Cello metal band Leecher have released a reimagined version of one of Beast In Black’s fan favourite songs. “Blind And Frozen” - originally released on Berserker (2017) - has now been turned into a quite different song, performed with cellos and female vocals in Leecher’s remarkable rendition.
"I've always appreciated when a band doesn't simply copy another song, but shape it to their own sound and put something from their very essence into it. This is what makes a cover song interesting for me, because it creates a totally distinct spirit and feeling to it. Moreover, it takes a lot more time and creativity to make such a cover. With might and main, Leecher has truly given this song everything they are, but the original composition is still strongly recognizable, so their task was accomplished flawlessly! I'm especially happy they chose our song, because a good cover opens up the possibility to reach new people for the original performer as well - maybe someone in the future will become a Beast In Black fan because of this cover! Congratulations to the front lady and the gentlemen!" - commented Beast In Black bass guitarist Máté Molnár.
Leecher are one of the most unusual aspiring metal bands of Hungary, playing their melodic, uplifting, catchy symphonic metal with cellos only. Frontwoman Anett Horváth’s graceful, powerful vocals also give this cover a nice, refreshing touch that surely makes it a pleasant surprise to the fans of the original song as well. Just like their latest album, Deviant (2020), “Blind And Frozen” was recorded at Miracle Sound Studio (Szeged, Hungary) by Gábor Vári. The music video was directed, filmed, and edited by Gergő Farkas and the band members.
“We prefer making cover songs that we don’t simply perform the way they were written, but the ones we can entwine with our personalities and we can give a little extra to its original message,” said lead singer Anett Horváth about choosing Beast In Black’s song. “We’re pretty sure this cover will be a bit controversial to some of the fans, and it wasn’t easy to touch this song. I constantly had to expand my boundaries, had to try and learn new singing techniques and it took a lot of ideas from each of us to form this final version. We’re very proud of how it turned out!”
Death metallers The Blood Of Christ brutalized their way onto the Canadian scene in the mid-1990s. Even with various line-up changes, mainly vocalists, the band has been a consistent tour de force, supporting bands such as Cryptopsy, Incantation, Morbid Angel, Kataklysm, Necronomicon, Killitorous and many more local and international acts.
Two of their earlier demos were 1994’s Frozen Dreams and 1995’s The Lonely Flowers Of Autumn, which were both highly praised on the underground cassette trading circuit.
Teaming up with Canadian extreme metal label CDN Records, The Blood of Christ will unleash on August 21 for old and new fans the reissuing of both Frozen Dreams and The Lonely Flowers Of Autumn on cassette along with a CD edition, which will feature bonus tracks from 1996’s Torture Records 7″ single. Both are remixed along with remastering done by Dan Swano (Incantation, Jungle Rot, Asphyx).
“This was the beginning of our natural journey that began rooted in straight-up death-grind metal around 1995 with added dark elements from black metal and doom. These songs became epic with varied time signatures and tempo changes, often shifting from chugging death metal riffs to droning black metal riffs in the blink of an eye – and incorporated more vocal styles than the average death metal band would. We have always called it epic dark metal since our inception in 1995 with our the Lonely Flowers of Autumn demo… and that has stuck with us.”
In celebration of the reissues, The Blood Of Christ sharing their latest lyric video for their track “Moonshroud... The Crescent Glow”, which appears on both The Lonely Flowers Of Autumn cassette and CD.
The band adds:
"‘Moonshroud… The Crescent Glow’ was one of the first two songs written for the The Lonely Flowers Of Autumn demo, back in early 1995. It was almost exclusively our opening song in live performances back then. Moonshroud represents the more extreme side of our songwriting both musically and with vocal delivery and is my personal favourite Blood Of Christ song. We chose this song to release as a video single because the original had a rough mix where you could barely hear the riffs and we felt that the remixed/remastered version gave a more clear and defined spread to the instruments: allowing the listener to really hear how sick this tune is."
Cassette tracklisting - The Lonely Flowers Of Autumn (1995) - Reissue:
"Autumns Twilight"
"In The Distance"
"Moonshroud"
"As the Roses Wither"
Cassette tracklisting - Frozen Dreams (1994) - Reissue:
"Frozen Dreams"
"Divine Gift"
"Christ Crucified"
"Dawn"
"Bleed For Me"
CD tracklisting:
"Autumns Twilight"
"In The Distance"
"Moonshroud"
"As The Roses Wither"
CD bonus tracks:
"The Raven’s Song"
"Winter Tree …A Forest Of Tragedy"
"Frozen Dreams"
"Divine Gift"
"Christ Crucified"
"Dawn"
"Bleed For Me"
"Moonshroud...The Crescent Glow" video:
"In The Distance" lyric video:
The Blood of Christ reissue lineup:
Jason Longo - Drums, Cymbals & Sawblade
Jason Deaville - Vocals
Marek Kopala - Bass, Keyboards & Classical Guitar
Jeff Longo - Electric & Classical Guitar
Finland's Oceanhoarse are about to get set for the release of their debut studio album, entitled Dead Reckoning, out this Friday on Noble Demon.
With former and current members of well-known acts like Amoral, Warmen and others, the foursome delivers exactly that kind of album you would hope to get from such experienced people. Featuring 13 tracks, loaded with crushing riffs, vocal harmonies and high voltage arrangements, Dead Reckoning shows a band willing to explore things in their very own style, instead of sticking to any kind of average formula.
In support of the new album and to celebrate the upcoming release in glorious style, Oceanhoarse have unleashed a brand new video clip for the melodic and groove-laden heavy metal anthem "From Hell To Oblivion".
The band comments: “‘From Hell To Oblivion’ represents Oceanhoarse at its most melodic, and it just might feature the biggest chorus on the album. The lyrics talk about false lighthouses, the inability to see warning signs in advance and how history keeps repeating itself, usually in pretty depressing ways.”
Oceanhoarse have amassed an impressive two million plus streams on Spotify alone, and all this before their first studio album has even been released. The band's previous single "One With the Gun" was released in late February, and has already hit the 100,000 stream mark.
Dead Reckoning will be released on August 20 through Noble Demon and is now available for pre-save and pre-order here.
Tracklisting:
"Headfirst"
"Locks"
"Betrayed By Light"
"One With The Gun"
"Reaching Skywards"
"Fields Of Severed Dreams"
"Submersed"
"The Intruder"
"Fight For Tomorrow"
"From Hell To Oblivion"
"REW"
"Dead Reckoning"
"The Damage"
"Fading Neons"
Portland dark rock duo Hoaxed sign to Relapse Records. Hoaxed first unveiled their self-titled debut EP at the beginning of 2021 and will release their debut full-length album in 2022. Stay tuned for more information in the near future.
Watch the “Candle Master” music video from their self-titled EP below:
Like all the greatest revelations, Hoaxed have emerged, seemingly from nowhere: an idiosyncratic and enigmatic two-woman force. With a sound that defies traditional description, vocalist/guitarist Kat Keo and percussive powerhouse Kim Coffel have used their lockdown months as a golden opportunity to pursue their true creative desires, instigating something exhilarating, new and brilliantly creepy in the process.
First unveiled on their self-titled debut EP at the beginning of 2021, Hoaxed appear to exist in a sonic world entirely of their own design. With musical references as disparate as crunchy modern metal, ghoulish gothic rock, twanging Americana and shimmering shoegaze, songs like the menacing melodrama of Dark Altar Magic and the windswept ‘n’ ghostly drone rock grit of Candle Master ooze shadowy charisma and disarming originality.
Once again, observe the power of two. As Kat Keo’s ethereal melodies and spiky poetry provide a mesmerising focal point, Kim Coffel’s thunderous grooves and turbocharged pulse provide the muscle, spine and beating heart of Hoaxed. Fundamental to the band’s gleeful dismantling of traditional genre boundaries, Kim’s metallic attack and precision ensure that even the more elegant parts of songs like Riders and Cold River connect with jaw-juddering impact.
Having selected a suitably beguiling and sinister name (“It struck me that people love a magic trick,” says Kim. “But if you put that in a darker setting, it becomes something from the heart of evil. It’s malevolent.”), Hoaxed have made it plain that they have a natural instinct for the dark side of music and its attendant culture. Fittingly, there is something wonderfully subversive about the way the duo’s insidious hymns to nefarious spirits so effortlessly straddle multiple genres. Newly signed with the eternally open-minded Relapse Records, Hoaxed have conjured something with self-evident cult potential.
As the dust settles and the clouds disperse, Hoaxed are preparing their first full-length album and a full-scale assault on hearts and minds. Meanwhile, the spell has been officially cast. This is heavy music for heavy times, but with a lightness of touch and ferocious intelligence that sets Hoaxed apart from just about every other band out there right now. That, in itself, is some kind of dark magic.
D.D. Verni & The Cadillac Band have unveiled “Olivia…That’s Who!” the second single and video from their debut album Let’s Rattle, due out September 17 (via MVD). As with the album’s lead single and video “Cadillac Man,” the new single underlines the high-energy original swingin’ and rockin’ big-band sound from D.D. Verni, the songwriter/founding member/bassist for heavy metal pioneers Overkill who’ve sold millions of records worldwide and have released 19 studio albums dating back to their 1985 debut album. Watch the video below.
“While the song is about my daughter, I think it speaks to anyone who has a bubbly outgoing spirited girl in their life,” says D.D. “It could be your mom, wife or girlfriend. And I think the drawings capture the spirit of the song. The song lyric says “There’s always enough love to go round” and I think that’s the spirit of the song and the drawings. It’s about how a girl like that in your life can brighten your day and make things always seem OK.”
Pre-order the album here or pre-save the album here Read a Q&A with Verni below.
Verni has always dreamed of recording a big band album, as his love for the sound dates back many years. The New Jersey-based artist began by writing a fantastic collection of soon-to-be big band classics. Next he recruited longtime Brian Setzer Orchestra upright bassist, John “Spazz” Hatton, to do horn arrangements and play upright bass, while bass player D.D. switched things up playing some guitar on the album. Then D.D. brought in the LA based horn section from Phat Cat Swinger to play the horns and added Brian Setzer Orchestra drummer and current Doobie Brothers member, Tony Pia. Add jazz pianist Dave Moscoe and Hot Rod guitarist Damian Bacci, and you have a star-studded line-up of big band greatness that made this album shake and swing.
With songs like “Cadillac Man,” “Shake It Swing It” and “Olivia…that’s Who!” the album features 13 tracks (nine originals and four covers), was produced by Verni and mixed by Greg Reely (Coldplay, Sarah McLachlan, Overkill), and recorded in Los Angeles and New Jersey.
In addition, D.D. Verni & The Cadillac Band have confirmed their first-ever live show, Saturday, October 30 show at the Vogel (Count Basie Center for the Arts) in Red Bank, NJ, the same venue where they filmed the video for “Cadillac Man,” the album’s first single. Tickets available here .
Let's Rattle tracklisting:
"Cadillac Man"
"Shake It Swing It"
"Give Me Your Number"
"Olivia...That's Who!"
"Powerhouse"
"Cold Hearted Woman"
"School Of Rock n' Roll"
"L-O-V-E"
"Just Say U Love Me"
"Manhattan Baby"
"Close Your Eyes and Dream"
"Ain't That A Kick In The Head"
"The One Who Loves You"
"Olivia...That's Who":
"Cadillac Man" video:
Q&A With D.D. Verni:
Q: A lot of people are going to be really surprised that you’ve recorded an album fully embracing a big band sound with rockabilly and other early rock + pop stylings, particularly since you’re known as songwriter/founding member and bassist for OVERKILL. What inspired you to take this musical direction, sing lead vocals, and play guitar?
A: "Yeah, I think it will be a bit of a shock to some people, but I have been a fan of this kind of music for a long time. The old Big Band standards were playing at my house when I was a kid. My dad was a big Sinatra fan, so I’m sure some of it’s from growing up with that and AM radio. And I always loved 50’s music and Doo Wop-- Fats Domino, Jerry Lee, etc. And loved the crooners too--Bobby Darin, Dean Martin, Tom Jones--and even in metal and rock: Jim Morrison, Ian Astbury, Glenn Danzig…all of the crooning type of vocalists I’ve always loved. And then I don’t know how long ago it was now, but when Brian Setzer put his big, band orchestra together the first time I thought, “this is amazing.” I never really understood why no one else was trying their hand at that. I mean there’s a thousand blues bands all in the same genre and doing their own thing with it, but almost no swing/jump blues/rock n roll type of bands. I had collected a lot of riffs and material through the years--I just put it aside thinking one day I’ll get to this and so with that in mind I just started writing the types of songs I liked best. High energy, tap your toes, get up outta your seat kind of songs. I’m not one for jazz really or even a country twang as some bands in the genre touch on, so I kept it moving and jumping even on the standards we recorded, because that’s really what I love best. I am a songwriter at heart; I have done all these records with Overkill, and also some side projects and was involved in writing a musical for a few years, so changing my head space is not such a big deal to me. I like what I like and as long as the energy is good, I can roll with it. Even with Overkill I’m not trying to be ultra-heavy, or ultra-punk…the only real line I follow is, “am I digging it?” and if the answer is “yes,” then I jump in. And I think the singing and playing guitar throws people a bit as well as I’m known as a bassist. But that’s part of the fun to stepping out and trying new stuff. I had been the vocalist on my solo album and was not such a stretch doing this. Although I learned a lot and have to say singing is not as easy as I once thought… hahaha. And I am not really an upright bass player, which I knew I wanted for this, so it just made sense to stay with the guitar."
Q: As a songwriter having written nine of the 13 songs, this musical sound required a different mindset. How did you get yourself psyched up for it? It’s a different language of course than metal.
A: "Ya know it is and it isn’t. Metal is about energy. Although a lot of the times it’s angry energy (hahaha)! But that’s why it is so great--to scream and yell and get it out. This music is about energy as well but really about joy and fun. All the lyrics are fun and upbeat. Some little stories--nothing politically motivated or ripped from the headlines. Just fun. Even when writing and shooting the video, you can see people are smiling and bouncing around. So that’s a cool headspace to be in when writing. That’s actually cool to be around anytime! Part of what I love about this record is that it’s fun! Especially after the last year that everyone has had, it would be easy to do an angry-as-hell record, but for me this is refreshing, like comfort food (hahaha)!"
Q: Of the album’s 13 songs, which ones are personal highlights for you and why?
A: "Some of these songs have a long history, like the song “Manhattan Baby,” which is a kinda Louis Prima type of thing. I wrote and recorded that song 26 years ago when my first daughter was born--for her and my wife as a present. Then on my wife’s 50th birthday, I wrote and recorded “Just Say You Love Me,” and gave her that as a present. And of course my second daughter Olivia was like, “where’s my song!” and then on her 16th birthday I wrote and recorded “Olivia…that’s who!” So I had been toying with these kinds of songs for a very long time. Then when I started to see I had enough material to do a record, I started writing more material. And that’s where a song like “Cadillac Man” came from. Definitely one of my favorites and maybe the first one I specifically wrote for the album. It kind of encompasses all the different things I wanted for the record. Upbeat, a little rock n’ roll and little swing. “Shake It Swing It” I really love as well. Again, the energy in the song is great, really exactly what I was looking for as a foundation for the band. And “Close Your Eyes and Dream” was fun because it’s a bit different. Has that old 50’s tear-jerker vibe that the Ramones used to do too."
Q: The performance video for “Cadillac Man” is instantly striking. Can you talk about the filming of it?
A: "That was a really fun day! We did it right around when Covid was loosening up a bit. It was my first time on a stage and inside a venue in over a year, and even though it wasn’t a show, it felt like it some. I think you see that in the video and from everyone that was part of it. There’s a lot of smiling and fun and energy from the song itself, but I think the fact that we all were feeling so good about performing and having the band vibe again, it was great! When we were talking about doing the video, I really felt like it had to be a band performance thing. We could have come up with a great concept kind of video, but I think people needed to see the band playing to know that it’s a real band. That this is what they can expect to see when they come to a show. It was a challenge some because of all the Covid protocols. We weren’t sure which venue we could use, and with the mask mandates and all. Plus the band that played on the record was all over the country and we couldn’t bring them all in. First person I reached out to was John because he had been such a part of the whole album; I really felt like he needed to be there and he was up for it. Then I reached out to the girls who are local and they were up for it as well. I asked my friend Angus Clark who plays in Trans-Siberian Orchestra to be part of it; he was psyched and came down for the day. Then I spent a lot of time searching and calling local guys to be part of it. Funny how horn players are kind of a herd. One knows the other and then knows the other etc. Little by little, we filled in the band but you never know how the chemistry is till you start doing it. It was kind of amazing how everyone did gel. The director for the video thought we had been a band that had done a lot of touring, and I think it does come across that way. I had done a video for my solo record with a director Leigh Brooks from the UK and reached out to him about local directors etc. and he hooked us up with a team he had worked with from Brooklyn that he thought might be good. That was the thing; because of Covid, there was not going to be a lot of flying or bringing people in, the whole thing had to be local. But I spoke with Adam Steven and Ricky who were the team that did the video and they immediately got the vibe. Again, like the album and songs, I wanted a blend of things and some of the guys were metalheads so they understood the energy, and some were not, so they understood having it be more fun and upbeat. The whole band/album/songs etc. had been about the blend of swing and rock n roll and energy and fun. I told them that’s what I wanted to come across as the main ingredient. I like when things feel like a family atmosphere. That’s the way it’s been for me my whole life; I come from a very big Italian family. That’s the way it is with Overkill internally and with the fans and that’s the way I would want this to be as well. It’s just an extension of who I am."
Q: Might there be possible shows from DD Verni & the Cadillac Band in 2021 or 2022?
A: "I’m very excited to do some touring. We’re looking at possibilities now. Whether it be a support slot, headline shows, or even festivals, I think would be great. How about Paul Stanley and his Soul Band and DD Verni and his Swing Band on the same bill…hahahaha…awesome!!!"
Q: Have your bandmates in Overkill heard the album and what have they said about it?
Extreme metal brutes, Feed The Corpses To The Pigs, have signed with Horror Pain Gore Death Productions and will release their full-length debut album, This Insidious Horror, on October 15. The official video for “Ghost Of Winter” (ft. Rick Rozz from Death, Massacre) can be found below.
This Insidious Horror is a hook-forward LP with tales of technocratic rulers, murderous cults, and otherworldly terrors. Horror comes in many forms; the Pigs revel in them all. Feed The Corpses To The Pigs (FTCTTP) pummels and brutalizes their listeners with their mix of old-school and new-school metal styles including grindcore, crossover, black, and death metal. Featuring guest musicians Rick Rozz (Death,Massacre) and Miasma Recording artist Daniel Torgal (Analepsy/Enblood) as well as mastering done by one of the most sought after engineers today, Will Putney (Fit For An Autopsy), This Insidious Horror captures the chaotic nature of the world today in song form and the outlook is bleak.
When FTCTTP hits the stage, the performance is nothing short of memorable. It is a raucous live show that combines dark humor and thrown body parts, FTCTTP brings the slaughterhouse to the stage. FTCTTP mix extreme metal styles and long-form horror stories to the “delight” of audiences everywhere.
Shawn “Death Pig” Fink comments on the recording...
On the new album, “When we formed in the middle of 2019, we individually had taken some time off from the metal industry. We wanted to create some music quickly so we went in and made an EP that was really rough around the edges. We hadn’t taken the time to become comfortable with each other, but we wanted something to show so we could get gigs. Over a year later, we’ve become much more in sync with each other and have perfected the type of metal we want to make.
Death Pig continues, “For me, this album is a mix-tape to all the different genres I love. When I listen to music at home, I like to hit that random button. I’ll get a black metal track, then a punk track, then a thrash band, and so on. I think when you switch up the styles, it makes each of them pop more than just listening to an album of just one thing. I think all of our songs have our signature Pigs sound and sensibility, but I’ll follow a good song wherever the riffs and lyrics may lead me and not worry about sticking to one metal style.”
Legendary Dutch rock band, Golden Earring, performed at the Rockpalast Classic Rock Night on June 10, 2007 at Palladium in Cologne, Germany. Rockpalast has posted pro-shot footage of the band's full performance, which can be seen below.
Setlist:
"Skyscraper Hell Of A Town"
"When The Levy Breaks"
"Twilight Zone"
"Long Blond Animal"
"Going To The Run"
"She Flies On Strange Wings"
"Gambler's Blues"
"Radar Love"
"Back Home"
"Holy Holy Life"
Sweden's Seventh Crystal recently released their debut album, Delirium, via Frontiers Music Srl. Order the new album here, and watch a new video for the song "Time To Let It Go" below.
"Say What You Need To Say"
"When We Were Young"
"Broken Mirror"
"Delirium"
"When I'm Gone"
"Should've Known Better"
"So Beautiful"
"Time To Let It Go"
"Déjà Vu"
"Bright And Clear"
"Hope It Will Be Alright"
"Time To Let It Go" video:
"Broken Mirror" video:
"Déjà Vu" video:
"Say What You Need To Say" video:
Lineup:
Kristian Fyhr - Lead Vocals
Johan Älvsång - Keyboard/Backing Vocals
Emil Dornerus - Guitar/Backing Vocals
Olof Gadd - Bass/Backing Vocals
Anton Roos - Drums/Percussion
Virtuosic extreme metallers, Obscura, will release their sixth studio album, A Valediction, on November 19. The band have released a video for the second single and title track. Watch "A Valediction" below:
Thematically dealing with final farewells, the new album will be a very personal record, as founder & mastermind Steffen Kummerer reveals: A Valediction unfolds Obscura in its purest form and showcases the band at new heights and offers immediacy with a rather personal touch. We cannot wait to perform this album on stage and celebrate each and every song live with our loyal fans around the globe. This record goes to eleven, so watch out for the first single dropping in July and worldwide tour dates to be announced soon."
The album, graced by a cover artwork painted by internationally renowned artist Eliran Kantor, will consist of 11 new studio tracks. Pre-order various formats here.
Tracklisting:
"Forsaken"
"Solaris"
"A Valediction"
"When Stars Collide" (feat. Björn 'Speed' Strid)
"In Unity"
"Devoured Usurper"
"The Beyond"
"Orbital Elements II"
"The Neuromancer"
"In Adversity"
"Heritage"
"Solaris" video:
Lineup:
Steffen Kummerer - Vocals & Guitars
Christian Münzner - Guitars
Jeroen Paul Thesseling - Bass
David Diepold - Drums
NMB (Neal Morse Band) will release their fourth studio album, Innocence & Danger, on August 27. Watch a video for the song, "Your Place In The Sun", below:
With NMB’s previous two releases being concept albums, it’s perhaps remarkable that Innocence & Danger is a series of unrelated songs, but drummer Mike Portnoy says, “After two sprawling back to back double concept albums in a row, it was refreshing to get back to writing a collection of unrelated individual songs in the vein of our first album.”
Indeed, making this album came easy to the band; while the initial inspiration came particularly from Bill Hubauer (keyboards) and Randy George (bass), the ideas flowed from everybody from there on, as George recalls: “I am excited about the level of collaboration that we achieved on this one. We even went in with a lot of ideas that weren’t necessarily developed, and I think in the end we have something that represents the best of everybody in the band.”
In fact - like its two acclaimed predecessors - Innocence & Danger is a double album by inspiration, rather than design, as Portnoy explains: “As much as we wanted to try and keep it to a single album after having just done two double albums, we wrote so much material that we found ourselves with our third double album in a row! That’s pretty prog!”
There is also plenty in Innocence & Danger to excite those prog fans who have a thirst for epics, as Neal Morse explains: “There's one half hour epic and another that's about 20 minutes long. I really didn't realise that they were that long when we were recording them, which I guess is great because if a movie is really good, you don't realise that it's three hours long! But there are also some shorter songs: some have poppier elements, some are heavier and some have three part acoustic sections. I’m excited about all of it, really.”
The album will be released as a Limited 2CD+DVD Digipak (featuring a Making Of documentary), 3LP+2CD Boxset, Standard 2CD Jewelcase & Digital Album, featuring artwork by Thomas Ewerhard (Transatlantic). Pre-order here.
Tracklisting:
CD 1 (Innocence):
"Do It All Again"
"Bird On A Wire"
"Your Place In The Sun"
"Another Story To Tell"
"The Way It Had To Be"
"Emergence"
"Not Afraid Pt. 1"
"Bridge Over Troubled Water"
CD 2 (Danger):
"Not Afraid Pt. 2"
"Beyond The Years"
The Neal Morse Band (now NMB) was formed in 2012, featuring long-time collaborators Neal Morse (vocals, keyboards and guitars), Mike Portnoy (drums, vocals) and Randy George (bass), as well as Bill Hubauer (keyboards, vocals) and Eric Gillette (guitars, vocals). The band’s first album, The Grand Experiment, showed both a freshness and maturity that was further developed in 2016’s The Similitude Of A Dream, 2019’s The Great Adventure and 2021’s Innocence & Danger.
Warkings Warriors beware! The mighty kings return to the battlefield, armed with glorious weapons made of pure heavy metal - the time for Revolution is close.
With their next battle hymn and album opener “We Are The Fire” the Warkings prepare their return to Earth and call for Revolution! “We Are The Fire” bursts in with full power and sets a statement with driving drums, catchy choruses, and fanfare on the beat.
“We Are The Fire!
We Are The Light!
We Are The Hammer!
We Will Fight!”
The Viking on the album release: “The time has come, the world needs a Revolution. Raise your banners, fly our colors and join us on our way. We are the fire!”
Get ready for Revolution and watch the new video for “We Are The Fire”:
The third part of the Warkings saga will be unleashed on August 20 via Napalm Records, so sharpen your weapons and join the Warkings Revolution.
After their rebirth and the fight against the armies of the underworld, it's time for Revolution under the flag of the Warkings. The four ancient kings, a Roman Tribune, a wild Viking, a noble Crusader and a martial Spartan, raise the red flag and gather their warriors for the next battle.
The Viking on the new album: “The time has come, the world needs a Revolution. Raise your banners, fly our colors and join us on our way. We are the fire!”
Revolution will be available in the following formats:
- Digital album
- 1 CD Digipack
- 1 LP Gatefold Black Vinyl
- Die Hard Edition: 1 LP Gatefold Marbled Crystal Clear & Sky - Blue Vinyl with Slipmat (strictly limited to 300)
- Deluxe Box, including 1 CD Digipack, leather wristband, exclusive Lanyard & pass, 4 Autograph cards and a special signed autograph card in every 5th Box (strictly limited to 500)
Hungary’s finest sonic-shifting punk/metal upstarts, The Hellfreaks, just signed an official record deal with Napalm Records.
The Hellfreaks on the signing: "We’re thrilled and proud that we can reveal one of the biggest news in our history - our signing to Napalm Records! The last decade was a hell of a ride for us and especially the pandemic right after our latest album release hit us pretty hard. Who’d have thought that this could turn into such a happy end? But you can be sure that this is not the end, this is just the START! We can’t imagine a better partner of supporting our vision of music, of mixing metal aggression with the attitude of punk ✊ We always stood for strength and were the voice for those who are done with collecting more scars, but now we’re stoked on a whole new level and are ready to make all our freaks and our new label proud!”
With a stellar discography and millions of streams, The Hellfreaks have been on the insider tip for many fans around the globe. The band recorded their first demo in 2009, followed by the massive psychobilly-punk hit "Boogie Man" (the video has over six million streams on YouTube) and their debut album, Hell Sweet Hell. In 2014, it was time for change, and the band switched up its lineup, leaving their accustomed sound behind them for good. With more of a focus on punk-meets-metal, The Hellfreaks continued to hone their songwriting chops and grow their fanbase at the same time, culminating in the release of their critically acclaimed, fan favorite album, God On The Run (2020).
And The Hellfreaks wouldn't be themselves if they weren't equally hungry for more - immediately releasing a brand new single/video to announce the signing. “Old Tomorrows” is the perfect introduction with singer Shakey Sue's trademark catchy sing-along-screams and cleans with the band's high paced alt metal groove as the backbone, and is destined to become a punk rock anthem for new and longtime fans alike.
Watch the video for “Old Tomorrows” below.
The Hellfreaks on the new single: “With 'Old Tomorrows' we would like to welcome you in our new era! If 'Old Tomorrows' would get manifested, you would face an ageless architect who is planning an indestructible bridge between generations. Most of us grew up being told to respect our elders in any case. The box was ticked. But it’s just not working like that. As the world is changing quickly the gap between all generations is constantly growing. While elders are expecting respect for their experiences, youngsters feel unvalued, as their potential seems to be ignored. We’re pointing out each other's differences, while not seeing that the disrespect comes from the same root - we’re not doing things the same way. It’s time to accept that we’re not better than the other, but that we can get a better version of ourselves if we open our minds. “Young mistakers, old days chasers, let’s become generation breakers!””
The Hellfreaks are:
Zsuzsa Radnóti - Vocals
József Takács - Guitar
Gábor Domján - Bass
Béla Budai - Drums
Rock icon and Queen drummer, Roger Taylor, has released the first single from his upcoming solo album, Outsider, due for release October 1. The video for the single, "We’re All Just Trying to Get By" featuring KT Tunstall, was filmed during lockdown between Roger and KT’s studios in the UK and the US respectively. Find the clip below.
Outsider is Taylor’s first album of new material since 2013’s Fun On Earth. Over the last decade, the drummer has also released the occasional solo track reflecting on his worldview and observations in songs like Journey’s End, Gangsters Are Running This World. His most recent was Isolation, which was written and recorded in response to the first lockdown last year.
With much of Outsider recorded during lockdown, this new album finds Taylor in reflective mood. Across the record, he conveys a palpable sense of seclusion, concerns over the passing of time, and tellingly, dedicates it “to all the outsiders, those who feel left on the sidelines”.
On recording the Outsider album after Isolation Taylor says: “I’ve had a bit of a creative spurt and suddenly found myself with an album, which was lovely. It was a surprise!
“I just found myself in the studio and they came out one after the other. It was a pleasure really.”
Outsider is released by Universal on October 1. Click here to pre-order.
Tracklisting:
"Tides"
"I Know, I Know, I Know"
"More Kicks"
"Absolutely Anything"
"Gangsters Are Running This World"
"We’re All Just Trying To Get By" – Featuring K T Tunstall
"Gangsters Are Running This World" – Purple Version
"Isolation"
"The Clapping Song"
"Outsider"
"Foreign Sand" – English Mix
"Journey’s End"
"We’re All Just Trying to Get By" video:
Outsider tour dates:
October
2 - Newcastle, UK - O2 Academy
3 - Manchester, UK - Academy
5 - York, UK - Barbican
6 - Cardiff, UK - St. David’s Hall
8 - Liverpool, UK - O2 Academy
9 - Norwich, UK - University East Anglia (Uea)
11 - Bath, UK - Forum
12 - Bournemouth, UK - O2 Academy
14 - Plymouth, UK - Pavilions
15 - Nottingham, UK - Rock City
17 - Bexhill, UK - De La Warr Pavilion
19 - Guildford, UK - G Live
20 - Coventry, UK - HMV Empire
22 - London, UK - O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
German thrash metal veterans DESTRUCTION have officially parted ways with founding guitarist Michael "Mike" Sifringer and have replaced him with Martin Furia. The Argentinian-born, Belgian-based Furia is best known for his work as sound engineer and producer for such bands as NERVOSA and EVIL INVADERS.
DESTRUCTION frontman Schmier commented: "The last two years have been testing times for all of us. We are all sad to announce that Mike has left DESTRUCTION. It all was a shock and hit us hard but nevertheless there was never any doubt that we will continue as a band. We are a strong unit and are proud to welcome our new guitarist, Martin Furia, to the band! Our chemistry is great since Martin has been a part of the DESTRUCTION family for many years now. He is the perfect new man on the axe — the first shows have been a fucking blast!"
Sifringer said: "It's hard to leave a band after 39 years. DESTRUCTION is my life and something like my baby. But sometimes you have to take decisions that hurt. I'm very sad at the moment, but if something doesn't feel right anymore, better stop doing it. Thanks to all former bandmates. I'm very proud about the music we have created together. Cheers to all thrashers out there. Without your support and your passion, DESTRUCTION would not exist. Peace."
Furia stated: "The news is finally out and I have mixed emotions. I'm extremely proud to be part of this legendary band since 2016 as sound technician and tour manager. I've been all over the world with the DESTRUCTION family and they have always treated me like another member of the band.
"I'm sad to see Mike go because I love him and respect him as a person and guitarist, but when I was asked if I would like to be the new guitarist of DESTRUCTION, I didn't hesitate for a second. I feel ready to honor Mike's legacy, to add my own touch and I will give my best to keep the flame of DESTRUCTION burning strong forever, with deep respect and devotion for the past and with full energy and commitment for the future. THRASH TILL DEATH!"
Sifringer was the only member of DESTRUCTION to have remained constant throughout the band's career. Schmier appeared on DESTRUCTION's first three albums before leaving the band and being replaced by POLTERGEIST vocalist André Grieder. André's sole recorded appearance with DESTRUCTION was on the "Cracked Brain" album, which came out in 1990. Schmier rejoined DESTRUCTION in 1999.
In other news, DESTRUCTION has released a new single and video, "State Of Apathy", featuring Furia's first recorded appearance with the band.
Schmier stated about the track: "'State Of Apathy' shows the direction DESTRUCTION will go with the new record: more 'back to the roots,' more guitars, more in your face!
"This band is my life and we will always give 100% to keep the spirit alive.
"I hope you love the new single as much as we do. Thanks for all the support!
"We are wishing Mike the best for his future. For us, there is only one way to go THRASH TILL DEATH!"
"State Of Apathy" is available as a digital single, as well as on limited 12-inch slipcase vinyl together with a live-version of "Sign Of Fear" from "Live Attack", with etching in neon green or purple on the B-side.
DESTRUCTION released a new Blu-ray and CD, "Live Attack", on August 13 via Napalm Records. The 22-song release includes footage of the band's nearly two-hour livestream concert from January 2021 at the legendary Z7 venue in Pratteln, Switzerland.
DESTRUCTION's latest studio album, "Born To Perish", was released in August 2019 via Nuclear Blast. The disc was DESTRUCTION's first to feature Randy Black on drums and second guitarist Damir Eskić.
Damir is a Swiss guitar player of Bosnian decent who works as a guitar teacher, himself being a former pupil of Tommy Vetterli (CORONER). He also plays in a heavy metal band called GOMORRA and previously contributed three solos to DESTRUCTION's 2016 album "Under Attack".
DESTRUCTION 2021 is:
Schmier - Bass, Vocals
Martin Furia - Guitars
Randy Black - Drums
Damir Eskić - Guitars
Photo credit: Hexphotography / Edit: Gyula Havancsák
KISS kicked off the summer 2021 leg of its "End Of The Road" farewell tour last night (Wednesday, August 18) at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Massachusetts. The concert marked the band's first full-length live appearance in front of an audience since March 2020.
KISS frontman Paul Stanley tweeted after the show: "FIFTEEN THOUSAND PEOPLE TONIGHT! Mansfield, You left me humbled. Thank you. My deepest attitude of gratitude."
The band's setlist was as follows:
01. Detroit Rock City
02. Shout It Out Loud
03. War Machine
04. Heaven's On Fire
05. I Love It Loud
06. Lick It Up
07. Calling Dr. Love
08. Say Yeah
09. Cold Gin
10. Tears Are Falling
11. Psycho Circus
12. 100,000 Years
13. God Of Thunder
14. Deuce
15. Love Gun
16. I Was Made For Lovin' You
17. Black Diamond
18. Beth
19. Do You Love Me
20. Rock And Roll All Nite
KISS's farewell trek was launched in January 2019 and was originally scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2021 in New York City but is now expected to last well into 2022.
KISS's current lineup consists of original members Stanley and bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons, alongside later band additions, guitarist Tommy Thayer (since 2002) and drummer Eric Singer (on and off since 1991).
Formed in 1973 by Stanley, Simmons, Peter Criss (drums) and Ace Frehley (guitar), KISS staged its first "farewell" tour in 2000, the last to feature the group's original lineup.
This past June, Simmons told Philadelphia's 6 ABC Action News why "End Of The Road" is KISS's last-ever tour: "I'm 71, although I'm in great shape. The hand doesn't shake. I never got high or drunk in my life. I never smoked cigarettes; I never did anything of that… So, we're in great shape and we can't wait to get out there and do what we do. But there is such a thing as getting off the stage while the getting's good.
"I was a massive Muhammad Ali fan. He stayed in the ring too long," he continued. "Go out on top. If you're gonna go surfing, ride that tsunami — that's a hundred-foot wave — and then don't get back out there when there's a little baby [wave]. Go out on top.
"So, we are going out one last time. We started off the New Year New Year's Eve in Dubai, where it was completely safe, with the largest pyro show of any entity other than the military, and the Guinness book of [world] records was there to capture it. Hundreds of millions of people on earth recorded it, and so on. It was streamed. I hate streaming. I want people to witness it live. You don't wanna watch a Godzilla movie; you wanna be in the city as it's being destroyed when Godzilla's coming down. That's what you want.
"So, we're gonna go out on top," Gene added. "I don't wanna stay on stage too long. You don't wanna ruin the legacy. So you can go to Las Vegas, play golf at the KISS golf course at the Rio hotel. You can go on the Kiss Kruises… You wanna have some pride in what you do, and don't wait too long. It's like picking fruit — pick that fruit when it's ripe. Don't wait too long; it'll get rotten. There's a point of diminishing returns. This is the right time. And we're gonna do a hundred and 10 more cities around the world, and then we're gonna hang up our boots. But that doesn't mean there can't be KISS in other forms. There's a Netflix movie coming, our four-hour documentary, there's gonna be a KISS cartoon. It's gonna be Planet KISS — and by the way, that's trademarked too — and you're just all living in it."
In its 48-year career, KISS has accumulated 23 gold and platinum albums — more than any other U.S. band.
Rising new Finnish metal stars Blind Channel have released their new single and music video for “Balboa”. The music video, filmed in a boxing gym, can be seen below. Purchase / stream the track here.
The track is the follow-up single to “Dark Side”, which entered the single charts all over the globe after having just signed a worldwide deal with Century Media. “Balboa’s” powerful Eurovision predecessor has over 40 million streams to date, settting the bar incredibly high, but “Balboa” is easily an equivalent triumph, striking another hammer blow to further establish Blind Channel’s very own brand of ‘Violent-Pop.’
“Balboa is a reminder of who we are - who we have always been. It’s a violent pop showoff about getting back up again and again, no matter how hard you’ve been hit. It’s us sticking to our vision without compromise. Underdogs are a dangerous species. This is a call to arms to every hardworking dreamer out there, and the soundtrack of our career so far. We keep coming back,” states Blind Channel.
Dutch symphonic metallers Epica performed at the Alcatraz Festival 2021 at Sport Campus Lange Munte in Kortrijk, Belgium on August 13th. Pro-shot video of the show and an official after movie are available below.
The setlist on the night was as follows:
"Abyss of Time – Countdown to Singularity"
"Freedom – The Wolves Within"
"Victims of Contingency"
"Storm the Sorrow"
"Unchain Utopia"
"Kingdom of Heaven Part 3 – The Antediluvian Universe"
"The Skeleton Key"
"Omega – Sovereign of the Sun Spheres"
"The Obsessive Devotion"
"Beyond the Matrix"
"Design Your Universe"
Fan-filmed video footage of SKID ROW's August 15 performance at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa can be seen below (courtesy of YouTube user "Shabby Trick").
Earlier this month, SKID ROW celebrated the 30th anniversary of its classic second album, "Slave To The Grind", by performing it in its entirety at The Amphitheater at Rolling Hills Casino And Resort in Corning, California.
Last summer, SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he and his bandmates would embark on a "Slave To The Grind" 30th-anniversary tour in 2021. "We'll do the album in its entirety, and then we're gonna do a bunch of stuff to coincide with it," he said. "We're pretty psyched, and the shows are booked. We're keeping our fingers crossed that everything is gonna come to pass… It'll be cool, to go out there and do 'Slave To The Grind' top to the bottom. That'll be fun."
According to Bolan, SKID ROW didn't celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band's self-titled debut album in 2019 because "the timing didn't really work out. We had so much other stuff planned, and then all of a sudden, boom, it was here," he explained. "Maybe down the road [we'll celebrate it]. Maybe [for the] 40th [anniversary]. [Laughs]"
As previously reported, former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach will also celebrate the "Slave To The Grind" anniversary on a U.S. tour this fall. He will perform the LP in its entirety at all shows on the trek, which will kick off in October.
Bach previously performed "Slave To The Grind" in its entirety in October 2019 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. Earlier that fall, he completed a U.S. tour during which he celebrated the 30th anniversary of SKID ROW's self-titled debut album.
Bach fronted SKID ROW until 1996, when he was fired. Instead of throwing in the towel, the remaining members took a hiatus and went on to play briefly in a band called OZONE MONDAY.
In 1999, SKID ROW reformed and, after a bit of shuffling over the years, featured a lineup consisting of Bolan and guitarists Sabo and Scotti Hill, alongside Hammersmith and singer Johnny Solinger.
SKID ROW fired Solinger over the phone in April 2015, a few hours before announcing ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell as his replacement. Eight months later, Harnell exited the band and was replaced by South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart, who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I.
In all the silence, Finnish death doom masters, Swallow The Sun, have written, recorded and mixed a new album called Moonflowers. It is done and ready and will be released on November 19.
Along with some of the album formats, there will also come a full bonus album featuring very special instrumental versions of all the regular album tracks. This instrumental album has been composed for strings and recorded at Sipoo Church in Finland. The strings were performed by the group called Trio NOX from Finland.
All these instrumental songs will be launched as animated videos, which were created by Dronicon Films. One by one every week, leading up to the first single release of the main album.
The new instrumental song, "Woven Into Sorrow", is accompanied by an animated video created by Dronicon Films. Watch below:
Check out the instrumentals for "Moonflowers Bloom In Misery" and "Enemy" below.
Juha Raivio comments: “I know well that I should not say this, but I deeply hate this album. I hate where it takes me, how it makes me feel and what it stands for me personally. I wish it wouldn’t. But for all its honesty I got no option than also love it. That is all that matters to me with the music anyway and it doesn’t matter how it makes me feel, as long as it does. For me this album is like a mirror of a deep self-disappointment. Even I still want to believe that there is and could be more than this in me. But I don’t need or want to talk more about it. After all music means so different things to each one of us by how we have walked our own paths, and that is a beautiful thing about music. There is no right or wrong.
"After I had finished writing all the music for this record in the fall of 2020 I started to write these small instrumental versions of the album songs for the violin, viola, cello and piano. Mostly because I was wondering how it would feel like to hear all these songs first as these intimate versions instead of a full band album. It was really beautiful to see and hear these songs come alive in this way and form, recorded live in this big church in Finland. To be able to hear the echoes of this music reflecting from the church walls and feel the very soul of these old wooden instruments played by real people in this sacred place. Something about hearing the strings breathe this fragile beauty into these songs that carry so much pain otherwise. Now looking back, maybe I wrote these versions just for myself to be able to hear and feel at least some kind of a beauty and solace in these songs, maybe…
"I wanted to create the cover art of this album myself this time, so it would stand as brutally honest for me as the music is. So I painted the moon on the ‘Moonflowers‘ cover with my own blood and I decorated it with the flowers I picked up and dried on the spring of 2016. Maybe it isn’t the most outstanding looking piece of art ever made in this world, but for me it is everything. I wasn’t going to write any new music before I would have moved towards the right direction in my life, but finally all this music just forced itself out of me during the long nights of this hope crushing and neverending lockdown prison. Something grew out from that void eventually and writing these songs made me think a lot about moonflowers that bloom at the darkest hour of the night, so that name felt right to call the album also.
"All my love to you, take care."
Moonflowers tracklisting:
"Moonflowers Bloom In Misery"
"Enemy"
"Woven Into Sorrow"
"Keep Your Heart Safe From Me"
"All Hallows' Grieve" (Featuring Cammie Gilbert)
"The Void"
"The Fight Of Your Life"
"This House Has No Home"
Raivio further states, “In other news, unfortunately our busy brother Jaani will step aside from the band at least for this new album cycle, but we are happy to tell that you can hear Jaani’s backing vocals on the new album anyway.”
Jaani Peuhu adds, "Sadly, Corona virus messed up everything including the release schedules of my bands. Both the Mercury Circle and Swallow The Sun albums are being released at the same time, making it impossible for me to tour with both bands. For this reason, I decided that it’d be better for me to solely focus on MC for this release cycle.
"That being said, the upcoming Swallow The Sun album will be amazing, and I am so happy we could still do it together. I wish the best of luck to StS on their tour with it! See you in the audience!"
Lineup:
Juha Raivio - guitars
Matti Honkonen - bass
Mikko Kotamäki - vocals
Juuso Raatikainen - drums
Juho Räihä - guitars
HALESTORM has just released a new single, "Back From The Dead". The track is taken from the band's upcoming fifth full-length album, due in 2022. The video for "Back From The Dead" also premiered this morning via YouTube. Directed by Dustin Haney (Noah Cyrus, Luke Combs) and produced by Revolution Pictures, the clip features frontwoman Lzzy Hale and the rest of the band in a morgue and cemetery somewhere between life and death.
Lzzy says: "'Back From The Dead' is about survival, not in a physical sense, even though I know we all have been touched by death especially these last few years. This song is personal and written from a mental health perspective. I wanted to give myself and the world a hard rock song we could shout out loud as the gates opened again. I was on the edge of this world getting completely lost in oblivion, but even though it was the harder of two choices, I didn't just let the darkness and depression in my mind dig me an early grave. I didn't just sit and let it take me. I've erased my name from my headstone, so save your prayers, I'm back! I hope this song, as I pass it on to you, reminds YOU of your strength individually and that you are not alone."
She continues: "The video was so much fun to film! Dustin Haney is an amazing director. Dustin and his team really helped bring my words to life and the video is one of the most cinematic pieces we've done in years! I hope this song, as I pass it on…reminds YOU of YOUR individual strength and that you are not Alone. Raise your horns!"
By breaking rules, bucking trends, and busting down doors, HALESTORM has surged through rock 'n' roll on a singular path without compromise or apology. Along the way, the Pennsylvania-bred and Nashville-based quartet — Lzzy Hale (vocals, guitar), Arejay Hale (drums), Joe Hottinger (guitar) and Josh Smith (bass) — has collected a Grammy Award, scored successive number ones at radio, garnered multiple gold and platinum certifications, and performed to sold out crowds on five continents.
Going against the grain again in 2021, the band weathered the flames of chaos in 2020 and returned stronger than ever with their most empowering and undeniable anthems to date.
"Throughout the pandemic, I was writing a lot of melancholic and hopeless songs about the ups and downs of the world," admits Lzzy. "I've been in this group longer than I haven't been in it. We've always had shows. Even when I was 13 years old, we had a couple of bowling alley gigs once a month. This was the first time I didn't know if we would ever play again. However, I started to use music in the same way I did as a teenager—to get myself through this situation that was plaguing us all. I sidestepped and said, 'Let's keep our heads up, get our attitude back, be a light in the dark for a second, and celebrate the fact we're surviving and there's hope for the future.' So, we started to write songs that were a reminder to ourselves of who we are and what we're capable of. That became the mission statement."
In a way, it's always been the mission statement…
Since roaring to life in 1998, HALESTORM has uplifted audiences with a combination of sonic ass-kicking, provocative songwriting, and unshakable hooks. The four-piece received a Grammy Award in the category of "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" for "Love Bites (So Do I)". The song also minted them as the first female-fronted band to hit #1 on the Active Rock radio charts. Thus far, their discography spans two gold albums "Halestorm" and "The Strange Case Of..." , a platinum single "I Miss The Misery", and two gold singles "Here's To Us" and "I Get Off". Between surpassing one billion cumulative streams worldwide, they've notched two consecutive Top 10 debuts on the Billboard Top 200 with "Into The Wild Life" (2015) and "Vicious" (2018). The latter represented a critical high watermark with Rolling Stone citing it as "a muscular, adventurous, and especially relevant rock record." In its wake, "Uncomfortable" emerged as their fourth #1 at rock radio and earned their second Grammy Award nomination, while Loudwire christened HALESTORM "Rock Artist Of The Decade" in 2019. Not to mention, they have supported everyone from HEAVEN & HELL and Alice Cooper to Joan Jett on the road.
Even as the world went dormant during 2020, Lzzy remained prolific. She lent her voice to collaborations with everyone from Dee Snider of TWISTED SISTER, IN THIS MOMENT, APOCALYPTICA, and Mark Morton of LAMB OF GOD to EVANESCENCE, Cory Marks, and Mongolian phenomenon THE HU. Additionally, she joined forces with a trio of legends — Corey Taylor of SLIPKNOT, Scott Ian of ANTHRAX and original SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo — for the theme song to Netflix's "Thunder Force". Plus, the group contributed a cover of THE WHO's "Long Live Rock" to the documentary of the same name. Expanding her presence across television, she hosted the AXS TV "A Year In Music" series, joined the cast of Hit Parader's "No Cover" as a judge, provided the singing voice for Bella Thorne in the Prime Video hit "Paradise City" and launched her own show "Raise Your Horns" on Rolling Live. On the channel, she appeared in Mike Garson's David Bowie tribute with a performance of "Moonage Daydream" alongside Broadway star Lena Hall. She also participated in the platform's Ronnie James Dio tribute, supporting the Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund.
At the same time, she remained a huge proponent of encouraging the dialogue around mental health. She participated in a Grammy Mental Health panel and empowered the next generation of rock musicians as the keynote speaker at the Little Kids Rock Modern Band Summit. She also made history as Gibson Guitars' first-ever female ambassador.
"I've learned a lot about myself through all of these different projects," she admits. "I said 'yes' to various adventures, and it made me a better artist."
Working out of her home studio in Nashville, Lzzy and the band channeled this renewed spirit into the music at the onset of 2021. Collaborating with Scott Stevens of THE EXIES, the musicians hit their stride and cooked up the single 'Back From The Dead'. Dramatic distortion and drums rumble as she screams, "I'm back from the dead!" HALESTORM come out swinging as punchy verses give way to a call-and-response chorus shocked to life with a searing solo and thunderous groove.
"We needed a reintroduction," she exclaims. "We needed something that simply said, 'Hey, we're back'. The live show is the time we feel as truly alive as we can be. When you walk out on stage with your guitar strapped on, your guys are next to you, and you have an audience looking at you, it's everything. We're celebrating the fact we're all back together again. Whatever it is that was trying to destroy that part of myself and my bandmates that our fans need couldn't do it. It failed miserably. We're fucking back."
From the moment the band graced the stage at a secret Nashville gig, they were indeed "back," albeit louder, heavier, and emboldened by an unbelievable year. Amped up to jump back in, their tour schedule took shape with festival dates followed by a co-headline run with EVANESCENCE in the fall.
Readying their fifth full-length album, they're delivering the soundtrack for a world ready to roar again.
"We've lost a lot of people, but we can start healing again," she leaves off. "I appreciate the little things even more. I don't only feel this confidence in myself, but also in every one of my band members. We're not the same people, none of us could ever be. HALESTORM is my source of my joy. It's my connection. It's the closest thing to my religion. We're moving forward. With this next album, I hope we're able to create a greater sense of community. We have a beautiful opportunity. When you listen to it, I want you to feel like you can walk through any fire."
Âåíãðèÿ
Leecher![=]](/img/news-bord-shr.gif){kind=small}
ÑØÀ
Ôèíëÿíäèÿ
Íèäåðëàíäû
Øâåöèÿ
Ãåðìàíèÿ
Àâñòðèÿ
Âåëèêîáðèòàíèÿ
