Frontiers Music Srl is proud to announce the signing of acclaimed singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Jared James Nichols. Known for his high-voltage blend of soulful vocals, raw energy, and searing guitar work, v has carved out a reputation as one of the most exciting new voices in rock.

Nichols is currently on tour across the US supporting the legendary Michael Schenker Group – and with a run of EU and UK dates approaching fast in November and December. He joins the Frontiers roster, ready to deliver his “Blues Power” to fans worldwide and with his fourth album now in the works.

Jared James Nichols comments: “I am absolutely thrilled to announce my signing to Frontiers. I am ready to break through to the next level with new music and this epic partnership. They have built a crew of seasoned and forward-thinking industry pros that understand rock n’ roll. The sky is the limit with the stellar, passionate, and badass team at Frontiers. TURN IT UP, BLUES POWER!”

Mario de Riso, A&R and Business Affairs VP at Frontiers, added: “I’m delighted to have worked on bringing Jared James Nichols into the label. His vision and talent make this collaboration a perfect fit, and I look forward to what’s ahead.”

Armed with nothing more than his signature Gibson Les Paul, a cranked amp, and a microphone burning hot, Jared James Nichols lives the Blues the way it was meant to be lived – tough by design, raw in delivery, and authentic to the core. The Wisconsin-born, Nashville-based singer, songwriter, and guitarist unleashes unapologetic rock ’n’ roll, his voice hitting with grit and soul while his fretwork roars with fire and fury.

Celebrated by American Songwriter, Guitar World, and Relix, Nichols has already tallied millions of streams and built a devoted following online. Gibson Guitars recognized his impact by naming him one of only four Global Brand Ambassadors worldwide – a rare honor that cements his standing as one of today’s most vital guitar slingers.

Now preparing his fourth – and most defining – album, Nichols calls this era “JJN Mach II.” Written and inspired by his post-pandemic touring experiences and new home base in Nashville, the record showcases his growth as a singer and songwriter, while taking his guitar playing to explosive new heights.

Nichols’ journey has not been without hardship: cancelled tours, collapsed labels, breakdowns on the road, even a freak accident that left him with 20 screws in his arm. Yet every challenge has only fueled his drive and deepened the legend of his self-proclaimed “Blues Power.”

With Frontiers Music Srl now by his side, Jared James Nichols is ready to bring his uncompromising rock ’n’ roll to the world. The time has come for his name to be known in every household where true rock is alive.

Find Nichols’ tour itinerary and ticket links here.

In a new interview with Finland's Chaoszine, FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares was asked to name the first band he ever became a fan of. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "AC/DC. [AC/DC guitarist] Angus Young is the reason why I wanted to play guitar. The minute I saw him, I was nine years old, I saw him on TV. It was about 1976, '77, around there, and I saw him and I just instantly knew that's what I wanted to do."

Regarding whether there are other bands he was a fan of when he first started playing guitar, Dino said: "Well, it wasn't necessarily being a fan of the bands. Once I saw Angus Young play, I became a fan of the guitar. So anybody who played guitar, like [VAN HALEN's] Eddie Van Halen, [METALLICA's] James Hetfield, of course [PANTERA's] Dimebag Darrell, and Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King of SLAYER. I became a fan of guitar and I learned a lot of things from those type of guys. Like for instance. James Hetfield did a lot of down picking, so I learned my down picking from him. Then you've got Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King doing like the staccato picking. And, of course, you've got IRON MAIDEN to do the gallop. So I learned picking from all those different guitar players. And so, yeah, I was a fan of the music, but I was also a fan of the style of playing and guitar, the sound, the tone, all that stuff."

Asked if he still takes influence from other musicians or if he is "doing all just" him at this point, Dino responded: "I'm definitely doing just me, because — but in theory, you never stop learning, because you're always gonna learn. But it doesn't necessarily have to be from guitar. It could just be from music in general or just life in general. Life's inspirations sometimes can trigger something for you to write in a certain style or a certain way. And I take all those life experiences like that and I apply it to my music. And that's been from the beginning. Even if you're going through something sad or a heartbreak, you're doing dark chords. Or for some bands, you're summoning the dark Lord and you're gonna be playing that death note. But for me it's, like, all those types of different things I learned from. And I apply it to my music."

Asked what inspires him right now, Dino said:  "What inspires me right now is, well, we have a new vocalist. His name's Milo Silvestro, and he sings amazing. He's an amazing vocalist. He's multi-talented. And right now he kind of inspires me because he brought… We've been writing a new record, so he brought a little bit of a new character. And I was, like, 'Wow, okay, let's go with that.' 'Let's try that.' 'Let's go with this.' And he's brought that kind of inspiration into the band that really helped take it to somewhere new, but without being too far new to where people are not gonna recognize who we are."

He added: "Sometimes, you could play with other musicians and they inspire you. Maybe you're a fan of their bands, but when you get 'em in a room together and you start collaborating together, sometimes that can really spark an idea and that could spark a different flavor that maybe you wanna apply to your music. But I love it all."

Silvestro replaced FEAR FACTORY's original singer Burton C. Bell more than two years ago.

FEAR FACTORY recently completed a European tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of the band's classic second album, "Demanufacture".

FEAR FACTORY's current lineup features Cazares, Silvestro, drummer Pete Webber and bassist Tony Campos.

Ricky Bonazza (BUTCHER BABIES) played bass for FEAR FACTORY on the road in Europe while Campos was busy touring with STATIC-X.

Silvestro's addition to FEAR FACTORY was officially announced in February 2023.

FEAR FACTORY played its first headlining concert with Silvestro and Webber on May 5, 2023 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

In a new interview with Chile's PowerOfMetal.cl, DARK TRANQUILLITY and THE HALO EFECT frontman Mikael Stanne spoke about the recent passing of AT THE GATES vocalist Tomas "Tompa" Lindberg. Asked what Lindberg meant to the metal scene in Gothenburg, Sweden, Stanne said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "More than you could explain, actually. I met him when I was 14. I went with a friend to their rehearsal room in the basement of Kristian Wåhlin, [also known as] Necrolord, who's the cover painter for [DARK TRANQUILLITY's] 'The Gallery' [album], for instance. And they were rehearsing with GROTESQUE that later became [AT THE GATES], or before [they formed] AT THE GATES. And it blew me away. I saw a band that played music live in a basement. And I'd never seen that before. And it was crazy, insane black metal stuff. And I was so inspired by it and kind of awestruck by it. And so we started hanging out, and Tomas showed me tons of music that he had found through his fanzine and through his kind of tape-trading and record collecting. And yeah, we became instant friends, and [we'd been friends] since then."

Mikael continued: "More than anything, I think Tompa really inspired the scene, because he was kind of that central figure for everything that kind of went on in Gothenburg at the time. He was so passionate about it, and he was so into it, and he knew every band, and he knew about everything that was going on in the scene. So, if you needed anything, if you had any questions or you wanted to know something, or you wanted to kind of be inspired, you just go to him. And he was always there. So without him, there would be no Gothenburg death metal scene; that's just a fact. [With] his kind of integrity, he took this music very incredibly serious. And when I kind of discovered extreme metal through bands like KREATOR and CANNIBAL CORPSE, whatever it was, I was kind of, like, 'I don't know what this is. I love it, but I don't know if it's serious or not.' But he showed me that, 'No. Come on. This is serious.' There are some bands that take this very seriously, and there are lyrics that matter. It's not just horror movie stuff. And so when I started writing, I wanted it to matter and be serious and with serious issues or problems or what have you. And it's because of how he showed me what music could and should be. So, yeah, without him there would be no [Gothenburg] death metal scene. So we're eternally grateful. And I miss him like crazy."

Referencing the fact that Tomas died after being diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC),a rare, slow-growing but aggressive cancer that typically develops in the salivary glands, particularly the minor salivary glands of the head and neck, Mikael said: "It's been a horrible two years knowing that he was struggling and kind of battling this disease. And everybody thought, of course, 'Yeah, it's gonna be fine. [He's] gonna power through [it].' But a couple months ago we realized that it's worse than we thought. And now this happened. And, yeah, it's devastating."

Lindberg received the diagnosis in December 2023, which led to a major surgery that removed a large portion of the roof of his mouth. He had also undergone radiation treatment and had been on a path to recovery, but then doctors found traces of the cancer in early 2025. In May 2025, an undisclosed "setback" placed Tomas in long-term care.

AT THE GATES released its definitive album, "Slaughter Of The Soul" — often regarded as one of the all-time greatest metal albums — on Earache in 1995, before touring the world and abruptly disbanding. Members of the band went on to play major roles in other notorious metal acts such as THE HAUNTED and CRADLE OF FILTH, before reforming in 2008, with Lindberg juggling his day job as a teacher with being a death metal frontman.

AT THE GATES' latest studio album, "The Nightmare Of Being", came out in 2021.

Lindberg revealed in a statement earlier this year that AT THE GATES recorded a new album before he underwent mouth surgery.

"The last version of the vocals, the ones that will end up on the album, were recorded in ONE day, mostly one takes, the DAY before the surgery, just to make sure we HAD the album, so to speak," the statement said. "So the vocals were actually recorded BEFORE the rest of the album.... a bit different, but it felt good to have it done."

Following a widely celebrated full-scale comeback last year, CREED is in the midst of a major resurgence: selling out over 130 shows and three headline cruises in just two years, and watching their biggest hits return to the charts. Now, as the band looks ahead, they are also taking a moment to reflect on their legacy with "The Best Of Creed", their first comprehensive collection spanning all four of their albums. The set features chart-topping hits like "Higher", "With Arms Wide Open", "One Last Breath" and "My Sacrifice", alongside stadium staples like "My Own Prison", "What If" and "What's This Life For". The album is out now digitally, with vinyl and CD editions arriving November 21 via Craft Recordings, available to pre-order today.

"The Best Of Creed" will also be available on a series of limited-edition color vinyl pressings, including Eruption (Creed.com),Silver Marble (Walmart),Red Smoke (Barnes & Noble),and Sunspot (Craft Recordings). In addition, Walmart will carry an exclusive CD edition, packaged with a commemorative satin tour pass.

Having sold more than 53 million albums worldwide, CREED stands as one of modern rock's most successful acts. Founded in 1994 by the songwriting duo of Scott Stapp (vocals) and Mark Tremonti (guitar),alongside bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips, the Tallahassee band quickly rose to international stardom with soaring hooks, driving guitar riffs, and reflective lyricism.

"The Best Of Creed" charts the band's path through their singles spanning their four studio albums, beginning with their 1997 debut, "My Own Prison". Certified six times platinum, the album introduced CREED with Top Ten Mainstream Rock hits like "What's This Life For", "Torn" and the title track. With more than 15 million copies sold worldwide, "My Own Prison" stands among the most successful debuts to date.

The story continues with 1999's "Human Clay". One of the bestselling albums of all-time in the U.S., the diamond-certified LP catapulted CREED to global superstardom with the Grammy-winning "With Arms Wide Open" (the band's first No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100) and smash hit "Higher", which dominated the U.S. pop chart for an astonishing 57 weeks, peaking at No.7. Having sold over 20 million copies worldwide, the album also includes the fan favorite "What If", memorably featured in the "Scream 3" soundtrack (its music video including cameos from the cast).

2001's "Weathered" pushed the band forward with some of their most personal lyrics and heaviest material, including the Grammy-nominated "My Sacrifice" and the enduring "One Last Breath" — both Top 10 hits on the Hot 100. Other highlights include "Hide" and the blues-laced title track. The album debuted at No.1, where it stayed for eight consecutive weeks, and has since been certified six times platinum.

After a five-year hiatus, the band returned with 2009's "Full Circle". Led by the single "Overcome", CREED's fourth album was one of their most dynamic — blending heavier material (including "A Thousand Faces") with more melodic selections like "Rain". Welcomed by fans, the long-awaited title debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Alternative, Rock and Hard Rock Album charts.

Now, more than three decades after their formation, CREED is enjoying one of the strongest runs of their career. Returning to the stage after a 12-year hiatus in 2024, the band headlined the inaugural "Summer Of '99" cruise and the "Summer Of '99" tour — extended through 2025 due to overwhelming demand. This year, CREED also played an anticipated set at the Stagecoach festival and co-headlined the two-day "Summer Of '99 & Beyond" festival. Looking ahead, the band will lead the third annual "Summer Of '99 And Beyond" cruise in 2026, while fans can catch CREED later this year at Creedmas 2025 — a special five-show run, kicking off December 19 and December 20 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

"The Best Of Creed" track listing (Vinyl)

Side A:

01. Higher (Radio Edit)
02. One Last Breath
03. My Own Prison (Radio Edit)
04. Overcome
05. What If (Radio Edit)

Side B:

01. My Sacrifice
02. With Arms Wide Open (Single Version)
03. Torn (Radio Edit)
04. Rain
05. What's This Life For

"The Best Of Creed" track listing (CD/Digital)

01. Higher (Radio Edit)
02. One Last Breath
03. My Own Prison (Radio Edit)
04. Overcome
05. What If (Radio Edit)
06. My Sacrifice
07. With Arms Wide Open (Single Version)
08. Torn (Radio Edit)
09. Rain
10. What's This Life For
11. Hide *
12. A Thousand Faces *

* On CD/digital configurations only

A Perfect Circle’s Mer de Noms, the landmark debut album from the Maynard James Keenan and Billy Howerdel founded band, is celebrated with two special limited-edition releases: a mesmerizing 2LP zoetrope vinyl edition and an audiophile One-Step pressing as part of the Definitive Sound Series (DSS). Both releases commemorate the album’s 25th anniversary by showcasing its striking visuals and its groundbreaking sound in never-before-heard clarity.

Upon its release in May 2000, Mer de Noms made history as the highest-charting debut album from a rock band ever, entering the Billboard Top 200 at #4. The album quickly established A Perfect Circle as one of the most compelling new bands of the era, propelled by the enduring classics including “Judith,” “3 Libras,” and “Rose.”



The new 2LP zoetrope edition brings the record to life with four distinct animations – one on each side of the vinyl. The visuals include the album’s distinctive glyphs, images from the band’s original photo session featuring the line-up of Keenan, Howerdel, Josh Freese, Paz Lenchantin, and Troy Van Leeuwen, clips from the David Fincher-directed “Judith” video, and a hypnotizing display of the band’s iconic logo.



Mer de Noms also receives a special One-Step pressing as part of the Definitive Sound Series (DSS). Pressed at RTI and mastered by Levi Seltz (Metallica, Green Day) from 96kHz/24bit source files transferred from analog flat masters, this edition faithfully preserves the raw power and nuance of the recordings with exceptional depth and detail. Strictly limited to 3,000 hand-numbered copies, the One-Step process ensures the truest possible representation of Mer de Noms, offering an audiophile-grade experience that captures every subtlety of the platinum album.

In a recent Revolver cover story, Keenan described the recording process as deeply personal: “It seemed really emotional. There were a lot of elements that I responded to – where I could explore shadow aspects of myself.” Howerdel recalled “getting goosebumps” the first time he heard Keenan’s voice on the tracks they’d been working on in their shared North Hollywood rental.

Pre-orders are now available for both Virgin Records/Ume releases: the zoetrope vinyl edition, slated for release on September 25 (pre-order here), and the One-Step DSS audiophile edition, out October 10 (pre-order here).





A Perfect Circle performs at Louder Than Life on September 20 and Aftershock on October 2.

About A Perfect Circle:

Formed in 1999 by Billy Howerdel and Maynard James Keenan, A Perfect Circle has released four albums while holding the distinction of having the highest-charting debut rock album at the time, Mer de Noms (2000). The collection, which boasted ever popular singles “Judith” and “3 Libras,” set a significant milestone for alternative and hard rock. Over their 25-plus-year career, they have released three additional albums: Thirteenth Step (2003), eMOTIVe (2004), and Eat the Elephant (2018), which debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Billboard Rock Albums chart.

A Perfect Circle has headlined festivals worldwide, sold out prestigious venues including the Hollywood Bowl, Madison Square Garden and the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and performed on a variety of late night television programs including “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and “The Tonight Show.”

Tempo Music has launched a 20th-anniversary limited-edition deluxe 2xLP vinyl for the iconic hard rock band KORN's "See You On The Other Side" album. The package will be released in three different variants, with exclusive offerings from KORN's webstore (blue/red blended),Hot Topic (orange/violet blended),and indie record stores (magenta cloudy),in addition to a standard black vinyl, available across retailers.

"See You On The Other Side" was KORN's seventh studio album, released in December 2005, and features the fan-favorite renowned hits "Twisted Transistor" and "Coming Undone". The album was certified RIAA platinum in 2006.

The official vinyl release commemorates the album's 20th anniversary by featuring the bonus track "Last Legal Drug".

"Last Legal Drug" will be released on all DSPs as part of a digital deluxe album on November 21, ahead of the official 20th anniversary on December 6. The song was previously only available on the deluxe CD. Pre-save it here.

Tempo acquired a majority stake in the master recordings and compositions of albums "Untitled" and "See You On The Other Side" in 2021. In 2023, Tempo released a limited-edition vinyl package to celebrate the 15th anniversary of "Untitled", with a glow-in-the-dark jacket and a special edition variant.

The company states: "Tempo takes great responsibility and honor in partnering with artists to provide fans engaging ways to consume these iconic catalogs. We're excited to celebrate this milestone with KORN by officially bringing this seminal album to vinyl and 'Last Legal Drug' to streaming platforms so fans old and new can enjoy the band's incredible work."

KORN changed the rock world with the release of its self-titled debut album. It was a record that would pioneer a genre, while the band's enduring success points to a larger cultural movement. Since forming, KORN has sold more than 43 million albums worldwide, collected two Grammys, toured the world countless times, and set many records in the process that will likely never be surpassed. KORN has continued to push the limits of the rock, alternative and metal genres, while remaining a pillar of influence for legions of fans and generations of artists around the globe.

Napalm Records is pleased to announce the signing of emerging Brazilian metalcore/deathcore talent, AXTY, to a worldwide record deal. Formed in 2020 amid the uncertainty of the pandemic, AXTY quickly established itself as the most promising name in the Brazilian modern metal scene.

With more than seven million streams on Spotify, the band has drawn attention not only in Brazil but also across the globe, thanks to its visceral blend of heaviness, powerful screams, and soaring clean vocals that create an emotionally charged and intense experience. Entirely self-produced, AXTY stands out for its ability to merge a modern, heavy sound with cutting-edge audiovisual production, all handled by the musicians themselves.

Napalm Records is thrilled to partner with AXTY as they finalize their upcoming fourth studio album, which features the band’s brand new single, “selfish”, out today. “selfish” – which aggressively grooves amid cutting electronics and a spine-ripping vocal attack – is just a taste of what AXTY is promising as their most ambitious work to date, further strengthening their position as one of the leading names of the new generation in modern metal.

AXTY says about the new single: “Our music is as true as we are. Raw, authentic, and filled with emotions we all had to deal with. ‘selfish’ was written in a moment of anger after the end of a toxic relationship that had lasted way too long, and it took a toll on my mental health. I’m through this now, but we often lack the courage to say ‘enough’ when we’re going through this. We hope this song will serve as a milestone in our listeners’ lives. Giving them the strength to get out of this draining, frustrating, and cruel situation.”

Watch the “selfish” video:



AXTY says about signing to Napalm Records: “We’re beyond excited to announce our signing with Napalm Records, one of the world’s leading independent metal labels, responsible for shaping the path of some of the biggest and most groundbreaking bands in the scene. This is truly a dream come true for us. This partnership marks a huge step in our career, and we can’t wait to share with you everything that’s coming next.

“Signing with Napalm was without a doubt the right decision, as it’s a label that truly understands our vision. It gives us the confidence that we’ll have the support to spread our art to the world, with total artistic freedom and, at the same time, the professional backing of such an incredible team. Being welcomed into this family means the world to us, and we’re extremely excited for what’s ahead. We also want to thank the entire Napalm team for the amazing reception and openness they’ve shown us since day one.

“We believe this achievement goes beyond just us, it’s also about showing the world that Brazil has an incredible scene filled with talented and powerful bands that deserve recognition. We’re proud to carry this flag and represent not only AXTY, but also the strength and creativity of Brazilian metalcore on the global stage.”

Napalm Records Junior A&R Manager Christian Hollik adds: “When I first listened to AXTY, I was completely stunned by their heaviness. The heavy metalcore riffs, the deathcore parts, and those catchy choruses combined with the very unique voice Felipe brings to it. I’m happy to have them on board at Napalm Records. This band will make its way to success, and I’m looking forward to the fact that we’re on this journey together.”

After sharing festival stages with genre heavyweights like Falling in Reverse, Killswitch Engage and Fit For A King, and making their US debut just last year, AXTY is set to return to the States this fall. The band will join Born Of Osiris as support on their upcoming tour, kicking off September 25. They will perform alongside fellow support acts The Browning, VCTMS, and Lost in Separation. Check out the full list of tour dates below.

US dates with Born Of Osiris, The Browning, VCTMS, Lost In Separation (some openers appear only on select dates, check band postings for exact support):

September
25 – Madison, WI – The Annex
26 – Minneapolis, MN – Cabooze
27 – Lincoln, NE – The Royal Grove
28 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
30 – Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater

October
1 – Mesa, AZ – The Nile Theater
2 – Bakersfield, CA – Temblor Brewing Co.
3 – Los Angeles, CA – The Regent Theater
4 – Las Vegas, NV – 24 Oxford (No Born of Osiris)
7 – Portland, OR – The Nova PDX
8 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon
11 – Spokane, WA – The Big Dipper (No Born of Osiris)
14 – Bend, OR – Volcanic Theatre Pub
15 – Boise, ID – Treefort Music Hall
16 – Salt Lake City, UT – Soundwell
17 – Grand Junction, CO – Mesa Theater
18 – Colorado Springs, CO – Black Sheep
20 – Tulsa, OK – The Vanguard
21 – St. Louis, MO – Red Flag
22 – Fort Wayne, IN – Piere’s Entertainment Center
24 – Greenville, SC – Radio Room
25 – Greensboro, NC – Hangar 1819
26 – Virginia Beach, VA – Elevation 27
27 – Washington, DC – Union Stage
29 – Asbury Park, NJ – House of Independents
30 – Reading, PA – Reverb
31 – Albany, NY – Empire Live

November
1 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
2 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre
4 – Buffalo, NY – Rec Room
5 – New Kensington, PA – Preserving
6 – Cleveland, OH – The Asylum – Temple Live
7 – Pontiac, MI – The Crofoot
8 – Columbus, OH – King of Clubs
9 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge

AXTY is:

Felipe Hervoso (vocals, video production)
Jonathas Peschiera (guitars, mix/master)
Gabriel Vacari (drums)

During a recent appearance on the Appetite For Distortion podcast, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson lamented the fact that so many people have become so obsessed with recording their lives on their phones — to relive it later and receive "likes" and "followers" — that they are not really living in the present anymore. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Look, in so many ways I wish the camera on those things had never been invented. But it has been invented. It's now a kind of infestation, is the way I would describe it. It's like some terrible disease, that people feel the need to look at the world through this stupid little device. And so it's like a failing of humanity, basically. You're surrendering your senses completely to this little fascist in your hand. And put it down, put it in your pocket and look around you. Look at the people, look at the joy, look at the band, feel the emotion, feel the music. What a phone does, it cuts all of that off. And so I feel sad. I also feel pissed off, because as a performer, it's, like, I want to perform for an audience of people that have some emotional feedback — not a bunch of like Android twerps."

Referencing IRON MAIDEN's request for fans to put their phones away while attending concerts on the British heavy metal legends' recently launched "Run For Your Lives" world tour, Dickinson added: "People who are real music fans, I think, understand, and I think they're getting better about it. They understand what's going on. I went to see the GHOST show [in San Diego in early August] and it was a no-phone show [with attendees maintaining possession of their phones at all times, secured in Yondr pouches], and so all the phones are in baggies. Oh my God — the difference. It was astonishing. The atmosphere — it was, 'Wow.' I mean, really, really noticeable. Even the way people behaved with each other, interacted with each other — not looking at the band, just being civil to each other, talking to each other was different."
Other acts, such as TOOL, have also employed a similar approach as IRON MAIDEN, requesting fans stay off their phones until the final song of their set.

In an interview with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Dickinson was asked if he noticed, during the recently completed European leg of MAIDEN's "Run For Your Lives" tour, that most MAIDEN fans respected the band's request to put away their phones during the shows. Dickinson said: "Yeah. It depends on different places, different attitudes and things like that. In general, I'd say that the real diehard fans, who are basically all the people who are down the front, respected it and they got it. So, yeah, most of them respected it. And it was blindingly obvious when there was one person or something in the middle of a whole bunch of people and he was having his phone [out and filming], and you could see people going, 'Hey, hey, hey. What are you doing? Come on. Put it away. We're trying to have fun here. It's not all about you.'

"So, yeah, it's one of those things that will go on and on and on, but I think at a certain point, a band becomes too big that it's very difficult to make it work physically," Bruce explained. "You've got fifty thousand people — that's tough to make it work. Fifty thousand people outdoors, it's, like, come on. You don't wanna get to the point where you're feeling like there's some sort of guards at some concentration camp looking to see if the guy's got his phone out. There's that fine line."

In July, Bruce was asked by Charlie Kendall of Charlie Kendall's Metalshop if putting away the phone is "a requirement now to attend" an IRON MAIDEN show. Bruce clarified: "It's not a requirement. It's a request. It's a polite request.  What is the point in paying all this money and turning up and staring at a tiny little box for, like — I don't know — however long. I mean, first of all, MAIDEN's show is two and a bit hours long, so your arm's gonna get real tired."

This past May, MAIDEN manager Rod Smallwood took to the band's web site to share a post titled "Put away your phones and get ready to Run For Your Lives!" in which he urged fans to experience the shows "in the moment" rather than on smaller screens at a later date.

"We really want fans to enjoy the shows first hand, rather than on their small screens," Smallwood wrote. "The amount of phone use nowadays diminishes enjoyment, particularly for the band who are on stage looking out at rows of phones, but also for other concertgoers.

"We feel that the passion and involvement of our fans at shows really makes them special, but the phone obsession has now got so out of hand that it has become unnecessarily distracting especially to the band. I hope fans understand this and will be sensible in severely limiting the use of their phone cameras out of respect for the band and their fellow fans."

Less than two weeks later, Smallwood called out fans for their concert phone etiquette, thanking those who "kept their phones down" and respecting "the band and their fellow fans" and shading those who didn't obey during the opening show of the European leg of MAIDEN's "Run for Your Lives" tour.

"It is so much better when they can see you unencumbered and that drives them on without that distraction," he wrote of the band. "For the selfish few that didn't and just had to keep videoing... I wish you nothing but a very sore arm!"

Smallwood clarified that the concerts don't need to be completely phone-free. "As I said before, by all means take the odd quick pic as a memento of a great night," he added, "but otherwise please keep your phone in your pocket."

MAIDEN's request for fans to put away their phones came just months after GHOST enacted a phone ban for anyone attending shows on their ongoing "Skeletour".

FOZZY, the band featuring wrestling superstar Chris Jericho and STUCK MOJO mastermind Rich "The Duke" Ward, performed its cover version of the Ozzy Osbourne classic "Crazy Train" on September 18 when FOZZY supported JUDAS PRIEST and Alice Cooper at the Ameris Bank Amphitheater in Alpharetta, Georgia. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

Earlier in the month, FOZZY surprise released a studio version of its cover of "Crazy Train".

FOZZY commented: "Our cover of 'Crazy Train' by the legendary Ozzy Osbourne is officially out NOW on all streaming platforms.

"OZZY FOREVER!!

"Our ode to the life and legacy of Ozzy in celebration of the 45th anniversary of the release of the 'Blizzard Of Ozz' (released [in the U.K.] on September 12th, 1980)".

Back in May 2022, Jericho was asked by PopCulture about the similarities between his singing voice and that of Ozzy. He responded: "I've always had that in me. It's not trying to sound like Ozzy; that's my vocal range — that really high-end… So there's always been elements of it. As a matter of fact, on [2012's] 'Sin And Bones' record, I said, 'Let's just fucking record a [BLACK] SABBATH song. Let me try and sound like Ozzy.' And we did 'Fairies Wear Boots'. And if you listen to it, it's, like, 'Okay, now that's Ozzy.' So we've always had some of those elements.

"But you're right — there's a couple of songs… I mean, 'Nowhere To Run', even when we play it, we play it live every night [sings song's chorus] — that one, singing it, I feel like, 'Oh, this is the Ozzy part,'" Chris added. "And I think one of the reasons for that is when Rich Ward writes the melody line, or Johnny Andrews, our producer, who co-writes all the songs with us, they know what my wheelhouse is, and they know that there's that high-end, I guess you'd say 'Ozzy-esque' style to it. Some people sound like Steve Perry; some people sound like Bruce Dickinson; some people sound like [Paul] McCartney — I sound like Ozzy. So that's kind of my wheelhouse. And [we're] not trying to write songs that sound like Ozzy, but there are definite parts that have that vibe to it, and even I can feel it and I know it. Which is cool — it's fun to know that if you're gonna be compared to somebody… Listen, people forget — Ozzy's one of the greatest rock and roll singers of all time, so I'll take that comparison any day of the week, man."

This past July, FOZZY released the official Lawrence Hinson-directed music video for the group's latest single, "Fall In Line". The clip was filmed at HM Studios in Las Vegas, Nevada, based on a video concept by Hinson and Mark Willis.

"Fall In Line" was released in April via Madison Records.

The 2025 leg of FOZZY's 25th-anniversary tour, dubbed "2025th Anniversary Tour", kicked off on April 17 in Springfield, Missouri and concluded on May 12 in Wyandotte, Michigan. The trek, featuring support from LILIAC and THE NOCTURNAL AFFAIR, included stops in 20 of the nation's most epic venues, bringing the band's electrifying live performances for fans in every city.

The first U.S. leg of FOZZY's 25th-anniversary tour ran through October 21, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. Support on the tour came from THE NOCTURNAL AFFAIR and CLOZURE.

"Fall In Line" is the follow-up to FOZZY's previous standalone single, "Spotlight", which was released in October 2023 via Madison Records/The Orchard. The track was helmed by FOZZY's longtime producer Johnny Andrews (THREE DAYS GRACE, ALL THAT REMAINS, HALESTORM) and sonically refined by mixer Jacob Hanson (VOLBEAT, AMARANTHE, ARCH ENEMY).

"Boombox" came out in May 2022 and featured "I Still Burn", which has more than three million views on YouTube. It also included the Top 10 singles "Nowhere To Run" and "Sane".

In the spring of 2023, FOZZY spent time on the road with UGLY KID JOE as part of the latter band's first tour of the United States in 27 years.

In January 2022, FOZZY parted ways with longtime drummer Frank Fontsere and replaced him with Grant Brooks (THROUGH FIRE).

Fontsere was a founding member of FOZZY, having formed the group in 1999 with Jericho and Ward.

When FOZZY announced Fontsere's departure, the band said that he was "stepping down to focus on his family and other projects."

FOZZY is Jericho, Ward, Brooks, Billy Grey (guitar) and P.J. Farley (bass).

Alt-rock shapeshifters DON BROCO have released the official music video for their brand new single "Disappear". The striking clip is set against the backdrop of a brutalist industrial maze of concrete corridors, stairwells, and fluorescents. Through evolving split screens and reversed-motion sequences, the visual creates a surreal, puzzle-like experience that rewards repeat viewings. As the band delivers an emotional core performance in a vast, hazy performance space, the narrative unfolds with a Kafka-esque sense of confinement and unseen forces closing in - time bending, spaces looping, and reality folding back on itself. The result is a cinematic counterpart to the track's emotional weight, amplifying its themes of loss, erasure, and disorientation.

Produced by Dan Lancaster (BLINK-182, BRING ME THE HORIZON, 5SOS) and released on September 19 via Fearless Records, "Disappear" is a surprising and unforgettable genre-fusing track that shifts effortlessly between sounds and styles. Opening with hypnotic tonal chanting, it builds on heartbeat-like drums and dynamic vocals that move from delicate whispers to soaring, impassioned singing. With pulsing rhythm, electronic flourishes and a drum-and-bass-inspired breakdown, the song is an emotional gut punch — capturing the guilt and desperation of leaving someone you love at their lowest, knowing that staying might destroy you both.

"'Disappear' is about struggling to love and support someone living through something terrible. When the toll has become too much to bear, but is dwarfed by the guilt in knowing what you are feeling is nothing compared to what they are facing themselves," shares DON BROCO.

The release of "Disappear" follows earlier singles "Cellophane" and "Hype Man", each showing a different side of DON BROCO's fearless sound. "Cellophane" came out swinging with sharpened nu-metal aggression, while "Hype Man" captured the band's unrestrained energy through rapped flows, soaring choruses, and pounding guitars. Together, the tracks underline the range of DON BROCO's music — raw and heavy one moment, infectious and anthemic the next.

This fall, DON BROCO will bring their explosive live show across the U.K., Australia and North America, performing new material alongside fan favorites.

Always unique, and forever pushing boundaries, DON BROCO have cemented themselves as one of the U.K.'s most dynamic and forward-thinking rock bands. Fusing elements of rock, metal, pop, and electronic music, the Bedford quartet — Rob Damiani, Matt Donnelly, Simon Delaney and Tom Doyle — have earned critical acclaim and commercial success with albums like "Automatic" (U.K. Top 10),"Technology" (U.K. Top 5),and "Amazing Things", which reached No. 1 on the UK Official Albums Chart.

Garnering nothing but praise for their relentless high-octane performances, DON BROCO have previously sold-out arena shows across the UK, headlining Wembley Arena after selling out Alexandra Palace as well as festival performances around the world including Download, Reading and Leeds, Slam Dunk, Vans Warped Tour and more. They have also toured with the likes of Mike Shinoda, STATE CHAMPS, DANCE GAVIN DANCE and OUR LAST NIGHT in the U.S. as well as selling out their very own debut U.S. headline tour.

Now signed to Fearless Records, DON BROCO are kicking off their next chapter with their dynamic new singles "Cellophane", "Hype Man" and "Disappear" — offering a fresh glimpse into what's coming next — more bold moves, big riffs, and boundary-pushing anthems that only they could deliver.

Photo credit: Bethan Miller

During a September 16 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", legendary rocker Sammy Hagar reflected on his participation in the "Back To The Beginning" charity event on July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom, which marked Ozzy Osbourne and BLACK SABBATH's final performance. Sammy sang the 1981 Ozzy classic "Flying High Again", joined by a supergroup that featured EXTREME's Nuno Bettencourt, LIVING COLOUR's Vernon Reid, TOOL's Adam Jones, bassist Rudy Sarzo, and RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS drummer Chad Smith. After the song, Reid left the stage as event music director Tom Morello joined the other musicians for a cover of "Rock Candy", a track from the 1973 self-titled debut by MONTROSE, Hagar's first band.

Regarding his experience at "Back To The Beginning", Sammy told host Eddie Trunk (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That event was amazing. There were quite a few magical moments, I've gotta tell you. And, of course, Ozzy's thing was magic — BLACK SABBATH, my god, that was just magic. But Yungblud, that dude is a bad, bad young boy. He is the man. That guy is gonna be the next big superstar, if he isn't already. I mean, he's frickin' huge, but he's Mick Jagger and Freddie Mercury reincarnated. Man, this guy is just — he was so good. I was so blown away [by] his performance. And the other person that was really impressive in that whole thing was Nuno Bettencourt. Nuno Bettencourt played with almost everyone, and he killed it. Every song that he played, he brought it. Tom Morello played a lot of the stuff too, and Tom's good, but he's a different kind of player. Tom's got his own really unique style to where Nuno, he adapted to everybody's style. And, yeah, it was really good. And Billy Corgan from THE [SMASHING] PUMPKINS. Billy was great. I mean, when he did [JUDAS PRIEST's] 'Breaking The Law', it was so badass. [Laughs] I don't know why, but it was really, really cool. It was a great event."

Hagar continued: "Those were highlights for me because they were kind of unexpected. I love Billy, but I didn't know he was that kind of performer without a guitar and stuff, and he was fronting that band and he was killing it. They had all them drummers. Oh my God, man. The drum-off between Chad [Smith], Danny Carey and Travis Barker — wow. I mean, those three cats can play. And it was just really an unbelievable event. No one was ego tripping. No one was trying to blow anybody off the stage or anything like that. It was just all good."

Sammy went on to say that he was unhappy with his own performance of "Flying High Again", despite having had several weeks to prepare for the show. "I was very disappointed in myself because I thought I learned 'Flying High Again'," he admitted. "I said, 'I don't [use a] teleprompter, I never use teleprompters.' And I said, 'I'm not gonna use a teleprompter.' And they said, 'Well, we'll put up there just in case.' I said, 'No, you watch this.' I thought I had it memorized. I was distracted right before I go on by a bunch of people. I'm standing on the side of stage waiting for 'em to do the set change after the drum-off, and I'm going, 'Oh, yeah.' I'm talking to people. All of a sudden I hear 'em announce me, and I was 50 yards from the stage. And [my wife] Kari's going, 'Oh, my God. They just announced you.' And I'm going, 'Oh, shit.' And I go running out. And I'm walking around. And they start the song, and I go, 'Hey,' blah, blah, blah. And then I step out on the ramp and I go, 'Holy shit.' … I missed that whole thing. And I'm running back looking for the fricking teleprompter. And, of course, the lyrics are moving faster than I'm singing them. But I got it together after that. But, man, if you wanna talk about having your private parts shrink up in front that crowd, that opportunity. And I choked. Sammy Hagar is a pro. Man, he choked, that fucker. So, anyway, then 'Rock Candy' was great. Well, that song ['Flying High Again'] was great too, after we got it going. And the band came in backwards on the intro too, and so it was even crazier."

According to Hagar, it was "an honor to have been asked to be on that show. And everyone was there for Ozzy and for BLACK SABBATH," he said. "They were there for the right reasons. And anybody that wasn't asked to be on that show, I know they're pissed. I have a couple friends that [were, like], 'Man, well, they didn't ask me.' And I'm going, 'Hey, listen, it wasn't my choice.' I took the phone call [from Tom Morello] and said, 'Yep.'"

Asked by Trunk if he knew Ozzy well and whether he had a chance to speak to the BLACK SABBATH singer at "Back To The Beginning", Sammy said: "No, I didn't know him that well, but we were user friendly a lot of times. If we had run into each other at award shows, things like that, it was always a big hug and go out of your way to go over and say hi. But no, I wasn't that close with Ozzy, like I am with some of these other guys. But, yeah. I got to talk to him [at Villa Park]. When we took the picture [of all the musicians the day before the event], I went over and held his hand and told him how much I love him. He looked me right in the eye and he was, 'Thank you, mate, for being here,' and all that stuff. And it was just a conversation like that. Everyone was trying to get a piece of him, so I left him alone after that. I just had to hold his hand and kiss the ring, because he was there."

Hagar also praised Osbourne for getting through "Back To The Beginning" and performing both with his solo band and BLACK SABBATH when Ozzy was clearly not in the best of health. "The fact that he pulled that off, I'll say it again, for the rest of my life I'll say it, there's a rocker," Sammy said. "There's a dedicated rock star. There's a person that's dedicated to their fans. There's a person that gave it all, because he was that close to death and he still did that. Man, I would've canceled that show if I had a cold. You know what I mean? It's, like, wow. Unbelievable. He raised the bar so high. No one's legacy is ever gonna top that ,unless they go out on stage. I mean, that's the only way to top what he did. He was sick, and, man, he pulled it off. He said hi to everyone. He took all the photos, he did the soundchecks, he did the photo sessions, he did the rehearsals, and then he did the fricking show and no one thought he was gonna do that show. All of us, a week or two before, all of us, we all were just quietly going, 'Mm. I don't think it's gonna happen.' I'm sitting here talking to other musicians that are on the show. 'You think Ozzy's gonna make it?' I say, 'I don't know, man. Shit, I hope so. But I don't know.'"

Hagar continued: "Knowing Ozzy Osbourne — now we're getting dark — but everyone that knows Ozzy and knows his history about the darkness and he's always been a cultish thing, we kind of thought quietly, we all thought quietly, 'He's gonna go out on stage. He's planning this. He's planning his own death.' I swear. I hate to be dark like that, but I thought, if anybody is gonna do something like that, it's Ozzy Osbourne. And he made it. And then he lasted a couple of weeks. And God bless him, man."

Sammy also talked about how he felt when he heard the news that Ozzy had passed on July 22 — a little over two weeks after "Back To The Beginning". He said: "The fact that I wasn't that close to Ozzy — we weren't dear friends; we didn't have each other's phone numbers and stuff like that — man, it really affected me. It really hurt, because I was there [at that final show]. And it was touching. I've gotta tell you. Every time somebody dies, you feel it, in this business, but certain ones really are tough. And Ozzy was tougher for me than I would've thought."

Ozzy died of a heart attack, his death certificate revealed. 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 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.

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

In a new interview with Pete Pardo of Sea Of Tranquility, ARMORED SAINT singer John Bush spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's long-awaited ninth studio album, due next year through Metal Blade Records. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're in the mix mode right now of the new record. That's gonna come out in April. We're real excited about it. It's sounding great. The tunes are awesome."

Referencing what will be a six-year gap between 2020's "Punching The Sky" and ARMORED SAINT's next album, John said: "A little bit was COVID, of course, because that kind of pushed everything back for everybody, but then we went out and toured a lot. So, we were able to do that, and did a couple of more tours, and we were really not planning on it. But getting out there and playing was great. And we actually sold so many records and CDs on the road, it was crazy. We actually re-charted because we sold so many records out there. So, kudos to all the fanbase who bought records and CDs and shirts, of course. But it kind of did push things back a little bit. We don't work that quick as it is, quite frankly, but I always said it for years: the quality of the tunes is contrary to the amount, because that's the fact for us. But the new record will be out next year. And I think it's great. It's gonna just kind of build on everything we've been doing."

Circling back to ARMORED SAINT's increased touring activity and how it affected the making of the band's new album, John said: "We toured a lot. We actually put out four videos on the last record. So we've been on the public side maybe more than ever. And really I say this and it's really kind of the truth is ARMORED SAINT's probably bigger than we've ever been. Maybe there was a stretch in 1984 that we were maybe more popular, but honestly we're probably bigger than we ever were. So, we're just riding it. And the new record will be great, and I think people will dig it. And it really kind of shows sophistication in the songwriting, and we really believe in that. We try to kind of bring in all our different influences and styles and use some different instrumentation and take chances with arrangement a little bit. And I'm really proud of it. I think the songwriting is just — yeah, it's built on everything we've done. The origins of the band, our hard rock heavy metal band, but we really kind of feel like we just keep pushing the boundaries. And it's always gonna sound like SAINT. And this one does too. But I don't know. That's my pitch. I mean, of course it comes down to what the fans think."

After Pardo noted that ARMORED SAINT's musical output has been remarkably "consistent" over the group's four-decade career, Bush concurred. "When your band's been around as long as we have, and that goes for all the bands who have a four-decade career, is that usually new music means the opportunity to go take a piss or go get a couple of beers," he said. "But I really feel like people really think our last couple records have been great. And I think for us to keep building on that and keep writing new material that sounds very legit, I think is important. And not everybody can say that. Everybody kind of says it, but how much do you really believe it? And I really believe [it in our case]. I mean, again, it comes down to what the press and what the fanbase says, and they're the ones that make the final decision, really, on it. But at the end of the day, they've been saying ARMORED SAINT's making really great, modern music, so I'm stoked."

Later this month, the band will join W.A.S.P. for a trio of U.K. shows before returning to the States to support legendary guitarist Michael Schenker on his "My Years With UFO" U.S. tour. ARMORED SAINT will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its second album, "Delirious Nomad", with a five-song micro set of songs from the record throughout the tour.

To further commemorate the cornerstone record, the band is making available a special "Delirious Nomad" wrapped guitar from Dean Guitars. Each guitar is signed by the band.

Last November, ARMORED SAINT bassist Joey Vera told Metal Kaoz about the musical and lyrical direction of the band's new material: "Every record we've made has been a little bit different than the one prior to it, and this one will be the same case where it will be a little different than 'Punching'. But our number one thing is just writing really great songs. We're not so concerned about trying to outdo the last record or do as good as it is or do the same thing. I always think that it's cool to just see where you are at that moment. And these songs that we've written, just like the last three or four records we've made, they all represent a particular time and place for us. So this these batch of songs, they're a reflection of where we are at a time and place right now. We're in post-COVID, we're coming back out of it, back into the world, and different things are influencing me personally than they were in 2014 when I was writing for [2015's] 'Win Hands Down'. So all those things are at play again. I'm trying to take a few chances as well on this, which we always try to do a little bit."

In June 2024, ARMORED SAINT released a rendition of "One Chain (Don't Make No Prison)". The classic track was originally written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter and was first released by PEOPLE in 1970. Additional covers include THE FOUR TOPS (1974),SANTANA (1978) and THE DOOBIE BROTHERS (1989).

"One Chain (Don't Make No Prison)" was produced by Vera, mixed by Jay Ruston and mastered by Maor Applebaum.

ARMORED SAINT released the "Symbol Of Salvation Live" CD/DVD in 2021 via Metal Blade Records. The release came in celebration of the seminal album's 30th anniversary. "Symbol Of Salvation Live" was a combination live album and video of the band playing the album in its entirety at New York City's famed Gramercy Theatre during its 2018 tour.

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

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

Photo by Stephanie Cabral

Poland death metal brigade Vader have checked in with an update hinting at future plans plus preparations for a new studio album.

Vader’s Peter Wiwczarek shared:

“VADERMANIAX!!! We ended the summer concert season with three concerts in the last weekend of August. Thank you all very much for wonderful moments and total craziness and Massive Music for organization and great atmosphere on all trips in the summer season 2025 \m/

“These were also the last concerts in 2025 in Poland and Europe. Upcoming plans are the Carnival of Death Tour tour in the USA/Canada in October.

“Because we and Massive Music are still receiving inquiries about more concerts in Poland – we will try to organize one more weekend in December this year. I hope that in 2026, we will see each other more often at the common craziness in our country. It will be the 20th anniversary of the album Impressions In Blood. We will also like to remind you of the wider ‘Kingdom’ (expect a new edition of this title soon). There are also plans for something special that we haven’t done before… but let’s wait for the specifics. The new Vader album will definitely be made next year – but let’s rather expect the release at the beginning of 2027.

“Below is a memento KAT cover from the concert in Zamo Pć in August shared from the Janusz Bb collection. Thanks \m/”