BMG, in partnership with Rhino Entertainment, announces the release of the 40th Anniversary of Ratt’s third studio album, Dancing Undercover, in a limited edition zoetrope, to be released on July 31st 2026.
This Limited Edition Gatefold LP features reimagined cover artwork, and a zoetrope vinyl with moving images of the iconic band’s logo and the members themselves, all housed in an opaque bag.
“With “Dancing Undercover”, mostly Robbin and I, wanted to get back to a place between the Ratt EP and “Cellar” records. The other guys might think differently and maybe the cracks were starting to happen, but all of us were all over the songs. I like the record, and for a minute or so Robbin and I accomplished what we wanted to as best we could. That was to make a tougher album. We were so committed to doing shows at that time. It was finding time off for writing and preproduction”.SEPearcy, founder lead singer songwriter of RATT.
Formed in Los Angeles, RATT was featured as an unsigned act on Uncle Joe Benson’s Local Licks Drive Time Show on KLOS-FM. This was their first time on radio and led to their signing to Atlantic Records.
RATT exploded on to the national scene in 1984 with the release of ‘Out Of The Cellar.’ Featuring an undeniable hook and legendary music video, lead single “Round And Round” hit #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, while ‘Out Of The Cellar’ reached #7 on the Billboard Top 200 and was certified triple platinum. Two more charting singles followed with “Back For More” and “Wanted Man”. RATT started the tour as an opening act, but by the end of the tour had climbed to arena headliner.
RATT returned in 1985 with their 2nd full length album, ‘Invasion Of Your Privacy.’ Certified double platinum and also reaching #7 on the Billboard Top 200, ‘Invasion of Your Privacy’ also featured the classics “Lay It Down” (#40 Billboard Hot 100) and “You’re In Love”.
‘Dancing Undercover’ followed in 1986 as RATT toured North America with a brand new LA band called POISON as the opening act. The lead single “Dance” hit the Billboard Hot 100 and spawned another music video hit with “Slip Of The Lip”, while “Body Talk” was featured in a key scene in the Eddie Murphy film, ‘The Golden Child’. ‘Dancing Undercover’ became RATT’s 3rd consecutive PLATINUM album and reached #26 on the Billboard Top 200.
Dancing Undercover features the classic line up of Stephen Pearcy (vocals), Warren DeMartini (guitars), Robbin Crosby (guitars), Juan Croucier (bass/vocals), and Bobby Blotzer (drums).
Tracklist Side A
Dance (Pearcy/Crosby/DeMartini/Hill)
One Good Lover (Crosby/Pearcy)
Drive Me Crazy (Pearcy/Crosby/DeMartini/Blotzer)
Slip Of The Lip (DeMartini/Pearcy/Croucier)
Body Talk (DeMartini/Pearcy/Croucier)
Side B
Looking For Love (Crosby/Pearcy/Croucier)
7th Avenue (DeMartini/Pearcy/Croucier)
It Doesn’t Matter (Croucier/Pearcy)
Take A Chance (DeMartini/Pearcy/Crosby/Croucier)
Enough Is Enough (DeMartini/Pearcy/Crosby/Croucier)
Carmine Appice and Cactus have released a new video for the track “Back Door Man”, taken from the new Cactus album “Temple Of Blues II” out now on Cleopatra Records. The track and video feature the amazing talents of Eric Gales and Billy Sheehan, alongside Carmine Appice.
Carmine Appice shared his thoughts on on the song and video “Back Door Man” — “Back Door Man” is an old blues classic. This version originally appeared on Howlin’ Wolf’s The Howlin’ Wolf Album (often referred to as his “Electric Album”).
This time, I wanted to make a real blues album for Temple of Blues 2. Temple of Blues 1was made up entirely of Cactus songs. I’ve always loved the Howlin’ Wolf album, which also gave Cactus our biggest song, “Evil.” We ended up recording seven songs from that album, and I always thought “Back Door Man” was one of the strongest tracks.
We cut the song with my Cactus guitarist, Artie Dillon, and then I started thinking about who should sing and play on it. I wanted a great blues artist, so I called Eric Gales and asked him to be part of the track. Then I thought Billy Sheehan would be perfect for it, creating a killer blues trio.
Billy was amazing on the track, even throwing in some lead guitar-style lines alongside Eric while still locking in with the drums. Eric’s vocals and guitar playing were incredible. When I arranged the song, I pushed the tempo up and changed the energy. Eric thought one section was meant for the drums, so he sent it back. I told him, “No, it’s for you to kick ass!” When I got it back, the three of us had created something really special.
The combination of great blues, powerful performances, and incredible energy brought the track to life. Then Pat Regan mixed it, and it sounds awesome.
The video has its own story. It all started at our Cactus charity show at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, Illinois, where we filmed all of the performance footage. From there, Dom Esposito and I spent hours talking about the concept. Dom than spent countless hours editing and re-editing the video until he got the story exactly right.
What started as a straightforward performance video evolved into a full-blown urban ghost story starring Eric Gales, Billy Sheehan, and yours truly. We wanted something that was more than just a band playing—we wanted atmosphere, mystery, attitude, and a little bit of old-school MTV magic.
The finished video captures the spirit of the song perfectly. It’s got that classic ’80s MTV feel from a time when music videos were events and every song had a story to tell. Eric Gales delivers an incredible performance, Billy Sheehan is on fire, and together we brought this blues classic to life with a whole new level of power and excitement.
Turn it up, watch it loud, and enjoy the ride.
— Carmine Appice
Now the Temple opens again, this time for an all-star aggregation that recalls Ted Nugent, Billy Sheehan, Bumblefoot, Dee Snider and Pat Travers from volume one, alongside an all-new wave of heavy hitters including Steve Morse (Deep Purple), Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns), Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow, Deep Purple), Rudy Sarzo (Ozzy Osbourne, Quiet Riot), Alex Skolnick (Testament), and a whole lot more!
The original Cactus grew out of Appice’s past experiences with Vanilla Fudge and Beck Bogart and Appice, debuting in 1970 with a self-titled album and an immediate impact on the live circuit. And Temple Of Blues IItakes us back to their birth. That summer, Cactus were among the main attractions at the Isle of Wight Festival in England, and the new album’s “Purple Haze” reunites them with both another of that bill’s audience favorites, Melanie, and its overall headliner, Jimi Hendrix.
Elsewhere on this thunderous sequel, Pat Travers returns for the mighty “Moanin’ At Midnight,” Joe Lynn Turner joins Morse, Carmine’s Guitar Zeus bandmate Tony Franklin and Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater) for “Bad Stuff,” Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) and Tracii Guns (L.A. Guns) lead the way for “The Little Red Rooster,” and Ted Nugent and Bob Daisley (Rainbow) join forces for an astonishing “Spoonful.”
But every track here expands the raw blues rock vision of volume one with even more fire, swagger, and authority. And Carmine, of course, anchors the proceedings with his unmistakable power, groove, and feel, driving every track and reaffirming his status as one of the most influential drummers in rock history.
Track List:
1. Back Door Man Pt. 1 & 2 feat. Eric Gales & Billy Sheehan 2. 300 Pounds Of Joy feat. Ty Tabor 3. Moanin’ At Midnight feat. Pat Travers 4. Down In The Bottom feat. Dug Pinnick 5. Token Chokin’ feat. Bumblefoot 6. Bad Stuff feat. Steve Morse, Joe Lynn Turner, Derek Sherinian & Tony Franklin 7. Tail Dragger feat. Rudy Sarzo & Alex Skolnick 8. The Little Red Rooster feat. Dee Snider, Tracii Guns, Jimmy Haslip 9. Purple Haze feat. Melanie 10. Spoonful feat. Ted Nugent & Bob Daisley
BONUS TRACK [CD ONLY] 11. Feel So Good feat. Billy Sheehan & Britt Lightning
Swiss icons SAMAEL, one of the most enduring and influential bands in the industrial/black metal scene, reveal their new single. “Hail To The Sun” is an equally heavy and grand track dealing with life’s hardships and taking chances instead. The rousing song full of stomping rhythm continues SAMAEL’s shining path into the new era, started in 2025 with “Black Matter Manifesto”, the band’s first piece of new music in eight years.
Formed in 1987, with nearly 40 years of continuous activity, SAMAEL are among the most influential forces in extreme metal. Classics like Worship Him (1990) and Passage (1996) reshaped the dark genres through their unique blend of black, industrial, and symphonic metal. With that signature sound, SAMAEL continues to push boundaries with dark precision and apocalyptic grandeur, remaining as relevant as ever. “Hail To The Sun” is raw, forceful, and imposing as ever!
SAMAEL about “Hail To The Sun”: “In troubled times, it is good to come together around something that is meaningful to us all… and what better thing than the sun, which is one but experienced differently by each of us? ‘Hail To The Sun’ is an anthem that will see you through the summer and keep you warm when winter comes. The song is about overcoming adversity and seizing life’s opportunities.”
Daedric returns with “Sand Tiger” reborn as a raw acoustic reinterpretation of the original, complete with an official music video. The single is out now on all platforms via FiXT.
Originally conceived as a raw, high-impact homage to the golden era of nu-metal, “Sand Tiger” has been reborn. Initially inspired by the Cave of Wonders tiger from Aladdin, “Sand Tiger” (Acoustic) still manages to capture the dark, growling presence both sonically and lyrically of the original.Now, the single features a stark transformation with its acoustic reimagining featuring a raw and powerful vocal performance from lead singer Kristyn Hope. Stripped of its industrial weight and rhythmic aggression, the track reveals a more exposed core, organic textures, and emotional clarity with vulnerability at the front and center. Kristyn’s vocals are center stage, unguarded and raw, her vocal range truly shines in this latest revision. The initial themes of existential exhaustion and emotional numbness, pushing forward even when it feels pointless are laid at your feet.
From a simple loop to one of the most intense tracks on the album, to a down to earth acoustic single “Sand Tiger” (Acoustic) proves Daedric’s willingness to continue to push boundaries.
“Taking a nu metal inspired song and turning it into a completely different sound was an interesting take on our acoustic treatment for the EP. ‘Sand Tiger’ is originally quite an aggressive song for vocals, so it was never going to be a soft, singer-songwriter type track, but we did find a nice balance between placing it into an acoustic setting and honoring the energy of its original form.” – Daedric
Daedric is an alternative rock and metal project led by vocalist and artist, Kristyn Hope, alongside producers, Clay Schroeder and Geoff Rockwell.
Daedric draws inspiration from an eclectic array of sources including the open world role-playing game series, The Elder Scrolls, from which the Daedric name is derived. The musical soundscape can best be described as “all killer, no filler” (according to Metal Epidemic) with a dance of hypnotic synths, elaborate grooves, and intensely dynamic vocals.
Kristyn launched the Daedric project in 2021 through a partnership with electronic rock label FiXT. With the debut full-length album, Mortal, and a May 2025 tour supporting TesseracT under Daedric’s belt, the project has solidified its hold on the line between rock and metal, with promises to tighten its grip on listeners’ ears. The band continues forward with a new album slated for release in late 2025.
Daedric has collaborated with labelmates Celldweller, Fight The Fade, Andromida, Void Chapter, and Highsociety for a gamut of well received singles that have also pulled in more fans from across the world. After dropping a variety of singles, music videos, and collaborations Daedric has amassed nearly 500K followers across all platforms, scored interviews in Outburn’s issue #112, mentions on Louder Sound, Punk Rocker, Metal Hammer, Metal Injection Spotify’s official “Women Of Metal” playlist, and recognition from Cristina of Lacuna Coil in a Spotify Women of Metal roundtable discussion between Lacuna Coil, Spiritbox, and Halestorm. They’ve also gained notoriety as Daedric’s track “Abandon,” a collaborative effort with Andromida, found its way into the spotlight when Ubisoft chose it for inclusion in a promotional trailer for Rainbow Six Siege.
With a European tour ahead and new music in the works, 2026 looks to be another big year for Daedric.
To celebrate the release of their sophomore album, Hold The Mashon Friday July 17th, Nashville blues-infused Southern rockers Parker Barrow are pleased to announce the release of their new single “Nothin’ Left To Save”, out on Friday June 19th. The album is available to pre-order HERE.
The single is available on all streaming platforms HERE. Watch the music video HERE.
The new album features songs from last year’s Hold the Mash EP, including the singles “Make It,” “Novocaine,” “The Healer,” and “Glass Eyes Cryin’,” plus three new songs including “Nothin’ Left To Save,” “Ruby’s Reckoning,” and a cover of the Black Crowes’ “My Morning Song.”
“Nothin Left To Save was the last song written for the record,” says Parker Barrow’s drummer, Dylan Turner. “Lyrically I had most of the verses written for some time. It wasn’t until hearing the track that it all came together. The up-tempo rock n roll nature of the song was just what we needed to round out the record and, in our ears, make it feel complete.”
“This track came about from a riff idea I had for a verse,” says the band’s guitarist, Alex Bender.” I wanted to have the guitar punctuating the vocal lines with the drums which provided a lot of the energy and movement. One of the more different parts about the song is the bridge, prior to the solo. I took inspiration from some of Hendrix’s guitar parts, even recording the section on a Strat with the selector switch set to position four.”
Continues Alex, “At the end of the track, there’s some call and response between the vocals and guitar. We utilized some automated panning and moved the lines across the stereo field to help give the listener’s ear something to follow, also making it especially cool to listen to with headphones.”
“If I’m being honest, Nothin’ Left to Save was one of the more challenging songs for me to record on this album,” says Parker Barrow’s lead singer, Megan Kane. “With such a high energy track, I struggled to find my ground and compliment the track when we first sat down with it in the studio. Our producer, Stephen McKnight, encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone, especially when it came to some of the vocal choices, and I am so grateful that he pushed me there.”
Continues Megan, “This song taught me a lot about my voice. How to trust it, stretch it, and use it in ways I never would have naturally gravitated toward. It reminded me that growth rarely happens in the places that are comfortable. Sometimes it takes people you trust to challenge you, see more in you than you see in yourself, and push you toward something better and because of all that I’m incredibly happy with what we captured on this track. It really has become one of my absolute favourites on this record – the energy, the message, all of it is something I hope people are able to connect with it the way that we do.”
Hold The Mash – Album Track List
1. The Healer (3:44) 2. Blinded (3:38) 3. Nothing Left To Save (3:40) 4. Novocaine (3:57) 5. Oliva Lane (4:13) 6. Make It (3:26) 7. Glass Eyes (4:22) 8. Ruby’s Reckoning 4:43) 9. My Morning Song (4:22)
Parker Barrow are led by husband-and-wife duo Megan Kane (lead vocals) and Dylan Turner (drums). The band name is taken from Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow – the infamous American bank robbers during the early 1930’s Great Depression.
A random encounter in 2019 paired Kane with Turner, who was on the hunt for a new singer. Two weeks later they were on the road together, driven by one goal: making their musical dreams a reality. In 2023 Parker Barrow expanded with the full-time inclusion of guitarist and musical director Alex Bender.
Turner lays down a heavy groove while Kane’s electrifying, soulful vocals soar high over the top. Bender’s inventive riffs and fiery playing pull it all together, creating Parker Barrow’s signature sound. The band is rounded out by Will Tipton (guitar), Kyle Priber (bass guitar) and Eric Safka (keyboards).
Parker Barrow’s ‘vintage-shop rock’ sound contains elements of rock, southern rock, blues and soul; but the band’s brand of music is unmistakably and distinctly their own.
You will find an impressive mix of influences both old and new threaded throughout the band’s sound, including the Rolling Stones, Blackberry Smoke, Allman Brothers Band, Aerosmith, Tedeschi Trucks, the Black Crowes, Whiskey Meyers and Led Zeppelin.
Parker Barrow’s debut album Jukebox Gypsies was released in 2023 to glowing reviews from music press and fans around the world; with the single “Back To Birmingham” racking up 1.2 million YouTube views.
Parker Barrow has earned a reputation for their powerhouse live shows – blending hard-hitting blues, classic rock swagger and modern Southern firepower. The band thrives on connecting with their fans and will continue bringing their message to the people across the US and Europe throughout 2026. Parker Barrow’s music and live shows channel the spirit and rebellion that defines true rock and roll – with no apologies.
The Gig Cartel and Planet Rock Presents
PARKER BARROW JULY 2026 UK TOUR SPECIAL GUEST: GEORGIA NEVADA
Greek heavy rock visionaries VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY return with Venceremos, their bold and immersive new studio album, set for release on September 18, 2026 via Napalm Records. Expanding their sonic universe beyond its roots, the band delivers their most ambitious and conceptually driven work to date, blending heavy rock, progressive metal, distinct folk and Hellenic textures into a raw, direct and intense listening experience. Pre-orders forVenceremos start today.
Set in a dystopian future shaped by illusion, control and fear, Venceremosunfolds as a journey through exile, resistance and awakening. It follows those who rise against a broken world, rejecting gods and modern kings in order to reclaim freedom and meaning. Through struggles, hopes, fears and deep reflections on existence, one truth remains constant: the quest is one, and its name is freedom.
Driven by epic guitars, pulsating basslines and layered traditional instrumentation, VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY’s first single “Ghosts in the sky” builds a dense, immersive atmosphere where powerful heavy rock meets ritualistic psychedelia.
““Ghosts in the sky” is the vessel that carries all our hopes and dreams“, the band reveals. “It is a call to stand together in the face of fear, where hope travels like a distant star and freedom is worth every fight. It’s about defiance, unity, and believing in change, even when everybody says it won’t come.“
Rather than bending to trends, VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY sharpen their identity. The upcoming album presents itself as heavy, direct and intense, driven by a raw and immediate energy. It leans decisively into heavy rock and metal, pushing into more aggressive territory while unfolding with a genuinely progressive spirit, where each composition evolves with purpose and depth.
Ritualistic rhythms, expansive arrangements and traditional instrumentation such as bagpipes and zourna are not mere embellishments, but essential elements of the band’s sonic language. Folk and Hellenic elements meet powerful riffs and dynamic structures in a sound that feels direct, distinctive and entirely their own.
Produced and recorded by Alex Karametis at Magnanimous X Studio in Greece, and mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios,Venceremos captures clarity and depth in equal measure. With this release, VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY deliver a powerful statement and a journey through darkness, defiance and the unbreakable force of rebellion. As one of the key names in post-stoner and heavy prog rock, the band once again reinforces their place within the scene, with Venceremosstanding as a defining step in their ongoing evolution.
In support of Venceremos,VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY will play an album release show in Athens taking place on September 20 at the Lycabettus Theatre, one of the city’s most legendary open-air venues, before the band embarks on a series of shows across Greece’s major cities and an extensive European Tour in March 2027 with dates to be announced soon.
VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY is: Alex Karametis – Vocals, Guitars, Synths Akis Zois – Bass Aris Giannopoulos – Drums Dimitris Brentas – Winds
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
