In a new interview with U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine, Tarja Turunen reflected on her 2005 split with NIGHTWISH. She said: "It's very sad how everything ended up [with NIGHTWISH], but the thing that I would have done differently is, I probably should have put them through hell. I had all my rights, there were contracts, and they would have been in deep shit for a long time if I had done that, according to my rights, but I didn't. I just decided to move on and leave."

Turunen was fired from NIGHTWISH at the end of the band's 2005 tour by being presented with an open letter which was published on the NIGHTWISH web site at the same time. In the letter, the other members of NIGHTWISH wrote: "To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with emotions have become much more important."

Tarja told Metal Hammer: "What followed was their really great planning, how they wanted to destroy me publicly. That was something I never expected. It was nasty.

"It was an insane period [after the split], and in a small country like Finland, my face was covering the tabloids for three weeks or so," Tarja said. "I left my home country. I had to. I went down to Buenos Aires.

"It was tough, because it affected so many more people than just me," Turunen added. "It affected my family, my friends. Everybody was destroyed. It took me a long time to gain trust in people again. But luckily, I have amazing relationships and a long-lasting marriage with my husband. My family, my friends were there for me in that very hard period."

NIGHTWISH keyboardist/leader Tuomas Holopainen later called the decision to part ways with Turunen "the most difficult thing I ever had to do." For her part, Tarja said a few years ago the way she was kicked out of the group proved that her former bandmates were not her friends. "Maybe one day I'll forgive, but I will never forget," she said.

In 2019, Turunen dismissed Internet chatter about her possible return to NIGHTWISH after her December 2017 onstage reunion with the band's then-bassist/vocalist Marko Hietala during a "Raskasta Joulua" concert in Hämeenlinna, Finland.

"I know a lot of fans would love to see something happen, but it's a very long distance away," she told Kerrang! magazine. "Personally, I don't see anything happening with me and them, to be perfectly honest. Marko came a little later into the band; he wasn't there since the beginning. He was always a guy I was close to. Me and Tuomas Holopainen, however, haven't seen each other in a long time… but we have been in touch. It's not bad. The past is what it is; we can't change that. We can only change the future."

NIGHTWISH's authorized biography, "Once Upon a Nightwish: The Official Biography 1996-2006", was published in Finnish in 2006 and in English three years later.

Turunen's husband, Marcelo Cabuli, and his business partners later sued the parties behind the book for defamation. Named in the lawsuit were the publishing house Like Kustannus Oy and the author of the book, Marko "Mape" Ollila. Cabuli and his Brazilian business partners argued that the book includes false accusations and insinuations that have caused them suffering and financial problems.

The book blamed Cabuli for the events leading up to Turunen's dramatic expulsion from the band in late 2005.

In 2011, the Helsinki District Court dismissed Cabuli's lawsuit, ruling that the book — which criticized Cabuli on only a few of its 380 pages — did not detrimentally affect his work or reputation in South America. In addition, the court determined that Ollila did not maliciously portray Cabuli in a negative light.

Five years ago, Tarja was asked in an interview with Top Link Music manager and concert promoter Paulo Baron and music critic Regis Tadeu if she would consider doing a tour with NIGHTWISH if all of her former bandmates apologized to her about how their split happened and invited her to share the stage with them again. She responded: "It is very, very hypothetical that all what you said will happen, first of all — it's very, very hypothetical.

"I'm living in a world, like we are all living in a world, that things happen without us noticing," she continued. "I mean, I can't really close any doors in that sense; I'm not that kind of person any longer. I learned so many things in this life already. I take them as they are.

"So I don't know. It would be very hypothetically possible," she added. "It would be unlikely to happen."

Turunen's latest metal album, "Frisson Noir", came out on June 12 via earMUSIC. The effort was described in a press release as "the heaviest record of her career and a powerful statement of identity, strength and belonging".

Fan-filmed video of ARMORED SAINT's entire August 2 concert at Mejeriet in Lund, Sweden as the support act for TESTAMENT can be seen below.

According to Setlist.fm, the setlist for the show was as follows:

01. Close To The Bone
02. March Of The Saint
03. End Of The Attention Span
04. Creepy Feelings
05. Win Hands Down
06. Can U Deliver
07. Reign Of Fire
08. Mad House

As previously reported, ARMORED SAINT will join METAL CHURCH for a North American co-headlining tour this fall. "The Metal Saint Tour 2026" will commence on November 2 in San Juan Capistrano, California and run through November 21 in Agoura Hills, California. Additional support will be provided by LIVEKILL.

"Emotion Factory Reset", ARMORED SAINT's ninth studio album since 1984's "March Of The Saint", is a resurrection of sorts, a tearing down and a rebuilding in eleven songs of diverse musicality and lyrical themes. Produced, as were the previous four albums, by bassist Joey Vera and mixed by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, STONE SOUR),the record finds the quintet challenging themselves. Songs like "Close To The Bone", "Hit A Moonshot" and "Every Man-Any Man" have ARMORED SAINT honoring their past as one of the most respected and recognizable bands in heavy music while making forward-thinking music rooted in the present.

"Emotion Factory Reset" was recorded across several studios, including 606 Studios, Secret Hand Studios, Skullseven Studios, Constantine Studios and Bridge Recording, engineered by Oliver Roman, Bill Metoyer, Joey Vera and Jason Constantine. It features cover art by DDKing.

A special European edition of the CD digipak includes the bonus track "One Chain (Don't Make No Prison)", only available digitally until now. The classic track was originally written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter and was first released by PEOPLE in 1970. Additional covers include THE FOUR TOPS (1974),SANTANA (1978) and THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (1989).

ARMORED SAINT's current lineup of singer John Bush, guitarists Phil Sandoval and Jeff Duncan, drummer Gonzo Sandoval and Vera has been together since 1989 — not including a few hiatuses while Bush served as ANTHRAX's lead singer.

At various points in the 1980s, Bush and Vera each had offers to audition for spots with fellow heavy metal giants METALLICA but decided to stay with ARMORED SAINT.

In July 2023, ARMORED SAINT was inducted into the Metal Hall Of Fame at the legendary Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

In May 2023, ARMORED SAINT's long-awaited documentary, "Armored Saint: Band Of Brothers", had its world premiere in the band's hometown at the Harmony Gold Theatre in Hollywood, California.

Albert Bouchard is best known as a founding member of BLUE ÖYSTER CULT, whose original lineup sold millions of albums for Columbia Records and produced such classics as "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" and the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart-topping hit "Burnin' For You". Bouchard also contributed songwriting and lead vocals to some of the band's most beloved tracks, including "Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll".

For decades, Bouchard has shepherded the "Imaginos" concept through its many incarnations, transforming the feverish visions of Sandy Pearlman into a sprawling musical narrative. The acclaimed "Imaginos" trilogy brought together songs spanning decades into a chronological tale of the ever-changing shapeshifter known as "Imaginos".

Now, the story continues with "Imaginos IV: Rhyme Of The Starclock", inspired by a treasure trove of previously undiscovered writings from Pearlman.

As Bouchard explains: "After 'Mutant Reformation', I thought I was done with 'Imaginos'. Those who bought the previous three 'Imaginos' records might have thought the same thing. Then a cache of Sandy Pearlman's writings was discovered when they sold his house. Out of the thousand or so pages there were at least 28 song lyrics that were never recorded. Most of those related directly to the 'Imaginos' saga. Over the past 12 months. I have recorded more than 20 of those songs. This new record contains 11 of them, only one of which was known to me before. I am very excited to bring brand-new material to this epic story."

"Imaginos IV: Rhyme Of The Starclock" will be released on September 25 through Deko Entertainment. The first single, "Four Winds Bar", inspired by a lyric from the BLUE ÖYSTER CULT classic "Astronomy", was written by Joe Bouchard and Sandy Pearlman and features BLUE COUPE.

The album is available now for pre-order and features an impressive lineup of guest musicians, including Ross "The Boss" Friedman, Joe Cerisano, Keith Roth, RJ Ronquillo, Sandy Hall, Lenny Kaye and Jack Rigg.

Track listing:

01. Young Imaginos
02. Four Winds Bar
03. Crystal Ship Plutonia
04. From The Curved Window
05. Mirror Of Destiny
06. Parson Blake
07. Plutonia At Last (Slow Blues)
08. On The Edge Of A Knife
09. Germany Minus Zero
10. Sister Celina
11. Night And Fog

The Mike Dziama channel on YouTube has uploaded video of GRETA VAN FLEET's intimate July 31 performance at Chicago's Metro. You can watch it in the YouTube playlist below. (Note: After each song, the YouTube player automatically jumps to the next song in the playlist.) The Detroit-born, Nashville-based band's concert at the 1,100-capacity venue came two months after GRETA VAN FLEET performed a similar show at New York City's Bowery Ballroom, where the group debuted its recently released new single "Play Your Games".

GRETA VAN FLEET's new album, "Palace For The People", will be released on October 9.

Recorded in Tennessee in the spring of 2026, "Palace For The People" was co-produced by the band and Mike Elizondo (TURNSTILE, Eminem, Fiona Apple),and showcases a band more vibrant, cohesive and stronger than ever.

The album title "Palace For The People" was inspired from GRETA VAN FLEET's sold-out 2022 world tour where they headlined the venue — before going onto sell out Wembley Arena — they discovered the origin story of London's prestigious Alexandra Palace, known colloquially as "Ally Pally. A friend explained that the elaborate grandeur of this Victorian-era "palace", originally named "The Palace Of The People," was created as a gathering place for the public. Unlike most lavish buildings of the time, this one wasn't created for the Monarchs nor the wealthy aristocrats of the day, but for everyone to "escape and wonder," a truly modern concept for the time. Fast forward to 2026, GRETA VAN FLEET began to wonder: what would a palace for the people mean today? And how do we get there?

Since emerging from Frankenmuth, Michigan, GRETA VAN FLEET have become one of rock's defining voices of their generation. Across multiple platinum-selling releases and sold-out arena tours spanning the globe, the Grammy Award-winning band has consistently challenged expectations while forging a sound entirely their own. "Palace For The People" represents the band's boldest artistic statement yet.

Prior to the Bowery Ballroom concert, GRETA VAN FLEET — brothers Josh (vocals),Jake (guitar) and Sam Kiszka (bass, keyboards) and Daniel Wagner (drums) — hadn't played a live show since September 2024. In the meantime, Sam Kiszka and Danny Wagner played on "The Dreamin' Kind", the 2026 album from Pennsylvania singer-songwriter Langhorne Slim. Jake Kiszka appeared in last year's Bruce Springsteen biopic "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere" as a guitarist in a band in a New Jersey club. Meanwhile MIRADOR, the band founded by Jake Kiszka and Chris Turpin from IDA MAE, recently released a new EP, "The Gathering At Badon Hill".

GRETA VAN FLEET's most recent album was 2023's "Starcatcher".

Since emerging from Michigan and exploding on to the global stage, GRETA VAN FLEET have become one of the defining rock bands of their generation: a group equally embraced by lifelong rock purists and a younger audience rediscovering the power, freedom, and spectacle of the genre. Their ascent has been marked by platinum-selling records, Grammy wins, huge international arena and stadium tours, and a reputation for delivering live performances with the kind of musicianship and emotional release that plays into the history books and cultural mythology of the legendary bands before them.

In an era increasingly dominated by algorithms and disposable culture, GRETA VAN FLEET continue to stand apart as a band committed to the timeless ideals, transcendence, theatricality, musicianship, rebellion, and human connection that comes hand in hand with rock and roll.

Swedish metallers ELEINE have released a new single and music video, "Watch As We Rise". The track is taken from the band's fifth studio album, "The Water Taste Of Blood", which will be made available on December 4 independently on ELEINE's own label Algoth Records, distributed globally by Sound Pollution.

Where the first track "Empire Of Lies" exposed the deception, followed by "We March" that carried us through it, "Watch As We Rise" is the reckoning and the soundtrack of that empire coming down. The third single from the upcoming record is the heaviest yet. Built on chugging, in-your-face riffs and vocals that refuse to back down, this new track is about standing back up mid-swing and burning the whole thing to the ground.

ELEINE comments: "This is our song of reclaiming control of your own life.

"We've been through so much shit the past years. Buried under one pile after the other. 'Watch As We Rise' is a releasing song that fills you with power and determination through heavy chugging and in your face vocals."

Starting this October, ELEINE's biggest headline tour to date takes the band through Europe, encompassing more than 30 shows in 12 countries, before ELEINE returns home to Sweden for an exclusive "The Water Taste Of Blood" album-release show in Lund on December 5.

What began in southern Sweden has grown into a loyal global community united by music, perseverance, and the refusal to give up. Led by vocalist Madeleine Liljestam and guitarist/vocalist Rikard Ekberg, ELEINE have spent recent years building one of metal's most dedicated fan communities through acclaimed releases, including a #1 album on the Swedish sales charts, successful headline tours, and a direct connection with their audience that extends far beyond the stage.

Along the way, the band has shared stages with ARCH ENEMY, KAMELOT, PAIN, SONATA ARCTICA and W.A.S.P., while steadily building a headline presence of their own. Their 2024 European headline tour sold out multiple dates and led directly to a second headline run in spring 2025. Today, ELEINE connect with nearly 700,000 followers across their social and streaming platforms, while their music videos have surpassed 60 million views on YouTube. Now with ELEINE's new album "The Water Taste of Blood" arriving December 4, 2026, and their most extensive European headline tour on the way, ELEINE are ready to be heard on the biggest stage of their career and continue to expand the world they have built together with the Legion, their fans, who have grown alongside them and who have become the heart of the band.

ELEINE 2026 tour dates:

Oct. 08 - DE Hamburg - Logo
Oct. 09 - DE Dortmund - Junkyard
Oct. 10 - NL Hoogeveen - Podium
Oct. 11 - BE Kortrijk - DVG Club
Oct. 13 - UK London - The Underworld
Oct. 14 - UK Southampton - The Brook
Oct. 15 - UK Manchester - Rebellion
Oct. 16 - UK Glasgow - Slay
Oct. 17 - UK Nottingham - Saltbox
Oct. 18 - UK Birmingham - O2 Institute 2
Oct. 19 - FR Paris - Backstage By The Mill
Oct. 22 - ES Barcelona - Razzmatazz 3
Oct. 23 - FR Marseille - Molotov
Oct. 24 - CH Monthey - Pont Rouge
Oct. 25 - CH Lucerne - Sedel
Oct. 26 - IT Milan - Slaughter Club
Oct. 27 - DE Munich - Feierwerk
Oct. 29 - DE Trier - Mergener Hof
Oct. 30 - AT Salzburg - Rockhouse
Nov. 01 - CZ Zlín - Masters Of Rock Café
Nov. 03 - PL Warsaw - Hydrozagadka
Nov. 04 - PL Krakow - Zaścianek
Nov. 05 - PL Poznan - 2Progi
Nov. 06 - DE Berlin - Cassiopeia
Nov. 07 - DE Hanover - Café Glocksee
Nov. 08 - DE Leipzig - Hellraiser
Nov. 09 - DK Aarhus - VoxHall
Nov. 10 - DK Copenhagen - Stengade
Nov. 11 - SE Stockholm - Kollektivet Livet
Nov. 12 - SE Gothenburg - Valand
Dec. 05 - SE Lund - Mejeriet (exclusive album-release show)

Photo by unholypix

In a new interview with Sakis Fragos of Rock Hard Greece, LACUNA COIL singer Andrea Ferro was asked to name the biggest difference between today's music scene and the one that he grew up in. Andrea responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The system of how you find out about bands, how you sell the records or the music has changed completely. When we started, it was still the magazines and then the little bit from the TV, a little bit from the radio and the webzine in the beginning. And nowadays these things don't exist. Nowadays it's all about the social medias, and some magazine are still surviving, but it's also harder for them, obviously, because people [don't] take the time to [buy and read the magazines]. They want to read the news the minute they come out. They don't have any patience anymore to go in the store and buy the mag[azine]. I love to buy the magazine and to go in the bookstore and buy the magazine and then read it at home. But now that doesn't exist anymore. So, everything is way faster and shorter, and the span attention of the people is way less. So you can be a very famous band very quickly, but you can also disappear with the same quickness, because people have always want new inputs, something new, something fast, and it's very hard to get their attention for more than a minute. So it's a very different world nowadays. We're lucky that we grew up in a different time, and we made the most of our fanbase in times where you could still go door by door and tour every city and open for this band and that band and convince everybody through playing every show, so in the classic way. And I think nowadays it's way easier and faster but also way more complicated to build something solid that is gonna last. In terms of the music, I think not much has changed. Obviously there's new direction, new influences for bands that are different than when we started and when we were younger, but I think I like also stuff that is being made today. I think rock and metal is one of the few genres that has kept a certain quality — different maybe, but still quality all along, compared to other musical styles, I think."

Asked to name one thing he hopes that LACUNA COIL will never lose, Andrea said: "I think what has been our secret has been the fact to be spontaneous and to play the music that we like, the music that we love. Listening to old stuff, new stuff, keep your eyes and your mind open to new influences and do that, and just play the music that you like. Because people [are] always gonna recognize if you're trying to play something to sell something which you don't believe in just because it's the trend of the moment or because it's more melodic or more soft. It doesn't mean it's gonna work, because people recognize when you write a song with a real intention of pushing that kind of direction for your music, which nowadays has been more heavy for us, and because we feel like that's what we like. We feel like we wanna play heavy songs live. We wanna have a certain sound. We've changed in the years some of the lineups, and so we want the musicians we have now to shine and to be able to play the music that they also like. So it's important to keep the honesty in the musical offerings, even if sometimes it's not the most convenient choice, but has to be the choice that you have fun with, that you still like to go out and perform, that you still like to present to the people with honesty and with the fact that you really believe in this music."

LACUNA COIL's latest album, "Sleepless Empire", came out in February 2025 via Century Media Records. Inspiration to create the LP came during the sessions for "Comalies XX" (2022),the acclaimed remake of LACUNA COIL's breakthrough third record "Comalies".

In October 2024, Italian guitarist/producer Daniele Salomone confirmed that he has joined LACUNA COIL as the replacement for the band's longtime guitarist Diego Cavallotti.

Salomone made his live debut with LACUNA COIL on August 4, 2024 at the Rockstadt Extreme Fest in Râșnov, Romania.

In June 2024, LACUNA COIL announced Cavallotti's departure. Diego, who joined LACUNA COIL in 2016, initially as a fill-in guitarist following the exit of Marco "Maus" Biazzi, later said in a social media post that "this decision is not the result of my dissatisfaction or desire to explore new opportunities."

Cavallotti and Salomone played together in the Italian metal band INVERNO, which released its debut album, "Stasis", in December 2023.

Melodic alternative metal band BREAKING IN A SEQUENCE has released a new single, "Don't Run", via TLG|ZOID, distributed by Virgin Music Group. The track serves as the second single — following "Meant To Be", which came out in April — from BREAKING IN A SEQUENCE's upcoming full-length album "Inanimate", due out later this year.

BREAKING IN A SEQUENCE comments: "'Don't Run' was the first song written with new drummer BC Vaught. We didn't write anything for the first year and a half after to give us time to meld together. The song carries the nu metal torch from the early 2000's with a perfect blend of melody, groove and aggression. It has a rawness that is absent in today's music."

The single was produced by Chris Collier alongside the members of BREAKING IN A SEQUENCE and was mixed and mastered by Collier. The release marks the beginning of a new chapter for BREAKING IN A SEQUENCE as they build momentum toward the full album launch.

BREAKING IN A SEQUENCE (BIAS) is a melodic alternative metal band based out of Huntington Beach, California. The band was formed in late 2018 by Joe Taback, Chris Dorame and David Silveria (KORN). They later recruited Rich Nguyen after a worldwide singer search. When David retired in 2022, BC Vaught ((HED) P.E., BREAKING BENJAMIN) stepped in to fill his shoes.

Asked in a recent interview with Out Of The Blue if there was any contemplation of ending BREAKING IN A SEQUENCE after Silveria's departure, Nguyen said: "I was ready to hang it up after David left. We had a bunch of drummers reach out to the other guys wanting to jam, but I told the guys that the only way I would continue is if they got BC Vaught to join. David and BC (also LIMP BIZKIT's John Otto) were the best groove drummers back in the day. I didn't even know BC, so I thought it would be a long shot. BC hadn't played drums in 15 years, but he was a local in Orange County, California. Joe went out on a mission and found him and bugged him for weeks to come jam with us. He finally accepted and David gave him his blessing and some cymbals when he first joined. It was awesome."

BREAKING IN A SEQUENCE released its debut EP, "Acronym", in January 2021.

BREAKING IN A SEQUENCE is:

Richard Nguyen - Vocals
BC Vaught - Drums
Michael William Martin - Guitar
Joe Taback - Guitar, Backup Vocals
Chris Dorame - Bass

In a new interview with Crews of Q92.9, Springfield's Rock Station, singer/guitarist Chris Robertson and guitarist Ben Wells of Kentucky rockers BLACK STONE CHERRY spoke about the band's latest EP, "Celebrate", which was released digitally this past March via Mascot Records. The effort consists of six original tracks and an inspired cover of SIMPLE MINDS' "Don't You (Forget About Me)" featuring Tyler Connolly (THEORY OF A DEADMAN). Regarding why he and his BLACK STONE CHERRY bandmates chose to release an EP this time around instead of a full-length record, Chris said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think more than anything, it was just the way we all as humans in society now consume the arts, whether it be a movie whatever, music. It's all so fast. It was just, like, 'Let's try something different this time.' 'Cause it's the weirdest thing in the world — you put out a record, the record's out for two months, and people are, like, 'When are you guys putting out new music?' I'm, like, 'We just did that. You got 13 new songs.'"

Chris continued: "You see a lot of people trying different things in the music world today, and we were, like, 'You know what? It's a different time than it was when we started. Let's just try doing an EP and see how that happens.' And the hopes, I think, with that is being able to put out new music more frequently than that every three years you get with a [full-length] record."

Ben chimed in: "Yeah, the goal from the get-go was to do a full album, but divide it in half. So, like EP one, it is out, and then just here in a week or so, we're gonna start recording EP two and then put that out. So, like Chris was saying, we're never gonna really stop. We're just always gonna have something new that will be out, and it allows us to go out and be on the road and not take five months to do this. You work on 12, 13 songs, and then a couple of them get released [as singles], and then, like, people are like, 'When's the new music?' And it's, like, 'Man, have y'all listened to the rest of the album yet?' They can really live with six or seven songs and really get used to those and love those."

"Celebrate" was produced by BLACK STONE CHERRY and recorded at High Street Studios in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

BLACK STONE CHERRY put out its latest album and eighth overall, "Screamin' At The Sky", in 2023.

Last year, the Kentucky rockers dropped "This Is Black Stone Cherry's RSD Album. The Band Really Likes It" for Record Store Day.

BLACK STONE CHERRY is playing a run U.S. shows in July before kicking off the "Wild Cherry" tour with BUCKCHERRY in August.

GODSMACK headlined the 32nd edition of the Pol'and'Rock Festival, formerly known as Woodstock Festival Poland, on Thursday, July 30 in Czaplinek, Poland. The massive open-air event is completely free to attend and features multiple stages of rock, punk, metal, and folk music alongside free camping.

On Friday (July 31),GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna took to his social media to share a video message in which he said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "I had to tell you guys about this show that we did last night. And although all of Europe has been really lighting up for us, and we're so happy about that because we've been doing a lot of work out here, and they are showing up by the thousands in every country, and all these countries have been great. Athens, Serbia, Bulgaria, top-notch everywhere we've played. But last night, we did a show in Poland at the Pol'and'Rock fest, and we headlined this festival that drew seven hundred thousand people. That's a real fucking number. You can look it up. And, yeah, so pretty surreal. Not even sure it even happened, but it did. And I just gotta say, holy fucking shit. I've never seen anything like that in my life. Insanity."

Erna continued: "The most heartfelt part about this for me is when I was speaking to the promoter and the owner of the festival, he was telling me how this whole thing started, and he visited some children's hospitals, and these kids were on the floor. They didn't even have furniture, and he kind of got together with everybody, and he just said, 'You know what? As a community, we can't allow this to happen. It's not who we are as people. It's not who we are as a country.' And he started reaching out to all these sponsorships. So this entire festival every year that draws more than a half a million people is completely free to the fans, and a hundred percent of the proceeds above that goes to all the children's hospitals. I don't know if it gets any more honorable than that for me."

Sully added: "So I just wanna say props to the Pol'and'Rock fest and Jurek [Taborowski] for doing such an amazing job. This is a top-notch festival, and I could not believe how big this was. It was two and a half miles deep, the audience. And I'm only saying this because I've never fucking seen anything like that in my life, and I'm pretty sure I never will again in my career. So I hope this sets a standard to the other promoters out there and helps teach them how this doesn't always have to be about money and huge profit. Sometimes it's about the communities getting together, doing the right thing and sharing this beautiful gift of music that we have to share with all these people. And when you do it right, they show up in the hundreds of thousands. Even Woodstock back in '99 was two hundred and fifty thousand people. I thought that was gonna be the biggest crowd we ever played in front of — until last night."

Professionally filmed video of GODSMACK's performance at the 2026 Pol'and'Rock Festival — uploaded by KręciołaTV on YouTube — can be seen below.

Pol'and'Rock Festival, created by Jerzy Owsiak, has become a symbol of community, music, and humanitarian commitment. What began as a thank-you to volunteers has grown into one of Europe's largest open-air music events, attracting hundreds of thousands each summer to the airfield in Czaplinek.

Owsiak founded Pol'and'Rock Festival in 1995, one year after attending the Woodstock '94 festival in upstate New York. He was reportedly blown away by the experience and returned to his native Poland, determined to recreate the same kind of event and vibe.

GODSMACK's current lineup consists of vocalist/guitarist Sully Erna, bassist Robbie Merrill, guitarist Sam Koltun and former DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Mangini.

Mangini made his live debut with GODSMACK on June 12 at the Morton Amphitheater in Riverside, Missouri following the abrupt departure of Wade Murff. Wade stepped into GODSMACK in early May as the replacement for longtime GODSMACK drummer Shannon Larkin, who quit the band in late 2024, along with guitarist Tony Rombola, because they didn't want to tour anymore.

Murff joined GODSMACK this past spring and played more than a dozen shows with the group between May 8 at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida and May 30 in Houston, Texas.

Classic Swedish symphonic power metallers DRAGONLAND have released "Survival Of Mankind", the first single from their upcoming album, "Prophecies", due on October 23 via Scarlet Records.

"Prophecies" is a hard-hitting and meticulously crafted symphonic power metal journey set to engulf the listener in an ocean of soaring melodies, fast riffing, and epic orchestrations.

The vision for the album was to revisit and reimagine domains traversed by DRAGONLAND in the past, as well as to explore some compelling new terrain. This record contains it all — epic fantasy stories, gripping ballads and blazingly fast power metal anthems, accompanied by a plethora of diverse lyrical themes.

To bring this ambitious undertaking to life, while retaining their unmistakable signature sound, DRAGONLAND once again worked together with legendary producer Fredrik Nordström of Studio Fredman, and the end result speaks for itself.

"Prophecies" track listing:

01. The Prophecy Unfolds
02. Rolling Waves
03. Survival Of Mankind
04. The Perfumed Jungles Of Chrysantion
05. Dragonland
06. Light Of The Sunset
07. Glory And Gold
08. Making Darkened Nights So Bright
09. A Distant Memory
10. The Call Of The Wild
11. Cries Of Anguish
12. Running In The Night (FM-84 cover; CD/digital bonus track)

The band's seventh studio LP was mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman (IN FLAMES, ARCH ENEMY, HAMMERFALL). The artwork was created by Pedro Sena (AMON AMARTH, KREATOR).

Last month, DRAGONLAND announced the departure of longtime guitarist Olof Mörck (also of AMARANTHE). The band stated at the time that this was "a unanimous decision, and should not come as a surprise, as his immense success and hard work with AMARANTHE leaves him with very little time available at his disposal.

"Olof is an old and dear friend, and some of us go way back before DRAGONLAND even started," DRAGONLAND stated. "We still remain the best of friends.

"As a final contribution from Olof to the DRAGONLAND universe, for the upcoming album, we have recorded a track written by him and Elias [Holmlid, keyboards] back in 2013. It is kind of a lost chapter and it felt truly special finally bringing it to life in the studio.

"We wish Olof the absolute best with his future endeavors."

DRAGONLAND is:

Jonas Heidgert - vocals
Jesse Lindskog - guitars
Elias Holmlid - keyboards
Anders Hammer - bass
Johan Nunez - drums

Photo by Patric Ullaeus / rEvolver Film Company AB

In a new interview with U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine, Ozzy Osbourne's manager and widow Sharon Osbourne once again discussed the long-awaited return of Ozzfest. Confirming that she is still planning to revive Ozzfest next year, Sharon said that the festival will launch at Villa Park, the home ground of the Aston Villa Football Club, in Birmingham, United Kingdom. "It's going to be at Villa Park again," Sharon said, referencing the venue for Ozzy's final performance, the star-packed "Back To The Beginning" gig, which took place on July 5, 2025. "Whether it'll be two nights [in Birmingham], that's up for the fans to tell me."

As for which artists may perform at next year's Ozzfest, Sharon remained tight-lipped. "Of course we're speaking to people," she said. "I can't let that out yet, but it'll be soon."

During a February 2026 appearance on "The Osbournes" podcast, Sharon said about Ozzfest's potential return: "We wanna do two days in Aston Villa and then come to America. And we wanna hear from everyone where we should go in America. And also we've gotta find a lot of young, new talent, because that's what [Ozzy] would want."

After Sharon and Ozzy's son Jack noted that Ozzfest will return in 2027 as a two-day event at Villa Park, followed by "two days in North America somewhere", Sharon said: "Yeah. And then see how it does. And then if people want it, we'll be there [in the] following years."

Sharon added that although Ozzfest won't be a traveling festival in 2027, there are tentative plans to take it on the road in 2028 and beyond, provided that the demand is there.

Regarding what made Ozzfest so special, Sharon said: "It was more fun. When you go to other festivals, everybody's so uptight. But that was always the thing about our festival. There was never anybody jockeying for position or thought they were better than anyone else. It was a summer camp." Sharon also added that she wants to "see Rob Halford there", apparently hinting that JUDAS PRIEST could appear at a future Ozzfest installment.

As previously reported, Sharon also talked about Ozzfest's return during a February 6 appearance at MIDEM 2026 at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. " Yes, absolutely. Yeah, we're gonna do it," she said. "Well, the last one we did was 2018. It was just a month before Ozzy got sick, and that was at the Forum in L.A. And there was no plans to stop it. We were still gonna do it, but Ozzy couldn't. And Ozzy and I would talk about it, and he'd say, 'Do you think Ozzfest would work without me?' And I'm, like, 'Yeah, it's a brand. It will work without you.' And he said, 'We should do it.'"

This past January, Sharon told Billboard magazine that she had been "talking to Live Nation" about bringing Ozzfest back. "It was something Ozzy was very passionate about: giving young talent a stage in front of a lot of people," she explained. "We really started metal festivals in this country. It was [replicated but] never done with the spirit of what ours was, because ours was a place for new talent. It was like summer camp for kids."

Sharon told Billboard that she had a new vision for the next iteration of Ozzfest. "I'd like to mix up the genres," she said.

Ozzfest started 30 years ago and was the first national music festival of its kind dedicated to hard rock music.

The event has not been a traveling festival in the U.S. since 2007's "free" edition. The show morphed into a one-off event in Dallas in 2008, took 2009 off and played just six cities in 2010.

Over 17,000 concert-goers were in attendance for 2017's all-day Ozzfest, which was headlined by Ozzy, while Rob Zombie closed out the next day's Knotfest bill.

2017 was the second year Ozzy's Ozzfest had merged with SLIPKNOT's Knotfest for a two-day heavy metal juggernaut.

A special one-night-only New Year's Eve Ozzfest took place on December 31, 2018 at The Forum in Los Angeles, California and was attended by 12,465 hard rock and heavy metal fans, according to Pollstar. Ticket sales from the Live Nation-produced concert totaled $1.2 million, with tickets priced from a low of $59.50 to $179.50.

Joining headliner Ozzy Osbourne at the event were Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, KORN's Jonathan Davis (playing a solo set) and BODY COUNT. ZAKK SABBATH, the BLACK SABBATH tribute band fronted by Osbourne's guitarist Zakk Wylde, headlined a second stage outside.

Sharon previously floated the possibility of reviving Ozzfest during a January 2024 episode of "The Osbournes" podcast. When Sharon and Ozzy's daughter Kelly noted that "it always comes down to" whether the bands and managers going to be "realistic" in terms of what they want to get paid for playing the festival, Sharon concurred, and added: "It's great. That's what we wanted — everybody to do spin-offs and do their own festivals, and it's great. It's great for fans; it's brilliant. But why is it when it comes to us that everybody thinks that we are trillionaires, and so that every manager who wants their band on our festival wants one of the fucking trillions they think we've got to put on the festival?"

After Ozzy asked during the podcast about the possibility of focusing more on lesser-known acts that won't be as demanding, Sharon said: "You can do it for a baby stage, but you still need the headliners. It's always great to have the baby stage, I mean, that's what it's all about — breaking new bands. That's why we did it."

She added: "It's very hard for acts who are not known to suddenly go and be in front of 50,000 people on a main stage at a festival and understand what they're meant to do. It's very intimidating. You could have maybe five thousand people at that baby stage, and then to go from five to fifty to sixty thousand people, and it's really, really hard for baby bands. They've pay their dues anyway. That's what it's all about."

When Sharon and Ozzy's son Jack pointed out that many of the recently launched rock festivals in the United States are "basically just Ozzfest," Sharon said: "Well, it's the same bands just going around and around and around. But that's what's so good, because we started something, people have taken it, and it's still great for the genre. It's really good."

In October 2023, Sharon talked about why Ozzfest eventually stopped during an earlier episode of "The Osbournes" podcast. At the time, she said: "Yeah, it was a very weird beast because all the bands were our mates, but the managers were greedy and for some reason they thought that we were making billions on it and we weren't. We made a profit. But it was not like — we couldn't retire on it. And managers and agents wanted more and more and more, and it just wasn't cost effective anymore. We stopped, because it just wasn't cost effective."

She continued: "Years and years ago, one of the bands — it was the second Ozzfest we did, or the third — wouldn't go on stage until I agreed to give them 10,000 more dollars. And they were holding everything up, and I said, 'Of course, of course I'll give it you.'" Pressed by Jack to name the act in question, Sharon said "Glenn Danzig", to which Jack replied: "Why are you gonna protect that twat?"

Sharon went on to say that she "didn't give them the money" that they were demanding. "They went on and played, and I went, 'Fuck you. You signed a contract, your agent agreed it, and you're just gouging,'" she recalled.

In a new interview with Mike "Radioactive MikeZ" Zara, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", SHADOWS FALL guitarist Jonathan Donais spoke about the status of the recording sessions for the remainder of the songs for the long-awaited follow-up to the band's 2012 album "Fire From The Sky", tentatively due in 2027. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[The new album is] done, but [we've] just gotta go through everything and figure out the right times and people's schedules and stuff [before we release it]."

Regarding the musical direction of the new SHADOWS FALL material, Donais said: "When I was writing it, I tried to only get influenced by the bands that I was listening to when I started SHADOWS FALL. So I listened to a lot of thrash, a lot of '90s death metal, and I was just trying to get that vibe again when I was 17. Like, why did I wanna start SHADOWS FALL? What was making me wanna do it? And then I'm listening with kind of new ears, 'cause that was a million years ago. So I was listening to these bands with a new perspective. I was, like, 'Wow, shit, this stuff's still really cool.' And then I was just excited, because we hadn't done anything in a while, so it was exciting again."

Jonathan went on to say that there were no plans for SHADOWS FALL to work on new music before the band reunited for a high-profile concert on December 18, 2021 at The Palladium in Worcester, Massachusetts. This performance marked SHADOWS FALL's first live show in six years following the group's 2015 hiatus.

"I didn't think we were gonna do any new music," Donais explained. "I figured we were gonna get together for our reunion show, and that'd be it. Maybe down the line we'd do another show. But when we started rehearsing for it — I play guitar all day. I don't have any kids. While my wife's at work, I sit around and play guitar, so I have millions of riffs. So while we're rehearsing the old stuff, I just start throwing riffs out there, and of course the guys jump in and start jamming. Like, 'What's that?' I'm, like, 'Ah, something new.' And then they're, like, 'Oh, that's cool.' And then before you know it, we're just writing songs."

SHADOWS FALL recently released its first two singles in more than 12 years — "Souls Devoured", which came out in May 2025, and "In The Grey", which was made available in December 2024 — via SHADOWS FALL's new record label home, MNRK Heavy.

On July 18, 2025, prior to SHADOWS FALL's performance at the the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts as the support act for LAMB OF GOD, SHADOWS FALL members Brian Fair (vocals),Jonathan Donais (guitar),Matt Bachand (guitar),Paul Romanko (bass) and Bittner received an official proclamation from Springfield mayor Domenic J. Sarno declaring Friday, July 18, 2025 "Shadows Fall Day".

SHADOWS FALL rose up as a prominent member of the bustling Massachusetts metal and hardcore scene that also produced such bands as KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, ALL THAT REMAINS and UNEARTH. Donais and Bachand got together nearly three decades ago and had the original lineup complete within a year. These members were vocalist Philip Labonte, now with ALL THAT REMAINS, Romanko and drummer David Germain. In 1997, the band released its first full-length album, "Somber Eyes To The Sky", on Bachand's own Lifeless Records. This, however, would be the only album the band would record with Labonte. Philip was replaced by Brian in 1998. Bittner joined SHADOWS FALL prior to the release of 2002's "The Art Of Balance" LP.

SHADOWS FALL's breakthrough happened when it landed a slot on Ozzfest's second stage in 2003. As a result of the band's enlarged fanbase, their next effort, "The War Within", released in 2004, entered the Billboard 200 chart at No. 20 and went on to sell over 300,000 copies.

SHADOWS FALL released a statement in August 2014 in which the bandmembers explained that financial difficulties made it virtually impossible for the group to continue as a full-time concern.

In August 2015, SHADOWS FALL played a few reunion shows on the U.S. East Coast, one year after completing what was being billed at the time as the band's "final" European tour.

SHADOWS FALL's last full-length album, "Fire From The Sky", was released in May 2012 via Razor & Tie. The CD sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 38 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Photo credit: Jeremy Saffer

Finnish progressive metal band, Oddland, unveil today their new single and official lyric video, “Unilluminate,” taken from the upcoming studio album, Unilluminate To Illuminate, out on August 21 via Frontiers Music Srl.

The band stated: “’Unilluminate’ is a song that speaks of hope, light, and resilience. It tells a collective story of children growing up in broken families while carrying the weight of generational burdens. The “shards of glass” on the floor – both actual and metaphorical – leave room for hope and strength if there is something or someone protective and good. The song reminds us of the value of providing hope and kindness, even when everything seems hopeless and lost.”

Watch the official lyric video for “Unilluminate”:



Oddland return with their highly anticipated new album Unilluminate To Illuminate, reaffirming their status as one of the most innovative and compelling forces in modern progressive metal.

Talking about the record, the band stated: “Unilluminate To Illuminate reflects the need for polarity in life, the need for darkness in order to find joy in light, and the dance of these qualities that deepen the human experience. In the modern age there is a constant chase for dopamine rushes and shortcuts to euphoria. A constant state of happiness is not only impossible but an unfulfilling and untruthful way to live. There is darkness in all of us like there is light in all of us. And, in order to find your light, you must sometimes deeply explore your darkness. This is what the album aims to reflect in the songs and atmospheres we have created.”

Known for their intricate compositions and fearless approach to songwriting, the band continues to push boundaries while refining their already distinctive sonic identity.

The experience gained while supporting Soen on tour has clearly elevated the band to an even higher level, sharpening their performance edge and strengthening their sense of dynamics and impact. That growth is fully reflected in this new record, which feels more focused, confident, and mature than ever before.

This new album expands Oddland’s complex musical universe with heightened intensity, atmospheric depth, and razor-sharp precision. Shifting seamlessly between crushing heaviness and cinematic expanses, Unilluminate To Illuminate showcases a band operating at the peak of their creative powers, delivering a listening experience that is both technically impressive and emotionally resonant.

With a bold sense of dynamics and a strong conceptual undercurrent, the album captures the essence of a band that refuses to stand still. Each track reveals new layers upon repeated listens, blending progressive complexity with memorable themes and a powerful sense of direction.

Unilluminate To Illuminate stands as a striking statement from one of the finest names in modern progressive metal – a record that challenges, captivates, and ultimately elevates the listener.

Pre-order Unilluminate To Illuminate here.



Unilluminate To Illuminate tracklisting:

“Amokinus”
“Eternal Erode”
“Soar”
“Ascent”
“Freefall”
“Unilluminate”
“Illuminate”
“Act Of Solace”
“Red Canvas”
“Unbound In Time”
“Waterdrops”

During an appearance on the latest episode of "Delivering Happiness", the unscripted celebrity-driven series and podcast hosted by actor Nick Turturro for Prince St. Pizza, AVENGED SEVENFOLD singer M. Shadows elaborated on the group's recent announcement that it is now "a fully independent band" after completing its deal with Warner with the arrival of the "Life Is But A Dream…" album, which came out in June 2023. M. Shadows said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We did eight records with [Warner], and then we are done with record labels. So we're a fully independent band now. Three years ago was our last album we had to do with [Warner], and then because of the way the music industry is now, we just don't see a point of ever being on a label again. They really can't do much for you. They'll tell you they can do a lot, but they can't. There's no radio that matters. There's no MTV. They're gonna try to get you on TikTok, which everyone can do themselves. In my opinion, they don't bring anything extra [to the table]."

Asked by Turturro what major labels used to do for bands like AVENGED SEVENFOLD in the earlier days of the group's career, M. Shadows said: "Well, they'd give you an advance. You had no money, so they'd give you money to record a record. They would hook you up with producers or engineers, mixers, and then they would go pay Walmart and Target to put you on the endcaps, and then they'd pay radio stations to play you. It's called payola. It was illegal, but they'd do it. And then they would go hound MTV and get your records played on national television. Now it's all gone. So I can go upload something on YouTube and on TikTok, and I can go play shows. I can make more money in one show than it would cost to make a record than they can give you, and when they give you the money, you're paying four times what that money is to get it back. So there's just no point."

Regarding how things have changed in the music business in recent years, M. Shadows said: "The industry just blew it all open. And people are still very late to move. They're looking at it going, 'Well, it's really cool to tell my grandparents that I'm on Universal Records.' But really, Universal Records gives you $25,000, you have to make 100,000 to pay that back. Every penny. And so if you can afford it yourself, you should do it yourself. 'Cause there is no MTV. There is no KROQ anymore that's gonna play something modern. They don't. They play all the old stuff. So there's no point."

Asked if he would prefer the business to be like it is today or like when he started, if he had the freedom to choose one or the other, M. Shadows said: "I absolutely love where everything's at right now. I think it's super interesting, and it creates way more artistic freedom 'cause people can do whatever they want, and either it works or it doesn't and you kind of move and pivot. When you have radio stations and MTV and this and that, you get a lot of favorites being played because 'this worked, so go make more stuff like that.' There's not a lot of creativity there. It's basically based on, what are people listening to? And so the art form really becomes a full-on product. It's just, like, make more of the product. And that's not really what music should be. It should be a free expression. But I will say I'm extremely grateful that we came around during a time where we could get our foot in the door and sell a ton of records, and we were on MTV and we were on radio stations. So it really catapulted the band in a way that the normal kid that's playing 'Call Of Duty' or 'Madden' hears our music on there because there's these drivers. But if I had to choose — right now, I love the way the industry is now because people can throw such creative stuff at the wall, and you can go find it, and it's amazing. But that comes with the caveat of you're not gonna get as big as you could've… We're kind of like a hinge band. We have our left leg in the old, and we have our right leg fully focused on what's happening now. And we got to see both, where the younger generation, they have no clue what it was like to walk into Walmart and buy a record that was on an endcap. Or to turn on MTV and 'TRL''s on and your favorite band's number one on 'TRL', and you're calling and voting. It doesn't exist anymore. But that's what I grew up with. And it was fun. It was exciting. But it's changed."

In an April 2023 interview with Overpriced JPEGs, M. Shadows spoke about AVENGED SEVENFOLD's plans for releasing new music following the completion of the band's deal with Warner. Asked if AVENGED SEVENFOLD would go the "independent" route for its future releases, Shadows — whose real name is Matt Sanders — said: "Imagine writing out like a bullet point of things that we're not willing to budge on, and then we will… We wanna make music whenever we want, put it out, we wanna surprise-release things if we want, we wanna do this and that. Sometimes artists sign into a label but it's a distro deal where the label gets eight to 10 percent and then they'll distribute the record. They might even pay for the record to get done, but the band takes care of the other things. So there's so many ways to kind of slice this pie. We just know what we're not willing to do. And what we're not willing to do is just sign into the same kind of thing we have going on now. Now if the next record says Warner Brothers or Universal on it, it doesn't mean that we re-signed with a label; it means that maybe we're using them for distribution, maybe we're doing a licensing deal."

The singer continued: "We don't know what we're gonna do. Maybe we go to all the streaming services and make our own relationships with them and do our own thing. But at that point, when you're talking about an eight percent cut, you have to weigh and balance how much you wanna take on. Do we wanna pay for the record and the publicist and the radio people and all that stuff, or do we let the label do it and have a much better deal? One thing I've learned is that don't make decisions a year and a half out. Right now the record's not out. We have 18 months to live with them, see how they do on this record. And there's certain things we'll never do again, and there's certain things that I'm gonna look at. What we're gonna do is just make the best deal we can for where we're at. So, maybe [we'll be] independent, maybe not."

Back in April 2022, M. Shadows spoke to "The Bob Lefsetz Podcast" about the fact that Warner sued AVENGED SEVENFOLD in late 2015 after the band left the label by citing the California Labor Code's "seven-year rule." The rule allows for parties to exit contracts after seven years if certain unfavorable conditions exist. The band then moved on to Capitol, which issued "The Stage" as a surprise release in October 2016, promoted with a concert on top of the Capitol building.

The singer explained how AVENGED SEVENFOLD ended up returning to Warner, saying: "There's a lot that goes into that. We pulled the old seven-year clause that we were trying to get out of our deal, but the reality is we wanted our masters back — we wanted to make some sort of deal and be able to own our recordings, or possibly re-sign and get a check, all the things you can do. And then we started thinking about the seven-year clause and we actually wanted to see if we could help artists out in a way.

"The people that we had a problem with at Warner Brothers that simply weren't engaged in the band had left, and some new people came in and they flew out and we basically broke bread and said this record we did with Capitol Records, come back to Warner Brothers, finish up your deal and we'll deal with it from there. So, obviously a lot of rabbit holes in there."

Elaborating on why AVENGED SEVENFOLD was so unhappy with Warner Bros. before going back to the label, M. Shadows said: "[When] our 2014 record, 'Hail To The King', came out, we just noticed that no one at the label cared about our band. Basically, they'd come to the recordings, they'd come and check out the record, and it was just everyone's on their phone, and there was just no support. So we tried to get a better deal or at least get our masters back and get out of there. We went over to Capitol Records and put out a record. I think we're the only band that actually put out an album while we were still in some sort of litigation over the seven-year clause which caused a huge uproar between the labels and ourselves."

Pressed by Lefsetz about how Capitol feels about AVENGED SEVENFOLD returning to Warner Bros. after the band released only one album through the former label, M. Shadows said: "We went to Capitol and they knew the situation we were in, obviously. They're not dummies — they're not gonna sign us and say, 'We're getting into some long-term deal here.' We were under the idea that we would get our record back. They were basically putting one record out for us, and then we'd be free. So I think they kind of probably expected something like that to happen. When the regime change happened with Warner Brothers, and obviously the amounts of money we were spending arguing with them back and forth, it was obviously… the smart thing to do was just kind of put it to bed. So I think Capitol, they're fine. They got their one record, and we went out and worked it — we toured for a long time on it. And now we're back to finishing up our contract."

A provision in the California Labor Code's "seven-year rule" allows labels to collect money that would have been made on undelivered albums. In its lawsuit against AVENGED SEVENFOLD, Warner Bros. sought damages based on the fact that the band had one album left on its contract, while the group argued that extensive turnover in the label's staff led to an unsatisfactory working relationship. Had it lost the case, AVENGED SEVENFOLD would have faced a verdict between $5 million and $10 million. Warner Bros. was also allowed to seek its attorney fees — which by 2018 had amounted to more than $1.5 million.

"The Stage" debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200 album chart in November 2016. The surprise release of the disc earned the lowest sales of an AVENGED SEVENFOLD album in eleven years. It sold 76,000 copies in its first week, less than half the tally of its previous two efforts.

A few years ago, M. Shadows told The Pulse Of Radio that AVENGED SEVENFOLD was aware of the risks in such an unusual release. "One thing that we knew, you know, all the analytics proved that, you know, we shouldn't do this because of the way that rock fans consume music," he said. "You know, it's very physical-heavy, and one thing we knew is that we had to get records in stores, but we were gonna be basically setting ourselves up for a leak, which would have been a huge disaster. But Capitol Records did an amazing job of being able to get these records into stores, so we were able to be the first band to actually have a physical and digital release that was a surprise."

In an interview with Erin Greatrix of This Day In Metal, W.A.S.P. frontman Blackie Lawless was asked if he and his bandmates have been working on new music. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've been working on stuff for quite some time, but I've also been working on a book. And between that and doing the touring, because bands — it's not what it used to be when you could make money making records anymore. Those days are over. The bands really make the money now touring, and our touring schedule has been such that it's really been difficult to do. But, yes, new music is definitely in the works. It's something we've been working on for about three years now."

Lawless previously talked about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the follow-up to W.A.S.P.'s most recent studio album of all-new original material, 2015's "Golgotha", in a June 2025 interview with Stoyan Tsonev of Bulgaria's Z-Rock radio. Asked if he had anything new to share about the band's upcoming LP, Blackie said: "Not really, because, as we were saying, the tour schedule has been so crazy. Everybody wants to know when — 'When are you gonna have this? When are you gonna have that?' It's, like, well, you know what? It's a big world out there, and it takes a long time to get to all these different cities. For this tour that we're on, we just finished doing North America and South America. Now we're gonna be in Europe all this year. So it takes a long time to get to all these places. And so where does that leave us when we're finished? Then we go back and look at doing a book, maybe finishing the album. But, like I said, the touring schedule is so intense that there just hasn't been time to do everything."

In July 2024, Lawless confirmed to George Dionne of KNAC.COM that he and his W.A.S.P. bandmates had been working on music for the follow-up to "Golgotha". He said: "We have been, and last year, we had done quite a bit of work in between the American tour and the European tour, we did a lot of recording, a lot of demoing. And I thought I liked what I was hearing, and then I came back. I had a problem with my back last year when we were in Europe, and, actually, my back got broken while we were over there, so I had to have a couple of surgeries when we got home from the tour. And it gave me a lot of time to sit around, twiddle my thumbs and just listen to stuff. And I listened to the demos that we did, and there is some good moments, but it's not consistent. 'Golgotha' was a very consistent record. I mean, 'Golgotha', I think, is one of the best things I've ever been a part of. And to try to at least do something on that level…"

He continued: "Today, a band like us, it's all about your legacy, because we're not making records anymore to sell records. I mean, those days are gone. But what we do, or what any artist does when they make a new record now, they are competing against their past. So your new album effectively becomes your opening act, and it's an opening act that's going up against songs that the audience has heard and romanced in their heads for decades. That's stiff competition. So when something new comes out, for it to even be remotely considered good, in all honesty, it has to be better than the original stuff, and that's no joke.

"It had been a while since I listened to 'Golgotha', and I listened to it — I don't know — a couple months ago, and it was, like, 'Wow, this is a pretty good record,'" Lawless added. "And it has to be that good to compete with the 'L.O.V.E. Machine's and the 'I Wanna Be Somebody''s of the world. Because, again, people are romancing those songs in their head, and rightfully so.

"Music does a funny thing to our sense of time. It creates memories, the same way smell does and things like that. We remember where we were when we heard a certain song, and those are very powerful memories. And I'm glad we have that, but at the same time, when you're the person that has to create new music, you're constantly going up against that legacy.

"So, again, the new album will always be your opening act, and your opening act has to try harder just to get noticed," Blackie concluded.

W.A.S.P.'s latest release was "ReIdolized (The Soundtrack To The Crimson Idol)", which came out in February 2018. It was a new version of the band's classic 1992 album "The Crimson Idol", which was re-recorded to accompany the movie of the same name to mark the 25th anniversary of the original LP's release. The re-recorded version also features four songs missing from the original album.

Blackie previously spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for W.A.S.P.'s new LP in a 2024 interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station. He said: "We still are [working on it]. What happened was when we came back from the European tour, I had to have surgery and stuff, about a year prior to that, we had been working on a lot of new stuff. And when I came back, I've had a long time to go through those early demos, of what we have been working on. Listening to it with fresh ears, some of it's really good, but there's not enough of it yet where I would be comfortable in saying, 'Okay, this is finished, and let's go with it.' I'd like to go back and visit the drawing board, so to speak, and see what else is there. Because even from a two-year period of when we started working on that before to where we are right now, you're gonna gain so much, you're gonna grow so much."

Blackie continued: "I've learned you don't make records or I don't make records anymore that are spread out over a two- or three-year period, because the guy you are when you first start making it is not the guy you are when you finish making it. Get in, six months top to bottom, get that thing cranked out, because, like I said, if you don't, you end up running the risk of it kind of being a schizophrenic type of record where you've got one type of one thing and then the other half is something else and it has no real cohesiveness."

Asked what kind of stuff inspires him now, Blackie said: "Well, when we got ready to start this record a couple years ago, my mindset was I wanted to do a heavy, nasty, stinky rock and roll record. And that's where my heart was at. But when I started to write, that's not what was coming out. And so when you first start the process, you think, 'Okay. We'll go along with whatever comes out to begin with, but I wanna try to start steering this ship in a different direction as time goes by.' And that's just not what was happening. It was stuff that was more in-depth. And I thought, we did call 'Golgotha', that's one of those thinking man's records, and I thought, I don't wanna do that this time. I wanna do something that's a little lighter, like I said, a little nastier, stinkier old-time rock and roll, but as hard as I was trying to force it in that direction, that's not what was happening. Now, when we get done with this tour and the European tour next year, then it'll be time to start looking at that again in earnest. So who knows where we'll come out of it again? To give you an honest answer, I'd need a crystal ball right now to tell you that, 'cause I don't know."

In November 2023, Blackie addressed the high musical standard of W.A.S.P. most recent albums, telling Canada's The Metal Voice: "Nobody makes money making records anymore. So if you're going to make records now, you're doing it because of your legacy. And if you're going to do that, then you really have to make sure that it's as strong as it can be, because it's always gonna be measured against what you did to begin with."

He continued: "All bands, they make their bones the first five years they're together, the first five or six records they make; their whole legacy is cemented there. It doesn't mean you can't make good records later on down the line, but everything is gonna be constantly compared to that… In other words, think of whatever new record you do now as your opening act. It's always gonna be compared to that early stuff. And so for it to get an honest review or a fair shake, so to speak, that new record has to maybe be even better than the original stuff was, because people have had so many years to romance those older songs in their heads. And when you go up against people that have been doing that for a long time, it's hard to erase those memories, and you don't wanna do that anyway. But you just want the new stuff to have a chance to compete. And the only way that new stuff can do that is they have to be solid records."

Earlier this year, W.A.S.P. announced the "1984 To Headless" 2026 U.S. and Canada tour with KK'S PRIEST as very special guest. The tour kicks off on September 10 in California and runs through October 31. W.A.S.P. will be playing the hits from the band's first four albums.

W.A.S.P. will be again offering fans VIP tickets that give fans a chance to meet Blackie Lawless, get a personal photo with Blackie, autographs, a W.A.S.P. traveling museum with new items added since the last U.S. tour, and take part in a very personal Q&A with Blackie. VIP tickets can be purchased at waspnation.myshopify.com.

DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION (DBA),the studio collaboration of Geoff Downes (keyboards) and multi award-winning songwriter Chris Braide (vocals),is set to release its sixth studio album, "Trauma", on September 25 via Cherry Red Records.

"Trauma" is a return to the expansive DNA of classic DBA, with long-form pieces sitting comfortably alongside tracks like the epic melodic rock and cinematic songwriting that has always defined with Chris Braide and Geoff Downes together.

The road to "Trauma" began overlooking the river Thames in Richmond before taking on new life beneath the skies of Los Angeles. The songs ultimately found their true identity back in the Gloucestershire countryside and South Wales, while the album was completed with mastering in Devon. Fittingly, a record centered on resilience followed a journey of its own before reaching its final form.

Chris Braide explains, "These songs emerged from the cracks. 'Trauma' is about the ghosts we inherit, the wounds we hide, and the light that still finds its way through. In the end, it is not an album about suffering, but survival. 'Trauma' isn't an album about defeat — it's about what happens after. It's about carrying your scars with dignity, refusing to be diminished, and remembering that kindness and perseverance ultimately outlast cruelty and fear. Making music with Geoff continues to be one of the great privileges of my career."

Geoff Downes adds: "Working with Chris on our DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION albums is always a great inspirational and joyous experience for me. In 'Trauma', our sixth studio album, we have dug deep into our respective layers and reservoirs of emotion, a theme of darkness followed by light — something we both could relate to. And in particular on this album, we have explored numerous diverse influences characterizing the contrast of these polarized emotions. For instance, our epic long track 'Lake Of Memories' begins with a quasi-classical bombastic intro and immediately jumps into a fast trance-like up-tempo techno workout — it's pomp-rock straight into pop-rock! And it's Chris at his absolute best, grabbing my ideas and working them into some kind of intricate musical kaleidoscope. I think it's what contributes to our uniqueness, and this album is one we are immensely proud of. Sit down, turn it up, listen and enjoy the 'traumatic' DBA journey!"

You can watch the music video for the first single, "Wonderland", below.

About the new single, Downes says: "The notion of leaving behind something, someone, or your roots whilst retaining a nostalgic connection is a common recurring theme amongst a number of mine and Chris's songs. Within 'Wonderland', we have aimed to convey hope and optimism in the musical sections leading up to and culminating in an uplifting chorus — 'Wonderland', a discovery of a new and changing life. It's a powerful statement, and a song we are proud to present to you."

Braide adds: "'Wonderland' is about the intense psychological friction of breaking away from rigid family hierarchies and institutional structures — the inescapable systems of control that dictate your life through school, work, and the society beyond. It's a tribute to the resilience of my parents' generation in the North West, but it also confronts the severe survivor's guilt of permanently severing those chains. Walking away from those deep-rooted structures is a profound form of death and rebirth; you are forever followed by the ghosts of that old reality, constantly wondering if the people left behind ever found their own version of paradise amidst the struggle."

"Trauma" returns the band lineup of Dave Bainbridge (guitars),Andy Hodge (bass) and Ash Soan (drums) and additional drums from Tim Weller.

The album features an impressive lineup of guest contributors, including Marc Almond on "Juliet", and Emmi on "Love And Loss", as well as narration from Delilah Barrett. The late David Longdon, a longtime DBA collaborator, also appears through flute performances recorded during the band's 2018 sessions. Rounding out the guest appearances are Andy Partridge, Barney Ashton-Bullock and Dean Johnson, each contributing original poems to the album booklet.

About the album cover, Downes says: "With 'Trauma' as anticipated, Roger has come up with yet another blockbuster of his iconic artwork. Roger was working in parallel and getting inspiration from some of our song titles. The result is a starkness to the painting, but with a chink of light in there representing aspirations for the future, all overseen by a semi-concealed 'wise' owl — another of Roger's signature nods to nature. It truly is an exceptional work of art, and we are most grateful to have such a genius in our midst collaborating, coordinating and combining our music with his visuals."

Track listing:

01. Hello, Hello (4:57)
02. Trauma (8:20)
03. King Of Karma (4:53)
04. Wonderland (5:12)
05. Love And Loss (3:16)
06. I Wish I'd Known (4:11)
07. Do You Remember? (4:54)
08. Juliet (2:24)
09. Lake Of Memories (14:29)
10. Wherever You Are Now (5:44)

DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION, the studio-based project by Geoff Downes and Chris Braide, has previously produced five studio albums: "Pictures Of You" (2012),"Suburban Ghosts" (2015),"Skyscraper Souls" (2017),"Halcyon Hymns" (2021),"Celestial Songs" (2023) as well as a live album "Live In England" (2019). The project draws on Downes's and Braide's rich musical heritage to create a delightfully accessible brand of progressive rock.

Keyboard wizard Geoff Downes was thrust into the limelight in 1979 with the worldwide success of "Video Killed The Radio Star" while in THE BUGGLES with Trevor Horn (vocals, bass guitar). The duo briefly joined prog legends YES before Downes became a founding member of the supergroup ASIA with YES guitarist Steve Howe, ELP drummer Carl Palmer and the late John Wetton (vocals, bass guitar). The Wetton-Downes composition "Heat Of The Moment" became a worldwide hit and remains a staple on radio to this day. Downes later rejoined YES in 2011 and remains with the band alongside Steve Howe.

British singer-songwriter-pianist Chris Braide has enjoyed enormous success writing and producing music for film scores, advertising campaigns and working closely with artists including Sia, Lana Del Rey, Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Paloma Faith, Britney Spears and Marc Almond. An Ivor Novello Award winner and Grammy nominee, Braide recently earned a BMI Pop Award for co-writing Sia's "Unstoppable", her eighth U.S. Top 40 hit and biggest-selling U.S. single.

SOLITUDE AETURNUS has recruited James-Paul Luna as the band's new vocalist.

Luna joins the long-running Texas-based doom metallers as the replacement for Robert Lowe, whose departure from the group was announced in April.

Earlier today (Saturday, August 1),SOLITUDE AETURNUS released the following statement via social media: "We are proud to announce James-Paul Luna as the new vocalist for SOLITUDE AETURNUS!

"Luna is well known for his work with HOLY GRAIL and, most recently, INTRANCED. With a commanding stage presence and years of experience, he will bring power and intensity to our live performances. His powerful yet melodic voice is a natural fit for the sound of SOLITUDE AETURNUS, and we look forward to unleashing a new chapter of doom together.

"Join us as we take the stage with James-Paul Luna for the first time at the Candelabrum Festival in León, Mexico, on September 12!"

SOLITUDE AETURNUS performed with guest singer Jason McMaster at this year's Maryland Deathfest on May 21 in Baltimore, Maryland.

SOLITUDE AETURNUS's current lineup is rounded out by John Perez (guitar),Edgar Rivera (guitar),Lyle Steadham (bass) and Logan Cade (drums).

When Lowe's exit from SOLITUDE AETURNUS was first announced four months ago, the group said that the decision to part ways was "a necessary change if we are to move forward as an active band... This was not an easy decision, of course, but we feel positive about it as we move forward with more shows and other plans.

SOLITUDE AETURNUS's latest album, "Alone", came out in 2006.

Formed as SOLITUDE in the spring of 1987, SOLITUDE AETURNUS began after Perez quit his former seminal thrash metal band ROTTING CORPSE. Assembling a group and recording a demo in early 1988, SOLITUDE began planting the seeds within the tape-trading and underground metal network. In late 1988 changes started to occur and the band finally settled on a lineup that consisted of Perez, Rivera, Lowe, Steadham and John "Wolf" Covington on drums. A legal threat from another group forced SOLITUDE to change the name to SOLITUDE AETURNUS during the spring of 1989.

SOLITUDE AETURNUS entered the prestigious Dallas Sound Lab in January of 1990 to record their classic debut album, "Into The Depths Of Sorrow". After some shopping around, the LP eventually caught the attention of Roadrunner Records. Following numerous delays, the album finally saw the light of day in July 1991, a full year and half after it was recorded. No tours followed, although by this time SOLITUDE AETURNUS had already written enough songs for a second album. In March of 1992 the band entered Sound Logic recording studios to begin the sessions for "Beyond The Crimson Horizon". The album was released in July 1992 and eventually a U.S. tour was set up with Paul Dianno's KILLERS. Within a year, the band was dropped from Roadrunner and SOLITUDE AETURNUS had signed a new recording contract with Pavement Records. The band decided to get away from its familiar surroundings and took off for England to record its third album, "Through The Darkest Hour". Recorded in late March 1994 at Rhythm Studios, this was to be SOLITUDE AETURNUS's best work to date, showcasing a more riff-oriented and heavier direction. "Through The Darkest Hour" received critical acclaim all across the globe upon its release in August 1994. The band went on the road with metal legends MERCYFUL FATE for an extensive U.S. tour and shortly after embarked on their first tour of Europe with fellow doom band REVELATION. After this tour, SOLITUDE AETURNUS went through a long break that would last until April 1996, when recording for the next album commenced. During this time Perez started his own Brainticket Records label as well as recording a solo album. The next album, "Downfall", was recorded in Dallas, and despite receiving praise once again for their efforts, SOLITUDE AETURNUS was extremely dissatisfied with the end product. After years of hard knocks and never-ending struggles, the band underwent its first major lineup change, with Steadham leaving to pursue other musical interests. The band continued on, enlisting the services of Teri Pritchard (LAST CHAPTER) in as temporary bassist. It was this lineup that toured Europe in April 1996 with Swedish power metal band MORGANA LAFEY. Another unintentional break followed and a split from Pavement Records eventually occurred. During this time, new bass player Steve Moseley was added to the band. SOLITUDE AETURNUS then signed on to German label Massacre Records in December 1997 and recorded what was to become "Adagio". The band went back to Rhythm Studios in England and the album was recorded in March 1998 and released in June of the same year. The band toured Europe in September 1998 with SAVIOR MACHINE. After several festival shows during the years after "Adagio", SOLITUDE AETURNUS underwent a temporary hiatus with members taking time off to focus on other things. Perez focused his efforts on the Brainticket Records label and also recorded another psychedelic album with his LIQUID SOUND COMPANY in 2003. Moseley, Lowe and Covington formed another group during this time called CONCEPT OF GOD. During this hiatus, Rivera and Covington both left the band. Longtime SOLITUDE fan and veteran metalhead Steve Nichols joined the band on drums in 2005, along with master bassist James Martin. With this new lineup, the band completed a mini tour of Greece and Germany during spring of 2006 and spent countless hours crafting the songs for "Alone", SOLITUDE AETURNUS's sixth studio, which was released in November 2006 via Massacre Records.

Photo courtesy of John Perez / SOLITUDE AETURNUS

Finnish melodic death/black metallers NORTHER have reunited and will perform at next year's edition of the Wacken Open Air festival, set to take place July 28-31, 2027 in Wacken, Germany.

NORTHER's lineup for the Wacken Open Air concert will reportedly consist of the following musicians:

Petri Lindroos - vocals, guitar
Kristian Ranta - guitar, clean vocals
Tuomas Planman - keyboards, synthesizers, electronics
Jukka Koskinen - bass
Heikki Saari - drums

The history of NORTHER dates back to the year 1996 when Lindroos and some friends started playing together under the moniker REQUIEM. In 2000 Ranta stepped in and the band released its first demo. It subsequently led to a deal with Spinefarm Records and it did not take long for the guys to find Koskinen and Planman to finally create a stable lineup for NORTHER. Within a few years NORTHER became one of the most promising Finnish bands combining the best of death, black and thrash metal with haunting melodies. The albums "Dreams of Endless War" (2002),"Mirror of Madness" (2003, licensed by Century Media Records for U.S. release),"Death Unlimited" (2004) and "Till Death Unites Us" (2006) helped to gather a worldwide fan base.

In 2007, NORTHER left Spinefarm Records to release the "No Way Back" EP, which entered the Finnish charts at #1 and marked the debut for drum talent Saari.

NORTHER's 2008 album "N" record was the band's Century Media debut and featured two bonus tracks from the "No Way Back" EP, "No Way Back" and "C.U.S.", along with a video for the song "We Rock".

In early 2009, NORTHER parted ways with Lindroos and recruited Aleksi Sihvonen (MEDICATED) on vocals and Daniel Freyberg on guitar.

Sihvonen made his recording debut with NORTHER on the band's latest album, "Circle Regenerated", which came out in 2011 entered the official chart in Finland at position No. 22.

NORTHER was founded in 2000 and has released six full-length albums, two EPs, a DVD, four singles and the soundtrack to the Finnish film "V2". The band has done extensive touring with such acts as DIMMU BORGIR, HYPOCRISY, TURISAS and FINNTROLL.

NORTHER announced its split in July 2012, explaining in a statement that the members could no longer "act as an active and working band" due to their "complicated and time-consuming life situations".

NORTHER played its last show at the 2012 edition of the Czech Republic's Brutal Assault festival.

IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson has completed recording the vocals for his upcoming solo album, tentatively due in early 2027 via BMG.

Most of Dickinson's eighth solo album was recorded this past January and February at Dave Grohl's Studio 606 in Northridge, California with producer Brendan Duffey, who previously helmed the partly re-recorded, remixed and newly mastered version of Bruce's second solo album "Balls To Picasso", now titled "More Balls To Picasso", which was made available in July 2025.

Dickinson's follow-up to "The Mandrake Project" will now be mixed Brendan at his Brendan Duffey Audio high-end mixing and mastering studio in Jupiter, Florida.

On Friday (July 31),Bruce shared a photo of him and Brendan in the studio and he included the following message: "Finished vocals for the new album today, me and @brendan_duffey_audio , the producer, having a selfie in the vocal booth ! Now he's off to mix it in Florida. @declercq_official @davedrums1221 @brendan_duffey_audio and me saying farewell to the doom room ... for now."

At last month's San Diego Comic-Con, Dickinson told Steve Harkins of TalkShopLive that his upcoming solo album will include a collaboration with his son Austin. Bruce's oldest son, the 35-year-old Austin is a musician best known as the former frontman for the metal bands RISE TO REMAIN and AS LIONS. Dickinson went on to say that tracks from the LP "will be out this year, a little bit, so people can hear a little bit of it. At some point this month, I'm shooting four or maybe five videos for it." He added: "I'm pretty busy in '27. And I think everybody's gonna be very happy with what I'm busy with —in every sense of the word."

This past April, Bruce revealed that he recorded 16 songs for his new solo album over a three-week period earlier this year. He told Rolling Stone magazine: [We did it] all 100 percent live. It's like the anti-A.I. generation."

Dickinson's upcoming album was recorded with his touring band, consisting of keyboardist Mistheria, drummer Dave Moreno, bassist Tanya O'Callaghan, and guitarists Chris Declercq and Philip Näslund.

In February, SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser shared photos of him with Bruce at Studio 606 and revealed that he plays percussion on Dickinson's new LP.

Bruce and his long-term co-writer and producer Roy "Z" Ramirez recorded "The Mandrake Project" largely at Los Angeles's Doom Room, with Roy Z doubling up as both guitarist and bassist. The recording lineup for "The Mandrake Project" was rounded out by Mistheria and Moreno, both of whom also featured on Bruce's previous solo studio album, "Tyranny Of Souls", in 2005.

Last August, Bruce told Metal Hammer that his new solo material would include "bone-crushingly heavy" songs as well as moments that "are just like tugging at the heartstrings". "If it's heavy, it's heavy," he added, "but if it just happens to be acoustic, it's acoustic. That's the deal, you know? It's whatever the song dictates, whatever the story is you're trying to tell, but it's really exciting. I'm so stoked about these tracks. I played the demos to a few people in the record label and stuff, and everybody is like, 'Wow!'"

Joining the IRON MAIDEN singer on the "The Mandrake Project Live 2025" North American tour was once again his 2024 backing band, featuring Moreno,Mistheria and O'Callaghan (bass),alongside the group's latest additions, Swedish guitarist, songwriter and multi-platinum-credited producer Philip Näslund and Swiss session and touring guitarist Chris Declercq (who played on Dickinson's "Rain On The Graves" single). Roy is not part of the touring lineup.

"The Mandrake Project Live 2025" North American tour kicked off in Anaheim, California at the House of Blues on August 22, 2025 and took the band across North America, including shows in New York, Los Angeles, Texas, Florida and Canada, with festival appearances at Rocklahoma (Oklahoma) and Louder Than Life (Kentucky). The tour also included a quick return to Brazil for the prestigious The Town festival at the City Of Light in São Paulo.

Prior to the April 12, 2024 Whisky A Go Go show, Bruce last performed with his solo band on in August 2002 at the legendary Wacken Open Air festival in Germany.

Roy played guitar on Dickinson's 1994 album "Balls To Picasso" and went on to produce, co-write and perform multiple instruments on Bruce's subsequent four solo albums, "Accident At Birth" (1997),"The Chemical Wedding" (1998),"Tyranny Of Souls" (2005) and "The Mandrake Project".

O'Callaghan is an Irish musician who joined WHITESNAKE in 2021 and toured with the David Coverdale-fronted outfit the following year. She also hit the road with Dickinson in 2023 as part of a performance of Jon Lord's "Concerto For Group And Orchestra" on nearly a dozen dates in Europe and South America.

Californian drummer Moreno previously played on "Tyranny Of Souls" and has worked with BODY COUNT, Jizzy Pearl, Dizzy Reed and Steve Stevens, among others.

Italian keyboard wizard Mistheria has collaborated with an array of artists live and in the studio, including Rob Rock, Mike Portnoy, Jeff Scott Soto and Joel Hoekstra.

Dickinson made his recording debut with IRON MAIDEN on the "Number Of The Beast" album in 1982. He quit the band in 1993 in order to pursue his solo career and was replaced by Blaze Bayley, who had previously been the lead singer of the metal band WOLFSBANE. After releasing two traditional metal albums with former MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith, Dickinson rejoined the band in 1999 along with Smith.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bruce Dickinson (@brucedickinsonhq)

According to TMZ.com, Sid Wilson, turntablist for the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning metal icons SLIPKNOT, has been officially fired from the band.

A source close to SLIPKNOT and with direct knowledge told the tabloid site that Sid was notified late Friday afternoon (July 31) that he's been permanently kicked out of the Iowa-based metal act.

It's presently unclear what led to Wilson's dismissal from SLIPKNOT.

Sid had been a DJ for SLIPKNOT since 1998.

In May 2022, Sid and his now-former fiancée Kelly Osbourne — daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne — announced on Instagram that they were expecting their first child together. Sidney was born in November 2022 and shares both of his parents' last names.

Sid started dating Kelly in 2022, after being good friends for a number of years, and in July 2025, it was announced that Wilson and Osbourne got engaged at BLACK SABBATH's farewell show, just weeks before Ozzy's death.

This past March, it was reported that Kelly and Sid had split. They were said to have quietly ended their engagement weeks earlier according to the Daily Mail. They were last pictured together at the Grammy Awards in February.

A member of SLIPKNOT, who use numerical stage names, ranging from 0 to 8, Wilson was known as #0, producing sound effects and background noises for the group's music.

Since the 2000s, Wilson had also occasionally toured as under the name DJ Starscream, which derives from the "Transformers" character of the same name.

In 2008, during SLIPKNOT's "All Hope Is Gone" tour, Wilson shattered both his heels after diving off the stage while performing in Washington.

Sid Wilson press photo courtesy of Big Hassle Media / Vomit Face Records

In a recent interview with The Complete Disaster Network, JOURNEY keyboardist Jonathan Cain, who is married to Paula White-Cain, Donald Trump's senior advisor to the White House Faith Office, weighed in on whether celebrities should be outspoken about their political views. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're blessed to live where we live. And I'm obviously a conservative. I used to be a Democrat back in the old days, but I couldn't go there anymore. I thought [Barack] Obama maybe, but then I saw where he was going and I'm, like, 'Okay, we can't have this anymore.' So I'm a diehard conservative. And guys like Bruce Springsteen should shut up. Honestly, shut up, Bruce. Who's the other one? Robert De Niro. I mean, who cares, guys? Really? Do your art."

He continued: "I try to keep politics out of my music. Now I'm releasing this patriotic song ['The Winds Of Freedom: A Salute To America' in celebration of America's 250th anniversary] because I'm a diehard patriot. Like Kid Rock, who's my friend — we're a couple of patriots and … we love our flag and we love our nation. And we grew up that way.

"I think in the end we should do what we do and try to unify," Jonathan added. "I think our job [as artists] is unifying people. I mean, Paul McCartney said, 'Hey, when I sing 'Hey, Jude', Democrats and Republicans all sing together.' And I feel the same way with JOURNEY. We have our [political] parties out there in the audience, respective parties, and they're singing 'Don't Stop Believin''.

"Now people say, 'Well, you're a Christian and you're a conservative,' and I'm, like, 'So what?' I don't preach it on stage," Cain explained. "I don't spend 10 minutes talking about it. That's who I am. And that's okay. Again, I just don't think it's cool to have celebrities going there. It's a bad look. And Bruce, I mean, what the heck? I used to like him, and now he's just annoying. He's an annoying, bitter old man. I mean, stop it. Really. You were born in the USA, weren't you, dude? So act like it. But even that song [Springsteen's 'Born In The USA'], if you look at the lyrics, it's a kind of a diss to our country.

"Me and Kid Rock, we're probably on an island," Jonathan concluded. "There's a few of us, and I stand there with my flag on that island, and if anybody's got a problem with me, America and Jesus, then bring it."

In his 2016 memoir "Born To Run", Springsteen called "Born In The USA", the title track off his blockbuster seventh album, "a protest song," with the track's lyrics telling of a local loser who's railroaded into military service during the Vietnam War, scarred by his experiences in Southeast Asia, and completely forgotten about by his country when he returns home.

In June 2025, Springsteen ripped Trump during his "Land of Hopes And Dreams" tour, calling Trump a "treasonous" president who's "persecuting people for using their right to free speech and voicing their dissent." Springsteen later told The New York Times that Trump is a "moron", but only partially responsible for the "tragic" state of America. "I think that it was the combination of the deindustrialization of the country and then the incredible increase in wealth disparity that left so many people behind. It was ripe for a demagogue," Springsteen told The New York Times. "While I can't believe it was this moron that came along, he fit the bill for some people." He added, "It's an American tragedy."

In response, Trump has taken a number of his own shots at Springsteen, including calling for a MAGA boycott against Bruce's music and concerts.

"Bad, and very boring singer, Bruce Springsteen, who looks like a dried up prune who has suffered greatly from the work of a really bad plastic surgeon, has long had a horrible and incurable case of Trump Derangement Syndrome, sometimes referred to as TDS," Trump wrote on social media. "The guy is a total loser who spews hate against a President who won a Landslide Election, including the popular vote, all Seven Swing States, and 86% of the Counties across America."

Cain isn't the only conservative rocker who has criticized Springsteen for voicing his anti-Trump political views. During an August 2025 appearance on "The Tucker Carlson Show", STAIND frontman Aaron Lewis said of the New Jersey-bred musician who became rock 'n' roll's voice of the working class: "I think that he is a disgusting display of not appreciating what was handed to him, in this country as being an American, the success that he has had. The fact that he duped us all with one of the most anti-American songs ever and called it 'Born In The USA' as some sort of celebration of how great it is to be born in the USA. I'm angry at myself for not seeing it for so long and actually giving him, in my mind, the credit of being a representation of blue-collar America."

Lewis continued: "I think that [Springsteen] has forgotten where he came from. I think that if you're not careful doing this, this career that that me and him have both been so blessed to have had, if you're not careful, it will consume you. And it's obvious that it creates a situation where you've lost sight of the reality of the country that you live in because you've lived such a cush… you've had so much, you have so much that it's really easy to take a stance that is so anti everything that you were lucky enough to have, lucky enough to create, lucky enough to change your situation in life. And he's just lost touch with the struggles. He's lost touch with the struggle."

Referencing the fact that Springsteen is a long and prominent supporter of Democratic presidential candidates, Aaron added: "It seems like most people who have lost touch with the true struggle of life, those are the people that vote for these fucking idiots. Those are the people that feel like they have to virtue signal. Those are the people that, somewhere along the way, they feel guilty for the success that they have had, so they somehow have to make it up with this nonsensical bullshit that… You grew up at the same time… I did. It was the most unracially driven... The verbal beating that we took over and over and over, our whole childhood of you don't judge a man by the color of his skin, you judge a man by the content of his character… It was the best that our country has ever been. And I think that that didn't work well for the Democrats and the Communists, because they thrive in the chaos. They want us at each other's throats. They want us bickering internally so that we have no sense of shared country pride, that we have no sense of shared morality because they've created so many things artificially for us to fight about."

Lewis previously called out Springsteen in his controversial solo single "Am I The Only One". The song, which took aim at liberals and touched on American flags burning and statues that had been removed in the country, saw Aaron criticizing Bruce at the end of the track, singing: "Am I the only one who quits singin' along every time they play a Springsteen song."

Asked during a 2021 appearance on The Daily Wire's "Candace" show why he chose to call out Springsteen in the song's lyrics, Lewis said: "Because he's always portrayed himself as the all-American middle-class guy. And during all of this craziness, he said that if one man is re-elected to the office of presidency that he was gonna move to Australia. How American is that? You're gonna bail on America just because you don't like the guy that may have gotten into office?"

Cain is a devout born-again Christian whose minister wife became the first female clergy member to pray at a presidential inauguration following U.S. president Donald Trump's latest victory and now serves as the first female primary spiritual adviser to a U.S. president.

Jonathan embraced faith-based music with 2016's "What God Wants To Hear" and released a Christmas LP, "Unsung Noel", the following year.

In 1976, Cain released his first solo record, "Windy City Breakdown". Three years later, he joined the band THE BABYS, and in 1980 became a member of JOURNEY, rounding out the songwriting genius behind the defining album "Escape".

JOURNEY recently extended its massive "Final Frontier Tour" with 40 additional North American dates this fall. Presented by AEG Presents, the newly announced leg begins Saturday, September 12 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California and concludes with a hometown finale show on Saturday, November 28 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California.

The "Final Frontier Tour" launched on February 28 in Hershey, Pennsylvania and has continued to deliver packed arenas, explosive performances and a hit-filled set celebrating JOURNEY's legendary career. Night after night, fans have experiences timeless classics, including "Don't Stop Believin'", "Any Way You Want It", "Faithfully" and "Lights".

Jonathan Cain press photo courtesy of Rick Hoganson of Hoganson Media Relations

In a new interview with Tim Caple of Rock 'N' Blues Experience, TWISTED SISTER guitarist Jay Jay French spoke about the band's decision to recruit Sebastian Bach to front TWISTED SISTER for the group's fall 2026 shows after Dee Snider resigned from the group due to "health challenges". French said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Sebastian really is the only person that could do it. He's the only larger-than-life guy with the chops and the stage presence to do it. And I called him and he was, like, 'Yeah, man, I'd love to.' … He's so enthusiastic. I gotta love it. I love it. I love it."

French added: "We did eight hours of rehearsal [with Sebastian]. We did eight hours. He was amazing. He was amazing. So I have no doubts how great it's gonna be."

Addressing some of the criticism that has been leveled at TWISTED SISTER for carrying on without a vocalist who many people feel is irreplaceable, Jay Jay said: "When people talk about what you can and can't do, enough already. Here's the bottom line… This is my comment about it. It's either gonna work or it's not gonna work. The public buys it or they don't buy it. Right now [LYNYRD] SKYNYRD is touring with nobody [from the original lineup] in the band. Right now FOREIGNER's touring with nobody [from the original lineup] in the band. If you didn't like the band, don't go. But they are offering a product that is great. QUEEN — Freddie Mercury, greatest vocalist in the history of the world, can never be replaced. Guess what? They got a guy [Adam Lambert] from 'The Voice' [to replace him]. Steve Perry, greatest singer in the history of the world. Guess what? They got a guy [Arnel Pineda] from YouTube [to replace him]. I mean, what are you saying? YouTube, 'The Voice'. I'm just saying, we got a guy whose pedigree is metal, by the way, who's a legitimate artist with platinum records, by the way. Not an also-ran. A phenomenally talented human being. And, of course, now the public is gonna ultimately decide. They decide. If the public likes it, they like it."

Asked about the possibility of more TWISTED SISTER shows in 2027 with Bach on lead vocals, French said: "That answer will unfold, the same way it unfolded in 2003 when the band reformed and we did the festival tour and did the six shows in 2003, and then all of a sudden the floodgates opened. The floodgates will open or they won't open. The beauty of it is they don't have to open. The beauty of it is you do it, you have fun, you put your best foot forward, you deliver the magic, and everything takes care of itself."

Jay Jay continued: "This is where I'm gonna get kind of philosophical about it, only 'cause me, I go back, like, 9,000 performances [as a member of TWISTED SISTER]. If you add five shows a night, like, all that shit. I was trying to figure out how many nights we have played, how many nights I've actually... It's over 3,000 nights of playing live rock 'n' roll. 3,000 nights, and we averaged three shows a night. I remember in the early days, you're doing five shows a night, then four shows a night, then three shows a night. But 3,000 nights or 3,200 nights, something like that, well, there's something to be said about that.

"You have to understand from my perspective, I've sat through 20 changes of personnel," French explained. "And almost every one of them who left had fans who said the band was never gonna make it without them, by the way… Not just Dee… We had a drummer that was so popular, Tony Petri that when we fired him, fans showed up at gigs with banners saying, 'You're never going to make it without Tony.' … I've heard it over and over and over again, and I can't pay attention to it. You just move on, and you do what you do. And people don't understand what it's like to be me. And they could disagree.

"I've had people say, 'Hey, man, I'm never gonna come see the band,'" Jay Jay added. "Okay. Listen, I get it. Why do I get it? I have the same opinion about other bands. I can say all my jokes about THE ROLLING STONES. They're awful since Mick Taylor left. They have been awful, in my opinion, and I've walked out on them three times since, 'cause I keep giving them the benefit of the doubt that you're not gonna suck, and they suck every time. I mean, THE ROLLING STONES, they do what they do. God bless them. I love Keith [Richards], but their fans are so old, they don't clap 'cause they're afraid the lights will go on in the arena. I don't understand how that band continues on without, without a great guitar player. Here's the thing about THE STONES. People go, 'I saw THE STONES, man. Jeff Beck came out. They were great.' 'I saw THE STONES, man. [Eric] Clapton came out and they were great.' 'I saw THE STONES, man. Gary Clark came out and they were great.' I said, what that tells you is that when a guy who knows how to play guitar comes out on stage and joins them, they're great. And I said, unfortunately, they got two guitar players who look like extras from 'Game Of Thrones', who can barely play anymore, stumbling around the stage. Now, if you wanna pay $800 for that, that's your business. God bless you. It's a free world, my friend. And that's it. And that's how I feel about TWISTED. There's gonna be some people who go, 'Without Dee, I don't wanna see it.' 'Without [bassist Mark] Mendoza, I don't wanna see it.' 'Without this guy, I don't wanna see it.' And they're fans. And I've said the same thing about other bands, so I fully get it. I don't blame you for it. In fact, thank you for spending your money in the past on us. I want you to know I appreciate it."

Regarding the likelihood of TWISTED SISTER recording new music with Bach on vocals, Jay Jay said: "Oh, that's another question, because we don't own the rights to that any longer. We sold the rights to that. So I don't know if we could or not. And we haven't even thought about it."

TWISTED SISTER has announced a total of 11 fall 2026 shows so far featuring Bach on lead vocals.

Sep. 4 - Palmer, AK @ Borealis Theatre
Sep. 6 - Salem, OR @ L.B. Day Amphitheater
Sep. 12 - Durant, OK @ Choctaw Grand Theater
Sep. 27 - Puyallup, WA @ Washington State Fair
Oct. 2 - West Springfield, MA @ The Big E
Oct. 8 - Niagara Falls, ON @ OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino
Oct. 10 - Windsor, ON @ The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor
Oct. 18 - Gary, IN @ Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana
Nov. 12 - Bristol, VA @ Hard Rock Live Bristol
Nov. 14 - Charles Town, WV @ The Event Center at Hollywood Casino
Dec. 11 - St. Petersburg, FL @ Ferg's Pavilion

In a March 2026 interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, Bach spoke about being chosen to front TWISTED SISTER for the band's fall 2026 shows. Sebastian said: "I am a fan of TWISTED SISTER. And I'll tell you right now, I'm probably a bigger fan of TWISTED SISTER than anybody watching this. I love that band. I used to go see them whenever I could. And I really love the album 'You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll' with songs like 'The Kids Are Back', 'Ride To Live, Live To Ride'. I love the 'Under The Blade' album. I love 'Shoot 'Em Down', 'Destroyer', 'Tear It Loose'. I mean, I love 'I Wanna Rock', I love 'We're Not Gonna Take It', but there's an earlier period of that band where they were one of the most ferocious rock bands that you will ever see. And if you saw them back then, you know what I'm talking about."

Bach continued: "When they were a club band, they would come out there like a punk rock band or a total thrash metal band. I mean, if you listen to their version of 'It's Only Rock 'N' Roll (But I Like It)' by THE ROLLING STONES, it's like a speed metal tempo… Well, that's the kind of energy that I'm gonna bring. I mean, I'm not no spring chicken, but I still have a lot of energy when I get on the stage. And I'm going to give you guys fun and energy in TWISTED SISTER.

"I'm the lead singer of TWISTED SISTER," Sebastian added. "How much fun is that to say? I love saying that, so I'm really looking forward to it. I will also say that I'll never stop singing the [classic SKID ROW] songs '18 And Life', 'I Remember You', 'Youth Gone Wild', 'Monkey Business', 'Slave To The Grind' — I'll never stop doing that. So I'm not stopping my solo band. I'm continuing my solo band, but I'm doing shows with TWISTED SISTER that are bigger than my solo band. So it's a step up for me. I'll have a nicer dressing room and stuff. [Laughs]

"So … I'm looking forward to rocking out with TWISTED SISTER, because I love the music. And you cannot even challenge me on do I love the [music]. I really do love the music. So you can't fake love — and I love TWISTED SISTER."

During an appearance on the March 3, 2026 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Bach stated about how he was recruited to front TWISTED SISTER: "Well, I have tears in my eyes right now. I am SMF Number Two. I was named that by Dee Snider. And I just have to say, I just got off the phone with Dee Snider. We talked for about 45 minutes, and we were both kind of getting teary eyed.

"I just put out a [solo] record called 'Child Within The Man', and one of my favorite all-time bands is TWISTED SISTER," Bach explained. "And the music of TWISTED SISTER makes me feel like a child within the man. This is what I was talking about on my new record, how rock and roll music, it has a life of its own. You're talking to a guy here — I used to go to school and I used to paint the TWISTED SISTER logo on the back of my jacket in liquid paper thinking that looked cool [laughs] — whiteout. [Laughs] So I am a real fan — I am a fan of this music, and that is really, number one, why I'm doing it. And also to honor the legacy of these songs. And I look at it like when Paul Rodgers came in [to sing] for QUEEN, or when [GUNS N' ROSES frontman] Axl [Rose] came in for Brian Johnson [in AC/DC]. I am a fan of TWISTED SISTER and I always have been, and I love this music. I love it. I love 'Tear it Loose'. I love 'Destroyer'. I love 'The Price'. I mean, you talk about [classic SKID ROW songs like] '18 And Life' and 'I Remember You'. Well, you know what? I locked myself in a room rehearsing to 'The Price'. And these songs are how I learned how to rock."

Asked for more details of his conversation with Snider, Bach said: "I said, 'I'm calling you in 10 minutes.' He goes, 'Okay.' And I called him and he goes, 'SMF Number Two.' 'Cause he's always called me that. I'm a sick motherfucker. I'm a sick motherfucking fan of TWISTED SISTER. And he's always called me Number Two. Of course, he's number one. And so I go, 'Well, I guess I really am SMF Number Two.' And then I asked him, what did the doctor say to him? And he's, like, 'No problem. I'll tell you.' He says that he has arthritis, that his knees are going out, and he has bone on bone. And the doctor said that he should not be jumping around. And he goes, 'Well, that's not an option,' 'cause he wants to do the full show moving around and stuff, and the doctor said, 'You can't do it.' So he said, 'You have my full blessing.' He goes, 'I love you.' I told him I loved him, and we were, like, teary eyed. And he told me that his family was crying when he said he couldn't do the tour. I asked him, 'Hey, you wanna come out and jam with us?' He goes, 'Yeah.' He goes, 'Yeah.' So maybe he'll be at some of these gigs on stage with us. Who knows? I don't know if that's gonna happen or not. But it's tough getting older — it's tough for everybody getting older, and I'm a lot younger. [Laughs]"

Sebastian went on to say that it was important to him to get Dee's stamp of approval before proceeding. "That's a sign of respect," he said. "I respect Dee Snider, I respect Jay Jay French, I respect Eddie Ojeda, I respect [former TWISTED SISTER members] A.J. Pero, Mark Mendoza, the whole team. And I've always been a serious fan — like, really serious. I don't just like the hits of TWISTED SISTER. I like 'Like A Knife In The Back'. I like the heavy TWISTED SISTER. And I love 'I Wanna Rock'. I love 'The Price'. 'The Price' is one of my favorite TWISTED SISTER songs. I love 'We're Not Gonna Take It'. But the album 'You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll', I would probably say, is my favorite one."

TWISTED SISTER's 2026 shows will feature Bach, French and Ojeda. Russell Pzütto, who has toured with Snider's solo projects, will replace bassist Mark "The Animal" Mendoza on bass. Joe Franco, who briefly played with the group in the mid-1980s, was supposed to sit behind the drum kit, stepping in for A.J. Pero, who passed away in 2015 at the age of 55. However, Franco is not available to play the fall 2026 shows and will be replaced by Joey Cassata, who played drums on Ace Frehley's final original solo album, "10,000 Volts".

Speaking to "Trunk Nation" about TWISTED SISTER's current touring lineup, Jay Jay said: "In the 53-year history of the band, we've had 20 people who've been in and out of TWISTED SISTER. We've had five singers, we've had three bass players, we've had four guitar players and we've had nine drummers. Half of them are dead. It's a very tough business to be a drummer with TWISTED SISTER. But we had an amazing history of the band, and this is just a continuation of the history. And the thing is the music always survives. They said Steve Perry could never have been replaced in JOURNEY. And he was. That Freddie Mercury could never be replaced [in QUEEN]. And he was. And guess what? Baz is gonna be an unbelievable replacement.

"So it's me, Eddie Ojeda and Baz," French continued. "Joe Franco had signed on for the summer, and he wasn't available in the fall. And so Joey Cassata is gonna be on drums filling in for Joe, but if Joe Franco can make it, he definitely will. And Russ Pzütto, who has been our bass tech and has filled in for Mark in the past, will be playing bass. So Russ has been with the organization for years and years and years. He also played on Dee's solo projects. So that's basically the lineup."

Three years ago, TWISTED SISTER staged a one-off reunion at the Metal Hall Of Fame in Agoura Hills, California. On hand to be inducted into the Metal Hall Of Fame were Snider, French, Mendoza and drummer Mike Portnoy. Ojeda was absent from the event after contracting COVID-19; filling in for him was Keith Robert War. TWISTED SISTER played a highly charged three-song set consisting of the staples "You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll" and "Under The Blade", as well as the anthem "We're Not Gonna To Take It".

TWISTED SISTER's original run ended in the late '80s. After more than a decade, the band publicly reunited in November 2001 to top the bill of New York Steel, a hard-rock benefit concert to raise money for the New York Police And Fire Widows' And Children's Benefit Fund.