In a new interview with Alma Hard, vocalist Ronnie Atkins of reactivated Danish hard rock veterans PRETTY MAIDS was asked if there is any possibility of him and his bandmates working on a follow-up to 2019's "Undress Your Madness" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "A new album wasn't really a part of what we talked about [when we decided to start playing live shows again in 2024], but now we are talking about recording something. We haven't written anything yet, but we're talking about writing some music and record it. But right now I actually wanna do a [new] solo album first because I've got 12 songs ready to go that's already written. I just didn't do anything last year or haven't done anything yet. But they're ready to go. I just need to write some lyrics and then I'm ready to record it. So, that is definitely, I assume, gonna happen. And then we're talking about writing some new stuff, me and Ken [Hammer, PRETTY MAIDS guitarist]. But I can't give you any release date or anything like that. I don't even know if we're gonna do it, but we're talking about it seriously."

PRETTY MAIDS played its first concert in nearly five years on June 16, 2024 at Forbrændingen in Albertslund, Denmark. The band was billed as KINGMAKERS for the "secret" performance, which served as a warm-up gig for PRETTY MAIDS's official return to the live stage on June 20, 2024 at the Copenhell festival in Copenhagen.

PRETTY MAIDS also played at last year's Time To Rock festival in Knislinge, Sweden and at the Jailbreak festival in Horsens, Denmark. Last month PRETTY MAIDS performed aboard the 2025 edition of the annual Monsters Of Rock Cruise.

In December 2023, Atkins, who is battling stage four cancer, told Jorge Botas of Portugal's Metal Global about the band's return: "Yeah, well, we were planning on a few selected PRETTY MAIDS shows. It's not gonna be a hell of a lot, I think. We're gonna do maybe five, six festivals during the summer or something."

He continued: "I know there's a lot of fans out there that wanna see the band again, at least to make some kind of closure. It all ended in a wrong way because I got sick, and while I was sick, I couldn't do shit for six months. And in that time, we released a new album. We never had the chance to tour with it. Then came the lockdown. So we just wanna go out and play a couple of shows. How much it's gonna be, I don't know. I don't know how much more we're gonna do. We might continue. I don't know. It all depends a little bit on my health as well. You know. So, now I've been releasing a lot of music for the last couple of years, and now I feel like 2024, I intend to do a lot more live shows. I really love to do that. 'Cause I like the close encounter with the fans, whether it's a big festival with 50,000 or it's 200 people in a club, I don't care. I mean, I like them both, actually. But let's see."

In September 2023, before the PRETTY MAIDS reunion was officially announced, Atkins was asked in an interview with Power Metal Point if there were any plans for him to do anything again with the long-running Danish hard rock outfit. He responded: "There's been issues between the band since 2019, particularly between me and Ken. But now we're actually talking again. We just met a little while ago, and we still have some business through 40 years we have to discuss sometimes on mails. I think it's gonna end up that we will bury the hatchet, if nothing else for the fans."

He continued: "It's always been a love-hate relationship, and I can't confirm anything, but I think we might do some selected gigs next year or something like that. Because the whole thing ended in a bad way and I got sick and we had a brand new album out in 2019 and we never hit the road with it, 'cause we had to cancel the tour. Then the lockdown came, the corona thing. So, yeah, let's see, let's see. We might do something [in 2024]."

In December 2022, Atkins painted a more bleak picture of PRETTY MAIDS' future, telling Dawn Osborne of TotalRock: "We haven't seen each other since 2019. And there are some issues within the band that haven't been [resolved]. So nothing is happening. Ken is doing some other projects. Everybody is doing their own things, kind of. I'm not saying we won't get back together one day. Maybe — I don't know. But time is not on our side. Let's see. It would need some talks — a band meeting and some talk — before we go on. I'm a bit like 'I've been there, done that.' I mean, sometimes I miss it. On the other hand, I'm on with something else now, doing my own stuff."

Formed in early 1982 by Atkins and Hammer, PRETTY MAIDS' second album, 1987's "Future World", is still today regarded as a classic.

During the ensuing years, PRETTY MAIDS continued to release albums usually followed by European and Japanese tours.

PRETTY MAIDS' latest album, "Undress Your Madness", came out in November 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.

"Future World" was released by CBS in 1987. By 1990, the album had sold 300,000 copies worldwide. The album charted at No. 165 on the Billboard 200 in the United States.

"Future World" was produced by Eddie Kramer, who was reportedly fired during the recording sessions. The band then finished the LP with engineer Chris Isca, who was credited as co-producer on the album. Mixing duties were shared between METALLICA, RAINBOW and MORBID ANGEL producer Flemming Rasmussen, and Kevin Elson, known for producing multi-platinum albums by JOURNEY, MR. BIG and EUROPE.

After being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2019, the now-60-year-old Atkins underwent at least 33 radiation and four chemotherapy treatments in the fall of that year before being declared cancer-free. In October 2020, he announced that his cancer had returned.

In a 2013 interview with Myglobalmind, Atkins joked that the secret to keeping his voice in shape was "twenty cigarettes a day and little drink now and then."

Ronnie's third solo album, "Trinity", was released in October 2023 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Following the rapture generated by the announcement of the imminent release of their new album "Skeletá", Swedish occult metallers GHOST have now unveiled a brand new webisode. The ominously titled "Chapter 20: Arrival Of A Secret Agent" is the latest installment of the ongoing "Chapters" series that, along with the feature film "Rite Here Rite Now" and the "Sister Imperator" comic book, continues to add to the canon of GHOST lore.

Chapter 20 checks in on recently replaced GHOST frontman Papa Emeritus IV — now rechristened Frater Imperator and promoted to "boss" of the Ministry — as he navigates the aftermath of his stint in the spotlight and begins to cultivate a less than healthy obsession with his replacement — and fraternal twin — Papa V Perpetua. Chapter 20 features the debut of a number of new characters likely to be integral to the new storyline, including Mrs. Psaltarian and Judith, the socialist media manager. The new chapter also offers a look at the inner office environment of the Ministry, a setting that’s sure to serve as the stage for crucial developments impacting the lives and lore of GHOST and its millions of fans worldwide.

Papa V Perpetua was revealed to the world during the climactic final seconds of the video for "Satanized", the "catchy goth-rock epic" (Vice) first single from "Skeletá", the anxiously awaited new GHOST album, out April 25 via Loma Vista Recordings. Trending No. 2 across YouTube upon its premiere and propelling "Skeletá" the top of pre-order / pre-save charts the world over, "Satanized" has been instant and profound in its singular impact.

The release of "Satanized" and breaking news of "Skeletá"'s impending arrival were accompanied by the debut of The Satanizer, a first-of-its-kind music video experience for fans who wish to be "Satanized". Developed in partnership with Jason Zada (Elf Yourself),The Satanizer morphs its users into characters featured in the song's melodramatic video. With a quick upload of their photo, The Satanizer sends out a personalized music video clip featuring the participant, who can in turn share via social media that they too have been "Satanized". To date, The Satanizer has generated over 125,000 creates with a staggering 96% conversion (generate-to-save ratio) and over 5.5 million impressions worldwide.

In a recent interview with Brent Porche of Philadelphia's 93.3 WMMR radio station, GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge stated about "Skeletá": "It is a record that is introspective to a further degree, I guess, than especially the previous record [2022's 'Impera']. Just to be clear, I do believe that most artists usually create a new record based on where they were on the previous one — not as a counter-reaction, but usually there's something that you wish to achieve that you maybe didn't on the previous[ one] or you wanna change something or just fill your… At the end of the day, what you're doing is basically you're filling your repertoire with hopefully songs that you didn't have before. But thematically, I usually have some sort of thematic guideline when I write, first and foremost for myself in order to make sense of what the new record is so it's not too whimsically just about everything at the same time. But where 'Impera' was very much not only extroverted, but exteriorly reflecting on bigger society, social issues, and also, as the title implies, imperial structure and its ultimate demise, it didn't feel very productive to continue down that and make an 'Impera 2', talking about the continual demise of… I was more attracted to the idea of this this record that was more shining a light in inside and making a record about healing aspects of being essentially a human being in whatever structural design, because at the end of the day, most humans are surprisingly alike and display the same abilities to sentiments. And these sentiments are usually quite basic. And that idea was attractive to me — making a record that had a song about hope, had a song about hate, had a song about love, acceptance and all these things."

Earlier last month, Forge told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station about "Satanized": "Yeah, it's a fun video and it's a upbeat, fun track. It's a song about being in love and how that can potentially be mistaken as demonic possession, but in reality this song has nothing to do with demonic possession."

Asked why he picked "Satanized" to be the first single from "Skeletá", Tobias said: "It's funny because as I was making the record, I didn't really put much like regard into trying to write… Of course, as a songwriter, you always try to write as good songs as possible, but there wasn't a whole lot of, like, 'Oh, I'm gonna write a hit song.' So I was more interested in sort of making a bunch of songs that I was gonna put cohesively into an understandable and entertaining album. And wise with experience over the years where I've delivered records to the people that work with me, and I'm, like, 'This is the song. This is the single. This is the hit.' And more than often, it ends up being, like, 'Oh, no. We believe in that song instead.' Okay. So finally I've sort of given up a little bit on that. So I just sort of gave the record and I'm, like, 'You guys choose what you wanna do.' And then I'm sort of holding my thumb a little, crossing my fingers, hoping that that maybe they they'll hear what I hear. And to my big surprise, they came back with 'Satanized'. And I was, like, 'I couldn't be happier. I have a really funny video idea for that one. I never thought that you would go for that one,' simply because it's like…"

He continued: "To me, I am a huge fan of '70s music. That's a very simplified way of saying that, but I'm a big fan of SCORPIONS from the '80s, but also the SCORPIONS from the '70s, which sometimes, I guess, a certain age group might not be aware that that SCORPIONS was a band in the '70s, and they released several records. Those records are a little bit different from the '80s records, when they sort of became a '80s hit rock band. And 'Satanized' definitely had more of a SCORPIONS '77 stomp that I really liked about the track. And somehow, therefore, I guess, I wasn't like putting that as a hit-single fan favorite, or a favorite that way. I thought I was gonna work my magic to make that song a big song, the same way that we did with 'Mary On A Cross' once upon a time, when that was regarded as this 'B' track that was just for fun. And I was, like, 'I think that that song is actually quite good. We're gonna play it every show we're playing.' And it took years before it became what that became."

Circling back to the fact that his record company seemingly had the same vision for "Satanized" as he did in terms of the song's potential, Forge said: "I was overwhelmed and overjoyed with the synchronicity, because I have done that mistake before where I have conceived a record, conceived a track, have an idea for a video for a track, and then the powers that be want another kickoff. And then that leads to a discussion, and then more than often, the reasoning as to why you go with another track might be perfectly understandable, but all of a sudden my idea is just not worth the piece of paper it's written on, because it simply doesn't work if it's not in a… Sometimes the crux of being conceptual, sometimes your ideas are simply too conceptual and too based on presentation and stars aligning. But in this case, we ended up with fluency, which was cool."

"Satanized" was described in a press release as "an avalanche of infectious hooks and harmonies is buoyed by a hypnotic shuffle, as the narrator succumbs to dark forces within and without, helplessly acknowledging their own blasphemy and heresy as it inexorably consumes them." By the time the song's opening lines "There is something inside me and they don't know if there is a cure" have moved from the inner monologue of the possessed to the ears of the hapless listener, it will already be too late: You will have been "Satanized".

GHOST's sixth psalm, "Skeletá", is its most unflinchingly introspective work to date. Where previous GHOST albums dealt largely with chronicling and/or observing outward facing subject matter — such as "Impera"'s meditations on the rise and fall of empires and its predecessor "Prequelle"'s evocations of the ravages of era-defining plagues — "Skeletá"'s lyrics render the distinct individual emotional vistas of each of its 10 songs in one-on-one fashion, at times as if in a dialogue with oneself in a mirror. The end result is a singular collection of timeless, universal sentiments, all filtered through a prism of a uniquely personal point of view.

"Skeletá" track listing:

01. Peacefield
02. Lachryma
03. Satanized
04. Guiding Lights
05. De Profundis Borealis
06. Cenotaph
07. Missilia Amori
08. Marks Of The Evil One
09. Umbra
10. Excelsis

Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of the band's first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of 2018's "Prequelle". In March 2020, at final show of GHOST's "Prequelle" tour in Mexico City, Mexico, the band officially introduced Papa Emeritus IV, the character who fronted the act for its "Impera" (2022) album phase.

As previously reported, GHOST will embark on a world tour in 2025. The European leg of the trek will kick off on April 15 in Manchester, United Kingdom and conclude on May 24 in Oslo, Norway. The North American leg of GHOST's 2025 tour will launch on July 9 in Baltimore, Maryland and wrap up on August 16 in Houston, Texas.

The physical home video of GHOST's worldwide Top 10 box office smash feature film debut "Rite Here Rite Now" was made available on December 6, 2024.

In a new interview with Sakis Fragos of Rock Hard Greece, Tarja Turunen spoke about what it has been like to team up with her former NIGHTWISH bandmate Marko "Marco" Hietala for a new single, "Left On Mars" single, as well as their ongoing joint live performances which began with a series of triumphant shows in South America in early 2024. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've been really enjoying to get to know him for the first time ever. It sounds strange to you — I was in a band with him for many years, but I didn't know the guy behind. I mean, I really didn't. So he has changed, and I'm very happy for him, very happy for him. He's doing great. He's free. We have now a lot more in common, a lot more in common, and we can talk, we can communicate and we are in touch more than we ever been — ever, ever, ever. We are in touch, and I can call him as a friend. He is my friend.

"This all started in 2012," she explained. "I took part in one of the biggest productions in Finland happening every year. It's called 'Raskasta Joulua' ('Heavy Christmas'). It's a Christmas production, that they do the Christmas songs in a more rock/metal way, arrangements, and I was one of the invited guest singers on that show — a couple of shows we did in Finland at that time. Marko was there. Marko is one of the original members of the project. And so I knew that I was gonna meet him there after so many years of silence between us that I hadn't heard anything from him [and] vice versa. And so we met there for the first time and it was just very natural. Obviously we both were nervous. Obviously it was no faking in that. He just came to my backstage room, ran late in time. I was expecting him to be in a soundcheck. He didn't show up. I was, like, 'I'm gonna be singing a song with him.' It was [Franz] Schubert's 'Ave Maria' done with Finnish lyrics in a very emotional way. And particularly that song sung by me and Marko for a Finnish audience, like five, six thousand people there — wow. It was so emotional. After we finished the first song we sang together, people just collapsed. The audience, they started crying and screaming like crazy. You know Finns — Finnish people don't show that much of emotion. [Laughs] It was crazy. It was crazy. And so after a couple of shows, Marko, after the last concert, he invite[d] everybody in the production to the backstage and apologize[d] to me in front of them, in front of everybody. It made me cry in that moment and we cleaned the table, we made peace after that. And then it was silence again. I lost the contact with him for few years and then I saw [that he was going to] perform in Switzerland couple of years ago in the same festival. I was headlining the festival; he had a show with his band there. So I contacted the promoter and said, 'Hey, I would love to sing 'Phantom Of The Opera' with Marko, but I have lost a contact. So could you please forward my message to him?' And the answer was that, yeah, he would like to do that. So I was, like, 'Yes.' So [I knew I was] gonna meet him again. And it was very, again, super emotional, but the guy, Marko, came with a pen drive. He had written a song, 'Left On Mars', already thinking about me and his wishes to collaborate with me as a duet in that song. So he gave me that song, and we talked and we talked, and a little bit of tears, and we talked and [blah blah blah]. And I came back home and I recorded the song. I love the song, and I love making music with him again. And then the touring started. The ideas of touring together started, and it's been so nice. And we've been doing great shows, great shows, and we are very happy."

Asked if she feels "kind of liberated" working together with Marko again but not under the NIGHTWISH umbrella, Tarja said: "Man, how free I have been for 20 years or plus as a solo artist. Marko is starting — he's still in the beginning of his [solo career], in a way. He's been doing music all his life on his own, but now, after the band and everything, he must feel pretty much the same that I do. You are free and you can do what you want. It's very important you have that freedom, and none of us should ever lose their freedom."

Three months ago, Hietala told Belgian Jasper about reconnecting with Tarja: "So here's the thing: to do this collaboration and all these things, it kind of started already in 2017 when we cleared our old shit, so we were ready for these kind of things [to] happen. Then we were playing at a Swiss festival, both our bands. She sends me a message, would we do 'Phantom Of The Opera', that I'm demoing songs with my band. 'Yeah, well, it's exciting. I'll do it.' 'Hey, would you be interested in a duet?' 'Yeah, we'll bring your song.' And, of course, then it's touring and doing a few legendary duets and all that. It's kind of fun and nice for a while, but you can't live on it. And it doesn't really answer neither one of us ambitions. And actually, I think that at least for me mentally, this is easier to do since the NIGHTWISH guys informed the world that they're going to take an indeterminate break from touring or doing shows. So, yeah, this is okay for a while and we're still heading out also [this] year for some touring. But you cannot really expect that thing, kind of an idea, to last. It's not what we're here for."

Hietala announced his departure from NIGHTWISH in January 2021, explaining in a statement that he hadn't "been able to feel validated by this life for a quite a few years now." He has since been replaced by bassist Jukka Koskinen (WINTERSUN),who made his live debut with NIGHTWISH in May 2021 at the band's two interactive experiences.

In July 2022, Hietala told Finland's Iltalehti that he had not kept in touch with NIGHTWISH since his departure or followed the activities of his former band.

Turunen was fired from NIGHTWISH at the end of the band's 2005 tour by being presented with an open letter which was published on the NIGHTWISH web site at the same time. In the letter, the other members of NIGHTWISH wrote: "To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with emotions have become much more important."

NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen later called the decision to part ways with Turunen "the most difficult thing I ever had to do." For her part, Tarja said the way she was kicked out of the group proved that her former bandmates were not her friends. "Maybe one day I'll forgive, but I will never forget," she said.

Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall closed in spectacular fashion for another year with another unmissable performance by THE WHO.

Bill Murray was among the lucky audience in the packed venue along with Sadie Frost, Paul McKenna and Tracy-Ann Oberman. Hollywood star Murray recalled seeing THE WHO play 50 years ago and caught up with Roger Daltrey backstage after the gig.

Singer Roger Daltrey CBE launched the Teenage Cancer Trust concert series in 2000, and it has gone on to be an essential part of the U.K.'s music calendar, while raising more than £34 million for the charity. In 2026, THE CURE's Robert Smith will step in as guest curator.

The 2025 series ran from March 24-30, including THE WHO; THE CORRS; James Arthur; a night of comedy hosted by Micky Flanagan; a special night by Erased Tapes featuring Penguin Cafe; and Frank Carter and Paul Cook, Steve Jones, Glen Matlock of the SEX PISTOLS.

After bringing the house down on Thursday (March 27),THE WHO roared into action on Sunday (March 30) with the '60s hits "I Can't Explain" and "Substitute".

The hits kept coming, with the likes of "The Kids Are Alright" and the gorgeous "Behind Blue Eyes" followed by a soaring "Real Me".

Pete's unique guitar style played a starring role in "5:15" before his vocals took the lead on a beautiful "I'm One" ("loneliness starts sinking in"). Fan favorite "Love, Reign O'er Me" received a rapturous reception before "My Generation" spun out into an audience spanning the generations, before segueing into "See Me, Feel Me/Listening To You".

The 1982 track "Eminence Front" follows before "You Better You Bet" truly peeled back the years.

Roger and Pete enjoy a close bond with the band's fans and crack jokes throughout their shows. At one point, Pete said: "Many of you will know this is not my chosen career — I would have preferred to have been a dustman, to be honest. But it's glorious to be here with people like you tonight. Thank you so much."

There was a standing ovation for "Baba O'Riley", while "Won't Get Fooled Again" received a clap-along intro and the famous Daltrey scream was as huge as you could want. The "Song Is Over" was a rare treat for fans.

Aldi, which has partnered with Teenage Cancer Trust since 2017, and raised over £11 million for the charity to date is the headline sponsor for this year's Royal Albert Hall series. Domino's, which has partnered with Teenage Cancer Trust for ten years and has raised £8 million for the charity, is the official sponsor of the Ultimate Backstage Experience.

Teenage Cancer Trust is the only U.K. charity dedicated to providing specialized nursing care and support for young people with cancer.

Cancer kills more teenagers and young adults in the U.K. than any other disease. And for those who survive, going through it without the right support can be devastating — physically and emotionally.

Every day, more than seven young people aged 13-24 hear the words "you have cancer". By 2030 that number will be closer to 10.

There's never been a worse time to receive that news, with healthcare services under enormous pressure.

Money from these iconic gigs at the Royal Albert Hall means Teenage Cancer Trust can fund specialist nurses and youth workers to be there for a young person when cancer has turned their world upside down.

Cancer rates in young people in the U.K. have gone up by a quarter since the early 1990s. And by 2030, it's projected that the number of young people living with a cancer diagnosis will be 65% higher.

Since 2000, over £34 million has been raised by Teenage Cancer Trust concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, and that money has helped fund specialist nurses, hospital units and support services right across the U.K. that help get young people through some unimaginably hard times.

Since 2000 audiences at Teenage Cancer Trust's annual gigs have witnessed some extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime shows, from Noel Gallagher and Damon Albarn performing together for the first time ever in 2013, Sir Paul McCartney in 2012, plus the likes of OASIS, MUSE, Nile Rodgers and CHIC, Ed Sheeran, FLORENCE + THE MACHINE, RUDIMENTAL and many more.

There have been many legendary moments. Sir Paul McCartney was joined on stage in 2012 for THE BEATLES' "Get Back" by Roger Daltrey, Ronnie Wood and Paul Weller — marking a Beatle, Rolling Stone and THE WHO joining forces.

In 2024 a special show was staged as an ovation for Roger Daltrey's years of service, with turns by the likes of Paul Weller, Kelly Jones, Eddie Vedder and Robert Plant.

Guitarist Doc Coyle and bassist Kyle Konkiel have announced their departures from BAD WOLVES. Replacing them in the group are returning guitarist Chris Cain and new bassist Kevin Creekman, respectively.

Earlier today, Coyle released the following statement via social media: "Dear Wolfpack, I regret to inform you that I have decided to part ways with BAD WOLVES. It was not an easy decision to make. I have been playing with the band for almost 9 years, so this is a massive life change for me. It should be said that this is a completely amicable split. I love John, Kyle, DL, and AJ. Not being in the trenches going forward with my boys is the hardest part of all of this. But this has been coming for a long while, and I think my time in the band has just run its course. I am still rooting for BAD WOLVES to take over the world. And it warms my heart knowing that our old guitarist, Chris Cain, is coming back to take the baton from me on lead guitar.

"I won't provide an in-depth explanation of why I'm leaving at the moment. I'm sure I'll share more details at some point when it's appropriate. I feel like I've lost a bit of who I am as a creative and where my passion lies. Being in this band has brought challenges that have taken quite an emotional toll and burned me out. Through the ups and downs, I've done everything in my power to make BAD WOLVES successful. I'm very proud of our work, the albums we made, and overcoming the adversity we faced. But it's time for a fresh start.

"Breaking out the way we did in 2018 gave me a 2nd chapter to my career that I could never have dreamed of. Being in our late 30s and receiving #1 singles, gold albums, and arena tours right out of the gate was a stunning achievement. I'll always be grateful for the opportunities and doors that have opened since I was in BAD WOLVES. And I'm proud of the fact that it inspired many musicians to keep grinding it out. If we could do it, you could do it.

"I want to thank everyone who worked with the band all these years - everyone at 10th Street Management and Better Noise Music, Eric and MSK, Independent Artist Group, every single crew member we've had, everyone who's written songs with us or done production work on any of our albums, but most of all I want to thank the BAD WOLVES fans. Your dedication has been a true inspiration. We've gotten each other through lots of hard times. The Wolfpack really is a family to me. Any time I've had the chance to meet you in person, give you a hug, share your story, or take a picture together has meant the world to me. I will forever be grateful for your support.

"What's next? I'm not sure, but for the first time in a long time, I have nothing on the books. My schedule is wide open. That frightens me and excites me. I'm writing music. I'm on a journey to find out what hell it is I want in life. And it's ok to not have all the answers right now. If you know me, you know that I'm not very good at staying idle, so I'm sure I'll see you all soon.

"Love and respect, Doc Coyle".

Konkiel issued a separate statement, saying: "After eight incredible years, I've decided to step down from BAD WOLVES. This wasn't an easy choice, but after much reflection, I know in my heart that I can no longer give this band 100%. And anything less wouldn't be fair to the music, my bandmates, or the fans.

"There are so many things I still want to accomplish in my career, and I feel now is the time to explore new creative paths, whether on my own or in a new project.

"The memories, the shows, and the experiences over the past near-decade will always hold a special place in my heart. I wish John, DL, and AJ nothing but success and will continue to cheer them on however I can. And as for my brother Doc, you already know I've got his back for life. We've been through more together than most bands ever do, and my support doesn't end here.

"To all the incredible fans, crew, and fellow musicians I've met along the way, thank you. Your support has meant everything, and I look forward to crossing paths again in whatever comes next.

"This isn't the end. Just the start of a new chapter."

BAD WOLVES' latest album, "Die About It", came out in 2023. The LP included the hit single "Legends Never Die" (which peaked at No. 3 on the Active Rock radio chart) and the track "Hungry For Life", which featured Grammy-nominated rock singer-songwriter Chris Daughtry. The effort was co-produced with Josh Gilbert (AS I LAY DYING) alongside drummer John Boecklin and singer Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz.

While this is bittersweet news, I’m glad I can finally talk about it publicly. It’s been a hell of a ride. I can’t wait...

Posted by Doc Coyle on Wednesday, April 2, 2025

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MACHINE HEAD performed two new songs — "These Scars Won't Define Us" and "Unbound" — live for the first time during the kick-off concert of the band's North American tour on Tuesday, April 1 at Revolution Concert House And Event Center in Garden City, Idaho. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

MACHINE HEAD will play in Spokane, Washington on April 3 before teaming up with IN FLAMES, LACUNA COIL and UNEARTH for another 25 dates across the U.S. and Canada.

"These Scars Won't Define Us" and "Unbound" will both appear on MACHINE HEAD's eleventh studio album, "Unatoned", which will be released on April 25 via Nuclear Blast/Imperium Recordings.

MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn told "The Garza Podcast" about "Unatoned": "My last album was like a huge renaissance for the band. It just was fucking crazy. We headlined Hellfest [in France]. It was our tenth record. It was a concept record. It was the first time we ever did a concept record. Opening track was a 10-minute-long song. It's nuts.

"I'm fortunate enough to have been in this position a handful of times where I now have to follow up this record that is so beloved by fans, by people," he continued. "It's incredibly successful — elevates the band to another level. And everybody wants us to write another concept record. Everybody is just, like, 'You should just make another record like that one.' And I'm, like, 'You can't, because it's never gonna live up.' Nothing's ever gonna live up, ecause that moment for so many people. Lars [Ulrich of METALLICA] always talked about this — the reason so many people love [METALLICA's] Black Album, it's, like, they lost the virginity to the Black Album. Nothing is ever gonna top that. People lost their virginity to [MACHINE HEAD's] '[Unto] The Locust' or 'The Blackening' or whatever. Nothing's ever gonna top that. That's just life and stuff.

"So with this record, I set some pretty strict parameters around what I could do," Flynn explained. "And I'm not a big believer in talking about the direction of a record. I always feel like even if we have done it in the past, it never panned out. 'Oh, it's gonna be the heaviest or the thrashing' or the whatever, and you've just gotta follow it to wherever it goes… But I did want to put some structure around it. The last record had a bunch of long songs, so I was, like, 'I don't want any song longer than four minutes on this record.' So that was one structure. The other structure is — [I'm a] huge SLAYER fan to the death; [they're] one of my favorite bands, life-changing bands of all times. And one of the most underrated things about SLAYER is their genius use of chord changes — chord changes fucking galore all over every song. [They'd] have, like, three different chord changes in the lead section, and it the way it sets up the chorus or whatever. So I was, like, 'Every song has to have a chord change outside of the typical structure that you would expect.' … At some point it's gotta go to a key change that totally doesn't go with where the rest of the song went. Last thing is that the music in the last chorus had to be different from the music in the first chorus — maybe the drums drop out, maybe the guitars drop out, maybe that's where the key change happens, but something had to be [different]. The lyrics would always be the same. And at first it kind of took me a minute to kind of get into that mindset, like, 'Wow, this is a really challenging way to write,' but it always just became about trimming the fat, trimming the fat, trimming the fat. And in the end what we came up with was 10 songs plus two instrumentals. It's 41 minutes — the shortest album in MACHINE HEAD history. And I'm really proud of this thing. I really feel like we've got a fucking monster on our hands. It's just really unique."

Elaborating on the musical direction of "Unatoned", Robb said: "It's not our heaviest record; I would never say that it's our heaviest record. It's got a lot of melody. The last song on the record is a… I'm a total sucker for the Elton John piano ballad. I love Chris Stapleton… And that last song 'Scorn' is… It's, like, I've been trying to write a piano ballad for four albums in a row now, and I failed four albums in a row. And I finally nailed it with this album. I collaborated with this guy Joel Wanasek. I collaborated with Jordan [Fish], ex-BRING ME THE HORIZON, on the whole album. He actually got a piece on the record, which was really cool — added a really amazing element. I've got a few collaborators, like four guys that I work with, but me and this guy, Joel Wanasek, finally nailed down this piano thing… It was the last song I wrote on the record. And I know a lot of people think I'm super Mr. Libtard, social justice warrior guy and that's just not me, but that's kind of just what people think and the haters think. And I just started writing about — not that — but I just started writing about, I don't believe in Trump, but I think the fucking Democrats are a bunch of spineless fucking pussies. And I don't believe in anything anymore. I believe in myself. And I just wrote all of these lyrics kind of in that mindset. And the last line is, 'The wings of an angel, the heart of a king, the strength of a lion, the power I bring. I've lost faith in everyone, follow no more, my heroes have failed me, they look down on me with their scorn.' And so I took all of that. I was, like, 'I don't have any music, but I really like these lyrics.' So I came in with Zack [Ohren] — Zack's my engineer; he's my producer. He is fucking awesome; he's amazing… And I just picked up a guitar and I just said, 'I'm gonna play four chords here and I'm just gonna make this up as I go. I don't even know what I'm doing. I just wanna sing over this to something.' And I did, and I sang it, and I sang it in two takes. I laid out all the lyrics that I had written that morning. I pulled up some shit on my computer. I got two binders of lyrics. I wrote three and a half binders of lyrics from this record alone — just three and a half binders… And I literally sang the song in two takes, and when I was done, I was, like, 'That song's fucking done.' And it's the last song on the record. And I sent the chords to Joel and I was, like, 'Hey, like, can you make this into sad piano chords and put it together and kind of reverse engineer the rest of the song?' And I've gotta say, I'm so proud of this song. It's definitely kind of the outlier of the record, but I really just feel like it's a special song. And it's kind of something we've never done. And when you've been trying to do something for a long time — 15 years, I've been trying to write a fucking piano song — and it always just sounded too dorky… And it [finally] happened [on this album]."

Flynn also talked about his general approach to creating art with MACHINE HEAD, saying: "I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just trying to write music. Alls I ever wanted to do was just play guitar and write songs and sing and make motherfuckers circle pit and make motherfuckers jump and sing and fucking headbang and go crazy. That's all I've ever wanted to do.

"I'm not a businessman. I don't know what the fucking right decision is," he continued. "I just know the music that I do and where it comes from, and I do know that I'm really, really, really good at that. I know that. I'm not one of these guys who's good at a million fucking things — I'm not — but I do know that I'm really, really good at that. And I just try and focus on that. And I've got a good team of people that help me make decisions now and I feel like we've all got a good head on our shoulders and what MACHINE HEAD needs to be.

"We're not the heaviest band in the world," he added. "We're heavy, but we've been around for 32 years, and motherfuckers like [SUICIDE SILENCE] came along and LORNA SHORE and SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL, and [those bands are] fucking 10 times heavier than we will ever, ever, ever be. I can't sing like that. I don't even wanna try to; it'd be fucking ridiculous to. It would sound stupid for my fucking heavy metal Gandalf ass to be fucking trying to sing like that. We found our lane and we're super lucky that we found our lane and we fucking made that lane a little bit wider and a little bit wider so we can kind of go over here and do this and go over here and do this. But at the end of the day, it's just MACHINE HEAD music. That's what it is to me. It's metal, for sure — a hundred percent."

"Unatoned" was recorded at Flynn's Jam Room, Sharkbite Studios and Drop Of Sun Recording between July 2023 and December 2024. The album was produced by Flynn, as well as Zack Ohren, who was also responsible for the engineering. The mixing and mastering was handled by Colin Richardson and Chris Clancy at Audioworks UK, and the mastering of the record was handled by Ted Jensen and his assistant Justin Shturtz. The only exception was the track "Landscape Of Thorns" which was produced by Flynn and Joel Wanasek who was also in charge of mixing the single alongside Zack Ohren. MACHINE HEAD once again tapped Seth Siro Anton to create the album artwork.

Last November, MACHINE HEAD released "These Scars Won't Define Us" as the first single from "Unatoned".

MACHINE HEAD's current lineup includes former HAVOK guitarist Reece Alan Scruggs. Scruggs stepped in for MACHINE HEAD's previous guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka, who had been unable to make some of the group's dates due to his touring commitments with his longtime band DECAPITATED.

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.

Vogg joined MACHINE HEAD's touring lineup prior to the launch of the band's "Burn My Eyes" 25th-anniversary tour in late 2019.

The rest of MACHINE HEAD's lineup consists of guitarist/vocalist Flynn, bassist Jared MacEachern and British drummer Matt Alston (DEVILMENT, EASTERN FRONT).

Earlier last year, MACHINE HEAD completed the "Slaughter The Martour" North American tour with support from L.A.'s FEAR FACTORY, Sweden's ORBIT CULTURE and Louisville, Kentucky's GATES TO HELL.

JUST ANNOUNCED: 100.3 The X presents Machine Head April 1st at Revolution Concert House & Event Center.

Special guests...

Posted by 100.3 The X on Tuesday, February 25, 2025

In a new interview with Chile's PowerOfMetal.cl, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner was asked if he and his bandmates have already commenced work on material for the follow-up to their "Invincible Shield" album, which came out a little over a year ago. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, we are always working on ideas and what we could do next. And if we did it, what would it sound like? What would we want to achieve creatively? So we always talk about that sort of stuff. We'll have to wait and see. I can't tell you too much at the moment. We'll have to wait and see. [Laughs]"

Regarding PRIEST's plans for the remainder of 2025 and beyond, Faulkner said: "So we come down to South America, as you know, in a couple of weeks. And then this summer in Europe, we are playing what we call the 'Shield Of Pain' tour. So it's the 35th anniversary of [JUDAS PRIEST's 1990 album] 'Painkiller' this year. So we are celebrating that record and we're also still celebrating the 'Invincible Shield' record. So that's the 'Shield Of Pain'. We're taking that through Europe. And then we're looking at some opportunities after that in 2025. And in '26 — who knows? We're always looking at opportunities, whether it's a new album or a new tour. But for now we're focused on South America. We are coming down to Chile, and we're gonna rock hard ride free, man. [Laughs]"

"Invincible Shield" entered the U.K. chart at No. 2, just behind Ariana Grande's "Eternal Sunshine".

Prior to "Invincible Shield"'s arrival, PRIEST's highest U.K. chart achievement was with 1980's "British Steel", which reached No. 4.

PRIEST's 2018 album "Firepower" entered the chart at No. 5.

"Invincible Shield" was JUDAS PRIEST's fifth Top 10 album, after the aforementioned "British Steel" and "Firepower", as well as 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" (No. 6) and the 1979 live album "Unleashed In The East" (No. 10).

"Invincible Shield" landed at No. 1 in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as No. 5 in France, No. 8 in Italy and No. 16 in Australia.

JUDAS PRIEST will celebrate the 35th anniversary of its classic album "Painkiller" extensively live with the "Shield Of Pain" tour. This "rare" and "unique set" will include "beloved classics" and "will be defending the metal faith in a truly memorable experience throughout Europe" this summer, according to a social media post from PRIEST.

In a new interview with the "Everblack" podcast, former MOTÖRHEAD and current PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS guitarist Phil Campbell was asked about BLACK SABBATH's upcoming reunion concert, which will take place on July 5 in the band's original hometown of Birmingham, United Kingdom. Ozzy Osbourne and the rest of the original BLACK SABBATH lineup — guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — will perform one last time as part a fundraising event at Villa Park, featuring a host of bands they inspired, including METALLICA, PANTERA, SLAYER, GOJIRA and ANTHRAX. Asked if he is planning to attend the show, Phil said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think we are away anyway, but I don't go very far to see acts now. I'd rather stay home with my wife and my dogs, to be honest, I value my home time now. I've been doing so much touring. But I wish Ozzy all the best, and I'm sure it'll be a great day. I wouldn't like to be in Tom Morello's shoes, though. He is the M.D. [musical director] of the day, organizing it all, so he's probably got a hardest job of the lot, taking on that.

"Yeah, it is gonna be amazing — some brilliant bands on there," Campbell continued. "And I don't how long the sets are gonna be — I don't think they're gonna be that long, with all them bands — probably about 20 minutes each band or something like that. I don't know. I'm just guessing. But I hope Ozzy goes out in style again. And, yeah, I'm sure it'll be a fantastic day for everyone."

When the interviewer noted that guys like Ozzy and late MOTÖRHEAD legend Lemmy and "all one of a kind" and the rock world will likely never see anybody like them again, Phil concurred. "Well, you never know, but I can't see anyone getting close to being Lemmy," he said. "He was rock and roll — he lived and breathed it. Ozzy is unique as well; [he has] his own persona. But these people don't come around very often, if ever. They are totally individual, unique characters, and it's a wonderful thing. And when these people stop, these eccentric characters, the world is a sadder, a darker place then. We need these people. Not this politically correct bullshit that everyone wants these days. You can't even wolf whistle anymore; you get arrested over here."

"Back To The Beginning" sold out in less than 10 minutes in February. The concert will mark the first time that the original lineup of BLACK SABBATH has played together in 20 years.

In addition, there will be a performance by a "supergroup of musicians" including Duff McKagan and Slash (GUNS 'N' ROSES),Billy Corgan (THE SMASHING PUMPKINS),Fred Durst (LIMP BIZKIT),K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST),Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE),Wolfgang Van Halen (VAN HALEN, MAMMOTH WVH),Andrew Watt, Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),David Ellefson (MEGADETH),Vernon Reid (LIVING COLOUR),Whitfield Crane (UGLY KID JOE),David Draiman (DISTURBED),Frank Bello (ANTHRAX),Jonathan Davis (KORN),Lzzy Hale (HALESTORM),Mike Bordin (FAITH NO MORE),Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, QUIET RIOT),Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (ANTHRAX),Sleep Token II (SLEEP TOKEN) and Papa V Perpetua (GHOST).

Ozzy — who hasn't played a full show since late 2018 — announced his last-ever performance on February 5.

Proceeds from the "Back To The Beginning" show will support Cure Parkinson's, the Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice, a Children's Hospice supported by Aston Villa.

The original lineup of BLACK SABBATH last performed in 2005. Since then, SABBATH has played in partial reunions but never in its original lineup.

The legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman was diagnosed in 2003 with Parkin 2 — a very rare genetic form of Parkinson's. During a TV appearance in January 2020, the singer disclosed that he was 'stricken" with the disease which occurs when the nerve cells of the body degenerate and levels of dopamine are reduced. Dopamine is an essential chemical that is produced by these nerve cells which send signals to different parts of the brain to control movements of the body.

Ozzy's health issues, including suffering a nasty fall and dislodging metal rods placed in his spine following a quad-bike accident in 2003, as well as catching COVID-19 three years ago, forced him to cancel some of his previously announced tours.

While Osbourne's health issues forced him to scrap most of his live appearances, the musician said he would return if his condition improved.

Despite his health problems, Osbourne has performed a couple of times in the last three years, including at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August 2022 and at the NFL halftime show at the season opener Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills game in September 2022.

Sharon Osbourne has told Metal Hammer magazine that she is open to the possibility of a BLACK SABBATH avatar-style show.

Asked if she would consider the idea of taking inspiration from the technology originally developed for ABBA's "Voyage" show in London for a SABBATH virtual project in the future, Ozzy Osbourne's wife and manager said: "Sure I would, yeah.

"Technology keeps moving on and on," she explained. "You can do incredible things now, so what you could do in five years will be even better.

"You never know what the opportunities are," she added.

One legendary rock band which is already in the process of developing an avatar show is KISS. The KISS avatars were created by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and were financed and produced by the Swedish company Pophouse Entertainment, which is behind "ABBA Voyage".

Using cutting-edge technology, Pophouse Entertainment Group, which was founded by ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus, will create digital versions of KISS. The project was previewed at the final KISS concert in New York in December 2023.

Last December, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons told "The Zak Kuhn Show" podcast that the technology originally developed for ABBA's "Voyage" "is now yesterday's news." Asked if the KISS avatar show will "totally blow away" "ABBA Voyage", Simmons said: "It already does, yeah. Uh-huh… Technology, I'm sure you keep up with it, is growing by leaps and bounds… The future is here. A.I. now fixes itself and teaches itself. And so the technology has advanced by leaps and bounds even where the ABBA show was. You could swear ABBA was live on stage, but you have to look straight forward. If you look to the left or right, you can see your neighbor sitting behind you or next to you. And so you have that kind of, 'Oh, this is reality. And what's on stage looks like reality.' But as you know, with 3D glasses, virtual glasses, your sense of what's real and what's not is skewed. So there's all that."

Last October, KISS frontman Paul Stanley was also full of praise for "ABBA Voyage", which has been very lucrative since debuting in May 2022. He told "Steve-O's Wild Ride! Podcast": "Yeah, that lives in London, and that's sold out for four years now, I think — every night, eight shows a week," Stanley said. "And it's amazing because I've seen it twice and the audience is just thrilled and so much a part of it. It's not like, 'Oh, we're watching something that's not real.' It's real… I mean, you can see through the clothes. They move back and forth, they interact. It's unbelievable. And when I saw it the first time, at the end of the show, the curtain pulled back and [the] ABBA [members as they look] today, the four of them, came walking out. And I was, like, 'Wow, I'm here on this night to see [the four of them at the performance].' [But] it wasn't them. That's how good it is."

Regarding KISS's apparent willingness to fully embrace modern technology, Simmons told Rockast: "Well, everything evolves. We didn't always stand up on two legs. A few million years ago, we were on four legs. Everything evolves, and you either evolve or you become obsolete or you die. So technology is here. A.I. is here. Virtual reality is here. Everything is here. And we don't wanna be yesterday's news. So even the end of something can be the beginning of something. But we're very excited — and proud. I keep saying proud, because that's what it is."

In a separate interview with TMZ, Simmons was asked if fans will embrace the concept of a concert that is A.I.-driven and consists of nothing but holograms. Gene responded: "It's not just, 'Okay, they're gonna show up on stage just like they did before, but it's holograms. No. That's an archaic term. Technology has advanced so far, you won't believe it.

"We spent some time at George Lucas's place and did motion capture stuff secretly," he continued. "We didn't talk to anybody — media or anything — about it, because we wanted this to be like nothing anybody's ever seen. And I will tell you, if you've seen the ABBA show in London, which is phenomenal, this is gonna be beyond anything you've ever seen.

"So the future is here, and with our friends at Pophouse, who are visionaries, we're gonna be doing things that no band and no musical — nobody's ever done before," Gene added. "Our events are going to be multi, I wanna say multidimensional. You just won't believe your eyes. Things are gonna be so much larger than life in front of you. You won't believe it. We've already seen the first fragments of that. It's just jaw-droppingly amazing."

Swedish/Canadian/American extreme metal titans ARCH ENEMY have released an official music video for the song "A Million Suns". The track is taken from the band's latest album, "Blood Dynasty", which arrived on March 28 via Century Media Records.

Last month, ARCH ENEMY founder and guitarist Michael Amott told Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show that it would be "interesting" for him and his bandmates to perform "A Million Suns" live. "It's got a very new sort of atmosphere for us," he explained.

Amott previously stated about "Blood Dynasty": "This new album pushes the boundaries of what we've done before — it's everything you've come to expect from this band, and then some! We can't wait for you to hear it and feel the energy we've poured into every track. Welcome to the 'Blood Dynasty'!"

Eight months ago, Amott told Pulp Magazine about the first single from "Blood Dynasty", a song called "Dream Stealer", and ARCH ENEMY's plans for new music: "We've been staying busy for sure and are really focused on writing and recording new stuff in between the touring we're doing. I'm kind of always coming up with new musical and lyrical ideas though — I just keep going as it's what I enjoy doing anyway. Making music is a natural process, and it's pretty much a daily thing, so it can be hard to pinpoint exactly when everything was conceived. I do, however, actually remember that the initial seed for 'Dream Stealer' was written during a songwriting session I did with Daniel [Erlandsson, drums] in Los Angeles, California, two years ago, and then it's been rearranged and updated a lot till it reached its final state that you're now hearing."

Asked if it was a conscious decision to go back to the "classic ARCH ENEMY" direction and approach with "Dream Stealer", Amott said: "I've seen some seriously great feedback from the fans, and that's always very encouraging, of course. Personally, I don't know if I’d necessarily say 'Dream Stealer' is a throwback to the sound of the past, but I get what they mean — the song has the energy and speed that is very exciting and infectious. Maybe there is a hint of vintage ARCH ENEMY in there, and why not? I'm looking forward to playing it live on stage — I think it is going to be intense as hell."

ARCH ENEMY played its first concert with new guitarist Joey Concepcion on April 24, 2024 at Musinsa Garage in Seoul, South Korea. The show was part of ARCH ENEMY's 2024 Asian tour.

In December 2023, ARCH ENEMY announced that it had "amicably" parted ways with longtime guitarist Jeff Loomis.

Jeff, who was the main songwriter in his previous group, NEVERMORE, joined ARCH ENEMY in late 2014, but was not involved in the writing for the latter act's last two albums, 2017's "Will To Power" and 2022's "Deceivers".

Photo credit: Katja Kuhl

GODSMACK has confirmed the departure of the band's longtime drummer Shannon Larkin and guitarist Tony Rombola.

Earlier today, GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna released the following statement via social media: "To our dearest friends and fans, we send this message to all of you to share some bittersweet news with you regarding a significant change in our journey together.

"After almost 3 incredible decades, two of our most cherished members, Tony Rombola and Shannon Larkin have decided to retire from the band permanently, on good terms, but for no other reason than to fulfill their desire to live a more simple and quiet life away from touring.

"This decision was not made lightly. Tony and Shannon have been such a big part of our history, bringing their unique talents, creativity, and passion that have shaped our music and our message. Together, we have experienced countless, unforgettable moments and heartfelt interactions with fans like you around the world. We are immensely grateful for every memory we've created together.

"Their departure marks the end of an era, but it also opens the door for new and exciting possibilities. We want to assure you that Shannon and Tony will always be part of our family, and their contributions will forever echo in our music. We respect their decisions and support them wholeheartedly as they pursue their own individual paths.

"Robbie [Merrill, GODSMACK bassist] and I are also excited to explore new directions, and although we have not made any permanent decisions about who may replace Tony and Shannon, we will be continuing this journey together, and we look forward to sharing the decisions we make with all of you as they happen.

"In the meantime, some of you may have heard, drummer Will Hunt of EVANESCENCE, along with guitarist Sam Koltun of DOROTHY are filling in for Shannon and Tony as we honor and complete our current European dates.

"Thank you for your unwavering support over the years. We are grateful to have you by our side as we navigate this transition. Let's celebrate the memories we've made together while we all look forward to our future together.

"With love and respect, Sully, Robbie, Tony, Shannon".

GODSMACK kicked off its 2025 European tour on March 22 at Arena 8888 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The day before the Sofia concert, Erna told Elena Rozberg of Bulgaria's Z-Rock radio station that "personal things" were preventing Tony and Shannon from taking part in the trek and explained that "a couple of guest musicians" were playing with GODSMACK while he and Merrill were " trying to figure out exactly what's happening".

In a since-deleted video shared on Facebook, Larkin addressed his absence from GODSMACK's ongoing tour, saying:  "Well, there's been lots of speculation about [why Tony and I are not on the road].

"First of all, I just wanna thank everybody for the outpouring of texts, all my family and friends. I'm okay. Tony's okay. But we did quit the band last year, after lots of talking to Sully and Robbie. And they understood that we didn't wanna tour anymore — that's the reason — and we understood that they wanted to tour. And so we understood each other. And in the end, GODSMACK's out there touring and we are happily here living our lives.

"Tony turned 60. I'm 58. Look, it's not a physical thing. We wanna be home with everything that we love.

"[It's been] 40 years — think of that; 40 years I've been touring. 28 years for Rombola. And we're getting a little older, so we decided to quit it. And that's it.

"But thanks. And we love you all, the fans and everything.

"This wasn't a bad thing, and I know it looks like it, but I will talk more about it in the future. But it's all love. We're brothers for life with Sully and Robbie, and we wish Will and Sam the best. And all the fans, keep going [to the shows]. They're kicking fucking ass.

"As Sully said at the very end, all good things must come to an end. So GODSMACK didn't come to an end — it's just a new chapter for them — and it's certainly a new chapter for Tony and I. And we're already making music, and everybody's happy. So be happy, people."

In the Z-Rock interview, Sully said about GODSMACK's current status: "I can tell you that there has definitely been some changes that have happened in the last few months. They are changes that we're not sure will be permanent or temporary, but everybody and everyone is in good health and in really good spirits. And the band is doing better than ever. We're [playing to] the biggest audiences ever, and the shows are just becoming more and more valuable, because, as we get older, we still appreciate coming to places like Sofia that is so far away from where we started and being able to come here and sell out a 13,000-seat arena.

"All I can tell you right now is that the band is in good health, we're in good spirits, but there's gonna be a little bit of a different visual for everybody. Tony and Shannon have some personal things going on, and they're not with us. So we have a couple of guest musicians playing with us that are phenomenal."

Asked to elaborate on the reason for Shannon and Tony's absences from the trek, Sully said: "Hmmmm… I don't know. I don't know. I don't know if I feel safe enough talking about that yet, because I don't wanna give people the wrong impression. Right now we're still at a stage where we're trying to figure out exactly what's happening, but we're also trying to respect their privacy. So whatever Tony and Shannon have going on in their personal life, we're just trying to respect that and at the same time still come here and put on a really great show. I can tell you right now that we have a guest drummer playing with us, who's Will from EVANESCENCE. And he is such a good friend of ours and such a great musician, and we've been having so much fun with him. So that's been a real surprise. And then we have a guitar player with us named Sam Koltun, who is somebody who — he's played with several different bands and a really, really nice guy and great guitar player. So as far as the music goes and the sound, it sounds exactly like we've always sounded, which is even surprising to me."

Larkin joined GODSMACK in 2002 after cutting his teeth with WRATHCHILD (later WRATCHILD AMERICA and SOULS AT ZERO) before getting picked up by UGLY KID JOE in time for a taste of their zenith.

Tony had been the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for GODSMACK since the mid-1990s following the departure of Lee Richards.

GODSMACK's spring 2025 European tour features support from P.O.D. and DROWNING POOL.

The 14-date trek will end on April 12 in Oberhausen, Germany.

GODSMACK's latest album, "Lighting Up The Sky", was released in February 2023 via BMG. The LP was co-produced by Erna and Andrew "Mudrock" Murdock (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ALICE COOPER).

The first single from "Lighting Up The Sky", "Surrender", which arrived in September 2022, marked the first release from GODSMACK in four years, following their globally acclaimed and gold-certified 2018 album "When Legends Rise", which earned the Erna-fronted outfit a No. 1 spot across U.S. Hard Rock, Rock, and Alternative album charts.

Press photo by Chris Bradshaw

Posted by Godsmack on Wednesday, April 2, 2025

In a new interview with John Beaudin of RockHistoryMusic.com, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman spoke about the relationship he has with some of his longtime fans. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "My fans, they put up with a lot of stuff because you never know what they found me from, you never know what they like me from. And I've pretty much a hundred percent only done exactly what I wanna do, so I never really kind of pandered to what I thought the fans would like. I knew that anything that I do is gonna delight some people and maybe some people are gonna say, 'Well, it's not for me.' But I'm fine with that. That's the expense of having the luxury of doing exactly what I want. And I think that's what's kept me happy to play music for all these years, because when you hear an album or when you see us live, that's when you know it's exactly what I wanna do. I'm not trying to get on any trend or try to do market research — 'What are they listening to?' — or any of that. It's just the real thing, and I think my super, super fans can follow the thread between all of those things, 'cause my musicality is the same no matter what I'm doing. So, I am so blessed and honored to have fans that followed me through all that stuff."

Marty continued: "When we do these VIP experience things [at my concerts], [my fans] bring so many wonderful things of my career that I'm just so glad that they followed me through all this stuff. It's like someone coming to your house and looking through your drawers and saying, 'Oh, yeah, I remember that jean jacket. That's cool, dude.' It's very personal — my music is personal — and it's just wonderful that people join the party at all. So, yeah, I'm very happy to have the fans around."

Friedman kicked off his "Live Drama 2025" U.S. tour on January 25 at Count's Vamp'd in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Friedman's latest solo album, "Drama", came out last May via Frontiers Music Srl.

Recorded in Italy, "Drama" showcases Marty's unique touch, for the first time using both vintage and modern guitars, delivering a pure delight for lovers of music everywhere. From the captivating first single "Illumination", to the album's breathtaking "Mirage" and 10 other emotionally charged mini-symphonies, Marty paints atmospheric elements with a modern and exotic flair, promising an unforgettable musical experience.

Marty's presence in the world of music, the world of guitar and Japanese pop culture is mystifying, bizarre, and nothing short of inspiring. His first major impact in music was in the game-changing guitar duo CACOPHONY, which he founded with equally enigmatic and now-legendary guitarist Jason Becker. He then spent 10 years as lead guitarist in the genre-defining thrash metal act MEGADETH before moving to Tokyo due to his love for Japanese music, language, and culture.

Following his move, he landed a starring role for a new TV comedy "Hebimeta-san" ("Mr. Heavy Metal") and its spinoff, "Rock Fujiyama", which ran for six seasons and propelled him into the living rooms of Japan's mainstream. He has since appeared in over 800 TV shows, movies and commercials, including a two-year campaign with Coca-Cola for Fanta, authored two best-selling novels and was the first-ever foreigner to be appointed as an ambassador of Japan heritage and perform at the opening ceremony for the Tokyo Marathon.

At the same time, Marty has continued his career in music with several solo albums in addition to writing and performing with the top artists in Japanese music, racking up countless chart hits, including a No. 1 with SMAP, two No. 2 songs with MOMOIRO CLOVER, a No. 2 with SOUND HORIZON — just to name a few.

Friedman's autobiography, "Dreaming Japanese", arrived on December 3, 2024 via Permuted Press.