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Well, it’s a good thing he no longer tours internationally.

The post Deftones’ Stephen Carpenter Got A Custom Weed-Infused Guitar For 4/20 appeared first on Theprp.com.

The Iron Maiden family legacy is officially expanding from the concert stage to the squared circle as wrestler Lizzy Rain, the niece of legendary late drummer Clive Burr, prepares for her WWE debut. Rain, known as “The Maiden of Metal,” will make her highly anticipated first appearance next Tuesday, April 28, on the WWE NXT brand. A lifelong fan of the genre, the 28-year-old athlete has spent years honing her gritty, unapologetic heavy metal persona, proving that the spirit of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal is alive and well in professional wrestling.

LISTEN: Today’s Loaded Radio Daily Briefing

Who Is Lizzy Rain? The Rise of the “Maiden of Metal”

Formerly known on the independent circuit as Rayne Leverkusen, the 28-year-old Lizzy Rain has been climbing the wrestling ranks since 2021. Her transition to the WWE developmental brand, NXT, was officially confirmed in a cryptic teaser video released on April 21.

“They said I was too loud, too gritty, too unapologetic,” Rain proclaimed during her debut promo. “The stage is set next week for my NXT debut, and the world is about to find out that Lizzy Rain and heavy metal will never, ever die!” By leaning into her heavy metal roots, Rain is positioning herself as a standout character in a division known for high-energy transitions to the Raw and SmackDown rosters.

Get Your 2026 Iron Maiden tickets at this location.

The Clive Burr Connection and Iron Maiden Roots

Lizzy Rain is the niece of Clive Burr, the powerhouse drummer who defined the early sound of Iron Maiden. Burr performed on the band’s seminal first three albums: Iron Maiden (1980), Killers (1981), and the masterpiece The Number of the Beast (1982).

Following his time in Maiden, Burr performed with acts like Alcatrazz, the supergroup Gogmagog, and Dee Snider’s post-Twisted Sister project, Desperado. Burr, who battled multiple sclerosis for years, passed away in 2013 at the age of 57. While Rain admits she wasn’t exceptionally close to her uncle during his final years, his musical imprint was inescapable.

We Also Recommend – Iron Maiden Albums Ranked From Worst to Best: The Definitive 17-Album Verdict

Shaping a Heavy Metal Wrestling Persona

For Rain, the “Maiden of Metal” gimmick isn’t just a costume; it’s an extension of her upbringing. Speaking on the A2thaK Wrestling Show podcast, she noted that while she missed out on deep conversations with her uncle about his touring days, the music of Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, and Motley Crue served as her primary education.

“Me and my brother have always listened to Iron Maiden,” Rain explained. “I think we’ve seen Alice Cooper about 16 or 17 times. It completely shaped my wrestling persona because I just wanted to be me. They say just try to be yourself but times it by ten, and that’s what I think I am.” Fans can witness the debut of this heavy metal powerhouse next Tuesday as she brings the “Up the Irons” spirit to the WWE NXT ring.

Make sure to tune in to the Loaded Radio 24-hour heavy metal stream and catch the Loaded Radio Podcast every week for unfiltered, high-octane interviews with the biggest names in hard rock and metal.

Check This Out – UP THE IRONS: Iron Maiden to Snub Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Because ‘Fans Come First’

TL;DR:

Lizzy Rain, the niece of late Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr, is set to make her WWE NXT debut on April 28, 2026. Performing under the nickname “The Maiden of Metal,” Rain’s wrestling persona is heavily influenced by her uncle’s legacy and her lifelong passion for heavy metal icons like Alice Cooper and Motley Crue.

The post Iron Maiden’s Secret Legacy: Clive Burr’s Niece “The Maiden of Metal” Set to Destroy WWE NXT appeared first on Loaded Radio.

Finnish symphonic metal outfit Amberian Dawn released the second single off their forthcoming album Temptation’s Gates earlier today, titled “The Vision of Dreaming”. And though the album won’t come out until June 26 via Napalm Records, it’s yet another introduction to the band’s new vocalist Nicole Willerton.

Speaking of the single, keyboardist/guitarist Tuomas Seppälä explained its genesis.

“I originally composed ‘The Vision of Dreaming’ back in 2021, but it truly found its final form only now as we began working on it together with our new vocalist. It represents the lighter side of the album, but it still has a nice metal bite to it. I spent a great deal of time carefully crafting its sonic atmosphere. The foundation is built largely on carefully selected analog synthesizer sounds, combined with thoughtfully detailed arrangements. There’s a clear touch of ABBA-like atmosphere in the song, yet at the same time, it has a fresh and heavier edge that makes it unmistakably part of our world.”

As that new vocalist, Willerton went a little deeper into the song’s lyrical meaning:

“The lyrics of ‘The Vision of Dreaming’ are dreamy and describe the deep spiritual and emotional connection between two people. It explores how their shared memories, emotions, and dreams keep them intertwined, even when physically apart. The lyrics portray love as a bond that transcends space and time. In essence, the song describes a powerful bond connecting two people beyond the physical.”

With Temptation’s Gates aiming to be the start of a brand new era for Amberian Dawn, there’s a lot riding on it. It’s not just the introduction of a new singer, but the revitalization of a band’s sound altogether.

It’s with an eye to the future that Seppälä says Temptation’s Gates will excite new and old fans of the band alike.

“When I started working with our new singer, I felt the same kind of excitement I had years ago when I began creating our debut album back in 2007 and 2008. At that time, Amberian Dawn were still newcomers to the band world, even though we were already experienced musicians. With Temptation’s Gates, I felt that same spark of creating something new for the first time in a long while.

“I hadn’t composed many songs yet when I began collaborating with our new vocalist. Most of the material came together surprisingly fast once I realized how easy and natural it was to work with her. I was deeply inspired by Nicole’s enthusiasm, dedication, and efficiency. I truly feel that the band has been reborn with her joining us.

“Musically, our style has evolved once again, perhaps moving slightly back toward a heavier, more metal-driven direction. At the same time, elements of our classic sound and identity are naturally still present. In many ways, creating this album felt like going back to my roots. For the first time in a long while, I also took on a bigger role as a guitarist. I focused more on crafting guitar riffs, played roughly half of the guitar leads on the album, and even performed one full guitar solo myself.”

Temptation’s Gates will be released on June 26 via Napalm Records, but you can preorder your copy today.

The post Amberian Dawn Explore “The Vision of Dreaming” appeared first on MetalSucks.

“Nashville-based rock band Cinema Stereo are pleased to announce their headline November and December 2026 UK Tour. Tickets are on sale via The Gig Cartel and Cinema Stereo. To coincide with the news, on Wednesday April 22nd, the band have released their new single ‘Lean On You’. The single is available on all streaming platforms […]

The post Cinema Stereo Announce 2026 UK Headline Tour & New Single ‘Lean On You’ appeared first on ROCKPOSER DOT COM.

Shred majesty that could melt steel

Though now a bygone era, one can’t help but hear the echoes of a brilliant up-and-comer from Greece landing in America to pursue a musical education and instead opting to help jumpstart heavy metal’s revival as a cultural force whenever the name Gus G comes up.

Whether it was contributing to the formative works of such noted early 2000s metal staples like Mystic Prophecy, Dream Evil, Nightrage, or his own flagship project Firewind, Gus has continually proven to have the Midas touch not only when it comes to showering the air with impressive virtuosic guitar solos, but also in composing highly accessible and gripping anthems to clue the general public in on his technical prowess.

Initially his own name would only be attached to a 2001 instrumental showcase dubbed Guitar Master, but during a highly auspicious stint in the 2010s with famed godfather of heavy metal Ozzy Osbourne, his eponymous solo project would take on new life as a partly instrumental, but otherwise more rock-focused foil to Firewind. Now with most of these accomplishments in the rearview, a new manifesto of metallic bombast with rock radio sensibilities has come to light under the fitting title of Steel Burner.

In keeping with the character of Gus‘s work under his name since rebranding it as a more commercially viable venture in 2013, the music contained within this 39-minute sonic fist to the sky comes with an assorted cast of prominent vocal characters. Yet while in the mid-2010s this would entail an equal share of prominent mainstream rock figures and fellow-travelers from the European metal scene, this time around Gus has stuck noticeably more to the latter camp and has crafted the sonic template to cater to their specific talents.

The result is an album that is both rich in variety, yet firmly rooted in heavy metal traditionalism that tends to parallel the dual modern heaviness and slight AOR character typical to several projects coming out of Frontiers Records in recent years. Granted, compared to the likes of Magnus Karlsson and Aldo Lonobile, Gus’ approach has more of a guitar-centric character that is heavier and far less reliant upon keyboards and/or symphonic pomp in order to achieve a sense of atmospheric depth and power.

Not one to ever deceive his audience, Gus foreshadows the character of his latest opus brilliantly with an explosive shred display on top of a driving metallic groove that is the opening foray and title entry “Steel Burner”. Shades of a modern heavy/power metal approach after the spirit of Primal Fear and Sinner is subsequently laid down with reckless abandon in “Nothing Can Break Me”, featuring the gritty pipes of iconic metal queen Doro Pesch and enough crazy guitar high-jinks to orbit Paul Gilbert, yet somehow managing to clock in at just under 4 minutes despite bursting at the proverbial seams with climactic moments.

Nipping on its heels is a massive stylistic left-turn into haunting balladry mixed with power thrashing aggression after the spirit of late 90s Iced Earth in “Dancing With Death”, a highly fitting musical eventuality given that none other than Matt Barlow is featured on vocals and puts on a master class in how to mesh deep, gravely rage with a vintage Halford-inspired banshee counterpoint. On the more rocking side of the coin is a sleazy set of mid-paced grooves with a bluesy edge in “No One Has to Know”, which sees Croatian sensation and modern rock hero Dino Jelusic taking up the microphone and holding his own alongside Gus’ surgical genius at the six-string.

Naturally, there is a fair bit more going on here than impact-based rock and metallic fervor, though that is the overwhelming rule from start to finish. Star metal front man and one-time vocalist of Rainbow, Ronnie Romero underscores the versatility factor at play here by taking on two very different stylistic endeavors, the first being a shred-happy 80s rock anthem in “Frenemy” that could almost be a tribute to Whitesnake were it less bottom-heavy, while the latter “My Premonition” veers more into the melancholy, quasi-epic realm of Dio and comes the closest to taking a page out of the Frontiers Records book of mixing metallic force with an arena-like atmosphere.

Both songs naturally function equally well and speak to Romero’s sonic affinity to Ronnie James Dio, though ultimately the latter is more memorable in spite of Gus taking a slightly more toned-down approach. Rounding out the equation is a healthy helping of instrumental offerings with Gus in top form; and be it the power balladry of “Closure”, the jazzy turned mystical journey without words “Confession”, the Joe Satriani-inspired rocking good times of “What If”, or the power metal-infused magic of “Advent”, all of it plays perfectly to Gus’ indomitable ability.

Of the various albums that have come out since 2014 bearing Gus G’s name, Steel Burner lands the closest to what he normally brings to the table under the Firewind moniker and is sure to play well with heavy and power metal enthusiasts. Though the guitar work on display rivals what most of the shred world would consider the pinnacle of the excess that it consumes like candy, the resulting streams of rapid fire licks and runs have an air of tastefulness to them that transcends said fringe market.

Like the other titanic names that have taken the stage alongside the iconic and now dearly departed Ozzman, Gus proves that a balance of technical flair and concisely structured songwriting is a winning formula in any context. This chapter in Gus’ ongoing career may come courtesy of a smaller indie label that might not boast the roster of his past associations via Century Media and AFM Records, but Metal Department is definitely an apt title for whichever outfit counts this album as part of its catalog.

Release Date: April 24th, 2026
Record Label: Metal Department
Genre: Heavy Metal

Musicians:

• Gus G / All guitars, bass, keyboards, drums
• Andrea Arcangeli / Bass on tracks 6 and 8
• Dennis Ward / Bass on track 2

Steel Burner Tracklist:

1. Steel Burner
2. Nothing Can Break Me (Featuring Doro Pesch)
3. Dancing With Death (Featuring Matt Barlow)
4. Advent
5. What If
6. Frenemy (Featuring Ronnie Romero)
7. No One Has To Know (Featuring Dino Jelusick)
8. Confession
9. My Premonition (Featuring Ronnie Romero)
10. 10. Closure

Order the album here.

The post GUS G – Steel Burner (Album Review) appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Judas .

The post Judas Priest to release career spanning compilation album ‘The Best of Judas Priest’ on June 19th first appeared on Sleaze Roxx.

And Fieldy’s son is also in a nü-metal band.

The post Korn’s Brian “Head” Welch Shows Love To Deftones While Hanging With Fieldy’s Son appeared first on Theprp.com.

Over their long ass career, Judas Priest have had some banger cover art in their discography. British Steel, Screaming For Vengeance, Painkiller… the list goes on. Well, you can add one more kick ass cover art to the list, as their new greatest hits compilation The Best of Judas Priest has some sick art as well.

Set for release on June 19 via Sony Music, the collection will be available in three different formats: a CD version featuring 16 tracks and both a standard and online-exclusive picture disc vinyl featuring just 10 tracks.

Of course, die-hard Priest fans will know that June 19 is an important date in the band’s history, as it’s not just the release date of the 50th anniversary of their album Sad Wings of Destiny, but it’s also the date the band’s documentary The Ballad of Judas Priest will come out as well.

As for its tracklist, this compilation will span all 50 years of the band’s history, going back to their 1974 debut Rocka Rolla until their 2024 album Invincible Shield. You can check out the killer art, as well as the tracklists for each version, below.

The Best of Judas Priest Track List:

CD

01. You’ve Got Another Thing Coming
02. Lightning Strike
03. Breaking The Law
04. Beyond The Realms Of Death
05. Painkiller
06. Hell Bent For Leather
07. Rocka Rolla
08. Turbo Lover
09. Electric Eye
10. Crown Of Horns
11. Living After Midnight
12. Night Crawler
13. Heading Out To The Highway
14. Better By You, Better Than Me
15. The Sentinel
16. Diamonds And Rust

Vinyl

Side A
01. You’ve Got Another Thing Coming
02. Breaking The Law
03. Painkiller
04. Hell Bent For Leather
05. Turbo Lover

Side B
06. Electric Eye
07. Crown Of Horns
08. Living After Midnight
09. Heading Out To The Highway
10. The Sentinel

The post Judas Priest’s Career-Spanning Greatest Hits Collection to Have Some Badass Cover Art appeared first on MetalSucks.