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.”

Hot on the heels of their show-stopping performance of Ozzy Osbourne's "Perry Mason" at BLACK SABBATH's final show over the weekend, HALESTORM today dropped new song "Rain Your Blood On Me", debuted live in that short set.

The track is a heavy siren call starting with a thumping dirge beat and before erupting with Arejay Hale's explosive drum fills, guitarist Joe Hottinger's lightning fast guitar riffs, and Lzzy Hale's astronomical vocal harmonies, all tethered to earth by Josh Smith's dark bass grooves.

"Rain Your Blood On Me" follows "Darkness Always Wins" and title track "Everest" as the third song revealed from the Grammy Award-winning band's album, out August 8 via Atlantic Records. "Darkness Always Wins" is steadily climbing the U.S. radio Active Rock chart, now entering the top 15, and already on the B-list at Planet Rock and Kerrang! Radio.

"'Rain Your Blood On Me' is our ode to women," said Lzzy. "The crawl, the climb, the clenching of fists, the screaming of sirens, the breaking of glass — this is our war cry. As a woman, surrounded by my allies Arejay, Joe and Josh, we put everything we've fought for up until this moment into this opus. The music started with the stomping of feet at 3 in the morning, with a chant of 'Rain Your Blood On Me'. We weren't even sure what that title meant in the moment as we watched the sky crack through the eerie Spanish moss in Savannah, Georgia. But we knew it was right. By 11:30 a.m. the poem I had written had seemed to form itself like a story waiting to be told.

"We may not win the war in our lifetime, but we can pass the torch to our daughters so that they may light the way."

In late May, HALESTORM released the official music video for the "Everest" title track, consisting of a variety of clips of humans on the brink and imminent explosions, both literal and metaphorical. Interspersed with the vignettes is a rage-fueled, passionate performance by the band.

"Our song 'Everest' is the summit of everything we've fought for — every scream, every scar, every triumph," Lzzy stated at the time. "This album is us, louder and bolder, and more brutally honest than ever, standing tall in the face of the storm."

In May, HALESTORM kicked off a tour in Europe supporting the legendary IRON MAIDEN. HALESTORM will next travel back to the U.S. to tour with VOLBEAT. In September, they'll kick off the "nEVEREST" North American tour with Lindsey Stirling and APOCALYPTICA.

Produced by Grammy winner Dave Cobb (Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell),"Everest" dives deeply, both lyrically and sonically, into the band's mountainous climb over the last couple decades.

"Our album 'Everest' is a story of our journey as a band, full of beautiful endings and new beginnings," Lzzy previously said. "We weave a tangled web of melancholy, frustration, anger and the vast purgatory of love and love lost. It is a rollercoaster of epic musical detours, great songwriting and completely unhinged twists and turns. 'Everest' is an auditory representation of the four pillars of HALESTORM. Let us reintroduce ourselves and invite you into our world…if you dare."

Rolling Stone said of "Darkness Always Wins", "What the song has going for is its catchy, brooding, and dramatic in all the ways we love HALESTORM songs to be," and Revolver noted "The arrangement remains lean even as the amps begin to crank into the red, though 'Darkness Always Wins' still sports some exquisite minor-key melodicism, a metal-chunked bridge, loud-as-hell requiem bells and a classically rippin' rock guitar solo."

"Everest" track listing:

01. Fallen Star
02. Everest
03. Shiver
04. Like A Woman Can
05. Rain Your Blood On Me
06. Darkness Always Wins
07. Gather The Lambs
08. WATCH OUT!
09. Broken Doll
10. K-I-L-L-I-N-G
11. I Gave You Everything
12. How Will You Remember Me?

In a recent interview with Cutter's Rockcast, Lzzy spoke about HALESTORM's songwriting and recording sessions with Cobb, known for his previous collaborations with the likes of Sammy Hagar, Slash, GRETA VAN FLEET and RIVAL SONS. Regarding the musical direction of the band's follow-up to 2022's "Back From The Dead", Lzzy said: "It's really hard to describe this one. We did the record with Dave Cobb, which is a new producer for us. His ADHD mixed very well with our ADHD. But we didn't do it traditionally the way we always do these albums. First day, we walked in and I always have, like, whatever, a ton of half-written songs or full-written songs, or, 'Here's a riff or whatever' — you come in with your bag of tricks. And Dave Cobb says, 'Oh, we're not gonna do any of that.' And I'm, like, 'What do you mean?' He's, like, 'We're not doing demos. I hate demos. What we're gonna do is we're gonna start and we're gonna write, and as we're writing, we're recording at the same time.' So that's what we did. The first day we actually ended up writing our first single that'll be coming out soon. But, yeah, we started, like, 'Okay, who's got a line?' 'Oh, I have this that I thought of yesterday.' 'Cool. That'll work. Let's go.' Set up the drums, set up the guitar, here's the vocals. And so we would be recording while we were writing it, and then we would get done and we would move on to the next day. And so there are songs that don't even have a click track to them or a guide because we forgot."

Lzzy continued: "There's so many different elements of songs that we used to write when we were kids, but, obviously, as adults — a lot of that feeling. It was kind of an emotional rollercoaster. There's also, I think, some of the heaviest songs we've ever written on there, some really beautiful mid-tempos. A lot of personalities that I've always wanted to kind of put on a record, but I never really had the freedom or time to, because usually when we do a HALESTORM record, it's, like, 'Okay, we have to have all the songs picked. We have to have them rehearsed.' We go in and kind of do it like an assembly line. Like, 'Okay, you do the bass, do the drums, do the guitar, do the vocals, and we're good.' So there's no time to really like sit with things before they're, like, 'Okay, we've already decided we're gonna do that.' And so the freedom and kind of the nerve-racking kind of element of the fact that there wasn't really a plan ended up being the special sauce on this album, because we were just chasing everything that got us excited. And if it wasn't a 'hell yeah', it was a 'hell no'. So there's nothing on there on this album that we don't feel complete ownership over. There's nothing on this album that anybody forced us to do. There's nothing on this album that isn't part of our personalities."

Elaborating on why the new HALESTORM album feels like it is a return to the band's roots in a way, Lzzy said: "My bass player said it yesterday. He's, like, 'It's kind of like this long road to the beginning,' 'cause all of the guys at one point in time said this really feels like we're back in our parents' basement again and we're hustling and we're trying to figure out how to write songs on the radio. But we have all this knowledge now. So everything ended up coming together so incredibly well. But it was almost like the reverse, that the music was telling us what to do and not us trying to like shoehorn anything in.

"I'm telling you, man, — it is the most HALESTORM record we've ever done," Lzzy added. "It is the first time in the 20 years we've been on Atlantic Records that we have not felt lorded over in regarding to making records, because usually it's time crunch. Somebody's always there being, like, 'Oh, we can't do that.' 'Oh, you probably shouldn't say that.' 'What about this thing?' And that kind of thing. So it usually becomes like a project, like a group project.

"We didn't do it in Nashville — we did it in Savannah, Georgia, locked in a house in the middle of nowhere, next to a river," Hale revealed. "The guys and I would wake up like around 11:30 a.m., we would start recording and we wouldn't stop until 4:00 a.m. And then we would annoy the hell out of the engineer who was trying to sleep with playing on the proper keyboard and coming up with weird stuff. But we were unsupervised in the best way, and it was all about, who are we now? Who were we then? This is our story. For me, when I listen to this album, it's my personal opus — all the things that I've gone through in my life, both dark and not. There's more questions than answers. It's not just me giving myself a pep talk, like 'I'm the fire', 'I'm back from the dead.' It's like I'm dealing with a lot of my reality and a lot of the reality of the world in my own way. And then it's also our story as a band, and you can really hear it in the music and in the lyrics. So I'm so excited for people to hear it. And it's to the point where it's, like, I don't even really care if anybody likes it because all four of us are, like, 'This is our favorite album we've ever done.'"

Fronted by Lzzy with drummer Arejay Hale, guitarist Joe Hottinger and bassist Josh Smith, HALESTORM's music has earned multiple platinum and gold certifications from the RIAA, and the band has earned a reputation as a powerful live music force, headlining sold-out shows and topping festival bills around the world, and sharing the stage with icons including HEAVEN & HELL, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett and JUDAS PRIEST. Additionally, Lzzy was named the first female brand ambassador for Gibson and served as host of AXS TV's "A Year In Music".

Photo: Jimmy Fontaine

Belfast metal pioneers SWEET SAVAGE will release a new album, "Bang", on September 12 through earMUSIC.

To mark the occasion, they have unleashed the sharp title track today, accompanied by a gritty music video that captures the band's intense live energy.

Formed in Belfast in 1979 by bassist and vocalist Ray Haller and future DIO/DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian Campbell, SWEET SAVAGE was part of the first wave of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. But unlike their peers, SWEET SAVAGE never released a full album during their first run. Instead, they became underground legends, gaining wide recognition after METALLICA covered their track "Killing Time" — co-written by Campbell — and released it as the B-side of their multi-platinum single "The Unforgiven". The friendship between the two legendary bands continues to this day.

Now, with "Bang", the band returns in fighting form. SWEET SAVAGE are not here to revive nostalgia, but still, on the new album, their roots are unmistakable — aggressive, fast-paced metal infused with industrial textures and punk rock's DIY ethos.

From the explosive title track to the slower, hard-hitting "Live And Die" and the anthemic "The Chosen One", the album keeps shifting gears without losing punch. Every track feels urgent and direct — this is the sound of a band with nothing to prove and everything to say.

Frontman Ray Haller is backed by longtime drummer Marty McCloskey and guitar force Phil Edgar. The album features guitar work by former band member Simon McBride, who toured and recorded with the band before launching his solo career and joining DEEP PURPLE.

METALLICA frontman James Hetfield joined SWEET SAVAGE on stage at an August 20, 2008 concert at Marlay Park in Dublin, Ireland (where SWEET SAVAGE supported METALLICA) to perform "Killing Time".

Campbell was a member of SWEET SAVAGE from 1979 until 1982, when he joined DIO.

Vivian joined SWEET SAVAGE on stage for the first time in 30 years when the band supported THIN LIZZY in February 2011 in Belfast and Dublin to perform the classic track "Killing Time".

In a 2018 interview with Riccardo Ball of "The Metal Bar", Campbell stated about METALLICA covering "Killing Time" as the B-side to "The Unforgiven" single (the song was also included on METALLICA's "Garage Inc." covers album): "Yeah, that was incredibly flattering when that happened. I do think that there were very, very strong similarities between SWEET SAVAGE and METALLICA. I formed SWEET SAVAGE with a friend of mine who's, unfortunately, long since passed away — Trevor Fleming — back when I was 15. And we were in Belfast, Northern Ireland in the '70s, and it was a very tough environment, but we kind of put our heads down and got into music. And we sound a lot like METALLICA, so in a lot of ways, I'm really not that surprised. But it was tremendous for them to do that. It's funny when you're 15 or 16 years of age and you write a riff and you get together with your mates and it becomes a song, and then, 25 years later, you get a royalty check for it. It's funny how life works sometimes."

Photo: Mark Hylands

Platinum-selling, post-industrial/alternative rock pioneers FILTER are set to release their remixed and remastered new album, "The Algorithm: Ultra Edition", on August 8 via the band's No Pulse Records. The album features re-imagined cuts from "The Algorithm" — the tight conceptual statement heralding career-best songwriting from FILTER mastermind Richard Patrick — with nine additional tracks.

On July 11, the new album's first single, the speaker-shattering "All The Good", will be released to radio and on all digital platforms. The epic track — featuring that classic FILTER sound with a modern sonic edge — is pure existential chaos, heavy psychotic riffs and a soaring, anthemic chorus. It's not so much a loud-quiet-loud dynamic as a loud-quiet-monstrously loud one. From out of the blocks, Patrick's vocals are pushed into the red, and from there… things only get heavier. Produced by Patrick and longtime collaborator Brian Virtue, "All The Good" was co-written by Zach Munowitz, the guitarist who co-wrote "For the Beaten", "Up Against The Wall" and "Say It Again".

"The Algorithm: Ultra Edition" also delivers four remixes of previously released tracks, including by former NINE INCH NAILS member Charlie Clouser, producer/mixer Sean Beaven (NINE INCH NAILS, MARILYN MANSON) and Patrick's mixes of "Obliteration" as well as Julian Gray's version of "Burn Out The Sun". There are also two covers; Patrick offers his take on U2's "A Sort Of Homecoming" and Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy".

"The Algorithm: Ultra Edition" will be available on all music streaming platforms August 8, with exclusive physical versions to be released in the future.

"The Algorithm: Ultra Edition" track listing:

01. All The Good
02. A Sort Of Homecoming (U2 Cover)
03. The Drowning (ultra edition)
04. Up Against The Wall (ultra edition)
05. For The Beaten (ultra edition)
06. Obliteration (ultra edition)
07. Say It Again (ultra edition)
08. Face Down (ultra edition)
09. Summer Child (ultra edition)
10. Threshing Floor (ultra edition)
11. Be Careful What You Wish For (ultra)
12. Burn Out The Sun (ultra edition)
13. Command Z (ultra edition)
14. Burn Out The Sun (Julian Gray remix)
15. Obliteration (Sean Beaven remix)
16. Obliteration (Charlie Clouser remix)
17. Obliteration (Richard Patrick remix)
18. 'Murica (ultra edition)
19. Thoughts And Prayers (ultra edition)
20. Bad Guy (Billie Eilish cover)

Patrick, the creative mastermind behind FILTER, has spent over 30 years pushing the boundaries of musical expression. His tenure as NINE INCH NAILS' touring guitarist and involvement in the band's iconic music videos cemented his place in rock history. Patrick left NINE INCH NAILS in 1993 to form FILTER. Their explosive debut album, "Short Bus", achieved platinum status, propelled by the breakout single "Hey Man Nice Shot". The success continued with their follow-up release, "Title Of Record", also going platinum, thanks to the crossover hit "Take A Picture".

Patrick formed the supergroup ARMY OF ANYONE in 2006 alongside Dean and Robert DeLeo of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and Ray Luzier of KORN, before refocusing on FILTER's output of later lauded albums "Anthems For The Damned" (2008),"The Trouble With Angels" (2010),"The Sun Comes Out Tonight" (2013) and "Crazy Eyes" (2016). 20-plus years later, Patrick is more prolific than ever. Celebrating 30 years of FILTER, 2023 saw the much-anticipated release of a new FILTER album, "The Algorithm". Singles "Face Down", "For The Beaten" and "Obliteration" had innovative music videos which garnered attention from new and longtime fans alike.

FILTER will celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Short Bus" with a limited-edition colored vinyl reissue, out August 15 via Craft Recordings.

Photo credit: Derick Smith

Iconic architects of American doom metal THE OBSESSED have announced a seismic shift behind the kit as drummer Brian Costantino steps away, passing the torch to none other than Bob Pantella — the powerhouse percussionist known for his crushing work with MONSTER MAGNET and THE ATOMIC BITCHWAX. The band will embark on an extensive European tour, including several festival appearances this fall.

As the band bids farewell to one brother in arms, they welcome heavy rock titan Pantella, whose explosive energy and veteran prowess promise to ignite THE OBSESSED's signature sound with fresh, primal fire.

THE OBSESSED frontman Scott "Wino" Weinrich comments: "After THE OBSESSED drummer Brian Costantino recently stepped away from the band due to personal reasons, we are very happy to welcome Bob Pantella into THE OBSESSED. I have known Bob for many years and have always admired his skills behind the drums, and after our initial jam together, we are inspired and ready to rock. You may already know him from his other excellent bands THE ATOMIC BITCHWAX, MONSTER MAGNET and RAGING SLAB. We are proud to welcome Bob into THE OBSESSED."

THE OBSESSED returned last year after a seven-year absence with their acclaimed new album "Gilded Sorrow" on independent Californian label Ripple Music. Lauded as a "must-listen for fans of the genre and a compelling entry point for newer voyagers into the world of doom" by Metal Hammer and "the best the band has ever sounded" by Ghost Cult magazine, "Gilded Sorrow" is a defiantly abrasive, crushing and straightforward album that has already left an indelible mark on the heavy music landscape. The newly forged lineup will storm Europe this fall to perform their 1994 cornerstone album "The Church Within" in its entirety, including appearances at Desertfest, Up In Smoke and Keep It Low festivals.

THE OBSESSED European tour 2025:

Oct. 01 - DE Wiesbaden - Schlachthof
Oct. 02 - DE Ulm - Roxy
Oct. 03 - DE Würzburg - Keep It True Festival
Oct. 04 - DE Karlsruhe - Stadtmitte
Oct. 05 - CH Pratteln - Up In Smoke Festival
Oct. 06 - IT Milano - Legend
Oct. 08 - AT Vienna - Arena
Oct. 09 - AT Innsbruck - P.M.K.
Oct. 10 - CRO Zagreb - Mochvara
Oct. 11 - DE Munich - Keep It Low Festival
Oct. 12 - DE Leipzig - Ut Connewitz
Oct. 13 - DE Berlin - Zukunft
Oct. 15 - DE Cologne - Volta
Oct. 16 - DE Bielefeld - Forum
Oct. 17 - BE Antwerpen - Desertfest Belgium
Oct. 18 - NL Deventer - Burgerweeshuis
Oct. 20 - UK Bradford - The Underground
Oct. 21 - UK Manchester - Star & Garter
Oct. 22 - UK Milton Keynes - The Craufurd Arms
Oct. 23 - UK London - The Dome
Oct. 24 - NL Rotterdam - Grounds
Oct. 25 - DE Hamburg - Lazy Bones Festival

Weinrich is a living legend. In a way, he is the American version of Lemmy and shares many traits with the late, much-beloved metal icon. He's always been a rebel, loner and an outsider in an outsider scene, pursuing his music without regard for popularity or acceptance. In the process, he came to be considered one of the early pioneers of American doom. All of this began when he founded THE OBSESSED back in the 1970s, then pursued through his many other outfits such as SAINT VITUS and SPIRIT CARAVAN. As a key part of the 1980s Washington/Maryland music scene, his music earned the respect of metal, punk and crossover fans alike while often being dubbed doom metal. Looking back, it was just gritty, street-wise American metal with a cynical bent and psychedelic flair, and this is what made him the unique and timeless heavy music icon he is today.

THE OBSESSED was formed in the late 1970s in Potomac, Maryland by Weinrich. The band spawned in the realm of musicians/artists such as BLACK SABBATH, Frank Zappa, THE DICTATORS and THE STOOGES. The earliest lineup consisted of Wino, bassist Mark Laue, guitarist John Reese and drummer Dave Flood. In 1983, Wino took over vocal duties and the band became a three-piece to record the "Sodden Jackal" EP. The band broke up in the late 80s after Wino moved to California to join SAINT VITUS. At that time, a German label, Hellhound Records, and the booking agency that had signed SAINT VITUS, released "The Obsessed", originally recorded in 1985, prompting Wino to reform THE OBSESSED. After multiple lineup changes, the band signed to Columbia Records in 1994 to release their third album, "The Church Within". Despite highly acclaimed reviews, they would break up following the release, seeing Wino forming SPIRIT CARAVAN (then SHINE) and other projects.

In September 2011, THE OBSESSED returned to the stage at Roadburn festival with "The Church Within"'s legendary lineup of Wino, Greg Rogers and Guy Pinhas. The band played a few more reunion shows over the next couple of years, including Hellfest in 2012 and Maryland Deathfest XI in May 2013 with bassist Reid Raley. Wino announced the full-time return of the band in March 2016 and the band's official signing to Relapse Records to record the follow-up to "The Church Within". The new lineup originally consisted of SPIRIT CARAVAN bassist Dave Sherman and Wino's longtime friend and former road crew member Brian Costantino (drums). On October 31st, 2016, Wino announced a new lineup change, including Bruce Falkinburg (bass) and Seraphim (guitar),making it the first time the band had been a four-piece in over thirty-five years.

In 2017, THE OBSESSED unleashed "Sacred", the band's first studio album in over twenty years, further pushing the band into the annals of heavy metal history. After a few years on the road, the lineup stabilized around Brian Costantino on drums, Chris Angleberger on bass, Jason Taylor on guitar and Scott "Wino" Weinrich at the helm. In the winter of 2024, the iconic foursome embraced the new decade in doom with the release of their fifth album "Gilded Sorrow" as part of their collaboration with Californian label Ripple Music and their return to the stage forefront through several North American and European tours and festival appearances.

Respected Danish vocalist and guitarist Mike Tramp will release a new album, "Songs Of White Lion - Vol. III", on September 19 via Frontiers Music Srl. As was the case with "Songs Of White Lion - Vol. I" and "Songs Of White Lion - Vol. II", the upcoming LP once again sees Tramp re-imagining select cuts from his former band WHITE LION.

To celebrate the announcement, the lead single "Cherokee" is out now, accompanied by a music video, available below.

Mike comments on the track: "Revisiting 'Cherokee', one of the first songs [founding WHITE LION guitarist] Vito Bratta and I wrote in 1983, was so amazing, I always loved that song, and the new version only confirms what a great song it still is."

Tramp, the unmistakable voice and principal songwriter of WHITE LION, concludes his heartfelt trilogy with "Songs Of White Lion - Vol. III", a powerful and deeply personal tribute to one of the most iconic bands of the 1980s melodic hard rock scene.

Tramp speaks on how this series of recordings came together: "For me, the point of re-recording the old classic WHITE LION songs was all about letting the audience know how the band would sound if they come to see us live. Bringing the sound up today and away from a world no more.

"When I started with 'Vol. I', I must admit, I never thought I'd do 'Vol. II' and now 'Vol. III'," he continues. "But having done it all now, makes all the more sense to me. If I have to be active playing WHITE LION in 2025 and onward, there's got to be a natural progression in every way. That is exactly what this trilogy is all about."

In this final installment, Tramp revisits and reimagines ten more essential songs from the WHITE LION catalog, bringing them back to life with the passion, perspective, and authenticity that only decades of experience can deliver.

Once again backed by his trusted bandmates — Marcus Nand (guitar),Claus Langeskov (bass) and Morten Hellborn (drums) — Tramp offers fresh but respectful renditions of these classic tracks, capturing their spirit while elevating them with a more refined, seasoned sound.

From the raw defiance of "Fight To Survive" to the cinematic power of "Warsong" and the infectious rhythm of "Radar Love", this album is both a celebration and a reawakening.

Standing as more than a simple re-recording project, "Songs Of White Lion - Vol. III" is the emotional conclusion of a trilogy — a journey through time, memory, and music that connects the past to the present with integrity and fire.

"Songs Of White Lion - Vol. III" track listing:

01. Dirty Woman
02. Warsong
03. Fight To Survive
04. She's Got Everything
05. In The City
06. If My Mind Is Evil
07. Cherokee
08. All Burn In Hell
09. Don't Say It's Over
10. Radar Love

In a January 2025 interview with Australia's Heavy, Tramp was asked how he has managed to keep his voice in shape after all these years. Tramp, who turned 64 earlier that month, said:  "You know what? Obviously, you will recognize that it's the same singer, but it was very important for me that the growth of Mike Tramp through all the albums that I've done and the touring and the traveling became… Let's say, in reality, [WHITE LION] had not broken up. There would have been a natural progression. Vito Bratta and myself, which, of course, were the foundation of WHTIE LION, the songwriters, already knew that when we recording 'Mane Attraction', our fourth album, our last album. If you go back, you will already see that we were making the first step towards prog rock, where we wanted the band to go. We were going much more towards bands like JOURNEY, KANSAS or STYX and whatever bands would have come. We wanted the band to be a band of music and little by little, the hair would become less important. So, with my albums that have gone on, my voice has naturally just changed bit by bit a year. So when I reintroduced the WHITE LION songs, I definitely cannot sing them in the same key. So once we refurbished them and once we found the new key to the songs, I also went out there now with the knowledge of knowing that I wrote those songs 40 years ago. I wanted to sort of say, 'I'm gonna sing them a little different.'"

Asked why it was important for him to recreate those songs, Mike said: "Yeah, without any disrespect to myself and the band that I started, I personally cannot stand listening to the versions from that time. I was in a completely different place. So, for me to play these songs again, I had to find something that felt new and fresh, even though it was the same thing. So by singing these songs again and changing the keys of the songs, it's almost like they became fatter and fuller and not so gung-ho. We were so fast and singing so high and flying in the air. Now I'm going up to the mic stand and I'm fully in control. I used to run out on stage with WHITE LION and started screaming at the audience, and the band would look at me, 'He's gonna collapse in 10 seconds.' [Now I'm] going out fully confident and saying, 'We're gonna play these songs now for the sake of music.'"

When "Songs Of White Lion - Vol. II" was first announced last year, Tramp said in a statement: "Would Leonardo Da Vinci have re-painted 'Mona Lisa', if he had gotten a second chance? That we will never know, but I can say for sure, that I am beyond thrilled to have gotten a second chance to re-record and sing the songs I wrote between 1983 - 1990. Today I have such a better understanding of how I want to express the songs in my voice than I had when I was in my 20s, it's just a fact, and I've grabbed the chance. 'Songs Of White Lion' is a whole new chapter. [As a] matter of fact, it is current."

Tramp spent most of 2024 and the first half of 2025 touring the U.S. and Europe with his band MIKE TRAMP'S WHITE LION, which doesn't included any other members of the original WHITE LION group.

In 2023, Tramp was asked in an interview about the possibility of WHITE LION reforming for a tour. He said: "When we broke up in '91, we always knew we would never go back together. And a lot of people always talk about reunions. WHITE LION reuniting would not be a better WHITE LION than WHITE LION was, so I'm out there performing the songs, not trying to recreate WHITE LION."

Asked if he has ever thought of calling his solo band WHITE LION and touring with new members, Mike replied: "I can't call it WHITE LION." Pressed about whether he would call his band WHITE LION if he could, Mike said: "I tried, and it cost me money. [Laughs] I think that the audience now is understanding that I'm just keeping the songs alive, and I'm able to perform it in a different way. I'm able to show the image that I'm not coming out there and doing a show but I'm gonna take them through like a greatest hits. I like to tell stories about what the songs are. You can't always do that on a festival when you have one hour, but that is my goal, that I will keep the songs alive. And I think that all the fans and the music fans know who Mike Tramp is and it doesn't need to be called WHITE LION. But it's called 'Songs Of White Lion'."

Back in 2019, Tramp revealed in an interview that he had apologized to guitarist Vito Bratta for trying to resurrect his former band without his onetime songwriting partner and bandmate.

The Danish-born singer hasn't played with Bratta since WHITE LION performed its last concert in Boston in September 1991.

In the 34 years since WHITE LION broke up, Bratta's public profile has been virtually nonexistent, while Tramp has remained active, recording and touring as a solo artist and with the bands FREAK OF NATURE, THE ROCK 'N' ROLL CIRCUZ and, more recently, BAND OF BROTHERS. Tramp also attempted to revive WHITE LION with the 2008 album "Return Of The Pride", featuring new members. Two years later, Tramp ceded ownership of the name WHITE LION to Bratta in an out-of-court settlement.

Speaking to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation", Tramp said that he and Vito are once again on speaking terms following his ill-fated attempt to bring back WHITE LION a decade and a half ago.

"I have, over the past couple of years, been the one out there basically both admitting and apologizing that the only thing that I never planned to do in my career and wanted to do was go back and rehash a version of WHITE LION that had nothing to do with WHITE LION, nothing to do with the guys that played in the band," Mike said. "Mike Tramp's heart was not in it. It was just a moment of weakness, not believing enough in my solo albums. [You listen to] some guys saying, 'Hey, if you put a new WHITE LION together, you can play festivals and get much more money.' And then you fall for that and you engage in it and you go out there, and then you realize it's not what you wanna do. And then, of course, Vito did not want the name WHITE LION to be used without him being in the band. And it actually took a couple of years for me to really understand how much it meant to Vito. And when Vito one day told me in one of these conversations… First of all, he told me, 'Mike, I'm not against you. I just don't wanna turn YouTube on and see the title 'WHITE LION live in so and so,' and somebody doing 'When The Children Cry' solo and it's not me. WHITE LION was you and me, it was our band, we wrote the songs. That is the memories I want for the rest of my life.' And when he told me that, I had tears in my eyes and I totally understood it, because I had also gotten to that point that when we closed WHITE LION, we felt that this is where we wanted to stop it. There was something, going into the '90s, that didn't agree with the things we were looking at, and we wanted to somehow end it on a higher level than something that would not represent us in the future. But it just took many years to really understand it."

Asked if he understands why Vito doesn't want to play music professionally anymore, Mike said: "Yes, I do, because there are actually times when I also don't feel like doing it anymore. When all the magic around us, the stuff that made us fall in love with rock and roll — first of all, our heroes, then the industry, then the touring stuff — when all of that was really exposed that it was a two-faced kind of thing, that the people we thought loved us — and I'm not talking about the fans; I'm talking about the people that made money from us, and stuff like that — turned their back on us and stabbed us in the back, it really ripped us apart. And maybe it's just that I came from a different background than Vito, that I maybe was a little bit stronger or just of a different nature that I just fought back, but Vito just said, 'I just don't wanna deal with this.' And I understand now — I understand it from every conversation that I have with him."

Tramp also once again closed the door on a possible WHITE LION reunion, saying: "I can't be Mike Tramp 1988. I can't sing like that, and I'm not going up on stage and doing a half-assed job, which most of the bands out there are doing."

Mainly active in the 1980s and early 1990s, WHITE LION released its debut album, "Fight To Survive", in 1985. The band had its breakthrough with the double-platinum-selling "Pride" album, which produced two Top 10 hits: "Wait" and "When The Children Cry". The band continued its success with the third album, "Big Game", which achieved gold status.

By the time WHITE LION released its final album, 1991's "Mane Attraction", alternative rock was in the ascendancy, leading to a swift decline of the so-called "hair metal" scene in terms of sales, popularity, radio play, and most importantly, relevance.

Mike released "Songs Of White Lion", in April 2023 via Frontiers Music Srl. "Songs Of White Lion - Vol. II" followed in August 2024.

Photo credit: Michael Anthony

Ozzy Osbourne will release a new memoir, "Last Rites", on October 7 via Grand Central Publishing.

The final, fearlessly raw memoir from Ozzy, "Last Rites" is the shocking, bitterly hilarious, never-before-told story of Osbourne's descent into hell related to his health issues over the course of the last seven years. Along the way, he reflects on his extraordinary life and career — including his turbulent marriage to wife Sharon, his encounters with fellow hellraisers including Slash, Bon Scott, John Bonham and Keith Moon, the harrowing final moments he spent with MOTÖRHEAD's Lemmy Kilmister, all alongside his reflections on the triumphant "Back To The Beginning" concert, streamed around the world, where Ozzy reunited with his BLACK SABBATH bandmates for the final time and raised millions for charity.

Unflinching and surprisingly life-affirming, "Last Rites" demonstrates once again why Ozzy has transcended his status as "The Godfather Of Metal" and "The Prince Of Darkness" to become a modern-day folk hero and national treasure.

Ozzy said in a statement: "People say to me, if you could do it all again, knowing what you know now, would you change anything? I'm, like, fuck no. If I'd been clean and sober, I wouldn't be Ozzy. If I'd done normal, sensible things, I wouldn't be Ozzy. Look, if it ends tomorrow, I can't complain. I've been all around the world. Seen a lot of things. I've done good… and I've done bad. But right now, I'm not ready to go anywhere."

"Last Rites" will be Osbourne's second book, following his 2009 memoir "I Am Ozzy".

The cover of "Last Rites", courtesy of Grand Central Publishing, can be seen above.

According to The Guardian, Ozzy's last-ever live performance this past (Saturday, July 5) at the "Back To The Beginning" event at the Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom was livestreamed to more than five million fans worldwide.

Ozzy played a five-song set with his solo band — consisting of guitarist Zakk Wylde, bassist Mike Inez, keyboardist Adam Wakeman and drummer Tommy Clufetos — before being joined by fellow original BLACK SABBATH members Tony Iommi (guitar),Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums) for four classic SABBATH songs: "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "N.I.B." and "Paranoid".

Ozzy's solo set consisted of four songs from Osbourne's 1980 solo debut album "Blizzard Of Ozz" — "I Don't Know", "Mr. Crowley", "Suicide Solution" and "Crazy Train" — along with his 1991 "No More Tears" ballad "Mama, I'm Coming Home".

The 76-year-old heavy metal singer, who has Parkinson's disease, sang while seated on a black throne and appeared overcome with emotion at times. "You have no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart," he told the crowd.

At the end of SABBATH's set, Ozzy said: "It's the last song ever. Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle, thank you from the bottom of our hearts." Osbourne was then presented with a cake, while fireworks lit up the stadium from overhead.

A message on screen then read, "Thank you for everything, you guys are fucking amazing. Birmingham Forever," before the sky lit up with fireworks.

More than 40,000 fans attended the event, which also saw performances from METALLICA, SLAYER, PANTERA, LAMB OF GOD and ANTHRAX, among others. Profits from the show will be shared equally between the charities Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice.

There was also an online auction benefiting those charities. Items up for bid included two Gibson guitars signed by performers, a GUNS N' ROSES pinball machine, several gold record and CD displays including BLACK SABBATH's "Paranoid", LED ZEPPELIN's "Physical Graffiti" and METALLICA's "Master Of Puppets", plus more than a dozen travel packages.

A livestream of the daylong event was announced in June. While it was called a livestream, the video was delayed two hours from the in-arena start time.

Livestream tickets were priced $29.99, which got you live viewing and access to video for 48 hours. The livestream and T-shirt bundle was priced $64.98. It got you event viewing and a "Back To The Beginning" T-shirt.

"Back To The Beginning" was captured, produced and distributed by Mercury Studios ("One To One: John & Yoko", "American Symphony", "Metallica Saved My Life"). Mercury has partnered with Kiswe — the global D2C streaming partner behind the record-breaking BTS concert livestream — to deliver this moment of music history to fans across the globe.

The all-day event at Villa Park, produced by Live Nation, was hosted and compered by American actor Jason Momoa.

During an appearance on the July 8 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Tony Iommi spoke about some of his upcoming music-related projects, including a full-length collection of new material from the legendary BLACK SABBATH guitarist. Tony said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " Well, at the moment, well, I was doing my own album until [the 'Back To The Beginning' event] came up, and then, of course, I had to stop and concentrate on [preparing for] the SABBATH [performance]. But I'm continuing next week on trying to finish off what I started with this album. And then who knows what I'm gonna do then? It's great, really, 'cause if something pops up, I'll do it, if I want to do it. So it's a good thing."

Asked if his upcoming album is a Tony Iommi solo record with guests on it, like he has done before with 2000's "Iommi", the guitarist responded: "At the moment, no. I've got one singer on it at the moment, which I originally thought of different singers. But it started off as it's gonna be an instrumental album, and it's gone from I've got some instrumental stuff, but then I thought, 'Oh, I wanna try it with a singer.' And so that's what I've been doing."

Tony also spoke about his recent appearance on "Rocket", the first single from British pop star Robbie Williams's upcoming album "Britpop". The rock track, which was written by Robbie, Karl Brazil, Tony Iommi and Tom Longworth, features a signature guitar solo from the heavy metal pioneer.

"[Robbie] asked me if I'd play on this track, and I didn't realize he was gonna release it as a single," Iommi said. "And then he wanted to do a video with it. Oh my God. But it was great to do that. And I enjoyed doing that. And it's great now — I can do different stuff when I want, really, and I'm enjoying it."

Tony added: "I can't stop. I have to carry on. I enjoy what I do. And it's great being creative. And I love to create music. That's what started me off and that's what will finish me off, probably. But I love it. And there will be — yes — more from me. And I'm getting more involved in — we spread our wings with the [BLACK SABBATH] ballet and different things. And there's a lot more things to come. So I'm looking forward to that."

Last year, Iommi released an instrumental track, "Deified", to accompany the arrival of another new fragrance. The song saw Iommi reunite with longtime collaborator Mike Exeter, who played keyboards and handled production, with Laurence Cottle (who played on BLACK SABBATH's "Headless Cross" album) on bass. The recording lineup was rounded out by FEEDER and Robbie Williams drummer Karl Brazil, with Ben Andrews scoring the orchestrations.

Three years earlier, Iommi unveiled "Scent Of Dark" — his first new music in eight years at the time — alongside an accompanying cologne.

At the time of "Scent Of Dark"'s release, Iommi revealed that he had "four or five hundred" unused riffs on his phone, with plans to arrange and record some of them for his various projects.

"Scent Of Dark" and "Deified" were the product of a friendship struck up during the pandemic between Iommi and Sergio Momo, acclaimed perfumer, and designer for Xerjoff, well known for its unique and individual creations and collaborations in the fragrance world. Sergio is also an accomplished guitarist, and his fine fretwork can be heard on both songs.

Iommi previously spoke about his upcoming solo album during a June 2024 appearance on Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show. He said at the time: "I am writing stuff now for my own, for an album. So that's exciting too. And there's no pressure. I just do stuff when I feel like it, because, obviously, I've got a life to live and I like to do all the different stuff. But I've really enjoyed doing this stuff, as I did with Ozz [BLACK SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne] when I'd done a couple of tracks for his last [solo] album ['Patient Number 9'], which was good, to work with Ozz again. And I'm quite open for all that now. Whatever comes, and I like it, I do it."

Asked if he is going to release a "proper record" or if he will just make individual songs available whenever he feels like it, Iommi responded: "No, I'm gonna do a record. And I've got a lot of stuff. But now we're actually getting around to sort of putting it together, myself and the engineer. So it's been good fun, really. And as I say, there's no pressure. I can just do it — I don't have to do it by next week. And because of everything else [that has] been lurking around, I have to take my time in doing things. But it's been fun. And that's what it's all about, really. And I'm looking forward to actually doing it and an album coming out."

When and if Iommi's new solo album surfaces, it would be his third, after 2000's "Iommi" and 2005's "Fused".

Joining Iommi on "Fused" was ex-DEEP PURPLE bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes and drummer Kenny Aronoff, whose resume includes the "Iommi" album and a long run with John Mellencamp.

Nearly two decades ago, Iommi told Launch that he, Aronoff and Hughes had a great time making the "Fused" record. "It was like a load of nutters, quite honestly," he said. "We all let loose in the room. It was just like being kids, because Kenny, you know, [laughs] he was, like, he's so, like, up, and full of energy, and you've got Glenn [makes crazy sound] and Kenny [makes crazy sound] — bloody hell! It's almost too much, you know, but it worked."

SMASHING PUMPKINS frontman Billy Corgan and Dave Grohl of the FOO FIGHTERS are among the guests who were heard on "Iommi". The LP also featured guest appearances from Philip Anselmo of PANTERA, Henry Rollins and SYSTEM OF A DOWN's Serj Tankian as well as Skin of SKUNK ANANSIE, Peter Steele from TYPE O NEGATIVE, and THE CULT's Ian Astbury.

In February 2017, SABBATH finished "The End" tour in Birmingham, closing out the quartet's groundbreaking 49-year career.

"The End" was SABBATH's last tour because Iommi — who was diagnosed with lymphoma in late 2011 — can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.

Iommi revealed his cancer diagnosis in early 2012, shortly after SABBATH announced a reunion tour and album. He underwent treatment throughout the recording of the disc, titled "13", and the subsequent tour to promote it.

The BLACK SABBATH guitarist successfully underwent an operation in January 2017 to remove a noncancerous lump from his throat.

"13" was the first album in 35 years to feature Iommi, Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler all playing together.

Bill Ward was on board for the SABBATH reunion when it was first announced 11 years ago, but backed out soon after. The drummer later claimed that he sat out the recording and touring sessions because of unfair contractual terms, although the members of SABBATH have hinted in other interviews that he wasn't physically up to the task.

All four original members of SABBATH were present when the band announced its final reunion in late 2011. But Ward split from the group in 2012, citing an "unsignable" contract, and Osbourne, Iommi and Butler carried on with their Rick Rubin–produced "13" LP and extensive international touring without him.

Last Saturday's (July 5) "Back To The Beginning" event at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom marked the original BLACK SABBATH lineup's first performance since 2005 and the quartet's final live appearance.

Ozzy played a five-song set with his solo band before being joined by Iommi, Butler and Ward for four classic SABBATH tracks: "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "N.I.B." and "Paranoid".

Photo credit: Gibson