Fan-filmed video of VENOM's June 5 performance at this year's edition of the Sweden Rock Festival, which is being held in Sölvesborg, Sweden, can be seen below.

VENOM's latest studio album, "Into Oblivion", came out on May 1 via Noise/BMG.

"Into Oblivion" is VENOM's sixteenth studio album and features the long-standing lineup of Conrad "Cronos" Lant on bass/vocals, Rage (a.k.a. Stuart Dixon) on guitar and Danté (a.k.a. Danny Needham) on drums, and marks VENOM's first new recordings since 2018's "Storm The Gates" LP.

"Into Oblivion" consists of thirteen songs that are signature VENOM: heavy, evil and catchy. There's a combination of the band's classic 1980s sound adjacent to a more modern, progressive approach but without losing any of their fire and brimstone of old.

The album has been in the works for some years now, but a number of factors held back its completion until now; the COVID pandemic, recording setbacks and the hunger to nail it to perfection, but in the words of Cronos: "This album has really pushed the boundaries, but if you want to make a killer album, you pay for it in blood, sweat and tears."

There are now three different bands using variations of the VENOM name for their live shows. In addition to the new collaboration between Jeff "Mantas" Dunn and Anthony "Abaddon" Bray, VENOM's iconic co-founders — who recently announced that they will celebrate the 45th anniversary of VENOM's classic debut album, 1981's "Welcome To Hell", at various festivals in 2026, including Germany's Keep It True — there is the Cronos-fronted version of VENOM, in which he is the sole remaining member from the band's classic era, and there is VENOM INC., which is led by Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan, who was a member of VENOM between 1989 and 1992, appearing on the albums "Prime Evil" (1989),"Temples Of Ice" (1991) and "The Waste Lands" (1992).

In June 2024, Cronos filed a lawsuit against Abaddon and Plastic Head Music Distribution Ltd in which he accused the distributor of selling merchandise with Lant's copyrighted VENOM designs and Bray of approving the infringement through a licensing agreement. The dispute revolved around the fact that both parties were licensing and selling official VENOM merchandise featuring the contested designs.

According to Law360.com, Lant testified in court last year that he joined VENOM in late 1979 and came up with the Satanic-themed designs used in the band's logo and album covers, which included goat heads, pentagrams and inverted crosses. Bray filed a counterclaim for infringement against Lant and Lant's distributor, Razmataz.com Ltd., arguing that Bray was the real author of the works. Because Lant was able to produce numerous sketches which demonstrated his design process and Bray was unable to do the same, Bray was deemed the owner of the original logo, while Lant was found to be the creator and copyright owner of all but one of the other artistic works in dispute.

VENOM's classic lineup trio of Dunn, Lant and Bray recorded four studio LPs, "Welcome To Hell" (1981),"Black Metal" (1982),"At War With Satan" (1984) and "Possessed" (1985),and live album, "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (1986). Often cited by bands such as METALLICA, BEHEMOTH, CELTIC FROST and MAYHEM as major influences, they are one of the most revered bands of their generation.

In the seven-minute video below, Tom Morello, SYSTEM OF A DOWN singer Serj Tankian and the RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist's 15-year-old son, Roman Morello, discuss the making of their new collaborative single, "Adjourn It". Tom said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "What inspired us to create the song together, the 'Adjourn It' song together, were two things. One is my longstanding relationship with Serj. We've worked on a number of songs through the years, played many shows together through the years, have had political organizations together. Also, Roman Morello's my kid, and so he's trapped at home, and I steal his riffs to make songs all the time, as I have done with the song 'Adjourn It'.'

Roman said: "When he first showed me the song, I was, like, 'Wait a second. That kind of sounds familiar. Where'd you get that riff?' And it turns out he stole it from my voice memos on my computer. But it's just an honor to be part of this project. And with the political message, I think they said it great. And it's just really great to be part of this.

"Back when I was littler, I didn't really know what my dad did for work," Roman added. "When I first actually saw the effect that he had on people and the effect that he had on music, I really started to take inspiration from him and really research into what he does and learn what he's done in the past and the political messages that he conveys to millions of people around the world."

Tom continued: "The idea to create a song like this came up during the DHS and ICE raids in Los Angeles, when the streets of L.A. were being terrorized by Gestapo-like tactics, people combing through the neighborhoods, businesses having to shut down, children being abducted from school — an absolute reign of terror on our city. And I thought, 'We have to do what we can while we can with what we can.' And with us, that's making music."

Serj chimed in: "Like [Tom] said, we've done a lot of songs together, a lot of projects, and been friends for a long time. And this disturbed all of us. It's still disturbing all of us, the kind of tactics that have been used by the administration in cracking down on families, separating families, and children without parents. I mean, I read that there's 27,000 children whose parents have been deported. And it's really a trauma for this country. And we have to learn how to deal with these things the right way. We have to learn how to stand up to fascism in the right way. And so this is a great way for us to do. This is what we do. We do music."

Tom explained: "Roman has been going to protests with his brother Rhoads and our family since they were very, very little. It's been a part of the fabric of our lives. It's just sort of what we do. And so it's very natural that it should come into our music as well.

"One thing I will say about Roman here is he is a tremendously talented guitar player," Tom added. "He started playing during the pandemic. I didn't start playing until I was 17 years old. He started playing at — what? — eight or nine, something like that, and really advanced quickly. He's got a natural ability. I had to fight hard for every scrap of it. He seems to be able to do it very, very naturally. But the thing that was the big surprise was he was able to write riffs that felt like they had the Morello DNA in them, but they're not riffs that I would have thought of. So it's like having a great bandmate who you kind of go, like, 'That's a kick-ass riff. It sounds kind of like something I should've thought of.' [Laughs] And that was very much the case with — the main riff in the song 'Adjourn It' is one that was written by Roman Morello."

Clips from the film "Salt Of The Earth" (1954) are woven throughout the "Adjourn It" video to reflect the song's theme of resistance in the face of prejudice and injustice. The film is based on a true story of Mexican-American miners fighting against labor exploitation, racism, and institutional oppression, and was made by three Hollywood executives blacklisted for their political beliefs. It stars real zinc miners and was one of the first ever truly independent films. "Salt Of The Earth" was a powerful act of defiance in its time and more than half a century later, its themes continue to echo through today's political climate. "Adjourn It" channels the defiant legacy of the film reinforcing the importance of solidarity in bringing people together against fear and division.

Morello is kicking off a summer 2026 European tour with festival appearances at Sweden Rock Festival on June 4, Rock Im Park on June 5 and Rock Am Ring on June 6. There are also stops at Nova Rock on June 11, Rock For People on June 12 and Download on June 14. Other stops include Graspop Metal Meeting on June 18, Hellfest on June 20 and Pinkpop on June 21. Morello's 2026 touring schedule wraps up with Newport Folk on July 26, Louder Than Life on September 19 and Power To The People on October 3.

Morello has a long history of organizing activism-oriented events over three decades and continues to be a leading voice for social justice causes and human rights across the country and around the world. In addition to his solo work with THE NIGHTWATCHMAN and his role in RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and AUDIOSLAVE, Morello remains one of modern rock's most influential guitarists and outspoken activists.

Grammy-winning, Harvard-educated, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame- and Metal Hall Of Fame-inducted artist, songwriter, and activist Tom Morello is living proof of the transformative power of rock'n'roll. Known for his innovative guitar work and socially conscious songwriting, Morello rose to prominence as a founding member of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and AUDIOSLAVE — two groundbreaking bands responsible for multiple Grammy Awards and more than 30 million albums sold worldwide. Rolling Stone named him No. 18 on its "Greatest Guitar Players Of All Time" list, and his career has spanned music, activism, film, theater, graphic novels, radio, television, and philanthropy. Whether on stage, at rallies, or on picket lines, Morello continues to use music as a force for unity and change.

In a new interview with Matty Roberts of the Percussion Discussion podcast, former MOTÖRHEAD and current SCORPIONS drummer Mikkey Dee was asked how he keeps his drumming chops up when he is not touring. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I do different projects… I play drums when I'm off, yes. But right now, the body, actually, after a long tour with SCORPS, it's important for your body to rest also — your shoulders, your elbows, your wrists. But I am doing some shows with 'Mikkey Dee With Friends'; we're out playing some stuff. And I do session work… And so I try to play as much as I can, but also I need the rest for it.

"I think I'm way more mature on my drums," he explained. "The routine I have, the lack of physical power you compensate with routine and knowledge, if you will. And I compare this to ice hockey as well, because when you were 20, you had so much physical ability, you were skating all over the place like a fucking moron. And then when you meet the older guys, old pros and stuff, they spend maybe 40% of their energy because they are at the right place at the right time all the time. While we were skating 100% just to make it to these areas and to be right, but they already know that. Why do they do that? Well, because they have the routine and knowledge where to be on the ice. Same as a drummer. I know where to back off today. I know where I can push. I feel so much more secure behind the drums."

Mikkey added: "I told the SCORPIONS boys, I said, when I joined them [a decade ago], I said, 'I don't do fuck-ups.' And they were laughing, and I said, 'No, no, I'm serious. I never fuck up.' 'Yeah, yeah, Mikkey. We understand. It's okay. It's no problem. Everyone fucks up.' I said, 'I don't,' because I don't. I don't fuck up. I do my homework, and I know by the time I sit behind the drum kit, I don't fuck up. And that's because of routine. You know how to prepare yourself. You do your homework in the right way."

Dee continued: "You don't have to have the same energy when you are 15, 20, 25 years old anymore. I hit the drums with a different approach. You don't need that much muscle and energy. You have a different snap in a way. So, it compensates. And I try to stay fit, and I stay the fuck away from drugs, and I drink only beer. And so my hair keeps growing, and that's about it. And I play a lot of hockey when I can, and I do sports and try to live a decent life. And keeping up on my drums. And that's all I have to do, really, to stay on the level that I wanna be."

Earlier this year, Dee announced more than a dozen European shows for 2026 where he will perform some of MOTÖRHEAD's classic songs with THE DRIPPERS members Viktor Skatt on bass and vocals, and Stig William Rickard on guitar.

A Swede of Greek descent, Mikkey has been known for his speed and precision since his mid-1980s stint with KING DIAMOND. After moving to Copenhagen to play with GEISHA in 1985, Dee joined KING DIAMOND, who were looking for additional members to complete their lineup. Dee played on the KING DIAMOND recordings "Fatal Portrait" (1986),"Abigail" (1987) and "Them", and continued to play as a session drummer for the recording sessions of the "Conspiracy" album (1989),after which he was replaced. He joined Don Dokken for his solo album, "Up From The Ashes" (1990),with the music videos for the songs "Stay" and "Mirror Mirror" receiving airplay on MTV's "Headbangers Ball". The band headlined their own tour, as well as opened for JUDAS PRIEST. During this time, Dee also filled in a short time playing for WORLD WAR THREE (WWIII).

Lemmy had been repeatedly asking Mikkey to join MOTÖRHEAD since 1985, and in 1992, when asked once again, Dee accepted the offer, replacing Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor. Dee's first gig with the band was on August 30, 1992 at Saratoga Performing Arts Center.

Dee has been a member of the SCORPIONS since 2016, having joined the band in the wake of MOTÖRHEAD's untimely dissolution following Lemmy's death. To date, Dee has only played on one of the band's albums, 2022's "Rock Believer".

Canadian rock legends RUSH kicked off their first tour in 11 years Sunday night (June 7) in Los Angeles, California. The band's first trek since the passing of iconic RUSH drummer Neil Peart is launching with a four-night stand at the Forum, the same venue that was the site of RUSH's last concert with Peart in August 2015.

The "Fifty Something" tour is RUSH's first with the band's revamped lineup of classic members Geddy Lee (vocals, bass) 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.

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

The setlist for RUSH's June 7, 2026 concert at Kia Forum in Los Angeles was as follows:

(Tape) Where's Rush?
01. Xanadu (first time as show opener)
02. Limelight (first time since 2013)
03. Far Cry (with touring band introductions)
04. Subdivisions
05. Freewill (first time since 2011)
(Tape) Neil Peart Tribute Collage 1
06. Bravado (first time since 2013, dedicated to Neil Peart)
07. Caravan (first time since 2013)
08. La Villa Strangiato (first time since 2011)
09. Vital Signs (first time since 2011)
10. The Spirit Of Radio

Set 2:

(Tape) Countdown
11. 2112 Part I: Overture
12. 2112 Part II: The Temples Of Syrinx
13. 2112 Part VII: Grand Finale
14. Distant Early Warning
15. Red Barchetta
16. Dreamline (first time since 2013)
(Tape) Bird-dy Lee Sketch
17. Natural Science
(Tape) Neil Peart Tribute Collage 2
18. Time Stand Still (with Aimee Mann) (first time since 2011)
19. Red Sector A (first time since 2013)
20. YYZ
21. The Garden (first time since 2013)
(Tape) "South Park" Intro
22. Tom Sawyer

Encore:

23. By-Tor & The Snow Dog (first time since 2004)
24. Working Man
(Tape) Neil Peart Tribute

In a recent issue of U.K.'s Classic Rock magazine, Lee explained why he and Lifeson decided to tour under the RUSH name in 2026 without Peart. Admitting that the issue was a hot topic of debate within the RUSH camp, Lee said: "What else do you fucking call it?

"When the band ended, we said it's only RUSH with Neil in it," he continued. "Which, of course, is true. RUSH as most people know it. But, you know, over five gigs we will be playing forty RUSH songs. So what the fuck should we call it, IRON MAIDEN?"

Having gotten the blessing from Peart's family for Lee and Lifeson to tour under the RUSH name once again, Geddy said that it was natural for them to go use the moniker that they have had for more than five decades.

"We were twisting ourselves into a pretzel to try to avoid using the name that we have had for fifty years, and even before Neil came," Lee said.

"It just seems silly to go on as 'Lee And Lifeson Present The Music Of…'" Lee concluded. "Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Let's just be who we are and have been for over fifty years."

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.

Performing 24 shows across 13 European countries, these special "evening with" shows will find the band playing two sets each night. Each show will feature a distinct selection of songs and RUSH will build each night's setlist from a catalog of more than 40 songs, including their greatest hits and fan favorites.

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.

In an interview with producer and YouTuber Rick Beato, Geddy and Alex confirmed that RUSH will play, over the course of four shows in a particular city, 38 different songs from the band's vast catalog. Asked if there will be tracks from every RUSH record, Geddy responded: "I haven't checked. I have not checked. I don't think every record is represented, and some are over-represented for kind of obvious reasons. And what's interesting, and one of the reasons I really wanted to go out on tour is there's so many fan letters and messages I get from fans that became young musicians after our last gig. And they really would love to hear some of those songs. And so that's an opportunity for them, and, of course, they're not fortunate enough to hear Neil play those songs, but we'll do our best to make them happy."

Regarding the preparation for the "Fifty Something" tour, Alex said: "Well, that's the difference. In the past, we would plan a couple of months maybe, six weeks, on our own. We'd have a list of about four hours' worth of music. Then we'd sort of whittle it down to what the show would probably be. And then we would have a month together. So you've already prepped, and then we're together for a month, and then we would go into full production somewhere in an arena somewhere for maybe 10 days, and then the tour would start. So we have the benefit of four months, basically, of prep. This time around, Anika had to learn all these songs."

Geddy chimed in: "And one important thing that goes unmentioned is when you're preparing for a tour, when we would prepare for a tour with Neil, we're working really on new material that we just recorded, because the old stuff we knew. For this tour, we're starting from scratch and we're really teaching an incredibly talented, exciting drummer that comes from a very different school of music how to understand 40 songs from this weird, idiosyncratic band. That's a horse of an entirely different color. And that was difficult, but also exciting because when all the tumblers fall into place and she gets the vibe and she's feeling it, and her and I are playing together, and we're smiling. And it's, like, 'Oh, this is gonna be so much fun.' And she's embraced it. She's an amazing talent, but she's such a great person. She's got the right attitude. She works hard. She's not afraid to work hard. And she loves to play the same way we love to play, so we have that in common. Maybe every musician has that — I don't know; I imagine so — but it's been good for us to be around… And she brings something fresh. She brings a different story to our story. And I think that's really nice. And I think our fans have responded to the fact that we didn't get someone from another famous band and all that, 'Well, you should've got this guy or that guy.' This is a whole different feeling. It's non-competitive. And we're very lucky, 'cause she's the only drummer we thought of. We tried out one drummer."

Alex continued: "And after this time together, we've really bonded. It's not just about playing the songs and learning the music and playing it; it's about really falling in love with each other. And there's such a strong feeling, a joyful feeling of working together, playing together, and it just gets better and better and better as we progress with the songs. Now that we're at the stage where we're just playing everything and starting to get our pacing, it's just so much fun. We just can't wait every day to get back in here and do it."

Geddy added: "We added one song, one extra song recently. And she freaked out. I knew she would freak out, but she freaked out. She said, 'My hard drive is full.' And this song has a lot of complicated time signature changes. And so we made a deal. We pulled two songs out in exchange for this one song. She said, 'Okay.' [Laughs] But she's up for it. And that's a very difficult seat to sit in. And some people will never forgive us for going on with somebody else. And she has the guts to sit in that seat, to accept that gig and take whatever fans are gonna dish out. And that's not a small thing. That's a huge thing. And it's not out of arrogance. It's out of confidence and respect for Neil. When you hear her talk about Neil, she really understands and appreciates his greatness. And none of this that happens is diminishing his greatness by one iota."

Nilles, who has more than 275,000 subscribers on YouTube, toured with English rocker Jeff Beck in 2022 and was praised in 2023 by Lee, who told The Guardian at the time: "She played on the last Jeff Beck tour, and I thought she was terrific."

Nilles's official Instagram account, which is filled with her drumming videos, boasts more than 485,000 followers.

In a recent interview with Classic Rock magazine, Anika stated about Neil: "His playing was very energetic, and I really like that. That's something I feel very comfortable with. I also love playing in a very energetic way. That's the first thing that comes to mind, and something I really appreciate about his playing. He also had an incredible range of tonal colors. He had a very melodic approach to drumming and used a wide variety of sounds to achieve that. That set him apart and made him stand out to many drummers, for whom he was — and still is — a role model. He had a very distinctive way of playing the ride cymbal. When you listen to the music, that cymbal always stands out prominently. He had a very distinctive snare sound as well. There are certain signature sounds that come directly from his playing — not from the equipment, but from him. You recognize him immediately. Adapting to his way of playing is a challenge."

"Neil rarely repeated himself," she continued. "He kept bringing something new into the song. Even if a section repeated in terms of songwriting, his drumming the second time was different from the first. That makes it exciting and is part of what gives the songs their identity. At the same time, it's a challenge to remember all those details, because they're important. It's a composition; you can't just ignore certain parts, they're all essential and have to be played. That's challenging."

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.

The pioneering electronic dance act LORDS OF ACID has released its second single of 2026. "Dream Boy" is described by the group as "a dark trip through the streets of Necropolis, where addiction feels like salvation and nightmares wear a beautiful disguise."

The song is built as a dialogue between desperation and seduction: a broken soul screaming from inside the chaos, while vocalist Carla Harvey (ex-BUTCHER BABIES) answers like a dangerous angel floating through the smoke.

"'Dream Boy' isn't about judging addiction," LORDS OF ACID continue. "It's about understanding the pain, loneliness and emptiness that drive people toward it in the first place. We wanted the verses to feel raw and claustrophobic, almost like a panic attack, while the reggae-inspired chorus drifts like a hallucination you never want to wake up from. The line 'Dream boy, keep on floating in the sun' sounds warm and beautiful at first, until you realize it's about somebody slowly disappearing in plain sight. It is one of the darkest songs we have ever written, but underneath the shadows there's still a message of human connection, desire and the search for a real high that doesn't destroy you."

"Dream Boy" follows the recently released "Karaoke Superstar", a tongue-in-cheek collaboration with the hit-making U.S. vocalist and DJ Princess Superstar. It saw the group in full theatrical mode on a hyper-sexual, neon-drenched industrial, metal, acid dance anthem inspired by Japanese game show chaos, underground fetish culture and the absurdity of pop stardom.

Both tracks will appear on a long-awaited seventh LORDS OF ACID album in late 2026 that is set to feature other notable guest vocalists as well as the powerhouse voice of Harvey, the reigning "Acid Queen". Renowned for her commanding stage presence, the distinctive U.S. singer joined the group in early 2025, having previously been in the metal band BUTCHER BABIES.

LORDS OF ACID have maintained an intensive live schedule and are currently midway through a "Cheeky Freaky Tour" of the U.S. that runs until the end of May.

Formed in Antwerp, Belgium in 1988, LORDS OF ACID are recognized as one of the most influential acts to emerge from the hard-edged electronic dance music scene of that era. Adopting and adapting underground club culture aesthetics fom the off, they blended techno, acid house and industrial music with provocative lyrics on themes of sexuality, drug use and hedonism. Debuting with the classic New Beat single "I Sit On Acid", their debut album, "Lust", appeared in 1991 and was followed periodically by further releases that saw the group become a staple of the Billboard dance and alternative charts. Having built a substantial global following while maintaining a multi-decade touring career, LORDS OF ACID remain one of their genre's most recognizable and enduring names.

At this weekend's Sonic Temple festival in Columbus, Ohio, POP EVIL frontman Leigh Kakaty was asked by Ronni Hunter of the 99.7 The Blitz radio station if he and his bandmates have commenced work on material for the follow-up to 2025's "What Remains" album. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've been kind of putting everything on the back burner. This way that bands release music now is totally different than, obviously, when we started. It feels like we just released this record, but we start actually writing here in the next few weeks. So we're excited. Obviously, with Joey ['Chicago' Walser, POP EVIL bassist] and Blake [Allison, POP EVIL drummer], even before they joined the band, we had had a discussion — I think this is around 2018 — and I was, like… 'Cause I've done most of the writing my whole career, and I'm really excited to... You can only write the same kind of melodies for so long, and you're, like, 'Hey, I want some new energy.' And sometimes when you work with other producers, they're not touring guys. They produce. But when we'd have those conversations, it was, like, 'Joey and Blake, let's get together and do some writing.' So we had talked about it in years past. We were kind of teeing it up, and then, of course, we had some band member changes, and next thing you know, they're a part of the band. But things happened so fast, we dabbled a bit in the writing together the past couple records, but not the way that we're really planning. Now is the right time for the band."

Leigh continued: "The last album was a little more personal for me. I had to get some of the personal stuff out to move forward. And it's rare, but sometimes the music is more about you than the fans. And this album... We're about to do the ninth. So the eighth album was more about me. So I'm excited that's behind me. I wore a lot of weight for a lot of years here in this project. And the way the rest of the band embraced me and just said, 'Look, you need to do this. Let's get this out and roll from there.' But now it's time to kind of… For the first time in a long time, I really don't know what we're gonna write this record. And that's exciting. 'Cause we don't wanna have any preconceived plan. We wanna just kind of dive in and see where it goes. And having Joey and Blake — [he's] been in the band now for almost five years here, for Blake now — it feels like now we can talk about with this lineup. We really feel like this is the best lineup POP EVIL's ever had, and we're in the best space, certainly the healthiest space, we've ever been in. And I think only then, especially in this environment that is rock and metal, it's very competitive, it's very tough, that you need to be solid internally. So I think that we have the best shot to grow and to move forward and to put out the best version of ourselves in whatever this next chapter is for POP EVIL. And we're here for it, man. We're excited."

To mark the first anniversary of "What Remains", POP EVIL released "What Remains (Midnight Edition)" this past March. "What Remains (Midnight Edition)" expanded the album's powerful legacy with new material, including "The Decay" and a studio-refined reimagining of the iconic 1980s anthem "Don't You (Forget About Me)", reimagined through POP EVIL's unmistakable modern-rock lens.

Originally released as POP EVIL's most uncompromising and emotionally exposed body of work to date, "What Remains" stands as both a sonic reckoning and a personal confession. Heavier, darker, and more direct than anything the band has released before, the album channels arena-ready modern rock and metal into a deeply introspective narrative, with Kakaty laying bare the truths, scars, and battles that shaped his life.

With "What Remains (Midnight Edition)", POP EVIL completed a full creative arc, stripping away armor, confronting the past, and standing firmly in the present. It is a reckoning with who Kakaty was, who he is now, and who he's determined to become. More than an anniversary release, the "Midnight Edition" solidified "What Remains" as the definitive POP EVIL statement, unflinching, unapologetic, and impossible to ignore.

Photo credit: Nick Fancher

David Vincent (I AM MORBID, TERRORIZER, VLTIMAS, ex-MoRBID ANGEL),Diva Satanica (BLOODHUNTER, ex-NERVOSA) and Blake "Bulldözer" Arendell (a.k.a. Blake Arenvurst; INTERCEPTOR) are among the guest musicians who joined Jeff "Mantas" Dunn and Anthony "Abaddon" Bray, iconic co-founders of the pioneering black metal band VENOM, to celebrate the 45th anniversary of VENOM's classic debut album, 1981's "Welcome To Hell", at the 2026 edition of Pitfest on June 5, 2026 in in Emmen, Netherlands. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

Last October, Mantas and Abaddon spoke to Canada's The Metal Voice about the fact that there are now three different bands using variations of the VENOM band name. In addition to their new collaboration, there is the Conrad "Cronos" Lant-fronted version of VENOM, in which Cronos is the sole remaining member from the band's classic era, and there is VENOM INC., which is led by bassist/vocalist Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan, who was a member of VENOM between 1989 and 1992, appearing on the albums "Prime Evil" (1989),"Temples Of Ice" (1991) and "The Waste Lands" (1992). Mantas said in part: "I'm just gonna speak the truth, the absolute truth. I'm the founder member [of VENOM]. If there's a co-founder, it's Abaddon. Cronos was the last one to join. Everyone knows that. I wrote all the early material, blah, blah, blah. And at this very moment in time, the way I look at it is there isn't a VENOM out there. There's bands out there who are playing VENOM material. And that's the honest way that I look at it."

Regarding why he and Abaddon chose to reteam for these shows right now, Mantas said: "Myself and Abaddon, we said, 'Look, why don't we just do something to celebrate this fucking band?' And that's all we're doing. It's a celebration of 'Welcome To Hell', 45 years of that album. And this stupid fucking band has missed every major anniversary in its history. We've never celebrated an anniversary of this band. So I spoke to the guys at Keep It True, Oliver Weinsheimer in particular, the owner of the festival. And I said, 'Right, here's an idea. Why don't we get some special guests, people who have been influenced by the band? All that kind of thing.' And he said, 'Great. Let's do it.' So that's how it all came about… So, yeah, if nobody else will do it, we're gonna go out and celebrate this band."

Asked what band name he and Abaddon would perform under, Mantas said: "As far as I'm concerned, there's no fucking name to it. There's Abaddon's VENOM logo, which is his. And underneath it, it says, 'Mantas and Abaddon.' And then special guests. And that's what we're doing."

Elaborating on the reasons he and Abaddon have chosen to play the VENOM music together again, Mantas said: "I know it's not gonna be the PANTERA thing, and I know it's not a fucking KISS reunion or anything like that, but this band has had, for whatever reason, and it still amazes me to this day, but this band has had so much influence on the metal scene from day one, especially when that album ['Welcome To Hell'] came out. And then [VENOM's second album] 'Black Metal' — black metal, as a genre, is still alive and kicking today. Extreme metal is around, people say, because of us."

On the topic of the response from VENOM fans to the announcement of the "Welcome To Hell" celebration concerts, Mantas said: "Every comment I've seen so far, 90 percent has been really, really positive. Like, 'Great. Go for it, guys,' all this kind of stuff. Then you get the one, 'Oh, no Cronos, no VENOM.' It's, like, okay, listen to me right now. You can you imagine the most toxic relationship and the most stressful relationship you've ever had in your fucking life, and now go back and invite it back in. And that's what we tried to do.

"If everybody knew the real reason I left in 1986, you wouldn't even fucking look at that guy again. All these people who say that about Cronos and stuff like that, yes, he was a part of the band. I appreciate that. He didn't write all the fucking early material. He didn't found the band. He was the last person to join.

"If you were having problems with your wife and you put it on the fucking Internet, I would never go, 'Oh, yeah, well, I know what's going on,' because you don't — you don't know the personalities of the people involved in it," Mantas explained. "All you see from the outside is a band. I mean, I love KISS. I love JUDAS PRIEST. Now there's fucking problems with K.K. [Downing] and all the rest of fucking PRIEST. There's problems with Ace [Frehley] and fucking Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley] and Peter [Criss], but we don't know what's really gone on. And it's, like, yeah, I tell you what, get back in your mom's basement. Eat your fucking microwave meal and play your video games. This is ridiculous to comment on people's careers. And that's the way I feel about it. And all I'm saying is that myself and Abaddon, as the two original members of VENOM, we're gonna go out and we're gonna celebrate this band and its music. And that's it. Nothing more, nothing less."

Abaddon also offered his opinion on the VENOM name issue, saying: "My take on that is very straightforward. If you've got three bands using the word VENOM to sell the music… Originally, VENOM were a three-piece. Unless you've got two members of that three-piece, you can't call it VENOM because it's Cronos and some other blokes, or it's Dolan and some other blokes. If you've got me and Jeff, you've got two-thirds of the original fucking band. That's as straightforward as you can get."

In August, Mantas and Abaddon reached out to their loyal fans — the "Legions" — for support in a legal battle against Cronos. Since 2023, Mantas and Abaddon had fought to resolve two critical issues: securing recognition for their contributions to VENOM's legendary artwork and claiming their rightful share of merchandise profits from albums they co-wrote and performed, including "Welcome To Hell" (1981),"Black Metal" (1982),"At War With Satan" (1984) and "Possessed" (1985). Now in their 60s, Mantas and Abaddon sought a fair resolution to ensure their families benefit from VENOM's enduring legacy, which helped define the black metal genre. "We're simply asking for what is rightfully ours," they said in a joint statement. "After decades of avoidable conflict, we want peace and closure."

Despite efforts to resolve the dispute amicably, the duo had been forced to pursue legal action, incurring significant personal and financial costs.

The legal battle intensified in June 2024, with Cronos suing Abaddon and Plastic Head Music Distribution Ltd, accusing the distributor of selling merchandise with Lant's copyrighted VENOM designs and Bray of approving the infringement through a licensing agreement. The dispute revolved around the fact that both parties were licensing and selling official VENOM merchandise featuring the contested designs.

According to Law360.com, Lant testified in court that he joined VENOM in late 1979 and came up with the Satanic-themed designs used in the band's logo and album covers, which included goat heads, pentagrams and inverted crosses.

Bray filed a counterclaim for infringement against Lant and Lant's distributor, Razmataz.com Ltd., arguing that Bray was the real author of the works.

Because Lant was able to produce numerous sketches which demonstrated his design process and Bray was unable to do the same, Bray was deemed the owner of the original logo, while Lant was found to be the creator and copyright owner of all but one of the other artistic works in dispute.Nearly a decade ago, Dunn formed VENOM INC. with Bray and Dolan.

In December 2024, approximately eight months after suffering his second heart attack, Dunn announced that he was leaving VENOM INC., explaining in a statement that his "health and wellbeing are of paramount importance to myself and my family," but adding that "there are also more personal issues which have influenced my decision."

Dunn suffered his first heart attack in May 2018 and underwent a double bypass surgery.

Mantas sat out VENOM INC.'s fall 2023 U.S. tour after revealing that his wife had been diagnosed with cancer. He was replaced on the trek by Mike Hickey, known for his work with VENOM, CARCASS, CATHEDRAL and CRONOS.

VENOM INC. is not to be confused with the Lant-fronted version of VENOM, which is continuing to tour and make albums under the VENOM moniker. Joining Cronos in that group are Rage (a.k.a. Stuart Dixon) on guitar and Danté (a.k.a. Danny Needham) on drums.

VENOM's classic lineup trio of Dunn, Lant and Bray recorded four studio LPs, "Welcome To Hell" (1981),"Black Metal" (1982),"At War With Satan" (1984) and "Possessed" (1985),and live album, "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (1986). Often cited by bands such as METALLICA, BEHEMOTH, CELTIC FROST and MAYHEM as major influences, they are one of the most revered bands of their generation. VENOM is still fronted by Cronos and headlines festivals all over the globe and continues to release new music while Dunn and Dolan had joined forces in the similarly named VENOM INC.

Abaddon was part of VENOM's classic lineup from 1978 to 1992. He then returned to the band in 1995 and stayed with them for four years before joining VENOM INC. alongside Dunn and Dolan. VENOM INC. released its debut album, "Avé", in August 2017. A year later, VENOM INC. revealed that it was recruiting Jeramie Kling of the Tampa-based melodic death metal band THE ABSENCE to fill in for Bray on a European tour while Abaddon stayed home to spend time with his newborn daughter.

Dunn, Bray and Dolan released the aforementioned three albums as VENOM: "Prime Evil", "Temples Of Ice" and "The Waste Lands".

In September 2022, Bray revealed that he had been diagnosed with lymphoma.

Hard rock legends DEEP PURPLE have released a new single, "Diablo" today. The new track is the latest taste of "Splat!", DEEP PURPLE's new studio album, due out on July 3 via earMUSIC.

"Diablo" follows "Arrogant Boy", the first single from "Splat!" and opens the door to one of DEEP PURPLE's surreal new story worlds: the most dangerous place on earth, where a heroine crosses a river, jumps into a fighting pit, celebrates with a bucket of wine, falls into the glitter pool and somehow makes it back home with a tale to tell. "Diablo" is a classic DEEP PURPLE rocker — the kind of hard rock track that lives from the riff, the groove and the band chemistry captured in the studio.

On the new single, DEEP PURPLE is joined by a special guest, global superstar and Grammy-winning guitarist, singer and songwriter Keith Urban on second guitar.

The official music video, featuring DEEP PURPLE performing, will premiere on earMUSIC's YouTube channel on Sunday, June 7 at 20:00 CEST. Fans joining the premiere will be able to chat with DEEP PURPLE's Roger Glover.

DEEP PURPLE frontman Ian Gillan says of "Diablo": "It is all about taking chances. Just for once in your life, do something exciting, step out of the mould, take that curious bend in the road instead of sticking to the highway and do something that will, for the rest of your life, either guide or warn you."

"Splat!" has already received enthusiastic first fan and media reactions, with early press praising the album's DEEP PURPLE spirit. Uncut calls "Splat!" "distilled, high-octane PURPLE at its finest". Classic Rock praises the album for delivering "everything that makes DEEP PURPLE one of the greatest acts in hard rock."

DEEP PURPLE is gearing up for a major run of European summer dates, starting next week in Finland, followed by shows in Norway, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland and Italy before the "Splat!" world tour heads to North America.

The upcoming touring schedule includes 86 shows across 28 countries.

Tickets are available via DEEP PURPLE's official web site.

"Splat!" is available for pre-order in multiple formats including CD, vinyl, and limited editions. Further exclusive fan items are only available on the official "Splat!" shop.

With more than 120 million albums sold since forming in 1968, DEEP PURPLE have long secured their place in rock history. Rather than simply preserving their legacy, they continue to extend it, driven by the same spirit that defined their earliest work.

Says Gillan: "Where we are now with this incarnation of DEEP PURPLE feels very much like a very 'now' version of DEEP PURPLE as it was in the '70s."

Once again, the band has teamed up with renowned producer Bob Ezrin (KISS, PINK FLOYD, Lou Reed, Alice Cooper). Together, they have crafted an album that draws on the sound and attitude that has always set DEEP PURPLE apart from the rest.

"Splat!" is the heaviest DEEP PURPLE album in many years, with the band playing together in the studio — the way DEEP PURPLE have always recorded.

Gillan comments: "I have to say, now we are very much back in with material that is compatible with 'Highway Star', 'Smoke On The Water', 'Lazy' — the dynamics, the balance, and the fun of the music we made from '69 to '73."

At the heart of "Splat!" is an idea conceived by Gillan. Rather than treating the end as destruction, the album imagines it as transformation: "Splat!" explores the end of humanity not in any crude apocalyptic sense but as a metamorphosis beyond physical existence.

"Splat!" formats:

* CD (Digisleeve)
* 2LP (black, 180g, Gtf.)
* Ltd. Purple 2LP (180g, Gtf.)
* Ltd. Transparent Yellow 2LP (180g, Gtf.)
* Ltd. Box Set
* Digital

Box Set Content

* 2LP Gatefold (180g)
* 12-page vinyl-sized booklet
* CD Digisleeve
* 3 exclusive 10-inch vinyl records featuring live recordings from the DEEP PURPLE tour 2024
* Exclusive 7-inch single featuring bonus track "Guinnesis" (not included on the studio album!)

Track listing (CD/2LP):

Side A

01. Arrogant Boy
02. Diablo
03. The Rider
04. The Lunatic

Side B

05. The Only Horse In Town
06. Sacred Land
07. The Beating Of Wings

Side C

08. Guilt Trippin'
09. Scriblin' Gib'rish
10. Jessica's Bra

Side D

11. Third Call
12. My New Movie
13. Splat!

"Splat!" will be available on July 3 in multiple formats:Limited Box Set, containing:

- 2LP Gatefold (180g)
- 12-page vinyl-sized booklet
- CD Digisleeve
- 3 exclusive 10-inch vinyl records featuring live recordings from the DEEP PURPLE tour 2024
- Exclusive 7-inch single featuring the bonus track "Guinnesis" (not included on the studio album and available exclusively in the box set!)
* CD (Digisleeve)
* 2LP Gatefold (black, 180g) + 12-page vinyl-sized booklet
* Limited Purple 2LP Gatefold (180g) + 12-page vinyl-sized booklet
* Limited Transparent Yellow 2LP (180g) + 12-page vinyl-sized booklet

All LP editions include a rich 12-page LP-sized booklet with illustrations and all song lyrics – available exclusively with the first pressing.

Further exclusive items are available via the official artist store, including:

* Limited 2LP Picture Disc + 12-page vinyl-sized booklet
* Limited Cassette
* A strictly limited canvas signed by all band members and limited to just 199 copies worldwide

There simply aren't enough superlatives to properly acknowledge the contribution DEEP PURPLE has made to rock music. Having sold more than 120 million albums and filled global arenas for decades, there's little wonder that the respected British radio station Planet Rock named the group the "Fifth Most Influential Band Ever". The band were also presented the "Legend Award" at the 2008 World Music Awards and were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2016. DEEP PURPLE truly are "rock royalty".

With a body of work spanning seven decades, DEEP PURPLE have helped pioneer and define the hard rock genre while progressively moving into new areas, both keeping their sound fresh and attracting new fans to the legions who have remained loyal since the band's inception. The celebrated MKII line-up of Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore was responsible for creating many of the defining rock albums of the early '70s, including "Made In Japan", universally accepted as one of the most important and influential live albums of all time.

Known as one of the hardest-working bands ever, DEEP PURPLE have continued to release No. 1 albums and tour globally since forming in 1968, with little rest.

DEEP PURPLE have stayed true to their musical roots, drawing from an eclectic mix of styles to create a distinctive sound that defines the band today and, in turn, has created a legacy that very few bands could ever hope to replicate. The band has written and produced so many "classic", well-known songs that its audience ranges widely in age and background — something the band has readily embraced.

DEEP PURPLE's recent studio album "=1" (2024) followed their worldwide chart-topping albums "Whoosh!" (2020),"inFinite" (2017) and "NOW What?!" (2013). 2026 sees the release of their brand-new album "Splat!". On these albums, DEEP PURPLE joined forces with producer Bob Ezrin, who has worked with the likes of KISS, PINK FLOYD, Lou Reed and Alice Cooper.

Furthering their collaboration with Ezrin, in 2021 and during the pandemic the band recorded a collection of cover songs from their own homes (normal for most bands nowadays, revolutionary for a band that records everything together in the studio),creating an eclectic and celebratory history of their roots in music, in the shape of "Turning To Crime".

Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, Don Airey and Simon McBride continue with renewed vitality, pushing the boundaries of hard rock to audiences around the globe, proving that DEEP PURPLE are very much here to stay.

Photo credit: Olaf Heine (courtesy of The Outside Organisation)

In a new interview with the Hard Rock History Show, singer Andrew Freeman once again addressed LAST IN LINE drummer Vinny Appice's recent revelation that the band was looking for a new vocalist. Asked if he was surprised by the fact that he was fired from LAST IN LINE — which was originally formed by original DIO members Appice, Vivian Campbell (guitar) and Jimmy Bain (bass) — via an e-mail last September from the group's management, Andrew said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm surprised at how it went down… But that's those guys. That's the three of those guys. They can't do anything face to face… But all of this stuff could've been fixed with a conversation. It's plain and simple. And I've had arguments with Vinny on the phone over the years. But he's from Brooklyn; I'm from New York. You're shout talking. You're shout talking, and then it kind of, like, 'Look, this is what I mean.' And we always had [the kind of] relationship [where we] could get through stuff, because he's talked me off the ledge sometimes and I've talked him off the ledge sometimes. He was a good friend, and maybe he still is. I don't know. I don't hear from him. But you don't really hear about Vinny talking shit about people when he does interviews, but he's talking shit about me now. And I don't go for that shit. If you got something to say, back it up. Call me. Fuck, call me. We'll talk it out. Even if it doesn't fix the band, we're still in business together."

Outlining his contributions to LAST IN LINE in the 13 years that he had been in the band, Andrew said: "I created that branding for that band, I toplined all those songs, I wrote all those — more than 50 percent, sometimes, of some of those songs, and gave away publishing so it was like a VAN HALEN split, where everybody gets 25 percent of what happens, even though 50 percent, if not more, happened in this room [in my home studio]. The vocal tracking, the arranging happened in this fucking room. With no hesitation I'll tell you I did more work on those records than any of those guys did. And they can fucking say whatever they want, but they're full of shit. Because when you walk in and put maybe three or four days to track a record, and then you leave and you don't come back to it, and then you leave it to somebody to make these fucking things songs, that's not an easy task. And somebody's gotta be able to do it, and I was the guy who did it."

Circling back to the way he was fired from LAST IN LINE, Freeman continued: "But, yeah, I'd rather just have a conversation about it and get it done and keep it out of this. So when a guy who doesn't talk about anybody else all of a sudden gets a bug up his ass because, for whatever fucking reason, it's hard for me to kind of get my brain around that because, again, I did the songwriting, I did the branding. All the merch designs I did. I'm a partner in the company. I'm not a hired guy. I'm a partner. So I have to resign from the company in order for them to move on."

After the interviewer noted that as a partner in the LAST IN LINE business, Freeman is still "owed a piece of the action", Andrew concurred. "Of course I am," he said, adding that he expected his LAST IN LINE bandmates to treat him with more respect. "Just be cool. If you're not happy with what I'm doing — believe me, I'm not super happy with you guys either, because you're affecting my career. And getting back to [when I was briefly in] GREAT WHITE, there was a guy [in LAST LINE] who called the agent and said, 'Why are you trying to poach our singer [for another band]?' Like, trying to poach our singer? What are we doing? Should I call DEF LEPPARD's manager, and be, like, 'Hey, why are you poaching our guitar player" — referring to Vivian Campbell — "for our dates? Why is our guitar player leaving in the middle of a U.K. tour and flying back to L.A. to announce a MÖTLEY CRÜE/DEF LEPPARD mega tour while I'm sitting in a hotel for four days waiting to go back on the road, not getting paid?' We're supposed to be patient for each other, we're supposed to work together, especially on a project that is a glorified side project. It was a full-time job for me, doing the web site and doing the social media — like, all of that shit is me. So you're gonna get rid of me? Cool. Write me a check. Cool. Be cool about it. Say, 'Hey, we wanna work something out.' Don't just give me a letter, like, 'Don't worry. We'll send you a release that you can sign.' Like, fuck you. Fuck you. I don't have to do anything. It's gonna cost you more money. So that's fine. Whatever. Anyway, I'm probably saying too much."

Freeman previously talked about his exit from LAST IN LINE during a May 27 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" show. Asked if Vinny's March 25 interview with "Trunk Nation" host Eddie Trunk was when he first found out he was no longer a member of LAST IN LINE, Andrew said: "No, it's not the first [time I heard about it]. I knew it, but they had never done me the courtesy of making an official announcement. I got a letter back in September of last year, and I think that they thought there was gonna be a bigger reaction from me, and I didn't have one. They e-mailed me — they had the manager e-mail me a letter. So I got a letter basically saying that they were moving on without me, with the name… I did find out about it, but there was just complete silence up until [Vinny spoke about it on] your show."

After Trunk noted that there has been no public statement from LAST IN LINE about Freeman's exit from the band, Andrew said: "[There has been] no public statement 'cause it's just not that simple to get rid of me. ['Cause] I'm an owner [of the LAST IN LINE business]. And I'm one of the original [members]. I mean, obviously, it's a collective of the original DIO band, but it's the music business, it's a business, and we had to form a business in order to do it, and the original partners are me, Vinny and Vivian. And they decided to do that [make me a partner]. They could've kept me as a hired hand [when we first formed LAST IN LINE], but they didn't. So with the original band, when we first put it together, it was the three of us and then Jimmy Bain and [former DIO keyboardist] Claude Schnell… So when we started, it was the original guys from the original band and then me singing, and we did a few shows, and we got offered a record deal, and then it turned into a business, and then they end up firing Claude and brought in this guy, Erik Norlander, who was a hired guy."

Addressing the fact that LAST IN LINE was performing DIO material, alongside LAST IN LINE's original songs, up until the end of his time with LAST IN LINE, Andrew said: "At the end, we were doing a half-and-half set. It was maybe a little more DIO than our stuff, but we'd do about 12 or 15 songs per show, so it was about six [DIO songs] and six [LAST IN LINE songs], or seven and five or whatever. So it wasn't like we could sustain an entire show, I believe, doing just our material… I mean, we could if we were opening for somebody maybe, but to go out and do a headline run, I think a lot of people would scoff if we came out and we didn't do 'Holy Diver'. They wanna see that stuff."

After Trunk said that there is a "perception out there" that Andrew did not want do play the DIO material with LAST IN LINE, Freeman clarified: "The person who really didn't wanna do the DIO stuff was Vivian. Now, we started doing it, and we started writing these songs. For example, we played the Download festival in England, and we played the same day DEF LEPPARD did, so he had double duty. He was headlining the show, and we were the first band on the bill. So we do the first show, and right before we go on, we're getting everything together, and he's, like, 'Let's just do all of our stuff.' Like, 'You sure you wanna do that? We at least gotta do one. That's pretty brave.' He says, 'Yep. We're an original band. Let's go out and let's do an original set.' So the compromise was we did a full original set, and then our last song was, I think, 'Rainbow In The Dark'. So we closed with 'Rainbow In The Dark'. But I was always the guy that was, like, 'Hey, I don't think that's a good idea,' because coming from the cover band world years ago and having original bands where you do two covers and you put an original in, just to slip it in between the stuff as you're trying to grow, I thought that that was the best idea, was to always have the DIO material. 'Cause Vinny really likes doing the DIO stuff, and I think Vinny likes doing the DIO stuff more than he likes doing the LAST IN LINE stuff."

Asked if that was the first time he sensed "maybe a difference in direction", Andrew said: "Everything that I did with those guys was following their lead, basically, because it's their heritage, it's their whatever, their history, and I just wanted to be comfortable sitting in with that. I wanted to take it to the goalpost with them, because I'm a fan, and this is something that Vinny and I had spoken about back when we were doing LYNCH MOB back in like 2005, about, 'Hey, what's going on with Vivian?' Blah, blah. 'Cause I've known Vinny for a long time, and he's the one who brought me in. And he's, like, 'Well, Vivian doesn't wanna do it.' And I said, 'Okay.' And then later on [Vivian] contacted all of them and said, 'Hey, I'd really like to get together with you guys.' It was after [Vivian] did the THIN LIZZY run and wanted to play rock, he says 'rock guitar' again. No slight on [DEF LEPPARD], but he wanted to play rock guitar again, he said. So they got together. He called Jimmy, he called Vinny up, and I guess they called Claude as well, and they got together and jammed. And Vinny said, 'I know the singer. I already got the singer.' So he e-mailed me and said, 'Hey, do you wanna come over and jump in this jam we're doing?' I'm, like, 'Well, I got a session that day, but I'll come over for a little bit.' So I literally went over for a half an hour. We did three songs, and I had to split because I had a session... So I had to leave and do that. But I don't really have any issue doing any of that stuff. What I don't like about it is if we're gonna market ourselves as an original band, then we gotta get out there as an original band. With all the connections these guys have, why are we not opening up an ALICE IN CHAINS run?... We did a couple of runs where we were out with… Who did we play with? We did a UFO tour. We did a SAXON tour — I think a couple of SAXON tours. And we did some MEGADETH dates over in Europe. So with the pedigree of that band and the respect that they get from the metal community, I never understood why we weren't doing more stuff besides playing Joe's Clam Shack in Tupelo. Like, what are we doing? And I think that that, and the lack of enthusiasm that some parties in the band had towards it, because they have other jobs, it was really frustrating, and I think that just came off to them as I wasn't interested or whatever."

Elaborating on the differences in the various members' vision for LAST IN LINE, Andrew said: "When you join a band and one of the guys goes to you, 'You need to dye your hair black.' 'Why?' 'Well, so you look more like Ronnie [James Dio].' 'I don't wanna look like Ronnie. So if you want me to do that, go get somebody else.' I'll go out and sing this material and I'll get it as close as I can with the voice that I have. And I understand I don't sound just like this guy. There's plenty of guys out there that do this just like Ronnie does it or as good as or close to. I'm not one of them.

"Now, I understand that it's a battle," Freeman continued. "'Cause you're trying to win hearts and minds in a crowd. Because you're basically representing their childhood and representing something that's extremely important to them, so you gotta be as close as possible. But you also can't be a mimic, and you can't be a clown while you're doing it. I'm not gonna put a wig on. I'm not gonna dye my hair to look a certain way. I'm gonna go out, I'm gonna be me, but I'm gonna sing the shit out of the stuff.

"This is not a tribute band, and when people would come at us and say, or in the press, like, 'Oh, you're in the DIO tribute.' I'm not in a fucking DIO tribute," Andrew insisted. "This is an original band of the guys who used to be in DIO. We do some of that stuff, but we're not up there glorifying Ronnie. I mean, depending on who you ask in [LAST IN LINE], they don't even like Ronnie, they didn't even like the guy… [It was] not just [Ronnie] and Vivian [that had issues]. There's a couple of guys that were in the band that had [issues with Ronnie], but they didn't talk about it as much.

"I think a lot of times the confusion is there's Ronnie James Dio the man, and then there's DIO the band. So to decipher those two things, you have a bunch of guys going out and playing Ronnie's songs, which are also Jimmy and Vinny and Vivian's songs, 'cause they were a collective, they were a band, it's confusing. So what do you do?"

Andrew went on to say that he is "amazed" that LAST IN LINE has lasted for almost a decade and a half, considering Vivian's hectic touring schedule with DEF LEPPARD.

"Every time that we did something, it was always a decision, are we going forward?" Andrew explained. "When Jimmy passed, I thought we were done. And then we got somebody else to come in, and then we went out and filled some commitments that we had, and then we decided to do another record. 'Okay, we'll do another record.' Well, we did that record, did a tour with that, toured that record for a few years, and then, 'Hey, do you wanna do another [album]?' We changed labels, and we did 'Jericho'. So we did 'Jericho', and we thought this was gonna be where we would take off. But honestly, since the pandemic, we haven't done really anything besides put that record out. I mean, we've done a handful of shows. So you're talking six years now of really doing nothing. So, what else are we gonna do?"

Circling back to the way he was fired from LAST IN LINE, Andrew said: "For me, personally, I think it's completely asinine, the decision they've made what to do. Straight up, it's asinine, because we have business together. [It's asinine] to get rid of me — to get rid of anybody at this point, because basically you are trying to win your audience over, and you've won your audience over to a degree. because we tour and people show up. And people get the records, and they know the songs, blah, blah, blah, all of that. So it's an international touring act. You've established yourself over 14 years with a guy who's replaced [Ronnie James Dio], one of the most iconic, if not the most iconic singer in the history of rock music. And he's been accepted by the majority of the people that come to see you. Because I'll tell you, I don't get booed off. I don't get death threats. I don't get any of that stuff. People, they like the band. There's some people who don't, and you'll hear them and see them online or whatever. So you get rid of that guy, and then after you've done three records already, and 14 years in, now you're gonna establish a guy to maybe go on the road and maybe to do some touring? Because I'm telling you, ever since we released 'Jericho', ever since the pandemic and touring started again, [in] 2023 [they said], 'Yeah, it looks like we're gonna go big in '24.' And then '24 would come, and LEPPARD would tour, tour, tour, tour. And we were, like, 'You know what? We're gonna look in '25, and in '26, and in '27.'"

Asked if he thinks he could ever go back to LAST IN LINE or if that door is now permanently closed for him, Andrew said: "To me, it doesn't really matter if it happens, if I go back to the band. Would I go back to the band? I mean, never say never. If they wanna do another record, we've got, like, four songs already done. So why not? I mean, let's just finish it out. But for me, it's more of a pain in the ass than anything else because this band that I've committed to over the years has blocked me from… I had a really great gig with GREAT WHITE, and I got replaced in that because they didn't wanna deal with LAST IN LINE's schedule, and we had, like, four shows. So I couldn't cancel those shows, 'cause those guys would [get] upset. And when I got that [GREAT WHITE] gig, two of the guys in [LAST IN LINE] were pissed, were pissed that I got that gig, and didn't want me to do anything because we had the 'Jericho' record and we had to promote it, but, again, we only did, like, five or six shows. So at times, when I've had other gigs come to me that were bigger-name gigs, I wouldn't get them because… One time, one of the guys called the agent up and said, 'Why are you trying to poach our singer?' So when you call somebody like that, it's, like, what do you do? So it affects my career. It affects my income. So I don't want it to affect my income and my career anymore. I would love to get out there and tour with a big-name nostalgia band… But I don't even have to do that, because the money I make with the tributes is exactly the same as what I make with LAST IN LINE."

Freeman added that he was never earning enough money from LAST IN LINE to be able to survive without taking on other gigs.

"I can support myself doing this [playing music], which says a lot," he said. "My kid's in private school. I have a mortgage and a car payment and all that stuff. Not money to burn, but I can support myself. I mean, you see me around town. I have beautiful hair. [Laughs] I buy drinks. I buy rounds for people… I'm not like a lot of these guys are, where they don't have a pot to piss in. I actually have planned my future. But I do this for a living, and if I'm not making enough money to sustain my life, then I take that seriously anymore. But this [LAST IN LINE], I took very seriously because there was always that dangling carrot saying, 'Hey, next year's the year. We're gonna go out. We're doing a full run. We're going out with this band. We're going out with that band. We got a full summer of touring.' Eddie, we haven't had a full summer of touring in our entire 14-year existence."

After Trunk said that Freeman probably took LAST IN LINE more seriously because the band was playing a lot of original music that Andrew had a hand in creating, Freeman said: "I guess that's where the loyalty comes, because this is my band. This is my band. I've written 50% of every song, and that's being kind. 50% of every song that we've done. There's maybe one or two songs that one of the guys came up with a lyric here, one of the guys came up with a couple of lyrics here. But I sit in my room in my studio, and I just work, work, work, work, work. And that's the frustrating part, because I put a lot of work into these records, a lot more work than those guys have.

"Quick story. We were doing the 'II' album, and Vivian was on the road somewhere with LEPPARD, summer tour. And there was a break in the '[Raiding The] Rock Vault' show, so I had him the entire month of August to work on the album. So I'm in the studio working on the album every day, every day, every day. And you get into that mode — you're not showering. You're in this crazy woodshed mode. So every morning I get up, I go to Starbucks to get coffee up the street, and I'm in the Starbucks line and I'm listening to the radio, and I hear how much the DEF LEPPARD tour had grossed, and it was some ridiculous amount of money. And good for them — like in the millions, like tens of millions of dollars. And I was, like, 'Wow, I'm sitting here doing this guy's record for free — for free — and not getting paid a dime, while he's out making millions of dollars.' And then when the record comes out, it's all about the genius of Vinny and Vivian. And that's cool, totally fine, because I know exactly what my position in a a band like this is. I'm to facilitate, but I'm doing a lot more than facilitating on these records. I'm top-lining, if you will."

Vinny first brought up the fact that LAST IN LINE was looking for a new vocalist during the aforementioned March 2026 appearance on "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He stated at the time about LAST IN LINE's current status: "We parted ways with Andy Freeman, the singer, and we're looking for singers, actually, right now. So we have a deal in place. And Viv's busy — he was busy with LEPPARD and he's doing a lot of rally racing, so we're trying to schedule finishing our next record and then playing some dates. 'Cause we have a lot of fun playing. It's great to play with Viv again. It's awesome. So that's what we're doing right now."

After Trunk brought up the fact that Freeman is busy playing with "a couple of tribute bands", Vinny said: "He's playing a Dio show [with a band called] DIO RULES. He didn't really wanna play that stuff with us, which is — go figure — and now he's doing all Dio stuff. Crazy."

Asked what happened between Freeman and the rest of LAST IN LINE to cause the singer's departure, Vinny said: "Yeah, [there was] a lot of tension between us, and the last show, one of the last shows [we played], [at] the M3 [festival in Maryland in 2024], there were things he commented to the audience, and people were scratching their heads, going, 'What's up with that?' He's his own thing. So finally we just said, 'It'd be a lot smoother to find another singer.' So that's what we're doing."

As for whether LAST IN LINE already has "any prospects" in mind as a potential replacement for Freeman, Appice said: "No, we don't have any prospects. If you know anybody, you could text me, that might fit the bill. We're gonna have to set something up. Maybe we can get some videos and stuff. Kind of like SKID ROW did — they set something up, and people are sending in videos, singing and all that. We have a couple of guys, but we're waiting to see if that's gonna work out. But we'll see."

LAST IN LINE's debut album, "Heavy Crown", was released in February 2016 via Frontiers Music Srl, landing at No. 1 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart. Initially, the release had been preceded by tragedy when Bain unexpectedly died at the age of 68 on January 23, 2016. LAST IN LINE, honoring what they knew would be Bain's wish to keep the band moving, brought in Phil Soussan and committed to sustained touring in support of the album before beginning work on the follow-up release, 2019's "II", which was also made available through Frontiers Music Srl.

LAST IN LINE's latest album, "Jericho", came out in March 2023 via earMUSIC. It was helmed by Chris Collier, who has previously worked with KORN and WHITESNAKE, among other bands. LAST IN LINE's first two albums were produced by former DOKKEN and current FOREIGNER bassist Jeff Pilson.

In 2022, LAST IN LINE surprised fans by releasing a unique version of THE BEATLES classic "A Day In The Life", which was made available on the limited 12-inch silver collector's EP with the same name.

Former MISFITS frontman Michale Graves recently joined CCM Magazine for a powerful CCM Spotlight conversation about leaving the chaos behind, finding Jesus, and stepping into a new chapter of music and mission. In this interview, Michale opened up about his early faith, his time with the MISFITS, the pain and loss that shaped his life, and the moment he surrendered to Jesus. He also shared why his new music is aimed at people who are hurting, searching and often far outside the walls of the church.

Speaking about how he became   an artist singing about Jesus, Michale said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I was raised in a Catholic household, so I always knew God. I had a relationship with Jesus for a good part of my life, really up until about my teenage years. And I went to Catholic school, and once I was taken out of Catholic school, I got away from the Bible. I always had a relationship with God, I always knew God was there, but Jesus and I kind of drifted apart. I started to look at ways that I could manipulate my life and make things happen for myself. And then I found the MISFITS."

Graves continued: "I always knew that God had me on the path to play music. When I was young, I wanted to — first I wanted to be a preacher. I wanted to tell people about Jesus. And then the story goes, I was in New York City. My mom and dad always used to take my sisters and brothers and I to New York City around Christmastime to see everything. And I had never seen homeless people before, and I saw a homeless guy, and I couldn't believe that everyone was just walking past this man, and something in my heart changed. I wanted to communicate in a more sort of profound way. And I had this relationship with music. I listen to music, and I can almost see it. I can feel it in such an amazing way. And so my heart changed, and I wanted to play music. So my path really led me to the MISFITS in a very Forrest Gump way. I was at the right place at the right time. Then when I got into the MISFITS, as you can imagine, this world that I was propelled into was insane, and the things that I saw and the way that people... The things that they were doing, and I got to a point where sex and drugs and just insanity… There was a lot of violence in the MISFITS — I mean, in the shows — and it was a very crazy, tumultuous world. And I got to a point on the road, I said, 'Well, maybe this is the way that I'm supposed to be in order to be part of this world.' And it felt very strange and uncomfortable. And ultimately, and standing at that crossroads, do I sign the deal with the devil and go this way, or do I go a different way? And ultimately, I decided to step away from the MISFITS."

Michale added: "God was always there, but I didn't have this relationship with Jesus. And along the way, again, my life was difficult. Lots of loss, lots of pain. I was so uncomfortable… And I would say, 'God, I'm a good person. I'm trying to do good things. I'm making these decisions that I think are correct.' It got to a point I thought that I was being puni[shed]. I used to say, 'I must have been something terrible in, like, a past life, and I'm being punished for what I did. Why are you doing this, God?' Even after the success… I couldn't find happiness. I couldn't find happiness in anything that I did — in anything that I did. I developed a taste for drugs, and my life just went out of control.

"I spent some time in Arkansas with these people, and I started to hear about this... They took me to a cowboy church, and there was 'born again' stuff. And I always thought, like, being born... You hear 'born again Christian', and you just open the door and say, 'No, thank you.' But then somebody turned me on to, started telling me about Johnny Cash, and then I heard about this guy named Billy Graham, and I heard a sermon that Billy Graham gave about being born again and the conversation that Jesus had with Nicodemus, like, 'How can a man be born again? And 'what is born of flesh is flesh. What is born of spirit is spirit.' And all of a sudden, it clicked, and I sort of got it. My life got to a point where I [was at] the lowest of the low, and I found myself in a hotel room on my knees just calling out to Jesus. And I surrendered my life to Jesus and became born again. And here I am.'

After the interviewer noted that Graves has an opportunity to "open a door" and reach a non-Christian audience due to his success with the MISFITS, Michale concurred. "I see a lot of people, I meet so many young people, so many people that are hurt and that are lost, and they just ... And they don't have God. They don't have God," he said. "[And] they are responding to it. I get pushback from some Christian crowds about the music and some of the things that I'm doing. But my response is that Jesus said that we have to be fishers of men. So what's the point in me playing to just a room full of believers? That's easy. We already have those. They're already in the stable. They're part of the flock. I go out and I'm talking to kids that are lost and that are hurt, the crowd that when you say 'Jesus', everyone gets weird. And I have this perspective, I have this world of MISFITS stuff that I can use and that I have used to be able to reach some people. And especially when I'm in Latin America, I see it. It's profound. People have come to me and have said they've given their life to Jesus. They've seen what I've been doing. They hear the things that I'm saying. And I'm a simple man. I don't have a lot of material things at all, but that's treasure to me. That's everything."

Michale previously talked about his faith this past March in an interview with When Words Fail, Music Speaks. Graves said at the time:  "I've been a Christian all my life, and the music that I've written and the lyrics that I've written have always come from that place. Not all the songs, but many, many, lots of those songs come from that Christian perspective. It's another thing that [MISFITS bassist] Jerry [Only] encouraged. You have to also remember that before the MISFITS got back together, Jerry and [MISFITS guitarist] Doyle [Wolfgang Von Frankenstein] were in a band called KRYST THE CONQUEROR. And so Jerry's spirituality and his love of Christ and his faith, he was never ashamed of. This man blessed himself every night before he went on stage. And that encouraged me, as well as he encouraged me, to not walk away from that, and to somehow… And that again, when I was talking about challenging and creative challenging, it was the challenge to create from my Christian perspective in this environment, in this world of — the dark places."

Michale continued: "All along, especially when I was working with Damien Echols [an American author who first became known as one of three teenagers, the West Memphis Three, convicted of a triple murder in 1994 despite the lack of physical evidence connecting them to the crime and the dubious nature of the other evidence] and making 'Illusions' [the 2007 collaborative album between Graves and Echols] and that part of my career, there was a lot of people that came from the Christian side of things that were — they didn't understand. I don't wanna say that they were disgusted, but I got a lot of flak because here I was talking about my Christian, how I feel, my spirituality, my faith in the Lord, and they were, like, 'How can you say that when we see the imagery of the MISFITS and these songs that you're writing?' And I tell them, look, what's the point of me walking into a worship service or going to a church and playing for people or speaking to people who are already believers who are already there? They're already there. We're not doing anything. There's this whole other world out there, this dark world, that the MISFITS are in."

Graves added: "When I go out into the world, I'm talking to kids that have — there's a lot of church hurt. When you say the word 'Jesus' at a MISFITS show or a Michale Graves show, there's a lot — not now, a lot less now — but these kids, they look at you, like, 'What are you talking about?' So writing about these fallen worlds, the dark worlds, writing about demons, writing about angels, writing about coming from a place where you're at your lowest. These kids are broken, they're sad, they're lost, they're hurt, they're confused. And do you think that they're gonna just walk into a church or you're gonna have somebody that they don't respect, the second that they see somebody with like a buttoned-up cardigan and this and that, and they talk and they start talking about Jesus, and they're, 'Nope.' They're gonna turn their back and they're gonna walk away. But if I walk up to them and I say, 'Hey, man. What are you wearing on your shirt there?' There's demons or something. I don't know. And we start talking about Baal or Moloch or we start to get into demonology. And now we start to talk. And then I tell them about my faith. And that's how you run a monster ministry. And that's what I've been focusing on, really, since 2012. For the past 14 years, I've really, really tried to make that the forefront of what I'm doing."

Earlier in March, Graves announced the signing with Epochal Artists Records, a label under the TLG family and distributed by Virgin Music Group.

Michale recently embarked on the "God Bless America Tour 2026", bringing a unique and deeply personal live experience to audiences across the country.

"These shows on my 'God Bless America Tour' will be an intimate, story-driven live experience that blends acoustic music, testimony, and storytelling," Graves previously said.

Michale is an internationally recognized artist who has been creating music and telling stories for over two decades. Before his 20th birthday, he was recruited to be the lead singer and primary songwriter of the legendary punk band the MISFITS. Graves faced an uphill battle of immense criticism while trying to fill the shoes of original MISFITS vocalist Glenn Danzig, but he injected the group with freshness, youth and energy which rewrote the history of the band in a way that even his sharpest critics found undeniable, reaching a whole new generation of music fans in the process.

After recording two albums with the MISFITS, "American Psycho" via Geffen and "Famous Monsters" through Roadrunner, as well as touring the world to meet millions of fans, Graves quit the band to blaze his own path. Michale steadily built a reputation as the working-man's punk rocker. He reintroduced himself to the scene with non-stop touring around the country before taking his new act worldwide.

In recent years, some of Graves's concerts ended up being canceled over his reported affiliation with the right-wing group Proud Boys.

When Graves testified on behalf of five Proud Boys members in March 2023 that he was asked to perform for them on the afternoon of January 6, 2021, he acknowledged that members of the Proud Boys may have been guilty of trespassing on Capitol grounds that day, but he said he did not believe they had any intention of targeting Congress.

The singer, who gained notoriety for his conservative views, has claimed that his "candor" got him "canceled", resulting in him being removed from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

He went on to resurrect his show called "Radio Deadly With Michale Graves", which he brought to the Censored.TV platform.

Photo courtesy of O'Donnell Media Group

In a new interview with Tuning In With Thom Jennings, TRIUMPH singer and guitarist Rik Emmett spoke about the legendary Canadian rockers' recently launched first tour in more than 30 years. For the 2026 trek, TRIUMPH's original members Emmett and Gil Moore (drums, vocals) are being joined by guitarist Phil X, drummer and keyboardist Brent Fitz and bassist Todd Kerns. Phil X, whose real name is Theofilos Xenidis, is a member of BON JOVI and a former member of TRIUMPH, while Fitz and Kerns are both members of SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS. Original TRIUMPH bassist Mike Levine is not taking part in most of the 2026 tour dates after revealing in December that he has "a problem" with his hand that "precludes" him "from being able to really play well."

After podcast host Thom Jennings noted that "it's gotta feel good" for Emmett to be "making a lot of memories for a lot of people" who never got to see the original TRIUMPH, Rik said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It does. In some cases it's a little overwhelming, and in other cases it's just a beautiful celebration of joyful noise with these new guys, and the harmonies and the songs and the hard work that we all put in, and now we get this payoff of having these audiences that… And every night it gets better. That's the thing, too. It just keeps kind of resonating and growing."

He continued: "You can imagine when you're inside a band and you're playing these songs that have such a long history, you're still looking for a way to kind of have them come alive and this building of a rock 'n' roll machine reloaded, you're always tightening up the screws and adjusting the fan belt or whatever. It's very rewarding, that process, but I'm not a young man anymore. And holy cow, I wonder what I'm doing to my body. The arthritis is kind of complaining. It doesn't happen during the show — the show is this energizing and revitalizing kind of thing — but then, oh, boy, I come off stage and I go, 'What did I just do to myself?'"

Emmett added: "I've got four days off here. Tomorrow's a travel day back to Chicago, but, man, I've been sleeping, like, 11, 12 hours, and taking naps. So my body is clearly going, like, 'Uh, what are you doing?'"

When Jennings pointed out that "it's gotta be overwhelming" and "a whole other animal" to be back in arenas after performing at mostly smaller venues in recent decades, Rik said: "Yes. That is very accurate. A whole other animal, but a lot of fun. It's a big safety net, those three new guys. And the truth of it, too, is that Gil really kind of buckled down, and I don't think he ever practiced as much and rehearsed on his own and just got his chops up as much as he has for this tour. So [it's] extremely rewarding to be on stage with him, where he's making an effort like he never made before. And then here's these other guys — I call them all the young dudes. They actually even play a little thing in the set now — before I sing '24 Hours A Day', they do this thing, and it's 'All The Young Dudes'; it's this weird little thing. But it's so enjoyable. It's such a beautiful safety net, but at the same time, [it's a] huge challenge because I gotta try and keep up with them. I have to walk out on stage after Phil X has done a guitar solo that's, like, insanely good, and you go, 'Oh, man. I better not try to compete with that. I better just try to be me, the best me I can be.' And then I go, 'Well, that's good because now the audience gets Phil X, and then they get Rik, and that works.' But, yeah, different animal."

Rik clarified: "It's not what TRIUMPH was. It's TRIUMPH, but it's kind of this 'über TRIUMPH', like this kind of TRIUMPH on 'roids. So the reload actually seemed to give it a lot more — I don't know what you call those things — cylinders in the engine. Let's call it that, yeah. So, I don't know. I'm still kind of trying to… How would I describe it?

"When I was teaching songwriting, I used to say to kids, what you're doing is sort of unpacking baggage," Emmett added. "And if the song is right, you've done a really nice job of sort of bundling it all together in this thing, but it's easy for people to unpack it. But I'm still unpacking this TRIUMPH thing, and I think it'll take me a few months after it's all over to figure out exactly what it is that I got myself into."

Jennings also opined that the current TRIUMPH stage production has an "authentic" feel and is in line with what TRIUMPH was known for in the 1980s, to which Emmett said: "I think part of that is it there was a very conscientious attempt between Gil and me and the lighting guy, Paul Dexter, when we were putting the script together to try and honor this thing that TRIUMPH was, is, can be, because there's a spirit to TRIUMPH, which is a kind of the celebration of the rock and roll, but the songs of hope and faith and the spirit of what rock music can be. And I think the management we got, Vector, Jason Murray in particular, he would come and sit here with me in the studio and we'd have conversations. And he helped focus it. And it's not like he hasn't had an experience in the past where they… His management company handles LYNYRD SKYNYRD's estate and the band that goes out and does that. He handles Peter Frampton. So he's had experience with bands that are honoring a legacy. And one of the meetings where he came to try and talk me into doing it, he'd just been out to see the GRATEFUL DEAD and how they were handling the whole thing of Jerry Garcia, and he's not there, but how do you handle that? How do you make it so that it's not cheesy, it's legit. You're doing it with a kind of a... You're honoring the past in a way that true fans can go, 'No, they did that with taste. They did that with, with class. It's good.' So, that was a big part of the development of, of the 'Reloaded' thing. And, yeah, what you're saying, I think fans get that. You talked about having some tears. I see them. They turn on the audience blasters and I can see faces in 'Magic Power', 'Hold On', people are crying. But those are tears of joy. They're happy that this has paid off, the expectations and the hopes that they had. They go, 'Man, they did it. This is so great. I'm so happy to be here in this moment and have this happening.' And that's a big thing for me, too. I go, 'Holy shit, the emotion in the air, it's significant.'"

Last month, Rik was asked by Mike DiGiorgio of Rochester, New York's 13WHAM if he thinks the people buying tickets for TRIUMPH's 2026 tour are fans who had never seen the band before or if they are longtime followers  who want to see TRIUMPH again and "relive some great memories," Rik responded: "It's a little bit of both. I think that there are people that — I think there's grandfathers that wanna bring their grandsons and their grandchildren. We're literally sort of three generations in. And honestly, I think it's a question of the music being — the songs are the things that are dragging us all out. So I think that's the biggest thing that I feel, that people are kind of going, like, 'Oh, you haven't lived until you've seen TRIUMPH do 'Magic Power' or 'Fight The Good Fight' or 'Lay It On The Line' live.'"

Rik continued: "But the pressure from fans is an interesting thing because, of course, I can't do what I did when I was in my thirties, which is what most people remember. And so if they think they're gonna get to relive this guy in his red spandex pants or his jumpsuit or something, that's just not gonna happen. But I do feel like the resurrection of the band as a concert touring act is because there's these songs — and I really look forward to the chance of getting to play with different musicians and in a different kind of a circumstance. I mean, it's gonna be a big show. So there's gonna be a crowd that has lots and lots of different people with lots and lots of different expectations in every market. But I don't know.

"Back to your question, I think that there's probably gonna be much more repeat customers than there are people experiencing it for the very first time," Emmett added. "But, like I said, if they're dragging along the next generation or two, then there will be new fans. And so — I don't know. In some ways, I guess I'll have to mind my Ps and Qs a little bit."

Rik also talked about TRIUMPH's decision to hire Phil, Brent and Todd for the current tour, explaining: "Well, first of all, we felt like we had to build a bit of a safety net for ourselves. There are certain notes that I just can't hit, but there's this guy, Todd Kerns, a good Canadian boy from Saskatchewan, and he's been out with Slash and Alice Cooper. And he's a tremendous musician — guitar, bass, singer. And then Brent Fitz on drums, just because there are some songs where Gil goes, 'Well, I wanna come down front and sing.' So Gil Moore is from the original lineup. But there are gonna be double drummers. We're gonna be like the ALLMAN BROTHERS and the DOOBIE BROTHERS, and I'm sure that more than half of your audience doesn't even know who I'm talking about. But we'll have that for some stuff. And then Gil's gonna come down and sing a couple things. And Brent is amazing. He can play keyboards as well, so we kind of get a double-threat kind of guy there. Oh, and he can sing harmony too, so a triple threat. And then Phil X, who replaced me in TRIUMPH when I left. And Phil, he goes out with BON JOVI and plays all kinds of different things. And he's a tremendous guitar player with this absolutely unbridled enthusiasm for rock. So that's really good for me. It's kind of, like, I get this Phil X cattle project; it keeps giving me bursts of energy."

Addressing Levine's absence from the TRIUMPH tour, Rik said: "Mike Levine, his health has been up and down, in and out. I'm not sure he's gonna be able to join us for a lot of shows. The invitation is open, and there's a place for him whenever he feels like he might wanna do it, even if he just came and sat at a keyboard for a bit."

Emmett also talked about the skepticism from some fans about classic rock bands touring with, in some cases, one or two original members, or even no original members. He said: "I don't know. There are bands that are out there — JOURNEY, STYX, REO [SPEEDWAGON], DEF LEPPARD — and they have a catalog that is so strong that it becomes this compelling thing. So it's kind of like jukebox rock, if you're being cynical or skeptical. But what's wrong with a really great jukebox, if the songs are done with respect and they remain true to the spirit of the original? But I will deviate from that, because I feel like I'm a musician and a writer before I'm anything else. So a performer is part of it, and people wanna, 'Hey, I'd love to see [former JOURNEY singer] Steve Perry be able to sing 'Don't Stop Believin' in the original key and hit all the high notes.' But life is the way that it is. You don't get any younger. And so, from my perspective, I go, yeah, but these songs — I get a chance to reinvent them as I reinvent myself, given my circumstances. I'm 72 years old.

"The management company we work with, they also handle Peter Frampton, and Frampton went, 'Okay, I'm gonna go out and I'm gonna do just a farewell tour,'" Rik continued. "And he got out there and he told them, 'That 90 minutes I get on stage is the best part of my day. As long as I can keep doing it, please keep booking me. I wanna go back out.' And I feel like I'm already sensing that, when I'm in rehearsals. I mean, I tire more easily than I did. I'm working hard to have the same level of chops. I practice now more than I've ever practiced in my life. It's kind of, like, the veteran hockey player goes to the camp and he's gotta work way harder than the rookies just to be able to, compete. And I feel that. But I also feel like, how lucky am I, at 72 years of age, that I'm getting to chase this thing? How many other people my age get this opportunity? A friend of my wife said, they were talking on the phone, and she said, 'Most people when they retire,' and I retired about four or five years ago, but she said, 'Most people, when they retire, their lives get smaller. They kind of intentionally, they kind of shrink their lives to make it simpler and easier when they're retired.' She goes, 'Look at Rik. He's trying to make his life bigger.' And I think that's an easy way to say it, that that's the most fun of all, that I'm kind of going, 'Yeah. I'm gonna see if I can keep up with the 60-year-olds.'"

TRIUMPH kicked off its 2026 tour on April 10 in Orlando, Florida.

TRIUMPH's 2026 North American run of shows are celebrating the band's 50th anniversary, and feature support from APRIL WINE. The 2026 trek continued with a series of dates in Canada, beginning April 22 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and running through a May 8 show in Calgary, Alberta. From there, the band hit the U.S. starting May 13 in Rosemont, Illinois, and wrapping up June 6 in Boston. In all, 10 Canadian and 17 American cities are included on the tour.

Formed in Mississauga in 1975, TRIUMPH rose from playing high school auditoriums and rock 'n' roll bars to selling out iconic arenas, from Toronto's famed Maple Leaf Gardens to Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas. Their virtuosic musicianship, soaring vocals, and dazzling, high-production live shows helped define an era of arena rock. Blending hard rock power with progressive ambition, TRIUMPH has sold over 15 million albums worldwide and earned multiple gold and platinum certifications, building a global following through headline tours and landmark festival performances, including the 1983 US Festival before 500,000 fans. With hits like "Lay It on The Line", "Magic Power" and "Fight The Good Fight" — combined with pioneering stage productions featuring pyrotechnics, laser lighting, and theatrical flair — TRIUMPH became arena rock legends, securing a permanent place in Canadian and international rock history.

The band's return to the road follows a defining year honoring TRIUMPH's impact across generations. In June 2025, the band was celebrated with "Magic Power: All-Star Tribute To Triumph" (Round Hill Records, June 6, 2025),a 15-track tribute album featuring rock luminaries such as Phil X, Sebastian Bach, Slash, Nancy Wilson, Joey Belladonna, Dee Snider, Lawrence Gowan, Deen Castronovo, Alex Lifeson, Jeff Keith, Mickey Thomas and produced by the world-renowned Mike Clink (GUNS N' ROSES, MÖTLEY CRÜE, WHITESNAKE).

Further solidifying their celebrated status, TRIUMPH was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame in October, a prestigious honor recognizing their enduring influence, masterful songwriting, and contributions to Canada's cultural legacy. This induction adds to their long list of accolades, which includes membership in the Canadian Music Industry Hall Of Fame (2007),the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame (2008),and Canada's Walk Of Fame (2019).

Emmett, who quit TRIUMPH — acrimoniously, in 1988 — over music and business disputes, went on to pursue a solo career, while TRIUMPH carried on with future BON JOVI guitarist Phil X for one more album, 1992's "Edge Of Excess", before calling it a day the following year.

Emmett was estranged, both personally and professionally, from the two other members of the legendary Canadian classic rock power trio for 18 years before they repaired their relationship.

After 20 years apart, Emmett, Levine and Moore played at the 2008 editions of the Sweden Rock Festival and Rocklahoma. A DVD of the historic Sweden performance was made available four years later.

In a new interview with George Dionne of KNAC.COM, SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan was asked about his guest appearance by Ace Frehley's 1989 solo album "Trouble Walkin'". Bolan, along with SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo and then-SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach contributed backing vocals to the LP, which also featured a guest performance by former KISS drummer Peter Criss. Asked what memories stand out to him about the time he got to spend and work with the legendary KISS guitarist, Rachel said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, when we went to the studio that day, at the time, I think we had already met Ace at the MTV studios, and we did 'Cold Gin'. He played acoustic, and it was mind-blowing. So, my friend Richie Scarlet was playing guitar with Ace at the time, and I think they were in Connecticut, and we were in Connecticut. And he called me, he was, like, 'Hey, grab the guys and come down and sing backup on Ace's record on a couple songs.' I was, like, 'Hell, yeah. I'm answering for everyone.' And so a few of us went down. And I walk in the studio, I see Richie, hugs, whatever. And I look over at the console, and it's [legendary producer] Eddie Kramer sitting there, which I had no idea he was producing the record. I was, like, 'Oh, man.' And then I hear the drums, and I'm looking. I forget who played drums at the time in the band, but I look at him and I hear drums, and I'm, like... And I look over the window and there's Peter Criss behind the drums playing drums. I'm, like, 'You have got to be kidding me.' I'm looking at Richie and we're all looking, I'm looking at Snake, and I'm, like, 'Are you joking, man? Peter Criss and Eddie Kramer, and we got invited by Ace. This is too much.'"

Bolan continued: "The funniest moment, and because Peter's a funny guy — he's a really funny guy, and we had just met him. I'm kind of nervous, I'm kind of starstruck, and we're all around a mic, and we all have our headphones on. And Ace is showing us, 'I am trouble walkin'.' And that's the line, right? And out of nowhere, Peter goes, 'Ace, you should change it to 'I have trouble walking'.' And I was, like, 'Do I laugh? Do I not laugh?' And then Ace started cracking up. I was, like, 'Okay, cool. It's great.' But yeah, that is such a vivid memory about Ace. And he was just so in on the joke. He was, like, 'Yeah. Yeah, I do.' [Laughs]"

Back in March 2023, Snake told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station that the very first rock show he ever saw as a kid was KISS at Madison Square Garden in New York City in December 1977. "And that's the day that my life was completely changed," he said. "I walked in there as one person and I walked out a completely different person. I was absolutely blown away by what I had just witnessed. It was the most insane experience of my life. Especially being 13 years old, to sit there and to be able to experience something like that, the enormity of it, how bombastic it was, it was incomprehensible. And so when I got home, I knew that I was going to do something in the music business. I didn't know what it was gonna be — I didn't play an instrument; I had no clue — but a year later I picked up the guitar and nothing's changed since then. I knew exactly what I wanted to do from the seventh grade in high school."

Rachel will release his debut solo album, "Gargoyle Of The Garden State", on June 12 via earMUSIC. The LP, which will be made available under the BOLAN banner, was produced by Nick Raskulinecz, who previously worked on SKID ROW's 2022 album "The Gang's All Here", and it will feature guest appearances by Rachel's SKID ROW bandmates Dave "Snake" Sabo (guitar),Scotti Hill (guitar) and Rob Hammersmith (drums),along with Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT, STONE SOUR),Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME),Danko Jones, Steve Conte (NEW YORK DOLLS) and Damon Johnson (BROTHER CANE, LYNYRD SKYNYRD).

According to a press release, "Gargoyle Of The Garden State" is "a bold, deeply personal debut rooted in the grit, attitude, and storytelling spirit of his New Jersey upbringing."

Musically, the album delivers hook-driven, anthemic songs that fuse punk energy with melodic sensibility, wrapped in swagger and raw edge what early listeners have already called "quintessentially New Jersey." Among its standout moments is a surprising cover of OASIS's "Rock And Roll Star", reimagined through Bolan's distinctive lens.

Expanding beyond his role as a bassist, Bolan performs the majority of instruments, shaping the record from the ground up. Drawing on influences from Britpop and glam to punk rock and new wave, the album represents a lifetime in music.

SKID ROW is currently looking for a new singer following the departure of Erik Grönwall in March 2024.

A powerful new voice emerges from Ireland’s progressive underground as AFTERBORN unveil their debut single, “Lost In The Shadows“.

Stream the single HERE.

Formed in 2024 by former Nebularis collaborators, Hytham Martin (Guitar, Vocals, Synth) and Damian Dziennik (Drums, Percussion, Synth), AFTERBORN was born from a shared desire to create music without boundaries. Drawing from Progressive Metal, World Music and Operatic influences, the project seeks to explore themes of fear, memory, conflict and human fragility through expansive soundscapes and emotionally charged songwriting.

Having previously worked together through Nebularis and the Aiséirí All Ireland Metal Project, Martin and Dziennik spent years developing a creative chemistry rooted in ambition and experimentation. What began as an idea between two musicians soon evolved into something far greater.

With the addition of session bassist Eddie Mann, AFTERBORN continued its search for artists who shared the same creative vision. That search led to the arrival of Adrianna “Adka” Kania (Vocals, Hurdy-gurdy, Synth) and Raphael Costa (Vocals, Guitar, Synth), completing a line-up whose collective influences and musical backgrounds bring depth, atmosphere and intensity to the project’s sound.

Their debut single, ‘Lost in the Shadows’, is a dark and emotionally resonant introduction to the world of AFTERBORN. Balancing crushing progressive arrangements with haunting melodies and cinematic textures, the track reflects on division, betrayal and the emotional scars left behind when trust collapses.


Lyrically, the song paints a vivid picture of a world consumed by fear and disconnection. Themes of memory, hatred and emotional isolation run throughout the track, while its soaring choruses and dramatic shifts in dynamics create a sense of tension and catharsis that lingers long after the final note fades.
Speaking about the single, the band explain:
“Lost in the Shadows’ reflects the emotional weight people carry when relationships, trust and even society itself begin to fracture. We wanted the song to feel personal but also universal. It’s about fear, conflict and the struggle to hold onto humanity when everything around you feels uncertain.”

Atmospheric yet aggressive, intimate yet grand in scale, AFTERBORN are laying the foundations for a project driven not only by technical musicianship, but by genuine emotional connection and artistic honesty.

In a new interview with Ed Hack of This Day In Metal, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY guitarist Woody Weatherman reflected on the 2020 passing of the band's co-founding drummer Reed Mullin. Mullin, who co-founded CORROSION OF CONFORMITY in 1982 as a hardcore punk act alongside bassist Mike Dean and Weatherman, had missed a number of shows in the four years prior to his death due to a variety of health issues, including an alcohol-related seizure he suffered back in June 2016.

"[Reed and I] went to high school together, he and I," Woody told This Day In Metal. "[His death] was an immense loss. It wasn't entirely unexpected — he had some health issues and stuff — but it was a hard hit. Anytime you lose a brother like that, it's tough. I feel like his spirit appears on the new [CORROSION OF CONFORMITY] record [the upcoming 'Good God / Baad Man'], in my opinion, even though he's not actually playing on it. I think Stanton [Moore, who played drums on 'Good God / Baad Man'] hit on some of his signature-type licks and stuff. He would be playing things, and Pepper [Keenan, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY guitarist/vocalist] and I would look at each other and go, 'Man, that sounds like a little fill that Reed would've probably put there.' So he's kind of still with us in that way.

"It's a tough loss," Woody added. "He's been gone now six years. But the train don't stop, man. CORROSION is a bigger thing than its individual members, we always kind of say. It's a family."

Weatherman also talked about the decision to release "Good God / Baad Man" as a 14-song double album. Produced by Grammy Award winner Warren Riker (FUGEES, DOWN, CATHEDRAL) and featuring cover art by famed New Orleans artist Scott Guion, the LP was recorded at Blak Shak Studios in Riffissippi, USA, Dockside Studios in Maurice, Louisiana, and BEE GEES legend Barry Gibb's home studio in Miami, Florida. Asked when he and his CORROSION OF CONFORMITY bandmates knew that "Good God / Baad Man" would be presented as a double album, Woody said: "Well, after we were in a few sessions, I would fly down to Louisiana, and we would do these four- or five-day sessions, just me and Pep sitting in a shack — we called it the Blak Shak — and we just had a pile of guitars in there, a few amps, and we were just cracking at it, butting heads on riffs and stuff. And we were the only ones there. And so it was very productive. And I would say five, six sessions of doing like that and we already had way more than an album's worth of material, and we were nowhere close to running out of ideas. And we knew it was gonna be something special, because it was already sounding pumping before drums ever made it on to it, or bass or anything. And, of course, once everybody showed up, once we brought Bobby 'Rock' [Landgraf, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY bassist] in and we were ready to bring Stanton in and start really rehearsing for the actual recording it, it really blossomed then. But it was very early on that we figured out it was gonna be basically a double album. It was just too much material. And we didn't wanna break it up, 'cause it just flows together."

Asked if the "more groove-oriented" nature of the "Baad Man" portion of the album was the result of Pepper writing one type of song and Woody coming up with something different, Weatherman responded: "[It was] a little bit of both, to be honest. And there's some things where there'll be a Pepper riff and then a Woody riff. So it's, like, we do combine things like that a lot of times. But I agree with you, the second half or the second disc, whatever you wanna call it, the 'Baad Man' side, I think we do a little more branching out into different areas on that part of the record. But it matches up well with the first slab of vinyl. It goes smoothly. It seems like another one of those to me that you could drop the needle or put in the disc or where whatever you're playing, and have a bucket of beer beside you and just enjoy the whole thing without really picking the needle up."

As for the songwriting process for "Good God / Baad Man", Woody said: "It was written completely different, because the normal way that C.O.C. has made albums is all four dudes getting kind of our little jam room and hash out songs — with drums there, with everybody there making it. And this was totally different. It was just Pepper and I with a giant bucket of beer and a room full of guitars and amps, just throwing riffs at each other and seeing how we could put 'em together and all that. And everything was already together before we ever even brought drums into the situation. So, it was a completely different way of writing a record. And, in my opinion, this was the funnest record I've ever made. I had a fun time making it, just 'cause it was easy. There was nobody there to tell us 'no', whether it be a record label or a producer or anything. It was, like, 'You guys go and do your thing. We trust you.'"

"Good God / Baad Man" is set for release on April 3 via Nuclear Blast.

Earlier this month, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY announced the addition of drummer Nick Shabatura to the group's ranks.

Shabatura, who has previously played with DESECRATE THE HOUR and the Chicago-based NIRVANA tribute band SMELLS LIKE NIRVANA, landed the C.O.C. gig at the recommendation of ANTHRAX/PANTERA drummer Charlie Benante.

Moore, who played on CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's 2005 album "In The Arms Of God" and laid down the drum tracks for "Good God / Baad Man", gave Shabatura's arrival his blessing, writing on social media: "I approve this message! I went by rehearsals in Riffississippi the other day to meet and hang with Nick. He is an amazing drummer and a super cool guy. He showed up having completely done his homework and already sounds great playing with the band.

"The plan was always for me to make this record with the guys and then to find somebody to do the touring. Well, we found the guy and he is Nick Shabatura! Thanks Charlie Benante for the recommendation".

There are countless young bands that are still searching for their own individual musical identity and a breakthrough image based on their own visionary concept. And then there’s BLOOD WHITE, a band that has already found all these factors. Although the five-piece band has only been together since 2022, their sound is incredibly mature, creative and unique. BLOOD WHITE have developed a refined, distinctive mix of modern metal, rock and hardcore which leaves a lasting impression. Added to that, the band’s incredible stage outfits, highlighted through their glaring red and white ‘corporate identity’, sets the quintet apart from the genre’s standard dull, black style which so many of their contemporaries seem to favour. But most importantly, their debut album, “From Hell”, presents music of a standard rarely found in newcomer acts.

The songs mix raw metal riffs and brutal grooves with catchy choruses which enables listeners who are less into the metal-genre immediate access to their exciting, hellraising music. Listen to tracks such as “All I Said Was A Lie”‚ “Bloodified”, “I Smell Blood” or “From Hell” and watch the videos of “Run Or Die” and “Guns & Fear” which all show BLOOD WHITE’s extensive range of stylistic potential and musical influences. At the same time, the album also provides a number of surprises.

Practically out of nowhere (or rather, out of darkest hell), singer Dr. Zero projects a deep sense of melancholy, grief and anger on “Before I Die”, deliberately leaving a number of questions unanswered. Dr. Zero: “The song says something about me, and its metaphors express precisely what I want to share with our audience. It’s about love, about its dependence on your own emotions and on what constitutes the bleakness of grief. Thoughts of having nothing left but a refuge, albeit one that makes you slide even deeper into the abyss than you already have.”

“From Hell” and “Fear” strike a similar lyrical note and present demonic verbal exchanges on God and the world, preachers, monsters and demons, as well as the eternal horror of war and devastation leading, ultimately, to the destruction of one’s own soul. Dr. Zero added: “Most of our songs are about the chasms of the human mind, its capacity for absolute evil, a contradiction to love and compassion. This contraction also resonates in the name “Blood White”, red being a symbol of blood, but also of love, and white stands for innocence and eternity evoking that glistening, bright light that people who have experienced ‘being clinically dead’ talk about.”

The appraisal above says it all! BLOOD WHITE hold everything in their own hands, it’s all there to be seen and heard: the music, the videos, the album sleeve, the photos – the entire band and its image!

BLOOD WHITE are fulfilling the promise of an even more spectacular (metal) future!


TRACK-LISTING
01 – All I Said Was A Lie
02 – Run Or Die
03 – Bloodified
04- I Smell Blood
05 – Guns & Fear
06 – Unholy Water
07 – Fear
08 – Before I Die
09 – Memories
10 – Kill Everyone
11 – Don´t Blame Me
12 – From Hell

LINE-UP
Dr. Zero – vocals
Mr. Bonesaw – guitar
D.C. Spark – guitar
Luke Y-Cut – drums
Gas Gee – bass

In a new interview with Thomas Moser of Germany's Rock Antenne, THE PRETTY RECKLESS frontwoman Taylor Momsen spoke about her band's refusal to use backing tracks or rely on click tracks in their live performances and concerts. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Like anyone, I love what I love, and I love classic rock and I love all the '90s stuff, and I love authentic playing. We don't use the computer or anything like that to enhance anything. The computer is simply a tape machine; it is simply recording. There's no tuning. There's no fixing of anything. It's about capturing a performance, because that, to me, is what is authentic. As soon as you manipulate something, you're taking the human out of it, and I just don't see the point. I understand that there's a lot of music that does do that, but that's not what I aim to make ever. I'm trying to capture being as vulnerable and bare and raw and honest as I humanly can be. 'Cause I think that's the thing that is gonna connect to people at the end of the day, and that's how I want to emote myself. And also when we get on stage, we turn up."

She added: "It's fun playing music with your friends. And there is no production, there is no tracks, there's no click track — there's none of that. It's just the four of us on stage. We turn up, and every night's different, and it's exciting."

After Moser noted that this approach "is so rare nowadays" because so many musicians "aim for perfection", Taylor said: "I think the perfection is in the imperfection. That's the human quality that can't be emulated, and that's the magic. That's what you're striving for."

Thomas went on to say that THE PRETTY RECKLESS "must have a thousand young girls or boys or listeners" that come to her and the rest of the band and comment on the fact their approach is more stripped down and bare than what they are accustomed to seeing. "Yeah, I guess I never even thought of it that way," Taylor admitted. "Our fans, I think, know what they're getting with us at this point. We just did a very small club show in London at the Underworld, and we pulled from all aspects of our career, and it was very fun, and I feel very fortunate to have... that we have a fanbase that likes — it seems to, at least — that likes everything we do. And they actually listen to the full record. I'm old school in that way. I make an album, and the album says everything. It's hard for me to cherry-pick songs out of that. They all stand on their own, of course, but you're not getting the complete story, you're not getting the complete picture, I don't think, in the modern paradigm. So it's very rewarding to have a fanbase that understands that, I think, and cares about everything equally."

THE PRETTY RECKLESS's fifth studio album, "Dear God", will arrive on June 26 via Fearless Records.

THE PRETTY RECKLESS will bring its stage performance to fans across the world with the band's all-new headlining "Dear God" tour. The trek will kick off in North America this summer, making stops in New Orleans, Dallas, and Los Angeles before wrapping in Europe. This tour follows THE PRETTY RECKLESS's incredible two-year long trek across the globe alongside AC/DC on the "Power Up" tour.

This upcoming marquee year follows a remarkable 12 months for THE PRETTY RECKLESS, which included an acclaimed performance at the prestigious 2026 MusiCares Person Of The Year Gala, where Taylor honored the legendary Mariah Carey alongside the FOO FIGHTERS, as well as a performance at the 2025 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame where Taylor performed with SOUNDGARDEN for their induction. Additionally, the band released their holiday EP "Taylor Momsen's Pretty Reckless Christmas", which features the revamped "Where Are You Christmas?" — the lead single hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, reigniting over two decades of global fandom and nostalgia.