ZZ Top delivers the fireworks on July 4 with From The Top (1979–1990), a limited-edition collection from Rhino High Fidelity (Rhino Hi-Fi) that trails the Texas trio on the road to worldwide fame. Following the first volume’s sellout last year, the sequel features five albums from the height of the band’s mainstream success.

From The Top (1979–1990) includes Degüello (1979), El Loco (1981), Eliminator (1983), Afterburner (1985), and Recycler (1990). Lacquers for each album were AAA cut from the original stereo master tapes by Kevin Gray and pressed on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl at Optimal. The albums are housed in a faux-leather slipcase, and the collection is limited to 3,000 individually numbered copies. The collection is available today for pre-order exclusively at Rhino.com and select WMG stores worldwide.

ZZ Top came together in Houston with vocalist and guitarist Billy Gibbons, bassist Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard behind the drums. Blending electric blues, boogie, and humor, the trio steadily built a following through relentless touring and a streak of increasingly confident records. From The Top (1979–1990) picks up as the band entered a new decade—one where their sound expanded, their videos took over MTV, and their beards grew right along with their fanbase.



After a brief hiatus, ZZ Top returned in 1979 with Degüello, a looser record built around funkier grooves like “Cheap Sunglasses,” with its staccato backbeat and crescendo of “oh yeahs.” Their version of Sam and Dave’s “I Thank You” became a fan favorite, Gibbons says in the album’s new liners notes by James Austin. “Our cover emerged unabashedly with a one-take stab onto the tape machine, and the tale was told and remains a recurrent requested number on stage and over radio stations everywhere.”

They scored a Top 20 hit in 1981 with El Loco, which introduced classics like “Tube Snake Boogie” and “Pearl Necklace.” The trio kept one foot in the blues while experimenting with new sounds, telegraphing their next move with synths on “Groovy Little Hippie Pad” and processed drums on “Party On The Patio.”

Released in 1983, Eliminator marked a seismic shift for ZZ Top, blending their blues-rock foundation with driving tempos, synthesizers, and airtight songwriting. The album became a phenomenon—Diamond-certified, spending over two years on the charts and delivering a trio of massive hits: “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” and “Legs.” Backed by a striking run of MTV videos, the band reached a new generation of fans and became unexpected pop culture icons.

Afterburner followed in 1985, pushing the synth-driven sound even further. Tracks like “Sleeping Bag,” “Velcro Fly,” and “Rough Boy” kept the band on heavy radio rotation, while the album climbed to #4 on the charts and was certified five times platinum in the U.S. alone. “So many wacky gadgets suddenly seemed to appear in the studio,” Gibbons recalls. “The temptation of experimentation took us all in… and some satisfying mayhem unfolded. And that’s defiantly rock ’n’ roll.”

Recycler arrived in 1990, opening a new decade with a Top 10, platinum-certified exclamation point. Tracks like “My Head’s In Mississippi” and “2000 Blues” leaned into their blues roots, while “Doubleback”—featured in Back to the Future Part III—gave them another high-profile hit. It was the final album in a remarkable trilogy that defined ZZ Top’s sound—and look—for years to come.

Rhino High Fidelity continues to tap into Warner Music’s vast catalog with superlative editions of landmark albums spanning rock, pop, jazz, blues, and beyond. Each title in the series pairs uncompromising audio with archival-grade packaging, honoring the album’s original intent in both sound and design.

Canadian death metal veterans GORGUTS are working on their first new material in nearly a decade. Earlier today, the band shared a few photos from the studio and included the following message: "Hello dear Gorguthians, many of you have been asking about new material and updates from the band, so here's the latest: the guys are currently at [GORGUTS bassist] Colin Marston's new studio in Pennsylvania, USA. They've just spent three days recording pre-production demos for four new songs intended for the upcoming album.

"There's no official release date yet, but you can expect the album sometime around 2026. Stay tuned! #gorguts #newmaterial #deathmetal #studio".

At least month's Northwest Terror Fest in Seattle, Washington, GORGUTS debuted a brand new song. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

GORGUTS performed for the first time in nearly six years at the 2023 Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest: Philly. To celebrate the end of this extended break, the band played a special set exclusively of material from 1998's landmark "Obscura" and 1991's old-school classic "Considered Dead".

In the fall of 2023, GORGUTS completed a North American tour with CANNIBAL CORPSE, MAYHEM and BLOOD INCANTATION.

Few extreme bands can boast the pedigree of GORGUTS. During their early days as part of death metal's first wave, they created a legacy of legendary releases including their debut album "Considered Dead" (1991) and its more experimental and technical follow-up "Erosion Of Sanity" (1993). After a hiatus of five years, Lemay returned with a new lineup, which released the highly acclaimed and seminal third full-length "Obscura" (1998). By then GORGUTS had been busy at expanding and redefining the language of death metal. With a new lineup that left Lemay as the sole original member, the next milestone album was released under the title "From Wisdom To Hate" (2001).

Yet again the band went into hibernation, while their musical legacy continued to inspire and thrive as their native Quebec became a focus for technical death metal with acts such as CRYPTOPSY, NEURAXIS and BEYOND CREATION, to name but a few, following in their footsteps. After more than a decade of silence, Lemay unleashed "Colored Sands" (2013) with an all-star line-up including Colin Marston (BEHOLD THE ARCTOPUS),Kevin Hufnagel (DYSRHYTHMIA) and John Longstreth (ORIGIN, SKINLESS),who was later replaced by Patrice Hamelin (QUO VADIS, BENEATH THE MASSACRE) and more recently by Michel Bélanger.

In 2016, GORGUTS released the "Pleiades Dust" EP. In an age of a postulated clash of cultures, Lemay delivered a piece of music that was conceptually and lyrically based on the "House Of Wisdom", a medieval library based in Baghdad and at the heart of the Golden Age of Islam with its many scientific breakthroughs in various fields of learning.

After a successful year of touring in 2017, GORGUTS once again receded into the shadows and went dark before becoming reactivated six years later.

GORGUTS 2025 is:

Luc Lemay - rhythm guitar, vocals
Kevin Hufnagel - lead guitar
Colin Marston - bass
Michel Bélanger - drums

Image courtesy of TeamMontrealMetal

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Ozzy Osbourne has teamed up with Birmingham, United Kingdom "alternative" make-up brand Jolie Beauty to produce a unique collection of cosmetic and makeup products.

The limited-edition, officially licensed collection, which will be revealed and available to purchase via the Jolie Beauty web site beginning July 9, fuses the company's "bold, artistic style with the theatrical, gothic flair that has defined Ozzy's legendary career."

"It's such an honor that Ozzy and his team chose to partner with us — especially as an independently run brand from his home city," said Jolie Cashmore, CEO of Jolie Beauty. "This collaboration is a testament to Ozzy's impact on the gothic and alternative communities, and a celebration of his legendary influence on music, fashion, and creativity."

"The bat is finally out the bag," Cashmore added in a video posted on social media. "I hardly believe it either, guys, and I've had a lot of time to process this. Tears have been shed when I got this news. I cried because this is an absolute honor for me. I am a lifelong BLACK SABBATH and Ozzy Osbourne fan, and of course he's from Birmingham. To be given this opportunity by the Osbourne team is just a dream come true. It's so amazing that they've chosen an independent, small Birmingham brand for this."

Back in October 2022, Ozzy launched another beauty collection, appropriately dubbed "Ozzy Osbourne Collection". Through a unique collaboration with Ozzy, the licensing agent Global Merchandising and the design team at Rock And Roll Beauty, the 21-piece set featured a 14-shade "Ozzy Bat Palette" shaped like a winged creature of the night and another one in a coffin-shaped case, with shades inspired by some of Ozzy's best-known songs, including "Zombie Stomp", "Crazy Train" and "Iron Man". The collection also featured candles to conjure the spirit of the rock gods, Ozzy-styled body tattoos, dark "metal", lipsticks, cosmetic bags, and a gothic mirror.

As previously reported, BLACK SABBATH's final show in Birmingham this weekend is expected to help boost the West Midlands economy by up to £20 million (approximately $27 million).

The West Midlands Growth Company said as many as 300,000 music, sport and food fans would descend on Birmingham for what is being described as a "super weekend".

Photo credit: Ross Halfin

Premier, the creative communications agency providing marketing and PR services to the entertainment, arts and culture, has released a new interview with Ozzy Osbourne to promote the upcoming "Back To The Beginning" concert, which will take place this Saturday, July 5 at Birmingham, United Kingdom's Villa Park.

BLACK SABBATH's original lineup — Ozzy, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — will reunite for the first time in 20 years to headline the sold-out event. They'll be joined by metal's most iconic and influential acts — METALLICA, GUNS N' ROSES, TOOL, SLAYER, PANTERA, GOJIRA, HALESTORM, ALICE IN CHAINS, LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX, MASTODON and RIVAL SONS — all performing as part of this monumental moment, now confirmed for a global livestream.

The question-and-answer session with Osbourne follows below.

Q: What does this show mean to you personally?

Ozzy: "It's my final encore; it's my chance to say thank you to my fans for always supporting me and being there for me."

Q: How does it feel to be playing your final show in Birmingham?

Ozzy: "I couldn't have done my final show anywhere else. I had to go back to the beginning."

Q: What do you hope fans take away from Back to the Beginning?

Ozzy: "I hope they feel appreciated for how much they mean to me. "

Q: Why was a live stream important for this performance?

Ozzy: "We never meant to have a livestream; it wasn't in our plan. I was just surprised how many people we were contacted by to do one, and so it seemed a great chance for people who didn't have the opportunity to get a ticket to be able to see the show."

Q: Can you share any memories about Villa Park or performing in your hometown?

Ozzy: "My memories of Villa Park when I was growing up were: Every Saturday when there was a match, I would go out with my friends and stand outside the Villa asking people for a shilling to watch their car. "

Q: What does this lineup of legends mean to you?

Ozzy: "It means everything, I am forever in their debt for showing up for me and the fans. I can't quite put it into words, but I feel very emotional and blessed. "

Q: Do you see this as a goodbye or the beginning of something else?

Ozzy: "It's a goodbye as far as my live performances go, and what a way to go out. "

The sold-out "Back To The Beginning: Ozzy's Final Bow" event will be available as a global livestream at www.backtothebeginning.com.

Those who missed out on being there can still experience this unforgettable moment, with access to the raw livestream from 3:00 p.m. on July 5, and the chance to rewatch the concert in its entirety for another 48 hours.

"Back To The Beginning: Ozzy's Final Bow" will be captured, produced and distributed by Mercury Studios ("One To One: John & Yoko", "American Symphony", "Metallica Saved My Life"),who are pioneering the way for premium, music-driven storytelling across film, television, podcasts and immersive formats. Mercury has partnered with Kiswe — the global D2C streaming partner behind the record-breaking BTS concert livestream — to deliver this unforgettable moment of music history to fans across the globe.

Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon Osbourne said: "We had such an overwhelming demand from fans from around the globe, who couldn't get tickets to the show, and they took to social media, pleading with us to broadcast a livestream of the show. Being this is such a historic event, we just couldn't let them down."

Kelly Sweeney, managing director of Mercury Studios, said: "Mercury Studios are incredibly proud to be involved in capturing this monumental milestone at Villa Park. 'Back To The Beginning' will be an unforgettable experience, and our aim is to deliver this moment to fans worldwide, wherever they are, so they don't miss out on seeing music history being made."

The all-day event at Villa Park, produced by Live Nation, will be hosted and compered by American actor Jason Momoa, and feature a supergroup of musicians.

This past February, Sharon told The Sun that her husband is struggling to walk amid his battle with Parkinsons disease, but that his singing voice is "as good as ever". She said: "[Ozzy's] very happy to be coming back and very emotional about this.

"Parkinson's is a progressive disease. It's not something you can stabilize. It affects different parts of the body and it's affected his legs. But his voice is as good as it's ever been."

Proceeds from the "Back To The Beginning" show will support Cure Parkinson's, the Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice, a Children's Hospice supported by Aston Villa.

According to Sharon, Ozzy, who paused touring "for now" in 2023 after extensive spinal surgery and rescheduled his "No More Tours 2" shows from going ahead several times because of illness, the pandemic and logistical issues, will not play any more shows after the Villa Park event.

"Ozzy didn't have a chance to say goodbye to his friends, to his fans, and he feels there's no been no full stop," she explained. "This is his full stop."

In addition, there will be a performance by a "supergroup of musicians" including Duff McKagan and Slash (GUNS 'N' ROSES),Billy Corgan (THE SMASHING PUMPKINS),Fred Durst (LIMP BIZKIT),K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST),Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE) and Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE).

"It's an endless amount of people," said Sharon. "They're going to be doing some SABBATH songs, some Ozzy songs, and they'll all mix together. Different little groups will be coming on, but they're all icons."

The original lineup of BLACK SABBATH last performed in 2005. Since then, SABBATH has played in partial reunions but never in its original lineup.

"For Ozzy right now, it's definitely: 'I love you and good night'," Sharon told Reuters.

She added that Ozzy was doing well and excited about the gig. "It's stimulated him," she said. "He's very, very excited and very thankful that he can do it."

The legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman was diagnosed in 2003 with Parkin 2 — a very rare genetic form of Parkinson's. During a TV appearance in January 2020, the singer disclosed that he was 'stricken" with the disease which occurs when the nerve cells of the body degenerate and levels of dopamine are reduced. Dopamine is an essential chemical that is produced by these nerve cells which send signals to different parts of the brain to control movements of the body.

Ozzy's health issues, including suffering a nasty fall and dislodging metal rods placed in his spine following a quad-bike accident in 2003, as well as catching COVID-19 three years ago, forced him to cancel some of his previously announced tours.

While Osbourne's health issues forced him to scrap most of his live appearances, the musician said he would return if his condition improved.

Osbourne's previously announced European tour with guests JUDAS PRIEST, originally set for 2019 and then rescheduled three times, was officially canceled in early February 2023.

Despite his health problems, Osbourne has performed a couple of times in the last three years, including at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August 2022 and at the NFL halftime show at the season opener Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills game in September 2022.

FOO FIGHTERS mark the 30th anniversary of the band's classic 1995 debut with the opening salvo of its next chapter: "Today's Song", the first taste of new FOO FIGHTERS music since 2023's universally acclaimed "But Here We Are", is now available across digital platforms.

An indelible anthem in the time-honored FOO FIGHTERS tradition, "Today's Song" bristles with unbridled optimism from its subtle melodic intro through the peaks of its soaring crescendos. With lyrical themes of personal evolution and perseverance in the face of life's uncertainty and the passage of time, "Today's Song" is nothing short of a three-minute-fifteen-second epic.

In a note to fans that posted today, FOO FIGHTERS frontman Dave Grohl wrote: "Over the years, we've had moments of unbridled joy, and moments of devastating heartbreak. Moments of beautiful victory, and moments of painful defeat. We have mended broken bones and broken hearts. But we have followed this road together, with each other, for each other, no matter what. Because in life, you just can't go it alone.

"It should go without saying that without the boundless energy of William Goldsmith, the seasoned wisdom of Franz Stahl, and the thunderous wizardry of Josh Freese, this story would be incomplete, so we extend our heartfelt gratitude for the time, music, and memories that we shared with each of them over the years. Thank you, gentlemen.

"And... Taylor. Your name is spoken every day, sometimes with tears, sometimes with a smile, but you are still in everything we do, everywhere we go, forever. The enormity of your beautiful soul is only rivaled by the infinite longing we feel in your absence. We all miss you beyond words. FOO FIGHTERS will forever include Taylor Hawkins in every note that we play, until we do finally reach our destination."

To read or listen to Dave's full message, go to foofighters.com.

FOO FIGHTERS are Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett and Rami Jaffee.

"Today's Song" artwork by Harper Grohl.

Earlier this week, FOO FIGHTERS released a cover of MINOR THREAT's 1981 hardcore classic "I Don't Wanna Hear It" as part of a three-decade celebration they're calling #FF30.

The band has been off the road since Grohl revealed last August that he'd fathered a child out of wedlock.

This past May, drummer Josh Freese, who was tapped in 2023 to replace late FOO FIGHTERS drummer Taylor Hawkins, announced that he had been fired by the band. No replacement has been publicly named.

FOO FIGHTERS will return the road in October with a show in Jakarta at Carnaval Ancol, followed by an appearance at an F1 event in Singapore on October 4, as well as shows in Tokyo and Osaka that month and a slot at the Corona Capital festival in Mexico City on November 14.

FOO FIGHTERS upcoming shows:

Oct. 02 - Jakarta, ID - Carnaval Ancol
Oct. 04 - Singapore, SG - F1
Oct. 07 - Tokyo, JP - Saitama Super Arena
Oct. 10 - Osaka, JP - Glion Arena Kobe
Nov. 14 - Mexico City, MX - Corona Capital

Alice Cooper is among the 2025 inductees into the Radio Hall Of Fame.

The legendary rocker, who has hosted the "Nights With Alice Cooper" and "Alice's Attic" radio shows, is one of 11 individuals in the 2025 class of Radio Hall Of Fame inductees whose contributions have shaped the radio industry across genres and generations.

The Museum Of Broadcast Communications announced the honorees, who will be celebrated at an in-person ceremony on Thursday, October 30, at the Swissotel in Chicago. Tickets for the 2025 induction ceremony are on sale now, with a portion of each purchase benefiting the Museum of Broadcast Communications. Individual tickets are $595 per person.

Cooper commented: "Growing up in Detroit, the radio was always on — it shaped some of my most vivid memories from hearing THE BEATLES for the first time to the thrill of hearing my own songs on air. After years of listening to legendary deejays spin my music, I eventually joined them by launching my own syndicated show over 20 years ago. It's been a blast ever since — sharing stories, spinning rock 'n' roll and now being honored by the Radio Hall Of Fame is truly the icing on the cake."

Radio Hall Of Fame co-chair Kraig Kitchin said: "Our 2025 induction ceremony and celebration will be a special, standing room only, event honoring the talents, history, and contributions of 11 incredible people. I cannot wait to celebrate the careers and impact of these men and women who've made a forever positive impact on the radio industry!"

Fellow co-chair Dennis Green added: "It is an honor to induct another amazing class of talented individuals to the Radio Hall Of Fame that adds to the history of radio. These Radio Hall Of Famers have entertained us, informed us, and helped to bring special moments to our lives through a medium that does this better than any other. I look forward to welcoming this year's inductees as we honor their legacies and share their stories which will serve as an inspiration for future generations to come."

Museum Of Broadcast Communications chairman David Plier stated: "We're thrilled to welcome this year’s class into the Radio Hall Of Fame — an extraordinarily talented and diverse group of broadcasters whose voices have informed, inspired, and entertained listeners across America. This year's inductees reflect the depth, creativity, and cultural impact of radio across generations and formats. We're especially excited to celebrate the class of 2025 as we bring the induction ceremony back to Chicago."

Back in February 2024, it was announced that Cooper was relaunching his long-running radio show with a new name and a new syndication partner. For "Alice's Attic", Cooper is working with the same creative team from his long-running and much-loved "Nights With Alice Cooper" radio show and the new program features a curated mix of classic and some obscure rock, with an occasional "future classic" song, plus Cooper's stories and commentary about the music and artists he features.

In August 2023, it was announced that "Nights With Alice Cooper", was coming to an end. The final weekday show was delivered on September 8, 2023.

"Nights With Alice Cooper" debuted in January 2004 at 93.3 KDKB Phoenix before moving to sister Classic Rock 100.7 KSLX following KDKB's 2014 flip to Alternative.

Among the other stations carrying the show were KGGO Des Moines, WMMQ Lansing, KOZZ Reno, WEZX Scranton and KLPX Tucson, in addition to stations in Australia and the United Kingdom.

United Stations EVP/programming Andy Denemark confirmed the end of the show to Radio+Television Business Report.

The decision to end the popular program was reportedly linked to the sale of United Stations Radio Network to GeminiXIII, with new management planning to take the programming in a different direction.

A source told Radio+Television Business Report at the time that Cooper was not retiring or quitting radio and that the decision to end the show was forced by a change in direction by the management of United Stations Radio Network.

Back in 2012, Alice reflected on the birth of his radio show while mourning the death of Dick Clark. "I used to come home from elementary school to watch 'American Bandstand'," he wrote on social media. "It had all the new songs, all the new dances, and it had the happiest guy in the world presenting them to you. I had no idea that later in my career I would know Dick Clark on a professional level. I ran into him some years ago, and he said to me, 'Hey, Coop, if you had your own radio show, what would it be like?' I told him it would be more like the freeform FM stations of the '60s, where the DJs actually played what they liked and demographics didn't play a role. He said, 'Alice, why don't you do it then?' Just like that, my radio show, 'Nights With Alice Cooper', was born."

Ahead of the July 25 release of IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson's reworked version of his classic 1994 album "Balls To Picasso", now titled "More Balls To Picasso", the lyric video for lead single "Gods Of War" has dropped.

With a timely message and a fresh, contemporary production, "Gods Of War" features Brazilian composer Antonio Teoli's unique contribution, adding indigenous instruments from the Amazon at the beginning of the track. It is a striking taste of the newly reimagined album and brings to life the roaringly full-throttle and ambitious for its time collection of supremely crafted and realised songs.

In 1994, having left IRON MAIDEN for a time (he rejoined in 1999),Dickinson released his second solo album, titled "Balls To Picasso". Named in honor of the cubist pioneer whose representations of spherical objects were as squares, and reflected on the cover in graffiti style on a tiled bathroom wall, the album belied its irreverent title by solidifying Dickinson's reputation as a serious solo artist.

His first record with collaborator Roy "Z" Ramirez, and recorded with Z's band TRIBE OF GYPSIES, it went through various iterations before its release, produced by Shay Baby. The original album contained a number of classic tracks and live favorites from Dickinson, including the singles "Tears Of The Dragon" and "Shoot All The Clowns", alongside the much-loved epic "Laughing In The Hiding Bush", which was the original title for the album.

Yet despite its positive reception at the time, it never quite captured Dickinson's original vision which was even more expansive in scope and ambition. However, with the ability to revisit his solo catalog — and following on from Dickinson's hugely acclaimed album "The Mandrake Project" in 2024 — the brand new part re-recorded, remixed and newly mastered version of the album, now titled "More Balls To Picasso", reimagines it as a fresh and contemporary release; a roaringly full-throttle and ambitious collection of supremely crafted and realized songs.

Dickinson says of it: "While mixing all my catalogue into Dolby Atmos I had a nagging desire to revisit and reinvent the record. So putting more balls into 'Balls…' was a labor of love. Of course, we beefed up the guitars — courtesy of our 'Swedish shredder' Philip Näslund — and we added some really beautiful work by Adassi Addasi on 'Tears…' as well. Fellow Brazilian composer Antonio Teoli added some stunning orchestral arrangements, and in a unique contribution, added indigenous instruments from the Amazon (recorded by himself when he lived there!) at the beginning of 'Gods Of War'.

"'Shoot All The Clowns' gets the benefit of a horn section fronted by the Berklee College Of Music, and all of the record gets the benefit of the mix by Brendan Duffey, (who worked on 'The Mandrake Project'),with notes along the way from Shay Baby, the original father of the album."

Additionally, "More Balls To Picasso" includes two previously unreleased live-in-the-studio tracks, "Gods Of War" and "Shoot All The Clowns". It will be available as a splatter vinyl double album and tri-panel digisleeve CD album.

"More Balls To Picasso" track listing:

01. Cyclops
02. Hell No
03. Gods Of War
04. 1000 Points Of Light
05. Laughing In The Hiding Bush
06. Change Of Heart
07. Shoot All The Clowns
08. Fire
09. Sacred Cowboys
10. Tears Of The Dragon
11. Gods Of War (live in the studio)*
12. Shoot All The Clowns (live in the studio)*

* Previously unreleased

This summer, Dickinson will embark on his first extensive North American solo tour in almost 30 years in support of his current studio album "The Mandrake Project", with a setlist encompassing his entire solo career. "The Mandrake Project Live 2025" North American tour kicks off in Anaheim, California at the House of Blues on August 22 and takes the band across North America, including shows in New York, Los Angeles, Texas, Florida and Canada, with festival appearances at Rocklahoma (Oklahoma) and Louder Than Life (Kentucky),with more to be announced. The tour also includes a quick return to Brazil for the prestigious The Town festival at the City of Light in São Paulo.

Joining the IRON MAIDEN singer on the "The Mandrake Project Live 2025" North American tour will once again be his 2024 backing band, featuring Dave Moreno (drums),Mistheria (keyboards) and Tanya O'Callaghan (bass),alongside the group's latest additions, Swedish guitarist, songwriter and multi-platinum-credited producer Philip Näslund and Swiss session and touring guitarist Chris Declercq (who played on Dickinson's "Rain On The Graves" single). Roy Z is not part of the touring lineup.

Roy played guitar on "Balls To Picasso" and went on to produce, co-write and perform multiple instruments on Bruce's subsequent four solo albums, "Accident At Birth" (1997),"The Chemical Wedding" (1998),"Tyranny Of Souls" (2005) and "The Mandrake Project" (2024).

"The Mandrake Project" arrived on March 1, 2024 via BMG.

Bruce and Roy recorded "The Mandrake Project" largely at Los Angeles's Doom Room, with Roy doubling up as both guitarist and bassist. The recording lineup for "The Mandrake Project" was rounded out by Mistheria and Moreno, both of whom also featured on "Tyranny Of Souls" in 2005.

Dickinson made his recording debut with IRON MAIDEN on "The Number Of The Beast" album in 1982. He quit the band in 1993 in order to pursue his solo career and was replaced by Blaze Bayley, who had previously been the lead singer of the metal band WOLFSBANE. After releasing two traditional metal albums with former MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith, Dickinson rejoined the band in 1999 along with Smith.

Photo credit: John McMurtrie

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of their "Mandylion" album, the lineup of Dutch rockers THE GATHERING that recorded the LP — including singer Anneke Van Giersbergen — has reunited for several shows in their home country this summer, including the kick-off "try-out" concert, which took place this past Sunday, June 29 at Dynamo in Eindhoven. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

According to Setlist.fm, the setlist for the show was as follows:

01. Mandylion (performed for the first time since 2001)
02. Eléanor (first time since 2019)
03. Fear The Sea (first time since 1997)
04. In Motion #1 (first time since 2018)
05. Analog Park (first time since 2019)
06. Broken Glass (first time since 2019)
07. Great Ocean Road
08. Waking Hour (first time since 2014)
09. Probably Built In The Fifties
10. In Motion #2 (first time since 2005)
11. Leaves
12. Sand And Mercury
13. Strange Machines

Encore:

14. Travel (first time since 2014)
15. On Most Surfaces (Inuït)
16. Saturnine

In a recent interview with Femmetal - Goddesses Of Metal, Anneke spoke about THE GATHERING's 2025 reunion concerts to celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Mandylion". She said: "Well, actually, I'm quite excited… This idea came kind of spontaneous. We were having conversations, we had just coffee and talking about life, other things, and then we talked about 'Mandylion' turning 30 and because time flies, we didn't really think about it. And then we said, 'Maybe we can do something nice with it,' because it's such an important album for us personally because we had a great time at the beginning of THE GATHERING career with me, of course. And we said, 'Well, if we do something, we have to do it now, because next year it's not such a good reason because now 'Mandylion' is 30 years old, and let's do something nice.' And so we made this plan, and we made these ideas for these shows. And then a lot of people wanted to come to the shows. I mean, I know THE GATHERING is still a popular band and I know it's alive — people really like THE GATHERING's music now and back then. But we didn't expect this many people to react on it and want [to buy] a ticket [to see us perform live again]. And so we are so happy. And we're gonna make a few beautiful shows and gonna have lots of fun playing together again, 'cause it's been a long time. It's been 10 years, I think."

When the interviewer inquired about the possibility of a show from THE GATHERING in Spain, Anneke said: "Everybody's asking. I mean, it's fantastic. It's a great problem to have, that a lot of people want us to come to their country. But we focus on these shows here, and a lot of people are traveling for it, so that's really, really wonderful. And then we'll see. But we just focus on these shows and take it from there."

Asked which THE GATHERING song she is most excited to play again, Anneke said: "It's kind of a wide variety of atmospheres on this album ['Mandylion'], but I like songs like 'On Most Surfaces' [from 1997's 'Nighttime Birds'], because they're heavy and we can let all the energy flow on this one. I like the more heavy songs as well, but 'In Motion #1' and '[In Motion] #2' are, for instance, very, very melodic — they're carrying you through a story — and I also like that so much. So, different vibes on the album, and I like all of it. But I like also the heavy songs, especially for playing live, 'cause I can sing really loud and headbang and have fun."

The "Mandylion" lineup of THE GATHERING will also reunite for five exclusive sold-out shows in August at Doornroosje in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Upcoming shows:

August 27 - Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Doornroosje
August 28 - Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Doornroosje
August 29 - Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Doornroosje
August 30 - Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Doornroosje
August 31 - Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Doornroosje

THE GATHERING previously said in a statement: "After so many years, we are very excited to celebrate this anniversary together, an album that still means so much to us."

The lineup for the concerts consists of the following musicians:

* Anneke Van Giersbergen - vocals
* Hugo Prinsen Geerligs - bass
* Frank Boeijen - keyboards, backing vocals
* Hans Rutten - drums
* René Rutten - guitar
* Jelmer Wiersma - guitar

In November 2014, THE GATHERING celebrated its 25th anniversary with a one-time special show at Doornroosje in Nijmegen. All past and present members of THE GATHERING — from 1989 until 2014 — appeared on stage and performed in this unique show together.

Van Giersbergen announced her departure from THE GATHERING in 2007. She has since released several albums on her own and with her AGUA DE ANNIQUE solo project.

In 2005, Century Media celebrated the 10th anniversary of "Mandylion" by releasing a special deluxe edition of the album. The double-CD set featured new artwork, a 16-page booklet with song-by-song liner notes from the band and never-before-seen photos from the album's recording sessions. CD2 contained the first demo recordings THE GATHERING did with Van Giersbergen in June 1994 and early 1995. "Solar Glider" was a previously unreleased instrumental while "Third Chance" appeared two years later in a different version on the "Nighttime Birds" album.

In a 2007 interview with PopMatters, Van Giersbergen stated about her decision to leave THE GATHERING and launch AGUA DE ANNIQUE: "I had been in THE GATHERING for 13 years, and I had never done anything for 13 years in my life. It's been my whole adult life, so to leave that, on one hand, was a very clear decision and a very strong feeling, and I was ready. In 13 years, things had changed in my personal and musical life. It was difficult as well, because the guys, they were like brothers, so to leave that and to change that relationship has been a long process and was probably one of the hardest things I did.

"I told them at the beginning of March, and so we really took some time to assess the situation," she continued. "Also, the guys, they wanted to see what their plans would be next. Of course they were not happy with my decision, but they are respectful and they have good spirits to continue. Of course, I put a big stamp on the sound and the look of THE GATHERING, but on the other hand I'm not the only singer in the world, so it's going to change, but it's not going to stop."

Regarding her reasons for leaving, Anneke said, "There were a lot of physical reasons, but they all came out of one big feeling in my heart that it was time to change. I was supposed to do this record besides THE GATHERING, and I was given time and it was all okay, but I like to do other small projects and work with other people a lot. I had some plans, and the feeling became stronger to develop that more seriously and also especially to be with my family a little bit more. Now, I can direct everything I do from this one agenda, and it feels very good to be the director of your own life. In a way THE GATHERING was officially a bigger band, and we were day and night constantly working with it, and it was quite intense, all the processes. So a lot of small things became one big feeling, like, 'Okay, I'm ready.'"

Posted by Dynamo Heavy on Wednesday, March 12, 2025

In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer Jesse Leach spoke about Ozzy Osbourne and BLACK SABBATH's farewell concert, which will take place this weekend in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Asked what the legendary heavy metal band has meant to him personally, Jesse said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The music world owes a great debt to both Ozzy as the solo artist and BLACK SABBATH. The majority of the bands that are kicking it right now owe a debt to BLACK SABBATH. I think the thing to focus on is the legacy, and just hoping the best for Ozzy's health. And people just paying respects to a band and an artist that changed the face of the world and music. And I'll always be a massive fan of both Ozzy Osbourne solo and BLACK SABBATH. Very important stuff."

When Meltdown noted that BLACK SABBATH has a rare chance to "say goodbye" to the fans before one or more of the original bandmembers is no longer with us, Jesse concurred. "Yeah, I think that's cool when bands are able to do that," he said. "And it's also good to know when the time has come. And I hope that we have the wherewithal to know when it's just probably not the best look right now. But you look at a band like IRON MAIDEN — I mean, [MAIDEN singer] Bruce Dickinson, to me, is still prime. He's still peak. The guy is in his sixties. We've done two tours with him now, and every night he's just on it. And I'm, like, I wanna be even just a quarter that good at that age. So it can be done, but it is smart to know when to call it and to be able to have your final say in how your legacy ends."

Reflecting on KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's tours with IRON MAIDEN, Jesse said: "It's hard to put into words. School's in session, number one. There's so much to be learned from watching a band for three hours just kill it. And I would say more so than just that, that I think is really important, is the way that they treated us. They were the perfect gentlemen. We had everything we needed. They couldn't have been more polite. The entire staff — not even just the band, but the people that work for the band, their assistants. You wake up in the morning, you walk backstage and [they say to you], 'Good morning, Jesse. How are you?' They know your name. Catering is top notch. Everything runs like a well-oiled machine. You feel comfortable, you feel wanted, you feel accepted. IRON MAIDEN, man — they are the kings. I will forever look back on those two tours we did with them as the highlights of my life and my career as an artist."

Back in August 2019, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE drummer Justin Foley stated about his band's first tour with IRON MAIDEN: "The first week or so, it was pretty much being in awe. Then when you could just step back from it, then, 'Okay, this is a tour now.' Then seeing them play, to be doing that as long as they're doing it and to have the dedication and incredible show they put on every single night is really inspiring. It kind of shows what it is to be at the highest level."

A month earlier, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE bassist Mike D'Antonio told the "Thunder Underground" podcast about the experience of opening for IRON MAIDEN on the spring/summer 2018 European leg of the latter band's "Legacy Of The Beast" world tour: "That will be the summer I will judge all other summers by, as being the top-notch summer and then everyone else will fall by the wayside. But boy oh boy, that was a dream come true. And it was the first of the 'Beast' tours where they were going back and playing a lot of the older stuff, stuff that they hadn't played in a while, playing '[Flight Of] Icarus'. It was awesome. The setlist was amazing. Those guys were super-duper nice. Bruce would stop by our dressing room occasionally. He was all excited about his flamethrowers. He had two gun flamethrowers. He ran into our dressing room and said, 'I've got flamethrowers,' and then ran away. And we were, like, 'What the hell just happened? That was Bruce Dickinson that just did that.' The crew — top-notch crew. They gave us one rule, beside being on stage on time: 'Do not spit on stage.' And if IRON MAIDEN's gonna give you one rule to go by, you do it. They could have said many other things, but they were super nice, very cordial. First day there, they gave us three buckets of IRON MAIDEN beer and champagne. They just made us feel like we were part of the team. And that's what you wanna feel, especially with a big band like that. They didn't have to do any of that stuff. They could have just said, 'Stay in your bus, and we don't give a crap about you,' and they made us feel like we were family. I'll never forget it."

Asked if the MAIDEN audience was receptive to KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's music, Mike said: "The crowd was a different story. You are the band that's in the way of people seeing their favorite band. So, they're gonna tolerate you, some people are gonna be into you, but the vast majority — 99.9 percent of people — just wanna see MAIDEN, and it showed. [Laughs] Which is fine. Hey, we're not gonna have A-plus shows every time we play. And it reminds you that you have to pull deep sometimes and really give your hundred percent no matter what is going on below you. Sometimes you have to just look back, stare at the band and have fun with the dudes onstage. But hey, man, I'm sure we accrued some fans from that tour. And like I said, we were playing to some of the biggest crowds — between 40 and 80 thousand [people] per night. Sometimes two nights in a row with 40 thousand [people]. I'll never forget it. If people liked us or hated us, it was rad."

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's latest album, "This Consequence", came out in February via Metal Blade. It was KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's ninth album overall, and sixth with Leach, who rejoined the band in 2012.

In a new interview with The Music Zoo, ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello reflected on his early days as a musician. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " I grew up in the Bronx, New York. My heroes, my father figures were musicians, for that matter. KISS were big heroes to me. They were like superheroes to me, like comic book heroes, something I could look up to and say, 'I wanna do that.'

"Charlie Benante, drummer of ANTHRAX, we're related [Editor's note: Charlie is Frank's uncle]," Frank continued. "We grew up in the same house. We would jam — we would jam all the time. I would be playing guitar, and he's a really good guitar player also, so we'd be playing and he says, 'You're playing the bass parts on the guitar.' I automatically hear bass first before a riff — I don't know why — but I was playing the bass parts. He goes, 'You should switch.' And I did, and then [we were] locked in. And immediately it was, like, 'Ah, this is what I'm made to do. This is for me.'"

Regarding his early musical influences when it comes to his bass playing, Frank said: "Obviously, my top three [are] Geddy Lee [RUSH], Geezer Butler [BLACK SABBATH], Steve Harris [IRON MAIDEN]. [Also] Gene Simmons [KISS]. There's a lot. But those are my top three for playing every day."

Bello also reflected on his debut show as ANTHRAX's bassist more than four decades ago. He said: "The early days of ANTHRAX — remember, I was a tech. People don't know that out there — I was a tech before I got in the band ANTHRAX. Before the first record came out, I was a horrible tech. I could barely change a string, but I was a friend that could help them lift gear.

"My first show [with ANTHRAX] is on YouTube," he continued. "I found this — somebody sent this link to me. My first show in ANTHRAX was L'Amours [in] Brooklyn with my — I think it was a Jackson Explorer bass. My mother gave me the money — rest her soul — she gave me the money for this bass, 'cause I couldn't afford it. I had almost half — something like that — and she gave me the rest of the money to play this gig. In my face, you could see I'm shitting in my pants at the same time, 'cause this is my first show, and I'm excited as hell. You could see both of them in my face."

Back in 2019, Bello told The Sessions Panel about his biggest musicial influences: "Geddy Lee, Geezer Butler, Steve Harris — who's now my friend, and Geezer is too. You know what's weird? When you become friends later on. I try not to be fanboy. It's hard, because I can be talking [normally], but I still feel like, 'This is Steve Harris I'm talking to'... I still feel like that first time I saw him live on stage, [and] the first time I heard the first IRON MAIDEN record. What that did for me... at this point, I've told him so much, and he goes, 'It's okay.' He just shuts me down. Geezer's the same way. He's a sweetheart of a man. He'll give me a look — 'Okay.' That's it — I'll just shut it down [and stop] asking too many questions. But I want to learn. I still want to learn, and I want to know what amp did he use on this record. 'Steve Harris, did you use flatwound strings on every record?'"

On the topic of how he joined ANTHRAX, Frank told The Sessions Panel: "I was the roadie/tech. I didn't really know what the hell I was doing... I was friends with them, [and] being friends with the band really helps get in there. I heard through the grapevine they were going to be auditioning bass players, so of course, I put the word in — 'Look, I play. You all know me. I'm putting it out there.' Long story short, got the audition, scared. You know what's weird? You can be friends with these guys forever. [It] doesn't matter. The audition... [Charlie Benante], I think he just held back, but he was hoping, wishing [and] pumping for me, but at the same time, he said, 'Learn the parts. Learn the parts'... I was nervous. Even though I was friends with these guys, I was hanging with them all the time, I was shaking. It just worked. After the first song, then it was like, 'Okay, it's hang-out time.' I got through the first song — I think it was 'Metal Thrashing Mad'... I got through it, and I said, 'Okay, I can do this. I don't know what's going to happen later, but I know I can do this.'"

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 2024 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 ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian.

Bello played bass for Norwegian black metal veterans SATYRICON for the band's summer 2024 European festival appearances, including Hellfest in France and Tons Of Rock in Norway.

Frank released a memoir, "Fathers, Brothers, And Sons: Surviving Anguish, Abandonment, And Anthrax", in October 2021 via Rare Bird. The foreword to the book was written by KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons.