In a new interview with The Mistress Carrie Podcast, IN THIS MOMENT singer Maria Brink and guitarist Chris Howorth spoke about the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for the follow-up to the band's 2023 album "Godmode". Maria said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're working on the [new] album. It's just about done. We only probably have, like, two songs left. We thought we were done, and then we kind of had to step away and look back, and it just feels like it needs a little bit more. But we're still gonna actually be releasing a new song soon."

Brink continued: "We wanna get new music out. When you tour for a living and you're out there and you're doing things, you wanna play new music, you wanna bring new energy to the crowds and to everybody. So we will be dropping a new song very soon with a guest vocalist that we can't announce yet, but it's somebody I love and have been inspired by recently. So we're excited for everyone to hear something coming very soon. And yeah, the album is pretty much done. We only have about two more songs left. So we're trying to get it all dialed in. And we don't wanna rush it. We wanna make it the best it can be. And we'll just release songs until the album's ready, 'cause we want it to really be something we're proud of."

Added Chris: "Yeah, we're excited too, because we're on Better Noise [Music] now and they're kind of doing all of our songs and all of our planning and how we roll things out. So we will be releasing songs until the album is ready, which is something kind of new for us, just kind of releasing standalone songs like that."

Howorth went on to call the upcoming IN THIS MOMENT single "a face melter", with Brink saying: "We feel really good and strong about the first [track that we will be putting out]. And so that's what we wanted to lead with. It's really heavy. We wanted to come out with a lot of electricity and make it insane. And then we'll figure out what comes next."

Earlier this week, IN THIS MOMENT announced the 2025 "Black Mass Tour" featuring special guests DAYSEEKER on select dates, THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT and DED. The 23-city trek kicks off on Thursday, September 18 at 1st Summit Arena in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, making stops across the U.S. before wrapping up in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania at Wind Creek Events Center on Friday, October 24. IN THIS MOMENT is also gearing up to release new music via Better Noise Music this summer.

Formed in 2005, IN THIS MOMENT's current lineup includes Brink, Howorth, bassist Travis Johnson, guitarist Randy Weitzel and drummer Kent Diimmel.

To date, in addition to the gold-selling album "Blood" (2012),the quintet has garnered six gold and platinum singles, followed by a trifecta of Top 25 entries on the Billboard 200 with "Black Widow" (2014) and "Ritual" (2017). With a total stream tally well past 200 million as of 2020, "Ritual" elevated them to new creative and critical peaks as well. Between selling out headline tours coast to coast, the group performed in arenas everywhere alongside DISTURBED and appeared at countless festivals from Lollapalooza to Sonic Temple. Along the way, they assembled their seventh full-length, the aptly titled "Mother" (Roadrunner Records) with longtime trusted collaborator Kevin Churko (OZZY OSBOURNE, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH). Whereas "Ritual" hinted at a bluesy sonic sorcery, "Mother" breathes the activating mantra of an unbreakable spell, commenced on first single "The In-Between".

In 2022, the band released "Blood 1983" (BMG),a reimagined EP commemorating the tenth anniversary of "Blood". Then in 2023, the longtime staples of heavy music released their eighth studio album "Godmode" (BMG),a 10-song record featuring the powerful lead single "The Purge", the band's stunning cover of Björk's "Army Of Me", the collaborative track "Damaged" which features Spencer Charnas of ICE NINE KILLS, and "I Would Die For You", which appears on the soundtrack for "John Wick: Chapter 4".

Photo credit: Joe Cotela

Behold Amorphis Whiskey – A Tribute to Finnish Metal and Craft Whisky

Together with Finland’s internationally awarded craft distillery, The Helsinki Distilling Company, we have created a whisky that merges Finnish mythology, the power of grain, and musical depth. Launching in July, Amorphis Whiskey pays homage to Finnish craftsmanship – in the studio, on stage, and at the distillery. The limited-edition release will be previewed at Tuska Festival.

“For us, a high-quality whisky is not about intoxication, but about creating atmosphere, inspiring conversation, and fostering calm. Amorphis Whiskey is not merchandise – it’s an extension of our brand and an artistic statement, like a new composition,” says Keyboardist Santeri Kallio.

Amorphis Whiskey:
🥃100% Finnish rye and barley malt, aged in bourbon, sherry and Islay casks.
🥃Flavour: Sherry sweetness, light smokiness, rye spice, dried fruit and dark chocolate notes.
🥃Finish: Long, smooth, spicy rye.
🥃Age: 6 years.
🥃Bottle size: 50 cl. Alcohol: 47.5%.
🥃Limited edition of 2,000 individually numbered bottles.
🥃Availability: Select restaurants in Finland, The Helsinki Distilling Company’s Tislaamo-Distillery Bar, Alko’s order selection, Amorphis online store (GER), and in Germany, France and Japan.
🥃First preview: Tuska Festival, June 27–29. International release date: July 15.

In a new interview with The Jesea Lee Show, FILTER frontman Richard Patrick spoke about the band's alt-rock hit "Hey Man, Nice Shot", which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. Regarding the song's enduring popularity, Richard said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "God, I remember [when the song was first released] just being, like, 'Boy, I hope this makes it.' And the song was already taking off from the 'Demon Knight' soundtrack. And then it just kept building and building and building. And, yeah, it's a staple of the set. We play it last every night usually. And it's awesome."

Asked if he knew the song was special when he first wrote it, Patrick said: "I played it for some friends of mine, and they were, like, 'Rich, this is great.' And some other things I had played for them, they were, like, 'I don't know, bro. 'Cause I have really picky friends.' And I played 'em 'Hey Man, Nice Shot', and they were, like, 'Dude, undeniably this is a great song.' And so I felt proud of it. And then every person I played it for until sitting in [the offices of] Warner Brothers and playing it for them, and they were just, like, 'This is awesome. We wanna sign you because of this.' It was a fantastic feeling."

Richard went on to confirm that "Hey Man, Nice Shot" was written about the public suicide of Pennsylvania state treasurer R. Budd Dwyer on January 22, 1987, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Dwyer had been convicted of bribery charges in December 1986, and was expected to receive a lengthy sentence. Professing his innocence and decrying the legal system, Dwyer shot and killed himself with a .357 Magnum revolver during a live televised press conference.

"I never wanted to say that it was inspired by R. Budd Dwyer, but people were mistakenly saying it was about [NIRVANA frontman] Kurt Cobain, because he had killed himself," Richard told The Jesea Lee Show. "But I wrote the song in '91 [which was three years before Kurt's death]. So the record company kind of just leaked it and said it's about R. Budd Dwyer. It was inspired by R. Budd Dwyer's public suicide. And I just was, like, 'Well, the cat's out of the bag.' And so I never wanted it to be out what the song was about, but it's out. And he did what he did. He made the point he wanted to make. And I saw it as a young man and wrote lyrics about it and it just resonated with me and I just found it to be shocking and I tried to understand it. And so that's what the song is about, trying to wrap my head around, like, why would someone do this? And [it's] interesting fodder for lyrics, in my opinion. 'Cause I was so over — and a lot of people were too — I was just so over songs about like hot rods and chicks and all that crap that they had spoonfed us in the '80s."

Elaborating on the fact that some people still mistakenly believe that "Hey Man, Nice Shot" was written about Cobain, Patrick said: "Urban legend is that it's about Kurt. But the great thing is, is I went up to [NIRVANA's] Dave Grohl and I explained that the song was written way before Kurt killed himself. And I was already signed because of it. And then Kurt killed himself, and the record came out like a little bit later. And I explained it to Dave Grohl and I explained it to [NIRVANA's] Krist [Novoselic]. And those are the only two people I care about. They acknowledged that they understood, like, 'We know you didn't do it.' So, once I made it clear to them that it was written in '91 and that it wasn't about Kurt, and they reassured me that, like, 'Hey, it's okay. Don't feel the weight of this.'"

Richard added: "No one wants to profit on someone's demise, but at the same time, it is about suicide and it is about someone killing themselves. It's wild."

Circling back to how "Hey Man, Nice Shot" was conceived, Richard said: "I was writing this song for me and my stoner buddies that were hanging out when I was a kid. I wasn't even writing it to leave NINE INCH NAILS, which I ended up leaving NINE INCH NAILSbecause of it. I was, like, 'Shit, if I can write 'Hey Man, Nice Shot' and get a record contract with Warner Brothers, I can make a living in this business.' And that's exactly what I did."

Richard recently wrote a song called "The Gunslingers Of Redemption" and composed all the music for writer-director Brian Skiba's western "Gunslingers".

Richard Patrick had previously composed soundtracks for several films, including "Dark Crimes" (2016) and "Last Rampage" (2017). He also contributed to the soundtrack for "The Last Rampage" with his brother, Robert Patrick. In addition, he has composed music for TV series like "Comedy Kitchen".

FILTER's latest album, "The Algorithm", came out in August 2023 via Golden Robot Records.

In a new interview with Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com, VIXEN guitarist Brittany Denaro (a.k.a. Britt Lightning) spoke about the possibility of new music from the band. VIXEN's most recent release was the 2023 single "Red". It marked the group's sole studio recording with singer Lorraine Lewis, who was fired from VIXEN in May 2024 and replaced with Rosa Laricchiuta (TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, HEADPINS).

Asked about the likelihood of new music from VIXEN, Britt told MisplacedStraws.com: "Yes, we have a couple things in the works. An album, I don't see that right now. I think it's more of a singles game in the moment, from everybody's perspective in the band. So, I think that we're gonna hopefully release a single here and there coming up soon. Like I said, I know for sure we've been working on one. That'll be coming out."

Britt also touched upon Laricchiuta's addition to VIXEN, saying: "Rosa's voice is amazing. She really, really fits great. It was just such a seamless transition with her. So I think the band's stronger than ever. And so, yeah, we are ready to rock and make new music."

Laricchiuta is a singer, songwriter, and performer from Montreal, Quebec. After several years cutting her teeth with live shows, she auditioned for the third season (2015) of "La Voix", Quebec's version of the popular TV show "The Voice". Rosa had an instant connection with the legendary francophone rocker Éric Lapointe and chose him as her coach. Rosa showed a solid stage presence, with remarkable intensity and a voice so powerful it sent her straight to the Grand Finale where she shared the stage with DEF LEPPARD, Kelly Clarkson, Jean Leloup and her idol, Melissa Etheridge. She left a lasting impression as she won over millions of viewers who named her the new "it" female rocker of Quebec. She then released one album in the Quebec market before beginning work on her first English language album in 2016. That album, "Free", was released the following year and at the end of the year, she joined the popular American band TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA for their annual mega tour of the United States.

Laricchiuta's hard rock project BLACK ROSE MAZE released its self-titled debut album in August 2020 via Frontiers Music Srl.

In a September 2024 interview with Waste Some Time With Jason Green, Laricchiuta spoke about how she landed the gig with VIXEN. She said: "So in fact, I planted the seed because… You know about the Monsters Of Rock cruise, right? I've heard so much about it, but I wanted to get on it. And I was just, like, 'You know what? For the first time in my life, I'm gonna use my contacts.' So I asked as many musicians as I could. I e-mailed and texted brothers and friends from TSO [TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA] and other musicians, and I'm, like, 'How can I get on the Monsters Of Rock cruise?' 'Here's a contact.' I wrote to my contact and I was, like, 'Hey, my name is Rosa.' I dropped all the names. 'I'm a singer with TSO. I know this guy. I've been praised by this guy and that guy,' and I dropped them all. And I've never done that before… So long story short, I heard back from my contact, which is the manager of VIXEN, and he's, like, 'Hey, Rosa. I know who you are.' And he's, like, 'Be patient. The lineup is already set. However, maybe we can figure something out.' Then I saw his number. So I'm, like, 'You know what? I'm just gonna call.' And I called up, left a message: 'Hey, it's Rosa. I wanna talk about the Monsters Of Rock cruise, how we can make this happen.' I hung up. He wrote back to me, like, 'I received your call, but just hang tight.' [He was], like, super cool and professional. It was, like, 'Okay, great.' Good vibes. And I left it at that. And I was okay with that. And then about — I don't know, I would say like a week later, I get the call and I'm, like, 'Hello?' He's, like, 'What a coincidence.' I'm, like, 'What are you talking about?' So he's, like, I'm a manager of VIXEN and I just spoke to…' So he spoke with another… You know how agents talk to each other, managers and all that. And somebody from Quebec had referred me to him, and he's, like, 'You come highly recommended.' I'm, like, 'What? From who?' I'm, like, 'What's going on? I don't follow.' And he's, like, 'I'm the manager of VIXEN and we're looking for a female singer. Would you be interested?' And while he's telling me this, I'm Googling VIXEN because I have no clue who they are. [Laughs] I wasn't like a rocker [growing up], per se. I love all music, and I sing all styles. So, I didn't know. And then I was, like, 'Oh.' So the first thing I said was, 'Holy shit, these girls are badass.' It's been my dream to be in an all-girls band. I have a brother. I've always wanted a sister, and now I feel like I have three sisters. I'm in another hockey team. Okay, a lot smaller. I love everything about VIXEN — everything. So that's how it happened. I planted the seed because of this Monsters Of Rock cruise."

Laricchiuta made her live debut with VIXEN on June 21 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California alongside GREAT WHITE, SLAUGHTER and QUIET RIOT. Asked in a July 2024 interview with the "All Bets Are Off" podcast with Robby Vegas what was going through her head at that first show, Rosa said: "Well, I was really excited because I'm all over the place because I'm so overwhelmed and it's all so surreal. But growing up, I always wanted sisters, so now I feel blessed to have three sisters. And I feel — this is funny, but I feel like I'm a part of an incredible hockey team doing what I love. [Laughs]"

As for the vibe on stage, Rosa said: "My heart was beating so fast and I was really grateful that the first show was only six songs. [Laughs] Oh my goodness. Of course it was adrenaline and the good stress. But, like I said, the girls really welcomed me from the start. And immediately, when we were on stage, I felt the energy. Britt's [Lightning, a.k.a. Brittany Denaro, VIXEN guitarist] infectious vibe, Julia's [Lage, VIXEN bassist] energy is just wow. And sometimes I had to tell myself, 'Rosa, focus on the crowd,' because I was so — I forgot. I was so lost in the energy that I forgot there's a good crowd in front of us. And then Roxy [Petrucci] on the drums, it's so fun. I just wanted to jump on her riser, but I couldn't because the riser was so incredibly high. And then the second and the third show, I had a moment. I like to look everyone in the eye. And I'm telling you, it's intense, it's amazing, but most of all, I'm having a blast."

Asked if she was aware of VIXEN's legacy prior to being asked to join the band, she said: "Sadly, no… The first thing, the first thing I said was, 'Oh my God. It's an all-female band. Is this really happening?' Because, again, growing up, I never had a sister, and I always dreamed of being in an all-girl, all-female band, always. And then the second thing that came out of my mouth was, 'This is so badass.'"

In January 2019, VIXEN recruited Lewis as its new lead singer following the departure of Janet Gardner.

Lewis had already performed with VIXEN in March 2018 in Durant, Oklahoma while Gardner was recovering from surgery.

Prior to Lewis's addition to VIXEN, Petrucci, bassist Share Ross and Lightning vowed to "expand upon the VIXEN legacy while remaining true to our musical roots."

Gardner, Petrucci and Ross are considered to be part of VIXEN's classic lineup, along with founding guitarist Jan Kuehnemund, who died of cancer in October 2013.

Gardner contributed lead vocals to VIXEN's most commercially successful studio albums — "Vixen" (1988),"Rev It Up" (1990) and "Tangerine" (1998) — as well as the group's latest full-length release, 2018's live album "Live Fire".

More than three years ago, Ross announced that she was "taking a hiatus" from VIXEN. Her replacement is Julia Lage, formerly of the Latin Grammy-nominated Brazilian rock group BARRA DE SAIA and wife of Richie Kotzen. Lage made her live debut with VIXEN on February 8, 2022 at the pre-Monsters Of Rock cruise concert at Magic City Casino in Miami, Florida.

Image and video credit: Tom deBlonk

Former OZZY OSBOURNE and DAVID LEE ROTH guitarist Joe Holmes has shared a new single called "Ocin". The track, which was made available under the Joe Holmes name, once again features a recording lineup that is similar to the one that tracked the debut album from Joe's FARMIKOS project, with Holmes on guitar, Robert Locke on vocals, and Holmes's former OZZY OSBOURNE bandmates, bassist Robert Trujillo (now in METALLICA) and drummer Mike Bordin (also of FAITH NO MORE) on drums. Also contributing melodies and lyrics to the song was Brent Hoffort.

In April, Holmes released another new song called "Speak Into The Sea" featuring Locke, Trujillo and Bordin. Three months earlier, he issued "The Deadfall", and a month before that, he released "Cross Eyed Stare" with the same recording lineup.

FARMIKOS's self-titled debut album was released in 2015 to critical acclaim. The disc contained ten original songs written by Holmes and Locke, with writing contributions on eight songs by Hoffort. Some of "Farmikos" featured Brooks Wackerman (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ex-BAD RELIGION) on drums.

FARMIKOS was Holmes's first venture under his own flag since first attaining local notoriety with TERRIFF, an L.A. band he formed after taking guitar lessons as a teenager from none other than original Ozzy axeman Randy Rhoads. Holmes eventually went on to replace ALS-stricken Jason Becker on the 1991 David Lee Roth "A Lil' Ain't Enough" world tour.

In 1995, Holmes was brought to the attention of Ozzy Osbourne who was looking for a new guitarist to take over Zakk Wylde's spot for the "Ozzmosis" album touring cycle. Holmes would go on to co-write three songs, "Facing Hell", "Junkie" and "That I Never Had", which appeared on Ozzy's 2001 album, "Down To Earth".

Holmes began collaborating and creating material with Hoffort and then joined forces with vocalist and Arkansas native Locke in 2011 to put together ideas for what would become FARMIKOS.

In a new interview with Loaded Radio, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer Jesse Leach spoke about the possibility of a third album from TIMES OF GRACE, his collaborative project with KILLSWITCH ENGAGE guitarist and producer Adam Dutkiewicz. TIMES OF GRACE released its second album, "Songs Of Loss And Separation", in July 2021 via the band's own imprint label, Wicked Good Records, distributed by ADA Worldwide. It arrived a decade after the release of TIMES OF GRACE's debut album, "The Hymn Of A Broken Man". The first music from TIMES OF GRACE materialized during Dutkiewicz's arduous recovery from near-crippling back surgery and was a collection of songs the multi-instrumentalist and producer knew would suit his once and future bandmate.

Asked about the likelihood of new music from TIMES OF GRACE, Leach told Loaded Radio (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There are B-sides from the last record that never got released. But, yeah, the last conversation I had with Adam, his head is in such a different place right now, between us touring full time with KILLSWITCH, his project with [former KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer] Howard [Jones], BURN ETERNAL, and then he's also working on probably another SERPENTINE DOMINION record [with CANNIBAL CORPSE frontman George 'Corpsegrinder' Fisher], which I wrote on the lyrics for that [first] record too [2016's 'Serpentine Dominion']. [I was] honored to be able to pen lyrics for Corpsegrinder — one of the highlights of my career.

"But as far as the third TIMES OF GRACE, I would love that, but I don't foresee that happening anytime soon," Jesse admitted. "I think in Adam's eyes — and I get it — the last record sort of just came and went, 'cause we released it during the pandemic. We weren't able to tour on it. It didn't feel like it had the success of the [first] record, but obviously we weren't able to tour on it. So you kind of can't gauge success based on that. That being said, I will say that I think for me personally there's a few songs on that record, 'Songs Of Loss And Separation', that I believe are the best vocal performances in both of our careers — hands down. I think Adam shines as not only a vocalist but a lyricist because he took a lot of the lyrics on himself. For the songs that he takes main vocals on, minus one, he wrote the lyrics, so he really sort of came into his own. TIMES OF GRACE starting out as a project where he asked me to be a part of it 'cause he didn't know how to do X, Y, and Z, on that record he did what he set out to do. There are songs that he's owning it, and he could have easily done an EP on his own without me."

Leach added: "So I think over time, I'm hoping I can convince him that it was a success and that we could do more. And I would love nothing more than to do some live shows with a lineup that we choose. But we'll see. I have hope that it will eventually continue on, but we'll see what happens."

When "Songs Of Loss And Separation" was first released, it was described in a press release as a mixture of "stark confessions of struggle with narrative storytelling." The music was said to be "just as expansive, with Adam handling lead vocals on several songs and Jesse experimenting with a lower vocal range reminiscent of post-punk and goth."

Four years ago, Adam told Australia's Heavy about the musical direction of "Songs Of Loss And Separation": "It's probably not what KILLSWITCH fans are expecting. It's a different sound than anything we've ever done before. So, it's not metal all the way through. Sorry, everybody. This is a labor of love, truly. Obviously, it's our side project, me and Jesse, and we can only work on it when we have free time to do so. And now that Jesse's the singer for both bands, we decided to take it into a different direction a little bit. There's a lot of more rock and roll-vibe jams, so don't expect blazing death metal all over the place."

Asked if there were specific goals that he and Jesse were aiming to achieve with "Songs Of Loss And Separation", Adam said: "There weren't really any set goals except just try to create something that we liked. We wanted to something different, obviously, like I was saying. We didn't want it to feel like KILLSWITCH. We wanted to show maybe even a more personal, darker side to who we are. We wanted to create some songs more so from painful things in our lives — almost like a cathartic thing to make for us. So, yeah, it's definitely much different. Whereas KILLSWITCH is a lot on the more positive, hopeful light, this is a lot of darkness and just tough things to go through."

"The Hymn Of A Broken Man" arrived in 2011, nearly a decade after Leach's exit from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and a year before his return to the pivotal New Wave Of American Heavy Metal band the duo co-founded with friends in 1999. The first album earned acclaim from BBC Music, The Aquarian and Rock Sound. It willfully upended expectations, with flourishes of shoegaze and ambiance in its songs.

Generation Landslide, led by former MCA recording artist/singer/guitarist Anthony White, has officially signed with Ron Keel’s RFK Media to deliver their new album, Existence; plans are also underway to reissue the band’s acclaimed 2022 debut, Ruling The Street Scene.

Based in Las Vegas, Generation Landslide has proven their appeal coast to coast in, from a co-headline spot at the M3 Festival Pre Party in Columbia, Maryland to the legendary Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood.

Anthony White’s rock roots run deep. He powered Xcursion with bandmate Mark Slaughter prior to the singer’s platinum success with Slaughter, was a member of the first officially sanctioned KISS tribute band Cold Gin with future KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer and signed with MCA Records as a founding member of Cold Sweat.

“The whole idea is to try and bring back all those elements of listening to an album from top to bottom, taking the fans on a musical journey,” explains White. RFK Media’s Aaron Fischer describes Generation Landslide’s sound as “arena rock, heavily influenced by early KISS, Thin Lizzy, and Alice Cooper, which we love.”

Generation Landslide also features Sandy Stein (lead guitar), Jonathan Swanson (bass), and Lisa Carver (drums).

The new album is in the final stages of mixing – this landslide can’t be stopped or ignored, just cranked up and enjoyed.

MEGADETHwill release an ultra-limited "Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good!" 40th-anniversary box set on October 17.

Housed in a deluxe custom box with a resin-molded top and limited to 350 copies, this collector's set includes:

* Metallic Gold 12" Vinyl LP
* Hand-Signed 12" x 12" Lithograph
* Zoetrope Slipmat
* Metal Laser-Engraved Business Card
* 4" Embroidered Patch with Merrowed Edge
* 3' x 5' Flag (Replica of Original Backdrop)
* 2-Sided Challenge Coin with Carrier Sleeve
* 20-Page 7" x 10" KIMB Zine

Hailed as "The Best Thrash Metal Debut Album All Time" (VH1),"Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good!" was originally made available on June 12, 1985 on the small, New York-based independent record label Combat Records.

The LP was recorded with the lineup of Dave Mustaine on guitar and vocals, David Ellefson on bass, Chris Poland on guitar and Gar Samuelson on drums.

A few years ago, Mustaine told Guitar World magazine about MEGADETH's debut effort: "When our record and [METALLICA's] 'Ride The Lightning' and the SLAYER record and the ANTHRAX record were all out, that was one of the coolest times to be alive. Metal was huge and we were having so much fun. For MEGADETH, that was kind of like our senior year. And 'Killing Is My Business' was kind of like a summing up of everything about growing up for us."

Regarding the recording process for "Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good!", Mustaine said: "Going into Indigo Ranch [Studios in Malibu, California] I was really excited. But we get there and [early MEGADETH associate] Jay Jones and Chris Poland roll in, and half the recording budget has been spent on food and drugs. It's very well-chronicled, and it's been talked about for [more than] 35 years. Everybody knows that happened. We had an $8,000 budget and we commenced making a $4,000 record. I was pissed. I was absolutely pissed. Any hope of us having a relationship was shattered. From that point forward Chris Poland was just a player in a band. And Jay Jones's time was marked."

MEGADETH has spent the last few months recording its seventeenth studio album, due later in the year. The LP will be released via Mustaine's Tradecraft imprint with the Frontiers Label Group's new imprint BLKIIBLK.

MEGADETH is once again working with Chris Rakestraw, a producer, mixer and engineer who previously worked on MEGADETH's last two albums, 2022's "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" and 2016's "Dystopia".

MEGADETH's current lineup includes guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari, who joined the band a year and a half ago as the replacement for Kiko Loureiro.

Mäntysaari stepped in September 2023 for Loureiro, who announced earlier that month that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland. It was later revealed that the now-38-year-old Finnish musician would continue to play guitar for MEGADETH for the foreseeable future, with Loureiro seemingly having no plans to return.

Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and began playing guitar at the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has also been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.

VAN HALEN's "Balance" turns 30 this year, and Rhino is celebrating with an expanded edition of the band's multi-platinum tenth studio album. It follows last year's successful reissue of "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (Expanded Edition)" and concludes Rhino's spotlight on the band's classic albums from the Sammy Hagar era.

Arriving August 15, "Balance (Expanded Edition)" will be available as a 2LP/2CD/Blu-ray deluxe set including the original album, remastered for 2023's "The Collection II", along with a selection of audio and video rarities. The collection also contains several unreleased live recordings from the "Balance" tour, including "The Seventh Seal", which is available today digitally.

Standalone versions of "Balance" will also be available the same day, including a 2CD set with the album and rarities, and a 2LP black vinyl and 2LP orange vinyl pressing that presents the full album on vinyl for the first time in 30 years. Here, the complete album spans three sides, for optimal audio quality, with a "Balance"-era etching on the fourth.

"Balance (Expanded Edition)" pulls together a selection of non-album tracks from the period, including the B-side "Crossing Over", along with "Humans Being" and "Respect The Wind" from the "Twister" soundtrack. Also featured are eight standout performances from the band's 1995 Wembley Stadium appearance, which was broadcast by the BBC. The recordings offer rare live versions of "Balance" tracks like "Feelin'" and "The Seventh Seal".

The Blu-ray features several restored promo videos, including "Can't Stop Lovin' You", "Amsterdam" and "Not Enough". It also includes a previously unreleased live clip of "The Seventh Seal", filmed at the Target Center in Minneapolis in July 1995.

Originally released on January 24, 1995, "Balance" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was certified triple platinum by the RIAA. The album produced rock radio hits like "Can't Stop Lovin' You" and "Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do)", and introduced deeper cuts like "Big Fat Money" and "Aftershock". It marked the final studio album recorded by the lineup of Sammy Hagar, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony.

In celebration of their sixth decade as a band, German hard rock legends SCORPIONS will release "From The First Sting", a thrilling collection showcasing the raw energy, unforgettable anthems, and iconic moments from their illustrious career. "From The First Sting" will be available on a deluxe 2LP and 2CD bookpack and 2CD format for European and rest-of-the-world fans, as well as 2LP vinyl and 1CD format for fans in the Americas.

During their career, the SCORPIONS viewed their music as a bridge between cultures. They performed in the former Soviet Union, China, and Southeast Asia, thereby fostering international understanding. Commercially, the band are also one of the best-selling hard rock and heavy metal bands of all time — with over 120 million album sales to their name.

"From The First Sting" is a sonic journey through the band's timeless hits, from "Rock You Like A Hurricane" to "Wind Of Change", showcasing SCORPIONS' evolution while honouring the spirit of their classic sound.

"From The First Sting" features two previously unreleased tracks, "This Is My Song" and "Still Loving You", the latter of which features British violinist Vanessa Mae. The physical for European and rest-of-the-world fans comes housed in a carefully crafted 2LP colored vinyl and 2CD 40-page deluxe edition bookpack, comprehensively illustrating the enduring influence of the pioneering masters of their genre.

Perfect for die-hard fans and newcomers alike, "From The First Sting" delivers the ultimate SCORPIONS experience — a blistering ride through 60 years of hard-hitting, heart-pounding rock that continues to leave its mark on the world.

2LP and 1CD track listing

01. In Search Of The Peace Of Mind
02. This Is My Song*
03. Speedy's Coming
04. In Trance
05. Pictured Life
06. The Sails Of Charon
07. Top Of The Bill (Live)
08. Always Somewhere
09. The Zoo
10. No One Like You
11. Rock You Like A Hurricane
12. Big City Nights
13. Wind Of Change
14. Still Loving You (feat. Vanessa Mae)*
15. Humanity
16. Rock Believer

* Bonus tracks

2CD track listing

CD1

01. In Search Of The Peace Of Mind
02. This Is My Song
03. Speedy's Coming
04. In Trance
05. Pictured Life
06. The Sails Of Charon
07. Top Of The Bill (Live)
08. Holiday
09. Always Somwhere
10. Lady Starlight
11. The Zoo
12. No One Like You
13. When The Smoke Is Going Down
14. Still Loving You
15. Rock You Like A Hurricane
16. Big City Nights

CD2

01. Rock You Like A Hurricane (Live)
02. Believe In Love
03. Send Me An Angel
04. Wind Of Change
05. Under The Same Sun
06. Still Loving You (feat. Vanessa Mae)
07. Mind Like A Tree
08. You & I
09. Wind Of Change (Moment Of Glory)
10. Always Somewhere
11. Maybe I Maybe You
12. Humanity
13. The Best Is Yet To Come
14. House Of Cards
15. Rock Believer

Photo credit: Marc Theis (courtesy of Wilful Publicity)

LIVING COLOUR delivered a five-song set as part of National Public Radio's (NPR) popular "Tiny Desk" concert series, which sees artists play in the open office for a small crowd of mostly NPR employees. Check out video of the performance below.

LIVING COLOUR's setlist was as follows:

01. Cult Of Personality
02. Pride
03. Love Rears Its Ugly Head
04. Time's Up
05. Solace Of You

NPR is honoring classic albums' major anniversaries with the 246-station network's Black Music Month celebration. In addition to LIVING COLOUR's "Time's Up", which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, "Tiny Desk" has recognized Keyshia Cole's "The Way It Is", E-40's "In A Major Way", CeCe Winans's "Alone In His Presence", Wiz Khalifa's "Kush & Orange Juice" and Beenie Man's "Art And Life".

In a recent interview with "The Plowzone" video show on RokuTV, LIVING COLOUR bassist Doug Wimbish was asked if he and his bandmates are working on fresh music. He responded: "We are. It's interesting because [when people ask], 'Are you in the studio writing some stuff?' Well, we're going in the studio in a couple of weeks, and we've been in the studio actually creating some ideas. So, to be honest, yeah, we're in the process of making a new record. I'd like to say we're in the process, really, of collecting the material to get to that point where we can actually go in and have enough music or enough ideas to start to really build out songs."

He continued: "That's how we work. We're a band where [we work best when you] get us all in the room, turn it on and let's all play at the same time. That's when the magic happens. And to not overthink it. Just get in. Let's go. Take a break. Play some more. Make sure that you can actually document the stuff. Go home. Sleep on it. Come back and do the same thing the next day. And if you can get into that kind of routine, then things start to happen. Or you can wait for that magic moment, and you'll be waiting on Godot. So we're in that flow vibe, and I'm looking forward to going in the studio and chopping it up."

In May 2024, LIVING COLOUR singer Corey Glover told Robert Cavuoto of Myglobalmind that he and his bandmates were "still in the writing stage" for the follow-up to 2017's "Shade" album. He said at the time: "I think we're in search of a voice at this point. I think it's important that we have something to say that's sort of poignant, particularly in and around this time. If everything was right, this record would have come out this year. But I think scheduling was not in our favor. But I don't think the world is going to change significantly. And if it does, we'll talk about it. But for the most part, we're trying to figure out what our mission statement is for this. And we're writing it in that regard to sort of jumpstart that process."

In September 2023, Corey expressed hope that LIVING COLOUR would have some new music ready to release soon. He told May The Rock Be With You at the time: "We really, really take our time making records, because when you have musicians of the caliber of Vernon [Reid, guitar] and Will [Calhoun, drums] and Doug — and myself, I guess — we get kind of precious about our thing. We want it to be right. We want it to be exactly the way we want it to be as it occurs, what it is and how it is. So it takes a minute."

He continued: "Making records is simpler technically, but a lot more difficult in terms of living your life. We're a lot older. We've got a lot more responsibilities. We've got kids. We've got college. We've got high school. You've got all this other stuff that you gotta think about — and write a song. [Laughs] So it's a two-sided coin in terms of having the wherewithal to make music and live the rest of your life."

Asked what the process is like writing music now compared to, say, 1988, Corey said: "Well, you can get the information out to people a lot quicker. You can say, 'I've got this groove.' Back in the day, you played it on the phone or you made a recording, and then you physically brought it to them. Now I can hum a thing on my phone and say, 'Here. I'm sending this to you. What can you do with this?' And then they send me something back, and we can go back and forth with that in real time as it occurs. And that makes the process that much simpler."

LIVING COLOUR disbanded in 1995 but reunited in 2000. (Original bassist Muzz Skillings left the group in 1992 and was replaced by Doug Wimbish.)

In June 2020, LIVING COLOUR released a video for its classic song "This Is The Life" featuring footage of the peaceful protests that swelled across the U.S. and around the world over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police. The original version of "This Is The Life" appeared on LIVING COLOUR's 1990 album "Time's Up".

"Shade" was released in September 2017 via Megaforce Records.

Glover and ADRENALINE MOB guitarist Mike Orlando recently launched a new project called SONIC UNIVERSE. The group, whose lineup is completed by bassist Booker King and drummer Taykwuan Jackson, released its debut album, "It Is What It Is", in May 2024 via earMUSIC. The 10-song effort was produced, engineered, and mixed by Orlando at his Sonic Stomp Studios.

Glover's other side projects in recent years have included some acting, touring as a member of jam band GALACTIC and, more recently, forming the jazz-rock supergroup ULTRAPHONIX with legendary DOKKEN guitarist George Lynch. Reid, for his part, has released solo albums and been involved in side projects with Masque and YOHIMBE BROTHERS; collaborated with Mick Jagger, Bill Frisell, Jack Bruce and Ronald Shannon Jackson, among many others; produced albums for Salif Keita and James Blood Ulmer; and composed film scores.