METALLICA's Robert Trujillo has shared a short video of him jamming at home.
The bassist uploaded the one-minute clip to his Instagram earlier today (Tuesday, January 11) and included the following message: "I'm just tryin’ to get my groove on. @chloetrujillo #groovy #jamsession".
Trujillo, who was born on October 23, 1964 in Santa Monica, California, tasted success as the bassist in punk-funk pioneers SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and Ozzy Osbourne's band. But in 2003, he successfully auditioned to replace Jason Newsted in METALLICA, a process chronicled in the warts-and-all documentary "Some Kind of Monster".
METALLICA's much-loved former bassist Cliff Burton died in 1986 when the band's tour bus crashed travelling through Sweden on the "Damage Inc. Tour" in support of "Master Of Puppets".
Trujillo told Exclaim! in a 2016 interview that he feels no pressure when compared to his low-end predecessors.
"Whether it's Jason or myself or Cliff, we're all different types of players coming from a different place, but delivering what is best for the band," he said. "That's all I ever do, just try and do the best I can and cater to the song, cater to the music."
METALLICA frontman James Hetfield praised Trujillo during a 2017 interview with the 94.5 The Buzz radio station, saying: "Who else could [have come in and done the job]? I mean, there were a few people we auditioned, I know. It might have worked out with other people, but it's hard to find people that are, say, your age; kind of your upbringing, musically, obviously; ability-wise; they've been on the road. It's not like you're bringing some kid out for his first time, and it's, 'Oh my God!' He's going through all the stuff that you did twenty-five years ago. He's got kids. He's married. It just jelled, and it's still jelling. And his personality is probably one of the best contributions, I think, to the band, 'cause he's so chill, he's so up for anything, he's always in there rehearsing. So he does fit in."
Chicago-based thrash trio and recent MNRK Heavy signees, Misfire, will release their crushing Sympathy For The Ignorant debut full-length on April 1, today unveiling the record’s first single, tracklisting, cover art, and pre-orders.
Misfire makes old-school flavoured thrash metal devastation with the kind of bombastic firepower that could wake the dead. In the tradition of classic metal trios like Venom, Motörhead, and Raven the band makes more noise than bands twice their size, unleashing song after song of unrelenting fury. It’s music that could have arrived in the thrash golden age of 1986, when bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Dark Angel, and Sodom delivered vital records. And yet Misfire is forward-thinking, injecting modern metal mastery into their brew for a powerful, timeless sound.
The excellence in execution within the band owes much to the longtime chemistry between its blue-collar members. Guitarist/vocalist Jay Johnson and drummer James Nicademus started jamming together as teenagers. They played in the band Diamond Plate before reuniting in Misfire. Bassist/vocalist Sean Coogan is another young veteran, having cut his heavy metal teeth in the band Vitrial. While Coogan sings, most of the trio plays multiple instruments. Everyone contributes to songwriting.
“I was originally going to play second guitar, but I switched over to bass,” Coogan explains. “I think the three-piece setup rocks. The band’s dynamic works well. We’ve all really gelled as a band.”
Created in a small studio and engineered by Coogan himself, the debut album for Misfire is free from click-tracks and other unnecessary frills, projecting the purity of what three musicians raised on Pantera and the "Big 4" sound like in a room together. Sympathy For The Ignorant is heavy, confident, and filled with the kind of earworm thrash metal riffs that sends aspiring players to the guitar store.
“The album is a sonically badass version of what you’ll hear live. It’s real, no fake shit,” Nicademus says. “It’s very much a throwback to the way things used to be recorded. Like, just turn the shit on, press record, layer some stuff in after that, put some words on top of it, mix it, and it’s done.”
In advance of the record’s release, today the band unveils a video for first single, “Fractured.” Notes Nicademus of the track, “Featured as the first song of the album, ‘Fractured’ unearths the feelings of uncertainty and dread we were faced with in 2020. Inspired by the current state of the world, it delves into the madness that is the pandemic. The song poses the question, ‘What’s left of who we are?,’ as we are left with humanity divided and fractured. The album has a common theme revolving around situations that many people have gone through or will go through. We’re all going through this shit right now so this is our take on it: ‘No matter what you believe, we are fractured, divided, diseased.’ We are looking forward to sharing it with the world!”
Watch the clip below.
Sympathy For The Ignorant will be available on CD, LP, cassette, and digital formats. Find pre-orders here.
Sympathy For The Ignorant tracklisting:
"Fractured"
"Red Flag"
"War Of Mine"
"Skin Of Mirrors"
"Death Trap"
"No Offense "
"R.I.P."
"He Said, She Said"
"L.Y.S. "
"Sympathy For The Ignorant"
"Fractured" video:
Armed with the attitude and songs to follow in the footsteps of Slayer, Metallica, and Lamb Of God, the three men of Misfire are heavy metal lifers. “I started playing drums when I was eleven, and ever since, it’s all I talk about,” says Nicademus. “Jay and I started jamming together at ages twelve and thirteen.”
In just a short couple of years, Misfire quickly shared the stage with thrash legends Sacred Reich and modern throwback bands like Iron Reagan and Warbringer. As long-running tastemakers Metal Crypt wrote in a review of Sympathy For The Ignorant, “these fellows are ready for the big leagues.”
“Whatever happens, we’re going to be here for a long time because we can’t live without doing this shit,” Nicademus declares. “All we want is to make records, tour, and have a good time doing it.”
Misfire lineup:
Jay Johnson – vocals/guitar
Sean Coogan – vocals/bass
James Nicademus – drums
German quintet There's A Light have released a drum playthrough video for "Even In The Darkest Place...", featured on the new album, f̶o̶r̶ ̶w̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶m̶a̶y̶ ̶I ̶h̶o̶pe̶? for what must we hope? ( Napalm Records). Watch below:
Thematically, on f̶o̶r̶ ̶w̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶m̶a̶y̶ ̶I ̶h̶o̶pe̶? for what must we hope? There's A Light take a deeper look at the question of the true meaning of hope as well as at the different facets of it: On the one hand, hope can be something positive - a flourishing force that always gives a new impulse to grow beyond oneself. On the other hand, it can also do harm, for example, if one holds on to something that will never become reality.
f̶o̶r̶ ̶w̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶m̶a̶y̶ ̶I ̶h̶o̶pe̶? for what must we hope? tracklisting:
"...The Storm Will Set The Sails"
"Within The Tides"
"Magnolia"
"Like The Earth Orbits Sun"
"Dark Clouds Behind, Bright Skies Ahead"
"Refugium"
"Elpis"
"Fear Keeps Pace With Hope"
"Be Brave, Fragile Heart"
"Appearance Of Earth"
"Even In The Darkest Place..."
"Dark Clouds Behind, Bright Skies Ahead" video:
"Elpis" video:
There's A Light is:
David Christmann - guitar
Jonas Obermüller - piano, synth percussion
Markus Dold - guitar
Andreas Richau – vocals, bass
Jan Lüftner - drums
Following their powerful single “The Last Crossing”, Dagoba’s brand new track, “On The Run”, marks a melodic moment for the French modern metal upstarts on their upcoming album, By Night, out February 18 via Napalm Records. A harmonic duet of soothing juxtaposed vocals shows Dagoba breaking free from genre limitations once more, proving them to be on the cusp of entering the hall of fame of modern metal.
Dagoba on the new single “On The Run”: “I always wanted to release a track which verses only contain a piano and vocals and now it’s done! The main idea was to create a contrast between the calm of the vers and the huge chords leading to the chorus, where the voice is the main line. From the begining of the writing process, I knew that a female vocalist would join me on that track, and that is also brand new for us. On The Run is a daring track, but it will make you want to play it on repeat!”
After putting their stamp on the metal scene with their unique blend of metal and neckbreaking grooves, and relentlessly touring and sharing the stage with legendary acts like Metallica, Machine Head and In Flames, the French four-piece is gearing up to reach the next level with their most ambitious material yet.
Watch the music video for “On The Run”:
Dagoba deftly aces the balancing act between harsh breakdowns, dense walls of sound and grooving passages with ease. Even in its hardest passages, the album never gets too overwhelming - one smashing track is followed by the next, moving breathlessly with ease. By Night is a beast of an album showcasing how far Dagoba can take a multitude of influences and styles and combine them effortlessly. This is a must-have for true fans of searing modern metal.
Dagoba on the creation process of By Night: “We live in challenging times, and that’s not only because of the strength-sapping pandemic. Sometimes the world seems to be a dark place. We know it’s an ambitious project, but we really want our fans to feel good, and contribute to their happiness. Therefore, we deliver our blend of metal music. During the weeks and months in the lockdown period we had so much time to have a focus on the album production. We could look at every detail in each track, and after all By Night has become our most accomplished album so far. We are really happy with the new record and cannot wait to share it with our fans and the world.”
Varying in individual territories, By Night will be available digitally, as a CD (bundled with an exclusive t-shirt), as well as black and exclusive red transparent vinyl. Order here.
Tracklisting:
"Neons"
"The Hunt"
"Sunfall"
"Bellflower Drive"
"On The Run"
"Break"
"City Lights"
"Nightclub"
"Summer's Gone"
"The Last Crossing"
"Stellar"
Nick D’Virgilio (Big Big Train, ex-Spock’s Beard), Neal Morse (Transatlantic, NMB, ex-Spock’s Beard), and Ross Jennings (Haken, Novena) will release their debut album, Troika, on February 25.
Today, the band share the new video for the album’s second single and opening track, “Everything I Am”, directed by Christian Rios.
Neal Morse had this to say about the track: “A long time ago my parents allowed my brothers and I to go see the “Woodstock” movie in the theater. It was rated R and that was kind of a big deal at the time. I was rather overwhelmed with all the great music in that film and one of the groups that I fell in love with and stayed in love with was Crosby, Stills And Nash. You can definitely hear their influence in this song as the vocal blend that we got I believe almost gets to that level! I wrote this song one morning when my wife was having a bad day and it’s about how no matter what happens our lives are fully intertwined no matter what."
Recorded during lockdown, the process began with Neal Morse writing some acoustic songs that he thought would be enhanced by strong vocal harmonies. He already knew how well his voice blended with former Spock's Beard band-mate and Big Big Train drummer/ vocalist, Nick D'Virgilio who came on board and, considering a third man, the Americans sought out Haken's Ross Jennings from the UK to complete the trio. All three found they had songs that would benefit from the three part harmonic blend, and so they pooled their resources, inputting creatively into each others compositions.
Neal comments: “What a great pleasure it’s been to work on this album with these amazing artists! It was kind of funny… We had been working on the songs remotely for several months before I finally heard all of us singing together at the same time. The first time I brought the faders up, I knew we had the magic!“
Nick adds: “I've known and worked with Neal for over 30 years and I've been a big fan of Ross and the music he makes for a long time. I felt confident right away that this would be a fun project to be a part of. I was so right.”
Ross comments: "Receiving ‘The Call’ from Neal to participate in this project was somewhat of a prayer answered… As a long time fan of their work, I’ve been singing along to Neal’s & Nick’s records for years, so it felt really natural for my voice to slot right in."
The tracks took shape with the musicians recording all of the music and vocals separately, yet the eclectic performances burst with the energy and excitement of the collaboration. Acoustic anthems, charged rockers and sensitive ballads are all part of the mix, and the unique blend of Ross, Neal and Nick's voices and styles have created an album in which you will encounter these musicians in a way you've never heard before.
Troika will be available as Ltd. CD Edition / Gatefold 2LP+CD / Digital Album. Each format includes a bonus alternative version of the track "Julia" and is available for pre-order here.
Tracklisting:
"Everything I Am"
"Julia"
"You Set My Soul On Fire"
"One Time Less"
"Another Trip Around The Sun"
"A Change Is Gonna Come"
"If I Could"
"King For A Day"
"Second Hand Sons"
"My Guardian"
"What You Leave Behind"
Norwegian black metal titans ABBATH, the solo project of former IMMORTAL frontman Abbath (real name Olve Eikemo), has released the Francisco Munoz-created music video for a new song called "Dream Cull". The track is taken from the band's new opus, "Dread Reaver", which will arrive on March 25 via Season Of Mist. The cover artwork for the LP was created by Bjørn Stian Bjoarvik and the photos were taken by Francisco Munoz.
"Dread Reaver" track listing:
01. Acid Haze (04:51)
02. Scarred Core (03:29)
03. Dream Cull (04:15)
04. Myrmidon (04:33)
05. The Deep Unbound (04:05)
06. Septentrion (04:30)
07. Trapped Under Ice (03:59)
08. The Book Of Breath (04:35)
09. Dread Reaver (04:43)
10. Make My Day (04:16)
Two years in the making, ABBATH's third full-length is the culmination of everything before it. A fusion of debut "Abbath" (2016) and follow-up "Outstrider" (2019), the aptly titled "Dread Reaver" extends its fantastical fangs outward and drives its cloven hooves onward. Indeed, there's nothing like an ABBATH record. This is the darkest metal for epic journeys and ancient battles. Comprised of eight riveting tracks and a red-hot cover of METALLICA's "Trapped Under Ice", "Dread Reaver" shows ABBATH triumphing over all trials and tribulations, riding hard into merciless glory as the one and only "Lemmy of black metal."
Powered by Abbath's creative musical imagination, "Dread Reaver" runs riotously out of the gate. The album's edifice affords tracks like "Acid Haze", "Scarred Core", "The Deep Unbound" and the album's closing title track ample room to champion the extremes of black metal, heavy metal, and hard rock. While there are nods to NWOBHM greats, thrash metal's luminaries, and black metal icons, "Dread Reaver" is unmistakably ABBATH. There is no other fingerprint. Paired with thought-provoking lyrics based on the historical figure of Othryades, ABBATH's third album not only shouts exultant but reads like an ancient pyrrhic tale steeped in violence, sorrow, and grit. The idea of a Dread Reaver — a fearless duelist — can also be read as a metaphor for life's actions and subsequent struggles.
"Dread Reaver" was produced by Endre Kirkesola, ABBATH, and Dag Erik Nygaard at Dub Studio in Kristiansand and Bergen Lydstudio, respectively. Kirkesola and Nygaard also engineered. Mixing was performed by ABBATH and Kirkesola, while the mastering was done by maestro Maor Appelbaum (FAITH NO MORE, HALFORD) at Maor Appelbaum Mastering in Los Angeles. The goal was to field a storming production that sat firmly at the crossroads of Abbath's heroes KISS, MOTÖRHEAD, MANOWAR and BATHORY. From the anthemic thrust of opener "Acid Haze" and the epic pound of "Dream Cull" to the rampaging "The Book Of Breath" and the wicked cover of "Trapped Under Ice", "Dread Reaver" sounds as massive as Norwegian mountain and as fiery as the depths of Hell. Truly, the recording lineup of Abbath (guitar, bass, vocals), Ukri Suvilehto (drums), Ole André Farstad (guitars) and Mia Wallace (bass) found their sonic muse.
Recording lineup:
* Abbath - Guitar, bass, vocals
* Ukri Suvilehto - Drums
* Ole André Farstad - Lead, acoustic guitars
* Mia Wallace - Bass on "Acid Haze", "Scarred Core", "The Deep Unbound" and "Dread Reaver"
British progressive rock luminaries JETHRO TULL recently announced details for the group's first studio album of new material in over 18 years. "The Zealot Gene" will see a January 28 release on InsideOut Music. Today they are pleased to reveal the video for the albums third single and title track, once again directed by Iranian filmmaker Sam Chegini who previously created a clip for "Sad City Sisters".
TULL bandleader Ian Anderson comments of the track: "The title track offers many allusions to the radical, politically charged world of populism in leadership. As a song lyric, it sums up, for me, the divisive nature of societal relationships and the extreme views which fuel the fires of hate and prejudice, more so today perhaps, than at any time in history. Perhaps you think you know who I might have been thinking about here but, in reality, there are probably right now at least five prominent, dictatorial national figures who could fit the bill."
A record that began to take shape as early as 2017, "The Zealot Gene", in many ways, seeks to defy convention during a time when the business of being a touring and recording artist has never faced more uncertainties.
Anderson holds no reservations about the role for which the mythos and themes of Biblical storytelling played in the lyrical content of the new album, saying: "While I have a spot of genuine fondness for the pomp and fairytale story-telling of the Holy Book, I still feel the need to question and draw sometimes unholy parallels from the text. The good, the bad, and the downright ugly rear their heads throughout, but are punctuated with elements of love, respect, and tenderness."
Looking back on the earth-shaking disruption of the coronavirus pandemic, which ultimately ended the band's touring plans and hopes of a 2020 release for "The Zealot Gene", Anderson shares, "It was so sudden. Amidst the concerns and warnings of the scientific community and a few more enlightened politicians, we all retreated in disbelief to our homes to wait out the storm."
Both artbook editions feature a second CD of demos and initial ideas, plus extended liner notes and an interview with Ian Anderson undertaken by Tim Bowness.
The deluxe 3LP+2CD+Blu-ray artbook comes on white vinyl and includes a third LP with the rough demos. It also includes a slipmat and a numbered art print.
"The Zealot Gene" track listing:
01. Mrs. Tibbets (5:54)
02. Jacob's Tales (2:13)
03. Mine Is The Mountain (5:40)
04. The Zealot Gene (3:54)
05. Shoshana Sleeping (3:41)
06. Sad City Sisters (3:40)
07. Barren Beth, Wild Desert John (3:37)
08. The Betrayal Of Joshua Kynde (4:06)
09. Where Did Saturday Go? (3:53)
10. Three Loves, Three (3:30)
11. In Brief Visitation (3:00)
12. The Fisherman Of Ephesus (3:41)
With more than 30 albums to their credit and sales totaling more than 50 million, JETHRO TULL is one of the most successful rock bands of all time with a catalog that contains classics that still resonate today. Led by Ian Anderson, TULL still continues to tour throughout the world, entertaining audiences of all ages.
The band currently consists of:
Ian Anderson - Flute, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals
TOOL kicked off its 2022 tour in support of the "Fear Inoculum" album Monday night (January 10) at the Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. It marked the band's first live appearance since March 2020 when TOOL's trek was cut short following a gig in Portland, Oregon due to the burgeoning pandemic.
The setlist for last night's concert was as follows:
01. Fear Inoculum
02. Opiate (extended version)
03. The Pot
04. Pushit (first time since 2014; album version)
05. Pneuma
06. The Grudge
07. Right In Two (first time since 2011)
08. Hooker With A Penis (first time since 2014)
09. Descending
Intermission
10. Chocolate Chip Trip
11. Eon Blue Apocalypse
12. The Patient
13. Invincible
A year ago, TOOL singer Maynard James Keenan revealed that he battled COVID-19 twice in the span of just a few months. He told "Strombo" on Apple Music Hits that he suffered a second COVID-19 infection around "mid-November [2020] and ended up in the ER on December 1."
Keenan previously discussed his first bout with coronavirus in October 2020, telling AZ Central that he suffered symptoms of the disease in February 2020 and was still recovering eight months later. "I'm still dealing with the residual effects," he said at the time, "But it was ugly. I survived it, but it wasn't pretty. So I definitely had to deal with that."
Last week, it was reported that TOOL was one of several artists utilizing specially trained sniffer dogs to detect COVID-19 at their shows. The dogs are able to sniff for traces of the virus on anyone involved backstage, including members of the band’s crew and entourage.
TOOL was honored with a Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category in the pre-telecast ceremony at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards in January 2020 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. TOOL was nominated for "7empest", a track from "Fear Inoculum".
TOOL already had three previous Grammy Awards under its belt: "Best Metal Performance" in 1997 and 2001 for "Ænima" and "Schism", respectively, and "Best Recording Package" in 2006 for "10,000 Days".
TOOL formed in 1990 and has released five studio albums thus far: "Undertow" (1993), "Ænima" (1996), "Lateralus" (2001), "10,000 Days" (2006) and "Fear Inoculum"; two EPs: "72826" (1991) and "Opiate" (1992); and the limited-edition boxset, "Salival" (2000). The band has won four Grammy Awards: Best Metal Performance (1998, "Ænima"), "Best Metal Performance" (2002, "Schism"), "Best Recording Package" (2007, "10,000 Days") and "Best Metal Performance" (2020, "7empest").
"Fear Inoculum" arrived in August of 2019, following years of anticipation. The album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200, shattering sales and radio records while also earning widespread critical praise.
Sharon Osbourne has shared a one-and-a-half-minute video in which she explains her husband Ozzy's first foray into the crypto industry with the launch of Cryptobatz, a collection of 9,666 non-fungible tokens.
The collection is a nod to his infamous bat-biting incident. On January 20, 1982, Ozzy bit the head off a live bat during a concert at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa. He later claimed he thought it was a toy thrown to him by an audience member.
Osbourne told Rolling Stone that he decided to launch his own NFTs after Sharon talked him out of buying a Bored Ape.
"I've been trying to get in on the NFT action for a while so when I asked Sharon for a Bored Ape for Christmas after several failed attempts of buying my own, and she said no, I decided to create my own," Ozzy said. "Cryptobatz is a fucking mental project for NFT collectors and fans. The design pays tribute to one of my most iconic onstage moments and is a chance to acquire a rare piece of art history. I love it!"
Cryptobatz comes with a twist: owners will be able to create new NFTs called "MutantBatz" by "mutating" Cryptobatz with other collections.
To accompany the NFT collection, Ozzy will also launch "AncientBatz," which was described as a "treasure hunt" around the world for special Batz in the collection. Open only to existing Cryptobatz holders, each AncientBat will have the ability to "bite" other NFTs up to 100 times, giving them enhanced powers to breed MutantBatz.
NFTs are a type of digital asset where ownership is recorded on a digital ledger blockchain. Each NFT is unique and can be viewed as a collectible that cannot be duplicated, making them singular and potentially valuable. NFTs can represent digital files, such as art, audio, videos, posters, album art and other forms of creative work.
Most NFTs are a part of the Ethereum blockchain, meaning that they are bought and sold using Ether, a major cryptocurrency.
Other notable heavy metal musicians who have dipped their toes in the NFT market include MEGADETH, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, SLIPKNOT's Clown and Yngwie Malmsteen.
Real estate broker Ryan Serhant has shared a 17-minute video tour of Gene Simmons's nearly 11,000-square-foot estate in Henderson, Nevada's Ascaya luxury community which is currently on the market for $13.5 million. Check it out below.
After the KISS bassist/vocalist bought the property and an adjacent half-acre lot for $10.8 million in May 2021, he planted 137 trees on the parcel. Five months after buying the Southern Nevada estate, he put it on the market in October for $14.95 million, but that price was slashed by $1.5 million on November 17. Among the improvements Simmons made to the Las Vegas house is installing all new floors and ripping up wall-to-wall carpeting in some of the rooms.
Speaking to TMZ about his decision to sell the home only five months after buying it, Gene said: "First I bought it because Mr. Biden [U.S. president Joe Biden] and Mr. Newsom [California governor Gavin Newsom] are looking to raise taxes to the point where if I work really hard to earn a legal dollar, I may get to keep 35 cents. So, California has become untenable. So I'd rather leave the money to my family and to charity and so on, so I wanted to move to Las Vegas. No income tax, no state tax, no local tax, no inheritance tax, beautiful place, great. Except for one thing — my family doesn't wanna go there. They're not gonna put up with the heat, and down the street, there's strippers and stuff like that. They don't wanna deal with any of that."
He continued: "I bought [the house] for 8.6 [million], then I bought the property next door for 2.4 [million] and planted 137 trees. So, guys, I can this for 25 or 30 million, but I'm blessed. I'd like to meet the person that's gonna wind up buying the place because I don't wanna just hand it over to some knucklehead. I want you to enjoy it and have a good life."
According to Gene, his wife and their two adult children prefer to stay at the family's other homes, an extensive portfolio which includes a modern lake house in Whistler, British Columbia, a home in Malibu and two houses in L.A. that Gene bought for the Simmons kids, Nick and Sophie.
"They're not fans of 115-degree weather," Simmons told The Wall Street Journal.
Because of KISS's touring schedule and his business travel, Gene said he never spent more than a few weeks total in Las Vegas. He went on to say that he had no regrets about selling the property so soon after the purchase, adding: "How many houses do you need anyway?"
According to TMZ, Simmons purchased a mansion in Beverly Hills, California in October for $10.5 million. The home occupies more than 7,000 square feet of living apace and an additional 1800 square feet of "sleek deck space." The sophisticated design allows for scenic views from the expansive kitchen, dining, living room, four bedrooms and five bathrooms, upstairs library/gallery space and a sliver of glass in the home theater. The home is one half solar powered, using roof panels to heat the pool and radiant heated floors.
In September, Simmons sold his Los Angeles mansion for $16 million, almost a year after he first put it on the market for $22 million. He later relisted it for $25 million after it never sold and he reportedly invested a lot of money in making improvements.
Gene bought the Los Angeles property back in October 1986 for $1,337,500.
Simmons has been very vocal about his desire to leave California for some time due to wanting a quieter lifestyle and to get away from being listed on celebrity maps or having to deal with Beverly Hills tour buses. He also said that part of the reason he and his wife listed the two-acre property in Benedict Canyon because the home had become too big for the both of them since their children had grown up.
Gene and Shannon were married in 2011 after dating since 1975.
Gene, Shannon and their kids all appeared on the reality TV series "Gene Simmons Family Jewels" from 2006 until 2012.
Swedish metallers SABATON have released the official lyric video for their new single, "Soldier Of Heaven". The track is taken from the band's tenth studio album, "The War To End All Wars", that will be released on March 4 via Nuclear Blast Records. Written and recorded during the COVID-19 global pandemic, the concept album of 11 brand-new songs once again dives deep into the atrocities, miracles, and events tied to the early 20th century's World War I. The tenth album of the Falun-based five-piece will be available in an impressive variety of exclusive formats, including CD, vinyl, and cassette, with most available in limited editions.
Between the several battlegrounds of WWI, there was no scene as hostile as the feared alpine front that involved a series of battles at the border between Austria, Hungary and Italy. High above in the alps, men would fight in the most extreme conditions to protect the borders. Today, these fights are infamously known as the so-called "White War", where many soldiers froze to death or were buried by dangerous avalanches. Their dead bodies remain under the snow until today. "Soldier Of Heaven" gives that overlooked chapter of WWI a voice, a tune and an impressive music video featuring both breathtaking special effects and the fatal beauty of this battlefield.
SABATON bassist Pär Sundström states about the song: "We already released the Christmas Truce and here comes another song which shows the diversity of the new album. In the early listening sessions of the new album this one was noted among most people as a top song and we know that this will be a powerful sing-a-long anthem on future concerts. So study the lyrics, get your ass to a show and make sure you kill corona in the process!"
"The War To End All Wars" track listing:
01. Sarajevo
02. Stormtroopers
03. Dreadnought
04. The Unkillable Soldier
05. Soldier Of Heaven
06. Hellfighters
07. Race To The Sea
08. Lady Of The Dark
09. The Valley Of Death
10. Christmas Truce
11. Versailles
In a recent interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, SABATON frontman Joakim Brodén said about the musical direction of the band's new material: "It's very much a SABATON album in that way. We've been an evolutionary band always and not a revolutionary band. There's always surprises on a SABATON album but we're never gonna flip the coin and do something totally different on every song on a new album. There's gonna be surprises on every album.
"It's always subjective," he continued. "I think it's pathetic when an artist goes, 'It's the best album we've ever made,' and they keep promoting the same tired line. I say it's up to the listener to decide that, but I know for a fact that everybody in the band, without even sitting in the same room together, because I sort of shipped out the pre-mixes to everyone, and everybody — this is the only time in our history this has happened — everybody came back with, 'Fuck. That sounds great.' Everybody is super happy with the production. We were always happy before, but it was, like, 'Maybe this, maybe that.' Now it was more like, 'Okay, yeah, I have some suggestions and ideas, but wow.' We're really happy with the sound."
SABATON is considered to be one the most important bands to emerge from the Swedish modern metal scene, having been honored with five Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards (including "Best Live Band" three different years) and nominated several times for the Swedish equivalent of the Grammy Awards, the Grammis. In 2016, SABATON's "The Last Stand" album debuted at No. 1 in three different European countries and cracked the Top 3 in four others. Joakim Brodén (vocals), Pär Sundström (bass), Chris Rörland (guitar), Hannes Van Dahl (drums) and Tommy Johansson (guitar) curate a festival of their own, Sabaton Open Air, that started back in 2008, as well as their own forward-thinking Sabaton Cruise which has been held since 2009.
Former Cradle of Filth backing vocalist Sarah Jezebel Deva, who now fronts Torn Between Two Worlds, has revealed she is gearing up to release a cover of the Siouxsie And The Banshees classic "Cities In Dust".A release date will be revealed soon.
Torn Between Two Worlds, featuring former Angtoria bandmates Sarah Jezebel Deva and Chris Rehn, will release a new single titled "Transparent" on January 14th. Sarah has opened up about writing the song.
Sarah: "This song was a bit of a challenge for me as this song is totally from scratch. It wasn’t written a few years ago like 'The Beauty Of Deception' was. 'All Eyes On Me' was also written a few years ago, but 80% of the lyrics lost, re-written and rearranged and the vocals recorded at my home, and “Hello” being a cover song (Adele). This is the first song lyric-wise that I have written in almost 10 years, I think, and when Chris sent me the music, I found it so difficult getting everything together. I recorded half a track and Chris and I just weren’t feeling it, so we took a big step back for a few months and let everything digest, because you can’t rush a song if you want people to believe in your music. Chris Rehn is a mindblowing composer and takes much pride in his arrangements, and for me, as silly as it sounds, I want him to be proud of the song and me. I can’t stress enough how its him that should be praised to high heaven, not me.
The song is based on fame and ego, people who take everything and everyone for granted, and takes pleasure in destroying everything and people, only to make themselves feel better. They love to take credit for absolutely everything, whilst others work their arses off, put their heart and soul into everything. Self destructive, compulsive liars who believes you are where you are today because of them. Surrounded by many for the wrong reasons, yet doesn’t actually doesn’t have much."
"Transparent" is now available for pre-order here.
Sarah recently posted the following message:
"There are two people in this world that make me so proud and reduce me to tears on a regular basis.... my beautiful son and.... Chris Rehn.
If Chris and I had started Torn Between Two Worlds 10 years ago, maybe I wouldn't have lost so much faith in the music scene. I am so proud of 'Hello', so proud that yet again, I was reduced to tears, but proud tears. We love what we have done with it and yet again I can't praise Chris Rehn enough for his composing and vision.
I also wished my dad was still alive to hear this, he would have been so proud.
It's extremely likely we will do an EP..... for you..... and for us!
None of this would have been possible without your support and of course so many close friends pushing us. Thank you."
Intergalatic space metal outift Gloryhammer, who back in August parted ways with frontman Thomas Winkler, performed at the 2021 edition of Bloodstock Open Air, on August 15 at Catton Hall and Gardens, Walton-on-Trent, England. Pro-shot video of the band's full set can be seen below.
Setlist:
"The Siege Of Dunkeld (In Hoots We Trust)
"Gloryhammer"
"Angus McFife"
"The Land Of Unicorns"
"Questlords Of Inverness, Ride To The Galactic Fortress!"
"The Hollywood Hootsman"
"Hootsforce"
"Masters Of The Galaxy"
"Universe On Fire"
"The Unicorn Invasion Of Dundee"
Heavy metallers, Spirits Of Fire, recently announced their return with new vocalist Fabio Lione (Angra, ex-Rhapsody Of Fire), who joins original members Chris Caffery, Steve DiGiorgio, and Mark Zonder on their second album, Embrace The Unknown. The album will land on February 18.
Produced by Aldo Lonobile (Secret Sphere, Archon Angel, Sweet Oblivion), Embrace The Unknown sees Spirits Of Fire picking up where they left off on their debut, with Caffery's skillful songwriting and fiery fretwork leading the charge.
A new single and video, "Into The Mirror" is out today. Watch the video below, and pre-order/save Embrace The Unknown on CD/LP/Digital here.
Heavy metal supergroup Spirits of Fire first formed in 2017, released their first single in late 2018, and unleashed their debut album in February 2019. Originally formed by Chris Caffery (Savatage, Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Steve DiGiorgio (Testament, Death, etc.), Mark Zonder (ex-Fates Warning, Warlord) and Tim "Ripper" Owens (ex-Judas Priest), the band's self-titled debut was met with fan and critical praise upon its release. As it approaches two years since the release of their debut, Spirits of Fire are now set to return with a new album, Embrace The Unknown that sees renowned Italian metal vocalist Fabio Lione taking over frontman duties for the band. Production this time comes courtesy of Aldo Lonobile, whose recent work on releases by Archon Angel featuring Zak Stevens, Sweet Oblivion featuring Geoff Tate, and his own band, Secret Sphere, makes him the perfect fit for the band.
Once again, the band worked on a set of songs that were primarily put together by Caffery, with Lione and Lonobile adding their own touches to Caffery's stellar songs. The final result sees a killer musical output that continues in the vein of “classic Priest meets Savatage” sound that the band has pursued since their formation. With Caffery's renowned guitar playing, the undeniable power of the rhythm section of Di Giorgio and Zonder, and the world class vocals of Lione, Embrace The Unknown sees Spirits Of Fire pushing their sonic stamp further and further. From the biting riffage of the charging "Embrace The Unknown", the band is firing on all cylinders and prepared to appease the heavy metal gods.
Spirits Of Fire are built to deliver classic in-your-face heavy metal and they have accomplished that goal on every level on Embrace The Unknown. From Lione's soaring vocals, to Caffery’s guitar pyrotechnics, to the propulsive and crushing rhythms of Di Giorgio and Zonder, the performances are stellar from beginning to end. There is no shortage of memorable, metal hymns to raise your fist and bang your head to on this all killer, no filler metal journey.
Tracklisting:
"A Second Chance"
"Resurrection"
"Wildest Dreams"
"Into The Mirror"
"Embrace The Unknown"
"My Confession"
"Sea Of Change"
"Shapes Of A Fragile Mind"
"Hearts In The Sand"
"House Of Pain"
"Remember My Name"
"Out In The Rain"
"Into The Mirror" video:
"A Second Chance" video:
Lineup:
Fabio Lione - Vocals
Christopher Caffery - Guitars
Steve Di Giorgio - Bass
Mark Zonder - Drums
CHEAP TRICK performed at today's (Sunday, January 9) Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.
The legendary rockers played from the Bud Light Touchdown Club during halftime.
Video footage and photos of their appearance can be found below.
Founded in 1974, CHEAP TRICK is an indisputable American institution, beloved around the globe for its instantly identifiable, hugely influential, brand of pop-rock 'n' roll. The bandmembers are true pioneers with an unparalleled streak of certifiably classic tunes, from "He's A Whore", "California Man" and "Dream Police" to "Surrender", "I Want You To Want Me" and the worldwide No. 1 hit single "The Flame".
2016 saw CHEAP TRICK inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, a long-overdue acknowledgment of a nearly five-decade career that has earned them more than 40 international gold and platinum certifications, myriad awards and industry honors, featured appearances on over 20 movie soundtracks, and total record sales well in excess of 20 million.
CHEAP TRICK's current lineup includes three of its original members: singer Robin Zander, guitarist Rick Nielsen and bassist Tom Petersson. Drummer Bun E. Carlos stopped touring with the band in 2010 and was replaced by Nielsen's son Daxx.
SHADOWS FALL's Jason Bittner has uploaded a drum-cam video of the "Fire From The Sky" performance at the band's one-off show, which took place on December 18 at The Palladium in Worcester in their native Massachusetts.
Bittner said in a message accompanying the YouTube release of the video: "This is one of my all-time favorites by us.......here's the first drum cam video from the SHADOWS FALL sold out Reunion show in Worcester, MA December 18, 2021 - Enjoy!!"
In a new interview with the Podioslave Podcast, conducted just days after the reunion gig, SHADOWS FALL singer Brian Fair stated about the comeback performance (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was insane, man. It couldn't have gone any better than we could have hoped for. It was a long time coming. We sort of fizzled out as far as we never had a last big show to kind of head off into the sunset. We still all loved making music together, we all still loved playing shows, but life was just getting in the way. I was about to have my second kid; Paul [Romanko, bass] had already had a kid. It was just getting tough, so we sort of fizzled out. So, over the last few years, we would kind of, every now and then, just float the idea of, like, 'Yeah, we should probably play a show.' But then at five years, we were, like, 'All right. It's been long enough. We really wanna do this.' And we had a date, and we were all systems go, and then COVID happened. Literally, we were gonna announce probably three weeks before the world shut down. Thankfully, we didn't, so we could kind of just, like, 'All right…' It's not like we had to announce it and then retract. And it gave us some more time to really think about what we wanted to do.
"The key was for us we weren't trying to do like a quick throw-and-go, make-some-money-and-just-disappear thing," he explained. "We were, like, 'We want a sick bill that makes sense.' So once we got SWORN ENEMY, DARKEST HOUR and UNEARTH to sign on, we were, like, 'All right. That's where we wanna start. We want bands that make sense that are our crew.' And then we also wanted to get some local, kind of younger bands. Matt [Bachand, rhythm guitar] had been working with CARNIVORA forever. And we knew the WITHIN THE RUINS guys. And we were, like, 'All right, we've got our bill.' We knew it was gonna be at The Palladium before. That was like our backyard; that was like our hometown spot. We played so many metal fests and opened so many great shows [at that venue]."
Fair added: "And then we were, like, 'We also want to be razor-sharp prepared.' We were not known for rehearsing very diligently back in the day. We were kind of a lazy band when it came to practicing. We'd always get halfway through the set and be, like, 'We know 'Destroyer Of Senses'. We don't need to play it again.' And then you realize, 'We probably should have dusted it off.' So we really all focused and practiced like crazy, on our own and then together. And, man, that was probably as good as we've ever sounded. We were super ready. The crowd was incredible. We brought in an awesome crew and great production. We brought in the lights; we did the whole deal. We were, like, 'We're not nickel-and-diming this shit. It's gonna be a fucking party.' And it was, man. It was awesome. My family was out. I had the kids up on stage with me at one point. And Paul's kid came out. They got to see their dads being cool at least once, and not just on YouTube. The vibe was very celebratory. [There] was a crazy pit and people were going nuts, but it wasn't an angry vibe in there at all. It was very welcoming and very humbling as well."
SHADOWS FALL released a statement in August 2014 in which the bandmembers explained that financial difficulties made it virtually impossible for the group to continue as a full-time concern.
In August 2015, SHADOWS FALL played a few reunion shows on the U.S. East Coast, one year after completing what was being billed at the time as the band's "final" European tour.
SHADOWS FALL's latest album, "Fire From The Sky", released in May 2012 via Razor & Tie. The CD sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 38 on The Billboard 200 chart.
SHADOWS FALL members Jon Donais and Matt Bachand recently launched a new project called LIVING WRECKAGE, in which they are joined by guitarist Matt LeBreton (DOWNPOUR), drummer Jon Morency (LET US PREY) and vocalist Jeff Gard DEATH RAY VISION.
Ykä Järvinen at scratchnbake has shared rare footage of Children Of Bodom in action back in 1997, performing at Tavastia in Helsinki, Finland.
Järvinen previously shared unreleased single cam footage of Children Of Bodom performing The Ramones classic "Somebody Put Something In My Drink" at Tavastia on December 30th, 2014. Check it out below.
The remaining COB members commented on the footage:
"In the end of 2014 we did a small tour in Finland called Bodom Xmas Bash. One of the shows was part of the legendary New Years celebration aka Helldone Festival that took place in Tavastia, Helsinki. Here’s a small memory of that show."
“Dødsfærd” (death's journey) is the first single and video from the forthcoming sixth album by Viking melodic death metal band Vanir. The song takes its inspiration from the Words of Hávi (the High One) as a reminder that all our actions echo in death for our legacies to be judged by. Cattle die, Kinsmen die, even you must die, I know one thing that never dies: the judgment of each death.
“Dødsfærd” is the first track to be released from Vanir's upcoming album Sagas, due March 11th via Mighty Music. The digital single is available here. The video can be seen below.
From the sagas of old, to the halls of Valhalla, and across bloody battlefields, Danish warriors Vanir are back and have put together, without compromise, an epic new album, showcasing a fascination with our common origins, and the blood spilled throughout history.
Written and recorded during the pandemic, mixed and mastered by Rune Stiassny (Iron Fire, Saturnus), Sagas is mostly themed around Nordic mythology, but also has a song dedicated to one of the most important fantasy writers in history - J.R.R. Tolkien - who was himself greatly inspired by Nordic mythology and Denmark. On the other hand, a song such as “Black Clad” is a double-edge sword; written as a tribute to the Norse god Brage, but also as a tribute to the fans of metal.
The fans that support the scene and who will be the backbone of the live shows in the post-pandemic world. Martin Rubini, Vanir’s vocalist, comments: “During the pandemic, the world of music was turned upside down. This album has been our anchor in the creative part of our lives, in a period where all our shows were cancelled and we still needed to be creative and do what we enjoy, playing metal. With Sagas, we continue the route we laid out with Aldar Rök and Allfather and the vision we have for Vanir.”
Such is the Vanir approach to themes in 2021 / 2022: melodic and fierce soundscapes, with lyrical strings tied to mythology and heathen paganism, but not ending there. Sagas' artwork portrays this with a mixture of various Norse mythical imagery. It is inspired by the idea of fate and the Norns, which are here interpreted as a singular being, displaying various aspects of fate, while intertwined in its threads. It shows an elegant, feminine and strong imagery.
The artwork, which can be seen below, was done by bassist Lars Bundvad. “For this album, I didn’t write any music,” he explains. “Having been sidelined due to the pandemic - my immune system is not terribly robust - I wanted to go the extra mile and push myself for the artwork. The Norn portraits a strong feminine character and a sage who holds both wisdom and power. And I’m very happy with the result”.
Sagas will be released on CD, LP (two different colours, each limited to 300 units) and digital formats via Mighty Music on March 11th, 2022.
Video footage of TOOL's final pre-tour rehearsal before the launch of the band's U.S. arena tour can be seen below.
The four-minute clip, which was originally shared via guitarist Adam Jones's Instagram account, features Jones, bassist Justin Chancellor and drummer Danny Carey playing the songs "The Patient" and "The Pot". Absent from the video is singer Maynard James Keenan.
TOOL's tour in support of 2019's "Fear Inoculum" will kick off tonight (Monday, January 10) at the Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon.
On its most recent tour, TOOL had been playing two-and-a-half hour sets, with Keenan spending the entirety avoiding the spotlight, singing mostly from the shadows, on a set of risers at the back of the stage.
The setlist drew from all of TOOL's five albums, with 2019's "Fear Inoculum" and 2001's "Lateralus" getting around four songs each.
TOOL was honored with a Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category in the pre-telecast ceremony at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards in January 2020 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. TOOL was nominated for "7empest", a track from "Fear Inoculum".
TOOL already had three previous Grammy Awards under its belt: "Best Metal Performance" in 1997 and 2001 for "Ænima" and "Schism", respectively, and "Best Recording Package" in 2006 for "10,000 Days".
TOOL formed in 1990 and has released five studio albums thus far: "Undertow" (1993), "Ænima" (1996), "Lateralus" (2001), "10,000 Days" (2006) and "Fear Inoculum"; two EPs: "72826" (1991) and "Opiate" (1992); and the limited-edition boxset, "Salival" (2000). The band has won four Grammy Awards: Best Metal Performance (1998, "Ænima"), "Best Metal Performance" (2002, "Schism"), "Best Recording Package" (2007, "10,000 Days") and "Best Metal Performance" (2020, "7empest").
"Fear Inoculum" arrived in August of 2019, following years of anticipation. The album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200, shattering sales and radio records while also earning widespread critical praise.
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