The Mission perform their greatest hits ‘From The Oyster Comes The Pearl’ show at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, Saturday 23rd November. With a name inspired by the iconic track from their 2013 album ‘The Brightest Light’, The Mission will be joined by The Chameleons, Claytown Troupe and special guests IST IST.
CLAYTOWN TROUPE is a critically acclaimed British alternative rock band formed in 1984, gaining prominence in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s and carving a niche with atmospheric sounds and powerful live performances. These include supporting The Cult on their ‘Sonic Temple’ tour, Pearl Jam on their ‘Ten’ tour, the Fields Of The Nephilim, The Wonder Stuff, The Damned as well as many sold out tours and headlines across Europe, including the Marquee Club and Astoria
The band were signed to Island records in 1988, releasing the album ‘Through The Veil’ and several top 100 singles, then following the sale of Island to EMI, released ‘Out There’ on their new label, along with 2 top 75 singles.
The band achieved a 5K review from Kerrang magazine on their ‘Through The Veil’ album release and many rave reviews for the power and depth of their music and performance.
Singer Christian Riou has now forged a new Claytown Troupe with the offer of supporting The Mission on a unique Festival slot in Dubai and this will open up the opportunity of further performances in 2025.
Singles “Prayer” (1989) No. 78 “Hey Lord” (1989) No. 86 “Real Life” (1990) No. 85 “Ways of Love” (1990) “Wanted It All” (1992) ‘Skybound’ (1992) Unreleased Albums Through the Veil (1989) (Island) Out There (1991) (EMI)
Members: Christian Riou Damon Williams Bass Mark Stratton Guitar David Weiss Keys Kurt Philips Drums
Past Members: Richard Williams Adrian Bennett Andy Holt Paul Waterson Ben Christo
JOKE ADDICTION have released their new single “Ghost”, now available on all digital platforms through Volcano Records & Promotion.
With a powerful sound that blends heavy groove and hard rock, “Ghost” provides a critical look at the figure of the “inciter”, someone who takes pleasure in creating tensions and conflicts, yet always remains detached, like a ghost, watching the negative effects of their actions from afar. Inspired by bands such as Alice in Chains, Velvet Revolver, and Black Sabbath, Joke Addiction have channeled their personal and artistic experiences into this 3-minute and 51-second track, which expresses their unique musical vision. This single marks an important chapter in the creative journey of the band.
Founded in Siracusa, Sicily, in 2013 by Andrea Campisi (vocals and guitar) and Melo Di Natale (drums), the band consolidated its lineup in 2022 with the addition of Angelo Rizza on bass. With a reputation built through live performances and appearances at prestigious events and a European tour just scheduled for the upcoming months, Joke Addiction continues to expand its distinctive sound to a growing audience.
Listen to “Ghost” on Spotify and watch the lyric video on the band’s YouTube channel:
Since emerging from the great smog of the United Kingdom, Crippled Black Phoenix have burned like a signal flare against the night, warning weary travelers of the troubles ahead. This year, Justin Greaves (ex Iron Monkey and Electric Wizard), long-time vocalist Belinda Kordic and their many collaborators are celebrating 20 years of end-time ballads with a new, two-part compilation.
Horrific Honorifics Number Two (2) continues the UK band’s tradition of haunting homages with covers that range from Fugazi to NoMeansNo, Deep Purple, Built to Spill and Laura Branigan’s Top 10 hit “Self Control”. The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature reworks their early signature songs, including the darker, gloomier “Goodnight, Europe (Pt2)”.
Today, CBP are releasing a revamped version of “444”. Originally released on 2009 standout The Resurrectionists, this dirge quickly became a fan favorite and staple in the band’s set list. While faithful to how the song is performed live, this recording includes new lyrics that once again reflect the perils of our times.
The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature and Horrific Honorifics Number Two (2) come out November 29 on Season of Mist.
The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature 1. We Forgotten Who We Are (11:17) 2. You Put The Devil In Me (6:18) 3. 444 (7:23) 4. Goodnight, Europe (Pt2) (8:37) [WATCH] 5. (-) (4:39) 6. Song For The Unloved (14:22) 7. Whissendine (6:58) 8. Blizzard Of Horned Cats (4:43) Total runtime: 1:04:21
Horrific Honorifics Number Two (2) 1. Vengeance (4:16) 2. Self Control (5:23) [LISTEN] 3. Blueprint (4:03) 4. And That’s Sad (6:52) 5. Hammer Song (4:52) 6. When A Blind Man Cries (3:22) 7. My Pal (3:51) 8. Goin’ Against Your Mind (8:53) Total runtime: 41:36
The thread that binds CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s bold and towering discography — a dozen studio albums, a half-dozen mini-albums, a handful of compilations and swaths of bootlegs — could not be more apropos circa 2022. Since its 2004 creation by multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Justin Greaves, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX has served as the voice for the voiceless, whether it be animals, the unequal and the different. Greaves and longstanding vocalist and lyricist Belinda Kordic have often proffered that these beings cannot fend for themselves. Henceforth, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s mission has been to shed light on the human condition and the inequalities that befall humankind and its creatures. Their battle marches on with their latest studio album, Banefyre.
Banefyre follows 2020’s Ellengæst — an effort that found CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX employ a series of notable guest vocalists alongside Kordic, prompting Metal Hammer to describe it as their “most cohesive and emotionally devastating record.” Kordic is now paired with Swedish vocalist Joel Segerstedt, who made his CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX debut last year via the “Painful Reminder/Dead is Dead” single. Piano, synth and trumpet player Helen Stanley and additional guitarist Andy Taylor complete the lineup. Greaves says Stanley and Taylor “fit so well creatively,” which has made CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX feel like a band when making plans and decisions.
Also central to this is Segerstedt. According to Kordic, the vocalist and lyricist lives a mere five minutes from her in Sweden and has quickly integrated himself into the band. “What I like about Joel is that he’s a good person,” she says. “There’s no fakeness with him; he has cajones. He’s not a bitch-talker, either. I can’t handle people who don’t have a backbone, but Joel is real and can speak his mind.”
“I like how Joel has come in and spoke for himself,” adds Greaves. “He’s in the band for the right reasons. I see him the same way as Belinda — she took an interest in the whole artistic thing behind CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX, like the vocals, lyrics, artwork and aesthetic. It’s the same with Joel. He has taken an interest in all of those things. In the past, we had people who didn’t contribute artistically and only cared about what they got out of the band. But Joel is really proactive and takes the initiative.”
Greaves assembled 13 songs (including “No Regrets,” a bonus track for his new project with Kordic, Johnny the Boy) imbued with the depth and introspection that will reinforce CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s standing as a band that defies genre. The album was tracked at Chapel Studios in South Thoresby, Lincolnshire, with vocals cut at Monolith Studio and Kapsylen Studio in Stockholm, Sweden. Kurt Ballou handled mixing in GodCity Studios in Salem, Massachusetts — a pivotal move in determining the album’s overall sound.
“I love the album so much because it was a different approach with the production,” says Greaves. “For my part, it was a little bit of a reaction. I didn’t want to do the same warm, safe CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX album. I’m aware that when we did [2012’s] I, Vigilante, everyone wanted I, Vigilante again. As it so often happens with this band, people complain about the next one, then grow into it. Ellengæst is like I, Vigilante. It’s a shorter album. It hit the mark and was done really well, but everyone will expect another Ellengæst. I feared that, but I care enough not to make another Ellengæst. It’s the right thing to do. That’s why we got Kurt to mix it — we wanted that analog, raw power. Even though the album has mellow moments, those are edgy as well. We just didn’t want to do the same album twice. We’re never going to be a band that people can rely on.”
Greaves’ summation of his band notwithstanding, his distinctive guitar playing and enduring knack for immersive songwriting is the propellent behind the haunting, chant-laden “Ghostland,” pensive “The Reckoning” and forlorn “Everything is Beautiful but Us,” the band’s spot-on analysis of the retreat of humankind indoors during the pandemic that revealed nature’s priceless beauty. The album is also stocked with no less than four ten-minute-plus cuts (“Rose of Jericho,” “Down the Rabbit Hole,” “I’m Okay, Just Not Alright” and “The Scene is a False Prophet”) that are intermixed with drama and melancholy.
It all ties into Banefyre’s central theme of the persecution of people who are deemed “different” by society. The album title is a play on the song “Bonefire” that Kordic named and wrote lyrics for. In classic CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX fashion, Greaves turned it into the Olde English translation to represent the bonfires that engulfed witches and politicians through the 15th and 18th centuries, hence, the name Banefyre.
The album begins with “Incantation for the Different,” which was written and orated by Chicago-based witch, artist, author and occultist Shane Bugbee, who, according to Greaves, “brought us some positive, dark energy.” Banefyre then delves into the Salem Witch Trials (“Wyches and Basterdz”), fox hunting in Great Britain (“The Reckoning”), politicians of an unscrupulous and dishonest kind (“Bonefire”) and the New York City Blackout of 1977 (“Blackout77”).
Greaves says Banefyre’s topics may have a decidedly negative and pessimistic tone, but a glimmer of hope and joy remains. “There’s always the random bits, but overall, Banefyre is about the people who have suffered because they are different. The album covers inequality and oppression, like ‘Incantation for the Different,’ which is about overcoming when you’re put down because you’re not like everyone else.”
In true CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX fashion, the Lucy Marshall-created Banefyre cover leaves plenty to the imagination, depicting four animals seated at a table — interacting and dressed like human beings. “It’s sort of like Planet of the Apes showing what animals could do to humans,” says Greaves. “The cover was specially commissioned and is unique to the album. It’s incorporating all the classic CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX elements with the love for animals and twisting the narrative around.”
CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX’s reputation was built on the back of their studio albums and live shows. The pandemic prevented the band from supporting Ellengæst, but it did provide them additional time to bring in new members to their live configuration.
“We’ve done one show since 2019,” says Greaves. “We are going to do something in Europe this year. Hopefully, we can get back on track. We’re also going to do something in the States — that’s not just talk, we’re actually going to do it. It’s well overdue. The live band is fucking amazing. We have the five of us and now we have Jordi [Farré] on drums, Paco [Fleischfresser] on synth and a really good friend of mine, Matt Crawford on bass.
“We did the Leipzig show and even though the rehearsals were better than the show itself, that lineup, our live band, is so good. Because we haven’t been under pressure to put a live band together since 2019 and spent so long talking to people, we’ve got a better band from those results. Out of disaster, we’ve got quite a good, positive thing.”
The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature & Horrific Honorifics Number Two(2) are a double album celebrating the 20 year existence of CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX.
Original Credits: All tracks on Horrific Honorifics Number Two(2) are covers of various artists.
Vengeance Originally recorded by New Model Army, Written by: Sullivan/Morrow
Self Control Originally recorded by Laura Branigan, Written by: Giancarlo Bigazzi, Raffaele Riefoli, Steve Piccolo
Blueprint Originally recorded by Fugazi, Written by: Canty, Lilly, MacKaye, Picciotto
And That’s Sad Originally recorded by NoMeansNo, Written by: NoMeansNo
Hammer Song Originally recorded by Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Written by Alex Harvey
When A Blind Man Cries Originally recorded by Deep Purple, Written by: Gillan, Glover, Blackmore, Lord, Paice
My Pal Originally recorded by God, Written by: God, Joel Silbersher)
Goin’ Against Your Mind Originally recorded by Built To Spill, Written by: Doug Martsch, Jim Roth, Brett Nelson, Scott Plouf
Self Control Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Baritone Guitar Helen Stanley – Synth Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
Blueprint Ryan Patterson – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Helen Stanley – Piano Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
And That’s Sad Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars, Vocals Wesley Wasley – Bass, Vocals
Hammer Song Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Guitar, Acoustic guitar Helen Stanley – Synth, Hammond Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
When A Blind Man Cries Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves, Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Guitars Helen Stanley – Piano Kostas Panagiotou – Hammond Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
My Pal Belinda Kordic – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars, Backing Vocals Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
Goin’ Against Your Mind Justin Storms – Vocals Justin Greaves – Drums, Guitars Andy Taylor – Guitar Wesley J. Wasley – Bass
Recorded in 2023 at: Chapel Studios, Lincolnshire Engineered by Pieter Rietkerk
Additional Vocal Sessions at: Kapsylen Studio, Stockholm Engineered by Jörgen Jugglo Wall. House Of Foto, Louisville, KY Engineered by Ryan Patterson
Additional Production Credits: Mixed by Pieter Rietkerk Mastered by Magnus Lindberg Produced by Justin Greaves
CUT WIDE OPEN release their second single of 2024 with a heavy hitting ‘Hair Of The Dog’ via Inverse Records on October 30th. Blending melodic passages and crunchy riffing, the song is band’s one of the heaviest ones to date.
‘Hair of the Dog’ is about waking up to a new day, digging through the stone again and again and walking on a tightrope of self-medication between the good and bad ambience.
Composers: Oskari Pihlajaniemi, Joonas Koivumäki, Martti Siiteri, Pasi Lehtonen
Lyrics by Oskari Pihlajaniemi
Finnish metalcore quartet has released singles ’Illusions of Dreams’ (2024), ‘Out of Sight, Out of Mind’ (2021), ‘Go Hard or Go Home’ (2019) as well as their debut album ’Entitled to Gravity’ (2019).
W.A.S.P. has kicked off their Album ONE Alive tour. The tour celebrates the 40th anniversary of the debut W.A.S.P. album by playing it in its entirety, from start to finish. Once again Blackie Lawless is offering a intimate VIP experience before each show. Not only do fans get photos with Blackie, autographs, a autographed laminate, guitar picks and a very special Q&A with Blackie… now fans also get to experience for the very first time the W.A.S.P. museum that is exclusive to the VIP experience at each show. The museum contains a variety of items taken directly from the W.A.S.P. storage lockers. Fans can see the original W.A.S.P. sign, Blackie’s head from the first stage, a Raw Meat box, his bass, his Raiders guitar, the Blind In Texas guitar, his clothes from the Blind In Texas and Wild Child videos, gold and platinum records, magazines, posters from iconic shows, the F*ck Like A Beast codpiece, a surprise gold record and clock, and more. This is addition to getting a photo with Elvis, Blackie’s legendary mic stand.
“The VIP experience was top notch. I’ve only done a few over the years and this was far and away the best one. I liked the Q&A and how thoughtful and engaging Blackie was. Also, he was very meticulous in signing items in the best way possible.” – Scott
Formed in 1982, W.A.S.P. is set to bring this universally acclaimed “classic” album to life. Lead vocalist Blackie Lawless says, “It was an angry record made by an angry band. It was a record that not only reflected the attitude of the band members who made it, but also a record that reflected its time.” This record became a central piece of the 80s metal scene and remains one of the best metal debut albums of all time.
Along with bassist Mike Duda and lead guitarist Doug Blair, whose tenures in the band are 29 and 26 years respectively, W.A.S.P. is joined by long-time drummer extraordinaire Aquiles Priester.
THE ALBUM ONE ALIVE WORLD TOUR 2024, REMAINING DATES:
10/30/24 Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre 11/01/24 Calgary, AB The Palace Theatre 11/02/24 Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory 11/03/24 Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory 11/04/24 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot 11/05/24 Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre 11/07/24 Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore 11/08/24 St Charles, IL @ The Arcada Theatre 11/09/24 St Charles, IL @ The Arcada Theatre 11/10/24 Detroit, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre 11/11/24 Toronto, ON @ History 11/13/24 Montreal, QC @ MTELUS 11/14/24 Quebec City, QC @ Theatre Capitole 11/15/24 Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre 11/16/24 New York, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom At Manhattan Center 11/17/24 Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall 11/19/24 Cleveland, OH @ The Agora Theater 11/20/24 Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE 11/21/24 Stroudsburg, PA @ The Sherman Theater 11/22/24 Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore 11/23/24 Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore 11/24/24 Orlando, FL @ The Plaza Live 11/26/24 Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium 11/27/24 Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern 11/29/24 Houston, TX @ House Of Blues 11/30/24 San Antonio, TX @ Aztec Theatre 12/01/24 Dallas, TX @ The Factory in Deep Ellum 12/03/24 Little Rock, AR @ The Hall 12/04/24 Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion 12/06/24 Albuquerque, NM @ REVEL 12/07/24 Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee Theatre 12/09/24 Tucson, AZ @ The Rialto Theatre 12/10/24 San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues 12/11/24 Reno, NV @ Grand Sierra Resort and Casino 12/12/24 Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl 12/13/24 San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield 12/14/24 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
About W.A.S.P.
Few Bands in the history of Rock N’ Roll have ever incited the love, the hate, the raw emotional effect this Band has had on the world. From the very beginning, in the small venues of Los Angeles California, and later to the numerous countries worldwide that banned these Winged Assassins from performing live, the Band’s unique style of Shock and Rock caused Religious organizations, Local City Councils, Parliaments, and the Washington D.C. Senate to hold hearings in an effort to bar this group from selling records and trashing stages everywhere they played.
The band’s founding member, frontman Blackie Lawless, has led the group as its lead vocalist and primary songwriter since its beginning. His unique brand of visual, social and political comment took the group to worldwide heights and sold millions of records alongside a legacy of sold out shows across the globe for 4 decades.
Fellowship has released “Victim”, second single taken from the new album “The Skies Above Eternity” to be released on November 22nd by Scarlet Records. PRE-ORDER/PRE-SAVE
“Victim” is the Fellowship’s darkest song to date and centered on just how heavy the burdens we carry around with us can feel, and how addictive our vices can be when life gets hard. Isolated, lonely verses lead to a tour-de-force chorus that unleashes a pent up anger and, over the course of the song, morphs it into something positive. “Victim” is not just about feeling like the world is out to get you, it’s about overcoming that feeling and fighting back against your inner demons with everything you’ve got.
POWER METAL FOR ETERNITY
sophomore record for the buoyant British ascendants to the power metal throne;
unique theatrical vocals mixed with infectious power metal energy, sharp classy songwriting and a heartfelt positive message;
produced by Rich Campbell at Orpheus Studio & mixed by Alexander Backlund at Fascination Street Studios;
stellar cover artwork by Peter Sallai (Sabaton, Powerwolf, Feuerschwanz);
for fans of Twilight Force, Sabaton, Gloryhammer, Majestica, Galneryus;
“The Skies Above Eternity” will be released in the following formats: digipack CD, vinyl LP (350 marbled silver, 150 marbled purple), digital
artwork by Peter Sallai
Fellowship was the absolute power metal revelation of 2022 with their magnificent debut album “The Saberlight Chronicles”; after successfully bringing their positive vibes live in Europe and Japan, and hitting the American stage for the first time as headliners of the Mad With Power Fest on August 2nd, the English band is now ready to take things to the next level with their sophomore record.
“The Skies Above Eternity” is a journey into a new side of the Fellowship sound: darker, and more dynamic, but still retaining their classic sense of joy, this album tells a new story that delves into a deeper sense of melancholy with themes of helplessness and resistance, asks us to find joy in the darkest of places through its uplifting, powerful choruses, and reminds us that with each new day comes new hope – because sometimes all it takes to find it is looking up at the skies above you.
Drawing additional influence from Japanese power metal and delivering non-stop bangers from start to finish, this might just be the work that catapults Fellowship all the way up to the stars!
“The Skies Above Eternity” tracklist:
1 Hold Up Your Hearts (Again) 2 Victim 3 The Bitter Winds 4 Dawnbreaker 5 Eternity 6 King Of Nothing 7 World End Slowly 8 A New Hope 9 Memories On The Wind
Fellowship are Matthew Corry – vocals Brad Wosko – guitar Sam Browne – guitar (studio-only) Ed Munson – bass Callum Tuffen – drums
THE ROCK ALCHEMIST – Italian Rock Band from Turin with a strong sonic identity that blends modern rock with progressive, hard, alternative, and pop elements!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
