Author: Editorial Team

Lorna Shore have released a new video for “War Machine”, offering fans a behind-the-scenes look at the band’s 2026 touring cycle. The footage was captured during the group’s recent European headlining run alongside Whitechapel, Shadow Of Intent, and Humanity’s Last Breath.

The video was directed by Nicholas Chance, with additional camera work provided by Daniel Hill. Drone footage was filmed by Tom and Milford of Bad Wolf Horizon.

At the same time, the band has launched a new line of merchandise featuring fresh designs, available exclusively through the band’s official website.

Beginning July 14, Lorna Shore will head back out on the road as direct support for the Motionless In White: The Sweat and Blood Tour. Later this year, the deathcore outfit will also take their headline show across Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

“War Machine” appears on I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me, Lorna Shore‘s fifth full-length album, released through Century Media Records. The record arrived three years after Pain Remains and earned recognition as one of the standout metal releases of 2025 from Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, and Loudwire. It further strengthens the band’s standing among the leading names in modern extreme metal.

The current lineup features vocalist Will Ramos, lead guitarist Adam De Micco, drummer Austin Archey, rhythm guitarist Andrew O’Connor, and bassist Michael Yager. Over the past few years, Lorna Shore have built a massive audience through viral success on Spotify, hundreds of millions of streams, and sold-out tours around the world. Their blend of technical precision, crushing heaviness, and constant musical evolution has helped establish them as one of the defining acts in contemporary deathcore.

I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me is available now across digital platforms, CD, and several limited-edition vinyl variants.

Lorna Shore brought Will Ramos into the band in 2021 following the departure of former vocalist CJ McCreery. Before joining the group, Ramos was known for his work with Monument Of A Memory and A Wake In Providence.

The post LORNA SHORE Reveals Official Music Video For “War Machine” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Danielle Nicole is excited to announce her Fireflies February 2027 UK Tour. Tickets go on sale at 10 am (UK) on Friday, July 10th, from The Gig Cartel.

The tour will showcase tracks from her new studio album Fireflies, released by 40 Below Records on Friday, August 28th, which is available to pre-save and pre-order here.

The upcoming Fireflies album features the singles “Gaslight” and “Tug of War,” the latter described as a soulful anthem about reclaiming strength in the face of imbalance and emotional exhaustion. “I wrote ‘Tug of War’ for anyone finding themself no longer willing to accept the terms of a one-way relationship,” says Danielle.

Long celebrated for her commanding voice, masterful bass playing, and emotionally fearless songwriting, Danielle Nicole traces the beginning of her musical journey back to a transformative moment in her teenage years: seeing Etta James perform live in Kansas City.

“We had a great blues festival in Kansas City,” Nicole recalls, “and I was able to see Etta James perform. She was fearless. My parents were musicians who played in cover bands, so music was always part of my family — but I didn’t realize I wanted to sing and perform, too, until I heard Etta.”

That reverence for the great soul singers, storytellers, and trailblazers who came before her has fueled a career spanning nearly 25 years, including 10 Blues Music Awards, a Grammy nomination, induction into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame, and the South Canada Blues Hall of Fame, as well as international acclaim as both a songwriter and performer. With Fireflies, Nicole delivers what may be her most personal and musically adventurous statement yet — a raw, deeply felt collection recorded live to analog tape that explores grief, resilience, empowerment, and transformation through a rich blend of blues, soul, R&B, and roots music.

“There’s a lot of soul-driven music here,” she says. “A lot of storytelling. It’s a major step forward in my songwriting.”

Produced by Tony Braunagel and recorded in Nicole’s hometown of Kansas City, Fireflies emerged during a profoundly emotional chapter in her life following the loss of her brother Kris — her lifelong friend, bandmate, and musical collaborator. Though grief initially made it difficult to complete the songs, Nicole found renewed inspiration through collaboration with guitarist Brandon Miller and legendary keyboardist Jim Pugh.

“Every album is an era of your life, where you write about whatever you’re going through,” Nicole explains. “When my brother passed away, I was still writing a lot, but my grief kept me from completing some of these songs. I had to push hard through the mental blocks.”

The resulting album balances vulnerability with strength. Songs like “Soulside” channel heartbreak into perseverance, while “Gaslight” and “Tug Of War” emerge as defiant, empowering declarations of self-worth. Elsewhere, “Take Me Back” reflects on Nicole’s Missouri upbringing and features Luther Dickinson of North Mississippi Allstars.

If previous albums like Cry No More and The Love You Bleed showcased the breadth of Nicole’s modern roots sound, Fireflies pushes the envelope even further into classic soul and R&B territory while remaining grounded in the blues tradition that launched her career. The album’s title track reflects on the quiet transition from innocence to adulthood — those fleeting moments when life changes before you even realize it.

Ultimately, Fireflies is both deeply personal and universally resonant: a record that honors loss while searching for light, connection, and what comes next.

The post Blues Icon DANIELLE NICOLE Announces “Fireflies February 2027 UK Tour” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

The Calling has returned with “Dust,” the powerful first single and video from their upcoming album, Before The World Turns To Dust. Marking the band’s third album and first since 2004, the 15-track record will be released this fall (exact date TBA) digitally and on vinyl and CD via TLG | Virgin Music Group.

The Los Angeles group is led by singer, songwriter, and guitarist Alex Band alongside members Daniel Damico (lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals) and Dom Liberati (bass). They’ve returned to build on their signature rock sound that’s filled with big ascending melodies, emotionally absorbing lyrics, and Band’s moving vocals. These are the same elements that powered The Calling’s 2001 single “Wherever You Will Go,” notably the second-longest running #1 hit (23 weeks) on Billboard’s Adult Top 40 chart.

“I was initially writing ‘Dust’ as a timeless love song set in an apocalyptic world—kind of like what ours feels like at the moment—but then the song got a bit deeper,” says Band about the song which captivates with its lines “Before the world turns to dust/ Love will find us.” “At the time,” he adds, “I was learning a lot about quantum physics and astrophysics, and that brought in a different meaning. We’re all basically born from cosmic dust and connected by the same energy that flows through us. If you look close enough, everything in the universe is even made of the same core elements. Maybe love amplifies that subatomic connection? Maybe love can even transcend space and time? All of this was running through my head while writing ‘Dust.’

The video for “Dust,” directed by Tom Flynn, is striking and memorable featuring Band and award-winning actress Katelynn E. Newberry who has over 100 film credits. The ethereal fairy tale-like video takes magical turns with a sprinkling of gold dust throughout the star-crossed lovers’ journey.

“Going off the idea that everything is made of the same energy and love never dies, the video tells a story of two people who haven’t been able to connect–-maybe one has passed, maybe both have passed, maybe they live in parallel universes,” explains Band. “Whatever way you want to imagine it for yourself, we would like to think that love is stronger than what keeps us apart. That in the right moment, we can find each other again. In terms of production, we are proud of the video we made with a small budget and little time. I think it conveys exactly what we wanted it to. The director did an exceptional job putting all the pieces together. My wife wrote the video treatment and we shot it at my family’s property in Cleveland during a surprise snowstorm.”

Noting their last album, Camino Palmero, was released 25 years ago, Band says: “I hope we fit into today’s musical landscape as we have in the past. We aren’t trying to chase any current trends or change our sound; we’re just hoping that our big anthemic sound resonates and that we can connect with people around the world. It’s truly our fans who have kept us alive, never giving up on us like we have never given up on ourselves and our belief that music does so much more than just entertain.

“We’ve been together in this iteration of the band for four years now, and our chemistry is amazing and keeps getting stronger—whether writing, recording or performing live together,” elaborates Band. “Daniel and I have been friends for over 20 years; he has been playing guitar off and on for me and for The Calling since the early 2000s, and we have very similar taste and writing styles based on our love of classic and 80s/90s rock. I knew I needed to add someone that would bring in something different and shake things up. Then Dom came along. Dom is an incredible bass player, having worked for me for a couple of shows. He’s also got his own thing going as a solo artist and he’s a bit younger in age and brings in a different pop sound. I knew Daniel and Dom would get along but I didn’t know they would end up becoming best friends. Playing live and touring is a collective joy for us and we’re always looking forward to the next show.”

The post After 25 Years THE CALLING Returns With Powerful New Single & Video “Dust” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Anthrax have today released “The Edge Of Perfection,” the second single from their long-awaited 12th full-length studio album Cursum Perficio out September 18 via Megaforce Records. The new single is highlighted by clean guitar echoes and cymbals that gently shake until a blastbeat blows open the doors. Guitars buzz like a motorboat on the River Styx, making waves through the darkness. In their wake, a crushing rhythm trails the melody of lead singer Joey Belladonna’s lament, “My heart breaks…I’m on the edge…I’m on the edge of perfection.”

For the video, the multi-Grammy Award-nominated New York hard rock titans—Scott Ian (guitar), Charlie Benante (drums), Frank Bello (bass), Joey Belladonna (vocals), and Jonathan Donais (guitar)—teamed up with director and Academy Award-winner Joel Harlow (Star Trek and Alice in Wonderland) to create a spectacular cinematic experience that takes the hero from a dream into an evening of magic where he encounters underworld evil, interspersed with live performance footage.

The clip includes appearances from martial artist Wes Scarpias, actress Ashley Edner-Tancharoen, actor Troy James, actor and Academy-Award winning make-up and special effects creator Rick Baker, actor Rod Maxwell, and actor Fedor Steer.

“It’s the apex predator of Anthrax songs,” grins Ian. “I think it’s the best song we’ve ever written and the best thing I’ve ever been a part of creatively. What’s the most powerful emotion that moves me more than anything? Of course, it’s love. Nothing moves me like the deep feeling that I get from my wife and son. I’m living on that edge for the rest of my life. This is mine, but there are a lot of ways to ruin it. I’ve ruined it in past iterations of my life, but it got me to where I am. Love is perfection, and I like being on the edge of it. I don’t want everything to be about all of the same shit. This record has a whole bunch of love, a whole bunch of fun, and a little hate.”

Benante adds: “When I think about songs like ‘Only’ and ‘Indians,’ you know that you hit something and you can feel it. That’s the way I felt about ‘The Edge Of Perfection.’”

“The Edge Of Perfection” follows Cursum Perficio’s first single and video, “It’s For The Kids.” It’s a classic Anthrax ripper locked and loaded with buzzsaw-sharp riffs, explosive drumming, and a howling and head-banging hook. It undoubtedly has all the makings of a future live staple.

Cursum Perficio marks the band’s first record in ten years since 2016’s For All Kings, which debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200. The phrase Cursum Perficio is Latin for “My journey has come to an end,” “My journey is over,” or “I complete my journey.” It proves apropos for such a complete body of work.

Cursum Perficio can be pre-order/pre-save here in the following available formats:

• Standard CD
• Target exclusive CD with a fabric patch of the album cover
• Standard black double LP with pop-up gatefold
• Target exclusive double LP
• Red zoetrope with pop up gatefold
• Amazon exclusive double LP
• Purple zoetrope LP with pop-up gatefold
• Merch exclusive
• Lilac vinyl double LP with pop-up gatefold
• Metal Injection exclusive white vinyl double LP with pop-up gatefold
• Talk Shop Live exclusive signed with red ripple vinyl double LP with pop-up gatefold; Indie exclusive – red, orange yellow vinyl double LP with pop-up gatefold.

The band dove into recording Cursum Perficio in earnest during 2022, working out of Dave Grohl’s Studio 606 in Los Angeles. They carefully pieced together what would be this magnum opus, mining their history with reverence, delivering on fan expectations tenfold, and broadening the scope of their signature sound. Produced by Jay Ruston and Anthrax, the result is an album that’s as angry, aggressive, and alive as their most celebrated fare.

The post ANTHRAX Shares Second Single Video “The Edge Of Perfection” From Their Upcoming Album “Cursum Perficio” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

One Tribe Nation will make its highly anticipated Los Angeles live debut on Saturday, July 25 at The Bluesadelic Sessions Live at The Den Studios. Led by guitarist and musical director Michael Sanders and featuring Grammy Award-winning vocalist Corey Glover of Living Colour, the performance marks the first Los Angeles appearance of the band’s powerhouse new lineup and serves as an early preview of their forthcoming third studio album, Estado Dorado. The set will feature an explosive mix of original music alongside bold reinterpretations of songs by Living Colour, Santana, Curtis Mayfield, Sly & The Family Stone and other legendary artists.

The collaboration between Sanders and Glover grew out of friendship and shared songwriting instincts. After hearing one of Sanders’s unfinished songs through a mutual friend, Glover immediately connected with the material. Since then, the pair have written multiple songs together, recorded new music, and developed a creative partnership that has become the foundation of One Tribe Nation’s next chapter.

“As a young black rock kid, those guys were gods to us,” says Sanders. “Working with Corey has been one of those surreal full-circle moments. The first song we wrote together sounded like we’d been making music together for years.”

The current lineup draws from across decades of acclaimed work in rock, funk, jazz, soul, Latin music and pop. Corey Glover (vocals) is the Grammy Award-winning frontman of Living Colour, known worldwide for the classic “Cult of Personality” and decades of acclaimed international touring. Uriah Duffy (bass) is the former bassist for Whitesnake and an in-demand touring and session musician who has performed with Christina Aguilera and The Family Stone. Christian Pepin (percussion) is a two-time Grammy Award winner whose credits include Gilberto Santa Rosa and Kamasi Washington.

Dave Schulz (keyboards) brings a career spanning Berlin, Goo Goo Dolls and English Beat. David Cowan (drums) has recorded and performed with Lalah Hathaway, Sheila E., Common and Les McCann across jazz, funk, R&B and rock. Ben Thomas (vocals), former frontman of X-Zappa Plays Zappa, adds an extraordinary second voice celebrated for its range across progressive rock, funk, jazz and soul. Founder Michael Sanders (guitar) rounds out the lineup with a career that includes work alongside Nickelback, Flo Rida and Dyoxen, as well as collaborations with members of Santana, The Rolling Stones, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and the Zac Brown Band.

Together, One Tribe Nation embodies the multicultural spirit of Los Angeles through an electrifying blend of Afro-Latin rhythms, funk, rock, soul, jazz and world music — designed as an immersive live celebration of musicianship, diversity and community. The July 25 Los Angeles debut offers fans the first opportunity to experience the new lineup’s chemistry as the band prepares to release Estado Dorado later this year.

The post ONE TRIBE NATION, Featuring COREY GLOVER, Bassist URIAH DUFFY, MICHAEL SANDERS & More Makes L.A. Debut On July 25 appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Bill Ward has disclosed that he now travels primarily by wheelchair in airports and public venues, sharing a candid health update with fans nearly one year after the death of his longtime Black Sabbath bandmate Ozzy Osbourne.

The 78-year-old Black Sabbath drummer shared a photo of himself seated in a wheelchair and addressed the subject directly in a social media statement: “Dear Friends, Fans, Families, and people I’ve not met yet, I’m announcing today somewhat sadly but nonetheless truthfully, that I’ve reached a place where publicly more and more I need to use a wheelchair, mostly in airports, or public events. I can still walk, let there be no doubt, but I can’t walk very far without needing to rest, meaning I need to sit down. We started using the wheelchair about 18 months ago, mostly in airports.”

“I became 78 years old on May 5th 2026. I was a long distance walker, I’ve walked in many different parts of the world, and I’m still a drummer. I can still play pretty good for 78 years old. My talents and ambitions, and my unyielding need to be artful, and to play drums, is still as strong as it was so many years ago now. I’m just saying if you see me in a wheelchair, I’m just catching a ride, I’m not in retirement or ill or giving up, or any of those thoughts that ignite when we see people in wheelchairs.”

“I’m making myself public and transparent about my new transport, and letting you know I’m OK. If you see me in the airports or visiting friends in the music arenas or theatres say hi, I don’t bite, I’ll just look different, as pictured here.”

“Much love to you all and I’ll keep rocking until I’m dead. Rock forever and ever. And the secrets we hide, can be dangerous to our health, I’m letting transparency prevail, with love and progression.”

The original lineup of Black Sabbath — Ward, Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler — played its final concert last summer. Dubbed “Back to the Beginning,” the charity show was held at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom on July 5, 2025. After Osbourne’s death, Ward shared an emotional tribute in which he said the legendary heavy metal singer is “forever in my heart.” “Where will I find you now? In the memories, our unspoken embraces, our missed phone calls, no, you’re forever in my heart,” Ward wrote. “Deepest condolences to Sharon and all family members. RIP. Sincere regrets to all the fans. Never goodbye. Thank you forever.”

Accountable Beasts, Ward’s first solo album in 18 years, was released in 2015 via iTunes. The record featured Ward’s drumming on seven of its nine tracks, alongside contributions from longtime collaborators Keith Lynch (guitar, keyboards), Paul Ill (bass) and Ronnie Ciago (drums), plus drummer Walter Earl and an array of session singers, including Ward’s daughter Emily.

In May 2012, Ward announced he was declining to join his former Sabbath bandmates for scheduled recording and touring commitments, citing a contractual dispute. Producer Rick Rubin suggested Ginger Baker (Cream) as a replacement for the LP recording sessions — a suggestion Iommi shot down immediately — before ultimately enlisting Brad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine. Ozzy later said Ward “needed to own up” that he did not have the physical capacity to pull off the tour, adding that the band had explored the option of bringing a second drummer on the road to share duties with Ward — a scenario Iommi confirmed in 2017 during a question-and-answer session about the band’s Ten Year War box set.

The post BLACK SABBATH’s BILL WARD, 78, Addresses Fans About Increased Wheelchair Use appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Amazon Music has announced it will exclusively livestream the return of the Vans Warped Tour, broadcasting globally from the festival’s Long Beach, California stop at the Shoreline Waterfront on Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26. Fans can tune in via the Amazon Music app, the Amazon Music channels on Twitch and Prime Video, and the Amazon Live channel on Fire TV and Samsung TV Plus.

The livestream will feature performances from a lineup spanning punk, alternative, emo, hardcore, ska and rock, including Bowling for Soup, Glassjaw, Hawthorne Heights, Hoobastank, Reel Big Fish, Silverstein, Simple Plan, The Story So Far, Underoath and many more. From an exclusive Amazon Music backstage set, the broadcast will be hosted by rock musician and media personality Lilith Czar (a.k.a. Juliet Simms), SiriusXM host Caity Babs and Andy Biersack of Black Veil Brides, who will interview artists and preview performances throughout the weekend.

Produced in partnership with Insomniac, the two-day festival will present over 100 artists across rock, pop punk, alternative, emo, hip-hop, ska and beyond, alongside appearances from world-class skateboarders and elite action-sports athletes. The 2026 edition builds on the tour’s established legacy while embracing a broader, more global future for one of music and skate culture’s most enduring live platforms.

Originally conceived by founder Kevin Lyman in 1995 as an eclectic alternative rock festival with a focus on punk, the Vans Warped Tour grew to become the largest traveling music festival in the United States and the longest-running touring festival in North America. Over its 30-year history it served as a platform for established and emerging artists alike, with past performers including Blink-182, No Doubt, Sublime, Beck, Katy Perry, NOFX, Limp Bizkit, Black Eyed Peas, Green Day and many others, before the touring edition came to a close in 2019. An official 2026 Vans Warped Tour playlist is available now on Amazon Music.

The post AMAZON MUSIC to Stream VANS WARPED TOUR’s Long Beach With Featurig Lineup BOWLING FOR SOUP, SIMPLE PLAN, UNDEROATH & More appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Atlanta progressive metallers Mastodon have shared a 35-minute video in which they reflect on their relationship with co-founding guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, who departed the band in March 2025 and passed away in a motorcycle accident five months later. The video arrives as Mastodon emerges from a European summer run and prepares to continue as a three-piece with touring guitarist Nick Johnston.

In a statement accompanying the video, the band wrote: “Hello Everyone. We just wrapped up Europe and every country we hit showed up and gave us everything! Truly a summer we’ll never forget! We can’t thank you enough for rockin’ with us! As we enter a new chapter of Mastodon, we want to do this the right way and talk about Brent. We’ve all seen the clips, headlines, and speculations, but we haven’t told our story in our own words about our 25-year relationship.”

“It isn’t easy to talk about Brent; he was our family, someone we all loved wholeheartedly. He was a wild man, our wild man, and that came with some challenges. Both things are true, and we aren’t interested in chasing one truth over the other. Losing him has meant sitting with a type of grief we never expected. No more hugs, no more high fives, no more disagreements, no more making up. That part has been hard; it’s real. We put this conversation out there so you can hear it directly from us; you all deserve that. Thank you for the past 25 years of showing up for us and Brent.”

Hinds was reportedly riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle on August 20, 2025, when he was struck by an SUV turning left and failing to yield at the intersection of Memorial Drive SE and Boulevard SE in Atlanta. He was found unresponsive by officers who responded to the crash around 11:35 p.m. and was pronounced dead at the scene. A crash report later determined that Hinds was at fault, with investigators calculating his speed at between 63 and 68 mph — approximately twice the posted limit — based on video of the intersection.

In March 2025, Mastodon revealed that the band and Hinds had “mutually decided to part ways” after “25 monumental years together.” Hinds later claimed he had been ejected from the band and called his former bandmates “horrible humans” in a social media post. Since 2000, Hinds had served as lead guitarist and vocalist alongside bassist/singer Troy Sanders, drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor and guitarist Bill Kelliher. The band’s lineup had remained unchanged for 25 years, spanning eight studio albums from 2002’s Remission through 2021’s Hushed and Grim.

Hinds was involved with several projects outside of Mastodon, including Giraffe Tongue Orchestra — alongside members of The Dillinger Escape Plan and Alice in Chains — as well as Legend of the Seagullmen and the long-running project Fiend Without a Face. He had a solo European tour scheduled for November and December 2025, billed as “An Evening With Brent Hinds.”

Canadian guitarist Nick Johnston, who has six solo records and has worked with Polyphia, Guthrie Govan and Periphery, stepped in for Hinds for the band’s spring 2025 tour and will reportedly appear on Mastodon’s upcoming ninth studio album. Last month, the band released the new song “Your Ghost Again” — produced by Patrik Berger (Taylor Swift, Robyn) and Converge guitarist Kurt Ballou — as the first single from the forthcoming LP, describing it as a tribute to Hinds. The album is due later this year.

Mastodon has placed nine albums on the Billboard 200 and earned six Grammy Award nominations, winning Best Metal Performance for “Sultan’s Curse” in 2018.

The post MASTODON Share 35-Minute Tribute Video Reflecting On 25-Year Relationship With Late Co-Founder BRENT HINDS appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Long-running German thrash outfit Exumer will release their new full-length, Death Mask Messiah, on August 28th through Metal Blade Records.

Death Mask Messiah, which marks the band’s first new studio output in seven years, further cements Exumer‘s legacy as a dauntless thrash metal institution. A logical and compelling progression from the German legend’s three previous albums, the 11 ferocious songs, produced by Dominic Paraskevopoulos (Kreator, Caliban) and mixed and mastered by Arthur Rizk (Soulfly, King Diamond), take a more brutal and direct musical approach.

“We are a lot more aggressive than on Hostile Defiance and are returning to a more ‘in your face’ style on Death Mask Messiah,” confirms co-founding vocalist Mem V. Stein. “We’re furthering the process that began with our first offering for Metal Blade, 2012’s Fire & Damnation, where we wanted to sound like a contemporary band while maintaining the spirit and our musical heritage of the 1980s.”

Recorded from December 2025 through January 2026, Death Mask Messiah is Exumer‘s sixth album and fourth for Metal Blade. It’s also the first Exumer LP recorded with the rhythm section of drummer Jerome Reil and bass player Alex Voss. “They have formidably integrated themselves as musicians and friends into the Exumer tapestry,” Mem says. “You can feel their young energy, coupled with our trademark aggression and experience. The band sounds more focused and yet raw, thanks to their addition to the lineup.”

Death Mask Messiah also surprises: There’s a guest and a cover song: Nasty Ronnie from American metal legends Nasty Savage sings on Exumer‘s version of his band’s track “Unchained Angel.” Exumer supported the band in 1988 on their first European tour.

The record is inspired conceptually by US politics of the last decade, the pandemic, the use of misinformation to stir up cultural divides, and the like. Mem also mused on the 30-year anniversary of Waco, Texas and the standoff with the Branch Davidians. “David Koresh was a false prophet and wore a death mask, manipulating and leading his followers to certain death,” Mem says. “Each song on Death Mask Messiah picks up an individual theme of these two strains of thought.”

For instance, the title track and lead single brings everything together with the Waco raid/siege and Koresh as the main character but also paints a universal picture of charlatans who lead the United States to hell with their lust for power.

Mem further elaborates: “We deliberately chose this track as the first single, as the sonic assault of its main riff and the lyrical concept represent the totality of our intentions for this album. It marks a clear step toward elevating the band to the next level of our career, leaving nothing to the imagination and reinforcing our place as one of the most powerful forces in the entire genre.”

Death Mask Messiah, which features front art and layout by Björn Gooßes of Killustrations (Sodom, Vomitory), will be released on CD-Digipak and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:

• 180g Black
• “Galaxy” Red/Black
• “Saturn” Grey/Brown Ripple (Ltd. 250)
• “Onyx” Black Ice w/ White Splatter (Ltd. 250)

Find pre-orders for Death Mask Messiah here.

The post EXUMER Shares Music Video For Title Track “Death Mask Messiah” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Queensrÿche singer Todd La Torre has elaborated on his unconventional approach to vocal maintenance in a new video posted to his Facebook page, revealing he rarely warms up, has never taken formal lessons, and takes a relaxed view of pre-show dietary discipline.

Answering a fan-submitted question about whether he uses any “secret concoctions to keep the vocal pipes in top form” (transcribed by Blabbermouth), La Torre said: “I’ve had days where I did everything you’re supposed to do by the book and didn’t sing that well, and then there are other times where I’ve had a Coca-Cola, I’ve eaten a piece of pizza pretty much right before I went on stage, and had some of the best performances of my life. Obviously, rest is best. And I don’t think drinking hot tea or anything actually does anything to the vocal cords, but I do think it feels soothing to have a hot beverage. A lot of people like Throat Coat tea. That’s a thing that a lot of singers seem to go for. You know, rest, a lot of water, hydration is always the best. Hydrating from the inside out to the vocal cords and those tissues are always recommended.”

Todd continued: “I don’t do any vocal warm-ups, really. I never really have, and so I’ve never taken vocal lessons or anything like that. I don’t really follow really kind of the rules that so many singers seem to adhere to or be so strict about. I feel like if I don’t acknowledge them, they don’t really apply to me. But I know some other great singers never warmed up either. I’m told Ronnie James Dio never really did. Rob Halford, same thing. So, some people have the special regimen that they do to keep their vocals in check. I don’t drink alcohol; I never have. I quit smoking cigarettes three and a half years ago, so I’m sure that that helped. But pretty much just not speaking on tour and lots of water. And also, when you do sing, exercising that full range. I feel like it’s like a weightlifter. If you stop lifting heavy weights, when you go to lift that heavy weight, you’re not gonna be able to. So I always try to exercise my full range.”

In a 2024 interview with Canada’s The Metal Voice, the now-52-year-old La Torre addressed the question of tuning adjustments, something he said he and his Queensrÿche bandmates have continued to avoid: “Most guitars are just, you strum and they’re just E — standard tuning… And listen, back then, ‘80s and rock was very much always in E — maybe E flat where you downtune it a half step. And singers that struggle a lot of times will say, ‘Hey, we’re gonna need to tune this one down.’ So the song, all the music gets tuned down. You tune the music, the key, the instruments down a little. And then when you play those same chords, you play the guitar the same way, but it’s just a little bit in a lower key, and so it makes it easier for a lot of singers to sing those songs still, just not in the standard tuning that they were originally recorded”

“There’s nothing wrong with that, if that’s what you have to do to make it work. What’s not cool is when you act like you didn’t do it, and some singers do that, or it’s frustrating when people will say, ‘Oh,’ whatever band it is, ‘that guy’s still hitting the notes like the record.’ And they don’t realize that, no, he’s not. It’s tuned down. It’s not the same. And you can compare ‘em — you can ‘A-B’ ‘em and listen. You think he’s killing these high notes. He’s not. He’s singing lower notes that still sound good, but let’s make no mistake. It’s not how it was recorded. And again, that’s fine. There might be a point in my life where, yeah, I can’t do that. But you can still sing it really, really well. At [52] years old, I still — when I feel good, and I’m not ill and tired and everything — I can sing all the Queensrÿche stuff in standard tuning, and it’s fine. It’s not a big deal,” he added.

La Torre served as lead vocalist for Crimson Glory from late 2010 until he resigned from the band in early 2013. In 2012, he officially joined Queensrÿche as the group’s new vocalist, replacing Geoff Tate. The band immediately began touring globally and recorded the self-titled 2013 album Queensrÿche. To date, Queensrÿche has released four studio albums with La Torre: Queensrÿche (2013), Condition Hüman (2015), The Verdict (2019), and Digital Noise Alliance (2022).

The post QUEENSRŸCHE’s TODD LA TORRE Explains His Unconventional Approach To Vocal Maintenance: “I Don’t Do Vocal Warm-Ups Or Follow Any Special Rules About Singing” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.