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Donella Drive heading to Hollywood after winning Wacken Metal Battle state final

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Donella Drive heading to Hollywood after winning Wacken Metal Battle state final

AUSTIN — Throughout their musical career and, presumably, their lives, Aidan Escalante and Andrew Salazar haven’t been unlike most brothers in that they have their share of disagreements. But there’s no arguing one simple fact: all the infighting they’ve done over their band Donella Drive is now worth it.

The San Antonio duo, along with new drummer Landis Chisenhall, are headed to The Viper Room on Hollywood’s famed Sunset Strip on Saturday, May 7, for the Wacken Metal Battle National Final after defeating nine other bands to win the Texas state final last Sunday at Come And Take It Live (watch Alamo True Metal’s Facebook Live footage of the winning announcement here). The winning artist at the nationals will represent the United States at the world’s most renowned heavy metal festival, the three-day Wacken Open Air before roughly 85,000 fans in August in Germany.

“We argue, we get in fights about the music, but we try to make the best music possible, and now it’s finally starting to pay off,” Salazar, the bassist and backup vocalist, told ATM in the euphoria of victory. “We’re very driven people. Me and my brother, we work our asses off. And we’re just gonna keep rehearsing. keep practicing and keep getting better. That’s all we can do.”

For emphasis, Escalante chimed in: “A lot of arguing.”

Each band throughout the Wacken regionals, state and national finals is allotted 15 minutes. The artists perform alphabetically (see 64-photo slideshow and ATM videos below). And that just happened to indicate Donella Drive would go on first at 5:30 p.m. With apologies to the winners, ATM arrived right after their performance of “Ozell,” “Golden” and “Keep You Waiting” / “Uncertainty Of Now” despite leaving San Antonio 2 1/2 hours before showtime with a quick bite to eat. So, of course, it stood to reason the only band missed would be revealed as the state champion five hours later.

“Keep You Waiting,” incidentally, recently peaked at No. 24 on The Billboard Rock Indicator Chart and No. 10 on The Foundations Chart.

But not even Chisenhall was around for the winning announcement. Salazar said Chisenhall, who joined Donella Drive two days after Steven Rodriguez quit in October and was only playing his sixth gig as a member Sunday, barely made it in time either.

“He was actually on tour with another project he was in, and he was coming in from Dallas when we were loading in,” Salazar said. “By the time we were done, he hung out for a bit and was dead tired. I just sent him a text that said, “Pack your bags, ‘cause we are going to L.A.”

Enjoying their 10th year as a band, Escalante and Salazar have persevered through ups and downs. Once having employed a female singer, Escalante ended up shifting to lead vocals along with guitar. The stepbrothers are the backbone of the band, original members and main songwriters. But their dream could’ve ended five months ago with the drummer switch.

“We had no idea what we were going to do,” Salazar said. “We just asked around, found Landis, and he’s in. And now look what’s happening.”

While Donella Drive’s devotion to its music is paying off, one need look no further than the other nine artists on the bill to see dedication exemplified. Not every state in the country held a Wacken regional, so bands in such a predicament had to travel to another state to begin their road to Wacken.

Among the bands advancing to Austin were two non-Texas groups: Eye from Albuquerque (ATM Facebook Live footage here plus video below) and Immortal Synn from Denver (watch here and below) — just to strut their stuff for 15 minutes. There was also intense Spanglish trio Psycho Pact from Houston with their bloody war paint and bongo drum, thrashers Sadistic Force from Austin, young thrashers Toxic Priest driving 9 1/2 hours from El Paso, metalcore act Trench Rat out of Amarillo and heavy rockers Wellborn Road also from Houston. Sadistic Force, incidentally, will be headlining Paper Tiger’s side room tonight (tickets here).

A pair of area bands that also took part had peculiar situations and circumstances surrounding their sets.

First, melodic rockers Hanna Barakat, performing on their home turf, were easily the sentimental favorites for a pair of reasons. The quartet won the 2020 Wacken Metal Battle at Come And Take It Live, only to have their trip to the nationals in Hollywood snatched away by the following week’s nationwide Covid-19 shutdown. On Sunday, the band’s namesake sang on one leg due to complications that arise periodically from a fracture she sustained at a gig seven years ago in Houston when a brick fell on her toe.

From the 2020 to 2022 event, Barakat enlisted a new bassist and lead guitarist. With her former bassist on hand to show support, as well as Disturbed bassist John Moyer — who produced the band’s 2019 album Siren — Hanna Barakat performed “In the Night” (ATM footage below), “Wanting to Go Home” and “Dangerous Game.” Hanna Barakat will headline Fitzgerald’s on Saturday, April 23 (tickets here).

Meanwhile, San Antonio’s other state-finals entrant Jessikill had a bit of a conundrum. In between the regional and state competitions, the band landed a monster national tour in the spring opening for Yngwie Malmsteen (details here). The trek conflicts with the May 7 nationals, as Jessikill is scheduled to support Malmsteen that night on the other side of the country at the famed Gramercy Theatre in New York. Jessikill bassist Arturo Knight told ATM prior to Sunday’s performance that should his band have emerged victorious in Austin, he and his mates would’ve tried to award the nationals berth to the runner-up.

While most of Sunday’s groups squeezed in three tunes, with a couple able to play four, Jessikill was the only one of the 10 to only play two. Watch them below on “Lightning” before they followed up with “Metal Knights.”

Some artists enter the Wacken Metal Battle without an emphasis on winning it. They may simply be trying to spread the word of their music, gain new fans and sell some merch along the way. Others are genuinely disappointed they didn’t make it all the way. And some, like Denver’s Immortal Synn, are good sports and come up to the winners with congratulations while graciously joking, “We shared the stage with Donella Drive!”

Alas, the night belonged to a set of brothers from San Antonio and their new drummer. Donella Drive will now follow in the footsteps of 2019 Texas state final winners Nahaya in representing the Alamo City at nationals. Nahaya lost out to San Diego, California, band Monarch for the right to play at Wacken during the inaugural battle.

“We’re always challenging ourselves,” Salazar concluded in exultation. “We don’t try and repeat the same things. We love all kinds of music. We love taking it all in in our filters and our minds. I can’t believe I’m here!”

And now Donella Drive will have the opportunity to write a Hollywood ending . . . with German subtitles.

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Immolation and friends provide unholy soundtrack to death metal

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Immolation and friends provide unholy soundtrack to death metal

From the moment a single foot was set inside Come And Take It Live in Austin on the night of Feb. 26, it was clear your standard heavy metal show was not about to unfold. That was confirmed from the first strains of the bands on the bill.

Immolation, Imperial Triumphant and Mortiferum made a packed venue feel like it had entered the bowels of hell via their respective soundtracks of death metal. But that wasn’t exactly a bad thing. As long as this version of hell included a few drinks and mosh pits accompanying the darkest sounds of death, ticket buyers in the house certainly didn’t mind.

Touring in support of the Feb. 18 release of Acts of God, Immolation brought three decades of death metal to downtown Austin and brutalized the cozy yet intimate venue with a mix of tunes from throughout its career. Led by original vocalist/ bassist Ross Dolan and original guitarist Bob Vigna, the New York band that often convenes for rehearsals at the Cleveland home of drummer Steve Shalaty had a tough act (of God, if you will) to follow after Imperial Triumphant and Mortiferum stoked the fires of hell in their own unique way (see 33-photo slideshow below).

Watch ATM’s Facebook Live footage of Immolation beginning its set here, then click ATM’s four videos below that included two songs from 1991 debut Dawn of Possession, the title track to 2013’s Kingdom of Conspiracy and “Rise the Heretics” from 2017’s Atonement. See an exclusive interview with Shalaty previewing the tour, discussing the latest album and other topics via the video box below.

Fellow New Yorkers Imperial Triumphant were easily the most unorthodox band on stage but certainly had its share of fans who came to see them most. Adorned in gold facemasks and black cloaks, vocalist / guitarist Zachary Ezrin, bassist / vocalist Steven Blanco and drummer Kenny Grohowski methodically made their way onstage before spending a large portion of their set prancing and dancing to fast and complicated, technical and abnormal bass-thumping and riffage not heard — or experienced — on a normal day. Ezrin at one point broke out a champagne bottle, using it on his instrument before popping it open and offering it up to the willing and waiting mouths of anyone who wanted a taste. Watch Imperial Triumphant begin their set via ATM’s Facebook Live footage here.

The night got off to a darkened, yet enlightening, start from Mortiferum. The band out of the Pacific Northwest set the tone with its intense brand of music, opening the fiery gateways to the abyss of the evening’s soundtrack. Mortiferum demonstrated it is a band on the rise within all subgenres of metal, and it would be nice to bring them to the Alamo City sometime in the near future.

After all, hell should be vast enough to cover Interstate-35 from one South Texas city to another.

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Speedemon locals X.I.L. unleash debut album with breakneck fury

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Speedemon locals X.I.L. unleash debut album with breakneck fury

Local thrash band X.I.L. released its debut six-song EP Massacre in September 2018. Yet the uncertainty of the 3 1/2 years that has followed, global pandemic and all, would’ve been enough to kill most bands’ dreams.

But if anything, X.I.L. (pronounced Exile) went the opposite route.

Vocalist / bassist Austin James, lead guitarist Joseph Aguilar and drummer Jordan L. Hoffart poured their heart and soul into recording full-length debut album Rip and Tear. While other local outfits’ careers may have been claimed by Covid-19 either affecting them personally or internally, or simply because 20 months of the virus stymied the live concert scene and suspended many bands’ desire to continue making music, X.I.L. carried on while making a smaller adjustment.

X.I.L. was a four-piece, but former guitarist Quinten Serna quit the group to “pursue other forms of music,” as he told ATM while still in attendance supporting his former bandmates last Saturday night at The Mix. James, Aguilar and Hoffart have continued as a trio and bore the fruits of their labor by playing their new recording effort in its entirety following its Feb. 25 release. Watch ATM’s Facebook Live footage of the title track opener and “Speedemons”, “Motorcharge” and the clip below of “Gone Again” and “Moonlight Mass.”

James acknowledged at one point that his voice was parched, but that didn’t slow down the pits, an instance of which nearly blew out ligaments in the knee of yours truly when a burly male and his female friend decided to make The Mix’s floor their own personal thrash zone with no regard for photographers in the house.

James long ago shared with ATM that his band was moving in a more mature form of thrash direction with its music after the EP’s full-bore tunes such as “Full Throttle Ass Kickin’. " Whereas X.I.L.’s 2018 music may have harkened back to when Metallica and Slayer were a similar age to what X.I.L.’s members are today, Rip and Tear, James had said, was going to be more diverse along the lines of Motorhead with a nod to Black Sabbath and Judas Priest.

No matter.

X.I.L. still raged, simply adding an all-out assault with the opening title-track instrumental, the moody “Moonlight Mass” and vintage X.I.L. on “Speedemons” and “Breakneck.” They then capped the eight-song album performance with “Equinox,” after which James punctuated the night by declaring, “Buy our fucking CD” as Aguilar thrust his Flying V high into the air (see 21-photo slideshow below).

X.I.L. will undoubtedly continue pushing its album on the local scene throughout the year, so stay tuned to ATM’s Concert Listings page to find out details of future gigs.

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Cherry Bombs, Them Evils light up Rock Box with fiery tales of metal

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Cherry Bombs, Them Evils light up Rock Box with fiery tales of metal

It’s not often the featured act at the Rock Box can capture the audience’s attention without playing any instruments or singing a single song. But who needs that stuff when you’ve got aerial dance acts, fire and sex appeal playing out to a backdrop of heavy metal tunes?

So goes the uniqueness of the Cherry Bombs dance troupe.

Founded and directed by Alicia Taylor, a former Atlanta Falcons cheerleader and the wife of Slipknot and Stone Sour vocalist Corey Taylor, the Cherry Bombs made their third visit to the Rock Box / Vibes Event Center on Tuesday, March 1. Unlike the previous two stops in 2017 and 2021 when they opened for Stone Sour and Corey Taylor’s solo band, respectively (coverage here), the women — and yes, one male performer — of Cherry Bombs enjoyed their first headlining trip to San Antonio as part of their Macabaret tour.

Orange County, California, natives Them Evils were in the opening slot this time and did all they could to wake up the Tuesday night crowd that struggled to reach triple digits in number. Vocalist / guitarist Jordan Griffin on three occasions challenged those lounging in the back of the venue to come up to the front, going so far as to say he would buy shots for everyone who made the leap, adding that he was serious. For the record, he didn’t, and only a few fans took up his invitation.

Those who preferred the up-close view were treated to a kick-ass rock performance by the quartet. Watch ATM’s Facebook Live footage of latest single “Burner” plus the group’s final two songs, “Got Me Rockin’ “ and “Where Ya Gonna Crash Tonight” via the video box below.

But the night belonged to Cherry Bombs.

Taking the stage to a brief introductory video in which an attractive blonde narrator invited the crowd to drink throughout the show anytime they heard her say “whoa-oh”, or some variation thereof, the ladies and gent began their act that was intended to tell the story of hitchhikers and the adventures and trouble they run into along their journey.

Where exactly they were going was anyone’s guess. But since their fictitious trek involved several costume changes, masked performers dancing around a harness and a cube suspended in the air (ATM footage here and below), sparklers in suggestive places and — something the Rock Box doesn’t get with metal bands: fire twirling — no one was left upset that some of the story’s details remained unclear. Consider it Cherry Bombs’ choice to leave it up to each individual’s imagination. Besides, since attractiveness is a huge part of the Bombs’ act, one could be excused if he/she was a tad distracted by the sexual overtones and . . . did we mention there was fire onstage inside a bar?

The metal soundtrack to the Bombs’ performance provided several headbanging opportunities with the likes of Rob Zombie’s “More Human Than Human,” Metallica’s “Wherever I May Roam” and Rammstein’s “Du Hast,” which is when the fire came out. And lest anyone think Taylor’s husband’s music wouldn’t be featured, well, you’d be crazy. But it only made two brief appearances in a portion of Corey Taylor’s solo track “Hwy 666” and Slipknot’s “Spiders.”

During the 2017 visit, Alicia Taylor played a bit of guitar during Cherry Bombs’ set, which she spoke about last month exclusively with yours truly in the video chat below previewing this show. This time, she went the complete opposite route, adding a ravishing-in-red solo flamenco dance skit to the sparklers, group fire kumbaya and overall variety (see 43-photo slideshow below).

Cherry Bombs may have been fighting an uphill battle for attention on this night given that it was a Tuesday and they aren’t your standard rock or metal act that normally sells tickets to an Alamo City concert venue. But for those who showed up for the curiosity factor, or because they remembered the troupe’s two prior visits or simply by accident because they were looking for something to do on the first of the month, well, they were rewarded with a performance you don’t see every day.

And if that’s all Cherry Bombs wanted to achieve while making their living with an ambitious tour across the Lone Star State, entertaining an audience and themselves along the way, then mission accomplished. And hey: maybe that’s what the hitchhikers were supposed to do all along. Yeah, let’s go with that.

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Into the Pit: Cherry Bombs founder Alicia Taylor

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Into the Pit: Cherry Bombs founder Alicia Taylor

As founder of a heavy metal dance troupe that incorporates fire, aerials and storytelling into its eyebrow raising, action-packed, entertaining act, Cherry Bombs director Alicia Taylor has realized her vision of bringing theatrical dance to a new, explosive level.

Along the way, Taylor expanded on her days as an NFL cheerleader for the Atlanta Falcons and landed opening tour slots with Buckcherry, Black Stone Cherry and Stone Sour. She then took her love life to another level as well by marrying Stone Sour and Slipknot vocalist Corey Taylor. Cherry Bombs tours hit San Antonio’s Vibes Event Center indoors in 2017 with Stone Sour and last May outside the Vibes supporting Corey Taylor’s solo band (coverage here).

Alicia Taylor now gets the chance to hit the road on her own as Cherry Bombs will headline the Rock Box, the room adjacent to the Vibes Event Center, on Tuesday, March 1, as part of their Macabaret tour with Them Evils (tickets here). But that’s not all. Cherry Bombs will host a two-hour workshop from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, March 3, during which would-be dancers can learn choreographic moves and ask questions of Taylor and her crew at Countdown Studio (9023 Huebner Rd., Ste 103). Tickets to the workshop cost $40, but if you bring your ticket stub from the show, you’ll get $10 off (buy here; see details here).

Alicia Taylor graciously went “Into the Pit” with ATM on Monday to discuss the troupe, the tour, the “Girl Gang” documentary (watch Episode 1 below), her recently penned tribute in Revolver Magazine to one of her favorite bands (click here), her famous rock-star husband and more.

Click the video box below to watch our entire conversation.

Cherry Bombs Macabarét Tour with Them Evils

February 25- Albuquerque, NM - The Launchpad - 618 Central Ave SW

21+ Doors 8 p.m. - Tickets $15 advance/$20 door

February 27 - Dallas, TX - Trees - 2709 Elm Street

All Ages - Doors 7 p.m. - Tickets $15 advance/$20 door

March 1 - San Antonio, TX - Rock Box - 1223 E Houston Street

All Ages - Doors 7 p.m. - Tickets $16 advance/$20 door

March 2 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall - 2915 N Main Street

All Ages - Doors 8 p.m. - Tickets $20

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Jessikill lands national tour opening for Yngwie Malmsteen

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Jessikill lands national tour opening for Yngwie Malmsteen

Considering they have yet to scratch the surface of their 30s, it may be hard to believe that Jessikill’s core unit of diversified lead vocalist Jessica Espinoza Alejo, shrewd shredding guitarist Jyro Alejo and bassist / vocalist / business entrepreneur Arturo Knight are entering their 10th year as a band. Considering their list of accomplishments, litany of metal mainstays for which they’ve opened, and festivals they’ve played, today’s official announcement may arguably be their greatest achievement.

Jessikill has landed a national spring tour opening for Swedish guitar maestro Yngwie J. Malmsteen. Due to Malmsteen having headlined the Tobin Center last Aug. 1 (coverage here), there are no Texas dates scheduled this time around. Nevertheless, the all-theatre 21-show trek that runs from May 1 through June 4 (see all dates below) marks an incredible moment that, Covid-19 pandemic notwithstanding, will forever be etched in Jessikill’s annals individually and collectively.

“It’s going to be totally badass,” Knight told Alamo True Metal this week. “Even though this is the biggest thing that has ever happened for Jessikill, I could see this also not being the biggest thing happening in the future. Because the tour hasn’t even started yet, but we’re already getting some PR people and some booking managers contacting us. It’s kind of like going from zero to a hundred.”

Kurt Deimer, who opened for former Queensryche vocalist Geoff Tate on Nov. 5 at the Aztec Theatre (coverage here), will also be on the full tour, while Culprit will appear on about half of the dates. But it’s Jessikill’s inclusion that’s sure to blow away fans in the tour’s cities who may not have ever seen the group perform live. Of course, an added interesting twist is that the Alejos and Knight also take part in Sacred Star, a tribute act dedicated to Malmsteen and Ronnie James Dio that includes the former’s classic songs “Rising Force,” “I’ll See the Light Tonight” and “I Am A Viking.”

Knight, who handles Jessikill’s business affairs and made the connections with Malmsteen’s manager to help land the tour, acknowledges that Sacred Star is “literally the only tribute band that exists in the entire world (to Malmsteen). No one can play like Yngwie except for Jyro.”

But is Malmsteen, who’s painfully protective of his unique style of guitar playing, aware the musicians he’s about to take on tour have a spinoff tribute band partially dedicated to him?

“I’m not sure how Yngwie is going to take it,” Knight said. “I’m sure we’ll find out. Jyro learned everything he knows on guitar by being inspired by Yngwie. Our styles are similar, but a lot of people have never seen Jyro play on a national stage.”

Jessikill has opened for countless national and international acts throughout Texas over the years. The group served as the backing band in 2016 for former Judas Priest, Iced Earth and one-time Malmsteen vocalist Tim “Ripper” Owens (see 34-photo slideshow below) and played Rocklahoma on a pair of occasions. Naturally, they’ve played San Antonio festivals such as Fiesta Oyster Bake and Siesta Fest. The upcoming tour, however, may outrank them all when it’s said and done.

But that’s not the only thing Jessikill has going on.

The band competed last Friday for the first time in the third Wacken Metal Battle San Antonio Regional, attempting to be the singular artist from the United States that will go on to play the prestigious three-day German festival this summer. Jessikill and Donella Drive advanced to the state final Sunday, March 20, at Come And Take It Live in Austin. They will compete against defending 2020 state champion Hanna Barakat, fellow Austin Regional winner Sadistic Force and victors from the Lubbock, Corpus Christi, Houston and Dallas regionals.

“The show was really amazing,” Knight said. “The reason we didn’t do the battles last time was we thought it was sketchy with the promoters behind the scenes. We decided to do it this time because we got the offer, and for the publicity of it, and to get more fans.”

Although Hanna Barakat won the State Battle at Come And Take It Live on March 14, 2020 (coverage here), the Austin band was shut out of the national final that May in Los Angeles due to the Covid shutdown that ensued the following week throughout the country. The 2021 Wacken Open Air festival was canceled, so there were no battles last year. Now, in 2022, a slew of bands will take another crack at it.

But next month’s state final may be a moot point for Jessikill. Should they win and go on to represent Texas bands in Los Angeles for the right to play at Wacken, that West Coast event scheduled for May 7 would conflict with the Malmsteen tour. That night, Jessikill is scheduled to play clear across the country at the legendary Gramercy Theater in New York. The following day, Jessikill and Malmsteen take part in the annual M3 Festival outside of Baltimore.

Whichever road Jessikill travels, Knight and the Alejos will be accompanied by often fill-in drummer Marcel Biel. Full-time Jessikill drummer Jordan Ames recently had a baby, so Biel — who rounds out the Sacred Star tribute band anyway — performed at the Wacken Regional last week. Knight said Biel is slated to do the Malmsteen tour too.

Knight acknowledged Jessikill will have a hometown headlining date during an off night from the tour Memorial Day weekend Sunday, May 29, with several local openers at a venue to be announced. But there’ll be another hometown show two weeks prior to the trek when Jessikill, along with Byfist, supports Riot and Ignitor.

Jessikill has jammed with Riot bassist and San Antonio’s own Don Van Stavern on several occasions and often plays Riot’s “Sign of the Crimson Storm” during tribute or cover shows around town. But the concert scheduled for Friday, April 22, at Vibes Event Center (tickets here) figures to be extra special with Jessikill supporting Riot.

“We’ve been looking forward to that one for many years,” Knight said. “It’s been a good five years that we haven’t played with them. But of course we’re really good friends with Donnie, so we’d always see him. We’ve been talking about Jessikill with Riot, so now that we’re on the bill, it’s going to be a really kickass show.”

As if all that isn’t enough, Jessikill continues to work on the follow-up to Another World. The band released the video for “Lightning” last November (watch it below), and it was one of the songs Jessikill performed at last week’s Wacken Regional to impress the panel of judges.

“We have at least 10-plus songs in our database that we prepare and write beforehand,” Knight said. “We’re going to release something before the Yngwie tour so we can take something with us on tour. Depending on our schedules, we might be able to release a (full-length) album, ‘cause we’re really fast in the studio. But we also want to make sure the music is really, really perfect. It might be an EP or it might be an album. The new music’s definitely different but not too different. We’re definitely trying different styles of music so we’re not playing the same thing.”

Another song Jessikill performed at the Wacken regional was “The Beast,” the lone Jessikill tune that features Knight on lead vocals for the first verse.

“I wrote it when I was, like, 15 years old, and I’m 28,” Knight said. “Honestly, every single time we play it, sometimes I still mess up. It still feels brand new. Jessikill rehearses a lot. Basically, we’re playing like KISS — we’re playing the same set. But sometimes you still mess up. It’s because our music is really, really technical. It also depends on our physical abilities, how much we rehearse. It’s much more than just playing the song. The song is really old, but we try to add new stuff to it too.”

In addition to his duties on stage, Knight is in charge of the group’s business activities. It’s a gig within the gig, so to speak, that he relishes.

“Oh yeah, I really love the business part of it,” he said. “That was one of my dreams growing up. When I was in one of my younger bands, I had to choose. Do you want to be in extracurricular activities or be in music? It just so happens that music and business are together in this, so I’m doing what I love while also on the business part of it I’m able to grow the band and the brand. The fact that we’re able to make money doing it is just icing on the top.

“For me, doing business and being able to book, I love to always accomplish stuff. Jessica and Jyro, they promote like hell. They’re out there doing their thing, doing the ground work. When someone does come up to them and says, ‘Hey, I wanna talk to someone to get this done,’ Jessica and Jyro both bring them to me. I make sure things are closed, and I also don’t like to take B.S. A lot of times, people like to take advantage of local bands. We don’t take that.”

And speaking of Jessica and Jyro . . . what’s the secret to the trio’s relationship and friendship flourishing after all these years — even before Jessikill existed? It goes beyond the stage, whether it’s in Jessikill, Sacred Star or other tribute acts such as Iron Maiden’s Seventh Son or Dokken’s Dokkit.

“I’ve known Jessica for many, many years, since I was, like, 9 years old,” said Knight, who performed with RockStar Riot opening for Loudness in 2008 at Randy’s Ballroom at age 15 (see slideshow). “When I was 8, 9, 10, when I first got on stage, one of the very first people I met performing, which was at Fiesta, was Jessica and her sister. And her dad, who did sound for us. Me and Jessica have been friends for a long time. And Jessikill has been around since 2012.

“We’re really just friends having a good time. We don’t really take things too serious, which might be a bad thing. But we truly enjoy what we’re doing. We’ve experienced some of the biggest points in our lives with each other, next to each other. And on top of that, we do get in fights. We do argue. We’re like brothers and sisters, which I think is a big thing that every band has to have if you want to be comfortable with each other.

“A lot of bands work very professionally where all you know is their first name, last name and how many kids they have. But it’s not really, really true chemistry that you’re able to build like a brother or sister where, even if you get in a fight, you know they’re still your brother or sister. Within the band, with me, Jessica and Jyro, we never worry about one another doing anything that will hurt us. Because we have full trust in each other and loyalty. Jessica has turned down record labels and other bands and tours just to play with us. Same here. Me and Jyro have turned down things just because we really only want to focus on Jessikill. We’re really loyal to the band. We are together every single day, but we give each other our space.”

It’s all led to a tour that’s certain to be memorable for three “kids” from San Antonio who are in the prime of their musical careers. But will Malmsteen, who’s often regarded as a musician who doesn’t pay much mind to those supporting him on tour, take notice?

“Out of 30 days,” Knight said, “we’re bound to have one date where we talk with him!”

It’s also bound to be part of a whirlwind next four months in the life of Jessikill. So excuse Knight if he lost track of the fact the band has existed for a decade.

“You’re right,” he said. “I didn’t even think about that!”

YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, KURT DEIMER, JESSIKILL TOUR DATES

  • 05.01.22 HARTFORD, CT INFINITY HARTFORD

  • 05.03.22 PATCHOGUE, NY PATCHOGUE THEATER

  • 05.04.22 LEESBURG, VA TALLY HO THEATER

  • 05.06.22 NORWALK, CT WALL ST THEATER

  • 05.07.22 NEW YORK, NY GRAMERCY THEATER

  • 05.08.22 COLUMBIA, MD M3 FESTIVAL

  • 05.09.22 CHESTER, NY SUGAR LOAF PERFORMING ARTS

  • 05.11.22 TOLEDO, OH STRANAHAN THEATER

  • 05.12.22 ST. CHARLES, IL ARCADIA THEATER

  • 05.13.22 HOBART, IN HOBART ART THEATER

  • 05.14.22 CLEVELAND, OH THE ODEON

  • 05.16.22 DENVER, CO ORIENTAL THEATER

  • 05.18.22 RENO, NV VIRGINIA ST. BREWHOUSE

  • 05.19.22 AGOURA HILLS, CA CANYON AGOURA

  • 05.20.22 MONTCLAIR, CA CANYON MONTCLAIR

  • 05.21.22 FRESNO, CA TOWER THEATER

  • 05.22.22 SANTA CLARITA, CA CANYON SANTA CLARITA

  • 05.24.22 TEMPE, AZ THE MARQUEE

  • 05.25.22 TUCSON, AZ RIALTO THEATER

  • 06.03.22 ORLANDO, FL PLAZA LIVE

  • 06.04.22 FT. LAUDERDALE, FL PARKER PLAYHOUSE

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Into the Pit: Immolation drummer Steve Shalaty

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Into the Pit: Immolation drummer Steve Shalaty

As the man behind the death-metal drum kit since 2003 for New York-based band Immolation, Ohio native Steve Shalaty has seen his fair share of trends within the industry, progression in the extreme metal subgenre of heavy metal — and shown the type of perseverance that enabled him to only miss one show after breaking his leg.

Now locked, loaded and rarin’ to go during a pandemic era that has stymied the majority of bands’ ability to tour and changed the way they make their albums to a certain degree, Shalaty and Immolation will drop 11th record Acts of God on Feb. 18 via Nuclear Blast Records. They’ll headline Come And Take It Live in Austin on Sat. Feb. 26 with guests Imperial Triumphant and Mortiferum (tickets here).

Co-founded by singer/bassist Ross Dolan and guitarist/video mastermind Bob Vigna, the group debuted with 1991’s Dawn of Possession and hasn’t looked back. Each Immolation album Shalaty has played on has included the production expertise of Paul Orofino, known for working with classic-rock bands such as Blue Oyster Cult and Golden Earring but who has also purified the sound for which Immolation is known. Acts of God, which also features the addition of guitarist Alex Bouks, who joined in 2016, marks the group’s first recording effort since 2017’s Atonement.

Shalaty graciously went “Into the Pit” today to discuss a variety of topics in addition to the forthcoming album and tour. Click the videos below to watch new singles “The Age of No Light” and “Apostle,” then watch our entire conversation (cover photo courtesy: Nuclear Blast Records).

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Red Rocker makes Aztec's devoted Texas fans part of his musical Circle

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Red Rocker makes Aztec's devoted Texas fans part of his musical Circle

The latest version of a Sammy Hagar-fronted band is called The Circle, but Saturday night at the Aztec Theatre, it could have been referred to by a number of other names: Sammy Hagar & The Signatures. Sammy Hagar & The Autographs. Or by the essence of its nature, something along the lines of Sammy Hagar and the Just Know How To Have Funs.

During Sammy Hagar & The Circle’s four-date December trek strictly devoted to Texas, a packed Aztec repeatedly returned the loyalty and approval for Hagar, bassist Michael Anthony, guitarist Vic Johnson and drummer Jason Bonham. So Hagar took it upon himself to give his John Hancock to whatever was thrust upon him on stage including hats, shirts, banners and towels, never losing a beat as he vocalized 17 songs dominated by his stints in Montrose, a storied solo career and that little era in Van Halen (see setlist in 32-photo slideshow below).

Sammy Hagar & The Sharpies? OK, maybe not.

In their return to the Alamo City following performances in 2019 and 2020 at the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo (coverage here), the famed quartet went on shortly after 8 p.m., with a significant contingent of fans still getting their tickets scanned outside during second song “Rock Candy.”

The Aztec and/or Live Nation would be wise to swallow their pride and abandon, or at least alter, their policy of not releasing set times and simply stating that the ticket time (7 p.m. in this case) reflects when the doors open. Moreover, the Aztec’s Facebook page didn’t even make reference to the show on the day of, so those believing they were showing up during the opening act may have been surprised to find there wasn’t one.

The show ended at about 9:50 p.m., begging the question: when’s the last time a concert ended prior to 10 p.m., particularly on a Saturday? Hagar and Co. were mindful of the fact its fanbase is comprised of an older generation that doesn’t want to stay out past midnight watching a gig. Hagar and his crew undoubtedly count themselves, too, as performers who don’t want to be on stage around that time.

But don’t mistake those vignettes as a sign the 74-year-old “Red Rocker” is going to be rocking out of a rocker anytime soon. On the contrary. Maybe it’s Hagar’s penchant for always seeing the positive out of life. Perhaps it’s all those trips to Cabo Wabo. Or maybe it’s just that he’s naturally wired by “Mas Tequila” (ATM Facebook Live footage here).

Sammy Hagar & The Circle certainly had their share of competition throughout San Antonio on this night. Right around the corner performing at the Majestic Theatre was comedian George Lopez. There were also other rock and metal shows such as a rescheduled August Burns Red metalcore gig at Vibes Event Center and Dallas natives To Whom It May headlining Fitzgerald’s. But the Aztec was the place to hear classic party anthems and even a few jokes and anecdotes from Hagar, Anthony and Bonham — the unassuming Johnson notwithstanding — for roughly 90 minutes.

And The Circle didn’t disappoint.

Seven of the 17 tracks were of the Van Halen variety, including “Right Now" and “Why Can’t This Be Love” before The Circle devoted the lone Led Zeppelin tune to Bonham — the son of the late Zeppelin drummer John Bonham — “Rock ‘N’ Roll” (ATM Facebook Live footage of all three here). Anthony dedicated “Right Now” to Eddie Van Halen, but surprisingly, that appeared to be the only time the late iconic guitarist was mentioned by name.

Van Halen died Oct. 6, 2020, of a stroke at a time he and Hagar remained mostly on non-speaking terms, though the frontman of Montrose, Sammy Hagar & The Waboritas, Chickenfoot and the era often referred by others — affectionately or not — as Van Hagar had frequently stated he would be open to returning to Van Halen with Anthony.

The Circle also gave the Aztec patrons what they came for with “Three Lock Box,” “There’s Only One Way to Rock,” “Heavy Metal” and “I Can’t Drive 55” (ATM footage below) and more Van Halen tunes such as “Top of the World,” “Best of Both Worlds” and “Finish What Ya Started,” the latter featuring Hagar’s patented cry of “I need some PUSSY!” (see slideshow).

Johnson, one of Hagar’s cohorts with The Waboritas, may not play the Van Halen solos the way the namesake of that band did, nor may he make anyone forget about EVH. But that’s not even close to being the goal with The Circle, and if you show up to a Circle show expecting as much, well, you’ve likely had too much Beach Rum or tequila.

The band ended the night with an a cappella version of Van Halen’s “Dreams” that included Bonham filming live to his Instagram page, along with the lone Circle offering of the evening “Affirmation” and Van Halen closer “When It’s Love” (ATM footage of all three below).

Whether he’s on stage living out his dream and spanning his career, celebrating a birthday at his nightclub in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, or jamming with and interviewing musicians on “Rock & Roll Road Trip With Sammy Hagar” via Mark Cuban’s AXS TV network, Hagar only knows one way to live and rock. That refreshing outlook may be as influential as anything he has sung the past five decades.

The Circle’s first rodeo two years ago at the AT&T Center may have been a rockin’ good evening. But its post-pandemic toast to Texas in 2021 could not have been any brighter or come at a better time.

Hello, Baaaaby, indeed.

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'Hurricane' Nita shreds through obstacles & 'Dead Inside' crowd at Rock Box

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'Hurricane' Nita shreds through obstacles & 'Dead Inside' crowd at Rock Box

Unless your name is Steve Vai or Joe Satriani, the stars need to align just right if you’re going to play to a packed house as an all-instrumental guitarist. Even if that house is a bar.

John 5 has gone through sparse crowds on solo instrumentalist tours when he’s not performing with Rob Zombie, including at the Rock Box. UFO guitarist Vinnie Moore has done the same as a headliner at the Rock Box. Nita Strauss blew through the same downtown San Antonio concert bar Saturday night as a solo artist for the second time in three years after rocking the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park on Oct. 19 as part of Alice Cooper’s band.

Strauss receives her share of larger audiences playing with the original master of shock rock. So more intimate crowds whether the result of a pandemic, low ticket sales, a lack of promotion or all of the above that might normally affect some artists fail to fluster someone who goes by the nickname of “Hurricane.” Coupled with the fact Strauss is one of the most humble artists you’ll ever meet, it’s easy to see how and why she and her band thrived not only in front of an audience that struggled to meet triple digits but also showed a sense of humor during various technical difficulties. That included three attempts to take the stage for a unique and unpredictable opening track — the Power Rangers’ theme song — before the third time was the charm.

Yes, a hurricane was in full effect. And it came with a monster five-piece of a band (see 65-photo slideshow below).

Supported by Black Satellite, teenage vocalist/bassist Abby K and locals Wulfholt (apologies to the latter that ATM could not make it in time for their set), Strauss is touring behind her November 2018 instrumental full-length debut Controlled Chaos as she did June 2019 at the Rock Box, a show that also included Wulfholt (coverage here). This time, Strauss brought her first No. 1 song “Dead Inside” that co-stars Disturbed singer David Draiman. Saturday’s performance of the killer track featured Draiman’s vocals piped in and can be viewed below as part of ATM’s footage.

Strauss’ resume speaks for itself. In addition to playing with Cooper and her own band, she was the in-house guitarist for the Los Angeles Kiss of the Arena Football League, the team owned by KISS’ Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons in 2014. That occurred around the time she earned the gig with Cooper, both of which Strauss spoke about with ATM here.

Strauss also played the entrance theme for World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Shinsuke Nakamura at Wrestlemania 34 in New Orleans, and her Controlled Chaos song “Mariana Trench” was chosen as the official theme to NXT’s War Games pay-per-view event.

Along with her boyfriend and drummer Josh Villalta, Strauss and her band also delivered the goods on “The Stillness At the End,” “The Quest” and “Our Most Desperate Hour” (ATM footage below). She unveiled “Summer Storm” as an instrumental that was “a song that you definitely didn’t know” and segued into “a song that you definitely do know” — Cooper’s “Feed My Frankenstein.” Strauss enlisted the help of Black Satellite singer Larissa Vale for the latter, but Vale’s deep and raspy vocals didn’t exactly elicit memories of the 1991 studio version with Cooper (ATM Facebook Live footage here).

Strauss also shredded and headbanged her way through the first song she ever released as a solo artist, “Pandemonium 2.0” (anyone else hear the riff to Journey’s “Who’s Crying Now” toward the end?). Strauss and her band then gave the non-masses something to eat up — her traditional Texas performance of Pantera’s “Domination” (footage of both songs below), this rendition coming a mere 24 hours after Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals did the honors inside the room next door, the Vibes Event Center (coverage here).

Black Satellite, meanwhile, was an anomaly on the bill. The New York City goth band is actually known as a duo featuring Vale’s vocals and guitarist Kyle Hawken but enlisted a bassist and drummer to round out the live show. They didn’t generate a whole lot of enthusiasm following Abby K. and Wulfholt, but not through a lack of effort. Watch them in action on “Void.”

Abby K. and her trio, however, were a different story. Strauss said Abby K has opened at least one show on each of her prior solo tours and that this time she’s performing on the entire trek, “and I couldn’t be more proud.” The teenage vocalist/bassist showed she was more than comfortable making her San Antonio debut, warming things up in a rocking way on “Dirty Love” and “Rock the Rock” and closer “Dodging A Bullet (I Swear)” which can be viewed below.

Despite the technical obstacles that threatened to overshadow Strauss’ set but failed to do so, the headliner was just as impressive regarding her attitude toward the inconveniences as were her skills on the axe. Strauss repeatedly smiled and told those who bothered to show up that “any day on stage with these guys is better” than the previous 18 months or so we’ve all gone through. She even took time out to thank the Rock Box for having her — not many artists have been known to do that.

Yes, this was one instance in which a hurricane wasn’t so bad. In fact, it was downright rockin’ and bitchin’ by the first female signature artist to be endorsed by Ibanez guitars. Maybe next time she’s in San Antonio, there will be more on hand who will welcome being blown away by this talented and accomplished guitarist who’s more than just a pretty face on stage.

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Phil Anselmo's celebration of Pantera era bittersweet hit with sold-out Vibes

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Phil Anselmo's celebration of Pantera era bittersweet hit with sold-out Vibes

The more things change . . . you know the rest. The more heavy metal vocalists who see their band break up, necessitating they carve their own path, the more public demand insists those singers forgo solo material and bring back their good ol’ days.

We saw it last week with Geoff Tate performing Queensryche albums Rage For Order and Empire at the Aztec Theatre. We’ve seen it the last three years with Sebastian Bach dedicating his last two tours to his first two records with Skid Row. We’ve even witnessed Udo Dirkschneider continuing to play Accept songs after he had stated that his prior tour would be the last to include such material. Dirkschneider now sings a different tune, reportedly saying he wants to “give the people what they want.”

Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals could be viewed as a case of “last but not least” if not for one major difference: Anselmo’s celebration of his era fronting Pantera will always be split into two camps: those who’ve been clamoring for years for Anselmo to dust off those iconic songs again vs. those who blame the vocalist for the band’s breakup that led to the onstage murder of guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott by a deranged fan during a Damageplan concert in December 2004 in Ohio.

Anselmo spent part of 2019 playing Pantera tracks as a support act on Slayer’s farewell tour and was supposed to do the same Sept. 5 in Corpus Christi with Anthrax, Drowning Pool and Crobot before that show was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. So his return Friday night to what was declared a sold-out Vibes Event Center, which holds approximately 1,200 fans, was music to the ears of the first side of the ledger — while the second side may have chosen to stay home.

With locals Life Cycles and X.I.L. also on the bill (apologies to the latter since a date with paying the bills necessitated an arrival after their set), Anselmo dedicated on a pair of occasions various Pantera songs to Dimebag and his late brother, drummer Vinnie Paul. Anselmo and Paul never buried the hatchet following Dime’s murder, so it was slightly curious that Anselmo never mentioned the only other member of Pantera who’s still alive, bassist Rex Brown.

Anselmo’s set was a short, yet anything but sweet, 75-80 headlining minutes that only included 12 songs. Billed as “A Vulgar Display of Pantera,” half of the performance was comprised of 1992’s Vulgar Display of Power including all of Side 1 such as Friday’s opener “A New Level” and “Mouth For War” (see setlist in 29-photo slideshow below). With the refreshing sight of body surfers serving as a backdrop, Anselmo and his latest version of The Illegals also ripped into “Strength Beyond Strength,” a portion of “Goddamn Electric,” “Becoming,” “This Love” and “I’m Broken” with a dash of Judas Priest’s “Victim of Changes” before Anselmo smartened up and let the Vibes faithful do their own Rob Halford impersonation on the song’s highest note (ATM Facebook Live footage here).

Guitarist Mike DeLeon of Flesh Hoarder, which headlines Bonds Rock Bar this Saturday, joined Scour bassist Derek Engemann and a pair of Anselmo’s former mates in Superjoint — guitarist Stephen Taylor and drummer Jose Manuel Gonzalez also of Warbeast — in celebrating Pantera’s music with the Vibes masses. DeLeon, of course, will undoubtedly be subjected to backlash he didn’t ask for from the second side of the ledger simply by stepping into Dimebag’s place on stage as long as Anselmo continues to play these songs. But for those in attendance, the first side of the ledger, hearing these tracks again live with the original voice would not be possible if a complete band didn’t round things out.

So the hits kept coming at Vibes, including “Fucking Hostile” when Anselmo promptly forgot a portion of the lyrics moments after he told the crowd that would likely occur (ATM footage below). And while “Cemetery Gates” and “Cowboys From Hell” were conspicuous by their absence, Anselmo delivered the goods on encores “Walk,” “Domination/Hollow” and surprising closer “Sandblasted Skin” (see below).

The printed setlist had three more songs written in smaller print, suggesting they might be performed if there was more time or indicating they may have been slated to be played during soundcheck: “Suicide Note: Pt. 2,” “We’ll Grind That Axe For A Long Time” and “Hellbound.” Alas, neither was heard even though Anselmo ended at approximately 11:15 p.m. on a Friday night.

Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals’ showing accomplished a couple of things. It gave those yearning for the great era of Pantera fulfillment in hearing those songs again, thereby preventing another painful version of “what if” — as in, what if they were never played again even while the voice behind them was still alive and had the chance to do so? It also gave fans of all ages a healthy outlet to unleash their pent-up pandemic fury to the tune of some of the greatest metal tracks to ever grace their ears.

That alone was cause for celebration — while never forgetting that half of the men behind the sound of Pantera will forever be missed. And that they can never be replaced.

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Kingdom Collapse sets stage for putting S.A. on map with riveting hometown show

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Kingdom Collapse sets stage for putting S.A. on map with riveting hometown show

As several San Antonio metal bands can attest, it’s extremely difficult to “make it” in their hometown, let alone nationally or abroad.

Upon A Burning Body and Nothing More are two of the recent few who have toured overseas. Others have worked tirelessly to land similar ventures, with The Heroine existing for approximately 15 years and Jessikill having played Rocklahoma on more than one occasion, including last month.

Kingdom Collapse appears to be the next Alamo City outfit poised to accept the challenge. The local quartet of vocalist Jonathan Norris, guitarist David Work, bassist Aaron Smith and drummer Elijah Santucci will be spending Veterans Day weekend this Saturday performing at the four-day Welcome To Rockville festival at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL. Their set will be livestreamed on Sirius Octane at 3:25 p.m. EST as they’ll be the lone San Antonio artist among the likes of Metallica, Disturbed, Slipknot, Rob Zombie, the reunited Mudvayne and many more (side note: Stone Temple Pilots pulled out today due to positive Covid-19 tests within their “organization”).

But first, Kingdom Collapse had more than a warmup show. The group finally was able to return to the stage in this pandemic era by headlining Fitzgerald’s last Saturday night along with area and local bands Broken Color, Blood Moon, Surge and Waves (see 38-photo slideshow below).

Despite taking the stage at approximately 15 minutes after midnight, Kingdom Collapse came out firing on all cylinders. Their energy and short-but-sweet heavy songs were the perfect combination for a scene that welcomed a kick in the ass as live gigs strive to become the norm again. Watch the group in action on their first three songs “Uprise,” “Staring Into Nothing” and “Bring Me Down” via ATM’s Facebook Live footage as well as two-song finale “Falling Beneath” and “Suffer” below. The latter marked the band’s first single and has amassed more than 5 million views on YouTube, while “Uprise” was Octane’s Most Played Song for two consecutive weeks in 2020.

Kingdom Collapse, a proud-to-be independent artist that signed this past May with booking agency Dynamic Talent International, sports a pair of members fans may recognize from another San Antonio band. Norris and Work were guitarists in The Taking, with Norris now taking the reins as the primary songwriter in Kingdom Collapse.

Broken Color, serving as direct support to Kingdom Collapse, was a uniquely different vocalist/drummer duo combining metal, rap and emo that humorously warned the audience, “We’re not like the other bands on this bill. Let’s just address the elephant in the room.” Curiously, the changeover between predecessor Blood Moon and Broken Color pushed things back about an extra 30 minutes for Kingdom Collapse’s set due to extended soundchecking for the guitar and bass only to have Broken Color bring out their two friends to play only one song — a cover of Audioslave’s “Like A Stone” (ATM Facebook Live footage here).

As energetic as Kingdom Collapse’s set was, Blood Moon proved to be the heaviest and hardest group on the bill. The San Antonio quartet, which just formed under the Blood Moon moniker in 2020, demonstrated it will be a force to be reckoned with the more exposure it gets by virtue of the more gigs the guys play. Check out ATM’s Facebook Live footage of them in action on “Totality” and “Psycho” here as well as on “Here to Stay” below.

Vocalist/bassist Michael Canales, lead and rhythm guitarist Nicholas Ramos, lead guitarist Mike Dean and drummer Joel Valdez have all carved their niche in various original bands and tribute acts such as Maiden Killers, Brave New World, Lamb Of God tribute Laid To Rest and cover outfit Chill Factor.

Surge, out of Uvalde, Texas, and fronted by Kat Jacksin, rocked hard on a few originals and a cover of Krokus’ “Eat the Rich” (ATM Facebook Live footage here). Along with guitarist Dan Martini, bassist Erikk Lee and drummer Guss Locke, Surge is ready to unleash its debut album sometime next year. In the meantime, their Sunset Strip look and sound got things cooking on this night and, like Blood Moon, their energetic set was kind of like Frito Lay’s — you can’t have just one. So here’s hoping they’ll get to return to town soon and turn their music on to even more fans whether it’s at Fitzgerald’s or somewhere else.

The evening kicked off with teenage band Waves out of New Braunfels playing a mix of originals and covers. A.O. River, which was supposed to take the stage at 1 a.m. as a post-headliner act, did not make it to the bar after being involved in a car accident but was reportedly doing fine.

Kingdom Collapse’s ability to shine this weekend in the Sunshine State should go a long way toward returning the Alamo City to the national metal map as well as doing wonders and paving the way for further opportunities for the band. Already endorsed by Sirius Octane, Jose Mangin and its Kingdom Collapse Army on social media, the sky’s the limit for a group whose kingdom appears to be doing everything but collapsing. And whose outlook is “Unbreakable.”

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Ryche & roll never gets old when Geoff Tate delves deep into vault

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Ryche & roll never gets old when Geoff Tate delves deep into vault

“It was November 4th . . . it seemed our time would last forever.”

So sings Geoff Tate on the 1986 Rage For Order song “London.” Last Friday night at the Aztec Theatre, the original voice of Queensryche was only off by 24 hours. November 5 was a day fans of the singer and his renowned, yet former, band will remember, well, perhaps forever. Because Tate graced the Aztec last weekend and San Antonio, the third city Queensryche ever played upon the release of its 1983 self-titled EP, by doing something he had never done: perform Rage For Order and 1990’s Empire in their entirety.

And the two-song encore wasn’t half bad either.

Tate’s prior two visits to the Aztec consisted of 1988’s Operation: Mindcrime in its entirety. So if you went to this show simply knowing Tate was in town but not aware of what he had in store, or expecting to hear “I Don’t Believe In Love” again, you may have left the venue a bit underwhelmed. But truly, Queensryche’s first four albums plus the EP, a span covering 1983-90, is what Tate will always be known for. His latest stop meant he has covered three of those records entirely stretching across his last three trips here that just happened to be sandwiched around a global pandemic (see 54-photo slideshow below).

Friday’s performance marked the third time the Rage/Empire coupling was supposed to be performed here, and it definitely was the charm. While there will always be Queensryche fans drawn to “Jet City Woman” and “Silent Lucidity,” Tate’s exhibition gave diehards the chance to hear rarely and never played tracks from those albums such as “Surgical Strike” and the aforementioned “London” plus Empire’s “Resistance,” “Hand On Heart” and “One and Only” (click the links for ATM’s Facebook Live footage).

Supported by opening act Kurt Deimer and backed by Scottish guitarist Kieran Robertson, guitarist Alex Hart, bassist Darren Milsom and drummer Daniel Laverde, Tate played both albums in sequence — the way they were originally meant to be heard 35 and 31 years ago, respectively, and the way albums are supposed to be performed. He didn’t play them in reverse order (talking to you, Metallica, with the black album) or open with the second song on the record so that the opening track could be played last (that means you, Sebastian Bach, with Slave to the Grind).

Tate has performed several of these songs in the past in San Antonio with Queensryche but never as part of the album all the way through. In 2005, on the night the Spurs were celebrating their third NBA championship with a River Walk parade, Queensryche opened for Judas Priest at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in support of 2003’s Tribe but comprised roughly half of its set with Rage For Order songs. In 2009 during the American Soldier tour at Sunken Gardens Theater, Queensryche broke its headlining set into three parts: Rage, the new album, and Empire tracks.

And on Thanksgiving Eve 2012 in the parking lot at Backstage Live, Tate made a solo stop that saw him play several Queensryche deep cuts. Some of them, such as “Until There Was You” — a reissue bonus track from 1999’s Q2K — were so deep, many fans walked out of the show thinking Tate was solely concentrating on his solo career and abandoning his Queensryche past. In fact, it was during a Rage For Order track, “The Killing Words,” that fans were still exiting, causing Tate to address the departing as “pussies” for not recognizing a song not only as a Queensryche offering but a tune that came from one of its popular albums.

But Tate’s undertaking for this tour and show made this visit a little extra special. Check out ATM footage below of “Screaming In Digital” and the rarely played soothing ballad and Rage closer “I Will Remember” as well as Empire closer “Anybody Listening?”

The day after this latest show, Tate revealed on social media that Laverde nearly didn’t make it to San Antonio in time: “Yesterday, our drummer, Danny, had a delayed flight and none of the band or crew knew if he would make it to the show. After several flight changes and a lot of stress, he walked in minutes to show time. He had changed into stage clothes on the plane. Queensryche music is hard on drummers, and we couldn’t substitute just anyone. Danny is one of the best drummers I’ve had the pleasure of playing with. Never have I been so happy to see this young man than before last night’s show. Here’s to Danny and my entire band and crew for handling a very stressful situation and putting on such a fantastic show.” That may have explained why Laverde played a kit resembling an electronic ensemble an aspiring drummer would receive under the Christmas tree. But he made it work through two albums and the encores — not an easy feat under normal circumstances.

Ah yes, the encores. Tate threw a curve ball (surprising unless you like to examine the set list prior to the show, which means you probably like to know what your Christmas gifts are before opening them or how a movie ends prior to buttering your popcorn). He pulled out of his archives the 1990 “Adventures of Ford Fairlane” track “Last Time In Paris” before providing a dose of 1984 full-length debut The Warning with “Take Hold of the Flame” (see ATM footage of both below). The finale was the only track Tate sang at a slightly lower octave than he did on vinyl 37 years ago, and he omitted the introductory part many would argue is the whole purpose of performing the song at all which is punctuated by his patented “Nahhhhhhhh!”

Tate’s selection of “Take Hold of the Flame” was all the more curious given seven years earlier during our interview at the Aztec, he mocked fans who harken for such songs, saying “The past is over” and that he had moved on as an artist and didn’t find himself in a headspace wanting to play those classics anymore (watch here). Last Friday night, Tate sang a different tune, literally and figuratively, telling the audience one of the reasons he pulled out Rage For Order and Empire for this tour was “because I wanted to.”

While the unveiling of both albums played live should not have been unexpected by anyone sporting a ticket, one surprise was the inclusion of opening act Kurt Deimer. Even the Aztec Theatre’s website and event page on Facebook the day of the concert listed Till Death Do Us Part, the band fronted by Tate’s daughter Emily that also includes her boyfriend on guitar, the aforementioned Robertson. Emily played the role of Suite Sister Mary during her father’s previous visit to the Aztec and her band opened that show, so Deimer’s participation this time was something fresh and new.

Deimer didn’t exactly have an easy task warming things up for a crowd hungry for Queensryche classics, let alone given that many didn’t know who he was or that he’d be on the bill. But if the vocalist and his band were nervous about that, they didn’t show it. Deimer also won some fans over by thanking first responders and military members in the crowd as his way of concluding “Big Toe” and introducing “Whatcha Sayin’ '“ (ATM footage of both below).

While the Aztec is one of the few San Antonio venues requiring proof of Covid-19 vaccination or a negative test within 72 hours of the event, the fact it is able to resume hosting live acts such as Tate and Deimer was another sign of life returning to normal even if society is not 100 percent there yet.

So, the balcony was closed for the first time involving a Tate show at the Aztec, and yes, Accept was playing at Shrine Auditorium. But whether it would’ve been the performance of new songs or, in this case, a 31- and 35-year trip down Memory Lane — even the ability to hear Tate’s vocals on the Avantasia song “Seduction of Decay” via the Aztec’s loudspeakers between acts — the sheer opportunity to enjoy live music again with your buddies or significant other, with or without $15 beers in hand, was a victory in and of itself.

Now that Tate seemingly has exhausted the performance of Queensryche’s three most well-known albums, it will be more than interesting to see what he has up his sleeve for his next visit. Some of us can hardly wait.

Bring it on.

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Double dose of The Dead Daisies and its Hall of Fame frontman like no other shows

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Double dose of The Dead Daisies and its Hall of Fame frontman like no other shows

When The Dead Daisies decided to name their current North American trek the “Like No Other” tour, it could’ve easily been taken as a nod to one of the songs on Holy Ground, which was recorded in 2019 in France and dropped this past January — global pandemic notwithstanding.

But it’s more apropos to believe the label is an apt description for its newest frontman, he of the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame via Deep Purple, the “Voice of Rock” known as Glenn Hughes.

Although the Daisies, created by Australian guitarist David Lowy and having released their debut self-titled album in 2013, were reportedly meant to have various supergroup musicians as part of their roster over the years, it’s the inclusion of Hughes in 2019 that has taken the group to another level. With no disrespect to former vocalist John Corabi or other Daisies bassists such as Marco Mendoza — or even to whomever may comprise the band in the future — the addition of Hughes on powerful lead vocals and bass may shoot The Dead Daisies into the next stratosphere.

The band could be headed that way regardless thanks to the private jet and 5-star hotel way of life it enjoys due to Lowy’s lofty investments and real estate ventures. Their latest stop found Texas with the Rock Box welcoming the Daisies, comedian and former “That Metal Show” co-host Don Jamieson and Phoenix trio The Black Moods last Thursday. That trifecta was then joined by locals Black Heart Saints at Come And Take It Live in Austin this past Sunday (see 122-photo slideshow below).

Hughes and Lowy are accompanied by former Whitesnake and Dio guitarist Doug Aldrich and latest touring drummer Tommy Clufetos. Some may recognize Clufetos as one of Ozzy Osbourne’s drummers, but he’s also a unique answer to a trivia question: who was the only non-original member of Black Sabbath to take part in its farewell tour?

Yep, Clufetos filled in for Bill Ward, who was reportedly mired in contract squabbles with Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler during that 2013 trek. Clufetos got the call, and the rest was history. Clufetos, who formed Tommy’s RockTrip earlier this year and released Beat Up By Rock N’ Roll in May, provided riveting drum solos during both performances this past week.

Playing the same set both nights (see slideshow), the group showcased tracks from all five of its studio albums and one covers record. See ATM’s Facebook Live footage from San Antonio of “Mexico” and “Bustle and Flow”plus “Like No Other'“ and “Holy Ground”. But the highlights, particularly for the stylish Hughes of course, were the Deep Purple offerings. Although there were only two, watch ATM’s Facebook Live footage from the Rock Box of “Mistreated” for further evidence as to why, according to Hughes’ website, Stevie Wonder once referred to Hughes as his “favorite white singer.”

About the only thing that could stop Hughes at the Rock Box, at least temporarily, was the distraction he felt from the sold-out show happening on the other side of the door that separates it from the larger Vibes Event Center within the same confines. Millennials were diving off the stage during the sold-out Knocked Loose gig with Gatecreeper, and Hughes couldn’t resist taking a stab in between songs:

“There’s some shit going on next door,” lamented Hughes, who provided all the bass on Joe Satriani’s 2018 album What Happens Next. “I’m a lovely guy, but that music is fucking dreadful.” Moments later, Hughes recanted a bit: “I’m sorry about next door. I’m sorry I was so vicious . . . you have no idea how much I love you San Antonio.”

The tireless work of Rock Box owners Micaela and Steve Rodriguez to host concerts in their 3-in-1 venue (4-in-1 if you count the outdoor stage that has hosted Corey Taylor, Papa Roach, Skillet and Alter Bridge among many others over the years along with the basement stage and multi-bar area known as Vibes Underground) and to keep the music scene alive, particularly during this era, may have been lost on Hughes in the heat of the moment. But as Jamieson shared with ATM after the performance, Hughes had been talking about the Texas trek, and especially San Antonio, for several days in advance of The Dead Daisies’ arrival.

The night ended with the mandatory Deep Purple classic “Burn", which was preceded by Daisies track “Long Way to Go” (ATM footage of both below). To think that Hughes and David Coverdale were once in a band together undoubtedly brought back memories of that early ‘70s period, for those fortunate to have lived through it, when “Burn” put a definitive time stamp on this evening.

For his part, Jamieson shook things up as the immediate warmup for The Dead Daisies by providing laughs about his favorite Rock N’ Rollers and the fact “That Metal Show” not only got canceled a few years back but that he and his cohorts, Eddie Trunk and Jim Florentine, also managed to take down VH1 Classic with them.

Jamieson said he was comfortable with his manhood to admit he liked Winger, but primarily because that band had a No. 1 hit about an underage girl, which led him to refer to Kip Winger as “the R. Kelly of Rock N’ Roll.” Jamieson also recalled how former Skid Row vocalist Sebastian Bach, who’s headlining the Rock Box tonight, still doesn’t speak to him after Jamieson told him during a comedic roast of Bach that he didn’t have any balls anymore, a joke that resulted in Bach hurtling a cup of hot coffee at Jamieson.

Jamieson said his favorite Black Sabbath album was Vol. 4 because the band “was so stoned that they recorded the whole thing in 13 minutes,” and he admired Tommy Lee’s schlong, saying it’s “longer than a Dream Theater song.” The comic’s version of audience participation was to tell one front-row goer he “may have even gotten a little excited” when Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford came out of the closet as a gay man. Watch Jamieson in action here from Sunday’s show in Austin.

A date with paying the bills necessitated a late arrival to the Rock Box, thereby missing The Black Moods’ set Thursday. But much like Come And Take It Live had only one show occurring on its premises at a time, there were no such issues Sunday in Austin as the trio rocked the house with tracks from 2020 album Sunshine including “Whatcha Got” and “Throwing Shade.”

Meanwhile, the Black Heart Saints returned to their home stage and warmed things up in Austin with seven songs, including “All Night Long” and ending with a cover of Billy Squier’s “Lonely Is the Night.”

“Like No Other” can also be considered a victory signaling when a concert is able to go off without a hitch during these times. Two shows in a span of four days featuring these acts was certainly a treat to behold, led of course by The Dead Daisies, who demonstrated they’re livelier than ever. And if you weren’t there, or simply aren’t convinced, there’s more Daisies where the previous footage came from. Watch ATM’s Facebook Live clips from Austin of “Lock and Load” and cover song “Fortunate Son,” plus another dose of closers “Long Way to Go” and “Burn.”

While it would’ve been nice to hear one song as an ode to each member’s previous bands, such as Whitesnake, Dio, Black Sabbath or even Hughes’ stints in Trapeze and more recent outfits Black Country Communion or California Breed, there’s no denying the talent on stage and the fun they brought to South Texas. So feel free to hold ‘em up high as a thank you to The Dead Daisies, the promoters that brought them to town and the venues and staff who enabled them to be on stage.

Because you never know when the last time you saw your favorites perform might be the last time you witness them on stage at all.

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Megadeth & friends put mega-fun into 'Metal Tour of the Year'

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Megadeth & friends put mega-fun into 'Metal Tour of the Year'

Under ordinary circumstances, a tour featuring Megadeth, Lamb Of God, Trivium and Hatebreed would be on most metalheads’ nominations list for “Metal Tour of the Year.” Toss in a global pandemic going on 18-plus months that shut down live music for the majority of that time, and that moniker turns into a slam dunk as concerts trickle back into our conscience.

But even if things had been normal and if some considered “Metal Tour of the Year” to be a brandishing of bravado, that likely would have met with a collective, “Yeah it’s a bit brash. So what?” Besides, any tour that incites moshing in near 100-degree temperatures on asphalt based on the music alone deserves such a lofty perch.

These four heavyweights have persevered through their own trials and tribulations and continue to stand tall in the scene. So it was only fitting they kick off their tour — yes, the metal tour of the year — Friday in Austin at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater and racetrack grounds.

There was Megadeth and frontman Dave Mustaine, the one-time Texas resident who continues to defy his 2019 throat cancer diagnosis whenever he performs. Megadeth also had to contend with the recent embarrassing but self-admittance of original bassist David Ellefson, who engaged in virtual sexual activity with a woman other than his wife during a Zoom meeting roughly three weeks after being interviewed by yours truly, eventually leading to his firing by Mustaine. His replacement, at least on tour — James Lomenzo — made his second-stint live debut with Megadeth on this night. Lomenzo, ironically, had been replaced by Ellefson in 2010 after a five-year tenure and may be remembered by many as the original bassist of White Lion.

On a clear moonlit night with heat indexes approaching and possibly surpassing triple digits, the tour’s biggest crime was that Megadeth and Lamb Of God were only afforded an hour and five minutes each, with Trivium and Hatebreed receiving only 40 and 35 minutes, respectively. Also, in an era where many are still struggling financially as a result of Covid-19, band T-shirts increased from the usual $25 or $30 to $40, with special tour editions going for $45.

All that aside, Mustaine and Lomenzo, guitarist Kiko Loureiro and drummer Dirk Verbeuren tore through staples such as opener “Hangar 18”, “Tornado of Souls” and “Sweating Bullets.” Mustaine mentioned a new album is on the way, which reportedly necessitated having Ellefson’s bass parts scrapped, as Megadeth offered up tracks from previous album Dystopia such as “The Threat Is Real” and the title track.

While it would’ve been nice to see Megadeth give “Trust” a rest from the setlist, mandatory tracks such as “Symphony of Destruction” and “Peace Sells” never disappoint. Watch ATM’s Facebook LIve footage of both here.

Rare these days is the performance of anything from 1985 debut Killing Is My Business . . . And Business Is Good, but Mustaine threw a pleasant curve ball of sorts with a blistering version of “Mechanix.” For the mega-uneducated when it comes to Mustaine and Megadeth, the song is the original version of what Metallica turned into “The Four Horsemen” in 1983 after they had reworked “The Mechanix” onto their No Life Till Leather demo. Watch ATM footage here.

Mustaine’s defiance continued in reference to the state of our world when he asked the crowd to do him a favor by turning “to the person next to you and tell them, ‘They’re not taking this shit away from us!’ “ And really, all bands on the bill were living proof.

Lamb Of God arguably stole the show, aided by an ungodly amount of pyro. The Richmond, Virginia, natives were the only group to peruse the flames of death, which is what they felt like, muggy conditions notwithstanding. Lamb Of God made the night even hotter with a rousing rendition of opener “Memento Mori” as vocalist D. Randall Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell and drummer Art Cruz finally were able to tour in support of their self-titled album that dropped June 2020 after it had been pushed back due to the lack of touring.

Lamb Of God played on the same day it released the 15th anniversary deluxe edition of Sacrament, not to mention the same night an LOG tribute band was playing Fitzgerald’s in San Antonio. You know, just in case you weren’t able to sweat it out in Austin with the real thing. Blythe and the band were on fire throughout their set (thank goodness not literally, although virtually any moment during their set could’ve resulted in such a calamity). Cruz, formerly of Prong, has stepped in seamlessly after the departure a couple years back of longtime drummer Chris Adler, whose brother Willie Adler continues to churn out riffs on guitar along with Morton.

Blythe referenced his roughly five-week Czech Republic incarceration in 2012-13 for allegedly causing a concertgoer to lose his life after allegedly pushing him off the stage during a 2010 gig upon introducing “512”. The band also shined, in the city sporting the area code of the same number, on “Now You’ve Got Something to Die For,” finale “Redneck” and staple “Laid to Rest” which gave way to the live debut of fellow 2004 track “Remorse Is For the Dead” (ATM footage of the last two here).

Blythe, incidentally, more than dabbles in photography himself and may even appreciate the 145-photo slideshow below. If not, at least you can partake in the gallery as well.

Trivium delivered the goods as the second band on the bill, led as always by singer/guitarist Matt Heafy. The group will drop In the Court of the Dragon on Oct. 8 and offered up first single “Feast of Fire” along with other recent tracks “What the Dead Men Say” and “The Heart From Your Hate.” With guitarist Corey Beaulieu frequently swinging his mane to his riffs, former Battlecross drummer Alex Bent pounding the kit and bassist Paolo Gregoletto manning the four-string, Trivium was a force to be reckoned with in getting the crowd extra amped for the bands to come.

Hatebreed had the honor of opening the festivities. Even though the band that has been around since 1994 was only given 35 minutes, they were fortunate to be on this tour in the first place. Original opener In Flames was confined to its native Sweden due to visa issues, and that fact was not lost on vocalist Jamey Jasta.

The former host of MTV’s “Headbangers Ball 2” who has collaborated with Blythe on the former’s solo records, Jasta fully acknowledged In Flames’ absence and wished them well. But as he concluded: “When you get the call from Megadeth, you drop what you’re doing and get on the bus.” Hatebreed made the most of the opportunity, as evidenced on ATM’s footage of “Tear It Down” and “I Will Be Heard.”

No matter which band was your favorite, no matter the personal and collective bouts of adversity overcome by the artists, the collection of musicians and fans at the G.I.A. in the midst of a pandemic was a victory in and of itself. So after urging fans to be strong and defiant in not allowing the privilege “to be taken away from us,” the final word of the night goes to the Megadeth master himself:

“You may notice I don’t talk much during our shows,” Miustaine said. “I just shut up and play my fucking guitar.” And with that, Megadeth launched into closer “Holy Wars . . . The Punishment Due,” putting a headbanging wrap on what undoubtedly was one of the most mega-fun days any metalhead has had in a year and a half.

Metal Tour of the Year indeed.

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Yngwie the virtuoso puts on a show from the word 'go'

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Yngwie the virtuoso puts on a show from the word 'go'

Three artists and approximately three hours into his socially distanced concert Sunday night at the Tobin Center For the Performing Arts, the man some regard as the greatest guitarist of all time effortlessly strummed a few notes on his right hand. What he did simultaneously with his left provided the turning point of the evening.

In two swift motions, Swedish star Yngwie J. Malmsteen invited the seated crowd spread out among three stories to bum rush the stage, metaphorically telling his fans to fuck Covid and enjoy themselves in the land of the free and home of the brave. Fans didn’t have to be told twice, and the party was officially at its apex. So it was only fitting Malmsteen also played his rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner.”

As always, Malmsteen didn’t disappoint (see 71-photo slideshow below), and not even early technical issues could slow down the maestro. Flicking out guitar picks at a rate faster than people have been getting vaccinated, Malmsteen shone as usual particularly on ATM Facebook Live performances of “Trilogy Suite: Opus 5,” a guitar solo and “Blue.”

Touring in support of Parabellum (Prepare for War), which dropped nine days earlier, Malmsteen delved far back into his catalog, returning to his 1984 mostly instrumental self-titled debut with mainstay “Far Beyond the Sun” and snippets of the rarely played “Evil Eye” (ATM footage of the latter below). As is his custom, Malmsteen opened with the mandatory “Rising Force,” with his entire band that included singer/keyboardist Nick Marino relegated to their own corner. While Malmsteen paraded throughout his set among the other 85 percent of the stage under a slew of stacks not as large in size or number as his 2019 visit to the Vibes Event Center (coverage here), his mastery of the electric and acoustic instruments never ceased to amaze.

With so many albums, hits and instrumentals from which to choose, Malmsteen relegated most of his songs to medleys and/or one or two verses. One such instance slightly confused Marino on 1986 classic “You Don’t Remember, I’ll Never Forget” (ATM footage below). But Marino could hardly be blamed given that Malmsteen ended up singing as much if not more than the lead singer throughout the set and because he was forced to jump from first verse to the third in the blink of an eye.

Although Malmsteen’s fans don’t show up to hear him sing, as he’s done with regularity since 2012’s Spellbound on which he also played drums, bass and keys, he mixed in vocals on new tracks “Wolves at the Door” and “Relentless Fury” plus the 1997 ballad he penned for wife April entitled “Like An Angel” (ATM footage below).

But it was his precision that stole the show, the frequent gazes of his bandmates — which included drummer Brian Wilson donning an S.A. Slayer shirt as he did at the 2019 concert — and an audience featuring San Antonio guitar master Ron Jarzombek and members of Jessikill who also play in the Malmsteen tribute band Sacred Star.

As is his custom, Malmsteen ended with the double whammy of “Black Star,” during which he looked at his watch twice during its signature extended note, and “I’ll See the Light Tonight.” Afterwards, an ugly scene transpired between a fan and security staffer. The fan, in the midst of the many that were still in front of the stage but never in danger of reaching musicians atop the raised platform, addressed Marino by saying, “Thank you for playing that song! I love that song.” At the same time, the security member attempted to shoo patrons toward the exits verbally, but when he placed his hands on the fan, the fan responded, “Don’t touch me!” Some vulgarities ensued with the staffer shoving the fan toward the restroom exit. Moments later, the fan was seen telling his side to Tobin ushers in front of the main entrance.

Images of Eden, meanwhile, was the middle band on the bill and provided a steady dose of uplifting and soothing rock. The quintet played several tracks from new album Angel Born. That included “My Promise,” which vocalist and band founder Gordon Tittsworth dedicated to last week’s passing of Metal Church singer Mike Howe. While meeting fans in the merch area after his set, Tittsworth shared with ATM that after he had fallen ill a couple of years ago, Howe was the first person to check on him.

While introducing “Where Dreams Begin,” Tittsworth revealed that Malmsteen’s “Trilogy” tour in 1986 was his first concert and how surreal it was that he was opening for the guitarist. The good feels continued on 2018 track “Once We Believed” (ATM footage below). Images Of Eden also performed Triumph’s “Fight the Good Fight” (ironically, Malmsteen has an original song on his latest album of the same title).

Springfield, Missouri, quartet Paralandra opened the show energetically and enthusiastically. The band also supported Malmsteen two years ago at the Vibes and continues to churn out rocking singles that have been released a little at a time throughout its tenure. That’s about to change this fall, as singer/guitarist Casandra Carson revealed Paralandra’s first full-length album will be available in October. Carson, a friend of and heavily endorsed by Halestorm’s Lzzy Hale, showed flashes of her amiga but exhibits her own style. She also met with fans of all ages for most of the rest of the night (see slideshow).

Paralandra, which also features Carson’s father Paul on lead guitar with bassist and birthday boy Sawyer Rikard and drummer Dakota Watson, told their own story of Malmsteen’s influence, which can be seen below on ATM’s footage of “Love Will Win.”

It may not have been a raucous stadium of 60,000 people pre-pandemic. But this rare post-Covid national concert in the Alamo City was a boisterous musical spectacle nevertheless. That’s all that mattered to those who came in wearing masks — and exited with horns triumphantly raised in delight.

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Into the Pit: Helloween drummer Dani Loble

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Into the Pit: Helloween drummer Dani Loble

Although he’s been behind the drum kit for veteran German power metal band Helloween since 2005 when he replaced former Accept drummer Stefan Schwarzmann, Swiss-born Dani Loble is still considered The New Guy. And although Helloween brought back original guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske, the singer who performed on the band’s most renowned albums Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part 1 and Part 2, for their massively successful Pumpkins United 2017-18 tour after both had departed the group nearly three decades ago, Loble technically remains the newest member.

And that’s just fine with him. Because Loble’s influence is stamped all over Helloween’s six most recent studio albums and two live DVD/CD packages. That includes the group’s self-titled 16th studio album that dropped June 18 on Nuclear Blast Records.

Armed with a flurry of double bass drum fury always expected from Helloween, the latest album also features catchy choruses sure to incite exuberant jumping in place from European and Latin American fans in particular such as “Best Time” and “Indestructible.” There are all-out rockers in opener “Out For the Glory” and “Robot King,” another epic 12-minute staple in first single “Skyfall” (see video below), and the Spotify version features two bonus songs: “Golden Times” and “Save My Hide.” Some songs feature the three vocalists sharing parts, while Deris and Kiske sing individually on others, making this the most diverse record Helloween has ever recorded.

In addition to the influence and presence of original guitarist Michael Weikath and bassist Markus Grosskopf, longstanding vocalist Andi Deris, Loble and guitarist Sascha Gerstner, the return of Hansen and Kiske answers the prayers of the overwhelming majority of the Helloween universe clamoring for a new album featuring these seven members. Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward handle co-production duties on the record.

Loble, who has also exhaustingly done his part to tastefully carry on the legacy of the late Ingo Schwichtenberg while bringing his own ideas to the group over those 16 1/2 years, and Helloween plan to tour the world over the next couple of years once pandemic restrictions are evaluated in every city and country and logistics are sorted out. The group already has an early 2022 European trek with Hammerfall scheduled. Will San Antonio eventually be on the map?

Loble graciously discussed these topics and more with ATM on Thursday. Click the video box at the bottom to watch the entire conversation (all photos by Jay Nanda / Alamo True Metal).

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No stopping Corey "MF" Taylor in return to live music at Vibes Event Center

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No stopping Corey "MF" Taylor in return to live music at Vibes Event Center

An established axiom regarding any event held on a stage is that the most powerful person on such a platform is the one holding the microphone. So stood Corey Taylor on Friday night outside Vibes Event Center when, in an effort to elicit appreciation for opening act Cherry Bombs, he referred to the acrobatic musical dance troupe as “a very, very tough act to follow.”

Sure, unlike Cherry Bombs, Taylor did not twirl sticks of fire. He did not climb or dance around a rope with nothing but gravel beneath him. And he most certainly did not shake his moneymaker. Still, Taylor’s declaration practically begged a response along the lines of, “Tough to follow? YOU’RE COREY MOTHERFUCKIN’ TAYLOR!”

The unequaled frontman of Slipknot and Stone Sour said it himself. The $30 T-shirts at the merch table said it. And in case any of the sold-out crowd (albeit less than 100 percent capacity, of course) somehow missed it, the huge LED block letters spelling out his latest solo album CMFT on the stage said it too. For good measure, the exuberant nearby teenager, who frequently yelled the album’s complete title as a way of releasing the 14-plus months of his concert-going life that had been taken away by a pandemic emanating from China, said as much.

To be fair, Taylor’s four separate instances of urging the crowd to “give it up for the Cherry Bombs” were a byproduct of his being bound by (marital) law to do so. A happy wife is a good wife, and Taylor’s is Alicia Taylor, founder and leader of the dance group.

Although Alicia Taylor is more behind the scenes of Cherry Bombs these days compared to the group’s previous visit with Stone Sour inside Vibes Event Center in 2017, the troupe is by no means hurtful on the eyes. This time, however, there was more emphasis on showmanship rather than baring mostly all. In fact, one skit featured three performers covered in jackets while brandishing suitcases (see 68-photo slideshow below).

Alas, warmup acts don’t come much hotter than Cherry Bombs, regardless of the fact they’re dancing to metal hits such as Rammstein’s “Du Hast,” Metallica’s “Wherever I May Roam” and Rob Zombie’s “More Human Than Human.” They served their purpose of segueing into the man who was about to perform his own music with a couple of unexpected covers. Watch the Cherry Bombs in action via ATM’s Facebook Live footage here, here and here.

While Guns N’ Roses keyboardist Dizzy Reed brought his band Hookers & Blow to Sam’s Burger Joint this same evening, Friday’s shows were only the third set of national heavy metal acts to play in the Alamo City this year if you count Trapt with Flaw on March 27 and Tantric on May 15. Prior to that, it was Saliva with David Ellefson of Megadeth last Oct. 30.

Of course, there were noticeable differences from what everyone is accustomed to. General admission standing was set up in roped pods with fans being assigned a numbered lanyard corresponding to their party’s place on the gravel. VIP purchasers sat at tables in front of the stage complete with personal bar service. No moshing. No crowd surfing. Just enthusiastic, but polite, applause and approval with horns tossed in the air.

Had Slipknot been the band on hand, the plastic poles comprising the pods wouldn’t have made it past the first song. Hell, they would’ve been used as makeshift light sabers to bash people’s heads in or been tossed onto the stage. But Taylor is supporting his first solo album, thereby contributing to a different atmosphere. And he certainly wasn’t shy about using it to dominate his set.

Accompanied by Stone Sour guitarist Christian Martucci, guitarist Zach Throne (who, according to “Metalsucks,” provided the singing voice of Greg Brady in “The Brady Bunch Movie”), Prong and sometimes Ministry bassist Jason Christopher and Walls Of Jericho drummer Dustin Schoenhofer, the do-it-all Taylor performed nine of CMFT’s 13 tracks. No professional video filming was allowed, but you can watch ATM Facebook Live footage of latest single “Samantha’s Gone.”

Along with other CMFT tracks such as opener “Hwy 666,” “Black Eyes Blue,” “Meine Lux,” “Culture Head” and “Silverfish” — although arguably its best tune “Everybody Dies On My Birthday” was omitted — Taylor leaned heavily on Stone Sour songs. Of those nine such numbers, four came from 2012’s House of Gold & Bones: Part 1 including “Taciturn,” “The Travelers: Part 1,” “The Travelers: Part 2” and “Tired.” Watch ATM Facebook Live footage of “Made of Scars.”

For those expecting a slew of Slipknot, you would’ve gone home disappointed. Taylor only offered up one track from his masked unit. But he made it count with the rarely played and mostly acoustic “Snuff” from 2008’s All Hope is Gone.

While musicians across the globe are just starting to whet their touring feet again, Taylor was in classic form in musicianship, crowd banter, poignancy and humor.

Taylor reportedly taught himself to play the piano in order to write a song for his wife, which became CMFT’s “Home.” He dedicated it to Alicia “because when she met me, I was in a very dark place, and she saw something worth loving.” As Taylor strummed the introductory notes, he asked the crowd, “Not bad for only having played four years, huh?”

Outdoor shows at Vibes come with a bonus, depending on one’s perspective: passing locomotives. During one such moment, Taylor enthusiastically waved to the conductor mid-verse during “Taciturn.” And while introducing his bandmates, Taylor inadvertently said Christopher was on guitar. After receiving a playful yet sinister sneer from the left-handed bassist, Taylor quipped, “Well, it’s upside down. I couldn’t tell.”

Taylor, who has performed covers by everyone ranging from Chris Isaak to Ronnie James Dio, threw a curveball at the audience with John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band’s “On the Dark Side.” He then mixed the final encore of “CMFT Must Be Stopped” with KISS classic “Watching You” (see ATM phone footage below).

As always with Taylor, the energy and positivity was infectious. Rather than lamenting the mandatory absence of moshing, he stressed the importance of how a show like his was a gradual but important step in returning to some sense of normalcy. He then took a page out of Iron Maiden’s book after bidding farewell as the sound system blared the Monty Python theme “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.”

In these instances of recovery from a worldwide event no one would’ve seen coming in our lifetimes, there may not have been a more apropos way to leave the stage. And San Antonians could be grateful to Taylor, promoters Twin Productions and the Vibes Event Center staff that provided food booths and began overall setup the day before for the opportunity to once again witness one of metal’s most diverse, talented, energetic and vital-to-the-scene musicians America has to offer. It shouldn’t have mattered which rendition of his acts was paying the visit.

Either way, he’s still Corey muthafuckin’ Taylor.

SETLIST: Hwy 666, Meine Lux, Halfway Down, The Travelers: Part 1, Tired, Samantha’s Gone, Silverfish, Song #3, Snuff, Taciturn, Made of Scars, Culture Head, Home, Zzyzx Rd., Black Eyes Blue, Bother, Through Glass, On the Dark Side (John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band cover), The Travelers: Part 2/CMFT Must Be Stopped/Watching You (KISS cover)/CMFT Must Be Stopped

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Into the Pit: Esa Holopainen

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Into the Pit: Esa Holopainen

As a co-founder of Finnish progressive band Amorphis, lead guitarist Esa Holopainen has played on every album spanning the band’s 31-year career. That fact is even more impressive considering Amorphis has never taken a hiatus of any sort. Unless, of course, you count the Covid-19 pandemic.

But while the global shutdown forced the cancellation of Amorphis’ planned Alamo City visit to the Rock Box last October, it also afforded the 48-year-old Holopainen the opportunity to work on his first solo album. And for those who think it would be an all-instrumental affair, well, think again.

Holopainen’s self-titled debut, Silver Lake by Esa Holopainen, drops May 28 via Nuclear Blast Records. The record features nine tunes, eight of which are sung by a combined seven guest vocalists. Click the link in bold to see who they are, and witness a pair of them in action with Holopainen via the new videos below.

Then click the video box at the bottom to watch our exclusive interview from today.

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Into the Pit: Burning Witches

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Into the Pit: Burning Witches

Having formed in 2015 in Switzerland, all-female quintet Burning Witches has accomplished more in six years of existence than some bands do in twice that span. But they’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. And they’re not coming across merely as a group attempting to empower young girls and adolescent women to shoot for their dreams, especially of the musical variety.

Burning Witches simply want to rock.

They’ve done so splendidly on their self-titled debut from 2017 and 2018’s Hexenhammer. Following the latter’s release, original members Romana Kalkuhl (guitars), Jeanine Grob (bass) and Lala Frischknecht (drums) found themselves without a vocalist. Enter current singer Laura Guldemond, whose presence helped spur 2020 follow-up Dance With the Devil to their first charting positions in Germany and the U.S. The Circle of Five EP and an acoustic sessions soon followed, paving the way for new second guitarist Larissa Ernst to join the fold.

Now with their circle solidified, Burning Witches is set to release fourth full-length The Witch of the North via Nuclear Blast Records on May 28. As was the case with the majority of their vinyl efforts, this record is produced by original singer/bassist Marcel “Schmier” Schirmer of German thrashers Destruction and features a steady dose of rockers, riffs and a ballad that put band members over the top when we discussed it today.

It also continues in Burning Witches’ tradition of closing its albums with a bonus-track cover song. This time, it’s a crunchy rendition of 1987 title track Hall of the Mountain King that pierces the ears. Burning Witches brought in Savatage guitarist Christopher Caffery (2019 ATM interview here) to revisit the solos for some extra oomph. Furthermore, the album’s cover artwork was done by Claudio Bergamin, who drew Judas Priest’s Firepower.

Although the Covid-19 pandemic derailed Burning Witches’ planned tour last year with another one of their prior guest cover musicians — Manowar co-founder and guitarist Ross “The Boss” Friedman — the ladies are gearing up to unleash their coven on the metal masses. Time will tell if the U.S., and San Antonio in particular, will receive a chance to witness the group in person.

To tide fans over until that time arrives, click on the new videos from the forthcoming album below, then watch today’s entire Alamo True Metal chat with Lala and Larissa.

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'Into the Pit:' David Ellefson & Jeff Scott Soto

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'Into the Pit:' David Ellefson & Jeff Scott Soto

If there’s one iota of positivity resulting from an unforeseeable pandemic that — no pun intended — virtually shut down the music and metal scene as we know it going on 14 months, it’s that some projects, albums and collaborations that may not have ever taken place have planted their seeds. One such undertaking finds Megadeth bassist David Ellefson and renowned vocalist Jeff Scott Soto teaming up for the soon-to-be unveiled Ellefson-Soto.

Despite the Covid-19 stranglehold on society, the Big-4-of-thrash bass musician found his way to San Antonio last Oct. 30 (coverage here) in support of cover album No Cover that features a slew of guests including Dangerous Toys vocalist and longtime Austin resident Jason McMaster, for which they shot a video the day prior for AC/DC’s “Riff Raff.” Prior to that, Ellefson brought his Basstory tour to Fitzgerald’s in 2018 (coverage and interview here). Soto also found his way to the Alamo City in 2018 with Trans-Siberian Orchestra (coverage here).

Ellefson and Megadeth are nearly complete with their follow-up to 2016’s Dystopia and have again rescheduled their headlining tour with Lamb Of God, Trivium and In Flames including Friday, Aug. 20 at Germania Insurance Amphitheater in Austin (tickets here). Soto, meanwhile, released solo album Wide Awake (In My Dreamland) last November and is fresh off two studio albums and a live symphonic recording with supergroup Sons Of Apollo. Ellefson’s solo group and Sons Of Apollo share former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (ATM interview here), while SOA also features bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Mike Portnoy of The Winery Dogs and renowned keyboardist Derek Sherinian.

To tide fans over before hearing the forthcoming Ellefson-Soto songs, the duo brought in vocalist Rick Hughes of Quebec band Sword (not to be confused with The Sword out of Austin) for a quarantined version of Riot’s “Swords & Tequila” (watch below). The video, which also features Andy Martongelli on lead and rhythm guitars and Paolo Caridi on drums, proved to be the perfect launching pad for Ellefson and Soto to go “Into the Pit” with ATM on Wednesday for a Zoom chat that spanned a smorgasbord of elements of their respective careers. That included a dip into their movie endeavors, with Soto marking 20 years of his involvement with the Mark Wahlberg film “Rock Star” and Ellefson looking forward to the October release of his horror documentary “Dwellers” with actor Drew Fortier (trailer here)

Click the sound widget below to listen to our entire conversation.

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