Heavy Metal
Knocked Loose Announce Fall 2021 US Tour with Gatecreeper
Knocked Loose have announced a fall 2021 US tour with Gatecreeper and additional support from Magnitude and Kharma. Between the swinging hardcore of Kentucky’s Knocked Loose and the death metal of Arizona’s Gatecreeper, the circle pits will be churning when the trek kicks off on September 9th in Chicago. It runs a month before wrapping up on October 8th in Santa Cruz, California — just days before Knocked Loose join Gojira’s headlining tour as support. “First tour back,” Knocked Loose posted on Twitter. “Small rooms. No barricades. Friends. Two nights in certain cities. Blue.” Related Video “Blue” refers to the band’s 2019 LP, A Different Shade of Blue, and the LeAnn Rimes song of the same name, which served as the band’s walk-out music on their last tour. Meanwhile, Gatecreeper spent the ...
Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx to Release New Memoir in October
Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx is chronicling his early years in a new book titled The First 21: How I Became Nikki Sixx. The memoir will be released on October 19th via Hachette Books. “You’ve heard the tales of excess and debauchery,” stated Sixx in a press release. “All the peaks and the valleys that came with rock and roll stardom and my life in one of the world’s biggest bands. This is the story that you haven’t heard. The one that led up to those stories.” He continued, “It’s the intimate, personal story of how an innocent Idaho farm boy with a burning dream and desire — for music, for love, and for fame — became the notorious Nikki Sixx. I believe our first 21 years have a lot to do with shaping who we become. These are my first 21, and it’s my hope that they thrill and inspire you ...
Metallica File Insurance Suit Against Lloyd’s of London for Losses Suffered from Pandemic-Postponed Shows
Metallica have sued insurance marketplace Lloyd’s of London in an effort to be compensated for losses the band suffered as a result of postponing its South American tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawsuit was filed on Monday (June 7th) in Los Angeles Superior Court. The legendary heavy metal band had planned to embark on a six-date tour of South America with support from Greta Van Fleet in April 2020, but the pandemic shut down the concert industry a month prior. Metallica rescheduled the shows for December 2020, but with the pandemic still going strong, those dates were also postponed. At the time, the band said it hoped to reschedule the shows for late 2021, but no new dates have been announced yet. According to CBS Los Angeles and City News Service, Metallica’s lawsuit alleges br...
GWAR Announce Lust in Space and Bloody Pit of Horror Vinyl Reissues
GWAR have announced vinyl reissues of their 2009 album Lust in Space and its follow-up, 2010’s Bloody Pit of Horror. Each will be available in two color variants on July 16th. The albums were previously only issued on CD and limited-edition picture disc vinyl. The latter quickly went out of print and now go for steep prices on the secondhand market. Although collectible, picture discs aren’t known for their fidelity — the manufacturing process inherently detracts from the sound quality — so these two albums are essentially receiving their first proper vinyl pressing. Lust in Space is available in a silver variant and a clear magenta-and-purple splatter edition, while Bloody Pit of Horror comes in a black-inside-red version and an orange-red-melt edition (as seen in the image abov...
Black Label Society Announce 2021 US Tour with Obituary and Prong
Black Label Society will be back on the road this fall on a U.S. tour with support from Obituary and Prong. The two-month itinerary kicks off in early October and runs through the end of November. As the pandemic hit in March 2020, Black Label Society were in the midst of a North American tour. The metal veterans were forced to postpone the last 12 shows of the outing, and originally rescheduled the gigs for August of last year. Those dates were eventually nixed, as well, but frontman Zakk Wylde and company have now mapped out an extensive trek that more than makes up for those missed dates. The 43-date tour will launch with an October 1st show in Sacramento, California, and run through a November 28th gig in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Related Video BLS have been working on a proper follow-u...
Ronnie James Dio Virtual Birthday Fundraiser to Feature Members of Black Sabbath, Guns N’ Roses, Anthrax, and More
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-06-09T14:50:55+00:00“>June 9, 2021 | 10:50am ET The birthday of late metal legend Ronnie James Dio will be celebrated with a virtual fundraiser event at 2 p.m. PT on July 10th. Proceeds will support the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund. Metal luminaries and former band members will drop in on the virtual celebration to perform, share birthday messages, and reminisce on the life of Dio, who shared both a passion for heavy metal and charity work. Among the star-studded list of guests are Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, former Dio/Sabbath drummer Vinny Appice, Anthrax singer Joey Belladonna, current Guns N’ Roses drummer Frank Ferrer, former GN’R guitarist Gilby Clar...
Ohio Venue Where Dimebag Darrell Was Murdered to Be Demolished for Affordable Housing Development
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-06-08T21:58:33+00:00“>June 8, 2021 | 5:58pm ET An affordable housing development is planned for the current site of Alrosa Villa, the Columbus, Ohio, venue where legendary Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed while he played onstage with his band Damageplan in December 2004. Four other people were also killed that night. According to the Columbus Dispatch, the plot was put on the market in 2019 for $1.295 million, including the 10,000-square-foot music venue, two lots totaling 7.2 acres, a liquor license, and various equipment. The venue hosted major hard rock and metal shows for 45 years, and in its heyday, booked such acts as Pantera on the Cowboys from Hell tour,...
Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe and a Ton of Other Acts Turn Prince’s “I Would Die 4 U” into a Hardcore Song: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-06-07T18:07:06+00:00“>June 7, 2021 | 2:07pm ET Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe and a host of other heavy music artists have turned Prince’s “I Would Die 4 U” into a hardcore song. It’s the latest edition of Two Minutes to Late Night’s “Bedroom Covers” quarantine series. In addition to Blythe, some other big names appearing on the cover include Walter Schreifels of Gorilla Biscuits and Quicksand, The Armed’s Urian V. Hackney, and current and former members of Harm’s Way, the Dillinger Escape Plan, War on Women, and many more. The massive crew help with the New York Hardcore-style gang vocals that make this Prince cover truly one of a kind. Who knew the classic ’80s love song c...
Rob Zombie Confirms He Is Directing The Munsters Movie
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-06-07T22:37:55+00:00“>June 7, 2021 | 6:37pm ET Rob Zombie will indeed be putting his unique stamp on a film adaptation of the popular ’60s sitcom The Munsters. The rocker-filmmaker has confirmed an earlier report that he is writing and directing the movie for Universal Studios, fulfilling a decades-long dream. “Attention Boils and Ghouls,” wrote Zombie on Instagram on Monday (June 7th). “The rumors are true! My next film project will be the one I’ve been chasing for 20 years! THE MUNSTERS! Stay tuned for exciting details as things progress! #robzombie #themunsters #universalstudios.” A previous unconfirmed report revealed that the movie would be released in theaters and on NBCUniver...
Avatar Announce 2021 US Tour
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-06-07T23:23:05+00:00“>June 7, 2021 | 7:23pm ET Avatar have announced a lengthy U.S. headlining tour that will keep the Swedish metallers on the road for nearly two months. The band unleashed its latest album, Hunter Gatherer, last year, and now the theatrical act will finally be able to perform the songs in front of a live audience. The tour, dubbed “Going Hunting”, will kick off September 1st in Albany, New York, and close out with an October 18th show in Seattle. “We have announced many tours over the years, and every time we say that we couldn’t be more excited,” Avatar said in a collective statement. “Well, this is the tour that was supposed to be announced a year-and-a-half ago...
10 Must-See Acts to Catch at Welcome to Rockville 2021
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-06-04T17:05:20+00:00“>June 4, 2021 | 1:05pm ET When it comes to hard rock and heavy metal, few festivals are as stacked as Welcome to Rockville 2021. The four-day extravaganza takes place November 11th-14th in Daytona Beach, Florida, and promises a who’s-who of major acts and rising newcomers. Last year’s festival was postponed due to the pandemic, and promoter Danny Wimmer Presents has more than made up for missing out on the 2020 edition by delivering a mouthwatering lineup. Many of the bands who were scheduled to play in 2020, including Metallica, Deftones, and more, are back for 2021, while such notable acts as Nine Inch Nails, Rob Zombie, and more, have been added to this year’...
Mayhem Unveil New Song “Voces Ab Alta”: Stream
<span class="localtime" data-ltformat="F j, Y | g:ia" data-lttime="2021-06-03T13:59:44+00:00“>June 3, 2021 | 9:59am ET Norwegian black metal legends Mayhem have shared a new single called “Voces Ab Alta”. It’s one of three original songs from the band’s seven-track Atavistic Black Disorder / Kommando EP, out July 9th. “Voces Ab Alta” hails from the recordings sessions for 2019’s masterful Daemon album, but has gone unreleased until now. A theatrical, suffocating ripper in line with the songs from that LP, the track is sure to rally the black metal hordes. The desolation conjured by the band is also portrayed in the accompanying animated visualizer, created by artist Costin Chioreanu (Ghost, Opeth). The two other originals on the upcoming EP (“Black Glas...
