Heavy metal legend, acclaimed filmmaker and pop culture icon Rob Zombie has released "Heathen Days", the second single from his upcoming eighth studio album, "The Great Satan", due out February 27, 2026 via Nuclear Blast Records. Following the success of his Top 10-charting record "The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy" (2021),Zombie is back, revisiting his early Hellbilly roots for a slaughterhouse of anthemic punk infused heavy rock/metal.

"The Great Satan" track listing:

01. F.T.W. 84
02. Tarantula
03. (I'm a) Rock 'N' Roller
04. Heathen Days
05. Who Am I
06. Black Rat Coffin
07. Sir Lord Acid Wolfman
08. Punks And Demons
09. The Devilman
10. Out of Sight
11. Revolution Motherfuckers
12. Welcome To The Electric Age
13. The Black Scorpion
14. Unclean Animals
15. Grave Discontent

Rob's seventh studio album, "The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy", was released in March 2021 via Nuclear Blast. The LP marked Rob's first new album in nearly five years. The follow-up to 2016's "The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser" was produced by Chris "Zeuss" Harris.

"The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy" was the third consecutive effort to feature Zombie and guitarist John 5 alongside bassist Matt "Piggy D." Montgomery and drummer Ginger Fish.

In the fall of 2022, John 5 exited Rob's band to join MÖTLEY CRÜE as the replacement for that group's founding guitarist Mick Mars. John 5 has since been replaced in Zombie's band by returning guitarist Mike Riggs.

Riggs had previously spent six years as a member of ROB ZOMBIE. Riggs joined forces with Rob in the '90s and stayed with him into the early 2000s, eventually leaving in 2004 (when Rob Zombie was largely focusing on films rather than music) to start a project of his own. Riggs songwriting and crunching guitars can be heard on Rob Zombie's "Hellbilly Deluxe", "American Made Music To Strip By", "The Sinister Urge" and "The Past, Present & Future" records.

More recently, Riggs had kept busy with his band SCUM OF THE EARTH, named after a song from "Sinister Urge". SCUM OF THE EARTH favors the sort of rhythmic, industrial-influenced, mildly funky, hip-hop-minded alternative metal that Riggs honed during his initial Rob Zombie days.

John 5 had worked with Zombie for 16 years, co-writing on all studio albums since "Educated Horses", and composing the score for Zombie's 2013 movie "The Lords Of Salem".

In January 2024, Piggy D. announced that he was exiting Rob's band after 18 years. Matt has since been replaced by a returning Rob "Blasko" Nicholson.

Blasko was a member of Rob Zombie's band from 1997 through 2006, playing bass on the first three Zombie albums: "Hellbilly Deluxe", "The Sinister Urge" and "Educated Horses".

Nicholson left Zombie in May 2006 in order to join Ozzy Osbourne's recording/touring band.

Montgomery's debut performance with Rob Zombie came on May 24, 2006 during an appearance on CBS's "Late Night Show With David Letterman".

Rob Zombie press photo courtesy of Nuclear Blast

LAMB OF GOD has released "Parasocial Christ", a relentless three-minute assault that once again pairs the Richmond, Virginia metallers with longtime producer Josh Wilbur. The standalone single follows "Sepsis", which arrived in early October and has dominated the U.S. metal charts for the past two weeks.

"Parasocial Christ" is accompanied by a stark, desaturated video directed by Jon Vulpine, whose unsettling visual style mirrors the track's intensity as it captures a man's descent into madness.

LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe comments: "The Information Age has birthed the attention economy, an industry worth hundreds of billions of dollars anchored in keeping eyeballs firmly glued to screens, thus generating ad revenue. Every second spent clicking and scrolling through the trivial and/or sordid details of other people's lives, people that you will most likely never meet — celebrities, politicians, influencers — is another dollar in some already obscenely wealthy tech bro's wallet. You are a product, and you are being sold in a marketplace you have no share in. The irony of you reading this some social media platform or music news aggregator site is not lost on me; nevertheless I hope this song might make you consider who and what you give your attention to. Fuck the clickbait, put down the phone, go live your life — it's waiting for you out in what's left of the real world."

Earlier this week, LAMB OF GOD announced a 2026 North American tour, produced by Live Nation, featuring support from KUBLAI KHAN TX, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY and SANGUISUGABOGG. Kicking off in Maryland on March 17, the trek will run across North America, hitting cities like Toronto, Portland, Albuquerque, Nashville, and Buffalo. The tour will conclude in Boston on April 26.

"Sepsis" was LAMB OF GOD's first new original song since 2022's "Omens". Produced by Wilbur, the track celebrates the Richmond underground and the bands LAMB OF GOD performed alongside during their early years. The band also shared a live video for "Sepsis", capturing the electrifying live debut of the song at Aftershock festival.

Consequence named the three-and-a-half minute track its "heavy song of the week," describing the single as "crushing" while Revolver spotlighted "Sepsis", calling it a "rock-solid addition to their ever-crushing canon."

"Sepsis" arrived during a milestone year for LAMB OF GOD. In 2025, the band celebrated the 25th anniversary of its discography, performed at the historic "Back To The Beginning" concert and subsequently released their thunderous take on BLACK SABBATH's "Children Of The Grave", along with appearances at several festivals, including Inkcarceration and Louder Than Life, and a headlining show at Richmond's new 7500-seat outdoor venue Allianz Amphitheater during its opening season.

LAMB OF GOD is Randy Blythe (vocals),John Campbell (bass),Mark Morton (guitar),Willie Adler (guitar) and Art Cruz (drums). Formed in 1994, the Richmond, Virginia-based band has released nine critically acclaimed albums, received five Grammy Award nominations, sold over three million albums, packed arenas around the world, and tallied over one billion streams and counting. Widely regarded as one of the most influential and innovative forces in modern heavy music LAMB OF GOD's most recent collection, "Omens", arrived in late 2022 , marking their sixth consecutive album to debut in the Top 15 of on the Billboard 200. Kerrang! noted that the album finds the band "as reliably heavy, violent, and pissed off as ever," and Consequence said the "album will break you down to nihilistic pieces."

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

In a new interview with Czech Republic's Project Backstage, Eicca Toppinen of Finnish cello rockers APOCALYPTICA spoke about "I Don't Care", which was released in 2008 as the third and final single from the band's sixth album "Worlds Collide" and features Adam Gontier, lead singer of THREE DAYS GRACE, on lead vocals. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart for one week and No. 2 on the Alternative Songs chart where it spent a year in the Top 20. Eicca said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah. It is one of my first real co-writes. And I'm so lucky that I got an opportunity to write a song with Max Martin. I don't know if you know Max Martin, but he's a Swedish songwriter. He's one of the most successful songwriters in the pop world of all time. So he's behind all BACKSTREET BOYS [hits], last The Weeknd albums, Britney Spears, ACE OF BASE, starting from ACE OF BASE. So, he's done songs for Pink, whoever. If you Google Max Martin, he's the probably most successful songwriter of all time after Paul McCartney and John Lennon. So I got an opportunity to write with him, and as a result of that [we have] 'I Don't Care'. And we have two versions of 'I Don't Care' because Adam Gontier, who was a singer of THREE DAYS GRACE, a Canadian band. He was the singer for that. And we did the first version for the album, but then in America, the record company was, like, 'For the radio, we have to rethink this and we have to kind of remix it so it fits today kind of radio song.' So we have also an American edition of that. It's basically everything the same, but the vocal performance and a little bit structure of the song is changed and the mix."

Reflecting on "I Don't Care"'s enduring popularity, Toppinen said: "It's an evergreen hit. It's still streaming over three million streams a month on Spotify after almost 20 years. So it's a hard-proven song. If some song is going so strong 20 years after the release, it tells something about the song. But I love the song. It's condensing APOCALYPTICA mood with this kind of powerful vocal structure of songs. So it's a very unique piece."

APOCALYPTICA's latest album, "Apocalyptica Plays Metallica Vol. 2", continues the journey that began in 1996 when cellists from Helsinki's world-renowned Sibelius Academy played symphonic tribute to METALLICA. The "One" single saw METALLICA frontman James Hetfield joining proceedings for a soul-stirring, spoken word of those inimitable, now-immortal lyrics.

The album's lead single was "The Four Horsemen", a song that originally appeared on METALLICA's 1983 debut "Kill 'Em All". It features a guest appearance by METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo.

APOCALYPTICA's ninth studio album, "Cell-0", was released in January 2020 via Silver Lining Music.

The recording of "Cell-0" followed a four-year break between albums that gave the band — Eicca Toppinen, Perttu Kivilaakso and Paavo Lötjönen, all of whom are classically-trained musicians — a fresh perspective and affected the way they approached the new music. The album saw them return to their roots and was the quartet's first instrumental album in 17 years, finding APOCALYPTICA challenging themselves to discover new flavors and colors in their respective instruments.

In a new interview with Allison Hagendorf, the surviving members of SOUNDGARDEN discussed the album they are working on featuring previously unreleased recordings they made with late frontman Chris Cornell before his 2017 death. Guitarist Kim Thayil, drummer Matt Cameron and bassist Ben Shepherd are collaborating with producer Terry Date, who previously helmed SOUNDGARDEN's "Louder Than Love" (1989) and "Badmotorfinger" (1991) LPs. Kim said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's one of the cool things about Terry, is he never imposed his production style or sound on any bands. He would learn from the bands. And one of the things he would assert when he took a job was, 'I want this to be a co-production thing.' And it's, like, 'Well, that fits just perfect with the kind of band we are.' There are a lot of producers out there who have a particular style — for instance, you think about Phil Spector and the 'wall of sound'. It's, like, okay, well, that's his thing. But producers had that kind of role in the '60s and, to some degree, the '70s, but with the way bands are post-1977, they have a sense of what they're writing and what they wanna sound like, and the producers should simply facilitate that. And Terry's that guy. I mean, you listen to records he's done, and it's very different from certainly what he's done with us. There isn't a signature Terry Date thing. It is him helping the band be the band."

Asked by Hagendorf about his previous comment that some SOUNDGARDEN fans might even be surprised to hear that the songwriting was going in a little bit of a different direction from the group's previous efforts, Matt said: "There's very familiar elements in some of this new music, but, yeah, there was a couple songs that felt like it was kind of a new chapter or it could have been a new chapter. So it's really exciting to hear that. It's bittersweet, of course."

He continued: "But, yeah, I'm really excited for people to hear it, have our fans hear it. It's fun for us to be working on it. And sometimes listening to it, it's overpowering. But, yeah, I'm super proud of the music that we did put together. And we're pretty close [to finishing it]. And, yeah, it is nice having Terry on board with us, for sure."

Ben went on to say that when he first heard the demos, he didn't realize how powerful they were until he started laying down his tracks.

"I was going to get coffee down the hall from the control room, and Nate and Terry were playing it back — Nate's our assistant engineer on it," Ben recalled. "It was, like, 'Holy hell. That SOUNDGARDEN. It's so cool to hear it again.'"

Added Kim: "Yeah, it's like we had these various demos, and you had a particular quality. And it was, like, 'Okay, how do we flesh this out?' And then we start doing it, and it's, like, 'This sounds different.' It's almost like you can pinpoint before and after. It's, like, 'Now it's SOUNDGARDEN.'"

Earlier this month, SOUNDGARDEN joined the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame class of 2025 in the Performer category. The Seattle grunge legends were first nominated for the Rock Hall in 2020, and were on the ballot again in 2023 before finally being chosen for induction this year.

Thayil, Cameron, Cornell and Shepherd are being included in the induction, as is original bassist Hiro Yamamoto, who was with SOUNDGARDEN from 1984 to 1989 and played on the band's first two EPs and first two albums.

Last month, Cameron told The Seattle Times about the status of the recordings made before Cornell's death: "It's a massive emotional roller coaster. A lot of highs, a lot of lows. The highs are based on the fact that the music is seeing its light of day, it's coming to life. Some of it feels like it could have been a new chapter in songwriting for the group, so that's super bittersweet. But it's been challenging to work on some of this music, soloing up Chris's vocals and hearing that beautiful voice come through the speakers all on its own.'

Referencing the years-long legal dispute with Vicky Cornell, the widow and personal representative of Chris's estate, over the release of the singer's final recordings, Thayil added: "The delay in the process was damaging in some ways to the emotive nature of the experience. Certainly, it's great that we're doing it now. I'm wondering — because you can't help but wonder — how that emotive and creative journey might have been undertaken six, seven, eight years ago. You will never know that, and there's something unfortunate (and) damaging about that. But there's something also beneficial about that because we're doing it now, and it's beautiful. It's a way to post tribute to our beloved brother. All of it just has that much more weight emotionally and creatively, and we don't take that lightly."

Asked if the surviving SOUNDGARDEN members could perform the new songs live one day, Cameron said: "We haven't really gotten there yet. We're just trying to get the music together. But I think there might be some situations where it would be really cool to do that. It's just a matter of getting the right people together, and we've got some amazing people that we've been working with, some singers that have expressed interest. So, we're really, really excited about what that could potentially look like."

In September, Cameron was asked by Lyndsey Parker of Gold Derby and Lyndsanity! with Lyndsey Parker when the upcoming SOUNDGARDEN album was written and recorded with Chris. Matt said: "Well, gosh, we started songwriting together, trading demos back and forth around 2015, '16, something like that. And then we had some sessions in 2017 before we went out on tour, just rough rehearsal. We recorded some rehearsals. But the vocals that we're using are from the demos that we all recorded together. And so we're just sort of building our tracks around those vocal parts. But yeah, it sounds killer, and we're really excited to finish it."

After Parker noted that it "must be emotional and bittersweet to hear" Cornell's voice and to hear those tracks a decade after they were originally laid down, Cameron concurred. "It really is," he said. "But I think we're trying to stay focused on the overall sound of it and all the reasons for us doing it. But, yeah, it's been tough to solo up that voice and hear him loud and clear. But I think the fans will like it and it's gonna be a really nice way to finish the creative chapter in SOUNDGARDEN."

Cameron also confirmed that one of the songs that will appear on SOUNDGARDEN's new album is a track that he co-wrote, called "The Road Less Traveled". He said: "I wrote this music that I didn't really know if it would fit for SOUNDGARDEN, but I just sent Chris all these musical ideas around 2016 or so, '16, '15. And that's one that he really liked. He made an arrangement from my demo and then he added vocals to it, and it came out really, really good. The lyrics are mesmerizing, as always. But, yeah, that's gonna be a really great one for people to hear. It has all the trademark elements that SOUNDGARDEN fans might be familiar with, as well as a little bit of new territory. And there's two or three other songs that do sound like the band, but I think we were able to sort of stretch out a little bit creatively, and hopefully when people hear that song, they'll notice that as well. But, yeah, I guess it's hard rock. It's sort of bluesy, sort of psychedelic, sort of folky, I guess all the things that we were known for. So, I hope people like that one when they finally do hear it."

This past May, Thayil told Rolling Stone that he was optimistic SOUNDGARDEN's final album would see the light of day. "Our objective and goal was always to complete that," he said. "I probably have OCD enough to not want to leave something unfinished or incomplete like that, so I think the more we can attend to our body of work and our catalog…I think everyone in the band feels that way. I don't just to attend to my work, but the collective work, and in this case specifically, the work of Chris."

Thayil continued: "I have pride for what I did and I want to see that come out. It doesn't exist in the vacuum. It exists as a collaboration with Matt and Ben and Chris, but it takes on an entirely different weight when you think about what it is you're honoring, and the work that you're paying tribute to. It is us collectively. We want to do it proud. And that part of us is certainly one of the most intimate components of what SOUNDGARDEN has been since 1984."

He added: "It would be a great gift to the fans. And I do think about this, and I don't know how strange this sounds, but I feel like it's a gift to Chris too."

Back in April 2023, SOUNDGARDEN and Vicky Cornell announced that they had reached "an amicable out-of-court resolution" regarding the release of recordings made before the singer's death.

The resolution came less than two years after SOUNDGARDEN and Vicky came to a temporary agreement that would transfer the SOUNDGARDEN social media accounts and web site to the band's remaining members, Thayil, Cameron and Shepherd and their managers, Red Light Management. This included SOUNDGARDEN's web site, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

In March 2021, Thayil, Cameron, Shepherd and their business manager Rit Venerus filed papers in Washington state U.S. District Court claiming that Vicky Cornell had locked them out of their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vimeo, YouTube, Snapchat, Tumblr, Top Spin and Pinterest accounts, as well as SOUNDGARDEN's official web site, and changing all the passwords.

Thayil, Cameron and Shepherd claimed their socials were previously managed by their then-management company Patriot Management. They said they later learned that Patriot had handed over all the login information to Vicky after Patriot was terminated in October 2019.

The band asked a judge to order Vicky Cornell to hand over the passwords or include a final posting stating, "SOUNDGARDEN has temporarily suspended its official social media accounts due to pending litigation."

Cornell was found hanged in his room at the MGM Grand Detroit hotel in May 2017, following a SOUNDGARDEN show at the city's Fox Theatre. His body was found soon after he had spoken with a "slurred" voice to his wife by phone. The death was ruled a suicide.

In December 2019, Vicky filed a lawsuit against the surviving SOUNDGARDEN members, alleging the group owed Cornell's estate hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid royalties and the rights to seven unreleased recordings made before the singer's death. Cornell is credited as a writer on all seven songs, receiving sole credit on two, "Cancer" and "Stone Age Mind". He wrote "Road Less Traveled", "Orphans" and "At Ophians Door" with Matt Cameron; "Ahead Of The Dog" with Kim Thayil; and "Merrmas" with Ben Shepherd.

At the time, Vicky claimed that Chris made seven recordings at his personal studio in Florida in 2017, adding that there was no explicit agreement as to whether the recordings were meant for SOUNDGARDEN, which made Chris the exclusive owner. However, the surviving SOUNDGARDEN members responded by saying that the unreleased recordings were the result of writing and recording sessions going as far back as 2015. They also pointed to public interviews with Chris and Thayil that suggested that SOUNDGARDEN had been working on the material since 2015, and detailed recording sessions up until April 2017, just one month before Chris's death. SOUNDGARDEN also included several text exchanges from Vicky, in which she referred to the unreleased recordings as the "SG files". They also provided a March 2017 e-mail from Vicky which said that Chris was travelling for the "SG record". The band went on to refute Vicky's claim that Chris's recordings took place in his personal studio in Florida in 2017, insisting that most of the actual sound files "significantly predate 2017" and that the recording sessions took place in Seattle and New York while the band was touring.

Responding to Vicky's lawsuit, Thayil, Shepherd and Cameron claimed that they "don't have possession" of their "own creative work," and alleged that "Vicky Cornell has possession of the only existing multi-track recordings of the last SOUNDGARDEN tracks that include Chris Cornell's instrumental parts and vocals. All of the band members jointly worked on these final tracks, Vicky now claims ownership of the final SOUNDGARDEN album."

Thayil, Shepherd and Cameron initially accused Vicky Cornell of misusing funds from the January 2019 "I Am The Highway: A Tribute To Chris Cornell" concert. After being challenged by Cornell's attorneys with the threat of sanctions, SOUNDGARDEN withdrew that portion of its countersuit, while its lawyers wrote at the time that the band believes the claims "remain well-founded."

In February 2021, Vicky Cornell sued the surviving members of SOUNDGARDEN over the buyout price for her stake in the band. In the lawsuit, Vicky Cornell said Thayil, Cameron and Shepherd offered her just $300,000 for Chris's share. This amount, she said, is far lower than the real value of the Chris Cornell estate's interests in SOUNDGARDEN, especially considering the fact that the band got an offer of $16 million from an outside investor for SOUNDGARDEN's masters.

Aborym are thrilled to announce a new lineup that marks a significant return to their musical origins. With a fresh perspective and a renewed dedication to their roots, the band is ready to embark on a new chapter marked by a ferocious return to the industrial extreme metal of their With No Human Intervention, Generator, Kali Yuga Bizarre and Fire Walk With Usclassics.

The new lineup reunites Fabban with drummer Atum and guitarist Munholy, bringing back the legendary Malfeitor formation after many years.

The band has spent the past few months crafting new material that captures the authentic sound and raw emotion that first captivated audiences. Drawing from their formative influences, fans can expect a blend of nostalgic atmospheres and unsettling innovations — extremely violent, dark, and uncompromising — in the upcoming music.

Aborym will enter the studio in April 2026 for the recording sessions and will return to the stage for a massive series of disturbing, club-fighting shows, where they will perform new songs alongside classics from Kali Yuga Bizarre, Fire Walk With Us, With No Human Interventionand Generator.

The masters of Industrial Extreme Metal are coming.

The new lineup features:

Atum – drums, vocals
Fabban – synthesizers, modular synths, bass, vocals
Munholy – guitars, vocals

“We are incredibly excited about the new energy this line-up brings to the band and into our private lives,” says Atum. “Returning to the roots allows us to explore the sound that inspired Aborym in the first place, while embracing the new influences we encountered over the years, especially through our time in Malfeitor. We can’t wait for our fans to hear what we’ve been working on. Prepare for something truly violent and dark — eye-popping extreme music as it was done in the ’90s.”

“As we embark on this exciting new chapter,” Fabban adds, “we are filled with a renewed fascination for the music that first inspired us — and everything happened naturally from the moment Atum and I met again in Spain. Our journey has been marked by growth, change, and evolution, but the essence of who we are has always been rooted in the passion and creativity that ignited our initial spark. Reuniting with this line-up allows us to reconnect with that original spirit. Each member brings a unique perspective and energy that not only honors our past but also propels us into unexplored territories. Together, we are creating music that reflects our shared experiences while staying faithful to the sound that first resonated with our fans. We are excited to revisit the themes and sounds that shaped us, blending them with our evolution to create something fresh, meaningful — and really, really violent and disturbing.”

Former SLIPKNOT and current SUICIDAL TENDENCIES drummer Jay Weinberg has released his debut solo single, "Sandstone".

The official visualizer for the track, co-directed by Aubrey McCoy and Liam Stewart, can be seen below.

"Sandstone", which features guest vocals from DEAFHEAVEN frontman George Clarke, was recorded at Masterworks Studios in Nolensville, Tennessee by Shannon Forrest, Schematic Studios in Nashville, Tennessee by Brandon Highfill, and Sound Of Sirens Studios in Los Angeles, California by Toshi Kasai. The song was mixed by Zach Weeks and mastered by Nick Townshend.

In an interview with Australia's Wall Of Sound, Weinberg stated about "Sandstone": "It's the first song I've ever released under my own name, and it's the first song in a series of collaborations, an EP that I have that's in various stations of completion, but that I'm hoping to have out in the early part of 2026."

As for why he decided to launch a collaboration-based project rather than make a solo album in a more traditional sense, Jay said: "I've always wanted to collaborate with mainly vocalists and just create a very low-pressure, like, 'Hey, here's a song, why don't we', instead of... 'Oh, we got to start a side project.' In the instance of 'Sandstone', I really felt like the music I was creating really lent itself to what my friend George Clark would be able to do with his voice and his lyrics, and I just kind pitched it to him like, 'Hey, let's do this one song'. And he heard that loud and clear, came in and completely schooled it. It was incredible to watch it come to a fully realized form of a song."

This past July, Weinberg told the Podioslave Podcast that he had been working on his solo project for more than a decade. He said:  "I've been working on, for lack of a better way of putting it, a solo album, but it's certainly not solo in the terms of it's not just me. I'm playing all the instruments on it and I'm collaborating with many different vocalists who I've been inspired by. I've always wanted do something like this where, like with my friend Conner [Sullivan, a.k.a.] Argus, there are many people in life that we always meet, and it's, like, 'Dude, you're so rad. Let's start a side project or something like that.' And it's difficult. We all have lives. we all have our main things that we do, and life takes us in directions and it's hard to focus and embark on, like, 'Hey, let's make a record. Let's start a band. Let's do whatever.' But I think it's more easily manageable if I write a song and I've come up with it and I'm, like, man, 'Vocally this direction, it could be really great with this guy, this girl on it,' who's a friend of mine that I've always wanted to work with. And I kind of pitch it to them, like, 'Hey, here's this thing. What would you think vocally and lyrically and stuff? I think this is up your alley. What do you think?' So I've been working on something this entire year that I'm really, really excited about."

Weinberg continued: "But, yeah, that's been a huge undertaking that I'm really excited about, hopefully getting out there starting in the fall or so. I made kind of a deal with myself that this material that I've been writing and rearranging and working on for years — I was unable to do anything with it, but now that I have the freedom and the ability to exercise all this stuff, it's been an incredible creative endeavor. I'm teaching myself how to be a recorded guitar player and bass player and keyboard player and all this. I've been writing this material since like 20… I have a demo of one of these songs that dates back to 2011. And I've always found working on, guitars — I'm surrounded by the guitars I play with — that helps reinforce or reinform how I approach the drums, and I'm listening to what I'm making, not just from wearing my drummer's hat and, like, 'Oh, just make the drums louder. That would be awesome.' It's not just that. I'm listening to this, because I have such a heavy hand in all of it. Myself, the guitar player, has to respect myself as the drummer and vice versa. And as the painter who's going to be doing the artwork and stuff like that, it's all undertakings that I'm taking on. So it's slow goings, but I'm very proud of it and I'm hoping that some of that stuff starts to see the light of day hopefully this fall, is kind of like the deal that I've made with myself. So we'll see. Knock on wood. We'll see what happens."

Regarding the musical direction of his solo material, Jay said: "Sonically, it's all stuff that I've always wanted to dive into. I think my influences from NEUROSIS and INTERPOL and MY BLOODY VALENTINE show their face in this kind of material more so than it has in other music that I've been a part of writing or recording in the past. So I'm very thrilled to get this stuff out, for sure."

Weinberg first revealed his plans to release a solo album in January, sharing on social media that he that he had "put together a group" in 2017 to play his solo music in a band setting, "during a prolonged downtime from touring." He wrote at the time: "I haven't touched these songs since then, until recently feeling inspiration to pick the guitar back up and kick this stuff around again. It's been a fulfilling experience, and I'll tell you — I'm starting to like where these songs are headed. It feels good to finally set the intention of releasing some of this new music in the coming year."

As well as sharing his excitement to support METALLICA with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES this spring and summer, Jay added that he was "equally pumped to spend considerable time in the studio, especially working on this collection of songs. Stoked for you to hear them. When they're ready, you'll know."

During an appearance on a July 2024 episode of the "One Life One Chance With Toby Morse" podcast, Weinberg addressed his surprise firing from SLIPKNOT in November 2023, saying: "Truth be told, I'm at kind of a point where I'm not quite yet really ready to talk about it, really. And that's not to dismiss the conversation, but I've spent time, and spend time, just processing the entire experience. And the experience not being the last six months, but really the last 10 years [of playing with SLIPKNOT]. And finally, in a way, processing all of that. And doing it in kind of what I would consider the responsible way.

"I have a fantastic therapist who helps me," he continued. "Before I speak on it, it's important for me to do the right work of processing these events that you spend 10 years exclusively committed to one thing. There's a lot to process that on the other side. And I think there is definitely a time where I'll speak to my lived experience over those ten years — just not quite yet."

On November 5, 2023, SLIPKNOT released a statement via social media in which it said it had "decided to make a creative decision and to part ways with Jay."

Six days later, Weinberg, who replaced Joey Jordison, SLIPKNOT's original drummer, in 2013, shared on Instagram that he "was heartbroken and blindsided to receive the phone call", "the news of which, most of you learned shortly after."

Jay played his final show with SLIPKNOT on November 3, 2023 at the Hell & Heaven festival in Toluca, Mexico.

Jay discovered SLIPKNOT when he was a pre-teen, through his father. He was hooked immediately and was a huge fan of SLIPKNOT by the time he was invited to Los Angeles to try out as replacement for Joey Jordison in 2013.

For the first few months after the release of 2014's ".5: The Gray Chapter", the members of SLIPKNOT had declined to name the musicians who were playing drums and bass on their tour, despite the fact that their identities were revealed as Weinberg and bassist Alessandro "Vman" Venturella by a disgruntled former drumtech for SLIPKNOT who posted a picture of a backstage call sheet on Instagram.

".5: The Gray Chapter" went on to score a trio of Grammy nominations, including two for "Best Metal Performance" and a nomination for "Best Rock Album".

Weinberg also played on 2019's "We Are Not Your Kind" and 2022's "The End, So Far", both of which topped Billboard's rock albums chart.

In February 2024, SLIPKNOT recruited former SEPULTURA drummer Eloy Casagrande as the replacement for Jay.

Prior to joining SLIPKNOT, Jay played with AGAINST ME! and MADBALL.

Jay played his first concert with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES in March 2024 in Osaka, Japan.

In addition to Weinberg and frontman Mike Muir, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' current lineup features lead guitarist Dean Pleasants, rhythm guitarist Ben Weinman (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN) and bassist Tye Trujillo (son of METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo).

Weinberg's pairing with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES came less than two months after he was announced as the new drummer of INFECTIOUS GROOVES, the long-running outfit formed more than three decades ago by Robert Trujillo alongside Robert's then-SUICIDAL TENDENCIES bandmate Muir.

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In a new interview with "The Jasta Show", hosted by HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta, DOWN guitarist Kirk Windstein offered an update on the progress of the recording sessions for the band's long-awaited new album. Kirk is joined in the long-running heavy metal supergroup by vocalist Philip H. Anselmo, guitarist Pepper Keenan, drummer Jimmy Bower and bassist Pat Bruders. Kirk said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We kind of got it set up for Pepper and I to finish all the guitars in November. He doesn't get home till October 27th or something, and we [in CROWBAR] do the [Headbangers] Boat, but we're home. We'll be home on the 5th of November, so I'm pretty much ready. Give me two or three days, and we'll start knocking out guitar."

Kirk continued: "Phil's doing the vocals at [his] home studio, and that's where drums and bass were done. We did all the rhythm guitars at Duane's [Simoneaux]. And Eddie's [Mapp, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's live sound engineer] going out with ZAKK SABBATH on that tour, which is long. So he's gonna be going all the way up to practically Christmas, so me and Pepper are, like, we might as well just do it at Duane's and knock out the solos and sweetie tracks and stuff over there. But I think Phil's got the proper files on two of the songs. So, to my knowledge, by the weekend or going in the next week, he may have done two already. We were talking at [the] Louder Than Life [festival in September], and he's, like, dude, 'I guess I oughta just…' 'Cause he's already got it all written and planned out. Drums and bass are done, rhythm guitars are done. And he goes, 'I guess I oughta just knock it out while my pipes are good,' because that PANTERA/AMON AMARTH [tour] was long. They did have a break and all, but it was long. And I said, 'Yeah, dude, just go for it while you're feeling good.' I mean, he can do it on his own schedule, his own pace. All he's gotta do is say, 'Yeah, I wanna sing today.' Or, 'Yeah, I ain't feeling it. Okay, I'll can come in tomorrow' or whatever. But it's 10 tracks, [and] he's got great ideas on all of 'em. It's really gonna be a killer, killer record."

As for his expectations for the next DOWN album, Windstein said: "It's either gonna totally be this huge thing or just flop. But if you're a DOWN fan, I don't see how you can not like it."

This past August, Kirk confirmed to Geoff of the Gas Masks & Hand Grenades podcast that DOWN was originally going to release a covers LP next. "It started out that way," Kirk said. "And that was the talk for quite a while, and it was kind of, like, well, if we're gonna learn all these really obscure songs, in the time it's gonna take us to learn all these fucking things and kind of make 'em our own, we could probably write originals. So we got together in January of 2024. Went to Phil's [rehearsal and recording studio]. Pepper, myself, Jimmy and Pat had gotten together and come up with a few ideas, and Phil had some stuff. We went out for three days and came back, came home, and by the time we were done, we had seven songs — not perfectly arranged."

Elaborating on the songwriting and recording process for the new DOWN material, Kirk said: "When we got together to write, the chemistry is just undeniable. It's just magic. We've known each other so long, we've jammed together for so long. And Pepper and I did something — [it was] kind of his idea, but I thought it was a pretty brilliant idea. Jimmy doesn't play to a click track, so it's harder [to keep time], especially when you're not looking at him. So, he said, 'You know what? Let's track the fucking guitars together. Let's not do one guy, then one guy. Let's pick out one section, let's make it through the whole fucking verse, and if one of us fucks up, we stop, go back and start it again.' So we're doing it, just playing together and shit. So it's got more of a live feel, because Pat and Jimmy laid the drums and bass down together, and now we're doing guitars together with the rhythm tracks and shit."

He added: "DOWN's one of the few bands — of course we use Pro Tools [recording software], but we don't do click tracks and fix shit. It's real music."

As for a possible release date for the next DOWN album, Windstein said: "I would guess — hoping by the summer next year."

Earlier in the month, Kirk told The Five Count radio show in Mankato, Minnesota about the upcoming DOWN LP: "We couldn't be more excited about the material we have. The songs are extremely strong and they're very old school. They're put together really well, arranged really well, great riffs. We're real excited about it and I think the fans will be equally as excited."

This past April, it was announced that DOWN had signed with Nuclear Blast Records.

When the deal with Nuclear Blast was first announced, the label said in a statement: "Nuclear Blast is proud to be in the trenches with NOLA legends DOWN as their partner in their long overdue return to the metal world. In addition, we are excited to bring some of their key past catalog releases back into the spotlight, especially on the vinyl side. There are so many longtime DOWN fans at Nuclear Blast who are excited to be working with one of their all-time favorite bands. 2026 can't come soon enough!"

Anselmo stated: "It's good to sign with Nuclear Blast Records. It's a good label home and we're ready to make some awesome recordings!"

Keenan said: "Having already been a part of the Nuclear Blast family with CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, it is an honor and a privilege to be here as well with my brothers in DOWN. The team at Nuclear Blast is a well-oiled machine and you can definitely tell they love what they do. We are in the right place."

Bower added: "Nuclear Blast is a great label that put out some excellent records. It's an honor to have them work our jams!"

DOWN headlined night one of this year's edition of the Milwaukee Metal Fest in May. The show followed the band's recent Western U.S. tour with DANZIG.

In April 2024, Windstein, who is also the frontman of CROWBAR, told Concrete Spew about the musical direction of the new DOWN material: "It just sounds like DOWN. I mean, it sounds refreshing because we haven't done it in so long, gotten together with me and the guys and done it in — fuck — 12 years or something. So it sounds like DOWN, I think, to me, it sounds more old-school DOWN. And the reason I say that is I think we got to a point where… Like, the 'NOLA' record is so simple, and it just wrote itself; it was so simple. And that's how this is coming about, which is great."

He continued: "We're not overthinking it. We're not trying to make things too complex. Phillip's not trying to write so many lyrics and things. We just kind of got away — I hate to say 'got away', 'cause anything we do is DOWN, but, to me, we kind of got a little bit… We needed to go back and look at each other and just go, 'Let's just get in a room and do it like we did from the beginning.' And that's what it feels like to me. It's very magical. The ideas and the working together, just bounce off of one another, it's a natural thing."

DOWN played its rescheduled concert at Inn Of The Mountain Gods Resort And Casino in Mescalero, New Mexico on September 27, 2024. The band was originally supposed to perform at at Inn Of The Mountain Gods on June 20, 2024, but the show was called off due to a pair of rapidly growing wildfires which were converging on a village inside a tribal reservation in the state. As a result of the postponement, DOWN played two pop-up shows in Louisiana — on June 20, 2024 at Southport Hall in New Orleans and on June 21, 2024 at Varsity Theatre in Baton Rouge.

Prior to Southport Hall, DOWN's last concert took place in September 2022 at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Alton, Virginia.

DOWN made a handful of rare live appearances in the spring and summer of 2022. The band launched a three-date U.S. run of shows in May 2022 at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida. After playing in Atlanta and Dallas immediately after Rockville, DOWN took a three-week break before regrouping for three European festival appearances in June. The aforementioned appearance at that year's Blue Ridge Rock Festival followed in September 2022.

In August 2021, DOWN took part in a very special in-person live and virtual experience. "NOLA Town Throwdown" was held at the Fillmore in New Orleans, Louisiana and featured fans attending the show in person as well as watching it in real time from the comfort of their living room.

In August 2020, DOWN celebrated the 25th anniversary of "NOLA" with a special livestreamed event. Dubbed "The Quarter Century Throwdown", the high-production, multi-camera event took place using cutting-edge streaming technology to create a one-of-a-kind virtual concert experience.

A founding member of DOWN, Windstein left the band in 2013 in order to focus on CROWBAR and his family life. He was replaced by Bobby Landgraf, DOWN's former guitar tech who was previously in GAHDZILLA MOTOR COMPANY, a 1990s outfit also featuring Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS, WATCHTOWER),and HONKY.

Windstein announced his return to DOWN in 2019, with the band confirming a number of festival appearances for 2020 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of "NOLA", all of which were later canceled or postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic which swept the globe.

Prior to the August 2020 livestream, DOWN's last live appearance took place in August 2016 at the Psycho Las Vegas festival in Las Vegas.

The supergroup hasn't issued anything since the arrival of the "Down IV – Part Two" EP in May 2014.

"Down IV – Part Two" sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release in May 2014 to debut at position No. 23 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The band's previous EP, "Down IV Part I – The Purple EP", opened with around 12,000 units in September 2012 to land at No. 35.

"Down IV – Part Two" was recorded at Nodferatu's Lair — Anselmo's home studio — and produced by Michael Thompson. It was released via Down Records/ADA Music.

Photo by MetalDave Media

Legendary rockers CHEAP TRICK returned to the iconic Budokan in Tokyo, Japan on October 1, 2025. The eight-and-a-half-minute short film below captures the beautiful bond shared by CHEAP TRICK, the country of Japan and the band's incredible Japanese fans — a bond as alive today as it was in 1978 when CHEAP TRICK first played Budokan.

The short film was produced by Silent Trade for BMG and CHEAP TRICK and was directed by Nick Dwyer.

Earlier this week, CHEAP TRICK announced two shows in Las Vegas where the group will play "At Budokan", the 1978 album captured at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, in its entirety, along with CHEAP TRICK's other hits. "Cheap Trick At Budokan – Live In Las Vegas" will take place April 17 and 18, 2026, at The Venetian Theatre inside The Venetian Resort Las Vegas.

A ticket presale is underway, with tickets going on sale to the general public Friday, November 21 at 10 a.m. PT.

"At Budokan" was CHEAP TRICK's first live album, and went on to become the band's best-selling album, having been certified triple platinum by the RIAA. In 2019 it was chosen by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry.

CHEAP TRICK's 1977 debut album didn't even make the U.S. Billboard album chart. The band's sophomore effort, "In Color", peaked only at No. 73, so when their third, "Heaven Tonight", was released in the fall of 1978, it was do-or-die time. Thousands of miles away, unbeknownst to the band, Japan had embraced CHEAP TRICK with three No. 1 singles, including "I Want You To Want Me" and "Surrender". A tour of the country would confirm it with the band receiving an almost Beatlemania-type reception, culminating in a sold-out performance at Tokyo's huge Budokan arena. Stateside, the decision was made to create a live album for Japan only. "At Budokan" arrived at U.S. radio on a white label promo-only LP for the sole purpose to help promote the U.S. album "Heaven Tonight". Instead, it became a blockbuster.

CHEAP TRICK's Rick Nielsen explained to "In The Studio" host Redbeard how unforeseen the LP's success was: "'At Budokan' was never supposed to be released outside Japan. Our manager said to us, 'These pictures [which] we had to rush out that were on the cover, it will never see the light of day in the United States.' Famous last words."

Robin Zander (vocals),Rick Nielsen (guitar) and Tom Petersson (bass) remain from CHEAP TRICK's original lineup. Daxx Nielsen, Rick Nielsen's son, has been the touring drummer for the past 15 years. He stepped in for Bun E. Carlos, who was with the band from 1973 to 2010.

CHEAP TRICK's 21st studio album, "All Washed Up", came out on November 14.

JUST ANNOUNCED: Iconic rock band Cheap Trick will be performing their best-selling 1978 live record, At Budokan, in its...

Posted by Live Nation Las Vegas on Monday, November 17, 2025

SOIL will make its long-awaited return to the United Kingdom in October and November 2026, following the massive success of their sold-out 2024 U.K. tour, which featured the band's special all-"Scars" set.

This new run expands to 15 dates, marking the band's longest U.K. stretch yet, and includes several first-ever stops in cities they've never performed in throughout their extensive career.

A major highlight of the tour will be their appearance at the legendary Hard Rock Hell Festival XIX on November 5, 2026 in Great Yarmouth.

SOIL promises a powerful, career-spanning set packed with fan favorites, charting hits, deep cuts and even long-awaited new material, making this one of their most anticipated U.K. tours to date.

Accompanying SOIL on this trek are Canada's own FINGER ELEVEN (best known for the hits "Paralyzer" and "One Thing"),and longtime friends ADEMA (best known for the hits "Giving In" and "The Way You Like It").

SOIL bassist Tim King comments: "We are so excited to have both bands on this bill with us. FINGER ELEVEN and SOIL go way back but we've never properly toured together. And ADEMA, well, we've been great friends with them since 2001. In fact, our first-ever U.K. tour in 2002 was with ADEMA. It's great to see we are both still around and able to team up once again to come across the pond together!"

"FINGER ELEVEN has been looking forward to making their way back to the U.K.," says FINGER ELEVEN vocalist Scott Anderson. "We're grateful for the opportunity to be touring with SOIL this time around. We can't wait to reunite with old friends and rock out across the pond!"

Vocalist/guitarist Tim Fluckey from ADEMA also chimes in about the upcoming tour: "We are excited to finally get back to the U.K. and reconnect with our fans there! To be able to return with SOIL on this tour couldn't be better for us! We did a tour with SOIL in the U.K. in 2002. Not only where they great shows, we made lifelong memories and we can't wait to make more with them and our fans."

Tickets are available at all fine ticket outlets or directly from the venues.

SOIL 2026 tour dates with FINGER ELEVEN and ADEMA:

Oct. 30 - Brighton, UK - Chalk
Oct. 31 - Wolverhampton, UK - KK's Steelmill
Nov. 01 - Hull, UK - Asylum
Nov. 03 -Glasgow, Scotland - The Garage
Nov. 04 - Newcastle, UK - Digital
Nov. 05 - Great Yarmouth ,ENG - Hard Rock Hell Festival
Nov. 06 - Nottingham, UK - Rock City
Nov. 07 - Manchester, UK - O2 Ritz
Nov. 08 - Bradford, UK - Nightrain
Nov. 10 - Northampton, UK - Roadmender
Nov. 11 - Southampton, UK - The 1865
Nov. 12 - Torquay, UK - The Foundry
Nov. 13 - Bristol, UK - O2 Academy Bristol
Nov. 14 - London, UK - Electric Ballroom
Nov. 15 - Margate, UK - Dreamland Ballroom

SOIL has not released any new original material since 2013's "Whole" album.

In 2023, SOIL celebrated its long list of compositional accomplishments with "Restoration", a brand-new set of studio recordings of the band's biggest hits throughout their prolific history. "Restoration" highlighted the band's best musical moments, including smash hit singles "Halo" and "Breaking Down", from SOIL's 2001 award-winning album "Scars".

In August 2022, SOIL released the "Play It Forward" album, consisting of some of the songs that inspired the bandmembers throughout the years. Prior to that, SOIL issued "Scream: The Essentials" in September 2017 via Pavement Entertainment and AFM Records. That effort celebrated the band's 20-year career and featured early recordings as well as alternate versions and mixes.

In March 2023, it was announced that SOIL frontman Ryan McCombs had rejoined DROWNING POOL.

McCombs is planning to continue to front SOIL and perform with both bands moving forward.

British heavy metal legends SAXON were rejoined by guitarist Paul Quinn on stage for two songs during their November 8 concert at Octagon Centre in Sheffield, United Kingdom as part of the "Hell, Fire And Steel Tour": "Denim And Leather" and "And The Bands Played On". Fan-filmed video of Paul's appearance can be seen below.

In an April 2025 interview with Gustavo Maiato, SAXON frontman Biff Byford was asked if Quinn, who announced two and a half years ago that he was stepping back from touring with the band, is still contributing to the songwriting process in SAXON or if Quinn's replacement, DIAMOND HEAD's Brian Tatler, is a "full-time" member of the band now. Biff responded: "Yeah, Brian's in the band full-time, but Paul's still sending ideas. He sent me an idea the other day for a song. It just depends how good it is, if we use it. I reject a lot of ideas until people come up with the one that I love.

"We always want to make better albums, so we're always looking for better songs, if you know what I mean," Biff explained.

As a result of Quinn's decision to step back from touring with SAXON, the band canceled its April 2023 South American tour as well as the appearance at the Monsters Of Rock cruise. Quinn has since been replaced on the road by Tatler.

Brian has been touring with fellow guitarist Doug Scarratt, drummer Nigel Glockler, bassist Tim "Nibbs" Carter and Byford since mid-2023, but continues to be a member of DIAMOND HEAD.

Byford and Quinn are the sole remaining original members in SAXON's current lineup.

Originally from South Yorkshire, England, SAXON has gone on to sell about 23 million albums and has produced such classic songs as "Denim And Leather", "Princess Of The Night", "Wheels Of Steel" and "Power And Glory".

In February, Byford told FaceCulture about a possible follow-up to SAXON's 24th studio album, "Hell, Fire And Damnation", which came out in January 2024 via Silver Lining Music and marked the band's first release with Tatler: "I think it's been a natural progression with our following and the fans with our music. Brian coming into the band added a little bit of a different dynamic to the music writing. So I think that was for a good thing. I think the new album, 'Hellfire', has been voted 'Album Of The Year' on quite a lot of sites and things, so obviously we struck a little bit of good scene with the album, a good flow. So hopefully the next one will be just as good, if not better… Well, it can't always be better, but let's hope. I mean, 'Hellfire' is gonna be hard to beat. That's a pretty perfect album, I think."

"Hell, Fire And Damnation" was produced by Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, EXODUS, ACCEPT) and Byford, with Sneap mixing and mastering.

The mighty Saxon's updated 2025 shows!🤘⚔🔥
For tickets to all shows go to: https://www.saxon747.com/tourdates

#themightysaxon #britishheavymetal #livegigs

Posted by Saxon on Wednesday, September 17, 2025

ULVER has released "Weeping Stone", the first single from the eclectic Norwegian cult act's upcoming album, "Neverland", which will arrive digitally on December 31, 2025 and physically on February 27, 2026.

A visualizer for "Weeping Stone" can be seen below.

"Neverland" track listing:

01. Fear In A Handful Of Dust
02. Elephant Trunk
03. Weeping Stone
04. People Of The Hills
05. They're Coming! The Birds!
06. Hark! Hark! The Dogs Do Bark
07. Horses Of The Plough
08. Pandora's Box
09. Quivers In The Marrow
10. Welcome To The Jungle
11. Fire In The End

"Neverland", the fourteenth studio album by ULVER, is the sound of an escape. A journey into undiscovered lands.

Following three albums — "The Assassination Of Julius Caesar" (2017),"Flowers Of Evil" (2020) and "Liminal Animals" (2024) — rooted in more traditional song and production structures, "Neverland" marks a new chapter in the revered Oslo band's history.

"With 'Neverland' we embraced a more 'punk' spirit – more dreaming, less discipline — freer, quite simply", the band comments on the creative process behind the album.

Bursts of daybreak synths and whooshes of sound set the atmosphere, before the wolves start digging into the dynamics of ambient calm and anarchic mysticism. Dreamy and transportive textures develop into trippy percussive energies, and as the album unfolds, a lush and vibrant, and at times exotic space opens.

Apart from a few recurring distant voices and vocal chops, "Neverland" is a largely instrumental record, reminiscent of the mood and structure of that place where late '90s IDM sounds met the meandering structures of post-rock.

The ghost of premillennial sample culture surely haunts "Neverland", and some might even hear echoes from earlier acclaimed works like "Perdition City" (2000),or the "Silence" EPs (2001),or more recently "ATGCLVLSSCAP" (2016).

Still, "Neverland" sounds and feels like something else, something fresh in ULVER's continuous journey of perennial reinvention. Pop music from in-between worlds? A sonic hallucination? Or better: a collage of dreams. It's up to you.

"Neverland" recording lineup:

Kristoffer Rygg - drums, percussion, electronics, synthesizer, vocals
Ole Alexander Halstensgård - programming, electronics, synthesizer
Anders Møller - percussion, drums
Jørn H. Sværen - synthesizer
Stian Westerhus - guitar, bass guitar

Guest musician: Sara Khorami - whispers and voices (recorded at 4 a.m.)

Recording by Kristoffer Rygg and Ole Alexander Halstensgård at Lupercal Studio, Oslo (NO)
Mixing by Anders Møller at Subsonic Society, Oslo (NO)
Mastering by Vegard Sleipnes at Reel to Reel Mastering, Oslo (NO)

Artwork and layout by Paschalis Zervas (+ wolframgrafik)

Primal Fear bassist / co-founder and Sinner frontman Mat Sinner has checked in with the following message:

“I will record a new Sinner album soon with a lot of wonderful boys & girls backing me in the studio, and release the best Sinner album we can imagine. Songs are ready and are coming out crushing. Never say never, but I will dedicate the last years of my musical career to Primal Fear. Let’s make the last Sinner album a special one that will make all my long time supporters happy, and let’s celebrate this unbelievable journey together! I will post some more exciting news about this new album next week. The last one turns off the lights. Boom, Bang, Goodbye.”

Sinner was launched by Mat Sinner in 1982. They have released 20 studio albums since then, their latest record, Brotherhood, having been issued in July 2022.

THE POWER OF 3, the new supergroup featuring platinum-selling guitarist and singer-songwriter Orianthi, legendary drummer Cindy Blackman Santana and world-renowned bassist Rhonda Smith, performed live on Monday (November 17) at a mini-festival prior to the Las Vegas Raiders- Dallas Cowboys game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fan-filmed video of the show can be seen below (courtesy of the Tom deBlonk channel on YouTube).

Known for their unparalleled musicianship and groundbreaking careers alongside legends like Michael Jackson, Prince, Lenny Kravitz, Jeff Beck and Carlos Santana, the trio blends into a fierce, dynamic sound. Each a star in her own right, together they create a bold, high-energy musical experience that celebrates virtuosity, groove, and fearless creativity.

According to John Katsilometes of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, THE POWER OF 3 previously appeared under the title BAND OF 3 when they teased their collaboration the night of Super Bowl 59 in February 2024, during the Raiders party hosted by Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis at Fontainebleau. The following December they played halftime of the Raiders-Jaguars game at Allegiant Stadium.

THE POWER OF 3 recently recorded its debut album, which is tentatively due in early 2026. Helming the studio sessions was legendary producer Eddie Kramer, who has worked with THE BEATLES, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, KISS and THE ROLLING STONES. Kramer mixed the music in an analog format, with the LP set to be released on vinyl.

"We want to represent real music, and also the value of music, and how powerful it is on vinyl," Orianthi told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "Everything is streamed, and I love the instant gratification of checking out someone's record on Spotify or Apple. But there's nothing like getting an old vinyl, putting on your record player, and actually enjoying it the way it should be enjoyed."

Regarding the musical direction of THE POWER OF 3 material, Orianthi told Guitarist magazine: "It's a three-piece, like a BAND OF GYPSYS vibe but the tunes are commercial and we hope to reach a lot of people. We've molded our own sound with Eddie Kramer. It's an honor to record with him and I'm excited for everyone to hear [it]."

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The technical chameleon and guitar virtuoso Paul Gilbert has announced his new album, "WROC", which will be released on February 27, 2026 via Music Theories Recordings. To celebrate, he has revealed the music video for "Go Not Thither", which you can watch below.

"WROC", which stands for "Washington's Rules of Civility," could very well be the guitar superstar's most outlandish offering to date. Using George Washington's Rules of Civility as a conceptual homing beacon, Gilbert has dared himself to think outside the box and use an etiquette guide dating back to the late 1500s as his main source of inspiration.

He may have wielded a cordless power drill for supersonic tremolo picking and used a slide to summon the voice of Ronnie James Dio in the past. Still, this latest recording is the sound of a musician defiantly broadening himself into new uncharted horizons for his first vocal album since 2016's "I Can Destroy".

"Go Not Thither" pairs throbbing vibe pedals with regal harmonies, classic metal riffage and ZZ TOP boogie blues. Talking about the song, Gilbert muses: "Hundreds of years ago, everyone must have been walking around kicking the earth. They kicked the earth so much that a rule had to be invented to put a stop to it! Another rule in the song, 'Play not the peacock,' is more difficult to follow. I know this, as I can't resist playing guitar solos while wearing a tricorn hat."

The idea for the album came to him on the flight home from the last show of MR. BIG's final tour, where the group bid farewell to a packed house at Tokyo's Budokan Arena.

"I don't know why it came into my head," he shrugs. "But I love using lyrics to build melodies. I think I was looking for my own Bernie Taupin — who writes all the lyrics for Elton John. Neil Peart is another example, as he wrote the lyrics for RUSH, while Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee composed the music. I wanted to find my own Bernie or Neil, because while lyric writing is something I've certainly done, it's not really my favorite part of the process. So, I got George Washington to be my Bernie Taupin!"

On further investigation, it became clear that the first president of the United States of America had simply copied an English translation of the "Rules Of Civility & Decent Behavior In Company And Conversation" as a school writing exercise, inadvertently becoming its most widely credited author. Its lineage, however, can be traced even further back to a 1595 French etiquette manual written by the Jesuits.

As someone who has vividly shaped the role of the electric guitar in rock music, Paul Gilbert knows a thing or two about which rules to follow — and when to break them. In MR. BIG, he was responsible for pioneering pop rock anthems that saw the group top charts and headline arenas around the world. In RACER X, he pushed the electric guitar to its furthest limits, in a more metallic direction, leaving listeners and audiences mesmerized by how his compositions could be so technically thrilling and tastefully musical at the same time. As a solo artist, he's traversed both instrumental and vocal-led sonic landscapes that have crossed over from blues, classical and jazz to straight-up rock.

So, for Gilbert, there was palpable excitement in resurrecting these 16th-century guidelines for the hyper-advanced social order of today's world. "I've never had such a good time writing songs in my life!" he admits.

The album was recorded live over four days at The Hallowed Halls in Portland, Oregon, with Nick D'Virgilio on drums, Doug Rappoport on guitar, and Timmer Blakely on bass. Paul recorded additional vocals at home to sweeten the tracks, but the core energy comes from the live band jamming face to face.

It all kicks off with "Keep Your Feet Firm And Even", which is based on a Washington rule that Paul finds personally challenging. The hook-laden "Speak Not Evil Of The Absent" saw Gilbert molding unique phrasing to deliver a rule that's now 430 years old. "Some of these rules are easy to follow, and others... I don't know if I could ever do them! But it's certainly aspirational to think about them," says Paul.

"I'm really excited to play this music live and see how people enjoy it," adds Gilbert. "I would say 'WROC' is one of the most musical and listenable albums I've ever done. It's much more than just guitar licks that came from my fingers. The music came from my sense of melody. I've been enjoying that pure connection more and more. I feel like this is the most successful journey I've made to my Inner Melodic Generator... thanks to the inspiration from George Washington and those who went before him. They were my Bernie Taupins. Overall, the process was so enjoyable, and you can hear that joy in the tracks."

MANOWAR has announced the "Kings Of Metal Fighting The World Tour 2027".

After the band's triumphant celebrations of "Hail To England" and "Sign Of The Hammer" on the "Blood Of Our Enemies Tour", the fans demanded more: more sonic and visual excellence with unforgettable metal hymns, glory, majesty, unity, and more immortal memories.

MANOWAR heard the call and will unleash a brand new, awe-inspiring spectacle of might, celebrating two sacred albums of the genre — "Kings Of Metal" and "Fighting The World", albums that shaped generations of metalheads around the world and forged the brotherhood that stands unbroken today.

First dates are confirmed for Germany, with more battlegrounds following.

These shows will feature alternating setlists, with either the entire "Kings Of Metal" album or the entire "Fighting The World" album performed, plus other epic anthems, in a brand-new production.

An exclusive ticket presale will start on Friday, November 21, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. CET for Army Of Immortals members. The pre-sale ends on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at 11:00 CET.

This is your reward for standing true. If you've sworn the oath already, watch out for your Army Of Immortals newsletter for details. If you're not signed up yet, wait no longer: the time to strike is now!

A limited number of "Ultimate Fan Experience" upgrades will be available on this tour at the official MANOWAR store and, for all German shows, also on Eventim.de. This is the most exclusive and personal MANOWAR live experience possible.

General ticket sales, including "Ultimate Fan Experience" upgrades, start on Eventim.de on December 2, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. CET.

Last month, MANOWAR bassist Joey DeMaio offered an update on the studio sessions for the upcoming re-recorded version of the band's fourth studio album, "Sign Of The Hammer", which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2024. Writing on his official web site, Joey said: "Manowarriors, We just celebrated the anniversary of 'Sign Of The Hammer' — an album that’s meant the world to us and to you for over 40 years. Now let me give you an update on the re-recording.

"We announced this project a while back, and many of you have been asking: Where is it? Fair question. You deserve an honest answer, so here it is: Re-recording a beloved album is a massive responsibility for us. These songs are part of your lives. They're hymns that have carried you through your toughest moments.
We don't take that lightly.

"So here's what happened: We recorded everything. We listened. And we weren't satisfied. The sound wasn't there yet. It wasn't the crushing, earth-shaking power we demand from ourselves — and that you deserve.

"So what did we do? We took apart our studios, tried new equipment configurations. We recorded again. But still not quite 'it'. And then it was time to prep for tour and hit the road.

"Could we have rushed it out? Sure. But that's not who we are.
We've never compromised, and we’re not starting now.

"Rest assured: 'Sign Of The Hammer' re-recorded will be released. And new music, too. And when it drops, it's going to sound meaner, heavier, and more powerful than anything we've done before.

"Thank you for your patience and loyalty. Stay tuned!

"Hail and Kill! Joey".

Last December, DeMaio spoke to Elena Rozberg of Radiocast BG about the upcoming re-recording of "Sign Of The Hammer". He said: "I think that it gives us the chance to look at the songs and keep all of the elements of the song itself that people liked — you know, the choruses and so forth, the message, the lyrics — but also improve the quality of the sound of the recording. As I listen to it today, I think everything is much more clear, a lot of excitement, a lot of energy. And, yeah, the fans who have already bought the [original] record will have that forever. And then the new version of it is a different version. It's like having two shirts or two jackets — one might be a little different, different buttons, but similar style. And that's the way it's coming across to me. I think people are going to enjoy it. And if you like the first version, I think you'll like this version. It's just a little bit different, a little something — a little something. Maybe a little magic. I don't know. We'll see. See what people think. You'll tell me once you hear it."

During the same chat, DeMaio weighed in on a debate about people using artificial intelligence (A.I.) to create music. He said:  "Well, right now I haven't delved much into artificial intelligence. I mean, of course, everybody can't help using it with e-mails and things like this. I think it's been good in the e-mails when you get spam to be able to block it; it does it automatically or it recognizes it. I think like everything else, it's a tool and I think it will find its place in everybody's life. I think some people will use it to create music, to create art and things. They've already started doing that. And I just look at it as though for somebody who doesn't play an instrument, if that's a way for them to express a musical idea, then that's their tool. I happen to be able to play a guitar, so I can do it. But for somebody that can't, they can then just say, 'Write me a song like such and such,' and that's how they will create. And who's to say — great music might come of it. I don't know. Or great art. I think it's too new to judge and see what's going to happen. But I think there will always be a place for people who really write something beautiful, whether it's poetry, whether they paint something by hand that's a beautiful painting or whether they write a song. I think there's always going to be a place for creative people that have talent. If you do something great, I think it will live forever, and I don't think it's anything to be afraid of."

In 2005, "Sign Of The Hammer" was ranked number 418 on Rock Hard magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums Of All Time".

MANOWAR played an exclusive U.S. concert on November 30, 2024 at Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, New York. The sold-out event marked the band's first live appearance in MANOWAR's home country in a decade.

In November 2023, DeMaio said in a video message that MANOWAR's concert in New York would coincide with the 40th anniversary of "Sign Of The Hammer". "It's gonna be the only show in America, unfortunately, because our recording and touring schedule won't allow for more, but it will be the full show," he said.

Prior to the Kings Theatre concert, MANOWAR's last U.S. shows were believed to have taken place in February 2014 when the band celebrated the 25th anniversary of its "Kings Of Metal" album on the "Kings Of Metal MMXIV" tour.

Back in September 2014, MANOWAR canceled its previously announced U.S. tour dates which were scheduled to take place in November of that year. At the time, the band claimed it was scrapping the shows "due to scheduling conflicts" as well as to concentrate on work on a new studio album.

The 71-year-old DeMaio and 73-year-old singer Eric Adams are the sole remaining original members of MANOWAR, which formed in 1980 in upstate New York.

In February 2023, MANOWAR released a new song called "Laut Und Hart Stark Und Schnell" dedicated to the band's loyal German fans.

"Laut Und Hart Stark Und Schnell", which translates into "Loud And Hard Strong And Fast", is an anthemic mid-tempo hymn in the vein of MANOWAR's classic "Warriors Of The World United" that invites fans to sing along and raise their hands in celebration of their favorite genre and band.

"Laut Und Hart Stark Und Schnell" was first released digitally on February 10, 2023 on all major platforms and was made available during MANOWAR's German tour.

Three years ago, MANOWAR announced that it had recruited Michael Angelo Batio, a veteran both in the studio and on stage, to play guitar for the band on its 2023 "Crushing The Enemies Of Metal" tour. The news came in the wake of guitarist Evandro "EV" Martel's announcement that he was taking a break from touring for a while for "personal reasons".

Although MANOWAR has released a couple of EPs in recent years — including "The Revenge Of Odysseus (Highlights)", which came out in June — the group hasn't issued a full-length effort since 2012's "The Lord Of Steel".

MANOWAR's two "secret" warm-up shows in June 2022 at Jovel Music Hall in Münster, Germany marked the band's debut live appearances with new drummer Dave Chedrick, who has previously played with RAVEN and KILL RITUAL, among others.

Chedrick joined MANOWAR as the replacement for Anders Johannson who announced that same month that he would be unable to join MANOWAR on the band's "Crushing The Enemies Of Metal Anniversary Tour '22/'23" due to "family commitments."

MANOWAR CELEBRATE KINGS OF METAL FIGHTING THE WORLD TOUR 2027 🔥

MANOWAR, the founders and defenders of true metal,...

Posted by MANOWAR on Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Reactivated San Francisco Bay Area metallers FORBIDDEN have parted ways with VOIVOD guitarist Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain and have replaced him with Jeremy Von Epp.

On Tuesday (November 18),FORBIDDEN shared the following message via social media: "Hey everybody, please help us welcome Jeremy Von Epp aboard as the new blood!

"When we first approached Dan about playing guitar with us, Steve [Smyth] amicably left the band while we still had a full table of obligations ahead of us. Mongrain was our very first choice and he agreed almost without hesitation.

"We all have deep respect for Dan and consider him one of the greatest guitarists in our Universe. To have him on stage with us was a dream come true. Chewy was a perfect fit. This being said, it was also on borrowed time due to his upcoming commitments with VOIVOD. Still, we managed it and intended on Dan being a part of FORBIDDEN's new album as he's already recorded and contributed to 3 songs.

"The touring part was always going to be touch and go depending on our overlapping schedules. This issue first appeared at Aftershock in Sacramento and Grita [Fest] in Colombia. We recruited Jeremy Von Epp and he stepped in like a champ! Jeremy was a seamless transition that caught us by a very pleasant surprise, so much so that it made us rethink our short term and long term plans. It took Von Epp almost no time at all to learn our language and solos of three unbelievably great guitarists in Glen Alvelais, Tim Calvert, Smyth and Dan Mongrain. No small shoes to fill.

"We got back from Colombia and reevaluated our situation. Jeremy needed to be in FORBIDDEN full time and we all agreed. It made too much sense with the chemistry we have together.

"Dan has been amazing, a great friend, player and now is like family to us. His contributions raised the bar of quality sky high. We are forever grateful for his genius and brilliant humor he shared over the last 1 1/2 years.

"Thank you, Dan! Also a sincere thanks to the rest of VOIVOD for letting us borrow him from you, albeit temporary. FORBIDDEN loves you all.

"As we move into this era of FORBIDDEN with Von Epp, we're presently writing, recording and pre producing new material that will take us to another level.

"There is much more exciting news that is just around the corner to share very soon!"

Mongrain added in a separate statement: "When Craig Locicero called me to play in FORBIDDEN, I accepted right away as I was already a fan and that we we're friends since 2008 when we first met in Tokyo where we played on the same bill (VOIVOD, FORBIDDEN). I never thought I would later play in the band live, touring and contributing on new songs. Life has great surprises.

"From the start we all knew it would be quite a challenge for the schedule to fit with VOIVOD activities and my other bands. But we went for it, it worked for a while and it's been great. I got to know Chris Kontos, Norman Skinner and Matt Camacho better, and along with Craig, we became brothers and troopers on the road.

"I am honored and forever grateful to have been part of FORBIDDEN, and tour the world together. Unfortunately, teleportation and cloning is not a thing yet, schedules, distances and other factors are making it impossible to make it work on the long term. So I have to step down and pass the torch to the great Jeremy Van Epp who's been killing it since the last couple shows as it was impossible for me to be there.

"Love to all the FORBIDDEN family and crew, friends, fans, all the people I met during this amazing journey, it was a great ride to say the least. I embrace the memories and wish all the best to the mighty FORBIDDEN in the years to come with a kick ass line-up!! They will blow your mind!!

"Peace and health to everyone!! See you on tour!"

Von Epp said: "When Craig called me a few months back with the prospect of helping them out as a stand in for Chewy, I was immediately interested. We have all been friends for years, and I'd been keeping up with them since their reformation, but after hearing the new song, 'Divided By Zero', I was all in!

"Learning the material was a challenge, but one that I quickly grew to enjoy. It'd been a long time since I played in a twin lead guitar thrash metal band, but I was excited about doing that again with FORBIDDEN. The two shows I played with them in October, Aftershock festival and Grita festival in Colombia, both went really well and everything just clicked.

"I look forward to being a part of the next chapter of FORBIDDEN and I am beyond honored to carry the torch(s) for all the great guitarists who have carried it here before me. Most importantly, I'm looking forward to playing some badass Bay Area thrash metal again, now with these guys. LFG!"

In October, FORBIDDEN released the official Mike Sloat-directed music video for the band's second new song in over 15 years, "Mutually Assured Dysfunction". "Mutually Assured Dysfunction" and "Divided By Zero", which was made available in late June, marked FORBIDDEN's first recordings with Mongrain, who was joined in FORBIDDEN's most recent lineup by founding guitarist Craig Locicero, longtime bassist Matt Camacho and the group's recent additions, singer Norman Skinner and drummer Chris Kontos.

FORBIDDEN's new songs were recorded at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with engineer/co-producer Zack Ohren.

FORBIDDEN's summer 2025 "40 Years Of Twisted Evil" European tour celebrated the 40th anniversary of the band's formation and the 35th anniversary of the release of FORBIDDEN's second album, "Twisted Into Form", which originally came out in March 1990 via Combat Records.

Smyth exited FORBIDDEN in July 2024, saying in a statement that he "decided it's time to part ways with FORBIDDEN, and return to my band ONE MACHINE as priority, along with other projects on the horizon, and of course session work, and teaching music as always."

The resurrected FORBIDDEN lineup made its live debut at a "secret" show in July 2023 at Baltic Kiss in Richmond, California under the TWISTED INTO EVIL banner.

Hey everybody, please help us welcome Jeremy Von Epp aboard as the new blood!

When we first approached Dan about...

Posted by Forbidden on Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Former DEATH guitarist James Murphy joined DEATH TO ALL, the touring tribute to the late Chuck Schuldiner and his pioneering band DEATH, on stage last night (Tuesday, November 18) at The Orpheum in Tampa, Florida to perform the DEATH song "Altering The Future". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

DEATH TO ALL is currently touring North America as part of a month-long celebration of two of DEATH's landmark albums: "Spiritual Healing" (1990) and "Symbolic" (1995).

DEATH TO ALL features DEATH veterans Gene Hoglan (drummer on the DEATH albums "Individual Thought Patterns" [1993] and "Symbolic"),Steve DiGiorgio (bassist on 1991's "Human" as well as "Individual Thought Patterns") and Bobby Koelble (guitarist on "Symbolic"),as well as Max Phelps (EXIST, ex-CYNIC) on guitar and vocals. DEATH TO ALL celebrated "Scream Bloody Gore" (1987) and "The Sound Of Perseverance" (1998) across North America in 2024.

Along with the dual album celebration, each night on the fall 2025 tour is showcasing classics from DEATH's catalog. The tour features special guests GORGUTS and PHOBOPHILIC.

Founded in 1984 by Chuck Schuldiner under the original name of MANTAS in Altamonte Springs, Florida, DEATH was among the more widely known early pioneers of the death metal sound, along with California's POSSESSED. Inspired by NASTY SAVAGE, DEATH was among the first bands in the Florida death metal scene. In the late '80s, the band was both a part of and integral in defining the death metal scene which gained international recognition with the release of albums by a number of area acts.

DEATH TO ALL operates as a tribute band to the original DEATH, which dissolved in 2001 following Schuldiner's passing.

During a January 2024 appearance on the "Die By The Click" podcast, Murphy was asked if he had ever been approached to take part in the DEATH TO ALL touring project. He responded: "No, I never was. And without going into any details, I'm gonna chalk that up to a couple of things. Number one, I think they've got their lineup. I think they've slowed down on the floating different people in and out of it. I think they've kind of settled into a thing, and that's Bobby and Max's gig now. And I'm cool with that — that's their gig."

He continued: "Back when they were floating people in and out of it a lot, having different people on different tours — because I'm not really up on the history of exactly what all has happened, lineup-wise and everything with that project… In addition to the feeling that they've sort of settled on their lineup, somebody involved with it who's not involved with it anymore, but back when they were cycling through different people, there was someone who did not want me — at all. And so I suspect that that's initially why I never got a call. This is also part of the reason why a particular project that I was working on years ago got put on a shelf, because of the same individual. There's no point in naming names. It's no longer an issue on either front, but at some point there's damage done."

Four years ago, Murphy joined former DEATH bassist Terry Butler to play two shows commemorating the 20th anniversary of Schuldiner's passing at Brass Mug in Tampa, Florida. Murphy and Butler performed DEATH's classic third album, "Spiritual Healing", in its entirety under the LIVING MONSTROSITY banner.

"Born Human: The Life And Music Of Death's Chuck Schuldiner", the fully authorized biography of the legendary DEATH frontman, has just been released via Decibel Books.

"Born Human", authored by accomplished journalist David E. Gehlke ("The Scott Burns Sessions: A Life In Death Metal 1987-1997", "Turned Inside Out: The Official Story Of Obituary"),features exclusive interviews, contributions, stunning new Ed Repka cover art and previously unreleased, hand-selected photographs from those who knew Chuck best. "Born Human" brings life to the dramatic story of the man who blazed an iconic path in metal music, laying the foundation for generations to come.

Fans can order their copy now at store.decibelmagazine.com.