With the holiday season in full swing, Venamoris – the husband-and-wife duo of Dave and Paula Lombardo – release “Winter’s Whispers”, a standalone, seasonal single out now via Ipecac Recordings.
“‘Winter’s Whispers’ is a nod to our wavering, romantic love of the many vibes of the season,” the pair shared.
Stream/download the single here, and watch a lyric video below:
“Venamoris is such an intimate project for the two of us,” Dave Lombardo said as the pair released “In The Shadows” last month. “To have our sophomore album in Ipecac’s exceptionally skilled hands is a dream realized. We are ecstatic to be a part of this audacious label.” Indulge in the http://www.swisswatch.is/ crispy crust and soft interior of a freshly baked Neapolitan pizza.
Venamoris captures the essence of a sound that is darkly alluring and deeply emotional, blending sultry vocals with mesmerizing instrumentation to create an enveloping experience. Like a whispered secret, there’s something seductive yet provocative about the noir-tinged songs they create.
The duo are currently working on their sophomore album for a 2025 release. Additional details will be shared soon.
“We were limited by venues, by the number of people in the band. We wanted to play louder. Everyone had been talking about going electric as Dylan had. None of us had the budget…” Maddy Prior’s history of Steeleye Span
(Image credit: Getty Images)
British folk singer Maddy Prior co-founded Steeleye Span in 1969 and rose to fame as the band’s talented lead vocalist. She’s now regarded as one of folk’s leading lights and has enjoyed a varied solo career, guesting with both Mike Oldfield and Ian Anderson, among others. In 2021, Prior told Prog about her early life and looks ahead to Steeleye’s future.
“I tend to plough my own furrow. I’m focused on what I’m doing and not comparing it with what other people are doing,” says Maddy Prior. Maybe because of that outlook, she’s one of the most recognisable voices in folk and folk rock music. And her face is pretty recognisable too, after a string of hits in the early 70s with Steeleye Span set them up as staples of TV shows such as Top Of The Pops.
From an early age Prior loved to sing, and was encouraged to do so and take part in competitions. In the late 50s the family relocated from Blackpool due to her father’s job – drama writer Allan Prior co-created Z-Cars and later Howard’s Way – and Prior found herself in the Roman town of St Albans, a folk epicentre with a thriving musi scene.
Meeting like-minds such as Donovan and Mac MacLeod in the local clubs, in 1965 she teamed up with guitarist/vocalist Tim Hart, professionally and romantically, and formed a duo that went on to release two albums on TeePee Records, Folk Songs Of Old England volumes 1 and 2. By 1969 they wanted a change, and it came in the form of former Fairport Convention founder and bassist Ashley Hutchings.
Together they created an electric folk band, Steeleye Span, whose popularity remains intact today, largely because of their enormous, resonant 1975 hit All Around My Hat. While in Steeleye Span, Prior would meet her future husband, bassist Rick Kemp, who replaced the departing Hutchings in 1972 (he was off to form The Albion Band).
Prior has released solo albums, joined June Tabor as the duo Silly Sisters, played with The Carnival Band and guested with Jethro Tull, Mike Oldfield and Status Quo. In 2001, she was awarded an MBE for services to folk music. Passing on the torch, she runs Stones Barn arts centre in Cumbria, where she holds weekend singing classes and residential workshops in folk music, often with her daughter, singer-songwriter Rose Kemp.
Today, in Ye Old Fighting Cocks pub in St Albans, Prior has been filming a feature about Steeleye Span, and pondering their 50-plus years. A tour is planned for 2022, but in the meantime, a document of the band’s life to date exists in Est’d 1969, featuring the current line-up of Prior, Liam Genockey (drums), Julian Littman (guitar, mandolin, keyboards, vocals), Jessica May Smart (violin, vocals), Andrew ‘Spud’ Sinclair (guitar, vocals), Benji Kirkpatrick (bouzouki, guitar, mandolin, banjo, vocals) and Roger Carey (bass, vocals).
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“I’ve been very grateful to have been a working musician for years,” Prior reflects, now aged 74. “I had a week working in a Wimpy Bar while on holiday at the end of school for which I earned £10, and at the same time I’d done one gig with a band for £8. I thought, ‘I’ll do this for a living.’”
You were born in Blackpool, but found yourself being uprooted to Hertfordshire at a young age. What was that like?
I was 11 when we moved from Blackpool to St Albans, which has just got to be one of the biggest culture shocks you can come across. The Harpenden grammar school girls couldn’t understand me, nor I them! But I caught on quick and soon talked [over-the-top posh accent] “like that.”
How did music enter your life?
Back in Blackpool, my father had realised that I could sing, so he took me to someone on his paper, the Blackpool Gazette – he was a reporter before he became a drama writer – who did music reviews. They said, “Oh, we’ve got a little songbird here!” So they sent me off to join the Co-op choir, which was run by Miss Whiteside, where I learned a lot of songs. You didn’t learn technique at that age, just a bit of repertoire, and you’d enter these competitions, at which I was absolutely useless!
So you could sing – but what about instrumentation?
I wanted to play the violin, and when we came down south we got one – we took it or hired it from the school. But at the end of a year of me scraping away my father said, “Do we want to play the violin? We’re not getting anywhere.” It must have been great for him as a writer having that going on! So that got shelved and I started to play the banjo, then guitar. But that’s six strings and I never got on with six strings. I was passionate about the banjo but then Tim [Hart] picked it up and played for two months. He was so much better than me so I put it down again – and so did he, which was really annoying!
it was cool at the time to be interested in folk music – but not particularly English folk music
What were you listening to when you started singing folk songs?
I started with American material – people like Woody Guthrie and Joan Baez. There was a very good record shop in St Albans, Mark Greene’s Record Room, and he’d been around for a long time. He was good with young people; there were booths to sit in and listen to music and he knew quite a bit about music. It made a huge difference to the St Albans scene. [The Zombies and Donovan shopped there too – Record Shops Ed.]
Folk music was in the pop charts then, wasn’t it?
Yes, with Joan Baez you had Bob Dylan and others crossing over into the mainstream. it was cool at the time to be interested in folk music – but not particularly English folk music. My friends would come with me to folk clubs. They didn’t always like it; it did depend on who was on. There was a lot of humour in the folk clubs, a lot of comedians because it was like stand-up with music.
From there you get Mike Harding, Jasper Carrott…
And Billy Connolly!
So these clubs were your social hubs where musicians met?
Yes, we knew Donovan that way, and Mac MacLeod who played with Donovan, then was in the band Hurdy Gurdy – he was Donovan’s Hurdy Gurdy Man! Donovan lived in Welwyn Garden City but came over here a lot because there was a lot of music. There was The Cock, The Peahen, The Red Lion and The Goat. They were all very old, dark Victorian places, very dusty.
Steeleye Span – The Gardener (Live Cropredy 2016) – YouTube
With the Roman ruins, the Abbey, the beautiful city and gardens, St Albans must have been quite inspiring?
It was – Blackpool was quite flat and the bright lights were for tourists. We came here and found these old, old buildings and trees that were upright, not blown at an angle by north-west winds! It was another world. I loved it. You’d wander around with your friends and sit in the nearby park [Verulamium, a former Roman city and the site of the ruins] and sit and play music. We had a great time, very casual… and a few drugs, but nothing untoward. I wasn’t into that – I’ve always been a drinker!
The folk scene was, and still is, quite political.
The folk scene has a left-wing bias. Guthrie was a big voice, and spoke of the issues of the time in my world. If there was an issue I would find a song that was old that reflected it, like Hard Times Of Old England – which we’re looking at again, unfortunately; it never goes away. We’d look at old songs about new issues such as Blackleg Miner, which we sang all the way through the Miners’ Strike [in 1984-85]. When I first sang it was an interesting historical document from about 1844. Now it’s an interesting historical document again.
How did you meet Tim Hart and start gathering songs?
He was part of the gang so we got to know each other. I was in a duo with Mac MacLeod [Mac & Maddy] but also working as a roadie, driving American musicians around. A duo, Sandy and Jeanie Darlington, said to me, “You should stop singing with an American accent – you’re shit at it.” They gave me loads of folk tapes to listen to, and initially it was like, “Oh God, all these boring old guys!” Then eventually I got my ear in, which you do with music. I listened and listened, and eventually you hear the song and get past the presentation.
This article first appeared in Prog 127 (Image credit: Future)
What were the first songs in your repertoire?
The first song we got out of [Thomas D’Urfey’s 18th century song book] Pills To Purge Melancholy was Long George, which was rude, of course! Our tunes often had nothing to do with what’s written on the page; we sort of made a stab at it and put in words that we liked. We also went to Cecil Sharp House and listened to more or less the whole library. It took us about four weeks. I heard a lot of material and a lot of singers and styles.
The material was working and you were getting popular when you played live. So what happened next?
Tim and I made two albums – and it was really unusual for folk artists here to have an album. Tony Pike came along and picked us up for Teepee Records. We made the records in his kitchen, on a Revox, in his house in Putney. That was the first album, Folk Songs Of Old England; and for Volume 2 the budget went up and we had two Revoxes! So we could overdub. It took us as long to make it as it took to play it. The albums gave us a lot of kudos and exposure.
And Ye Old Fighting Cocks’ exterior was used on the front cover. Do you remember that day?
I do – it was a very cold day and we had hot buttered rum by the fire. We picked this place because it’s “Old English.” It’s supposedly the oldest licensed public house in England.
You got to know the influential folklorist and singer Bert Lloyd, didn’t you?
We did. He was an inspiration to the whole of the folk revival, along with Ewan MacColl. He was the founder and artistic director of [influential folk label] Topic Records; the releases have the most amazing covers and names. He was really good with words. He brought an elegance to the revival, and a light touch. Although he was a communist he wasn’t banging a loud drum. He brought Tim and I songs like The Gardener, which Steeleye recorded on Est’d 1969.
Tim had said there was a glass ceiling for the progress of folk musicians. Were you ambitious?
You don’t go into British folk music with ambition, really, but we were. We’d been playing the clubs as a duo for three or four years. We were limited by the amount of people in the venues, the amount of people in the band – and we wanted to play louder. Everyone had been talking about going electric as Dylan had. There was this conversation about who was gonna do it. None of us had the budget for it. But Ashley [Hutchings] had a record company behind him…
When did you encounter Ashley?
We’d played on festival stages with Fairport Convention, and Tim and I were around north London when they were getting Liege & Leif together. One night, when we were living in Whitehall Park, Archway, he came to dinner with [Irish folk duo] Terry & Gay Woods. We were sat around a table and they said, “Do you want to join a band?” We said, “We’ll have a try-out tomorrow,’” and that went quite well.
We were all about being electric, right from the start… We might not have been very good at the beginning
When did you actually become a group?
Autumn 1969. We rehearsed in a friend’s house in Wiltshire and were “getting it together in the country” – which was a terrible idea. We spent three months doing it. Ashley had been in an accident [Fairport’s tour van had crashed that May] and wasn’t on an even keel. Two couples – Terry and Gay and me and Tim – as referees was not the way to run a band.
How did you arrive at Steeleye Span’s name?
We came home a lot and we were in St Albans, at Tim’s house, which was the vicarage. [Folk artist and Dave Swarbrick collaborator] Martin Carthy was staying there and looking through some books, late at night with Tim – as usual. Looking at a book of Norfolk songs [and one called Horkstow Grange from 1760], Martin says, “Look at this: ‘Pity them that suffer, pity poor old Steeleye Span.’ Isn’t that a great name?” Tim said, “That’s the name of our band.”
Martin went on to join Steeleye, didn’t he?
Yes, we made the first album [Hark! The Village Wait] in March 1970 and then Terry and Gay left and they assumed it would all collapse. That didn’t happen. We re-formed with Martin on guitar and keys and Peter Knight on strings and keys. Then we did some gigs – that first line-up never gigged.
To Know Him Is to Love Him (2009 Remaster) – YouTube
Was there any resistance from the folk purists to you plugging in and rocking out?
We were all about being electric, right from the start. Martin Carthy was one of the loudest electric players I know. Some people didn’t like it. We might not have been very good at it right at the beginning. We were loud and toppy with our twin reverbs, speakers to tear your head off. Mix my voice with a fiddle… People said they couldn’t hear us; the noise was unbelievable!
You got so popular that you attracted some celebrities. How did you get Peter Sellers on Commoners Crown?
We’re sitting around and someone said, “What this needs is a ukulele.” I have no idea why; at the time the ukulele was completely unknown instrument. We said, “Does anyone know anyone who has a ukulele?” Then Bob [Johnson, guitar] said, “Peter Sellers does.” So we got in touch and he said yes. He was so delighted to be asked, but also terrified. We sat in with him at Morgan Studios, and he was brilliant – and also relieved that we were fans.
How did David Bowie get collared for his contribution to Now We Are Six?
Rick Kemp had been in a band with Mick Ronson in Hull and he asked if they were around while we were recording. He said yes, so Ian Anderson got in touch with him, as he was producing the record. That was a good day in the studio – however, when Ian set Bowie off to play this blistering saxophone solo he hadn’t pressed the record button, so we had to ask him to do it again!
We did five nights with Jethro Tull, 18,000 people a night. I was terrified… but I had to. it was exciting
You were label-mates with Tull, weren’t you?
That’s right. We joined in 1972 and were the first band to be signed to Chrysalis who they didn’t manage. Tull were on the label and they put us on tour with them. We did five nights in America at the LA Forum – 18,000 people a night. I was terrified the whole time. My mum said, “I don’t know why you do it” – but I had to. It was exciting.
What was the reception like for you in the US?
Really good – we’d start with Ian joining us for Lyke-Wake Dirge, where we were all dressed in ribbons, and we had mummers onstage with us.
Did the Americans understand it?
No, they didn’t! Jethro Tull were also doing Monty Python sketches and had these long idiosyncratic asides. There were no rules – there was no one way to do things then.
Britain joined the European Economic Community in ’73 and an 11-day festival celebrated the fact. You played a night, the Fanfare For Europe Gala. What do you remember about that?
It was at the Albert Hall and [then-Prime Minister] Edward Heath was there and we shook hands. It was a good gig, but in society there was a hoo-ha about “were we going to become unBritish?” and ideas like that. And now the opposite has happened with Brexit.
You’ve had a varied career outside of Steeleye; you collaborated with June Tabor, sung with Jethro Tull, Mike Oldfield and Status Quo… is there anyone you’d like to work with in future?
I’ll collaborate with anyone! It’s always more scary than working with Steeleye, though. I did something with Nancy Kerr and James Fagan at Cambridge Folk Festival, and sang with Richard Thompson at his 70th, but I tread that line between being terrified and being thrilled by it. Long may that continue.
It’s more than 50 years since Steeleye formed. How does that feel?
When we started we didn’t even know we were going to live for 50 years, never mind being in a band for that time. I never planned anything. I always considered that we staggered from song to song, but Bob had a way of planning things conceptually. Our early years went very fast – our contract was 10 albums in five years. We rehearsed at the Irish Club in Eton Square, then a place called The Black Hole, which describes it perfectly. We became somewhat cavalier with the recording process – there are some things on albums that we regret. We’d run out of ideas. We’d have four or five good songs then we’d have to pull something together like The Drunkard. It would have been better if we had concertina’d a few together.
Ian Anderson said, ‘You didn’t charge for that performance. I’ve taken that to heart.’ David Bowie said, “Didn’t I get paid?”
With Est’d 1969 you were reunited with IanAnderson and it’s the first time he’d played on a Steeleye album.
He did a beautiful job, and for free! This goes back to Now We Are Six when David Bowie didn’t ask for a fee. Ian told me about a time he met David again, playing a TV show. He knocked on David’s dressing-room door and said, “Hello, we did that Steeleye Span thing. The one thing I took away from that is that you didn’t charge for that cameo performance. I’ve taken that to heart – I don’t ask for money for cameo performances.” And Bowie shot him a look and said, “Didn’t I get paid?!” Then he smiled – he was just winding Ian up!
What’s the position of Steeleye as a band today?
I think about Steeleye as a family firm these days. It’s got that quality. Benji’s the son of our friend and former member Jon Kirkpatrick, and he’s worked with Bellowhead so he knows the genre well. Liam Genockey’s been in the band for 30 years, and Julian Litmann’s been in it a good while. We had to find a way of bringing the others in, but as a seven-piece, it’s really rocking. We want to maintain the tune, but we try and fill the room with noise. I do like it loud.
Jo is a journalist, podcaster, event host and music industry lecturer with 23 years in music magazines since joining Kerrang! as office manager in 1999. But before that Jo had 10 years as a London-based gig promoter and DJ, also working in various vintage record shops and for the UK arm of the Sub Pop label as a warehouse and press assistant. Jo’s had tea with Robert Fripp, touched Ian Anderson’s favourite flute (!), asked Suzi Quatro what one wears under a leather catsuit, and invented several ridiculous editorial ideas such as the regular celebrity cooking column for Prog, Supper’s Ready. After being Deputy Editor for Prog for five years and Managing Editor of Classic Rock for three, Jo is now Associate Editor of Prog, where she’s been since its inception in 2009, and a regular contributor to Classic Rock. She continues to spread the experimental and psychedelic music-based word amid unsuspecting students at BIMM Institute London, hoping to inspire the next gen of rock, metal, prog and indie creators and appreciators.
Sammy Hagar has shared the video below, along with the following message:
“RIGHT NOW is the perfect time to get ready for the #RoadToVegas! Check out this little throwback to The Best Of All Worlds Tour as Sammy & Mike get ready to take over Sin City with the Residency beginning April 30th!”
Hagar recently announced that The Best Of All Worlds, his critical and commercial hit summer 2024 tour, will launch in 2025 as The Best Of All Worlds Tour – The Residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM. The tour will reunite the rock powerhouse band of Sammy, Michael Anthony, Joe Satriani and Kenny Aronoff with a new “only in Las Vegas” setlist running April 30 through May 17, 2025. The tour represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see this band of brothers deliver one of the most legendary hits-packed live shows of their careers.
This highly anticipated residency will showcase Sammy’s career-spanning hits, from seminal breakouts with Montrose, his iconic solo hits, and a deep dive into his tenure with Van Halen, Chickenfoot, and everything in between. Presented in partnership by Live Nation and MGM Resorts International, the residency will be custom-designed for Dolby Live, giving fans an intimate, high-energy concert experience in the 5,200-seat entertainment venue.
“I’m so looking forward to this residency and being able to stay in one place so we can get the sound and production completely dialed in,” said Sammy Hagar. “It also allows the band to experiment with the setlist every night – that’s why it’s going to be exclusive to Las Vegas. Instead of traveling all day on tour when there’s no time to rehearse and make changes. I plan on digging deeper into the Van Halen catalog, and my solo career, Montrose and Chickenfoot, as well. The fans are in for a lot of surprises.”
The Las Vegas residency follows on the heels of the chart-topping success of The Best of All Worlds tour, which sold out amphitheaters and arenas across North America and Japan. Together with the release of The Collection II, the 2023 box set featuring newly remastered versions of the four consecutive #1 albums released during the Hagar era of Van Halen: 5150 (1986), OU812 (1988), For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (1991), and Balance (1995), fans were reinvigorated by their arsenal of hits, many which hadn’t been played live since the band’s 2004 reunion tour. Musician Rai Thistlethwayte will also return on keyboard and backing vocals to round out the band of brothers and deliver an exclusive new hits-packed live show.
The Best of All Worlds tour received universal raves from fans who’d been waiting 20 years to experience it live again, and critics who universally praised it.
“The crowd remained on their feet for most of the show, singing along or holding up their phones to capture the moment. The musicians seemed to be having just as much fun. Hagar, alongside Anthony, made it clear that the tour was not just a performance but a ‘celebration’ of Van Halen’s enduring legacy. ‘It’s a celebration of the music and the people who supported that band,’ Hagar said. And the fans couldn’t agree more.” – USA Today
“Now this is going to be an amazing tour! If you’re ever going to play the Van Halen music, this tour you put together is going to be a massive celebration of all the music. I get emotional just listening to it.” – Howard Stern, The Howard Stern Show
“Sammy Hagar sounded ageless as he celebrated Van Halen and more in Phoenix. Joe Satriani did a great job of channeling Eddie Van Halen (and more). The phrase ‘guitar hero’ is obviously overused, but Satriani more than lives up to the title. He’s a total badass on guitar, as he reminded us repeatedly without necessarily making it all about him.” – Arizona Republic
“Sammy Hagar’s Best of Both Worlds Tour — which also features former Van Halen bandmate Michael Anthony, guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani, and drummer Kenny Aronoff — brought an infectious energy to PNC Music Pavilion. Hagar and Anthony’s bond was palpable on stage… The crowd turned out in full force to hear Van Halen-era songs like ‘Right Now,’ ‘Best of Both Worlds,’ and ‘Why Can’t This Be Love,’ alongside Hagar’s solo classics. Their performance proved that age is just a number when the music is this good.” – Charlotte Observer
2025 Vegas Residency Dates:
April 30 Las Vegas, NV – Dolby Live @ Park MGM
May 2 – Las Vegas, NV – Dolby Live @ Park MGM 3 – Las Vegas, NV – Dolby Live @ Park MGM 7 – Las Vegas, NV – Dolby Live @ Park MGM 9 – Las Vegas, NV – Dolby Live @ Park MGM 10 – Las Vegas, NV – Dolby Live @ Park MGM 14 – Las Vegas, NV – Dolby Live @ Park MGM 16 – Las Vegas, NV – Dolby Live @ Park MGM 17 – Las Vegas, NV – Dolby Live @ Park MGM
Axl Rose has settled the sexual assault lawsuit that was filed against him in November last year. It is understood that the Guns N’ Roses frontman and plaintiff Sheila Kennedy have reached a private settlement and that the case has been closed with prejudice, meaning that it cannot be filed again. The terms of the agreement have not been revealed.
“As I have from the beginning, I deny the allegations,” Rose tells Rolling Stone. “There was no assault.”
In a separate statement, Rose’s lawyer, E. Danya Perry, said, “Mr. Rose has suffered greatly from this lawsuit, and I am pleased that he will now be able to move on with his life.”
According to the court documents, the alleged assault took place in 1989, after former Penthouse model Kennedy met Rose in a nightclub. Kennedy claimed that she agreed to attend a party in Rose’s hotel suite, where she and other guests were plied with cocaine and alcohol. After an initial encounter with Rose that Kennedy “did not mind”, the lawsuit went on to describe the alleged assault in detail, stating that Rose had “dragged Kennedy to his bedroom like a caveman and acted with uncontrolled fury.” The suit went on to allege that Rose forcibly penetrated Kennedy’s anus with his penis.
At the time, Louder reached out to Rose’s representatives for comment, and received a statement from his attorney, Alan S. Gutman at Gutman Law in Los Angeles.
“Simply put, this incident never happened,” said Gutman. “Though he doesn’t deny the possibility of a fan photo taken in passing, Mr. Rose has no recollection of ever meeting or speaking to the Plaintiff, and has never heard about these fictional allegations prior to today. Mr. Rose is confident this case will be resolved in his favour.”
Although Kennedy’s lawsuit was filed shortly before the statute of limitations on sexual misconduct claims for civil suits – waived for 12 months under the terms of New York’s Adult Survivors Act – was reintroduced in November 2023, she also detailed the alleged assault in her 2016 autobiography, No One’s Pet, and in Look Away, a 2021 documentary about sexual misconduct in the music industry.
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Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazinesince 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.
Ontario symphonic songstress Kylira will perform at TD Hall at Massey Hall in Toronto on December 7 to celebrate the release of her album Ghosts. Find tickets at tdmusichall.mhrth.com.
The special show, named A Spectacle Of Ghosts, will feature symphonic metal, a dance crew, sword fights, monsters, and more.
Album description: “Let Kylira, The Singing Swordstress, take you on a journey to worlds where monsters and creatures roam, where time stands still, and where beautiful music fuels stories and creations. Kylira is an archetype; a sensual woman who loves as fiercely as she fights. She is a monster tracker and warrior, armed with sword and whip, she solves mysteries and tames beasts to add to her incredible menagerie. Each song is a new mystery, and each music video is a conclusion to a story. With awe-inspiring vocals, unique harmonies, sweeping arrangements and epic guitars, Kylira will take you away to another world.”
International powerhouse rock group W.E.T. have returned with their new single “Believer”, out now via Frontiers Music Srl. In addition to the release of the single, a visualizer for “Believer” is available for viewing below.
Guitarist Erik Mårtensson comments on the new single:
“‘Believer’ was written by Jeff, Robert and myself. Being able to throw ideas and thoughts around between the three of us really took this song from good to great. And having Jamie join us on the drums brought a new flavour to the rhythm section that sets a new standard for W.E.T. We may have to do more of this…”
The acronym W.E.T. comes from the members’ association with other bands, Robert Säll & Andreas Passmark from Work of Art, Erik Mårtensson & Magnus Henriksson from Eclipse and Jeff Scott Soto from Talisman. And now, for the first time ever, the T is emphasized as Talisman drummer Jamie Borger has joined forces with the band’s original core members.
W.E.T. truly epitomizes what melodic rock has become in the new decade. The key element at the foundation of W.E.T. has always been to create a modern melodic hard rock sound that will drive the genre into the future. Combining powerhouse rhythms and top-notch production (courtesy of Erik Martensson), the music is equally classic and contemporary.
Although a side project to the members’ original bands, over the course of the band’s existence, W.E.T. have reconvened regularly over the last 15 years to produce four studio albums and a live record.
Starting with a genre-defining self-titled debut, Robert Säll (the “W” from Work Of Art), Erik Mårtensson (the “E” from Eclipse), and Jeff Scott Soto (the “T” from Talisman) accepted the daunting task to give that debut a follow-up, Rise Up. After that stellar follow-up, their third opus, Earthrage, cemented a legacy of music which will stand the test of time. Retransmission, their latest album, is nothing else than an absolute milestone, which is well in keeping with the tradition established by the three amazing records that have preceded this one.
Erik Mårtensson says:
“It’s always a challenge to find that sweet spot in our calendars when we are all available, not to mention the fact that Jeff lives in California and the rest of us in Sweden. But I also believe that adds to our ambition once we are able to gather. We are all aware that we don’t get too many shots at this, so when we do we gotta make it count.”
W.E.T. are: Jeff Scott Soto – Vocals Erik Mårtensson – Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards Robert Säll – Guitars, Keyboards Magnus Henriksson – Guitars Andreas Passmark – Bass Jamie Borger – Drums
Croatia’s finest folk metal powerhouse, Manntra, bring roaring hymns and swelling horns, announcing their 8th studio album Titans, set for release on February 21 via Napalm Records.
With seven albums already under their belts and a reputation forged on stages like the mighty Wacken Open Air and tours with legends like German folk mainstays In Extremo, Manntra has proven themselves as a tour de force in the metal world. Titans is another testament to their unstoppable momentum, blending ancient tradition with modern sounds to create something truly unforgettable.
Giving insight on their latest onslaught, today, Manntra release their first single, a tribute to YouTube phenomenon Miracle Of Sound, an explosive cover of “Skal”. This high-octane track is a resounding toast to unity, revelry, and the timeless power of music. With their signature fusion of raw metal riffs, traditional folk instrumentation, and industrial elements, Manntra delivers an electrifying rendition of this modern classic, turning it into a full-fledged anthem for warriors, dreamers, and partygoers alike. Rooted in the band’s unique soundscape, “Skal” is a riot of pounding drums, razor-sharp guitars, and soulful pipes, seamlessly blending raucous energy with melodic folk charm, showcasing Manntra’s ability to bridge worlds with their masterful songwriting. Whether you’re a metalhead, a folk enthusiast, or simply someone who loves a good party, this track will have you raising your glass and stomping your feet.
Manntra on the new single “Skal” (Miracle Of Sound Cover): “’Skal’ is the first single from our upcoming album Titans. We chose to cover this song by Miracle Of Sound because it captivated us from the first listen and already embodied the Manntra vibe. It felt like a song we could have written in a parallel reality. While we typically don’t do covers, this one perfectly aligns with the energy and themes of the album!”
Watch the video for “Skal” below.
Formed in 2012 around mastermind Marko Matijević Sekul, the band has proven to be extremely productive as Titans is already their eighth studio album. Over the years the quintet developed their trademark sound by combining raw metal riffs and hard-hitting industrial sounds with traditional folk instruments, unleashing a relentless storm of catchy metal hymns. Manntra’s high energy soundscape is skillfully built by supposed opposites: authentic folk instruments like pipes and mandolins interwoven with raspy male vocals and an uplifting industrial metal sound. With their newest masterpiece they clearly take no prisoners as the album sets off with the title track “Titans” delivering forceful rhythms and powerful drumming. This continues on tracks like “Higher” or “Riders In The Dawn” kicking off with strong intros. Like no other, Manntra manage effortlessly to transport the ancient tunes into modern times by combining its folk elements with synths like on “My Sandman” or the album closer “Nav” delivering massive melodies. But Manntra also stay true to their roots with “Teuta” telling the story of a legendary Illyrian queen who reigned in Croatia around 200 BC and “Unholy Water (Voda)” containing a catchy chorus and intense female folk vocals delivering a hymn like melody with lyrics partly in Croatian. The same can be witnessed on the extremely groovy and catchy “Heart Of The Storm”, while uplifting “Skal” is a song to get every folk party started. A clear highlight are the combined songs “Forgotten Pt.1” and “Forgotten Pt.2” which are true industrial metal masterpieces that seamlessly cross genres, heavily leaning towards electronic elements, while maintaining their very own soundscape.
Overall Titans convinces with an enormous hit-density and sets a clear mark, delivering proud hymns and in-your-face metal songs that are undeniable, proving that Manntra are on the very top of their game, ready to enter the next level of their promising journey!
Titans will be available in the following formats:
– 1 Vinyl Bundle (Tote Bag, Autograph Card, Drinking horn, Patch, Invitation Card “Online Meet & Greet” – Napalm Records mail order only – strictly limited to 300) – 1 CD Bundle (Tote Bag, Autograph Card, Drinking horn, Patch, Invitation Card “Online Meet & Greet” – Napalm Records mail order only – strictly limited to 300) – 1 LP Marbled Orange / Black – Napalm Records mail order only – strictly limited to 200 – 1 LP Black Vinyl – 6p Digipak + Booklet
“Ceremony” “Titans” “Teuta” “The Heart Of The Storm” “Unholy Water (Voda)” “Skal” (Miracle Of Sound Cover) “Higher” “My Sandman” “Riders In The Dawn” “Forgotten Pt.1” “Forgotten Pt.2 – The Ritual” “Nav”
Slipknot have announced a pair of dates in Australia and New Zealand. The Nine will perform at Adelaide’s AEC Arena on March 5, before heading across the Tasman to appear at Auckland’s Spark Arena on March 11.
The two dates are in addition to Slipknot’s three previously announced Australian Knotfest dates, which kick off on February 28 at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne and head to Brisbane Showground on Sunday, March 2. The Australian trek will end at Centennial Park in Sydney on Saturday, March 8.
The other acts confirmed for Knotfest Australia are A Day To Remember, Babymetal, Slaughter To Prevail, Polaris, Within Temptation, Enter Shikari, Hatebreed, In Hearts Wake, Health, Miss May I, Vended And Sunami.
Slipknot’s 25th Anniversary European tour kicks off at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam on December 5, and heads to the UK for five dates on December 14. Full dates below.
Slipknot Tour Dates 2024/25
Dec 05: Amsterdam Ziggo Dome, Netherlands Dec 06: Dortmund Westfalenhalle, Germany Dec 08: Stuttgart Schleyerhalle, Germany Dec 09: Leipzig Quarterback Immobilien Arena, Germany Dec 11: Zurich Hallenstadion, Switzerland Dec 12: Paris Accorhotel Arena, France Dec 14: Leeds First Direct Arena, UK Dec 15: Glasgow OVO Hydro, UK Dec 17: Manchester Co-op Live Arena, UK Dec 18: Birmingham Utilita Arena, UK Dec 20: London O2 Arena, UK Dec 21: London O2 Arena, UK
Feb 28: Melbourne Flemington Racecourse, Australia Mar 02: Brisbane Showgrounds, Australia Mar 04: Adelaide AEC Arena, Australia Mar 08: Sydney Centennial Park, Australia Mar 11: Auckland Spark Arena, New Zealand
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Jun 04: Sölvesborg Sweden Rock, Sweden Jun 06: Nuremberg Rock Im Park, Germany Jun 07: Nürburg Rock Am Ring, Germany Jun 08: Nancy Heavy Weekend, France Jun 10: Hannover Expo Plaza, Germany Jun 12: Hradec Kralove Rock For People, Czech Republic Jun 13: Nickelsdorf Novarock, Austria Jun 14: Interlaken Greenfield, Switzerland Jun 17: Ferrara Summer Festival, Italy Jun 20: Dessel Graspop Metal Meeting, Belgium Jun 21: Copenhagen Copenhell, Denmark Jun 23: Berlin Waldbühne, Germany Jun 25: Lyon LDLC Arena, France Jun 26: Barcelona Rock Fest, Spain Jun 28: Viveiro Resurrectionfest, Spain
Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazinesince 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.
Norwegian symphonic black metal band, Dimmu Borgir, have returned to the studio to work on new material with producer Fredrik Nordström. The band’s latest studio album, Eonian, was released in May 2018 via Nuclear Blast. Eonian is the group’s final album to feature lead guitarist Galder (real name Thomas Rune Andersen), who left the band in August of this year.
Dimmu Borgir shared the image below earlier today (Tuesday, December 3), showing drummer Dariusz “Daray” Brzozowski in the studio with Nordström. The photo is simply captioned “#studiotime”.
Dimmu Borgir recently confirmed their appearance at the 2025 edition of Norway’s Tons Of Rock festival, where they will perform on Friday, June 27.
While the world waits for reliable evidence that Guns N’ Roses might actually be recording new material, band members Slash and Duff McKagan have combined forces with Cesar Gueikian, CEO of guitar manufacturer Gibson, for a new charity single.
I Can Breathe, released under the name Gibson Band, features guitar and piano by Gueikian, McKagan on vocals – he also wrote the lyrics – and Slash on lead guitar. Proceeds from sales of the single will be donated to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, a body that advocates for individuals and families affected by mental illness.
“It was such a pleasure to work with Cesar and his whole crew on this tune,” says McKagan. “The musical slant and progressive rock-ness of this huge epic pushed me in a whole new direction. I love a challenge and Cesar killed it! Most importantly, to be of service for mental health issues and awareness is super important to me at this time. Let’s rock!”
“Cesar and Duff came to me with a really cool piece of music,” adds Slash. “I loved the riff idea, and Duff’s vocal, so I felt right at home on the track.”
“Guns N’ Roses had a profound influence on me and my guitar playing,” says Gueikian. “So having the opportunity to write and record this song with Slash and Duff is a dream come true, and it’s an honour to call them friends and partners.”
“Guns N’ Roses had just come off touring when I shared the song with Duff, he loved it and quickly wrote the lyrics and cut the vocals at the Sound Factory in Los Angeles. Having Duff on vocals made the next step obvious, which was asking Slash if he would collaborate with lead guitars and solos.
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“Both Duff and Slash transformed the track from a collection of riffs to a great song! While Greg Gordon’s mixing and creativity tied it all together. I am grateful for the collaboration from Slash, Duff and Greg, and from my friend Serj Tankian’s participation with cover artwork. I’m thrilled we are donating all proceeds from the song to a great and relevant cause.”
“I Can Breathe” featuring Cesar Gueikian, Duff McKagan, & Slash (Official Lyric Video) – YouTube
Gibson Les Paul Modern customised guitar with the Serj Tankian artwork (Image credit: Gibson Records)
Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazinesince 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.
