It’s Official: , METALLICA, GUNS N’ ROSES, IRON MAIDEN, OZZY OSBOURNE, AC/DC And TOOL To Perform At POWER TRIP Festival

It’s official: AC/DC, METALLICA, GUNS N’ ROSES, IRON MAIDEN, OZZY OSBOURNE and TOOL will perform at the 2023 edition of the Power Tripfestival.

The Goldenvoice-produced three-day event will take place Friday, October 6 to Sunday, October 8 at the Empire Polo Club In Indio, California, with GUNS N’ ROSES and IRON MAIDEN performing on Friday, AC/DC and OZZY OSBOURNEon Saturday and METALLICA and TOOL on Sunday.

Earlier this week, AC/DC, METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN, OZZY OSBOURNE, GUNS N’ ROSES and TOOL shared a teaser video for Power Trip that featured iconic metal images, including a Gibson SG guitar, a stack of amplifiers and cactuses creating the “devil horns”, plus logos of each of the six bands.

Power Trip will mark AC/DC‘s first concert since September 2016, when the band concluded a run of U.S. dates with GUNS N’ ROSESAxl Rose on vocals while frontman Brian Johnson recovered from hearing loss.

Last year, Johnson told Rolling Stone he didn’t know if AC/DC would perform again. “I would love to,” he said. “It’s as simple as that. I think everybody would. There’s a groundswell of people just asking. But I hate talking about the future, because, fuck, we were ready two years ago, and the pandemic came, and it screwed everything up. So I’m terrified to say what could happen and what couldn’t.”

While the 74-year-old Osbourne‘s health issues forced him to cancel some of his previously announced tours, the legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman said he would return if his condition improved.

The news of Osbourne‘s participation in Power Trip comes nearly two months after he released a statement in which he said that he would have to cancel his tour because of a spinal injury he suffered four years ago and other health problems.

Ozzy most recently gave an update on his touring status last month during an episode of SiriusXM‘s “Ozzy Speaks”. He said: “Well, I’ve been working my guts out to try and get back on my feet. I’ve come to the point where Sharon says to me, ‘You know what? The truth of the matter is you can’t keep booking tours and failing, canceling. So, if I can ever get back to where I can tour again, fine. But right now, if you said to me, ‘Can you go on the road in a month?’ I couldn’t say yes. I mean, if I could tour, I’d tour. But right now I can’t book tours because right now I don’t think I could pull them off.”

Osbourne also commented on the fact that some of the media outlets reported that he was retiring from the road after he released his statement canceling his tour.

“The fucking press drive you nuts,” Ozzy said. “I mean, I looked in the magazine, ‘Ozzy‘s on his last legs.’ I’m fucking not dying
 Come on, guys. Haven’t I’ve had it bad enough already? If I get okay today, if the doctor said to me today, ‘Oh, you can tour, it would take another six months to get it together, you know?”

METALLICA previously performed at the Empire Polo Grounds in 2011 as part of the West Coast installment of the “Big Four” event, also featuring ANTHRAX, MEGADETH and SLAYER.

Camping Trip: Camp at the Trip in ease. Options include Car & Tent Camping, ready-to-go 2 person Lodge/4 person tents, RV spots and more. Amenities and activities are available for all campers.

Accommodations include hotel packages: Bundle your Power Trip tickets with nearby hotel accommodations and “any line” shuttle passes. Available for groups of two or four people, exclusively through Valley Music Travel. Packages start at $3,199 plus fees.

Music fans who want to commemorate the weekend can pre-order a Power Trip Commemorative Print. Frame the Power Trip memories by purchasing a premium quality giclee print poster delivered in advance of the show. Designed and printed by artist J. Bannon (and limited to 300),the posters are available in 18″x24″ on fine art textured stock.

OZZY: The Prince Of Darkness Returns

Sharon Osbourne has confirmed that Ozzy Osbourne will take part in the 2023 edition of the Power Trip festival.

Earlier this week, rumors emerged that Ozzy will join GUNS N’ ROSES, AC/DC, METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN and TOOL as one the headliners of the Goldenvoice-produced three-day event, which will reportedly take place Friday, October 6 to Sunday, October 8 at the Empire Polo Club In Indio, California.

While the 74-year-old Osbourne‘s health issues forced him to cancel some of his previously announced tours, the legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman said he would return if his condition improved.

Appearing earlier today on “Piers Morgan Uncensored” on TalkTV, Sharontold host Piers Morgan about her husband’s health: “He’s good. He’s doing so much better. I think I told you about it the other night, but now it’s been announced; we can talk about it. He’s doing a show October 6th in America. It’s at the Coachella site. It’s gonna be a great show: GUNS N’ ROSES, METALLICA, AC/DC, Ozzy
”

When Piers commented that “the rocker is still rocking,” Sharon replied: “He never stopped. He’s back.”

According to Hits Daily Double, GUNS N’ ROSES and IRON MAIDEN will perform on Friday, AC/DC and OZZY OSBOURNE on Saturday and METALLICAand TOOL on Sunday.

Earlier this week, AC/DC, METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN, OZZY OSBOURNE and TOOL shared a teaser video for Power Trip that featured iconic metal images, including a Gibson SG guitar, a stack of amplifiers and cactuses creating the “devil horns”, plus logos of each of the five bands.

Passes for this year’s Power Trip will go on sale next week.

 

New Music: Metallica Releases Music Video for “72 Seasons” Title Track

METALLICA has shared the official music video for the title track of the band’s 12th studio album, “72 Seasons”.
The Tim Saccenti-directed clip, which was filmed in Los Angeles, California on February 12, can be seen below.

The “72 Seasons” LP will be released April 14 via the band’s own Blackened Recordings. Produced by Greg Fidelman with guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and clocking in at over 77 minutes, the 12-track “72 Seasons” is METALLICA‘s first full-length collection of new material since 2016’s “Hardwired
To Self-Destruct”. The album will be released in formats, including 2LP 140g black vinyl and limited-edition variants, CD and digital.

In a recently released behind-the-scenes look at the making of “72 Seasons”, Hetfield stated about the LP’s first single, “Lux Æterna”: “‘Lux Æterna’ is an upbeat, kind of fast and joyous song, I would say — really indicative of New Wave Of British [Heavy] Metal stuff, so kind of a harkening-back-to-’80s kind of riff. It’s just fun and makes me move. It was fun making the video, fun recording a song that comes out really easy, that was a real easy song to write and to perform, like I said, very much like the early ’80s for us.”

 

HELLFEST Running Order Reviled


RUNNING ORDER 
 
Hellbangers, get ready for the regular clashes, The Running Order is now available!
 
đŸ’» – Head to  www.hellfest.fr/line-up
đŸ“± – Available on our official application (IOS et Android)
✅ 3 bands added to enrich the poster of 2023 :
đŸœïž – Friday.16 / Valley : The return of the legend of Mathcore : BOTCH !
👑 – Saturday.17 / MS1 : Old school metallers : ENFORCER
đŸœïž – Sunday.18 / Valley : One of the figureheads of European stoner: DOZER
❌ Unfortunately, we regret to announce the cancellation of SEETHER and THE CULT.
One more band to be announced to close the Valley on Friday 16th, Stay Tuned…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

What Happened Between Mustaine and Ellefson.

In a new interview with the YouTube channel of Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda, acclaimed hard rock singer Jeff Scott Soto was asked if he thinks Dave Mustaine “overreacted” when he fired David Ellefson from MEGADETH in May 2021, just days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter. Soto, who is involved with Ellefson in a project called ELLEFSON-SOTO, responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “My personal opinion
 I don’t like to get into replying for somebody else in those kinds of things, because there’s so many sites out there that will watch what we’re talking about here and make a headline out of it. My personal opinion is I think there was already trouble in the water, I think there was already something happening, and maybe he was looking for a reason or an excuse to end it. And that’s just my own personal feeling. But without getting too into it, because I don’t wanna be in the headlines: ‘Jeff Scott Soto blasts Dave Mustaine.’ I don’t wany any of that shit in my life; it’s not necessary. So I’m gonna leave it at I think there was already something for years that was
 he was looking for a reason to move on and use that one. That’s pretty much it. I think anyway; that’s what I’m assuming.”

Shortly before Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH, he released a statement on Instagram denying all social media chatter that he “groomed” an underage fan. He also filed a report with the police department in Scottsdale, Arizona alleging unlawful distribution of sexually explicit images of him by unknown offenders. In the report, Ellefson admitted that he had been exchanging sexual text messages with a Dutch teenager, who captured a video of several of their virtual “masturbating encounters” without his consent and shared them with friends. (According to Ellefson, the woman was 19 at the time of their first virtual sexual encounter.) Ellefson, who lives in Scottsdale, first became aware of the video on May 9, 2021, when the claim “David Ellefson of MEGADETH is a pedophile” appeared on Instagram. Ellefson told police he was notified on May 14 by MEGADETH that the band would be parting ways with him. Three days later, he was fired.

 

In October 2021, Ellefson spoke to SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk” about the circumstances that led to his exit from MEGADETH. He said: “I ran toward the bullets and dealt with it right away. The night [the messages and video were leaked online], a couple of people said, ‘Hey, don’t say anything.’ In particular, the MEGADETH camp didn’t want me to say anything. But my legal [advisers] said, ‘Hey, I think you should say something. I think some people have done some really shitty things here and made some false allegations about you, and you have every right to defend yourself.’ And I did. Ultimately, that led to my dismissal from MEGADETH. But I have every right, as anyone does, to defend yourself, especially when somebody is making false allegations about you like that. So I dealt with it that night, and quite honestly, that was it — it was over, and it was really kind of done. But then, as the MEGADETH camp in particular jumped in and had addressed it — and not that they shouldn’t, but they did. That pretty quickly led to them making the decision to part ways with me and to move away from it.

“We had originally talked about doing a joint statement of sorts, and, of course, that was not what happened,” David continued. “So I was disappointed in probably the way it went down.

 

“Ironically, things are fine between [me and MEGADETH]. We parted ways, and they took their road. And there’s not ill will between us, believe it or not. And I think any fights and those things, that was 20 years go — lawsuits and all that crap.

 

“Look, they moved forward [with ‘The Metal Tour Of The Year’],” Ellefson added. “I wished them well in my [original] statement to them, and I mean it. It’s a group I helped form almost 40 years coming up here for the band. And the songs that are on the radio that I see come up are songs that I had a participation in, and we built a big legacy. I still consider them family, and my DNA is all over that. I don’t think you build something of that size together and then suddenly you’re just out and that’s it.”

Ellefson also talked about the statement Mustaine — who formed MEGADETH with Ellefson in 1983 — released on May 24, 2021 announcing the bassist’s departure from the band. In the statement, Dave said: “We do not take this decision lightly. While we do not know every detail of what occurred, with an already strained relationship, what has already been revealed now is enough to make working together impossible moving forward.” Asked if he was aware of any tension between him and Mustaine and whether he “felt like the ice was getting ready to break again,” Ellefson said: “I did not. I think one of the things — and this probably started 20 years ago, when MEGADETH was disbanded in 2002 and then put back together in 2004, it was very clear in 2004 that it was gonna be reframed around Dave unilaterally, one hundred percent being the boss and running the show. Gone were the days of the partnership, the ’90s, where it was me, Nick [Menza], Marty [Friedman], Dave — kind of ‘the four horsemen ride again’ kind of mentality
 That day was done; it was not gonna be that anymore. And that’s where we fell apart in 2004 and I wasn’t with the group through those years. Coming back to it in 2010, now we’re a few years older, [with] a little more maturity in the situation, realizing that we’re better together, that even though it’s not, on paper, a partnership, there’s a kind of visual partnership — the optics of it are kind of, like, ‘Yeah, this looks better as MEGADETH with me and Dave together. We’re one of those bands that, although Dave is the quarterback and the quarterback still plays, the overall feeling and likability and I think everything about it just feels better when it’s Dave and Dave together, because we’ve been together from the beginning for so many years. And I think that worked really well for the last decade. At the same time, Dave and I are grown men, and we have opinions. It’s not the thing where it’s just Dave and three side guys when it’s me and the band. And apparently, they didn’t want that anymore — they wanted it to not be that. And I can’t speak for them, ’cause I don’t know. I’m not trying to put words in anybody’s mouth about that. But it just seemed like ‘there’s just too much history here, and let’s just part ways now and let MEGADETH move forward on a new day with kind of a new marching order.’ So rather than fight it, which is what happened 20 years ago, ’cause we were dissolving a partnership at that point, we’re not dissolving a partnership [this time]. It’s, like, ‘Hey, we don’t want you here. There’s the door. Don’t come to work on Monday.’ So, it’s, like, ‘Okay. Fine.’ And that’s just how I viewed it, and that’s how I view it today. I don’t have any sour grapes over it, and I’m not bitter about it.”

Two days after Mustaine announced Ellefson‘s latest departure from MEGADETH, the bassist released a follow-up statement in which he vowed to file a “defamation lawsuit” against the person who “illegally posted a very private video” of the bassist and made “false allegations” against him. He also said he was working with the police in Scottsdale “in their investigation into charges regarding revenge pornography to be filed against the person who posted the video. This person will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Ellefson wrote. He went on to say that he was “taking this time to be with my family” and wished his “bandmates” the best with their tour.

 

Ellefson was in MEGADETH from the band’s inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

ELLEFSON-SOTO released a full-length album, “Vacation In The Underworld”, in October 2022 via Rat Pak Records. Ellefson and Soto are joined in the project by Andy Martongelli on guitar and keyboards and Paulo Caridi on drums.

 

NIKKI SIXX Is Hungry For Playing And Wants MÖTLEY CRÜE To Keep Going.

In an interview with Brazil’s A RĂĄdio Rock conducted this past December but only now uploaded to YouTube, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx was asked about the possibility of him and his bandmates writing and releasing new music.
He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “We just did those four songs for ‘The Dirt’ soundtrack. We’re pretty much locked down right now. We’re having conversations beyond [2023]. So what’s ’24 look like for us in a touring capacity? As far as new music — I think new music always comes when the band is getting along. We get along so great right now. We’ve been having the best time. We spend time together. We go out to dinner.

Tommy [Lee, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer] just had his 60th-birthday party [last October] down in Mexico, and he invited a small group of his very good friends. And I was there, and a bunch of cool Tommy‘s friends. All of our wives were there. John 5 came in. And it was just cool to be able to not talk business, be in rehearsal, get on the phone, talk about the photo shoot or the video. It was just hanging out, walking on the beach. And we had some sweet conversations. Me and Tommy and Vince [Neil, MÖTLEY CRÜE singer] had this conversation. I said, I go,’ What are you guys doing for the next eight years?’ And everybody’s laughing: ‘I don’t know.’ I said, ‘Why don’t we just keep going? Let’s just take it to 50 [years since the band’s inception, which will be in 2031]

“So this isn’t a final tour,” Sixx clarified. “What does that look like? I have no idea. I’m just telling you, you have the band saying, ‘We’re having a blast. Why stop?'”

After selling more than 1.3 million tickets on their 2022 North American stadium tour, MÖTLEY CRÜE and DEF LEPPARD are going global in 2023 with “The World Tour”, along with special guest Alice Cooper.

 

New Version Of VAN HALEN’s”Unchained” Streamed by DAVID LEE ROTH

David Lee Roth is now streaming his new version of Van Halen‘s 1981 track “Unchained” from the Fair Warning album.

Much like the other re-recordings Roth has shared over the past year or so, “Unchained”” was tracked on May 3 at the Henson Recording Studio in Hollywood, CA with guitarist Al Estrada, bassist Ryan Wheeler, and drummer Francis Valentino.

Let us know what you think of this version

NAPALM DEATH Vocalist Continues Touring After Breaking His Ankle On Stage

Napalm Death vocalist and obvious badass Mark “Barney” Greenway broke his ankle during a February 19 show in Munich, Germany and is still on the road, doing his thing from a chair. Greenway addressed the injury during a February 26 show in Paris, France, saying he had no interest in bailing on the tour and will continue to play shows for the next few weeks.

“We are Napalm Death from the picturesque fucking utopia that is Birmingham, England. And so yes indeed, to come to the obvious focal point in the room – broke an ankle on stage in Munich seven nights ago,” said Greenway to the crowd. “So I’ve got another five fucking weeks in this thing, but I’m gonna make the fucking most of it.

“Needless to say, there may have been an option for me to not do the gigs, but that is not what I do or what I don’t do. I wanted to go [and play the gigs], and that is it. So, once again, apologies and thanks for your patience in advance.”

Yes, this is an incredible amount of dedication to the craft
 but we do wish Greenway a very speedy recovery and hope this isn’t too painful

 

NITA STRAUSS Rejoins ALICE COOPER

Nita Strauss  is back, she joined Alice Cooper‘s live band in 2014, and left in 2022 to join Demi Lovato‘s backing band. 
Cooper has now announced that Strauss is back in his band once again and guitarist Kane Roberts appears to be out.
Cooper‘s statement shows why he’s one of the nicest dudes in the rock and metal world, while Strauss seems thrilled to be back.

“She’s back!” said Cooper. “Nita asked for a leave of absence to work with someone else, something I always encourage my band members to do. I like them to challenge themselves and try new things. I’m thankful to my old friend Kane Roberts for stepping up and filling in for her, but she’ll be back with us for the new tour that starts up in late April. It’s going to be great to have her back.”

Nita is quiet thrilled to be back, she said: “From the studio to the stage, it’s always an immense honor to make music with Alice Cooper!!” added Strauss. “I’m very excited to be rejoining the band on the road for the 2023 dates, and so I’ll see you on the road in April. Let the nightmare return!”

Catch Alice Cooper at one of the dates below.

 

 

4/28 — Mt. Pleasant, MI — Soaring Eagle Casino + Resort
4/29 — Youngstown, OH — Covelli Centre
4/30 — Hershey, PA — The Hershey Theater
5/2 — Fort Wayne, IN — Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
5/3 — Milwaukee, WI — Miller High Life Theatre
5/5 — Prior Lake, MN — Mystic Lake Mystic Showroom
5/6 — Bemidji, MN — Sanford Center
5/7 — Sioux City, IA — Tyson Events Center
5/9 — Champaign, IL — State Farm Center
5/10 — Louisville, KY — Louisville Palace Theater
5/13 — Knoxville, TN — The Tennessee Theatre
5/14 — Spartanburg, SC — Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium
5/15 — North Charleston, SC — Performing Arts Center
5/17 — Shreveport, LA — Shreveport Municipal Auditorium
5/18 — Biloxi, MS — Beau Rivage Theatre
5/20 — Daytona Beach, FL — Welcome to Rockville

 

Tour with Def Leppard & Mötley CrĂŒe

8/5 — Syracuse, NY — JMA Wireless Dome
8/8 — Columbus, OH — The Ohio State University Ohio Stadium
8/11 — Fargo, ND — Fargodome
8/13 — Omaha, NE — Charles Schwab Field Omaha
8/16 — Tulsa, OK — Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium
8/18 — El Paso, TX — Sun Bowl Stadium

 

Tour with  Rob Zombie

8/24 — Dallas, TX — Dos Equis Pavilion
8/26 — Tampa, FL — Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre
8/27 — West Palm Beach, FL — iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
8/29 — Raleigh, NC — Coastal Credit Union Music Park @ Walnut Creek
8/30 — Virginia Beach, VA — Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheatre
9/1 — Tinley Park, IL — Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
9/2 — Des Moines, IA — Wells Fargo Arena
9/5 — Clarkston, MI — Pinke Knob Amphitheatre
9/6 — Toronto, ON — Budweiser Stage
9/8 — Scranton, PA — The Pavilion @ Montage Mountain
9/9 — Wantagh, NY — Northwell Health Theatre @ Jones Beach
9/10 — Hartford, CT — XFINITY Theatre
9/12 — Nashville, TN — Bridgestone Arena
9/15 — Bonner Springs, KS — Azura Amphitheatre
9/16 — Englewood, CO — Fiddler’s Green
9/19 — Ridgefield, WA — RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheatre
9/20 — Auburn, WA — White River Amphitheatre
9/22 — Concord, CA — Pavilion
9/23 — Anaheim, CA — Honda Center
9/24 — Phoenix, AZ — Ak-Chin Pavilion

HELLFEST Reveals 2023 Line-up

The day Hellbangers have been waiting for is finally here.

Last night, Hellfest has finally pulled the curtain and revealed a beautiful blue poster than includes over 170 bands that will raise HELL in Clisson from the 15th ro the 18th of June 2023.

People rushed online at 7PM last night to discover the poster and boy, Santa has come early for us Metalheads.

The line-up is just mad, four days of Fast, Heavy and Loud groups and we can’t stop looking at this poster down below.

KISS returns once more to headline the first day, and we are super excited about this.

The festival will also see the return of Motley Crue to headline day two.

On Saturday, the mighty Iron Maiden are making their return to Clisson to headline day three while Slipknot will close next year’s edition.

And let’s not forget PANTERA, but I guess we already knew that they will be there, knowing how close Phil Anselmo is to this mighty festival.

I will leave you here to admire the line-up, let us know what your thoughts are and if you’ll be there next year.

You can also read our story about last year’s historic edition right here:
Surviving Hellfest

SURVIVING HELLFEST XV

I’m not going to write a classic review like everyone always does, and certainly like we do here too.
Instead, I’m gonna write you a short story, probably me talking gibberish but
 this is what you get.

I’m writing you a brief description of another dimension where you can have the time of your life. The goal is for these words to move you and make you join us next year in HELL.

The Imagination

Have you ever felt like you need to break out of this world? Your daily routine and all the horrible things that are happening around you.

Have you ever wished to have the portal gun of Rick and the liberty to teleport away from all of this?

This is me and my portal is the gates of Hellfest


This is the place where people from around the globe gather to break out, be ourselves and forget about whatever is outside the gates of music. We gather for the same passion
 MUSIC.

We forget where we came from, our differences, and our colors with everything else that divides us. None of that matters because we are in another dimension, remember! A dimension where hate doesn’t exist. Doesn’t that make Music the only God that should be worshiped?

The Imagination: Existence

As soon as you’re inside the gates of Hell, you realise that this recurring dream actually exists, and you’re just in it.

As it is your first visit, you start wandering around like someone completely lost, but in fact, it’s quite the opposite, you’re observing what’s going around you.

It’d take you a few moments before you stop, you smile and you’re awake to this reality and it is happening.

Freak Show

One show after another, running from one stage to another, trying to catch the train of photographers. 

So many childhood heroes are now in front of your lens, such a heavy pressure to make sure the shot will kick-fucking-ass.

Crossing paths with all the beautiful freaks who are exactly just like you, you feel that we belong but not only that, we should be ruling too!

One stage and you’re in the fame, the huge set-up, the rock stars’ presence, the place where the huge acts play.

Then you move to another stage and you’re in a completely different atmosphere, you’re a Viking fighter, fighting to keep the music alive, swimming on the backs of your fellow fighters.

Your next adventure is more intimate, up close, and personal with your favorite artists, under the tents of HELL.

When The Crowds Are Gone

When we used to pass three days in (let’s call it) dimension Hellfest, we enter the phase of so many officially calls today: “post-Hellfest depression”

This year that phase was longer. The seven days of Hellest were just incredible, we are lucky to be part of such an EPIC event that’d never be forgotten. We did survive seven days in Hellfest but not only that, I’m sure that so many of us wished for Hellfest to go on.

Now we cannot wait for the news to come and what kind of surprise the team of Hellfest is preparing for us, we are used to BIG FAT HEAVY news so
 Bring It On

I hope those experiences will encourage you to join me, join us next year, and if you do, don’t hesitate to contact me, I promise we will share a beer together 

I’ll leave you now with some bad-ass shots taken by the team of Metal Bell Magazine.

And don’t hesitate to share if you liked what you read

© Photography by Sharbel

© Photography by Mayaz

Hellfest XV Part One

Now that Hellfest Open Air part one is done, It was time to take a small break, edit some photos and reflect on how it all went down.

Hellfest never really fails to surprise the fans, both intentionally and unintentionally and this edition was a true demonstration on how does it feel to be in Hell…

The festival opened its doors on Friday with a level of Heat Wave that is really rare in this part of the world. But this didn’t stop all the Hellbangers from having the time of their life.

Over two years without live music and being locked down in our rooms, a tiny heat wave won’t stop us from doing what we love the most, MUSIC.

Friday and Saturday felt like HELL… literally, the peak passed over 40° during both days and we all struggled, cause at the end, we all know that we would say: It was all worth it.

Fireworks were canceled in the first day, the organizers decided that because of the extreme heat and they feared for starting a fire, smart decision, this shows how much they value safety.

Here are some images taken by me, this is just a sneak peak, we will publish a full story after Part Two, where we will talk more about this historical edition and publish more photos to try and give you a small taste of Hellfest.

Next, are photos taken by Mayaz, great shots to have any idea what to expect in Hellfest and maybe, makes you go like, Fuck, I wanna be there too, next year.

 

A huge shoutout to everyone at Hellfest Headquarters, the management of this first edition was epic, safety was greatly prioritized and first aid teams were all over the site, a job well done on keeping everyone safe.

Keep an eye here and throughout our social accounts for Live Photos of Part Two.

Stay Heavy

OZZY Issues Post-Surgery Statement: ‘I Am Now Home.

Ozzy Osbourne says that he is ” recuperating comfortably,” two days after undergoing grueling surgery to remove and realign pins in his neck and back. Earlier yesterday (Wednesday, June 15),the 73-year-old legendary heavy metal singer released the following statement via social media:

“I am now home from the hospital recuperating comfortably. I am definitely feeling the love and support from all my fans and send everyone a big thank you for their thoughts, prayers and well wishes during my recovery”.

Ozzy’s statement came just hours after Page Six shared the first photos and video of the BLACK SABBATH frontman as he was wheeled out of a Los Angeles hospital Tuesday. In the images, Ozzy could be seen wearing a black T-shirt, black jeans and a blue mask as he stood up and got into a black Range Rover with guidance from a hospital attendant. Ozzy was accompanied by his wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne.

Sharon released a short statement on Tuesday thanking Ozzy’s fans for their “love and support” leading up to his surgery Ozzy.
She also said that he “is doing well” and is “on the road to recovery”.

An Osbourne family source told Page Six on Monday (June 13) that there will be a “lengthy amount of convalescence” after the operation, and the legendary heavy metal singer will need a nurse at home.

The source added: “Ozzy is 73 and any kind of surgery when you get older is difficult. This is quite major. He’s having the pins in his neck and back realigned from when he had a fall back in 2019.

“He’s been in a lot of pain.”

Last week, Sharon said that he was about to undergo a “major operation” which would “determine the rest of his life.”

Sharon announced on U.K.’s “The Talk” on June 8 that she would be flying to America to be by her husband’s side. She also said that she didn’t know if she and Ozzy will do anything special for their 40th wedding anniversary in July. “[It] depends on everything with Ozzy,” she explained.

Last month, Ozzy confirmed to Classic Rock magazine that he was “waiting on some more surgery” on his neck. “I can’t walk properly these days,” he revealed. “I have physical therapy every morning. I am somewhat better, but nowhere near as much as I want to be to go back on the road.”

Ozzy, who revealed two years ago that he was battling Parkinson’s disease, has reportedly applied for permission for a “rehabilitation” wing at his historic Grade II listed home in Buckinghamshire, England. According to the Daily Mail, the extension will feature “an abundance of stopping and sitting” spaces, “discreet grab rails and aids” and “soft non-slip surfaces” as well as a self-contained nurse’s flat. There is also a “pool house orangery”, “garden room” and a “health and welfare exercise studio”.

Last November, Ozzy‘s previously announced European tour with guests JUDAS PRIEST, originally set for 2019 and then rescheduled three times, was once again postponed. The new dates will now take place in May and June 2023.

Ozzy initially scrapped his entire 2019 schedule as he recovered from surgery to repair an injury sustained while dealing with a bout of pneumonia. The tour was postponed a second time after Ozzy continued to deal with health issues following a fall in his Los Angeles home. That fall “aggravated years-old injuries” from an ATV accident that occurred in 2003. The tour was pushed back a third time in October 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ozzy‘s European tour with JUDAS PRIEST tour will now take place more than four years later than originally planned, and almost five years after tickets first went on sale in September 2018.

HELLFEST: One more lineup and running order update


UPDATE RUNNING ORDER 
Hellbangers, unfortunately a few days before the festival, the train of cancellations continues…
 
Here are the changes as of today, with the cancellations of :

WE1 : Sacred Reich
WE2 : Goldfinger, Diamante, Molassess, My Dying Bride

A big thank you to the bands who accepted to replace these last minute changes :
WE1 : Agressor
WE2 : Celkilt, Manigance, DĂ€tcha Mandala, Conviction and Headcharger !

2 changes in the running order :

24/06 – Warzone : Sherrif and Millencolin move up one slot each
26/06 – Mainstage 1 : Ugly Kid Joe goes up one slot

The new version of the RO is available on our mobile app as well as on the website:
 
 
⚠ INFO HELLFEST ⚠
Remember to watch this page for updated information via this portal:
 

Was Motörhead’s Lemmy a Nazi Sympathizer?

It’s no secret that Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister was a huge collector of Nazi war memorabilia. In fact, anyone who’s ever watched the 2010 documentary Lemmy would have a hard time not knowing this fact; Lemmy’s LA apartment is so choked with relics from the Third Reich that almost every shot has a swastika in it. This fascination also leaked through into his public persona, the original version of Motörhead’s infamous war pig mascot Snaggletooth had a swastika on its helmet (it was later removed from future editions of their self-titled record), and young Lemmy was often photographed wearing swastika necklaces and badges. But now, in response to a fan’s tweet, Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell has come out against assertions that Lemmy had personal allegiances with the Nazis.

As reported by Blabbermouth, a Venezuelan fan recently tweeted the following (translated by Twitter):

“RIP Lemmy
although he had his Nazi tendency, he always seemed to me the best rocker in history
of course after Hendrix, whose assistant he was at concerts.”

This tweet had Campbell jumps right in to respond:

“FYI, Lemmy DID NOT, have any Nazi tendencies. He was a historian.”

Followed by Stray Cats drummer Slim Jim Phantom, who was also Lemmy’s bandmate in rockabilly act Headcat, to chime in, saying:

“Phil Campbell is 100% correct & I will vouch for this true statement all day long. Best, SJP.” In response to this, Campbell wrote, “Thanks Jim, we should know.”

Kirk Hammett on Streaming: “We Told You So…”

Metallica have worked very hard to come back from the image they projected by fighting against Napster in the early 2000s.

The metal titans’ crusade against the forefather of music-sharing services felt like a slap in the face to the fans they’d constantly encouraged to bootleg and tape-trade their material, and seemed to put their bottom line ahead of new listeners’ ability to obtain music. But since then, Metallica have supported up-and-coming artists while publicly giving tons of money to charity, while the public opinion of music-sharing has shifted dramatically due to the low royalty rates of big streaming services like Spotify. Now, in a new interview, guitarist Kirk Hammett has come out basically saying ‘I told you so’ to the masses.

The interviewer, who speaks to Kirk for Classic Rock, kinda feeds right into Kirk’s response with their question:

Classic Rock launched just before Napster came along in 1999, and the music industry started to change. Metallica were one of the big names fighting against peer-to-peer file sharing, which morphed into the streaming model that prevails today. 

We warned everyone that this was gonna happen. We warned everyone that the music industry was gonna lose eighty percent of its net worth, power and influence. When these monumental shifts come you just either fucking rattle the cage and get nothing done or you move forward. 

There’s definitely a new way for getting music out there, but it isn’t as effective as the music industry pre-Napster. But we’re stuck with it. There needs to be some sort of midway point where the two come together, or another completely new model comes in.

There you have it, what goes around comes around, and now that streaming is no longer the technological darling it once seemed to be, Metallica were right all along.

Serj Tankian Drops New Armenian Single “ածŐșŐ„Ö€â€

While metal act System of a Down has only released two new songs in the last 15 years, frontman Serj Tankian is aggressively prolific. Serj released his Elasticity EP last year, and announced that he already had another EP written before it came out.
Now, Serj has dropped a new single “ածŐșŐ„Ö€â€ “Amber,” which is sung entirely in Armenian and calls for peace and unity in the country. Apparently, Serj’s song is not about the golden sap-rocks from which Jurassic Park‘s dinosaur DNA was pulled — in Armenian, “amber” (ahm-ber) means “clouds.” The video sees Serj singing in Armenian with collaborator Sevak Amroyan, an Armenian singer who is beloved in his homeland.

This is what Serj had to say about the song:

“‘Amber’ was written in 2017 after I visited Armenia along with my friends Atom and ArsinĂ©e Egoyan and Eric Nazarian as members of the coalition ‘Justice For Armenia’ to serve as election monitors for the Parliamentary elections. I was so distraught by the slick theft of the elections before ever reaching the ballot box that I wrote this song as a response. The lyrics, however, seem to be more poignant today when Armenians are divided politically and socially following the devastating attack on Nagorno-Karabagh and Armenia by Azerbaijan and Turkey in 2020 and the continuous fallout over negotiations with those two dictatorial regimes. ‘Amber”s message is that of unity and harmony. Those are the only truly powerful weapons of the Armenian nation.

“Sevak’s voice has a unique strength harking back to our people’s native lands. I loved listening to his songs like ‘Yarkhushta’ so when we met I was excited to work on something with him.”

Sevak Amroyan adds:

“Naturally, I have listened to Serj Tankian’s music since childhood and always with a sense of pride. After getting acquainted with him, I realized that in addition to being an iconic musician he’s also a very proud Armenian. I am happy about our collaboration and thankful to Serj that we’re singing ‘Amber’ together. It’s a great honor for me.”

Check out the song “ածŐșŐ„Ö€â€ “Amber” below:

 

Shinedown launched “Daylight” exploring the importance of human connection.

One of my favourite bands Shinedown have released a new single (June 1) called “Daylight” from their forthcoming album Planet Zero. The uplifting song is about how important relationships are and is a “meaningful portrait of a vital human connection.”

In an interview with People, lead singer Brent Smith said the song is a product of what everyone has dealt with for the last three years, a global pandemic. It was written in just 45 minutes and the band calls it “a gift because it kind of writes itself.”

Shinedown’s new single “Daylight” is “about the human condition. We’ve got to live, and we’ve got to live with another. And that should be something that is celebrated and not tolerated. That’s what ‘Daylight’ really presents. It’s our humanity. It’s an understanding that we’re all on this planet together, and we’ve got to figure out ways to take care of one another” Smith says.

The Shinedown vocalist adds, “We can’t lose our empathy and courage towards each other, or our willingness to pick someone up if you see them on their knees, because there’s gonna be a moment in time when you need someone to pick you up.”

Before Shinedown played the song for the very first time in April in front of 14,000 fans, Smith says he “had this calm come over me right before we played it. The song just took over. The song wrapped its arms around us and said, ‘ I got you.'”

Shinedown are currently on tour in Europe, check the dates and grab your tickets here: Shinedown Tickets

Listen to Shinedown’s new single “Daylight” below and you pick it up here.

 

Hellfest: Running Order Update (French)

đŸ€˜ RUNNING ORDER / UPDATE đŸ€˜
Comme vous le savez, la programmation réserve son lot de surprises cette année et le contexte actuel joue quelque peu dans les agendas des artistes que nous accueillons.
Nous sommes donc au regret de vous annoncer les annulations de :
– Mainstage 1 : CRYSTAL LAKE / CODE ORANGE / MAMMOTH WVH
– Mainstage 2 : GALACTIC EMPIRE / SYMPHONY X
– Warzone : AUGUST BURNS RED / TURNSTILE / MADBALL
– Valley : ATARI TEENAGE RIOT / THE OBSESSED
– Altar : GRAVE / DROPDEAD
Mais nous sommes heureux de vous dévoiler les groupes qui les remplacent et ceux qui rejoignent la programmation :
– Mainstage 1 : INVISIONS / CAR BOMB / ANGELUS APATRIDA
– Mainstage 2 : HEART ATTACK / MOLYBARRON
– Warzone : BURY TOMORROW / SLOPE (gros coup de coeur de l’Ă©quipe !) / IGNITE
– Valley : THE BLOODY BEETROOTS (DJ Set) / PENTAGRAM
– Altar : LORDS OF FLESH / SKELETAL REMAINS
Il nous restera encore 2 artistes à vous dévoiler le vendredi 25 (MS2) et dimanche 26 (MS1)
Et l’ajout de non pas UN mais DEUX Feux d’Artifices pour cĂ©lĂ©brer nos 15 ans :
– Samedi 18 aprĂšs le concert de GHOST
– Dimanche 26 aprĂšs le concert de METALLICA
Update RO :
– SOEN passe du vendredi 17 au samedi 18
– ALICE COOPER et MEGADETH inversent leurs slots sur le vendredi 24
– Mise Ă  Jour disponible sur www.hellfest.fr/line-up et l’app officielle (avec une nouvelle mise Ă  jour disponible)
Rendez-vous dans 16 jours ! D’autres surprises vous seront dĂ©voilĂ©es dans les prochains jours, Stay Tuned !
⚠ INFO HELLFEST ⚠
Pour prĂ©parer votre venue sur le festival, nous vous invitons Ă  bien consulter nos diffĂ©rents supports d’informations :
đŸ–„ Site web avec la page Infos : https://www.hellfest.fr/faq/
đŸ“± TĂ©lĂ©charger l’app officiel Hellfest
đŸ€ Les sites officiels d’entre-aide de la communautĂ© Hellfest :

JOE LYNN TURNER Defends JOHNNY DEPP ‘#MENTOO!’

The legendary Joe Lynn Turner (RAINBOW, DEEP PURPLE, Yngwie Malmsteen) has weighed in on actor Johnny Depp‘s highly publicised defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard.

Earlier today (Wednesday, June 1), a jury in Fairfax, Virginia awarded Depp $15 million in damages against Heard over the 2018 op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post that claimed she was a victim of domestic abuse. The five-man, two-woman civil jury later added $2 million in damages to Heard in her counterclaim. Depp has denied any physical or sexual abuse and says Heard concocted the claims to destroy his reputation.

A short time after the verdict was made public, Turner took to his social media to write: “Having followed the Depp vs Heard trial with great attention and detail and coupled with my own personal experience, I believe I can make an educated judgment in favor of Mr. Depp.

“The World must understand that IPV (Intimate Personal Violence) is not selective to a particular gender, it can affect anyone, anywhere at anytime. A victim has no gender specifics…Period. #MENTOO!”

Another musician who weighed in on the verdict is AEROSMITH‘s Joe Perry, a bandmate of Depp‘s in the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES. He wrote on Instagram: “Proud and happy for Johnny’s huge win today. We never doubted anything, we always knew the truth, and that the truth would prevail
 Congratulations on getting your life back today !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Depp, sued Heard, for $50 million, alleging she defamed him in The Washington Post column in which she described herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” His lawyers said he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name.

Heard filed a $100 million counterclaim against Depp for statements made by his former lawyer Adam Waldman, who accused Heard of staging an “abuse hoax” in the Daily Mail. The jury found Heard proved defamation on one of the counts her legal team brought in its counterclaim.

 

Kirk Hammett Butchers “Nothing Else Matters”, Laughs at His Own Screw-Up

Whatever job we have, we all fuck up at some point. even the guitarist for the biggest heavy metal band of all time does at some point.

What really matters is how you deal with this fuck up, how you own it then move forward, rather than fight it.

This is exactly what Metallica‘s Kirk Hammett did at the Boston Calling festival this weekend, where he totally butchered the intro to a song he’s played a million times, and at least had the good humour to laugh at how hard he dropped the ball.

As you’ll see in the fan-shot video below, Kirk started off Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” on Sunday, May 29th, at the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston, Massachusetts, with a little flourish from “More Than a Feeling” by Boston (because of the fest). However, when it came time to play his own song, Kirk straight-up screwed the pooch, prompting him to fall to his knees and then flop onto his back in exasperation. The dude then got up with a big grin on his face and told the crowd, “Sorry, guys, you’re so kickass
I got distracted by how kickass you are!” Then he tried again, and the band played the song.

Some part of us wants to criticise Kirk for messing up a track he’s played countless   times in his life. Something about a big crowd, owing the fans, yadda yadda yadda. But honestly, this incident just makes him look very endearing. Metallica ONLY play to big crowds, so it’s inevitable that they’re going to have minor fuck-ups in front of thousands and thousands of people. Least they can do is chuckle about it and apologise.

Watch the videos down here:

Full Song here:

Johnny Depp, From Court To The Stage with Jeff Beck in Sheffield, UK

The actor jumped on a plane shortly after the closing arguments in his widely publicized defamation trial against former wife Amber Heard

Up until very recently, Johnny Depp has been in the midst of a widely publicized defamation trial against his former wife Amber Heard, so he was perhaps the last person fans expected to see at a recent Jeff Beck gig in Sheffield, England.

But the Hollywood Vampires guitarist and Hollywood A-lister did indeed appear, donning a Fender Telecaster to help Beck play a trio of classic covers.

In new fan-shot footage, Depp can be seen aiding the electric guitar legend during his set at Sheffield City Hall on Sunday (May 29) for renditions of John Lennon’s Isolation – of which the pair released a studio version in 2020 – as well as Jimi Hendrix’s Little Wing and Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, and an original track named Hedy Lamarr.

You can watch the cover of Isolation here.

Johnny Depp is currently suing Amber Heard for $50 million over an op-ed she wrote for the The Washington Post in 2018 in which she documented her experience of being a domestic abuse survivor, without mentioning Depp by name. Heard is countersuing him for $100 million.

While best known for his acting career, Depp is also a prominent musician. With his current band, Hollywood Vampires, which also features Alice Cooper and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, he has released two albums: their self-titled debut in 2015 and 2019’s Rise.

He has also collaborated with the likes of Oasis and Aerosmith, while in the ’90s he was a member of a band called P, who once performed with Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea and John Frusciante at LA’s The Viper Room, then part-owned by Depp.

KING DIAMOND teases a New Nine-Minutes MERCYFUL FATE Song: ‘It’s Quite A Monster’

Influential Danish metallers MERCYFUL FATE will embark on a European tour this spring and summer. The tour will kick off on June 2 in Hannover, Germany and will include shows in Poland, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, France, Spain, Finland, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovenia, Norway, Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. A one-off appearance at the Psycho Las Vegas festival in Las Vegas, Nevada will follow in late August.

In a Twitch livestream from the MERCYFUL FATE rehearsals, which are taking place in Glostrup, Denmark, vocalist King Diamond revealed that he and his bandmates are planning to debut a brand new song at the upcoming shows. “We’re trying,” he said. “We’re still working on a song. I wrote the final lyrics the day of our departure [for rehearsals], I would say, and that’s a couple of days ago. So the others have not heard me sing the song at all. We played a few riffs from it yesterday. I didn’t sing to it at that time. But it’s coming [along] here. The next couple of days we’re gonna see where it leads us.”

About the musical and lyrical direction of the new MERCYFUL FATE song, King said: “It’s quite a monster, I would say. It’s almost nine minutes long. So it’s not just a quick little [tune]. We hope we can play it. We’re gonna do everything in our power to play it. It’s not recorded yet. So whatever version we might play for you could change before it actually is fully recorded. Some drums have been recorded, that’s what I can say. But we will do our damnedest to play it. We put it early in the set even. But that’s something to look forward to, definitely. And now we’ve gotta make it sound correct, ’cause the early demo versions have lots of stuff on that create a certain mood in the whole thing, which we can’t do [when we perform it]. The live version will be different. I can’t do the backing vocals, naturally, that is intended for the song. But that’s also a challenge, to do a version that works live, of course, [with the] vocal lines. It’s gonna be fun. It’s gonna be heavy. The subject is veryheavy too. We are back in 1675 till 1690. That’s a piece of history that we are describing, a nasty piece of history,” he added, possibly referring to the Salzburg Witch Trials.

Confirmed MERCYFUL FATE dates:

Jun. 02 – Expo Plaza – Hannover, Germany (with VOLBEAT)
Jun. 04 – Mystic Festival – GdaƄsk, Poland
Jun. 10 – Sweden Rock – Sölvesborg, Sweden
Jun. 14 – Wuhlheide – Berlin, Germany (with VOLBEAT)
Jun. 16 – Graspop Metal Meeting – Dessel, Belgium
Jun. 18 – Copenhell – Copenhagen, Denmark
Jun. 24 – Rock The Castle – Verona, Italy
Jun. 26 – Hellfest Open Air Festival – Clisson, France
Jul. 01 – Rock Fest Barcelona – Barcelona, Spain
Jul. 02 – Tuska Open Air – Helsinki, Finland
Jul. 22 – Hills Of Rock – Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Jul. 24 – Artmania Festival – Sibiu, Romania
Jul. 28 – Fezen Festival – SzĂ©kesfehĂ©rvĂĄr, Hungary
Jul. 29 – Metaldays – Tolmin, Slovenia
Aug. 04 – Wacken Open Air – Wacken, Germany
Aug. 06 – Beyond The Gates – Bergen, Norway
Aug. 11 – Brutal Assault – Jaromer, Czech Republic
Aug. 13 – Bloodstock Open Air – Derbyshire, UK
Aug. 21 – Psycho Las Vegas – Las Vegas, NV

Blind Guardian Announce “The God Machine”, Premiere Video for “Blood of the Elves”

Blind Guardian’s “The God Machine” is the band’s attempt to get back to their original sound, their 2019 release “Legacy of the Dark Lands”, was their attempt at doing an orchestral concept record. It totally lacked the fist-pumping sing-along fantasy anthems that the German power metal institution excels at.

The God Machine”, now has a release date: September 2.

In addition, they’ve dropped another pre-released single, this one based on The Witcher video games. you can check out the video below.

Singer Hansi Kursch had this to say about it:

“‘Blood Of The Elves’ features a pretty heavy side that the avid fan of BLIND GUARDIAN hopefully enjoys. More than enjoys, I’d guess. Instrumentally, the track has some kind of an early nineties appeal that blends well into the vocal parts of the opera/twist era and catapults both epochs into a new era for the band. A perfect hybrid. The chorus has some very strong sing-along vibes, despite its complexity. What else do you need? Inspired by the ‘The Witcher’ computer game series, the lyrics even reinforce the power of this banger and the clip by Dirk Behlau fits perfectly to the whole setting. Let me tell you: The God Machine has even more to offer. And that’s no promise – that’s the ultimate truth. Stay tuned.”

 

 

 

Kimaera’s Imperivm reviewed…

I did not know Kimaera before hearing about their new album “Imperivm” and boy am I mad that I did not. I will give my tl;dr now and say this album is so freaking good, it made me raise my standards for other death metal albums. With the OCD personality I have, I had to dig up everything about the band and listen to everything they recorded, and this was such a fun ride, that ended in me finding out that the vocalist Jean Pierre Haddad had passed away in February of 2022 and I genuinely felt sad, because it reminded me of Chuck Schuldiner and how I was depressed for almost a year when he passed away (coincidentally, Chuck’s birthday is today or the day I’m writing this article.) Jean Pierre’s passing was a huge loss to the death metal scene locally and internationally as he was a pioneer in the Lebanese metal scene from early on (early 2000s) and this album and all the other things he recorded will keep his memory alive.

The album starts with De Amare Et Bellvm which is one of the best intros to a death metal album I have heard in a while, a perfect orchestral arrangement which is shattered by guitar chugs and double bass kicks, while keeping the choirs in the background giving a very dark ambiance to the song. JP’s vocals are one of the best guttural growls and shrieks in recent years. Midway through the song, the music is blessed with some lute (the Arabic Oud) riffs and some Arabic style vocalization which makes this song such an intense journey and, again, one of the best starts to an album.

The Die is Cast follows with a strong start of guitars alongside a sample of an impassioned speech that I unfortunately could not trace but it definitely fits the mood as this is a war song. The music and the lyrics flow perfectly together, and you can hear a lot of middle eastern influences in the music and the vocalization in the background, which is a signature Kimaera trope that will repeat in all the songs. Following is what I think is the highlight of the album, VVV, another warsong that makes you want to carry your pitchfork and just go out and protest something. This song has probably one of the best mixing and mastering of any death metal song I have heard in a long time. As a musician, this is one of the main things I listen for, and Kimaera have hit it out of the park. You have piano parts, orchestrals, strings, vocalization, blast beats, breakdowns, this song has everything and I just wish it was longer than 7 minutes.

Following the masterpiece that is VVV, is The Ides of March which was released as a lyric video and is my second favorite in the album, mainly because of the amazing intro and guitar riffs in the first half and the piano and guitar solos that are quiet yet fit perfectly with the tone of the song. The next couple of songs, are not really my favorites as they rehash some ideas and feel a bit repetitive, but should definitely not be discarded as great productions, Imperator has a wonderful creepy piano part followed by an epic guitar solo, Vi Divina continues the creepy vibes with a superb piano intro mixed in with blast snare beats leading to the main part of the song, and Capvt Mvndi (no idea how that is pronounced) is the perfect outro to the album with it’s folk-y intro into an orchestral grand opening and around the halfway mark it goes full middle east folk (I can imagine a belly dancer in a king’s guest room.) and then goes back to the metal mood with two harmonizing guitars, and finally an ending that feels like a proper end to an adventure that took a lot of energy off you and you can see the finish line.

The bonus track Ya Beirut, a cover of the Lebanese singer Majida El Roumi’s song, which for an Arabic metalhead is an amazing transformation of a pretty famous song into metal with amazing clean vocals of Cheryl Khayrallah and ends with the soul crushing growls of JP. But the original singer was not so happy with this and sued the band for using her copyright without permission and she called the song a disgrace and racist (huh?), but then again, death metal is not for everyone and there are still people in the Arab world that immediately link growl vocals to satanism (but this is a topic for another article.)

As a final verdict and to summarize the above, I’d say this album/band is a must listen for any death metal fan, while not pure death metal (I’d say it walks between folk, orchestral, gothic and melodic sub genres of death.) It still has a lot of themes that will please any metal fan. One of the highlights of this album is the superior quality of the production which some death metal bands don’t pay a lot of attention to. I’d give this album a 9/10 and I recommend it for anybody.

R.I.P. Jean Pierre Haddad

 



METALLICA’s ROBERT TRUJILLO Recalls Being ‘Insulted’ By JAMES HETFIELD

METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo was featured guest on the latest episode of “The Ex-Man With Doc Coyle”, a podcast where guitar player Doc Coyle of BAD WOLVES and GOD FORBID talks to professionals in the music world and other creative industries about the challenges and transitions of leaving monumental ventures.

Robert during Metallica’s performance in Paris back in 2019

Talking about how important it is getting along with your bandmates, Trujillo said: “Any situation, people that are coming up and doing bands, never get caught up in the idea that you’re in your band and you’re safe and nothing can touch you. Anybody can be replaced. And you wanna always try to be as respectful as possible. Because you’re gonna have your ups and downs and you’re gonna bump heads, but it doesn’t mean you quit or you hate the person or whatever.

“I’ve always been in situations in my bands where there were those moments and things get heated and you’re bumping heads. It happens in METALLICA. There’s been a couple of times, even with James. Maybe something was bothering him
 I remember one time, about three years ago in Italy. Poor guy, he got stung by a bee in his face, I think it was. I don’t think he’s allergic, but there was poison oak going on. So your face is hurtin’, your body’s itchin’. You’re out there on the road. It’s raining. We were in Italy or something. And one of the songs, like ‘Memory Remains’ or something
 I had a lot in my head. Kirk and I were doing these duets and I’m singing in other languages. And Lars threw, like, ‘Do a bass solo,’ kind of a day before. And I’m just, like, ‘Aaaargh
’ So I’m tense. And [James is] tense too, but we’re tense about different things. And we’re going on stage very soon and things are running late. And we’re playing ‘Memory Remains’ [in the tuning room], and I’m just kind of jamming through it, but I’m not really jamming through it with full intensity, I’m just kind of ghosting it a little bit. And he’s, like, ‘You know the song?’ And this is a song we’ve played thousands of times. And I was insulted, because this is one of the easiest songs we play, and you’re asking me if I know the song. So I’m just kind of, like, ‘Yeah, I know the fucking s
’ I blew a fuse for a second. And then I felt horrible, and he felt horrible. And then we realized, I think, that I’m tripping on the load that I have on my shoulders over here, he’s tripping on this and that, and probably
 I mean, I get it, man, I’ve had poison oak, I’ve had bee stings before, and it ain’t fun. And you’re out there and you’re trying to be the best you can. So, rather than throwing your instruments down and coming to blows or anything like that, you work it out, you kind of calm yourself and you realize what’s going on.”

He continued: “So even in our situation, things like that can happen. And it’s just the nature of the beast. We’re all individuals and we all have our moments. So I always stress that, more now than ever.

Hetfield praised Trujillo during a 2017 interview with the 94.5 The Buzz radio station, saying: “Who else could [have come in and done the job]? I mean, there were a few people we auditioned, I know. It might have worked out with other people, but it’s hard to find people that are, say, your age, kind of your upbringing, musically, obviously, ability-wise, they’ve been on the road. It’s not like you’re bringing some kid out for his first time, and it’s, ‘Oh my God!’ He’s going through all the stuff that you did twenty-five years ago. He’s got kids. He’s married. It just jelled, and it’s still jelling. And his personality is probably one of the best contributions, I think, to the band, ’cause he’s so chill, he’s so up for anything, he’s always in there rehearsing. So he does fit in.”

You can listen to the full podcast here:

Eagles of Death Metal’s Jesse Hughes Testifies in Bataclan Attack Case

The Eagles of Death Metal testified on (May 17) about the tragedy that occurred during one of their concerts in 2015.
Terrorists killed 89 people at Le Bataclan and the attack was a part of a coordinated series of attacks in Paris.

Eagles of Death Metal frontman Jesse Hughes and guitar tech Eden Galindo were both onstage when the Islamic group of terrorists entered the theater and sprayed it with gunfire. 
A soccer stadium and cafes were also targeted and a total of 130 people in total were killed during the attacks.

The Washington Post reports that during Hughes’ emotional testimony, he told the court how he prays for the victims’ families every day. Ever since the attack, he says, “I live a different life. I’ll never be the same.”

When the guitarist was asked if he was ready to forgive the sole surviving member of the terrorist group (the other attackers were killed by police or blew themselves up), he said,  “Yeah. It’s important to forgive. I’m a Christian. And…everyone can be lost, and everyone needs to find a way. And most of those gentlemen in there do. So I forgive them, and I hope they find the peace of God for themselves.”

Hughes described what happened during the attack to the court, and immediately recognized the sound of gunshots and “knew that death was coming.” He concluded his testimony by quoting Ozzy Osbourne, “You can’t kill rock ‘n’ roll! You can’t kill rock ‘n’ roll!”.

Judas Priest and Motorcycles explained by Rob Halford

Motorcycles were always part of Judas Priest’s image, and it actually came about fairly early in the band’s career.

In a recent interview with Goldmine Magazine, Rob Halford explained how the motorcycle became part of their live show and his thoughts on what it added to their overall presentation.
Halford recalled, “There was a moment when we first had the song ‘Hell Bent for Leather’, and we’re at a club, somewhere in U.K., still making our sound happen in any venue we could play in. And we pulled up and there were bikers parked outside the venue, down the alley and stuff. I said out of the blue, ‘It would be very cool if we could bring a motorcycle out during ‘Hell Bent for Leather.” I go and speak to a couple of bikers and told them what the idea was. [They responded], ‘Yeah, yeah. But his isn’t that big. Use mine.

Halford continues, “So, I had the bike, and I had a leather jacket. I put a leather jacket on, and it was like an epiphany. It was a very unplanned epiphany. Everything seemed to feel 100 percent connected at that particular show. And then that was it. You walk off stage going, ‘Something’s happened’ you know.”

He continues, “Now we have the whole manifestation of the look, the sound, the feel, it has all coalesced through that bike. It was like a simple On the Waterfront moment. Marlon Brando and all these things that have already preceded you, but in a non-musical way. Here it is. And that’s all she wrote. The fans loved it. They totally went ballistic.” That said, Halford’s motorcycle arrivals haven’t always gone as planned. On the last show of the tour supporting Judas Priest’s 1990 Painkiller album, Halford was knocked off the motorcycle he famously rode onto the stage at the end of each show by a misplaced prop. He broke his nose and was rendered unconscious, causing him to miss the last song of what would be his final show with the band for more than a decade.

In 2011, Halford also toppled off his Harley after driving it onstage during a show in Brazil. As he attempted to get his balance after stopping the Harley, Halford toppled over to his side as the weight of the bike got the best of him. Luckily the singer was uninjured from the stationary wreck, quickly getting back onto the bike with some help from his crew.

Judas Priest are currently touring Europe during a year that also will include their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction for musical excellence.
To check their stops and purchase tickets, This is your stop.

Watch: “Hell Bent for Leather” live with the majestic Harley entrance.

DREAM THEATER’s JORDAN RUDESS Announces Summer 2022 U.S. Solo Tour

Jordan Rudess, virtuoso musician/composer and keyboardist for Grammy Award-winning prog rock band DREAM THEATER, will embark on a two-month solo tour dubbed “An Evening With Jordan Rudess” this summer from June to August. Audiences can expect to spend this intimate evening with Jordan immersed in his musical virtuosity as he shares personal stories from his musical journey. The tour kicks off on June 7 in Seattle, Washington and concludes on August 6 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Photo © Rayon Richards

Tour Dates:

Jun. 07 – Triple Door, Seattle WA
Jun. 12 – The Old Church Concert Hall – Portland, OR
Jun. 25 – Lulu’s Downstairs – Colorado Springs, CO
Jun. 26 – The Armory – Ft. Collins, CO
Jul. 06 – Dakota – Minneapolis, MN
Jul. 08 – City Winery – Chicago, IL
Jul. 09 – Kent Stage – Kent, OH
Jul. 10 – The Ludlow Garage – Cincinnati, OH
Jul. 11 – Tin Pan, Richmond, VA
Jul. 13 – City Winery – Washington, DC
Jul. 14 – Rams Head On Stage – Anapolis, MD
Jul. 16 – City Winery – New York City, NY
Jul. 17 – Ardmore Music Hall – Ardmore, PA
Jul. 21 – Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center – Old Saybrook, CT
Jul. 22 – Center for the Arts – Natick, MA
Jul. 23 – Shalin Liu – Rockport, MA
Jul. 24 – Ridgefield Playhouse – Ridgefield, CT
Jul. 28 – Neighborhood Theatre – Charlotte, NC
Jul. 31 – State Theatre – Austin, TX
Aug. 03 – City Winery – Nashville, TN
Aug. 04 – City Winery – Atlanta, GA
Aug. 06 – Broward Center for the Performing Arts – Fort Lauderdale, FL

Footage: METALLICA’s JAMES HETFIELD Gets Emotional At a Concert in Brazil

METALLICA‘s front man James Hetfield got emotional during the band’s concert Thursday night in Brazil, admitting to the audience that he was “feeling a little bit insecure” prior to taking the stage.

Before starting “Sad But True” at EstĂĄdio do MineirĂŁo in Belo Horizonte on May 12, the 58  years old thanked the huge crowd, saying how he and his bandmates are “so blessed” to have the support of such a loyal fanbase.
But then he added : “I’ve gotta tell you I wasn’t feeling very good before I came out here. [I was] feeling a little bit insecure, like I’m an old guy, [I] can’t play anymore, all this bullshit that I tell myself in my head. So I talked to these guys, and they helped me, as simple as that. They gave me a hug and said, ‘Hey, if you’re struggling on stage, we’ve got your back.’ And I tell you, it means the world to me.” At that point, all three of James‘s bandmates approached the singer and once again gave him a heartfelt group hug, with Hetfield visibly touched by the gesture. He then once again addressed the audience, telling them: “And seeing you out there, I
 I am not alone. I am not alone, and neither are you.”

James has been open about his battles with addiction, anxiety and low self-esteem in the past, most recently last fall while discussing the transformation he had to undergo in order to successfully front METALLICAduring the touring cycle for the band’s 1991 self-titled album, which stands as one of the top-selling records of all time.

He told Apple Music‘s Zane Lowe in October 2021: “There was such an expectation already on myself to not let the team down and be the best as possible. But then you add 60,000 people out there
 You need to be what they need you to be, ’cause this is what you’ve evolved to be. And it is a little bit of Oz,” referencing the classic 1900 children’s book “The Wizard Of Oz” by L. Frank Baum which was then adapted into the two-time Oscar-winning film in 1939. “Like, the man behind the curtain, pay no attention, but this guy behind the curtain is just dying and struggling and freaking out and not knowing who he is.”

You can watch the video right here below:

Album Review: Kalandra’s Kingdom Two Crowns

I started listening to Kalandra a little over 2 years ago, when Mr. Spotify Algorithm decided to give me their song Brave New World in my weekly playlist, and boy was I hooked. Katrine’s vocals on this song were phenomenal and the music was very well done. At that time, they had not released any full album yet, but had just a couple of songs on an EP. They later on released a cover for Warduna’s Helvegen which blew me away. I listened to this song on repeat for months. I’ve been following them and hoping for more ever since that fateful day.

Their first album was more than just some songs gathered together on a CD. It was a trip into a new world that amazes you from the first second of Borders to the last second in It Gets Easier. I don’t know what it is with Norwegian bands, but the ambiance that bands with a folk influence create is so mesmerizing (I will be using this word a lot throughout this review, so buckle up.)

When Kalandra released the song My Kingdom back in 2021, I was shocked with how good it was, the ambiance and atmosphere in it were just crazy good. They mentioned this was a soundtrack to the indie game Kingdom which was released back in 2015-2016. I did not know back then that this was going to lead to a full soundtrack album, and then, BAM! All of a sudden they release a full 12 track album with music for the game. 

The album is a concept album with sounds and music that plays in the game. It is mostly made up of ambient music, choir harmonies and folk sounds. While a bit different from their previous album, it is still a masterpiece in its own right. The first time I listened to it, I played it twice, because one time was absolutely not enough and I wanted to stay immersed in the world that the music created. Katrine’s vocals are what I imagine angels sound like, they take you to different places and guide your heart and soul to a different plane of existence.

We start with Eikthyrnir (meaning: a stag which stands upon Valhalla) which is a combination of strings and vocal humming, and is an excellent start to the album as it sets the tone for what’s to come. I felt like I was taken to a huge green field and was slowly dissolving and becoming one with nature. Ferden (meaning: journey) comes after that and the calm keyboard playing throughout the song has your heart racing a bit but the flute calms you down. After that trip is finished, Drþmmefanger (meaning: dream catcher) takes you back to where Eikthyrnir was and you feel peaceful and safe. Be ready for sadness and melancholy, because Veiviseren (meaning: the wizard) pulls no punches and the bagpipes immediately play with your heartstrings. 

The next song dips into Norwegian folklore and is the theme of Skogtroll (meaning: the forest troll) which is a bit upbeat and feels like you are in the forest dancing around a campfire, only to be led to Katrine’s mesmerizing vocals again in Mþrke Skoger (meaning: dark forest) and back into a world of mystery and a bit of fear. With tense emotions we start Synnavind (meaning: southern wind) which has a more calming effect with the choir and the percussion.

The highlight of the album is of course Helheim (meaning: the realm of the dead,) a song that is a signature Kalandra song. Katrine’s superb performance along with the ambiance, strings, bagpipes, percussion and harmonies. It is a mixture of feelings, you feel scared, you feel excited and anxious. You want to run and fight. I literally felt like a viking in a battle (even though I was sitting on my comfy chair at home sipping on some hot tea.) I was full of Norwegian pride and went to amazon to buy a viking axe. 

After all that tension, we are hit with Nordlys (meaning: northern lights) which is a short set of horns being blown in the air to signify the end of a battle and tell the warriors that everything is over, and after your heartbeat calms down and you feel at ease, the warning horns ring in the air and your village gets raided. Greed makes you feel just that. After all is lost, you go to your trusted steed and run away with the feelings of loss crushing you, Hrimfaxi  (meaning: the shining mane) explores feelings of loss and defeat. We end the album with the best finale to this journey, Valkyrja (meaning: Chooser of the Slain) is one of the most atmospheric songs I have ever listened to, you feel calm but still excited, you feel at ease but fearful, like you are finally rested but the shadows of the past still follow you, I doubt there could have ever been a finale that fits the whole album better than this.

Kalandra have created a masterpiece that befits a survival game set in Norse history. It literally took me on a ride where I felt happiness and sadness, defeat and victory, love and loss without a single word being spoken. This is a talent that few bands nowadays have and the Norwegians absolutely excel at it (Wardruna comes to mind.) I give this album an 8 out of 10, the only reason it’s not a 10 is that it is only 35 minutes long, I would have loved to stay in this world for way longer. Whether you’re a fan of Kalandra or not, this album is a must-listen, believe me, you don’t want to miss it.

You can stream the album here and let us know your thoughts



CHILDREN OF BODOM: The Secret Revealed.

Former CHILDREN OF BODOM members Jaska Raatikainen (drums),Henri “Henkka T. Blacksmith” SeppĂ€lĂ€ (bass) and Janne Wirman (keyboards) have opened up about the real reasons behind the band’s breakup, explaining that “the fans have a right to know what happened.”

Raatikainen, SeppÀlÀ and Wirman announced their departures from CHILDREN OF BODOM in October 2019.
A couple of months later, they issued a statement denying that they quit because they had families to support or wanted to retire. “Music is our profession and our lives, and all our families know that,” they said at the time.

CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman Alexi Laiho passed away on December 29, 2020 in his home in Helsinki, Finland. He died of alcohol-induced degeneration of the liver and pancreas connective tissue. Furthermore, Laihohad a cocktail of painkillers, opioids and insomnia medication in his system. He had suffered from long-term health issues leading up to his death.

In a brand new in-depth interview with Finland’s Helsingin Sanomat, Raatikainen, SeppĂ€lĂ€ and Wirman discussed publicly for the first time the circumstances that led to CHILDREN OF BODOM‘s split and ultimately Laiho‘s death.

According to the three surviving members of CHILDREN OF BODOM, the real reason for the band’s breakup was not that they wanted to stop touring in order to spend more time with their families, which is how Laiho explained it to Helsingin Sanomat in November 2019. Instead, what caused the group to split was Laiho‘s substance abuse, and that is also what eventually killed him a year after they went their separate ways.

Laiho‘s addiction began to take a serious toll on CHIDLREN OF BODOM in 2008, when the band was the support act on a SLIPKNOT tour. In the ensuing years, Laiho promised his bandmates that he would not drink on the road anymore. Although he kept his word for a few years, Alexi “went into a tailspin again in 2016,” according to Wirman. Laiho, who had a substantial income as COB‘s main songwriter (all other income, from gigs to merchandise, was split equally),repeatedly complained that his income was declining and threatened to pull himself out of the limited liability company, AA & Sewira Consulting Oy, he and the other members formed in 2003.

After CHILDREN OF BODOM‘s manager brought up Laiho‘s substance abuse at a business meeting in New York in early 2019, Alexi refused to go into rehabilitation but did agree to see a doctor. He was diagnosed with diabetes, and he began taking medication to treat the condition.

In the summer of 2019, Laiho filed an application with the Finnish Patent And Registration Office to register the CHILDREN OF BODOM name to Laiho. This infuriated his bandmates who saw this as an attempt to hijack the name and brand that was controlled by the group’s LLC.

During CHILDREN OF BODOM‘s tour of Russia in October 2019, Laiho “was hitting the bottle like back in 2008,” his bandmates told Helsingin Sanomat.

“I told Alexi that you don’t usually drink starting at breakfast before a gig, and now you don’t even warm up with the guitar before going on stage like you always do,” Raatikainen recalled.

Laiho later apologized and stopped drinking for the last concerts of the tour.

“His hands were shaking for two days, but the gigs in Moscow and St Petersburg went pretty well,” Raatikainen said.

Raatikainen, SeppĂ€lĂ€ and Wirman decided to go with Alexi‘s wish from a few years back and buy him out of the LLC. Laiho retained the rights to his music and was paid royalties on performances and record sales as before, but sold his part of the LLC that owns the name of the band and the merchandising rights.

According to the trio, Alexi was sober for CHILDREN OF BODOM‘s entire final tour of Finland in December 2019 and he “exchanged cordial messages” with them even after the start of the pandemic.

Alexi‘s sister Anna Laiho told Helsingin Sanomat that the three surviving members of CHILDREN OF BODOM “have the full support of our family.”

Anna, Alexi‘s Australian wife Kelli Wright-Laiho and a few close friends attempted to get him professional help in the fall of 2020, but he refused.

“At heart, he was a warm and caring person, always ready to help others. But he had his demons, and he wanted to fight those alone”, Alexi‘s sister said. “He wanted to make his own choices. For better or worse.”

Read Helsingin Sanomat‘s entire in-depth article by following this link.

Alexi‘s ashes were buried in December 2021 — nearly a year after his tragic passing. He was laid to rest at the Malmi Cemetery, a large cemetery located in the Malmi district in Helsinki, Finland.

Alexi and Jaska founded CHILDREN OF BODOM in 1993, and the band was one of the most internationally acclaimed metal acts in Finland up until their very last farewell concert in December of 2019. In 2020, Alexi put together BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT, which recorded three songs and shot one music video, all of which were released posthumously.

CHILDREN OF BODOM‘s latest album, “Hexed”, came out in March 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Marty Friedman: Even I Sometimes Skip Guitar Solos When I Listen To Music

The legendary guitarists and former Megadeth member adressed recently a new statistics about music listeners who skip the songs when the guitar solo kicks in.

Marty posted on his Facebook page the following:

OK friends, strap yourselves in, this should be a good one.
æ—„æœŹèȘžăŻè‹±æ–‡ăźäž‹ă«ă‚ă‚ŠăŸă™ă€‚
So “GUITAR SOLO” is trending in Japan right now. Why, you ask? Its because it has been reported (true or not, who knows) that in Japan it seems that data shows that on music subscription apps, many people are skipping to the next song when the guitar solo comes on. This makes sense and it wouldn’t surprise me if it were true. Here is my theory on why I think this is happening. After you read it, definitely share your thoughts with me in the comments.
First of all, I believe that this data must be referring to the mainstream hit music, not heavy metal bands and rock bands. I’m talking about what the vast majority of people listen to, pop artists who are on the top of the charts,. The journey of an actual hit song from creation to the end user, is incredibly long and a laundry list of professional people are involved. Aside from the artist himself, you have the songwriter(s), lyricist(s), producer, arranger, studio musicians for the demo, studio musicians for the master, label people, recording engineers and technicians, music video creators, directors and tech staff, and more. At this point we still don’t know if the song will even be popular or not, but one thing is for sure there is a lot of money and time being gambled.
For the above reasons, guitar solos have all but vanished in the top levels of the US mainstream.
Other countries too. Luckily for us in Japan, Japanese people are accustomed to having guitar solos in all genres of music in Japan. They are so ingrained in the consciousness of the Japanese listener that many producers, artists and people in the music business may feel that the guitar solo is an important part of the song, a break for the vocalist, and a necessary “sound” of familiarity that is a must for any great song. The problem is, it can sometimes take on an obligatory existence, where as long as there is some kind of distorted guitar solo for 8 bars somewhere in the song, the quota is met and all is well. That just don’t cut it, people! No wonder people skip the guitar solos when they listen. Even I skip them sometimes. I can tell in the first opening phrase whether or not I will give a rat’s behind what the rest of the solo will be like. I bet you can too.
With all of the above listed people and tasks involved in making that hit song, the guitar solo is the first thing that some producers feel they can save time, energy, commitment and money on. “Oh the solo is fine, the player is great, sounds good to me”. This is the problem. In heavy rock, the fans care a lot about nuances of guitar solos and love them, even more than the rest of the song, But in the mainstream pop world, that solo better have just as much care, magic, and reason for being there going for it as the vocal that preceded it does. Imagine any Queen song with some decent random guitar solo coming in directly after Freddie`s performance. Those solos would be skipped for sure. So instead of having a guitar solo in the song just for the sake of familiarity, or because a guitar solo sounds cool (they usually do) it must be there for a deeper reason. In the song creation stage, ideally the solo`s content, performance and even unique magic that fits that one particular song should be committed to and given a lot of thought. As a fan I would wish that, and as a guitarist I always strive to do that.
What do you guys think?
 
 

MIKE PORTNOY on his recent DREAM THEATER show experience as a fan

Ex-DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy was at the group’s concert on March 4 in New York City. His first time seeing his former bandmates perform live since his exit from the legendary progressive metal band over 11 years ago.

Portnoy appeared yesterday (May 3) on SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk”, Mike talked about the circumstances that led to him being present at the show:
“We had been slowly rekindling the relationships over the years. Obviously, John Petrucci and I have made a few albums together at this point — I played on his last solo album, and then he, myself, Jordan and, Tony Levin got back together to do a LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT album in 2020. So, yeah, John Petrucci and Jordan had been hanging with me a lot through the years, and our families as well. In fact, the first time I played together with Jordan again was on the last Cruise To The Edge in 2019, Jordan and I played together on that. So the relationships had been really, really good and comfortable with those guys. And John Myung lives right down the street from me, so I would see him in town all the time. And his wife is very, very good friend with my wife. So there’s three of the guys that I had been on very, very good terms with over the years. And my wife and John Myung‘s wife were going to see them at the New York show, and I was, like, ‘You know what? What the hell.'”

Portnoy went on to say that he had previously “dreamt about going to see” DREAM THEATER play. “I’m not saying I dreamt like it was my goal, I’m saying I literally would have dreams at night sleeping, where in my dreams I’m going to see DREAM THEATER and it’s just an awkward thing. “So for a long time I was very nervous about it, like how weird would it feel? Would it be uncomfortable? But I finally was at peace with it. I went to the show, and it was a really cool experience, it was not as awkward as I had anticipated or feared. And at the show, James  welcomed me from the stage. And I hadn’t spoken to James, as a lot of people know, I hadn’t spoken to him since I left the band, so I got to see him that night after the show. And I went into his dressing room, and within literally 10 seconds, any of that drama or B.S. that had built up through the years, it melted away immediately. And it was all hugs and kisses and ‘love you, bro’ and ‘miss you, bro.’ And it was, like, all that bullshit from the last 11 years was just water under the bridge.”

Mike continued: “You can’t spend most of your life with a group of guys like that and not be family for life. I met John Petrucci and John Myung when we were teenagers, we met in college and our families have grown up together and our wives all played in a band together and our kids,  my daughter and John Petrucci‘s daughter live together in Brooklyn. So it’s a family. Whether I’m currently in the band or not, that doesn’t matter, you can’t take away the friendship and the family and the history and the experiences we shared for so, so long.”

Portnoy talked about what it was like to see another drummer play his parts live with DREAM THEATER, Portnoy said: “I’ve always been the type of drummer that just flies [by] the seat of my pants in the moment. Even with my own drum parts, I don’t necessarily stick to them faithfully from show to show, whereas [current DREAM THEATER drummer Mike] Mangini obviously really studied the drum parts and they had everything programmed out. They’re all about the precision, and that’s surely their thing. And yeah, he killed it. There’s no doubt he’s an amazing drummer and he plays my parts incredibly faithfully. I feel bad for him. He and I joked about it. He’s in a horrible situation where he’s damned if he does and he’s damned if he doesn’t. He expressed that frustration to me, and I feel for him, it’s definitely a weird position to be put into. I kind of had it a little bit when I played with AVENGED SEVENFOLD and TWISTED SISTER, coming into the throne of two drummers that have passed away, and I tried to learn those parts as faithfully as I could. When I had a hired-gun gig like that, I spent a lot of attention trying to honor the drummer that came before me it’s important. I don’t wanna go into a gig like either of those and try to force my style onto it.”

Portnoy, who co-founded DREAM THEATER 37 years ago, abruptly quit the band in September 2010 while on tour with AVENGED SEVENFOLD.

Portnoy was a guest on Petrucci‘s second solo album, “Terminal Velocity”, which was released in August 2020 via Sound Mind Music/The Orchard. The effort marked 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.

A couple of years ago, Portnoy told Loud that he left DREAM THEATER because he wanted to expand his musical horizons. “[I didn’t] want to go to my grave and just be the drummer from DREAM THEATER,” he said. “I knew there was way more to what I had to offer.”

LaBrie had previously closed the door on the possibility of a DREAM THEATER reunion with Portnoy, telling Chile’s Radio Futuro in an August 2013 interview: “That possibility, I don’t see it ever happening, it’s not gonna happen. Because, first and foremost, Mike Mangini is a full-fledged member of the band now, he’s a phenomenal drummer and he’s doing everything that we could possibly want as a drummer in a band. He’s helping us realize exactly what we wanna do right now musically. And he will be our drummer until the day that we finish doing this, when we conclude. Mike Portnoy was a big part of our past, but I think that’s where it’s going to remain. He was a drummer from the past. And as far as presently and into the future, it will be Mike Mangini, and we all feel very strongly about that. He’s an incredible drummer, he’s an incredible asset to the band, and he is fulfilling our wildest dreams as far as what we’re doing musically and what we’re doing with each album. So that’s the way it stands.”

 

MEGADETH’s DAVE MUSTAINE On His Battle with Cancer

Dave Mustaine, who was diagnosed with throat cancer in May 2019, spoke to Full Metal Jackie‘s radio show about how his battle  has affected the way he approaches his life, both on and off the stage. He said:
“Well, obviously, there’s a diet, there’s the food sources and liquids and how they affect my blood, my sugar in my blood, the dairy stuff in my blood. But I’ve never really worried too much about that ’cause I kind of have just gone out there and screamed my point across. So I think that that’s one thing that as I try and live a cleaner life because of the cancer


“I’m cancer-free now, thank God,” he continued. “I just went and saw my radiologist and he told me October [2019] was the month that they had said that I was cancer-free. So I’m coming up on, I think it’s three years now.

“I don’t even think about it anymore. But it was something that made me take into consideration life in general, not so much what I do when I get onstage but just how much do I really appreciate the people around me? How much do I have a capacity in my heart to tolerate people that get on my nerves? Am I gonna send somebody away mad at each other and never see ’em again?

“It’s been a real eye-opening experience,” Mustaine explained. “And I just noticed on TV, too, that they’re starting to do commercials about this type of cancer. And I’d never seen this before in my life and now I’m seeing it on TV. And I’m thinking, ‘Wow, this is crazy.’ They used to never have these kind of massive sicknesses like this where you have television commercials about throat cancer. It used to be just cancer, cancer, cancer — not into specifics like this. Now you know something really weird’s happening. And it happens to a lot of people, I’m told. So I would just encourage people to be healthy, kick ass, take down names. And if you’re an adult male and you have any respect for yourself and the people around you that love you, go get yourself checked up.”

MUSTAINE goes:
“I’m really grateful for everybody. Even the people who have a hard time with my behavior and my big mouth, I’m just so grateful for them showing care for me. Like they say, at the end of the day, all we’ve got is each other here in this crazy metal community.”

 

Paul McCartney Reunites with John Lennon Virtually

The Beatles legend Paul McCartney performed his first concert in three years in Spokane, Washington on April 28, delivering a 36-song set that even included a virtual duet with his long deceased bandmate, John Lennon.

Paul played a setlist that  featured 21 Beatles tracks, six by Wings, a cover of The Quarrymen and the rest being a mix of solo songs that brought things all the way to the current with the live debut of “Women and Wives” off the musician’s 2020 solo record, McCartney III.

You can watch the video down below




Joe Elliott of Def Leppard Enjoys Ghost’s “IMPERA”, He Doesn’t Rule Out A Possible CollaborationWith The Band

Since the release of “IMPERA”, occult rockers Ghost has been under fire for not being “real metal.”
No one knows better about this crap other than Def Leppard‘s own Joe Elliott, who in a new interview has said that the latest Ghost record is on steady rotation for him.
Ghost’s Tobias Forge said recently that Def Leppard inspired the new album, Metal Hammer reached out to Elliott to see if he knew about the band. Turns out he was already a fan:

“Phil (Collen, Def Leppard guitarist) introduced me to them. He said, ‘Here, have you heard about this band Ghost? It’s like this kind of Scando goth-metal but with brilliant melodies.’ I went, ‘Well, that’s an oxymoron, cos it’s usually [makes unintelligible singing noise like someone vomiting in a bucket].’ But he played me something – a couple of minutes each of a few songs. “I was really intrigued, so I asked him to Dropbox me the new album. I listened to it all, and I thought it was absolutely stunning. It’s like a whole new genre of music – it’s way more Toto than death metal or any of that stuff. It’s like the song Spillways. It starts off like Hold The Line by Toto or Jane by Jefferson Starship – one of those classic 70s songs that begin on the piano before these big, chunky chords come in.”

Since then, Joe has been spinning the record on repeat:

“It’s been my go-to album for the last couple of weeks. I’ve got it downloaded onto my Apple Watch so I can march away and listen to it. I’ve only got a few albums on there, and Ghost are one of them. “I like the fact that they’ve got a big intro for the album [opening instrumental Imperium]. It reminds of the beginning of Master Of Puppets, weirdly. It starts off with these flamenco-like guitars, then it gets all heavy and duelling, kind of like Thin Lizzy. It’s obviously done as a walk-on for the gigs.”

Joe was finally asked about a possible collaboration with the band and if they have reached out already:

“Not yet. Maybe they will. We’ve got [country singer] Alison Krauss on our new album, we did stuff with Taylor Swift 10 years ago. We’re not scared of collaborating with anybody.”

Def Leppard’s new album Diamond Star Halos drops on May 27th and is available for preorder. Go get your tickets to see Def Leppard on their upcoming tour with Mötley CrĂŒe and Poison at one of the following dates:

June 16 – Atlanta, Ga. @ Truist Park [tickets]
June 18 – Miami, Fla. @ Hard Rock Stadium [tickets]
June 19 – Orlando, Fla. @ Camping World Stadium [tickets]
June 22 – Washington, D.C. @ Nationals Park [tickets]
June 24 – Queens, N.Y. @ Citi Field [tickets]
June 25 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Citizens Bank Park [tickets]
June 28 – Charlotte, N.C. @ BofA Stadium [tickets]
June 30 – Nashville, Tenn. @ Nissan Stadium [tickets]
July 2 – Jacksonville, Fla. @ TIAA Bank Field [tickets]
July 5 – St. Louis, Mo. @ Busch Stadium [tickets]
July 8 – Chicago, Ill @ Wrigley Field [tickets]
July 10 – Detroit, Mich. @ Comerica Park [tickets]
July 12 – Hershey, Pa. @ Hersheypark Stadium [tickets]
July 14 – Cleveland, Ohio @ FirstEnergy Stadium [tickets]
July 15 – Cincinnati, Ohio @ Great American Park [tickets]
July 17 – Milwaukee, Wis. @ American Family Field [tickets]
July 19 – Kansas City, Mo. @ Kauffman Stadium [tickets]
July 21 – Denver, Colo. @ Coors Field [tickets]
Aug. 5 – Boston, Mass. @ Fenway Park [tickets]
Aug. 6 – Boston, Mass. @ Fenway Park [tickets]
Aug. 8 – Toronto, Ontario @ Rogers Centre [tickets]
Aug. 10 – Orchard Park, N.Y. @ Highmark Stadium [tickets]
Aug. 12 – Pittsburgh, Pa. @ PNC Park [tickets]
Aug. 14 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ U.S. Bank Stadium [tickets]
Aug. 16 – Indianapolis, Ind. @ Lucas Oil Stadium [tickets]
Aug. 19 – Houston, Texas @ Minute Maid Park [tickets]
Aug. 21 – San Antonio, Texas @ Alamodome [tickets]
Aug. 22 – Arlington, Texas @ Globe Life Field [tickets]
Aug. 25 – Glendale, Ariz. @ State Farm Stadium [tickets]
Aug. 27 – Inglewood, Calif. @ SoFi Stadium [tickets]
Aug. 28 – San Diego, Calif. @ Petco Park [tickets]
Aug. 31 – Seattle, Wash. @ T-Mobile Park [tickets]
Sept. 2 – Vancouver, B.C. @ BC Place [tickets]
Sept. 4 – Edmonton, Alberta @ Commonwealth Stad [tickets]
Sept. 7 – San Francisco, Calif. @ Oracle Park [tickets]
Sept. 9 – Las Vegas, Nev. @ Allegiant Stadium [tickets]

 

 

HELLFEST: A Special Message

As promised, Hellfest released the following message yesterday, sealing the festival’s line-up.

All the fans have been waiting for the revelation of the final Headliner to close Saturday night 18th of June.

The team behind closed doors has been working very hard to find an alternative name that can replace Faith No More.

Through a mysterious video, Hellfest finally announced the band that will be headlining the night of 18th June.

You can watch the video down below to find out who’s coming:

Members of Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and Nirvana Form a SUPERGROUP

A new supergrou is coming together with great musicians behind this new project called “3rd Secret”

Soundgarden‘s Kim Thayil, Nirvana‘s Krist Novoselic and, Pearl Jam‘s Matt Cameron joined by vocalists Jennifer Johnson and Jillian Raye of “Giants In The Trees” and guitarist Jon “Bubba” Dupree, formerly of Void.

Photo by: Mike Hipple ©3rd Secret Music

 

The band have quietly released their self-titled album, which you can stream now, and have launched a new website

This is their latest est statement published yesterday:
Thanks for all of the coverage with releasing 3rd Secret.
Nice to hear the reporting refer to a “Supergroup”! We’ll take it!!!

There is a video performance of the band in the works, which was captured at Seattle’s MoPop. These are the live stills we have provided. No real reason video is not out yet, other than same old delays. Releasing real soon, we promise!

We have added more royalty free images for people to enjoy and distribute.

The album covert art was created by : Tim Gabor

 

You can now stream the album below, let us know your thoughts

 

Meshuggah’s “Immutable” Album Review

Meshuggah’s “Immutable” Album Review by: Mayaz Dimashki

As someone who is a fan of djent, I never really got into Meshuggah, and when I decided to listen to this album I was expecting the famous 0-0-0-0 guitar chugs, and I was not surprised when this is what I got. Starting from the first riff in the first song “Broken Cog”, I realized that this album will not be surprising me with any genre defying music. 

While this album did not change the usual tone of Meshuggah as a band when it comes to their playstyle, it was also not even remotely bad, even for a person like me who is not that into the band. I actually enjoyed it! The technicality of their riffs, the blast beats by the beast Tomas Haake and Jens’s vocals are top notch. I usually judge an album by how many of its riffs get stuck in my head after I’m done with it and at least 5 riffs and sections have stuck with me here, which is more than some of my favorite bands’ new albums (looking at you Dream Theater.)

We start off with Broken Cog that sets the tone for the whole album, while not as complex and fast as the other songs, it still fits perfectly as a first track that eases the listener and grabs their hand leading them to the pits of hell that is the next track. The Abysmal Eye comes next starting with an immediate blast beat after the whispering outro of the previous track. I immediately fell in love with the guitar solo here, it made me feel entranced with how it fits wonderfully with the ominous vibe the whole song gives off. The same could be said about the next song on the list, Light The Shortening Fuse, which slows down a bit in the middle adding a tone of melancholy before Jens growls his way out of that vibe back to the general ominous tone the album has built up until now.

While the songs so far have been a bit on the extreme/djent side, the next song Phantoms adds some groovy riffs to the mix while maintaining the feeling of extremity and power. Going to a complete halt half way through with a nasty breakdown (I can already feel myself getting injured in the mosh pit at this exact moment.) Ligature Marks returns to the djenty vibes but adds some lead riffs that add a terrifying mood to the song before the vocals assert the fear. The next track, God He Sees In Mirrors, sounded the most Meshuggah to me, with a super complex solo line, deadly blast beats and overall harsh vocals.

Almost halfway through the album, we are welcomed with a calming clean guitar intro in the longest song on the album, They Move Below. This is in my opinion the crown jewel of the whole album, although it’s an instrumental. A lot of feelings get invoked throughout the song and the genius arrangement just gets better every minute as it gets heavier and heavier and more technical. Following that amazing trip, we are grabbed by the throat and pulled back down to the heavy riffs and vocals of Kaleidoscope, the highlight of this song is the technical solo around halfway through. Black Cathedral is 2 minutes of scary guitar riffs. I can imagine a 15th century church burning in the background, which culminates into the next track. 

Unfortunately, this is where the album starts feeling repetitive and boring, the songs quickly become very familiar and very predictive. While generally not a bad thing because they maintain the same theme throughout the album, it still feels like the album ended and is repeating the previous songs again. Up until the last track Past Tense which begins with a clean riff that takes you out of the repetitiveness and into a confusing and ominous feel for about 3 minutes then back to the “how long is left in this song still?” feeling.

Overall, I’d say the album is not a masterpiece, but it is also not bad. It is worth a listen if you’re not a fan, but you’ll love it if you are. The mixing and mastering is of high quality and the band is excellent in their instruments. I would give this album a 7 out of 10.

 

Album Art Cover and Track-listing:

No. Title Lyrics Music Length
1. “Broken Cog” MĂ„rten Hagström Hagström 5:35
2. “The Abysmal Eye” Tomas Haake Dick Lövgren 4:55
3. “Light the Shortening Fuse” Hagström Hagström 4:28
4. “Phantoms” Haake

Haake – Lövgren

4:53
5. “Ligature Marks” Hagström Hagström 5:13
6. “God He Sees in Mirrors” Haake Lövgren 5:28
7. “They Move Below” (instrumental) Hagström 9:35
8. “Kaleidoscope” Haake

Haake – Lövgren

4:07
9. “Black Cathedral” (instrumental) Hagström 2:00
10. “I Am That Thirst” Haake Hagström 4:40
11. “The Faultless” Haake Hagström 4:48
12. “Armies of the Preposterous” Haake

Haake – Lövgren

5:15
13. “Past Tense” (instrumental) Hagström 5:46



DREAM THEATER Wins “Best Metal Performance” GRAMMY For “The Alien”

Two nights ago, DREAM THEATER was awarded a Grammy in the “Best Metal Performance” at the 64th annual Grammy Awards,  DREAM THEATER was nominated for “The Alien”, a track from their 2021 album “A View From The Top Of The World”.

DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci accepted the award on the band’s behalf.

“Wow, this is absolutely insane,” he said in his acceptance speech. “On behalf of the entire band, I’d like to thank the Recording Academy and everybody who voted for us. You know, they used to tell us our songs were way too long, we used weird time signatures and there were too many guitar solos. In fact, this song is in 17/8, so try to tap your foot to it. But we just won a Grammy, so I’m glad we didn’t listen… All the DREAM THEATER fans around the world, you guys rock. We love you. For fans of prog and prog metal, stay true to your art. And it’s alive and well.”

The nominees in the “Best Metal Performance” category were:

“Genesis” – DEFTONES
“The Alien” – DREAM THEATER
“Amazonia” – GOJIRA
“Pushing The Tides” – MASTODON
“The Triumph Of King Freak (A Crypt Of Preservation And Superstition)” – ROB ZOMBIE

When “The Alien” came out in August 2021, Petrucci stated about the track: “It’s the first one we wrote together. It gives people a window into what it was like when we initially met up after all of those months off. It has the adventure, the untraditional structure, the heaviness, and the hooks. It really set the tone for the album. James LaBrie wrote the lyrics about the idea of terraforming and looking beyond our Earth for alternative settlements. Since we’re going beyond our planet, ‘The Alien’ turns out to be us. I thought it was a cool and creative lyric by James.”

 

DREAM THEATER‘s previous Grammy nominations were for the song “On The Backs Of Angels”, from 2011’s “A Dramatic Turn Of Events” album, and the single “The Enemy Inside” from 2013’s “Dream Theater”.

The 2022 ceremony was the first since The Recording Academy announced that it has made significant changes to its awards process to ensure that the Grammy Awards rules and guidelines are transparent and equitable. The show no longer uses anonymous review committees to determine its nominees. Now, all nominees are based solely on thousands of votes from the Academy‘s voting members. They also changed the number of categories in which Academy members can vote and added two new awards.

Back in  January 2020, former Recording Academy CEO Deborah Dugan filed a discrimination charge against the Recording Academy of Arts & Sciences, alleging she was being retaliated against for reporting misconduct within the Academy. In the 46-page complaint, Dugan further alleged that “the Grammy voting process is ripe with corruption,” detailing secret committees the group used to “push forward artists with whom it has relationships.” She said that as many as 30 artists who were not selected by the 12,000 voting members were added to the possible nomination list.

Back in December,  during an appearance on MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn‘s “No Fuckin’ Regrets With Robb Flynn” podcast Petrucci discussed DREAM THEATER‘s latest Grammy nomination.
He said: “The first Grammy nomination we had, FOO FIGHTERS were on there. And they won it. I remember Dave Grohl had said something like, ‘Oh, they should have got this,’ which I thought was nice. But this time, I don’t know if I’m gonna remember all of [the other artists that were nominated], but I think it’s GOJIRA and MASTODON [that we are up against], and it’s a cool list. I remember there were a couple of years where I was surprised at the nominees — it seemed a little bit strange — but this seems appropriate. So we’ll see. It’s fun. It’s an honor to get nominated. It’s cool. Doing what we do and the way that we do it and getting recognized in that world is something that I never would have expected. And now for us, this is the third [nomination], so it’s cool. It’s a good feeling.”

Meshuggah Releases The Animated Video for “Broken Cog”

Meshuggah‘s long-anticipated new album Immutable sees the light of day. For many, the release is a unique musical event, marking the group’s first studio album in about six years. Now, the band have released an animated video for their new track “Broken Cog”.

The “Broken Cog” video is a shows how much is being put behind Meshuggah these days.

The animation is brilliant and especially for an extreme metal band and was obviously tailored to match the track excellently.

You can watch the video here:

Meshuggah’s Immutable was out yesterday on Atomic Fire, and is available for purchase.

Guitarist MÄrten Hagström said in a statement:

“The title fits perfectly for where we are as a band. We’re older now. Most of us are in our fifties now, and we’ve settled into who we are. Even though we’ve been experimenting all along, I also think we’ve been the same since day one. The way we approach things and why we still make new albums, and why we still sound the way we do, it’s immutable. Humanity is immutable, too. We commit the same mistakes over and over. And we are immutable. We do what we do, and we don’t change.”

Immutable Artwork and Track-listing:

1. Broken Cog
2. The Abysmal Eye
3. Light The Shortening Fuse
4. Phantoms
5. Ligature Marks
6. God He Sees In Mirrors
7. They Move Below
8. Kaleidoscope
9. Black Cathedral
10. I Am That Thirst
11. The Faultless
12. Armies Of The Preposterous
13. Past Tense

Footage: Machine Gun Kelly Butchers System Of A Down Live

Two days ago, Machine Gun Kelly performed a cover version of SYSTEM OF A DOWN‘s “Aerials” on “The Howard Stern Show” 

Watch MGK’s performance down here:

The rapper-turned-“rocker”, whose real name is Colson Baker, appeared on the program to promote his second pop-punk/emo-inspired album, “Mainstream Sellout”, which came out on Friday (March 25).

Among the people who reacted to Machine Gun Kelly‘s attempt at “Aerials” was SYSTEM OF A DOWN bassist Odadjian who shared video of the performance on his Instagram and asked his 365K followers for their “thoughts on MGK’s cover of Aerials.

MGK made headlines last year by publicly feuding with Corey Taylor after the SLIPKNOT frontman subtly and indirectly insulted the rapper in a “Cutter’s Rockcast” interview, referring to the latter as an artist who “failed in one genre and decided to go rock.”

Machine Gun Kelly spoke to Billboard earlier this month about the criticism he has faced after his transition from rap to rock music, stating that he’s “earned that shit.”

“I know it kills certain bands in that community that I got the success that I got. But I earned that shit,” he said. “Dude, I was fucking loading up the van with our drums and amps in 2010, driving to Indiana and Chicago, playing Warped Tour. I can tell you the fucking Wi-Fi codes to venues in Blackfoot, Idaho. Can you say that shit as a band?” he asked.

Addressing his role in the ongoing revival of the pop-punk genre, he commented: “The 2010s was great for singers and rappers, and I was part of that. But I think we needed something else: we needed an instrument. Kids come up to me, like, ‘Dude, the first time I ever saw someone play guitar in concert was at your concert — and now I take guitar lessons.’

“[Rock] needed a defibrillator,” he added. “Who cares who gives it, just as long as that motherfucker doesn’t die?”

During his Howard Stern Show appearance, Machine Gun Kelly confirmed he is frequently targeted by haters who believe he doesn’t deserve the success he’s achieved, specifically by rock fans who have misconceptions about the amount of time he has been involved in their scene.

“It blows my mind, even in the the genre that I’m in, when people act like this is like some new thing,” he explained. “It blows my mind. You can literally look back 10 years ago at rock festivals, and my name is right there on the flyer. Like, we’ve always been in the culture. I’m super confused where this, like, ‘Oh he’s new to the scene’ [claims come from]. Like, fuck you. We’ve been here so long, defying boxes and genres and odds.”

 

 

Dream Theater Returns To The City Of Light

In less than a month, Dream Theater will return to Paris on the 25th of April bringing their world tour: “Top Of The World” to promote their latest album “A View From The Top Of The World”.

Dream Theater during their HELLFEST performance pre-covid.

The progressive pioneers just finished their first leg of the tour in the US and they will be heading to Europe with their first show on the 20th of April in Belfast with Tesseract opening the show.

Dream Theater will be playing 3 shows in France starting at the capital:

APR 25, 2022 @ The DÎme de Paris with Devin Townsend TICKETS
APR 26, 2022 @ Le Liberté in Rennes with Devin Townsend TICKETS
APR 27, 2022 @ Arkea Arena in Bordeaux with Devin Townsend TICKETS
MAY 3, 2022 @ Zenith Toulouse with Devin Townsend TICKETS
 
These shows in France are promoted by French Production protagonists Gérard Drouot Productions
 
Watch Dream Theater’s “Transcending Time” (Official Video)
 

Foo Fighters Cancel All Upcoming Dates

The rock world was shaken las Friday to learn about the passing of Taylor Hawkins, drummer for rock giants Foo Fighters, he was 50. 
Now, the band have canceled all of their upcoming tour dates due to this tragedy.

Foo Fighters released the following statement:

It is with great sadness that Foo Fighters confirm the cancellation of all upcoming tour dates in light of the staggering loss of our brother Taylor Hawkins.
We’re sorry for and share in the disappointment that we won’t be seeing one another as planned. Instead, let’s take this time to grieve, to heal, to pull our loved ones close, and to appreciate all the music and memories we’ve made together.
With Love, Foo Fighters

This is no surprise at all and our hearts at Metal-Bell goes out to the band members, collaborators, friend, fans and, family during this difficult time.

An official cause of death yet to be revealed but, initial toxicology reports show that Hawkins had 10 different substances in his system at the time of his death, including opioids, THC and, anti-depressants.

An official statement by the Bogota municipal government said: the city’s emergency center received a report of a patient with “chest pain” and sent an ambulance on Friday evening. Paramedics attempted to revive him but there was no response and Hawkins was declared dead at the hotel in northern Bogota, the statement added.

 

Footage:Taylor Hawkins took on frontman duties for a wonderful performance of Queen’s “Somebody to Love” during his last show

The music world is still mourning the death of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. 

Performed on March 20th at Lollapalooza Argentina at the HipĂłdromo de San Isidro in San Isidro. Hawkins exchanged places with Grohl and delivered a wonderful performance of Queen’s “Somebody To Love”

Grohl and Hawkins exchanged onstage before Hawkins take on the mic: “You know, the best thing about Taylor Hawkins — he’s the best drummer in the world, we love him so fucking much,” Dave says in pro-shot video before a big reveal of Hawkins’ gloriously Eighties-metal spandex pants. The two embrace and switch places, and Hawkins tells the crowd: “I fuckin’ love Dave Grohl, man. I’d be delivering pizzas if it wasn’t for Dave Grohl. I’d be managing the drum department at a Guitar Center if it wasn’t for Dave Grohl.” which made this final show even more bittersweet.

After many tributes by fans, friends and fellow musicians, this video is probably his greatest memorial.

 

Foo Fighters Drummer Taylor Hawkins Dead at 50

Sad news today as we report the passing of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.

The band posted the following statement on their Facebook page:

The Foo Fighters family is devastated by the tragic and untimely loss of our beloved Taylor Hawkins. His musical spirit and infectious laughter will live on with all of us forever. Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family, and we ask that their privacy be treated with the utmost respect in this unimaginably difficult time.

On March 25, 2022, the Foo Fighters announced that Hawkins had died, aged 50. No cause of death was given. In a statement by local health authorities, a call for emergency services was made because Hawkins was suffering from chest pain, while in his hotel room at the Casa Medina hotel in Bogotå, Colombia.
Health personnel who attended the scene performed CPR but Hawkins did not respond and was declared dead.
The band was on tour in South America at the time of the announcement and was scheduled to perform at the Estéreo Picnic Festival in Bogotå that night.

The festival stage on which the Foo Fighters were to perform that night was turned into a candlelight vigil for Hawkins.

Everyone at Metal-Bell sends their heart out to Taylor’s family, friends, bandmates  during this difficult time.

 

James Labrie’s New Single “Devil In Drag”

On March 18th, Dream Theater’s front man James Labrie releases his latest single “Devil In Drag” from the latest album “Beautiful Shade Of Grey”

Here’s his band introduction as posted on his Facebook page:

Introducing my stellar band for ‘Beautiful Shade Of Grey’ (L to R):
The undeniably genius guitarist and long time partner Marco Sfogli on Lead Guitar, my partner in crime and co-writer Paul Logue (Eden’s Curse) on Acoustic Guitar & Bass, my son Chance LaBrie (Falset) on Drums and Christian Pulkkinen (@Eden’s Curse, Simulacrum) on Keyboards.

 
The album’s first single and opening track, “Devil In Drag”,  is now out, you can watch the video here: 
 
‘Beautiful Shade of Grey’ will be released on Inside Out Music on 20th May 2022 as a Limited CD Digipak, 180g LP + CD & as Digital Album.
Pre-order now here: https://jameslabrie.lnk.to/BeautifulShadeOfGrey
 
 

The complete track-listing:

1.     Devil In Drag
2.    SuperNova Girl
3.     Give And Take
4.     Sunset Ruin
5.     Hit Me Like A Brick
6.     Wildflower
7.     Conscience Calling
8.     What I Missed
9.    Am I Right
10.  Ramble On
11.  Devil In Drag (Electric Version)

HELLFEST: “Beyond This Road”

“Beyond This Road”

« Si tu ne viens pas au Hellfest, le Hellfest viendra à toi ! »
La dĂ©sormais cĂ©lĂšbre tournĂ©e Hellfest Warm-Up est de retour aprĂšs 2 ans de silence. À quelques mois de sa plus grande Ă©dition jamais organisĂ©e, l’équipe du Hellfest reprend la route au printemps 2022 pour vous replonger dans l’ambiance unique du festival et vous prĂ©parer Ă  une Ă©dition anniversaire qui s’annonce exceptionnelle !
Au programme 21 dates pour 21 soirĂ©es uniques dans tout l’Hexagone en compagnie des patrons du Punk français, Tagada Jones et des Thrasheurs espagnols de Crisix.
Retrouvez aussi un tas d’animations Ă  chaque Ă©tape : scĂ©nographie, projections, Air Guitar, photocall interactif, merch exclusif et sans oublier des pass Hellfest 2022 Ă  gagner chaque soir !

 

CONCERTS

– Tagada Jones (Punk Metal – Fr)
Plus d’un quart de siĂšcle que les TAGADA JONES tirent mĂ©thodiquement Ă  boulets rouges
avec une hargne invétérée sur tout ce qui les énerve : les dérives capitalistes, les inégalités
sociales, le sexisme, le nucléaire et les cons ! Le tout sur fond de punk rock sautillant, avec
des refrains fédérateurs (la marque du groupe) et un propos musical durci par une influence
metal davantage affirmĂ©e qu’à ses dĂ©buts. Tout un programme en attendant de les voir sur
la MS 2 en juin prochain !

– Crisix (Thrash Metal – Espagne)
Depuis 2009, CRISIX jouit d’une progression exponentielle qui ne doit rien au hasard tant le
thrash speedé et survolté proposé par les Hispaniques fait honneur aux classiques du
genre. AprĂšs un set sans public au Hellfest From Home 2021 qui a quand mĂȘme calmĂ© tout
le monde, les pizzaĂŻolos du Thrash vont profiter de cette Warm-Up pour remettre les
pendules Ă  l’heure pour une distribution gĂ©nĂ©rale de tartes dont ils ont le secret !

ANIMATIONS 🎉

🎾GRAND CONCOURS DE AIR GUITAR 🎾
Rendez-vous chaque soir pour le grand concours de “Air Guitar » animĂ© par Jimmy Clisson
( MC officiel de la Fédération Française de Air Guitar ) et à travers deux vagues de
compĂ©tition oĂč s’affrontent 2 X 10 candidats. Les gagnants repartiront avec un Pass pour le
Hellfest 2022 ! (Les inscriptions se font directement sur place, sur notre stand de air guitar –
premier arrivé, premier inscrit !)
Tous les gagnants seront conviés à participer à la grande finale de air guitar qui aura lieu sur
la Hellstage le jeudi 16 juin 2022. Le grand gagnant sera sacré champion Hellfest et sera
récompensé par un pass 2023 !

📾 PHOTOBOOTH INTERACTIF by ImmortalizR 📾
Faites vous tirer le portrait par notre photographe Immortalizer sur notre photocall interactif.
En plus d’une photo souvenir, vous repartirez peut-ĂȘtre avec un Pass pour le Hellfest 2022 !

đŸŽ„ PROJECTION VIDEO HELLFEST đŸŽ„
Replongez dans l’ambiance du festival Ă  travers une vidĂ©o inĂ©dite tournĂ©e lors de l’édition
2019 … quelques minutes d’immersion pour vous prĂ©parer Ă  l’édition 2022

🧱 MERCHANDISING EXCLUSIF 🧱
Un nouveau stand de merchandising exclusif est disponible sur place avec une multitude de
produits Hellfest.

🎁 SURPRISES 🎁
Tous les participants sont invités à récupérer quelques cadeaux de bienvenue pendant la
soirée (gobelets collector & goodies de nos partenaires)

đŸ€ RENCONTRE AVEC L’ÉQUIPE đŸ€
Une partie de l’équipe de production du festival sera sur place, n’hĂ©sitez pas Ă  les solliciter
et à les interroger. Ils se feront une joie de pouvoir capturer vos témoignages et réclamations
et de répondre à toutes vos questions durant la soirée !

1 – 2 – 3 AVRIL : “FIRE & ICE” – FLAINE – Ski Resort (+ HELLBANGERZ / Sans Tagada
Jones & Get The Shot)
Pour son tour de chauffe, la tournĂ©e Warm-up s’installe sur la station de ski de Flaine, pour
une “FIRE & ICE” party de 3 jours avec le groupe HELLBANGERZ (pour un set de reprises
des classiques du rock / metal), mais aussi du air guitar, dj set, merch spĂ©cial et d’autres
surprises au pied des pistes.
20 AVRIL : RENNES – L’Étage
21 AVRIL : PARIS – Le Bataclan (+ AS THEY BURN)
22 AVRIL : NANCY – L’Autre Canal
23 AVRIL : BESANÇON – La Rodia
24 AVRIL : LENS – La ScĂšne – MusĂ©e du Louvre-Lens
25 AVRIL : REIMS – La Cartonnerie
26 AVRIL : LYON – Ninkasi
27 AVRIL : ISTRES – L’Usine
28 AVRIL : NÎMES – Paloma
29 AVRIL : LIMOGES – CCM
30 AVRIL : CALAIS – Centre GĂ©rard Philipe
1er MAI : CHÂTEAUROUX – Firemaster Convention (Sans Tagada Jones & Get The Shot)
2 MAI : CLERMONT-FERRAND – La CoopĂ©rative de Mai
3 MAI : TOULOUSE – Metronum
4 MAI : BORDEAUX – Rock School Barbey
5 MAI : ORLÉANS – L’Astrolabe
6 MAI : BREST – La CarĂšne
7 MAI : NANTES – La CitĂ© des CongrĂ©s (+ HANGMAN’S CHAIR + HELLBANGERZ)
——
See you on the road !
Merci à tous nos partenaires de nous aider dans cette nouvelle aventure itinérante :
RTL2, Sacem, CSTAR, Greetings From Hell, Dr. Martens France, Cartel Concerts, HYRAW
clothing, Flibustier Paris, PLP publicité, Flaine Ski Resort, Geek Me More, CrÚve, La Cité des Congrés Nantes

 

 

HELL’TOUR: Three days to discover the beautiful region around HELLFEST

🌍 HELL’TOUR 🌍

As you know, this year, Hellfest extends over 2 weekends of festivities with a break from Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 June.

For the marathon runners who are going to chain the two editions (or those who want to extend / start the festivities), Le Vignoble de Nantes has prepared a tailor-made and special “Hell’Tour” guide for you (which has nothing to envy to the famous ” Guide du Routard”) to help you discover our magnificent vineyards and the Nantes region between the two weekends with various activities:


📾 – Visits: ChĂąteau de Clisson, Domaine de la Garenne Lemot, guided tour of Clisson special Hellfest…

đŸ· – Gastronomy: Hellfest Wine Tour, Antipasti Tasting, Trip to the Vineyard…

đŸ„Ÿ – Sport: Hiking in the vineyard, Canoe-Kayak on the SĂšvre…

🚌 – Discovery Days with transport to Nantes, on the Atlantic Coast, to Bluebeard’s castle in Tiffauge…

The guide can be found here âžĄïž https://bit.ly/36zCshg

Other activities and events are being programmed and will be added as they go on the Office’s website: https://www.levignobledenantes-tourisme.com/…/hellfest/

JAMES LABRIE Lashes Out On Stage Over Lip-Sync Allegations

DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie has denied allegations that he uses pre-recorded vocal tracks during live performances.

The rumor that LaBrie has been relying on pre-recorded backing tracks got more popular last month after fan videos of DREAM THEATER‘s current North American tour were shared online. Some fans have pointed precisely to the post-chorus of the DREAM THEATER song “Bridges In The Sky” where the alleged lip syncing occurs.

LaBrie finally addressed the Internet during DREAM THEATER‘s concert this past Friday (March 18) at Bayou Music Center in Houston, Texas. He told the crowd: “I’m gonna fucking clarify something for you now, okay? People have been saying I’m fucking lip syncing? Fuck you. Fucking, what is wrong with people online?”

He then apologized to the audience for his outburst, noting that he and his DREAM THEATER bandmates launched their current tour more than six weeks ago. “I guess I’m losing my mind because I’m almost at the end of a [tour] leg,” he said.

 

Jinjer’s T-Shirt Campaign Raised Over 130K Euros For Ukraine

The Metal World has felt for the Ukrainian Rockers Jinjer during Putin’s invasion of their home country, the band reacted immediately against this invasion and posted various posts to update the fans about their saftey.

Later on, the band started a campaign of limited-edition T-shirts which celebrated their heritage and featured the slogan, “WE WANT OUR HOME BACK”

Jinjer posted the following update on their fundraising campaign via their Facebook page:
 
Dear friends! Over 11,000 Donation Tee‘s sold and 130.000€ raised in the last few weeks! Your support will not only help so many people in need but sends a much needed positive sign that they are not alone.
The first donations totaling 10K have already been sent to a bomb shelter in Kyiv housing and protecting 300 people, and a Slovakian humanitarian convoy collecting urgent medical supplies, food and clothing to be delivered Uzhgorod for refugees from the Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions who have been hit hard since the war started.
More updates on where and who your donations have helped will be posted soon!
On behalf of the entire band, crew, label and all of Ukraine – WE THANK YOU!
For those of you that have not grabbed a shirt yet, both designs are available here:
 

Footage: MACHINE HEAD Rejoined By Guitarist LOGAN MADER For ‘The More Things Change
’ 25th-Anniversary Play-Through

MACHINE HEAD celebrated the 25th anniversary of the band’s second studio LP, “The More Things Change
”, with a special full-album play-through this past Friday, March 18 at 3:00 p.m. PDT.

Joining MACHINE HEAD‘s Robb Flynn and Jared MacEachern for the event was original “The More Things Change
” guitarist Logan Mader. You can watch the full performance below.

Released in 1997, “The More Things Change…” was MACHINE HEAD‘s last LP to feature Mader, and the first to feature drummer Dave McClain. The album reached No. 138 on the Billboard 200 chart in 1997, and as of 2002 had sold over 115,000 copies in the United States. In 2020, it was named one of the 20 best metal albums of 1997 by Metal Hammer magazine.

 

‘Impera’ Tops The Charts, GHOST’s New Album

Swedish rockers GHOST released their firth studio album “Impera”on March 11. One week later, “Impera” has registered the following first-week chart positions in Europe, according to the band’s record label, Loma Vista Recordings:

Germany: #1 (highest-ever in Germany)
Sweden: #1
U.K.: #2 (highest-ever in the UK)
Netherlands: #2 (highest-ever in Netherlands)
Belgium: #2 (the band’s highest-ever position in Belgium)
Norway: #2
Australia: #3 (the band’s highest-ever position in Australia)
France: #5 (the band’s highest-ever position in France)
Ireland: #5 (highest-ever in Ireland)
Italy: #20 (highest-ever in Italy)

“Impera” was produced by Klas Åhlund and mixed by Andy Wallace.

GHOST‘s co-headlining tour with VOLBEAT kicked off on January 25 at the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada and concluded on March 3 in Anaheim, California.

In March 2020, at the final show of GHOST‘s “Prequelle” tour in Mexico City, Mexico, the band introduced Papa Emeritus IV, the new character who is fronting the act for its “Impera” album phase.

Tobias Forge performed as a “new” Papa Emeritus on each of the band’s first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of “Prequelle”.

“Impera” Cover art was designed by Zbigniew M. Bielak

Impera track listing
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. “Imperium” Tobias Forge 1:40
2. “Kaisarion” Forge, Joakim Berg 5:02
3. “Spillways” Forge, Salem Al Fakir, Vincent Pontare 3:16
4. “Call Me Little Sunshine” Forge, Max Grahn 4:44
5. “Hunter’s Moon” Forge, Grahn 3:16
6. “Watcher in the Sky” Forge, Al Fakir, Pontare 5:48
7. “Dominion” Forge, Al Fakir, Pontare 1:22
8. “Twenties” Forge, Al Fakir, Pontare 3:46
9. “Darkness at the Heart of My Love” Forge, Al Fakir, Pontare 4:58
10. “Griftwood” Forge, Peter Svensson, Klas Åhlund 5:16
11. “Bite of Passage” Forge 0:31
12. “Respite on the Spitalfields” Forge, Berg 6:42