Warner Music Group Intends to Buy French Digital Music Company Believe SA, Owner of Nuclear Blast Records and Tunecore


One of the largest record labels in the world, Warner Music Group (WMG) has announced it intends to purchase Believe SA, a French digital music company. Among the many companies Believe owns includes a controlling stake in Nuclear Blast Records (acquired in 2018) and its offshoot Blood Blast Distribution, as well as Tunecore a Brooklyn, New York–based digital music distribution, publishing and licensing service founded in 2006. Tunecore distributes music through online retailers such as iTunes, Deezer, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Google Play, Tidal, Beatport. According to the press release you can read below, Warner “would provide Believe with strategic support and financial stability to help the development and growth of the Company, including by accelerating its expansion into new geographies.” Nuclear Blast founded in 1987 in Germany, is home to some of the greatest bands in Metal such as, Slayer, Anthrax, Testament, C.O.C., Nightwish, Sepultura, Sabaton, In Flames, Lamb of God (Europe), and countless others. In addition to their legendary main brand known for Rock, Pop, Country, and Dance music, WMG owns a ton of sub labels boasting some of the biggest names in Hard Rock, Metal and Punk like 10K Projects, 300 Entertainment (Highly Suspect, Waterparks), Asylum, Atlantic (Shinedown, Halestorm) Big Beat, Elektra Entertainment (formerly: Metallica, Slipknot & Paramore – current: twenty one pilots, Brandi Carlile, Sturgill Simpson) Erato, First Night, Fueled By Ramen (Fall Out Boy, Jimmy Eat World, A Day To Remember), Nonesuch, Parlophone (Iron Maiden), Reprise (Lamb of God in the USA, Deftones, Disturbed, Crosses), Rhino (boxed sets, vinyl and CD reissues, and countless legacy releases), Roadrunner (Gojira, Turnstile, Motionless In White, Trivium, newly signed Deafheaven, Coheed and Cambria, Stone Sour), Sire, Spinnin’, Warner Records, Warner Classics, and Warner Music Nashville. WMG’s music publishing arm, Warner Chappell Music, as well as artist management and services divisions. If the sale goes through, it remains to be seen what shape the deal would have and what impact is might have for Nuclear Blast and Tunecore. Stay tuned for more news on this story.Continue reading


Halestorm and I Prevail Announce Co-Headline Tour For Summer 2024, with Hollywood Undead and Fit For A King


Halestorm and I Prevail will embark on a massive co-headline tour this summer, produced by Live Nation. The tour kicks off on July 9 in Raleigh and runs through August 17 in Las Vegas. Direct support Hollywood Undead and Fit For A King will serve as support, making this a powerhouse package that will be remembered as one of Summer 2024’s best lineups. Various pre-sales start tomorrow. The general on-sale is set for Friday, March 8 at 10am local time. Get tickets at the links below:Continue reading


Aftershock 2024 Books Slayer, Slipknot, Iron Maiden, Motley Crue, Pantera, Judas Priest, FFDP, Disturbed, Biohazard, Shadows Fall and More!


Aftershock, it’s happening! Our 2024 lineup is here and holy sh*t, this one will go down in the history books. Not only do we have Iron Maiden’s only U.S. festival play and the exclusive West Coast performance of Slayer, but also Slipknot, the first Mötley Crüe appearance at Aftershock, plus Disturbed, Five Finger Death Punch, Judas Priest, Pantera, and 130 more of your favorite artists. Continue reading


Godsmack, Shinedown, Bad Omens, Parkway Drive, Killswitch Engage, Machine Head, Shadows Fall, Biohazard, As I Lay Dying, The Offspring, Booked for Inkcarceration Tattoo and Music Fest 2024


Brought to you by Danny Wimmer Presents, the biggest presenter of Rock and Metal festivals in the USA, Inkcarceration Tattoo & Music Festival has released the full line-up for 2024. Taking place July 19th to the 21st at the Historic Ohio State Reformatory, the festival boasts headliners Breaking Benjamin, Godsmack, Shinedown, The Offspring, Halestorm, Bad Omens, Parkway Drive, as well as Killswitch Engage, Machine Head, Shadows Fall, Biohazard, As I Lay Dying and many more. Tickets are available at the link below. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: The Gems – Phoenix


After experiencing “creative differences” as part of Thundermother, Guernica Mancini, Emlee Johansson and Mona Lindgren left and formed The Gems – a three piece Rock band, and it is fair to say that this Swedish trio’s debut Phoenix (Napalm Records) is in similar territory to their previous vehicle: sixteen tracks of no frills Classic Rock built on chunky riffs and shoutalong choruses. Continue reading


FESTIVAL REVIEW: Download Festival 2023 Part 2, Live at Castle Donnington


 

Saturday, and as will be of no surprise to anyone, it was pretty damn hot today too, people were noticeably moving much slower through the arena, and people were checking their phones for the forecast of tomorrow’s storm with excitement.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Nita Strauss – The Call Of The Void


 

She came, she saw, she conquered. “VIC-TOR-IOUS.” The Call Of The Void (Sumerian Records) is two albums in one – a superior instrumental guitar album, full of class and charisma, setting off sparks of shredded steel and nickel – and an above average, rock/blues rock/modern metal album, with one foot in the past and two eyes looking to the future, graced by some fine guest stars, including Alice Cooper, David Draiman, and Anders Friden.

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: Download Festival 2023 Part 1, Live at Castle Donnington


 

After hearing horror stories about the queues I was pleasantly surprised to arrive at the hollow turn of Donington for Download Festival 2023, and was parked up within 10 minutes. Not to dismiss the stories is it close the rather excellent download festival app a tool which I would find invaluable during my visit constantly advising incoming travellers of reach to avoid owing to congestion.Continue reading


Download Festival 2023 Sells Out In Record Time, Headlined by Metallica, Slipknot, and Bring Me The Horizon


 

Download Festival 2023 has broken their own record this summer with weekend, day and camping tickets now completely sold out. Metallica, Bring Me The Horizon and Slipknot headline a remarkable year for the UK’s biggest rock festival. Download Festival’s 20th anniversary has become a double celebration, as today the festival sells out, marking 2023 as the fastest-selling year of all time. Day, weekend and camping tickets have been snapped up by fans eager to celebrate an incredible 20 years for the legendary festival. The special anniversary edition, taking place for the first time over four days on 8-11 June 2023 at Donington Park, will feature headliners Bring Me The Horizon, Slipknot and Metallica, who will perform two headline sets with no repeat songs.

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Download Festival 2023 Adds Halestorm, Neck Deep, Hot Milk, Alter Bridge, Bob Vylan, Electric Callboy, Carcass, Five Finger Death Punch, Palaye Royale, Jinjer and More


Download Festival 2023, celebrating 20 years as a festival has added 40 new bands to the lineup and announced its day-splits for the weekend! Newly added to the festival are Halestorm, Neck Deep, Hot Milk, Alter Bridge, Bob Vylan, Electric Callboy, Carcass, Five Finger Death Punch, Palaye Royale, Jinjer, and many more. The full list can be viewed below. Already the fastest-selling event in its 20-year history. Day tickets are on sale now! The four-day festival (first time ever) is headlined by Metallica, who are performing two unique headline sets over the weekend with no songs repeated, and will be joined by fellow headliners Slipknot, and Bring Me The Horizon. Over 60 bands announced including Evanescence, Parkway Drive, Disturbed, Pendulum, Architects, Ghost, The Distillers, Placebo, Alexisonfire, Asking Alexandria, Motionless In White, I Prevail, The Blackout (reunion), Fever 333, Stray From The Path, Lorna Shore, Nova Twins, Within Temptation, many and more.

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