On December 1, ALICE IN CHAINS will be presented with this year's Museum Of Pop Culture (MoPOP) Founders Award.
This one-night-only benefit will feature performances by ALICE IN CHAINS, as well as an acclaimed lineup of guest and youth musicians who will put their own twist on some of the band's most iconic songs.
For the first time ever, this annual event will be moving from MoPOP's Sky Church to an online platform where it will be accessible and open for all, giving pop culture lovers across the world an opportunity to connect and become a part of its creative community.
While this year's Founders Award will stream for free and be open to all, like many arts organizations around the country, MoPOP has been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis. As a community supported non-profit museum and in-person gathering space, closing its doors was especially difficult.
All proceeds raised through Founders Award will provide relief by allowing MoPOP to continue to serve its community, reach young people, and preserve its shared pop culture history during this difficult time.
Since 2007, the Museum of Pop Culture Founders Award has celebrated artists whose noteworthy contributions continue to nurture the next generation of risk-takers.
ALICE IN CHAINS regrouped in 2006 with William DuVall joining the band, and released its third LP with DuVall in the lineup, "Rainier Fog", in August 2018.
Over the course of its remarkable career, ALICE IN CHAINS has garnered multiple Grammy nominations, sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, and amassed a diehard international fanbase whose members number in the millions. Their discography features some of the biggest and most important albums in rock history, including 1992's quadruple-platinum-certified "Dirt", 1994's triple-platinum-certified EP "Jar Of Flies", which was the first EP in music history to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and 1995's self-titled double-platinum-certified "Alice In Chains", which also entered the Billboard Top 200 at No. 1. They returned in grand style in 2009 with the critically acclaimed "Black Gives Way To Blue", which hit No. 1 across the rock and alternative charts, earned a Grammy nomination, was certified gold and hailed by Vice as "a record that's as powerful as anything the band has done." The band’s latest album released in 2018, "Rainier Fog", hit No. 1 across Billboard's Rock, Alternative and Hard Music charts and No. 1 on the iTunes Rock album chart and earned them a Grammy nod for "Best Rock Album." ALICE IN CHAINS remains one of the most successful and influential American rock bands of all time.
We’re excited to announce that we are being honored at this year’s @MoPOP Founders Award on December 1, 2020. The nonprofit museum’s annual fundraiser will be streamed free to the public, featuring special performances by us, & many more. https://t.co/qLEuMQX7R6 for more info. pic.twitter.com/6yFRM1toi5
— Alice in Chains (@AliceInChains) September 30, 2020 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsMEGADETH's David Ellefson recently spoke to SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser and bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. as part the weekly "SepulQuarta" Internet series. You can watch the chat below.
Speaking about MEGADETH's approach to making the follow-up to 2016's "Dystopia" LP, Ellefson said: "We were scheduled to be in working on a new MEGADETH album. We've been writing it now for, like, three years — we've been taking our time with it.
"One of the things Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH mainman] said, he goes, 'We just go in. We write. We record it. And then we just put it out, and we're back on tour.' And he said, he goes, 'One of the things I wanna do is just really take the time to sit back and listen to stuff,' like we used to do in the old days.
"Those early MEGADETH songs — 'Peace Sells' maybe being one of the exceptions, where it really kind of wrote itself right away," the bassist continued. "'Symphony Of Destruction', 'Sweating Bullets' — some of these songs wrote themselves… And it's funny, they're some of our biggest hits — you know, they just fall out of the rehearsal room; they just happen. And then there's other ones that there's an idea, and then you put it away, and a week later, you pull it out and you tweak the bridge or you add another riff. And a lot of the MEGADETH stuff is like that.
"To take that same approach with this record, of just having it be something that's more of always a work in progress has been good. And I think the songs are terrific. Dirk [Verbeuren, drums] and I ended up going down to Nashville back in May and early June to record bass and drums. And I've gotta tell you, man — Dirk is just crushing it."
A few days ago, Mustaine told Q104.3 New York's "Out Of The Box With Jonathan Clarke" that MEGADETH was "in the process" of recording guitar solos for the new album. "Kiko Loureiro [guitar] is at the studio with me, and we're done with all the bass and drums and almost done with all of the rhythms," he said. "We've still got little punch-ins we need to do here and there, and then it's off into singing and solo land. And then probably the last thing, which is always my favorite thing, is the ear candy."
Mustaine recently told SiriusXM's Jose Mangin that the upcoming MEGADETH album will be "up there with 'Countdown [To Extinction]', 'Rust In Peace' and probably 'Peace Sells' and 'Dystopia'."
The effort will be MEGADETH's first to feature Verbeuren (ex-SOILWORK), who joined the band four years ago.
The early sessions for the LP took place last year with co-producer Chris Rakestraw, who previously worked on "Dystopia".
Loureiro made his recording debut with MEGADETH on "Dystopia", whose title track was honored in the "Best Metal Performance" category at the 2017 Grammy Awards.
As previously reported, MEGADETH's North American tour with LAMB OF GOD, TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES has been rescheduled for 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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In a brand new interview with the "Wong Notes" podcast, DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci was asked if he approaches writing music, producing music and playing music with an an intention beyond just the musicality and the fun of it. He responded (hear audio below): "Definitely. I think that's a big part of it. You have a couple of different perspectives that you work from or in. One is something that's very focused and microscopic, and the other is a lot broader. When you're looking at the whole big picture, what are you trying to say as an artist? What will your legacy be? And maybe that sounds pompous, but it's just something to keep in mind as you're doing all this.
"I've been doing this for a long time, so there's a lot of music out there," he continued. "And I kind of look at it all as just this continuous story that's being told, and all these musical moments are reflections of what was happening at that point in the story."
Petrucci went on to offer the following advice to aspiring musicians looking to have long and fruitful careers: "Just always have a vision, have motivation. Maybe that's easier said than done, but don't get lazy about it. Treat everything like you're trying your best.
"I don't like when musicians get stale or kind of get lazy," he added. "I like when you can hear that the player — and I know a lot of guys like this, and it's so awesome to see — that no matter what age they are in their musical journey, they love to play. They still have the passion. They put stuff out that's just as good now as it was 20 years ago, and you can hear that and feel that in the music. That's another big-picture thing. Make sure that you're connected to that.
"I'll never forget my formative years of just jamming with my friends when I was 15, 16, going to each other's houses. Oh my God. We'd play for hours. Time would disappear. And you just did it 'cause you loved it; you loved the connection. And [it's important to make] sure you don't lose sight of that."
Petrucci released his second solo album, "Terminal Velocity", on August 28 via Sound Mind Music/The Orchard. The follow-up to 2005's "Suspended Animation" features guest musicians Mike Portnoy (SONS OF APOLLO, ex-DREAM THEATER) on drums and Dave LaRue (DIXIE DREGS) on bass. The effort marks the first time Petrucci and Portnoy recorded together in over a decade, as well as their first time playing together since Portnoy departed DREAM THEATER.
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With their 20th anniversary only two years away, DEVILDRIVER could be forgiven for being slightly complacent at this point. Firmly established as a regular fixture and widely acknowledged as one of the hardest working bands on the planet, Dez Fafara's crew have weathered two decades with credibility intact and a sturdy catalogue backing up their ferocious reputation as a live band.
Admittedly, only Dez remains from the band's very first lineup, but their endlessly malleable take on groove-driven, brutal metal has endured regardless. One listen to the obscene amounts of fun DEVILDRIVER were having on 2018's "Outlaws 'til the End" suggested that Dez had assembled a refreshed lineup that could breathe plenty of life and fire into the whole thing, but it's "Dealing with Demons I" (the first of two albums bearing the same name) that confirms it. Darker and more aggressive than any of their albums since 2011's "Beast", and yet also more inventive and adventurous than anything the Californians have done since "Pray for Villains", their ninth full-length might not feel like a complete revamp or upgrade, but it's the sound of a page being turned and bright new futures opening up.
The difference between this and DEVILDRIVER's last album of original material, "Trust No One" (2016), is all in the subtle details. The essence of the band's sound remains the same, with a powerhouse rhythm section propelling churning but melodic death metal riffs along at a tooth-dislodging clip, and Fafara's scabrous roar remains a perennial and welcome focal point. Here he sounds even more incensed and mad-eyed than usual, but even he has branched out, adding some impressive and grittily soulful clean vocals to one fizzing standout, "Wishing". First single "Keep Away From Me" is another compelling blend of the alien and the familiar: the riffs are certainly recognizable as DEVILDRIVER's, but there's an ominous atmosphere and priapic swagger to the delivery that feels a world away from old anthems like "Clouds Over California" or "End of the Line".
Dez has described how this double album represents the ultimate clearing of emotional, personal and cosmic decks, and while it's hardly a novelty to hear him bellowing like his life depends on it, there's something new about his presence on this record. Even the ghoulish, gothic nightmare of "Iona" seems to draw something deeper and more primitive from the veteran frontman. Equally satisfying is the sound of DEVILDRIVER still cleverly sidestepping comparisons with any other modern metal band. The most succinct moments on "Dealing With Demons I" are sound crafted specifically to cause as much mayhem in the pit as possible, but neither "Vengeance Is Clear" nor "Witches" have been anywhere near a cookie cutter.
Eighteen years on from taking the post-COAL CHAMBER plunge, Dez Fafara keeps defying the odds and making face-removing metal records that, at their cudgeling best, really hurt. If the second half of this mammoth endeavor matches the first, this will be remembered as a pivotal moment in the DEVILDRIVER story. Even if it doesn't, this rips.
British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN have shared a new video message from singer Bruce Dickinson in which he discusses how he and his bandmates have been dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and their plans for the coming months.
He said in part: "We've all had a bit of a torrid time — everybody in the whole world, MAIDEN included. We wanna be out on tour.
"A lot of things haven't happened this year — that's blindingly obvious — and it's very, very frustrating. However, we do have plans. In the meantime, what are we doing? Well, we're doing bits of writing. I'm talking to Steve [Harris, IRON MAIDEN bassist]. We've been working together a little bit in the studio. On what, I can't tell you, 'cause they'd have to kill me.
"All our crew are all on board with us," he continued. "Obviously, after the cancelation of the shows and rescheduling of the shows this year, all of our lives were canceled. The killer crew is still on board for when we resume normal service next year, whenever that is.
"In the meantime, we're all still here, we're all still gagging and raring to go. We are not going away. We are solid, and there's gonna be some great stuff happening in the near future."
IRON MAIDEN's longtime manager Rod Smallwood recently urged everyone to listen to the experts when it comes to deciding how to respond to the coronavirus crisis.
The British heavy metal legends have been forced to postpone or cancel a number of shows this spring and summer as a result of the coronavirus pandemic that is sweeping the globe.
Last year, it was rumored that IRON MAIDEN had completed work on a new studio album. The group hasn't issued any fresh music since 2015's "The Book Of Souls" LP, which was recorded in late 2014 in Paris, France with longtime producer Kevin "Caveman" Shirley.
If the reports of a new MAIDEN album are true, it will mark the band's 17th studio effort and the sixth to be produced by Shirley, who has worked with MAIDEN for the past two decades.
"The Book Of Souls" was the longest MAIDEN album, clocking in at 92 minutes, with lyrics heavily based in the themes of death, reincarnation, the soul and mortality.
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In a new interview with TRIVIUM's Matt Heafy, SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor was asked how he splits his time between the various projects he is involved in. He replied (see video below): "It really kind of comes down to prioritizing. Whatever project I'm working on at the time, that's my focus. You can dabble in the other stuff and try to do stuff on your downtime as much as possible, but if you stretch yourself out too thin, you will lose your mind, and I found myself in that situation a couple of different times. It will trip you out. It exhausts you, and it sucks you out of your real life as well. When you've got kids, when you've got a wife, when you've got a home life, you have to prioritize. You have to make sure that, 'This is this time. This is that time. This is that.' So, that's really it. And you also have to give yourself a minute to just do nothing. If you don't, you're gonna freak out. Luckily, I'm a voracious reader, so I read a lot. I watch movies. I play piano. I chill. So you have to give your brain some recess, or you will tax yourself out and find yourself going, 'Why can't I think of anything?' Just because you're tapped out, man. You've gotta let yourself recharge."
Corey's debut solo album, "CMFT", will be released on October 2 via Roadrunner Records. Taylor recorded the effort with his band consisting of Jason Christopher on bass, Dustin Schoenhofer on drums, and Zach Throne and Christian Martucci (STONE SOUR) on guitar. The LP was completed at Kevin Churko's The Hideout Recording Studio in Las Vegas with producer Jay Ruston, who has previously worked with ANTHRAX, STEEL PANTHER and STONE SOUR, among others.
To celebrate the release of "CMFT", Corey has announced that he and his band will make history on October 2 with "Forum Or Against 'Em", a global streaming event of epic proportions shot at iconic Los Angeles venue The Forum. Tickets for this historic pay-per-view streaming event are on sale now from watch.thecoreytaylor.com. Fans can also purchase ticket bundles that include a t-shirt, hoodie, poster, and access to watch an exclusive Taylor acoustic set. A limited number of one-on-one video chats with Corey are also available with some bundles.
"Forum Or Against 'Em" will be a full arena production complete with a visual feast of pyrotechnics, a stacked set list featuring all tracks from "CMFT", select fan-favorite cuts from Taylor's SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR catalogs, a handful of covers and an incendiary guest performance from rock n' roll girl-gang dance squad THE CHERRY BOMBS. Special event merch and bundles will be available during the stream. Kicking off the event's festivities will be a special pre-show event hosted by presenter/journalist Beez that will feature exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.
SLIPKNOT recently canceled all of its previously announced summer 2020 tour dates, including the "Knotfest Roadshow", Knotfest UK and Knotfest At Sea, due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.
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During an appearance on "The Ex-Man" podcast hosted by Doc Coyle (BAD WOLVES), former MACHINE HEAD guitarist Phil Demmel said that he wants to remember all the positive things that happened during his 15-year stint with the band.
"I spent a good year letting out a lot," he said, reflecting on some of the early interviews he gave after his departure from MACHINE HEAD. "I think that I kept my lips pretty tight, actually. There were some things that needed to be shared, a lot that doesn't need to be talked about. And I spent a year talking. And then I looked back and said, 'A year is good enough.' It's coming up on two years that I quit now.
"There was so much good and there was so much fun and so much learning and so many good experiences that I don't want the 98 percent of good — I don't want the two percent to ruin that 98 percent, or that to be the headline or be the focus of what my experience in that band was.
"That band gave me a second life," Demmel continued. "From not being in music and pretty much quitting on music to concentrate on a failing marriage, it brought me into what has been my calling — it's what I'm meant to do. So I'm grateful for having that chance in MACHINE HEAD to play and make that music and have those experiences. I made some awesome memories with those dudes, and that's what I wanna kind of focus on now."
Demmel went on to say that looks back fondly on most of the albums that he recorded with MACHINE HEAD, a list that includes "Through The Ashes Of Empires" (2003), "The Blackening" (2007), "Unto The Locust" (2011), "Bloodstone & Diamonds" (2014) and "Catharsis" (2018).
"I was their guitar player for 16 years, and that's only a fraction of what that band has been," Demmel said. "There was this whole couple of lives before me, and there's gonna be a life after me. It's a testament to what [MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn is] capable of as a musician. I'm proud to have been a part of that. He hasn't done it alone for all this time; it's not just been him. He's had help every step along the way. But it's predominantly his vision and his show. [He had help from] Logan [Mader, guitar] on the first couple of records, [Dave] McClain [drums] and Ahrue [Luster, guitar] on the next couple. Me and McClain on the ones after that. It was a group, and I'm proud of what that band and that group accomplished."
Reflecting on how he informed Flynn of his decision to leave MACHINE HEAD, Demmel said: "I called him, went over to his house, asked him to come outside. I gave him my key to the studio, gave him my credit card, gave him everything right there. And he was, like, 'What's going on?' And I said, 'You know what's going on.' I said, 'It's not working anymore. We're done.' And he knew it… He was just as done with me as I was with him."
Asked if his and McClain's departures from MACHINE HEAD were intentionally "coordinated," seeing as they were announced on the same day, Demmel said: "Man, I hate to talk for Dave. I wanna just make sure I've got my words right. Dave and I talked a lot — we had talked a lot — and Dave was more on the ledge than me. So he was ready to go before I was.
"We had a tour lined up, and I think Dave was gonna wait until after the tour," Phil explained. "We were supposed to shoot a video for 'Triple Beam' or something like that, and Robb was going, 'What about the video? What about the tour?' And I said, 'I'm done. There's no more, nothing, for me.' Then I texted him back the next day, and after thinking about it, I said it's a dick move to bail on the tour, it's a dick move to bail on what's been set up. And I wanted them to get somebody else to [play guitar on the tour]. And if they couldn't do that, I said [I would] honor the tour. He was on his way going out to the studio when Dave was quitting on him that day."
Back in June 2019, McClain told "Robb's MetalWorks" that he no longer believed in MACHINE HEAD's songs and musical direction toward the end of his tenure with the band.
Demmel has spent much of the past year and a half playing sporadic shows with the reunited VIO-LENCE, which recently inked a deal with Metal Blade Records. The band's new EP is tentatively due to be released in early 2021.
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In a new interview with the "Scars And Guitars" podcast, DIMMU BORGIR guitarist Sven Atle Kopperud (a.k.a. Silenoz) was asked if he would ever consider writing his autobiography. He replied (hear audio below): "Absolutely. I'm totally open for that idea. And there's been a few writers already that have been contacting us. But that's more, I guess, band-related stuff, not necessarily just me as an artist. But yeah, I'm totally open for anything."
Pressed about whether music author Joel McIver is one of the writers that have approached DIMMU BORGIR about writing a book, Silenoz said: "No. This was a couple of Norwegian guys, actually. Or maybe McIver also did that, like, 10 or 15 years ago, but then I felt that was a bit too soon."
Silenoz's old-school death metal project INSIDIOUS DISEASE — which also features Marc Grewe (vocals; formerly of MORGOTH) — wlll release its long-awaited sophomore album, "After Death", on October 30 via Nuclear Blast Records.
DIMMU BORGIR's latest LP, "Eonian", was released right in time for the band's 25th anniversary in 2018, about eight years after its predecessor, "Abrahadabra".
The songwriting core of DIMMU BORGIR still consists of guitarists Silenoz and Galder, along with vocalist Shagrath. They are joined in the band's current lineup by drummer Daray and keyboardist Gerlioz.
New York City hardcore legends SICK OF IT ALL have released a live session of "The Bland Within", the second video of the band's quarantine sessions.
SICK OF IT ALL vocalist Lou Koller comments: "Here's the second video from our quarantine jams! Off of the excellent album with an ugly cover, here the track 'The Bland Within'. This track would the whole place jumping crack in the early 2000s it was hard not having room to groove when we recorded here! One of our favorites off that album!"
SICK OF IT ALL's twelfth studio album, "Wake The Sleeping Dragon!", was released in November 2018 via Century Media. The follow-up to 2014's "The Last Act Of Defiance" was produced by Jerry Farley (EVERY TIME I DIE, DEMON HUNTER) over a two-and-a-half-week period at Nova Studios in Staten Island, New York and was mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen (MESHUGGAH, THE HAUNTED, MADBALL). The cover artwork was created by Ernie Parada.
"Wake The Sleeping Dragon!" features guest appearances by RISE AGAINST vocalist/guitarist Tim McIlrath and HOT WATER MUSIC frontman Chuck Ragan.
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SLAYER frontman Tom Araya has shared a supposed Russian intelligence assessment declassified by the Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe that alleges Hillary Clinton devised a plan to tie President Donald Trump to Russian hacking during the 2016 election. The assessment was previously rejected by Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee as having no factual basis.
Ratcliffe, a Trump loyalist and former House member, wrote Republican Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham that Clinton, then a Democratic candidate for president, personally approved an effort "to stir up a scandal against U.S. Presidential candidate Donald Trump by tying him to Putin and the Russians' hacking of the Democratic National Committee." But in his letter to Graham, Ratcliffe noted that the U.S. intelligence community "does not know the accuracy of this allegation or the extent to which the Russian intelligence analysis may reflect exaggeration or fabrication."
Earlier today, Araya shared a copy of Ratcliffe's letter and included the following caption: "This is interesting has anyone heard about this?!"
A source told Politico the Senate Intelligence Committee — which issued five reports on on election interference — was aware of the allegation but "quickly dismissed it" and did not include it in its work.
A spokeswoman for Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-Va.), Rachel Cohen, blasted the move and called it "Russian disinformation."
"This is Russian disinformation. Laundered by the Director Of National Intelligence and Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee," she wrote.
This is not the first time Araya has used his social media to share disinformation targeted at Democrats. Earlier this month, he posted a manipulated video of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden sleeping during a live television interview. The original video, which was of an interview with veteran singer and actor Harry Belafonte almost nine years ago, during which he appeared to doze off, was doctored to show Biden sitting in Belafonte's place.
Araya has a history of generatinf controversy for his political social media posts. Two years ago, he angered some of his fans by sharing an ages-old chain letter that compared liberals' actions unfavorably to those of conservatives on a number of issues. Prior to that, the 59-year-old musician, who was born in Chile, made headlines in 2017 when he said that the United States Of America had become "a nation of crybabies" following the election of Donald Trump as president, with many of its citizens unable to "even laugh at themselves" because they were "mad" that "they didn't get their way."
A few months earlier, Araya drew criticism from some SLAYER fans in January 2017 when a photoshopped picture of Donald Trump and the members of SLAYER appeared on the band's Instagram account. Araya posted the image and later criticized fans who objected to the photo, saying that he "thought it was funny" and that anyone who disagrees should keep quiet.
The same image first appeared on the official SLAYER Instagram account on inauguration day, but was mysteriously removed before being reposted a few days later.
A SLAYER band representative told Rolling Stone that Tom took it upon himself to post the photo and stressed that the image was "not something the band would have posted if asked," insisting that such a picture "does not belong on a SLAYER social page." The representative added: "We all have our personal opinions, some of which we have voiced in the past, but SLAYER has never endorsed any political party or any candidate, and the band intends to keep it that way."
Araya later told Chilean radio station Futuro that he posted the picture after someone sent it to his wife. "She showed it to me," he explained. "I laughed. I thought it was funny. And I thought it was funny because of all the rhetoric that Donald Trump is getting and how everybody hates him. And I decided to post the picture. I knew that some people wouldn't like it. You have to do that, though, you know what I mean? I'm in SLAYER [laughs], and being in SLAYER, sometimes you do stuff like that just to piss people off. [Laughs]"
Even though Araya expected to get some flak for posting the Trump photo, the ferocity of the reaction from SLAYER fans surprised him. "I didn't realize it was gonna be the way it was, which is blown out of proportion and people saying really mean things," he said. "I'm amazed. I was just amazed at the response, as far as people thinking it's funny and they thought it was great and they support Trump, and other people that didn't like it, they thought it was ugly and they can't believe that I support Trump. [Laughs] I don't even support Trump. I didn't vote for Trump and I didn't vote for Hillary [Clinton]. Those are two people that are the furthest from… that I would ever vote for. I was taken aback by the response and how people reacted. But it was all in fun. It was all to make people laugh, 'cause I thought it was funny. And also to piss some people off. I just didn't realize that I was gonna piss so many SLAYER fans off. [Laughs]"
Back in 2016, SLAYER drummer Paul Bostaph called Donald Trump "the biggest joke I've ever seen in my life," and referred to some of Trump's rhetoric as "the scariest shit I've ever seen as an American — in my lifetime." Similarly, SLAYER guitarist Kerry King said that Trump was "the biggest liar I've ever seen in politics," clarifying, "I mean, most of them are liars, but he just outright in-your-face lies." King's words were echoed by fellow SLAYER guitarist Gary Holt who described Trump as a "serial liar" who refused to disavow former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke.
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This is interesting has anyone heard about this?!
//www.instagram.com/embed.jsNIGHT RANGER has commenced the songwriting and recording process for its as-yet-untitled new studio album. Due in 2021 via Frontiers Music Srl, the LP will be the follow-up to "Don't Let Up", which was released in March 2017.
Songwriting started with the three original members Jack Blades (lead vocals/bass), Kelly Keagy (lead vocals/drums), and Brad Gillis (lead and rhythm guitars) meeting and putting their initial ideas together. The recording has now begun, with Eric Levy (keyboards) and Keri Kelli (lead and rhythm guitars) joining the process, which will last through the rest of the year. The plan, subject to change, is to deliver the record to Frontiers in the first few months of 2021 for a tentative summer release. The hope is that the album release will coincide with the band’s return to the stage, conditions permitting.
NIGHT RANGER states: "What this world needs now is to come together through music and NIGHT RANGER is on it! We are excited to create a new studio album with our great partners at Frontiers Music. Our biggest problem is that we have so many songs, we're trying to figure out which ones to leave off! Rock and Roll baby."
With more than 17 million albums sold worldwide, over 3,000 live shows performed, NIGHT RANGER's popularity is fueled by an impressive string of instantly recognizable hit singles and signature album tracks such as "Sister Christian", "Don't Tell Me You Love Me", "When You Close Your Eyes" and the anthemic "(You Can Still) Rock In America".
California metallers ATREYU have announced the departure of vocalist Alex Varkatzas. The group's remaining members broke the news of Alex's official exit in a social media post earlier today. They wrote: "We have been a band for over 20 years now. Lived our dreams together as friends and as brothers. We traveled the world doing what we love, and have been fortunate enough to play music for such an incredible fan base that provides us with the opportunity to share our greatest moments with them. Now a time of change has come for all of us. Alex Varkatzas is sailing off on a ship of his own, and will part ways with ATREYU. He will not disappear, and neither will ATREYU.
"There's nothing but love and respect for each other, and we can't wait to see what he will come up with next. Stay tuned for his upcoming projects and we all wish him success and fulfillment with all his future endeavors.
"ATREYU's next adventure is among us.
"We love you, we'll see you shortly."
Alex added in a separate statement: "After 20 rewarding years of creating music with ATREYU, the band and I are parting ways. I am forever thankful for the memories, experiences, and friendships made along the way. Thank you to all of the friends and fans. I have lots of new music and art to share with you in the future. With love and respect."
Earlier this year, ATREYU was working on material for its eighth album. The band was once again collaborating with producer John Feldmann, who previously helmed 2018's "In Our Wake" and 2007's breakout album "Lead Sails, Paper Anchor".
This past February, Varkatzas told the "Scars And Guitars" podcast that the new ATREYU album would be "that next step in maturity" for the Orange County metalcore act. "To me, in a way — and this is a fucking weird way to sell a record, because it doesn't sound like this — it has some very dark '80s gothic pop elements. And I don't mean 'pop' as in happy[-sounding music]. It's just depressing-sounding, rocking shit."
Varkatzas also touched upon the lyrical themes covered in the new ATREYU songs, saying that "it's cool, because especially right now, there's so much… If you're a comedian and a musician, there's lots of good inspiration every day — especially in America, unfortunately. Actually, all over the world, but in American especially, it's ripe with things that make you feel something, whatever it is. Maybe you're happy about it, maybe you're sad about it — it's not my place to speak for people. But you feel some shit right now. And I think comedians handle it by making fun of it, and I handle it by making music and words about it. So, it's a good time to be inspired."
In August 2019, ATREYU released a deluxe edition of "In Our Wake" via Spinefarm Records. The new version featured the original "In Our Wake" album, along with seven additional tracks. The bonus material included B-sides from the sessions for both "In Our Wake" and 2015's "Long Live", along with alternate versions of the title track and "The Time Is Now" from "In Our Wake". The deluxe edition featured completely redesigned artwork and a total of 19 songs.
We have been a band for over 20 years now. Lived our dreams together as friends and as brothers. We traveled the world...
Posted by Atreyu on Wednesday, September 30, 2020
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JUDAS PRIEST's Rob Halford says that he already knows which songs he would want to perform with Lady Gaga if he was to ever share the stage with the pop superstar.
"I would definitely do 'Born This Way' because that's our anthem," he told People, referring to the LGBTQ community. "As far as PRIEST songs go, I think I'd like to do 'Breaking The Law' with her because it talks about the frustration that we go through, particularly as young people. 'You don't know what it's like, you haven't got a clue. You'd do the same thing too. Breaking the law.'"
Halford told People that he "instantly knew" Lady Gaga "was going to be gigantic as an artist" when he first discovered her music. "I became a big fan of everything that she's done and that's because I love all kinds of music," he said. "She's the best at what she does."
Halford also recalled the time she met Lady Gaga when he showed up — with mutual friend Lady Starlight — to the pop singer's 2014 "ArtRave" tour in San Diego as a surprise.
"When Gaga started her performance, me and Starlight snuck out into the audience," he recalled. "I was clapping and hooting and hollering like fans, and Gaga's making her way out to them and then she sees us, and she literally falls to her knees and crumbles onto the floor. And Starlight's digging me in the ribs going, 'See, I knew she'd be happy that you were here.'"
Rob added: "She's so pure, she's so in touch with herself as a person, and the great, great, great, great things that she's done for the LGBTQ community."
Back in May 2015, Halford revealed to Yahoo! Music that during one of the London gigs on JUDAS PRIEST's "Epitaph" tour, Gaga was planning to appear as a special guest. "Gaga called and said, 'Can I get on the back of Rob's bike when he comes out and we'll do 'Hell Bent For Leather'?" he said. "I was like, 'Oh my God! Diva moment. Please let this happen!' But she couldn't do it. She ended up doing a shoot in Omaha, Nebraska, that took a week." He added: "If that isn't a nice affirmation that someone with extraordinary talent that isn't metal can still gravitate to the metal experience, I don't know what is."
Lady Gaga previously spoke about her love for IRON MAIDEN and BLACK SABBATH, calling the experience of seeing MAIDEN for the first time a "life-changing" event. The singer also appeared in photos with Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Alice Cooper and ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante.
Lady Gaga sang the song "Moth Into Flame" with METALLICA at the 59th annual Grammy Awards in 2017 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Cuban/Mexican drummer Alex Gonzalez (MANÁ) spoke to "In The Trenches With Ryan Roxie" about the status of DE LA TIERRA, the Latin American metal supergroup which also includes Brazilian guitarist Andreas Kisser (SEPULTURA) and Argentine singer/guitarist Andres Gimenez (A.N.I.M.A.L.).
"Right now we're in the process of recording our third record," Alex said (see video below). "We were supposed to start the record this year, but, as you know, COVID came and everything just stopped. But what we did was we did a new single that's actually gonna be released this Friday. And the cool thing about this is that, like all musicians, we still need to play, we still need to create, so we all went into our home studios and we did this amazing song that, I think, fits perfectly with the times and what's going on right now. So that's the gonna be released this Friday — the single and the video. And then the idea is for us to start working on a new album in February. We already have about 15 songs."
Gonzalez also talked about the addition of Puerto Rican bassist Harold Hopkins to DE LA TIERRA. Hopkins replaced Argentine bassist Sr. Flavio (LOS FABULOSOS CADILLACS), who left the band in 2017.
"Harold, he's an amazing, amazing bass player, and he's from a very, very awesome band from Puerto Rico called PUYA," Alex said. "And the great thing about PUYA is that they do a fusion of metal but with salsa and with music from the island. And it's awesome. And they sing in Spanish and they sing in English. So, talk about coming full circle — you [also] have [members from] Brazil, Argentina and Mexico."
Alex added: "The new album, because Harold is also bringing a lot of also Latin influence, Caribbean influence… It's so heavy but at the same time… You'll see."
DE LA TIERRA's second studio album, "II", came out in November 2016 via Sony Music Latin. It followed the band's 2014 self-titled debut which received rave reviews and support from critics and fans.
DE LA TIERRA found massive success following the release of its first LP. The record allowed the band to tour and share the stage with bands like METALLICA and SLIPKNOT and perform at festivals such as Rock In Rio, Santiago Gets Louder and Vive Latino as well as gain a strong following of fans throughout North and South America.
For their follow-up record, DE LA TIERRA worked with renowned producer Ross Robinson (SLIPKNOT, KORN, DEFTONES, THE CURE, SEPULTURA) who helped the band craft a furious set of songs.
"II" was recorded in Los Angeles, where DE LA TIERRA laid down the music live to analog tape machines. Each of the band's members has a unique, individual style that Robinson helped blend and balance with their influential roots for a rich music experience that transcends language barriers.
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SiriusXM's Turbo (channel 41) will become "Linkin Park Radio" to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the band's milestone debut studio album, "Hybrid Theory".
Linkin Park Radio will feature the stories behind the influential and top-selling album, as well as music spanning the band's entire career, including demos, rarities, remixes, live tracks and solo music. Listeners can expect to hear personal anecdotes from the band members and music from artists hand-picked by them. Mike Shinoda will also guide listeners on Pandora through the band's "Hybrid Theory" and break down each track with Pandora Stories: Linkin Park on "Hybrid Theory" at 20. This will all lead up to the October 9 release of "Hybrid Theory: 20th Anniversary Edition" on Warner.
Linkin Park Radio will launch on Turbo on Monday, October 5 at 12:00 p.m. ET through October 11, and continue on channel 717 on the SiriusXM app and web player only, on October 12 through October 18. Fans can now immerse themselves in an exclusive 24/7 LINKIN PARK experience by simply tuning in.
LINKIN PARK's debut album galvanized, captivated and defined a generation. "Hybrid Theory" established a new course for music with its inspired combination of heavy alternative rock, hip-hop, and electronic. "Hybrid Theory" emerged as the best-selling album of 2001 in the U.S., selling 11 million copies stateside, achieving the rare "Diamond Award" (10 million) from the RIAA, and selling over 25 million albums worldwide. The band also took home its first Grammy Award in the category of "Best Rock Performance" for "Crawling".
SiriusXM subscribers can listen to Linkin Park Radio beginning October 5 on Turbo, channel 41 via SiriusXM radios, and those with streaming access can listen online, on-the-go with the SiriusXM mobile app and at home on a wide variety of connected devices, including smart TVs, devices with Amazon Alexa or the Google Assistant, Apple TV, PlayStation, Roku, Sonos speakers and more. Beginning October 12, through October 18, subscribers can listen to Linkin Park Radio online or on the SiriusXM app only. The SiriusXM app also offers additional features such as SiriusXM video, Personalized Stations Powered by Pandora that listeners can curate themselves, and an On Demand library with more than 10,000 hours of archived shows, exclusive music performances, interviews and audio documentaries. SiriusXM has special offers for new subscribers including three months of a SiriusXM Essential Streaming subscription for free.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of their classic album "Crazy World" and its worldwide smash hit single "Wind Of Change", lynchpin SCORPIONS members Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs have all given extensive and exclusive interviews to Rock Candy magazine for a huge 16-page cover story feature. Together with respected musician and lyricist Jim Vallance — who co-wrote seven of the album's 11 tracks — Meine, Schenker and Jabs open up like never before to reveal in forensic detail how the "Crazy World" project came together.
"If I'm honest, nothing we've done in the past three decades matches 'Crazy World'," says vocalist Meine with admirable candor. "I think it's a classic, and any SCORPIONS fan would agree. It's the last album from what I'd say was our golden period."
The bandmembers recount the story of the album's creation, from splitting with long-standing producer Dieter Dierks ("We'd been together for too long and we felt we needed new energy," says guitarist Schenker), to a false start with Bruce Fairbairn, and then finding the perfect producer in Keith Olsen.
The writing and recording process is described in detail, including the story behind the groundbreaking "Wind Of Change" single.
"The record company was very concerned about the whistling on it, because they thought it would hurt sales," explains Meine. "I insisted that it should stay, because, to my mind, it was a vital part of what made the song work so well."
"At first, even I didn't like it," admits Schenker. "I didn't think it was a good thing for a rock band to do, but we tried something else and it just didn't work. The song only worked with the whistling."
Of course, "Wind Of Change" went on to become the SCORPIONS' biggest ever hit, becoming a worldwide anthem for the changing political times of 1990 when the Soviet bloc collapsed.
With the SCORPIONS currently working on a new album, Rock Candy's cover story provides a must-read look back at a key moment in this legendary band's history.
Rock Candy is a 100-page, full-color bi-monthly rock mag, created in the U.K. It covers the sights, sounds and smells from the greatest era in hard rock music, the '70s and '80s. Put together by respected U.K. rock journalists Derek Oliver, Howard Johnson and Malcolm Dome — all frontline writers for the legendary Kerrang! magazine in the golden era — Rock Candy is available in print format with a free digital download version for anyone who buys the mag online at www.rockcandymag.com.
"Thin Lizzy: Every Album, Every Song", a book examining each one of THIN LIZZY's songs, will be released on November 27 via Sonicbond Publishing.
THIN LIZZY emerged as a four‐piece in Dublin as the 1960s drew to a close, when guitarist Eric Bell and keyboard player Eric Wrixon, both from Belfast, encountered a band named ORPHANAGE, which included Dubliners Brian Downey on drums and charismatic frontman Philip Lynott. The band evolved through a number of incarnations, through psychedelic power trio of the early years via classic four‐piece guitar‐toting rockers of the "Live And Dangerous" era, and ending with their incarnation as heavy metal heroes.
With the ever‐present Lynott and Downey at its core, THIN LIZZY rose to become one of the most powerful and iconic rock bands in Europe, before the erosive effects of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle took their toll.
This book presents a history of the band through its music. It covers every song released through official channels, presented in context. From the difficult early years of the early 1970s, which did produce the surprise hit single "Whisky In The Jar", via their breakthrough album "Jailbreak" and the heavy-rock excesses of the early 1980s, this book follows the evolution of THIN LIZZY and its stellar cast of guitarists, from start to finish, through their music, track by glorious track.
About the author: Graeme Stroud is a musician and writer, having played lead guitar in bands since the 1970s. He has written on websites and blogs on many subjects, both musical and non‐musical, for several years. He was a reviewer, interviewer and feature writer for Rock Society magazine for five years, specialising in the blues and rock genres. Since 2019, he has performed interviews and written feature articles, gig and album reviews for the rock web site VelvetThunder.com. His first book, "Status Quo - Song By Song", was published in 2017. He lives in Kent, U.K.
The latest teaser for "The Undertaker", the new single from German/American metallers ACCEPT, is available below. The song will be released on October 2 via Nuclear Blast, accompanied by a video. The track is the first taste of the band's upcoming studio album, the details of which will be announced soon.
The two-song single will also feature a previously unreleased live version of "Life's A Bitch", recorded in 2019 in Oulu, Finland. It will be made available digitally as well as on limited-edition seven-inch vinyl in three colors, each limited to 300 copies. Colors are gold, white-marbled for Europe and red for the U.S.
"The Undertaker" is a catchy mid-tempo number with an eerie build that seeps into your skull, accompanied by stirring vocals from frontman Mark Tornillo. According to guitarist Wolf Hoffmann, the piece is one of the most notable and brilliant pieces on the upcoming album.
The single and album were recorded in Nashville, Tennessee with British producer Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, MEGADETH), who has been responsible for the magnificent studio sound of ACCEPT since 2010.
ACCEPT's latest album, 2017's "The Rise Of Chaos", marked the band's first release with guitarist Uwe Lulis and drummer Christopher Williams, replacing Herman Frank and Stefan Schwarzmann, respectively.
ACCEPT's upcoming LP will be the group's first without bassist Peter Baltes, who exited the group in November 2018. He has since been replaced by Martin Motnik.
ACCEPT's latest release was "Symphonic Terror - Live At Wacken 2017", featuring the band's performance at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany.
ACCEPT 2020 is:
Wolf Hoffmann - Guitar
Mark Tornillo - Vocals
Christopher Williams - Drums
Uwe Lulis - Guitar
Martin Motnik - Bass
Philip Shouse - Guitar
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DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie has entered the studio to begin recording a new solo album. Unlike previous LPs "Elements Of Persuasion" (2005), "Static Impulse" (2010) and "Impermanent Resonance" (2013), which were written and recorded as a collaboration with LaBrie's songwriting partner for over a dozen years, Matt Guillory, the new effort is being tracked with an as-yet-undisclosed musician from Scotland.
On Tuesday (September 29), LaBrie tweeted: "Started tracking a new solo album. This is not with Matt Guillory and company. That will happen but not at this point in time. This album is with another fine musician from Scotland. I'll reveal his identity soon enough. We're both very psyched with the tunes. Stay tuned."
Released in August 2013 via InsideOut Music, "Impermanent Resonance" sold around 2,200 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 198 on The Billboard 200 chart. The follow-up to "Static Impulse" saw Guillory not only taking the leading role in composing the material, but also handling all of the keyboards and background vocals. The album's lineup was intact from the previous recording, featuring Marco Sfogli from Italy on guitar, Ray Riendeau (HALFORD, MACHINES OF LOVING GRACE) on bass and Swedish drummer Peter Wildoer (DARKANE, MAJESTIC), who was a finalist in the DREAM THEATER drum auditions. Additionally, former SOILWORK guitarist Peter Wichers came into the fold to contribute songwriting and studio guitars.
In 2014, LaBrie released a digital EP, "I Will Not Break", via InsideOut Music. While the opening title track was the album version taken from the "Impermanent Resonance" release, two other songs were previously only released physically as digipak bonus tracks, one tune was an alternate mix version, and two other songs were special demo versions, all previously only released physically as bonus tracks on the digipak and the Japanese edition for the "Static Impulse" album in 2010. The last three tracks were special dub step / electronica remixes of "Static Impulse" songs, previously unreleased. The remixes were done by U.S.-based DJs Jason Miller, Mutrix and NeonGenesis. The cover artwork for the EP was once again designed by Gustavo Sazes of Abstrata.net (ARCH ENEMY, KAMELOT).
Started tracking a new solo album. This is not with Matt Guillory and company. That will happen but not at this point in time. This album is with another fine musician from Scotland. I’ll reveal his identity soon enough. We’re both very psyched with the tunes. Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/9AxoKRzxej — James LaBrie (@jameslabrie) September 30, 2020
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsSteve Riley's version of L.A. GUNS will release its debut album, "Renegades", on November 13 via Golden Robot Records. The disc's cover artwork can be seen below. The LP's arrival was preceded by three singles: "Crawl", " Well Oiled Machine" and the title track.
Riley's version of L.A. GUNS is not to be confused with the band led by guitarist Tracii Guns and vocalist Phil Lewis, which issued two well-received albums, "The Missing Peace" and "The Devil You Know", plus the live release "Made In Milan", under the L.A. GUNS name over the last three years.
Riley is joined in his version of the group by Orlando, Florida-based guitarist/vocalist Kurt Frohlich, bassist Kelly Nickels (a member of L.A. GUNS' "classic" incarnation) and guitarist Scott Griffin (who played bass for the band from 2007 until 2009, and then again from 2011 to 2014).
Asked in a recent interview with BigMusicGeek.com how he handles, from a business point of view, there being two separate versions of L.A. GUNS, Riley said: "When Tracii quit in 2002, he went on and did a few other bands after that, but Phil and I had kept battling on as L.A. GUNS. I never stopped trying to get classic guys to not quit. I was always there. I was the longest chain and I'm still the longest chain member of L.A. GUNS. I never really quit the band, but everybody else has left the band for some reason or another. When Tracii decided to do a second L.A. GUNS in 2006, that's when all of this started. It's been something I've just had to deal with because the two of us owned the name and the trademark. We're classic members and we're former partners, but there was nothing I could do to stop him. Phil and I just had to deal with it. So, for the last 20 years, I've been dealing with it and it's nothing new. It's not, like, 'Wow, this is a new situation where there's two bands that have the same name.' He'd already been doing it for a while because when he quit, Phil and I went on for 15 years without him."
Riley went on to say that "it's totally frustrating," from a personal and professional point of view, having to deal with there being another version of L.A. GUNS.
"It's something that I don't want to happen and I wish would never have happened," he said. "Like I said, you wouldn't believe how much I tried to talk to the classic members out of not quitting the band. I would tell them, 'We all have a good thing going here. Let's just keep on going.' When Tracii left in 2002, he left Phil and I up in the air, but it was a situation where we were determined to keep pushing forward. Of course, we ended up doing another four or five albums before this all happened again with Phil leaving the band. So it's something that's frustrating, but there's really nothing you can do about it. It's like it is what it is."
This past January, Riley was sued by Guns and Lewis in California District Court. Joining Riley as defendants in the case are the three musicians who perform in his recently launched rival version of L.A. GUNS; that group's manager, booking agent and merchandiser; and Golden Robot Records.
The complaint, which requests a trial by jury, alleges that Riley's version of L.A. GUNS (referred to in the case docket as "the infringing L.A. GUNS") is creating "unfair competition" through its unauthorized usage of the L.A. GUNS trademark. In addition, Guns and Lewis are seeking relief from and/or against false advertising, breach of contract and unauthorized usage of their likenesses.
At its core, Guns and Lewis's complaint calls into question Riley's claim of partial ownership of the L.A. GUNS name and logo and alleges that his usage of both has been unauthorized. In addition, Guns and Lewis claim — as Guns has done publicly in the past — that Riley has embezzled much of the group's publishing proceeds over the past two decades.
Despite leaving the band soon after the release of 2002's "Waking The Dead" to focus on BRIDES OF DESTRUCTION (his short-lived supergroup with MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx), Guns "is the owner of common law trademark righs" for the L.A. GUNS name and logo, the complaint claims. It notes that Guns founded the band in 1983, four years before Riley joined, and that Riley did not perform on the group's 1984 debut EP and contributed to just a single track on their 1987 self-titled full-length debut.
According to the complaint, Guns "has been injured by Defendants' unfair competition," while he and Lewis have "suffered harm including damages and and irreparable injury to their goodwill." It also claims that Riley's L.A. GUNS was formed "with the intent of tricking and confusing consumers into believing that the infringing L.A. GUNS band is the original [Tracii] Guns version" of the group.
In addition to actual and punitive damages, Guns and Lewis are seeking a "permanent injunction" that restrains all of the named defendants from using the L.A. GUNS name, logo and likeness, as well as "a declaration that Guns is the sole owner of the common law trademark rights" for the L.A. GUNS moniker "and any related design marks."
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