In a new interview with Capnharris, retired IRON MAIDEN drummer Nicko McBrain spoke about being on the list of members of the legendary British heavy metal band who will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Class Of 2026. Nicko, who played his final concert with IRON MAIDEN in December 2024, will be inducted into the Hall Of Fame alongside the band's current lineup of singer Bruce Dickinson, bassist Steve Harris and guitarists Adrian Smith, Dave Murray and Janick Gers, as well as ex-singers Paul Di'Anno and Blaze Bayley, ex-guitarist Dennis Stratton and former drummer Clive Burr.

Asked how it feels to finally be inducted into the Rock Hall, Nicko said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Mixed emotions. It's a wonderful accolade to have regardless of the politics behind it all. And I personally think it's a wonderful thing to have in terms of tipping the hat with the fans. Although it's not voted for by fans — I don't believe it still is; I know that's their policy, was there was a board of guys that decided who made it and who didn't. But, yeah, I think it's a great opportunity. I can't speak for everybody else, but that's my feeling."

The 2026 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony will take place on November 14 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. It will air on ABC and Disney+ the following month.

IRON MAIDEN will miss the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, the band's manager Rod Smallwood confirmed, because MAIDEN has dates scheduled in Australia this November.

On November 14 IRON MAIDEN will be in the middle of an Australian tour, with dates booked for November 13 in Melbourne and November 15 in Sydney.

While MAIDEN has been eligible to join the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame since 2004, the band had only been nominated twice before — in 2021 and 2023.

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal bands like MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that group's first year of eligibility.

The only metal or metal-adjacent acts to have made it into the Rock Hall so far have been BLACK SABBATH, LED ZEPPELIN, METALLICA, AC/DC, JUDAS PRIEST, KISS, VAN HALEN, RUSH, GUNS N' ROSES, Ozzy Osbourne and DEEP PURPLE.

IRON MAIDEN finished in the fourth place in the fan vote for the 2023 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction class.

Nicko also talked about his upcoming autobiography, "Hello Boys And Girls!", which will be published into hardback, ebook and audio on October 22, 2026 via Harper NonFiction, a division of HarperCollins. Asked how it feels to be "a future published author", Nicko said: "Fantastic, actually. I did have a deal with a publishing house about 10 years ago, and I embraced writing. About five months later, I just went, 'Oh, shoot.' They talk about writer's block and all that. I hit a brick wall. So I thought, 'Oh, bollocks.' I wrote 21 chapters in about the first year of the book, and it was like a chapter per year of my life. So when I went pro, that's when I stopped actually writing — for no reason at all. I just hit this brick wall, and I got lazy and I was touring anyway… So I got to the 21st chapter, and I hit this brick wall. And then the publishing house turned around and asked for their advance back. So I had to go back and give them their advance money back. This was way back. And then when I'd retired in '24, uh, Rod, my manager, turned to me and said, 'Oh,' he said, 'You need to finish that book off.' And so I went, 'Okay.' And he said, 'We're gonna go and work a deal, go to a publishing house for you.' And HarperCollins picked it up. And then it went from there. And I took another year. And this year was when it all started to come together. And the book that I presented on the day of the [MAIDEN documentary film] 'Burning Ambition' [premiere] back in May, it was just a cover. It wasn't the finished book, boys and girls. Just so you know. But it was nice to be able to actually finally announce it to everybody."

Earlier this year, Nicko spoke about MAIDEN's possible Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction in an interview with Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen & Shane McEachern. Referencing the fact that the 2026 nominees for induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame include rap, metal, R&B, hip-hop, Britpop, blues rock and pop artists, Nicko said: "Yeah, in the greater scheme of things, it's not really a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame anymore, but it's still a wonderful accolade to be given finally to hopefully — the guys may go, 'Yeah, we're gonna induct them.' But at the end of the day, it's really something that the whole of the band have talked about over the years, and it's not something that's voted for by your fans, although they do open it up to its fans to be voted in. At the end of the day, it's the board that decide. And so that kind of puts a bit of a question mark about the authenticity of fans voting you in. But, yeah, it's still, in my book, something that's a great accolade to even be considered again."

After one of the interviewers observed that many musicians are getting older and passing away before they get a chance to be inducted into the Rock Hall, Nicko concurred. "There is that," he said. "I mean, mind you, if you think to yourself, there's so many great bands out there that have not been inducted or even nominated over the years, and as you say, certain members are getting along in the tooth or passing away, and you look back and go, in retrospect, man, these guys should have been [inducted] and they weren't. But, yeah, it's something that there's a lot of controversy over it, and there has been."

Apparently addressing the fact that Jann Wenner, who co-founded Rolling Stone magazine and was a co-founder of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and who had long faced accusations of bias against metal, prog-rock and other genres, was removed from the Hall's board of directors in 2023 after making comments that were seen as denigrating black and female musicians, Nicko added: "And if somebody that was very controversial is no longer a part of the voting board as such, then who knows where it may go? As I said, for me personally, it's a lovely accolade to have, but one that it's steeped with controversy in terms of what the MAIDEN camp feel."

The now-74-year-old McBrain announced his retirement on December 7, 2024 in a statement on MAIDEN's web site and social media. He also said that night's concert at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil would mark his final show with the legendary rock band. McBrain has since been replaced by Simon Dawson, a former session drummer and MAIDEN founding bassist Steve Harris's longtime bandmate in BRITISH LION.

In July 2025, Nicko told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about his exit from MAIDEN: "I had my health issues, which was one of the primary reasons that I decided to hang it up with the guys. And I wasn't doing the songs justice because of the handicap that I had. And it wasn't fair on everybody else either in the band. They supported me 100 percent through the 'The Future Past Tour', and that was fantastic. I couldn't have asked for a better bunch of brothers to support me through my darkest hour."

Elaborating on the physical ailments which contributed to his decision to retire from touring with IRON MAIDEN, Nicko said: "Primarily, I was fed up with touring in terms of the travel and not having days to recoup my body… I wasn't so much slowing down, although we did play the songs that… I got told off at rehearsals [in 2024] because I was playing the songs too fast, 'cause I'd been playing with [my Florida-based side project] TITANIUM TART [which plays MAIDEN songs] before I went off and did the rehearsals in Australia with MAIDEN. And I actually got told off for playing too quick. So it wasn't a question of not being able to drive the band. It was just not being able to drive the band with the drum fills that I'd been used to playing for 42 years. So the question mark was raised about the performance side. And that's quite right…So that was part of the decision that I made."

When Nicko first went public with his stroke in August 2023, the drummer said in a statement that the episode left him "paralyzed" down one side of his body and "worried" that his career with the band was over.

Six years ago, McBrain was diagnosed with stage 1 laryngeal cancer and opened up about it in a single interview in 2021 but otherwise kept it mostly under wraps.

McBrain lives at home in Florida with his wife Rebecca, their cat Lola, and two Yorkshire Terriers, Tigerlily and Tinkerbell.

McBrain officially joined IRON MAIDEN in December 1982 for the 1983 "Piece Of Mind" album and tour, replacing Clive Burr, after McBrain's previous band TRUST had supported IRON MAIDEN during the U.K. leg of the "Killers" tour in 1981. McBrain brought a degree of finesse and technicality that was largely missing from IRON MAIDEN's early output. Whereas Burr was often lauded for his heavy-handed, punk-oriented style, McBrain was largely the opposite, playing with a degree of dexterity and flair that helped primary songwriter Harris take MAIDEN down more adventurous paths. He eventually became the third longest-tenured member of MAIDEN, behind Harris and guitarist Dave Murray.

Photo credit: John McMurtrie

In a new interview with Gastão Moreira of Brazil's Kazagastão, legendary hard rock bassist Rudy Sarzo, who played with iconic guitarist Randy Rhoads in QUIET RIOT from 1978 to 1979 and again in Ozzy Osbourne's band from 1981 until Rhoads's death in a plane accident in 1982, was asked if there was a rivalry between Randy and Eddie Van Halen. Rudy responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No, that's... No, I think it's a myth. A myth that people... We're in a time in history where alternate realities are very common. People invent things to suit their own journey in life. People don't know the difference between an opinion and a fact. So they'll make a statement based on an opinion to somebody who has experienced what they're talking about, because they're so programmed to believe an opinion rather than a fact."

Earlier this year, QUIET RIOT's original bassist Kelly Garni told the "Booked On Rock" podcast that VAN HALEN and QUIET RIOT knew of each other, even though they only shared the stage one time while they were coming up on the Sunset Strip, on April 23, 1977 at Glendale Community College in Glendale, California.

"At some point, we became well aware of VAN HALEN," Garni said. "Especially when we were at the Starwood, as we were for a number of years. And we knew they were playing down the street at Gazzarri's, which wasn't really our type of a club. Because the Starwood was. Of course, the Whisky was the Whisky, but it had more of a punk rock scene going on there. So, we kind of avoided that place. The punkers didn't like guys that looked like us either, so you got the jocks and the punkers wanting to kill you."

Garni, who was QUIET RIOT's bassist from 1975 to 1978 and played on the group's first two albums, 1978's "Quiet Riot" and "Quiet Riot II", which were released only in Japan, went on to say that there was " no competition" between Eddie and Randy. "And most certainly, there was no competition in Randy's world," he explained. "Because Randy didn't compete. It just wasn't in him to try to compete. He couldn't. The way his brain was wired, is he could not form the thought, 'Oh, I'm gonna be better than that guy.'"

As for whether Eddie and Randy ever met, Kelly said: "[Randy] went down to Gazzarri's because people were talking about this guy, and Randy said, 'Well, I'll go see what the deal is.' So he went there, him and his girlfriend Jan, and he wanted to meet him. He saw him play, and he went, 'Yeah, okay, the guy's good.' And so when they got all done, Randy was trying to get backstage to meet him, and he did get back there."

"You gotta remember, VAN HALEN was doing all cover tunes at this point," Garni continued. "Every once in a while, they'd sneak in one of their originals. But that was the deal at Gazzarri's, is a more upscale crowd went there, that weren't the rowdy, unpredictable, way-underage bunch at the Starwood.

"So he did get back there, but Eddie was acting kind of crazy and bouncing off of walls in his underwear," Kelly recalled. "And Randy was, like, 'Oh, okay. Well, not the best time to meet this guy.' So that was his opinion. He said, 'Yeah, he was really good. But he looked kind of nutty.'"

Rhoads's pre-Ozzy band QUIET RIOT had been gigging on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California at the same time as VAN HALEN. Although both Rhoads and Van Halen later became some of the most influential guitarists of the 20th century, playing with a similar flare and incorporating finger-tapping into their fleet-fingered solos, Eddie found commercial success before Rhoads, due in part to the fact that VAN HALEN landed a record deal years before QUIET RIOT did.

In a 2022 interview with Rolling Stone, Ozzy discussed the supposed cross-town rivalry Rhoads, the first guitarist Osbourne worked with after BLACK SABBATH, had with Van Halen.

"I heard recently that Eddie said he taught Randy all his licks … he never," Osbourne told Rolling Stone. "To be honest, Randy didn't have a nice thing to say about Eddie. Maybe they had a falling out or whatever, but they were rivals."

The rivalry between Rhoads and Van Halen was explored in the documentary "Randy Rhoads: Reflections Of A Guitar Icon", which was released in May 2022. The film contains archive audio of Van Halen discussing Rhoads, saying, "He was one guitarist who was honest, anyway. Because he said everything he did he learned from me.

"He was good," Van Halen continued. "But I don't really think he did anything that I haven't done. And there ain't nothing wrong with it. I've copied some other people, you know?"

Randy's friend Kim McNair also spoke about the Rhoads-Van Halen rivalry in "Randy Rhoads: Reflections Of A Guitar Icon", reflecting: "This was the years of guitar heroes. To a large degree, bands were judged on their guitar player. I think all the guitar players in town kept up on each other."

Meanwhile, QUIET RIOT fan club president Lori Hollen said that at some of the band's early shows, "we would see David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen there, which was always interesting to me. Because I know Randy never went to see them play. But they would always come to see QUIET RIOT and Randy play."

Elsewhere in the film, Rhoads's guitar tech Brian Reason recalled how he used to stick a picture of Eddie Van Halen to Randy's wah pedal. "He wasn't very excited about [it], but it was in the perfect place," Reason explained, "because every time he stomped on his wah wah pedal, he stomped on it as if he wanted to crush it."

In a 1982 interview with Guitar World magazine, Rhoads said: "I have my own personality on the guitar but as of yet I don't think I have my own style. For instance, I do a solo guitar thing in concert, and I do a lot of the same licks as Eddie Van Halen. Eddie is a great player, but it kills me that I do that. For me it's just flash that impresses the kids. I'm trying to make a name for myself as fast as I can. I wish I could take time and come up with something that nobody else has done. But that's gonna take a few years yet."

Rhoads and two others were killed on March 19, 1982 when the small plane they were flying in at Flying Baron Estates in Leesburg, Florida struck Osbourne's tour bus, then crashed into a mansion. Rhoads was 25 years old.

Eddie passed away in October 2020 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. The 65-year-old axeman died from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

Fan-filmed video of LOUDNESS's July 5 performance at this year's edition of the Time To Rock at Knislinge Folkets Park in Knislinge, Sweden can be seen below.

At this year's Tuska festival in Helsinki, Finland, LOUDNESS singer Minoru Niihara and guitarist Akira Takasaki confirmed to South East Wreck Metal that there are plans for the long-running Japanese metallers to record a new album as a follow-up to 2021's "Sunburst". Niihara said: "[Akira] wants to make a new album for 45th-anniversary something… He's got ideas, 30 songs already. And then he will make more. Yeah, we will [record] maybe 10 songs from 30 songs. But [it will be released] pretty soon. Maybe end of this year."

"Sunburst" was released outside Japan in July 2022 via earMUSIC. The LP was originally made available in Japan in December 2021.

"Sunburst" was the first official double studio album in LOUDNESS's impressive career, making it particularly special as it could be considered a celebration of the band's rich musical history. The 16 songs were written mostly by Takasaki, and the majority of the tracks were sung in Japanese.

LOUDNESS launched its 45th-anniverary celebrations in December 2025.

Founded in 1981, LOUDNESS toured North America and Europe in 1983 and made history the following year as the first Japanese band to sign with an international record label, Atlantic Records. They were also the first Japanese act to play at the prestigious Madison Square Garden and opened for a MÖTLEY CRÜE concert. Their first international release, "Thunder In The East" (1985) and the single "Crazy Nights" peaked at No. 4 in Japan and No. 74 on the U.S. Billboard chart.

LOUDNESS's lineup has changed multiple times since 1981, with the current incarnation consisting of three original members — Niihara, Takasaki and bassist Masayoshi Yamashita — along with drummer Masayuki Suzuki, who joined the group in 2009.

Original LOUDNESS drummer Munetaka Higuchi died in 2008 after a year-long battle with liver cancer.

After Niihara's 1988 departure from LOUDNESS, the band brought in American singer Mike Vescera as a replacement for a few years before recruiting former EZO singer Masaki Yamada. In 2001, Takasaki reunited the original LOUDNESS lineup, with Niihara, Yamashita and Higuchi.

In a new interview with Josh Scherer, the host of the YouTube channel Mythical Kitchen, Corey Taylor reflected on seeing SLIPKNOT perform three decades ago, a year before he joined the band as the Iowa-based act's new vocalist. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I started STONE SOUR in '92. I was in it until I joined SLIPKNOT in '97. I had moved away for a little bit. I was living in Denver. So I come back, and everyone's talking about the new band that all the guys had put together. And I knew everybody in SLIPKNOT, because I knew all of their individual bands. And everybody's, like, 'They're gonna play April 4th.' I remember it like it was yesterday. It was like April 4th, I wanna say it was '96. I was, like, 'Oh, kickass. All right. Here we go.' First of all, no one knew what to expect. So the first thing that they did was they start their intro, and it goes on for an incredibly long period of time, which I loved. So I'm, like, right in front of the stage. I'm, like, 'I can't wait to see this.' Intro starts, and then all of a sudden they walk through us. They crawl through us from the back, and we're, like, 'What the hell is...?' They all roll onto stage or climb up onto stage… And I was, like, 'Oh, shit. What the hell, dude?'"

He continued: "There was such a feeling of threat in a good way, 'cause we all had grown up listening to extreme music, whether it was hardcore or punk or metal or — I mean, just whatever. Because it was Iowa, it was never hard enough, it was never fast enough, it was never crazy enough. 'Cause we just needed that. They got on stage, and then all of a sudden Clown [SLIPKNOT percussionist Shawn Crahan] does a flip, and Joey [Jordison, then-SLIPKNOT drummer] at the same time starts this blast, and it's just feedback… And everybody is playing at the same time. And it was psychotic, dude. I was, like, 'I love this.' I'd never seen anything like it. And I remember distinctly having the thought, 'I'm going to be the singer in this band.' And I'd never had that thought before that. I've never had that thought since. I remember that specific thought going through my head, 'I'm going to be the singer in this band.' And I was, like, 'Wait, what the...?'"

Asked by Scherer if he thought he physically had it in him to be the singer of SLIPKNOT, Corey said: "STONE SOUR was so much more melodic. It was so much more — I don't wanna say singer-songwriter, but it was grungy. It was alternative. It had heavier elements because I was listening to that, but it was riffier. It was safer… And there was definitely a hint of KORN there, but there was also SLAYER. There was also MINOR THREAT. There was also hip-hop. I mean, the beautiful thing about SLIPKNOT is that they were taking all of these elements and kind of fusing them together. It was insane. And you had people in this band who could play anything. Even before Jim [Root, SLIPKNOT guitarist] and I joined, Mick [Thomson, SLIPKNOT guitarist] — incredible guitar player. Joey, obviously, just an insane drummer. Everyone in the band was so specific, and what I learned later is that everyone was in that band because they were all hungry. They were all driven. They were the dudes in their bands, in those individual bands that I knew and that I'd done shows with, and we had all done, like, all-age shows on Sundays and played for 20 people for nothing, they were all the dudes in those bands that were driven and were, like, 'I'm going to do this for the rest of my life no matter what.' And then the next night, I was playing with STONE SOUR, and I went up to the guys and I was just, like, 'Well, jump on our show.' So there was one night that STONE SOUR and SLIPKNOT played together. And it was crazy. And we admired each other. There was definitely competition, and that's one of the things that brought them to me later. They admired me. I admired them. They came to me and they were, like, 'Listen, we're going to do this. We're going to make it. We love what you do. We want you to be a part of it. Are you into it?'

"When I wasn't working, and I had two jobs, I was going and I was flyering for the next STONE SOUR show," Taylor explained. "I was going and climbing up on overpasses and zip-tying sheets that had been spray painted with all the details. So they saw that hustle. And I saw that in them. And it's so weird to say it now, but it was so meant to be."

Crahan, Jordison, bassist Paul Gray and SLIPKNOT's original vocalist Anders Colsefni first performed under the name SLIPKNOT in April 1996 at the Safari Club in Des Moines. Not long after, Mick Thomson and Craig Jones joined the band and the trajectory of modern metal was changed forever.

SLIPKNOT erupted on the local metal scene and by October 1996 they delivered "Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat.". This LP became the foundation of what in now SLIPKNOT's 30-year legacy.

As most SLIPKNOT fans are aware, "Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat" is the rarest and most sought-after SLIPKNOT item of all time and is every collector's dream to have. Only 1,000 copies of the CD were pressed and released in 1996 before the band landed a record deal.

On Tuesday, July 7, BON JOVI returned to the live stage after a four-year touring hiatus due to frontman Jon Bon Jovi's vocal issues.

The "Forever" tour began with the first of nine shows at New York's Madison Square Garden. The MSG residency will continue with concerts on July 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23 and 26.

"I haven't heard the roar of a crowd in four years," Jon told the audience at the sold-out venue. "I'm grateful and humbled by this whole ordeal."

BON JOVI's setlist contained classic songs like "It's My Life" and "Livin' On A Prayer", along with more recent tracks from the band's catalog, including tracks from 2024's "Forever" album, such as "Legendary" and "Living Proof".

The full setlist was as follows:

01. With A Little Help From My Friends (THE BEATLES cover)
02. Beautiful Drug
03. We Weren't Born To Follow
04. Lost Highway
05. Who Says You Can't Go Home
06. You Give Love A Bad Name
07. Born To Be My Baby
08. Legendary
09. Whole Lot Of Leavin'
10. In These Arms
11. Have A Nice Day
12. It's My Life
13. Livin' On A Prayer
14. Lay Your Hands On Me
15. Blood On Blood
16. Living Proof
17. This House Is Not For Sale
18. Keep The Faith

Encore:

19. I'll Be There For You
20. Wanted Dead Or Alive
21. Bad Medicine

After the New York City residency, BON JOVI will take the "Forever" tour overseas in August and September for headlining dates at some of the biggest venues in Scotland, Ireland and London.

Last month, Jon told People magazine in an interview that he was ready to hit the road for the band's "Forever" tour, four years after undergoing vocal cord surgery.

"I'm fully recovered," he told People. "It was longer than I'd ever expected, but it had to be right. We never lost faith."

Jon told the magazine that his bandmates "never doubted [me] and never looked for work or decided to retire. The sacrifices that each one of them have made to be there for me is on a whole 'nother level. They said, 'No, we're with you.' Every day of every rehearsal they were there with me. My love for them has only deepened."

As for what fans could expect from BON JOVI's "Forever" tour, Jon said: "It's not about perfection. It's about excellence. It's like I have the gift to be able to hold this light. The gift that I receive is being in the reflection of that light when it hits the audience, and that's what I've been working for — I've been training to find the ability to hold that light. It's like this whole spiritual communion between the band and me and the audience."

Last October, Jon was asked by the How To Fail With Elizabeth Day podcast when he "started realizing that there was something awry" with his voice. Jon said at the time: "Well, in this latest chapter of the saga of this body, probably 2014. In 2013, I had a tumultuous time. I lost a bandmember [Richie Sambora] who abruptly quit on us — the band, the crew, the fans. A couple business dealings that didn't go the way I'd hoped they would. And we overcame that. And I did a hundred shows and persevered. In 2014 the body crashed out from under me, and I wasn't even aware. But I know that when I walked by my guitar, not only didn't I touch it, but I gave it the middle finger. I wasn't at all interested in seeing my friend. And by 2015, when I was attempting to go back to work maybe even a little bit, something just wasn't right. So this was odd for me. This wasn't just, 'Okay, I'll beat the muscle back into shape.' There was something wrong, but I couldn't figure it out. [In] 2016, we put out a record called 'This House Is Not For Sale'. It's very much a statement record. There's a chip on my shoulder. We work, but, again, physically I'm not quite right and I don't know why. So the tour is very short. After that, as we're writing what was to become [the] '2020' [album], and then COVID happens, you're not thinking about touring, 'cause there is no such thing. And by 2022, when the world is opening up again, I'm thinking, 'Okay, what's the big deal? Let's go. I'm past the difficulties of 'This House Is Not For Sale'. I'm past COVID, like everyone else. I'm dying to get out in the world.' I do what is to become a 15-show tour, and it's just not working anymore. And I don't understand it, because, in a clichéd world, they say, 'Well, what have you done? What excesses?' It wasn't that. The only thing that's ever been up my nose is my finger. [Laughs] It wasn't working. And I willed it. And I tried, and I tried very hard on a daily basis on a 15-show tour, which is practically — you don't even bring a change of socks for 15 shows. It's, like, that's nothing. At the end of the 15th show, I remember going into that dressing room in Nashville, Tennessee and saying to my wife, 'It was pretty good.' And she looked at me and she said, 'It wasn't.' People think, 'Oh, what a blow.' It really wasn't, because she's gonna tell me the truth. That day I remember thinking to myself, 'Well, time for a drink. I don't think I could do this anymore. I don't know why, but I'm okay with walking away from this because there's no way I'm dragging down the legacy.' And that began my journey to what got me here tonight, speaking with you."

Reflecting on how he eventually found out what was wrong with him, Jon said: "I sought out a surgeon, who explained to me that one of my vocal cords had literally atrophied — it was dying — and that he could do an implant surgery on the outside of the vocal cords to get them to close properly again, therefore simultaneously closing. And if I worked hard — he promised me nothing other than I would be better than I was that night in Nashville. Had I known that it was gonna be a three-and-a-half-year recovery, I very well might have said, 'Thank you, goodnight.' But the process and the progress was steady enough that I didn't lose faith. It was just nowhere near what I thought it would be in the recovery. And then, because of this record [2024's 'Forever'] and my putting it out a year-plus ago, I thought, 'It's a bitch to let this moment in time slip through my hands again with these last three albums.' So we reimagined the record [as 'Forever (Legendary Edition)' with guest singers]. And now, and only now, am I willing to go out on a limb and say, 'Yep, I could play some shows because I feel fully recovered' — or close enough to fully recover that I have faith in the process."

Asked to explain what his implant surgery entailed, Jon said: "If you look closely here in the bottom of my throat, there's a scar. That's where they cut you. They go right through the front. They put two pieces of Gore-Tex, which is plastic, outside of the vocal cords but in the neck that close the muscles together outside. Every time you say a word, the muscles push the cords together, and they were not firing symmetrically."

After podcast host Elizabeth Day said that she imagined there was a period of time where he "couldn't speak and couldn't communicate", Jon clarified: "It wasn't that extreme, and they told me it was going to be. But I did sound like the Godfather for a while… Even that next day, they said, 'Oh, you're not gonna be able to talk,' and I was able to talk like that. You certainly couldn't sing, and there was no way you could sing like you sing. So the process was very slow. And then six weeks after the surgery, I could take speech pathology kind of courses to work with a speech pathologist. Now, let me equate that. If when you are walking down the street and if you had a pebble in one of your shoes, at first when you said, 'Ow, ow, ow.' Then eventually you would compensate by leaning on the other leg and the other shoe till you got used to that pebble being in the first shoe and you'd compensate. Well, I had basically seven or eight years of compensation to unwind. So they had to start from scratch, teaching me how to speak, then how to ultimately make sound that sounded like singing and to get better and better throughout this process. And it's a constant evolution. But I'm confident enough now to know that I can sell a ticket. I wasn't at all willing a year ago."

Produced by Jon with John Shanks, "Forever" featured Jon Bon Jovi once again alongside fellow founding BON JOVI members, keyboardist David Bryan and drummer Tico Torres. They were joined by bassist Hugh McDonald and guitarist Phil X.

"Forever" contained 12 new songs, including the hit lead single "Legendary".

German/American heavy metal legends ACCEPT celebrate 50 years of pure power by bringing together the scene's A-list musicians for a landmark release. "Teutonic Titans 1976–2026" stands as a definitive statement of the band's legacy, forged in steel and driven by unmistakable riffs. Arriving September 4, 2026 via Napalm Records, the album delivers some of the most iconic songs ever written in heavy music.Led by guitarist Wolf Hoffmann, the longtime architect of ACCEPT's sound, the band is joined by a staggering 50 guests across 19 reimagined versions of their biggest tracks. "Teutonic Titans 1976-2026" is ACCEPT's most ambitious and star-studded release to date, reaching far beyond their country's borders. Featuring the biggest names in heavy music paying tribute to the German/American icons, the record cements the band's standing on the global stage. This is more than an album; it is a manifesto of metal. Pre-orders are now available in various exclusive formats.

Hoffmann comments: "There is no better way to celebrate this 50-year anniversary than to have our musical peers, friends, and inspirations come together with us to record these classic ACCEPT songs, which I am honored and proud to share with the world. I hope everyone enjoys this very special record as much as we all enjoyed making it."

Chronologically progressing through albums from their formative years, from "I'm A Rebel" (1980) to "Eat The Heat" (1989),ACCEPT present their songs with an all-new, all-star lineup, alongside the signature voice of Mark Tornillo and Wolf Hoffmann's unmistakable riffs. By enlisting a who's who of metal, no two songs on "Teutonic Titans 1976-2026" are the same. Every track features a different combination of vocals, guitars, bass, and drums, giving each classic a fresh edge.

Tobias Forge (GHOST) delivers a commanding performance on the track "Save Us" ("I'm A Rebel", 1980),joined by Ray Luzier on drums. Philip Anselmo (PANTERA),Kirk Hammett (METALLICA) and Mikkey Dee (SCORPIONS) tear through the speed metal classic "Fast As A Shark" ("Restless And Wild", 1982). "Balls To The Wall" surges with the powerful range of Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST),alongside the guitar work of Matthias Jabs (SCORPIONS),while the reimagined "Love Child" is elevated by Billy Corgan (SMASHING PUMPKINS) and David Ellefson (MEGADETH) (both songs from "Balls To The Wall", 1983).

Other guest stars on ACCEPT's extraordinary release include K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST),Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth (OVERKILL),Hansi Kürsch (BLIND GUARDIAN),Chris Jericho (FOZZY),Ralf Scheepers (PRIMAL FEAR),Billy Sheehan (MR. BIG),Ola Englund (THE HAUNTED) and Jeff Loomis (NEVERMORE). The album also features a re-recording of "Hellhammer" ("Eat The Heat", 1989),performed by ACCEPT's current lineup: Wolf Hoffmann, bassist Martin Motnik, guitarist Philip Shouse and drummer Christopher Williams, joined by Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS) on vocals.

You can now listen to "Balls To The Wall", featuring Halford, Jabs, Rex Brown (PANTERA) and Jason Bowld (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE),below.

Hoffmann comments on the new version of "Balls To The Wall": "Rob is the Metal God. I don't need to say any more about him. Once we knew that he would do it, it was an obvious choice to give him 'Balls To The Wall' because it's the best fit imaginable! I played all the rhythm guitars. Matthias Jabs from SCORPIONS played the solo, which is very cool and a huge honor, and it's Rex Brown on bass and Jason Bowld on drums. So that's a really cool package."

"Teutonic Titans 1976-2026" track listing:

01. Fast As A Shark
02. Balls To The Wall
03. Aiming High
04. Run If You Can
05. Hellhammer
06. Metal Heart
07. Losers And Winners
08. Save Us
09. Up To The Limit
10. Wrong Is Right
11. Starlight
12. Fight It Back
13. Love Child
14. Breaker
15. Demon's Night
16. T.V. War
17. London Leatherboys
18. Monsterman
19. Restless And Wild

Last month, ACCEPT released the first single from "Teutonic Titans 1976-2026", "Fast As A Shark", featuring Anselmo, Hammett, Dee and Sheehan.

Hoffmann commented on "Fast As A Shark": "This song was so much fun! We even re-recorded the intro in a Bavarian oompah style… a friend of mine lives in Bavaria, and he was in contact with one of those traditional Bavarian woodwind outfits, and they recorded the traditional German folk song 'Ein Heller Und Ein Batzen' for us, which was fantastic. We were lucky to get Phil Anselmo on vocals, Billy Sheehan on bass, and of course Kirk Hammett on guitar, which is amazing, and Mikkey Dee on drums, so that's a pretty nice supergroup, isn't it?"

Hammett added about "Fast As A Shark": "A real honor to pay back the great inspiration ACCEPT had for me!"

Over the past five decades, ACCEPT has sold millions of albums and inspired countless musicians. Their energetic live performances and iconic albums such as "Balls To The Wall", "Restless And Wild" and "Metal Heart" have left a lasting mark on the heavy metal genre. Hoffmann's guitar style and musical vision have made the band one of the most respected on the heavy metal scene.

After a hiatus in the band's career, Wolf was introduced to New Jersey singer Mark Tornillo in 2009. The chemistry and fit between them was so remarkable, ACCEPT reformed and almost immediately rose to global success with chart-topping albums. ACCEPT continues to be celebrated for each of their new records with Mark, who is now the longest-reigning frontman of ACCEPT, placing the Hoffmann-Tornillo partnership firmly in the Metal Hall Of Fame.

For decades, ACCEPT has been recognized as a guarantee of high quality and each of their albums has reached the top of the charts, delivering energy, melodies, killer riffs and an impressively powerful stage presence for 50 years.

Tornillo joined ACCEPT in 2009 as the replacement for Udo Dirkschneider, who was the band's original lead singer. Mark can be heard on ACCEPT's last six studio albums.

ACCEPT 2026 is:

Wolf Hoffmann - Guitar
Mark Tornillo - Vocals
Philip Shouse - Guitar
Christopher Williams - Drums
Martin Motnik - Bass

Press photo credit: Robert John

Swedish heavy metallers AMON AMARTH approach a new way of songwriting on their first-ever acoustic excursion "Upphaf". The song strips away the fury of modern melodic heavy metal to reveal the ancient, skeletal frame of a Norse epic. Reimagined for the gathering space of a longhouse hearth, the song features hypnotic melodies and mesmerizing quires. The stripped-back composition carries the solemnity of an oral history whispered under the shadow of the Allfather, proving the band's interest in Oden cuts just as deep by firelight as it does on epic global stages. The single serves as the quiet moment to what lies ahead, before the fury of their next studio album.

"Upphaf" was produced by Jacob Hansen and is available via Metal Blade Records across all digital retail alongside its video directed by Pavel Trebukhin.

From AMON AMARTH's 1992 formation in Tumba, Sweden, to the worldwide fame they've found in the ensuing years, their lyrical, live and recorded musical legacy speaks for itself. Over the past few years the band have performed globally and alongside legendary acts such as SLAYER, GUNS N' ROSES, FOO FIGHTERS and PANTERA in addition to monumental sold-out takeovers of Los Angeles's The Forum and Denver's historic Red Rocks Amphitheatre, to name a few. Across seas, AMON AMARTH have headlined multiple major rock and metal fests, including an epic performance at Germany's Wacken Open Air in 2024 for 85,000 rabid fans which was deemed "a 19-song masterclass in unbeatable, indefatigable force…a repertoire of songs that can conquer the biggest crowds on the planet," by Louder. Elsewhere on European soil, the Viking lords have twice headlined the U.K.'s storied Bloodstock Open Air festival, made four appearances at Download (2008 - 2019),and performed at Summer Breeze eight times (2003 - 2024),six of them as headliner.

Their rapidly increasing sales and touring numbers, plus pre-release buzz to AMON AMARTH's 2026 North American tour with DETHKLOK and CASTLE RAT, has managed to garner mainstream success without sacrificing either of their constantly evolving creativity or heaviness. Audience demographics run the gamut from pre-teens to 60-somethings, an inclusive metal experience for those who appreciate epic positivity and powerfully inspirational lyrics.

AMON AMARTH continues to garner universal musical respect and reverence from fans and critics, and an ever-growing popularity in North America. In Europe, AMON AMARTH reached No. 1 on German album chart with "Jomsviking", while "Berserker" and 2022's "The Great Heathen Army" also topped the U.S. Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart, the Canadian Billboard Top Current Albums chart, and earned a Grammis (Swedish Grammy equivalent) nomination for hard rock/metal album of the year.

Their cultural influence cannot be overstated. To wit: The Row. The consensus is that the legendary "Viking row" by audience members first began during the 2009 AMON AMARTH set at Bloodstock. Fans get on the ground and, in unison, imitate rowing an invisible longship in a powerfully unifying experience. With the 2022 release of the single and video "Put Your Back Into The Oar", frontman Johann Hegg said: "We thought it was a good idea to write a song about The Row! This one is for you, the fans, wherever you are — and may Oden guide you as you row to your destiny in uncharted seas!" The phenomenon has now spread to other artist's' concerts and global events including 2026 World Cup audiences — but thanks to video footage, it's safe to say AMON AMARTH audiences began the now-iconic trend.

Over 30 years later, AMON AMARTH remains a band of brothers, and that loyalty and unity allow for harmony and a united front that conquers both the stage and record. Hegg's powerfully rendered lyrics on last year's "We Rule The Waves" sum up the band's unrelenting intent. "From cradle until the grave / As long as the sun sets in the west / We rule the waves / Our restless hearts / Have brought us far / As far as Vinland's shores / We've gone further / Than any man has ever gone before."

AMON AMARTH is:

Johan Hegg - Vocals
Olavi Mikkonen - Guitar
Johan Söderberg - Guitar
Ted Lundström - Bass
Jocke Wallgren – Drums

Photo credit: Sylwia Makris and Christian Martin Weiss

In a new interview with Rocklahoma Live, UGLY KID JOE singer Whitfield Crane reflected on his longtime friendship with MOTÖRHEAD leader Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister. Asked how he connected with Lemmy in the first place, Whitfield said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, basically, when UGLY KID JOE broke, Klaus [Eichstadt, UGLY KID JOE guitarist] and I, in any interview we ever did, first of all, we couldn't believe anyone was interviewing us in the first place, but no matter what the interviewer asked us, we would have, like, 'Ozzy' [Osbourne] written on our knuckles, and we'd just say, 'Ozzy rules.' And I figured that that must've gotten back to that Ozzy camp, and then we started selling a bunch of albums or whatever format you wanna call it. And then all of a sudden we got this opportunity to play the Randy Rhoads — Randy Rhoads rules — Randy Rhoads tribute show, which originally was somewhere else, but it ended up at Irvine Meadows. And we were kids. We'd never been on a bus or anything like... It wasn't even that. So we got the opening slot for that gig, and we were so stoked. Ozzy Osbourne? Rad. And the lineup was UGLY KID JOE opening up — Irvine Meadows, celebration of Randy Rhoads; I mean, super cool — and then it was MOTÖRHEAD, and then Ozzy Osbourne. And I'd been to Irvine Meadows many times — I've seen AC/DC there; I've seen all kinds of shows there — but I didn't ever expect I would get to perform there. And there we were backstage — not backstage in the dressing room; it was a backstage where all the amps are — and I was like, 'No way. We're gonna play this room.' I'd never played a big room — never. And I was, like, 'Well, this could be a little daunting,' but I [was] excited, is a fair description, and then there was Lemmy. And he walked up, and he was super cool. [He was] smoking a cigarette, and virile and powerful — I mean, you know how he looked. And there he was. And we became friends, like instantaneously. So I knew him for years. I would visit him at his apartment in Hollywood. I would ask his wisdom. I really appreciated his wisdom a lot. He was such a wonderful guy to talk to, just in general about a myriad of things. But, yeah, he was the real deal. Ozz was the real deal. Ed [Van Halen] was the real deal. So, yeah, I met Lem at that show."

Asked why he thinks those guys instantly befriended him, Whitfield said: "Well, I'm a superfan. I was so excited to meet those dudes, like a kid. And then I was singing songs in a band, so they kind of accepted me in that form. I don't know the answer to that question. I mean, I was genuine. I suppose I was genuine in my admiration and just being a fan. I mean, I'm a rock fan. We all are. So, I don't know that answer."

In a 2015 interview with Songfacts, Crane recalled the time when he served as the fill-in singer for BLACK SABBATH rehearsals during the late '90s. He said: "I jammed with BLACK SABBATH December 3rd, 4th, and 5th 1997 in Birmingham, England when they were recording those particular dates for a live SABBATH record. They had Thom Panunzio back there with an 18-wheeler truck, with a full-on studio backstage at the NEC. So it was the first of a series of reunion shows that included the original SABBATH lineup — that includes [drummer] Bill Ward."

He continued: "So when I got there, I was like, 'Holy shit. This is so awesome — we're going to see BLACK SABBATH... the real SABBATH.' And they needed to run daily through soundchecks to get their stuff tight, whether it be the studio backstage or just the players themselves. Their sound is kind of like a jazz band if you think about it, and they needed a vocal cue."

Crane added: 'From what I can gauge, Ozzy [Osbourne, BLACK SABBATH singer] was like, 'I don't want to sing a whole set and then sing another set.' And fair enough — I wouldn't want to, either. But of course, I would. [Laughs] And I got a note on my door at the hotel in Birmingham, that said, 'We need your help,' and that included me going to jam with BLACK SABBATH for three days — the full set, on the full PA, on Ozzy's mic, with the band loud as fuck, in Birmingham at the NEC. That did happen, and what a good trip."

UGLY KID JOE recently completed work on the follow-up to the "Rad Wings Of Destiny" album, which came out in October 2022.

In the spring of 2023, UGLY KID JOE staged its first U.S. tour in 27 years.

After a 15-year hiatus, UGLY KID JOE reformed in 2012 and has toured extensively throughout Europe and the rest of the world.

The band released the EP "Stairway To Hell" in 2012 and the full-length "Uglier Than They Used Ta Be" in 2015.

In a new interview with Chile's Radio Futuro, former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens reflected on his time with the legendary British heavy metal band. The Ohio-based singer created two studio albums with PRIEST — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — before the band reunited with Rob Halford.

Speaking about the fact that musical tastes shifted seemingly overnight from hair metal to Seattle grunge after the 1991 release of NIRVANA's sophomore studio album, "Nevermind", Tim said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, it was a hard time, wasn't it? It was a hard time. I couldn't have joined JUDAS PRIEST at a worse time [for] heavy metal, could I? I mean, it was just so bad. But it came back right in the time that I left JUDAS PRIEST, that Rob came back, metal started coming back with these big tours again. And it was great. You know what? JUDAS PRIEST needed Rob back at that time. I think that probably was a big help of bringing heavy metal back, was [IRON] MAIDEN getting Bruce [Dickinson] back and PRIEST getting Rob back. I think it gave it a little resurgence. But I was in [PRIEST during] a terrible time of heavy metal.

"But I think that that record ['Jugulator'] was important because we still made a heavy metal record. And JUDAS PRIEST, every record's a little bit different. I think now they make kind of normal heavy metal records. They don't really experiment too much anymore. But they used to experiment, and that's what made me fall in love with JUDAS PRIEST. But, yeah, I think it was important."

Owens also talked about the current status of KK'S PRIEST in which he is joined by former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Kenneth "K.K." Downing, alongside guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE),bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

"Well, we have a two-month tour coming up here in September, October with W.A.S.P. in America. It's like 45 shows or something," he said. "It's pretty brutal. It's a pretty brutal tour, to be honest. Hopefully I can survive it. But I'm very excited about that. I'm very excited to be able to watch W.A.S.P. every night and hang out with everybody.

"Listen, the KK'S PRIEST stuff is unbelievable," Tim added. "I mean, there is a reason why K.K. influenced guitar players, him and Glenn [Tipton, PRIEST guitarist] influenced guitar players, and K.K. was a big part of influencing heavy metal guitar players, and different guitar players, to be honest. And you could tell with KK'S PRIEST. I mean, the records are so good and the material's so good, and it's so good live. I mean, live we are really good. I mean, we actually have energy and we do the songs like they're supposed to be sung and done, or at least I'm gonna try on this next tour. But it's great. And K.K.'s just amazing. I mean, the band is amazing. A.J. and Sean — it's an amazing band, amazing players, great friends. K.K.'s a great guy, and he's one of the pioneers of heavy metal. And you can tell on KK'S PRIEST, man, 'cause it's good. It's great stuff."

The 2001 Warner Bros. movie "Rock Star", starring Mark Wahlberg as a salesman-turned-rock star, was loosely based on Owens, who fronted a JUDAS PRIEST cover band before being tapped to become the new lead singer of the actual group.

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 after being discovered when PRIEST drummer Scott Travis was given a videotape of Tim performing with the PRIEST cover band BRITISH STEEL.

K.K. formed KK'S PRIEST after JUDAS PRIEST turned down his offer to rejoin the band for their 50th-anniversary tour.

"Demolition" and "Jugulator" are included on "50 Heavy Metal Years Of Music", JUDAS PRIEST's limited-edition box set which contains every official live and studio album to date plus 13 unreleased discs. Released in October 2021, it is the most extensive release of previously unreleased music the band has made from its vast archives.

In a new interview with Remzi "Jam Man" Yates of Rocking With Jam Man, NONPOINT frontman Elias Soriano was asked if the title of the band's upcoming eleventh studio album, "The Last Word", is meant either as "a statement" or "a warning". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think it's more about making a statement. The industry tends to put limitations on legacy bands and bands that have reached my tenure. So, it seems sometimes that they might wanna get the last word in, and this is our chance for us to put in our last word."

Asked what makes him feel like he still has something to prove nearly three decades after NONPOINT's formation, Elias said: "Well, [we have] nothing to prove. [It's] just [that] we're writing our best music of our career. And I have a team around me that I feel good about, that I trust. I have a team of artists and creators and collaborators that are all friends and that are really helping us hit the target that we wanna hit with this release. So it feels brand new and it feels very poised for the time. I feel like the timing is right. I feel like the album doesn't let up from song to song, and the video that we just dropped today is proof that we're at our top of our game."

On the topic of the significance of the pencil on the "The Last Word" album cover, Elias said: "It's a symbol of what... If you were handed one pencil to write your last chapter, what would that pencil look like by the time you were done? Broken, short, used up to the point where you felt that at one point you're just gonna break it in half, toss away the eraser, and start writing from both ends."

Asked if "The Last Word" is NONPOINT "refusing to be treated like a nostalgia act", Elias said: "No. Well, in a sense, it is a mix of that question and the actual feelings behind that sentiment. It's more about us getting all of our creativity and all of our music… The songs that we have left in us still wanna come out. And the whole theme behind this whole record is by the time we were done writing all this music, we were, like, 'Wow, it feels brand new. It feels like a different era for the band.' And we've had a few eras, so this time around, it feels the most complete when it comes to the body of work. This is my favorite NONPOINT record, hands down."

"The Last Word" will arrive on September 18, 2026, through 361 Degrees Records.

The official music video for the LP's latest single, "Is It", can be seen below.

Already making an impact at Active Rock radio, "Is It" was the No. 1 Most Added track when it came out and has quickly climbed into the Top 50 on the Mediabase Active Rock chart.

Soriano previously stated about the concept behind the song "Is It": "'Is It' is that internal conflict where you question getting too involved? Did I push too hard? Did I ask too much? It's that feeling of wondering if doing what you thought was right actually meant hurting the people around you."The album itself represents far more than another release in the band's celebrated catalog.

"In a world that sometimes wants to put a timestamp on creativity, 'The Last Word' is our way of saying we're just getting started," Elias said. "We're pushing back against expectation and pushing forward into our own next chapter."

When "The Last Word" was first announced earlier this month, Soriano described the symbolic pencil featured on the cover as a reflection of both longevity and perseverance.

"This album cover tells a piece of our story," he said. "After years of making music, we feel more aligned than ever — musically, visually, and creatively. We're writing some of the strongest material of our career, our live shows are as powerful as they've ever been, and the band feels focused and energized. The pencil on the cover represents what it's like to be handed one last tool and expected to fit everything you have left to say into it. Not because the ideas are gone, but because longevity often comes with assumptions and limits. 'The Last Word' isn't about accepting an ending. It's about challenging that narrative. If this is the pencil we're being handed, we're going to use it — and make sure the words written with it still matter."

Coinciding with the album announcement, NONPOINT has also revealed "The Even More Outta Control Tour", kicking off July 25, 2026. Renowned for their explosive live performances, the band will perform brand-new material from "The Last Word" alongside the fan favorites that have become staples of their live set. The tour offers audiences an early look at what promises to be one of the band's most dynamic records to date.

For more than two decades, NONPOINT has remained one of hard rock's most resilient and respected acts, earning millions of streams, multiple charting singles, and a fiercely loyal global fanbase through relentless touring and uncompromising musicianship. "The Last Word" finds the band firing on all cylinders, proving they have no intention of slowing down.

NONPOINT is a veteran South Florida nu‑metal/alternative metal band formed in 1997 by vocalist Elias Soriano and drummer Robb Rivera, known for high‑energy live shows, groove‑driven riffs, and raw, socially charged lyrics. Drawing from alternative metal, hardcore, hip‑hop and Latin‑inflected rhythm, they broke out with early releases like "What A Day" from the album "Statement" (2000) and quickly became road warriors — appearing on cornerstone festivals such as Ozzfest and Rock On The Range and sharing stages with acts including SEVENDUST, DISTURBED and STONE SOUR. Their muscular cover of Phil Collins's "In The Air Tonight", later featured in the film "Miami Vice", helped introduce the band to a wider audience and remains one of their most recognizable recordings.

Throughout the 2000s NONPOINT sharpened their sound on albums including "Recoil" (2004) and "To The Pain" (2005),the latter featuring the fan‑favorite anthem "Bullet With A Name", a live and streaming staple that helped define the band's place in the modern heavy landscape. That momentum carried into the 2010s with hard‑hitting singles like "Breaking Skin" and "Generation Idiot", setting the stage for a prolific modern era highlighted by the launch of their own independent label 361 Degrees Records, followed by the "Ruthless" EP in 2021 and the "Heartless" EP released in 2023, through which they've continued to roll out standout tracks like "Ruthless", "Paper Tigers" and later the single "A Million Watts".

With hundreds of thousands of albums sold and a catalog packed with setlist anchors like "Bullet With A Name", "Ruthless", "What A Day" and "In The Air Tonight", NONPOINT remains a cornerstone name in heavy music, equally at home in packed clubs and on the biggest festival stages. In recent interviews they've spoken openly about this new album pushing toward what they describe as the "most NONPOINT record yet," featuring the first single "Is It" doubling down on groove, aggression and big‑chorus songwriting that keeps their long‑running fanbase engaged while inviting new listeners into the fold.

NONPOINT is:

Elias Soriano (Lead Vocals)
Robb Rivera (Drums)
Rasheed Thomas (Guitar /Backing Vocals)
Adam Woloszyn (Bass)
Jason Zeilstra (Lead Guitar)

In a new interview with Tom Power, host of "Q" on Canada's CBC Radio One, EVANESCENCE singer Amy Lee once again spoke about how the band's original record label Wind Up threatened not to release the group's debut album, "Fallen", if she and her bandmates didn't add a male voice to lead single "Bring Me To Life" to make it more palatable for radio.

The album version of "Bring Me To Life" — which featured guest vocals from Paul McCoy of 12 STONES — reached No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was EVANESCENCE's first U.K. No. 1 single. It was included on the soundtrack of superhero film "Daredevil" which helped propel sales.

Regarding why "Bring Me To Life" featured a male vocal, Lee said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, it was a label thing. Our music was never that. But we were coming up in a time where what was happening, what was trending was nu metal, which was dude driven. It was all guys. And then we had this sound that had similarities to that, obviously, in our music, but not with the vocal. And to me, honestly, that's what made it special. One of the things about it that made it special was the fact that it didn't sound like that in the vocal. It was a female voice for a change. But I think that typical industry head space is, like, we need a… I kept hearing this word, 'point of entry'. There needs to be some familiar thing that somebody can grab on to and go, 'Oh, it's like the female LINKIN PARK.' Or 'it's like the female this or that.' And I just absolutely hated that. I was, like, 'You're watering it down. You're cheapening it. You're not being brave. You're being scared.' Like, 'We need to be brave. Let us do this by ourselves,' and it was a huge fight. So it turned into this fallout fight where they're, like, 'Well, forget it then. You're shelved. You're not gonna make an album. Go home.' And we went home from L.A., and I'd already left home and said goodbye to my parents and everything, and I had to go back to my parents' house… So, we went home for a whopping three weeks. And then they called, and they were, like, 'Okay, all right. Look.' 'Cause the original thing wasn't about just 'Bring Me To Life'. They wanted us to hold auditions and hire a rapper to be in the band for, like, 10 out of 12 songs… It was, like, 'Change who you are.' That's why I was, like, 'Absolutely not.' So we went home, fought that fight, and then they came back about three weeks later, and they were, like, 'Okay, great news. There's this movie soundtrack, 'Daredevil', and they love you. They want you in. They wanna use at least one, probably two songs. But there's a catch. What we pitched to them is this thing with the rap in it for 'Bring Me To Life', so you have to do it.' And I was, like, 'Could it at least be the second single?' And they were, like, 'No, absolutely not. It has to be the first single.' And I was, like, 'Okay. Well, then can it at least be, like, somebody super famous so that people understand who we are and that it's a collab? It's just gonna be confusing.'"

She continued: "My biggest fear was that we were gonna be a one-hit wonder, that people are gonna hear that one song that was different from everything else that we were ever gonna do next, and then they... It's like a 'bait and switch'. Then they would hear the rest of our music and be, like, 'Oh, this is not what I thought it was.' Like, 'You lied.' And they were, like, 'We'll do our best.'

"It was a hard thing for everybody back then, even the artists, the famous ones that wanted to do it, their representation advised them not to because a chick-rock-band thing wasn't gonna work," Amy added. "Well, they all get on stage with us now. And it's a great, beautiful, full circle, full show. But anyway, all that to say as much as I resisted, Paul McCoy from 12 STONES was on our record label. And they were, like, 'Check out Paul.' We were already friends. They were recording their album at the same time, and he came by, and he was great at it. And it always felt like a concession to me to have to do it at all, but it was, like, 'If we have to do this, we're gonna make it great. We're gonna control it.' I wrote the rap part. I remember Paul being so sweet and understanding and excited for us and pouring his heart into it. And then, of course, for years I've had to tell the story that I never get time to tell the end of, and it makes him sound like the bad guy. He was absolutely a hero in the story to make it as positive of an experience as it possibly could have been for me. And then we overcame it. The whole thing was, 'You just have to do it for this one song.' I was, like, 'Okay, we're gonna make this one song really great.' And it definitely flew higher than anybody expected it to. And we did release another song and another song that were fortunately also understood, accepted and embraced. So there we are."

Lee went on to say that people were more accepting of a track that was a collaboration because "it was a soundtrack song. I think generally when you're doing something for a film, there's a little bit of a license for it to be kind of different 'cause it's fitting the film," she explained. "And the thing about this film was the scene where the two are fighting... Well, it's like Elektra and Daredevil are fighting each other. So it's, like, 'Oh, the dude's voice and the girl. Okay, that makes sense.'"

Back in February 2022, EVANESCENCE's music video for "Bring Me To Life" surpassed one billion views on YouTube. The Philipp Stölzl-directed clip, which was uploaded to YouTube in December of 2009, was filmed in Romania in January 2003. It features Amy in a night gown and barefoot, in her room, inside a tall building in the city at night. The rest of the band is playing on a higher floor of the building.

In 2021, Amy spoke to Germany's Sonic Seducer about the lyrical inspiration for "Bring Me To Life". The song reached No. 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was EVANESCENCE's first U.K. No. 1 single.

"I remember what I wrote 'Bring Me To Life' about, because I wrote it about my current husband before we were married," she said. "There was this moment — I was in a tough place and in a bad relationship. And my husband now, Josh, at the time was just a friend and a person that I barely knew; it was maybe the third or fourth time we'd ever met. And we went in to go grab a seat at a restaurant while our friends parked the car. And we sat across from each other, and he looked at me and he just said, 'So, are you happy?' And it took me so off guard, and I just felt like it pierced my heart, because I felt like I had been pretending really well, and it was, like, somebody could see through me. And then that whole first verse came out of it: 'How can you see into my eyes, like open doors.' It really made me feel and recognize the sense of yearning that I had to get to a better place. And it really kind of set me out on a journey. And it's amazing that that became the song, the first song that broke us on to the scene and made everyone hear of us, because it was about something — I don't know — something so personal that I was recognizing in my life."

Last month, "Bring Me To Life" was certified eleven times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),surpassing the diamond threshold.

In the U.S., diamond certification is awarded to songs or albums that reach 10 million certified units.

EVANESCENCE is currently touring North America in support of its new album "Sanctuary", which was released in June.

In a new interview with Australia's Jaimunji, vocalist Fernando Ribeiro of Portuguese dark metal pioneers MOONSPELL spoke about the band's latest album, "Far From God", which was released on July 3 via Napalm Records. Regarding how he landed at the title for the record, Fernando said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It took some time to get there. I had plenty of titles. I was a bit at loss with the titles. I had this kind of concept until one fine day I just picked up these three words and put them together and I thought they were very striking. And then I went to do what's trying to get back to what inspired me. So I got back into my studies of philosophy that I did many years ago here in Lisbon University. And I understood there was a very important philosopher to me and for a lot of people in the world, Friedrich Nietzsche. And I had the chance and the privilege of studying him a bit further, because Nietzsche's very sexy for people to say 'God is dead' and the Superman, but he's so much more than that. There's so much more in between the lines. So he was someone that studied the mother tongue, the languages, the original Greek, and his body of work was him getting back to the natural, original sense of the words. And then he picked up the words and compared it to its own century back then. And the obvious conclusion is that we were very far away from the original concepts of love, virtue, kindness, et cetera. And back in his own century, it seems like Nietzsche was predicting the future because it's exactly what we are right now.

"So 'Far From God' is a metaphor for distance, let's call it this way," Fernando explained. "God is just... Well, it's a very big word because, believe it or not or want it or not, every other band in metal scene will speak about God in various ways. I mean, BEHEMOTH's Nergal will criticize it and burn the Bible. I will try to understand it and read the Bible and try to understand the conflict between man and God. And a bit like that CLASH song, 'Should we stay or should we go?' Like, what's the influence of this big thing, big concept in our life? But in the end of the day, we are both speaking about God, and that shows the importance of this title. And I think it also delivers a kind of a veiled criticism to the monotheistic religions of our time. Those religions are really far from God because if you bother to read the original teachings and the original intentions of Islam, Christianity or Judaism, they try to incline, they try to better man, and man just did a mess about it. We have terrorism, we have occupation, we have evangelism, presidential evangelists. We have all this big explosive mix between religion and politics. So I think the title sits in these many perspectives, but in a nutshell, it's the distance we put between ourselves and ourselves. And it's like sometimes the 'far from God' thing, it's big poetic words to illustrate the way that we choose wrong and the way that we actually try very violently and desperately to justify our own choices. 'Far from God', it's a bit a lack of empathy, and I see this in every day in the street, in the supermarket queue, on the road, sometimes in shows, sometimes the way the bands are treated or the fans are treated. This is a very 'far from God' world, and I think it's definitely a bullseye title because it means a lot of stuff, but in a nutshell, it tells also about the zeitgeist and the state of the world."

"Far From God" was produced by Jaime Gomez Arellano, who has previously worked with PARADISE LOST, GHOST and SÓLSTAFIR.

Arellano initially worked with MOONSPELL in the band's own studio before moving on to his Orgone Studios for the actual "Far From God" recording.

Global rock superstars GREEN DAY — Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool — have announced the "Nimrods" original soundtrack, arriving July 31 and available now for pre-order.

The 30-track album will be released on CD, cassette, digital platforms and several vinyl variants, featuring 22 fan-favorite, career-spanning GREEN DAY songs alongside soundtrack exclusives including the new GREEN DAY track "I'm Never Gonna R.I.P." and four previously unreleased live recordings from the band's performance at the Palladium in Los Angeles, as featured in the film. The soundtrack also includes songs from THE PARADOX, ULTRA Q and Mckenna Grace, as well as four tracks by ANALOG DOGS, the fictitious band at the center of "Nimrods".

To herald the announcement, the band has shared the new track and video "I'm Never Gonna R.I.P.", available now on all DSPs and GREEN DAY's official YouTube channel.

The "Nimrods" film will rock theaters on August 14. Developed by writer/director Lee Kirk with GREEN DAY and produced by Tim Perell, "Nimrods" is a coming-of-age story about three friends (Mason Thames, Kylr Coffman and Ryan Foust) who journey to Los Angeles, mistakenly believing that their band is opening for GREEN DAY on New Year's Eve. Their roadtrip is a rowdy and mischievous jaunt across the country filled with adventures, based on the exploits of GREEN DAY and their years of living in a tour van. The star-studded cast includes Mason Thames, Kylr Coffman, Ryan Foust, Ignacio Diaz-Silverio, Keen Ruffalo, Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, Mckenna Grace, Fred Armisen, Bobby Lee and Sean Gunn. Credits include producers Tim Perell for Process, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool. Ryan Kroft and Michael Rapino for Live Nation Studios and Jonathan Daniel are executive producers.

"Nimrods" track listing:

01. Longview - GREEN DAY
02. In The End - GREEN DAY
03. Bored - ANALOG DOGS
04. When I Come Around - GREEN DAY
05. Walking Contradiction - GREEN DAY
06. Dilemma - GREEN DAY
07. Waiting - GREEN DAY
08. Geek Stink Breath - GREEN DAY
09. Bab's Uvula Who? - GREEN DAY
10. Panic Song - GREEN DAY
11. Basket Case - GREEN DAY
12. Hitchin' a Ride - GREEN DAY
13. Dominated Love Slave - ANALOG DOGS
14. Haushinka - GREEN DAY
15. Bobby Sox - GREEN DAY
16. Ms. Lauren - THE PARADOX
17. It's So Fine - MCKENNA GRACE
18. Getaway - ANALOG DOGS
19. Freaking Out - ANALOG DOGS
20. Cold - ULTRA Q
21. Last Night on Earth - GREEN DAY
22. Brain Stew - GREEN DAY
23. Wake Me Up When September Ends - GREEN DAY
24. Corvette Summer - GREEN DAY
25. American Idiot (Live) - GREEN DAY
26. Know Your Enemy (Live) - GREEN DAY
27. Auld Lang Syne (Live) - GREEN DAY
28. Good Riddance - GREEN DAY
29. I'm Never Gonna R.I.P. - GREEN DAY
30. Going To Pasalacqua (Live) - GREEN DAY

Formed in 1986 in Berkeley, California, GREEN DAY (Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tré Cool) is one of the world's best-selling bands of all time, with 14 studio albums released, more than 75 million records sold worldwide, and 20 billion cumulative streams. The five-time Grammy Award-winning Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees released their breakout album "Dookie" in 1994, which sold over 10 million and achieved ten-times-platinum diamond status, and is widely credited with popularizing and reviving mainstream interest in punk rock, catapulting a career-long run of No. 1 hit singles. In 2004, GREEN DAY released the rock opera "American Idiot" which captured the nation's attention, selling more than eight million copies in the U.S. alone and taking home the Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album". In 2010, a stage adaptation of "American Idiot" debuted on Broadway to critical and commercial acclaim. On January 19, 2024, the band released their Grammy-nominated 14th studio album "Saviors", which includes hit singles "The American Dream Is Killing Me", which reached No. 1 on Billboard Rock & Alternative Airplay, and "Dilemma". The album debuted at No. 1 on seven different Billboard charts and marked the band's fifth No. 1 in the U.K. In September 2025, after two years, 106 shows, 88 cities, 33 countries and over 2.5 million tickets sold, GREEN DAY wrapped their monumental, sold-out world tour — the biggest of their career — in support of "Saviors", proving that 35 years in, the band is still at the top of their game.

Guitar virtuoso John 5 has released the official music video for "You Me And The Devil Makes Three", a track from his latest solo album, "Ghost", produced and mixed by Barry Pointer. The bluesy song, featuring extra percussion from MÖTLEY CRÜE's Tommy Lee, also gets the music video treatment with a visual piece following John 5 around the world on some of his latest solo tour dates. See the video below, directed and edited by Joey Aguirre and produced by John 5 and Joey Aguirre.

"You Me And The Devil Makes Three" follows previous anchor tracks, including "Hollywood Story" (about the first time John 5 picked up a guitar and the path that led him to the incredible career he has today) as well as "Fiend", "Deviant" and "Moon Glow".

This fall, John 5 will head out on tour with solo dates planned in England, Scotland and Mexico. These new shows will follow MÖTLEY CRÜE's "The Return Of Carnival Of Sins" tour this summer.

John 5 fall 2026 solo tour dates:

October 11 - Exeter, England @ Exeter Phoenix
October 12 - Southampton, England @ The 1865
October 13 - Bristol, England @ Thekla
October 14 - Wolverhampton, England @ KK’s Steelmill
October 15 - Chester, England @ Live Rooms
October 16 - Newcastle Upon Tyne, England @ Newcastle University
October 17 - Glasgow, Scotland @ Slay
October 18 - Manchester, England @ Club Academy
November 5 - Guadalajara, Mexico @ Anexo Independencia
November 6 - Chihuahua, Mexico @ Salon Pistoleros
November 7 - Monterrey, Mexico @ Café Iguana
November 8 - Mexico City, Mexico @ El Foro

For over 30 years, John 5 has been one of the most in-demand guitar players on the planet. John has shared stages and recording studios with Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, David Lee Roth, LYNYRD SKYNYRD, Meat Loaf, Dolly Parton and more, and is now a member of MÖTLEY CRÜE.

Since 2011 John has released a dozen solo albums highlighting his unique style of playing that has been entertaining and impressing audiences around world. His latest album was the critically acclaimed "Ghost", released in October 2025.

In an October 2025 interview with Orlando Weekly, John 5 stated about the touring lifestyle: "I really love being on the road. A lot of people aren't cut out for it, but I just really, really enjoy it. It's super relaxing."

He added: "I am very health-conscious all the time but especially on the road. I try to go to bed around the same time every night because getting sleep is the most important thing you can do, eat right, and take vitamins. It's not the rock and roll answer people expect, but it's true. That's how I stay ready for 50 shows in a row."

In October 2022, it was announced that John 5 would be joining MÖTLEY CRÜE as their guitarist following Mick Mars's decision to retire from the road. John 5 continues to tour with MÖTLEY CRÜE, including the aforementioned U.S. summer 2026 tour.

Slash has called John 5 "one of the most mind-blowing guitarists around," and Rob Zombie has dubbed him "a fucking shredder."

Ferret Music, the influential independent label known for shaping the landscape of 2000's metalcore, born of a love for punk, hardcore and metal, has officially made its return — marking one of the most anticipated revivals in the heavy music world. At its peak, the label served as a launching pad for some of the genre's most integral acts, earning a reputation for having an ear for artists who were ahead of their time.

The revival marks a new chapter for the storied imprint, with a renewed focus on discovering and developing boundary-pushing artists. In keeping with that mission, Ferret Music has announced its first two signings: BORE and WOUNDED TOUCH.

Reflecting on the label's return, founder Carl Severson is thrilled to share: "I started Ferret as a way to be more a part of hardcore. My friends all had talent and were in a band (ENDEAVOR, Ferret 01) and I wanted to do more than carry things to contribute to what they were doing. It was a passion that turned into a life and into a career. For the vast majority of its initial existence I worked with my friends, worked with bands we loved listening to and it was just honestly an adventure. We grew and eventually saw behind the curtain and ventured beyond it. Things changed. My friends didn't, and we still love listening… So here we are."

Representing the label's first wave of signings, guitarist Danny Kopij of BORE shares: "Ferret was a label we always looked up to. From 'Cult Classic' to 'Hot Damn!' to 'A Great Artist' to 'Versions' and so on, the music that Carl, Rick and everyone else curated over the years became intertwined with our musical DNA. So to get to be a part of the Ferret family, let alone to get to be here for the revival is nothing short of the honor of a lifetime. Looking forward to this next chapter of our band and to get to do it Ferret style."

Echoing that sentiment, vocalist Nick Holland of WOUNDED TOUCH shares: "Any time someone has asked us 'who would your ideal label be to sign to,' we always would include Ferret to not only be smartasses, but out of legitimate sincerity as they were always the holy grail label of our youth. Most of our childhoods were shaped by the Ferret catalogue, so we'd have been championing this return out of sheer excitement regardless. But to instead get to be directly involved as boots on the ground for the return of Ferret and count ourselves among the pantheon of genre defining records released under that name is a validation that can't be bought, traded or diminished. We'll do everything in our power to earn the privilege of being asked to be a part of it and to be at the forefront of this return."

Founded by Carl Severson, vocalist of NORA, Ferret Music established itself as a key player in the underground metal and hardcore scenes early on, signing and releasing records by the likes of CONVERGE, DISEMBODIED, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, ZAO and EVERY TIME I DIE, to be followed by POISON THE WELL, IN FLAMES, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA and more. Built from within the DIY community, the label earned trust through a hands-on, artist-first approach that prioritized long term development over short-term momentum.

Now operating with that same ethos, Ferret Music returns at a time when heavy music is once again thriving at a grassroots level that is driven by community, discovery and a renewed appetite for authenticity. With Severson back at the helm, the label is focused on cultivating a new generation of artists who push boundaries while staying rooted in the spirit that defined Ferret Music's early years.

Alongside Ferret Music's return, Severson will continue his work with Good Fight, which remains active under the Good Fight Management banner in partnership with Ethan Harrison. The company continues to represent a strong and growing roster, including GREAT AMERICAN GHOST, DENIAL OF LIFE, Johnny Booth, HEAVY HITTER and YOUR SPIRIT DIES, among others. Good Fight continues to stand as a key force in today's heavy music landscape, operating in parallel with Ferret Music's next chapter.

With additional releases and signings to be announced in the coming months, Ferret Music's return signals not only a revival, but a reassertion of its place at the forefront of heavy music's future. Stay tuned for more news from Ferret Music coming soon.

To mark a triumphant return, Ferret Music is launching a series of vinyl releases that revisit key titles from its catalog while beginning to fold in select releases from Good Fight Music, marking a broader evolution of the label's catalog moving forward.

Among the first wave are two landmark Ferret Music titles, the first being REMEMBERING NEVER's "God Save Us", available on vinyl for the first time with its original artwork and an additional track, arriving in celebration of the album's 20th anniversary and honoring the legacy of Peter "Mean Pete" Kowalsky. It will be followed by TORN APART's "The Fifty-Ninth Session" EP, originally only available on CD, newly remixed and remastered by guitarist Drew Lamond and pressed to vinyl for the first time as a one-sided 12-inch. Also included are two releases originally issued via Good Fight Music, marking the beginning of select titles transitioning into the Ferret Music catalog.

OLD WOUNDS' "Suffering Spirit" returns as a special anniversary pressing, bringing the long sold-out release back into circulation and reaffirming its place as one of the most vital releases in modern metallic hardcore, capturing the band's evolution into a darker, more haunting sound. Rounding out the releases, RACETRAITOR's "Creation And The Timeless Order Of Things" arrives with vocal additions from various figures across the scene (Dennis Lyxzén of REFUSED, Tim Kinsella of JOAN OF ARC/CAP'N JAZZ, Stan Liszewaki of TERMINAL NATION, Sanket Lama of CHEPANG),as the band reemerges for a run of live dates this summer.

When the lines between hardcore, metal, and punk coalesced into something fresh and ferocious, connected by an underground network of passionate, diehard counterculture creatives, Ferret Music emerged as a leading independent voice championing bold, diverse, and invigorating heavy bands.

Founded in a New Jersey bedroom by Carl Severson and built organically alongside like-minded workhorses like Rick Barnhart and Matthew "Portland" Hay, Ferret was more than a business. A heavy music cornerstone, Ferret put people and passion before profits while backing some of the scene's most influential acts. The principle was simple: build the bands first, and the label will follow.

Ferret's early years were scrappy and hands-on. The label grew out of hardcore basement shows and seven-inch culture, where trust was earned through action. Ferret treated its artists as allies, not adversaries, and that commitment fostered loyalty, which in turn built an unstoppable roster that helped reshape the genre.

Ferret became a launching pad for several artists who would go on to define metalcore, hardcore, and beyond. Ferret released the self-titled debut by KILLSWITCH ENGAGE in 2000, and Carl personally introduced the band to Roadrunner Records, where they went on to sell platinum albums and singles.

Ferret was also the first label home for FOXY SHAZAM, a major part of James Gunn's DC Universe. Ferret was an early supporter of ICE NINE KILLS, who went on to tour with METALLICA, earn a gold single, and contribute original No. 1 rock songs to massive horror franchises like "Scream" and "Terrifier".

One of Ferret's defining relationships was with EVERY TIME I DIE, who became a Vans Warped Tour staple, co-headlined with BRING ME THE HORIZON and graced the covers of Kerrang! and AltPress.

The label's A&R instinct was sharp, but more importantly, it was persistent. Ferret gave bands room to grow, find their sound, and build their audiences organically. There were no gimmicks, no shortcuts, no manufactured hype. Just great music, hard work, and a label that showed up when it mattered. This attitude also attracted established heavy hitters. IN FLAMES, THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, POISON THE WELL, MADBALL, SHADOWS FALL and ZAO all aligned with the label for crucial releases.

These partnerships were built on mutual respect. Ferret didn't chase names; it worked with artists who shared its values. The result was a cohesive catalog that spanned subgenres and styles, from early releases by CONVERGE and THE BRONX to MARTYR AD, MISERY SIGNALS and BOYS NIGHT OUT.

Ferret releases carry a signature ethos: authenticity, intensity, and a refusal to compromise. 30 years after its founding, Ferret Music returns in 2026, propelled by the same ethos, creativity, and passion. Most importantly, it's back in the hands of the people who built it. Carl and Rick are curating a new roster of bands that embody the label's historic strengths while pushing the sound into the future.

Ferret's return arrives at a moment when the scene it helped build is experiencing a resurgence. House shows are thriving again. Bands are finding audiences without major-label machinery. Vinyl is back. The infrastructure is stronger than ever, with international distribution and innovative approaches to traditional and modern release formats. Yet at its core, Ferret remains a scrappy, artist-first operation. With a DIY spirit, determination, and loyalty to artists, Ferret Music matters more than ever.

The Melvin Zoopers channel on YouTube has uploaded video of former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach's July 4 performance at the Abate Of Iowa Freedom Rally in Algona, Iowa. Check out the footage below.

Featured songs:

00:00 Slave To The Grind
04:14 Here I Am
09:25 18 & Life
14:09 Piece Of Me
17:00 American Metalhead
22:10 Monkey Business
26:49 I Don't Know (OZZY OSBOURNE cover)
33:46 I Wanna Rock (TWISTED SISTER cover)
37:45 Youth Gone Wild
41:45 Get The Fuck Out

In a recent interview with the Iron City Rocks podcast, Bach spoke about his insistence on making new music and performing his latest solo music live instead of relying completely on the catalog of his previous band. He said: "Well, we do 'What Do I Got To Lose?' and 'Freedom' and 'Future Of Youth' [from my latest album, 2024's 'Child Within The Man'], we do those every show, and we do '(Hold On) To The Dream' 99% of the shows. So those are four tunes that are in the set. And my audience makes no distinction between — it just fits right in."

Referencing other artists who focus almost exclusively on performing their hits, Bach said: "I understand that way of thinking, but that would be so boring to me, to not have any new songs. I would be bored out of my mind. I'm not into this to be bored.

"I'm always gonna be putting out new stuff, 'cause that's what I enjoy doing," he explained. "But I should preface that by saying, don't really hold your breath for the next one, because we had the total odd occurrence of the pandemic, which allowed me and the musicians to just concentrate on nothing except for that album. And rock and roll's always reinventing itself and nowadays people are just clamoring to come to shows. And I think it's because we all spend so much time on our phones and our computers and staring at screens that we all are, like, 'Enough. Oh my God. Let's go rock out and have fun with our friends and our family and sing songs that we love and be together with other people instead of just staring at a screen.' That's really the way I feel."

This past January, Bach told This Day In Metal that he wanted to make "a Christmas record" at some point in his life. "I love Christmas music, and I know exactly the kind of Christmas record I would make," he said. "It's not gonna be 'Jingle Bells' with electric guitars. It's gonna be a traditional piano, organ-based record of vocals of songs that I did in the church when I was in Peterborough, Ontario at Anglican Church — All Saints, I think it was called. So that's what I want. I need to do that at some point."

Bach's current touring band includes his son Paris Bach on drums, "Bruiser" Brody DeRozie on guitar, and Fede Delfino on bass.

"Child Within The Man" — the singer, songwriter, author, Broadway star and actor's first album in more than 10 years — was well-received, with Associated Press saying "…it shows a fierce performer in prime fighting form…his vocals remain sharp and his songwriting talents as cunning as ever," while Ultimate Classic Rock noted: "Bach's voice has lost none of its rage or range, even in the highest registers…" In addition, the album's "(Hold On) To The Dream" track was included in Consequence's "30 Best Metal & Hard Rock Songs Of 2024" which described the song as "...a late-career masterpiece from the former SKID ROW singer. Baz hits some of the highest notes of his career on the sweeping ballad, an inspiring anthem about perseverance."

"Child Within The Man" yielded the following singles/videos, all of which have impacted the rock charts: "Freedom", "What Do I Got To Lose?", "Everybody Bleeds" and "(Hold On) To The Dream" (along with the "(Hold On) To The Dream" alternate video),"Future Of Youth" and "To Live Again".

"Child Within The Man" was recorded in Orlando, Florida; produced and mixed by Michael "Elvis" Baskette; engineered by Jef Moll, assistant engineered by Josh Saldate and mastered by Robert Ludwig of Gateway Mastering. Bach wrote or co-wrote all the album's 11 tracks and sang all lead and backing vocals.

"Child Within The Man" features guest appearances from John 5 (MÖTLEY CRÜE, ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON),Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL) and Orianthi (ALICE COOPER, MICHAEL JACKSON) — who all co-wrote their respective tracks with Bach — and two tracks co-written with ALTER BRIDGE's Myles Kennedy ("What Do I Got to Lose?" and "To Live Again"). Devin Bronson (guitars),Todd Kerns (bass) and Jeremy Colson (drums) round out the players on the album.

Prior to "Child Within The Man"'s arrival, Bach hadn't released a full-length disc since "Give 'Em Hell", which came out in March 2014.

Bach will front TWISTED SISTER for a handful of select dates this fall. These appearances do not affect or conflict with Sebastian's current or future solo touring schedule, which remains fully intact.

In their nearly four decades of domination, New York alternative metal legends PRONG have remained a respected force in the scene, gigging doggedly around the world — becoming mainstays at seminal festivals like Wacken Open Air, Alcatraz and Brutal Assault — and unleashing a steady stream of classic albums dominating TV, radio, and streaming throughout their tenure.

Today, they announce their incendiary Napalm Records debut and mission statement, "Prong", which will be unleashed unto the public on November 6. Honoring the band's legacy, this new album packs 11 galvanizing haymakers, encompassing elements of industrial, thrash, alternative rock, and, of course, New York hardcore.

PRONG frontman Tommy Victor comments: "This could be the best PRONG album to date. It's definitely the best-sounding PRONG album ever, with the incredible Andy Sneap mixing and mastering it! This record represents a new lease on life for PRONG with a new label, a fresh attitude with faster and heavier songs, bigger hooks and top-notch sound quality. That's why it's self-titled; it's a redefining episode for PRONG!"

Of the plethora of legends born from the primordial ooze bubbling at New York's most iconic punk club, CBGBs, there is only one PRONG. Forming during the venue's late 1980s renaissance period alongside hardcore legends like GORILLA BISCUITS, MADBALL, SICK OF IT ALL and BIOHAZARD, PRONG set themselves apart with melodic sensibility on formative records like "Beg To Differ" (1990) and "Cleansing" (1994),becoming mainstays on the iconic MTV's "Headbangers Ball". With their boundary pushing fusion of classic New York hardcore, infectious grooves, and industrial textures PRONG laid the foundation for numerous styles of post-hardcore like groove metal, industrial metal, and crossover thrash.

As the band's mission statement, "Prong" incorporates the well of styles their legacy is built on. Blistering thrash sections, open into lush choruses on opening anthem "The Banner", before somehow pushing the intensity even further on "New Commission". "The Uprising" reintroduces the band's industrial edge, weaponizing textured synths over a pulsating two-step, before "Uncertain Truth" flexes its melodic chops, offering a transcendently sweet hook. Immediately the band dropkicks listeners in the chest with the pummeling "Fear The Sun" inciting classic New York hardcore pit violence. Iconic vocalist and guitarist Tommy Victor's chops come out in full swing on "Proportionate Response", a smoldering incitement of retaliatory justice, before the blistering kicks of "Simulated Drowning" propel us forward. Album closer "Our Continuance" brings things to a cataclysmic close with its menacingly methodical pulse and pummeling discordant breakdowns, tied together with a lush chorus amplified with swelling synth textures.

With Andy Sneap at Backstage Studios for mixing and mastering, the album sounds crisp and punchy, Victor's biting lyrics confrontational and infiltrating, driving listeners to contemplate complex matters like the validity of truth, self inhibitors, and altruism. Dynamically bold, ideologically driven, and melodically infectious, "Prong" honors their legacy, reminding us why the band has had such a successful longevity.

"Prong" track listing:

01. The Banner
02. New Commission
03. The Uprising
04. Uncertain Truth
05. Fear The Sun
06. Commonsense Resolution
07. Doomed World
08. Proportionate Response
09. Transgression
10. Simulated Drowning
11. Our Continuance
12. Out Of Body (bonus track)
13. Cruel Summer (bonus track)

The album will come in a myriad of formats, including a Black LP, Inkspot Cristallo/Red LP, White Label LP, digital album and a CD which will come with two bonus tracks, "Out Of Body" and "Cruel Summer", the latter of which a cover of the BANANARAMA classic. Additionally there will be two cap bundles — one for the CD and one for the LP.

"Prong Uprising" 2026 European tour dates:

Nov. 13 - Rheine, DE - Level
Nov. 14 - Eindhoven, NL - Helldorado
Nov. 15 - Kortrijk, BE - DVG Club
Nov. 16 - Hannover, DE - Musikzentrum
Nov. 17 - Essen, DE - Turock
Nov. 18 - Herford, DE - Kulturwerk
Nov. 19 - Copenhagen, DK - Hotel Cecil
Nov. 20 - Aarhus, DK - VoxHall
Nov. 22 - Athens, GR - Gazarte

PRONG released a new live album, "Live And Uncleansed", on March 6 via SPV/Steamhammer. Recorded over seven nights in July and August 2025, the LP saw Victor and bandmates Christopher Dean (bass) and Tyler Joseph (drums) deliver eleven powerful live songs (plus three live bonus tracks),all pure and unadulterated, authentic and honest.

PRONG's new partnership with Napalm Records was announced in June 2025. It came on the heels of the band's European headline tour celebrating 31 years of their aforementioned 1994 album "Cleansing".

PRONG's latest album, "State Of Emergency", came out in October 2023 via Steamhammer/SPV. The LP was helmed by producer Steve Evetts (SEPULTURA, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN) and included a cover of "Working Man", originally written and recorded by the legendary RUSH.

PRONG is:

Tommy Victor - Guitars, Vocals
Tyler Joseph - Drums

Photo credit: Rudy DeDonker

In a new interview with Jon Chang of YSOLIFE, a leading music media platform based in Taiwan, MEGADETH guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine was asked to name his favorite guitar player of all time. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "European guitar players, there's so many really fast-picking guys, but ever since Yngwie [Malmsteen] came out, everybody else is just a really fast-picking guy. Before Yngwie, when a really great guitar player came on the scene, you had [Michael] Schenker [UFO and SCORPIONS], or you had Angus [Young, AC/DC], or you had James [Hetfield, METALLICA] or myself, and we were really distinguished guitar players. You had the guys from [IRON] MAIDEN, but then there was this explosion, and there are so many guitar players now that are really good, especially because of the software that they can learn how to play with.

"When we started off, we didn't have all these apps," Dave explained. "We had to learn by lifting up the stylus on the record and scooting it back a couple grooves and dropping it and hoping it went in the same fucking spot so we could pick up our guitar and our pick at the right time and play along with the song again, until they started developing, cassette decks where you could slow stuff down or back it up real easy. But that was the way we learned stuff.

"So, I would have to say probably one of my favorite guitar players has a lot to do with the era that they came in," Mustaine added. "And I would say for guitar layering and sounds, it would be Jimmy Page [LED ZEPPELIN]. For excellent note selection, it would be David Gilmour [PINK FLOYD]. For being metal as fuck back when there were no metal guitar players, Ritchie Blackmore [DEEP PURPLE and RAINBOW]. I am not a fan of the keyboard, so I could have had them be a little bit lighter shade of purple and gotten rid of the keyboard player. But, yeah, he was great. And then, of course, like I said, AC/DC and Angus and UFO with Michael Schenker. That's my 'last supper' kind of thing I'd want, have those guys with me."

Back in 2018, Mustaine told Heavymetal.dk about his early guitar inspirations: "My inspirations were more along the guidelines of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and the British Invasion. There's a lot of great bands that are out right now [that] fans look to, a lot of young bands that are really great. For me, I always wanted to know, 'What were their influences?' Like with VAN HALEN — everybody thinks that David Lee Roth was such a great frontman, but what was his influence? It was Jim Dandy of BLACK OAK ARKANSAS. It's like David Lee Roth is a clone of him, except for his voice of course — the black leather pants, real low hip-huggers, big, giant belt buckle, no shirt, tan, muscles... the same thing. For me, when I look at my influences, I try and go back in time. Jimmy Page was a huge influence guitar-wise. Angus was a big guitar influence; so was his brother, Malcolm. Believe it or not, I was probably more influenced by Malcolm than I was by Angus. I liked Angus's solos a lot, but the rhythm of AC/DC was what did it for me, because there was a hook to it. A very simplistic hook. I think that's what's suffering with music nowadays — people are trying to be so fucking cerebral with their music, and a guy that played music with us at one point came up to me and goes, Hey, 'I've got a new riff,' and I was listening to it and it was awful. I said, 'What is it?' He said, 'Well, it's MEGADETH in Morse code. I was like [puts head in hands]...

"How do I go back one more than Eddie Van Halen? What influenced Edward Van Halen? Classical," Dave explained. "He was a classically trained guitar player growing up as a kid. I looked at some of the really great players — Vivaldi, Paganini, Chopin, Bach, Wagner, although not all of their movements or their pieces are stuff that I like. Vivaldi has 'The Four Seasons' — two of them, I like; the other two, they're a bit long for me, and while I can totally appreciate the songs, I've grown up in a kind of pop-radio mentality, so a four-minute song [is] paydirt. Where's the hook? When you have a song that's a little bit longer than four minutes for me, I tend to kind of lose the plot."

MEGADETH's latest, self-titled album was released in January. The follow-up to 2022's "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" was made available via Mustaine's Tradecraft imprint on Frontiers Label Group's new BLKIIBLK label.

MEGADETH's final studio album, "Megadeth", debuted at the top of the U.S. album chart after earning 73,000 equivalent album units in the United States in the week ending January 29, according to Luminate. The bulk of that sum was driven by pure album sales (purchases of physical and digital copies of the album),totaling 69,000.

MEGADETH also claimed the top spot in Australia (highest previous position No. 2) and Austria (highest previous position No. 8). Other top five spots included No. 2 in Finland (and No. 1 physical),Sweden (plus No. 1 physical; highest previous position No. 9),and Belgium (highest previous position: No. 6); No. 3 in both the U.K. and Germany (highest previous position No. 6); No. 4 in the Netherlands (highest previous position No. 7); and No. 5 in both Italy (highest previous position No. 15) and New Zealand (highest chart position ever).

"The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" sold 48,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marked MEGADETH's eighth top 10-charting album.

MEGADETH's previous top 10 entries on the Billboard 200 were "Countdown To Extinction" (No. 2, 1992),"Youthanasia" (No. 4, 1994),"Cryptic Writings" (No. 10, 1997),"United Abominations" (No. 8, 2007),"Endgame" (No. 9, 2009),"Super Collider" (No. 6, 2013) and "Dystopia" (No. 3, 2016).

For its final album, MEGADETH once again worked with Chris Rakestraw, a producer, mixer and engineer who previously worked on MEGADETH's last two LPs, the aforementioned "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" and "Dystopia".

Last August, MEGADETH announced its plans to retire with a farewell album and tour.

"There's so many musicians that have come to the end of their career, whether accidental or intentional," Mustaine explained in a social media post. "Most of them don't get to go out on their own terms on top, and that's where I'm at in my life right now."

Mustaine has since clarified that MEGADETH's farewell run of shows could last "for another three to five years".

MEGADETH was founded in 1983 after Mustaine was kicked out of METALLICA, a band he was a part of for less than a year.

MEGADETH released its debut album, "Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good!", in 1985.

Image credit: Thomas Metalum

Legendary English rock supergroup ASIA will release its new studio album, "Indigo", on November 6, 2026 via Frontiers Music Srl. The LP features ASIA's current lineup consisting of Geoff Downes (keyboards),Virgil Donati (drums),John Mitchell (guitar) and Harry Whitley (bass, vocals),

To mark the occasion, the band has shared the new single and official video, "The Traveller (Into The Light)", available below.

ASIA's Geoff Downes commented: "The first track off the album is a high-power-energy piece with a few elements of prog trickery but retaining the accessible-chorus block, which was always a signature of ASIA's music from the very beginning.

"Harry and I started working on this as one of the early ideas that seemed to come together very organically. Virgil's dynamic and innovative drums parts drive the piece along, while John's soaring guitars keep the momentum. Harry's vocals are commanding and my keyboard parts hold the wall of sound together. It's a song of great optimism, mainly about looking forward to the future and travelling 'into the light'. Play it loud!"

More than four decades after redefining the sound of melodic progressive rock, ASIA returns in 2026 with "Indigo" — a studio album that bridges past, present, and future with remarkable grace and authenticity.

Now featuring Downes alongside an inspired new lineup, ASIA steps confidently into a new era while honoring the legacy that made them one of the most iconic supergroups of all time.

Downes described the genesis of the album: "The initial writing period began in 2015, following the release of our previous album 'Gravitas' in 2014. John Wetton and I started putting our ideas together, aiming to get into the studio once more. It was with great sadness that John became seriously ill, during this time, and we had put on hold our plans, and sadly John passed away before we could continue and complete it. So, it was always in my mind that at some point it would be a shame not to finish off some of these songs and finally release them as part of an ASIA album.

"In 2023, when the tribute concert for John took place, I was so encouraged by the response to ASIA's music that I viewed this as the perfect opportunity to re-establish not only the band, but also to reunite with our long-time supportive label, Frontiers, paving the way for us to get back in the studio", he continued.

Downes also added: "So, ASIA was back in the room, so to speak, and we were very fortunate to have recruited Virgil Donati and John Mitchell, both of whom had worked extensively with John before, as well as our new vocalist and bassist, Harry Whitley. The tours followed to great success throughout 2024 and 2025, and finally we sat down towards the end of last year to record the album. Working with these fine musicians was a great privilege and the music just seemed to flow.

"The album was really a joy to make. I forged a close writing relationship with Harry, and I felt how great was to be working with someone who had very similar musical influences and taste once again, just as I did with John. I feel that this is one of our best albums to date. The songs are deep in musicality, with a powerful and original performance, dynamics and strong lyrical undertones — it's an album that hopefully our fans will widely appreciate, and support our cause to put ASIA back on the map. Enjoy the ride!", he concluded.

Recorded throughout 2025 and produced by Downes and the band, with mixing and mastering handled by John Mitchell, "Indigo" captures the unmistakable spirit of ASIA while injecting it with renewed vitality and purpose.

At the heart of the album lies an emotional connection to the band's history. "Indigo" includes some of the final compositions written by the late John Wetton — "Tattoo Indigo (Parts 2 & 3)" and "Chesapeake Bay" — imbuing the record with a profound sense of continuity and tribute. The presence of Wetton is further felt through the extraordinary vocal performance of Harry Whitley, whose tone and phrasing evoke a striking and deeply moving resemblance to the band's original voice.

Musically, "Indigo" stands as a natural continuation of ASIA's acclaimed 21st-century output, while subtly weaving in the sonic DNA of the band's classic early albums. From soaring melodies to richly layered arrangements, the album delivers the signature blend of accessibility and musicianship that defined hits like "Heat Of The Moment" and "Only Time Will Tell". The album also features special guest appearances that elevate its scope: Steve Howe contributes acoustic guitar to the evocative "Chesapeake Bay", while Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER) delivers a powerful performance on the bonus track "Tattoo Indigo (Part 3)".

Following a resurgence of live activity across the U.S., Japan, and Europe, ASIA is looking forward to taking to the road again.

"Indigo" track listing:

01. The Traveller (Into The Light)
02. Change Of Heart
03. Arcadia
04. Is This The Life?
05. Tattoo Indigo (Part 1)
06. Tattoo Indigo (Part 2)
07. Tattoo Indigo (Part 3)
08. Life In The Sun
09. Hymn For The Fallen
10. Night And Day
11. Valencia (The Ghost Ship)
12. An Elegy
13. Chesapeake Bay (featuring Steve Howe)
14. On A Winters Night
15. Echo Of You
16. Tattoo Indigo (Part 3) (featuring Mike Portnoy) (bonus track)

Photo credit: Scruffy Bear Media