Welsh metallers BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE have released "Shatter", the third single from their upcoming seventh, self-titled studio album.
Due on October 22, "Bullet For My Valentine" follows the success of the band's last album, 2018's "Gravity", which saw the metal juggernauts' catalog surpass one billion streams in the U.S. That accomplishment solidifies BULLET's hard-earned status as one of the most elite bands in the hard rock scene.
On the last cycle, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE played its biggest shows to date, including a U.K. arena tour and a massive show at London's Alexandra Palace. But this time around, the band has taken things back to basics. "Bullet For My Valentine" is stacked with squealing solos and monstrous riffs that will delight fans — both new and old.
"I think it's the most ferocious side of BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE that I've ever known," says lead guitarist Michael "Padge" Paget. "It's time for us to put out a really angry, heavy, aggressive record. I just can't wait to grimace on stage!"
"I wanted to come out guns blazing, fucking middle fingers flying, and just go for the throat," agrees vocalist and lead guitarist Matt Tuck. "I think this is a far more aggressive, intense part of BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE. It's always been there. I've just never opened the floodgates on it. I want to take people's heads off in a metaphorical way.
"This is the beginning of BULLET 2.0. It signifies where we are right now. The music is fresh, it's aggressive, it's more visceral and passionate than it's ever been."
Tuck began writing the album in September 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic brought things screeching to a halt in early 2020. But in June 2020, Tuck and longtime producer, Carl Bown, who co-produced the band's 2015 album, "Venom", and produced and mixed "Gravity", picked up the pace again. Together, they hunkered down at Treehouse Studio in Chesterfield, where the remainder of the album was written.
Aptly self-titled, the band has triumphed, creating an album that will cement its place in the metal pantheon.
MASTODON will release its new album, "Hushed And Grim", on October 29. The official Lorenzo Diego Carrera-directed music video for the disc's first single, "Pushing The Tides", can be seen below.
The follow-up to 2017's "Emperor Of Sand", "Hushed And Grim" was recorded at West End Sound, which is located inside of Ember City, the rehearsal facility that members of MASTODON manage in Atlanta. Helming the effort was Grammy-winning producer/mixer/engineer David Bottrill, who has previously worked with MUSE, DREAM THEATER and TOOL, among many others.
"Hushed And Grim" track listing:
01. Pain With An Anchor
02. The Crux
03. Sickle And Peace
04. More Than I Could Chew
05. The Beast
06. Skeleton Of Splendor
07. Teardrinker
08. Pushing The Tides
09. Peace And Tranquility
10. Dagger
11. Had It All
12. Savage Lands
13. Gobblers Of Dregs
14. Eyes Of Serpents
15. Gigantium
In a March 2021 interview with Talking Metal, MASTODON guitarist Bill Kelliher stated about working with Bottrill: "Honestly, I hadn't really heard of him before last year. We were kind of tossing around who we were gonna use for the new record. We have a couple of different producers that we like; I mean, we've liked everyone we've used in the past. But I think, with this record, we kind of were just, like, 'We might need somebody new — somebody really fresh and brand new.' And we got on the phone with David, and we had a couple of other people we had been talking to. With COVID and everything, a lot of people just weren't available or willing to come to Atlanta."
He continued: "When we got on the phone with David, he seemed like a great guy. He already had some of the demos, so he had all kinds of notes. That's what you need a producer for — someone who kind of thinks outside the box. The four of you have been playing the same songs, demoing the same songs for so long, you're kind of, like, 'Is this even good anymore? I can't really tell. Does it need something? I'm kind of lost.' It's like you can't the forest through the trees. You're, like, 'What's what? Everything's upside down.' So he came in and he was diligent. He had all kinds of notes written out. He had done his homework. And he was, like, 'For this song, I have this idea. For this song, I have these ideas.' And he kind of spouted them off to us on the phone. And I said, 'Are you willing to come to Atlanta and work with us here, sight unseen, at our studio?' And he was, like, 'As long as the studio's got the certain equipment that I need, and it's a decent-sized room and everything…' We had done a lot of other records there with other bands. And he was willing to come down."
Kelliher admitted that he initially "wasn't really into trying anything new, but the more I thought about it, I was, like, 'You know, this record is really special, and it's different, and times are different right now.'"
As it turned out, "David had a lot to do with steering the direction of a lot of the sounds and how it went, and he was a pleasure to work with," Bill said. "A couple of times a week, we talk. And he'd come over for dinner, and we'd all hang out. He's just a down-to-earth guy and very approachable."
Elaborating on Bottrill's approach in the studio, Kelliher said: "I think 90 percent of being a good producer is really having a degree in psychology, almost. 'Cause when you're dealing with fragile egos… We're band guys, we're musicians, we pour our heart and soul into a musical riff, and it really means a lot to us. It's just heartbreaking if somebody's, like, 'I don't like that riff. That riff sucks. That's not gonna be in the song.' You can't say that. You have to circumvent the obvious, like, 'Man up and get rid of that riff. Write something better.' And that was one of my first questions: 'How do you deal with if there's certain people in the band that might be more sensitive than others?' And he's, like, 'I've worked with so and so and so and so.' He's, like, 'I'm just a big fan of your band, and I just wanna make your best record that we set out to make.' And he just had a really good way with words without insulting anybody's creativeness. He was firm. And we basically tried everything. He said, 'I don't have a problem with trying anything at all. If you're gonna do it, do it with gusto and just go for it and try it. If someone [goes], 'Hey, I wanna try to sing here,' 'Hey, I wanna try to play a solo here,' hey, let's try it. Maybe it doesn't fit, but we never know until we try it. So we all just kind of [went into it] with open minds, and the result is amazing. It's the fullest-, biggest-sounding record we've done so far."
MASTODON's new disc will mark the band's first collection of new material since the death of longtime manager Nick John and the passing of tour manager Bob Dallas.
MASTODON drummer Brann Dailor told Full Metal Jackie's syndicated radio show that he and his bandmates wrote more than two albums' worth of material in the months leading up to the recording sessions for the new LP.
MASTODON's latest rarities collection titled "Medium Rarities", was released in September 2020. The compilation includes a new song called "Fallen Torches" as well as a bevy of classic covers, soundtrack contributions, instrumentals, B-sides, and live recordings on one complete package for the very first time.
"Emperor Of Sand" debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. That LP was nominated for the 2018 Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album," and its opening track, "Sultan's Curse", won the Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance."
Last year, MASTODON wrote and recorded a new song called "Rufus Lives" for inclusion in the latest "Bill & Ted Face The Music" movie.
QUEENSRŸCHE frontman Todd La Torre has released the official music video for his solo song "Vexed". The age-restricted clip, which was directed and filmed by Thomas Crane of killDevil Films, shows Todd on a desolate street before changing to footage of global unrest throughout time. The video features Todd and songwriting partner Craig Blackwell handing all of the instruments as Todd sings "Can't take no more. A nation in distress."
Todd comments: "'Vexed' highlights the unfortunate reality that many nations and its people are facing. Past and present parallels of civil rights movements, social injustices, and the uprisings surrounding geopolitical landscapes are woven throughout the exposé, displaying overt footage from various countries with no exclusivity. Despite its thought-provoking and unfiltered content, Thomas Crane of killDevil Films really drove home the vision that Craig and I wanted to convey. This video is really an artistic collage of performance, the ominous side of humanity, and unwavering altruistic heroism. The overall point and message is that we must learn and understand the profound significance of the past and present if we are to have salutary progress for the future."
"Vexed" is taken from La Torre's full-length debut, "Rejoice In The Suffering", which arrived on February 5 via Rat Pak Records.
The idea for a solo album was always in the cards for Todd. With QUEENSRŸCHE tour dates postponed indefinitely, the world events offered Todd the opportunity to explore his ideas for the effort. Todd teamed up with Blackwell, alongside producer Chris "Zeuss" Harris, to create a diverse heavy metal album that draws influence from different styles. These styles will surprise fans who only know La Torre from his previous work with QUEENSRŸCHE or CRIMSON GLORY.
From the album's opening riffs of "Dogmata" to the vocal acrobatics that drive the album closer "Apology", it is apparent that La Torre has a true love of heavy metal. With Todd playing drums and recording the vocals for the album, songs like "Darkened Majesty" and "Critical Cynic" offer an inside look into his musical mind. Blackwell's guitar playing provides the perfect musical accents to La Torre's vocals. Todd even finds vocal wails not heard from him before as showcased on the title track and the punishing "Vanguards Of The Dawn Wall". The deluxe version of the album features three bonus tracks: "Fractured", "Set It Off" and "One By One".
In a recent interview with Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio, Todd stated about the differences in his songwriting approach for QUEENSRŸCHE and that for his solo project: "They're apples and oranges. They're totally separate things. I don't write guitars, really, in like a QUEENSRŸCHE way. That's not where I shine in QUEENSRŸCHE. I think my lyric writing and my vocal phrasing and delivery and that sort of thing, that's kind of my asset to the writing process for QUEENSRŸCHE music. I would never try to push this kind of style or sound into QUEENSRŸCHE music. I don't really write music — I mean, I co-write stuff with them, and I might have a guitar riff idea or something, but they're totally separate things, and I would never, never want to pollute the waters of QUEENSRŸCHE with what I'm doing."
He continued: "I think because I've been able to get this first [solo album] out, I think that my eagerness to do things with QUEENSRŸCHE definitely takes a backseat, because I have this other outlet to do those things. So, I feel less inclined to be, like, 'Oh, I need to scream here and show people what I can do on this.' I really want to just respect what QUEENSRŸCHE's sound is and not change. I don't want to change the style and sound of what QUEENSRŸCHE is and should be. I very much draw a line in the sand where, you know, I can experiment and try some things that might be fitting for a QUEENSRŸCHE song, but as far as pushing that on to them, I feel, because I got that done, I'm more relaxed doing the QUEENSRŸCHE stuff where I don't feel like I have to try to sneak in something heavier, because nobody's got to hear that from me. Now they get to hear a plethora of styles from me on this record."
"Rejoice In The Suffering" track listing:
01. Dogmata
02. Pretenders
03. Hellbound And Down
04. Darkened Majesty
05. Crossroads To Insanity
06. Critical Cynic
07. Rejoice In The Suffering
08. Vexed
09. Vanguards Of The Dawn Wall
10. Apology
Bonus tracks (deluxe version only)
11. Fractured
12. Set It Off
13. One By One
La Torre joined his first band BLACKWELL as the drummer, performing in high school talent shows and entering into the club rock music scene in Tampa Bay, Florida. In 2009, Todd was suggested to CRIMSON GLORY guitarist Jon Drenning by a mutual friend to help with some vocal rehearsals in preparation for a CRIMSON GLORY memorial concert. This would pave the way for more collaborations with the band, eventually joining as the band’s new permanent vocalist. La Torre was the lead singer for CRIMSON GLORY from late 2010 until resigned from the band in early 2013. In 2012, Todd became a household name in the metal world when he officially became the new lead vocalist of QUEENSRŸCHE. The band immediately began touring globally and started writing new material for the self-titled 2013 album "Queensrÿche". To date, QUEENSRŸCHE has released three studio albums with La Torre: "Queensrÿche", "Condition Hüman" (2015) and "The Verdict" (2019). Currently the band is writing new material for a fourth release for Century Media Records.
BMG has set an October 29 release date for a new career-spanning MOTÖRHEAD set, titled "Everything Louder Forever - The Very Best Of". The definitive collection will be available on 2CD, 2LP and 4LP. The 2CD digipak and 4LP fold out sets will feature 42 tracks, including "Ace Of Spades", "Killed By Death", "Overkill", "I'm So Bad (Baby I Don't Care)", "The Game" and many more. The 2LP set will include 22 tracks in a gatefold package.
A new video for the song "Rock Out", taken from "Everything Louder Forever - The Very Best Of", can be seen below.
MOTÖRHEAD are the true embodiment of rock 'n' roll excess. A hybrid of rock, punk and heavy metal played with relentless, ear-curdling power, they were a force of nature and nothing short of life-changing for millions. As for their approach to life and music, there was no "off" switch, and they became legends as a result.
Fronted for the entirety of their career by Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister, they released 22 studio albums over their 40 years together, amassing chart-topping records, a Grammy Award and racking up 15 million worldwide sales. Their signature song "Ace Of Spades" perfectly captured everything great about hard rock, heavy metal, and punk, amped it all up to 11, and came racing out of the gates at what felt like a million miles an hour, pushing at every musical boundary. Nothing was harder, nothing was faster and certainly nothing was louder. Anyone disputing this fact need look no further than any heavy metal gig and play "spot the MOTÖRHEAD T-shirt and jacket." MOTÖRHEAD fans still outnumber anyone else, hands down.
MOTÖRHEAD has truly become a lifestyle for several generations of rockers, metalheads, punks, bikers, athletes, rebels, outcasts, and freethinkers all around the world. Few bands in modern history can instantly ignite the adrenaline of music fans the way they can. They changed the course of hard rock...forever.
Canadian extreme melodic death metallers THE AGONIST will release a new EP, "Days Before The World Wept", on October 15 via Napalm Records.
Inspired by real-life experiences, "Days Before The World Wept" explores a grim, conceptual tale of greed, gluttony, confusion, pain, redemption and hope enveloped in a new level of aggression and cohesive, technical prowess.
Get a taste of the band's newest music today by watching the music video for brand new single "Remnants In Time". The death metal burner brings non-stop energy throughout, showcasing Vicky Psarakis's multifaceted vocal attack as she nails searing highs, guttural lows and magical clean passages. Just like the track itself, its haunting, conceptual music video's imagery blends emotive and eerie imagery throughout.
The onslaught continues with the rhythmic soundscapes of cry for salvation "Immaculate Deception", blending fast paced, aggressive verses with haunting, melodic choruses. "Resurrection" reaches into blackened territory before Psarakis splits it wide open — annihilating with her pinpointed vocal attack calling for rebirth. In addition to Psarakis and guitarists Danny Marino and Pascal Jobin, dexterous drums from Simon McKay and the bass attack of Chris Kells lead the listener through metallic melodic passages topped with emotive poetry before breaking into the next track, "Feast On The Living". It stands tall with rollercoaster clean and gritty vocals, rapid fire drums and blazingly precise guitar leads and solos, cementing the track as one of the most technically meticulous of the entire offering. Shifting into fifth gear, title track "Days Before The World Wept" brings it all home, beginning with a beckoning acoustic introduction before roaring in with intense blastbeats, polyrhythms and bellowing screams. THE AGONIST pulls out all the stops, showcasing their chops in all directions with breakneck instrumentation and staggeringly superb vocal approaches. Soaring through a kaleidoscope of blistering metal mastery and hopeful lyrical dramatism, the opus dominates as one of the most impressive works of the band's catalog.
Psarakis says about "Remnants In Time" and the accompanying video: "'Remnants in Time' is the first chapter in this story. It marks the final moments of a person's life and the journey that begins right after.
"We wanted the visuals to strongly reflect the lyrics and the concept behind them, and transforming me into a demon was key in that. I'm a huge fan of horror/sci-fi and makeup transformations, so working with a professional makeup artist and the use of prosthetics was the coolest part for me!
"This song — and video — is all about extremes. Angelic and demonic, fragile and strong, delicate and aggressive. It embodies a lot of what THE AGONIST is about."
"Days Before The World Wept" was produced by Christian Donaldson, who has previously worked with BEYOND CREATION, CRYPTOPSY and DESPISED ICON.
Psarakis adds about the record: "There's a lot I could say about this EP and its importance to the band, but does it matter? Obviously, this is the part where I tell you these are the best songs we've put out to date. Honestly — it's a journey. You're either gonna reach the end and want to relive it or you're not... and that's okay. Let the music speak for itself."
California rockers PAPA ROACH have just shared "Kill The Noise", a powerful, anthemic new single and second track from their forthcoming album. The song, produced by WZRD BLD (a.k.a. Drew Fulk; A DAY TO REMEMBER, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, LIL WAYNE) and Andrew Goldstein (ALL TIME LOW, BLACKBEAR, LINKIN PARK, MAROON 5), is a powerful example of heavy riffs and emotional lyrics, driven by singer Jacoby Shaddix's ongoing mission to help anyone overcome mental struggles and anxieties. The accompanying music video, directed by Jacoby's brother Bryson Roatch, takes the viewer on a journey of escaping the confines of your own mind through a raw and energetic performance.
Shaddix comments: "It's easy to get caught up in some of that static inside your mind — we all tangle with that demon. For us, 'Kill The Noise' brings some straight-up heavy music catharsis, a reminder to find that moment of peace from the noise."
"Kill The Noise" arrives a little over a month after the release of PAPA ROACH's previous single, "Swerve", which was a collaboration with FEVER 333 frontman Jason Aalon Butler and Los Angeles rapper Sueco. Both tracks are expected to appear on PAPA ROACH's upcoming eleventh studio album, due next year via the band's own record company, New Noize Records, Inc., under exclusive license to ADA.
This past May, Shaddix spoke to the FM99 WNOR radio station about PAPA ROACH's decision to release its next LP through its own label. Asked how the move came about, Jacoby said: "Way back in the day when we were with DreamWorks Records — this was right after we released our album 'Infest' — we had this pact with this band ALIEN ANT FARM. We were, like, 'Whoever gets signed first, let's try to get an imprint, which is a subsidiary of the record company, where we can release music.' And we had made good on our promise and we had a record company called New Noise Records. And this was in, like, 2001. So fast forward so many years and a few record companies later, we just released out greatest hits with Better Noise Music, and that was the last record company we were with. And we were kind of in negotiation of going, 'All right. Are we gonna stick with this company?' which we've had a lot of great success and learned a lot of great things from, and I have nothing but great things to say about them. But we were, like, 'All right. Let's take the temperature and go see if we have what it takes to do this on our own, do it independent.' And so we took meetings, and we ended up with Warner/ADA, which we have our record label now of our own and we use their in-house staff to do the promo and all that kind of stuff. But we are the record company. So we're using our knowledge over the years that we've accumulated with our team and ourselves to take the reins and run with this one ourselves. And it's very exciting. It's kind of scary. 'Cause you don't know. But guess what? I just feel like we can't fail."
He continued: "You know when your gut tells you something? I just go, we've been doing this; we know a lot; we know what our fans want; we know what we want; we know that we are inspired; we know that we are passionate; and we know we've got a fanbase that loves us. Let's do this. And we have a great relationship with radio too. I mean, we just had another No. 1 on rock radio — after 20-plus years of being in the format. And I go, 'You know what? I think we can do this.' And so we made the jump. And so P-ROACH, we've got New Noise Records back up and running."
Regarding what's involved in releasing album without the participation of an outside record company, Jacoby said: "After this call with you, I get on with the band and we're wrapping on creative calls to finish up the artwork for the album and getting ready for the photos shoots and all that kind of stuff. It's been cool, man. It's a different — I guess — creative progression of making an album. You get the music, but then we talk about marketing, we're talking about music videos, imaging, photo shoots, different ways of packaging the album — all that kind of fun stuff, that's what we're in the middle of now. And I really enjoy that; it's a fun process. And it's cool to just dream some stuff up, and we then we build it and we make it and it happens, and I really love that process."
In January, a snippet of a brand new PAPA ROACH song called "Stand Up" was included in commercial for Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) partnership with ESPN.
PAPA ROACH's second greatest-hits collection, "Greatest Hits Vol. 2: The Better Noise Years", was released in March on Better Noise Music. "Greatest Hits Vol. 2 - The Better Noise Years" includes 12 of the band's top 10 hits released between 2010 to 2019 as well as three previously unreleased remixes and two unreleased acoustic recordings recorded live at the YouTube Studios in New York City.
PAPA ROACH's latest album, "Who Do You Trust?", was released in January 2019. The disc was produced by Nick "RAS" Furlong and Colin Cunningham except for the song "Top Of The World", which is helmed by Jason Evigan.
In December, PAPA ROACH released a five-song EP, "20/20", featuring "new takes on old jams," including "Last Resort" and "Scars".
JUDAS PRIEST's first pandemic-era tour, the rescheduled "50 Heavy Metal Years" North American trek, kicked off last night (Wednesday, September 8) at Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania.
As was the case with their appearance at the Bloodstock Open Air festival in August, the British heavy metal legends, who are celebrating their 50th anniversary, threw in several rarely played songs in their set, including "One Shot At Glory" and "Invader", as well as several tracks that hadn't been played in a long time, such as "Rocka Rolla, "Exciter", "Hell Patrol", "A Touch Of Evil" and "Blood Red Skies".
The setlist was as follows:
01. One Shot At Glory
02. Lightning Strike
03. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
04. Exciter
05. Turbo Lover
06. Hell Patrol
07. The Sentinel
08. A Touch Of Evil
09. Rocka Rolla
10. Victim Of Changes
11. Desert Plains
12. Blood Red Skies
13. Invader
14. Painkiller
15. The Hellion / Electric Eye
16. Hell Bent For Leather
17. Breaking The Law
18. Living After Midnight
Fan-filmed video footage can be seen below.
In a recent interview with Kirby Ray of the Cape Girardeau, Missouri radio station Real Rock 99.3, JUDAS PRIEST drummer Scott Travis spoke about what fans can expect from the band's current North American trek, which will conclude on November 5 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
"We have a whole new set designed and the production — meaning the lights and the video screens behind the band, the actual stage set," Scott said. "We have some props we've never used before that are gonna make appearances throughout the show. And so all of that is new, as you have to do with every tour — you have to just come up with all new stuff. It's almost like a wardrobe; you can't wear the same thing twice. So, that's all new. And because JUDAS PRIEST have a 50-year catalog, it's a blessing and it's a curse in the sense that you've got a 50-year catalog, if you will, to choose from, but at the same time you can't do everything. So we are gonna pull out some new old songs — songs that JUDAS PRIEST recorded way back when and either never had played live or if they did play it live, it was literally 40, 45 years ago. So we're doing some of that again. And then playing some newer new songs, if that makes sense. In other words, something off maybe 'Painkiller' we haven't done in a while or 'Firepower' that we haven't done. And an amalgamation of that, along with some classics, and you've got a new JUDAS PRIEST set."
JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford told Ultimate Classic Rock, about his expectations for the tour: "Here's the thing: We've got to get out there and do it, man. If we don't, we're going to be sitting home for the rest of this year, next year, the year after that and the year after that. This stuff isn't going to go away. We've got to find a way of getting through it. You talk about herd immunity, you talk about all of these different things, you can only do as much as you can do. You've got your bubble, you've got your masks, you've got the sanitizer. And even that can't kill this evil demon of a virus. It hits you when your friends, like Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley], get it. And Sebastian Bach and Bruce Dickinson, and all of my other friends.
"Thankfully, they haven't been devastated by the horrible thing like so many people have," he continued. "But we've got to do it. I think if the scientists had said, 'Look, everybody hang on, if we give it another year or two, we think we've got the vaccine that's going to kick its ass,' but they haven't, have they? They've just said that there's a booster shot coming. I'll be first in line for that. And then it's like a lottery, because, again, I was talking to some friends the other day with certain bands that I won't name. But they've been out for a while and everybody's fine. Crew is fine, the band is fine. They're doing the bubble thing, they're doing the protocol thing. It's like a lottery, this virus is, the way it can suddenly come out of nowhere. I know that Gene and Paul, their whole KISS [organization] was doing as best as they could. And yet it creeped in. It's a horrible, horrible thing.
"So, we have to battle on. We really have to battle on. I think that's all we can do. And if ever we needed music, if ever we needed to be with each other, now is the time that we need to do that. And talking about the fans, we have our protocols in place for the fans, as well, with [concert promoter] Live Nation, who are making the bulk of this tour. We have a great relationship with Live Nation, and we're working together to make sure that we can make it about as safe as we possibly can. Because at the end of the day, you've got something or you've got nothing and nobody wants nothing, right? So let's just do our best and keep our fingers crossed, and please, God, don't let any of us be hit by this horrible thing."
For the Bloodstock Open Air appearance, JUDAS PRIEST was rejoined by guitarist Glenn Tipton for three songs.
Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's seven years ago — after being stricken by the condition at least half a decade earlier — but announced in early 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of JUDAS PRIEST's latest studio album, "Firepower". He was replaced by "Firepower" album producer Andy Sneap, who is also known for his work in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.
As he has done a number of other times over the course of the last three and a half years, Tipton joined PRIEST onstage on Bloodstock for the encore, performing "Metal Gods", "Breaking The Law" and "Living After Midnight".
In early April, JUDAS PRIEST's European tour, which was scheduled to kick off in late May, was once again postponed due to "ongoing COVID-19 vaccine issues." The trek will now run from May 27, 2022 in Moscow, Russia until July 31, 2022 in Oberhausen, Germany.
Maryland rockers CLUTCH performed a brand new song, apparently titled "Strive For Excellence", during their first fan-attended live concert in 21 months, which took place September 5 at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer, Alaska. Video footage of the performance can be seen below.
CLUTCH drummer Jean-Paul Gaster recently told the Chicago-based webzine Metal Kaoz that he and his bandmates have "written a lot of songs" in the last year for the follow-up to 2018's "Book Of Bad Decisions" LP. He said: "We've been writing now for our new album that we will record in the fall, and I think we're spending more time than ever in the studio, just trying out different ideas. And most of the ideas don't ever really make it to the end; we try 10 things and we keep one.
"I think we are even more selective than we were before as to which ideas we really decide to focus on. And I think it is because we have so much more time. Before, we would come home for a tour and maybe we would have three weeks off. So, the first week, we don't do really much of anything — everybody goes back home to their families and we rest — and then the next two weeks we would get together and we would just jam really hard and get a bunch of ideas, and then on the road and play those ideas, and then come back and do it again. And that process might go on for a year and a half. This has been different. This is the first time where we've had so much time at home to work on ideas and never really tried them in a live setting. So I'm not sure how it's gonna impact the record. But I think it's gonna make for a different album — whether it's good, bad or otherwise, it's too early to tell. But, for sure, it's a different dynamic, and it requires more of us.
"So often, when we have new ideas and we put them in front of an audience, you can really tell right away — we know right away if the song is the right tempo, we know right away if the riffs are where they need to be, if the chorus is the way it needs to be," Gaster added. "It's a testing ground. And we don't have that right now. So, for that reason, I think we are being a lot more careful about what ideas we really wanna focus on, and which ones we think, 'You know what? We've done that before. Let's do something a little different.'"
Gaster went on to say that the new CLUTCH album will likely arrive in early 2022 — "hopefully before we start really hitting the road again. And it'll be fun to get back out there," he said. "Man, I just miss it so much."
"Book Of Bad Decisions" was recorded at Sputnik Sound studio in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Vance Powell. The record sold 26,000 copies in America during its first week of availability, giving the group its third consecutive Top 20 album on the Billboard 200.
WE CAME AS ROMANS has shared a video for its brand new single "Black Hole", featuring BEARTOOTH's Caleb Shomo. You can watch it below.
"'Black Hole' was the very last song that we wrote for the record," WE CAME AS ROMANS vocalist Dave Stephens says. "We had this idea of what we wanted it to sound like, and we wrote a bunch of music for it throughout our time in L.A. But we were never really satisfied with what we created. With only a week left in the studio, we had finally created something that we were all stoked about — and it was time to put a message to the song."
Stephens continues: "The lyrics to 'Black Hole' are about dealing with the anxiety that you feel going through life. For me, at the time, the anxiety I was feeling in dealing with loss and the grieving process. But we wanted to leave the song open-ended enough for our fans to relate to, with anything they were going through. That anxiety is sometimes so crushing, and so heavy, and you have to deal with the weight of it, the gravity of the situations you're in, and sometimes it just feels like an endless cycle."
He finishes: "When the song was complete, we sent it over to a long time friend of ours — Caleb Shomo. We've been playing shows together for well over 10 years now, and we're so happy we've finally had a chance to collaborate on a song together. Caleb is an amazing vocalist and the song wouldn't be the same without his contribution!"
WE CAME AS ROMANS recently shared a video for the single "Darkbloom".
In other WE CAME AS ROMANS news, the band rebooted its U.S. anniversary tour celebrating their landmark, 2009-released album "To Plant A Seed". The tour was originally scheduled for spring 2020, but it was tabled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "To Plant A Seed" was a definitive sonic statement for WE CAME AS ROMANS and remains a fan favorite to this day. The tour kicks off on September 29 in Philadelphia and runs through November 7 in the band's native Michigan. Support will come from THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, DAYSEEKER and HOLLOW FRONT.
BAD WOLVES will release their third studio album, "Dear Monsters", on October 29 via Better Noise Music. The LP serves as the official introduction to new lead singer Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz, whose addition to the lineup was announced by the band earlier this year. "Dear Monsters" is preceded by lead single "Lifeline", which the band released today in celebration of the news of the album's upcoming release. The track is an epic rock song, showcasing DL as a dynamic vocal force, bringing to life the emotional urgency of the lyrics. The band also released the song's official music video, which takes viewers on a haunting journey, setting the tone for the new album and its theme of confronting one's demons.
Laskiewicz has carved out an impressive career for himself over the last 15-plus years, most notably as a founding member and lead guitarist of metalcore band THE ACACIA STRAIN, of which he was a member from 2001 to 2013. A talented songwriter and producer, he's also worked on projects with ALL THAT REMAINS, LEGION, FOR THE FALLEN DREAMS and collaborated with BAD WOLVES on their 2019 studio album "N.A.T.I.O.N.", where the creative relationship with the band started.
BAD WOLVES are led by drummer John Boecklin, who has honored his commitment to the band's fans by continuing with the group when the previous singer, Tommy Vext, quit in January 2021.
BAD WOLVES broke the news of Laskiewicz's addition to the band via a statement on social media in June. The group wrote: "DL is a tremendous songwriter and singer, and we can confidently say that the album we are working on, titled 'Dear Monsters', is the best BAD WOLVES album to date.
"DL is one of the most talented and hard-working people we have ever had the pleasure to know. He is a team player, a creative force, and overall a great human being who fits perfectly with our BW family. It feels incredible to be surrounded with such positive energy and the music we've made is certainly reflective of this new-found optimism and collaborative spirit. This new album shows a more cohesive and unique reflection of the band. There is a lot to prove and expectations are high with a new singer coming in. And we nailed it. The songs speak for themselves, and if you're a BAD WOLVES fan we know you won't be disappointed.
"So much has happened since Tommy publicly quit BAD WOLVES a few months ago — and we disagree with the validity of much of what he has said publicly about our parting of ways — but we would prefer to not look back on the past and instead focus on this new chapter. And most importantly, we'd like to let the music speak for itself."
Vext originally announced his exit from BAD WOLVES in a since-deleted Instagram Live video, insisting that he was forced out by his former bandmates and record label, Better Noise Music, over his conservative political views. The singer also announced plans to launch a solo career while claiming he wrote a significant portion of the new BAD WOLVES album, apparently referencing the band's upcoming third LP.
In the months leading up to his exit from BAD WOLVES, Vext — who is black — has been vocal about his support for former U.S. president Donald Trump while insisting he had never experienced racism in America and that it was all "manufactured." In June 2020, Vext posted a six-plus-minute video on Instagram in which he suggested, without evidence, that "Black Lives Matter" was created by people like George Soros, the Holocaust survivor and billionaire who is the subject of many right-wing conspiracy theories, along with the Clinton Foundation. He also offered up the debunked theory that they invest in "Black Lives Matter" to profit from media coverage. The singer said he made the video "after weeks of research & interviews with independent journalist(s), military personnel, entertainment industry professionals, a virologist & many ex Democrats."
BAD WOLVES guitarist Doc Coyle later took to his social media to "apologize to anyone who was hurt" by Tommy's comments and to offer up his perspective on what he called a "distraction" from BAD WOLVES' message of "inclusion and positivity."
BAD WOLVES broke through in 2018 with a cover of THE CRANBERRIES hit "Zombie". CRANBERRIES vocalist Dolores O'Riordan was supposed to contribute to the track but died the day she was supposed to go into the studio.
Steamhammer / SPV are opening the autumn 2021 season with a real bang, taking advantage of the increasingly upbeat mood after that nerve-wracking lockdown:
Pink Cream 69, one of the most renowned and longest-serving hard rock bands on the German music scene, has signed with the Hannover-based label. The quintet – consisting of David Readman (vocals), Alfred Koffler (guitar), Marco Wriedt (guitar), Roman Beselt (bass), and Chris Schmidt (drums) – currently finds itself in the songwriting process for its next studio album.
Koffler: "At the moment we are sifting through and sorting the new material. There are currently about thirty tangible ideas for new tracks, which we are, as always, subjecting to a thorough selection process in order to deliver a homogenous album."
The production of the as yet untitled new release is scheduled to begin in the coming weeks. Koffler hopes that the record will be ready to be mixed in December 2021, and the release of a single including video is scheduled to precede the arrival of the album. Pink Cream 69 have enlisted their former bassist Dennis Ward (Unisonic, Place Vendome, Gus G.) as sound engineer to mix and master their latest offering. As a little bonus, thank-you and taste of the good things to come which everyone is so eagerly hoping for, the band has re-recorded its song 'Better Days' in an acoustic version, which is about to be released.
With this signing, Pink Cream 69 have returned to the Steamhammer/SPV fold almost 18 years after the release of their 2004 album, Thunderdome. Alfred Koffler is delighted:
"Since Thunderdome, the contact with Steamhammer`s A&R manager Olly Hahn, who did a great job back then, has never ceased. That`s why we have absolute trust in SPV and feel that we are in good hands. We’re confident that our collaboration will be a fruitful one again."
Olly Hahn: "In Pink Cream 69, one of the strongest and most charismatic German hard rock bands of the past thirty years, is returning to the Steamhammer roster. We’re proud and very happy and look forward to the coming months, which will definitely be very exciting."
Video footage of Steven Adler's September 5 performance at the Rainbow Bar & Grill Backyard Bash in West Hollywood, California can be seen below. Joining the former GUNS N' ROSES drummer in his group are Ariel Kamin, the singer of Argentinian GN'R tribute band SON OF A GUN, plus guitarists Michael Thomas and Alistair James, and bassist Todd Kerns (filling in for Tanya O Callaghan).
Kamin replaced Constantine Maroulis of "American Idol" and "Rock Of Ages" fame, who was the vocalist for ADLER'S APPETITE for a dozen or so dates in May 2018, including an Australian tour.
Steven previously played with Ariel when the drummer joined SON OF GUN on stage in November 2016 in Buenos Aires, Argentina to perform several GN'R classics, including "You Could Be Mine" and "Welcome To The Jungle".
Although he wasn't included in the lineup that launched the "Not In This Lifetime" trek in 2016, Adler rejoined GUNS N' ROSES at several shows on the tour, including three stops on the U.S. leg and one gig in Buenos Aires, Argentina, playing drums on "Out Ta Get Me" and "My Michelle".
In February 2017, Adler revealed that he was originally supposed to appear at more than just a handful of shows on the GUNS N' ROSES reunion trek. He claimed that he expected to play all the "Appetite For Destruction" material during the entire tour, only to be told he was out after he hurt his back during rehearsals.
Speculation was rampant that Adler would participate in at least a portion of the reunion tour ever since GUNS made it official in January 2016. The regular GUNS drummer for several years has been Frank Ferrer, who is also part of the current lineup.
With his solo band starting its first tour in over 30 months this September, ALTER BRIDGE's Myles Kennedy has released another music video from his sophomore release "The Ides Of March". The video for "A Thousand Words" finds Myles reconnecting with director Stefano Bertelli (ALTER BRIDGE's "Native Son"/Myles Kennedy's "In Stride" video) for another animated masterpiece. The video shows Myles reflecting on life at an open grave as he sings the thought-provoking lyrics "'Cause in times like these, we must live and learn."
It was recently announced that Kennedy will head out on "The Ides Of March" tour. The 15-date trek will kick off on September 7 in St. Petersburg, Florida and make stops in Atlanta, Georgia; Des Moines, Iowa; Nashville, Tennessee; and New York, Ne w York, among others, before it wraps up in Baltimore, Maryland on October 2. They will also be part of the Foothills Festival in Jasper, Alabama on September 11 and the Adelphia Music Hall Summer Concert Series in Marietta, Ohio on October 1. These shows will include the full trio that recorded "The Ides Of March" — drummer Zia Uddin and bassist/manager Tim Tournier — on the road as well. All shows are on sale now and more information on tickets/VIP packages for all dates can be found at www.myleskennedy.com.
"The Ides Of March" was released in May via Napalm Records.
During his time at home due to all touring being canceled, Myles created the framework for the song ideas that would make up "The Ides Of March". He then called up his cohorts from his "Year Of The Tiger" debut — Uddin and Tournier — and the three musicians drove to Florida to record the album with longtime producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette.
From the slide guitar riffs of "Get Along" to the pensive blues style of closer "Worried Mind", it is clear that Myles has crafted a formidable follow up to his debut solo album. While "Year Of The Tiger" was more of an acoustic exploration through Myles's mind, "The Ides Of March" finds him strapping on his electric guitar and pushing himself as a guitarist/songwriter. Tracks like "A Thousand Words", "Wake Me When It's Over" and "Moonshot" showcase the diverse musical arrangements that have garnered Myles fans globally across all of his projects. The epic "The Ides Of March" clocks in at over seven minutes, and Myles, Tim and Zia showcase their musical chops on the track.
In November, Myles told Kylie Olsson about how "The Ides Of March" compares to "Year Of The Tiger": "It dawned on me last night as I was listening [to the new album], I was, like, 'You basically made a rock record.' [Laughs] I don't know if I went into it with that intention initially. And I feel like it definitely is still a continuation of the overall style that was established for the solo project on 'Year Of The Tiger'. There's a fair amount of acoustic instrumentation; there's a lot of lap steel [guitar]. I love the lap steel; I just love the way you can make it weep — it's got a very vocal quality. But then I realized there's just a lot of guitar and a lot more solos — you know, guitar geek stuff that I enjoy."
A month earlier, Kennedy told Terrie Carr of the Morristown, New Jersey radio station 105.5 WDHA that it was a joy to reconnect with Uddin, Tournier and Baskette for the making of the new LP.
"Oh, yeah, it was great," he said. "It was great, because we actually drove [to the studio in Florida]. So Zia, my drummer, who, we've played together for the last 30 years, off and on, since we were in high school. He's, in my opinion, one of the greatest rock and roll drummers alive; he's so good, it's mind-boggling. So we started driving. We left Spokane, with the gear in tow. And then we met Tim about halfway. I think we met somewhere in Tennessee, maybe. Then we after driving to Orlando, we all quarantined. Zia did his drums and then he went home, and then Tim finished up. He hung around for a little while. And then I was there for, I think, seven weeks with Elvis."
He continued: "It's a fun environment. We all love each other dearly. I'm serious when I say this: we're a bunch of middle-aged children. I mean, it's as if we've taken a time machine and we're in the seventh grade. And the humor is ridiculously silly. I don't even know how to articulate how ridiculous it gets when you put all of us in a studio together. [Laughs]"
Former METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted performed with the MERE MORTALS at the 2021 Skaneateles Fire Department Field Days on September 5 in Skaneateles, New York. Video footage of his appearance can be seen below.
Last October, Newsted bought a home on Skaneateles Lake in Skaneateles for $6.1 million.
In late 2019, Jason sold his Walnut Creek, California house for $2.3 million.
Newsted and his wife Nicole have been longtime residents of Jupiter, Florida.
Seven years ago, the now-58-year-old Newsted canceled an appearance at Australia's Soundwave festival with his band NEWSTED, citing "private and personal circumstances." The cancelation followed more than a year of intense touring and promotional activity surrounding the release of NEWSTED's "Metal" EP and follow-up album, "Heavy Metal Music", both of which were positively received by the critics and fans alike.
After staying mostly out of the public eye for a couple of years, Newsted rejoined Canadian metal innovators VOIVOD on stage during June 2016 concert at Slim's in San Francisco, California. He has since formed a couple of new acoustic projects, one of which completed a short West Coast tour.
Jason left METALLICA back in 2001 but was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, along with guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, guitarist Kirk Hammett, and the man who replaced him, bassist Robert Trujillo, in 2009.
Guitarist Rich Ward was unable to join FOZZY on stage last night (Thursday, September 2) in Columbus, Ohio for personal medical reasons. He is currently recovering under the care of medical providers and is expected to be back on tour, providing his high-energy performance, very soon. Meanwhile, FOZZY still performed a full set last night and will continue to do so until Rich's return for the first time ever as a four-piece.
Fan-filmed video footage of the Columbus concert can be seen below.
Ward's illness came on the same day that his ex-wife, former professional wrestler Shannon Spruill (a.k.a. Daffney Unger), was found dead at age 46.
According to People, Spruill sparked concerns on Wednesday (September 1) after she posted an Instagram video that showed her holding what appeared to be a small gun. In her video, she discussed potentially having symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disorder caused by repeated concussions.
Spruill's friend Lexie Fyfe told the New York Daily News that Shannon was found on Thursday morning, adding, "This last act, I don't want it to define her. She would always want people to reach out for help and to check in on those they're worried about. We're going to miss her."
Ward and Spruill wed in 1999 but separated in 2003, according to reports.
In May, FOZZY dropped a video for its first new song in two years, "Sane", which hit one million views in its first two weeks. This first-of-its-kind video was filmed on the longest wooden roller coaster on the planet today.
This past February, FOZZY singer Chris Jericho told Detroit's WRIF radio station that the band's follow-up to 2017's "Judas" album would "continue with the momentum that [the] 'Judas' [title track] started for us [four] years ago."
Last summer, Chris revealed that FOZZY's next LP will contain 12 songs, including one cover.
Ward and producer Johnny Andrews once again did "the lion's share" of the songwriting for the new LP, which was recorded primarily in Atlanta, Georgia.
In addition to producing "Judas", Andrews previously co-wrote FOZZY's "Lights Go Out" track back in 2014. He has also written songs with the likes of ALL THAT REMAINS, THREE DAYS GRACE and HALESTORM.
In November, FOZZY appeared in its first global live streaming event from Madison Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.
FOZZY is Chris Jericho (vocals), Rich Ward (guitars, vocals), Frank Fontsere (drums), Billy Grey (guitars) and P.J. Farley (bass).
Wacken TV has uploaded pro-shot footage of Finnish bashers Ensiferum performing at the 2018 installment of the Wacken Open Air. Check out the full show below.
Setlist:
"For Those About to Fight for Metal"
"Two Paths"
"Heathen Horde"
"Twilight Tavern"
"Token of Time"
"From Afar"
"In My Sword I Trust"
"Hail to the Victor"
"Way of the Warrior"
"Two of Spades"
"Lai Lai Hei"
"Iron"
US modern deathcore heavyweights Signs Of The Swarm have unveiled new single / video "Death Whistle", taken from their forthcoming album, Absolvere, out September 24th 2021 via Unique Leader.
Vocalist David Simonich commented "'Death Whistle' is a conceptual piece inspired by the ancient Aztec relic used in war. Entwining this idea to represent the end of our pain and sorrow that fuels the war within ourselves."
"While composing 'Death Whistle', we as a group had our own individual challenges and griefs to overcome. Sharing my experience publicly, I went through the hardship of losing my mother. To this day, I struggle with the constant battle within myself that there was something else I could have done to change what had happened. Full of regret, I dwell on my actions of the past where I believe that if I were around that my influence could have changed the outcome."
"This song has a special place in my heart for it was the first time the band fully collaborated on the lyrics of a song. Pouring our souls, 'Death Whistle' was born."
Guitarist Jeff Russo continues: “I brought the 'Death Whistle' concept to the table after stumbling across videos of them online and feeling inspired by their chilling nature. Coming full circle to tie this together with our personal struggles and the lyrical content of the song, I felt pouring our feelings of being overwhelmed and crushed by life’s obstacles and tragedies was fitting. The end beckons to us, it instils fear in us, but we answer its call and we are swallowed by it. It’s a dark fantasy entailing the agonies of depression, loss, and letting go, but one I feel many can relate to at times.”
"Stratego" is the second track from Iron Maiden’s long-awaited, 17th studio album, Senjutsu, released on September 3rd via BMG. It’s one of two songs on the 10-track, 82 minutes long album written by guitarist Janick Gers and founder member/ bassist Steve Harris.
The official animated for the song can be viewed below.
For Senjutsu - loosely translated as ‘tactics & strategy,’ the band once again enlisted the services of Mark Wilkinson to create the spectacular Samurai themed cover artwork, based on an idea by Steve Harris. With a running time of a little under 82 minutes, Senjutsu, like their previous record The Book Of Souls, will be a double CD/Triple vinyl album.
Steve says: “We chose to record at Guillaume Tell Studio in France again as the place has such a relaxed vibe. The setup there is perfect for our needs; the building used to be a cinema and has a really high ceiling so there’s a great acoustic sound. We recorded this album in the same way we did The Book Of Souls in that we’d write a song, rehearse it and then put it down together straight away while it was all fresh in our minds. There’s some very complex songs on this album which took a lot of hard work to get them exactly as we wanted them to sound, so the process was at times very challenging, but Kevin is great at capturing the essence of the band and I think it was worth the effort! I’m very proud of the result and can’t wait for fans to hear it.”
Bruce continues: “We’re all really excited about this album. We recorded it back in early 2019 during a break in the Legacy tour so we could maximize our touring yet still have a long set up period before release to prepare great album art and something special as a video. Of course the pandemic delayed things more - so much for the best laid plans – or should that be ‘strategies’!? The songs are very varied, and some of them are quite long. There’s also one or two songs which sound pretty different to our usual style, and I think Maiden fans will be surprised - in a good way, I hope!"
Senjutsu has been released in the following formats and is available to order/save at IronMaiden.com.
- Standard 2CD Digipak
- Deluxe 2CD Book Format
- Deluxe heavyweight 180G Triple Black Vinyl
- Special Edition Triple Silver And Black Marble Vinyl
- Special Edition Triple Red and Black Marble Vinyl
- Super Deluxe Boxset featuring CD, Blu Ray and Exclusive Memorabilia
- Digital album [streaming and download]
Tracklisting:
"Senjutsu" (8:20) - Smith/Harris
"Stratego" (4:59) - Gers/Harris
"The Writing On The Wall" (6:13) - Smith/Dickinson
"Lost In A Lost World" (9:31) - Harris
"Days Of Future Past" (4:03) - Smith/Dickinson
"The Time Machine" (7:09) - Gers/Harris
"Darkest Hour" (7:20) - Smith/Dickinson
"Death Of The Celts" (10:20) - Harris
"The Parchment" (12:39) - Harris
"Hell On Earth" (11:19) - Harris
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