ESP Guitars / Megaforce Anthrax have not named a full-time replacement yet for exiting guitarist Rob Caggiano , but they will at least be covered for their upcoming tours. The band revealed that Shadows Fall guitarist Jon Donais will sit in with the band for their upcoming Fly Festival dates in India, the Soundwave Festival shows in a Australia and the group’s headlining slot on the Metal Alliance trek in North America. Caggiano recently surprised fans by announcing his departure from Anthrax, stating he’d like to concentrate on producing and other studio work. With so many gigs on their 2013 itinerary, Anthrax acted swiftly to add Donais to their touring lineup “Jon is a bro and he’s a total f—ing ripper,” says Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian of Donais. “I’ve worked with him twice on side projects and he tears it up. I’m excited to have him on my right burning up the stage with Anthrax. ’13′s gonna be a good year.” Donais expresses his excitement at the opportunity, adding, “I grew up on Anthrax. They’re the thrash scene, they’re one of the Big Four. I’d be crazy to not want to play with them. Initially, Rob called and told me he was leaving the band and asked if I’d be interested in filling in. Then Scott called me and everything fell into place.” The guitarist revealed that he’s also working closely with the man he’s replacing, as he and Caggiano are using Skype to work on solos and other guitar parts. “He’s being great,” reveals Donais. “I also have to give special thanks to my band [Shadows Fall] — Brian, Matt, Jason and Ed — who have been incredibly supportive and encouraged me to do this.” Shadows Fall, meanwhile, have t our dates scheduled from Jan. 26 through April 19. No word on who will be filling in for Donais on the block of dates that conflict with his stint on Anthrax’s trek. Anthrax 2013 World Tour: India: 2/16 — Dehli, India — Fly Festival 2/17 — Bangalore, India — Fly Festival Soundwave: 2/23 — Brisbane, Australia — Soundwave Festival 2/24 — Sydney, Australia — Soundwave Festival 3/1 — Melbourne, Australia — Soundwave Festival 3/2 — Adelaide, Australia — Soundwave Festival 3/4 — Perth, Australia — Soundwave Festival Metal Alliance: 3/22 — Anaheim, Calif. — House of Blues 3/23 — Las Vegas, Nev. — House of Blues 3/24 — Tempe, Ariz. — Marquee 3/25 — San Diego, Calif. — House of Blues 3/27 — Los Angeles, Calif. — House of Blues 3/28 — San Francisco, Calif. — Regency Ballroom 3/29 — Portland, Ore. — Crystal Ballroom 3/30 — Vancouver, British Columbia — Commodore Ballroom 3/31 — Seattle, Wash. — Showbox SODO 4/2 — Denver, Colo. — Summit Music Hall 4/4 — Minneapolis, Minn. — First Avenue 4/5 — Chicago, Ill. — House of Blues 4/6 — Detroit, Mich. — Fillmore 4/7 — Cincinnati, Ohio — Bogart’s 4/9 — Dallas, Texas — House of Blues 4/10 — Houston, Texas — House of Blues 4/12 — Orlando, Fla. — House of Blues 4/13 — Charlotte, N.C. — Tremont 4/14 — Silver Spring, Md. — Fillmore 4/16 — Cleveland, Ohio — House of Blues 4/18 — Philadelphia, Pa. — Theatre of Living Arts 4/20 — New York, N.Y. — Irving Plaza [button href=”http://loudwire.com/anthrax-opeth-hatebreed-headline-2013-new-england-metal-hardcore-festival/” title=”Next: Anthrax to Headline 2013 New England Metal + Hardcore Festival” align=”center”]
Facebook: Alice in Chains – Alice in Chains have unleashed their new video for ‘Hollow.’ Watch it here: [ Loudwire ] – Trent Reznor ‘s How to Destroy Angels group have unveiled the title and release date of their first full-length album. [ Loudwire ] – On Brent Smith ‘s 35th birthday, we reflect on his musical legacy with the 10 Best Shinedown Songs. [ Loudwire ] – Stone Sour ‘s Corey Taylor offers a sneak peek of the upcoming ‘House of Gold & Bones’ comic book series. [ Loudwire ] – Having split from Three Days Grace , Adam Gontier ‘s first show since leaving the band will take place at the ‘Rock for Recovery’ benefit in New York. [ Loudwire ] – Def Leppard are continuing to re-record their hit songs to regain control of their music from their record label. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – David Bowie ‘s guitarist, Earl Slick, provides more details about the legendary singer’s upcoming album. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – Sonic Youth ‘s Thurston Moore is pushing forward with new music and a tour from his other band, Chelsea Light Moving . [ Diffuser.fm ] – Adele just earned an Oscar nomination , but will she perform at the Golden Globes this weekend? [ Diffuser.fm ]
Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com Shinedown have enjoyed a successful career since arriving on the scene in 2003, releasing four hit-filled albums along the way. Now, we want to know which of their albums is the best. The group’s musical debut came with the 2003 album, ‘Leave a Whisper.’ Shinedown immediately caught hold at rock radio with ‘Fly From the Inside,’ a track that went Top 5. That was followed by three more Top 5 hits – the brutal rocker ’45,’ their cover of Lynyrd’s Skynyrd ‘s ‘Simple Man’ and the album’s biggest single, ‘Burning Bright.’ The band’s sophomore set, ‘Us and Them,’ arrived in 2005 with three more hit songs. ‘Save Me’ led the way, becoming the band’s first-ever chart-topping single. It was followed by the uplifting ‘I Dare You’ and the edgy rocker ‘Heroes,’ which also went Top 5 at rock radio. Shinedown’s third album, ‘The Sound of Madness,’ took them to new heights in 2008. The disc, which was the band’s first with a reconfigured lineup, launched with a trio of chart-topping singles — the hard-rocking ‘Devour,’ the rock ballad ‘Second Chance’ and the melodic title track. The song also spawned a fourth chart-topper, ‘The Crow and the Butterfly,’ which followed the heartfelt track ‘If You Only Knew.’ And then there’s Shinedown’s fourth and most recent album, ‘Amaryllis.’ The disc dropped in early 2012 with the rocking first single ‘Bully,’ followed by the moving track ‘Unity’ and the aggressive angst-ridden ‘Enemies.’ There you have it — four very successful albums from Shinedown. Which one is the best? You tell us by voting in the Readers Poll below: Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/three-days-grace-singer-swap-readers-poll/” title=”Previous Readers Poll: Three Days Grace Singer Swap” align=”center”]
Facebook: System of a Down System of a Down fans have been patient in recent years, with the group spending a lot of time on hiatus pursuing other musical avenues. Though the band has reunited for a series of shows over the past two years, there has been no talk about future albums or dates … until now. System have revealed their first two performances of 2013 , set to take place in August. The band has signed on to play Sweden’s Getaway Rock Festival on Aug. 9 and will also perform at the Frequency Festival in Austria on Aug. 16. Tickets for both events are currently available . At present, it is not known if these shows will lead to an extended run of performances, but the announcement of the two festivals provides a ray of hope. However, expectations should be tempered as the group’s members have other projects in the works for 2013 as well. Singer Serj Tankian released his ‘ Harakiri ‘ solo album last year and also spent time raising funds to perform his ‘ Orca ‘ symphony piece. However, at last check he was still composing a score for the ‘ Morning Star ‘ video game and had music from two side projects — Fuktronic and Jazziz Christ — in the works. Meanwhile, the website of guitarist Daron Malakian ‘s Scars on Broadway band teases that a new EP and album are coming soon. When pressed about new System of a Down music last year, Tankian told Loudwire , “It’s a good question and the answer is the same — we haven’t made plans of recording the new record as of yet. When we do, everyone will know. We haven’t really discussed another record as of now with any of the guys really. It’s just something that when it’s the right time, we’ll do it.” [button href=”http://loudwire.com/system-of-a-down-toxicity-top-21st-century-metal-songs/” title=”Next: System of a Down – Top 21st Century Metal Songs” align=”center”]
Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com It's pretty much impossible to turn on rock radio without hearing one or more Shinedown songs. In the 10 years since they released their debut album, the Florida rockers have proven themselves to be one of the most reliable hit-makers of the 21st century. They've churned out hit radio tracks even as they expand their range beyond hard rock to include textured mid-tempo tracks and even tender ballads. With their latest album, 'Amaryllis,' Shinedown have continued their hit-making streak with more chart-topping singles. So, we give props to the band with our list of the 10 Best Shinedown Songs: ? 10 'If You Only Knew' From: 'The Sound of Madness' (2008) ? ? Sunny, airy acoustic guitars shimmer throughout this surprisingly lighthearted and upbeat track from Shinedown's third album, 2008's 'The Sound of Madness.' If it weren't for the pounding drums, you could almost call this an adult contemporary ballad, what with the epic proclamations of love, the strings, and, wait, are those bells? Listen to 'If You Only Knew' ? ? 9 'Bully' From: 'Amaryllis' (2012) ? ? There was plenty of aggression bubbling over on Shinedown's 'Amaryllis' album, beginning with the lead single, 'Bully.' The issue-oriented track dealt with some of the troubles going on in schools these days, with singer Brent Smith taking the opportunity to encourage those being bullied to stand up for themselves. The anthemic track is quite empowering with a sing-along chorus as well. Listen to 'Bully' ? ? 8 'The Crow & the Butterfly' From: The Sound of Madness' (2008) ? ? Guitarist Zach Myers' epic, melodic lead guitar work further ratchets up the intensity throughout the second half of this already stormy song from 2008's 'The Sound of Madness.' Reportedly, the song is about a mother whose young son dies, but the lyrics also mention the pair “getting high as outer space” together, so let's hope this is a friend they're talking about. Listen to 'The Crow & the Butterfly' ? ? 7 'Fly From the Inside' From: 'Leave a Whisper' (2003) ? ? You never get a second chance to make a first impression, and that's especially true for rock bands. So, the opening song on Shinedown's 2003 debut 'Leave a Whisper' needed to kick some butt and tell people what they're about quickly. The band wastes little time doing just that here, mixing hard rock riffs with a heightened sense of dynamics and a huge, anthemic chorus. Listen to 'Fly From the Inside' ? ? 6 'Devour' From: 'The Sound of Madness' (2008) ? ? Eschewing their more recent tendencies towards more dynamic music, Shinedown let it rip old-school style on the double-barreled opening track and first single from 2008's 'The Sound of Madness.' Reportedly an anti-love song to then-president George W. Bush, the track features lead singer Brent Smith railing against a clueless leader who is suffocating his own empire due to his own greed. Listen to 'Devour' ? ? 5 'Enemies' From: 'Amaryllis' (2012) ? ? What better to work out your aggressions than in song? That's the path Shinedown followed with 'Enemies,' an in-your-face confessional between warring sides. Not only does the track rock, but there's a certain amount of swing brought to the track by drummer Barry Kerch as well. This one's great to get your blood boiling. Listen to 'Enemies' ? ? 4 'Second Chance' From: 'The Sound of Madness' (2008) ? ? Supposedly, Shinedown themselves weren't very big fans of this tune, the appropriately titled second single from 'Sound of Madness,' when they first wrote it. Luckily, they gave the track a — wait for it — second chance, as it ended up being their biggest hit to date, a platinum selling smash that reached the charts on a wide variety of radio station formats. Listen to 'Second Chance' ? ? 3 'Save Me' From: 'Us and Them' (2005) ? ? Shinedown sing of a drug addict looking for salvation on this, the first single from their 2005 sophomore album 'Us and Them.' The repetitive, somber opening bass line helps to capture the mindset of a junkie living in day after day world of pills, needles and spoons, unable to muster the strength to break free on their own. Listen to 'Save Me' ? ? 2 'The Sound of Madness' From: 'The Sound of Madness' (2008) ? ? Shinedown breaks out their best Metallica impression on this riff-heavy slice of metal, which served as the title track to their third album. Lead singer Brent Smith, in particular, drops his voice down a notch and adds some menace, sounding eerily like James Hetfield as he calls out self-pitying so called “rebels” who really are just avoiding responsibility. Listen to 'The Sound of Madness' ? ? 1 '45' From: 'Leave a Whisper' (2003) ? ? Even if you ignore the fact that this song was the band's first major single, and therefore an important introduction to their brand of drama-filled melodic hard rock, this tune's powerful message about living each day to the fullest makes it one of the top Shinedown tracks. There was some controversy about the song's gun-related lyrics, but if you listen they hardly glorify violence — instead using the weapon as a metaphor for a person staring down big changes in their life. Listen to '45' ? ? What's Your Favorite Shinedown Song? What tune on our list of the 10 Best Shinedown Songs do you like the most? Or, if there's a Shinedown track we missed, let us know in comments section below: ?
ThreeDaysGrace.com The rock world was definitely in shock earlier today (Jan. 9), learning that not only was Adam Gontier exiting his post as singer of Three Days Grace , but that the band had already selected My Darkest Days frontman Matt Walst to replace him on their upcoming tour. The questions began to arise about My Darkest Days’ future as well, given that the band just bade farewell to longtime guitarist Sal Costa earlier this week. Even though the group had stated they were starting work on a new album, the major news about Walst joining his brother Brad’s band obviously followed the earlier new music discussion. With that in mind, Walst has posted a new Facebook message attempting to clear up some of the confusion and discuss his motivations about his work with both bands. It reads as follows: WHAT A CRAZY WEEK It has been a very emotional week for myself and the members of My Darkest Days. With the departure of Sal from the band I have to say that it has felt like I have been on a rollercoaster and I am not sure where the end is. When you are on the road with some one for the length of time that we were, you form a bond just like any other relationship and when one person walks away it is only natural to feel a wide range of things from sadness to anger. That being said please know that Sal chose to leave My Darkest Days and although we are disappointed we wish him the best of luck in his new life and his new endeavors. With every down there is an up! I am very excited to have the opportunity to share the stage with my brother Brad and the rest of the members of Three Days Grace on their Transit of Venus Tour. As most of you are, I was just as shocked as you to find out about Adam’s departure from 3DG. When asked, I was unsure at first as Adam, Brad, Neil and Barry have all been such huge influences on my life musically and personally. After some thought and a few sleepless nights I accepted. It has always been a childhood dream to share the stage with my brother and I get that opportunity on this upcoming tour. Adam is an amazing Singer, Performer and Role-model and all I can do is try and fill some enormous shoes. I wish him well in his recovery and hope to see him grace the stage again soon. With all that has gone on this week I want to assure everyone that My Darkest Days is stronger then ever! My bandmates are very excited for me and I have their full support. We have completed some songs that we are very excited about and my brothers, Brendo, Dougie and lil Reidy will continue to write with me while I am on tour. We are looking forward to putting out our third album and hope you are as excited about it as we are! Last but most important of all I want to thank all of you who have supported My Darkest Days in the past and continue to support us in the future. For those that have been there from the beginning and have stuck by us we thank you with all our hearts. For those who have just joined us we thank you. For those about to rock, we salute you! Matt Walst As previously reported, Three Days Grace have signed on for two legs of a co-headlining tour with Shinedown . The trek launches Feb. 1 in Moline, Ill. and continues through the end of March. Matt Walst will serve as vocalist of Three Days Grace for the entire run. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/shinedown-three-days-grace-add-second-leg-to-2013-co-headlining-u-s-tour/” title=”Next: See Where Three Days Grace Are Touring” align=”center”]
Ethan Miller, Getty Images – Metallica ‘s Lars Ulrich gives some detail about the band’s upcoming 3D film and the progress of their next album. [ Loudwire ] – Slayer ‘s Dave Lombardo performs ‘Raining Blood’ with a metal mariachi band. [ Loudwire ] – Who should replace former guitarist Rob Caggiano for Anthrax ‘s next tour? We offer some suggestions and ask for your input in our latest Readers Poll. [ Loudwire ] – Former My Darkest Days guitarist Sal Costa explains his exit from the band. [ Loudwire ] – Ex- Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing is returning to music as a promoter. [ Loudwire ] – David Bowie surprised fans with news that a new album is en route. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – The Beatles are awesome. Led Zeppelin are great. Now hear them together in a mash-up. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] – The long dormant Postal Service are rumored to be reuniting for Coachella. [ Diffuser.fm ] – The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion return with the video for ‘Bag of Bones.’ [ Diffuser.fm ]