In a new interview with France's Oüi FM, DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott spoke about the band's upcoming follow-up to the "Diamond Star Halos" album, which came out in 2022. DEF LEPPARD's new LP will include the song "Rejoice", which was released in late January ahead of the band's return to Las Vegas for their "Def Leppard: Live at Caesars Palace The Las Vegas Residency". Joe said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, the single is the lead-off track, if you like, from the new album. The song is called 'Rejoice'. We released it in time for the Vegas residency. We did a Vegas residency in February, and we wanted to play a new song, so it made sense to actually put it out. The album won't be out until early '27, 'cause we're still recording it. We were actually recording parts of it in Vegas on days off. We would go down into the basement of the casino and set it up as a studio, and we would record. So we're still actively recording now and mixing."

Joe continued: "We've got about 18 songs. So we've kind of got nearly two albums. We're not gonna put all 18 on the album. We're gonna pick and choose which 10 or 11 we think are the right ones. So, yeah, we've got some great songs — very varied. I will tell you this much, we've written the fastest song we've ever done. And we've also written the most ridiculously over-the-top, pretentious, massive, big, kind of bombastic song that we've ever written, too, and lots of stuff in between. So it's very varied. It's a very eclectic collection of tunes. A lot of people will be shocked, I think, because of the direction that we're going in, 'cause it's not one direction. It's 10 different directions. And we love being able to do that. So, yeah, we're working on it actively. We're touring this summer, and we'll be working on the album up to going on tour and then when we come off. So we need to get it finished by the end of the summer for an early release next year."

This past May, Elliott told Marjorie Hache of France 24 about the lyrical inspiration for "Rejoice": "Well, the title kind of sums it up, really. I wanted to write a really uplifting, positive-message song, and I said to Phil [Collen, DEF LEPPARD guitarist], 'I got this great idea. I need it to be mid-tempo. I want it to have a big intro drum loop so we can actually walk on stage to this and expand it and make it longer live.' But the whole idea of the song is, it starts off — I mean, it's a great opening line, is, 'I'm bored of boredom. I'm sick of all this.' And, 'I wanna be in a better place.' So it gets to the climax, you go through the bridge, and you get to the chorus, it's, 'I wanna go higher.' So it's just very uplifting. It's a joyous, uplifting song."

Joe continued: "That's what we are — we're an escapism band. We're not here to preach. We're not here to tell you who to vote for. Other people can do that. We like to take you away from that and just come and have a good time. It's not meaningless — there is a message there, and the message is, we need to share this moment together and make it a positive one. And 'Rejoice' just about sums that all up."

"Def Leppard: Live at Caesars Palace The Las Vegas Residency" ran through February 28, 2026 at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. These new shows followed the band's sold-out residency successes in 2019 and 2013.

In January 2025, DEF LEPPARD released a cover of Ben E. King's 1961 classic "Stand By Me". All proceeds from the song went to FireAid, which raises money for those impacted by the fires that swept through Los Angeles in January 2025.

DEF LEPPARD's version of the song is featured in the Netflix film "Bank Of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger", which was released in January 2025. The band can be seen performing the track before the credits.

DEF LEPPARD's "Just Like 73" single, featuring a guest guitar solo from RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello, was made available in June 2024.

DEF LEPPARD's 12th studio album, "Diamond Star Halos", came out in 2022. A year later, the band followed it up with "Drastic Symphonies", a collection of reimagining of some of DEF LEPPARD's greatest hits with London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road. The album spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Current Classical chart.

DEF LEPPARD was finally inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in March 2019 — 14 years after the British rockers first became eligible.

In an interview with Tomi Perrakoski of Metal Madness Studios, SOILWORK vocalist Björn "Speed" Strid was asked what still motivates him to create new music. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's always that feeling. Sometimes it might not be come to you directly and say, 'Okay.' It's, like, 'Oh, it's so exciting to make a new album.' Sometimes you just have to sort of force yourself to get the motors running a bit, but once you get there, it's, like, 'Oh, there it is.' It's like an old friend. You pick it up where you left. You might have not talked to them for, like, 10, 15 years — which is not the case with SOILWORK; I mean, we write music quite frequently, but still… Yeah, it's a familiar feeling, but you also wanna challenge yourself every time. You don't wanna recreate things. Like, 'Oh, this sounds like 'Natural Born Chaos'. Okay, fine, let's throw it out there.' We never just dial things in like that. It needs to have some substance, and nowadays maybe sometimes you need to force it a bit to get the motor running. But once you do that, you will get in there and you will explore new things. And as long as I explore new things, about my voice, about my melodies or things that I write, as long as it's there, I'm gonna go for it. And if the day comes and it's not there, then that's it."

Asked how he balances fans' expectations with his desire to make music, Strid said: "That's always an interesting balance, but you need to start with yourself. It needs to start with things that you sort of... I'm a very sort of visual guy. When I write something, I like the pictures in my head that I see when I write something and it makes me happy or makes me feel connected. That's where it needs to start. And then, of course, there are times when it's, like, 'Oh, this is gonna work out really good live,' when you can see people getting into it. You can see their smiles. I mean, the connection with the crowd is a huge thing. It doesn't mean that you're selling out or it doesn't mean that you're doing it for them. But, obviously, that's one of the biggest things. It's the connection. I mean, without that, what's the bloody point?"

This past January, Strid spoke to Metal Anthology about the progress of the songwriting sessions for SOILWORK's follow-up to "Övergivenheten" album, which came out in 2022. Regarding how the writing process has changed since the passing of SOILWORK guitarist David Andersson in September 2022, Strid said: "Yeah, [David] was very much of a driving force. So I think it's a bit more of a group effort now, like a collective thing. And it feels like we're entering a bit of a new era. And I think next album will be slightly different from 'Övergivenheten', but it will have some of those elements — the atmosphere, but maybe more mixed with the sort of old, heavier stuff from the 2000s. But, yeah, it's very much of a group effort and, obviously, [longtime touring guitarist] Simon [Johansson] joining the fold as well has brought some fresh blood, both on a personal level and songwriting-wise and everything. So we're looking forward to create this new album together."

Simon added: "Yeah, it's interesting. We're learning to write together in a way, because we haven't really done it. And [bassist] Rasmus [Ehrnborn] is also new, kind of, so it's kind of like a new constellation having to create music. But it's working well. I mean, [SOILWORK's latest single], 'Spirit [Of No Return]' [which came out in October 2024] turned out well. And we have a lot of really promising songs for the new album. We have a lot written already — more than one album."

Asked if the upcoming SOILWORK release will be a double album, Simon said: "No, that won't happen. We're gonna do a moderate, normal-length album. But it's gonna be a cool one. But it's always nice to have extra songs, for whatever purpose, to choose from, to start with. And then, of course, you can maybe release some singles [ahead of the full-length]."

On the topic of whether the new SOILWORK material will be" a little bit a throwback to the faster" nature of some of the band's earlier efforts, Björn clarified: "No. More like heavier — the heaviness, I would say, that we had on maybe [2001's] 'A Predator's Portrait' and [2002's] 'Natural Born Chaos', maybe a little bit of [2005's] 'Stabbing [The Drama]' too, but I kind of wanted to bring back the heaviness a bit and sort of mix it up with a more recent atmosphere, the epicness. So, that's sort of what I'm picturing, personally. I don't know if [the other] guys picture the same thing, but we have been discussing it a little bit, so it seems like we're on the same page."

Simon chimed in: "And then you never know what happens during an album process. It could take some turn or whatever, but that's also the beauty of it. Because, for me, many times it's been, like, the least favorite song, [when you] start recording an album, it's, like, 'Oh, that one isn't that good.' And then you start to add things and all of a sudden that is the best song. It's super interesting. It's so fun to be in that process."

As for which producer SOILWORK will work with this time around, Björn said: "We've had some producers, but this one we're gonna gonna be pretty much self-produced. We'll record at Simon's studio. So all of us are kind of [involved]; it's like a group effort."

Simon explained: "We also have this engineer, mixing guy that is working with us and has been working with us for a couple of albums. He also has ideas. He contributes whatever good things he can come up with. So we kind do it together, that part, I think."

In November 2024, Björn was asked by Germany's Moshpit Passion if "Spirit Of No Return" was indicative of the musical direction of SOILWORK's next studio album. Strid said: "Well, hard to say. I mean, we decided to just approach things quite slowly this time around because we've been through a lot, as I'm sure you know. Simon joined the fold now and he's a great guy and a fantastic guitar player. He's been playing with us live for a pretty long time, but he contributed with this new song and it has a little bit of a thrashier side to it and kind of like more SOILWORK rootsy kind of feel, but also still blended with the more current elements that we're known for. So it's really hard to say exactly where we're gonna go, but I would say that the sound is gonna be slightly more metallic, whatever that means, but I also feel that we discovered so many amazing things through when we did [the 2020 EP] 'A Whisp Of The Atlantic', with 'Verkligheten' [2019] and with 'Övergivenheten' [2022], and those elements we wanna take with us. But I think there's also maybe old things that we want to revisit and bring back again. And I think this new one, it has more sort of like a metallic vibe over it, but we keep on evolving, and I never wanna fall into some kind of cliché or trying to rehash things. So I'm as curious as you are where we're gonna go. But I think this song is maybe giving you a little bit of a hint where we're going. But we always try to experiment as well."

"Spirit Of No Return" showcased SOILWORK's signature blend of frenzied intensity, soaring melodies, epic arrangements, and a touch of progressive complexity — traits that have cemented their reputation over the last decades. Johansson's contribution to the songwriting channels the band's essence while bringing fresh energy to their unmistakable sound.

Strid previously stated about the song: "'Spirit Of No Return' is a fierce reminder of the past, but also an introduction of the new SOILWORK era, where we've taken the thrashier early days and dressed it in a new heavier suit. Lyrics are dealing with the urge of belonging and fitting in — and how it in the end can be disastrous as you abandon your true self."

SOILWORK's high-class creative consistency, which they have been delivering solidly throughout their career, is the virtue that probably best defines them. Founded at the end of 1995, SOILWORK released their debut album "Steelbath Suicide" in 1998, garnering a great early response. By 2001 SOILWORK had joined Nuclear Blast, and by 2003 they already had five records under their belt.

SOCIAL DISTORTION has released the official video for "Tonight", a smoking rock ballad from the veteran outfit's "best album in years" (Rolling Stone),"Born To Kill".

Shot on location in Tulsa, Oklahoma, "Tonight" was directed by John Swab, whose credits include cult classic "Candy Land" as well as the upcoming Netflix feature "Fast & Loose" starring Will Smith. The video sees the "rollicking cowpunk" (Brooklyn Vegan) of the "Born To Kill" standout track scoring a love story starring Johnny Angel Rios-Ness, son of SOCIAL DISTORTION founder Mike Ness. The two generations deliver star turns, weaving Ness's riveting performance with a narrative inspired by the song's tribute to his wife of more than three decades, Christine.

SOCIAL DISTORTION released its long-awaited eighth album, "Born To Kill", on May 8 via Epitaph Records. The new record wastes no time letting the listener know where its heart is: its hard-charging title track — named as one of Rolling Stone's "Best Songs Of 2026 So Far" — paying respects to Lou Reed ("Rock 'n' Roll Animal gonna come your way!") and Iggy and THE STOOGES ("The agenda is yeah to Search and Destroy") and lionizing David Bowie ("It's a Rock 'n' Roll Suicide") on "Partners In Crime". This is a man, a band, and a record that wear their influences proudly while creating timeless anthems and ballads that chart SOCIAL DISTORTION's path forward while celebrating its storied past.

Co-produced by Ness and Dave Sardy, and featuring guest appearances from Benmont Tench of TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS and Lucinda Williams, and collaborative cover art by Ness and Shepard Fairey, "Born To Kill" is the latest installment in a remarkable catalog that spans nearly three generations, including "Mommy's Little Monster" (1983),"Prison Bound" (1988),the RIAA-gold-certified "Social Distortion" (1990) and "Somewhere Between Heaven And Hell" (1992),"White Light, White Heat, White Trash" (1996),"Sex, Love And Rock 'N' Roll" (2004) and "Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes" (2011).

In a recent interview with Paul Cashmere of Noise11, Ness was asked why now was the right time for SOCIAL DISTORTION to release a new album. Mike said: "Well, I wish I had a good answer for you. Fifteen years ago we were touring heavily. A lot of real-life stuff started to happen. My older son got into some trouble with drugs and alcohol. I still had to tour and deal with that. I don't know, honestly, though. I mean, I could name all these things that have happened — COVID and cancer and family stuff — but I don't feel I could have made this record fifteen years ago. I wasn't in a headspace [to make an album]. So, it is what it is. All I knew is when it came time to make this record, I knew I couldn't deliver a sleeper."

Asked how old some of the songs on this album are, Ness said: "I can tell you there's two [songs] that are left over from the [1996] 'White Light, [White Heat, White Trash]' demos — 'No Way Out' and 'Don't Keep Me Hanging On' were both songs that I couldn't finish in time to record [for] the 'White Light' album. And like many ideas, they just get kind of shoved in a corner, and they didn't make the record. It wasn't because they weren't good enough; it's just we didn't have the time to finish them all. And the same thing when it came time to pick these eleven songs. I had over 40 songs to go through and 40 ideas, and we had to spend a couple of months just kind of arranging 'em and playing them and seeing which ones kind of [worked best]. And it was a very tough decision, because you're, like… I guess we can just look at it, like, 'This will go on the next record for sure.' So you just to make a decision."

Regarding "how finished off" the remaining thirty songs are that weren't included on "Born To Kill" and whether they are "in shape to be released", Mike said: "Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I mean, look, we plan to shock everybody and put out another studio album in a timely manner. [Laughs]"

Asked if he thinks SOCIAL DISTORTION delivered on his desire to make the record of his career, Mike said: "I think so. I was kind of using 'White Light' as a kind of compass of some sort. But that was in the '90s, and I was working with a producer that… I just don't personally — I don't like how he made me sing the songs. He made me sing them really at '15', where it's almost like it wasn't really singing anymore. I thought they were beautiful songs, and if I would've been more aware, like I am now, I would've sang them… Because for me, I've noticed that when I sing a song of mine, or someone else's, the attitude comes out when it's supposed to. It doesn't have to just be slamming the whole time. I feel like you lose something. That's my own critique on myself. But I do think that this is a better record than 'White Light', yes."

SOCIAL DISTORTION will promote "Born To Kill" with an extensive North American tour. The trek runs through October 3 in San Diego. THE DESCENDENTS and THE CHATS support from August 25 through October 3.

In a new interview with Erin Greatrix of This Day In Metal, former MÖTLEY CRÜE frontman John Corabi, who joined the band in 1992 as the replacement for original singer Vince Neil, once again reflected on his time with the group. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I love the opportunity that MÖTLEY CRÜE gave me, and if I could just be blatantly honest, I know — nobody knows better than I do — that had I not been in MÖTLEY CRÜE, I'm not saying I wouldn't have had a career, but it definitely helped me get to this point. THE DEAD DAISIES wouldn't even have called me if I didn't have that name tag, 'John Corabi of MÖTLEY CRÜE'. So, I'm grateful for the opportunity. I love that record [I made with MÖTLEY CRÜE]. But I'm also not a person that gets into the car. Do you know what I mean? I'm a firm believer of looking through the windshield — glance in the rearview mirror, just glance, make sure it's all good behind you, but look through the windshield and move forward."

Asked if there is something that he would want to tell himself, if he could go back in time to before he joined MÖTLEY CRÜE, John said: "Well, yes. I probably would not have put… I don't know if I would've left [John's pre-MÖTLEY CRÜE band] THE SCREAM. If I could go back and tell myself, 'Hey, hold on a minute. Let's think about this for a second. You're gonna leave this band that's on kind of an upward trajectory for another band that, at the end of the day, is only gonna keep you for four years.'"

He continued: "There's a word that bugs me in my descriptions, and I don't wanna say it bugs me, but to a degree it does, and that's the word 'journeyman'. And it's only because none of this was planned. None of it was me going, 'Fuck you, guys. I'm out. I'm leaving. I'm gonna go do something.' It was just the way the cards were dealt to me. Who knew I was gonna get a call to join MÖTLEY? Who knew MÖTLEY was gonna bring Vince back? Who knew UNION [John's post-MÖTLEY CRÜE band with former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick, Brent Fitz and Jamie Hunting] wasn't gonna get any attention from anybody that mattered? So it's just been this ongoing thing, but I would love nothing more than to be sitting here talking to you about the 15th SCREAM album."

Corabi added: "But if I was to go back, I might tell myself not to leave THE SCREAM, but I would definitely tell myself, if I was getting in MÖTLEY, 'Don't become so emotionally attached to anything.' 'Cause the hardest part, to me, out of that MÖTLEY thing was I felt like I was losing three friends. And I still, on occasion, talk to Tommy [Lee, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer], I still, on occasion, talk to Mick [Mars, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist]. Nikki [Sixx, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist] and I have no dialogue at all. And it, to some degree, kind of bums me out a little bit. But I think that's the only thing I would tell myself. Read the fine print. Don't get so emotionally attached to everything. And just you know what? If you're gonna be here, do your job, make the best of it, and move on."

With Corabi on vocals, MÖTLEY CRÜE released one critically acclaimed full-length CD, which ended up being a commercial failure in the wake of grunge despite a Top 10 placing on the album chart. When Neil returned to the fold in 1997, Corabi was left on his own and formed UNION with Kulick.

In a 2016 interview with Sweden Rock Magazine, Sixx said that writing the "Mötley Crüe" LP with Corabi was a prolonged and difficult experience. He went to call it "a very unfocused record" that was "painful for me, because John Corabi can't write lyrics, and I had to do all that work."

Nikki added: "It was the first time I ever had to work with somebody that wanted to participate in the lyrics. And my standard is so high that it was so hard, it took months. Usually, I write a set of lyrics in an hour.

"It's all about having pent-up information and aggression and just [letting it out]. It was just hard, because [John] was a nice enough guy, but he just didn't have that fire, and it was hard for me."

In the Sweden Rock interview, Nikki also offered his theory as to why Mars and Lee have both publicly expressed their fondness for the Corabi-fronted album. He said: "I think Mick and Tommy love that record, 'cause it's [got] great drums, great guitars. And, yeah, I think there was a freedom in having a different singer, you know. But it was just hard for me to have to go slow. I'm just not a good 'slow' guy in the studio. I've been in sessions with other artists where [someone is working slowly] and I've just gotta bail; I've just gotta go. It's, like, you can create on the spot or you can't create. That's it with me. I just don't have patience for that."

In February 2018, Corabi released a live album of his performance of MÖTLEY CRÜE's entire 1994 self-titled album, recorded on October 27, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee. "Live '94: One Night In Nashville" documents the album in its entirety along with the bonus track "10,000 Miles", which was originally released as a bonus track on the Japanese version of the "Quaternary" EP.

Corabi released his new full-length solo album, "New Day", on April 24, 2026 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Corabi's autobiography, "Horseshoes And Hand Grenades", came out in June 2022 via Rare Bird Books. It was written with the help of MÖTLEY CRÜE historian/author Paul Miles.

BLACK SABBATH and Rufus Publications have announced the publication of the first-ever official BLACK SABBATH book. Due to ship in October 2026, "The Masters Of Reality - Why Black Sabbath Matter" has been created by photographer Ross Halfin, working directly with the band, and it documents SABBATH's extensive history from the late 1960s to the final show, "Back To The Beginning", which was held in July 2025.

Tracing BLACK SABBATH's development from the late 1960s with a huge wealth of rare photographs and memorabilia, many published for the first time and curated for this huge, 500-page volume, the book covers the classic lineup of SABBATH — singer Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — and features essays from writers Geoff Barton and Dave Ling who interviewed all four bandmembers especially for the book.

"The Masters Of Reality - Why Black Sabbath Matter" started production two years ago and was due to be announced shortly after the final show in 2025 but, as Ross explains, events took an unexpected turn.

Halfin says: "Ozzy and Sharon wanted the book out soon after the final show in Birmingham but Ozzy suddenly passing away caused the music world to stop. Ozzy was fully involved with the book and he signed the book plates months before the final show, as did all the bandmembers. So now we all thought the time was right, one year after 'Back To The Beginning', to announce the project. A book we all feel celebrates both BLACK SABBATH and Ozzy and illustrates just how important they are. I hope fans enjoy it."

The book will be available in three editions:

* The Super Deluxe Signed Metal Edition — only 200 numbered copies.

Measuring an incredible 303mm wide by 426mm tall and running to over 500 pages, printed on silk art paper. This edition is bound in a hand-tooled brushed metal cover with a recycled leather spine with purple-and-white foil embossing. The book comes in a recycled leather clamshell box plus two exclusive limited-edition giclée prints inside. Only 200 numbered copies of this edition are available and each one features a unique book plate, hand-signed by Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward. This edition sells for £950 plus worldwide shipping.

* The Super Deluxe Signed Edition - only 300 numbered copies.

Measuring an incredible 303mm wide by 426mm tall and running to over 500 pages, printed on silk art paper. This edition is bound in black, recycled leather with purple-and-white foil debossing plus an inlaid print of the band from 1970. The book comes in a recycled leather clamshell box with a white foiled "Henry" the flying devil on the front plus a limited-edition giclée print inside. Only 300 numbered copies of this edition are available and each one features a unique book plate, hand-signed by Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward. This edition sells for £650 plus worldwide shipping.

* The Standard Edition

Measures 246mm x 346mm and features a printed, foiled cover and comes in a cloth slipcase with a white foiled "Henry" on the front. This edition sells for £99 plus worldwide shipping.

The book can be pre-ordered at this location.

The who's who of rock appeared for free at the "Back To The Beginning" concert a year ago to honor Ozzy and BLACK SABBATH at Villa Park. They included METALLICA, GUNS N' ROSES, SLAYER, TOOL, PANTERA, GOJIRA, ALICE IN CHAINS, ANTHRAX, LAMB OF GOD, HALESTORM, MASTODON and RIVAL SONS. They were joined by a host of all-star supergroups featuring legendary musicians including Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE),Yungblud, Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE),Steven Tyler (AEROSMITH),Ronnie Wood (THE ROLLING STONES),Billy Corgan (THE SMASHING PUMPKINS),Travis Barker (BLINK-182),Tobias Forge (GHOST),Sammy Hagar (VAN HALEN),plus many more outstanding artists.

The sold-out concert became one of the most incredible rock concerts of all time. It was a homecoming, a celebration, a farewell to the greatest rock frontman of all time and BLACK SABBATH who defined rock and heavy metal for more than half a century and continues to inspire fans and musicians worldwide. Together, the rock stars that took part paid tribute to the enduring influence of Ozzy Osbourne and BLACK SABBATH through performances of their own music, alongside classic Ozzy and SABBATH songs.

Ozzy's death certificate revealed that he died on July 22, 2025 of a heart attack. The certificate filed in London also said Osbourne suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease.

A private funeral service for Ozzy was held on July 31, 2025 on the 250-acre grounds of the house the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer and his wife bought in 1993 in Buckinghamshire, England. Only 110 of the singer's friends and family members attended the service, including his SABBATH bandmates, Robert Trujillo (METALLICA),Rob Zombie, Zakk Wylde, Marilyn Manson and Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT).

The day before the private funeral, thousands of fans gathered in the streets of Birmingham to pay tribute to Ozzy. Sharon, along with their children Aimée, Kelly and Jack, joined mourners for the emotional tribute.

At "Back To The Beginning", Ozzy played a five-song set with his solo band — consisting of guitarist Zakk Wylde, bassist Mike Inez, keyboardist Adam Wakeman and drummer Tommy Clufetos — before being joined by Iommi, Butler and Ward for four classic SABBATH songs: "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "N.I.B." and "Paranoid".

Ozzy's solo set consisted of four songs from Osbourne's 1980 solo debut album "Blizzard Of Ozz" — "I Don't Know", "Mr. Crowley", "Suicide Solution" and "Crazy Train" — along with his 1991 "No More Tears" ballad "Mama, I'm Coming Home".

The 76-year-old heavy metal singer sang while seated on a black throne and appeared overcome with emotion at times. "You have no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart," he told the crowd.

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)