
Former SOULFLY Guitarist MARC RIZZO Rejoins ILL NIÑO
Former SOULFLY guitarist Marc Rizzo has rejoined ILL NIÑO.
Rizzo was originally a member of the New Jersey Latin metal favorites two decades ago, appearing on their classic 2001 Roadrunner release “Revolution Revolucion” and the 2003 follow-up “Confession”. After leaving ILL NIÑO, Rizzo had an 18-year stint with SOULFLY, which ended acrimoniously this past summer, with Marc saying that his association with SOULFLY simply “ran its course,” while SOULFLY leader Max Cavalera accused Marc of spewing out “lies and bullshit” in some of his recent interviews regarding his departure from the band.
Rizzo broke the news of his return to ILL NIÑO during an October 6 YouTube livestream. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “We will be announcing it soon, but I’m doing some recording for the new ILL NIÑO record. And I’m super excited, man. It’s a different band. It’s not the band it was, obviously, for obvious reasons, from back when I was in the band, in 2002, when I left. A lot of things have changed. So I’m excited to work with these guys. It’s great to reconnect with Laz [Pina, bass] and Dave [Chavarri, drums] and work with the new singer Marcos [Leal], who’s an incredible singer. So I’m stoked, man. We’re gonna record this new record. I’ll probably — well, I am gonna do a tour with them soon, and we’ll see what the future holds, man. They’re gonna be announcing this very soon, and I’m very excited. Yes, I’m rejoining the band, which is awesome. I’m very excited to reconnect with my friends.
“Everyone loves a good reunion, and the fact that me and ILL NIÑO are working together again, it just goes to show that things can happen when everybody can meet up and talk and keep it between dudes,” he continued. “Don’t bring in managers and people’s freakin’ girlfriends and wives. You can have a reunion. And when dudes get in a room and just talk and work out anything from the past, good things can come out of it. So that’s what’s going on.
“More importantly than all that is the music,” Marc added. “This new ILL NIÑO record is the best shit they’ve ever done. Again, the new singer Marcos is one of the best singers in metal. I mean, this kid is spot-on. He writes great stuff. He can sing; he can scream. So, this is really good stuff, man. I’m really excited.”
ILL NIÑO’s most lineup featured founding member Chavarri and longtime member Pina alongside Leal (SHATTERED SUN), lead guitarist Jes DeHoyos (SONS OF TEXAS) and rhythm guitarist Sal Dominguez (UPON A BURNING BODY).
ILL NIÑO’s upcoming album, “IllMortals”, will feature guest appearances by Sonny Sandoval (P.O.D.), Benji Webbe (SKINDRED), Max Georgiev (FALLING IN REVERSE) and AJ Channer (FIRE FROM THE GODS).
“IllMortals” is slated for release before the end of the year via Break Silence Music (BSM), which is distributed through ONE-RPM.
ILL NIÑO’s new LP will mark the band’s first release since the departure of vocalist Cristian Machado, lead guitarist Ahrue “Luster” Ilustre and rhythm guitarist Diego Verduzco. Machado, Ilustre and Verduzco, along with Chavarri and Pina, announced in March 2020 that they had “reached a mutual, amicable and binding agreement” that will allow Chavarri and Pina to continue with ILL NIÑO while Machado, Verduzco and Ilustre move on with new projects.
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New Fossil Named After BLACK SABBATH Guitarist TONY IOMMI
A new species of conodonts has just been discovered by a Danish/Swedish team of palaeontologists. The fossil is around 469 million years old and was recovered from a succession of limestone in western Russia, rocks that once formed the sea floor sediments during the Ordovician Period. Because the species proved to be new to science, it had to be formally baptized with a unique Latin moniker. As all study authors are passionate hobby musicians and have long love affairs with the history of heavy rock music, they decided to honor one of heavy metal’s true pioneers — guitar legend Tony Iommi of BLACK SABBATH.
Says Mats E. Eriksson: “I personally have quite an extensive track record of combining my science of palaeontology with heavy music (manifested through fossils named after Lemmy Kilmister, Alex Webster and King Diamond, but also through the travelling exhibition Rock Fossils, popular science books, and even ‘paleo metal’ records), so it came easy to me.
“Tony Iommi has been high on my list of people I wanted to honor this way. To my great pleasure, both my fellow co-authors loved the suggestion. So, now Tony Iommi is also immortalized in the scientific literature with the gorgeous species Drepanoistodus Iommii.”
This is a great fit also because just like BLACK SABBATH have a heavy legacy that includes a convoluted history of several lineup changes, the research history of conodonts is extensive and convoluted, dating back to the mid-nineteenth century. Nonetheless, it was not until the 1980s that their true biological affinity was understood, that the microscopic phosphatic elements usually found in the fossil record comprised the oral elements of a primitive type of fish. And such “teeth” (including the Iommi fossil) proved to be plentiful in the Russian rocks studied.
Says conodont specialist Jan Audun Rasmussen: “Drepanoistodus Iommii is indeed excellently preserved, belongs to a complex group of conodonts, and has great potential as a time marker (so-called biostratigraphy).”
Adds Anders Lindskog: “The rocks we sampled at a steep Russian river bluff might not look like much to the naked eye, but they have turned out to be a treasure trove for us fossil aficionados.”
Although the fossil holds a true beauty in and of itself (well, we all know this is in the eye of the beholder), Eriksson argued that it should also be given an artistic makeover. “I commissioned legendary ‘heavy metal painter’ Joe Petagno — whom I have been working with several times over the last few years — to make a majestic, honorary painting. I love the piece that Joe affectionately refers to as ‘Tony Iommi conjuring an otherworldly gargantuan conodont.'”
The scientific article Rasmussen, J.A., Eriksson, M.E. & Lindskog, A. 2021: Middle Ordovician Drepanoistodus (Vertebrata, Conodonta) from Baltica, with description of three new species is published in European Journal of Taxonomy 74: 106–134. It can be found here.
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Late MEGADETH Drummer NICK MENZA's Family Shows Support For DAVID ELLEFSON Following Sex Video Scandal
The family of late MEGADETH drummer Nick Menza says that David Ellefson’s recent sex scandal has not affected its decision to partner with the former MEGADETH bassist and his Ellefson Films on the upcoming feature-length documentary “This Was My Life: The Story Of Nick Menza”. Ellefson has signed on as a co-producer of the film, and also will provide narration to guide the viewer through the exploration of the late MEGADETH drummer’s life.
Nick’s family has released the following statement regarding the matter: “The Menza family would like to take this opportunity to respond to some comments that were made made via Instagram in regard to the upcoming Nick Menza documentary film ‘This Was My Life: The Story Of Nick Menza’.
“To be clear, certain actions by others do not dictate our decision making. There are always two sides to every story. We do not know the facts nor do we pretend to know the truth. While the most recent events have been unfortunate to everyone involved, it has not altered our decision to welcome David Ellefson to be a part of this project.
“Nick and David remained close friends post-MEGADETH and he has remained in close contact with Nick’s sister since Nick’s passing. Ellefson was gracious enough to present the Hall Of Heavy Metal History award presented to Nick in 2018, so it was only fitting that he narrate the documentary.
“We are excited for the fans to see the life Nick lived before, during, and after MEGADETH. It was quite the journey.
“Stay tuned for an epic documentary. As Nick would say, ‘It’s gonna be RAD.’
“Thank you for the continuous support in keeping Nick’s legacy alive.”
In a 40-second video promoting his involvement with the documentary, Ellefson said: “I am proud to announce I will narrate/co-produce the upcoming documentary film ‘This Was My Life: The Story Of Nick Menza’ and I look forward to sharing together with you the life story of one of music’s most celebrated rock star drummers of all time, Nick Menza.”
Menza’s longtime personal manager Robert Bolger said: “I am very happy to connect David Ellefson with Screaming Butterfly Entertainment to narrate/co-produce the project. Ellefson’s involvement and knowledge will secure the authenticity of the film. They both spent a lot of personal time together touring world, and if anyone knew Nick best, it’s David Ellefson.
“Nick loved his fans and always said without the fans none this would be possible. I really think Nick’s fans will enjoy this journey through his life.”
Executive producer/director Holly Mollohan from Screaming Butterfly Entertainment added: “I am very happy to welcome David Ellefson to the ‘This Was My Life’ team. He brings with him a wealth of in-depth knowledge and personal experience that will be so valuable to making this film something very special for the fans and Nick’s family. I believe that his involvement will be an extremely positive addition to the project, and am excited to collaborate with him on the film.”
In conjunction with the announcement of Ellefson’s attachment to the film, an Indiegogo campaign has been launched to raise funding for the completion of the film. Fans have the opportunity to support the production of the film directly, as well as obtain some rare official Nick Menza memorabilia. These items include various Nick Menza personally owned items — some with authentic signatures from Nick himself. In addition to memorabilia, fans can purchase brand new Nick Menza merchandise including hats, posters, and even Nick Menza skateboard decks. Fans can even have their names and a message added to the end credits of the film.
The campaign can be found at this location.
“This Was My Life” will be the first-ever film to memorialize Menza’s legacy and celebrate his life exactly how it was. It is described in a press release as “an unflinching exploration into the life of one of the most successful thrash-metal drummers of all time, authorized by the Menza family. From his childhood all the way through to the end of his life including a true blow-by-blow account of the repeated failed attempts of the classic ‘Rust In Peace’ lineup.”
“This Was My Life” will feature rare and never-before-seen photos and video footage from Nick’s archived VHS tape collection, personally filmed by Menza himself from 1988 through 1991. Included will be exclusive content showcasing Nick working at the studio, personal home movies, casual time and party time with his fellow bandmembers, as well as other well-known artists of the era that Nick toured with. A screenshot from the film was recently released that featured an interview with former LAMB OF GOD/MEGADETH drummer Chris Adler.
Late in the evening on May 21, 2016, Nick collapsed after suffering a heart attack during a concert with Chris Poland and Robertino “Pag” Pagliari in their band OHM: at The Baked Potato in Studio City, California and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said Menza died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Five months ago, Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH after sexually explicit photos and video of the bassist leaked online along with allegations that he had been grooming a fan, which he vehemently denied. A short time after after the messages and video footage involving him were posted on Twitter, Ellefson filed a report with the police department in Scottsdale, Arizona alleging unlawful distribution of sexually explicit images of him by unknown offenders. In the report, Ellefson admitted that he had been exchanging sexual text messages with a Dutch teenager, who captured a video of several of their virtual “masturbating encounters” without his consent and shared them with friends. (According to Ellefson, the woman was 19 at the time of their first virtual sexual encounter.) Ellefson, who lives in Scottsdale, first became aware of the video on May 9, when the claim “David Ellefson of MEGADETH is a pedophile” appeared on Instagram. Ellefson told police he was notified on May 14 by MEGADETH that the band would be parting ways with him. Three days later, he was dismissed from the group.
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EDDIE VAN HALEN Memorial Plaque In Pasadena To Be Unveiled On Monday
According to Pasadena Star-News, a memorial honoring legendary VAN HALEN guitarist Eddie Van Halen in his former hometown of Pasadena, California will be unveiled a little over a year after his death.
On Monday morning (October 11), Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo and fellow council members will watch as a plaque is presented near the city Convention Center, which is next to the Civic Auditorium, where VAN HALEN played a number of times between 1975 and 1978.
The public is not invited to the ceremony due to coronavirus protocols. The musician’s family will also not be present due to scheduling conflicts, officials said.
The memorial tribute push was spearheaded by Randa Schmalfeld and Julie Kimura, two Pasadena residents who raised $6,500 through GoFundMe donations from fans from around the world for a permanent memorial in the city.
In a September 16 update on the Pasadena 4 Van Halen GoFundMe page, Randa said that the plaque “will honor the early days of VAN HALEN and the importance of their performances at the Pasadena Civic in the 1970’s. In addition to a brief description about the Van Halen family and the band, and their relationship to Pasadena, it will also include the infamous VAN HALEN logo, which the band has approved for display on the plaque.”
This past April, Pasadena Now reported that the Eddie Van Halen memorial near the city Convention Center could not — due to legal issues — contain Van Halen’s likeness or his famous “Frankenstrat” guitar.
A couple of weeks after Van Halen’s passing, a City Council meeting was held in Pasadena where a memorial honoring Eddie was discussed.
City manager Steve Mermell was directed to come up with ideas for how to best honor the musician, who died earlier that same month at the age of 65.
In the first three weeks after Eddie’s death, the city was bombarded with requests to pay tribute to the guitarist “to recognize both his local connection to Pasadena, as well as the impact that his artistry had on music,” Mermell wrote in a report.
“Recognizing Van Halen the band and/or individual members should be considered,” according to the report. “With his passing, Eddie Van Halen’s international recognition as a musical artist is noted for the significant impact he had on the Rock & Roll genre and his legacy is a source of hometown pride for the city.”
“Given the band’s connection to Pasadena,” city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said Thursday, “we agreed it was appropriate to place a plaque outside the Civic Auditorium.”
Following Eddie’s death after a long battle with cancer, fans left flowers at his childhood home on Las Lunas Street in Pasadena. Additional flowers, candles and fan mementos were placed on Allen Avenue where Eddie and Alex scratched their band’s name into the wet cement of a sidewalk when they were teenagers.
VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.
Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.
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MICHAEL SWEET Takes Issue With TED NUGENT's Comments About Vaccinated People: 'I'm No Sheep'
STRYPER’s Michael Sweet has taken issue with Ted Nugent’s characterization of vaccinated people as “stupid”.
Last Friday (October 1), Nugent appeared on “Off The Record” where he once again said that he won’t take the COVID-19 vaccine because the shots that are available in the United States were developed in less than a year are probably fake.
“It’s not a vaccine,” he said. “It’s an experimental shot. Now the FDA was forced to authorize it recently, but they were jabbing people with an experimental shot right up until that fake authorization.
“I don’t believe it’s a vaccine,” he reiterated. “Most of America doesn’t believe it’s a vaccine. The only ones that are taking it are either gullible or being forced because they’re gonna lose their job, lose their life and lose their livelihood.”
Asked what he would say to the people who believe it’s a worthwhile vaccine and it’s saving lives, Ted — who spoke openly about his battle with COVID-19 six months ago — said: “I appreciate the opportunity to speak to the people that went ahead and got the jab. I speak their language. I will speak to them thusly: Baaaaaah,” he said, imitating a sheep. “Baaaaaah. Baaaaaah. Baaaaaah. They understand that.”
When senior Capitol correspondent Tim Skubick asked Nugent point blank if he believes that the millions of people who got the shot are “just stupid,” Ted replied: “Yup.”
After BLABBERMOUTH.NET published a story about Nugent’s comments, Sweet took to social media to share a link to the article, and he included the following message: “Well, I’m vaccinated and for those of you who know me, I’m no ‘sheep’ 😉 I got vaccinated because I wanted to, NOT because someone told me to or convinced me to do it.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – more middle ground folks. Stop with the far left and far right mentality,” he continued. “There’s right and wrong on both sides. There’s ignorance and brilliance on both sides. There’s also nothing wrong with people trying to do the right thing to make this world a safer place. That’s honorable.
“How do you continue to have any fan base when you’re calling the majority of them ‘stupid’? Something that I’ll never understand…”
More than 55% of the nation’s population are currently fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, while more than 64% have received at least one shot, according to data from the CDC.
More than 700,000 people have died from the coronavirus in the U.S.
In April, Nugent talked about the darkest days of his battle with COVID-19, saying that he had “never been so scared” in his entire life. The 72-year-old pro-gun activist, who had previously claimed the virus was “not a real pandemic,” said: “It was really scary. I didn’t think I was gonna make it. I literally couldn’t function for about 20 hours, and then they came and they rescued me… The six-foot-two, 225-pound headache [this time] was like nothing I have ever experienced. I mean, from my tip of my toes to the top of my hair, I literally was dizzy and weak and struggled to get up to go to the bathroom. And I would lay in the bathtub a couple of times a day with the water as hot as I could take it just to divert.”
Ted also said that he was being treated for COVID-19 by a group of doctors who made a video last year calling for the use of hydroxychloroquine to battle the novel coronavirus, despite warnings from public health experts. Nugent went on to detail his clinical management of COVID-19, saying he was taking hydroxychloroquine, “a proven drug for 65 years,” as well as ivermectin, “another proven drug.”
In the past, Nugent, a staunch Donald Trump supporter, had referred to the virus as a “leftist scam to destroy” America’s 45th president. He had also repeated a narrative pushed by conservative media and disputed by health experts that suggests the official death count from the coronavirus is inflated.
We’ll, I’m vaccinated and for those of you who know me, I’m no “sheep”;-) I got vaccinated because I wanted to, NOT…
Posted by Michael Sweet on Tuesday, October 5, 2021
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Ex-GUNS N' ROSES Guitarist DJ ASHBA To Release Cover Of Italian Folk Classic 'Bella Ciao'
Former GUNS N’ ROSES and current SIXX:A.M. guitarist DJ Ashba will release a new single, “Bella Ciao”, on Friday, October 29. Produced by Ashba, the reimagined track gives a modern day EDM-driven makeover to the Italian folk classic, complemented by DJ’s signature guitar work, creating a dance/rock hybrid called GDM (Guitar Dance Music). The new single marks Ashba’s first release of 2021 and follows a series of tracks that released in late 2020 through Edgeout Records/UMG/UMe, including “Hypnotic”, “Let’s Dance” and “A Christmas Storm”.
“After becoming completely obsessed with ‘Money Heist’, I became so inspired by ‘Bella Ciao’ and the history of the song,” stated Ashba. “I couldn’t wait to get into the studio and make my own GDM version. I wanted it to be epic and dramatic, with big bass, bone-crushing guitar, and an infectious beat that I know the fans will go crazy for. After it was complete, I was telling my friend, famous Disney artist Craig Fraser, about my new version of this classic song, and him being a fan of the show as well, got inspired, and created me this one-of-a-kind painting of the iconic mask from ‘Money Heist’. I was so blown away; I thought it would make the perfect cover for this single.”
Ashba will support the single with his first headlining show scheduled for November 12 at the Epic Event Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin. All ticket and meet-and-greet packages will be announced soon and will be available on www.ashba.us.
Last December, Ashba told “The Mark And HooGie Show” that he isn’t concerned about getting any pushback from his rock fans over the musical direction of his new venture: “Honestly, I’m at a point in my career where I could give two fucks,” he said. “I could care less. If people don’t like it, kiss my ass. Go listen to SIXX:A.M. If what I’m doing right now isn’t rock enough, I’ve got a rock band. They can go listen to that then.
“My fanbase, thank God, has been, throughout my whole career, just very, very accepting,” he continued. “They know me — they know I’m always trying to really push myself as an artist outside the box.
“If I had to live within this box, I’d rather honestly not play music. Playing music is a form of art, and if I can’t truly be an artist and be true to what it is inside — whatever that is that keeps me going… I have to stay inspired. You can only write so many three-chord rock songs. So, to me, this is something that I’m kind of more doing for myself, and I feel like I kind of have earned that at this point in my career. And I’m just having fun.
“Surprisingly… It was weird. I was totally expecting for all my fanbase just to hate it — not get it,” Ashba added. “‘Cause I really, really go deep down in EDM — I stayed very, very true to the EDM sound — and I really thought they were gonna hate it, and I was okay with that. ‘Cause in my mind, I’m writing this for the EDM, the young kids that go to those festivals. This is full-on festival music. And surprisingly, I got no pushback. My rock fans really, really were freaking out on it, which kind of freaked me out. I was expecting them to really not get it or maybe push it aside. But they’ve been nothing but supportive. I’m very thankful that they gave it a chance.”
ASHBA’s “Let’s Dance” single featured a guest appearance by James Michael, co-founder and lead singer of SIXX:A.M., which he and DJ formed with Nikki Sixx (MÖTLEY CRÜE).
Ashba told the Las Vegas Review-Journal about the musical approach of his new effort: “I would go to a lot of EDM concerts, and their shows are so over the top and, you know, all these young kids just losing their minds, right? And the one thing that I’ve noticed is … it lacks guitar, you know, and I saw an opportunity, like five years ago, going, ‘If I could take what I do and somehow inject it into this world.’ A lot of kids are not being exposed to a lot of guitar in that world.”
Although Ashba initially started work on the project as a collaboration with Michael — under the band name PYROMANTIC — it has since evolved into an Ashba solo venture, with Michael announcing in 2018 that he was stepping away from the group.
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PAUL STANLEY And GENE SIMMONS Speak Out Against 'Cancel Culture', Defend Fired 'Mandalorian' Actress GINA CARANO
KISS’s Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons have defended actress Gina Carano after she was ousted from “The Mandalorian” over controversial social media posts.
Carano — a former MMA fighter who played Cara Dune in the hit Disney+ show — was dropped in February over a post that likened being a conservative in modern America to being a Jew in Nazi Germany.
“Gina Carano is not currently employed by Lucasfilm and there are no plans for her to be in the future,” a spokesperson for Lucasfilm, which is owned by Disney, said in a statement at the time. “Nevertheless, her social media posts denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities are abhorrent and unacceptable.”
Simmons and Stanley, who are both Jewish, addressed Carano’s exit from “The Mandalorian” while answering questions from fans at a KISS VIP exclusive soundcheck event that was held in Austin, Texas on September 29. Asked if he is a fan of the breakout series, Gene called “The Mandalorian” “one of the best shows on TV” and said in reference to Carano: “They should have kept the chick, even though she had different political [views]. It’s not about politics; it’s about whether you’re a good actress.”
A couple of minutes later, Paul also weighed in on the topic, saying: “Look, political views… This whole cancel culture is so dangerous. The idea that people can’t speak their mind. That’s what freedom is all about. And to lose your job because you’ve got something to say — even if I find it offensive; I’ve gotta live with that. Plus she can kick my ass.”
In one of her since-deleted Instagram posts, Carano implied that there are similarities between being a Republican today and Jewish people living during the Holocaust.
“Jews were beaten in the streets, not by Nazi soldiers but by their neighbors … even by children. Because history is edited, most people today don’t realize that to get to the point where Nazi soldiers could easily round up thousands of Jews, the government first made their own neighbors hate them simply for being Jews. How is that any different from hating someone for their political views,” the post she shared read.
This was not the first time Carano’s social media posts had generated controversy. Back in November 2020, the now-39-year-old actress, who had been vocal about her support for then-president Donald Trump, openly questioned whether the 2020 presidential election was fair. At the time, she tweeted: “We need to clean up the election process so we are not left feeling the way we do today. Put laws in place that protect us against voter fraud.”
After Lucasfilm confirmed Carano’s exit from “The Mandalorian”, some of her fans launched a campaign to boycott Disney+. The hashtag #CancelDisneyPlus was also trending.
Carano was also dropped by her agency, United Talent Agency, according to multiple reports.
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JEFF SCOTT SOTO Says His Collaboration With DAVID ELLEFSON Is 'On Hold' In Wake Of Sex Video Scandal
Jeff Scott Soto says that his project with David Ellefson is “on hold” while the former MEGADETH bassist is working through the fallout from his sex video scandal.
This past March, Soto and Ellefson announced that they had been collaborating on some new material under the moniker ELLEFSON-SOTO. The ELLEFSON-SOTO version of the RIOT classic “Swords & Tequila” was simultaneously released across all digital streaming outlets via Ellefson’s Combat Records.
Asked in a new interview with Dr. Music if the rest of the material he recorded with Ellefson will eventually see the light of day, Soto said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I’m hoping it will at some point. I’ve given David, as many people have, the space and the time to kind of deal with his own things.
“We were full-on getting that thing ready to bounce and to drop, et cetera, and, obviously, things were put on hold for that reason,” he explained. “And it’s just better for things to just kind of go away and kind of calm down, because we don’t need the kind of press that comes with it, especially the comments [from] the Internet cowboys out there. Let it go away, let it just kind of slip under the rug, and I’m sure that stuff is gonna resurface. And the idea of it will resurface and get us out there… I’m sure we’ll revisit it when the time is right.”
Five months ago, Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH after sexually explicit photos and video of the bassist leaked online along with allegations that he had been grooming a fan, which he vehemently denied. A short time after after the messages and video footage involving him were posted on Twitter, Ellefson filed a report with the police department in Scottsdale, Arizona alleging unlawful distribution of sexually explicit images of him by unknown offenders. In the report, Ellefson admitted that he had been exchanging sexual text messages with a Dutch teenager, who captured a video of several of their virtual “masturbating encounters” without his consent and shared them with friends. (According to Ellefson, the woman was 19 at the time of their first virtual sexual encounter.) Ellefson, who lives in Scottsdale, first became aware of the video on May 9, when the claim “David Ellefson of MEGADETH is a pedophile” appeared on Instagram. Ellefson told police he was notified on May 14 by MEGADETH that the band would be parting ways with him. Three days later, he was fired.
When Ellefson’s collaboration with Soto was first announced, David said in a statement: “Jeff and I have been friends for so many years that it’s great to finally collaborate on some material together. He has such a distinctive voice and perfect style for some new ideas my guitarist Andy Martongelli and I have been composing. We are excited about the progress of it all and thought this would be a perfect time to give a little sneak preview.”
At the time, Jeff added: “As COVID-19 became a big negative around the globe, it actually offered many artists a chance to finally collaborate with one another that might have never happened otherwise… As I have known David for many years, I knew from our other efforts outside of our day jobs that we could come up with some badass jams…and here we are, letting you in on our cool little secret.”
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Khemmis Premiere Exclusive New Song, “Sigil,” Via the Decibel Flexi Series
Hear and acquire this Khemmis flexi picture disc single, featuring an exclusive brand new track, available as part of the Decibel Flexi Series. Hurry, quantities are extremely limited!
The post Khemmis Premiere Exclusive New Song, “Sigil,” Via the Decibel Flexi Series appeared first on Decibel Magazine.

Ex-DEATH Members JAMES MURPHY + TERRY BUTLER To Perform 'Spiritual Healing' LP On Anniversary Of CHUCK SCHULDINER's Death
Former DEATH members James Murphy (guitar) and Terry Butler (bass) will perform the band’s classic third album, “Spiritual Healing”, in its entirety at two shows in Florida.
The December 11 and December 12 concerts at the Brass Mug in Tampa — where Murphy and Butler will be joined by drummer Gus Rios (ex-MALEVOLENT CREATION, DIVINE EMPIRE) and guitarist/vocalist Matt Harvey (EXHUMED, GRUESOME) — will coincide with the 20th anniversary of the passing of DEATH mastermind Chuck Schuldiner.
Originally released in 1990, “Spiritual Healing” marked a new turn in the DEATH discography, one which ushered in cleaner production, a new level of boundary pushing musicianship and songwriting skills that were previously unimaginable from a metal band. “Spiritual Healing” sets the standard for riffs, insane time changes and, of course, Schuldiner’s masterful guitar solos. Reissued in 2012 as a double CD housed in super deluxe packaging featuring brand new liner notes from Murphy and Butler, Chuck’s sister Beth Schuldiner and VOLBEAT frontman Michael Poulsen, Disc 1 featured a completely new remaster of the original album and Disc 2 contained 16 previously unreleased rehearsal, outtakes and studio instrumentals.
In addition to the two-disc edition, a limited-edition (2000 machine-numbered copies) triple-CD digipak was made available exclusively from Relapse.com. The third CD featured a never-before-released live set recorded in 1990 featuring the “Spiritual Healing” DEATH lineup. An iTunes deluxe edition was also released containing five additional previously unreleased pre-“Human” rehearsal tracks not available on either of the CD versions.
Schuldiner died on December 13, 2001 after a battle with pontine glioma, a rare type of brain tumor.
In recent years, DEATH’s storied catalog has undergone a meticulous reissue campaign via Relapse Records.
Relapse released the first-ever fully authorized DEATH tab book, featuring 21 classic songs tabbed out for guitar from the band’s entire discography. The book, which includes traditional notation as well as tablature, also comes with a digital download of all tracks.
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