Before performing acoustically at Los Angeles's Grammy Museum on October 9, Billy Idol and his longtime guitarist Steve Stevens were interviewed by producer Jimmy Jam (Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey). A few excerpts from the conversation appear below.

On initially meeting one another:

Billy: "I'd come to New York to start a solo career after GENERATION X broke up, and I had an American manager, Bill Aucoin, who [also] managed KISS. He was based in New York, and he knew the New York scene. He'd been watching Steve's career — he didn't manage Steve, but he knew Steve, and he told me right from the start that he thought we'd be a great combination. Once I met Steve and found out what a great guy he was – we had a great first meeting and then just decided to play together, really, and see what happens."

Steve: "I went to [New York City's] High School of Performing Arts — the 'Fame' school. Dropped out, didn't graduate, started playing in bands, and I knew just about every musician in Manhattan at that time. I was crafty — I said to Billy, 'You know, if you don't choose me as a guitar player, I know all the musicians. I'll help you audition everyone else – the bass player, the drummer — and then if you would just consider me as the guitar player…' By that time, we kind of got to know each other. Although we grew up an ocean apart, we kind of grew up on the same music. I wasn't a part of the '77 punk thing in England, but [at legendary New York City nightclub] CBGB's, I saw TALKING HEADS, TELEVISION and all that. Once we kind of talked about our record collection — SWEET, SLADE, [Marc] Bolan — we kind of went, 'Oh, yeah.' And Lou Reed — that was the other one. Billy said, 'Hey, do you know 'Coney Island Baby'?' And I started to play the solo, and he went, 'You know that?' It was just a matter of finding mutual ground."

On their early musical collaborations:

Billy: "I had an EP [1981's 'Don't Stop'] that I'd put out, that I'd done in Los Angeles with [producer] Keith [Forsey], but I didn't have a band — we just used a few people Keith knew. That's what I said to Steve — 'I need to put a band together for this EP. Maybe if we put a band together, we'll just see how it goes, really.' It went really well. Once I saw what Steve could do, I knew anything I wanted to do, I could do it. Then with Keith producing, I just knew we had this sort of triumvirate that ended up really fueling the Billy Idol of the '80s."

On mixing punk with dance-pop:

Billy: "Obviously, I was part of the punk rock movement in England, but it didn't mean that you weren't listening to dance music or reggae or whatever. I was listening to all sorts of music. And that was the other thing — going solo [from GENERATION X], I knew I could expand. Now I didn't have to listen to three other guys telling me what they wanted to do. It was really all down to me. I knew I wanted to combine the synthesizer world with the rock world, the guitar world, the dance world, the disco world, the punk world, whatever. I wanted to put a number of different things together. We've grown up basically with eclectic albums. I think most of the people we've loved — even if you think about THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, you think of them as this crazy 'Sister Ray', but they did other ballads and things. It wasn't all just 'Waiting For The Man' — it's some beautiful songs Lou Reed wrote. Groups like that, they went all over the map, and when I saw what Steve could do, I knew with Keith Forsey and Steve, I could really go all over the map musically. I could go anywhere I wanted. That's what I did ever since. We were already kind of doing that already with GENERATION X, because even though we were a punk band, we still kind of pushed against the boundaries of punk and didn't just stay confined to punk. We sort of pushed against it and broke some of the punk rock rules, and then coming to America and working with Steve, I could see this sort of future opening up that was so incredible. When it actually happened, it was pretty amazing."

On the genesis of his self-titled 1982 full-length debut:

Billy: "'Dancing With Myself', a song I'd done with GENERATION X, was a massive hit on the underground new wave dance [scene]. That's what I found out when I got to New York — 'Dancing With Myself', they put it on for 20 minutes at somewhere like [Manhattan dance club] Danceteria. People would just go crazy for 20 minutes to it, and I'd go, 'This is what I've really got to follow up.' I didn't really follow it up until I wrote 'White Wedding'... Putting it together with Steve and Keith Forsey, we really had this kind of idea that we knew we could expand over the course of a few albums, and it would be really exciting."

On writing together:

Steve: "A problem I have with guitar players [is that] they don't learn the lyrics. It's the first thing I always do, because that's your blueprint. I almost look at playing guitar as being like a film scorer or something — it's tapping into the lyrics, the emotion… 'Eyes Without A Face' is a perfect example. Musically, it's kind of like '50s doo-wop, and then Billy had these lyrics, and I went, 'Oh, maybe this chord will go there.' I'm able to sense an emotion behind it. I never have [an] agenda. The guitar is a vehicle to tell the story, and I'm not one of those guitar players that waits for three minutes for my moment of glory with the solo. When Billy came up with 'Rebel Yell' and the whole concept, it was like, 'Man, it can't just be about notes.' That's how I came up with the ray gun thing — [I thought,] 'It's got to be more than just guitar. Whatever it takes.' I think the main thing is, what's the song about? What's the story? Where's it going to travel from beginning to end?"

On the power of MTV:

Billy: "At first, some of the radio stations didn't want to play my music because I had a punk rock image, and they didn't believe that punk rock music sold advertising dollars, so there was a bit of a push-back. We didn't put my picture on the 'Hot In The City' single that we put out. It got to number 18, so radio stations knew Billy Idol but didn't really know what I looked like. But 'White Wedding', we [included] my picture. I was obviously a punk rocker, and they didn't want to play it. But college radio and then MTV and the people phoning up either hearing it on college radio or watching MTV gave us this platform that broke through any kind of stranglehold. Anybody who didn't want to play the new music, they soon found out that it did sell advertising dollars, and all the barriers fell away. That was super-exciting — to go through where there is this barrier, and you don't know if it's going to go away or not, and then you watched it fall, and you watched the power of television telling radio what was going to happen."

On their recently completed tour with Joan Jett:

Billy: "It's [been] going incredibly well. We can mix and match, and the old music and the new music goes together really well. The songs power each other — they seem to reflect off each other nicely. It seems like there's not a down moment in the set. The band we've got, everybody is really a team player. There's no dead weight; there's nobody dragging it down. Everybody's on it, so every night, I feel like I'm surfing on this incredible wave or I'm riding this incredible Aston Martin that's going faster than anything. It's just this power machine, and it's an incredible feeling. It's like you get high every night, and it's a natural high. That's been fantastic. I'm almost surprised — we've done quite a few shows now, and I still feel fresh. I don't feel burnt out, so that tells you a lot, you know?"

Billy Idol's ninth studio album, "Dream Into It", was released via BMG on April 25. A two-part concept album about Idol's life, the record features Josh Freese (NINE INCH NAILS, FOO FIGHTERS) on drums and Chris Chaney (JANE'S ADDICTION, AC/DC) on bass and includes guest vocal performances by Avril Lavigne, Joan Jett and Alison Mosshart (THE KILLS, THE DEAD WEATHER).

Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Peter Criss have commented on the death of their fellow KISS co-founder Ace Frehley. The legendary guitarist died after sustaining injuries in a fall last month, his family confirmed Thursday (October 16).

In a statement, Stanley and Simmons said: "We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley. He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history. He is and will always be a part of KISS's legacy. Our thoughts are with Jeanette, Monique and all those who loved him, including our fans around the world."

Simmons also wrote on X: "Our hearts are broken. Ace has passed on. No one can touch Ace's legacy. I know he loved the fans. He told me many times. Sadder still, Ace didn't live long enough to be honored at the Kennedy Ctr Honors event in Dec. Ace was the eternal rock soldier. Long may his legacy live on!"

In a separate statement, Criss wrote: "With a broken heart and deep, deep sadness, my brother Ace Frehley has passed away. He died peacefully with his family around him. My wife and I were with him to the end as well.

"I love you, my brother. My love and prayers go out to Jeanette, Monique, Charlie and Nancy and all of Ace's extended family, bandmates, fans and friends. May the Lord comfort you at this difficult time.

"As a founding member of the rock group KISS and in Ace's solo career, Ace influenced and touch the hearts of millions of people. His legacy will live on in the music industry and in the hearts of the KISS Army.

"At this time I ask all of you to please be respectful to Ace's family and allow them to grieve privately.

"To the KISS Army and Ace's Rock Soldiers, my heart is with you all... Broken... God Bless."

Frehley passed away peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey, following a recent fall at his home.

TMZ reported earlier on Thursday that Frehley was on life support after suffering from a brain bleed from the fall a few weeks ago. He had to cancel his tour dates and his condition had not improved.

Frehley's family confirmed his death, writing in a statement: "We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth.

"We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace's memory will continue to live on forever!"

Frehley appeared on KISS's first nine albums, and returned for the band's 1998 reunion album, "Psycho Circus", only to leave again. He was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the rest of KISS's original lineup in 2014.

Frehley first left KISS in 1982. He rejoined in 1996 and parted ways with the band once again in 2002 after the conclusion of KISS's first "farewell tour." Since his departure, guitarist Tommy Thayer had assumed the role of the Spaceman.

Earlier this month, Frehley scrapped the remainder of his previously announced 2025 tour dates due to unspecified "medical issues".

The legendary rocker announced the cancelation two weeks after he pulled out of the Antelope Valley Fair in Lancaster, California after sustaining minor injuries in a fall at his home.

When Ace's Antelope Valley Fair cancelation was first announced, it was revealed that Frehley had had "a minor fall in his studio, resulting in a trip to the hospital." He was later advised by his doctor to refrain from travel in order to fully recover from his injuries.

At the time of his passing, Frehley was working on "Origins Vol. 3", the sequel to Ace's 2016 and 2020 collections of cover songs that inspired the former KISS guitarist.

The Kennedy Center paid homage to Frehley, who was slated to be recognized alongside Stanley, Simmons and Criss at the 48th Kennedy Center Honors later this year.

"We send our deepest condolences to his friends, his family, and millions of fans worldwide," the Washington, D.C.-based cultural center wrote in a social media post. "We will be paying tribute to this 'rock soldier,' his work, and his legacy at our ceremony in December."

Ace's latest solo album, "10,000 Volts", came out in February 2024 via MNRK Music Group (formerly eOne Music). It was the follow-up to "Spaceman", which was released in October 2018 via eOne.

Simmons co-wrote two tracks on "Spaceman", "Without You I'm Nothing" and "Your Wish Is My Command", the latter of which also featured Gene's bass playing.

In a recent interview with Guitar World, Ace revealed he declined an invite to join his former KISS bandmates at the "Kiss Kruise: Land-locked In Vegas" event at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in November, despite having participated in the Kiss Kruise events in the past.

"They asked me and I declined," Frehley told the magazine. "There's no way I'm gonna be involved with that, you know? Their biggest mistake is that they should have done that at Madison Square Garden, not in Las Vegas in a 5000-seater, or whatever it is."

He added that he was "having too much fun doing my own thing."

"And maybe I'll eventually get inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a solo artist," Frehley said.

Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley has died at the age of 74. The news of his passing comes just hours after TMZ.com reported that the musician was hospitalized on life support after he suffered a brain bleed when he took a fall in his studio a couple weeks ago.

Frehley's family issued the following statement to Variety: "We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth. We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace's memory will continue to live on forever!"

Earlier this month, Frehley scrapped the remainder of his previously announced 2025 tour dates due to unspecified "medical issues".

The legendary rocker announced the cancelation two weeks after he pulled out of the Antelope Valley Fair in Lancaster, California after sustaining minor injuries in a fall at his home.

When Ace's Antelope Valley Fair cancelation was first announced, it was revealed that Frehley had had "a minor fall in his studio, resulting in a trip to the hospital." He was later advised by his doctor to refrain from travel in order to fully recover from his injuries.

Frehley appeared on KISS's first nine albums, and returned for the band's 1998 reunion album, "Psycho Circus", only to leave again. He was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the rest of KISS's original lineup in 2014.

Frehley first left KISS in 1982. He rejoined in 1996 and parted ways with the band once again in 2002 after the conclusion of KISS's first "farewell tour." Since his departure, guitarist Tommy Thayer had assumed the role of the Spaceman.

At the time of his passing, Frehley was working on "Origins Vol. 3", the sequel to Ace's 2016 and 2020 collections of cover songs that inspired the former KISS guitarist.

Ace's latest solo album, "10,000 Volts", came out in February 2024 via MNRK Music Group (formerly eOne Music). It was the follow-up to "Spaceman", which was released in October 2018 via eOne.

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons co-wrote two tracks on "Spaceman", "Without You I'm Nothing" and "Your Wish Is My Command", the latter of which also featured Gene's bass playing.

Ace's most recent backing band consisted of Ryan Spencer on bass, Jeremy Asbrock on guitar and Scot Coogan on drums.

In a recent interview with Guitar World, Ace revealed he declined an invite to join his former KISS bandmates at the "Kiss Kruise: Land-locked In Vegas" event at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in November, despite having participated in the Kiss Kruise events in the past.

"They asked me and I declined," Frehley told the magazine. "There's no way I'm gonna be involved with that, you know? Their biggest mistake is that they should have done that at Madison Square Garden, not in Las Vegas in a 5000-seater, or whatever it is."

He added that he was "having too much fun doing my own thing."

"And maybe I'll eventually get inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a solo artist," Frehley said.

Grammy-winning, progressive music titans DREAM THEATER will release "Quarantième: Live À Paris" on November 28 via their longtime label partner Inside Out Music/Sony Music. The second performance video from the effort, for the song "Barstool Warrior", can be seen below.

"Quarantième: Live À Paris" documents DREAM THEATER's November 23, 2024 concert at Adidas Arena in Paris, France during the band's 40th-anniversary headlining tour of Europe, and it features the lineup of James LaBrie (vocals),John Petrucci (guitar),John Myung (bass),Jordan Rudess (keyboards) and Mike Portnoy (drums). The effort contains a setlist that spans the band's entire career with classics like "Metropolis Pt. 1", "Panic Attack", "Octavarium" and "Pull Me Under" represented among other fan favorites.

Petrucci comments: "From the moment we announced our 40th-anniversary tour, we knew it would be a very special event for both the band and our fans and must be captured. With this release, our performance in Paris is presented so beautifully in both stunning audio and video and really encapsulates this momentous occasion for all to enjoy."

Adds Portnoy: "We always knew this tour would be unforgettable because not only were we celebrating four decades since forming the band, but also the reunion of the band's classic lineup. The excitement and emotions between us and our fans at each and every show were palpable and totally off the charts! The night captured here in Paris was an epic evening that we can now share with the whole world to celebrate this incredible tour."

Presented in several formats, with artwork by longtime collaborator Hugh Syme, "Quarantième: Live À Paris" will be available as a limited deluxe 3CD+3Blu-ray artbook, including 68 pages of photos and artwork as well as an additional Blu-ray of bonus material. It will also be available as a special edition 3CD+2Blu-ray Digipak, limited deluxe 180g 4LP boxset and digitally. The Blu-ray includes the full show with Dolby Atmos, 5.1 Surround Sound and high-resolution stereo audio.

The track listing for "Quarantième: Live À Paris" is as follows:

CD1:

01. Metropolis Pt. 1
02. Overture 1928
03. Strange Déjà Vu
04. The Mirror
05. Panic Attack
06. Barstool Warrior
07. Hollow Years
08. Constant Motion
09. As I Am

CD2:

01. Orchestral Overture
02. Night Terror
03. Under A Glass Moon
04. This Is The Life
05. Vacant
06. Stream of Consciousness
07. Octavarium

CD3:

01. Home
02. The Spirit Carries On
03. Pull Me Under

Blu-ray 1:

01. Metropolis Pt. 1
02. Overture 1928
03. Strange Déjà Vu
04. The Mirror
05. Panic Attack
06. Barstool Warrior
07. Hollow Years
08. Constant Motion
09. As I Am

Blu-ray 2:

01. Orchestral Overture
02. Night Terror
03. Under A Glass Moon
04. This Is The Life
05. Vacant
06. Stream of Consciousness
07. Octavarium
08. Home
09. The Spirit Carries On
10. Pull Me Under

During an August 6 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Portnoy spoke about what it has been like for him to be touring with DREAM THEATER once again after a 13-year absence. The progressive metal legends played their first concert with Portnoy in 14 years on October 20, 2024 at the O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom. The drummer, who co-founded DREAM THEATER, played on 10 of the band's albums over a 20-year period, from 1989's "When Dream And Day Unite" through 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", before exiting the group in 2010. Portnoy returned to DREAM THEATER in October 2023 after being replaced by Mike Mangini, who played with DREAM THEATER across five studio albums and accompanying world tours. Portnoy told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk""It's been incredible — the biggest tour the band has ever done. We started at the O2 in London, which was incredibly emotional, and then we wrapped the U.S. tour at Radio City Music Hall… There's so many highlights. It's been incredible. We did all of Europe once with [the] 'An Evening With' [run of shows], then we did South America. We did North America, then we did this [European] festival run, and now we're about to shift into finally doing a tour for the new album, 'cause through all this we put out a new album in February, and we haven't really had a chance to properly give attention to that yet, 'cause we've been so busy with the 40th-anniversary thing. So we're about to shift into 'Parasomnia' mode, and we have a North American tour kicking off next month. And we'll be all through the States in September and October with a completely different show. So if anybody saw us in the last round, this is a completely different set, completely different stage, and we're gonna play the whole new album in its entirety, which will be a lot of fun and finally give it its due."

Asked if the tracks from DREAM THEATER's sixteenth studio album, "Parasomnia", will be performed in the same order that they appear on the LP on the current U.S. tour, Portnoy said: "Yeah, it was written to be performed that way. The whole album is very much like a concept album in that respect. So we've played a couple of the songs this past year on the 40th-anniversary tour, but now we could dig into it and give it a full top-to-bottom presentation. And then gonna celebrate the 30th anniversary of 'A Change of Seasons', which was like the first big epic the band put out 30 years ago. So we're gonna play that as well."

Portnoy added: "We've still got a lot of gas left in the tank. We're gonna go over to Asia right after New Year, and then we have a third European run next spring to do the 'Parasomnia' over there. So it's been incredible, but the emotions at every show — the fans, you just look out there and you see grown men crying, and it's all smiles and tears."

After Trunk noted that a lot of the emotions surrounding DREAM THEATER's current tour are based on the fact that Portnoy is back in the band after such a long time away, Mike said: "I'm so thankful that it's come back full circle. It would've been really sad if we never did reunite. I've seen other bands, like PINK FLOYD with Roger Waters, or GENESIS with Peter Gabriel, certain bands that never do reunite. And as a fan, it's a shame. I would love to see those lineups together again before it all ends. So for us to be back together again and celebrating the 40th anniversary of the band and riding off into the sunset together, it's poetic. It's the way it should be, really. And I'm so glad that we're here together again."

DREAM THEATER's summer/fall 2025 "An Evening With Dream Theater" U.S. tour is hitting 30 cities across the United States, kicking off September 5 in Reading, Pennsylvania and running through October 25, when it wraps in Long Island, New York. The tour is making stops in Orlando, Floria; Detroit, Michigan; Kansas City, Missouri and Providence, Rhode Island, among others. DREAM THEATER is performing its latest album in its entirety as well as classics and fan favorites from the band's catalog in what promises to be an unforgettable evening of music.

"Parasomnia" came out on February 7, 2025 via InsideOut Music. The LP marked DREAM THEATER's first release with Portnoy since 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings".

"Parasomnia" was produced by guitarist John Petrucci, engineered by James "Jimmy T" Meslin, and mixed by Andy Sneap. Hugh Syme returned once again to lend his creative vision to the cover art.

"Parasomnia" is an eight-song, 71-minute set which was recorded at DREAM THEATER's DTHQ studio on Long Island, New York. It is the follow-up to 2021's "A View From The Top Of The World", which debuted at in the top 10 of Billboard's Top Hard Rock Albums, Top Rock Albums and Independent Albums charts. Six songs on "Parasomnia" are over seven minutes and the closing epic "The Shadow Man Incident" clocks in at nearly 20 minutes.

The North American leg of DREAM THEATER's 40th-anniversary tour kicked off on February 7 at The Met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The trek was "An Evening With Dream Theater" and was the first tour of North America since Portnoy's return to the lineup. The tour concluded on March 22 in New York City.

Portnoy, Petrucci and Myung started DREAM THEATER as MAJESTY in 1985, after meeting at the Berklee College Of Music in Boston. LaBrie came on board in 1991, while Rudess joined in 1999.

Prior to Portnoy's return to DREAM THEATER, the drummer and Petrucci worked together on the latter's 2020 solo album, "Terminal Velocity", and toured together. Portnoy and Petrucci also joined Rudess and bassist Tony Levin for a third studio album as LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT in 2021.

US/Canadian melodic death metal syndicate, Kataklysm, performed “As I Slither” on the Sophie Lancaster Stage at Bloodstock Open Air 2025 – filmed on August 8, 2025 at Catton Park, Derbyshire, England. Pulled straight from their headline set, this cut spotlights one song so you can re-experience the moment at full, unbroken intensity.

“As I Slither” hits with serrated, muscular riffing, precision hyperblast drums, and Maurizio Iacono’s unmistakable, commanding roar. The mix keeps the live impact intact – tight guitars, present bass, and crowd energy swelling into the hooks – so it feels like you’re pressed up against the barrier. Expect whiplash switches, headbang-primed grooves, and a closing crush that detonates.

Kataklysm are lifers in extremity, and this track shows how they fuse relentlessness with memorable hooks. The Bloodstock crowd fires back on every breakdown and chant, highlighting what makes this festival special: a community that turns heavy music into shared catharsis. Whether you were in the pit or watching from home, this video delivers the adrenaline, atmosphere, and connection that define BOA.



Kataklysm are currently out on the Carnival Of Death Tour 2025 co-headlining tour with Polish death metal veterans, Vader. The trek concludes on October 26 in Brooklyn, NY. For ticket links, consult Vader’s Facebook post below.

In a recent interview with Portugal's Underground's Voice, guitarist Waclaw "Vogg" Kieltyka of Polish extreme metal veterans DECAPITATED was asked if he has commenced work on material for the follow-up to the band's 2022 album "Cancer Culture". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm working [on] new songs by myself so far. So it'll be time to get to the studio together, but because we are constantly touring and touring, and it's like a never-ending touring cycle after the last record — we have the festival summers still, plus the European tour in October, November and December — so after that, probably we're gonna focus more on the composition of the new songs."

On the topic of the musical direction of the new DECAPITATED songs, Vogg said: "Well, it will be probably kind of like a mix of the styles I did before. I have a few ideas, a few songs already, and each song is completely different. There's not some kind of line that connects it. I mean, [it's] my guitar sound and my style of writing the riffs, but so far each song is in kind of a different style and different character and different style of metal music."

In October 2024, DECAPITATED announced that it had parted ways with vocalist Rafał "Rasta" Piotrowski and replaced him with Eemeli Bodde of Finnish metallers MORS SUBITA. Regarding what Bodde has added to DECAPITATED, Vogg told Underground's Voice: "He brought a new voice, for sure — different voice. And he's a cool guy. He's easy going. He's a nice guy, a smart and intelligent person. So far we don't have any problems between us, any misunderstandings or anything like that. The chemistry, it's very positive between the bandmembers right now. He brought a fresh air to the band."

During this year's 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise, Vogg of told the Brutally Delicious podcast about his songwriting process: "I'm working at home. I have my room, so I can separate from the family, from kids. But still I can hear them. So it's not maybe perfect place, but I learned during the years. I already made, I think, four albums at home, with the small kids, with the family life, all these things, which I needed to somehow learn how to take my head out of the [everyday life]. But after the tour I have a plan to just go to our rehearsal space and just work on the material there, to be completely out of everything, separated. And I believe it will work well for that."

Asked if he approaches writing a new album with a theme in mind or a topic or if he just kind of sees where it ends up, Vogg said: "Something like [the latter]. Yeah. Anything can inspire me. And just hunting, fishing for the riff. I just spend time with guitar, playing and listening what's going on. And then suddenly, 'Oh, maybe this is gonna be a good idea.' And then work around this and add new ideas around. It's a long process.

"It's weird, because I'm performing," he continued. "I'm a guitar player, so I'm an instrumental guy. Plus I'm composing the stuff. I'm performing on stage. It's a few things you need to connect. And it's not that easy, and you need to find the time for this, for this. Also, I need to practice a lot to keep in shape myself, and it's not possible. If you play DECAPITATED, you can't stop to practice. You can stop practice for one week, but then you need to practice even more to go on stage and perform this kind of stuff."

Regarding how much time he spends "trying not to rewrite" his previous records, Vogg said: "I don't really think about it. And actually every DECAPITATED record is different… I don't have to [put much effort into making sure they're not the same kind of ideas as what we've done in the past]. Somehow it becomes naturally that it's different.

"I had a moment that I was in trouble because I thought it's, like, this is something like a completely different band right now, and what would be the reaction for the fans? Like how [would] they take it?

"Every record is different, but with 'Blood Mantra', for example, we started to do something really different, something groovy, something thrashy — I don't know," he added. "And [our] new record will be, I think, also bringing in new, fresh ideas, which will be surprising [to fans]. And you know what? It always worked that way. You play traditional kind of classic death metal, and then [come out] with an album which is different — it's modern, it's completely alternative to that. And you can see some kind of voices that, 'This is not the band anymore. I don't like it. I'm quitting to be your fan.' And then after five or eight or ten years, these people are, like, 'Oh, this album is like your classic. It's the best album.' It's like — I don't know — when METALLICA released the 'Load' album, or SEPULTURA released 'Roots Bloody Roots', I was, like, 'That's it. I'm done with this band.' And then right now, it's, like, 'Holy shit. It's a good jam.'"

In January 2025, DECAPITATED released two new performance videos, featuring the tracks "Names" and "Eternity Too Short". The clips were filmed live from the band's rehearsal room.

"Names" and "Eternity Too Short" are both seminal tracks from DECAPITATED's acclaimed album "Nihility", which was played in its entirety on the band's recent tour.

Bodde made his live debut with DECAPITATED on November 1, 2024 at Damnation Festival's "A Night Of Salvation" at BEC Arena in Manchester, United Kingdom. Also joining DECAPITATED at the gig for several "classic" tracks was the group's original vocalist Wojciech "Sauron" Wąsowicz, who was previously a member of DECAPITATED between 1996 and 2005.

"Cancer Culture" featured guest appearances by JINJER vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk and MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn. Flynn contributed a hauntingly beautiful vocal to the "Cancer Culture" track "Iconoclast", with Shmayluk, a formidable screamer, going the clean vocal route on track "Hello Death".

Former Trivium drummer Paul Wandtke, who played with the band in 2015-2016, reflects on his time with the Orlando metallers and offers comments on new drummer Greyson Nekrutman going behind the kit after the departure of longtime member Alex Bent.

Wandtke says:

“After seeing the announcements about Trivium’s new drummer (which I’m a huge fan of) and Alex Bent (damn can he play) leaving. It brought memories of my time leaving Trivium. I just want people to know this Trivium story! I’ll never forget when Matt Heafy said to me, ‘We are giving you the world’ when I had asked for any small type of tour bonus post tour and any kind of minimal retainer for off time from touring after being announced into the band. I mean, I was announced as an official member of the band so I thought it wouldn’t hurt to ask.

“I was only making $600 a week after taxes. Their solution was for me to move to Florida so they could save on flights. After that, I got fired and the worst part was they tried to steal my TAMA drum set. Yes, it’s true. I had to contact my TAMA rep at the time who now works for Evans Drum Heads to help me with getting my kit back! They then asked me to sign a non-disclosure agreement…I politely declined signing the NDA because I believe in freedom of speech. Other than that, I had a killer time!

“I think the guys genuinely are very cool cool people! Especially Palo (Gregoletto, bassist) and Corey (Beaulieu, guitarist) and even (Matt, vocalist, guitarist) Heafy was very cool. I thought we got along nicely, and it felt like a brotherhood starting. Which of course I diminished. Was I the best drummer no! My double bass playing gradually got worse and worse as the touring cycles progressed because I couldn’t handle it. It’s exhausting playing doubles for 90-120 minute sets for months at a time! I’m more of a metal-rock drummer!

“And I really really enjoy singing grunge inspired music with my Nirvana tribute and original project Dead Original, we are working on album two finally! I think America should grunge again and so should the world grunge again! Anyway, that’s how it ended for me. I wish the guys the best forever! Woo hoo stay metal!”

On October 5, SPINESHANK vocalist Jonny Santos and drummer Tommy Decker were interviewed by Rock News Weekly at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California. Asked if the reunited Los Angeles-based nu metal/industrial metal band — in which Santos and Decker are joined by drummer Tommy Decker, bassist/vocalist Robert Garcia and new recruits Tommy Decker, Jr. (Tommy Decker's son) and Jason Hager (ex-CHIMAIRA) on guitar — is planning to release a new EP or a full-length album, Jonny said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Right now, I think we're just gonna start releasing songs. Let's test the waters. Let's see how people react.

"We really wanted to [celebrate the 25th] anniversary of [SPINESHANK's sophomore studio album] 'The Height Of Callousness' [on tour]," Jonny explained. "It's important to us and, obviously, the fans love it. And then the talk of new music came around. Because we were kind of seeing this resurgence or renaissance of bands from our era doing really well. And if we wanna keep going, we probably should put some new music out. So we're gonna start small and then we'll see where that goes. But if everything keeps going the way that it is, I could definitely see us putting out a full-length or keep releasing [singles] over the next year and then compiling all of them on to one record and putting that out. As soon as we get home [from playing Aftershock], we're gonna be working on something while we're home."

Last month, Santos told Rock Music, Man about the fan response to the SPINESHANK reunion:  "It's unreal. The last time we toured, it was a very bad climate for new metal bands of our era, and it was almost demoralizing. When we went out on tour, bands like us, we were like a fucking pariah. And so we came off that last tour, and the morale was just low — low ticket sales, and just we were struggling out there. And that's when we kind of thought that it was over. So when they asked us to get back together to do this [reunion], we were, like, 'Are you guys crazy? Do you know what happened on our last tour?' And now we're coming out, and the fucking shows — it's insane. The people are coming out in droves. Our U.K. tour is half sold out already. We just sold out fucking London the other night, and it's, like, 'What the fuck is going on?' So we are extremely blown away."

Looking ahead to SPINESHANK's future, Santos said: "If we decide to go forward and maybe do some new music, that'd be one thing, but if we decide not to, at least we get to give the band a warrior's death. I would like to see the band go forward with a couple songs and see how they do. But I think that at this point, this tour has shown me so far is we've solidified our place in this community. And so I think we could still continue to tour once a year or every now and then. And it's just very vindicating, because a lot of bands like us got thrown away during that whole 'fuck nu metal' era. So it's really vindicating. I see you people out there, the motherfuckers, you were talking shit, and now I see you out there going, 'Oh, SPINESHANK's back.' I fucking see you. [Laughs]"

Earlier in September, Decker spoke to Discoveringbands by Michael Nagy < spoke about the possibility of new SPINESHANK music. He said at the time: "There's some stuff [in the works]. There's some stuff. It might be a little while [before it's released]. We've gotta Tommy Junior and Hager, the new additions to the band, [on it]. So we got a few songs. We'll see what happens. [It will arrive] probably sometime next year."

Asked about the musical direction of the new SPINESHANK material, Decker said: "It's more SPINESHANK. We like to have the heaviness. We like to have the melody. Everyone wants the electronics. So it's just SPINESHANK 13 years later. It's always gonna be heavy. It's always gonna be a nice hook and there's always gonna be electronics. So it's who we are."

SPINESHANK played its first show in nearly 13 years on July 9 at Jake's Sports Cafe & Backroom in Lubbock, Texas.

SPINESHANK teamed up with THE UNION UNDERGROUND for the "25 Years Of Rebellion & Callousness" tour this summer. This commemorative, co-headline trek, with special guests ADEMA and SICKSENSE, celebrated the 25th anniversaries of "The Height Of Callousness" and THE UNION UNDERGROUND sole studio LP, "…An Education In Rebellion".

This past June, Santos confirmed to Rock Feed that a new song from SPINESHANK would arrive in the coming weeks. "We're literally in the studio trying to finish right now," he said. "The song has been recorded. Right now it's in the final process of being edited. We're gonna actually start listening to roughs this week."

Santos also addressed the reason he and the rest of SPINESHANK's 2025 lineup have decided to release one track as opposed to focusing on making a full-length record. "People are, like, well, why are we only doing one song?' Jonny said. "'Cause we don't know. We haven't put a record out in 12 years. "Cause let's face it, the SHINESHANK thing right now, [the upcoming tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of] 'The Height Of Callousness', this is nostalgic. We're not out there pumping a new record. We're celebrating one of our best records. That's what we're doing. So what we decided to do is… Do we wanna do a new record? 'Cause now we have little Tommy playing guitar, which is fucking awesome; he shreds. And we've got Jason Hager; everybody knows Jason. He's from CHIMAIRA. So we get these two new guys, and they obviously wanna do a new record. But five months ago, we didn't even know people even cared about SPINESHANK. So let's hold on here a second before we start putting new records out. I said, 'Let's do one song. Let's put this song out there. We'll get it out to the masses, and let's see how it's received.' That's gonna tell us right there — I feel it'll tell us if we are just a nostalgic act, that people just wanna come hear the hits and feel like they're 18 again, or we put this new song out. Does it trend? Does it fucking blow up? Then that will indicate right there, 'Okay, guys, let's go do a new record and start putting new songs out.' And I think that's a fair way to look at it instead of just assuming that since we're doing well and shows are selling out right now, that we're just gonna put an album and everybody's gonna love it."

Regarding the musical direction of the new SPINESHANK song, Jonny said: "Well, I will tell you this much. It's got all the elements that is what is SPINESHANK. One of the biggest complaints we had on the last SPINESHANK record was fans were, like, 'It's not electronic enough.' And I saw that. I felt that in a way. There was a lot of programming on that album; we were just using organic sounds as the loops and stuff. But I understand what the fans meant. So this time around, the SPINESHANK recipe, if you will — the song's gotta have energy. It's gotta be heavy. It's gotta be catchy. It's gotta have a hook. I don't care. I fucking love singing in fucking metal songs. All those people out there [who say], 'That's lame that you sing' — fuck you. You've gotta bring girls to the show too. So you've gotta have energy. It's gotta be heavy. You've gotta have a hook. And with SPINESHANK, it's gotta have that electronic aspect and that dirty, nasty, electronic aspect. Very industrial — 'Antichrist Superstar' [MARILYN MANSON] industrial. I love when you have a cool loop. Distort that motherfucker. So it's that whole ATARI TEENAGE RIOT dirtiness to it."

After releasing three successful albums ("Strictly Diesel", "The Height Of Callousness" and "Self-Destructive Pattern"),performing on countless world tours (including appearances on Ozzfest and the Download festival) and a Grammy nomination in 2004, SPINESHANK went on a hiatus.

SPINESHANK's fourth album, "Anger Denial Acceptance", was released in June 2012 via Century Media Records. The CD was produced by SPINESHANK guitarist Mike Sarkisyan and drummer Tommy Decker and mixed by Mike Plotnikoff (PAPA ROACH, BUCKCHERRY).

SPINESHANK's third LP, "Self-Destructive Pattern", was released in September 2003. The album's lead single, "Smothered", was nominated for a Grammy in the category of "Best Metal Performance".

This past April, Jonny told the "Talk Toomey" podcast about the possibility of SPINESHANK releasing new music to coincide with the current tour:  "We never got a chance to really go out on a high note. And so when we first started getting ready to do all this, doing another record wasn't really even talked about. It was more of just, like, 'Hey, let's just go out and do ['The Height Of Callousness'] in its entirety' and give the band its warrior's death, if you will — going out on a strong note instead of just falling into obscurity.

"Now it's gotten to the point… So right now I'm in the studio finishing up some edits and mixing the first SPINESHANK song since 2012," Santos explained. "So we have one new song coming out. Because I think the way that we feel that we'll know is, let's see how this SPINESHANK song does. If it's accepted well and people are excited about it, if it does well, then maybe there could be another album in the works. Or if anything, maybe even an EP. Who knows?"

Referencing the resurgence of "nu metal" in recent years, Jonny continued: "It's kind of weird how — it's uncharted territory. It's, like, is this here to stay? Is this gonna be a staple in heavy music or is this just a fashion fad for kids today? So I think once we release this new song and tour for the better part of this year, then I think we'll know if we're gonna put a new record out next year or not. I would like to, but I only wanna put a record out if it's gonna matter. I don't wanna put a record out if nobody's gonna give a shit."

Elaborating on his reluctance to release a full-length collection of new material, Jonny said: "Not comparing us to the size of THE ROLLING STONES or anything, but if I was gonna go see THE ROLLING STONES, I'm not too concerned with anything that they've done post 1979. You know what I'm saying? I think you hit a certain point in your career as a band when you have a legitimate and constant following that people just wanna go hear the hits.

"I've noticed, I'll put music out or whatever, and people are, like, 'Oh, man, it doesn't sound like 'The Height Of Callousness'.' It's just, like, dude, me putting out the same record twice is not gonna make you young again," he said. "Because that's how it is.

"Very few bands can get away with putting the same record out. AC/DC's done it. SLAYER's done it. But it works — that works for them, and it's fucking awesome. But for me, it doesn't.

"The thought of putting a new SPINESHANK record out there, it's exciting. But at the same time, we're gonna see how this goes.

"We're going into this with no expectations. This is really fun for us to do, and I think it's a chance for a lot of people that have become SPINESHANK fans in the last decade or so that have never seen us to get to see us. And being that 'The Height Of Callousness' was by far our best-received album, I can't think of a better record to do in its entirety out of our catalog."

Redshark will release their new album Sudden Impact on Halloween (October 31) via Listenable Records. Preorder at shop-listenable.net.

New single “Hypnotized” is now streaming – the lyric video is produced by guitarist Javi Bono.

“Hypnotized” explores deception and how it can warp reality, creating a blurred line between truth and illusion, it is the story of a spell, inspired by Medusa and the Sirens in Greek mythology.

Redshark comments on the album:

“This album is all about power, speed and intensity. No fillers, just pure heavy metal from the first to the last track.

“Some songs hit fast and raw, others bring epic melodies, but everything ties together into a solid, compact sound. We wanted it to feel like a punch in the face, but with just enough melody to make you come back for more.

“It’s the natural follow-up to Digital Race, but more depth, and more identity. If you’re already into Redshark, get ready for the next level. And if this is your first contact, we hope this record drags you in and doesn’t let go.”



Tracklisting:

“Sudden Impact”
“A Place For Disgrace”
“Fire Raider”
“Hypnotized”
“Rip Your Bones”
“Whispers Of Time”
“Beware Of The Shark”
“The Chase”
“Fight The Rules Of Power”

In a new interview with Colombia's Alejandrosis, CELTIC FROST mainman Tom Gabriel Fischer (a.k.a. Tom Warrior) once again reflected on the band's much-maligned 1988 album "Cold Lake", an effort he says is "probably the worst" LP of his career. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "[I've been a] musician for 44 years and have done many records. And, of course, in such a long time, in four and a half decades, you also make mistakes. I'm a human being. And I'm very, very far from perfect. And 'Cold Lake' was an experiment at the time that we thought would be interesting. We wanted to have an album that is a little more positive, a little more melodic, and so on and so on, a little more party, but it turned out to be a huge mistake artistically. I think the album is a catastrophe on an artistic level. It has a bad production, it has bad songwriting, it has bad lyrics, it has a bad presentation. We worked with a producer that wasn't really suited for CELTIC FROST, so I think it is probably the worst album of my career. It's the worst album of 44 years as a musician. Having said that, the album was released in 1988, 37 years ago, so that's a very long time. And I've learned a lot since then. I've become a much better musician. I've become a producer myself. And I think 'Cold Lake' was probably an important step in becoming more critical towards myself in analyzing my own work and implementing a higher quality standard towards my own work. So even though musically I think it's a terrible album, it probably made me a more mature human being and a more mature or more experienced musician."

Fischer previously talked about "Cold Lake" during a November 2020 interview with Italy's Poisoned Rock. He stated at the time: "'Cold Lake' is just a complete failure. When we formed CELTIC FROST, we wanted to be very experimental, we wanted to be very courageous, we didn't wanna be afraid of taking a chance. On the other hand, that doesn't guarantee to you that you always do something good. And I think 'Cold Lake' is a monumental failure. We tried a different thing, we tried to do something melodic, but I think in the context of the late 1980s, bands really lost their plot, they lost their path, and I think CELTIC FROST was one of those bands. The album no longer sounds like CELTIC FROST, it no longer has the depth and seriousness that CELTIC FROST had. And it didn't have the sound. There was also different people involved, and I think all these things contribute that the album is really the low point of the entire career of CELTIC FROST. It was an experiment, but it was a bad experiment. It was a failed experiment. I think the album is an embarrassment — it's an artistic embarrassment."

CELTIC FROST reformed in 2001 and released its comeback album "Monotheist" via Century Media/Prowling Death in 2006. The band broke up in 2008, with Fischer going on to form TRIPTYKON.

"Monotheist" was CELTIC FROST's first LP to to enter the national Swiss chart. The group's first album in 13 years sold just under 2,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Former CELTIC FROST bassist Martin Eric Ain died in October 2017 after suffering a heart attack at the age of 50.

Ain handled lead vocals on the song "A Dying God Coming Into Human Flesh" on "Monotheist".

TRIPTYKON has released two full-length albums, a live LP, an EP, a single and two box sets in its 17 years as a band.

TRIPTYKON 2025 is Tom Gabriel Warrior (voice/guitar),Vanja Slajh (bass),V. Santura (guitar/vocals) and Hannes Grossmann (drums/percussion).

TRIPTYKON's previous album releases are "Eparistera Daimones" (2010),"Melana Chasmata" (2014) and "Requiem - Live At Roadburn 2019" (2020).

Annihilator leader, Jeff Waters, has amassed a serious collection of guitars over the years, and has announced that he’ll be parting ways with some of them.

Waters shared the following message this morning:

“Gonna make the first 100 or so available soon; amassed quite the collection 🙂 Hey, it’s what I do for a living! ❤ Funny how most of my life was about collecting hundreds of them… and now it’s about picking a half dozen I actually need hahahaha! Last year, my Annihilator kik-ass guitarist, Aaron Homma, spent much of July 2024, cataloguing them all with me! Crazy!”

In the comments section, Waters added, “I just got 6 messages in 2 minutes about buying some of em… hehe… I won’t be selling them individually… only as a 100-Collection sale.”

Cadaver’s legendary Hallucinating Anxiety debut album is being reissued on November 28 via Listenable Records with brand new artwork and a powerfully upgraded sound. Hallucinating Anxiety had deeper intentions than being just an album; it was a declaration of war on polished music and convention.

Recorded on a 4-track cassette player and deliberately mixed in mono to preserve its suffocating atmosphere, this is the sound of pure, unadulterated creativity forged in the underground.

This is the sound that started it all. And Cadaver is now bringing it back.

Pre-order physical editions here. Stream “Erosive Fester” 2025 here, and find a lyric video below.



Hallucinating Anxiety (2025) tracklisting:

“March Of The Collapse” (Intro I)
“Twisted Collapse”
“Corrosive Delirium”
“Abnormal Deformity”
“Erosive Fester”
“Cannibalistic Dissection”
“Hypertrophyan”
“Petrified Faces”
“Mental Abhorrence”
“Tuba Libre” (Intro II)
“Ignominious Eczema”
“Innominate”
“Hallucinating Anxiety”
“Maelstrom”
“Bodily Trauma”
“March Of The Twisted” (Outro)

“Erosive Fester” 2025 lyric video:

It’s been 10 years since Brisbane’s premier progressive metal outfit, Caligula’s Horse, released their 3rd studio album Bloom. To celebrate a decade since its release, Caligula’s Horse presents a 10th anniversary edition of Bloom, which is now available for preorder.

Released on October 16, 2015, Bloom captured the spirit of a band ready to expand beyond boundaries. It marked a turning point for Caligula’s Horse, and an entire wave of modern progressive metal. Bloom is a vivid, emotionally charged record that connects precision, technical mastery and genuine human warmth.

The band comments:

“10 years ago, we released Bloom into the world – an incredibly special album that would become a statement as to who we are as a band and as people. It made manifest the message and the meaning we would carry wherever the music took us on this exhausting and exhilarating ride around the globe. At the time, we could never have imagined the impact that it would have on us and our career, nor could we have predicted the love Bloom would receive as it reached all of you. The number of people we’ve met over the years for whom this album holds a special place has been overwhelming, and we’re truly humbled and gratified as we reach this milestone.

“We hope that in times of struggle, Bloom will continue to be there for you. Remember: You have what you need in you. Just let it grow.”

The anniversary edition of Bloom comes with 4 previously unreleased demo songs that were recorded in 2015 and an alternative cover by Chris Mangos based on the original Bloom artwork design.

Preorders:
Digital
Physical



Tracklisting:

“Bloom”
“Marigold”
“Firelight”
“Dragonfly”
“Rust”
“Turntail”
“Daughter Of The Mountain”
“Undergrowth”
“City Has No Empathy Acoustic”
“Across the Universe (Recorded 2015)”
“Rust (Pre-Production Demo 2015)”
“Turntail (Pre-Production Demo 2015)”
“Undergrowth (Pre-Production Demo 2015)”