Heavy Music News
Sabaton Unleash Cover of Manowar’s “Kingdom Come”: Stream
Sabaton have unleashed their cover of Manowar’s “Kingdom Come” as a standalone single. The track is finally receiving a proper release on digital platforms and vinyl after frequent fan requests. A concert staple and fan favorite, “Kingdom Come” is Sabaton’s salute to their power-metal forebearers, Manowar. Both bands share musical and aesthetic similarities, as well as a fascination with war and military history. Sabaton update the track with heavier, modern production while retaining the original spirit of the song. “Our fans have spoken,” Sabaton bassist Pär Sundtröm said. “You requested the release of this song everywhere, so this is for all of you. This recording was meant to be a tribute to Manowar and a collaboration with a video game bearing the same name when we recorded it a few y...
Wolfgang Van Halen Has “Tons of Ideas” for Next Album, Names His Favorite Van Halen LPs
Wolfgang Van Halen has revealed that he has “tons of ideas” for his next album in a new interview with Audio Ink Radio. The son of the late Eddie Van Halen took the rock world by storm with the self-titled debut album from his Mammoth WVH project. Collecting songs written and performed entirely by Wolfgang, the LP has been an overwhelming success, bolstered by the chart-topping single “Distance.” It appears the next record is already in the making. “This is what I plan on doing,” Wolfgang said of his Mammoth WVH project. “Tons of ideas hit the cutting room floor that I’d like to return to, that I’m sure will show up on the next few albums. I’ve already written so many ideas in the past year on lockdown that I’m itching to get back in the studio.” Advertisement Related Video The success of ...
R.I.P. Jeff LaBar, Guitarist of Cinderella Dead at 58
Jeff LaBar, longtime guitarist of the glam metal band Cinderella, has died at age of 58. LaBar’s son, Sebastian, shared the news of his father’s passing in a social media post on Wednesday (via Blabbermouth). “So i just got the call… Jeff LaBar, my father, my hero, my idol, passed away today,” Sebastian wrote, “I’m currently at a loss for words. I love you pop.” A cause of death was not disclosed. LaBar joined Cinderella in 1985 right as the band hit the studio to record their debut album, Night Songs. Thanks to its breakout single, “Nobody’s Fool,” as well as a slot opening on tour for Bon Jovi, Night Songs became one of 1986’s biggest albums, achieving triple platinum status and peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. Cinderella’s follow-up, 1988’s Long Cold Winter, was equally massive. W...
King Woman Share New Song “Boghz” Ahead of Upcoming Album: Stream
King Woman have shared “Boghz,” the final single from their upcoming third album, Celestial Blues, out July 30th. The mysterious track touts soft-loud buildups that create an unsettling vibe. Whispering wind and muted guitar notes give way to crushing chords in the chorus, as singer Kris Esfandiari belts out in terror. King Woman take the classic Sabbathian doom template and sharpen it to an edge. “It’s a tragic story about one ancient soul split in two separate bodies,” Esfandiari explained via a press release. “Only knowing a sick and twisted version of love, one half nearly destroys the other. It’s about being at the mercy of a sadistic person who you have an undeniable psychic bond with.” Advertisement Related Video Such darkly cerebral themes can also be found in previous singles “Mor...
Ed Sheeran Mulls Recording a Death Metal Album, Loves Slipknot and Cradle of Filth
Pop star Ed Sheeran going metal sounds like a late-night comedy skit — in fact that was an actual sketch a few years back on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. But this time, the British pop star isn’t playing around, as he now reports that he “would not be opposed to creating” a death metal album. That’s right, Sheeran, whose chart-topping hits like “The Shape of You” and “Perfect” are anything but metal, is a big fan of crushing riffs and guttural growls. The singer-songwriter was quoted in The Sun over the weekend as saying, “I was really into death metal as a kid. I listened to Cradle of Filth and Slipknot and all that stuff.” Advertisement Related Video In fact, Sheeran is considering dipping his toes in some extreme music. “I’m not saying I could ever step into that world,” he a...
Killswitch Engage to Perform Two Full Albums for August Livestream Concert
Killswitch Engage have announced a livestream event set for August 6th. The band will perform 2019’s Atonement and 2000’s self-titled debut album in their entirety. The stream goes live at 7 p.m. ET and will be available on-demand for 48 hours. Billed with the slogan “Vaccinated + Intoxicated,” the performance takes place at the The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts. The venue has been a frequent stop for Killswitch Engage when touring their home state. MyGoodEye’s David Brodsky and Allison Woest will direct the footage. “I am pleased we were able to finally pull this together,” stated singer Jesse Leach. “I hope everyone who watches enjoys this as much as we did making it. Aside from the music, the laughter and funny moments were an equal part of the experience. The whole package real...
Korn Tap Suicidal Tendencies Bassist Ra Diaz to Fill in for Fieldy on 2021 US Summer Tour
Three weeks ago, bassist Reginald “Fieldy” Arvizu announced he was taking a hiatus from Korn to deal with “personal issues.” Today (July 12th), Korn revealed that Suicidal Tendencies‘ Ra Diaz will step in for Fieldy on their upcoming summer U.S. tour. “We appreciate your kind words of support in response to the recent tour update about Fieldy,” wrote Korn on Facebook. “While our brother takes some time to heal, we wanted to let you know that we are bringing our friend Ra Diaz from Suicidal Tendencies out with us this summer to fill in on Korn bass duties. We’ve all been rehearsing to get ready to bring the heat, and we can’t wait to see you next month.” Korn are scheduled to kick off a tour with Staind on August 5th in West Palm Beach, Florida. The trek runs through a September 21st show i...
Robert Fripp and Toyah Bring the Punk with Cover of Sex Pistols’ “Pretty Vacant”: Watch
Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox deliver Sex Pistols’ punk anthem “Pretty Vacant” in the couple’s latest “Sunday Lunch” performance, marking a return to Toyah’s punk roots. Over the past several months, the married pair have treated us to eccentric covers of mostly hard rock and metal classics, but this time around they celebrate the ’70s UK punk scene from which Toyah started her own music career. Inspired by bands like Sex Pistols, she garnered much success as a punk and new wave singer fronting her eponymous band Toyah in the late ’70s and early ’80s, scoring a string of hits in England. Vocally, “Pretty Vacant” arguably suits Toyah’s voice more than any of the previous covers. And, as always, she brings the fashion, this time sporting a mohawk and body paint, and wearing a barely-there s...
Dave Mustaine Reveals That David Ellefson’s Bass Parts Have Been Replaced on Upcoming Megadeth Album
Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has confirmed that ousted member David Ellefson’s bass parts have been re-recorded for the legendary thrash band’s upcoming album. Somewhat ironically, Mustaine revealed the news to a fan via the celebrity video messaging app Cameo, after recently joining the platform. Mustaine had previously stated that Ellefson’s parts would be replaced after the bassist was fired from the band following the leak of private online sexual encounters. Addressing a fan named Tina, Mustaine said [as transcribed by Blabbermouth]: “I hear you’re a big pretty fan of [the Megadeth song] ‘Fatal Illusion’ right now. That’s cool. Actually, we’ve got one song on the new album — it’s called ‘The Dogs of Chernobyl’ — which is very similar to ‘Fatal Illusion’ in aggression. So I hope you...
Dorothy Returns with Dark and Spiritual New Song “What’s Coming to Me”: Stream
Dorothy is back with a new single, “What’s Coming to Me,” and it marks the singer’s first bit of new music since her 2018 studio album, 28 Days in the Valley. The track shows off Dorothy’s penchant for the blues, with strong, soulful vocals and a rock ‘n’ roll character. “[The song] is a story about casting out a demon and getting redeemed — a metaphor for depression or addiction,” said Dorothy in a press release. “I think it’s something we can all relate to. Everyone’s struggling with something.” Related Video The music video for “What’s Coming to Me” was directed by longtime Smashing Pumpkins collaborator and visual artist Linda Strawberry. As of now, there’s no word on a new full-length album from Dorothy. In the meantime, she has a handful of U.S. tour dates on tap for 2021. Watch...
Spirit Adrift Announce New EP, Unleash New Song “Forge Your Future”: Stream
Spirit Adrift have shared the new song “Forge Your Future” from an upcoming three-song EP of the same name, due out August 27th. A powerful mid-tempo cut, “Forge the Future” touts satisfying doom riffs, poignant lyrics, and soaring clean vocals. It’s one of the strongest traditional heavy metal singles of 2021 so far and further proof that Spirit Adrift are modern masters of the style. Chief songwriter and frontman Nate Garrett culled the 20-minute EP from numerous demos recorded during the pandemic. To hear Garrett discuss the songs, one gathers that Forge Your Future was a highly personal project for the musicians involved. Related Video “On March 1, 2020, I relocated to the woods outside of Austin, Texas,” Garrett explained in a press release. “Two weeks later, everything was locked dow...
Deftones Postpone North American Tour with Gojira Until Spring 2022
One of 2021’s most highly anticipated tours will have to wait until 2022. Deftones have just announced that they’re postponing their summer North American outing with Gojira until next spring. The news comes roughly one month before the tour was supposed to kick off. As it was, the tour had already been postponed from 2020 due to the pandemic. Despite the fact that many bands will start touring again this summer and fall, Deftones felt that “uncertainty still remains in different markets throughout the country,” and decided that it would be best to wait until next year. The rescheduled trek will now take place in the spring, kicking off April 14th in Portland, Oregon, and running through May 28th in Minneapolis. The new itinerary includes three added dates in Las Vegas, Cincinnati, and Nas...
