West coast thrash metal veterans Metal Church have released another song from their upcoming 13th studio album, Congregation of Annihilation. The new track “Making Monsters” puts the musicianship of new vocalist Marc Lopes, founding guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof, guitarist Rick Van Zandt, bassist Steve Unger and drummer Stet Howland on full display in 2023. The new song comes on the heels of the recently released “Pick A God and Prey” which jumped over 100K views in 3 weeks and shows the band is still converting new fans even today. “Making Monsters” is available via all digital service providers and a static visualizer for the new song can be seen here:
About “Making Monsters,” Kurdt Vanderhoof comments: “Keeping with the Metal Church tradition of combining the heavy and aggressive sound of thrash metal while injecting a good dose of melody and hooks, ‘Making Monsters’ is a track that showcases what we have done for over 30 years. It has the comfort of old school Metal Church while showcasing how our signature sound has evolved. The band is firing on all cylinders.”
Marc Lopes adds: “Just a dark, creepy, heavy ass driving tune that is lyrically based from the book Making Monsters: The Uncanny Power of Dehumanization by David Livingstone Smith – a truly terrifying read. It’s based on actual real-life research. The dehumanizing of others that transforms them into something so terrifying that they must be destroyed. Deep, philosophical and psychological stuff here, just another day in my train of thought.“
Congregation of Annihilation is scheduled for release on May 26th via Rat Pak Records (America) and Reaper Entertainment (Europe). The features nine all new tracks from Metal Church and continues to build upon their iconic sound the band established over three decades ago. Infused with intelligent lyrical content, thundering guitar riffs, and Marc’s aggressive soaring vocals, Congregation of Annihilation furthers the band’s sonic evolution up to the next level and is guaranteed to enthrall metal music fans around the world. From the first guitar riff of album opener “Another Judgement Day” through the driving outro of album closer “All That We Destroy,” it is clear Metal Church is back and better than ever. “Congregation of Annihilation,” “Children of the Lie” and “These Violent Thrills” showcase the sonically charged songwriting that made the early Metal Church albums such fan favorites. The album also features two bonus tracks: “My Favorite Sin” and “Salvation.” Congregation of Annihilation was produced by Kurdt Vanderhoof and is now available for pre-order in various bundle configurations in North America here: https://lnk.to/KiCQKfn1.
The tracklisting forCongregation Of Annihilation is:
1) Another Judgement Day
2) Congregation of Annihilation
3) Pick A God and Prey
4) Children of the Lie
5) Me The Nothing
6) Making Monsters
7) Say a Prayer with 7 Bullets
8) These Violent Thrills
9) All That We Destroy
10) My Favorite Sin (Bonus Track)
11) Salvation (Bonus Track)
Born out of the West Coast Metal scene of the 80’s, Metal Church quickly became one of the standout talents of the genre. After signing a deal with Elektra records, they released two critically acclaimed albums, their self-titled release Metal Church and The Dark. With the heavy metal scene starting to rise in the U.S., Metal Church set out on a very successful tour with label mates Metallica. They tackled political and social issues of the day with the releases of Blessing In Disguise and The Human Factor with vocalist Mike Howe. At a time when heavy metal bands moved from the underground and became part of the hair band/pop fad, Metal Church stayed true to their roots. In March of 2016, Metal Church reunited with Mike Howe and released their eleventh studio album XI that reached #57 on the Billboard Top 200 and landed on several other charts around the globe. Metal Church’s next studio album Damned If You Dowas the follow up to XI and landed on numerous charts around the globe in 2018. Now with Marc Lopes taking over vocal duties, Metal Church is ready to start a new chapter in their impressive canon with Congregation Of Annihilation.
Bristol-based rock trio Krooked Tongue are pleased to announce the release of their second studio EP Deathproof, on May 5th 2023.
The EP’s previous two singles Lupines and Velociraptor were championed by the likes of Ones To Watch, Loudwire, Louder Than War Radio, Sirius XM and BBC Introducing Bristol and have seen the band go on to secure slots at festivals such as Icebreaker, Burn It Down and Estonia’s Tallinn Music Week.
Krooked Tongue burst onto the scene in 2019 with the release of their celebrated debut single ‘I Wanna Steal Your Car’. The band spent 2020 honing in on a more refined studio sound with Josh Gallop (Phoxjaw, Mother Vulture) at Stage 2 Studios in Bath, helping to replicate their formidable live act.
The result of this was their critically acclaimed debut EP ‘No Vacancy Hotel’ released in February of 2022, which has since amassed over 160,000 streams and saw support from the likes of Ones To Watch, HardBeat Magazine and Distorted Sound Mag.
Their upcoming second EP Deathproof perfectly highlights the band’s evolution; there’s a refreshed maturity to their songwriting and an evident progression in their sound. Fusing punchy, melodic bass riffs, searing lead guitar lines, thundering Seb Granger inspired drum sounds and the cool, collective swagger of Rainsford’s catchy vocals, Deathproof is without doubt their strongest work to date. Discussing their new direction, the band state, “‘Deathproof’ as a body of work is our best to date, it’s been a gradual evolution. Like altering the DNA ever so slightly to ultimately create a more
pronounced shift. It’s still our sounds and our values but the songs are progressing in a more fleshed out way. They sound better. Everything is more exciting to create each time. 2022 was our first proper year as a full fledged band and it was crazy how fulfilling it was, but this EP is the catalyst in springboarding us in a new direction of being a more refined outfit.”
Alongside the EP’s release comes its title track Deathproof which spearheads the frustration of an ever changing world with an explosive message that cries out with a big ‘fuck you’ to the everyday rhetoric and media influence. “‘Deathproof’ is the sort of tune that feels like the climax of our newer tunes. It’s got that ‘grand finale’ energy. Lyrically, it ruminates on my outlook on the state of the world currently. Bad people disguised as good people, normal people being used and pitted against each other. The instinct to know there’s something, many things off kilter with the direction modern society is heading. I think it relates to people. If nothing else, we hope this EP helps to feed into your feelings, or helps you forget about all that noise and just enjoy the music”, explains vocalist and lyricist Oli Rainsford.
Second Single From New Studio Album ‘Mirror To The Sky’ Out 5/19
YES—Steve Howe, Geoff Downes, Jon Davison, Billy Sherwood and Jay Schellen—have today (April 26) released “All Connected,” the second single from their upcoming studio album MIRROR TO THE SKY out May 19 on InsideOutMusic/Sony Music. Watch the video below:
Jon Davison comments: “I, along with my Yes band mates are excited to announce that the second single from our new album ‘Mirror to the Sky’ is out now. It’s entitled ‘All Connected,’ and it’s a longer piece, clocking in at a challenging 9 minutes. Steve added a beautifully poignant instrumental steel part which starts the journey. This section emotionally builds and crescendos into a glorious lead way for the vocals to begin telling their story. Billy composed complex and compelling musical themes which I helped to arrange, and we both composed vocals and lyrics, each of us singing our respective parts, making for a rich vocal tapestry.”
Billy Sherwood adds: “The initial idea came from a musical sketch I’d created using the idea of our ‘connectivity’ in regard to communications in the modern age. It’s very exciting to know YES are maintaining that edge and energy we all know and love. This track is firing on all cylinders. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did creating it.”
“This is a very important album for the band,” says Steve Howe, YES’ longest serving member, master guitarist, and producer of MIRROR TO THE SKY. “We kept the continuity in the approach we established on The Quest, but we haven’t repeated ourselves. That was the main thing. As Yes did in the seventies from one album to another, we’re growing and moving forward. In later years, Yes often got going but then didn’t do the next thing. This album is demonstrative of us growing, and building again.”
For YES, that “next thing” is a collection of high energy, intricate, lush and layered new studio songs for an album which adds to the band’s much heralded legacy, while charting a path to exciting future times ahead.
As they were wrapping up their previous album The Quest, YES found themselves with song sketches, structures, and ideas that were demanding attention. YES received unconditional support from InsideOut boss Thomas Waber, who encouraged them to keep going in the studio, months before The Quest would even go on sale. It was like throwing gasoline on their creative fire.
“When we delivered everything, and they were just getting the vinyl and everything into production for manufacturing, we were still very much in that creative zone,” explains Steve Howe. “That belief that Thomas had in us really meant a lot,” he says.
“We truly get along as people,” says Jon Davison. “I feel like everyone’s focused inward to the greater circle, concentric to the core of highest standards that define Yes. It’s a wonderful thing to witness and of which to play a part. I believe this reflects vibrantly in the music and the creative input that each one is willing to apply, not for the benefit of the individual, but for the greater whole that is Yes.”
“There was a lot of material floating around because the band hadn’t done anything in the studio for so long. Ideas were just copious,” says bassist Billy Sherwood. “The pace of it was fast. As soon as we were finished with The Quest, and the mix had come out, we took a couple of little breaks there to catch our breath. But there was still music flowing around in the loop. It was just constantly being looked at and worked on. As we were all home and in that mode, things started progressing quite swiftly. We just went one album into another without really announcing, ‘Hey, we’re working on a second record right now.’ We just continued to work on material. It came about pretty naturally, and then we refined it as the process went on. But the initial bursts — there was a lot of material around!”
Much to everyone’s delight, including that of longtime-fan Thomas Waber, YES have pushed into territory they practically invented the prog rock epic—albeit in a thoroughly new and modern way. “I always felt that it would be great to have stuff that’s a little bit more epic,” he says, although he resisted the temptation to push for something that would be too formatted and could come off as contrived. He just gave the band space to do what they do and let things develop. “They were so excited by The Quest and the momentum they had that they went straight back in to the studio. What they were writing, even early on, was obviously headed in that epic direction—what Yes music really is to me. It is almost a genre onto itself. It is ‘Yes Music.’ Mirror To The Sky certainly is Yes Music.”
MIRROR TO THE SKY features not one, but four tracks clocking in at over eight minutes, with the sweeping and cinematic title track coming in just shy of fourteen minutes. What’s more, the tracks, like Yes’ best, take the listener on a wide dynamically ranging journey of soundscapes which also showcase Steve Howe’s dazzling guitars, Jon Davison’s angelic, crystalline vocals, Billy Sherwood’s deftly dancing bass, keyboard wizard Geoff Downes’ impeccable sounds, exquisite melodies and fills, and Jay Schellen’s masterfully controlled explosions, on drums.
Jay Schellen, who has been touring with the band since 2016, was hand-picked to step into his mentor and friend Alan White’s role when White sadly passed away in 2022. “I had done the 2016 Topographic Drama tour on my own for Alan,” says Jay. “From late 2017 onwards, we had a partnership, and a beautiful partnership, I might add. I learned so much, and discovered so much about Alan’s style, and why it was the way it was. It fit his personality so perfectly. This album has Alan’s presence all over it. It is inside of us. So this is still, in my heart, Alan just being present and with us, and with me, in a big way.”
BEAST IN BLACK is back! The Finnish-Hungarian-Greek powerhouse has announced their awaited return to North America will take place in Fall 2023 with special guests DANCE WITH THE DEAD. Touring in support of their critically acclaimed latest album “Dark Connection,” the band will kick off the excursion in Atlanta, GA for ProgPower USA on September 7th and will wrap things up in Winter Park, FL on October 15th.
Commenting on the tour the band says:
“After our first North American tour in May 2022, we were thrilled to come back as soon as possible. We promised, and finally the time has come to hit the stages again in the USA and in Canada with a longer and stronger set and with a great special guest; Dance with the Dead! Get ready for the Beast!”
BEAST IN BLACK will offer a ticket pre-sale beginning April 26 at 11:00AM EST. Tickets will be available to the general public on Friday, April 28th at 10:00AM Local Time. Visit https://beastinblack.com/tour.php for more info.
BEAST IN BLACK Tour Dates: Sept 7 – Atlanta, GA – ProgPower USA Sept 8 – Richmond, VA – The Canal Club Sept 9 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage Sept 10 – Millvale, PA – Mr. Smalls Theatre Sept 11 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre Sept 12 – Harrisburg, PA – Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center Sept 13 – Cambridge, MA – The Middle East Sept 15 – Quebec City, QC – Imperial Bell Sept 16 – Montreal, QC – Club Soda Sept 17 – Toronto, ON – The Axis Club Theatre Sept 20 – Winnipeg, MB – The Park Theatre Sept 21 – Saskatoon, SK – Louis’ Sept 22 – Calgary, AB – Dickens Sept 23 – Edmonton, AB – The Starlite Room Sept 25 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre Sept 26 – Seattle, WA – Substation Seattle Sept 27 – Portland, OR – Star Theater Sept 29 – Roseville, CA – Goldfield Trading Post Sept 30 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory Oct 1 – Mesa, AZ – Nile Theater Oct 3 – Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall Oct 4 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre Oct 6 – Dallas, TX – Granada Theater Oct 7 – San Antonio, TX – The Rock Box Oct 8 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall Oct 9 – Baton Rouge, LLA – Chelsea’s Live Oct 10 – Birmingham, AL – Saturn Oct 11 – Nashville, TN – Exit/In Oct 13 – West Palm Beach, FL – Respectable Street Oct 14 – Tampa, FL – The Orpheum Oct 15 – Winter Park, FL – The Conduit
BEAST IN BLACK’s monstrous record, “Dark Connection,” was released in 2021 and features massive heavy metal tracks like “Moonlight Rendezvous,” “Blade Runner,” “One Night In Tokyo,” “Hardcore” and “Broken Survivors.”
Progressive death metal legends ATHEIST are proud to announce they are heading on tour this summer with co-headliners CYNIC on the “FOCUS AND PRESENCE TOUR 2023”. The North American trek presented by Pull the Plug Patches will feature the special 30th anniversary sets celebrating 30 years of CYNIC‘s Focus and ATHEIST‘s Piece of Time, Unquestionable Presence,and Elements releases. The tour will kick off in Austin on June 10th and will make stops in Seattle, Toronto, and Boston before concluding in Greensboro on July 9th.
ATHEIST‘s Kelly Shaefer comments, “This tour has been something that Paul (Cynic) and I have been talking about in some capacity since we were in our early 20s. It’s surreal to share a 30-year milestone together, and this tour will showcase for us a chance to play songs from our first 3 records as a special trilogy anniversary set, including songs not performed live in decades. Two titans of technical progressive metal coming together for a unicorn of a tour….one you will not want to miss!
“I’m also excited to announce that joining me on this tour and beyond will be an all-new lineup of ATHEIST! These four straight killers of musicians will be alongside me as ATHEIST heads out with CYNIC to celebrate 30 years of our first three albums Piece of Time, Unquestionable Presence. and turning 30 this year 1993’s Elements!
“We’ll be playing tracks from those three albums exclusively in one of the longest sets we’ve ever done! The set will include several songs that have not been played live in three decades. I’ve just returned from rehearsals in San Diego with these beasts and joining returning bassist Yoav-Ruiz Feingold (Graviton) and myself to round out Atheist are Dylan Marks (Fermentor/Beekeeper) on drums, Alex Hadaad (Arkaik/Dessiderium) on guitar and Jerry Witunsky (Ancient Death) on guitar.
“I couldn’t be more excited to perform this special set with such talented players. They have shown tremendous respect for the music and the attention to detail needed to pull off these songs live. Talk is cheap, right? So be sure to secure your tickets early to the ‘Focus and Presence North American Tour 2023’ to see for yourself and help us celebrate alongside our brothers in CYNIC who will be performing a special 30th Anniversary Set for their release “Focus” as well. See you on the road!!”
General admission tickets for the tour will be available for purchase this Friday, April 28th at 9 AM PST/ 12 PM EST. Purchase tickets here: https://bnds.us/djg89l
Confirmed dates for ATHEIST and CYNIC‘s “FOCUS AND PRESENCE TOUR 2023” presented by Pull The PlugPatches are: 6/10/23: Austin, TX @ Come and Take it Live 6/11/23: Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater 6/12/23: Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad 6/13/23: Mesa, AZ @ Nile Theater 6/14/23: San Diego, CA @ Brick by Brick 6/16/23: Las Vegas, NV @ Backstage Bar 6/17/23: Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom 6/19/23: Portland, OR @ Bossonova Ballroom 6/20/23: Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theater 6/21/23: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon 6/23/23: Salt Lake City, UT @ Soundwell 6/24/23: Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater 6/25/23: Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck 6/26/23: Milwaukee, WI @ X-Ray Arcade 6/27/23: Chicago, IL @ Reggies 6/29/23: Ft. Wayne, IN @ Piere’s 6/30/23: Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary 7/01/23: Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Place 7/02/23: Quebec City, QC @ La Source de la Martinière 7/03/23: Montreal, QC @ Fairmount Theater 7/05/23: Boston, MA @ Middle-East Downstairs 7/06/23: New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge 7/07/23: Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage 7/08/23: Richmond, VA @ Canal Club 7/09/23: Greensboro, NC @ Hangar 1819
Earlier this year, ATHEIST re-released their entire discography, comprised of 4 albums that span the band’s 30-year career, on all streaming services worldwide. The return to digital platforms was the first phase of a comprehensive re-issue campaign. The second phase offers their albums in various physical formats with all-new revised layouts. All four studio albums will be available on CD and vinyl on July 14th via Nuclear Blast.
ATHEIST‘s Kelly Shaefer comments, “We are proud to bring the musical catalog of ATHEIST to the mighty Nuclear Blast. We couldn’t ask for a better place to land the musical creations of ATHEIST that now span over 30 years. It’s exciting to know that our music will be made available on all formats by the biggest metal label on EARTH!”
Today, multi-platinum rap rock band Hollywood Undead share the music video for “House of Mirrors” featuring multi-genre sensation Jelly Roll. Available exclusively on the digital version of Hotel KaliforniaDeluxe, the song is a story of self-reflection and was co-written with Jelly Roll in a studio session last year. Check out the video below.
“I’ve been a fan of Hollywood Undead for a long time — it was surreal to get to work with them,” shares Jelly Roll. “Everything just clicked in the studio that day the record is a perfect representation of where we all were at that point in our lives.”
“‘House of Mirrors’ is a song of self-reflection and redemption,” Hollywood Undead’s Johnny 3 Tears shares. “No matter how far you run you can’t escape the person staring back at you in the mirror. One day we all have to face ourselves… and hopefully we can look back and not have to look away at what we see.”
Hotel KaliforniaDeluxe, the deluxe version of Hollywood Undead’s eighth studio album Hotel Kaliforniais out Friday, April 28 on both digital and vinyl formats via BMG.
Hotel Kalifornia, originally released in 2022, represents “a juxtaposition between the ‘haves’ and the ’have-nots,’ highlighting the ongoing homelessness and cost of living crisis that is affecting the band’s home state of California.” The album highlights the best aspects of what Hollywood Undead has become known for, garnering support from Revolver, SPIN, New Noise Magazine. Hotel Kalifornia also saw placements on genre playlists such as Spotify’s Rock Hard, Hard Rock & Rock Rotation, Apple Music’s Breaking Hard Rock & New in Rock, and Top 40 placement at US Rock & Active Rock Radio with the standout single “City Of The Dead.”
HOTEL KALIFORNIA DELUXE TRACKLIST
CHAOS
World War Me
Ruin My Life
Hourglass
Go To War
Alone At The Top
Wild In These Streets
Dangerous
Lion Eyes
Trap God
Happy When I Die
Reclaim
City Of The Dead
Alright
Evil
Salvation
First Class Suicide
Ransom
Break On Through
House Of Mirrors (feat. Jelly Roll)*
*Digital Deluxe ONLY
Hollywood Undead will make several festival appearances, co-headline appearances with Papa Roach, and headline throughout the spring and summer worldwide with Bamboozle Festival, and international festivals including Rock Im Park, Rock Am Ring, Nova Rock, Hellfest, and more. For tickets and more information, visit www.hollywoodundead.com.
SPRING/SUMMER FESTIVALS
May 05-07 – Atlantic City, NJ @ Bamboozle Festival
Jun. 02 – Nürnberg, Germany @ Rock Im Park
Jun. 03 – Nürburg, Germany @ Rock Am Ring
Jun. 06 – Padova, Italy @ Parca Della Musica with Papa Roach
Jun. 08 – Interlaken, Switzerland @ Greenfield Festival
Jun. 09 – Hradec, Czech Republic @ Rock For People
Jun. 10 – Nickelsdorf, Austria @ Nova Rock
Jun. 12 – Bratislava, Slovakia @ Refinery Gallery
Jun. 13 – Veszprem, Hungary @ Gyarkert with Papa Roach
Jun. 16 – Dessel, Belgium @ Graspop Metal Meeting
Jun. 17 – Luxembourg @ Rockhal with Papa Roach
Jun. 18 – Clisson, France @ Hellfest
Jun. 19 – Bremen, Germany @ Pier 2 with Papa Roach
Jun. 20 – Freiberg, Germany @ SICK Arena with Papa Roach
Jun. 23 – Ysselsteyn, Netherlands @ Jera On Air Festival
Jun. 24 – Münster, Germany @ Vainstream Rockfest
ABOUT HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD
Not long after the turn of the century, a collective of friends congregated around a common vision bred in the gutters and back alleys of Hollywood, CA. Under the influence of everything from gritty nineties hip-hop to industrial metal (not to mention cheap booze), they climbed out of similar experiences in poverty and hardship and vaulted to the forefront of 21st century rock music on their own terms.
To this day, Hollywood Undead hinges on the bond of five individuals who relay such raw experiences into relatable anthems. However, the platinum-certified quintet—Johnny 3 Tears, J-Dog, Funny Man, Charlie Scene, and Danny—tell their story like never before on their recently released eighth full-length album, Hotel Kalifornia [Dove & Grenade Media/BMG].
“Hotel Kalifornia brings me back to a time when all that mattered was music,” adds J-Dog. “The only thing I gave a shit about was going to shows. That was it.”
Throughout 2021, the boys recorded in Nashville and Los Angeles with producers Erik Ron (I Prevail, Godsmack), Andrew Migliore (Sueco, Zero 9:36 Papa Roach), and Drew Fulk (Ice Nine Kills, Lil Wayne, Lil Peep). Working face-to-face, Hollywood Undead rekindled the unbridled intensity of their formative material, yet with refinement only possible through years of grinding on the road.
“When you listen to Hotel Kalifornia, I hope you see how far we’ve come,” Johnny 3 Tears leaves off. “J-Dog and Charlie Scene are completely different songwriters than they were 15 years ago. I’m so impressed by everyone in the band. The only thing we give a fuck about is the audience and trying to get better on each record.”
“After all of these years, people on the outside really have a hard time believing we’re still best friends,” J-Dog adds. “We’ve stayed this close even with all of the shit we’ve been through. Usually, bands break up friendships, but we’re best friends—and we always will be.”
Covet, the Bay Area trio who recently released catharsis, an album Guitar World dubbed as “pure escapism” and Kerrang! described as “a wondrous journey,” have released a third video from the eight song collection, debuting “coronal” this morning:
“’coronal’ was the clear choice of an album opener,” Yvette Young explains. “It’s sonically so different from a lot of what we’ve previously released and I wanted to start this sonic ‘journey’ impactfully. It’s the only song with clear cut vocals and the lyrics with escapism from a crumbling world. I was hoping the final line, ‘I enter the void again,” would read like an open invitation to dive into the instrumental fantasy world that follows the first track.”
The Tom Flynn-directed video continues that theme of escapism, featuring the band, clad in matching red suits, performing against a neon-lit backdrop. Previous video releases from catharsis include “firebird,” which saw Covet, in a nod to Young’s mother’s first American adventure, enjoying a ride in a red Firebird, and “lovespell,” a single Young describes as “a tribute to that feeling of being totally smitten by the joy of creating and feeling things deeply.”
Up next for the band is the continuation of their North American tour, which plays Brooklyn’s Brooklyn Bowl this evening, and the launch of the catharsis gallery, a virtual exhibit featuring fan-curated photos, videos, artwork and other artistic mediums. Fans can submit their artwork here: catharsis.covettheband.com.
catharsis is available on a variety of limited-edition vinyl variants, as well as on CD, and digitally. A collection of catharsis-themed merch, featuring Young’s artwork, is also on-sale now. To order, and view the various pieces, visit: https://triplecrown.ffm.to/covet-catharsis.
Covet catharsis tour dates:
April 26 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Bowl
April 27 Boston, MA Royale
April 28 Philadelphia, PA Brooklyn Bowl
April 29 Vienna, VA Jammin’ Java
May 1 Asheville, NC The Grey Eagle
May 2 Nashville, TN Brooklyn Bowl
May 3 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade (Hell)
May 5 Dallas, TX Studio at The Factory
May 6 Austin, TX Scoot Inn
May 8 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad
May 10 Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom
May 11 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up
May 12 Los Angeles, CA The Roxy
May 13 Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst
July 28 Indianapolis, IN POST. Festival
September 1 Osaka, Japan Soma
September 2 Tokyo, Japan Daikanyama Space Odd
September 4 Tokyo, Japan Shibuya Club Quattro
Covet is Yvette Young (guitar/vocals), Brandon Dove (bass) and Jessica Burdeaux (drums). The Bay Area-born band have released three full-length albums since their 20XX inception: effloresce (2018), technicolor (2020), and catharsis (2023). Young, the band’s founding member, vocalist and guitar player, has been hailed as one of the era’s most prominent guitar players, with Guitar World describing her as a “two-hand tapping mastermind” and “one of today’s most inspiring players.” Her signature line of Ibanez guitars are as effervescent as covet’s music, available in a bright lime green and orange cream sparkle.
The Los Angeles-based rock trio, Return to Dust, have today released their debut single, “Black Road” alongside a dynamic music video directed by Matt Akana. Fans can stream “Black Road” here. Fans can also watch the brand new video for “Black Road” below.
Speaking on today’s news, co-vocalists Matty Joseph and Graham Stanush share:
“I feel like Black Road paints the perfect picture for what we wanted this project (RETURN TO DUST) to start as: this bright/exciting thing in front of us, but also a snapshot that captures such a dark scope our lives. And it’s extremely exciting to have this song, and many more, be actualized as an extension of our growing pains, our jaded youth, our bitter adolescence, and our continual grinding push to adulthood.“
Return to Dust, who are heavily inspired by the legendary Alice In Chains, have already cultivated a reputation in the local Los Angeles music scene without having released any music on streaming platforms. The release of “Black Road”marks the band’s first ever studio release, produced by none other than Jim Kaufman (Anti-Flag, Danny Worsnop, Night Riots, Helmet). With their remarkable cinematic approach, the rock trio are on track for an unforgettable year of touring and new music.
Los Angeles fans also have the chance to see Return to Dust LIVE at DBA256 on Saturday, April 29th.
Support comes from local metal favorites – Apolloson, Hexengarten, and Thredge.
Not only is Saturday’s show completely free for 21+ fans, but this will also be the live debut of Return to Dust‘s brand new single, “Black Road.“
BOUT RETURN TO DUST
‘How will you fare against the stress of life’
Return to Dusthas always felt like a hidden gem, a band that could have fallen straight from the 90’s, but stands proudly among the musical landscape of today. This is perhaps a gesture towards the timelessness of grunge’s existential yet relatable message, which spoke to and landed them 30+ recordings with decorated producer and mixer Jim Kaufman.
Despite this trajectory, the band had fallen into one of the myriad of “new band” curses, which is meticulously and quietly planning out their debut release. Thankfully, the band committed to their craft long before showing their faces, as singers Graham Stanush(bass) and Matty Joseph(guitar) formed an eternal bond growing up in the cement capital of Texas. The singers carried this passion to the west coast, where they met their then 16 year old guitarist Sebastian Gonzalez.
Now assimilated, Return to Dust has already made its mark, touring up and down the west coast, playing Vegas, Phoenix, every slummy bar in San Gabriel Valley, and personally gaining a stamp of approval from Matt Pinfield on KLOS —- the band is a ticking time bomb to hundreds of eager fans.
Their new single “Black Road” is a four on the floor heavy rock anthem about self-sacrifice, and forging your own path, released on all platforms April 27th.
Melbourne-based blackened deathcore group MÉLANCOLIA share their video for GOD TONGUE and unleash hell on debut album, HissThroughRottenTeeth, out now and streaming everywhere via Greyscale Records and Nuclear Blast Records.
MÉLANCOLIA’s debut album, HissThroughRottenTeeth immerses listeners in a torturous tale of birth, life and death. HissThroughRottenTeeth follows a fallen deity, cast down from a godly realm and met with the punishment of reincarnating as a human with a wealth of knowledge yet stripped entirely of power.
“Essentially the album is about the pain of existence and how we get no say in coming into this world,” says vocalist and songwriter Alex Hill.
The album traverses different stages of the deity’s miserable existence, doomed to repeat a painful cycle for all of eternity. MÉLANCOLIA sink their teeth into their monstrous storyline with eerie passages, guttural deliveries, and grotesque visuals, dispensing pure dread through their music.
After establishing themselves just last year with the single “Horror_Ethereal,” the band announced in February their signing to both Greyscale Records for Australia and New Zealand and Nuclear Blast for the rest of the world. Mélancolia may be fresh out the gates but they’re miles from the start line as the four-piece have crafted a unique sound that has already catapulted them to new heights.
MÉLANCOLIA unveiled their second single [Inure] alongside their album announcement in early March, which invited listeners into MÉLANCOLIA’s world of unease and doom, thematically inspired by sadomasochism and how it’s often used as a tactic to feel after experiencing a sense of numbness for so long.
“GOD TONGUE” becomes the latest video to shed from HissThroughRottenTeeth, sharing eerie visuals of a mortal monstrosity. The track observes organized religion and condemns those who follow for the wrong reasons.
MÉLANCOLIA echo a tormented entity trapped within the claws of despair, angst, and unnerving melancholy. Like messengers of darkness, Alex Hill takes his place at the forefront as vocalist, Joshua Taafe and Billy Morris join the fold as guitarists with Mason Page on drums. Storming through the gates of 2023 with a vengeance, Mélancolia played their first-ever show with Thy Art Is Murder on their Decade Of Hate Australian Tour in January alongside Starve and Justice For The Damned.
HissThroughRottenTeeth is available today, Friday April 21 via Greyscale Records and Nuclear Blast.
With the recent completion of their successful 30-city North American Pawns & Kings Tour, rockers Alter Bridge are announcing the next leg of dates in the NA market. Keeping the family vibe going from the last tour, longtime friends Sevendust and recent tourmates Mammoth WVH will be joining Alter Bridge on this run. The tour kicks off August 1st in Buffalo, NY and end August 31st in Council Bluffs, IA. The tour will make stops in Asbury Park, NJ; Richmond, VA; Quebec City, QC and San Antonio, TX to name a few markets. MJT – the Long Island trio of brothers – will join the last seven stops of the tour. Tickets will be available everywhere starting Friday, April 28th. Complete individual routing, ticket information and VIP experiences for each band for the shows can be found on each band’s website listed below:
Aug 1 – BUFFALO, NY – Outer Harbor Event Complex ^
Aug 2 – ASBURY PARK, NJ – Stone Pony Summer Stage ^
Aug 4 – CHARLESTOWN, WV – The Event Center at Hollywood Casino *^
Aug 5 – GRANTVILLE, PA – Hollywood Casino Outdoors ^
Aug 7 – RICHMOND, VA – Virginia Credit Union LIVE! ^
Aug 8 – CLEVELAND, OH – Jacobs Pavilion ^
Aug 10 – QUEBEC CITY, QC – Agora Port de Québec ^
Aug 12 – MASHANTUCKET, CT – The Premier Theater (at Foxwoods Resort Casino) ^
Aug 13 – JOHNSTOWN, PA – 1st Summit Arena ^
Aug 16 – SPRINGFIELD, IL – Illinois State Fair #^
Aug 17 – FAYETTEVILLE, AR – JJ’s Live *^
Aug 19 – CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – Concrete Street Amphitheater ^
Aug 20 – SAN ANTONIO, TX – Boeing Center at Tech Port ^
Aug 22 – MEMPHIS, TN – Orpheum Theatre *
Aug 23 – CINCINNATI, OH – Andrew J Brady Music Center *
Aug 25 – GRAND RAPIDS, MI – GLC Live at 20 Monroe *
Aug 26 – MILWAUKEE, WI – The Eagles Ballroom *
Aug 28 – FARGO, ND – Outdoors at Fargo Brewing *
Aug 29 – MINNEAPOLIS, MN – The Fillmore *
Aug 31 – COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Harrah’s Stir Concert Cove *
* No Mammoth WVH
# No Sevendust
^ No MJT
Alter Bridge is touring in support of their seventh studio album Pawns & Kings that was released worldwide on October 14th. The new album – from the quartet comprised of Myles Kennedy on vocals/guitars, Mark Tremonti on guitars/vocals, Brian Marshall on bass and Scott Phillips on drums – continues to build on the sound that the band’s faithful have grown to love from the band. The band has released official videos for “Holiday” and “Silver Tongue” as well as lyric videos for the title track “Pawns & Kings,” the popular “Sin After Sin” and album opener “This Is War.” These songs all found their way into the band’s set list during the last tour. Pawns & Kings found its way on numerous 2022 year-end lists around the world and was produced by longtime collaborator Michael “Elvis” Baskette. More information about Pawns & Kings as well as the upcoming tour dates can be found at: https://alterbridge.com.
Sevendust recently announced their fourteenth studio album Truth Killer scheduled for worldwide release on July 28th. The GRAMMY® Award-nominated legends – comprised of Lajon Witherspoon, Clint Lowery, John Connolly, Vince Hornsby and Morgan Rose – sound as relevant today as they did on their 1997 self-titled debut. Producer, friend and collaborator Michael “Elvis” Baskette returned to produce Truth Killer. The new album is available for pre-order in multiple configurations here: http://lnk.to/Sevendust-TruthKiller and information about all upcoming Sevendust dates as well as VIP information can be found at https://sevendust.com.
Mammoth WVH is hitting the road in support of their recently announced sophomore album Mammoth II – scheduled for release on August 4th. The new album was recorded at the legendary 5150 studio and continues the tradition of band mastermind Wolfgang Van Halen writing all of the songs and performing all of the instrumentation/vocals himself. Mammoth II is produced by Michael “Elvis” Baskette. Wolfgang has plenty of touring coming up and will be jumping off select tour dates on the Alter Bridge tour to honor his previously announced commitments opening for Metallica on their 2023/2024 tour dates. Mammoth II is available for pre-order in multiple configurations here: https://MammothWVH.lnk.to/MammothIIPR and information about all upcoming tour dates can be found here: https://mammothwvh.com.
About Alter Bridge:
Alter Bridge have steadily climbed to the forefront of hard rock worldwide. They’ve exceeded all expectations and benchmarks with over a billion streams, millions of units sold, glowing critical acclaim, real estate on the covers of Classic Rock Magazine and Guitar World, and storied sets at Royal Albert Hall, the O2 Arena and Download Festival. On this journey, 2004’s debut LP One Day Remainsbowed in the Top 5 of the Billboard Top 200 and went gold. In 2007, Blackbird’s title track took flight on the wings of the “Greatest Guitar Solo of All Time,” as voted in Guitarist Magazine, while countless fans etched its lyrics and logo onto their bodies. That album also recently went gold in the United Kingdom. Critical plaudits surrounded the 2013 opus Fortress with “5-out-of-5 stars” from KERRANG!and Total Guitar, as well as Eddie Trunk’s declaration of, “A Top 10 album of the last 10 years.” 2016’s The Last Hero saw them return to the Top 10 on the Top 200. Maintaining this momentum, Walk The Sky made impressions around the globe when it reached #1 on the US Billboard Top Albums, Top 200 Alternative Albums, Top 200 Hard Rock Albums and Top 200 Rock Albums charts, as well as #1 on Canada’s Top Hard Music Albums chart. The album also hit #1 on the Swiss Album charts, landed in the Top 5 on the Canada, UK, Germany, Austria, Scotland and Switzerland charts and closed out the year on Loudwire’s “The 50 Best Rock Albums of 2019.”These musicians have unassumingly done all of this with a quiet dedication to writing meaningful songs and performing unforgettable shows (and they’ve delivered both with almost alarming consistency). Still, the influential quartet—Myles Kennedy [vocals, guitar], Mark Tremonti [guitar, vocals], Brian Marshall [bass], and Scott Phillips [drums]—ascend to yet another level on 2022’s Pawns & Kings[Napalm Records]. It is the culmination of almost two decades together soaked in blood, sweat, tears, and the triumph earned through never giving up. It represents the bandmates’ dedication to one another and their collective devotion to a devout fanbase.
About Sevendust:
Sevendust never follow a linear path. Instead, they continue to bulldoze a lane of their own with a proven one-two punch of rumbling grooves, unpredictable riffing, and stirringly soulful vocals unlike anything else in hard rock. As a result, their music connects straight to the heart as evidenced by their full-contact live shows and diehard “family” of fans. It’s why they’ve been around since 1994, tallied global sales of seven million, logged three gold-selling albums, delivered three Top 15 debuts on the Billboard 200, and garnered a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Metal Performance.” 2021 saw them deliver one of the most-acclaimed albums of their career – their thirteenth studio masterpiece – Blood & Stone, which Metal Hammer christened “Sevendust’s best work in years.” However, the Atlanta quintet—Lajon Witherspoon [lead vocals], Clint Lowery [lead guitar, backing vocals], John Connolly [rhythm guitar, backing vocals], Vince Hornsby [bass], and Morgan Rose [drums]—defy expectations yet again on their fourteenth full-length and debut for Napalm Records, Truth Killer, produced by Michael “Elvis” Baskette [Alter Bridge, Trivium, Slash]. Ultimately, Truth Killer reaffirms there’s only one Sevendust—and they’re here forever.
About Mammoth WVH:
With his solo band Mammoth WVH, Wolfgang Van Halen consistently challenges himself as a songwriter, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. After a monumental breakthrough – with a GRAMMY® Award nomination for his first-ever single, #1 debuts on multiple charts, television performances, and sold out shows over a two-year span – Mammoth WVH’s self-titled debut sent shockwaves through 21st century rock music.
Mammoth WVH bowed at #1 on the Billboard Independent Albums Chart, Top Hard Rock Albums Chart, and Top Rock Albums Chart in addition to crashing the Billboard 200 at #12. He notched two #1 one entries at Rock Radio with “Don’t Back Down” and “Distance.” The latter also garnered a GRAMMY® Award nomination in the category of “Best Rock Song.” He appeared on The Howard Stern Show, NBC News TODAY, Jimmy Kimmel Live and on the cover of Guitar World where they dubbed him Guitarist Of The Year. Loudwire cited Mammoth WVH as one of “The 45 Best Rock + Metal Albums of 2021,” while Classic Rock rated it “4-out-of-5 stars” and Peopleproclaimed, “With Mammoth WVH’s head-banging tracks and personal lyrics, Wolfgang successfully introduces himself as his own person.” The band supported Guns N’ Roses in stadiums stateside and Alter Bridge in arenas across the pond, while also headlining coast-to-coast in North America. Not to mention, he lit up the stage at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concerts in London and Los Angeles at the invitation of Dave Grohl himself.
Instead of choosing to settle on his breakout success, he consciously tested himself to further develop his sound from every angle on his second full-length offering, Mammoth II [BMG]. Coming out swinging, the hooks hit harder, the riffs roar louder, and the lyrics cut deeper as he delivers an urgent, undeniable, and unforgettable 10-song body of work.
