The official Sergio Vega Reverb shop has launched, allowing fans of the DEFTONES and QUICKSAND bassist a chance to purchase basses, guitars, and more music gear from throughout Vega’s career.

Gear in the shop includes:

* A Fractal Axe FX-II and Axe FX-II XL+ dual setup, complete with labeled Fractal Foot Controllers, that Vega used for live shows and recording. “They still contain all of my presets and patches throughout the years,” said Vega — including ones used for the songs “Diamond Eyes”, “Poltergeist” and “Tempest”.

* A suite of Fender Jaguar basses from Vega’s collection. Said Vega: “These are the basses I’ve recorded everything from ‘Diamond Eyes’ to ‘Ohm’, to ‘Interiors’ with QUICKSAND as well.”

* A collection of Fender Squier Bass VIs. “These are things that I have loved and have been meticulously maintained over the years,” Vega explained.

* Tour posters, a wardrobe case, and other road-worn memorabilia.

As Vega continues to build his collection of gear, he’s realized that it’s time to clean out the studio.

“The only reason I’m getting rid of [this gear] is because I find myself not using them as much, and also as you acquire more gear, you want to make space for that gear,” he said.

In a 2021 interview with Bass Magazine, Sergio stated about being in a rhythm section with DEFTONES drummer Abe Cunningham: “It’s a joy. We put a lot of effort into being a tight rhythm section. We call ourselves Too Right and we even got matching tattoos. We’re very serious about it. Whether we’re playing like a traditional rhythm section where I match his kick, or we’re interplaying, it’s mainly about keeping everything super tight. After a song is written, the final aspect of detailing for me is isolating Abe’s drums and playing with them over and over, and making sure I’m locking in with every little thing he’s doing. Steph [guitarist Stephen Carpenter] is the same way and he approaches guitar a lot like a bass.”

Asked how he finds the space for his bass in DEFTONES’s music, Sergio said: “If I’m coming in with a part, then everyone else is fitting in with how they hear it, but if someone else has a part, then it’s my job to do that. Stephen and I have a lot of fun matching each other, and we do role bending where he’ll play low and very rhythmically and I’ll go high on the neck and make it more melodic. A lot of it isn’t thought out; it’s just what sounds best.”

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Steve Vai and Ibanez have revealed the “Hydra.” This one-of-a-kind instrument is the realized vision of a collaboration that’s been five years in the making. It is a beast of an instrument — a one-bodied, two-headstock-ed, three-neck-ed creature that encompasses, among other things: 7 and 12-string guitars; a 4-string ¾ scale length bass; 13 sympathetic harp strings; half-fretless necks; single-coil, humbucking, piezo, MIDI and sustainer pickups; floating and hardtail tremolo bridges; phase splitters; and much, much more. Director Garson Yu and his team at yU+co were brought on to capture a deep look in to this magnificent creation which can be screened below

Vai comments: “We absolutely respected this instrument by having the brilliant Garson Yu and his team at yU+co create this phenomenal Hydra reveal video. The guitar geek in me is stunned every time I see it. This video captures the splendor and mystique of the Hydra in intimate detail. The conception and construction of the instrument was a monumental feat of creativity by a whole group of inspired people, and I could not be more happy with the way this video came out. Imagine being a half an inch tall and exploring the Hydra as an adventurer. It would be like exploring an alien planet. Sign me up!”

Yu says: “When I first saw the instrument at Steve’s studio, I was stunned. I thought this was a creation that didn’t belong here on earth — it looked extraterrestrial to me. When Steve played a track that he composed with the Hydra, I told him that it sounds so transparent and open, complex and spiritual on many levels. When we were filming, I put the guitar on the turntable and looked through the lens: It looked like an alien spaceship. It’s epic. I told myself we need to create a video that has the same transcendent feeling of this instrument. My team and I are honored to be part of it.”

Ibanez artist relations manager Mike Orrigo states: “‘The ‘Hydra’, as Mr. Vai has appropriately dubbed it, started off as a concept that Steve approached Ibanez with several years ago. While it was understood then that the task to turn Steve’s vision into reality would be a tremendous undertaking, we were undeterred by the challenge. Fueled by Steve’s inspiration, our team of designers, engineers, and luthiers worked tirelessly together in order to create a truly one-of-a-kind instrument, remaining as true to the initial vision as possible. This incredible reveal video, produced by yU+co, perfectly captures the same feeling of awe and amazement that this magnificent beast of an instrument imparts on to all who are able to witness it in person!”

On January 28, the day of the release of Vai’s new studio album “Inviolate”, a one-of-one NFT of the Hydra reveal video will be auctioned via OpenSea. The highly coveted collectible features the video, plus unlockable bonus content that will be revealed to the buyer. Additional assets will be added over time for the winner to access. The opening bid has been set at 1 ETH. Once the auction is live, interested parties can access to bid here.

This is Vai’s first foray in to the NFT space. There is consideration to broaden offerings in the future encompassing a deeper initiative to continue collectible drops focused on his vast collection of iconic instruments played throughout his career. Keep an eye on Vai.com for more detail.

“I feel this instrument has the potential to be historical,” says Vai. “It’s unique in various ways and its construction is inspired. And there’s a song that was written on it that honors the potential of the instrument. This “Hydra reveal video” is the first video made that intimately details many of the unique aspects this guitar embodies.”

Over the course of a more than 40-year career, Vai has routinely transformed what would appear to be outrageously impossible into something very, very possible… and still also pretty outrageous. From his days as Frank Zappa’s “stunt guitar” player to his more recent expansive and exploratory solo work, Vai has continually challenged notions of traditional guitar playing and composition — and on more than one occasion even reimagined the very instrument itself.

Vai’s newest and 13th solo album, “Inviolate”, is a nine-song opus that pushes the boundaries of instrumental guitar music. The body of work presents his most focused, streamlined and perhaps invigorating music in years. “It’s very ‘Vai,’ whatever that means,” he says, and then laughs. “Someone else might be better than me at explaining what that is. But it’s just very honest music. Because a lot of my records, they’re long and there’s a lot of concepts and playing around with stories. This one has none of that. This is nine pretty dense all-instrumental compositions that I wanted to capture and record so I could get out there and play them live for people.”

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Chris Cornell’s 17-year-old daughter Toni Cornell has been announced as the newest and youngest luminary to become an ambassador for the International Rescue Committee (IRC). As an IRC Ambassador, Toni will use her platform to help raise funds and awareness about the International Rescue Committee’s important work in more than 40 countries.

In April of 2017, Toni visited with Syrian and Afghan refugees in Athens, Greece, joined by her mother and father, and later that year returned to see more of the IRC’s work in Lesvos, Greece.

In 2018, Toni released a duet of her and her father performing Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” and donated all of the proceeds from the song to the International Rescue Committee. The cover and Chris Cornell’s posthumous album “No One Sings Like You Anymore” were both nominated for awards at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards.

On Thursday, January 20 at noon Eastern, one year after the Biden administration took office, Cornell will speak during a special IRC briefing of the 2022 Emergency Watchlist. The briefing will highlight the importance of activating young people to support refugee children, rights, and the impact of climate change on vulnerable communities. You can join this briefing by signing up here.

David Miliband, the International Rescue Committee’s president and CEO, said: “The International Rescue Committee is excited to welcome our newest and youngest IRC Ambassador, Toni Cornell, to the family. Toni Cornell has been a volunteer, donor, and now Ambassador who will be using her youthful voice to highlight some of the world’s greatest challenges, such as climate change, women and girls’ empowerment and education. Her character and commitment to refugees is commendable. We are grateful and honored for a youthful perspective from someone so passionate and dedicated, who understands the importance of working on issues that her generation could inherit, especially if they are not dealt with now.”

Last month, Toni performed “Nothing Compares 2 U” on an episode of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”. She was joined on acoustic guitar by Pete Thorn, who had performed with Chris Cornell on tours supporting the SOUNDGARDEN frontman’s “Carry On” and “Scream” solo albums.

Three and a half years ago, Toni shared a recording of her and her late father covering “Nothing Compares 2 U” to mark Father’s Day.

“Daddy, I love you and miss you so much,” she wrote at the time. “You were the best father anyone could ask for. Our relationship was so special, and you were always there for me. You gave me courage when I didn’t have any. You believed in me when I didn’t. I miss your love everyday. Recording this song with you was a special and amazing experience I wish I could repeat 100 times over and I know you would too. Happy Father’s Day daddy, nothing compares to you.”

In April 2020, Toni performed an acoustic cover version of TEMPLE OF THE DOG’s “Hunger Strike” from her father’s home studio during LiveXLive’s “Music Lives” global digital music festival.

Chris Cornell was found hanged in his room at the MGM Grand Detroit hotel in May 2017, following a SOUNDGARDEN show at the city’s Fox Theatre. His body was found soon after he had spoken with a “slurred” voice to his wife, Vicky Cornell, by phone. The death was ruled a suicide. But his family has questioned the medical examiner’s ruling, saying that he had a prescription for Ativan and that a higher than recommended dosage may have caused him to experience suicidal thoughts.

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STATIC-X has postponed its “Rise Of The Machine” North American tour featuring FEAR FACTORY, DOPE, MUSHROOMHEAD and TWIZTID. The trek, produced by Live Nation, is being rescheduled due to the current increase in the spread of COVID-19 and its continued effect on travel restrictions, public health, and fan safety. The 42-date trek will now kick off February 25, 2023, in San Francisco, California and wrap up April 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Due to overwhelming demand, four new markets have been added to the tour and the Portland, Oregon date has been upgraded to Roseland. Fans can expect the same incredible package and night of music as previously announced. All previously sold tickets and meet-and-greets will be honored. More information can be found at Static-X.com.

STATIC-X said in a statement: “On the surface, we are incredibly disappointed to share this news with our fans. However, considering how infrequently STATIC-X, FEAR FACTORY and DOPE have each toured over the last 10 years, we felt that the priority was to ensure that ALL of these 20th anniversary shows are ultimately able to play.

“With all of the uncertainty around travel restrictions, the extreme rise in current cases, as well as the quarantine mandates for those who test positive, we believe that attempting to play these dates in the coming weeks would likely result in a number of last-minute cancelations and lead to a much greater level of disappointment.

“The good news is that we were able to keep the entire touring lineup intact. STATIC-X, FEAR FACTORY, DOPE, MUSHROOMHEAD and TWIZTID will each perform in their previously scheduled cities, and due to the excitement around the tour and exceptional ticket sales, we also added four additional cities to the tour.

“Further, we highly value having an up-close-and-personal meet-and-greet experience with our fans. We take extreme joy in shaking hands, giving hugs, taking photos, and we look forward to doing all of this without having to socially distance, wear masks etc. We are certain that by pushing things back, these experiences will be significantly more enjoyable and memorable for all of us.

“In addition, STATIC-X, FEAR FACTORY and DOPE are all scheduled to complete new albums in 2022, which will lead to each band having brand new music to share with the fans, as we lead into these newly rescheduled tour dates.

“As we stated previously, we are so excited to finally get back out on the road and hang out with you all. We plan to play most of the songs off of both ‘Machine’ and ‘Wisconsin Death Trip’, as well a number of nice surprises that are being incorporated into the set list. We appreciate our friends in FEAR FACTORY, DOPE, MUSHROOMHEAD and TWIZTED making themselves available to share in all of this nostalgic insanity next year. We can’t wait to celebrate all of the good times that we had with Wayne and to share it live and loud with all of our fans night after night.”

“Rise Of The Machine” North American tour 2023

Feb. 25 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
Feb. 27 – Portland, OR – Roseland
Feb. 28 – Seattle, WA – Showbox^
Mar. 01 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theater^
Mar. 02 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory^
Mar. 03 – Boise, ID – Revolution Concert Hall
Mar. 04 – Reno, NV – Virginia Street Brewhouse^
Mar. 05 – Sacramento, CA – Ace Of Spades
Mar. 07 – Phoenix, AZ – Van Buren*
Mar. 08 – Albuquerque, NM – El Rey Theater*^
Mar. 09 – Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom*^
Mar. 10 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues*
Mar. 11 – San Antonio, TX – The Aztec Theater*
Mar. 12 – Houston, TX – House Of Blues*
Mar. 14 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theater*
Mar. 15 – Orlando, FL – Plaza Live*^
Mar. 16 – Charlotte, NC – Underground*
Mar. 17 – Baltimore, MD – Soundstage*
Mar. 18 – Philadelphia, PA – T.L.A.*
Mar. 19 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza*
Mar. 21 – Boston, MA – Big Night Live*
Mar. 22 – New Haven, CT – Toad’s*
Mar. 23 – Montreal, QC – Corona*^
Mar. 24 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix*^
Mar. 25 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrews Hall*
Mar. 26 – Cleveland, OH – House Of Blues #
Mar. 28 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian#
Mar. 29 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogarts#
Mar. 30 – Columbus, OH – The King of Clubs#
Mar. 31 – Ft. Wayne, IN – The Clyde*
Apr. 01 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave*^
Apr. 02 – Green Bay, WI – Epic Event Center*
Apr. 04 – Grand Rapids, MI – Intersection*
Apr. 05 – St. Louis, MO – Del Mar. Hall#
Apr. 06 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue#
Apr. 07 – Chicago, IL – House Of Blues#
Apr. 08 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore#
Apr. 09 – Lincoln, NE – Bourbon Theater#
Apr. 11 – Denver, CO – The Summit#
Apr. 13 – Las Vegas, NH – House Of Blues#
Apr. 14 – San Diego, CA – House Of Blues#
Apr. 15 – Los Angeles, Ca – Belasco Theater#

* Featuring special guest MUSHROOMHEAD
# Featuring special guest TWIZTID
^ Not a Live Nation date

The 20th-anniversary release of “Machine” — scheduled for February 18, 2022 — features newly remastered audio by Ulrich Wild and includes all 12 tracks from the original release, as well as three new bonus tracks: “Wisconsin Death Trip (Live 2019 Regeneration Featuring Wayne Static)” , “Sweat Of The Bud (Live 2019 Xer0)” and “I’m With Stupid (Live 2019 Regeneration Featuring Wayne Static)”. Originally released in 2001, “Machine” would ultimately turn out to be the last album recorded by the four original members of STATIC-X. All of the lead vocals and guitars on “Machine” were performed by Wayne Static, while bass, backing vocals, drums, and programming contributions came from founding members Tony Campos, Ken Jay and Koichi Fukuda. The limited-edition release will have packaging featuring fully reimagined artwork and will be available in multiple configurations, including multiple color vinyl sequenced on two discs, with an etching of the STATIC-X Shock symbol on side D.

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TRAUMA, best known as the band that Cliff Burton played with prior to hooking up with METALLICA, has completed work on its new album, “Awakening”, due later this year. It marks the first TRAUMA LP to feature new singer Brian Allen, who replaced the group’s original vocalist Donny Hillier. Donny died in September 2020 following a brief battle with an unspecified illness.

“Awakening” was produced by Juan Urteaga, who has previously worked with TESTAMENT and MACHINE HEAD, and includes such songs as “Death Of The Angels”, “Meat”, “Death Machine” and “Walk Away”.

According to the band, fans will not be disappointed with what they will hear from TRAUMA’s new music.

“TRAUMA’s new album along with new vocalist Brian Allen is going to melt your face off,” the group states.

In other news, TRAUMA will embark on its first-ever European tour in May when they join a bill also featuring ROSS THE BOSS. The band will also appear at the Alcatraz Hard Rock & Metal Festival in Belgium in August.

“TRAUMA is delighted to be going on tour in Europe with ROSS THE BOSS,” says drummer Kris Gustofson. “As this is TRAUMA’s first time touring in Europe, we cannot wait to play for the fans. It has been way too long. Fans can expect to hear and see TRAUMA performing some old tracks — ‘Scratch And Scream’, ‘From Here To Hell’ — and some tracks from the new album with new vocalist Brian Allen. High-energy, bombastic songs and a true heavy metal experience is what fans will receive.”

Originally formed in 1981 in San Francisco, TRAUMA was part of the same scene that gave the world such thrash notables as EXODUS, METALLICA and TESTAMENT. And the band’s original bassist was none other than the late/legendary Cliff Burton (who would later join METALLICA). 1984 saw the release of the group’s debut album, “Scratch And Scream”, before the band split in 1985. But in 2013, TRAUMA reunited and has been back in business ever since.

Much like METALLICA, TRAUMA’s first recorded appearance was as part of the compilation series curated by Metal Blade Records. “Metal Massacre II” (1982) featured “Such A Shame”. The band shot a video for the song “The Warlock” in Santa Ana, California, not long before Burton left the group to join METALLICA.

TRAUMA’s current lineup consists of Allen, Kris Gustofson (drums), Greg Christian (bass), Joe Fraulob (guitar) and Steve Robello (guitar). Fraulob is a former member of DANZIG; Robello plays guitar in DUBLIN DEATH PATROL (the Bay Area supergroup formed by the singers of EXODUS and TESTAMENT), and was formerly with the group HEIST; Christian was previously a member of TESTAMENT.

Left to right in photo: Steve Robello, Kris Gustofson, Brian Allen, Greg Christian, Joe Fraulob

Photo credit: Bill Towner, Red Nova Digital

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SHINEDOWN will release the first single from the band’s upcoming seventh studio album on Wednesday, January 26.

Although SHINEDOWN has not yet announced a title for the LP or new single, some fans are speculating, based on various teasers that have been made available, that the album will be called “For The People, By The People” and that the single is titled “Cyren”.

Last month, SHINEDOWN singer Brent Smith 95.9 The Rat’s Carl Craft about the new LP’s more “stripped-down” approach: “We wanted to push everything to the front. And what I mean by that is we’ve proven that we can make these records that there’s a lot of musicianship involved in it, and we have layered our records over the years because we love music and we love sound and we try to make really cinematic records. So with that, you have a lot of instrumentation that is not just drums, bass, guitar and vocals — we use orchestras, we use a lot of synthesizers, we use a lot of techniques that… We don’t believe in… Don’t tie your hands up when you’re making a record. Make the record that you wanna make. And ultimately, though, what we wanted to do with this album was make it just as ferocious as the other records but not utilizing so much of some of the style that we’ve done in the past with layering and layering guitars, adding lots of synth beds, stacking the vocals.”

He continued: “I come from the Freddie Mercury school when it comes to vocals and layering and backgrounds and things of that nature because I try — I say ‘try’ — try to use my voice as an instrument. But this is about really less is more. So the majority of this record is authentically drums, bass, guitar. There are piano songs; there’s two really, really very intense-subject-matter piano songs that are gonna be in SHINEDOWN seven. But we wanted to make a real rock record, we wanted to make a real record where we focus on just making sure that the band is being heard the way the band needs to be heard. So, not a lot of layering. It doesn’t mean it’s any less powerful; it’s just we’re not dealing with a lot of stacks. We’re just putting things left to right stereo, pushing everything to the front. The vocals aren’t layered a ton — not a lot of effects on the vocals, so not a lot of delays and reverbs and things like that. A lot of the vocals on the record are dry and kind of right up in your face.”

Smith also talked about the lyrical themes covered on the new SHINEDOWN album, saying they were inspired at least in part by the ongoing pandemic and resulting impact on the community, residents and businesses.

“Going through everything that the world went through last year, and we wrote the majority of the record last year, and this year, we couldn’t turn a blind eye to everything that was going on,” he said. “And we talk on this record, and we express on this record — we’re not trying to dance around certain subject matter. We’re trying to be very honest and very real. In a lot of ways, this is a very humanitarian record.”

Asked if SHINEDOWN will “piss people off” with some of the lyrical positions that are taken on the upcoming LP, Smith said: “Possibly. But the thing about it is I don’t necessarily think it’s about pissing people off; it’s about understanding what we all went through but where we need to go now. I think that it gets lost. It’s never supposed to be about… And I say this because I’m being very, very bold and very honest about it. This country, it’s not called the Divided States Of America; it’s called the United States Of America, and we want people to understand that that comes down to the people; that comes down to us. And us being able to not only work with each other, to grow with one another. But when you have certain people in power that do not have your best interests in mind, you have to stand up and make your voice heard. When I see what’s going on in regards to people’s freedom of speech and it being censored and people being pushed into a corner because of their opinions and what have you. You need to be able to have constructive conversations with each other in order to get actual action to happen for positive change.”

Regarding the first single from SHINEDOWN’s seventh album, Brent said: “It honestly addresses everything that society has dealt with from a planetary platform, if you will — not just here in the U.S., but the whole world — what the last 18 months has been like, and, at least in our opinion, how we’ve gotta move forward.

“Listen, the record… We’re talking about things that we’ve never talked about before,” he revealed. “We’re opening up the conversation into different subject matters that SHINEDOWN has never addressed. We have the full support of our label, our management and hopefully our fanbase, whether they’ve been there from day one or they’re just kind of finding out who we are. But it’s a record that I think some people will consider controversial, I think some people will consider to be very provocative, especially for SHINEDOWN, but it’s also something that we feel that it is very important and that it is necessary… Don’t get me wrong either — there’s a lot of triumph on this record, but there’s also a lot of having to take a step back and go, ‘What’s really going on? And how do we stop it from happening if it’s going to be something negative on the human race as a whole?’ Our society, the way that we live with one another, we share this planet with a lot of different organisms and creatures. It’s not just about us. It’s important that everybody really takes a step back and doesn’t always make it about them. We have to work together — like, all of us; we’ve really gotta start working together with each other and really creating a positive change forward for not only society but also for this beautiful planet that we’ve been given.”

The follow-up to 2018’s “Attention Attention”, which is tentatively due this spring, was recorded in part at a new studio in Charleston, South Carolina spearheaded by the group’s bassist and producer Eric Bass.

In October, SHINEDOWN announced its 2022 North American tour, “Shinedown Live In Concert”, which is set to kick off in San Francisco on January 26.

SHINEDOWN’s film “Attention Attention”, a cinematic experience of the band’s 2018 studio album of the same name, premiered worldwide in September.

New single out 1/26.
Pre-save now at https://t.co/S9BeEMNM8u.
?? pic.twitter.com/cWPkwNODr5
— SHINEDOWN (@Shinedown) January 19, 2022

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EVERY TIME I DIE singer has Keith Buckley has offered a lengthy explanation of the circumstances that led to the band’s breakup, calling the split “inevitable” and insisting that “our problems with each other go back decades.”

On December 3, the Buffalo-based outfit announced that it would play the last three concerts of its recent tour without Buckley, explaining that the frontman was taking time off from the road to “rest and prepare” for the band’s holiday shows, the annual events dubbed “‘TID The Season”.

Buckley later issued a statement on social media in which he accused his brother, EVERY TIME I DIE guitarist Jordan Buckley, and his other bandmates of platting “to replace me this entire time.” He added that he was being “ostracized” from the band he had “built for 20 years because I made a decision to do whatever it took to be a good human being.”

Keith Buckley managed to set aside his issues with the rest of EVERY TIME I DIE long enough to play the aforementioned “‘TID The Season” concerts in the band’s hometown of Buffalo, on December 10 and December 11. But this past Monday (January 17), Jordan Buckley (lead guitar), Andy Williams (rhythm guitar), Stephen Micciche (bass) and Clayton “Goose” Holyoak (drums) issued a statement in which they confirmed that they were unable to reach an agreement with their estranged singer and were indeed going their separate ways. Within hours, Keith Buckley responded by sharing a letter sent to him by law firm Savur Law, dated December 20, 2021, saying that it had been retained by the rest of the band “for legal representation in connection with a separation agreement” between them and Buckley.

Earlier today (Wednesday, January 19), Keith returned to social media with a statement in which he detailed the recent behind-the-scenes correspondence between him and the other members of EVERY TIME I DIE and explained how the decision was made to end the band after a more-than-20-year run.

He wrote: “There is absolutely no hate in my heart when I say that whatever is going on with the guys from now on is between them and their God. Any emotional/ mental connection I had to them was thoroughly severed when I got that letter on Dec. 20th. That was where our paths finally diverged completely.

“I need it to be crystal clear that after their Twitter statement (then deletion then retraction) on Dec 3rd, the letter I received on Dec. 20th was the only correspondence I received in reply to a request made for a conversation with them on Dec 7th.

“They did not reach out to me to resolve the issue before Tid The Season. After TTS there were no attempts at contact from anyone in the band (nor our management) until Dec 17th when our manager unexpectedly quit. Still, no group conversation transpired. On Dec. 20th I was sent a legal document stating I was no longer a member of EVERY TIME I DIE, but the other 4 members were. That’s a factual order of events as I observed them and I need to establish this before going any further. This is MY Truth.

“After I overheard them talking about their plans to replace me while backstage in Asheville on Dec 3rd, I played the show (angrily) and immediately left the tour. You all know that. What you don’t know is that as soon as I got home, I made multiple attempts to talk to them about their problems with me, since up to the day before the Asheville show I genuinely thought things were better than they had been in a very long time. If you saw me perform then you would know I felt that was true.

“After that Asheville show I tweeted that I was taking a break to protect my mental health because, honestly, I was fucking devastated. The following day they announced- without informing me- that they would continue on the tour and allow the fans to sing ‘karaoke style’. Additionally, they quoted me as if I condoned or was even aware beforehand that it was something they were going to do. I found out on Twitter, the same way you did. They then retracted that statement and posted a message of support, claiming I was a ‘crucial member’.

“Despite all this, because of their public announcement of support for me, I thought they wanted to make our resolution a priority. However, after days of being dismissed or outright ignored, my hope then became to try at least make TTS civil.

“On December 20th, 2021, I received a letter telling me that I was separated from ‘the members of EVERY TIME I DIE’ which included all of the members not named Keith Buckley. I was also given a cease and desist, forbidding me from using the name or logo. I immediately lawyered up. I then took the band’s name off all promotional flyers for the book tour. I redesigned my social media accounts according to this request. I streamed on Twitch and didn’t mention it. Check my work, I played by the rules even though their ‘cease and desist’ was not legally binding. I was honestly doing them a solid. For anyone concerned about legalities, I am still playing by the rules and am acting in accordance with the council of my lawyer.

“‘The members of EVERY TIME I DIE’ returned on Jan 5th with an offer to give me back the band and- instead of separating from me – asked me to take the ETID name back and continue without them, with the condition that they receive payments for using the name and all likenesses while I toured. The thing is, being given the band back and/or replacing them was not something I was interested in doing at this point in my life. Also, I do not see ETID as anything other than these specific members. I declined the offer on Jan 6th. If it was done, it was done, but I was still open to figuring out what was best for us all.

“After that I waited for a response, but quickly became uncomfortable with the fact that tickets to upcoming tours were still being sold. It is my understanding that they had, at this point, no acting manager and therefore no one to take responsibility for their decisions. According to my lawyer, no one was responding to his requests to talk either.

“On Jan. 17th, with pressure from promoters increasing, my lawyer sent them a proposed statement to discuss amongst ourselves. (Here it is for reference… ‘In a desire for transparency I want to let you know that I received a letter from the band’s lawyer firing me from EVERY TIME I DIE on Dec. 20th. there were no band discussions prior nor since. While the details are being legally worked out, know that I am in a good place and excited for whatever will come next. I wish everyone well and have no hate in my heart.’) I said that I would release it in 24 hours ONLY if they did not respond with an alternate statement or an interest in collaborating on a new one. As I saw it, something had to be said. I was not going to lie to people to protect ‘the members of EVERY TIME I DIE’. No response. Later that night I was texted by a friend telling me to check Twitter. There, I discover that they have announced on behalf of themselves that we officially disbanded after the second Christmas show.

“That is how I found out that the band I started when I was 19 years old was publicly over. In posting that without prior conversation, without legal consultation, without any personal sense of honor for the band we built, these men took away my ability to say goodbye to 20 years worth of sacrifice. That is one of the hardest things to stomach. After half my life in a van I don’t even get access to an IG page worth of memories. That, coupled with the incongruous stories that are being told to manipulate and blur the narrative for anyone that might one day look back on this, are to me a wailing and gnashing of teeth.

“My truth is that the pandemic changed me. full stop. I looked at my life and I realized not only was I unhappy, I was exhausted from pretending I wasn’t. So I stripped everything back until I found what I loved. Then I worked to nurture that Love and set boundaries around it. Any growth that has transpired after that has been, to me, miraculous.

“After I became sober, I acknowledged to the band the pain I had caused in the past and begged their forgiveness. I promised in return that I would allow the pain they caused me to heal completely and all hatchets would be forever buried. For those understandably unwilling to immediately forgive me, I promised my vigilance at finding the perfect balance of happiness and sacrifice. In return, my mental health was thrown into question when it suited them. Or instead, it was used as a weapon against me when my boundaries offended the consciences of those repeatedly trying to cross them.

“There are a lot of reasons this break up happened, but it could not have resulted in any other conclusion. This was inevitable. In all of its ugly confusion and negativity and rumor, our own deep familial dysfunction manicured it perfectly. Our problems with each other go back decades. We should have broken up in 2014 to be honest. But we didn’t, for our own reasons. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I continued beyond that point for no other reason than to connect with other people through my lyrics and live performance. In hindsight, I’m so thankful I stuck it out. ‘FPU’, ‘Low Teens’ and especially ‘Radical are important records that I feel needed to be made. I still sense ‘Radical’ gaining importance, but the firm spiritual and political stance I took on that record became an insurmountable point of contention between Jordan and I. I, however, make no apologies for a single word.

“If we are friends, if we have met briefly or if we had a whole 4 conversation, if you have read anything I have written or truly heard anything I have said and feel seen, then please know how thankful I am for all the love you have provided me and for all the beauty you have shown me along this road. this is the beginning of a new one, I promise.

“To anyone just kinda concerned from a distance, trust me that I’m good. for real. I have had a month to process all of this. I am happy. You don’t have to believe me. It won’t change what I know to be true every moment of my blessed life. If you question my character, you can read any of my lyrics and see that I have been very transparent about my life and my struggles. And if you don’t see me by now then I’m just not for you. It doesn’t mean we can’t mutually acknowledge that and go our own ways in peace. Unfollow me. Don’t support anything with my name on it from now on, it’s cool. We’ll both be better off for it.

“Also, please do not send any hate towards anyone regarding this. I sincerely wish them everything they deserve.

“I have absolutely no plans to comment further.

“Perfect Love, Perfect Trust. Keith”.

EVERY TIME I DIE’s ninth studio album, “Radical”, was released in October via Epitaph.

The band’s LPs “The Big Dirty” (2007), “New Junk Aesthetic” (2009), “Ex Lives” (2012), “From Parts Unknown” (2014) and “Low Teens” all reached the top 50 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Both “Ex Lives” and “Low Teens” were No. 1 on Billboard’s Hard Rock album chart.

this is my Truth. Read it if you want to know it. ? pic.twitter.com/HJvHUQDs1a
— keith buckley (@deathoftheparty) January 19, 2022

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With their 20th anniversary due to hit the books this year, COMEBACK KID could be forgiven for mellowing out a little. Instead, the Winnipeg hardcore crew have defied logic and the tides of time once again: somehow, they sound even more pissed off, energetic and unstoppable on “Heavy Steps” than they did on the intermittently experimental “Outsider” five years ago. There is plenty to be pissed off about right now, of course, but the inspirational intensity that made COMEBACK KID stand out from the start is still much in evidence. “Heavy Steps”, their seventh album, takes them back to the streamlined hostility of old, but with a bigger and harder-hitting production than ever before. If things are fucked, this album seems to be saying, then we’re going to rage against the dying of the light until we drop, at full volume and firmly in your face. So, wear a helmet and strap in.

As if to prove that they are in no mood to fuck about, COMEBACK KID go for the throat from the start. The title track is a rousing encapsulation of everything that makes this band tick, from thunderous breakdowns and irresistible grooves to razor-sharp melodies that never stray into hackneyed nostalgia. After a five-year gap, the overall effect is like a friendly bomb going off. Likewise, “No Easy Way Out” is a flurry of verbal and guitar-driven punches, with an obnoxiously slamming central groove and a chorus to kill for. For something more recognizable as melodic hardcore, “Face The Fire” fits the bill at an exhilarating full pelt, but with a deeply metallic and gnarly mid-section and a euphoric final sprint.

GOJIRA’s Joe Duplantier adds his unmistakable riffing and vocals to “Crossed”: a match made in cross-pollinated heaven, wherein both parties are audibly reveling in crossover fervor. It’s a bludgeoning hardcore song in spirit, but the Frenchman’s subversive instincts are on full display too and the combined impact is almost comically exciting. If this album’s other collaboration, “Everything Relates” (featuring DEEZ NUTS’ JJ Peters) doesn’t wield quite the same prestige, the song itself is so infernally catchy that it matters not. In fact, COMEBACK KID are such great songwriters at this point, that everything they touch seems to turn to flaming gold. “Dead On The Fence” has a furrowed brow and a bad attitude, with cudgeling beatdowns and a main riff that owes its hide to ’80s thrash; “Shadow Of Doubt” takes a more dissonant, left-field approach to metallic hardcore, with shades of old-school EARTH CRISIS and cascading waves of punk rock snot; “Standstill” rattles and slams with runaway train energy, as the Canadians’ hardcore punk roots bubble to the surface.

A ruthlessly economical 33 minutes of pumped-up positivity and righteous fury, “Heavy Steps” is a resounding slap around the face, to wake the world from its stupor. You may commence flipping the furniture now.

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New York City based VRSTY are a musical representation of the diverse city they call home. Their debut full-length “Welcome Home” is an extraordinary mélange of genres; a seamless combination of R&B, pop, rap, rock and metalcore. Fans of ISSUES, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE and RAIN CITY DRIVE (formerly SLAVES), will adore Joey Varela’s velvety yet powerful vocals. What’s more, he and his bandmates — Javy Dorrejo (bass), Chris Cody (drums) and Paul Gregory (guitars) — may very well have just outdone those acts with this release.

“Welcome Home” is a turning point in modern music, blurring the line separating the underground and the mainstream. Genres traditionally seen as opposites are woven together seemingly effortlessly in every track. And while other bands may have introduced the concept of genre-bending, VRSTY have refined it. Chugging guitar chords, breakdown and screaming vocals provide both a strong backbone and intense inflection points, while the more delicate R&B melodies and pop-oriented choruses flesh it all out. Opening track “Finesse” feat. Notions immediately lays everything on the table as it switches techniques, tempos and styles, setting up the rest of the record with the simple words, “Enjoy the show.”

While every song on the record is supremely catchy, the most successful tracks are the ones that clock in at a comparatively slower pace. “Paranoid”, “Never Again” and “We, Always” are melancholic yet resolute, finding motivation in desperation. Conversely, “Only Sad” is the least moving song on the record, telling the vague story of a substance-abusing woman that doesn’t connect as deeply as the other tracks’ first-person narratives. “Soul” also contains the only ill-fitting genre shift on the record; its Western style guitar riffs are sonically disjointed from the rest of the song, and only make sense when the listener learns that Varela was inspired by musical folklore of artists selling their souls to the devil, like the legend of blues guitarist Robert Johnson.

“Welcome Home” finishes strong with the tear-jerking ballad “11am”, which is mostly just keys and soft, sinfully sweet vocal melodies. It’s moments like these, where Varela is backed up by the simplest of beats, that are the most striking. All in all, the superb songwriting on this album makes it difficult to believe that this is VRSTY’s first full LP. Whether you’re looking for a fun sing-along, a heavy breakdown or a crooning tune, there is something for everyone on “Welcome Home”. The future sure looks exciting for these NYC upstarts.

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