David Ellefson says that "Risk" was "very much a transitional record" for MEGADETH, explaining that it was made during a time when "heavy metal had such a horrible stigma" in America. Issued in 1999, "Risk" received a mixed response from critics and alienated hardcore MEGADETH fans due to its departure from the band's heavy thrash ...
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Jason Becker, the guitarist/composer who has had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, a.k.a. Lou Gehrig's Disease) for 30 years, underwent two cataract surgeries last week. He says: "My vision is still funky, but slowly getting better." Becker's latest procedure comes six months after he had an operation to drain the abscess in his lung. Becker's story ...
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Lita Ford invited 12-year-old Helena Harris to sing "Kiss Me Deadly" with her during her August 31 concert at the Canyon in Santa Clarita, California. Video footage of the performance can be seen below. "Kiss Me Deadly" is Ford's signature song and the most successful track she has recorded on her own ("Close My Eyes ...
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Guitarist Marty Friedman (MEGADETH, CACOPHONY) recently spoke with Andrew McKaysmith of the "Scars And Guitars" podcast. The full conversation can be streamed below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): On his reaction when people call him the greatest lead guitarist in thrash metal history: Marty: "You never get tired of hearing that people ...
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Fan-filmed video footage of Lita Ford's August 28 performance at Univest Performance Center in Quakertown, Pennsylvania can be seen below. Earlier this year, Lita told The Metal Voice that she was putting the finishing touches on the follow-up to 2012's "Living Like A Runaway" album. Helming the new project once again is guitarist/producer Gary Hoey, ...
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In a recent interview with Australia's Heavy magazine, guitarist Marty Friedman spoke about what he has taken from being in bands such as CACOPHONY and MEGADETH, all the way to his current solo career, which finds him playing challenging, unconventional instrumental metal. Since his 1999 departure from MEGADETH, Friedman moved to Japan, where he established ...
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Guitar legend Marty Friedman (MEGADETH, CACOPHONY) recently spoke with Paul Tadday of Australia's Amnplify. The full conversation can be streamed below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On moving to Japan: Marty: "It [was] a crazy decision, but it was really something I just had to do. It was all about the music. ...
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Richie Faulkner says that K.K. Downing "looked and sounded great" when he returned to the live stage earlier this month as a special guest of ex-MANOWAR axeman Ross "The Boss" Friedman. Downing's August 11 appearance at the Bloodstock Open Air festival at Catton Park, Derbyshire, United Kingdom marked K.K.'s first public performance since October 17, ...
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The official music video for the song "Love Gets Us All" from HEAVY AS TEXAS, the aggressive metal project featuring acclaimed guitarist Marzi Montazeri and vocalist Kyle Thomas — otherwise recognized as members of Louisiana-based metal pioneers EXHORDER — can be seen below. The track is taken from HEAVY AS TEXAS's self-titled album, which was ...
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In a brand new interview with Eonmusic, ex-JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing was asked about the possibility of taking part in the band's upcoming 50th-anniversary tour, alongside other former members Al Atkins and and Tim "Ripper" Owens. He responded: "Yeah, lots of things could happen, but I think the main thing is, lots ...
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Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing joined ex-MANOWAR axeman Ross "The Boss" Friedman on stage earlier today (Sunday, August 11) at this year's Bloodstock Open Air festival at Catton Park, Derbyshire, United Kingdom to perform four songs. This marked K.K.'s first public performance since October 17, 2009 when JUDAS PRIEST played the final "British Steel ...
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Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing joined ex-MANOWAR axeman Ross "The Boss" Friedman for four songs earlier today (Sunday, August 11) at this year's Bloodstock Open Air festival at Catton Park, Derbyshire, United Kingdom. This marked K.K.'s first public performance since October 17, 2009 when JUDAS PRIEST played the final "British Steel 30th Anniversary" date ...
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Ex-JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing says that he hasn't been approached by his former bandmates about taking part in the group's upcoming 50th-anniversary tour, which is expected to launch next spring/summer. PRIEST recently announced that it will mark the half-century milestone with a world tour in 2020, including an appearance at next year's edition of ...
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In a brand new interview with "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon", original JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing was asked if he regrets leaving the group eight years ago. He responded: "I don't know. As I said before, everybody has the perception that PRIEST is a massive band and that, but in reality, so many other ...
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K.K. Downing has clarified his recent comments about JUDAS PRIEST, saying that he "still hopes" he can get in a room with his former bandmates and talk about the possibility of his return to the group. Last week, the guitarist gave an interview to The Metal Voice in which he said about PRIEST: "I thought ...
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Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing will join ex-MANOWAR axeman Ross "The Boss" Friedman for several songs at this year's Bloodstock Open Air festival on August 11 at Catton Park, Derbyshire, United Kingdom. This will be K.K.'s first public performance since October 17, 2009 when JUDAS PRIEST played the final "British Steel 30th Anniversary" date ...
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Reverb.com, the online marketplace dedicated to buying and selling new and used musical instruments, announced that it has partnered with former PANTERA bassist Rex Brown to sell more than 70 pieces of music gear used live and in the studio throughout his prolific career. The official Rex Brown Reverb shop will launch on Tuesday, July ...
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Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing will join ex-MANOWAR axeman Ross "The Boss" Friedman for several songs at this year's Bloodstock Open Air festival on August 11 at Catton Park, Derbyshire, United Kingdom. This will be K.K.'s first public performance since October 17, 2009 when JUDAS PRIEST played the final "British Steel 30th Anniversary" date ...
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Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing will join ex-MANOWAR axeman Ross "The Boss" Friedman on stage at this year's Bloodstock Open Air festival on August 11 at Catton Park, Derbyshire, United Kingdom. Ross said in a Facebook post: "We The RTB Band are SO FUCKING EXCITED and honored to have KK Downing, an immortal Metal ...
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It was always going to be epic. Take one of the most inventive and quite possibly unhinged songwriters in extreme music history, Davide Tiso (EPHEL DUATH), and pair him with one of the greatest metal voices of all time, Jason McMaster (WATCHTOWER), and then, why the fuck not, get Hannes Grossmann (HATE ETERNAL, BLOTTED SCIENCE, ...
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Jackson has welcomed VOLBEAT guitarist Rob Caggiano to its family of signature artists. Throughout summer 2019, sharp-eyed fans will see the Bronx-born guitarist putting prototypes of his distinctive new Jackson model through their paces at SLIPKNOT's "Knotfest Roadshow" with GOJIRA and BEHEMOTH as well as VOLBEAT's upcoming "Rewind, Replay, Rebound" world tour, which will kick ...
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David Ellefson says that he and Dave Mustaine tried "everything" to make a reunion of MEGADETH's "Rust In Peace" lineup work. The opportunity for MEGADETH's most celebrated lineup to regroup arose following the departures of guitarist Chris Broderick and drummer Shawn Drover in 2014. Drummer Nick Menza was approached by Mustaine and Ellefson to replace ...
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Kiko Loureiro spoke to Argentinian journalist Lucas Gordon about what it was like to hook up with MEGADETH in 2015 after spending two decades playing with the Brazilian band ANGRA. "It was a totally different experience to join a legendary band," the guitarist said (see video below). "With ANGRA, we built the band from scratch, ...
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Former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman recently spoke with Sam Ash Music. The full conversation can be streamed below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On whether he practices: Marty: "I've never considered anything that I've done practicing. I was never one of those wood-shedding in a bedroom with a metronome type. [I've] always ...
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Video footage of Lita Ford's May 26 performance at Buffalo Rose in Golden, Colorado can be seen below (courtesy of Decibel Geek TV's Rockin' Ron). Earlier this year, Lita Ford told The Metal Voice that she was putting the finishing touches on the follow-up to 2012's "Living Like A Runaway" album. Helming the new project ...
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HOWLING SYCAMORE, the extreme progressive ensemble featuring Davide Tiso, Jason McMaster and Hannes Grossmann, has returned with its sophomore album, "Seven Pathways To Annihilation". Due on June 21, the disc features over 50 minutes of music and will be available on gatefold 2LP, compact disc and on all digital outlets. The album's first single, "Initiation", ...
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The official music video for the song "King Of Fools" from HEAVY AS TEXAS, the aggressive metal project featuring acclaimed guitarist Marzi Montazeri and vocalist Kyle Thomas — otherwise recognized as members of Louisiana-based metal pioneers EXHORDER — can be seen below. The track is taken from HEAVY AS TEXAS's self-titled album, which was released ...
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In the video below, Kiko Loureiro teaches you how to play the guitar solo to the MEGADETH song "Bullet To The Brain", taken from the band's latest album, "Dystopia". Last year, Kiko told Loud Trax that he initially had a difficult time figuring out how to plays the MEGADETH songs his own way while still ...
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The official lyric video for the song "Blind" from HEAVY AS TEXAS, the aggressive metal project featuring acclaimed guitarist Marzi Montazeri and vocalist Kyle Thomas — otherwise recognized as members of Louisiana-based metal pioneers EXHORDER (named by Spin as one of the "30 Greatest Thrash Bands of All Time") — can be seen below. The ...
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MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine said a dispute over a guitar solo in the song "Breadline" led to lead guitarist Marty Friedman's departure in 1999. "Breadline" appeared on the band's oft-lambasted "Risk" studio album, an effort that saw MEGADETH undergo a heavily criticized change in direction in favor of more commercialized and accessible songwriting, a move ...
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