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


Lamb Of God and Mastodon Announce The Ashes Of Leviathan Tour with Special Guests Kerry King and Malevolence



Today GRAMMY® Award-nominated metal titans Lamb of God and GRAMMY® Award-winning band Mastodon announce the co-headlining Ashes Of Leviathan Tour. The tour finds the two iconic bands join forces to celebrate the 20th anniversary of two seminal releases: Lamb of God’s biggest-selling album Ashes of the Wake and Mastodon’s acclaimed sophomore album Leviathan, which were both released on August 31, 2004. Both bands will perform their respective albums in full. Special guests Kerry King and Malevolence will support throughout the tour, with Unearth on select dates. Kicking off on July 19 in Grand Prairie, TX at the Texas Trust CU Theatre, the North American arena and amphitheater run will take them through the US and Canada, culminating on the exact 20th anniversary of each album on August 31 in Omaha, NE at the Astro Amphitheater. The tour will notably make stops at iconic venues such as Denver, CO’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Los Angeles, CA’s The Kia Forum. See below for full tour routing. Continue reading


Phil Demmel Announces His Official Departure From Vio-Lence, Says its Unrelated to Joining Kerry King’s Band


After almost 39 years in the band Vio-Lence Co-founder and guitarist Phil Demmel is permanently leaving the band after one final show on February 11th. In a post to social media and transcribed by Metal Injection, Demmel, explains that this recent development has nothing to do with him joining Kerry King’s new band, and more about the direction he has been heading in for a while, as he and vocalist Sean Killian are “not on the same page, and never have been!” Perry Strickland left the band in 2023. As Injection also reported, Demmel played with every incarnation of Vio-Lence across their career between 1985 and 2024, but he also stepped back from the band in 2023 as the band began touring without him and Demmel only playing occasional festivals like Milwaukee Metal Fest and a hometown show in Oakland. At that Oakland show last summer, Phil gave several lengthy thank yous and tributes to current and former members, that felt to those in attendance, like a goodbye moment from him. Demmel has also filled in for Lamb of God on tour in recent years and Slayer in 2018. Vio-lence has confirmed spring tour dates booked for the USA. Continue reading


Lamb of God and Mastodon Are Teasing a Co-Headline Tour


Modern Metal leaders Lamb of God and Mastodon are teasing a co-headline tour, likely to be announced this week. Both bands shared the same video on social media, with the hashtag #AshesOfLeviathan. Both LoG’s Ashes of The Wake (Reprise Records) and Mastodon’s Leviathan (Relapse Records) are celebrating 20th anniversaries in 2024. More details to follow! Continue reading


Lamb Of God Shares Headbangers Boat After Movie from 2023


Modern metal legends Lamb of God have shared the official after movie from the Headbangers Boat Cruise. Sailing on the Norwegian Gem ship and cruising to the Dominican Republic, the 2024 cruise will feature Lamb Of God, along with Dethklok, Chimaira, Poison The Well, At The Gates, Soulfly, Corrosion of Conformity and many more. The full lineup so far is below but the exact dates of the cruise are not yet announced. The cruise is organized by Sixthman (Chris Jericho, Coheed and Cambria cruises), which is in partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line. There will also be an appearance by Lamb Of God guitarist Mark Morton’s solo band, as well as stand-up comedy by Shayne Smith and Mike Abrusci. Lamb of God is about to embark on a series of tours and festivals including Pantera and Knotfest Australia. Watch the video here!Continue reading


Lamb of God Books Tour Dates For Australia with Brand of Sacrifice


Lamb of God has announced a mini-run of tour dates for Australia in 2024! Direct support will come from Brand of Sacrifice. Pre-sale tickets, regular tickets, and VIP options can be found at the link below. The band kicks off their next leg of dates opening for the Pantera reunion this weekend!Continue reading


Housecore Records Recording Artists Nest, Child Bite, and Snafu To Open Select Pantera and Lamb of God Shows Next Month


Heavy metal icons Pantera will return to the stage this February on the second leg of their North American headlining tour with special guest, Lamb Of God. Much like last Summer’s run, each show will feature an opening performance by one of three Housecore Records recording artists on select dates. Housecore Records was founded by Pantera frontman Philip H. Anselmo in an effort to release material by his many side projects and from other bands he’s supported throughout his career. Joining this leg of the tour will be St. Louis-based metal trio and recent Housecore Records signees Nest, featuring Scour/Agoraphobic Nosebleed bassist John Jarvis, as well as two Detroit juggernauts – art punk/noise metallers Child Bite and hardcore punk/thrashers Snafu (Situation Normal All Fucked Up) — both of which opened for Pantera in 2023.Continue reading


Pantera Books 2024 Tour Dates with Lamb of God


 

Heavy metal icons Pantera will return to the stage this February on the second leg of their North American headlining tour. The journey follows the band’s massively successful twenty-city run this past Summer, a tour which stood as one of the most anticipated tours of 2023, as well as their dates supporting Metallica. Featuring classic members, vocalist Philip H. Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown, alongside guitarist Zakk Wylde and drummer Charlie Benante, the latest stretch of live dates continues the celebration of the lives of late founding members, drummer Vinnie Paul and guitarist Dimebag Darrell.

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Lamb Of God Books Dethklok, Chimaira, Poison The Well, At The Gates, Soulfly, COC and More for Headbangers Boat’ 2024


 

Modern metal legends just concluded their debut voyage of their Headbangers Ball Cruise, and now have announced the first bands booked for the 2024 edition. Sailing on the Norwegian Gem ship and cruising to the Dominican Republic, the 2024 cruise will feature Lamb Of God, along with Dethklok, Chimaira, Poison The Well, At The Gates, Soulfly, Corrosion of Conformity and many more. The full lineup so far is below but the exact dates of the cruise are not yet announced. The cruise is organized by Sixthman (Chris Jericho, Coheed and Cambria cruises), which is in partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line. There will also be an appearance by Lamb Of God guitarist Mark Morton’s solo band, as well as stand-up comedy by Shayne Smith and Mike Abrusci. Watch the announcement now by D. Randall Blythe on the cruise. Continue reading


EP REVIEW: Spiritbox – The Fear Of Fear


 

Spiritbox have seemingly been effortlessly surfing the a crest of a wave since their debut album Eternal Blue blew up back in 2021, and have enjoyed a whirlwind couple of years since hitting millions of streams and views on Spotify and YouTube, while playing some huge festival shows and hitting the road with the likes of Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage, Ghost and Bring Me The Horizon. Continue reading