Acclaimed Mongolian rock band THE HU has released a new single called "This Is Mongol" ahead of its second studio album, due later this summer via Better Noise Music. With "This Is Mongol", as with all of THE HU's music, the group connects the world to Mongolian culture and its unique core values of natural preservation and spiritual connection with the earth. These core values are on full display in the new, epic John Connor Hammond-directed video for "This is Mongol", also released today. The deeply meaningful lyrics uplift the Mongol people, as the band wishes for prosperity and peace among all.
Previously debuting at No. 1 on the World Album and Top New Artist charts with its 2019 debut album "The Gereg", THE HU is excited to start dropping new music for fans. Currently on the "Black Thunder" tour, THE HU also recently played at Coachella, earning an array of critical acclaim. They will also join FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH and MEGADETH on tour later this summer.
Speaking about the "This Is Mongol" video, THE HU singer and tumur hhuur player Jaya said: "We shot in the Mojave Desert, Nevada and the environment reminded us of Gobi Desert in Mongolia. We enjoyed shooting the video, which happened during our tour and gave us a little break to reminisce about home. The song perfectly matched the environment we made the video in. It was one of the best memories we created as a band and it was special because our producer Dashka was with us to oversee the whole process."
Enkush, who also sings and plays the morin khuur, shared his thoughts on THE HU's tour dates with FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH and MEGADETH: "We grew up listening to MEGADETH and can't express how much they have inspired and motivated us to do what we love every day, so you can only imagine our excitement for our next tour with them. Everybody knows MEGADETH is one of the four biggest trailblazers in thrash metal and to be performing with a modern band such as FFDP is truly going to be legendary. Although it will be our first time performing with them, we will bring our A-game on this tour."
Thrilled to be sharing more of their Mongolian roots, producer Dashka said: "Creating this song meant so much to me. We are announcing our arrival through music and specifically through this song. In these uncertain times, I hope we are bringing positivity, empowerment and strength to fight for better days."
Over the last several months, THE HU has been recording new material in its homeland of Mongolia and shared an update from the studio with fans on their YouTube channel. While on its current headlining tour, THE HU has been teasing the new music from its upcoming sophomore LP, out late this summer. The tour continues tonight, May 13, in Portland, Maine and will see the band journey across the southern U.S. through May 29, landing in Dallas, Texas before ending in Mexico City on May 31.
On the morin khuur and serving as a vocalist, Gala stated about THE HU's recording process: "Our second album was recorded during COVID lockdown, where we used the time to put our best effort and astounding amount of energy to focus on the work. Therefore, it is our hope to present our listeners with unique songs that have their own characteristics."
Temka, who plays the tovshurr and sings background vocals, also spoke about the upcoming LP: "The new album has great quality, composition, melody and overall it is sensational. The lyrics that Dashka wrote consist of our traditional values, virtues and wisdom of our ancestors. Our fans can expect to hear and feel the messages we try to deliver through our songs, such as love and respect for parental love, the importance of sustainability and cultural heritage. We can't wait for our fans to listen and enjoy our second album and are excited to be performing for fans whom we have yet to meet. We will see you very soon and send our regards to our fans all over the world."
On May 1st, guitar legend Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big, Racer X) performed at the Dallas International Guitar Festival in Dallas, TX. Fan-filmed viideo of the entire show is available below.
The setlist was as follows:
"Green Tinted Sixties Mind"
"Blues for Rabbit"
"Argument About Fleetwood Mac"
"Scarified"
"Stairway to Heaven"
"Peace of Mind"
"Just Like A Technical Difficulty"
"Last Child"
"Boogie Medley"
"Daydream about Rocky"
"Hello North Dakota"
"Rock Me Baby"
"Highway Chile"
Guitar: Paul Gilbert
Bass: Pete Griffin
Drums: Bill Ray
Metallica have released an official video of their performance of "Blackened", filmed in Porto Alegre, Brazil on May 5. Check it out below:
Ernie Ball has released the official film supporting their latest artist signature string collaboration with guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield of Metallica (see below). Papa Het’s Hardwired Master Core Signature Strings are available here.
Co-developed with Hetfield over the past decade, Papa Het’s new Hardwired Master Core set consists of James’ unique never before offered 11-50 gauge combination, ideal for his aggressive style and technique. These limited edition signature sets are housed in a compact tin box with custom artwork designed by James.
Product features:
- Never before offered gauge combo (11, 14, 18p, 28, 38, 50)
- “Master Core” heavier core to wrap ratio
- Wound strings wrapped with Paradigm plasma-enhanced nickel-plated steel around ultra-high-strength tin-plated steel hex core
- Paradigm ultra-high-strength tin-plated steel plain strings
- Thicker sound
- Added pitch stability
Fan-filmed video of SKID ROW's entire May 8 performance at the 13th edition of M3 Rock Festival at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland can be seen below.
Featured songs in top video:
00:00 - Slave To The Grind
03:30 - The Threat
07:52 - Big Guns
11:55 - 18 And Life
16:05 - Piece Of Me
19:06 - Livin' On A Chain Gang
24:48 - Psycho Therapy
29:07 - I Remember You
34:54 - Psycho Love
40:06 - Monkey Business
47:19 - In A Darkened Room
52:24 - Makin' A Mess
56:39 - The Gang's All Here
1:01:01 - Youth Gone Wild
New SKID ROW frontman Erik Grönwall joined the band in January as the replacement for ZP Theart, who had been in the group for more than six years. Theart played his final gig with SKID ROW in February before being officially given the boot.
In late March, SKID ROW released its first single with Grönwall, "The Gang's All Here". The song is the title track of the band's upcoming album, which will arrive on October 14 via earMUSIC.
SKID ROW recorded most of "The Gang's All Here" in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who has previously worked with FOO FIGHTERS, STONE SOUR, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, RUSH and ALICE IN CHAINS, among many others.
Grönwall was a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T. with whom he recorded four studio albums — "Address The Nation" (2012),"Tearing Down The Walls" (2014),"Into The Great Unknown" (2017) and "H.E.A.T II" (2020) — before exiting the group in October 2020.
Grönwall was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021. Six months later, he announced that he was cancer free after receiving a bone marrow transplant in August. "Some anonymous wonderful human being somewhere in the world donated his/her blood cells so that I could get a second chance at life," he told Headbangers Lifestyle in January. "Sometimes I can just get tears in my eyes when I think about it. It's so beautiful that one person who is not connected to me in any way wanted to do that for me. He/she doesn't know that the blood cells were for me. It's completely anonymous."
Last September, Grönwall released his cover version of "18 And Life" via all streaming platforms.
In 2018, Grönwall debuted in the U.S. for 10 million viewers in NBC's live broadcast of Andrew Lloyd Webber's and Tim Rice's musical "Jesus Christ Superstar". Along with John Legend, Alice Cooper, Sara Bareilles and others, Erik played the key role of Simon Zealotes.
SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan recently told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station about Grönwall's addition to the band: "Just the way he does things and his work ethic is one I've never seen other than the four of us that are already in the band. He just doesn't stop until he gets things absolutely right. Whether it's his version, what he thinks is right, or what we think is right, he works hard — he works hard. And you can see why he had the success he did overseas because he's a really, really hard-working singer that takes care of his instrument and that takes pride in his craft."
Rachel also reflected on SKID ROW's first live performance with Grönwall, saying: "Honestly, dude, from the minute he opened his mouth… His timing is impeccable. We knew it was gonna be cool. And each show has gotten even better, 'cause we're learning each other's rhythm on stage. When I walked away from that show, I said to Erik, I go, 'This was show one. I cannot wait for show one hundred. It's gonna be amazing.'"
Bolan previously talked about how Erik came to join SKID ROW during an appearance on the latest episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation L.A. Invasion", recorded just hours before SKID ROW's first performance with the Swedish singer. "We toured together. H.E.A.T. was on tour with SKID ROW. What year was that? '18? And we'd hear him every night from the dressing room," he said. "And a couple of times, I was, like, 'Man, listen to this guy sing. He's phenomenal.' And then, I forget who told me, someone that was with us, 'Yeah, he won 'Idol' in Sweden.' And I was, like, 'Man, he's got pipes.' And I was listening. Then I went behind the monitor board a couple of times. And in my head, I'm, like, 'Wow! When SKID ROW has some downtime, I'm gonna get in touch with this dude and start a side project with him.' And obviously, that never happened. But as time went on and we got to the point to where we were with ZP and stuff, Erik was our first… I told Snake, I go, 'We've gotta check this guy out.' And along with Snake and the rest of the guys, and Nick, our producer, Nick Raskulinecz, were, like, 'He's the guy, man. Send him some songs.' So we sent him some songs that we were recording, just with a guide vocal on it, and it came back about 24 hours later, and we were, like, 'All right. He's the guy. Get him on a plane. Let's do this.'"
Held Hostage issued their brand new album, Great American Rock, digitally and on CD via FireRock Music Group on May 6. Tim "Ripper" Owens and Joe Lynn Turner provide guest vocals on the album. BraveWords is premiering the new music of "We Rock Hard" with Owens on vocals - watch below!
Tom Collier founding member/ lead guitarist/lead singer:
“The story behind ‘We Rock Hard’, is, when I was writing it, it was all about being on the road as band. We use to play 6-7 nights a week and unfortunately not everyone made it because they would lose their way and get caught up in drugs, alcohol and just couldn't perform. I had to make many hard decisions about firing people for the good of the band, because they could not perform and made partying their priority. I have always said the music should be your priority in a band. In the song the pre-chorus says, ‘We got nothing to lose but our own way. We stay the course, because that's how we play.’ It is still true to this day. Not just in Held Hostage but in many bands they have made the decision to not party and focus on the music first.
“Ripper was introduced to me 3 years ago by John Pettigrass from AEM. I was getting ready to record Epic and wanted a singer (other than myself) to sing the whole album. I had already worked with Joe Lynn Turner, and this was a hard rock album. I spoke to Ripper on the phone, and I sent him the title cut to Epic a song called ‘Lightning’. He loved it and said it was something, he could sink his teeth into. Then Great American Rock album, I had a singer but he wasn't working out and in the back of my mind Ripper was the only choice I wanted on the record. He really fits the band and he had some great input and did incredible job on the vocals. This record he was given free rein to change, add, whatever he wanted, and that's exactly what he did. He was instrumental in helping me produce the vocals to the record, sending me all sorts of advice and input. I would send him back a mix of the song for his thoughts. He would email me back with what he felt would work, and it worked fantastic.”
The album can be ordered now here, and look for the CD in retailers such as Target, Walmart, Barnes & Nobles and your local record stores.
FireRock Music Groups' Scott Braun, Creative Director/A&R, says. "This is a band rich in rock 'n' roll history and they bring with them, a great fan base and they feature some rock legends, on their new record. When I first heard the new record Great American Rock, we knew we had to sign them."
Collier: "I wanted to get back to the roots of American Rock 'n' Roll. Being able to bring Tim “Ripper” Owens back for a second album with us was such a thrill. I produced the album but I have to say, giving Ripper free reign on his vocals and taking suggestions from him, made this record exactly what we call it, Great American Rock. We also take on the issue of suicide of all ages, with our song 'Rise'. This is a side of Ripper the world has never seen."
Tracklisting:
"We Rock Hard" (featuring Tim "Ripper" Owens)
"Now We Ride (Bikers Life)" (featuring Tim "Ripper" Owens)
"Your Eyes" (featuring Tim "Ripper" Owens)
"The Master" (featuring Tim "Ripper" Owens)
"Hold On" (featuring Tim "Ripper" Owens)
"You Rock Our Way" (featuring Tim "Ripper" Owens)
"Take Me Away" (featuring Tim "Ripper" Owens)
"Be A Man" (featuring Tim "Ripper" Owens)
"Chaos" (Live)
"Rise (Stop Suicide All Ages)" (featuring Tim "Ripper" Owens)
"Fallen Brothers" (featuring Tim "Ripper" Owens)
"Show Me The Way Back" (Acoustic) (featuring Joe Lynn Turner)
Teaser:
Production Credits:
- Producer Tom Collier
- Engineer Ron Keck
- Recorded at Subcat Studios Syracuse NY
- Photo Credits Scott Braun, Dave Koegel
- Special Guest Vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens 10 tracks
- Special Guest Vocalist Joe Lynn Turner, Special guest Bassist Mike Lepond (Symphony X, Ross The Boss), Drummer Ron Keck all on "Show Me The Way Back Home"
Held Hostage is:
Tom Collier - lead guitar/lead vocals
Scott Gregg - rhythm guitarist/backup vocals
Jeff Murray - drums
Dave Carrol - bass /backup vocals
In February of this year, Allegaeon released their latest album, Damnum. The title means "loss" in Latin and consequently, the lyrical themes mark a deviation from the band's previous sci-fi/science-based output. Track number six from the album, "Called Home," may be the most emotional and powerful example of that theme on the album. That song is now accompanied by a new video, which can be seen below.
Guitarist Greg Burgess comments on the concept of the song and video: "Over the last few years people around the world have experienced immeasurable loss and grief. This song and this video is a representation of a personal experience. By sharing this story we hope that it brings some sense of peace to anyone who has shared in a similar experience, and to possibly throw a lifeline to someone out there who may be suffering. You are not alone."
May is mental health awareness month. There's no better time than now to reach out for help if you or someone you know is struggling.
Dates:
June
1 - 1720 - Los Angeles, CA*
4 - Doll Hut - Anaheim, CA
5 - Nile Underground - Mesa, AZ
6 - Tumbleroot Brewing - Santa Fe, NM
7 - Amplified Live - Dallas, TX
8 - Come And Take It Live - Austin, TX
9 - White Oak Music Hall - Houston, TX
10 - Onyx Theater - Baton Rouge, LA
11 - Boggs Social - Atlanta, GA
12 - The Haven - Orlando, FL
14 - The Blind Tiger - Greensboro, NC
15 - Metro Gallery - Baltimore, MD
16 - Dingbatz - Clifton, NJ
17 - The Meadows - Brooklyn, NY
18 - Jewel Nightclub - Manchester, NH
19 - The Crafthouse - Pittsburgh, PA
20 - The Sanctuary - Detroit, MI
21 - Reggies - Chicago, IL
22 - Amsterdam Bar & Hall - St. Paul, MN
23 - Wildwood - Iowa City, IA
24 - The Royal Grove - Lincoln, NE
25 - Marquis Theater - Denver, CO
26 - Metro Music Hall - Salt Lake City, UT
28 - El Corazon - Seattle, WA
29 - Dante's - Portland, OR
30 - The X Bar - Cupertino, CA
July
1 - Full Circle Brewing District - Fresno, CA
Arch Enemy have released a recap video for the Salt Lake City date on the The North American Siege 2022, the ongoing trek also featuring Behemoth, plus special guests Napalm Death and Unto Others. Watch below:
Remaining tour dates:
May
11 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
13 - Berkeley, CA - The UC Theatre
15 - Los Angeles, CA - The Hollywood Palladium
On July 29, Arch Enemy will release their 11th studio album, Deceivers, via Century Media Records. For fans that can't wait for the record's release, the band is now offering a new 7", "Sunset Over The Empire" (due out May 20) - with the title track also appearing on Deceivers.
Arch Enemy's founder and chief songwriter Michael Amott comments: "I am thrilled that we are releasing our next single 'Sunset Over The Empire' not only digitally everywhere as usual, but also as a physical 7" vinyl record. I'm a big fan of the vinyl format myself and I think this killer looking 7" will be a nice collector's item as it's a limited run. The B-side is an instrumental we've never released before on a record, and the A-side is one of my fave tracks off our new upcoming album Deceivers!"
Pre-order "Sunset Over The Empire" here, where the 7" is available in the following versions:
- white vinyl (limited to 1000 copies; available via CM Distro Europe)
- transparent orange vinyl (limited to 500 copies; band exclusive)
"Sunset Over The Empire" tracklisting:
"Sunset Over The Empire"
"The Judging Eyes"
A collection of 11 tracks that are ruthlessly catchy and mercilessly violent, Deceivers stands toe-to-toe with the highlights of the band's storied catalogue. Pre-order the album here.
Deceivers tracklisting:
"Handshake With Hell"
"Deceiver, Deceiver"
"In The Eye Of The Storm"
"The Watcher"
"Poisoned Arrow"
"Sunset Over The Empire"
"House Of Mirrors"
"Spreading Black Wings"
"Mourning Star"
"One Last Time"
"Exiled From Earth"
"Handshake With Hell" video:
"Deceiver, Deceiver" video:
"House Of Mirrors" video:
Arch Enemy lineup:
Alissa White-Gluz - Vocals
Michael Amott - Guitars
Jeff Loomis - Guitars
Sharlee D'Angelo - Bass
Daniel Erlandsson - Drums
Brazilian black metal band Patria presents "Worms Of Light", the first single and video taken from the new album, Hexerei, which will be released worldwide on July 15.
"The track 'Worms Of Light' is one of my favorites on the album! We ended up choosing it because it's one of the tracks that features my old friend Demon Fog, from the legendary Brazilian cult Songe d'Enfer, sharing the vocals with our vocalist Tsword", said Mantus. "It's a fast and more direct song, but it also brings dark textures and more mid-tempo parts, which create a very interesting counterpoint. We can say that it's a track that represents in synthesis what Patria's sound is about", he adds.
"Worms Of Light" lyrics mix parts in English and Portuguese. "We're doing this on some songs in this record, including mixing it with other languages like Estonian, in the track where we have the vocalist Lembetu, from the band Loits", reveals Mantus. "In the lyric video we used footages from some vintage and old horror movies that illustrate the concept of the song pretty well", he adds.
In addition to Demon Fog (Songe d'Enfer) and Lembetu (Loits), the album has the special guest on drums of Leonardo Pagani (Malphas), who played with Mantus for years on Mysteriis and several other projects. The intro, "Hexerei", which opens the album, was created and orchestrated by Dave Deville, who has already worked for The Troops of Doom and Litosth.
In Brazil, the album Hexerei will be released by Dawnrazor Records, with official distribution via Drakkar Brasil, while in Europe the release will be in charge of the German label Ketzer Records and in Mexico through Helvete Records, with sales in the United States by Rebellion Republic. Digital distribution will be handled by Blood Blast, a digital subsidiary of German record label Nuclear Blast. "We are very excited about this new album. It comes more mature and theatrical, but still perfectly rescuing what we did at the beginning of the band, inspired by that traditional black metal of the ‘90s", concludes Mantus.
Tracklisting:
“Hexerei (Intro)”
“Worms Of Light”
“Archetypes”
“A Last Breath Of Sulphur”
“Under The Devil’s Void”
“Consecration”
“Unborn Spellcraft”
“Storm Of Wilderness”
“Transmutation”
“All Vices”
“Viimne väävlisõõm” (Bonus Track)
Miljenko Matijević is a world-class vocalist who embodies Steelheart and has performed as the lead singer for the current-day Doors and as the singer for the ‘fictional’ band Steel Dragon from the film Rock Star (starring Mark Wahlberg) which also includes Zakk Wylde, Matt Sorum and Jeff Pilson.
The Croatian rocker has lived in Korea and is now living in Los Angeles as he pursues music and acting opportunities. Matijevic has dedicated his most recent material to bringing the world together – releasing “Trust In Love”. The epic video is a love-letter to Korean culture, Directed/Produced by Matijevic along with Director of photography Robert Reed Altman (son of legendary director, Robert Altman).
Over two years in the making, the song was originally conceived as a plea for the peaceful unification of the Korean peninsula, but the song has evolved into a wider-reaching message for the masses. Amidst the current geopolitical climate, and the invasion and war on Ukraine in particular, Matijević’s song is inspirational and highly relevant. “One night after watching the news on television, I was saddened to hear about the pain and suffering that the people of North and South Korea are going through,” says Matijević. “I turned off the television and sat down at my piano, immediately the song started writing itself. The words ‘Trust in Love’ came to me, and I knew this song was meant for the Korean people. And now, in light of what’s happening in Ukraine, I feel that this message is something meant for the entire world.”
The song has been released in English and Korean on all major music streaming and downloading platforms. The Mandarin Chinese version is out today. Set to top the Guinness World Record for languages one song is recorded in, the verses of “Trust In Love” have been recorded in 13 languages, among them English, Korean, Mandarin, Japanese, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Hindi, Croatian, French, German, Swedish, Russian and Ukrainian (the 14th) is in development.
A Steelheart 30th Anniversary album, with a remake of Steel Dragon’s “We All Die Young” is in the works. Matijevic is also preparing for two feature film roles in the coming months.
Bret Michaels was joined by POISON cover band SHOT OF POISON on stage during his April 28 concert at Six String Grill & Stage in Foxborough, Massachusetts to perform the POISON classic "Nothin' But A Good Time".
Four days later, SHOT OF POISON shared video and photos of the performance on social media, writing in an accompanying message: "SHOT OF POISON was honored and humbled to join Bret Michaels and the Bret Michaels Band live on stage performing Nothin' But a Good Time at the Six String Stage, Patriot Place, at Gillette Stadium on Draft Day! The room was packed with friends, family and fans and the vibe was electric! Bret promised to bring the party to town and he sure did. SOP enjoyed every moment of this amazing night and are so honored to receive Bret's kindness, friendship and support! Thank You Bret Michaels!"
Bret originally invited SHOT OF POISON to perform with him after watching E! network's "Clash Of The Cover Bands" last December. SHOT OF POISON didn't win the competition — they lost to a DEPECHE MODE cover band — but Michaels made sure they went home with more than nothing, but a good time. Michaels invited SHOT OF POISON to join him on stage for one of his upcoming solo shows.
"For all your hard work and dedication to making a POISON show look incredible and everything that you do, I want to invite you on stage to a Bret Michaels show, and we will do 'Nothin' But A Good Time' on my 'Nothin' But A Good Vibe' tour," Michaels tweeted on December 2, 2021.
"They play great live music and I love the energy they brought to 'Clash Of The Cover Bands'," he added.
"Thank you for the shout-out, and we'd be HONORED to play 'Nothin' But A Good Time' on stage with you during a stop on your upcoming 'Nothin' But S Good Vibe' tour," SHOT OF POISON responded.
SHOT OF POISON is a group of talented, veteran, local rock musicians and innovative musical businessmen who've created a top-shelf tribute to the 35th anniversary of the greatest, hard-rocking, glam-slam party band ever — POISON. SHOT OF POISON's full intention is to bring audiences the look and sound they expect, to make the best modern-day POISON experience in the world.
E! 's "Clash Of The Cover Bands" pits two cover bands head to head for a chance to win $10,000. The series airs on E!
While preparing for POISON's upcoming stadium tour, which begins on June 16 in Atlanta, Georgia, Michaels has many projects, including select solo performances, private engagements, a development deal, and several documentaries in the works.
Shot of Poison was honored and humbled to join Bret Michaels and the Bret Michaels Band live on stage performing Nothin'...
Frontiers Music Srl will release "Live From Hollywood", a new live album and long-form video from internationally renowned rock guitarist Orianthi, on CD/DVD and Blu-ray on July 15. The performance was captured on January 8, 2022 at the Bourbon Room in Hollywood, California and sees the guitarist and her excellent backing band in fine form, playing songs from Orianthi's most recent release "O" and cuts like her hit "According To You".
This new live release serves as an appetizer for Orianthi's upcoming new studio album, which will be released later in 2022.
Orianthi's first major solo artist success, as a singer-songwriter and guitarist, was with the Geffen Records release of "According To You", which is now RIAA-certified platinum and has over 17 million streams on Spotify. Her music's ability to transcend time and remain relevant cannot be more clear than its recent resurgence on TikTok. There are over 83 million views on the "According To You" hashtag, making it a viral trend that is introducing Gen Z to Orianthi for the first time in a big way. Career-long fans are used to seeing their favorite world-class guitarist playing arenas with rock royalty and global superstars like Michael Jackson, Carlos Santana, Carrie Underwood, Alice Cooper and more. The juxtaposition of her newly arrived online popularity and her lifelong pursuit of artistic credibility is the nebulous of this shining star.
"Live From Hollywood" track listing:
01. Contagious
02. Sinners Hymn
03. Heaven In This Hell
04. Think Like A Man
05. You Don't Wanna Know
06. What's It Gonna Be
07. Courage
08. Blow
09. Impulsive
10. Blues Won't Leave Me Alone
11. According To You
12. How Do You Sleep
Recording lineup:
Orianthi - Guitar, Vocals
Nick Mayfield - Guitar
Carmen Vandenberg - Guitar
Justin Andres - Bass
Michael Bearden - Keyboards
Glen Sobel - Drums
Orianthi's first new studio album in seven years and her first new music as a solo artist in six years, "O", came out in November 2020 via Frontiers Music Srl.
In April 2020, Orianthi told the "Australian Rock Show" about her fourth solo album: "I'm so excited about this record — really excited. "We did it in 28 days in Nashville. [I made the record with] Marti Frederiksen, who's a dear friend of mine, an amazing songwriter, producer. I just go out to Nashville, where my management is at, and I love it over there. I made actually my last record too, with Dave Stewart there, at Blackbird [studio]. There's some kind of energy in Nashville — it's just a great feeling when you get there. So many musicians are there. And we just jumped right into the studio. Marti and I wrote and recorded, in 28 days, all the songs. And, yeah, it was just a great, fun experience."
Regarding the musical direction of her latest material, Orianthi said: "This record is not too much of a departure from my past stuff, but it is different. So I think people will get what they sort of expect, with that heavy riffage and big solos, but there's a lot of different sounds going on and textures, with drum loops and synths. It's not just staying with one tone throughout the whole record… There's some heavy tracks on there. There's some lighter tracks [and] bluesy tracks. As I said, it's different, but it's kind of what people were sort of expecting.
"The thing is you have to keep on evolving and changing," she explained. "You don't make the same record over and over again; I would just bore the hell out of myself and everyone else. So I wanna keep on changing."
Born in Australia, Orianthi was inspired to learn guitar at a young age after discovering her father's vinyl collection. She rose to international fame at age 24 after the release of her hit single "According To You" and a high-energy performance backing Carrie Underwood at the 2009 Grammy Awards. Although she had already been invited to jam with the likes of Carlos Santana and Steve Vai, mainstream audiences had not previously heard of this captivating guitar prodigy.
Her recognition increased even further when Michael Jackson called with an offer to be his guitarist for his dates at the O2 Arena in London. Although the concert series was not to be, the release of the behind-the-scenes documentary "Michael Jackson's This Is It" showcased Orianthi's masterful playing as well as her creativity and collaboration.
TESTAMENT was joined by EXODUS frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza for its performance of the song "Over The Wall" on May 2 at the House Of Blues in Boston, Massachusetts. The concert was part of the two bands' joint U.S. tour, "The Bay Strikes Back", also featuring DEATH ANGEL.
Souza fronted the pre-TESTAMENT band LEGACY and performed "Over The Wall" live with the latter group before leaving to join EXODUS as the replacement for Paul Baloff. Billy joined TESTAMENT in 1986, just after they had changed their name from LEGACY following Souza's departure.
Regarding how he came to join TESTAMENT, Billy told Metal Hammer in a 2020 interview: "Zet was my younger brother's best friend, so I went to see their gig in Alameda. It was Eric [Peterson] and his brother Derek on guitar, and they all wore priest collars. It was very entertaining. Like, 'Wow, these guys are pretty good.' Shortly after that, Alex [Skolnick, guitar] joined the band and did the demo, and that's when Zet played me the demo with three songs. I was, like, 'Wow, these are really mature songs for those kids I saw playing not too long ago.'
"When Zet decided to leave to join EXODUS, he kind of handed me the baton: 'Call Alex. They need a singer now.’ At that point, I was, like, 'Okay, I'm gonna find a band that I'm gonna join and be a part of it.' And I walked right into that band. The timing was perfect."
Recalling his TESTAMENT audition, Chuck said: "Those guys were wearing leather jackets and into SLAYER and MERCYFUL FATE. They were, like, 'I don't know about this guy. He wears spandex and he's got a streak in his hair.' They were so against me not being the singer. But I got the audition.
"I went down there but the room was so small that all of us couldn't fit in the room. I just put my PA speakers in the room and I stood in the hallway looking in the door, and I did the three songs that they'd done on the demo, and I thought I killed it. They said, 'Okay, you've got it but you've got to dress different. You've gotta wear Levi's and a leather jacket and a T-shirt. No more spandex.' That was a turning point in my life."
TESTAMENT, EXODUS and DEATH ANGEL kicked off the 2022 edition of "The Bay Strikes Back Tour" on April 9 at the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, California. The show marked TESTAMENT's first appearance with drummer Dave Lombardo since he rejoined the group earlier this year.
An original member of thrash metal legends SLAYER, Lombardo was the guest drummer on TESTAMENT's 1999 studio album "The Gathering", which also marked the first time the band worked with then-up-and-coming British producer/engineer Andy Sneap.
"The Bay Strikes Back Tour" was originally scheduled to take place last October and November before being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
When "The Bay Strikes Back Tour" was postponed from its original time frame, Peterson said in a statement: "We were really on the fence with this decision. But seeing other bands make it through with a few mild cases and other bigger bands just canceling their entire tours, we felt it is in our best interest to postpone these shows to '22."
Guitarist Thomas Zwijsen has released the new video below, in which he performs an acoustic cover of "The Evil That Men Do", featured on Iron Maiden's 1988 album, Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.
Zwijsen previously released an acoustic classical guitar cover of Maiden's "Lost In A Lost World", as well as an acoustic rendition of "Arc Of Space", from Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson's Accident Of Birth album. Watch both below:
Cave In are set to return with their Relapse Records debut, Heavy Pendulum, their first full studio record in over a decade. Today, the band share a music video for the album cut, "Reckoning", the first Cave In song to be fully written by guitarist Adam McGrath.
Guitarist/vocalist Adam McGrath comments: “‘Reckoning’ started as a demo I sent to the band for consideration while mapping out the tracklist for Heavy Pendulum. It was inspired by the idea of adding a song to the acoustic/electric live sets Steve and I had been performing on and off for the last 20 years. A fresh song with that set-up (acoustic/electric guitar) seemed exciting to pursue. Somewhere between Led Zeppelin’s ‘Battle of Evermore’ and Mad Season’s ‘Long Gone Day’ is the birth of ‘Reckoning,’ a song about digesting huge loss and forging paths into unknown futures.”
Heavy Pendulum is out May 20 on DLX 2xLP/2xLP/CD/CS/Digital. Physical pre-orders are available via Relapse.com here. Digital downloads/streaming here. Deluxe 2xLP comes with a poster and album slipmat.
Produced by Kurt Ballou at God City, Heavy Pendulum showcases everything that has long established Cave In as one of the best contemporary rock, hardcore, and metal bands since their monumental 1998 debut Until Your Heart Stops. From the driving tracks such as crushing opener "New Reality" to the metallic edge of "Blood Spiller", Heavy Pendulum sees the band look back at their discography and capture their most memorable, visceral, and forward-thinking moments to create a record that is all at once familiar and in true Cave In fashion, ahead of the mainstream.
Tracklisting:
"New Reality"
"Blood Spiller"
"Floating Skulls"
"Heavy Pendulum"
"Pendulambient"
"Careless Offering"
"Blinded By A Blaze"
"Amaranthine"
"Searchers Of Hell"
"Nightmare Eyes"
"Days Of Nothing"
"Waiting For Love"
"Reckoning"
"Wavering Angel"
"Blood Spiller" video:
"Blinded By A Blaze" video:
"New Reality" video:
Lineup:
Stephen Brodsky - Guitar/Vocals
Adam McGrath - Guitar/Vocals
John-Robert Conners - Drums
Nate Newton - Bass/Vocals
Frontiers Music Srl announces the upcoming release of Perfect Storm, the debut album from Crossing Rubicon, a new collaboration featuring multi-instrumentalist/producer Cenk Eroglu (ex-Winger, Xcarnation) and singer John Bisaha (The Babys), on July 8.
Today, the band has released a new single and video for the title track as well as a second single for the track, "100 Thousand Years". Find both below.
Eroglu was introduced to Bisaha through Frontiers and they started Crossing Rubicon, their new musical partnership which is going to deliver pure and unadulterated melodic rock with a freshness and feel of 'today'. Eroglu's oldest son Efe (guitars, keyboards), his youngest son Reis Ali (drums), and special guest musicians Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson, ex-Mr. Mister), Ray Coburn (Honeymoon Suite), Holly Bisaha, and McKenna Bisaha also contribute.
"As a composer and producer I've worked on many different styles of music, but in my heart I have always been a melodic rock musician,” says Cenk Eroglu. "I recorded demos in this style between 1984 and 1998 and wrote more than 500 songs, all of which are pure, classic melodic rock. I tried to find the right singer/songwriter partner for years and it was an impossible mission. Meeting John Bisaha was a miracle. He is not only an amazing singer/songwriter, but also, spiritually, he was the missing piece for my reason to write songs. Together, we chose 11 songs for this album and I truly believe they are really unique. We called our band Crossing Rubicon (yes, that river in Italy that Caesar crossed - if you know the story). I was on the edge of that river for many years and I crossed it when John and I joined forces. If you are in love with real melodic rock, then this is it! I am so thankful that I found John and Frontiers to lead the way. I can't wait to share these songs with you!"
"As a child born in the early 60's, I have had the pleasure of being exposed to an extraordinary range of music and styles. "From Bach to Rock", as many say. When I REALLY started getting into music, I locked myself in my room in my teen years to absorb as much as I could and sing as many styles as I could. I naturally gravitated to the 'then' styles of rock, which are now considered 'classic/melodic/album-oriented'. We really had no genre name for it back then! When my 'style' of music left for a sabbatical when the flannel shirts and rap took over the airwaves, I knew I had to recreate myself and hoped the day would come for a rebirth of my style of music. I have followed Frontiers for quite awhile now and hoped for the day that I could become part of the family and bring a bit of myself (and my family!) to the party. Once I was contacted by Mario and put in touch with Cenk, all of the pieces fell together. It just felt RIGHT! I've partnered up with a great songwriter, musician, producer, but more importantly, a friend and partner, something that is rarely found these days. Thank you Mario, Serafino, and the rest of The Frontiers Family for this opportunity. I think you'll enjoy what comes out of this," says vocalist John Bisaha.
Perfect Storm tracklisting:
"Perfect Storm"
"Reason To Die"
"Scar"
"Too Late"
"On The Run"
"100 Thousand Years"
"Never Again"
"Cry Me A River"
"Get Away"
"Crash & Burn" (Feat Holly Bisaha)
"Time (Without You)"
"Perfect Storm" video:
"100 Thousand Years":
Lineup:
John Bisaha - Lead Vocals, Bass
Cenk Eroglu - Guitars, Keyboards, Background Vocals
Additional Musicians :
Efe Eroglu - Guitars, Keyboards
Reis Ali Eroglu - Drums
All Songs written by Cenk Eroglu & John Bisaha, except "100 Thousand Years" written by Efe Eroglu & John Bisaha. Album produced & mixed by Cenk Eroglu.
As many artists have experienced, the past two years hit the entire music and culture industry hard. But My Sleeping Karma – they have truly faced the abyss. Formed almost 20 years ago as a strong bond of best friends with a steady line-up ever since, the band has amassed an incredibly successful back catalogue of five highly acclaimed records and a live album in 2017, as well as extensive touring performances at sold-out venues and prestigious festivals that have marked them as one of the most well-respected instrumental post- and hypnotic rock bands within the heavy music community.
Closing a seven-year gap since their latest studio album, Moksha, My Sleeping Karma have announced the release their most emotional, deep, and darkest record to date, inspired by tragic events, on July 29 via Napalm Records.
The new album, entitled Atma, describes the (absolute) self, the indestructible, eternal essence of the spirit, and is often translated as the "soul". Sickness, death, and existential fear had brought the band to a point in music and life at which they were close to parting ways. But their will to survive has been recorded on Atma – a record the band wasn’t even sure would see the light of day when they started working on it back in 2017, and if it did, would’ve never been for industry sales, fame or success. Atma tells the story of their lives, processing the trauma of personal tragedies, deepest pain and fear of four best friends that have been going through their darkest days since their band existence.
Today, My Sleeping Karma have released the first single taken from Atma. "Prema" excels with a wide sound spectrum ranging between hard-hitting rock moments, ambient vibes and synth post-rock grandeur that bridge majestic texture and fast-paced dynamics. Watch the haunting music video for "Prema", created by Johanna Amberg & Gabriel Sahm, below.
"We already started working on the video content back in 2018. The world is full of hate, envy, fear and greed and it seems the competition never stops,” the band comments.
"Society is becoming more and more lost in a dog eat dog jungle, and back then we would have never thought that in 2022, it would be even worse. Besides the latest pandemic or the Russian/Ukrainian war, so many individuals are facing massive conflicts on a daily basis.
In the end, there´s always hope that the world will become better again, once mankind understands. Love is the key and peace starts inside of everyone. The video track ‘Prema’ tells that story and the entire album is all about this. "Atma" goes out with love to our dear families, friends and fans. Thanks for supporting us over the years and especially in the latest dark times.”
Most of the six new album tracks near the 10-minute mark and shine in distinctive My Sleeping Karma fashion – from crystal clear, otherworldly intros bursting into bittersweet melodies of vulnerable beauty to imposing soundspheres of mesmerizing heaviness with entrancing undercurrents. From the album’s first tone, it’s immediately evident that Atma isn’t just another new My Sleeping Karma record – it’s an infinite darkness, despair and sadness that furiously drives the German four-piece on studio album number six. As Dave Wyndorf once said, My Sleeping Karma is ART – and their new, cathartic record not only captures the zeitgeist of the times, but leaves a little light for hope, love, beauty and strength amid all the ugly facets of our vulnerable lives.
Atma was produced, recorded and mixed by drummer Steffen Weigand at New Life Studios, and was mastered by Andreas Balaskas at Masterlab Studios in Berlin. The album artwork has been created by incredibly talented artist Sebastian Jerke. The pre-sale of Atma has just started here.
The album will be available in the following formats:
- Digisleeve CD Edition
- 1LP Gatefold Black & 12 Page Booklet
- 1LP Gatefold & 12 Page Booklet Gold LTD 300 Copies
- 1LP Gatefold & 12 Page Booklet Transparent Turquoise Purple Splatter LTD 500 Copies
- Vinyl Hardcover Book (1LP Gatefold CLEAR plus 10" Vinyl Clear (2 Bonus Tracks) - 48 Page Booklet LTD 500 Copies
- Digisleeve CD Edition & Canvas Edition (Napalm EU Only)
- Digisleeve CD Edition & Shirt (Napalm EU Only)
- Digital
With the release of their second LP, The Deader The Better, nearing release through Creator-Destructor Records, San Francisco gore metal crew, Cartilage, drops a new video for the title track, featuring guests from Impaled, Ghoul, and more.
The Deader The Better was recorded by Alejandro Corredor (Pounder, ex-Nausea) in January 2020 at Darker Corners Studio in San Luis Obispo. The album all at once features friends, peers, and gore metal grandmasters, with guest vocals by Matt Harvey (Exhumed, Gruesome) who also helped produce the album, Ross Sewage (Impaled, Exhumed), Sean McGrath (Impaled), guest vocals and guitar solo from Leon del Muerte (Murder Construct, Terrorizer LA), and a guest solo from Tom Draper (Pounder, ex-Carcass), sharpening Cartilage’s hemorrhaging stabs of grind for the masses. The Deader The Better is completed with cover art by Matt Slime, and includes a cover of Impetigo’s “Boneyard”.
Filmed and directed by Nikko DeLuna, the hilarious poser-disposing crime investigation-style video features the five members of Cartilage as well as Sean McGrath (Impaled, Ghoul) and Ross Sewage (Impaled, Exhumed), as well as narration by Alex Wolf. The band offers, "A murder, a mystery, and a team of people coming together to solve it… Our third and final single ‘The Deader The Better.’ Featuring guest vocals and music video appearances by Sean McGrath (Impaled) and Ross Sewage (Impaled, Exhumed). Will they find the murderer before he kills again?"
Follow the trail of carnage and Miller Lite empties to the scene of the crime in Cartilage’s “The Deader The Better” video:
Creator-Destructor will release The Deader The Better on LP – 200 on Doublemint/Purple Swirl, 200 on Bone w/ Blood Red Splatter, and 100 on Mustard w/ Magenta Splatter – as well as cassette and digital formats on May 13. Find pre-orders at the label webshop here and Bandcamp where “Cellar Full Of Stiffs” and “I Skin You” are streaming here.
WHITESNAKE launched its farewell tour Tuesday night (May 10) at Dublin, Ireland's 3Arena. The band's 14-song set, which was part of a European tour with special guests EUROPE and co-headliners FOREIGNER, marked WHITESNAKE's inaugural performance with the group's two latest two additions, keyboardist, guitarist and backing vocalist Dino Jelusick, and Irish bassist Tanya O'Callaghan.
WHITESNAKE kicked off the concert with "Bad Boys" / "Children Of The Night" and played a set which drew heavily from the "Trouble" (1978),"Ready An' Willing" (1980),"Saints & Sinners" (1982),"Slide It In" (1984),"Whitesnake" (1987) and "Flesh & Blood" (2019) albums. WHITESNAKE also performed its staple cover of "Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City", a 1974 R&B song written by Michael Price and Dan Walsh, and first recorded by Bobby "Blue" Bland for the "Dreamer" album.
After the concert, WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale shared a number of photos on Twitter, writing in an accompanying message: "THANK YOU, DUBLIN!!! You Brought Tears To An Old Snakes Eyes…Blessings On You & Yours For An Unforgettable Evening In The Company Friends…The Irish Whitesnake Choir Was In Exceptional Form…XXX" He later added: "Once Again Our Sincere Gratitude For Such An Emotional Beginning To The Farewell Tour…Please Know You Are Truly Appreciated & Love DUBLIN!! God Bless Your Beautiful Hearts!"
O'Callaghan wrote on Instagram: "Thank you Ireland. My heart is so full, your energy was out of this world. Goodnight from a very sleepy, very smiley Irish woman. Sláinte! Oíche maith."
WHITESNAKE's setlist was as follows:
01. Bad Boys / Children Of The Night
02. Slide It In
03. Love Ain't No Stranger
04. Hey You (You Make Me Rock)
05. Slow An' Easy
06. Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City
07. Fool For Your Loving
08. Trouble Is Your Middle Name
09. Crying In The Rain
10. Is This Love
11. Give Me All Your Love
12. Here I Go Again
13. Still Of The Night
Encore:
14. Take Me With You
Coverdale, who turned 70 in September, recently opened up about his plans to retire from touring after the band's next batch of concerts around the world, telling the "Appetite For Distortion" podcast: "I planned to retire on the 2020 tour when I was 69. I thought that was the perfect age for the singer of WHITESNAKE to call it a day. But sadly, it was not to be, as we know; other events were in store. So now the t-shirt designs don't resonate as well for 70. But it's mind-blowing to me that I'm preparing my farewell tour. And it is — make no mistake, this is the farewell tour. I'm 70. It's a very physically challenging thing for me to do at the best of times. But it's very important for me to achieve completion and to express my appreciation and gratitude to all the people — the millions of people over the years — who've supported me for five decades, fifty years. It blows my mind — it really does."
"A lot of my peers and contemporaries are on their 20th retirement tour. I don't intend to plan that," he clarified. "I must explain, though — it's me, just David Coverdale, who's retiring from touring at that level. WHITESNAKE will still make projects. I've been writing music all through COVID. I wrote some beautiful new ideas. I have ideas in case Jimmy [Page] wants to do anything — write on FaceTime, which is an alien concept to him. But all songs that we can utilize for a WHITESNAKE project. But the music of WHITESNAKE will continue. That's most important that people know. I'm just stopping touring at this level — that's it."
According to Coverdale, there could very well be new music from WHITESNAKE in the years following his retirement from the road.
"I've got a bunch of ideas for WHITESNAKE, so we may have another project there — I don't know — without the pressure of having to go on tour," he said. "We have such a solid fanbase, I think fans are gonna buy the record with or without a tour. This is just emotionally for me to be able to go out there and do stuff. And also, you've gotta remember, we've started this legacy series of box sets, similar to the 25th anniversary. We have, I think, the 35th anniversary of 'Slide It In'; the 30th anniversary of the WHITESNAKE '87 album; we have a very special project planned to accompany the tour; we have another box set planned for this time next year. And then in 2023, we have the 30th anniversary of COVERDALE/PAGE, and the 50th anniversary of me joining DEEP PURPLE. Mind-blowing. So it's not like I'm retiring. [Laughs]
"Thankfully, physically and vocally, I still have the goods," he continued. "As my wife reminds me, I was actually touring up to spring in 2020, before lockdown. And I was 68 years old, and I'm still kicking ass. Of course, having an amazing band and an incredible and enthusiastic audience gives you that energizing aspect. It's just the traveling is challenging for me. But music is oxygen to me. I'm not gonna go fishing or take up crochet; I'm gonna definitely be doing projects. I'm lucky enough to have my own studio. It's the best of a bunch of worlds. And I have to thank people in person around the world for helping me to be in this position that I am in my life at this time. I don't wanna do it through a video [on] social media: 'Sorry we can't get out there, but thank you for 50 years.' That would be heartbreaking for me."
Coverdale had both his knees replaced with titanium in 2017 after suffering from degenerative arthritis. He later explained that he was in so much pain with arthritis in his knees that it hampered his ability to perform live.
WHITESNAKE had been touring in support of its latest album, "Flesh & Blood", which was released in May 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.
Image credit: metalreporterjuso / YouTube
#VIDEO | Dino Jelusick + Joel Hoekstra + Reb Beach
Killing it tonight at 3Arena!
Posted by Dino Jelusick Argentina on Tuesday, May 10, 2022
THANK YOU, DUBLIN!!! You Brought Tears To An Old Snakes Eyes…Blessings On You & Yours For An Unforgettable Evening In The Company Friends…The Irish Whitesnake Choir Was In Exceptional Form…XXX
❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥💚❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥🙏🙏🙏✌️✌️✌️🤟🤟🤟‼️‼️‼️
Beautiful Pics by @PaytonTMurphy pic.twitter.com/184SwFVFhS
Once Again Our Sincere Gratitude For Such An Emotional Beginning To The Farewell Tour…Please Know You Are Truly Appreciated & Love DUBLIN!! God Bless Your Beautiful Hearts!
All pics by @PaytonTMurphy
❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥💚❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❌❌❌🌎🌍🌏❌❌❌❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥💚❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🙏🙏🙏🕊🕊🕊✌️✌️✌️ pic.twitter.com/FH8p7E1ptu
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