Alternative Music

JUDAS PRIEST will perform as a four-piece on its upcoming tour as the band’s former touring guitarist Andy Sneap, who co-produced the British heavy metal legends’ 2018 album “Firepower”, plans to focus on production work. Sneap, who is also known for his work in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT, began touring with PRIEST four years ago after longtime guitarist Glenn Tipton — who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease eight years ago after being stricken by the condition at least half a decade earlier — announced in early 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of “Firepower”. Earlier today, PRIEST issued the following statement: “Hello maniacs! We are chomping at the British Steel bit to return to world...

During an appearance on SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk”, Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL, VINCE NEIL) spoke about the status of DEADLAND RITUAL, the supergroup he started a few years ago with bassist Geezer Butler (BLACK SABBATH), drummer Matt Sorum (GUNS N’ ROSES, VELVET REVOLVER) and singer Franky Perez (APOCALYPTICA). “I think it’s done, although there was a lot of material that was written that I hope will see the light of day in some form or another,” the guitarist said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). “I’m still friendly with all those guys.” As for what caused DEADLAND RITUAL to come to and end after only releasing two songs, Stevens said: “It was really difficult. We were about to sign a deal. We went out a...

On December 11-12, 2021, former DEATH members played two shows commemorating the 20th anniversary of the passing of the band’s mastermind Chuck Schuldiner at Brass Mug in Tampa, Florida. James Murphy (guitar) and Terry Butler (bass) performed DEATH‘s classic third album, “Spiritual Healing” (1990), in its entirety under the LIVING MONSTROSITY banner, while Steve DiGiorgio (bass), Bobby Koelble (guitar) and Kelly Conlon (bass) joined forces as SYMBOLIC to play songs from “Human” (1991), “Individual Thought Patterns” (1993), “Symbolic” (1995) and “The Sound Of Perseverance” (1998). In a new interview with Heavy Culture, Murphy stated about playing the two concerts: “On the nights, I didn’t feel all that incre...

RATING: 6.5/10 The basic foundation of SKILLET records is always built upon catchy choruses, straightforward song structures and female vocals (Jen Ledger) that provide a foil to male vocals (John Cooper) in just the right spots. It’s the formula that’s made them a multi-platinum Christian hard rock band. While they stick to that formula on their eleventh record, “Dominion”, there are several elements that make it distinctly different from its predecessors. Most notably, “Dominion” offers an incredibly triumphant, positive tone, whereas earlier releases struck darker ones. Even when the tempo slows and conveys a greater sense of struggle, like the weighty song “Forever or the End”, there is still a guiding sense of hope. “Dominion”...

Nita Strauss, the Los Angeles-based guitar shredder for the ALICE COOPER band, spoke to “Heather & Wickett” of the Des Moines, Iowa radio station Lazer 103.3 about the progress of the writing and recording sessions for her follow-up to 2018’s “Controlled Chaos” solo debut. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “It’s really cool for me to step out of what I was comfortable doing as a guitar player. I was really happily in this instrumental guitar role and I sort of just got pushed into the deep end of the pool kicking and screaming. And we couldn’t be happier. The song with David Draiman [DISTURBED] is everything that we could have hoped for. We are, I believe, currently the highest-charting single by a female solo artist ever at ...

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons has paid tribute to Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee, saying he will be “forever loved and missed”. On Friday (January 7), Simmons took to his Twitter to share a photo him with Lee, and he included the following message: “I miss Stan Lee. We would meet over the years and talk about life and comics. I’ve always been a fanboy and used to torture Stan‘s Sec’y Flo Steinberg to let me speak to Stan…Stan sent me this before he sadly passed, in his handwriting! Forever loved and missed!” Lee died on November 12, 2018 at the age of 95 after being rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. According to The Pulse Of Radio, Lee was born as Stanley Lieber in Manhattan on December 28, 1922. He went to work as a teenage...

SCORPIONS have shared a teaser for the official music video for their next single, “Rock Believer”. The full track will be released on Thursday, January 13 at 7:00 a.m. PT / 10:00 a.m. ET, with the music video to follow on January 18. The single’s cover art was designed by Klaus Voormann and can be found below. “Rock Believer” is the title track of SCORPIONS‘ 19th studio album, which will be released on February 25. Two months ago, SCORPIONS released the official music video for “Rock Believer”‘s first single, “Peacemaker”. The track features music courtesy of guitarist Rudolf Schenker and bassist Pawel Maciwoda and lyrics by singer Klaus Meine. Asked in a recent interview with Chile’s Radio Futuro what fans can expect...

During a recent interview with Music & Medicine, former MACHINE HEAD and current VIO-LENCE guitarist spoke about how he got two of his guitar heroes, Rudolf and Michael Schenker, to sign one of his flying V guitars from Jackson. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Michael Schenker played in UFO. He played in the SCORPIONS when he was 15 years old. Just a prodigy — just a natural guitar player. [He’s] a little crazy. I would think he’d admit that. But I love his style; you understand what he’s feeling. “MACHINE HEAD is playing Wacken [Open Air] festival in Germany, so it’s 80 thousand people. It’s crazy. SCORPIONS are playing. They’re actually playing before MACHINE HEAD. So I met Rudolf Schenker, who is in the SCORPIONS; he pla...