From HELLOWEEN Twitter timeline (6/25/21):
NOW IT’S TIME FOR HAPPINESS: Our new album “Helloween” has entered the official German album charts at the top position – the first time EVER for a HELLOWEEN album! Our gratitude and appreciation for all our fans, not only in Germany, but WORLDWIDE is beyond words!
A&E’s definitive documentary film “Biography: KISStory” celebrates five decades of KISS! The four-hour, two-night event airs this Sunday, June 27th and Monday, June 28th from 9-11pm ET/PT.
Source: KISS Official
Gore Metal maniacs EXHUMED return to the stage this Fall! The Worming Through America tour begins October 22 and features support from Creeping Death, Bewitcher & Enforced! Tickets are on sale this Friday and a full schedule is available below.
EXHUMED Comments:
“We’re beyond psyched to be back on the road AT LAST! It’s been far too long since the teeming masses have choked on our foul stench. We’ve put together a killer, diverse lineup to crack craniums and rupture eardrums in a town (hopefully) near you, as well as some new surprises, including ‘Worming,’ an exclusive ‘tour-only’ vinyl EP. Gas up your chainsaws, put your beers and corpses on ice and get ready for us to roll into your neck of the woods and wake up some neighbors!”
EXHUMED TOUR DATES:
All Dates Oct 22 – Nov 20 w/ Creeping Death / Bewitcher / Enforced (Drops after Nov 13)
Oct 22 Costa Mesa, CA The Commissary
Oct 23 San Diego, CA Brick By Brick
Oct 24 Mesa, AZ Nile Underground
Oct 25 Flagstaff, AZ Yucca North
Oct 26 Albuquerque, NM The Launchpad
Oct 27 El Paso, TX The Rock House
Oct 28 Odessa, TX Cactus House
Oct 29 San Antonio, TX The Rock Box
Oct 30 Austin, TX The Lost Well
Oct 31 Dallas, TX Gas Monkey
Nov 02 Indianapolis, IN Black Circle Brewing
Nov 03 Cincinnati, OH Legends
Nov 04 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda’s
Nov 05 Norfolk, VA Taphouse
Nov 06 Baltimore, MD Metro Gallery
Nov 07 Brooklyn, NY Saint Vitus
Nov 08 Boston, MA Sonia
Nov 09 Buffalo, NY Mohawk Place
Nov 10 Detroit, MI Sanctuary
Nov 11 Chicago, IL Reggie’s
Nov 12 Madison, WI Crucible
Nov 13 Davenport, IA Racoon Motel
Nov 14 Omaha, NE Slowdown *
Nov 15 Denver, CO Oriental Theater *
Nov 16 Salt Lake City, UT Ace’s High Saloon *
Nov 17 Boise, ID The Shredder *
Nov 18 Seattle, WA El Corazon *
Nov 19 Portland, OR Dante’s *
Nov 20 Oakland, CA Oakland Metro Opera House *
* No Enforced
EXHUMED Are:
Matt Harvey – Guitar, Vocals
Ross Sewage – Bass, Vocals
Mike Hamilton – Drums
Sebastian Phillips – Guitar
Exhumed on Facebook
Exhumed on YouTube
Source: EXHUMED / Darker Corners
Credit: Mark Weiss
KIX CURRENTLY ON THE ROAD PLAYING DATES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND HEADLINING M3 ROCK FESTIVAL JULY 2
New York, NY – June 18, 2021 – For the first time in his 35+ year history of as the lead singer and front man of KIX, Steve Whiteman will release his first ever solo album, You’re Welcome, on July 2, 2021. The 12-song album was co-produced by Whiteman along with his trusted collaborators Brad Divens, Jimmy Chalfant, and Bob Paré; it was recorded and mixed by Divens at Fixintogetmixin Studio.
Though the recent pandemic essentially derailed the last year-plus of KIX’s touring plans, it gave Whiteman the chance to settle in at home for a critical period of time and vocal rest, the results of which he was able to channel directly into writing and recording You’re Welcome. “Not being able to play for over a year gave me the opportunity to get together with some friends and make an album of these songs,” said Whiteman. “It was great having something to do during COVID. We all had a great time making this record and I’m very proud of it!”
You’re Welcome is chock full of hard-rock gems. “I knew pretty early on this music wasn’t KIX music and that it was definitely going to be for my solo thing,” says Whiteman. Whether it’s the harmonica-splattered conflict of “Bad Blood,” the bluesy strike of “Lightning Bolt,” the instantly catchy “Do Me Like You Done Me Before,” the heartfelt and somewhat melancholy “Kid Dynamite,” a tribute to Ronnie Younkins [KIX guitarist], who’s been going through another bout of rehab, or the lusty wink-nudgery of “Tug of Luv” (one of the artist’s personal favorite tracks), You’re Welcome adds yet another exciting chapter to Whiteman’s storied recorded legacy.
If Whiteman’s loyal KIX fanbase feels like the album title sounds familiar, they’d be right. “It comes from a bit I do during KIX shows where I ask our crowds for a response. I demand they reply, ‘You’re welcome’ every time I say, ‘Thank you,’” Whiteman explains. And if the cover art gives them an incredible sense of déjà vu — it depicts Whiteman’s signature at the top, and a large, self-drawn stick figure underneath it, they’re exactly right. “Yeah, that started when KIX’s first album came out and the label had us do all these local in-stores,” Whiteman recounts. “It was madness, because we would be sitting there for like two or three hours just signing albums. People were always saying things like, ‘Write something special to me’ or ‘do something special,’ and I just ran out of ideas. Finally, I just started doing this little stick man as a portrait — and it kinda stuck. When people ask for my autograph now, they want my stick man — and now everybody can get it on the cover of my album.”
Cover Art: Steve Whiteman
KIX has released seven albums over their career including last year’s Midnite Dynamite Re-Lit, released on the 35th anniversary of the release of Midnite Dynamite. KIX will be on the road for the rest of the year, including headlining the M3 Rock Festival at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD on July 2. See all KIX tour dates HERE
You’re Welcome Track Listing:
1. Easy
2. Talking Bout Luv
3. Get The Wild Out
4. Shock
5. Prick Teaser
6. Bad Blood
7. Kid Dynamite
8. Lightning Bolt
9. Strip
10. Tug of Luv
11. Do Me Like You Done Me Before
12. Shook Me In My Shoes
KIX
Source: 37 – Media Press
Black Donut Records is pleased to announce that they will release “World Without End: An Underground Tribute to Samhain” on July 9th 2021.
While celebrating well-known legends is certainly a worthwhile endeavor, sometimes the underdog deserves a tribute. In that spirit, it’s high time for the unholy Samhain to enjoy a little bit of the limelight. Black Donut Records–in collaboration with twelve underground bands unified by a singular passion for Danzig’s lesser-known work–is pleased to present their inaugural release: a compilation album dedicated to the finest purveyors of gritty occult deathrock. World Without End: An Underground Tribute to Samhain will be released on July 9th, with a pre-order available now.
From a curatorial perspective, Black Donut Records seeks to shed some well-deserved love on an act regrettably neglected by the fickle tides of fame and fortune. Wedged in the timeline between the beloved horror-punk of Misfits and the blusier doom of Danzig, the legacy of the ghoulish Samhain has been regrettably lost in the fray. Their catalog has been out of print for decades, and is unavailable on streaming services–a death knell in the modern era, if e’er there was. With the small-yet-dedicated fandom left to scrounge YouTube’s dark corners for a modicum of access to their discography, the unfortunately inaccessible Samhain are long overdue for some attention.
While the bands collected herein deliver a wide array of sonic styles and aesthetic approaches, a singular passion and an instantly recognizable rough ‘n’ tumble Samhain spirit serves as the glue that holds the compilation together. Take, for example, Night Goat’s bombastically highoctane take on “Moribund,” DemonScar’s faithfully gritty “November’s Fire,” or Spellgrinder’s slick and sleazy interpretation of the intrinsically jubilant “All Murder, All Guts, All Fun.” A project larger, by default, than the sum of its component parts, this compilation will undoubtedly appeal to any fan who holds the source material in high regard.
Pre-order: https://samhaintribute.bandcamp.com/album/world-without-end
World Without End Tracklist
1. “Black Dream” – Atomic Kavemen ft Marron Chaplin
2. “All Murder, All Guts, All Fun” – Spellgrinder
3. “Horror Biz” – Dead Eye Doll
4. “The Shift” – Rift Valley
5. “Archangel” – Energy
6. “Moribund” – Night Goat
7. “I Am Misery”- Bovine Nightmares
8. “Mother of Mercy” – Dead Rites
9. “To Walk the Night” – The Zenith
10. “Let the Day Begin” – The Red Edges
11. “November’s Fire” – DemonScar
12. “Death…In Its Arms” – Matte Martin
Black Donut Records can be found:
Instagram
Source: C Squared Music
January Moon’, the new single from Alternative-Gothic artist Mordian, is to be released July 2nd. Produced by Evan Graham Dunn, it’s a haunting offering meant to carve the path for the next era of music; Mordian is eager to release more material after a period of rumination.
‘January Moon’ follows her debut EP ‘Romance in Disguise’ which released in May 2019 and contains three distinctive sections which explore contrasting moods and atmospheres. Opening with serene entwining of vocal harmonies and clean guitar chords, this section has a personal feel with a strong uplifting atmosphere. Soulful vocals produce a beautiful sound before thundering into heavily distorted metal instrumentation and melodic elements. Emerging from the depths, the concluding passage brings a delicate melody performed on classical guitar with a haunting spoken narrative.
Journeying through intense moods, the distinctive musical style of each part delivers its own powerful impact. Mordian’s overarching Gothic themes and ethereal sounds are certain to evoke a whole world of feelings within.
Socials:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mordian_official/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mordianofficial
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0t655475M2ZrGOHKmYnUjV?si=jduwqesjTNSiw1pnK_8AoQ&dl_branch=1
Bandcamp: https://mordian.bandcamp.com/
Source: C Squared Music
METALLICA is slated as the headliner for HELLFEST 2022! This HELLFEST is absolutely stocked with Metal legends, just look at the flyer above! MERCYFUL FATE! TRIPTYKON! Heck, even Ugly Kid Joe is among the mix!
350 bands will perform across six stages! HELLFEST will be a two-part festival, with the following dates: June 17, 18, 19 and June 23, 24, 25, 26. METALLICA will headline on June 26th.
For more info on ALL the scheduled HELLFEST dates, visit: https://www.hellfest.fr/tickets-informations.html
If this hostile Covid pandemic has taught me anything it’s that people’s lives and livelihoods are so incredibly fragile. Countless lives and jobs have either been destroyed or altered in some fashion. I’m lucky that my day job is working for a very busy and popular upscale grocery store; therefore my job has been safe since the pandemic started. I’m also blessed I was not struck with the coronavirus.
Unfortunately, indie, underground bands and solo musicians took one of the biggest hits financially this past 18 months. Touring and playing live in bars and clubs came to a screaming halt in 2020, for obvious reasons. Without touring and playing live shows, musicians are shut-out financially. No live shows means zero band merch is being sold to fans that would have attended.
A tremendous way to kickstart your favorite bands bank accounts once again is to buy directly from them!
During 2020, I bought vinyl, cassettes and other merch from bands I dig a whole lot; some of these bands I supported were: Haunt, Exhumed, The Dollyrots, Pounder and King Diamond. A fabulous site to purchase music and merch from is Bandcamp. This site supports thousands of indie and underground artists.
On another note: The next time you want to buy your music or merch from the corporate conglomerate known as Amazon, check out your favorite mainstream band’s websites. I’ve bought directly from Metallica and their website is loaded with music and merch; especially live music you cannot find anywhere else.
Stone
I remember being a teenager in the late 70s and into the early 80s; a time when The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame never existed. Truthfully, back then, music and especially Metal fans could give 2 horse shits of such a hall of fame. Seriously. Times were different back then and no one gave a rats ass about such artificial notoriety when it came to Rock and Metal; at least no one that I knew or hung out with.
For crap sakes, MTV (aka Johnny come lately) never introduced me to Judas Priest; USA Networks’ Night Flight did. The music video was Heading Out To The Highway. I just had to throw that in and it made me feel pretty good.
In my opinion, that hall of fame is nothing more than a political wedge that has done more for division within the music industry (especially Metal) than anything else. Unless you’re a Metal band that throws big Hollywood parties and gets involved in the political side that the hall of fame brass endorses… you’re out.
I’ve been a fan of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden way before that building in Cleveland Ohio was ever a thought. I love both bands more with each passing day. I’ll be a fan of both bands even as they aren’t accepted by the suits and ties that worship ABBA. In summary, my feelings on the snubbing of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden into that hall is best expressed by a famous film quote from comedian Bill Murray: “It just doesn’t matter”.
-Stone
BTW: That Bill Murray quote is from the 1979 comedy film Meatballs.
The Dutch Metal Festival Into The Grave has been moved forward to June 10-12 of 2022, taking place in Leeuwarden Netherlands. Paradise Lost, Dark Funeral, Obituary and many other Metal legends will be performing. Take a look at the festival flyer above, to read this amazing lineup.
The magnificent JUDAS PRIEST have announced their 2021 tour dates running from September through early November. JUDAS PRIEST are celebrating their 50 plus years of Heavy Metal!
Special guest is the mighty SABATON. Check it all out on the tour flyer above! Metal be thy name!!
Stone
A couple of years ago I found this 45rpm of Autographs’ Turn Up The Radio, at a thrift store. It cost a mere 50 cents. Yes, 50 cents! I was lucky to find this; usually 80s Heavy Metal is nowhere to be found at a thrift store. Collectors tend to hoard the good stuff like this.
I was fortunate to see Autograph open for the fabulous Heart in the latter half of the 80s. Those were the glorious Arena days. I’ve been their fan ever since. Turn Up The Radio is from Autographs’ 1984 debut album: Sign In Please.
Below are more pics of this 45rpm. It’s in excellent playable condition too, with no scratches or scuffs.
STONE.
GUNS N’ ROSES are F’N BACK! Their USA tour runs from the end of July to the beginning of October! 24 tour dates are listed above! Special guest is mammoth featuring Wolfgang Van Halen! Holy shit and hallelujah!!
STONE.
Lita Ford is back on tour! As shown above, the tour dates run through July 31st.
STONE.
Siberian metal collective MILLSTONE is set to release its newest album, Isle.
The album falls under the groove\death-metal umbrella, with melodic solos, varied rhythms and a “wall-of-sound” density. Each of the 9 tracks carries its own unique mood; from acoustic sketches to bottom-heavy Meshuggah-esque passages, along with a lethal dose of straightforward classic thrash.
Isle was written by MILLSTONE mastermind Ivan Scherbakov and produced by Vladimir Lehtinen (Second To Sun, Ultar, Grima, etc.), Isle is a concept album based on sci-fi novel “The Inhabited Island” (Arkady and Boris Strugatsky).
Stream album track “Turned Inside Out” now at this location.
Isle will be out on CD and digital formats on April 28. Pre-orders are available at https://smarturl.it/MILLSTONE_ISLE
www.facebook.com/millstonerussia
www.instagram.com/millstone_band
www.youtube.com/channel/UCvHPSxqjqGLGfK8u8GmovGA
Source: ClawHammer PR
STONE.
Rising U.S. Heavy Metal force SLEEPLESS have released a lyric video for “Host Desecration,” a track from forthcoming debut EP Blood Libel. Check it out at youtu.be/MLp2iRNulEo
On March 12th, 2021, the new studio album from Rob Zombie releases via Nuclear Blast. Titled The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy, this will be the seventh full-length album from Rob Zombie.
It’s been five years since we’ve seen a new studio album from Rob Zombie, with his last releasing back in April of 2016, titled: The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser.
Track Listing:
The last time I saw War Curse live it was at Oddbody’s in Dayton, Ohio and they lit the place up! Of course that was before the Covid nightmare; I figure it was four years ago or so. Regardless, I am chomping at the bit to see War Curse live again many more times.
War Curse originate from Cincinnati, Ohio and could have fit in rather appropriately during the golden age of Thrash. I’m not bullshitting you. I experienced that beginning era of Thrash Metal (in the pits) and I take my Thrash seriously. War Curse has had some lineup changes since their 2015 debut release Final Days and are currently preparing for their 2021 live dates.
Since the release of Final Days, War Curse have released a full-length studio album in 2019 titled: Eradication. If you want to sink your Metal battered brain into Final Days then you have my Metal blessings. I bought Final Days on cassette from the merch table at the War Curse show. Needless to say, I have played this cassette so often it feels like an appendage. I have a cassette player built into my 21 year old car, just in case you were wondering.
Above: my War Curse Final Days cassette
The vocalist for War Curse on this debut is Tarek Puska and he manifests all of the brawn and dominance I look for in a Metal voice. War Curse doesn’t try to be like any other Thrash band; however they do a dynamite undertaking of being, well, War Curse. Guitarists Joshua Murphy and Justin Roth are a formidable duo and a blast to get into. Damn good stuff. Eric Payne on bass and James Goetz on drums lay down the rhythmic foundation on Final Days.
The songs on Final Days are lyrically pissed-off and find their footing to be 100% relevant in this dreadful year of 2020. Find it, buy it, borrow it, listen to it and whatever you do play this debut from War Curse extremely loud! Metal be thy name – Stone.
Above: my variant (and extremely limited) copy of War Curse Final Days, with different artwork and green cassette shell; track listing is the same.
Track listing:
Dawn Patrol, Blue Line of Injustice, Severed Crosses, Final Days, New Chemical Warfare, Drudge
WITHERFALL – Announced As Special Guest On Evergrey’s “Recharging Europe Tour 2021”
In support of their new album “Escape Of The Phoenix” via AFM Records on February 26th 2021 Swedish progressive metal band EVERGREY will be hitting the road for an extensive tour throughout Europe in 2021.
As special guest EVERGREY invited no less than dark melodic heavy metal juggernaut from Los Angeles WITHERFALL. Bringing along their third opus “Curse Of Autumn” (to be released March 5th, 2021 via Century Media Records), the quintet are blazing new trails and weaving new tales, offering a genuine metal classic with an expressive song-writing and a refined and perfectionized sound of their distinguished and musically-adept dark melodic heavy metal.
Opening support comes from the Modern Metal quintet DUST IN MIND, one of the most up and coming French bands today.
(Witherfall photo by: Stephanie Cabral)
EVERGREY Front-man Tom Englund states: “We are really happy to announce a tour of Europe next fall and let’s all hope that the world is in a better place by that time so we get to see all you lovely people again!“
WITHERFALL comment: “After a long and tense year WITHERFALL are extremely happy to announce the very first tour dates in support of our soon to be released Album ‘Curse of Autumn’ as special guests with the brilliant Evergrey. We look forward to seeing all of our European friends and are excited to make some new ones in these new and uncharted waters.”
“Curse Of Autumn” will be available as Ltd. CD Digipak, a luxurious Gatefold 2LP that is coming with a poster and etching on Side D as well as Digital Album. Click here for preorder options including coloured vinyl: https://witherfallband.lnk.to/CurseOfAutumn/
WITHERFALL have already released 3 songs taken from “Curse Of Autumn”. Don’t miss the cinematic video for “As I Lie Awake” that was directed by Zev Deans (Ghost, Behemoth…): https://youtu.be/KFbrq-n17Gs
WITHERFALL are:
Joseph Michael – Vocals/Keyboards (also in Sanctuary)
Jake Dreyer – Acoustic and Electric Guitars (also in Iced Earth/Demons & Wizards)
Anthony Crawford – Bass (Chon, Shalmor, Allan Holdsworth, Justin Timberlake, Kirk Whalum…)
Marco Minnemann – Drums (The Aristocrats, Joe Satriani, Steven Wilson, Tony Levin, Jordan Rudess, Necrophagist…)
Alex Nasla – Live Keyboards
Source: Witherfall
CRO-MAGS are kicking this sh!t-storm of a year to the curb with the release of 2020, a six-song EP that captures all the frustration and rage at the unprecedented chaos of this year. Hailed by Metal Hammer as ‘The perfect soundtrack for 2020,’ the EP is available today on all digital music platforms.
The record itself is unintentionally 20 minutes and 20 seconds, and plays out more like a time-capsule look into the dumpster fire known as the year 2020. CRO-MAGS founder Harley Flanagan explains, “Just by coincidence we recorded 20 minutes and 16 seconds of music, so we simply added a few seconds of real-world chaos. The album cover is meant to look like a calendar – 7 squares across, with one picture from 2020 per day. Corona Virus, quarantine, empty streets, brutality, burning buildings, violence and destruction: 2020 is a year none of us will ever forget.”
CRO-MAGS were one of the first musical acts to deliver a full live-stream set just as a nationwide lockdown fell upon the United States, now known as the infamous “The Quarantine Show.”
2020 Track Listing
1 – Age Of Quarantine
2 – 2020
3 – Life On Earth
4 – Violence and Destruction
5 – Chaos In The Streets
6 – Cro-Fusion
“Fast punk and thrashy breakdowns” – DECIBEL
“The founding band of hardcore punk” – ROLLING STONE
“This one’s gonna snap a few bones and blacken an eye” – NEW NOISE
“A two-stepping salute to four-chord classic hardcore” – METAL HAMMER
Source: Mission Two PR
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