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.
The new BULLETBOYS lineup, featuring singer Marq Torien, guitarist Ira Black (OF GODS & MONSTERS, LIZZY BORDEN, METAL CHURCH), bassist Brad Lang (Y&T, BURNING RAIN) and drummer Fred Aching (POWERFLO, BILLYBIO), made its live debut yesterday (Saturday, January 15) at RokIsland Fest in Key West, Florida. Photos and video of the performance can be found above and below (courtesy of Jessica Chase).
Torien launched the new version of BULLETBOYS earlier this month after the band's original lineup fell apart following a two-year reunion. Original bassist Lonnie Vencent failed to show up for a scheduled BULLETBOYS performance at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California on December 16, forcing the gig to be canceled. Torien instead delivered an acoustic set with Black. It was later announced by guitarist Mick Sweda and drummer Jimmy D'Anda that they would not be returning to the band.
Last week, Sweda discussed his departure from BULLETBOYS in an interview with Waste Some Time With Jason Green. When asked if he informed Torien about his decision to exit the group after BULLETBOYS' canceled concert at the Whisky A Go Go, Mick said: "I think that [Marq] pretty much expected that that was gonna happen. Who's to say that this wasn't part of a plan, in the beginning, that at the first opportunity he was going to find a way to go back to having his subservient musicians playing. I don't know. It's hard to say. And frankly, it doesn't interest me at all at this point.
"Frankly, I feel a huge sense of relief and a sense of weight lifted off my shoulders every time I leave this band [laughs], because it can be nerve racking and stomach churning," he continued. "And there's no need for it in my life at this point. I've got plenty of other things I could be doing. So that's what I will be doing."
Sweda went on to say that he "always felt like" he "was spending more time doing damage control" than he was enjoying his time as a member of BULLETBOYS.
"It's funny, people are, like, 'Well, dude, just go play music. Why can't you guys just get together and you go out and have fun and play music.' Well, were it so easy," he added.
"The shows were great. We were having a great time. People were responding," he said. "It seemed like there was a potential for an upward trajectory. And as soon as — and these aren't my words; this is somebody who's very close with us and observing it… It's, like, 'When you guys are in a room, everything seems to be great and you're having fun. As soon as everybody gets apart, that's when the voices in people's ears start speaking and the noise starts to have an effect. And, really, that's the way it was — as soon as we finished the gig, that's when everything started to slide downhill."
Sweda previously opened up about his departure from BULLETBOYS in an interview with "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell" earlier in the month. Speaking about why the reunion of BULLETBOYS' original lineup didn't last more than two years, Sweda said: "You go into these things with what I'd describe as hope but it's kind of qualified hope. You know that there's a shelf life, you know that there's a 'use by' date, or at least 'best use by' date, and you just hope it doesn't come too soon. And for me, frankly, it came too soon. I was really looking forward to the year and all the shows we had booked and looking forward to going out and having a great time this summer. We were thinking that the [aborted] Whisky show [on December 16] would be something that would sort of pull us together after a tough 2021 and something that might sort of create bond that would carry over, and alas, that was not to be. We had a couple of guys that were really important to the functioning of the band, namely the manager and the drummer, that decided that they didn't wanna move on and be a part of it. So, essentially my decision was made for me at that point."
Regarding the personal differences that ultimately caused the reunited BULLETBOYS to fall apart, Mick said: "It's very difficult to explain. I know there's a lot of external noise, I know that there are voices whispering in everybody's ear, and once everybody gets away from that buzz [from playing together], it starts to set in. I'm not gonna speak for anybody else, but you start wondering what's happening. And then you hear something happened and somebody did this or somebody did that or said this, and it all just starts manifesting in this… I suppose it is insecurity, I suppose it is distrust. And for me, I have to be able to trust the guys in my band; I have to be able to know that somebody isn't gonna go behind someone else's back and say something or do something. And that just starts to dissipate, I suppose, with the time away. It's funny — when you get back together, all of that just sort of subsides into the background because there's a bigger goal in mind and a bigger picture; you want to achieve that and you don't wanna let everybody down. So it's easy to overlook that. But there comes a time where it just feels like it's toxic and poisonous, and nobody needs that in their life, especially at our age."
Sweda went on to say that he has had no direct conversations with Torien since he made the decision to leave BULLETBOYS. "I didn't have to speak with Marq," he explained. "The way that played out pretty much spoke volumes for me, and there was nothing else to be said. My understanding is that he's already looking at putting together a group of fellows to go out and do there dates. My big concern is that when people see Jimmy's picture or see my picture out there, I just want them to know that that is not gonna be the case and they're not gonna see the original band. And there's no guarantee that that artwork and those photos won't be out there representing the gigs as such. So as long as everybody knows what ticket they're buying and what to expect, I'm okay with that."
When Sweda first discussed his exit from BULLETBOYS during a January 3 Facebook Live stream, he said: "In the past, I know it's been brought up that anybody who isn't in BULLETBOYS has quit on the fans. And that may or may not be something you'll hear in interviews or whatever. And trust me, it has nothing to do with quitting on fans and everything to do with just not wanting to travel down a path that is fraught with strife and distrust and bitterness and everything else.
"It's really, at this point in our lives, imperative — at least for me; I'll speak for myself here — that I just remove all forms of toxicity," he explained. "And I'm sure all of you understand it just can't be a part of my life anymore. And the fact that we were all original and having some good shows and having a great time playing the shows — there's no doubt about that; I had a wonderful time and I was looking forward to doing it all of 2022 — but once it gets to a point where it's poisonous, you can't have it in your life…
"I'm grateful that everybody understands, and I apologize to you. I was really looking forward to this being a nice run, being a nice year and finding a way to make our way through it. But that is not to be."
The original BULLETBOYS lineup made its live return in December 2019 with a sold-out performance at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.
Aside from one show in 2011, original BULLETBOYS members D'Anda, Sweda, bassist Lonnie Vencent and Torien had not performed together since 1993.
BULLETBOYS formed in 1988 at the very peak of the Los Angeles glam metal movement. As a collection of talented musicians, BULLETBOYS were able to quickly capture the attention of music fans around the world. Unlike other rockers of the day, the BULLETBOYS possessed more hard rock-blues fusion than pure hair metal. Thanks to comparisons to the likes of AEROSMITH and VAN HALEN, talent scouts came running and the band quickly received their first major label contract.
BULLETBOYS' self-titled debut was released in 1988 via Warner Bros. and peaked at number 34 on the Billboard 200. The album spawned two hit singles, a cover of the O'JAYS classic "For The Love Of Money" and "Smooth Up in Ya", both of which charted on the Mainstream Rock chart and saw regular airplay on MTV. BULLETBOYS went on to release two more albums, 1991's "Freakshow" and 1993's "Za-Za", before splitting up.
Marq has yet to give an interview since the latest breakup of BULLETBOYS' original lineup.
Torien and Black have a new project in the works with Jesse Hughes (EAGLES OF DEATH METAL). More details will be announced soon.
Posted by BULLETBOYS on Saturday, January 15, 2022
BULLETBOYS live at RokIsland Fest! ?
Posted by BULLETBOYS on Saturday, January 15, 2022
Swedish progressive rock outfit, Jonas Lindberg & The Other Side, recently announced their signing with InsideOutMusic for the release of the upcoming new album, Miles From Nowhere, due out on February 18.
Today, the group release the second single and video from the album, for the track “Why I’m Here”.
Jonas comments: "This is one of the shorter but catchier songs I've written for this project and another one where I sing lead vocals myself.
A really cool thing about this song is that my brother Joel is guesting on lead guitar. It's a such blast to have him playing with the band on this album!"
Led by multi-instrumentalist and composer Jonas Lindberg, the new album consists of seven songs which spans the full range of the progressive rock landscape - from the soaring ”Summer Queen” (led by Jenny Storm), to the folksy instrumental ”Astral Journey” to the closing title track; a sprawling 25 minute epic which features none other than Roine Stolt Pale Rider (The Flower Kings, Transatlantic) on lead guitar.
Miles From Nowhere is available for pre-order here on CD, Gatefold 2LP+CD & as Digital Album.
Tracklisting:
"Secret Motive Man"
"Little Man"
"Summer Queen"
"Oceans Of Time"
"Astral Journey"
"Why I’m Here"
"Miles From Nowhere"
PT I - Overture
PT II - Don’t Walk Away
PT III - I Don’t Know Where You Are
PT IV - Memories
PT V - Miles From Nowhere
Frontiers Music Srl recently announced the release of Lionville's fifth studio album, So Close To Heaven on February 11. Over the course of their previous four albums, Lionville have come to be held in extremely high regard by fans of melodic rock/AOR and So Close To Heaven further cements the band's standing as one of the premiere acts of the genre.
The new single and lyric video, "True Believer", is out today. Watch the video below, and pre-order/save So Close To Heaven on CD/LP/Digital here.
Two special highlights, among many, on So Close To Heaven include a duet between vocalist Lars Safsund and revered melodic rock singer Robbie LaBlanc on the track "This Time" and the band's cover of Richard Marx's "Arrow Through My Heart". The latter track was written by Richard Marx, Bruce Gaitsch, and Fee Waybill during the sessions of Marx’s hit album Repeat Offender.
Lionville was started in 2010 by Stefano Lionetti, a songwriter, singer and guitarist based in Genova, Italy and his brother Alessandro. Thanks to the incredible songs Stefano had managed to write, he got none other than Lars Säfsund (Work Of Art, Enbound) involved as the lead vocalist, which was a true coup for the band. After two indie releases, in 2017 Lionville signed with Frontiers, who gave the band’s releases larger support, distribution, and thus brought them to a new audience of melodic rock fans. Since signing with Frontiers, Lionville has released two highly praised albums, A World Of Fools and Magic Is Alive, and in the process, has become one of the most well-respected acts dedicated to pure AOR on the label's roster.
So Close To Heaven showcases the band's ongoing winning combination of strong songwriting, stellar musicianship, and of course magnificent lead vocals. A must hear for all AOR/melodic rock fans.
Tracklisting:
"This Time"
"Cross My Heart"
"The World Is On Fire"
"Can't Live Without Your Love"
"True Believer"
"We Are One"
"Only The Brave"
"Angel Without Wings"
"I'll Be Waiting Tonight"
"Arrow Through My Heart"
"So Close To Heaven"
All-Canadian cover band Toque, featuring Todd Kerns and Brent Fitz - both of whom play in Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators - along with Cory Churko (Shania Twain) and Shane Gaalaas (Michael Schneker Group), played the Edmonton Rock Fest in August 2021. The band were joined on stage by the legendary Darby Mills for a memorable version of her classic, "Don't It Make Ya Feel". Professionally filmed video has just surfaced:
"Don't It Make Ya Feel" originally appeared on Turn It Loud, the debut album from Headpins, featuring Darby Mills on lead vocals, released in 1982. By 1983, the album had been certified double platinum in Canada, selling in excess of 200,000 copies. The original video for "Don't It Make Ya Feel" can be seen below.
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