Ken ingwersen’s solo project ‘Ken’s Dojo’ has a new single coming out later this month. Ingwersen, who is guitarist in the power trio WONDERWORLD, who were spun off from the late Ken Hensley’s band ‘Live Fire’, has recorded 2 previous albums under ‘Ken’s Dojo’. The new single is “Symphony Of Life”, and will be available April 23, with (hopefully) an album soon after. Check out the trailer below-
Ripple Music announces the release of an unprecedented anthology for American proto-metal legends POOBAH entitled “Burning In The Rain: A POOBAH Anthology”. A career-spanning collection of tracks of one of the underground’s best-kept secrets, to be released on June 7th and available to preorder now!
Thanks to an unprecedented fusion of early days Cream psychedelia and the fuzzed-out heaviness of Black Sabbath, American proto-metal legends POOBAH originated a sound that was both fresh and intense, epitomized by the release of their acclaimed debut album “Let Me In” in 1972. Their incendiary live shows led them to support major acts such as Canned Heat, Judas Priest, Alice Cooper, ZZ Top, Foghat, and countless others over the years.
Following the successful reissue of the band’s 1972 debut “Let Me In and sophomore album “U.S. Rock”, Ripple Music teams up with POOBAH’s mastermind and guitar hero Jim Gustafson again for the special release of a quintessential and rifftastic 17-track anthology that will enchant all fans of proto-metal, heavy psych and 70s rock from Led Zeppelin, Cream, Foghat, Deep Purple to Cactus, Leaf Hound or Uriah Heep.
“Burning In The Rain: An Anthology” will be issued in a limited 2xLP edition, limited CD digipack and digital on June 7th, 2024, with preorders available now on Ripple Music. Listen to one of the anthology’s tracks with their all-time classic “Mr. Destroyer”–
POOBAH “Burning In The Rain: An Anthology” Out June 7th on Ripple Music – PREORDER
TRACKLIST: 1. Burning In The Rain 2. C’mon Let It Go 3. Maximum Pleasure 4. My Name is Mud 5. Try It 6. It Out 7. Fear 8. Underground 9. Jump Through the Golden Ring 10. 2 Faced Liar 11. Keep on Rollin’ 12. You Give Me Such Pleasure 13. Mr. Destroyer 06:00 14. I Want Peace 15. Thru These Eyes 16. Dirty 17. Destination Or Debris
When you hear the name POOBAH, you instantly remind of the whole 70s rock scene. Your feel the vibrations of Jimi Hendrix’ electric explorations, and the excitement of heavy music’s early stages. The band is more than just a witness of these times, they are true pillars. In 1972, guitarist/vocalist Jim Gustafson, like so many young rockers, put together a band. With the help of high school chum and bass player Phil Jones, they searched for and added drummer Glenn Wiseman. The band came to be known as POOBAH and recorded what would become one of the quintessential albums in the bands catalog, ‘Let Me In’.
With a completely new line-up, Gustafson led the band into the studio in 1976 to record the bands second LP, ‘U.S. Rock’. With the record selling exceptionally well, the bands cult status continued to strengthen, but poor management and the typical industry pitfalls hampered the band from finding the wider success that they so richly deserved. By 1979, their made their way to the recording studio for album number three, ‘Steamroller’.
Ten guitar-powered studio albums and thirty years later, POOBAH is still at it, playing his distinctive brand of heavy rock to clubs filled with fans, old and new. Over four decades, Gustafson has the distinction of playing the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame more than any other musician. In 2010, Jim Gustafson signed on with Ripple Music to re-release POOBAH’s debut album ‘Let Me In’, re-mastered by underground cult hero Tony Reed (Mos Generator).
Current lineup: Jim Gustafson – Voice, guitar, songwriter Lori Powers – Percussion, backing vocals Mike Lewis – Bass, backing vocals Mike Fortino – Drums, backing vocals
Graham Bonnet and guitar maestro Marty Friedman have joined forces to breathe new life into the classic rock anthem “Since You Been Gone.” This iconic single dates back to 1976, but its best-known version was recorded in 1979 by Bonnet during his tenure with Ritchie Blackmore’s megalithic metal band Rainbow for their Down To Earth album. The song was a massive hit in the UK and a moderate one in the US, but it has since become a classic rock radio staple and one of Rainbow’s most recognizable singles, even landing at #82 in VH1’s “Hard Rock Songs Of All Time.”
Now, 45 years later, Bonnet revisits the track that made him one of the most celebrated vocalists in rock history. Indeed, the song’s success is simply inconceivable without Bonnet’s bravado, powerhouse vocal performance. Incredibly, one listen to the new version shows that he hasn’t lost an ounce of that vocal power. And stepping into Blackmore’s mighty boots, guitar shredder Marty Friedman showcases his own undeniable talent, bringing both muscle and finesse to this new recording. Check out the new version of “Since You Been Gone,” which is available on all music platforms, at the link below: Stream/download the single: https://orcd.co/bonnetfriedman_sinceyoubeengone
Bonnet shares these reflections on the song, “When we first began recording the album ‘Down to Earth,’ we had already created a new sound that was quite different from the Ronnie James Dio era. It was meant to be more radio-friendly, but it also had a more modern sound with lyrical content that dealt with real life. When manager Bruce Payne brought the song ‘Since You’ve Been Gone’ to the band, everyone was a bit dismayed. It didn’t sound anything like the other songs on the record and was almost pop-like in comparison. Some of the guys were very vocal about their negative feelings about the song. The original version that was presented to us was very different from the song we ended up recording. We received a version recorded by a South African all-girl band called Clout. We changed the chorus ad-libs to sound harder, more hard rock but even then, Cozy threatened to leave the band if we did the song. When the final product was complete, we were all excited by the outcome. It turned out much better than expected. Roger suggested an intro with multiple voices in the vein of a madrigal and it added an unexpected aspect to the song that was quite favorable. Even though we all were happy with the end result, we were stunned by how the song was received. Everyone seemed to love it and to this day, when we play the song live, there isn’t one single audience member not singing along with us. It has appeared in countless movies and TV shows, the most recent being the 3rd installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy series. Russ Ballard, who penned Since You’ve Been Gone, is an incredible songwriter and to this day, is the only outside writer whose material I will record. In essence, I have to acknowledge that SYBG kickstarted my career in rock and there is no end in sight.”
Groundbreaking pioneers of SoCal desert rock FU MANCHU, have announced details of their forthcoming, 14th album, The Return of Tomorrow, which will be released on June 14th via the band’s label At The Dojo Records.
FU MANCHU’s follow up to the critically lauded Clone of the Universe (2018) and their first ever double album is a sonic journey through massively heavy riffage, otherworldly space jams and mellow rock anthems divided into two records.
A 4,000 unit limited edition double vinyl version of The Return of Tomorrow pressed at 45RPM and packaged in a glossy gatefold jacket with one “Space” colored LP and one “Sky” colored LP is available now for pre-order with an exclusive merch design here:https://lnk.to/FuManchu_HandsOfTheZodiac
Commenting on the impending record, founding guitarist and vocalist Scott Hill says:
“When I listen to music, it’s either all heavy stuff with no mellow stuff mixed in or just softer stuff with no heavy stuff. I know a lot of bands like to mix it up and we have done that before, but I always tend to listen to all of one type of thing or the other. So, I figured we should do a double record with 7 heavy fuzzy songs on one record and the other record 6 mellow(er) songs fully realizing that maybe I’m the only person that likes to listen to stuff that way. We kept both the records to around 25-30 minutes each as to make it a full length release, but not have each record be too long. We don’t write a lot of mellow(er) stuff in Fu Manchu, but a lot of the riffs worked minus the fuzz. If you’re a vinyl person, both records are pressed at 45rpm to give it the best sound quality. If you’re a digital person, can make your own playlist and mix both the records together.“
The band recently revealed the album’s artwork, track list and first single, “Hands of the Zodiac,” a heavy, fuzzed out jam replete with scorching guitar solos meant to be cranked at maximum volume.
Adding about the single, Hill states:
“‘Hands Of The Zodiac’ is about an astrologer friend of mine who would always ask if we wanted to know anything about our future whenever we would hangout. He would look to the stars at night and ramble off all these weird predictions, none of which ever came true. He would say ‘zodiac hands’ and face the palm of his hand at you. I would always try to remember the things he said and almost every line in the song is something he said. For example, ‘Wheels / Motion / So Impressed,’ is based on how he talked about my writing songs / practicing / touring with the band (‘you got those wheels in motion)’ and Fu Manchu’s accomplishments (‘so impressed.’) I guess I should have given him a writing credit.”
‘The Return of Tomorrow‘ Track List:
1. “Dehumanize” 2. “Loch Ness Wrecking Machine” 3. “Hands Of The Zodiac” 4. “Haze The Hides” 5. “Roads Of The Lowly” 6. (Time Is) Pulling You Under” 7. “Destroyin’ Light” 8. “Lifetime Waiting” 9. “Solar Baptized” 10. “What I Need” 11. “The Return Of Tomorrow” 12. “Liquify” 13. “High Tide”
Also announced today, FU MANCHU will embark on European tours in June and October, including performances at festivals Graspop Metal Meeting, Copenhell and Hellfest. All upcoming tour dates listed below. Tickets available athttps://www.fu-manchu.com/tour-dates.
FU MANCHU Tour Dates: May 18 – Vancouver, BC – Modified Ghost 2024 June 15 – Tampere, FI – Tavara-asema June 17 – Stockholm, SE – Slaktkyrkan June 18 – Oslo, NO – Vulkan Arena June 19 – Malmo, SE – Plan B June 21 – Dessel, BE – Graspop Metal Meeting June 22 – Copenhagen, DK – Copenhell June 24 – Osnabruck, DE – Lagerhalle June 25 – Cologne, DE – Stollwerck June 26 – Frankfurt, DE – Batschkapp June 28 – Clisson, FR – Hellfest (Valley Stage) Oct 12 – Munich, DE – Keep It Low Festival @ Backstage Oct 13 – Berlin, DE – Heavy Psych Sounds Fest @ Huxleys Oct 15 – Vienna, AT – Arena Oct 16 – Aarau, CH – KIFF Oct 18 – Luxembourg City, LU – Atelier Oct 19 – Antwerp, BE – Desertfest Belgium Oct 21 – Manchester, UK – O2 Ritz Oct 22 – Bristol, UK – Marble Factory Oct 23 – London, UK – Electric Ballroom Oct 25 – Masstricht, NL – Musiekgeiterj Oct 26 – Hamburg, DE – Lazy Bones Festival @ Markthalle Oct 27 – Dresden, DE – Heavy Psych Sounds Fest @ Chemiefabrik
Canadian band SPELL have released a new recording, a cover “A Waxing Moon Over Babylon”, originally a b-side by Dutch occult band The Devil’s Blood. A cool track, love the guitar sound and the production of this. Hopefully the start of something more (like a new album?). “A Waxing Moon…” is coupled with Poltergeist’s “Fall To Ruin”. Poltergeist, from Alberta, deliver a haunting original tune, that sounds like something that could’ve came of the UK in the early 80s, post-punk, goth, metal… Features Al Lester of Spell on drums.
Spell, who are just beginning a European tour with Green Lung posted: “In 2009, when we were barely out of our teens, we flew over to Germany to see The Devil’s Blood. That night we slept in a graveyard. Here is our homage to them, immortalized on wax as a split 7″ with the amazing Pøltergeist- you’ll hear more from them soon.”
Swedish rockers NESTOR were an instant success a few years ago with their debut single “On The Run” – which featured a classic 80s theatrical video; this was followed up with another great song and video for “1989”, and a 3rd dramatic video for the ballad “Tomorrow” (featuring Samantha Fox). The full album – ‘Kids in A Ghost Town‘ came sometime later and was an awesome set of 80s influenced & inspired hard-rock and AOR. So, we finally get a new song, new video, and announcement of the band’s 2nd album – ‘Teenage Rebel‘. Check out the press info below, as well as the new video, album tracklisting,pre-ordering link, tour dates, and band links!
Get ready to embark on a journey through time as rising 80s rock purveyors NESTOR announce their electrifying, long-awaited new album, ‘Teenage Rebel’, via Napalm Records on May 31, 2024. Hailing from the vibrant music scene in Sweden,NESTOR takes you straight back to the golden age of rock music, wearing influences ranging from Bon Jovi and Aerosmith to Journey and Foreigner on their denim sleeves. NESTOR turns back time and reigns supreme as one of the hottest newcomers of modern rock music, with millions of streams on Spotify and hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube to boot. They’ve shared stages with the almighty Alice Cooper, greats like Def Leppard or Europe, and were even supporting the legendary KISS in Stockholm on their 2022 stadium tour. Now, NESTOR returns in full force with their newest single “Victorious” – an anthemic masterpiece combining powerful vocals with dynamic instrumentals, promising to creep into the listener’s head and lead as a fan favorite at their energetic live shows. The track is accompanied by one of the band’s trademark high-quality official videos, which occurs as a cinematic short film of incredible production value – so crank up the volume to pure nostalgia levels!
NESTOR about “Victorious”: “’Victorious’ is about following your heart and refusing to give up! This device has been a guideline since we started back in the late 80’s and it feels great to sum it up in a song like ‘Victorious’.”
Having formed in 1989 only to fall into hibernation over three long decades, NESTOR emerged stronger than ever in 2021 with their debut album, ‘Kids in a ghost town’, marking the band’s triumphant return to the spotlight and captivating fans with their timeless sound and unmatched energy. The new album, ‘Teenage Rebel’, sets off with a captivating intro-monologue spoken by Danish voice actress Freya Miller, creating a retro, rebellious atmosphere that sets the mood for the album and prepares the stage for the opening track “We Come Alive” – a true blast of an opener. Rhythmic guitars create an exciting backdrop for the gripping vocals of frontman Tobias Gustavsson, leading towards an incredible guitar solo by guitar hero Jonny Wemmenstedt. The album’s title track, “Teenage Rebel”, convinces with tight riffing and an anthem-like chorus honoring the tradition of 80s hard rock. “21” is a wild ride celebrating the ease of youth. NESTOR also proves their ability to shift from big stadium anthems to their emotional side on tracks like “Caroline”, convincing with a catchy melody and passionate vocals, while Wemmenstedt demonstrates his insane skills once again as he tops the song with another stunning solo. Touching ballads like “Last To Know”, “Daughter” and “The One That Got Away” present an even more vulnerable facet, reaching straight for the listener’s heart with yearning lyrics, while tracks like “Addicted To Your Love” and “Unchain My Heart” celebrate love, youth and the joy of being naïve. NESTOR on their new masterpiece: “The album ‘Teenage Rebel’ takes place in the glory days when we were young, confident and the future was filled with endless possibilities but also how we reflect on these days today. In many ways, it’s the sequel to ‘Kids in a ghost town’ and we can’t wait for you to hear it.”
North German heavy metal band MOB RULES share their new single, a cover version of Iron Maiden’s “Run To The Hills”. This is one of three new cover versions included in the upcoming 30th-anniversary compilation “Celebration Day – 30 Years Of Mob Rules” out May 3, 2024, via Steamhammer/SPV.
Singer Klaus Dirks: “Iron Maiden was the band of my youth and ‘The Number of the Beast’ is the album that sparked my passion for heavy metal. Iron Maiden still fascinates me to this day. That’s why, after such a long time, I felt a real need to pay tribute to this band with our interpretation”.
With ‘Celebration Day – 30 Years Of Mob Rules’, the band around singer Klaus Dirks announces an extensive compilation of MOB RULES classics with over 150 minutes of playing time spread over two CDs. Consisting of thirty hand-picked songs, including classics such as “Black Rain”, “Hollowed Be Thy Name” and “Rain Song”, but also songs that have previously seen less of a spotlight.
“I immediately have to think of ‘Way Of The World’, which was the last song on our ‘Hollowed Be Thy Name’ album from 2002,” explains Klaus. “We were able to get ex-Helloween/Masterplan guitarist Roland Grapow for a guest appearance and in the end the eight-and-a-half-minute track became one of the best in our repertoire.”
In addition to this amazing cross-section of the band’s career, they have included some tracks which were previously only available digitally (as examples, the latest single “Hymn Of The Damned” and the Amon Amarth cover “Raven’s Flight”). These tracks were carefully remastered by Markus Teske especially for this compilation.
With three brand new cover songs, ‘Celebration Day – 30 Years Of Mob Rules‘ also contains previously unreleased material. With great attention to detail, the band took on diverse songs such as “Run To The Hills” (Iron Maiden), “Fame” (Irene Cara), and “Square Hammer” (Ghost) and made them their own.
French artist Stan-W Decker (Primal Fear, Blue Öyster Cult, Rage) was enlisted for the visual design of the anniversary release, creating the perfect setting with a breathtaking cover illustration containing numerous cross-references to the MOB RULES band history.
SiX By SiX, the progressive power trio comprising Ian Crichton (Saga), Nigel Glockler (Saxon) and Robert Berry (3.2), recently announced the release of their sophomore album ‘Beyond Shadowland’ on InsideOutMusic on April 26th, 2024. The band reconvened in Berry’s own Soundtek Studios in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2023 to bend, shape, hammer and caress their diverse musical talents into 11 impressive new tracks. With this album, they continue to define and build upon their unique melodic space, welding guitar-driven rock, metal and prog into a unique and powerful sonic setting.
*Check out the band’s new video for the song “Obiliex”:
”‘Beyond Shadowland’ will be available as a Limited CD Digipak, Gatefold 180g Black 2-LP (featuring 4 exclusive bonus tracks) & as a Digital Album. The artwork was once again created by Rob Fowler.
*Check out the video for the first single “The Arms Of A Word” –
1.Wren 2.The Arms of a Word 3.Can’t Live Like This 4.Obiliex 5.Only You Can Decide 6.Titans 7.Outside Looking In 8.Spectre 9.Sympathise 10.One Step 11.The Mission
*Vinyl-only bonus tracks: 1. SiX By SiX Orchestra Medley 2. The Arms of a Word (Instrumental) 3. Honor Bridge 4. The Mission (Instrumental)
American rockets ANGEL have released a new video for the title track to their latest album. The album ‘Once Upon A Time‘ came out last year, but the band has just put out a video for the title track while they are preparing to tour (starting) in April. Angel is also being rejoined by bass player Felix Robinson, who been with the band for the later 70s (playing on 3 studio albums + Live Without a Net) *Check out the video for track “Once Upon A Time An Angel Fell in Love”, and check out the tour dates & links below.
ANGEL on Tour: APRIL- PUNKY- FRANK- FELIX (April Only) TOGETHER AGAIN. April 5th – Wildey Theatre April 6th – SOLD OUT! – Wildey Theatre – April 10th – Sellersville Theater PA. April 12th – Rome Capital Theatre NY with Ace Frehley. April 13th – Carteret Performing Arts Center NJ with Ace Frehley. MAY ANGEL DATES May 12th King Of Clubs – OH May 14th The Vogue – Indianapolis IN May 16th Shank Hall- WI May 17th The Back Bar – Janesville WI May 18th Arcada – Chicago IL May 19th The Token Lounge – Westland MI. May 21st – The Winchester Music Tavern – Lakewood Ohio. Angel – Japan Dates July 12th &13th – Daikanyama UNIT, Tokyo July 14th – Legend Hall, Nagoya July 15th – Am Hall, Osak Get Tickets and Meet and Greet at www.angelbandofficial.com/tour
Outsider Rock 