In a new interview with El Estepario Siberiano, DREAM THEATER's Mike Portnoy spoke about some of his early drumming inspirations. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I often say Keith Moon [THE WHO]. But there's a bunch of guys. Ringo Starr [THE BEATLES] was a huge, huge one for me. Neil Peart [RUSH] was a huge, huge one for me. But seeing the type of drummer Keith Moon was made me want to be an animated drummer, 'cause somebody like Ringo and Neil Peart, as much as they're my heroes, on stage, they're very subdued, whereas when I saw Keith Moon just bouncing sticks off and throwing and twirling, you couldn't take your eyes off him. I knew I wanted to be that kind of a drummer. And another one who gets such a beating, his reputation, but Lars Ulrich [METALLICA], believe it or not, was a big influence for me. And a lot of people give him a hard time over his technique and everything, but, to me, he was an influence for me because it was more than just drums. He was the leader of the band, he would write the setlist, he would deal with the fan clubs and the merchandise, and he was co-producing the albums and co-writing the music. He, to me, was a role model. And even to this day, he still is. I went and saw METALLICA a few weeks ago, and more than just the drumming, his personality and his presence, he was so important for METALLICA's success that, to me, that was the thing. And Neil Peart too — Neil wasn't just the drummer; he was the lyricist and he would oversee the artwork. So, it's drummers like that, that do more than just play the drums. Those are my role models."

Elaborating on Ulrich's influence on his drumming style, Portnoy said: "[Lars] was a pioneer for the style of music that METALLICA plays. When they came out in 1983 or whatever it was, that was a game changer. They were inventing an entire style of music, and he was at the forefront of it. So, you've gotta give him credit for that. And those first four albums, his drumming was very progressive — very aggressive and progressive. It wasn't until the 'Black Album' where he started to pull it back a little bit, but those first four albums I learned so much about metal drumming from those albums. And not just Lars, but also Dave Lombardo [SLAYER], Charlie Benante [ANTHRAX], Vinnie Paul [PANTERA], Mikkey Dee with KING DIAMOND — those were all big ones for me in in that kind of time period."

Back in 2016, Portnoy told Classic Rock magazine that the best lesson he learned from another musician was something he observed from Ulrich. He said: "Lars and I were doing an autograph session together for Tama drums, as we both had signature snare drums coming out at the same time, and he's in one of the biggest bands of all time, so I figured he'd be the type that wouldn't even look up and push the line along as quickly as possible, but he was actually the total opposite. He was so completely gracious with each and every person, and he'd look every single one of them in the eye and spend a few minutes asking them questions. That was a tremendous lesson for me. I've done signings with guys that are in one-hundredth of the band that METALLICA is, and they've had attitudes and wouldn't give fans the time of day. But watching one of the most famous drummers in the world have that kind of attitude, even after all these years, was really inspiring to me."

Portnoy told Sticks For Stones in 2015 that had "a tremendous amount of respect for Lars" as a drummer "even though [Ulrich] takes a beating in the drum community." He explained: "To me, his value is not necessarily in drumming, but it has to do with him being a part of a musical revolution that he was a huge, huge part of starting. He's been a tremendous asset to METALLICA, not only as a writer, but as a businessman and his abilities to market things and his ability to arrange music and his performance on stage — he's a very animated player on stage. And to me, I would rather watch somebody like Lars Ulrich on stage than one of these technical drummers that can do quadruple paradiddles at 240bpm. To me, that's boring. Who cares about that?"

He continued: "I'd rather be entertained and go to a show and watch a drummer and have somebody that makes me actually smile. So I don't judge drummers based on their technical ability; I judge them based on the overall package and what they bring to the music they're part of. And what Lars brings to the music of METALLICA is absolutely invaluable. So I could care less if his meter might be slightly up and down, or if his fills are slightly sloppy; I don't care about that. To me, there's way more to being a good drummer than precision and technique."

Mike Portnoy photo credit: Travis Shinn

Frank Bello, best known as the bassist of New York's legendary thrash metal pioneers ANTHRAX, joined forces with Spector basses to develop an all-new instrument. Dubbed the NC-4 Frank Bello, this bass is inspired by both Spector's rich history and iconic American bolt-on bass design. With its refined shape, radiused top, and uniquely contoured neck heel, the NC-4 is a player's dream, offering a nimbler and more playable approach to the classic bolt-on platform. Carefully designed with Frank, his NC-4 showcases a stunning metallic purple finish named Tina Rose, in honor of his mother and grandmother who supported his dream of playing music for a living. It is completed with a matching head­stock and complimenting purple acrylic block fingerboard inlays.

The NC-4 Frank Bello is crafted from the combination of an Alder body and a 1-piece Maple neck with a Maple fingerboard. When combined, these timeless tonewoods offer the perfect blend of warmth, brightness, and clarity, making it the perfect choice for Frank's massive and memorable bass lines. The neck itself offers a slim, yet comfortable profile modeled after some of Frank's most cherished vintage instruments for a "just right" feel. When it comes to electronics, Frank prefers to keep it simple with his signature EMG P/J set and a straightforward control layout with two volume controls and a master tone control. This effective control set allows players to blend and taper their tone quickly and easily. Finished off with vintage-inspired chrome tuners and a modern fully adjustable bridge, the NC-4 Frank Bello is ready to bring the noise on the world's biggest stages.

Speaking about the fact that ANTHRAX is one of the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal, along with METALLICA, SLAYER and MEGADETH, Bello said: "That was great, to be a part of the 'Big Four', to celebrate this great thrash thing. We all toured together for so long back in the day. And look, [playing] the Yankee Stadium [in New York with the 'Big Four' in September 2011], [that was] one of the highlights of my career. Four thrash bands playing Yankee Stadium. As a Yankee fan, a Bronx guy who grew up 10 minutes from the stadium, celebrating the music that I — let's face it — gave my life to, so to celebrate it like that… It was also the last show my grandmother saw ANTHRAX. We got my family a booth up in the Yankee Stadium, one of those booth things up there with the glass and stuff. I remember seeing her after the show, and she came with a wheelchair. We put her back in the car and stuff, and that was great. I still have her face saying that to me. 'That was so great, Frank. I loved it.' That's the woman, her and my mom, she's the one that started me and Charlie [Benante] — Charlie, the drummer of ANTHRAX — she's the one that said, 'Go do your thing. And never think about it. Just go be happy.' That's why she deserves to have a tribute through this bass. That color is her and my mom [who was Charlie's older sister]. My grandmother's Tina. And my mother's name is Rose. So it's Tina Rose. And that's the ultimate tribute. So wherever I go with this bass around the world, they're always gonna be there."

Frank played his first show with ANTHRAX in nearly a year and a half on October 12, 2024 at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California.

Bello and ANTHRAX were supposed to perform at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky on September 27, 2024, but their show ended up being canceled due to severe weather.

Prior to Aftershock, Bello last played with ANTHRAX in May 2023 at the Milwaukee Metal Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

In April 2024 and early May 2024, Bello sat out ANTHRAX's South American tour as well as two U.S. festival dates due to "personal reasons." Filling in on those shows was ANTHRAX founding member and original bassist Dan Lilker, marking his first appearance with the band in 40 years. Lilker, who co-wrote and played on ANTHRAX's debut album "Fistful Of Metal", was also a member of STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH with Benante and ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian.

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

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

In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, I PREVAIL frontman Eric Vanlerberghe spoke about the band's recently released two singles, "Violent Nature" and "Into Hell". Issued in May, "Violent Nature" marked I PREVAIL's first new music since the surprise departure of longtime clean vocalist Brian Burkheiser. Eric said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're really, really excited to put this stuff out. We had the first single ['Violent Nature'], which is quite heavy. [We put that out first] kind to shake up the fanbase and kind of throw everyone… We love to… If you look back at our track record, the first singles have always been either what we thought was just a big home run or something that was just a little off of center, and this one felt like the perfect one to like jar the fanbase and shake up the metal community that I don't think was prepared to hear something like that from us. And then following up with 'Into Hell', which is a complete left turn off of what we just released. But I think that's just what our band's always done, has had this dichotomy or had this like eclectic sound. We're all fans of heavy stuff to pop stuff to… There's some country songs that slip into my playlist just 'cause they're undeniably well written. So [we're] loving all types of music, and it's awesome to be able to filter that into our sound and to put out records that have… Whatever emotion you're looking for, we've probably got it. If you want something to bang your head through the wall, we have that. Do you need something just to sing along to and feel good? We have a couple of those, and everything in between."

Regarding "Into Hell", Eric said: "The song means a lot to me, and I had a lot of fun writing with the guys. When we were picking the singles off the record, we had a couple in mind and sent it over to the radio team and the label, and it was funny. They all picked this one. And not to say that we weren't stoked for that one; we just didn't think that… We were, like, 'Oh, man. Really? You guys think that's single worthy?' And we were, like, 'All right. We'll trust you.' It's not that it's a song that we disliked or anything. We weren't sure if anyone else was gonna see the vision like we did. And, yeah, we're just really, really excited and stoked that our team backed it as much as we felt it. And, yeah, stoked to finally have this out, man."

Burkheiser had handled the clean vocals in I PREVAIL since the band's formation but was forced to step away from the group's touring activities due to his battle with Eagle's syndrome, a condition associated with the elongation of the styloid process or calcification of the stylohyoid ligament, clinically characterized by throat and neck pain, radiating into the ear. In Burkheiser's absence, co-vocalist/growler Vanlerberghe had handled the bulk of the singing in I PREVAIL, with the help of guitarist Dylan Bowman.

Speaking about his increased vocal role within I PREVAIL, Eric told Meltdown: "I'm singing all over this [upcoming] record now. I've sang a little bit on the past records, parts here and there and harmonies and stuff. But for this time around to go into this and going, all right, well, we're not gonna change our sound dramatically. This is still I PREVAIL. We're gonna have the heavy stuff, but we're also gonna have the hooks that we love to write, the big choruses, trying to aim to write those big choruses. So going into the studio and writing in our little unit we've got, it was — I don't wanna say 'challenging'. It was a big learning curve, but also it was awesome to… When you're doing something creative and putting yourself out there and around other people, the vibe in the room, it means a lot. If you've got someone in there you're a little uncomfortable with, and [you think], 'I don't wanna belt this note and sound bad in front of these people,' but to have my guys, the band just cheering me on and being super supportive and feeling, okay, all right. 'Let's try this melody and sing it.' And, 'Oh, man. That didn't sound good.' And not feeling dumb or feeling bad, but, like, 'Oh, no. Try it again. Try tweaking this.' Or 'You're a little sharp on that. You're good. Just get back in there. You got it.' That was [instrumental in] getting where we're at now with these songs, was just having the confidence to get in there and go, 'All right. No one else is gonna do it. I'm gonna do it. Gotta figure it out.'"

"Into Hell" was made available earlier this month via Fearless Records. The track arrived alongside a new music video directed by George Gallardo Kattah.

Vanlerberghe previously stated about the lyrical inspiration for the track: "This song is about loving someone through their lows and struggles. Being there to take their burdens. Loving them through everything because that's what they do for you."

The "Violent Nature" music video was directed by Orie McGinness.

Vanlerberghe described "Violent Nature" as "aggressive, fast, and heavy. All packed into two minutes and 10 seconds. Turn it up and put your head through the fucking wall."

I PREVAIL released its latest album, "True Power", in 2022 via Fearless Records. It was followed by a sold out, two-leg tour across the U.S. and Canada.

Last October, I PREVAIL released an expanded edition of "True Power", featuring one new song and three reimagined tracks. The updated version included the new single "Hate This Song", the band's collaborative track with ALL TIME LOW, along with reimagined versions of the album singles "Bad Things", "There's Fear In Letting Go" and "Deep End".

Rising to an arena level and receiving two Grammy nominations — "Best Rock Album" for "Trauma", and "Best Metal Performance" for "Bow Down" — I PREVAIL saw its "Hurricane" single top Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart in 2020, officially the top song on U.S. rock radio at the time. A number of their singles have since been certified gold and platinum, and they have been praised by press far and wide, including Forbes, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter and NPR.

I PREVAIL is:

Eric Vanlerberghe - Vocals
Steven Menoian - Guitar
Gabe Helguera - Drums
Dylan Bowman - Guitar
Jon Eberhard - Bass

Photo credit: Reilly Clark

In a new interview with MetalTalk, SAVATAGE guitarist Chris Caffery spoke about the reactivated band's recent shows in South America and current dates in Europe. Joining Chris in SAVATAGE's 2025 touring lineup are Johnny Lee Middleton on bass, Al Pitrelli on guitar, Jeff Plate on drums and Zak Stevens on lead vocals. Regarding what it has been like playing with SAVATAGE again, Caffery said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, those guys in the band are people that I see every year [as part of the annual tours with the progressive rock group TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA]. Zak and Jeff are people that I tour with, and Al, me and Johnny and Jeff toured together with TSO on the 'Beethoven's Last Night' tours and stuff like that. So I always see them and we always play. They're my closest friends. And when we played again, it didn't seem like it was 23 years; it seemed like it was three years. It was weird. It just seemed like we never stopped. It's so crazy. It just felt the same but different, 'cause we're a little bit older and a lot of time's gone by. We went up there, and it was just like we were back home. SAVATAGE's music is so powerful on those stages and so much fun to play live. And the music that Jon [Oliva, SAVATAGE mastermind] and his brother [Criss Oliva] and [TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA project founder and SAVATAGE producer] Paul [O'Neill] had assembled for this band's career, it's so magical when it's played in front of audiences. And I know the fans missed it as much as I did.

"Life goes through so many ups and downs, and as you get older, it seems to me like the downs tend to jump out a lot when you don't expect them," Caffery explained. "And now that comes from the health of your family members and things around you like that. But having SAVATAGE back in my life has really been like a good anchor in the middle, 'cause TSO is the greatest fricking musical gig on the planet— I love being a part of that band and going and doing that every year. It's so amazing to be part of what Paul created with TSO. It's the greatest rock show that I could possibly ever imagine being on inside of an arena. The production's amazing. The songs are amazing. The singers and musicians are amazing. The crew — the whole thing is just so, so great. It's that anchor there. Then you go all the way over to the other side of your life, and you've got all these things. And there's time between when you're out with TSO. And having SAVATAGE to balance that time, it's equally as strong as TSO, and it sits in the middle of that. So where you might have a rubber band kind of up and down with everything, SAVATAGE in the middle has kind of given me a nice calming knowing that my childhood band that I got into when I was 19 is back as an everyday part of my life now. I'm doing SAVATAGE press, and I see letters and posts, and we have shows booked and my next performances live are that. It's a great feeling to have that, that be back. And I know everybody in the band is so excited to be back on the stage again, and we're all just bouncing around like a bunch of little kids. It's so much fun."

Caffery also talked about the fact that Jon Oliva has mentioned in several interviews over the course of the last two years that he was working on a new SAVATAGE album that originally had the working title of "Curtain Call". Chris said: "Yeah. It's funny, because Jon mentioning that record [in a 2023 interview with Sakis Fragos of Greece's Rock Hard] is probably a lot of the reason why we're playing, because he did it in one interview around the COVID time, and the next day I got all these e-mails and messages and DMs: 'This is great. SAVATAGE is doing another record. I saw [the article on] Blabbermouth.' And I'm, like, 'We are?' But I think that got agents going to me and the band and the management, and through that, our management came up to us and said, 'Hey, we wanna have a conference call with you guys.' And then they did and they said, 'Well, there's a lot of good offers for you guys to play some shows.' And I think a lot spurred out of that.

"Jon wants to do this music and we're gonna get it done," Caffery confirmed. "I kind of am hoping that his idea of [calling it] 'Curtain Call' is not [a reference to] the curtain going down, but the curtain going up. I have two different versions of where I think that should go. I think that this version of curtain call should be the new chapter starting over again. And hopefully that's where it goes. For me, nothing would make me happier. I know we plan on playing, and I hear the guys talking, and we talk about a 10-year touring plan and this and that. So if we're gonna be out there, there might as well be some new music. And it'll be fun to add a few things into the crazy good fricking back catalog."

Chris added: "I'm just happy that we're playing again. I can't imagine time going by faster than that. But to see 23 years go by with the blink of your eye, it's just crazy, man. It's crazy. It really is."

Regarding the possibility of SAVATAGE playing shows in the U.S. and other territories, such as Asia, Caffery said: "Well, that's the plan. The plan is for us to go anywhere that wants to have us. I don't book the shows. I haven't seen dates, but whenever they show up, to me it'll kind of be like 'The Song Remains The Same'. If I'm in the backyard doing my garden, then that e-mail comes, I'm gonna pack the suitcase and go. That's the way it's gonna be."

SAVATAGE played four shows in South America in April and kicked off a 10-date European tour on June 13 at the Into The Grave festival in Leeuwarden, Netherlands.

SAVATAGE played its first non-festival headlining concert in more than 20 years on April 21 at the Espaço Unimed in São Paulo, Brazil. The show took place two days after SAVATAGE performed at the Monsters Of Rock festival at Allianz Parque in São Paulo.

Appearing with Middleton, Caffery, Pitrelli, Plate and Stevens are SAVATAGE's two new touring keyboardists, Paulo Cuevas and Shawn McNair.

In a recent interview with Scott Itter of Dr. Music, Caffery spoke about the fact that SAVATAGE's comeback doesn't include Jon Oliva, who in 2023 suffered a T7 vertebra fracture in three places, a severe injury that has left him relying on a wheelchair. Additionally, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and Ménière's disease, conditions that have further complicated his health. Chris said: "He's had a lot of punches. He's lost so many people that are close to him. So many people have passed away around Jon. [But] he's the mountain king, man. He had a fall, and then he's had some health stuff and he has his M.S. that he's dealing with and some other things. But I saw him go from being in a wheelchair, a motorized wheelchair, and being with walkers to watching him walking in and out of the studio when we were rehearsing for the [recent SAVATAGE] South American tour. And then I just saw videos of him and pictures online from a ceremony that happened [last week] for Morrisound Studios in Florida. He looked even better than he did when I saw him a month ago. So I think the SAVATAGE thing playing [again] is an inspiration to him. I think it's the best thing that could have happened to all of us in a lot of different ways. But I think Jon, he wants to be there. I want him to be there. I was, like, 'Dude, I've never done a SAVATAGE show without you.' He was, like, 'Just go play the fucking music.' And it's so important to me that he's around. And he had a big part to do with what we were doing [with the SAVATAGE comeback], and he recorded that piece for the video [that we are using in the live show during the performance of the song 'Believe']. But I know Jon — he wants to be there. And I think that seeing just how much people missed him and his music and the legacy of the band, it's inspiring him to get back out there and walk up on that stage and have people fricking say hi to him the way he deserves."

Zak joined SAVATAGE in 1992 as the replacement for Jon Oliva. Zak sang on four albums with the band — "Edge Of Thorns" (1993),"Handful Of Rain" (1994),"Dead Winter Dead" (1995) and "The Wake Of Magellan" (1997) — before departing in 2000, allowing Jon to return. Both Jon and Zak took part in SAVATAGE's 2015 performance at Wacken Open Air, which marked the band's first appearance on stage since they went on hiatus back in 2002.

SAVATAGE's last album release, "Poets And Madmen", in 2001 was highlighted by Jon's return as lead vocalist, replacing Zak, who left the band citing family reasons, and the departure of guitarist Al Pitrelli, who accepted an offer to join MEGADETH in 2000. Pitrelli did record solos for some songs prior to his departure. Another very limited U.S. tour followed, supported by FATES WARNING in the early shows, and then NEVERMORE for the remainder. Around this time, Jon chose Zak's replacement in the form of Damond Jiniya (DIET OF WORMS). Damond performed Zak's parts on tour, with Jon having an increased vocal role in proceedings.

In addition to his work with SAVATAGE, Jon Oliva is well known for co-creating the classical music-meets-prog rock and pyro act TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA alongside O'Neill. Oliva has reportedly remained involved in TSO's activities even after O'Neill's April 2017 death of an accidental drug overdose.

In a new interview with Graspop Metal Meeting, founding KROKUS bassist Chris Von Rohr asked about the possibility of fresh music from the legendary Swiss hard rock band. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We always try out things, but we don't belong to those bands who just make for marketing a new album, to have a theme for a new tour. We are working on that. We have so many great songs from over 20 albums. The people wanna hear them. And if we do something new, we just give it away."

He continued: "It's possible that we do a few new songs, but that's not the point. We give the people what they want, and what concerns the whole rest… I mean, look at this crazy world. I hope we still can go on with festivals like that, brilliant festivals, without this madness in the world. And that's why we keep rocking. Can you trust the politics? Fuck no. But you can trust rock and roll. In rock we trust. That's our main slogan."

This past January, KROKUS frontman Marc Storace was asked by Chris Akin Presents if some of the material on the two solo albums he has released so far — 2021's "Live And Let Live" and 2024's "Crossfire" — would have been made available under the KROKUS banner if the legendary Swiss rock band was actively making new music. He responded: "Well, it's very difficult to say, because if KROKUS were to write a new album, which we haven't done since a long while, unfortunately, it would have been me working with Fernando [Von Arb, guitar] — mostly he comes up with the riffs and arrangements — and Chris is also there with ideas for lyrics and also arrangements and stuff. And then I throw in my piece and I come up with the vocal melodies and take it there to as many levels as I can. But still, yeah, it's something that didn't happen and I don't see it happening."

He continued: "There's never any words lost about a new album with KROKUS. But I'm glad KROKUS is back, since [2023]. [In 2024] we played a lot of festivals and enjoyed doing it. There's a new, refreshing, fun aspect within the band. Even the crew we have, we've had them since years. It's like one big family, and it's really something admirable, also considering how long we've been doing this, the age of the band, myself being the eldest, [at the age of] 73. But I think age is just a number, when you have the passion and the physical ability to follow it up. So it's a matter of taking care of yourself and not overindulging — in the music as well as other things."

Storace went on to say that he is not thrilled about the fact that KROKUS hasn't made an album of all-new material in more than a decade.  "I'm not too happy that KROKUS doesn't wanna do a new album, sit together and write new songs," he said. "For me, this creative thing is very important for my soul. My heart and soul goes into the songs that we write, and then it goes into the songs when we perform them. So it's the birth of what we create, and that's kind of stopped. We're feeding off old material, which is great — I love singing KROKUS songs, and [I'm a] sentimental guy anyway and nostalgic, and all that stuff, and, as I said, we've become more like a team again. So, never say never, but at the same time, that's the situation, how it is. So I enjoy doing the gigs with KROKUS, but I enjoy the creative and the fight for [my solo project] STORACE. It's a big fight. We don't hold out the platter, and nothing comes in raining from heaven. [Laughs]"

KROKUS's latest studio album, "Big Rocks", came out in January 2017. The disc saw KROKUS paying tribute to bands and artists like LED ZEPPELIN, QUEEN, THE WHO, STEPPENWOLF, Bob Dylan, THE ROLLING STONES and many more by presenting their very own versions of classic tracks such as "My Generation", "Tie Your Mother Down", "Whole Lotta Love", "Quinn The Eskimo", "Born To Be Wild" and others.

KROKUS's last collection of new music, "Dirty Dynamite", was made available in February 2013 in Europe via Sony Music and in North America in March 2013 via The End Records.

Five years ago, KROKUS postponed what was supposed to be the band's last-ever concerts in USA and Canada due to the coronavirus pandemic that was sweeping the globe.

Formed in 1975, KROKUS has sold over 15 million records, toured the world, and received gold and platinum discs in the USA and Canada. KROKUS was also the first Swiss band to sell out Hallenstadion and has received a diamond disc for selling one million albums in Switzerland alone.

In the course of its career, KROKUS has rocked over 2,000 shows on five continents, countless cities, unique locations, crazy gigs, and loyal fans.

English rock journalist Malcolm Dome quite rightly said: "If you look at the long-term output of this band, KROKUS is clearly one of the best hard rock bands of the last 40 years."

In a new interview with The Jesea Lee Show, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE vocalist Jesse Leach spoke about the band's latest album, "This Consequence", which came out in February via Metal Blade. "This Consequence" is KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's ninth album overall, and sixth with Leach, who rejoined the band in 2012. Asked about his lyrical approach this time around, Jesse said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think I initially went into it with a real… I wanted to say something positive, wanted to put out a message to help people, and it just wasn't translating properly. It didn't feel genuine, and the guys kept pushing me and pushing me. So I eventually sat with myself and was, like, 'Well, what do I really wanna say? Where's this passion that these guys keep talking about? They're not seeing it from me.' So, it wasn't just anger. It's a righteous anger, a desire for change.

"I think the way we've been living — especially since COVID… COVID was such a time of division, and we're now, I feel, in PTSD," he continued. "We're still recovering from that where political left and right have gone much further than they have since we've seen in my generation. And there's a lot of bickering, a lot of anger, and, for me, it doesn't have to be this way. We have so much more in common than we do differences. So for me, the message was, like, wake up. Stop being manipulated to go on either side, and we're in-fighting when the powers that be, these rich, rich, wealthy people are benefiting from our division. So, that's kind of the way — I came out of the gates, like, a cry for unity. And there's anger there, but it's a righteous anger. I wanna see change. I want people to realize they're being manipulated because of their division. If we gathered together and focused on what we have in common, what we need — our basic needs, our health — there's so many things we could be fighting for together. So that's kind of where I'm at with it. Unity — it's a cry for unity."

Asked if it was weird, when he started working on the record, to hear his bandmates tell him that this wasn't what they wanted to hear from him, Jesse said: "Yeah, it was a wake-up call. I think I needed it. COVID was a time for me…. I retreated. I became like a monk. I really didn't write much. I kept to myself. And I think for me, I had to rediscover… If someone puts a microphone to you and says, 'Oh, write a record. What do you wanna say?' I was deer in the headlights for a while. So, for me, I needed somebody to stir me up. I needed somebody to go, 'You can do better.' And it was difficult. I definitely had moments where I questioned whether or not I still got it. But I needed that, 'cause I had to dig deep. So as was difficult as it was, it was necessary. [I thought to myself] 'Am I too old for this? Have I lost my edge?' But turns out I didn't, thankfully."

"This Consequence" arrived alongside a hugely successful winter/spring 2025 tour, yielded a Top 10 single with "I Believe" and landed KILLSWITCH ENGAGE on the covers of Revolver and Outburn.

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE will return to the road this weekend on the massive "Summer Of Loud" tour, co-headling alongside BEARTOOTH, I PREVAIL and PARKWAY DRIVE.

Fans got their first taste of "This Consequence" with pulverizing track "Forever Aligned", swiftly followed up with the instant classic "I Believe". More recently, the group shared a video for "Collusion".

"Making this record lit a fire under my ass and made me rethink everything," Jesse previously said. "It had to be next level. It had to be different enough for people to really recognize we're putting forth an effort-or what's the point of doing this? There was no repeating ourselves. It was very carefully planned out and passionately written. It sounds like KILLSWITCH, yet there's also a fresh spirit to it."

In a new interview with Louise Phillips of U.K.'s TotalRock, drummer Ryan O'Keeffe of Australian hard rockers AIRBOURNE spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's sixth album, tentatively due later in the year. "We finished [recording] it in April," he said. "So we did one more month in April after the tour. Zakk Cervini [DAYSEEKER, BRING ME THE HORIZON, ARCHITECTS, MACHINE GUN KELLY] is finishing his last couple of mixes now. It's a big team. It's a huge team. It's gonna be a good record, I'll tell you that."

Asked by Phillips if AIRBOURNE has already decided on a title for the upcoming album, Ryan O'Keeffe and his brother, AIRBOURNE frontman and lead guitarist Joel O'Keeffe, confirmed that it will be called "Gutsy", which is also the title of the single AIRBOURNE released earlier in the month.

"Gutsy" marked AIRBOURNE's first new song in six years. It was produced by Brian Howes, who also worked with AIRBOURNE on 2013's "Black Dog Barking" album, engineered by Canadian studio legend Mike Fraser (AC/DC, AEROSMITH, RUSH, METALLICA) and mixed by Cervini.

"Gutsy" features AIRBOURNE's current lineup, consisting of Joel and Ryan, alongside longtime bassist Justin Street, and recent recruit Brett Tyrrell on rhythm guitar.

When the "Gutsy" title track was first made available, it was described in a press release as "a blood-and-sweat commitment to the rock 'n' roll cause, and a burning desire to honor the true heroes of the genre. More than just a title, "Gutsy" is a declaration. A worldview. A line drawn deep in the sand… 'It's how you live, it's how you die…'"

Joel commented: "When the odds are stacked against you and the battle you're fighting seems impossible to win; when the vultures are circling and the last chance saloon has firmly bolted its doors; when your plane is hitting the runway on a single engine, and that engine is on fire; and when the things you hold as precious, the things that define you, are being tested at every turn, then the choices available become a lot clearer: fold or fight… call for help or cry for glory… give in or Get 'Gutsy'!

"We went into this writing and recording session with a clear idea of what we wanted to achieve," Joel added. "It was a question of legacy. Let's create something that can stand the test of time, both in terms of our own story and the hard rock world in general. Let's plant our flag as close to the summit as possible, and if we have to make that final part of the ascent without oxygen, so be it. NO turning back. Get 'Gutsy'!!!"

Tyrrell joined AIRBOURNE in 2022 as the replacement for Matthew Harrison, who stepped into the band in 2018 after the departure of founding member David Roads.

AIRBOURNE bassist Justin Street joined the band in 2004 as the replacement for Luke McKenzie.

AIRBOURNE is:

Joel O'Keeffe - Frontman/Lead Guitar
Ryan O'Keeffe - Drums
Justin Street - Bass
Brett Tyrrell - Rhythm Guitar

California punk rock legends THE OFFSPRING have fans from all over the world, but today they have released the official Circus Head-directed music video for a song that celebrates their fans who are asking them to "Come To Brazil" with their aptly named single. The track, produced by Bob Rock (METALLICA, MÖTLEY CRÜE, AEROSMITH),is taken from the band's "Supercharged" album, which came out last October via Concord Records.

On the track, THE OFFSPRING singer Bryan "Dexter" Holland previously said: "Every time we announce any shows, we get comments from our Brazilian fans saying 'Come to Brazil!' which we love! Brazil really does go off. It has enthusiasm, passion and is an amazing place to play! I hope the Brazilian fans really make this one their own!"

The song opens up with an iconic intro featuring heavy guitars and ends with the iconic football chant "Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé" all the while talking about how their Brazilian fans can't get enough of THE OFFSPRING, noting lyrically: "It doesn't matter how many times we came, 'Cause they want us back again just the same, And the flights are long but they won't stop, Until we come to Brazil." The song also comments on the social media requests the band has received from their Brazilian fans noting: "DM'ing all the time, they're begging you will say you'll come to Brazil."

The first single from "Supercharged" was "Make It All Right", which hit No. 1 on both the Alternative Airplay chart (Mediabase) and the Active Rock chart (on Mediabase) as well as No. 1 on the Billboard Rock and Alternative Airplay chart.

"Make It All Right" marked THE OFFSPRING's sixth No. 1 song on the Active Rock chart, following "I Choose" (1997),"Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)" (1998),"The Kids Aren't Alright" (1999),"Hit That" (2003) and "Gone Away" (1997),which remained on No. 1 on the chart for five consecutive weeks and the song that QUEEN's own Brian May performed with them last year. It also marked the first time ever THE OFFSPRING had had a No. 1 at both Alternative and Active Rock radio in the band's history.

On the Alternative Airplay chart, "Make It All Right" marked the band's fourth No. 1 song, following "Come Out And Play (Keep 'Em Separated)" in 1994, "Hit That" in 2003, and Spotify Billions Club inductee "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" which hit No. 1 for 11 weeks straight in 2008. This only adding to the accolades the band has hit over the years with over 40 million records sold worldwide.

"You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" off THE OFFSPRING's 2008 "Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace" album was added to Spotify's Billions Club after the song reached one billion streams on the platform. Prior to this "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" had already been certified platinum in the United States, United Kingdom and gold in Spain, Poland, Italy, Germany, and Denmark. Upon release, the song hit No. 1 on the Alternative Airplay chart (formerly the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart) and remained at the top spot for 11 weeks — making it the longest #1 of any of the band's singles. The Billions Club, which first launched in 2020, lists all of the songs that have reached one Billion streams on Spotify. THE OFFSPRING's infamous song has now joined the list which features songs from peers and icons including AC/DC, FLEETWOOD MAC, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Whitney Houston, THE KILLERS and more.

Last year marked the 30th anniversary of THE OFFSPRING's six-times-platinum "Smash" album.

The original lineup of BLACK SABBATH — singer Ozzy Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler, guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward — has commenced rehearsing for its final performance, "Back To The Beginning: Ozzy's Final Bow", set to take place on July 5 at Birmingham, United Kingdom's Villa Park.

Earlier today (Tuesday, June 24),the official BLACK SABBATH social media shared a new photo (see below) of Osbourne, Ward and Butler at what appears to be a rehearsal studio and included the following message: "Rehearsals are underway for Back To The Beginning: Ozzy's Final Bow".

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),Wolfgang Van Halen (VAN HALEN, MAMMOTH WVH) 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.

Rehearsals are underway for Back To The Beginning: Ozzy’s Final Bow

Posted by Black Sabbath on Tuesday, June 24, 2025

In an interview with the Brutally Delicious podcast, Aaron Stainthorpe of MY DYING BRIDE spoke about his new band HIGH PARASITE, which released its debut album, "Forever We Burn", last September via Candlelight/Spinefarm. Produced by Gregor Mackintosh of PARADISE LOST, the LP — with Stainthorpe and bassist/vocalist Danny "Tombs" Lambert at the helm — blends metal, gothic rock, and dark synth-pop into a powerful and emotionally raw sound.,

Asked how difficult it was emotionally for him to step away from MY DYING BRIDE and do something new, Aaron said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, it didn't happen like that. It sort of evolved over months, I guess. So I didn't wake up and suddenly go, 'Right, I'm doing this now.' It just sort of evolved, and when something evolves at a slower pace, you've got time to get used to it. It's not a big shock and you start to become that other person.

"I said it before I'll say it again: I feel 10 years younger," Aaron continued. "And so it must be good for my health. And weirdly — I don't know how this works — I'm eating better and I'm drinking less and I'm exercising more. So whatever I've decided to become or do is really beneficial on so many different levels."

Asked if MY DYING BRIDE fans are taking the journey with him and his new band or if he is reaching an entirely new audience, Aaron said: "Well, a bit of both. We always see MY DYING BRIDE shirts at the gigs, and people come over and I'm signing MY BYING BRIDE merch all the time. That will never stop, which is great. And a lot of them have come along for the ride. It won't be everybody's cup of tea, and that's fine. No one band is everyone's cup of tea. Some of them, they absolutely love it and they've bought everything, which is absolutely fantastic. So, yeah, the MDB fans are coming along for the ride and for the most part loving it."

Asked if it was difficult for him to switch gears and do something like this apart from what has pretty much been his legacy, Aaron said: "Yeah, I didn't really think about it, to be honest. I mean, MY DYING BRIDE did death metal and doom. Some of the death metal stuff was pretty rapid. It wasn't all doom. So, we knew how to nod our heads pretty rapidly back in the old days. And this is a bit more of that. The songs are obviously much, much shorter. They're super catchy. But it's weird having someone else singing on stage, because Tombs does some vocals and I do the vocals. And I'm thinking to myself, 'Well, when he's singing, what am I supposed to do?' I'm not gonna dance. I can't dance, I'm not gonna embarrass myself like that. But I'm not entirely sure what I'm supposed to do. My stage craft is still developing. I just try and walk around a bit. I bought a cordless microphone so I could get a bit more movement on stage without tripping everybody. So, it is weird when I'm not the only singer, because, of course, in MDB I was the only one doing [the singing]. So, that's a bit weird. But the music's just cool music. It's great to sing and it's great to move to.

"I said I feel 10 years younger because the energy that the music brings and the energy that the younger members of HIGH PARASITE give off, it just makes me feel great," Aaron added. "So on stage, I'm actually having fun. With MY DYING BRIDE, I never had — I wouldn't call it 'fun' on stage, because the songs are really emotional and they're super heavy. It was draining mentally for me with MY DYING BRIDE. With HIGH PARASITE, for the first time ever, I look forward to getting on stage, and I love being on stage with HIGH PARASITE. And I've never felt that.

"At this age in my life, you sort of think, well, you've done this thing for a long, long time, and that's all you're gonna do… And then suddenly something else comes along, and it flips the coin completely. And as I say, I feel 10 years younger, I'm full of energy and I can't wait for the next gig."

Regarding what it has been like to have successfully reinvented himself at this stage of his life, Aaron said: "Well, again, because I've never reinvented myself before, it's all very, very new. It's all super new to me. I don't what I'm doing half the times, but it just feels good. I've got a new lease of energy, and I'm doing things I've not done before. Which is good at this stage of my life, to be doing brand new things. It's great. And I've started reading my poetry at gigs as well now.

"In January this year, I did a show in a church in Belgium with DARKHER and SYLVAINE. It was brilliant," he revealed. "And I'm working on a few more of these sort of events. Something's coming up in October, I believe, where I'll be performing again with DARKHER and the DEAD SPACE CHAMBER MUSIC group, doing some poetry and some versions of MY DYING BRIDE songs that people would've heard before. So, again, things I've never done before. [And I'm] really enjoying [it]."

Asked if he feels like there is "a whole new creative spark going on", Aaron said: "Yeah, definitely. I still like writing the really heavy lyrics because that's really where my heart is — the deep, meaningful stuff. And while at the moment that's not lyrics for MY DYING BRIDE, it's poems which I'm able to perform live. So I'm still venting my emotions, but instead of singing them with MY DYING BRIDE, I'm speaking them to people who are bewildered sometimes, but for the most part, enjoying it. Because a lot of my poetry is very much like MY DYING BRIDE lyrics. It comes from the same heart, same soul. So, if you like MY DYING BRIDE lyrics, you're pretty much gonna like the poetry."

It was announced last December that MY DYING BRIDE had recruited SWALLOW THE SUN vocalist Mikko Kotamäki to front the band for their live appearances in 2025.

MY DYING BRIDE's latest album, "A Mortal Binding", came out in April 2024 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Long-running Swedish rap-metal combo CLAWFINGER has signed a new record deal with the Perception label, a division of Reigning Phoenix Music. A new single, apparently titled "Sc*m", will be released "soon".

On Friday, June 20, CLAWFINGER shared the following message via social media: "Well, well, well... look who signed a record deal again, just a quick 32 years after our first one. Yes, it's true: we've officially signed with Perception label — a division of Reigning Phoenix Music.

"Do we understand how the music business works anymore? Absolutely not. Do we know if this is a brilliant move or a beautifully misguided one? Also no. Is the industry still a fickle beast that eats its young and spits out vinyl? Naturally. But are we thrilled to once again be caught in the trap? You bet your nostalgic little heart we are.

"Here's to new tunes, old habits, and making the same mistakes... but with better shoes.

"New song out soon. Sc*m."

Last July, CLAWFINGER vocalist Zak Tell was asked by Metal Mad TV if he and his bandmates would ever release a follow-up album to 2007's "Life Will Kill You". He responded: "Well, [GUNS N' ROSES'] 'Chinese Democracy' took a long time too. I don't know. The thing is we don't really have a record deal anymore. We have a management. We release stuff via his label whenever we feel like it. We have maybe like five songs almost ready now. Maybe we'll release that as an EP.

"I don't know if there will be an album," he continued. "I don't know if there won't be an album. We're not planning an album. We write songs whenever we have ideas. Most of us have full-time jobs and do other stuff. So it's a question of time, and we have families. It's just putting the life puzzle together. So we don't have an album in the making. But we do have a few songs that are ready, more or less."

Asked if he and his CLAWFINGER bandmates still play small club shows, Zak said: "We only we only play really big festivals, because it's more people and it's more fun. No. To be honest, right now it's just festivals over the summer. Maybe there'll be some club dates later in the year.

"It's different times," he explained. "Buses cost more, planes cost more, crew cost more — everything has become more expensive And we've done pretty much everything. But there's one thing we refuse to do in our old age, and that is pay to play. We will not pay to play. But we've done that in the past. We did that in certain territories back in the '90s and early 2000s. We're not doing that again. We don't need to make big money or be rich fucking rock stars or anything, but we wanna come back with something. And also, what a lot of people don't realize is to put on a show, it costs you money. I mean, it probably costs us at least two thousand euro to do a gig — just in costs for crew members and flights. And it's probably even more than that. I don't know the figures, 'cause I'm just a stupid vocalist. But it costs money to play. It's not free. You don't just leave home and walk up on the stage, plug a guitar in and then go, 'Okay.' There's a lot of work behind it. And especially in this streaming and TikTok age, people don't realize that. They think everything is easy and simple."

In March 2022, CLAWFINGER released the official music video for its latest single, "Environmental Patients". The track marked the first new music from CLAWFINGER in more than two years.

Prior to the arrival of "Environmental Patients", CLAWFINGER released a single called "Tear You Down" in September 2019 and "Save Our Souls" in 2017. "Save Our Souls" was made available four years after CLAWFINGER announced it was calling it quits.

During the break from the studio, the members of CLAWFINGER were reportedly taking care of their families while performing sporadic reunion shows, mostly at European festivals. "CLAWFINGER no longer is our main job," the band explained at the time. "We all have other jobs and families to love."

CLAWFINGER's last studio album, the aforementioned "Life Will Kill You", was released in the U.S. in July 2008 via Locomotive Records. The CD, which entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 89 upon its European release in 2007, was recorded and produced at Sweden's Fear And Loathing Studios, a facility that CLAWFINGER runs along with the members of MESHUGGAH.

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