Primary Wave Music, the leading independent publisher of iconic and legendary music in the world, has announced today its partnership with the legendary Mick Jones of Grammy-nominated band FOREIGNER. This exciting new partnership will see Primary Wave partner with Jones on his publishing and recording catalogs, as well as name, image and likeness and touring of FOREIGNER. Access to Primary Wave's marketing team and publishing infrastructure will be provided with plans for all teams to work closely with FOREIGNER on new marketing, branding, digital, and synch opportunities, as well as film and television projects.

With more than 80 million albums sold across the globe, FOREIGNER is considered to be one of the most popular rock acts in the world. The Grammy-nominated rock band's repertoire includes nine studio albums, seven of which hit the Top 30 on the Billboard 200 chart, including the Grammy-nominated album "4". Upon release, the album shot straight to number one and stayed there for a whopping 10 weeks. "4" went on to sell over six million copies in the U.S. alone and spawned several hits singles, including "Waiting For A Girl Like You" and "Juke Box Hero". In addition to their studio albums, FOREIGNER released 11 live albums, 16 compilations, and released nearly 50 singles. Of their singles released, they saw 16 hit the Top 30 on Billboard's Hot 100, including the previously mentioned "Waiting For A Girl Like You" and "Juke Box Hero", as well as "I Want To Know What Love Is" and "Cold As Ice".

Released in 1977, "Feels Like The First Time" was the first single from the band's self-titled debut album. The single rose to number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and would go on to see placements on a number of "best of" lists. The second single from the band's debut was "Cold As Ice" which also entered the Top 10, landing at number 6 on the Hot 100 chart. The success of their debut and both singles helped earn FOREIGNER their first Grammy nomination for "Best New Artist" in 1978.

The next couple of years saw the band release two more albums — "Double Vision" and "Head Games" — before releasing their most commercially successful album, "4". The Grammy-nominated album held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard chart longer than any album by any artist in the Atlantic label's history and would go on to receive critical acclaim, with Classic Rock declaring it a "masterpiece".

"4" featured several hit singles, including "Juke Box Hero" and "Waiting For A Girl Like You". Released in 1981, "Waiting For A Girl Like You" peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 and stayed there for an astounding 14 weeks, helping FOREIGNER land a spot on Billboard's "Greatest Songs Of All Time" list. January of 1982 saw the release of "Juke Box Hero", a song Ultimate Classic Rock claimed was the band's all-time greatest song. The single would go on to be certified platinum and become a favorite at live shows. American Songwriter stated that while the band was leaning a little more pop at the time, the release of "Juke Box Hero" saw the band "still very much preaching the gospel of rock and roll to an audience ready to hear it." 1984 saw FOREIGNER release yet another incredible power ballad with "I Want To Know What Love Is". From the band's fifth studio album, the song shot to number one not only in the U.S., but across the pond in the United Kingdom as well. It remains one of the band's best-known and beloved ballads, continuing to stand the test of time.

Mick Jones said of the partnership: "Larry Mestel has created a unique company that focuses on heritage artists and develops them with incredible success. I am personally thrilled that he and his team of professionals will be working alongside my long-term friends and managers Phil Carson and Stewart Young to build upon the awareness of FOREIGNER and our songs.

"Over twenty years ago, I reformed the band with the finest musicians I could find. This year, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1977 New York founding with a live album and movie that features original members Lou Gramm and Al Greenwood joining FOREIGNER for a magnificent concert on Ellis Island. I can't think of a better home for this and FOREIGNER's future than Primary Wave."

Larry Mestel, Primary Wave's CEO and founder, said: "Mick Jones is one of the most prolific songwriters of all time, and FOREIGNER is one of the few remaining super groups that continue to provide an amazing live experience. We are honored to partner with Mick, Phil Carson, Stewart Young and the band to help take their songs and brand to even higher levels."

Primary Wave's Eric Baker adds: "FOREIGNER's music is a part of a global culture and having this legendary band join the Primary Wave family is incredibly exciting. I'm looking forward to working alongside Phil Carson, Stewart Young, and the entire team to ensure these timeless songs continue to inspire audiences around the world for decades to come."

With more Top 10 hits than JOURNEY, and as many as FLEETWOOD MAC, FOREIGNER features strongly in every category in Billboard's "Greatest Of All Time" listing. At times, the band's weekly catalog sales have eclipsed those of LED ZEPPELIN, AC/DC, THE ROLLING STONES, THE WHO, DEF LEPPARD, VAN HALEN, AEROSMITH and most of their classic rock peers (Source: Nielsen SoundScan). With 10 multi-platinum albums and 16 Top 30 hits, FOREIGNER is universally hailed as one of the most popular rock acts in the world with a formidable musical arsenal that continues to propel sold-out tours and album sales, now exceeding 80 million. Responsible for some of rock and roll's most enduring anthems, including "Juke Box Hero", "Cold As Ice", "Hot Blooded", "Waiting For A Girl Like You", "Feels Like The First Time", "Urgent", "Head Games", "Say You Will", "Dirty White Boy", "Long, Long Way From Home" and the worldwide No. 1 hit and member of Spotify's exclusive Billions Club "I Want To Know What Love Is", Rock And Roll Hall Of Famers FOREIGNER still rock the charts almost 50 years into the game with massive airplay and continued Billboard album chart success. Audio and video streams of FOREIGNER's hits are approaching 20 million per week. FOREIGNER's catalog sales were recently celebrated in Business Insider as hitting the Top 40 among the "Best-Selling Music Artists Of All Time".

FOREIGNER 2026 is Luis Carlos Maldonado on lead vocals, noted bassist and musical director/producer Jeff Pilson, Michael Bluestein on keyboards, lead guitarist Bruce Watson, Chris Frazier on drums and John Roth on guitar.

Photo credit: Karsten Staiger

Today, Seven Spires is proud to announce the Master Key Edition of their recent album, A Fortress Called Home, set for release on September 4 via Frontiers Music Srl. To mark the occasion, the band also shares the new single, “Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues” (Orchestral Version), alongside a visualizer, available below.

Originally released in 2024, A Fortress Called Home further cemented Seven Spires’ reputation as one of the most ambitious, creative and emotionally compelling bands in modern metal. Seamlessly blending symphonic metal, power metal, progressive influences and extreme metal elements, the album showcased the band at the peak of its artistic vision, driven by Adrienne Cowan’s extraordinary vocal performance and the group’s fearless approach to songwriting.

Now available in the expansive Master Key Edition, this definitive 3-disc package offers fans the opportunity to experience the album from entirely new perspectives. Alongside the original album, the set includes a complete collection of instrumental versions, highlighting the remarkable arrangements, orchestration work and musicianship that underpin the record. The third disc further expands the listening experience with orchestral versions of selected songs as well as exclusive live recordings captured during the band’s recent touring cycle.

About the Master Key Edition, the band comments: “We invite you to explore deeper into ‘A Fortress Called Home’ with this Master Key Edition! Who knows what secrets you may find hidden in the instrumentals and orchestral arrangements? What memories will you behold in the gallery of live souvenirs from the last two years?”

From the epic opener “Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues” to the cinematic closing moments of “The Old Hurt Of Being Left Behind,” A Fortress Called Home represents Seven Spires at their most accomplished and mature. The additional material included in the upcoming Master Key Edition reveals new dimensions of these compositions, offering a deeper look into the creative process behind one of the band’s most celebrated releases.

For longtime followers and new listeners alike, A Fortress Called Home (Master Key Edition) stands as the ultimate document of this important chapter in the band’s evolution and a testament to why Seven Spires continue to be regarded as one of the most exciting and forward-thinking names in contemporary metal.

Adrienne Cowan shares: “This is also our first time releasing orchestral arrangements. I’m a little extra proud of that, and quite excited since it’s something we’ve always wanted to do.”

Pre-order the Master Key Edition of A Fortress Called Home here.



Tracklisting:

Disc 1
“A Fortress Called Home”
“Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues”
“Almosttown”
“Impossible Tower”
“Love’s Souvenir”
“Architect Of Creation”
“Portrait Of Us”
“Emerald Necklace”
“Where Sorrows Bear My Name”
“No Place For Us”
“House Of Lies”
“The Old Hurt Of Being Left Behind”
“House Of Lies” (Acoustic) Bonus Track

Disc 2
“A Fortress Called Home” (Instrumental)
“Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues” (Instrumental)
“Almosttown” (Instrumental)
“Impossible Tower” (Instrumental)
“Love’s Souvenir” (Instrumental)
“Architect Of Creation” (Instrumental)
“Portrait Of Us” (Instrumental)
“Emerald Necklace” (Instrumental)
“Where Sorrows Bear My Name” (Instrumental)
“No Place For Us” (Instrumental)
“House Of Lies” (Instrumental)
“The Old Hurt Of Being Left Behind” (Instrumental)

Disc 3
“Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues” (Orchestral Version)
“Almosttown” (Orchestral Version)
“Love’s Souvenir” (Orchestral Version)
“Architect Of Creation” (Orchestral Version)
“Portrait Of Us” (Orchestral Version)
“The Old Hurt Of Being Left Behindv (Orchestral Version)
“A Fortress Called Home” (Live in Tilburg)
“Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues” (Live in Tilburg)
“Architect Of Creation” (Live in Montréal)
“Succumb” (Live in Tilburg)
“Love’s Souvenir” (Live in Montréal)
“Wanderer’s Prayer” (Live in Tilburg)
“Gods Of Debauchery” (Live in Tilburg)

The Americana Music Association has announced that Robert Plant will receive the Association's Lifetime Achievement Award during the 25th annual Americana Honors & Awards, taking place Wednesday, September 16 at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium.

"Robert Plant's relationship with Americana music extends far beyond influence — it is one of genuine passion, stewardship and artistic curiosity," Jed Hilly, executive director of the Americana Music Association, said. "His willingness to immerse himself in the traditions of blues, folk, country and gospel, while continuing to push their boundaries, has expanded the audience for Americana around the world. Few artists have done more to honor the music's past while helping shape its future. We are thrilled to recognize his extraordinary contributions with the Americana Music Association's Lifetime Achievement Award."

The Americana Honors & Awards is the hallmark event of Americanafest. Additional performers, presenters, and event details for the 2026 Americana Honors & Awards will be announced in the coming weeks.

Throughout his life, Robert Plant has had an abiding love of roots music, both vintage and modern — of blues, folk, gospel, country and those tantalizing sounds that lie in between. Since first achieving worldwide acclaim as the lead singer of LED ZEPPELIN, his curiosity has continued to lead him across musical genres, including into the heart of American roots music: he is one of its most passionate advocates and celebrated interpreters.

Plant's groundbreaking collaborations with Alison Krauss and producer T Bone Burnett on the Grammy Award-winning "Raising Sand" not only introduced millions of listeners to the depth and artistry of Americana music but also helped elevate the genre. This pivotal period led the Recording Academy to establish a "Best Americana Album" category. Plant continued his exploration of American roots music with his collaborators Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller and others for BAND OF JOY and again on a second duet album with Krauss, "Raise The Roof". More recently, on his record "Saving Grace" and its follow-up EP "Saving Grace: All That Glitters..." he joined with singer Suzi Dian and a band of musical compatriots from near his home on the Welsh borders to record songs by Gillian Welch, Memphis Minnie and Blind Willie Johnson, Bob Moseley (Moby Grape),Martha Scanlan, Mimi Parker and Alan Sparhawk's Low, Sarah Siskind, and The Low Anthem, among other Americana gems, to much critical acclaim.

Tickets for the 25 annual Americana Honors & Awards taking place September 16 at the Ryman Auditorium are on sale now.

Photo by Tom Oldham

What do you do for an encore when your first-ever feature film becomes the No. 1 hard rock cinema event in U.S. history and spawns a No. 1-charting soundtrack album? If you're GHOST, you go even bigger — you literally go "2 Big To Rig". GHOST's second collaboration with Trafalgar Releasing, "2 Big To Rig" was captured live on 16mm film over the course of GHOST's two sold-out shows at Mexico City's Palacio De Los Deportes. The band's second feature film, it transports the viewer through time and space to a spot in the crowd of nearly 40,000 who witnessed those darkly magical nights in September 2025.

In contrast to 2024's global box office Top 10 smash "Rite Here Rite Now", "2 Big To Rig" focuses exclusively on the GHOST live ritual. From behind-the-scenes interludes showcasing the crew members that make the band's theatrical vision into nightly reality to the only pro-shot footage of mesmerizing frontman Papa V Perpetua and his band of Nameless Ghouls on the entire phone-free tour, "2 Big To Rig" is the definitive document of GHOST's unforgettable "Skeletour" world tour.

The title "2 Big To Rig" is a reference to GHOST calling an end to "Skeletour" in February 2026 after 70 shows across North America, Europe, and Mexico. The film was made with the intention to share the "Skeletour" experience with the faithful in the territories where staging the show was not logistically feasible — as well as for the fans featured in the film who had tickets for the first of three planned Mexico City dates, which became two after night one was canceled due to illness.

"2 Big To Rig" is a love letter to all those who have shared the GHOST ritual, in-person or otherwise. Presented in IMAX where available, the feature-length concert film is both a must for those looking to relive their "Skeletour" memories and for those witnessing the spectacle for the first time. The charismatic Papa V and his supremely talented coven of nameless ghouls have never looked or sounded better than they do here, ripping through material from GHOST's six albums — including 2025's global No. 1 "Skeletá" as well as non-LP favorites including "Mary On A Cross", "Kiss The Go-Goat" and "The Future Is A Foreign Land".

Kymberli Frueh, EVP content acquisitions and programming, Trafalgar Releasing, said: "GHOST captured the final nights of the legendary 'Skeletour''s first leg on 16mm film in Mexico City — creating a nostalgic experience and a fitting farewell to an era for fans. We're proud to share it with cinema audiences worldwide before GHOST takes a well-publicized break. It's the perfect way to close such a significant chapter in the band's history and give fans a chance to relive this moment together."

"2 Big To Rig" will be released in cinemas and IMAX worldwide, beginning Wednesday, August 26 for a limited time only. Tickets will officially be on sale Thursday, July 23. For updates on screenings, showtimes, and to sign up for further information, go to 2BigToRig.com.

This past January, GHOST canceled three shows on the 2026 North American leg of "Skeletour" — January 24 in Knoxville, January 25 in Charlotte and January 26 in Greenville — due to the state of emergency issued in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

The 2026 North American leg of GHOST's "Skeletour" world tour kicked off on January 21 at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida and ran through February 23 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California.

The European leg of GHOST's 2025 world tour kicked off on April 15, 2025 in Manchester, United Kingdom and concluded on May 24, 2025 in Oslo, Norway. The North American leg of GHOST's 2025 tour launched on July 9, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland and wrapped up on August 16, 2025 in Houston, Texas.

In May 2025, GHOST's latest album, "Skeletá", landed at position No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 86,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the LP's first week of release. According to Billboard, 89% of that figure (77,000) consisted of traditional album sales, with vinyl purchases accounting for over 44,000 copies. Notably, "Skeletá" was the first hard rock album to reach the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 since AC/DC's "Power Up" in 2020.

The music video for the LP's first single, "Satanized", introduced the new character who fronted GHOST for its 2025 and 2026 touring cycles: Papa V Perpetua.

On September 25, Colorado’s brutal deathcore denizens, Crown Magnetar, will release their third full-length, The Hollowing Of Godflesh, via Unique Leader Records.

Stream the new single “Godkiller” now, in preparation for a monstrous co-headlining tour with To The Grave, here, where the album can also be pre-ordered in various formats. Watch the video below.

On the new single, vocalist Dan Tucker comments: “‘Godkiller’ is all gas. It’s basically the equivalent of driving a bulldozer into Hell. Still very Crown Magnetar, but focused through a death metal intensity and a great tone-setting track to introduce our new record, The Hollowing of Godflesh.”



Regarding The Hollowing Of Godflesh, Tucker adds: “The Hollowing Of Godflesh is the most complete representation of Crown Magnetar we’ve ever put together. We pushed every aspect of our songwriting further without losing the intensity and rawness that defines the band. We wanted to take what people expect from us and push it further by adding more atmosphere, bigger moments, and even more aggression without sacrificing anything. You’ll hear it in the insane riffing of new guitarist Rob Maramonte, who has spent time as a member of Fallujah and The Zenith Passage, as well as performed live with Thy Art Is Murder and All Shall Perish. The Hollowing of Godflesh is a highly sharpened version of Crown Magnetar. It delivers unrelenting brutality and is sure to please old and new fans alike.”



The Hollowing Of Godflesh tracklisting:

“Gun Eater
“Desecrate Infinite
“Domination
“Impaled Genesis
“The Hollowing Of Godflesh
“Godkiller
“Shut Up and Bleed
“Torture Engine
“Sculptures Of Suffering (feat. Heath Thompson of Flesh Carving)
“Dead Crown

In a new interview with Stefan Nilsson of Roppongi Rocks, vocalist Marco Aro of Swedish thrash metal pioneers THE HAUNTED spoke about his decision to rejoin the band in 2013 after a decade-long absence from the group. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When [THE HAUNTED guitarist Patrik] Jensen [initially] asked me [to come back], I actually told him, 'I know what you're gonna ask. And don't ask it because I'm not interested.' But then we talked about the whole format of THE HAUNTED 2012, '13, moving on, and it was appealing. And it was, actually, like coming home. The first rehearsal we had in Jonas's [Björler, THE HAUNTED bassist] garage… Because when we started playing the old songs and I was standing there, 'Oh, how does this start? How does this start? I can't remember. I can't remember.' And then it was time for vocals, and it just popped in my head. And so it was like coming home."

Regarding what has changed in the way THE HAUNTED operates today compared to how it was in the early days, Marco said: "The partying, I believe, is a lot different now. But also, there's still the core members. It's actually just Ola [Englund, THE HAUNTED guitarist] who doesn't have a previous stint in the band, so... But otherwise, it's just the same core, and we still really, really enjoy each other's company. And it's a blessing to be in your 50s, riding around in the world with your best mates doing very childish stuff. It's a blessing. And the good thing and the funny thing about this band is that we've never, ever had an argument in the band where we actually shouted or anything at each other. So we've always been good friends, and I think that's just because we give each other space a lot. And then in between shows and everything, we don't even speak to each other because we all live split up anyway, so we don't contact each other until it's time for shows. And I think that's what's saved this relationship a lot."

The music for "Songs Of Last Resort" was recorded by Oscar Nilsson at Studio Bohus, while the main vocals were recorded by Björn Strid at The Cellar Studio. The LP was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (KREATOR, ARCH ENEMY, SEPULTURA). Artwork was once again provided by longtime visual collaborator Andreas "Diaz" Pettersson.

"Songs of Last Resort" was made available as a limited CD mediabook and poster (including the bonus track "Feeding The Furnace"),as a standard CD jewelcase, as a digital album and as a 180g LP and poster.

Earlier this year, Marco told Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show about THE HAUNTED's mindset going into the follow-up to 2017's "Strength In Numbers" album: "The thing is that we tried for eight years to make an album and COVID got in the way. I guess we appreciate it a lot more now because we're in a good place. We're in our 50s now and we still make music like we did in our 20s.

"The amount of success and appreciation this album ['Songs of Last Resort'] has gotten is overwhelming, actually, because we didn't think that [would happen] when we set out to write this and record this album. We just, once again, wrote an album for ourselves more or less. So it's been a interesting ride and we did not expect this, because in our minds, we didn't do anything different except that we decided to take the old HAUNTED sound and turn it up to 11. That's pretty much it, the whole idea behind it."

THE HAUNTED 2026 is (left to right in photo):

Ola Englund – rhythm, lead guitar
Jonas Björler - bass, backing vocals
Marco Aro - lead vocals
Adrian Erlandsson - drums
Patrik Jensen - rhythm guitar

Photo credit: Linda Florin