Robert Cianflone, Getty Images – Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler dishes on the band’s ’13′ album and their tour plans. [ Loudwire ] – Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted goes in depth about his current self-titled band’s ‘Metal’ EP and James Hetfield ‘s influence in our new interview. [ Loudwire ] – Alice in Chains and Limp Bizkit have signed on to headline the 2013 Welcome to Rockville festival. [ Loudwire ] – Headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers lead the rock representation at the 2013 Coachella festival. [ Loudwire ] – It’s time to turn up the heat with the 15 Sexiest Rock Music Videos. [ Loudwire ] – Geoff Tate has revealed a few changes in his Queensryche lineup. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Tom Petty has enjoyed an outstanding career. Check out some of his best work with Ultimate Classic Rock’s 10 Best Tom Petty Songs. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Iggy and the Stooges are set tot return with a new album ‘Ready to Die.’ [ Diffuser.fm ] – You know them! You love them! And you can likely pick them out the moment they open their mouth. Check out Diffuser.fm’s list of the 10 Most Distinctive Voices in Rock. [ Diffuser.fm ]
Roadrunner The upcoming sixth album from Killswitch Engage can certainly claim the distinction of “highly anticipated.” It was recently revealed that the disc will be titled ‘Disarm the Descent’ and be released on April 2, but another piece of the puzzle has been released in the form of the album’s cover art (pictured here). ‘Disarm the Descent’ will be Killswitch Engage’s first album in 11 years that features returning vocalist Jesse Leach , the singer having left the metal act shortly after their 2002 full-length ‘Alive or Just Breathing.’ Since Leach’s triumphant return to the band at the 2012 New England Metal and Hardcore Festival, the revamped Killswitch have proven themselves as a solid live act, but now fans will get to hear Leach’s studio work on ‘Disarm the Descent.’ The cover art for the upcoming album was designed by Killswitch Engage bassist Mike D’Antonio, which depicts a veiled female figure with flames coming out of her chest. The artwork is stunning and harnesses a gritty a scratched up style fitting of the group’s sound. “To me, this is by far my best vocal performance, much thanks to Adam’s guidance and faith in my abilities,” Jesse Leach says about the new album. “I am very grateful to be where I am in life, back in an amazing band with a record we are all excited for the world to hear. Thanks to all the fans for their warm welcome back and their undying love for Killswitch Engage.” Stay tuned for more news on Killswitch Engage’s upcoming sixth album. ‘Disarm The Descent’ Track Listing: ‘The Hell In Me’ ‘Beyond the Flames’ ‘New Awakening’ ‘In Due Time’ ‘A Tribute to the Fallen’ ‘The Turning Point’ ‘All That We Have’ ‘You Don’t Bleed for Me’ ‘The Call’ ‘No End in Sight’ ‘Always’ ‘Time Will Not Remain’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/killswitch-engage-the-end-of-heartache-top-21st-century-metal-songs/” title=”Killswitch Engage – Top 21st Century Metal Songs” align=”center”]
Kevin Winter, Getty Images The world of metal seems to constantly house some strange stories. Although the real stories are often more inconceivable than the fake ones, wrestler Hulk Hogan has finally given a statement about the rumor that he was once asked by drummer Lars Ulrich to become Metallica ‘s bassist. Early last year, Hogan claimed that he was at one point a serious candidate to play bass for the iconic band. “I used to be a session musician before I was a wrestler,” Hogan states. “I played bass guitar. I was big pals with Lars Ulrich and he asked me if I wanted to play bass with Metallica in their early days but it didn’t work out.” Soon after, during an appearance on the Howard Stern Show, Ulrich claimed to have no recollection of asking Hulk to join the band. “That one, when that showed up two or three months ago, I was scratching my head over that one,” states the drummer. “I don’t know Hulk Hogan, I don’t know enough about him… I’m not a huge wrestling [fan]… I certainly have no recollection of doing anything with quote Hulk Hogan endquote.” Almost a year after Hogan’s initial statement, the wrestling legend cleared the air during an interview with Kerrang! : That has rumor has been turned and twisted and thrown in so many different directions — that I auditioned and that I lied and that I never auditioned and they weren’t interested. The truth is I played music for many years before I ever got into wrestling, and when I heard Metallica was looking for a bass player, I would have quit wrestling like that [snaps fingers] to get into Metallica. When I heard they were looking for a bass player, I got my tapes together from the old band, got a couple of tapes together that Simon Cowell produced with me — Green Jelly, and I did an old Gary Glitter song, ‘Leader Of The Gang’, with Simon, back in the day, before he got his break with all the wrestling music and became a huge monster. But I got all that stuff together to send it to Metallica and never heard a word. So they never responded to me. They either thought I was a joke or they thought it was a joke, and it wasn’t me, or I was no good, but I never heard back from them … I tried — but I never did audition for Metallica. I wish I would have. But the bass player they got was so good. My God! Case closed? Check out video of Hulk Hogan talking about Metallica in the new interview with Kerrang! in the clip below: Hulk Hogan Talks to Kerrang! [button href=”http://loudwire.com/top-wrestling-entrance-themes/” title=”Top 10 Wrestling Entrance Themes” align=”center”]
YouTube President Obama began his second term with his inauguration earlier this week and with the ceremony came a number of galas . Soundgarden ‘s Chris Cornell , one of Obama’s many supporters, was invited to perform at the Commander-in-Chief’s Ball, which recognized Medal of Honor recipients and Wounded Warriors, and video footage of his entire performance has surfaced online. Cornell, armed with an acoustic guitar, took the stage to perform a trio of cover songs. However, with some microphone problems on the guitar, the set really provided a spotlight on his voice. The vocalist took the stage, telling the audience, “I’ve got to say this is an honor to play for you guys and to celebrate this event, the re-election of President Obama, so thank you so much.” From there he launched into ‘(What’s So Funny Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding,’ the Nick Lowe song popularized by Elvis Costello. After making note of the microphone issue, he would perform his other two tracks with a little more amplification for the guitar. First came a powerful performance of the Creedence Clearwater Revival classic ‘Long As I Can See the Light,’ which really showed off the wonderful rasp and emotion in Cornell’s voice. He followed with what he called “a song of hope or an impossible dream maybe” — a cover of John Lennon ‘s ‘Imagine.’ The full almost ten-minute performance can be seen below. Cornell would return later in the evening with the full Soundgarden lineup to perform at the Inaugural Ball , doing a three-song set of ‘Been Away Too Long,’ ‘Outshined’ and ‘Rusty Cage’ for those in attendance. Watch Chris Cornell’s Commander-in-Chief’s Ball Performance [button href=”http://loudwire.com/soundgarden-talk-future-albums-perform-at-inaugural-balls/” title=”Next: Chris Cornell Discusses Soundgarden’s Future” align=”center”]
2013 North American Tour Here comes yet another solid metal tour for 2013! New-school heavy metal heroes 3 Inches of Blood are set to hit the road with blackened death merchants Goatwhore to co-headline a North American tour starting April 10 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Near the end of the duo’s string of dates, technical death metal band Revocation and heavy metal newcomers Ramming Speed will hop on to increase the tour’s overall awesomeness. The nearly month-long tour includes a ton of Canadian dates, so metalheads north of the boarder will have plenty of chances to witness the brutality in person. After the April 10 starting date in Vancouver, the tour will venture down to the U.S. before heading back to Canada once again at the halfway point, finally capping off the dates May 4 in Cleveland. 3 Inches of Blood and Goatwhore have also revealed that they’ll be playing the 2013 New England Metal and Hardcore Festival on April 20, adding a new sonic dimension to the already must-see Worchester, Mass. institution. Check out the full list of tour dates below. See you in the pit! 3 Inches of Blood + Goatwhore 2013 Tour: 04/10 Vancouver, British Columbia @ Rickshaw Theatre (Goatwhore only) 04/11 Kamloops, British Columbia @ Level Night Club 04/12 Calgary, Alberta @ Gateway 04/13 Edmonton, Alberta @ Avenue Theatre 04/14 Regina, Saskatchewan @ Exchange 04/15 Winnipeg, Manitoba @ The Zoo Cabaret 04/16 Eau Claire, Wis. @ House Of Rock 04/17 Chicago, Ill. @ Reggie’s 04/18 Columbus, Ohio @ Ace Of Cups 04/19 Baltimore, Md. @ Ottobar 04/20 Worcester, Mass. @ Palladium / New England Metal Fest 04/21 Montreal, Quebec @ Les Foufounes Electriques 04/22 Quebec City, Quebec @ L’Agitee 04/24 Charlottetown, New Brunswick @ Hunter’s Ale House 04/25 Fredericton, New Brunswick @ Lava Vodka Bar 04/26 Moncton, New Brunswick @ OC Night Club V 04/27 Halifax, Nova Scotia @ Michael’s 3 Inches of Blood, Goatwhore, Revocation + Ramming Speed Tour Dates: 04/28 Bucksport, Maine @ The Kave 04/29 Brooklyn, N.Y. @ Saint Vitus 04/30 Burlington, Vt. @ Nectar’s 05/01 Middletown, N.Y. @ Sounds Asylum 05/02 Rochester, N.Y. @ Bug Jar 05/03 Toronto, Ontario @ Opera House 05/04 Cleveland, Ontario @ Now That’s Class (No Revocation) [button href=”http://loudwire.com/decibel-magazine-tour-2013-must-see-metal-concerts/” title=”Check Out the 2013 Must-See Metal Tours” align=”center”]
Photos: Facebook: Love and Death / eOne With Black Veil Brides making their way to Loudwire’s Cage Match Hall of Fame, it’s time for two new bands and their latest tracks to duke it out! Brian ‘Head’ Welch , who many of us may know as Korn’s former guitarist, has a new band Love and Death and they have recently released their debut album ‘Between Here & Lost.’ They enter the Cage Match with their latest track ‘I W8 4 U’ featuring For Today’s Mattie Montgomery. Love and Death have U.S. dates lined up for February and March, while Head is also slated to play some reunion shows with Korn this year. Swedish rockers Avatar take the Cage Match by storm with their new track ‘Smells Like a Freakshow’ off the band’s fourth studio album and first proper American release titled ‘Black Waltz.’ Avatar have tour dates with Sevendust and Lacuna Coil in February and solo dates set for March. For a full list of dates and cities where you can catch Avatar, go here . So will Love and Death stay alive with their track ‘I W8 4 U’ or will Avatar sniff their way to a win with ‘Smells Like a Freakshow’? Listen to both tracks and vote for your favorite in the poll below! (This Cage Match will run until Monday, Jan. 28, at 8AM ET. Fans can vote once per hour! So come back and vote often to make sure your favorite song wins!) Love and Death, ‘I W8 4 U’ Avatar, ‘Smells Like a Freakshow’ Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. Email Me When Cage Match Winners Are Announced Enter your email address below to receive the Loudwire newsletter, which will include notification of the daily winner of the Cage Match, as well as our top stories of the day. Email Rules of Cage Match: Fans can vote once per hour for their favorite song. If a song remains the reigning champ for five straight cage matches, it is retired to the Loudwire Cage Match Hall of Fame. With so many great songs out there, we have to give other bands a chance!
Razor & Tie Hatebreed fans don’t have to wait until Jan. 29 to hear the band’s new album ‘The Divinity of Purpose,’ as the Connecticut rockers are streaming the disc in full on their official site. ‘The Divinity of Purpose’ is Hatebreed’s sixth studio album and their first with new label Razor & Tie Records. In our exclusive interview with frontman Jamey Jasta, he talked about working with their new label: “It feels good that we have a good team of people behind us and we’re looking forward to getting this record out and touring in support of it – that’s all you want, you want people that like the band, people that care about the band. We’ve been lucky with pretty much every label has had those people and now we’re continuing with that.” In a separate interview with Full Metal Jackie, Jasta talks about the meaning and impact of the powerful lyrics on the new record by stating, “I hope this record is like a compass where it could point someone in a new direction, whether it’s a direction of thought or an actual action – I don’t know, that’s up to the listener.” In support of the new record Hatebreed will embark on a tour with Shadows Fall and The Contortionist, for a full list of dates, go here . They are also set to play this year’s New England Metal and Hardcore Festival along with Anthrax, Opeth and Suicidal Tendencies. For more info on that event, go here . [button href=”http://hatebreed.com/” title=”Click to Listen to Hatebreed’s New Album ‘The Divinity of Purpose'” align=”center”]