Foreigner are among the 16 artists named to the 2024 Inductee Class for The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. The Rock Hall has uploaded a new Inductee Insights video featuring the legendary rockers.
“The musicality and songwriting prowess of Foreigner created a lasting legacy, dominating rock & roll radio and earning the band Hall of Fame status,” reads a description of the video.
Rick Wills, who left Foreigner in 1992, recently spoke with Eddie Trunk on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation. During their conversation, he shared his feelings on Foreigner finally being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.
SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation, hosted by Eddie Trunk, airs daily at 3 PM, ET on SiriusXM’s Faction Talk. Audio clip and transcription below courtesy of SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation.
Rick Wills: “We’ve waited basically 21 years for this to happen. So when it did happen, it was a surprise in a sense. But it was also a relief that we finally could join our peers in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame because I think we’ve definitely earned our place with the singles and the songs we’ve written and performed over the years. You know, what did we do wrong? I don’t know. You know? But it is just weird sometimes how the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame voting goes and includes some people that, to me, don’t seem to belong in there because they’re not rock and roll, whereas we were. So, I don’t know. It’s a very difficult thing to understand sometimes. There’s a personality thing that went on at some point with Jann Wenner and the band, and I don’t know why, but he, I mean, I heard people say, “Oh, he said Foreigner will never get into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame unless hell freezes over.” Well, you know, that’s a pretty unkind thing to say. But you know, at the same time, you know, when Jann’s in control, what can you do when that’s going on? You know, he’s obviously putting his finger on the thing and saying they’re not gonna get in. But I don’t want to get into that because now that we are voted in, and I’m so pleased that Peter Frampton has been included, one of my old associates as well. You know, it’s about time for God’s sake.”
According to Billboard, Foreigner founder, Mick Jones, could be excused for feeling a bit bitter about the Rock Hall ignoring Foreigner for more than two decades of eligibility. But now that the group will be part of the class of 2024 this October, Jones — who put Foreigner together back in 1975 in New York — says he’s feeling “quite the opposite.”
“I think it means more to me now than perhaps 20 years ago,” Jones tells Billboard exclusively, via email due to a struggle with Parkinson’s disease that he revealed in February. “I’ve had a great career, and this is like the whipped cream and cherry on top. It’s something I will savor over the years. It’s a great honor to be included amongst all these great artists that have been inducted over the years.”
Jones, 79, adds that despite Foreigner fans’ very vocal frustration at the band’s exclusion, he himself has kept a measured perspective about the prospects. “Occasionally it might have entered my mind,” he says. “I certainly haven’t been overly consumed by it. Every year was the same thing, so eventually I didn’t really worry about it. My dear friend Peter Frampton had been passed over all these years; I don’t think he has been overly consumed by it either.”
Ascending Canadian post-punk sect Pøltergeist will release their debut album Nachtmusik, on October 25 via Bad Omen Records. Recorded in their native Calgary and mixed by Felix Fung (Spell, Spectres) at Little Red Sounds in Vancouver, the record is a dust covered collection of gothic death rock laced with heavy metal grit, which builds on the momentum of the band’s debut 7″ “Fall To Ruin” – a split with label mates Spell.
Pøltergeist has conjured up the new track, “Ethereal Nightmare”, and its accompanying video, created by Jamie Ward.
As Edgar Allan Poe once noted in The Masque Of The Red Death, “there are chords in the hearts of the most reckless which cannot be touched without emotion” – it was exactly these that Kalen Baker reached for – in splendid isolation in Grande Prairie, Alberta – at the very genesis of Pøltergeist, whilst fashioning the sepulchral serenades which would form his new band’s mighty statement of intent ‘Nachtmusik’.
Having played in the traditional metal band Whyte Diamond in Calgary in his teens, Baker moved 450 miles away for work in late 2019. “It was harsh and isolating being away from the Calgary scene, and I didn’t end up meeting many musicians who were into the same stuff as me” he notes. “I started recording demos alone in the room I was renting and put them on Bandcamp. I didn’t expect much from it, I just wanted a way to make music”.
This isolation was exacerbated by the pandemic, and coincided with a period in which Baker’s tastes were broadening from the epic metallic chills he’d grown up on into darker quarters. Having always had a penchant for the mystical metallic strains of Angel Witch, Cauldron and Blue Öyster Cult, he found himself moved by both Vancouver contemporary post-punk act Spectres and the epochal British melancholia of The Chameleons’ ‘Script From The Bridge’, not to mention gothic and post-punk legends like Sisters Of Mercy and The Sound, and paradigms of the ethereal like Cocteau Twins, Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine.
“I consider us first and foremost a Post-Punk band, but heavy metal will always play an important role,” says Kalen, citing the likes of In Solitude, Unto Others and Tribulation as bands who’ve explored the hinterlands between the two worlds. “When I got really into Goth rock, one thing I noticed was that it was just as cold and bleak as black metal but in a different way.”
With this union bolstered by the lyrical influence of spiritual progenitors like Moorcock, Lovecraft, Poe and the David Lynch of Twin Peaks, the sound of Pøltergeist was born – a gritty but magickal realm where crepuscular intensity is joined in psychic battle by metallic fortitude. Whilst the like of the driving “Burning Sword” and “Ethereal Nightmare” may bear the ghoulish atmosphere of deathrock fury past, they’re just as riven with the epic bravura and melodic salvation of the finest NWOBHM vintage, as well as possessing an emotional core that transposes the sound and fury to a contemporary world.
The band is now completed by guitarist Jacob Ponton, former Whyte Diamond bassist Ben Wytham and punk rock-styled drummer Amy Moore (although Al Lester from label mates Spell filled in on the recordings) and this line-up recently fulfilled a dream of supporting their trans-generational kindred spirits The Mission in Calgary – sure to be only the first of manifold triumphs to come.
Nachtmusik is true to Kalen’s vision of ‘a kaleidoscope of emotions, sounds and ideas’. Beguilingly ethereal but riven with steadfast intent, this is a record whose heart may yearn for the spiritual realm of the 1980s but whose feet are firmly treading the twenty-first century here and now. As storm clouds gather overhead, Pøltergeist’s journey into darkness is just beginning.
Pøltergeist will hold an album release show on October 25 at Calgary’s Palomino Smokehouse and Social Club and will perform on Halloween at Edmonton’s Jackknife Brewery as special guests of Unto Others.
Tracklisting:
“Einfürung” “Burning Sword” “Ethereal Nightmare” “Cold In September” “Yesterday Fades” “Nachtmusik” “Children Of The Dark” “Swallowed By The Ocean” “Will We Ever Live Again” “Walking Alone” “Dammerung (Outro)”
Peaceville Records has announced a limited corona vinyl edition of the Darkthrone classic Transilvanian Hunger to celebrate the album’s 30th anniversary.
Famously written and recorded over a period of just two weeks, Transilvanian Hunger features primitive guitar riffs over a monotonous drum beat creating a feel of hypnotic starkness bringing to mind the rawness of early Bathory.
Originally released in 1994, during what is often deemed to be the peak of the “Second Wave” of Black Metal, over the years the album has become representative of the definitive ‘90s Norwegian black metal sound and style, often copied but never bettered, and also contains lyrics by Varg Vikernes on half of the tracks.
Transilvanian Hunger was recorded with Fenriz’ Necrohell studio, and was the first release where the band became a duo, following the departure of guitarist Zephyrous.
This new edition of Transilvanian Hunger marks the album’s 30th anniversary, and is presented on limited corona vinyl, including an audio master more in line with the original 1994 release, courtesy of Patrick Engel at Temple of Disharmony. This new edition is set for release on September 27, preorder at burningshed.com.
Tracklisting:
Side A “Transilvanian Hunger” “Over Fjell Og Gjennom Torner” “Skald Av Satans Sol” “Slottet I Det Fjerne”
Side B “Graven Takeheimens Saler” “I En Hall Med Flesk Og Mjod” “As Flittermice As Satans Spy” “En As I Dype Skogen”
Dutch black/death metal icons, God Dethroned, have released a lyric video for “The Hanged Man”, from the upcoming album, The Judas Paradox, out September 6 via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM).
Frontman Henri “The Serpent King” Sattler: “An extremely catchy song which lyrics are based on the tarot card ‘The Hanged Man’. The reason I decided to use tarot cards as a basis to write lyrics is because I like tarot cards and their meanings and it gave me the opportunity to write a different type of lyrics that I hadn’t used before. The Hanged Man tarot card is about sacrifice. Musically it’s a groovy death metal banger with a middle part that shows Dave Meester’s skills as a virtuoso on lead guitar. Especially in this song you get the feeling that the death metal version of Dave Murray is present in his utmost glory.
Eleven songs strong, The Judas Paradox was produced by the band themselves, with mixing being handled by their very own singer/guitarist Henri. Tony Lindgren took over mastering duties at Fascination Street Studios, rounding off the grandly sinister sound of The Judas Paradox.
The Judas Paradox will be available in the following formats:
Today, epic power metal slayers Dragony share “Dragon Of The Sea (Sic Parvis Magna)”, the second single from their upcoming fifth studio album, Hic Svnt Dracones. The album is due out on October 11, 2024, and will be released via Steamhammer/SPV. The band has also made a lyric video for the new track, watch below.
Commenting on “Dragon Of The Sea (Sic Parvis Magna),” singer Sigi Samer had this to say: “The song focuses on legendary British privateer Sir Francis Drake, as it was the future bane of the Spanish Armada who rescued the first colonists from Roanoke. The song is a classic heavy metal anthem with a driving guitar riff and epic chorus that captures the adventurous spirit of the times its lyrics talk about.”
What started in the summer of 2007 as a studio project conceived by a handful of enthusiastic power metal fans from Vienna, Austria known as “The Dragonslayer Project,” Dragony has long since become an established name in the international metal world.
After completing their first headlining tour across Mexico in October 2023 and later touring as a support act for Warkings, the group has now begun a new chapter. For 2024, Dragony refreshed their lineup, welcoming Matt on guitars and Chris on drums. Having signed with the renowned metal label Steamhammer/SPV this rejuvenated ensemble is ready to write the next part of its story, combining new members’ talents with the support of its esteemed new label.
Once again, Dragony invites listeners on an epic journey into long-forgotten times and realms, as the concept story behind Hic Svnt Dracones tells a new, fantastical interpretation of the events surrounding the Lost Colony of Roanoke in the “New World,” as well as the fate of the British colonists who disappeared there, all neatly tied into a bombastic power metal package.
Hic Svnt Dracones will be available in the following formats:
– CD Digipak – 2LP Gatefold Version – Download – Stream
“From The New World (1584)” “Dreamchasers” “Silver & Blood” “Dragon Of The Sea (Sic Parvis Magna)” “Ill Met By Moonlight” “Perfect Storm” “Hic Svnt Dracones (Here Be Dragons)” “The World Serpent” “The Einherjar (What Dreams May Come)” “Twilight Of The Gods” “Beyond The Rainbow Bridge” “The Untold Story (Albion Online)” (Bonus Track)
“Beyond The Rainbow Bridge” video:
Dragony are:
Chris Auckenthaler: Drums Herbert Glos: Bass Manuel Hartleb: Keyboards Matvei Plekhanov: Guitars Simon Saito: Guitars Siegfried Samer: Vocals
One of Melbourne’s most intriguing progressive metal bands, Teramaze, have released a visualizer for “Her Halo” (Acoustic Version), featured on their upcoming release, Teracoustic Sessions / Volume 1. Watch the clip below.
Announcing Teracoustic Sessions / Volume 1, the band stated: “Introducing Teracoustic Sessions Volume 1, the brand-new acoustic album from Teramaze that promises a fresh and intimate listening experience. In this special release, Dean and Nathan have carefully selected nine standout tracks from our extensive catalogue and reimagined them in their purest form. Stripped down to just acoustic guitar and vocals, this collection offers a raw and unembellished take on our music—no frills, no effects, just the essence of Teramaze.
“The result is a collection that’s not only a testament to the strength of our songwriting but also something you can enjoy with family and friends who may not be familiar with our usual sound. We’re thrilled with how these tracks have come together, and we believe you will be too. Teracoustic Sessions Volume 1 invites you to experience Teramaze like never before, in an intimate and personal way that highlights the beauty and emotion of our music.”
Due for release on September 27, you can pre-order Teracoustic Sessions / Volume 1 here.
Lamb Of God’s Ashes Of The Wake (20th Anniversary Edition), featuring new mixes of classic tracks like “Laid To Rest” and “Omerta” by HEALTH and Justin K Broadrick, respectively, along with an enhanced version of “Another Nail For Your Coffin” with guest vocals from Malevolence‘s Alex Taylor and Kublai Khan TX’s Matt Honeycutt, is out now via Epic Records and Legacy Recordings.
The album’s release is accompanied by a lyric video for Justin K Broadrick’s (Godflesh/Jesu) reimagined version of “Omerta”.
“Since the release of Godflesh’s landmark 1989 debut album, Streetcleaner, I’ve been a fan of the beautifully abrasive sounds Justin Broadrick has unleased,” Randy Blythe shares. “To have this groundbreaking artist remix my personal favorite song from Ashes of the Wake is beyond wild to me.”
In addition to the pair of new mixes and the augmented version of “Another Nail For Your Coffin,” Ashes Of The Wake (20th Anniversary Edition) also includes live recordings of “Remorse Is For The Dead” and “Now You’ve Got Something To Die For,” while the 2CD and digital versions feature demo versions of “Laid to Rest,” “Ashes Of The Wake,” and “Remorse Is For The Dead.”
Ashes Of The Wake (20th Anniversary Edition) tracklisting:
“Laid To Rest” “Hourglass” “Now You’ve Got Something To Die For” “The Faded Line” “Omerta” “Blood Of The Scribe” “One Gun” “Break You” “What I’ve Become” “Ashes Of The Wake” “Remorse Is For The Dead” “Laid To Rest” (Pre-Production Demo) * “Ashes Of The Wake” (Pre-Production Demo) * “Remorse Is For The Dead” (Pre-Production Demo) * “Another Nail For Your Coffin” (Feat. Kublai Khan TX & Malevolence) “Laid To Rest” (Health Remix) “Omertá” (Justin K Broadrick Remix) “Remorse Is For The Dead” (Live in Richmond, VA) “Now You’ve Got Something To Die For” (Live from 2007)
* Exclusive to 2CD & Digital
“Laid To Rest” (HEALTH Remix) lyric video:
“Another Nail For Your Coffin” (Feat. Kublai Khan TX & Malevolence):
Life Of Agony has a long history of paying homage to the films that helped shape their teenage years.
Back in 1995, the band covered Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” on the group’s Ugly album; the song was made famous by the movie The Breakfast Club. In 1997, on their album Soul Searching Sun, a music video for the song “Desire” incorporated visuals reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. That tradition continues with a brand-new original track titled “The Crow (In Memory of B.L.),” which pays tribute to the fallen star Brandon Lee, who tragically lost his life during the filming of the cult-classic, released 30 years ago.
Life Of Agony’s “The Crow (In Memory of B.L.)” was recorded in New York City at the legendary Sear Sound studio, best known for hit albums by David Bowie and John Lennon, as well as at The Nest Studio, in Long Island, NY. The song was recorded, produced, and mixed by LOA’s guitarist Joey Zampella (who also co-produced the group’s last album The Sound of Scars). The song was mastered by Grammy-award winner Howie Weinberg (Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers).
With 2024 marking the 30th anniversary of Brandon Lee’s Crow film, and all of the controversy surrounding the new Bill Skarsgård remake, Life Of Agony felt inspired to go back and give respect to the ’94 film that made such a huge impact on them during their early years.
“There’s something very special about the original Crow that made it timeless, and there’s a reason that it resonated with us as kids,” explained LOA bassist Alan Robert. “It was an absolute tragedy… Brandon Lee was killed the year we did our first album River Runs Red, and by the time The Crow came out in ’94, he was already a legend. Brandon completely embodied the role, made it iconic, and lost his life in the process. It was just so incredibly sad and affected us deeply. He was such a charismatic character and in the very beginning stages of his career. Director Alex Proyas captured lightning in a bottle.”
A music video for Life of Agony’s “The Crow (In Memory of B.L.)” was directed by Derek Soto/Sinestra Studios, with motion graphics by The Dor Brothers. Produced by Chris White + Life of Agony. Watch below:
Tubi has released a new scene from their upcoming dark western thriller, The Thicket, which is set to premier on September 6. Watch below.
Deadline reported that Tubi began principal photography on The Thicket, based on Joe R. Lansdale’s novel of the same name, in 2023. It stars and is being produced by Game of Thrones alum Peter Dinklage.
A longtime passion project for Dinklage, The Thicket also stars Juliette Lewis (Yellowjackets), Esmé Creed-Miles (Hanna), Levon Hawke (The Crowded Room), Leslie Grace (In The Heights), Gbenga Akinnagbe (The Old Man), Macon Blair (I Care A Lot), James Hetfield (Metallica), Ned Dennehy (Peaky Blinders), Andrew Schulz (Infamous), and Arliss Howard (Mank).
Set at the turn-of-the-century, The Thicket follows an innocent young man, Jack (Hawke), who goes on an epic quest to rescue his sister Lula (Creed-Miles) after she has been kidnapped by the violent killer Cut Throat Bill (Lewis) and her gang. To save her, Jack enlists the help of a crafty bounty hunter named Reginald Jones (Dinklage), a grave-digging alcoholic son of an ex-slave (Akinnagbe), and a street-smart prostitute (Grace). The gang tracks Cut Throat Bill into the deadly no-man’s land known as The Big Thicket — a place where blood and chaos reign.
Leprous do prog differently. Rather than jam 10 million riffs into a single song or show the world some swanky new sweep arpeggios, this Norwegian collective use their talents to take one motif and make it compelling for minutes on end. Their tracks add layers of dextrous guitars, electronics and symphonies to the most affecting melody, and they’re often hallowed as trailblazers within experimental music for it.
Einar Solberg and the boys have released eight albums since starting, with their latest, Melodies Of Atonement, fresh out the oven. So, what better time to look back and re-examine Leprous’ dynamic musical journey so far? From debut Tall Poppy Syndrome forwards, this is their every (extremely good) full-length record ranked by brilliance.
8. Tall Poppy Syndrome (2009)
Look, one album had to come last, OK? Tall Poppy Syndrome, though it still falls under the “progressive” banner, is nigh unrecognisable from the Leprous we know today. Whereas the band in their current form are increasingly committed to episodic songs, this debut was strewn with idea-stacked extreme/prog metal suites. 99 percent of musicians that deal in such things would kill to have made tracks as refined as Passing or as explosive as Not Even A Name, especially on their first go. However, this was still very much an outfit discovering their identity, and it seldom hits as hard as the immediacy of their later material.
7. Pitfalls (2019)
By 2019, Leprous had long since divorced themselves from the “progressive metal” categorisation that fit them at the start of their career, and Pitfalls saw them push even further away from the genre. I Lose Hope was a bouncing hip-hop banger and At The Bottom pulsed with trap-like beats, while the emotive Distant Bells swelled with symphonic textures. As a result, though, guitarists Tor Oddmund Suhrke and Robin Ognedal and drummer Baard Kolstad felt underutilised, only getting to steal the show during the scrambling Foreigner and the latter half of The Sky Is Red. Some weapons in the Leprous arsenal went untouched here, despite the compositional craft throughout.
Bilateral marked both an end and a beginning. On behemoths like Forced Entry and Waste Of Air – labyrinthine, heavy, laced with noise and jazz – Leprous fulfilled the promise of Tall Poppy Syndrome, doubling down on their maximalist ways. However, there were also songs that charted the more direct sound to come: Restless and Acquired Taste especially were nuanced yet infectious moments. Because of this contrast, early fans often name Bilateral as this band’s magnum opus, and we’re more than understanding of why. To our tastes, on the other hand, this represented more of a mid-transitional move than a masterpiece in its own right.
Aphelion was the more even-handed sibling of Pitfalls. It continued the symphonic experiments of its predecessor, but also found space in the mix for guitars and drums, making for more of a collaborative effort. This masterclass in texture undoubtedly benefited from the balance, especially when Castaway Angels ascended from acoustics to an orchestra of evocative rock and strings. Yet, it was the galloping Silent Revelation and the electro-symphonic Shadow Side that communicated the Norwegians had nailed the sound they’d been striving towards since Pitfalls. Factor in the irresistible melodies of Out Of Here and Nighttime Disguise and you get an absolute victory.
Malina was exactly the album Leprous needed to make at that point of their career. The band had previously scored a surprise hit with The Congregation single The Price and, whether intentionally or not, this listenable successor capitalised. It boasted a host of sublime anthems, especially From The Flame with its (gasp) three choruses and 4/4 time signature. Simultaneously, there was no dumbing down in the songwriting department, as communicated by the looming aria that was The Last Milestone, as well as the polyrhythmic throbs of Coma. That symphonic post-rock finale to Stuck is just fucking perfect, too.
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LEPROUS – From The Flame (OFFICIAL VIDEO) – YouTube
Easily Leprous’ most explosive release in nearly a decade, Melodies Of Atonement saw the guitar burst back to the forefront. This was done in response to architect Einar Solberg rejecting the instrument on his solo album 16 the prior year, and it let the band flaunt addictive levels of drama and dynamism. Like A Sunken Ship rocketed from a funk first half to an all-metal symphony, amplified by a rare but powerful dabble in screaming vocals. Elsewhere, Silently Walking Alone was an electro-rock earworm, while Starlight demonstrated Leprous can still be beautifully vulnerable, even when re-embracing hard rock heaviness.
LEPROUS – Like A Sunken Ship (OFFICIAL VIDEO) – YouTube
The first notes of Coal’s opening cut, Foe, were an instant announcement that Leprous’ priorities had shifted. In lieu of warped prog, listeners got bombarded with simple, staccato blasts of sound, swiftly joined by soulful vocals wailing out a hummable hook. This drive for melody defined the album, the band able to weave repeated choruses, even through the seven-minute extravaganza Chronic and the screaming, all-metal barrage that was Contaminate Me. The Cloak, arguably Leprous’ first truly standout single, painted the most accurate picture of the future, building its expanding layers and lush singing on top of three simple guitar notes.
Sure, this is the predictable number one pick, but sometimes a decision is predictable because everyone knows it’s the right thing to do. No matter what you love Leprous for – be it their progressive fearlessness, top-notch hooks or symphonic and electronic undercurrents – The Congregation flaunted it. From the second The Price presented an addictive vocal melody atop off-rhythmic guitar work, it was clear that intelligence and heart-stopping songwriting would live a perfect marriage across this record.
Every song, from the stampeding Third Law to the minimalist Lower, had a powerful melody at its forefront to beckon the listener back. Then, once they came back, they noticed the impressively technical touches, like the fierce drumming beneath Rewind, or the electronic beat of The Flood getting picked up and carried to the finish line on electric guitar. Whether you were listening for the first time or hundredth, something new would probably dazzle you.
Thus, The Congregation (and especially The Price) earned Leprous a broader appeal than ever before and, moreover, represents a balance the band are still attempting to recapture nine years onwards. If you ever want to get into an argument over the best prog album of the 2010s, this is one of the first discs we’d slam onto the table.
Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Prog and Metal Hammer, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, NME, Guitar and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.
