Dean DeLeo of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and TRIP THE WITCH, along with vocalist Pete Shoulder, will release the self-titled debut album from their latest collaboration, ONE MORE SATELLITE, on July 18, 2025 via Symphonic. An official "live acoustic" video for the LP's first single, "Paper Over The Cracks", can be seen below.

"One More Satellite" presents a diverse collection of songs. "I was simply sitting on some songs I wanted to record," says DeLeo. "What started out as an instrumental album, quickly changed soon after Pete and I chatted. He was going to sing on a song or two, then wound up singing on eight of the ten on the record."

The collaboration with U.K.-based vocalist and lyricist Pete Shoulder and DeLeo went quite well and voila, through a transatlantic workflow… ONE MORE SATELLITE was born.

"I was excited to hear the new music Dean wanted to collaborate on," says Shoulder. "We've worked together in the past and it's always been an absolute pleasure making music with him. The stuff he comes up with is so interesting, with so many beautiful, unexpected, twists and turns. It's very inspiring to write to and pushes me into realms that I would never usually think of exploring. I'm very proud of the album we've made."

DeLeo's son Rocco drums on "Drowning Out The Sun", "Willow Mae" and "Spit It Out". STONE TEMPLE PILOTS drummer Eric Kretz plays on "Serenade" and Brian Tichy drums the rest. Daughter June DeLeo lends a lovely "aaah"…vocal on "Your Call", and longtime collaborator Ryan Williams co-produced and mixed the album.

"One More Satellite" will be available digitally and on CD and vinyl. More merch items, including posters and t-shirts, can be found here.

"One More Satellite" track listing:

01. Paper Over The Cracks
02. Vultures
03. Long Way Down
04. Drowning Out The Sun
05. Serenade
06. Can Of Worms
07. Willow Mae
08. Spit It Out
09. Pull Back The Veil
10. Your Call

DeLeo and Shoulder had previously collaborated on songwriting, including for the album "Lessons Learned" by Dean's younger brother — and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS bassist — Robert DeLeo. They've also worked together in the studio on projects, including a collaboration with STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and TRIP THE WITCH. Shoulder has also collaborated with Robert DeLeo on the aforementioned "Lessons Learned" LP and co-wrote songs for it, including "Love Is Not Made Of Gold".

In addition to his work with STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, Dean DeLeo is known for his role in the short-lived bands TALK SHOW and ARMY OF ANYONE, the latter of which featured Robert DeLeo, FILTER frontman Richard Patrick and session drummer Ray Luzier.

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS features three original members — the DeLeo brothers and drummer Eric Kretz.

In 2017, singer Jeff Gutt, a now-49-year-old Michigan native who spent time in the early-2000s nu-metal act DRY CELL, among other bands, and was a contestant on "The X Factor", joined STONE TEMPLE PILOTS after beating out roughly 15,000 hopefuls during an extended search that began more than a year earlier.

Original STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland, who reunited with the group in 2010 after an eight-year hiatus but was dismissed in 2013, died in December 2015 of a drug overdose.

Chester Bennington, who joined STP in early 2013, departed nearly three years later to spend more time with his main band LINKIN PARK. Bennington committed suicide in July 2017.

On August 22, ARCADEA will return with "The Exodus Of Gravity" (Relapse Records),a futuristic synth-rock odyssey unfolds in a world where gravity no longer holds us down and emotion rises in its place.

With Brann Dailor (MASTODON) stepping into the lead vocalist role and João Nogueira joining Core Atoms on synths, the newly revamped trio dives headfirst into a new kind of psychedelia: groovy, danceable, and emotionally resonant. "Up is down, down is up," says Atoms.

A preview of the twelve-song collection arrives today with the release of "Fuzzy Planet" and its mesmerizing intergalactic, Bryan Bankovich-directed video. The clip transports viewers to "Prom 5039: A Nightmare To Remember", where synths swirl, the Prom Queen is a little green, different alien species flirt, and love blooms.

"It's about that first fuzzy feeling you get when you fall in love," says Atoms. "Our lead character is recognizing that the spore has gotten in them and they're starting to change. They're awakening to all the beauty that's around."

"There's something really hopeful and uplifting about it from a musical aesthetic," adds Dailor. "The object was to get a little more dancey and a little more fun. As much as we liked how proggy the last ARCADEA album was, it reminded me of what I already do in MASTODON. We wanted to explore the idea of doing something different. So, I wanted to really concentrate on groove and dance and embracing the electronic aspect of it."

Recorded at West End Sound, in the basement of MASTODON's practice facility, Ember City, "The Exodus Of Gravity" was produced by the members of ARCADEA and was engineered by Tom Tapley. The collection is available on a variety of limited-edition vinyl colorways, cassette, and digitally.

"The Exodus Of Gravity" track listing:

01. Dark Star
02. Exodus Of Gravity
03. Fuzzy Planet
04. Lake Of Rust
05. Gilded Eye
06. 2 Shells
07. Galactic Lighthouse
08. Starry Messenger
09. Silent Spores
10. The Hand That Holds The Milky Way
11. Sparks
12. Planet Pounder

ARCADEA is Core Atoms (synthesizers, guitars, bass, vocoder, Taurus pedals, mellotron, Hammond, theremin, samples),Brann Dailor (vocals, drums, acoustic percussion, toy piano),and João Nogueira (synthesizers). The Atlanta-based trio released its self-titled debut album in 2017. Atoms and Dailor first played together in the cult prog-funk outfit GAYLORD.

In a 2017 interview with Revolver, Dailor stated about working with Core Atoms on ARCADEA's debut: "I was excited because he's an interesting player with an interesting take on music. I've known him for so long, and we have been friends forever. He's always someone I desire to do something with, but not necessarily GAYLORD. It was the perfect opportunity to play with him again because he had these three or four songs finished and was like, 'Check 'em out!' I didn't have to get too deep into it with my involvement because, honestly, MASTODON takes up a lot of my time. I didn't have to be as intense about it. With MASTODON, I want it to be perfect. I want ARCADEA to be great, too, but if there's an opportunity to do something musical that's really cool but have someone else doing the majority of the work, I'm all about it. I don't have the time to devote to another project that's going to take up a lot of my time. I was more than happy to hand over the reins and then come in, play drums and chime in with vocal ideas and stuff. I got more involved as time went on. After about three years of going in the studio here and there, we had enough for a full album, so it was like, 'Might as well just put this thing out!'"

Photo credit: Calina Walker

NEFARIOUS, the new California-based thrash metal band featuring Katon W. De Pena (HIRAX) on vocals, Rick Hunolt (EXODUS, DIEHUMANE) and Doug Piercy (HEATHEN, ANVIL CHORUS) on guitar, Tom Gears (BLIND ILLUSION, ANCIENT MARINER) on bass and Will Carroll (DEATH ANGEL) on drums, has released the official music video for its third single, "Addicted To Power". The song is the title track of NEFARIOUS's upcoming debut album, which is due on July 18, 2025 via Relentless "Metal" Records, with the collector vinyl available through Hectic/Bleeding Priest Records.

A ferocious anthem for the disillusioned and the defiant, "Addicted To Power" delivers razor-sharp riffs, breakneck rhythms, and politically charged lyrics that cut straight to the bone. With legendary thrash titans Hunolt and Piercy unleashing guitar fury, De Pena on vocals, secret weapon Gears on bass, and Carroll on the skins, NEFARIOUS blends classic old-school thrash intensity with a sophisticated edge.

The accompanying music video is a raw, performance piece filmed at Soundwave Studios in Oakland, California. The clip captures the essence of NEFARIOUS: unapologetic, unrelenting, and razor-focused on truth through sound.

This song is about the insatiable hunger for control and the destruction it leaves behind, a reflection of times we are all experiencing right now.

"Addicted To Power" follows previously released, critically praised tracks "Master Plan" and "One Nation Enslaved", which were made available earlier this spring.

The music for "Addicted To Power" was recorded at Subterranean Studio in Oakland, California and Pyramid Studio in San Francisco, California. It was mixed by Damien Rasmussen of Smoke And Mirrors Productions.

Leading the charge is De Pena, whose signature vocal attack sets the stage for a sonic onslaught. On guitars, the twin-axe assault is nothing short of legendary — Hunolt and Piercy unleash a relentless barrage of riffs and searing solos that define the essence of thrash metal's golden era while pushing its boundaries forward. Anchoring the chaos with a thunderous backbone is Gears, whose low-end power drives the band's relentless groove. Behind the kit, Carroll delivers a percussive assault that is both ferocious and exact, ensuring that every track hits with maximum impact.

Hunolt comments: "I'm so honored to be with this amazing group of dudes. About to release some old-school thrash on you mofos. It's long overdue, and I'm confident you guys will love it as much as we do. You, our metal brothers and sisters, deserve it. See you on the road. Let's fuckin go!!!"

De Pena adds: "We're not a band. We are a gang ready to crush skulls and make eardrums bleed ... Necks will be sore ...!!"

Piercy exclaims: "Let’s get ready to rage! We are really stoked to finally be able to release this stuff and discuss it. It's been under wraps for a while. More insane videos and shows are coming soon! We hope everybody enjoys this release as much as we had fun creating it, for you all!"

NEFARIOUS will make its live debut at the "Addicted To Power" album-release party on Saturday, July 19 at the DNA Lounge in San Francisco.

Together, NEFARIOUS crafts a sound that is both fierce and refined — a perfect balance of aggression and musicianship that speaks to the true spirit of thrash metal. With their explosive live performances and immersive new material on the horizon, metal fans worldwide should prepare for an unstoppable force. This is unpretentious thrash metal. This is NEFARIOUS!

CATEGORY 7, the new band featuring former MACHINE HEAD and current KERRY KING guitarist Phil Demmel, ex-ADRENALINE MOB guitarist Mike Orlando, ARMORED SAINT/ex-ANTHRAX singer John Bush, SHADOWS FALL/ex-OVERKILL drummer Jason Bittner and EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson, made its live debut last night (Monday, June 30) at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

Last December, CATEGORY 7 canceled its previously announced first-ever U.S. tour in support of its self-titled debut album. The 14-show trek was scheduled to launch on March 6, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland and run through March 23, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.

CATEGORY 7 was also scheduled to embark on its first-ever South American tour in early July 2025, but that trek was scrapped late last month, with the cancelation blamed on "non-compliance of the contract at some points, combined with low ticket sales."

When the CATEGORY 7 U.S. tour cancelation was first announced seven months ago, the band said in a statement: "With the overwhelming competition for the live show dollar, we feel that our projected ticket sales will not be enough for our tour to be profitable, so we have made the painful decision to cancel our tour in March.

"The cost of touring continues to go up and while we had no illusion of big profits, at least breaking even was a goal which after speaking to our agent and the promoters of the shows did not seem achievable.

"We appreciate everyone that is enjoying our music, and we will continue to attempt to find a way to bring the live show on the road.

"Thank you again for the support for CATEGORY 7."

CATEGORY 7's self-titled debut album was released on July 26, 2024 via Metal Blade Records.

With veteran musicians from so many legendary bands, it's hard not to think of CATEGORY 7 as a supergroup.

"I think we're pretty super," joked Demmel, who has also earned mega-metal cred over the decades as a member of VIO-LENCE and has played as a fill-in road guitarist for SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD, OVERKILL and others. "Really, I feel like this is a band, not a side project. And I feel like we have written this incredible piece of music, and we're not done. I'm so proud of the way this came together and the people who were involved. And I think we all feel super positive about this and what else we can do with it going forward."

The songs on the band's self-titled debut speak for themselves. As crushing and confrontational as an armed rebellion, as rhythmically thunderous as a storm of golf ball-sized hail, and as fiercely melodic as infectious riffs and aggressive vocals can be, CATEGORY 7 is a new breed of metal that lives up to the storied histories of its members. They're as heavy as a battleship, yet the songs are meticulously structured, skillfully balancing thrash beats, New Wave Of British Heavy Metal rhythms, punk metal attitude, blistering and ferocious dual guitar work, and scar-inflicting vocals.

"It's all about big verses and big songs, and it has a lot of the elements we've explored in our other bands," explained guitarist and main songwriter Mike Orlando (ADRENALINE MOB, SONIC UNIVERSE, NOTURNALL).

Take the upbeat album opener "In Stitches", which starts with piledriving double-bass drums, a feral thrash passage, and a fiery lead before toning down just enough for the distinctive vocals to stand out.

"It gets heavy, it's thrashy at times, but it opens up in the verses, and then the double-bass drums come in and knock you off your chair, but in a great way," Orlando said.

Bush further elaborated, "I read an article on an unhoused pregnant woman named Stitches who resided in Los Angeles obviously living a very difficult life that was compounded by mental illness and drug abuse. The encampment situation in my beloved city drives me bats. I balance between serious empathy and complete anger. The combination of imagining her life as well as my own internal turmoil led me to an almost humorous insanity state while writing this scathing album opener."

"Land I Used To Love" is slightly slower and more melodic, with guitar chords that complement the harmonized vocals and a searing guitar fill over the chorus that ups the temperature on the molten riffage. Then there's the propulsive, piledriver "Exhausted", which features blazing guitar licks, a punchy riff, and hammering thrash beats that climax with another unforgettable chorus.

The album closes with the explosive eight-minute instrumental, "Etter Stormen", in which Orlando and Demmel engage in a contest of dueling guitar leads over volleys of battering beats and riffs that see-saw between pounding metal and whiplash-inducing thrash.

CATEGORY 7, named after the numerical designation for the most powerful wind storms, came together from a batch of musicians who strived to play music they loved and weren't hearing elsewhere, and wanted to do so with bandmates they enjoyed being with. Orlando and Demmel became friends after taking part in a batch of tributes to the late OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Randy Rhoads. The seeds of CATEGORY 7 were then cemented one night a couple years later when Orlando went to hang out at the Clifton, New Jersey metal club Dingbatz as Demmel was filling in on lead guitar for OVERKILL, which also featured SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner.

"We were hanging out and tearing it up, and between beers we were like, 'Hey, we need to do something,'" recalls Demmel. "We need to write some new music. We've got three-fifths of a band here. Let's get together and do some songs."

Since OVERKILL was practicing in New Jersey for a couple days before launching a tour, Demmel and Bittner were hanging out in the area. So, the day after the Dingbatz conversation, the guitarist got back in touch with Orlando, and the two decided to get together after the show and jam to see if their playing styles meshed.

"We just started throwing around some riffs, and it was pretty incredible, but different," Orlando said. "We immediately clicked together as writers. And to me, it was such a joy because the bands I have been in have always been just one guitar player. I never had a partner. So, to have a dude I liked, who plays really well, to bounce ideas around with was freaking awesome."

"Mike had this idea of doing stuff that was a little more mainstream than the heavier stuff that I've done. But we didn't want anything to sound contrived," added Demmel. "So, the first thing we did had all these different parts and crazy tempos and it kind of sounded like RACER X-meets-PANTERA. But we liked it and had fun doing it, so it was a great start."

Added Bittner: "The funniest part about that was me and Phil were rehearsing for OVERKILL in New Jersey, and I had no idea I was two rooms over from you writing this song. So, after we practiced for five hours you guys worked on a song for another two hours. I couldn't believe that. And I went, 'Okay, next time you guys do something, count me in.'"

As a staple of the Bay Area thrash scene, EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson was the natural choice to expand CATEGORY 7, and he was intrigued by the idea of stepping into a new pair of shoes. "When I first heard the song they did, I really liked that it was heavy and melodic, which is very different than the stuff I play with EXODUS, which is very rhythmic and chromatic," he said.

By far, the greatest challenge for CATEGORY 7 was finding the right singer. Not that the members couldn't agree on who they wanted. They all wanted ARMORED SAINT and ex-ANTHRAX vocalist John Bush; there wasn't even a second option. But getting him to agree to join the band was an exercise in patience and persuasion. When he was invited to join CATEGORY 7, Bush wanted to hear the band's music. But the only song they had recorded was the RACER X-meets-PANTERA-style instrumental, which they feared wasn't going to vibe with Bush's interest or ability. So, they put a couple more demos together, which were far more melodic, and they sent them to Bush, then waited on tenterhooks for him to get back to them.

"I listened to the music they sent me, and I was like, "Wow, this is pretty scathing stuff,'" Bush recalled. "It's awesome, but the question was, what could I do with it vocally that would fit? As Jason said, 'These guys are riff maniacs.' So, I wasn't totally sure right away that I was the right guy for it. But I started tinkering around with it and writing, and, to my satisfaction, everything came out relatively easy."

With Bush onboard, CATEGORY 7 went into overdrive. Now that they had a vocalist locked in, they were able to structure the songs to work with his melodic vocal style. Orlando worked separately and then together, assembling dynamic riffs and rhythms that peaked in complexity and heaviness during the intros, midsections and outros, and settled into a sparser, more melodic pocket for the verses and choruses.

"There was a cognizant effort to give the verses some space and to let John create his vocal melodies for them and the choruses," Demmel said. "Because he's the 'Bush hooks man.'"

CATEGORY 7 quickly realized the best way for Orlando and Demmel to combine their considerable talents as songwriters was for Orlando to write the skeletons for the tunes and have Demmel contribute fills, middle eight sections and leads. For Orlando, writing for the band became far easier once he had a vocalist in mind for his songs.

"When John Bush entered the picture, I knew who I was writing for and that helped me immensely," he said. "I wasn't just writing for the sake of writing; I was writing parts specifically for John Bush to sing. That was great for me not only because gave me a goal to strive for, but because, as a fan of John Bush's vocals for decades in ARMORED SAINT and ANTHRAX, it was exciting to know he was gonna be on these songs."

Even though CATEGORY 7 purposely wrote songs that gave Bush the room he needed to make the material shine, they stopped short of writing together anything that sounded like the bands Bush was best known for. That left Bush filtering through the complex rhythms and sometimes unconventional melodies to find the right spots in which to sing and the tone for those passages. While the work was sometimes challenging, it was equally rewarding and imbued songs like "Land I Used to Love", "Exhausted" and "Through Pink Eyes", with urgency and immediacy.

"Working on these songs opened up a big part of my brain to just be real creative," Bush said. "It all came out sounding very fresh and new. And it was really liberating for me because I was able to open up a whole new door for myself. Because working with these guys was just different than what I've done before because they're different people and the way they write, the way they create, and the way they play is new for me. And that compelled me to gravitate to what they were doing, which created this fresh sound that's unlike anything I've done or heard."

Bush also entered new territory with his lyrics. While he has addressed current events and the downfall of society in the past, with CATEGORY 7 he wrote about the desperation that pervades society and the destructive divide that has evolved and separated people for decades but is now worse than ever. As much as anything, Bush wanted songs like "White Flags & Bayonets", "In Stitches" and "Land I Used To Love" to inspire thought while being open to interpretation.

"I just say it's social commentary, man," Bush said. "There's a slew of information there to choose from and it's all in there. Obviously, every single day you could wake up and check out the news and have conversations with people and friends and feel a lot of the way I did when I was writing these songs. So, I just ran with that. But there's a certain ambiguity to some of the lyrics because I don't want to spell out exactly what these songs are about because they could be about a lot of things. And I want people to use their imagination. I want to touch on all these particular topics and scenarios that feel very current without telling people what they need to think."

CATEGORY 7 started working together on March 2023. During the months that followed, Orlando and Demmel wrote on a regular basis, and during the pre-production stage, Bittner recorded drums to the tracks at his home studio. When he sent them back to the guitarists, they would send him the next batch of songs to work on. Not only did Bittner bring on the kind of technical drum skills he has exhibited in SHADOWS FALL and OVERKILL, he went above and beyond, injecting a tumbling, barreling feel into the variegated songs.

"Jason is not only technically incredible, his parts are musical, and his feel is musical," Orlando said. "He's the ideal drummer for this band because he exudes this fire and passion which I love because that's the only way I play guitar."

Bush started recording his vocals after Orlando, Bittner and Gibson laid down all their tracks at Orlando's recording facility, Sonic Stomp Studios, where he produced, engineered, mixed and mastered the album. With the songs in their final form, it was just a matter of fine-tuning a mix here or overdubbing a part there. And Orlando had almost as much fun finishing the album as he did writing it.

"One thing I love to do is to be able to take the guitar player hat off and become the producer and studio guy," he said. "And it was easy with these guys because we all had the same vision, and we were so prepared. But it took a little bit of tinkering because I wanted this album to sound big - not in the sense of overly produced but big in a way that it knocks you out of your shoes and off your feet. And we all wanted the same thing, so there was no conflict whatsoever."

In the end, CATEGORY 7 created an album that is fresh and familiar. The mixture of NWOBHM, thrash, punk-metal and traditional metal is cohesive and sonically rewarding, establishing an eclectic musical backdrop for Bush's instantly identifiable vocals. At the same time, the diversity of styles creates its own template that's ideal for headbanging, moshing, and voluble sing-alongs.

"I think the sound of this band really comes down to the odd connection that all of us have," Bittner said. "We've known each other for years as friends and peers. And we've all looked up to each other and know that one day we'd have to work together. It's taken almost two decades for that to happen, but lo and behold, once it did there was no stopping us."

"Category 7" features art and layout by Carlos Fides at Artside Studio (ANGRA, EVERGREY, KAMELOT). The record is available on CD and digital formats as well as several vinyl color variants.

In a new interview with Finland's Chaoszine, SEPULTURA frontman Derrick Green was asked if there were any particular albums that he could pinpoint where he felt that he book big steps forward as a vocalist and learned something new about himself. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's a good question. I think every album I'm learning something new because you're usually working with producers that — we're fortunate to work with producers that bring out a lot in yourselves. I think that's a number one goal of a producer is to have that ability to bring something out that you never imagined."

He continued: "We worked on the last two albums with SEPULTURA [2017's 'Machine Messiah' and 2020's 'Quadra'] with [producer] Jens Bogren, and he lives in Sweden; he's Swedish. I had heard about his work through OPETH — I'm a big fan, and other stuff they had done — and I was always, like, 'Who is producing this? What's going on here? I think we need to work with them.' And we contacted him and ended up recording the last two albums in Sweden. And it was an unbelievable experience, I think, for all of us."

Derrick added: "Jens really became like a member of the band in a way. His work ethics are so strong, and his ability to hear the artists and to elaborate on top of that, it's incredible. So he brought out a lot of things that — pushing me, especially vocally, singing, doing things as harmonies, having ideas with like choir. It just was super challenging, and I never imagined myself being able to create like a basic chorus line for a choir. And that was something that we did on the last album, where we ended up taking that idea that I did in the studio and to an actual church with people singing and, like, 'Hey, you guys are gonna sing like this, and it's gonna work really well on an album for SEPULTURA.' [Laughs] And we were able to do that. And that was something I never imagined. Also doing a song in Japanese ['Ultraseven No Uta', on the deluxe version of 'Machine Messiah'] where it was just like a bonus track and having to sing in Japanese and having a Japanese exchange student come in and help vocally do that. And that was super challenging, and I never imagined doing that in a recording session. But that was something that was very special that I remember from the last recordings… That's the goal of being an artist, I think, is pushing yourself to do those challenging things."

Asked if his parents were always supportive of his decision to become a musician, especially when they heard him "screaming [his] lungs out for the first time", Derrick said: "I think they were always supportive, because, as much as they might not have understood what we were doing, and screaming and the loud music, but it was done in my parents' house in the basement, and so they kind of knew where I was. It was doing something that was very positive. And my mother, being a music teacher, understood the importance of being able to establish a personality through music. It was just something that not a lot of kids, I think, were doing, but it was something that was very special to us and it brought us a lot of happiness. So they didn't really mind that. And they actually got to see a few shows, which was shocking to 'em. But they liked the fact that people were into what we were doing, or at least what I was doing, as well. And it was just something very special. But [they were] very open-minded. And that was something that was super important, I think, in all of our lives. Everyone in the band, we had very supportive parents."

Cleveland native Green went from fronting hardcore band OUTFACE in Ohio to relocating to New York and then joining SEPULTURA in 1997 and living in São Paulo, Brazil for nearly two decades. He currently resides in Los Angeles.

SEPULTURA launched the massive "Celebrating Life Through Death" farewell tour in early 2024. The band is playing a career-spanning set that honors SEPULTURA's 40 years of existence.

SEPULTURA is putting together a live album commemorating their last run of shows. The band is recording 40 songs in 40 different cities for what will be a "massive compilation of our best, most energetic moments on stage," according to a statement released by SEPULTURA in December 2023.

SEPULTURA kicked off its farewell tour on March 1, 2024 at Arena Hall in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The sold-out show marked the band's debut performance with drummer Greyson Nekrutman, who previously played with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES.

SEPULTURA announced drummer Eloy Casagrande's departure on February 27, 2024, explaining in a statement that he was leaving to join "another project", with Eloy later confirming that he is the new drummer of SLIPKNOT.

The news of Eloy's exit from SEPULTURA came just two months after the band announced it would celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2024 by embarking on a "farewell tour" which will cover the entire globe.

In SEPULTURA's statement, the remaining bandmembers expressed their shock over Casagrande's departure, saying they were "taken by surprise" that their now-former drummer would "abandon everything related to SEPULTURA" less than a month prior to the start of the tour.

Photo credit: Edu Defferrari

The founding members of BLACK SABBATH were awarded the Freedom Of The City Of Birmingham at a ceremony in the Council House on Saturday, June 28.

At the ceremony, the original band members Terence "Geezer" Butler, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne and Bill Ward were presented with their Freedom Of The City scrolls and medals by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Zafar Iqbal.

The Freedom Of The City honor is the one of the oldest traditional ceremonies in the country and recognizes people's exceptional service to the city.

This honor recognizes BLACK SABBATH's significance to the cultural and musical identity of Birmingham, their strong association with the city and continued influence as pioneers of heavy metal in both Birmingham and beyond.

As part of the Freedom Of The City, each band member received the title of Honorary Freeman and an engraving of their names on the Freedom Of The City marble board was also unveiled at the ceremony.

The scrolls were produced by local company Hilton Studios and the medals were produced by Jewellery Quarter-based business Fattorini.

The medal design was created by competition winner Toby Williams, a student studying in the School Of Jewellery at Birmingham City University.

Toby's winning design was inspired by the themes of industry and community, reflecting the people of Birmingham.

BLACK SABBATH formed in Aston in 1968, going on to create eight albums and selling over 75 million albums worldwide. They are considered pioneers of the heavy metal genre and are one of the most commercially successful heavy metal bands.

They were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2006, awarded a Lifetime Ivor Novello Songwriting Award in 2015 and were presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.

Speaking on receipt of the award, Butler said: "This is a great working-class city, and we’re all working class, from Aston. We weren't given a chance when we started out, but Birmingham has always been behind us. People used to make fun of our accents, but we're all proud Birmingham people and we love this city. It's one of the greatest cities ever, it's given the world so much and we're proud to be here."

Iommi added: "It's a great thing to receive. Birmingham is our home, and we love what Birmingham has done for us. We've got the bridge and the bench, things like that. We're very grateful."

Osbourne said: "I first put an advert in a music store in town. If these guys hadn't come to my door, I wouldn't be sitting here now. It seems to have flown by so quickly. It's amazing. I think about my dad, who went into debt to buy me a microphone. If only he could be here now. I think he would be very proud. I'm a Brummie and I always will be a Brummie. Birmingham forever!"

Ward added: "It's completely overwhelming. I'm so proud to be an Astonian. That's where I got my attitude. I was blessed — and cursed! — to meet Tony when I was 15, and I'm so proud that I got to know Geezer and Ozzy. They're my brothers. I love them very much and we love our city very much."

The engravings in the Council House building joins BLACK SABBATH bridge on Broad Street as a permanent tribute to the band and their accomplishments.

Cllr Sharon Thompson, deputy leader of the city council said: "From the streets of Aston to global success, the ceremony has been a fitting celebration of their achievements and connection to our city, showcasing the band's incredible career as pioneers of heavy metal and recognizing their continued legacy as part of Birmingham's rich musical identity. BLACK SABBATH are global ambassadors of our city, and their music continues to inspire musicians across the world, so it has been wonderful to recognize the band with this honor."

Councillor Zafar Iqbal, Lord Mayor of Birmingham, added: "It is a pleasure to pronounce Terence 'Geezer' Butler, Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne and Bill Ward as Freemen Of The City of Birmingham.

"The Freedom Of The City is one of the oldest civic honors and given in recognition of exceptional service to Birmingham.
Conferring these honors on BLACK SABBATH's founding members, who are proud Brummies, is a fitting tribute to the band, marking their importance to Birmingham's cultural landscape and the pride of our city as their hometown."

Professor David Mba, vice chancellor at Birmingham City University, said: "We're proud that our University — and particularly the iconic School Of Jewellery — has played such an instrumental role in this special recognition of a very special band.

"The creation of these remarkable medals is a golden demonstration of how BCU — as rooted in Birmingham as BLACK SABBATH themselves — continues to answer the call of the city, standing alongside willing partners like the City Council.

"Congratulations to Ozzy, Geezer, Tony and Bill. We hold great pride in your peerless representation of Birmingham on a global stage."

Osbourne, Butler, Iommi and Ward — recently commenced rehearsing for their final performance, "Back To The Beginning: Ozzy's Final Bow", set to take place on July 5 at Birmingham, United Kingdom's Villa Park.

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.

Image credit: Birmingham City Council

Posted by Birmingham City Council on Monday, June 30, 2025

BLACK SABBATH AWARDED THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM

The founding members of Black Sabbath were awarded the...

Posted by Black Sabbath on Monday, June 30, 2025

San Francisco Bay Area metallers MACHINE HEAD kicked off their summer 2025 European tour on Saturday (June 28) at the Tons Of Rock festival in Oslo, Norway. Fan-filmed video of the band's performance can be seen below.

Playing guitar for MACHINE HEAD at the Tons Of Rock show was the band's longtime producer Zack Ohren, who was filling in for Reece Alan Scruggs. Scruggs announced earlier this month that he would sit out MACHINE HEAD's summer 2025 European tour in order to stay home with his father, who has been diagnosed with lung cancer.

Earlier today (Sunday, June 29),MACHINE HEAD shared a few photos of the Oslo concert and included the following message: "ØSLØ: TØNS ØF RØCK? More like TØNS ØF CRØWDSURFERS! What a great way to start off this tour, in a country that has taken us to their hearts for our undying love of the Norwegian Ø!

"Big shouts out to Zack Ohren for stepping up like a true champ standing in for our brother Reece Scruggs. You kicked ass, Zack! And also to everyone involved in the festival for looking after us all so well, particularly the pit security team who dealt with the endless swarm of crowd surfing Head Cases impeccably.

"Next up, Helsinki!"

When Scruggs, who previously played with HAVOK, first announced his absence from the MACHINE HEAD tour on June 20, he said in a statement: "With the support and understanding of Robb [Flynn, MACHINE HEAD frontman], the band, and management I've chosen to get off the road and step away for a while to be with my family.

"To be transparent, my father was recently diagnosed with lung cancer. I've sacrificed a lot in pursuit of my music career over the years. When I received this news I knew I had to make a sacrifice in favor of my family.

"I can't possibly describe the appreciation I have for Robb and the MH camp for not batting an eye when I expressed my want to be at home during this difficult time."

MACHINE HEAD added: "Reece has our absolute support and we know full well that the Head Cases around the world share our sentiments. We ask that both fans, peers, and media please respect his privacy during this challenging time.

"Joining us to fill in this massive void for the lion’s share of the upcoming shows will be good friend (and former bandmate),'Vogg' Wacław Kiełtyka, alongside long-time producer, collaborator, and DARKNESS EVERYWHERE member Zack Ohren on select dates where/when Vogg's band DECAPITATED is already scheduled to perform."

A GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for Reece's father's medical and living expenses has been launched at this location.

Kiełtyka, who joined MACHINE HEAD's lineup prior to the launch of the band's "Burn My Eyes" 25th-anniversary tour in late 2019, left the Flynn-fronted act in February 2024 and was replaced by Scruggs, who has previously filled in for Vogg on a couple of tours.

Reece made his live debut with MACHINE HEAD in November 2022 at Strummer's in Fresno, California at the opening show of the "Electric Happy Hour (Live)" tour.

MACHINE HEAD's eleventh studio album, "Unatoned", came out in April via Nuclear Blast/Imperium Recordings. The LP was recorded at Robb's Jam Room, Sharkbite Studios and Drop Of Sun Recording between July 2023 and December 2024. The album was produced by Flynn, as well as Zack Ohren, who was also responsible for the engineering. The mixing and mastering was handled by Colin Richardson and Chris Clancy at Audioworks UK, and the mastering of the record was handled by Ted Jensen and his assistant Justin Shturtz. The only exception was the track "Landscape Of Thorns" which was produced by Flynn and Joel Wanasek who was also in charge of mixing the single alongside Zack Ohren. MACHINE HEAD once again tapped Seth Siro Anton to create the album artwork.

MACHINE HEAD performed the new songs "These Scars Won't Define Us" and "Unbound" live for the first time during the kick-off concert of the band's North American tour on April 1 at Revolution Concert House And Event Center in Garden City, Idaho. MACHINE HEAD also played in Spokane, Washington on April 3 before teaming up with IN FLAMES, LACUNA COIL and UNEARTH for another 25 dates across the U.S. and Canada.

Last November, MACHINE HEAD released "These Scars Won't Define Us" as the first single from "Unatoned".

The rest of MACHINE HEAD's lineup consists of bassist Jared MacEachern and British drummer Matt Alston (DEVILMENT, EASTERN FRONT).

In a new interview with Matty Roberts of the Percussion Discussion podcast, former GUNS N' ROSES drummer Matt Sorum once again reflected on the experience of filling in for MOTÖRHEAD's Mikkey Dee on 13 shows during the latter band's 2009 U.S. tour. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That was just a pummel — a punk rock, rockabilly fucking metal pummel. [Late MOTÖRHEAD frontman] Lemmy never liked to call it metal. Lemmy liked to roll on rock. The interesting thing about that band was the volume. It was basically more about, what kind of energy are you gonna bring? And I say this to drummers: it's your job, as a drummer, to kick the band in the ass. You're setting the pace, pushing with volume and energy. You're not back there fucking tickling them. It's like you're fucking throwing it into the energy of what the night is going to be for the audience."

Matt continued: "I remember when Lemmy would say, 'We are MOTÖRHEAD and we play rock and roll.' And it's fucking on — game on. It's, like, 'Fucking let's go.' And as a guy that's done a lot of live shows, as a drummer, I have to harbor that energy. And now I spend most of the day doing that. Making sure I'm relaxed is probably one of the best parts for me of what I need to do to prepare to do a live show now, at my age and everything. I don't like to be around too many people, 'cause it sucks my energy. And my energy is… Everything I wanna bring to the stage is important to keep it as much as possible. So if I sleep in a little bit, I'll sleep a little bit more, I'll wake up, try to stay quiet, and then I'll have some food and then I'll do a soundcheck and then maybe go back and relax some more. Maybe if I was on tour, I'd crawl in my bunk. I can't run around all day like I used to. I've gotta really focus and then keep myself in good shape and then get up there and fucking kill it. The whole game is to get up there and throw down. And when I did that with MOTÖRHEAD — fuck! By gig four, my hands were fucked. I was, like, blistered up. I was like, 'Man, Lemmy, I'm soft. I'm outta shape.' But, man, what a legendary moment in my career. I'll never forget it, that they even asked me."

Sorum went on to say that he is "so happy for Mikkey" that Dee landed the drummer gig with the SCORPIONS nearly a decade ago, shortly after Lemmy's death. "Fucking great," he said. "I went and saw 'em in Vegas, and I just love Mikkey. Now there's a guy that can fucking go out all night, tear it up. The next day he'll have 50 people backstage and goes on stage and kills it. I was out with him in Vegas… I don't drink anymore. We were out till, like, four or five in the morning. And I was hanging with him. I'm, like, 'Dude, you've got a show tomorrow.' He's, like, 'Yeah, whatever.' [Laughs] Some guys can do it. I can't do that like that anymore. But I used to."

Sorum previously talked about his MOTÖRHEAD stint during a January 2019 appearance on "Trunk Nation LA Invasion: Live From The Rainbow Bar & Grill" on SiriusXM. He said at the time: "Lemmy called me up… He actually texted me, and I could hear his voice through the text: 'Matt, I need you to play drums.' And I actually texted him back. I wrote, 'Why me?' I don't know why I said that. And he wrote back, 'Dave Grohl's not available.' Lemmy wasn't a guy to mince words; he'd tell you the truth. I loved that about him. And I texted him, 'When are we rehearsing?' And he wrote back, 'We aren't.'

"I got a DVD [of MOTÖRHEAD's performance at the] Wacken [Open Air] festival," he continued. "It came in the mail, like the next day, [via] FedEx. And he said, 'Learn the Wacken show.' And I learned it. And then I met them at the 9:30 club in Washington D.C. We soundchecked and I played that night… And it was amazing. For a drummer, though… it got confusing, 'cause there's a lot of MOTÖRHEAD songs that have that sort of thunderous rock kind of beat happening underneath, and I just needed to kind of decipher that. But, obviously, playing 'Overkill' and 'Ace Of Spades'… Then I had to learn the newer stuff that Mikkey did, like '[In The Name Of] Tragedy', which some of that stuff was, like, 'Wow!'"

According to Sorum, playing a full set of MOTÖRHEAD songs was a physically challenging task. "It was a very energetic, high-energy set, and I loved it," he said. "And I still remember it like yesterday. Especially being on the bus with Lemmy. He's just got great stories. He knew everything there was to know about every civil war. We'd be driving down the highway through the Midwest, or in the South, where they had battlefields. And he'd point. He'd go, 'Over there was the battle of…' you know, whatever, and he knew everything about it. Not only the Second World War, First World War, but the American Civil War. So he was a history buff."

Matt went on to say that playing with MOTÖRHEAD was "one of the greatest experiences that I ever had" and "probably one of the greatest tours of my life. I had so much fun with those guys," he said.

When Lemmy died in December 2015, Sorum penned a heartfelt tribute to the MOTÖRHEAD leader, saying that the world "lost the greatest badass in the history of rock 'n' roll. He was a man who lived his life with no apologies and lived the dream of a life on the road playing music to thousands of fans worldwide. Lemmy loved rock 'n' roll and his fans. Never took them for granted and rocked as hard as he could night after night."

Sorum recalled meeting Lemmy for the first time in 1989 at a London club called St. Moritz. "He opened his arms to me as I was new to the big leagues at that point," he said. "I felt accepted by him and that meant everything to me. The years ahead with GUNS N' ROSES, THE CULT and VELVET REVOLVER and travels on the road, it was always a good time crossing paths with him. Likes pirates on sailing ships. He was someone that carved the way and we followed by example. Stick to what you believe in, never waver and everybody else can fuck off."

Matt also credited Lemmy with teaching him "to respect myself and have respect and gratitude for the life we'd been given. He will always remain in my heart as a guide to push on. Take no prisoners and never give up."

Sorum, who replaced Steven Adler in GUNS N' ROSES, recorded the highly successful albums "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" (both 1991) and "The Spaghetti Incident" (1994). He also supported the group on the "Use Your Illusion" tour and can be heard on GUNS N' ROSES' "Live Era: '87-'93" (1999) and "Greatest Hits" (2004).

Sorum was among the GUNS N' ROSES members who were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April 2012. He, Adler, guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan attended the ceremony, while singer Axl Rose and founding guitarist Izzy Stradlin stayed home.

The musician, who has also played with THE CULT, VELVET REVOLVER and HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, is not involved with GN'R's hugely successful reunion tour, which features Rose, Slash and McKagan alongside drummer Isaac Carpenter, keyboardist Dizzy Reed, guitarist Richard Fortus and second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

Sorum's autobiography, "Double Talkin' Jive: True Rock 'N' Roll Stories From The Drummer Of Guns N' Roses, The Cult, And Velvet Revolver", arrived in May 2022 via Rare Bird Books.

HATEBREED guitarist Wayne Lozinak has offered an update on his health, less than two weeks after he left the band's European tour following a brain tumor diagnosis.

On Saturday (June 28),Wayne took to his Instagram to write: "Hello everyone. Just wanted to first say, I'm feeling fine, and I've been back in the U.S. since last week. Basically just had more tests, and another MRI here, and the results are the same as they were in France. Can never be too sure I guess.

"In case you missed it, I have a benign meningioma in my head that needs to be removed!" he continued. "I have an appointment with a neurosurgeon this upcoming week, and hopefully we can get the surgery scheduled soon! I don't have all the details yet on what that entails, but I will be looking forward to getting back on the road and seeing you all, once everything is done and is safe to do so!

"Second, I REALLY want to thank everyone who has reached out to me, since we posted about it. It was overwhelming , the amount of people sending me well wishes, positivity and just the fact of being in your thoughts, was so appreciated!!! THANK YOU!!!

"….and if you feel like something may be off with your health, and you don't feel like your 'normal self', it's a good idea to get checked out!" he added. "Might be nothing, but you never know!"

When Lozinak's brain tumor diagnosis was first announced on June 17, HATEBREED wrote in a statement: "On the night of June 14th, while at Download Festival, Wayne began experiencing mild symptoms that raised concerns of a possible stroke. Out of an abundance of caution, he sought medical attention the following day upon arriving in Lille, France. After undergoing a CT scan at the ER, doctors discovered a brain tumor, leading to his immediate admission for further testing.

"Following a thorough 24-hour evaluation, including an MRI, it was determined that the tumor is a benign meningioma—a slow-growing mass that has likely been present for years. We are immensely relieved that Wayne's diagnosis is the best possible outcome given the circumstances.

"Wayne will be returning to the U.S. to prepare for surgery and focus on rest and recovery. His strength and resilience remain unwavering, and he is determined to return to HATEBREED as soon as he is able. We appreciate all the love and support from fans, friends, and the music community during this time."

In the meantime, HATEBREED has continued its European tour, with touring bassist Matt Bachand stepping in on guitar, and Carl Schwartz of FIRST BLOOD and TERROR joining the group on bass duties.

Lozinak has been a key part of HATEBREED's sound since rejoining the band in 2009.

This past April, HATEBREED announced it was resurrecting the beloved and annual "Summer Slaughter" tour for 2025, which kicks off July 8 in St. Petersburg, Florida and runs through July 28 in Grand Rapids. Support for this year's run will include FUGITIVE, GRIDIRON, MALEVOLENCE, INCITE, ESCUELA GRIND and SNUFFED ON SIGHT on select dates.

HATEBREED celebrated its 30th anniversary with a North American tour last fall. Support on the trek came from CARCASS, HARMS WAY and CRYPTA.

HATEBREED has released eight studio albums and has consistently sold-out shows the world over. Over the course of its career, the band has gone from playing basements and backyards to being a featured attraction on countless festivals like Graspop Metal Meeting, Ozzfest, Warped and Download.

To date, HATEBREED has sold over 1.5 million albums in North America alone.

Press photo courtesy of Atom Splitter PR

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In the first of BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward's new ongoing show as part of the LA Radio Sessions, which airs Sundays at 10 a.m. (Pacific Time) on 99.1 KLBP-FM in Long Beach and also online at KLBP.org, Bill spoke about his plans to release new solo music in the coming months. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "We've been in the studio. We've been living in the studio, is what we've been doing. And we've got two albums that are nearly finished. And we will put them out. And we are finishing up. We've gotta go back in the studio in about another week. And we've got four days left to finish our final overdubs for the newest album that'll be coming out. And we haven't got it mixed yet. But we'll get that done too."

Regarding his approach to the songwriting on his upcoming two albums, Ward said: "I've just let everything go. I basically don't give an 'F', and I think it shows up in the record. I don't have anything to swagger about. I wanted to play something that plays in my heart and then comes out of my soul. I wanted to play some things that keep me awake at night. And I've tried to grow more as a pianist and grow more as a drummer and grow more as a bass player. So I've basically written a lot of the bass work and all the piano work on the new songs. And that's been great for me. I'm trying to grow as a musician. But, like I said, I really don't give an 'F' anymore in terms of being accurate about my lineage or things like that. And I'm playing probably a little more jazz than maybe I would've done on previous albums. I'm swearing a lot. I'm using a lot of profanity on this new record, on these new records. But the profanity seems to work really well. It's just, like, yeah, this is what I'm saying about whatever's in my life."

He continued: "It's very heartfelt. I've done something where I feel like I've abandoned my critical self. I feel like I've abandoned the person that needs to be possibly afraid not to step out a little bit. So I said to that guy, 'Listen, sit down and take a chair, 'cause we're stepping out and we're gonna take more risks.' And so I've taken a lot more risks on these new records, going further into places. Some examples — I'll give you one tiny bit of an example. One of the tracks on not the first album coming out, but the next album that'll come out after that, I'm talking about when I spent time playing in the graveyards at Aston Church. When I was a child, I was a choir boy at Aston Church. Aston Church, by the way, is about 200 yards from Villa Park, which is where we're [original lineup of BLACK SABBATH] gonna be playing in July. And I didn't know we were gonna be playing in July when I wrote that song. I wanted to write it because I've been spending some time thinking about my childhood years in Aston, and I've been going back there. And so one of the songs is about being a child and playing in and around the graveyards. And I've tried to capsulize that, and I think it's a pretty good song. And it's still like a metal thing. My good friend Dave Lombardo [SLAYER] is playing on that particular track. There was some drumming that I knew Dave could play a lot better than I could, so I don't mind backing away sometimes. I play drums on pretty much — I don't know — 80 percent of all these records I'm making, but I I love working with guest players, guest people, guest drummers, guest players, bass players, guitar players. I love that. I love being interactive with different musicians. So it's been a blessing for me."

Asked if his new music will be released under the BILL WARD BAND banner, the drummer clarified:  "No, [it will] just [be] Bill Ward. However, just to be accurate, we still have BILL WARD BAND stuff that is still unreleased. And one day we'll get it released."

Ward, along with the rest of the original lineup of BLACK SABBATH — singer Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler — will play its final concert this summer. Dubbed "Back To The Beginning", the charity show will be held at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom on July 5. Support at the gig will come from METALLICA, SLAYER, PANTERA and many more.

"Most of the people that are playing on that show, they're mates of mine," Ward said on the latest the LA Radio Sessions show. "I can't wait to see everybody. I can't wait to shake hands. A lot of the guys I haven't seen for a while. So I'm looking forward to seeing everybody, shaking hands, giving them a nice big hug. And just sitting down and maybe having a cup of tea. And I can't wait. I wanna see Ozz; I love him to bits. And see Terry [Geezer] as well. And Tony. I saw Tony back in England. I was back there in England in the fall of last year. So I saw Tony. I saw him a couple of times, actually. So that was nice. So it's gonna be great. I'm really looking forward to just seeing everybody. I'm a fan of everybody that's on that show. I am a huge fan. I think I not only know everybody, but I'm a huge fan as well. But I've gotta be honest with you — I'm gonna be getting some sleep, 'cause that's a nighttime gig. I think we are on at nighttime, so I'm gonna be getting some sleep, 'cause I gotta come out and kick ass. So that's my job."

"Accountable Beasts", Ward's first solo album in 18 years, was released in 2015 via iTunes. The CD featured Ward's drumming on seven of the album's nine tracks, as well as contributions from Bill's longtime collaborators Keith Lynch (guitar, keyboards),Paul Ill (bass) and Ronnie Ciago (drums),alongside drummer Walter Earl and an array of session singers, including Ward's daughter Emily.

Ozzy discussed Ward's absence from SABBATH's final album, "13", during an episode of the new Internet TV show "The Madhouse Chronicles". Released in 2013, it was SABBATH's first LP in 35 years to feature Osbourne, Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler. Ozzy said: "I can't remember why Bill didn't do it. I've gotta be truthful. It wasn't really BLACK SABBATH because Bill wasn't there. I mean, if you had Ginger Baker playing with THE BEATLES, it wouldn't be THE BEATLES."

Ozzy also talked about the final show of SABBATH's "The End" tour, which took place in February 2017 in the band's original hometown of Birmingham, England. Asked if he was glad it was done at that moment, Osbourne said: "Yeah, but I was sad that Bill wasn't there. I mean, I mean, Tommy [Clufetos], my drummer [for my solo band], did a great job [stepping in for Bill], but he ain't Bill Ward."

Pressed about whether he is happy with the arc of the legend of BLACK SABBATH, Ozzy said: "No. Because it wasn't BLACK SABBATH that finished it. It's unfinished. If they wanted to do one more gig with Bill, I would jump at the chance. Do you know what would be cool? If we went to a club or something unannounced and we just got up and did it. We started up in a club."

Back in September 2022, Ozzy was asked by Stereogum if he still feels good about where "13" left things with SABBATH. He responded: "Not really, because, to be perfectly honest, I didn't really get a charge from the album. Although ['13' producer] Rick Rubin is a good friend of mine, I wasn't really… I was just singing. It was like stepping back in time, but it wasn't a glorious period. Though Geezer did a lot of lyric writing for me, which he's very, very good at. It wasn't an earth-shattering experience for me."

As for whether BLACK SABBATH is "totally done" in his mind, Osbourne: "I would like to say it's completely done. I think it's time. The only thing I really regret, to be honest, is that Bill Ward didn't play on the ['13'] album. It wasn't really a BLACK SABBATH album. I'm not saying that one day we might not all go in a room and come up with the perfect BLACK SABBATH album. But I'll say, ['13'] wasn't recorded the way BLACK SABBATH recorded records. We'd gone right back past the point where we took charge, back to when someone else had full control of our recording. Which we never did from 'Vol. 4' onwards."

Ward in May 2012 announced that he was declining to join his former SABBATH bandmates for its scheduled dates, as well as the recording of the new album, due to a contractual dispute. After SABBATH shot down Rubin's suggestion to replace Ward with Ginger Baker (CREAM) ("I thought, 'Bloody hell?'" Iommi told Rolling Stone magazine. "I just couldn't see that."),Rick suggested RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE drummer Brad Wilk.

In March 2021, Bill admitted to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he no longer had the "chops" and the "ability" to perform with BLACK SABBATH. "I have to be back to 60 years old to be able to do that," he said.

"I would love to do a studio album with SABBATH, with all the original members," he continued. "I'm just saying that — I'm just floating that out there. But I'm not done. So, the other three might be done, and I respect that, but no, I'm not done. I think as long as we all exist [laughs] and we're still breathing in air, I think we have every possibility of making some great music together."

Ozzy told The Pulse Of Radio during SABBATH's last tour that Ward was not in shape to participate. "Bill Ward has got the most physically demanding job of the lot of us, 'cause he's the timekeeper," he said. "I don't think personally he had the chops to pull it off, you know. The saddest thing is that he needed to own up to that, and we could have worked around it, whether we had a drummer on the side with him or something."

It was rumored that SABBATH wanted to bring a second drummer on the road to share duties with Ward, something that Iommi confirmed in 2017 during a question-and-answer session about SABBATH's "Ten Year War" box set.