UK grindcore pioneers, Napalm Death, performed the title track of their 1997 EP, Breed To Breathe, at the 2021 edition of Bloodstock Open Air, held last August at Catton Hall and Gardens, Walton-on-Trent, England. Watch pro-shot video of the performance below:
Continuing the fearless exploration of their legendary sound’s outer limits, Napalm Death recently announced the release of a new mini-album, entitled Resentment Is Always Seismic - A Final Throw Of Throes, out February 11 via Century Media Records.
Resentment Is Always Seismic - A Final Throw Of Throes is a partner recording to Napalm Death’s latest, much acclaimed Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism album from 2020, concluding matters through vital, tumultuous grindcore and shockwave ambience.
While currently on the road across North America, Napalm Death frontman Mark “Barney” Greenway checked in with the following comment about the upcoming release: “You can certainly consider “Resentment Is Always...” as an extension of - or partner recording to - the “Throes…” album. We had long since wanted to put a mini-album out – in the spirit of the old days – and found we had enough quality tracks even after all the “Throes...” bonus tracks to do that. Hopefully this mini holds some nice twists in its own right for people, and certainly covering “People Pie” by Slab! made us really stretch ourselves, which feels great artistically. In the end, resentment is certainly seismic – it can trigger the complete erosion of humanity in many situations. That was the point that I really wanted to hammer home overall.”
“Narcissus”, the furious opening track of the release, is being launched today as small foretaste of the mini-album. Check it out at full volume below.
““Narcissus” just seemed to fit the bill as one of those rampaging tracks that we always seem to gravitate towards as an album opener. The low-slung concrete mixer bassline at the start really ushers it in nicely. It was written at a time when the ‘alt-right’ was parading itself around, so lyrically I like to think it exposes the vanity and personality cult of that whole thing,” added Greenway.
The 8-track mini-album comes with a total playing time of 29 minutes and will be available as Ltd. CD Digipak, Vinyl as well as in the Digital Album format.
The vinyl edition will come as 12” (at 33 ⅓ RPM) on 180g vinyl, available in the following variants/limitations:
- Black LP - unlimited
- Transp. Red LP - 1500x copies via CM Distro & Webshop Europe & all US outlets
- Clear LP - 300x copies Nuclear Blast
- Silver LP - 300x copies via EMP
- Transp. Green LP - 500x copies via Napalm Death
"Narcissus"
"Resentment Always Simmers"
"By Proxy"
"People Pie" (Slab! Cover version)
"Man Bites Dogged"
"Slaver Through A Repeat Performance"
"Don't Need It" (Bad Brains cover version)
"Resentment Is Always Seismic (Dark Sky Burial Dirge)"
"Narcissus":
Napalm Death recently announced a next edition of their Campaign For Musical Destruction tour across Europe for February/March, this time featuring support by Doom, Siberian Meatgrinder and Show Me The Body. Dates below.
Tour dates:
February
3 - Magdeburg, Germany - Factory
4 - Wrocław, Poland - Concert Center A2
5 - Budapest, Hungary - A38
6 - Wien, Austria - Arena
7 - München, Germany - Backstage
9 - Manchester, UK - Club Academy
10 - Glasgow, UK - Classic Grand
11 - Buckley, UK - The Tivoli
12 - Birmingham, UK - Hammerfest
13 - London, UK - Electric Ballroom
15 - Paris, France - La Machine Du Moulin Rouge
16 - Besançon, France - La Rodia
17 - Marseille, France - Le Jas Rod
18 - Biarritz, France - Atabal
19 - Mérignac, France - Krakato
22 - Paderno Dugnano, Italy - Slaughter Club
23 - Nürnberg, Gerrmany - Z-Bau
24 - Brno, Czech Republic - Sonor
25 - Leipzig, Germany - Werk 2
26 - Herford, Germany - X-Herford
27 - Utrecht, The Netherlands - Tivoli
March
1 - Hamburg, Germany - Gruenspan
2 - Oberhausen, Germany - Turbinenhalle
3 - Lindau, Germany - Club Vaudeville
4 - Mannheim, Germany - Alte Feuerwache
5 - Berlin, Germany - Astra
6 - Eindhoven, The Netherlands – Dynamo
Arjen Anthony Lucassen (Ayreon) is set to release the new Star One album, Revel In Time, on February 18 via InsideOutMusic. Revel In Time is now available for pre-order, along with the reissues of Victims Of The Modern Age and Space Metal.
Today, Arjen is pleased to share the new single and video for the title track featuring Brandon Yeagley and Adrian Vandenberg. Watch the clip below.
Arjen has this to say about the video: “Dear friends, you better hold on tight for this absolutely zany clip... here is the 4th single: ‘Revel In Time’! It’s based on the equally zany movie ‘Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure’. It was filmed in Holland and the U.S. and of course... in outer space.
This is definitely the most varied Star One album so far. After the epic ‘Lost Children Of The Universe’, the fast and furious ‘Fate Of Man’, the complex and proggy ‘Prescient’ we now have this deliriously wild ride for you with ‘Revel In Time’. I sure hope you have a sense of humor, ha ha!
I hope you will enjoy this Amazing Flight in Time and Space. Thanks for your support as always, looking forward to reading your comments. Be excellent to each other! Arjen.”
The new album comes more than 10 years since the previous release and is due out on February 18 via InsideOutMusic.
Arjen explains the decision to return with a new Star One album: “Ayreon is like the mothership for all my music. It contains all the different musical styles that I like to listen to and that I love to create. But I’m always looking for challenges and trying to create something new and original as well. Working within a set of constraints forces you to do that, so sometimes I like to limit myself and focus on just one style. For example, with Star One I focus on the metal-side of Ayreon. That means you won’t hear the exuberantly liberal use of acoustic instruments that are so often featured on Ayreon albums, like violin, woodwinds, cello, horns, dulcimer, mandolin, etc.”
The album will come as Ltd. 2CD Digipak, Ltd. Deluxe 3CD+Blu-Ray Artbook (incl. a poster of the cover artwork), and as 180g Gatefold 2LP (incl. the album on CD & an LP-Booklet).
CD2 features alternate versions of the same songs as CD1, but with different vocalists. Also available will be a 5.1 mix, a high-res audio version, and an exclusive, hour-long Behind The Scenes video, on the Blu-ray included in the Artbook.
"Fate Of Man" (Vocals: Brittney Slayes, Guitar solo: Michael Romeo)
"28 Days (Till The End Of Time)" (Vocals: Sir Russell Allen, Guitar solos: Timo Somers)
"Prescient" (Vocals: Michael Mills and Ross Jennings)
"Back From The Past" (Vocals: Jeff Scott Soto, Guitar solo: Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal
"Revel In Time" (Vocals: Brandon Yeagley, Guitar solos: Adrian Vandenberg)
"The Year Of ’41" (Lead vocal: Joe Lynn Turner, Vocalization: Will Shaw, Guitar solo: Joe Hoekstra, Synthesizer solo: Jens Johansson)
"Bridge Of Life" (Vocals: Damian Wilson)
"Today Is Yesterday" (Vocals: Dan Swanö, Mood synthesizers: Lisa Bella Donna, Guitar solo: Marcel Singor)
"A Hand On The Clock" (Vocals: Floor Jansen, Hammond solo: Joost van den Broek
"Beyond The Edge Of It All" (Vocals: John Jaycee Cuijpers, Guitar solo: Arjen Lucassen)
"Lost Children Of The Universe" (Vocals: Roy Khan, Choir: Hellscore Choir, Guitar solo: Steve Via)
CD 2:
"Fate Of Man" (Vocals: Marcela Bovio)
"28 Days (Till The End Of Time)" (Vocals: John Jaycee Cuijpers)
"Prescient" (Vocals: Will Shaw)
"Back From The Past" (Vocals: John Jaycee Cuijpers)
"Revel In Time" (Vocals: John Jaycee Cuijpers)
"The Year Of ’41" (Vocals and synth solo: Alessandro Del Vecchio)
"Bridge Of Life" (Vocals: Wilmer Waarbroek)
"Today Is Yesterday" (Vocals: Arjen Lucassen)
"A Hand On The Clock" (Lead and backing vocals: Marcela Bovio and Irene Jansen (verses))
"Beyond The Edge Of It All" (Vocals: Mike Andersson)
"Lost Children Of The Universe" (Vocals: Tony Martin)
MÖTLEY CRÜE frontman Vince Neil played his first concert of 2022 last night (Friday, January 14) at Hollywood Casino in Columbus, Ohio. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be seen below.
The Columbus show marked Neil's second live appearance since he reportedly broke his ribs while performing with his solo band at the Monsters On The Mountain festival at LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee on October 15. Fan-filmed video of that gig showed the 60-year-old rocker walking to the front of the stage with his guitar strapped around him. He encouraged the crowd to clap along while playing the 1989 MÖTLEY CRÜE hit "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)" when he suddenly fell and dropped out of the camera's view almost instantly. TMZ later reported that there was a small gap between the speaker and the stage that Neil didn't notice. His roadie and a security guy helped him get to his feet, and Vince "limped away."
Last May, Neil made headlines when he struggled to complete his solo concert at the Boone Iowa River Valley Festival in Boone. Based on fan-filmed video footage of the gig posted on YouTube, the rocker, who hadn't performed in more than a year and a half due to the COVID-19 pandemic, began losing his voice several songs into his set, which consisted exclusively of CRÜE classics and cover songs previously recorded by the band.
MÖTLEY CRÜE's "The Stadium Tour" with DEF LEPPARD, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS was originally scheduled to take place in the summer of 2020 but ended up being pushed back to 2021, and then to 2022, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In December 2019, CRÜE manager Allen Kovac told Fox Business that "some of" the bandmembers had enlisted outside help to get in shape for the trek. Kovac was referring to criticism of Neil for his supposed diminished singing ability and weight gain, as well as the health status of guitarist Mick Mars, who has been dealing with a chronic form of arthritis that led him to undergo a hip replacement.
Kovac explained: "Some of them are working with a trainer, some of them are working with a nutritionist to make themselves the best they can be. The greatest insecurity for an artist is: Is anyone going to care about my music? Is anyone going to buy a ticket? We were in November [2019] when the discussions were happening, and these guys were already into regimens of how they get ready for a tour."
Speaking specifically about Neil, Kovac added: "Let's see what Vince sings like and looks like when the tour goes out."
CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx also said that Vince was "killing it" while working with "trainers" and "nutritionists" in preparation for "The Stadium Tour".
Fan-filmed video of VIXEN's January 17 performance at RokIsland Fest in Key West, Florida can be seen below.
Last July, Lorraine Lewis spoke to The SDR Show about how she ended up becoming the new lead singer of VIXEN following the departure of Janet Gardner. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The crazy thing is that, honestly, the night before Roxy [Petrucci, drums] called me to join, I had actually reached out to my booking agent to tell him I was done with [my longtime band] FEMME FATALE. I just had enough, a lot on my shoulders. I have a really good day job, the love of my life. And I was just, like, we had a really good run — six years with the girls — and I just felt done. And so I called him to tell him. And the very next day Roxy calls me and asks me if I'd be the lead singer of VIXEN. That's, honest to God, how it happened. And I was, like, 'This is so weird. 'Cause I just called [my booking agent] last night and told him I'm done.' So it was one of those things. I was really done with FEMME. I'd had a great run and I was ready to say goodbye. And Roxy called and I told her I was done. She was, like, 'What do you mean 'done'?' I'm, like, 'I'm done done.' She's, like, 'Done what?' And so I said, 'I'm done with FEMME. I'm done with singing. I'm just gonna chill.' And she's, like, 'No, you're not. You're gonna join VIXEN.' And so she presented what was going on. And I told her I was gonna think about it, talk with my husband, figure it out, and make sure that I could hit some of those soaring notes that VIXEN was famous for. And when I felt that I could do that, and [once] everything fit into place, I called and said, 'Let's do this.' So it wasn't that hard of a decision. I had really put FEMME to bed at that time."
Lorraine also confirmed that VIXEN was working on material for a new studio album.
"This past year, things have been so disjointed with everybody living everywhere and not being able to travel [due to the pandemic]," she said. "Britt [Lightning, a.k.a. Brittany Denaro; guitar] and I have been pretty good about getting together on Zoom and working things out. Roxy has been writing. We've all been separately, and then together as well. So things are in the works. We're not ready to release anything right now. But I'm hoping that now that we're gonna be kicking shows into gear, the glue will start happening again and we'll be able to get some stuff recorded together as a band."
Lewis went on to say that she is "so thrilled to be the singer of VIXEN. I'm so stoked to be carrying on the legacy of the band," she said. "So I'm honored. And I just wanna keep rockin'."
Prior to officially joining VIXEN in January 2019, Lewis had already performed with the band in March 2018 in Durant, Oklahoma while Gardner was recovering from surgery.
Gardner, Petrucci and Ross are considered to be part of VIXEN's classic lineup, along with founding guitarist Jan Kuehnemund, who died of cancer in October 2013.
Gardner contributed lead vocals to VIXEN's most commercially successful studio albums — "Vixen" (1988), "Rev It Up" (1990) and "Tangerine" (1998) — as well as the group's latest release, 2018's live album "Live Fire".
Swedish occult rockers GHOST will release their fifth album, "Impera", on March 11 via Loma Vista/Concord. The official music video for the LP's latest single, "Call Me Little Sunshine", can be seen below.
"Impera track listing:
01. Imperium
02. Kaisarion
03. Spillways
04. Call Me Little Sunshine
05. Hunter's Moon
06. Watcher In The Sky
07. Dominion
08. Twenties
09. Darkness At The Heart Of My Love
10. Griftwood
11. Bite Of Passage
12. Respite On The Spital Fields
"Hunter's Moon", which was originally released in September, is also featured in the latest blockbuster installment of the legendary film franchise "Halloween Kills". The "Halloween Kills" soundtrack arrived on October 15 via Sacred Bones, with the film hitting theaters (and Peacock) the same day as well.
Produced by Klas Åhlund and mixed by Andy Wallace, GHOST's "Hunter's Moon" plays as the "Halloween Kills" end credits roll, and will be released January 21 as a collectible seven-inch single by Loma Vista Recordings. "Hunter's Moon" can be streamed, purchased, and/or pre-ordered in its vinyl incarnation. The retail version of the seven-inch will feature the special B-side "Halloween Kills (Main Title)", performed, produced and engineered by John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies.
"Hunter's Moon" features OPETH's Fredrik Åkesson on guitar and THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES founder Martin Hederos on the piano. Producer Max Grahn and "A Ghoul Writer" are listed as the song's composers and lyricists.
In a recent interview with the KLAQ radio station, GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge spoke about how the extraordinary world events of the last couple of years have served as an inspiration for the band's new material. He said: "The album that I have been working on, I came up with that concept years ago. We played in Seattle in 2013, 2014 — something like that — we played at Showbox At The Market. [Editor's note: The concert took place in April 2013.] I remember that day I came up with the idea for this record, this upcoming record. Because I got a book called 'The Rule Of Empires'. So, basically, I wanted to make a record about the rise and ultimately the unescapable fails and falls of empires. And an idea like that can take — at least me — quite far. So once you get that idea of, like, 'Oh, now I know what the pile is gonna look like. I know now what not to put in there.' And it was the same thing with [2018's] 'Prequelle' [album]; it was gonna be about the great death, a medieval, primordial threat of annihilation which was, I guess I wouldn't say carnal but maybe a tiny tad more spiritual and philosophical death, with the ever presence of actual termination, whereas this record about the empires was gonna be a little bit more practical, I guess; a little bit more, I don't wanna say political. So it wasn't really hard to be inspired by the last couple of years."
The book Forge referenced is apparently "The Rule Of Empires: Those Who Built Them, Those Who Endured Them, And Why They Always Fall", in which author Timothy Parsons gives a sweeping account of the evolution of empire from its origins in ancient Rome to its most recent twentieth-century embodiment. He explains what constitutes an empire and offers suggestions about what empires of the past can tell us about our own historical moment.
In March 2020, at final show of GHOST's "Prequelle" tour in Mexico City, Mexico, the band officially introduced Papa Emeritus IV, the new character who will front the act for its next LP phase.
Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of the band's first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of 2018's "Prequelle".
As previously reported, GHOST will be the featured musical guest on the Thursday, January 20 episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", airing at 11:35 p.m. ET on ABC.
Four months ago, GHOST announced a 26-date co-headlining U.S. arena tour with VOLBEAT and special guests TWIN TEMPLE, coming to cities including Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Houston, and Phoenix. The trek will kick off on January 25 in Reno, Nevada and conclude on March 3 in Anaheim, California.
"Like millions of others around the globe, we're ready to rock again," says LOVERBOY guitarist/co-founding member Paul Dean about their return to recording and the concert stage in 2022.
The band's new single, "Release", due in mid-January on all digital streaming platforms, is a full-throttle rocker Paul had been working on, at first intended for an unnamed metal band which approached him as a songwriter/producer to work with them. But when that didn't pan out, Dean decided to reach out to the other members of LOVERBOY to gauge their interest in recording it as their next single, which became "Release".
"It started out as a frustrated call to action, after months of lockdown, and morphed into a metal anthem about the loyalty and commitment of that audience," said Dean, with lyrics inspired by Sam Dunn's 2005 documentary "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey". They could well apply to LOVERBOY itself, going strong more than four decades after forming in Calgary in 1979.
"The communal aspect of heavy rock is almost like a religion," says Paul. "I've always been a big metal fan. My son and I have seen many of those bands in concert."
Paul started with no music, just the phrase "I need a release," and eventually finished writing it, before soliciting the other members of LOVERBOY, starting with lead singer Mike Reno, who contributed vocals and some evocative lyrics like "It's a frontal attack/It's a matter of fact." And when he continues, "Thinkin' bout me and you/Couldn't stop if we wanted to/It's a bond that can't be broken/Never broken," Reno could be talking about the long-term relationships within the band or with their own steadfast fans. Paul recorded Mike's vocals in a single afternoon at Reno's Vancouver home studio. "Mike always provides that great energy," says Paul.
Doug Johnson then added his trademarked keyboard riffs. "He's such an amazing player and an essential part of the band," acknowledged Dean. Then drummer Matt Frenette and bassist Ken "Spider" Sinnaeve, who joined the band in 2001 when original member Scott Smith drowned in a boating accident, provided the always-solid foundation, making "Release" a potent LOVERBOY anthem in the style of "Working For The Weekend", "Hot Girls In Love", "Lovin' Every Minute Of It" and "Turn Me Loose".
Working remotely, Frenette sent Dean seven different possible drum "takes" for the track. "That was amazing," said Paul. "It totally blew me away. And Matt was very helpful in putting the video together as well, he had some great ideas."
Dean adds, "Looks like we're finally going to get that 'Release' this January, when we play together live for the first time in nearly two years!"
LOVERBOY's upcoming tour dates include January 23 with Rick Springfield at the Ilani Cowlitz Ballroom in Ridgefield, Washington and headlining shows March 3 and March 4 in Windsor and Sarnia, Ontario. LOVERBOY will then join fellow rockers STYX and REO SPEEDWAGON for the Live Nation-promoted "Live & UnZoomed" tour that kicks off May 31 in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena.
LOVERBOY has four multi-platinum albums, including the four-million-selling "Get Lucky", and a trio of double-platinum releases in their self-titled 1980 debut, 1983's "Keep It Up" and 1985's "Lovin' Every Minute Of It". Their string of hits includes, in addition to the arena-rock anthem "Working For The Weekend", such staples as "Lovin' Every Minute Of It", "This Could Be The Night", "Hot Girls In Love", "Heaven In Your Eyes", "Turn Me Loose", "When It's Over", "Heaven In Your Eyes" and "Queen Of The Broken Hearts".
The clip below features Nightwish vocalist Floor Jansen performing with singer Henk Poort at her solo show at AFAS Live in Amsterdam, Netherlands on September 1st, 2021.
Floor: "In lockdown, Henk Poort and I reunited to perform another musical classic together. 'Dangerous Game' from the Jekyll & Hyde is a favorite of us both. We hope you enjoy this live performance of a quarantine cover performance."
The setlist was as follows:
Set 1:
"Ever Dream" (Nightwish)
"Storm In A Glass" (Northward)
"Nemo" (Nightwish)
"Mama" (Samantha Steenwijk cover)
"Sweet Curse" (ReVamp song - with Henk Poort)
"Dangerous Game" (from Jekyll & Hyde - with Henk Poort)
"Euphoria" (Loreen)
"Face Your Demons" (After Forever)
"Winner" (Tim Akkerman cover)
Set 2:
"Slow, Love, Slow" (Nightwish)
"Shallow" (Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper cover)
"Strong" (After Forever)
"Élan" (Nightwish)
"Energize Me" (After Forever)
"Qué Se Siente" (Rolf Sanchez)
"Bridle Passion" (Northward)
"Our Decades In The Sun" (Nightwish)
"Wolf And Dog" (ReVamp)
"The Phantom Of The Opera" (Andrew Lloyd Webber cover - with Henk Poort)
On their soaring, self-titled debut, melodic hard rock supergroup Out Of This World skillfully underlines the combination of well-made songs with passion: a perfect and rare constellation when the stars are aligned correctly. Forged by Kee Marcello of Europe fame, vocal thunder Tommy Heart (Fair Warning), bassist Ken Sandin (Alien), and drummer Darby Todd (Devin Townsend, Gary Moore, The Darkness), Out Of This World is a dream come true for everybody out there who is mourning the loss of quality melodic hard rock. It’s no wonder this record has already become a massive hit in Japan.
The group recently announced their signing to Atomic Fire Records, releasing their self-titled debut album, including three bonus tracks as well as a seven-track bonus live album on January 14, 2022.
To coincide with the album release, the band has shared an official video for the song "In A Million Years". Check it out below.
"Our eponymous Out Of This World may sound like a hard promise to keep, but honestly, it describes it to a tee," comments Kee Marcello.
Tommy Heart states, "After having released our first record in Japan, we are super pumped to let our music be heard from the rest of the world as well. Very happy to be a part of the Atomic Fire Records family! We are working together since only a couple of months, but I can already tell, I have a great feeling about this team that understands our music and our vision so well!"
"Asked about my all-time favorite hard rock albums, I would always mention the self-titled Fair Warning classic from 1992, it's a true masterpiece," says Atomic Fire Records CEO and label manager Markus Wosgien. He adds, "And if we talk about Europe, I think everyone grew up with their ‘80s and early ‘90s classics. To be working with Kee Marcello as well as Tommy Heart now is a dream come true. Close your eyes, enjoy this beautiful album and you will feel like a lovestruck teenager again."
It's no coincidence that Marcello's latest endeavor bears the name of that legendary multi-platinum Europe album released back in 1988. "When I told people about my new project, someone suggested I call it something like Kee Marcelo's Europe. But that's terrible," he laughs. "I hated it. Tommy suggested to call it Out Of This World, simple as that. Just as the Black Sabbath guys and Dio did with Heaven And Hell."
The same vibe, the same ear for melody, the same hooks permeate an album that was brought to life with the vigor and passion you wouldn't exactly expect in a rock star who's seen it all and done it all in the past forty years. "I've always concentrated on music, and my passion for that never changed," he says. "I've never changed style; I've never tried to do anything I'm not doing well."
Out Of This World beams with a freewheeling and overflowing sense of fun, musicianship, and togetherness. It's an effortless flux that's just not normally found on a debut. "You have to remember that Darby, Ken, and I go way back," the legendary axe-man notes of his rhythm section. "We did hundreds of gigs together and are as tight as a thumbscrew. Same thing goes for Tommy and I. We clicked instantly when working together for the first time a couple of years ago. We have this almost brotherly connection. We're literally reading each other's minds, man. There was no stumbling block, it was all a self-playing piano."
It’s the same for vocalist Tommy Heart who's been around in this game forever as well. "You meet, you play, and sparks begin to fly," he describes the chemistry between the members. "We don't even talk that much. We simply let the music speak. We touch our hearts when we play which is something that's incredibly rare to find. Nobody has to explain himself; everybody is doing just what anybody else would do at that moment." Heart was instantly hooked when he realized that Out Of This World was more than a one-off thing between bored musicians in lockdown. "I don't like these temporary projects," he muses. "This here is the real deal."
"With Out Of This World, though, it never felt like a project," says Marcello and he admits: "It felt like a band from day one. This is why the album turned out so well. It has a genuine band feel to it." At their very first rehearsal session in Marcello's hometown of Gothenburg, they sketched a couple of songs that would later wind up on their debut, namely “Twilight,” “Lighting Up My Dark,” and “In A Million Years.” "We actually found ourselves right in the middle of our first recording session without even knowing it," he marvels. "Everything felt so natural and so good that writing the rest of the songs was a walk in the park."
Graced by additional key wizardry courtesy of Deep Purple’s very own Don Airey and embellished by a Ron Nevison mix (Kiss, Bad Company, Ozzy Osbourne, Meat Loaf, Heart, Chicago, Damn Yankees, etc.) who reunited with Marcello for the first time since producing Europe's Out Of This World a staggering thirty-three years ago, the songs masterfully transport the bygone era of melody driven, anthemic hard rock into the present. From uptempo rocking first single “Hanging On” via “In A Million Years,” originally written for Europe's Prisoner In Paradise, to colossal anthem “Lighting Up My Dark,” and prog-rock playground “Staring At The Sun,” Out Of This World solitarily resurrect a genre we thought was lost long ago.
Tracklisting:
“Twilight”
“Hanging On”
“In A Million Years”
“Lighting Up My Dark”
“Staring At The Sun”
“The Warrior”
“Up To You”
“Ain’t Gonna Let You Go”
“Only You Can Teach Me How To Love Again”
“Not Tonight”
“Twilight” (Demo Version)*
“In A Million Years” (Demo Version)*
“Lighting Up My Dark” (Demo Version)*
*Bonus tracks
Bonus Live CD/LP
“Let The Good Times Rock”
“Burning Heart”
“Save Me”
“Open Your Heart”
“Momentum” (Instrumental)
“Superstitious”
“Ready Or Not”
Fan-filmed video of HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale joining EVANESCENCE on stage during the latter band's January 14 concert at the Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, Ohio to perform a cover version of LINKIN PARK's "Heavy" can be seen below. The show was part of the rescheduled dates of EVANESCENCE and HALESTORM's U.S. co-headlining tour, which will run through January 21 in Newark, New Jersey.
Lzzy and EVANESCENCE singer Amy Lee have been performing "Heavy" at every stop on the current tour. Lzzy spoke about the decision to cover the track in an interview with the 105.7 The Point radio station. She said: "[Amy and I] were lobbing a couple of ideas back and forth and then, all of a sudden, we landed on LINKIN PARK. And [we thought], you know what? That would be really cool because inadvertently it would be a tribute to [late LINKIN PARK singer] Chester [Bennington], but also, everything that this song has been about, we've all been through that — everybody. And so it's almost this like very church moment where you walk out onstage and you're, like, 'All right. This is my church. These are my people. We're all doing this together.'"
Hale also talked about her musical chemistry with Lee, saying: "There's something otherworldly that happens when I sing with her live onstage. And it's something that I can't necessarily put my finger on, that feeling. I've done thousands of other collaborations in my life, and this is very, very special. She is, obviously, a phenomenal singer; that's not even cutting it — phenomenal. But there's something that happens when we sing together because of the different personalities; it's almost like this dance that happens. Amy has likened it to a well-matched tennis match where we both have that trust because we both know that no matter what, both of us bring it; we're always on a hundred and ten. And so to be able to feel that again with her after so many years of not touring together and doing this… I don't know — I think I leave my body. When I'm onstage when that happens, all of a sudden the song's over and I'm, like, 'Wait. Did I just blank out? What happened?'"
EVANESCENCE and HALESTORM first toured together in 2012. Lee later guested on the track "Break In" on HALESTORM's 2020 "Reimagined" EP and Hale lent backing vocals to the EVANESCENCE song "Use My Voice" and appeared in the accompanying music video.
EVANESCENCE is on tour supporting last year's "The Bitter Truth" album. HALESTORM is promoting its latest single, "Back From The Dead", which recently became the band's sixth No. 1 at rock radio.
HEART's Ann Wilson has released a music video for her cover version of the ALICE IN CHAINS classic "Rooster". You can now watch it below.
Wilson performed her version of "Rooster" when ALICE IN CHAINS was presented with the Museum Of Pop Culture (MoPOP) Founders Award in December 2020. "Rooster" is also the B-side on Ann's limited-edition 45rpm single, available for purchase at AnnWilson.com.
In a December 2020 interview with the Seattle Times, Ann stated about her version of "Rooster": "I wanted to remain true to the song as much as possible, but I wanted to make it my own. But really, honoring the original spirit of the song, which is cockroaches and flies and all this kind of stuff. [Laughs]. Before I knew what form the MoPOP thing was gonna take with the live performances, I made a video for 'Rooster' that was really dark. They decided not to use it because they wanted it to be a bunch of live performances. But sometime I'll put that video out because it's really cool. It's just maggots and war stuff and darkness and insanity."
When asked by Rock Cellar how she came to choose "Rooster" for her performance at the Museum Of Pop Culture event, Ann said: "Talking with [ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist] Jerry [Cantrell], who's a friend, about which song I should do, I said, 'How would you feel if I did 'Rooster'?' Because I'd sung with them on the record of 'Rooster' years ago. And he thought that was a really good idea, so that's what we did."
Back in 2006, ALICE IN CHAINS drummer Sean Kinney told The Aquarian Weekly about HEART: "Ann and Nancy are the most talented musicians and beautiful women I've ever met. They're just so cool and genuine and not weird diva-ed out shitheads. The talent they have is overwhelming, and the music they've made over the years is flawless.
Cantrell concurred, saying: "I'm from Seattle, man. We didn't have too many heroes coming out of our town. We had [Jimi] Hendrix and HEART, QUEENSRŸCHE and that was pretty much it. We didn't have a lot of nationally respected acts, and those were the people we had and they were real fucking quality bands. Quality music and quality people as well. I've known the girls for many years now. Seattle's not that big a town, so everybody pretty much knows everybody and we've spent many years hanging."
Kinney added: "They're really good friends, and we're from the same town. I grew up holding their foldout albums in one hand, holed up in my room at night… Nah I'm just kidding. They just became really good friends and they're such talented women with such amazing tunes. My sister turned me on to them when I was just a little kid, and I've been a fan ever since then. It's been really weird to be able to become friends with them and have opportunities to play with them… They've got to be the best female rock stars of all time in my book."
"The most powerful voice I've ever heard is Ann Wilson," Cantrell said. "Hands down. And the guitar work and the singing that Nancy does is incredible too. It's an amazing thing. They're legends in my mind.
"It's not like when Cher shows up and does 'do you beLIEEEVE' with a vocoder," laughed Kinney. "Ann'll just blow your brains out when she sings. I've been lucky enough to play with her and other singers are powerful, but if they don't change the mix in your monitor, she gets up and it knocks you off your drum throne. It's like, 'Wow, that's the shit right there.'"
From the shadows of Slovenia, Shadow Universe is an instrumental music project, creating breath-taking cinematic soundscapes from post-rock, neoclassical, ambient, and post-metal elements. Their third album, Subtle Realms, Subtle Worlds will be released worldwide on March 11 via Monotreme Records. In advance of its release, the band unveils second single, “Hymn For The Giants”.
Masterfully harnessing both the quiet and the loud, “Hymn For The Giants” glorifies our almighty and precious trees, with moments of calm cut apart by vast swathes of brutal, yet considered, cacophony. Watch an official visualizer below.
Formed in 2017 by Peter Dimnik and Žan Šebrek, Shadow Universe merges contrasting textures of shimmering ambient soundscapes and heavy anxious darkness to portray the diversity of nature and life on earth and beyond.
Every person experiences the world differently, which puts us into our own unique bubbles and subtle worlds. Subtle Realms, Subtle Worlds finds the band turning their songs into living, breathing ecosystems, carefully dissecting every moment of peace and chaos alike. The album sees the building particles of the universe as separate worlds, with their own story, perception, rules, and individual inner realm.
Subtle Realms, Subtle Worlds was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Peter Dimnik. The album will be released on CD and digital formats as well as limited edition vinyl (480 copies on black, cream/black Galaxy effect, and cream with blue splatter vinyl).
Subtle Realms, Subtle Worlds tracklisting:
"Organism"
"Don’t Look At It And You’ll See It"
"Hymn For The Giants"
"Losing Home"
"Antares Goes Supernova"
"Season Of Eternal Maze"
Delivering an alluring, dark sound the Australian symphonic-goth metal act are preparing for a North American release of their debut album Advenae on March 18th 2022. Carving their way into the international symphonic metal scene, Carmeria has crafted an offering that is both ghostly and divine.
"This album has been six years in the making. From multiple line-up changes to various developments in direction, it feels quite surreal to finally release this body of work. We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve created, and are thrilled to be building on the momentum we’ve harnessed over the last 12 months. The band is in a brilliant phase of production and creativity at the moment. I am extremely excited for the future of Carmeria, and can’t wait to witness the ongoing response to this album." - Jordan Von Grae (vocalist)
Carmeria embrace musical influences from across the board, from the orchestration and cinematic work of Hans Zimmer to the gothic rock stylings of Him, along with symphonic metal giants Nightwish. Advenae unleashes a world of soaring melodies intertwined with a monstrous heaviness. From the theatrical opening of the title track, segueing into the delicate and yet demonic “Morningstar”, through to the gothic fantasy “Eternity” which soon diminishes into a haunting nightmare. Guttural vocals, staccato orchestration and dissonance induce an immersive experience with a prominent and intriguing carnivalesque style organ melody. It’s a thrilling conclusion to the album.
Carmeria leaves no stone unturned in their gothic-symphonic endeavour. Musically, they combine ethereal melodies, with epic harsh vocals thundering guitar rhythms. The atmosphere flowing through the album twists and turns ensuring that both aspects of dark and light endure. Advenae is an enchanting release and beautiful addition to the wealth of symphonic metal music.
Tracklisting:
"Advenae"
"Morningstar"
"Carpe Noctem"
"En Rapture"
"Relinquished"
"To Lead The Blind"
"Celestia"
"Solaris"
"Starfall"
"Veil Of Sanctitude"
"Halo"
"Eternity"
ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian was joined by his 10-year-old son Revel Young Ian on drums as they performed a rendition of the SEPULTURA classic "Roots Bloody Roots" for an Instagram video which Scott shared earlier today (Tuesday, January 18).
Scott captioned the video: "ROOTS BLOODY ROOTS!!! Garage jam with my man! Next time I’ll turn the guitar up and yes, it's a 7-string."
Revel is apparently a gifted multi-instrumentalist who previously 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."
L.A.-based band, Land Of Gypsies, features an artistic union between vocalist Terry Ilous (XYZ, ex-Great White), together with producer and bassist Fabrizio Grossi (Glenn Hughes, Supersonic Blues Machine, Eric Gales, etc.). Rounding out the lineup are Serge Simic on guitar (The Slam, Supersonic Blues Machine) and Tony Morra on drums.
The band have released a new music video for the song "Rescue Me", featured on their self-titled debut album, released last December. Watch below.
The band spent a wealth of time during the pandemic in 2020 working on and developing their sound. Their target was to write music leaning towards a classic hard rock sound with unforgettable melodies and a solid bluesy background to compliment Ilous' stellar vocals.
Musically, Land Of Gypsies music leans toward a classic hard rock sound with unforgettable melodies and a solid bluesy background. Think Bad Company meets early Foreigner, but with more current production.
Tracklisting:
"Believe"
"Shattered"
"Trouble"
"Give Me Love"
"Somewhere Down The Line"
"Rescue Me"
"Ordinary Man"
"Run Away"
"Long Summer Day"
"Rambling Man"
"Get It Right"
"Rescue Me" video:
"Believe":
"Shattered" video:
Lineup:
Terry Ilous - Lead & backing vocals
Serge Simic - Lead and Rhythm Guitars
Fabrizio “Fab” Grossi – Bass
AJ Morra - Drums & Percussions
Eric Ragno - Hammond, Wurly & Rhodes
Jeff Northrup - Additional guitars on “Somewhere Down The Line”
Don your bandanas, leather jackets and distressed jeans, because heavy metal is about to shine brighter than ever as Swedish newcomers Bomber bring back the hottest era in hard rock history. Asserting their own trademark blend of 70s and 80s inspired classic and hard rock with catchy hooks, top-notch guitar solos and a vibrant aesthetic, Bomber brings you their debut album, Nocturnal Creatures, via Napalm Records to be released on March 25.
With their new single “Zarathustra”, the Swedes take you on a passionate ride through old school rock music. With fiery vocals, melodic guitars and untamable drum-play, the track gets the listener’s pulse pumping. For fans of Iron Maiden, Def Leppard and Thin Lizzy, Bomber are sure to leave their mark on the modern hard rock scene.
Bomber on “Zarathustra”: “'Zarathustra' serves as a mission statement for the band…'Here we are, get out of our way'... We wanted to write a great album opener and we really think we found it all in 'Zarathustra'. It’s a track filled with loud guitars, big drums and a mighty anthemic chorus. The song is all about rising to the occasion and elevating yourself to something larger than life. Being written as the opening track for the album Nocturnal Creatures, 'Zarathustra' is the start of our journey into the night, to a place where you will find something beautiful, dark, and heavy - where everything is being driven by a strong beat and filled with great hooks, sure to get you moving through the night Nocturnal.”
Watch the music video for “Zarathustra” below.
Nocturnal Creatures marks the great comeback of hard rock’s golden age.
After explosive live shows in Sweden and a subsequent tour of Germany, Sweden’s hard rock upstarts Bomber prove that the glorious era of rock isn’t over and that they’re already setting the highest standards on Nocturnal Creatures. On ten powerful tracks, the four piece turns the night into an intoxicating adventure that convinces both old and new fans of the prominent classic and hard rock genre. Album opener and title track “Nocturnal Creatures” opens the gates with epic storytelling and interludes the following passionate ride through “Zarathustra”, while “Fever Eyes” ensnares with wistful weeping choirs and guarantees a quickly increasing temperature. “Black Pants Magic” emerges into an unforgettable high-class rock experience through its industrious and catchy hook, while songs like “A Walk Of Titans (Hearts Will Break)” and “You’ve Got Demons” surprise with dynamic melodies and Anton Sköld’s powerful voice. On “The Tiger”, Bomber send their listeners right into the eye of a raging thunderstorm of riffs driven by brilliant grooves, while “Kassiopeia” sets the strings on fire with its marvelous solos. Bursting album closer “Aurora” presents Nocturnal Creatures’ crowning achievement, bringing the 40-minute escapade to the edge of the world.
With their new studio album, Nocturnal Creatures, the rising stars of Sweden establish a milestone in the legacy of hard rock that leads the once so majestic genre to new glory - marked by their very own special vision.
Bomber on Nocturnal Creatures: “This is an album filled with big drums, loud guitars and great vocal performances. But there are certainly many layers and emotional depth to this album as well. We all went through some difficult times during the writing process. We strongly believe that having put our heart and souls into the songs makes them more relatable to a wider audience, so we did just that. The conceptual theme of the album is the night, and all that belongs to it. Night-time is when set our imaginations free, and we can truly release whatever is living deep inside of us. Sometimes the night can summon fears, but it can also be a comforting place. We used these concepts as songwriters to bring you stories of what can happen under the cover of darkness. From tales of spirits and ghosts to the stars above - to stories of love and heartbreak. Going through life has many challenges, it can mean going through a lot of hardships and sacrifice – but it’s also about finding our joy, meanings, and the good in all of us. That´s what this album is about. Welcome to the night… We're all nocturnal creatures.”
Nocturnal Creatures will be available in the following formats:
- Jewel Case CD Edition
- 1LP Gatefold BLACK
- 1LP Gatefold MARBLED Crystal clear & sky blue - limited to 300 copies worldwide
- Shirt & JC Bundle
- Digital Full Length Album
"Nocturnal Creatures"
"Zarathustra"
"Fever Eyes"
"A Walk Of Titans (Hearts Will Break)"
"Black Pants Magic"
"The Tiger"
"You've Got Demons"
"Hungry For Your Heart"
"Kassiopeia"
"Aurora"
"Zarathustra" video:
Bomber is:
Love Andersson: Bass
Anton Sköld: Vocals & Guitars
Rasmus Grahn: Drums & Backup Vocals
Max Huddén: Guitars & Backup Vocals
Swedish prog-rock legends, The Flower Kings, return with the latest full-length offering in their 25-year history, By Royal Decree, out on March 4 via InsideOut Music. Order the album here, and watch a video for the song, "A Million Stars", below.
Roine comments: “Never to shy away from simple melody, this is The Flower Kings at their more accessible end, but still with a trademark TFK sound and symphonic textures.”
The group’s third studio record since introducing drummer Mirko DeMaio and keyboardist Zach Kamins into the lineup is a vintage affair in many respects. With virtually no touring to endeavour upon for the last two years, the band was free to focus on recording new material, as well as reviewing things left on the cutting room floor from previous sessions.
Lead singer and guitarist Roine Stolt elaborates on going into the way back machine for the new record, saying, “It was great to dig into that old treasure island of 'forgotten TFK music before TFK ever existed’ and re-connecting made me realize why and what The Flower Kings are. This album is a journey through my history as a writer and my ‘middle age’ saga reflecting on that.”
Another significant change is that founding member Michael Stolt returns after more than two decades to contribute bass and vocals, splitting duties with current bassist Jonas Reingold.
Available on Limited 2CD Digipal, Limited 180g 3LP+2CD Box-set & as Digital Album.
Tracklisting:
Disc 1
"The Great Pretender"
"World Gone Crazy"
"Blinded"
"A Million Stars"
"The Soldier"
"The Darkness In You"
"We Can Make It Work"
"Peacock On Parade"
"Revolution"
Disc 2
"Time The Great Healer"
"Letter"
"Evolution"
"Silent Ways"
"Moth"
"The Big Funk"
"Open Your Heart"
"Shrine"
"Funeral Pyres"
Fan-filmed video footage of Nita Strauss's January 15 performance at the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania can be seen below.
The fall 2021 leg of Nita's "Winter Wasteland" tour kicked off on November 10 in New Orleans, Louisiana and concluded on December 18 in Angola, Indiana.
Earlier this month, Nita spoke to Terrie Carr of the Morristown, New Jersey radio station 105.5 WDHA about the progress of the writing and recording sessions for her follow-up to 2018's "Controlled Chaos" solo debut. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The album is almost finished being recorded. We are just waiting on a couple of singers. Guitars are done, drums, bass — everything is finished.
"This is my first time collaborating with vocalists on anything, so it's a bit of a waiting game — it's testing my patience a little bit — but it's all worth it in the end," she continued.
"We're gonna do half and half — so six instrumental tracks and six tracks with guest vocalists."
In a separate interview with "The Mistress Carrie Podcast", Nita stated about her decision to make the upcoming LP "half vocal songs and half instrumental: "I did feel, and the label and everybody agreed, it's still important for me to keep my identity as a guitar player and not just branch off too much and go, 'Okay, well, now it's just guests.' Let me still have a little of what makes me me, which is the instrumental shred stuff. And the instrumental pieces that I've written on this record are, I think, better than anything I did on the first one — definitely more… I don't know if it could be more emotional but they're very emotional pieces of music and I think a little better crafted this time around. So I think all the songs in general are more well thought out, better put together this time around. And I do have some of my absolute favorite [singers guesting on it]. I have three amazing powerhouse female vocalists on this album so far. And there are still a couple of things T.B.D. [to be determined]. And then we should be ready to release next spring."
In October, Nita shared "Dead Inside", her first new music since the release of her critically acclaimed debut solo album "Controlled Chaos" in 2018. The track is her first-ever solo collaboration with a vocalist, David Draiman, frontman of Grammy-nominated rock icons DISTURBED.
Strauss has been playing with Cooper since 2014 when she replaced Australian musician and former Michael Jackson player Orianthi. She joined Alice in time for a mammoth MÖTLEY CRÜE tour. She was recommended to Cooper by the legendary rocker's former bass player and WINGER frontman Kip Winger.
Nita released "Controlled Chaos" to mass acclaim from fans and media alike, with Metal Injection calling it "a great debut that — as its creator intended — leaves no doubt", and Guitar World stating "'Controlled Chaos' is a panoramic view of Nita Strauss's many strengths". To date the album has clocked up 6.7 million streams worldwide, with music videos for singles "Our Most Desperate Hour", "Pandemonium", "Alegria" and "Mariana Trench" generating over 3 million YouTube views.
As well as performing with Cooper, Nita has also played with R&B star Jermaine Jackson, early MTV darlings FEMME FATALE, video game supergroup CRITICAL HIT and popular tribute band THE IRON MAIDENS.
In April 2020, Nita launched "Rock Guitar Fundamentals" — a three-module online guitar teaching program suitable for learners of all levels. The course is available at www.iwanttoplayguitar.com.
Nita's live show is mostly instrumental in nature, combining originals with covers.
THE OFFSPRING has dropped another episode of "Cockpit Karaoke", a video series featuring frontman Bryan "Dexter" Holland and guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman singing along to some of the band's biggest hits from inside a private jet that's being flown by Holland, who is a licensed pilot. This time, Dexter and Noodles have opted to tackle "Let The Bad Times Roll", the title track of THE OFFSPRING's latest album.
When "Cockpit Karaoke" was first launched last July — featuring the duo singing "Come Out And Play", with the "Keep 'Em Separated Guy" along for the ride — Holland told SPIN: "We know everyone's heard of 'Carpool Karaoke', but 'Cockpit Karaoke'??? No one's done that!! Since I'm a pilot, we thought it would be great if Noodles and I had some fun and got to sing along to some of our many hits."
"Let The Bad Times Roll" arrived in April 2021 via Concord Records. The follow-up to 2012's "Days Go By" was once again produced by Bob Rock, who also worked on the band's last two LPs.
Holland, Wasserman, drummer Pete Parada and new bassist Todd Morse wrote and recorded "Let The Bad Times Roll" in the last few years at various locations, including the band's studio in Huntington Beach, California.
Last August, Parada announced that was being dropped from THE OFFSPRING's touring lineup after refusing the COVID-19 vaccine for medical reasons. At most of the band's recent shows, he was replaced by Josh Freese, a top L.A. session musician who has played with DEVO, THE VANDALS, NINE INCH NAILS, A PERFECT CIRCLE and GUNS N' ROSES. Freese previously played with THE OFFSPRING on a number of occasions, including during the recording sessions for the "Splinter" (2003), "Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace" (2008) and "Days Go By" (2012) albums.
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