News

OZZY, DIO, BON SCOTT, LEMMY, SLASH, DIMEBAG Featured In ‘Cemetary Gates’ Book

Set for release this month via Plexus Publishing is the book "Cemetary Gates: Saints & Survivors Of The Heavy-Metal Scene" by Mick O'Shea. A description of the illustrated paperback reads as follows: "Between genius and madness, this world and the next, there's nothing but the faintest flicker of a pulse and the cemetery gates. "Packed with as many egos as one book can hold, 'Cemetery Gates' is the read that takes you inside the minds of the most twisted icons of heavy metal." Featured artists: * Ronnie James Dio (DIO, BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN & HELL, RAINBOW) * Bon Scott (AC/DC)

TOXIK Releases First Song Snippet Off Upcoming Album

Reactivated cult classic prog-thrashers TOXIK have released a snippet of their first recorded song in twenty-four years. The fifty-second clip, which is available for streaming using the SoundCloud widget below, is a rough pre-mix demo — without vocals — of "Crooked Crosses" off the as-yet-untitled follow-up to 1989's "Think This". TOXIK's founding member and lead guitarist Josh Christian comments on the new music: "I know it's been a long time, and one of the things I always think about is my own reaction when I hear about older bands recording. It's, like, 'Oh, no... not again,' because, let's be honest, it's usually an underwhelming listen and a lot of times it kills the band's legacy for the fans. But I have a feeling that people are going to be surprised by the intensity and power of our new material. The songwriting demos, which are really just me arranging the parts and programming drums, have been getting rave reviews from random listeners in the band's circle... It's so inspiring for us. We haven't spun off into nu-metal and we aren't trying to rewrite 'World Circus'. It's definitely TOXIK, but it isn't your dad's version."

New WHIPLASH Single ‘Sword Meet Skull, Skull Meet Sword’ Available

Veteran New Jersey thrashers WHIPLASH have released a new song from their upcoming EP titled "Old School American Way, Volume 1". The single, "Sword Meet Skull, Skull Meet Sword", was produced by WHIPLASH mainman Tony Portaro at his Concrete Island Studio. All drums were recorded and engineered by Kostadin "Mozart" Kamcev at Studio Mozart in Clifton, New Jersey. The single was mixed and mastered by Chris "Zeuss" Harris of Planet Z Recording (ALL THAT REMAINS, CROWBAR, MUNICIPAL WASTE, SUFFOCATION). With Tony Portaro (guitar/vocals) and Dank DeLong (bass) on the U.S. East Coast, and drummer Dan "Loord" Foord located in London, U.K., the band has been juggling writing and recording in between touring. "Old School American Way, Vol. 1" track listing: 01. Sword Meet Skull, Skull Meet Sword 02. Red Tape Riot 03. Prophet of Lies 04. Dead Man Calling 05. Power Thrashing Death *

Guitarist ADRIAN BELEW Quits NINE INCH NAILS

Guitarist Adrian Belew has announced his departure from the new touring lineup of Trent Reznor's NINE INCH NAILS. Belew wrote on Facebook: "Hey, folks, before this goes too far, let me say this: I greatly respect [NINE INCH NAILS mainman] Trent [Reznor] and the music he makes. No one is at fault. We both agreed it just was not working. I'm sorry to disappoint anyone. That really hurts. But NIN will do an amazing show and I am back where I belong: creating FLUX." Bassist Eric Avery quit NINE INCH NAILS last month, writing onFacebook that he was "overwhelmed" at the thought of going out again with NIN after spending the last year on tour with GARBAGE.

OZZY OSBOURNE On New BLACK SABBATH Album: ‘It Worked Out Better Than Our Wildest Expectations’

Paul Lester of The Guardian recently conducted an inter view withBLACK SABBATH members Tony Iommi (guitar), Ozzy Osbourne (vocals) and Terry "Geezer" Butler (bass). A few excerpts from the chat follow below. On whether they believe in God: Butler: "I do when I'm on a plane — the first thing I do is say my prayers." Ozzy: "I've done a good job of trying to kill myself for 64 years. But something's kept me alive. I don't know if it's God, fate or whatever. I'm open-minded. But I don't believe in organized religion at all." On the few myths surrounding BLACK SABBATH, including the one aboutOzzy biting off the head of a live bat, which he had presumed was rubber, in 1982:

DEE SNIDER: ‘People Are Going Crazy’ Over TWISTED SISTER Trademark Fight

KCTV, the CBS - affiliated television station serving Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas, spoke to TWISTED SISTER lead singer Dee Snider about the Kansas coffee shop which is being forced into changing its name from Twisted Sisters after receiving a letter from attorneys representing TWISTED SISTER guitarist and manager Jay Jay French. "[Jay Jay is] very crazy about protecting the trademark, and he sues everybody," Snider told KCTV. He added: "People are going crazy because it seems like this Goliath is attacking this David, this poor little David for the TWISTED SISTERtrademark. I told JJ, I said, 'You know, man, you've got to call in to some of these TV shows and some of these radio shows and defend yourself.' Because he apparently tried to work something out with the people at that shop and their first response was, 'Who's TWISTED SISTER?' They actually said they'd never heard of the band. Really? Really? That much I know. Everybody's heard of TWISTED SISTER… For better or for worse, it's a household word."