Heavy Music News
The Ghost Inside Now Say Firing Bassist Over Past Racial Insensitivity Was a Mistake
Earlier this year, The Ghost Inside decided to part ways with bassist Jim Riley over his past use of a racial epithet. Now, the metalcore act asserts that firing Riley was a mistake. Riley’s past remarks created a debacle around the release of The Ghost Inside’s latest album, which came out in June. The occasion should have been a celebration for the band after a remarkable comeback from a horrific bus accident that left most of its members seriously injured. When The Ghost Inside began selling a charity t-shirt with proceeds benefitting the NAACP, Bracewar drummer Rashod Jackson called out Riley for using the N-word back in 2015. Riley admitted to the accusation, and was promptly let go from the band. Apparently, the band members have come to regret the hasty decision to fire Riley. At th...
Geezer Butler’s Three Solo Albums to Get First-Ever Vinyl Release
Founding Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler has announced the first-ever vinyl pressings of his three solo albums: Plastic Planet (1995), Black Science (1997), and Ohmwork (2005). They will also be reissued on CD and arrive October 30th. Plastic Planet was issued under the artist name g/z/r, while Black Science was originally credited to the single name Geezer. Ohmwork, meanwhile, was released under the moniker GZR. For the 2020 reissues and vinyl pressings, those monikers have been dropped, and each album is credited to Geezer Butler. The timeline of the solo records aligns with Butler’s stints outside Black Sabbath. Plastic Planet came after Butler departed the group following 1994’s Cross Purposes, though he would rejoin the band for various reunions beginning in 1997. In the meantime,...
Nine Inch Nails’ Quake Soundtrack and Trent Reznor’s The Social Network Score Get Vinyl Releases
Nine Inch Nails’ Quake LP and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ The Social Network LP, courtesy of Funhouse Entertainment Nine Inch Nails’ soundtrack for the classic 1996 first-person shooter Quake is now available on vinyl for the first time ever. In addition, a “Definitive Edition” vinyl reissue of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ Oscar-winning score for The Social Network has also been released. The brooding soundtrack for Quake showcased Reznor’s early interest in dark soundscapes and ambient music. He would explore these musical ideas further on future Nine Inch Nails albums, but Quake stands as an early foray into the world of instrumental soundtracks. Of note for vinyl collectors, the Quake score has never been officially released as a stand-alone soundtrack. The music o...
Dee Snider Slams “Moronic” Anti-Maskers Who Shouted Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It”
Dee Snider has blasted a group of anti-maskers who stormed into a Target store in Florida while shouting along to the Twisted Sister classic “We’re Not Gonna Take It”. The band’s legendary frontman dubbed them “selfish assholes”. Snider recently voiced his disdain for Donald Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic while speaking with us over Zoom. “The president’s response [and] the White House response has been to politicize [the pandemic] and to separate us more, and make it about politics, instead of joining together and helping each other,” the singer told us. On Tuesday night, Snider shared a video of a bunch of people who marched into a Target and urged shoppers to take off their masks, all while blasting and shouting along to “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” In his Twitter post, Snider ...
Thou Unleash Crushing Cover of Alice in Chains’ “Them Bones”: Stream
Alice in Chains classic 1992 album Dirt is the latest entry in Magnetic Eye Records’ ongoing Redux series, which re-imagines classic heavy album with cover versions by underground bands. With the September 18th release of Dirt [Redux] approaching, Louisiana doom outfit Thou have shared their cover of the iconic opening track, “Them Bones”. The original song’s verses are built around Jerry Cantrell’s chugging riff — one of his best. That central riff is well suited for Thou, whose southern sludge transforms the song into a crushing piece of extreme doom. “It seemed inevitable that we’d do another Alice in Chains song since their music was such a big part of [guitarist] Matthew [Thudium]’s and my formative years,” singer Bryan Funck said in a press release. “We had covered ‘No Exc...
Marilyn Manson on Ozzy Osbourne: “He Had This Strange Mystique That He’s Never Really Escaped From”
Marilyn Manson was set to support Ozzy Osbourne on tour this year, but those dates were canceled as Ozzy sought treatment for various health issues. Just as fans were excited to see the Antichrist Superstar and the Prince of Darkness on tour together, Manson himself was looking forward to hitting the road with Ozzy again. This past Friday (September 11th), Manson unleashed his 11th album, WE ARE CHAOS, but it was originally set to be released in time for his planned spring/summer tour with Ozzy. As Manson told us, not only was he concerned for Ozzy’s health, he had to rethink his own plans for 2020. “It was very upsetting when I found out that Ozzy couldn’t do the tour and that he [had health issues], and that was before the pandemic hit,” Manson remarked. “At the time for me, it complicat...
Ozzy Osbourne Announces 40th Anniversary Expanded Edition of Blizzard of Ozz
Ozzy Osbourne is celebrating the 40th anniversary of his legendary debut album, Blizzard of Ozz, with a new expanded edition of his legendary solo debut. Osbourne’s also dusting off two live concert videos, 1993’s Live & Loud and 2002’s Live at Budokan, which are both receiving new digital releases. The expanded Blizzard of Ozz arrives this Friday (September 18th) on digital platforms. In addition to the original album and previously available bonus tracks (1980 B-side “You Looking at Me, Looking at You”, the 2010 guitar/vocal mix of “Goodbye to Romance”, and Randy Rhoads instrumental outtake “RR”), the expanded edition includes seven live tracks from the Blizzard of Ozz tour that were previously unavailable digitally. Six of the live cuts hail from the scarce Ozzy Live vinyl release f...
Rammstein Are in Studio Recording New Music: Report
With their tour plans on hold for 2020, Rammstein are reportedly back in the studio recording new music. While drummer Christoph Schneider reported back in June that the band had been working on material during the lockdown, it now appears Rammstein have returned to La Fabrique in France to begin tracking new music. The band previously recorded its 2019 untitled effort at the French studio. According to the reputable fan site Rammstein World, members of Rammstein and their recording engineers have been spotted in the Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, where La Fabrique is located. Moreover, members of the band’s crew have posted about their trip to France on social media. As the fan site states, “There’s no longer any doubt: Rammstein are back at La Fabrique studios, where they recorded their latest ...
Dave Grohl Writes Theme Song for 10-Year-Old Drummer Nandi Bushell: Watch
The year’s best rock and roll story just keeps getting better. Following an epic virtual drum duel, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has written a theme song for his worthy challenger, 10-year-old wunderkind Nandi Bushell. Bushell and Grohl first crossed paths when the former called for a drum battle with a video of her jamming to Foo Fighters’ “Everlong”. Grohl responded with a clip of him rocking Them Crooked Vultures’ “Dead End Friends”, which Bushell then matched beat for beat. The more seasoned rocker admitted defeat, but promised round two would be “something special.” Now, Grohl has shared a video of a new theme song for Bushell that he wrote “off the top of my head.” With his daughters (The Grohlettes) providing backing vocals, Grohl delivers a signature tune fit for a true rock su...
Staind and Godsmack Singers Team Up for US Drive-In Tour
Staind frontman Aaron Lewis and Godsmack singer Sully Erna are joining forces for a tour of drive-in venues across the United States. “The American Drive-In Tour”, as it is dubbed, will be one of the first rock excursions of its kind during the pandemic. The intimate outing will see Lewis and Erna performing side-by-side acoustically, playing their hits and cover songs, while also engaging in conversations. The tour is being produced by Danny Wimmer Presents, known for putting on some of the biggest U.S. rock festivals, including Sonic Temple, Louder Than Life, and Aftershock, among others. The month-long tour kicks off October 1st in Wichita, Kansas, and runs through a November 1st show in Del Mar, California. Certain venues will have concertgoers remain in their cars; others will set up ...
Marty Friedman and Members of Mastodon, Baroness, Lucifer Deliver Metal Cover of Fleetwood Mac Classic: Watch
The Two Minutes to Late Night YouTube channel continues to churn out impressive all-star quarantine covers each week as part of its “Bedroom Covers” series. The latest is a metal rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “You Make Loving Fun” featuring former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman and members of Mastodon, Baroness, Lucifer, and more. Friedman is one of metal’s premier guitarists, having appeared on Megadeth’s classic Rust in Peace and Countdown to Extinction albums, among others. For the Fleetwood Mac cover, he is joined by Mastodon’s Bill Kelliher on guitar; Baroness’ Nick Jost on bass; Lucifer’s Johanna Sadonis on lead vocals; Lucifer’s Nicke Anderson on drums; and Two Minutes to Late Night host Gwarsenio Hall (aka Jordan Olds) on guitar. Emily Panic and Mutoid Man’s Stephen Brodsky provi...
Donald Trump Thinks Guns N’ Roses’ “November Rain” Is the “Greatest Music Video of All Time”
Donald Trump loves him some Guns N’ Roses. In fact, not only does Trump think “November Rain” is the “greatest music video of all time,” he’s made his staffers watch the video to prove his point. As Newsweek reports, Trump’s love of GNR’s “November Rain” video was revealed by Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The former White House Press Secretary mentioned the tidbit in her new book, Speaking for Myself, recounting the time Trump made her and White House Communications Director Hope Hicks watch the video in the Oval Office: “The president told Hope and me in the Oval he wanted the classic Guns N’ Roses song ‘November Rain’ added to his rally playlist. He told us it was the ‘greatest music video of all time,’ and made us watch it to prove his point, even though neither of us had disagreed.” Eventual...
