Metal Bulletin Zine

Saturday, October 24, 2026

in memory of singer Marcie Free/Mark Free

October 23, 2025: RIP Marcie Free/Mark Free (April 12, 1954 – October 23, 2025) (singer for King Kobra)

Wikipedia shows:

Marcie Michelle Free (born Mark Edward Free; April 12, 1954 – October 23, 2025) was an American rock singer, best known as the lead singer of King Kobra, Signal and Unruly Child ... Free came out as a trans woman in November 1993. Free experienced gender dysphoria prior to her transition and changed her name to Marcie Michelle Free. Free stated that prior to her transition, she struggled with self-harm ideation and that transitioning was a "[decision] between life and death," but "very rewarding," and that "[if she] would've continued [her] life as Mark [she] would have died for sure" ... Free experienced alcoholism but became sober around 2008, crediting her "close personal relationship with God" for her sobriety.

KING KOBRA - "Hunger" (Official Video)

Stryper anniversary – Live in Indonesia

STRYPER anniversary

October 23, 2012: Stryper – Live in Indonesia at Java Rockin' Land - MVD Visual

STRYPER anniversary - "No More Hell to Pay"

STRYPER anniversary

Stryper - "No More Hell to Pay" (Official Video)

out today Never Again by Rope (Seattle)

new FORBIDDEN album out now

October 23, 2026: Forbidden - Forbidden - BLKIIBLK Records

"Forbidden is the sixth studio album by American thrash metal band Forbidden, released on October 23, 2026. It is the band's first studio album since Omega Wave (2010), making it the longest gap between two albums in their career, and their first with vocalist Norman Skinner, drummer Chris Kontos and guitarist Jeremy Von Epp."

FORBIDDEN - Psyclops (Official Music Video)

Friday, October 23, 2026

new JERNLOV black metal album out today!

October 23, 2026: Jernlov - Redemption - Nordic Mission Records

Bandcamp about this album: JERNLOV provides melodic black metal to the masses, a genre Norway has mastered better than anyone. Tremolo storms and blast beats collide with wide melody and hymn-like clean passages. Fans of Vreid, Cor Scorpii and Slechtvalk will feel immediately at home: blackened ferocity that never forgets to soar, frosty riffs; but warmth burning underneath. The music is built on contrasts - and so are the lyrics. Across the album it contemplates mortality, fear, guilt, the philosophy of life, despair and hope. The album takes advantage of its list of quality vocalists, giving you death metal growls, black metal screeches and thrashy riffs in the Western Norwegian fashion we have all come to love.

Redemption by Jernlov

RAMONES trailblazing rock and roll discography

RAMONES - Blitzkrieg Bop

"Blitzkrieg Bop" is the opening song from the Ramones' debut studio album released on April 23, 1976 by Sire Records. The Ramones ignited a massive fire in all of rock music, making fast songs the general mode of operation—a 29-minute lightning strike against pretentious, bloated, self-indulgent rock (like ten-minute in-concert bass solos) and disco. They stripped away the blues, prog, and pretension to return to the upbeat, fast energy of young American 1950s rock and roll and early 1960s American upbeat girl groups. The Ramones delivered catchy, melodic, rapid-fire tempos, buzzsaw guitar chords, no look-at-me solos, and minimalistic lyrics. They were returning to the original spirit of teenage American rock and roll and its culture: leather jackets, ripped blue jeans, sneakers, bowl-cut hair, 1950s movie street gangs, greasers, juvenile delinquents, and the disaffected, bored, suburban teenage outcast. Johnny Ramone once said, "When you think of who punks are, they're greasers, people who didn't fit in, but they didn't back down either. Who above all, love America." To Johnny Ramone, anti-Americanism, anarchism, anti-patriotism, political violence, and resentment—all those types of discourse—were literally foreign to his American way of thinking, much like the way British punk rock completely misunderstood the Ramones.

Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop (2016 Remaster)

SAXON heavy metal discography

According to The Metal Archives, the May 21, 1979 debut album by Saxon begins with the one-minute instrumetal intro "Rainbow Theme," After the intro, the song proper "Frozen Rainbow" begins. (Based on the version of the CD that I have, the two tracks are divided at different time marks, compared to what The Metal Archives shows.) Personally, I really like this bluesy, melodic song. It's different from the stereotype or image of early Saxon as an aggressive, angry heavy metal band.

SAXON - Rainbow Theme

MEGADETH Countdown to Extinction live CD and DVD anniversary - Japan edition

October 23, 2013: Megadeth > Countdown to Extinction: Live > 2013, CD, Universal Music Japan (Japan, SHM-CD)

October 23, 2013: Megadeth > Countdown to Extinction: Live > 2013, DVD, Tradecraft (Japan)

October 23, 2013: Megadeth > Countdown to Extinction: Live > 2013, Blu-ray, Universal Music Japan (Japan)

"Countdown to Extinction: Live is a live album by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released on September 24, 2013, through Dave Mustaine's Tradecraft label in Blu-ray, DVD, and CD formats. It was recorded during the band's 'Countdown to Extinction 20th Anniversary Tour' at a show at Fox Theatre in Pomona, California, on December 7, 2012, and features the band performing the entire Countdown to Extinction album. The album debuted at number 119 on the Billboard 200." -Wikipedia

Megadeth - Countdown To Extinction (Live At The Fox Theater/2012)

Thursday, October 22, 2026

Happy birthday to RATT drummer Bobby Blotzer!

October 22, 1958: birthday - Bobby Blotzer (drummer for RATT - Robert John Blotzer)

Wikipedia says:

Ratt (stylized as RATT) was an American glam metal band that had significant commercial success in the 1980s, with their albums having been certified as gold, platinum and multi-platinum by the RIAA. The group is perhaps best known for hit singles such as "Round and Round" and "Lay It Down", tracks that ranked on Billboard's top 40 at No. 12 and No. 40, respectively, as well as other songs such as "Wanted Man", "You're in Love" and "Dance".

RATT - Never Use Love

IRON MAIDEN classic heavy metal anniversary

October 22, 1984: Iron Maiden - Aces High (single)

Iron Maiden - Aces High (Official Video)

remembering MOUNTAIN's Leslie West on his birthday

October 22, 1945: birthday - Leslie West [Leslie Abel West (Weinstein); October 22, 1945 – December 23, 2020]

Wikipedia says:

Mountain was an American rock band formed on Long Island, New York, in 1969. Originally consisting of vocalist-guitarist Leslie West, bassist-vocalist Felix Pappalardi, keyboardist Steve Knight, and drummer N. D. Smart (soon replaced by Corky Laing), the group disbanded in 1972, but reunited on several occasions prior to West's death in 2020. They are best known for their 1970 smash hit song "Mississippi Queen", which remains a staple of classic rock radio, as well as the heavily sampled song "Long Red", and their performance at Woodstock Festival in 1969. Mountain is one of many bands commonly credited with influencing the development of heavy metal music during the 1970s.The group's musical style primarily consisted of hard rock, blues rock, and heavy metal.

MOUNTAIN - Mississippi Queen (Live on "The Show" 02-24-1970) - * RARE * remastered audio

UDO heavy metal anniversary

October 22, 2021: U.D.O. - Game Over - AFM Records

"U.D.O. is a German heavy metal band founded in Solingen by eponymous vocalist Udo Dirkschneider following his departure from Accept in 1987." -Wikipedia

UDO - Fear Detector

LED ZEPPELIN - anniversary of an album that changed the world of rock and heavy metal music

LED ZEPPELIN - anniversary of an album that changed the world of rock and heavy metal music October 22, 1969: Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II - Atlantic Records

"Led Zeppelin II was not well-received by contemporary music critics. John Mendelsohn wrote a negative review of the record for Rolling Stone, in which he mocked the group's heavy sound and white blues" -Wikipedia

BUT the American rock fans did not care for all the negativity and jealously towards Led Zeppelin because Wikipedia also says:

The album was released on 22 October 1969 on Atlantic Records, with advance orders of 400,000 copies. The advertising campaign was built around the slogans 'Led Zeppelin – The Only Way to Fly' and 'Led Zeppelin II Now Flying'. In the United States, some commercially duplicated reel-to-reel copies of Led Zeppelin II made by Ampex bore the title Led Zeppelin II – The Only Way to Fly on their spine. Commercially, Led Zeppelin II was the band's first album to hit No. 1 in the US, knocking The Beatles' Abbey Road (1969) twice from the top spot, where it remained for seven weeks. By April 1970 it had registered three million American sales, whilst in Britain it enjoyed a 138-week residence on the LP chart, climbing to the top spot in February 1970. Meanwhile, the album reached the top spot in 5 other national albums charts (including the Canadian, Australian and Spanish albums charts). In November Ritchie Yorke reported in Billboard that while the album had achieved "staggering" sales, as a hard rock record it was considered unsuitable for North American Top 40 radio stations, who were "dreary and detached from the mainstream of contemporary rock music".

The album also yielded Led Zeppelin's biggest hit, "Whole Lotta Love". This song reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1970, after Atlantic went against the group's wishes by releasing a shorter version on 45. The single's B-side, "Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)", also hit the Billboard chart, peaking at No. 65 in April 1970. The album helped establish Led Zeppelin as an international concert attraction, and for the next year, the group continued to tour relentlessly, initially performing in clubs and ballrooms, then in larger auditoriums and eventually stadiums as their popularity grew.

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II (Remaster) [Official Full Album]

BORKNAGAR - progressive extreme metal anniversary

October 22, 2001: Borknagar - Empiricism - Century Media Records

"Empiricism is the fifth studio album by Norwegian progressive metal band Borknagar. It is their first studio album to feature Vintersorg frontman Andreas Hedlund on vocals and Jan Erik 'Tyr' Tiwaz on bass. It was also the last album to feature Jens F. Ryland on guitar until his return to the band in 2010." -Wikipedia

"Each of the songs flow extremely well, so you never skip a beat. Each of the songs has a little of everything: some sections are more guitar driven, some are more keyboard oriented, and there are always spaces open for Asgeir's drumming to shine, or Vintersorg's great vocal work to take center stage, and, in the case of Four Element Synchronicity's bridge section, even for a bass/piano duet by Lazare and Tyr. It's an excellent album for black metal fans, and progressive metal fans alike. One of my all time favorites." -Progressive mastery - 96% Dark_Mewtwo1, May 2nd, 2006 - The Metal Archives

BORKNAGAR - The Genuine Pulse

ELDERWIND - nature atmospheric black metal anniversary

October 22, 2018: Elderwind - Чем холоднее ночь / The Colder the Night

"The basis of the new journey Elderwind lay 8 wanderings in the contemplation of the captivating horizons of unknown distances that delight the spirit of the traveler, forcing to forget about everything and plunge into the cycle of trials, sorrow, joy and grandeur of the beauty of the landscape.This is an internal dialogue with nature, the search for threads connecting us with its great mysteries." -Wikipedia

Чем холоднее ночь / The colder the night by Elderwind

SEPULTURA groove metal anniversary

October 22, 1996:: Sepultura > Chaos A.D. > 1996, CD, Roadrunner Records (Gold disc, Remastered) [reissue of 1993]

SEPULTURA - Biotech Is Godzilla

FORBIDDEN Bay Area Metal anniversary

October 22, 2010: Forbidden - Omega Wave - Nuclear Blast Records

"Omega Wave is the fifth studio album by American thrash metal band Forbidden, released on October 22, 2010. It was the band's first studio recording in 13 years (since 1997's Green) and the first album to feature two new band members, Steve Smyth on guitar and Mark Hernandez on drums. This is also the final Forbidden studio album to feature vocalist Russ Anderson." -Wikipedia

FORBIDDEN - Forsaken at the Gates

KISS - single anniversary - Let Me Go, Rock 'N Roll

You wanted the best, and you got the best! The hottest band in the world... KISS!

KISS heavy metal anniversary - hard rock anniversary - classic rock anniversary

October 22, 1974: KISS - Let Me Go, Rock ’n’ Roll — (single from October 22, 1974 album Hotter than Hell)

KISS - Let Me Go, Rock 'N Roll

KISS - Hotter than Hell anniversary

You wanted the best, and you got the best! The hottest band in the world... KISS! KISS heavy metal anniversary - hard rock anniversary - classic rock anniversary

October 22, 1974: KISS - Hotter than Hell - Casablanca Records

"Hotter than Hell is the second studio album by American hard rock band Kiss, released on October 22, 1974, by Casablanca Records. It was certified gold on June 23, 1977, having shipped 500,000 copies." -Wikipedia

KISS - Hotter Than Hell

METAL CHURCH heavy metal anniversary

October 22, 2013: Metal Church - Generation Nothing - Rat Pak Records

"Generation Nothing is the tenth studio album by American heavy metal band Metal Church. It is their first after their late 2012 reunion, and their fourth and last to feature vocalist Ronny Munroe." -Wikipedia

METAL CHURCH - Bulletproof (Remastered, 2025)

Happy birthday to BLOODGOOD singer Les Carlsen!

October 22, 1948: birthday - Les Carlsen (Claude Leslie Carlsen) (singer for Bloodgood 1984-1994, 2002-2022

Wikipedia shows that BLOODGOOD was formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1983. They were an American Christian metal band spearheaded by local musicians Les Carlsen and Michael Bloodgood. Alongside Barren Cross, Leviticus, and Whitecross, the group emerged by 1988 as one of the top four major Christian metal acts outside of Stryper's mainstream breakthrough. Famous for their theatrical and high-energy stage performances, their visual style and presentation often put them at odds with fundamentalist Christian factions. Looking back on their impact in 1998, critic Brian Quincy Newcomb noted that the band's music and outreach played a crucial role in advancing the evolution of Christian rock.

BLOODGOOD - Crucify

SCARDUST melodic symphonic metal anniversary

October 22, 2020: Scardust - Gone (single) - M-Theory Audio (song number nine on the October 30, 2020 album Strangers)

Scardust is an Israeli progressive and symphonic metal band formed in Ramat Gan in 2013. Known for blending heavy, complex guitar riffs with grand orchestral arrangements, dynamic rhythm sections, and polyphonic choir compositions, the band has established a distinct presence in the international progressive metal scene. Their discography includes their debut EP Shadow (2015), followed by full-length studio albums Sands of Time (2017), the concept album Strangers (2020), and Souls (2025).

Scardust - Gone (Official Music Video)

Strangers album by Scardust

ANTESTOR black metal album anniversary

October 22, 2004: Antestor - The Forsaken (2004), CD, Endtime Productions (Tour edition) (Prerelease, only distributed at NordicFest October 22, 2004.)

"Antestor is a Norwegian Christian extreme metal band formed in 1990 in Jessheim. Credited for starting the northern European Christian black metal scene, Antestor is the only Christian band to have an album released on Cacophonous Records, which has released records by Dimmu Borgir, Sigh, and Cradle of Filth. The band's only release on Cacophonous, The Return of the Black Death, influenced Christian black metal. It has sold over 10,000 copies. In the late 1990s, they dubbed their style 'sorrow metal' because the early Norwegian black metal scene was affiliated with Satanism. According to HM magazine, the progressive elements on the debut album, Martyrium, were ahead of their time in the Norwegian extreme metal scene." -Wikipedia

The Forsaken by ANTESTOR

ANTESTOR black metal EP anniversary

October 22, 2004: Antestor - Det tapte liv (EP) - Endtime Productions

Det Tapte Liv by ANTESTOR

Happy birthday to SEVENDUST bassist Vinnie Hornsby!

Happy birthday to SEVENDUST bassist Vinnie Hornsby! October 22: birthday - Vinnie Hornsby (bassist for Sevendust)

"Sevendust is an American rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1994 by bassist Vinnie Hornsby, drummer Morgan Rose, and guitarist John Connolly. After their first demo, lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon and guitarist Clint Lowery joined the group. Following a few name changes, the members settled on Sevendust and released their self-titled debut album in 1997, which sold only 311 copies in its first week but ultimately achieved gold certification. Since their formation, Sevendust have attained success with three consecutive RIAA gold-certified albums, a Grammy nomination, and have sold millions of records worldwide. The group has released a total of 15 studio albums." -Wikipedia

SEVENDUST - Shine

Demon Hunter metalcore anniversary

October 22, 2002: Demon Hunter – Demon Hunter - Solid State Records

"Demon Hunter is the debut studio album by American Christian metal band Demon Hunter. It was released on Solid State Records on October 22, 2002." -Wikipedia

"Demon Hunter is an American Christian metal band from Seattle, Washington that brothers Don Clark and Ryan Clark formed in 2000. Ryan is the band's only remaining original member, as Don left in 2009. As of the 2010s, the band has sold over 600,000 albums." -Wikipedia

Demon Hunter "Infected" (Official Music Video)

remembering the great Hungarian composer Franz Liszt on his birthday

remembering the great Hungarian composer Franz Liszt on his birthday October 22, 1811: Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886)

"Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor and teacher of the Romantic period. With a diverse body of work spanning more than six decades, he is considered to be one of the most prolific and influential composers of his era, and his piano works continue to be widely performed and recorded ... Liszt achieved success as a concert pianist from an early age and received lessons from the esteemed musicians Carl Czerny and Antonio Salieri. He gained further renown for his performances during tours of Europe in the 1830s and 1840s, developing a reputation for technical brilliance as well as physical attractiveness. In a phenomenon dubbed 'Lisztomania', he rose to a degree of stardom and popularity among the public not experienced by the virtuosos who had preceded him." -Wikipedia

Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2

Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Wish Liszt (Toy Shop Madness) (Official Audio)

EAGLE THE WHITE remembers Christian Frankish Warrior Charles "The Hammer" Martel - The Christian Franks led by Charles Martel defeat The Muslim invasion and save Western Europe from Islamic rule

This date in history - October 22, 741 AD: R.I.P. Charles Martel

"The Battle of Tours ... was fought on 10 October 732, and was an important battle during the [Islamic] Umayyad invasion of Gaul [France]. It resulted in victory for the Frankish and Aquitanian forces, led by Charles Martel, over the invading Umayyad forces, led by Abd al-Rahman al-Ghafiqi, governor of al-Andalus. Many historians, including Edward Gibbon, have credited the Christian victory as an important factor in curtailing the spread of Islam in Western Europe." -Wikipedia

"Charles gained a victory against an [Islamic] Umayyad invasion of Aquitaine at the Battle of Tours, and Charles is credited as an important factor in curtailing the spread of Islam in Western Europe. Alongside his military endeavours, Charles has been traditionally credited with an influential role in the development of the Frankish system of feudalism." -Wikipedia

EAGLE THE WHITE - CHARLES MARTEL

[2019 single; included on March 15, 2024 album Divine Comedy]

Charles Martel by Eagle The White

ICED EARTH heavy metal EP anniversary

ICED EARTH heavy metal anniversary

October 21, 2003: Iced Earth – The Reckoning - Steamhammer Records

"'The Reckoning' is a single by American heavy metal band Iced Earth. The single was released in October 2003, but originally the band had planned to release the album The Glorious Burden (from which the tracks on 'The Reckoning' are taken from) in October 2003, but after the band was forced to move the album's release date due to singer Matt Barlow's departure from the band, record company released 'The Reckoning' in order to fill in the gap. 'The Reckoning' was also the first Iced Earth release from to feature lead vocalist Tim 'Ripper' Owens." -Wikipedia

Iced Earth - "The Reckoning" (Official Music Video 4K)