In a recent interview with Argentina's UnDinamo, LINKIN PARK bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell spoke about the band's ongoing tour in support of LINKIN PARK's latest album, "From Zero", which came out in November 2024. It marks LINKIN PARK's first full-length effort since 2017's "One More Light", which was the last LINKIN PARK album before the death of lead vocalist Chester Bennington. "From Zero" features LINKIN PARK's new singer Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain, who have joined returning members co-vocalist and main producer Mike Shinoda, guitarist Brad Delson, Farrell and DJ/visual director Joe Hahn in the band's new lineup. Guitarist Alex Feder is filling in for Delson at all LINKIN PARK concerts for the foreseeable future.

Asked what his expectations were prior to the launch of the tour, Farrell said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, I think expectations-wise, before the tour got going, I didn't know what to expect. We'd spent a lot of time all together, writing together, rehearsing together, eating meals together, hanging out, having fun, that whole bit, but hadn't spent any time, obviously, on tour. And tour is its own different animal. So I didn't really know, I didn't know what to expect. And then additionally also, not only with Emily and with Colin being kind of new faces into that space, but also me, Mike and Joe just being a bit older, we hadn't toured for a while ourselves. So there's all those questions of the wear and tear that the travel and everything is gonna take on your body and for the vocalists on vocals and everything like that. So there's always a ton of question marks. Thankfully at this point, a year-plus into it, it's gone very well. Everyone has stayed relatively healthy, as healthy as you could ever ask for or hope for. And the shows have been great."

Asked if he thinks there was some risk involved in restarting LINKIN PARK again after what happened with Chester, Farrell said: "Yeah, I think there's always risk in some regard for what we do and what we're doing. I guess the risk, if you zoom out and look at it, is just feeling embarrassed or putting something out that nobody likes or doing something that everybody hates. But from my standpoint on that, going back two or three years ago, when we were talking about it, or even beginning to get together again, this being me, Mike and Joe, we didn't know if we were going to be doing LINKIN PARK at all. We'd had a couple of stops and starts, after Chester passed away, of writing music, and from my vantage point, it was just too hard. It felt emotionally challenging. I liked some of the stuff we were writing and I loved spending time with those guys, but just starting to touch upon things that still felt painful and so sensitive, it was too much. So we'd spend a week or two kind of getting together and writing, and then we wouldn't see each other for, like, six months and it was a lot of stop-starts. At a certain stage, this being two or three years ago, [we] kind of just said, 'Let's throw all that out the window. Let's just make stuff, and let's see if we even like it. Let's not make it under the headline of 'This is new LINKIN PARK music.' Let's not do any of that. Let's just test if we can still be creative together and like what we do, and let's not put any burden of figuring out what it is or what to do with it on to it.' And for me, it was so liberating because I had spent sleepless nights trying to figure out all the answers to all the questions of what it would mean or look like to do LINKIN PARK again. All of those fears, they would just get me so anxious and keep me up at night, trying to answer the 10,000 different questions that needed answers for that to go forward. And one of the big ones was, to your point, how would it be received? What would I think about it? What would other people think about it?"

Farrell continued: "I think everybody deals with grief differently and everybody has a right to do it their own way. I think our fans were dealing with grief the same way that we were, and in a million different ways. And at the end of it, for me, I just kind of felt like with the band I need to see what it could be or what another chapter might be or look like. And if it doesn't work or if at that point I don't like it, or if nobody likes it, or whatever, then at least I will know what that is or what that was. But I did not feel comfortable kind of leaving it where it was. That didn't feel right to me. That didn't feel like moving forward to me. And I felt like it was really important, for me personally, to just keep living."

Regarding whether he was concerned about what LINKIN PARK fans would think about the band's comeback or if he didn't care at all about what they had to say, Dave said: "It's probably both. When it comes to the Internet, and it's across all different places and whatever, there's always gonna be difficult things and hard things that are said that you don't wanna hear or see or that you disagree with or whatever. But for me, that's not a reason to do something or to not do something, that type of Internet feedback. But also for me, I just felt like you're gonna have differences of opinions. That's normal. That's natural. In thinking [about it], I was, like, how weird of a world would it be if you did something and online everybody agreed with it or loved it? Has that ever happened — ever? Probably not. And so you do have to have a little bit of that — and this isn't even for us. We went through a crazy thing with Chester's passing that's tragic and highly emotional and charged. But even if you take that out of the picture, if there's a band that's just releasing a second album, take away everything emotionally charged, a band is releasing a second album, you're always gonna get the feedback on that that is all over the place. And so if you were to just let that paralyze you, I feel like it would be such a — I don't know — it'd just be a difficult spot to be, to say, 'Let's not release the second album because 5, 10, 20, 50%, whatever, are gonna dislike it or are critique it or be upset by it,' or whatever. At the end of that process for us, a lot of the feedback I kind of understand, and I'm okay with different people having their own ideas or opinions. But hopefully, if I'm being myself and if I'm being — 'courageous' is not the right word, but if I'm being myself and I'm being kind of forthright as a musician or as an artist, the notion that somebody might not like it should never be a reason to not release something or do something new moving forward."

LINKIN PARK introduced its new lineup during a September 2024 live performance event, with Armstrong and Brittain, a songwriter and producer for G FLIP, ILLENIUM and ONE OK ROCK, joining Shinoda, Delson, Farrell and Hahn. LINKIN PARK also released a new single, "The Emptiness Machine", and announced "From Zero" the album, which arrived via Warner.

At the first first show of LINKIN PARK's "From Zero" tour in September 2024 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, Shinoda addressed the band's new chapter while reflecting on LINKIN PARK's return to the stage. "I mean, that's part of why we're back out here," he said. "We are thrilled to be back out here. It is not about erasing the past. It is about starting this new chapter into the future and coming out here for each and every one of you."

"From Zero" featured the No. 1 single "The Emptiness Machine" and propelled LINKIN PARK to be the only rock band in 2024 to exceed two billion streams. "From Zero (Deluxe Edition)" was released in May.

Delson contributed to "From Zero", but hasn't been part of LINKIN PARK's live shows in support of the LP. The live guitar position has instead been filled by Feder.

Less than two months ago, Shinoda told Recitales Argentina about what it has been like for him and his LINKIN PARK bandmates to be back on the road as part of their "From Zero" world tour: "It's been awesome. We've had a really busy year, so many of the biggest shows we've ever played. I think everybody is still very excited about touring and very excited about the shows. We've got shows lined up until the middle of next year, so it's a very aggressive and long tour for us — I think more shows than like any tour we've done for well over 10 years. Yeah, the new music, new album and everything, the reception from the fans has been better than we could have ever imagined. And we're so excited to play these shows every night."

Regarding the fan response to "From Zero", Shinoda told Recitales Argentina: "Since the beginning, everything we put out, there's always people that love it and people that don't like it. That's just part of being an artist. Since the beginning, we've realized that the most important thing, first and foremost, is just that we love it and that we're proud of what we've made and that we push ourselves to the best we can to do a great job and to make something that challenges us as writers and creators, and then do our best to communicate that in the live setting when we go on tour. So it sounds simple, but the details and the actual execution of that couldn't be more complicated or more difficult. And I have a lot of respect for all the artists that do it and do it so well. For us, coming back this past year, a few years ago, we found ourselves starting to talk again for the first time. And it was a very organic thing. It just started with getting breakfast, getting lunch, having a coffee, talking about 'what if this' or 'what if that'. And eventually we met Colin and Emily, and they just felt like one of us, they just felt like they clicked with the band."

Asked how he met Colin and Emily, Mike said: "Colin and I met in a writing session with some other people. We were sharing writing and production duties during that session. It was just for this kid, this male artist. And it was fine, but I could tell right away that Colin, I was excited to meet him. I didn't know anything about him, and when we worked together, it occurred to me that he was really smart and really talented. And so I decided to reach out to him a little more and set up some more sessions with him. And Emily, apparently somebody had reached out way back when we did the celebration of life for Chester. After Chester passed away, we did a concert and we had other people who came and sang his part on our songs, and someone had submitted her name, but they submitted it too late, and so we didn't meet her at that time because we had already filled the show; we had all the voices we needed. And then I think it was two years later, I did a session with her and I was really impressed. And that didn't go anywhere, because we didn't make anything that we wanted to put out or that I wanted to put out or she wanted to put out. It was just for fun. And then I just remembered, 'Oh, yeah, that girl was cool.' And then a few years later when we were starting to do sessions again with Dave and Joe, her name came up and we booked one session with her and they got to know her a little bit. And that led to another, and that led to another. And over a period of — I think it took many, many months to go from that to what realizing that she should be the singer. It definitely took more than months. It might've been a couple of years."

Earlier in October, Shinoda spoke to Chile's Futuro about how fans have been reacting to Armstrong joining the band in 2024, seven years after Bennington's death. The band went on hiatus shortly after. He said: " It's just a very exciting time. It's kind of a rebirth of the band.

"We had kind of started getting back together a few years ago, and it was a very slow and organic build. When it started, we didn't say, like, 'We're going to bring the band back.' We didn't say, 'We're going to go tour.' We just kind of got together and wanted to see what it would be like to get together and write music and spend time together again. And we hoped we would end up here, but a lot of things had to go right in order for that to happen. And they did. So we're very grateful for that, the opportunity, and thrilled with the new music and the tour and the way the fans have responded to it."

Regarding what it has been like working with Emily and Colin, Mike told Futuro: "It's been awesome. When they were coming into this era, this chapter, they were already so prepared, they were so ready for it. They just hadn't done it. I mean, Emily has played for — I don't know how many [years], like 10 years or more with DEAD SARA. Colin was in multiple bands before he got into producing and writing with other people. And when I met Colin, I could tell that we had a lot of similar ways of looking at music and similar ways of thinking. I was just writing and producing stuff with him, and all of a sudden he got behind the drum kit and I was, like, 'Oh my God. He's an amazing drummer.' And as it turned out, Rob [Bourdon], our previous drummer, he didn't wanna keep playing. So that was almost just like good luck for us that we knew a guy already that that was so great. Emily is a total phenomenon. For us to find a once-in-a-generation voice like Chester and then to find another one like Emily is crazy. It doesn't make any sense."

Asked how he knew Emily was "the one" when it came to finding a replacement for Chester, Mike said: "Well, it's not just the singing, 'cause there's thousands and thousands of great singers out there. And when I worked with people, I've had a bunch of experiences where I worked with lots of different singers who are so talented and I've played shows with lots of singers who are so talented, but there's an an intangible thing that happens when people get in a room and they make things together, and you just feel like the vibe is so effortless and strong and easy. It's easy to hang out with each other. Even when you have differences of opinion on something that you're making or something that you're doing, it doesn't turn into arguments. Nobody's killing the energy, the vibe. And that was the experience we had with Emily and Colin. But as we were starting to make music a couple of years ago, we just found ourselves wanting to do more with them because they were so fun to hang out with and we would always make such good stuff together."

Shinoda went on to say that he and his LINKIN PARK bandmates had no expectations that "From Zero" would turn out to be a commercial success. "When we're making things, we're not thinking about hits," he explained. "That's not part of our process at all, really. First and foremost, we wanna love what we're doing, we wanna love playing it every night, we wanna feel like it artistically represents an important chapter for the band and that we're proud of where it sits in our catalog. And that's been the way we've approached things every time since the beginning. There are, of course, moments when it's, like, 'Okay, well, the label wants to release a single,' so you have to do marketing and you have to do promotion. And I totally enjoy doing that stuff. I love making surprises and scavenger hunts. Like the timer — in the beginning of our launch [for the new era of LINKIN PARK], we did a timer [on the band's web site] that counted down to zero and then the fans expected something to happen and it didn't happen; it just bounced back up and started… It went to 3, 2, 1, 0 and then it went 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and they were, like, so mad. But they realized later, the album is called 'From Zero'. The whole point was this is an actual marking of something that's gonna start at that point and go on until whenever. It's not just a countdown to something happening and then it's over. So the process of doing these things, the creative process, making things and sharing them with people, that's an everyday thing for us. I don't get too caught up in numbers and comparisons, unless it's like just checking in to see, like, 'Oh, do people like it? How are we doing with the fans in terms of maybe the show. Are fans excited about the show?' And so far the tour has been so much fun and such an undertaking and it's a lot of joy every night, I think."

In a rare in-depth interview with Rock Candy magazine, Lou Gramm, the man with the golden voice, told editor Howard Johnson that it was just a twist of fate that led him be in FOREIGNER at all and when he was first offered the chance to audition while he was still in his pre-FOREIGNER band BLACK SHEEP, by guitarist Mick Jones, he turned it down.

Lou recalled: "I said, 'Mick, Jeez, that's very nice of you to ask me but BLACK SHEEP [signed to Capitol Records] is in a difficult spot right now. We've got our second album coming out and we've just started a tour with KISS. The problem is that we had an accident right after the first show in Boston. We've lost our truck and 80 percent of our equipment. We're trying to figure out what to do and how we can continue to tour.'" Mick Jones persevered to get Lou to audition. Gramm said: "I told Mick I was honored to have been asked and I hoped that our paths would cross again in the future. Mick asked me if he could call me back in two or three weeks to see how things were going, and I told him I'd be happy for him to do that."

BLACK SHEEP couldn't get the money from any source to replace their van and gear and then their label dropped them so Lou's bandmates did a great and noble thing. Gramm recalled: "They said, 'Lou, we have to be realistic. To all intents and purposes, BLACK SHEEP is over. You really need to get hold of Mick and see what he has to offer.'"

But amazingly the band that would become FOREIGNER weren't met with instant applause, and were turned down by numerous record labels at the beginning. "That's true," Lou said. "We sent out plenty of demo tapes and the idea was that if anyone expressed an interest we'd invite them to come and take a look at us playing live. We had maybe eight or nine labels come down. They pretty much all said the band was proficient and that we had good song ideas, but somehow they didn't quite get it." Fate intervened again at that point because a young A&R guy at Atlantic, John Kalodner (who would go on to shape and remake the careers of many bands and artists later on) had been at the showcase gig the band did for Atlantic and even though the label turned them down he got back to them and said they should shorten their songs for radio play. Lou recalled: "He said, 'Next time you hear a BEATLES song, time it. I guarantee it won't even be three minutes long... Kalodner was right. I hadn't realized how short their numbers were... Even though they were short they satisfied all your needs. So Kalodner, Mick and I went back into the songs." Then they re-presented some of the songs back to Atlantic and ended up with a three-album deal and an out of the box smash with their debut album which went Top 5 in the U.S., as did the debut single "Feels Like The First Time".

Lou has recently made some guest appearances with the current touring lineup of FOREIGNER — which includes no other original members — and he is kind and gracious when talking about them.

"At first I was angry at Mick for starting a new FOREIGNER, but so much time has gone by now, and it wasn't the fault of the guys who are now in the band, was it?", Lou said. "If I were one of them and had been offered the opportunity, I would have taken it too. So we've got a nice friendship now... After all that's happened over the years, I'm still extremely proud of my career with FOREIGNER, and at this stage of my life that's the most important thing."

Read the rest of the mega interview with Lou, as well as a big feature on 60 years of the SCORPIONS, ex-DEEP PURPLE guitarist Steve Morse on finding peace and purpose, the making of the KING'S X debut album, a reappraisal of QUEENSRŸCHE's "Operation: Mindcrime", an exclusive look at the "Back To the Beginning" show from the promoter who made it happen, and many other fascinating features inside issue 53 of Rock Candy magazine.

Rock Candy is a 100 page, full-color bi-monthly rock magazine, created in the U.K. It covers the sights, sounds and smells from the greatest era in hard rock, the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. It is the brainchild of respected U.K. rock journalists Derek Oliver, Howard Johnson and Malcolm Dome — all frontline writers for the legendary Kerrang! magazine in the golden era.

For more information, visit www.rockcandymag.com.

In a new interview with Tone-Talk, legendary DOKKEN guitarist George Lynch was asked about DOKKEN frontman Don Dokken's alleged dishonesty regarding the singer's contributions to the songwriting of the band's classic early material. George said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I think people that are disingenuine [sic] and lie as part of their character, it's just part of who they are, the fabric of their makeup. I think that it serves multiple purposes. I mean, it's bad in a way, of course, because it breaks the rules that we all sort of agree to, to kind of make sure that we understand what reality is and so we can make good decisions and get along. So it's cheating in a way, but it's also — well, I've been the benefactor of his cheating due to his lying in a big way. We wouldn't be sitting here doing this interview if it wasn't for Don's lies. I mean, when he met us and we first got together, we would do shows and we were both, both in bands in Southern California. He was in a band called AIRBORN and we were THE BOYZ, which then became XCITER, and we were all playing around town with — VAN HALEN was around and A LA CARTE and lots of other bands. It was a really cool scene. And so he started approaching Mick [Brown, later DOKKEN drummer] and then came to us eventually at one point with an offer to join his band and go to Europe and make a record and everything. And so, yeah, he lied about everything, but ultimately he's such a great bullshit artist that he made it happen. [That's the] bottom line. I would've never been able to make [it happen], 'cause I'm not capable… I'm not saying it's good or bad or I'm a good person, I'm just saying I am not capable of doing that. And that's maybe not a good thing as far as propelling your career. But he's willing to go to places that I wasn't willing to go and most people aren't. And I think that's the main reason why he's successful. So it's kind of a back-handed compliment."

George also addressed Don's comment from a couple of years ago that splitting the money equally between the four DOKKEN members was a "stupid thing to do", with Mick having made "millions of dollars" even though "all [he] had to do was spend a couple of weeks [in the studio] playing drums." Lynch said: "Yeah. You can divvy it up any way you want. Why are we re-litigating stuff from 35, 40 years ago? I don't know. Who cares? I mean, we've all done okay. We're all fine. We're still alive, we're still breathing, we're still making music. I'm good with everything, the way everything worked out. Was it fair? No. Life's not fair. But so what?! But Mick, no, he didn't have a lot of direct contribution to the songwriting. He did on 'Tooth And Nail' — he had some concrete contributions with the lyrics of 'Tooth And Nail'. Some of that was him, and probably some other songs.

"But here's the way I always looked at it," George continued. "I was the proponent of the quarter splits for the band because I feel that that was really healthy because it kept the less capable writers out of the mix from forcing their bad ideas on us. You know what I mean? So, if you have a weak-link writer and they're going, 'The only way I'm gonna get paid is if we use my songs,' and your songs suck. So, it's the best thing for the record, I think, is to just pay everybody equally. Like, 'Mick, just go play pool, ride your motorcycle and pop in once in a while, check in. And we got it. And it'll be a great record, and we'll have fun. Every time we make a dollar, everybody makes a quarter, and we'll all make money.' Don was the complete other way of thinking. He wanted it to be all about him, but he wasn't willing to put out the work and his work wasn't the best work, so that wasn't fair. So neither one is fair, but I'm more of a band guy and Don is less of a band guy; he's more of a kind of 'him' guy."

Back in December 2023, Don explained why he and his DOKKEN bandmates decided in the beginning to split their songwriting royalties equally between the four members of the group, telling the On The Road To Rock With Clint Switzer podcast: "DOKKEN was a very unusual band. When I formed the band, even though I'd been DOKKEN for years and years before I met George and Jeff [Pilson, former DOKKEN bassist] and Mick — I'd already toured Germany twice — but when we finally came together, I said, 'Let's make it simple. You write a hit, you write a hit, you write a hit, we'll just split it four ways. It doesn't matter who writes what. May the best songs win.' And that's how it was. Now, looking back, I could say it was a stupid thing to do, because I wrote a lot of the hits and I gave up 75 percent to the three of them. So instead of me getting four bucks, I got a dollar and Mick got a dollar and George got a dollar and Jeff got a dollar and the management took theirs and the accountants took theirs, and I thought, 'Jesus.' I go, 'I lost millions' writing 'In My Dreams' and 'Just Got Lucky' or 'Alone Again'. I mean, I can name a bazillion songs that I wrote by myself on the guitar and wrote all the music. But that's the deal we made. We were nobody. We weren't famous. Hey, if George wrote a hit, I get money. Jeff writes a hit, I get money. Mick's the one that scored. He didn't write. We rehearsed the songs for a week, go into a rehearsal studio, flesh it all out, pick the 12 best songs, Mick comes in the studio for four or five days, knocks out his drums and he goes to the drug dealer and then he heads off for the Rainbow [Bar & Grill in West Hollywood]. I said, 'Mick, you scored. You made millions of dollars and all you had to do was spend a couple of weeks playing drums.'"

A decade ago, Lynch spoke about the breakup of the classic DOKKEN lineup in 1989, telling Guitar Interactive magazine: "Here's the things that happens in a band… especially in our era, in the '80s, and I don't know, even now probably… But if you have a record deal, or a master deal, for a certain amount of time, and you have increasing record sales, and then you get to the point where the deal ends, your managers come in and renegotiate and you get paid. Then you're set for life — possibly. That's when everything changes. That's what you worked for for those however many years. This is where all your… Everything you've invested in time and energy, you get paid back for. And the singer [Don Dokken], at that point, decided that he wanted it all, he didn't wanna share it with [the rest of] us, and he let us know that. So after this [Monsters Of Rock] tour [in 1988 with VAN HALEN, METALLICA and SCORPIONS], where we were gonna go out and play in front of hundreds of thousands of people and get paid lots of money, [he basically said] 'I'm gonna try to take the whole thing and run with it, and you guys are gonna get left in the dust, and if you're lucky, I might hire you [to play in my band].' And you have to go on stage like that."

He continued: "The reason that we were on fire before that — we were so dedicated, we kept persevering — was because we were all working for something. It wasn't even for the money, it was just to get to that point. And success on all levels — musically and financially, so we could be secure, and all these things, for all the right reasons. And we took care of each other, and we were an equal-split band, and I fought for that. And by Monsters Of Rock, when Don announced that he was gonna, basically, try to grab the negotiation brass ring and keep it to himself, that backfired on all of us. Financially, it backfired on all of us, 'cause we didn't get that massive… At that point, I think, that year MÖTLEY CRÜE got a 25-million-dollar deal, ANTHRAX got a 12.5-million-dollar deal, we would have been fine. Basically, we had a lot of leverage. We were gonna be a free agent, so it was really a shame. It just didn't go right for anybody. So I went on to form LYNCH MOB, which did pretty well."

DOKKEN's current lineup consists of Don alongside bassist Chris McCarvill, guitarist Jon Levin and drummer BJ Zampa (HOUSE OF LORDS).

DOKKEN's 13th studio album, "Heaven Comes Down", came out in October 2023 via Silver Lining Music. The follow-up to "Broken Bones" was produced by Bill Palmer and Don Dokken and was mixed by Kevin Shirley (AEROSMITH, IRON MAIDEN).

Image credit: Melvin Zoopers

Swedish death/thrash metal veterans THE CROWN have announced plans to disband following a run of shows in 2026, culminating in a final gig in Gothenburg next December.

Earlier today (Monday, December 1),THE CROWN released the following statement: "After 35 years of creativity and Death Metal mayhem — the time has come to bring THE CROWN's journey to an end.

"2026 will not only mark our final year of live shows — it will be the final chapter for the band. We want to go out on our own terms, celebrating everything this band has stood for: energy, passion, and the love of extreme music. Most importantly, this farewell is for you — our fans. Your dedication and loyalty have kept this band alive for over three decades. Every show in 2026 will be our way of saying thank you for all the years of support, the endless energy from the crowds, and for standing with us through every era of THE CROWN.

"Throughout 2026, we'll perform Farewell shows around the world, meeting fans one last time. Each show will be a tribute to the past, the present, and the unstoppable spirit that's fueled THE CROWN since day one. Everything has its time — and this is ours.

"Thank you for 35 years of loyalty, chaos, and Metal! Let's make 2026 the grand finale it deserves!

"NO TOMORROW - FAREWELL 2026".

THE CROWN 2026 tour dates:

Jan. 10 - PT Mangualde - Mangualde Hard Metal Fest
Mar. 06 - ES Barcelona - Sala Lennon
Mar. 07 - ES Valencia - Sala Zulu
Mar. 08 - ES Madrid - Sala Nazca
Mar. 14 - CH Zürich - Züri Gmätzlets
May 22 - US Baltimore - Maryland Deathfest
Jul. 25 - FI Vaasa - Kaaos Festival
Aug. 15 - IT Francavilla al Mare - Frantic Fest
Aug. 20 - AT Spital am Semmering - Kaltenbach Open Air
Nov. 06 - SE Umeå - House Of Metal
Nov. 21 - SE Linköping - Platens
Nov. 28 - SE Skövde - Lokstallet
Dec. 12 - NL Eindhoven - Metal Meeting
Dec. 18 - SE Stockholm - Kollektivet livet
Dec. 19 - SE Gothenburg - Valand (final show)

THE CROWN's twelfth studio album, "Crown Of Thorns", came out in October 2024 via Metal Blade Records. The follow-up to 2021's "Royal Destroyer" was THE CROWN's LP after the 2022 addition of drummer Mikael Norén and bassist Mattias Rasmussen as well as the return of lead guitarist Marcus Sunesson, rejoining longtime members, guitarist Marko Tervonen and vocalist Johan Lindstrand.

"Crown Of Thorns" was recorded by Marko Tervonen (Studio-MT),mixed and was mastered by Jonas Kjellgren (Black Lounge Studios).

THE CROWN celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2020 (including the band's first eight years spent as CROWN OF THORNS).

Ex-I PREVAIL vocalist Brian Burkheiser has released a cover of Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do" under the SCATTERBRAIN banner.

Burkheiser, whose split with I PREVAIL was announced in May, shared the following statement via his publicist, Atom Splitter PR: "To my fans: This year forced me to pivot in ways I never expected, and it tested me more than I can explain. But through it all, your support has meant everything.

"I'm excited to finally share a song with you. I chose this cover because it truly resonates with me and serves as a nod to what first sparked my career.

"I'm still working toward the day I can release my original music, but for now, I'm grateful to have found a way to put a piece of art into the world."

Five months ago, Burkheiser claimed that "an unresolved dispute" with his former band had prevented him from releasing his new solo music.

On August 25, Brian took to his social media to write: "Due to an unresolved dispute with my former band I PREVAIL, I am being blocked from releasing my song 'Phases', as well as other new music.

"I'm deeply disappointed, but I'm doing everything I can to move things forward.

"I want to thank my family, friends, and most importantly, my fans for their unwavering support."

Burkheiser had handled the clean vocals in I PREVAIL since the band's formation in 2013 but was forced to step away from the group's touring activities due to his battle with Eagle's syndrome, a condition associated with the elongation of the styloid process or calcification of the stylohyoid ligament, clinically characterized by throat and neck pain, radiating into the ear. In Burkheiser's absence, co-vocalist/growler Eric Vanlerberghe had handled the bulk of the singing in I PREVAIL, with the help of guitarist Dylan Bowman.

I PREVAIL announced in May that it was "mutually parting ways" with Burkheiser. A month and a half later, Burkheiser posted a series of Instagram Stories in which he claimed there was "no beef" between him and his now-former bandmates. "I love every single one of those guys whether they know it or not," Burkheiser wrote. However, he added that he believed he "didn't deserve how things went down" regarding the circumstances surrounding his departure, before clarifying, "But it doesn't mean they are bad people. I did try to communicate more and I wish that they would've talked to me more," Burkheiser wrote. "But if it took it coming down to this to teach the world this lesson then I'm OK with that because I want to rekindle my friendships with those guys one day."

Burkheiser went on to say that he was proud of Vanlerberghe, who has since become I PREVAIL's primary singer, and encouraged fans to buy tickets to the "Summer Of Loud" tour featuring I PREVAIL, BEARTOOTH, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and PARKWAY DRIVE.

I PREVAIL's fourth studio album, "Violent Nature" arrived in September via Fearless.

Press photo courtesy of Atom Splitter PR

On November 16, 2025 at the San Antonio Fear Fest in San Antonio, Texas, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt spoke to Robb Chavez of Robbs MetalWorks about the band's recently completed follow-up to 2021's "Persona Non Grata" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's fucking awesome. It'll be out next March, I think — March 20 — and it's fucking awesome. I mean, it's so awesome. We're so proud of this record."

According to Holt, EXODUS completed nearly two albums' worth of material during the latest recording sessions, with a view toward releasing the second collection of songs when the first touring cycle is finished.

"80 percent of the follow-up [to EXODUS's next album] is done already," Holt explained. "We just kept working. We never stopped. We were in the studio for two months. And we tend to record by… We all live together in a house, or sometimes we build a studio in a house, and it's like heavy metal summer camp. But we like each other enough to live together still. A lot of bands — that's a rarity. And so we write the whole process. When we started recording, we only had four songs done and a million ideas. And Lee [Altus, longtime EXODUS guitarist] wrote a ton of stuff; he wrote four out of 10 songs on the new album."

Gary also talked about the return of EXODUS singer Rob Dukes, who replaced Steve "Zetro" Souza in January. He said: "It's fucking been amazing. When you hear [Rob's] vocals on this new record, you're gonna shit your pants."

Elaborating on what fans can expect from the new EXODUS material, Holt said: "The new album is so killer, dude. And everybody says that — I know that — but, dude, this album's so good. Me and [EXODUS drummer] Tom Hunting call each other and [I tell him], when I listen to it, it makes me wanna cry, it's so good. It's that fucking good. We made something special."

Asked what it is about the new EXODUS album that is so good, Gary explained: "It's just the songs, dude. It's all about the songs. I mean, it's crushing, but it's all anthems. And it's so varied, this record. So many different aspects of EXODUS are in there, from the blinding speed to the slowest, heaviest shit we've ever done. And Rob's vocals are, like, at the top of the pyramid on this shit."

As for the status of the second collection of new songs EXODUS had written during the most recent sessions, Gary said: "We still gotta record a little bit more to complete it. Our goal, we fell a little bit short. We have eight songs done. It was hard picking which ones go on this, 'cause I still, to this day, I have panic attacks, like, 'I should have put that one on it. That song is so sick.' But you're trying to balance a record. And we just picked what we thought were the best ones for this album."

At last month's Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California, Holt told Baby Huey and Chasta of the San Francisco radio station 107.7 The Bone that Mark Lewis had mixed the new EXODUS material, which will be released via Napalm Records, and described it as "something else, man… It's crushing, but it's also all anthems. Every song's an anthem. It's awesome. We're super proud of this record."

Lewis had previously worked with MEGADETH, WHITECHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER and BAD WOLVES, among many others.

The follow-up to "Persona Non Grata" will mark the first time in nearly three decades that an EXODUS album hasn't been mixed by Andy Sneap, who has acted as JUDAS PRIEST's producer and touring guitarist for more than seven years.

Gary previously wrote on Instagram about EXODUS's collaboration with Lewis: "First album since 97 to mix with someone else, and it's crushing. Andy said it's time to venture out of our comfort zone and it's amazing. Mark has CRUSHED IT!"

In a recent interview with Chicago's Rebel Radio 92.5 FM as part of the station's 31st-anniversary celebration, Dukes praised the material on EXODUS's upcoming effort, saying: "It's killer. It's the best thing I've ever done with EXODUS. I thought [2010's] 'Exhibit B: [The Human Condition]' was probably some of my best work, and I think this tops it. It's so different than what we've done. We've added so many little different things that it's still EXODUS, but we've definitely stepped outside the box a little bit and tried a few different things and it worked well… It's fast. it's dark, it's awesome, man. It's gonna be a lot of fun to go play these songs live."

Souza joined EXODUS in 1986 after previously fronting the band LEGACY (which later became TESTAMENT). He remained in the band until their hiatus in 1993, but rejoined them for two years from 2002 to 2004. Dukes had joined EXODUS in 2005 (following Souza's departure) and remained until 2014, when Souza rejoined.

Dukes previously joined EXODUS in January 2005 and appeared on four of the band's studio albums — "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" (2005),"The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A" (2007),"Let There Be Blood" (2008, a re-recording of EXODUS's classic 1985 LP, "Bonded By Blood") and "Exhibit B: The Human Condition" (2010).

EXODUS played its first concert with Dukes in nearly 11 years on April 5 at the Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest: Philly at the Fillmore in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Although EXODUS rarely gets mentioned alongside the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX — the aforementioned "Bonded By Blood" LP inspired the likes of TESTAMENT, DEATH ANGEL, VIO-LENCE and many others to launch their careers and is considered one of the most influential thrash metal albums of all time.

A new live album from late IRON MAIDEN frontman Paul Di'Anno will be posthumously released in 2026. It will be the singer's last live LP, recorded on tour in 2024.

More details, including the album title, the track listing, the record label and the concert where the album was recorded, will be revealed before Christmas.

Di'Anno's new live record will be released exclusively on vinyl in a very limited edition.

According to a post on Paul's social media, "The name of the album, the art design of the cover and the layout, as a kind of concept, will carry a special message and will make all fans very proud."

As previously reported, an official documentary about Di'Anno, "Di'Anno: Iron Maiden's Lost Singer", will also be released in 2026. The film was helmed by Wes Orshoski, co-director and producer of the acclaimed 2010 film "Lemmy" about the MOTÖRHEAD icon, and 2015's "The Damned: Don't You Wish That We Were Dead", about punk rock legends THE DAMNED.

On October 21, Wes took to his Instagram to write about "Di'Anno: Iron Maiden's Lost Singer": "I started shooting this film in 2017 and for years there wasn't much to capture. Paul was in a wheelchair, desperately waiting for surgeries that doctors in the U.K. refused to greenlight. By the time the pandemic hit, Paul's health had nosedived. And that's when everything changed for him and my film. Kastro Pergjoni, who runs the Cart & Horses pub in London (known as 'The Birthplace of IRON MAIDEN') launched a crowd-funding campaign to help Paul take control of his own destiny. MAIDEN fans around the world gave. And Croatian MAIDEN superfan/writer Stjepan Juras lobbied for Paul to seek treatment in Zagreb, where he could be treated affordably. Paul acquiesced. Without question, Kastro and Stjepan not only changed Paul's life, they extended it. My film largely documents their efforts, which were without question responsible for nearly all of the good moments at the end of Paul's life."

In August 2024, Di'Anno discussed the status of the documentary in an interview with George Dionne of KNAC.COM. Paul said: "Wes is a good mate of ours. He'd done the MOTÖRHEAD rockumentary. He'd done THE DAMNED [one] as well. And he's a great guy. We've had this in the pipeline for a couple of years now. The unfortunate part about it is we had to take our time in between when he can come over and do this. But the unfortunate thing is I'm sitting in a fucking wheelchair, which is a pain in the ass, but what are you gonna do?"

Asked by Dionne if the documentary will focus on a particular portion of Di'Anno's life or if it will cover everything from beginning to end, Paul said: "Everything. But you'll see the determination sometimes and the despair. And it goes through the whole lot of emotions and stuff. It's a bit strange."

Di'Anno added: "I trust Wes. He's got me in all sorts of weird situations. He even wanted to come in and fucking film the operation. And they said, 'No.'"

Di'Anno was laid to rest on November 21, 2024 at the City Of London Cemetery And Crematorium in Manor Park, East London, United Kingdom.

Di'Anno, whose real name was Paul Andrews, passed away on October 21, 2024 at his home in Salisbury at the age of 66.

An official statement shared to Di'Anno's Facebook page on November 11, 2024 with permission from the late musician's family revealed that his cause of death was caused by a "tear in the sac around the heart."

"Dear fans and friends," the statement began. "We have received permission from Paul's family to bring you the news of Paul's cause of death, after the results of the autopsy have been received."

It continued, "His sisters Cheryl and Michelle confirmed the following: 'Basically he had a tear in the sac around the heart and blood has filled inside it from the main aorta artery and that has caused the heart to stop.' Paul's death was instantaneous and hopefully painless. May he rest in peace."

Born in Chingford, East London on May 17, 1958, Paul first came to prominence as lead singer of English heavy metal band IRON MAIDEN between 1978 and 1981. He sang on their groundbreaking debut album "Iron Maiden" and the influential follow-up release, "Killers".

Since leaving IRON MAIDEN, Paul Di'Anno had a long and eventful recording career with BATTLEZONE and KILLERS as well as numerous solo releases and guest appearances.

Despite being troubled by severe health issues in recent years that restricted him to performing in a wheelchair, Paul continued to entertain his fans around the world, racking up well over 100 shows since 2023.

His first career retrospective album, "The Book Of The Beast", was released in September 2024 and featured highlights of his recordings since leaving IRON MAIDEN.

In December 2022, Di'Anno spent time in Split, Croatia recording an album with his new project called WARHORSE. The band was formed earlier that year by Di'Anno and two guitarists/authors, Hrvoje Madiraca and Ante "Pupi" Pupačić. The resulting LP was made available in July 2024 under the PAUL DI'ANNO'S WARHORSE banner.

WARHORSE previously recorded three songs, two of which — "Stop The War" and "The Doubt Within" — were released in May 2022 as a special DVD single along with Paul's video message to all fans who bought the single and thus helped raise funds for his knee operation.

The WARHORSE single marked Di'Anno's first music release after a seven-year hiatus due to severe health issues.

Di'Anno, who finally underwent his knee surgery in September 2022, played the first show since the operation on October 1, 2022 at the Keep It True Rising II festival in Würzburg, Germany.

In May 2022, Di'Anno came face to face with MAIDEN bassist and founder Steve Harris for the first time in three decades before the band's concert in Croatia. Also in May 2022, Paul played his first full solo concert in seven years at the Bikers Beer Factory in Zagreb. The show was filmed and parts of it will be included in the "Di'Anno: Iron Maiden's Lost Singer" documentary.

Photo credit: Marco Benjamin Alvarado (courtesy of Central Press for Conquest Music)

We just received news that a new Paul Di'Anno album will be released in 2026. It will be his last live album, recorded...

Posted by Paul Di'Anno on Sunday, November 30, 2025

Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME) and Michael Sweet (STRYPER) took part in the second night of this year's "Turkey Jam" on Saturday, November 29 at the Hudson Portuguese Club in Hudson, Massachusetts. Among the tracks which were performed was a cover of KISS's "Shout It Out Loud" as a tribute to late KISS guitarist Ace Frehley. Fan-filmed video of the concert — courtesy of the Steve's Concert Corner channel on YouTube — can be seen below. (Note: After each song, the YouTube player automatically jumps to the next song in the playlist.)

"Turkey Jam" is an annual, family-run rock concert tradition hosted by Bettencourt and his family during Thanksgiving week in Hudson, Massachusetts. The event features the "Bettencourt Clan" performing rock classics for friends and family, celebrating music and togetherness. Tickets often sell out quickly, and the event has been running for several years.

Bettencourt rose to rock superstardom as lead guitarist of the legendary rock band EXTREME. He has parlayed that success into an acclaimed career as a Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum artist, songwriter, and producer, working alongside industry titans such as Sir Paul McCartney, Steven Tyler, Kanye West, Robert Palmer, Rihanna, Janet Jackson and Perry Farrell, among others.

EXTREME's latest studio album, "Six", was released in June 2023 via earMUSIC.

During the October 17 "Tribute To Ace Frehley" episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Nuno spoke about Ace who died a day earlier at the age of 74. He said:  "I don't think any of us really prepare to pass away or prepare for people to go. Some religions, like Buddhists do, which I think is a good thing. But the reason I say this is because it is sad when somebody passe[s] — Ozzy [Osbourne] and now Ace, especially — but, man, think about it for a second. How incredible, what a miracle it's been a run that Ace has had? Even getting [to that age] — I hope I get to the age of 74, you know what I mean? And to do what he's done and to party like he partied and to be able to do the music and to contribute the music that he's gonna have that's gonna live decades and centuries after he's gone, it's quite a run, man. It's a great run."

Asked by host Eddie Trunk how Ace inspired and influenced him as a guitar player, Nuno said: "Listen, Ace came from a very sort of — I call it 'simplexity'. It's not simple and it's not complex. It's simplexity. You're in a place where you play the perfect solos, much like you would hear. You hear in [the American new wave band] THE CARS by Elliot Easton — they're just solos and tasty, memorable things that just happen in songs, which is a lot more difficult to do than the complex stuff. I know that sounds crazy. Everybody thinks you play technical and you play fast, and that's harder. It isn't. It takes a lot more courage and it takes a lot more style to kind of tone it down and play what's right for the song, and that's what Ace did in KISS — memorable riffs, memorable solos. But what was more influential, though, as a kid is… We were listening to musicians before and we wanted to play only play guitar and wanted to be guitarists, but when we saw Ace and when we saw KISS, we started learning how it was to perform, how to put on a show, how to be a bit of a guitar [hero] — what a guitar hero looks like; not just a guitar player. And he changed the game in that way. And so did KISS in general. So imagine being seven, eight years old, six years old, and seeing this and staring, just for hours and hours staring at the 'Destroyer' album cover, the 'Love Gun' album cover. It was a culture that they were giving us. It was character. What they did really almost shaped your childhood, not just musically, but culturally. And you don't realize the impact until somebody passes away and you kind of reflect and you're, like, 'Wow.' You go back to listening to those albums and discovering those songs and just what it did to your life. And there was a bond between you and your friends that were all into KISS that was very different than other bands… It would be one of those things where it was religion."

We’re Baaaaaaack !

The Bettencourt Clan is at it again for yet another year of Thanksgiving and Rock and Roll in our...

Posted by Nuno Bettencourt on Wednesday, September 3, 2025

Fan-filmed video of Tim "Ripper" Owens's (JUDAS PRIEST, KK'S PRIEST, ICED EARTH) November 28 concert at RC Mlyn in Vrútky, Slovakia during his fall 2025 tour can be seen below. Joining him on the trek is a backing band of Nazzareno Zacconi and Emiliano Tessitore on guitar, Francesco Caporaletti on bass and Alessio Palizzi on drums.

In a recent interview with Andrew McKaysmith of the Scars And Guitars podcast, Owens was asked if he has ever thought about writing an autobiography. Tim responded:  "Yeah, I'd like to do one. I just don't know if I can talk about everything in my career. I don't know if it's right. There's bands that can do that because they were known as being — they'd come up in the '70s and '80s, so there's there's things they'd done and in their career and they like to talk about it because they were into that. But I don't know. I don't necessarily wanna throw people under the bus.

"I think it might be a little bit boring 'cause I'm not gonna talk about everything. On the other hand, I guess I do have a lot to talk about, and maybe talking about everything would be a pretty good idea. It could make me look a little more adventurous, too. I can make things up.

"I've said this: I will write a book, but I'm not writing a book that's not paying me. 'Cause I see so many musicians and so many people write books, and I know they haven't made much money from it. I'm not saying I'm gonna be super rich, but I've always said if I'm writing a book, it's paying me — it's paying me to write the book. I'm not just putting it out there to put it out there. I've gotta retire at some point.

"But, yeah, I've had one hell of a career. Just a kid from Akron, Ohio that's done and played with the musicians that I have, and all because of JUDAS PRIEST giving me a break and a chance to sing for 'em. And, yeah, just a book on who I've played with and when I've jammed with them, whether it was Ace Frehley [KISS] or Scott Ian [ANTHRAX] or whoever it's been, it's pretty crazy 'cause, again, I'm still just a fan and a kid from Akron, Ohio that gets to do what I do."

Owens previously discussed the possibility of writing a book in January 2025 in an interview with Australia's "Everblack" podcast. He said at the time: "I've never been offered [a book deal]. I'm not writing a book unless I get paid money, 'cause they loosely made a movie about me; I didn't get paid nothing for that. So, they would have to pay me some money. But I don't know how to do it 'cause I don't wanna… I'll probably hurt some feelings doing that book. But I won't spill all the beans. I might be in trouble if I spill all the beans."

He continued: "I would be nice about it. But it is a great story, isn't it? I mean, it's an amazing story. And it's continued to be. I love when people go, 'What have you done since JUDAS PRIEST?' More? I don't know. I've toured the world more. I've played in front of the same amount of crowds, sold more records. This is all after JUDAS PRIEST. So I think it's pretty crazy when someone says, 'What have you done?' Or they diss me by saying, 'Oh, the guy that used to be somebody.' I'm, like, 'What do you mean used…?' I'm doing more now than I ever did in my life. So it's kind of, like, 'I don't know what you're talking about.'

"I've done a lot," Owens added. "I said I've been fired from more bands than people have been in, so it's kind of funny. But, yeah, I've met so many great people. And I always say JUDAS PRIEST was my college, and they opened up the door for me to make a living out of it. And I've worked hard at trying to make sure I'm in top form and ready to go."

The 2001 Warner Bros. movie "Rock Star", starring Mark Wahlberg as a salesman-turned-rock star, was loosely based on Owens, who fronted a JUDAS PRIEST cover band before being tapped to become the new lead singer of the actual group.

Asked in a 2014 interview with Russia's Classic Rock magazine how much of "Rock Star" was styled after him, Tim said: "When they first [got the idea to do] the 'Rock Star' movie [under its original name 'Metal God'], it was really gonna be about me. And then JUDAS PRIEST pulled away from it, because they didn't like some things. So [the producers] really made their own movie, I think. The similarities were that I auditioned for JUDAS PRIEST and I sang one line of a song and hit a note and made the band. But then a lot of the things, they kind of went out… I mean, I wasn't that kind of fan when I made the band, because I was that kind of crazy kid in high school in the '80s. But this was 1996, so I wasn't living at my parents' with posters on the walls. I mean, it was still pretty cool. I mean, to have a movie loosely based on you is pretty cool."

Regarding whether it was ironic that the "Rock Star" movie became almost prophetic in the sense that Mark Wahlberg's character in the film ends up playing small clubs with his own material after the band's original lead singer rejoins the group, Owens said: "For me, the movie was almost [like real life]. Rob [Halford] came back [to JUDAS PRIEST], which was good for me, to be honest. My career, I went on to do a lot of stuff. It was better for the band, it was better for Rob. So it was kind of funny. I think I became a little bit bigger than the coffee shop singer that Mark Wahlberg was in the movie in the end, just playing there. I still get to play in front of thousands of people in Russia. But it is similar how he went on to do his own thing."

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 after being discovered when PRIEST drummer Scott Travis was given a videotape of Tim performing with the PRIEST cover band BRITISH STEEL. JUDAS PRIEST at the time was seeking a replacement for Halford, who has since rejoined the band. Asked in an interview with The Vinyl Guide podcast what kind of advice or preparation he had for stepping into those shoes, Owens said: "Well, listen, I was confident. They were confident with my voice. I knew some fans wouldn't like me, but I also knew that I could sing really good, and I could sing really good live. One advantage I felt I had as a singer was I could sing what I recorded in the studio; whatever I recorded, I'm gonna be able to sing that live. And I felt when fans came to the show, they would be happy that they have someone who's coming in the JUDAS PRIEST that could still keep the voice going. So if someone didn't like me, there's nothing I could do. K.K. [Downing, then-PRIEST guitarist] used to always say, ''The proof is in the pudding. Come to the show and see.' And I think a lot of people used to come to the shows and they just couldn't wait to hate me. They hated me showing up and wanted me to fail. And so many of 'em, I'd win 'em over when I started singing, because they could tell that I loved it; I loved what I was singing, and I wanted to do the songs justice. So I always felt confident."

Addressing the fact that the two albums PRIEST recorded with Owens — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — sold poorly, and he was ultimately pushed out to clear the way for the return of Halford, Tim said: "It was a really bad time of heavy metal. So it wasn't like I joined them in the heyday. I mean, when Rob left JUDAS PRIEST, they were playing in front of a couple thousand people on the 'Painkiller' tour, a lot of shows So, it really wasn't a great time of heavy metal. So I understood that, and I understood people would want Rob back. But all I cared about was getting on stage and sound[ing good]. I just wanted the band to be happy and me to be happy with me doing it. That's all I worried about."

He added: "I know a lot of the the musicians at the time, especially the hair metal bands, because hair metal was gone at that time, they hated me in L.A., 'cause they were, like, 'Who's this guy? He comes from Akron, Ohio. What's he done? How's he here?' And I still am the same Ohio guy, [with the] same friends. I have the same attitude. And all of us are the same. I tell musicians this all the time: we're all the same. I mean, nothing different."

Asked if he had any sort of communication or relation with Halford at that time, Owens said: "No, just in the press. They always tried to get us to say mean things and bad things. And every now and then, one of us would say something. Now, this was pre-Internet. So, I couldn't imagine doing that nowadays, how screwed up it would be. But, no, because there was a respect. I don't think Rob liked me much, probably at the time, because someone's going to his band, his songs and singing this, but we always had this respect. And when we met each other, we always had great talks. And I think it made a lot of people mad that we liked each other. I think it made a lot of people mad, and I think it still does. But whenever I've seen him, I love talking to him, and he knows what's going on with me, and he's, like, 'Oh, I see that you're playing in Russia,' whatever."

Tim continued: "Back in those days, [journalists] would have the old tape recorder hidden. Now they could just turn their phone on, and no one would know it. But you would do an interview, and then they go, 'All right, the interview's over.' And then they'd turn the tape recorder off, but they'd have another one going in their pocket trying to get you to say stuff. And you know this, doing interviews, you get people to feel comfortable so you talk like you're friends. And then you just start saying stuff. And I put my foot in my mouth a few times. Oh, now I do all the time, because now — I always do."

In 2019, Owens told Ultimate Guitar that he believes his era of JUDAS PRIEST is largely overlooked. "Yeah, I think it definitely deserves more [attention]," he said. "I mean, they don't do anything. [Laughs] It's kind of amazing that they just totally erased it that they won't play... I mean, 'Burn In Hell' [off 'Jugulator'], the crowd would like to hear 'Burn In Hell'.

"They don't have to give me a tribute or anything, but it would be nice to play a song from... You know, that was a pretty big thing, I did two studio records, two live records, and a DVD, starting from '96 to 2004. So it's kind of crazy that it's just been erased and they won't even play a song from it live, because it is JUDAS PRIEST."

"Demolition" and "Jugulator" are included on "50 Heavy Metal Years Of Music", JUDAS PRIEST's limited-edition box set which contains every official live and studio album to date plus 13 unreleased discs. Released in October 2021, it is the most extensive release of previously unreleased music the band has made from its vast archives.

Tim Ripper Owens 2025 tour dates
**RIPPER in Europe 2025 w/ Dark Horse Prophet
NOVEMBER
27.11 Kino Regis - Bochnia...

Posted by Tim Ripper Owens on Wednesday, November 26, 2025

LIMP BIZKIT played its first concert following bassist Sam Rivers's death Saturday night (November 29) at Explanada Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico. Handling the bass duties for the band at the opening show of LIMP BIZKIT's Latin American "Loserville Gringo Papi Tour 2025" was Kid Not (a.k.a. Richie Buxton),a songwriting partner/producer of tour opener Ecca Vandal, who is a singer-songwriter and rapper currently living in Melbourne, Australia.

During the concert, LIMP BIZKIT paid tribute to Rivers with a short video compilation of some of Sam's onstage moments with his bandmates. The surviving LIMP BIZKIT members turned their backs to the large audience to watch the clip before the words "Sam Rivers, our brother forever" appeared on the screen, then changing to "Sam Rivers, we love you forever." The musicians embraced each other at the end of the touching display of respect for their fallen bandmate.

Before taking the stage in Mexico City, LIMP BIZKIT drummer John Otto shared a moving statement online in which he addressed Sam's absence. He wrote: "Today is going to be tough. A first I never wanted to experience. Especially not now.

"You've been there for so many major firsts in my life. Some of my earliest memories were made with you. We grew up together. Laughed together. Realized our dreams together. And traveled the world together. You've always been there. The godfather to my girls, my best friend — my brother. There will never be another you.

"We're going to honor the life you lived and the love you spread with every show we play. You'll always be with us.

"Thank you to our fans for all the messages of support and tributes to Sam. It means the world to us.

"This one's for you Sammy."

LIMP BIZKIT has a few more shows to play in December as part of the aforementioned "Loserville Gringo Papi Tour 2025". They will perform in Costa Rica on December 2, Colombia on December 5, Peru on December 9, Chile on December 13, Argentina on December 16, and Brazil on December 20. Support on the trek is coming from BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, 311, Ecca Vandal, RIFF RAFF and SLAY SQUAD.

Rivers passed away on October 18 at the age of 48, He reportedly died in the bathroom of his Florida home, according to an incident report obtained by TMZ. The report revealed that a deputy from the St. Johns County Sheriff's Department in St. Augustine said a caller informed police that she found the musician face down in his bathroom just before she dialed 911.

LIMP BIZKIT, which was founded by Rivers and frontman Fred Durst in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1994, announced the bassist's passing in an Instagram post on October 18.

"Today we lost our brother. Our bandmate. Our heartbeat," the statement began. "Sam Rivers wasn't just our bass player — he was pure magic. The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound.

"From the first note we ever played together, Sam brought a light and a rhythm that could never be replaced," the statement — which was signed by his bandmates Durst, Wes Borland, Otto and DJ Lethal — continued. "His talent was effortless, his presence unforgettable, his heart enormous."

The group went on to remember Rivers as a "once-in-a-lifetime kind of human" and a "true legend of legends."

"His spirit will live forever in every groove, every stage, every memory," Rivers's bandmates added. "We love you, Sam. We'll carry you with us, always."

Rivers left LIMP BIZKIT in 2015 for health reasons that he later revealed were liver ailments due to alcohol abuse.

"I got liver disease from excessive drinking … I had to leave LIMP BIZKIT in 2015 because I felt so horrible, and a few months after that I realized I had to change everything because I had really bad liver disease," Rivers revealed in Jon Wiederhorn's book "Raising Hell (Backstage Tales From The Lives Of Metal Legends)". "I quit drinking and did everything the doctors told me. I got treatment for the alcohol and got a liver transplant, which was a perfect match."

Rivers recalled doctors warning him that he would die without quitting alcohol. "It got so bad I had to go to UCLA Hospital, and the doctor said, 'If you don't stop, you're going to die. And right now, you're looking like you need a new liver.'"

Sam rejoined LIMP BIZKIT in 2018 and remained in the group until his death.

He performed his last concert with LIMP BIZKIT in August at the Leeds festival in the U.K.

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MACHINE HEAD kicked off its 2025 Australian tour Saturday night (November 29) at Astor Theatre in Perth. The band is playing the first three shows of the November/December trek as a three-piece after the guitarist MACHINE HEAD had hired for the run was forced to pull out of the tour due to a "family emergency".

The setlist for MACHINE HEAD's concert in Perth was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

01. Imperium
02. Ten Ton Hammer
03. Choke On The Ashes Of Your Hate
04. Now We Die
05. Is There Anybody Out There?
06. Not Long For This World
07. Crashing Around You
08. Unhallowed
09. Aesthetics Of Hate
10. Now I Lay Thee Down
11. Old
12. Outsider
13. Locust
14. Bonescraper
15. Circle The Drain (acoustic)
16. Darkness Within (acoustic)
17. Catharsis
18. From This Day
19. Davidian
20. Halo

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

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

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

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

Dec. 01 - The Station, Sunshine Coast
Dec. 03 - UC Refectory, Canberra

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MACHINE HEAD live at the Astor Theatre this Saturday - 29th November 2025.

Undisputed masters of murderous riffs,...

Posted by Astor Theatre Perth on Sunday, November 23, 2025

During an appearance on a recent episode of the Talk Louder podcast, hosted by veteran music journalist "Metal Dave" Glessner and lifelong hard rock/metal vocalist Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS),TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick spoke about the band's latest album, "Para Bellum", which marks the recording debut with the group of powerhouse drummer Chris Dovas. Working closely with guitarist Eric Peterson throughout the writing process, Dovas helped shape song structures, accelerated the workflow, and injected a level of versatility that amplifies the album's modern edge without straying from the TESTAMENT sound. Regarding how Chris came to join TESTAMENT, Alex said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I have to give credit to Eric Peterson, the band founder and guitarist, 'cause he found Chris online. And it would be very easy [to find someone well-known] — we have so many friends in the community now. And, of course, all our phones blow up, drummers we know: 'Hey, man…'"

Skolnick continued: "[Eric and Chris] were in in touch. Eric was looking at these guys. And he was kind of leaning towards getting somebody young, getting somebody that'll fire us up, that knows our stuff, but also is very in touch with what's going on now, groups that are sort of millennial and even maybe Gen Z. One of our friends that hit us up was our great buddy Dave Lombardo [ex-SLAYER], who's one of the greatest drummers of all time. And he sort of just became available as we were starting this tour cycle, and Gene Hoglan [now-former TESTAMENT drummer] was overly booked. And this was partially because of the pandemic, 'cause all the plans got shifted. So all our 2020 plans, by 2022 and 2023, that calendar is getting filled with plans from 2020. But Gene already had his 2022, and so forth, plans laid out after the TESTAMENT record cycle. So suddenly he had this conflict, and that was what led to him departing. And then suddenly Dave was available. We did the tour with Dave. It was amazing, and we've gotten to be even be better friends, but when it came to doing the next record and doing the cycle and spending hours upon hours in a room with Eric as he works out his riffs — 'cause Eric really likes to work out riffs with a live drummer — Dave, he was spread too thin between MR. BUNGLE, the MISFITS and various other things. And even during the tour, we had to have a sub for him for a few shows. So when we did, Chris was the sub."

Skolnick added: "Chris came out, and I have to say, that's a tall order, filling in for Lombardo and explaining to the fans, 'Sorry, Dave will not be making an appearance tonight.' It's like an understudy in a play… So, he was the understudy… And nobody complained after the shows. I remember just thinking about this: 'Everybody's happy. I can't picture them being any happier had Dave been able to make it.' So, okay, that really says something. So, yeah, he's fired us up. He's brought a whole new flavor. There's definitely more extreme music there [on 'Para Bellum']. And I think it's good. We have enough music now of the classic TESTAMENT. And some of those songs [on 'Para Bellum'] do venture into that territory. But I'm glad — I'm glad we're going into new territory, and doing it with a musician on that level just makes it really exciting."

Two months ago, Eric spoke to Alex Stojanovic of Metal Master Kingdom about his musical chemistry with Chris, who is less than half his age, having been born in 1998, 11 years after the release of TESTAMENT's debut album. Eric said: "Well, we're in modern times, so everyday life is the same for everybody. But, yeah, it's not like I'm getting somebody from Elvis's [Presley] band in the '50s and I'm in the '70s and I'm a hippie. It used to be really decades apart, but for some reason in the 2000s everything's kind of not really changed, if that makes any sense. And I think from his schooling and his dad's a metalhead, he was very much influenced and listens to the same kind of stuff we did. I mean, the first question I would ask someone of that age is, 'Have you ever tripped on DEEP PURPLE or UFO?' Or, 'What about RUSH? He's all, 'RUSH. I love 'Hemispheres'.' And I'm, like, 'Dude, that's my favorite record.' So the technicality of those kind of records. And then, of course, for me in TESTAMENT, I'm probably the only one that listens to [black metal bands like] DISSECTION and EMPEROR and knows about WATAIN and stuff like that. I don't think any of the other guys listen to that, but Chris is, like, 'Oh, yeah.' So right away we're just like two peas in a pod."

Released on October 10 via Nuclear Blast Records, "Para Bellum" was recorded with Juan Urteaga, mixed by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, and was mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios. TESTAMENT once again enlisted Eliran Kantor to create the album artwork.

In a new four-hour interview with the Turned Out A Punk podcast, EYEHATEGOD frontman Mike Williams, who underwent a successful liver-transplant surgery in 2016, opened up about his rough life, including his heroin addiction, poverty, incarceration, depression and being caught in Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When I was [in my] twenties, maybe, or even before that, I kind of wanted to die. There was suicidal thoughts a lot, and even up into my thirties and whatever, and off and on my whole life. But after the liver transplant where I almost actually did die, I just realized that there's a lot of cool people out there and there's a lot of people that love me, I guess to say — which is true, as friends. I've got a lot of friends, and it made me appreciate being alive more. And that kind of in turn helped me to get more sober and stay that way. And I still drink occasionally, but it's only on tour — White Claws [hard seltzer], maybe. But, yeah, I'm trying. All you can do is try. But that made me wanna try — almost actually dying. I was, like, man, all the support I got, people on all the social media stuff, people [were], like, 'Please don't die,', I felt that. It's touching, the whole thing."

Mike continued: "All the people who want me to be a nihilist 24-7 are gonna hate me saying that I wanted to live, but I did. That changed my whole outlook on life. There's a lot of stuff to do. There's more to do. There's more to see. It's just a lot.

"People get mad because I'm not the same way I used to be," Williams added. "I get it from both sides. I get it from the 'woke' people who are ultra woke, and I get it from the right wing. They're mad at me for one thing. And it's, like, I'm just being myself, man. I'm for human rights. Sorry, people.

"If you're a musician or an artist or sculpt or anything, you don't always do the same thing. You evolve, you mature over time and you're not gonna stick to the same way you were or the what your music sounds like either."

After Williams was hospitalized for liver failure and subsequently received a transplant, EYEHATEGOD hit the road for an extended three-year global tour, only to have that cut short when the coronavirus closed down the world in March 2020.

EYEHATEGOD's first new album in seven years, "A History Of Nomadic Behavior", arrived in March 2021 via Century Media Records.

"A History Of Nomadic Behavior" was produced by EYEHATEGOD, Sanford Parker (YOB, VOIVOD) and James Whitten (THOU, HIGH ON FIRE),with mixing by Whitten. The band recorded at HighTower Recording and Hypercube studios. The artwork for the LP was created by Gary Mader and Mike Williams.

Mike was first told that his liver was failing in December 2014 while he was on tour with his CORRECTIONS HOUSE project. His health improved in the following twelve months, but he suffered setbacks in 2015 and in early 2016.

Williams's tales of drug abuse, excess and struggles with the authorities have been well publicized over the years. The longtime New Orleans resident was arrested after Hurricane Katrina for drug possession, detoxed from heroin in prison and lived for a short time on former PANTERA frontman Philip Anselmo's property. Williams, who worked as an associate editor for Metal Maniacs in the 1990s and has written for numerous underground music magazines, published his first book, "Cancer As A Social Activity: Affirmations Of World's End", in 2005.

Williams was forced to miss more than a dozen EYEHATEGOD shows in the summer of 2016 and fall 2016 due to his health issues. He was temporarily replaced by Anselmo for two dates in August 2016 and LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe for eleven gigs in October 2016.

Photo credit: Robb Duchemin (courtesy of The Noise Cartel

During a November 15 presentation at the "KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas" event at the Virgin Hotels casino and resort complex in Las Vegas, KISS avatar show creative director Thierry Coup — co-founder of the experiential design and innovation studio JOCOUP Creative, which is partnering with Pophouse Entertainment (a Swedish investment company who acquired the KISS catalog for more than $300 million in 2024) and Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) to create what's being advertised as an "immersive, next-generation concert experience" — shared some updates on the current status of the show.

The KISS avatar show was initially teased at the conclusion of the final show of the band's five-year "End Of The Road" farewell tour, which took place at New York City's Madison Square Garden in December of 2023. Coup said (as transcribed by Clay Marshall for BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When we did the MSG moment at the end, it was really to spark the idea of what was going to come in the future, and to really tell everyone that KISS is only done with the first chapter — the first 50 years. The next 50 years is about to start. Now, we're right in the middle of developing the real avatar [show], which takes about two years. We are developing the stage and taking this energy and this incredible KISS explosive theatrics and shows into the future."

He added that the goal of the avatar show is to capture the "DNA" of KISS's live performances so that future generations of fans can experience the band in concert. "Many, many years ago, what blew me away was when I went to my first KISS concert," he said. "It just changed my life. I knew KISS's music, but you don't know KISS until you see them live. It took me into their world... For me, to be lucky enough to be involved with creating this avatar show, it's like a dream come true. When Pophouse came along a couple of years ago asking me, 'Do you want to create the biggest, most incredible tour in the world and blow it up with pyrotechnics,' [I said,] 'Yeah, of course — I'm in. Count me in'... The past 30 years, I've been creating big, crazy, immersive shows [and] multimedia shows. If you've flown with Harry Potter or ridden with Mario in his Mario Kart or been chased by a dinosaur at Universal [Studios], I was probably involved with that. For me to be asked to do this, it's fantastic. I love KISS, [and] I love KISS's music. I think there's no better band to really go into the future like this and keep inspiring new fans."

Coup revealed that the process of creating the avatars for the four band members is still ongoing, but that the final product will closely mirror reality. "The band is going to be as real as it ever was," he said. "They're a little younger than they are today, but that's all about really taking everything we know about KISS, about the band members, looking at archives, working with the band about who they really are and who they were, and bringing all that to life so when you see them, this is not just going to be animation or recreation. This is KISS, with all the love, the energy coming to life."

Coup said that the avatar show will portray KISS doing what they do best — performing. "KISS is going to be back on tour," he said. "This is what we're creating — the band is going to be back, but bigger. They were already bigger than life — they're superheroes — and what we're doing is bringing the stage to another dimension, being able to explore things that could not be possible. With the technology today, we are able to do a lot more, but it's all true [to] KISS. KISS has innovated — they've always looked forward; they've never looked backwards — so we are doing the same thing. We're working with Paul [Stanley] and Gene [Simmons], so we know what their dreams were. They were able to achieve a lot of that, but now we can take it to a new level. Really, we want everyone – new and old fans – to come to this show, to this real-life KISS concert, and feel like, 'Oh my God. This is KISS.' This is kind of passing the torch to the next era, the next generation. I want to see every kid walk in this show and feel the same [way] I felt the first time you went to a KISS show — 'Oh my God. This is incredible. I want more. I'll never forget this moment.' Creating that moment that we all felt the first time we went to those concerts, that's what I'm in for; that's what we're all in for with Pophouse. We're super-excited about it."

Longtime KISS manager Doc McGhee said that the avatar show gives KISS the opportunity to extend their legacy indefinitely. "When we looked at how we were going to end the career of KISS, it was like, you look and you see [LED] ZEPPELIN and you see all the rest of them that just kind of fade away," he said. "As we're looking, I went, 'I don't know what we can possibly do,' until this technology came from Pophouse. This was three years ago [when] we found Pophouse. I flew over to Sweden, and they showed me this whole thing they did with 'ABBA Voyage'. It was perfect. We always wanted to do the Marvel [Comics-like], going-into-the-future [ending], to keep them immortal. With their makeup and everything else, they look the same in 1974 as they do now with makeup — a little fatter, but that's what spandex is for. [We thought], 'Wow, this would be unbelievable if we could be the first band to ever do this.' It just was a match made in heaven, and now, with the technology of today, we can do it. The best part is with KISS, it's like, if it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing. All of our shows, we put 100 pounds of shit in a five-pound bag every night. We spend a lot of money doing this stuff — for the fans, and for us, because we want to be over-the-top. This technology can even do it further than what we did before."

Back in October 2024, Stanley told "Steve-O's Wild Ride!" podcast about his vision for the KISS avatar show: "What we'll be doing with these amazing avatars will take us to another place, another level. Now, those images [that were previewed at the end of KISS's final gig at] the Garden were really — I had mixed feelings about showing those because they're so early on, they look nothing like that. I mean, the avatars are identical. I mean, they look like us. And I think the idea was really just to show people that we're going to move on and continue, but it won't be like that. And what we're putting together with George Lucas and Pophouse, this amazing company out of Sweden, is an immersive experience that you'll come to, and there'll be heat and fire and wind and things flying around."

Stanley continued: "The idea of us making a recreation of a concert, I mean, how long can you look and go, 'Wow, that looks just like an amplifier'? That's not what we're doing. I would say it's Cirque Du Soleil meets 'Star Wars' and a KISS concert. So it's gonna be amazing."

Paul also talked about KISS's decision to sell its entire music catalog, likeness and brand name to Pophouse. Asked if he and Simmons will remain involved in the way the KISS brand is promoted and marketed going forward, Stanley said: "They want us involved, which is smart. And also it's a way to ensure, I hate to say purity, but a focus.

"Look, we got it this far," he explained. "And, they had no intentions of just taking it and them riding off into the sunset. This is a collaboration, and [it's] never been done before. I mean, bands sell publishing, songwriters sell their song rights. I dare say that there's not a band I can think of where anybody wants to buy the band's likeness and the logos and everything that goes with it."

Paul added: "You have to imagine that for us to create something and nurture it through the good and the bad for 50 years and then give it to a [someone else], it's like leaving home. Yeah, it's leaving home. But I'm still who I was. If I was the Starchild before, I'm Starchild now. That doesn't change. I'm who I've been. And it's such a unique situation that I don't think anybody else can ever fathom the magnitude, because people have a hard time giving up their publishing; that's like their babies. Well, we gave up our babies and the house and the block."

When Steve-O noted that the deal with Pophouse is a way to really ensure that the KISS legacy continues the way that he and Gene want it to, Stanley concurred. "Exactly," he said. "And to keep it going, as you said, continuously. Bands — I don't wanna say shelf life, but bands only have a certain amount of lifespan. Certain bands certainly live on through their music. What are we listening to inside? ZEPPELIN or THE BEATLES. But KISS is so unique, to keep it at the level we want it to be and for the personas to live on, this was a great way to do it. I had no thoughts of selling publishing — that didn't appeal to me — but this is kind of like finding, I don't wanna say foster parents, but we researched and did our due diligence and our homework and spent a lot of time with Pophouse also, and they're great people and totally understand what we are and what we're doing and what we wanna be."

In September 2024, Stanley was asked by Billboard's "Behind The Setlist" podcast about the reports that the KISS avatar show will debut in 2027 in Las Vegas. Paul said: "What I can tell you is that the technology that's being used, which is a furthering of the technology used on the ABBA show, has to be installed and basically a building has to be built around it. So this isn't something where you're in Kansas City today, and tomorrow you fly with your projector to do it. It demands an arena, so to speak that's really solely used for a show like this. But it's not something that can play on Wednesdays and Thursdays or Saturdays and Sundays, and then something else is in there during the week."

Asked if there is going to be a live music element to the KISS avatar show, like "ABBA Voyage" has, Paul said: "I really can't tell you the ultimate technology that we'll be using. We're sitting down in in the very near future just to start to fine-tune the show and the presentation. And then how we project the music or utilize the music, as far as technology, will be decided."

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 April 2024, Simmons told People magazine that KISS's decision to sell its entire music catalog, likeness and brand name to Pophouse was the "natural thing" to do. "Life happens while you're busy making important plans," he explained. "We were planning our respectful, proud walking off into the sunset, because we've been touring, we had been touring for half a century.

"If you take a look at Mother Nature, you either evolve or you become extinct," he added.

While terms of the Pophouse deal were not officially announced, Bloomberg and Associated Press said it was worth upwards of $300 million. However, Simmons insisted that financial gain is "not what [the sale is] about. It's about enjoying life," while adding, "I'm certainly blessed."

In a separate interview with TMZ, Simmons defended KISS's plans for an avatar concert similar to ABBA's with digital versions of the group.

"A.I. [artificial intelligence] is here to stay," he said. "Technology is here to stay. And you either join in and try to adapt and try to figure out how that works with you or you're just yesterday's news in a very real way.

"Truthfully, KISS has stopped touring," he continued. "We will never tour as KISS again. However, the end is also the beginning. We're gonna do things that will blow your socks off. But we couldn't do this without our new best friends for life Pophouse. They're really remarkable people."

When the interviewer asked if fans will embrace the concept of a concert that is A.I.-driven and consists of nothing but holograms, Gene said: "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."

Working closely with KISS, Pophouse will follow its unique, value-add approach of drawing upon its world-class, in-house creative and storytelling expertise to unlock new audiences and revenue streams. Pophouse will use its proven, industry-defining playbook to create new content and experiences to enrich the KISS catalog for fans, old and new, actively seeking to enrich and add value to the brands and artists it partners with. Inclusivity and community have always been vital to the KISS experience, and Pophouse is committed to nurture the close relationship between KISS and its devoted fans moving forward.

Johan Lagerlöf, head of investment at Pophouse, said: "KISS is one of the most recognized and iconic bands in the history of music. They redefined the concept of rock shows and have always taken their artistry to new uncharted territories. The band has consistently been able to appeal to new generations of fans and our mission is to fulfill the band's vision to become immortal, and to let new generations discover and be part of the KISS journey and carry it forward. With the help of the fans' energy, the band, our expertise, and creativity we will make that vision happen."

Per Sundin, CEO at Pophouse Entertainment, said: "KISS has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and has throughout their 50-year career continued to push the boundaries in popular culture. The band's enigmatic personas, unparalleled band attributes, and iconic imagery have made them a cultural force and a legendary act with multigenerational appeal. We will safeguard and enrich this legacy through future global endeavors, by breathing new life into their characters and personas while also leveraging and elevating the visual world of KISS."

As part of the partnership, Pophouse will create digital versions of KISS that will allow the band and their unique personas to live forever. The project, already underway, was previewed at the final KISS show in Madison Square Garden, New York on December 2, 2023, when, to the audience's surprise, KISS avatars closed the night with a rendition of "God Gave Rock And Roll To You" (resulting in international headlines). Through a magical combination of cutting-edge technology and unrivalled creativity, Pophouse will bring the full, authentic KISS experience to both existing and new fans for years to come.

Stanley said in a statement: "Our journey with Pophouse is fueled by the desire to eternally resonate across diverse facets of global culture. As we embark on this venture, we aim to weave our legacy into the tapestry of different worlds, ensuring that the KISS experience continues to captivate both our devoted fans and those yet to discover the thrill. This partnership is not just a chapter; it's an eternal symphony of rock 'n' roll immortality."

"KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas" is taking place November 14-16 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

This special KISS Army fan event, co-produced by Pophouse, Topeka and Vibee celebrates the band's five-decade career and the 50th anniversary of the KISS Army. In addition to KISS's "unmasked" performances, the weekend includes appearances from QUIET RIOT, Stephen Pearcy and Warren DeMartini performing the music of RATT, Bruce Kulick, Sebastian Bach, BLACK 'N BLUE, KUARANTINE, School Of Rock and more.

KISS had previously set a 12-show residency at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas in 2021 and 2022 but ultimately canceled all of the dates.

Simmons told Rolling Stone in a November 2023 interview that the second Madison Square Garden "End Of The Road" concert would mark "the final KISS-in-makeup appearance."

In a new interview with The Adventures Of Pipeman, RAVEN's co-founding lead vocalist and bassist John Gallagher spoke about his band's cover of METALLICA's "Metal Militia" for the recently released "No Life 'Til Leather - A Tribute To Metallica's Kill 'Em All". Regarding how he and his bandmates came to record the track, John said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, we were actually recording — it was the last album; it wasn't the [2025 'Can't Take Away The Fire'] EP, it was the last album, [2023's] 'All Hell's Breaking Loose'. And it was the first record for Silver Lining. And they said, 'As part of the deal here, could you guys do a METALLICA cover for a METALLICA cover album we're doing? And there's gonna be DIAMOND HEAD and SAXON.' And we're, like, 'Yeah. Why not? That'd be fun. But what song?' And they give us a choice of, like — I don't know — four or five songs, and it was, like, 'Metal Militia'. That's the craziest song. 'Let's do that and let's rev it up and let's have twist.' So we put a few things in, and, unfortunately, they made us take a few things out because of standards and practices and synchronization rights. And so I can't even tell you. I can tell you there was a bit at the end, which was really funny, and we had to take it off, unfortunately. But we did get to do a jazz version of a song at the beginning, which no one will be able to figure out, but we know what it is. I had to slip a little bit of Cliff [Burton, late METALLICA bassist] in the middle. And we changed the arrangement — added a few extra riffs and cut a few down and RAVEN-ized it. But it's still true to the original, 'cause the original's crazy. So we wanted to keep that spirit."

John continued: "One thing that came right up is Mike [Heller, RAVEN drummer] went, 'Mark [Gallagher, RAVEN guitarist] should sing this. He's got the voice for this.' I'm, like, 'Yeah, you're absolutely right.' 'Cause he's got that rough kind of Bon Scott[-type voice]. And for this, he actually sounds like James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] on half of it. It's hilarious. That's the first time Mark sung lead since 'Rock Hard' back in 1982. It's like the secret weapon — absolutely. [It was] long overdue. So we got to do that. I sing harmonies for a change, and it was just great. And Mike's insane on it, on the drums, of course. So, it was a no-brainer for us. We banged that up, the arrangement, very quickly. We said, 'What do you think of this?' 'Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.' Boom. Everyone stuck their 10 cents into it there. [It was] great fun. And did it and forgot all about it until it was, like, 'Yeah, finally. The other bands have done their stuff, so it's gonna come out. It's coming out in, like, three weeks. Can you do a video?' We were, like, 'What?' So we said, 'Well, there's the METALLICA connection. We have a strong connection with METALLICA from day one. Let's use video from the show we did with them a couple of years ago in Fort Lauderdale, the tribute to [Megaforce Records founders] Jon and Marsha Zazula, [and] a bunch of classic photographs. So that's definitely a freeze frame. 'What's this? What's this? What's this?' So it bears repeated viewing, for sure."

"No Life 'Til Leather - A Tribute To Metallica's Kill 'Em All" unites METALLICA's favorites, their peers and the generations that came next. METALLICA's first proper tour was with RAVEN in 1983, on the famous "Kill 'Em All For One" venture. Thus, it is only fitting that RAVEN is featured on the album with its powerfully unapologetic rendition of "Metal Militia". With unrelenting energy and raw precision, RAVEN channels the ferocity of the original while stamping their own unmistakable identity on the track — a bold statement that captures the spirit and intensity of the entire album.

In a January 2025 interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, John Gallagher talked about METALLICA opening for RAVEN back in 1983 and 1984. Asked what his thoughts were about METALLICA at the time, John said: "Yeah, they were good. They were energetic. They were like a gang, which is always appealing 'cause we were, obviously, like a gang. It wasn't the mentality of a one guy starting a band and putting adverts out and having a bunch of mercenaries come in. There was none of that. They were a gang. But as far as, 'Do you see them in — whatever — 10 years being the greatest thing since sliced bread?' It's, like, no, not a chance. And to be fair, the band that you could have said that with was at least a good year away because they really changed on the second record. It showed some maturity and breadth and the ability to do different things other than just [playing fast] all the way through. So, they sat, they learned and they soaked it all in and they did a whole bunch of stuff."

John continued: "They said to us on the tour, 'We love your 'All For One' album because you've broadened your sound without compromising who you are.' I was, like, 'Oh, well, I guess we did. Okay.' So they did kind of the same thing. They stretched out and did 'Fade To Black', which was, like, 'This is really cool. This is different.' Some slower-paced songs — still fast stuff, but mixed it up a bit."

He added: "We had a long conversation with James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] a couple of years ago up at METALLICA HQ [in Northern California]; we visited there. And [he was] very humble and very, 'I don't know how this all happened, but we're very grateful and humbled that it did. And we're gonna continue to do the best we can.' You can't ask for more than that."

Gallagher also spoke about what it was like for RAVEN to open for METALLICA at a November 2022 concert at the Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida celebrating the life, legacy, and achievements of Megaforce Records founder Jon "Jonny Z" Zazula and his wife Marsha Zazula. He said: "Yeah, that was really cool. That was for a good purpose because Jon and Marsha Zazula, who managed them and managed us, made a huge difference in both our careers. Absolutely. And it was good to recognize and celebrate that. And they were so good… And we got to hang out for a long time and talk. And it's really surprising about the level that they're at and the things they've went through that it's the same guys. That's pretty cool."

Considered part of the "New Wave Of British Heavy Metal" movement of the early '80s, RAVEN is perhaps best remembered for its trailblazing tours in America in the early '80s that gave groups like METALLICA and ANTHRAX their first taste of the road.

RAVEN's classic albums "Rock Until You Drop", "Wiped Out" and "All For One" virtually invented both the speed metal and power metal genres, with the band consistently pushing the envelope while retaining its unique sound and attack — both in the studio and in their true element: onstage.

In a 2005 post on RAVEN's official message board, John stated about RAVEN's influence on other pioneering metal bands: "Anyone ever listen to the middle of 'Aces High' by IRON MAIDEN and compare it to part of 'Faster Than The Speed Of Light' [by RAVEN]? How about the chorus riff of METALLICA's 'No Remorse' to [RAVEN's] 'Lambs To The Slaughter'?? Makes me laugh...!"

"No Life 'Til Leather - A Tribute To Metallica's Kill 'Em All" track listing:

01. Hit The Lights - TAILGUNNER
02. The Four Horsemen - THE ALMIGHTY
03. Motorbreath - SOEN
04. Jump In The Fire - TYGERS OF PAN TANG
05. (Anesthesia - Pulling Teeth - DAVID ELLEFSON
06. Whiplash - MOTÖRHEAD
07. Phantom Lord - SAXON
08. No Remorse - DIAMOND HEAD
09. Seek & Destroy - TESTAMENT
10. Metal Militia - RAVEN

Image credit: Capital Chaos TV

In a new interview with Ore Bihovsky of TotalRock's "Louder" radio show, ATREYU vocalist Brandon Saller was asked if he and his bandmates, like some other artists, have taken a step in their lyrics in recent years toward activism and calling for change. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't think we've ever been a very political band. I almost just see this more as an escape from that. I think that our band and our shows and our music can kind of be an escape from all that white noise. Especially now, it's such a violent and chaotic sort of downward spiral of shit that I'd rather offer someone an escape from that than stand on a soapbox and try to yell my views about one thing or the other. It's, like, I'd rather just give people a way to forget that for a second, 'cause there's enough of that."

Saller also talked about what metal and hardcore fans can do to make the scene more inclusive, welcoming and safe for women, trans and for non-binary people. He said: "I think it's the understanding that, especially in metal and hardcore specifically, we have to remember that these are countercultures. These are cultures of music that were built on the back of people being different, but being able to come together for something. So I don't think you can be selective with what that something is, you know what I mean? Unfortunately, we've said it a couple times already in this interview, the world's a really ugly place, I think, right now. So I don't know that there's ever not gonna be communities of people feeling sort of marginalized or cast out. But I think in these specific places, I think if people just remember, like I said, this is a counterculture. This was never the norm. This was never the population of pop culture. This was never the majority of people — this was all the outcasts and the weirdos, and the people that had nothing else that they felt connected to came to metal and hardcore. This is how this was created. You can't be selective of who's allowed in. I think if people can just remember that, then it'd be better off."

Earlier this month, ATREYU shared a music video for the band's latest single "Dead", a visual companion to the group's first release in over two years. The clip was directed, filmed, edited and produced by Sean Stiegemeier.

After ATREYU blacked out the band's social media in September and posted the letters "R.I.P.", some fans speculated that the California metallers were breaking up. However, ATREYU later revealed that the tease was actually for "Dead".

ATREYU kicked off its current tour on November 4 in Mesa, Arizona and will wrap it on December 12 in Pomona, California. The trek marks the 21st anniversary of ATREYU's 2004 album "The Curse". A true breakthrough moment for the band, "The Curse" delivered staples like "Bleeding Mascara", "Right Side Of The Bed" and "The Crimson", which are songs that helped cement ATREYU as one of the defining forces in the mid-2000s metalcore scene.

Since forming around the turn of the millennium, ATREYU has pushed well beyond their DIY roots — earning multiple RIAA gold records, Top 20 Billboard 200 debuts, and spots on major film and video-game soundtracks. Their latest album, "The Beautiful Dark Of Life" (2023, Spinefarm),debuted in the Top 10 on Billboard's Top Hard Rock Albums and has already racked up over 75 million streams, with singles like "Gone" and "Watch Me Burn" lighting up rock radio and flagship playlists like Spotify's "Volume" and Apple Music's "The Riff."

ATREYU is:

Brandon Saller - lead vocals
Dan Jacobs - guitar
Travis Miguel - guitar
Porter McKnight - bass/vocals