Five Finger Death Punch Find Jeremy Spencer’s Mini-Me, Plus News on Testament, Blink-182 + More
In addition to the big stories we covered today, Wire-to-Wire provides you with some of the other key rock and metal news items from May 9, 2018:
- Well look what Five Finger Death Punch found at a recent show -- a mini Jeremy Spencer. With a skeleton body suit, spiked hair and face paint, this youngster caught the attention of the band, with the kid joining the similarly-dressed Spencer in playing the drum kit before getting high fives from the band. Watch here.
- Testament have a timeline they'd like to see for their next album, with Chuck Billy telling the Kimberly Bulletin that he'd like to have a new disc ready for 2019. "We want our focus, during this [tour] and after this, to dive back into the songwriting process," said Billy. "We want to release a new album in 2019, so we need to get started soon." The band does have dates with Slayer, but do intend to eventually break from touring to focus on the disc.
- Speaking of new music, Mark Hoppus has revealed via Twitter that Blink-182's latest songs feel like "where Take Off Your Pants and Jacket left off." The group is in the "early days" of recording for their next album.
- Smashing Pumpkins have tacked on three more shows to their "Shiny and Oh So Bright" tour. The new stops are all Canadian, with the band playing London, Ontario on Aug. 9, Calgary, Alberta on Sept. 8 and Edmonton, Alberta on Sept. 9. Tickets for the shows will go on sale via the band's website and Live Nation at 10AM local time on May 14. Metric will provide support on the dates.
- In other Smashing Pumpkins news, the band has been working on a new video for "Solara." Billy Corgan offered up this spooky still from the Nick Koenig-directed clip here.
- Kudos to Godsmack. The band's When Legends Rise album debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 album chart, while also hitting No. 1 on the Top Rock Albums, Top Hard Music Albums, Top Independent Albums and Top Alternative Albums charts.
- Evanescence, Against Me's Laura Jane Grace, Lita Ford, Nita Strauss and many more have contributed items for the Girls Rock Camp Alliance auction that will launch tomorrow (May 10). Visit the auction site to see some of the assorted gear and guitar pedals that are going on the block as well as testimonials from some of the artists on what they're providing and sharing advice for young women about playing music.
- August Burns Red have issued their new video for "King of Sorrow." Watch the primarily performance-based clip here. The track comes from their Phantom Anthem album.
- If you like your rock stripped back, Biffy Clyro have just unleashed a new clip for "Black Chandelier" taken from their MTV Unplugged Live at Roundhouse London set. Watch here and look for the release coming on May 25.
- Book it! Sworn Enemy have announced a 15th anniversary tour revisiting their As Real as It Gets disc. Thy Will Be Done will also join in the run, which starts July 13 in Kent, Ohio. Get more dates and ticketing details here.
- Tesla's Frank Hannon lets the slide do the talking as hits the desert for his new video for "Sunrise in Texas." The track is a cover of Blackberry Smoke's song and appears on his From One Place ... to Another, Vol. 1 disc. Watch the clip here. A second installment of covers, From One Place ... to Another, Vol. 2, will follow on May 18.
- Europe are back and rocking it out with a new video for "The Siege." Watch the clip here and look for the song on the Walk the Earth album.
- Mutoid Man continue to have a blast putting their stamp on a variety of cover songs. The latest is titled "Keepa Gnawkin," which is their punked-up take on Little Richard's "Keep a Knockin'." Listen here. Their covers EP is available here.
- We've got a new one to share with you. New York-based upstarts Beechwood deliver a psychedelic, fuzzed out and rocked up new track called "Nero" that you can check out right here. The song comes from their Inside the Flesh Hotel album, due June 8. The band kicks off a European tour on May 25 in Paris.
- Fake Figures are ready to rock out with the new song "Hole in the Sky." The group, which includes Atreyu's Travis Miguel, Scars of Tomorrow's Bob Bradley, former Hotwire member Rus Martin, ex-Nations Afire member Steve Ludwig and Heather Baker, are working on a new EP with producer Kris Comeaux. Take a listen here and look for the song turning up on Spotify, Apple Music and elsewhere this Friday (May 11).
- Hardcore heroes Taken have unleashed a new video for "Reflect" from their newly released With Regards To EP. The disc is their first new music in 14 years. Check out the clip and welcome back the rockers right here.
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