Swedish high-energy rock and roll band, The Hellacopters, have released their eighth studio album, Eyes Of Oblivion, out on April 1.
Produced by Nicke Andersson & Chips Kisbye (who has overseen every Hellacopters album since High Visibility in the year 2000), Eyes Of Oblivion is the band's first full-length since the release of their temporary farewell record, Head Off, in 2008.
Order Eyes Of Oblivion in a variety of formats here, and listen to the song "Tin Foil Soldier" via the static video below.
Formats:
- Limited Edition 2CD Box Set (CD Digipak + cardboard sleeve; incl. beer coaster, woven patch, 2 buttons, and four bonus tracks: "Eleanor Rigby" (The Beatles cover), "Circus" (String Driven Thing cover), "I Am the Hunted" (GBH cover), "I Ain’t No Miracle Worker" (The Brogues cover))
- CD Jewelcase
- Cassette (Black / US only)
- Digital Album
- Single LP w/ Poster
Tracklisting:
"Reap A Hurricane"
"Can It Wait"
"So Sorry I Could Die"
"Eyes Of Oblivion"
"A Plow And A Doctor"
"Positively Not Knowing"
"Tin Foil Soldier"
"Beguiled"
"The Pressure’s On"
"Try Me Tonight"
"Tin Foil Soldier":
"So Sorry I Could Die" video:
"Eyes Of Oblivion" video:
"Reap A Hurricane" video:
The Hellacopters were formed in 1994 by Nicke Andersson (vocals and guitar), Dregen (guitar), Kenny Håkansson (bass), and Robert Eriksson (drums). At that time Andersson was renowned in the metal scene for his work in the well-known Swedish death metal band Entombed and Dregen had built a reputation as co-founder and guitarist of his main band Backyard Babies.
Next to The Hives and Backyard Babies, The Hellacopters are considered one of the most important and influential Swedish rock bands of the 1990s and 2000s - they achieved two Gold certifications, won the Swedish Grammy and a Kerrang! award, have amassed 100 million streams to date, and have supported and toured with the likes of The Rolling Stones, Kiss, Black Sabbath, ZZ Top, or the Foo Fighters. They have released seven albums, ranging fuzzed-out & supercharged garage punk on Supershitty To The Max! (1996) & Payin' The Dues (1997) to perfectly crafted & soulful high-energy rock'n'roll with a strong vintage vibe on the following albums, Grande Rock (1999), High Visibility (2000), By The Grace Of God (2002) and Rock & Roll Is Dead (2005). A compilation of cover songs called "Head Off" was released in 2008 and marked the band's last album before ultimately dissolving. In addition, The Hellacopters have released almost four dozen singles, splits, and EPs until this day, most of which got the limited 7inch or 10inch vinyl treatment, making them a vinyl collector's dream... or worst nightmare.
The Hellacopters reunited in 2016 to play a few shows for the 20th anniversary of their debut album, and have proven an unstoppable force ever since, performing at Sweden Rock Festival, Psycho Las Vegas, Download, Hellfest, Roskilde, Ilosaarirock, among others. In October 2021 they announced that they had signed a deal with Nuclear Blast Records and a new album would be in the works for spring 2022.
This past week, Nicko McBrain embarked on a short tour of Florida where he is performing classic songs from IRON MAIDEN with his TITANIUM TART project. Fan-filmed video of the tour's kickoff, which took place on Thursday, March 31 at the Brass Mug in Tampa, Florida, can be seen below.
McBrain and TITANIUM TART previously performed on December 4, 2021 at the 12th-anniversary celebration for Rock N Roll Ribs, the barbecue restaurant owned by the IRON MAIDEN drummer and close friend Mitch Tanne, in Coral Springs, Florida. Fan-filmed video footage of the entire show is available below.
McBrain was born in Hackney, East London, on June 5, 1952. His first experience of music came via his father's love of traditional jazz. Young Nicko's hero was Joe Morello, the late, great drummer with the legendary THE DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET. Nicko would often take to the kitchen, using forks and knives to beat on anything he could find at home. Fed up with him bashing up the kitchen utensils, his parents finally bought him his first drum kit when he was 12.
By the time he left school at 15, he was already a veteran of several part-time pub groups. Musically, however, his tastes had broadened to include more contemporary sixties sounds from THE SHADOWS, THE ANIMALS, THE BEATLES and THE ROLLING STONES. On the recommendation of another drummer he knew, he began to take on session work, playing on countless different recordings.
In 1975, Nicko joined STREETWALKERS, the band formed by ex-FAMILY members, vocalist Roger Chapman and guitarist Charlie Whitney. From the late seventies until 1982 when he joined IRON MAIDEN, Nicko had spent his time in session work, most memorably with the PAT TRAVERS BAND on their 1976 "Makin' Magic" album, and also appeared in the band MCKITTY in the early 1980's. It was during a MCKITTY gig in Belgium that he first met IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris.
He officially joined IRON MAIDEN in December 1982 for the 1983 "Piece Of Mind" album and tour, replacing Clive Burr, after McBrain's previous band TRUST had supported IRON MAIDEN during the U.K. leg of the "Killers" tour in 1981.
With 14 studio and eight live albums currently under his belt with MAIDEN, Nicko's role as the driving force behind the band's sound has served as a major influence to many of today's top drummers and solidified his place in music history.
McBrain and his wife still live in the same Boca Raton, Florida home they bought in 1989 when Nicko relocated from England.
Fan-filmed video of SLIPKNOT's April 2 concert at Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania can be seen below.
SLIPKNOT kicked off the 2022 iteration of its "Knotfest Roadshow" tour on March 16 at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota.
The "Knotfest Roadshow" tour is taking place over two legs, both headlined by SLIPKNOT. The first leg features special guests IN THIS MOMENT and WAGE WAR. The second leg will feature special guests CYPRESS HILL and HO99O9. The first leg of the 38-date run, produced by Live Nation, will wrap up in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on Sunday, April 17. The second leg kicks off on Wednesday, May 18 in University Park, Pennsylvania and hits a further 17 cites before culminating on Sunday, June 18 in Chula Vista, California.
"Knotfest Roadshow"'s return also features on-site merchandise from official tour sponsor Blackcraft Cult.
2021 marked a banner year for SLIPKNOT. Making a triumphant return to the road, their "Knotfest Roadshow" 2021 tour sold out amphitheaters across the country, bookended with the record-breaking Knotfest Iowa and the biggest headline show of their career, Knotfest Los Angeles at Banc of California Stadium where they debuted their first new music in two years, the furious "The Chapeltown Rag", taken from the highly anticipated new SLIPKNOT album, expected later this year. In addition, they topped the bills of multiple, internationally renowned festivals, including Riot Fest, Rocklahoma, Inkcarceration and Welcome To Rockville.
The "Knotfest Roadshow" tour is part of Live Nation's Live Stubs initiative which provides digital collectible NFT ticket stubs to ticket holders. Live Stubs are automatically be included with tickets purchased for the tour. Fans are also able to view, share, gift, trade, and resell their live stubs on LiveNation.com.
German hard rock legends SCORPIONS have released a performance video for the title track of their new album, "Rock Believer". The footage was filmed at Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany, where "Rock Believer" was recorded.
Said SCORPIONS in a statement: "We are having a great time rocking in Las Vegas and wanted to share some performances with the rest of you. We recorded 4 tracks from our new album 'Rock Believer' at our studio in Hannover. You can watch the first one, 'Rock Believer'."
"Rock Believer" was released on February 25. The LP was mixed at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany with engineer Michael Ilbert, who has earned multiple Grammy nominations for his mix work with producer Max Martin on albums by Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.
SCORPIONS' new album marks their first release since 2017's "Born To Touch Your Feelings - Best Of Rock Ballads", which was an anthology of new and classic material.
SCORPIONS originally intended to record the new album in Los Angeles with producer Greg Fidelman, whose previous credits include SLIPKNOT and METALLICA. However, because of the pandemic, some of the initial work was done with Greg remotely, after which SCORPIONS opted to helm the recordings themselves with the help of their engineer Hans-Martin Buff.
SCORPIONS singer Klaus Meine told Chile's Radio Futuro that "Rock Believer" is "dedicated to all the rock believers in the world. And we're very excited after all these years. We thought, when you think about all the touring we did the last 10 years, after the release of 'Return To Forever' in 2015, the time was right to go back into the studio, to write new material, to write new songs and check out if the creativity is still working. The big aim was, the goal was to make a rock album — to make an album with lots of attitude, power and focus on the good old times and really enjoy the music and have some fun with the music. And that feels really good."
SCORPIONS' previous full-length collection of new recordings was the aforementioned "Return To Forever", partially comprising songs the band had in the vault from the '80s. It was the final recorded appearance of SCORPIONS' longtime drummer James Kottak, who was dismissed from the band in September 2016. He has since been replaced by Mikkey Dee, formerly of MOTÖRHEAD.
Sacred Oath have recently discovered multiple videos of entire concerts from their first tour in 1987 supporting their debut album, A Crystal Vision. The videos were found among the personal items of Gil Cruciani, late father of original guitarist Glen Cruciani.
Cruciani has been credited with many of the Sacred Oath’s early publicity photos, and now it seems he filmed the band on multiple occasions in ‘87 and ‘88 with a VHS camera when they performed in Connecticut and New York.
“My jaw hit the floor when I saw these videos,” says singer/guitarist Rob Thorne, who started the band in 1985 while a sophomore in high school. “It was like sitting in front of home-movie baby films. First, I couldn’t get over how young we are in them, and then I was shocked at the high level the band was performing at. I guess I remember that time as one of naïveté, but for a bunch of teenage punks we had our shit together. It’s tight!”
Sacred Oath, who released their eigth album, Return Of The Dragon, in 2021, made their debut back in 1987 with the release of their first album, A Crystal Vision, on Mercenary Records. The record went on to garner cult classic status among power and thrash metal enthusiasts as one of the earlier pieces of power metal and power-thrash. Now the band is embarking on what they’re calling their 35th Anniversary Tour, including all nine songs from A Crystal Vision in the setlist. The tour opens on May 7 in Southington Connecticut.
ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian was joined by his 10-year-old son Revel Young Ian on drums as they performed renditions of several FOO FIGHTERS songs for an Instagram video which Scott shared on Sunday (April 3). Scott captioned the clip: "Paying tribute to Taylor…we've been jamming our favorite Foo's all week. Healing our hearts with the power of rock. We love you Taylor and Dave and Pat and Chris and Nate and Rami. @foofighters #taylorhawkins #patsmear @davestruestories @shifty71 #natemendel #ramijaffee".
Scott previously shared videos of him and Revel performing the SEPULTURA songs "Roots Bloody Roots" and "Territory", as well as SYSTEM OF A DOWN's "Bounce", KORN's "Here To Stay" and HELMET's "In The Meantime".
Revel is apparently a gifted multi-instrumentalist who joined the FOO FIGHTERS on stage in September 2019 at the Bourbon & Beyond festival in Louisville, Kentucky to perform "Everlong" on guitar when he was just eight years old.
Back in 2014, Ian told Horns Up Rocks that his then-three-old son was a big fan of METALLICA, THE BEATLES and AC/DC and that he could already tell the difference between Bon Scott's voice and that of Brian Johnson.
"He knows a lot of the stuff that he hears or sees in the house," Scott said at the time. "But what's really cool is that he actually recognizes and knows the difference between Bon Scott and Brian Johnson, which is pretty cool, I think, for an almost three-year-old. Anytime AC/DC is on, he'll go, 'That's Bon singing.' And then when it's not Bon, he'll say, 'That's not Bon singing.' He knows. That's pretty cool, I think."
Asked whether metal musicians should be parents, Ian said it was the best thing that had ever happened to him. He added: "I think you have to take that on a case-by-case basis. I couldn't say enough about having a child; I think it's the greatest thing ever in the whole world. But I do think that there are a lot of people on this planet, not necessarily metal musicians, that shouldn't be parents."
Hawkins was found dead on March 25 at the Four Seasons Casa Medina hotel in Bogota, Colombia while FOO FIGHTERS were on tour.
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.
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".
SALIVA has released a new single, "Revelation Man". The band's first new track in four years, is very personal to singer Bobby Amaru, who states: "'Revelation Man' is about a guy who couldn't accept the struggles of his own addictions. He had to hit rock bottom to see the light. When I say 'had to die to find a revelation,' I don't mean dying literally but there were moments in my life where I felt like I had. It particularly relates with me because of my sobriety of three and a half years. I went through a lot of things before I got sober."
SALIVA will continue to release new songs and ultimately a full album in 2022. The new music has a contemporary feel but sticks to the blue-collar roots that their fans love.
As previously reported, SALIVA will reunite with its original singer Josey Scott for a one-off appearance at this year's Blue Ridge Rock Festival, set to take place September 8-11 at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.
Scott left SALIVA at the end of 2011 after 15 years with the group, reportedly to pursue a solo Christian music career. He was quickly replaced by Amaru, who can be heard on SALIVA's last four releases: "In It To Win It" (2013), "Rise Up" (2014), "Love, Lies & Therapy" (2016) and "10 Lives" (2018).
SALIVA released six albums with Scott and tasted platinum success and a Grammy nomination for its first big hit, "Your Disease".
Last May, SALIVA celebrated the 20th anniversary of its breakthrough major label debut, "Every Six Seconds", with a special project called "Every Twenty Years", an EP of classic songs re-recorded with Amaru.
Steve Vai and Favored Nations / Mascot Label Group have released the official music video for "Teeth Of The Hydra". The performance clip was directed by BJ McDonnell, and produced by John Heller and Jason Salzman. The director of photography was Eric Leach, with art direction by Michael Mesker. Greg Wurth was the sound engineer and assistant editor.
Vai shares: "The idea for this guitar and track came to me roughly seven years ago. I envisioned composing and performing a piece of music on a multi-neck instrument where all of the sound emanated from that one creation with the exception of some keyboards and drums. I sent my ideas to Ibanez, and their builders delivered this astonishing wooden creature. I was stunned. It was awesome. When I first laid eyes on it, I named it the Hydra, and instantly knew the name of the song would be 'Teeth Of The Hydra'.
"A Hydra is a dragon-like creature from Greek mythology possessing various heads. For every head chopped off, two would grow in its place. I then set out to write a piece of music that utilized all the features of the Hydra, but could also stand on its own as an enjoyable composition with a sultry melody and heavy dynamics." He continues: "When I finally sat with the Hydra and started to contemplate writing this piece and how I was to navigate the instrument in a seamless way, for a moment it seemed impossible. I just started slowly, and it all began to unfold very naturally.
"Things that can seem impossible don't seem so impossible once you just start doing them. Every new discovery and accomplishment were treated as a joyous victory, even if it only involved figuring out one bar of music. The overall inner vision was the guide through the process, but with every accomplishment, the process became more and more addictive. I became immersed in the splendors of the Hydra. It was a meditative experience, and on the day that it all finally clicked, performing the song felt like stillness in motion — that's when the performance becomes virtually effortless, and the freedom of present-moment expression has you feeling as if your feet are about a foot off the ground. The exhilaration can be overwhelming at times. I'm very happy with the way the video came out, and having BJ McDonnell as director, along with his amazing crew, was vital. Enjoy!"
Vai's new studio album, "Inviolate", debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Current Hard Rock Albums chart. Cumulative streams exceed five million, with "Teeth Of The Hydra" accounting for more than one million.
The "Inviolate" world tour will commence with a European leg of appearances beginning in Glasgow on June 4. The itinerary will stretch in to mid-July, staging performances in the U.K., Ireland, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain. Vai's North American performances supporting the new album will start on September 28 at The Magnolia in El Cajon, California. The final show is planned for his hometown of Los Angeles, at the Theatre at Ace Hotel on December 3.
Vai will be joined by his long-tenured ensemble members Dave Weiner (guitar, keyboards), Philip Bynoe (bass) and Jeremy Colson (drums). Vai shares: "It's amazing to realize that after three years of not performing our show on a stage, that it's now on the horizon, and will start to unfold in Europe this summer. I can feel the road now and the enthusiastic audiences that we will be connecting with."
Machine Gun Kelly performed a cover version of SYSTEM OF A DOWN's "Aerials" during an appearance on "The Howard Stern Show" earlier today (Thursday, March 31).
The 31-year-old rapper-turned-rocker, whose real name is Colson Baker, appeared on the program to promote his second pop-punk/emo-inspired album, "Mainstream Sellout", which came out on Friday (March 25).
Among the people who reacted to Machine Gun Kelly's attempt at "Aerials" was SYSTEM OF A DOWN bassist Shavo Odadjian who shared video of the performance on Instagram and asked his 365,000 followers for their "thoughts on MGKs cover of Aerials live on Howard Stern".
Machine Gun Kelly made headlines last September when he publicly feuded with Corey Taylor after the SLIPKNOT frontman subtly and indirectly insulted the rapper in a "Cutter's Rockcast" interview, referring to the latter as an artist who "failed in one genre and decided to go rock."
Earlier this month, Machine Gun Kelly spoke to Billboard about the criticism he has faced after transitioning from rap to rock music, stating that he’s "earnt that shit."
"I know it kills certain bands in that community that I got the success that I got. But I earned that shit," he said. "Dude, I was fucking loading up the van with our drums and amps in 2010, driving to Indiana and Chicago, playing Warped Tour. I can tell you the fucking Wi-Fi codes to venues in Blackfoot, Idaho. Can you say that shit as a band?" he asked.
Addressing his role in the ongoing revival of the pop-punk genre, he commented: "The 2010s was great for singers and rappers, and I was part of that. But I think we needed something else: we needed an instrument. Kids come up to me, like, 'Dude, the first time I ever saw someone play guitar in concert was at your concert — and now I take guitar lessons.'
"[Rock] needed a defibrillator," he added. "Who cares who gives it, just as long as that motherfucker doesn't die?"
During his "Howard Stern Show" appearance, Machine Gun Kelly confirmed he is frequently targeted by haters who believe he doesn't deserve the success he's achieved, specifically by rock fans who have misconceptions about the amount of time he has been involved in their scene.
"It blows my mind, even in the the genre that I'm in, when people act like this is like some new thing," he explained. "It blows my mind. You can literally look back 10 years ago at rock festivals, and my name is right there on the flyer. Like, we've always been in the culture. I'm super confused where this, like, 'Oh he's new to the scene' [claims come from]. Like, fuck you. We've been here so long, defying boxes and genres and odds."
Brazilian rockers, Electric Mob, have released a video for "Devil You Know" (Acoustic). The original track is featured on the band's debut album, Discharge, available via Frontiers Music Srl.
"Awaken"
"Devil You Know"
"King’s Ale"
"Got Me Runnin’"
"Far Off"
"Your Ghost"
"Gypsy Touch"
"123 Burn"
"Upside Down"
"Higher Than Your Heels"
"Brand New Rope"
"We Are Wrong"
"Your Ghost" video:
"Higher Than Your Heels" video:
"Far Off" video:
"King’s Ale":
"Devil You Know" video:
Lineup:
Renan Zonta - Vocals
Ben Hur Auwarter - Guitar
Yuri Elero - Bass
André Leister - Drums
Los Angeles power / thrash metal band Anubis have debuted their sinister new single “I, Anachronism”, and its accompanying music video. This will be the first music video from their upcoming EP Eternal Youth, Eternal Night.
Founded in 2018, the band is comprised of bassist and vocalist Devin Reiche, guitarists Justin Escamilla and Eleazar Llerenas, bassist John Dolan, and drummer Zed Amarin. The ominous and apocalyptic music video was produced and directed by Tsunam Kyrdo of Tsunami Films and hosted by Tom Gaffey at the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, California. The entirety of the video was shot in the basement of the theater, a grim underbelly said to be one of the most haunted locations in America.
“This is the most ambitious project Anubis has ever undertaken,” says lead vocalist Devin Reiche, “We got three makeup artists and almost 30 extras and just took over the theater basement. I’m actually kind of shocked by how smooth the filming process was, and how sick the final result ended up being.” With twisting camera angles and blood-spattered chords, the music video plays like a prophetic horror film, an ode to the band’s foreboding sound.
Frontiers Music Srl will release the self-titled debut album from the new international metal group, Venus 5, on June 10. A new single and video, "Because Of You", is out now. Watch the clip below, and pre-order/save the Venus 5 album here.
Venus 5 is composed of five singers, including Herma (also of Sick N' Beautiful, another Frontiers recording artist), Karmen Klinc, Jelena Milovanovic, Tezzi Persson (also of Infinite & Divine, another Frontiers recording artist), and Erina Seitllari. Each vocalist is an outstanding singer in their own right, so the combination of the five together produces stunning results.
"Recording this album was one of the best experiences for me. The whole team got along so well, everyone was very professional and relaxed at the same time. With the girls, we basically became like sisters and I think that’s the kind of energy you can also feel on the album. I think the album is a true masterpiece, and everyone can find something for their taste on it. It’s very powerful, emotional, energetic, joyful and motivational. It has something that really moves you in any possible way. After all, isn’t that what music’s all about?" - Karmen Klinc
"At the beginning, when we spoke about the Venus 5 project, one thing that we aimed for was to respect and enhance each girl's personality. This was something that once we met, was undeniably impossible to avoid - you can feel each of our energy in the songs and in the videos and I personally think that this is the most interesting fact about the band. There are so many shades of color in this album - and not only in our hairstyles, as some of you might joke about! ;)" - Herma
"I was quite nervous going to Italy to meet up with the rest of the girls, but that feeling vanished instantly when we met. Everything just felt so natural and easy and they truly are a fantastic group of girls. We bonded immediately. The songs have a “popish” metal vibe to it with melodies that get stuck in your head. I’m really happy about this album." - Tezzi Persson
"It's been an amazing experience getting to be a part of this thing. Us five, we saw each other and the connection was instant, the respect was instant. Everybody was so talented and genuine, crazy! I feel like the vibe you get from this album is different and probably heavier than you expect, so give it a play, be surprised!" - Jelena Milovanovic
“Being part of the band is totally awesome! Since the first moment we met, I felt a spark with each one of the girls! The album sounds great. It’s Rock N’ Roll dude!” - Erina Seitllari
Born from an idea dreamed up by Serafino Perugino, Frontiers’ President & Head of A&R, Venus 5 is primed to be one of the most fresh and exciting new musical prospects to emerge from the European rock and metal scene in recent years. Assembling the vocalists and musicians required a tremendous amount of time and energy as the right talent had to be in place to work together cohesively and with true chemistry. After all, this many lead singers in one band is a daunting task, but the end result is that five outstanding vocal stars in the making were brought together from different musical environments with the vision of creating a monster album.
Of course many people will see five women and instantly make references to this being a "metal version" of pop projects, but please make no mistake, the vocal talents of the singers and the music is front and center. Musically, the songs are a team effort by producer Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere, Timo Tolkki’s Avalon, Sweet Oblivion, etc.) and his team of writers, including Jake E. (Cyrha, ex-Amaranthe) who co-produced the vocals, Stefan Helleblad (Within Temptation, who also plays guitars on the album), and Per Aldeheim (Def Leppard, H.E.A.T, Stanfour, etc.).
Certainly, and highly recommended for all the lovers of the sounds of the current European hard rock/metal scene, Venus 5 is fist-in-the-air rock music destined to get stuck in your head.
Tracklisting:
"Lioness"
"The Simulation"
"Nothing But A Heartache"
"Bride With Blackened Eyes"
"Monster Under Your Bed"
"Inside"
"Tom And Ms. Amy Lee"
"Because Of You"
"We Are Dynamite"
"Save You"
"Bury Me"
Internationally acclaimed artist Julia Lage has released her infectious new single, “Wake Up”. The multi-instrumentalist Lage wrote, recorded, and produced this mid-paced hard rocker, showcasing her versatility as both a songwriter and musician, taking on all vocal, guitar and bass duties, with drums provided by Michael Odabashian. “Wake Up” is available digitally and can be streamed and downloaded, here.
Recorded earlier this year, “Wake Up” carries a positive message to anyone feeling they are stuck in their lives and encourages everyone to look around and see that there are ways to move on and to change, but YOU must be that change. No one else can help you if you don’t want to “Wake Up” for your own life.
“This song has been on my hard drive incomplete for a few years now,” says Julia Lage. “I was recently struck with inspiration and felt it was the right time to finish and release it. I believe we are living in very complicated times after the pandemic and other issues in the world in general. I believe that the change starts with us and “Wake Up” represents that “push” some might need. ‘Wake Up for your life, Wake Up for your rights, Wake Up do it right, Wake Up you’re alright!’ Let’s be the change folks!”
To accompany the single, Julia Lage filmed and released the official video for “Wake Up”. Conceived and directed by both Lage and cinematographer Jose Andres Cortez, the video portrays her trying to “clean” and fix a place that is in ruins and looking outside wondering what it would be to get out of that reality. At a certain point she decides to leave that “inner place” and face her life! “The King is on the ground and you’re standing tall and proud.”
“I always loved the whole creative process,” says Lage. “The music. The writing. The video conception. All of this makes me so happy. I love watching an idea take shape into something concrete.”
Julia Lage has played and recorded alongside such diverse artists as Grammy Award winner Alejandra Guzmán, pop star Janelle Monáe and rapper Jidenna, as well as rock legends such as Pat Travers, Elliot Easton (The Cars) and Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme). She is currently the bassist of the platinum selling rock band Vixen and has recently joined Smith/Kotzen, featuring Richie Kotzen and Adrian Smith, as the band’s touring bass player performing sold out shows throughout England as well as west coast dates in the U.S. including a sold-out show at The World Famous Whisky A Go-Go.
LAMB OF GOD has joined forces with MEGADETH to remake a true classic. Originally released in 1986, "Wake Up Dead" was the lead single from MEGADETH's iconic multi-platinum selling album "Peace Sells… But Who's Buying?" And now, one week before the second installment of "The Metal Tour Of The Year" is set to commence, LAMB OF GOD has released "Wake Up Dead" featuring MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine as well as the other three members of the current lineup of MEGADETH. LAMB OF GOD vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell and drummer Art Cruz recorded the MEGADETH classic remotely and recruited the MEGADETH frontman himself to feature guitar and vocals on the song. Mustaine lent his signature vocal to the track, with lead guitar work on the various solos by Morton, as well as Mustaine and MEGADETH guitarist Kiko Loureiro. The recording also includes vocal contributions from Loureiro and other MEGADETH members Dirk Verbeuren and James LoMenzo.
Commented Mustaine: "We had a blast playing with LAMB OF GOD on their cover of 'Wake Up Dead'. Almost as much fun as we're going to have playing every night on 'The Metal Tour Of The Year'. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone!"
Added Blythe: "The first leg of 'The Metal Tour Of The Year' back in 2021 was a total blast, and we're about to take it on the road again. What better way to kick it off than a little inter-band jam session? All nine members of MEGADETH and LAMB OF GOD are on the thrash classic 'Wake Up Dead'. Turn it up, and we'll see you on the road!”
Said Morton: "'Wake Up Dead' was a massively important song for me as an aspiring young guitar player. It was one of the first songs that began my lifelong love of thrash metal and helped reinforce for me that, while solos may be fun, my allegiance is to the RIFF! So you can imagine what a thrill it's been for LAMB to cover this legendary song with Dave and the rest of the MEGADETH guys. Truly an honor. We all had a lot of fun putting this together and I think you can hear that energy in the track. I hope everybody enjoys this one and we can’t wait to see y'all on 'The Metal Tour Of The Year'."
The 2022 leg of LAMB OF GOD's "The Metal Tour Of The Year" with MEGADETH will kick off on Saturday, April 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada and hit a further 21 cities before wrapping in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Sunday, May 15.
LAMB OF GOD recently entered a California studio with longtime producer Josh Wilbur (KORN, MEGADETH, GOJIRA, TRIVIUM) to record some of its brand music, tentatively due later in the year.
LAMB OF GOD's upcoming effort will be the follow-up to the band's self-titled album, which was released in June 2020 via Epic Records in the U.S. and Nuclear Blast Records in Europe. That LP marked LAMB OF GOD's first recordings with Art Cruz, who joined the band in July 2019 as the replacement for the group's founding drummer, Chris Adler.
"Lamb Of God" was recorded with Wilbur and included special guest appearances by Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED) and Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT).
FOZZY played its first show with the band's new drummer Grant Brooks (THROUGH FIRE) last night (Thursday, March 31) at the Diesel Concert Lounge in Chesterfield, Michigan. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.
Brooks joined FOZZY in January as the replacement for the group's longtime drummer Frank Fontsere.
Frank discussed his departure from FOZZY in a recent interview with the "Talk Toomey" podcast. The 54-year-old musician said: "I've been doing it a long time, and I still love playing, and I still love playing live, but I've never been the biggest fan of the traveling. I'm not Dora The Explorer; I don't really care about seeing exotic places or all that stuff. For me, it was always about the shows. I used to think, 'Man, it would be nice if I could just teleport to every show.' And especially having a kid — he's seven years old — I was missing him. We weren't spending tremendous amounts of time on the road, but still, it was just getting harder. And there were other factors too; there were other things I wanted to pursue. I kind of needed to figure out who I was, who Frank Fontsere was as opposed to Frank the drummer for FOZZY. That was the entirety of my identity, and I needed to figure out who I was and can I just go out there in the world and do something completely on my own.
"It had been years and years and years of 'the kind of success that will sustain me is just around the corner' or 'the kind of success that will sustain us is just around the corner' — it was always 'just around the corner.' And I couldn't take that anymore," he continued. "'Cause the band is doing well, but it's not like we flew around on private jets and stuff like that; there were still things to deal with. We would have tour buses and they were nice and everything, but there was still a lot of showering at truck stops and gyms and things like that. I'm not a snob — it's not like that's some kind of true hardship — but it just wears on you after a while when you get to be in your 50s, especially when you don't have any skin in the game. I didn't have any songwriting credits — I'm not a songwriter — and I had no control over what the band did at all; I had no say over what the band does. It was, like, when they say 'jump,' I say 'how high?' And it's not like they were dictators or anything like that — we had a good relationship — but ultimately, I feel like I'm working toward something, or at least I was trying to work toward something and I didn't have any real control over the outcome."
Frank added: "They say, 'Well, if you're gonna fail, fail on your own terms.' The band that follows their heart and does the music that means something to them, they think, 'Well, if we sell no records, at least I have the records and at least I can be proud of that.' And I didn't really have that; I had no real investment in what was going on."
Fontsere was a founding member of FOZZY, having formed the group in 1999 with singer Chris Jericho and guitarist Rich Ward.
When FOZZY announced Fontsere's departure, the band said that he was "stepping down to focus on his family and other projects."
In a separate statement on his personal Facebook page, Brooks said that he was "super excited" about his new gig. He wrote: "So thankful for this amazing opportunity! Huge shoutout to Rich Ward, aka The Duke and Chris Jericho for reaching out to me and offering me the gig."
FOZZY will release its new album, "Boombox", on May 6. The LP, which includes the top 10 singles "Nowhere To Run" and "Sane", was once again produced by Johnny Andrews.
FOZZY's "Save The World" 2022 U.S. tour, featuring special guests GFM, KRASHKARMA and THE NOCTURNAL AFFAIR, will wrap on May 16 in Sauget, Illinois.
FOZZY debuted a brand new song, "Purifier", during its September 2021 concert in Flint, Michigan and has been performing it live ever since. Back in July 2021, FOZZY played another new song, "The Vulture Club", during its concert in Iowa City, Iowa. The band also performed its previous single, "Sane", live for the first time.
In May 2021, FOZZY dropped a video for its first new song in two years, the aforementioned "Sane", which hit one million views in its first two weeks. This first-of-its-kind video was filmed on the longest wooden roller coaster on the planet today.
In the summer of 2020, Chris revealed that FOZZY's next LP would contain 12 songs, including a cover of FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD's "Relax".
Ward and Andrews once again did "the lion's share" of the songwriting for the new LP, which was recorded primarily in Atlanta, Georgia.
In addition to producing "Judas", Andrews previously co-wrote FOZZY's "Lights Go Out" track back in 2014. He has also written songs with the likes of ALL THAT REMAINS, THREE DAYS GRACE and HALESTORM.
In November 2020, FOZZY appeared in its first global live streaming event from Madison Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.
FOZZY is Chris Jericho (vocals), Rich Ward (guitars, vocals), Grant Brooks (drums), Billy Grey (guitars) and P.J. Farley (bass).
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS have released the official Malia James-directed music video for their latest single, "These Are the Ways". The song is taken from the band's new album, "Unlimited Love", which arrives today (Friday, April 1) via Warner.
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS's first new LP with guitarist John Frusciante since 2006's "Stadium Arcadium" was once again produced by Rick Rubin who previously worked on "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" (1991), "Californication" (1999), "By The Way" (2002) and the aforementioned "Stadium Arcadium".
The band stated about the new record: "Our only goal is to get lost in the music. We (John, Anthony, Chad and Flea) spent thousands of hours, collectively and individually, honing our craft and showing up for one another, to make the best album we could. Our antennae attuned to the divine cosmos, we were just so damn grateful for the opportunity to be in a room together, and, once again, try to get better. Days, weeks and months spent listening to each other, composing, jamming freely, and arranging the fruit of those jams with great care and purpose. The sounds, rhythms, vibrations, words and melodies had us enrapt.
"We yearn to shine a light in the world, to uplift, connect, and bring people together. Each of the songs on our new album 'Unlimited Love' is a facet of us, reflecting our view of the universe. This is our life’s mission. We work, focus, and prepare, so that when the biggest wave comes, we are ready to ride it. The ocean has gifted us a mighty wave and this record is the ride that is the sum of our lives. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy it."
Frusciante said: "When we started writing material, we began by playing old songs by people like Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, THE KINKS, THE NEW YORK DOLLS, Richard Barrett and others. Ever so gradually, we started bringing in new ideas, and turning jams into songs, and after a couple of months the new stuff was all we were playing. The feeling of effortless fun we had when we were playing songs by other people, stayed with us the whole time we were writing. For me, this record represents our love for, and faith in each other."
On lead track "Black Summer", ethereal guitar underlines introspective lyrics as the rhythm unlocks a hypnotic drum groove highlighted by evocative bass. It quietly inhales only to exhale with a massive refrain, "It's been a long time since I made a new friend, waiting on another black summer to end," before a guitar solo echoes to the heavens and back. For the music video, the group teamed up with acclaimed director Deborah Chow (Disney+'s "The Mandalorian", "Obi-Wan Kenobi"). The result continues a tradition of captivating cinematic visuals — with a twist.
The interplay between the band borders on intergalactic once again — yet elevated to another stratosphere altogether. "Unlimited Love" represents the united spirit of four individual souls still fearlessly exploring the future of their eternal friendship and musical congregation.
"Here Ever After" follows a staccato bassline down a rhythmic wormhole as the hook promises, "She's the kinda girl that make you wanna go faster now." And whether it be wrangling wild horns and boisterous bass on "Aquatic Mouth Dance" or the poetic dreamscape of confessional ballad "Not The One", the album twists and turns with gleeful unpredictability. On "Poster Child", a funky riff spiked with wah pedal magic wobbles in tandem with the delivery as a blissful chorus takes hold. "The Great Apes" charges forward towards a primal clarion call. For nearly six minutes, "It's Only Natural" slips in and out of hypnotic harmonies and magnetic grooves. The slinky funk of "She's A Lover" bleeds into a chantable gang vocal and dancefloor-ready refrain, while "These Are The Ways" sees a soft melody give way to guitar and vocal catharsis.
"Whatchu Thinkin'" leans on head-nodding percussion as the vocals flutter with the tempo only for guitar to ignite the chorus. An analog synth choir colors the intro of "Bastards Of Light" while a heavenly crescendo elevates "White Braids & Pillow Chair" beyond the clouds. Hitting the highways, "One Way Traffic" revs up funk at an intersection of airy bass and drums. "Veronica" trades the band's sunny Los Angeles for the South Side of Chicago and a near-cinematic story about the title character. Then, there's "Let 'Em Cry" where trumpet punctuates the momentum before peaking on an emotionally charged guitar solo. "The Heavy Wing" takes flight on a climactic burst of distortion and vocal conjurations. The ride culminates on "Tangelo". Threaded together with delicate guitar and emotionally charged vocals, this otherworldly lullaby leaves off on a vibrant, vulnerable, and vital final note as it slips into the arms of feedback.
"Unlimited Love" track listing:
01. Black Summer
02. Here Ever After
03. Aquatic Mouth Dance
04. Not The One
05. Poster Child
06. The Great Apes
07. It's Only Natural
08. She's A Lover
09. These Are The Ways
10. Whatchu Thinkin'
11. Bastards Of Light
12. White Braids & Pillow Chair
13. One Way Traffic
14. Veronica
15. Let 'Em Cry
16. The Heavy Wing
17. Tangelo
Last fall, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith told Rolling Stone that the four members of the band were "getting along great", and were "really listening to each other in a new way".
"All of our records are just real good snapshots of where we're at that time," he said. "You can't really go, 'Oh, gee, I hope it's as good as...' Then you're starting to have preconceived notions about what you want to write.
"Look, John hasn't been in our group in 10 years. That's a long time. So of course it's going to sound different, but it's going to sound like the four of us because we do have this special chemistry together. It sounds like RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, but it's different and new, and to me that's great.
"We really like it and we're proud of it and it has to start there. If other people like it, great. If people compare it to this or [say] it doesn't sound like that, we have no control over that. But yeah, we're all really happy with the record."
Regarding the return of Frusciante, Smith said: "He is so dedicated. He's so into it. He's working so hard. We're all working hard, but he's in there with all the overdubs and the magic that he brings."
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS will embark on a world tour this summer. The North American leg will kick off in Denver, Colorado on July 23 at Empower Field at Mile High. It will conclude in Arlington, Texas on September 18 at Globe Life Field.
Frusciante originally joined RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS following the death of founding guitarist Hillel Slovak in 1988. This lineup recorded two highly successful albums that brought the group mainstream popularity: "Mother's Milk" and "Blood Sugar Sex Magik". Sadly, Frusciante fell into a deep heroin addiction that caused him to leave the band while touring to support "Blood Sugar Sex Magik". Frusciante rejoined CHILI PEPPERS six years later, playing on 1999 album "Californication", 2002's "By The Way" and 2006's "Stadium Arcadium" before quitting the band again in September 2009.
In October 2020, Frusciante told the Australian digital radio station Double J that playing with his RHCP bandmates Anthony Kiedis, Flea and Smith once again was like "returning to family. I'm extremely comfortable with those people. It was as if no time had gone by at all when we started playing, pretty much, with a couple of minor exceptions, like how Chad and I gradually got our communication together in a new way. Basically, we're all just as comfortable with each other as we ever were, and it just felt like that right off the bat."
New York / New Jersey metal collective Tombs has unveiled a music video for their brand new song, "Ex Oblivion", inspired by the haunting H.P. Lovecraft story of the same name. The single is the first of Tombs' upcoming Ex-Oblivion digital EP, for which the final single will be made available on July 13. All songs will be available via Bandcamp, YouTube, and across all streaming services while a vinyl counterpart will be announced at a later date.
The cover artwork for Ex Oblivion was created by Mike Goncalves and can be found below, along with the tracklist.
In addition, Tombs is welcoming new member Todd Stern (Psycroptic, Hammer Fight, Abacinate) on second guitar, Stern will make his debut with the band on their upcoming U.S. co-headliner with Cloak, which kicks off on April 5 in Providence, RI.
Tombs will be hitting the road in the States next month for a co-headlining run with label-mates Cloak, and will return again in May for a full tour in support of Origin along with label-mates Abysmal Dawn. The full itinerary can be found below.
Tombs / Cloak:
April
5 - Providence, RI - Dusk
6 - Philadelphia, PA - Silk City
7 - Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery
8 - Winston Salem, NC - Break Time
9 - Greenville, SC - Radio Room
10 - Atlanta, GA - Boggs
16 - Brooklyn, NY - Kingsland*
*Tombs only, no Cloak
Tombs + Abysmal Dawn (supporting Origin):
May
23 - Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad
25 - El Paso, TX - Rockhouse Bar & Grill
26 - Denver, CO - HQ
27 - Colorado Springs, CO - The Black Sheep
28 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall
29 - Mesa, AZ - Nile Underground
30 - Los Angeles, CA - 1720
31 - San Diego, CA - Brick by Brick
June
1 - Fresno, CA - Full Circle Brewery District
2 - San Francisco, CA - The Great Northern
3 - Portland, OR - Dantes
4 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
5 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theater
7 - Edmonton, AB - The Starlite Room
8 - Calgary, AB - Dickens
10 - Winnipeg, MB - Good Will
11 - Minneapolis, MN - The Cabooze
12 - Madison, WI - Crucible
13 - Iowa City, IA - Wildwood
14 - Sioux Falls, SD - Bigs Bar
15 - Lawrence, KS - The Bottleneck
Tomorrow, Friday, April 1, The Dead Daisies will released a new digital single, "Long Way To Go" (Live From Daisyland). A video for the song can be viewed below.
Says the band: "Drum roll... the next single from our Live From Daisyland EP is out on your favourite digital platforms on Friday! Check out 'Long Way To Go' (Live), with the amazing crowd at Rock City Nottingham UK. There's also a-rockin' clip! Check it out!"
The Dead Daisies kick off their summer in style with a massive pan European jaunt that’s set to radiate some heat. The first string of dates are a combination of arena and amphitheatre shows with Judas Priest, Foreigner and Whitesnake, performing at some of the most famous and coveted festivals such as Graspop Belgium and Hellfest France.
Debuting in Germany, the band will also play a series of headline performances. Rejoining The Dead Daisies is drummer extraordinaire Brian Tichy who will unite with Glenn, Doug and David for a massive dose of undiluted rock, the first in Europe since 2018. These will also be the first shows with this lineup.
“What a great way to start off 2022. I’m excited to get behind the drum kit and do some powerful, groovy rocking with my good friends Doug Aldrich, Glenn Hughes and David Lowy in The Dead Daisies! Looking forward to seeing you all out on tour this year!” - Brian Tichy
If you love to rock, then you’re in for one hell of a ride when the Daisies bring their hits, along with songs from Holy Ground and a couple of new tracks from the upcoming album to a venue near you.
“Hey loved ones, we cannot wait to come to Europe this summer and play for you all once again. There are so many beautiful cities to visit along the way. We are currently making a new record, so who knows hopefully we can bring a couple of new songs to you too!” - Glenn Hughes
The band are currently in LA recording a new album with producer Ben Grosse, which is slated for release in August, with first single out late May to coincide with the tour. This will be the Daisies sixth studio album and it’s set to stun.
“It’s already been too long since we played live and I’m ready to go…. But first we are making the new record, we will see you soon! Get your tickets asap! We are coming for ya!!” - Doug Aldrich
July
2 - Fabrique - Milan, Italy
3 - Castello Di San Giusto - Trieste, Italy
6 - SRC Tasmajdan - Belgrade, Serbia (with Whitesnake)
8 - Masters Of Rock - Vizovice, Czech Republic
9 - Hype Park - Krakow, Poland
11 - Budapest Arena - Budapest, Hungary, (with Judas Priest)
12 - Dvorana Stozice - Ljubljana, Slovenia (with Judas Priest)
15 - Faliro Olympic Indoor Hall - Athens, Greece (with Judas Priest)
17 - Midalidare Rock - Mogilovo, Bulgaria (with Judas Priest)
18 - Arenele Romane - Bucharest, Romania (with Judas Priest)
19 - Skenderija - Sarajevo, Bosnia (with Whitesnake)
26 - Theatre Antique - Vienne, France (with Judas Priest)
27 - Z7 - Pratteln, Switzerland
28 - Substage - Karlsruhe, Germany
30 - Freilichtbuhne Peißnitzinsel - Halle (Saale), Germany (with Judas Priest)
31 - Rudolf Weber Arena - Oberhausen, Germany (with Judas Priest)
August
2 - Brose Arena (Bab Bamberg Arena MBH) - Bamberg, Germany (with Judas Priest)
5 - Time To Rock Festival - Knislinge, Sweden
The Dead Daisies are Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple/Black Country Communion) on lead vocals and bass, lead guitarist Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake/Dio), rhythm guitar player David Lowy (Mink/Red Phoenix) and drummer Brian Tichy (Foreigner/Ozzy Osbourne).
Radiant are back with their second studio album Written By Life, due for release on April 22 via Massacre Records. New single and video for “Nightshift” is streaming below.
In life, there's often just a fine line between happiness, pain, sorrow and fulfillment, and our ups and downs have made us who we are today. This album tells the stories of Radiant's personal and musical adventures, milestones, and tragedies.
Written By Life is a concept album about the band members’ lives since they started playing music. Everyone in the band wrote down two-three personal stories for this album. They all wrote the songs together in the rehearsal room where they played, jammed, laughed, and had a few beers together.
This album is a big step forward for Radiant. The songwriting is diverse, the songs are very catchy, and the album is full of uplifting melodies, great instrumental work, and very personal stories as well as a powerful, dynamic, transparent, old-school and at the same time modern sound.
Tracklisting:
“Nightshift”
“Don’t Stop The Daydream”
“Real Passion Will Never Die”
“Live The Adventure”
“Stand That Fight”
“Because Of You”
“Contagioned”
“Rock And Win”
“Dare To Fail”
“Twice A Week”
“Hang Around With Friends”
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