SYMPHONY X vocalist Russell Allen joined Mark Strigl on SiriusXM's Ozzy's Boneyard (Channel 38),the home of hard and heavy classic rock, this past week for an in-depth conversation about his career and the status of the long-awaited next SYMPHONY X album.

During the interview, Allen discussed his work with SYMPHONY X, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, ADRENALINE MOB and Jørn Lande, as well as his experiences working with Mike Portnoy, A.J. Pero, David Z, Rich Ward, Mike Orlando, DISTURBED bassist John Moyer and others.

Asked by Strigl about the progress on the next SYMPHONY X album, Allen said: "The new album is pretty close to starting to get recorded because the music is all there. Me and the guys, me and [SYMPHONY X guitarist] Mike Romeo, who is the genius, he is the maestro of the entire thing, he has tons of material. So the next step is we got all the lyrics. We got the concepts that we want to do and now we are going to start putting it together and the plan is to start in September."

When asked if the album will come out in 2027, Allen responded: "Yes, for sure. It is just sitting right there. I haven't spoken to Mike in a couple weeks. We toured earlier in the year. We went out and did 11 countries in Latin America and stuff, a couple cruises, then took a hiatus — not as a band; just have not talked with each other in a bit. Just spending time with our families and enjoying the summer. This is the first summer I've kind of been home in awhile, having some barbecue, enjoying the time. So, yeah. September it all starts all back up. I will be getting my stuff down within that time, within that window before I have to leave for TSO."

The full conversation with Russell Allen and Mark Strigl can be heard on the SiriusXM app.

This past March, Romeo explained the long wait for the new SYMPHONY X album, telling Brazil's 92.5 Kiss FM: "In the old days, years ago, working on a record, we were getting royalties from the albums. So there was a little money coming in, and we were okay. We survived. And when it came time to writing a record, I could come down in the studio for as long as it took — a year, or me and [keyboardist Michael] Pinnella would come down, or Russ or [bassist Mike] LePond, or whatever it was. And we could kind of get the record done and just concentrate on the record a hundred percent. And then we go do the touring, and then it took time. And that's why it was always a little bit of time between the records. And then the last one, it's been so long because you kind of always have to tour now. I mean, it's great. We love playing."

He continued: "So, to be honest, dude, the honest truth is that after COVID, we started playing a lot just to kind of get everybody back on their feet and get some money coming in. And then it was, like, 'Okay, I'm gonna start working on riffs', whatever, a couple of years back. I'd come up with ideas. I'd come up with a handful of ideas. I'm, like, 'All right, yeah, good riff. Oh, this is a nice little melody. Got something here.' And I go on tour and I stop. Go on tour. It's, like, everything's great. I have a good time. I've got more ideas. I come home. More ideas. I didn't finish the ones from last time, so now repeat that, like, 20 times. And then I'm looking at a folder of ideas that's got 1,037 ideas. And I'm trying to sort it out, and I'm sending it to the guys. I'm, like, 'Guys, I've just got so much stuff. What's the good stuff? What should we go after first?' And their heads probably blew up. It's, like, 'Dude, this is insane.' And now it's starting to come together. It's, like, 'Well, this one's cool' and 'this one's all right.' 'That one, nah. We maybe don't need that.' So now it's actually starting to come together."

When the interviewer noted, semi-jokingly, that the next SYMPHONY X album should arrive "before 2030", Romeo said: "The schedule we're trying to get on is by the end of this year, let's have this thing recorded. Let's try to make this happen. Because it's not like we don't have anything — we actually have too much. But the problem is we don't have too much finished things. We have a billion things that are not finished yet. And looking back, I didn't do the smart thing, which I should have went back to the stuff before a tour. But it's hard. You come back and you're inspired and it's, like, 'Oh, I'll get to that other stuff in a minute. I've got this other idea.' And then I painted myself in a corner. I'm, like, 'Oh my God. This is insane.' And I send it to the guys. They're, like, 'Dude, what are you doing? I can't even comprehend this.' And I'm, like, 'Well, which ones are good?' And it's, like, 'Oh, they're all good.' I'm, like, 'That's not helping.' But we've got it. We've been talking and we've been sorting through the stuff, so it's cool. It's just trying to get on some kind of plan, some kind of schedule."

Earlier in March, Allen told Uruguay's The Dark Melody about SYMPHONY X's next LP: "Well, the gaps [between albums] have always been there [with SYMPHONY X]. They got worse and worse over the years. I think as we've started to be sort of self-produced in a way — I mean, look, I just built all this [home studio setup]. I've been working on everything. So, obviously, I'm in the studio right now. And Mike's [SYMPHONY X guitarist Michael Romeo] been working on this stuff for years, and the guys, I guess. The problem is that when we stop, it really messes up with Mike's creative process, and he's obviously the guy who's really the true musical director, I guess… How can I say that? The composer of the band, really, It's still a band, but he's the main guy, obviously, with the musical side of things, and the singing stuff, that's my thing. And so, the gaps have been worse, I think, as we start to just get lost in what we're doing. And then we have to stop and then start again. And we're just not that kind of band. Mike's not wired like that. He's a real kind of a mad scientist, genius guy. He just needs to be locked in his world and not be — 'cause he'll start something, stop, then go back after the tour. 'Ah, I don't remember any of that stuff. That stuff all was shit. Let me start again.'"

Russell continued: "We've got about — I don't know — [Michael] sent me 10 hours of stuff for a 55-minute record. It becomes a monumental task just to weed through all the stuff. And that's kind of where we're at. But he's honed a lot of it in, so we're getting close. And that's where the new album is at now. But this has been a while. People have gotta believe us when we say, 'Hey, we've been working on it.' 'Cause that's his process, and I'm not one to argue with that. It's not the best business model [laughs] if you're gonna try and make it make a bigger thing in this business, but who cares about that shit when you guys are there? It's all about the quality of what the fans are gonna hear, and that's our legacy, and that's what we leave behind. And so, obviously, at this tenure in our career, that's what we're more concerned about than a quick 'hey', whatever. But we are gonna try and use the time that Mike put in on this one. There's so much good material. We both feel that there's a lot to pull on for the next one. So there shouldn't be as much of a gap. The material's just too good. So it's, like, 'Okay, let's just pick out what this story or what this album's theme is gonna be, and then we've got all this other stuff that's great.' And it's in that SYMPHONY X realm. And we could definitely use that as a starting point for the next one. So there shouldn't be — I'm not gonna make any promises, 'cause every time you say shit like this, something always happens. But in the point that we're at now, that's where we're at."

He added: "I'm not gonna apologize to you guys for taking the time. It's nothing that we're sorry for. It's just how we create this stuff… [But] we don't wanna make you guys wait forever. It's nothing against you, the fan, or something to slight you guys. It's just our process, and it's just what it takes to get it done and make it on a level that we're proud of to put out. At the end of the day, we've gotta live with it. So that's kind of what we think about these things. So that's kind of where it's at. But it's coming along. It's really sounding good. It's really awesome."

In October 2024, Romeo told the "Coffee With Ola" podcast about the upcoming SYMPHONY X LP: "With us, it's not like, 'Oh, yeah, we're just gonna write one — how do you say? — single, and then just have a bunch of filler. It's, like, everything's gotta be as good as it can be. So, yeah, it gets harder and it takes longer. Then you throw in COVID and a bunch of other things, and then it's just, like, 'Oh, shit.' Now it's, like, I don't know — eight years or something. I lost track.

"What's different now than in the past is that we could take a bunch of time off. There would be some royalties from CDs back in the day coming in and kind of float on the downtime and really get the record done and then come back out [with a] new record, tour. So now it's, like, well, that money's gone. So we have to tour a little bit, keep things going, work on the record, go back out. So it's been like that for a while. And for me — I do most of the writing, so for me it's hard because you're sitting in the studio for whatever month, 'I got this idea,' and you're trying to put these things together, and it's, like, 'Oh, we've gotta go on tour now.' All right, cool. We do our thing. And then you come back, and it's, like, 'What the fuck was I working on again? Was this riff here?' And so you're trying to arrange all this stuff. And then you're, like, 'Oh, I've got all these new ideas.' So then you keep adding. And then after a long period of time, it's, like, 'Oh my god, there's so much stuff I can't even manage it now.' Plenty of material — like three hours of stuff — but now it's actually making sense."

Elaborating on when SYMPHONY X might be done composing the material for the next album, Michael said: "It's gonna take some time to organize everything. It's not like there's nothing there. It's [not], like, 'Oh, man, we have to start from scratch.' There's quite a bit. It's actually overwhelming. I never remember being this overwhelmed by the amount of stuff, 'cause over the last year and a half or whatever, every time there was a break, it's, like, 'Okay, I'll write something.' I didn't stop and [go], like, 'Well, let me finish this.' It was, like, boom, 'I got all these ideas,' and I just kept going. So now it's, like, all right, no more writing. Now more arranging."

SYMPHONY X completed an extensive tour behind "Underworld" in 2016, including a U.S. run of shows with OVERKILL and a pair of headlining performances in Australia.

In July 2017, Allen and his ADRENALINE MOB bandmates were involved in a crash that killed the group's bassist, David Zablidowsky.

In 2019, Allen — who has toured with TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA since 2013 — was injured during the rehearsals for TSO's annual winter trek and was unable to make the tour.

Romeo released his latest solo album, "War Of The Worlds Pt. 2", in March 2022 via InsideOut Music. The record featured guest vocals by Dino Jelusick (WHITESNAKE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA).

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE have always remained enduringly, singularly magnetic. It isn't just their sound. It's their spirit. They are provocative in the most essential sense: unafraid to explore the dark, the sexual, the surreal, the absurd. It's art that snarls and seduces in equal measure, and never more so than on the band's ninth album, "Perfecth", due October 30 from Matador Records.

Out today is latest single "Insignificant Other", which could be considered the album's centerpiece. It's the second of only two takes and captures the quintet playing loose and unguarded and making space for one another on the fly.

"It's a song about distance," says QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE frontman Joshua Homme. "About how someone can be your entire world only to simply vanish. And about the strange vertigo of being on the receiving end of that."

Watch the "Insignificant Other" lyric video below.

The album announcement is accompanied by a Chapman Baehler-directed video starring Big Chongus as the embodiment of "perfecth." Joined by the goodest boys and girls Ruby Homme, Max Homme, Pumpkin Van Leeuwen, Isabella Puppolini (Izzy) Van Leeuwen and Reesa Shuman, watch below to find out if Big Chongus finds the perfect home.

Produced by Homme and band member Michael Shuman, "Perfecth" will be available on CD, standard black vinyl everywhere, on clear vinyl at indie retailers and as a limited deluxe edition — a gatefold LP package which includes handwritten lyrics, stationary, "stamps" housed inside a custom envelope as well as a bespoke piece of art temporarily placed in a custom pocket — exclusively on the QOTSA and Matador webstores.

Kintsugi — the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by filling its cracks with gold — holds that what has been shattered is made more beautiful, not less, by the act of repair. This is the spirit in which "Perfecth" was made. An album that could only have been made right now thanks to Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Michael Shuman, Dean Fertita and Jon Theodore taking significant evolutionary steps as a collective and arriving at hard-won clarity, its nine songs map different forms of love: of family, friends, and others both significant and insignificant. The loves that break you beyond survival and the loves that put you back together.

Birthed from sessions tracked everywhere from New Orleans to Los Angeles, the music is fearless and boundless, moody and menacing, gentle and strange. Here, QUEENS have moved a career's worth of jagged pieces into alignment.

"Every song sounds like it's from a different world," says Homme. "And that's on purpose, because it's trying to stitch together all these emotions revolving around love, lust, foolishness, and the sort of wisdom that comes as a gift from all that."

The record is called "Perfecth" because "perfect," as a word, has never been honest. It doesn't exist. So, Homme broke the word and made it "perfecth," a more appropriate spelling for a term that never felt right to begin with.

"Nothing in this world is perfect, but everything seems to be 'perfecth'," he explains. "And that title is funny when you're in a group, but it ain't so funny when you're alone."

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE recently released a rapturously received new single "Easy Street" (featuring Nikki Lane). Debuted live last year during their lauded "Catacombs" tour and eagerly awaited by fans, it was the band's first new music since 2023's "In Times New Roman…". Homme also released high-profile collaborations with Shania Twain on her new single "Faded Blue Jeans" and added guest vocals to MASTODON's latest rocker "Snakes For Dinner".

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE resume their North American stadium tour with FOO FIGHTERS on September 15 and also recently announced a fall headline run in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Singapore. 2027 headline shows will be announced in the coming weeks. Sign up at qotsa.com to be the first to receive updates.

"Perfecth" track listing:

01. It's Only Love
02. Insignificant Other
03. Where The Goth Girls At?
04. Mono
05. From The Cliff
06. Sunday
07. Easy Street
08. Phantom Limb
09. Run Away From The Mob

"Perfecth" will be made available on standard black vinyl, CD and as a deluxe limited edition LP.

"Perfecth" arrives at a moment of hard-won clarity for the band. The record's nine songs map different forms of love: of family, friends, and others. The loves that break you and the loves that bring you back. The music is fearless and boundless, moody and menacing, gentle and strange. "Insignificant Other" is the album's centerpiece — sprawling, loose, and supernatural. "Mono" captures the headspinning feeling of heartbreak with a mix that slips seamlessly from mono to stereo and from claustrophobia to widescreen orchestral grandeur. The band remains enduringly, singularly magnetic. It's art that snarls and seduces in equal measure.

The limited deluxe edition of "Perfecth" features a gatefold sleeve, including handwritten lyrics, stationary, "stamps" housed inside a custom envelope, with room for more. The deluxe edition includes a bespoke piece of art temporarily housed in a custom pocket. The rest won't be hard to find.

Photo by Andreas Neumann

On this week's episode of The David Ellefson Show, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and co-host Joshua Toomey welcome vocalist Eric "A.K." Knutson of veteran Arizona metallers FLOTSAM AND JETSAM for a conversation spanning more than four decades of thrash metal history. Eric joins the show to discuss FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's upcoming album, "Rats In The Temple", how the members of FLOTSAM AND JETSAM approach songwriting today, and the major impact drummer Ken Mary has had on the band's sound and recording process. Eric also takes a trip down memory lane, remembering FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's history with MEGADETH, including touring together during the "Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?" era and the camaraderie that developed on the road. The conversation also turns to the 1995 tour with MEGADETH, FEAR FACTORY and a then-up-and-coming KORN, with Eric sharing stories about meeting KORN before they became one of the biggest bands in hard rock and metal.

Reflecting on some of the "dark years" and "challenging" times in FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's history, Eric said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I kind of feel like the whole grunge era really did damage to us as far as writing and the direction we wanna go and the music that we should be playing. We were on this huge MCA label, and it was just a weird kind of time. We didn't know what to do or where to go or which direction to head. And we really probably should have stayed with our roots. We tried to get a little more commercial — not really on purpose, but we got a little more commercial, a little more hooky on stuff. And we put three records out on MCA that was — I get the feeling it wasn't us, even though I love those records. The songs are amazing, but it just felt like it wasn't right sometimes. And then half of my band quit. I had to get new players, new lineup, and that sent us in a completely different direction for a few albums. And I think I've got a lineup now that kind of makes me feel like if I would've just kept going from [FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's second album, 1988's] 'No Place [For Disgrace]' on, without the interruption of the whole grunge era taking half of everybody's audience and the label trying to turn us into something that was super money-making, and if we just would've kept going the way we were, I think we'd be heading to the direction we are now finally. So, it's kind of cool to be back with the root feel of what FLOTSAM was first couple records, but with an updated production, updated feel."

Elaborating on the personal and musical chemistry with the rest of the current FLOTSAM AND JETSAM lineup, in which he is backed by the guitar duo of co-founder Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley, drummer Ken Mary (ALICE COOPER, ACCEPT) and bassist Bill Bodily, Eric said: "Ken Mary, he's ridiculous when it comes to writing. He does everything so fast, and he's got such experience behind him. I've learned that if he tells me, 'Hey, I think this chorus could be a little better. Why don't you let me punch it up a little bit?', I've learned to not argue with the guy because he's right 95.6% of the time. He always gets the hook a little hookier and somehow keeps it really heavy at the same time. It's kind of made me listen to everybody in the band when it comes to writing songs and ideas on touring and setlists and all that. It has made me realize that it's not my band. I'm just in it. And the other guys are the same way. We're all equal partners in the writing, in the decisions, in the picking of shirt designs — just everything. And it makes everything flow a little easier and it keeps egos down to nothing."

Due on August 28, 2026 via Napalm Records, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's new album will mark 40 years since the band's groundbreaking debut, "Doomsday For The Deceiver" — one of the only albums to ever receive a 6K rating from Kerrang! magazine. Though bassist Jason Newsted departed to join METALLICA, the band pushed forward, following up with 1988's unstoppable "No Place For Disgrace". Since then, they have continued to evolve, showcasing some of their best work to date with recent releases "Flotsam And Jetsam", "The End Of Chaos", "Blood In The Water" and "I Am The Weapon".

Gilbert is the only other member of the current FLOTSAM lineup, besides Knutson, to have played on "Doomsday For The Deceiver".

Minneapolis pop-metalcore outfit SIFYN, founded by former VEIL OF MAYA vocalist Lukas Magyar, pulls at the threads of pain, connection and survival on its brand new single, "Code", out now. The track also arrives alongside the announcement of the band's forthcoming EP, "Self-Encrypted", set for release on December 4. Fusing the impact of metal with alternative rock, atmosphere, emo vulnerability, and pop-forward melody, "Code" is an urgent first glimpse into SIFYN's evolving sound. Watch the new video for "Code" below.

Beginning with the flicker of a television screen lost in static, the brand new video for "Code" erupts in a kaleidoscope of color and flashing lights to heighten the track's tension of between the urge to protect someone and the reality that they must find their own way forward. As anticipation builds for "Self-Encrypted", "Code" sets the pace for a new SIFYN chapter that is brighter, bolder, and built around an even stronger sense of momentum.

Reflecting on the strain of carrying the weight of someone else's pain on "Code", Magyar shares: "We can't wait to see how people react to our new sound. "Code" is full of brilliant moments and I think our fans will agree. It'll give everyone a glimpse of what is next for us."

Excited to introduce the next era of SIFYN with "Self-Encrypted", Magyar emphasizes: "'Self-Encrypted' is an exciting collection. We packed a lot of substance into this body of work. I look forward to performing every track on this EP. It's challenging and it's emotional and energetic, but mostly it's just a ton of fun."

Drawing weight from metalcore with alt-rock textures, emo's volatility, and pop-minded melodies, SIFYN has found a way to make heavy music with a danceable pulse. Sharpening the contrast between intensity and immediacy, "Code" introduces the upcoming "Self-Encrypted" EP as a new phase for the Minneapolis band, one that is colorful while unbridled.

Founded by Magyar, SIFYN made its debut with "Marionette" in 2022 and have continued to expand its palette with every release. What began as a creative outlet beyond Magyar's longtime work in heavy music became a space to follow different instincts: bigger melodic swings, looser genre boundaries, and songwriting that makes room for both technical weight and straight-to-the-chest emotion.

"Self-Encrypted" track listing

01. Code
02. Sovereign
03. Sew Me Up
04. Invoker
05. Lexicon

For nearly a decade, SIFYN has lived in a state of constant evolution, growing from a studio project into a full-fledged metal outfit comprising vocalist Lukas Magyar, guitarists Mike Green and Dustin Korth, bassist/co-writer Derek Sampson and drummer Avery Frisk. Along the way, the Minnesota-based quintet has developed a similar sonic restlessness, spinning a genre-blending sound that pulls from modern alternative rock, metalcore and early-2000s emo — muscular rhythms, skyward guitars, shimmering electronics and tightly layered vocals all filtered through Cyberpunk-sheen production. But rather than pledge allegiance to any one scene, SIFYN follow their instincts wherever they lead.

That freedom reaches a new level on "Self-Encrypted", the band's new five-song EP and most personal collection to date. Where the group's 2022 debut, "Marionette", often channeled pieces of Magyar's life through fictional characters, "Self-Encrypted" fully closes the distance between songwriter and subject, grappling with loved ones in crisis, identity, ideology, dreams, reality and personal agency with the urgency of a deathbed confessional. By narrowing its perspective to lived experience, SIFYN's music feels more universal than ever, leaving room for listeners to enter the story — not simply observing the band's search for answers, but asking critical questions of their own right alongside them.

Photo credit: Laura Baker

PUDDLE OF MUDD has released the official music video for the song "Win Win Win". The track is taken from the band's latest album, "Kiss The Machine", which came out in May 2025 via Pavement Entertainment.

"Kiss The Machine" showcases PUDDLE OF MUDD's fearless approach to music and frontman Wes Scantlin's commitment to innovation.

"There's a lot of blood, sweat, and tears in this record," Wes previously said. "We wanted to mix and match different styles together, have fun, and just create something fresh. It's all about pushing boundaries and breaking out of the same old vibe."

"Kiss The Machine" reflects the raw energy and personal journey of Scantlin, who was fully immersed in every aspect of its creation.

"This album was a moment of clarity — me looking in the mirror," he said. "I was there night after night in the studio, learning, recording, pushing myself, and making sure every part of it felt authentic. I'm super proud of how it all came together."

"Kiss The Machine" is a testament to resilience and creative freedom.

"I just want people to feel something — to smile, and have some hope in their hearts," Scantlin shared. "Music has the power to heal, and if these songs help someone through a tough time, that means everything to me. That's what this album is all about."

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".

Wes had almost non-stop problems with the law, alcohol, finances and other issues, before claiming to have gotten sober in 2017. Scantlin said that he ended up going back to rehab and receiving treatment "because there's really nowhere else to go." He also credited his family and fans for giving him the strength to try to get better.

Former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes has offered an update on his GoFundMe campaign seeking financial support to cover the cost of his latest cancer treatment.

The 68-year-old Holmes, who has lived in Cannes with his wife since 2014, recently began chemotherapy in France for prostate cancer, just four years after undergoing treatment for throat and neck cancer.

In a video message released earlier today on Holmes's social media, he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Hey everybody. It's Chris Holmes here. I would like to take this moment to thank everybody... I'd like to thank everybody who's donated to my GoFundMe very, very, very much. It's helped me. It's actually given me a prolonged lease on life , 'cause it's helped me through my cancer thing. I don't know what I would've done if I couldn't get the money to help me through this. I could've got the radiation. I don't know if I'd have finished whatever. I just wouldn't have the money. But I appreciate everybody who's helping me more than you ever... And in the next, depending how long I last, and when you ever see me here and there, come up and tell me you donated to me, I'll give you the biggest fucking hug you'll ever imagine. I'll give you the shirt off my back, okay?

"I'd like to know if you could still help promote the GoFundMe, 'cause I haven't reached the goal that we've been looking for," he continued. "We're about 20% [away from reaching the goal] — we've made 80% of it, [with] about 20% to go. I'd appreciate it if you help promote it on your websites or whatever. If you could keep pushing it. It gave me a little bit of lease on life. It's helped me get to pay for all the things I need to do. I take this stuff called hormonal therapy, [which] makes me really sick. The last two weeks I just went through probably one of the most sickest times I've ever been in my life. I thought the throat cancer was bad when on chemo, but something happened in my — not my, after my stomach, my gizzards, I lost all the good and bad bacteria that's in there because of radiation. And then when I drink water, it just went straight from my stomach right out my rear end. I could've sat on the toilet and drank it, and you could just put a cup under my butt and it would've just filled right back up. [Laughs] It was sad. Dysentery would've been beautiful to have.

"But I'd like to thank everybody who's put money in this. From the deepest of my heart, it's helped me to get through this, all right?

"I love you very much," he added. "Please help promote this just a little bit more so I can maybe make the whole 100% of the goal. We got 20% more, okay? Thank you very much, and I love you for it, okay?"

Chris's wife Catherine said in a post on GoFundMe that his cancer "treatment is essential and cannot be interrupted. Because of an administrative error linked to our marriage registration, the health insurance system placed Chris under 'emergency only' coverage," she explained.

Chris was forced to "wait three months before receiving any care at all, and only the radiotherapy given during the month of July is covered," Catherine revealed. "Everything else falls to us," she added, listing hormone therapy, scans and PET scans, biopsies, blood tests, and daily trips to and from the hospital.

Catherine went on to say that the bills have accumulated, leaving them "€20,000 in medical debt," with "treatment ahead" set to "keep adding to it every month.

"Chris must remain in France to receive radiotherapy. Leaving the country would risk his emergency status lapsing, so he cannot travel and therefore cannot work," Catherine said. "Chris has given everything to his music and to the people who listen to it. It is his whole life. Today we cannot carry this alone."

She expressed gratitude to France for "granting the emergency coverage that allowed Chris to begin radiotherapy. Now we ask, humbly, for help covering everything else."

The GoFundMe goal is set to €50,000. So far, more than €45,000 has been donated.

Earlier this month, Chris told Canada's The Metal Voice about how he received his prostate cancer diagnosis: "What happened was last February [of 2025] I went in for the check on my throat, to the doctor here [in France], the throat doctor. And I told him about a year ago, 'Hey,' I go, 'Hey, doc, I've been kind of like whizzing weird. And I wake up three, four times a night, whiz, go right back to sleep. Wake up. It's weird. I have never done that.' And I go, 'I think I got a problem down there.' And he goes, 'Ah, you're just getting old. That's just your prostate.' And for a year I just was, like, 'I'm just getting old. And that's okay.' And then I went in. They did a scan. They did a full body, all the way down past my knees this time. Usually they just do the neck to see if the cancer from my throat's coming back. And this time then I went in to see him and he goes… I went in and I thought he was gonna go, 'Chris, everything's cool. We'll see you next year.' And he goes, 'Everything's not cool.' He showed it up on a screen, he goes, 'See that? You got prostate cancer.' I go, 'Damn!' My dad had it, and they say it's hereditary or whatever. And the good thing is it's 100% curable. It's just going through what I gotta go through."

Explaining why he decided to go public with his prostate cancer battle after initially keeping it a secret, Holmes said: "[TESLA bassist and Chris's bandmate in T3RMINAL] Brian Wheat and I and everybody, we tried to keep it quiet because we didn't want the word cancer and this and that. It's bad, 'cause we just think T3RMINAL, it's gonna break out next year, hopefully. I had a [solo] concert [scheduled for] Wales this month. I had one, but I can't go. But what happened is I went in and did a biopsy. They wanted me to pay for it, which wasn't cheap. And we were, like, 'Well, we're gonna get it on the insurance.' And [my wife] goes, 'Okay, then we'll work it out then when you find out,' blah, blah, blah. Well, months go by. They come in and find out that it's a cancer. They gotta take care of it, whatever. And then the insurance thing came in. They only give me emergency insurance, which only pays for the radiation. That's it. Not for any of the scans, not the medicine, not traveling to the hospital, whatever. So anyway, that happens, and then about maybe last month, [my wife] and I were sitting here. We were adding up everything to see if we can get through the year, and we just went, 'There's no way we're gonna get close. There's no possible way.' And so I called up Brian. I go, 'I need to do a GoFundMe. It's the only way I'm gonna make it through.' And it's helping me, so I won't be kissing the credit card company and having to claim bankruptcy. I've never done that. But it's okay. I'm getting through it. A lot of people are donating, helping me out. I appreciate it."

Asked if he thinks that going through the throat issue and that whole thing had psychologically helped prepare him to go through his prostate cancer battle, Chris said: "Definitely. I know getting on the machine that you go inside and it does the radiation, I've done that with my throat. I did seven weeks of that. At first they were gonna make me do five weeks. And I was supposed to start in May, and then they pushed it back to June, then they pushed it to July. And I was worried about, if it was gonna metastasize. The doctor said, 'No, if you're doing a hormonal therapy, it won't.' So I started doing it last month, and I've done three weeks. And it's a little harder than getting on the table and putting a mask on that goes around your chest and then goes up, 'cause it's on your waist. So they put two tattoo marks, one by my wiener, one by my belly button and one on each side. And you get on the table, and then the computer has lasers on the side. They line you up, and then you go in… It X-rays you and it pulls you out, and then it calibrates how the mechanism, how it shoots the radiation. You can hear it… And then you go in and it starts the treatment. It takes about six to eight minutes, each run… But I've done three weeks. I got five more [weeks] to go. Every day, except Saturday and Sunday."

This past April, Holmes canceled his previously announced tour of the United Kingdom and Scandinavia, scheduled for May 2026. A week after it was announced by the social media of The Abyss club in Gothenburg, Sweden, where Holmes was scheduled to perform on May 27, that the musician was scrapping his shows in May "due to health issues that require immediate attention", his wife said that the shows were called off due to "a minor prostate issue" which was "already being taken care of." She added that Chris would "be back on his feet and on stage soon."

After Holmes was diagnosed with throat and neck cancer in February 2022, he immediately postponed his touring commitments while he received treatment. He completed seven weeks of radiation therapy and five months later, he shared the good news with fans that his cancer was "gone".

Holmes joined W.A.S.P. in 1982 and remained with the group until 1990. In 1996, the guitarist returned to W.A.S.P. and stayed with the band until 2001. Chris has not played with W.A.S.P. since.

In 2021, Holmes told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that W.A.S.P. was "a group, a band" on the first LP. "And after that, the second album, it wasn't a group — it was a one-man show," he said. "And it's been a one-man show after that ever since. It's the way it is. Look at the records. It's the way it is in that band."

According to Chris, he, guitarist Randy Piper, drummer Tony Richards and Blackie Lawless were all part of W.A.S.P. initial management contract, but Blackie was the only one signed to the record label. "Everybody thinks we [all] signed to the label, but it wasn't [like that]," Holmes told "Trunk Nation".

Despite the fact that he only got songwriting credit on a couple of the songs on each of the first four W.A.S.P. records, Holmes was adamant that his input was essential to the band's overall sound."If I would have quit after the first album, the way I play guitar, the way I play is really important to writing those songs," he told "Trunk Nation".

"If I hadn't joined in the beginning, it would have never worked. Blackie told me that the first day, when he came and talked to me to play in W.A.S.P. He says, 'I've got this band. It's not gonna work unless you're in it.' He told me that to my face."

In February 2022, Lawless shot down Holmes's claim that the guitarist was "screwed" out of receiving royalties on the W.A.S.P. albums that he performed on. Lawless discussed Holmes's tenure with W.A.S.P. in an interview with "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". Asked to respond to Holmes's assertion in Chris's documentary "Mean Man: The Story Of Chris Holmes" that he was financially taken advantage of during his time in the band, Lawless said: "I don't really know much about… I spoke to [former W.A.S.P. guitarist] Randy Piper a couple of years ago. I don't really know what's going on with the rest of the guys. And I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about with Chris about not being paid.

"Chris, at two different points in his musical career, received settlements from this band; he signed documents as such," Blackie explained. "And he was paid quite well.

"I haven't seen what you're talking about. The answer I'm giving you right now is based on what you just said to me."

The W.A.S.P. frontman went on to confirm that he hasn't seen Chris's documentary and was once again asked about Holmes's claim that there is money and songwriting credits that he didn't get that he's due. Lawless said simply: "That is not true."

During a November 2017 press conference in Moscow, Russia, Lawless was asked what he would say to those W.A.S.P. fans who continue to call for the band to reunite with Holmes. He responded: "People get divorced for certain reasons, and there's times when the kids want the parents to get back together, but sometimes it never happens. And this is one of those [times]. Sorry."

In a new interview with Remzi "Jam Man" Yates of Rocking With Jam Man, bassist Stevie Stewart and drummer Richie Onori spoke about their involvement with THE SWEET — the five-member group which obtained the rights to use the name and perform in the U.S. and Canada under THE SWEET banner despite containing no members from the original SWEET lineup.

Formed in the United Kingdom in 1968, the original SWEET lineup featured Brian Connolly on lead vocals and Steve Priest on bass and backing vocals, drummer Mick Tucker and guitarist Frank Torpey, who was succeeded by Mick Stewart and, later, by Andy Scott. Priest relocated to Los Angeles and, in January 2008, launched a new incarnation of SWEET. Before he died, Priest had the right to use the SWEET name in the U.S. and Canada, whereas Andy Scott toured a version of the group in the U.K. The pair were estranged for decades, but resumed contact in the 2010s.

After the passing of Connelly (in 1997) and Tucker (in 2002),Priest carried on the SWEET moniker with a fresh lineup that he felt possessed the talent, feel and high energy of classic SWEET. Priest's lineup was embraced by the fans, playing hundreds of concerts across the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, and many other countries around the world for well over a decade until Priest himself passed away in 2020. Shortly after, it was decided that THE SWEET should continue onward — currently with a lineup consisting of frontman Ariel Kamin, guitarist Jimmy Burkard, keyboardist Dave Schulz, Stewart and Onori — as they were asked to carry on by Priest.

Asked by Rocking With Jam Man to name one thing that people consistently get wrong about Priest's version of THE SWEET and the current version of the group, Richie said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I think the first thing is that Steve was the founder, along with Brian and Mick Tucker. So that's the first thing. And a lot of people don't really realize that the careers that Stevie and I both had before we met Steve Priest. So we're part of the lineage, we feel, of the whole situation. But to answer that question, Steve was excited to really come out what he believed. He just was not happy with the way things were rolling with... He was asked to partner up with Andy again, and he didn't wanna do that. He didn't like the way it was being represented. So he enlisted us. And so that's the bottom line, is that right before he passed, he was just excited that we carried the torch, just like LYNYRD SKYNYRD and a lot of bands are. So there's always gonna be those opinions. But we're past that now, we're past that hump. 20 years of doing this, there's really no need to talk about controversy. Our fans don't have a lot of controversy. You're always gonna get haters on that, and they're entitled to their own opinion, but we're way past that. We've got an incredible band together and we carry the torch for SWEET, and we're excited about it. And there's really not too many versions [of SWEET]. You've got Andy [touring with his version of SWEET] overseas and you've got our version that handles a very big area to carry on the torch, uh, for the incredible band, THE SWEET."

Regarding how Stewart and Onori were chosen by Priest to represent SWEET in the new version of the group, Richie said: "Basically, I was working with Keith Emerson at the time when I played with Steve. It was a charity event. And at that charity event, I played with Slash and Steve Lukather and Keith Emerson. I was in a band, and Bobby Kimball was there and everybody. And so we were already well-known musicians. So that was a big thing for Steve. And then, of course, with Stevie, I'll let Stevie answer the question with what he was doing and why Steve chose really to make us partners, because that's what we are. We're partners in the brand, along with the family. Go ahead, Stevie."

Stevie chimed in: "Yeah, we were brought in as partners. Steve, he wanted high-caliber musicians. He wanted people that were gonna represent not only the brand and the songs, but to move forward with it, with having it really in your heart. That's what we do. We bring these songs to people the way it needs to be done. And it's really simple: if you wanna come and see the songs get played, we're who you wanna see."

Asked if Priest ever sat down with either one of them, while he was still alive, to explicitly talk about what he wanted to happen to his version of SWEET after he was gone, Stewart said: "Well, he never thought he was gonna die, so he didn't talk about that. Up until the time that we went to do a show in Minneapolis in the middle of the winter, and he came home with a really severe case of pneumonia, he went in the hospital, he was on a respirator for six months until he passed away. So there was very little time for any discussion of what the future of the band was gonna be. We all just knew what it was anyway. It was, we were bandmates, we were partners, we were SWEET."

Asked about Andy Scott's recent comment that having a version of SWEET continuing in America without anybody from the classic lineup "really isn't right", Richie said: "We have the name. We had that area. Steve did want us to continue on. He did bring that up to me the last time I saw him, and he wanted this to be represented because this was the band that he put together. So, Andy's up there, and he's very limited where he's playing — he's mainly doing Germany and so forth — so I don't see what the big rub is for us to... [As] a matter of fact, I think it's an incredible thing, and it actually promotes his brand as well. We're over here doing our thing, he does it there. We're not really stepping on him. I don't see what the big rub is."

Stewart also addressed Scott's comment that Priest "did something very stupid" by forming a trust with Steve's family, thus enabling Priest's wife's to "now run a little band called THE SWEET in America". Stewart said: "[Priest's] family trust was in place for years. They have their own assets. They've been very successful, he and his wife. And the family trust is just simply — I have one with my family. All it is, it's a very ironclad form of a will, a form of a family trust. Everything belongs in the trust, and what it does is it keeps you out of probate court when you die. So the trust has very little to do with anything other than protecting his family and the brand of SWEET, which he owns the name for, and the family trust owns the name and licensed it with us, and that's the decision. It didn't come lightly. We didn't just decide this one second after Steve passed away. It took a long time for us to even get to that discussion. We lost a dear friend. And personally, I'm happy Andy plays. I wish him all the best. I hope his health is well. And that's great. But this is a time in life when the classic rock band people, they're not getting younger. They're passing away left and right, and if people wanna continue to enjoy listening to the way that this music, all the classic rock music, is supposed to be played and done, and you're guaranteed to have a good time and a great representation of the music, then this is what's happening with lots of bands, not just SWEET."

Stewart continued: "If Andy's got some kind of a chip on his shoulder, that's his own problem. We're not out to try to make any enemies. We're not out to try to outdo anybody. All we wanna do is play these songs the best we can and go continue collecting more fans. And it only does good for everybody involved, from the original members and their families and their family trusts, because if we don't go out there and play, the music dies. It's that simple."

Elaborating on the decision to carry on as THE SWEET after Priest's passing, Richie said: "We became partners. The only reason I decided to join SWEET is because I was… I had a great career going. I was in a lot of different things. I had many projects. And Steve thought I was on a very high level. He came out of retirement, and when he offered me a partnership, and then Stevie following, we said, 'Okay.' We're gonna be a partnership with his band. And that's the only reason we did it, and we've invested all these years into this. So it's investing, and we've gone a career path — not saying that we don't do a lot of other things, but SWEET is a big part, and we just love the music. And we really honor Steve. And we really believe 100% in the music, and we just love doing the show. And the fans love it, too. We don't hear anything, when we play for thousands and thousands of people, and millions over the years, people stand in line to meet us because they're just anxious. It's all about us and participating in the future of SWEET."

After Yates noted that Scott recently said that Andy's version of SWEET could still tour America, albeit possibly under the "UK SWEET" moniker, in order to differentiate the band from the U.S.-based version of SWEET, Richie said: "Hey, STARSHIP is doing it right now with Mickey Thomas and the other STARSHIP. I mean, have at it. That's fine. But we don't have that. [Andy's] across the Atlantic, and he does Australia, and we do Canada a lot. And God bless him, man. Come on over. It might create confusion. But he's got a huge... I mean, let's face it, Germany and parts of Europe was the biggest SWEET stronghold over in Europe, and he keeps busy with a lot of shows over there, so there you go.

"I don't know where you're getting all this information [about what Andy is saying about us]," Richie continued. "I haven't seen the interviews. It sounds like he's really taking things personally again now. And we let the years, of 20 years, just roll off of us. He sounds like he's upset, if that's what you're reporting to us."

Asked if they would be open to meeting with Andy in person, without any lawyers present, to discuss the situation, Richie said: "There's no lawyers in the first place, and there's no issue with trademark. There's nothing to go over on that. That's already a solid thing. Go ahead, Stevie. I'll let you take it up from here."

Stevie chimed in: "Yeah, there is no legal issue whatsoever. We are legally allowed to use the SWEET brand. And since Richie and I had put all those years in, and people know that we were there with Steve, and as a matter of fact, Steve and I were very, very close. I did everything in my power to try to help him in his career and help this band move forward, and I still do. And so there is no dispute regarding lawyers or anybody suing anybody for anything. There isn't anything anybody can sue anything for, If there starts to become some kinds of slander, that's another story. But we got no problem, man."

Richie also talked about some of the criticism that has been leveled at the U.S. version of SWEET for not containing any members of the classic lineup. Richie said: "Well, there's not much argument. We don't get a lot of argument. I don't know where you get a lot of this information from. We don't have a lot of people basically in our face, and if they do, we just take them off social media because there's a lot of people that have their opinion, and they have the right to that opinion. Like Michael Cartellone from LYNYRD SKYNYRD. There's no original members. Just like when I went to see FOREIGNER, with no original members, at the Hollywood Bowl. The audience loves the music. That's all fans should be concerned with. They say, 'Wow, they are really keeping that name, those songs that we loved.' But in Europe, people are upset, and because Andy's still moving along. And let's face it, he was the third guitarist, even though he was the main guitarist for pretty much all the big stuff that happened. Still, Steve loved us. We had a super-tight relationship. After he passed, it took a little bit of time to think about, to re-establish, but we came to that decision. And it's not about us being swayed by anybody, and it's not like we go to bed and go, 'Oh, God, there's an argument going on.' We don't think like that. We don't think like that at all. We're not thinking that way."

Richie continued: "We're musicians that were also very well known, played with the top musicians. I played with [Richie] Sambora, Keith Emerson — I go down the list from [Ronnie James] Dio to everybody you can imagine. So what I've established all the years of playing, people should recognize that just because I play in SWEET, I have my own identity, and so does Stevie. Stevie played with the biggest names before we met Steve Priest. So instead of being grateful, we're not just unknowns. Maybe possibly — I don't know the guys in Andy's band, I don't know how big those names are, but we do have a track record, and that's what really matters. So people should recognize that, that we are already well-established musicians. And just be grateful for us carrying the torch. And if Andy wants to come over here, God bless him. Have at it, dude. Come on over. But what's this big competition going on? I don't see what the big deal is. He doesn't come over here. He hasn't been here for 25 years."

Referencing some of Andy's negative comments directly, Richie said: "I mean, why create this? Is this a bully thing? In our society, there's bullies, okay? And to all of a sudden somebody being jealous… I mean, if he thought we were that bad, you know, then he could bring that up. But if you see us playing and you see us delivering the goods, it's gonna be real hard to criticize because we bring it on. So enough of this bullying, enough of that. There's no legal contention for this. Let bygones be bygones. I mean, if we were gonna do the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and he couldn't bring his band over here, would we get together with Andy and play our version with him? Absolutely. We have nothing against this guy. So, it's what a lot of the press wants to do — they wanna create a big hassle. Most of the interviews we do have been really great. And people don't ask these kind of questions about the everything and the controversy. We don't get this. This is the first time I've heard these kind of hard questions that you're laying out here, except I did one other one... But no — uh-uh. We play, they hire us, we play big gigs, we play for tens of thousands of people. People love it. So, enough of this crap. Enough of this. The world's already divided enough. We don't need to be taken to task about that we're... It's only the jealous musicians that don't play in front of tens of thousands that they might have that opinion. But if that's their opinion, God bless them. Good for them. They have every right to express themselves. It's a free world, hopefully."

Andy Scott (guitars/vocals) is joined in his version of SWEET by Paul Manzi (lead vocals),Lee Small (bass guitar/vocals),Tom Cory (guitars/keys/vocals) and Adam Booth (drums/percussion).

The Scott-led version of SWEET released a new studio album, "Full Circle", in September 2024 via Metalville Records. According to a press release, the LP will be SWEET's final studio album ever.

The U.S. version of THE SWEET has released three singles in the last couple of years: "Little Miracle" in 2024, "Insane" in 2025, and "Sweet Dream" — a song that has been in the group archives and on which Steve Priest wrote and played bass and sang — in February 2026.

Andy Scott's SWEET will return for "The Final Blitz Tour" of Australia in October and November 2026.

As one of Britain's true rock treasures, SWEET became a phenomenon in Australia, racking up 13 Top 50 Australian singles, including two Number Ones.

SWEET has sold a staggering 55 million records worldwide.

Legendary hardcore and metalcore force WALLS OF JERICHO will release its long-awaited new album, "System Error: Humanity", on November 13, 2026 via Napalm Records.

Following the triumphant release of the LP's first single, "The Ascent", praised by fans and critics for its "fierce breakdowns and demolishing riffs" (Metal Injection),WALLS OF JERICHO has now unleashed its exceedingly ferocious follow-up, "Agency".

Like a bullet from a gun, "Agency" takes off at 100 miles an hour in explosive thrash excellence, before turning around and dropping you on your head with a tectonic breakdown. Iconic frontwoman Candace Buckingham gives a moving sermon of self-actualization, galvanizing listeners to fight for their inalienable, human rights.

Buckingham comments: "'Agency' is a song about freedom. The kind that lives within you, the kind no one can take away, and the kind you have to fight for every single day."

With genre-defining records like 1999's "The Bound Feed The Gagged" and 2004's "All Hail The Dead" captivating the underground scene and establishing the model, WALLS OF JERICHO went on to break through charts globally with "With Devils Amongst Us All", "The American Dream" and "No One Can Save You From Your Self" thoroughly cementing their prestige.

After years of gigging relentlessly, decimating prestigious stages at Louder Than Life, Hellfest, Tied Down and Furnace Fest, among others, they finally return with "System Error: Humanity". Pummeling, confrontational, and uplifting, WALLS OF JERICHO remain steadfast to the values and sound their legacy was built on.

Buckingham previously said: "'System Error: Humanity' is a raw, unapologetic, and most aggressive record to date. We set out to capture the chaos, intensity, and raw energy of our live show rather than chase perfection. Lyrically, it's a rebellion against the modern forces that fracture identity: comparison, conformity, distraction, and the endless pressure to perform instead of live. At its core, this album is about reclaiming your attention, owning your choices, and becoming who you were before the world told you who to be. Kill the noise. Reclaim yourself."

Regarding "The Ascent", Candace said: "'The Ascent' is a crushing blend of dissonant riffs, massive breakdowns, and raw intensity. Lyrically, it's about confronting yourself one hard truth at a time, shedding ego, silencing the noise, and discovering that real strength isn't found at the summit, but in the discipline and honesty it takes to climb. Because growth begins where comfort ends."

Clobbering listeners out of the gate with "True Til' Death", the band affirms the triumph of the comeback with rabid aggression: Iconic frontwoman Candace Buckingham immediately commands listeners with her gargantuan growls. The discordant violence of tracks like "The Ascent" and "Untouchable" tap into something truly primal and kick you back a reading level with their claustrophobic chord work, while more thrash driven tracks like "The Flame" and "Agency" take off at 100 miles per hour, plowing through a plethora of protein packed riffage and solos. Lyrically the band is stoking the flames of discontent, with tracks like "Agency", "Borrowed Ground" and "Last Judgement", delivering empowering messages of reclamation, self-determination and human rights, encouraging listeners to fight for a better world. The record also features a premier slew of guests including LAMB OF GOD's Randy Blythe on "Broken Mouths Can't Speak", his beckoning howl joining Candace on a ferocious duel attack; and Guy Kozowyk of THE RED CHORD on "Humanity", propelling the groove laden pit starter into cataclysmic levels of chaos. After some more delicious violence, and a transcendent slow burn in the form of "A Brighter Fire", "The Reckoning" finishes things off with an epic, catastrophic energy that is bookended with one of the album's most punishing breakdowns, bound to send some unlucky concertgoers to the dentist.

Legendary producer and CONVERGE guitarist Kurt Ballou (NAILS, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, CODE ORANGE, EVERY TIME I DIE) is behind the boards, capturing the band's ferocious live energy while maintaining a pristine presentation. Powerful, fierce, and stirring, WALLS OF JERICHO re-emerge with righteous purpose and brutal dedication, humanity may be the source of the system error, but we are the system, and we are the solution.

"System Error: Humanity" track listing:

01. True Til' Death
02. Beginning
03. The Flame
04. The Ascent
05. Broken Mouths Can't Speak (feat. Randy Blythe)
06. Untouchable
07. Rise
08. Agency
09. Unchained
10. The End Before
11. Humanity (feat. Guy Kozowyk)
12. Borrowed Ground
13. Last Judgement
14. A Brighter Fire (feat. Patsy Puopolo and Matthew Ruby)
15. The Reckoning

WALLS OF JERICHO is:

Candace Buckingham - Vocals
Aaron Ruby - Bass
Dustin Robert - Drums
Bobby VaLeu - Guitar
Kyle Gailey - Guitar
Chris Towning - Guitar

Photo credit: Mateo Torres

Legendary independent New York-based rock label Equal Vision Records and THE NUMBER TWELVE LOOKS LIKE YOU have announced a Friday, October 16 release of "Howls From The Holographic Heart", the New Jersey-bred progressive metalcore band's brand new studio album.

Produced by Jeremy Cormitas (SENSES FAIL, CHIODOS),Trae Titus and THE NUMBER TWELVE LOOKS LIKE YOU's Alexis Pareja, "Howls From The Holographic Heart" finds the band once again throwing themselves into their art in a way that stays true to their enduring vision.

"This is a very honest album," frontman Jesse Korman explains. "We don't want to live up to what everyone just expects of us, and at this point in our career, we have nothing to lose."

With the announcement of the album, the band has also released the music video for its brutal new single "Joy Is A Weapon". Featuring FOXY SHAZAM, "Joy Is A Weapon" is about refusing to let anger, bitterness, or the people who hurt you define who you become.

"Sometimes the most powerful act of rebellion isn't fighting back," the band says, "it's finding joy any way possible and refusing to be broken."

THE NUMBER TWELVE LOOKS LIKE YOU also recently announced its upcoming fall "Mongrel" 20th-anniversary tour. Kicking off on Friday, September 25 in San Antonio, Texas, the upcoming run will span the entire month of October, feature special guests KAONASHI, BLIND EQUATION and DIFFERENCES in select markets, and culminate in a performance at Mahall's in Lakewood, Ohio on Friday, October 30.

THE NUMBER TWELVE LOOKS LIKE YOU have never been a band that follows trends, and they aren't about to start now. Correspondingly, for the band's sixth full-length, "Howls From The Holographic Heart", the New Jersey-bred act once again indulged their creative impulses to create an album that no other group of musicians could possibly create.

"For this album, we wanted to do what THE NUMBER TWELVE LOOKS LIKE YOU does and write something that is just completely unexpected," explains vocalist Jesse Korman of the band's follow-up to 2019's "Wild Gods". In order to accomplish this, Korman and his bandmates — guitarist Alexis Pareja, bassist Cody McCorry and drummer Michael DeMarco — leaned into both the technical and melodic wizardry that has established them as post-hardcore innovators for the past two decades without trying to consciously shape the outcome in any particular artistic direction.

"Howls From The Holographic Heart" is a showcase of the diverse influences that contribute to the band's overall sound. From the chaotic screamo of the album opener "Trust Chaos" to the salsa death metal vibe of "Joy Is A Weapon" (which features FOXY SHAZAM) and progressive pop of "Glow In The Dark Skin", the album may not make sense on paper, but works perfectly in its execution.

"I always try to write lyrics that capture the moment, so I continued that trend," Korman explains. In that spirit, "Dancing Before The Flood" was about the vocalist's response to the COVID pandemic while "Joy Is A Weapon" is an ode to anti-violence.

"If you just look back at every single album we've made, it's just a timestamp of that time period, so 'Howls From The Holographic Heart' is just an extension of that," Korman says. "It's a timestamp of the duration of seven years." Whether the vocalist is stretching out vocally on songs like "Become A Ghost" or screaming with vitriol on "Trust Chaos", that sincere sentiment never wavers.

From the cover image and music to the overall aesthetic, "Howls From The Holographic Heart" is a cohesive collection of songs that isn't necessarily meant to appeal to everyone. That sense of liberation lies at the core of this album and explains why it's such a powerful artistic statement for the band.

"At the end of the day, we really choose our path," Pareja summarizes, "and hopefully people enjoy it."

"Howls From The Holographic Heart" track listing:

01. Trust Chaos
02. Glow In The Dark Skin
03. Dancing Before The Flood
04. False Face
05. Fangs Out
06. A Candle Awaits
07. Indeciso
08. Hard To Be Human
09. Volcanic March
10. Desire To Expire
11. Become A Ghost
12. Joy Is A Weapon

Photo credit: Hope Glassel

TURNSTILE has announced "Never Enough: Versions", set to arrive next Friday, August 28. "Never Enough: Versions" is a reimagined album of songs from TURNSTILE's Grammy Award-winning album "Never Enough". "Never Enough: Versions" includes contributions from Elton John, Slayyyter, DYING FETUS, PORCHES, Hayley Williams, A.G. Cook, Floating Points, Rod Lee, Kettama, Mustafa, Julien Baker, Panda Bear, Brandon Woody, Four Tet, Dan Deacon, Blood Orange, Chanel Beads, Faye Webster, ANGEL DU$T, Shabaka, Oklou, Nourished By Time and Alex G.

Next month, TURNSTILE will embark on the "Never Enough Tour Pt. 2". The 16-date headline run sees TURNSTILE bring bespoke and curated line ups to each city including CLIPSE, CEREMONY, Thundercat, Slayyyter, HATEBREED, Vince Staples, Yves Tumor, Die Spitz, PENNYWISE, COLD WORLD, TEXAS IS THE REASON and many more. Across the tour, TURNSTILE will be partnering with local nonprofit organizations that will have an on the ground presence at each respective date.

Last year, TURNSTILE released their celebrated album "Never Enough". The expansive collection is a restless and exhilarating evolution of TURNSTILE's genre-defying sound and is a transformative journey, both fearless and alive, by one of the most forward-thinking and influential bands of their generation. "Never Enough" also earned the band their first two Grammy Awards, including "Best Rock Album" and "Best Metal Performance" for album track "Birds". Alongside the album, TURNSTILE released the companion film "Turnstile: Never Enough", which was directed by the band's own Brendan Yates and Pat McCrory and saw a theatrical release around the globe.

Since the album's release, TURNSTILE has been bringing the "Never Enough" live show around the globe, with festival performances to huge crowds at Coachella, Primavera Sound, Bonnaroo and more with performances at Lollapalooza, Flow Festival, All Points East and more on the horizon.

TURNSTILE formed in 2010 with lead singer Brendan Yates, guitarists Pat McCrory and Meg Mills, bassist Franz Lyons and drummer Daniel Fang.

"Never Enough" debuted at No. 9 on Billboard's album chart, marking TURNSTILE's highest placement ever, and earned the band its first No. 1 single.

Photo credit: Trevor Roberts

Legendary rock band JEFFERSON STARSHIP returns with "Jetpack", an explosive new single available today across all digital platforms, accompanied by an official lyric video.

JEFFERSON STARSHIP is currently on tour with DEEP PURPLE, and "Jetpack" captures the energy, musicianship, and adventurous spirit that have defined the band for more than five decades while showcasing the creative force of JEFFERSON STARSHIP today.

Adding a special connection to the band's history, "Jetpack" was recorded at 2200 Studios, which was formerly the legendary Record Plant — the same studio where JEFFERSON STARSHIP recorded some of the landmark music from its storied catalog. The track also features longtime JEFFERSON STARSHIP bassist Pete Sears on bass, bringing another direct link between the band's celebrated past and its music today.

JEFFERSON STARSHIP singer/guitarist Cathy Richardson comments: "[JEFFERSON STARSHIP guitarist] Jude [Gold] had written a song around the chorus that was kind of a love song about wanting to disappear with someone into the cosmos. He asked me to take a stab at some different lyrics. I loved the music and the 'Jetpack' hook was really strong. I thought about why I would want to strap on a rocket and blast off the planet, and the words just came spilling out. We recorded it a while ago with a different ending, but then I had an idea for an outro, and I really wanted to hear the band jam out over that chord progression and go to space musically."

"Jetpack" is a classic rock anthem built for the stage, the open road, and anyone ready to escape the ordinary. The release comes as JEFFERSON STARSHIP continues performing for audiences across North America with DEEP PURPLE before returning to its "Runaway Again" tour, giving fans an opportunity to experience the band at the same moment it introduces a new chapter of music.

JEFFERSON STARSHIP is one of the most successful arena rock bands of the '70s and '80s, earning three platinum and eight gold records, as well as numerous Top 40 Billboard singles. They celebrated their 50th anniversary, a rare milestone that only a few bands ever achieve.

Founded by Paul Kantner in the '70s, JEFFERSON STARSHIP was conceived as a collective of musical adventurers contributing to his epic concept albums and eventual catalog of rock classics. When the current lineup came together in 2012, with many members having joined years earlier, Kantner couldn't have predicted the band would become the road-conquering force they are today.

The five members of JEFFERSON STARSHIP often describe themselves as both a "family" and a "gang," with a sense of camaraderie that shines through in their performances. Over the years, they've played in all 50 U.S. states, five continents, and countless countries. A recent tour of New Zealand was noted as one of the band's favorites, and their live shows continue to offer a non-stop mix of rock hits.

The band's current lineup includes founding member David Freiberg, drummer Donny Baldwin (who first joined in 1982),keyboardist Chris Smith (who joined in 1998),guitarist Jude Gold (who joined in 2012),and singer/guitarist Cathy Richardson (who joined in 2008 after Kantner saw her perform with BIG BROTHER AND THE HOLDING COMPANY). As JEFFERSON STARSHIP celebrates its 50th anniversary, the band reflects on the legacy of Paul Kantner, who passed away in 2016. The spirit of exploration and adventure he instilled in the band lives on in their music and performances. As Gold puts it, "To me, that 'Paul Kantner thing'...getting on a rocket ship and blasting off into the unknown...is the very essence of JEFFERSON STARSHIP. And that spirit is very much alive in the band today."

Photo courtesy of Primary Wave Music PR

RIVAL SONS guitarist Scott Holiday recently announced a solo project, HOL1D4Y, and debut album, "Topology", due out September 25, 2026 on RIVAL SONS' label Sacred Tongue Recordings, distributed worldwide via Thirty Tigers. The official music video for the LP's second single, "Autonomatic", can be seen below.

"Autonomatic: It's a word I came up with by combining the words: autonomy and automatic," states Holiday. "Autonomatic: The built in or intrinsic desire for autonomy.

"Autonomatic talks about our changing relationships with machines," he explains. 'How we might, at this point in history, use them to complete tasks and assist us with creativity. Maybe even help us socially, but especially with A.I, technology is progressing so rapidly it is so much more than a tool to finish an essay for us. If machines truly start to make decisions and 'think' for themselves… the natural progression could be that it will want to be like us in the deepest ways it can understand. We are free. We are autonomous. I think that this will be a natural evolution for a free thinking hyper intelligent entity. Autonomy. Built in autonomy. Hence the idea: they are Autonomatic."

For more than three decades, Holiday has built a career by following instinct. Before there was an album concept, or even the idea of a solo project, he started a new daily habit: wake up, get in the studio, pick up a guitar, with one rule — write something. Not a finished song, sometimes just a 45-second idea. Just a fragment, then set aside and picked up again the next day. The goal wasn't productivity, it was momentum.

As the collection of sketches grew, Holiday noticed they weren't isolated ideas — they shared a language, leaning into atmosphere, psychedelic experimentation, different textures and rhythms than he previously had worked with. The material felt personal enough that it resisted broad collaboration and asked to develop on its own terms.

Those early sketches were built around improvised drum recordings from longtime collaborator and RIVAL SONS drummer Michael Miley, sent from his home studio. Holiday treated them as raw material rather than finished tracks, cutting and reshaping the performances into the rhythmic foundation of each song. Many of the original performances stayed intact, and Miley ultimately plays drums throughout "Topology".

By the time five compositions had taken shape, Holiday realized he wasn't writing toward another RIVAL SONS record — he was starting a new artistic identity: HOL1D4Y.

Originally conceived as an instrumental project, the music was already developing into full compositions when Holiday brought in keyboardist Jesse Nason to further help shape the project's sound. Nason layered vintage Moog, Mellotron, Oberheim and Prophet synthesizers across the tracks. Every contribution passed back through Holiday, who edited and produced the material into a single body of work.

Then everything stopped. Just minutes from home, Holiday was struck by a car while riding his bike home after an evening with friends. He has no memory of the collision. The accident left him with six broken ribs, a shoulder injury, a head injury, and months of recovery. Unable to move but still thinking creatively, Holiday kept developing the unfinished pieces in his mind. A few compositions remained instrumental; but the rest started asking for lyrics.

"What surprised me was that they stopped feeling like instrumental pieces," Holiday says. "They seemed prepped for a story. Once I realized that, the words came quickly. That's when I knew it was time to step into this new role — I needed to be the one to tell these stories."

For the first time in his career, Holiday sings on his own recordings — less a reinvention than a part of his creative voice that hadn't yet found the right project.

The result is "Topology", the debut HOL1D4Y album, centered on perception rather than genre: awareness, observation, awakening, consciousness, and the patterns that shape how we experience the world. Track titles like "Metacognition", "Panoptic", "Holotropic" and "Equanimity" point to a single question — how does a shift in perspective change the way we experience ourselves in the world?

Sonically, "Topology" sits at the intersection of psychedelic atmosphere, alternative music, progressive exploration and experimental pop: fuzz-soaked guitars, vintage synthesizers, and deeply pocketed drum grooves under shifting arrangements. It draws on the adventurous spirit of '70s progressive music while sounding informed by modern alternative production, prioritizing mood and texture over convention.

Recorded and produced at Holiday's home studio, "Topology" was made independently, without outside creative direction.

"Topology" track listing:

01. Holotropic
02. Panoptic
03. Veridream
04. Autonomatic
05. Constellations
06. Metacognition
07. CRISM
08. Equanimity
09. Love Of Separation

Photo by Rick Horn

In a new interview with Laughing Monkey With Shawn Ratches, POSSESSED frontman Jeff Becerra spoke about the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2019's "Revelations Of Oblivion" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We have all 10 songs recorded, but they're just scratch tracks. So now we have to go over the scratch tracks and re-record the instruments and the vocals."

Referencing the fact that "Revelations Of Oblivion" marked POSSESSED's first studio album in 33 years, Becerra added:  "My plan, if all goes right, if I can work out this method of recording where I'm not having to go into debt for 20 years every time I make an album, if we can do that and we can make it efficient and quality, then I'm just gonna try to pump one out every year. So next September I hope to be in the studio again, and the September after that I hope to be in the studio again… And that's only because I feel like I've got a system now. I'm really, like, feeling like I'm in the pocket. I've got the band I want, and I just really am absorbed into the lyrics and the creation process, and it feels like I'm just coming into my own."

Jeff also talked about the importance of maintaining an original sound and style, explaining: "There's really no rhyme or reason [to how I write music]. I just write what I feel. And I've been lucky enough to have kind of a unique sound. At the risk of sounding like I'm tooting my own horn, it's like when you hear MOTÖRHEAD, you know it's Lemmy. When you hear King Diamond, you know it's him. When you hear POSSESSED, you know it's me. And it's hard to have a unique sound.

"What I tell people is, like, they say, 'Well, how do you you be original?' I say, 'Well, there's only one of you. Just be yourself. Don't try to be somebody else, and that unique individuality will come out in your music,'" he said.

Earlier in the month, Becerra took to to social media to say that he was "fine-tuning the songs in preparation to go into the studio" with POSSESSED. "Hopefully we'll record the new album, if everything goes right, in September. So basically, I'm just making some alterations, something to make the vocals hit a little harder and be heavy. I hope you like the album. I hope everything goes well, and we'll be able to record in September and then get the mechanisms and the machine rolling so that we can get you that new stuff out ASAP. Hold tight."

This past March, Becerra stated about his songwriting process for the upcoming LP: "It's my process this time to kind of listen back, see what it sounds like, and then make changes from there. And it's pretty fun. It's been a really, really good experience. Meanwhile, remotely, Bobby/Robert's [Cardenas] doing his bass tracks over the same recordings with the hidden click track. Of course, [guitarists] Daniel [Gonzalez] and Claudeous [Creamer] are doing their tracks, and Chris [Aguirre] is putting the real drums over the electronic drums so that we'll have a viable scratch track when we go into the big studio."

He continued: "After all their parts are done, Daniel will come over here. We'll go down into my basement down here, and record the vocal tracks. Then we'll head to the big studios. Traditionally, drums have a, a larger studio for a bigger drum sound. And then me and the guys will go into the other studio for the guitar, bass and vocals, and we'll go from there. I'm really looking forward to it."

Jeff added: "Thank you for your patience. I know it's been seven years, almost seven years, but I'd rather put out something really viable and really good. I don't wanna put out any shit for you guys. I wanna put out the best, and hopefully it's worth the weight. Like I said, it's really different, but really POSSESSED and really fucking heavy. And I'm just having a ball with it."

In an October 2025 interview with Australia's Devil's Horns Zine, Becerra stated about POSSESSED's next LP:  "I'm working on the last three sets of lyrics, and then the album is finished. And it's a trip. It's a whole different animal. I don't know if people will love it or hate it. I hope they love it. It's different. It's definitely different."

A year earlier, Becerra told Alex Stojanovic of MetalMasterKingdom.com that POSSESSED's new material was turning out "very cool, very heavy. But a lot more tempo switching. And it's cool.

"POSSESSED will never sell out," he continued. "I'd rather die. But it's still very, very heavy. It's probably gonna be one of our darkest albums. And also something that you don't have to grit your teeth to get through the whole thing."

Jeff also talked about the POSSESSED songwriting process, saying: "We all write. I think I wrote 63 or 64 percent of the last album, so 50 percent and that extra music. 50 percent would be lyrics, if we're doing it at 100. Even though it's not really broken down that way, it's easier to explain that way. So I'll write riffs, definitely, I'll send them to Dan [Daniel Gonzalez]. Me and Dan are kind of the main guys, but more and more, on this one you're seeing Claudeous and Robert coming out and showing off the riffs.

"This [version of] POSSESSED has been around more than three times as long as the first one, so, yeah, we work well together," he explained. "And they're not afraid to say, 'Hey, no, this is not good' to me and vice versa. But we're looking for what's good or what is mendable or what is perfect as is. And so I think we're all super picky about what we do."

In June 2024, Becerra was asked by El Planeta Del Rock how he looked back on "Revelations Of Oblivion" five years after the LP's release. Jeff said: "I really liked it. It's weird. When you make new music, you're like, 'Oh, this song's gonna go over like gangbusters,' but then it's always the songs that you didn't expect [that] statistically do better. So I've lost track of trying to pay attention or trying to guide the machine. I'm just playing what I want, and I think with 'Revelations', I had to kind of stay in my own lane, which was great. It was straight-forward."

POSSESSED originally split in 1987, leaving behind a short but highly influential legacy, most notably 1985's "Seven Churches" album. Internal tensions after the release of 1987's "The Eyes Of Horror" EP led to the band's dissolution, with guitarist Larry Lalonde joining Bay Area tech-thrashers BLIND ILLUSION, then PRIMUS, while Becerra, guitarist Mike Torrao and drummer Mike Sus each going separate directions.

Two years after POSSESSED's split, Becerra was the victim of a failed armed robbery attempt, leaving him partially paralyzed and wheelchair-bound and sending him into a spiral of drug and alcohol abuse. POSSESSED was reactivated by Torrao in 1990 with a completely different lineup, but only released two demos before dissolving in 1993. Becerra then reformed POSSESSED in 2007 with his own lineup, which released its first studio album in 33 years, "Revelations Of Oblivion", in 2019.

Journeyman Welsh drummer Chris Slade, who has spent the past 60 years playing with everyone from Tom Jones to MANFRED MANN, THE FIRM and AC/DC, has announced his retirement from drumming.

Earlier today (Saturday, August 22),Slade released a video message via his social media in which he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "Hello, everybody. It's with a heavy heart that I'm announcing my retirement from drumming.

"I'm near enough 80 years old. I've been drumming, professionally, since I was 16 with Tom Jones. I've had a good innings. And thank you all for coming to the shows. And I'd like to thank [the other members of my solo] band also, THE CHRIS SLADE TIMELINE, and all you lot for coming to the shows and having a good time. We know you have, 'cause you told us you have, which was, to get that feedback, is great. So please stay on THE CHRIS SLADE TIMELINE on Facebook, 'cause I'll be posting, we'll be posting stuff from now and again to try to keep you interested.

"So, what happened was that I had a stroke, as you probably know, about seven years ago — a small stroke, but it's got worse," Chris admitted. "And I'm afraid that has screwed me up. I'm really jealous of people like THE [ROLLING] STONES or Paul McCartney who are going well into their 80s, and I wanted to do that. But it looks like I can't. So, as I say, with a heavy heart, it's bye for now."

Last October, Chris was asked by Anthony Bryant of The Hair Metal Guru about the possibility of writing an autobiography. The 79-year-old musician responded: "Oh, I've been writing the book — when I bring it out, I am gonna say, 'This has taken me 80 years to write this.' … I've been trying to write this book, and I have been writing this book, all the way for decades. And I get down to it now and again. I realize I have to get it finished now, though, because I've only got 20 or 30 years. [Laughs]"

Slade previously discussed the possibility of releasing a book in 2024 during an interview with Scott Itter of Dr. Music. He said at the time: "It's virtually written, but I've been writing it for about 20 years, to be honest. So, it'll come out one day. If I'm not here, it'll come out. And I think it's quite enjoyable. It might be three volumes, actually — I'm not sure. I don't know how many words you need for a book; I haven't looked into that yet. But it just needs collating now. I've got half of it done. Well, I finished a section just a few weeks back. And I hadn't got out of the '60s yet."

He continued: "I wanted to write it myself, in my own words. And some people heard it. My missus has read it, and she thinks it's all right. And she would tell me if it's not, and I would get a ghost writer in. So I wanted to do it without a ghost writer. I really enjoyed Keith Richards's book, but that was a ghost writer also. But I really enjoyed it 'cause it sort of mirrored my experiences, 'cause we we're from the same time. My first professional gig with Tom Jones was supporting THE ROLLING STONES."

In a July 2024 interview with Clint Switzer of On The Road To Rock, Slade was asked if he was disappointed about AC/DC's decision to recruit Matt Laug — and not Slade — to sit behind the kit for the Brian Johnson-fronted outfit on AC/DC's 2024 tour. He responded at the time: "No. You know what? Would I have done it, is the next question. I would say yes, I would do it, of course. Angus [Young, AC/DC co-founder and guitarist] probably wanted a change and thought maybe I couldn't do it. I'm the same age as Brian. So, you can't be ageist and say, 'Slade's too old now,' 'cause [Angus is] a spring chicken himself, you see. He's only about 69, I think. I'm not quite sure how old he is — 66, 69, something like that. But, yeah, so he couldn't be ageist on me."

Chris continued: "I know Matt Laug, by the way. I used to know him when I lived in California. So I used to see Matt and talked to him many times. We have mutual friends who had a band in a place called Pancho's in Manhattan Beach in California. And they used to play every Friday. So I used to go and sometimes sit in, but always went to see them, watch them. And they're a fantastic band. And Matt was one of the drummers that sat in. So I saw him a few times down there, and we talked and he told me about… Alanis [Morissette] offered him the tour in the beginning, 'Jagged Little Pill' tour, and he wanted to concentrate on his studio work in L.A. So he said 'no' to Alanis. So he might've learned his lesson this time. [Laughs]"

Earlier that same month, Slade was asked by Real Music With Gary Stuckey if he would go back to playing with AC/DC if the band asked him to rejoin. Slade said: "Yes, I would. I would. I'm still playing with [THE CHRIS SLADE] TIMELINE. I'm playing every week. We do gigs. Last Saturday we were in France, in Lyon. In two weeks' time, we go to Italy. We were in Poland about two months ago, Chechnya, Eastern Germany. We work all over Europe. We were in Spain a couple of years ago. We haven't been back since. And so I'm playing with my guys, and I'm quite happy to do that. It's a really, really great band. And there's no need for me to go back with AC/DC, to be honest, but if they wanted, Angus knows he could ask me any time.

"I can't see it happening," Slade went on to say. "I couldn't see it happening the second time it happened, to be honest. People kept saying to me, 'Have you heard anything? Have you heard anything yet?' Friends and family. And I said, 'Look, they're not gonna call. Okay?' This was before 'Rock Or Bust'. 'They're not gonna call. They've had enough of me. They're not going to call.' And then I was on the road in Switzerland with TIMELINE. Ring, ring, and it's a AC/DC. [Laughs] And this is three months after these rumors have been flying around. And I was shocked. I spoke to the manager for about half an hour, and I said, 'Yeah, of course I'd do it.' And at the end, I said, 'Can I ask you a question? Did this come from the guys? Did this request come from the guys?' He said, 'Of course, it came from the guys. I wouldn't be making this call without their say-so.' Which is true. But I still wanted confirmation that it was the guys that was putting this offer out to come back. So I was there for another two, three years."

Rudd was ousted from AC/DC when he was sentenced to eight months of home detention by a New Zealand court in 2015 after pleading guilty to charges of threatening to kill and drug possession. He was replaced on the band's "Rock Or Bust" tour by Slade, who had previously served as AC/DC's drummer between 1989 and 1994, playing on the album "The Razor's Edge".

Rudd, who appeared on all but three of AC/DC's 18 previous studio albums, toured in support of his 2014 solo debut, "Head Job". It was the release of that album that led indirectly to Rudd's arrest, with the drummer allegedly so angry at a personal assistant over the way the record was promoted that he threatened to have the man and his daughter killed.

Slade originally followed Simon Wright in AC/DC's lineup, joining in time to play on "The Razor's Edge". When Rudd returned in 1995, Slade was shown the door and harbored some bad feelings about that for a while.

In 2024, Slade spent time promoting the latest album from THE CHRIS SLADE TIMELINE, "Timescape", which arrived in July of that year.

Swedish/American metallers IN FLAMES were joined by DARK TRANQUILLITY's Mikael Stanne and TRIVIUM's Matt Heafy during their headlining performance Saturday (August 22) at the Göteborg Brinner festival at Frihamnen in the pioneering band's hometown of Gothenburg. Heafy came up on stage for "Artifacts Of The Black Rain", a song from IN FLAMES' second album, 1996's "The Jester Race", while Stanne shared the vocals with IN FLAMES frontman Anders Fridén on "Behind Space", a track that originally appeared on IN FLAMES' debut LP, 1994's "Lunar Strain", which featured Stanne as the singer.

The day after the concert, Stanne took to his social media to share a photo of him with Fridén and Heafy, and he included the following message: "Such an amazing time last night Göteborg Brinner. Sharing the stage with Anders Fridén was awesome and hanging with the lovely Matt Heafy didn't hurt either. Fantastic show and the most incredible hometown crowd. The emotional hangover is real. #inflames #darktranquillity #trivium".

According to Setlist.fm, the setlist for IN FLAMES' performance was as follows:

01. Colony
02. Deliver Us
03. In The Dark
04. Voices
05. Paralyzed
06. The Quiet Place
07. Meet Your Maker
08. The Chosen Pessimist
09. Cloud Connected
10. Artifacts Of The Black Rain (with Matt Heafy)
11. Gyroscope (first time since 2012)
12. Behind Space (with Mikael Stanne)
13. Trigger
14. Only For The Weak
15. Foregone Pt. 2
16. State Of Slow Decay
17. Alias
18. The Mirror's Truth
19. I Am Above
20. Take This Life
21. My Sweet Shadow

IN FLAMES recently spent time in the studio recording the band's fifteenth studio album. The Swedish/American metallers once again worked at the Los Angeles studio of Grammy-nominated producer Howard Benson — who has previously worked with MOTÖRHEAD, BODY COUNT and SEPULTURA, among others — as well as engineer Mike Plotnikoff. IN FLAMES has been collaborating with Benson since the group's twelfth studio album, 2016's "Battles".

In an interview with Paolo Phoenix of Magenta TV, Fridén was asked if he and his IN FLAMES bandmates were aware that they were helping shape the sound of melodic death metal when they first formed the group more than three and a half decades ago. Anders said: "No, no, no, no, not at all. We were just fans of music, and we just wanted to create our way of what we thought heavy metal was… We were just having fun creating what we loved and took inspiration from tons of other bands. I'm really honored and humbled to hear those things, but I don't let it get to my head. It's not good for you."

Anders went on to say that he has heard some riffs from newer metal bands which are "very similar" to IN FLAMES, "but it's fine. We did it too," he admitted. "If IRON MAIDEN is listening right now, then we stole some of your riffs. And that's just the truth.

"It's so difficult to be super, super, super original," Anders explained. "And then that's how this music evolves, too. You take bits and pieces, and you throw in some of your own ideas and it just keeps the music moving forward. And I think that's wonderful. It should not be, 'This is ours, this is ours, this is ours.' And, to be fair, when we create an album, and when we're done, we give it to the fans, and it's out of our hands. We can't do anything anymore. It's just up to everyone else. We can't control it. It's yours. And if someone wants to take those ideas and be inspired to create their own band or in an already existing band, feel free."

Fridén also talked about the fact that heavy metal fans can often be very vocal about their opinions when it comes to their favorite bands. "I love that people are passionate," he said. "I mean, heavy metal fans, they will judge you left and right, but they're also super passionate, and that's what I love about the genre. That's why I wanna be in it. It took me by surprise that, all of a sudden... 'Cause I wanted to be part of heavy metal because I thought there were no rules whatsoever. You can do whatever you want, right? Like, scream and play lloud music, and that's fine. And years later, I found out, 'Oh, you can't do this, can't do that, can't do that.' But fuck that. Do whatever you want."

IN FLAMES' upcoming follow-up to 2023's "Foregone" will apparently mark the recording debut with the band of drummer Jon Rice, who has been touring with IN FLAMES since May 2025.

Rice had previously played with BEHEMOTH, UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS, THE RED CHORD, JOB FOR A COWBOY and SCORPION CHILD.

In May 2025, IN FLAMES parted ways with their drummer of seven years, Tanner Wayne.

Wayne, who was previously best known for his work with UNDERMINDED, SCARY KIDS SCARING KIDS and CHIODOS, joined IN FLAMES in time for the band's summer 2018 tour.

Wayne stepped into IN FLAMES following the departure of Joe Rickard, who played on the band's 2016 album "Battles".

Tanner made his live debut with IN FLAMES on July 4, 2018 in Brno, Czech Republic.

IN FLAMES is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "Foregone", which was released in February 2023 via Nuclear Blast. According to a press release, the LP "combines the greatest aggressive, metallic, and melodic strengths of their landmark records with the seasoned songwriting of their postmodern era."

"Foregone" was the second IN FLAMES album with bassist Bryce Paul and Wayne, the first with ex-MEGADETH guitarist Chris Broderick, and the third with Benson. Plotnikoff (ALL THAT REMAINS, WARBRINGER) engineered at Benson's West Valley Recording Studios. Joe Rickard (10 YEARS, STARSET, DIAMANTE),who played drums for IN FLAMES from 2016 through 2019, handled mixing duties.

In 2023, IN FLAMES parted ways with Paul and replaced him with Liam Wilson (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN).

Wilson made his live debut with IN FLAMES on June 7, 2023 at the Release Athens festival in Athens, Greece.

Renowned film composer/producer Tyler Bates has teamed up with British synth-wave band GUNSHIP and drummer Dave Lombardo (of SLAYER, MR. BUNGLE, MISFITS) for a new single collaboration, "Revolution.exe". Released on Bates's record label, Gravel And Echo Recordings, the track is hard-hitting, politically charged, and built around a pulsing hard rock, electronic backbone that channels GUNSHIP's signature retro-futurist sound alongside Bates's cinematic instincts. Its lyrics take direct aim at power, control, and complacency, centered on an insistently catchy hook.

"My history with GUNSHIP began a few years ago when we wrote 'Berserker' for the 'Dark Nights Death Metal' album," says Tyler Bates. "'Revolution.exe' picks up where we left off. Dave Lombardo's drumming is pure fire. This song is a banger. I hope y'all love it!"

The collaboration came together overseas, with Bates and GUNSHIP writing and producing remotely across time zones, mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Robert Carranza and mastered by Abbey Road Studios engineer Stefan Brown.

"Revolution.exe" launches Bates's new label, Gravel And Echo Recordings, into the spotlight — and hints at a wave of solo work and record production to come.

Tyler Bates is an American composer and music producer best known for his work on film scores, television series, and collaborations with iconic artists such as Marilyn Manson, EVANESCENCE, Jerry Cantrell, Alexis Krauss, MASTODON, BUSH and IN THIS MOMENT. With a career spanning over three decades, Bates has significantly influenced the sound of contemporary cinema and modern media.

His collaborations with directors such as Chad Stahelski, Zack Snyder, Ti West, Genndy Tartakovsky and James Gunn have yielded critically acclaimed scores for blockbuster films, contributing to over a dozen Number One movies and generating several billion dollars in global box office revenue. From Rob Zombie's "The Devil's Rejects" to the stylized superhero chaos of "Deadpool 2", Bates's range has made him a leading force in cinematic sound design.

Bates co-produced and co-wrote Marilyn Manson's 2015 album "The Pale Emperor", 2017's "Heaven Upside Down" and the singer's latest two efforts, 2024's "One Assassination Under God - Chapter 1" and 2026's "One Assassination Under God - Chapter 2", and has toured with Manson as a guitarist.

Bates, a film composer best known for his scores for such blockbusters as "Atomic Blonde" and "John Wick" and "Guardians Of The Galaxy" flicks, originally met Manson through his work on the Showtime series "Californication".

Lombardo was born in Havana, Cuba, relocating to Los Angeles when he was a mere two years old. He began playing drums as a teenager, and co-founded SLAYER (and created the band's logo) in 1981. Rolling Stone, in their list of the "100 Greatest Drummers Of All Time," dubbed him the "Cuban speed demon," Modern Drummer proclaimed him "The King", and Drummerworld gave him the title of "the godfather of double bass". Lombardo's eye-popping resume includes over 100 studio albums/recordings and includes both recorded and live stints with GRIP INC., FANTÔMAS, SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, VENAMORIS, MR. BUNGLE, MISFITS, John Zorn, TESTAMENT, EMPIRE STATE BASTARD and DEAD CROSS.

Lombardo was effectively fired from SLAYER after sitting out the group's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other bandmembers. He was later replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001.

Photo credit: Ekaterina Gorbacheva

Rock and metal icon Rob Zombie has released the official music video for "Black Rat Coffin", another standout track from his latest studio album, "The Great Satan", available now via Nuclear Blast Records. The video arrives as fans continue to celebrate Zombie's acclaimed eighth solo album, which has earned widespread praise from critics and listeners alike.

Released earlier this year, "The Great Satan" marked Zombie's first studio album in five years and featured standout cuts including "Punks And Demons", "Heathen Days", "(I'm A) Rock 'N' Roller", "F.T.W. 84", "The Black Scorpion" and "Tarantula". The record further cemented his status as one of heavy music's most distinctive creative voices, delivering another collection of memorable, larger-than-life anthems.

Rob Zombie has teamws up with Marilyn Manson for a summer tour across North America. The "Freaks On Parade" trek kicked off in West Palm Beach on August 20 at the iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre, followed by gigs in Charlotte, Toronto, Kansas City, Auburn, and Ridgefield, stopping at venues along the way like Xfinity Center in Mansfield, Tinley Park's Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre in West Valley City, and Clarkston's Pine Knob Music Theatre. The tour will wrap up on September 20 at Toyota Pavilion in Concord, California.

Rob's seventh studio album, "The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy", was released in March 2021 via Nuclear Blast. The LP marked Rob's first new album in nearly five years. The follow-up to 2016's "The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser" was produced by Chris "Zeuss" Harris.

"The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy" was the third consecutive effort to feature Zombie and guitarist John 5 alongside bassist Matt "Piggy D." Montgomery and drummer Ginger Fish.

In the fall of 2022, John 5 exited Rob's band to join MÖTLEY CRÜE as the replacement for that group's founding guitarist Mick Mars. John 5 has since been replaced in Zombie's band by returning guitarist Mike Riggs.

Riggs had previously spent six years as a member of ROB ZOMBIE. Riggs joined forces with Rob in the '90s and stayed with him into the early 2000s, eventually leaving in 2004 (when Rob Zombie was largely focusing on films rather than music) to start a project of his own. Riggs songwriting and crunching guitars can be heard on Rob Zombie's "Hellbilly Deluxe", "American Made Music To Strip By", "The Sinister Urge" and "The Past, Present & Future" records.

More recently, Riggs had kept busy with his band SCUM OF THE EARTH, named after a song from "Sinister Urge". SCUM OF THE EARTH favors the sort of rhythmic, industrial-influenced, mildly funky, hip-hop-minded alternative metal that Riggs honed during his initial Rob Zombie days.

John 5 had worked with Zombie for 16 years, co-writing on all studio albums since "Educated Horses", and composing the score for Zombie's 2013 movie "The Lords Of Salem".

In January 2024, Piggy D. announced that he was exiting Rob's band after 18 years. Matt has since been replaced by a returning Rob "Blasko" Nicholson.

Blasko was a member of Rob Zombie's band from 1997 through 2006, playing bass on the first three Zombie albums: "Hellbilly Deluxe", "The Sinister Urge" and "Educated Horses".

Nicholson left Zombie in May 2006 in order to join Ozzy Osbourne's recording/touring band.

Montgomery's debut performance with Rob Zombie came on May 24, 2006 during an appearance on CBS's "Late Night Show With David Letterman".

In a new interview with Thomas Vogel of Germany's Sonic Seducer magazine, NIGHTWISH singer Floor Jansen spoke about the band's 2023 announcement that it would take a break from touring and not hit the road in support of NIGHTWISH's latest album, "Yesterwynde", which came out two years ago. Asked if there are plans for any NIGHTWISH activity in the near future, Floor said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " No, there's nothing planned. That is the thing with NIGHTWISH — we're on a temporary hold. But there's no communication about when something's gonna happen."

Back in September 2024, NIGHTWISH multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley told Sakis Fragos of Rock Hard Greece about the band's decision to take a break: "Well, I was part of the decision, as we all were. We weren't forced into the conclusion, but we were pointed in the direction of it quite early on, even before the pandemic. We realized that we were in danger of burning out of doing too much. So we made the decision, and extraordinarily, the decision to have this hiatus, this time off, is for all of us. It has no time limit. We have absolutely no plans at all for when we will bring the band out again to play live."

He continued: "At the moment, we're just trying to, I suppose, personally, for all of us, recapture our balance, recapture, I suppose, our sense of direction for the band. It hasn't been easy — there's been lots of personal problems — but I must stress that we're an unusual beast, NIGHTWISH, in that we actually love being with each other. It's a rare thing for bands. A lot of bands, they'll have separate dressing rooms and all that kind of nonsense, whereas we actually enjoy our own company. And we socially mix with each other even when we're not working. We have fun with each other. Last year, Emppu [Vuorinen, NIGHTWISH guitarist] and Tuomas [Holopainen, NIGHTWISH keyboardist] came over to Yorkshire [England] and we went metal detecting for a week, just for the fun of it. Yeah, that's what we do. And have massive fun doing it."

Circling back to NIGHTWISH's decision to not play any live shows for the foreseeable future, Troy said: "So, it's not terminal. It's an extended time off. But I can envisage some more live work probably in 2027, which is the 30th anniversary of the band. I should imagine we'll do something live to mark that. We might do that."

When Fragos noted that NIGHTWISH's long album-tour cycles must have become more emotionally demanding as Troy and his bandmates kept doing it year after year, Donockley said: "That's a major part of it, but when you take that with six people, all of them feeling the same way, and you take it out on tour for seven weeks, or you travel to South America, three weeks in South America, then you're in Japan, then you're in America for five weeks. And we've all got families — all of us have families. Floor has two tiny children. It's gonna cause confusion, with the lifestyle."

"Yesterwynde" was made available in September 2024 via Nuclear Blast. It marked NIGHTWISH's tenth studio LP, following on from the release of "Human. :II: Nature." in 2020.

In August 2022, NIGHTWISH announced the addition of Jukka Koskinen (WINTERSUN) as an official member of the band. Koskinen, who made his live debut with NIGHTWISH in May 2021 at the band's two interactive experiences, had spent the previous year touring with NIGHTWISH as a session musician.

In November 2022, Jansen revealed that she was "cancer free" after undergoing surgery to have a tumor removed following a breast cancer diagnosis.

Floor will release a new solo album, "Hytress", on January 15, 2027 via REVAMP Music/Warner Music. Jansen has also confirmed the comprehensive "Hytress" tour 2027 that will bring her and her full live band to club stages across Europe and South America.

In October 2023, Floor and SABATON drummer Hannes Van Dahl welcomed their second child, a daughter named Lucy. Jansen and Van Dahl also have a nine-year-old daughter named Freja, who was born in March 2017.

NIGHTWISH's first album with Jansen as the lead singer was 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", which landed in Top 10s around the world. This was followed by 2020's "Human. :II: Nature.", which was also an international success.

Jansen has toured extensively with the band and appeared on three of NIGHTWISH's live albums "Showtime, Storytime", "Vehicle Of Spirit" and "Decades: Live In Buenos Aires".

Jansen performed live with NIGHTWISH for the first time on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon. Jansen officially joined NIGHTWISH in 2013.

Photo credit: Tim Tronckoe (courtesy of Nuclear Blast)

During an appearance on the latest episode of the "Beardo & Weirdo" podcast, hosted by FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH bassist Chris Kael and comedian Craig Gass, POISON drummer Rikki Rockett recalled how the rock music media in the 1980s tried to pit rival genres thrash metal and glam metal against each other. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "I remember when I lived in Studio City [California], I used to walk down the street to the newspaper rack. And I'd look at all the new magazines to see if we were in anything. And there we are on the cover of [long-defunct rock magazine] Hit Parader, and it's got POISON, and it's got, like, [METALLICA frontman] James Hetfield, and it says, 'POISON versus METALLICA.' So I remember that night, I happened to go out, and I went to the [legendary rock club] Rainbow [Bar & Grill in West Hollywood]. And I didn't go to Rainbow a lot, but I went that one night, that particular night, that very day that I saw that magazine. And I used to just go get a table and hang out, and that particular night it was completely jammed. I wanted to go to the bathroom, and somebody's, like, 'Look, let me just take you to the back.' So I start going back through the restaurant, and there's [METALLICA drummer] Lars Ulrich. And I'm, 'Huh. It's POISON versus METALLICA… Are we gonna go [at it]? What's gonna happen?' And I look and I said, 'Hi.' I said, 'Lars, I've never met you. I'm Rikki.' And he goes, 'Nice to meet you.' I said, 'We're on a cover together right now. We're supposed to hate each other.' And he goes, 'Well, if we're gonna hate each other, let's at least have a drink over it.' And we wound up talking an hour and a half. He was fricking great. I was, like, 'It's the media that creates this and then it gets the fans going.' And, really, why can't you like [both POISON and METALLICA]?' That's like saying, 'I'm only gonna like horror movies. I can't watch anything else.'"

Rikki continued: "I think that we snack on lots of different things. There's lots of different buffets out there to choose from. And so I love all sorts of music, and I think most people do. And I think it sucks when somebody goes, 'Yeah, well, I have to admit that I kind of like that Madonna song.' So what if you like it? Madonna was great. What's the big deal? I like THE CARPENTERS. I mean, there's some really great music out there, and it's a shame if you cut yourself off where you only do it because you're carrying a banner. But on the flip side of all that, I think music was, has always been really great when there was some kind of a flag that people stood behind, in the sense that there would was a social movement, like the punk movement and things like that. The '60s and some of these social movements really created amazing music, and maybe that's what's missing right now, is we don't have a social movement that supports rock and roll."

Rockett's long-awaited memoir, "Ghost Notes: My Life In Poison", which was written with writer duo Leif Eriksson and Martin Svensson, will finally arrive in September via Rare Bird Books.

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

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

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

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

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

In October 2024, Rikki announced the launch of a new band called THE ROCKETT MAFIA.

On Saturday, August 22, FOO FIGHTERS joined forces with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) for a special performance celebrating Gustavo Dudamel, the beloved conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California.

FOO FIGHTERS' setlist for the concert was as follows:

01. Times Like These
02. All My Life
03. The Pretender
04. Walk
05. A320
06. My Hero
07. Learn To Fly
08. The Sky Is A Neighborhood
09. Run
10. I Should Have Known (first time since 2012)
11. Razor (first time since 2006)
12. Aurora (dedicated to Taylor Hawkins)
13. Best Of You
14. Home (first time since 2007)
15. Everlong

Fan-filmed video of the show can be seen in the YouTube playlist below. (Note: After each song, the YouTube player automatically jumps to the next song in the playlist.)

FOO FIGHTERS frontman Dave Grohl previously shared the stage with Dudamel at Coachella 2025, where he joined the Venezuelan maestro and the Los Angeles Philharmonic for powerful orchestral renditions of FOO FIGHTERS songs "The Sky Is A Neighborhood" and "Everlong" at the Outdoor Theatre of the Indio, California music festival.

Sunday night's (August 23) "A Concert For Venezuela" will mark the conclusion of Dudamel's 17 years as music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic before he moves east to helm the New York Philharmonic, the finale of four nights of "Celebrating Gustavo" at the Hollywood Bowl. "A Concert For Venezuela" will be a special fundraising concert event benefiting Dudamel's home country and those affected by the terrible earthquakes from earlier this summer.

As previously reported, FOO FIGHTERS will take a special one-off detour from their "Take Cover" global stadium tour to fill in for their friends THE PRETTY RECKLESS as special guests of AC/DC for one night only on September 8 at The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The performance brings two generations of rock's biggest live acts together for a one-night-only event, with the FOO FIGHTERS opening for the hard rock legends' St. Louis tour stop. Tickets are on sale now at LiveNation.com.

FOO FIGHTERS are currently in the midst of the North American leg of their massive "Take Cover" stadium tour and recently announced a series of South American shows to take place in early 2027.

FOO FIGHTERS' latest album, "Your Favorite Toy", came out in April via Roswell Records/RCA Records.

"Your Favorite Toy" was co-produced by FOO FIGHTERS and Oliver Roman, engineered by Oliver Roman and mixed by Mark "Spike" Stent.

"Your Favorite Toy"'s release coincided with the launch of FOO FIGHTERS' massive "Take Cover" world tour.

Michael Anthony (VAN HALEN, CHICKENFOOT, Sammy Hagar),Phil X (BON JOVI, TRIUMPH) and Kenny Aronoff (CHICKENFOOT, Sammy Hagar) played several VAN HALEN classics — including "Somebody Get Me A Doctor", "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love" and "I'm The One" — during the 2026 edition of Guitar Center's "Drum Off" finale on Thursday, August 20 at the at Fonda Theater in Los Angeles, California. Fan-filmed video of their performance can be seen below.

After nearly a decade away, the iconic "Drum-Off" competition returned to crown its next champion. Six finalists selected from thousands nationwide competed live before a panel of legendary judges, celebrity guests and a live audience. The winner received a brand endorsement, career-changing opportunities, $25,000 in cash and a complete pro-level drum, hardware and cymbal setup.

Hosted by comedian, actor and drummer Bill Burr alongside JANE'S ADDICTION's Stephen Perkins, this star-studded finale featured additional special guest appearances, surprise performances and collaborations throughout the night.

This year's finale brought together some of the most celebrated names in music to serve as judges, performers, and special guests, including Tré Cool (GREEN DAY),Josh Freese (THE VANDALS, NINE INCH NAILS, A PERFECT CIRCLE),Brad Wilk (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, AUDIOSLAVE),Adrian Young (NO DOUBT),Alex Gonzalez (MANÁ),Pocket Queen, Jay Weinberg (SLIPKNOT),Thomas Lang, Jared Falk, El Estepario Siberiano, and many more. Adding to the excitement, METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo performed live with each finalist during the competition.

"One of the best parts of what we do at Guitar Center is discovering talented musicians before the rest of the world does," said Gabe Dalporto, CEO of Guitar Center. "'Drum-Off' gives us the chance to put those players on a national stage and help launch the careers of drummers who went on to play in legendary acts such as NINE INCH NAILS, FOO FIGHTERS, ALICE COOPER and THE MARS VOLTA, and with artists like Jay-Z, Katy Perry, Prince and Beyoncé."

First launched in 1988, "Drum-Off" ran for 28 years and helped launch the careers of drummers including Tony Royster Jr. (Jay-Z, Katy Perry),Cora Coleman-Dunham (Prince, Beyoncé),Thomas Pridgen (THE MARS VOLTA),Glen Sobel (ALICE COOPER) and Ilan Rubin (NINE INCH NAILS, FOO FIGHTERS). The competition has also featured iconic drummers including Travis Barker (BLINK-182),Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),Taylor Hawkins (FOO FIGHTERS),Peter Criss (KISS) and Steve Ferrone (TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS) as judges, performers, and special guests. More than 100,000 drummers participated throughout "Drum-Off"'s history, cementing its status as one of the most influential competitions in the drumming community.

For Adrian Young, drummer for NO DOUBT and a "Drum-Off" 2026 judge, the competition represents one of the most important platforms for emerging drummers.

"'Drum-Off' has always been a place where great players can step up and be recognized," said Young. "It's exciting to see it back and to watch a new generation of drummers compete for an opportunity that can truly change the course of their careers."

The "Drum-Off" finale marked the culmination of a nationwide search that began in May, when drummers visited over 300 Guitar Center stores across the country to record and submit original three-minute audition videos. Guitar Center received over 2,600 submissions nationwide. Competitors advanced through District Finals at 24 Guitar Center locations before Regional Finals in Hollywood, Nashville, and New York City, with six finalists earning their place on the Fonda Theatre stage.

Finalists were judged on skill and technique, groove and feel, originality and creativity, stage presence, and overall performance.

The "Drum-Off" champion will receive $25,000 in cash, a complete pro-level drum, hardware and cymbal setup, a brand endorsement, a Roland electronic drum kit, and a trip to Drumeo HQ to create original content.

Guitar Center is the leading retailer of musical instruments, lessons, repairs and rentals in the U.S. With more than 300 stores nationwide and one of the top direct sales websites in the industry, Guitar Center has helped people make music for more than 60 years. Guitar Center provides a range of musician-based services, including Guitar Center Lessons for players of all ages and skill levels, GC Repairs, an on-site maintenance and repair service, and GC Rentals, offering easy access to instruments and gear. Guitar Center's family of brands includes Music & Arts, which operates more than 250 stores specializing in band and orchestral instruments for sale and rental, serving teachers, band directors, college professors, parents and students, and Musician's Friend, a leading direct marketer of musical instruments in the United States. Guitar Center Business Solutions is the company's commercial division, delivering professional audio, video, lighting and integrated technology solutions for businesses, institutions and creators nationwide through a portfolio of brands including AVDG (Audio Visual Design Group),GC Pro and Custom House at Guitar Center. The Guitar Center Music Foundation is a national nonprofit that expands access to music through instrument donations and support for communities in need.

Fan-filmed video of RUSH's entire August 21 concert at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania can be seen below.

Prior to Friday night's concert, RUSH last performed in Philadelphia on the same stage in 2015, when the venue was still known as the Wells Fargo Center.

RUSH will perform at Xfinity Mobile Arena again on Sunday, August 23.

The setlist for RUSH's August 21 concert was as follows:

01. Xanadu
02. The Spirit Of Radio
03. The Analog Kid
04. Freewill
05. Subdivisions

Neil Peart Tribute Collage 1

06. Bravado
07. Caravan
08. La Villa Strangiato
09. The Trees
10. Limelight

Set 2:

11. 2112 Part I: Overture
12. 2112 Part II: The Temples Of Syrinx
13. 2112 Part III: Discovery
14. 2112 Part IV: Presentation
15. 2112 Part V: Oracle: The Dream
16. 2112 Part VI: Soliloquy
17. 2112 Part VII: Grand Finale
18. Animate
19. Closer To The Heart
20. A Passage To Bangkok

Neil Peart Tribute Collage 2

21. Time Stand Still
22. YYZ
23. Anthem
24. Red Barchetta
25. The Garden
26. Tom Sawyer

Encore:

27. Finding My Way
28. Working Man

RUSH's "Fifty Something" tour launched on June 7 in Los Angeles. It is RUSH's first tour in over 10 years and the group's first run of shows since the 2020 death of Canadian rock legends' iconic drummer Neil Peart. The "Fifty Something" tour is also RUSH's first with the band's revamped lineup of classic members Geddy Lee (bass, vocals) and Alex Lifeson (guitar) alongside Anika Nilles, a German drummer who toured with legendary guitarist Jeff Beck in 2022, and newly added keyboardist Loren Gold, who is best known as touring member of THE WHO and CHICAGO.

In a recent interview with Chile's Radio Futuro, Alex stated about how he feels about the response to all the shows on the "Fifty Something" tour so far: "I don't know that we were quite prepared for the reaction. We thought that coming back after 11 years, being away, there were a lot of RUSH fans that were maybe unhappy with the way things sort of ended, and never thought they'd see us again. And then we started the tour, and the response has been — you go online and it's crazy. People are so excited and so happy. And looking out at our audience night to night, everyone is so joyous. Everyone is having such a good time. There's such happiness in the air, and it's a beautiful thing to experience. People are crying, and they're laughing, and they're high-fiving, and they're just getting an escape for a few hours from this crazy world. I mean, things are so nuts in the world right now, and this affords them an opportunity just to get away from that and to be together, like a community. It's really more of a family reunion than it is a concert. And we're just having a riot. We feel so comfortable and happy, and we feel well-prepared. I think we're playing as well as we can, and we're also having a riot on stage and goofing around. And Anika is so open to our craziness and really has become a part of it. And Loren is the same; Loren has a great sense of humor. So the unit is very happy. The four of us are very happy, and I think the audience feels it and really, really appreciates it."

Geddy chimed in: "I'm just having a ball. I don't think I've ever worked so hard in my life. Preparation for this tour was intense and years in the making. People think you can just walk up on stage and play three hours' worth of those songs. I've got news for you — even the guys that wrote those songs have to work really hard to perfect them. And there was no way I was gonna hit the stage unless I knew that we could play at the top of our game. I mean, that's something Neil used to always say, and that's the reason he stopped playing, was because he no longer felt he had the energy to play at the top of his game. And it's very difficult, especially for a drummer — and a singer, I might say. So, yes, I'm ecstatic that we're playing so well and that the musicians that we've chosen to join us on stage have jelled the way they have. And every night out there is — for me, I just can't wipe the smile off my face. I'm not pretending, when you see me smiling up there. It's a joyous moment for me, and I know there're only so many gigs left in my body, so I'm gonna enjoy them while I can."

Asked if there was a "schedule" and a "countdown" for Lee, Lifeson, Nilles and Gold to become fully prepared to hit the road, Alex said: "Yeah. There was a countdown, for sure. We had a schedule. We laid out what our rehearsal schedule was going to be, with an end date being in May [of 2026], that we had to get everything done by then. And 14 months, at the beginning we thought, 'Oh, that's plenty of time. We'll get it done.' The last couple of weeks were, like, 'Oh my God, we gotta really focus on this and really put it together.' And we worked hard for that whole period. It's just a lot of work to prepare."

Added Geddy: "Especially for Anika. She had to learn something like 43 songs in the course of a year, and those are not easy drum parts to learn. Those are not easy song arrangements to learn, and she was working as hard, I think, as she's ever worked on anything. And sometimes I would text her, I'd say, 'How's it going?' She lives in Germany, we're in Toronto. I'd say, 'How's it going?' And she's going, 'Oh, my hard drive is full. I'm worried that it's going to crash.' So, she would work really hard on her own. Then she would come to Toronto sporadically and we would work really hard. And I think she found it much easier to work with us in person because there's a chemistry that we have, and we can reassure her that this part is right, and this part is this long, and no, you have to play this part this way. And so she was like a sponge soaking it all up. She's a brilliant player technically, but she's also a brilliant person, and so she understood the gravity of what she was taking on, and she's able to rise above the difficulties and deliver. So, yeah, I think the last month, as Alex alluded to, we played a full show 24 nights out of 27 days. We've never worked that hard in our entire lives. And I'm thankful for it because opening night, we were all a bit of a nervous wreck. And all that rehearsal paid off. [Laughs]"

Asked if they are thinking about possibly working on new RUSH songs with the current lineup of the band, Geddy responded: "No. We have enough to do. We're still trying to remember the old songs and play them."

Geddy also elaborated on the difficult process of rehearsing the classic RUSH material with a new drummer and keyboardist, especially after not having performed any of those songs in at least a decade. He said: "We made as many mistakes as [Anika] made, so that made her happy every time we rehearsed. [Laughs] And we all have these expressions now when we were making a mistake in the studio or whatever, we just look at each other, like, shock, made a mistake. One of the things I said to her and Loren before the tour started, I said, 'Look, these are complicated songs. You are going to make a mistake.' I said, 'It's not about the mistake. It's about how you recover from the mistake. So just play. Just keep playing and don't worry. There might be a bump in the road, but we'll just work around it and carry on.' And I think it helped them relax a little bit, because it's kind of scary arrangements. They're very complicated, and if you didn't write them, you have to learn them, and it's very different. When you write a part, it's automatically in your DNA. You understand it inside out. But when you're coming to it to learn it as an outsider, you try to break it down into the laws of music, and our songs don't adhere to the laws of music strictly. So it can be very intimidating and challenging. And so I think [Anika] appreciated face to face of being able to work out those parts. I remember when we talked about learning 'A Farewell To Kings', and it was that daunting middle section that's… And she's very mathematical, so she's breaking it down into time signatures and I'm going, 'Well, I just play the riff over and over again until it's over.' So I said, 'Don't worry about it. Figure it out, 6/8, 7/8, whatever you think, a bar of four here. You figure it out. When you get together with Alex and I, we'll bash it around and it will feel second nature to you.' And that's how it comes together. And so I think that helped her relax a little bit to know that her two crazy uncles are out there, and we've got her back. 'We've got you. Don't worry. We'll get you through all the tough parts.'"

RUSH's setlist for "Fifty Something" is culled from a pool of more than 40 RUSH classics, with the band playing two sets a night that celebrate late RUSH drummer Neil Peart's life and legacy.

The 2026 leg of the "Fifty Something" tour, which will cover Canada, USA and Mexico, initially consisted of 22 dates, which sold out immediately, prompting the addition of more shows. The tour now totals 58 shows across 24 cities, with over half a million tickets sold for 2026.

In February, RUSH announced the addition of South America and Europe tour dates to the "Fifty Something" tour, in early 2027. The dates will be the first time the band has played in Europe since 2013 and 17 years since visiting South America.

RUSH performed in public with Nilles for the first time at Canada's Juno Awards in Hamilton, Ontario in late March. They played "Finding My Way", the first song from RUSH's first album, the band's only LP not to feature Peart.

The Juno Awards performance was Lee and Lifeson's first as RUSH since they finished their 40th-anniversary tour in 2015, although they have performed under their own names on occasion, including tributes to legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot and Taylor Hawkins of the FOO FIGHTERS.

Peart died in January 2020 after a three-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 67 years old.

RUSH waited three days to announce Peart's passing, setting off shockwaves and an outpouring of grief from fans and musicians all over the world.