TWISTED SISTER has announced its first reunion concert as part of the band's 50th-anniversary tour. The Dee Snider-fronted act will perform at Barcelona Rock Fest, which will take place from July 3 to July 5 in Barcelona, Spain. Also confirmed so far for the Barcelona Rock Fest's tenth-anniversary edition are ACCEPT, HELLOWEEN and POWERWOLF.

TWISTED SISTER's 2026 shows will feature the band's three core members: Snider, founding guitarist Jay Jay French and longtime lead guitarist Eddie Ojeda. Bassist Mark "The Animal" Mendoza won't be joining the celebration. Russell Pzütto, who has toured with Snider's solo projects, will replace Mendoza on bass. Joe Franco, who briefly played with the group in the mid-1980s, will sit behind the drum kit, stepping in for A.J. Pero, who passed away in 2015 at the age of 55.

In a recent interview with John "JP" Parise of Long Island, New York's 102.3 WBAB and Tampa, Florida's 102.5 The Bone radio stations, Snider stated about why he changed his mind about returning to the road, nine years after the completion of TWISTED SISTER's "40 And Fuck It!" farewell tour, and after he repeatedly slammed KISS and MÖTLEY CRÜE farewell tours and subsequent reunions as mere cash grabs: "First of all, I own [my previous] statements [about not wanting to stage a TWISTED SISTER reunion]. I said that and more. I singled out bands. I named names. I ranted and raved about this, and I expected to get excrements for this, but I'm getting hit hard.

"I'm not gonna lie, and I can only tell you so much, but this is the total truth," he continued. "I turned 70 this year and I had a health scare. And I'm okay… And it shook me up… I won't say [exactly what it was], and I'm okay. But it really made me re-evaluate a lot of things. [When I was] 40, 50, 60, I thought I was superhuman. TWISTED SISTER retired 10 years ago when I was ripped to shreds. And then [at] 70, something happened and it was a re-evaluation, quite honestly. And part of that re-evaluation was looking and saying… Am I ready to go? Well, you never know when you're gonna go quietly to the night. You never know when your time is up. And do I really wanna do that without rocking one more time. And I stopped doing solo stuff a few years back as well. I mean, I go out and I join [POISON frontman] Bret Michaels or Lita Ford on stage [during their shows] for a couple songs, but I don't go out and perform. And upon talking to my wife and re-evaluating, it was I, me, who called the [other] guys [in TWISTED SISTER]. I called them. They never called. I mean, we talk, but they never brought it up because I was, like, 'This is not happening, guys. It is done. It is over, just like I told everybody.' But, like I said, I had a life-changing experience and re-evaluation of a lot of things, and I reached out. I said, 'Guys, what do you think about doing it one more time?'"

According to Dee, Jay Jay and Eddie didn't immediately jump at the opportunity to return to playing live shows with TWISTED SISTER. "It was a conversation," Snider explained. "At this point, do we wanna take this, for lack of a better word, victory lap, so to speak? But it was a conversation. And then everybody goes, 'Well, how can you not, with Alice [Cooper] out there [at the age of 77]?' Alice told me... I said, 'Dude, when are you gonna retire?' He says, 'I'm looking forward to singing when I'm 80.' So he's got no plans. [Mick] Jagger's out there [playing shows at age 82]. Paul McCartney's doing three hours [at age 83]. Now I know he doesn't run around like I do, but the same time, you go, well, there's precedents. People are out there into — there are octogenarians out there [touring] now. So we decided to go for it and go out on a high note."

After JP criticized some of the media's coverage of TWISTED SISTER's return, particularly as it relates to reports of the band "touring" again, Dee said: "It doesn't say that in the press release. I checked. I'm seeing, 'Tour.' 'They're hitting the road again.' Wait a minute — who's hitting the road? We're flying first class on an air jet airplane. Private plane.

"I'm sorry, folks. People are saying, 'Come to this town, come to that town.' No, man," he clarified. "This is a handful of dates — I'm thinking it's about 20, 25 shows around the world, festivals almost exclusively. And it's not a full-blown tour or anything like that. It's a celebration for us, and I hope you're celebrating with us for the fact that 50 years ago, next year, we got together — me, Eddie and Jay Jay — and we, against all odds, we had success."

Asked which festivals fans can expect to see TWISTED SISTER at next year, Dee said: "All the usual suspects. They're not announcing the dates because the events want to announce on their schedule, when they present their new lineup, whatever. But a lot of those names I'm seeing on the list, a lot of the usual suspects, whether it's [U.K.'s] Download or Sweden Rock or [France's] Hellfest, [as far as] Europe [is concerned]. I'm not saying 100 percent, but I've seen all these names popping up — [as well as Maryland's] M3 and [Oklahoma's] Rocklahoma. So I don't know if all these deals are signed, sealed and delivered, but these are all the names that I'm seeing — like I said, the usual suspects for where you would see an '80s, a hundred-year-old '80s metal band going out and playing."

Asked by JP "how big the dump truck full of money" was "that showed up in [Dee's] driveway" that convinced the singer to reunite TWISTED SISTER for the band's 50th anniversary, Snider said: "I'm gonna be honest. The numbers are getting higher and higher and higher, but it wasn't really where I — I had this place in mind, and it wasn't there. But like I said, honestly, it wasn't about the money. Yeah, if there was no money, I'm not gonna do it. I'm not gonna lie about that. But it really was this sort of looking in the mirror going, 'Hey, man, that was scary. And I don't wanna go out like that.' I do not wanna go out quietly. Kicking and screaming, man — that's the way I wanna go."

Dee also talked about the challenges of preparing for TWISTED SISTER live performances, particularly as it relates to the physical demands of stepping on a stage for an hour and a half. He said: "I always had a mixed relationship with the concerts. I did so much prep and I got so into it, it was so intense, I made myself miserable. When I go out there, it's the greatest moment in my life for 90 minutes, and I get off the stage and I feel really good for about 15 minutes, half hour, and then I start [to think], 'Oh no. I've gotta do this again tomorrow.' And I start getting manic. And [my wife] Suzette would never come out the road with me. She said, 'You're miserable. You sit in the room, you obsess.' I sit there, and I'm not one of those people, but I sit there writing a list of the exact time I've gotta eat my protein and what time I've gotta do my neck stretches and a hot bath and vocalizing. I write it down on a sheet, and I check it off. I'm, like, manic. And so that's another reason why going back to it, there's a lot of discomfort in the whole — and being away from the family and being away from my wife, 'cause she doesn't wanna be anywhere near me, which I understand. So, this way of doing it, going out and doing a show on a weekend and going out, there'll still be that day of getting ready for the show because it's sort of my method. But at least after the show, Suzette will be out there and we'll go and we'll enjoy wherever we are for a few days and relax until the next one comes. So it'll be one day of intensity as opposed to just an endless day after day after day of obsessing and making myself crazy."

During a September 10 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Dee stated about Mark's absence from the TWISTED SISTER 2026 tour: "I can only simply say irreconcilable differences and leave it at that. I can't get into the weeds and I can't go down that path. And I won't. But irreconcilable differences. People change, and however it is, and I'm not saying he changed; maybe we changed whatever it is. So in deciding who to use on bass, my bass player on the last two Dee Snider albums, 'For The Love Of Metal' and 'Leave A Scar', was Russ Pzütto. And he was Mark Mendoza's bass tech, and a great bass player… So, he did an amazing job on those two albums. He was a great guy to tour with. The band all knew him from years of working with TWISTED, and again, he seemed like a likely choice. As a matter of fact, one time he was Mark's choice to fill in for him. And one gig, it was in Belgium at Graspop, and Mark couldn't make it, and Russ stepped in and played with TWISTED. So he actually has performed with TWISTED once before."

Asked if he thinks the door is open for Mark to play with TWISTED SISTER again at some point during the reunion tour, Dee said: "I can't imagine it right now. I can't imagine it right now. I mean — I plead the fifth. I can't go beyond that. But things have happened that I don't see being reconciled, hence the term 'irreconcilable differences.'"

French previously addressed Mendoza's departure in a statement to Rolling Stone, explaining: "Me, Dee and Eddie have performed as TWISTED SISTER for nearly 50 years with 10 different bass players and drummers. The band has never discussed internal realignment before and has no intention of doing it now. Suffice to say that almost all bands with a 50-year history have gone through realignment as a byproduct of time. We wish Mark well in his future endeavors."

Franco played on TWISTED SISTER's 1987 album "Love Is For Suckers". Mike Portnoy, who took over for Pero after he died near the end of TWISTED SISTER's 2016 run, is busy touring with DREAM THEATER and is unable to participate in the upcoming TWISTED SISTER live activities.

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

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

The first of many!
After 10 long years
Twisted Sister is finally back and confirmed! July 3rd 2026 for Rock Fest in...

Posted by Danny Stanton on Friday, September 19, 2025

Florida death metal veterans DEICIDE played their first concert with new guitarist Jadran "Conan" Gonzalez (EXMORTUS) Friday night (Saturday, September 19) at the opening show of the band's Latin American tour with BEHEMOTH at Tork N' Roll in Curitiba, Brazil. Fan-filmed video of the show can be seen below.

Gonzalez joined DEICIDE as the replacement for longtime guitarist Kevin Quirion, who left the band this past spring.

When Jadran's addition to DEICIDE was first announced earlier this week, he said in a statement: "I'm thrilled and honored to jam amongst such legends as Glen [Benton, bass/vocals] and Steve [Asheim, drums] and to hang with the rest of the team. I thank them for having me on board. I'm looking forward to unleashing hell in Latin America on this tour."

Quirion exited DEICIDE in April 2025, explaining in a social media post: "So after 15 years I decided to leave the band. Mainly I'm just done with touring and would like to spend the extra time with my family. I will still be writing songs and have already sent some to Derek Roddy and Sean Baxter to release under the COUNCIL OF THE FALLEN name. There will be no labels or shows, just putting out EPs whenever we feel like it.

"It was nice meeting a bunch of fans, bands, promoters etc and I wish everyone the best."

Quirion appeared on the last three DEICIDE albums: "In The Minds Of Evil" (2013),"Overtures Of Blasphemy" (2017) and "Banished By Sin" (2024).

Last October, DEICIDE canceled the last three shows of its North American tour with KRISIUN, INFERI and CLOAK in order to return home "to protect" their "families and properties" as Floridians prepped for the second storm to hit the Gulf Coast in a little over two weeks.

DEICIDE's latest album, "Banished By Sin", was made available in April 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

In February 2024, DEICIDE released the second single from "Banished By Sin", a song called "Sever The Tongue". The track was recorded at Smoke & Mirrors with engineer Jeramie Kling, while the mixing and mastering was handed by Josh Wilbur.

DEICIDE collaborated with David Brodsky from My Good Eye: Music Visuals for a visually arresting video for "Sever The Tongue" that complements the track's blasphemous undertones.

To close out 2023, DEICIDE celebrated Christmas with another blasphemous song called "Bury The Cross...With Your Christ".

DEICIDE played its first show with guitarist Taylor Nordberg (THE ABSENCE, INHUMAN CONDITION) on May 21, 2022 at the Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Previous DEICIDE guitarist Chris Cannella amicably left the band in January 2022 after a three-year run.

Chris joined DEICIDE in 2019 following the departure of guitarist Mark English.

English became a member of DEICIDE in 2016 after the exit of longtime guitarist Jack Owen.

Rock and blues guitar legend Gary Hoey has released his first album in six years, "Avalanche", on Wazoo Music Group (Hoey's own label). "Avalanche" features special guest Lita Ford on vocals on "You Know I Would", the official music video for which can be seen below, and Gary's son, Ian Hoey, is featured on "Dear Mama", a tribute to Gary's mother, and "Summer's Here".

Gary says: "'Avalanche' is a return to my rock roots. It feels great to turn up the volume and have some fun. This album was a therapeutic album for me.

"I named the album 'Avalanche' because sometimes life feels like one thing after another."

Hoey called on his old friends to help him record; Matt Scurfield on drums, AJ Pappas on bass, Ian Hoey on guitar, and his niece Taylor on background vocals.

"Playing live is the best feeling," he said. "I love to travel and see the fans after the show. And having my son Ian playing guitar by my side is a dream come true. We will be playing the new and the old classics 'Hocus Pocus', 'Low Rider' and more."

Hoey's first break came in 1987 when Ozzy Osbourne showed up in Boston looking for a guitarist. Osbourne liked Hoey's tape enough to fly him to Los Angeles for an audition. Ozzy suggested that Gary move to Los Angeles. He took Ozzy's advice, and with $17,000 he saved from teaching, Hoey loaded the U-Haul and drove across country to L.A. In 1992 Hoey released the self-titled debut album from his short-lived band HEAVY BONES on Warner Bros. In 1993 Hoey released "Animal Instinct", which included a
cover of the FOCUS hit "Hocus Pocus". It rocked into the Billboard Top 5, outpacing all other singles as the most frequently played rock song of the year. In 1994 Hoey scored the successful "Endless Summer II" soundtrack and had another radio hit with WAR's "Low Rider". Other film clients have included Walt Disney films, ESPN, New Line Cinema, scoring the music to "California Screaming" (Disney Roller Coaster),"Office Space", "Deck The Halls" (Danny Devito) and "Beethoven III".

In 2012 Hoey produced and co-wrote Lita Ford's latest release "Living Like A Runaway". 2026 will see a new Lita album produced and co-written by Hoey.

Gary has toured with Jeff Beck, Brian May of QUEEN, Joe Bonamassa, Ted Nugent, Joe Satriani, THE DOOBIE BROTHERS, FOREIGNER and STYX.

"Avalanche" track listing:

01. Avalanche
02. Unstoppable
03. Maine to Mississippi
04. Cold
05. Angels & Devils
06. You Know I Would (feat. Lita Ford)
07. Break Free
08. Safe Place To Fall
09. Dear Mama
10. Let's Go
11. Summer's Here

Produced by Gary Hoey
Mixed by Max Norman
All songs written and arranged by Gary Hoey
Recorded at Wazoo Studios (Pelham, NH)

Recording lineup:

Gary Hoey - Guitar, Vocals
Ian Hoey - Guitar (solos on "Dear Mama" and "Summer's Here")
Matt Scurfield - Drums
AJ Pappas - Bass
Sean Hagon - Keyboards
Lita Ford - Guest vocals on "You Know I Would"
Tayla Lemieux – Background Vocals

In a 2018 interview with NJArts.net, Lita stated about working with Gary: "Gary and I jell perfectly. Musically, he finishes the sentences that I start. As a producer, he's just badass."

Ford went on to say that "a badass producer" is "someone that will inspire you to go places you didn't think you could go. Sometimes there will be a note I won't be able to hit vocally, and I'll just want to say, 'Screw it.' Gary will say, 'No, Lita, you are going to hit this note.' Again, I'll tell him that I can't, and he'll pull out a guitar and play [Lita imitates a guitar playing a scale of notes) and say, 'See, you can get there from here.' Then we'll go do it again, and I'll hit it."

Swedish black metallers WATAIN have announced that their upcoming eighth studio album will be their final collection of new material.

Earlier today (Saturday, September 20),WATAIN released the following statement: "Ladies and gentlemen, followers, allies and supporters, this is a solemn transmission from the Temple of WATAIN.

"We hereby announce that in III years' time — upon our 30th anniversary — WATAIN's eighth and final full-length album will be released. The album will mark the closure of a thirty-year-long magical Work, the last crossroad of WATAIN, after which the band will cease to exist. The ending of a triad of decades during which we have shared our sacred path through this strange world with you, our loyal audience, on a steady course towards the beckoning darkness of The End.

"Over the course of the next three years, the reasons for this will be spoken of and accounted for. But for now we just want to say this: Have our songs and our art not always dealt with finitude and mortality, with DEATH and the beyond? Now it is time to claim our own conclusion, and shape it as we have shaped our stage and our songs, in the fires of will. Instead of being consumed by the jaws of time, or broken upon the wheel of circumstance, we choose to let WATAIN return, unbowed and undefeated, back into the primordial chaos that once gave it life.

"And so we stand on the threshold to our final chapter, and III years of Work remain. III liminal years in the borderlands between the living and the dead, during which new music will be written and shared, concerts will take place, and other things, that will be revealed in due time, will emanate, with the certainty of DEATH, from the Temple of WATAIN.

"Take this message not as a farewell, but as the first note of a sacrificial requiem, as well as your invitation to partake in shaping these last years into something beyond compare.

"Praise be to the Devilgod by whom our path is blessed,
and upon whose altar we now place this our humble offering.

"To the DEATH and far beyond!"

WATAIN's latest album, "The Agony & Ecstasy Of Watain", was released in April 2022 via Nuclear Blast.

Formed in 1998, WATAIN has ascended and grown into one of the world's most well-known and notorious black metal bands. Their legacy is often referred to with fear, love, confusion or awe, but seldom with indifference. Their infamous live shows have become a worldwide phenomenon; inimitable ceremonies of wild black metal fanatism where the sacred and solemn collides with raw unadulterated force.

In an interview with Tinnitus Metal Radio, WATAIN frontman Erik Danielsson was asked to elaborate on his previous comment that "metal should be written by people who live metal lives." He said: "I think that, yeah, I don't see metal as a thing that can be performed by anyone else [but someone] who's, like, deeply affiliated with this form of, not only music but subculture and lifestyle in general. Of course you can — of course you can rip off a [IRON] MAIDEN riff even if you're a skater boy — but to me, the metal that always struck hardest, the metal that always kind of shook my soul has always been written by liberated spirits, by outlaw, free-thinking real rock and roll men and women. And that's just how it is; there's no way around that. I mean, if I would be a young guy wanting to write a love song, I would probably wait to write that love song until I have been in love. And if I would write a song about death, I would probably wait until I had some kind of actual experience of it. And the same thing goes, but in a larger context, with metal music. I think it kind of demands a personal affiliation, a kind of deep-rooted compatibility between the artist and the music. That's my profound belief."

Erik previously told Sense Music Media that WATAIN has "always worked with extremes" in its expression. "We have always worked near the borders of sanity, and the limits of what's being allowed and so on," he said. "All these different interpretations of what we do, all these misconceptions and so on, I think they serve the purpose of maintaining a well-needed and quite flattering mystery around the band, you know? I don't mind that at all. I actually like that people don't really know how to approach us sometimes. Ultimately, I think 90% of everyone that listens to WATAIN does that because they find what we do relatable, maybe in a musical taste sense, or they like the way our things look and so on. Everything is pretty elaborate and meticulously done and so on … I don't think most people see it as such a radical thing, in their lives, to be a fan of WATAIN, but I think there is definitely a general conception among people who don't like WATAIN, or that are not that well acquainted with our sound or our records or our live concerts, I think maybe it's more around those people that there's this general confusion or misconception about what we stand for and so on. That's fine by me. [Laughs] That's not really the people that we are playing to anyway, you know? I'm fine with being an elusive anomaly when it comes to trying to pin us down or whatever, in a larger context."

😢😢😢we stand in front line as always TTD🔱🔱🔱

Posted by Watain Disciples / Hellenic Division on Saturday, September 20, 2025

In a new interview with the Today's Boondoggle podcast, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson spoke about the band's announcement that MEGADETH's upcoming LP will be the band's last. The Dave Mustaine-led outfit will also embark on a farewell tour in 2026. Asked if he would return to MEGADETH if Mustaine called him and asked him to take part in the band's final tour, Ellefson said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, of course I would. I mean, I didn't ever think I should not be there now. You know what I mean? [Laughs] So, now with that said, look, there's some shit we'd have to kind of hash through, but look, it was like the last time [in 2010 when I rejoined MEGADETH]. [Prior to that] we didn't talk for — I don't know — four or five years, three or four years, and then [MEGADETH's drummer at the time] Shawn Drover gets us both on the phone. It was, like, a two-minute conversation. I throw a bass in my car, I drive across the desert to San Diego, we plug in, play 'Symphony Of Destruction'. It was like we just played yesterday. It sounded amazing. It immediately sounds like MEGADETH. And it was kind of like we just looked at each other and it was, like, 'Why did we not talk for the last five years?' You know what I mean? It's so silly."

Ellefson went on to say that "it's always some outside forces that pull [Dave and me] apart. It's never really me and him. If it were up to me and him, we'd probably be playing together. But there's always outside influences and advisors and all this bullshit. And so the reality of it is, when Dave and I hang, it's usually pretty chill. It really is. But, look, he's got his own band now. I'm not in that band, and that's his band, so I'm not here to go carving up his group, you know what I mean? But if, look, if he made the call, given it was a friendly environment, which I'm sure it would be, why wouldn't I? You know what I mean? MEGADETH was my band too. It's my lifetime of work as well."

Earlier in the month, Ellefson was asked by the Rock 'N' Blues Experience podcast with host Tim Caple if it was a shock to him to hear that MEGADETH was calling it quits. David said: "I knew about it. Obviously, I'm in the business, so I knew about it, which — it was a little shocking. I've known Dave as a workhorse. All things good, bad or indifferent about Dave, he's a pretty fucking tough mule, man. I mean, he's gotten out there and sang and played despite all the odds. And I will give him that. He definitely never backed down to a challenge."

Ellefson continued: "I remember there was a comment some years ago — we were playing a festival in Mexico, and his wife, Pam, had looked over at me, and with him sitting right next to me, [she] goes, 'The old horse is slowing down.' [Laughs] And that was a big gig. It was [with] JUDAS PRIEST and SCORPIONS… And I remember when she said it, it was kind of, like, we are getting up there a little bit, but then I look at the SCORPIONS, and fucking Rudolf Schenker, that guy comes up and hugs you like a Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot. You're, like, 'What the fuck did they put in the water in his house?' This guy's well into his 70s, and it's, like, 'Aargh.' Like, Jesus, man. The SCORPIONS are impenetrable; they're strong, like Iron Man."

David added: "I haven't talked to Dave now in four years, so I have no idea the reason or anything about it other than they made their announcement."

Asked what he thinks would happen if he just picked up the phone and called Mustaine, Ellefson said: "Well, even if I had his number — I don't know; he might have changed his number since I [last] talked [to him]. No, but I know what you mean.

"Look, he removed me from the group, so it's not my place to call him to go back," David continued. "I put it out there — I did something on my podcast, I floated it out there and said, hey, look, if it were to be, I'd be up for it. I think it'd be cool. Having just watched what happened in Birmingham [at the 'Back To The Beginning' event] where everybody got together —not only did we get to say goodbye to [BLACK SABBATH], they got to say goodbye to us. And I think that's just as important.

"Dave's closing up shop on MEGADETH, and he's doing it for him, obviously, for his reasons. I think in a perfect world there would be at least a moment where maybe some of, if not all of, the rest of us got a chance to say goodbye as well," Ellefson added. "I think that's a takeaway from Birmingham, is that there's a moment for everybody to just put everything aside and go, 'You know what? That was a fucking good run, man.' And take the final bow together on some level."

Ellefson's ELLEFSON-SOTO bandmate Jeff Scott Soto, who was also part of the interview, chimed in: "I'm sorry, I have to interject here. I absolutely agree with you, David, that it would be a lovely way for it to end or go out is to have the surviving members of this legendary band all together, at least for one more hurrah. But as far as I'm concerned, MEGADETH, you guys [Ellefson and Mustaine] are the Joe Perry and Steven Tyler of this band. And to end this whole legacy without one or the other, to me, is wrong. And I'll put it right here. You can clickbait and Blabbermouth it all you want, Dave Mustaine, you need to call David Ellefson and you need to put him as part of the end — if this is truly the end and you're calling it a wrap, you need to include David at some point, even if it's one show, one song, something like that. To me, that's the true closure. That's the real way to actually close the book on MEGADETH. They have to at least include David, to include Chris Poland and all the others, Jeff Young, all the others that have been involved. That, to me, would be the ultimate farewell, sayonara, all of the above. That needs to happen, as far as I'm concerned. You need to get the Lennon and McCartney, the Joe Perry and the Steven Tyler of this band together for one final hurrah. That's how I see it."

Ellefson previously discussed his reaction to MEGADETH's farewell tour last month in a special episode of his video podcast "The David Ellefson Show". Asked for his "thoughts" on MEGADETH "calling it quits", Ellefson said: "There's a lot, 'cause, of course, it brings up years and years of thoughts, feelings, emotions, some great, some not so great. I always say these gold records on the wall — which, the only reason I have 'em up is 'cause we have a podcast [laughs]; it just makes for a good backdrop — but I look at 'em, 'Countdown [To Extinction]', 'Peace Sells', 'Beavis And Butt-Head', 'Rust In Peace', they all have a story in 'em. And some of the stuff in the '90s were better stories — the band was cohesive, the management was consistent, the music, I think, was collaborative. We went to new heights, we explored new territory that you could only dream of doing, Grammy nominations, festivals, the world for touring was really opening up everywhere. So, really great stuff. In the middle of it, of course, and around it was addictions, rehabs, canceled tours, lost finances in the millions. And so for things to sort of flush out the way that they did with now me not being part of the final farewell of something I started, as one can imagine, [it's] probably not something I'm super happy about. And saying that while still being grateful for all that it was, because I think at some point you have to find a path through it because this is reality."

Referencing Mustaine's debilitating injury in 2002 that caused severe nerve damage to his left arm and hand, and rendered him unable to play the guitar for a while, Ellefson continued: "Look, I feel like Dave Mustaine ended our friendship in 2001, and that was it. And he ended it very loudly, very publicly. He personally signed his name to it. He said we would never play music together again. And that's it. That is it. So from there on, I, I moved on. And I learned from 2002, with the career-ending nerve damage to his arm, and then two years later there's a new album with a new band and new financial terms and I'm not part of it and lawsuits to settle business matters, and just all the things go, there's a whole story there of a lot of this stuff. I was out, then suddenly I was back, and it was great. And he and I tried to mend fences, as I think we did. He was generous to me. Things were good.

"Clearly MEGADETH is a Mustaine family-run business," Ellefson added. "And it started that way, I think, probably a little while after I came back to the band [in 2010]. 'Cause when I came back to the band, it was not — it was Dave. And I kind of became the good friend to Dave. I knew him and he knew me in a way that no one else could. Dave had his friends before me growing up in California, but I've certainly known him one of the longest of most anybody on the planet, at least from inner workings of a band kind of thing. So, as bands go though, there can be tensions, there are all those things. Certainly what was made clear to me in 2004 is, 'Hey, it's a new day. It's a new way. Dave's in charge. It's not gonna be what it was. It's not gonna be collaborative.' [Former MEGADETH drummer] Shawn Drover always used to remind me of that. He goes, 'Dude, those days when of us all getting in a room and writing a record, dude, those days are long gone.' In fact, I remember when I came back and we were doing the 'Th1rt3en' album after about a year on the road, Dave asked me, he said, 'Oh, I'd like to have you write.' I said, 'You know what? No. Why don't you write the songs? I'll play bass for you. Let's just keep it clean. Keep it simple. Let's not even blur the lines.' And that's why I did other musical things. I did the ELLEFSON solo records and various other things to just have a little… I [thought], 'Let me take my creative stuff over there.' I knew in no way was that ever gonna sort of trump the brand, if you will, be bigger than the MEGADETH brand, yet it was a way to have a little creative outlet on the side, kind of get my yayas without interfering with MEGADETH. 'Cause I knew — look, we got it back together. Let's keep it clean, let's keep it simple. Let's just do that. And I think every time we tried to write, it was always a sore spot. It was problematic. And I was, like, 'Oh, I wish we weren't even going down this road.' Now, of course, everybody wants their name on the record, everybody wants to feel some of the financial windfall. And how things are split financially doesn't always have to how they're split with the credits and stuff like that.

"There's a weird thing in bands that how things are financially split… If you're a founding member of a band, to some degree you should be entitled to a piece of every everything and all of it, basically, 'cause it wouldn't exist if you weren't there," David noted. "And that deal got changed in 2004. That immediately changed the landscape. It changed my feelings about it. It drew us into a legal dispute — rightfully so. And no one wins in lawsuits, to some degree, yet sometimes they have to happen because things need to be done the way they need to be done. And I guess the good news for me is financially it landed certainly much better for me, and getting paid directly for my sources rather than… 'Cause sometimes that's what happens, is money goes through the channels of the organization and sometimes people don't get paid. So that needed to happen, and I'm glad I went through the process. It's not a fun process — I didn't sleep for nine months because of it — but that's when I had my little band F5 and I was trying to at least kind of keep my nose creatively involved in some stuff.

"So, there's a lot of history here with this band. This band started with a resentment. It started with a 'fuck you', Dave's sort of revenge against [his former band] METALLICA. And it wasn't entirely that. I mean, that gets a little blown out of proportion. To some degree, Dave was his own artist away from METALLICA. He had 'Mechanix' and some songs before METALLICA, and he certainly wrote songs after. So I think that that's a little unfair to paint that entirely on Dave that MEGADETH was just this revenge toward METALLICA. It may have been often fueled by it, but how could it not be? He was not a founding member of METALLICA. He was there for, as I always call it, a year and a half in the life of METALLICA. And [he] certainly changed the course of what they did. But they went on and had their own successes.

"But, look, for Dave to call it quits or to retire, I should say… Farewell… I don't even know if he's retiring. He's just basically saying MEGADETH's over… Would I like to be a part of it? Yeah, of course. Who wouldn't?" he admitted. "I'm a founding member of it. I'm a 30-plus-year member of it. Is that gonna happen? Who knows? It's too early to tell. I don't know what they have planned. I have no idea what it is. They just made an announcement about it. Do I think there should be some sort of farewell that everybody gets to participate in? I mean, look, [the] 'Back To The Beginning' [concert in Birmingham] with BLACK SABBATH. Look, they made nice. They brought all four of BLACK SABBATH['s original members]. They brought everybody back. You had [former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist] Jake [E. Lee]. Now, was everybody there? No. There were some key people — Bob Daisley — some people that weren't there. But for the most part, they brought a lot of the people back. And just speaking of BLACK SABBATH, they brought the original, the core four back, and they said goodbye. Not only did they say goodbye, everybody got to say goodbye to them. And I think when you're doing a farewell, that's important, that you get to say goodbye and everybody gets to say goodbye to you. I think that that's an important part of it. But that's me. I'm not in the band anymore. I have no say in it. So that's just me. That's just one guy with an opinion, quite honestly."

After podcast co-host Joshua Toomey opined that "everyone that was ever in MEGADETH should also be able to say their farewell too" and be part of the celebrations in some way, Ellefson said: "Well, I strongly stand against the notion that MEGADETH was only Dave Mustaine, 'cause it wasn't. And everybody knows that. So, if Dave needs to retire, wants to retire, I get it. I understand. He's given a lot. It's taken a lot out of him. It's taken certainly a toll on him, as anyone can imagine. So, look, God bless you, brother. If you're done, this is it, you wanna go do something else with your life, spend time with your family, just not play guitar, I get it. I mean, dude, believe me, I'm 60. There's some days I just kind of go, 'God, really? Should I write another album, another song? Do I really wanna go on stage?' And the answer always comes back to yes, I do. So I do. So I can't speak for him, and I'm not gonna speak for him. But, look, again, I haven't talked to the guy now in four and a half years, so I have no idea what his reasoning is, what the thinking is behind it.

"Someone made a point, they said we're all fans of MEGADETH music, even if we're not maybe fans of a particular lineup of the band, or we're not fans of certain members of the band, we still all love MEGADETH music," he continued. "And I thought, okay, I'm down with that. I can get behind that."

Referencing Mustaine's decision to fire Ellefson in May 2021 after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter, David said: "It's unfortunate that things landed between me and Dave where they did, because as I said right from the beginning, they didn't have to. And I made it very clear on the phone call when they were firing me that they didn't have to do that. It was unnecessary. Whatever those circumstances are were nothing to be feared. We can move on. But whatever. They made their decision, so let the chips fall where they may. I don't really even like going back to that period of time, because I felt like there was a lot leading up to that stuff behind the scenes, conversations that Dave and I were having about things that maybe we just weren't agreeing on. And that's okay. You can agree to disagree. You don't have to agree on everything.

"[OVERKILL singer] Bobby Blitz said something really good to me when I was touring with OVERKILL," Ellefson added. "'Cause he said he and D.D. [Verni, OVERKILL bassist], they're the boss. They run OVERKILL, they run the band. And he said, 'No matter how we go into the room with separate ideas, we come out as one voice.' And I thought, 'Man, that's a great way to put it.' And I always felt like Dave and I did that. No matter what we felt like when we got in the room, we leave this room as one voice. And Dave being the leader, Dave being the self-appointed voice of the group, let him have that voice. So I always felt like I stood behind that. I was unified with him. Whether I agreed with it or not, you get on board with it and that's what it is, and you go with that. And look, for the most part, Dave's way worked pretty good. I wasn't there to defy that."

Mustaine and the rest of MEGADETH have yet to reveal the final album's title, release date or the band's remaining tour dates.

In a press release announcing MEGADETH's final album and farewell tour, Mustaine thanked fans for their commitment and love while celebrating the band's impact on the music world.

"There's so many musicians that have come to the end of their career, whether accidental or intentional," Mustaine said. "Most of them don't get to go out on their own terms on top, and that's where I'm at in my life right now. I have traveled the world and have made millions upon millions of fans and the hardest part of all of this is saying goodbye to them."

He continued. "We can't wait for you to hear this album and see us on tour. If there was ever a perfect time for us to put out a new album, it's now. If there was ever a perfect time to tour the world, it's now. This is also a perfect time for us to tell you that it's our last studio album. We've made a lot of friends over the years and I hope to see all of you on our global farewell tour.

"Don't be mad, don't be sad, be happy for us all, come celebrate with me these next few years. We have done something together that's truly wonderful and will probably never happen again. We started a musical style, we started a revolution, we changed the guitar world and how it's played, and we changed the world. The bands I played in have influenced the world. I love you all for it. Thank you for everything."

The follow-up to 2022's "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" will be released via Mustaine's Tradecraft imprint on Frontiers Label Group's new BLKIIBLK label, and is expected next year.

Fans can register for early access to exclusive information and offers surrounding the upcoming final album on MEGADETH's web site. Pre-orders for the LP will start on September 25. The initial run of farewell tour dates will also be announced later this year.

For its final album, MEGADETH is once again working with Chris Rakestraw, a producer, mixer and engineer who previously worked on MEGADETH's last two LPs, the aforementioned "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" and 2016's "Dystopia".

Ellefson was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, when the group briefly broke up because Mustaine suffered severe nerve damage that left him unable to play. After Mustaine reformed MEGADETH with an all-new lineup in 2004, Ellefson sued his former bandmate for $18.5 million, alleging that Mustaine still owed him substantial merchandise and publishing royalties. In January 2005, the case was dismissed in court, and five years later, Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH.

Back in October 2022, Mustaine once again said that he was the sole founding member of MEGADETH. The guitarist/vocalist made the comment in an interview with LifeMinute to promote "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!". While discussing the MEGADETH "sound", the now 63-year-old musician said: "There's a misnomer that there were two people that founded MEGADETH. I was the founder; I was the only one in the beginning. There was a bass player before who just was… who just left. So it's been my vision. When I got kicked out of METALLICA, I got kicked out of METALLICA; no one else was with me on the bus coming home."

Mustaine's comments came nearly seven years after he implied in an interview with the Cape Girardeau, Missouri radio station Real Rock 99.3 that Ellefson was not a founding member of the band because, he said, "MEGADETH was already in its formative phase long before I even knew David Ellefson." Ellefson later said that he was "technically" a founding member of MEGADETH because he was "in the room" the day MEGADETH decided to change its name from the previous working moniker of FALLEN ANGEL at the suggestion of the band's then-guitarist Greg Handevidt.

In February 2016, just a month after his original remarks were published on BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Mustaine was asked by Ticketmaster what it means to have a longtime collaborator like Ellefson back in the band after so many lineup changes. He responded: "David and I have been friends for a long time, even during the lawsuit. I had made it clear that I loved him, and I loved his family. I said that the truth would come out and that it was very unfortunate. The lawsuit was dismissed, I forgave him, and we got back in business again. It's been fun ever since."

He continued: "There's a couple web sites out there that don't like me and they're trying to twist some of my words around about David Ellefson being in the band or not being in the band, or being a founding member or not being a founding member. And that shit don't matter, because it's a gossip web site. The truth is, me and Dave are partners, we make good music together, he's in MEGADETH, we're going on tour. Hopefully people will know when they see him on stage and not think he's somebody else. [Laughs]"

In February 2016, Ellefson was asked by Cranked Up Live about Mustaine's comments to Real Rock 99.3 where the MEGADETH leader implied that Ellefson was not a founding member of the band. Ellefson said: "Well, it's interesting… Yeah, I did see [the article on BLABBERMOUTH.NET]. And it's interesting. The headline was very misleading and was obviously meant… It was very inflammatory. It was meant to be a hamburger bomb thrown over into the middle of our campaign. And I think I saw it as that. So, again, open the story, read it. They didn't even say that. They didn't even say what the headline says. That headline was misconstrued.

"Now, look, when Dave came home from METALLICA, he had another bass player, kind of a kid he was almost teaching how to play bass, and another guitar player he had been working with a little bit, and a singer, named Lor. And those were kind of the first people that, I think, in April and May of 1983 that Dave was just kicking some ideas around [with], seeing if he could get anything going. But the day me and my friend Greg Handevidt knocked on Dave's door and asked him where to buy some cigarettes and beer, that was the day that there was a unity that moved forward, because me, Greg, Dave, that singer Lor and our drummer Dijon Carruthers, who helped create a lot of the lyrics and the concept of 'Black Friday' on the 'Peace Sells' record, that was… we were the group that were rehearsing for a few weeks, working on these new songs Dave was writing. And one day we came back to… I think it was me and Greg's apartment… And it was Greg who suggested… We were talking about band names, and Greg suggested… There was a name kicking around, FALLEN ANGEL, that I think Dave… That was kind of working title that he had. But he had a song called 'Megadeth', which was later retitled to become 'Set The World Afire'. And it was my friend Greg who suggested, 'I think we should call the band MEGADETH.' And it was decided that day, so, I mean, technically, whoever was in the room that day was a founding member of MEGADETH. And, again, I don't know why there has to be so much importance on that. I know, I was there. And quickly, all those other members either scattered or were let go, and within a month or so, it was me and Dave standing next to each other — Dave and Dave of this new group called MEGADETH.

In a new interview with Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com, OVERKILL bassist D.D. Verni was asked about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to their latest album, "Scorched", which came out in April 2023 via Nuclear Blast. He said:  "We are demoing stuff right now. We probably have maybe nine or 10 songs kind of scratched out that I gave to Blitz [OVERKILL singer Bobby Ellsworth] a little while ago. Usually the process is I'll demo everything up musically [and] then I'll give it to Blitz. He'll spend some time with it and kind of do his thing with them. Then we get everybody together, kind of that. So I gave it to Blitz maybe not too long ago."

As for a possible release date for the new OVERKILL album, Verni said: "I would think next year, for sure. Just when will it be — spring? Will it be fall? Somewhere in there. But [in] '26 [there] will definitely be a new OVERKILL record."

In August 2024, OVERKILL confirmed Jeramie Kling as the group's new drummer. Kling joined the veteran New Jersey thrash metal outfit as the replacement for Jason Bittner, who announced his exit from OVERKILL earlier that month.

A founding member of THE ABSENCE, Kling appeared on VENOM INC.'s second album, 2022's "There's Only Black", and has played with such acts as FORE, RIBSPREADER, GOREGÄNG and NECROMANCING THE STONE. He was also briefly affiliated with the reunited Florida death metal band MASSACRE, which led to the formation of INHUMAN CONDITION, alongside Terry Butler (OBITUARY, ex-DEATH) and Taylor Nordberg (DEICIDE). In addition to being a drummer, Kling is a recording engineer, producer and live sound engineer.

Bittner joined OVERKILL in 2017 and played drums on the band's last two studio albums, 2019's "The Wings Of War" and the aforementioned "Scorched".

Last November, Jason admitted to "Reckless" Rexx Ruger of Pod Scum that he "hadn't been happy" in OVERKILL "for, like, two fucking years. It wasn't a surprise that I quit. I'd been dissatisfied for a long time, but I'm a team player. I don't like to leave things. I love the guys personally. So I just kind of just hung in there, but I was not happy where I was career-wise, let's say, within the confines of that band. I wasn't a bandmember. And that's the main thing for me to keep doing this at this point in my lifetime." He added that he felt he wasn't "being paid fairly" for his time" but clarified that there was "no animosity" and called his decision to leave "just a business thing." He explained: "I can play five shows with SHADOWS FALL and make more money than playing 30 with OVERKILL."

In September 2024, Verni told Capital Chaos TV about Bittner's departure: "We kind of knew that that was coming. He had told us a while ago that he was just kind of burned out on too many things and had his hands in too many pots. So I think we kind of knew that was coming."

OVERKILL played its first concert with Kling on August 30, 2024 at the Posada Rock festival in Câmpulung Muscel, Romania.

In a new interview with George Dionne of KNAC.COM, former ACCEPT singer David Reece was asked if there are any plans for a second album with IRON ALLIES, his collaborative project with fellow ex-ACCEPT member Herman Frank (guitar). He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Nah. Herman and I kicked off on the right foot, but partnerships are partnerships, and then I soon realized it was no longer a partnership.

"There's a weird thing with that whole ACCEPT family — excluding [original ACCEPT singer] Udo [Dirkschneider], I must say — and I know why," he explained. "It was created by the old management, which was really good at dividing everyone and pitting everybody against each other. Really evil. And the only one that wasn't part of that dark side was Udo. We're good friends now, since '88. I could call him today, if he's home, talk to him and his boy. But some of that, it created a distrust of everybody around. And that's how managers keep control. They cause this dissension of getting everybody freaked out so they can basically make you do what they want. And I've noticed in a lot of those guys, in those outsiders that are doing their own thing, that's still there. You still hear about it. And I started feeling that."

Circling back to his current relationship with Frank, Reece added: "He writes great riffs [with his long-running band] VICTORY. It's funny 'cause when he came here and said, 'If we do this [IRON ALLIES project], it's gonna be heavy metal,' and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But if you look at VICTORY, it's kinda like [Reece's] BANGALORE CHOIR; it's more of a pop-rock band. And he's happy. He's got a great singer. Gianni's [Pontillo] great, and I wish him well. But no, I don't wanna work with the guy. I mean, I don't hate him. I just don't want that unease. I wanna be happy. I wanna focus on what I'm doing and not worrying about, 'Oh, God, things are cool today,' and then you walk into rehearsal and it's not cool. I mean, screw that, dude."

Back in October 2024, Herman was asked by Dionne about the possibility of a second album from IRON ALLIES. He said: "We will see. I'm always working. I do have my own project, Herman Frank, and I'm writing for other people, so I'm quite sure that IRON ALLIES will have a second album, for sure. We've played on a couple of festivals — [Belgium's] Graspop [Metal Meeting] is one of the biggest festivals all in Europe — and we have been in Czech and stuff like that, in Switzerland and Germany. So I guess it was a good start. And I do love David's voice. That kind of gives a different shape, different style into rock/metal or metal/rock. It's not the typical classic metal or rock singer screaming. He's singing. He knows how to sing. And I do love his lyrics. So, yeah, for sure."

IRON ALLIES' debut album, "Blood In Blood Out", arrived in October 2022 via AFM Records.

When "Blood In Blood Out" was first announced, Frank said in a statement: "This record cannot be compared to anything David or I have produced in our past. It's at the same time standing on its own, while sounding like it came from the one and the same mold. You could say: the two of us have sought and found each other."

Although these two exceptional musicians had known each other for a very long time, sparks really started to fly during Frank's visit to Piacenza, Italy, where the American-born Reece has been living after marrying an Italian woman.

"We hit it off right away because David — like me — is not only an old warhorse, but a total music lover," Herman said. "It's only with this unswerving passion for music that you can last as long as we have in this shark tank.

"I love David's voice, that unique blend of metal, rock and blues. Also, he's an awesome lyricist and as a U.S.-American he obviously has a much greater range of vocabulary than non-English-speaking singers."

"In a way, 'Blood In Blood Out' is the motto of IRON ALLIES," Herman explained. "This band was formed as a blood brotherhood, and no one gets out of here without shedding blood.

"Blood In Blood Out" was recorded at Horus Sound Studio in Hannover, Germany with co-producer Arne Neurand. Joining Frank and Reece on the IRON ALLIES album, which was mixed and mastered by Dennis Ward, were drummer Francesco Jovino (U.D.O., PRIMAL FEAR, VOODOO CIRCLE, JORN),bassist Malte Burkert and rhythm guitarist Mike Pesin.

Frank said: "We left nothing to chance. All positions were perfectly cast."

In October 2021, Reece discussed his collaboration with Frank in an interview with the "Heavy Metal Mayhem" radio show. He said: "The ironic thing about Herman and I, we played festivals many times and not even met each other. And here we are, part of the same band and their history. And we would miss each other by, like, two minutes. We always wanted to see each other, but something came up [and] we never really got to meet. So Herman and I started talking, and we said, 'Yeah, let's put a band together. Who do you wanna get?' We talked to [drummer] Mike Heller from FEAR FACTORY a few times, and that didn't really work out. And then I said, 'I've got Francesco Jovino, dude, on my [solo] album. This guy is a beast.' So then we got the band together."

Regarding the musical direction of IRON ALLIES, Reece said: "It's got some of those elements of old [ACCEPT circa] 'Restless And Wild'. It's got Dave's voice — [as heard on my solo albums] 'Cacophony [Of Souls]' and 'Blacklist [Utopia]'. It's ripping shit, man. I'm really excited about it."

According to Reece, part of the motivation for putting IRON ALLIES together is the negative publicity surrounding their respective departures from ACCEPT. "They badmouth him, they badmouth me, there was this back-and-forth all the time, and then [Herman] said, 'You know what? Screw it. I'm gonna call David Reece,'" David explained. "And I'd never really talked to him. He just came down to Italy and we got to actually meet face to face. We went out to a great dinner, hung out for about six hours. He was just driving around Europe, relaxing, 'cause he had just finished another VICTORY album and his solo album, so he needed a break."

Herman joined ACCEPT in 1982 shortly before the release of the band's "Restless And Wild" album and exited the group for the first time after the arrival of 1983's "Balls To The Wall" LP.

When ACCEPT reunited for festival appearances in 2005, Herman handled second-guitar duties alongside founding axeman Wolf Hoffmann, with Stefan Schwarzmann sitting behind the kit.

Frank and Schwarzmann were involved in ACCEPT's comeback with singer Mark Tornillo and appeared on the reunited group's first three studio albums: 2010's "Blood Of The Nations", 2012's "Stalingrad" and 2014's "Blind Rage".

Five years ago, Herman told All That Shreds about his decision to exit ACCEPT in December 2014: "It was just time to leave the band. Let's put it this way: I wanted to do music the way I started to. I wanted to have my own band. I wanted my own music and just wanted to just play my own leads. Not to follow somebody's guitar. I was getting too old for it. It's fine to be a backup, but after a couple of years, it's time for a different thing."

Reece was recruited for ACCEPT's "Eat The Heat" LP in 1989 following the departure of Udo Dirkschneider. Reece's higher-pitched delivery was in sharp contrast to Dirkschneider's distinctive style, and overall, the album was a critical and commercial disappointment. Midway through the "Eat The Heat" tour, differences between the band and Reece had come to a head, leading to the altercation between the singer and bassist Peter Baltes in Chicago. By the end of 1989, ACCEPT had hung it up.

David spoke about the circumstances that led to his dispute with the bassist during an interview with Metalliluola. He explained: "Peter had told my girlfriend I was having an affair. And I asked him, 'Did you tell her?' And he said, 'Yes.' So I slapped him. That ended it. It was bad before that, the communication. Ticket sales weren't good. We were opening for W.A.S.P."

He continued: "I think they really thought that getting the American [singer] in, they were gonna break the United States. But ACCEPT aren't really huge in America, like [in Europe]. That's why they hired me — they wanted a change. And the tour was going kind of slow. We did a headline tour first in the States, [playing in the] clubs. That was good. And then we went out with W.A.S.P. and METAL CHURCH, and it was half[-filled] rooms. So they were feeling the stress of that, and the communication was bad. So it was building."

David went on to say that he is sorry for assaulting his former bandmate. "Peter and I are friends now," he said, adding that "it was a bad decision" that was made while he and the rest of the group were under "a lot of stress. Being in a band, it can be a lot of drama. He had no right to tell her, and I had no right to slap him. So, I regret it."

In a new interview with Dennis Wood of WOKW 102.9 FM's "Back To The 80s", VIXEN drummer Roxy Petrucci was asked what it means to her personally to "still be playing these great songs and connecting with fans all these years later." She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's who I am. It's not just what I do. I still have the enthusiasm. I still have the drive. I love the band. I love playing with these girls. We're having a great time. So I think because I love VIXEN, I love the music. I just love this band, and I wanna continue doing it. And as long as the fans wanna keep hearing it, I will do it till I can't — physically can't. But right now I'm still in fairly good shape, still got tons of energy and I'm gonna keep slamming those skins."

As for what it is like to see a whole new generation discovering VIXEN and 1980s rock in general, Roxy said: "Oh, it's awesome. We'll be playing these shows and sometimes we go out and do meet-and-greets, and there'll be people that say, they come out to the meet-and-greet and they're, like, 'We saw you with Ozzy [Osbourne] back in 1989. This is my daughter, and she's [been] introduced [to] you, and she loves you guys.' So we get a lot of that — a lot of that. A lot of college kids that are totally into the '80s now. Because the '80s, there's nothing like it. That music, the fun, the anthems — how can you not like that? Because people wanna hear it, young kids wanna hear it, and they're totally all about it now. And the people want it. They're coming to the shows. That is the test."

Petrucci went on to confirm that VIXEN does not use any backing tracks during the band's live performance. "Hell yeah. None of that. We don't do that. We don't need to," she said. "When you go see a band, you kind of want that rawness. When I go to a concert, I don't want them to sound just like the CD or the recording. I wanna hear some rawness. We give it to you. But the vocals are incredible. Yeah, Rosa [Laricchiuta, VIXEN singer] nails it every night, and Britt [Lightning, a.k.a. Brittany Denaro, VIXEN guitarist], Julia [Lage, VIXEN bassist] and Tyson [Leslie, VIXEN touring keyboardist], we all do backing vocals, and it's just there."

VIXEN's most recent release was the 2023 single "Red". It marked the group's sole studio recording with singer Lorraine Lewis, who was fired from VIXEN in May 2024 and replaced with Laricchiuta, a singer, songwriter, and performer from Montreal, Quebec.

Laricchiuta's hard rock project BLACK ROSE MAZE released its self-titled debut album in August 2020 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Rosa made her live debut with VIXEN on June 21 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California alongside GREAT WHITE, SLAUGHTER and QUIET RIOT.

In January 2019, VIXEN recruited Lewis as its new lead singer following the departure of Janet Gardner.

Lewis had already performed with VIXEN in March 2018 in Durant, Oklahoma while Gardner was recovering from surgery.

Prior to Lewis's addition to VIXEN, Petrucci, bassist Share Ross and Lightning vowed to "expand upon the VIXEN legacy while remaining true to our musical roots."

Gardner, Petrucci and Ross are considered to be part of VIXEN's classic lineup, along with founding guitarist Jan Kuehnemund, who died of cancer in October 2013.

Gardner contributed lead vocals to VIXEN's most commercially successful studio albums — "Vixen" (1988),"Rev It Up" (1990) and "Tangerine" (1998) — as well as the group's latest full-length release, 2018's live album "Live Fire".

Three and a half years ago, Ross announced that she was "taking a hiatus" from VIXEN. Her replacement is Lage, formerly of the Latin Grammy-nominated Brazilian rock group BARRA DE SAIA and wife of Richie Kotzen. Lage made her live debut with VIXEN on February 8, 2022 at the pre-Monsters Of Rock cruise concert at Magic City Casino in Miami, Florida.

Image credit: Tom deBlonk

In a new interview with the JJO Discover New Music Podcast, RISE AGAINST frontman Tim McIlrath was asked if he ever worried that he and his bandmates were injecting their political activism a little too deeply into their songwriting. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think we've been all opinion all the time. It's fused into what we do. We could be the no-opinion guys, but we'd need to start another band. RISE AGAINST came into the world like this. This is how we were birthed into this music scene. We were birthed screaming and raging, and talking about how we feel, and fighting for a level playing field and speaking out for equality and speaking out against racism and homophobia. And that even goes back to the scene that we were born into, which was the '90s punk and hardcore scene."

He continued: "'90s punk and hardcore is where I first heard the word 'sweatshop', first heard about climate change and the issues of environmental justice. So that was the kind of music fan I was. Politics were always like fused into it, whether it was massive bands like RAGE [AGAINST THE MACHINE] or smaller straight edge bands like EARTH CRISIS, there was always music that was speaking to me. And so when someone gave me a microphone when I came of age, this was already at the tip of my tongue. And so we didn't expect to [be played on] your radio station and [be embraced by] your fans and play overseas and get out of our basement in our garage. We weren't very careerist about it. It just kind of happened to us. But we never checked our politics at the door, 'cause we came from a scene where it was very accepted and maybe even normal to have music that was very political."

"Ricochet", RISE AGAINST's first new album in four years, came out on August 15 on Loma Vista Recordings. The LP was produced by Grammy winner Catherine Marks (BOYGENIUS, FOALS, MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA, ST. VINCENT) and mixed by Alan Moulder (NINE INCH NAILS, PARAMORE, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, THE KILLERS).

RISE AGAINST's most recent single from "Ricochet" was the LP's title track, which balances introspection with the incendiary, and offers righteousness without sanctimony as it chronicles our collective unravelling. "Ricochet" followed "I Want It All", "Prizefighter" and "Nod", hailed as a "particularly potent rallying cry for the moment" (Rolling Stone),and "the anthem we need right now" (Vice). Across the rest of the album, RISE AGAINST cover apocalyptic scenarios ("Black Crown"),false promises sold to the youth ("Gold Long Gone"),the necessity of resisting blind allegiance ("Soldier"),mental health ("Sink Like A Stone"),and the sensationalism of the algorithmic entertainment-industrial complex ("State Of Emergency"),all with a sense of optimism for real, lasting change.

Taking inspiration from one of their favorite literary works, Tim McIlrath and bandmates Joe Principe (bass/vocals),Zach Blair (guitar/vocals) and Brandon Barnes (drums) have absorbed the maxim that "in a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." The mantra has permeated RISE AGAINST's growing body of multi-gold and platinum hits, filling arenas, topping charts, breaking records and earning billions of streams while uniting millions of listeners in a necessary embrace of vital, progressive issues.

In the four years since 2021's "Nowhere Generation", the Chicago band's outspoken messages, bulletproof melodies and deep body of multi-gold and platinum hits have reached more fans than ever, uniting millions in a necessary embrace of vital, progressive issues. Whether they are singing about injustice, instability, environmentalism, animal rights or the way the social and economic decks have been stacked against the youth, RISE AGAINST continues to fill arenas, top charts, break records and earn billions of streams.

San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal pioneers EXODUS have tapped Mark Lewis, who has previously worked with MEGADETH, WHITECHAPEL, DEVILDRIVER and BAD WOLVES, among many others, to mix their new album for a tentative early 2026 release via Napalm Records.

The follow-up to 2021's "Persona Non Grata" will mark the first time in nearly three decades that an EXODUS album hasn't been mixed by Andy Sneap, who has acted as JUDAS PRIEST's producer and touring guitarist for more than seven years.

Earlier today, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt — who is also a member of SLAYER — shared a photo of him with Sneap, and he included the following message: "ALWAYS awesome when I run in to my dear friend and long time collaborator @andysneap ! @judaspriest and @slayerbandofficial were rehearsing in the same city so we got to catch up over dinner!

"New @exodusbandofficial mix by @marklewis720 is almost done and it's ENORMOUS! Can't wait to unleash this beast! First album since 97 to mix with someone else, and it's crushing. Andy said it's time to venture out of our comfort zone and it's amazing. Mark has CRUSHED IT!"

EXODUS's upcoming LP will be the band's first since the departure of singer Steve "Zetro" Souza and the decision to bring Rob Dukes back.

In a recent interview with Chicago's Rebel Radio 92.5 FM as part of the station's 31st-anniversary celebration, Dukes praised the material on EXODUS's upcoming effort, saying: "It's killer. It's the best thing I've ever done with EXODUS. I thought [2010's] 'Exhibit B: [The Human Condition]' was probably some of my best work, and I think this tops it. It's so different than what we've done. We've added so many little different things that it's still EXODUS, but we've definitely stepped outside the box a little bit and tried a few different things and it worked well… It's fast. it's dark, it's awesome, man. It's gonna be a lot of fun to go play these songs live."

Souza joined EXODUS in 1986 after previously fronting the band LEGACY (which later became TESTAMENT). He remained in the band until their hiatus in 1993, but rejoined them for two years from 2002 to 2004. Dukes had joined EXODUS in 2005 (following Souza's departure) and remained until 2014, when Souza rejoined.

Dukes previously joined EXODUS in January 2005 and appeared on four of the band's studio albums — "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" (2005),"The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A" (2007),"Let There Be Blood" (2008, a re-recording of EXODUS's classic 1985 LP, "Bonded By Blood") and "Exhibit B: The Human Condition" (2010).

EXODUS played its first concert with Dukes in nearly 11 years on April 5 at the Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest: Philly at the Fillmore in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

This past June, Holt told longtime Serbian hard rock/heavy metal journalist Jadranka Janković Nešić that he and his EXODUS bandmates recorded 18 songs for their next studio album. He said: "It's [going to be released as] two totally separate records, but we kept writing and kept writing and we had so much material that we just [thought], let's work extra hard and so when it's time to start thinking about a [second] new album [after the first new one], we could relax a little bit. I wish we had 20 songs done [instead of 18], 'cause then we would have the next album done, and then I could go on vacation or something. I've never had one."

Holt went on to say that none of the songs EXODUS has recorded so far for the two upcoming albums are "fillers", or tracks that were included simply to add time. "They're all great," he claimed. "They're all amazing. There are 18 songs, and they're all totally awesome. It's hard to pick which ones [will end up on the first new album]. But we did it so we could work less later."

He continued: "We're getting older. I'm 61 years old. By the time we think about releasing the next album, that's gonna be three years [from now], so I'm gonna be that much older. And then I can go on vacation in between albums. Like I said, I've never gone on vacation. I've had vacations where I played guitar to be, but I've never gone on a vacation where I didn't have to play to be there.

"After the whole [second new] album [is done] and all, yeah, I'm gonna go [on vacation] somewhere," Holt added. "I don't know how not to work though. I'm a workaholic. My wife will have to tell me to shut the phone off. At home I relax, though. But at home where I live in the country, it's a lot of work living there in the woods. So, I'm working, but it's working on my house, and I like that. I live in the country, yeah. No city life for me anymore."

Regarding the musical direction of the new EXODUS material, Gary said: "It's 100 percent EXODUS and at times 100 percent different. There's some surprises on it. It's super heavy. There's some moments that are so fast. There's moments that are super slow. Just satanic, evil as fuck."

After Jadranka noted that EXODUS is a band that continues to release full-length albums and isn't putting out standalone singles like more artists are choosing to do nowadays, Holt said: "We write albums. We've never concerned ourselves with singles. That's why in the past some of our songs were 11 minutes long, 'cause we didn't care. A song's done when it's done. If it's three minutes, cool. If it's 11 minutes, that's cool too."

Holt also once again opened up about Souza's departure and Dukes's return. Regarding what happened to cause Zetro's exit from EXODUS, Gary said: "Well, I don't wanna go into any details 'cause there's no bad blood. It's just we're all getting older and we want to be happy. And he was not happy. He was very unhappy. He was awesome on stage and awesome in the studio and awesome to the fans and there's no problem with that. And I loved his performance and his voice is as great as ever. But it's the time when you're not on stage when it became to where it's bringing everybody's spirits down. And this is a hard job to do when you're our age. Every single time I go to the airport to go on tour, I'm sad, 'cause I'm leaving my grandchildren and my kids and my wife and my house, and it's hard. But once I get out here [on tour], I'm with my brothers and I have fun. And if that part isn't fun anymore, then none of it's fun. Maybe on stage — maybe. But we're happy now. Rob's here and all five of us hang out and spend a lot of time together and we have a good time."

When Jadranka said that Rob was "the logical choice" to step in as EXODUS's singer for the band's next phase, Holt concurred. "I'm set in my ways," he explained. "I don't like change. So changing singers was never in my future plans. I don't like change at all. I'm stuck in my ways. And the idea of finding a new person who you don't know and you don't know if your personalities work, that was never an option for me. I mean, I could find someone half my age who's got tons of energy and [is] awesome and has got visible abs muscles and jumps off the top of the drum riser, but I might not have anything in common with him… [Hiring] some kid that's the same age as my youngest daughter, it would be weird. I'd feel like a father telling him to clean up his room all the time. [Laughs]"

EXODUS's next studio album is tentatively due around March 2026.

Although EXODUS rarely gets mentioned alongside the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX — the aforementioned "Bonded By Blood" LP inspired the likes of TESTAMENT, DEATH ANGEL, VIO-LENCE and many others to launch their careers and is considered one of the most influential thrash metal albums of all time.

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In a new interview with Jovan Ristić of Altnote, vocalist Tomi Joutsen of Finnish melancholic progressive metallers AMORPHIS weighed in on a debate about people using an A.I. (artificial intelligence) music generator as a tool to create melodies, harmonies and rhymes based on artificial intelligence (A.I.) algorithms and machine learning (M.L.) models. Tomi said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, to be honest, I don't know how much the machines can do already. It's difficult, because, of course, everyone would like to hear band using real amplifiers, real guitars, real drums, real instruments, but nowadays I think most of people are using plugins and stuff like that out to everything. So it's not like totally pure art, if you think of it that way.

"I think computers and stuff, they can be a great inspiration, and if someone wants to do everything with computers and programs, it's okay for me," he explained. "But personally, I think that pure art, it's coming from people, not from the machines. I think what machines cannot do is create real emotions. They don't understand what it's like to feel, what it's like to really love or hate or suffer. So I think you need all of that, all of the emotions, if you want to bring something unique or true, and that's my opinion about it."

Followed by a Finnish headline run and a European arena tour alongside ARCH ENEMY, ELUVEITIE and GATECREEPER, AMORPHIS's new album, "Borderland", will become available in late September.

The follow-up to 2022's "Halo", "Borderland" was recorded in late 2024 and early 2025 at Hansen Studios in Ribe, Denmark with producer Jacob Hansen. The cover artwork was designed by Dutch artist Marald Van Haasteren (METALLICA, BLACK SABBATH, KVELERTAK, ALCEST).

Since forming in Helsinki in 1990, the Finnish sextet has fearlessly explored musical frontiers — from raw death metal roots to melodic, progressive and folk-tinged heavy rock, and far beyond. At every turn, AMORPHIS has expanded musical and lyrical boundaries without compromising their artistic identity.

AMORPHIS's fifteenth studio album marks both a continuation and a reinvention of the band's legacy. With acclaimed Danish producer Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT, ARCH ENEMY, AMARANTHE) at the helm for the first time and a revitalized creative spark within the group, "Borderland" sees AMORPHIS fully embracing their melodic sensibilities while venturing into fresh, uncharted sonic landscapes.

AMORPHIS is:

Tomi Joutsen - vocals
Esa Holopainen - guitars
Tomi Koivusaari - guitars
Olli-Pekka "Oppu" Laine - bass
Santeri Kallio - keys
Jan Rechberger - drums & percussion

In a new interview with Chris Akin, JUDAS PRIEST drummer Scott Travis spoke about the recent passing of former JUDAS PRIEST drummer Les Binks. Asked how he and the PRIEST fans reacted to the news of Binks's death, Scott said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, unfortunately, I never met the man. I wished I had met him when he was still with us, but I never had the privilege of meeting him. And to your point about fans, no one said anything to me personally about his passing, and I guess that's because he hadn't been in the band for so long. Obviously, I think he might've left the band in '79, maybe '80. I'm not sure. But that was a long time ago. So, like you said, sometimes fans, they have a short memory and they forget things."

Travis continued: "[Les has] always been a big influence of mine. And when I first heard JUDAS PRIEST, it was him with the band. In other words, it wasn't the Dave Holland version of PRIEST; it was the 'Unleashed In The East' album. And then I went back and listened to 'Stained Class' and the album 'Hell Bent For Leather'. Some people call it 'Killing Machine', but in America it was 'Hell Bent For Leather'. But anyways, I love his drumming. I think he just was so cool. He had such a good swing. He could play the double-bass stuff, the heavy metal stuff, but then he also, like I said, had the swing and had some of even little disco. He was doing a lot of cool stuff on the hi-hats, which we've tried to bring back in some of the newer songs on [PRIEST's latest album] 'Invincible [Shield]'."

Scott added: "It's never good when someone passes, a former bandmember. But it was a surprise. I can't even remember. I think we were on tour at the time. I'm not sure now. But, yeah, it's tough… I mean, honestly, it would've been Rob [Halford, PRIEST singer] and Ian [Hill, PRIEST bassist], who had a relationship with him at some point. But I don't even remember them saying or having any remorseful stories at the time. It had been a long time since he was in the band."

JUDAS PRIEST confirmed Binks's death in a statement shared in April 2025 on social media. A cause was not revealed, though a funeral notice said Binks died "peacefully at hospital in London."

Binks played drums on PRIEST's "Stained Class", "Hell Bent For Leather" (released as "Killing Machine" in the United Kingdom) and "Unleashed In The East" albums.

Following the release of "Unleashed In The East", Binks exited PRIEST and was replaced by ex-TRAPEZE member Dave Holland.

After leaving JUDAS PRIEST, Binks played with a number of other lesser-known bands, including LIONHEARTED, TYTAN and RAW GLORY. In the late 2010s, he began performing classic JUDAS PRIEST songs from his era in the band live.

Binks was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in November 2022 along with some of the other former and current members of JUDAS PRIEST.

At the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, Halford, Hill, guitarists Richie Faulkner and Glenn Tipton plus Travis were joined by former members Binks and guitarist K.K. Downing for a performance of a medley of three PRIEST classics: "Breaking The Law", "Living After Midnight" and "Youve Got Another Thing Comin'".

ATREYU has shared a new single "Dead", marking the band's first release in nearly two years.

Known for its signature blend of crushing riffs, soaring melodies, and emotionally charged lyrics, ATREYU continues to push the boundaries of metalcore while staying true to the sound that has earned the band a devoted global following.

"Dead", recorded by Matthew Pauling, showcases ATREYU's relentless energy and musical evolution, offering both longtime fans and new listeners a powerful glimpse into the next chapter of the group's career.

ATREYU frontman Brandon Saller comments: "'Dead' asked the question I feel many ask. Do I matter? Would anyone actually notice if I was gone? Not speaking in the space of depression or suicidal thought, but more in the grand scheme of life. We all want and aspire to leave some sort of lasting legacy or impression, but do we really matter? I guess we all hope so."

ATREYU recently announced dates for its upcoming tour that begins November 4 in Mesa, Arizona and concludes December 11 in Pomona, California. The trek marks the 21st anniversary of ATREYU's 2004 album "The Curse". A true breakthrough moment for the band, "The Curse" delivered staples like "Bleeding Mascara", "Right Side Of The Bed" and "The Crimson", which are songs that helped cement ATREYU as one of the defining forces in the mid-2000s metalcore scene.

ATREYU's riffs, hooks, melodies, and relentless energy remain a driving force in heavy music, with over a billion streams worldwide and a fanbase that keeps growing. The Southern California band recently wrapped a triumphant co-headlining U.S. run and tore through massive festivals like Download, Hellfest, Welcome To Rockville and Inkcarceration.

Since forming around the turn of the millennium, ATREYU has pushed well beyond their DIY roots — earning multiple RIAA gold records, Top 20 Billboard 200 debuts, and spots on major film and video-game soundtracks. Their latest album, "The Beautiful Dark Of Life" (2023, Spinefarm),debuted in the Top 10 on Billboard's Top Hard Rock Albums and has already racked up over 75 million streams, with singles like "Gone" and "Watch Me Burn" lighting up rock radio and flagship playlists like Spotify's "Volume" and Apple Music's "The Riff."

ATREYU is:

Brandon Saller - lead vocals
Dan Jacobs - guitar
Travis Miguel - guitar
Porter McKnight - bass/vocals

Photo credit: Sean Stiegeimeier

SLAYER performed last night (Thursday, September 18) at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky. The show marked the reunited thrash metal pioneers' fourth full concert of 2025, following the band's appearances the 35,000-capacity Blackweir Fields in Cardiff, U.K., London, U.K.'s 45,000-capacity Finsbury Park, and the 100,000-capacity Festival D'été De Québec in Canada. SLAYER also helped celebrate BLACK SABBATH's incredible career by playing a six-song set at SABBATH's sold-out "Back To The Beginning" final concert on July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, England.

SLAYER was previously scheduled to play at the 2024 edition of the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, but that performance was canceled due to severe weather.

The lineup for all of SLAYER's comeback shows in 2024 and 2025 is the same as the one which last toured in 2019: guitarist Kerry King and drummer Paul Bostaph, along with bassist/vocalist Tom Araya and guitarist Gary Holt.

SLAYER's setlist for the 2025 Louder Than Life festival was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

01. South Of Heaven
02. Repentless
03. Disciple
04. Die By The Sword
05. Jihad
06. War Ensemble
07. Chemical Warfare
08. Reborn
09. Mandatory Suicide
10. Born Of Fire
11. Dead Skin Mask
12. Spirit In Black
13. Hate Worldwide
14. Seasons In The Abyss
15. Hell Awaits
16. 213
17. Postmortem
18. Raining Blood
19. Black Magic
20. Angel Of Death

Fan-filmed video can be seen below.

SLAYER's only U.S. East Coast performance of 2025 will take place this Saturday, September 20 at Hershey, Pennsylvania's 30,000-seat Hersheypark Stadium. The concert will be hosted by WWE superstar Damian Priest, a well-known "metalhead" and a longtime SLAYER fan. Priest's signature "finisher" is SLAYER's "South Of Heaven", and SLAYER's Kerry King provided guitar for Priest's "Rise For The Night" theme. Also scheduled to appear at the event are KNOCKED LOOSE, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, POWER TRIP, CAVALERA (exclusively performing SEPULTURA's "Chaos A.D." album) and EXODUS (performing "Bonded By Blood" album).

In an interview with Australia's Metal Roos, King spoke about SLAYER's future plans, following the band's two festival appearances in September 2024 and October 2024 after a five-year hiatus. He said: "We're never gonna tour again. We're never gonna make a record again. Mark my word: we're never gonna make a record again, we're never gonna tour again. Because that was the last thing. We said [back in 2018], 'This is our final tour.' It took five years for us to come and say, 'Hey, here's a couple of shows, five-year anniversary.'"

Elaborating on the significance of SLAYER's comeback live performances more than four decades after the band's formation, Kerry said: "I think it's really cool. A lot of fans are into it. There's gonna be haters who say, 'Oh, they retired.' Yeah. Whatever. This is all about celebration. Say a kid was 10 years old when we retired. Now he's 15, 16. [It's his] first opportunity to see us. I think that's important."

King also touched upon the fact that SLAYER's reunion shows were announced just a couple of weeks after he went public with the details of his new solo band and debut solo album. He said: "The [SLAYER] announcement timing was not my favorite, but my band was doing its thing. The festivals SLAYER agreed to play, they wanted to release [the information about us playing there], they wanted to announce [it]. So, the timing wasn't in my favor, but everything went [as it did], and here we are in Australia [with my new band] kicking ass."

Kerry reflected on SLAYER's two reunion performances last fall — on September 22, 2024 at the Riot Fest in Chicago, Illinois and on October 10, 2024 at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California — during a separate interview with Brian Slagel, CEO of Metal Blade Records, for the "100 Songs That Define Heavy Metal" podcast. Regarding how he felt going into the Riot Fest gig, King said: "It's kind of like when we did the first 'Big Four' show, I said, 'This is gonna be really cool for the fans, and it'll be good to see the guys.' And that's about all I gave it. But then we actually played the show and a handful more shows, and I said, 'You know what? This is really cool for me.' And I didn't expect that. And I didn't expect that when we did the Chicago show [SLAYER at Riot Fest]. I went with the exact same idea. I'm, like, 'This is gonna be really cool for the fans, especially fans that were too young to see us.' And I hit the stage and I got goosebumps. I'm, like, 'This is way bigger than I ever gave it credit for.' … [And] we've got a lot of history in Chicago too, so for the reunion show to be there, it was pretty epic. And the response was over the top. It was way overwhelming."

King's debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", came out in May 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

In a new interview with Scott Itter of Dr. Music, legendary SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo was asked if he has given any thought to the idea of writing his autobiography. Dave responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "I honestly don't know, 'cause I feel like I'm still writing it. I'm still doing it. I don't know. I don't feel like it's the right time. I've still got some steam in me."

After Itter suggested that Lombardo has so much to write about, given his long history with not only SLAYER but also with crossover pioneers SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, horror-punk icons MISFITS and the hardcore supergroup DEAD CROSS, among other projects, Dave concurred. "I've got so much shit to say [laughs] that I haven't said." He laughed again and added: "I'll give it a thought, but I don't see it happening anytime soon."

Lombardo was born in Havana, Cuba, relocating to Los Angeles when he was a mere two years old. He began playing drums as a teenager, and co-founded SLAYER (and created the band's logo) in 1981. Rolling Stone, in their list of the "100 Greatest Drummers Of All Time," dubbed him the "Cuban speed demon," Modern Drummer proclaimed him "The King", and Drummerworld gave him the title of "the godfather of double bass". Lombardo's eye-popping resume includes over 100 studio albums/recordings and includes both recorded and live stints with GRIP INC., FANTÔMAS, SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, VENAMORIS, MR. BUNGLE, MISFITS, John Zorn, TESTAMENT, EMPIRE STATE BASTARD and DEAD CROSS.

In a February 2025 interview with Drew Stone of The New York Hardcore Chronicles Live!, Lombardo was asked to reflect on his time with SLAYER. He said:  "I love it. I look back in retrospect and it's been amazing. How can you not? Shit happens, man. You have disagreements. Families argue. And so it is what it is. I'm happy to have been a part of such a legendary band, happy to have contributed to this genre that has loved me and supported me for my entire musical life."

He continued: "Like I said, shit happens, but it is what it is. I've been very fortunate that I've made a few friends along the way. And they've asked me to be in their bands. I've created several new bands or launched them, and still I feel there's so much more in me that I don't see it ending anytime soon. Until somebody pulls the plug, I'm still here, man. [Laughs]"

Lombardo was effectively fired from SLAYER after sitting out the group's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other bandmembers. He was later replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001.

Shortly after his dismissal, Lombardo said that he discovered that 90 percent of SLAYER's tour income was being deducted as expenses, including fees to management, costing the band millions and leaving them with about 10 percent to split four ways. While he and Tom Araya hired auditors to figure out what had happened, Lombardo said he was never allowed to see any of the information obtained.

Lombardo released a statement in February 2013 saying he "was denied access to detailed information and the necessary backup documents." He added: "I was told that I would not be paid until I signed a longform contract which gave me no written assurance of how much or on what basis management would deduct commissions, nor did it provide me access to the financial budgets or records for review. It also forbade me to do interviews or make statements having to do with the band, in effect a gagging order."

Dave previously opened about his departure from SLAYER while taking questions from the audience in March 2014 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

"I did my best to try to keep it together, but I couldn't go on, man," Dave said. "I had to step out, because you can't be shackled like that; nobody can take advantage of another person like that anymore. I did it for too many years, and I held my breath. Red flags kept going on in my books. It's, like, 'Really? I'm supposed to make more money? Why am I on the same salary? I'm making the exact same thing I've been making the past two years. And this is back in 2004. So I knew something was up. And I tried my best to work it out with the guys. I brought Tom into the picture. I had Tom in a hotel room with me talking to my attorney, and my attorney was telling him everything their management company had been doing to them for the past 30 freakin' years. And we had an accountant, a forensic accountant, ready to go in there and look at the stuff."

He continued: "Tom got bought out. Management flipped him over a couple of hundred grand — who knows how much? — and Kerry [King, SLAYER guitarist] as well, to keep quiet and go against Lombardo. So they turned their backs on me. And on the last day, when I'm at rehearsal with them — and I saved it all the way until the end — I said, 'Guys, we need a new business plan. You guys have been on the same business plan after 30 years. Now I'm an income participant. In other words, I 'm a percentage holder.' So if you're a percentage holder, you have the right, and you're contracted, as a percentage holder, you have the right to see where all the expenses are going. Because here you are getting paid off of net, and then out of 4.4 million dollars, the band gets 400 thousand dollars. Where's the four million? And that's just 2011. [The rest of the money went to] lawyers, accountant and the manager.

"For the past 30 years, they were doing that to the guys. And they took my information… I'll never forget the day…. I just said, 'Guys, look at this. This came from your accountant.' And it showed all the money. It wasn't showing where the money was going, it was just showing 'gross,' 'expenses,' 'net.' And out of that net, I made, on tour, in 2011, 67 thousand dollars. Kerry and Tom, that was about 114 thousand dollars they made on tour. So if you did about 60 shows, divide that up between 60 shows… Anybody have a calculator? No, not 60… Let's say about 90 shows per year: 30 in the spring, 30 in the summer and 30 shows in the winter, in the fall. So you break that up per show… Really? It's disgusting. I bust my ass up there playing drums. I mean, I am just sweating, I'm beat. And for the guy in the Hollywood Hills, for his facials, his manicures… No, I'm not gonna play for that. No."

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral (courtesy of Adrenaline PR)

MIRADOR, the band co-founded by Grammy Award-winning GRETA VAN FLEET co-founder Jake Kiszka and IDA MAE's Chris Turpin, has just released its self-titled debut album via Republic Records.

"MIRADOR comes from a deep passion for rock 'n' roll, early folk, and country blues as well as folklore," says Turpin. "Our world lives in those traditions," Kiszka adds. "There's an unspoken mysticism. You can trace it back to the stories of meeting the devil at the crossroads, selling your soul, and losing your mind to the wind. MIRADOR definitely inhabits a lot of that. We're hyper aware of our lineage, so we can build our own future as a band. It's two guitar players from notable groups coming together to create a new mythology. As soon as we were in uncharted territory, we knew we were doing something right."

MIRADOR has also shares the music video for "Must I Go Bound" directed by Gus Black, Jake Kiszka and Chris Turpin and which was shot in Turpin's hometown of Bath.

MIRADOR comments: "'Must I Go Bound' is a song that draws inspiration from the worn pages of an old ballad book, reimagined, remembered, and retold through the lens of MIRADOR. It is a folkloric journey steeped in symbolism, with the protagonist lamenting a lost love.

"All of us wander the crossroads of our own making, tracing the paths not taken and imagining what could have been. We hope this song reminds people of that universal experience — that from despair comes hope, and from desertion comes redemption.

"Recorded live in Dave Cobb's intimate studio on the windswept shores of Savannah, Georgia, we stripped our sound back to its essence, using parlor guitars to evoke the timeless connection between European folk traditions and American roots music. We wanted our voices to find each other's in a song that felt like it could have been written a thousand years ago — a testament to the enduring power of love and loss.

MIRADOR is currently on the road and recently expanded its headlining U.S. tour to 31 dates due to popular demand. Tickets for all initial dates sold out immediately upon going on sale, and a second run of dates in larger venues were added in Nashville, New York City and Los Angeles, and new dates have been announced in New Orleans, Boston, Austin, Portland and more.

MIRADOR has the uncanny ability to conjure sky-shaking and boundary-bursting rock 'n' roll by invoking spirits of ancient myth, traditional folklore, and Delta-born blues in one concentrated musical incantation. Kiszka not only shares vocal and guitar duties with critically acclaimed co-vocalist and guitarist Turpin, but he also shines as a producer and songwriter, stepping out on his own. The group, filled out by Mikey Sorbello on drums and Nick Pini on bass and keys, stretches the limits of rock 'n' roll and showcases the band's myriad influences and uncompromising vision.

Kiszka and Turpin met in 2018 when IDA MAE opened for GRETA VAN FLEET during a sold-out three-night stand at the Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan. On the road, Kiszka and Turpin cemented their friendship by way of late-night jam sessions fueled by wine and a shared passion for everyone from Charley Patton, Muddy Waters and Lightnin' Hopkins to Martin Carthy, Bert Jansch and FAIRPORT CONVENTION.

"We were like long-lost brothers," says Kiszka. "After we wrote those songs, I realized we had a chemistry I'd never had with anybody but my own brothers. It was obvious we needed to do this."

The world got to know MIRADOR when they spent a month opening up GRETA VAN FLEET's "Starcatcher" world tour in arenas coast to coast throughout 2024. Galvanized by this nightly trial by fire, the band rolled right into a Savannah, Georgia studio with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb (Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton) and they cut "Mirador" live in barely two weeks.

"After four weeks on our first tour, we went to the studio," says Turpin. "By the time we got there, Dave harnessed a lot of the intensity and frenetic energy from the road." Kiszka adds, "if we didn't cut our teeth in the most intense circumstances, I don't think the record would have the same spirit."

"Feels Like Gold" introduces the album with rumbling guitars breaking like a wave against a it's towering chorus, "and it feels like gold." On "Fortune's Fate" a turbulent guitar groove tosses and turns before spilling over into an emotional crescendo, "there goes my shadow to the one I love." Elsewhere, "Heels Of The Hunt" launches forward on a rapid-fire drum roll, while wild riffs chase goosebump-inducing vocals through a bluesy haze. The finale "Skyway Drifter" opens with finger-picked accents before breaking open into a cathartic breakdown.

"For me, it would be beautiful if this is all-consuming for listeners — like when you see a movie at the cinema," Kiszka concludes. "We're trying to immerse people in the world of MIRADOR and where we're coming from. There's so much duality in the album: the humanity, the soul, the adventure, the tyranny, and the journey. It's a very important record for us, but also in terms of what has gone down in the world of rock 'n' roll today. We hope you feel like you belong to this place as much as we do."

Photo credit: Dean Chalkley

Mercury Studios will release DEF LEPPARD's "Diamond Star Heroes Live From Sheffield" on November 21. The show, recorded in 2023 in DEF LEPPARD's hometown of Sheffield at Bramall Lane during "The World Tour" with MÖTLEY CRÜE, will be available on Blu-ray+2CD, 4K UHD, 2CD and 2LP. Pressed on red, white and black splatter, the vinyl nods to the home kit colors of Sheffield United FC, who play their home matches at Bramall Lane. Additionally, the 4K UHD will be the band's first 4K release and includes "One Night Only Live At The Leadmill", previously released last year.

Marking the start of their co-headlining European tour with MÖTLEY CRÜE, this concert on May 22, 2023 in Sheffield, England served as a homecoming show for DEF LEPPARD, 47 years since the bands inception. Performing DEF LEPPARD's second-ever hometown stadium concert to a sold-out crowd of almost 40,000 fans, the Blu-ray+2CD and 2CD and 2LP versions include classics "Photograph" and "Pour Some Sugar On Me" as well as U.K. live debuts "Take What You Want" and "This Guitar", the latter dedicated to the band's late great guitarist Steve Clark.

On the eve of the band's tour, DEF LEPPARD revisited their club days and played an intimate show for just under 900 die-hard fans from the historic Sheffield venue, The Leadmill. The concert featured a mix of hits and rarities spanning their entire catalog from "On Through The Night" to the band's most recent album "Diamond Star Halos". This specific show, "One Night Only Live At The Leadmill", is available for the first time in the 4K UHD format on the "Diamond Star Heroes" 4K release.

Track listing:

01. Take What You Want
02. Let's Get Rocked
03. Animal
04. Foolin'
05. Armageddon It
06. Kick
07. Love Bites
08. Promises
09. This Guitar
10. When Love And Hate Collide
11. Rocket
12. Bringin' On The Heartbreak
13. Switch 625
14. Hysteria
15. Pour Some Sugar On Me
16. Rock Of Ages
17. Photograph

With more than 110 million albums sold worldwide and two prestigious diamond awards in the U.S., Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees DEF LEPPARD — Joe Elliott (vocals),Phil Collen (guitar),Rick Savage (bass),Vivian Campbell (guitar) and Rick Allen (drums) — continue to be one of the most important forces in rock music. Over the course of their career, the band has produced a series of classic ground-breaking albums — including the 14-times-platinum "Hysteria" and 11-times-platinum "Pyromania" — that set the bar for generations of music fans and artists alike. The group's spectacular live shows and arsenal of hits have become synonymous with their name, leading DEF LEPPARD to be heralded as the world's greatest live rock band.

In May 2022, DEF LEPPARD released their critically and commercially acclaimed twelfth studio album "Diamond Star Halos". The album debuted at No. 1 on the Apple, Amazon Music and Billboard's Hard Rock charts, and scored a Top 10 debut on the Billboard 200 chart, marking the band's eighth Top 10 album of their career. Globally, it notched numerous Top 10 chart entries, including a Top 5 debut in the U.K. Following this success, the band released their 13th studio album "Drastic Symphonies" with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 2023, which charted at No. 4 in the U.K. — their highest U.K. chart entry in over 32 years — and spent an impressive 15 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Current Classical chart.

By the end of this year, DEF LEPPARD will have sold over 4.5 million tickets across the globe since their sold-out stadium run in 2022 alongside MÖTLEY CRÜE, a massive feat in today's touring world. The group continues to push the boundaries with their electrifying live shows on their current summer tour with a number of headline shows and festival dates. Next year, the group returns to Las Vegas for their third residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Most recently, the band teamed up with legendary guitarist Tom Morello for their single "Just Like 73", which soared to #1 on the Mediabase Classic Rock chart.