In a new interview with Chicago's Rebel Radio 92.5 FM, ANTHRAX singer Joey Belladonna was asked about a possible timeline for the release of the band's long-awaited follow-up to 2016's "For All Kings" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "You know what? I finished the vocals. I'm really happy with what I've done. And the band sounds great on the record. And as far as I know right now, we're still finishing up a few things. We're not even mixing yet, so at this point I'd be just speculating [about a possible release date]. Obviously, things are going in the right form and the timing is right. So, all good. I'm happy. You're gonna love it."

Belladonna also talked about last weekend's "Back To The Beginning" charity event at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom where ANTHRAX performed a two-song set, including a cover of BLACK SABBATH's "Into The Void". He said: "Yeah. It was magic. I felt like we were all in our own little fun bubble. It was like Live Aid or something for [the heavy metal genre] or something. And not to compare anything, but just shows when you get everybody together and do something [for a good cause]. It's the first [time] I've ever really been [involved] with something that great, especially with metal and Ozzy [Osbourne] and BLACK SABBATH. [It was] amazing."

When the interviewer noted that it was surprising that ANTHRAX didn't play a cover of BLACK SABBATH's "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", considering Belladonna and his bandmates previously recorded a studio version of the track, Joey said: "Yeah, we wanted [to play] that [song], and then, believe me, there was a lot of shuffling and hustling. And just picking a song was kind of very exhausting. And finally we came up with 'Into The Void', and I said, 'Guys, this is the one I gotta pick for now. And let's just roll, 'cause it's getting late.' [But], yeah, I would've loved to have done 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath'… It's politics bullcrap. That's all right."

Last November, ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello returned to Dave Grohl's Studio 606 in Northridge, California to resume recording the bass tracks for the group's next effort.

ANTHRAX is once again working with producer Jay Ruston, who previously helmed "For All Kings" and 2011's "Worship Music" albums.

In September 2024, ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian told Jon Wiederhorn of Guitar World magazine that he and his bandmates hoped to finally release their new album in 2025.

"We're taking our time and not rushing anything because we want it to be exactly how we want it," Ian said.

"We're not in a place in our lives anymore where we could have dropped everything and said, 'All right, we've got two months of studio time. Let's finish writing and then get in there and record it all and do the vocals. Mix, master and we're done — like in the old days.' We have families and commitments now, so it can't work that way anymore and hasn't in a long time."

Regarding the musical direction of the new ANTHRAX material, Ian said: "There are crushing riffs and great, hooky choruses. Even some of the thrashiest songs have great choruses. We're always looking for the hook, and I think we've accomplished that."

He added: "With the songs we've written, we'd be able to put together a nine- or 10-song record that would be thrashier than anything we've done in a long time. But there would also be a way to make it a very different kind of album depending on which songs we choose. And I can tell you, I know which way I'm leaning. And I think we're all on the same page. We want this record to punch people in the face. And then we can use the bonus tracks for other things, but in the context of the record, I really want it to hit hard."

As for his expectations for the new ANTHRAX album, Scott said: "I'd like to think this record will be a slew of songs that people are going to be very excited about hearing live for the next few years. I generally feel the riffs, the grooves and the breakdowns – we used to call them mosh parts in the old days — I think they're gonna connect with our fans. And a lot of these songs are tailor-made for our live show, so I hope we'll be playing them for a long time."

In August 2024, ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante told Metal Hammer magazine about the band's upcoming LP: "There's a song which has the same kind of epic feel as 'In The End' [from 2011's 'Worship Music'] and 'Blood Eagle Wings' [from 'For All Kings']. It revolves around the journey we've been on in the band. And there are three songs that don't sound like anything we've done before. One called 'The Edge Of Perfection' I had way before COVID, and it has just stayed with me — the melody and the chords, but also the aggression."

In January 2024, Bello told Rodney McG about the long delay in getting new ANTHRAX music out: "There wasn't a rush, obviously. I know it's been eight years since our last record, but we wanna make sure it's right, and it is [right]. We are very confident. I'm not worried about how right it is. It's right on exactly where I think, and the rest of the band think, we need to be. I love that it's more complicated for me to play. I love the challenge of that. I think we stepped it up a little bit, the heaviness. Again, everybody's gonna prop their record. Doing this for so long, this is how I feel.

"I don't wanna get complacent," he continued. "I want the challenge, 'cause I'm a fan. I'm a fan, and it has to stimulate me. And it has to get me going on stage."

As for the musical direction of the new ANTHRAX material, Bello said: "On this record, there's stuff that we've never done before. I'm just saying right out — there's stuff, in a heavy way, which I'm very proud of. I like that we went that way with it and just went, 'What the fuck was that?' Some of the things that Charlie Benante does on drums, Scott and I were just, 'What the fuck was that?' And that's great, 'cause you wanna raise your game after that. I think it makes everybody step up a little bit. I'm doing some bass stuff that I had some fun with on this that I would never have done. I think there's a lot of cool stuff that's going on vocally, melody-wise. I'm really happy where the next ANTHRAX record is going."

In October 2023, Ian told "THAT Rocks!" that he and his ANTHRAX bandmates had "only really been working on" their new LP "for a year-ish, I would say… But then once lockdown and all that stuff happened, we just all walked away; nothing creative was happening at all with us through that whole period," he explained. "And then, slowly but surely, when we started playing shows again in '21 and going into '22, that's when we started working again, really. And then in the last year, we really started to put stuff together and Charlie and Frankie and I getting together and having writing sessions and arranging stuff."

In September 2023, Belladonna was asked by Tulsa Music Stream if he is typically presented with finished lyrics to sing or if he gets to contribute a lot lyrically to the content. Joey said: "I love doing lyrics, but there's a lot of lyrics that Scott — he just loves to do it. It's his thing. He just digs into such — these topics that he likes to go and get into, and we all kind of have our own little thoughts on the songs. But I get in there and I really kind of — I dig into the whole thing a lot further. There's a lot of stuff that I have to… When you start singing on something, you really have to find the pockets of what you wanna do, what kind of tone I wanna throw on it and how I wanna go for a certain range for certain things and how I approach it is very important. There are lyrics, but at the end of the day, I have to go in there and still sing as good and catchy and appropriate as I can to make this stuff my thing, my style. Obviously, we're not the hit-oriented type of thing, but I'm always going for something cool to catch you off guard and neat and different. I have my own style, so I just kind of do my thing."

During an August 2023 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Ian said about the musical direction of the new ANTHRAX material: "Certainly of the nine [songs] we've tracked so far, from a riff point of view, it's definitely — I mean it's riffs with all capital letters. Like if you were going to write, you would write 'riffs' in all capitals with an exclamation point. The riffs are killer. It's very riff-centric. There's a lot of faster uptempo material, certainly."

Ian added: "I will say there is a song — I won't say any titles yet, 'cause it's still probably a working title — there's definitely one song, it's the fastest thing we've ever done. There's another song that we haven't recorded yet that's also in the vein, more of a 'Gung-Ho' or a 'Caught In A Mosh'. Because Charlie and I talk all the time. I said, 'We still need something that's like a three-and-a-half-minute just ripper. You know, something like that.' And then we come up with something like that and I'm, like, 'Hey, I forgot I'm 60 now, and now I have to play this song for the next three years.' Just make my life harder."

Earlier in 2023, Benante was asked by Robert Cavuoto of Metal Rules why it has taken so long for ANTHRAX to complete the writing process for a new LP. Charlie said: "If we didn't get hit with this whole global pandemic thing, it would have been out probably two years ago, three years ago. But we all know what happened. But now, being that some of the songs were [written] before the pandemic hit, they're old to me. So now there's a bunch of new songs that kind of came in the mix. So that's a good thing. You can never have enough… We're still working on the older ones because we really like a lot of those."

ANTHRAX celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2021 with a number of special activities and events. Formed by Ian and bassist Dan Lilker in Queens, New York on July 18, 1981, ANTHRAX was one of the first thrash metal bands to emerge from the East Coast and quickly became regarded as a leader in the genre alongside METALLICA, SLAYER and MEGADETH.

Active over the past five decades, ANTHRAX has released 11 studio albums, been awarded multiple gold and platinum certifications, received six Grammy nominations, toured the world since 1984 playing thousands of shows, including headlining Madison Square Garden and playing Yankee Stadium with the "Big Four".

"For All Kings" was called by some critics ANTHRAX's strongest album to date. Its arrival followed a five-year period during which the group experienced a rebirth of sorts, beginning with ANTHRAX's inclusion on the "Big Four" tour, and continuing with the release of comeback LP "Worship Music".

Frank played his first show with ANTHRAX in nearly a year and a half on October 12, 2024 at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California.

Bello and ANTHRAX were supposed to perform at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky on September 27, 2024, but their show ended up being canceled due to severe weather.

Prior to Aftershock, Bello last played with ANTHRAX in May 2023 at the Milwaukee Metal Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

In April and early May 2024, Bello sat out ANTHRAX's South American tour as well as two U.S. festival dates due to "personal reasons." Filling in on those shows was ANTHRAX founding member and original bassist Dan Lilker, marking his first appearance with the band in 40 years. Lilker, who co-wrote and played on ANTHRAX's debut album "Fistful Of Metal", was also a member of STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH with Benante and Ian.

Calling all Internet experts, comment section philosophers, and breakdown connoisseurs: metalcore titans ATTACK ATTACK! have just released your new national anthem. Their latest single, "I Complain On R/Metalcore", is taken from their long-awaited record, "Attack Attack! II", due out on August 8 via Oxide Records. This upcoming record marks the band's first full-length release since 2012.

ATTACK ATTACK! have never been ones to play it safe, charging forward with a mischievous sense of humor and a sound that's always in full throttle. Now, ATTACK ATTACK! are here to celebrate the fine art of online complaining with "I Complain On R/Metalcore", yet another high-energy, tongue-in-cheek banger that was designed for anyone who's ever posted a 12-paragraph essay about why the old stuff was better.

If you're reaching for your keyboard to draft up your thinkpiece, ATTACK ATTACK! would like to preemptively respond: "don't @ us."

In celebration of their upcoming record, "Attack Attack! II", the band will be embarking on the "One Hit Wonder Tour", where they'll be bringing their chaotic new era to cities across the U.S.

Prior to today's single release, ATTACK ATTACK! also released three massive singles, "Dance!" featuring Will Ramos of LORNA SHORE, "Chainless" and "One Hit Wonder". After blindsiding fans with a fake-out country remix, the real version of "Dance!" delivered sheer chaos and pit-stirring aggression as they teamed up with one of deathcore's most recognizable voices, Will Ramos, for their first ever official feature. The first two tracks sent metalcore into a tailspin, sparking conversations from fans to top-tier music outlets who hailed ATTACK ATTACK! for their fearless return. "One Hit Wonder" kept the momentum surging, setting the tone for an audacious new era that is loud, unavoidable, and fearlessly sarcastic.

Formed in 2007, ATTACK ATTACK! has become a staple in the metalcore scene, amassing over 100 million streams across major streaming platforms on multiple chart-topping records. As torchbearers of the genre, the band continue to push the boundaries of metalcore while solidifying their place in its ever-growing legacy. Known for their no-holds-barred approach, ATTACK ATTACK! remain unpredictable as ever, with more bold twists in store for the year ahead.

"Attack Attack! II" track listing:

01. One Hit Wonder
02. Dance!
03. Chainless
04. Walk On Water
05. Karmageddon
06. Live, Love, & Die
07. I Complain On R/Metalcore
08. Big Booty Britches
09. Without You
10. Sacrifice
11. Jump Jump!

If you went to Warped Tour in the mid 2000s, shopped at Hot Topic, or were active on MySpace, then you have heard the name ATTACK ATTACK! While the band's early career was relatively short-lived, their reputation has done nothing but grow since the band went on indefinite hiatus in 2013. Known for incorporating dance/electronica music with metal, the band consistently bent the rules of songwriting. They took the sounds they liked and crafted seemingly incompatible genres into anthems for local Ohio scene kids, and later, audiences across the globe. After years of silence, ATTACK ATTACK! exploded back on to the scene in 2020. They're here to remind you that rules are made to be broken, adversity is meant to be overcome, and that legends never die.

Photo credit: John Scheuermann

Platinum-selling, billion-streaming rock band BEARTOOTH — Caleb Shomo, vocals; Zach Huston, guitars; Will Deely, guitars; Oshie Bichar, bass; and Connor Denis, drums — made its hometown arena debut with an absolutely monumental show at The Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio on January 18, 2025. It was pyrotechnic spectacle and one of the most memorable shows of the band's career thus far.

The show happened hot on the heels of BEARTOOTH's most successful tour to date — spanning more than 60 shows across North America and over 100,000 tickets sold — and after the release of their chart-topping fifth album "The Surface", which earned the band their first pair of No. 1 singles at U.S. Active Rock radio ("Might Love Myself" and "I Was Alive").

If you were not able to attend this very special show in person, well, the band is now making it available for all fans in many ways. BEARTOOTH is releasing the entire show in multiple formats so all fans can participate and feel like they were there.

"I Was A… LIVE" will be available on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music today, July 11.

"Without a doubt, this was the most surreal and out-of-body show of my entire life," shares Shomo. "It felt good to go home and let it all go with our friends and families at our sides. This album is meant to place you right at front of house to experience this magical night from the best-sounding position in the venue. Enjoy the rock and enjoy the love."

Additionally, the entire show will be available to watch on the band's YouTube channel. The 90-minute concert was directed by Ray Duker. Watch it below.

Lastly, but not leastly, BEARTOOTH will release three sets of limited-edition double LPs of the show on Friday, July 11.

In other BEARTOOTH news, the single "Hated" was recently certified gold by the RIAA.

The band will appear at When We Were Young festival in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 18 and 19, as well as We Missed Ourselves festival in Mexico City on October 25. They are currently co-headlining the "Summer Of Loud" tour in North America.

Shomo first turned the pain of his struggle with mental health and self-image into music in 2013. BEARTOOTH began as a living document, a diary, a journal of repressed rage and depression. Alone in his basement studio, screaming and singing, playing all the instruments, and self-producing a batch of furious but melodic songs filled with reflection and confession, the Ohio native stared into the abyss, initially with no intention of returning to the heavy music world that burned him as a teen.

A decade later, the different pieces of his body of work connect in title, sound, and spirit. As the frontman hits 30, BEARTOOTH's fifth album, "The Surface", completes this era in 2023. Even more importantly, it kicks off a new chapter filled with surprising optimism and just as honest. Depression is a sick, disgusting, aggressive disease below the surface. Caleb stands ready to bask in the light.

In its celebrated debut, "The Surface" hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hard Rock Albums chart and No. 5 across Billboard's Album Sales, Alternative Albums, Top Current Albums, and Vinyl Albums charts. A product of BEARTOOTH's fervent fanbase and radio-ready hits, the band also earned their first No. 1s on the Mediabase Active Rock and Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay charts for both "Might Love Myself" and "I Was Alive".

Like NINE INCH NAILS, BEARTOOTH remains a one-person band in the studio. On the heels of the introductory "Sick" EP (2013),"Disgusting" (2014) produced BEARTOOTH's first gold single, "In Between". "Aggressive" (2016) and "Disease" (2018) expanded on the desperation and pain, each a step closer to a balance between the blood and tears of classic recordings and the shimmer of modernity.

Rolling Stone heralded BEARTOOTH as one of "10 Artists You Need To Know". The rabid response to Caleb's music demonstrated how many people related to his struggle for self-acceptance. "Below" (2021) topped the Rock and Alternative charts and several "Best Rock/Metal Albums Of The Year" lists. Today, the BEARTOOTH catalog boasts more than 1.3 billion streams across all platforms.

BEARTOOTH began as both bomb and balm, an outright refusal to suffer in silence, weaponizing radio-ready bombast, delivering raw emotion mixed with noise-rock chaos. Other bands play the "devastating riffs and catchy hooks" game, but this music is the difference between life and death, and now, a sort of life after death while still here. The band Forbes sees "inching towards a tipping point of becoming the latest arena headliner" is now one step closer.

Photo credit: Brad Heaton

Currently trekking across the country on their "Onward & Upward Summer Tour 2025", PRIMUS delivered an unforgettable performance Wednesday night (July 9) at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado with a surprise tribute to their fan-favorite "Brown Album".

After opening with "Harold Of The Rocks" and "Groundhog's Day", PRIMUS frontman Les Claypool addressed the crowd with a grin: "We decided this afternoon to do something you're really going to love — or you're really going to hate. We're going to play seven songs off the 'Brown Album'." He and guitarist Larry LaLonde then officially dubbed the iconic venue "Brown Rocks" for the remainder of the evening. What followed was a deep dive into one of PRIMUS's most idiosyncratic and beloved records.

The band then launched into "Fisticuffs", "Golden Boy", "Duchess And The Proverbial Mind Spread", "Over The Falls", "Restin' Bones", "Bob's Party Time Lounge" and "Shake Hands With Beef" from the 1998 album.

The performance marked a rare moment of focused nostalgia on the "Brown Album", giving longtime fans a chance to hear rarely played tracks in one of the most iconic venues in the country.

The show was part of PRIMUS's 25-date summer headline tour — their first with newly minted drummer John Hoffman, who joined the band following the widely covered "Interstellar Drum Derby" audition process. The tour follows the release of their latest single, "Little Lord Fentanyl", featuring Maynard James Keenan, and a new live version of "Duchess", recorded on their first tour with Hoffman.

On December 30, 2024, PRIMUS played the first concert since longtime drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander's departure at the Fox Theater in Oakland, California. Sitting behind the drums for the show was Bryan "Brain" Mantia, who previously played with PRIMUS when Alexander originally left the band in 1996.

In light of Alexander's latest departure, PRIMUS also enlisted musicians from frontman Les Claypool's side projects, THE HOLY MACKEREL and FROG BRIGADE, to perform during the December 30 performance.

With Mantia, PRIMUS recorded two studio albums — "Brown Album" (1997) and "Antipop" (1999) — as well as the covers EP "Rhinoplasty" (1998) and the original theme song for the TV show "South Park".

In November, Alexander shared a letter with Rolling Stone magazine explaining his decision to leave the band.

"A lot of times, you do something you love for a long time, and sometimes the passion turns into a job, and sometimes that job doesn't feel like it's your being anymore," he said.

He reflected on the impact his decision had on his physical, mental and family life.

"When I discovered that I'm struggling with all these things, I had to sit and think about exactly what am I doing," Alexander said. "I don't think I've ever chosen my path in life, I think I've just always thought 'I'm a drummer, I'm just gonna do music,' and things came to me, accepting whatever happens."

The news of his departure was initially shared on October 29 by his now-former bandmates, who claimed that they received an e-mail from him nearly two weeks earlier saying he had "lost his passion for playing."

Alexander joined PRIMUS in 1989 and left in 1996, then rejoined when they reformed in 2003. He exited the group again in 2010 but returned in 2013.

In July 2016, Alexander revealed that he suffered a second heart attack after he previously endured a similar health scare in 2014.

A decade ago, Les Claypool's plan to reform the "classic" PRIMUS lineup — with Alexander and guitarist Larry Lalonde — was put on hold when Alexander suffered his first heart attack, a "minor" attack that resulted in the drummer requiring triple bypass surgery. To fulfill its touring obligations, PRIMUS recruited TOOL's Danny Carey to fill in for a few dates. Three months after open-heart surgery, Alexander rejoined PRIMUS on the road.

Claypool told SPIN magazine that Hoffman wasn't the obvious choice for the gig. "We had over 6,100 submissions," he said. "Our friend Tim Soya, who has known us forever, watched every single video. Ler watched almost every single video. They went through and picked the best of them, and I watched those. We had four folders: the one-star folder meant you were really good, two stars meant you were exceptional, three stars meant, 'Oh my god, this person's amazing,' and four stars meant that this person had to get an audition. I think Hoffer was in the two-star folder."

He continued: "But then I posted, 'Hey, we're getting a lot of people playing PRIMUS songs. It's hard to see what personality folks have. Please resubmit with some of your own stuff.' Hoffer resubmitted, and it killed us, so he got an audition."

Swedish death metallers FIRESPAWN have reformed, more than four years after the death of the band's frontman Lars-Göran "L.G." Petrov. L.G., who is best known for his work with ENTOMBED, died on March 7, 2021 after a battle with bile duct cancer. He was 49 years old.

Joining Victor Brandt (guitar; ENTOMBED),Alex Friberg (bass; NECROPHOBIC),Fredrik Folkare (guitar; UNLEASHED, NECROPHOBIC) and Matte Modin (drums; DARK FUNERAL, DEFLESHED) in FIRESPAWN's current lineup is Jörgen Sandström (GRAVE, TORTURE DIVISION, ENTOMBED).

Earlier today (Friday, July 11),FIRESPAWN released the following statement: "HEADBANGERS! WE ARE BACK!! It is with extreme pride and excitement we finally can announce that FIRESPAWN is back!

"There has been much thoughtful consideration and deliberation within the band and we have now come to a consensus. We will do this in honor and memory of our late brother LG Petrov, to extend his musical legacy! We will of course also do this because of our personal love for the band and the great times we have together! It was not easy to figure out who would be the one to take up the microphone after LG. Luckily our most logical option has accepted our offer! Announcing as new FIRESPAWN vocalist: Mr Jörgen Sandström!! He not only has strong personal connections to LG and the Swedish scene (GRAVE, TORTURE DIVISION, ENTOMBED, etc),but he also has vocal cords like a grizzly bear! He will fit right in both personally and professionally!

"We hope to see all of you crazy headbangers out there very soon! There’s a lot going on down the pipeline, so we are looking forward to sharing the future of FIRESPAWN with you all!"

Victor states: "We're back! This band has always been about a deep connection between us as musicians, with the music itself and with the scene that has supported us from day one. We're doing this with love and respect for LG, and his spirit is still very much present in everything we do. Having Jörgen joining us feels like the natural next step, he's family. He brings both the fire and the spirit we need. We have missed this band and we have missed all of you. We can't wait to share this next chapter together. Death metal is in our blood! Let's do this!"

Jörgen states: "I believe that LG would have wanted FIRESPAWN to keep on going. He loved the band and he loved death metal. I am in no way here as a replacement for our late friend but simply here to honor the legacy of our brother — have fun, play death metal, drink beer and headbang!"

FIRESPAWN released its third album, "Abominate", in June 2019 via Century Media Records.

The band's sophomore album, "The Reprobate", came out in April 2017. The follow-up to 2015's "Shadow Realms" was described in a press release as "a merciless piece of evil, ferocious and blasphemous death metal."

Hailing from Stockholm, FIRESPAWN is "the unholy union of five death metal veterans with the aim to create blasphemous, sacrilegious and evil death metal, played by sharp minds with ancient souls."

HEADBANGERS! WE ARE BACK!!

It is with extreme pride and excitement we finally can announce that Firespawn is back!...

Posted by FIRESPAWN on Friday, July 11, 2025

38 SPECIAL, the classic southern rock band behind worldwide hits such as "Hold On Loosely" and "Caught Up In You", has announced a new album, "Milestone", due out on September 19. In celebration of the band's 50th anniversary, their first new music in over 20 years features guests and co-writes with Pat Monahan (TRAIN) and Randy Bachman (BACHMAN TURNER-OVERDRIVE, THE GUESS WHO),and longtime collaborator Jim Peterik (SURVIVOR, SAMMY HAGAR, LYNYRD SKYNYRD, CHEAP TRICK).

Along with the announcement, 38 SPECIAL shared the lilting lead single and accompanying music video "All I Haven't Said", which nods to the melody-driven bands that came before them.

"That's my throwback to the '60s, inspired by bands like THE SEARCHERS," says 38 SPECIAL frontman and co-founder Don Barnes who produced the album alongside Peterik. "I've always loved that jangling guitar sound and what's old is new again. We just inject more power guitars to it."

50 years together. 20 million albums sold. More than 15 albums of guitar-driven southern rock, stacked high with hits like "Hold On Loosely", "Caught Up In You", "If I'd Been The One", "Back Where You Belong" and "Second Chance". 38 SPECIAL is proof that there's strength in numbers.

Formed in 1974, the band toured tirelessly from the start, sharpening the explosive live show that's been 38 SPECIAL's calling card for a half-century. Along the way the Florida natives fine-tuned their sound too: a blend of muscle and melody, filled with the arena-rock pop hooks that would soon become staples of FM radio. As 38 SPECIAL enters its sixth decade together, the music continues with "Milestone". Fueled up on snarling guitars, anthemic melodies, and the desire to break new ground, they update their sound for the 2020s, bridging the gap between past and present without forgetting their rock and roll roots.

"After all this time, we wanted to create a more modern 38 SPECIAL album," says Barnes. "This is a fresh, updated approach to the sound we've been making together for so long. Why not make a big statement after all these years? When you're reintroducing yourself to the world, 'good enough' doesn't work anymore. If you're gonna do it, you might as well go big."

To revisit — and reimagine — the tightly-constructed sound that turned 38 SPECIAL into platinum-selling artists, the band turned to an old friend. Decades earlier, they'd struck up a partnership with Jim Peterik, founder of the band SURVIVOR. Sitting around his kitchen table in 1980, Barnes and Peterik co-wrote "Hold On Loosely" with 38 SPECIAL's original guitarist Jeff Carlisi. One year later the same trio wrote "Caught Up In You". Those songs became defining songs not only of a decade, but of an entire genre, and "Milestone" gave the band a chance to work with Peterik once again.

"Jim is such a brilliant musician," Barnes says. "He wrote 'Eye Of The Tiger', 'Heavy Metal' for Sammy Hagar and all of the SURVIVOR hits. He literally wrote the book on songwriting; it's called 'Songwriting For Dummies'. He's been my co-writer brother for decades and is a lifelong friend."

Between their cross-country tour dates, 38 SPECIAL began recording "Milestone" at the Atlanta-area studio of Will Turpin, longtime bassist for COLLECTIVE SOUL. They worked quickly, all five musicians playing together in real time, capturing each song in a series of live-in-the-studio performances. Overdubs took place at Peterik's home studio — "I'd be singing final harmonies in the vocal booth with a car and driver outside waiting to take me to the airport so I could fly to another show," Barnes remembers — and mixing was completed by Johnny K, the hard-rock legend behind albums by DISTURBED, PLAIN WHITE T'S and MEGADETH.

Barnes has been putting in the work ever since he formed 38 SPECIAL in Jacksonville, Florida, joining forces with co-founder Donnie Van Zant — the younger brother of LYNYRD SKYNYRD frontman Ronnie Van Zant — as well a talented vocalist who left 38 SPECIAL's lineup in 2013 due to inner-ear nerve damage. The group had dedicated themselves to the long, steady climb from small clubs to big arenas.

"Now, I have to say…some of the 'new' members have been here over 30 years and they are my brothers, too," Barnes explains. "We've built our mission out of sheer stamina and fortitude, and after all this time together, we've learned that if we're gonna do something, we should fiercely go at it and do it the best we possibly can. That's why we worked so hard on 'Milestone'. It's paying respect to that history. Every song is diverse. We have in-your-face rockers and introspective moments. We go back and forth, over and over. It's a great ride."

The Rock And Roll Channel on TalkShopLive will feature a dedicated one hour 38 SPECIAL show with Don Barnes. The development of the new album and a track-by-track breakdown will be discussed in detail. The show is live on Wednesday, September 3 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern and available to view on demand after the livestream. TalkShopLive is offering 38 SPECIAL fans the exclusive autographed colored vinyl and CD available to purchase now.

38 SPECIAL's ever relentless touring schedule continues throughout 2025 with dates across the U.S., including shows with KANSAS, Dave Mason, THE OUTLAWS and JEFFERSON STARSHIP.

"Milestone" track listing:

01. So Much So Right (D. Barnes / J. Peterik)
02. Slightly Controversial (feat. Pat Monahan) (D. Barnes/B. Capps/R. Wilson)
03. All I Haven't Said (C. Barnes/D. Barnes/J. Peterik)
04. The Main Thing (D.Barnes/J. Peterik)
05. Long Long Train (D.Barnes, R. Bachman)
06. Looking For My Life (D. Barnes, J. Peterik)
07. Making Up For Lost Time (D. Barnes, J. Peterik)
08. Windows Of Memories (D. Barnes, J. Peterik)
09. The Look (J. Peterik)

Photo credit: Nick Spanos

In episode 558 of the Iron City Rocks podcast, POISON drummer Rikki Rockett spoke about his new band THE ROCKETT MAFIA in which he is joined by Brandon Gibbs (DEVIL CITY ANGELS) on vocals and guitar, Mick Sweda (BULLETBOYS) on guitar and backing vocals, and Bryan Kimes on bass and backing vocals. This past February, THE ROCKETT MAFIA released its first single, a cover of "I Think I Love You", a 1970 song by Tony Romeo, written as the debut single for fictional musical TV family "The Partridge Family". Asked if he and the other members of THE ROCKETT MAFIA have talked about writing and recording original music, Rockett said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yes, we have. In fact, Mick and I played yesterday and we've been talking about stuff. And we got a couple of things under our hat now. We're just trying to do it one step at a time and put all the pieces together. So, if we do something, we can actually make a really decent effort out of it and not — pardon the French, but half-ass it. I don't wanna do that."

Regarding his desire to keep THE ROCKETT MAFIA lineup the same going forward, if possible, Rikki said: "Well, I hope so. Bryan is doing a couple of other things and stuff like that, but we're not big enough at this point for everybody just to be on payroll and hang out. So, I'm just kind of taking it one step at a time."

On the topic of which POISON songs THE ROCKETT MAFIA will perform during its live shows, Rikki said: "What I'm gonna do, and I was gonna do it today, actually, and maybe I still will, I was gonna take a poll on some social media platforms and literally ask fans, 'What songs do you wanna hear?' and choose 'em that way. I wanna give the people what they want, literally, because I love all our songs. I love our body of work. I like some songs better than other ones, of course, but there's nothing I hate. So if the fans really wanna hear something, I've got no problem playing it."

As for what other covers THE ROCKETT MAFIA is planning to play at its upcoming gigs, Rikki said: "We do a FACES song. We do a Billy Joel song. We do an Elton John song. We've taken some of this stuff and just kind of reimagined it in a hard rock format. And that's the idea of it, rather than take something that was already a rock song and compete with it. I don't wanna redo a BLACK SABBATH song. I'm not gonna do a better job than Bill Ward; I'm just not. To me, that's the pinnacle of BLACK SABBATH. And FACES arguably… But back then, I feel like some of those recordings were rushed… [FACES'] 'Stay With Me', by way of example, I've heard so many versions of that — funky versions and fast versions and slower versions — and it's okay to do our own version. I don't wanna do 'War Pigs' my way."

Asked if he and the other members of THE ROCKETT MAFIA plan on mixing up the setlist night after night, Rikki said: "Yes, we will. It depends. If we're doing like, let's say, a corporate gig where people want a huge variety of stuff, we'll do a bigger variety of stuff. I think at certain rock shows, like Summerfest, by way of example, people are gonna want more of the POISON stuff, they're gonna want more of the straight-ahead rock and roll, so we'll probably do that. But, really, the whole set rocks. We have no ballads at this point — not one. It never slows down. And I was thinking, 'Man, is that a bad idea?' And then so many people came up to me after the show and went, 'Oh, no. It was fun. I love that you guys never stopped.' There was only a couple times where Brandon talked. It was almost like a punk band, like the RAMONES. 1, 2, 3, 4 — bam — right into the next thing."

Last month, Sweda told the Nothing Shocking podcast about his involvement with THE ROCKETT MAFIA: "It was really interesting how it came about. My friend Bryan [Kimes], who is playing with me in THE HOT SUMMERS, ran into Rikki, and Rikki was looking for some guys to flesh out this idea that he had for this band. And my friend recommended me for the guitar spot, and Rikki and I got together and hit it off pretty well and had a great time playing. And it's been progressing ever since. We've got some gigs in early July in the Midwest and around the Pennsylvania area, and we hope we'll have many more to come."

Regarding the other musicians who are involved in the peoject, Mick said: "Well, Brandon Gibbs, the singer, I think he's pretty well known for touring a little bit with Joel Hoekstra. I think they have an acoustic thing that they do. I guess it sometimes goes electric. So he and Rikki have been friends for a long time, and he's a very talented cat, a great guitar player. And at this point, we haven't totally fleshed out the bass part. We're going through some guys right now. And hopefully we'll settle on someone on a permanent basis."

Asked if there is "a certain era" he and his THE ROCKETT MAFIA bandmates are "trying to stick to" when it comes to choosing which songs to cover, Mick said: "Yeah, we definitely wanted to do the more obscure stuff, and we tried a couple of things out. There's a song called 'Baby Blue' that I've always loved since I was a kid, by BADFINGER. And we love playing that song. However, you have to sort of gauge how things go over. Not everybody is familiar with material like that. So even though we're trying things… For example, we put together a track called 'I Think I Love You' [a 1970 song by Tony Romeo, written as the debut single for fictional musical TV family 'The Partridge Family'], which was actually the first single I ever had as a kid by 'The Partridge Family'. And it's kind of a challenging track to cover, at least from the outset, but I think we had a lot of fun with it. And it's out there for people to listen to now.

"But the song list is kind of evolving," Mick explained. "We start out with what's in our hearts, between Rikki and I, which is the '70s for that matter. So, it's kind of branching out from there. And we're just making sure that the tunes are fun and energetic and entertaining."

On the topic of whether THE ROCKETT MAFIA is "pretty genre specific" to the "1970s classic rock era" or if they are "kind of wide open as far as experimenting with different genres of music," Sweda said: "It's the latter. In fact, one of the things that Rikki and I talked about doing was taking songs that you would never expect to hear and kind of revamping them in a way that allows us to interject our personalities into them. So, although we haven't really got to the stage of finding too many songs to do that with, 'cause it is a challenge — it's a lot easier to just pick up a song and play it as it's written. So for us to find something unique and exciting and turn it into our own, it takes a little bit more time, but that is ultimately the goal."

THE ROCKETT MAFIA, with Bryan Kimes on bass and backing vocals, played its first official show on February 21 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

Regarding how THE ROCKETT MAFIA came together, Rikki stated during a February 19 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk": "I always had Brandon Gibbs in the back of my mind for any project that I do, which hasn't been many. I mean, I did DEVIL CITY ANGELS [with him]. When I played The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride [motorcycle charity event], which I am one of the city co-hosts for — that's a worldwide ride that takes place in 300-some cities across the world — they didn't have entertainment. And I said, 'It's time to have entertainment at this thing.' And they said, 'Well, any suggestions? Can you play?' And I went, 'Well, I don't have a band.' [Laughs] 'So I'll have to put one together.' I had done a couple of shows with CHEVY METAL — me and Kenny Aronoff had done a couple shows with them — so I reached out to those guys, and I just basically had them come and play the show… So after that, I just said, 'I need my own band.' First person I met was Bryan who was working at a salon that I was in, and we started talking. And this guy is from Maryland, and we have the same circle of friends, but didn't know each other. He's played all that tri-state area back there, the same places we played, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, all that. And so we got along great. And I said, 'Let's get together. I've gotta find a guitar player.' And he mentioned Mick Sweda. and I was like, 'Is he busy? Is he doing something? I mean, that guy's a monster. Is this something that would interest him?' And the first thing Mick said when I called him up, he said, 'Look, if you're just gonna have me for one or two gigs and then get rid of me, I'm not interested.' I said, 'Well, Mick, I don't know. I've never played with you, but I think we should at least get together and play.' And we did. And we were playing AEROSMITH songs, VAN HALEN, everything, and we're just sitting there going, 'Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. We're cut from the same cloth.' And I was amazed at how good of a player this guy is. And then, of course, I brought Brandon into the thing. And I said the whole idea is something that Taylor Hawkins [late FOO FIGHTERS drummer] told me that I should have been doing a long time ago. And I always got super serious with a band, like, 'I've gotta, right away, write a record and do all-original material.' And he's, like, 'No, just go play for a while. Get used to everybody. Make sure you wanna have a good time. POISON's your baby, just like FOO FIGHTERS are mine.' So I took his advice, God rest his soul, and several years later, I'm actually doing this thing. It's been so much fun, just in the rehearsal phase."

As for what fans can expect to hear at THE ROCKETT MAFIA's live shows, Rikki said: "They're getting our original versions of cover songs for right now. Meaning we're taking songs that most rock bands typically don't do — some of 'em we do, but a lot of 'em most hard rock bands don't do — and we're reimagining them. And you'll see [when you hear 'I Think I Love You'] what I mean by that. And it's something that Mick dubbed, I think he called it 'satanic pop.' [Laughs] You'll see what I mean. So we're reimagining some of these songs that had great choruses and really catchy hooks, but were never meant to be necessarily hard rock songs. They were just crafted so well. And we're doing some regular FACES stuff and things like that as well. But we have decided now, and we started to fool around with our own stuff. So that is definitely forthcoming. But for this first little run, you're gonna be hearing a bunch of stuff that you went, 'Oh my God! That's that song. I know that song. I know that song.' That's what we're going for. And we keep adding [new songs] every day. I swear to God, we keep changing the set. We're, like, 'Hey, have you ever thought about doing this song?' 'Yeah, but how would we do that, do it THE ROCKETT MAFIA way?' So we're having a blast with it. It's just been really, really fun."

On the topic of how "I Think I Love You" was chosen to be one of the songs for THE ROCKETT MAFIA to cover, Rikki said: "I think I [suggested that one]. I always thought it was a great song. I had a crush on [actress] Susan Dey growing up, so, of course. But I always thought it was such a well-written song. It was written by Tony Romeo, who I don't know, but he's written other things. He passed away now. And I think David Cassidy was trying so hard at that time to make people realize that he was a really good player and he was a really good writer, and he couldn't extend past that idea of 'The Partridge Family' publicly. And I met him many years ago at an award show — he was super cool — and I told him how much I appreciated all the stuff that he really did reach out and do that he did in a more serious way. And I feel bad for him because he was never taken seriously. I think it made him an alcoholic maybe; I don't know. But I just thought it was a cool song. It was, like, 'This song needs a second spin.' The chord structures, everything is very hard rock, but the way they did it, it wasn't. So you'll see how we did it."

Rockett and Gibbs played their first show as THE ROCKETT MAFIA in May 2024 at the end of the aforementioned The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride motorcycle charity event in Santa Monica, California. They were joined at the gig by guitarist Brent Woods (SEBASTIAN BACH, CHEVY METAL) and bassist Wiley Hodgden.

Rockett and Gibbs previously played together in a band called DEVIL CITY ANGELS, also featuring guitarist Tracii Guns (L.A. GUNS) and bassist Eric Brittingham (CINDERELLA). The band released its self-titled debut album in September 2015. Following the recording of "Devil City Angels", Brittingham decided not to continue with the project and his spot was taken by Rudy Sarzo (QUIET RIOT, OZZY OSBOURNE, WHITESNAKE). Around a year later, Rockett, Gibbs and Brittingham joined forces with guitarist Joel Kosche (ex-COLLECTIVE SOUL) to form the LORDS OF DEVIL CITY. Within a few months, Rockett, Gibbs and Brittingham relaunched DEVIL CITY ANGELS, only for Eric to exit the project in the summer of 2017 and be replaced by Topher Nelson. In July 2020, DEVIL CITY ANGELS released a new single, "Testify".

In early 2019, Gibbs and Rockett were embroiled in a public war of words after Gibbs indicated he was no longer involved with DEVIL CITY ANGELS due to the fact that the band was "inactive." Rikki responded that DEVIL CITY ANGELS "went inactive" because he was diagnosed with cancer and suggested possibly moving on without Brandon. This prompted Gibbs to fire back that he had "never seen someone complain about money, perception and 1st class tickets" as much as Rockett allegedly did, "to the point where it gets in the way of doing anything." The two have since resolved their differences.

Back in 2015, Rockett told Sleaze Roxx about Gibbs: "The thing about Brandon is that he's a young guy but he sounds like he's from the '70s. That's what is so appealing for guys like us. That's the reason that I really wanted Brandon involved with us. Brandon doesn't have any baggage, which is good and he has a lot of experience. He's got a great pedigree."

In 2015, Rockett and Gibbs joined forces with Rikki's POISON bandmates Bobby Dall (bass) and C.C. DeVille (guitar) to play several shows as THE SPECIAL GUESTS in what was widely perceived as a not-so-subtle message to POISON singer Bret Michaels that they weren't willing to remain completely inactive while he pursued a solo career.

Photo courtesy of The Rockett Mafia

Former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and acclaimed metal vocalist Jeff Scott Soto have once again joined forces and are set to release their second album, "Unbreakable", on August 15 via Rat Pak Records.

The duo ELLEFSON-SOTO is joined by Italian guitarist Andy Martongelli and Paolo Caridi on drums and features 11 studio tracks with guest appearances from Tim "Ripper" Owens (KK'S PRIEST, ex-JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH) and BURNING WITCHES frontwoman Laura Guldemond.

Recorded at Rogue Studios in Wembley, U.K. by Alessio Garavello and produced by Chris Collier (MICK MARS, KORN, FLAT BLACK),"Unbreakable" is a sonic assault packed with catchy riffs, melodic vocals, and thoughtful lyrics that blends their classic metal roots with modern rock intensity.

"This album digs even deeper," says Ellefson. "It's heavier, more personal, and shaped by everything we've experienced on and off the stage." Soto adds: "The energy we poured into this one — it's the sound of two lifetimes colliding in riffs, rage, and redemption."

Ellefson further comments: "One of the things I like most is I feel like you can hear a real sense of brotherhood on our records, that we're really in the creative process together as a band. The consistency of our sound has remained intact while allowing us to further build upon each other's strengths from our debut album. It's an honest, organic approach that blends well and lets us explore new sounds and musical paths. At the end of the day, I don't think there is anything that an artist desires more than that!"

"Unbreakable" will be available on all major streaming platforms with limited edition autographed vinyl, CD and cassette bundles exclusively through Rat Pak Records.

Track listing:

01. Unbreakable
02. SOAB
03. Shout
04. Hate You, Hate Me
05. Poison Tears (featuring Laura Guldemond of BURNING WITCHES)
06. Ghosts
07. Vengeance (feat. Tim "Ripper" Owens of KK'S PRIEST)
08. Snakes And Bastards
09. It's Over When I Say It's Over
10. The Day We Built Rome
11. Death On Two Legs (bonus track)

In a March 2025 interview with Scott Itter of Dr. Music, Soto spoke about the status of the second album from ELLEFSON-SOTO. He said at the time: "The record's in the can.

"The way Erik Martensson, he's the ringleader, the overseer [of Soto's W.E.T. project], David is that with ELLEFSON-SOTO," Jeff explained. "He pulls the songs together, he gets the timing together, he gets the label side, all the industry-side stuff together. I just have to relax and sit back while I'm doing all the million of other things that I'm doing, and I come in and then I dive in and I put my input.

"I love working with David and Andy [Martongelli], who's our guitar player and also co-writer in the band. And I love the fact that they allow me to be me.

"I've proven myself as an artist, producer, writer, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, but there are still times where I'll do something and they'll go, 'Hmm, [it's] not really what I thought you were gonna do. Can you try more of this? Try more of that?' I don't mind that at all, because whatever is good for the song, the best thing for the song, of course. But when it comes to ELLEFSON-SOTO, I'm really, really headstrong on the ideas I come up with, and when I send it to David, [I'm] like, 'Oh, God, I hope he doesn't say, 'Oh, I don't know, man.'' And every time, him and Andy say, 'Home run. You knocked that one out of the park. That's awesome.' And that's what motivates me to wanna do more and to give my all into that, even that situation, because I know if I'm making them happy with what I'm turning in, I know in the end, it's gonna be a cohesive sound and project."

Regarding the songwriting approach on the second ELLEFSON-SOTO album, Jeff said: "It's weird because the first album, when we did it, it wasn't supposed to be an album. I was doing songs with David and Andy. We were just writing songs and recording songs during the pandemic. And it turned into, 'Hey, we're on to something here. We can't give these songs to someone else or just use 'em as catalog music. We have something here.' And that's what made us put that out as an album. This time around, we actually went in to record and write an album. We didn't say, 'Let's just write songs and see where it goes.' We actually went in and said, 'This is the sound. This is what we created on the first album. Now let's expand on it.'"

He added: "It's really, really good. I don't listen to my own stuff that often unless I have to learn songs for a tour or a show, but I actually find myself listening to this record just to listen to it."

ELLEFSON-SOTO's debut album, "Vacation In The Underworld", was released in October 2022 via Rat Pak Records. The duo was joined by Martongelli on guitar and keyboards and Paulo Caridi on drums. Giada Jade Etro from the Italian power metal band FROZEN CROWN made a guest appearance on the song "The Day Before Tomorrow". Steve Conley and Ken Mary from FLOTSAM AND JETSAM performed on the title track, "Vacation In The Underworld".

"Vacation In The Underworld" was produced by Chris Collier and featured eleven tracks and three bonus recordings.

To officially launch the project, Ellefson and Soto played concerts in September 2022 in Italy where they performed some of the music as well as ran through various catalog highlights, including selections from MEGADETH and Yngwie Malmsteen. They were joined by Martongelli as the musical director, as well as Caridi on drums and Valerio De Rosa on rhythm guitar.

In March 2021 — two months before David was fired from MEGADETH — Ellefson and Soto announced that they had been collaborating on some new material under the moniker ELLEFSON-SOTO. The ELLEFSON-SOTO version of the RIOT classic "Swords & Tequila" was simultaneously released across all digital streaming outlets via Ellefson's Combat Records.

When Ellefson's collaboration with Soto was first announced, David said in a statement: "Jeff and I have been friends for so many years that it's great to finally collaborate on some material together. He has such a distinctive voice and perfect style for some new ideas my guitarist Andy Martongelli and I have been composing. We are excited about the progress of it all and thought this would be a perfect time to give a little sneak preview."

At the time, Jeff added: "As COVID-19 became a big negative around the globe, it actually offered many artists a chance to finally collaborate with one another that might have never happened otherwise… As I have known David for many years, I knew from our other efforts outside of our day jobs that we could come up with some badass jams…and here we are, letting you in on our cool little secret."

David was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

British rockers BRING ME THE HORIZON are expanding their sonic universe with the release of "Lo-files", a 23-track album of lo-fi reinterpretations from across their celebrated catalogue of music. The album will be released on July 11 via RCA/Sony.

This unique project sees tracks from every era — from 2013's "Sempiternal" through to 2024's "Post Human: Nex Gen" — transformed into laid-back, atmospheric tracks by some of the most respected names in the lo-fi space, including Casiio and No Spirit, Lophiile, drxnk and more.

Frontman Oli Sykes describes "Lo-files" as "utility music", used for moments of quiet, creativity, or introspection.

He says: "The original idea for our 'go-to' record was actually something more chill, a record you could put on while studying or zoning out. It ended up way more chaotic than I originally intended. So I guess this is another attempt at creating something low key. I listen to a lot of lo-fi when I'm working or feeling anxious, so I hope this record can do the same for others."

The band adds that it had "collaborated with producers we love from the lofi scene to launch a new project where we've reworked BMTH songs and created lofi versions".

BRING ME THE HORIZON first teased "Lo-files" via social media on July 8, with the band confirming details of the release the following day.

"Lo-files" track listing:

01. canyoufeelmy<3.tmpx feat. Casiio & No Spirit
02. (U)topia.drm feat. Iophiile
03. in_the_dark.ech feat. Kanisan
04. followU.bnd feat. Dimension 32
05. Darkside.verXx feat. Casiio & No Spirit
06. [email protected] feat. Mondo Loops
07. sL33pwalking.idl feat. Iophiile
08. drwn.vvv feat. Dimension 32
09. losT_404.nll feat. Drxnk
10. seenitallbefore_xx.arch feat. Kanisan
11. parasite.ev3 feat. Mondo Loops
12. med!cine.fbk feat. Iophiile
13. koolaid.xxo feat. Drxnk
14. d1g_it.core feat. HM Surf
15. DOOMED.errX feat. Drxnk
16. avalanche_.drft feat. Iophiile
17. 1DayTheOnlyButterfliesLeftWillBInurChestAsuMarchTowards UrDeath.finx feat. Drxnk
18. sTr4nG3r5.vsn0 feat. Dimension 32
19. 1x1.syncd feat. Iophiile
20. shadowm0ses.frq feat. Mondo Loops
21. m0th3r.tng feat. Drxnk
22. DiE4u.sysrsk feat. HM Surf
23. Throne.GOD feat. Casiio & No Spirit

BRING ME THE HORIZON is set to hit the road for "USA Ascension Program+ Part 01" fall tour bringing its high-energy performances to select major markets. The first leg of this tour will feature MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, THE PLOT IN YOU and Amira Elfeky, making for a stacked lineup.

Produced by Live Nation, "USA Ascension Program+ Part 01" kicks off on September 23 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, making stops across the U.S. in Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Denver, Salt Lake City and Phoenix, before wrapping up in Los Angeles, California at Intuit Dome on October 3.

BRING ME THE HORIZON's critically acclaimed seventh studio album, "Post Human: Nex Gen", came out in May 2024 via Sony/RCA. Having been streamed over a billion times to date, it was the latest chapter in the series to be revealed and saw the band expanding both musically and conceptually.

BRING ME THE HORIZON recently played its biggest show to date in São Paulo, Brazil, selling out the 45,000-capacity Allianz Parque stadium. They wowed fans with a groundbreaking performance which incorporated the latest techniques in both live AI and AR, as well as a new hybrid paradigm that could be termed as "Generative Augmented Reality" (GAR) plus drones and pyro. They ended 2024 headlining arenas in Argentina, Colombia and Mexico.

BRING ME THE HORIZON is one of the most successful rock bands on the planet, having accumulated over 10 billion streams to date. They have toured the world multiple times, playing sold-out shows in over 50 countries.

BRING ME THE HORIZON is: vocalist Oli Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean and drummer Mat Nicholls.
Lo-files official tracklist
out 11th julyhttps://t.co/eiU8ac5kC9pic.twitter.com/0eAFukqY7C

— Bring Me The Horizon (@bmthofficial) July 10, 2025


Lo-files [out now]https://t.co/PhO28F8vHBpic.twitter.com/PNYgKKEkMF

— Bring Me The Horizon (@bmthofficial) July 11, 2025

SPINESHANK played its first show in nearly 13 years last night (Wednesday, July 9) at Jake's Sports Cafe & Backroom in Lubbock, Texas. Joining vocalist Jonny Santos, drummer Tommy Decker and bassist/vocalist Robert Garcia in SPINESHANK's 2025 lineup are new recruits Tommy Decker, Jr. (Tommy Decker's son) and Jason Hager (ex-CHIMAIRA) on guitar. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

SPINESHANK has teamed up with THE UNION UNDERGROUND for the "25 Years Of Rebellion & Callousness" tour this summer. This commemorative, co-headline trek, with special guests ADEMA and SICKSENSE, is celebrating the 25th anniversaries of SPINESHANK's sophomore studio album "The Height Of Callousness" and THE UNION UNDERGROUND sole studio LP, "…An Education In Rebellion".

Last month, SPINESHANK vocalist Jonny Santos confirmed to Rock Feed that a new song from the reunited band will arrive in the coming weeks. "We're literally in the studio trying to finish right now," he said. "The song has been recorded. Right now it's in the final process of being edited. We're gonna actually start listening to roughs this week."

Santos also addressed the reason he and the rest of SPINESHANK's 2025 lineup have decided to release one track as opposed to focusing on making a full-length record. "People are, like, well, why are we only doing one song?' Jonny said. "'Cause we don't know. We haven't put a record out in 12 years. "Cause let's face it, the SHINESHANK thing right now, [the upcoming tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of] 'The Height Of Callousness', this is nostalgic. We're not out there pumping a new record. We're celebrating one of our best records. That's what we're doing. So what we decided to do is… Do we wanna do a new record? 'Cause now we have little Tommy playing guitar, which is fucking awesome; he shreds. And we've got Jason Hager; everybody knows Jason. He's from CHIMAIRA. So we get these two new guys, and they obviously wanna do a new record. But five months ago, we didn't even know people even cared about SPINESHANK. So let's hold on here a second before we start putting new records out. I said, 'Let's do one song. Let's put this song out there. We'll get it out to the masses, and let's see how it's received.' That's gonna tell us right there — I feel it'll tell us if we are just a nostalgic act, that people just wanna come hear the hits and feel like they're 18 again, or we put this new song out. Does it trend? Does it fucking blow up? Then that will indicate right there, 'Okay, guys, let's go do a new record and start putting new songs out.' And I think that's a fair way to look at it instead of just assuming that since we're doing well and shows are selling out right now, that we're just gonna put an album and everybody's gonna love it."

Regarding the musical direction of the new SPINESHANK song, Jonny said: "Well, I will tell you this much. It's got all the elements that is what is SPINESHANK. One of the biggest complaints we had on the last SPINESHANK record was fans were, like, 'It's not electronic enough.' And I saw that. I felt that in a way. There was a lot of programming on that album; we were just using organic sounds as the loops and stuff. But I understand what the fans meant. So this time around, the SPINESHANK recipe, if you will — the song's gotta have energy. It's gotta be heavy. It's gotta be catchy. It's gotta have a hook. I don't care. I fucking love singing in fucking metal songs. All those people out there [who say], 'That's lame that you sing' — fuck you. You've gotta bring girls to the show too. So you've gotta have energy. It's gotta be heavy. You've gotta have a hook. And with SPINESHANK, it's gotta have that electronic aspect and that dirty, nasty, electronic aspect. Very industrial — 'Antichrist Superstar' [MARILYN MANSON] industrial. I love when you have a cool loop. Distort that motherfucker. So it's that whole ATARI TEENAGE RIOT dirtiness to it."

When SPINESHANK's return was first announced, Decker said in a statement: "We are beyond excited to be able to celebrate 25 years of 'The Height Of Callousness'. This is the record that defined us as a band and changed our lives. We can't wait to play all of these songs and share the memories with all of you who lived it with us."

Santos stated: "We are extremely excited to celebrate the return of SPINESHANK for the 25th anniversary of 'The Height Of Callousness' tour and get to share this milestone with the people who were there back then, and the new fans that never got the chance to see us play. Truly an honor!!!"

Garcia said: "It's amazing that 25 years later people still react to 'The Height Of Callousness' the way they do. We're excited to get out and play these songs again, see old friends, and threw down for all the new fans who never got to see SPINESHANK the first time around!"

Decker, Jr. said: "I've been on tour with these guys since I was a little kid, watching them perform every night from the side of the stage. I can't believe it's come full circle and I get to share the stage with my dad and the rest of the guys who I consider my family. I was 4 years old when this album came out and seeing all the fans still show love to this album is crazy!"

Hager stated: "I am beyond excited and honored to be a part of the return of SPINESHANK, for the 25th anniversary of 'The Height Of Callousness' tour. They're not just one of my favorite bands, but have been great friends, ever since they generously, and selflessly helped us (CHIMAIRA) out, during our early days. I'm looking forward to seeing you all, out on the road, and excited about what the future may hold."

After releasing three successful albums ("Strictly Diesel", "The Height Of Callousness" and "Self-Destructive Pattern"),performing on countless world tours (including appearances on Ozzfest and the Download festival) and a Grammy nomination in 2004, the band went on a hiatus.

SPINESHANK's fourth album, "Anger Denial Acceptance", was released in June 2012 via Century Media Records. The CD was produced by SPINESHANK guitarist Mike Sarkisyan and drummer Tommy Decker and mixed by Mike Plotnikoff (PAPA ROACH, BUCKCHERRY).

SPINESHANK's third LP, "Self-Destructive Pattern", was released in September 2003. The album's lead single, "Smothered", was nominated for a Grammy in the category of "Best Metal Performance".

This past April, Jonny told the "Talk Toomey" podcast about the possibility of SPINESHANK releasing new music to coincide with the upcoming tour:  "We never got a chance to really go out on a high note. And so when we first started getting ready to do all this, doing another record wasn't really even talked about. It was more of just, like, 'Hey, let's just go out and do ['The Height Of Callousness'] in its entirety' and give the band its warrior's death, if you will — going out on a strong note instead of just falling into obscurity.

"Now it's gotten to the point… So right now I'm in the studio finishing up some edits and mixing the first SPINESHANK song since 2012," Santos explained. "So we have one new song coming out. Because I think the way that we feel that we'll know is, let's see how this SPINESHANK song does. If it's accepted well and people are excited about it, if it does well, then maybe there could be another album in the works. Or if anything, maybe even an EP. Who knows?"

Referencing the resurgence of "nu metal" in recent years, Jonny continued: "It's kind of weird how — it's uncharted territory. It's, like, is this here to stay? Is this gonna be a staple in heavy music or is this just a fashion fad for kids today? So I think once we release this new song and tour for the better part of this year, then I think we'll know if we're gonna put a new record out next year or not. I would like to, but I only wanna put a record out if it's gonna matter. I don't wanna put a record out if nobody's gonna give a shit."

Elaborating on his reluctance to release a full-length collection of new material, Jonny said: "Not comparing us to the size of THE ROLLING STONES or anything, but if I was gonna go see THE ROLLING STONES, I'm not too concerned with anything that they've done post 1979. You know what I'm saying?

"I think you hit a certain point in your career as a band when you have a legitimate and constant following that people just wanna go hear the hits.

"I've noticed, I'll put music out or whatever, and people are, like, 'Oh, man, it doesn't sound like 'The Height Of Callousness'.' It's just, like, dude, me putting out the same record twice is not gonna make you young again," he said. "Because that's how it is.

"Very few bands can get away with putting the same record out. AC/DC's done it. SLAYER's done it. But it works — that works for them, and it's fucking awesome. But for me, it doesn't.

"The thought of putting a new SPINESHANK record out there, it's exciting. But at the same time, we're gonna see how this goes.

"We're going into this with no expectations. This is really fun for us to do, and I think it's a chance for a lot of people that have become SPINESHANK fans in the last decade or so that have never seen us to get to see us. And being that 'The Height Of Callousness' was by far our best-received album, I can't think of a better record to do in its entirety out of our catalog."

In a new interview with the "Rock Camp The Podcast", hosted by Tommy London, Britt Lightning and Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp founder David Fishof, ex-GRAND FUNK RAILROAD singer Mark Farner was asked how he feels about his former band having yet to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I think it's much like the U.S. government. There is no one there representing the will of the people. The collective will of the rockers is not represented at the Rock Hall. The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is a bunch of just these music politics, but it's politics. And people say, 'Why ain't GRAND FUNK in the Rock Hall?' I say, because GRAND FUNK does not have that brown ring around our lips. And we don't bow to that God. All right?! And that's what it is. It's just totally political. It's bullshit. Excuse my English. I'm speaking truth."

Farner previously addressed GRAND FUNK RAILROAD's exclusion from the Rock Hall during a February 2021 interview with Sofa King Cool. Asked how it felt to see various rap and hip-hop artists inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame before the band he co-founded more than five decades ago, Mark responded at the time: "Well, it just shows the illegitimacy of that Rock Hall. And the people are definitely smart enough to know this. They need to be reminded, though, that the Rock Hall is not a representation of the will of the people; it is a representation of the will of the owners of the Rock Hall. That's what it is, and it is super political. And Steve Miller didn't have a good time there. I read some stuff that I just feel for him.

"You know something? I feel great about receiving the Cherokee Medal Of Honor," he said, referring to the award he received from the Cherokee Honor Society during a 1999 concert he performed in Hankinson, North Dakota. "I don't need to be in a Rock Hall. 'Cause without the people's opinion, it's fake. It's politicized, and, brother, it just ain't real."

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until 2016.

Eligible since 1994, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD released 11 albums between 1969 and 1976, all of which went gold or platinum. "We're An American Band", "Some Kind Of Wonderful" and "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)" helped define 1970s rock and roll.

Farner wrote more than 90 percent of the GRAND FUNK music catalog and has always been known as the energetic driving force on stage, the engine that pulled the original GRAND FUNK RAILROAD to the top of the charts. His story and his imprint on music starts with Flint and since 1969 from his humble beginnings and a blue-collar outlook, Farner has captained a global crusade for love, peace and freedom and became a rock 'n' roll icon.

More than 60 years later, he commands the stage with the same intensity performing epic hits that defined a generation: "I'm Your Captain (Closer to Home)", "Bad Time", "Some Kind of Wonderful", "Foot Stompin' Music", "Heartbreaker", "Rock & Roll Soul", "Locomotion", "Mean Mistreater" and "We're An American Band". MARK FARNER'S AMERICAN BAND continues to tour, celebrating the 55th anniversary of the ground-breaking hit "I'm Your Captain (Closer To Home)".

In a recent interview with TribLive, Farner — who has been embroiled in legal battles with GRAND FUNK RAILROAD drummer Don Brewer and bassist Mel Schacher over the years — was asked if he thinks a full-fledged GRAND FUNK reunion could ever take place. He responded: "Well, I don't anticipate that since Don Brewer has said in interviews, and people — I didn't read the interviews — but people, my friends, said, 'Hey, man, forget about it.' He's not going to ever put it back together. He's running the show in the 'Fake Funk,' as they call it, my friends. But I have always been open to it, and I have pitched them face-to-face in corporate meetings. I'm thinking, why isn't your head put in making the most for the corporation? Aren't you bound to produce the most? And anyways, I've been pitching it for 24 years to put the band back together, but it's heard, and it's answered with laughter and whatever. It's okay, though. I have got to the place where I have forgiven those guys. They're just off their path, and a lot of people get off their path. They're led by various things, motivation, pursuit of money, pursuit of the fulfillment of their ego. There's a lot of things that are in play in life. Take your pick. But I have come to the place in my heart where I forgive them. I really do. But I wish that they would have put it back together while we are all still sucking air so that we could give the fans the real GRAND FUNK, but, I don't know, they're against it."

As a frontrunner to the 50th anniversary for Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Foreigner, the band is excited to announce the September 12 release of extensive super deluxe editions of its 1981 smash multi-Platinum album, 4.



Recorded at the famed Electric Lady Studios in New York City alongside respected music producer Mutt Lange (Def Leppard, AC/DC), Foreigner 4 Deluxe will be available in black vinyl and various other formats on September 12 via Rhino. The release will encompass newly remastered Stereo or ATMOS versions, and a five-disc CD/Blu-ray package that includes a booklet containing over 60 exclusive photos, five previously unreleased songs, 14 early and alternate versions of various songs, 15 instrumentals, and 15 live performances from across the globe, spanning the band’s 1981 and 1982 “4” world tour. The digital deluxe release will also contain alternate versions, instrumentals, and live performances from the era.

Pre-orders are available here, where you can also find the complete tracklisting.



Originally released July 2, 1981, 4 spent more weeks at #1 on the Billboard charts than any artist in the history of Atlantic Records, including AC/DC, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, and went on to sell more than ten million albums worldwide. 4 is certified 6x Platinum in the U.S. (RIAA), 4x Platinum in Canada (Music Canada), Platinum in Australia (ARIA) and Germany (BVMI), and Gold in 7 additional countries. It spawned three Billboard Hot 100 singles: “Waiting For A Girl Like You”, “Urgent”, and “Juke Box Hero.” Foreigner 4, as it’s often referred to, is the fourth studio album by the legendary British-American rock band released during a time of transition as they famously went from six members to four.

Mick Jones noted: “Recording our fourth album took the better part of two years. It was something that just had to be right and I truly believe that Mutt Lange, Lou, Rick, Dennis, and I accomplished something very special. This package, and particularly the stunning Atmos mixes present a spectacular culmination of one of the most exciting periods of my life.”

To coincide with the deluxe package release, Foreigner – Luis Maldonado (lead vocals/guitar), Jeff Pilson (bass), Michael Bluestein (keyboards), Bruce Watson (guitars), Chris Frazier (drums) will celebrate half a century of music with a new round of headlining tour dates which will include original lead singer Lou Gramm guesting on some of the songs he helped create almost forty-five years ago.

The upcoming Foreigner 4 Deluxe Tour signals yet another important transition for the band as these new dates will be the first major US shows featuring Foreigner’s Luis Maldonado on lead vocals. On the season finale of The Voice, it was announced that this year’s Summer tour would be the last for Kelly Hansen.

You can view their showstopping live performance and Kelly’s heartfelt farewell message here. Tickets for the “Foreigner 4 Deluxe” Tour are available here.

Of the transition, Luis Maldonado had this to say: “Earlier this year, we toured Mexico and South America with the incredible Lou Gramm. We all had such a fantastic time performing and being together, and it’s with that same excitement I look forward to working with Lou again. He was an integral part of the writing and recording of the Foreigner 4 album and his presence will add a historic dimension to our forthcoming tour.”

On June 27, Lynyrd Skynyrd released Celebrating 50 Years: Live At The Ryman on 2CD/DVD, 2CD, Blu-Ray, 3LP, and Digital.

“This historic night was the final performance for guitarist Gary Rossington and features many special guests including Jelly Roll, Brent Smith of Shinedown, Marcus King, John Osbourne of Brothers Osborne, Donnie Van Zant of Van Zant and 38 Special,” says Skynyrd.

Check out the official live video for the band’s iconic song, “Freebird”, taken from the show:



Order Lynyrd Skynyrd – Celebrating 50 Years: Live At The Ryman, now at this location.



Tracklisting:

“What’s Your Name”
“Workin’ For MCA”
“You Got That Right”
“I Know A Little”
“Down South Jukin”
“That Smell”
“Cry For The Bad Man”
“Saturday Night Special”
“Tuesday’s Gone”
“Red White And Blue”
“Simple Man”
“Three Steps”
“Call Me The Breeze”
“Sweet Home Alabama”
“Freebird”

Japanese rock music promoter UPP-tone Music has announced that former VENOM members Jeff "Mantas" Dunn (guitar) and Antony "Abaddon" Bray (drums) will reunite for a special concert on November 30 at Shinjuku Antiknock, a legendary music venue in Tokyo, Japan.

According to the UPP-tone Music web site, Dunn and Bray will perform "VENOM classics" alongside some of Japan's finest black metal players: Masaki "Gezol" Tachi (SABBAT) on bass and vocals, Mirai Kawashima (SIGH) on vocals, Shinji "Samm" Tachi (METALUCIFER) on drums, and Noboru "Jero" Sakuma (ABIGAIL) on guitar. Support at the gig will come from SURVIVE and HELL FREEZES OVER.

Nearly a decade ago, Dunn formed VENOM INC. with Bray and another former VENOM member, bassist/vocalist Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan.

Last December, approximately eight months after suffering his second attack, Dunn announced that he was leaving VENOM INC., explaining in a statement that his "health and wellbeing are of paramount importance to myself and my family," but adding that "there are also more personal issues which have influenced my decision."

Dunn suffered his first heart attack in May 2018 and underwent a double bypass surgery.

Mantas sat out VENOM INC.'s fall 2023 U.S. tour after revealing that his wife had been diagnosed with cancer. He was replaced on the trek by Mike Hickey, known for his work with VENOM, CARCASS, CATHEDRAL and CRONOS.

VENOM INC. is not to be confused with the Conrad "Cronos" Lant-fronted version of VENOM, which is continuing to tour and make albums under the VENOM moniker. Joining Cronos in that group are Rage (a.k.a. Stuart Dixon) on guitar and Danté (a.k.a. Danny Needham) on drums.

VENOM's classic lineup trio of Dunn, Lant and Bray recorded four studio LPs, "Welcome To Hell" (1981),"Black Metal" (1982),"At War With Satan" (1984) and "Possessed" (1985),and live album, "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (1986). Often cited by bands such as METALLICA, BEHEMOTH, CELTIC FROST and MAYHEM as major influences, they are one of the most revered bands of their generation. VENOM is still fronted by Cronos and headlines festivals all over the globe and continues to release new music while Dunn and Dolan had joined forces in the similarly named VENOM INC.

Abaddon was part of VENOM's classic lineup from 1978 to 1992. He then returned to the band in 1995 and stayed with them for four years before joining VENOM INC. alongside Dunn and Dolan. VENOM INC. released its debut album, "Avé", in August 2017. A year later, VENOM INC. revealed that it was recruiting Jeramie Kling of the Tampa-based melodic death metal band THE ABSENCE to fill in for Bray on a European tour while Abaddon stayed home to spend time with his newborn daughter.
Dunn, Bray and Dolan released three albums as VENOM between 1989 and 1992 — "Prime Evil" (1989),"Temples Of Ice" (1991) and "The Waste Lands" (1992).

In September 2022, Bray revealed that he had been diagnosed with lymphoma.

Mantas Venom Japan来日公演決定！

VenomオリジナルメンバーMantasと
Japan Black Metal界最強のメンバーによる
Venom Japan結成！！
更にスペシャルゲストにVenomオリジナルドラマー"...

Posted by UPP-tone company on Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Mantas Venom Japan来日公演決定！

VenomオリジナルメンバーMantasとJapan Black Metal界最強のメンバーによるVenom Japan結成！！更にスペシャルゲストにVenomオリジナルドラマー"...

Posted by Sabbat on Tuesday, July 1, 2025

During an appearance on the June 27 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Joe Perry spoke about the status of his HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES supergroup, which also features shock rock icon Alice Cooper and Hollywood superstar Johnny Depp. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, we're working on a documentary. It's got some great stuff on it. I just saw a rough cut. And it's pretty amazing.

"I'm still pinching myself this band actually got moving, 'cause everybody's got other things going on, especially Johnny," Perry continued. "[For Johnny], it's not, like, 'I can't do it this day'; it's, like, 'I can't do it this month.' When he's on a project, he's gotta carve out months. And even then, he has to be available for things. So, when I'm in L.A., I've seen him work, and it's, like, man, that's tough. I mean, talk about putting a band on the road. Doing a movie, the kind of movies he does, it's a lot. It's a real lot. It takes a lot out of you, and you've gotta give up your life 24-7 for anywhere from a month to a year, whatever. And Alice is always working. If you don't book something almost a year ahead, he's gonna be booked.

"I know that everybody would love to play some more with that band," Joe added. "And I think the last record we did was amazing. It was so much fun. But we get into that in the documentary. So I don't know. Right now everybody's tied up. But I know that in the back of everyone's mind, it'd be great to get back together again. So anyway, we'll see how that goes."

Perry went on to praise HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, saying: "That band is something else, man. Alice got to be the lead singer of a rock band and he didn't have to be Alice Cooper… He's Alice Cooper through and through. But when he was with the VAMPIRES, he got to talk to the audience in real time and he didn't have to take on a character. And I know he loved it. But listen, he still went out looking like Alice Cooper. And that part of him is through and through. And everybody had a great time."

A trailer for the upcoming HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES documentary "Unleashed Spirits - The Rise Of The Hollywood Vampires" can be seen below.

Directed by Daniel E. Catullo III, "Unleashed Spirits - The Rise Of The Hollywood Vampires" was previously described in a press release as "an exhilarating and heartfelt film that takes viewers on a captivating journey through the formation of HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES and the profound impact they've had on their devoted fan base."

Named for a pack of famous musicians that legendary rocker Alice Cooper used to drink with in the early 1970s, including John Lennon and Keith Moon, HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES also includes producer and songwriter Tommy Henriksen.

The three legends first came together to record in 2015, bonding over a shared love of their favorite songs and a desire to celebrate their "dead, drunk friends" by playing the songs of the fallen heroes. Riotous performances ensued around the world.

In 2019, HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES — which also includes Cooper's drummer Glen Sobel and bassist Chris Wyse — completed a triumphant seven-city North American tour which included a sell-out show at the famous Greek Theatre in Los Angeles and were voted the "best performance" of 2018 at London's Wembley Arena.

HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES' sophomore album "Rise", produced by Tommy Henriksen and the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, was hailed as one of the purest, most unapologetic and enjoyable rock and roll albums of 2019, made by masters of the craft and true fans of the form. Unlike their 2015 debut record, the latest album consisted mainly of original material, written by the band. There are however, in the spirit of the VAMPIRES' original mission, three covers of songs originally written and recorded by legendary rockers who died far too young.

Six years ago, Cooper told Billboard about his chemistry with Depp and Perry: "That's a very odd thing about this. You've got three alpha males who are used to running the show, and all of a sudden, three guys are sitting there with zero arguments. The whole thing is, 'Okay, let's try that.' Every time they would send me a track with scratch vocals on it, if I worked on it and chopped it up and did my thing, it would turn into an Alice song. I took my fingerprints off of it. I would hear the song and say, 'Let's do it as it was written.' My instinct might be to say that this part goes too long or the intro goes too long, but that's what makes it interesting."

Regarding HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES' decision to record a second album as a follow-up to 2015's "Hollywood Vampires", which debuted at No. 43 on the Billboard 200, Cooper said: "We looked at each other and went, 'Let's do another album, but let's make this one original.' And just like that, Johnny was writing, Joe was writing, Tommy was writing, I was writing … and we just all kind of put it together while I was on tour. Tommy produced it, and the next thing you know, we had an album. The cool thing about it is that it doesn’t sound like an Alice album, it doesn't sound like an AEROSMITH album: It sounds like a HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES album."

HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES released their first live album, "Live In Rio", in June 2023 via earMUSIC. The LP was recorded when the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES played their biggest and most legendary gig in front of more than 100,000 fans at the Rock In Rio festival in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in September 2015

Photo credit: Ross Halfin

Legendary former King Crimson members Adrian Belew and Tony Levin banded together with guitar virtuoso Steve Vai and explosive Tool drummer Danny Carey to create BEAT, a creative reinterpretation of the three iconic 80s King Crimson albums – Discipline, Beat, and Three Of A Perfect Pair.

In 2024, the ensemble staged 65 standing room only shows in North America. They followed this touring with an expansive run of Mexico and South America in 2025.

Today, they announce the release of BEAT Live on September 26 in partnership with InsideOutMusic/Sony. A first reveal has been presented of the performance of “Neal And Jack And Me.” Watch below. On September 1, BEAT will perform a record release show at the legendary Budokan in Tokyo. Pre-order the new release here.

Adrian Belew reflects, “You’re walking on stage with three virtuoso musicians, world class professionals who have seen it all but are still having fun playing this music which is timeless and unlike anything done before or since and the audience knows every word and are so thrilled with the performance the energy and love beaming back at you is overwhelming. What could be better?”

Steve Vai shares, “Touring with BEAT has proved to be so much more than I could have expected. Performing this music with Adrian, Tony and Danny has been one of my favorite touring experiences and we are now at the top of our game and captured the magic on BEAT Live.”

Tony Levin offers, “The band rocks. So glad we got high quality recordings of what it is we do live – innovation meets classic material.”

Danny Carey states, “I look forward to every show I get to perform with Tony, Adrian and Steve with excitement and awe. Playing gigs with musicians of this caliber is a dream come true. These songs are fun and challenging and the promise of inspiration, execution, and surprise has never let me down. I can’t wait to do more!”



BEAT Live will be released in three configurations. A 3-LP set, a Blu-ray release accompanied by 2-CDs and a 12-page photo booklet, and lastly a limited collector’s edition that will contain the Blu-ray, 2-CDs, a bonus CD, and a 36-page artbook.

The Blu-ray tracklisting features “Neurotica,” “Neal and Jack and Me,” “Heartbeat,” “Sartori In Tangier,” “Model Man,” “Dig Me,” “Man With An Open Heart,” “Industry,” “Larks’ Tongues In Aspic Part lll,” “Waiting Man,” “The Sheltering Sky,” “Sleepless,” “Frame By Frame,” “Matte Kudasai,” “Elephant Talk,” “Three Of A Perfect Pair,” “Indiscipline,” “Red,” and “Thela Hun Ginjeet.”

The concert film was directed by Scrote, with a collective delivering the editing amongst whom include Scrote, Steve Vai (Harmony Hut, Encino), Alan Berry and Don Adams. The bonus material video was directed and edited by Alan Berry. Additionally, a mid-tour interview captured by Sweetwater is included in the program. Videography was captured by Alan Berry, Mike Skillsky, Jon Luini and Dan Ermey. Art Direction by Scrote and designer Dan Ermey. Photography compliments of Alison Dyer, Tony Levin, Peter Dervin, Jerry LoFaro, Mike Skillsky, Dan Ermey and Jim Snyder.

On the audio side, BEAT Live was Produced by Scrote and Mixed by Bob Clearmountain, assisted by Ira Becker. Mastering by Emily Lazar at The Lodge, assisted by Bob DeMaa. Audio editing by Scrote, Steve Vai (Harmony Hut, Encino), and additional audio production assistance by Bill Mims

The bonus CD contained in the deluxe set features the track listing “Neurotica,” “Neal and Jack and Me,” “Heartbeat,” “Sartori in Tangier,” “Frame by Frame,” “Industry,” “Larks’ Tongues In Aspic Part III,” “Elephant Talk,” “Matte Kudasai,” “Three of a Perfect Pair,” “Indiscipline” and “Thela Hun Ginjeet.”

The vision for this undertaking emanated from initial dialogue between Angelo Bundini aka Scrote and Adrian Belew. Tour Producer Bundini recalls, “When Adrian called me to help bring his idea to fruition, I immediately thought it best to focus on the 80s albums: Discipline, Beat, and Three Of A Perfect Pair. These three records famously mark Adrian and Tony’s entry into King Crimson. Their fluid, melodic virtuosity, and Fripp’s and Bruford’s dramatic precision created a totally unique, dynamic push and pull that would influence nearly every rock musician and/or band going forward for years, if not decades, to come.”