Victory Records Swedish metal band Sister Sin are gearing up for the release of their new album ‘Now and Forever.’ The band is also set to invade the United States by supporting Doro on a string of dates next year. When we recently had the opportunity to chat with Sister Sin singer Liv Jagrell, she spoke candidly about the new album ‘Now and Forever’ ( available here ) and how the band has fought tooth and nail to make it in the music business for almost a decade. In addition, Jagrell dished on women in metal today, as well as why she thinks so much good music keeps coming out of Sweden. Check out our exclusive interview with Liv Jagrell of Sister Sin below: What does the album title ‘Now and Forever’ mean to you? The title ‘Now and Forever’ is kind of a statement for us as a band. As a band and as individuals we have been through quite a lot of things, a lot of troubles and things that might break up bands but we’re so dedicated to this band. So that’s the title – we are here now and hopefully forever. We won’t give up even if something goes wrong – it’s tough to be in the music business today. Sister Sin have been a strong unit for a decade, for you what keeps the band going, secret to your longevity? Yes it’s been almost a decade at least for me and Dave [Sunberg] the drummer because we started the band from the beginning and yeah it’s kind of a decade now – that’s a long time. It’s really hard today with the business, there’s so many bands, so much competition out there, no money whatsoever and all the things with downloads – I mean it could be could but also bad, depending on how you look at it. When I started to play music at 15, the music business and scene was totally different and you could actually make money from it. When I was 15, I just decided, “I’m going to play music my whole life and I’m going to be a rock star” — that kind of attitude. So I spent all 15 years to convince myself that that’s the only thing I will ever, ever do so that’s why I can’t give up because I programmed my brain to believe that I will do this forever. I think that’s why we don’t give up and why sometimes other bands do – they find other opportunities and other things they love too, they have something else you actually can do and you’ll probably do that because that will make you money and a better living. If you just prepare your whole life to be in the music business and tell yourself “This is what I’m going to do, I’m not going to do anything else” it’s kind of foolish and childish but in that way you just can’t give up. People of course give up and I’m not saying I’m not going to do it years from now but right now I still feel like I have to fight for that dream that I had as a teenager. Obviously we all have gained a lot and experienced so much but we’re still a little bit far away that whole kind of – living with the music or for the music thing – close but still far away. [Laughs] I think that’s what drives us. What have you learned being in a band for almost 10 years that you didn’t know at the start of the journey? I’ve learned very much. [Laughs] I’ve learned that I love to be on tour and I love to be onstage and I only feel that I am myself. I’m one hundred percent Liv when I’m onstage. I feel that’s the only time I’m just me. I’ve also learned that I thought it would be ten times easier and I thought it would be not as hard as it is. Of course I want people to fight and live for their dream but they have to understand that the dream comes with a lot of sacrifice and I don’t think people understand really how much being in a band, how much sacrifice comes with being in a band. If you can do the sacrifice then you should be in a band because when you’re onstage, when you tour, when you record your songs it’s the best thing in the world, absolutely the best feeling in the world. What is your opinion on the way women in heavy metal are viewed today? Today is very much better than when I started, I’m very happy that I can see the progress. There are more women, more girls feel that they can take a spot in the metal scene – I didn’t really feel that when I started. There was this all girl Swedish band called Strange Stockholm and when I saw them I was like “If they can do it, I can do it too.” Before that I had Courtney Love but that’s not metal but I thought Courtney Love was really cool – she played the guitar and she was just a very outstanding person. Strange Stockholm was metal and it was an awakening that I could do this if I really want to – so for me that was the big thing when I discovered them and after that I just tried to push my way into the metal scene. I think it’s easier today, I hope it’s easier today – in Stockholm today we have a lot of female-fronted bands or all girl bands. I hope the girls today feel like they have people to look up to and I hope I can be one of them. I discovered Doro later, maybe 22 so when I was 15 I didn’t know much girls in metal. You did a cover of a Motorhead tune, what is another band you would like to cover that you haven’t yet. There are so many, I so love Twisted Sister. I really wanted to cover a Twisted Sister song but not their most known songs maybe some of the least known but a Twisted Sister song that would be really fun to do. Sometimes it’s better to think outside a little bit and not choose the very normal suggestion, people tell us all the time “You should do a Motley Crue cover or you should do a Judas Priest” but that’s kind of too easy. Sometimes it’s fun to find those diamonds somewhere in a song that people don’t know so much with a band – maybe that’s not even metal but you can make it your own. Many talented bands have come out of your home country of Sweden like In Flames, Opeth, Arch Enemy just to name a few. What do you think it is about all of this music coming out of Sweden that has such a broad appeal to people internationally? I think it could be two things, the first is that Sweden has always been a very good country when it comes to music – from when we’re a child we have opportunites to get into music school for free or for a very small fee at least when I grew up, I know it’s kind of changing now because we have another political power right now. When I grew up they would try to get kids into artistic things like music or theater stuff like that, it was that or sports. So you either get good at sports or music or art and drama so that’s why I think many people are very good musicians from Sweden because we learn from a very early age to do all of these kinds of things. The other thing is that Sweden is very cold, you can’t just be on the beach the whole day and surf or do many things outside, other than a couple of months, in December you have to be inside because it’s too cold here. So again if you want to do something at home – you go and play music or you go and do sports so I think that could be a reason why a lot of people in Sweden are dedicated and they have this kind of music coming out. There’s nothing else to do here, people tend to be drawn to being together and playing music. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/sister-sin-unleash-video-for-end-of-the-line/” title=”Check Out Sister Sin’s Video for ‘End of the Line'” align=”center”]
Ethan Miller / George De Sota, Getty Images Zakk Wylde ‘s name has come up more than a few times this year as a fill-in for a potential Pantera reunion, but before that could ever happen, the remaining members would have to determine if a reunion without the full original lineup is in their best interest. Wylde tells Brave Words that Pantera getting back together after the death of Dimebag Darrell is similar to what Led Zeppelin had to consider when offers continued to flood in after the loss of John Bonham. Wylde explains, “The guys … they’d have to talk about it. THEY’RE Pantera (laughs). I mean, they’re the boys. You get em’ in a room, and I mean it should be like Led Zeppelin gettin’ back together. You know, the guys gotta work it out.” The guitarist, who also fronts Black Label Society , says that it’s been nice to hear both Vinnie Paul and Philip Anselmo even suggest that he might be the guy if they were to reunite, but there’s still a long way to go before that could happen. Wylde says, “Put it this way. I’d be beyond flattered if the guys wanted me to do it and were like, ‘Zakk, we really want to do it and we want you to honor Dime’ and everything. I would say, ‘Yeah, of course I would honor Dime.’ But it’d be like the Jimi Hendrix Experience; you know Mitch and Noel, they wanted to get together to celebrate Jimi’s life and they asked Eric Clapton to fill in and play the guitar and sing the songs. I mean, of course Eric would do it, cause he was buddies with him. It would be that type of thing. But that’ll be a bridge we cross, if the guys ever get to that point and they wanted to do it. But I’m friends with all the guys. I always wish the guys the best with whatever they’re doing. I just had Vinnie on my radio show and everything like that, so it’s all cool. Like I said, I’m good with all the guys. So it would just be up to them and like I said, it’d be a bridge we cross when we get there.” While the Wylde rumor has been a hot one for some time, Anselmo stated earlier this week that even though he had met with Wylde recently, talk of the guitarist being part of a potential Pantera reunion had been blown way out of context . [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-pantera-songs/” title=”Next: 10 Best Pantera Songs” align=”center”]
Dave Hogan, Getty Images It has been a while since we’ve heard anything about the progress of Black Sabbath ‘s upcoming album , but Metal Injection has uncovered some details about the recordings, including a song title. Sabbath are working on the album at Shangri La Studios in Malibu, Calif. As previously reported, 15 songs have been recorded, and now bassist Geezer Butler revealed to SiriusXM’s Jose Mangin that 12 will make the album, with the other three likely being used as bonus tracks for special editions. Ozzy Osbourne is currently recording vocals with Rick Rubin. Butler is writing all the lyrics, and the two are working to complete the songs in five track increments. They are reportedly working on the first five now. One song title has been confirmed – ‘God Is Dead.’ Guitarist Tony Iommi completed all 15 guitar tracks during the band’s sessions in England earlier this year. As for Iommi’s health, Ozzy told Mangin that he spoke to Iommi recently and he is in good spirits and recovery is coming along very well from his cancer treatments earlier this year. Drummer Bill Ward has not been part of the Sabbath reunion because of a contract dispute , and it looks like he won’t be. If the guitar tracks are done, most likely the drum tracks have been finished, as well, although the band has not confirmed that. Snippets of Mangin’s interview with Ozzy and Geezer will begin airing on Ozzy’s Boneyard (SiriusXM channel 38) starting next week. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/black-sabbath-release-pro-shot-2012-performance-of-paranoid-live-in-birmingham-england/” title=”Next: Black Sabbath Unleash Pro-Shot Performance of ‘Paranoid'” align=”center”]
Adult Swim It’d be easy to forget that Dethklok are seen as an animated band, since braintrust Brendon Small is such a skilled guitar player, and the music isn’t secondary to the hilarious and bombastic plots of the show ’Metalocalypse.’ Strip away the funny and fantastical elements of the ‘Metalocalypse’ cartoon and listen to the music of ‘Dethalbum III,’ and it’ll become painfully obvious why metalheads love the show, the band and Small. First of all, the guitar riffs rip and snort. They are as well-constructed and as gnarly as it gets, fitting squarely into the melodic death metal categorization. But here is where the humorous aspect certainly adds some levity to music that is serious as a delinquent tax bill. How can you not have a chuckle at a song titled ‘I Ejaculate Fire’ before launching into fast and furious headbanging, courtesy of guitarwork so swift that it likely burned the fingerprints right off Small’s fingers? Small has rendered himself a more than capable riffsmith. Journeyman drummer Gene Hoglan’s footwork is as complex, propulsive and powerful as ever, with the percussion and blast beats being a signature and anchoring element of Dethklok’s sound. ‘Crush the Industry’ is a death metal gem, loaded with fills, guttural growling and overall chilling atmosphere. Put simply, it crushes skulls. ‘Andromeda’ sounds like it could have been reared in Florida, after hang sessions with Cannibal Corpse, Six Feet Under and Obituary, as it hacks a deep groove, thanks to its riffery. The galloping solo is as potent as moonshine. Most of the songs hover at four to five minutes, which is just enough time to get in, scramble your brain and get out, moving on to the next slab o’ metallic goodness. ‘Dethalbum III’ is certainly not extra progressive nor is it dynamically dazzling or esoterically experimental, but we don’t want it to be, either. It’s the extremity of the music that keeps us tuned in for 12 tracks. Another standout track is ‘Impeach God,’ which features an opening salvo so vivid, you can almost imagine fingers sailing up and down a fretboard. ‘Killstardo Abominate’ is a battering ram, as is ‘Biological Warfare.’ The riffwork on ‘Skyhunter’ is also exceptionally standout. ‘Dethalbum III’ is able to take a super serious (and often gore-slathered) genre like death metal and make it ‘deth metal.’ That is, it fuses skilled playing with a sense of humor, which is often not the case in the genre’s offerings. Big ups to Small for having created and continued his own genre. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/dethklok-discharge-crotch-blazing-new-video-for-i-ejaculate-fire-nsfw/” title=”Next: Watch Dethklok’s ‘I Ejaculate Fire’ Video” align=”center”]
Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Zakk Wylde ’s new signature edition guitar instruction collection titled ‘Guitar Apprentice’ is now available exclusively at Guitar Centers in the U.S. as of Oct. 1 and now the leader of the Black Label Society has released a humorous clip to promote his rock ‘n’ roll lessons. Recorded live at Wylde’s on Black Vatican studio in Los Angeles, Calif. ‘Guitar Apprentice’ takes a song and methodically breaks it down to fifteen different levels of playing so anyone can follow along. Starting with one chord, users work their way up to playing all the guitar parts including all headbanging solos, but at their own pace. The set offers detailed explanations of all the details from signature rhythm patterns to tones and even pedals and gear. In the clip below Wylde barks out ‘This ain’t no video game!’ to the camera, but it actually was a video game that inspired the project. Wylde told MusicRadar.com that when the developers of the project approached him they asked him what he thought about the ‘Guitar Hero’ video franchise. “I said it was awesome,” Wylde said. “Who knows – you could have the next Jimmy Page or Dimebag or Yngwie coming out of that thing. Some kid starts out on that, and eventually he says, ‘Man, I want to get a real guitar.’ That’s what you want to happen. To me, anything that promotes the guitar is good.” Wylde also noted that this isn’t easy, so be prepared. “We’re talking from a very beginner to being about to play the solo to f—ing ‘Crazy Horse’,” Wylde explained. “And you can do it, too, but you have to put in the hours. You’ve got to practice and get your technique together. But it’s all there, man.” Head over to www.guitarapprentice.com for more information on the Zakk Wylde Signature Edition Guitar Apprentice. Watch Zakk Wylde’s Video Teaser for ‘Guitar Apprentice’
Reprise Records Ever since a November 2008 car accident, Deftones bassist Chi Cheng has mostly been in a coma. In the meantime, the band has continued to write and tour with replacement bassist Sergio Vega. Last night, though, Deftones came closer to having Chi back than they’ve been in nearly four years, as the band invited Chi’s son Gabe onstage to perform with them in San Francisco. Deftones are currently on the road with Scars on Broadway , touring to promote their upcoming album ‘Koi No Yokan,’ which is set to be released on Nov. 13. The California-based act visited the state’s capital Sacramento last night (Oct. 10) and performed ‘Root’ with Gabe Cheng manning the bass. Gabe handled himself like a pro while playing ‘Root,’ which has a distinct bass line throughout the song, continuing at times even when the guitar, drums and vocals drop out. Fans showed an incredible amount of love for Gabe as he headbanged his way through ‘Root,’ showcasing the inherent talent from his father. After many years in the hospital, Chi is currently recuperating at home in a minimally conscious state, although he has been repeatedly fighting off both pneumonia and urinary tract infections. If you’d like to donate to Chi Cheng’s recovery fund, or simply stay in touch with all of Chi’s developments, head over to oneloveforchi.com . [button href=”http://loudwire.com/deftones-change-in-the-house-of-flies-top-21st-century-hard-rock-songs/” title=”Deftones: Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs” align=”center”] Deftones Perform ‘Root’ with Gabe Cheng
Spencer Kaufman, Loudwire In one of the more surprising moments of the year, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong recently entered rehab for substance abuse problems, and now Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt has just addressed the issue in greater detail. After slinging curses at the iHeart Radio festival organizers, Armstrong smashed his guitar and left the stage . At the time, the singular reason for his outburst seemed to be frustration with having Green Day’s set time suddenly cut down by 20 minutes. The next day, though, it was revealed that there was more to Armstrong’s breakdown, as the band released a statement that the frontman would be entering rehab . In an interview with BBC Radio 1 [via NME ], Mike Dirnt revealed that the decision to send Armstrong to rehab wasn’t a difficult one, “We had to put the life of our friend in front of everything,” says Dirnt. There were also “signs of things hitting the fan” adding, “we hadn’t slept in forever.” Dirnt continues, “Hindsight is 20/20… it was a tremendous undertaking… It catches up with you a little bit. We definitely jumped off a moving train.” As for the future of Green Day’s musical career, Durst says, “We’re still getting ready for the next phase.” Stay tuned for more news on Billie Joe Armstrong’s recovery. In the meantime. the band recently released the album ‘¡Uno!,’ with the rest of the trilogy coming in the forms of ’¡Dos!’ next month and ‘¡Tre!’ in January. In addition, Armstrong’s previously taped appearances as a mentor on NBC’s ‘The Voice’ will begin airing tonight (Oct. 8) on NBC. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/green-day-frontman-rehab-stint-wont-affect-participation-the-voice/” title=”Next: Green Day Frontman to Continue on ‘The Voice’ Despite Rehab Stint” align=”center”]