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SABATON Release Much-Anticipated 11th Studio Album “Legends”

Posted by tarjavirmakari on October 19, 2025
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: Sabaton. Leave a comment
Photo Credit: Steve Bright

Coming off the announcement of a massive 2025 worldwide tour including a 31-date North American run set for early 2026, SABATON (@sabatonofficial) today (October 17) release their much-anticipated 11th studio album LEGENDS via Better Noise Music (marking the band’s label debut). It features the latest single and accompanying video, “I, Emperor,” based on the complex and controversial Napoleon Bonaparte, by the #1 Global Power Metal Band and one of Sweden’s most successful bands.

Listen to “I, Emperor” HERE and watch the boardgamer meets Napoleon-themed video HERE.

Throughout the album, SABATON—Joakim Brodén (vocals), Pär Sundström (bass), Chris Rörland (guitar), Thobbe Englund (guitar), Hannes Van Dahl (drums)—delve into some of history’s greatest and most loved characters such as Jeanne D’arc (also known as Joan of Arc), Hannibal, Genghis Khan, Vlad the Impaler, Julius Caesar, the Knights Templar, and the legendary swordmaster Miyamoto Musashi.

TRACK LEGENDARY FIGURE
Templars — Knights Templar
Hordes of Khan — Genghis Khan
A Tiger Among Dragons — Lü Bu
Crossing the Rubicon — Julius Caesar
I, Emperor — Napoleon Bonaparte
Maid of Steel — Joan of Arc
Impaler — Vlad the Impaler
Lightning at the Gates — Hannibal
The Duelist — Miyamoto Musashi
The Cycle of Songs — Pharaoh Senusret III
Till Seger — King of Sweden Gustav II Adolf

This 11th studio album marks a bold evolution in the band’s sound and storytelling, plunging headfirst into the heart of history’s most formidable and enigmatic figures. These are not just rock songs; they are battle hymns carved from the blood and legacy of warriors, kings, strategists and revolutionaries.

For the album’s sixth single, “I, Emperor,” the band is setting their sights on the complex and controversial Napoleon Bonaparte, who rose to fame during the French Revolution and became a hero after his Italian campaign. He took power as First Consul, then crowned himself Emperor. Known for his brilliant military tactics, he beat major European powers in battles like Austerlitz and Rivoli. He also reformed laws with the Napoleonic Code, but his ambition caught up with him after a failed invasion of Russia and defeat at Waterloo, and he was exiled.

“Epic battles, bold moves and a rise from nothing to emperor,” explains frontman Joakim Brodén. “Napoleon is straight up legendary and his story is basically built for a SABATON song. Plus, this one was greatly—and I mean greatly—requested by fans. So here it is… you asked, we delivered!”

Continues bassist Pär Sundström: “I was excited about ‘I, Emperor,’ because I’ve seen countless requests for us to write a song about Napoleon, which is usually a sign that fans will get excited about a song. This one’s got that anthem energy, and we’ve got a feeling it’s gonna be a fan favorite.” He adds: “It’s punchy, powerful and seriously catchy, that’s something we all felt when Joakim was singing along to the music during the filming of the video for the song. I can’t wait to hear what everyone thinks. I’m curious to see if fans think this one should make it into the setlist for future shows!”

The accompanying music video is a tribute to one of Sundström’s favorite childhood hobbies, board games. The concept was to create a historical board game replay of the Battle of Waterloo, with the twist being that the band members are the ones deciding the fate of the battle without being aware of it. Joakim took on the role of the French, while Pär and guitarist Chris Rörland represented the British, and drummer Hannes Van Dahl and guitarist Thobbe Englund represented the Prussians.

It was set up to depict Joakim versus the rest of the band, since he had studied a book detailing how Napoleon should have fought the battle in order to achieve victory. In the video, he uses that knowledge to outplay his band members completely, and wins. But his victory doesn’t just end the game; it rewrites history. When they leave the gaming room, they discover that the British pub they started off in has transformed into a French café. The band ended up in an alternate reality where France actually won the Battle of Waterloo.

For the ‘I, Emperor’ music video shoot, Joakim brought along a stack of books, each one connected to Sabaton History Channel (that has over 364k subscribers) topics and songs the band have written about over the years, and Pär showed up with a collection of collectible board games to help set the scene. They even took a trip to a local second-hand market to pick up extra props and decorations to make the set look exciting. It was a proper mix of research, geekiness, and treasure hunting.

LEGENDS marks the very first time that every band member has come together to contribute to the songwriting process. This is SABATON as you’ve never heard them before—relentless and unbound. LEGENDS is a global journey through the annals of warfare, leadership and unbreakable will.

Five songs have already been released from LEGENDS: “Crossing The Rubicon” (featuring NOTHING MORE) (this special collaborative version of the track was released to radio September 12, while the original version will be available as part of the album release), “The Duelist” and “Lightning at the Gates” (July 25), “Hordes of Khan” (June 6) and “Templars” (April 25):

·         “The Duelist”: Listen HERE and watch the lyric video HERE. The track has been streamed over three million times, and the video has been viewed over one million times.

·         “Lightning at the Gates”: Listen HERE and watch the lyric video HERE. The track has been streamed over 2.6 million times, and the video has been viewed over one million times.

·         “Hordes of Khan”: Listen HERE and watch the video HERE. The track has been streamed over 6.3 million times, while the video has been viewed more than 1.4 million times.

·         “Templars”: Listen HERE and watch the video HERE. The track has been streamed over 19.1 million times, while the official video and lyric video have been viewed more than 5.7 million times.

·         “Crossing The Rubicon” (featuring NOTHING MORE): Listen HERE and watch the video HERE. The track has been streamed over 3.3 million times, while the official lyric video has been viewed more than one million times.

Building on the multi-Platinum-selling band’s intense blend of rock and world history for fans of all ages, LEGENDS is available worldwide HERE as a digital download, as well as in various physical formats and retailer exclusives including CD, 2 CD digibook, 2 CD earbook (both including the exclusive Storyteller Edition), 11 unique vinyl editions (including a special vinyl color and exclusive artwork with each), additional exclusive vinyl colors, and a limited box set (including another exclusive vinyl color, the 2 CD earbook, and a colored cassette as an exclusive format).

Among the 11 unique vinyl editions, each one portraying one legendary figure, LEGENDS will be available as the “Napoleon Edition” in connection with the release of “I, Emperor.”

In the more than two decades since the band’s launch, SABATON has headlined major festivals, sold-out arena concerts worldwide, and gained a legion of loyal fans by carving out a reputation for being one of the hardest working bands in the business. Since their 2005 debut album, they’ve earned Gold, Platinum, and multi-Platinum certifications in territories around the world with their 10 studio albums. Eight of their albums scored Top 10 international chart status, and six claimed the Top 5. SABATON has earned eight Metal Hammer/Golden Gods Awards nominations, taking home the award for “Breakthrough Artist” in 2011 and “Best Live Band” in three different years, and a Grammis nomination (Swedish equivalent to the U.S. Grammy Award) as Best Heavy Metal band. They’ve accumulated more than three billion streams across all streaming platforms and two billion views on YouTube.

Known for their explosive stage presence and epic concert experience, SABATON is  in the midst of a massive worldwide tour that kicked off October 6 in Istanbul, Turkey and continues November 14 in Cologne, Germany. The itinerary will take them through North America for a 32-date tour set kicking off February 9, 2026 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The trek will hit venues across the U.S. and Canada, including major stops in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston before wrapping April 20 in Vancouver, BC. Tickets are available now at LiveNation.com.

Here are SABATON’s 2025 and 2026 worldwide tour dates.

Fri 11/14 Cologne, DE Lanxess Arena
Sat 11/15 Berlin, DE Mercedes Benz Arena
Sun 11/16 Ostrava, CZ Ostravar Arena
Tue 11/18 Zurich, CH Hallenstadion
Thu 11/20 Munich, DE Olympiahalle
Fri 11/21 Vienna, AT Stadthalle
Sat 11/22 Krakow, PL Tauron Arena
Mon 11/24 Stuttgart, DE Schleyerhalle
Tue 11/25 Frankfurt, DE Festhalle
Wed 11/26 Esch Sur Alzette, LU Rockhal
Fri 11/28 Paris, FR Accor Arena
Sat 11/29 Lyon, FR LDLC Arena
Mon 12/1 Amsterdam, NL Ziggo Dome
Tue 12/2 Antwerp, BE Sportpaleis
Thu 12/4 London, UK The O2 Arena
Fri 12/5 Manchester, UK Co-op Live
Sat 12/6 Nottingham, UK Motorpoint Arena
Mon 12/8 Hannover, DE ZAG Arena
Tue 12/9 Copenhagen, DK Royal Arena
Thu 12/11 Oslo, NO Unity Arena
Fri 12/12 Gothenburg, SE Scandinavium
Sat 12/13 Stockholm, SE 3Arena

Mon 2/9 Fort Lauderdale, FL War Memorial Auditorium
Tue 2/10 Tampa, FL Yuengling Center
Fri 2/13 Houston, TX 713 Music Hall
Sat 2/14 Dallas, TX South Side Ballroom
Sun 2/15 San Antonio, TX Boeing Center at Tech Port
Wed 2/18 Phoenix, AZ Arizona Financial Theatre
Fri 2/20 Los Angeles, CA The Kia Forum
Sat 2/21 Wheatland, CA Hard Rock Live
Tue 2/24 Salt Lake City, UT The Union Event Center
Thu 2/26 Loveland, CO Blue Arena
Fri 2/27 Omaha, NE Steelhouse Omaha
Sat 2/28 St. Louis, MO The Factory
Mon 3/2 Des Moines, IA Vibrant Music Hall
Tue 3/3 Minneapolis, MN The Armory
Wed 3/4 Chicago, IL The Salt Shed
Sat 3/7 Cincinnati, OH The Andrew J Brady Music Center
Sun 3/8 Detroit, MI The Fillmore Detroit
Tue 3/10 Pittsburgh, PA UPMC Events Center
Wed 3/11 Philadelphia, PA The Met Philadelphia presented by Highmark
Thu 3/12 Boston, MA MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Sat 3/14 Virginia Beach, VA The Dome
Sun 3/15 Washington, DC The Theater at MGM National Harbor
Tue 3/17 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Special Events Center
Wed 3/18 Atlanta, GA Coca-Cola Roxy
Mon 4/6 Halifax, NS. Scotiabank Centre
Thu 4/9 Laval, QC. Place Bell
Sat 4/11 Toronto, ON. Great Canadian Toronto
Tue 4/14 Winnipeg, MB. Burton Cummings Theatre
Fri 4/17 Edmonton, AB. Edmonton Convention Centre
Sat 4/18 Calgary, AB. Grey Eagle Event Centre
Mon 4/20 Vancouver, BC. PNE Forum

Sat 6/6 Nürnberg, Germany Rock im Park
Sun 6/7 Nürburgring, Germany Rock am Ring
Sat 6/13 Nickelsdorf, Austria Nova Rock
Sun 7/5 Cartagena, Spain Rock Imperium Festival

Watch a trailer for LEGENDS via THE NOISE Presents HERE

PAUL DI’ANNO’s Final Album of Original Songs Now Available on Vinyl

Posted by tarjavirmakari on October 19, 2025
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: Paul Di'Anno. Leave a comment

Paul Di’Anno‘s Warhorse debut album is now available on vinyl from BraveWords Records. This album is the last full album of new, original songs released by the legendary Paul Di’Anno. The vinyl will ship on January 16, 2026.

Order your copy of PAUL DI’ANNO’s WARHORSE on vinyl today. Visit https://mvdshop.com/collections/bravewords-records

Paul Di’Anno’s Warhorse – Here Comes The Night (Official Video) with over 200,000 plays: https://youtu.be/vOUuZpZfQME

You can stream Paul Di’Anno’s Warhorse: https://smarturl.it/Warhorse

Prior to Paul’s tragic passing… High praise for the Warhorse album from 2024:

“…For a guy who has been written off many times, Di’Anno has absolutely come out with a solid slab of metal here that fans of where the genre was between 1979 and 1983 should find easy to enjoy, ditto the throngs of younger traditional fans still in the throes of the NWOTHM craze…” – Sonic Perspectives
 
 Heavy Metal! Real f**ckin’ Heavy Metal! He is back and leads us back to his roots. – Obliveon.de
 
 There is such a buzz worldwide about this project and Di’Anno being back in the spotlight creating new music while showcasing some of the building blocks for heavy metal via the first two iconic Iron Maiden albums. – BraveWords


One of the best records for the summer. – The Metal Mag

A good metal album marking the return of one of the genre’s legends. Welcome back, Paul Di’Anno! – Roppongi Rocks
 
(Paul Di’Anno)… he can without a doubt still deliver. – Hard Rock Info
 
In Paul Di’Anno’s Warhorse self-titled debut, the survivor, the entertainer and the voice of a multitude of respectable groups and music opinions, returns with a vengeance. – Liverpool Sound and Vision

Tracklisting:

  1. Warhorse (A. P. Pupi, H. Madiraca)
  2. Get Get Ready (H. Madiraca, A. P. Pupi)
  3. Go (A. P. Pupi, H. Madiraca)
  4. Stop The War (H. Madiraca, A. P. Pupi)
  5. The Doubt Within (A. P. Pupi, H. Madiraca)
  6. Here Comes The Night (H. Madiraca, A. P. Pupi)
  7. Tequila (Chuck Rio)
  8. Forever Bound (A. P. Pupi, H. Madiraca)
  9. Precious (Martin L. Gore)
  10. Going Home (H. Madiraca, A. P. Pupi)

Produced and Arranged by Pupi and Madiraca

Warhorse:
Paul Di´Anno – Vocals
Hrvoje Madiraca – Guitars
Ante Pupačić Pupi – Guitars

Guest Musicians:
Becky Baldwin (Bass Guitar on songs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9)
Petar Šantić (Drums on songs: 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10), (Bass guitar on song 10)
Joe Lazarus (Drums on song 1)
Andro Banovac (Backing Vocals on songs: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
Danijel Stojan (Drums on song 5)
Nikolina Belan (Backing Vocals on song 9)

Recorded in Studio Pupi, Except Drums in Studio Deva, and drums in song Warhorse – Barnyard Studio
Mix: A. P. Pupi
Mastering: Dado Marušić Deva
Except Going Home and The Doubt Within- Ante Pupačić Pupi
Photography: Dado Marušić Deva
Except Madiraca´s b/w by Nikola Brnaba
Album Cover Art / Logo Design: J.M. Navigator

About Paul Di’Anno’s Warhorse:
The core of the band and founders are Paul Di’Anno, vocals, Hrvoje Madiraca, guitar and Ante Pupačić Pupi, guitar.
 
Paul Andrews, a British singer better known by his stage name Paul Di’Anno, his nearly half-century-long career began explosively with Iron Maiden, when with the EP ‘The Soundhouse Tapes’, and the albums ‘Iron Maiden’ and ‘Killers ‘ forever cemented the foundations of heavy metal. With timeless hits like ‘Iron Maiden’, ‘Remember Tomorrow’, ‘Running Free’, ‘Phantom of the Opera’, ‘Killers’, ‘Wratchild’, Murders in the Rue Morgue’, ‘Purgatory’ etc., they influenced numerous musicians and bands and were responsible for the creation or development of many subgenres in metal music.

Paul was known as one of the most productive singers, who had a huge number of albums and other releases behind him, either as a solo artist or a member of bands such as Gogmagog, Di’Anno’s Battlezone, Praying Mantis, Killers, Architects of Chaoz or Warhorse. In all his incarnations, Paul always knew how to find a way to the fans, with numerous hits, uncompromising singing, which was confirmed by his successful career and furious live shows around the world.

 
This icon of heavy metal with the heart of a punk rock rebel never spared himself in his life, but he always gave everything for music and fans, which is why they have followed him faithfully for almost fifty years.
 

Warhorse was the final original band/project of Paul Di’Anno. The first idea of forming a band arose in December 2021, when Paul and guitarist Hrvoje Madiraca met in Zagreb, Croatia. The formation and naming of this project happened simultaneously with the writing and recording of new songs, which were started immediately after Paul and Hrvoje joined hands and thus formed the band. Warhorse independently released the DVD single ‘Stop the War’ in a limited edition of 666 copies and sold it out in just a few days. This was followed by the fantastic ‘Stop the War’ lyric video, which delighted fans around the world. The Warhorse project gathered fantastic guest musicians on some songs. The core of the band itself is the three ‘horsemen’ Paul Di’Anno – vocals, Hrvoje Madiraca – guitars and Ante Pupačić Pupi – Guitars. 

Paul Dianno, a true original, never forgotten!

CHMCL STR8JCKT Drop Electrifying New Album “IV-Rx”, Out Now

Posted by tarjavirmakari on October 19, 2025
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: CHMCL STR8JCKT. Leave a comment

The long wait is over.  With the release last Friday of IV-Rx, Outlaw Industrial Rockers CHMCL STR8JCKT end close to three years of recorded silence with their most dramatic album yet, and their first since the installation of producer John “JB” Bechdel (Ministry, Killing Joke) as their full time synth master.

Frontman and keyboard player Kevin Snell enthuses, “It is an evolution, for sure, as we went with more focus on the ‘rock’ part of ‘industrial rock.’  We were definitely more picky with everything…redoing many tracks. Mike C would re-record his guitars…..JB would replace my synths with better sounding synths, etc.

Stuffed full with pulsing synthesizers, coruscating riffery, the darkest themes and the mightiest of crowd-crunching hooks, the album “continues our evolution of Outlaw Industrial Rock.  But while it’s still a very digital album, we concentrated much more on the guitar riffs and guitar sound. It’s just where we drifted to…and we are all happy with the vibe. It’s still full of dark themes and synths and atmospheres, but I wrote around Mike C’s riffs in many cases….allowing the guitar to share the stage more.”

IV-Rx also marks the first occasion upon which the trio of Snell, C and JB have worked on an album completely remotely, from Texas, New Jersey and Pennsylvania respectively.   

“We had to learn to communicate without being in the same room,” says Snell, “which took us a few weeks to figure out! It certainly helps to be in a band with two of the greatest guys that I’ve ever known. 

“And, it’s all worth it when you get that mix of a new song that makes everyone smile. It’s an album that really represents us all in themes and instrumentation.”

To help celebrate the album’s release, Chmcl Str8jckt have also dropped a lyric video for one of the album’s stand-out tracks, the aptly-titled “The Devil Made Me Do It”… “it’s not a new single,” says Snell, “but it’ll give you a good idea of what to expect from the album.”

IV-Rx is Chmcl Str8jckt’s​third Cleopatra release, the latest highlight in a relationship that confirms both the band’s status in the modern industrial firmament, and Cleopatra’s long, long-standing role at the forefront of the original industrial revolution – the label has championed the genre almost since its inception in the early 1990s, and overseen many of its most influential convolutions.

Outlaw Industrial Rock, however, is one of the most thrilling of them all.  And IV-Rx is just what the doctor ordered.

DIGITAL: https://orcd.co/chmclstr8jckt_ivrx

ALCATRAZZ Release Re-Record of ‘God Blessed Video (Grand Theft Audio)’ + Announce New Album “Prior Convictions” (Classics Re-Recorded Plus Two New Songs)

Posted by tarjavirmakari on October 19, 2025
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: Alcatrazz. Leave a comment

BraveWords Records releases the re-recording of “God Blessed Video (Grand Theft Audio)” by Alcatrazz. An energetic new version of the song that brought the band to a younger audience by way of its inclusion in the “Grand Theft Auto – Vice City” video game” back in 2002!

The single is available today on all digital services. “God Blessed Video (Grand Theft Audio)” is taken from the upcoming album PRIOR CONVICTIONS that will be released on November 7th.

“Another Alcatrazz classic… known these days mostly for it’s inclusion in the hit video game “Grand Theft Auto”… Hence we give you our new 2025 version of this song… “God Blessed Video (Grand Theft AUDIO)”… always a live favorite, and we will be performing it on the upcoming tour!” – Giles Lavery, Alcatrazz lead singer.

Stream or Purchase Alcatrazz “God Blessed Video (Grand Theft Audio)”: https://smarturl.it/GodBlessedVideo

In advance of their forthcoming 2026 studio album, Alcatrazz reveal a new release to land just in time for their extensive November/December 2025 European tour. PRIOR CONVICTIONS contains newly re-recorded versions of nine 1980s era Alcatrazz songs, all featuring new vocalist Giles Lavery. Plus two brand new band compositions “Transylvanian Requiem” and “Stand And Wait Your Turn”.

PRIOR CONVICTIONS Tracklist:
01 Transylvanian Requiem (New Song)
02 Stand And Wait Your Turn (New Song)
03 Jet To Jet (2025)
04 Starr Carr Lane (2025)
05 Hiroshima Mon Amour (2025)
06 Island In The Sun (2025)
07 Too Young To Die, Too Drunk To Live (2025)
08 God Blessed Video (2025)
09 Skyfire (2025)
10 General Hospital (2025)
11 Kree Nakoorie (2025)

Credits:
Produced Giles Lavery and Jimmy Waldo
Mixed & Mastered by Andy Haller
All songs recorded 2025

Giles Lavery – Vocals
Joe Stump – Guitars
Jimmy Waldo – Keyboards
Gary Shea – Bass
Mark Benquechea – Drums

Alcatrazz hit the road in Europe later this year with Girlschool.

GIRLSCHOOL + ALCATRAZZ

13/Nov Se – Gothenburg | Skeppet
14/Nov Se – Sala | Rockland (Alcatrazz only)
15/Nov SE – Rock At Sea Cruise
18/Nov Fi – Turku | Nirvana
19/Nov Fi – Helsinki | On The Rocks
20/Nov Fi – Tampere | Tavara-Asema
21/Nov FI – Nakkila | Verstas
22/Nov Fi – Kuovola | House Of Rock
25/Nov Be – Kortrijk | DVG *
26/Nov NL – Tilburg | Little Devil *
27/Nov DE – Kassel | Goldgrube *
28/Nov DE – Passau | Zauberberg *
29/Nov AT – Steyr | Kulturverein Röda *
30/Nov At – Vienna | Escape Metal Corner *
02/Dec CZ – Olomouc | Bounty Rock Cafe *
03/Dec DE – Leipzig | Hellraiser *
04/Dec DE – Nürnberg | Hirsch *
05/Dec DE – Selb | Rockclub Nordbayern *
06/Dec DE – Mörlenbach | Live Music Hall *
07/Dec DE – Dortmund | Musiktheater Piano *

*BANGALORE CHOIR also on the bill

Tickets: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/57544-alcatrazz

https://www.alcatrazzofficial.com/
https://www.facebook.com/alcatrazzband/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnLCCQe68LpSPWIwm-Dx14w
https://twitter.com/AlcatrazzReal
https://www.instagram.com/alcatrazz_official/
https://www.bandsintown.com/a/57544-alcatrazz

About ALCATRAZZ:
Alcatrazz, formed in 1983 in Los Angeles, has been as well known for the legendary players and singers who have passed throughout the bands ranks as much as they have for their music.

Formed originally by the trio of Jimmy Waldo, Gary Shea (both fresh from late 70’s hitmakers New England and the short lived band Warrior featuring a pre-Kiss Vinnie Vincent) along with vocalist Graham Bonnet (himself with impressive credentials having been a then recent member of Rainbow and the Michael Schenker Group) the band set about completing the line up with drummer Jan Uvena (formerly of Alice Cooper) and a then very young Yngwie Malmsteen, a guitarist who had quickly made a name for himself upon arriving in the USA in the early 80s. The band issued their now classic debut “No Parole From Rock N Roll” album (1983) which was met with universal critical acclaim. Yngwie was soon to depart in favor of Steve Vai just in time for the bands second album “Disturbing The Peace” (1985).

The bands mission has always been a not necessarily stable line-up, but of an evolving union of established performers all forming a “supergroup” of sorts, one with perhaps more guitar fire-power than many, but definitely also with the songs to back it up.

Vocalist Doogie White (himself also formerly of Rainbow and Michael Schenker) served a successful two album stint with the band, while the “shred-lord” himself…the acclaimed Joe Stump (also a very established solo artist and a Berklee college professor) has now been the bands longest serving guitarist, with this year now making his 6th continuing year as a member of the band.

Longtime Graham Bonnet and Alcatrazz collaborator, producer, songwriter and vocalist Giles Lavery is now the man behind the microphone, having proved he was an inspired choice on two recent U.S. tours — having worked with the band in numerous other creative capacities since 2017 the band feel it was a logical move, but also one chosen on merit. Giles can be heard on the recent BraveWords Records release, Jack Starr’s “Out Of The Darkness Part II” as well as his studio and live work with U.S. metal legends Warlord, a band who feature non-other than Mark Zonder on drums…himself a former member of the Graham Bonnet Band, Fates Warning, and worth noting here… as he is also currently leading the band A-Z who feature none other than Alcatrazz main man keyboardist Jimmy Waldo! confused yet? don’t be, as all of this proves that there is a firm but perhaps overlooked consistency and lineage to what on the surface may seem like an ever evolving band personnel.

Indeed Jimmy Waldo continues to be the heart and soul of Alcatrazz… as aside from being the bands talented keyboardist, he has been the one who would, over the bands career find himself at the centre of all band affairs and decision making, from booking the band in the early days, working closely with the bands various record labels, to making sure other members, at the height of 1980s rock n roll decadence were present and accounted for when it came time to get the work done…”i think i even drove the tour bus once or twice back then” says Waldo… in fact it was Jimmy himself who personally selected Steve Vai out of a number of other contenders for the guitarist position in 1984 when Yngwie Malmsteen chose to move on to his own distinguished solo career.. “alot of people have come and gone over the years” says Jimmy… “It’s kept it fresh and we are hardly the only band like that, we still have myself and Gary still holding down the frontline from that early era” Chris Impellitteri historically was one such player in line for the job, who may not have made it into the bands ranks back in 1984, but who in 2020 finally recorded with the band as a special guest on the successful “Born Innocent” album (co-produced by Giles and Jimmy).

Bassist Gary Shea, he who named the band and designed the bands logo no less… came up with the above-mentioned iconic album titles (lets also not forget “Live Sentence”) as noted above, has been flying the Alcatrazz flag with Jimmy for over 4 decades now and is looking forward to this next phase. Gary’s recently published book “No Bass, No Party” is also an essential read for those wanting to delve deeper into the Alcatrazz story! 

WINGS OF STEEL Unleash New Heavy Metal Album “Winds of Time”, Out Now

Posted by tarjavirmakari on October 19, 2025
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: WINGS OF STEEL. Leave a comment

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.

Order “Winds Of Time” on CD & Vinyl:
–USA: https://wingsofsteelband.com/#store
–Europe: hrrecords.de/WINGS-OF-STEEL

Stream “Winds of Time” Album: https://hypeddit.com/wingsofsteel/windsoftime

The record features the acclaimed singles:

  • “Winds of Time” – a 10-minute epic journey
  • “We Rise” – an ’80s-infused anthem
  • “Burning Sands” – a scorching blast of heavy metal

Together, these singles have already amassed over one million combined streams worldwide and earned widespread acclaim — firmly positioning Winds of Time as a frontrunner for Album of the Year. 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”

Winds of Time is out now on all major digital platforms and available on both CD and vinyl. Fans in the U.S. can order directly through the BAND’S OFFICIAL WEBSITE, while European fans can purchase via HIGH ROLLER RECORDS 

Wings of Steel North American Tour 2026 (with Sabaton)
Tickets are available via the Band’s website

USA
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

About Wings of Steel 

Formed in 2019, Wings of Steel is a Los Angeles-based heavy metal band rooted in the classic styles of the ’70s and ’80s. Their sound fuses Unnermark’s bluesy, powerful vocals with Halub’s dynamic riffs and expressive solos, channeling the glory days of heavy metal with modern clarity and power.

Following their 2022 debut EP Wings of Steel, the band released their critically acclaimed first full-length album Gates of Twilight (2023). In spring 2024, they embarked on their first European tour, further establishing themselves as one of the most exciting new acts in heavy metal. Praised for their energetic and captivating live performances, Wings of Steel also released the live album Live in France (2024).

To date, the band has played numerous shows across the U.S. and Europe, including appearances at Heavy Week-End, Rock Hard Festival, and more. Now with more momentum than ever, the band releases their highly anticipated 2nd full-length studio album Winds of Time and is set to embark on an area-level North American tour supporting Sabaton in early 2026.

Additional information/credits

Recording on the album:
Vocals: Leo Unnermark
Guitars & Bass: Parker Halub
Drums: Damien Rainaud

Tour lineup (as featured on pictures & videos)
Vocals: Leo Unnermark
Lead Guitar: Parker Halub
Rhythm Guitar: Stefan Bailet
Bass: Mathieu Trobec
Drums: Marcel Binder

All songs written by Parker Halub & Leo Unnermark ©2025
Lyrics written by Leo Unnermark ©2025
Produced by Wings of Steel
Mix & Master: Damien Rainaud (for Mix Unlimited)
Album Artwork: Spencer Caligiuri

More information: https://wingsofsteelband.com/

KURT DEIMER Releases His Hardest Hitting Single Yet ‘In Deep’, Ft. Josh Todd

Posted by tarjavirmakari on October 19, 2025
Posted in: Int. News, News. Tagged: KURT DEIMER. Leave a comment

Rock powerhouse KURT DEIMER dives headfirst into the depths of human struggle and redemption with his explosive new single “In Deep,” featuring the unmistakable Josh Todd of Buckcherry. The track is a haunting, cinematic anthem that fuses hard rock swagger with raw emotional gravity — marking one of Deimer’s most compelling collaborations to date. The video has scenes from Kurt’s upcoming movie Scared To Death, coming out in early 2026. SCARED TO DEATH WEBSITE HERE

KURT DEIMER ABOUT THE SONG

“I recently was very lucky to tour with Buckcherry and Josh and the band were really great. Towards the end of this most recent tour, I had been speaking with Josh and he was gracious enough to agree to collaborate on a song together. I had this song I thought he would be perfect on, originally called “He Was Good To Me,” and it was about women unfortunately falling prey to men with bad intentions. He listened to it but wanted to re-do the lyrics. The song now is about how you can get in to a relationship and you are in it too deep. You gotta watch out for those situations. It’s really about thinking before you act and get too involved.”

“During the creative process when Josh and I got together at Chris Lord-Alge’s studio and I saw Josh in the vocal booth being Josh Todd like he is on stage with Buckcherry and how in to it he was I just knew this had to be my next single. It’s a blessing for me to be able to share my art and Josh was more than gracious to help and be a part of this killer tune “In Deep.” I hope you all enjoy it.

STREAM KURT DEIMER MUSIC HERE

ABOUT KURT DEIMER

Everyone has dreams, but not many are bold enough to truly chase them. Kurt Deimer — the distinctively deep-voiced rock singer, scene-stealing horror actor, film producer, and ambitious businessman — almost took that path himself.   

“A lot of people die from stress and anxiety because they’re forcing themselves to do a job they don’t want to do,” he says. “I was a nervous, unhappy wreck when I got into the oil business in corporate America. But I knew right away I wasn’t a corporate guy. I just knew I didn’t want to work 30 years to make a certain amount of money. It just didn’t make sense to me.”  

Luckily, Deimer followed his instincts—and now, in his 50s, he’s releasing his debut full-length album, the expansive and cinematic rock spectacle And So It Begins… that certainly draws on a wealth of life experience. The singer, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, was an artistic and inquisitive kid, taking piano lessons at age 7 and winding up as a first-chair percussionist at his middle school. Deimer started his first rock band at age 20 and wound up doing “a lot of partying” as a way to process intense anxiety.  

“I did a lot shit I shouldn’t have done until I was 20,” he says. “But I knew I was gonna end up dead. I was realistic enough to know we couldn’t have made it out of Cincinnati. You’ve gotta go with your gut and know what you’re capable of and not.”   

So instead of taking a possibly doomed path to rock stardom, he went a more conventional route for an ambitious young man: graduating college and launching multiple start-ups — including the oil brand Starfire, a venture that inadvertently kick-started his acting career. The company’s signage wound up placed in the John Travolta action-drama Trading Paint, and Deimer negotiated himself a speaking role in the film, ultimately leading to a series of other roles, including a memorable spot as a gas station teller murdered by Michael Myers in the 2018 Halloween reboot.   

Through his relationship with director-actor Kevin Wayne, he wound up making a crucial connection: songwriter Ben Trexel, who showed Deimer some of his demos and asked him to get back in the singing game. As a college English Literature major with an affinity for poetry, Deimer knew he had the lyrical chops. And together, they knocked out a string of songs that were the first seeds of what became And So It Begins… 

There were plenty of other major signposts that fueled his musical drive: releasing an album under the name Bald Man, linking up with world-renowned mixing engineer & producer Chris Lord-Alge (Green Day, Bruce Springsteen, Guns N’ Roses), launching his first tour by opening for Geoff Tate in 2021, continuing to build his acting résumé (including parts in the 2024 horror-comedy Scared to Death and the upcoming Hellbilly Hollow), and recruiting the expressive guitar work of Phil X (Bon Jovi), whose playing added another layer of sophistication to the diverse range of material on And So It Begins…” 

Phil first entered Deimer’s orbit with a heavy cover of Pink Floyd’s classic “Have a Cigar.” “When I heard his solo, I was like, ‘Jesus,'” the singer recalls. “I kept giving him lyrics and vibes and how I thought songs should sound, and we just kept writing. The next one we did was ‘Naive,’ and then we did ‘Only Time Will Tell,’ and then ‘Live or Die,’ which we wrote when we were on tour together.”  

The album covers a ton of stylistic ground — natural for a musician interested in everything from AC/DC to R.E.M. to Widespread Panic. It bounces from the thunderous hard rock riffs of “Naive” to the acerbic funk-metal of “Back of the School” to the “total Sunset Strip ’80s vibe” of “Sunset Blvd” to the symphonic grandeur on his cover “Have a Cigar,” which masterfully fades into his take on The Doors single “Riders on the Storm” to close out the collection. One of the album’s most personal centerpieces is the thunderous “Live or Die,” which chronicles a youth filled with fear — and his efforts to overcome it.  

“Everybody’s got dreams, and if they don’t, they just want to exist,” he says. “We live in a free country where we’re allowed to take risks, and I’m kind of a risk-taker.” 

Deimer’s winding journey and hard-hitting rock songs leave you with an overarching message of hope: It’s never too late to make shit happen. 

More information: https://www.facebook.com/Kurtdeimer/

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