CREATURES recently released their second album, Creatures II, to follow up their debut in 2021. The 4-piece band from Brazil is heavily influenced by ’80s hard rock and heavy metal bands like Judas Priest, Ratt, Ozzy, Dokken….and although I see no mention, lead vocals definitely remind me of Lizzy Borden. Creatures II features a new line-up, with the band lead by guitarist/songwriter Mateus Canteleano, who has answered my questions below. Bandmembers also included their ‘top 10’ album lists, as well as influences.
CREATURES consists of Mateus Cantaleäno, Marc Brito (vocals), Ricke Nunes (bass), and Sidnei Dubiella (drums). *Check out Creatures II, the interview, and the links below.
Can you guys tell me a bit about the band coming together and direction?
Mateus Cantaleano: Basically, this lineup came together around 2022, a few months after the release of our first album, which was recorded only by me and the former singer, Roberto. After the release of the album, people started getting in touch with me asking about live shows, and since Roberto had moved to Canada, I invited Marc—at first just to sing the first shows—and CJ to play drums. The last one to join the band was Ricke, who became part of the band in 2023. We created a really strong connection not only musically, but also in our personal lives, and this naturally became the official lineup of the band.
What are some of the yours (bandmembers) favorite bands, musicians, influences that you grew up on?
Mateus: For me, it was and still is bands like Judas Priest, Dokken, and Scorpions. As guitarists, I’d say Yngwie Malmsteen, Uli Jon Roth, and George Lynch.
Marc: Halford, Jon Oliva, Udo, King Diamond.
Ricke: Rush, Geddy Lee, Billy Sheehan, Juan Alderete, Felipe Andreoli, Bob Daisley, Jeff Pilson, Juan Croucier.
Are you able to give me a ‘top 10’ of favorite albums (each)?
Mateus (Top 10):
Defenders of the Faith – Judas Priest
Under Lock and Key – Dokken
Trilogy – Yngwie Malmsteen
Icon – Icon
Taken by Force – Scorpions
The Final Countdown – Europe
Bonded by Blood – Exodus
Down to Earth – Rainbow
Bark at the Moon – Ozzy Osbourne
Marc (Top 10):
Defenders of the Faith – Judas Priest
Invasion of Your Privacy – Ratt
Phantasmagoria – The Mist
Absolut Country of Sweden – Anti Cimex
Gutter Ballet – Savatage
Tower of Spite – Cerebral Fix
Ordem e Progresso – Azul Limão
Floodland – The Sisters of Mercy
Anything – The Damned
Into the Pandemonium – Celtic Frost
Ricke (Top 10):
Moving Pictures – Rush
Ready to Strike – King Kobra
Second Heat – Racer X
The Ultimate Sin – Ozzy Osbourne
Angels Cry – Angra
Icon – Icon
Back for the Attack – Dokken
Welcome to My Nightmare – Alice Cooper
Lean into It – Mr. Big
Leftoverture – Kansas
What is the metal scene like in Brazil? What sort of venues and shows have you been playing? Any major festival shows or guest slots ?
Mateus: Like I always say, I think Brazil in general is more focused on extreme/thrash/death/black metal bands and scenes, but we do have a small resistance within the traditional metal and hard rock scene. It’s not very big, but it’s loyal. Most of our shows here are as guests or opening slots for bigger bands—most of the time from other countries—or at festivals with local Brazilian bands. Sometimes we headline, and they are usually good shows in terms of audience.
A lot of excellent songs, such as Dreams, Devil in Disguise, Beware The Creatures, Nothing Lasts Forever…. This album doesn’t really slow down (til the last track). Any antidotes or stories behind some of the tracks? what stands out for you guys (individually)? and how much of this will the band be performing live on the road?
Mateus: Thank you! Well, something curious is that I usually compose the full songs alone at home, record a complete demo with everything, and then pass it on to the band. Each member takes their part, studies it, and adds their own identity individually. Since Marc doesn’t live in the same city as us, we never rehearsed or played the songs together as a band before recording the album—it was all a surprise. Also, balancing our jobs and personal lives, it took us a few months to record everything, but we were extremely satisfied with the result. For me, the standout tracks are “Beware the Creatures” and “Nothing Lasts Forever.” They’ve always been two of my favorites and still are.
Creatures II is a great production, with some riffs, intros, harmonies….Can you tell us about the making of the making of this album, as far as how aware you were about making it a ‘big’ sounding album? and what you (if) you had any 80s records or productions in mind that you might’ve strived for?
Marc: It took many, many hours of vocal recording on consecutive days, and there came a point where I was literally lying on the floor during every break between takes, even if it was just for a few seconds, lol.
Mateus: Well, like I said, it took a lot of work, days, and energy to record this album. We put the best of ourselves into it, and we’re very lucky to count on our producer and mixing engineer, Arthur Migotto, who has all the technical knowledge to bring out everything we were aiming for. We also tried to keep everything as analog as possible—real amps, real pedals, real drums—to sound as close as possible to what we like to listen to.
How does Creatures II compare to the first album (or differ)?
Mateus: First of all, I’m the one who recorded both albums, so this time we had almost a completely new band recording it. Over these four years, I’ve also greatly improved my knowledge of music, my skills as a guitar player, and mainly as a songwriter. I think the songs are much more mature on this album. Having a full band recording it this time—people who were already used to playing together and performing shows—also made a huge difference for the better. Musically, the new album goes into a darker territory, and I also think we have more heavy metal (and a little less hard rock) influences on this one.
Can you tell me about the albums artwork? Who created it? The ideas behind it, etc..?
Mateus: I developed the concept, and the artwork was made by a guy named Velio Josto, who had already worked with a considerable number of heavy metal bands that we like. We were aiming for something simple, something that mixed all that heavy metal and horror aesthetic that we’ve always liked and embraced. I think it turned out great.
What’s coming up for Creatures in the near future? Any possibility of shows in North America?
Mateus: Well, we have a few shows ahead. We’re going to play our first Creatures II show in a few weeks and do some more shows in Brazil. In April, we’ll play our first show outside Brazil, at the Keep It True Festival in Germany. We’ll actually be the first Brazilians ever to play this festival in its entire history, so this will be a historic moment for us!
About a show in North America, we would absolutely love to do it! I hope we can make this possible in the near future! 🙂
Austrian heavy metal band ZEPTER will release their debut album next month. Zepter features cover art created by Sebastian Frigerio, from Chile, who’s also drawn a number of other album covers for various metal bands. Below Sebastian talks about his art and creating the Zepter cover. As well I’ve included images of other covers that Sebastian drew.
Check it out, and check out the new ZEPTER album, which has a new video release for the track “Dark Angels”.
Can you give me a bit of background as to your work in art, and in particular, how you got involved in music and album covers?
First of all, thank you so much for your interest. This goes back a long way. I’ve always been fascinated by the visual arts, especially drawing. My first foray into it was collaborating with bands and friends’ projects, contributing illustrations to their demos and other releases. They would introduce me as their artist friend, giving me the opportunity to do my first work, and little by little, connections were made. During that time, I began creating my own pieces to gain recognition and, above all, to perfect my technique.
Do you have any favorite album cover artists, as well as a list (5+) of some of your favorite record covers (excluding your own)?
Well, from artists like Goya and Gustave Doré, to Renaissance and modern art, there are many, but this would be my top list:
Frank Franzetta, Boris Vallejo, Michael Whelan, Rowena Morrill, Andreas Marshall, H.R. Giger, Necrolord, Emanuele Taglietti, to name a few.
How did you get involved with the Zepter album?
Well, that was thanks to social media, and the band followed up with a couple of bands they had already worked with.
And they were looking for something similar to what I had already done
Was the cover completely your own creation and/or was there input from the bandmembers? What inspired it?
If the band had an idea that perfectly matched my artistic tastes and references, the drawing process was much easier thanks to our shared interest in dark fantasy and album covers from the 70s and 80s.
Had you been able to hear the music prior to and did that play a part in creating the cover? Any favorite tracks from this Zepter album?
I was already familiar with the band, so it was a surprise when they contacted me, since their style is what I listen to most often, so it also served as inspiration. Overall, I’d highlight the entire album, from its composition to the final result, both musically and in terms of design.
Can you tell me about the actual drawing – how it was achieved (drawing technique…) ?
Well, this work is done in oil on paper, and the goal was and is to make it similar to the classic album covers of bands from the 70s and 80s, which are practically an influence and inspiration.
What are some of the other album covers you’ve created for other bands? Any in particular that stand out? And aside from covers, do you also create posters or merch items for the bands you work with?
Well, as I mentioned before, I participated in several projects, but when I started to stand out it was thanks to bands like Insecurity, Phantom, and Void, which put me on the radar of many others, something I’m very grateful for since it also opened me up to the field of design for other types of merchandise. And obviously, working with more bands has been rewarding in many ways.
This second release from Austrian band ZEPTER is a great surprise that kicks ass from the start. (OK, so the first release was an extremely limited EP cassette). Influenced by the like of Thin Lizzy, early Iron Maiden, and New Wave Of British Heavy Metal bands like Saxon and Angel Witch. This has a definite old-school vibe, with heavy twin guitar blends. A good listen beginning to end. Check out the first video for “Slasher On The Highway”, which is a good indication of this album. Other favorites include “Hit The Streets”, “Everlasting”, and a cover of “Lonely Night”, originally by a short-lived Swedish metal band from the 80s! These guys remind of Swedish band Black Trip, who put out a pair of great albums a decade ago, then changed their name and disappeared! *To be released February 20 on various formats (including vinyl!). Killer artwork. Order Link: https://www.hrrecords.de/ZEPTER
Zepter are a new traditional heavy metal band from Austria. The project started in January 2024. A few months later, an EP called »Inferno« was issued on cassette in a limited edition of 100 copies through Ironbound (a vinyl version on Fucking Kill Records and a CD edition via Witches Brew followed shortly after).
“We have been knowing each other for years and have played together in other bands,” explains guitarist/vocalist Lukas about the formation of Zepter. “One day, the idea to form a traditional heavy metal band came up. And this is exactly what we did. We had our first rehearsal in January 2024 and the EP was published in April the same year. Everything happened really quick.”
High Roller Records will release Zepter’s self-titled debut album, which Lukas describes as “authentic heavy metal of the old school, with lots of catchy hooks and tasty twin-guitar harmony parts”. According to him, “it should come across like a mixture of Thin Lizzy and UFO of the Schenker era, combined with elements of early speed metal by the likes of Acid and Slayer, as if they had been already around in 1978.”
All tracks on the album are new, apart from the cover version of a song called “Lonely Night” by the band Screem.
With songs like “Exterminator”, Zepter’s music transports quite a strong NWOBHM vibe, with hints of Trespass and Tygers Of Pan Tang, first and foremost. “That’s true,” says the band’s guitarist and vocalist, “for this project the NWOBHM is a big inspiration. But it’s not the only one. We are all listening to different stuff, from blackended death metal to prog, post-punk and film music. Our smallest common nominator is the NWOBHM though. And that’s where Zepter comes in. Some specific NWOBHM bands which have inspired us are early Maiden (everything from »The Soundhouse Tapes« up until »Killers«), Saxon, Witchfinder General, Dark Star, Raven, Saracen, Angel Witch and Satan.” MATTHIAS MADER
TRACKLISTING: 01 Slasher on the Highway 02 Everlasting 03 The Slayer 04 Hit the Streets 05 The Exterminator 06 Dark Angels 07 Lonely Night (Screem Cover) 08 The Lords
LINE-UP: Lukas Götzenberger – guitar, vocals & synths Stefan Bolda – guitar Tobias Hochwagen – bass Alex Nemeth – drums & vocals (on “Lonely Night”)
HEAVY PETTIN’ released 3 albums of hard rock back in the ’80s. In recent years the band from Scotland has been brought back to life via singer Stephen Hayman, and in October released their first full length album since 1989. Rock Generation features a fun set of hard rockers and anthems, and I like the sound (big guitars and even those 80s backing gang vocals at times). Fave cuts include “X-Rated”, “Brother Sister”, and “This Life”. The band has been busy playing live to support this album, more recently as support for Uriah Heep, (and) with April Wine in Europe.
*Check out the press info below, as well as the videos and links at the bottom,
The Scottish rock warriors Heavy Pettin release the title track and video from the brand-new studio album Rock Generation, which is set for release on on October 24th via Silver Lining Music. Pre-orders available now at this location.
Vocalist and founding member, Stephen “Hamie” Hayman comments: “Heavy Pettin are back!!!! Rock Generation is a celebration for all rock fans around the world… Made to ROCK ur Soul.”
Back in the ‘80s, Scottish rock ‘n’ roll warriors Heavy Pettin strode stages worldwide whilst their debut album, 1983’s Lettin Loose, threatened to break the rock world apart. They were seen as the natural ascendants to rock’s highest echelons, touring internationally alongside the likes of Ozzy Osbourne and Motley Crüe as wild Glaswegian whippersnappers. Then life happened and Heavy Pettin went on a triple decade hiatus.
Listening to Heavy Pettin’s first new studio album since 1989 – Rock Generation – feels more like a 30 week’ hiatus augmented by a supreme confidence. Led by founding frontman Stephen “Hamie” Hayman, featuring Dave “Davo” Aitken and Richie “St. James” Dews on guitars and backing vocals, plus David “Boycee” Boyce on bass and Mick “The Wizard” Ivory on drums, Rock Generation is a sonically-superb, classic song-strong rock ‘n’ roll return to that glorious slipstream between Def Leppard, Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy. The ten cuts bristle with full-frontal attitude and powerful melodies. Take the title track, with its hip swinging anthemic swagger, there’s “Oblivion” with guest vocals from Roni Lee which carries a true Celtic swing in its groove plus an addictive singalong chorus, while “X-Rated” fuses the attitude of Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street with the punch and panache of the Sunset Strip.
Made in Glasgow at Morsecode Studios and produced with a timeless sheen by Ciarán O’Shea, make no mistake, Rock Generation is only interested in bringing you on a thrill-ride through the carefree sweat and leather landscape of cut-loose heavy rock ‘n’ roll. It’s a mission which will demand -and receive- your willing acquiescence.
Well, I started out (months ago!) compiling a Top 50 list of favorite Alice Cooper solo songs. Many Alice lists I see on Youtube (and elsewhere) tend to mix the original band and his solo recordings into one list, but for me, I see (and hear) a big difference, so I absolutely have to separate the 2. Much like I wouldn’t compile a favorite list of Black Sabbath albums and include Ozzy or Dio albums! Anyway, a good half of this list was easy to come up with, but the bottom half got a bit tougher to choose. Feel free to leave your picks in the comments.
Hey Stoopid (1991)
I like Trash when it came out, but over time it hasn’t aged well with me, being Alice’s ‘Bon Jovi’ album, and too many guests that I’m not a fan of. So, Hey Stoopid is the follow up, still in that 80s style, and with even more guest players and co-writers. BUT, gone is the Bon Jovi feel and just better songs, and a bit more bite. I also like the cover-art here. But aside from maybe 2 songs (I don’t need to hear “Feed My Frankenstein” ever again), I love all of this. Favorites being “Snakebite”, “Dangerous Tonight”, “Little By Little”, “Hurricane Years”, and “Burning Our Bed”.
The Eyes Of Alice Cooper (2003)
I’ve seen this one ranked near the bottom on many Alice Cooper album rankings on youtube, and really wonder why(?) I think this is a great album, full of Alice rockers and ballads, and humor! Not perfect (I can do without “Novocain”), but “What Do You Want From Me”, “Man Of The Year”, “Detroit City” (w/ Wayne Kramer), “Love Should Never Feel Like This”, as well as the ballads “The Song That Didn’t Rhyme” and softer “Be With You A While”, are good to outstanding by me. Alice uses his touring band here, without an excess of ‘guest’ players, so it sounds like a band album. The original CD release of this album came with 4 different eye (and circle) colors.
Welcome To My Nightmare (1975)
An easy favorite for most; it’s the album that started off Alice’s solo career (effectively marking an end to the original band). His Nightmare band featured guitarists Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter (as well as the rest of Lou Reed’s band), who would work with Alice for some years to come But the concept, theatrics, and songs here are just classic. This included the anthem “Department Of Youth”, the live favorite “Cold Ethyl”, the top 20 hit ballad ” Only Women Bleed”, a guest appearance from Vincent Price on “Black Widow”, the introduction of the (recurring) character “Steven”,… The album would be made into a TV special aired as Alice Cooper: The Nightmare. More recently a live show from this tour was released on Record Store Day, featuring Alice’s new band performing a set that included (almost) the entire album, as well as a few previous AC hits. Alice followed up this album with Alice Cooper Goes To Hell, which can be seen as a sequel…
Brutal Planet (2000)
Alice didn’t record a lot during the 90s, like many other older artists, but as he tended to do ever few albums, he switched gears, creating perhaps his most ‘metal’ album this one, released in the summer of 2000. Taking in sounds of industrial or new metal at the time, with a heavier sound, and darker lyrics,, reflecting what was currently happening in music and the world. Produced by Bob Marlette, who’s credits included Rob Zombie, Marylin Manson, Rob Halford, and many others. Loved the title track, as well as favorites “Blow Me A Kiss”, “Pick Up The Bones”, “Cold Machines”, and the ballad “Take It Like A Woman”. The follow up, Dragontown, was pretty much a sequel to Brutal Planet. I liked that one too, just not as strong IMO.
Raise Your Fist And Yell (1987)
The follow up to Alice’s comeback album Constrictor. Taking on the 80s metal sound, and inspired by current happenings (the PMRC hearings), and slasher films! The second to feature Kane Roberts as guitarist and co-writer throughout. I played this album non-stop! Not a bum track here. I can still pull this out and love it. Featured the hit “Freedom”, plus “Prince Of Darkness” (from the John Carpenter movie), and favorites like “Give The Radio Back”, “Time To Kill”, and the slasher trilogy on side 2 (“Chop, Chop, Chop”, “Gail”, “Roses On White Lace”). Saw this tour twice.
Dada (1983)
The last album in what’s been labelled Alice’s ‘blackout’ years, and his last for Warner Brothers. This, and the 1 before it sold poorly, with little promotion, and no touring. I bought this one, and the 2 before it, off the 99 cent rack at a local convenience store! But hey, these weren’t bad at all! Dada being my favorite of Alice’s early 80s 4 album run, where he changed the look and sound to fit with the times. Dada featured a fresh sound, good songs, and flow, with standouts like “Former Lee Warmer” (formerly Warner), the hilarious “I Love America”, and epic “Pass The Gun Around”, highlighted by one of Dick Wagner’s most memorable solos.
From The Inside (1978)
Following Alice’s stay at an asylum for alcoholism, he co-wrote a lot of this with Bernie Taupin (Elton John), and used members of Elton’s band, as well as the likes of Steve Lukather, David Foster… From The Inside featured the hit ballad (Alice’s 4th in a row), “How You Gonna See Me Now”, as well as memorable rockers like “Serious”, “Wish I Were Born In Beverly Hills”, and the title track, plus a few more ballads and lighter cuts. A pretty clean sounding album, featuring stories inspired by his stay in the asylum, and the effect on those around him (“For Veronica’s Sake” about his dog). A solid album. Check out the non-LP b-side “No Tricks” as well, a duet with soul singer Betty Wright.
Zipper Catches Skin (1982)
See above! I played the heck out of this one. Lots of fun rockers like “Adaptable (Anything For You)”, “Tag, You’re It”, “Zorro’s Ascent”, as well as “I Am The Future” (from Class Of ’84). “Make That Money (Scrooge’s Song)”, and the hilarious title of “I’m Alive (That Was The Day My Dead Pet Returned To Save My Life)”. Featured guitarists (and co-writers) John Nitzinger, Dick Wagner, Billy Steele, as well as Mike Pinera, and players Erik Scott (bass), and Duane Hitchings (keys), among others. Wagner later claimed there was a lot of crack cocaine use on this one, but I liked it.
Constrictor (1986)
Alice’s comeback album, after finally kicking his previous habit (cocaine), made sober, and full of energy. The first to feature new guitarist Kane Roberts, as well as a return to a hard rock guitar sound and the classic Alice image (eye make up and leather). Produced by Beau Hill and Michael Wagener, who were big at the time with many 80s metal acts. The drum sound kinda gives this a dated sound now, but at the time, I’d never thought I’d get to see Alice (being a newer fan, and Alice being out of the public eye), but I got to see this tour. Constrictor was the first Alice album in years to chart, and get any radio play. Cuts like “Teenage Frankenstein”, “Give It Up”, and “Life And Death Of The Party” were favorites. It also included “He’s Back (The Man Behind The Mask)”, from Friday The 13th: Part VI (Jason Lives).
The Last Temptation (1994)
This last spot was the toughest for me to decide on… The Last Temptation was an Alice Cooper concept album, a series of morality plays….Anyway, the full story was explained over a series of comics by Neil Gaiman and Michael Zulli. The Last Temptation opened with “Sideshow”, and followed on with excellent rockier cuts like “Nothing’s Free”, “Bad Place Alone”, the title track, the single “Lost In America”, and lighter songs such as “Stolen Prayer” (co-written with Chris Cornell) and favorite “It’s Me” (co-written with Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades). The album featured guitarist Stef Burns (Y & T), as well as Derek Sherinian (keys), among others, as we as guest Dan Wexler (Icon) who co-wrote a number of songs, and played guitar on one. There was no tour for this album, but eventually a few songs were worked in to the live show. The 90s were a tough time to be an Alice fan!
And then…..Paranormal, Lace and Whiskey, Goes To Hell, Dirty Diamonds, Flush The Fashion, Trash, Along Came A Spider, Special Forces, Welcome 2 My Nightmare, Detroit Stories, Road,
American metal band SACRED LEATHER will see the release of their second full length studio album next month. These guys remind me more of the British metal acts, somewherez between Judas Priest and Saxon. The first couple of songs are full of power and speed speed, “Spitfire At Night”, and the next one “Phantom Highway”, but it’s not all as heavy and fast as this, Keep The Fire Burning is not all full speed ahead, as noticed with favorites “Wake Me Up”, the single “Fallen Angel”, the heavy ballad “Tear Out My Heart”, and closing piece “Mistress Of The Sun”. Really like the massive guitar sound and production of this. Love the album cover-art, courtesy of Nico Brausch. *Check out the band info below, as well as the 2 videos, and links below.
Forged in the fires of classic heavy metal and baptized in the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll rebellion, Sacred Leather stands as a defiant reminder that true metal never dies. Hailing from the American Midwest, the band delivers an unrelenting assault of twin-guitar fury, thunderous rhythms, and commanding vocals that channel the essence of leather, chains, and midnight highways.
Following their 2017 full-length debut Ultimate Force, which established them as torchbearers of traditional heavy metal’s resurgence, Sacred Leather return with their long-awaited sophomore album Keep the Fire Burning, due December 2025 through King Volume Records and Wise Blood Records. The album is both a declaration and a promise—rekindling the spirit that started it all while pushing their sound into sharper, more melodic, and more anthemic territory.
With Keep the Fire Burning, the band expands on their reputation for electrifying live performances and unflinching authenticity. Drawing from the steel-plated legacy of Judas Priest, Accept, and early W.A.S.P., Sacred Leather blend classic metal tradition with cinematic flair, evoking the neon glow of midnight highways and the danger of the unknown.
Sacred Leather is: Dee Wrathchild – Vocals Lynn St. Michaels – Lead Guitar Magnus Legrand – Bass Don Diamond – Drums Cvon Owens – Rhythmn Guitar
US heavy metal band WINGS OF STEEL have released their second album, Winds Of Time. The band, which is heavily influenced by 80s LA metal, as well as classic hard rock & metal acts like MSG, Queensryche, Rainbow, Dokken….The band is based around Swedish singer Leo Unnermark and guitarist Parker Halub, who formed the band and write the songs. There’s 3 videos out from Winds Of Time, which you can check out below, including the epic 10 minute+ title track. Order the album at the links below. Band bio and press info below. If you’re missing high energy 80s heavy metal, check these guys out. Bandanas included. Another cool album cover from Spencer Caligiuri.
Los Angeles-based heavy metal powerhouse WINGS OF STEEL returns with their second full-length album, Winds of Time — cementing their status as one of the genre’s most exciting new forces.
Hailed by fans and critics alike as one of 2025’s most anticipated metal releases, Winds of Time builds on the band’s fast-rising legacy with a sound that is both nostalgic and unmistakably fresh. From the first note to the last, the album channels the spirit of a golden era when titans like Judas Priest, Dio, and Queensrÿche ruled the stage — yet it does so with modern intensity and pristine production. Across eight electrifying tracks, Winds of Time delivers soaring vocals, blistering guitar work, and a rhythm section that strikes with the unyielding force of a hammer.
The band comments: “Winds of Time is not just an album; it’s an immersive journey into the heart of heavy metal. It’s boiling with passion, precision, and raw power — a record that will resonate deeply with both new listeners and lifelong metal fans. Every note, every drum hit, every lyric was crafted to capture the essence of what makes heavy metal so timeless”
Formed back in 2019, WINGS OF STEEL is a Los Angeles-based heavy metal/hard rock band rooted in the classic styles of the 70s and 80s. Their sound combines Unnermark’s bluesy, powerful vocals with Halub’s bombastic riffs and expressive soloing, creating a distinctive and massive sound reminiscent of the glory days of heavy metal combined with all the crisp clarity that modern recording techniques have to offer.
After their 2022 debut EP, “Wings of Steel,” they released their critically acclaimed first full-length album, “Gates of Twilight” (2023). In spring 2024, Wings of Steel embarked on their first European tour where they reaffirmed their position as one of the most prominent new bands in Heavy Metal. Wings of Steel continues to be praised for their energetic and captivating live performances, which can be experienced sonically on their live album “Live in France” (2024).
To date Wings of Steel has played numerous shows in the US and Europe, including festivals and venues like Heavy Week-End, Rock Hard Festival, The Whisky-A-Go-Go, Up the Hammers Festival, Keep it True Festival, and more.
Additional information/credits: Recording on the album: Vocals: Leo Unnermark Guitars & Bass: Parker Halub Drums: Damien Rainaud
Tour lineup (as featured on pictures): Vocals: Leo Unnermark Lead guitar: Parker Halub Rhythm guitar: Stefan Bailet Bass: Mathieu Trobec Drums: Marcel Binder
February 9 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – War Memorial Auditorium February 10 – Tampa, FL – Yuengling Center February 13 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall February 14 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom February 15 – San Antonio, TX – Boeing Center at Tech Port February 18 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre February 20 – Los Angeles, CA – The Kia Forum February 21 – Wheatland, CA – Hard Rock Live February 24 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Union Event Center February 26 – Loveland, CO – Blue FCU Arena February 27 – Omaha, NE – Steelhouse Omaha February 28 – St. Louis, MO – The Factory March 2 – Des Moines, IA – Vibrant Music Hall March 3 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory March 4 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed March 7 – Cincinnati, OH – The Andrew J Brady Music Center March 8 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit March 10 – Pittsburgh, PA – UPMC Events Center March 11 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met March 12 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway March 14 – Virginia Beach, VA – The Dome March 15 – Washington, DC – The Theater at MGM National Harbor March 17 – Greensboro, NC – Greensboro Event Center March 18 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
Canada
April 6 – Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre April 9 – Laval, QC – Place Bell April 11 – Toronto, ON – Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto April 14 – Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre April 17 – Edmonton, AB – Edmonton Convention Centre April 18 – Calgary, AB – Grey Eagle Event Centre April 20 – Vancouver, BC – PNE Forum
Canadian singer and songwriter RICK HUGHES has a new solo album out (October 24) called Redemption. Rick is also the singer for Canadian heavy metal band SWORD. Sword released 2 albums in the 80s on Canadian label Aquarius, and went on to tour supporting Alice Cooper and others (I must’ve seen them in Toronto on the Raise Your Fist and Yell tour in Toronto). Since then Rick went on to front SAINTS & SINNERS, and release a few solo albums. Now Rick is back with an excellent new solo album, with great songs, including a few covers, and some very special guests. Redemption can be ordered at: https://www.dekoentertainment.com/inthesquare/rick-hughes
Below, Rick and I talked about his new album, plus Sword, as well as his influences, and favorite artists. …..
With the first single, “The Real Me”, you had a lot of guests on it and that, so I’m wondering from where you’re based, how you got all those guys involved? What the connection is with Brad Gillis and Tommy Aldridge and that?
That’s a connection that comes from my Saints & Sinners days. With Saints & Sinners, I was working with the keyboardist from San Francisco, Jesse Bradman, a good friend of mine. When we started to get the project for my new album, that was like two years ago, we went about asking for songs. We asked Jesse if he had some songs to propose for my new album. And he says, “Yeah, I got a couple of songs that I wrote with Brad Gillis”. So, we said, Oh, we want to hear that song. Upon hearing the songs, I fell in love with the songs. I says, can I please have them? They say, Yeah, of course! That’s how we got Brad Gillis, because he accepted to let me record the song. And then we became friends. So, when it was time to record “The Real Me”, we said, well, we have Brad for his songs, because he plays on his songs, of course. And lucky for us. So, we said, “Can you do another one?” And we asked him to play on “The Real Me”. And that’s when the idea came about to reunite him with Rudy (Sarzo) and Tommy Aldridge.
That’s interesting, because when I saw that, obviously, like, I was a big Speak Of The Devil fan when that album came out with that Ozzy lineup.
So Was I !
I’m curious how you got to where you are now with this new album Redemption, because I’ve recently picked up a couple of the Sword albums. So obviously, it’s a very different sound. You got a lot more variety on the on your new album that. Can you talk a bit about how you are where you’re at now, as opposed to just doing the Sword stuff or kind of more of the metal stuff?
That’s a very good question. And the answer is quite logical, is that when I’m a metal singer, or I chose to record metal, I do it with Sword If it’s a solo project, like here in Quebec, I’ve been doing 50 to 100 shows a year for the last 20 years. And the shows that I do are for seven years old to 77 years old people, you know. I’m the kind of guy that when I wake up in the morning, if I listen to music, I listen to The Band, Elton John, metal stuff. Later on in the afternoon, if I have to go around and do other stuff, listen to blues, hard rock… When I ride my Harley, sometimes I listen to heavy metal. But I’m a fan of music. My biggest influence is Robert Plant. So, if you take Robert Plant’s career, I’m not trying to mimic or duplicate, but when your mentor does stuff, you kind of go that way without even noticing it. When you think about Robert Plant, since Zeppelin and today, it’s totally different. He’s never redone the same album. It’s always been different. So that’s what I try to do with my solo career, I do what people already know me for. I’m a singer and I love rock music. So, rock music’s got plenty of genre – it’s got heavy metal, it’s got hard rock, it’s got blues rock, it’s got heavy blues, it’s got pop rock, it’s got rock, it’s got country rock. So that’s the sound you hear on my album, just what I just described.
Now you do have a few covers on the album, in particular, “The Real Me”. I love the Who albums. I’m kind of curious why you picked that one of all the Who stuff.
Because of the playing. When my manager and I decided on this song, we said, “Okay, let’s redo The Real Me, and let’s find the perfect musicians to render the song. So, it was magical because that was way before Brad was even in the conversation. So once Brad got in on the song, then we went for Tommy Aldridge and Rudy Sarzo, with the result that we hear on the recording.
There’s a few other covers, you do the Michel Pagliaro song. I imagine he’s a big influence on you. We don’t see him much outside of Quebec, I assume, but the albums are pretty easily to find here. But I wonder if you can talk a bit about that track that you chose.
Again, a very good question and I’ll answer it by answering two questions because probably you’ve got another question around the corner. Michel Pagliaro, we affectionately call him ‘Pag’, is one of my main influences. As a kid, when I first saw him on TV, that’s when I fell in love with the guy, with the attitude, the music, the sound. Pag is like the rock and roll attitude, man; this guy is amazing. And when it was time to choose the songs, I said to the producer, John Webster, and my manager, I told them, “We need at least a couple of French songs on the album”. And they obviously asked me, “Why is it so important?” I said, “Because I’m a loyal guy. I’ve been playing here in Quebec for 10 years. I’ve been doing 50 to 100 shows a year, there’s some French material in the show. There’s obviously a lot of English material because I’m more at ease singing Americana kind of stuff, or even British stuff. But still, there’s a section in my show that that’s Francophone for my Francophone fans. So, I said to my producer, I said, “Listen, John, you’re the best producer in the world in my book. I’m about to do one of my most important albums. There’s got to be a couple of songs in French”. I’m a loyal guy. I don’t want to leave my French speaking fans out of this album that is so important. And the way I closed the deal I said to him, I said, “It doesn’t matter if it’s French or English at the end of the day, because just think about Rammstein, they’re German, they sing in German, everybody loves it. You wouldn’t change German to English because of the way it sounds. So same goes with my French song on the album. I’m sure that the English-speaking fan will find something interesting in the French song or they’ll catch a glimpse of the words. And yeah, I’m confident they’ll like it as much as they’ll like the English song.
It’s interesting because I think Michel Pagliaro did the same thing where he had some French and some English songs on various albums and that. Correct?
True. Yes. A lot of artists here in Quebec do that, they mix both, because as you can hear, I’m a French speaking guy. Rick Hughes is my real name. It’s not a stage name. My father was from Irish descent. So, it is my real name. But I’ve grown in a French environment. My girlfriend is French, my dogs, my kids, everybody around my neighbors. I speak French 24 7. So that’s it. But like I said earlier, I love the sound of singing a song in English.
The other cover, I wouldn’t say it’s cover. Actually, it’s your song, the Aldo Nova track “Someday”. I listened to that. I thought I know that because I got that here (held up Blood On The Bricks CD). Obviously, that song is good 30 plus years old. You’ve done a lot of work with Aldo as well, that song and some other stuff as well.
This is such an important song for me. And I’ll tell you why. I wrote the song while I was working with Aldo on Saints & Sinners album. Aldo was producing the Saints & Sinners album while Jon Bon Jovi was producing his album, Blood on the Bricks for Aldo. So, while he was producing Saints & Sinners, he had written some amazing songs for the album. And so one night I came to him and I showed him “Someday” and he says, “Wow!” I said, “Cool, you like it? So, it’s going to be on the album?” He says, “No… let me ask Jon because we’re looking for a ballad right now. We’re missing a ballad. And if you would allow me to use your ballad on my album, I’d be very grateful.” I says, “…if Jon likes it, then it’s yours! I got plenty of good songs on Saints and Sinners. And again, you wrote some excellent songs for me. So, it would be just a show of gratitude to leave you the song.” So, the next day he called me and says, “Jon loves it. We’re going to use it for my album”. A couple of months after that, they gave me a call, they were in studio and they were rearranging the song, changing some lyrics, adding some parts here and there. So that’s how Aldo and Jon are credited on the song. But I am the main songwriter of the song. So, I wanted to redo it. But I waited to make sure that it was okay with Aldo.
Well, it’s a great inclusion. It was a hit and it’s something obviously people will be familiar with.
And what I meant by this song is very important is that, like you said, that’s 30-something years ago that Aldo recorded that song. At that time, I was a young, struggling artist from Quebec. I had two kids that were just born. My wife, at that time and I wanted to buy a house, but we needed the down payment for a house. And we were, you know, scratching and putting some money aside and getting ready to buy a house. It would have taken us a long time. And by leaving that song to Aldo, the first royalty check that I got was the down payment for the first house I bought. So, it’s a gift that keeps on giving.
Well that works out then…The other person you have on here I see a lot lately, he’s on the new Alice Cooper album as well, is Robbie Krieger (on “Dans La Peau“) . How did you wind up with him on the album?
The album was recorded at Little Mountain Studio in Vancouver where Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, name it, they all recorded there. Now it’s called Iposonic Sound, but it’s the same. Nothing has changed. Frames on the wall, everything’s the same. So, everything was recorded there. It’s a live album. We got the rhythm section to record all the songs there. So, it’s a live album. But when it was time to record my duet with Amy Keys, a fabulous female singer. Man, I’m a big fan of hers. She was available but only in Los Angeles. So, they gave me a call.
They said, “Okay, Amy wants to do the duet with you, but it’s going to have to be in L.A. I said, “okay, so let’s do it in L.A”….”Okay, well there’s a studio in L.A. It’s Robbie Krieger’s studio, and it’s near where she lives. They got the equipment”, I said, “Wait, wait, wait! … you had me at Robbie Krieger”. I’m a big, big, big Doors fan. We went to Robbie Krieger’s studio to record Amy Keys. And while she was there recording the song, I came up with the idea. I told my manager, I said, “Why don’t we ask Robbie to play on that song?” It’s a kind of bluesy country-ish kind of song. And he goes, “that’s a long shot”. I said, yeah, but if we don’t try it, we’ll never know. So, we tried and he said yes. And that to me is like, it’s not even a dream come true because I never even dreamt that Robbie Krieger would play on one of my albums. I’m very, very grateful to him.
Well, yeah, it’s an interesting inclusion. He seems to do a few guest appearances; he’s on the new Alice Cooper album and he’s on an album by Blue Coop, which is the BOC guys and that. And the other guy you’ve mentioned on this album, I’m not familiar with him, is Johnny Hallyday.
Oh, Johnny Hallyday! I’m a fan of this guy. He’s like the French (from France), Elvis Presley. He died in 2017. And he was filling stadiums back in France, like 80,000 people.
He was a big, big, star, big, big influence on me as a kid, because my mom was a big fan of Elvis and of him. My mom was an artist, you know!? The Johnny Hallyday song is not known. It was kept quiet. It was released and they took it out. But before they took it out, I had a copy of it that I had put on a CD that time when we could burn CDs. So, I was listening to the song all the time and I kept it private, I didn’t want anybody to steal that idea because I thought it was such a good song. It’s like a hard rock, heavy blues kind of song. And the subject matter is so, so, SO, up to date.
How did you get a hold of it? It was an outtake from an album?
Well, you know, when I mentioned Amy Keys; Amy Keys was one of his backup singers for many years. So, he would do duets with her. The guy that wrote the song, the duet with Amy Keys, wrote the song for Amy Keys and Johnny Halliday, but Johnny died. He never could even listen to the song or let alone record it. So, it fell into my lap. That’s when I said, “Yeah, I’m a big Johnny fan. That was meant for Johnny, I want that song!” That’s how the connection was made.
You mentioned this album being a very important album. I get the impression in like reading some of the notes that it’s quite, some of the songs are quite personal for you. So, I wonder if you can talk a bit about the importance of everything as an album and some of the songs as being personal to you.
Just the title, you know, I was looking for a word that was the same word in French than in English, so not to deny my French root. And a couple of words came to mind, and then I came up with, Redemption, came into my head. Because I’ve been around the block a couple of times.
I’ve toured with Motorhead in the UK. I’ve been here, there, everywhere. I say that very humbly. I had my shares of let down and get up again and fight more – that’s the story of my life. And my philosophy about that is that we’re in a constant state of redemption if we strive to get better every day as a human being. So, if you look up redemption, not in a biblical sense, but in the literal sense, it’s about focusing on yourself, not on others or what happens around the world. It’s just focusing on you and how you can make your world better. And the best way to do that is to forgive yourself all the time for everything that you do. If you’ve done something wrong, or that was not quite right, just forgive yourself and just readjust. That to me is redemption. I thought the title was perfect because of my age, where I’m at in my life right now, the importance of that album, and all the subject matters on the album. They’re not that serious; they’re not pointing fingers at anybody. I wanted to create an album where if somebody digs it, well, while he listens to it, he forgets about the world, he forgets about anything, he just thinks about himself and how he feels upon listening to the album. That’s why there’s so much difference between one song to the other, so people can travel in their mind, and not always stay on the same train.
What else do you have planned for promoting this? Will you be doing any shows outside of Quebec? Anything planned as far as a band goes or anything?
That’s the main reason why I did the album, is to get more shows going. I really, I truly come alive on stage. That’s my second favorite place in the world. My first favorite place in the world is here at home with my wife and my people. My second favorite place is on stage.
As soon as I put one foot on the stage, “Whoa!”, something happens. And it’s been like that since the beginning; and it’s still like that. So, yeah, the reason for this album is to get us more shows, you know, abroad, not only in Quebec. I would love to go play in Niagara. I’ve been there before.
Growing up where you did, obviously, there’s a lot of Montreal, Quebec has kind of its own scene. There’s a lot of stuff that we don’t see much out of over here. But there’s a lot of great bands from Quebec, like Frank Marino, Pagliaro, Offenbach.
April Wine! They were based out of Quebec.
I’m a big April Wine fan.
What kind of stuff you grew up on and what some of your favorites as far as the Canadian scene went.
When we’re young, we get influenced by the music our parents listen to, as long as they listen to something cool. My parents were really cool. My father was a guitar player, singer, leader in a rock band, and my mom would sing in the band with him, a bit Johnny Cash- June Carter kind of stuff. They had this amazing vinyl collection when I was a kid. They had Zeppelin, Janis, French stuff, lots of Elvis. So, it was very rock and roll. So, my early influences were Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd, some French stuff like Offenbach, Pagliaro. But yeah, it starts at home, or with your friends. In my case, it started at home. We’re a musical family. Everybody does music in my family. My sister sings on the album with me. My brother plays drums in Sword.
Did you keep a big record collection growing up?
Yes, I still have my vinyl collection, and I still have some old record players, like we used to have when we were kids, with the cabinets there. I got two, and I play my records on that. I got one in this room and I got one in my ‘man cave’.
The SWORD albums, which I recently picked up, the Unidisc reissues. You guys were on Aquarius, and I think Aquarius closed up at some point in the early 90s. Did you guys have any say in these reissues?
No, it’s Unidisc that handles that, but we had a good relationship with Unidisc. George, the owner of Unidisc, is a great guy. He’s taken good care of Sword’s albums. As you can see, the reissues are beautiful. The way he redid the sleeves and everything. It’s really good. Are you aware that we recorded a third album!?
Yeah, I was looking at that, and I see there was a limited amount of vinyl for that. I was just looking at trying to find a copy.
It’s just called Sword III.
Yeah, and then there was the live album as well?
Yeah, the live album was (done) before, but Sword III was released in 2023, a couple of years ago. We love that album too. It sounds great. By the way, I’m rehearsing with Sword tonight. I’ve been rehearsing for the past five weeks because we’ve got some shows coming. We’re friends since we were 15 years old. We’ve always been together.
You guys must have had some success. You had a lot of names on the albums. You had Gary Moffet, you had Jack Richardson producing the one album and that. So, what are some of the highlights of those first two albums, that period there?
Well, it was the best of times. My brother and I started to make music like we were 13. I was 13, he was 14. I played the guitar and he was banging on stuff. And then he got drums, I got an electric guitar. Then we met the two Mikes – Mike Plant and Mike Larock. We were living in the same town. So, we were 16, 17 years old. We did the bar circuits for years and years. And we built up a fan base. In 1986 we signed with Aquarius. We released Metallized, and the next thing you know, we’re opening for Metallica! And then we got a call from the UK to go open for Motorhead. We got back, we did the second album, and then we went on tour with Alice Cooper.
That was a dream come true because my brother and I, when we were in our teens, we were the guys that would go in line at the A&M record store and wait till the door opened to buy the new Alice Cooper album, Welcome to My Nightmare and all that stuff. We were big fans of Alice Cooper. So, we got to open for him like 10, 15 years after being big fans, and get to meet him! We were so in awe. And you mentioned Jack Richardson, who worked on some Alice Cooper albums; and that (again) was another dream come true.
The other guy who recorded one of your albums was Gary Moffet, an amazing guitar player.
Yes. And amazing songwriter.
Have you seen the new version of April Wine at all?
Yes, I saw that. And the singer is a good friend of mine – Marc Parent. I played with him a couple of times. We had a show together. He’s good, he’s got a good voice, and he’s a good Good guitar player!
What else do you have on the go?
That’s it. I’m very happy with the team I have on this album. I’m really looking forward for the world to hear it because I know that with Sword and with Saints & Sinners I’ve got some fans here and around the world. So, they’ll discover a new sound, which is who I am today, what I listen to, what turns me on, what gives me the shivers, what makes me think. It’s like a good movie – if you sit down and watch a good movie, for a couple of hours you get inspired because of the message, well, the same goes for music. That’s what it does to me. If I put on a good album, I won’t stop in the middle I’ll listen from beginning to end because I know it will take me somewhere else in my head and my thoughts. You travel without leaving home! Just sitting down. Like when we were kids, and we got Pink Floyd The Wall, how that changed our lives. I remember as a kid listening to The Wall and crying on some songs because I thought ‘wow, this is so beautiful!’ And it changed my life, a little bit. And then I heard another album that changed my life a little bit. Music does that to you.
A good songwriter will not only work on the music, but also on the lyrics to make sure that what he says reflects what he thinks, and what he thinks is right. And again, a good songwriter will do that. There’s songs that I’ve heard 20-50 times and they still do the same thing to me. They make me want to be a better person. Music does that to you. People take it for granted, but music is like food for thought; it’s food for your soul.
Is there any plans for another Sword album?
Yeah, probably. I’m doing some rehearsals with Sword because we got some shows coming up, but I’m really focused on my solo project. I just can’t wait for the album to get out, and to start to tour for that album. When I’m done with that, the timing is right, then it’s going to be Sword.
You mentioned a few of your influences. What are a few of your favorite albums of all time; albums that have stuck with you, that you can put on anytime?
Of all-time, I’d say Led Zeppelin I,II, III, and IV. Every Black Sabbath with Ozzy, with Dio, and Born Again with Ian Gillan… Those are my favorites – Dio, Ozzy, Robert Plant, some Judas Priest. Those are my favorite singers, biggest influences.
CREATURES is an ’80s influenced hard-rock / heavy metal band from Brazil, who are about to release their second album. Their sound, riffs, vocals….reminds me first of early-mid ’80s Judas Priest, among others of the era. *Check out the press info below, as well as the 2 videos from their forthcoming album Creatures II, which will be out November 14, on High Roller Records.
Creatures were originally formed in the summer of 2019 in the city of Curitiba. Like most places in Brazil, the scene there is dominated by extreme metal. However, there are some small “pockets of resistance” carrying the torch for more of a traditional heavy metal sound. And Creatures (along with a group called Trovão) is one of the most talented of the lot.
After having issued a few singles, Bart Gabriel offered the band a deal to release their debut album from 2021 through his former label, Iron Oxide Records.
The follow-up “Creatures II” is now due to be released on High Roller Records. “Creatures II” was recorded between September 2024 and March 2025 at Heavy Tron Studio, by Arthur Migotto (Hazy Hamlet). It was produced by Mateus Cantaleano and Migotto. Mateus Cantaleano wrote all the music and lyrics. The line-up on the recording was Marc Brito (vocals), Mateus Cantaleano (guitar), Ricke Nunes (bass), and Sidnei Dubiella (drums). There were also a few special guests, like Caio Vidal on keyboards and Arthur Migotto himself doing some additional vocals.
“Musically, I’d say the album is literally a mix of heavy metal and hard rock, with a darker, more evil vibe,” explains guitarist Mateus Cantaleano. “It carries what I believe is the essence of the band – dynamic songs that combine riffs with arpeggios, catchy choruses with darker minor melodies. Something like that, I think.”
Creatures were once described as a mixture ofDokken, Ratt and Judas Priest, a description Mateus Cantaleano can live with: “Absolutely, that’s true. Those bands – especially Dokken and Judas Priest – are very important in my life, and I carry their influence, even indirectly, in almost everything I do. Of course, I always aim for inspiration, not copying either of them exactly.” Comparing “Creatures I” and “Creatures II”, the guitar player continues: “I’d say “Creatures II” is a bit heavier, darker, and a more mature album than its predecessor. While the first album was recorded just by me and Roberto, this time we had a full band involved. Both albums share the same essence – very dynamic songs, heavy tracks, power ballads, lots of vocal harmonies, catchy choruses, wild guitar solos, and so on. To me, ‘Beware The Creatures’ is the track that best sums up what I’m aiming for musically with Creatures.”
RICK HUGHES DELIVERS A SPECTACULAR SOLO ALBUM WITH ‘REDEMPTION,’ REUNITES MEMBERS OF ONE OF OZZY’S BEST LINE-UPS FOR COVER OF THE WHO’S “THE REAL ME”
Canadian-born Rick Hughes is renowned for his powerful and rangey voice as the lead singer of the legendary metal band Sword, and of the hard-rock band Saints & Sinners. A seasoned performer with hundreds of headlining shows in Canada, America, Europe and Japan over the years, and his superb stage performances while opening for bands such as Metallica, Motorhead, Alice Cooper, Black Label Society, etc.
So when it was time for him to record ‘’Redemption’’, his first international solo album, he spared no expenses and efforts to make this album a great one, hiring producer John Webster (Aerosmith, Mötley Crüe, AC/DC, etc.) and renting HippoSonic Recording Studio (formerly known as Little Mountain Studios) in Vancouver to record this opus.
The first salvo is coming out September 5, 2025, and it is quite an event in itself: his first single and video is a supercharged version of The Who’s classic ‘’The Real Me’’ – reuniting after 43 years Ozzy Osbourne’s 1982 band consisting of Brad Gillis on guitar, Rudy Sarzo on bass, and Tommy Aldridge on drums. This is the band that did the last leg of the ‘’Diary of a Madman Tour’’ in 1982 after the tragic departure of the great Randy Rhoads, and that then recorded Ozzy’s classic live album ‘’Speak of the Devil’’.
*Pick up the Limited Edition Bundle (100 copies) that includes a collectible 7” vinyl of the “Real Me” signed by Rick Hughes, Brad Gillis, Tommy Aldridge, and Rudy Sarzo.
The resulting sound is epic, and so is the spectacular video that was shot and directed by Matthew Lucas (Kringle Time, Moonshot, We Meet Again, etc.) at the state-of-the-art L.A. Castle Studios, with post and editing by Montreal’s Jean-Marc Laurin (Jurassic World, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Game of Thrones, Assassin’s Creed, etc.).
”The Real Me stands as a cornerstone of my album ‘Redemption’,” says Rick. “As a lifelong fan of The Who, I wanted to pay tribute to the golden age of 70s rock. To capture that spirit, I brought together a true supergroup with Tommy Aldridge, Rudy Sarzo and Brad Gillis, a unique moment where legends unite to breathe new life into a classic.”
“This very special song is part of the upcoming Rick Hughes Album ‘Redemption,’ a collection of great rock songs to be released on Friday, October 24 2025 on CD, Vinyl, and Digital format worldwide by Deko Entertainment, and featuring more great collaborations with some famous musicians.
Included are 2 more songs featuring the superb songwriting and inspired guitar playing of the great Brad Gillis, another featuring the extraordinary talent of The Door’s legendary guitarist Robby Krieger, and great contributions from rock royalty Lee Aaron, vocal powerhouse Amy Keys (Ringo Starr, Phil Collins, Toto, Sting, Stevie Wonder, etc.), rising guitar hot shot Jacob Deraps, as well as Rick’s gifted sister, Lulu Hughes.
With its great performances, ‘Redemption’ is a very special and unique rock album that brings together 7 songs in English, 1 bilingual and 2 songs in French.
‘REDEMPTION’ TRACKLIST:
Vinyl version:
Side A: 1 ) Dead End Road 2 ) Croire En l’Homme 3 ) The Real Me 4 ) Carry The Torch 5 ) Will of the Gun
Side B: 1 ) Shake My Soul 2 ) Someday 3 ) Dans La Peau 4 ) In a Perfect World 5 ) Ça Va Brasser
CD Version:
1 ) Dead End Road 2 ) Croire en l’Homme 3 ) The Real Me 4 ) Carry The Torch 5 ) Will of the Gun 6 ) Shake My Soul 7 ) Someday 8 ) Dans La Peau 9 ) In a Perfect World 10 ) Ça Va Brasser 11 ) Bonus Track: Dans La Peau (french version)
Outsider Rock 