System Of A Down Are Releasing New Music In 2017!

First Metallica broke their studio silence, and now System Of A Down are joining in too (we're still waiting for Tool, though)! SOAD has confirmed that they will be releasing new music in the new year.

It's been 11 years since the band's last release: a duo album in the form of Mesmerize and Hypnotize. The band's members have been touring with System Of A Down on and off over the last decade, as well as working on their own side projects. It's finally time to buckle down and create some new music for fans, though.

In an interview with Kerrang, drummer John Dolmayan stated the following:

“We’ve been working on a new album for the last six months and there’s about 15 songs that I think are album-worthy... We don’t know what’s happening in terms of release, it’s still not 100% as far as plans go... I want everyone on board and feeling good about it, that’s what we’re trying to accomplish right now. There’s a tremendous amount of pressure on us, though, because it’s been 11 years – at least 12 by the time it comes out.”

— Kerrang

There you have it! According to Dolmayan, it looks like it may not be until mid or late 2017 until we get a taste of the new music, but it's certainly on its way. Fans looking for more of the band's signature sound may be in for a surprise, however. Continuing on in the interview, Dolmayan claimed the band are not looking to create "Toxicity Part 2... This needs to be something for a new generation of System Of A Down fans, so everyone can see we’re not resting on our laurels. I’m not gonna put my name on an album I’m not 100% proud of."

Vocalist Serj Tankian expressed in an interview earlier in the year that new music is in the works, but it might not even by SOAD music - whether or not it is, though, we're sure it'll be great. System Of A Down just made 2017 a whole lot better.

Foo Fighters Return From Hiatus With Live Show

After a year off the stage to take a break from the limelight, it seems that alternative rockers Foo Fighters are back in action!

The band held a private fundraiser open to very limited individuals (presumably some very generous donors) at an unknown venue in Los Angeles, California on October 15, with several special guests and a plethora of covers (including The Police, David Bowie, and Sex Pistols).

The band has been on indefinite hiatus since the end of 2015's Sonic Highways tour. Producer Butch Vig said in an interview that Dave Grohl had told him "I am toast - I need to go home and stop and just recuperate, I need to go dark for a while." Speaking to KROQ, guitarist Chris Shiflett added: "We were on the road for at least a year or so for [Wasting Light], but then we were also traveling when we made [Sonic Highways], so that kind of felt like we were on the road [for another] year and a half or so." It seems the band are ready to get back at it, or are at least getting the juices flowing.

The band's setlist was as follows:

1. Learn To Fly
2. My Hero
3. Stay (I Missed You) (Lisa Loeb cover) (w/ Lisa Loeb)
4. Moonage Daydream (David Bowie cover) (w/ Lisa Loeb)
5. Times Like These
6. Bodies (Sex Pistols cover) (w/ Steve Jones)
7. Silly Thing (Sex Pistols cover) (w/ Steve Jones)
8. Stay With Me (Faces cover) (w/ Steve Jones)
9. All My Life
10. Excesses (Klark Kent cover) (w/ Stewart Copeland)
11. Message In A Bottle (The Police cover) (w/ Stewart Copeland)
12. Everlong
13. Monkey Wrench
14. I Can't Drive 55 (Sammy Hagar cover) (w/ Sammy Hagar)
15. Finish What Ya Started (Van Halen cover) (w/ Sammy Hagar)
16. Rock and Roll (Led Zeppelin cover) (w/ Sammy Hagar)
17. Miss You (The Rolling Stones cover) (w/ Jeff Probst)
18. Been Caught Stealing (Jane's Addiction cover) (w/ Perry Farrell)
19. Time Is On My Side (Kai Winding & His Orchestra cover) (w/ Perry Farrell)
20. Had A Dad (Jane's Addiction cover) (w/ Perry Farrell)
21. Best Of You
22. Detroit Rock City (KISS cover) (w/ Paul Stanley)
23. Do You Love Me (KISS cover) (w/ Paul Stanley)
24. I Was Made For Lovin' You (KISS cover) (w/ Paul Stanley)
25. Whole Lotta Love / Rock and Roll (Led Zeppelin cover) (w/ Paul Stanley) 

Are the Foos back? What do you think? It's been a long while since Sonic Highways - hopefully this is a sign of things to come!

Pink Floyd "Reunite" For The Women Of The Gaza Freedom Flotilla

Members of the legendary progressive rock band Pink Floyd are "reuniting" in support of the Women Of The Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an global organization aimed at ending the siege of Muslim women's rights in Gaza, Egypt. The organization was illegally arrested and stopped in international waters by the Israeli Defense Force.

The band released a statement on their Facebook page Thursday stating the following:

The Women Of The Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition recently announced the details of their "Women's Boat To Gaza" initiative, in which a series of ships will set sail to challenge the Israeli blockade, as well as give hope to the Palestinian people. The boats set sail to Gaza in mid-September. For more information, see the organization's website.

The band also released a remix of the classic track 'Childhood's End' from the seventh album, Obscured By Clouds which was originally released in 1972. The new mix was done by Andy Jackson and Damon Iddins, and serves as a promotional single from the band's upcoming collection Pink Floud: The Early Years (1965-1972), which will be released this November.

The extent of this "reunion" is unknown - whether it is nothing beyond this statement or if it means shows in support of the cause or new music is on the way is yet to be seen, but what we do know is that it's great to see a band of this caliber support such a cause.

Brand New Push Back Album Release, To Perform Iconic Record In Full

Alternative rock band Brand New have been busy working on a new record - rumored to be their last - and touring, but fans may need to wait a bit longer to hear the new material.

The band released a statement (as shown below) on the progress of the record, stating that "there exists a collection of songs that, right now, would call fit to be an album," but go on to say the album isn't complete to them, yet. While they planned to release a record this year, the ending sentence of the paragraph confirms "Brand New will not release a record in 2016."

What the band will be doing, however, is performing their major label debut third effort, The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me in its entirety on their upcoming fall tour in honor of its ten-year anniversary. The band has been touring North America since June, and are gearing up for another excursion across the country in October and November. It is unknown if the band will continue to perform the album in December when they head to Europe.

Read the full statement released by the band below:

Catch The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me performed in its entirety at these shows in October and November:

• October 13, 2016: Rochester, New York (Main Street Armory)
• October 14, 2016: Glens Falls, New York (Glens Falls Civic Center) 
• October 15, 2016: Portland, Maine (Cross Insurance Arena)
• October 17, 2016: Wallingford, Connecticut (Oakdale Theater)
• October 18, 2016: Ithaca, New York (Ithaca College and Events Athletic Center)
• October 20, 2016: Cleveland, Ohio (Wolstein Center)
• October 21, 2016: Grand Rapids, Michigan (Deltaplex)
• October 22, 2016: Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Eagles Ballroom)
• October 23, 2016: St. Paul, Minnesota (Roy Wilkins Auditorium)
• October 25, 2016: Sioux City, South Dakota (The District)
• October 27, 2016: Missoula, Montana (Adams Center)
• October 28, 2016: Garden City, Idaho (Revolution Event Center)
• October 29, 2016: Reno, Nevada (Grand Sierra Resort)
• October 31, 2016:  San Jose, California (Event Center @ San Jose University)
• November 1, 2016: Las Vegas, Nevada (The Chelsea @ The Cosmopolitan)
• November 3, 2016: El Paso, Texas (El Paso County Coliseum)
• November 5, 2016: Corpus Christi, Texas (Concrete Street)
• November 7, 2016: Birmingham, Alabama (Alabama Theater)
• November 8, 2016: Greenville, South Carolina (Ben Secours Arena)
• November 10, 2016: Fairfax, Virginia (Eagle Bank Arena)
• November 11, 2016: Allentown, Pennsylvania (PPL Center)
• November 12, 2016: University Park, Pennsylvania (Bryce Jordan Center)

You can purchase tickets on the band's website.

Excited to see the band's album performed in full? Who's going? We'll keep you updated on that new album they have on the backburner now. Only a matter of time.

Sia Teases Mysterious New Single

It's hard to be enigmatic in the world of pop, but Sia has always has mystery surrounding her. That mystery continues as she has now started teasing a new single!

The artist has uploaded a 14 second clip to her VEVO channel, titled "The Greatest - Coming Sept. 6 - #weareyourchildren" consisting of a droning sound as the camera pans onto her go to dancing girl Maddie Ziegler lying in a pile of bodies. She slowly opens her eyes at the end of the clip before the last two seconds of the clip features what's presumably the beginning of Sia's new single, 'The Greatest'.

The single is preceding her tour that starts in Seattle, Washington on September 29. Sia has previously teased the hashtag #wearethechildren on Twitter, as well as 'The Greatest', but it was speculated the hashtag was the name of the song and she would be releasing a greatest hits record. It seems the hashtag is more of a campaign, and the video coming on September 6 will have a message backing it.

What do you think is coming? Is this a one-off single, or is something bigger coming with the release? Be here on September 6 to find out!

Architects Guitarist Dies After 3-Year Battle With Cancer

English post-hardcore outfit Architects has lost on of it's founding members. Guitarist Tom Searle has passed away after a three-year battle with cancer. He was 28.

The band was amidst their tour for their new record All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us, released earlier this year. The album has been critically acclaimed and is revered as the band's best record so far. Several tour dates have were cancelled earlier on the cycle, including European and U.S. Headlining appearances, as a result of Searle's illness.

A statement posted on Facebook by twin brother and bandmate Dan Searle reads:

“It is with unbelievable pain and sadness that I have to announce that at around twelve minutes past midnight on August 20th my amazing brother, Tom, passed away after over 3 years living with cancer.
He was an incredible songwriter and guitarist. He was my closest and oldest friend. He was a funny, intelligent and sweet man and he leaves an enormous void in all of our lives.

Many of you will be aware that Tom has been absent from various shows over the past 15 months and I can now let you know that this was due to various surgeries that he had to have to treat the cancer. When we left for our European Festival tour on June 2nd Tom was very unwell. He had been advised to stay in hospital to receive care but ultimately there was nothing that they could do for him and he signed himself out of the ward two days before we departed for Germany. Some of you might view this as reckless but this is the way Tom wanted to do things throughout his last year because he never wanted the cancer to get in the way of what he loved. He got on stage and performed his last two shows at Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park, which took him an incredible amount of strength but those are two shows that we will never forget.

We had to cancel our European festival tour and US headline tour because on June 8th, in Luxembourg, Tom was extremely sick, we called an ambulance and he was taken into ICU. The following day he was placed into a medically induced coma and the doctors told us that it was unlikely that they’d ever be able to wake him. Five days later, against all the odds, he was awake again, and in a few short days following that, myself and Tom cancelled the air ambulance that was due to take him home and we got the Eurostar train home. Classic Tom Searle.
He spent the last 2 months of his life fighting with everything he had to overcome the disease once and for all, and things appeared to be moving in the right direction, but in the last 2 weeks it suddenly took a turn for the worse and finally he left us.
I don’t know what will become of Architects. Me and Tom started playing in a band together when we were 13 and, really, Architects is just an evolution of the band that we started all the way back then, over half my life ago. To pretend that Tom wasn’t at the heart of everything that the band created would be to show a complete lack of respect to the amazing talent that he was. The band will never be the same and there is simply no denying it.

We will 100% tour All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us, there is no doubt about that. We will be going to Australia in a few weeks and we will be doing our UK and European headline tour in October and November. We hope that these shows will be an opportunity for everyone out there to show their respects to my wonderful brother. It won’t be easy for us to get on stage and play every night without him, but its something that we must do.

We want to carry on, that is important to say, and we will strive to do so, but we will not release any music unless we truly believe that it is something that Tom would have been proud of. Whether or not we can achieve that is something that we will have to discover in time.

For now we need to begin to process what has happened. Myself, Sam, Ali and Adam will need time to fully come to terms with the loss of our brother and we hope that everyone out there will continue to respect our privacy during this terribly difficult time.”

— Facebook

The band has started a donation page for the hospice that cared for Tom through his illness, the Marlets Hospice. You can donate here.

Architects will continue the tour without Tom in September when they head to Australia; see all of their tour dates here. A fill-in guitarist has not yet been announced. Read our review for All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us, too - it's one of our favorite records of the year.

Rest in peace, Tom Searle.

Are My Chemical Romance Reuniting?

UPDATE 7/21: The band responded to the rumors by stating:

“We’ve been really touched and blown away by the response to the teaser trailer. We are not touring and there is no reunion planned - only a release for the anniversary of The Black Parade.

Thank you for continuing to keep MCR in your minds and in your hearts.”

— https://twitter.com/MCRofficial/status/756198047638401024

The emo music scene was in shambles when My Chemical Romance broke up in 2013, many fans begging for it not to be true... Three years later, things may finally be changing.

My Chemical Romance have uploaded a video and new images to their Facebook page, the images branding a new logo featuring "MCR X" (MCR 10?) around a cross figure. The video shows the same figure waving on a flag with the signature piano intro of 'Welcome To The Black Parade' over it, the cryptic date "9.23.16" (September 23, 2016) appearing at the end. What could it mean?

My Chemical Romance broke up in 2013 following the release of the Conventional Weapons series of releases. The band has stayed mostly quiet since then, releasing their Greatest Hits compilation May Death Never Stop You and some isolated merch along the way. Gerard Way launched his solo career and took time to focus on his comics, while guitarist Frank Iero also continued on with his solo career.

There are many possibilities as to what this could mean. The most logical answer: a ten-year anniversary tour for The Black Parade, which was released October 23, 2006. October 23 is exactly a month off of September 23... it all seems to align. Whatever the band has in store, it's bound to be a big moment for fans.