Category : LATEST NEWS

KING’S X GUITARIST TY TABOR TO RELEASE 11TH SOLO ALBUM “SHADES” ON MARCH 4TH

Acclaimed King’s X guitarist, songwriter, and co-vocalist Ty Tabor has today announced his latest solo album, Shades, out on March 4th through Rat Pak Records. The upcoming 11th solo album features 10 brand new songs with three bonus tracks and follows the successful release of 2018’s Alien Beans. Shades is available for preorder in various configurations including CD, vinyl and digital download at the link here.

“When it comes to what I write for solo material, I don’t really think about bands or anything like that. These new songs explore different sides of life and death,” Ty explains. “I was dealing with the recent loss of my dad when some of this was written.  There are lighter moments mixed in to keep it from being too focused on loss or sadness.  I also resurrected a couple of old ideas that weren’t ready until now. I just write music that makes me happy, and I’ve ended up with an album I really love.”

From the opening chords of Come Home, it is clear that Ty Tabor’s trademark guitar tone lays the bedrock for his latest solo release Shades. Ty tackles a wide array of emotions and topics with layered harmonies, hooky pop sensibilities, and the total riffage that remains a crucial ingredient to the King’s X sound. Songs like What You’re Thinking, One Drop of Water, and Doesn’t Linger show Ty’s penchant for crafting tunes with tremendous melodies, while songs like Shallow, and Your Fantasy, trend heavy and exemplify why Ty is one of the most influential guitarists of the last three decades.

Shades Tracklist: 1 Come Home 2 Shallow 3 Your Fantasy 4 What You’re Thinking 5 Sister Genocide 6 Best Day in a While 7 Insane 8 One Drop of Water 9 Doesn’t Linger 10 Leaves Falling Down 11 Ashes – (Bonus Track) [CD & Digital Download only] 12 Political Nonsense – (Bonus Track) [CD & Digital Download only 13 Ashes (Acoustic) – (Bonus Track) [CD & Digital Download only]

GENE HOGLAN AND TESTAMENT PART WAYS, NEW DRUMMER TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON

Testament has released the following statement:

To all our Testament fans around the world,

First off, we are beyond grateful to have had Gene Hoglan behind our drum throne for ten years, several albums and countless tour dates. Unfortunately, our brother Gene’s additional tours and solo endeavors in 2022 conflict insurmountably with Testament’s rescheduled dates after two years of lost time due to the pandemic. Rather than Testament having to reschedule upcoming dates (yet again) or Gene having to cancel his own plans, we have decided to amicably part ways. We understand that this announcement will cause some disappointment but rest assured: There is no drama, only the best of vibes between us. As Gene embarks upon a new chapter, we thank him from the bottom of our hearts for bringing the most powerful drum beats to Testament and heavy metal. We have no doubt he will continue to bring it as only he can. Gene will always be family and we ask all of you to join us in wishing him only the best of luck going forward.

Also rest assure that we will continue to deliver yet another top notch addition to Testament and will reveal soon. We will see you all on tour very soon.”

Testament is set to hit the road, on the Bay Strikes Back tour, starting April 9th in San Luis Obispo, California. Joining Testament will be Exodus and Death Angel, to view the entire tour schedule, please click here.

WATCH SMITH/KOTZEN PERFORM IRON MAIDEN’S “WASTED YEARS”

As previously reported, Smith/Kotzen have announced tour dates, and are currently in the midst of their US portion of shows.

Some fan footage was posted of the band performing the Iron Maiden classic Wasted Years, watch it below.

For the US dates, joining Smith and Kozten onstage are Richie’s wife, internationally acclaimed bass player Julia Lage, formerly of the Latin Grammy-nominated Brazilian rock band Barra Ds Saia. and drummer Bruno Valverde of Angra.

Smith/Kotzen’s eponymous debut album was released globally through BMG in March 2021 to media and fan acclaim, charting No. 10 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart in the U.S., Top 20 in the U.K. as well as in other major markets such as Germany, Japan and Canada. A follow-up EP, Better Days, featuring four new tracks was released on November 26th in conjunction with international Record Store Day’s Black Friday event. Read more about this special release, here.

Smith is best known as one of Iron Maiden‘s principal guitarists, having also enjoyed success as a solo artist. Kotzen is the frontman for The Winery Dogs as well as having been the guitarist for both Mr. Big and Poison during his long and acclaimed career, which has to date seen him release more than 20 solo albums. Both artists are also prolific songwriters.

QUIET RIOT ANNOUNCE TOUR DATES

Quiet Riot has announced the first batch of shows from their upcoming 2022 tour season, which is set to begin on Friday, February 18th at The Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

The band recently welcomed legendary bassist and founding member Rudy Sarzo back to the band after an 18-year absence. 

We can’t wait to get back out there and see everyone” says guitarist Alex Grossi “The first few shows with Rudy back have gone over really well and the audiences are very excited to see him perform these songs again.”

Initial dates are as follows, with many more to be announced in the coming weeks, For more information: quietriot.band.

Quiet Riot tour dates:

2/18 – Uncasville, CT

2/19 – Redmond, OR       

2/20 – Great Falls, MT      

3/19 – Coachella, CA 

4/1 – Green Cove, FL 

4/29 – Bullhead, AZ                                         

5/7 – Dodge City, KS     

5/20 – Pompano Beach, FL              

5/26 – Morton, MN

5/29 – Nashville, TN 

6/3 – San Bernardino, CA  

6/4 – Hollywood, CA  

6/18 – Lampe, MO6/24 – Milwaukee, WI  

6/25 – Aurora, IL  7/09 – Xenia, OH  

7/15 – Ft. Wayne, IN   

7/16 – Roanoke, VA  

7/22 – Tucson, AZ  

7/23 – Las Vegas, NV  

7/29 – Kansas City, MO7/30 – Beaver Dam, KY  

8/20 – Crownsville, MD 8/21 – Des Moines, IA 

8/25 – Niagara Falls, NY

9/9 – Hinkley, MN 9/10 – St. Charles, IL

9/15 – Hutchinson, KS

9/16 – Hudson Falls, NY

9/17 – Salamanca, NY  

9/18 – Warrendale, PA

9/23 – Reno, NV

10/8 – Shelton, WA

Quiet Riot continues its historic journey as per the wishes of Frankie Banali, who passed away in 2020, and the Banali estate. The band continues to play live with the lineup composed of guitarist Alex Grossi, vocalist Jizzy Pearl, and filling Frankie Banali’s shoes behind the drums is Johnny Kelly of Type O Negative.

2022 marks the 40th anniversary of the recording of the landmark Metal Health album with Rudy on bass, which has sold over ten million copies. It spawned the hits Cum On Feel The Noize and Metal Health and the entire hair band craze in the 1980s. Sarzo appeared in the most notable music videos in the MTV age and toured with the band until 1985 and again from 1997 to 2003. During his years out of the band, Rudy Sarzo was a member of Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Dio, Blue Öyster Cult, Queensrÿche, and The Guess Who.

States Rudy Sarzo: “I’m excited to be back home and celebrate the Quiet Riot legacy, which began 40 years ago next year with the recording of Metal Health, the first heavy metal album to reach #1 on the Billboard top 200 albums chart.”

GHOST TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM “IMPERA” ON MARCH 11TH, VIDEO FOR NEW SONG “CALL ME LITTLE SUNSHINE” AVAILABLE NOW

Ghost will release their fifth album, Impera, on March 11th through Loma Vista/Concord. The official music video for the LP’s latest single, Call Me Little Sunshine, is out now and can be seen below.

According to a press release, Impera “finds Ghost transported literally hundreds of years forward from the 14th century Europe Black Plague era” of its previous album, 2018’s Prequelle. “The result is the most ambitious and lyrically incisive entry in the Ghost canon: Over the course of Impera‘s 12-song cycle, empires rise and fall, would-be messiahs ply their hype (financial and spiritual alike), prophecies are foretold as the skies fill with celestial bodies divine and man-made… All in all, the most current and topical Ghost subject matter to date is set against a hypnotic and darkly colorful melodic backdrop making ‘Impera’a listen like no other — yet unmistakably, quintessentially Ghost”

Impera track lsiting:

1.  Imperium 
2.  Kaisarion 
3.  Spillways 
4.  Call Me Little Sunshine 
5.  Hunter’s Moon
6.  Watcher In The Sky
7.  Dominion
8.  Twenties
9.  Darkness At The Heart Of My Love
10. Griftwood
11. Bite Of Passage
12. Respite On The Spital Fields

Hunter’s Moon, which was originally released in September can be heard here.

KISS ANNOUNCE MAY TOUR DATES

KISS has announced a handful of new U.S. shows as part of the band’s ongoing End Of The Road tour. The four rescheduled concerts will take place in May after they were postponed last year. All previously purchased tickets and VIP packages will be honored for the new dates.

KISS will also headline this year’s Welcome To Rockville festival on May 19th in Daytona Beach, Florida. Guns N’ Roses Foo Fighters and KORN will close out the rest of the four-day event.

2022 U.S. tour dates:

May 11 – Milwaukee, WI – American Family Insurance Amphitheater* 
May 12 – Dayton, OH – Wright State University Nutter Center* 
May 14 – Hartford, CT – Xfinity Theatre* 
May 17 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek* 
May 19 – Daytona Beach, FL – Welcome To Rockville – Daytona International Speedway