Tom Morello has released a new single, "Adjourn It", featuring Serj Tankian from SYSTEM OF A DOWN and the RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist's 15-year-old son, Roman Morello. You can now watch the song's accompanying music video below.

Clips from the film "Salt Of The Earth" (1954) are woven throughout the "Adjourn It" video to reflect the song's theme of resistance in the face of prejudice and injustice. The film is based on a true story of Mexican-American miners fighting against labor exploitation, racism, and institutional oppression, and was made by three Hollywood executives blacklisted for their political beliefs. It stars real zinc miners and was one of the first ever truly independent films. "Salt Of The Earth" was a powerful act of defiance in its time and more than half a century later, its themes continue to echo through today's political climate. "Adjourn It" channels the defiant legacy of the film reinforcing the importance of solidarity in bringing people together against fear and division.

Morello will kick off a summer 2026 European tour with festival appearances at Sweden Rock Festival on June 4, Rock Im Park on June 5 and Rock Am Ring on June 6. There are also stops at Nova Rock on June 11, Rock For People on June 12 and Download on June 14. Other stops include Graspop Metal Meeting on June 18, Hellfest on June 20 and Pinkpop on June 21. Morello's 2026 touring schedule wraps up with Newport Folk on July 26, Louder Than Life on September 19 and Power To The People on October 3.

Morello has a long history of organizing activism-oriented events over three decades and continues to be a leading voice for social justice causes and human rights across the country and around the world. In addition to his solo work with THE NIGHTWATCHMAN and his role in RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and AUDIOSLAVE, Morello remains one of modern rock's most influential guitarists and outspoken activists.

Grammy-winning, Harvard-educated, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame- and Metal Hall Of Fame-inducted artist, songwriter, and activist Tom Morello is living proof of the transformative power of rock'n'roll. Known for his innovative guitar work and socially conscious songwriting, Morello rose to prominence as a founding member of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and AUDIOSLAVE — two groundbreaking bands responsible for multiple Grammy Awards and more than 30 million albums sold worldwide. Rolling Stone named him No. 18 on its "Greatest Guitar Players Of All Time" list, and his career has spanned music, activism, film, theater, graphic novels, radio, television, and philanthropy. Whether on stage, at rallies, or on picket lines, Morello continues to use music as a force for unity and change.

IRON MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson has been nominated in three categories at this year's The Speaker Awards, set to take place on July 3 in London, United Kingdom.

Bruce is up for the "Best Live Speaker", "Best Motivational Speaker" and "Best Storyteller" gongs at the 2026 The Speaker Awards, which celebrate the world's most outstanding speakers, those who captivate, inspire, and leave a lasting impact, whether on stage or online. These awards are a standing ovation for the professionals who dedicate themselves to sharing knowledge, telling powerful stories, and transforming audiences through their words.

Regarding why Bruce was nominated, The Speaker Awards selection committee said: "Known for his energy, insight, and unforgettable stage presence, Bruce Dickinson continues to captivate audiences around the world with inspiring stories drawn from music, business, aviation, and life at the highest level.

"Huge congratulations to Bruce on this fantastic and well-deserved recognition."

The 2026 edition of The Speaker Awards will take place at the Leonardo Hotel in St Paul's on July 3.

Dickinson is considered one of the world's most storied musicians. Aside from decades spent delivering high-octane performances with his larger-than-life persona in IRON MAIDEN, Bruce has lived an extraordinary off-stage existence too. A true polymath, his accomplishments include: pilot and airline captain, aviation entrepreneur, beer brewer, motivational speaker, film scriptwriter, twice-published novelist and Sunday Times best-selling author, radio presenter, TV actor, sports commentator and international fencer… to name but a few.

Dickinson is renowned for his dynamic blend of rock star charisma and profound business insight. As the legendary lead singer of IRON MAIDEN, Bruce has captivated millions with his powerful performances and innovative thinking. Beyond the stage, he excels as a motivational speaker, offering deep expertise in navigating the complexities of both creative and commercial worlds.

Dickinson's speaking events uniquely merge his experiences as an international rock icon with those of a successful entrepreneur. His leadership as chairman of Caerdav, an aviation company specializing in aircraft maintenance and pilot training, alongside his investments in cutting-edge technologies like the Airlander HAV and edible drones, underscores his forward-thinking approach and problem-solving skills.

When you book Dickinson for your event, you gain access to a motivational speaker whose insights into teamwork, strategic planning, and overcoming setbacks are drawn from an extraordinary career spanning music and business. His keynotes inspire organizations to embrace resilience and creativity, providing actionable strategies to thrive in competitive environments.

Dickinson offers a game-changing solution for transforming innovative ideas into successful ventures. His keynote blends rock star charisma with deep business acumen, delivering actionable strategies for turning visions into thriving enterprises. Drawing from his experience leading IRON MAIDEN and pioneering in aviation and tech investments, Bruce provides unique insights into risk management, customer engagement, and corporate culture. Elevate your entrepreneurial journey by learning how to captivate your audience, drive growth, and build a resilient startup.

GRETA VAN FLEET performed two new songs — "Tear It Down" and "Play Your Games" — live for the first time during the band's May 27 intimate headlining concert at New York City's legendary Bowery Ballroom. It marked a rare underplay from a band who previously played in New York City to a sold-out crowd in Madison Square Garden.

Fan-filmed video of the entire Bowery Ballroom concert — uploaded by the DannyPaps94 channel on YouTube — can be seen below.

Featured songs:

00:00 Intro
03:50 Highway Tune
07:26 Safari Song
12:42 Flower Power
19:07 Black Smoke Rising
26:11 When The Curtain Falls
30:34 Age Of Man
39:45 Heat Above
46:48 Light My Love
52:06 Meeting The Master
1:02:34 Tear It Down (live debut)
1:08:03 Play Your Games (live debut)
1:12:05 Outro

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

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

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

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

Fan-filmed video of Tim "Ripper" Owens's May 27 concert at DVG Club in Kortrijk, Belgium can be seen below.

Backing the former JUDAS PRIEST and current KK'S PRIEST singer at the gig were Emiliano Tessitore on guitar, Martin Bilek on guitar, Francesco Caporaletti on bass and Alessio Palizzi on drums.

The setlist for the show was as follows:

01. One On One (JUDAS PRIEST song)
02. Metal Gods (JUDAS PRIEST song)
03. The Green Manalishi (With The Two Prong Crown) (FLEETWOOD MAC cover)
04. Burn In Hell (JUDAS PRIEST song)
05. Painkiller (JUDAS PRIEST song)
06. Breaking The Law (JUDAS PRIEST song)
07. Guitar Solo
08. Hellfire Thunderbolt (KK'S PRIEST song)
09. A Touch Of Evil (JUDAS PRIEST song)
10. Diamonds & Rust (Joan Baez cover)
11. Jugulator (JUDAS PRIEST song)
12. One More Shot At Glory (KK'S PRIEST song)
13. Drum Solo
14. Living After Midnight (JUDAS PRIEST song)
15. Cheater (JUDAS PRIEST song)
16. The Hellion / Electric Eye (JUDAS PRIEST song)
17. Heaven And Hell (BLACK SABBATH cover)

In a 2025 interview with Andrew McKaysmith of the Scars And Guitars podcast, Owens was asked if he has ever thought about writing an autobiography. Tim responded:  "Yeah, I'd like to do one. I just don't know if I can talk about everything in my career. I don't know if it's right. There's bands that can do that because they were known as being — they'd come up in the '70s and '80s, so there's there's things they'd done and in their career and they like to talk about it because they were into that. But I don't know. I don't necessarily wanna throw people under the bus.

"I think it might be a little bit boring 'cause I'm not gonna talk about everything. On the other hand, I guess I do have a lot to talk about, and maybe talking about everything would be a pretty good idea. It could make me look a little more adventurous, too. I can make things up.

"I've said this: I will write a book, but I'm not writing a book that's not paying me. 'Cause I see so many musicians and so many people write books, and I know they haven't made much money from it. I'm not saying I'm gonna be super rich, but I've always said if I'm writing a book, it's paying me — it's paying me to write the book. I'm not just putting it out there to put it out there. I've gotta retire at some point.

"But, yeah, I've had one hell of a career. Just a kid from Akron, Ohio that's done and played with the musicians that I have, and all because of JUDAS PRIEST giving me a break and a chance to sing for 'em. And, yeah, just a book on who I've played with and when I've jammed with them, whether it was Ace Frehley [KISS] or Scott Ian [ANTHRAX] or whoever it's been, it's pretty crazy 'cause, again, I'm still just a fan and a kid from Akron, Ohio that gets to do what I do."

Owens previously discussed the possibility of writing a book in January 2025 in an interview with Australia's "Everblack" podcast. He said at the time: "I've never been offered [a book deal]. I'm not writing a book unless I get paid money, 'cause they loosely made a movie about me; I didn't get paid nothing for that. So, they would have to pay me some money. But I don't know how to do it 'cause I don't wanna… I'll probably hurt some feelings doing that book. But I won't spill all the beans. I might be in trouble if I spill all the beans."

He continued: "I would be nice about it. But it is a great story, isn't it? I mean, it's an amazing story. And it's continued to be. I love when people go, 'What have you done since JUDAS PRIEST?' More? I don't know. I've toured the world more. I've played in front of the same amount of crowds, sold more records. This is all after JUDAS PRIEST. So I think it's pretty crazy when someone says, 'What have you done?' Or they diss me by saying, 'Oh, the guy that used to be somebody.' I'm, like, 'What do you mean used…?' I'm doing more now than I ever did in my life. So it's kind of, like, 'I don't know what you're talking about.'

"I've done a lot," Owens added. "I said I've been fired from more bands than people have been in, so it's kind of funny. But, yeah, I've met so many great people. And I always say JUDAS PRIEST was my college, and they opened up the door for me to make a living out of it. And I've worked hard at trying to make sure I'm in top form and ready to go."

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

Asked in a 2014 interview with Russia's Classic Rock magazine how much of "Rock Star" was styled after him, Tim said: "When they first [got the idea to do] the 'Rock Star' movie [under its original name 'Metal God'], it was really gonna be about me. And then JUDAS PRIEST pulled away from it, because they didn't like some things. So [the producers] really made their own movie, I think. The similarities were that I auditioned for JUDAS PRIEST and I sang one line of a song and hit a note and made the band. But then a lot of the things, they kind of went out… I mean, I wasn't that kind of fan when I made the band, because I was that kind of crazy kid in high school in the '80s. But this was 1996, so I wasn't living at my parents' with posters on the walls. I mean, it was still pretty cool. I mean, to have a movie loosely based on you is pretty cool."

Regarding whether it was ironic that the "Rock Star" movie became almost prophetic in the sense that Mark Wahlberg's character in the film ends up playing small clubs with his own material after the band's original lead singer rejoins the group, Owens said: "For me, the movie was almost [like real life]. Rob [Halford] came back [to JUDAS PRIEST], which was good for me, to be honest. My career, I went on to do a lot of stuff. It was better for the band, it was better for Rob. So it was kind of funny. I think I became a little bit bigger than the coffee shop singer that Mark Wahlberg was in the movie in the end, just playing there. I still get to play in front of thousands of people in Russia. But it is similar how he went on to do his own thing."

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 after being discovered when PRIEST drummer Scott Travis was given a videotape of Tim performing with the PRIEST cover band BRITISH STEEL. JUDAS PRIEST at the time was seeking a replacement for Halford, who has since rejoined the band. Asked in an interview with The Vinyl Guide podcast what kind of advice or preparation he had for stepping into those shoes, Owens said: "Well, listen, I was confident. They were confident with my voice. I knew some fans wouldn't like me, but I also knew that I could sing really good, and I could sing really good live. One advantage I felt I had as a singer was I could sing what I recorded in the studio; whatever I recorded, I'm gonna be able to sing that live. And I felt when fans came to the show, they would be happy that they have someone who's coming in the JUDAS PRIEST that could still keep the voice going. So if someone didn't like me, there's nothing I could do. K.K. [Downing, then-PRIEST guitarist] used to always say, ''The proof is in the pudding. Come to the show and see.' And I think a lot of people used to come to the shows and they just couldn't wait to hate me. They hated me showing up and wanted me to fail. And so many of 'em, I'd win 'em over when I started singing, because they could tell that I loved it; I loved what I was singing, and I wanted to do the songs justice. So I always felt confident."

Addressing the fact that the two albums PRIEST recorded with Owens — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — sold poorly, and he was ultimately pushed out to clear the way for the return of Halford, Tim said: "It was a really bad time of heavy metal. So it wasn't like I joined them in the heyday. I mean, when Rob left JUDAS PRIEST, they were playing in front of a couple thousand people on the 'Painkiller' tour, a lot of shows So, it really wasn't a great time of heavy metal. So I understood that, and I understood people would want Rob back. But all I cared about was getting on stage and sound[ing good]. I just wanted the band to be happy and me to be happy with me doing it. That's all I worried about."

He added: "I know a lot of the the musicians at the time, especially the hair metal bands, because hair metal was gone at that time, they hated me in L.A., 'cause they were, like, 'Who's this guy? He comes from Akron, Ohio. What's he done? How's he here?' And I still am the same Ohio guy, [with the] same friends. I have the same attitude. And all of us are the same. I tell musicians this all the time: we're all the same. I mean, nothing different."

Asked if he had any sort of communication or relation with Halford at that time, Owens said: "No, just in the press. They always tried to get us to say mean things and bad things. And every now and then, one of us would say something. Now, this was pre-Internet. So, I couldn't imagine doing that nowadays, how screwed up it would be. But, no, because there was a respect. I don't think Rob liked me much, probably at the time, because someone's going to his band, his songs and singing this, but we always had this respect. And when we met each other, we always had great talks. And I think it made a lot of people mad that we liked each other. I think it made a lot of people mad, and I think it still does. But whenever I've seen him, I love talking to him, and he knows what's going on with me, and he's, like, 'Oh, I see that you're playing in Russia,' whatever."

Tim continued: "Back in those days, [journalists] would have the old tape recorder hidden. Now they could just turn their phone on, and no one would know it. But you would do an interview, and then they go, 'All right, the interview's over.' And then they'd turn the tape recorder off, but they'd have another one going in their pocket trying to get you to say stuff. And you know this, doing interviews, you get people to feel comfortable so you talk like you're friends. And then you just start saying stuff. And I put my foot in my mouth a few times. Oh, now I do all the time, because now — I always do."

In 2019, Owens told Ultimate Guitar that he believes his era of JUDAS PRIEST is largely overlooked. "Yeah, I think it definitely deserves more [attention]," he said. "I mean, they don't do anything. [Laughs] It's kind of amazing that they just totally erased it that they won't play... I mean, 'Burn In Hell' [off 'Jugulator'], the crowd would like to hear 'Burn In Hell'.

"They don't have to give me a tribute or anything, but it would be nice to play a song from... You know, that was a pretty big thing, I did two studio records, two live records, and a DVD, starting from '96 to 2004. So it's kind of crazy that it's just been erased and they won't even play a song from it live, because it is JUDAS PRIEST."

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

Canadian progressive music icons SAGA will celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2027 by embarking on a special tour.

Details on "Saga 50 - 1977-2027: The Generations Tour" will be announced soon at sagagen.com.

As previously reported, SAGA will return to live performances later this month with a series of carefully selected engagements across Canada. Following his extended recovery after being diagnosed with cancer, SAGA frontman Michael Sadler will rejoin guitarist Ian Crichton and keyboardist Jim Gilmour in the core lineup.

A few updates to SAGA's touring lineup have also been made for these shows. Mike Thorne remains the primary drummer, though fans may see the familiar and highly capable Brad Park stepping in for selected dates, as he has done successfully in the past. On bass, Mike Borkosky returns to handle those duties after performing with SAGA on the 2024 tour. As the band welcomes Mike back, it also marks the end of Dusty Chesterfield's time with SAGA.

Last July, Sadler denied that he was terminally ill, just a day after he revealed that the rare form of aggressive, muscle-invasive cancer with which he was diagnosed in 2024 was "incurable and untreatable".

When Michael's wife Gwen first revealed his diagnosis in September 2024, she wrote that he was battling "a highly aggressive form of muscle invasive cancer, a rare type that occurs in only 3-5 % of the cases."

SAGA has released nearly two dozen albums so far, including the band's latest, "Symmetry", which came out in March 2021 via earMUSIC.

SAGA formed in 1977 in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, and released its first album in 1978. Since that time, SAGA has sold ten million albums and performed in over 20 countries to over 15 million people.

For nearly five decades, SAGA has led the way in music innovation and audience interaction. Throughout this time, the band has released nearly two dozen studio-recorded CDs under the umbrella of major record companies and has filmed over 20 music videos. Their hits include "Don't Be Late", "Wind Him Up", "On The Loose", "The Flyer" and "Scratching The Surface".

SAGA is widely regarded as one of the most influential progressive rock bands in Canada and around the world.

On May 21, founding POISON drummer Rikki Rockett kicked off a series of shows where he is paying tribute to POISON's "Look What The Cat Dragged In" album by performing the entire LP with his new band, THE ROCKETT MAFIA. This year marks the album's 40th anniversary, which features the hits "Talk Dirty To Me", "I Want Action", "Cry Tough" and the album's title cut.

Video of the May 21 concert at The Vixen in McHenry, Illinois can be seen below.

When the shows were first announced in April, Rikki said in a statement: "Playing POISON's first album with THE ROCKETT MAFIA is a full-circle moment for me. It's raw, it's fun, and it's exactly how those songs were meant to be heard. Celebrating the 40th anniversary is really about giving the fans a chance to relive that moment with us."

Rikki added in separate video message: "It's gonna be a celebration of 'Look What The Cat Dragged In'. We're calling it 'Look What The Mob Dragged In', going across this country. We're gonna perform everything, from the first chord to the last scream of that record, plus more, some fan favorites. But we're not gonna stop there. We're gonna offer some really cool VIP packages where you can, of course, meet the band, take a picture, come to a soundcheck, signed merch, all kinds of really cool stuff. Make sure to go to rockettmafia.com and get all that information on tickets and VIP packages, when and where we're playing. We're gonna upload some really cool content as well along the way."

This is a historic moment for all POISON fans, as this is the first time that "Look What The Cat Dragged In" is being played in its entirety. Rockett's involvement with the performance creates a unique and authentic experience that will electrify the rock scene with THE ROCKETT MAFIA while honoring POISON's legacy.

THE ROCKETT MAFIA unites an impressive lineup of veteran musicians: Rikki Rockett on drums, Brandon Gibbs (DEVIL CITY ANGELS) on vocals and guitar, Stacey Blades (L.A. GUNS) on guitar and backing vocals, and Tyson Leslie on bass and backing vocals. Together, they deliver a high-octane sound that fuses the energy of classic rock with a modern hard-rock edge.

"This band lets me play the kind of rock I grew up loving — loud, raw, and from the heart," said Rockett. "We take the music we love and give it new life, and now with Pavement behind us, we're ready to take it to a whole new level."

THE ROCKETT MAFIA performs a powerful mix of classic rock from the 1970s and 1980s, often reimagining songs from that era with a heavier, more contemporary feel.
Earlier this year, POISON scrapped its previously proposed 2026 tour plans to commemorate the 40th anniversary of "Look What the Cat Dragged In" after frontman Bret Michaels allegedly demanded to earn $6 for every dollar his each of his bandmates stood to make from the shows, a claim made by Rockett in January. Bret later shot down the report, saying he and his POISON bandmates "never got to that part of negotiations."

POISON was founded in 1983 and released "Look What the Cat Dragged In" in May 1986.

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In a new interview with Poland's MetalSide, EVERGREY frontman Tom S. Englund was asked if the band's recently departed guitarist Henrik Danhage contributed to the Swedish metallers' upcoming fifteenth album, "Architects Of A New Weave", which will arrive on June 5, 2026 via Napalm Records. Tom responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No, [Henrik] didn't participate at all, so this album is made by the four of us. When we couldn't get a communication going with Henrik, we needed to make a decision because we were going into mix, and we didn't have any solos. That was pretty much the gist of it. I've recorded all of the rhythm guitars for the last five albums, basically. And I didn't wanna call in a super-brilliant guitar player from some other band or some other famous guitar player just because to have a guitar player. So I asked Johan [Niemann, EVERGREY bassist], the bass player, if he could play half the solos, and he did. So half of the solos are Johan playing. In a perfect world, we would have had Stephen [Platt, new EVERGREY guitarist] come in before, but we didn't, so... And then we didn't wanna bring anybody in. We wanted it to be an album by the band EVERGREY, and now it really is. So it's by the four of us: Simen [Sandnes, EVERGREY drummer], Johan, Rikard [Zander, EVERGREY keyboardist] and me. So, really cool."

Asked why Henrik left EVERGREY, Tom responded: "You need to ask him, honestly. He hasn't told us why he chose to do what he did. But we asked for some changes. We asked him to be participating in a band. Where you split money in five ways, you need to work. And I guess it's the same — if you have a football team, you need to have five guys, or 11 guys, in a football team, that play for the same team, that wanna do the same thing, that are as eager and as hungry to play for the team as anybody else. And if they're not, then you probably should do something else. But we don't know, really. We asked him for some changes, and he didn't reply."

Regarding the fact that Niemann contributed guitar solos to "Architects Of A New Weave", Tom said: "I think that's the best story for us. Instead of, like I said, bringing in Yngwie Malmsteen on guitar or somebody who's super famous on YouTube, like Ola Englund [THE HAUNTED] or somebody... Since Johan and me wrote most of the music anyway, he knows the music. So that would be the difference, coming in knowing the… I mean, I had to produce him a lot, but he's a brilliant guitar player. And he also plays guitar solos in a way that I like the most. It's solos that you can sing along to, in the Adrian Smith [IRON MAIDEN] type of way. So, yeah, I think it worked out perfectly. I don't think people will miss any soloing, for sure. I think it's also a lot of guitar solos on this album."

On the topic of Platt's addition to EVERGREY after Stephen previously filled in for Henrik on the road, Tom said: "Yeah, we obviously — we were in no rush. The album was already recorded and mixed. We had a long tour with him. We got to know him, and we actually asked him, like, four weeks ago, so it's not that long ago, if he wanted to be in the band. We thought so, but you never know, because he also had an obligation with SCAR SYMMETRY and all of that. But that seems to be no problem now since they are not touring, according to Per [Nilsson, SCAR SYMMETRY guitarist/vocalist]. Maybe they're doing a show here and there. That's what I heard anyway. So, all is good."

Danhage previously took a break from touring with EVERGREY last fall. Stepping in for the band's fall 2025 tour with KATATONIA was Platt.

Danhage's first EVERGREY record, 2001's "In Search Of Truth", is generally regarded as one of the best progressive albums of all time, thanks in large part to his singular approach to riffs and rhythms.

While he took a break from EVERGREY in 2008 to focus on other projects, Danhage found his way back to the band in 2014 and was a main contributor to metal standouts "Hymns For The Broken" through 2022's "A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Treatment)".

"Architects Of A New Weave" will arrive just days before EVERGREY takes the stage as special guest to IRON MAIDEN for two shows on the British heavy metal legends' "Run For Your Lives" world tour.

"Architects Of A New Weave" was produced by Tom S. Englund and Vikram Shankar, with a mix by Adam "Nolly" Getgood.

In a new interview with Denny Spinks of Rock N' Roll Medicine, Chuck Billy, the frontman of San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans TESTAMENT, spoke about his upcoming memoir, "Holding My Breath: The Two Testaments Of Chuck Billy", which is due on November 10, 2026 via Permuted Press. Regarding why now was the right time for him to tell his story, the 63-year-old singer, who was diagnosed with germ cell seminoma, a rare type of cancer, a quarter century ago, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "At first I was approached to do [the book]. I didn't seek [it] out because I'm a private guy. I haven't really talked about a lot of my younger years and a lot of that part. It's always about the band and what's going on with the band. And so I thought, looking back, now having the opportunity and looking back and talking about or reflecting, especially once I started doing the book and looking at it as really therapeutic almost, and especially thinking, 'God, okay,' I was — I don't know — must have been 17, 18, staring at that BLACK SABBATH record wanting to… I don't know if it was music [I wanted to get into]. Maybe [I] just [wanted to be a] celebrity, 'cause I was a sports athlete. I wanted either to play sports or be a musician — not necessarily lead singer. I could play guitar back then. But that was kind of it, and I was, like, 'I would do anything in my life to be successful,' even if I had to live to, like, 38. And that was kind of how it all started. And so that's kind of when it all happened [with my cancer diagnosis] at [the age of] 38. I'm thinking, 'Wow, this thing that happened when I was real young is actually, coming to happen.' Yeah, it's just a trippy thing."

Chuck continued: "When I started talking about writing the book, I thought, 'Okay, well, shit, it's trippy because there's two mes, two Chucks' — the Chuck before I got sick and that whole years of starting the band up to that point, and then the Chuck that beat cancer and the band that reunited back together and started writing all these other records going forward was a different Chuck and different TESTAMENT.' So it was kind of an interesting pivot point of my story, but I kind of look at it and go, 'God, it all lays back on that 38 pact thing,' and here, shit, and I thought it was gonna happen. It didn't happen. But what happened was all these bands got back together, and, wow, what a trip. It's almost like you took one for the team to get shit started again. It's just this weird thing. So I thought it's interesting, especially at a time now. I'm in my 60s, and I see so many new bands, so many promoters, 'cause they gotta find who's next, who's the next headliners, who's the next generation. There's a lot of traffic, a lot of shit going on, and we've had a great, successful 40 years, and we're doing good and making great music. But I thought it was maybe an interesting time for me to kind of capture the story of the two sides of me and the two sides of the band. And especially the pivot point because the route I went to beat my cancer with the chemotherapy and the native healings with all the healers I went to was mind-blowing. And every time I tell it and think about it, the things I went through, it's unreal to me almost. And I thought I need to document and talk about that. I've talked about it in interviews and stuff, but I thought I really need to lay it down in the book and go back to the beginning and how it all started before I met Charlie, the first healer. So it was just something, I think — it was the right time. I had time to do it, and it was the right time to do it. I didn't know what to expect. I thought, 'Shit, man, I don't got two years to write this book. I'm gonna be busy as hell touring.' But I had some help. I had a guy, David Erickson, help me out, and we talked on the phone every day for, like, three or four months, and just chopped it up. And that was — like I said, again, it was therapeutic, man."

Asked if the book starts at the age of 38 when he was first diagnosed with cancer, Chuck said: "The book starts pretty much when I'm, like, eight months old. The whole premise of holding my breath starts when I was eight months old. That's kind of where my story begins, and that's kind of where the 'Holding My Breath' title comes from, and kind of is the theme that carries out throughout my life — in my personal life and in the business and in the band — that phrase of holding my breath. I don't wanna give it all away, but that's kind of what starts from then, all the way through, all my young years before I got into the band. And what I did to train and be in a band before I got into the band. It's all those years. All the stupid, crazy drug years and stupidity and just dumb things we did [when we were] young, and all the dumb drug stuff we did and we survived. And that's the part you don't get interviewed about when you're talking about the band."

This is not your typical rock memoir. Structured as two interlocking testaments, the book traces the full arc of a life lived at maximum volume — and then something louder than any riff: the fight to stay alive. The Old Testament plunges readers into the explosive birth of Bay Area thrash metal, the formation of TESTAMENT, the rivalries, the brotherhood, and the reckless, glorious chaos of becoming one of the genre's most powerful voices. The New Testament is something rarer and more raw — a frontman at 38, blindsided by a devastating cancer diagnosis, drawing on his Native American and Mexican-American heritage, spiritual healers, visions, and the fierce love of a metal community.

At the center of that community: the legendary 2001 "Thrash Of The Titans" benefit concert — one of the most galvanizing moments in heavy metal history — which rallied old rivals into brothers and helped ignite a genre revival while keeping Chuck Billy in the fight.

"This book is about two versions of me that are really just one story," says Billy. "The guy who thought he was invincible, and the guy who learned how fragile life really is."

Co-written with Dave Erickson, "Holding My Breath" delivers the unfiltered insider story of thrash metal's rise alongside a deeply human account of mortality, miraculous recovery, cultural identity, and chosen family. It is, equally, a gift to lifelong TESTAMENT fans and to anyone who has ever faced the unthinkable — and refused to let go.

The book features a foreword by Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST) and an afterword by Randy Blythe (LAMB OF GOD) — two of metal's most revered voices bearing witness to Chuck Billy's enduring legacy.

Billy is the powerhouse lead singer of TESTAMENT, one of thrash-metal's original Bay Area legends since the 1980s. He beat cancer in 2001 and came back stronger, weaving his Native American (Pomo) roots into his life and lyrics. He has been honored with a California State Assembly recognition for his positive influence on Native communities, was part of The Smithsonian's National Museum Of The American Indian's exhibition, "Up Where We Belong: Native Musicians In Popular Culture", and won "Best Music Video" at the American Indian Film Festival for "Native Blood".

From the relentless stages of Bay Area thrash metal to the brink of death and back, "Holding My Breath" is the unflinching memoir of TESTAMENT's iconic frontman.

Raised in a resilient Native American and Mexican-American family, Chuck Billy forged his path through rebellion, raw talent, and unbreakable stubbornness — becoming the powerful voice behind one of thrash's most enduring bands.

But at 38, a devastating cancer diagnosis threatened to silence him forever. With the fierce support of the metal community — including the legendary "Thrash Of The Titans" benefit that rallied old rivals and reignited brotherhood — Chuck faced grueling treatments, profound spiritual journeys, and the fight of his life.

This is the story of a man who discovered that true strength comes not just from holding your breath until the world bends — but from learning to breathe again. Stronger. Wiser. Surrounded by family, both blood and chosen. A raw testament to survival, music, and the unbreakable bonds that define a life in metal.

For more information, and to pre-order, visit chuckbillybook.com.

Back in 2012, Chuck told Legendary Rock Interviews that his cancer diagnosis was an accidental discovery that ultimately saved his life.

"I had started smoking cigarettes at that time," he recalled. "I had been smoking for about two or three months and I was just walking up the stairs in my house and just huffing and puffing and thinking 'Man, these cigarettes are just killing me. I gotta stop smoking. I can't breathe.' That was the first thing I noticed. I think I was just really fortunate and blessed and had an angel looking down on me because I probably would have just kept right on smoking anyway and I was the kind of guy that never went to the doctor. I probably hadn't been to the doctor since my high school physical to play football. One day, totally out of the blue, a real estate agent knocked on my door and told me that she had somebody who wanted to buy my house. My house wasn't even for sale but she just had someone she was talking to who had told her that they wanted to buy my house. I told her I wasn't interested but just wondered how much she'd sell it for and when she told me how much she could sell it for I was, like, 'Well, okay, if you can sell it for that much than maybe I am interested.' [Laughs] So she did. She sold it and at that time I was playing with these guys in Antioch which was about an hour from my house and hangin out in this really nice little country town with not a lot going on out there. So when we sold our house, I told my wife, 'Hey, let's move out there. It's quiet, on a river. Let's go there.' So, the drummer I was working with there was a guy from SADUS and his wife worked at a hospital there and recommended a doctor and my wife and I decided to switch doctors and dentists and everything and meet them and all of us go get a physical. The doctor called back and everything was fine with my wife, but they wanted me to come in for a CT scan on my chest and further X-rays. That's how they found it. So it was kind of like a fluke situation. If that lady never knocked on my door to sell my house I probably would have died and never see it coming because I had a tumor in my chest that was the size of a squash. It was growing off of my heart and pushing on my lungs which is why I couldn't breath. I didn't have any space in there for my lungs to expand."

At the time, he underwent chemotherapy and, being a Native American, Chuck utilized traditional medicine, including seeking help from spiritual healers. A year into treatment and recovery, he was declared cancer-free in 2002.

In a new interview with Andrew Daly of Guitar Player magazine, TOTO's Steve Lukather spoke about the album he is working on with Alex Van Halen, the legendary drummer from VAN HALEN. The LP will reportedly include previously unreleased and unfinished recordings from the VAN HALEN vault. Both Van Halen and Lukather have emphasized that the project is about honoring the legacy of Alex's brother, iconic VAN HALEN guitarist Eddie Van Halen, who passed away in 2020.

Lukather clarified that while he is involved, he will not be playing guitar on the tracks, instead taking on a role similar to a co-producer.

"I am there 100 percent to be [Alex's] co-producer and help him through the technical aspects," Steve explained. "I'm not gonna play. There's not gonna be any Lukather or TOTO fingerprints on a VAN HALEN thing. I can fucking promise you that. I'm there to be Al's wingman, and go, 'How can I help you do this?' I'm there to go, 'Want me to help you do some vocals? How do we do these mixes?' It's about making sure that there's quality control from somebody he trusts."

As for the tracks Eddie Van Halen left behind, Lukather said: "I'm telling you, this is not throwaway shit. When I heard them, I said to Al, 'How fucking come you didn't use these?' And the answer was because nobody could write to it. So if you think this is a bunch of throwaway crap that we're trying to Mickey Mouse together to suck the dollar out of poor, unsuspecting VAN HALEN fans, it's not."

Alex discussed the album he is working on with Steve this past February in an interview with Gastão Moreira of Brazil's Kazagastão. The VAN HALEN drummer said: "Ed and I had a lot of stuff that we made, that we made musically that we never let go. Many people have asked, what about releasing unreleased stuff? Well, we're not gonna release it in its embryonic form because it wouldn't make any sense. But I've been fortunate enough to have Steve Lukather, who was a good friend of Ed's, and we're working on putting a record together, but it has to be of the quality and the level of where we left it. Not just to say, 'Hey, here's some music that we made. If you like it, that's great.' No. It has to be the quality that we expect."

Regarding what Lukather's role is in the making of this new album, Alex said: "I call Lukather Luke affectionately. He is the connective tissue. Luke can play anything… But because of this talent that kind of blends in with everything, he doesn't get the recognition that I think he deserves. And I may be wrong. Maybe he is recognized the world over. He should be, because I can't play guitar. And I can work things out on a keyboard, but it takes me too long to figure it out. And by that time, the moment is gone. I went to Steve's house several times and we played a piece of music and he goes, 'Yeah, I got it. That's it. That's all we need.' Then he can do all the connective tissues. He knows where to put the solo, as far as structure and organ and structure and an organization. I have my opinions and he has his, and they are just opinions. So he can facilitate things that would've taken me 10 times as long. And I love the guy. We've known him for years."

Asked if he and Lukather are going to use some old Eddie recordings, Alex said: "Well, these are recordings that were going to be the next [VAN HALEN] record, and that were stopped because [Ed] didn't live that long… The drums are already recorded. The drums, the guitar and the bass are already in there. What we didn't have is a vocalist, and obviously the subtleties and the glue — we call it the glue or the spackle."

As for who is playing bass on these recordings, Alex said: "Most of 'em is Wolf [Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie's son and former VAN HALEN bassist], because these are recordings that were made ready for the next record."

After Moreira brought up "Unfinished", the last piece of music Alex and Eddie wrote together, which is included with the audiobook version of Alex's "Brothers" book, the drummer said: "The feedback for that song was incredible. But there was no vocals on it and it was not completed. And that was the whole point."

He continued: "The lineage of how my brother and I did things was some of the stuff that our dad taught us were very deeply rooted, and one of his favorite songs was the 'Unfinished' by Schubert. And so this song was unfinished, so I figured we'd call it 'Unfinished' and then that's it. We weren't even aware that we were going to make this public at any point. This is just Ed and I working at the studio. Unbridled, unpressured, un-anything. And there are a couple of places, if you heard, where the needle goes right through the machine. [Laughs] I hope we didn't blow up any speakers."

Asked if the plan is to put some vocals on the songs on the album he is working on with Lukather, Alex said: "We originally had plans to — I think I can probably say without talking outta school, one of the singers who we really, really, really wanted to use for the new stuff was Paul Rodgers, and he has a relationship with Luke and we grew up on FREE and all that, but [Paul] can't do it anymore. And it was very difficult for him to bring himself to say, 'No, I can't. Count me out.' I respect that. I'm saddened and disappointed, but you know, that's life… He knows he can't do it — which I think is better than saying, 'Yeah, I can do it,' and then not be able to do it."

As for whether he and Lukather are thinking about inviting another singer sing on the record, Alex said: "Yeah. Luke and I are looking for somebody right now."

Asked if he has any special singers in mind for the project, Alex said: "No, because it depends on who you ask. If you ask record executives, you're gonna get one way of looking at it. If you listen to, I call it the peanut gallery, you're gonna get something else.

"Music is not so much about music as it is about people having a shared experience," Alex explained. "I'm 72. We gotta find somebody in that age group who was exposed to the same musical experience that we have. Otherwise, it doesn't have the depth.

"I can't remember what the expression is, but there's a difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is knowing that a cucumber is a vegetable. Wisdom is knowing where to put it. [Laughs]"

After Moreira suggested LED ZEPPELIN legend Robert Plant as someone who is still very musically active, Alex said: "Robert Plant is brilliant. But if it's meant to be, it's meant to be. And he's out touring, doing his thing. He would've been an ideal choice. But nothing is etched in stone. And I really believe that the universe will work something out to where this project will come out the best it can possibly be. We have no other intent other than to have it come to fruition."

Alex had previously said that there was enough VAN HALEN material in the vaults for another "three or four records". Speaking on an episode of Chris Jericho's "Talk Is Jericho" podcast, Eddie's brother said: "I've talked about it loosely, and I am rather superstitious, but I can say a couple of things that I've mentioned before. We're gonna go through the 'vault' and go through some of the musical ideas that were there."

He added: "There was some good stuff in there. And you have to remember, when in the thick of it, sometimes the really great stuff kind of passes you by. And it's not until you revisit it going, 'Whoa, I forgot about that. This kicks ass.' But that takes time. And you wanna do it right. I wanna do it right."

Eddie Van Halen and Steve Lukather had collaborated on several projects in the past, including Michael Jackson's "Beat It", on which Lukather played the main riff and Van Halen played the solo. Eddie also played bass on Lukather's debut solo album and made a guest appearance on Steve's 2003 Christmas LP "Santamental".

Back in November 2020, a little over a month after Eddie's death, Lukather reflected on his friend's passing, telling Metal Master Kingdom: "It's hard for me, man, 'cause the wound is still very deep. I'm very honored to have been Ed's friend — really a friend; not just a guitar buddy who had a beer with him once. [There is] 40-plus years with him, Al and I.

"I know all the guys [in VAN HALEN]. I love all the guys. I'm Switzerland [when it comes to their relationships with each other]. I was just on Sammy's [Hagar] show. He was beautiful to me. Mike's [Anthony] always nice to me. The brothers [Ed and Al] and I have always stayed very close. I've been in touch with Al more than anybody. And Janie [Eddie's widow] sent me some wonderful pictures of Ed and I when we were younger that she found somewhere. And I've been in touch — I talked to Wolf [Eddie's son] once. I'm gonna leave him alone. He's got his mom.

"This is a hole in my heart that won't go away. He was a real friend of mine, okay? We didn't get together and talk about guitars and stuff unless we wanted to play each other something new or brag about our kids. And really, we spent the last half of our relationship bragging about each other's sons, 'cause they both play. We always had that in common — the sons and the guitar. We have a lot in common off the gig that has nothing to do with [music].

"I loved the man. There's nothing to argue about how great he was as a musician. I don't have to. Who's gonna argue? He was one of the greats to ever pick up rock and roll guitar — he changed everything. And he was my friend. And I miss my friend more than anything. I miss the roar of one of his vehicles scaring the fuck out of my neighbors. And the way he laughed, and the way he fucking hugged me whenever he came by...

"The last thing I have in my phone is just a heart that he sent me.

"It's hard for me to talk about because it's an open wound. But I imagine how his family [feels]. My heart goes out to everybody in the Van Halen family."

Eddie died on October 6, 2020 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California at the age of 65.

The iconic VAN HALEN axeman died from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.

In a new interview with Talk Is Jericho, the podcast hosted by wrestling superstar and FOZZY frontman Chris Jericho, Charlie Benante once again spoke about the possibility of the reformed lineup of PANTERA — featuring surviving members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass),alongside Benante (drums) and Zakk Wylde (guitar) — making new music. Asked if he and Zakk could create new riffs in the PANTERA style that could be used for possible new material, Charlie said: "Oh, I can do it, no doubt. But I just don't know yet if that's where this is going. I would hope, at some point. We'll see. It's all up to Philip and Rex, really, where they wanna take this. Zakk and I are just there for the ride, and [to help], whatever we can do."

Benante also talked about his drumming approach in PANTERA compared to how he plays in ANTHRAX. He said: "I guess the thing is that people don't realize this, but the ANTHRAX style of drumming, or the drumming in ANTHRAX, is so busy. Vinnie's [Paul Abbott, late PANTERA drummer] style of playing is so — I call it the meat and potatoes of PANTERA, because when Vinnie does something with a bit of flair, it's, like, 'Wow, that's really cool. That's such a signature lick right there.' Whether it's 'Becoming' or 'Cowboys From Hell', that's such a Vinnie lick. There's no way I was gonna replace that with anything that was gonna be too busy. I stuck to exactly what Vinnie did. And I've said this many times where the drum configuration is exactly like Vinnie's, so I can't go off and play anything else. I'm sticking to his parts. And I think Philip and Rex really respect that. I know they do, because Rex sometimes will close his eyes and it's like he's playing with Vinnie. And he said that to me, too. It's the same thing with Philip. They wanna hear the way they heard it. So I am not coming in and gonna alter it. I'm playing it exactly how they want it."

This past March, Benante told Hot Metal about the possibility of the reformed lineup of PANTERA making new music: "There was some talk — but nothing, really.

"I would love to release a live album of this lineup so we can document what we did and just have it," he added. "I think that would be a great thing."

Charlie also talked about the pushback he and the other musicians in the current iteration of PANTERA have received for using the band name for their touring project, despite the fact that original guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott was murdered in 2004 and Darrell's brother, original drummer Vinnie Paul, died of heart disease in 2018. Wylde refers to the project as "PANTERA celebration" in interviews.

Benante said: "I feel I was put in this PANTERA situation for a reason and that's why I embraced it so much and that's why I love it so much, because it's something bigger than the band. And I wish people nowadays would be more caring and loving towards us all, you know? Not just musicians, but to each other. Stop being so rotten about things, because I'll tell you this much: [in] 10 years' time, a lot of this stuff is gone. So if you don't enjoy it now, that's it: it's done.

"I think in the beginning of the whole thing there were naysayers and all I would say is 'just come [to one of the shows]'," he explained. "If you like it, great. If you don't like it, okay. You never have to come again. But the thing is, the people who were coming were bringing their kids who never saw PANTERA before. This isn't the same. Dime and Vinnie are not there, but we are just playing these songs that need to be played again, and it's giving people smiles on their faces again and it's a great thing."

In a July 2024 interview with Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda, Zakk was asked about Charlie's previous comment that there had been talk of the current lineup of PANTERA releasing a live album. Zakk said: "Yeah, whatever the fellas wanna do, we knock it out. Let's be real — it's a live album every night. People with their phones and everything are recording it anyway, so it doesn't [matter] to me. You go up there and you play to win every night."

Back in March 2023, only three months after he played his first show with PANTERA, Benante opened up about his participation in the band's return during an interview with Consequence. Speaking about some of the criticism he had received for his involvement with PANTERA, Charlie said: "I don't go [online] looking for [people's negative comments about it]. There's people that send me, 'Hey, did you see this?' And I'm, like, 'Why did you send me this? Why ruin my day?'

"I think the people who do these things, these comments, I don't even think they realize how much of an effect that they could have on people," he continued. "And whether or not you hate the situation, or whatever it is, why can't you find some sort of restraint? Why do you need to say this thought that you have? Can't you just hold it in and maybe be, like, 'I'll keep my thoughts to myself.' No, they've gotta tell you. I've never seen more of it in my life than I [did] in these past couple of months about just people judging."

Regarding his personal approach to playing the parts originally written and recorded by Vinnie Paul, Charlie said: "I just spent a lot of time on Vinnie's parts and more importantly the tone that Vinnie had because I wanted it to sound like PANTERA. That was my thing. And my drum configuration is different from the ANTHRAX one because I wanted to challenge myself to play those parts like he played them in that configuration, which, to me, was more important than anything. But yet people still have to find some problem in that."

According to Benante, the initial rehearsals for the PANTERA comeback tour were "an emotional thing" for Philip and Rex "too, because they hadn't played as a group, those two hadn't played together in a long time, playing PANTERA songs. Yeah, they played [together] in DOWN, but this was an emotional thing for them," Charlie said. "And I remember after the week of rehearsals that we did, saying goodbye was weird, because it was an emotional thing; we really kind of bonded, the three of us. Zakk wasn't there at the time. But for me, I knew I had done something right."

Last October, Charlie told the "Metal Sticks" podcast about how he landed the gig with PANTERA: "I was very, very close to them throughout the years and especially close to Darrell, Dimebag. And I think Philip and Rex really wanted to do something again with the legacy that that is PANTERA and just celebrate the life and the music of them. Philip called me and said, 'Would you be into doing this?' And they didn't want anyone else [to play drums]. It was always me that they wanted to do this, which I felt very honored by that. And I just jumped at it, and I'm, like, 'Yes, I wanna do this.' Because the love that goes back for me with these guys, it goes back a long, long time ago. I mean, I met Darrell and Vinnie — God, like, 1985. So we've known each other since then. And I just loved hearing that I was the only choice that they wanted for this position."

Reflecting on his live debut with PANTERA, Charlie said: "The first show we did was Mexico City. That was December of '22, I believe. Man, [I] was so nervous. And playing Mexico City, they are so passionate there… So I was very nervous. It was 52 degrees outside. We were freezing. The intro came on and started, and I'm just, like, 'Okay, this is it. Let's go.' And then once we kicked into the first song, I kind of settled down. But you know, man — the first show of a tour, you're jittery. You just don't know what to expect. And then I was so happy that I just kind of settled in and just kind of rode it out, and it was just beautiful."

Asked if he had a lot of rehearsal time with the other guys in PANTERA before they played their first show, Charlie said: "Yeah, for me, what I did, as soon as I knew I was doing it, I took, like, four songs, and every week I would approach four songs, just working on those four. Next week I would do the next four, because I just wanted to know every little nuance that Vinnie played in the songs. And a lot of times I was overplaying; I was doing way more than I should be doing. A good friend of mine, Thomas Lang, I was with Thomas and I was talking to him about it, and I'm, like, 'I feel like I'm overplaying.' And he listened and he's, like, 'Yeah, you are. You're overplaying. It's more simple than you think it is.' So that kind of put me in a different state of mind and then I just started to flow and just learned Vinnie's little nuances and just his little tricks that he would do. And that was it. Because the most important thing is I wanted it to sound like PANTERA. I didn't want it to sound like me playing PANTERA. I wanted, when people closed their eyes, [I wanted them to think], 'Oh, it sounds like PANTERA.' And that was my goal."

In December 2022, Benante, who has spent more than four decades playing in ANTHRAX, told Jonathan Montenegro's "My 3 Questions To" series about how long it took him to learn the PANTERA material that he is currently performing during the reformed band's run of shows: "I know these songs, and, of course, I've loved these songs for so many years. For me, I knew the songs, but maybe some of the songs I didn't know the little details in the songs, as far as the drum parts went. So I really started to dissect each song and approach it that way. I've seen Vinnie play these songs so many times, but sometimes when you record a song and then you start to play it live, it starts to take on a different — it becomes something different sometimes when you play it a live way. So sometimes they would even speed it up a bit. So I was trying to get these songs to a place where it's almost in the middle — somewhere like the studio version and somewhere like the live version. Because when you're playing live, the adrenaline is pumping. You're human, and we're not playing to a click or anything. So I always wanted to keep that groove going, 'cause Rex and I, we look at each other and we feel and we connect. And the connection he had with Vinnie is the same type of connection that I wanna have with him."

Benante told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about how he prepared for the PANTERA live performances: "When I talked to Philip back in — it was, like, the end of December [2021] about this, that day, I hung up the phone and I immediately started to get my head into PANTERA mode and just figure things out. Because I knew these songs, but I didn't know how to approach playing the songs, how I'm gonna do this. And the one thing I wanted to do is I just wanted to play it like Vinnie. When the fans hear it, when anybody heard it, I wanted them to be able to close their eyes and I wanted it to sound like Vinnie."

Charlie also talked about his musical chemistry with Rex, saying: "That's the thing. I didn't know how we would kind of come together and when we would make the connection. But I've gotta be honest with you, when I went down to New Orleans in September [2022] and it was just me, Rex and Philip. And after the first day, Rex and I, we had such a connection, and he said to me, he was, like, 'Dude, when I close my eyes, I feel like it's Vinnie up there.' So that made me feel so good when he said that. And Philip said the same thing too. So I was so happy about that. Because, honestly, I really did my homework. We're talking these tiny little nuances — things that maybe people wouldn't hear — I'm putting 'em in there because it's important to me to deliver it just like Vinnie would."

As for his drum setup for the PANTERA show, Benante said: "It's a totally different configuration [to what I play with ANTHRAX]. I'm playing more like Vinnie's kit, the way Vinnie played it. I wanted to play a kit like that because it gave me a bit more of a challenge. And I can't add more drums to it, because I just wanted to have the two toms in the front — floor toms — so I'm just sticking totally to the way he had it, and I wanna play it exactly like he had it and it sounds exactly how he had it too. So that's how I approach this."

Charlie went on to say that he doesn't understand all the negative comments that have been directed at him and the other members of PANTERA for trying to keep the band's legacy alive.

"This was never a reunion," he explained. "How can it be a reunion without Vinnie and Dime here? Sometimes people will send me something, and I see things online, and it's so disrespectful to both Darrell and Vinnie, and it's totally disrespectful to us too. And it's just, like, 'Man, if you don't wanna come, you don't have to come.'

"One of the first things I said to Philip on the phone, I said, 'This, to me, is more on an emotional level than any other level.' This means a lot to me personally, to go out there and represent those guys and represent the PANTERA name," he continued. "And that's all I'd ever want for me. I don't care about it financially and stuff like that; this, to me, I had to do this. I didn't wanna see anybody else playing these songs but me up there."

Reflecting on his initial conversation with Anselmo about taking part in the reformed PANTERA, Charlie said: "I was so excited about it. I said, 'Thank you for thinking of me.' And they were, like, 'There was nobody else.' And that made me feel really good. Because they knew my relationship with Darrell and they knew my relationship with Vinnie. And I loved those guys, and I love these two guys just as much."

Up until his passing, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with Anselmo, whom the drummer indirectly blamed for Dimebag's death.

Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.

Vinnie passed away on June 22, 2018 at his other home in Las Vegas at the age of 54. He died of dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart, as well as severe coronary artery disease. His death was the result of chronic weakening of the heart muscle — basically meaning his heart couldn't pump blood as well as a healthy heart.

Image credit: Drumeo

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory recently spoke to 93X's Kevin Kellam about the band's latest single, "Eye Of The Storm", which was released two weeks ago. The track serves as the first single from the band's upcoming tenth studio album, which is currently being recorded in Los Angeles and is due later this year. Zoltan said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "'Eye Of The Storm' was in the first batch [of new songs that we wrote and recorded]. Ivan [Moody, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH frontman] is in the studio right now still recording. But from the first batch we had, this was the song kind of that we thought, 'Okay, this gives you a pretty good picture of what's coming.' This is a song that can live on radio. It's a little bit heavier, actually, than… So, it's pushing the envelope a little bit for radio."

After Kellam noted that "Eye Of The Storm" is still quite heavy for a radio single, Bathory concurred. "That's kind of the weird thing that the metal community doesn't understand," Zoltan said. "Like, look, guys, if you want your community to be healthy and big and grow, you're gonna need bands like DISTURBED, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, bands like us, that kind of coast in between, that we have some songs that can live on radio. And there's a limit to that. Again, people are commuting and listening to music. They don't wanna crash. They go, 'Oh, what the hell is going on? What is that?' So from their perspective, it is a heavier song. So when you look at what's the average on radio, it is a little bit heavier than that. But [it's gotten a] huge reaction. Everybody's playing it. That means that the audience is ready for that. Radio audience is accepting it. It's doing really well. And it also gives the people a kind of a pretty good picture of what's coming."

Elaborating on what fans can expect from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's upcoming album, Zoltan said: "This album is a little bit of a reach back to the first three. The first three albums [were] a little bit more aggro… So, yeah, the balance changed a little bit. A little bit more guitars, a tiny bit less drums, less vocals. So we kind of shifted the balance, and that makes it sound a little bit gruffer as well. And we thought, 'Okay, ['Eye Of The Storm'] is the perfect song that will sort of represent what is the new album.' Of course, there is much, much heavier stuff on there. And then we always have a couple of lighter things, because the idea is you wanna give a full picture. If I just gave you 14 really heavy songs, to me, it's boring. Maybe somebody loves that; I don't know. To me, this is the same energy going through. I like the roller coasters. And so kind of look at an album like that. You need two, three, four songs that are lighter. You need about four, five mid-tempo — that's what this is, that mid-range, that middle of the road, for us style-wise, and then you need your barn burners. That's the one that, when you play that, it activates people's dental plan in a mosh pit… So, that's kind of the picture. And then this was sort of at that middle range of what's coming."

Zoltan also addressed criticism from some people who say that FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's songs follow the same formula and tend to sound alike. He said: "[Bands like] IRON MAIDEN, AC/DC, us, all these bands are progressing. The songs are not the same. People say, 'Oh, it's the same thing.' It isn't. And the example I'm gonna make, if you're a beer connoisseur. You're drinking beer. You can tell the difference between every single sort of ale — you're a connoisseur. Or a wine connoisseur — you can tell the difference between wine that was produced in Spain or France or America. You know, because you're a connoisseur. So when you're a person who's into metal, especially when you have a specific band, for you AC/DC does not sound the same, because you're a connoisseur of that band. You understand the difference. Or IRON MAIDEN, or pick all these bands. Somebody as an outsider or a casual listener, just like a casual beer drinker, will go, 'Oh, it's just beer.' Or, 'It's just wine.' They can't really tell the difference. 'Oh, it's the same thing. It's just wine.' No, not really. So if you're a fan of this band, then you definitely see the progression. If you're a casual listener, then I would understand the same way that probably people would say, like, 'Well, AC/DC, the same riff.' No, it isn't, but if you're a casual listener, then for you it is. So there [is] always also a section of the album where we look at it like, okay, we can sacrifice, so to speak, two, three songs into something more progressive that I wouldn't have done before. But you can't do five of those because then now the album completely shifted. So there is this idea of balance. We cook it"

He continued: "There has to be four, five, six songs [on every album] that are core FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH. That's why the fans love us, that's our sound. We have to deliver that, and that's where we operate anyway. It's not something that I go to the studio and say, 'I have to do this.' That's what naturally comes out anyway. That's how we sound. So that's gonna be our regular sort of DEATH PUNCH sound. You have to have, like, five, six, seven songs like that… And then you put, like, three [or] four really heavy [songs] in there, and a couple of ballady stuff in there. And then you have a pretty good even surface of, 'All right. All the facets of the bands are sort of showcased, and I gave you a record that is not just one tone.' If I give you a record with 14 super-heavy songs — well, there are bands that do that, and good for them. I'm not a fan of that. I like variation... It's like a live show, how you put together a live show. Even the songs on the album, what comes after what matters. Just like a live show — you're not gonna open a show with a ballad."

This past January, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH announced the first leg of its 2026-2027 world tour. Produced by Live Nation, the massive 48-city trek will kick off on Monday, July 20 at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden, New Jersey and wrap up on Friday, October 23 at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia. Platinum-certified outlaw country musician Cody Jinks will join the tour as special guest and will promote his current album, "In My Blood". The tour lineup will be rounded out by EVA UNDER FIRE.

In addition to celebrating two decades of music, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is once again using its platform to give back. Long recognized as one of the most charitable bands in rock, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has spent decades giving back to various causes, including U.S. military veterans and first responders and their families. In 2026, the band is continuing that tradition by supporting Team USA and aligning with the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games being held on American soil in Los Angeles in 2028. As part of the tour's commitment to championing America's next generation of athletes, a portion of the ticket sales from the 2026 North American tour will benefit high-performance programs for U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes as they prepare for international competition.

Earlier in the month, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH announced the European leg of its 20th-anniversary world tour, set to take place in early 2027. Featuring special guest LAMB OF GOD, the trek will be rounded out by BLEED FROM WITHIN from Scotland.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's current albums, "Best Of - Volume 1" and "Best Of - Volume 2", feature newly re-recorded versions of the band's biggest hits, including the No. 1 single "I Refuse" featuring IN THIS MOMENT's Maria Brink ("Volume 1") and No. 1 single "The End" featuring BABYMETAL ("Volume 2"). "The End" reached No. 1 on the Japanese iTunes Metal chart and No. 18 on the Japanese all-genres chart, marking a major milestone for an international rock release. In the U.S., the song made history as the first track featuring Japanese lyrics to chart at rock radio, ultimately reaching No. 1. Both albums were created in response to the sale of the band's original masters, a decision made without FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's knowledge or opportunity to reclaim them.

In a new interview with Italy's TrueMetal.it, Canadian visionary musician, composer, and producer Devin Townsend weighed in on the growing popularity of artificial intelligence (A.I.) in music, particularly as relates to its possibilities and its implications in terms of the way we make, produce and distribute music. Asked how he feels about A.I. and if he thinks it "actually poses a danger to musicians", Devin said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, what do I feel about it? It's too early for me to have internalized exactly what I feel about it. What it has made me recognize, though, is that my perfectionist ways in the past, once confronted with perfect images, technically perfect images, like a lot of what A.I. can do — a couple of prompts and you can make METALLICA a funk band, and it's convincing, or you type in a bunch of words and it's an artistic rendering of an image that is just with precision that would take any normal person a year to do — what it has made me recognize is that our value as creators has much less to do with the perfection that we're chasing and more to do with our natures. If we can represent with some sort of authority and some sort of confidence our true nature, including the imperfections, including the mistakes, including the warts and the human aspect of it, A.I. provides a wonderful mirror for what is really important about human art. And I think it can even be described in some ways, it's the struggle. It's the struggle to keep going. It's a struggle to rationalize any creative avenue that seems in opposition to a fundamentally abstract existence. The humanity of human creative ventures, I think, have had a light shone on it by the speed and the perfection of A.I."

Devin, who released his ambitious, orchestral-metal opus "The Moth" on May 29 via InsideOut Music, continued: "I didn't think it was as big a deal in the beginning. I had hired an animator to do the entire 'Moth' story in hand-drawn animation, but his life went sideways and he ended up going through serious depression and he fell off the map. So at the end, I had to come up with money to pay for somebody to make visuals for the show, and they used A.I. for the show. And we got a huge backlash from it. And all I can say about it is I paid somebody a lot of money to do it, and we learnt our lesson as a result of that. So now moving forward, any A.I. that gets used in our work is either something that I don't know about or maybe some visual effect or something. But it's a little contentious of a topic for me, and I'm still confused about it."

Elaborating on how his opinion of A.I. in music has evolved in recent months, Devin said: "It's almost like the perfection that I was chasing as a musician, when I finally heard or saw what perfection on a technical level looks and sounds like, I was, like, 'Oh, it leaves me cold in a way.' The ease in which that perfection was achieved with A.I. makes the struggle to find perfection in my work up to that point seem just ridiculous. So now the focus becomes much more on the process, it becomes much more on the thing that drove us to create. That's much more of a commodity now than perfect. And that's good."

Earlier this month, Devin announced a return to live activity, with a European solo tour set to take place in September and October 2026. Townsend will perform a range of tracks from his 31-strong studio album discography across a range of different artist projects, including PUNKY BRÜSTER, CASUALTIES OF COOL, DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT and the genre-defining STRAPPING YOUNG LAD.

The "Metamorphosis" solo tour offers a rare unfiltered opportunity to see Devin back on stage, performing solo at 23 shows across 10 different countries in Europe. In typical Townsend fashion, expect the unexpected with a varied setlist that will doubtless change night by night, and, of course, a few (bizarre) surprises along the way.

Brazilian metallers EMINENCE reached a definitive career milestone in 2025 by traveling to Denmark's legendary AntFarm Studios to fulfill a long-held dream: recording on European soil. This journey was the culmination of a powerhouse partnership with world-renowned producer Tue Madsen, resulting in a refined, hard-hitting sound that bridges the band's Brazilian roots with international excellence.

The band's latest single, "Silent March", serves as a bold introduction to this new era. The track, the official Davidson Mainart-directed music video for which can be seen below, features a guest appearance by Andreas Kisser (SEPULTURA),whose iconic guitar work elevates the band's high-octane energy. Complementing the sonic weight, the band enlisted Charles Moreira (PENSE, COLID) to deliver a powerhouse performance on drums, while the visual identity was brought to life through a striking artwork concept by Rafael Moco.

Formed in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, EMINENCE carries not only the weight of its own history but also the responsibility of representing a scene that shaped heavy music in Brazil. Emerging from such fertile ground, their sound could never remain untouched. There is a symbolic and aesthetic charge that spans generations, resonating in the way the band constructs its sonic identity: heavy, intense, and modern, yet with roots firmly planted in the Minas Gerais metal tradition.

With nearly three decades on the road, EMINENCE has etched its name among the greats, taking its music far beyond national borders. The band has completed over 30 international tours, performing in countries such as Colombia, New Zealand, Japan, Suriname, Mexico, the United States, China, and across Europe. Notably, they were among the first Brazilian representatives to perform in the United Arab Emirates at the Sandstorm Festival — one of the region's largest heavy music events, a stage rarely accessed by Brazilian artists.

The EMINENCE resume includes appearances on historic stages and major festivals, including Rock in Rio (2015, 2019 and 2022),Woodstock Festival (Poland),South By Southwest (SXSW) (USA),CMJ (New York),Summer Breeze Brazil (2024),Knotfest Brazil (2024) and Rock Al Parque (Colombia). A significant highlight was being invited to join SEPULTURA's farewell tour, featuring historic shows in Belo Horizonte and Juiz de Fora. Furthermore, their presence in relevant cultural venues like Sesc Belenzinho in São Paulo proves that their music transitions naturally between massive metal stages and contemporary cultural circuits.

Over the years, EMINENCE — led by guitarist and founding member Alan Wallace — has built a solid bridge between tradition and modernity. Their music moves between extreme heaviness and technical nuance, paired with a vocal expression that combines aggression, control and power. Beyond the sound, the band has always prioritized aesthetics — from album covers and illustrations to music videos and live performances — understanding that image communicates values and expands the artistic experience. This vision is also reflected in their high-level partnerships. In 2021, amidst the pandemic, EMINENCE released "Dark Echoes", helmed by the renowned Danish producer Tue Madsen (HEAVEN SHALL BURN, MESHUGGAH, BEHEMOTH). The album featured major collaborations, including Márcio Buzelin (JOTA QUEST),Björn "Speed" Strid (SOILWORK) and Jean Patton (PROJECT46).

EMINENCE hasn't just participated in the history of Brazilian metal — they helped write it. Their contribution echoes in the reconfiguration of the national scene, offering music that balances brutality and sophistication while keeping the flame of a sound born to be global alive. Their movement alongside giants like SEPULTURA confirms that the legacy of EMINENCE is, above all, a reflection of resistance, innovation, and passion.

EMINENCE is:

Alan Wallace - Guitar, Synths
Bruno Paraguay - Vocals
Davidson Mainart - Bass
Thiago Caeiro - Drums

Death metal veterans SIX FEET UNDER have parted ways with drummer Marco Pitruzzella and have replaced him with Ruston Grosse (pictured; MASTER, SKELETAL REMAINS).

On May 28, SIX FEET UNDER released the following statement via social media: "Just wanted to let all our fans, worldwide, know that we are beyond excited to start our European tour this coming week, and kicking off our intense summer touring schedule which will last into the fall and finish up in South America in October/November. We also would like you to help us welcoming our new drummer!! Ruston Grosse who has previously worked with MASTER, and others! we have been working together with Ruston for a few months preparing, and formally since the beginning of May after we parted ways with Marco Pitruzzella.

"Everyone in the band is very excited about this new chapter of SIX FEET UNDER and the heavy groove that Ruston is bringing to the rhythm section!! He's a brutalizer! And a great guy.

"We will see you all, from the stage, SOON!!!"

Ruston added in a separate post: "I'm absolutely f*ckin' stoked to pummel the masses with the guys on these next attacks!!! It's an honor to share the stage with Chris, Jack, Ray, & Jeff as well to be stepping in for Lord Marco.

"Get your asses out to the show or fest and prepare to be crushed because let me tell ya… WAR IS COMING!!!"

Grosse is a versatile drummer known for his precision and genre-defying adaptability. Based in South Florida, he’s performed and recorded with acts like MASTER, BRUTALITY, WOE, INHUMAN CONDITION, KULT OV AZAZEL, and notably filled in live for INCANTATION. A multi-instrumentalist and composer, Ruston also leads the experimental project AMESA SPENTAS and brings years of studio, touring, and creative experience across metal, jazz, world and fusion styles.

SIX FEET UNDER is touring in support of its latest album, "Next To Die", which came out on April 24 via Metal Blade Records.

"Next To Die", produced by SIX FEET UNDER guitarist Jack Owen and singer Chris Barnes and mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis of MRL Studios in Nashville, follows 2024's "Killing For Revenge". It's the third record that Barnes and Owen — both former members of CANNIBAL CORPSE — have created together since reuniting in 2017.

SIX FEET UNDER did highly successful U.S. tours in 2025, the band's first U.S. tour since 2013, as well as a festival appearance in Mexico City in March '25.

SIX FEET UNDER was initially formed as a side project for Barnes during his final years with the band that he co-founded, CANNIBAL CORPSE. It became the frontman's sole focus in 1995, coinciding with the release of their debut, "Haunted".

Owen tracked his rhythm guitar parts for "Next To Die" with Jason Suecof at AudioHammer Studios in Sanford, Florida. Suecof also has a guest guitar lead at the end of the song "Approach Your Grave". The rest of the musicians tracked their "Next To Die" parts at their home studios, for a remote collaboration that created a dozen cohesive tracks.

SIX FEET UNDER will return to stages this summer on a North American headlining tour. Set to begin on July 8 in Detroit and run through August 11 in Chicago, the tour features support from KATAKLYSM and WORMHOLE.

The North American journey will follow SIX FEET UNDER's previously announced European headlining tour this June with support from EMBRYONIC AUTOPSY.