinal overdrive."
Fourteen years ago, STEEL PANTHER changed its name from METAL SKOOL to its current moniker and shifted the focus of its act from '80s metal covers to originals.
Haley, who was an original member of STEEL PANTHER, recently announced the formation of his new band HOLLYWOOD GODS N' MONSTERS with longtime friend and television celebrity from MTV's "Pimp My Ride", Diggity Dave.
The long-awaited debut release from W.A.S.P. lead guitarist Douglas Blair's innovative pet-project is quite an interesting departure from the usual metal confines: Blair's SIGNAL2NOISE is a "power duo" created by Blair, with Finnish drummer Toxy London and American studio drummer John Anthony. The concept is based upon using an eight-string hybrid bass/guitar instrument designed by Blair called "GuitarCross" — and the inherent creative flexibility and efficiency of only two brains.
The GuitarCross is the monster vehicle upon which Blair commandeers three bass strings and five guitars strings, shooting their sounds into an array of dedicated amps — creating a veritable wall of sound. Blair has made these GXs with his own hands, an unbridled imagination, and rare proprietary electronics.
SIGNAL2NOISE's self-titled five-song EP spotlights five powerhouse songs, all recorded live with only vocals and lead guitars added. Guest vocalists Lotta Valtanen (Finland) and Warpony (Montana, USA) contribute to several tracks, while Blair's searing signature lead guitar work can be heard on two others.
In May 2021, the duo debuted its first single and video titled "Generica", which was shot in Turku, Finland and Los Angeles, California. On September 15, 2022, SIGNAL2NOISE's second single and video titled "Out" premiered at a release party at Stockholm, Sweden's legendary rock room Garlic & Shots. "Out" was shot in Turku and Van Nuys, California, and was edited by Davey Robertson in Los Angeles.
Blair was originally a member of W.A.S.P. for a short time in 1992. He was also a quick replacement on W.A.S.P.'s "Unholy Terror" tour in 2001 on two festival gigs when Chris Holmes left the band. Blair rejoined W.A.S.P. in 2006 and has played with the group ever since.
Blair is currently preparing for W.A.S.P.'s upcoming 40th-anniversary U.S. tour which is scheduled to kick off on October 28 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
On September 3rd, Sammy Hagar & The Circle performed at RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater in Ridgefield, WA. Newly posted fan-filmed video of the band performing the Van Halen classic "Poundcake" can be viewed below.
Sammy Hagar & The Circle released their new album, Crazy Times, via UMe on CD/Digital on September 30. It will be issued on vinyl on October 28. Order the new album here.
Tracklisting:
"Intro: The Beginning Of The End"
"Slow Drain"
"Feed Your Head"
"Pump It Up"
"Be Still"
"You Get What You Pay For"
"Crazy Times"
"Funky Feng Shui"
"Father Time"
"Childhoods End"
"2120" (bonus track)
"Father Time" - Acoustic Demo (bonus track)
The Alpha Complex is a modern hard rock group from Sacramento, California that consists of vocalist Michael Woodruff, guitarist Kery Glennon, bassist Travis Carrier, and drummer Matthew O’Connell. The band’s hot new single “My Inferno” is released today - Friday, October 7th, on all platforms worldwide.
The Alpha Complex has a larger-than-life sound that melds together hard rock with electronic influences. Their pulsing melodies, hard-hitting grooves, and unapologetic lyricism embody the spirit of modern hard rock music while their electronic infusions in the synths, sonic textures, and vocals make them a refreshing must-hear new band.
Their new single “My Inferno” follows a turbulent love cycle where a partner who feigns like an angel, however, is really a devil. The band leans into edgy poetic storytelling to further the song’s poignant messaging. The chorus encapsulates the band’s musical and lyrical conviction with the belting of “Horns hold up your halo, Now everything is starting to burn, Your love is my inferno.”
The members of The Alpha Complex are no strangers to the metal scene. Three out of the four members of the band have at one time or another been a part of Motograter. Vocalist Michael "Angel" Woodruff replaced Ivan Moody (Five Finger Death Punch) as the new frontman of Motograter in 2007. Since then, Woodruff recruited guitarist Kery "Venom" Glennon from previous projects to join Motograter in 2014, where they played that year's Knotfest in San Bernardino, CA. In 2018, Woodruff found drummer Matthew O'Connell and had him join Motograter on the Orgy: Bring Your Army tour. Glennon has also filled in as a touring guitarist for the band Skinlab in 2017.
For further details, visit The Alpha Complex on Facebook.
Watch Volbeat’s entire performance of Wait A Minute… Let’s Tour: Live from San Diego, California now through Sunday, October 9th.
Capturing one of the band’s first shows back on the road in fall 2021, this intimate performance at San Diego’s historic venue The Observatory North Park was filmed shortly before the release of Servant Of The Mind. The setlist included some of the very first live performances of the hit singles “Shotgun Blues” and “Wait A Minute My Girl.” Filmed and edited by the team at Ghost Atomic Pictures (“Shotgun Blues”, “Die To Live (feat. Neil Fallon)”, “Leviathan”, Let’s Boogie: Live From Telia Parken), you can feel the excitement of both the band and the crowd as they both return to live music after such an extended period away.
Volbeat’s Servant Of The Road Tour kicks off in less than two weeks on October 17th in Hamburg, Germany at Barclays Arena. Tickets & VIP packages available here.
Christian rockers STRYPER have released the official music video for their latest single, "Same Old Story". The song will appear on their upcoming studio album "The Final Battle", which is due on October 21 via Frontiers Music Srl. The follow-up to 2020's "Even The Devil Believes" was produced by guitarist/vocalist Michael Sweet and was once again recorded at SpiritHouse Recording Studios in Northampton, Massachusetts.
In a recent interview with "The Chuck Shute Podcast", Sweet discussed the inspiration for the title and artwork for "The Final Battle". He said: "The story behind the title and the artwork is the battle of Armageddon, which is ultimately the final battle, biblically speaking. And that's really what we're referring to, for the most part."
Asked if he thinks the battle of Armageddon — which refers to the final war between human governments and God, ultimately bringing human rulership to an end — is something that "coming soon," Sweet said: "Well, I'll tell you, man, if you say that in today's world, boy, you are labeled an instant loon — you're a loon, you're crazy and you need to be committed and you're out of your mind. But yet at the same time, when you go through the Bible, if you were to really dive deep into the Bible and have someone explain the theory of it to you and the stories that are behind the stories — so someone really smart, who isn't me — they could explain to you stuff that would make your chin hit the floor. And all the stuff that the Bible predicted that has already taken place, and really the only thing left is God's return and what follows after that, one of those things being the battle of Armageddon.
"People can laugh and sneer and think Christians are crazy, and that's fine," Michael continued. "I believe in the Bible, I believe what it says, and I think those times are coming. I think we're living in those times — absolutely, for sure. We live in a very interesting world, and I think everyone could at least agree on that — that times have changed dramatically in the past two years."
When asked by host Chuck Shute to clarify whether he truly believes we are "on the cusp" of the battle of Armageddon, Michael said: "Yeah, I do. Those people out there who watch this moment, when I say 'yeah,' who roll their eyes and think I'm crazy, that's fine. You guys can go ahead and keep thinking people like myself are crazy. The only thing I can say to that is when that day comes and it's reality, obviously everyone will know that those who believed weren't crazy, and then at that point it'll be too late for the people who thought those people were crazy."
When Shute noted that the people who are labeled "crazy" are the ones who claim that they know the exact date and circumstances leading up to the big apocalypse, Michael said: "And the Bible is very clear about that too: 'No man will know the hour.' No man knows the hour. You can't sit and [say], 'Okay, according to this timeline, yeah, He's coming on this day.' And that's what people try to do. You can't.
"I think we're definitely living in the end times, but that could be short, that could be relatively soon, in the very near future, or that could be in a relatively distant future," Sweet explained. "I don't think it's gonna be hundreds of thousands of years from now, but I think that it's coming and our time is marked. And look, we may get hit by a giant comet before God comes back. Who knows?
"I think sometimes we think we're invincible — nothing can hurt us — and, obviously, COVID kind of taught us a lesson on that, didn't it?" Michael added ."We are not invincible and anything can happen at any given time unexpectedly that leaves us in awe, saying, 'Oh my gosh. I had no idea. I never even imagined that ever happening.' And it can and will happen. It's just a matter of time."
Formed 39 years ago, STRYPER's name comes from Isaiah 53:5, which states: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
STRYPER's albums include "To Hell With The Devil", "Second Coming", "No More Hell To Pay", "Fallen", "God Damn Evil" and the band's latest effort, "Even The Devil Believes".
In a 2018 interview with the Detroit Free Press, Michael said that STRYPER was never fully embraced by the heavy metal and hard rock communities, largely because of the band's Christian lyrics.
"We've never been accepted by either side," he said. "The secular side, the mainstream, they've never accepted us to this day. We're probably that band that everyone's going to go to whenever there's a time to mock. We'll be the band used for that in most cases. Now on the Christian side, we've never really had the full support of the Christian side because we don't fit into their little club. We're not wearing suits and ties and going to every church and preaching."
Xentrix have released the official video for "Seven Words", the title track of the band's new album, out November1 via Listenable. Watch the clip below, and pre-order the album here.
Hailing from the North West of England, Xentrix was formed in 1985 by guitar player Chris Astley. After numerous changes to the line up Xentrix signed to Roadrunner Records and entered the studio to record their first album Shattered Existence with producer John Cuniberti (Vio-lence, Forbidden, Joe Satriani).
Xentrix were one of the leading lights of the British thrash metal movement. They had music videos which all had regular air time on MTV’s Headbangers Ball. Gaining global notoriety, Xentrix had many high energy performances with audiences of thousands.
Xentrix released their comeback album Bury The Pain in 2019 with production from Andy Sneap and Mastering by Russ Russell, this new recording showed the band sounding heavier than ever, while still retaining their signature sound.
Seven Words is the 7th studio release from Xentrix and is a crushing compendium of all that has made this band what it is today. New tracks such as “Reckless With A Smile”, “Anything But The Truth”, “The Alter Of Nothing”, “Everybody Loves You When You're Dead”, and the title track “Seven Words” will take their rightful place next to the Xentrix classics.
Xentrix’s guitarist Kristian Havard Comments: “This LP is the culmination of the last 2 years of us experimenting and trying new ideas. It feels like a big step forward for the band, but without stepping away from our Thrash Metal past and I can’t wait for people to hear it.”
Recorded in the UK at Backstage studios in Derbyshire and Viscon studios in Lancashire, the album was mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap (Judas Priest, Exodus, Megadeth) and returning to create the cover artwork was Dan Goldsworthy (Accept, Corpsegrinder, Alestorm)
Seven Words tracklisting:
"Behind The Walls Of Treachery"
"Seven Words"
"Spit Coin"
"The Alter of Nothing"
"Everybody Loves You When You’re Dead"
"Reckless With A Smile"
"Ghost Tape Number 10"
"My War"
"Kill And Protect"
"Anything But The Truth"
"Billion Dollar Babies" (CD Exclusive Bonus Track)
"Seven Words" video:
Xentrix will return to the road on the MTV Headbangers Ball Europe Tour 2022, alongside Vio-Lence, Whiplash, and Artillery.
Guitarist Kristian Havard comments: “We’re very honoured to be included in this line up of legendary thrash bands and we can’t wait to get back to mainland Europe and play some shows especially after all the Covid cancellations. This tour is going to be the perfect way to end 2022 and hopefully say goodbye to all the restrictions of the past two years. The MTV Headbangers Ball tour will see Xentrix breaking new ground as we’ve never played in Denmark and Sweden. I recommend that people start to warm up those neck muscles now as these gigs are going to be brutal!”
Tour dates:
November
23 - Amersfoot, Netherlands - Fluor
24 - Hamburg, Germany - Kulturpalast
25 - Mannheim, Germany - MS Connexion Complex
26 - Zlin, Czech Republic - Masters Of Rock Café
27 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra
28 - Regensburg, Germany - Airport Eventhall
29 - Stuttgart, Germany - LKA Longhorn
30 - Zurich, Switzerland - Alte Kaserne
December
1 - Brussels, Belgium - La Madeleine
2 - Essen, Germany - Turock
3 - Aarhus, Denmark - Voxhall
4 - Stockholm, Sweden - Slaktkyrkan
5 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Trädgarn
Xentrix 2022:
Jay Walsh - vocals/guitar
Kristian Havard - guitar
Chris Shires - bass
Dennis Gasser – drums
British metal sextet, Bury Tomorrow, have announced the release of their seventh album, the aptly titled The Seventh Sun. The album will be released on March 31 via Music For Nations. Pre-order or pre-save it here.
To mark the announcement, the band have shared "Abandon Us." Watch the video below.
"We are beyond excited to share the new era of Bury Tomorrow with you all. Album seven and still driving forward," says frontman Dani Winter-Bates. "'Abandon Us is the perfect way to showcase our intent with this next phase, visceral and heavy, this one is for those that have stuck by us and those just find out about Bury Tomorrow. Enjoy and anticipate."
It's never too late to be what you might have been. Sometimes you just need a push to take the plunge. Few people would be greater advocates for this truth than Bury Tomorrow.
Faced 18 months ago, following a period of external and internal strife, with the very real reality that it might be time to pack up their successes and close the book on a storied career of 15 years, with their hands forced and backs to the wall Bury Tomorrow instead picked up fate's gauntlet and set about writing the chapter they had always imagined.
The Seventh Sun stands as testament to the bonds and belief required to shape themselves a new reality, a new sound, and a new future.
If standalone singles "Death (Ever Colder)" and "Life (Paradise Denied)," released little over a month apart earlier this year, gave a first glimpse at what lay in store, then The Seventh Sun amounts to the glorious arrival at a destination in this new era. Not Bury Tomorrow's final destination, either, you must understand, but one that both perfectly encapsulates their revivified present while offering further tantalizing hints at an unwritten future.
This is no beast tamed, but rather one with its teeth and claws sharpened, intent on killing with targeted precision rather than with overwhelming bludgeoning. Refocused yet no more restrained, The Seventh Sun's expanded sonic palette platforms sky-high melodies, layered with textured atmosphere, cloaking an underlying savagery.
Tracklisting:
"The Seventh Sun"
"Abandon Us"
"Begin Again"
"Forced Divide"
"Boltcutter"
"Wrath"
"Majesty"
"Heretic"
"Recovery?"
"Care"
"The Carcass King"
"Abandon Us" video:
LIneup:
Kristian Dawson - Lead Guitar
Daniel Winter-Bates - Vocals
Davyd Winter-Bates - Bass Guitar
Ed Hartwell - Rhythm Guitar
Adam Jackson - Drums
Tom Prendergast - Keyboards/Vocals
LAMB OF GOD has shared the official music video for the song "Ditch". The track is taken from the band's new album, "Omens", which is being released today (Friday, October 7). The LP is the follow-up to LAMB OF GOD's self-titled album, which arrived in June 2020. That effort marked LAMB OF GOD's first recordings with drummer Art Cruz, who joined the band in July 2019 as the replacement for the group's founding drummer, Chris Adler.
LAMB OF GOD will take part in an exclusive "Omens" in-store band signing at Amoeba in Hollywood, California on Thursday, October 13 starting at 4 p.m. To attend, purchase your copy of "Omens" on CD (deluxe limited edition exclusive softpak CD with alternate cover art and documentary access code) or LP in-store beginning October 7. A free poster will come with purchase — one per customer/while they last.
LAMB OF GOD recently announced "The Making Of: Omens", a short film documenting the recording of their upcoming album. The documentary is available to watch on-demand throughout the month of October at watch.lamb-of-god.com. All physical CD and vinyl copies of "Omens" include a free access code to watch the documentary. The documentary includes four full-song performances recorded in the live room at Henson Studios: "Nevermore", "Omens", "Vanishing" and "Gomorrah".
Speaking to the WSOU 89.5 FM radio station about LAMB OF GOD's decision to document the making of "Omens", guitarist Mark Morton said: "It started, really, because we knew the way we were gonna record it — we knew we were gonna be all together [in the studio recording at the same time]. I don't know if the average music listener pays attention to that kind of thing, but it's not really a very common way to make a record these days. To be all playing at the same time and recording every piece of it at the same time and saving parts of each performance, that's the way things used to be done, but very rarely are they done like that. So I think we felt internally it would be cool to document that process, knowing we were gonna be doing it that way. And also there's just a history of behind-the-scenes documentary within LAMB OF GOD, just historically. Back in 2000s, DVD days, we were really open with having cameras around and filming ourselves for better or worse and kind of letting our fans see what it's like every step of the way, really — sometimes to a fault. And I think that access is really early in what kind of helped create such a bond between us and a lot of our fans is because they feel like they know us because they've been given so much access. So it had been some time since we'd done anything like that, but deciding to do so felt pretty natural."
In August, LAMB OF GOD bassist John Campbell told Germany's EMP that "Omens" is "a fairly dynamic record. There's a few other little surprises and tweaks and things to come in October," he said. "But we recorded it differently this time. We went to Los Angeles and all of us in the same room and same time recording, which gave us some leeway to make changes as things happened and just kind of feel it out in a different way than we've done in the past, which would be everybody kind of going in their corner recording and it gets assembled later. So it was a real team effort on this one, in the recording — all the way through it's been a team effort — and in the recording especially, when we were all in the same room doing that stuff, it was great. I got to spend three and a half weeks working on a record instead of four or five days — working on the recording of the record."
Also in August, Campbell was asked by Knotfest what led to the decision to record "Omens" live in the studio. John responded: "Well, we've been doing this so fucking long, we had to do something different. I believe that was Josh Wilbur's idea to do that. I know he had a great place worked out to do that in. And we had just kind of been doing it the same way over and over and over again, and we were looking to get a little more excitement into it and maybe see if that couldn't produce a different feel on the record."
LAMB OF GOD is supporting the new album with a massive Live Nation-produced U.S. headlining tour featuring special guests KILLSWITCH ENGAGE on all dates. Different legs are also seeing support from BARONESS, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, SPIRITBOX, ANIMALS AS LEADERS as well as SUICIDE SILENCE and FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY. The tour kicked off September 9 in Brooklyn and will run through October 20.
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