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Day in Rock Report for 07/06/2015



Van Halen Bring Variety To Tour Kick Off Show

(hennemusic) Van Halen performed a mix rarities and classics - including a pair of live debuts - at the launch of their North American summer tour in Seattle on Sunday night.

"This is by far the best setlist I've made for us," teased bassist Wolfgang Van Halen earlier this week. "Can't wait for everyone to hear it. Y'all are gonna flip."

The band opened their 2015 road trip at the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn with "Light Up The Sky" from 1979's "Van Halen II" - its first performance in 35 years - while sprinkling the rarities throughout the 26-song set, including the "Women And Children First" tune "In A Simple Rhyme" (first time since 1978), and 1978's "Feel Your Love Tonight", which appeared for the first time since 1998.

Van Halen also delivered the live debuts of the "Fair Warning" track "Dirty Movies" and the "1984" album cut, "Drop Dead Legs." Billed as a greatest hits tour in support of their latest release, "Tokyo Dome Live In Concert", the show also featured a selection of classics from the group's original era with frontman David Lee Roth alongside two songs from 2012's "A Different Kind Of Truth."

"First show of the tour went amazing!," posted Wolfgang after the show. "Thanks so much for a killer show, y'all! On to Portland."

The group's 2015 tour continues Tuesday at Ridgefield, Washington's Amphitheater Northwest. Check out video from the show here.

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Ritchie Blackmore Plans Special Deep Purple and Rainbow Shows

Deep Purple and Rainbow legend Ritchie Blackmore says in a new interview that he is looking at putting together a limited run of special shows next June where he will revisit songs from both bands.

Blackmore has spent most of the past two decades focused on his medieval folk group Blackmore's Night, which also features his wife Candice Night. But in a recent interview he discussed taking a short break from that music to form a band to put on a handful of shows to perform some classic songs from Deep Purple and Raindow.

He tells French newspaper Le Parisien via Ultimate Classic Rock, "Just for a few days, next June. But for now, I'm not decided on the persons I want to work with.

"I've got a good idea about the ideal candidates, but it wouldn't be fair to say anything now. I will know exactly in one month who I want to have in this band to play Deep Purple and Rainbow songs. We will probably play three or four shows in June; that's all."

One person that isn't likely to be part of the group is former Rainbow and Deep Purple frontman Joe Lynn Turner. Blackmore had to say about the singer's possible involvement, "I think that Joe will not be part of the adventure, and he doesn't know it yet.

"He does his thing, I like him, and I made good albums and good songs with him, like "Street of Dreams' (a 1983 Rainbow track that Blackmore's Night later reworked). But I'm thinking about doing a mixture in the band, with famous people and not so famous ones. That's my state of mind at the moment, and you're the first person I talk to about it."

Blackmore added "there should be about three or four people who might be interested."

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Metallica's Manager Fears For The Future Of Hard Rock

(Classic Rock) Metallica manager Peter Mensch says there aren't enough quality new hard rock bands coming through to keep the genre alive. The co-owner of Q Prime, a talent management company that has handled the careers of Def Leppard, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jimmy Page, shared his thoughts on the music business on BBC Radio 4's Today program.

Mensch tells the BBC: "There aren't quality new hard rock bands to keep it up. Hard rock used to appeal, essentially, to your average 15-year-old male. He had bad skin, he didn't like his parents, girls didn't like him, and he was an angry kid - he was frustrated. And, lo and behold, there were 10,000 other people like yourself.

"The problem is, and we ask this all the time, where is the new Metallica? Please, anybody out there that's in a hard rock band under the age of 25, call me. We need you."

Mensch admits it is harder to break new artists in a digital environment that is focused on single success over selling albums. "The biggest problem with the new record business is I don't know who the fans are. Fans are the people who will actually pay for something, pay for a ticket. I don't really care so much if you won't pay for an album anymore - I've kind of understood that that horse has bolted - but if I don't get you to pay for a ticket, then you're not really a fan of mine." Read more here.

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Foo Fighters Kick Off Tour With Dave Grohl Using Throne For Broken Leg

(hennemusic) The Foo Fighters played their 20th anniversary show at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC on Saturday following a recent broken leg injury to frontman Dave Grohl.

The rocker performed the show sitting on a metal throne, complete with the band's logo, more than a dozen guitar necks and lights shooting out in every direction.

The event in Grohl's hometown landed 20 years to the day of the release of the group's self-titled debut album, which the singer wrote and recorded on his own.

During the intro to "Big Me" from the debut, Grohl told the story of his June 12 accident in Gothenburg, Sweden, when he fell off stage early in the show, received treatement, and returned to finish the concert.

While in hospital following surgery, the singer came up with an idea as to how he could return to the stage for the group's summer tour of North America.

"If we come back to do some shows," Grohl thought, "build a throne. So I took a couple of Oxycontins and I drew a picture (which was then displayed on the big screen behind the band). I said, 'If we're going to go out and do that Washington, DC show�I said I'm not missing this show for the world so you build me that throne and we'll play a Washington, DC rock concert.'"

He then dedicated "Big Me" to the group's road crew for their assistance in making his sketch a reality. The Foo Fighters delivered a 24-song set, opening with "Everlong" and covered material from throughout their career.

The event saw the Foos joined by a lineup of guests including Buddy Guy, Gary Clark Jr., Heart, Joan Jett, LL Cool J, Trombone Shorty and Trouble Funk. Check out a photo of the throne and several videos from the show here.

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Iron Maiden Honored For Their Contribution To Music

(hennemusic) Iron Maiden were awarded the 2015 O2 Silver Clef Award by UK charity Nordoff Robbins at their 40th anniversary gala on July 3 in recognition of the band's "outstanding contribution to UK music."

Frontman Bruce Dickinson and guitarists Adrian Smith and Janick Gers were on hand to receive the honor also recognizes the group as one of the most globally successful and influential rock bands of all time, with more than 90 million albums sold worldwide.

"Nordoff Robbins is an exceptional charity and their dedication to changing people's lives through music therapy is something we all very much support," said the group. "We're extremely proud to receive the O2 Silver Clef Award and be part of the 40th anniversary event celebrating this wonderful achievement."

Last year's honoree was Jimmy Page; past winners include The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, Genesis and Queen.

In its 40-year history, the Awards have raised more than �8.5 million to fund Nordoff Robbins' ground-breaking work with music therapy. Check out Iron Maiden's video montage from the event here.

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Chris Adler Would Pick Lamb Of God Over Megadeth Gig

(Classic Rock) Chris Adler insists he's never leave Lamb Of God for Megadeth - but adds that he'll do whatever it takes to be a part of both bands. Adler was recruited by Dave Mustaine to work on Megadeth's upcoming 15th album, alongside guitarist Kiko Loureiro, after Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover quit.

And while it at first seemed Adler was onboard for recording duties only, he has since agreed to play as many live shows as possible. But whatever happens, he has promised Randy Blythe and co that he is going nowhere as far as Lamb Of God is concerned.

He tells The Jasta Show: "The first thing I did after I had that conversation with Dave was to get in touch with the guys and just see, 'How does everybody feel about this? I don't want it to come across as a threat. I don't want this to feel like I'm leaving or anything.'

"And everybody was stoked. Because they know. They just know. I'm up until 4am every day listening to Megadeth. So, they were, like, 'Dude, it's amazing. Good for you.'

"If ever it came to a point where there was a question of this or that, it's gonna be Lamb Of God. Lamb Of God is my baby. Being in Megadeth is kind of like I'm helping babysit somebody else's kid. I love being there, but that's not where home is."

Adler adds that he was given plenty of freedom by Mustaine to put his personal touch on the songs. He says: "When I first heard the demos, it was well-played and it was drum machine, drum samples and stuff, and it wasn't really my style of playing." Read more here.

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Anubis Gate Cancel Debut U.S. Appearance For Health Reasons

Progressive metal band Anubis Gate has announced that they are pulling out of this year's ProgPower USA XVI after Kim Olesen was diagnosed with a deep depression and panic anxiety.

The Danish band was set to perform at the annual music festival which is set to take place on September 9-12 in Atlanta, Ga. and it would have been the band's very first live appearance in the U.S.

The group and Olesen both released statements about the turn of events. The band says, "It is with deep regret that we have to announce the following: Anubis Gate will have to cancel this year's Prog Power US Festival. This is an event that we have been looking forward to for years now, but due to unfortunate health problems within the band, we see no other way but to cancel the show.

"We hope for your understanding and pray that all who have been looking forward to the show and bought tickets will accept our deep-felt apologies. It is really out of our hands, and even though we should have wanted a replacement for Kim it is impossible at this hour. Hopefully we'll see you sometime in the future, when the "clouds have passed".

Kim Olesen explains, "Dear Anubis Mates. I have recently been diagnosed with a deep depression and panic anxiety (meaning that I suffer from heavy panic attacks). It is with the greatest of regrets that I have had to realise that I am simply not well enough to go through the logistics of playing so far away from home. I was looking enormously forward to playing in front of you all, indeed it would have been a highlight of my career as a musician. And, of course, I was also looking forward to meeting so many people I know from social medias, it would have been a hangout that I would cherish for the rest of my life.

"But the reality is that even though I am in treatment and the depression side of things has seen progress, the panic anxiety is taking much longer to subside than I had anticipated and hoped for. My doctor and therapist's verdict is clear; the risk I would be taking is that my condition could become chronical. I am glad that my fantastic bandmembers Henrik, Michael and Morten have been supportive through what is a very hard time for me, as has my family, friends and all other relations as well.

"I understand how disappointed everyone will be with this (not least myself) but I also take comfort in the fact that Anubis Gate fans are the best fans and supporters any band could wish for."

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Surprising Ozzy Osbourne 'Dairy Of A Madman' Revelation

(Classic Rock) Ozzy Osbourne thought the mix of his classic album Diary Of A Madman was "crap", recalls bassist Rudy Sarzo. The pair were on the tour bus when the final mix of Ozzy's second solo album was handed to the singer in 1981. And according to Sarzo, Ozzy's face was a picture when he pushed play.

Sarzo tells The Metal Voice: "I can tell you this because I was on the bus when Ozzy got the mix version of the record and I saw his expression and I heard how he felt about it. He thought it was crap, the mix.

"If you really look back at that record, it was the first album of the 80s to be mixed with so much ambience. It sounds like an 80s record and nobody had heard that before. It was completely different from the sound of Blizzard Of Ozz and Ozzy just had no idea that this was going to be the sound of the future." Read more and stream the full interview here.

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The Misfits Announce New Lineup and Special Full Albums Shows

The Misfits have announced that they have parted ways with longtime guitar player Dez Cadena (Black Flag) who has been replaced by Jerry Only's son Jerry Jr.

The new lineup, which also features Jerry Only and Eric "Chupacabra" Arce, plan to release a new single this fall called "Zombie Girl" with a b-side called "Vampire Girl".

The band has also revealed that they will be playing their debut album "Static Age" on their upcoming tour legs. The band will be playing the tracks from the long delayed first full length album in order at each show during the trek.

The "Static Age" album was recorded in 1978 but wasn't officially released until a decade later when it was part of the band's 1996 Box Set and was later released on its own the following year..

The tour will also feature special second night shows in New York City and Los Angeles where the band will play their "Walk Among Us", the band's first official album release (1982), and the 1983 follow-up "Earth A.D." albums in their entirety.

The first leg of the Static Age Revisited Tour is set to hit the UK in August, kicking off on August 1st at the O2 Academy Islington in London and wrapping up on August 6th in Blackpool.

The North American leg of the Static Age Revisited Tour will begin on October 16th in Toronto, On at the Phoenix Concert Theatre and conclude on November 27th in Chicago.

The band will then take the tour to Russia for two shows next March in Moscow (March 18th) and St. Petersburg (March 19th). See the tour dates here.

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Blitz Kids Cancel Summer Tour Amid Break Up

(TeamRock Radio) Blitz Kids have announced they've split and called off their summer tour. The English band have also pulled out of their scheduled appearance at October's Vans Warped Tour London event, but say they'll line up some farewell shows for later in the year.

In a statement signed off by all four members, Blitz Kids say: "We have always said that we are friends, first and foremost, before a band. And it is as friends that we have reached this decision to end this incredible adventure that we started eight years ago.

"Between then and now, this band has taken us to beautiful places that we'd never have experienced otherwise, and introduced us to people who we consider family and friends for life.

"But none of what we have achieved together would have been possible without you, the fans." Read more here.

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Disturbed Frontman Explains Why He Quit Social Media

(TeamRock Radio) Disturbed frontman David Draiman says he quit Twitter for the good of his family. The band confirmed their four-year hiatus was over last month - then, days later, the vocalist announced he was walking away from social media.

Draiman tells Sixx Sense: "I'm done with social media. I'm done being anybody's punching bag. I invested three, four years of solid interaction, of trying to make a difference, of trying to be a voice of reason, of trying to be something entertaining for people."

He continues: "The internet, sadly, has become a preying ground for trolls and predators. When you're in the position that I'm in, a wife and a child who'd just come into this world, you start wondering whether some of the threats and nonsense are worth it."

Draiman says he always avoided using social channels for self-promotion, adding: "It was always trying to use the position I have been blessed with for good - to try and educate people a little bit, make them laugh a little bit, make them open their eyes a little bit." Read more here.

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Obscura Cancel Live Appearances Due To Injury

Obscura have canceled appearances at the Progstage Festival, Tel Aviv and Metaldays Festival Slovenia after drummer Sebastian Lanser suffered an injury to his hand.

The band also revealed that they will be going forward with taking part in this year's Summer Slaughter Tour with Conquering Dystopia's Alex Rudinger filling in for Lanser on the trek that will also feature Arch Enemy, Born of Osiris, Veil of Maya, The Acacia Strain, Obscura, After the Burial, Cattle Decapitation, Beyond Creation.

Obscura's Steffen Kummerer released the following message to fans via the band's Facebook page, "Regrettably, we are unable to perform at Progstage Festival, Tel Aviv and Metaldays Festival Slovenia this year.

"Our drummer Sebastian Lanser overstrung his left hand and suffers from a serious inflammation since then. Playing this complex music with this condition won't allow us to play a tight 80 minute headlining show our fans and we as musicians demand.

"We decided not to play a halfhearted set, instead we postpone both concerts and come back with an extended live show including songs of our new, upcoming album. Dates will be published soon.

"In the meantime Alex R�dinger (Conquering Dystopia) will step in to play this year's Summer Slaughter festival tour in North America."

Rudinger released the following statement via Youtube, "I am very happy to announce that I'll be filling in for OBSCURA on the 2015 Summer Slaughter tour this July/August!

"Looking forward to getting on tour and sharing the stage with these guys; I've followed their work & been a fan since I was a teenager, so it's a privilege to be filling in & joining them on the road! Especially stoked to hang out with all the good buddies in the other bands - the bill for Slaughter this year is packed with some great bands/guys, so make sure to come out to a show and hang!" See the tour dates here.

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Dengue Fever Expand The Deepest Lake Tour

Dengue Fever has announced that they will be following up their summer tour of North America in support of their latest album "The Deepest Lake" with a European tour this fall.

The band's North American tour will be kicking off on July 17th in Santa Cruz, CA at Don Quixote's and wrapping up on September 13th in Portsmouth, NH at 3S Artspace.

The European tour will launch two days later on September 15th in Amsterdam at the Melkweg and conclude on October 3rd in Sion, Switzerland at Le Port Franc.

The band expects to announce additional dates and have already revealed stops in Istanbul, Turkey on October 7th and a three night stand in Moscow on October 9th, 10th and 11th.

According to the announcement, the new trek will be the first time the band has "toured Europe since 2013 and the first time they have played London since 2011 at the Ray Davies curated Meltdown Festival." See the tour dates here.

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The Night Flight Orchestra (Soilwork/Arch Enemy) Release Live Video

Swedish supergroup The Night Flight Orchestra have released a new live performance video for the song "Stiletto," which is off of their recently released album "Skyline Whispers".

Heavily influenced by classic rock, The Night Flight Orchestra features Bj�rn Strid (Soilwork) David Andersson (Soilwork) and Sharlee D' Angelo (Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars).

The new album, "Skyline Whispers", was released last month and was recorded at Nordic Sound Lab Studios, Skara (Sweden) and was engineered by the band and Bengan Andersson and was mixed by Sebastian Forslund.

The new live video was filmed at The Tivoli, Helsingborg (Sweden) by Ron Dahlgren on June 13th of this year. You can stream the video here.

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Tim Bowness Streams New Song 'Sing To Me'

Tim Bowness has released a new song called 'Sing To Me'. The track comes from his forthcoming solo album, 'Stupid Things That Mean The World', which is set to be released later this month.

Bowness revealed these details about the song, "Originally a No-Man demo called Best Boy Electric, I heard this for the first time in over 20 years when Steven Wilson sent it to me in October 2014 for consideration for the reissue of no-man's Lost Songs album.

"I'd completely forgotten the song, and on hearing it again couldn't believe we'd not pursued it further. The No-Man version was skeletal with an improvised, incomplete lyric, but on re-hearing the song in 2014, it felt special to me and I knew where I'd like to take it musically. A new lyric was written as were a couple of new instrumental themes.

"One of my favourite songs on the album, it reminds me of aspects of the early no-man that I loved, while also feeling very much a part of the music I'm currently making."

Bowness also revealed that the original No-Man demo will appear on the bonus disc of "Stupid Things That Mean The World," which is set to be released on July 24th in North America and on July 17th in Europe. Stream the new song here.

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Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson Had Two Tumors

(Classic Rock) Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson has given more details of his cancer battle and reveals doctors removed two tumors from his neck. In February, the frontman originally revealed his diagnosis indicated a single growth on his tongue, which led to a 7-week course of chemotherapy and radiology.

Now, the singer says doctors had to deal with removing two tumours during his treatment. Dickinson tells the BBC: "I had two - one was three and a half centimetres, the size of a golf ball - and the other one was two and a half centimetres and getting a bit bigger.

"The only symptom was that I had a lump in my neck, and that was the second one. So I went to the doctor and they took a scan of it, had a look, took a poke around and went, 'You have neck cancer.'

"I've just been through what a ton of people actually go through every day. There's thousands of people in the UK and around the world who have treatment for this kind of thing, so, in that respect, the only thing that's special about it is that I'm quite a well-known person."

He adds: "I've been very fortunate and had a really good bounce back and everyone says it's gone so I'm just getting better now, healing up." Read more here.

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Gerry Jablonski And The Electric Band Dedicate New Video To Dave Innes

(The Blues Gerry Jablonski And The Electric Band have dedicated their latest video to the memory of drummer Dave Innes, who died last year of stomach cancer. Anybody is sung by vocalist and guitarist Jablonski along with Lewis Fraser, who has replaced Innes behind the kit. The track has been taken from the band's latest album Trouble With The Blues.

Innes was one of the founding members of the powerhouse quartet, which also features Grigor Leslie on bass and Polish harp player Peter Narojczyk. The band pledged to Innes that they would continue after his death.

Trouble With The Blues received an 8/10 from The Blues Magazine who called it "blues at its best, dripping with anguished emotion yet also joyful and entertaining."

Jablonski tells the magazine: "The album was recorded nearly 100% live as we wanted to catch the band's show energy. Judging by the reviews, we've achieved it." Watch the video here.

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Beastie Boys Deny Live Return Rumors

(Classic Rock) The Beastie Boys have denied rumors that they are planning a live comeback, insisting that they will never gig again following the death of Adam 'MCA' Yauch.

Speculation mounted that surviving members Mike 'Mike D' Diamond and Adam 'Ad-Rock' Horovitz were contemplating a live return after they filed an application with the US Patent and Trademark Office for the Beastie Boys name to be used in conjunction with "live performances by a musical group".

But a representative of the group tells Pitchfork: "There will never be Beastie Boys live performances without Adam Yauch." The application was filed in June and led entertainment lawyer David Lizerbram to hint that the band could be planning a concert, although he added that "it's possible that their attorney (who signed the application on their behalf) filed this application for some other reason that we don't know of, or that it was filed in error." Read more here.

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X Japan Announce First Album In 20 Years and New Documentary

(Classic Rock) X Japan have announced the release date for their first album in 20 years. And the Japanese rock outfit have also revealed a documentary charting their career will be issued the day after the album launch.

Neither the album or film have been given titles as of yet, but the record comes out on March 11, 2016, with the documentary being shown the following day.

X Japan will debut the film at London's SSE Wembley Arena as part of their '#XDAY' celebrations on March 12. Tickets for #XDAY went on sale via LiveNation this weekend (July 4) after founder and drummer Yoshiki makes a personal appearance at Paris's Japan Expo at Paris-Nord Vilepinte Exhibition Center. Read more here.

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The Winery Dogs Almost Done With New Album

(Classic Rock) Mike Portnoy says The Winery Dogs have nearly completed the follow-up to their 2013 self-titled debut. The trio of Portnoy, bassist Billy Sheehan and guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen entered the studio in January with a plan to have the album ready for summer, but now the drummer reveals the project is on track for an autumn release.

Portony tells Metal Wani: "We're almost done with the new album. Richie's finishing up his tracks at the moment. And mixing begins in July, so we'll deliver the record to the label very soon. The tour is already scheduled to begin at the beginning of October in America.

"So the plan is to have the album out in time for the tour starting in October. And then once it comes out, we'll begin the tour cycle, which will likely go well through 2016, and we wanna just play as many places as we can." Read more here.

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Faith No More's Billy Gould Thinks Music Biz Going Backwards

(Classic Rock) Faith No More bassist Billy Gould believes the music industry has been living in the past for nearly 30 years. And while he's not certain if a new generation of stadium giants will appear when the current ones have gone, he feels it won't have much to do with quality of art.

Gould tells KaaosTV: "I kind of felt we got into this era when Guns N 'Roses came in and everything went retro. We're still coming out of this retro thing.

"It has nothing to do with music sales or the business. It has to do with culture working in a forward direction. We went backwards for about 20 years - I'd like to see us go forward again."

Asked about the future of stadium rock, he replies: "It's hard today. To get to that size you need so much organization, logistics, corporate sponsorship and stuff.

"It's really an economic question. I don't think it's a cultural question." Read more and stream the full interview here.

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Napalm Death Offering Previously Unreleased Track For Charity

(TeamRock Radio) Napalm Death have issued a previously unreleased track to raise money for people affected by April's earthquake in Nepal. The band are asking fans to pay �3 for the song Earthwire, which was recorded during the sessions for latest album Apex Predator - Easy Meat. The money will go to charity dZi, which focuses on improving quality of life and reducing poverty in some of the most remote communities in Nepal.

Frontman Barney Greenway says: "Having been fortunate to be invited to Kathmandu just over three years ago to play a gig, I remember fondly the unique, enriching experience that it gave us as a band.

"When the earthquake struck on April 25, 2015, I recalled the general frailty of the buildings in Kathmandu - something which you see on several continents where deprivation makes everyday habitation a very hazardous experience - and could already imagine the consequences.

"Shane Embury, our bass player, was already thinking of what Napalm Death could do to alleviate things in our own small way and knowing that Bill Gould from Faith No More had been involved in the region, Shane was kindly directed by him to the dZi." Read more here.

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Echolyn Return With New Album 'I Heard You Listening'

(Prog) Echolyn will release their eighth album later this month, they've announced. I Heard You Listening will be issued on July 31 and features nine tracks, clocking in at more than 60 minutes in total.

The band say: "We started work on I Heard You Listening back in September of 2013 and made it a point to get together every Thursday night to smash really big rocks into little bitty rocks that can be thrown with purpose.

"Over the next year we bashed and crashed and chipped away until we had something worth pointing at. The year left us with 14 songs, nine of which fit together perfectly for this new album.

"We are incredibly happy with the result and truly bursting for you to listen." Read more here.

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Rory Gallagher's Taste Albums Remastered For Reissues

(Classic Rock) The two studio albums recorded by Rory Gallagher's band Taste will be included in a four-disc set to be released next month. Taste I'll Remember is out on August 28 via Polydor, featuring remastered versions of both their self-titled 1969 debut and the 1970 follow-up On The Boards.

Bonus tracks, demos, extensive sleeve notes and rare photographs are also included, along with previously unreleased live concert recordings from performances at Stockholm's Konserthuset, the BBC and Woburn Abbey Festival.

Taste helped launch Gallagher's career as one of the most respected guitarists of his era. They disbanded after a farewell show in Belfast on New Year's Eve 1970, and Gallagher went on to sell over 30 million albums worldwide as a solo artist. Read more here.

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Powerwolf Reveal Cover Of Gary Moore Classic

(Classic Rock) Powerwolf are premiering a lyric video for their cover of the Gary Moore classic Out In The Fields. The song is the third track previewed in advance of Blessed & Possessed, following Army Of The Night and Armata Strigoi.

The Moore track is one of 10 covers of classic anthems from Judas Priest, Savatage, Black Sabbath and more featured on Metallum Nostrum, a bonus disc included with the 2CD mediabook and all limited editions of the group's sixth album, Blessed & Possessed, due July 17 via Napalm Records.

Drummer Roel Van Helden says: "Like most of us, I began listening to metal when I was 11 years old. Later, I discovered Thin Lizzy, who - just like Iron Maiden - had a big influence on me. I still love to spin Gary Moore's records while having a good glass of wine. Also, his blues phases were genius."

Moore and Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott originally released Out In The Fields in 1985. The song about religious turmoil in their native Ireland peaked at No. 3 on the Irish charts and No. 5 in the UK, along with Top 5 showings in Sweden and Norway. Check out the lyric video here.

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Knight Area Releasing Their First Live DVD 'Hyperlive'

Prog rockers Knight Area have announced that they will be releasing their very first live DVD, entitled "Hyperlive," across the globe on November 13th, 2015 via Metal Mind Productions.

Drummer Pieter Von Hoorn had the following to say about the new DVD, "We had a preview of the Knight Area 'Hyperlive' DVD yesterday evening. We were amazed, it is far beyond expectations. The guys of Metal Mind Productions did an excellent job! Sound and vision are superb."

The DVD was captured during the band's performance in Katowice, Poland in April of this year while they were on tour supporting Arena and the release is the result of a successful crowdfunding campaign.

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Cynic Announce European Tour For Kindly Bent To Free Us

(Classic Rock) Veteran progressive metal outfit Cynic will return to the UK in October as part of a newly-announced European tour in support of 2014 album Kindly Bent To Free Us.

An October 5 show at London's Underworld is one of 10 stops on the autumn run, which will open in Berlin on October 1. Frontman Paul Masvidal says: "We are ecstatic to be coming to Europe and sharing the Cynic frequency with fans across the pond. Cynic will be performing as a trio with many new surprises yet to be seen and heard in this tight format."

Kindly Bent To Free Us is Cynic's second full-length album since reuniting in 2006 after a 12-year hiatus. The group issued Traced In Air in 2008 and followed that with two EPs - 2010's Re-Traced and 2011's Carbon-Based Anatomy. Read more and see the tour dates here.

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Soft Machine Added To HRH Prog 4 Lineup

(Prog) Soft Machine have been added to the bill for HRH Prog 4 in North Wales next year. They recently confirmed they'd play a show at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London on August 9.

John Etheridge, Roy Babbington, John Marshall and Theo Travis have been playing and recording under the name Soft Machine Legacy, but the band's agent says they've now dropped the 'Legacy' tag.

Also announced for the HRH Prog 4 bill are Edgar Broughton, The Fierce And The Dead, Abel Ganz, Third Quadrant, Progoctopus and Hammerhead. See how the confirmed lineup is shaping up here.

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Classic John Lennon Interview About The Beatles Animated

(Radio.com) Radio.com's latest Minimation, where they animate classic interview, features an interview from 1975, where John Lennon recalls sneaking out of his hotel room during the Beatles' first trip to the U.S.

When the Fab Four first came to the United States, the country was in the full throes of Beatlemania. Before stepping off of the airplane, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr was major celebrities; this was evidenced by the huge crowd waiting to meet them at New York's John F Kennedy Airport on February 7, 1964.

The band didn't have much downtime during their first trip to America, and when they did they spent a lot of it in their hotel room.

John Lennon, however, decided he wanted to experience Manhattan. Of course, he couldn't just stroll out into the streets of the city. So, as he recalls in this interview that took place about a decade later, he snuck out of his hotel and stopped into a few bars and clubs.

He tried to disguise himself, but he noted that no matter what he wore, "The nose was always the giveaway!" And while many adults of the era may have viewed the Beatles as a teen phase, we now know that that's not the case; more than a half century later, Paul and Ringo still probably couldn't walk down the streets of New York City without being mobbed. Watch the video here.

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Singled Out: Ego Likeness' New Legion

Today Donna Lynch singer/ lyricist/ co-founder of darkwave/industrial rock band Ego Likeness tells us about the song "New Legion" from their brand new album "When the Wolves Return". Here is the story:

After seeing a series of paintings by MANDEM that incorporated the mythology of Medusa into contemporary feminist and social issues--such as domestic violence--I became stuck on the idea of writing a song about her from her own perspective. Eventually, it morphed into something larger, with Medusa becoming one of many characters mentioned, but I was able to stay true to the theme of violence against women, from objectification and manipulation to tangible forms of abuse.

I decided it needed to be an anthem, of sorts, but I didn't want to lose the "myth" aspect that had inspired it all, so it became a summoning song: we recognize the crimes, we call the entities, and we take revenge. It's not a happy song about making peace, it's a war cry.

When we got to the chorus, it only made sense to pay homage to the biblical story of the demon Legion ("My name is Legion; for we are many.") as this was my female version of the demon(s).

"To those who cannot speak/ to those whose mouths are empty/ we will stand for you/ for we are many..."

Hence, the New Legion.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album right here!

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