You could WIN a Comet Chorus from Maestro Pedals in today’s I Love Pedals giveaway! Ends Feb. 25, 2022.Comet ChorusThe Maestro Comet Chorus pedal uses iconic analog bucket brigade device (BBD) technology to deliver warm, classic chorus tones. This all-analog pedal boasts a Mode toggle switch for increased sonic versatility. The Earth mode provides an optimized, shimmering chorus effect. The Orbit mode adds some amplitude modulation to the chorused sound to more accurately simulate the sonic complexities of a rotary speaker. An internal trim pot lets you adjust the level of the rotary speaker Orbit effect to taste. The intuitive 3-knob control layout lets users quickly dial up the Depth (amount of pitch variation), Speed (modulation rate) of the chorusing, and adjust the amount of pitch modulated signal that is blended in with the dry signal by using the Mix control. The true bypass footswitch triggers the LED lights in the bugles in the Maestro logo when it’s on, so you’ll always know when the effect is active.I Love Pedals Day #24: Maestro

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When you think of Slash (born Saul Hudson), several things immediately come to mind. There’s his signature top hat, his flowing curly locks, his killer solos and bluesy riffs, and, of course, the Les Paul—the iconic axe that’s been by his side since the mid ’80s when he broke ground on Guns N’ Roses’ Appetite for Destruction with timeless classics like “Sweet Child o’ Mine” and “Welcome to the Jungle.” There’s some controversy surrounding the actual guitar used on that album, with speculation that it wasn’t actually a Gibson but rather a replica made by luthier Kris Derrig. No matter the origin of that guitar, Slash popularized the Les Paul at the time when pointy-headed super strats ruled the world.In fact, he single-handedly brought the Les Paul back into vogue, and rare models began fetching unheard of sums. With supergroup Velvet Revolver and his solo project, Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, the Les Paul has remained Slash’s inseparable partner-in-crime. Gibson named Slash their global brand ambassador and has collaborated with him on 17 signature Les Pauls since 1997. So, it’s not surprising that when Gibson Records launched, Slash was the first artist they contacted.The new album from Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, 4, is Gibson Records’ inaugural release. It features Todd Kerns on bass, Brent Fitz on drums, Frank Sidoris on rhythm guitar, and Kennedy on vocals. Kennedy is also known as the lead singer for Alter Bridge. It’s less common knowledge that Kennedy is a monster guitarist with a degree in jazz studies and commercial music. In his formative years, Kennedy led Cosmic Dust, a fusion band that was the vehicle for his Frank Gambale meets Mike Stern pyrotechnics. Kennedy doesn’t play guitar on 4, but when they’re on tour, to avoid straining his voice, Kennedy locks himself in the hotel room and sheds endlessly.Slash ft. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators – The River Is Rising (Official Music Video)Spirit AnimalsThe songwriting process for 4 began during the Living the Dream tour in 2019 in the dead time before and after shows. “It’s not a rule but I always write stuff for the next record while we’re on the road with the previous,” says Slash. “A lot of this new record was initiated in that process. In dressing rooms before the show, on the bus sometimes—though usually not on the bus because everybody is all over the place—and definitely in the hotel rooms. Because I never really go anywhere. I just stay in my room. I record stuff onto my phone—the cat’s out of the bag [laughs]. When I bring something to soundcheck and the band starts to jam on an idea, I record from the board.”Slash is a self-taught zookeeper and has housed and cared for countless wild animals, so it makes sense that animals served as inspirations for some of the songs on 4. He got his first pet rat, a black-and-white creature named Mickey, from disco/funk legend Sly Stone. One of Slash’s anacondas, Sam, resides at the Nashville Zoo, and whenever Slash is in town, he’ll go visit him. Once, Slash snuck his mountain lion, Curtis, into the opulent Four Seasons hotel after the Northridge earthquake displaced him.Given that history, it’s fitting that the album closer, “Fall Back to Earth,” began while Slash was on safari in South Africa at Kruger National Park, inspired by the sounds of monkeys and hippos he heard in the nighttime as he looked up at the stars in the majestic sky. “I took my guitar to the park, yes [laughs],” says Slash. “I just came up with this melody, which was the main theme of ‘Fall Back to Earth,’ and I stuck with that. I loved it because it came from a place of inspiration because of the environment that I was in.”“For me, as a sort of semi-insecure guitar player, there are things that I did want to go back and fix, but Dave was like, ‘Come on, man.’ I was like, ‘I know, I know.’” —SlashKennedy, a self-proclaimed softie, also took inspiration from an animal. He wrote “Fill My World” from the imagined viewpoint of his Shih Tzu, Mozart. “It was a few years ago and I was on tour. My wife had come out to see me, and we were both trying to get home. We have a little dog named Mozart and he usually stays with friends or a dog sitter. They dropped him off thinking we’d be back in an hour or two. Unfortunately, a storm rolled in, so we basically got stuck. As the storm hit, we were freaking out because we were watching on the cameras. He was at the house by himself and the thunder and the lightning—which the dogs just hate—were just scaring the hell out of him. You could see it. It was kind of heartbreaking so I thought it would be interesting to write a song from his perspective. What might have been going through his head at that point.” At one point in the song, an audible crack in Kennedy’s voice can be heard.Enter Dave CobbAfter the songs were written, it was time to make studio arrangements. “I talked to a couple of trusted executives in the industry that I know, and I said, ‘I’m looking for a good rock ’n’ roll producer,’” recalls Slash. “And, of course, the list was very short. I had four guys to look at. Two of them were interesting, two of them were, no.”Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb easily got the gig. “We just talked about records we loved,” recalls Cobb. “We talked about how records used to be made where you came into the room and recorded to tape with no separation and played as if you were a band playing live instead of making it a big procedure. And that’s how we hit it off. I remember growing up and learning how to play guitar, and Slash was huge to me. I was a little nervous to talk to him.”“He wanted to record a rock band live in the studio and I wanted to be a rock band that recorded live in the studio, so we hit it off right away,” says Slash. The band set up at Nashville’s RCA Studio A, a legendary space that Chet Atkins’ built where every country music luminary from Dolly Parton to Waylon Jennings has recorded. “The vibe in that place is so inspiring, I have to say … everybody’s recorded there,” says Slash. “Steve Cropper’s got an office upstairs. I never got to meet him but just the fact that he was in the building was just so cool.”Guitars, bass, and drums were recorded live in one room, and Kennedy did his vocals live in an adjacent booth. Everyone was at ease, just rockin’ out, which made for a particularly stellar vocal performance from Kennedy. “I thought I was just laying down vocals for scratch tracks. I thought I was just helping guide the band, so they know, ‘Okay we’re on the verse, or we’re on the chorus.’ Then I assumed that in a week or so we’d go in, and I’d re-cut the vocal,” says Kennedy. “But Dave was happy with them. That’s the way they get a singer to relax—tell him it’s just a scratch track (laughs).”Cobb’s ability to embrace the moment also relaxed Slash’s usual quest for perfection. “For me, as a sort of semi-insecure guitar player, there are things that I did want to go back and fix, but Dave was like, ‘Come on, man.’ I was like, ‘I know, I know,’” Slash says.Slash’s Gear on ‘4’GuitarsGibson ’59 reissue Les Paul (2)Gibson ’68 reissue Les Paul CustomGibson ’69 reissue Flying VKris Derrig Les Paul replica (1986)Most of Slash’s guitars are outfitted with his signature Seymour Duncan APH-2 Alnico II Pro Slash humbuckersStrings & PicksErnie Ball Slash Signature (.011–.048)Dunlop custom picks 1.14 mmAmpsMarshall Silver Jubilee 2555 JCM Slash Signature 100-watt head 1960 Marshall 4×12 cabinet loaded with Celestion Vintage 30sEffectsMXR EVH Phase 90MXR CAE Boost/OverdriveDunlop Heil Talk BoxHammond LeslieHughes & Kettner Tube RotosphereDangerous TimesWhen Slash was in Guns N’ Roses, they were called “The Most Dangerous Band in the World” because of their hedonistic excesses. Now, older and wiser, Slash isn’t quite as carefree. For the recording session, to avoid public exposure and reduce the chance of getting Covid, the band hired a tour bus to bring them from Vegas to Nashville.The bus first picked up Slash in L.A. and brought him to Vegas, where most of the other band members live. Myles drove into Vegas from Washington. Upon arriving in Sin City, they met up at a clinic, and after all testing negative, got on the bus and headed to Nashville. After a night’s rest, they got straight to business the next morning. At a breakneck rate of two songs per day, 90 percent of the record was done in five days. And then on the sixth day, when Slash was gearing up for some guitar overdubs, he got an unexpected call from Kennedy.“He called me on my cell phone, which was odd to begin with,” recalls Slash. “Then he said that he had tested positive. Because we had to do regular testing, I was like, ‘Oh fuck.’ I couldn’t understand how that could possibly have happened because we hadn’t gone anywhere. Consequently, Brent, Todd, and one of the engineers at the studio were positive as well.”Kennedy was also baffled. “The first time we tested was like three days before we got there and the next time we tested was the morning we walked into the studio. Everybody was fine and I was fine,” Kennedy recalls. “Then about 24 hours later I started to notice some strange symptoms. I thought they were allergies initially and, especially since I just tested, I thought, ‘There’s no way it’s Covid.’ But unfortunately, as the symptoms continued to evolve, I realized it was something a little more serious.”Everyone had to go into quarantine, but that didn’t mean the music making had to stop. “I started to do what little guitar overdubs I had—I had some harmonies, and some sitar parts,” says Slash. “Then two days later I tested positive. It was inevitable because we were all living in the same house and sharing a communal kitchen. The house was now effectively called ‘Covid Manor.’” Only Sidoris avoided getting Covid.Luckily, the setup of their accommodations made it possible to quarantine and still be productive. “It was perfect,” says Kennedy. “I had a little separate house outside the house. I think it was like a pool house or something. I ended up recording Todd’s vocals because Todd ended up getting sick as well. He would come out during the day, and I would set up my DAW and we would do the backing vocals.”“Spirit Love,” “Whatever Gets You By,” and “Fall Back to Earth” were all finished in the pool house, and then the files were sent to Cobb.“Seeing him actually in the studio, it was a ‘Holy Shit’ level of guitar playing. I knew he was incredible, and I knew he was a legend, but he’s way better than that when you see him in person.” —Dave CobbSpeaking of rock bands and pool houses, one might wonder what Airbnb owner in their right mind would rent a property to a bunch of rock stars just unshackled from the Covid lockdowns. Kennedy agrees that any sense of trepidation would be justified, citing a legendary pool-scene interview featuring W.A.S.P. frontman, Chris Holmes. “Oh yeah, if you saw The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years you would definitely be cautious, because that’s the infamous Chris Holmes scene right there [laughs]. That’s a great moment though. I’ve watched that countless times. It’s very rock ’n’ roll.”Dumble DestinyCobb’s gear inventory is impressive, and during the sessions Slash crossed paths with a true bucket-list item. “It was the first time I consciously knew I was playing through a Dumble amp. I’ve been hearing that name forever, but I didn’t know what it was,” admits Slash. “[Cobb] introduced me to a Fender that Dumble had customized, and it sounds fuckin’ amazing. I didn’t actually record anything with it, but it just sounded really good.”Cobb recalls, “You know, Slash sounds good through a lot of things. He sounded great through that Dumble. When he plugged into it, it sounded like Slash—rock ’n’ roll, over the top, classic. It sounded like a great rock ’n’ roll amp when he played through it.”Sadly, Alexander Dumble passed away in January, a few weeks after this PG interview with Slash took place. It seems almost like fate that their worlds collided shortly before Dumble’s passing. Slash commissioned Dumble to build him an amp, which may be one of the last projects the famed builder completed. “I got in touch with Alex after the session and he actually did a Fender for me,” Slash says. “It sounds really great. He’s not easy to get in touch with or to get him to do something, it became very apparent. So it was an honor to have him do something for me. But I didn’t know the history before. There was some discrepancy over the cost of it for a second, but he and I got to be good friends as a result of that. I didn’t know how much it cost, I thought five meant five-hundred bucks [laughs].”While Slash enjoys his Dumble amp—the new discovery—he stuck to a tried-and-true formula for 4. His iconic Marshall Silver Jubilee 100-watt heads into a 4×12 straight cabinet with Celestion Vintage 30s was the rig of choice.For guitars, Slash had his staples at the ready. “I used my Kris Derrig replica, which is like my go-to guitar for recording,” he says. “But I also used a ’69 reissue Flying V, which I got last Christmas, that sounds great on a couple songs. I used two ’59 reissues, one apiece on two different songs, a ’68 Custom reissue on one song, and that was basically the setup.”As Cobb put it, it doesn’t really matter what the gear is: Slash is going to sound like Slash. “Slash’s tone—the way he plays through a Silver Jubilee—is the ideal tone for Slash, you know what I mean?“I’ll tell you what’s really cool. I know from being a fan, how good he is as a guitar player, and as a writer, and all of that,” Cobb continues. “But seeing him actually in the studio, it was a ‘Holy Shit’ level of guitar playing. I knew he was incredible, and I knew he was a legend, but he’s way better than that when you see him in person. I mean the solos on the record are live and he’s going for it, and it came out so classic and timeless. And his playing has so much feel and heart and soul. I didn’t realize how much better he is than I even thought he was. That was probably the biggest revelation. When he plugs in, it’s like, “I know why he’s Slash.” I was in the room with the engineer and the assistant in the control room, and we were all like, ‘Holy shit. This is way bigger and better than we even thought it was going to be.’”Slash ft.Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators – Anastasia | Live in SydneySlash is a master of coaxing an impressive array of sounds out of his beloved Les Pauls. In the intro to “Anastasia,” he gets an acoustic vibe by using a fingerstyle approach combined with the Les Paul’s rhythm pickup setting. Once the distortion kicks in, he launches into a post neo-classical, pedal-point riff, before launching into all-out carnage once Myles Kennedy’s vocals enter.

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David Coverdale (WHITESNAKE), David Draiman (DISTURBED), Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman (THE OFFSPRING), Michael Sweet (STRYPER) and Adam “Nergal” Darski (BEHEMOTH) are among the hard rock and heavy metal musicians around the world who have reacted to the escalating crisis in eastern Europe, after Russia launched a full-scale invasion into Ukraine.

On Thursday (February 24), Russian president Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” in the east of the country. A short time later, explosions were reported in the outskirts of Kharkiv, Kramatorsk and Mariupol, as well as the capital Kyiv.

Putin made the announcement during a televised early morning speech, saying the action comes in response to threats coming from Ukraine, yet insisted Russia doesn’t have a goal to occupy the country.

Putin had reportedly given approval to the operation in the Donbas region of Ukraine, where Moscow earlier recognized rebel-held territories in Luhansk and Donetsk and said they had asked for its “help.”

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

Earlier today, U.S. president Joe Biden denounced Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, calling it a premeditated attack and a brutal assault “without provocation, without justification, without necessity.” He also announced new sanctions that include banning what can be exported to Russia. “We have purposely designed these sanctions to maximize a long-term impact on Russia and to minimize impact on the United States and our allies,” he said.

A heartbreaking Good Morning…Such Indescribable, Unbelievable News To Wake Up To…UKRAINE…??????????? pic.twitter.com/jMvbYb1Lue
— David Coverdale (@davidcoverdale) February 24, 2022

Sending support and love to everyone in the Ukraine. ;(
— ADAM LAMBERT (@adamlambert) February 24, 2022

I’ve been to both Ukraine & Russia. The people of both countries are warm & welcoming. Putin OTH is a murderous & bloodthirsty dictator who steals from his own people. #IStandWithUkraine
— Gnudz (@TheGnudz) February 24, 2022

While the emerging democracy in Ukraine definitely threatens the power of dictators like Putin, in no way does it threaten the Russian people. Putin is the aggressor who is putting people’s lives in danger.
— Gnudz (@TheGnudz) February 24, 2022

#Tuckyorose rooting for dictator Putin over the emerging democracy that is Ukraine tells you everything you need to know about #FoxNews & the American right wing today. They are pro-dictatorship. They have no shame, no bottom. #IStandWithUkraine https://t.co/heeNsgDg5t
— Gnudz (@TheGnudz) February 24, 2022

Why do I hate Putin @TuckerCarlson ?
Because he’s an anti LGBTQ+, war mongering/fear mongering, communist dictator, who always seizes any opportunity to further enrich and empower himself.

The better question is who DONT YOU? https://t.co/aXmmVYrRbs

— David Draiman (@davidmdraiman) February 23, 2022

Devastated by the images coming out of Ukraine. ??#Ukraine #UkraineRussiaCrisis #UkraineRussiaConflict #UkraineInvasion
— David Draiman (@davidmdraiman) February 24, 2022

#ukraine #support pic.twitter.com/LmzW8BNT8P
— BillyBio (@billybiohazard) February 24, 2022

I feel so much for the people of Ukraine ???…bombed from air, land and sea… all over the country…and I also feel for the people of Russia, who will suffer the economic consequences of their government’s acts… Where is this going to?! #UkraineRussia
— Clémentine Delauney (@ClemDelauney) February 24, 2022

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Ukrainian metallers JINJER have strongly condemned Russian president Vladimir Putin for authorizing a special military operation into the eastern part of their country on Thursday (February 24).

Earlier today, JINJER shared the following statement via social media: “Dear all, as we write this text, for the moment, each member of JINJER and our families are safe and unhurt. We truly appreciate all our fans around the globe for caring, getting in touch and for all the sympathy and support for our band and more importantly our country.

“As you all know, early this morning on February 24th, Putin started the war against the sovereign and independent #ukraine ! Please know that in this time we really depend on you, our fans in every country- to support Ukriane and peace in our country however you can- especially our fans in Russia, you and your opinion matter the most at this time.

“NOTHING can justify the violence and death of innocents, and this is exactly what’s happening in our country right now.

“Stop the war in Ukraine now!”

Putin made the announcement during a televised early morning speech, saying the action comes in response to threats coming from Ukraine, yet insisted Russia doesn’t have a goal to occupy the country.

Putin had reportedly given approval to the operation in the Donbas region of Ukraine, where Moscow earlier recognized rebel-held territories in Luhansk and Donetsk and said they had asked for its “help.”

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

Earlier today, U.S. president Joe Biden denounced Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, calling it a premeditated attack and a brutal assault “without provocation, without justification, without necessity.” He also announced new sanctions that include banning what can be exported to Russia. “We have purposely designed these sanctions to maximize a long-term impact on Russia and to minimize impact on the United States and our allies,” he said.

Dear all, as we write this text, for the moment, each member of JINJER and our families are safe and unhurt. We truly…

Posted by Jinjer on Thursday, February 24, 2022

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Hear An Evening Redness conjure up a desert-dwelling American soundscape that fuses the best elements of drone into a soaring masterpiece.
The post Full Album Premiere: An Evening Redness – ‘An Evening Redness’ appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

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Take a gander at a two-part video from Toronto grinders Depleted Uranium!
The post Video Premiere: Catching Whiffs of Dystopia with Depleted Uranium’s “Beta Particles” appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

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San Francisco Bay Area thrashers VIO-LENCE will release their new EP, “Let The World Burn”, on March 4 via Metal Blade Records. The five-song collection, VIO-LENCE’s first original release since 1993’s “Nothing To Gain”, was tracked at Trident Studios in Pacheco, California by Juan Urteaga (MACHINE HEAD, EXODUS), mixed by Tue Madsen (DARK TRANQUILLITY, HEAVEN SHALL BURN) and mastered by Ted Jensen (ALICE IN CHAINS, DEATH ANGEL).

With the EP dropping next week, the band plans to tour as much as possible through the spring and summer, and is already writing a follow-up.

“I’d like to do another EP rather than an album, and we’re working on the songs for it already, and hopefully we’ll get in to record by next fall,” VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel said. “We want to constantly be releasing music, and constantly doing shows. At this stage, we’re excited for everybody who’s still excited for this band. To them, I say thank you for still listening to and supporting us. We’re excited to come play, so spread the VIO-LENCE.”

Formed in 1985, VIO-LENCE helped define and refine what came to be known as the Bay Area sound, dropping three seminal albums before splitting in 1993. Leaving behind a heady legacy, they reformed briefly a couple of times in the intervening years before becoming a full-time going concern once more in 2019. After playing a string of successful shows, the quintet started to think about new music and will deliver “Let The World Burn”, showcasing their first new material in 29 years.

Regarding how “Let The World Burn” recaptures VIO-LENCE’s classic sound, Demmel said: “That came very naturally. I hadn’t written a lot of thrash in the past 17 years or so, but being the main songwriter for the band over the years, I wanted that sound, I wanted that mid-’80s raw thing, but I also wanted to capture our signature notes and structures and stuff like that.” Vocalist Sean Killian elaborated: “Each song has its own individual sound. They are all very thrash metal, there are grinding riffs, technical riffs, and plenty of speed. The lyrics are written freely with no restrictions and without compromise while the vocal patterns are typically unusual and delivered with a multitude of emotions.”

Initially the plan was just to play a single show, as a thank you from Killian to those who had supported him through an extended illness that culminated in a liver transplant, giving him back his life.

“From the time I woke up from my liver transplant surgery, the one thing I kept thinking about was repaying everyone that supported me during my illness,” Killian said. “Phil put together a charity golf tournament that raised a substantial amount of money that helped cover medical bills, and that event saved my family’s lives from being negatively impacted by my illness, plus there was a benefit show which so many musical legends participated in. Fans selling out the venue for that show is something that could never be repaid except with the same passion and affinity, which playing live could enable me to give, and when I heard the news that Phil had left MACHINE HEAD and was available, I thought this was the moment for the return of VIO-LENCE. I sent the man a text that said ‘Let’s do a show.'”

With that show at The Metro selling out a thousand tickets in a few hours, VIO-LENCE announced a matinee show for the following day, which sold out just as quickly, making it clear that there was still a virulent hunger for VIO-LENCE and their unique take on killer thrash. “We figured, ‘Holy crap, it’s time to bring it,” Demmel said. “It was just like the old days, it was just like 1986 again with people flying around, the energy and the reciprocation and the stage diving, and the horrible PA sound. It was fun. We got Gary Holt [of SLAYER and EXODUS] up to play a song. All in all, the reunion shows were amazing.”

At that stage, the prospect of new music was not on the table, with the VIO-LENCE bandmembers instead just figuring out if they could get along, how the dynamic was going to work, if the chemistry for writing together even existed. However, tour offers were coming in and they jumped on several opportunities, Demmel referencing a show with SACRED REICH at The Regent in Los Angeles as the craziest they ever played, and having his mind blown that people were still going as crazy for the band all these years later. It was around that time that he and Killian started talking about the prospect of writing new material, concluding they were more disposed to making an EP.

“I didn’t want to do a full-length,” Demmel explained. “I figured three maybe four, and we settled on five tunes that could really encapsulate what we were doing. I went to Metal Blade and spoke with Brian Slagel, saying we wanted to do this with them. We weren’t shopping labels, we weren’t looking for a bidding war or anything like that; we just wanted to do a record with them, and they were all into it.”

The sessions went smoothly, with Demmel tracking his solos at home. “It was nice to be able to play things fifty times,” he said. “I wanted to play all the solos single pass, which is something that I hadn’t done for a while. Everything had been kinda punched in and chopped up, so it’s not all fluid, and these ones might not be first pass but they’re one pass. I want to be able to play them the way they’re supposed to be played, and I’m really proud of them.”

Filling out the band’s ranks on “Let The World Burn” alongside Demmel, Killian and original drummer Perry Strickland are former OVERKILL guitarist Bobby Gustafson and former FEAR FACTORY bassist Christian Olde Wolbers.

“Bobby brings experience, he brings song structure, he knows how song structure works and riffs work, and he has ideas,” Demmel said. “He’s got an East Coast mentality. He was in a legendary band and he brings a new flavor, plus he’s a solid dude, an awesome human. Christian is just a monster bass player. He has great musical sense and song structure sense. He recorded our cover of ‘California Über Alles’ in our jam room, and he just brings a real pedigree. He’s a great dude and an awesome musician, a great package.”

With Demmel acting as primary songwriter, the plan was to make something brutal and bludgeoning, a true thrash record, where the band were at when they wrote “Eternal Nightmare” in 1987. Each of the five songs is different to the last while remaining true to this remit, with “every beat, riff and note accounted for,” opener “Flesh And Bone” setting the scene and making it clear just how ruthless the band are in 2022. Then there’s “Screaming Always”, which is classic “Eternal Nightmare”-esque VIO-LENCE, and the likes of the shorter “Gato Negro”, which though briefer still has a lot going on, and packs a solid punch. Both guitarists contribute solos to the songs, and there are a lot of harmonies, the two working well together. Lyrics as always come courtesy of Killian, who skews toward the darker side of existence.

“When I write lyrics I try to get as dark and horrible as I can,” Sean said. “Then I make changes and minor adjustments with words to bring the lyrics from pure evil to an emotional, painful suffering experience with the pure evil working to support it all. I want people to read the lyrics and create a picture in their mind that they wouldn’t normally envision, I want them to create that visual art in their head. The goal is for that artwork that they created to stay with them, registered in their memories, and to be brought forward occasionally to enjoy, letting them pull that record out for decades to come.”

“Let The World Burn” track listing

01. Flesh From Bone
02. Screaming Always
03. Upon Their Cross
04. Gato Negro
05. Let the World Burn

VIO-LENCE released three studio albums between 1988 and 1993. The group reunited soon after Demmel left MACHINE HEAD in late 2018.

Although MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn was part of VIO-LENCE’s classic incarnation and played on the band’s debut album, “Eternal Nightmare”, he wasn’t approached about taking part in any of the comeback shows.

Killian underwent a successful liver transplant surgery in March 2018. The year before, Killian was diagnosed with stage four liver cirrhosis, which was caused in part by a genetic condition called hemochromatosis.

VIO-LENCE’s last album, “Nothing To Gain”, was recorded in August 1990, but wasn’t released until 1993.

Photo credit: Gene Ambo

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Rob Halford has urged JUDAS PRIEST fans to keep voting for the band to be finally inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

PRIEST is trailing Eminem, DURAN DURAN, Pat Benatar, Dolly Parton and EURYTHMICS in the fan vote for this year’s Rock Hall induction class.

Now through April 29, fans can vote every day through the Hall Of Fame’s web site. The top five artists, as selected by the public, will comprise a “fans’ ballot” that will be tallied along with the other ballots to select the 2022 inductees.

PRIEST was previously on the ballot for Rock Hall induction in 2020, but failed to receive enough votes to make that year’s class.

Having been eligible for induction since 1999, PRIEST was also on the ballot for the 2018 class of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but was ultimately left out of the inductee list.

On February 2, it was announced that JUDAS PRIEST is among the nominees for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame’s class of 2022. Inductees will be announced in May. The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 2022 induction ceremony will take place this fall. The date, venue, and on-sale information will be announced later.

In a new interview with Remy Maxwell of Audacy Check In, Halford stated about PRIEST’s latest nomination: “Like I said on the first nomination, and I’ll say it on this one, for us it’s all about getting some more metal into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. It’s a great establishment as far as what it should be and do, which is to represent all of these figures in music. It’s always a place that’s full of emotion and passion ’cause that’s what music generates. So, we urge our fans to keep voting, ’cause you have to get top five, for whatever reason. We did that the last two times, I think, which gives you a little bit of a cherry on the cake, if that’s the right expression; it helps you get through the door a little bit more. But it’s important. And the thing is let’s have fun with this. There’s a lot of stuff going on in the world right now. This is cool; this is fun. Let’s get some more metal in there and celebrate the success together.”

Once again, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame has named the individual bandmembers that will enter should their group get inducted.

For JUDAS PRIEST, they picked current members Halford, Ian Hill (bass), Glenn Tipton (guitar) and Scott Travis (drums), along with former members K.K. Downing (guitar), Les Binks (drums) and late drummer Dave Holland.

Back in October 2020, Halford said that the heavy metal genre “hasn’t been respected enough” by the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Asked in an interview with Word In Your Ear if he was “bothered” by the fact that PRIEST hasn’t been inducted into the Rock Hall yet, Halford said: “Well, let’s put it this way. You have all of these institutions here in America — you’ve got the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for music; you’ve got the Basketball Hall Of Fame; you’ve got the Baseball Hall Of Fame; Football — you’ve got all of these places where, I think essentially, it’s just a really nice, cool recognition of what you’ve done, the work that you’ve done and the things that you’ve achieved, the place that you’ve been put at, and so on and so forth.

“So, am I bothered if we ever get in? Not really. But I think we do deserve to be in there. Because I look at the list of people that are in there, and I feel that we have a place. And it would not only be for JUDAS PRIEST — it would be for British music, particularly British heavy metal music, and that’s a beautiful achievement. [BLACK] SABBATH are in there, which is great. But I’ve always said that as far as what the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame represents, the genre of heavy metal music hasn’t really been looked after enough and respected enough.

“So, I’d like to feel that eventually we will get in.”

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal bands like PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N’ ROSES in that group’s first year of eligibility.

The Rock Hall didn’t induct BLACK SABBATH until 2006, and METALLICA followed three years later.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other “criteria include the influence and significance of the artists’ contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock ‘n’ roll,” which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn’t get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn’t get inducted until 2016.

After the 2020 Rock Hall inductees were announced in January of that year, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner said that it made no sense that DEPECHE MODE, Whitney Houston, NINE INCH NAILS and Biggie Smalls were going into the Rock Hall before PRIEST. “Hence why the Rock Hall holds no credibility for me and never has,” he tweeted.

Two weeks ago, Halford and JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill told Billboard that they would be happy to stand alongside founding guitarist K.K. Downing at a hypothetical Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction later this year. “It’s not a problem to us, no,” Hill said. “Ken was an integral part of this band for a very, very long time. He deserves to be there along with the rest of us.” Halford predicted that, “It won’t be as awkward as Ace [Frehley] and Peter [Criss with KISS’s Rock Hall induction]. I don’t think it’ll be awkward at all. I think you have to let all of that go because it’s the night that matters. It’s the moment that matters — but, again, the proverbial saying, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

Downing previously told Rockin’ Metal Revival that there is a very good chance that he would perform with his former bandmates again if PRIEST gets the nod. “Oh, I think absolutely,” he said. “I mean, why wouldn’t you, really? It’s a special thing. We’re all of an age now. These opportunities only come once in a lifetime. And it seemingly takes a lifetime to get into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. I’ve always said, there’s no such thing as a young legend, right? [Laughs] So, while we’re still here, it would be great to receive that accolade and put on a great performance and put that one to bed.”

Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance.

In 2019, Downing said that he reached out to JUDAS PRIEST about taking part in the band’s 50th-anniversary tour but that their response was that they were not interested in including him in the celebrations.

In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as “a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music,” while the second was “angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties.”

Downing later said that he believed the second letter was “a key reason” he wasn’t invited to rejoin PRIEST after Glenn Tipton’s decision to retire from touring.

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