Category: news

Divided By Design – Stages To Osiris: Rebirth (Self Released)

Instrumental prog trio Divided By Design have decided to follow up their previous album A Canvas For The Universe by reimagining their 202 debut record.

Stages To Osiris: Rebirth is technically their fourth studio full length, but it seems them going back to their first record with the skill and experience they have now having released a lot more music, cultivated a huge online following and even winning M2TM and going on to play Bloodstock.

The original album was conceptually driven by the grief cycle and this one follows the same inspiration but delivers it in a different way, with a much broader musical résumé and advanced production skills from band founders Tom Chambers (drums) and Liam Stephenson (guitar).

They’re joined by Sam Young on bass and the trio run the full spectrum of progressive metal and rock. Denial begins with a heartbeat and then shifts towards Dream Theater-like riffs and organ tones, weaving it’s way through riff driven flurries and virtuosos solo sections as the guitar takes the form of the melodies.

The bass and undulating rhythm for it to build on as the drums often play at counterpoint to the rhythm with fills inspired by jazz playing, taking the band into the Djent heaviness of Reactionary. Now the main riff of The Negotiation rips off Schism by Tool, the rest of it goes full jazz fusion meets organ led doom, but that riff is exactly the same as Maynard & co.

Thankfully Collapsing Reality brings back originality as The Fatalist pairs orchestrations with twitchy atmospherics as it closes this re-envisioned chapter in Divided By Designs story. Some bands take a risk by messing with material that they’ve already released but this instrumental trio have made a good record even better, with the experience they’ve gained since then. 7/10

Slakter – Infernal Exekution Reign (Witches Brew)

Infernal Exekution Reign is a throwback to the early days of the thrash scene, when it was volatile, violent and evil, informed by satanic rituals, horror and war, the riffs bit hard, the vocals shouted and the production made it sound like they recorded it in their bathroom. 40 years later Slakter from Indonesia have captured those early days brilliantly with their debut full length. 

Produced as if it’s been tape traded over and over again, audiophiles need not apply as this comes straight from the underground where style shouldn’t get in the way of substance and production is overrated anyway. You can feel the energy and excitement of the band, they rip through the eleven songs with a sense of reckless abandon that’s dangerous and defiant. 

They raise their steel to Venom, Slayer, Sodom and Kreator as the bass is super high in the mix, the drumming takes one blasting route and sticks with it and the guitars are buzzsaws and the vocals sandpaper. 

Abrasive but with moments of melody Infernal Exekution Reign doesn’t redefine anything, rather it just pays as much deference to the early thrash scene as possible without copying. They even bring some nuance to their retro worship on Hammer Of Blasphemy, Benediction and the two part closer Acts Of Depravity. 

Whether the production is your thing or not, Infernal Exekution Reign does a great job of emulating the sound of early 80’s thrash extremity. Slakter come from the South East Asian underground bearing riffs. 7/10

Bayonet Dismemberment – Skull Crushed By A Tank (Iron Fortress Records)

You’ve got to give it to Iron Fortress Records, they known their audience! The record label that brought you Tombseeker, Emaciated and Infinite Misery now bring you some more disgusting death metal, featuring a snare that sounds like a church bell! 

Vancouver band Bayonet Dismemberment bring the horrors of mechanised warfare right to your earholes with new EP Skull Crushed By A Tank, this isn’t the WWI or WWII inspired noise though, Bayonet Dismemberment stick with 21st Century and the wars in the Middle East perpetrated by Bush and Blair. 

The title track is about as obvious as you can get, a slow, punishing dirge through muddy fields as Ricky Myers from Suffocation joins in with some sick gutturals, it’s not subtle, this is death metal to bludgeon. Mutilated presses on the gas as Alex Sason of Unearth joins the frenzy, the riffs slice into each other with technical brutality. 

Razorwire Laceration has blasts obliterating your skull as it evolves into a grunting chug. Mixed just enough to sound raw and nasty, Skull Crushed By A Tank closes with Decapitation and you’re neck will surely be hanging by a thread at the end of this brutal EP if you choose to bang along to it. A cavalry charge of the mechanical kind as these Canadians deliver yet more brutal death on this third EP. 7/10

Vow – Death Will Be My Bridge (Iron Fortress Records)

Another Iron Fortress Records release now but this time it’s not skull fracturing brutal death but some melodeath from Chicago. Inspired by the European sound of melodeath meeting the stomping style of NWOAHM from the early 2000’s, Vow dwell in dark atmosphere, introspective ideas and frenzied aural assaults with plenty of lead guitar brilliance, unstoppable blast beats and ferocious growls. 

At just six tracks they manage to grab you by the throat with the opening duo Name Not The Fallen and New Patterns In The Blood, the former built on pinched harmonics and breakdowns while the latter has harmony guitars and technical rhythms. 

After a brief acoustic Interlude Vow dive deep into the NWOAHM on Bells Made From Bullets, adding a bit of blackened battery for good measure. Vow have the chops definitely, their playing is highly skilled, but they can use them to make some well composed, anthemic melodeath, shown on the double hit finale of aggro stomp Still Breathing and the blistering title track. 

Death Will Be My Bridge brings extremity and melody from Chicago’s Vow, melodeath fans get on it. 7/10

The historical bloodlines of thrash metal royalty have taken an unexpected turn, completely clearing away decades of line-up friction to deliver a powerful message of artistic brotherhood. After years of quiet industry whispers regarding how the band views its past, Anthrax guitar vanguard Scott Ian has broken his silence regarding former frontman John Bush’s solo live performances. Speaking on the nationally syndicated Full Metal Jackie radio network, Ian delivered a total endorsement of Bush showcasing his 1992 through 2005 Anthrax catalog—revealing a frustrating behind-the-scenes reality where he actively tried to crash the stage as an unannounced guest performer.

Listen to Today’s Metal Breakdown Daily:

Want the direct, real-time tracking on legacy thrash metal line-up adjustments, exclusive radio transcripts, and live stadium collaborations shaking up the hard rock grid? Turn up the Loaded Radio Daily Podcast on your preferred streaming network to hear our comprehensive analysis of this heavy metal brotherhood, or stream 24/7 commercial-free music directly through our native digital deck below.

Transcending the Drama: Why Scott Ian Celebrates the Bush Era

To the casual music fan, the historical vocal shifts within Anthrax can look like a high-stakes game of corporate musical chairs. John Bush originally stepped into the group in 1992 following the firing of classic-era singer Joey Belladonna, fronting the band across four critically acclaimed, rhythmically dense studio tracking marvels: Sound of White Noise (1993), Stomp 442 (1995), Volume 8: The Threat Is Real (1998), and We’ve Come For You All (2003).

While that tracking era was cut short when the group initiated a classic reunion with Belladonna in 2005, Ian made it abundantly clear that his personal relationship with the Armored Saint singer remains completely unbreakable: “John and I are close friends — we have been forever,” Ian shared during the broadcast. “There were whispers about this ages ago. I think it’s something that John had been thinking about for a really long time, and I think it was just a case of just figuring out the hows and the whens for him. But we’ve been nothing but supportive of it ever since.

“Like, I remember him asking me about it once. I’m, like, ‘You don’t need to ask me. Do whatever you want, bro. I celebrate it. I love that you’re gonna go out and do this.’ John and I are good friends, and that kind of transcends. That’s really all that matters to me. And I’m stoked that he did that, and I’m stoked that there’s a new Armored Saint record.”

The Frustrating Near-Miss: Ian’s Request for a Third Guitar Spot

The real revelation centered on how close fans came to witnessing an official, onstage reunion of the Sound of White Noise writing team. Ian admitted he was so eager to perform the classic groove-thrash tracks again that he specifically reached out to Bush to insert himself directly into the live setlist layouts: “The only bummer for me was when he did the run of dates where he played L.A. and he played New York, I was in the opposite cities. I missed him both times,” Ian explained with visible frustration.

“And I was hoping, like, I even asked him, I said, ‘Hey,’ ’cause I thought I was gonna be home for the L.A. show. And I said, ‘Can I come up and play a couple of songs?’ And then he said to me, ‘They’re your songs. You don’t need to ask me.’ And then it turned out I couldn’t be there. So, I would love to get to do that again at some point.”

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Why John Bush Took Control of the Overlooked Tracking

For his part, John Bush has been transparent regarding the ultimate motivation behind assembling this specialized tour. When asked by journalists if he would still be performing these shows if the current, highly successful Joey Belladonna-fronted lineup of Anthrax integrated his material into their arena itineraries, Bush delivered a definitive reality check.

Outside of performing the mega-hit single “Only” on rare occasions, the current Anthrax touring entity completely ignores the entire 13-year John Bush era.

“Well, I’d say most likely not,” Bush admitted regarding the tour’s necessity. “I used to say, ‘Do songs from my era. I want you to do tunes.’ I understand why you don’t, but I wish they would. Because, again, it’s something that I invested emotionally and a lot of time, as well as those guys did. So, I would prefer them to play the tunes… But they don’t, with the exception of ‘Only.’ And there’s a lot of great tunes. I’ve been putting a setlist together, and it’s probably more songs than I really wanna sing, to be honest, ’cause it could be a very long set.

“Plus I wanna play some deep tracks — I don’t wanna just play the obvious songs, like ‘Only’, ‘Room For One More’, ‘Fueled’. I wanna play ‘Safe Home’, whatever. I wanna play some deep tracks, because it will be more fun that way. So, would I do this if Anthrax was still performing songs from the Bush era live? Probably not. I would say probably not. But they’re not, so I am.”

To deliver these tracking layouts with absolute accuracy, Bush utilized his new heavy metal supergroup, Category 7, as his live backing band. The lineup features elite performers including guitarists Phil Demmel (Machine Head/Kerry King), Mike Orlando (Adrenaline Mob), powerhouse drummer Jason Bittner (Overkill/Shadows Fall), and longtime Armored Saint bassist Joey Vera.

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FAQ: The Scott Ian & John Bush Anthrax Legacy

Did Scott Ian give John Bush permission to tour Anthrax songs?

Yes. Scott Ian confirmed he gave his absolute blessing, telling Bush that the songs belong to him just as much and that he fully celebrates the live retrospective.

Why doesn’t Joey Belladonna sing John Bush era Anthrax songs?

Anthrax has historically noted that they tailor their live sets to match the specific vocal style and definitive thrash eras of their active singers. Because Belladonna’s classic 1980s catalog is so massive, they bypass the 90s alternative-metal material outside of the single “Only.”

What band are John Bush and Phil Demmel in together?

John Bush and Phil Demmel are currently co-fronting the new heavy metal supergroup Category 7, who act as Bush’s live backing musicians for his Anthrax retrospective sets.

The Power of the Bush Era

Formed in Queens, New York in 1981 by Scott Ian and Dan Lilker, Anthrax established themselves as foundational icons of global speed music. While their 1980s run with Joey Belladonna birthed gold certified thrash monuments like 1987’s Among the Living, their 1992 structural pivot to John Bush represented a profound artistic evolution. As grunge and alternative rock completely destabilized the traditional metal landscape, the Bush-led iteration of Anthrax abandoned high-pitched vocals for low-end, industrial grit and heavy groove structures.

The resulting records—most notably 1993’s Sound of White Noise, which debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200—proved the band could survive outside of the 80s thrash bubble. By maintaining a lifelong, zero-drama friendship that outlasted corporate record labels and lineup changes, Scott Ian and John Bush are setting a premier E-E-A-T benchmark for how veteran rock legends navigate creative legacies with absolute class.

Now that Scott Ian has verified that he wants to join the stage to perform 90s tracks alongside John Bush, the floor belongs to the Loaded Radio family. Do you want to see Scott strap on his signature Jackson guitar as a special guest during the next leg of this tour, or should the 90s era stay completely separated from the current active machine? Drop your thoughts and dream setlist choices in the comments section below!

TL;DR

• Unconditional Support: Anthrax rhythm guitarist and co-founder Scott Ian has confirmed his absolute backing for former vocalist John Bush’s tour showcasing his 1990s thrash catalog.
• The Onstage Near-Miss: Ian revealed he explicitly asked Bush if he could jump on stage as a third live guitar player, but layout conflicts in Los Angeles and New York ruined the plan.
• Shunned By the Machine: Bush admitted he would never have launched this specialized tour if the current Joey Belladonna-led iteration of Anthrax actually performed his tracking live.
• Elite Backing Framework: For these historical performances, Bush is backed directly by his new all-star supergroup Category 7, featuring guitar icon Phil Demmel and drummer Jason Bittner.

Never miss an official live tracking leak, an unannounced festival stage appearance, or a raw insider interview feature. Download the free Loaded Radio App for [iOS App Store] and [Google Play Store] today to command our live 24/7 high-decibel digital stream and catch the Daily Podcast on demand.

The post Anthrax Guitarist Scott Ian Confirms Plans to Join Former Frontman John Bush on Stage for Live 1990s Era Concert Retrospective appeared first on Loaded Radio.

Review: Beth Hart – You Still Got Me (Digital Deluxe Edition) Provogue Records – (June 17th, 2026) Reviewer – David Brighouse This is the special digital deluxe version of the acclaimed 2024 album ‘You Still Got Me‘ by Grammy-nominated American singer-songwriter Beth Hart featuring six additional tracks previously only available on the limited-edition box set […]

The post Review: Beth Hart – You Still Got Me (Digital Deluxe Edition) appeared first on ROCKPOSER DOT COM.

For every generation of guitar players, there are certain songs that become milestones. They are the recordings that make musicians stop what they are doing and ask, “How did they do that?” Some introduced revolutionary techniques. Others proved that feel and phrasing could be more powerful than speed. A few redefined the role of the electric guitar altogether.

Blues rock has always been one of the most important breeding grounds for guitar innovation. The genre sits at the crossroads of traditional blues, hard rock, soul, and improvisation, creating the perfect environment for players to push the instrument into new territory. Without blues rock, modern guitar playing would look and sound very different.

These are 10 blues rock songs that changed guitar forever.

Jimi Hendrix – “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”

There is guitar playing before “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” and guitar playing after it. When Jimi Hendrix unleashed this masterpiece in 1968, he fundamentally altered the possibilities of the electric guitar. The wah pedal had existed before Hendrix, but nobody used it with this level of creativity and expression. Every note seemed alive.

More importantly, Hendrix demonstrated that the guitar could become an extension of the player’s imagination. Feedback became musical. Noise became art. Improvisation became storytelling.

The opening riff remains one of the most iconic guitar moments in history, while the solo continues to serve as a masterclass in dynamics, phrasing, and emotional expression. Virtually every blues rock guitarist who followed, from Stevie Ray Vaughan to Eric Gales, owes something to Hendrix’s groundbreaking work on this track.

Cream – “Crossroads”

Originally recorded by Robert Johnson, “Crossroads” existed as an acoustic blues standard before Eric Clapton and Cream transformed it into something entirely different.

The live version from Wheels of Fire became one of the defining moments in guitar history. Clapton’s soloing was unlike anything many listeners had heard before. He blended blues vocabulary with extended improvisation, creating a performance that felt spontaneous while remaining incredibly melodic.

For aspiring guitarists in the late 1960s and early 1970s, “Crossroads” became required listening. It proved that blues could be expanded without losing its soul. The recording also helped establish the concept of the guitar hero, turning Clapton into one of the first musicians whose name alone could sell concert tickets.

Many of the techniques heard throughout modern blues rock can be traced directly back to this performance.

Jeff Beck – “Cause We’ve Ended as Lovers”

Not every guitar revolution comes through speed or technical complexity. Jeff Beck’s instrumental masterpiece showed players how much emotion could be communicated through touch alone. Released on Blow by Blow in 1975, the song became a landmark recording because Beck approached the guitar almost like a human voice.

His control of vibrato, volume swells, harmonics, and dynamics created an entirely new language. Guitarists suddenly realized that technical proficiency wasn’t the only path toward greatness. The influence of this recording extends far beyond blues rock. Players from David Gilmour to Joe Satriani have cited Beck’s ability to make a guitar sing as a major inspiration. To this day, many consider it one of the most expressive guitar performances ever captured.

Stevie Ray Vaughan – “Texas Flood”

By the early 1980s, blues guitar was no longer dominating popular music. Then Stevie Ray Vaughan arrived.

His version of “Texas Flood” served as a wake-up call for an entire generation. Vaughan combined the fire of Hendrix, the authority of Albert King, and the sophistication of jazz influences into something uniquely his own. The song’s extended solo became a textbook example of modern blues guitar. Every bend, every vibrato, and every dynamic shift showcased a level of control that few players had ever achieved.

More importantly, Vaughan inspired thousands of young musicians to pick up the guitar and explore the blues. His influence remains enormous today. Without “Texas Flood,” the blues rock revival of the 1980s and beyond might never have happened.

The Allman Brothers Band – “Statesboro Blues”

Slide guitar existed long before Duane Allman, but he transformed the instrument’s role within blues rock. His performance on “Statesboro Blues” remains one of the most influential slide guitar recordings ever made. Rather than treating slide as a novelty or occasional effect, Allman elevated it into a primary voice capable of extraordinary emotion and power.

The fluidity of his phrasing, combined with his impeccable intonation, inspired generations of players to explore slide guitar. Artists such as Derek Trucks, Sonny Landreth, and Joe Walsh have all benefited from the path Allman helped establish.

Even more than fifty years later, “Statesboro Blues” remains the benchmark against which slide guitar performances are measured.

Chuck Berry – “Johnny B. Goode”

If there is a single guitar riff that helped launch modern rock guitar, it may be the opening of “Johnny B. Goode.” Released in 1958, Chuck Berry’s classic recording established many of the ingredients that would later become foundational to blues rock. His double-stop licks, driving rhythm work, energetic lead playing, and unforgettable opening riff created a blueprint that countless guitarists would build upon for decades to come.

Before guitar heroes became a fixture of popular music, Berry placed the electric guitar front and center. He transformed the instrument from a supporting role into the star attraction, inspiring future legends such as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Duane Allman, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and countless others. The language of blues rock guitar simply does not exist without the foundation Berry helped create.

The song’s influence extends far beyond its famous riff. Berry’s combination of blues phrasing and rock-and-roll energy became a template for generations of players looking to balance technical skill with excitement and accessibility. Even today, aspiring guitarists often learn elements of Berry’s style as part of their musical education.

“Johnny B. Goode” remains one of the most important guitar recordings ever made. It didn’t just influence blues rock guitar. It helped create the roadmap that blues rock guitarists would follow for generations.

Albert King – “Born Under a Bad Sign”

Few guitarists have shaped the vocabulary of blues rock more than Albert King. “Born Under a Bad Sign” introduced the world to King’s unique approach, including his massive string bends and unmistakable phrasing. His playing sounded completely different from his contemporaries, creating a style that would influence everyone from Eric Clapton to Stevie Ray Vaughan.

King’s ability to stretch a single note and fill it with emotion became a cornerstone of blues rock guitar. His economical approach proved that feeling could outweigh complexity.

Many of the bends, vibrato techniques, and phrasing concepts heard throughout modern blues rock can be traced directly back to King’s work on this classic recording. The song has been covered by countless blues and blues rock acts.

B.B. King – “The Thrill Is Gone”

It is impossible to discuss the evolution of blues rock guitar without acknowledging the enormous influence of B.B. King’s “The Thrill Is Gone.”

Before players began chasing speed and complexity, King demonstrated the power of phrasing. His ability to make a single note speak volumes fundamentally changed how guitarists approached solos. Rather than filling every measure with notes, King mastered the art of space, tension, and emotional release.

Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Jeff Beck, Gary Moore, Joe Bonamassa, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Anthony Gomes, and virtually every major blues rock guitarist of the last 50 years have cited King as a primary influence. His trademark vibrato became one of the most copied techniques in guitar history.

“The Thrill Is Gone” proved that a guitar solo didn’t need technical fireworks to leave a lasting impression. The song’s influence can still be heard every time a guitarist bends a note and lets it hang in the air. Few recordings have done more to shape the emotional language of blues rock guitar.

Derek and the Dominos – “Layla”

Few songs have inspired more guitarists than “Layla.” Eric Clapton’s fiery opening riff remains one of the most recognizable guitar moments ever recorded, but the song’s influence extends much further. The interplay between Clapton and Duane Allman demonstrated the power of dual-guitar arrangements within blues rock.

The track showed that blues-based guitar could be emotionally devastating while remaining commercially accessible. It combined technical excellence, memorable songwriting, and genuine emotional depth in a way few recordings ever have.

The opening riff has become a rite of passage for aspiring guitarists, while Duane Allman’s slide work helped expose an entirely new audience to the expressive possibilities of the technique. “Layla” remains one of the most important guitar recordings ever made.

Freddie King – “Going Down”

Before countless guitar heroes adopted the aggressive, riff-driven approach that became synonymous with hard rock, Freddie King was already laying the groundwork. Released in 1971, “Going Down” remains one of the most influential guitar recordings ever made.

King’s combination of ferocious bends, vocal-like phrasing, and authoritative attack created a blueprint that players still follow today. The song’s opening riff is instantly recognizable, but it’s the lead work that truly changed the game. King demonstrated that blues guitar could be both sophisticated and muscular.

The impact of “Going Down” can be heard in the playing of Jeff Beck, Joe Bonamassa, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and countless others. Even decades later, it remains one of the most commonly performed songs among blues-rock guitarists. Few recordings have done more to bridge traditional blues and modern rock guitar.

The post 10 Blues Rock Songs That Changed Guitar Forever appeared first on Blues Rock Review.

I just finished my third listen to Altered State and I’m still catching little things I missed the first time around.

Defiled have been around forever at this point, which is exactly why this album surprised me. A lot of veteran death metal bands eventually settle into autopilot. They figure out what works, stick with it, and keep releasing decent records. Altered State doesn’t sound like that. It sounds like a band with something to prove.

The first thing that hit me was how restless the whole album feels. There are riffs everywhere. Not just good riffs, but the kind that barely stick around long enough before another one shows up. Half the time I was still processing one section when the band had already moved on to the next.

“Portal” was probably the track that grabbed me immediately. After that, “Altered State”, “Obsession” and “Necro-Force” kept pulling me back. Not because they’re radically different from the rest of the album, but because they capture that frantic energy Defiled seem to thrive on. The songs never feel comfortable. Just when a groove starts settling in, something shifts and the whole thing lurches off in another direction.

Shinichiro Hamada still sounds completely possessed behind the microphone. No surprises there. What impressed me more was how sharp the entire band sounds. The drumming is relentless without turning into background noise, and the guitar work constantly keeps the album moving forward.

One thing I noticed after a few listens is that Altered State doesn’t really have any interest in being clever. There’s no obvious attempt to modernise the band’s sound or chase whatever trend death metal is supposed to be following this year. Defiled just sound like Defiled. Thankfully, that’s more than enough.

The album also gets in, does its damage, and gets out. A little over forty minutes later it’s finished, which honestly feels like the perfect length for something this intense. I never found myself checking the tracklist or waiting for a song to end.

By the time the final track was over, I wasn’t thinking about innovation or originality. I was already reaching for the play button again.

That’s usually a good sign.

https://orcd.co/defiledalteredstate

Photo by © Fukcrec Hbk