Finnish cello-rock quartet, Apocalyptica, have released the video below, featuring their performance of "Grace" at Graspop Metal Meeting 2016.
Apocalyptica partnered up with some of the biggest names in rock music to deliver their new single, “I’ll Get Through It”. The song, written for the band by American award-winning songwriter Diane Warren, features Franky Perez – guest vocalist in Apocalyptica’s 2015 record Shadowmaker – as well as Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath on bass guitar. The track can be found on all digital streaming platforms. Buy/stream here, and watch the official music video below.
The song was born out of a visit Geezer & Franky paid to their friend Diane, who had already written the track “Not Strong Enough” for Apocalyptica, included in their 2010 record 7th Symphony. “Franky & I were visiting my friend, Diane Warren, at her studio. She played us this song, saying that she thought it would work well with Frankie’s voice. He gave it a try on the spot. We loved it. Franky then suggested sending it to Apocalyptica. They loved it, and the rest is history,” comments Geezer.
Franky Perez shares the same feeling of enthusiasm upon hearing the track for the first time – “I knew this song was special from the moment Diane Warren played it for Geezer and me. So much so, that I framed the lyrics from the session the very next day. They have been hanging on my wall ever since. This song speaks to me lyrically which made for an honest performance. Musically, there is no better collaboration than Geezer and Apocalyptica to do the song the justice it deserves. I feel very fortunate to be a part of it.”
“I’ll Get Through It” marks the first collaboration between Apocalyptica and Franky Perez since he sang on Shadowmaker, which adds to the excitement for the members of Apocalyptica, according to Perttu Kivilaakso: “We are more than thrilled working with our great and talented friend Franky Perez again! It’s been a while since our previous collaborations in Shadowmaker- album and tour, and we are also highly awaiting for getting back on road with him this April all across the States!”
Perttu also adds, about the song – “’I’ll Get Through It’ – is a meaningful and beautiful song by an incredible songwriter Diane Warren, with whom we’ve also had the pleasure of working with before. We can’t wait for you to hear the final result… falling in love again with Franky’s sensual performance, Geezer’s earthshakingly powerful bass, and our wistfully haunting cellos, among the inevitable presence of all the rhythms and groove!”
“We hope you’ll enjoy the track as much as we do! Gonna be a blast performing it also live!”
Scorpions recently recorded four songs from their new album, Rock Believer, at their studio in Hannover, Germany. Check out the just released video for "Shining Of Your Soul", as well as the previously released clips for "Gas In The Tank" and "Rock Believer", below:
Scorpions are set to perform a historic concert to celebrate Bangladesh’s 50 years of independence at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Friday, May 6. The Golden Jubilee Bangladesh Concert will feature as special guests one of Bangladesh’s most prominent artists, Chirkutt.
The Bangladesh Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division is organizing the event with the support of the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, the United Nations Development Programme, the US Embassy in Bangladesh, and local sponsors with the intent of gaining a global audience and celebrating Bangladesh’s golden anniversary through a live, one-night-only musical performance in the World’s Most Famous Arena.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the United Nations Development Programme’s global awareness campaign on cyber security programs for the youth and children, especially in under developed countries. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster. For more information and to join the community head here.
After gaining its independence, Bangladesh’s economy has grown massively with the support of different significant sectors such as agriculture, RMG, Energy, Pharmaceuticals, and ICT.
A previous Concert for Bangladesh, organized by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, was held at Madison Square Garden on August 1, 1971, featuring Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Leon Russell, and Badfinger.
Deep Purple performed "Wring That Neck" at the Belgian Jazz-Bilzen Festival in 1969. The performance video below, licensed from VRT Archive, features the "Mark II line-up": Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice.
Deep Purple recently announced that, due to a family matter, Steve Morse will be taking a temporary hiatus from Deep Purple live shows but remains a full member of the band.
Steve’s replacement for the upcoming live shows in May, June and July 2022 will be guitarist Simon McBride, who has previously toured with both Ian Gillan and Don Airey amongst others.
Statement from Steve Morse: "Hello, everybody. I've just done a few gigs with the band, after years (!?) of not playing live. It's a bittersweet, wonderful time to get together. However, my dear wife Janine is currently battling cancer. At this point, there are so many possible complications and unknowns, that whatever time we have left in our lives, I simply must be there with her.
I am not leaving the band - I hope that after she gets a clean bill of health, I can re-join the tour. However, I am not seeing any likely situation which would allow me to do overseas touring in the immediate future. I continue to be privileged to be a part of the Purple family tree, and also to get to feel the amazing support of so many loyal fans and the rest of the band.
There's a certified world class guitarist ready to take over for the live shows whom everybody will surely be happy to hear.
I appreciate all your sincere prayers for Janine and thank you all." - Steve Morse
Statement from the rest of the band: "All of our thoughts are with Janine during her fight against cancer and also with Steve while he supports his wife at a very difficult time. We hope that Steve will be able to join us back on the road later this year." - Ian, Roger, Ian and Don
Statement from Simon McBride: "I'm deeply honoured to be asked to stand-in for Steve and play for such an iconic rock band like Deep Purple. They are amazing musicians and amazing people… I'm very excited to get out and play all those iconic songs and rock the stage with such legends. My thoughts are with Steve and Janine and their family. There will be no further comment and we kindly ask to respect the family’s privacy and keep them in your prayers at this time."
Brian May's rare tribute version of Buddy Holly's rock 'n' roll classic, "Maybe Baby" is available for download and streaming, accompanied by an eye-catching new video (see below). The clip comprises Brian “fan art,” with a colourful collection of fan-created images of the Queen guitar hero from throughout his stellar career.
Brian's version of the track is on the second disc of bonus tracks on the April 22 deluxe reissue of his second solo album, 1998's Another World. The second release in his Gold Series, it contains the remastered original album alongside Another Disc, on which he treats his legions of fans to a wealth of previously unreleased remixes, rarities, live tracks and cover versions.
“I've never done a Buddy Holly song, and I did 'Maybe Baby,'” says Brian, ever aware of the part that the single played in his development as a musician. “That song more than probably any other, is the reason that I'm here doing this, playing guitar and being a rock star and being a very fortunate person.”
The new video also includes a Queen fan's visual tip of the hat to the T.E. Conway character, and Brian says of the second disc on the new deluxe album: “It has a also an escapade where a dear friend [and] relative of mine, T.E. Conway, visited me from the southern states of America and performed for me, if you like.”
"Maybe Baby", credited to Holly's group the Crickets, entered the UK and US charts in March 1958, and it had a profound effect on May, who was then just ten years old.
“I heard Buddy Holly make that incredible sound on his guitar, that clang, singing that beautiful song, hearing those wonderful harmonies of the Crickets,” he remembers.
May previously released an official lyric video for "On My Way Up", featured on his second solo album Another World. Watch the clip below:
"This, dear Listener, is the second release in my “Brian May Gold Series” reissues. To this album, historically my second solo record, we’ve applied the same loving care that we lavished on ‘Back To The Light’ - repolishing and remastering but using the exact original mixes. Originally delivered 24 years ago, ‘Another World’ is now reborn just as it was originally created.” - Brian May. 2022
When Brian May finished touring his debut solo album, Back To The Light, he began to throw open his doors to fresh possibilities. “I got all these little kinds of commissions and triggers and inspirations from outside,” said Brian, who took ownership of these “triggers” and moulded them into a second solo album in his own image. Now released as the second strike in Brian’s Gold Series reissues campaign, Another World pays rich, raucous and fully felt testimony to the legendary Queen guitarist and songwriter’s roots and reach: between its expansive energies and immersive craft, the album’s world-class quality rings out.
The album receives a multi-format release on April 22 along with the album’s original single release "On My Way Up".
Driven by the potent drumming of the much-missed Cozy Powell, who tragically passed away prior to the album’s release, Another World is a superlative successor to Back To The Light. Drawn from many sources of inspiration, the record emerged in June 1998 as an album of roof-raising rock’n’roll and scorching guitar and indelible melodies, plus a couple of impassioned covers. The album is full of dangerous unguarded feelings and uplift, with guests including Jeff Beck and Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins helping to stoke its fires.
Warmly received by the press on its original release in 1998, the album birthed four electric singles in "The Business" (Rock on Cozy Mix), "On My Way Up", "Another World" and "Why Don’t We Try Again". It also ushered Brian and his band out on a hugely successful 42-date tour covering a large swathe of the world and packing out prestigious venues including London’s Royal Albert Hall.
"Space" is the album’s overture, introducing the idea of opening up spaces in which one can breathe and create safely. The gentleness of this track softens us up in readiness for the bulldozer anthemic crunch and Red Special roar of "Business", originally commissioned for 1993’s UK TV show Frank Stubbs Promotes. Brian made this tale of “an eternal optimist” his own, with Cozy’s input thrust upfront. “You immediately hear this massive drum track come in and that’s very much him. It’s meant to be as big as it gets - I want Cozy’s life to be marked as big as possible,” said Brian at the time. “It isn’t about somebody hitting something, it’s about the inner energy and strength and optimism of this guy. He’s a crucial part of this album and I don’t know what the Hell I will do without him.”
The album’s fire stays lit for the playful live killer "China Belle", before "Why Don’t We Try Again" finds Brian digging deep inside for a plaintive ballad. Written years earlier but deemed too personal for Queen, the song finds Brian sublimely assured in his vocal range. A regular feature of Brian’s solo concerts, "On My Way Up" is a deliciously infectious romp, commissioned for Series 2 of Frank Stubbs while work on Queen’s Made in Heaven album proceeded. Backing singers Cathy Porter and Shelley Preston help the melody reach a high, in tune with the character of Stubbs as a lead figure in the series. “The central character of this song is someone who is basically a loser, but has total belief and a kind of insane optimism, and he's going somewhere, you know, "man, I'm on my way" kind of thing, so that's what the song was, and again, it became imbued with different things, once I got going on the track, but it's basically funny. It's funny, and it's optimistic and loud.”
A more sci-fi source inspired "Cyborg", influenced by Brian’s collaboration on the video games Rise Of The Robots and Rise 2: Resurrection, the song adopts the perspective of a robot longing to escape his skin (a metaphor for humanity’s longings for another world?) and features ballistic drums from Taylor Hawkins. Brian was full of praise for his guest, in the early days of the Foo Fighters: “He'd never really done a studio session for someone else, so he was wired to the hilt - you could imagine. He's going "this is f*****g awesome". I mean, there is energy spilling out all over Surrey from this guy, incredible! I think he’s well represented on the track - it’s insane, the amount of energy on there.”
For "The Guv’nor", another contributor steps up. Though at one time intended for a proposed but unmade film about a bare-knuckle boxer, the song pivots on Brian’s reverence for guesting guitarist Jeff Beck. “In our world, Jeff is the guv’nor - the standard by which you judge yourself,” said Brian, who forged this low-slung, blues-rock belter from his admiration for the legendary Yardbirds man.
A stark ballad follows in "Wilderness", a late entrant for the album with Brian in fine voice once again. And it’s followed by tributes to his influences. After Back To The Light, Brian envisaged making an entire album of covers titled Heroes, to include the original song "No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)" as a tribute to the late Freddie Mercury. When Queen adopted Brian’s song for the Queen Rocks compilation in 1997, he moved on from the ‘heroes’ concept but channelled its spirit into Another World’s covers. "Slow Down" is a classic Larry Williams 12-bar blues romp recorded live with Cozy, bassist Neil Murray, Queen keyboardist Spike Edney and guitarist Jamie Moses. And then follows a unique tribute to Brian’s all-time hero Jimi Hendrix. Powered by liquid guitars, "One Rainy Wish" is a dreamy take on the Hendrix classic, which fits perfectly with Another World’s other-worldly musings. “That song was the description of Jimi’s dream, his exact transposition in words and music,” says Brian. “I always wanted to try my hand at interpreting it my way.”
The final cover version hits close to home for Brian. "All the Way from Memphis’" was a 1973 hit for Mott the Hoople, who took the young Queenies on tour as an opening act in the very early days of Queen - formative transatlantic jaunts that inspired Brian’s massive Queen rocker "Now I’m Here". Describing that touring experience as “blinding”, Brian adds, “I used to watch them do ‘All the Way from Memphis’ every night, and the place would erupt, like an earthquake. They really were a fantastic band live.” Hoople front man Ian Hunter appears on this adrenalized cover by Brian as ‘Special Guest Raconteur’.
The album reaches its close with an original song forged from Brian’s soundtrack work. The years following Back To The Light saw Brian occasionally composing music for films, including The Adventures of Pinocchio and a radio version of The Amazing Spider-Man. "Another World" emerged when Brian’s film-writer friend Peter Howitt requested a song for his forthcoming movie Sliding Doors, which was to feature Gwyneth Paltrow. Brian’s response was a sublime reverie on secret desires, parallel universes and paths untaken, lovingly tailored to the story of the film. Eventually, due to contractual crossed wires, the song never made it into the movie. Brian reclaimed it for Another World, where it testifies exquisitely to his melodic skills. As a kind of ‘bonus’ the CD reissue closes with "Being on My Own", a previously ‘hidden’ piano piece now incorporated into the album’s CD formats.
For Brian, Another World upholds the value of the open-door policy he adopted post-Back To The Light. “I travelled a lot of paths to gather all the pieces,” he said. “In order to have something worthwhile for the next Brian May album, I would have to rediscover who I was. I decided to go out and do a lot of playing and open myself up for projects because I didn’t want to make another purely introspective album. I thought I would go out into the world, experience things and rediscover my roots.”
This self-outreach programme assumed many forms. While some of his time in this period was devoted to Queen’s Made in Heaven album, the gradual cessation of Queen’s activities freed Brian up to accept some of the offers he hadn’t the time to accept previously. Some of this work features on Another World’s 15-track rarities set, Another Disc, which opens on a deeply moving note. Another World was dedicated to two much-loved figures in Brian’s life, his late mother and Cozy, who died in a car crash on 5 April 1998 at the age of 50. “It’s impossible to describe what a terrible gap it’s going to leave in our lives, our mate Cozy not being here,” said Brian on a spoken-word tribute to Cozy in 1998, which opens Another Disc. “He was a fantastic support, a fantastic energy and vibe, he had the most incredible attitude to life which leaked over into everything he did.” That attitude roars out of "The Business" (Rock on Cozy Mix), which emphasizes Powell’s drumming thunderously.
Also on Another Disc are four covers Brian recorded under the alter ego T E Conway for Retro Rock Special, an EP previously only available to purchasers of Another World in 1998. The songs range joyously from The Rocky Horror Show’s rollicking "Hot Patootie" to Buddy Holly and the Crickets’ stunning "Maybe Baby", The Shadows’ electric "F.B.I." (recorded with Status Quo’s Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt) and Conway Twitty’s immortal "It’s Only Make Believe". Also featured on the disc is a transcendent Spanish sung version of "Another World", "Otro Lugar", alongside a blistering instrumental attack on "Cyborg" and a hard rocking guitar version of "On My Way Up". Fantastic live cuts highlight The Brian May Band’s live form at the time: dedicated by Brian to “absent friends,” "Hammer to Fall"’ starts tenderly before roaring into rock’n’roll life, while "On My Way Up" brims with pep. Three alternative takes on "Business" reveal Brian’s work on ’stings’ for the TV series. And the disc closes with "My Boy", a heartfelt piano ballad recorded by Brian in 1980 and until now, almost unknown to the public.
Long unavailable in any format, this timely re-issue in a variety of formats has been personally overseen by Brian himself along with original co-producer Justin Shirley-Smith, Queen and BM Pro Tools expert Kris Fredriksson and longtime Queen art designer Richard Gray.
Meticulously restored with mastering by Bob Ludwig, working from the true original mixes for maximum quality, the album will be reissued in multiple formats, including 1-CD and - on 180g heavyweight black vinyl - 1-LP versions. The 2CD Deluxe set adds Another Disc (mastered by Adam Ayan), while a 2-CD + 1-LP Collector’s Edition includes both CDs and a sky-blue vinyl LP in a 12” lift lid box, complete with 32-page booklet and enamel badge. Queen Online Store exclusives will include picture disc and cassette options.
On all fronts, Another World documents Brian’s personal journey, with "A Different Place, way across Time and Space” in mind, and pure emotional honesty at its core. As he explained of the record’s concept, “I hoped that by the time I got to the end of the project, I would have brought about a change in myself. I thought, 'When the album is finished, I will have made this journey, and I will have got to this other place, and I can tell everyone how I did it'; but to be honest, I didn’t really manage it. The truth of the album is that it’s a journey which is still taking place.”
In his new 2022 liner notes, Brian notes how far we have all travelled since the album’s release in 1998, but also that the exploration feels very appropriate at this time. “It seems perhaps that in 2022 we ARE in Another World,” he writes, “but if it’s not quite the world we asked for, perhaps we can still reach that perfect world… in our dreams. JOIN ME!!!”
Bursting with forceful rock anthems, open-hearted yearning, lush melodies and galvanizing guitar work, Another World sends out a gloriously irresistible invitation to do just that.
Find the complete tracklisting and further details here.
The re-issue of Another World is also celebrated with a unique book of fan-art — or, in this case, ‘Bri-art’, as it has become, now a phenomenon in the Instagram community. The pictures in the book are curated from the work of both amateur and professional artists. This astonishing collection of artwork offers a visual accompaniment to tracks from the album and other related imagery. It showcases the diverse talents of this community of artists, all of whom have been so deeply inspired by Brian and his music, career, and accomplishments. Within these pages reside over 300 unique pieces of artwork in various media and styles, each illustrating a one-of-kind perspective of Dr May in Another World, created by those who love him best.
- Featuring over 300 unique pieces of artwork created by artists from all over the world.
- Over 100 full colour pages.
- Size: 300 x 300mm (The size of a vinyl album).
- Hardback edition.
- 100% of the profit will be donated to Brian’s charity the Save Me Trust.
“Flea Ridden,” the new video from Sydney, Australia’s Black Rheno (pictured above), has arrived. Black Rheno spews forth hot and catchy chunks of stoner, sludge, grind, and doom. Their latest single is taken from their upcoming split 7” with US noise rockers Child Bite set for release on April 29 via Housecore Records in the US and Dead Set Records in Australia.
The video was created by Mitch Hertz at Hertz Fist Productions and captures the zany, off-kilter antics of the band in their hilarious new venture. “Flea Ridden” literally bolts out of the gates and features the incredibly catchy and explosive energy of the band at the peak of their powers.
Black Rheno has been active part of the Australian scene for the last five years, with their debut self-released record Noise Smasher receiving high praise and earning them a spot in the top of the heap of Aussie heavy bands. The band also received a nod to tour the US showcasing at SXSW in Texas in 2018 and toured Japan and Australia in 2019 alongside Eyehategod. Additionally, Black Rheno has been on the road with likes of Napalm Death, Brujeria, Lock Up, King Parrot, and Psycroptic, and have carved out a loyal fanbase with their intense live shows that never fail to engage.
Formed nearly fifteen years ago, art-rock-turned-punk/metal mutants Child Bite has forged a unique path through the underground musical landscape. Their current formation, consisting of vocalist Shawn Knight, bassist Sean Clancy, guitarist Jeremy Waun, and a revolving cast of drummers, produces a sound directly informed by legendary pioneers such as Dead Kennedys, The Jesus Lizard, Voivod, and Faith No More; aggressive, anxiety-inducing songs that deftly balance their early-’80s-hardcore-meets-’90s-alt-rock/metal influences while never losing sight of the goal; creating unique, memorable songs.
The Child Bite/Black Rheno split 7” is the amalgamation of two giant forces from opposite ends of the globe clashing together to produce some visceral, hypnotic and plainly bone shattering noise. Featuring strictly limited vinyl with hand printed covers produced personally by Child Bite’s Shawn Knight and Sean Clancy, this is truly a must have release.
Progressive metal quartet OU (pronunciation: “O”) will release their debut album, one, on May 6 via InsideOutMusic. The band recently released the first single, “Travel”, and now are excited to share the album’s second single, “Mountain”.
Drummer Anthony Vanacore says this about the new song: “'Mountain' is absolutely one of our favorite tracks on the album, we are so proud of how this song came out! I think it really captures the spirit of OU and I’m pretty sure you’ve never heard anything quite like it.”
Hailing from Beijing, China, the group combine a variety of elements and influences (Devin Townsend, The Gathering, Radiohead to name a few), to create their extremely unique sound.
Formed by drummer and songwriter Anthony Vanacore, the idea behind OU came from each member having a long history of playing in local house bands and seeking new challenges in their growth as musicians. Vanacore would go on to recruit talented guitarist and fellow house band veteran Jing Zhang, as well as highly sought-after bassist Chris Cui, with the three of them laying the initial groundwork for the song structure and creative approach. OU recruited highly talented singer Lynn Wu to front the project, who brings with her ethereal vocals that contrast with the dynamic and engaging music, delivering a powerful and soaring sound. On their debut, OU set out with only one clear goal in mind, and that was to make certain that every song had its own unique identity.
one will be available as Ltd. Edition CD Digipak, 180g Gatefold LP Edition and as Digital Album. Pre-order
Onslaught headlined the Sophie Stage at Britain's Bloodstock Open Air 2021 on August 11. You can now watch professionally filmed footage of the band's full performance.
Setlist:
"Rise To Power"
"Killing Peace"
"Strike Fast Strike Hard"
"Let There Be Death"
"Destroyer Of Worlds"
"Bow Down To The Clowns"
"A Perfect Day To Die"
"Metal Forces"
"66'Fucking'6"
"The Sound Of Violence"
"Religiousuicide"
"Burn"
"Damnation / Onslaught (Power From Hell)"
Northern symphonic rock ensemble, Winter In Eden, has released its new studio album, Social Fake. The band crafted the album over a long period, including during lockdown, but the end result takes their music to a new level.
Containing all new material which builds and further refines the unique style that is Winter In Eden, from delightful symphonic instrumentals to crunching aggressive rock. With compelling vocals, muscular riffs, memorable hooks, and swirling keyboards coupled with pounding bass and thunderous drums; the result is powerful, modern and perfectly balanced.
Social Fake is the band’s fourth album and features a lineup of Vicky Johnson, Steve Johnson, Steve Hauxwell, Benji Lynch and Ian Heddle. Its release coincides with the launch of the band’s new webstore.
Lead singer Vicky Johnson said of the release: “Social Fake is a very special album for us. We poured our blood, sweat and tears into this project and the results make me feel incredibly proud. I love every single song on this album. The sound has evolved but it is still Winter In Eden at its best. We can't wait for everyone to hear it.”
The album is available on CD and on Digital Platforms including Amazon CD, Apple Music, and Spotify.
GREY DAZE, Chester Bennington's pre-LINKIN PARK band, will release a new album, "The Phoenix", on June 17 via Loma Vista Recordings. It is the follow-up to 2020's "Amends", which featured newly recorded music with remastered vocals from the group's long out-of-print and largely undiscovered catalog.
"'Amends' was more emotional and reflective," explains drummer and songwriter Sean Dowdell of the different mood and feel displayed on "The Phoenix", which also sees contributions from JANE'S ADDICTION's Dave Navarro, FILTER's Richard Patrick and Bennington's daughters, Lily and Lila Bennington. "We felt sad when we were writing it. Now that we're a couple of years removed, it's very clear what we were going through. We were at a different stage of grief. We went through the shock and the sadness. Now, we're back to gratitude. So, 'The Phoenix' is more of a celebration of our friend, his talent, and the music. It captures Chester's angst and energy that people fell in love with. It's much more aggressive. If you love Chester's scream, you'll love this record."
A preview of "The Phoenix" arrives with today's release of "Saturation (Strange Love)" and its Marc Silverstein-directed video. The track, evocative of the shift in energy between "Amends" and "The Phoenix", showcases a younger Chester and the raw, astounding talent was already in possession of, as Dowdell notes: "It's going to surprise a lot of people because it gets back to Chester's core. One of the things that people love about him was his unique ability to scream in key… and this song brings you back to everything you love about that scream. You feel that angst and raw emotion he brought to everything he did."
Over the course of GREY DAZE's first incarnation, which ran 1994 to 1997, the group recorded and released two albums. It is those albums that serve as a foundation for both "Amends" and "The Phoenix". Prior to Bennington's passing, he publicly announced GREY DAZE's return, which included re-recording the band's largely undiscovered discography. With Chester's widow Talinda Bennington's blessing, and working with producer Esjay Jones, the surviving bandmembers — Dowdell, bass player Mace Beyers and guitar player Cristin Davis — moved forward, as both a way to pay tribute to their fallen brother and bandmate, but also to expose his fans to another dimension of the dynamic singer. "Amends" arrived in 2020, with Rolling Stone, Revolver, Billboard and Kerrang! praising the collection. NME summed it up best as "a great modern rock record fronted by one of the best vocalists in the game." In late 2020, the trio reconvened with Jones re-recording, and re-working the remaining 10 tracks that would become "The Phoenix".
"The Phoenix" track listing:
01. Saturation (Strange Love)
02. Starting To Fly
03. Be Your Man
04. Holding You (featuring Dave Navarro)
05. Hole (featuring Lily & Lila Bennington)
06. Drag
07. Believe Me (featuring Richard Patrick)
08. Anything, Anything
09. Spin
10. Wake Me
In a 2001 interview with Revolver magazine, Chester described GREY DAZE's musical style as "early-'90s -style rock. It wasn't pop rock, it wasn't heavy metal. It was in between grunge and good rock. We didn't know what we were doing. We were just writing songs and singing. It was a four-piece band. Some of our songs were more rock. Others were more, I don't know, alternative? I've always been into punk and classic rock. The first few years of being a musician, it was all cover band stuff, and we'd throw in a few originals. The last band I was in, I was in it for almost eight years. We made two albums, and tried really hard."
He added: "I definitely know why it didn't go anywhere: We all wanted to make it, but we all wanted to make it for different reasons. It wasn't all about making good songs, where anything else that comes from that is a fringe benefit."
Bennington was found dead in his Los Angeles-area home in July 2017 after hanging himself.
LINKIN PARK headlined an all-star tribute concert for Bennington in October 2017 in Los Angeles but has not announced any future plans for recording or touring.
Finnish Heinola-based metal band Where's My Bible released their third single and yet another impressive music video, "Chapter III: Nest". The track is taken from their upcoming Circle EP, which is set to be released on May 13th via Inverse Records. There will be four tracks on EP and music video is done for each song.
Singer Jussi Matilainen comments: "Winter, death, deep end. Story gets to the breakdown. Exhaustion and hopelessness dance around hand in hand and it's so dark that it's hard to remember existence of light. Hope a distant memory and journey so heavy, like something is dragging you. Towards the end. As a song this is hands down the heaviest and darkest we have gone, which is close to my heart, and I feel like I'm on my area of strength with this one. I have waited releasing this part extremely much and I'm excited to see the reaction."
Drummer Teppo Ristola continues: "Before I told the band that I was interested in a regular place as a drummer, I knew the upcoming songs would be strong and the band would take a step forward. This particular song most influenced my decision to inquire if the permanent drummer’s seat would still be open. I think the song combines exactly the new and darker side that the band represents today. The journey is just beginning!"
Baltimore progressive tech-death metal quintet, Greylotus, have released the first single from their new album. The music video for "Azure Rain, can be found below.
Speaking about their new album, the band comments: "Dawnfall serves as a follow-up statement to the Savior EP, which dealt with thrusting inner demons borne of trauma and mental health struggles out into the open, and accepting the reality of existing with them.
In the metaphor of the lotus’ life-cycle, Savior represented the stage in which the seed is buried under the mud - shelled in, unaware, and unable to budge from what it has known. Dawnfall embodies the process of breaking out of the shell and traveling toward the sun’s light, reaching through murky waters and currents, struggling to separate True North from tricks of the refracted light.
Dawnfall’explores the self-doubt that accompanies the realization that healing is a non-linear process. It wanders through the pits of self-judgment and confronts what follows when an individual accepts that the best version of themselves is not constrained by perfection."
Dawnfall will see a July 8 release via The Artisan Era.
Fan-filmed video of the final show of JUDAS PRIEST's 2022 North American tour, which concluded last night (Wednesday, April 13) at FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, can be seen below. The trek kicked off on March 4 at Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, Illinois and featured support from QUEENSRŸCHE.
PRIEST is scheduled to launch a European tour on June 3 in Gdańsk, Poland. The trek will run through August 4 at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany.
The British heavy metal legends were forced to cancel their April 4 concert at Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell in Lowell, Massachusetts after singer Rob Halford came down with "a bit of a cold," according to JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner.
PRIEST returned to the live stage on April 7 at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It marked the band's first performance since April 2 when PRIEST played at the Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.
Fans who attended PRIEST's concert in Mashantucket reported that Halford seemed to be feeling sick and was struggling to hit the high notes during the band's set, as evidenced in some of the fan-filmed video clips which have since surfaced online.
Halford recently publicly revealed that he battled prostate cancer during the pandemic. He previously mentioned his cancer battle in the new chapter added to the updated paperback edition of his autobiography, "Confess". In "Confess", Halford revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer after experiencing symptoms for at least a couple of years.
In July 2020, Rob underwent prostatectomy, an operation where the entire prostate gland is removed plus some of the tissue around it, including the seminal vesicles. After more cancer was found last year, he went through radiation treatments in April and May 2021 and eventually got then all-clear in June 2021. He also had an appendectomy after a tumor was discovered on his appendix.
Faulkner suffered an acute cardiac aortic dissection during the band's performance at the Louder Than Life festival in late September. Faulkner was rushed to the UofL Health - Jewish Hospital where the cardiothoracic surgery team needed approximately 10 hours to complete a life-saving surgery.
PRIEST guitarist Glenn Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease eight years ago after being stricken by the condition at least half a decade earlier. Tipton announced in early 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of "Firepower". He was replaced by "Firepower" producer Andy Sneap, who is also known for his work in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.
SHINEDOWN has performing a cover of FOO FIGHTERS' "Wheels" during its current tour as a tribute to FF drummer Taylor Hawkins, who died last month while on tour in Colombia. Fan-filmed video of SHINEDOWN's Zach Myers, Eric Bass and Barry Kerch playing the track during their April 11 headlining concert at Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota can be seen below. Myers handled lead vocals for the song, which was originally recorded for FOO FIGHTERS' "Greatest Hits" album with producer Butch Vig.
Hawkins was found dead on March 25 at the Four Seasons Casa Medina hotel in Bogota.
An official cause of death for Hawkins hasn't yet been released. But on March 26, Colombia's attorney general's office released a preliminary toxicology report, saying that medical examiners found evidence of 10 types of substances in Hawkins's body, including opioids, benzodiazepines, marijuana and antidepressants.
When Taylor's death was first announced, Myers took to social media to share a photo of the drummer and he wrote: "If you’ve ever wondered about the impact one human could make on an entire community, look at your timeline today …. It's filled with this man … who was one of the nicest, coolest and most talented people on this earth …. You'll be sorely missed … Our love and thoughts and prayers go to the Hawkins family and the FOO's."
Hawkins joined FOO FIGHTERS in 1997. Prior to that, he played with the Orange County band SYLVIA and was also in the backing band for Sass Jordan. He also toured with Alanis Morissette as her drummer.
Hawkins was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame last year as a member of the FOO FIGHTERS.
Hawkins's most recent work with FOO FIGHTERS included last year's "Medicine At Midnight" album, a collection of BEE GEES covers and FOO FIGHTERS' horror film "Studio 666".
Earlier this week, SHINEDOWN decided to move the release date of its new album, "Planet Zero", to July 1 from the previously announced April 22 due to delays in physical production of vinyl and CDs. The high-concept, ultra-vivid, viscerally charged album, which sees SHINEDOWN taking on the forces that keep us divided at a time when we need to be coming together, was produced by Bass (who also helmed the band's 2018 acclaimed album "Attention Attention") and recorded at Bass's newly built Big Animal Studio in South Carolina.
Danish/American rock and rollers VOLBEAT have released the official music video for the song "Temple Of Ekur". The clip, which was directed by Shan Dan and VisualHype, can be seen below.
"Temple Of Ekur" is taken from VOLBEAT's eighth studio album, "Servant Of The Mind", which was released in December via Republic Records.
Revolver called "Servant Of The Mind" "excellent… the darkest and heaviest VOLBEAT offering yet." For the LP, the band, which consists of Michael Poulsen (guitar, vocals), Larsen, Rob Caggiano (guitars) and Kaspar Boye Larsen (bass), took its signature heavy metal, psychobilly and punk 'n' roll sound up a notch while showcasing Poulsen's keen ability for songwriting and storytelling. "Rarely has such a successful band sounded so ravenous," says Kerrang! magazine of the album.
"Servant Of The Mind" was written and recorded during the shutdown and quarantine necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The LP includes the "double barrel" of summer songs the band released last June: "Wait A Minute My Girl" and "Dagen Før" (featuring Stine Bramsen), the former of which became the band's ninth number one single on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
For "Servant Of The Mind", the band took its signature heavy metal, psychobilly and punk 'n' roll sound up a notch while showcasing Poulsen's keen ability for songwriting and storytelling.
"I wrote the whole album in three months," recalled Poulsen, "I was in a good place and mood while at home, and had a captive audience of myself… There are a lot of VOLBEAT signatures in it. If you go back to the first record and compare it to where we are now, you can hear how the band has developed its style, while keeping the signature sound."
Previously released single "Shotgun Blues" is an anthemic track in which Poulsen explores the ghostly events he recently experienced upon moving into a new home. Other songs on the album weave intricate and fascinating tales. "The Sacred Stones" tells the story of "an earthly being who has committed himself to the dark side. He is on a mission, speaking to darker forces and fallen angels." Meanwhile, "The Devil Rages On" looks at the idea of the devil taking human form. The aforementioned album opener "Temple Of Ekur" returns to the ancient themes explored in past songs such as "The Gates Of Babylon", while the epic album closer "Lasse's Birgita" explores the story of the first witch burnings to occur in Sweden in 1471.
MOTIONLESS IN WHITE will release its new album, "Scoring The End Of The World", on June 10 via Roadrunner Records. The official Max Moore-directed music video for the LP's second single, "Masterpiece", can be seen below.
Last month, the Scranton, Pennsylvania quintet shared the first single "Cyberhex", along with an official music video directed by the band's guitarist Ricky Olson and Logan Beaver.
In an interview with Rock 100.5 The KATT's Cameron Buchholtz, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE frontman Chris "Motionless" Cerulli stated about "Cyberhex": "We were trying to decide what was the first song, and it was interesting that everybody in the band all felt the same way. Normally when you're working with labels, they wanna put out the song that's like the big radio song or the easier digestible track, whatever, and we just never really wanted to do that. And even though there were moments when we've been, unfortunately, kind of forced to do that, this time I feel like we're in a spot in our career where we're just, like, 'No. We're gonna go ahead and do what we want.' And we had a good track record of doing what we want versus what other people influence us to want to do, and this song is definitely on pace to really help the album and the whole rollout. So it feels really cool.
"The next track we put out will definitely be more like 'Another Life' and 'Voices'-type track," he continued, apparently referencing "Masterpiece". "I can understand why a label would want that, because if you look at our… Just go to Spotify — I mean, 'Another Life' and 'Voices'… 'Another Life' has double the amount of plays as the next highest song, which is 'Voices', and then the next highest song is 'Brand New Numb'. So, very obviously, people can say that they want the heavy tracks and we're going to deliver that, but the songs like 'Another Life' are really, at this point, I guess you would say our bread and butter, 'cause that's what people want. So, for us, it's, like, let's start it off really hot and really heavy and then we'll switch over to the more, like, here's the singalong track that just hits you hard and… We'll take a little break from the heavy. And we'll circulate back. That's what we do."
When "Cyberhex" was first released, Cerulli said: "'Cyberhex' is my love letter to you, our fans, for everything you have done for me over the course of some of the most mentally taxing few years I've had to go through. At times where I felt like my world was ending, as well as the world around us, it was always in my mind that I was able to turn to the special relationship we have created together for help, and I cannot thank you enough for that. Outside of my own personal experiences, it has been equally as fulfilling to me to see that in the face of tireless forces that continue to try and perpetuate hatred and negativity towards so many of us coexisting on this planet, we have all stood together to resist and fight back knowing that love and compassion will always prevail. We ARE the resistance. We ARE Cyberhex. I love you. Thank you."
"Scoring The End Of The World" fully encompasses the expanse of MOTIONLESS IN WHITE's dynamic, deep, and dark vision, and marks the band's first full-length body of work in three years since 2019's "Disguise". The latter has quietly made a major impact on rock music and culture. The single "Another Life" stands out as their most-streamed song ever with over 23 million YouTube views on the music video. The record claimed a spot on Loudwire's "50 Best Metal Albums of 2019," plus it ignited the creative renaissance that would set the stage for the statement-making "Scoring The End Of The World".
Last month, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE kicked off a massive triple co-headline North American tour. Dubbed the "Trinity Of Terror" tour, the run features the unholy triumvirate of MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, BLACK VEIL BRIDES and ICE NINE KILLS and is the first time ever that fans get to see all three bands on the same stage each night. The coast-to-coast outing, which sees the three bands alternating closing sets each night, launched on March 17 in Mesa, Arizona and is making stops in Los Angeles, Chicago, Salt Lake City, Philadelphia, and more, before wrapping up with a performance at Norfolk's Chartway Arena on April 27.
Last year, MOTIONLESS IN WHITE unleashed the standalone single "Timebomb". It has gathered 5.7 million Spotify streams and 1.6 million YouTube views on the music video. Earning critical acclaim, Loudwire hailed it as "dark but uplifting — and heavy," and Kerrang! urged, "prepare your neck."
California's Ceremony have released their new 12”, "Vanity Spawned By Fear", just ahead of their North American spring 2022 tour. "Vanity Spawned By Fear" is the legendary, acclaimed punk band’s first standalone single of their career: an infectious take on new musick, glam, and moody synth.
"Vanity Spawned By Fear" is available now digitally, and in a limited edition, one-time-only vinyl pressing. A video for the song can be found below.
Ceremony guitarist Anthony Anzaldo Jr. comments: “We do our best to keep futility a secret, a cognitive exercise with feeble reward. The Poppy field reminds us that not all things are meant to be altered. In California, Vanity is spawned by fear.”
Ceremony embark on their North American spring 2022 tour next week - April 21 through May 29. The run includes select sold out shows with Turnstile and additional headline dates with Citizen.
Mass Worship have released a guitar playthrough video for “Scorched Earth”, from the recently released full-length album, Portal Tombs. Watch below:
Portal Tombs is a terrifying but electrifying exploration of the gloomy depths of human nature: a monolithic manifestation of the musical force that is Mass Worship. The album features guest appearances by Jonas Stålhammar of At The Gates, Mark ‘Barney’ Greenway of Napalm Death, and Jonas Renkse of Katatonia/Bloodbath.
“It’s pretty mind-blowing to have members of such inspirational pioneers on our own album”, says the band.
Drawing inspiration from bands such as At The Gates, Mastodon and Meshuggah, Mass Worship could be likened to many bands, but somehow forge their musical identity into something exceptionally distinctive and transcendent, and with enough confidence and conviction to win over even the most orthodox fans of the genre.
Pitch Black Records announces the new, third album from Norwegian old-school heavy metal outfit, Sinsid. In Victory will be released on May 20.
In Victory is a follow-up to 2020’s Enter The Gates, and is most definitely an album that will get defenders of old school heavy metal excited about it. Through the album’s nine non-stop headbanging tracks, an epic journey will unfold where fans will identify everything that made the genre great – anthemic choruses and solos, hard-hitting riffs and faith in heavy metal as a symbol of brotherhood and the fight against Evil.
Sinsid’s new album shows the Norwegian quintet at its best, inspired and never so powerful. One thing that’s more evident compared to previous works Mission From Hell (2018) and Enter the Gates (2020) is the more frequent use of the double bass drum. The band sounds as good as ever with an improved contemporary production which however still managed to maintain that “old school” feeling.
Originally formed in 2012, Sinsid's influences include anything from the blues and rock to metal and Viking or thrash but the very core of the band is, unmistakably, traditional heavy metal. The band’s debut triumphantly introduced Sinsid to the metal world and quickly gained the band a massive new following, with reviews referring to it as “good old, honest, working-class metal” and “couldn’t be more metal if it was hammered over an anvil!”
In Victory will be available on CD and Digital with a limited LP (100 numbered copies) planned for release later in the year. Pre-order information here.
Tracklisting:
"The Northern March" (Intro)
"Iron Heart"
"Metalheads"
"Secret Of The Beast"
"In Victory"
"No Fear"
"Wrath Of Destruction"
"Headless Grinder"
"Cult Of Doom (Into The Fire)"
"Headless Grinder" video:
Lineup:
Terje Singh Sidhu – Vocals
Sten Roger Knutsen – Lead guitar
Even Haavold – Rhythm guitar
Grzegorz Urbanski – Bass
Trygve A. Tvedt – Drum
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