Following their 2021’s Blood In The Water, Veteran Arizona thrashers FLOTSAM AND JETSAM have shared a first single taken off their forthcoming and 15th studio album entitled I Am The Weapon, that is slated for a 2024-release via AFM Records! A lyric video for the album title track is now premiering below.
More album details and pre-order options will be revealed on May 24, 2024. At the same time, a repress of the band’s 2016-album, Flotsam And Jetsam, will be issued as a strictly limited, Gatefold Clear 2-Vinyl!
The band comments:“We’re very excited about this new album, “I Am The Weapon.” We put a great amount of effort and thought into the music, and we can’t wait to start unleashing this metal assault on the music community…”
2024 will see FLOTSAM AND JETSAM return with their thunderous and new studio album I Am The Weapon. Watch out for more news and details to follow in the weeks ahead!
New Album ‘It Beckons Us All’ Released Tomorrow, Friday April 26
Ahead of the eagerly awaited new album It Beckons Us All from Darkthrone, the band give fans a final tease of what is awaiting them with the release of the official video for “The Bird People Of Nordland”. Video created by Matthew Vickerstaff .
Whilst freely admitting the concept for the song “Not a very metal subject, sorry!” Fenriz explains “ it’s about the EIDER bird and Nordland. Many years ago I saw a Norwegian documentary with the symbiotic relationship the coast people of Nordland had with the bird. They watched over the nests and in return could pick the eider for pillows clothing, warmth etc. So that is what the lyrics are about.” But, he continues “again, this is Ted’s song so a bit hard for me to comment on it musically but I will tell you all what I think when I hear it:
First of we have a typical grim Ted riff for the verse, then he surprises with a catchy riff for the refrain AND THEN comes my fave part of the album; the post-refrain riff which sounds like Queensryche 1984 style and you can also hear how much we enjoy to play it! EXACTLY where I want to be! Could have played that riff for 8 minutes straight, haha! This loops again with the refrain again without singing and then back to Queensryche ’84. Then first riff again with my added harmony guitar playing on it, what our studio man Ole Øvstedal called “the Corleone part.
A break arrives and then things are sped up (not faster than Yardbirds in 64, we are not an extreme metal band, more like MODERAT EPIC) which corresponds with a slower heavy metal riff where we also brought out the mellotrone if I remember correctly.
Then Ted bombs you with a final part, primitive d-beat thrash with a riff that sounds like Tom G Warrior made it and I also ordered Ted to lay on some hellish guitars. Anyway, I LIVE for that queensryche 84 riff, Ted!”
photo courtesy of Peer Olav Kittilsen
Humble as ever Nocturno Culto states“Well, AGAIN, talking about our music really blows or is very difficult, at least for me. Personally, music is a floating thing, and I am having a hard time to try to break it down. It´s metal, a bit of heavy/doom/black/thrash, that is Darkthrone now, mixing genres has been something we have done since A Blaze, and especially since 2005. And I am just looking forward on new material, new riffs and ideas.”
Just one more sleep until It Beckons Us All, Darkthrone’s new masterpiece, is unleashed in full!
Limited Edition Deluxe boxed edition: includes It Beckons Us All on CD, an exclusive corona vinyl LP & cassette and art prints all housed in a heavy duty lift off lid box
Limited edition ‘Fenriz’ edition LP on blue marble coloured vinyl– exclusively available through the Peaceville stores – VERY FEW COPIES LEFT!!
Limited edition ‘Nocturno Culto’ edition LP on grey marble coloured vinyl–available through the Peaceville stores
Plus other limited edition coloured vinyl LPs are available in stores across the world – cream white, crystal clear, petrol and .. a collectors dream .. if you can find them!
Megadeth is bringing its iconic live show to North America with a 33-city, nationwide tour, Destroy All Enemies, this fall including stops in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Boston, St. Louis and many more. Tickets for all dates will be on sale Friday at 10am local time with an exclusive presale for Megadeth Cyber Army/Megadeth Digital beginning today, Tuesday, April 23 at 12pm local time at Megadeth.com.
“Our ‘Crush The World’ tour has been a tremendous experience for the four of us,” shared Dave Mustaine. “We are all playing tight, and that has made it possible for me to really focus on solos and singing, we are playing more songs than ever before, and we are closer to each other, onstage AND off. I’m excited to see Mudvayne, and All That Remains. Join us as we DESTROY ALL ENEMIES.”
The Helsinki Vampires took the United States by the neck on their most recent tour, Death of Darkness. The 69 Eyes sunk their fangs into Leesburg Virginia on April 11th at the Tally Ho Theater, but they were not alone. Joining them were Budderside and The Bites and they all came with a thirst for blood and Rock N Roll.
Budderside took the stage first to the Goosebumps theme song that led into “Careless Whisper” which by the way even the gothiest of people will cheer for. They continued the spooky theme by opening the show with “Ghostlighting” and immediately had the crowd’s attention.
Lead singer Patrick Stone has the perfect combination of high pitch vocals and grungy rasp that makes Budderside sound so unique. Along with strong piercing vocals, Stone has a stage presence that is not only commanding and passionate but also comforting. It took no time for Stone to make his way off the stage and down to the barricade to really connect with fans. This literal in your face experience did nothing but hype the crowd up even more. By the last song Stone had escaped the barricade and truly connected with fans by running into the middle of the crowd and head-banging along with them.
Playing along side Stone is one of the finest young guitarist to join the rock and metal scene. Sam Koltun, better known as Sam Bam, truly knows his way around a guitar. However, it’s not just Koltun shredding for Budderside. Logan Nikolic took command of stage right in his own incredible style.
Both put their whole bodies into playing and you can both see and hear how much heart they put into their playing.
Towards the end of their set Stone began to encourage new and old fans to sing along with him to “Never Worth It.”Even those who didn’t know the lyrics picked up on instructions and “Never Worth It” became the loudest sung song of their set.
For the most part Budderside’s set stayed on the heavier side of things musically, only slowing down for “Joker,”a very sentimental song for Stone. Over all, Budderside’s lyrics are very relatable no matter how you interpret them. Their set made you feel every emotion.
As the band left the stage it was obvious they had gained quite a few excited new fans. They may have gone first but there is no way their set wasn’t permanently burned into everyone’s heart and soul.
The Bites took the stage next. Their music style is much lighter than Budderside, staying closer to their 80s glam metal side, but they did not hold back in the slightest.
Lead singer Jordan Tyler is the equivalent of this generations David Lee Roth. From running all over the stage and landing multiple high kicks, to a voice and face that drives the ladies wild. It’s like someone kept him in a cage and he was released on stage to let everything out. His goofy side also shown through during their cover of “War Pigs” by Black Sabbath when he changed “Just like witches at black masses” to “I love goth girls with fat asses”.
While hanging out with fans after the show, Tyler jokingly stated that they definitely weren’t having fun on stage. How do we know that’s a joke? Cause it’s blatantly obvious that every second they are on stage they are having the time of their lives doing what they love.
The crisp ear piercing sounds of Jono Richer‘s guitar is a very big part of what fueled the fans. With just as much energy as Tyler, Richer let the sleaze run from his fingers.
Just watching bass player Zack Currier, it’s safe to say if given the opportunity he would leave the stage to rock with the crowd. His movements were perfectly aligned with every pick of the bass.
Along with Currier, drummer Mark Hylander kept an exceptionally tight rhythm. Even behind the kit, his loud strikes against the drum heads reached fans and his talent elevated the band’s sound even more.
A long line awaited the band after their set as fans wanted their own autographed copy of 2023’s album Squeeze.
As the last of the day’s light disappeared, the creatures of the night came out to play literally. The 69 Eyes joined the party and left everything they had on stage. From the first note to the last song hands were in the air and fans were screaming at the top of their lungs.
The band took the stage to Elvis’s “Heartbreak Hotel,” a song that for those who aren’t familiar with the band will make so much sense later on in the show.
Opening the show with “Devils” was a perfect way to introduce the new fans in the crowd to the overall vibe of the rest of the night, and had the OG fans even more excited than before. By the third song everyone was pushed up as close to the barricade as possible reaching for the band.
Lead singer Jyrki is best described as Vampire Elvis, with a deep sultry voice and hips that would give The King himself a run for his money. The low gothic tones of his voice mixed with the classic horror rock n roll sound of the band makes it feel like you’re at sexy Halloween dance party.
Drummers are known to be wild and Jussi is no exception. Arms like an octopus and standing up on his drums like a monkey climbing a tree. He’s loud, impactful and adds the thunder to the beautiful storm that is The 69 Eyes. Paired with Jussi on bass is Archzie, who kept deep time and perfect low end all night.
The 69 eyes have two creatures producing the beautiful banshee screams and low ghostly moans on the guitar. Pasi Moilanen on stage left and Timo-Timo on stage right. Just like Archzie and Jussi, the two are a match made in heaven (or hell).
Jyrki fed off the crowds reaction all night, even holding the mic stand out over the pit and into the audience to encourage them to sing along louder which wasn’t a problem in the first place. Jyrki introduced Dance D’Amour by stating he had some moves to show us. As “Dance with me into Night” left his lips everyone was truly dancing. Not headbanging, not nodding along but dancing and swaying like they were in a calm trance.
The band left the stage for the encore and a member of their team came out and got the whole place chanting 69 as the band walked back out on stage. Jyrki placed a rose on the drum set and the madness continued. The most hype came when they began to play “Lost Boys”. No one wanted the show to end and there were nothing but smiles as the band said their final goodbyes.
The Death of Darkness tour featured 3 different styles of rock, yet they all blended so well together. The most important thing is that not once throughout the night did any one look bored or did any band sound bad. I don’t think anyone would be angry if these 3 bands toured together again next year. – Tanis Enos
SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION TRIPLE VINYL SET CONTAINING A COMBINATION OF SPELLBINDING PERFORMANCES OF THE ‘EPICUS DOOMICUS METALLICUS’ AND ‘NIGHTFALL’ ALBUMS FROM SÖDRA TEATERN, SWEDEN.
As Candlemass quickly approaches a new milestone of four decades of existence, this special triple vinyl set, ‘Tritonus Nights’, includes stellar recent performances of both the ‘Epicus…’ and ‘Nightfall’ albums in their entirety, which took place at the esteemed Södra Teatern in Stockholm, Sweden in November 2021, with the double-night event a fitting platform to celebrate the 35th anniversaries of both iconic titles.
With a line-up consisting of Lars Johansson, Mappe Björkman, Leif Edling, Janne Lindh, & Johan Längquist, Candlemass captivates a spellbound audience with renditions of numerous classic doom tracks such as ‘Solitude’, ‘Demon’s Gate’, ‘The Well of Souls’ & ‘Bewitched’, plus also notable is the inclusion of the pre-‘Epicus…’ track ‘Battlecry’ as a rare live treat. With professionally recorded & mixed sound, & with mastering work undertaken by Patrick Engel at Temple of Disharmony, ‘Tritonus Nights’ is Candlemass captured at their magnificent best.
“Those two nights at the Södra Teatern in Stockholm were amazing! Level of Magic – 200%! We sounded great and the god of Doom smiled upon us those cold, but very special November nights. Lights, sound, atmosphere, party, crazyness – all the right elements were there to perfect the Doom stew! And here’s the essence of these Magical evenings – TRITONUS NIGHTS!” – Leif Edling
Candlemass was formed by bassist and songwriter Leif Edling in Stockholm, Sweden in the mid-80s. With a healthy influence primarily coming from bands such as UK heavy metal pioneers Black Sabbath, Candlemass quickly became established for their epic brand of atmospheric doom metal, with undisputed genre classics such as 1986’s debut album ‘Epicus Doomicus Metallicus’ & 1987’s follow-up opus, ‘Nightfall’ inspiring subsequent generations of the genre’s metal heroes.
Tritonus Nights is presented on limited edition triple coloured vinyl in a slipcase plus additional booklet, with Side D of the double ‘Nightfall’ vinyl containing a special etched design.
DISC 1 – Epicus Doomicus Metallicus A.1. Solitude (live) [06:53] A.2. Demon`s Gate (live) [09:43] A.3. Crystal Ball (live) [06:58] B.1. Black Stone Wielder (live) [08:30] B.2. Under The Oak (live) [07:01] B.3. A Sorcerer`s Pledge (live) [12:06]
DISC 2 – Nightfall A.1. The Well Of Souls (live) [08:40] A.2. Codex Gigas (live) [02:18] A.3. At The Gallow`s End (live) [05:57] B.1. Samarithan (live) [06:39] B.2. Dark Are The Veils Of Death (live) [05:33] B.3. Battlecry (live) [08:25]
We’re back bitches. Saddle up because we’re taking you and your mom on the most out of this world ride of your life. We bring you THE AGE OF ENTITLEMENT TOUR. Tickets on sale Friday, you pencil pushers. https://gwar.net
Canadian metal legends ANVIL have announced their new studio album, ‘One And Only’, for a release on June 28, 2024 via powerhouse label AFM Records! A first video single, “Feed Your Fantasy” has just been premiered and is now streaming below.
When it comes to the most influential bands in the history of heavy metal, authorities on the subject regularly vote ANVIL among the top positions. The group from Toronto, Canada, with its two masterminds, Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow and Robb Reiner, with bassist Chris Robertson, not only looks back at an impressive career with countless highlights – as well as a number of well-documented difficulties – but has also had a lasting influence on lots of internationally renowned musicians, from Metallica to Slayer and beyond.
One And Only sees the band provide first-rate ANVIL entertainment: While Guitarist/vocalist Lips is considered to be one of the most creative and interesting storytellers of the metal genre, Chris Robertson and Robb Reiner keep the up the pace with their usual confidence, providing the perfect rhythm section for Lips. Although they have experienced the tough and frequently merciless side of the music industry on a number of occasions, ANVIL never lost their idealism, motivation and energy, which is immediately evident on One AndOnly.
Like its four predecessors,One And Only was produced by Martin ‘Mattes’ Pfeiffer (U.D.O., among others) and Jörg Uken at his Soundlodge studio. As far as Lips is concerned, Pfeiffer and Uken are “… our one and only choice. As usual, Mattes and Jörg did a great job in choosing our best playing and making sure it has top notch sound. Great guys who understand the band and know what suits us best.”
Pre-Order One And Only – due out on June 28, 2024 via AFM Records, HERE!
One And Only – tracklisting: 01 – One And Only 02 – Feed Your Fantasy 03 – Fight For Your Rights 04 – Heartbroken 05 – Gold And Diamonds 06 – Dead Man Shoes 07 – Truth Is Dying 08 – Rocking The World 09 – Run Away 10 – World Of Fools 11 – Condemned Liberty 12 – Blind Rage
ANVIL live: 02.05.2024 (CA) Ajax / The Edge 25.05.2024 (DE) Schönenberg-Kübelberg / Iron Fest Open Air 29.06.2024 (FR) Clisson, Hellfest 22.11.2024 (DE) Weissenhäuser Strand / Metal Hammer Paradise
Hall Aflame, the rock band which features Metal Church founding guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof, will release their long-awaited sophomore album “Amplifire” on May 3, 2024 via Rat Pak Records. Originally formed in 1989, the band garnered commercial success with their debut album “Guaranteed Forever”, which was well received by fans and industry peers alike and quickly found themselves opening for ZZ Top on their 1991 “Recycler” tour for a number of dates. As with many bands from that era, facing a decline in interest for AOR rock due to the onslaught of the “grunge” scene, the band went on a lengthy hiatus and reunited again in late 2023 to begin working on a handful of songs.
Amplifier offers 12 new studio tracks and reunites Kurdt with original bassist Brian Smith, along with drummer Bill Raymond and front-man Scott Nutter. Regarding the album, Kurdt Vanderhoof comments, “This album came about as a project to document all the songs that we had written for the second album that never came to be. We revisited the songs and realized they had to be recorded properly. Then it blossomed into something much better than we had even hoped! So that led us into reforming the band instead of just having it be a project.”
Bassist Brian Smith adds, “I think anyone that is a fan of “Guaranteed Forever” will see this record as a new and improved “Part II” of Hall Aflame. Great songs, great production and we had a ton of fun putting this together!” Scott Nutter adds, “A good hard rock album should lift you, make you want to sing along and rock out! That’s what this album does for me!”
From the driving album opener “Helltown” to the powerhouse outro track “Keeping Them All Away”, Hall Aflame shines with their signature brand of rock-n-roll. Tracks like “Ripcord”, “In The Same Gutter”, “It Ain’t Enough” and “Gunnin’” are filled with memorable hooks and melodies, while songs like “Pullin Me Apart” and “1974” showcase their unique, classic rock songwriting abilities. With influences that range from Bad Company to Thin Lizzy, “Amplifire” is best described as the perfect blend of classic rock with a modern-day edge!
Track listing: 01 Helltown 02 Ripcord 03 1974 04 This Ain’t Love 05 The Same Gutter 06 It Ain’t Enough 07 Gunnin’ 08 Pullin’ Me Apart 09 Long Way Down 10 Keeping Them All Away 11 Cowboy (bonus track) [CD & Digital] 12 Paradise on Ice (bonus track) [CD & Digital]
Legendary UK metal giants Orange Goblin are back with details of their long awaited new studio album Science, Not Fiction. Set for release on July 19th, Science, Not Fiction will be the band’s first release on the iconic Peaceville label (Darkthrone, Autopsy, Candlemass).
To accompany the announcement, the band have shared their new single “(Not) Rocket Science” – a matter of fact observation on the human tendency to over-complicate life – alongside a swirling animated lyric video by Matthew Vickerstaff (https://www.instagram.com/matthew_vickerstaff)
Speaking on the track, frontman and lyricist Ben Ward says “It’s basically saying that life can be pretty simple and straightforward if you just stop wasting your time and make each day count. Be prepared to work hard, don’t expect any hand outs and basically enjoy yourself along the way.When Chris came up with the music he said it needed something that could be delivered in a Bon Scott / Lemmy style and I think it came out really well”.
Science, Not Fiction was recorded at Woodworm Studios UK in late 2023, with production and mixing duties carried out by Grammy winning producer Mike Exeter (most notable for his work with Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Tony Iommi) and mastering conducted by the esteemed Peter Hewitt-Dutton at The Bakery in LA.
From the explosive death-boogie of opener “The Fire At The Centre Of The Earth Is Mine” onwards, the band’s tenth album crackles with energy and belligerence. Following the departure of long serving bassist MartynMillard in 2020, Orange Goblin welcomed close friend Harry Armstrong (formerly Hangnail) into the fray, making Science, Not Fiction his first studio outing with the band.
With the new line-up fizzing with chemistry, the hard rocking likes of “(Not) Rocket Science”, “The Fury Of A Patient Man” and “The Justice Knife” breathe new life into some classic Orange Goblin tropes. Meanwhile, twisted prog-doom detours like “False Hope Diet” and “Cemetary Rats” take the Londoners into epic new territory, with everything from skull-shattering punk ‘n’ roll to transcendent space rock hurled into the swirling brew.
“It is a continuation of what we’ve been doing, and that’s because when we write, it’s a big mixing bowl of all of our influences and favourite artists, and we try and create the perfect band that we always wanted to hear,” Ben states. “This album, it’s just more accomplished and mature, I guess. None of us are spring chickens anymore and we’ve got ten albums under our belts now. I feel like we’re more professional in the recording studio, I feel like we’re better musicians and writers, and now with me looking after myself, I feel like my performance is better as well. It’s all moving in the right direction.”
For the last 30 years, Orange Goblin, London-based hard rock lifers, have tirelessly flown the flag for balls-out heavy metal and maximum rock ‘n’ roll. Driven by passion, persistence and heartfelt love for metal’s dark magic, Orange Goblin have always been a vital force and a risk-free bet. While some may be content to trade on past glories, Orange Goblin view heavy metal as a lifelong pursuit. In 2024, they open a new chapter in their heroic saga, marking it with the release of their tenth studio album: Science, Not Fiction.
“People have funny ideas about what heavy metal is. But to me, it’s an attitude, it’s a lifestyle, it’s not something you decide to dip into. You either are or you’re not. And it’s for life.” Ben Ward, Orange Goblin
Orange Goblin – Science, Not Fiction track-list:
The Fire At The Centre Of The Earth Is Mine
(Not) Rocket Science
Ascend The Negative
False Hope Diet
Cemetary Rats
The Fury Of A Patient Man
Gemini (Twins Of Evil)
The Justice Knife
End Of Transmission
Bonus track on CD Deluxe & LP: 10. Eye Of The Minotaur
Orange Goblin are: Ben Ward – vocals Joe Hoare – guitar Chris Turner – drums Harry Armstrong – bass
The band will be supporting the release of Science, Not Fiction with a full live campaign starting on April 6thwith a tour in April, of Japan, Australia and New Zealand, more shows and festivals are due to be announced very soon.
Staff contributor and photographer Tanis Enos has presented this exemplary concert photo gallery of Geoff Tate and his band; taken from the Tally Ho Theater in Leesburg, Virginia, on March 28, 2024.
See also below, the concert photo gallery of opening band Fire & Water. Click on any photo in this gallery to enlarge and enjoy!
It’s time to set the world on fire! The new POWERWOLF album “Wake Up The Wicked” will be released on July 26, 2024! The once again mesmerizing artwork by Zsofia Dankova perfectly reflects the elemental force of the album and embodies its sheer intensity! At this point we will keep it short, because we will go into more detail over time! Available for pre-order now!
Who is ready for some big city nights in Las Vegas?!! Scorpions: Love at First Sting Las Vegas residency launches on April 11th at the Bakkt Theater at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, NV.
The brand new headlining residency show will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Love at First Sting album, performing the album plus all of the biggest hits from April 11th to May 3rd, 2024.
Join us for some Big City Nights – Sin City style! Get your tickets now at Ticketmaster.com
Thursday, April 11 Saturday, April 13 Thursday, April 18 Saturday, April 20 Wednesday, April 24 Friday, April 26 Sunday, April 28 Wednesday, May 1 Friday, May 3
LOVE AT FIRST STING TOUR – UK/Europe:
Rock Believers of UK and Europe, we are very excited to be coming your way! Following the Las Vegas residency we will be bringing the Love at First Sting Tour across the world continuing our celebration of this legendary album. Get your tickets now and we’ll see you this Summer!
NECROT will return to the stage this June on a massive North American headlining tour! The Lifeless Birth Tour 2024 commences on June 5th in Berkeley, California and winds its way through nearly three dozen cities, concluding on July 13th in Portland, Oregon. Support will be provided by Street Tombs as well as BAT and Phobophilic on select dates. The trek follows the band’s recent run supporting Municipal Waste on the inaugural Brainsqueeze Tour.
Comments bassist/vocalist Luca Indrio, “You already know it. The Lifeless Birth album release tour is going to be a savagely brutal one! I’m sure our loyal fans are going to be there to rage and destroy every fucking night. These shows are going to be pure madness; you are not going to regret being there, but you might regret not showing up. If you feel like you need a night of good metal you better be there early. The support bands are insanely good. BAT has a new album out for the tour just like us, Street Tombs is representing for [drummer] Chad [Gailey]’s label, Carbonized plus Phobophilic is joining us late in the tour, all such sick bands. Epic as fuck. See you all at the shows!”
Tickets go on sale this Friday, March 29th at 12:00pm ET at necrot.com! See all confirmed dates below.
NECROT w/ BAT, Street Tombs: 6/05/2024 The Cornerstone – Berkeley, CA 6/06/2024 Constellation Room – Santa Ana, CA 6/07/2024 First St. Billiards – Los Angeles, CA 6/08/2024 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA 6/09/2024 Nile Underground – Phoenix, AZ 6/10/2024 The Launchpad – Albuquerque, NM 6/12/2024 Parish – Austin, TX 6/13/2024 Three Links – Dallas TX 6/14/2024 Vibes Underground – San Antonio TX 6/15/2024 TBA – Houston, TX 6/16/2024 TBA – New Orleans, LA 6/18/2024 Orpheum – Tampa, FL 6/19/2024 Will’s Pub – Orlando, FL 6/20/2024 Boggs Social – Atlanta, GA 6/21/2024 New Brookland Tavern – Columbia SC 6/22/2024 Chapel Of Bones – Raleigh, NC 6/23/2024 Cattivo – Pittsburgh, PA 6/24/2024 Metro Gallery – Baltimore, MD 6/25/2024 Broken Goblet – Bensalem, PA 6/26/2024 The Meadows – Brooklyn, NY 6/27/2024 Sonia – Boston, MA w/ Phobophilic, Street Tombs: 6/28/2024 Le Source – Quebec City, QC 6/29/2024 Piranha Bar – Montreal, QC 6/30/2024 Dominion Tavern – Ottawa ON 7/01/2024 Hard Luck Bar – Toronto, ON 7/02/2024 Sanctuary – Detroit, MI 7/03/2024 Reggies – Chicago, IL 7/05/2024 The Swamp – Lincoln, NE 7/06/2024 Oriental Theatre – Denver, CO 7/07/2024 Aces High Saloon – Salt Lake City, UT 7/09/2024 The Shredder – Boise, ID 7/10/2024 Ray’s Golden Lion – Richland, WA 7/11/2024 The Cobalt – Vancouver, BC 7/12/2024 Clock Out Lounge – Seattle WA 7/13/2024 The Star Theatre – Portland, OR
NECROT will be touring in support of their Lifeless Birth full-length, set to drop on April 12th via Tankcrimes.
With Lifeless Birth, NECROT continues their ascent to the forefront of American aural extremity, pushing the boundaries of style and continuing to recast metal in their image. Founded by bassist/vocalist Luca Indrio and drummer Chad Gailey in 2011 with guitarist Sonny Reinhardt joining the following year, the Oakland, California trio offers Lifeless Birth as a culmination of their to-date efforts to encapsulate and push forward the deathly stylings of 2020’s Mortal and their 2017 debut, Blood Offerings.
Lifeless Birth, which features cover art again by Marald Van Haasteren, will be released on CD, cassette, and digital formats as well as an LP in several different and exciting vinyl variants all housed in a golden foil stamped gatefold jacket. Recorded with Grammy-winning producer Greg Wilkinson who has helmed all three NECROT albums and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege.
In honor of Lifeless Birth, NECROT will appear on the May 2024 cover of Decibel Magazine, marking their second appearance on the cover of the esteemed publication.
Don’t miss it! Order your copy today at THIS LOCATION.
Find LP preorders HERE, CD preorders HERE, cassette preorders HERE, and digital preorders HERE where the band’s previously released singles, “Cut The Cord,” and “Drill The Skull” can be streamed.
After having their Mortal tour plans scuttled owing to the COVID pandemic, family health issues that led Indrio, who became a US citizen in 2016 and currently lives in Mexico, to return to Italy for a time canceled what would have been their first tour post-plague. Still, despite this and Gailey suffering a broken back, requiring multiple surgeries and intense physical therapy to be able to drum again, period, Indrio being struck with Bell’s Palsy the night before he was originally due to fly to the studio to record, and Reinhardt requiring multiple surgeries on his hands in the months since they finished, NECROT charges forward with material distinguished in its real-world point of view and willingness to look beyond extreme metal tropes in lyrics, the melodies of its guitar solos, and unbridled audience engagement.
HOLY MOTHER presents the follow-up to Face ThisBurn and their overall seventh studio album: Rise. Slated for a release on June 7, 2024 via Massacre Records, the album pre-sale for HOLY MOTHER‘s “Rise” – releasing as a CD Digipak, Ltd. Vinyl LP and Digital formats has just started at https://lnk.to/holymotherrise. A video clip for the band’s first single, the furious album opening track “Fire” is now premiering below!
“This song is about a toxic love addiction that’s never ending and keeps haunting you forever. What inspired me to write this song was knowing people who just can’t get out of their relationship, and finally put an end to their misery.” HOLY MOTHER singer Mike Tirelli comments.
“Also, at the very start of this song is the eeriness of my daughter Violet’s voice, who was only 14 years old at the time. Her voice really set the musical tone, and mood that inspired me to write that specific vocal melody; like a cry of agony and pain.”
The new HOLY MOTHER song “Fire” is now available on all digital streaming providers via https://holymother.bfan.link/fire. Watch the video clip premiering HERE.
In a career that spans from the 1990’s until the present day, HOLY MOTHER has delivered some of the most blistering American, fist-pumping music of their genre and pulls no punches with its heaviest and most powerful release to date.
New album anthems like “Rise”, “Power”, “Fire”, “Rain”, “Jeremiah”, and “Hex” will have you banging your head and stomping your feet, and the classic “Live To Die” from the critically acclaimed Toxic Rain album of HOLY MOTHER‘s past is brought to new life, channeling the spirit of the late, great HOLY MOTHER co-founder Randy Coven.
This album will melt your face, compel you to raise your fists and rebel and as HOLY MOTHER intend to lead the force of metal followers to their destiny with the driving force of the amazing Ronnie James Dio-style vocals of Mike Tirelli, the blistering shredding of the young guitar prodigy Mickey Lyxx, the pounding in-your- face drumming of powerhouse James Harris, and the blazing bass of the Brit, Wayne Banks. Don’t be left in the dust! Pick up HOLY MOTHER‘s “Rise” and join the metal community in the rise of HOLY MOTHER!
Rise – tracklist:
Fire
The Elevator
Jeremiah
Power
Rise
Down
Interventionist
Hex
Live To Die
Rain
Album Line-Up: Mike Tirelli – Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitars, Bass Guitar Mickey Lyxx – Lead / Rhythm Guitar Wayne Banks – Bass Guitar James Harris – Drums, Backing Vocals, second lead vocals on “Rise”
HOLY MOTHER Live: 23.08.2024 FR Champtoceaux – Barbeuk Metal Festival 24.08.2024 FR La Rochelle – Crossroad
Australian Hard Rockers Tarot have released “Leshy’sWarning,” the second single from forthcoming album, Glimpse of the Dawn. Check it out on the Cruz Del Sur Music YouTube Channel: youtu.be/2D-n14FZQAU
Glimpse of the Dawn, the band’s first album for Cruz Del Sur Music, will be released April 12 on CD, vinyl, and digital formats! The long-awaited sophomore album re-imagines heavy, Hammond B3 organ hard rock for a new generation!
Eight years have passed since Tarot’s first full-length, Reflections, to their new long-player, Glimpse of the Dawn. It was like a lifetime for the 1970s-rock-tinged Australians. The band embarked on its first-ever live shows after Reflections, essentially coming together as a unit while on stage.
Live activity then opened the door for increased collaboration between all members of the band. Now operating as a cohesive, free-flowing outfit, Tarot amassed a lively, spacious album in the form of Glimpse of the Dawn that earnestly pays tribute to their core influences of Uriah Heep, Rainbow and Deep Purple while blazing an identity of its own.
Glimpse of the Dawn was recorded across several studios in the band’s native Tasmania, starting with drum tracking by Joe Haley at Crawlspace Productions. From there, the band retreated to its own Heavy Chains Studio and Riff Cabin to complete tracking, yet it was the face-to-face sessions with Haley that gave the album its live and natural feel.
This approach, once an industry standard and now becoming a rarity, found Tarot simply cracking open a few beers, letting the tape roll and letting the results happen as they may. To that end, Tarot purposely left open spaces to allow for improvisation.
Photo Credit: Saint Bradshaw
Many of the album’s lead guitar sections were written on the fly in the studio and were subsequently kept, allowing forTarot to “catch lightning in a bottle.” This approach is perhaps best exemplified on the title track, which kicks off the album in grand fashion with rollicking Hammond keyboards and vocal trade-offs between founding member WillSpectre, guitarist FelixRussell and keyboardist Dave Harrington-George.
In fact, collaboration defines Glimpse of the Dawn. Whereas Spectre previously shouldered the songwriting load, the album features contributions from all members of Tarot. This communal, open vibe is yet another throwback to the bands Tarot has taken inspiration from.
The closeness of all five members allowed for a free exchange of ideas, thus sharpening every facet of the album. It helped further expand Tarot’s sound, which is often driven by the classic Hammond B3 organ, mellotron string and choir and various analog synths. The members of Tarotput an immense amount of thought into the interplay between Harrington-George’sparts and its guitar lines, ultimately producing an album with equal breadth and depth.
Glimpse of the Dawn is tailor-made for the live arena. Tarot already has plans to hit its Australian homeland and Europe throughout 2024, bringing its hard-rocking, anthemic songs to audiences deserving of a band that perfectly embodies the spirit of 1970s rock.
Single cover artwork • “Crack Cocaine“ (Written by Billy Morrison/ Ozzy Osbourne/Steve Stevens)
“The Morrison Project”OfficialAlbumrelease: April 19, 2024
Billy Morrison, the British guitarist, singer, and songwriter primarily known as Billy Idol’s rhythm guitar player for the past 15 years alongside lead guitarist Steve Stevens, and for his previous role as bassist in The Cult, has assembled an electrifying 12 songs including guest performances by Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol, DMC, Corey Taylor, Al Jourgensen, Steve Vai, Steve Stevens, Linda Perry, Tommy Clufetos, John5, and more!
I guess the way that your love makes me feel/Must mean I’m really addicted,” sings OZZY OSBOURNE on “Crack Cocaine”, the newly released track out on March 21st from BILLY MORRISON’s new solo album THE MORRISON PROJECT. This album is releasing on April 19th, via The Label Group’s partnership with TLG ZOID through Virgin Music Group.
Crack Cocaine” (04:01 min) Music video Premiere: March 21, 2024 YouTube Video by IVO RAZA
Official release on March 21, 2024 Label: TLG ZOID • Virgin Music
“Crack Cocaine” is the second single/video from THE MORRISON PROJECT and follows the single/video “Drowning”. Stream it HERE
This seismic collaboration also features STEVE STEVENS on guitar and was co-written by MORRISON, OSBOURNE, and STEVENS who all appear in the video with PARIS JACKSON playing the glamorous/romantic interest, with cameos from visual artist RISK and actor JEFF HILLIARD.
“Crack Cocaine” marks the first new song with OZZY on vocals since the 2022 release of his worldwide smash album Patient Number 9 which earned him two Grammy Awards (“Best Rock Album,” “Best Metal Performance”). “I was in the same room as Billy and Steve,” says OZZY about co-writing the song. “The lyrics just came out of the blue. It was written in about 20 minutes.”
BILLY MORRISON • 2024 📸 JaneStuartPhotos
BILLY, the British guitarist, singer and songwriter primarily known as Billy Idol’s rhythm guitar player for the past 15 years alongside lead guitarist Steve Stevens, sheds more light on the song’s origins: “The music was a direct result of sitting in a room with Steve, both with de-tuned guitars, and writing what we felt was an ultimate Ozzy riff. From there, we brought Ozzy over and we all sat around working on the lyrics, but 90% of those came from Ozzy himself. He’s the one that suddenly stood up and sang “Like Crack Cocaine”! We looked at each other and knew we had the title!”
BILLY: “The song is 100% about how certain relationships can FEEL like an addiction. It’s nothing whatsoever to do with the drug! It’s a comparison. Ozzy is talking about being in that dysfunctional situation with a partner that feels so wrong, but you keep going back again and again. ‘Loving you is driving me insane. I put you down and pick you up again’ – it’s exactly like a drug addiction.”
Importantly, reveals STEVE, “First and foremost, Billy and I discussed what an Ozzy fan would really love to hear. We really zeroed in on the ‘90s-era Ozzy, the truly heavy stuff. We cast aside any rules both musically and lyrically. It was really a great team and Billy is just such a great motivator. Obviously as a guitarist, to contribute to an Ozzy song is like a kid in a candy store. He’s played with such an amazing array of guitarists that I tried my best to honor that tradition.”
Adds STEVE: “I think the fact that Billy and I have spent the better part of 16 years working together in Billy Idol means we are almost telepathic in how we arrange guitars, etc. Billy and Ozzy have such an amazing friendship that it was easy to feel inspired and want to help them achieve any idea I could assist with. As we worked in my home studio, I tried to make the actual recording process almost invisible. Forget any technical aspects and really have some fun. To Ozzy’s credit, he was totally focused; and man the first time I heard him sing in what was essentially my living room, fucking chills ran down my spine.”
Line-Up: Ozzy Osbourne • Vocals Billy Morrison • Rhythm guitar Steve Stevens • Lead guitar Tommy Clufetos • Drums
“Crack Cocaine” is the second single/video from THE MORRISON PROJECT and follows the single/video “Drowning”. Stream it HERE
💿 DISCOGRAPHY: 2008 • Stimulator • Full-length 2015 • The God Shaped Hole • Full-length 2024 • The Morrison Project • Full-length
Iconic heavy metallers ARMORED SAINT, who’ve been hard at work demoing tracks for their upcoming new full-length, will return to the stage later this month as direct support to Queensrÿche! The trek, which commences on March 27th in Anaheim, California, includes twelve ARMORED SAINT headlining shows scattered throughout.
Comments ARMORED SAINT bassist Joey Vera: We’re super stoked to be going back out on the road with our good friends Queensrÿche! We’ve done several tours in the past and we always have a great time being on the road with these great musicians and friends! We’re looking forward to playing some cities we’ve never played before and also, we’ll be playing some of these dates as headliners! We’ll be pulling out some deep cuts and playing an extended set so we hope to see you come out to all of these shows! We’ve been busy writing new music so keep your ears peeled in the near future for some new SAINT! Until then, we’ll see you up front!”
Tickets are on sale now with VIP upgrades available at THIS LOCATION. See all confirmed dates below.
ARMORED SAINT’s most recent studio album, Punching The Sky, was released in 2020. The critically lauded full-length hit worldwide record charts including #4 on Billboard’s Current Hard Music Albums chart, #6 on the Top New Artists chart, #16 on the Top Independent Albums chart, and #17 on the Current Rock Albums chart upon its first week of release.
We’re thrilled to announce an exclusive run of U.S. Tour dates kicking off in New York City on June 6th at Racket NYC. We’ll be hitting some of our favourite cities and venues across the country.
We’re going to give you a taste of some of our new music and will be releasing a single in support of the tour. So you’ll be hearing some new stuff as well as your favourites at these shows.
Keeping it in the family, John, Doug, David, and Michael look forward to welcoming heavy hitting Tommy Clufetos (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath) back to the line-up.
“We’re looking FORWARD to seeing all of our incredibly supportive friends, fans, and family out on the road, right here in the “Good Old U.S. of A” kicking off June 6th… Thank you, we love you!!!” – John Corabi
June 2024 U.S. Tour:
06 Racket NYC New York, NY 08 The Landis Theater Vineland, NJ 09 Mickey’s Black Box Lititz, PA 11 The Machine Shop Flint, MI 12 The Arcada Theatre St. Charles, IL US 14 The King Of Clubs Columbus, OH 15 Blue Note Harrison, OH 16 The Basement East Nashville, TN 19 House Of Blues San Diego, CA 20 Whiskey a Go Go Los Angeles, CA 22 Goldfield Trading Post Roseville, CA
If you’re a band or musician and would like your music reviewed or be interviewed by Stone, please click the link under the “ALBUM REVIEWS ARCHIVES” section below!
Metal Odyssey's Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Hall of Fame! These Are The Rock And METAL Legends Wrongfully Ignored By "The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame"
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