Heavy Music News
Sabaton Announce EP Trilogy, Release First Collection Weapons of the Modern Age: Stream
Sabaton have announced a trilogy of EPs titled Echoes of the Great War. The EPs further explore the history of World War I, and the band has released the first collection, Weapons of the Modern Age, which is now streaming. The new EP arrives amidst Sabaton’s fall North American tour. The band plays in Dallas on Friday night (September 30th) and continues on the road through an October 23rd gig in New York City, with tickets available via Ticketmaster. The Swedish power metallers have been digging deep into the first World War, having released two concept albums on the topic, The Great War (2019) and The War to End All Wars (2022). Based on a sampling of the first EP in the trilogy, fans can expect plenty of historically accurate lyrics paired with a heavy dose of fist-pumping, power-metal ...
Judas Priest’s Richie Faulkner Undergoes Second Heart Surgery: “I’m Not Completely Out of the Woods”
A year ago this week, Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner nearly died when his aorta ruptured onstage during the band’s set at Louder Than Life festival in Louisville. While marking the anniversary of the harrowing incident, the metal musician disclosed that he recently had a second open heart surgery. On September 26th, 2021, Priest were finishing up their set at the Louisville fest when Faulkner’s aorta ruptured during the closing number, “Painkiller.” He was rushed to the hospital, where he underwent a life-saving, 10-hour emergency surgery. As he described it shortly after the procedure, “Five parts of my chest were replaced with mechanical components…..I’m literally made of metal now.” Now, a year later, Faulkner has revealed that he’s not “completely of out the woods yet,” as he r...
RUSH’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson Perform with Dave Grohl, Chad Smith, and Danny Carey at Taylor Hawkins Tribute Show: Watch
The second of two tribute concerts in honor of late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins took place Tuesday night (September 27th) in Los Angeles. Among the gargantuan 53-song setlist were three RUSH songs performed by original members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson and a cast of all-star drummers. Lee and Lifeson were first joined by Dave Grohl for “2112 Part I: Overture,” the first movement of the 1976 prog-rock epic. The trio nailed the difficult stop-and-start rhythms, with Grohl pounding away at the floor tom and eying Geddy for cues. Grohl then handed over the sticks to Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, who has become somewhat of a journeyman, playing on Ozzy Osbourne’s recent albums in addition to his full-time work with a very active RHCP. Here, he settled into the pocket for “W...
Devin Townsend Shares Video for Mellow New Song “Call of the Void”: Stream
Devin Townsend has shared “Call of the Void,” the second single from this forthcoming new album, Lightwork, arriving October 28th. Considering Townsend’s prog metal background and the new song’s eerie title, “Call of the Void” is a surprisingly mellow six-minute journey. The lush guitars and calming instrumentation follow the laid back tone of lead single “Moonpeople,” as the singer-guitarist dials back the more adventurous prog elements found on his previous albums. “The concept of the song is based around the ‘call of the void’ as an analogy for intrusive thoughts,” Devin explained in a press release. “I first heard the term describing ‘the temptation to hurl yourself over the cliff when you’re driving a car’… or to ‘put your hand in the fire when you know you’ll get burned’ etc… thought...
Metallica to Play Old-School Tribute Concert for Megaforce Records Founders
Metallica have announced a tribute show to honor late Megaforce Records founders Jonny and Marsha Zazula. The Zazulas launched the heavy metal label in 1982 and helped give Metallica their start when they signed the band and released 1983’s Kill ‘Em All and 1984’s Ride the Lightning. Sadly, Jonny and Marsha both passed away in the last two years. Metallica will only play songs from ’83 and ’84 at the tribute concert, which is set for November 6th at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida. Fellow Megaforce alum Raven will provide support, reprising the 1983 tour package that featured the two bands. Advertisement Related Video “Jonny gave us our first break in New York, released our first albums on his Megaforce Records label, and put us out on the road for our first real tour,” Metallica said...
Ghost’s Papa Emeritus IV Throws Out First Pitch at White Sox Game
Ghost may not seem like a band of particularly sporty people, but hey, you never know. The Swedish metal band’s singer Papa Emeritus IV stopped by Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago on Thursday to throw out the first pitch at the White Sox’s game against the Cleveland Guardians. Decked out in a black-and-white White Sox uniform and matching face paint, Papa Emeritus IV took a break from Ghost’s ongoing arena tour to commence the game, even posing for a photograph with White Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks. Ghost’s latest outing is in support of their March album Impera, one of the best hard rock albums of the year. Joined by Mastodon and Spiritbox, the trek wraps up September 23rd at Green Bay, Wisconsin’s Resch Center (with Carcass replacing Mastodon). Check out our review and photos of the ...
Puscifer to Livestream Two Concert Films for Halloween
Puscifer have announced two concert film livestreams for Halloween weekend featuring music from 2007’s V Is for Vagina and 2011’s Conditions of My Parole. Maynard James Keenan and company have been backtracking through their discography to provide a visual/livestream component for each of their studio albums. Previously, the band streamed Existential Reckoning: Live at Arcosanti and Billy D and The Hall of Feathered Serpents featuring Money $hot by Puscifer. The upcoming double feature will complete the collection. Entitled V is for Versatile: A Puscifer Concert Film featuring music from the V is for… era, it takes place in the legendary Los Angeles recording studio Sunset Sound. Puscifer offer a behind-the-scenes performance as they re-interpret and re-record songs from their early days, ...
Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard Stadium Tour Grosses $173.5 Million
Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe’s co-headlining stadium tour brought in a whopping $173.5 million, making it the highest grossing tour of either band’s career. The highly anticipated outing finally took place in 2022 after being postponed twice due to the pandemic. The bill was utterly stacked, with the aforementioned headliners receiving support from fellow rock icons Poison and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts. Average ticket sales for each night were 37,520 — more than three times the draw that Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe had previously reached on their own — with an average nightly earning of $4.96 million. Advertisement Related Video Boston was the largest market, with the bands playing a two-night stand at Fenway Park on August 5th and 6th. A total of 64,000 tickets sold for $9.3 million ...
Steel Panther Announce New Bassist Ahead of Fall 2022 North American Tour
Steel Panther have announced their new bassist and a short fall 2022 North American tour. The musician known as Spyder will take over permanent bass duties for the pseudo-parody glam metal act, replacing longtime bassist Lexxi Foxxx, aka Travis Haley, who left the group in 2021. The band’s press announcement declares Spyder “the chocolate to Steel Panther’s peanut butter,” and it’s been a smooth transition for Lexxi’s replacement so far. Sypder first played live with Steel Panther in 2018 and then filled in during a five-week European tour this summer. It apparently went well, as Spyder is now (in the band’s own words) the new “R.O.L.E … Ruler of Low End.” Related Video “We wanted it to be you,” the band remarked via a press release. “We wanted it to be you so badly. So, it’s not gonna be ...
Metallica Announce 2022 “Helping Hands” Benefit Concert in Los Angeles
Metallica have announced their third-ever “Helping Hands” benefit concert and auction. Featuring performances by Metallica and “special guests,” the show and auction are set for December 16th at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles. The third iteration of the “Helping Hands Concert and Auction” follows a remote livestream benefit show back in November 2020. All proceeds from the event — tickets, fees, and auction items — will “go directly to help those in need.” Previously, the 2020 livestream raised funds for partners at Feeding America and the American Association of Community Colleges, as well as various COVID and disaster relief efforts via Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation. Tickets will be on sale to the public from 10 a.m. local time Friday (September 23rd) wit...
Wolfgang Van Halen Announces Deluxe Edition of Debut Mammoth WVH Album, Shares “Talk & Walk”: Stream
Mammoth WVH’s 2021 self-titled debut album is receiving a digital deluxe edition on November 11th with three additional songs, including the Japanese-only bonus track “Talk & Walk” that is now streaming. Considering Wolfgang Van Halen spent many years self-recording the album, it makes sense that there’s a few worthy additional tracks. “Talk & Walk” is a particularly fun tune, shifting from twinkly arpeggios to grungy ’90s power-pop that harkens back to early Foo Fighters. According to the press release, the song was occasionally played during Mammoth WVH’s 2021 tour and became an immediate fan favorite. While “Talk & Walk” was previously released on the Japanese version of the album, the other two additional songs on the deluxe edition (“As Long As You’re Not You” and “Goodbye...
Corrosion of Conformity Announce Fall 2022 US Tour with Spirit Adrift and The Native Howl
Corrosion of Conformity have announced a Fall 2022 US tour with Spirit Adrift and The Native Howl. The dates kick off November 10th in Baton Rough, Louisiana, and wrap up November 27th in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Tickets go on sale Friday (September 16th) at 10 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster. The tour boasts a strong package of heavy talent. Led by singer-guitarist Pepper Keenan, Corrosion of Conformity are road-tested vets, having recently supported Ministry’s “Industrial Strength Tour” earlier this year. CoC’s most recent album is 2018’s No Cross No Crown, but the band’s setlist is sure to cull tunes from its acclaimed mid-’90s output, including 1994’s Deliverance. Related Video Meanwhile, Spirit Adrift have risen the ranks of the heavy metal underground while keeping up a prolific rate of outp...
