The Music News Update

[Deathstroke]

Devildriver box set news.

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The new Avatarium album will be entitled Death, Where Is Your Sting. It is due out October 21st via AFM Records. Full Details.

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[Deathstroke]

Here's an interview with Deraps' guitarist Jacob Deraps.

Satyricon album news.

[Deathstroke]

CD Review - Def Leppard - Diamond Star Halos

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There's a book about Cheap Trick's early days coming out. Article Link.

Vanden Plas live release news.

Oceans Of Slumber album news.

Nordic Union album news.

Conan album news.

[Deathstroke]

Jimi Jamison
Rock Hard
Iconoclassic Records ICON 1049
Coming August 12, 2022

After leading Survivor to the top of the charts in the mid-’80s with hits like “I Can’t Hold Back,” “High on You,” “The Search Is Over,” “Burning Heart” and “Is This Love” and being acclaimed by Casey Kasem as “The Voice,” powerhouse vocalist Jimi Jamison cut his debut solo album for Scotti Bros. Records as the decade drew to a close.

Recorded with producer/engineer Jim Gaines (Santana, Huey Lewis & The News, Stevie Ray Vaughan) and producer/songwriter Kenny Mims (Kenny Rogers) in Jimi's beloved hometown of Memphis TN, Jamison’s solo album perfectly encapsulated his musical history to that point, with gritty Southern rockers in the mold of his ’70s band Target, blazing metal redolent of his early ’80s one-shot Cobra, and epic AOR destined to thrill his Survivor audience.

Ready for release by late 1989, Jimi Jamison’s solo album Rock Hard went unreleased at the time, and close to two years would elapse before a notably retooled album, When Love Comes Down, was issued by Scotti Bros. as Jimi Jamison’s solo debut.

Jimi Jamison’s Rock Hard album has never been heard…until now!

Although several of its tracks have been heavily traded through the years as poor-quality bootlegs, and others carried over to When Love Comes Down or were re-recorded for subsequent Jamison solo albums, the existence of the complete Rock Hard album has never even been rumored.

Iconoclassic Records’ Jeremy Holiday explains its path to release in 2022 as Jimi Jamison’s first posthumous album.

“Back in 2008, I was working for Sony’s catalog division, Legacy Recordings, during the day, and helping my friend Jimi Jamison develop his solo ‘comeback’ album Crossroads Moment in my personal time. My two worlds collided when I discovered the masters for Jimi Jamison’s first solo album within Sony’s vault while doing tape research for a Survivor compilation. This wasn’t Jimi’s official 1991 solo debut, When Love Comes Down as the world knew it, but an earlier, grittier, harder rocking configuration that was completed in 1989. It was an incredible find!

“Jimi and I discussed releasing the album, but at that time (2008-2014) he was in the process of reestablishing his solo career with new recordings, including Crossroads Moment, the Kimball-Jamison collaboration with former Toto vocalist and Jimi’s longtime friend Bobby Kimball, and Never Too Late, all on Frontiers Records, as well as performing live with Survivor. Releasing an archival solo album at that moment would have caused confusion.

“After Jimi’s tragic and unexpected passing in 2014, it took a few years before I could listen to his music again. It just hurt too much. But as the years passed, I grew concerned that he was becoming a bit forgotten by the music world at large. After approaching his family, we decided that now was the time to finally release Rock Hard. What was originally meant to be Jimi Jamison’s solo debut now becomes his solo reintroduction."

Through interviews with 12 participants in the original album, including musicians, songwriters, producers, and Scotti Bros. label personnel, the 6000-word liner notes essay (housed in a 20-page booklet designed by John Sellards) fully reveals the untold story and tangled history of Jimi Jamison’s initial solo stab.

Rock Hard has been digitally remastered from the original master tapes by Patrick W. Engel. The CD release also includes a bonus track of Jamison’s highly sought-after solo recording of Survivor’s “Ever Since the World Began” from the Sylvester Stallone film Lock Up, recorded during the album sessions and originally released as a rare single.

Jimi Jamison Rock Hard will be released August 12, 2022. The date is significant as it follows the dedication and unveiling of "Jimi Jamison Street" in Memphis, TN by exactly five months, as well as being the month of Jamison's birth. Rock Hard will be released by Iconoclassic Records and is now available for pre-order.
Track Listing:
1. Rock Hard
2. Girls Like… †
3. First Day of Love ††
4. Cry Alone
5. I Believe in Love †††
6. True Lovers †††
7. Something Every Heart Should Know †
8. Cry Tough ††
9. A Dream Too Far ††
10. Is It True What They Say About Love †
11. Ever Since the World Began *
From the Sylvester Stallone movie Lock Up

† previously unreleased song
†† previously unreleased recording
††† previously unreleased mix/alternate arrangement
* bonus track

Produced by Jim Gaines & Kenny Mims
Mixed by John Hampton & Jim Gaines

[Deathstroke]

Country singer Jon Pardi's new album Mr. Saturday Night is due out September 2nd.

[CellarDweller]

Kate Bush's recent success continues to grow.

The single "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" moves to #4 this week on the Billboard Hot 100, 37 years after its initial release, becoming her first US Top 5 hit. Originally it peaked at #30.

The album it's on is called Hounds Of Love, and that album peaked at #30 on the Billboard Top 200 chart. This week, Hounds of Love climbs back on the chart up to #12.

[Deathstroke]

The Cassette Chronicles #199 - Survivor - Vital Signs

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Anthrax bassist Frank Bello debut solo EP news.

Norma Jean album news.

Country singer Ingrid Andress will have her 2nd album, Good Person, out on August 26th. Full Details

[Deathstroke]

Even more As I Lay Dying lineup news.

[Deathstroke]

Brett Tuggle, the keyboardist who played with David Lee Roth, Rick Springfield and more including a 21-year run with Fleetwood Mac, has passed away. Tuggle co-wrote Roth's biggest solo hit "Just Like Paradise" as well.

Here's an interview with Sicksense's Vicki Psarakis & Robby J. Fontes.

Here's an interview with Jack Starr of Burning Starr.

Here's an interview with Devil's Train's Dan Baune.

[Deathstroke]

Devin Townsend album news.

[Deathstroke]

Norma Jean album news.

I Prevail album news.

King Parrot debut EP news.

Talas album news.

Highly Suspect album news.

Sleeping With Sirens album news.

We Came As Romans album news.

Sepultura temporary lineup news.

Exodus temporary lineup news.

[Deathstroke]

Katatonia has signed a worldwide record deal with Napalm Records. Details.

The new Megadeth album will be called The Sick, The Dying...And The Dead!. It is due out September 2nd via UMe. Details.

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The new Queensryche album will be called Digital Noise Alliance. It is due out October 7th. You can check out the new track "In Extremis" below.

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[Deathstroke]

David Paich (ex-Toto) will release his debut solo album Forgotten Toys August 19th via The Players Club / Mascot Label Group. Details.

1. Forward
2. willibelongtoyou
3. Spirit Of The Moonrise
4. First Time
5. Queen Charade
6. All The Tears That Shine
7. Lucy

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Here's the lyric video for "Spirit of the Moonrise".

[Deathstroke]

The new Ozzy Osbourne album Patient Number 9 will be out September 9th. Details.

01. Patient Number 9 (feat. Jeff Beck)
02. Immortal (feat. Mike McCready)
03. Parasite (feat. Zakk Wylde)
04. No Escape From Now (feat. Tony Iommi)
05. One Of Those Days (feat. Eric Clapton)
06. A Thousand Shades (feat. Jeff Beck)
07. Mr. Darkness (feat. Zakk Wylde)
08. Nothing Feels Right (feat. Zakk Wylde)
09. Evil Shuffle (feat. Zakk Wylde)
10. Degradation Rules (feat. Tony Iommi)
11. Dead And Gone
12. God Only Knows
13. Darkside Blues

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You can listen to the title track below.

[Deathstroke]

Kiss archival release news.

King's X album news.