Heavy Music News
Zakk Wylde to Launch Online Instructional Guitar Course
Zakk Wylde has announced an online guitar course, “Zakk Wylde Berserker Guitar Camp,” which launches October 14th via Riffhard. If you’ve ever wanted to shred like the imitable Ozzy Osbourne/Black Label Society guitarist, now is your chance to learn from the man himself. Joined by fellow Black Label Society guitarist Dario Lorina, Wylde will teach aspiring guitarists the secrets behind his iconic pinch harmonics and vibrato, as well as riffs and solos from his most famous songs (including Ozzy Osbourne hits such as “No More Tears”). The complete course is separated into 10 sections with over 94 individual videos overall — a total of 12-plus hours of lessons. Much of the content sees Wylde and Lorina offering personal insight and tutorials straight to the camera, acting as virtual guitar te...
Nick Oliveri Blasts Former Kyuss Bandmates for Not Allowing Use of Band Name
Nick Oliveri has called out former Kyuss bandmates Josh Homme and Scott Reeder for not allowing use of the “Kyuss” band name. During his stint in the band, Oliveri played alongside guitarist Homme (whom he would also play with in Queens of the Stone Age), singer John Garcia, bassist Scott Reeder, and drummer Brant Bjork. This lineup would release the band’s debut, 1991’s Wretch, and the seminal 1992 desert/stoner metal album Blues for a Red Sun before Oliveri left the group in 1992. Bjork stuck around for one more album, 1994’s Welcome to Sky Valley, while the entire band would break up two years later in 1995. Homme has since achieved international fame with Queens of the Stone Age, while Oliveri (who exited QOTSA in 2004) and Bjork recently formed the far more Kyuss-esque group Stöner. P...
Fever 333 Down to One Member After Guitarist and Drummer Exit Band: “Things Were Pretty Bad Internally”
Fever 333, the trio led by frontman Jason Aalon Butler, are down to just one member (Butler) after guitarist Stephen “Stevis” Harrison and drummer Aric Improta announced their departure from the band on Monday (October 3rd). The surprising news came via Instagram posts from Harrison and Improta. Harrison wrote, “Aric and I have decided to leave Fever 333. I won’t get into the details but things were pretty bad internally. That plus creative differences sort of left me with no choice.” He continued, “That said, I’m so thankful for all the amazing fans, people who helped Fever behind the scenes, and my friends and family who supported me through all of this. Your support means so much! I still plan to make music. Aric and I will probably do something together in the future. Love you guys!! K...
Scott Weiland’s Previously Unreleased Cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” Unveiled: Stream
Scott Weiland‘s 2011 holiday album The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is receiving a vinyl reissue on October 21st. The original 10-song tracklist is bolstered by four bonus cuts, including a previously unreleased cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono‘s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” that’s available now. It’s a shame the cover wasn’t included on the original release, as it’s a passionate rendition of the 1971 song that still rings poignant given the state of the world. It also marks the first posthumous material from the late Weiland, who passed away in 2015. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Deluxe Edition will arrive in two Christmas-themed vinyl variants, red and green, with updated cover artwork. The other three bonus tracks are alternate versions recorded during rehearsals for the album ...
Sabaton Announce EP Trilogy, Release First Collection Weapons of the Modern Age: Stream
Sabaton have announced a trilogy of EPs titled Echoes of the Great War. The EPs further explore the history of World War I, and the band has released the first collection, Weapons of the Modern Age, which is now streaming. The new EP arrives amidst Sabaton’s fall North American tour. The band plays in Dallas on Friday night (September 30th) and continues on the road through an October 23rd gig in New York City, with tickets available via Ticketmaster. The Swedish power metallers have been digging deep into the first World War, having released two concept albums on the topic, The Great War (2019) and The War to End All Wars (2022). Based on a sampling of the first EP in the trilogy, fans can expect plenty of historically accurate lyrics paired with a heavy dose of fist-pumping, power-metal ...
Judas Priest’s Richie Faulkner Undergoes Second Heart Surgery: “I’m Not Completely Out of the Woods”
A year ago this week, Judas Priest guitarist Richie Faulkner nearly died when his aorta ruptured onstage during the band’s set at Louder Than Life festival in Louisville. While marking the anniversary of the harrowing incident, the metal musician disclosed that he recently had a second open heart surgery. On September 26th, 2021, Priest were finishing up their set at the Louisville fest when Faulkner’s aorta ruptured during the closing number, “Painkiller.” He was rushed to the hospital, where he underwent a life-saving, 10-hour emergency surgery. As he described it shortly after the procedure, “Five parts of my chest were replaced with mechanical components…..I’m literally made of metal now.” Now, a year later, Faulkner has revealed that he’s not “completely of out the woods yet,” as he r...
RUSH’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson Perform with Dave Grohl, Chad Smith, and Danny Carey at Taylor Hawkins Tribute Show: Watch
The second of two tribute concerts in honor of late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins took place Tuesday night (September 27th) in Los Angeles. Among the gargantuan 53-song setlist were three RUSH songs performed by original members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson and a cast of all-star drummers. Lee and Lifeson were first joined by Dave Grohl for “2112 Part I: Overture,” the first movement of the 1976 prog-rock epic. The trio nailed the difficult stop-and-start rhythms, with Grohl pounding away at the floor tom and eying Geddy for cues. Grohl then handed over the sticks to Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, who has become somewhat of a journeyman, playing on Ozzy Osbourne’s recent albums in addition to his full-time work with a very active RHCP. Here, he settled into the pocket for “W...
Devin Townsend Shares Video for Mellow New Song “Call of the Void”: Stream
Devin Townsend has shared “Call of the Void,” the second single from this forthcoming new album, Lightwork, arriving October 28th. Considering Townsend’s prog metal background and the new song’s eerie title, “Call of the Void” is a surprisingly mellow six-minute journey. The lush guitars and calming instrumentation follow the laid back tone of lead single “Moonpeople,” as the singer-guitarist dials back the more adventurous prog elements found on his previous albums. “The concept of the song is based around the ‘call of the void’ as an analogy for intrusive thoughts,” Devin explained in a press release. “I first heard the term describing ‘the temptation to hurl yourself over the cliff when you’re driving a car’… or to ‘put your hand in the fire when you know you’ll get burned’ etc… thought...
Metallica to Play Old-School Tribute Concert for Megaforce Records Founders
Metallica have announced a tribute show to honor late Megaforce Records founders Jonny and Marsha Zazula. The Zazulas launched the heavy metal label in 1982 and helped give Metallica their start when they signed the band and released 1983’s Kill ‘Em All and 1984’s Ride the Lightning. Sadly, Jonny and Marsha both passed away in the last two years. Metallica will only play songs from ’83 and ’84 at the tribute concert, which is set for November 6th at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida. Fellow Megaforce alum Raven will provide support, reprising the 1983 tour package that featured the two bands. Advertisement Related Video “Jonny gave us our first break in New York, released our first albums on his Megaforce Records label, and put us out on the road for our first real tour,” Metallica said...
Ghost’s Papa Emeritus IV Throws Out First Pitch at White Sox Game
Ghost may not seem like a band of particularly sporty people, but hey, you never know. The Swedish metal band’s singer Papa Emeritus IV stopped by Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago on Thursday to throw out the first pitch at the White Sox’s game against the Cleveland Guardians. Decked out in a black-and-white White Sox uniform and matching face paint, Papa Emeritus IV took a break from Ghost’s ongoing arena tour to commence the game, even posing for a photograph with White Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks. Ghost’s latest outing is in support of their March album Impera, one of the best hard rock albums of the year. Joined by Mastodon and Spiritbox, the trek wraps up September 23rd at Green Bay, Wisconsin’s Resch Center (with Carcass replacing Mastodon). Check out our review and photos of the ...
Puscifer to Livestream Two Concert Films for Halloween
Puscifer have announced two concert film livestreams for Halloween weekend featuring music from 2007’s V Is for Vagina and 2011’s Conditions of My Parole. Maynard James Keenan and company have been backtracking through their discography to provide a visual/livestream component for each of their studio albums. Previously, the band streamed Existential Reckoning: Live at Arcosanti and Billy D and The Hall of Feathered Serpents featuring Money $hot by Puscifer. The upcoming double feature will complete the collection. Entitled V is for Versatile: A Puscifer Concert Film featuring music from the V is for… era, it takes place in the legendary Los Angeles recording studio Sunset Sound. Puscifer offer a behind-the-scenes performance as they re-interpret and re-record songs from their early days, ...
Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard Stadium Tour Grosses $173.5 Million
Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe’s co-headlining stadium tour brought in a whopping $173.5 million, making it the highest grossing tour of either band’s career. The highly anticipated outing finally took place in 2022 after being postponed twice due to the pandemic. The bill was utterly stacked, with the aforementioned headliners receiving support from fellow rock icons Poison and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts. Average ticket sales for each night were 37,520 — more than three times the draw that Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe had previously reached on their own — with an average nightly earning of $4.96 million. Advertisement Related Video Boston was the largest market, with the bands playing a two-night stand at Fenway Park on August 5th and 6th. A total of 64,000 tickets sold for $9.3 million ...
