On October 9, California Film Institute's Mill Valley Film Festival featured "Metallica Saved My Life", a documentary that explores the life-changing impact of the San Francisco Bay Area heavy metal band on its fans, as its Centerpiece Screening at Sequoia Cinema in Mill Valley, California. METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich and "Metallica Saved My Life" director Jonas Åkerlund were on hand for a post-show conversation followed by a reception that evening.

Speaking on the red carpet about METALLICA's enduring connection with the band's fans, Ulrich said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, the stereotype that you just brought up about the headbanging, crazy thrashing-their-head-against-the-stage type of thing, that was so 40 years ago. And so what we see as we tour, not just in the U.S. or North America but all over the world, the key word is really diversity — a diversity in every applicable sense. And so where that meets the continuity of us seeing a lot of the same fans and a lot of the same faces down in the front rows around our shows, we thought that celebrating them, celebrating the diversity, celebrating the sense of community that they're all bringing would be a great thing. So to take this camera and kind of turn it 180 [degrees] and instead of having it on us, really celebrating the fans. And also within the band, and the reason I wanted to be in a band myself was to be part of a community, to be in a gang, a community, a collective, whatever word you wanna attribute to that, and that same dynamic is what really is among the fans. And you'll see tonight in the movie that it really is about community and collective and sharing experiences. And as an only child growing up, that is really the key element that all this really is about. I think human beings are herd animals and we all long for community and to share whatever passions we have with others. And that's why we're doing our music thing, and the fans that follow us around and are a part of our journey, that's really the boxes that are being checked for them too."

Åkerlund stated about his involvement in the film: "This was probably the easiest elevator pitch I have ever heard in my life. A METALLICA film about the relationship that they have with their fans? I'm in. And then, three years later, a year and a half in the edit room to figure it out and make it interesting. We had a massive amount of footage, which is great, but it's also a lot of options. So we really did write our script in the edit room on this one, and it took some time and we had to do some sacrifices. We had to put some stories on the editor on floor, and then they came back up and then we were doing that for quite some time."

Regarding the fact that METALLICA transcends the heavy metal stereotype in the type of fans the band attracts, Jonas said: "I've been a METALLICA fan all my life, so I've seen them over the years and I noticed how the audience had changed over the years, going from angry young male beer-drinking headbanging to an enormous diversity. Same music, same guys, same metal, but now it kind of works with a broader audience, which is amazing to see, which is part of what this film is about — how the diversity actually has changed, so many people's different stories and all that stuff."

"Metallica Saved My Life" documents the incredible stories of family, identity, redemption, loss, and salvation that make METALLICA's fans perhaps the most recognized example of why music matters to the world, and of why METALLICA is the kind of band that can literally save lives, including their own.

Åkerlund, who previously directed METALLICA's music videos for 1998's "Turn The Page", 1999's "Whiskey In The Jar" and 2016's "ManUNkind", interviewed fans from 23 different countries for the documentary.

During the post-show conversation at the Mill Valley Film Festival, Ulrich said about METALLICA's connection with its fans: "I guess the first thought that comes to mind is because we are fans. And that will always be part of who we are. So when I see these guys out in the front row, that was me and still is me, whether it's music or whether it's film or whether it's any kind of other creative endeavors or art in general."

He continued: "We were just talking at dinner five minutes ago about seeing DEEP PURPLE in 1973 — I actually saw them twice in 1973 — and seeing all these bands around Copenhagen [Denmark], THIN LIZZY and BLACK SABBATH and RAINBOW and SWEET and SLADE and STATUS QUO and blah, blah, blah. And I was the guy that somehow ended up outside the Plaza Hotel in Copenhagen next to the main train station waiting for Ritchie Blackmore or Phil Lynott to try to get their autographs. And whenever anything has spoken to me, appealed to me or fascinated me creatively, I've always wanted to try to get close to it. And so I think the answer, really, is that all of us, and Kirk [Hammett], Rob [Trujillo] and James [Hetfield] all are like-minded in that sense, and I think all of us really just so identify with the fans and the people that are out there, because we're just the ones up on stage, but we're all the same. And ultimately, if there's any kind of — I'm not big on manifests or M.O.s or whatever, but if there's anything that METALLICA certainly strives for is to try to break down that barricade, that barrier that exists between a band and an audience and try to do away what with whatever it is that separates us and try to have us all just be one of sharing an experience together. And so that's sort of what's in our head space. That was in our heads when we started 150 years ago, and that's still in our heads now. The only difference is that what we're doing is connecting with more people than it used to."

On the topic of what his initial reaction was to seeing "Metallica Saved My Life", Lars said: "It's a lot of different emotions. The first time we saw this in Mexico City about a year ago, we were all just sitting, crying, weeping, proud, just appreciative, grateful.

"When James and I started [METALLICA], I was 17, and so this is the only thing I've ever done in my life. And so when you watch this movie, when we watched it the first time, it's basically like your whole life flashing in front of your eyes. This is not just a part of it… This is everything I've ever done other than the first 16 years of attempting to play tennis. So from 17 on, this is it. You're looking at my life. So it's kind of a bit of a mindfuck. The fact that it's still connecting, the longevity of it, in the purest moments, it's being probably dumbfounded by the fact…

"If you and I were sitting here or sitting anywhere in 1983, 42 years ago, going, 'In 2025, 42 years from now, we'll be sitting in a movie theater looking at all this and [we will be winning] Grammys and [playing in sold-out] stadiums,' that would just not be an option of how that was gonna play out.

"When we started METALLICA, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, all those guys, they were still in their thirties," Ulrich added. "I mean, that's fucking crazy, right? They were still in their thirties. So the idea that you could play rock and roll in your sixties, much less play rock and roll in your eighties, like those guys are doing now, or [Bruce] Springsteen in the seventies, or Neil Young, or all these amazingly, amazingly cool people, that didn't exist. So the idea, it's, like, 'Okay, fine. Let's start a band, and then five years from now we'll get real jobs and whatever else.' And so the fact that 42 years later that this is still connecting with everybody in terms of just such a cross section of people of all the ages and demographics and countries and all the rest of it… that's just insane."

This past June, Ulrich and Trujillo were interviewed by Heavy Consequence on the red carpet of the premiere of "Metallica Saved My Life" at New York City's Tribeca Festival at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center. Asked why it was important to put the spotlight on the METALLICA fans in the documentary, Lars said: " Well, I think that there's so many great stories to be told. There's so much diversity. And I think probably the greatest thing about our fans and all the people that are turned on and inspired and caught up in our music is how different they are. And so if we were standing here, say 40 years ago, it would be much easier to define who they are. But today, 44 years later, it's almost impossible to define. So I always say, if you've got 10 people, you get 10 different stories. You get a hundred people, you get a hundred different stories. And just trying to share some of those stories and get a little bit of a peek into the lives and their points of view, their diversity, what they go through to be part of all of this. And it's just great for us to kind of turn the spotlight away from us and on to the fans and get a chance to hear their stories. And that's been the best part of the last three years on this project."

Robert chimed in: "The fans are as important as the music. They're as important as we are. They're attached to everything that we do, and they're the reason we're here now. They're the reason we're on tour. They mean so much to us and vice versa. So it's amazing to see their stories and hear what they have to tell. And it's very international, and it goes deep."

Asked if there were any fan stories that particularly resonated with them, Lars said: "Well, as an only child, the reason I wanted to be in a band was to belong to something bigger than myself, to belong to a collective, to a group, to a gang, however you wanna phrase it, and every one of the fans who have their version of that are the ones that I just really relate to. There's a girl, a Chilean girl, in the movie, called Camilla, whose story I relate to. There's the Norwegian Vikings, me as a Scandinavian, who I relate to. There's lots of them. I find a connection to pretty much all of 'em. And I think ultimately what we try to do in METALLICA is break down that barricade that separates the band from the fans and try to make it all-inclusive and put us all on an equal pedestal. And everybody's that's got that same objective in mind, I feel a kinship with."

Added Robert: "Absolutely. Same here. Every night on stage, you look in their eyes and you see that sort of happiness that exudes through the music and through what we do. And there's just mutual respect and love. And it's a very powerful thing. I kind of feel it more than ever nowadays, especially on that stage [during the 'M72' tour], 'cause they're right there. And even though it's larger venues, there's a connection that we're feeling, 'cause we get to sort of make the rounds and find the sweet spots with 'em. So it's really fun and exciting."

Also speaking on the red carpet of the "Metallica Saved My Life" premiere, Hetfield stated about how the idea for the film came together: "It all started with a friend of ours, Jim Breuer, who is a comedian that was opening up for us in the arena tour, and he was traveling around with a lot of these fans and just kind of got to know them staying in the Airbnbs with them. And he says, 'James, you have got to hear these fricking stories. They're unbelievable — where these people came from, how they got into music and why.' … Such deep emotional human stories. So he's the one that inspired this in a way. We didn't know what to do with it at first. What? Do you just do a podcast or blah, blah, blah? It's, like, no. Let's get together. And everyone knows our bio; we wanna get the fans' bios out there."

Regarding why Jonas was the right person to helm "Metallica Saved My Life", Hetfield said: "He's our kind of favorite go-to guy, and he gets us. He's done a couple of our just song videos and whatnot, and he totally gets us. He gets that world. He grew up in a metal band himself from Sweden. He's a big fan of metal, so we knew he was the guy."

James went on to talk about how the METALLICA members' personal stories are intertwined with those of the band's fans. He said: "It's not like we clock in at eight and clock out at five. Our job, it kind of… It's, like, we're leaving home for a month and a half. There's an anxiety, there's a weirdness, there's a ritualistic psycho-ness in our heads that happens. And the winddown after that too. How do you get back into regular life? And, hey, I'm not objectified by my neighbors now. I'm just a dude, which is great. I'm taking the garbage out in my underwear, being a regular guy. And that's what we are at the end of the day. And this is all just wonderful dust. It's not real out here, essentially. So we try to stay as grounded as possible, and I think this movie really shows how we are the same as our fans, and we've got, and they've got, a great story to tell."

Ulrich was equally excited about sharing the fans' stories, saying:  "This is a celebration of the diversity of our fans. I've said for years, for decades, if you line up 10 METALLICA fans, you get 10 different stories. If you line up a hundred METALLICA fans, you get a hundred different stories. This is 10 to 15 of those stories. We're turning the spotlight away from us and on to the fans and celebrating how unique our fanbase is and all those great human beings. And this is really ultimately about trying to break down that barricade that separates a band from its audience and trying to celebrate the oneness of all of it and how we're all in it together and how we all are METALLICA together."

In a statement announcing "Metallica Saved My Life" in April, the band said: "As a few of you may know, we've been working behind the scenes the last couple of years on a new film that will be released later this year starring you guys! 'Metallica Saved My Life' explores our world through the lives of fans who have supported each other through highs, lows, trials and triumphs for over four decades. And yeah, we're in it a little bit too."

Back in July 2023, METALLICA put out a casting call for "superfans" of the band to possibly appear in an upcoming documentary. The filmmakers were looking for "big personalities, unique characters and unexpected stories from METALLICA fans who consider METALLICA to be their favorite band, real 'Fifth Member' types. All stories and walks of life" were "welcome and encouraged to reach out."

The documentary was produced by METALLICA and Mercury Studios, powered by Universal Music Group.

We’re excited to share that #MetallicaSavedMyLife will be making another festival appearance this year, and this time...

Posted by Metallica on Tuesday, September 9, 2025

"The Accidental" by Francis Rossi, due on January 30, 2026 via earMUSIC on CD, LP, and digital formats, comes as something of a surprise.

It was certainly a surprise to Francis, who had no plans to record an album. "This truly came out of nowhere," says Rossi. "I spend my life in and out of the studio, rehearsing, tinkering, but something happened earlier this year and, before I knew it, we had created something special."

While Rossi's previous solo albums explored his love for acoustic ballads, vocal harmonies, and the blend of British rock with country influences, this album, his first in seven years, marks a true return to the energetic, guitar-driven sound that made him a legend with STATUS QUO.

"The Accidental" sees Rossi playing to his strengths, but taking risks, cutting loose, and exploring new territory. This album is all about old bones and fresh blood.

The fresh blood in question comes largely from Hiran Ilangantilike, a guitarist who was originally a school friend of one of Francis's children, and co-producer Andy Brook. What became the sessions for "The Accidental" was initially born of just plugging in and making some serious noise, but something clicked in the studio. Lightning was indeed bottled: There was a swing and a groove, and the songs started pouring out. With John "Rhino" Edwards and Leon Cave later laying down the bass and drums parts, and Amy Smith again bringing an extra dimension on back-up vocals, this became a project with a bite and DNA all of its own; albeit Francis's playing is a distinctive as ever. Almost all of the songwriting credits reflect this fresh and collaborative ethos, though there are two that bear the classic QUO hallmark: Rossi/Young. Rossi produced "The Accidental"; co-producer Andy Brook recorded, mastered, engineered, and played on the record, and co-wrote three tracks.

Kicking off with a flourish "Much Better" segues into the ebullient "Go Man Go", teeing up future classic "Push Comes To Shove" and the plaintive yet strutting blues singalong of "Back On Our Home Ground" (who will be the first sports team to adopt this one?). By then the engine is well and truly running, and the highlights keep coming. The chug and chant and choppy chords of "Something In The Air (Stormy Weather)" give way to the cantering "Picture Perfect", which could only be a Rossi number. The long strides of "November Again" distill a melancholy refrain into a catchy chorus, and the epic "Beautiful World" channels vintage-era QUO with enough guitar to get the balcony of the Glasgow Apollo bouncing again. "Time To Remember" is built around a piano line and swaying melody and serves as a poignant and powerful coda to an extraordinarily strong set of new songs.

Today's announcement coincides with the launch of the first two songs: "Something In The Air (Stormy Weather)" and "Go Man Go" are available for streaming and download now.

"For anyone who liked any of my solo albums previously, well, I've no idea what you'll make of this one because it's a real departure, but I love it," Rossi says. "It's loud, the guitars are right to the fore, and there are some great songs there."

This new album finds Rossi once more at the top of his game, with a searing yet thoughtful collection of rockers that will please anyone who likes their dose of heavy cut with melody and verve. Mark Twain said that the accident is "the greatest of all inventors" when there are no rules, expectations or preconceptions, anything can — and will — happen. "The Accidental" proves that amazing things unfold when an artist with an unrivaled track record is inspired to create new music — even after more than 50 years of success — by the sheer love of playing. That unbridled joy is where the elemental magic that animates "The Accidental" is conjured.

"The Accidental" track listing:

01. Much Better
02. Go Man Go
03. Push Comes To Shove
04. Back On Our Home Ground
05. Dead Of Night
06. Going Home
07. Bye My Love
08. Something In The Air (Stormy Weather)
09. Picture Perfect
10. November Again
11. Things Will Get Better
12. Oh So Good
13. Beautiful World
14. Time To Remember

In a new interview with Rob Edwards of the Talkin' Bout Rock podcast, STRYPER frontman Michael Sweet was asked if it is more difficult being a Christian rock band today than it was when the band first started out more than four decades ago. Michael responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think it's different. There are challenges now that are different from the challenges then. So back in the '80s, the challenges for us were the different sound and the different look and basically singing about Jesus. It was difficult for people to take the lyrics and look at the image and listen to the sound and combine the three. People were, like, 'Wait a minute. This can't be Christian music.' Now it's more about just the message itself."

He continued: "The Christian message, from my experience, is a message that is persecuted to no get-out, man. I hear it and I read it in e-mails, I hear it from people, I see it at our shows, those people that come to just speak out against the faith and Christianity. I don't get it. It's bizarre. But I see that more often with Christianity than I do with other religions. And for some reason… I mean, it seems to me like certain religions are off limits — you can't say anything bad about certain religions because if you do, you're a bad person. But yet it seems like you could say anything you want about Christianity. I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong. Somebody else out there, convince me that I'm wrong. But this is from my personal experience. And it kind of bums me out, but at the same time, it also drives me to do more. That's the way I'm built. It's never stop. Get up. You get knocked down, get back up. Keep going."

Last year, Michael was asked as part of the "1 Question With…"interview series if STRYPER's increasingly heavy and aggressive musical direction has been inspired by the fact that he and his bandmates have never fully embraced in heavy metal and hard rock circles, largely because of their Christian lyrics. He responded: "Well, it does upset me often when you see a band come out or a person come out and speak about openly their faith, their belief, whether it's they're a Muslim or they're an atheist or they're Satanist or whatever it is. And [they get applauded for it]. But often when a Christian comes out, a Christian band like STRYPER or what have you, they get [criticized for it]. And it's just the way it is. And people that don't agree with that, they're clueless. Because it's out there everywhere for the world to see. Anyone with eyes and ears can hear it and see it. So, continue to deny that. It's truth.

"We've been mocked from the very beginning," he continued. "If we sang about girls or Satan, we would have been the cool kids. But we're not, because we sing about Jesus.

"METALLICA and SLAYER — no disrespect to those guys, I would never wanna be like those guys," Sweet added. "Not in a million years. Yeah, [METALLICA are] playing stadiums. Who cares? I didn't get in this for the money. I didn't get in this to play stadiums. I mean, obviously, there's a rush that comes with that when you play to a big crowd and it's electrifying. But my point is that's not what we're doing this for. So we don't long to be METALLICA or SLAYER, and we're not that style. I grew up on [IRON] MAIDEN and [JUDAS] PRIEST. That's metal to me. Those are the true metal bands. Classic metal with a great singer and great melody — not the other stuff. Again, this is my opinion. People will disagree with me. Perfect. Totally, that's the way it works. But, man, we're gonna keep being who we are. We have been for 40 years. I don't know how much more time we have left in us or [how many] years we have left in us. It could be another 10 or 15. And we'll just keep doing what we do."

Three and a half years ago, Michael claimed that STRYPER was never a "Christian" band despite the fact that the lyrics in a number of STRYPER songs explicitly point to Christ. During an appearance on an episode of the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast hosted by FOZZY frontman and wrestling superstar Chris Jericho, he explained: "I recently, in the past few yeas, said quite a few times, and it's really caused a stir, that we're not a Christian band. And people say, 'What?' But we're Christians in a rock band. And there's a difference.

"I look at PETRA as a Christian band, I look at SWEET COMFORT, I look at REZ BAND as Christian bands, 'cause they were Christians in a rock band," the STRYPER frontman continued. "And they were brought up in the church, for the most part. We weren't brought up in the church; we were brought up on the streets of L.A. playing Gazzarri's, Troubadour, Whisky, and we became Christians. And we just continued doing what we always did, but with a different message.

"So we're a rock band that's comprised of Christians," Sweet added. "We're really not a Christian band. But if people wanna call us a Christian band, that's okay. But I view us as just a rock band that decided to take a different path."

Michael went on to say that STRYPER's lyrics come from the heart and are not meant to be a marketing gimmick, as is the case with some of the band's more extreme counterparts.

"With a band like SLAYER — not just SLAYER but a number of other black metal bands… What's interesting is STRYPER, we read the Bible, we pray, we go to church, we believe in what the Bible says," Michael said. "So by doing so, so to speak, we practice what we preach. We're not perfect — in any sense of the word, we're not perfect — but we really do our best to represent Christ, represent God and all that God stands for. But it's funny when you hear about SLAYER, and you think Satanic band, pentagram, evil, and then Tom [Araya, SLAYER frontman] is going to church every Sunday with his kids. Which is great. But my point is it's a polar opposite of what they represent themselves as. STRYPER, on the other hand, you get what you get. We are what we are on stage and off stage. It's not like we're going to the satanic church after we get off stage."

Even though STRYPER's third album, 1986's "To Hell With The Devil", made Sweet and his bandmates the first contemporary Christian act to score a platinum album, the group has often felt unwelcome in Christian circles, with some members of the church feeling that Christianity and heavy metal are incompatible.

In a 2018 interview with the Detroit Free Press, Michael said: "We've never been accepted by either side. The secular side, the mainstream, they've never accepted us to this day. We're probably that band that everyone's going to go to whenever there's a time to mock. We'll be the band used for that in most cases. Now on the Christian side, we've never really had the full support of the Christian side because we don't fit into their little club. We're not wearing suits and ties and going to every church and preaching."

Formed 42 years ago, STRYPER's name comes from Isaiah 53:5, which states: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

STRYPER's albums include "To Hell With The Devil", "Second Coming", "No More Hell To Pay", "Fallen", "God Damn Evil", "Even The Devil Believes", "The Final Battle" and the band's latest effort, "When We Were Kings".

Original SALIVA singer Josey Scott, who left the band in 2011 and was replaced the following year by Bobby Amaru, has once again blasted his successor, accusing Amaru of treating him like a "lowly, disgruntled old employee".

Asked in a new interview with Carr Stereo Podcast With Terrie Carr how he feels about the war of words which has erupted between him and Bobby in recent months, more than three years after the two singers shared the stage during SALIVA's appearance at the 2022 Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Alton, Virginia, Scott said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, it's just heartbreaking. The one word I could put to it is it's heartbreaking to see something that you created from the ground up, that you were a founding member of, and then to get treated like you are this lowly, disgruntled old employee is just crazy to me. Like Will Ferrell says, I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

"I don't know how to explain it," Josey continued. "You never know the darkness that lurks in a man's heart. You don't know how people are going to react. I heard somebody say the other day, they said, if you wanna see how somebody really is, give them fame and money. And that's true, because we certainly were given a little bit of fame and money, and we came apart at the end of the runway, like any other plane that was trying to land with no landing gear.

"Wayne Swinny, my blessed lead guitar player in SALIVA, who I adored, he was famous before we were famous in Memphis," Josey added. "He was in a band called TNA that was gigantic there in Memphis, along with TORA TORA and ROXY BLUE back in the late '80s, early '90s. And I'd always dreamed of being a band with him. And to be able to take that journey with Wayne Swinny from the beginning was just so magical. And then to watch it sort of be whittled down to just him there in what I call the last days of Wayne's life and the last days of SALIVA. We had talked about doing a reunion tour with Chris Dabaldo, the original [SALIVA guitar player]."

After Carr noted that the process of reuniting some of the SALIVA original members "got muddied" before the tour could take place, Josey concurred. "And not only to have those waters muddied, but to then be blamed for muddying those waters," he said. "I was, like, 'How is this my fault?' I'm trying to play fair and to do this. I'm trying to actively, with a positive attitude, do this. I think this will be great for the fans, number one that were begging us to do it, begging us to have a reunion of the original members." Apparently referencing Amaru, Scott continued: "And to have those waters muddied by somebody who wasn't even in the picture in the beginning, who was a child — this guy was a child when we were releasing 'Click Click Boom'. This guy was a kid. He was still trying to kiss a girl and go on a date. He was 15, 16 years old. So to have those waters muddied by that person, it's just heartbreaking. I keep coming back to that word. And then Wayne called me and said, 'Well, it doesn't look like the reunion is gonna happen, so will you come out to Blue Ridge music festival and do the encore with the guys?' They wanted me to come out and do 'Always', 'Your Disease' and 'Click Click Boom'. And I was, like, 'Yes, Wayne. Of course.'

"People go into a burning building to save who they love, and I felt like I wanted to look Wayne in the face one more time and experience being on stage with him one more time by hook or crook — I didn't care," Scott explained.

Reflecting on the discussions with Amaru that took place prior to the Blue Ridge performance, Josey said: "It's funny because even the negotiations for me to come just do three songs, [we went] back and forth with this guy. And then, of course, his management blamed me, said I was a diva and I was demanding all this stuff. That is just totally untrue. It was him that was demanding.

"It took me a minute, but I figured out his game," Josey continued. "His game is he does these things, then blames you for doing these things. This is my experience with that person. You sort of throw your hands up and go, 'What's happening?' And then they blame you. They go into the press and they go to their little minions and their outlets and they blame you. They say you're the problem, you're the one doing the things. And I was just baffled.

"You gotta give the kid credit for playing multidimensional chess with this," Scott added. "And I told my wife one time, I said, this guy has his fingers in every pie. Once I looked into it, he was the tour manager, he was the business manager, he was booking shows — he was like the fricking Swiss Army knife of lead singers. He did everything he could possibly do but become me."

Last month, Josey shared official lyric videos for his two new singles, "Who?" and "Famous", both of which appear to be lyrical jabs at Amaru. The songs arrived in early October, less than two months after the current lineup of SALIVA — fronted by Amaru — released a new single, "Hit 'Em Where It Hurts", featuring lyrics which were apparently aimed at Scott.

Nashville producer ScatteredBrains, who worked on both "Who?" and "Famous", took to his Instagram to share about the former track: "Long time coming, about 15 yrs to be exact. The first single 'Who?' from @therealjoseyscott has arrived !!! I am beyond proud of this song and Josey for finding the strength to push back and push forward during a time where he's being bullied out of his own god damn legacy, his creation, his band SALIVA.

"Please listen, like, share and spread the message that there is only one real SALIVA and that is with Josey at the driver seat. If the fans are ready, Josey's ready to give yall that real shit like he never left !!! I know yall tired of watching a cover band play his music, we are too."

When "Hit 'Em Where It Hurts" was first made available in early September, Amaru said in a statement: "'Hit 'Em Where It Hurts' is an anthem about proving people wrong, not with words, but with action."

Apparently referencing Scott, Amaru added: "I sincerely wish him the best, but this song is really for the fans who've stood by us, and for anyone who's ever had to fight for what they believe in. To me, it's about resilience, loyalty, and never backing down. That's exactly what SALIVA should stand for."

Scott previously ripped Amaru in an interview with Rock Feed, saying in part: "The only problem I've had with Bobby is Bobby seems to say one thing in the press and act one way in the press. He acts victimized, like I've done something to him. And that seems to be his M.O., is he does these things behind the scenes, and then when he gets in front of the cameras or gets in front of an interviewer, he acts like it's you that's doing these things. And honest to God, I'm not doing any of any of these things that he's saying that I'm doing." Scott went on to lament the fact that Amaru is "treating me like I'm some kind of former disgruntled employee that I don't have the right to have any kind of voice about this or anything."

Elaborating on the deterioration of his relationship with Amaru over the course of the last three years, Josey said: "See, when I first came back while Wayne was alive, Bobby seemed supportive of me. He seemed like he was gonna support me having my own band and me doing my own thing. And then as soon as Wayne dies, he sends me — he still says in the press that he's supportive of me and there's gonna be two SALIVAs or whatever, but at the same time sends me a cease-and-desist [letter] saying I can't even call myself the former lead singer of SALIVA. I couldn't even have the word 'SALIVA' on my poster. It's just ludicrous. It's absolutely ludicrous. And like I said, he talks out of both sides of his neck, is what bothers me so badly. He says one thing and does another. If you'll notice, when he came on Rock Feed with you, he was talking about how I was this sad person with quitter's remorse, and then puts out a diss track about me. And I'm just, like, 'Okay. All right. I see where this is going now.'"

Scott went on to say that he was surprised to hear that SALIVA had released a "diss track" about him. "I'm just, like, 'This is something rappers do, dude. This ain't something rocker guys do,'" Josey, whose real name is Joseph Sappington, said. "So I had to [respond] in kind — twice."

This past August, Scott made it clear that he had no intention of rejoining the band he co-founded nearly 30 years ago. Josey explained to Youngstown Studio that he didn't foresee ever teaming up with the current version of SALIVA, noting that he had "butted heads" with Bobby and insisting that he didn't "want to give the fans the Temu version of SALIVA," a reference to the Chinese e-commerce site, "with some kind of a bastardized version that Bobby puts together." Josey went on to say that he wanted to get the SALIVA name back and use it with members of his new band, explaining that he named SALIVA completely on his own and that the SALIVA name's "rightful place" was with him, not with the Amaru-fronted version of the group. "That was what I came to the table with," he said of the SALIVA moniker. "I put that band together one member at a time. That's my name."

Amaru, who has been a member of SALIVA for 13 years, later addressed Scott's comments about the current lineup of the band in an interview with Rock Feed. Bobby said: "I watched that interview that [Josey] did [with Youngstown Studio]. I usually don't pay attention to the  Blabbermouth headlines or any of his interviews and stuff. But so many people were sending it to me that I watched it front to back.

"It doesn't bother me, the things that he says about me — I'm not really bothered by it,"  Bobby insisted. "I just feel like I see a sad man who just has quitter's remorse. And that's what it feels like to me.

"I like to take negative stuff and turn it into positivity and create music and stuff, and some people just like to be negative and bash online or whatever, or take jabs. And for me, I love music, [and] always have. And I love  SALIVA, love the brand."

Referencing  Swinny, who died in March 2023 after suffering a brain hemorrhage while on tour,  Bobby added: " Wayne had a vision. We all had a vision when I got in the band, was to take a broken project and revive it, and that's what I've been doing. And, unfortunately, Wayne's life was cut short. We love and we miss him every day. And I'm only honoring him. I didn't even know that I wanted to do this anymore when he passed away — I didn't feel like I wanted to — and some things started happening and  Josey took it upon himself to just go and call himself [and his solo band]  JOSEY SCOTT'S SALIVA. And I just felt like that was wrong. I felt like it was classless, and  Wayne would be rolling in his grave over that. And people that knew  Wayne and know the situation, they would agree with that. And I think, for me, it's, like I decided to continue on and I just wanna put out killer music. And I feel like the band has been accelerating, and he hates that. It bothers him."

Bobby continued: "I don't know. I mean, I wish the guy well. I just hope the guy could find positivity and put it to the music, just keep doing what he's doing. He has fans, but  SALIVA is gonna keep doing what  SALIVA's doing and what  SALIVA's been doing. 14 years — November will be 14 years for me. And I'm grateful. I am. And we have a lot of cool things on the horizon, a bunch of unannounced festivals for '26. And, hey, man, we're gonna keep putting out music."

In a new interview with Ollie Winiberg of Drummer's Review, longtime TRIVIUM drummer Alex Bent spoke to about his recent departure from the band. Asked if the split with the Florida metallers was "amicable", Bent said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "You know what?! It's one of those things where it's, like, 'You guys are gonna go your way. I'm gonna go my way.' And we're just keeping it all positive, man. I wish them the best, and it seems like they wish me the best. And you move on to different chapters in life, and that's really it."

Alex also talked about his final recording with TRIVIUM, the "Struck Dead" three-song EP, which arrived on October via the band's longtime record label Roadrunner. The effort was produced by TRIVIUM and recorded with Mark Lewis at the band's Hangar Studios in Orlando, Florida. It was mixed and mastered by Josh Wilbur. Bent said: "[The 'Struck Dead' EP] means a lot to me because I was recording this during a really crazy time in my life, where my daughter was in the NICU [Neonatal Intensive Care Unit]. She almost died twice, and at the same time, I'm trying to record this EP, so I really kind of poured my heart and soul into it. I was literally going back and forth from the NICU hospital, being there with her, and then I would go straight to the studio. And I spent a lot of time at the studio trying to just come up with parts that I felt were perfect. I wanted every single note to count, so I would be there late and then my wife would come and get me from the studio and then we'd go back to the hospital. It was a crazy, crazy time in life. And I'm really grateful now. My daughter's doing amazing. She's thriving. And when I listen back to these songs, I'm, like, 'Man…' It just weighs really heavy on me, 'cause it takes me back to trying to balance all of this stuff. But at the end of the day, I'm really happy with the way that the EP came out. And, yeah, like I said, my heart and soul is poured into it, man."

As for Alex's future plans, Bent said: "Man, for me, I don't have a solid, solid plan laid out. I'm not, like 'It's gonna be A, B, C, D, exactly like this.' But I definitely wanna focus more on myself as a player. I would love to get into doing drum clinics and drum shows. I'm always doing session work. I mean, I was literally driving back to California, driving home and getting calls left and right, thankfully for work. I mean, shoot — yeah, it's been nonstop. So studio work. I'm still down to tour. If anything, I'm more hungry now than ever. I'm planning to tour. If there is a bigger band that wants to hit me up, I'm down, man. For me, this is not the end at all. If anything, I feel like I'm just getting started. So I still feel hungry, like that 22-year-old kid that's ready to hit the road and keep on going, man. If anything, I wanna go harder now for my family. I wanna keep doing this. I don't plan to ever stop."

Last month, TRIVIUM recruited drummer Alex Rüdinger (formerly of WHITECHAPEL) to sit behind the kit for the band's fall 2025 North American tour.

SEPULTURA drummer Greyson Nekrutman played drums for TRIVIUM for the group's appearance at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California in early October.

In a recent interview with Australia's Wall Of Sound, TRIVIUM guitarist Corey Beaulieu stated about the band's split with Bent: "It just kind of happened, and it was kind of a surprise. I don't think anyone was really expecting it. But it is what it is. When it all kind of went down, we all wished each other the best. There's no hard feelings. It was just kind of one of those things where it's, like, life changes paths. And it's all positive. We made three amazing records together. The ['Struck Dead'] EP is amazing, which it will be his last thing. He started working on the [next TRIVIUM full-length] record with us, so hopefully when that's finished and done, he'll feel a part of that."

Corey continued: "When [Alex] came into the band, we had a great chemistry, a great writing team. I think all the music we did together is — hopefully the fans just are really excited about what was created in that time. And Alex, he's a great drummer, a great person and stuff, and I'm sure he's got plans for whatever his next chapter is."

Referencing the fact that Nekrutman performed with TRIVIUM at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California, just a few days after Alex's exit, Corey said: "I guess the timing [of Alex's departure] kind of put us in a pickle, but with all that going down, it was, like, we just had to kind of like, block everything out and like focus on how to get… We didn't have much time to get ready for this show [at the Aftershock festival] and we have a tour coming up. But there's a lot of amazing musicians out there, and luckily we were able to find someone that could give us a helping hand to be able to play Aftershock and not cancel."

TRIVIUM bassist Paolo Gregoletto told Thunder Underground about the band's split with Bent:  "I don't feel like I want fans to be, like, Hey, okay, we're over it. We expect you to be over it,' kind of thing. I'm like, no. I'm, like, we made a lot of great music and there's a lot of history between us. He was almost in the band as long as Travis [Smith, former TRIVIUM drummer] was and almost made as many albums, I believe. So that's a pretty big chunk of our history right there. And I think 'The Sin And The Sentence', of the stuff we all did together, is maybe one of my favorite records we've done. And I think the EP ['Struck Dead'], too — if that's the end of the chapter, I'm, like, that's a great ending right there, 'cause I think it's a very, very cool EP. And I can say without a doubt, I feel that the albums and EP has been an incredible run. I don't feel we had a real weak point. I can't say that's something I feel like for our whole career. So I'm, like, I feel very proud of that. It was a lot of effort and work and everyone's part."

At Aftershock, Paolo told Baby Huey and Chasta of the San Francisco radio station 107.7 The Bone about Bent: "We've had a great nine years together. I feel like it's kind of a weird thing because, obviously, being in a band together, but I feel like because we've all had families and stuff, there's a tighter connection there that even just what people see. So I think it's one of those things, we all were kind of sad, but at the same time, we said, 'Alex, we want you to kind of make the statement. You kind of lead how you'd like to handle all this stuff.' And I didn't wanna put words in his mouth or say whatever. He made the statement. I feel like we ended on great terms. And that's really kind of it. I mean, there's no juicier CRADLE OF FILTH [-style] drama [with former hired musicians sharing their grievances online]. And, again, it's one of those things where we wanted him to make a statement."

Paolo continued: "In the past we've always been very, like — we don't really like to get into any behind-the-scenes stuff with that. And, of course, we've had changes before, but we felt like in this instance, rather than just saying 'we're parting' or whatever, we [told Alex], like, 'Well, you've been around for so long, our fans would wanna hear from you.' And so that made it more important to us to be, like, 'Okay, you are gonna say whatever you'd like to say.' We didn't [tell Alex], 'You can't say this or that.' And then just give it 24 hours. And then as we hit the stage [at the Aftershock festival] today, be, like, 'Okay, this is the guy playing with us for today, for the tour,' and then that's kind of it."

When Alex announced his departure from TRIVIUM on October 3, he said in a statement: "I am beyond grateful for the incredible past nine years with TRIVIUM — filled with unforgettable moments, music, and friendships that I'll always carry with me. I'm so proud of every record and tour we created together, and I know TRIVIUM will continue to dominate the world; they'll always have my support.

"While this chapter has come to a close, this is by no means the end of my path as a musician. I'm excited for this new chapter, and I look forward to continuing to create, perform, and share music in new ways.

"Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way. Your encouragement means the world."

In December 2016, TRIVIUM parted ways with Paul Wandtke and welcomed Bent, a former member of BATTLECROSS and DECREPIT BIRTH who had previously played with TESTAMENT as a fill-in for that band's longtime drummer Gene Hoglan.

In a new interview with Ian Danter of U.K.'s Planet Rock, Jon Bon Jovi spoke about BON JOVI's 2026 tour, which will see Jon and his bandmates perform several nights in some cities, including at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, where they will play six sold-out shows at the iconic venue. Asked if BON JOVI will perform "in the round" on the upcoming trek, Jon said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No. That much I think I know. I've seen a couple of diagrams [of the stage] that they'd like to go and build."

Referencing the fact that METALLICA's ongoing "M72" world tour features two-night stops where each "No Repeat Weekend" consists of two completely different setlists, Jon added: "The one thing that I am in control of, the only thing I'm in control of [is the setlist], 'cause at this point, because I do [rehearsals of] two hours a day, four days a week of sets, of shows. I was looking to METALLICA. And I talked to Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer]. I said, "So let me get this straight. If you're only doing 'Master Of Puppets' on one night and 'One' on one night, is the audience mad that they're not there [the next night]?' And he goes, 'Nope. We have enough songs that it works.' He goes, 'And your catalog…' And I went, 'I'm digging that concept.' So not that we're gonna do that, but I have enough songs and enough hits, I could do two separate entire shows and have hits on both sides. So I'm having a lot of fun putting together shows that are multiple-night kind of shows."

Asked by Danter if BON JOVI has ever played entire albums on any of its previous tours, Jon said: "We've done those in situations, like we did the 'This House Is Not For Sale' album at some theater here for a record and for a TV show. And we've done 'Lost Highway' like that. So there've been a couple, but not a lot. I think '2020' we did that too, but that was during COVID. But no, we've never performed 'Slippery [When Wet]' in its entirety or 'New Jersey' in its entirety or 'Keep The Faith' in its entirety."

Last month, BON JOVI announced a series of global concert dates that will mark the band's much-anticipated return to live touring with shows in New York, London, Dublin and Edinburgh starting in July of 2026 at New York's famed Madison Square Garden. And due to overwhelming demand, the band has already added additional dates at Madison Square Garden. The tour is produced by Live Nation.

The tour announcement came after Jon's much-documented vocal cord surgery and rehab process, as seen in the critically acclaimed Hulu docuseries "Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story".

Produced by Jon with John Shanks, BON JOVI's latest studio album, 2024's "Forever", featured Jon Bon Jovi once again alongside fellow founding BON JOVI members, keyboardist David Bryan and drummer Tico Torres. They were joined by bassist Hugh McDonald and guitarist Phil X.

"Forever" contained 12 new songs, including the hit lead single "Legendary".

BON JOVI released "Forever (Legendary Edition)" on October 24 via Island Records. A re-release the songs from "Forever", it features guest stars on each track, plus two more cuts.

FOZZY singer Chris Jericho's 1980s KISS cover band KUARANTINE has released the official music video for its version of "Unholy", the song originally written by Gene Simmons and Vinnie Vincent and featured on KISS's 1992 album "Revenge". The clip, which was produced by HM Studios and shot at HM Studios in Las Vegas, Nevada, can be seen below.

Last year, KUARANTINE released its version of "Good Girl Gone Bad", a classic, hidden gem from the KISS songbook. The song was made available on Madison Records via The Orchard. It was the No. 1 Most Added track on the SMR Rock chart as well as the Most Added song on the Mediabase Active Rock Activator Panel.

When "Good Girl Gone Bad" was first released, Jericho said in a statement: "The mission of KUARANTINE has always been to pull the forgotten gems from the non-makeup, '80s KISS catalog, give them a modern polish, and unleash them on current mainstream rock radio, so they can get the respect they deserve. With that mindset, we feel we've hit another home run with the 1987-released underrated Gene Simmons classic 'Good Girl Gone Bad'. It's got more hooks than a tackle box, with a great chorus and brain-melting solos. This song is the perfect springtime tune to crank in your car and rock out with your unmentionables out! And with two Top 20 singles in our repertoire, we're stoked to get to the Top 10 and beyond. It's time to get KRAZY with KUARANTINE!"

In 2020, Jericho joined forces with TRIXTER/FOZZY bassist P.J. Farley, guitarist Joe McGinness and drummer Kent Slucher to form KUARANTINE. KUARANTINE's lineup is completed by YouTube sensation Charlie Parra Del Riego (guitar).

Five years ago, Jericho was asked by Loud Hailer if KISS was a big influence for how he wanted to perform with FOZZY in terms of putting on a show. He responded: "That's what rock 'n' roll is. My favorite frontmen were always about that — Paul Stanley [KISS], David Lee Roth [VAN HALEN], Mick Jagger [THE ROLLING STONES] and Bruce Dickinson [IRON MAIDEN]. It was always about the performance, and that's what rock 'n' roll is to me. I'd rather have a great performance rather than worry about hitting every note properly, which is important too, but you have to have some showmanship. You have to be a frontman, you have to be the party host. And that's I take great pride in doing that."

Regarding how he was first introduced to KISS's music, Jericho said: "I was a big BEATLES fan in the '70s and I was into THE STONES and that sort of thing, so when all of my friends were into KISS, I never really rated them. And then when I started to get into heavy metal, I'll never forget when I saw this video that started with his hands on fire and he looked like he was having the best time ever with his band, making out with chicks and hanging out backstage and then he jumps through a ring of fire, and I'm, like, 'Who is that guy?! Who is this?' 'This is KISS.' 'I thought that KISS wore makeup.' 'No, KISS took their makeup off a few years ago.' 'Well, who is that guy?' 'That's Paul Stanley.' 'Fuck, well, I wanna be like that guy.' So I got into KISS at that timeframe, on the 'Animalize' record, just as they started playing without makeup, and that's my favorite era of KISS. There's a whole sub-genre of KISS fans who love '80s KISS better than '70s KISS, and I'm one of them. And so are the other guys in KUARANTINE. So why not do this and bring a little bit of focus back on to those songs that are great songs that a lot of people just don't know?"

At 12 million strong on social media, there is nothing Jericho can't do. He is easily one of the biggest entertainers of the modern era, cross-pollinating the rock, wrestling, and broadcast realms. Jericho has rocked the world for decades with his band FOZZY, which has garndered 150 million streams (and counting). The band recently performed for over 80,000 rabid fans at an AEW event held at Wembley Stadium, along with a successful, sold-out U.K. tour. He's a main attraction for AEW wrestling, watched by millions of viewers on TBS each week. His over-the-top, rock star persona is one of the most beloved in the history of the sport. He is also a best-selling author a film producer, and actor. He also launched the Chris Jericho Rock N Wrestling Rager At Sea cruise experience. The sixth voyage, "Six On The Beach!," set sail to Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic, on January 31 through February 4 of 2025 and once again sold out. Jericho also hosts the incredibly popular and influential "Talk Is Jericho" podcast. It's a top-rated SiriusXM show that has collected over 220 million downloads while clocking 1,000 episodes.

Prior to "Good Girl Gone Bad"'s arrival, KUARANTINE's most recent single was a version of "Silver Spoon", which originally appeared on KISS's 1989 album "Hot In The Shade".

KUARANTINE first debuted in May 2020 with the release of "No No No", which reached No. 25 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. The band has since issued its versions of "Heart Of Chrome", featuring former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick, and "Love's A Deadly Weapon".

Jericho has surrounded himself with a group of top-notch touring musicians for KUARANTINE. Slucher has been the powerhouse behind the kit for country music sensation Luke Bryan for the past 17 years, from small clubs to headlining stadiums and amphitheaters. McGinness is a rising country singer/guitarist, who has shared the stage with artists such as OLD DOMINION, FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE and Granger Smith, and is also a member of KLASSIK '78, a digital tribute to '70s KISS. Farley rose to fame in the New Jersey-based gold-selling rock band TRIXTER, which toured with KISS, POISON and SCORPIONS, before writing and recording two solo albums and eventually joining FOZZY in 2020. Newest bandmember Parra, who hails from Lima, Peru, is a global rock guitar YouTube sensation, amassing more than 850,000 followers.

According to BBC News, BLACK SABBATH's Tony Iommi will raffle off one of his Gibson SG guitars to raise money for the hospital where he received his cancer treatment.

The 77-year-old guitar legend was treated at Birmingham, United Kingdom's Heartlands Hospital in 2012 after being diagnosed with lymphoma a few months earlier. Four years later, Iommi revealed that his cancer was in remission.

Earlier today, Iommi joined staff at Heartlands Hospital to help launch a fundraising drive as part of a £150,000 appeal to refurbish the hospital's cancer treatment center.

Speaking to BBC about his diagnosis, Iommi said: "It was a terrible shock. It's really hard when you're going through that. You just never think until you're in that situation, and I know how difficult it is, and how they feel. I like to be able to give something back and be involved and help."

Reflecting on the treatment he received at Heartlands, Tony said: "The more comfortable you can make the patient, the better. I know when I was in, they treated me so well, that everybody was so nice, the nurses were nice, everybody was great. To have the right environment means a hell of a lot."

Iommi will make an announcement on his social media when the raffle goes live.

Iommi revealed his cancer diagnosis in early 2012, shortly after SABBATH announced a reunion tour and album. He underwent treatment throughout the recording of the disc, titled "13", and the subsequent tour to promote it.

The BLACK SABBATH guitarist successfully underwent an operation in January 2017 to remove a noncancerous lump from his throat.

"13" was the first album in 35 years to feature Iommi, singer Ozzy Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler all playing together.

During a June 2023 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Iommi stated about his health: "I'm up and down. I go for my checks. In fact, I was there the day before yesterday, just getting different checks again. It's like any old person [laughs] — you have problems. But, no, all in all, it's been pretty good. Certainly as far as the cancer side of it, it's been — dare I say — good. I get other ailments, like your hands ache and feet and things like that. But apart from that, it's good. And I think doing what I'm doing keeps me up. I don't sit at home just sitting on the couch; I'm out and about doing stuff. And it's good — it keeps you motivated; it keeps you moving."

Regarding where his cancer battle stood at the time, Tony said: "Well, they keep it under control. They check the immune system all the time to make sure you keep it up. I have [vitamin] B12 shots and just try and eat a bit better and try and look after your health a bit more. That's why, really, I had to stop these major tours, because they were long tours and late-night tours. By the time you'd finished playing, especially when we were in the States, and we'd have a base, say, in New York, for 10 days, and we'd have our own plane and fly out to different places and come back. And by the time we get back to the hotel, it's three o'clock in the morning. And these late nights were affecting me a bit. And my oncologist said, 'You know, you shouldn't really be flying as much and doing this amount of work.' So that's sort of why it came to the end of me touring for 18 months. But, yeah, I loved it — I love touring; I love playing; I love seeing the audience. And I still wanna get out and play, but I won't be able to do major tours like that. As I said before, maybe a week or two or whatever, but it's hard to do that, because you've got the crews that work — you have top-notch crews, and you can't expect them to just do two weeks. They wanna get out and do a U.S. tour. But I will be going out, I suppose, doing something along the line. I've been asked to do various things, and we'll see what happens."

In February 2017, SABBATH finished "The End" tour in Birmingham, closing out the quartet's groundbreaking 49-year career.

"The End" was SABBATH's last tour because Iommi can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.

Iommi previously spoke about his battle with lymphoma in a 2013 interview with Guitar World magazine. At the time, he said: "The [cancer] diagnosis came when I was doing my book tour [in 2011] before we started rehearsal. On the book tour, I saw a doctor because this lump appeared in my groin. We thought it was just a swollen gland, so he gave me antibiotics. After the book tour, I was going to L.A to start rehearsals. He said if it wasn't gone in two weeks when I got there, I should see another doctor. So I did, because it was still there. He gave me more antibiotics, because I had developed an infection from this other problem I had with my prostate. It was too big and had to be cut down. So I thought the other lump was part of that. But it never went away. So we were rehearsing and writing, and I kept feeling this pain down in my groin. And Ozzy kept saying, 'You don't look really well.' And I'd say, 'Well, I don't feel too good.' He also told me to go get it checked out. I was going back to England to have the prostate operation, so I decided just to wait until then. They said they'd take out that other lump while they were in there. I thought nothing of it at all, but they found out it was cancer."

He continued: [After they told me I had cancer] my whole life changed. And they're so casual about it! They say, 'The good news is that your prostate is really good. But the lump, we found lymphoma in it.' Lymphoma, what's that? Well, I knew what it was, but I wanted to hear them say it: cancer. Once I heard that, it was awful. I thought, God, of all the times."

Filmmaker Matt Zane has announced the launch of a crowdfunding campaign in January 2026 for a new documentary exploring the intense and often turbulent relationship between Wayne Static (STATIC-X) and his wife Tera Wray.

Production is scheduled to begin in January 2026, with Zane — a longtime friend and collaborator of Wayne's — directing and producing the project.

"Most people are unaware that I knew Wayne for about 14 years, and I actually knew his wife Tera before him," says Zane. "We were all close, and I worked on every project he did after leaving STATIC-X."

Zane previously directed all of Wayne's solo videos, including the "Pighammer Promo", "Assassins Of Youth" and Wayne's last music video, "Noise Revolution", with DMC. At the time of Wayne's death, the trio were developing additional projects, including an unfinished docuseries that aimed to chronicle the couple's life together.

"I filmed bits and pieces over the years, but we needed a few solid weeks in the desert at their house to finish it — that was the plan. Unfortunately, funding fell through," Zane explains. "I know this is something Wayne and Tera wanted to get done, and they wanted me to do it. I feel I owe them this — to tell their story the way they wanted it told."

Zane also confirmed the film will feature previously unreleased music created with Wayne.

"There's about an EP's worth of material Wayne and I recorded for a movie Tera was doing, but his label stepped in and stopped it. Some of those ideas ended up on 'Pighammer', but the rest has been sitting in my archives. I'm revisiting it now and will finish some of it with help from A.I. technology."

The crowdfunding campaign will officially launch January 2026 , with details and updates coming soon.

Zane is also seeking to connect (through the EveryoneDiesTheMovie.com contact button) with friends, colleagues, and associates who were close to Wayne and Tera during the final seven years of their lives for potential interviews.

Please note: The families of Wayne Static and Tera Wray, as well as the original members of STATIC-X, are not involved in or endorsing the project.

Wayne Static died more than a decade ago after mixing Xanax and other powerful prescription drugs with alcohol, according to the coroner's report. The 48-year-old Static, whose real name was Wayne Richard Wells, was found dead in his Landers, California home on November 1, 2014.

Tera Wray Static took her own life in January 2016. Her friends revealed that she was found dead at a friend's house in California.

Randy Emon, the supervising deputy coroner investigator for the San Bernardino County coroner's office, told BLABBERMOUTH.NET in a written statement at the time: "Our coroner records indicate [Tera] died on January 13, 2016 in Joshua Tree, CA. The manner of death was listed as suicide."

Tera's roommate at the time of her death wrote on Facebook that she came home after work and found "one of my dearest friends had ended her life in my guestroom where she was staying."

A statement which was apparently approved by Tera's mother said that "Tera suffered from depression since the death of her husband."

Wray, who was born Tera Lents, met Wayne during the Ozzfest tour in 2007 when she was modeling for Hustler lingerie. They were married in January 2008 and she retired from porn in August of that year.

Adult entertainment attorney Michael Fattorosi, who last spoke to Tera one day before her death, told New York Post's Page Six that Wray left behind a note instructing her roommate to call him and Tera's mother.

"She was one of the sweetest, most gentle women I have worked with in [the adult film industry]," Fattorosi told Page Six. "She had a light to her that was evident when she walked into room. She was always smiling and happy. I know she loved Wayne dearly. When they met and got married, she left the [adult film] industry to go on tour with him and the band. From what I understand, she was constantly by his side. His death must have weighed on her tremendously."

In July 2015, Tera paid tribute to her late husband with a sleeve tattoo that she showed off on Facebook.

Image courtesy of Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival

Fresh off the announcement of the band's highly anticipated new album "Listen Up!", NEW FOUND GLORY has shared a new single, "Treat Yourself". The third track to be released from "Listen Up!" , "Treat Yourself" is a fast-paced song about being kinder to yourself in the face of hard times. Watch the "Treat Yourself" visualizer below.

"This is a fast more West Coast punk-style song," shares guitarist Chad Gilbert. "It's about how people are very hard on themselves when it comes to mistakes and failure and how a lot of that is put on by false expectations of the world and people around you."

He continues: "People seem to forget about the hard times they already have been through and conquered in their past, which should be a reminder that they are capable of getting through tough times. A reminder that we are our own worst enemies at times and we have to give ourselves a break. We gotta treat our own selves better."

"Listen Up!" is set to be released on February 20, 2026 via Pure Noise Records. The band's first full-length in nearly six years, "Listen Up!" is a collection of songs about resilience and hope through hard times.

NEW FOUND GLORY spent last summer on the "Supercharged: Worldwide In '25" tour with THE OFFSPRING and JIMMY EAT WORLD, before performing at the Epcot International Food And Wine Festival. They also recently wrapped up a U.K. headline tour with special guests REAL FRIENDS and KOYO. They'll be heading to Australia later this year for Good Things festival, and next year fans in Indonesia can catch them at Hammersonic 2026.

It's been decades since NEW FOUND GLORY's likeness was chiseled onto pop-punk's Mount Rushmore, but as the quartet, formed in Coral Springs, Florida, in 1997, approach their landmark 30th anniversary, they still have a lot to say.

"We wanted to make something that really focused on how lucky we are," NEW FOUND GLORY guitarist Chad Gilbert explains of "Listen Up!", the band's eleventh studio album and first release for Pure Noise Records. "We've all gone through serious stuff in our lives, and I think the lyrics on this record are more meaningful and purposeful than ever. It's a positive outlet that hopefully keeps people going."

The album's spirit is indeed a testament to resilience, shaped not only by Gilbert's ongoing battle with an aggressive metastatic cancer but also the ever-evolving dynamic between him and his bandmates — vocalist Jordan Pundik, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Cyrus Bolooki — as they continue to push each other creatively. It's the same full-hearted sentiment that colored their 2023 acoustic EP, "Make The Most Of It", here delivered in three-minute bursts of the band's trademark pop-punk sound: the shiny melodies that launched them on to "TRL" in the early 2000s, the ghosts of the tight-knit punk and hardcore scenes they came up in as teenagers.

That kinetic energy informed "Listen Up!" from its earliest stages of the writing process, with Bolooki and Grushka traveling to Gilbert's Nashville-area home to flesh out the songs the guitarist had been crafting. Sitting face to face with their instruments, the three fell into a rhythm of workshopping and arranging together, leaning into a riff-first mentality that harkened back to iconic songs like "My Friends Over You" and "All Downhill From Here" in what Bolooki calls a musical return to form.

At this stage in their decorated career, NEW FOUND GLORY's goals are straightforward: keep inspiring the next generation of artists and continue writing songs that help their audience — and themselves — find strength, courage, and joy. The band has come a long way from their humble South Florida beginnings, as detailed on the "Listen Up!" standout "Beer And Blood Stains", a nostalgic riff-factory detailing the band's early battle scars at local clubs, where danger meant more than catching a stray elbow in the swirl of a circle pit. "Looking back, was it fun or crime?" Pundik muses on the track before elevating the album's simple-yet-profound mission statement: "It's good to be alive."

"Listen Up!" track listing:

01. Boom Roasted
02. 100%
03. Laugh It Off
04. A Love Song
05. Beer and Blood Stains
06. Medicine
07. Treat Yourself
08. Dream Born Again
09. You Got This
10. Frankenstein's Monster

Press photo courtesy of Big Picture Media

In a new interview with Brazil's 92.5 Kiss FM, AVANTASIA frontman Tobias Sammet was asked how much he thinks the "cinematic and artistic production of a show influences the audience experience". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I grew up with bands like KISS and QUEEN, and also then BON JOVI and DEF LEPPARD doing the in-the-round, in-your-face thing, with a stage in the middle, and starting off with [the DEF LEPPARD song] 'Stage Fright'… It was all big, it was high gloss, it was pyro and it was crazy and it was big hair, big shoulders and big poses. That's the music I grew up with. And I never really understood grunge music, where they were watching their shoes and playing, like, 'Here we are now. Entertain us.' No, no — you entertain us. You people on stage have to entertain people, not entertain us — the audience doesn't have to entertain the band. So I grew up with a completely different approach."

Tobias continued: "I want theatrics. I want a show, I want a spectacle. It can be basic, [like] AC/DC [was] in 1980 or 1979 with Bon Scott — but still it was theatrical. It was a guy dressed up in a schoolboy's uniform showing his bare ass, dancing around like crazy. And then you had Bon Scott with his torn jeans standing there like a rock god. It was still a show. And I think that's what it has to be — it has to be a show. But I don't want the show to get in the way of the music. That's always a fine line, because when I see [QUEEN's] Freddie Mercury, he never gets in the way of the music. He was going on stage. He was being himself. He made the whole world watch him. And that's the way you have to approach it, because it's like going into a lion's cage. As a frontman, you are stepping in front of 10,000 people and you have the biggest spot, and you can only do it if you have confidence and if you present a show and you say, 'Here I am, watch me. I'm doing it for you. I'm doing it for myself. Let's have a great time and put on a show.'"

Sammet added: "What I don't really get, I have to say, is many bands these days are wearing masks and everybody's having blood here, and it looks almost like a masquerade, it looks like carnival. I mean, everybody has to do it the way they wanna do it. KISS wore masks as well, but still it was an amplification of the music, their show. Today, when you open up a metal magazine — there are not so many anymore — but when you open up a metal magazine, it looks like watching a catalog for costumes for live-action roleplay. It's, like, one is a gladiator, one is a wolf, one is a this, that, this, that. Everybody has to know themselves, but I don't want the show to distract from the music… And it has to be balanced…. My creed is always, we wanna put on a show. I wanna be a showman. I go on stage and I don't change. It's not a masquerade. When I wear my top hat and my coat and I go on stage to enchant the people and be a frontman, this is just — my head and my clothes are an extension of my personality. I don't know if a gladiator's helmet or a Viking helmet is an extension of your personality unless you're a bit off to Cuckoo Island. To me, it's just like an extension, and I always wanna find the right balance. I want people to enjoy the music and have the visuals that accompany the music, but not distract from the music."

AVANTASIA's tenth studio album, "Here Be Dragons", was released in February via Napalm Records. The 10-track offering was written and composed in its entirety by Sammet himself, produced and recorded by Sammet together with Sascha Paeth, mixed by Paeth and mastered by Michael Rodenberg. The cover art was once again created by acclaimed British fantasy artist Rodney Matthews.

Photo credit: Kevin Nixon

Welsh ragga metal legends SKINDRED have released their brand-new single, "You Got This", accompanied by a brilliantly entertaining video.

The title track of their forthcoming ninth album, which has just been announced with a release date of April 17 via Earache Records, "You Got This" is an instant SKINDRED classic, with Mikey Demus's wrecking ball riffs bouncing through your head, as drummer Arya Goggin detonates a characteristically full-throttle rhythm. Meanwhile inimitable frontman Benji Webbe lurches between uncompromising toasting and delivering hooks like a heavyweight champion.

The inspiration for the track came when gym devotee Benji saw a man struggling to complete his exercises as he started his rehabilitation after a stroke. The personal trainer told him, "You got this," and the mood completely lifted.

"I was watching from a distance, and I could see the struggle and the pain, but in that moment, I knew he had got this," recalls Benji. "It's such an empowering statement and it applies to so many battles that everybody faces: it could be a recovery from a stroke, or it could be studying for your exams at school. For me, having songs that lift people who are going through tough times is the most important thing. I feel like that's what I'm put on this planet to do."

Benji is the ultimate frontman — a man whose wild enthusiasm is instantly contagious, an adrenaline shot of pure motivation. His phenomenally powerful vocals are balanced with lighter, melodic moments of emotion that champion self-belief, resilience, and finding joy in the small things that make life worth living — he's the loudest life coach you'll ever meet.

And on the album "You Got This" he leads the newly slimmed-down Newport trio on a thrilling journey to follow the mainstream breakthrough that came with 2023's critically-acclaimed album "Smile". That album shot straight into the U.K. official album chart at No. 2 and SKINDRED went on to receive the "Best Alternative Music Act" award at the MOBOs, also winning "Best UK Act" at the Heavy Music Awards.

Long revered as one of the best live bands on the planet, they played their largest headline show to date at Wembley Arena and toured the world, smashing every festival and headline performance and winning tens of thousands of new fans in the process. Those new fans will join SKINDRED's long-established rabid fanbase in lapping up every note and lyric of "You Got This". It's an all-killer-no-filler set which features everything that people love about the band — hard-hitting slammers, mega addictive hooks, earwormy soundclash elements, and dancehall vibes destined to ignite venues across the globe.

Production came from the Grammy-winning Jay Ruston, whom Arya admires for having the songwriting chops to work with '80s power ballad master Desmond Child, while also producing SLIPKNOT's Corey Taylor and Mike Patton's MR. BUNGLE. "It was working with someone who didn't just stay in one lane, which is exactly what SKINDRED has always been about," says the multi-talented drummer.

So now it's all about SKINDRED's future. There are big plans incoming, especially live, where Arya has seen the audience evolve into a mix of youngsters attending their first gig alongside the two generations above them. Benji is dreaming of Coachella or a prime Pyramid Stage slot at Glastonbury. But Mikey comes at the question from a different angle.

"When you start a band, you don't think for a second that you're going to headline Wembley," he says. "I don't feel like we made it happen; the audience made it happen by committing to be there and travelling so far to come. When you're in a band you're always looking at the next thing and it can be hard to be like, wow, what's happening right now is amazing. There are still so many people out there who should know us but have never heard of us. So, we've got this whole fight ahead of us still."

Earlier this week, SKINDRED's founding bassist Dan Pugsley announced his departure from the band, writing in a social media post: "I've been getting a lot of concerned messages, so I just wanted to let you all know that I'm okay but I am no longer a member of SKINDRED.

"I want to thank my family, my friends, and especially all the SKINDRED fans for the incredible love and support you've shown me over the years. I'll always be deeply grateful for it.

"This band has been such a huge part of my life, and now I'm taking some time to figure out what's next for me. I'm really looking forward to new creative opportunities ahead."

Photo credit: Dean Chalkley

In a new interview with Into The Necrosphere, AGNOSTIC FRONT vocalist Roger Miret, who was diagnosed with cancer more than four years ago, was asked for an update on his health. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm feeling great… I am grateful to be good, to be alive. And when I went through the cancer stuff, the outreach of people and support was just amazing. It felt good to read all the comments and read stuff. It felt rewarding in a way."

He added: "My health is great right now. I get checked every six months, so I feel good. So that's the most important thing."

After Miret was diagnosed with cancer in early 2021, a long road of tests and diagnoses led to a complex initial surgery and lengthy hospital stay. Even though the original surgery was complicated, the results were extremely positive. The cancer was successfully removed and Roger is now in complete remission and all signs of cancer have disappeared.

In October 2021, Roger said that he underwent another surgery after "running a fever for two weeks straight" and developing "an infection."

A GoFundMe page was launched where fans can still donate to help Roger pay medical care costs.

Roger previously discussed his cancer battle during a February 2022 appearance on the "Smokin Word" podcast. He said at the time: "I'm good now. But I was in a place [in early 2021] where I just needed to be in my own head — just wrap around everything. Between everything that's going on in life, and then throw this shit at it, I was not in a good place. But, man, I sit back and think about it now, I've been through a lot of shit — I've been through a lot of hard shit — and I'm, like, man, I keep going through all this fucking crazy hard shit, but my head's pretty together. Don't get me wrong — there's a lot of nights you stay up thinking and thinking and thinking and thinking. When you hear 'cancer,' the first thing you think is you're gonna die tomorrow. And you've got kids, and you start thinking and thinking, thinking about, 'Man, somehow, some way I'll pull through.' I figured I've gotta pull through. And that was the same situation back in the late '80s when I got incarcerated. I was, like, you pull through — you hold your head up high and pull through. Even back then, in the late '80s, when I had to go through incarceration, it was good for me to be by myself; I needed to… [This time] I didn't wanna see nobody, I didn't wanna talk to nobody. I did a lot of walks by myself. I did a lot of self-isolation. And when everything got finally put out there, I'm grateful that a lot of people gave me my space. 'Cause I know a lot of people worldwide, and everybody was concerned, everybody's, like, 'What's happening?' And I get it, but I really didn't wanna talk about anything; I just wanted to be in my space. The only person I talked to were doctors — so many fucking doctors; so many fucking injections, surgeries, scans. I've got more poison in my body… I'm actually surprised I'm walking."

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

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

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

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

AGNOSTIC FRONT will release a new album, "Echoes In Eternity", on November 7 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

According to SEVENDUST singer Lajon Witherspoon and guitarist Clint Lowery, the band has completed tracking its new studio album, tentatively due in early 2026 via Napalm Records.

SEVENDUST once again worked with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette at Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida. Baskette had previously worked with ALTER BRIDGE and Slash, among others.

Earlier today (Tuesday, November 4),Lowery shared an "end-of-studio picture" on Instagram and he thanked "the killer production team" consisting of Baskette and engineers Jef Moll and Josh Saldate "for taking things to the highest level demanding perfection or our closet effort. Four records in a row and all amazing experiences," he added. "Can't wait to hear [Baskette] mix this bad boy up."

The writing sessions for the follow-up to 2023's "Truth Killer" once again took place at the farmhouse of Lajon and his wife Ashley.

To celebrate the 21st anniversary of its beloved acoustic album "Southside Double-Wide: Acoustic Live", SEVENDUST will hit the road for an exclusive, intimate tour this fall. Fans can expect stripped-down versions of the band's hardest-hitting tracks, deep cuts and emotional favorites, including "Black", "Beautiful" and "Angel's Son".

The "Southside Double-Wide: Acoustic Live" tour will kick off on November 14 in Columbia, Missouri and make stops in Memphis, Tennessee (November 15),Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (November 24),Kansas City, Missouri (December 5),among others, before it wraps on December 12 in San Antonio, Texas. Special guest Cory Marks will be opening the tour.

With 2024/2025 continuing to be landmark years thanks in part to the release of SEVENDUST's 14th studio album, "Truth Killer", via Napalm Records and successful tours, the band is continuing to expand its audience 30 years into its career. SEVENDUST's "Everything" was the highest-charting single of the band's career, peaking at No. 6, as well as the highest-charting rock single from any artist in Napalm Records history. The video for "Everything" has received more than 2.4 million views.

SEVENDUST served as one of the support acts for DISTURBED on the latter act's "The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour".

Last fall, SEVENDUST celebrated the 21st anniversary of its iconic album "Seasons" on a U.S. tour. "Seasons", the fourth album from the band's catalog, spawned a Top 10 Rock single with "Enemy", and the album closer "Face To Face" is a show staple and fan favorite of SEVENDUST to this day.

"Seasons" was, for a time, the band's last album with Lowery as he left in 2004. Lowery returned to SEVENDUST in March 2008 and has remained with the group ever since.

Photo credit: Chuck Brueckmann

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lajon (@ljspoon)



View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Clint Lowery (@clintloweryofficial)

In a new interview with Emo of the KLOS radio station, Alice Cooper spoke about his HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES supergroup, which also features AEROSMITH guitarist Joe Perry and Hollywood superstar Johnny Depp. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We put the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES together to be a bar band. I did the [2012 Tim Burton] movie 'Dark Shadows' with Johnny Depp. And Johnny's a really good guitar player — I mean, not just sort of a guitar player; he's a pretty good guitar player. And we had a big jam in London one night, and I said, 'Why don't you come over after the shoot tonight", after we shot the day, 'and sit in with us?' And he goes, 'Okay.' So he shows up, and he can really play. I was curious to hear him play. We did every cover you could imagine at the 100 Club on Oxford Street there. And that night I said, 'It would be fun to put a band together to just play covers.' And he says, 'Yeah, let's do that.' And Joe Perry goes, 'I'm in.' So Joe Perry [is in the band] now, and Johnny Depp. And [GUNS N' ROSES bassist] Duff McKagan [goes], 'I'm in.' Pretty soon we had this band that was ridiculous. So our first show was at the Roxy [in West Hollywood, California] — 300 people there, but everybody showed up, and everybody ended up on stage. Our second show pretty much was [Brazil's] Rock In Rio [festival] — 300,000 people. Now here's the funny part: Duff, Joe and I had been in front of that many people many times. Johnny hadn't. His band played clubs. So he's standing there, a little bit deer in the headlights. And I said, 'Johnny,' I said, 'You're a rock star.' I said, 'Just be a rock star. Just get out and do it.' And he was great. He kind of laid back. He wanted to be the laid-back guy, and I said, 'No, no, no, no.' I said, 'When you're playing the lead, you take the stage.' And he nailed it."

Alice added: "Really what [Johnny] loves to do is rock and roll."

This past June 27, Perry told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he and his HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES bandmates were working on a documentary. "It's got some great stuff on it," he said. "I just saw a rough cut. And it's pretty amazing.

"I'm still pinching myself this band actually got moving, 'cause everybody's got other things going on, especially Johnny," Perry continued. "[For Johnny], it's not, like, 'I can't do it this day'; it's, like, 'I can't do it this month.' When he's on a project, he's gotta carve out months. And even then, he has to be available for things. So, when I'm in L.A., I've seen him work, and it's, like, man, that's tough. I mean, talk about putting a band on the road. Doing a movie, the kind of movies he does, it's a lot. It's a real lot. It takes a lot out of you, and you've gotta give up your life 24-7 for anywhere from a month to a year, whatever. And Alice is always working. If you don't book something almost a year ahead, he's gonna be booked.

"I know that everybody would love to play some more with that band," Joe added. "And I think the last record we did was amazing. It was so much fun. But we get into that in the documentary. So I don't know. Right now everybody's tied up. But I know that in the back of everyone's mind, it'd be great to get back together again. So anyway, we'll see how that goes."

Perry went on to praise HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, saying: "That band is something else, man. Alice got to be the lead singer of a rock band and he didn't have to be Alice Cooper… He's Alice Cooper through and through. But when he was with the VAMPIRES, he got to talk to the audience in real time and he didn't have to take on a character. And I know he loved it. But listen, he still went out looking like Alice Cooper. And that part of him is through and through. And everybody had a great time."

A trailer for the upcoming HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES documentary "Unleashed Spirits - The Rise Of The Hollywood Vampires" can be seen below.

Directed by Daniel E. Catullo III, "Unleashed Spirits - The Rise Of The Hollywood Vampires" was previously described in a press release as "an exhilarating and heartfelt film that takes viewers on a captivating journey through the formation of HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES and the profound impact they've had on their devoted fan base."

Named for a pack of famous musicians that legendary rocker Alice Cooper used to drink with in the early 1970s, including John Lennon and Keith Moon, HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES also includes producer and songwriter Tommy Henriksen.

The three legends first came together to record in 2015, bonding over a shared love of their favorite songs and a desire to celebrate their "dead, drunk friends" by playing the songs of the fallen heroes. Riotous performances ensued around the world.

In 2019, HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES — which also includes Cooper's drummer Glen Sobel and bassist Chris Wyse — completed a triumphant seven-city North American tour which included a sell-out show at the famous Greek Theatre in Los Angeles and were voted the "best performance" of 2018 at London's Wembley Arena.

HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES' sophomore album "Rise", produced by Tommy Henriksen and the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, was hailed as one of the purest, most unapologetic and enjoyable rock and roll albums of 2019, made by masters of the craft and true fans of the form. Unlike their 2015 debut record, the latest album consisted mainly of original material, written by the band. There are however, in the spirit of the VAMPIRES' original mission, three covers of songs originally written and recorded by legendary rockers who died far too young.

Six years ago, Cooper told Billboard about his chemistry with Depp and Perry: "That's a very odd thing about this. You've got three alpha males who are used to running the show, and all of a sudden, three guys are sitting there with zero arguments. The whole thing is, 'Okay, let's try that.' Every time they would send me a track with scratch vocals on it, if I worked on it and chopped it up and did my thing, it would turn into an Alice song. I took my fingerprints off of it. I would hear the song and say, 'Let's do it as it was written.' My instinct might be to say that this part goes too long or the intro goes too long, but that's what makes it interesting."

Regarding HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES' decision to record a second album as a follow-up to 2015's "Hollywood Vampires", which debuted at No. 43 on the Billboard 200, Cooper said: "We looked at each other and went, 'Let's do another album, but let's make this one original.' And just like that, Johnny was writing, Joe was writing, Tommy was writing, I was writing … and we just all kind of put it together while I was on tour. Tommy produced it, and the next thing you know, we had an album. The cool thing about it is that it doesn’t sound like an Alice album, it doesn't sound like an AEROSMITH album: It sounds like a HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES album."

HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES released their first live album, "Live In Rio", in June 2023 via earMUSIC. The LP was recorded when the HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES played their biggest and most legendary gig in front of more than 100,000 fans at the Rock In Rio festival in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in September 2015

Photo credit: Ross Halfin (courtesy of The Outside Organisation)

Multi-platinum-selling rock band PUDDLE OF MUDD has released the official music video for its latest single, "Monsters".

"Monsters" was originally made available in October without prior announcement through Virgin Records.

In August 2025, PUDDLE OF MUDD signed a new management contract with NI Music Group. Shortly afterward, PUDDLE OF MUDD frontman Wes Scantlin entered Warner Chappell Studios in Los Angeles with NI Music Group CEO Eric T. Johnson, who co-wrote and produced the track alongside audio engineer Ethan Ray Shevin. Scantlin later confirmed that "Monsters" was written, recorded, and produced entirely during those sessions.

PUDDLE OF MUDD's latest album, "Kiss The Machine", was released in May via Pavement Entertainment.

PUDDLE OF MUDD was formed in 1991 in Kansas City by Scantlin, the only original member still with the band. The group into the mainstream with 2001's "Come Clean", which yielded three hits — "Control", "Blurry" and "She Hates Me".

PUDDLE OF MUDD's most recent touring lineup saw Scantlin joined by returning bassist Michael Anthony Grajewski and new members Miles Schon — son of legendary JOURNEY guitarist Neal Schon — on lead guitar and Jon Smith on drums.

Photo courtesy of Pavement Music

Richmond, Virginia metallers LAMB OF GOD played their cover of BLACK SABBATH's "Children Of The Grave" during the 2025 Headbangers Boat cruise, which set sail aboard the Norwegian Jewel, departing Miami on October 31 and stopping in Cozumel, Mexico before returning to port on November 4. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

When LAMB OF GOD previously played "Children Of The Grave" during the band's July 24 hometown concert at Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront in Richmond, LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe told the crowd:  "Thank you so much for being our home, Richmond. Thank you so much for raising us up and carrying us through the years.

"Everywhere we go around the fucking world — we have played on every single continent except for Antarctica — the first thing I say when I address the audience is, 'We are LAMB OF GOD. We hail from Richmond, motherfucking Virginia.' I let them know. I let them know, motherfuckers. Very recently, I got to say those very words somewhere very fucking special.

"We've been around for 30 years now, playing parties here," he continued. "In 2004, we got invited on a festival called the Ozzfest. We played with HATEBREED on that one. We came back in 2007 and played it again. And most recently, the members of a band called BLACK SABBATH, the all four original members of the band BLACK SABBATH, got together to play one final show in Birmingham, England. And they hit us up and they asked little old LAMB OF GOD if we wanted to come to play. It was fucking a huge honor to be there. It was a huge honor to be there in Birmingham, England, playing with BLACK SABBATH, representing our city, this city in front of the four dudes who fucking created heavy metal. They were the first. And it was a magic, magic day, my friends. I don't know how to tell — I don't even know how to explain the feeling, but it was so intense. And then I stayed in England for a little while later, and then the next week I did this convention and I got to hang out with Ozzy Osbourne. And he was in the best fucking mood. He felt the love.

"Did any of you motherfuckers livestream that fucking thing?" Blythe asked the audience. "Thank you so much. From that concert, we raised $190 million for charity. A bunch of fucking heavy metal freak weirdos [were responsible for] the largest charity gig in the history of music, period. And Ozzy was so fucking excited about that. And then, as all of you know, a few days ago Mr. Osbourne has left. He has gone on on his next journey. And we're sad, but I know he went out with joy in his heart. I saw it. I saw it. And he felt it."

Randy added: "We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for BLACK SABBATH. None of us would be here right now if it wasn't for BLACK SABBATH. So if it's okay with you guys, we're gonna play you a BLACK SABBATH song right now. We're gonna play it for those dudes in BLACK SABBATH, and we're gonna play it for Ozzy Osbourne. I wanna hear it: Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy!" Responding to "Ozzy" chants from the crowd, Blythe said: "Louder. I want 'em to hear it in Birmingham, motherfuckers. Louder. Louder. That's right. This is for Ozzy Osbourne of BLACK SABBATH. This song is called 'Children Of The Grave'."

The day of Ozzy's death, Blythe shared a photo of him with the BLACK SABBATH singer, and he wrote: "Like most of you reading this, I am immensely sad right now.

"This picture was taken 10 days ago, at @comicconmidlands- I was with my pals @scottianthrax & @thefrankbello. Our friend @malfuncsean took us back into Ozzy's green room— we hung out for a good half hour & had some laughs with the Prince of Darkness.

"Know this: Ozzy was in a GREAT mood, & still buzzing over the 'Back To The Beginning' concert. I thanked him for having @lambofgod on the show, & told him 'We just went by 14 Lodge Road two days ago' (his childhood home in Birmingham.) Ozzy looked up & gave me an huge grin & said 'Boy, I'll bet that fucking guy who lives there now is sick of hearing about me!' & started laughing really hard. It was great to see!

"I do not claim to have been close to him, but I’ve had several interactions with Ozzy over the years. Yes, Ozzy was a TRUE ROCK N' ROLL MADMAN- they don't build 'em like him anymore. But I also knew him as a kind & gentle man who, alongside his family, did so much for my band, & more personally, spoke out publicly on my behalf when I was facing serious legal issues.

"When you are in a foreign prison & inmates you don't know come up to you suddenly acting impressed & saying 'Ozzy Osbourne says good things for you!' in broken English… trust me, it makes a difference.

"Thank you for that, mate.

"So yes, I'm very sad right now— but my heart is also full. Ozzy got to say goodbye, & he got to do it on HIS terms, with HIS band. One last time the mighty SABBATH roared… & we all watched in awe.

"While in the green room, I had Ozzy sign my shoes, the ones I am holding in this photo- there were only 121 pairs of these Adidas made, strictly as thank you gifts to performers at the 'Back To The Beginning' show. I told Ozzy I was going to auction them off to further benefit the charities that the concert raised money for, & he was well pleased by this.

"And so I shall.

"This is how I would like to thank & honor him for all he did for music, my band, & myself. The shoes will be part of a larger auction that is being organized right now. Details soon.

"Thank you Ozzy. We love you.

"'Show the world that love is still alive, you must be brave…'"

Ozzy died on July 22, his family announced in a statement.

The day after LAMB OF GOD took the stage at "Back To The Beginning" — where the Virginia metallers also covered "Children Of The Grave" — Blythe took to his social media to write: "I do not have the words to explain what merely being at, much less performing at, BLACK SABBATH's final show yesterday felt like. I'm still trying to process it- it's crazy.

"I have been in my band for 30 years now, and I have played many, many shows in that time. But the overwhelming energy at this show— in the audience, in the backstage area, and onstage (because I was in all 3 areas at different times)— was something I have never felt before, and I know I never will again. It was something DIFFERENT, something very, very special.

"If you play in a heavy metal band, or are a fan of any heavy metal music, then know that your roots lay in Birmingham, starting way back in 1968 with four working class Englishmen named Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, & Bill Ward. They created this. PERIOD. For those of us who make this music, there will never be another chance to play with the original creators again. That was IT… & it was amazing.

"If you were there in the audience, you should know that every single band member I talked to- from MASTODON who opened the show up all the way to METALLICA who played right before Ozzy- was nervous to go onstage… & I do mean EVERYONE (God knows I was.) It a sign of our respect for the dudes who created this music that we all felt this way. We all wanted to honor them, to show respect, to thank them for this wild-ass life that they have given us, and to do justice to their tunes— all of us get to travel the world & play this music because of what these four guys started. Then to see those four guys give it one last glorious whirl, four songs… it was earth shattering.

"So thank you BLACK SABBATH, thank you Birmingham, & thank you to all the fans who came out yesterday to help us give SABBATH a proper send off. We also raised A LOT of money yesterday for 3 different charities- Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital, & Acorn Children's Hospice. None of the bands took a single penny for this gig- hell, none of us even got a guestlist! I am so happy to have witnessed it & beyond grateful to have been asked to be a part of it. A simply unbelievable day…"

"Back To The Beginning" took place on July 5 in BLACK SABBATH's original hometown of Birmingham, United Kingdom. The nine-hour event, hosted by actor Jason Momoa at Villa Park, saw over a dozen bands play at least one BLACK SABBATH or Ozzy Osbourne cover as they paid homage to the SABBATH singer, who has Parkinson's disease.

Hours after LAMB OF GOD's performance at "Back To The Beginning", the band released a studio version of "Children Of The Grave" on streaming music services.

"LAMB OF GOD being invited to perform with BLACK SABBATH at their final show is one of the greatest honors of our career," LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton said in a statement. "As an offering to the celebration, we've recorded our take on their classic 'Children Of The Grave', a protest song with lyrics that are as relevant today as they were in 1971 when the original was released.”

"BLACK SABBATH invented heavy metal and in doing so, they changed the world," Morton continued. "This genre that they created brings immeasurable joy to fans all over the world. We are so grateful to have the heavy metal community to call our home, and so grateful to BLACK SABBATH for the gift of their music that they've given to all of us."

Curated by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello, "Back To The Beginning" featured arguably the greatest lineup of rock and metal bands ever assembled on one day.

The concert for Ozzy Osbourne, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease several years ago and billed the event as his final onstage performance, marked the first time original BLACK SABBATH bandmembers — Ozzy, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — performed together in 20 years.

More than 40,000 fans attended "Back To The Beginning", which also saw performances from Ozzy's solo band, GUNS N' ROSES, METALLICA, SLAYER, PANTERA, GOJIRA and ANTHRAX, among others. Profits from the show are being shared equally between the charities Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice.