Today, Slayer unveils the album artwork for its 11th studio album, Repentless, due out September 11 through Nuclear Blast. The artwork was created by Brazilian artist Marcelo Vasco in collaboration with the band’s Tom Araya and Kerry King.
“We had a number of submitted ideas for the cover artwork,” said Araya, “and we felt Marcelo’s was the best. We made some suggestions and the result is an awesome album cover.”
The band also announces that the album’s title and first official track will be available digitally virtually everywhere around the globe this Friday, June 19th.
Repentless is my Jeff tribute,” said Slayer’s Kerry King. “I call it the ‘HannemAnthem.’ It’s my perspective of Jeff’s perspective, it’s what I think…if Jeff wrote a song for himself, Repentless would be it.” Click here to read the lyrics.
Repentless is Slayer’s first new studio album since 2009’s critically-acclaimed, Grammy-nominated World Painted Blood. Slayer will tour extensively to support the release of the album, and will headline this summer’s Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival that begins July 26 in San Diego, CA. Click here for the full itinerary.
The most successful export from continental Europe with more than 100 million records sold, Scorpions are celebrating 50 years of rock with the release of their 19th studio album, Return To Forever (Sony Music/Legacy Recordings), on September 11th.
Produced by their two favorite Swedes, Mikael Nord Andersson and Martin Hansen (Sting In The Tail, MTV Unplugged), the 19-song collection will be available in various formats including digital, Deluxe CD, and vinyl. The North American configuration boasts three exclusive tracks alongside four bonus tracks previously available only in specific territories, full tracklisting below. The first single, We Built This House releases digitally on July 3rd, and will be available to fans as an instant-grat for the album preorder, available at Amazon and iTunes. Scorpions embark on a 16-city North America tour this fall (dates follow), more information on the dates and new release can be found at the-scorpions.com.
“We have been overwhelmed with the amazing response to our new album across the globe and can’t wait to finally release Return To Forever in North America” said Klaus Meine. “We have always had such a special connection with our incredible fans and are so excited to get them the new album and return to play live this fall.”
Scorpions have also launched an official D2C store with exciting offerings for fans featuring brand new t-shirt and sweatshirt designs coupled with the CD and Vinyl versions of Return To Forever. Also included in each bundle is an exclusive “fanified” poster that will feature every fan’s name on it who pre-orders Return To Forever through the D2C site by August 14th. Visit here for more details.
Return To Forever celebrates a spectacular global return for Scorpions as the album is already available in many parts of the world breaking and remaining in the Top 10 in multiple markets including Finland, France, Germany, Greece (#1), Hungary, Japan and Switzerland, with continued chart activity in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Holland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.K.!
When Klaus Meine (vocals), Rudolf Schenker (rhythm guitar) and Matthias Jabs (lead guitar) conceived this record, the idea was to revisit their past, recording updated outtakes and unfinished song ideas from their most famous 80’s sessions. Mathias Jabs explains, “There had been quite a few unused songs over the years that were really good, but in the end didn’t make the cut back then due to the limited space on vinyl. We focused on eight songs, which were partly finished which we then recorded from scratch. During the work, new song ideas were added. We were having so much fun we suddenly found ourselves in the middle of the songwriting process once again. And in the end, it turned out to be a brand-new Scorpions album after all.”
Return To Forever includes first single, We Built this House, – capturing all the elements that make for the signature Scorpions sound, luring verses with an anthemic chorus – purists will be thrilled. Additional selections include the sweeping House Of Cards, Eye Of The Storm – a track, that transports a notion of the unbelievable dynamic and joy of playing, characterizing Scorpions’ stage performances. In the end, “it tells our story” said Klaus Meine. “We’ve built this house called Scorpions brick by brick and often quite arduously. From the first days in Hannover, the first concerts abroad, until this very day. We’ve weathered severe storms, but the house withstood everything, turned out to be weatherproof and stable. However, building the house was never just cumbersome, but joyful as well. The joy of music, the joy of having experienced and still experiencing it all, the joy of – and the thankfulness for – the fan’s affection.”
Return To Forever track listing:
1. Going Out With A Bang
2. We Built This House
3. Rock My Car
4. House Of Cards
5. All For One
6. Rock ’N’ Roll Band
7. Catch Your Luck And Play
8. Rollin’ Home
9. Hard Rockin’ The Place
10. Eye Of The Storm
11. The Scratch
12. Gypsy Life
13. The World We Used to Know
14. Dancing With The Moonlight
15. When The Truth Is A Lie
16. Who We Are
17. Crazy Ride (exclusive)
18. One And One Is Three (exclusive)
19. Delirious (exclusive)
The fact that the 50th band anniversary was coming up, hit Rudolf Schenker rather accidentally: “Not long ago I found an old cash account book of my mom’s, in which she meticulously recorded the earnings and expenses of the band from fifty years ago. My parents had lent me the money for the first equipment back then, so they kept a of record of my earnings so I could pay them back in installments. Fifty years is a long time for a working band. Apart from us, only the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys and The Who have managed to do it. So the timing for the new album is perfect; We’re celebrating half a century of Scorpions with the record and the upcoming tour.”
Scorpions Return to Forever 50th Anniversary Tour, featuring longtime members Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs, alongside James Kottak (drums) and Paweł Mąciwoda (bass), kicks off in May 2015 with dates in four continents. For these milestone shows, Scorpions have built a career-spanning setlist of Scorpion’s hits, anthems, ballads and vintage classics. North American dates also feature special guests Queensryche.
September:
10 Boston, MA Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
12 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center
13 Gilford, NH Meadowbrook
16 Moncton, NB Canada Moncton Coliseum
18 Toronto, ON Canada Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
19 Montreal, QC Canada Bell Centre
22 Columbus, OH LC Pavilion
23 Cleveland, OH Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
25 Windsor, ON Canada Caesar’s Windsor TBA
26 Chicago, IL Allstate Arena
29 Denver, CO Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
October:
1 San Jose, CA SAP Center
3 Los Angeles, CA The Forum
6 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
7 Las Vegas, NV Hard Rock Hotel
9 Seattle, WA ShoWare Center
Scorpions remain a band able to attract masses of new fans at any given time. A fact that surprises even the musicians themselves, as they gladly admit. “It’s really remarkable”, says Rudolf Schenker, for example, “how well and mostly unharmed we’ve survived those years, in which our kind of music seemed to have gotten out of style completely. When the grunge wave hit the shore, we simply went to Asia to tap new markets and gain new fans. We were able to continue playing and keep on winning new friends for our music.”
After the recent announcement that Metal Allegiance will be releasing an album of original material, a date has been set for the debut album of the musical collective. The self-titled album is scheduled to be available worldwide on September 18th through Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The album features a collection of hard rock and heavy metal’s most notable perfromers. Brought together by principal partner Mark Menghi, Metal Allegiance contains appearances by Philip H. Anselmo, Charlie Benante, Chuck Billy, D. Randall Blythe, Rex Brown, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Phil Demmel, David Ellefson, Alissa White-Gluz, Matthew K. Heafy, Gary Holt, jamey Jasta, Chris Jericho, Andreas Kisser, Misha Mansoor, Mark Osegueda, Tim “Ripper” Owens, dUg Pinnick, Mike Portnoy, Troy Sanders, Cristina Scabbia, Alex Skolnick, Steve “Zetro” Souza and Ben Weinman.
“It’s always my pleasure to jam with such esteemed musicians and brothers, and my contribution to this project is further proof of that fact. Hail to all Heavy Metalers the world over!” states Philip H. Aneslmo.
Mike Portnoy adds, “I could not be any more excited or proud of the Metal Allegiance album… it’s everything I’ve always dreamed of and hoped for & 100x more!”
From the blistering opening of album starter Gift Of Pain to the final notes of closer Pledge Of Allegiance, it is clear this collective have created something special. The diversity of the individual tracks is apparent through each musical collaboration. The standard edition CD of Metal Allegiance will feature the nine original songs. A digipak edition will be available that features an all-star tribute to Ronnie James Dio with a cover of his classic song We Rock as well as a 45 minute behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the album. A double vinyl version will also be available that will feature all 10 songs as well.
D. Randall Blythe adds, “When Lamb Of God asked Alex Skolnick to rip a guest solo on Ashes of the Wake, it was a big deal to us to have one of the legends of our scene play on our record. Much to my amazement, years later he returned the request, and it’s an even bigger deal to me to be asked on a peer level to contribute to a project with so many stellar players. I was honored to be chosen – Gift Of Pain rips! Play it LOUD!”
The tracklisting for Metal Allegiance is:
1. Gift Of Pain (Vocals: D. Randall Blythe Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick Bass: David Ellefson
Drums: Mike Portnoy Additional Lead Guitar: Gary Holt)
2. Let Darkness Fall (Vocals: Troy Sanders Lead, Rhythm & Acoustic Guitars: Alex Skolnick Bass: David Ellefson Drums & Percussion: Mike Portnoy Additional Bass: Mark Menghi & Rex Brown Additional Screams: D. Randall Blythe)
3. Can’t Kill The Devil (Vocals: Chuck Billy Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick Bass: David Ellefson
Drums: Mike Portnoy Additional Lead Guitar: Phil Demmel & Andreas Kisser)
4. Dying Song (Vocals: Philip H. Anselmo Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick Bass: Mark Menghi
Drums: Mike Portnoy)
5. Scars (Vocals: Mark Osegueda & Cristina Scabbia Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick
Bass: David Ellefson Drums: Mike Portnoy)
6. Destination: Nowhere (Vocals: Matthew K. Heafy Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick Bass: David Ellefson
Drums: Mike Portnoy Additional Lead Guitar: Matthew K. Heafy)
7. Wait Until Tomorrow (Vocals: dUg Pinnick & Jamey Jasta Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick Bass: David Ellefson Drums, Percussion & Additional Vocals: Mike Portnoy)
8. Triangulum
I. Creation
II. Evolution
III. Destruction
(Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick Bass: David Ellefson Drums: Mike Portnoy Additional Lead Guitar: Misha Mansoor, Ben Weinman, Charlie Benante, Phil Demmel, Matthew K. Heafy & Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal)
9. Pledge Of Allegiance (Vocals: Mark Osegueda Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick Bass: David Ellefson
Drums: Mike Portnoy Additional Lead Guitar: Charlie Benante, Gary Holt & Andreas Kisser)
10. We Rock (Deluxe Edition Only) (Vocals: Mark Osegueda, Chris Jericho, Tim “Ripper” Owens, Alissa White-Gluz, Chuck Billy &
Steve “Zetro” Souza Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick Bass: David Ellefson Drums: Mike Portnoy Additional Lead Guitar: Andreas Kisser, Phil Demmel & Gary Holt)
Katherine Turman of The Village Voice spoke with Slayer guitarist Kerry King. Quotes from the interview appear below.
On whether or not he feels the spirit of long-time friend and band co-founder guiding the band:
“Jeff is worm food,” King states in his blunt-yet-likable fashion. “When you die you go in the dirt. There is no doubt. Doubt’s called agnostic. I’m not agnostic.”
Discussing Hanneman’s song, Piano Wire, which appears on the band’s forthcoming new album, Repentless:
“I didn’t know this until Tom [Araya, singer/bassist] told me recently. I didn’t talk to Jeff about that song, because I didn’t really have to police Jeff. If he wrote it, I was pretty sure it was all right. It was about sometime in World War II, because he was a big World War II history buff. I don’t know the exact instance, but apparently the Germans would hang people from buildings by piano wire as a warning to people not to go against them. That’s a very general description.”
Speaking about Exodus guitarist Gary Holt:
“Holt being in the band has changed my playing, absolutely. Before he was even in my band, I would praise Gary to the guitar press, because I felt it was the Glenn Tipton of our era, meaning that he was overlooked. Even though everyone knew Judas Priest, nobody really talked about Tipton. I thought that was a tragedy, because he was responsible for so many innovations and awesome heavy metal songs and riffs. Now that Holt gets to play with us it keeps me on my toes, because I’m not going to let the new guy kick the old Slayer dude’s ass.”
Discussing whether Slayer should have carried on after the passing of guitarist Hanneman:
“I’m not a social media guy, because I don’t have time for that nonsense; I mean the people who speak nonsense on social media, I’m sure, that when the record comes out, someone will say, ‘Oh, it’s only half of Slayer. They should have hung it up when Jeff died.’ My answer to them is, ‘What if AC/DC had hung it up when Bon Scott died?’ How much awesomeness would we have missed out on?”
Read Kerry King’s entire interview with the Village Voice, here.
Slayer’s Repentless is due September 11th. Read more about it here.
Rush have finally made the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
For the in-depth, career-spanning cover story, senior writer Brian Hiatt followed the band to early tour rehearsals in Los Angeles and soundchecks in Tulsa, Oklahoma, interviewing Neil Peart, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson about their lives and careers, from their childhoods to their Eighties evolution to the recording of 2012’s Clockwork Angels. Throughout the story, one question looms: Can their current run of shows, which began May 8th in Tulsa, really be their “last major tour of this magnitude,” as they’ve called it? The band members themselves don’t seem altogether sure.
“It’s most likely our last tour,” says Lee. “I couldn’t put it any more accurately. I can’t say for sure. But it doesn’t mean we don’t want to work together still, it doesn’t mean we won’t do another creative project and I’ve got ideas for shows we could do that don’t involve a tour.”
To see Rush’s Rolling Stone cover, please click here.
As Aerosmith gears up for their 2015 summer tour, a date has been announced for the release of Aerosmith Rocks Donington 2014. Due out September 4th, the 20-song collection captures the legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Famers delivering a scorching career-spanning show at the famed Donington Park in Leicestershire, UK in June 2014. Filmed in high definition, the critically acclaimed concert film–which premiered in February with a highly successful nationwide theatrical run–will be available on multiple formats: Blu-ray+2CD, DVD+2CD, DVD+3LP and digital formats for North America and DVD, Blu-ray, DVD+2CD, DVD+3LP and digital formats for ROW/Europe. Details about a special pre-sale–with bonus items–of Aerosmith Rocks Donington 2014 will be available in the coming weeks.
Headlining the massive Download Festival as part of the band’s Let Rock Rule tour, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Joey Kramer, Tom Hamilton, and Brad Whitford unleashed supercharged versions of Love In An Elevator, Janie’s Got A Gun, I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing, Dude Looks Like A Lady, Walk This Way, Dream On, Sweet Emotion, Toys In The Attic, Mama Kin, and many more. Watch a trailer below.
“It’s always an absolute hoot that leaves me howling at the moon, performing at Donington we couldn’t have had a better time on stage that night,” says Steven Tyler. “I could feel the vibes of all the greats pulsing through the stage like AC/DC, Rage Against the Machine, Metallica and so many more.”
“We have played Donington many times but this performance was one of our best,” recalls Joe Perry. “Thanks to our fans who were there who helped us make it a night to remember. We are proud to have it be part of this theatrical series and it will give our fans who weren’t there around the world a chance to relive an ass kicking night of rock and roll.”
“We’re really proud and grateful to have been chosen to headline the Download festival at Donington for 2014,” Tom Hamilton adds. “It was an awesome experience and I think this film captures it. Special thanks to the insane fans who stuck with us through mud and rain.”
“I’m grateful to have been able to play this show at Donington,” says Joey Kramer. “I thought the band played great, the audience was great. That night was a very special time.”
“Playing in Donington has always been a highlight of the tour for us,” adds Brad Whitford. “The fervor of the crowd there is a sight to behold and this night was no different.”
Aerosmith Rocks Donington 2014 track listing is as follows:
1) Train Kept A-Rollin’
2) Eat The Rich
3) Love In An Elevator
4) Cryin’
5) Jaded
6) Livin’ On The Edge
7) Last Child
8) Freedom Fighter
9) Same Old Song And Dance
10) Janie’s Got A Gun
11) Toys In The Attic
12) I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing
13) No More No More
14) Come Together
15) Dude (Looks Like A Lady)
16) Walk This Way
17) Home Tonight
18) Dream On
19) Sweet Emotion
20) Mama Kin
