During a recent appearance on "The Jasta Show", the video podcast hosted by HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta, CROWBAR guitarist/vocalist Kirk Windstein spoke about the fact that he was sitting down during the band's late summer 2025 U.S. co-headlining tour with EYEHATEGOD due to what he has previously described as "either a bad sciatica flare-up or potentially a ruptured disc" in his "lower spine". Regarding how he got through the tour in his condition, he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I'll say one thing: I appreciate it, but I've never had enough people offer me pain pills and get me weed because I don't smoke. I don't even need edibles or anything. So I'd be, like, 'Thanks, man.' I'd have a whole bunch of shit and I'd just give it to Tommy [Buckley, CROWBAR drummer] and Matt [Brunson, CROWBAR guitarist]. And Pat [Bruders, CROWBAR bassist] smokes too. I'm, like, 'Whatever, man. Y'all have fun. All I did was I tried to drink a lot… Some people are, like, 'Well, you really ought to not drink beer.' I'm, like, 'I get it. I shouldn't.' But that was my pain pill. But I really just did electrolytes and a lot of water every morning and all day. And I took four Ibuprofen at one time, maybe in mid-afternoon, and as far as pain medication, that was it."

As for where his health stands right now, Kirk said: "[My wife] Robin found a guy that a bunch of friends suggested for an MRI and to check everything out, because the hope is that through diet, exercise and mainly… The biggest thing you see is stretching. My thing now is I'm extremely limited in the gym in lifting. I can't press anything overhead. I can only lift sitting down, only exercises sitting down. So dumbbells, seated dumbbell curls and things like that for biceps. It's very limited. I don't stand up for any of the exercises. I can do like lap pulldowns and rows and things, but I completely changed things from the high-intensity training, which is less sets, low reps but to complete failure, to three sets of… Maybe the first set will be 20 down to the last set… I still go pretty close to failure, but I had to just change the whole thing around. I'm really just trying to stay mobile. I had a lot of muscle atrophy in my legs from not walking correctly for fucking six weeks or something. I mean, the difference from… Like today, for instance, or yesterday. Yesterday I did four and a half miles, 30 minutes on the… I have to do the seated Life Cycle [exercise bike] — not the one you ride like a bicycle. You sit down with back support, and the pedals are in front of you. So I'll do 30 minutes of that, and then I did 15 minutes of stretching, and when I walked out of the place, I felt amazing. Today I did some lifting and then 18 minutes on the Life Cycle, and then stretching for another 15, 20 minutes. So on the days that I do lift, and it's very limited, like I said, the lifting portion takes about 30 minutes and then the cycle and stretching thing takes another 30. So it's an hour, and then I'll extend the Life Cycle and do more stretching on days that I don't lift at all, when I walk right in and get on the Life Cycle. And with that even, there's a lot of settings. I do the manual setting on level one. I do the lowest thing possible because I can't put any stress on my back. But in general, I wake up in the morning, and my legs… That's the weird thing, is it's a dull pain in your back. But the real pain shoots down the back of your legs. So I've tried just simple things. It's more on my right leg, but balancing on one foot and trying to count to 10. I was at the grocery store earlier getting deli meat and I'm, like, getting some, whatever, turkey meat, and I let the basket go and I'm trying to stand on it… Every day is just improvements. I haven't been drinking at all. [I'm following a] really clean diet and I gotta just pretty much stick to it."

CROWBAR's U.S. co-headlining tour with EYEHATEGOD kicked off on August 7 at Conduit in Orlando, Florida and wrapped up on August 31 in Pensacola, Florida.

When Windstein revealed in August that he would be sitting down during the early part of the trek, he explained in a statement:  "I don't call in sick. I'm there to give y'all a hundred percent and please the fans the best I can. So I'm probably gonna have to start this tour …. sitting down, but we'll be singing and playing top-notch the best I can do. I can't walk right now, and that's the truth. I've got a cane, I've got a walker, and I've never had this kind of pain in my life. I'm 60 years old, and I've never had this pain in my life. But anyway, I think positive; I don't think negative. So it's gonna be great, and we're gonna kick ass every night. So thank y'all so much."

In a 2020 interview with Kerrang! magazine, Windstein said that he finally addressed his substance abuse issues around 10 years earlier. "I started drinking at home instead of going out to bars, because it was easier for me to avoid cocaine if I didn't go out to where it would be," he explained. "I erased all the dealers from my phone. I quit drinking hard liquor for the most part, but I had a little hangout room where I would watch sports, play guitar and drink beer. Before that, I would go to a bar, not realize how I'd got home, pass out on the couch and wake up with two bags of coke. Then, of course, I'd go to the store to buy beer, because if I've got cocaine, I've got to have beer. And vice versa — if I went to a bar, I'd have two beers, then I'd be calling a guy trying to score. It was an ugly thing to go through, but they say that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and I really do believe that to be true."

Back in 2011, Windstein told the San Antonio Metal Music Examiner that he didn't go to rehab to beat his addiction. "I was in a downward spiral for years and years and years, and you know, you get to a point of, 'This is enough,'" he said. "I always make damn sure to say this: If I was a regular guy working at Home Depot and had a drinking problem, people wouldn't talk about it. But because I'm in a band... For me, I'm in a good place and take it a day at a time. It's a lifestyle change in general, not just about alcohol. It's about getting my life in order, eating right, working out right, getting out of debt, and try to be the best father I can be, the best musician. You live and you learn…. I never want to be back to where I was, let's put it that way. It hits you like a hammer, and it's not a good thing where you're a physical slave to drinking. You need to do a lot of soul-searching and find what works for you."

Windstein told Metal Hammer magazine that the support from his peers in the music industry "has been great. They all understand it," he said. "Everyone I've met in this business, they all understand it. It's part of it. It's like an occupational hazard. It's in your face 24⁄7, and what used to be fun, partying and cutting up with the guys became a really bad thing. Enough is enough. That's it."

CROWBAR released its most recent studio offering, the critically lauded "Zero And Below", in April 2022 via MNRK Heavy.

During a recent appearance on Billy Corgan's podcast "The Magnificent Others", rock legend Simon Kirke — founding drummer of BAD COMPANY and FREE — reflected on the period when BAD COMPANY was fronted by Brian Howe. Howe was the singer of BAD COMPANY between 1986 and 1994 and provided vocals on hit albums including 1988's "Dangerous Age" and 1990's "Holy Water". Asked how he feels about the Howe-fronted version of BAD COMPANY three decades later, he said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think it's kind of a two- or three-pronged answer because number one, what people maybe don't realize or tend to forget is that I really loved Mick [Ralphs, BAD COMPANY guitarist] and Boz [original BAD COMPANY bassist Raymond Burrell] and I didn't wanna start another band with unknowns. Sure, we had a high platform or a high profile because of the success of BAD COMPANY. But to go out and go with someone else and audition and start again… And I really loved Mick and Boz, and I didn't wanna start again. So when Brian Howe came on the horizon and he auditioned, and he was pretty damn good, it kind of… You have to like someone to live with them, especially on the road. And I was hoping that that piece of the jigsaw, Brian Howe, would fit with the other three. We hoped that. It wasn't there from the get-go, and it didn't; it kind of got worse as the years went by. And I don't wanna speak ill of someone who's passed away, but we started butting heads, and he started doing this monologue in the beginning of 'Bad Company', which is the piano intro. And he would take it for, like, three minutes, and he'd go on this political rant. I go, 'What the…?' And at one point I went, boom, on the bass drum. And it physically, you could see him jerk. He said, 'What was all that?' in the dressing room. [I said], 'Don't you use this band as a political forum.' He was a little red around the neck, shall we say. And it just got worse and worse. It's 'Spinal Tap' — it is. So we politely asked him to leave. He'll say he left, but we did ask him to leave. And it's a shame because I know that his heart was in the right place. And when someone passes away, particularly at a relatively young age, I felt for him and his family."

Kirke went on to say that there were other issues with Howe which made it increasingly difficult for them to continue their working relationship. "[Brian] had this alliance with this producer called Terry Thomas, and they started writing all the songs," the drummer recalled. "And we left [manager] Peter Grant, because the whole ZEPPELIN-Grant thing just dissolved, and we went with this other manager who managed FOREIGNER, called Bud Prager. And FOREIGNER were enjoying this huge success. And Brian and Terry started writing these pretty commercial songs that FOREIGNER could have done or JOURNEY could have done. It was drifting further and further away from the original BAD COMPANY. So, Mick, being one of the prime writers of the original BAD COMPANY, started getting left out in the cold, which only exacerbated this distance between us three and Brian. And then Boz said, 'I'm out.' And he went… So, we languished and then we got in Robert Hart, who was much more like Paul Rodgers — a great soul singer — but by then I was well and truly done. And I check myself into rehab. Mick was having his own troubles, and we just said, 'Enough. That's it. Enough.' And that was middle of '90s. And then Paul Rodgers came back in 1999."

Howe died in May 2020 at the age of 66. Brian passed away at his home in Florida after suffering cardiac arrest. He had a history of heart issues, having previously had a heart attack in 2017.

The English-born singer, who previously worked with Ted Nugent, was openly bitter that his contribution to the band's legacy was not recognized, telling Rock Candy magazine in 2018: "It's as if my time with BAD COMPANY has been airbrushed out of history. Those guys live in a cocoon where it's permanently 1974 and they've purposefully removed anything I ever had to do with them."

Howe was involved in albums that sold over a million copies and yet felt he never received the credit he deserves for his contribution to the seminal band.

"I know how much work I put into making those albums work," he said. "And how little help I received from Mick and Simon. It was a dreadful situation to be in."

Howe left BAD COMPANY after recording four albums, and believed the band "haven't released anything worthwhile since. And certainly nothing that's sold as well as the albums I was involved in. Those records gave BAD COMPANY a new lease of life."

But Howe reserved his harshest words for Paul Rodgers, the man he replaced in BAD COMPANY. "I don't like him as a person," he said. "And if he's such a brilliant artist and if he's really regarded as the only person ever to have sung with BAD COMPANY, then why haven't they recorded anything new in the last 10 years?"

Earlier this month, Howe's family issued a statement expressing their disappointment that the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame chose not to induct Brian with the rest of the BAD COMPANY members at this year's induction ceremony.

"That the Rock Hall chooses to discount the recordings with Brian Howe as lead vocalist and prolific songwriter (between 1986 and 1994) is a distortion of the band's history," the statement read in part. "Brian was for this time the charismatic singer of the band. He was the continuum of their success. An entire generation grew up with 'Dangerous Age', 'Holy Water' and 'Here Comes Trouble' and millions of fans would want these songs to be enshrined into the full BAD COMPANY catalog."

In a new interview with Shawn Ratches of Laughingmonkeymusic, KING'S X bassist/vocalist Doug "Dug" Pinnick spoke about a possible follow-up to the band's last album, "Three Sides Of One", which came out in September 2022 via InsideOut Music. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've been talking about making a new record. And I hope we can figure out where, how and get all the stuff lined up. In fact, we're gonna have a meeting next week — I think, a conference call — to discuss maybe what we wanna do and how we wanna do it now.

"We're excited about making a new record," he continued. "After 46 years now, which was our birthday a few weeks ago, and 46 years we've been together. And we're just kind of like a bunch of little kids going, 'We're still doing this. And we're still sounding good and it's still working. Let's make another record. What the heck?' And literally, it's like we're one of the oldest bands out there that's making music, and we're still like kids in the playground. A little slower, less cantankerous. We don't fight a lot anymore over parks and things. We've learned to trust each other and to believe in each other, like any band. But that's a secret about a band, if you're together for 20, 30, 40, 50 years — you know each other real well and you can make love like you've never made love before, like old people. [Laughs]"

As for a possible musical direction for the next KING'S X LP, Pinnick said: "The next record will be different again — I'm sure it will be. We always talk about it, but I think we're at a place now where we wanna get as mellow and as aggressive as we can possibly get, because that's our forte. We're very aggressive and we can really be soft. Let's just take it further. Let's just see what else we can come up with.

"Ty [Tabor, KING'S X guitarist] and Jerry [Gaskill, KING'S X drummer] both have different ideas. When we get together and talk about it, we're never on the same page, but all we gotta do is play a riff and everybody just kind of falls into this thing that happens. So, I personally just wanna get in a room and just shit out a bunch of new songs. Ty wants to bring some songs in and we can shit out some. Jerry has ideas. And for me, I just gotta back up and go, 'Let it flow,' because I'm a control freak. I want everybody in the room to write everything that way. But that's not what everybody wants to do, and that's not necessarily what we need to do. I'm good for at stifling our creativity by having a pre-supposed idea of how I want something to be."

Pinnick also reflected on the making of "Three Sides Of One", which was produced by Michael Parnin, recognized for his work with a varied range of artists, from RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and Missy Elliott, to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Barbara Streisand.

"The thing about it, we hadn't made a record in so long, it was so cool to get together and re-hear ourselves again, which was fun," Doug said. "Also, we had a producer who was just like one of the guys, and he is a good friend of mine. He produced two of my records, and Ty and Jerry love him to death. So we all had a great hang experimenting. And another thing is we wanted to do a completely analog [album]. The only thing that was digital was Pro Tools — that's it. Everything else was analog. Even when we mastered it, it was mastered with tubes on tape. So, we tried to get as close as we could. And I had a suggestion that we take every song and mix it like the genre it sounds rather than just trying to make it sound like KING'S X, which would've been cool. So that's what we did… And so I think it was like a plethora of little pieces of candy. Every song had a different flavor and a different vibe to it. And the next record, I think it's gonna be totally different than that. I don't know what it's gonna be, but it'll be different."

"Three Sides Of One" was recorded during 2019 at Black Sound Studio in Pasadena, California.

The latest KING'S X LP was mastered in June 2021 at the Bernie Grundman Mastering facility in Hollywood, California,

KING'S X was sidelined by several health scares in recent years, including Pinnick's two hernia operations and two near-fatal heart attacks suffered by Gaskill.

In October 2019, KING'S X canceled all of its previously announced tour dates for the year so that Gaskill could undergo undisclosed heart "procedures."

2008's "XV" was KING'S X's highest-charting album since 1996's "Ear Candy".

In 2005, VH1 included KING'S X in its list of "100 Greatest Artists In Hard Rock.

Photo credit: Derek Soto

During an appearance on the latest episode of the "100 Songs That Define Heavy Metal" podcast, hosted by Metal Blade Records CEO Brian Slagel, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson once again weighed in on the never-ending debate about how the rise of grunge in the early 1990s forced most hard rock bands off the radio and MTV, with album and tour sales plummeting. Regarding how MEGADETH managed to survive the decade, Ellefson said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Look, we played the game. Because it's a game. When you're in showbiz, it's a game. And so you play the game. And, look, part of it is your self-interest. Do you wanna survive or not? You wanna be back out on the road again, paying your mortgage next year? Well, then we gotta play the game. Sometimes you do get a little beholden to the golden handcuffs of the paycheck. Just like in any business — it's like anybody going to work. Do what the boss says. Well, sometimes the boss in music isn't anyone in the band; the boss is the public. In fact, they're always the boss, quite honestly. They pretty much dictate the course of your career."

David continued: "It's interesting you mentioned Seattle. I had [journalist and book author] Greg Prato on my podcast, and he had written this MEGADETH book, and he pointed out too that, as you said, grunge kind of killed hair metal. [But] those guys [in all those bands] were fans of what we were doing. They were SLAYER, METALLICA, MEGADETH fans. They were not against what thrash metal was. So I've always stood up for grunge, 'cause I liked a lot of it. A lot of the NIRVANA stuff, it's punky and I think it's cool, man."

Ellefson went on to say that the popularity of grunge during the 1990s "was the turning point. And that's why I think for us, by the time we got to the 'Risk' album [in 1999], we had different management at that point and we lost the plot — we did," he admitted. "And we took it as far as we could go as far as being sort of a melodic radio rock band. I think 'Cryptic Writings' [1997], we completely hit the mark. That was a very successful record. And, yeah, musically you can hear there's a great spirit in it, you can hear it's authentic, you can hear it's really still us, just kind of moving the goalposts a little bit so we could explore some stuff. 'Risk', as our friend [former MEGADETH manager] Larry Mazer said, we zigged and the rest of the world zagged. I think that was the best way to look at it. We went lighter and the rest of sort of the modern rock, modern metal regime went harder and heavier. And it took a few years to correct the ship and right the course from that one."

Ellefson previously discussed grunge's impact on MEGADETH's career during a May 2024 interview with Greg Prato of Ultimate Guitar. David said at the time: "I loved grunge music. And I know that was not cool for a heavy metal guy to say that, especially a thrash metal guy. Because a lot of careers were pretty much upended because of Seattle music. And look, MEGADETH, we had to make some transitions. 'Cryptic Writings', in particular, was an album that was designed to reinvent the band at American Active Rock radio. Or we'd just go tour, tour, tour, and, like some of our contemporaries, took us back down to clubs and theaters. Whereas with 'Cryptic Writings', it kept us as an arena rock band. We got to headline radio station events, which were big festivals at that time. So I'm glad we did what we did, because I liked the direction that we went in, as opposed to, 'We're just going to stay true to the old school.' We kept the old school and then did what we did, which was add all the other flavors and layers that our band was capable of doing."

He continued: "So, MEGADETH, along with METALLICA for sure, not only survived it, but we thrived in it. And it still kept us at the top of the charts and the top of the bill, as young bands like CREED, GODSMACK, DISTURBED, and the new generation of nu metal stuff was coming up. Because I think that was as much of it for us. It wasn't just grunge."

"Grunge may have affected MTV, but I think overall as a hard rock, heavy metal genre, the grunge thing didn't affect us as much as you had to be aware of what was coming up behind us. And we saw it because we took KORN on tour with us on the 'Youthanasia' tour in 1995. We saw first-hand on stage that KORN, this was either going to go away tomorrow or it was going to change the world. And it changed the world. Just like when we took ALICE IN CHAINS out, when we took STONE TEMPLE PILOTS out. We took bands out with us in the '90s that were 'tomorrow's music.' We took a chance on those and we probably ushered them into their careers, which I thought was great. Because they weren't really 'heavy metal bands.' They were bands of a different flavor. I think, for us — we were able to see it coming, so we sort of adapted a bit. But we also weren't a band that was a one-trick pony. We weren't really threatened by grunge, to be honest with you."

Upon release in September 1991, NIRVANA's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" wreaked confusion upon the hair metal vanguard, putting an end to an era dominated by glamorous, androgynous and sparkly rock stars who absolutely saturated the radio waves and were almost exclusively what aired on MTV.

In a 2023 interview with Guitar World, MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine reflected on the band's fifth album, "Countdown To Extinction", which arrived just months after a series of landmark alt-rock releases from NIRVANA, PEARL JAM, SOUNDGARDEN and more effectively transformed the music landscape. He said: "It was our biggest record. That's pretty much the way I measure it. A lot of it was because of the timing; it came out in '92, and '92 was when everything was imploding because of alternative music. You had PEARL JAM, NIRVANA, SOUNDGARDEN, MOTHER LOVE BONE and BLIND MELON fucking things up, and radio gravitated toward that. They thought the yuppies would listen to alternative music while drinking their Stella Artois. [Laughs] The types who don't drink Miller High Life and definitely don't listen to metal. And the advertisers who handled brands like Lexus, BMW and shit like that would advertise on alternative stations, which fucked metal. So, as these metal stations went the way of the great white buffalo, we had to decide, 'Are we going to be alternative? Are we going to change like every other band?' METALLICA cut their hair off, put makeup on and all that stuff, and I got little haircuts during that time, but I never chopped it off. We decided we wouldn't change to fit the trend and would tough it out. Sure, we made some minor changes at the behest of the record label, but that was as far as it went. The fact that 'Countdown' succeeded despite the shifts in popular music showed that the music was more potent than any trend. We didn't sell out like other bands. We didn't change who we were. I think that's the greatest measure of 'Countdown''s importance."

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH in May 2021, days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

David was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

German power metallers HELLOWEEN have been forced to cancel their previously announced concerts in Asia after singer Michael Kiske was taken ill. The band was scheduled to perform in Indonesia, Malaysia and Taiwan in early December as part of its "40 Years Anniversary Tour".

Earlier today (Thursday, November 27),HELLOWEEN released the following statement via social media: "Dear pumpkinheads, we sadly have to announce that we are forced to cancel our planned Helloween concerts in (South) East Asia.

"During the recently completed European tour, Michael Kiske contracted acute pharyngolaryngotracheitis and asthmatic dyspnea with bronchitis and has been prescribed immediate bed rest by his doctor.

"We feel very sorry for our fans in Indonesia, Malaysia and Taiwan, but Michael's health has the highest priority for us, and in order to prevent a long term damage to his voice this step is unavoidable.

"We wish Michael a fast recovery and hope to be able to present our fans in (South) East Asia our mighty '40 Years Anniversary' show in 2026!"

HELLOWEEN kicked off the European leg of the "40 Years Anniversary Tour" on October 17 at Rockhal in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.

The North American leg of "40 Years Anniversary Tour" will kick off on April 7, 2026 in Dallas, Texas and conclude on May 2, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Support on the trek will come from Finnish melodic metallers BEAST IN BLACK.

HELLOWEEN is touring in support of its latest album, "Giants & Monsters", which came out in August via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). The LP follows HELLOWEEN's self-titled No. 1 2021 record and is said to be the most versatile and dynamic release of the band's career. Mixed at the legendary Wisseloord Studios (IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, DEF LEPPARD) in Hilversum, Netherlands, "Giants & Monsters" reaffirms HELLOWEEN's position at the pinnacle of the metal world.

"Giants & Monsters" pushes the boundaries of HELLOWEEN's sound, thanks to the instincts of producers Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, as well as the band's relentless pursuit of excellence. Per example, drummer Dani Löble recorded all tracks using three different drum kits to capture the perfect vibe for each song, a testament to their attention to detail and love of experimentation.

"Helloween" was the first HELLOWEEN album to feature the band's expanded lineup, consisting of returning singer Michael Kiske and guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen along with singer Andi Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Daniel Löble.

HELLOWEEN released a live album, "Live At Budokan", on December 13, 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). The colossal effort immortalized HELLOWEEN's September 16, 2023 performance at Tokyo's legendary Nippon Budokan.

Dear pumpkinheads,

we sadly have to announce that we are forced to cancel our planned Helloween concerts in (South)...

Posted by Helloween on Thursday, November 27, 2025

MACHINE HEAD will play the first three shows of its previously announced November/December 2025 Australian tour as a three-piece after the guitarist the band had hired for the run was forced to pull out of the trek due to a "family emergency".

On Wednesday (November 26),MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn released a video message in which he explained (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "These are gonna be some pretty unique shows that we're doing for the first three [Good Things festival] side shows in Australia because the guitar player that we had hired to do these six dates ended up having a family emergency. And so, as you know from before, Reece's [Alan Scruggs, former MACHINE HEAD touring guitarist] father was recently diagnosed with lung cancer, and so he's staying home. [MACHINE HEAD producer] Zack [Ohren], who fills in [on guitar] for us sometimes, couldn't make it out because he had a health issue. And then this guy had something going on. So these first three Good Things festival side shows that MACHINE HEAD are doing are going to be played as a three-piece. It's gonna be myself, Jared [MacEachern, bass] and Matt [Alston, drums]. And it's gonna be basically 'Electric Happy Hour' style, which is how Jared and I have been doing the livestreams for five years now. In fact, this isn't the first time at all that we've played as a three-piece. The first time we did a secret show at Bloodstock [Open Air] festival, we played as a three-piece. It was just myself, Jared and Matt. Reece's first tour that he did with us, he had been given a very bizarre setlist, and we ended up playing about six or seven songs a night for the first two weeks as a three-piece, and it worked out cool."

Flynn continued: "So, I'm actually looking forward to it because it's still gonna be 'An Evening With' show where we've got a lot of songs to pull from. We're gonna do some deep cuts, some fun stuff. And if you're coming out to either Perth or Sunshine Coast or Canberra, you're gonna get a pretty, pretty unique, pretty once-in-a-lifetime viewing of MACHINE HEAD shows.

"So come on out, come hang Saturday, Monday and then Wednesday — Perth, Sunshine Coast and Canberra. And we're gonna be jamming. So check it out."

The following MACHINE HEAD Australian shows will be played as a three-piece:

Nov. 29 - Astor Theater, Perth
Dec. 01 - The Station, Sunshine Coast
Dec. 03 - UC Refectory, Canberra

MACHINE HEAD will also perform at the Good Things festival, which will take place at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne on December 5, Sydney Showground, Sydney on December 6 and Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane on December 7.

It is not presently clear who will play second guitar for MACHINE HEAD at the Good Things shows.

Earlier this week, MACHINE HEAD announced a European headlining tour for the spring of 2026. Dubbed "An Evening With…", the trek will see the Flynn-fronted outfit revive its three-hour show format, performing without support acts to deliver an exhaustive set of anthems, deep cuts and fan favorites.

This past June, Scruggs announced that he would sit out MACHINE HEAD's summer 2025 European tour in order to stay home with his father, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer. Playing guitar for MACHINE HEAD at various shows on the trek were Ohren and DECAPITATED's Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka.

Kiełtyka, who joined MACHINE HEAD's lineup prior to the launch of the band's "Burn My Eyes" 25th-anniversary tour in late 2019, left the Flynn-fronted act in February 2024 and was replaced by Scruggs, who has previously filled in for Vogg on a couple of tours.

Reece made his live debut with MACHINE HEAD in November 2022 at Strummer's in Fresno, California at the opening show of the "Electric Happy Hour (Live)" tour.

MACHINE HEAD's eleventh studio album, "Unatoned", came out in April 2025 via Nuclear Blast/Imperium Recordings.

Press photo courtesy of Nuclear Blast Records

𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑺 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑺 𝑾𝑬𝑬𝑲: Legendary Bay Area metal masters Machine Head 🤘are gearing up to play three huge Good Things Festival...

Posted by Destroy All Lines on Tuesday, November 25, 2025

KINGS OF THRASH, the acclaimed union of MEGADETH alumni David Ellefson (bass) and Jeff Young (guitar),plus Chaz Leon (vocals, guitar) and DEAD GROOVE/ex-BULLETBOYS drummer Fred Aching, has inked a deal with Cleopatra Records for the release of a new single.

The band states: "Get ready for an explosive track packed with killer riffs, electric solos, and nonstop headbanging moments. Stay tuned!!!"

The upcoming single will be the follow-up to "Lockdown", which was made available in May.

In a spring 2025 interview with The Rock N' Roll & Coffee Show, Ellefson stated about "Lockdown": "We wanted to get some material out, some original material here in 2025, 'cause we've got some tour dates coming up here in September and October. So actually Chaz brought the song over. And I gave him some instructions. I said, 'Dude, 1984, full-blown thrash metal.' I said, 'Just head for NUCLEAR ASSAULT 'Game Over', METALLICA 'Ride The Lightning'. Just go right to the heart of the matter.' 'Cause he's got a real thrash heart. And plus he's our singer. 'Cause we've written quite a bit of material together, and we wanted something that really just kind of came out of the gate swinging. And I find it's always better to write around the singer and let him kind of lead the charge. So I thought he brought a cool tune, man. And we collaborated on it and got it into shape. I think the time when he was writing it — this started back even in January, February when we were initially working on it — I don't think we saw probably how poignant the lyric is, in light of all of the unrest going on now. So, yeah, as a good thrash song should be, maybe a bit political, a bit anarchist, and always good fun."

Elaborating on the need for KINGS OF THRASH to release fresh music, Ellefson said:  "It started out as sort of a, 'Let's go honor thrash metal.' We pulled in a little bit of THIN LIZZY and some RIOT and some stuff that we grew up on as well. And then I think the next logical step to kind of legitimize yourself is to write your own tunes. And even though, look, some of the MEGADETH stuff is stuff that I wrote, and so they already are my songs, and Jeff and Chris were part of 'em, of course. So that setlist is our music. But to move forward, it's always good to sort of freshen it up a little bit and show everybody what you got. We had another song called 'Bridges Burned' that we rolled out in 2023 when we did our first tour, and we literally wrote it on the road. Jeff and I had pretty much demoed it up in the studio the year before, so kind of musically it was pretty much together. But we collaborated on it as a group at soundcheck, tightened it up. Me and Chaz and Jeff sat down and wrote the lyrics in a hotel room while we were on the tour. And then we said, 'We'll take it to the stage.' And our crew were, like, 'Dude, you guys can't play that on stage.' I said, 'Oh, really? Watch this.' Like, why not? And who knows if we'll ever even officially record that, but it sits out on the Internet now. It's on YouTube… It's, like, why not, man? It's thrash metal, dude. This is the kick-ass, have-fun, get-in-the-pit-and-fricking punch-your-neighbor music."

Regarding the possibility of a full-length album of original KINGS OF THRASH material, David said: "It's possible. I'm certainly not gonna say no to it. I tell you what, it was great to just do one song. Making a record is a lot of work, especially when you live in different cities and you're trying to collaborate. One of the things about KINGS is we are not four of the same guy. We are four very different individuals, and so to sort of be agreeable on something, I'm not gonna lie, it's a bit of a challenge. And quite honestly, it's the diversity that makes KINGS so cool. And I guess I come from that even with MEGADETH. And Chris Poland, Jeff Young, they were sort of the diverse guitar players to Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader]. So I grew up in an environment that kind of expected that. So to have KINGS mirror that, I think is cool. I'm already used to that dynamic. And having everybody not just agree on everything, but everybody bring a bit of a different perspective, it's cool. I mean, that's ultimately what a group is about. I mean, look, every group needs a leader. To some degree I lead a lot of it. I put Jeff over there to sort of put setlists together and do that. With this song 'Lockdown', I tasked Chaz with that and said, 'Hey, go do that.' Fred, he's our liaison with the record label. He does all of our artwork and everything. He shot the video, he produced it and directed it and everything. So, we've got four really creative guys that do very different things. So it's, like, we've got four guys that really contribute something. And that's great — to have four different dudes."

KINGS OF THRASH recently completed a couple of tours during which it performed MEGADETH's classic albums "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good" an "So Far...So Good... So What!" A live CD/DVD package called "Best Of The West…Live At The Whisky A Go Go" was recorded and filmed live at the legendary Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California on October 15, 2022 and was released in March 2023 via Cleopatra Records. The DVD, which was directed by Michael Sarna for Inmotion Entertainment, includes an appearance by another former MEGADETH member, guitarist Chris Poland.

"Let me put it this way: What's happening now is a win for all of us — Dave [Mustaine] included," Young told Metal Edge in August 2023. "He gets to make money off the publishing from the MEGADETH songs we play. Dave knows that, so he's very aware of us."

Young continued: "He hates what KINGS OF THRASH is doing. But it doesn't matter because, eventually, we'll delete a lot of the MEGADETH from our set, and we'll keep writing new stuff. But Dave is feeling the heat because we're getting attention, and the KINGS OF THRASH album will be better than anything MEGADETH has done recently. And we're playing all the MEGADETH songs better than he has in years. It's not just me saying that — read the reviews."

In January 2023, Young told Ultimate Guitar that he and Ellefson had not received any feedback from Mustaine about their new band or their recent live shows. "We couldn't care less… and it's a win-win for him," Jeff said. "Because all the publishing, for example, on the 'Best Of The West', he's getting all that money. We're making him money and he doesn't have to do anything. So, we're performing the songs because they're part of our history and the fans want to hear them and we will benefit from that, and so will he, so it's a win-win. How much cooler can anything be than that? So, if he has something to say about it… I wouldn't imagine it would be very objective… not that anything he's ever said has been objective."

Jeff's comments were similar to those he made in 2022 when he told Thomas S. Orwat, Jr. of the Rock Interview Series that he and Ellefson were "really not concerned" about Mustaine's reaction to KINGS OF THRASH. "I don't pay attention," he said. "I haven't really paid attention or followed MEGADETH since, I think, I heard the 'Rust In Peace' album a couple of times, and then what you might hear on the radio or in the press.

"For us, this isn't about any spite or retaliation; it's a celebration of the music that we were all a part of, that we helped create," he explained. "And it's fun for us to do this.

"People said, 'You should do this.' And we said, 'Hey, yeah, you're right. We should do this.' It's a win-win — it's a win for us, and it's a win for [Mustaine], because any performance royalties, anything… If we did include live tracks, he would make money off that. It's promoting albums that hopefully fans will go back and buy, which is putting money right in his pocket. Especially 'Killing Is My Business', I think a lot of people are gonna go back and wanna rediscover that album after this tour.

"For us, it's all about positivity," Young added. "We're all in this moment — we're living in the moment, and we're not looking beyond. We're not reading any of the comments on Blabbermouth or any of the stuff. Because we know what our intent is, and intent is everything. And our intent's positive. We like playing together. We know we're crafting original music. We're not relying on this; we don't need to ride the coattails of this. This is just something that the fans wanted, and you wanna give fans what they want."

Ellefson told Yes! You CAN Play Guitar! that the intention behind KINGS OF THRASH is not to stick it to his former bandmates. "This is a celebration, not a retaliation," he explained. "This is a good moment. This is a happy moment, to celebrate these songs and these tracks and these records. So we go at it with just fun… It's, like, 'Wow. Wouldn't it be fun if we went out and played these records?' And we're doing it. So it's meant to be this celebration and bringing people together. And honestly, that was kind of always my role in MEGADETH. Dave [Mustaine] always called me 'The Ambassador', and I was always that guy, and I am that guy. So it's, like, let me just continue that role in our community and have one of good will."

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH four and a half years ago after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

David was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

In 2004, Ellefson filed an $18.5-million lawsuit against Mustaine, alleging the MEGADETH leader shortchanged him on profits and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth Inc. over to him when the band broke up in 2002. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH in 2010.

Young's entire career with MEGADETH was spent recording and touring in support of the band's 1988 platinum-selling album "So Far, So Good...So What!"

Jeff made headlines in December 2009 for accusing Mustaine of, among other things, "dissing, exaggerating and just plain lying on some level about nearly every talented musician that has passed through his dysfunctional little ensemble." He also disputed Mustaine's claim in an interview that Young's drug problem led to MEGADETH's 1988 Australian tour being called off and the group being "banned" from performing in the country.

Photo courtesy of O'Donnell Media Group

We are thrilled to share that we've signed a new single with @cleopatrarecords ! Get ready for an explosive track packed...

Posted by Kings of Thrash on Wednesday, November 26, 2025

In a new interview with The Australian's national music writer Andrew McMillen, TOOL bassist Justin Chancellor was asked if he has come to dread that point in every interview when he gets asked about new music from him and his bandmates. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "A little bit. A little bit. But it's fine. It's fine. I mean, the fact is I'll tell you we're working on new music. I don't know when we're gonna finish it. We've been working on stuff, on and off, for a couple of years. We're always working on new music. I was in the studio with Danny [Carey, TOOL drummer] last week, banging out some ideas. But I always say this: art doesn't really have a schedule. You can't force it. And if you do, it tends not to work out so great. So I think, especially in our band, somehow it's just the way it works with our band. It's a different kind of alchemy. And I think we've all learned — Maynard's [James Keenan, TOOL singer] got his side projects. Danny does a bunch of different stuff, Adam [Jones, TOOL guitarist] does different shit, and I've got my stuff. And we've learned to sort of [set aside] a time when people need that space with busying ourselves with other things, which, actually, influence what we do when we come back together as well. So it kind of gives us a little headroom that speaks to the new stuff that we do when we come back together.

"So, yeah, it is a bit of a weird question, because everyone's always taking the piss, like, it takes so long for us to make music," he continued. "But I'm proud of everything we've done. 13 years — they always talk about [how it took] 13 years [to release a follow-up to 2006's '10,000 Days'] — it seems like a week to me. When we were working on that stuff every day, we were grinding away at it. And it doesn't really matter in the end. If you do anything that's decent, even if it's one thing, it's worth it."

When McMillen noted that those kinds of questions could potentially be taken as a compliment since TOOL fans seem to always want to hear new music from the band, which isn't always the case with veteran artists, Justin concurred. "Yeah, I agree with that," he said. "I think it's more interesting to take a long time to find something unique than just to keep repeating yourself. And no offense to anyone that — I guess let's just call it pop music; they just keep churning out the hits. I mean, people love that stuff. So there's a place for it and there's people that are good at that, but that's not us. We're into just trying to create something unique that hasn't been heard before, as musicians, as a band. And sometimes it gets harder and harder. Sometimes it just comes to you — some days you're, like, 'Whoa, what's this?' And you play it to your friends, and they're, like, 'Whoa, it's amazing.' It just comes out of the blue. But it's not a formula. There is no formula. And if anything, the formula is just to carry on living life and exploring and letting it come in from your life experiences. I think with us, that's the way it works a lot more.

"So, yeah, but I get what you're saying," he added. "It is a compliment that people are excited for new music. But we just don't want it to be on a schedule. We want it just to be good. We wanna be proud of it, and we wanna all agree that this is what we wanna share. So, like I was saying, the side projects are a really good way of us alleviating that time, and kind of keeping the fitness up, but not pushing the whole issue."

TOOL is currently preparing to tour Australia for the first time since 2020. The band is headlining the Good Things festival on the east coast, as well as playing sideshows in Perth and Adelaide.

TOOL's appearance at Good Things will be their first Australian festival headlining show since their Big Day Out performance in 2011.

Good Things will take place at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne on December 5, Sydney Showground, Sydney on December 6 and Brisbane Showgrounds, Brisbane on December 7.

Quite possibly the era's most highly anticipated album, TOOL's latest LP, "Fear Inoculum", arrived in August of 2019. Debuting at No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200, the album earned heaps of critical praise with NPR saying, "'Fear Inoculum' was worth the 13-year wait," Revolver proclaiming the album "a masterpiece to be dissected for years to come" and Consequence saying the release finds "TOOL in peak performance."

In 2022, TOOL released "Opiate2", a re-imagined and extended version of the 1992 EP's title track and an accompanying short film, marking the band's first new video in 15 years. The band also unveiled the first incarnation of "Fear Inoculum" vinyl, dubbed the Ultra Deluxe edition, the limited offering included five 180-gram vinyl discs emblazoned with a unique etching and accompanied by an elaborate pictorial booklet including never-before-seen artwork.

TOOL formed in 1990, releasing five studio albums: "Undertow" (1993),"Ænima" (1996),"Lateralus" (2001),"10,000 Days" (2006) and "Fear Inoculum" (2019); two EPs: "72826" (1991) and "Opiate" (1992),and the limited-edition boxset "Salival" (2000). The band has won four Grammy Awards: "Best Metal Performance" (1998, "Ænima"),"Best Metal Performance" (2002, "Schism"),"Best Recording Package" (2007, "10,000 Days") and "Best Metal Performance" (2020, "7empest").

Original KISS drummer Peter Criss performed the band's classic ballad "Beth" on November 21 at the Cutting Room in New York City. His appearance, where he was joined by pianist and "Late Show With David Letterman" bandleader Paul Shaffer and singer Catherine Russell, was part of a VIP event to raise money for the Music Treatment Foundation during the 2025 Underwater Sunshine Festival. Video of Criss's performance — uploaded to YouTube by James Campion— can be seen below.

As previousy reported, Criss will release a new solo album, simply titled "Peter Criss", on December 19.

"Peter Criss" was co-produced by Criss alongside Barry Pointer, who has worked with Ozzy Osbourne, John 5, MÖTLEY CRÜE, Steve Stevens, Pearl Aday and Dolly Parton. Joining the legendary KISS musician on the LP are Billy Sheehan and Matthew Montgomery (a.k.a. Piggy D.) on bass, John 5 and Mike McLaughlin on guitar and Paul Shaffer on piano. The record also features the talents of backing vocalists Dennis and Sharon Collins, and Cat Manning of CAT 5.

"'Peter Criss' represents the Catman's return to form, and his most rock driven solo album ever and it includes appearances by John 5, Billy Sheehan and Paul Shaffer," reads a statement on the project's Bandcamp page. "All CDs and the download album of 'Peter Criss' include the bonus track 'Hard Rock Knockers', all vinyl editions include a download card for this bonus track, as well."

This past April, Peter told The Rock Experience With Mike Brunn about his upcoming rock solo album: "Yeah, I'm excited. I got great players on it. I got Billy Sheehan, Paul Shaffer, Johnny 5, Michael, my guitarist, [and] I got Piggy from ROB ZOMBIE. So it's like a dream team band. And it's a real Peter Criss album. It's an album I always wanted to do. And hopefully the fans will like it."

The album will be Criss's first solo release since 2007's "One For All", which arrived 13 years after his previous solo release.

"I had an absolute blast doing this album, and everyone was so much fun to work with — they were just amazing," Criss told Rolling Stone of the upcoming LP.

The first details of Criss's new rock solo album were released in April by famed KISStorian Julian Gill, who has been running the KissFAQ.com web site since the mid-1990s.

Criss had previously touched upon a new solo album back in 2014, promising at the time that the LP would be "heavier" than the stuff he had done in the past. Speaking to an audience of fans at a question-and-answer session at the All Things That Rock festival in Oaks, Pennsylvania, Criss stated about the progress of the recording sessions for the follow-up to "One For All": "I've been sitting on a record … I'd done this thing, like, five years ago and I'm still messing with it. I'm not done, because I don't wanna rush it."

Criss revealed at the time that he had been working with John 5, but added: "I wanna take my time with it. I'm constantly putting time into it. I want it to be heavier than I've usually done my stuff, and then I'll get, 'It's too heavy. You should go back and do light stuff.' Because fans are never happy. You guys aren't! No matter what we ever do, you're like, 'Oh, that sucks. I want this.' [Or] 'He's playing that ballad shit again.'"

Criss first left KISS in 1980. Since then he's worked with other bands and released solo albums. He teamed up with KISS again for a reunion tour in the 1990s and most recently in 2004. He was replaced by Eric Singer.

In addition to playing drums in KISS, Peter also provided lead vocals for a number the band's most popular and memorable songs, including "Beth", "Black Diamond" and "Hard Luck Woman".

Criss, who was known as "Catman," released his last solo CD, titled "One For All", in 2007. Peter produced the album himself for the first time, and was joined by guest musicians that included keyboardist Paul Shaffer and bassist Will Lee of "Late Night With David Letterman". The album featured a range of styles, from rock and jazz to blues and Broadway, and included covers of "What A Difference A Day Makes" and "Send In The Clowns".

Criss played what was being billed as his final full U.S. concert in June 2017 at the Cutting Room in New York City.

Peter last appeared onstage with KISS when the group was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2014, though he and his former bandmates didn't perform at the event.

Criss and the other original members of KISS are slated to receive a Kennedy Center Honor at a December 7 ceremony which will air on December 23 on CBS.

Image credit: Julian Gill of KissFAQ.com

What A Night!! Underwater Sunshine Festival 2025 with Musician Treatment Foundation! @mtfusa

Roseanne Cash, John...

Posted by The Cutting Room on Sunday, November 23, 2025

Wanted to share this video I shot on my phone during the Musician Treatment Foundation VIP event at the Underwater...

Posted by James Bartolommeo Campion on Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Tomorrow Friday Nov 21 at 5:30pm

Underwater Sunshine Festival presented

with Musician Treatment Foundation

Festival...

Posted by The Cutting Room on Thursday, November 20, 2025

Former ARCH ENEMY singer Alissa White-Gluz has thanked fans for their "love and support" following the release of "The Room Where She Died", the first single from her upcoming debut solo album.

Earlier today (Wednesday, November 26),Alissa took to her social media to share some of the artwork for her upcoming debut album by the Stuttgart, Germany-based artist Stefan Heilemann, and she included the following message: "Wow. I am blown away by the outpouring of love and support I have received over the past few days.

"Times of transition can be especially intense for the mind, body and heart. I don't take any of this lightly. But, the overwhelmingly positive response to 'The Room Where She Died' has given me so much renewed energy and clarity about who I am as an artist and why I love singing and creating music.

"I am proud of the body of work I have been building for decades. After so many years of honing my skills as a vocalist, song-writer and performer; absorbing and learning with every show, every album, every video and every meet & greet, I am excited to let my solo work stand on its own.

"Here is a first look at some album aesthetics with a portrait by @heilemania

"Thank you again for everything."

The music for "The Room Where She Died" was written by KAMELOT keyboardist Oliver Palotai, while Alissa performed, recorded and wrote all the vocals for the track. White-Gluz also came up with the script for "The Room Where She Died"'s accompanying music video, which was created by Serbian video production company iCODE Team.

Alissa previously commented: "I hope you love this first offering from my upcoming solo album.

"'The Room Where She Died' is a song that feels truly satisfying to me; like I get to express myself in so many ways that have been dormant for years.

"This upcoming album is diverse; and I love the idea of opening up this new chapter with this song and video, which I wrote the script for.

"Can't wait to share more with you!"

On Sunday, November 23, ARCH ENEMY announced it had parted ways with White-Gluz, writing on social media: "ARCH ENEMY have parted ways with singer Alissa White-Gluz. We're thankful for the time and music we've shared and wish her all the best.

"Wherever there is an ending, there is also a beginning.

"See you in 2026."

Alissa added in a separate statement on her Facebook page: "After 12 years in ARCH ENEMY, we have parted ways. I am forever thankful to the thousands of amazing fans I have met along the way. Thank you, Beastlings!

"I can't wait to share what I have been working on with you all (with some big surprises in store). Stay tuned for big news in 2026 and see you very soon."

White-Gluz, former vocalist of Canadian extreme metallers THE AGONIST, joined ARCH ENEMY in 2014 as the replacement for Angela Gossow. Angela, who joined ARCH ENEMY in 2000 and made her debut on the now-classic "Wages Of Sin" (2001),stepped down as frontwoman and is now focusing on management, while Alissa took her place.

ARCH ENEMY released four studio albums with White-Gluz on vocals: "War Eternal" (2014),"Will To Power" (2017),"Deceivers" (2022) and "Blood Dynasty" (2025).

Throughout her career, the now-40-year-old Alissa has consistently used her music as a vehicle for social change, addressing pressing issues such as environmental conservation, veganism, and the ethical treatment of animals.

During a March 2022 appearance on the "Vox&Hops" podcast, White-Gluz spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for her long-in-the-works debut solo album. She said: "What happened was it was announced [in September 2016] that I signed [with Napalm Records] for a solo album. All I did was sign to do one, but I think a lot of people interpreted that I had an album that I was ready to put out. So, basically, when the news came out about this solo album, the only thing that happened at that point was that I just agreed to do one. And then I was on tour for, like, three hundred days of the year up until 2020. And so now it's done, because now I've actually been home long enough to write the songs and get them done. And it's awesome and I love it."

Regarding a possible release date for the effort, Alissa said at the time: "There's nothing holding it back — it's done — but I need to be careful with how I release it, because now there's so many releases happening that I wanna make sure that the music gets the attention it deserves. So it's not gonna come out at the same time as an ARCH ENEMY album, for sure, because that's just not a good idea, but I will find a time to release it in a way that makes sense."

As for the musical direction of her solo material, Alissa said: "It doesn't really sound like ARCH ENEMY, actually. It's still me, so it's gonna sound a little bit like ARCH ENEMY, but it's kind of different. I feel like it's kind of an amalgam of that really interesting place that you're at when you're a beginner musician, because although I'm not a beginner vocalist or songwriter, I am a beginner guitarist — I'm very bad at guitar. So when I'm writing songs on guitar, I have an approach that is probably totally wrong, and that's what, I think, makes it cool. It's different — it's an unorthodox approach. I mean, I can still play it, but it's not my main instrument, so when I'm writing riffs on a guitar, I'm writing like a vocalist writing riffs on a guitar. Some could argue that that's kind of how Michael [Amott, ARCH ENEMY] writes too, actually, because his riffs are so 'sing-songy.' But, yeah, so I wrote a bunch with Jeff [Loomis, now-former-ARCH ENEMY guitarist] and I wrote a bunch with a lot of other people, actually, which I don't wanna spoil and announce them all now. But there's clean singing, there's growling, of course, and other interesting vocal techniques with the note screaming and some operatic stuff. It's a heavy album. I don't know what genre to call it. It's totally self-produced in that sense. It's honest. It's exactly what I just felt like writing for this. So there's some prog elements, there's some rock and roll elements, there's a lot of metal in it, obviously. But, yeah, I'm really happy with it. So I hope that other people like it too, basically."

Back in 2017, Alissa said that her debut solo album would feature collaborations with a member of KAMELOT and at least one of her now-former bandmates in ARCH ENEMY.

The now-ex-ARCH ENEMY frontwoman said that the idea for a solo project came about as a suggestion from Gossow, who had been managing ARCH ENEMY's career for more than a decade and also oversaw Alissa's personal affairs.

"[Angela] was, like, 'Well, you need something. You need something that you can do, because I know you're a workaholic and you're not gonna be able to just sit there like this waiting for the next ARCH ENEMY tour,'" Alissa told France's Duke TV. "And she's totally right — I needed something else to be able to work on. And also, I have a lot of ideas that maybe don't sound like ARCH ENEMY and it would be kind of silly to just force them into ARCH ENEMY."

According to White-Gluz, her debut solo album will be released under the ALISSA banner because she wanted to "keep it simple" and "make it very clear who it is and what it is." In order to make the disc, Alissa "did a huge life overhaul," which included building a studio and investing a lot of time and money into learning how to engineer and record, program drums and improving at playing guitar. "Of course, on the album itself we're gonna have real musicians playing all of these things, but in terms of just getting the style down and the songwriting, it's something that I need to start on my own," she explained to Duke TV.

At the time of the Duke TV interview, half of Alissa's solo effort had been written, and it contained some musical surprises. "It doesn't really sound like ARCH ENEMY — it's pretty different — but I think it's pretty cool," she said. "For example, a song that I'm writing with Oliver from KAMELOT doesn't sound like KAMELOT and it doesn't sound like ARCH ENEMY, but it's members of both."

Loomis, who joined ARCH ENEMY in late 2014 and left in December 2023, didn't have any of his songwriting ideas included on the latter band's "Will To Power" and "Deceivers" albums, but will apparently play a prominent role on Alissa's upcoming disc.

"Jeff didn't write with Michael, because Michael was already writing so well with Daniel [Erlandsson, ARCH ENEMY drummer] that we just actually had too many ideas," White-Gluz told France's Loud TV in a separate interview. "But all of Jeff's ideas are really good and I've heard them and they're gonna be released, so people will hear them… Jeff is gonna be one of my collaborators on my solo project, because how can you say no to that? [Laughs]"

ARCH ENEMY played the final show with White-Gluz at the closing date of its European "Blood Dynasty" 2025 tour with AMORPHIS, ELUVEITIE and GATECREEPER on November 15 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

A rare, custom-built Gibson CEO4 guitar played and signed by METALLICA's Kirk Hammett during the historic "Back To The Beginning" concert, Ozzy Osbourne's unforgettable final performance in Birmingham this past July, has sold for $76,800 at auction. Its estimated sale price was originally predicted to be only $6,000.

In addition to playing the guitar on stage for METALLICA's cover of BLACK SABBATH's "Hole In The Sky", Hammett has also signed the instrument, which features a 24.75-inch scale length mahogany neck, a bound 22-fret ebony fretboard with Supreme style split block mother of pearl inlays, a bound open book Gibson headstock with custom model inlays, a truss rod cover engraved "CEO-4," and a mahogany body with a flame maple top finished in Ghost Burst. It includes a hardshell guitar case and Gibson CEO Cesar Gueikian's "Back To The Beginning" backstage pass, signed by Cesar, and a custom made DES guitar strap with strap locks installed.

The guitar was listed for sale via Julien's Auctions as part of its annual "Played, Worn & Torn" auction, featuring a genre-defying treasure trove of over 800 pieces of music history. The unique SG was part of the Gibson Gives Guitar Collection — a spectacular lineup of instruments benefiting the Gibson Gives charity.

The Kirk Hammett Collection was an unprecedented opportunity for collectors and music historians to acquire over 150 guitars, storied awards, and stage-played instruments that shaped metal forever.

Hammett reflected on his expansive archive and remarked: "I've had the collectors bug ever since I can remember. There's a whole troop of guitars that I've just accumulated over the years. Some are touring guitars and then there's a whole batch of rare weird stuff. It drives me crazy to see the whole bunch of guitars not being played, and that's my hope that people buy these and play them, record with them tour with them."

Although Hammett is best known for his axe-wielding inferno for METALLICA over the past 42 years, it should also be noted that he is an influential and founding member of thrash metal band EXODUS, with whom he rocked for three years. In fact, EXODUS opened for METALLICA in late '82 and '83, making a move to METALLICA seem like it was destined to happen for Hammett. Over the years, he has added numerous awards and recognitions to his name, which have included personal awards such as being included in Rolling Stone's "The Top 100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time". Hammett has an extensive collection of guitars, but is especially known for his long-time love affair with ESP guitars — a mutual love which has spawned several Kirk Hammett signature models.

Hammett's first solo release, "Portals", arrived in April 2022. The all-instrumental four-song EP was made available digitally and on CD and "ocean blue" vinyl for Record Store Day. The effort was recorded in Los Angeles, Paris, and Oahu and was produced by Hammett, who drew inspiration for the songs from horror movies, classical music, and the work of Ennio Morricone, whose "The Ecstasy Of Gold" has been opening METALLICA live shows since 1983.

Legendary SCORPIONS guitarist Uli Jon Roth will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the band's "Virgin Killer" album with an exclusive anniversary show at next year's Wacken Open Air festival. The 70-year-old musician will be joined by "special guests" for his performance at the event, which will be held from July 29 to August 1, 2026 in Wacken, Germany.

"Virgin Killer" is the first of four studio releases that really defined the SCORPIONS and their highly influential urgent metallic sound. It was released in 1976 and was the first album of the band to attract attention outside Europe. The album was a step in the band's shift from psychedelic music to hard rock. For the first time in the band's career, the lineup stayed the same with Klaus Meine on vocals, Uli Jon Roth on lead guitar, Rudolf Schenker on rhythm guitar, Francis Buchholz on bass and Rudy Lenners on drums. The nine tracks were laid down with Dieter Dierks producing.

"Virgin Killer" is full of heavy songs and exceptionally, fast, innovative guitar leads by Roth. These songs are infectious and the Jimi Hendrix comparisons are endless, especially the sound of the thunder-heavy riffs and grooves on Uli's "Polar Nights" guitar solo that make it a classic.

"Virgin Killer" should have made the band superstars, but since metal was still very much an underground movement, the SCORPIONS would have to wait until the 1980s when the band cranked out their first hits. The metal is so clear cut and state of the art on this historic recording and distinctly draws the line of what was classic hard rock and true heavy metal.

"Virgin Killer" is simply essential listening; a landmark album for the genre's development that made Roth a guitar legend.

In a 2006 interview with Classic Rock Revisited, Roth was asked whose idea it was to have the original "Virgin Killer" album depict a nude, provocatively posed young girl. He said: "Looking at that picture today makes me cringe. It was done in the worst possible taste. Back then I was too immature to see that. Shame on me — I should have done everything in my power to stop it. The record company came up with the idea, I think. The lyrics incidentally were a take-off on KISS, whom we had just supported on a tour. I was fooling around and played the riff of the song in the rehearsal room and spontaneously improvised ''cause he's a virgin killer', trying to do a more or less way-off-the-mark Paul Stanley impersonation. Klaus [immediately said, 'That's great. You should do something with it.' Then I had the unenviable task of constructing a meaningful set of lyrics around the title, which I actually managed to do, to some degree. But the song has a totally different meaning from what people would assume at first. 'Virgin Killer' is none other than the demon of our time, the less compassionate side of the societies we live in today — brutally trampling upon the heart and soul of innocence. I can't blame Tipper Gore [who co-founded the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) in 1985 with the goal of increasing parental control over children's access to music with explicit lyrics] for brandishing the cover on TV as offensive, though. She was completely right in doing so, and she's a good person anyway, although she probably didn't make the effort to check out the lyrics, which put a different slant on the whole thing. I can't blame her for that either, because knowing what I know today, I would have possibly reacted in a similar vein."

In recent years, Roth has revisited the early music of his period with the SCORPIONS, which resulted in the "Scorpions Revisited" double CD and "Tokyo Tapes Revisited" DVD/Blu-ray releases.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest guitar players ever, Uli pioneered a unique style of guitar playing which — for the first time — combined complete mastery of the instrument with an intensely melodic and emotional appeal.

From his earliest days onwards, Uli has always been a bold and uncompromising musical innovator of the first order. Being the first guitar player in rock to incorporate complex melodic arpeggio sequences, Uli Jon Roth — in the eyes of many of his peers — practically reinvented modern guitar technique almost singlehandedly during his SCORPIONS tenure, but even more so during his ELECTRIC SUN days.

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach performed the band's second album, "Slave To The Grind", in its entirety during his solo concert this past Monday, November 24 the Forum Theatre in Melbourne, Australia. Fan-filmed video of the show can be seen below.

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

Sebastian's setlist for the Melbourne concert was as follows:

01. What Do I Got To Lose?
02. Slave To The Grind (SKID ROW song)
03. The Threat (SKID ROW song)
04. Big Guns (SKID ROW song)
05. Riot Act (SKID ROW song)
06. 18 And Life (SKID ROW song)
07. Shock Me (KISS cover)
08. Quicksand Jesus (SKID ROW song)
09. Psycho Love (SKID ROW song)
10. Beggar's Day (SKID ROW song)
11. Freedom
12. Livin' On A Chain Gang (SKID ROW song)
13. Future Of Youth
14. In A Darkened Room (SKID ROW song)
15. Creepshow (SKID ROW song)
16. Mudkicker (SKID ROW song)
17. Wasted Time (SKID ROW song)
18. Monkey Business (SKID ROW song)
19. I Don't Know (Ozzy Osbourne cover)
20. I Remember You (SKID ROW song)
21. Heaven And Hell (Black Sabbath cover)
22. Youth Gone Wild (SKID ROW song)

Encore:

23. We Can't Be Beaten (ROSE TATTOO cover)
24. Get The Fuck Out

Back in 2021, Sebastian was asked in an interview with Rockin' Metal Revival if he ever regrets writing such high vocal parts that he now has to reproduce live on stage three decades later. He responded: "All I can tell you is that I've been singing so much in the last [few] months. My voice is the same it's always been.

"I've gotta say just a couple of things answering your question — a couple of things come to mind," he continued. "For a guy like me or a guy like Bono [U2] or a guy like — I don't know, Geddy Lee [RUSH] or somebody like that, making a record is not the same as doing a show; it's not the same thing; it's a different thing. Making a record is you standing in an air-conditioned room with water next to you and coffee and you've got the lights perfect. And you're standing as still as you can, and you get to sing it as many times as you want until it's perfect. [Laughs] Nothing can be more different than a show — unless you're using [backing] tapes. But I'm proud to tell your audience that we will not be using any tapes anytime soon, so it's a real rock show. But doing a show is more like communicating the spirit of the song and the music to the audience, and everybody gets into it. And I'm not just gonna stand there and try to be perfect. I'm gonna run all over the place and I'm gonna put on a show.

"As singers get older, I don't like changing the key of the song because, to me, that makes it sound like a different tune, and I'm not interested in that," Sebastian explained. "If I'm gonna change a little vocal part in the same key, to me that's a cooler way of doing it instead of making it into the key of KORN. That works great for KORN.

"I have to sing every day properly and do it for many weeks in order to get my voice to the top of its abilities, and that's what I've been doing. I just played and I had no problems doing all those tunes. I've got no problems — knock on wood."

Bach fronted SKID ROW until 1996, when he was fired. Instead of throwing in the towel, the remaining members took a hiatus and went on to play briefly in a band called OZONE MONDAY. In 1999, SKID ROW reformed and, after a bit of shuffling over the years, featured a lineup consisting of bassist Rachel Bolan and guitarists Dave "Snake" Sabo and Scotti Hill, alongside drummer Rob Hammersmith and singer Johnny Solinger. SKID ROW fired Solinger over the phone in April 2015, a few hours before announcing TNT vocalist Tony Harnell as his replacement. Eight months later, Harnell exited the band and was replaced by South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart, who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I. Theart was fired from SKID ROW in February 2022 and was replaced by Erik Grönwall, who was previously a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T. In March 2024, Grönwall — who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021 — announced his departure from SKID ROW. He said at the time that he decided that the travel and rigors of the road were not conducive to his overall health and recovery, and he wanted to focus on a lifestyle that is more amenable for his well-being, healing and family.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In a new interview with Jay Heilman of the Kingdom Builder podcast, STRYPER guitarist/vocalist Michael Sweet spoke about how his voice has changed in the four decades since he started singing professionally. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's not easy. It's not an easy road as a singer. Every musician in a band has to work hard and practice and learn the parts and all that stuff and do their job. And it's hard work. But I think singers have it a little tougher. And what I mean by that is their instrument is based on so many things other than just plugging into an amp and turning it up and playing. It's based on what you eat. It's affected by the weather outside, how dry it is, how humid it is. It's affected by sleep, if you didn't sleep well the night before. It's affected by, obviously, sickness, if you get sick. There's so many things that factor into how good you're going to sing. So it's a rollercoaster ride, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, because when you have to go out on stage and sing and you can't, there's no trip like that, man. That's a mental mind warp that you can't even explain, 'cause you're out there just grinning and bearing it, trying to get through it and struggling, and everyone's looking at you and you're trying to lead the pack, 'cause you're out in front as the vocalist, whatever, and you can't — you can't do it. And you know you're not doing it. That's hard. That is very hard. And I've been there and done that lots of times. So, it's tough being a singer. And I'm not whining, I'm not crying. I'm just stating facts. It's very tough."

Asked by Heilman if he was aware, more than three decades ago, when he was working on STRYPER's early albums that he would have to sing some of that material more than 30 years later, Sweet said: "I was not even thinking that, but I wish I had. Had I done that, I might've chose my battles a little better. I went a little crazy 'cause I could. I could hit those notes, no problem. That was like breathing to me. It was so easy. But then, as you get older and your vocal cords and folds change from getting older and from wear and tear and from — you name it — I've got all kinds of issues with my thyroid and all kinds of stuff, and it affects your voice. So I'm not the singer I once was, but I am still able to, for the most part, pull off what I need to pull off, and it works and I'm very thankful for that. I'll never sound like I did back in the '80s, but that's okay. I sound different now, but I'm still able to sing. And if that day comes when I can't, I play guitar, man. And I'll just play guitar. And then maybe I'll get a little recognition as a guitar player if I'm just playing guitar. Who knows?"

After Heilman noted that many people who see STRYPER perform live are surprised by Sweet's abilities as a guitar player beyond his skills as a vocalist, Michael said: "Well, man, that's awesome to hear, and I'm glad people realize that. And it's not about getting recognition. Who cares? I mean, it's just, whatever. But at the end of the day, it is about, like, if people only knew how hard I work, if they could come into my studio and spend a week with me and see how hard I work on guitar, working out parts, all the rhythms… I mean, Oz [Fox, STRYPER guitarist] is a great guitar player, but I invest a lot more time into these albums as a guitar player. And that's not to take anything away from Oz at all. I'm just saying. And it's always kind of been like that. And for some reason, I guess a lot of people don't see me as a guitar player. That kind of gets blocked out. It's really bizarre. And then I say to them, 'But you've seen our videos, right?' 'Yeah, yeah.' And I said, 'Did I have a guitar on in those videos?' And they say, 'Oh, yeah, you did.' I'm, like, 'Yeah.' It's just weird. It makes no [sense]… And I've talked about it in almost every interview, and there's old photos of us as a trio back in the day. I mean, I played guitar before I started singing for years. Guitar's always been number one to me. But that aside, I'm not a shredder. I'm just a guy that kind of writes solos for the song and I try to write melodically and solos you can remember and kind of sing along to. And that's always been my thing. But, man, look, does it matter? No. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter if I ever get recognition as a guitar player. It really doesn't. But, man, I love to play. I love to play, and I play a lot. So I'll leave it at that."

STRYPER released its long-awaited Christmas album, "The Greatest Gift Of All", on November 21 via Frontiers Music Srl. The 10-song effort includes five original Christmas tracks and five traditional Christmas cuts, including remakes of "Reason For The Season" and "Winter Wonderland", both of which originally appeared on a 1985 single and were also made available on the 1986 re-release of STRYPER's debut EP, "The Yellow And Black Attack".

This past July, STRYPER released the first single from the new Christmas LP, a song called "Still The Light". Just in time for Christmas in July, the track also arrived alongside an official lyric video.

STRYPER guitarist Oz Fox recently sat out the band's Latin American tour on advice of his doctor. The 64-year-old musician, who underwent a brain surgery in May 2024, was once again temporarily replaced by Howie Simon (JEFF SCOTT SOTO, GRAHAM BONNET),who previously filled in for Fox on several tours in the past.

STRYPER's latest all-original studio album, "When We Were Kings", came out in September 2024.

The band recently completed the U.S. leg of its 40th-anniversary tour, which was described as "a celebration of both classic hits and new-era fan favorites, including outfit changes and an exciting new show production."

In December 2023, Michael underwent partial thyroidectomy, the surgery to remove part of his thyroid gland. It is the most common surgery for thyroid cancer.

Formed 41 years ago, STRYPER's name comes from Isaiah 53:5, which states: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

STRYPER's other albums include "To Hell With The Devil", "Second Coming", "No More Hell To Pay", "Fallen", "God Damn Evil", "Even The Devil Believes" and "The Final Battle".

In a new interview with "Reckless" Rexx Ruger of the Pod Scum podcast, former OVERKILL and VIO-LENCE guitarist Bobby Gustafson spoke about the status of his recently announced project called PAINWARD. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Last year I did a little EP for SATANS TAINT, and that was just for fun. So I'm gonna kind of get rid of that. And I've been writing songs ever since [I left] VIO-LENCE, which was three years ago now. So I've got songs together. [I'm] just trying to find the right guys. I've been working with [guitarist] Dave Orman from NASTY SAVAGE. I've been with him the longest. And lately, I guess I'm hooking up with [ex-OVERKILL and FLOTSAM AND JETSAM and current SHADOWS FALL and CATEGORY 7 drummer] Jason Bittner. He seems like a great guy. I just reached out to him. I never knew him before, and I reached out to him after the whole thing I saw where he left OVERKILL as well. And I just wanted to make sure that he was getting what he should be. And we just became friends. We kept talking. I have four songs I sent him. He's got one song he did drums to. When he finishes up with the CATEGORY 7/John Bush thing, he's gonna come back and work on the other songs and try and get the rest of everything together."

Gustafson went on to say that he is still in process of putting together a full lineup for PAINWARD. "I've got a couple of bass players floating around," he said. "I did a lot of pre-production with my usual drummer, Jim McCourt. He helped out getting the songs together. But we're gonna try and search out a singer, I guess, once we get this demo. But these songs, they've been written for a while, and they're still strong. I still like them all. But I'm continuing to write, just in case something magical happens."

Asked if he thinks 2026 will be the year when we will get the first music from PAINWARD, Bobby said: "Yeah, I'm hoping, because I really wanted it to be '25, but this year's gone. It all depends on Jason and his availability. I've got the songs. He hasn't heard everything yet, so I'm gonna try and sit down with him and say, 'Hey, these are all the songs I have. If you're cool with these 10, or if there's one you don't like, we'll grab another one.' I've just got a whole list of songs, and that's kind of new for me, 'cause I used to just write, 'cause we had no time back in the day. I wrote what went on the albums, and that was it. There really wasn't much extra. But now I'm writing a lot and now, and I'm picking the best from them. So as soon as he can get finished up with that stuff, get into these songs with me, we can try and get a singer from those four songs. If it's quick enough, early enough in the year, we might have something out by the end of the year in '26."

Gustafson joined OVERKILL in 1982 and played on the band first four albums — "Feel The Fire" (1985),"Taking Over" (1987),"Under The Influence" (1988) and "The Years Of Decay" (1989) — before being shown the door in 1990 amid growing tension between him and OVERKILL bassist D.D. Verni.

Bobby told Metal Rules a few years ago that he was never officially asked to leave OVERKILL. "It wasn't something where they came out and said, 'Hey, you're fired!' It was more of a verbal fight between me and D.D. about doing a show where they wanted to do it strictly for money and I didn't want to do it because we had just sold out Studio 54 in New York, our biggest show, and they wanted to do a Halloween show that was kind of goofy," he claimed.

In a 2016 interview with Rock & Metal In My Blood, Gustafson said that he would "never play with [OVERKILL] again. They stole from me back then and continue to steal from me till this day," he explained. "They haven't paid me for the use of my songs for the past 30 years and now they are even re-recording 'Feel The Fire' live. I've never seen a band claim so adamantly that they don't live in the past, yet most of their set list is from the first four albums I was on. They have had so many albums after me and never play songs from them. I just can't play happily with backstabbers and liars."

Regarding the fact that OVERKILL replaced him with two guitarists, Gustafson told Noisecreep in a 2011 interview: "Some might say it was like a compliment. I would tend to agree. Plus every album after me, when they had two guitar players in the lineup, never topped what I did. 'The Years Of Decay' is still our best-selling album and I had a really short time to write it. I did it short breaks within a six-month period. D.D. had years to put together their next album ['Horrorscope']. So his opinion that two guitarists would make them heavier failed."

Gustafson joined VIO-LENCE in January 2020 as the replacement for Ray Vegas.

When Gustafson's departure from VIO-LENCE was first announced in October 2020, the band cited "logistical difficulties that weigh too heavy to function in a productive manner" as the reason for the split. He later told Into The Pit about his exit: "[The split happened] for the same reason all these bands are canceling tours. It's just gotten so expensive to do. Even within that three-short-year span, the price of plane tickets really shot up after the pandemic. They're not playing all the time — they're doing sporadic shows here and there — and to spend that much money to bring me out there, it's understandable."

Gustafson went on to say: "I thought it was pretty much a solid band when I had started. But I know Phil [Demmel, VIO-LENCE's founding guitarist] has his eyes on something bigger. So if other projects come along, he wanted to really be with something at the level he was used to, which is understandable. You get used to that level, and it's hard to go back. I wish them well. Whatever happens, happens."

Bittner joined OVERKILL in 2017 and played drums on the band's last two studio albums, 2019's "The Wings Of War" and 2023's "Scorched".

This past September, Jason told All Access Live! With Kevin Rankin about his decision to exit OVERKILL more than a year ago:  "I'm not gonna talk anything negative about my old situations or anything like that. People leave bands for their own reasons. Let's just say I was stagnant in my old situation. I was not happy with where I was in a business sense with OVERKILL. I was basically giving more of myself than I was getting in return. And after almost eight years, I had pretty much had enough of that. And when I knew that there wasn't even any negotiation aspect to anything, I'm, like, 'Okay, well, it's time to start thinking about myself.'"

He added later in the interview, in reference to his OVERKILL gig: "When you go to a job, when you start a job, do you ever go to a job — I don't care what job it is; it could be McDonald's — do you ever go to a job and never get a raise after eight years? This is not a hypothetical situation. This is a true story."

Bittner previously talked about his departure from OVERKILL during a November 2024 interview with Pod Scum. Jason said at the time: "I hadn't been happy in [OVERKILL] for, like, two fucking years. It wasn't a surprise that I quit. I'd been dissatisfied for a long time, but I'm a team player. I don't like to leave things. I love the guys personally. So I just kind of just hung in there, but I was not happy where I was career-wise, let's say, within the confines of that band. I wasn't a bandmember. And that's the main thing for me to keep doing this at this point in my lifetime. That's why for SHADOWS FALL to be back together, I'm 20 percent owner-member. I'm involved in the decisions. I just don't get told what's happening. I hate that. I'm a Capricorn. I can't deal with that shit."

He continued: "For my whole career, for the most part, even like back to the early days, all the bands either I formed or I was instrumental in getting the guys together, or it was always just a one-for-all, all-for-one thing. OVERKILL was the only band I've ever played in where I was a hired gun. The only exception was ANTHRAX, but I was only a touring member with ANTHRAX, and with PRONG — only touring. That's a totally different animal than being, quote-unquote, in the band. Even when I was in FLOTSAM [AND JETSAM], I was a 20 percent member-owner. I was involved in the decisions. So seven and a half years of that was a long time for me.

"I know Blabbermouth is gonna take this and run the wrong way with what I'm trying to talk about," Bittner added. "My point I love the guys, I was a team player, I wasn't leaving, but I was dissatisfied and I was looking for something else.

"My whole career, I had my ears always to the grindstone and I'm always just in the mix to know what's going on, like, 'Oh, hey, someone's looking for something.' Not that I want to be a ship jumper or anything, but I've had a lot of downtime on my hands in the last number of years. So anything I can play on, play with, be a part of, I'm gung-ho to do. But for a while with OVERKILL, I wasn't like that anymore," Jason admitted. "I'm, like, 'All right, this is cool. I'm not looking for anything else.; But after a while, I was, like, 'All right, I need another outlet.'"

When Ruger pressed Bittner about the exact reasons for his dissatisfaction with his role in OVERKILL and whether he wanted "more involvement in the creative process", Jason said: "A little bit. For me, more so it was definitely on just being paid fairly for my time… Like I said, there's no animosity. I just went and saw everybody last Friday. [OVERKILL] just played in my backyard Friday night. I went, I knocked on the bus, Blitz [OVERKILL singer Bobby Ellsworth] opened the door: 'Hey, you coming tonight?' 'Yeah.' 'All right. Come on in.' Gives me a big hug, like I knew he would. I gave his girlfriend a hug. I said hello to a couple of crew people that I knew. I went inside and gave everybody a hug. D.D. [Verni, OVERKILL bassist] came up, slaps me on the back. It's got nothing to do with our personal lives. It's just a business thing."

Bittner added: "For a while it was fine, but I needed to make myself available for the bands that I'm a member of. That's really what it is. I couldn't be tied to OVERKILL anymore to be their drummer and only their drummer and 'this is the schedule for the year and you have to work in whatever you do in this.' Uh-uh.

"And I know that the people are already typing away, 'Yes, but SHADOWS FALL doesn't tour the way that OVERKILL did,' blah blah blah blah. Yes, true — very true. But remember, I have another band, CATEGORY 7. Between the two, we'll be working just as much. But also, the thing to keep in mind here, too, is I can play five shows with SHADOWS FALL and make more money than playing 30 with OVERKILL."

In September 2024, Verni told Capital Chaos TV about Bittner's departure: "We kind of knew that that was coming. He had told us a while ago that he was just kind of burned out on too many things and had his hands in too many pots. So I think we kind of knew that was coming."

When the interviewer noted that "it's nice to see he left on good terms" and that there wasn't "some sort of drama," D.D. concurred. "Yeah, it was nothing like that," he said. "He didn't leave us hanging. You know, he finished out his commitments with us. He was supposed to do this European tour, but he couldn't; he ended up not being able to do that, which worked out, because we have Jeramie [Kling, formerly of VENOM INC.] now in the band... And so it it all ended up working out."

The OG Bobby G!

Posted by Jason Bittner on Friday, October 31, 2025

In a new interview with the That Metal Interview podcast, DEATH ANGEL singer Mark Osegueda spoke about the possibility of a new album from him and his bandmates, after the arrival of two new singles in 2025, "Wrath (Bring Fire)", which was first made available in May, and "Cult Of The Used", which came out earlier this month. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We have some more stuff recorded that we'll be releasing. But right now we're also writing for the full-length. We have no studio time booked to actually record it. We're still writing and doing some demos for that. So it's gonna be quite some time till a new full-length comes out. But we'll release a couple of songs here and there. But a full-length is definitely gonna happen in the future, for sure."

Asked when fans can expect to see the next DEATH ANGEL album, Mark said: "Yeah, well, it's gonna be a bit, for sure, 'cause we've got some touring to do and we've still got some writing to do and some demoing of the stuff. So I'm saying, if anything, it'd be — the earliest would be the tail end of 2026."

Earlier this month, DEATH ANGEL guitarist Rob Cavestany told Nikki Blakk of the San Francisco Bay Area radio station 107.7 The Bone, about "Cult Of The Used" and the group's upcoming tour celebrating the 35th anniversary of DEATH ANGEL's "Act III" album: "['Cult Of The Used'] is our first song that we released since 'Wrath (Bring Fire)', which came out earlier this year… It's a total DEATH ANGEL song. And ['Cult Of The Used'] was chosen 'cause it kind of, to me, will fit in our set that we do on the 'Act III' live set, where, of course, we do 'Act III' in its entirety, and then there's another act of songs that we're choosing that are not our typical songs that we normally play either. So it's been very challenging playing some harder-to-play live songs. But it's really cool and fun."

Asked which song that will be performed during the "Act III" 35th-anniversary tour is the most challenging to play, Rob said: "'Cult Of The Used'. 'Cause it's new, and it's really tricky to play and sing and do all the stuff at the same time — vocal harmonies and stuff… It fits, too, because on 'Act III', there's a lot of singing. I didn't realize until we were rehearsing all the songs that I'm singing on every song on 'Act III' — every song. And lead on some songs, and definitely a lot of harmonies and background stuff. So there's a lot of playing and singing and stuff that I haven't done for 35 years, since the last time we played some of these songs. So that in and of itself is brain splitting. So the new one is even to the next level 'cause at least the 'Act III' songs, there's some muscle memory in there that stayed for 35 years. It kind of came back kind of quicker. It was really weird. Mark said the same thing too. Mark's, like, strangely, it was really easy to bring this album back up. 'Cause we did it so much at that time, somehow it retained the muscle memory. But there's no muscle memory with new stuff. So we're getting it. It's getting better and better. But that song also has vocal harmonies, so that's why that's the one to do in the 'Act III' set. Don't get me wrong. People are gonna go, like, 'That doesn't sound like anything from 'Act III'.' I'm not saying it sounds like something from 'Act III'. Just for our new stuff, to me, it's complementary to that set."

Regarding the possibility of a new DEATH ANGEL album seeing the light of day in the not-too-distant future, Rob said: "The timing needs to be right. We need a big chunk of clearance of time to properly support a full-length album and for all the effort it takes to release a full-length album. That being said, our next album will be our tenth album, and I'll be damned if we stop short of ten. I'll be damned if we stop shore of ten. And most of it's written already… I can say that we haven't begun recording the album, but there are absolutely demos, recordings of the music and songs that are being created. And it's been happening for years. The songs that are being released, the singles that we have, they were made to be singles. So those were a different mindset from the album that has its own entirety of the collection of songs that belong together for a record. We're not rushing the process. And also just due to life and scheduling and things, the timing wasn't right. We need clearance to do the full thing going, and it just hasn't happened as of yet. And then now it was the 35th anniversary of 'Act III' this year. Next year's the 40th anniversary of our debut album, 'The Ultra-Violence'. So these things kind of like inspire us to do some live activity based on those records, because of those milestone celebrations of those birthdays."

Asked if he thinks fans can expect to see a new DEATH ANGEL album in 2026, Rob said: "Released in '26? I'd have to say that might be wishful thinking. But it's not impossible. And I'm dying, dying, dying to record these songs. So we're really trying to make it happen."

Rob also addressed the fact that DEATH ANGEL pulled out of its fall 2024 tour as the support act for W.A.S.P. because of scheduling conflicts with SLAYER guitarist Kerry King's solo band, which features Mark as the lead singer. He said :"You kind of learn to pivot instead of sit there just in anguish that things aren't going exactly how you want them to go. So, during this time I've come to evolve myself in such a way, and I think the whole band has had to, because of all the stuff. So, we're in a good space. We did have a moment there of being very antsy and kind of upset that we weren't able to do this or that, or things went this way or that… But you come to accept that. Such is the way, especially in this business. We're not the only ones that have to deal with changing circumstances. And you need to get through it, pick your sorry ass up off the ground, slap yourself around, take some deep breaths and then just see what you're gonna do next."

Rob was also asked if there are now more open communication lines between the DEATH ANGEL bandmembers, particularly since Mark publicly admitted he didn't inform his DEATH ANGEL bandmates of his involvement with Kerry's group until right before it was officially announced. Rob said: "Yes. The communication has definitely improved as of late. But again, like Gilda Radner said on 'Saturday Night Live', if it's not one thing, it's another. And damn if that ain't true. So, if it isn't one thing, it's another. So we're used to that by now. And it actually does make you grow as a person, if you utilize it the right way and keep your head together, and it does make you better at dealing with shit, because there's always stuff to deal with. And then you also realize that it's kind of weird because these things inadvertently send you down different paths. So if things didn't happen as they did, we wouldn't even be doing [a tour celebrating the 35th anniversary of] 'Act III' right now. But the idea came out of because of one thing to the other, and then so since we weren't able to deal with our new album right now, like, what are we gonna do? And then through our conversations, it came up. I must admit I was a hard sell at the beginning. It was never a plan to do this. It wasn't, like, "Eventually we're gonna do that.' It was just, like, we just move forward. I'm not trying to milk stuff from the past or whatever. But it just happened. And, actually, Ted [Aguilar, DEATH ANGEL guitarist] was very instrumental in convincing me."

As for what fans can expect to see on the "Act III" 35th-anniversary tour, Rob said: "It's [gonna be] 'Act III' [performed] in its entirety, meaning from front to back. It's the whole album in a row. So it's really exciting, to do it that way. It's cool, 'cause it sounds like the album. We're still working out exactly how we're gonna do it. And then, to be cute, we are doing it in like three acts. So there's act one, then there's a slight pause, then the second act of songs, pause, and then the third. So I don't even wanna say, because we're still dealing with how we're gonna present it. So I'm not even saying necessarily that we're starting with 'Act III'. It may or may not go that way, but 'Act III' will happen in its entirety."

He added: "Me and Mark are definitely in the idea of moving forward — not to deny your past, but we just were very adamant about not being stuck on living from your past. Like, you've got a couple new songs? Oh, well — everyone just wants to hear the song from 1980, whatever. So we wanted to make sure that our new material would be relevant and people would like it. And then we'd play the old stuff and mix it up, and you get one or the other, you get a combination."

Earlier in the month, DEATH ANGEL released the official music video for "Wrath (Bring Fire)" . The clip, which can be seen below, was filmed by Edgar Salazar during the "Summer Of Wrath Tour 2025" in Europe.

DEATH ANGEL's fall 2025 U.S. tour will feature support from VIO-LENCE (replacing originally announced support act TOXIC HOLOCAUST),LIONS AT THE GATE and MISFIRE. The trek will kick off on November 26 at the Oriental Theater in Denver, Colorado and wrap with two Christmas shows on December 18-19 at The Fillmore in San Francisco, California.

Osegueda is the featured singer on King's debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", which arrived in May 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

DEATH ANGEL released a live album titled "The Bastard Tracks" in November 2021 via Nuclear Blast. Recorded live at The Great American Music Hall in their hometown of San Francisco on May 22, 2021, and streamed live soon after, "The Bastard Tracks" was described in a press release as "a deep-cuts collection of rarely and never performed songs from the band's catalog" that was released digitally and on CD, vinyl and Blu-ray.

In October 2020, DEATH ANGEL released a four-song EP, "Under Pressure". The effort included a cover of QUEEN + David Bowie's "Under Pressure", followed by a new track titled "Faded Remains", plus acoustic versions of "Act III"'s classic "A Room With A View" and "Humanicide"'s "Revelation Song". The EP was mixed by Max Norman (OZZY OSBOURNE, MEGADETH, BAD COMPANY) and mastered by Ted Jensen (LAMB OF GOD, MACHINE HEAD, HALESTORM).

DEATH ANGEL's latest album, "Humanicide", was released in May 2019 via Nuclear Blast. The LP saw DEATH ANGEL returning to producer and friend Jason Suecof (DEICIDE, TRIVIUM) of Audiohammer studios for the recording and mixing, along with the mastering of the legendary Ted Jensen (SLIPKNOT, PANTERA) of Sterling Sound, who added the final touches and brought it all to life, with artist Brent Elliott White (LAMB OF GOD, MEGADETH) providing the ominous cover artwork.

In March 2020, DEATH ANGEL drummer Will Carroll spent almost two weeks on a ventilator in an intensive care unit at a Northern California hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. He first got sick when he and the rest of DEATH ANGEL spent more than a month on the road in Europe with TESTAMENT and EXODUS as part of "The Bay Strikes Back 2020" tour.

DEATH ANGEL was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for the "Humanicide" title track. It was the group's first Grammy nomination.

Carroll joined DEATH ANGEL in 2009 as the replacement for the band's original drummer, Andy Galeon.

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

Lugz will launch an officially licensed limited-edition footwear capsule collection with Ozzy Osbourne this Black Friday. Featuring key Lugz boot and canvas styles, the release — which had been in the works prior to the icon's untimely passing — will be available exclusively on Lugz.com, along with Ozzy's U.S. and European merch sites.

Like his music, Ozzy's style is second to none. The Cypress II Metal boot celebrates the illustrious career and the style of an icon. This moc-toe boot comes dressed in a premium grainy man-made leather with the iconic Ozzy Osbourne logo on the tongue, heal counter and lace lock. The second boot is inspired by the iconic 1983 album "Bark At The Moon". The Lugz x Ozzy Bark At The Moon Drifter boot features modern style while giving a nod to a classic from Ozzy's discography. A tough and rugged denim boot featuring the album artwork on the hangtag and insole.

The cornerstone of Lugz's collection celebrates an iconic moment in rock and roll more than four decades later! The Ozzy Bats Joints special edition of canvas sneaker pay tribute to the legend in typical fashion. A second canvas sneaker in the drop is inspired by Ozzy's debut studio album, "Blizzard Of Ozz", which celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2025. The Lugz x Ozzy Blizzard Of Ozz joints canvas sneaker gives nod to a classic from Ozzy's discography.

Limited-edition packaging was methodically planned from lace lock, custom insoles, hangtags, and packaging making this the perfect holiday gift for any fan.

The Cypress II Metal Boot will retail for $90. The Bark At The Moon Drifter Boot will retail for $80. Both the Bats and Blizzard Of Ozz Joints canvas sneakers will retail for $60 retail.

Since 1993, Lugz has remained a prevalent force in footwear. With over 30 years of heritage, they continue their commitment with a strong focus on design, materials, and classic styles built to stand the test of time.

Lugz was endorsed by key players from the world of hip-hop, giving it the image known today. Lugz product is aggressively styled using the highest-quality materials for maximum durability and superior comfort. Lugz's footwear features premium leathers and durable construction as well. Today Lugz has expanded beyond boots and has added casual shoes, sandals and athletics to the mix.

The @Lugz x @OzzyOsbourne collection drops Black Friday featuring the Ozzy Cypress II Metal boot. Stay tuned for a look...

Posted by Lugz on Monday, November 24, 2025

Caption: Inspired by the iconic 1983 album, Bark At The Moon. The Lugz x Ozzy Bark At The Moon Difter boot features...

Posted by Lugz on Tuesday, November 25, 2025

In the six-minute video below, KISS's Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons unbox the "Alive!" 50th-anniversary super deluxe box set, taking fans on a walk down memory lane on the making of the record that catapulted the band into worldwide success.

"Alive!" turns 50 in 2025 — a golden jubilee for the iconic live album that revolutionized live albums for the music industry. Often revered as one of the greatest live albums ever by countless music journalists, "Alive!" is celebrated with a Super Deluxe 180-gram 8-LP + Blu-ray Audio boxset showcasing 120 total tracks amplified with 88 unreleased tracks. LPs 1 and 2 feature the original album newly remastered by Bernie Grundman from the original 1975 stereo analog master tapes. LPs 3 through 6 showcase two full-length concerts from the 1975 "Dressed To Kill" tour — RKO Orpheum Theatre in Davenport, Iowa on July 20, Second Show and Wildwood Convention Hall in Wildwood, New Jersey on July 23 — newly mixed by legendary producer and engineer Eddie Kramer from the original multi-track analog tapes as KISS performed in 1975, with no overdubs. Bonus tracks on LP 7 and 8 include five rehearsal tracks at the Davenport gig including an impromptu jam and an additional six songs from Cleveland Music Hall, Cleveland, Ohio on June 21, 1975, all newly mixed by Eddie Kramer from the original multi-tracks. The Blu-ray Audio disc features "Alive!" newly mixed by Eddie Kramer from the original album multi-track analog tapes in Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround along with the newly remastered stereo in 192kHz 24-bit and 96kHz 24-bit PCM stereo set to a brand-new visualizer featuring a treasure trove of unreleased live photos.

The Super Deluxe explodes further with an extensive array of bonus kollectibles including:

* 100-page hardcover book with extensive liner notes by Ken Sharp featuring new interviews from Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and many notable "Alive!"-era KISS team members plus tons of unreleased photos and rare imagery.

* "Alive!" 1975 press kit featuring

- Press Release
- Four Black & White Glossy Photos 7.5"x10"
- Marketing Slick Sheet
- "Alive!" Tour Program
- "Alive!" Back Cover Fan Banner Poster
- Album Cover Lenticular
- T-shirt Iron-on
- Four Live Color Glossy Photos
- Peter Criss Drum Head Litho
- Wildwood Concert Poster 20"x28"
- Cleveland Concert Mini-Poster 10"x17"
- Cobo Arena Concert Main Floor Ticket Stub
- Wildwood Concert Ticket Stub
- Cleveland Concert Ticket Stub
- Cobo Arena Concert Backstage Pass
- New Year's Eve – Nassau Backstage Pass
- Four Double-Sided Coasters
- Four Guitar Picks
- Bumper Sticker 8"x2.5"
- "Alive!" Die-Cut Double-Sided Mobile
- Gotham Rock City News Volume 4 Newspaper – Track-by-Track interview with Eddie Kramer of nearly all tracks appearing on the collection

"Alive!" (Remastered)

LP One - Side A:

01. Deuce
02. Strutter
03. Got To Choose
04. Hotter Than Hell
05. Firehouse

LP One - Side B:

01. Nothin' To Lose
02. C'mon And Love Me
03. Parasite
04. She

LP Two - Side C:

01. Watchin' You
02. 100,000 Years
03. Black Diamond

LP Two - Side D:

01. Rock Bottom
02. Cold Gin
03. Rock And Roll All Nite
04. Let Me Go, Rock 'N Roll

Live In Davenport, Iowa – RKO Orpheum Theatre – July 20, 1975 – Second Show*

LP Three - Side E:

01. Deuce
02. Strutter
03. Got To Choose
04. Hotter Than Hell

LP Three - Side F:

01. Firehouse
02. She
03. Ace Frehley Guitar Solo
04. Nothin' To Lose

LP Four - Side G:

01. C'mon And Love Me
02. 100,000 Years
03. Peter Criss Drum Solo / 100,000 Years

LP Four - Side H:

01. Black Diamond
02. Cold Gin
03. Let Me Go, Rock 'N Roll

Live In Wildwood, New Jersey – Wildwood Convention Hall – July 23, 1975*

LP Five - Side I:

01. Deuce
02. Strutter
03. Got To Choose
04. Hotter Than Hell
05. Firehouse

LP Five - Side J:

01. She
02. Ace Frehley Guitar Solo
03. Nothin' To Lose
04. C'mon And Love Me

LP Six - Side K:

01. 100,000 Years
02. Peter Criss Drum Solo / 100,000 Years
03. Parasite

LP Six – Side L:

01. Black Diamond
02. Cold Gin
03. Let Me Go, Rock 'N Roll

Bonus Live

Rehearsals – Live In Davenport, Iowa – RKO Orpheum Theatre - July 20, 1975*

LP Seven - Side M:

01. KISS Jam
02. Room Service
03. Strange Ways
04. Rock Bottom
05. Watchin' You

Live In Cleveland, Ohio – Cleveland Music Hall – June 21, 1975*

LP Seven - Side N:

01. She
02. Ace Frehley Guitar Solo
03. Nothin' To Lose

LP Eight - Side O:

01. C'mon And Love Me
02. 100,000 Years
03. Peter Criss Drum Solo / 100,000 Years

Blu-ray Audio – Alive!

Disc Five:

[Dolby Atmos* / Dolby True HD 5.1* / 192kHz 24-bit & 96kHz 24-bit PCM Stereo]

01. Deuce
02. Strutter
03. Got To Choose
04. Hotter Than Hell
05. Firehouse
06. Nothin' To Lose
07. C'mon And Love Me
08. Parasite
09. She
10. Watchin' You
11. 100,000 Years
12. Black Diamond
13. Rock Bottom
14. Cold Gin
15. Rock And Roll All Nite
16. Let Me Go, Rock 'N Roll

* Previously unreleased

For more information, visit shopkissonline.com.

Last year, Eddie told Guitar World magazine about his work on the original "Alive!" album: "The thing with KISS was we knew we had to get everything down on tape no matter what it took. It was hard because they were always jumping around, and we had to do a bunch of work on the album after the fact, but that's how it was. The band may deny it, but the fact remains that on 'Alive!', we had to fix a bunch of stuff."

Asked if anyone in the band had a say in those fixes, Eddie said: "They did. And the album came out bloody great because the guys in KISS were very particular about how it should sound and be mixed. We worked tirelessly for weeks to make 'Alive!' sound amazing. So, while it's not totally 'live,' it's a great creation of the live sound of KISS from that time. There were just bits we had to fix for obvious reasons, like the guys being on stage in six-inch boots, bombs going off and rockets and flames shooting to God knows where. [Laughs] It takes a lot of work to keep in time and tune while jumping up and down. They can do it now, but in those days, not so much."

In June 2025, Stanley told Justin Richmond of the "Broken Record" podcast about KISS's first live album: "'Kiss Alive!' really captured the essence of the live experience. Now, that couldn't have happened without us going in the studio and enhancing it and surrounding you with people… Live albums were boring for four hours. You didn't even know they were live until the end of the song where you heard some clapping. But for KISS, we wanted an album that immersed you, immersion in the experience, which means being surrounded by people, which means bombs going off that are deafening, which means fixing any mistakes or a broken string. Snobs or purists may have looked down their nose at that idea, but the truth is that album is still considered, if not the greatest, one of the greatest, and in a lot of circles greatest live album ever. Not because everything was live, but because it captured the live experience."

KISS played its two final shows ever in December 2023 at New York City's Madison Square Garden.

The last show, held on December 2, 2023, streamed live on pay-per-view.

KISS launched its farewell trek in January 2019 but was forced to put it on hold in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"End Of The Road" was originally scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2021 in New York City. The trek was announced in September 2018 following a KISS performance of the band's classic song "Detroit Rock City" on "America's Got Talent".

Early last year, KISS sold its entire music catalog, likeness and brand name to Swedish company Pophouse Entertainment. A biopic, an avatar show, and a KISS-themed experience are already in the works, with Simmons and Stanley playing key roles in the development of all these projects, working closely with Pophouse.

In a new interview with Portland, Oregon's KPTV Fox 12, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx spoke about the band's upcoming "The Return Of Carnival Of Sins" tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of CRÜE's groundbreaking 2005-2006 "Carnival Of Sins" tour and the 45th anniversary of the band. The 33-city Live Nation-produced trek will kick off on July 17, 2026 in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania at the Pavilion at Star Lake and will feature support acts EXTREME and TESLA. Reflecting on MÖTLEY CRÜE's four-and-a-half-decade career, Nikki said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're musicians, so we make music. I'm a writer for different things — books and, obviously, all the lyrics for the band — so it's always about writing music and being creative and then taking it out to the people. It never really felt like — I don't know — it's always felt pretty cohesive. It's part of our process."

He continued: "We did in 2015 do a farewell tour. And we honestly thought that was it. We were done. Everything was cool. And then the [MÖTLEY CRÜE] movie came out on Netflix, 'The Dirt'. And I don't know how many hundreds of millions of people saw that, and [it] put us in a place where they came to us and asked us if we wanted to do eight shows. And we were, like, it's a lot of work to put a show together. And we were, like, 'We love to play for our fans, but we've kind of already wrapped it up,' and blah, blah, blah. They said, 'No. Eight stadiums.' And we were, like, 'Oh.' And then we ended up doing 138 stadiums, us and DEF LEPPARD. And it was just exciting to be back out there again."

Regarding the upcoming "The Return Of Carnival Of Sins" trek, Nikki said: "I am looking forward to this tour because it's an evening of great songs from EXTREME and TESLA and MÖTLEY CRÜE. And also, for us to go out and have to top the original 'Carnival Of Sins' tour, which was a lot of eye candy — a lot of eye candy."

Asked how he and his MÖTLEY CRÜE bandmates plan on topping the original "Carnival Of Sins" tour, Nikki said: "You top it with technology, and we're just talking about all that now. It's good to get an early start on that kind of stuff. And we have to build out video content. We just did a [Las] Vegas residency and we used some really cool software to build in some storytelling in the show. And it was just over-the-top beautiful, what you can do. So the whole idea of the carnival or what's going on behind the carnival in the 'Carnival Of Sins' is open-ended. It's not a big towering wall of metal they have to stick in a truck. It's literally — you can take people somewhere else, which is super exciting."

Earlier in the month, Nikki told Mike Hsu of the 100 FM The Pike radio station about "The Return Of Carnival Of Sins": "Listen, two of our biggest and most successful tours was the 'Dr. Feelgood' tour. And that's not to negate 'Girls, Girls, Girls' or any of that stuff, but that was a big peaking time for us and that album connected with people. And then the 'Carnival Of Sins' tour 20 years ago. That was unbelievable. It was such a fun experience. And we were just, like, 'It's an anniversary of that and that DVD and people still talk to us about that show.' We were, like, 'Well, what can you do now with technology that you couldn't do back then?' They didn't have video screens back then, and anything that you could do that would encompass and take over the imagination of all the people there. And that we had an opportunity to do that in [Las] Vegas on a couple things. 'In The Beginning', [which] starts off the 'Shout At The Devil' album, we had an amazing visual presentation of 'In The Beginning'. Mid-show, everything went dark and there's this, basically, devil talking to you, narrating that, which then led into 'Shout At The Devil'. And these are the kind of things, when you think about the 'Carnival' environment, how far we can take it — it's super exciting for us."

Regarding MÖTLEY CRÜE's choice of support acts for the tour, Nikki said: "We're really stoked with TESLA and EXTREME, because the idea of TESLA and EXTREME and MÖTLEY CRÜE is it's all about songs, however you interpret them. You can play 'em RAMMSTEIN style or you can play 'em George Thorogood style or you can play 'em whatever. A good song is a good song, and that's what I'm really excited about. We've had the best time when we look out at the fans. We did 'The Stadium Tour' [in 2022]. They were singing every Joan Jett song, all the POISON songs, all the DEF LEPPARD songs, all the MÖTLEY CRÜE songs. So this has a little feel of that. They're in sheds and stuff — they're not stadiums — which is a cool place to play in the summer outside."

Asked if the upcoming extensive tour is MÖTLEY CRÜE "putting a cap on it", considering his recent comment that leaving his family behind to go on the road was becoming increasingly difficult for him, Sixx said: "No. It's summertime. It's great to be able to go out and be with the band and the fans and not leave my family behind 'cause they're in school and all this kind of stuff. So, summers are a great time for bands that have been around for a while and have families because we can go out and play and still be able to be with our families. That's always kind of been the hardest part for me, is being separated from that. I'm a dad and a husband and a sobriety advocate and a musician before I am a rock star. Though that doesn't equate to me, but I understand that. But I'm just saying, I don't put all my eggs just in that basket 'cause it would feel very one-dimensional to me. I have a lot of dimension that I like to enjoy in my life. I have an animation company. That brings me amazing amount of creative joy, and great partners. And there's so many other things that I do as well as MÖTLEY CRÜE. So I'm really grateful, dude — really grateful."

He added: "And no, this isn't a cap on anything. And then plugging it into summertime, it just works for everybody. It's just a blast."

MÖTLEY CRÜEsaid that $1 from every ticket sold for "The Return Of Carnival Of Sins" will be donated to ASAP! (After School Arts Program) through the Mötley Crüe Giveback Initiative to fund hands-on arts programs for young people.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's Las Vegas residency launched on September 12 and at Dolby Live at Park MGM and ran through October 3. The shows had initially been set for spring but were rescheduled after frontman Vince Neil revealed he had suffered a stroke last Christmas.

In September, Vince revealed that he had actually had a series of strokes before he suffered the "big one" in his sleep last Christmas night, rendering him unable to get out of bed when he woke up the next day.

When MÖTLEY CRÜE originally postponed the Las Vegas residency, the band said it was because Neil needed a "medical procedure," but offered no further details.

In a new interview with Neeka Rogers of Metal Nation, frontman Roger Miret of New York hardcore veterans AGNOSTIC FRONT spoke about the way streaming has revolutionized how people access music but has also created significant financial challenges for independent and smaller artists. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "A lot of of people don't realize, for example, Spotify and all that stuff… Either you're with it or you're not with it. And if you're not with it, you're left in a corner. But they know that. But the musicians are getting ripped off in a horrible way. It's all CEOs making the money. They're not creating the music. They just figured out how to kind of rip everybody off. And then you have your other giant agencies, too, that do the same thing with hacking on crazy prices to a regular ticket. You wanna go see a band, and it's $15, $20, and by the time you checked out, you paid $38 — of a fee on top of a fee on top of a fee on top of a fee. It's just wild what they do. And the bands don't see that — trust me. We get [paid] based on your $15 ticket, $20 ticket, whatever. Everything else, someone's making a… There's a sixth bandmember somewhere that you don't even know about. It doesn't stop. It's continuous, and it's a monopolization of the whole music industry, the whole everything. And it's starting to move into Europe too. A lot of these companies are now huge in Europe. They're taking over the clubs. It's like taking over mom-and-pop coffee shops — mom-and-pop music venues, and they're taking them over and they're corrupting them and doing the same thing. And it's kind of sad. Leave music alone. Leave musicians alone. Leave the people alone. Instead of [charging] them another $18, let them take that money so they can buy a t-shirt, support the band and have something they really love at the end of the show, a memory of. Not a ticket stub that costs you $38. How about a t-shirt?"

Miret added: "The bands are living off the soft merch [clothing, hats, tote bags]. I'll be honest with you, as a bandmember telling you. If it wasn't for that, I don't even know. That's how bad it is. At the same time, don't let me be negative about it. And we're not even one of the bigger bands. I just saw, [Shirley Manson] from GARBAGE, she was on a huge rant in Denver. She's afraid she's not gonna wanna come back because she's over Live Nation ripping people off. She said that her band makes an average of $38 a month on Spotify, and stuff like that. It's just wild. It's wild what they do. But it's gonna stop someday."

AGNOSTIC FRONT recently released its new album, "Echoes In Eternity", via Reigning Phoenix Music.

In September 2021, Miret revealed that his cancer was in remission.

After Miret was diagnosed with cancer in early 2021, a long road of tests and diagnoses led to a complex initial surgery and lengthy hospital stay. Even though the original surgery was complicated, the results were extremely positive.

Born in Cuba, Miret fled with his family to the U.S. to escape the Castro regime. He joined AGNOSTIC FRONT in 1983, and the seminal New York hardcore group released classics like "United Blood", "Victim In Pain" and "Cause For Alarm" over the next several years.

In 2017, Miret released a memoir, "My Riot: Agnostic Front, Grit, Guts, And Glory", which documented his struggles to adapt to life in the U.S. after his family fled the Castro regime. According to the Phoenix New Times, the book delved into many facets of Miret's life: the grinding poverty of his childhood; living as a teenager squatter; becoming deeply enmeshed in downtown New York’s hardcore scene; and later turning to drug-running to support his family.

In addition to fronting AGNOSTIC FRONT, Miret has also played with ROGER MIRET AND THE DISASTERS and is a member of THE ALLIGATORS.

For the past several years, Roger has resided in Scottsdale, Arizona.