AEROSMITH bassist Tom Hamilton's new band CLOSE ENEMIES has signed with TLG|ROCK for management and label services.

CLOSE ENEMIES debut single, "Sound Of A Train", will be released on January 17 and will be distributed through Virgin Music Group.

Joining the 72-year-old Hamilton in the new group his bass tech Trace Foster, who plays guitar in CLOSE ENEMIES alongside Peter Stroud, who has been playing with Sheryl Crow for 25 years. CLOSE ENEMIES' drummer is Tony Brock, who had a band called THE BABYS and then played with Rod Stewart for 12 years. Fronting CLOSE ENEMIES is Chasen Hampton, a performer from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with a strong background in the country music scene. CLOSE ENEMIES is also working with "a great lyricist" named Gary Stier.

Unlike CLOSE ENEMIES' name suggests, these five guys are close friends, each with an illustrious musical career.

Hamilton comments: "We're really excited to be working with TLG/Virgin on the release of the CLOSE ENEMIES record! They're genuinely as excited about putting it out as we are! Can't wait to see what happens!"

Brock adds: "TLG/Virgin are the perfect match for CLOSE ENEMIES as we are both SUPERGROUPS! Can't wait to see the results!!"

Foster says: "After spending a year on the writing and recording of this record, we were not going to sign with just anyone to put it out. Once we spoke with Dennis Sanders and his team at TLG/Virgin, we knew we had an ally with the same vision."

Hampton states: "Honored to join forces with history! TLG/Virgin/Universal Music Group are all proven visionaries and a perfect fit for this band of brothers. We are excited to get this music heard and be a part of this new family."

Stroud says: "We could not ask for a better partner with Denny and The Label Group. His experience across all fronts of the industry is a perfect fit for CLOSE ENEMIES. And I always prefer flying Virgin! It's an honor to be playing with these musical brothers and now working with the ultimate team."

Denny Sanders, CEO of TLG|ROCK, says: "My good friend Andy Gallagher of the band OVERHAUL sent me the music. I absolutely loved it, then to find out who's in the band, well that was just icing on the cake. We are all thrilled here at TLG to be working with CLOSE ENEMIES."

CLOSE ENEMIES tour dates:

Jan. 08 - Philadelphia, PA @ City Winery
Jan. 09 - New York, NY @ City Winery
Jan. 10 - Boston, MA @ City Winery
Jan. 14 - Manchester, NH @ The Rex Theatre
Jan. 23 - Pawling, NY @ Daryl's House
Jan. 25 - Nashville, TN @ City Winery
Jan. 28 - Chicago, IL @ City Winery
Jan. 29 - St. Louis, MO @ City Winery

CLOSE ENEMIES made its live debut on October 11 at Eastside Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee. Video of the concert can be seen below.

In a recent interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, Tom said about CLOSE ENEMIES' debut gig: "I was a little bit nervous, you know. But that feeling, it energizes you. It doesn't hold you back. It makes you want to dive in deeper and deeper."

Regarding the upcoming shows, he said: "This is like going back to the beginning. You know, we don't have any previous albums. We're going to be riding around in vans, probably and flying commercial, just like when AEROSMITH started — and I'm looking forward to that. There's a certain camaraderie with that."

In an interview with AARP, Tom described Hampton as "a gifted singer who really made the songs come to life."

"When I joined, these guys had worked up a bunch of great songs, and I was able to contribute something I had," the bassist continued. "Hopefully, when the time comes, we'll work up some others I've had in my pocket for a while. All of these guys are great musicians, and it's an honor and a challenge to be part of it all. I'm looking forward to seeing how people like it. I think they'll be pleasantly amazed."

The members of AEROSMITH made the announcement that they were retiring from touring on August 2 — nearly one year after singer Steven Tyler fractured his larynx during a September 2023 show.

The "Peace Out" tour came to a halt after what turned out to be a final gig in Elmont, New York on September 9, 2023. That show came just three dates into the trek, which was supposed to last through February 2024. Tyler said in a statement at the time that the injury caused bleeding but that he hoped he and his AEROSMITH bandmates would be back on the road after postponing a few shows.

The rescheduled "Peace Out" tour was due to begin September 20 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with special guests THE BLACK CROWES.

Photo credit: Eduardo Andrade

Legendary BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward has shared a message of support for Nicko McBrain after the longtime IRON MAIDEN drummer announced his retirement from touring.

Late Tuesday night (December 17),Bill took to his social media to write: "Dear Nicko,

"In retiring to meet new horizons, I hope your journeys will be safe. I think it is so respectful and dignified that your drum chair will be available to you for any future IRON MAIDEN recordings, an idea that leads without fanfare, an idea that lays in tandem with any lick or rudiment, on any day.

"Respectfully, Bill Ward".

The 72-year-old Nicko, whose real name is Michael Henry McBrain, announced his retirement on December 7 in a statement on MAIDEN's web site and social media. The British musician also said that night's concert at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil would mark his final show with the iconic rock band.

Despite the fact that he is stepping away from touring, McBrain said that he will remain closely connected to IRON MAIDEN and continue to be involved in "a variety of projects" with the band, while also focusing on personal ventures and his existing businesses.

On December 8, IRON MAIDEN announced Simon Dawson as its new touring drummer. Dawson is a former session drummer and MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris's longtime bandmate in BRITISH LION.

The December 7 performance marked the final show of IRON MAIDEN's "The Future Past" world tour, which began in May 2023.

MAIDEN will return to the road in 2025 for the "Run For Your Lives" world tour, which is scheduled to launch in May.

In January 2023, Nicko was at his home in Boca Raton when he suffered a stroke with partial paralysis.

When Nicko first went public with his stroke in August 2023, the drummer said in a statement that the episode left him "paralyzed" down one side of his body and "worried" that his career with the band was over.

Four years ago, McBrain was diagnosed with stage 1 laryngeal cancer and opened up about it in a single interview in 2021 but otherwise kept it mostly under wraps.

Tapped to replace Clive Burr in 1982 after touring activities for "Number Of The Beast" concluded, McBrain brought a degree of finesse and technicality that was largely missing from IRON MAIDEN's early output. Whereas Burr was often lauded for his heavy-handed, punk-oriented style, McBrain was largely the opposite, playing with a degree of dexterity and flair that helped primary songwriter Steve Harris take MAIDEN down more adventurous paths. He eventually became the third longest-tenured member of MAIDEN, behind Harris and guitarist Dave Murray.

McBrain spent his early drumming years playing for the likes of Pat Travers and French rockers TRUST, eventually falling onto the radar of Harris and MAIDEN during the group's initial European tour.

Bill was on board for the SABBATH reunion when it was first announced more than 13 years ago, but backed out soon after. The drummer later claimed that he sat out the recording and touring sessions because of unfair contractual terms, although the members of SABBATH have hinted in other interviews that he wasn't physically up to the task.

All four original members of SABBATH were present when the band announced its reunion in late 2011. But Ward split from the group in 2012, citing an "unsignable" contract, and singer Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler carried on with their Rick Rubin–produced "13" LP and extensive international touring without him.

Ozzy told The Pulse Of Radio during SABBATH's last tour that Ward was not in shape to participate. "Bill Ward has got the most physically demanding job of the lot of us, 'cause he's the timekeeper," he said. "I don't think personally he had the chops to pull it off, you know. The saddest thing is that he needed to own up to that, and we could have worked around it, whether we had a drummer on the side with him or something."

It was rumored that SABBATH wanted to bring a second drummer on the road to share duties with Ward, something that Iommi confirmed in 2017 during a question-and-answer session about SABBATH's "Ten Year War" box set.

In 2015, Ward released his first solo album in 18 years. Titled "Accountable Beasts", the record can be purchased on iTunes.

In November 2017, Ward's band DAY OF ERRORS released its first two songs, "Day Of Errors" and "Blaspheming At Creation", via iTunes, Spotify, Amazon MP3 and Google Play. Two more tracks, "Dark" and "Ghost Train", followed in 2019.

In March 2021, Ward revealed that he was working on an autobiography.

@nickosdrumone @ironmaiden

Posted by Bill Ward on Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Former KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer Howard Jones is working on his debut album. Helming the sessions for the effort is Josh Gilbert, an acclaimed producer and bassist/vocalist who previously played in AS I LAY DYING and is a current member of SPIRITBOX.

Earlier today (Wednesday, December 18),Howard shared three photos of him and Josh in the studio, and he included the following message: "Back in the studio, Recording a few different features and projects.

"After a lot of talk it's finally happening. Starting work on my first solo album, stoked to have Josh Gilbert producing.

"More to come soon."

Jones has and KILLSWITCH ENGAGE guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz recently completed work on the debut album from their collaborative project BURN ETERNAL.

Jones left KILLSWITCH ENGAGE in 2012 and battled manic depression and bipolar disorder before forming a new project, DEVIL YOU KNOW, with guitarist Francesco Artusato (ALL SHALL PERISH) and drummer John Sankey (DEVOLVED). Along with bassist Ryan Wombacher (BLEEDING THROUGH),they recorded and toured behind two well-received albums, 2014's "The Beauty Of Destruction" and 2015's "They Bleed Red". In 2017, the band changed its name to LIGHT THE TORCH.

Jones makes an appearance on KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's latest album, 2019's "Atonement", contributing guest vocals to the song "The Signal Fire".

Jones discussed his previous mental health issues in a 2016 interview with Metal Hammer. He said: "For a lot of the time during the whole manic depression thing, I didn't realize how bad I was. I thought the high levels of anxiety I was experiencing was just my lot in life, I didn't realize that there was help on hand for me to be able to deal with that. I thought that I was just meant to feel really nervous around large crowds. Now it's like being a kid again, because I can deal with it, so I've got my passion back and it's great."

Asked what made him get back into music after leaving KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, Howard told Heavy New York: "Honestly, I think it was because I was just kind of tired of doing nothing and I don't do much else other than music. I felt like I needed to venture out because I was basically agoraphobic for three years. It's kind of well known. I went off the grid. I didn't have a cell phone for three years — I was gone. It felt, like, 'Okay, maybe I should dip my toe in. I don't have to do it full time. I don't have to do what I don't want to do.' That's all I was thinking. I started moving, I started doing things. It was definitely a struggle, especially for the first few years. I was, like, 'What am I doing?' There's been few things in my life that has been consistent other than music. I just did it. It just took some time, then all of the sudden, the spark showed up. I fell back in love with what I was doing. I really can't explain it. It just sort of happened."

Current KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer Jesse Leach appeared on the band's self-titled debut and sophomore album, "Alive Or Just Breathing", before exiting the group. Jones took over on vocals for "The End Of Heartache", "As Daylight Dies" and the 2009 self-titled set before being dismissed from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE 12 years ago and being replaced by a returning Leach.

In 2012, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE bassist Mike D'Antonio told Boston Globe that the band's split with Jones was necessitated by the singer's struggle with personal issues, including diabetes that had gone untreated for several years. "It became very apparent we had to move on without him," D'Antonio said. "Howard didn't quit."

Photo credit: Hristo Shindov

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Testimony Records has announced the signing of international death metal band LEPER COLONY.

LEPER COLONY will release its sophomore full-length album in 2025.

LEPER COLONY was founded by former MORGOTH frontman Marc Grewe (ASINHELL, INSIDIOUS DISEASE) and PAGANIZER guitarist Rogga Johansson (RIBSPREADER, REVOLTING et al.).

Johansson comments: "We are stoked to sign to Testimony Records. The new album is a beast and as we are very pleased with it, we can hardly wait for the record to be released next year! Watch this space!"

Testimony Records label manager Thomas Strater comments: "We're thrilled to announce the signing of LEPER COLONY. At the age of 14, I took a black permanent marker to draw the MORGOTH logo on the white sleeve of my baseball jacket — the other side was owned by MORBID ANGEL. Later on it was impossible to not bang my head to the massive riffs of axe-slinger Rogga Johansson. It was great to see these two death metal icons teaming up, but working with them is even better!"

LEPER COLONY is the result of wedding German and Swedish death metal styles with classic American influences. This happened when German vocalist Marc Grewe and Swedish guitarist Rogga Johansson decided to expand their friendship of many years and mutual love for old-school death metal into creating an album together in 2020.

The duo enlisted CONSUMPTION drummer Jon Skäre and lead-guitarist Kjetil Lyngahug (PAGANIZER) to record their self-titled debut album, which was released in 2023. The record was well received by critics and fans alike as it was obviously not just another "super project" but a congregation of die-hard death metal fanatics coming up with a host of fresh ideas.

To introduce the current members of LEPER COLONY to any self-respecting death metal connoisseur would be like carrying coals to Newcastle. Just in case, Grewe has long established his name as the former frontman of MORGOTH and later with INSIDIOUS DISEASE as well as with the band ASINHELL. Guitarist and bass player Rogga Johansson has left a massive mark on Swedish death metal in a host of bands including PAGANIZER, RIBSPREADER and REVOLTING. WOMBBATH guitarist Håkan Stuvemark has taken over lead guitar and he was joined as a new member by British drummer Jon Rudin, who is well-known from MONSTROUS and DEAD SUN, among several other death metal acts.

LEPER COLONY lineup:

Marc Grewe - vocals
Rogga Johansson - guitars, bass
Håkan Stuvemark - lead guitars
Jon Rudin - drums

Joe and Judy Norelli, founders of the Norelli Family Foundation, a private nonprofit foundation located in Central Florida, have announced the production of a new album of music for children. Released in August 2024 and nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Children's Music Album", "Solid Rock Revival" is a full-length studio album featuring performances and song remakes by the ROCK FOR CHILDREN band, headlined by legendary artist Alice Cooper, and featuring other well-known musicians including GUNS N' ROSES' Slash, JUDAS PRIEST's Rob Halford, and RUN DMC's Darryl "DMC" McDaniels. Proceeds from the sale of the album, as well as live concerts and special events, will benefit the Norelli Family Foundation and Alice Cooper's Solid Rock charity based in Phoenix, Arizona.

Cooper, along with his wife Sheryl, founded Solid Rock in 1995 with a mission to make an everlasting difference in the lives of teens in the community. Alice Cooper's Solid Rock Teen Centers inspire teens to discover their talent and achieve artistic excellence through music, dance, and the arts as well as vocational training in sound, lighting, staging, and fellowship, all in a safe, supervised facility. Alice Cooper's The Rock Teen Center Phoenix encompasses an auditorium, dance studio, computer lab and music rooms for guitar, drums, bass, and vocal lessons, a LeRoy Neiman art studio, Spanky's recording studio, and a video studio. A second location was opened in 2021 in Mesa, Arizona and the third location will soon open in Goodyear, Arizona. All programs are free for teens 12 to 20.

The Norelli Family Foundation provides support and assistance to children and young adults in need. Since its inception in 2013, the Foundation has worked tirelessly to help improve the lives of those most in need through partnerships with St. Jude Children's Hospital, Alice Cooper's Solid Rock, New Hope For Kids, Florida USA VB, The Colton Society, The Steve Azar St. Cecilia Foundation and the Sunshine State Kids.

Cooper is lending an exclusive remake of his classic 1970s hit "No More Mr. Nice Guy" to the album. Cooper has re-penned the lyrics and is calling it "Now I'm Mr. Nice Guy". Cooper also recorded "I'm Thirteen", "School's Out, No Bummer" and "Monster Mash". Halford provided lead vocals on "Pleasant Dreams" and DMC contributed to "In The Midday Hour". Slash provided guitar tracks for "Freewheelin'" — a playful duet with Alice and his daughter Calico Cooper. Grammy Award winner 123 Andres performed "Vamos Mis Amigos" and Radio Nube, the eight-and-ten-year-old-sisters rock duo and TikTok sensation from Mexico, recorded "Sugarrush". Additionally, staff and teens from The Rock Teen Centers were directly involved in the production of the album.

Track listing:

01. Now I'm Mr. Nice Guy (feat. Alice Cooper)
02. Pleasant Dreams (feat. Rob Halford)
03. Freewheelin' (feat. Slash, Alice Cooper & Calico Cooper)
04. Vamos Mis Amigos (feat. 123 Andrés)
05. School's Out, No Bummer (feat. Alice Cooper)
06. Our Castle Is Your Home (feat. Steve Azar)
07. Sugarrush (feat. Radio Nube)
08. In The Midday Hour (feat. Darryl "DMC" McDaniels)
09. Girls Come Together (feat. Calico Cooper & Alicia Chase)
10. Jump In The Water
11. Monster Mash (feat. Alice Cooper)
12. My Christmas List (feat. Rob Halford, Alice Cooper & Brandon Jenner)
13. I'm Thirteen (feat. Alice Cooper)

An animated lyric video for "My Christmas List", featuring Rob Halford, Alice Cooper and Brandon Jenner, can be seen below.

Executive producer/producer Joe Norelli teamed up with award-winning engineer, producer, and songwriter Ruben Salas and producer/artist and studio owner Dana Kamide to co-write, produce, and record the album's tracks. Norelli, along with the in-house production duo, oversaw the creation of several classic rock and 1970s remakes as well as new original songs for the album.

Salas is credited in multiple Grammy Award wins and nominations in several different music genres including children's music. He also holds a production credit with a Guinness Record for longest song. In addition to being a producer/artist and studio owner, Kamide is founder of Berliner Microphones and chief engineer of the highly acclaimed Berliner U77 Tube microphone. The U77 was hailed as one of the "Best New Microphones" and landed on the front cover of Pro Audio Review the year it was introduced.

"Music is a powerful tool for inspiration and learning," says Norelli. "We wanted to create an album that not only entertains children but also helps drive a positive and uplifting message. We believe that 'Solid Rock Revival' will do just that, and we're excited to share it with families everywhere."

"Solid Rock Revival" features 13 tracks and is available in various formats, including vinyl, digital download, and streaming. Educational resources to compliment the album, including lyric sheets, activity guides, and lesson plans, which are designed to enhance children's learning experience, will also be made available.

Alice Cooper appears on the album courtesy of earMUSIC, a label of Edel Music & Entertainment GmbH. Rob Halford appears courtesy of Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited. Slash appears courtesy of Revelation Management Group, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels appears courtesy of King Of Rock Entertainment. Steve Azar appears courtesy of Ride Records, and Sophie Dorsten appears courtesy of WorldSound.

Zombie metal band, Dominum, will release their sophomore album, The Dead Don't Die, on December 27 via Napalm Records. The band unbox the album in the new video below:





Dominum entered the scene in 2023 with a blast and hit the top 20 of the Official German Album Charts immediately with their debut album, Hey Living People.




The Dead Don’t Die opening track “We Are Forlorn” invites the listener on a dark and dramatic journey that continues full-speed on “One Of Us”. Irresistibly catchy “Don't Get Bitten By The Wrong Ones” features Dominum’s trademark eerie yet tongue-in-cheek lyrics, continuing straight from where the band left off with their first album. The monumental title track “The Dead Don’t Die” is another highlight on The Dead Don’t Die - a clever take on a classic children’s lullaby leads into brilliantly dark storytelling, that’s heavy instrumentation and a multifaceted vocal performance take to the next level. Feuerschwanz and dArtagnan mastermind Ben Metzner is featured on this song. In addition to the album’s 10 original tracks, Dominum continues delivering the exciting cover of Scorpions’ classic hit “Rock You Like A Hurricane”. Some formats come with the bonus CD Live at Graspop Metal Meeting 2024 which includes their acclaimed performance at Graspop 2024.





The Dead Don’t Die will be available in the following formats:


- 1 LP Vinyl Deluxe Box incl Gatefold Marbled Purple, Red Vinyl, Backpatch and Temporary Tattoo Set – exclusively available via Napalm Records Mailorder and Dominum Shop – strictly limited to 300 worldwide
- 1 LP Vinyl Blue
- 2x 1CD Jewelcase in Slipcase – inkl Bonus CD Live at Graspop Metal Meeting 2024
- 1 CD Jewelcase
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:


"We Are Forlorn"
"One Of Us"
"The Dead Don't Die"
"Killed By Life"
"Die For The Devil"
"Don't Get Bitten By The Wrong Ones"
"Happy Deadly Ending"
"Can't Kill a Dead Man"
"This Is Not a Game"
"The Guardians Of The Night"
"Rock You Like A Hurricane" (Scorpions cover)


"We Are Forlorn" video:

Drumeo has shared a very special, in-depth two-hour documentary on music legend, Phil Collins. Check it out below.


Drumeo: "'I’m not a singer that plays a bit of drums; I’m more of a drummer that sings a bit.'' This famous Phil Collins quote perfectly captures the essence of a man celebrated by millions as a pop legend. But ask Phil himself, and he’ll tell you: 'I’m a drummer.' 


On March 26, 2022, after an extraordinary 50-year career of touring and recording, Phil Collins announced his retirement. Later that year, we had the incredible honor of inviting Phil and his son, Nic Collins, to the breathtaking Château de l'Aile in Vevey, Switzerland. From October 18-21, 2022, Phil shared his story like never before in a series of brand-new interviews. 




For the first time on film, Phil takes us on a journey through his life and career from a drumming perspective—from his early days behind the kit to his groundbreaking work with Genesis and his celebrated solo career, from his time with the jazz-fusion group Brand X to composing for Disney’s Tarzan, forming his own big band, and ultimately passing the torch to Nic during the final Genesis and Phil Collins tours. 


This is Phil’s story, told in his own words.


This documentary offers a rare and personal glimpse into the life and legacy of a true drumming icon. Phil’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and sacrifice—a testament to the power of giving everything you have for what you love. We are deeply grateful to Phil for trusting Drumeo to share his remarkable story."





Kingmaker is delighted to announce the publication of Genesis: 1975 To 2025 - The Phil Collins Years by Mario Giammetti on April 17, 2025.


Originally published in 2021 as Genesis: 1975 to 2021 – The Phil Collins Years and out of print since late 2022, Genesis: 1975 To 2025 – The Phil Collins Years features fully revised text, new interview content and two additional chapters to bring the Genesis story completely up to date. As well as providing a detailed appraisal of The Last Domino? tour, the book also covers other recent events in the world of Genesis, including the sad loss of Richard Macphail and the forthcoming reissue of The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway.    


Genesis: 1975 To 2025 – The Phil Collins Years is the definitive biography of one of the world’s greatest rock bands following the departure of Peter Gabriel. It contains numerous exclusive interviews with band members and all of the important personalities who were part of the story of Genesis from 1975 onwards, including Ray Wils

In a recent interview with Tom Robbins of the And Now The Band podcast, bassist John Campbell of Richmond, Virgina metallers LAMB OF GOD, who played their final concert of 2024 on October 30 aboard the Headbangers Boat cruise, was asked if there is some new LAMB OF GOD music in the works. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's more or less what it is. We just wrapped up, with the boat, our tour cycle. And now it's time to catch our breath and start working on new stuff."

When Robbins noted that "everyone is excited" about the prospect of new LAMB OF GOD music, Campbell said: "Well, don't hold your breath, 'cause it's gonna take a little time."

After Robbins opined that LAMB OF GOD's songs follow a specific formula, John concurred. "We definitely have a process," he said. "We definitely have a way of doing what we do. And I don't think that's a slight in any way, shape or form. We've gotten pretty good at it. And we write music that I absolutely love to perform. And I consider myself incredibly lucky to be able to be part of this band and do what we do."

He added: "There's so many talented people out there. The luck provides the opportunities, but then you have to do, with those opportunities, something that moves you forward in a positive way, with more luck coming in. But there's a whole lot of luck involved."

This past summer, LAMB OF GOD completed its "Ashes Of Leviathan" co-headlining tour with MASTODON. The trek, dubbed "Ashes Of Leviathan", also featured openers KERRY KING and MALEVOLENCE.

"Ashes Of Leviathan" celebrated the 20th anniversary of LAMB OF GOD's "Ashes Of The Wake" and MASTODON's "Leviathan" albums, both of which were released on the same date in 2004 (August 31).

On August 30, Epic Records and Legacy Recordings marked the two-decade anniversary of "Ashes Of Leviathan" with "Ashes Of The Wake (20th Anniversary Edition)", featuring new mixes by Justin K Broadrick (GODFLESH, JESU),HEALTH and KUBLAI KHAN TX and MALEVOLENCE, as well as demo and live versions of the album's classic songs.

LAMB OF GOD is Randy Blythe (vocals),John Campbell (bass),Mark Morton (guitar),Willie Adler (guitar) and Art Cruz (drums). Formed in 1994, the Richmond, Virginia-based band have released nine critically acclaimed albums, received five Grammy Award nominations and are widely regarded as one of the most influential and innovative forces in heavy music. The band's most recent collection, "Omens", arrived in late 2022, with Kerrang! noting that the album finds the band "as reliably heavy, violent, and pissed off as ever," and Consequence saying the "album will break you down to nihilistic pieces."

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

Prepare for a sonic singularity as the electrifying, female-fronted metal outfit The Wave And The Particle announces their official signing with WormHoleDeath Records. This partnership paves the way for the release of their album, Electric Sheep, set to drop on January 31st, 2025.


"WormHoleDeath has a rich history of supporting artists who aren't afraid to take risks, and we're honored to be among them," states the band. "This signing opens up new possibilities for us, and we're excited to see where this road will take us. A huge thank you to the entire team at WormHoleDeath for their trust in our band. We can't wait to bring you new music and experiences that will push the boundaries of what The Wave And The Particle can be."


Electric Sheep takes listeners on a journey through the near and distant future, exploring the impact of globalization, emerging technologies, and the shifting concept of self in the digital age. Each song delves into these themes, reflecting on the world that is rapidly transforming around us.




The album's sound is layered and dynamic, ranging from acoustic alt-rock to the intensity of doom metal. Synths and symphonic elements are woven into the metal core, creating a dynamic and immersive musical landscape. Drawing from influences in symphonic metal, industrial rock, and electronic music, Electric Sheep presents a compelling explorati

Professionally filmed video of METALLICA's fourth "Helping Hands Concert & Auction", which took place December 13 at YouTube Theater in Los Angeles, is now available for viewing below.

In addition to METALLICA, this year's "Helping Hands Concert & Auction" featured a performance by Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, Joe Satriani and Kenny Aronoff, as well as by SistaStrings, the sisters-turned-classically trained duo named 2023's "best instrumentalist" by the Americana Music Association.

Hosted once again by Jimmy Kimmel, this year's event marked the return of All Within My Hands' "Helping Hands Concert & Auction" to Los Angeles — where the previous "Helping Hands" show in December 2022 raised approximately $3,000,000 — 100% of which went directly to All Within My Hands' efforts supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger, disaster relief and other critical local services.

METALLICA's setlist for the fourth "Helping Hands Concert & Auction" was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

Acoustic

01. Low Man's Lyric (with Avi Vinocur) (also with Henry Salvia; first performance since September 13, 1998)
02. Helpless (DIAMOND HEAD cover) (with Avi Vinocur) (also with Henry Salvia; first performance since April 7, 2018)
03. Away From Home (BACHMAN–TURNER OVERDRIVE cover) (with Avi Vinocur) (also with Henry Salvia; live debut)
04. If Darkness Had A Son (with SistaStrings) (also with Avi Vinocur and Henry Salvia; live debut of acoustic rendition)
05. Nothing Else Matters (with SistaStrings) (also with Avi Vinocur and Henry Salvia)

Electric

06. Orion
07. The Shortest Straw
08. Until It Sleeps
09. Screaming Suicide
10. The Unforgiven II (with Avi Vinocur) (first performance since September 16, 2015)
11. Fuel (with Avi Vinocur) (also with Henry Salvia; new arrangement)
12. Hit The Lights (with Jeff Ament)
13. Master Of Puppets

100% of ticket and auction proceeds from this year's "Helping Hands Concert & Auction" benefited All Within My Hands, with 100% of ticket and auction proceeds going directly to those in need.

Established in 2017 as a way to give back to communities that have supported METALLICA over the years, All Within My Hands has raised over $15 million — providing $8.2 million in grants to career and technical education programs including the ground-breaking Metallica Scholars Initiative, now in its sixth year, over $3.6 million to combat food insecurity, more than $3.5 million to disaster relief efforts.

All Within My Hands was established by METALLICA to invest in the people and places that have supported the band. It also allows METALLICA's fans to engage in philanthropy and volunteerism. The Foundation is dedicated to creating sustainable communities through workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services. All expenses of the Foundation are covered by the band, the board, and a few special friends so that 100 percent of donations go to the organizations it supports. AWMH is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Last year, All Within My Hands donated a portion of all ticket sales from METALLICA's "M72" world tour back into the communities visited during each tour stop. In partnership with local promoters, the Foundation worked diligently to find organizations that aligned with the AWMH mission and actively put funds to use to better the lives of people in need.

The METALLICA family and the All Within My Hands foundation board members are committed to running an organization of the highest integrity where expenses are kept to a minimum and are paid for entirely by the band, the board, and friends who have worked with the band over many years and are excited to help in this mission. As such, 100% of all donations from fans and third parties go to the organizations AWMH supports.

In January 2022, METALLICA announced the appointment of Peter Delgrosso as executive director to All Within My Hands. Pete had served on AWMH advisory board since 2018 and is focused on the future of the foundation.

METALLICA's 2021 "The Metallica Blacklist" compilation generated more than $1 million in donations. All the profits from the "Blacklist" project were divided evenly between All Within My Hands and charities chosen by the participating artists.

In a new interview with That Fuzzing Rock Show, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson once again spoke about the creation of the bass intro to the song "Peace Sells", from the band's 1986 album "Peace Sells… But Who's Buying?". He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It started as a guitar riff. Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader and main songwriter] was writing a riff, and we had a bass. Me and Dave were essentially homeless. This was after the 'Killing Is My Business' [tour]. So we were living with the guy that engineered and co-produced 'Killing Is My Business'; his name is Karat Faye. And so we were basically squatting in his house up in Laurel Canyon. And I had this bass. It was a B.C. Rich bass. I'd ripped the frets out of it and so it was fretless and stained like a natural color. And Dave picked it up and was playing it. He goes, 'Hey, Junior. Come here. Play this riff.' So we were working this riff out. And we went to rehearsal. And he's, like, 'Play that riff.' So he started playing it, and Gar [Samuelson, then-MEGADETH drummer] jumps in, and then Dave and Chris [Poland, then-MEGADETH guitarist] started playing the riff, the verse."

Ellefson continued: "That was a song that really wrote itself in the band room within a couple hours. And it's funny, the songs that did that — 'Symphony Of Destruction', '99 Ways To Die', 'Sweating Bullets'. I guess 'Angry Again' was kind of put together in an afternoon in the studio here in Phoenix. So it's funny that a lot of the biggest MEGADETH songs that became hits, like the singles and the hits, were the ones that just sort of fell out right in front of us in the band room. And, of course, time went into kind of detailing them up a little more, but the basic core of the song was there. So that's kind of the history of that one and how that came together."

According to Ellefson, he and the rest of MEGADETH knew almost from the beginning that "Peace Sells" would become one of the band's most popular songs.

"It's funny 'cause we went out and we did a tour," he recalled. "So this was probably late 1985. We were just writing tunes. We had our deal with Combat Records at the time. And so then in early 1986, we went out and we did a one-month tour around the East Coast… And we played every song we had — we played the entire 'Killing Is My Business' record, we played what would become the 'Peace Sells' album. And that tour was like our pre-production for the 'Peace Sells' album. And, of course, pre-iPhones and -YouTube, you could play stuff and people wouldn't bootleg it. But we could tell every night, man, when we started that song, Gar would start with the kick drum and I'd start with the bass [intro], and you could just read the body language in the room that everybody was just grooving on that. And we knew. We go, 'You know what? I think we got a hit here.' And that was a cool feeling. 'Cause everything else — 'The Conjuring', 'Devil's Island', all this stuff — was pretty thrashing and pretty menacing, and so [it was nice] to change the tempo, sort of change the mood…"

In 2006, VH1 ranked "Peace Sells" at No. 11 on its list of the "40 Greatest Metal Songs" of all time. The opening bassline was also used as the theme for MTV News, but Mustaine has repeatedly claimed he never received any royalties for MTV's usage of the song.

In 2018, Mustaine brought up the "Peace Sells" bassline while discussing Ellefson's contributions to MEGADETH. He told mxdwn: "David's got moments of greatness where he goes from being a star to a superstar; most notably is the riff I wrote for 'Peace Sells…But Who's Buying?' When I showed that to him, he embraced it and people fell in love with his playing and the rest is history."

Back in 2015, Ellefson told Songfacts that the "Peace Sells" bassline was "definitely one of the most recognizable" basslines ever in rock. "The reason the song stands out is the melody, for sure," he said. "But also because it's the tone, it's the sound. Like, you hear [Jimi] Hendrix play, it's not just him, but it's the sound that they captured of him back in those days that is part of the character. When I hear a [BLACK] SABBATH tune, you instantly know it's SABBATH, because you are so familiar with the recording. And I think 'Peace Sells' is that thing. It's the bassline, but also, our ear is trained now to hear that recording that we captured in 1986, when we put that down to tape. I think it really speaks to that line being used on MTV for all those years [as part of the theme for MTV News]. It was something that was almost subliminally piped into everybody's house for 10 years, and it's amazing what an effect it has on people. And also, it's just a really cool song. And it's a really tricky bass line. When people tell me that they just learned how to play the bass and this is the first line they're trying to learn, I'm, like, 'You might want to learn something a little bit easier.' That's a very tricky song to play."

Mustaine told Rolling Stone that he knew when he first wrote "Peace Sells" that it was something special. "Prior to that song, everything was just shred-festing and just playing really fast, aggressive stuff," he said. "But as soon as 'Peace Sells' came out, it was like, 'Wow, this is really a song-song,' something that, unbeknownst to myself, would stand the test of time, something that would be my friend forever. Never had I gotten that feeling from our previous songs. I never thought, 'Hey, you're gonna be playing this song every night for the rest of your life.'"

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH by Dave Mustaine in May 2021, just days after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

In 2004, Ellefson filed an $18.5-million lawsuit against Mustaine, alleging the frontman shortchanged him on profits and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth Inc. over to him when the band broke up in 2002. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH in 2010.

Ellefson was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

DOWN played the second of two Louisiana "pop-up" shows on June 21, 2024 at Varsity Theatre in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Multi-camera video of "Pillars Of Eternity" performance from the concert is available below. The video was shot by Steven W. Richardson, and was edited and produced by Mike Holderbeast.

DOWN is the long-running heavy metal supergroup featuring PANTERA's Philip H. Anselmo, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's Pepper Keenan, CROWBAR's Kirk Windstein and EYEHATEGOD's Jimmy Bower, along with bassist Pat Bruders.

DOWN played its rescheduled concert at Inn Of The Mountain Gods Resort And Casino in Mescalero, New Mexico on September 27. The band was originally supposed to perform at at Inn Of The Mountain Gods on June 20, but the show was called off due to a pair of rapidly growing wildfires which were converging on a village inside a tribal reservation in the state. As a result of the postponement, DOWN played two pop-up shows in Louisiana — on June 20 at Southport Hall in New Orleans and on June 21 at Varsity Theatre in Baton Rouge.

When DOWN's concert at Inn Of The Mountain Gods Resort And Casino was first announced in April, the band said that Windstein would sit out the show due to his commitments with CROWBAR. Filling in for him at the June gigs was former DOWN guitarist Bobby Landgraf. Windstein was able to rejoin his DOWN bandmates for the rescheduled Inn Of The Mountain Gods Resort And Casino show.

DOWN will support DANZIG on a string of rare live concerts on the U.S. West Coast in late March 2025. Additional support on the trek, which will include cities DANZIG has not played in many years, will come from ABBATH and CRO-MAGS.

In a recent interview with That Metal Interview, Windstein spoke about the status of DOWN. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "I've been in DOWN world [for the last few months] kinda, writing with DOWN and finishing up the writing for the album that's [gonna come] out next year at some point… We've got 10 new songs, man. It's awesome."

This past April, Windstein told Concrete Spew about the musical direction of the new DOWN material: "It just sounds like DOWN. I mean, it sounds refreshing because we haven't done it in so long, gotten together with me and the guys and done it in — fuck — 12 years or something. So it sounds like DOWN, I think, to me, it sounds more old-school DOWN. And the reason I say that is I think we got to a point where… Like, the 'NOLA' record is so simple, and it just wrote itself; it was so simple. And that's how this is coming about, which is great."

He continued: "We're not overthinking it. We're not trying to make things too complex. Phillip's not trying to write so many lyrics and things. We just kind of got away — I hate to say 'got away', 'cause anything we do is DOWN, but, to me, we kind of got a little bit… We needed to go back and look at each other and just go, 'Let's just get in a room and do it like we did from the beginning.' And that's what it feels like to me. It's very magical. The ideas and the working together, just bounce off of one another, it's a natural thing."

Prior to Southport Hall, DOWN's last concert took place in September 2022 at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Alton, Virginia.

DOWN made a handful of rare live appearances in the spring and summer of 2022. The band launched a three-date U.S. run of shows in May 2022 at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida. After playing in Atlanta and Dallas immediately after Rockville, DOWN took a three-week break before regrouping for three European festival appearances in June. The aforementioned appearance at that year's Blue Ridge Rock Festival followed in September 2022.

In August 2021, DOWN took part in a very special in-person live and virtual experience. "NOLA Town Throwdown" was held at the Fillmore in New Orleans, Louisiana and featured fans attending the show in person as well as watching it in real time from the comfort of their living room.

In August 2020, DOWN celebrated the 25th anniversary of "NOLA" with a special livestreamed event. Dubbed "The Quarter Century Throwdown", the high-production, multi-camera event took place using cutting-edge streaming technology to create a one-of-a-kind virtual concert experience.

A founding member of DOWN, Windstein left the band in 2013 in order to focus on CROWBAR and his family life. He was replaced by Bobby Landgraf, DOWN's former guitar tech who was previously in GAHDZILLA MOTOR COMPANY, a 1990s outfit also featuring Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS, WATCHTOWER),and HONKY.

Windstein announced his return to DOWN in 2019, with the band confirming a number of festival appearances for 2020 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of "NOLA", all of which were later canceled or postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic which swept the globe.

Prior to the August 2020 livestream, DOWN's last live appearance took place in August 2016 at the Psycho Las Vegas festival in Las Vegas.

The supergroup hasn't issued anything since the arrival of the "Down IV – Part Two" EP in May 2014.

"Down IV – Part Two" sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release in May 2014 to debut at position No. 23 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The band's previous EP, "Down IV Part I – The Purple EP", opened with around 12,000 units in September 2012 to land at No. 35.

"Down IV – Part Two" was recorded at Nodferatu's Lair — Anselmo's home studio — and produced by Michael Thompson. It was released via Down Records/ADA Music.

The Dead Daises have released Part 2 of their 2024 recap video series. Watch below.


Says the band: "Following on from Part 1 of our Rockin' 2024 here’s the 2nd instalment where we head back into rehearsals and the UK leg of our ‘Light 'Em Up’ twelve date tour! Check out the fun & mayhem and see if you made it into the footage!! Stay tuned for the final episode…"







Watch Part 1 below:





The Dead Daisies' new album, Light 'Em Up, lands at #29 on our BravePicks 2024 Top 30. Follow the countdown here. The release is available to order here.





Light 'Em Up tracklisting:


"Light 'Em Up"
"Times Are Changing"
"I Wanna Be Your Bitch"
"I'm Gonna Ride"
"Back To Zero"
"Way Back Home"
"Take A Long Line"
"My Way And The Highway"
"Love That'll Never Be"
"Take My Soul"


"I'm Gonna Ride" (Revamped) video:

As part of his 40th Anniversary Tour, guitar hero Yngwie Malmsteen performed at Korea University Hwajeong Gymnasium in Seoul, South Korea on December 18.


Malmsteen has shared the video below, stating: "Wow! What can I say? An amazing turnout in Seoul, Korea! I have the greatest fans across the world—thank you all for coming out and making memories together."







Malmsteen has stepped into the world of health and wellness with his latest creation: Yngwie Malmsteen's For

In a new interview with "Reckless" Rexx Ruger of Pod Scum, drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz of long-running Florida-based death metallers CANNIBAL CORPSE was asked to name his biggest musical influences. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "SLAYER's Dave Lombardo is my biggest influence, of course. If it wasn't for him, I probably wouldn't be doing what I'm doing. He's the king of thrash, double bass and all that, so as a teenager, hearing him play in the mid-'80s, obviously I wasn't playing at that point yet — I [was] just starting out — so that really solidified me wanting to play the way I play today, what he was doing and still is doing. But all those bands and all those influences we had in the mid-to-late '80s, going from, I guess, any of the heavy metal like IRON MAIDEN, as it progressed, into bands like METALLICA, SLAYER and then the thrash bands of… KREATOR and things like that, DARK ANGEL, that really, really were the forerunners of death metal and what we do in CANNIBAL CORPSE. So, I mean, so many, so many influential bands and drummers back then, but, yeah, Lombardo would be my biggest one."

Asked how he has held up physically after playing extreme metal drums for more than three and a half decades, he said: "Luckily, I've held up pretty good. I'm feeling fairly good for my age. And, Jeez, if anything, there's a lot of times I think, 'Man, I'm playing better than I ever have been,' which is, I guess, a good thing. But you've gotta make those tweaks, you've gotta make those adjustments. You can't just rely on young adrenaline and just pure fury, like you might have done when you were younger. So, you have to kind of maybe try to take care of yourself a little bit more so. I mean, it all comes down to the basics. The way I look at it anyways is if you can get good sleep, you stay hydrated, you eat fairly well and you practice, those are the main keys. Of course, having some good genes perhaps. Unfortunately, you hear [about] these guys that just have problems, back problems, and there's nothing you can do. Luckily, I guess I do have pretty decent genes in that regard where I never had any major ailments in that way. So, if anything, you've just gotta really play a lot more."

He continued: "I've noticed my routines have really stepped up and especially just in practice, of course. Knowing if I'm gonna maintain, well, I have to be there working extra hard, harder than I ever have in the past. So as long as I'm doing that, then I think everything's all right, I suppose. But, yeah, I feel pretty good. So, yeah, [as drummers] we do have a strenuous job, arguably the most strenuous [in any band]. The good thing about, I guess, drumming for me, I look at it as, like, well, no matter what, I'm gonna always be playing the way I play at practice or on the road. There's no half-assing it at practice. You're playing exactly like you need to be playing on the road. So, as long as you can keep that schedule going and have that consistency, then practice to the road should segue pretty seamlessly. So, usually it does. But, yeah, I've just gotta keep it up, man. That's all you can do. You can't stop."

CANNIBAL CORPSE's sixteenth studio album, "Chaos Horrific", was released in September 2023 via Metal Blade Records.

Since 1988, CANNIBAL CORPSE have been at the forefront of death metal, shaping and defining the genre. In 2021, they raised the stakes again with "Violence Unimagined". And in 2023, the band's thirty-fifth anniversary, they returned with its successor, the equally monstrous "Chaos Horrific", starting a new chapter in their storied legacy.

Mazurkiewicz named "Chaos Horrific" and his cohorts felt it was a great representation of the band. Subjects covered include fighting off hordes of zombies ("Chaos Horrific"),the selection of a random individual to be dismembered and sacrificed ("Summoned For Sacrifice") and the violent revenge of victims of human trafficking ("Vengeful Invasion"). The album artwork by longtime collaborator Vince Locke is also suitably CANNIBAL CORPSE-esque, featuring a chaotic tangle of the living and the undead, evoking the lyrics of the title track.

Paul Mazurkiewicz photo credit: Alex Morgan / Dave Lombardo photo credit: Becky DiGiglio

In a new interview with iHeartRadio Canada's Jesse Modz and JD Lewis, SUM 41's Deryck Whibley spoke about the band's final tour, which will conclude with a show in SUM 41's original hometown of Toronto at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday, January 30, 2025. Asked if it is "starting to feel a bit more real" that SUM 41 will play some of these cities for the final time, now that he and his bandmates are less than a month away from the launch of the Canadian leg of the "Tour Of The Setting Sum", Deryck said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, the weird thing for me is I don't ever really look at particular shows or single dates. For the first time, this is actually hitting me that the Canadian run is gonna be the last run. So I look at it as a whole rather than just certain dates. And everything up until this tour has felt like, 'Well, we've got so many more tours still ahead, so many more legs of the tour to do, so many more shows to [play],' whereas now there's only four more weeks left, and this is the final run. So it's finally hitting me that it's coming to an end."

Asked if "a lot of nostalgia" and looking at the "rearview mirror" comes with preparing to play the final SUM 41 shows, Deryck said: "Well, I think that comes down to the individual, and I'm not necessarily a super-nostalgic person. I do think of the past fondly and I remember it well, but I don't spend much time in memory lane. I mean, yes, everywhere I go, everything I do, every tour that I do, every city that I go to constantly reminds me of some wild story or some bad story or something, or even just something boring, some great restaurant I've been to or whatever it is. I can't go anywhere in the world without having, like, 10 different stories to tell. Like if I'm with my wife, who wasn't there in the early days, I've got so many stories to tell. But I don't really just sit there and think and get too nostalgic about stuff, unless it just kind of hits me in the moment."

Deryck also talked about what it is like for him to tour sober compared to the early years of SUM 41 when he led a crazy lifestyle with booze and all the extracurriculars that were going around. He said: "The funny thing about drinking for me is that it didn't really seem to affect my memory too much. Obviously there are certain parts of the night that get very blurry and hazy, but that's usually the morning, if I'm still up. But I've been sober now almost about 11 years and I toured for about 10 or 12 years drinking. So it's almost been equal amounts. And I would say I had equal amount of fun, but it's just very different. I prefer being sober now. The things that you enjoy, you actually feel more, whereas when you were drinking, yeah, there are a lot of wild stories and there's a lot of crazy nights, but there were so many nights that we were just drinking for no reason, too. There were so many boring nights that you just spent drinking a bottle of Jack or whatever that we all stayed up till six in the morning, just driving on the bus, talking about dumb stuff that is just kind of pointless. But they're just different lifestyles. I don't regret any of those years, but I'm glad I don't do it anymore."

Earlier this month, SUM 41 canceled its co-headlining appearance at Australia's Good Things festival due to Whibley's battle with pneumonia. The band also scrapped the remaining sideshows on its Australian tour.

SUM 41's Australian dates, including Good Things, were set to be the band's final shows Down Under.

SUM 41 was scheduled to perform at Adelaide's AEC Theatre (December 10),at Melbourne's Margaret Court Arena (December 12) and at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion (December 14).

In September 2023, Whibley was discharged from a hospital after being treated for pneumonia.

Back in 2014, Deryck collapsed in his kitchen and was rushed to the hospital, before doctors revealed his liver and kidneys had failed. He was placed in a coma for a week to help his body detox from alcohol and went on to get sober and lead a healthier lifestyle.

Earlier this year, the Grammy-nominated band announced their breakup after 27 years of making music together. They released their final album "Heaven :x: Hell" in March which received rave reviews from the likes of Kerrang!, Dork, NME and more. The band's hit singles off the record "Dopamine" and "Landmines" have made waves in radio airplay over the last several weeks, reaching No. 1 on Mediabase Alternative charts.

Looking back at the band's storied 28-year career, SUM 41 has firmly cemented their place in history with over 15 million records sold worldwide, multiple Billboard-charting releases and No. 1 hits, a Grammy nomination, two Juno Awards (seven nominations),a Kerrang! Award in 2002, multiple Alternative Press Music Awards, sold-out tours and packed venues everywhere, and countless other accolades. The Canadian leg of their farewell tour begins in January. They will play their final show in Toronto, Ontario on January 30, followed by an encore performance live at the Juno Awards broadcast in Vancouver, British Columbia on March 30.

Jeff Lynne’s ELO will perform their final concert on Sunday, July 13, 2025 at BST Hyde Park in London, England. Speaking with MOJO, Jeff Lynne discusses his farewell show, and promises more new music to come.

“It will certainly be an emotional show for me,” Lynne tells MOJO, adding, “it has been great getting to tour the world and to this day at every show I am always surprised and delighted by the crowds and the energy they bring. I will miss it.”

Lynne stresses it’s not the end of the story and that more music will come, though whether that’s new ELO releases or productions for other people he isn’t saying.

“I am happy with what I’ve done, and the crowd reactions to the shows and the music have been amazing,” he says. “This is not a farewell to music. I am excited to return to the studio full-time, which is what I love!”

Read more at MOJO.

“My return to touring began at Hyde Park in 2014”, Jeff Lynne previously stated. “It seems like the perfect place to do our final show. We couldn’t be more excited to share this special night in London with our UK fans. As the song goes, ‘we’re gonna do it One More Time!’”

Jeff Lynne’s ELO 2025 live dates are listed below. Get tickets here.

July
5 - Utilita Arena Birmingham - Birmingham, England
6 - Utilita Arena Birmingham - Birmingham, England
9 - Co-op Live - Manchester, UK
10 - Co-op Live - Manchester, UK
13 - Hyde Park - London, UK

Sight of Emptiness has been slowly working towards the release of Above The Noise, their fifth studio release. The album’s first single, “Mandates of Hate,” dropped back in October. There’s no holding back when it comes to Sight of Emptiness, and these first two singles emphasize that to the highest of degrees. 


As a song, “Soul Ascension”  "dives deeply into the depths of the human soul. It scrapes at the bowels of where darkness, light, and the pursuit of redemption lay. The song itself is a battle between the light and the dark, a fight that is relatable to anyone who has felt lost or is crying out for meaning and purpose."







Discussing the video, Concept Designer and CG Visuals Designer Fibonacho (Ignacio Bolaños) states: “The ‘Soul Ascension’ visualizer represents the overwhelming experiences and turbulent processes that push us to grow and transcend our limitations. It captures a transformative phase in the human journey, where what defines us can sometimes hold us back from reaching our highest potential. This visualizer explores the inherent balance in life: to gain something, you must be willing to let go. The central character is shown undergoing a transformation, shaped by mental processes of surrender, trusting intuition, and navigating challenging environments.


“In today’s world, marked by widespread substance abuse, intergenerational trauma, and the repercussions of wars and mass migrations, this piece reso