In a new interview with Jono and Nats of Dubai 92's "The Big Breakfast", DEEP PURPLE singer Ian Gillan was asked if there is "an end in sight" to the hard rock legends' six-decade career or if he and his bandmates just plan to "keep on rocking". Ian responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, no one's really thought it through. We don't talk about it that much. And as life gets on, the end is nearer than the beginning, that's for sure. We all know that. But at the moment we're getting a lot of joy from what we're doing. I think the band is rejuvenated since Simon [McBride, guitar] joined us. And so we're looking a long way ahead. And you don't make long-term plans if you're thinking of stopping. So, we'll see what the future holds. I think probably human dignity is gonna be the deciding factor. Once you start going out and embarrassing people with your inability to do what you've done all your life, then it's time to stop. But until that moment arrives, then we're going good. And the band is hard and mean and hungry at the moment. I've never felt it so tight."

Earlier this month, DEEP PURPLE announced a U.K. tour for November 2026, including shows in Newcastle, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, and London.

The 80-year-old Gillan recently admitted to Uncut magazine that he was unsure how much longer he and his bandmates would be able to keep performing live.

"It's one of those things," he said. "I've only got 30 percent vision. That won't get better. It makes life mysterious. The hardest thing is working on my laptop. I can't see anything on the screen unless I use my peripheral vision; I pick up a line by looking at it sideways. But you find a way. You adapt. But it's achingly tiresome. It takes a long time to do the work."

Ian went on to say that he is grateful he still has his sense of humor.

"It's hilarious this growing old thing. It's a laugh a minute," Gillan said. "Well, sometimes yes and sometimes no. I walk down the road and hear something drop off — clang, there's something else gone. Nothing's changed really apart from I can't pole vault any more. Other than that, things move a little more slowly. But nothing's changed."

Contemplating the possibility of retirement, Gillan said: "I think if I lose my energy I'm going to stop. I don't want to be an embarrassment to anyone. We're not far off that. It creeps up on you — you don't really notice."

In August 2024, Gillan was asked by SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" if retirement was out of the vocabulary for him and his DEEP PURPLE bandmates, more than eight years after they launched "The Long Goodbye" tour. He responded: "I think it is. That was a joke, actually, because it was the promoters. And someone said, 'We've gotta sell some more tickets.' And it's the good old standby, the farewell tour. So I said, Okay, we'll call it 'goodbye' tour, but let's call it 'the long goodbye', and let's make the emphasis on the word 'long',' so it's kind of an enigmatic phrase."

He continued: "There's no intention to stop. At the moment… I spoke to my manager the other day. I've got some solo project. He said, 'You're gonna have to put 'em back,' and I'm putting them back years. We're already booked to the end of '26, in the planning stage, in the diary, with all the projects we've got for DEEP PURPLE. So, yeah, years to come, hopefully."

Earlier in August 2024, Gillan was asked by Ultimate Classic Rock how close the end of the road — and, perhaps, DEEP PUPRLE — feels to him, the singer responded: "As soon as you start feeling unable to deliver at that level — of course, you adjust, of course, you adapt and make do the best you can. But when the energy level goes, that's time to stop because then it gets embarrassing and nobody wants that. But so far, so good."

In December 2023, DEEP PURPLE drummer Ian Paice, who turned 77 in June, was asked by Zoom when he and his bandmates will eventually retire from performing live. He responded: "We have never planned a date to stop working. We are realists. The guys are getting older, and there's gonna come a point where maybe one or two of us don't want to do it anymore or [it's] not physically possible for them to do it. But we don't think about that. We're still having a great deal of fun. A lot of people still enjoy what we do, and so long as those two things stay in harmony, we'll continue.

"I don't think we'll ever know what the last gig, what the last tour is," he continued. "I think it'll come and just smack us in the face. Unless there's a definite plan, which there isn't, to do something as a final bye-bye, I just think we'll just go, 'Sorry, guys. We're finished. We can't do it anymore. It's been wonderful.' But even then, I think if we stopped touring, there's no reason why we couldn't make more records. That's the easiest thing in the world. All you've got to do is have the ideas. That's the hardest thing in the world. But physically making a record is easy."

Paice added: "Touring only works if you enjoy it. You can't just enjoy the two hours a night when you're playing. You've got to be able to deal with the whole thing. You've got to be able to deal with a ten-hour flight, a hotel which is less than perfect, transportation which goes wrong. You've gotta deal with all that. And if you can, and still enjoy it, then why would you stop something that you got into as a kid 'cause it made you happy? And if it still makes you happy, why would you stop it?"

Paice's PURPLE bandmate Roger Glover expressed a similar sentiment about the band's final tour in a June 2023 interview with Rock Hard Greece. The bassist, who will turn 80 later this month, said: "I don't like the idea of announcing the last show: 'And here they are. This is their last show.' I mean, the stress involved in that would be ridiculous. Where would it be? When would it be? For me, the ideal ending for PURPLE is that we just carry on until it stops. No announcement. We're not gonna announce, 'This is the last one.' People would buy tickets: 'Oh, this is the last one.' It's an exercise in making money. It's not very good. I've never liked it. I'd rather go and play and play and play and play, and one day when something happens and one of us drops dead or gets really ill or whatever, [we say], 'Well, that's that.' And leave it at that."

In 2022, DEEP PURPLE keyboardist Don Airey, who turned 77 in June, told Rolling Stone magazine that there was no concrete plan for him and his DEEP PURPLE bandmates to stop playing live shows.

"We started the farewell tour in 2017. It was due to end in 2019," he noted. "But the thing is, when you're a musician in a band, you think you're in control of it, but you're not. The business is running you.

"Of course, there was so much demand for the band to continue from the promoters and agents that we said, 'Okay, we'll do one more year.'"

Regarding when he thinks DEEP PURPLE will finally call it quits, Don said: "The words of T.S. Eliot [the greatest English-language poet of his generation] come to mind: 'This is the way the band ends. Not with a bang, but with a whimper.' I think we won't know it's the last gig. We won't have a clue that this one is going to be the last one. That's how it's going to end. It's going to be no big scenario.

"I like what Buddy Guy said. He said, 'Musicians don't retire. They drop.' You do have thoughts about being in the garden and bouncing the grandchildren on your knee, but it's part of your blood system, playing and touring. It's an addiction. I hope I keep playing for a while yet."

In July 2022, guitarist Steve Morse officially left PURPLE to care for his wife, Janine, who was battling cancer. He has since been replaced by Simon McBride.

DEEP PURPLE's latest album, "=1", came out in July 2024 via earMUSIC.

During a recent livestream, singer Katon W. De Pena (HIRAX) addressed his departure from NEFARIOUS, which features Rick Hunolt (EXODUS, DIEHUMANE) and Doug Piercy (HEATHEN, ANVIL CHORUS) on guitar, Tom Gears (BLIND ILLUSION, ANCIENT MARINER) on bass and Will Carroll (DEATH ANGEL) on drums. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, NEFARIOUS was great. I'm glad I did the record. I'm very proud of the record. And I did one show with them. That was awesome too. But I have to focus on HIRAX. That's my band. It's been my band for 40 years, and that's where my heart's at and that's what I gotta do. But I wish NEFARIOUS all the best. Great band and great musicians."

NEFARIOUS has since replaced De Pena with Sean Rivera (COFFIN HUNTERS). The band's new lineup will make its live debut on January 3, 2026 at the DNA Lounge in San Francisco, California.

Carroll discussed the NEFARIOUS singer switch during a recent appearance on Zetro's Toxic Vault, the YouTube channel of former EXODUS frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza. He said in part: "Things didn't work out [with Katon]… HIRAX is touring, and they're pretty busy. So that played a part in it. But it was a communication thing that was really the problem. He would not talk to us for months at a time… He just broke off communication with us. So we took that as he didn't wanna be in the band… And we did waste some time waiting and sitting around… But we had to move on. And that's where Sean comes in."

Regarding NEFARIOUS's new vocalist, Will said: "His name is Sean Rivera. And he sings for a band, or he's in a band called COFFIN HUNTERS. Not to be confused with the [side band of EXODUS bassist] Jack Gibson, COFFIN HUNTER. This one's plural, COFFIN HUNTERS, and they're more of a traditional heavy metal band. They play a lot in Santa Rosa. Rick discovered him. Rick went to one of their shows and saw him sing. And we knew things were kind of going south with Katon."

In a social media post, Carroll stated about his appearance on Zetro's Toxic Vault: "I didn't say anything out of line or untrue. In fact, I gave a very vanilla version of the whole Katon thing."

The Katon-fronted version of NEFARIOUS played its first — and only — show on July 19 at the DNA Lounge in San Francisco. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

NEFARIOUS's debut album, "Addicted To Power", came out on July 18 via Relentless "Metal" Records, with the collector vinyl available through Hectic/Bleeding Priest Records.

Regarding how NEFARIOUS came together, Katon told The Metal Crypt: "I think it was going to be a solo record for Doug Piercy at first. We had all run into each other from years of playing in the same scene. It seemed like the timing was really what it was. I did a couple of benefits. I did one for Tom Hunting from EXODUS where we raised money for his hospital bills. We did another one for Sean Killian, the singer from VIO-LENCE. At those benefits, I saw a lot of these musicians. We talked to each other and obviously talked about music. Then it came around to where we played some shows together. I think that's what made us all notice each other a little bit more, like, 'Hey, I wonder what it would be like to play with those guys.' Even though I live in Los Angeles, I go up to San Francisco quite often. It's been working out pretty well. We're just going to keep writing music. The one thing that we all have in common is we love writing music. I think that's what keeps us so motivated to do this."

On the topic of NEFARIOUS's musical influences, Katon said: "We all listen to a lot of music. Some of it would surprise people. Obviously, there's going to be heavy metal influences in there because we all grew up on DEEP PURPLE and early SCORPIONS. We love Uli John Roth, obviously, BLACK SABBATH and THIN LIZZY, bands like that. You can't help it. When you play music for as long as we have, other styles of music are going to come into play, whether it's classical music or jazz. Myself, I love stuff like Luciano Pavarotti. There's going to be those things. It also helps the songwriting because you take from some of your heroes, like Jimi Hendrix or, like I said, back to opera music or classical music, you can't help but intertwine some of that in the music. That is in the roots of the music. Then, obviously, thrash metal plays a very big part of it, because we all came from a lot of the early bands. There's going to be some of those influences. People will hear a little bit of the EXODUS thing; they will hear a little bit of the HIRAX thing. Even with Doug, he's just a well-rounded guitar player, and his songwriting skills are majorly off the charts. This guy's got a big brain, and he really has a great way of looking at music. People are going to hear the stuff that we grew up on, whether it's BUDGIE or any of that kind of stuff. They're also going to hear thrash metal mixed in with elements of classical music."

Describing NEFARIOUS's sound, Katon said: "I think we're a cross between, obviously, early thrash metal, but also a lot of the heavy metal influence is there as well. You will hear some harmonies, bands like [IRON] MAIDEN and THIN LIZZY. We'd be lying if we said that wasn't there, because we grew up on that stuff. DEEP PURPLE's a big influence. RAINBOW. Obviously, Ritchie Blackmore, stuff like that. It's going to be in there. I think we also have a different way of looking at it, because we've been doing it for so long. We're not trying to be like a lot of the other bands, and we're not trying to be modern. There are modern sounds, because we're recording in modern studios. The music's definitely coming from the right place. I think that people hear that when they listen to this new song 'One Nation Enslaved', you can hear that we definitely have stuck to our guns. We're not trying to do commercial music, but we also are writing songs that are memorable."

This past July, NEFARIOUS released the official music video for the "Addicted To Power" title track. The clip is a raw performance piece filmed at Soundwave Studios in Oakland, California.

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

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

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

Press photo courtesy of Freeman Promotions

On November 13, GHOST's "Mary On A Cross" single was certified double platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for accumulating two million certified units. The certification comes a little over two years after "Mary On A Cross" became the first GHOST single to achieve platinum status. Also on November 13, "Dance Macabre", the second single from GHOST's fourth studio album, 2018's "Prequelle", was certified platinum by the RIAA.

According to the RIAA, one equivalent song unit is equal to a single digital song sale, or 150 on-demand audio and/or video streams.

In November 2022, "Mary On A Cross" became the fourth GHOST single to achieve gold status that year. In June 2022, "Cirice" (from GHOST's third album, 2015's "Meliora"),"Dance Macabre" (from 2018's "Prequelle") and "Square Hammer" (from 2016's "Popestar" EP) were also certified gold. These marked GHOST's first RIAA certifications.

In September 2022, GHOST scored its first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with "Mary On A Cross". The song, which was originally released as a two-track single in 2019 via Loma Vista/Concord (alongside "Kiss The Go-Goat"),debuted at No. 90 on the chart with six million U.S. streams and 1,000 downloads sold, according to Billboard.

"Mary On A Cross" had been gaining traction after a TikTok user used a slowed down version of the song to soundtrack a short video about the Netflix show "Stranger Things". Since then, "Mary On The Cross" was used to soundtrack tens of thousands of videos on the platform. GHOST later released the official slowed down version of "Mary On A Cross" with added reverb.

This past May, GHOST's latest studio album, "Skeletá", landed at position No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 86,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the LP's first week of release. 89% of that figure (77,000) consisted of traditional album sales, with vinyl purchases accounting for over 44,000 copies. Notably, "Skeletá" was the first hard rock album to reach the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 since AC/DC's "Power Up" in 2020.

"Skeletá" marked the ninth time GHOST charted on the Billboard 200. The band first landed on the chart in 2013 with its second album, "Infestissumam", reaching No. 28.

"Skeletá" was GHOST's eighth album to reach the Top 40 and fifth to reach the Top 10. The band had previously peaked at No. 2 with 2022's "Impera".

In September 2022, GHOST scored its first-ever Top 40 single in the U.K. with "Mary On A Cross".

GHOST's "Skeletour" world tour will continue in the new year, with the recent announcement of 20 new North American shows kicking off January 21 at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida and running through February 23 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

As previously reported, the final two shows on this year's edition of GHOST's "Skeletour" were filmed for future release.

After's GHOST's September 23 concert in Mexico City was canceled due to frontman Tobias Forge having food poisoning, the band's two performances at the 20,000-capacity Palacio De Los Deportes on September 24 and September 25 were shot on 16mm film "for the rest of the world to see at some point".

This past August, GHOST completed the first U.S. leg of the "Skeletour" in support of "Skeletá", which came out in April. Marking a bold evolution in GHOST's live performances, the tour was the band's most theatrical and cinematic production yet. Designed by creative director Tobias Rylander and Forge, the tour embraced a grander and more ambitious scale than ever before.

Swedish / American death metal trio, Eye Of Purgatory, return with Darkborne – a powerful new chapter forged by Rogga Johansson (Paganizer, Ribspreader), Taylor Nordberg (Deicide, Inhuman Condition) and Jeramie Kling (Inhuman Condition, Overkill).

The album, to be released on February 13 via Apostasy Records, captures the spirit of classic Swedish death metal: dark, atmospheric and full of organic weight – yet with a melodic and emotional depth that makes every track feel alive.



The cover artwork, created by Dan Goldsworthy (Accept, Alestorm, Cradle Of Filth), perfectly reflects the album’s mix of melancholy and menace. Darkborne isn’t about nostalgia; it’s a continuation of a sound that values emotion and atmosphere as much as sheer heaviness.

Stay tuned, complete album details coming soon!

Whitesnake guitarist Reb Beach has shared the following tribute to Coverdale and his legacy:

“Today, David Coverdale announced his retirement from the music world. It’s the end of an era, and it made me sentimental. I wanted to say a few words.

I was driving in my beat-up Subaru when I first heard ‘Still Of The Night’. I almost ran right into a tree. I had never heard a voice like that or riffs like that. If that kid had known he would be on stage for twenty years with that band, well, lets just say it’s totally ‘Charlie And The Chocolate Factory’. Over the years, David and I shared stages across the world — from the pounding music and flashing lights of arena shows to the quiet moments around the kitchen table. We wrote songs, I cooked dinners, we shared everything going on in our lives, we laughed until our sides ached, and I loved every minute of his stories of Deep Purple, Jimmy Page, and Whitesnake.

He brought a voice to hard rock that is unmatched, yet I think his favorite thing was hanging out with the band. At every gig, he would come right to our dressing room as soon as he got there and ask how everyone was and just hang out until it was time to get ready.

I loved that the show was front and center in his mind on every gig day. I remember a gig we did outdoors in the freezing cold. The high wind and freezing rain were unbearable for me. David performed like it wasn’t even there. I have never seen such a combination of focus and showmanship and determination to rock the audience. It was one of the greatest gifts I could ever have witnessed — let alone been part of.

Here are some pictures of David and me that might give you a tiny feel for what it was like to be up there with this legendary singer. I got goosebumps on my goosebumps when he would hit those notes over those awesome riffs. Yet, he would make me laugh almost every night onstage in front of 10,000 people.

To David I say,

Thanks for trusting me with your music, your stories, your laughter. Thanks for helping shape the sound I carry in my fingers and heart.

And now that you’ve chosen to call it a day… to hang up the platform shoes and step off the stage of that incredible five-decade journey, I think you should go and enjoy every minute, every quiet hour, every moment of peace you fought so hard to earn. Then I think you should have a big expensive party with a big jam and invite me.

Here’s to you, my friend. To your voice. To your heart. To the legacy you leave behind—not just in the records, but in the friendships, the memories, and the lives you touched (mine in an unforgettable way).

When people ask me what it meant to stand onstage with you, I’ll tell them this: it meant everything.

Rock on, with love and gratitude.”

Back in July, New York hardcore legends, Sick Of It All, announced that they had been forced to cancel their European tour this past summer due to vocalist Lou Koller being diagnosed with esophageal cancer (adenocarcinoma).

Now, Biohazard drummer Danny Schuler is auctioning off his drum kit via eBay to help Koller with the cost of his cancer treatment.

The official description reads: Rare opportunity to own a drum kit that was used by Danny Schuler on tour with Biohazard! This is a Tama superstar kit (no badges) including a 13”x9” rack, 16”x16” floor tom, 18”x18” floor tom, and a massive 26”x 14” bass drum! (Bio head on bass drum in pics not included!) drums only, no snare , no cymbals or hardware included. These are amazing sounding drums! All proceeds from the sale will help Lou Koller in his fight against cancer! Buyer pays shipping!

Schuler has shared the following video in which he talks about his drum kit, that could be yours!


The auction ends November 26th. Place your bid now at this location.

Koller issued an update on October 23rd stating: “Hey just a message before I go in for my surgery tomorrow. Thank you for all your support and everything you all have done for me! I am very lucky to have you all behind me. I’m also very lucky that this has been going so well and the treatments are doing their job. Please send well wishes and support and prayers to two of my friends fighting a much tougher battle than me.”

In the video below, Lou says, “Hey, everybody. What’s up? It’s Lou. Real quick update. I’m heading in for my surgery tomorrow, which is great. The chemo, besides messing me up and kicking my ass, actually did its job. The tumor is said to be dead flesh, that’s what the nurse said, I don’t know what it means, but I guess it’s good. The cancer has not spread. They will be cutting out the infected area tomorrow, so it should be about an eight-hour operation. What do I care? I’m gonna be sleeping through the whole thing. And, hopefully I see you all guys afterwards. It might be a little while before an update, depending on how well I feel and all that stuff, all right. But thank you again for all your support, prayers, well wishes, the gifts, the financial support, as always. Thank you, and hope you’re all doing good, and I’ll let you know how it goes. See ya.”

Inertial Music is proud to announce the signing of Rivers Ablaze, one of the most forward-thinking and uncompromising forces to emerge from the Eastern European extreme metal scene in recent years.

Founded in Budapest in 2019 by guitarist Márton Kertész (Sear Bliss, Special Providence), Rivers Ablaze quickly evolved from a studio vision into a fully realized live ensemble, joined by leading figures of the Hungarian underground, including Tadeusz Rieckmann of Týr on drums.

Across four albums released between 2020 and 2023, the band established a distinct identity defined by experimental songwriting, cinematic extremity and blackened death metal atmospheres. Their work has been praised by the international press, with reviews calling their output “nothing less than a masterpiece.”

Following their first European tour in 2024 — ten shows across seven countries — Rivers Ablaze are now entering a new phase of evolution. Their upcoming full-length, planned for 2026, promises to further deepen the band’s exploration of progressive, blackened and death-infused territories, pushing their sound toward even more immersive and boundary-shifting forms. The title will be revealed at a later date.

While awaiting the new chapter, listeners can experience the band in their purest and most visceral form through the recently released digital EP “Live In Europe 2024” — a raw yet astonishingly well-captured performance, showcasing a level of live production rarely heard in the underground.

Rivers Ablaze are ready to rise to the next level. Are you ready for the leap?

Says the band: “We’re thrilled to announce that we are signing with Inertial Music! They are home of unique artists like Time and the Hunter, Niklas Sundin, The Moor, Hjort, Behind Starvation, our compatriots Needless and many more. We are incredibly excited to work together to take our vision to new heights! The first step in this will be our fifth album, which will be released next spring.”

Rivers Ablaze are: vocalist Oszkár Knapp (Fragda, Grizzly, ex-Insane), guitarist Márton Kertész (Sear Bliss, Special Providence), guitarist Márton “Moth” Ferenczi (Fragda, Needless, ex-Niburta), bassist Pál Purnhauser (Divided, Mind’s Mirrors) and drummer Tadeusz Rieckmann (Týr, ex-Dalriada).

Bad Company frontman Paul Rodgers has shared live footage of himself and his band performing “Little Bit Of Love” live on Germany’s long-running music program, Ohne Filter Extra, on November 29, 1996. Footage licensed from SWR Studios Distribution.



In 2016, Paul Rodgers suffered a stroke, followed by a second stroke in 2019, which subsequently required an endarterectomy – a surgical procedure to remove plaque from the arterial wall. He has since made a full recovery.

Bad Company has been eligible for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame since 1999, and received its first nomination this year. They were inducted on November 8, but sadly, Rodgers was unable to attend the ceremony. He issued the statement below:

West Coast heavy metal veterans METAL CHURCH return with a revitalized lineup and a hard-hitting new single that underscores the sound that has driven their four-decade legacy. The new formation features founding guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof alongside longtime guitarist Rick Van Zandt, joined by bass icon David Ellefson (MEGADETH),powerhouse drummer Ken Mary (FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, FIFTH ANGEL, ALICE COOPER, HOUSE OF LORDS, TKO, CHASTAIN) and dynamic new vocalist Brian Allen (VICIOUS RUMORS).

Following the band's recent tour and return from Australia, METAL CHURCH found themselves at a crossroads. An unexpected spark reignited Kurdt's creative drive, prompting him to reach out to the musicians who would ultimately shape the group's next chapter. Their chemistry in the studio gave rise to the blistering new track "F.A.F.O." — a song that immediately energized the band and inspired them to continue writing and recording. The new single was produced by Vanderhoof and mixed/mastered by Chris "Zeuss" Harris at Planet Z. Those sessions have now evolved into a brand-new METAL CHURCH album, set for release in 2026 via Rat Pak Records. Additional details will be announced soon.

Vanderhoof comments: "After 45 years, the fact that we have new music coming in 2025 feels like a miracle. There was a time when I honestly didn't think METAL CHURCH would continue, but we're back — and this lineup is firing on all cylinders. I can't tell you how excited I am to have a new single on the way; that alone makes this moment incredibly special. 'F.A.F.O.' is an aggressive thrasher, and I think the fans are really going to dig it. We certainly do — otherwise it wouldn't be METAL CHURCH."

METAL CHURCH plans to tour extensively in 2026 and some festival dates have already been announced with more to come.

Aug. 5, 2026 - Josefov, Czech - Brutal Assault Festival
Aug. 8, 2026 - Kortrijik, Belgium - Alcatraz Festival
Aug. 9, 2026 - Geiselwind, Germany - Keep It True Festival

Born out of the explosive West Coast metal scene of the early '80s, METAL CHURCH quickly established themselves as one of the genre's most formidable and musically sophisticated bands. After signing with Elektra Records, the group released two landmark albums — their self-titled debut "Metal Church" and its follow-up "The Dark" — both of which remain essential listening in the heavy metal canon. As the U.S. metal wave surged, METAL CHURCH hit the road with labelmates METALLICA, further solidifying their reputation for precision, power, and uncompromising intensity.

The band continued to evolve into the late '80s and early '90s, tackling political and social themes with vocalist Mike Howe on the acclaimed albums "Blessing In Disguise" and "The Human Factor". While many peers shifted toward the era's commercial trends, METAL CHURCH stayed true to their heavy roots — a commitment that earned them a loyal global following.

In 2016, the band reunited with Howe for their eleventh studio album "XI", which debuted at No. 57 on the Billboard Top 200 and charted internationally, marking one of the strongest comebacks in modern metal. Its 2018 successor, "Damned If You Do", continued that momentum with additional worldwide chart success and reaffirmed the band's enduring relevance.

Singer Marc Lopes joined METAL CHURCH in the summer of 2022 as the replacement for Howe, who tragically passed away in July of 2021. Lopes's first and only studio album with METAL CHURCH, "Congregation Of Annihilation", came out in May 2023 via Rat Pak Records (America) and Reaper Entertainment (Europe). The LP was produced by Vanderhoof.

METAL CHURCH made its live debut with Lopes on June 3, 2023 at the Legions Of Metal festival at Reggies in Chicago, Illinois.

Now entering a powerful new chapter, METAL CHURCH features Vanderhoof, Van Zandt, Ellefson, Mary and Allen. With renewed energy, a legacy spanning over four decades, and a rapidly expanding worldwide fanbase, METAL CHURCH remains a driving force in modern heavy metal — still pushing forward, still evolving, and still unmistakably METAL CHURCH.

Photo credit: Rick Moyer

FIREWIND, the band featuring former OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Gus G., has parted ways with singer Herbie Langhans (AVANTASIA, SINBREED) and has replaced him with a returning Henning Basse (METALIUM, SONS OF SEASONS, WITHERING SCORN).

Gus broke the news of the latest FIREWIND lineup change earlier today (Thursday, November 20) during a YouTube livestream. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "A lot of things have been happening. It seems that it's been a quiet year for FIREWIND, but it has not been a quiet year at all. It's been an eventful year, and we are preparing for a lot of stuff in '26.

"Tomorrow we're gonna have a big press release going out… But the big news that we wanna share first is that Herbie is out of the band," he continued. "I don't know if it's gonna come as a shock to some of you. But maybe if you have been following FIREWIND, it shouldn't be so much of a shock because we have had some singers coming and going, as you know.

"But, yeah, we just wanna wish Herbie Langhans all the best for the time in this band, the music we made together. And we wanted to tune in and let you guys know here first. Herbie was very busy with AVANTASIA and we had a busy schedule and we kept clashing and choices had to be made. But the show must go on. He's a great guy. He's a great singer. He offered a lot to this band, but show must go on. And we have a lot of stuff planned for the next year. We have some really good festivals lined up. We're working on a new album. We're working on more tours for '26 and '27, and at the same time, we wanna announce the new singer."

Regarding Basse's return to FIREWIND, Gus said: "If you guys are new here, we can tell a couple of things about Henning. Henning goes back — way back — with the band, since 2007. He was on the 'Allegiance' world tour. He helped us finish the tour. Then he joined the band for good in 2016. We made an album together called 'Immortals', which is one of the strongest FIREWIND albums in our career. We've done quite a few tours together, and then in 2019 we went separate ways for different reasons, but we always remained friends. And we thought this was perfect timing to call up Henning and see what he's doing and if he would be interested to work with us again. And luckily he was."

Henning, who was also present during the livestream, was enthusiastic about his return to FIREWIND, saying: "I'm back and happy about it. We have a great band vibe going on here. We know each other for so long, and I'm very happy."

Asked if he will be involved with any other projects besides FIREWIND going forward, Henning said: "Well, besides all the touring, I'm a voice coach. I'm a studio singer. I'm doing this for a living, but I don't have any plans on doing another band project live because this is priority and I wanna do this as long as we can… It's the best thing, whatever happened to me now, and all these shitty years behind me, and now it's so much better. So, yeah, this is the future, man."

This past August, Gus told Viky Surmová of Project Backstage that FIREWIND's follow-up to the "Stand United" album, which came out in March 2024 via AFM, would be released through a different record label and that it would be and "epic and massive" concept LP.

Five months ago, Dark Macek of the Brutally Delicious podcast noted in an interview with Gus that a band like BLACK SABBATH has also had a lot of singer changes over the years but has somehow managed to retain a signature sound. Gus concurred, saying: "It's a very good example, actually. And BLACK SABBATH is always my go-to band, because [Tony] Iommi has always very troubled with the singer position in his band, and so have I. But I always looked at history: what did Lord Iommi do back then? What did he do? And what would Tony Iommi do in this situation? And he always came back with another amazing singer.

"I don't care what people say, but I think, in terms of BLACK SABBATH, their worst album, so to speak, is still, by comparison, much better than most metal albums out there," Gus explained. "The stuff the guy writes is just insane. So it depends which era you are into, of course. They have different eras — the '80s and the '90s albums, and the '70s, of course, is the classic stuff with Ozzy [Osbourne].

"Actually, one thing talking about singer changes — yes, it hurts the band, for sure," Gus admitted. "That's the downside. But the good thing is when someone new comes in, it's how you keep things fresh in a way. You bring new energy into the band. And that's what happened with us, with Herbie, five years ago when he came to the band, and he brought this new energy. And the first album we did [2020's 'Firewind'] was kind of put together — we rushed it, 'cause we had to go on this major tour and then everything got canceled 'cause of COVID. But then I think 'Stand United', we kind of found each other. I started writing more for the singer, a specific singer's voice. And I think this is what is happening right now. We're kind of capitalizing on that. And we've been building on that thing."

"Stand United" featured nine brand new songs produced with Dennis Ward (MAGNUM, UNISONIC),as well as a cover of the 1980s pop rock classic "Talking In Your Sleep", originally recorded by THE ROMANTICS but given a metal twist in the style of FIREWIND.

FIREWIND released a concert album/Blu-ray, "Still Raging", in September 2023 via AFM Records.

Gus and Langhans got to know each other back in the autumn of 2019, when the FIREWIND leader was looking for a suitable replacement for Basse after the tour with QUEENSRŸCHE. Just a few weeks later, the recordings for "Firewind" were a done deal, ready for Swedish sound engineer Tobias Lindell (EUROPE, AVATAR, H.E.A.T.) to mix them in Lindell Audio Studios.