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.

Rock giants THREE DAYS GRACE have officially entered the esteemed Spotify "Billions Club" as their rock anthem "I Hate Everything About You" crosses one billion streams on the digital streaming platform, making them the second band from Canada to achieve this milestone. Released in 2003, the single has since become embedded in rock history.

THREE DAYS GRACE comments: "As crazy as it is to think that this band of ours formed as teens from a small town in Canada would have a song that has a billion streams, the craziest thing is how many people's wedding songs it is LOL"

THREE DAYS GRACE balances moments of extreme emotion on an axis of pummeling hard rock anthems and pensive balladry. Along the way, the multi-platinum record-breaking Ontario, Canada band have amassed billions of streams and millions of album sales, sold out arenas on multiple continents, and reached unprecedented heights, earning a staggering 19 total No. 1 entries on the Mediabase Active Rock chart.

To date, their veritable arsenal of number one includes "Home", "Just Like You", "Pain", "Animal I Have Become", "Never Too Late", "Break", "Good Life", "World So Cold", "Misery Loves My Company", "The High Road", "Chalk Outline", "I Am Machine", "Painkiller", "The Mountain", "Infra-Red", "Right Left Wrong", "So Called Life", "Lifetime" and "Mayday".

After THREE DAYS GRACE surprised fans with the return of the band's original singer Adam Gontier, the rock giants have announced their epic upcoming record, "Alienation", available on August 22 via RCA Records. The twelve tracks on the record all play a pivotal role in defining this significantly new, but nostalgic, chapter of the band.

THREE DAYS GRACE continues to achieve new levels of success, performing at sold-out arena shows with DISTURBED, massive festival crowds, a sold-out co-headlining tour in Canada, and hitting the stage at some of the largest venues of their career in Europe.

Joining Gontier in THREE DAYS GRACE's current lineup are Matt Walst on vocals along with Neil Sanderson (drums),Brad Walst (bass) and Barry Stock (guitars).

Last November, THREE DAYS GRACE released "Mayday", the first single since the return of Gontier. A follow-up single, "Apologies", arrived in May.

THREE DAYS GRACE played its first full show with Gontier in 12 years on February 25 as the support act for DISTURBED on the U.S. leg of "The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour" at Ford Idaho Center Arena in Nampa, Idaho.

"Mayday" was produced by Zakk Cervini and Dan Lancaster with vocal production by Howard Benson. In addition, the band released an epic CiRCUS HEaD-directed visual to accompany the track.

In 1992, Gontier, Brad Walst, Phil Crowe, Neil Sanderson and Joe Grant formed GROUNDSWELL while most of the members were still in high school. That band broke up in 1995, but two years later Gontier, Sanderson and Walst reformed as THREE DAYS GRACE. Gontier left the band in 2013 and was replaced by Matt, the vocalist from another Norwood band, MY DARKEST DAYS.

Gontier initially went into rehab in 2005 in Toronto after admitting an addiction to Oxycontin. The rehab stint influenced some material which would appear on THREE DAYS GRACE's "One-X" album, including the songs "Pain" and "Over And Over".

Gontier left THREE DAYS GRACE in the spring of 2013. At the time, the Canadian rockers cited unspecified "health issues" when his departure was announced. Adam later released a statement explaining he exited THREE DAYS GRACE to pursue new projects, and not to deal with addiction.

Gontier is currently a member of SAINT ASONIA, which also features STAIND guitarist/founding member Mike Mushok. The quartet is rounded out by Cale Gontier (bass) and Cody Watkins (drums).

Photo credit: Matt Barnes

In a new interview with Australia's Heavy, former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach spoke about his upcoming tour of Australia where he will perform the band's debut album in its entirety. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " Well, we actually did that [in America] way back in 2019, 'cause it was the 30th anniversary [of the album's release]; it came out in 1989. And we were booked to play Australia in 2020, but then [the coronavirus pandemic] happened, so we couldn't leave the house. And we have not been back since. And the promoter was, like, 'Please, please give us that tour,' 'cause everybody was excited about it and it never happened. So we're only doing this in Australia. This is only for Australia, because it was already gonna happen, and then it couldn't happen. So we're gonna do it."

Sebastian continued: "The first record is only 45 minutes long, so that's not a full show. So we'll be doing new songs from my new [solo] record, 'Child Within The Man'. We'll be doing a couple songs from 'Slave To The Grind'. We've got some really good new songs. 'What Do I Got To Lose' is the closest thing that I've had to a hit in 35 years. People love that tune. The video is almost two million views, which is double platinum in my day. [Laughs] So, we've got some great new songs, and people love the first record, 'Skid Row'."

Bach added: "We only have one life. We've gotta make the most of it. So we're gonna give you the tour."

Asked if he had any "difficulties" relearning some of the songs from SKID ROW's debut album after not performing them for so long, Sebastian said: "Well, there's certain notes that are very challenging. We actually in America did another tour that we did [SKID ROW's second] album 'Slave To The Grind' in its entirety with 40 cities. [It's] crazy how much I've done this. But what I learned — when you said, 'Was it challenging relearning the first record?' — I learned that the first record was more about singing and 'Slave To The Grind' was more about screaming. [Laughs] A song like 'Livin' On A Chain Gang' off 'Slave', that is just me screaming at the top of my lungs for the whole song. On the first record, there's more pop sensibility. 'Slave To The Grind', I think, is way more metal, for sure. But the first record, 'Skid Row', it captures a real innocence about us as a band and about the times, 1989. It has a real innocent quality to it."

Bach's five-date tour of Australia will kick off on November 21 in Perth and conclude on November 29 in Brisbane.

Bach fronted SKID ROW until 1996, when he was fired. Instead of throwing in the towel, the remaining members took a hiatus and went on to play briefly in a band called OZONE MONDAY. In 1999, SKID ROW reformed and, after a bit of shuffling over the years, featured a lineup consisting of bassist Rachel Bolan, guitarists Dave "Snake" Sabo and Scotti Hill, alongside drummer Rob Hammersmith and singer Johnny Solinger. SKID ROW fired Solinger over the phone in April 2015, a few hours before announcing ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell as his replacement. Eight months later, Harnell exited the band and was replaced by South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart, who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I. Theart was fired from SKID ROW in February 2022 and was replaced by Erik Grönwall, who was previously a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T. Grönwall, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021, left SKID ROW in March 2024, saying that it had become increasingly "difficult to prioritize" his health and full recovery as the lead singer of the group.

Bach's current touring band includes his son Paris Bach on drums, "Bruiser" Brody DeRozie on guitar, and Fede Delfino on bass.

2024 was a remarkable year for the singer, songwriter, author, Broadway star and actor. "Child Within The Man" — his first album in more than 10 years — was well-received, with Associated Press saying "…it shows a fierce performer in prime fighting form…his vocals remain sharp and his songwriting talents as cunning as ever," while Ultimate Classic Rock noted: "Bach's voice has lost none of its rage or range, even in the highest registers…" In addition, the album's "(Hold On) To The Dream" track was included in Consequence's "30 Best Metal & Hard Rock Songs Of 2024" which described the song as "...a late-career masterpiece from the former SKID ROW singer. Baz hits some of the highest notes of his career on the sweeping ballad, an inspiring anthem about perseverance."

On the touring front, Sebastian performed a record 91 shows in 2024. The dates included two successful North American tours — one around the release of the album, followed by another leg of fall shows — and a series of overseas appearances just before the album's release.

In January, Sebastian was back on TV when he appeared on Food Network's "Worst Cooks In America Celebrity Edition: Heroes vs. Villains". In addition, last June Sebastian was the subject of an A&E "Biography: Rock Legends" special. This follows his 2023 appearance as "Tiki" on Fox's "The Masked Singer".

"Child Within The Man" has yielded the following singles/videos, all of which have impacted the rock charts: "Freedom", "What Do I Got To Lose?", "Everybody Bleeds" and "(Hold On) To The Dream" (along with the "(Hold On) To The Dream" alternate video),"Future Of Youth" and "To Live Again".

"Child Within The Man" was recorded in Orlando, Florida; produced and mixed by Michael "Elvis" Baskette; engineered by Jef Moll, assistant engineered by Josh Saldate and mastered by Robert Ludwig of Gateway Mastering. Bach wrote or co-wrote all the album's 11 tracks and sang all lead and backing vocals.

"Child Within The Man" features guest appearances from John 5 (MÖTLEY CRÜE, ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON),Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL) and Orianthi (ALICE COOPER, MICHAEL JACKSON) — who all co-wrote their respective tracks with Bach — and two tracks co-written with ALTER BRIDGE's Myles Kennedy ("What Do I Got to Lose?" and "To Live Again"). Devin Bronson (guitars),Todd Kerns (bass) and Jeremy Colson (drums) round out the players on the album.

Prior to "Child Within The Man"'s arrival, Bach hadn't released a full-length disc since "Give 'Em Hell", which came out in March 2014.

In a new interview with India's Sinusoidal Music, OPETH mastermind Mikael Åkerfeldt spoke about the possibility of a second album from STORM CORROSION, his collaboration with PORCUPINE TREE's Steven Wilson. Asked if STORM CORROSION is "going anywhere" 13 years after the release of the project's self-titled debut, Mikael said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No, it's not really going anywhere. I mean, other than when we talk — or text rather. Usually when we're texting, [Steven] usually sends me funny clips or something. So we're not necessarily talking about any collaborations or music or anything like that in terms of us doing something. But we have talked a lot over the years about doing another STORM CORROSION, especially, because we're both very happy with that record. But none of us, we don't really know what to do, because we are not the type of people who would want to repeat ourselves. Even if I think that album is great, and there's more to do with that sound, I think we wanna probably do something different. And I'm thinking maybe something that's even more hard, more special, eclectic. I think it's probably gonna happen at some point."

The debut album from STORM CORROSION was reissued last September via Kscope on colored vinyl LP in a gatefold sleeve, CD and Blu-ray which features a new Dolby Atmos mix of the original album's six tracks by Wilson, plus high-resolution stereo and 5.1 DTS-HD Surround Sound mixes and instrumental mixes of each track, a mini-documentary plus more. This 2024 edition of "Storm Corrosion" featured a bonus track, a live version of "Drag Ropes", recorded when Mikael guested with Steven and his band at London's Royal Albert Hall in September 2015, the only song they have performed live to date.

Issued in 2012, "Storm Corrosion" sold 9,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 47 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD also landed at No. 45 on the official U.K. chart.

In a 2019 question-and-answer session posted on the YouTube channel of Nuclear Blast Records, Åkerfeldt was asked about the possibility of a second album from STORM CORROSION. He said at the time: "I had dinner with Steve yesterday, and we talked a little bit about it. We always talk a little bit about it, if we're gonna do another one. But yeah, I think we'll try; at some point, we'll try. I can almost say a hundred percent that we will try, without really knowing — but just judging from how we talk about this project. That was a fun thing for both of us and a new thing for both of us. But the problem, when you have one record, is that there's a reference point. So it's likely that if we do another record, maybe there'll be another name for that project. And it's likely it will sound completely different.

"We wanna make another record, [and] if we do that, it has to be on the same premise as how we did the first one," he continued. "Nobody knows. There's no record label that knows. We don't even know if it's gonna work out and we don't know what we're doing, basically. I mean, that was almost written in real time and recorded in real time. We just had a riff. 'Okay, let's record that riff, that part, and then piece it together.' And then, in the end, it was, like, 'My God, this is strange. But we love it. What is it?'

"We had some common inspirations and common artists and bands that we said, 'Maybe around there, that's where we meet up and do something,'" Mikael added. "And it ended up sounding like nothing I can compare it to, to be honest. For good and worse, for fans. It's a weird record. And it sold a lot in the first couple of weeks, because Roadrunner picked that up. And I assume it sold a lot to fans of PORCUPINE TREE and Steven Wilson fans, who must have gone, 'What the hell is this?'

"I love that album — love it. But, yeah, we're gonna do something, I'm sure. But it's probably gonna be different."

Åkerfeldt and Wilson have been friends since the late '90s, when Wilson co-produced OPETH's revered "Blackwater Park" album. Over the years, they'd often spoken of working on a project together, but it wasn't until about a decade ago that they managed to make something happen, when Mikael flew over to visit Steven in the U.K. and they ended up in Wilson's home studio throwing ideas around. That visit was the nascence of a whole self-titled album, written and produced by the pair, and mixed by Wilson.

In a new interview with Andrew McKaysmith of the Scars And Guitars podcast, veteran metal bassist Steve DiGiorgio spoke about the status of the long-awaited second CONTROL DENIED album. The effort is the final material recorded by the band before CONTROL DENIED mainman — and DEATH mastermind — Chuck Schuldiner's untimely passing.

Chuck — who died in December 2001 after a battle with pontine glioma, a rare type of brain tumor — began work on the CD, tentatively titled "When Machine And Man Collide", but never managed to finish the effort before his health quickly deteriorated in the months leading up to his tragic death. The remaining members of the group — DiGiorgio, vocalist Tim Aymar, guitarist Shannon Hamm and drummer Richard Christy — subsequently announced their desire to complete the album and release it in Chuck's memory, but legal hassles between Schuldiner's family and Hammerheart Records (to whom Chuck was signed at the time of his death) put the entire project on hold. (Karmageddon Media — which was the name Hammerheart Records operated under between 2004 and 2010 — later issued various incomplete demo recordings as two separate low-quality albums, "Zero Tolerance" and "Zero Tolerance II".)

DiGiorgio told Scars And Guitars about plans to release the second CONTROL DENIED album (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've had the sketches of the songs since [Chuck] was alive. He sent us the rough demos, and you could hear him singing the guidelines on it for Tim to learn how it goes. They're not worthy of releasing, and we wouldn't do that to Chuck, but we have all the blueprints ready when we do it final. It's just — fucking Tim died [in February 2023], and that really stalled it out, after all the other stalling out that's been going on. And then some of the [singer] choices that were explored [by Chuck] before we found Tim, we were going back and saying, like, 'Well, at least Chuck asked so-and-so to sing on it before [Tim came into the picture], so let's go back [and see if they can lay down their vocals it].' And some of these guys are just older, [and] they don't think they have the [vocal] range [to pull it off]. It's been tough. So I really don't know. It's been one of the hardest things to complete. But it seems like over the past [24] years, we haven't stopped trying or at least thinking about it. We haven't stopped at all."

After McKaysmith suggested that there are "plenty of young up-and-coming vocalists" who might be able to do the material justice, Steve concurred. "Yeah. I was talking to someone who's not fully one of us in the inner circle that would make the choice," he said. "It was somebody that's kind of on the peripheral, and just ran the idea by 'em about, 'Hey, what about so-and-so?' And they go, 'Oh, it would be perfect.' So that kind of motivates me to bring it to the inner circle. I'm definitely not gonna say who it is — you know that — but the idea of just saying, like, 'Hey, let's just make it a good album,' because we're so far away now from what Chuck was leaving behind, because his parts are gone, the singer's gone. The original stuff is getting down to minority stuff. So we were, like, 'Look, either we're not gonna do it or we've gotta do something alternative just to get it done.' So, yeah, we might look into someone that wasn't considered when Chuck was alive. But I don't know."

Steve added: "I've been answering this question [about a second CONTROL DENIED album] for, like I said, 24 years. But, yeah, I've been answering questions about this album — and especially when Eric Greif [former manager of DEATH and president of Perseverance Holdings Ltd., which managed Schuldiner's legacy until Greif's death in 2021], was meddling and butting in everything, and he was making official statements that I don't know where he got his information from. But it was on, it was off, it's on, it's officially over, this guy's in, he's out. So anytime we talk about finishing this album, the answer's gonna be different. [Laughs]"

Chuck's mother, Jane Schuldiner, previously stated about the unfinished CONTROL DENIED recordings: "[Chuck's] last masterpiece deserves more than to be released as unfinished bits of rehearsal room recordings on CD, or to be grabbed for free on the Internet. It deserves to be finished by the rest of the band and to be released on a full-length album, titled: 'When Machine And Man Collide'."

CONTROL DENIED's first album, "The Fragile Art Of Existence", got the deluxe reissue treatment in October 2010 through Relapse Records.

"The Fragile Art Of Existence", originally released in 1999 to critical acclaim, was remastered, repackaged and features liner notes from Christy, never-before-seen photographs, as well as over an hour of previously unreleased demo and rehearsal tracks.

Two versions of the "The Fragile Art Of Existence" reissue were made available. The worldwide version was a two-CD set including the original album plus a bonus CD of early demo material. The second version was limited to 1,000 copies and was a three-disc set including an extra bonus disc of demo tracks, many of which have Schuldiner on vocals. The three-disc set was made available at Relapse.com exclusively.

In a 2021 interview with TrueMetal, Tim stated about how he landed the CONTROL DENIED gig: "It was actually Jim Dofka who hooked me and Chuck up. Chuck asked to 'borrow' me for CONTROL DENIED and Jim knew it would boost my career, so he was all for it. Chuck called me, and we hit it off. He invited me to his place in Florida to record three songs as an audition. Obviously, it went well."

Regarding his memories of the making of "The Fragile Art Of Existence", Tim said: "We all had a great time working with [producer] Jim Morris and each other. Then Chuck told me he was having severe headaches and couldn't sleep because of it. He was also experiencing partial paralysis in his left hand which scared the dickens out of him. I recommended a chiropractor since I have neck and back injuries that were being treated by one. As it turned out, well, we know the end of that story."

Photo credit: Alex Solca (courtesy of Adrenaline PR)

German/Finnish/French thrash metal veterans KREATOR recently entered Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren to begin recording their sixteenth studio album, tentatively due in early 2026. Bogren previously helmed KREATOR's "Phantom Antichrist" (2012) and "Gods Of Violence" (2017) LPs.

KREATOR's upcoming effort will be the follow-up to 2022's "Hate Über Alles", which was recorded at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin, Germany. Helming the sessions for that LP was Arthur Rizk, who has previously worked with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, CODE ORANGE, POWER TRIP and SOULFLY, among others.

"Hate Über Alles" marked KREATOR's first album with bassist Frédéric Leclercq, who joined the group in 2019.

In a new interview with Loaded Radio, Leclercq stated about KREATOR's upcoming music (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "We are putting the final touches to a new album that will be released sometime next year, I guess. I spent two months away — I was in Germany [working with the band on the songs] and then in Sweden."

Asked what the new KREATOR material is like, Leclercq said: "It's great. [Laughs] I think everybody agrees to say it's better than 'Hate Über Alles', which was already cool. And that was my first [album] with the band. But I think this one has better songs. I mean, that's how we feel. I'm just saying it's gonna be great."

Regarding what it's like working with KREATOR founder and leader Mille Petrozza, Leclercq said: "It's cool. They're all easy to work with. And Mille comes with the majority of the riffs and the vocals. He works differently than me in a sense that for him the lyrics, that's what's important. And from the lyrics will come the riffs and whatnot, and obviously he needs to be able to play the riff while singing. So it's a different way of building songs. So my job there is just to check guitar, melodies and solo parts and whatnot. That's what I do. And it's great, because that was already the case on the first album I did with them, is that I told them, I said… I'm very passionate when it comes to music, and I have a tendency to go, like when I hear something, I'm gonna be, like, 'Yeah, we should try this,' and very — not a dictator in that sense, but very [forcefully] giving orders. And they were, like, 'Oh, no, that's cool.' So they actually really trust me on this. So I pick things that they not always notice, and they give me that sort of freedom to arrange a bit, and that's great."

He continued: "I love the KREATOR guys. The minute I joined them, it felt like I was part of the family forever. That's how we feel. And I'm not [just] saying [that], because it sounds like very cliché, but it's really the truth. I've known Mille for a long time, before I joined DRAGONFORCE, actually. I met him in Germany in 2003, I think. So we've always been bumping into each other since then, at festivals and whatnot. And when I joined the band, there was no audition. There was me and no one else. I'm the first one they asked, and I said yes. And I learned the songs and I went in the rehearsal room and I was a little shy for a few bars. And then I was, like, 'That's cool.' And I saw everybody smiling and I was just, like, 'Yeah, that's it.' And yeah, yeah, it really felt like I was part of the family forever."

Frédéric also talked about the upcoming official KREATOR documentary, "Kreator - Hate & Hope". The 110-minute film, which was directed by Cordula Kablitz-Post, will premiere on July 2 at the 42nd Munich International Film Festival and will receive a theatrical premiere on September 4.

"We have a movie coming out in September because we had a filming team following us the last two years," Leclercq said. "It started in Wacken [Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany], and then they came with us in the U.S., to Japan, India and whatnot, filming us. And it's in the cinema in Germany for a start. And we're trying to see if it happens — I would like that to happen in [my home country of] France as well. So there's that. So, it's been busy."

KREATOR played its first show with Leclercq in October 2019 in Santiago, Chile.

Before joining KREATOR, Leclercq rose to fame with U.K.-based extreme power metallers DRAGONFORCE for whom he handled bass duties from 2005 until August 2019.

As previously reported, Mille's official German-language autobiography, which he wrote with journalist, author and presenter Torsten Groß, "Your Heaven, My Hell - Mein Leben, Heavy Metal Und Wie Das Alles Passieren Konnte", will be published on August 28 via Ullstein Verlag. The book is available for pre-order now.

LIMP BIZKIT guitarist Wes Borland played the band's entire 10-song set as the support act for METALLICA on Friday (June 27) at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado dressed up as a skull-faced version of 1980s METALLICA frontman James Hetfield, complete with a "Metal Up Your Ass" t-shirt and white high-tops. Check out fan-filmed video of LIMP BIZKIT's performance below.

The Denver concert marked LIMP BIZKIT's final appearance with METALLICA as part of the latter band's ongoing "M72" world tour, which launched in April 2023 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

LIMP BIZKIT supported METALLICA on "M72" dates in Toronto, Nashville, Philadelphia, Tampa, Santa Clara and Denver from April to this past Friday, sharing the support slot with ICE NINE KILLS.

This past April, Borland unveiled a reimagined version of METALLICA's classic "Master Of Puppets" instrumental "Orion" on Instagram, writing in a caption that he was "[h]orsing around and loopidy loopin" at home that afternoon.

Back in 2003, LIMP BIZKIT performed a cover of another "Master Of Puppets" classic, "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)", during a "mtvICON: Metallica" special.

In a 2003 interview with Metal Edge magazine, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich was full of praise for LIMP BIZKIT while discussing how the lineup for that year's "Summer Sanitarium" tour came together. He said at the time: "Whether you like him or you hate him, [LIMP BIZKIT frontman] Fred Durst is an innovator. Fred Durst is a fuckin' pioneer, and I will yell that from every rooftop… It's really interesting that post-'Icon' [MTV's performance tribute to METALLICA at which LIMP BIZKIT and KORN performed], there's a lot of love for Durst now. On all the METALLICA threads on our web site, it's all respect to Fred Durst."

Hetfield was apparently not as much of a fan of LIMP BIZKIT's music back in the day, telling Playboy in a 2001 interview: "LIMP BIZKIT seems a little cartoony to me. I don't like some guy just yelling. Like RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE — it wasn't singing, it was just some guy kind of pissed off, telling you his opinion."

In a new interview with Get On The Bus, Bruce Kulick, who joined KISS in 1984 and remained the band's lead guitarist for 12 years, spoke about his current relationship with KISS leaders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "It's very much to my benefit, and probably theirs, to have this mutual respect moving forward. I never forget and take the eye off of the fact that that opportunity has been just something that has consist consistently paid off for me, both career-wise and financially.

"I don't need to be the guy who has to get publicity from having rows with them and fighting with them, or complaining about them," Bruce continued. "And I do understand many artists; they get into like huge blowouts when something's happened. And I just celebrate KISS. I respect what they've done. I do understand them maybe better than the average bear. Maybe that helps me just look the other way when I think, like, 'Why do I need to burst a bubble about it?'"

Referencing his previous revelation that he wasn't asked to perform at KISS's final show and wasn't invited to attend the event, which was held in December 2023 at New York City's Madison Square Garden, Bruce said: "I will admit I was very verbal about the final show that I didn't feel they handled that right, which was very out of character for me. But I knew that that was the sentiment of the fans, where they [felt that Paul and Gene] didn't celebrate Kisstory on the final show, and that opportunity was there for them. But I wasn't in the works with them to understand what was their desires and motives on getting through to that final big show at the Garden."

Kulick also touched upon the fact that early last year KISS sold its entire music catalog, likeness and brand name to Swedish company Pophouse Entertainment, which is behind "ABBA Voyage". A biopic, an avatar show, and a KISS-themed experience are already in the works, with Simmons and Stanley playing key roles in the development of all these projects, working closely with Pophouse.

"It's a new era now for KISS in the sense that it was bought by a very big company that wants to keep KISS alive forever," Bruce said. "And that would be with avatars and possibly a lot of other things. Whatever their vision is, they now own KISS. And that's why I'll always wave the flag of all 50 years. And the good news with the future of KISS is that the company Pophouse that bought it, they own the brand and they get it, that they want to share and celebrate it with everyone."

Last year, Kulick told Finland's Chaoszine that Stanley and Simmons "missed a really huge opportunity" when they failed to acknowledge any of KISS's former members during the final concert. "It's not just about me," Bruce clarified. "[They also didn't mention late KISS drummer] Eric Carr, [original KISS guitarist] Ace [Frehley] and [original KISS drummer] Peter [Criss], and [late KISS manager] Bill Aucoin. Come on. Terrible. They really missed making a better feel-good evening for everyone when it was much closer to every night before. And those who say, 'Well, I saw you up on the screen.' They'd been doing that for years where they'd have little things. So they didn't feel it was important. I feel they missed an opportunity."

This past February, Stanley was asked during an interview with the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast why there weren't any guest appearances by former KISS members at the band's final shows. Paul responded: "To be somewhat diplomatic, there were people who made unrealistic demands of what they required. And it's not about that. It wasn't, for example, a celebration of the beginning of the band; it was a celebration of 50 years of a band, as opposed to a tribute to the start. So, as far as Ace and Peter, they weren't there for many reasons. And I've said it a hundred times and I'll say it another hundred times. We couldn't be here today without what those guys did, and we couldn't be here today with them."

Asked by podcast host Chris Jericho about the lack of any mention of other former KISS members, such as Eric Carr, Bruce Kulick and Mark St. John, Stanley said: "What are you gonna do? I think the best way to honor everyone is to be the best we can be. What are we gonna have — videos up on the screen or draped photos? The fact that we were there, we were there because of everybody who participated, some more than others, but the tribute to everyone is us existing."

Bruce accompanied KISS on the "Animalize" tour and continued with the band until the 1996 reunion tour. Bruce is heavily featured on "Kissology - Vol. 2" and "Vol. 3", the band's DVDs spanning KISS's historic career.

Kulick — who last year launched his own brand to offer period-correct guitars inspired by his KISS era — played on six KISS studio albums and two live records.

Bruce will perform at the upcoming 50th anniversary of the KISS Army fan club. The show will take place at a weekend-long event at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas on November 14-16.

Kulick did not take part in either of KISS's farewell tours, in 2000-2001, and 2019-2023. Tommy Thayer has been KISS's guitarist since 2002.

Indigo Sky Casino & Resort in Wyandotte, Oklahoma turned it up to 11 with the grand opening of Rock & Brews Restaurant And Concert Bar, which featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a free live performance by KISS Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer and Rock & Brews co-founder Gene Simmons and his GENE SIMMOMS BAND, on Thursday, June 26. This exciting addition underscored Indigo Sky's commitment to providing guests with memorable experiences, delicious food, and top-notch amenities across the Four-State area.

The celebration kicked off at 1:00 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and remarks from Simmons, Indigo Sky's general manager Melanie Heskett, and Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma's chief Glenna Wallace. The party continued into the evening with a free live show by the GENE SIMMONS BAND — consisting of Gene on bass and vocals, Jason Walker on guitar and vocals, Brian Tichy on drums and vocals and Brent Woods on guitar — at 8:00 p.m. on the Rock & Brews stage.

Heskett said: "The opening of Rock & Brews marked an exciting new chapter for Indigo Sky Casino & Resort. From bold flavors to the iconic rock décor, this high-energy venue is all about great food and a great time. We were thrilled for our guests to experience it, and we're proud that Indigo Sky continues to deliver unforgettable moments."

Simmons and fellow Rock & Brews co-founder, KISS guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley said in a joint statement: "We're excited about what came from our partnership with the Indigo Sky team to bring a Rock & Brews Restaurant to their casino and resort. We all worked hard together to create a Rock & Brews destination we're proud to share with the community, and that's exactly what we did."

The new Rock & Brews Restaurant And Concert Bar features a 7,500-square-foot space designed for music lovers and foodies alike, with 15 state-of-the-art LED screens for sports and entertainment viewing. Guests enjoy a full-service concert bar, countertop gaming, and plenty of space for dancing, along with private dining and meeting room options. A live performance stage showcases both local talent and national acts, while the menu features craveable American classics, signature "rocktails," and 18 local and craft beers on tap, along with a weekend buffet-style brunch.

Indigo Sky Casino & Resort, located in Northeast Oklahoma, is one of the region's premier gaming and entertainment destinations. The property features over 1,400 of today's hottest slots, 14 table games, 10 poker tables, and a 400-seat bingo hall. Guests can relax in the 245-room hotel with a resort-style pool or enjoy the onsite RV park. Indigo Sky is known for its thrilling promotions, exciting giveaways, and rewarding player programs offered year-round, giving guests more ways to win every time they visit.

In addition to Stanley and Simmons, the Rock & Brews team includes CEO Adam Goldberg, entrepreneur, restaurateur, and hotelier Michael Zislis, who is behind some of Southern California's most well-known establishments, such as The Strand House and Shade Hotels; as well as concert industry veterans Dave and Dell Furano. The team opened the first Rock & Brews near LAX Airport in Southern California in 2010. Since then, they have rapidly expanded to include over 24 locations in California, Florida, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin, with more locations coming soon.

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2 DAYS TO GO! 🎉 🎉 🎉 Get ready to turn it up to 11!

Be sure to join us for our Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting Ceremony...

Posted by Rock & Brews at Indigo Sky Casino on Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Former OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Jake E. Lee says that the two individuals who allegedly shot him last fall near his home in Las Vegas have been arrested and are due to be sentenced in July.

Lee was in his driveway in the morning of October 15, 2024 about to walk his dog at about 2:40 a.m. when he was shot in the forearm; in the back, with the bullet breaking a rib; and in the foot. None of the shots hit a vital organ. A neighbor heard the shots, hid his kids, grabbed a gun and called 911. Lee's dog was unharmed. Police reportedly found 15 shell casings at the scene.

The 68-year-old guitarist offered an update on the incident while confirming his participation in next weekend's all-star "Back To The Beginning" event in Birmingham, United Kingdom, which will mark BLACK SABBATH and Ozzy's final performance.

"Just confirming I'm playing in Birmingham on the 5th of July," Lee wrote Friday night (June 27). "In fact I believe I'll be first at bat, which means [my dog] Coco has to be up at 7:00am [in Las Vegas] to watch Pops [as part of the pay-per-view livestream]!

"I'm thrilled to be sharing the stage with top tier musicians," Jake continued. "I won't name cause you never know until the curtain rises, but will confirm once we have our rehearsal next week.

"Oh, btw, the two that shot me have been caught and face sentencing next month," Lee added. "The gun was tied to two previous murders so my case is almost an afterthought. They're going bye bye for a long time. On that happy thought, see ya on TV!"

Last November, Jake wrote on Facebook that the shooting occurred after he noticed two men "dressed in black, hoodies pulled down low" checking out a motorcycle in a driveway. "They saw us coming up on them and exited the driveway and quickly walked down the street, the same direction we were headed." The men "kept checking over their shoulders at us" as Coco "pulled hard on the leash." Lee added that the men then warned him: “You need to quit following us, turn around and fuck off."

Lee refused to back down, believing the men were "obviously more intimidated by an 80-pound pitbull than an old guy in a bright Hawaiian shirt. He explained that "after some macho back and forth," he and his dog continued to walk home, leaving the men behind. It was then he was shot.

"We were about 50 feet apart when I heard the shots," Lee said. "I quickly realized he wasn't aiming at me. He was aiming at my dog. I threw my end of the leash at Coco and yelled to go home. He did. He's a good boy.

"One bullet went through my forearm, one through my foot, and one in the back, which broke a rib and damaged a lung. All the fingers still move."

Earlier this month, Lee told Guitar World magazine that he agreed to take part in "Back To The Beginning" after he was approached by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Tom Morello, who is serving as musical director for the event.

"Tom Morello called me," Lee confirmed. "He said, 'There's going to be a thing, an original SABBATH performance and Ozzy Osbourne's final performance. I can't see this going on without Jake E. Lee in there somewhere.'"

Lee added that he was excited about the upcoming show both as a participant and as an audience member, even through he hadn't been in touch with Ozzy for years.

"It's a thrill to be a part of it," he said. "And even more so for me to watch it. I hope Ozzy can get through it. I haven't spoken with him or seen him in decades. I really don't know what condition he's in, but he deserves a final farewell performance. No matter how he is, or how well his singing is, he deserves to have that final farewell. I'm happy to be a part of it."

Lee, who was tapped by Ozzy Osbourne to replace the late Randy Rhoads in the singer's solo band, played on two Ozzy records: 1983's "Bark At The Moon" and 1986's "The Ultimate Sin".

In a statement to TMZ shortly after the shooting, Ozzy said: "It's been 37 years since I've seen Jake E. Lee, but that still doesn't take away from the shock of hearing what happened to him today. It's just another senseless act of gun violence. I send my thoughts to him and his beautiful daughter, Jade. I just hope he'll be OK."

After performing with Ozzy, Lee formed the hard rock band BADLANDS. He released the solo albums "Retraced" and "Guitar Warrior" in 2005 and 2007, respectively. After a self-imposed exile from the music industry and the public eye, Lee returned with a new band called RED DRAGON CARTEL, releasing a self-titled album in 2013 followed by "Patina" in 2018.

Just confirming I’m playing in Birmingham on the 5th of July. In fact I believe I’ll be first at bat, which means Coco...

Posted by Jake E Lee's Red Dragon Cartel on Friday, June 27, 2025