Hard Rock
Slipknot Cancel North American Knotfest Roadshow Tour Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
One of metal’s most anticipated tours, Slipknot’s North American “Knotfest Roadshow”, has been called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While it seemed inevitable, Slipknot officially canceled the trek on Wednesday (May 13th), just a few weeks before the tour was slated to begin. Moreover, the band also postponed its Knotfest at Sea cruise and canceled its Knotfest UK festival, both set for August. The month-long “Knotfest Roadshow” had been scheduled to kick off May 30th in Syracuse, New York, and run through a June 25th show in The Woodlands, Texas. In addition to headliners Slipknot, the outing was to feature A Day to Remember, Underoath, and Code Orange. The Slipknot-headlined Knotfest at Sea cruise, slated to set sail from Barcelona on August 10th, featured a bill that included Behemo...
Cro-Mags Unveil Video for “From the Grave” Featuring Motörhead’s Phil Campbell: Watch
Several months after premiering the track right here at Heavy Consequence, hardcore veterans Cro-Mags have unveiled the music video for “From the Grave”. The song features a guest spot from Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell, who also appears in the video. The video stars Cro-Mags founder Harley Flanagan as he makes his way from a cemetery in The Bronx through the streets, subway stations, and alleyways of New York City. “The idea for the video is that I’m rising from the grave and going on a mission… like I came back from the dead to become the Grim Reaper himself,” stated Flanagan in a press release. “I think anybody who knows the history of this band and of my life will get it. It starts off at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, where I will be buried with my family and in-laws. In the open...
Trapt to Release “Probably One of the Top 5 Albums That Will Ever Exist for All of Time,” Says Trapt
Trapt singer Chris Taylor Brown has been making headlines lately for challenging other bands to fights, defending President Trump’s actions on the coronavirus pandemic, and touting his own group’s Pandora streaming numbers. But now he’s ready to let some new music do the talking … well, actually he’s already doing the talking before the music even comes out. The hard-rock band, best known for the 2002 hit “Headstrong”, has announced that its eighth album, Shadow Work, will arrive on June 19th. Furthermore, Trapt planned to release the singles “Make It Out Alive” and “Tell Me How You Really Feel” this Friday, May 15th, followed by another song, “Far Enough Away”, but decided to make them all available as instant grat tracks for those who pre-order the album starting today (May 12th). B...
Rammstein and Guns N’ Roses Both Call Off European Tours Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
Rammstein’s Till Lindemann (photo by Jens Koch), Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose (photo by Amy Harris) Two of rock’s biggest live acts will not be touring Europe this spring and summer, as planned, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rammstein and Guns N’ Roses have each announced that they’ve called off their respective outings. Rammstein were scheduled to embark on a new leg of their “Stadium Tour” on May 25th in Klagenfurt, Austria, and remain on the European run until August 4th in Aarhus, Denmark. As of now, there has been no official announcement regarding the band’s late summer North American run, which is slated to kick off August 20th in Montreal. Rammstein, who’ve been touring in support of their 2019 untitled album, explained the European tour cancellation: “Due to local eve...
Shinedown Singer Says Band’s Summer Tour Is Still a Go: “You Can’t Stay Inside Forever”
While most bands are conceding that touring won’t happen for at least the next several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Shinedown frontman Brent Smith says his band is planning as if they’re hitting the road this summer. As he puts it: “We are not afraid to play for you.” Shinedown were forced to postpone their spring North American “Deep Dive Tour” due to the pandemic, but quickly rescheduled the dates for the summer, before health experts and government officials started predicting that concerts wouldn’t resume until 2021. In a new interview with Jose Mangin for Zippo Live, Smith explained that the band is still hoping to honor the newly scheduled dates. “We are supposed to be on tour right now doing that tour, interspersed with headlining some festivals,” said Smith. “We rescheduled...
Puscifer Unveil New Song “Apocalyptical” with Dancing Maynard James Keenan in Video: Stream
Puscifer recently teased new music coming soon, and they’ve delivered with the brand-new song “Apocalyptical”. The track is accompanied by a surreal video featuring singer Maynard James Keenan showing off a few dance moves. While Puscifer had recorded much of their new album last year, the band originally planned to release new music in 2021, to allow Keenan to complete his touring duties with Tool. But with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing Tool to postpone their tour, Keenan decided to unveil the first new Puscifer song in nearly five years much earlier than expected. “Apocalyptical” is a groovy mid-tempo tune with a dance-like beat, as Keenan and co-vocalist Carina Round deliver whispery lines like, “Go on, moron/ Ignore the evidence/ Skid in to armageddon/ Tango apocalyptical.” The video f...
Within Temptation Unleash New Song “Entertain You”: Stream
Within Temptation have released the new song “Entertain You”, a stand-alone single that was intended to coincide with the Dutch symphonic metal band’s now-postponed European tour with Evanescence. The song crashes in with heavy, towering riffs, before pulling back for Sharon den Adel’s emotive vocals. According to a press release “Entertain You” is about “the urge for self-gratification at the expense of others.” A statement from the band further explained, “Offenses, victimization, and exploitation. That happens every day and is mainly justified under the name of economic necessity, politics, religion, culture, sex, and race.” Sharon den Adel also issued her own statement, remarking, “We often cannot and do not want to see the consequences of our urge to satisfy our personal needs. T...
Bad Company’s Paul Rodgers Assures Fans He’s Alive, But Doesn’t Mention Brian Howe’s Passing
On Thursday came the sad news that onetime Bad Company singer Brian Howe had died at age 66 of cardiac arrest. Apparently, the headlines led some to think that founding and current Bad Company frontman Paul Rodgers had passed, leading the legendary rock vocalist to assure fans, “I’m very much alive.” However, Rodgers didn’t acknowledge Howe in his video message, and that very well may have had to do with the pair’s relationship. Rodgers formed Bad Company in 1973 after his stint fronting another legendary rock outfit, Free. He remained with the group until Bad Company disbanded in 1982, releasing a series of classic albums during that period. When Bad Company re-formed in 1986, they tapped Brian Howe as their vocalist, and went on to achieve additional success, including the platinum-certi...
Punk Supergroup Fake Names (Refused, Bad Religion) Unveil Self-Titled Debut Album: Stream
Glen E. Friedman, photo by Glen E. Friedman The new punk supergroup Fake Names — featuring singer Dennis Lyxzén (Refused), guitarist Brian Baker (Bad Religion, Minor Threat), and more — have unleashed their self-titled debut album via Epitaph Records, and its available to stream now. The band’s lineup also includes guitarist-singer Michael Hampton (S.O.A., Embrace, One Last Wish) and bassist Johnny Temple (Girls Against Boys, Soulside). The genesis of Fake Names began when Hampton and Baker started hashing out new music together back in 2016. With Temple added to the lineup, Hampton and Baker approached Lyxzén at Chicago’s Riot Fest, and he immediately jumped at the chance to join the group. The self-titled debut features the previously released lead single “Brick” along with nine other tr...
Soundgarden Countersue Vicky Cornell, Claim She Used Charity Show Proceeds for “Personal Purposes”
The surviving members of Soundgarden have countersued Chris Cornell’s widow, Vicky Cornell, alleging that she used funds from a 2019 benefit concert for her own “personal purposes.” They also contend that she has taken over the band’s social media accounts without permission, and have also formerly responded to her claims over rights to unreleased songs they say were intended for a new Soundgarden album. Back in December, Vicky sued the Soundgarden members, accusing them of falsely claiming ownership of seven unreleased songs and withholding royalties from her over the dispute. The band had insisted that the songs were meant for a new Soundgarden album, but Vicky claimed no formal agreement was made between Chris and his bandmates as to the intended destination of the tracks. In their coun...
Fearless Records and Century Media Each Announce Streaming Festivals
Two record labels specializing in heavy music are giving their bands a platform to perform for fans during the pandemic. Fearless Records is staging an “At Home” live-streaming event on May 9th, while Century Media is holding the “Isolation Festival” on May 14th. The Fearless event will feature acoustic performances from The Pretty Reckless, who just inked a new deal with the label, plus As It Is, Grayscale, Ice Nine Kills, Locket, Plain White T’s, Set It Off, The Almost, The Plot In You, and Wage War. In addition, there’ll be appearances from members of All That Remains, August Burns Red, Capstan, Eat Your Heart Out, iDKHOW, I Prevail, Kill the Lights, Movements, My Kid Brother, Oceans Ate Alaska, Starset, The Word Alive, Underoath, Varials, and Volumes. “Fearless At Home” begins at 3:00 ...
Queen’s Brian May Severely Tears Butt Muscle in a “Moment of Over-Enthusiastic Gardening”
Talk about some fat bottomed pain! Legendary Queen guitarist Brian May severely tore his buttock muscle during a “moment of over-enthusiastic gardening,” resulting in excruciating discomfort and a visit to the hospital. In an Instagram post, the guitar icon posted a still photo of himself with a protective face mask, and a video of himself being wheeled through hospital hallways from his perspective. With the current COVID-19 pandemic on everyone’s minds, the 72-year-old May assured fans in his written post that “the virus didn’t get [him] yet,” going on to explain that he “managed to rip [his] Gluteus Maximus to shreds.” In fact, the injury has left the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer unable “to walk for a while … or sleep, without a lot of assistance.” The guitar legend’s full post reads a...
