Metal Contraband News – MetalContraband

Metal Contraband News For May 13th, 2025:

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Remembering Marco Soccoli:

The music industry lost a legend in April of 2025. For those that knew Marco Soccoli, he was A&R for Vic-Firth and then ProMark Evans. Marco was the main person signing some of the biggest artists to their endorsement deals. His way up to the position was well and hard earned. He began his career as a drummer in the New York based metal band Roxx in the early 80’s. Then as a drum rep for the famed Manny’s Music on 48th street in Manhattan, NY.

Marco was the glue that kept the drum world together. He was known to his friends and throughout the industry as Grappa Man as that was his main drink of choice. Marco had some of the most legendary “drummer only” parties once a year at his home in Bayside, NY. It was for the men and was invite only. For those that attended know it was an all nighter as well as a good time. His hospitality was superior to most, he know how to be a good host. Marco knew how to treat people and most of all to take care of them proper.

Marco was a family man and also did a lot to support education for children that were studying music. He donated drum sticks and also supported future drummers at schools and education programs in New York. He also spent a lot of his time taking care of his aging mother. To him that was more important to make sure family was taken care of.

Yearly at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA he hosted events at the exhibit area and embraced all that came by whether he knew them or not. He was just that kind of person. He was loved and respected by all that came to know him and those that didn’t. They knew his name as his reputation resonated and preceded throughout the industry.

He was one of a kind and they broke the mold when he was born. He will be missed greatly by his family, friends and most of all his wife Carol. Have a safe journey to rock and roll heaven. Your credentials are at the door and the open bar is waiting for you. We love you and you’ll be missed by all of us.

Rock For Ronnie 2025 is set to take place this weekend, May 18th, 11AM-6PM at the Autry Museum of the West in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, CA. This year’s headliner will be Sebastian Bach, plus the event will continue the annual All-Stars Band jam tradition, this time with John Bush (Armored Saint), Chris Kael (Five Finger Death Punch), Dug Pinnick (Kings X), Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot, Dio), Ricky Warwick (Thin Lizzy), Robbie Crane (Warrant), Ira Black (Dio Disciples, Vio-Lence), Phil Demmel (Kerry King, Category 7), Tommy London (SiriusXM), Brit Lightning (Vixen), Julia Lage (Vixen), Jeremy Colson (Steve Vai, Billy Idol), Doug Aldrich (Dead Daisies, Dio), Keith Nelson (BuckCherry), Mike Mangin (The Cult), Matt Starr (Ace Frehley, Mr. Big) and Mandy Lion. The lineup will also feature Dio Disciples; southern rock band Jason Charles Miller; hard rock band Kill Devil Hill; Las Vegas-based Count’s 77, featuring frontman Danny Coker – star of Counting Cars on the History Channel – Anita Squeeze, and local favorites Led Zepagain making a special appearance. For more details, head to: https://diocancerfund.org/.

Motörhead has announced the upcoming release of The Manticore Tapes, a lost album from 1976 set to be revealed to the world for the first time on June 27th, 2025. The release will feature 11 previously unreleased tracks from the first studio session of the classic Motörhead lineup, Lemmy, Fast Eddie Clarke, and Phil “Philthy Animal” Taylor. Watch “Motörhead (The Manticore Tapes)” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB0o13fkfYU and find all the info on this BMG release via: https://motorhead.lnk.to/TheManticoreTapesPR.

Life of Agony has just announced the 30 Years of Ugly tour, celebrating the 30th Anniversary of their 1995 Roadrunner Records release, Ugly. The band will perform the follow-up to River Runs Red in its entirety during this run, which kicks off on September 19th in Bensalem, PA, and wraps up on October 5th in Patchogue, NY, with God Forbid and Jasta along for the ride. Then, Life of Agony will head to Europe with Ugly Kid Joe for the second leg of the tour in November. Guitarist Joey Z says, “Everyone was expecting River Runs Red, Part 2, but Ugly was a left, right, and U-turn! People were like, ‘Okay, this is different?!’ It took some time to sink its hooks into our listeners, but when it did, it became a classic. I’m super excited to celebrate the ‘Ugly Duckling’ of the L.O.A. catalog!” Bassist Alan Robert adds, “Ugly was probably the most emotionally vulnerable record we ever made. It was a big risk back then—to release something so different from River Runs Red — but we were just in a much different headspace, and we always wore our hearts on our sleeves. The album ended up connecting with people in a deep, lasting way. Playing it live from front to back is going to be powerful for both the band and the fans”. Vocalist Keith Caputo concludes, “I’m very excited to get back out on the road to play Ugly in its entirety and to share the stage with God Forbid, our boy Jasta, and our good buddies from Ugly Kid Joe — along with our special friend Whitfield Crane. I might even have to convince Whit to sing an L.O.A. song with us out there. That would be so cool. I’m looking forward to creating more incredible moments with L.O.A. and making memories with great people in killer bands. Come hang out with us for an unforgettable night of music and entertainment”. Watch the promo video here: https://youtu.be/pm0Vr44JDyU?si=vjrPVhSlKw0tiToj and find all the dates via: https://www.lifeofagony.com/.

Parkway Drive has just unleashed a new single with “Sacred”, their first new release since 2022’s Darker Still, with a music video by Third Eye Visuals. Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8v4oxxvs8iY. Frontman Winston McCall shares, “The mission statement for ‘Sacred’ is pretty damn simple. An anthemic wrecking ball of positive energy. Our lives and the way we exist in the world has been pushed further and further through the lenses and frames of negativity and hopelessness. Obsession with everything we lack, everything we hate, everyone we blame, everything that keeps us down. We sell the unique parts of us most precious just to buy back manufactured pieces of self in order that we may feel whole again. ‘Sacred’ is our identity. ‘Sacred’ is our time. Never lose sight and never lose hope”. Parkway Drive is about to head out on the Summer of Loud tour alongside Beartooth, I Prevail, and Killswitch Engage. Follow the band via: https://www.parkwaydriverock.com/.

Tetrarch just released their new album, The Ugly Side Of Me, last week via Napalm Records, and to celebrate, you can check out the latest single, “Best of Luck” here: https://youtu.be/j_gccfRHkyE?si=xbytS9obh7afRhE0. Diamond Rowe says of the lyrics, “‘Best Of Luck’ was such a fun song to write. I think Josh and I got together and wrote this song together in only a few hours and it has ended up being a favorite of those who have heard the album already. The title of this song has kind of a funny story. I remember when we were younger and just starting out, we would get rejection emails left and right from several different people within the industry. A lot of them used to sign their emails ‘Best of Luck’ or ‘Best of Luck in the future’ and it was always funny because clearly, they didn’t wish us well at all, haha! Fast forward to now, when we have accomplished so much of what a lot of those people said we never would already, so this is kind of our ‘Best of Luck’ back to them. No hard feelings, just a funny tongue in cheek kind of thing. Maybe it’s us just being the smart asses that we always are”. Find more on Tetrarch at: https://label.napalmrecords.com/tetrarch.

Orbit Culture has just dropped a new music video for the track “The Tales of War”, which you can check out here: https://youtu.be/Y5SpGQMoaUU?si=DWH37sKi2WlB4J0q. Orbit Culture says, “‘The Tales of War’ marks the beginning of a new chapter for Orbit Culture. While other songs evolved and shifted during the writing process, this one stayed exactly as it was from the very start. It captures everything that defines Orbit Culture — the cinematic elements, the build-up, the verses, and the chorus. From the beginning, we knew this had to be the first song to introduce this new era. On almost every show we’ve ever played, we’ve used these long, cinematic intros to set the mood — but this time, we figured: Why not bake that feeling straight into the song itself? Even as we move forward and leave parts of our past behind, we needed a bridge to the future — and this track became that bridge”. Following a trek with Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine earlier this year, Orbit Culture is heading out on a European tour in support of In Flames this summer. Follow the band via: https://www.orbitculture.com/.

Wolves At The Gate is heading to the release of Wasteland, their new album set for May 30th via Solid State Records. This week, you can check out the latest single, “Death Clock”, here: https://watg.ffm.to/dc. The band says of the track, “‘Death Clock’ describes the world inside of your head. Everyone undoubtedly thinks about death. The song is just being honest when it comes to the fact we all die and how it makes us feel. We wanted it to sound like you’re racing against a clock”. Find more at: https://www.wolvesatthegate.com/.