Author: Editorial Team

Today, July 29h critically acclaimed Southern soul and roots rock band Bywater Call returns with its most adventurous studio album to date, supported by an extensive international tour.

Due to popular demand, two new dates have been added to Bywater Call’s January and February 2027 UK Tour, as well as a headlining performance at Planet Rock’s Winter’s End Festival on Friday, January 29th.

To celebrate the release of the new album, Bywater Call will release the focus track single “Way To Go” which is accompanied by an official music video. “Way To Go” serves as the project’s focus track. Anchored by themes of self-determination and quiet resilience, the song pairs Bywater Call’s soulful musicianship with a powerful reminder that sometimes the only path forward is the one you choose for yourself.

Following the critical success of their previous album Shepherd and a year that included more than 130 performances across 11 countries, acclaimed Canadian Southern soul and roots rock band Bywater Call is set to release their new studio album, Broken Souvenirs, worldwide. The 11-track collection expands the ensemble’s musical palette while staying true to the heartfelt storytelling and electrifying musicianship that have become its signature.

Comprised of Meghan Parnell on lead vocals, Dave Barnes on guitar, Bruce McCarthy on drums and percussion, Mike Meusel on bass, Andrew Moljgun on keyboards, Stephen Dyte on trumpet and valve trombone, and Julian Nalli on saxophone, Bywater Call continues to redefine expectations of what a modern roots band can be.

On Broken Souvenirs, the group once again proves that its greatest strength lies not in fitting neatly within a single genre, but in creating music that connects through authenticity and emotional depth.

Renowned for transcending genre boundaries, Bywater Call has earned an international reputation for emotionally charged live performances fueled by Parnell’s commanding vocals and the dynamic interplay of all seven musicians. As the band continues its upward trajectory, it also celebrates its third consecutive nomination for International Act of the Year at the UK Blues Awards, further solidifying its place among today’s most exciting voices in modern roots music.

Produced by Barnes and Patric McGroarty, Broken Souvenirs captures a band confidently embracing creative evolution. Recorded at Palace Studios in Toronto, the album seamlessly blends vintage soul, blues, contemporary R&B, roots rock, and Americana, drawing inspiration from acts such as Black Pumas, Alabama Shakes, Amy Winehouse, Shakey Graves, and The Black Crowes while forging a sound unmistakably its own.

Fans have already gotten a taste of Broken Souvenirs through the previously released singles “Hold Me Down,” “Ain’t No Friend Of Mine,” “Only,” “How Long,” “No One Else,” and the latest release, “Way To Go” Together, the songs offer a compelling preview of the album that shifts from feel-good retro soul and intimate acoustic ballads to horn-driven grooves, blues-rock anthems and cinematic contemporary soul.

Throughout Broken Souvenirs, Bywater Call explores themes of perseverance, vulnerability, identity, resilience, and human connection. “Is This Thing On?” offers an intimate look at the emotional realities of life as a touring musician, while the tracks “Way To Go,” “Clutter,” “Sally,” and “Yardsale” showcase the band’s ability to pair deeply personal storytelling with memorable melodies and powerful performances. Elsewhere, infectious songs “No One Else,” “Only,” and “Hold Me Down” demonstrate the group’s gift for crafting groove-driven songs that balance vintage influences with a fresh, modern perspective.

The new collection arrives on the heels of widespread acclaim for Bywater Call’s previous releases. Classic Rock magazine named the band’s 2024 album Shepherd its Blues Album of the Month, praising it as “an inventive and uncommonly catchy record” with “the sense of a band on the brink.” The publication later selected Shepherd as its Blues Album of the Year. The group’s 2025 live album, Sunshine, also earned praise from critics for capturing its celebrated onstage energy.

To support Broken Souvenirs’ release, Bywater Call will embark on an extensive international tour spanning North America throughout 2026 before heading to Europe and the United Kingdom in early 2027. The itinerary includes headline performances, major festival appearances, and select support dates with Blackberry Smoke and Joanne Shaw Taylor.

Renowned for transcending genre boundaries, Bywater Call has built a reputation for electrifying, emotionally charged live performances driven by powerhouse vocals and thrilling interplay between all seven band members. In early 2026, the band earned their third consecutive UK Blues Awards nomination for “International Act of the Year”, following previous nominations in 2025 and 2024.

Tickets for all UK shows are available from The Gig Cartel, Gigantic, and Bywater Call.

Broken Souvenirs is available on all streaming platforms here and for purchase here.

The post BYWATER CALL Pushes Musical Boundaries on New Album “Broken Souvenirs” & Shares Official Music Video For Single “Way To Go” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Two times the iconic charm.

One of the greatest pitfalls of any project falling under the purview of a super-group is an unequally yoked lineup. The list of one-off endeavors featuring a veritable who is who of elite musicians that either managed a mere single studio album or failed to even get beyond a handful of rough drafts that barely qualify as a demo is quite long, owing to clashing egos or chasms in creative goals, but Italian rock and metal label Frontiers Records has proven quite apt in avoiding these snares.

Among their more recent veteran collectives to show heavy promise is the melodic rock quintet Iconic, built off an impressive union of major names in the genre spanning the glory days of 80s arena exploits through the present, all sharing the same philosophy of crafting technically extravagant yet highly accessible material. Their 2022 debut Second Skin set a high standard of excellence that could rival anything that has passed for rock radio in the past 30 years, and their newly finalized follow-up, simply dubbed II, matches it at every point and builds further upon an impressive yet still nascent legacy.

At their core, this is a musical collective that understands how to mix flashy fits of virtuosic flair into the auditory brew without sacrificing brevity or general appeal. At the helm is arguably one of the most powerful voices to rise to prominence in the past 15 years, namely Inglorious vocalist Nathan James, though many likely know him for his 2 year contribution to Trans-Siberian Orchestra. His timbre and range consistently exude a level of intensity and ability not commonly heard in modern rock circles, and often resemble the gritty growl of Brainstorm helmsman Andy Franck.

Then again, the barrage of choir-like guitar harmonies and riveting shred-happy solos unleashed by virtuoso six-string wizard Joel Hoekstra and Stryper’s own Michael Sweet make an equally auspicious showing in the arrangement, to speak nothing of the rock-solid riff work filling out the body of each song. Likewise, a band rarely goes far without a correspondingly tight and able rhythm section, and between Thin Lizzy’s Marco Mendoza handling the bass and former Ozzy Osbourne drummer Tommy Aldridge making a mighty racket behind the kit, no weak link in this impressive chain is to be found.

From start to finish, II is an album that defies the trope of a single-based LP loaded with filler and offers up a consistently potent and spellbinding experience. Banger entries like the promotional single and opening foray “Cry No More”, and other similarly upbeat and guitar-oriented crushers like “Open My Eyes” and “Take Me To The Place” match earworm melodies with mesmerizing feats of guitar gymnastics, all the while relying upon conventional songwriting methods that make it all flow seamlessly.

By the same token, more slow-to-mid-paced entries like “Tears Keep On Falling” and “Nothing Left For Me” keep the rock element hard and heavy while striking a more somber tone, James’ powerhouse vocals bobbing and weaving with the shifting dynamics while Hoekstra’s and Sweet’s guitar work shifts brilliantly between tasteful wails and shredding intrigue.

Sometimes the vibe leans into a bluesy shuffle comparable to early 90s Whitesnake as heard on “S.O.S.”, while at others the flashy guitar high-jinks and 80s glam tropes go into overdrive via “Valley Of Lost Souls” and “Written In The Stars”, but whichever song in the rotation has its say, the energy and spirit factor is unabated, even in the case of the laid back power ballad and closer “Heart Of Stone”, which also sees Mendoza’s bass talents get some time in the sun.

Among the many bands out there keeping the classic rock end up and bucking the trend of rap and EDM/pop completely ruling the 2020s, Iconic is a name that should and most likely will increase its reach with the onset of the latter half of the current decade. It largely reaffirms ideas that have been present in hard rock since the mid to late 80s when Stryper and Whitesnake were at their commercial peak, and also when the influence of earlier strides made by Thin Lizzy were still heavily present in popular consciousness, yet it embraces the more grounded and gritty production character of a band that can communicate it all to the current generation without sounding like a mere nostalgia act.

In a time when many of the elder greats have either shed their mortal coil like John “Ozzy” Osbourne or retired from the scene as the legendary David Coverdale has, this the sort of union of elder statesmen and prime aged talent that acts as a bridge so that the torch of rock ‘n’ roll can be passed on without so much as a flicker of its flame, and II is certainly not an album to be missed.

Release Date: July 31st, 2026
Record Label: Frontiers Music SLR
Genre: Melodic Hard Rock

Musicians:

• Nathan James / Vocals
• Joel Hoekstra / Guitars
• Michael Sweet / Guitars
• Marco Mendoza / Bass
• Tommy Aldridge / Drums

II Tracklist:

1. Cry No More
2. All I Want 
3. Open My Eyes 
4. Tears Keep On Falling 
5. S.O.S. 
6. Nothing Left For Me 
7. Far Away 
8. Valley Of Lost Souls 
9. Written In The Stars 
10. Heart Of Stone

Order the album here.

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Motörhead is the latest band to join KnuckleBonz360 BackStage Experience, an upcoming immersive 3D platform that will let fans explore interactive digital worlds inspired by legendary artists. The collaboration was arranged through Global Merchandising Services, Motörhead‘s worldwide licensing representative, with the platform scheduled to launch in the summer of 2026.

KnuckleBonz360 is designed as a digital destination where fans can explore themed environments based on major bands, interact with other users, play mini-games, purchase exclusive collectibles, and experience classic album artwork in a new way. More than 20 artist worlds are expected to be available when the service launches.

Discussing the partnership, KnuckleBonz Corp. CEO and creative director Tony Simerman said: “When we began designing KnuckleBonz360, we knew we needed to make ‘everything louder than everything else’ and bring the Motörhead 3D experience to life. The Warpig imagery and Lemmy’s raw power on stage create a great setting for both physical and digital products and experiences. Now, every Motörhead fan in the world can gather together to celebrate the 50+ years of the band.”

The Motörhead BackStage Experience has been created by a team of artists, engineers and dedicated fans. According to the developers, the virtual world will cover the band’s entire career, from its early touring years through the Ace Of Spades era and beyond, recreating key moments and environments from Motörhead‘s history.

Jen Harper, senior licensing manager at Global Merchandising Services, also welcomed the collaboration, saying: “Motörhead’s legacy continues to inspire generations of fans around the world, and this partnership brings that legacy to life in an entirely new way. KnuckleBonz360 gives fans a unique opportunity to connect with the band’s iconic world and celebrate the music, imagery, and spirit of Motörhead like never before.”

In addition to the virtual experience, the platform will offer digital collectibles along with physical merchandise that will be shipped worldwide. Fans will also be able to explore the multiplayer environment together when it becomes available in summer 2026.

Founded in 1975 by Lemmy Kilmister, Motörhead became one of heavy music’s defining acts by combining heavy metal, punk and high-speed rock ‘n’ roll into a sound that influenced generations of bands. More than five decades later, the group’s music and imagery continue to resonate with fans around the world.

Founded in 2003, KnuckleBonz Corp. has built its reputation through music collectibles and merchandise aimed at dedicated fans. With KnuckleBonz360, the company is expanding into immersive digital experiences while continuing to develop products centered on music, art, and collector culture.

Join the KnuckleBonz360 waitlist here.

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Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament is giving fans a different perspective on the band’s early years with the upcoming release of Since Forever, a photography book built from decades of personal images and memories.

For years, Jeff Ament documented life on and off the road, photographing the people, places and moments that surrounded him. More recently, he revisited a collection of deteriorating negatives alongside his brother, designer Barry Ament, with the restoration project ultimately becoming a book.

The 9-by-12-inch hardcover features more than 250 black-and-white photographs, accompanied by personal reflections and observations from Jeff Ament.

Explaining how the project came together, Jeff Ament said: “If there was a goal, it was mostly to save the failing 30-year-old negatives. It was Barry’s idea to make a book.

Made up largely of previously unpublished photographs, Since Forever offers a close look at Pearl Jam during its formative years, capturing everything from backstage moments and studio sessions to life between shows. The collection documents the friendships, creative process and experiences that shaped the band as it grew into one of rock’s defining acts.

The book also serves as a personal memoir, showing how travel, relationships and everyday experiences influenced Jeff Ament both as a musician and photographer.

According to Jeff Ament: “Ninety percent of these photos have never been seen before. Anybody who’s a PJ fan or a fan of what was going on in the ’90s will dig it.”

Since Forever is available for pre-order through Pearl Jam‘s official website and will arrive at select independent bookstores on September 25, 2026.

To support the release, Jeff Ament and Barry Ament will appear at a series of book events in select cities, with additional details to be announced. The brothers will also discuss the project on the Storytellers Stage during the Ohana Festival on September 25 and September 27.

Best known as a founding member and bassist of Pearl Jam, Jeff Ament was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the band in 2017. Before Pearl Jam, he played with Deranged Diction, Green River, Mother Love Bone, Temple Of The Dog, War Babies, Three Fish, Tres Mts., RNDM, P.E.S.T, and Deaf Charlie.

His solo catalog includes Tone, While My Heart Beats, Heaven/Hell, American Death Squad and I Should Be Outside. In 2022, he composed the score for Under The Banner Of Heaven and recently released the soundtrack for the documentary Montana Grind. Beyond music, Jeff Ament has earned two Grammy Awards in the Best Recording Package category for his work as a visual artist and designer.

Away from the stage, Jeff Ament has remained active in skateboarding. Through his nonprofit Montana Pool Service, he has helped fund and organize the construction of more than 40 skateparks across Montana and the American West, including several on Native American reservations, creating places where young people can skate, build community and express themselves.

Barry Ament, co-founder of Seattle design studio Ames Bros, has worked with Pearl Jam since the early 1990s, designing album artwork, concert posters, merchandise and other visual material. His creative partnership with Jeff Ament stretches back to childhood, and Since Forever marks another collaboration between the two brothers.

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Legendary musician, guitarist, and songwriter Tom Morello has unveiled his latest full-length project, and first solo rock album, Everyone Gets Everything They Want, arriving September 25th via Mom + Pop Music. Further cementing his reputation for fusing high-octane rock with unwavering activism, the new collection confronts issues of fascism, immigrant rights, and global political turmoil. The record is anchored by Morello’s revolutionary fretwork, blending thunderous riffs, otherworldly solos, and an uncompromising lyrical vision. Production credits include Tyler Smyth, Carl Restivo, Zakk Cervini, Dan Carey, and Sam Nelson Harris.

The music spans a diverse array of styles and collaborators, reflecting decades of experience as a songwriter and performer. Serj Tankian, Kneecap, and Beartooth all make appearances, and Morello’s fifteen-year-old guitar wiz son Roman, who has been startling audiences on tour with his dad the past three years, shares writing credits on five songs, contributing monster riffs and fiery solos.

Morello has released a new track today with “Date Night”. The song tells the true story of three young Dutch girls who served as spies, saboteurs, and assassins against the Nazis during World War II. Sisters Truus and Freddie Oversteegen and their close friend Hannie Schaft used their youth and innocent appearances to slip through checkpoints, smuggle weapons, sabotage rail lines, and help hunted Jewish children escape persecution. Most famously, they acted as underground assassins, seducing Nazi officers, luring them into the woods, and killing them. Hannie was eventually captured, tortured, and killed by the Nazis, but she never snitched on her comrades.

Morello says: “I make anti-racist songs for anti-racists. I make anti-fascist songs for anti-fascists. And I make anti-Nazi songs for anti-Nazis. ‘Date Night’ is really a ‘which side are you on?’ song. If any of that offends you, do the math. Oh, and Roman Morello wrote the killer riff in this tune.”

Morello previously released the song “Adjourn It”. The track features Serj Tankian as well as Roman, and condemns the rising tide of racism and anti-immigrant bigotry. For the song’s video, clips from the film Salt Of The Earth (1954) are woven throughout the “Adjourn It” video to reflect the song’s theme of resistance in the face of prejudice and injustice.

Morello has a long history of organizing activism-oriented concerts, rallies, and events, and continues to be a leading voice for social justice causes and workers’ and immigrants’ rights issues across the country and around the world. In addition to his solo work with The Nightwatchman and his role in Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, Morello remains one of modern rock’s most influential guitarists and outspoken activists.

Having just wrapped another run with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band on the “Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour”, as well as a blistering stop at this past weekend’s Newport Folk Festival, Morello will be performing at Louder Than Life in Louisville, KY on September 19th. In addition, Morello recently announced Power To The People Festival — a celebration of peace, justice, solidarity, music, and community action — taking place Saturday, October 3rd at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD. The sold-out one-day festival curated by Morello, will feature special performances from an extraordinary lineup of artists and activists including Dave Matthews, Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez, Public Enemy, Killer Mike, Brittany Howard, Dropkick Murphys, Jack Black (featuring Roman Morello, Revel Ian, Yoyoka Soma, and Hugo Weiss), Serj Tankian, grandson, The Neighborhood Kids, Taylor Momsen, Matt Cameron, The Linda Lindas, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, and a DJ set by artist Shepard Fairey.

Everyone Gets Everything They Want is available for pre-order here.

The post TOM MORELLO Announces New Album “Everyone Gets Everything They Want” Featuring ROMAN MORELLO, SERJ TANKIAN, KNEECAP, BEARTOOTH appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

From the moment they joined forces, Temic appeared as a dream come true for prog fans everywhere. The international supergroup features current and former members of Devin Townsend, Mike Portnoy’s Shattered Fortress, Neal Morse Band, Haken, Shining, Maraton, and Big City. The group’s chart-topping debut lived up to the hype, but on their upcoming new album, Ceiba, they’ve grown by leaps and bounds.

Today, Temic is officially announcing the mighty and magical Ceiba with a soul-stirring video for the album’s lead single. While rattled by the encroaching shadow of death, “Ceased To Be” positively ascends by crossing the threshold between progressive metal, pop, and hard rock.

“Ceiba is a concept album about loss in all its various forms”, Temic says. “While more progressive than our first album, the songs are driven by honesty and emotions. They deal with pain, anger, fear, blame, and silence, which are all difficult in their own way but a part of the process of renewing our inner strength “Ceased To Be” is told from the perspective of someone who’s dying, while surrounded by their loved ones. Death is not feared nor resisted. Rather, it is observed as a sacred rite of passage”.

Ceiba comes out on October 2, 2026 on Season of Mist in the following formats, and it can be pre-order here.

• CD Digipack
• 2×12” Vinyl Gatefold (Black)
• 2×12” Vinyl Gatefold (Black and crystal clear mixed with white splatters)
• 2×12” Vinyl Gatefold (Solid yellow, red and white marbled)
• 2×12” Vinyl Gatefold (Orange and black marbled)

Much like Temic‘s first full-length statement, Ceiba can be traced back to theories around mortality. In Mayan culture, the titular tree is considered an axis mundi and held sacred for how it connects the earth with heaven and the underworld. As with the album’s striking cover art, “Ceased To Be” is cracked open by guitarist Eric Gillette’s booming riffs and an electronic soundscape that rumbles like ominous clouds on the horizon.

“I have experienced lots of personal losses, along with everyone else”, keyboardist Diego Tejeida says. “Though we don’t often talk about them with each other, loss is so universal that it will always be a natural part of our lives, like a tree”.

Indeed, Ceiba treats loss not as an end but as one more step along life’s path. “The blood will testify: Your soul will never die”, vocalist Fredrik Klemp sings with conviction amidst the endlessly rewarding chorus of “Ceased To Be”. No matter how deep the album digs into philosophical terrain, Temic continues to branch out in all directions – both literally and figuratively. Newest member and fleet-fingered bassist Miguel Pereira locks in with drummer Simen Sandnes despite a multitude of tricky tempo shifts, leading into the song’s dramatic finale, which is graced by triumphant keys and a transcendent guitar solo.

“We wrote this album together with contributions from all five members”, Temic says: “We allowed ourselves to explore the songs and really extend ourselves while always keeping the emotions at the front of our minds”.

The video for “Ceased To Be” was directed by Cesar Mendiburu. It was filmed in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, beneath a Ceiba tree and inside a cenote, where Ah Puch, the Mayan god of death, welcomes a woman to the afterlife.

“Since the moment I received the invitation to be a part of ‘Cease To Be’, I felt an immediate calling to say yes”, actress Anna Kirse says. “Representing all the joy and pain of life, its transformation after death, and the relief of letting go in absolute surrender resonated with me immediately. It was a beautiful artistic challenge”.

“Filming the underwater scenes was a profound experience for me as well. It required me to face my own fear of disappearing beneath the water. Surrendering to the unknown and trusting that I was safe became a significant moment of growth for me. Every day of filming was filled with magic, creativity, genuine collaboration and incredible team spirit. I am deeply grateful, truly happy and very proud to be part of this video”.

Additional video credits:

Producer: Mountain Head Media
Actresses: Anna Kirse and Zizinete Marave
Screenplay: Esteban Erosa
Directors of Photography: Dreyken Hinojosa and Linda Alcocer
Underwater Photography: Esther White
Wardrobe: Gabriela Heredia
Production Assistant: Kinbe Hinojosa

The concept behind Temic started in 2017, when keyboardist Diego Tejeida and guitarist Eric Gillette were both touring members of Mike Portnoy’s Shattered Fortress. After proving to be a quick fit on stage, the two decided to start their own band together. “We wanted to make music that prided itself on emotion, not just because it’s technically difficult to play”, Tejeida says. As for what the band would sound like, combining their love for heavy riffs, heavenly pop hooks, and high-energy electronic music into a hard-hitting prog-metal hybrid wasn’t so simple. But after recruiting former soccer prodigy-turned-Zildjian-endorsed drummer Simen Sandnes to go along with Norwegian Idol contestant and powerhouse vocalist Fredrik Klemp, Temic put all the pieces together on their very first try.

Now, after a co-headline tour of Europe with Rendezvous Point and a splashy appearance aboard Cruise to the Edge, Temic returns with a thunderous ode of prog with Ceiba.

The post TEMIC Announces Mighty & Magical Second Album “Ceiba” & Shares Music Video For First Single “Ceased To Be” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

The band, featuring wrestling star Chris Jericho and Stuck Mojo founder Rich “The Duke” Ward, filmed the clip while on tour. James Davies and Todd Crawford handled the filming, while Keaton Landis edited the final video.

Released in April, “I Know Evil” followed “Fall In Line“, which arrived in April 2025 through Madison Records. Before that, Fozzy issued the standalone single “Spotlight” in October 2023.

All three songs were produced by Fozzy‘s longtime collaborator Johnny Andrews, whose production credits also include Three Days Grace, All That Remains and Halestorm.

The current Fozzy lineup features Chris Jericho, Rich “The Duke” Ward, Grant Brooks, Billy Grey on guitar and P.J. Farley on bass.

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Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale delivered an inspiring speech on July 10 during the opening of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame‘s new exhibit, Women In Metal: You Will Know My Name.

The exhibit highlights influential women who have helped shape metal, recognizing artists who have challenged expectations and left a lasting mark on the genre through their music and careers.

According to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, the artists featured in Women In Metal represent women who refused to conform to traditional expectations. Through powerful lyrics, commanding stage presence and uncompromising attitudes, they have played a major role in bringing metal to wider audiences while inspiring future generations to embrace their own identity and creativity.

During the opening event for Women In Metal: You Will Know My Name, Lzzy Hale and fellow Halestorm guitarist Joe Hottinger performed an acoustic set. Lzzy Hale also paid tribute to the artists who influenced her career and encouraged girls and women to “make noise, start the band” and never give up.

The exhibit includes memorabilia representing women from across the metal spectrum, featuring artists such as Lita Ford, Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy, Dragonforce), Taylor Momsen (The Pretty Reckless), Courtney LaPlante (Spiritbox) and many others. The collection was curated by Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame assistant curator Haley Cronin.

Speaking about the exhibition, Haley Cronin said: “Women have been pivotal influencers and changemakers in the metal genre since its inception,” adding, “We are excited to tell the stories of those women who stand firmly and courageously at the forefront of innovation and acceptance, and through their raw power pave the way for all girls who just want to rock.”

The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame describes rock and roll as a genre born from the meeting of rhythm & blues, country and gospel, driven by a spirit of inclusion and constant evolution. Through exhibits, digital content, live performances, educational programs and its annual induction ceremony, the museum documents the artists, songs and moments that have shaped music history. The institution also states that it is committed to maintaining an inclusive, welcoming environment that encourages creativity, innovation and respect for all people.

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Cleopatra Records continues its careful reissue campaign of Glenn Danzig’s catalog with a new edition of Danzig’s 2010 album Deth Red Sabaoth, scheduled for release on August 21.

The band’s ninth studio album and its first since Circle Of Snakes in 2004, Deth Red Sabaoth became Danzig’s biggest commercial success since Danzig 4, released 16 years earlier. The independently produced record also introduced a different sonic approach, with Glenn Danzig relying on newly acquired 1970s Kustom tuck’n’toll bass amplifiers to shape its organic guitar tone.

Joined by Type O Negative drummer Johnny Kelly and Prong guitarist Tommy Victor, Glenn Danzig explained the recording philosophy at the time: “You’ll hear real reverb, real tremolo on this album.” Reviews highlighted the return to the band’s earlier sound. As metal-archives.com wrote, “a glorious return to the bluesy doom-n-gloom that made metal’s man in black the most evil name to enter thy holy household,” while teethofthedivine.com noted, “If you missed that slightly bluesy and heavily doomy sound of ‘Lucifuge’, you’ll be pleased to hear it return in full force on this record.”

The album reached No. 3 on both the U.S. Independent Albums and Hard Rock Albums charts, while climbing to No. 35 on the Billboard 200. Its original release was available in several editions, including a CD box set and a limited picture disc, making it an immediate target for collectors.

That demand has only grown over the years. Original CD editions now sell for as much as $50, the picture disc can reach around $150, and the Deth Red Sabaoth fan box has climbed to roughly $250 on the collector’s market. Even Glenn Danzig’s own 2022 vinyl reissue regularly changes hands for more than $100.

The new reissue expands those options even further. This edition of Deth Red Sabaoth will be available in seven different physical formats, each packaged to reflect the dark aesthetic of one of Danzig’s heaviest releases.

Danzig’s most recent studio album, Black Laden Crown, arrived in May 2017 through Evilive Records and Nuclear Blast Entertainment.

In 2020, Glenn Danzig released Danzig Sings Elvis, a collection of Elvis Presley covers, while also devoting more time to filmmaking. His projects have included Death Rider In The House Of Vampires and his feature directorial debut, Verotika.

When Verotika premiered at Chicago’s Cinepocalypse festival in 2019, some critics compared it to Tommy Wiseau’s The Room, the cult film widely regarded as one of the worst movies ever made because of its unconventional execution.

The roots of Danzig trace back to the evolution of Misfits and Samhain. Between 1977 and 1987, Misfits transformed their horror-punk style into the darker, occult-driven sound of Samhain. When producer Rick Rubin expressed interest in signing Samhain to Def Jam and producing the band’s next record, the project evolved once again, leading to the formation of Danzig in 1987.

Danzig Deth Red Sabaoth pre-order is available here.

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The Smashing Pumpkins are set to return to Chicago’s Lollapalooza this Friday, July 31, headlining the festival in their hometown for the first time since appearing on the original traveling edition of Lollapalooza in 1994.

To mark the occasion, the band has put together a series of fan-focused events across Chicago under the banner “Pumpkinpalooza.” The schedule includes a special club show, exclusive merchandise, themed attractions and other activities leading into their festival performance.

The celebration begins on July 29 with a sold-out concert at the historic Riviera Theatre in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. With a capacity of around 2,500, the venue offers a much more intimate setting than the band’s upcoming Lollapalooza appearance, giving fans a chance to hear material from throughout The Smashing Pumpkins‘ catalog in a smaller room.

From July 29 through July 31, the band will also operate a merchandise pop-up store at 900 S. Wabash Ave., just a short distance from Grant Park. The location will be open daily between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Festival attendees can also stop by Madame Zuzu’s Celestial Lounge, an extension of Billy Corgan and Chloé Mendel Corgan‘s Highland Park teahouse. The space will feature matcha, vinyl records, exclusive merchandise, and other items. Elsewhere in the city, Chicago cocktail bar The Aviary will offer a limited-edition drink called Infinite Mellons to celebrate the band’s return to Lollapalooza.

Billy Corgan says: “As a Chicagoan, born and raised, I take great pride in contributing to our city’s immense and colorful cultural fabric. And so this year’s already historic Lollapalooza is that chance to make new memories, new friends, and have a bit of Midwest fun, too, as only we might.”

The Chicago events continue a busy period for The Smashing Pumpkins, following last year’s 30th anniversary celebration of Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness. The milestone included a deluxe vinyl reissue featuring previously unreleased live recordings, orchestral performances with the Lyric Opera Of Chicago, and collaborations with Vosges Haut-Chocolat and Erewhon.

Following Lollapalooza, the band will head out on The Rats In A Cage tour, which runs from September through November. The shows will feature two different sets: one centered on Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness and another spanning nearly four decades of the band’s career, mixing major songs with deeper cuts.

Formed in Chicago in 1988, The Smashing Pumpkins have sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and remain one of alternative rock’s defining acts. Their catalog includes releases such as Gish, Siamese Dream, Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness, Adore, Machina/The Machines Of God, Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun., Cyr, Atum and 2024’s Aghori Mhori Mei.

The latest album reunited the signature guitar-driven approach associated with the band’s early work, with Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin and James Iha continuing to build on a catalog that has influenced generations of alternative and heavy rock musicians.

The post THE SMASHING PUMPKINS Announce “Pumpkinpalooza” Events Ahead of Lollapalooza Homecoming appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.