Legendary band SLEEP will release a new album, "Hemispheres", on September 3 digitally and October 30 in physical formats via Jack White's Third Man Records. The follow-up to 2018's "The Sciences" marks SLEEP's first album without founding guitarist Matt Pike (also of HIGH ON FIRE).

A new SLEEP single, "The Morrisist", can be streamed below. The track follows "Have Spacesuit Will Travel", which was made available in June.

SLEEP's lineup on "Hemispheres" consists of founding singer-bassist Al Cisneros alongside Dale Crover on drums and Bubba Dupree on guitar. Dale has been in some serious bands, like the MELVINS and REDD KROSS. That Al would seek him out makes sense, an almost elementary choice that probably wouldn't raise too many eyebrows. Bubba Dupree, from the fiercely loved band VOID, hailing out of Columbia, Maryland, is a pick that is not only completely mind-blowing, but a choice no one would have seen coming.

Cisneros, Dupree and Crover as a trio looks really good on paper, but the only way to see if it worked was to get everyone in a room and play. Al says the answer made itself evident immediately: "The vibe of the first jam was obvious. It was blue sunglasses-era Iommi in the quality, and equally awesome is Bubba is also one of the coolest people I've been able to make music with."

"Hemispheres" track listing:

01. Have Spacesuit Will Travel
02. The Morrisist
03. Hempispheres
04. Arrival of the Industry Ships
05. Whole Wheat Mountain Well Baked

SLEEP will kick off its summer/fall 2026 tour on September 8 in San Diego, California.

SLEEP most recently played half a dozen shows in 2022.

In January 2025, drummer Jason Roeder revealed that he had been "unceremoniously fired by SLEEP's manager over the phone back in November [of 2024]." He added that he hadn't "spoken to Al or Matt in months and that brings some peace to my life that I am thankful for."

Press photo by Travis Shinn

Black death metal force BELPHEGOR has finished work on its 13th studio album, scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2027 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

The forthcoming record will mark the next chapter in BELPHEGOR's uncompromising legacy, continuing the band's relentless exploration of black death metal and its distinctive fusion of brutality, darkness and ceremonial intensity.

As work on the album progresses, BELPHEGOR reminds its supporters to revisit the first two singles from the upcoming release: "Scarlet Beast - Leviathan", which was released in February 2026; and "Sanctus Diaboli Confidimus", which was released in August 2025.

Since their formation in 1993 in Austria, BELPHEGOR have stood as one of the most brutal and transgressive forces in black death metal. Founded by vocalist and guitarist Helmuth Lehner, the band has spent over three decades refining a sound forged in fire and sacrilege, merging the violent precision of death metal with the ritualistic darkness of black metal. Their musick is an invocation of infernal power, a soundwall of relentless blasphemy.

From the raw intensity of early releases like "The Last Supper" (1995),"Blutsabbath" (1997) and "Necrodaemon Terrorsathan" (2000) to the increasingly sophisticated compositions found on albums such as "Lucifer Incestus", "Bondage Goat Zombie", "Pestapokalypse VI" and "Totenritual", BELPHEGOR have continually pushed the boundaries of extreme musick. Each release marks a further descent into forbidden territory.

The band's thematic focus with ritual magick, religious inversion, and arcane symbolism is matched by their technical mastery, multilingual lyrics, and sonic experimentation.

With their twelfth studio album "The Devils" (2022),BELPHEGOR delivered one of their most punishing and ambitious records to date. Recorded at Fascination Street Studios with producer Jens Bogren, the album features nine meticulously crafted compositions that shift seamlessly between feral aggression and solemn majesty. Tracks such as "Glorifizierung Des Teufels" and "Virtus Asinaria - Prayer" incorporate choral passages and ritualistic structure, while "Damnation - Höllensturz" unfolds with a dynamic complexity that further amplifies the band’s compositional vision. Lyrically, the album weaves together German, Latin, and English to cast incantations of death, desecration, and rebellion against sacred order. Accompanied by visionary artwork from Seth Siro Anton, "The Devils" stands as a high point in BELPHEGOR's canon and underscores their continued relevance in the global extreme metal landscape.

Following the success of "The Devils", BELPHEGOR were honored with the 2023 Amadeus Austrian Music Award in the "Hard And Heavy" category, a rare moment of formal recognition in Austria for a band that has long walked a path far removed from mainstream acceptance. This accolade acknowledges their artistic legacy and highlights the contrast between their recognition and the transgressive nature of their craft.

Renowned for their intense live rituals, BELPHEGOR have toured relentlessly across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Australia and beyond. They have appeared at Wacken Open Air, Knotfest, Bloodstock Open Air, Hellfest, Tons Of Rock, Sweden Rock and numerous other prestigious metal festivals. Their stage presence is more than a performance, it is a ceremony of magick and infernal theatre, where sound, smoke, blood, and fire converge in a communion with darkness.

Now, as the band approaches its thirteenth studio album, a deeper and more arcane force begins to stir. The number thirteen bears ancient meaning: endings, thresholds, and the passage into the unknown. Rooted in primordial doctrine, the thirteenth seal is said to bind the final veil between worlds, the last barrier between order and chaos.

With this upcoming release, BELPHEGOR prepares to break that seal, not to follow, but to lead. To summon what lies beyond even their own previous creations: something more primal, more ritualistic, more devastating.

Early glimpses of new material point to a continuation of the dark artistic path begun with "The Devils", now delving even deeper. The upcoming album takes shape as a focused ritual: precise, uncompromising, and rooted in the band’s unmistakable vision, the glorification of the Devil.

Photo by: Jeremy Kehlenbeck

Rock legend Joan Jett has been forced to cancel a couple of shows in September in order to allow sufficient time for recovery after a recent surgical procedure.

On Wednesday, August 5, Joan's social media was updated with the following message: "Following a recent injury, Joan Jett has undergone orthopedic surgery on a fractured vertebrae and will begin the necessary healing process. In close consultation with her doctors, Joan will not be able to perform at her forthcoming September scheduled shows in Costa Mesa, CA on September 5th and in Louisville, KY on September 24th. While Joan hates to disappoint fans, she will be taking this time to focus on physical therapy and healing. She's looking forward to delivering tremendous concerts for many years to come."

Joan Jett grew up during a time when rock 'n' roll was off limits to girls and women, but as a teenager, she promptly blew the door to the boys' club right off its hinges. After forming her band THE BLACKHEARTS in 1979, with whom Jett has become a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee, she has had eight platinum and gold albums and nine Top 40 singles, including the classics "Bad Reputation", "I Love Rock 'N' Roll", "I Hate Myself For Loving You" and "Crimson And Clover".

With a career that has spanned music, film, television, Broadway, and humanitarianism, Joan Jett remains a potent force and inspiration to generations of fans worldwide. As a producer, she has overseen seminal albums by BIKINI KILL, and THE GERMS' L.A. punk masterpiece "GI". Jett and Kenny Laguna (her longtime producer and music partner) co-founded Blackheart Records from the trunk of Kenny's Cadillac after rejections from no less than 23 labels. 40 years later, Blackheart is a thriving entertainment company producing music, film and television, and continues to champion emerging bands.

JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS continue to tour the world with headlining shows alongside fellow rock legends like THE WHO, GREEN DAY, HEART and FOO FIGHTERS.

"Bad Reputation", a documentary about Jett's life, premiered to critical acclaim at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.

JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS will reissue their 1981 seminal album "I Love Rock 'N Roll" as a 45th-anniversary edition. The updated set will be available on CD and opaque sky blue vinyl on August 28 via Blackheart Records.

"I Love Rock 'N Roll" is a landmark of rock history, selling over 10 million copies worldwide. The title track dominated the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks, becoming a global anthem and earning spots on multiple "greatest songs" lists. The album also delivered the Top 10 hit "Crimson & Clover".

All four of RUSH's sold-out hometown shows at Toronto, Ontario, Canada's Scotiabank Arena, beginning Friday, August 7, will be filmed in their entirety for a likely concert film.

RUSH will perform four hometown shows at Scotiabank Arena as part of the Canadian rock legends' "Fifty Something" tour on August 7, August 9, August 11 and August 13. These are the band's first hometown performances since returning to the stage in June.

RUSH bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee commented: "It's always a hard decision as to where to film a live concert. Given the limited cities we are able to play, the demand for such a film has been off the charts, not only as a keepsake of their experience, but for those many fans that have not been able to see it live. Toronto being hometown made it a natural choice, and being the last mini-residency of four shows, playing over 40 songs which gives us the best chance to capture it all.

"We know there are fans traveling here from all across the globe and that will make it a special week," he continued. "This tour, being a celebration of our history and a tribute to [late RUSH drummer] Neil [Peart] has been an emotional outpouring from the fans and from us. They have been louder and prouder than ever before, and we hope to capture them letting their ya-yas out while rockin' their best 'Tom Sawyer' air drum fills!"

A representative for RUSH told the Toronto Star plans for the how the concert footage will be used is still being explored.

Lee's brother Allan Weinrib, a longtime RUSH collaborator, will oversee the concert footage, according to the Toronto Star, marking his directorial debut after years producing the band's projects, including the concert film "Rush: R40 Live".

Peart died on January 7, 2020 in Santa Monica, California after a three-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 67 years old.

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

In 2022, Lee revealed that Peart wanted to keep his cancer diagnosis a secret prior to his death.

RUSH is currently on the road with 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. The June 7 show at Kia Forum in Los Angeles, California was the kick-off gig of the "Fifty Something" tour, which marks RUSH's first with the band's revamped lineup of classic members Lee (vocals, bass) and Lifeson (guitar) alongside Nilles and Gold.

RUSH is performing multiple shows in cities across Canada, the United States and Mexico. These special "evening with" shows find the band playing two sets each night. Each show features a distinct selection of songs, and RUSH builds each night's setlist from a catalog of around 40 tracks, including its greatest hits and fan favorites.

After Lee and Lifeson announced RUSH's initial 2026 tour dates in early October 2025, they instantly sold out. They then doubled the tour's length due to increased demand before adding even more dates to the trek.

ANTHRAX has released the official music video for "Everybody's Got A Plan", the third single from the band's upcoming " Cursum Perficio" album. The clip, which premiered via Revolver, includes footage of ANTHRAX's recent performance at Lisbon, Portugal's Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica as the support act for IRON MAIDEN. The video is "a great representation of a day in the life of ANTHRAX on tour," according to bassist Frank Bello.

"Everybody's Got A Plan" follows the previously released singles "It's For The Kids", which came out in May, and "The Edge Of Perfection", which was made available in July.

"'Everybody's Got A Plan' has always been one of my favorite songs on 'Cursum Perficio'," ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante said. "The video basically shows the band on and off stage in a montage of video clips that kinda matches the velocity of the song. The line 'Everybody's got a plan until they get punched in the face' is such a great line, and so true!"

ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian added: "We wanted to capture us having fun on tour and what better way to do that? That was a plan that didn't end up with a punch in the face! Have fun watching, my friends!"

"Cursum Perficio" will arrive on September 18 via Megaforce in the U.S. and Nuclear Blast in Europe. It marks ANTHRAX's first record in ten years since 2016's "For All Kings", which debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200. The phrase "Cursum Perficio" is Latin for "My journey has come to an end," "My journey is over," or "I complete my journey."

ANTHRAX will celebrate the release of "Cursum Perficio" with a late-night in-store signing in Louisville, Kentucky. Immediately following the band's September 17 performance at the city's annual Louder Than Life festival, ANTHRAX will meet fans at Louisville's Guestroom Records (1330A Bardstown Rd). Beginning at 12:01 a.m. on September 18, the multi-Grammy Award-nominated New York hard rock titans — Scott Ian (guitar),Charlie Benante (drums),Frank Bello (bass),Joey Belladonna (vocals) and Jonathan Donais (guitar) — will be signing copies of the new album. Space for the event is limited. To attend this special release event, fans must pre-order the album directly from Guestroom Records here. Only albums pre-ordered via the link will be eligible for the signing.

"It's For The Kids" is a classic ANTHRAX ripper locked and loaded with buzzsaw-sharp riffs, explosive drumming, and a howling and head-banging hook. It undoubtedly has all the makings of a future live staple. "The Edge Of Perfection" is highlighted by clean guitar echoes and cymbals that gently shake until a blastbeat blows open the doors. Guitars buzz like a motorboat on the River Styx, making waves through the darkness. In their wake, a crushing rhythm trails the melody of Belladonna's lament, "My heart breaks…I'm on the edge…I'm on the edge of perfection."

"Cursum Perficio" will be available as a standard CD; Target-exclusive CD with a fabric patch of the album cover; standard black double LP with pop-up gatefold; Target-exclusive double LP, red zoetrope with pop-up gatefold; Amazon-exclusive double LP, purple zoetrope LP with pop-up gatefold; merch-exclusive lilac vinyl double LP with pop-up gatefold; Metal Injection-exclusive white vinyl double LP with pop-up gatefold; Talk Shop Live-exclusive signed with red ripple vinyl double LP with pop-up gatefold; Indie-exclusive red, orange yellow vinyl double LP with pop-up gatefold.

The band dove into recording "Cursum Perficio" in earnest during 2022, working out of Dave Grohl's Studio 606 in Los Angeles. They carefully pieced together what would be this magnum opus, mining their history with reverence, delivering on fan expectations tenfold, and broadening the scope of their signature sound. Produced by Jay Ruston and ANTHRAX, the result is an album that's as angry, aggressive, and alive as their most celebrated fare.

The "Cursum Perficio" track listing is as follows:

01. Persistence Of Memory
02. The Long Goodbye
03. It's For The Kids
04. Everybody's Got A Plan
05. The Edge Of Perfection
06. Infectious
07. NYC93
08. Cursum Perficio
09. T.O.M.B.
10. Watch It Go
11. My Victory

Chilean progressive death metal band DECESSUS, which is fronted by Ignacia Fernández, the 28-year-old model who was crowned Miss World Chile 2025 (Spanish: Miss Mundo Chile) during last year's finals of the talent competition, has signed with BLKIIBLK, the heavy metal imprint of Frontiers Label Group.

Combining technical precision, crushing heaviness, soaring melodies and uncompromising intensity, DECESSUS has quickly carved out a unique identity within modern extreme music. The quartet's sound is both ferocious and forward-thinking, blending elements of progressive metal, death metal and djent into something unmistakably their own.

Following the release of acclaimed singles "The Hollow Descent" and "Dark Flames", DECESSUS now embarks on the next chapter of its rapidly expanding international career with BLKIIBLK.

Their upcoming debut album promises to showcase the band's signature balance of progressive songwriting, emotional depth and relentless aggression, introducing a bold new voice to contemporary extreme metal.

Fernández comments: "We're incredibly honored to announce that DECESSUS has officially joined the BLKIIBLK family. Our new chapter has begun, and we're incredibly eager to see what the future will bring. This is a milestone we've worked towards for a long time, and how rewarding is the opportunity to be part of such an incredible roster of artists. It is part of our vision to push our music and what DECESSUS is further, reaching new audiences, and sharing some really precious metal moments."

"To everyone who has supported us throughout this journey, our fans, friends, families, and everyone who has believed in DECESSUS from the very beginning, thank you. Your support has made moments like this possible," she adds. "We can't wait to show you what is coming next!! Horns up!"

"DECESSUS is both an unexpected success story in the making and a testament to the drive, talent and vision of Ignacia and the band," says Mike Gitter, head of A&R, Frontiers Label Group. "When we heard the new material the band had recorded for the upcoming album, it was instant as it masterfully weaves together elements of death metal, progressive metal and djent in a thoroughly modern way that will cement DECESSUS on the world stage."

Already making an impact far beyond their home country, DECESSUS has brought their commanding live show to internationally recognized festivals including Download festival in the U.K., Hellsinki Metal Festival and Nummirock in Finland. Supported by Finnish management company Till Dawn They Count, the band continues to build momentum across the global metal landscape.

With fearless musicianship, a powerful live presence and a debut album poised to introduce their music to an even wider audience, DECESSUS stands at the forefront of a new wave of progressive death metal. Their partnership with BLKIIBLK marks the beginning of an exciting new era, set to resonate with heavy music fans around the world.

In a recent interview with Finland's Chaoszine, Fernández spoke about how she became DECESSUS's vocalist and founder. Asked if she remembers when she heard heavier music for the first time in her life, Ignacia said: "Yes, I do. Ever since I was very young, I loved music, all kinds of music. At my home, my parents used to listen to all sorts of music. I liked them all, but my special interest was in rock music. But then when I started to grow up, I was feeling the need to listen to more heavier songs. So at the age of 11 or something, I found SYSTEM OF A DOWN, for example. So I started to go heavier. Oh, and before SYSTEM OF A DOWN, I found GUNS N' ROSES, which was also rock, but it was a bit more energetic comparing to what my father used to listen most of the time. And then I found SYSTEM OF A DOWN. I love them… And ever since then, I started trying to find more heavy music until the first time I listened to distortion vocals, like death vocals. It was actually in EPICA. The guitar player, Mark Jansen, does some harsh vocals, and I was very impressed. I really loved the sound, but it never came to my mind that I could also produce that sound. I was very young. I don't know. I saw a man doing that. I was, like, 'That's so cool.' But it never came to my mind I could also do it. Until at that same age, 11, 12 maybe, I saw a video, ARCH ENEMY 'Nemesis' live in Japan, like the classic video, and that was the first time I saw a woman singing death metal, and I was really impressed — really impressed. And ever since, I was, like, 'I want to do this.'

"I always wanted to do music," she explained. "I never knew what kind of music or what to do, like [playing] an instrument or something. I never had an instrument at home. It wasn't part of my daily life. So I never knew what I wanted to do, but I knew it was music. And when I listened the first time a woman singing [death metal] like that, I was, like, 'Okay, this is what I wanna do.'"

Asked if she tried to emulate Angela Gossow by screaming along to ARCH ENEMY songs when she first tried her hand at death metal singing, Ignacia said: "Actually, at the beginning, I wasn't listening much of ARCH ENEMY, even though it was the first time I listened to a woman [singing like that]. I was listening more other bands. I was trying to emulate the sound in my room. My mother probably was very scared — I don't know — but I was trying, I was trying. I was failing a lot. I remember, with the computer, I was looking for information, how to do it. I was reading some stuff online, seeing some videos, but I never found a good video. But I was trying to pick different stuff from here and there to try to do it until I found the sound, but it took a while. It wasn't a very fast process."

On the topic of whether there were specific songs or bands that she remembers screaming along to when she first tried singing death metal, Ignacia said: "I have such bad memory. I really don't know, but I always will remember THE AGONIST with Alissa White-Gluz. She was definitely one of my biggest inspirations. She is one of my biggest inspirations in music and in singing. So, yeah, definitely THE AGONIST. But, yeah, plenty more. I don't really remember, to be honest."

Asked if DECESSUS was her first-ever proper band or if she had been in other groups already before, Ignacia said: "No, no, no. Well, when I developed the sound the first time, I then stopped for many years doing everything that I liked because of some personal things and not feeling very well, et cetera. So when I came back, 'Okay, I will start singing again. I will start doing vocal lessons and then I will build my own band.' And so I did. So I studied vocal lessons for two years, and in the meantime I built my band DECESSUS."

Reflecting on her first recording session as a member of DECESSUS, Ignacia said: "It was so weird. I remember we were during COVID, COVID times. In Chile, it was just when the people could start going out again, but with some permits and for a few hours. And it was very difficult. And every studio was closed. So the guy who recorded me found a home, a place. He set up everything in there. I went with my mom and my sister. I was so scared. I didn't know what to do. And, yeah, it was a very weird experience, but very cool. I remember it very, very well… I mean, yeah, of course, I was afraid. I was, like, 'What am I doing? Will I do it good? I don't know,' blah, blah, blah. It was my first time in the studio. But then everything went very smooth, and I was feeling great, and the end result was great. I was happy. I was there for quite a few hours, and then I left home very, like, 'I did it. I can start doing this. I achieved my first goal.' Like, go to the studio. 'Nice. What's next?'"

Ignacia also reflected on her first live performance with DECESSUS, saying: "It definitely was a learning experience. For example, the guys in my band, they have played together since they were, like, I don't know, seven years, eight years. They studied at the same art school, and they had many bands and a lot of experience, but I had never been on a stage, and I was really afraid. I got very anxious, like, 'Am I going to do this correctly? Am I going to mess up?' [I was] afraid of the people and everything. Maybe it was a good thing we started in the pandemic because I had time to slowly [develop as a vocalist]. So I think that was nice for me, but definitely the first time we got on a stage, I was so bad. I mean, feeling like I really wanted to leave before going to the stage. I actually went out, went to a little park that was nearby, sat down with my bottle of water and was really planning and seeing how bad would it be if I just go home. I was going to do it. I was, like, damage control, you know?! Like, 'How bad would it be? No, maybe it isn't that bad. Okay, I'll go home.' I was so nervous. Then my best friend came walking. I never knew he was going to the show. And he saved the day. I was, like, 'Okay, come on inside. Come inside.' And then I did it. I was very nervous. I was shaking all the time, so I had to take the microphone with both hands so people wouldn't notice."

She added: "It was [typical of] the first time, I think, for everyone. The first time is the most difficult, but it ended up being very nice. The place was full. We sold out the tickets. That was amazing. The people were so energetic. I remember that day in a very good way."

Asked if she is planning on ever doing any clean singing with DECESSUS in the future, Ignacia said: "The thing is that when I built the band, I always wanted it to be just screaming. That was my vision. I love bands that do both. I usually listen to a lot of bands that do both [style of] singing, but I don't know why I just wanted to scream. But we have a few songs in the album, new album that is coming out, that I sing a little bit — just a little bit."

Asked if she is "extra nervous" about having her clean singing voice heard, Ignacia said: "Yeah, absolutely. Because it's different. I mean, of course my screaming is my voice. I'm not using any kind of effect or whatever. It's not my speaking voice, so it's like my alter ego. But then if I sing clean vocals, it's myself, and that makes me very nervous."

Fernández, who went viral for performing a death metal song during the Miss World Chile semifinals, beat out 19 other finalists to be named Miss World Chile. She is set to represent Chile at the 75th Miss World 2026 in Vietnam, with the grand finale taking place on September 5, 2026.

Regarding her decision to sing a DECESSUS song during the Miss World Chile competition, Ignacia previously told host Jose Mangin of SiriusXM's Liquid Metal: "When the option to enter the contest came, they were, like, 'Okay, but we have the sport competition, we have the talent competition and everything, so you have to do them.' I was, like, "All right. But I was suspicious about making the music because I was a little bit afraid and everything. I was, like, 'Okay, this is my only talent. I'm going to sing and I'm going to sing a song from my band to at least show what I do.' Because then if I did another song from, I don't know, ARCH ENEMY, I didn't want them to be mad at me because a beauty contest kind of thing, like, I was like, 'Okay, if I'm going to fuck it [up], I'm going to fuck it [up] with my music at least.'"

Ignacia went on to say that she wasn't afraid to show who she is as a metal vocalist, despite the fact that her connection to death metal challenged the traditional standards of beauty pageants.

"I've been working as a model since I'm very young," she explained. "The 'Miss' kind of side is completely different than the modeling job. It's two separate worlds. But now I entered this, I saw this as an opportunity because Miss World has… I don't care about winning a crown because of being the most pretty girl whatever. I don't care about that. Miss World, for me, is important because it gives you a platform to work on something you are passionate about, to have a voice. It's called Beauty With A Purpose. So you have to have a social project. You have to do something real. You know, in my case, I'm very passionate about animals and animal rights. So I wanna work on that. So now with the whole music kind of part, that is part of the competition because there is this talent side. They are trying to find this like complete woman. And I'm trying to show myself as I am. Of course, I know it's not common to have a metal vocalist in a beauty contest. I am absolutely aware of that, but it is what I am, so I'm not afraid to show how I am, even though I know lots of people doesn't like that I will go and sing metal vocals at Miss World."

Miss World Chile is a national pageant selecting representatives for both Miss World and Miss Universe, with traditional categories alongside a talent segment.

Fernández represented the Las Condes district in last year's pageant, choosing to sing one of the original songs from DECESSUS, wearing a ball gown and accompanied by her bandmate, guitarist Carlos Palma.

Both the audience and the judges were taken aback during the first few seconds of the performance. That surprise quickly turned into a standing ovation: one of the judges said he had never seen anything like it in a beauty pageant.

Formed in 2020, DECESSUS, which also features drummer Martín Fénix and bassist Jaime Pepe, has opened for such international acts as INSOMNIUM and JINJER. They have also performed at festivals in Finland and Germany, and in September 2024 they opened for EPICA in Santiago.

Fernández was born and raised in Santiago, Chile, where she combines her modeling career — which she began in 2013 — with her other great passion: extreme music.

As she has shared on her social media, metal "has been a fundamental part" of who she is as a person and of her life. For her, it represents "a refuge, a source of strength and purpose."

Photo credit: Rod Hoffman

In an interview with Paolo Phoenix of Magenta TV conducted at this past weekend's Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany, SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser was asked what, in his opinion, constitutes a great riff. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's a hard one. Definitely it's not technical element. It's something that touches you. For me, it's riffs like [IRON MAIDEN's] 'Number Of The Beast' or [METALLICA's] 'Fight Fire With Fire'. [Laughs] It's something that really drives me. It takes me to a different level. Of course, technically you go there and you learn how to play and how to pick and everything, but there's something else, [not] only [the] technical [aspect]. You feel it was written with truth. You almost feel the METALLICA [guys] in the small room working the ['Fight Fire With Fire'] riff, James [Hetfield] and Lars [Ulrich] and Kirk [Hammett] and Cliff [Burton] playing that riff for the first time. Can you imagine the excitement? And that's what we feel, that excitement that you cannot explain."

Asked to name the last riff from a more modern band that he heard that made him go, "Wow, that's a great riff", Andreas said: "Yeah, I think GOJIRA. GOJIRA, it's a band and a guitar work that is very original. In a sense, they build their message around that new element of using the tapping or using that kind of groove. It's really hard to describe, but I think they brought something new to the guitar riffing and guitar playing, for sure."

Formed in Belo Horizonte in 1984, SEPULTURA helped redefine the boundaries of heavy metal and became the most internationally recognized Brazilian rock band of all time. Through landmark albums such as "Beneath The Remains", "Arise", "Chaos A.D." and "Roots", the band influenced generations and opened doors for Brazilian heavy music worldwide.

Throughout its career, SEPULTURA performed at some of the world's most important festivals, including Rock In Rio, Lollapalooza, Wacken Open Air, Hellfest and Download, building a legacy that transcends metal and has a permanent place in music history.

SEPULTURA's final show will take place on November 7, 2026 at the Mercado Livre Arena Pacaembu in São Paulo, Brazil. Also appearing on the bill will be METAL ALLEGIANCE, featuring some of the most respected musicians in the global metal scene, including Mike Portnoy of DREAM THEATER, Alex Skolnick and Chuck Billy of TESTAMENT, Phil Demmel, formerly of MACHINE HEAD, Troy Sanders of MASTODON, and bassist/founder Mark Menghi. The lineup will also feature confirmed appearances by KRISIUN, one of the world's most respected death metal bands, and American thrash metal band SACRED REICH. Former members and musicians connected to SEPULTURA's history over the decades are also expected to join the celebration, including Jean Dolabella and Jairo Guedz, the latter of whom preceded Kisser in the band's lineup.

SEPULTURA recently released a new EP, "The Cloud Of Unknowing", via Nuclear Blast Records.

SEPULTURA kicked off its farewell tour on March 1, 2024 at Arena Hall in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The sold-out show marked the band's debut performance with drummer Greyson Nekrutman, who previously played with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES.

SEPULTURA announced previous drummer Eloy Casagrande's departure on February 27, 2024, explaining in a statement that he was leaving to join "another project", with Eloy later confirming that he was the new drummer of SLIPKNOT.

The news of Eloy's exit from SEPULTURA came just two months after the band announced it would celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2024 by embarking on a "farewell tour" which would cover the entire globe.

In SEPULTURA's statement, the remaining bandmembers expressed their shock over Casagrande's departure, saying they were "taken by surprise" that their now-former drummer would "abandon everything related to SEPULTURA" less than a month prior to the start of the tour.

SEPULTURA is putting together a live album commemorating its last run of shows. The band is recording 40 songs in 40 different cities for what SEPULTURA said will be a "massive compilation of our best, most energetic moments on stage."

In a new interview with The Logan Show, THEORY OF A DEADMAN frontman Tyler Connolly spoke about the Canadian rockers' decision a few years ago to undergo an informal name change, shortening it to THEORY, before eventually returning to their original moniker. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It originally came from the label. They were trying to work a song in 2008 to Hot AC [Adult Contemporary radio] and pop [radio], and they're, like, 'We're having problems. They don't like the 'Deadman'.' I can remember when THE KILLERS came out in, like, 2002, people didn't wanna play their songs, even on rock, because it was, like, 'THE KILLERS? Wow, that's too much.' You're, like, 'What? So, we said, 'No.' We're, like, 'No way, man.' And we were still able to get a bunch of radio play, but honestly, it came from, for me, just interacting with people that didn't know the band, and I found it was very difficult for them to remember the name. So I would, like, get my hair cut somewhere or be in an Uber. 'What do you do?' 'I play in a band.' 'What's your band called?' 'THEORY OF A DEADMAN.' They're, like, 'THEORY of what? THEORY of what?' 'THEORY OF A DEADMAN.' 'Oh, okay.' And by the end of the trip, he's, like, 'I'm gonna go check your band out. MADMAN, THEORY OF MAD. What was it called?' I'm, like, 'Yeah.' So you just say 'THEORY', and that's it. That's it. And then so you just go check out THEORY and then they go Google 'THEORY band' and we pop up. So that was, honestly, what we finally rolled over, that idea."

THEORY OF A DEADMAN's new EP, "Part 1: Funeral Songs", is set for release on September 4, 2026 via ONErpm.

THEORY OF A DEADMAN has carved out its own lane as one of modern rock's most unapologetic forces, racking up multi-platinum hits, chart-topping albums, and sold-out shows worldwide. Blending witty, candid songwriting with undeniable riffs and massive melodic hooks, the Canadian quartet has built a career defined by both attitude and staying power. From fan favorites like "Santa Monica" to gold-certified hit "All Or Nothing", platinum singles "Hate My Life" and "Bitch Came Back", and the double-platinum "Not Meant To Be", the band has delivered a steady stream of rock staples. They've landed twelve Top 10 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, including four No. 1 singles: "Bad Girlfriend", "Lowlife", "History Of Violence" and "Rx (Medicate)". The latter stands as the biggest hit of their career, earning a nomination for "Rock Song Of The Year" at the iHeartRadio Music Awards. Along the way, THEORY OF A DEADMAN has achieved two Top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200, four Top 5 debuts on the Canadian Albums chart, and multiple Juno Award nominations, while drawing praise from outlets including American Songwriter, Billboard and Classic Rock magazine.

THEORY OF A DEADMAN recently announced "The Dead / Seven Tour" alongside fellow heavyweights SEVENDUST. The tour is scheduled to kick off on August 7 in Duluth, Minnesota and run through September 29, where it ends in Bozeman, Montana. Along the way, it will make stops in Fargo, North Dakota (August 11),Detroit, Michigan (August 23),Atlanta, Georgia (September 5),Corpus Christi, Texas (September 12),and Riverside, California (September 20) to name a few.

THEORY OF A DEADMAN is:

Tyler Connolly - Vocals, Guitars, Keys
Dean Back - Bass
Dave Brenner - Guitar
Joe Dandeneau - Drums, Vocals

Photo credit: Sean McGee

In a new interview with Australia's Everblack podcast, vocalist/bassist Stian "Nagash" Arnesen of THE KOVENANT spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's first studio album in more than 20 years. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, this [THE KOVENANT reunion] was originally supposed to be just [for] a couple of festivals and that's it. But we had so much fun and enjoyed playing together again. And we always had a good connection and stuff. And [we] also [have] two new members, two new guitarists, one from MAYHEM, one from ARCTURUS.

"So, yeah, we have about eight new songs ready," he continued. "So two more and we have 10, and then we're going to the studio hopefully by the end of this year. Yeah, [there will be a] new album."

Regarding the musical direction of the new THE KOVENANT material, Nagash said: "[Laughs] Everyone asks that. I would say it's a mix of all the albums, plus new stuff. That's the best thing I can say for now. There's some stuff that sounds kinda like [2003's] 'SETI' mixed with [1998's] 'Nexus Polaris', and then there's other stuff that sounds something from the first album. There's some 'Animatronic'-type-ish [1999] songs. I guess you'll have to wait and see and hear it. To me, it sounds more metal than it used to. But also I hope there's gonna be parts where people go, like, 'What the hell are you fucking guys doing now? What the hell is this?' And then I'll be, like, 'Yeah, awesome. That's good.'"

Nagash previously talked about new THE KOVENANT music this past May in an interview with Jerry Kurunen of Rauta. He said at the time: "Well, we started THE KOVENANT again now. But the whole thing was we basically just wanted to do some shows, some festivals and just have a little bit fun with it. And then it turned out that we all remembered how fun it was to play together and how good we play together. So suddenly Hellhammer [THE KOVENANT drummer, also of MAYHEM] was, like, 'Dude, we have to do a new album. We have to do new music.' So we started writing new material, and it's a mix of allTHE KOVENANT albums… It sounds very [much like a] mix of the first album and 'Nexus Polaris' — very aggressive, very dark, very atmospheric. [There's] a lot of keyboards and stuff, but very black metal. And then, of course, me, I have to put in all the electronic stuff, all the symphonic things in there. And so we're gonna see what it ends up as, but for now it's not like going back, but it's like mixing everything together."

In August 2025, Nagash told Colombia's Savage Noise Media about the musical direction of the new THE KOVENANT material: "With me, I hate to do the same album twice. I don't play in AC/DC, so you're not going to get the same album for 40 years. So, the new album, it's different from all the others, but it is more metal. It's a bit darker, but it's a mix between all the albums, plus new stuff, of course, 'cause it's been such a long time and everyone has evolved as musicians and stuff. But it sounds very KOVENANT. The people I've played the demo tracks to so far, they all say, like, 'Holy shit, this sounds like KOVENANT.' So it's not like we're going back either with this new one, like, 'Oh, we're gonna do 'Nexus Polaris' part two' or something. But there are some elements from 'Nexus' that we have on the new album, like all this whole symphonic, a little bit technical, weird riffs and stuff."

Regarding the songwriting process for THE KOVENANT's new music, Nagash said: "Basically, it's me and [Steinar] Sverd [Johnsen, keyboards] who are writing at the moment, most of it. But then we also have the new guitarists, both of them, Ghul [Charles Hedger] from MAYHEM also joined, and Knut [Magne Valle] from ARCTURUS, and they both have very interesting approaches to music. And we're gonna include all of that. So we're gonna focus on the new album, for sure. Not just one, but more."

In a separate August 2025 interview with Colombia's iRock, Nagash was asked if he believes THE KOVENANT, after having gone through several lineup changes, is tied to specific members or it's more of a conceptual project that can survive beyond who is in the band at any given time. He responded: "Um, [that's a] hard question, actually. So even if the band — take CRADLE OF FILTH or DIMMU BORGIR as an example, even if they change members, it still kind of stays the same. A little bit changes, small differences here and there, but with KOVENANT it's very different because the only thing we're not trying to do is to recreate the same album twice. That's the only thing I refuse to do, 'cause I don't play in fucking AC/DC or KISS, so I don't want to do the same album for 40 years, like 'Nexus Polaris' one, two, three, four, five, six and stuff. I also like to experiment with things. If I hear something cool and I want to try it in music, I will, because I don't give a shit what other people think. So in that regard, I think KOVENANT is very different from a lot of bands when it comes to that. The members influence the music, of course, but I think the main essence of the band has always been myself and the guy [Amund Svensson] I also started KOVENANT with, Blackheart or Psy Coma, as he is also known, even though he is not with us anymore in the band. It's just how I am as a person. So I can't release the same album again and again and again. It's fucking boring. And you could probably make a lot of money from it and stuff, but I'm not in this for the money. I do this because I like to create music. I like to talk to people. I like to have a message and stuff like this."

THE KOVENANT returned to the live stage in December 2024 at the Eindhoven Metal Meeting festival in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

At some of its recent shows, THE KOVENANT, which won a Norwegian Grammy equivalent, called Spellemannsprisen, in 1999 in the category of "Best Hard Rock Album" for the "Nexus Polaris" LP, performed that effort in its entirety, along with tracks from "Animatronic", plus classics from THE KOVENANT's debut album, "In Times Before The Light".

While the band faces challenges with the absence of founding member Psy Coma due to health issues, the aforementioned Knut Magne Valle from the legendary band ARCTURUS has stepped in to ensure that the magic continues to flow seamlessly.

THE KOVENANT was formed in 1993 under the name COVENANT by two black metal artists known as Nagash (Stian Arnesen) and Blackheart (Amund Svensson),who released the debut album, "In Times Before The Light" (1997). The band signed with the German record company Nuclear Blast in 1998 and recruited four other members to form an actual band: Astennu (of DIMMU BORGIR, CARPE TENEBRUM),Sverd (of ARCTURUS),Sarah Jezebel Deva (of CRADLE OF FILTH and others) and Hellhammer (of MAYHEM and others). With these new recruits, they released their second album, "Nexus Polaris", which was hugely successful and is largely considered their best album to date by fans.

Following a dispute with a Swedish electronic band of the same name, in 1999 COVENANT changed its name to THE KOVENANT. The name change also signaled a musical shift into an industrial metal-influenced sound.

In the beginning THE KOVENANT had a sound much similar to DIMMU BORGIR. Indeed, Nagash has played in the band and is a longtime friend to the lead vocalist Shagrath. On the "Nexus Polaris" album, the band developed a more industrial sound but still with a strong symphonic black metal influence. A re-release of "Nexus Polaris" was made in 2002. The original tracks were left untouched but two versions of "New World Order", a song from their 1999 album "Animatronic", were included as a bonus.

In the latest episode of "Trying Not To Die", the bi-weekly video podcast hosted by Jack Osbourne and Ryan Drexler, Jack sat down with Robert Trujillo for a conversation about METALLICA, Ozzy Osbourne, and one of the most remarkable careers in rock music. Robert reflected on his journey from the Los Angeles music scene to SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, Ozzy's band, and ultimately METALLICA, sharing behind-the-scenes stories from every chapter along the way. He also opened up about his close relationship with Ozzy, the lasting bond between their families, and the unexplained paranormal experiences that left a lasting impression on him.

Reflecting on his 2003 departure from Ozzy's band to replace METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted, as captured in the 2004 band documentary "Some Kind Of Monster", Robert said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, [me joining METALLICA] was similar [to how I landed the gig with Ozzy] in that it took a while before I knew what was going on. And in these situations, decisions like that, they don't always just sort of happen overnight. There might be like three months and you're, like, 'What's going on?' And I know it took some time with your dad [Ozzy]. I don't know why, but it took a minute, and then it took a minute again with METALLICA. And that could've been because they were working on records and just life, business, and all that. But your dad had called and said… Maybe he knew something I didn't know, because he called and said that he was gonna go on the road and do Ozzfest and, 'Let's go.' And I was, like, 'Yeah, let's go.' And then like the next day Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] called and said, "Hey, we want you to come up to San Francisco. We gotta talk to you.' So it's just kind of weird how in those sort of 48 hours, there was two of the most powerful individuals in hard rock looking for me. And I remember going up and saying… They were like, 'Hey.' They gave me the gig and I said something like I wanted to make sure that I took care of your dad and went on tour and fulfilled my commitment. And they were, like, 'Well, the train's moving and it's moving fast.' 'Cause METALLICA had a new album coming out and all that. So it was just one of those rare moments where there's two incredible things happening at the same time, and you have to make a decision for the future. And that was sort of that. But again, in a weird way, things happen at the same time, and you can't explain why. Like I said, your dad actually called me. Your dad didn't call me every day. And then Lars called me, so it was that kind of a situation."

Back in 2016, Robert told the "WTF With Marc Maron" podcast about his METALLICA audition: "It was a very surreal day for me. But when you get a gig like that, it's so… strange. Really, strange is the word. Because I remember going up there. I was late. I was always late back then."

He continued: "I'll tell you a quick story about the audition. Basically, it was a two-day audition. The first day of the audition, I was kind of just there to be a fly on the wall. [Producer] Bob Rock's there. The bass [for METALLICA's 'St. Anger' album] had already been recorded; Bob Rock recorded the bass. So I'm just hanging around. And Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] and James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] and Kirk [Hammett, METALLICA guitarist] kind of live in this bubble. They were just, like, 'Yeah, make yourself at home. Just hang out.' And I was just kind of hanging out in this big complex up north [in the Bay Area]. And I'm kind of lost, because no one's really completely communicating with me, and I'm just there. And, okay. So [they tell me], 'Come on in the control room,' and I'm just there. They're cutting tracks. And that's it; hanging around. Eleven o'clock rolls around at night, and Lars... We're in the parking lot. We're the last ones leaving. And Lars says, 'Hey, man, let's go get a drink. Let's go get a nightcap.' So I'm, like, 'All right.' And we go to the first bar, have a couple of cocktails, we go to the second bar, have a few more, go to the third bar. Then we end up at his house for more cocktails. By this time, it's five in the morning. I can't even drive to where I'm staying; it's impossible. And he even says, 'Here, crash out in my guest room.' So, at nine in the morning, four hours later, he's on the treadmill, this guy, and it's like he doesn't know me anymore. He's already sobered up. And he's on the treadmill. And I've got this crazy headache. And then he's, like, 'All right. Let's go. Let's go to the studio.' And I'm driving behind him. I couldn't even keep my eyes open. I get to the studio."

He went on to say: "This is when [the members of METALLICA] were going through this sort of therapy thing, [with] this guy Phil Towle, who was… what do they call it? Kind of a life coach, kind of a motivator, which was, at the time, I guess, good for the band, but I wasn't used to that. Here I am with a pounding headache. James has just gone through this whole thing where, of course, he's sober, and the last person he wants to see anywhere near his band is a drunk Mexican. That would be me. So I'm sitting at the table, and I've got the worst headache, [I'm] completely hung over. And I'm thinking, 'Lars did this to me, 'cause he was checking me out, to see if I could hang with him.' It was [a test]; it had to have been. He's a Viking, really. I'd go into the bathroom. I was throwing water on my face, slapping it, going, 'Oh, man, you've gotta… Hang in there. Hang in there.' 'Cause I really wanted to say, 'I can't do this right now, guys. I don't feel good. I really can't do this.'"

Trujillo added: "I stuck it out. I knew the tech, the bass tech, from back when SUICIDIAL TENDENCIES was touring with METALLICA, which would have been in 1993 on the 'Black Album.' So, Zach Harmon, who is now still my bass tech. I didn't have a bass, so [I went], 'Let's go grab a bass. Let's choose the amp setup.' So I kind of used that as my way to get out of this hangover situation."

Despite the fact that he was in no shape to perform to his usual standards, the audition went remarkably well. "We played 'Battery', and I think it helped me not be nervous," he recalled. "And that's what you see in the film, and everybody seems to think it was pretty slamming. But other than that, I was brain dead. If I could play, I was fine. But in communicating with Hetfield, 'cause he would come over to me and ask me questions, and I would come up with really stupid answers, because, literally, I was not all there."

He added: "When I watch 'Some Kind Of Monster', I see myself wearing this brown Armani t-shirt, which I would never own in my life. You know why? 'Cause it's not mine. It's Lars's. His wife at the time, Skylar, gave me that shirt, because the one I'd been wearing, which was probably pretty funky, was not happening."

Asked about the differences in the way he had to approach the material originally recorded by Newsted compared to the songs that were laid down by METALLICA's late bassist Cliff Burton, Trujillo previously told the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast: "A lot of the stuff that Bob Rock produced was a bit more… Obviously, groove is very, very important on those songs, like 'Black Album' songs. But then just really keeping it fairly simple in that style. With Cliff, we're talking about a little bit more aggro, but tight. So they are different styles. I still play with my fingers, even on the 'Black Album' material. But the great thing about… What I can say I'm pretty proud of being in METALLICA these years is being able to play, like, the 'Black Album' in its entirety — songs that were never played live: 'The Struggle Within'. There was about three songs on that album [that had never been played live]. And even 'Orion'… We play 'Orion' a lot now; it's kind of an active song in the set. And that was a song that hadn't really been played years before. And 'Dyers Eve', off the '…And Justice For All' album, that was a song that had never been played live as well. So the fact that, here we were, age 50, and we're attacking songs that hadn't been attacked… And in a lot of ways, I feel that that challenges us, and it actually makes this unit a better band."

Trujillo, who was born on October 23, 1964 in Santa Monica, California, tasted success as the bassist in SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and Ozzy's band. But in 2003, he successfully auditioned to replace Newsted in METALLICA.

METALLICA's much-loved former bassist Cliff Burton died in 1986 when the band's tour bus crashed travelling through Sweden on the "Damage Inc. Tour" in support of "Master Of Puppets".

Back in 2021, Trujillo humorously revealed in an interview that before he signed on as the bass player for METALLICA, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES would gobble up METALLICA's leftover dinners whenever they could during a joint 1993 tour. And even though the METALLICA members respected Trujillo's playing with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, Hetfield admitted that when Robert's name came up during bassist auditions, he thought, "there's no way he's going to join us. He's too amazing, he's too spectacular."

A new LINKIN PARK documentary, "Unshatter", will open in theaters on September 30. The film focuses on LINKIN PARK's 2024 return, seven years after the death of the group's singer Chester Bennington. This movie captures the years that followed Bennington's 2017 death and how the band reformed with DEAD SARA's Emily Armstrong on vocals and Colin Brittain, a songwriter and producer for G FLIP, ILLENIUM and ONE OK ROCK, on drums. Joseph Hahn, LINKIN PARK DJ and creative director, helmed the film, which features behind-the-scenes footage, archival clips and recent performances.

Tickets go on sale on August 13.

"'Unshatter' follows a very particular moment in LINKIN PARK's history and documents a path through loss, uncertainty, friendship, and reinvention," Hahn said in a statement.

"I hope longtime fans see parts of our journey they’ve never seen before, and I hope people who are just discovering our music come away with a better understanding of how we got here. But even beyond LINKIN PARK, I hope people connect with it as a story about relationships, resilience, and what it really takes to move forward when you don't have all the answers."

After a seven-year hiatus following the devastating loss of their beloved bandmate Chester Bennington, LINKIN PARK's remaining members struggled to find their way forward. Their shared history and enduring friendship, combined with the fresh perspective of two new band members Emily Armstrong and Colin Brittain spark a renewed creative energy that leads them on a transformative journey of artistic reinvention.

Following the band from intimate 2022 studio sessions through their explosive "From Zero" album release and concert in São Paulo, the film "Unshatter" weaves together rare vault footage, electrifying performances from sold-out shows, and candid interviews with band members and fans — capturing the raw, honest story of what it means to start over.

The accompanying "Unshatter Film Soundtrack (Live in São Paulo)" features transcendent performances of songs spanning their entire career, including exclusive recordings not experienced in the film.

You can preview the film via the live performance of "Somewhere I Belong" below.

LINKIN PARK's Mike Shinoda told BBC News about the decision to release "Unshatter": "Even before Chester passed away, it was kind of Joe being a filmmaker. He always wanted to do something that kind of explained our universe to people. And then after Chester passed, everything was just, like… We didn't even think we had a band anymore, so everything just kind of went away. And as things started to come back together, and we met Colin, and we met Emily, and we started to make music and the album became a reality, we were filming things. And eventually, we realized that not only do a lot of people not understand the band's culture — not us, just us, but the community around LINKIN PARK. But they and the people inside that bubble and the people outside, they wanna know, like, how did you pick up the pieces after this tragedy and losing your friend and co-founder of this thing that we spent 20 years with? How do you go from that to Wembley? How do you go from that to… Our ['From Zero'] album-launch show was in São Paulo. It was one of the most celebratory, emotional moments of our lives. So, thankfully, we had the good sense to have some cameras rolling during the whole time."

Regarding what fans can expect from "Unshatter", Shinoda said: "Don't think reality TV. It's literally our friend Mark [who did most of the filming]. It's one guy. We hang out with him all the time. So we had Mark there, and we were just recording things and filming things just so we had it, and that became 'Unshatter'. And so more info will come out soon, but we're very excited about it. I'm really proud of Joe, and I think it kind of tells the story of the past — I don't know — three, four years or so pretty well."

LINKIN PARK introduced its new lineup during a September 2024 live performance event, with Armstrong and Brittain joining Shinoda, Brad Delson, Dave "Phoenix" Farrell and Hahn. LINKIN PARK also released a new single, "The Emptiness Machine", and announced "From Zero".

"From Zero" featured the No. 1 single "The Emptiness Machine" and propelled LINKIN PARK to be the only rock band in 2024 to exceed two billion streams. "From Zero (Deluxe Edition)" was released in May 2025.

Delson contributed to "From Zero", but hasn't been part of LINKIN PARK's live shows in support of the LP. The live guitar position has instead been filled by Alex Feder.

Photo credit: James Minchin III (courtesy of Warner Records)

Last December, legendary vocalist John Bush played three live concerts in the U.S. showcasing the music he helped create during his decade-long tenure singing with ANTHRAX, and followed it up with a June 2026 appearance at the Milwaukee Metalfest. At all four gigs, Bush performed songs spanning all four albums he recorded with the band: "Sound Of White Noise", "Stomp 442", "Volume 8: The Threat Is Real" and "We've Come For You All". Joining Bush on stage were his CATEGORY 7 bandmates Phil Demmel (guitar),Mike Orlando (guitar) and Jason Bittner (drums),along with his longtime ARMORED SAINT partner and best friend Joey Vera on bass (CATEGORY 7 bassist Jack Gibson had a schedule conflict and was unable to make the gigs). CATEGORY 7 also opened the December 2025 shows before returning as John's backing band for the ANTHRAX material.

Earlier this week, it was announced that Bush will play his first European concert showcasing the music he helped create during his ANTHRAX era at the 2027 edition of the Wacken Open Air festival, set to take place July 28-31, 2027 in Wacken, Germany.

John comments: "Totally pumped to bring the celebrating the songs of ANTHRAX '93-'03 show to the continent of Europe.

"The four shows we did in the States were awesome. Now it's time to bring that material over the pond and have some stellar shows at some killer festivals, the first of which is Wacken!

"The fans were always great during my time in the band and I have some special memories, so let's belt out some tunes in 2027 and relive it!"

More European shows will be announced soon.

During a June 3 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", host Eddie Trunk noted that it was probably "emotional" for John to revisit some of that ANTHRAX material after so long. Bush concurred: "Yeah, it was kind of two sets, 'cause we did the C7 [CATEGORY 7] as the opening band, 'cause they were my backing band, if you will. So then we kind of piggybacked it, and then we did one set of C7. It was a condensed set. And then we took a small break, and then we came back out, and then we did the ANTHRAX stuff. And so they worked very hard, and they learned a lot of material. So, it was a lot of work, but it was fun work. And it was fun to play those songs… It was weird how much they just kind of came back to me, even songs that we didn't play live many times, which we incorporated some of those in it, which was cool. We played the song 'Strap It On' in New York for one particular fan specifically, 'cause he was relentless in requesting it. And ANTHRAX never played that song, ever. So, it was fun to do that. And I was stoked about my memory banks 'cause a lot of lyrics just came back to me, which was funny. So lot of lyrics in my brain."

ANTHRAX has had a number of vocalists — including Bush, Joey Belladonna, Neil Turbin and Dan Nelson — over the last 42 years, with guitarist Scott Ian and drummer Charlie Benante remaining the sole bandmembers who have appeared on every one of the group's studio albums.

Turbin sang on ANTHRAX's debut LP, 1984's "Fistful Of Metal", before getting booted and being replaced by Belladonna. Belladonna performed on four ANTHRAX albums, including the fan favorite "Among The Living" (1987) before he himself was fired over creative and stylistic differences. Bush fronted ANTHRAX between 1992 and 2005 but was sidelined when the band reunited with Belladonna for a 20th-anniversary tour. When that collapsed, and relationships disintegrated with next frontman Nelson, Bush returned for a time before Belladonna took the job back in 2010.

One of the world's most captivating guitarists, Yngwie Malmsteen has announced his new studio album, "Hell Or High Water", which will be released on November 13 via Music Theories Recordings/Artone Label Group. To whet your appetite, the Swedish-born musician has also revealed the first single from the album, "Now Or Never", which you can hear below.

When we think of the greatest guitar players of all-time, specifically the crème de la crème musicians who invented a whole new style and sound on the instrument, Malmsteen is a name that sits comfortably alongside game-changers like Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page and Edward Van Halen.

The nine tracks that make up his latest triumph were crafted meticulously and purposefully, away from the distractions that stall the creative process in the modern age. This is something he first tried with 2021's "Parabellum" — mainly because of the state of the world at that time — and the results were so strong, he decided to stick with this as his modus operandi moving forward.

"When I started making records, I would just take the songs I had lying around," Yngwie admits. "Later on, I fell into a schedule — make a record, tour the record and then write the next record. Over the pandemic, I realised it was better to focus completely uninterrupted, so I stayed at home to write this album over the course of eight months. I had around 80 or 90 tracks finished, and then I had to decide which ones were the strongest."

For a man born with a gift to conjure up overtures "out of nowhere", the science behind writing a song is something that's hard to explain. But, in any case, he's grateful for the abundance of gold-standard ideas that do arrive — the kind that would take other musicians months or even years to realize into actuality. For Yngwie J. Malmsteen, this is simply what he was born to do.

"Even without a guitar in my hands, the music just comes to me," Yngwie reasons. "It's like that movie 'Amadeus'. Mozart was getting music given to him in complete form. I understand the building blocks and can therefore build you anything you like. If you asked me to write you a death metal song, call me back in five minutes, and I'd have it ready for you. You want country and western or reggae? No problem. I can give you whatever you want. The language of music is simple. There are certain notes that belong together in whatever stylistic direction and sound pleasant to the ear. The ideas don't come all the time, but when they do, it's like an avalanche. The pieces I choose for my records are like gifts that I capture because they amaze me. I'm very lucky in that sense."

Lead single "Now Or Never" is a perfect storm of palm-muted riffing, baroque counterpart melodies, soaring vocals and mind-blowing dexterity. If you're looking for Yngwie in a nutshell, this is very much it, and similar things could be said of the second track and instrumental pièce de résistance "Am Caprice/Hell Or High Water".

"(On The) Battlefield" and "Eye For An Eye" feature some of the singer/guitarist's strongest vocal performances to date, alongside the stunning instrumentals "Antikythera" and "Beyond Zeta Reticuli" — which were both named after important scientific breakthroughs and discoveries.

"Hell Or High Water" is an album that's bursting with emotion from all corners, but the closing track "Father" is undoubtedly the most spirited of them all, written in tribute to the guitar legend's dad, who passed away last year.

"He was an amazing man," remembers Yngwie. "I was proud to have him as a father, and I loved him. I wanted to dedicate all of this to him, and that one particular track is for him. I wanted others to feel what I felt when they hear it. Niccolò Paganini once said, 'One must feel strongly in order to make others feel strongly'. It's one thing to be a typewriter and another thing to be someone who writes stories that can touch people. That was always the point."

"Hell Or High Water" track listing:

01. Now Or Never
02. Am Caprice/Hell Or High Water
03. (He Is) Living A Lie
04. Antikythera
05. (On The) Battlefield
06. Beyond Zeta Reticuli
07. Prestissimo In Bm/Adagio
08. Eye For An Eye
09. Father

This past June, Yngwie told Jimmy Kay of Canada's The Metal Voice about the musical direction of his new album: "I would say it's very Malmsteen-esque. It sounds like Yngwie Malmsteen… You will definitely hear the similarities. I would say some of the instrumental stuff is really, really nuts. But there's some cool metal — I'd say, like, not metal, but whatever you wanna call it now."

Elaborating on what fans can expect from his new LP, Yngwie said: "The album's called 'Hell Or High Water'. And I made it specifically to fit on the vinyl record. Nine [songs], [with] one bonus track, but it's 46 minutes [long]… I deliberately [made it] like that. I had a lot more ideas, a lot more songs, but I made it so it's exactly that."

Malmsteen went on to say that he made "Hell Or High Water" specifically so that it will be heard in its entirety as opposed to as a collection of standalone tracks.

"This album I just made now — most of my albums, I would say — you couldn't just take one song and it'd be representative of the record," Yngwie explained. "They all complement each other. They all have their own thing. 'Oh, that's what the album sounds like.' No, because the next song doesn't sound like that. You have to hear it as an album. It's made as an album, like a movie. 'Oh, yeah, look at that scene. Yeah, three minutes.' No, that's not enough. You have to see the whole movie. You read the whole book. And I made it that the sequence of the songs and everything, they're following —I think about tempos and key signatures and stuff like this. And I'm really happy with it."

Asked if "Hell Or High Water" is a concept album, Yngwie said: "No, I wouldn't call it that. I mean, if you wanted to, you could analyze it any way you like. You can go, 'Yeah, it's a concept album,' but it's not meant to be. But it could be, I guess."

Malmsteen previously talked about "Hell Or High Water" this past April in an interview with Eddie Trunk at the 2026 edition of the Monsters Of Rock festival in São Paulo, Brazil. He said: "I just finished recording a new album. I've been in the studio almost five months straight."

Regarding the musical direction of his new LP, Yngwie said: "Well, it's very Malmsteen-esque. It will be everything you expect and then some."

Asked if there are any vocals on the album or if it's all instrumental, Malmsteen said: "Oh, yeah. I sing about four songs. And then [the rest of it is] instrumental. It's a mix. But it's made especially for the vinyl. So it's exactly 46 minutes [long]. I made it especially so it's gonna be a vinyl record. It's gonna come out on everything, but it's made to fit perfectly on a vinyl LP."

Malmsteen also talked about his mindset going into making the new album. He said: "I have the luxury of owning my own [recording studio], so I go in when I'm inspired. And I decided a long time ago, I'm not gonna try to do something special, either what other people think I should do or decide [ahead of time which direction to go] — except sometimes [I say], 'Okay, I'm gonna make a blues album,' or, 'I'm gonna make an acoustic album,' which has happened. But when I make the records that are, let's say, an Yngwie Malmsteen album, I just let it flow. And I come up with maybe a hundred ideas and I use nine or 10. So I take the best of what I think is the best, the most dramatic stuff, most interesting stuff — not necessarily a decided direction or whatever. It's just natural, whatever comes out. And this particular album is gonna be very neoclassical."

Asked what the key is to making instrumental music work and be able to cross it over into a bigger audience, Yngwie said: "I don't know, but I decided a long time ago to make honest music. Not to try to do something that's fashionable or follow a trend or do what other people say. But what I've always done is [made] passionate music. Like [Italian violinist and composer] Niccolò Paganini said, one must feel strongly to make others feel strongly. So I feel very strongly about the music, and apparently that translates out. So it seems to work."

Only four of the songs on "Parabellum" featured vocals. The album title is Latin, translating as "Prepare For War".

After working with some of the top hard singers of the past four decades, Yngwie now handles much of the lead vocals himself in his own band, backed by a lineup that includes keyboardist Nick Marino, bassist Emilio Martinez and drummer Kevin Klingenschmid.

Yngwie released a new live album, "Tokyo Live", in April 2025 via Music Theories Recordings. The concert was recorded at the Zepp DiverCity, Tokyo on May 11, 2024 as part of Yngwie's 40th-anniversary world tour.