SLIPKNOT kicked off the 2022 iteration of its infamous “Knotfest Roadshow” tour Wednesday night (March 16) at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota.

The band’s setlist was as follows:

01. Disasterpiece
02. Wait And Bleed
03. Sulfur
04. Before I Forget
05. The Chapeltown Rag
06. Dead Memories (performed for first time since 2016)
07. Unsainted
08. The Heretic Anthem
09. Psychosocial
10. The Devil In I
11. Solway Firth
12. All Out Life
13. Snuff (performed for first time since 2012)
14. Vermilion
15. Duality
16. Custer
17. Spit It Out

Encore:

18. People = Shit
19. (sic)
20. Surfacing

Fan-filmed video is available below.

The “Knotfest Roadshow” tour is taking place over two legs, both headlined by SLIPKNOT. The first leg features special guests IN THIS MOMENT and WAGE WAR. The second leg will feature special guests CYPRESS HILL and HO99O9. The first leg of the 38-date run, produced by Live Nation, will hit a further 17 cities before wrapping up in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on Sunday, April 17. The second leg kicks off on Wednesday, May 18 in University Park, Pennsylvania and hits a further 17 cites before culminating on Sunday, June 18 in Chula Vista, California.

“Knotfest Roadshow”‘s return also features on-site merchandise from official tour sponsor Blackcraft Cult.

2021 marked a banner year for SLIPKNOT. Making a triumphant return to the road, their “Knotfest Roadshow” 2021 tour sold out amphitheaters across the country, bookended with the record-breaking Knotfest Iowa and the biggest headline show of their career, Knotfest Los Angeles at Banc of California Stadium where they debuted their first new music in two years, the furious “The Chapeltown Rag”, taken from the highly anticipated new SLIPKNOT album, expected later this year. In addition, they topped the bills of multiple, internationally renowned festivals, including Riot Fest, Rocklahoma, Inkcarceration and Welcome To Rockville.

The “Knotfest Roadshow” tour is part of Live Nation’s Live Stubs initiative which provides digital collectible NFT ticket stubs to ticket holders. Live Stubs are automatically be included with tickets purchased for the tour. Fans are also able to view, share, gift, trade, and resell their live stubs on LiveNation.com.

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W.A.S.P. leader Blackie Lawless has blasted Russian president Vladimir Putin as a “bully” whose motivation for invading Ukraine was “simple, godless selfishness.”

Earlier today, Lawless released the following statement via W.A.S.P.’s official web site: “With regards to any invading force, I am an American. I am an American first. I put my country first. I put my Nation’s People first. Whether we are Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Libertarians, Progressive, Liberal or Conservative, in moments of true crisis, any and ALL individual, selfish wants must be laid down for any nation to survive. A nation’s people must come first.

“Of the Americans that are alive now, regardless of modern sentiments and arrogance, we are not the first to have had to make the sacrifices that have made America THE Great beacon for freedom. Sadly, many Americans who are alive now know very little of America’s history, much less the historic, monumental sacrifices made by true Patriots and the ultimate prices that were paid by the selfless generations that came before us.

“Most people live and operate in their immediate realities. Maybe they’re not totally oblivious to the agony or misfortune of others, but especially in affluent places, if it ain’t in their neighborhood, they won’t see it.

“Unfortunately, we are led by whatever the current news cycles may be and ‘If it bleeds, it leads’ is what’s pumped through the airwaves and fiber optics. And if that’s not enough; many, many of us are dominated and even enslaved by our own selfishness.

“When it comes to current world events, most times in free societies we will have varying ideas. The very First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution clearly states, ‘Congress Shall Make No Law Prohibiting Freedom of Speech’. Sadly, that First Amendment is under attack in many forums today in America, but that’s another discussion for another time.

“Free Speech is usually not popular speech. As our Constitution states we’re free to say WHATEVER we want. I don’t care if you’re an insane religious group, hate group, fascists, or you think Lee Harvey Oswald did or did not act alone. IT DOES NOT MATTER! That First Amendment is not designed just to protect popular speech, it’s designed to protect unpopular speech! That one principal is what separates the United States from most other places in the world. Millions who came before us died to protect that sacred right, even for those who tread heavily over it now.

“We are all entitled to our own opinions, but NO ONE is entitled to THEIR OWN FACTS. In the world we live in today we are flooded with false information, from ALL sides. It’s incredibly difficult to separate the ‘truth from the jive’. So we ask, ‘how do we determine what is real from what isn’t’? It’s more simple than you may think, just OPEN YOUR EYES!

“As kids we’re told if we really want to know what’s going on, don’t just ask one or two people, get a number of varying opinions. In free societies, if you do that, you’ll start to get an idea of where the truth really is and the direction it’s going. But I emphasize the word ‘varying’. Like it or not, that’s the world we live in now. I came from a time when the world was not driven by social media so I personally don’t rely on that multi headed monster. I used to tell the Band not to read negative reviews of their live performances online. If 20 people don’t like you, when those people post on social media, it looks like a million people. I tell the guys, ‘do it the old fashioned way. If you really wanna know what going on with that audience, OPEN YOUR EYES and look at that crowd. They will tell you if they like you or not….. IMMEDIATELY!’ Talk about your immediate gratification!

“The situation in Ukraine is highly complex, more than most of us will ever know. Since the end of World War II, the United States and Russia (including the old Soviet Union) have been engaged in a proxy war. Going back and forth with the Sonny Corleone attitude of, ‘they hit us, so we hit them’. It’s been going on for almost 80 years. Does Russia, as a government have gripes with the U.S.? Having been there a number of times I can tell you they do. But overall the Russian people we have met are some of the warmest and best we’ve ever known, and my heart breaks for what they are going through now and will be enduring for years to come, by no fault of their own. They too are now, and will be, casualties of war. With the things I’m saying here you may ask, am I a pro Russian government sympathizer? NO I AM NOT! Ask anyone that question that knows me and they’ll laugh in your face.

“Actually, for combined radio, downloads and ticket sales, Moscow is W.A.S.P.’s biggest market in the world. I remember many nights after shows there and I would stay up until dawn with the rock journalist and they would tell me stories about the old days when the Iron Curtain was still up. They told me they would smuggle in scratched up vinyl records into freezing cold basements of houses and listen to our first album there in secrecy. Knowing if they were caught they would be taken away to jail. The looks of fear still on their faces as they told these stories touched me greatly, and I’ll remember them and the people that told them the rest of my life. So with great sadness, to all our friends and fans there we say, with truly heavy hearts,

“‘Dasvidaniya old Friends….Dasvidaniya’

“I realize as I write this, most likely, I will never be able to go back.

“Regardless of individual political beliefs, or who did what to whom years ago for whatever disgusting reason, the images that are coming out of Ukraine scream for themselves. The total degradation of human beings. The word I keep gritting through my teeth is ‘Obscene’. NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING can justify this invasion and or occupation by Russia of the Sovereign Nation of Ukraine. Those ‘obscene’ images of watching children, babies, the elderly, the infirm and ordinary civilians, also by no fault of their own, being utterly destroyed, displaced and the lives of an entire nation uprooted and forever changed, for no other reason than simple, godless selfishness. By a bully. And why does the bully do it? …..Because He CAN!

“It’s reported Putin’s desire to annex Ukraine is because of historical significant to the old Russian Empire. I get that. But the world changes. I can tell you from being part Native American Indian (Blackfoot) that sometimes you lose your land. Period! It’s just the way it is. So you move on, or die.

“I’ve written here about the sanctity of our First Amendment. Something both Ukraine and Russia have never known, and is dangerously close to vanishing in America. I hope one day the Ukrainian people will be able to embrace that one precious Freedom for themselves, in their own land. Because if they do, the other freedoms will follow. I do not know if anyone in the Ukraine will ever be able to read any of what is written here. But if any can, we want them to know, the world is with them.

“Today, I am Ukrainian. I am a Ukrainian First. I put the Nation of Ukraine First. I put the people of Ukraine First.

“‘Godspeed’, meaning, ‘good fortune or, for a safe journey’.

“Sincerely, Godspeed. Слава Україні!- Glory to Ukraine!”

On February 24, Putin announced a “special military operation” in Ukraine. Putin made the announcement during a televised early morning speech, peddling accusations of Nazi elements within Ukraine to justify the attack on his western neighbor, a move that experts slammed as slanderous and false. (Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish and lost three family members in the Holocaust.)

The Russian leader called for Ukraine’s “demilitarization and denazification” and warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to “consequences they have never seen.”

According to NPR, nearly 600 civilian fatalities have been confirmed in the first three weeks of the war, including a U.S. journalist.

The U.S. military estimates that between 2,000 and 4,000 Ukrainian armed forces, national guard and volunteer forces have been killed. It estimates that between 5,000 and 6,000 Russian soldiers have been killed.

Ukrainian armed forces say more than 12,000 Russian troops have been killed since February 24.

“Слава Україні! – Glory to Ukraine”, Blackie Lawless Shares His Thoughts on Ukraine…

Posted by W.A.S.P. Nation (Official) on Thursday, March 17, 2022

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DEF LEPPARD will release its new album, “Diamond Star Halos”, on May 27 via UMe. The follow-up to 2015’s self-titled LP is available for pre-order now in multiple configurations, including a deluxe edition, 2-LP vinyl, digital formats and more. Exclusive bundles including newly designed album merch have also launched.

To herald the arrival of “Diamond Star Halos”, the U.K. quintet — Joe Elliott (vocals), Rick Savage (bass), Rick Allen (drums), Phil Collen (guitar) and Vivian Campbell (guitar) — has just shared a powerful and rip-roaring new rock single titled “Kick”. The song thrusts into an anthemic stadium-ready frenzy kickstarted with driving guitars and bombastic drums woven into its musical fabric. Meanwhile, the chorus has all the makings of another iconic LEPPARD hit with its skyscraping vocals and melodies the band has become synonymous for. The artwork for “Diamond Star Halos” is art in itself. The design follows pedigree with their instantly recognizable album covers from their celebrated past. With images by world renowned photographer and director Anton Corbijn, styling concepts by Maryam Malakpour and graphics by the U.K.-based Munden Brothers, the design truly follows the band’s influence through their eyes today.

Over the past two years, DEF LEPPARD recorded “Diamond Star Halos” simultaneously in three different countries with Joe in Ireland, Sav in England, and Phil, Vivian and Rick in the United States. Without the pressure of timelines or a fixed schedule, they poured all of their energy into crafting 15 meaningful tracks with a mixture of classic spirit meets modern fire. Thematically, they nodded to their earliest collective influences such as David Bowie, T.REX and MOTT THE HOOPLE, among others. The title itself notably references T.REX’s “Bang a Gong (Get It On)”. However, they didn’t embark on this journey alone. The multi-Grammy Award-winning and legendary artist Alison Krauss lent her instantly recognizable and angelic voice to “This Guitar” and “Lifeless”, while David Bowie pianist Mike Garson performs on “Goodbye For Good This Time” and “Angels (Can’t Help You Now)”.

“Kick” can be streamed below, with “Diamond Star Halos” now available for preorder on the DEF LEPPARD web site in a variety of formats, including a deluxe edition, two-LP vinyl, digital and more.

“Diamond Star Halos” track listing:

01. Take What You Want
02. Kick
03. Fire It Up
04. This Guitar (feat. Alison Krauss]
05. Sos Emergency
06. Liquid Dust
07. U Rok Mi
08. Goodbye For Good This Time
09. All We Need
10. Open Your Eyes
11. Gimme A Kiss
12. Angels (Can’t Help You Now)
13. Lifeless (feat. Alison Krauss)
14. Unbreakable
15. From Here To Eternity

DEF LEPPARD’s “The Stadium Tour” with MÖTLEY CRÜE, POISON and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS was originally scheduled to take place in the summer of 2020 but ended up being pushed back to 2021, and then to 2022, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Photo credit: Anton Corbijn

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George Lynch has commenced work on his second solo instrumental album. The LP will be the follow-up to “Seamless”, which came out last August via Rat Pak Records.

On Tuesday (March 15), Lynch shared a new Instagram photo from the studio and included the following message: “Day 1 of preproduction of a new solo instrumental record Follow up to #seamless. Got my buddy chis tickling the mouse and just seeing where the wind takes us. #everydayisanadventure @ratpakrecords #guitarsattheendoftheworld #threechordsandthetruth @bigchrisflores”.

For the recording of “Seamless”, Lynch was backed by drummer Jimmy D’Anda and bassist Eric Loiselle.

Produced by Lynch, “Seamless” included three bonus tracks that were added to the album after the extra tracks were presented to the label.

Lynch previously said: “‘Seamless’ is my attempt at creating a guitar-driven instrumental record that delivers something outside the realm of what most people would expect from a guitar instrumental record coming from a semi-redeemed ’80s hair shredder. I wanted the record to be challenging but not exhausting; personal without being belligerently self-indulgent and include a fair amount of guitar histrionics and pay tribute to the masters without making it sound like I’m competing to be the end all summation of all guitar legacies that preceded me. I also wanted the underlying music to be more than vehicles for solos; I wanted the compositions to be able to stand on their own.”

Asked by Audio Ink Radio what made 2021 the right time to release his debut instrumental album, Lynch said: “The real story is I had written a record intending it to be a new LYNCH MOB record, and it didn’t pan out, because none of the vocalists that I talked to and worked with on it could really come up with anything to go over it. Nobody was really feeling it, and that’s the first time that’s ever happened to me as long as I can remember where I completely failed at a record. It wasn’t even salvageable. Looking at it and listening to what these singers were telling me, the critique of it was that it was just too intricate and too busy and too involved and wasn’t leaving enough space for the vocals to put their footprint on it, and I got that. I’m usually aware of the kind of thing when I’m writing, so I don’t know how that happened. I think I just got carried away and was having fun with the compositions. I think by default — a happy accident — I was making an instrumental record and didn’t know it.”

Starting in music in 1977, Lynch has long since been considered one of the most-notable guitar players of all time. His work with DOKKEN and LYNCH MOB has garnered him a legion of devoted fans around the globe. His creativity and musicianship has been showcased on over 50 albums since 1982 and 2022 will mark his 45th anniversary as a professional musician. Lynch continues to redefine guitar playing and songwriting while showing no signs of slowing down.

In recent years, Lynch has recorded albums with a number of different projects, including LYNCH MOB, KXM, SWEET & LYNCH, THE END MACHINE and DIRTY SHIRLEY. His most recent release was “Heavy Hitters”, a collaboration with his former DOKKEN bandmate Jeff Pilson on a collection of studio recordings that turn pop music classics into metal anthems.

In 2020, Lynch told Guitar World magazine that staying “diversified” was key to making a living in rock music today. “Do everything,” he said. “Be an engineer, be a composer, play every instrument you can, get endorsements, learn how to make a web site, be social-media savvy and keep your eye on everything.”

Photo credit: Cat Parker

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KORN has canceled its previously announced shows in Russia and Ukraine which were scheduled to take place in June. Earlier today (Thursday, March 17), the band released a statement announcing that it was making the decision to call off the shows in “solidarity with Ukraine.” The move comes three weeks after Russian president Vladimir Putin ordered a military attack on Ukraine, which have provoked widespread condemnation from the U.S. and NATO allies.

“Due to the ongoing circumstances in Ukraine, we’ve come to the only available option, which is to cancel our shows there and in Russia,” the statement read. “We were greatly looking forward to reconnecting with our fans in these countries, but we are taking this step to stand in solidarity with Ukraine. We also acknowledge our fans in Russia who stand united with the people of Ukraine in their fight for peace.

“We’re very sorry to our fans in both countries, and most importantly, our prayers go out to all involved.

“Please contact the point of purchase for refunds.

“We will now be headlining Tons Of Rock Festival in Norway on June 24 in its place.”

On February 24, Putin announced a “special military operation” in Ukraine. Putin made the announcement during a televised early morning speech, peddling accusations of Nazi elements within Ukraine to justify the attack on his western neighbor, a move that experts slammed as slanderous and false. (Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish and lost three family members in the Holocaust.)

The Russian leader called for Ukraine’s “demilitarization and denazification” and warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to “consequences they have never seen.”

According to NPR, nearly 600 civilian fatalities have been confirmed in the first three weeks of the war, including a U.S. journalist.

The U.S. military estimates that between 2,000 and 4,000 Ukrainian armed forces, national guard and volunteer forces have been killed. It estimates that between 5,000 and 6,000 Russian soldiers have been killed.

Ukrainian armed forces say more than 12,000 Russian troops have been killed since February 24.

Due to the ongoing circumstances in Ukraine, we’ve come to the only available option, which is to cancel our shows there…

Posted by Korn on Thursday, March 17, 2022

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