According to Variety, Perry Farrell has filed a lawsuit against JANE'S ADDICTION bandmates Dave Navarro, Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins, just hours after they sued him.

Navarro, Avery and Perkins filed a lawsuit against Farrell Wednesday (July 16) over the singer's onstage altercation with Navarro last September that forced the cancelation of JANE'S ADDICTION's reunion tour. Their claims include intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract, while claims from Navarro include allegations of assault and battery over the incident.

In his complaint — which, according to Variety, is not a countersuit — Perry states: "That JANE'S ADDICTION's bandmates have sometimes been antagonistic towards each other has been well-documented. But Navarro, Avery and Perkins apparently decided that JANE'S ADDICTION's decades of success should be jettisoned in pursuit of a years-long bullying campaign against Farrell involving harassing him onstage during performances, including, among other tactics, trying to undermine him by playing their instruments at a high volume so that he could not hear himself sing without blasting his own in-ear monitors at an unsafe level. This harassment escalated on September 13, 2024 to physical violence by Navarro and Avery against Farrell onstage during the Boston show and the assault of both Perry and [Perry's wife] Etty Lau Farrell backstage by Navarro. These altercations precipitated the decision by Navarro, Avery and Perkins to both call off the rest of the band's North American tour. Without warning or consultation and using Perry Farrell, as a scapegoat, Navarro and the other band members took it upon themselves to abruptly cancel the remaining tour dates — violating contracts and disregarding all professional obligations — and apparently break up the band for good."

Regarding Navarro's alleged backstage assault, the complaint reads: "Navarro now falsely claims Farrell hit Navarro with a sucker punch. What actually happened was that it was Navarro who menacingly charged at and aggressively assaulted both Farrell and his wife Etty Lau backstage, shouting, 'What the fuck was that, you motherfucker?!' Farrell took a defensive stance and shouted, 'Get the fuck out of here!' to which Navarro replied, 'I am never working with you again!'"

The complaint continues: "[Farrell] was not even consulted about cancelling the tour and would not have agreed to do so due to the financial and reputational consequences, as well as exposure to third-party legal liability created by their allowing Wilton Hilton, Inc., the band's touring company, breach its touring commitments."

In a statement shared with Variety, Farrell said of the trio's lawsuit: "As a founding member and creative force behind JANE'S ADDICTION, Perry Farrell has always prioritized the band's legacy and its supporters, which is why the events of September 13th, 2024 in Boston and the resulting fallout was so devastating. Without warning or consultation and using Perry as a scapegoat, Dave Navarro and the other band members took it upon themselves to abruptly cancel the remaining tour dates — violating contracts and disregarding all professional obligations. Perry was blindsided by not being allowed to vote and be heard, leaving him unable to plead his case to continue the tour for their fans. If that was not harmful enough, Dave Navarro then intentionally and publicly blamed Perry for the canceled tour dates effectively destroying Perry's reputation and causing him irreparable harm. Despite this continued bullying perpetuated by Navarro, Perry's dedication to JANE'S ADDICTION and the preservation of its positive impact on the music industry remains unshaken. He is actively exploring ways to address the situation and ensure accountability."

According to Rolling Stone, Navarro, Avery and Perkins filed their lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging that the group lost over $10 million as a result of the tour's cancelation.

"The Band can no longer function as a result of the Defendant’s conduct, including his sudden, violent outbursts and demonstrated inability to serve as the Band's frontman and vocalist," their complaint said. "The physical, emotional, and financial harms Defendant has wrought have deeply impacted the Plaintiffs, their families, and their loved ones, and it is time for Defendant to face the consequences of his actions and be held accountable."

The JANE'S ADDICTION members also alleged in their lawsuit that Farrell was often unable to deliver on stage as a result of his alcohol consumption.

"Plaintiffs (and others in attendance) had observed during the Tour that Perry regularly appeared onstage in an advanced state of intoxication," reads the complaint. "He would often drink wine onstage and slur his speech. Perry frequently went on long, rambling discursions between songs for no apparent purpose other than for his own amusement. The problems with Perry's performance would often worsen as the night wore on and he became more intoxicated."

Christopher Frost, the attorney representing Navarro, Avery and Perkins, said in a statement to Rolling Stone: "Dave Navarro, Eric Avery, and Stephen Perkins had high hopes that they could capture the pure spirit of the band's early days and build on it. Initially they did, in the studio and onstage. But … they did so with a fourth bandmate who was by turns unwilling or unable to perform to a reasonable standard and who repeatedly threatened to derail the tour."

The attorney added that Farrell "abruptly and unilaterally ended all the plans for a JANE'S ADDICTION revival" following the aforementioned incident and "left his bandmates holding the bag for an unfulfilled tour and record deal… Dave, Eric, and Stephen never wanted it to come to this. But they have been wronged, want the accurate story told, and they deserve a resolution."

JANE'S ADDICTION's September 13, 2024 concert at Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston came to a sudden end after Farrell bumped Navarro's shoulder with his own before seemingly yelling at the guitarist. Navarro then placed a hand between himself and Perry before Farrell appeared to throw a punch at him. Another man then jumped between them, breaking up the fight. A couple of days later, JANE'S ADDICTION announced that it was scrapping the rest of its tour dates following the incident. The band said it "made the difficult decision to take some time away as a group," therefore scrapping the rest of the dates of their tour. A short time later, Navarro, along with drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery, posted a joint statement to their respective Instagram accounts in which they said the cancelation of the tour is a result of a "continuing pattern of behavior and the mental health difficulties of our singer Perry Farrell."

"Our concern for his personal health and safety as well as our own has left us no alternative. We hope that he will find the help he needs," the statement read.

Navarro, Perkins and Avery expressed "regret" for the cancelation but added that they "can see no solution that would either ensure a safe environment on stage or reliably allow us to deliver a great performance on a nightly basis."

"Our hearts are broken," the statement concluded.

Later that same day, Farrell wrote in a statement posted to his Instagram story that "this weekend has been incredibly difficult and after having the time and space to reflect, it is only right that I apologize to my bandmates, especially Dave Navarro, fans, family and friends for my actions during Friday's show."

His statement added: "Unfortunately, my breaking point resulted in inexcusable behavior, and I take full accountability for how I chose to handle the situation."

A few days after the tour cancelation, JANE'S ADDICTION released a new single, "True Love". The track, which was performed live for the first time in 2023 and had been played at a few other shows since, was the second new single from the band's classic lineup of Farrell, Navarro, Perkins and Avery, following "Imminent Redemption", which arrived in July 2024.

"True Love" was written by Farrell, Navarro, Avery and Perkins, with assistance from touring guitarist Josh Klinghoffer.

"Imminent Redemption" was tracked at Sweetzwerland Studios in Hollywood, California.

Prior to "Imminent Redemption"'s arrival, Avery's last time in the studio with JANE'S ADDICTION was for the classic 1990 album "Ritual De Lo Habitual".

"Imminent Redemption" was first performed live when JANE'S ADDICTION's classic lineup played its first show in 14 years on May 23, 2024 at London, United Kingdom's Bush Hall.

Navarro sat out JANE'S ADDICTION's 2022 and 2023 shows due to his battle with long COVID. He was replaced at that year's gigs by Klinghoffer, a former member of RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS who also records with Eddie Vedder and performs with PEARL JAM. 2022 saw QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's Troy Van Leeuwen step in for Navarro.

The fall 2022 "Spirit On Fire" tour marked the first JANE'S ADDICTION run of shows in more than a decade to feature returning Avery. Prior to that, Avery last played with the band for a short stint in the 2000s before departing again in 2010.

According to Rolling Stone, JANE'S ADDICTION members Dave Navarro, Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins have filed a lawsuit against lead singer Perry Farrell, claiming an onstage altercation between Farrell and Navarro last September resulted in the cancelation of both their North American tour and a planned album. Navarro is also suing Farrell for assault and battery related to the incident.

The complaint, filed on Wednesday (July 16) in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleges that the group lost over $10 million as a result of the tour's cancelation.

"The Band can no longer function as a result of the Defendant’s conduct, including his sudden, violent outbursts and demonstrated inability to serve as the Band's frontman and vocalist," the complaint says. "The physical, emotional, and financial harms Defendant has wrought have deeply impacted the Plaintiffs, their families, and their loved ones, and it is time for Defendant to face the consequences of his actions and be held accountable."

The JANE'S ADDICTION members also allege in the lawsuit that Farrell was often unable to deliver on stage as a result of his alcohol consumption.

"Plaintiffs (and others in attendance) had observed during the Tour that Perry regularly appeared onstage in an advanced state of intoxication," reads the complaint. "He would often drink wine onstage and slur his speech. Perry frequently went on long, rambling discursions between songs for no apparent purpose other than for his own amusement. The problems with Perry's performance would often worsen as the night wore on and he became more intoxicated."

Christopher Frost, the attorney representing the band, said in a statement to Rolling Stone: "Dave Navarro, Eric Avery, and Stephen Perkins had high hopes that they could capture the pure spirit of the band's early days and build on it. Initially they did, in the studio and onstage. But … they did so with a fourth bandmate who was by turns unwilling or unable to perform to a reasonable standard and who repeatedly threatened to derail the tour."

The attorney added that Farrell "abruptly and unilaterally ended all the plans for a JANE'S ADDICTION revival" following the aforementioned incident and "left his bandmates holding the bag for an unfulfilled tour and record deal… Dave, Eric, and Stephen never wanted it to come to this. But they have been wronged, want the accurate story told, and they deserve a resolution."

JANE'S ADDICTION's September 13, 2024 concert at Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston came to a sudden end after Farrell bumped Navarro's shoulder with his own before seemingly yelling at the guitarist. Navarro then placed a hand between himself and Perry before Farrell appeared to throw a punch at him. Another man then jumped between them, breaking up the fight. A couple of days later, JANE'S ADDICTION announced that it was scrapping the rest of its tour dates following the incident. The band said it "made the difficult decision to take some time away as a group," therefore scrapping the rest of the dates of their tour. A short time later, Navarro, along with drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery, posted a joint statement to their respective Instagram accounts in which they said the cancelation of the tour is a result of a "continuing pattern of behavior and the mental health difficulties of our singer Perry Farrell."

"Our concern for his personal health and safety as well as our own has left us no alternative. We hope that he will find the help he needs," the statement read.

Navarro, Perkins and Avery expressed "regret" for the cancelation but added that they "can see no solution that would either ensure a safe environment on stage or reliably allow us to deliver a great performance on a nightly basis."

"Our hearts are broken," the statement concluded.

Later that same day, Farrell wrote in a statement posted to his Instagram story that "this weekend has been incredibly difficult and after having the time and space to reflect, it is only right that I apologize to my bandmates, especially Dave Navarro, fans, family and friends for my actions during Friday's show."

His statement added: "Unfortunately, my breaking point resulted in inexcusable behavior, and I take full accountability for how I chose to handle the situation."

A few days after the tour cancelation, JANE'S ADDICTION released a new single, "True Love". The track, which was performed live for the first time in 2023 and had been played at a few other shows since, was the second new single from the band's classic lineup of Farrell, Navarro, Perkins and Avery, following "Imminent Redemption", which arrived in July 2024.

"True Love" was written by Farrell, Navarro, Avery and Perkins, with assistance from touring guitarist Josh Klinghoffer.

"Imminent Redemption" was tracked at Sweetzwerland Studios in Hollywood, California.

Prior to "Imminent Redemption"'s arrival, Avery's last time in the studio with JANE'S ADDICTION was for the classic 1990 album "Ritual De Lo Habitual".

"Imminent Redemption" was first performed live when JANE'S ADDICTION's classic lineup played its first show in 14 years on May 23, 2024 at London, United Kingdom's Bush Hall.

Navarro sat out JANE'S ADDICTION's 2022 and 2023 shows due to his battle with long COVID. He was replaced at that year's gigs by Klinghoffer, a former member of RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS who also records with Eddie Vedder and performs with PEARL JAM. 2022 saw QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's Troy Van Leeuwen step in for Navarro.

The fall 2022 "Spirit On Fire" tour marked the first JANE'S ADDICTION run of shows in more than a decade to feature returning Avery. Prior to that, Avery last played with the band for a short stint in the 2000s before departing again in 2010.

Scalding Blood Has Been Unleashed…

The official Cannibal Corpse hot sauce is loose in the wild – and it’s dripping, screaming, and burning its way into your flesh right f’king now!

Brewed in a cauldron of Carolina Reaper, Scorpion Pepper mash, and a shot of bourbon-soaked agony, this is a sauce designed to flay your throat and cauterize the wound on the way down!

The label is drenched in gore, illustrated by none other than Vince Locke – the depraved genius and longtime collaborator of Cannibal Corpse. His art has skinned bodies, crushed skulls, and spilled guts for decades – and now it stares at you from the face of this bottle like a curse.

Each bottle is sealed with a blood-red wax drip, as if it clawed its way out of a corpse, and comes in its own evidence bag.

Available now, exclusively in the UK – but don’t relax, US maniacs… your time is coming! We’ll be announcing US shipping very soon. Europe you’ll be next.

This is just the first cut. Exclusive Scalding Blood merch and limited edition bottles are coming later this year, stitched together from bone, fire, and nightmares.

There’s no turning back… Scalding Blood is coming for you…

In a new interview with Metalshop TV, KITTIE guitarist/vocalist Morgan Lander was asked why she and her bandmates no longer like to be labeled a "nu metal" act. She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, because I think the label is not representative of our music anymore. I think for a long time it felt like it was a little bit of a bad word, because nu metal, it was on a pedestal and then it fell and it sort of became a bit of a parody of itself. And we moved away from that sound early on. Our second album [2001's 'Oracle'] was sort of a little bit less of that. But we are still very proud to say that we helped to start some of the movement. And we were one of the earlier nu metal bands and people found us popular. So, yeah, we're proud to say that that album [KITTIE's 1999 debut 'Spit'] was influential in that genre. But we don't really sound like that anymore. So we're not still a nu metal band."

Back in May 2024, KITTIE members Morgan, Mercedes Lander (drums) and Tara McLeod (guitar) spoke about how they feel about the supposed nu-metal resurgence in recent years, partly thanks to a whole new wave of exciting revivalists as well as scene godfathers like LIMP BIZKIT and MUDVAYNE returning to headlining arenas. Tara told the "The Ex-Man" podcast: "It just seems like every time there's a shift in music, everyone hates it at first. A big, popular shift, everyone has to hate it at first. And I think with nu metal, it's like a simplified form of music, but that doesn't make it a lesser-than form of music. And I think that oftentimes it takes a little bit of growth and perhaps some years for some of the music fans to catch up and look back and realize, like, 'Wow, okay, that was super catchy. And actually writing those riffs and the hooks and the vocals, that's actually not simple.' They're, like, simplified; it's not simple."

Added Mercedes: "Honestly, go and listen to any of [LIMP BIZKIT guitarist] Wes Borland's playing. That's not easy. Also, [LIMP BIZKIT drummer] John Otto, the GOAT. Have you ever watched John Otto play drums? He's amazing."

Morgan said that it takes restraint for skilled musicians "to not overplay. And I think that is a sign of real talent, and also being strategic about where you're putting things in and how you're writing," she added.

Mercedes continued: "I think a lot of people confuse busy playing with good music. 'Cause there's a lot of busy songs that I'm, like, 'This song sucks.' It doesn't have to be super busy or shreddy or whatever, it doesn't have to be like that to be good. It's the same thing as I like to say — just 'cause you can play fast, it doesn't mean that you should… Giving yourself that space can provide you with so much more. Keeping your music kind of simplistic even, and giving yourself that space, you can do more vocally or whatever the case might be. Less is more sometimes."

In a separate interview with Metal Hammer magazine, Morgan shot down any suggestion that KITTIE's comeback was timed to coincide with nu-metal's resurgence.

"We're not a nu-metal band, and we never will be again," she said. "We're not trying to recapture something that is long gone for us. There might be a riff or an idea that harkens back to who we were in the past, but that is married with the more modern ideas of KITTIE as well. It's probably the best-sounding album that we've ever recorded. It has its foot in many worlds. I feel like when we were writing this album, there didn't feel like there was anything to prove. So it's definitely heavy and more mature, and the songwriting is incredible."

"I feel like we could have phoned it in and done what people expected us to do, but we've never been that band," added Mercedes. "We've always defied everything and done our own thing, and I think we're going to continue to do that. And that is the beauty of this band."

KITTIE's long-awaited new studio album, "Fire", came out in June 2024 via Sumerian Records.

In November 2023, it was revealed that KITTIE was working on a new studio LP with producer Nick Raskulinecz at Nashville's Sienna Studios.

Raskulinecz, who moved to Nashville from Los Angeles around 17 years ago, had previously worked with such acts as RUSH, ALICE IN CHAINS, KORN, RISE AGAINST, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, SKID ROW and the DEFTONES.

KITTIE played its first concert in five years in September 2022 at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.

Joining Morgan, Mercedes and Tara in KITTIE's current lineup is bassist Ivana "Ivy" Vujic.

Prior to Blue Ridge, KITTIE had not performed since its reunion show at London Music Hall in the band's native London, Ontario in 2017, celebrating the group's documentary "Kittie: Origins/Evolutions".

Vujic joined KITTIE in 2008 and appeared on the band's fifth studio CD, 2009's "In The Black". She also wrote and recorded bass for KITTIE's sixth album, 2011's "I've Failed You".

After KITTIE completed the touring cycle for "I've Failed You" album, the band entered a long period of inactivity during which Morgan focused on a marketing job for a chain of fitness clubs while Mercedes worked in real estate and more recently at a software company. The group also began work on a career-spanning documentary, "Origins/Evolutions", which finally saw the light of day in 2018 via Lightyear Entertainment in North America.

Photo credit: Dante Dellamore

Following the launch of their landmark "'Long Live': The Black Parade Tour", MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE's groundbreaking four-times-platinum 2006 album "The Black Parade" has earned ten new certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

The album's lead single "Welcome To The Black Parade" is now certified seven times platinum, "Teenagers" is now six times platinum, "Famous Last Words" is double platinum, and "I Don't Love You" and "Mama" ascend to platinum status. Additionally, album tracks "House Of Wolves", "The End.", "The Sharpest Lives", "This Is How I Disappear" and "Disenchanted" are now certified gold.

This past Friday, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE kicked off their "'Long Live': The Black Parade Tour" with a sold-out show at Seattle, Washington's T-Mobile Park. The Seattle Times praised: "MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE's devilishly over-the-top ''Long Live': The Black Parade Tour' opened with a magnificent bang, cementing its place as the blockbuster rock tour of the summer." The tour, which sees the group perform "The Black Parade" in its entirety as well as a complete second set filled with fan favorites, will visit North American stadiums throughout the summer, and resume in February with two shows at Mexico City's Estadio GNP Seguros. MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE also just announced tours of South America and Southeast Asia in 2026.

Earlier this year, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE announced the expanded edition of its three-times-platinum-certified sophomore album "Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge", out on June 6, 2025 — exactly 21 years to the original release date. The "Deluxe Edition" is remixed and remastered and is available on CD, multiple colored vinyl variants, including a stunning zoetrope 2LP, and digitally. The 2LP vinyl formats are three-sided, with Side 4 boasting a special etching, making them collector's items for the MCRmy.

To commemorate the band's beloved 2004 album, Grammy Award-winning producer Rich Costey has done new mixes for the "Deluxe Edition". It is also presented with brand new artwork. The collection features four bonus tracks recorded for BBC in 2005: previously unreleased live versions of "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)", "Helena" and "The Ghost Of You", plus a live take on "You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison" — originally released as a B-side on the limited edition U.K. CD single of "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)".

"Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge" redefined the 21st-century rock genre and catapulted MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE into global stardom. Rolling Stone touted it on the "40 Greatest Emo Albums Of All Time", proclaiming the band's "purposeful revolution started here." The record landed on Spin's "The 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years (1985–2014)" list and NME's "20 Emo Albums That Have Resolutely Stood The Test Of Time" list. Alternative Press hailed it as MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE's "best album" and "the definitive MCR LP from their discography." Not to mention, Pitchfork described it as "an operatic pop-rock behemoth that became an icon for outcasts," attesting that "MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE thrived because they came to the realization that emotional outcasts deserved something to cheer for, even if their victories were imaginary." To date, the record has sold over seven million copies worldwide.

Photo credit: Chapman Baehler

In a new interview with the JJO Discover New Music podcast, VOLBEAT guitarist/vocalist Michael Poulsen was asked if he and his bandmates tried to do anything differently on their ninth album, "God Of Angels Trust", which arrived on June 6 via VOLBEAT's longtime label Vertigo/Universal. Michael said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[We] basically [tried] not to overthink anything, because the way that I also wrote the ASINHELL [Poulsen's death metal side project] album was also quite fast. The thing is, when you've done so many records, like VOLBEAT [has], you start thinking about, 'Okay, how should the next record sound like?' And our great friend Rob Caggiano, who was [the guitar player] in VOLBEAT before, he loved to be in the studio forever, where I'm a little bit the opposite. I like to shoot straight from the hip so the spirit stays in the riff and in the performance. There's just two different ways of working, and power to him for wanting to work like that. So, for me, it was like trying to jump on an old bike again, going into the studio where I could pretty much, with the other guys, do it like we did back in the days, because we always allowed Rob to use the time that he wanted to use. There has to be a certain compromise. Just as much as he wanted to be in the studio longer, and we didn't, it's just as much as we wanted to do it very fast and he was not into the fast takes. There's a certain compromise then. But he's a very talented guy, and we love our brother Rob."

Poulsen continued: "I'm just trying to explain the kind of mindset we went into with this record. And that was pretty much how we started recording some of the first albums. And there was something really refreshing about that. And sometimes you manage to find that youth, even though we're all in our fifties. But the most important thing is that you don't force it because you will fail. It has to come naturally. But the thing is that sound, that style is so much in our DNA. It was just kind of revisiting some of the things we did in the past and then mix it up with stuff we like to do now. Because it's not like we want us to be nostalgic or anything. We like to go out with a new album that sounds like a new album, but we also want it to be very recognizable for listeners. And you know what? I think we could try to do something different and it will still end up sounding 100% [like us]. Just as you think you've done something different, there'll be people saying, 'Oh, that's typical VOLBEAT.' Yeah. But that's a gift. I look at that as a gift, because a lot of bands, performers are struggling to find their signature sound or just their style. So by the time they release so many different albums and you cannot really tell what band it is. So for us, we feel very blessed that from the very beginning we had that sound, we had that style, and we can pretty much just add a few ingredients for every time we make a new album. It's like when you buy a MOTÖRHEAD album, you know what you're gonna get. If you buy an IRON MAIDEN album or an AC/DC album, those kind of bands, you know what you're gonna get. But they always manage to put something new on the top so it sounds like a new album. And I think we managed to do that with the VOLBEAT records."

VOLBEAT kicked off its "Greatest Of All Tours Worldwide" on June 7 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

"Greatest Of All Tours Worldwide" launched with a co-headline Canadian run with THREE DAYS GRACE and special guests WAGE WAR, which will be followed by headline treks in the U.S. with special guests HALESTORM and THE GHOST INSIDE, and Europe with special guests BUSH and WITCH FEVER, including a second show at Copenhagen's Royal Arena on September 20.

VOLBEAT has scored ten No. 1 songs on the Billboard Mainstream Rock airplay chart, the most ever for a band based outside North America.

Poulsen started working on songs for the follow-up to 2021's "Servant Of The Mind" in the summer of 2024. VOLBEAT was taking a year-long break from touring to give Michael a chance to recover from throat surgery and to tour with his death metal band ASINHELL. Driven equally by his excitement to record a new VOLBEAT album and by his determination not to follow convention, Poulsen worked on songs for a mere three weeks with bandmates drummer Jon Larsen and bassist Kaspar Boye Larsen. Amazingly, they worked on a new song at every rehearsal. Three weeks into the process, VOLBEAT had arranged half of "God Of Angels Trust". That's when Poulsen decided that having no rules meant he could follow his muse wherever it took him, and he veered off on a different path. He and the band still wrote and rehearsed two songs a week, but they started composing more familiar rock songs that drew from traditional elements.

The band entered the studio with their longtime producer Jacob Hansen in the fall of 2024. As with the songwriting, Poulsen wanted to work quickly and rely on instinct, so they just plugged in and started to play. To keep the music sounding urgent and immediate, VOLBEAT recorded live in the studio, playing as few takes as possible before moving from one song to the next.

When it came time to add lead guitar, there was no question that VOLBEAT would tap Flemming C. Lund, who currently tours with the band and worked with Michael in ASINHELL. A mere 13 days after they started working with Hansen, VOLBEAT were finished.

Just one week ahead of the highly anticipated new album "The Revenge Of Alice Cooper", the reunited original ALICE COOPER group releases their latest single, "Up All Night" — a defiant, riff-heavy anthem that captures the chaos, danger, and thrill of rock and roll after dark.

"Up All Night" is a full-throttle celebration of youthful mischief, the kind of trouble you don't regret. With snarling guitars, pounding rhythms, and Alice's unmistakable growl, the track feels like a direct transmission from 1971 — raw, loud, and unapologetically alive. It's a fitting final teaser before the full album drops on July 25.

With the album just around the corner, excitement builds for a once-in-a-lifetime pre-release event in London, bringing the original band — Alice Cooper, Dennis Dunaway, Neal Smith and Michael Bruce — together on stage for an unforgettable evening.

The event will be hosted by none other than Sir Tim Rice and will feature a very special appearance by producer and honorary sixth band member, Bob Ezrin, whose legendary partnership with the band helped define the sound of an era. The night will include a world-exclusive pre-listening session of the full album and in-depth conversation with the band about the making of "The Revenge Of Alice Cooper".

The event, which sold out within 24 hours, will be streamed live globally via the Alice Cooper and earMUSIC YouTube channels, as well as on TalksShopLive ensuring no fan misses out on this historic reunion and giving audiences everywhere a front-row seat.

Cooper, Dunaway, Smith and Bruce reunited with Ezrin to create "The Revenge Of Alice Cooper", a fierce and nostalgic homage to their early '70s glory. The album includes a special posthumous feature from original guitarist Glen Buxton and guest appearance by Robby Krieger of THE DOORS on the debut single "Black Mamba".

With timeless tracks, classic horror rock energy, and a dose of theatrical chaos, "The Revenge Of Alice Cooper" promises to be more than a comeback — it's a resurrection.

"The Revenge Of Alice Cooper" is a high-voltage journey into vintage horror and classic 1970s shock rock, capturing the sound, energy, and mischief that made the original ALICE COOPER band legendary. In a truly special moment, the album features a posthumous appearance by Glen Buxton, the band's original guitarist who passed away in 1997, through an unreleased recording that seamlessly blends the past with the present on "What Happened To You", featuring his original guitar part.

If that wasn't cool enough, one of the bonus tracks (box set and limited smart format) also includes a long-lost gem from 1970 — a raw, alternate take of "Return Of The Spiders" (not the version heard on "Easy Action") — recently unearthed from original multi-tracks missing for 50 years and now enhanced and mixed by Bob Ezrin.

"The Revenge Of Alice Cooper" saw Alice, Neal, Michael, Dennis and Bob working in an old-school recording studio in Connecticut, rekindling the magic from the 1970s. This album is a celebration of friendship, nostalgia, and the timeless sound that solidified Alice Cooper as a rock icon. Fans can expect a powerful and nostalgic experience that bridges the gap between the band's storied past and their vibrant present.

From the venomous bite of "Black Mamba" to the rebellious charge of "Wild Ones" and the soft, haunting melodies of "See You On The Other Side", every track feels like a rock 'n' roll classic.

"The Revenge Of Alice Cooper" is going to be released on July 25 in a wide variety of formats and limited vinyl colors. It will also be available as a limited box set and as a limited art print (smart format),featuring exclusive access to two bonus tracks from the start, plus the full album automatically delivered as a high-definition download on release day.

The original ALICE COOPER group — Alice Cooper (vocals),Michael Bruce (guitar),Dennis Dunaway (bass),Neal Smith (drums) and Glen Buxton (guitar) — redefined rock in the early 1970s, blending raw, hard-hitting music with shocking theatricality. With Bob Ezrin at the helm, they pioneered shock rock, delivering rebellious anthems, dark storytelling and over-the-top stage shows featuring guillotines, snakes, and macabre theatrics.

Albums like "Love It To Death" (1971),"Killer" (1971),"School's Out" (1972) and "Billion Dollar Babies" (1973) turned them into superstars, producing legendary hits like "I'm Eighteen", "Elected", "School's Out" and "No More Mr. Nice Guy". Their mix of hard rock, glam, and horror made them one of the most influential and controversial bands of their era, leaving a permanent mark on rock history.

Alice Cooper has sold countless millions of records worldwide and shaped rock history forever. Inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2011, their music remains as powerful and relevant as ever.

Now, with "The Revenge Of Alice Cooper", the original band reunites for one more epic chapter, reclaiming the sound and legacy that made them legends.

Cooper told Billboard that making a new album with his original bandmates "was very much like this was our next album after [1973's] 'Muscle Of Love', just like, 'Okay, this is the next album.' Isn't that funny after 50 years? All of a sudden it just falls into place."

Ezrin said about the making of "The Revenge Of Alice Cooper": "None of them has changed much as a person. Obviously, everyone's older and more mature and more settled, but when we all get together and I watch the interplay between them, it's like they just walked out of high school and were hanging out in the local cafe. They just revert to type. They revert to who they were as kids when the first got together… and make music together like they did 50-some years ago."

As for the possibility of the original COOPER band hitting the road again, Alice said: "We haven't even gotten to that point yet. I don't really see it being a full-out tour; it would be very, very hard, I think, if you haven't done it for a long time. But I could see it being a feature, like going into certain cities — Detroit, New York, L.A., London maybe, and doing a half-hour or 40 minutes in a club or something. We always leave those things open, and if it looks feasible, then we do it."

"The Revenge of Alice Cooper" track listing:

01. Black Mamba
02. Wild Ones
03. Up All Night
04. Kill The Flies
05. One Night Stand
06. Blood On The Sun
07. Crap That Gets In The Way Of Your Dreams
08. Famous Face
09. Money Screams
10. What A Syd
11. Inter Galactic Vagabond Blues
12. What Happened To You
13. I Ain't Done Wrong
14. See You On The Other Side
15. Return of the Spiders 2025 (bonus track)
16. Titanic Overunderture (bonus track)

Formed in 1968, the original ALICE COOPER band forged a theatrical brand of hard rock that was destined to shock and had never been seen before. Within five years, they would release no fewer than seven studio albums, amongst them their international breakthrough "School's Out" (including the Top 10 hit of the same name) and the U.S. No. 1 "Billion Dollar Babies" (1973). By 1974, the band had risen to the upper echelon of rock stardom... and then it dissolved.

In October 2015, over 40 years later, record store owner and superfan Chris Penn convinced the original lineup to reunite for a very special performance at Good Records, his record store in Dallas, Texas. Alice, Michael, Dennis and Neal were joined on stage by Alice's current guitarist Ryan Roxie (standing in for Buxton).

Cooper pioneered a grandly theatrical brand of hard rock that was designed to shock. Drawing equally from horror movies, vaudeville, and garage rock, the group created a stage show that featured electric chairs, guillotines, fake blood and boa constrictors. He continues to tour regularly, performing shows worldwide with the dark and horror-themed theatrics that he's best known for. With a schedule that includes six months each year on the road, Cooper brings his own brand of rock psycho-drama to fans both old and new, enjoying it as much as the audience does. Known as the architect of shock rock, Cooper (in both the original ALICE COOPER band and as a solo artist) has rattled the cages and undermined the authority of generations of guardians of the status quo, continuing to surprise fans and exude danger at every turn, like a great horror movie, even in an era where mainstream media can present real-life shocking images.

Photo by Jenny Risher

Early KISS producer Eddie Kramer has revealed that plans are afoot for the band to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its 1975 "Alive!" album with an expanded version, tentatively due before the end of the year.

During last month's appearance on TWISTED SISTER guitarist Jay Jay French's podcast "The Jay Jay French Connection: Beyond The Music", Kramer — who produced the original "Alive!" LP — stated about the new collection: "It's a project I spent 46 days mixing. It's called 'Kiss Alive! 50', which is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 'Alive!' album, the first 'Alive!' album, which was mixed at Electric Lady [studios in New York City] in 1975, 50 years ago. And, fortunately, they found all the bloody tapes — thank God. It was incredible. Jeff Fura at Universal — big shoutout to him — he came up with the tapes; he found them. And so we spent all this time restoring them, transferring them, and then I mixed every single show that actually contributed to the final one, plus all the rehearsals that Gene [Simmons, KISS bassist/vocalist] and Paul [Stanley, KISS guitarist/vocalist] said, 'We've gotta record in the afternoon,' which they did, thank God, because we were able to capture some fantastic performances."

Kramer added: "What you hear during this period is that those guys were serious about getting this record out and making it sound fantastic. And then I mixed the final album in Dolby Atmos. So it's a beautiful package that's coming out, I think, late fall."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Texas-based rock band The Speaker Wars, featuring legendary drummer Stan Lynch (formerly of Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers) and acclaimed singer-songwriter Jon Christopher Davis – has released a brand-new lyric video for “When The Moon Cries Wolf,” one of the standout tracks from the band’s recently released self-titled debut album, out now via Frontiers Music Srl.

Blending heartfelt lyricism with a driving classic rock spirit, “When The Moon Cries Wolf” captures the band’s signature sound—equal parts seasoned craft and raw energy. The song began to take shape when Davis tossed out the evocative title during a writing session, and from that moment, the song had a life of its own.

Stan Lynch reflects on the track: “‘When The Moon Cries Wolf’ is a rocker that had me goin’ from the moment JCD blurted out the title. It was a gas to record; it just kept getting stronger the more we played it. Jon sings the snot out of it, and once he had the vocal, the tune reminded me of Mad Dogs & Englishmen’s early records. It’s even better when we play it live.”



After two decades of recording and touring multiple albums with The Heartbreakers, Stan moved to the other side of the recording console and shifted his focus to production and songwriting. Over the years, Stan has written and produced hits for artists in multiple genres, including the Eagles, Don Henley, Tim McGraw, The Mavericks, Ringo Starr, The Byrds, Toto, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds.

While writing in Nashville, a publisher introduced Stan to Texas singer-songwriter, Jon Christopher Davis, who was gathering material for a solo record on a major label. After accumulating an album’s worth of songs, Jon abandoned working on a solo record and the two decided to start a band to perform the newly created material. Adding Jay Michael Smith on guitar, Brian Patterson on bass, Steve Ritter on percussion, and Jay Brown on keyboards, The Speaker Wars was born.

Order the album here.



The Speaker Wars tracklisting:

“You Make Every Lie Come True”
“It Ain’t Easy”
“Taste Of Heaven”
“Never Ready To Go”
“The Forgiveness Tree”
“When The Moon Cries Wolf”
“Trader’s South”
“Leave Him”
“Sit With My Soul”
“I Wish You Peace”

With “Ink In The Water”, Finnish alternative/progressive rock band, Darkness Is My Canvas, showcase their most instinctive and unpredictable side. The track is the latest single taken from their upcoming debut full-length, The End Of Times, out August 1 via Rockshots Records.

Originally written in a matter of minutes during a spontaneous studio session, “Ink In The Water” captures the band’s no-rules approach to songwriting. “We just felt like doing something fast and upbeat,” the band recalls. “The lyrics were literally transcribed from Pete’s first take on the demo. When we listened back, we knew it had something special.”

A bold dive into post-punk and pop-punk territories, the song stays true to the band’s emotional and melodic core while introducing a refreshing twist. Short but impactful, “Ink In The Water” reflects the band’s ongoing refusal to stick to a single genre. “If a song demands a certain approach, we go for it without hesitation. Genre doesn’t matter—we just serve the song.”

Like other tracks on The End Of Times, the single balances spontaneity with depth. Its tight structure, punchy rhythm, and unapologetic tone reveal a new side of the band’s sonic identity—one that is vibrant, immediate, and still unmistakably Darkness Is My Canvas.

Stream the track on Spotify here, and listen below:



The End Of Times is the debut full-length album from Darkness Is My Canvas — a bold and emotional journey through melody, introspection, and modern rock expression. Blending progressive elements, cinematic atmospheres, and sharp alternative energy, the album explores the collapse and rebirth of meaning in a chaotic world. With intricate arrangements, thought-provoking lyrics, and powerful hooks, The End Of Times is a record that invites repeated listens, each time revealing new layers and deeper resonance.

Pre-order the album here.



Tracklisting:

“Wash”
“Rejected”
“Bleed”
“Ink In The Water”
“The Maze”
“The End Of Times”
“Day Zero”
“Subliminal”
“These Times”
“Skin & Bones”

“Day Zero” lyric video:

A Coruña, Spain’s Shroud Of Tears are excited to announce the release of the official video for their song, “Dawn Of The Dead.” The footage was captured during the band’s concert “Last Night – Last Dance,” commemorating their 20th anniversary in a single and unforgettable show. Watch the clip below.

Says the band, “‘Dawn Of The Dead’ is one of the tracks from Eclypse, our latest EP released in 2014. The EP was produced by Manuel Ramil (Adventus, Avalanch, Death & Legacy), Alberto Ardines (Avalanch, WarCry) and Carlos Santos (Mägo de Oz, Hamlet, Tündra). Eclypse was recorded at Triple A Studios and Sadman Studios, and mastered by Erik Monsonis.

“By the end of this year, we’ll head into the studio to begin re-recording our early albums, accompanied by several promotional videos.”



Forged in the depths of melancholy and metal, Shroud Of Tears has carved its path through the dark corners of music for more than 20 years. With haunting melodies, crushing riffs, and lyrical reflections on sorrow and loss their sound stands as a declaration of endurance and emotion.

Rooted in the traditions of gothic and doom, yet unafraid to explore new sonic landscapes, the band has remained faithful to its aspiration: transform pain into strength.

Shroud of Tears are:

Marcos (vocals)
Seo (bass)
H (drums)
Uri (keyboards)
Liber (guitars)
Mike (guitars)

In a new interview with Mike Palm of TribLive, POISON drummer Rikki Rockett spoke about his upcoming memoir, "Ghost Notes", which was written with writer duo Leif Eriksson and Martin Svensson. He said: "It was supposed to come out in July. Now they [Rare Bird Books] pushed it back to October, mainly because we couldn't get the cover done on time, and they have to have a cover to go to all the outlets and sell it through and all that kind of stuff. So I'm shooting a cover in the next couple of weeks. And it'll be out sometime in October."

Asked how it felt to take a look back at his life for a book, Rikki said: "Scary. And a lot of people go, do you have any regrets? Of course I do. There's lots of things I regret. But not regret to the point where, yeah, did I learn from them. Yeah, sure. You can say all those things, but there's certain things I look back on, like, eh, why'd I do it that way? But I did and here I am, and I adjusted and moved on. It's kind of interesting to see that. The painful stuff isn't fun to look at, obviously the cancer battle and all that sort of stuff isn't fun. [Being] falsely accused of rape, that sucked. There were certain things that are not fun to live through again, but it's my story and people need to know about it. Sometimes people just brush the headlines or there's a lot of news and a lot of things that are out there all at once, and sometimes we're not paying attention. I read the Joey Kramer book, for example, from AEROSMITH, and I'm a huge, huge AEROSMITH fan, but there's been times in my life where there's other things going on and I'm not paying attention to what Joey Kramer was doing right then. Now it's nice to look back and go, wow, I missed all these things or I heard a little something about it, and now I'm seeing it and reading it and kind of digesting it again and understanding more from his perspective what really happened, that kind of stuff."

During an October 2024 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", the 63-year-old Rikki, whose real name is Richard Allan Ream, said about why he decided to name his book "Ghost Notes": "The first chunk of our career, like [early POISON albums] 'Look What The Cat Dragged In' [1986], 'Open Up And Say... Ahh!' [1988], all those records, even most of 'Flesh & Blood' [1990], the way they were producing records at that time, they did not want drummers playing ghost notes, if you know what ghost notes are… It's kind of like a lighter tap on the snare drum, for example, the kind of the notes in between the notes that are not fully pronounced, I guess would be the best way to explain it in layman's terms. And so a lot of times it gives it that little bit of swing groove to it. And producers did not want that in the early 80s — they just wanted straight drums, almost machine-like and heavy and loud and detuned snare drums and all that kind of stuff. And it wasn't really until 'Flesh & Blood', but even more 'Native Tongue' [1993] where I was able to really play the way I wanted to play. I think a lot of other drummers dealt with that. I know I talked to various drummers about their frustration back then. So I decided to name it. I finally was able to play however I wanted. And all those little notes between the notes are my kind of what I'm talking about in my life. Instead of just the highlights that you always hear about, you know, 'POISON did this' or 'Rikki Rockett did this' or 'Rikki got arrested for this' or whatever, these are like all the stuff in between. So those are the ghost notes between all the big things that you've heard about. So I kind of made a little connection there, and that's why I named it that."

Asked if "Ghost Notes" is "kind of like a semi-autobiography, but more focused on things that people wouldn't know" about him, Rikki said: "Yes. Or more in depth. A lot of the things are more in depth. You've heard some of these stories about POISON, but you never really dig that much deeper or maybe they just haven't been reported much more than what you've heard on the surface, for example. And so I talk about a lot of those kinds of things."

He continued: "Everything [that you hear about the 1980s glam rock scene is] always focused on the Sunset Strip. And that was only a couple years of our life, honestly. What's more interesting is our years in the tri-state area and Pennsylvania and all the crap we went through trying to play gigs and trying to find our space, and that stuff, to me, is more cinematic, if you will, than, 'Oh, yeah, they played the Troubadour and the Strip and they hung up flyers. I mean, we've all heard those stories. But it's the other stuff, like trying to hold jobs down and renting VFW halls and renting vans and trying to scrape enough money to get to the next gig and all that stuff. That was really the meat of our struggle, I think. Not that being on the Strip wasn't interesting, but I feel like when you talk about the Strip, you're just lumping every band together that was our contemporaries. But, really, we kind of came, fought, got our deal and got out even sort of before that. I mean, the Strip continued to explode after we were off the Strip."

Rikki is the co-founder and drummer for the band POISON, which exploded into the highly competitive Los Angeles music scene in the 1980s, making a name for themselves in the clubs on the Sunset Strip.

POISON has sold over 50 million records worldwide, releasing eight studio albums, four live albums, and four compilations. The band has charted 10 singles on the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, including six Top 10 singles and one Hot 100 number-one smash hit, "Every Rose Has Its Thorn".

Relentless from the ground up and forged in the hellfires of the Pennsylvania and Los Angeles club scenes, POISON smashed its way up as an independent band who bet on itself. Selling over three million copies of an independent album which included the big hits "Talk Dirty To Me", "I Won't Forget You", "Cry Tough", "I Want Action" and the underground smash "Look What The Cat Dragged In", they were soon picked up by Capitol Records and beat the sophomore jinx by releasing the aforementioned No. 1 smash "Every Rose Has Its Thorn". Written out of emotion by singer/songwriter and frontman Bret Michaels, the song blasted into the charts remaining a top the pop, rock and country genres for threee months consecutively. The album "Open Up And Say...Ahh!" sold eight million copies out of the gate and spawned other hit singles "Fallen Angel", "Nothin' But A Good Time" and "Your Mama Don't Dance". Followed up by the multi-platinum album "Flesh & Blood", POISON again lit up the charts with several more smash hit singles, including "Unskinny Bop" and "Something To Believe In".

POISON's reunited original lineup — Rockett, Michaels, bassist Bobby Dall and guitarist C.C. DeVille — completed "The Stadium Tour" with MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEF LEPPARD and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS in 2022. The trek was originally scheduled to take place in the summer of 2020 but ended up being pushed back to 2021, and then to 2022, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Rockett was declared cancer free more in 2016 after undergoing an experimental treatment. He was diagnosed with oral cancer back in 2015.

In April 2022, Rockett married his longtime girlfriend TC Smith at the Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara, California.

Rikki was previously married to singer/songwriter Melanie Martel. They share joint custody of their two kids — son Jude Aaron Rockett and daughter Lucy Sky Rockett.

Last October, Rikki announced the launch of a new band called THE ROCKETT MAFIA. Joining him in the group are Brandon Gibbs (DEVIL CITY ANGELS) on vocals and guitar, Mick Sweda (BULLETBOYS) on guitar and backing vocals, and Bryan Kimes on bass and backing vocals.