Swedish occult metallers GHOST have shared "Peacefield", the third track to be released from their upcoming sixth album, "Skeletá". Check it out below.

"Peacefield" follows the previously released singles "Lachryma" and "Satanized", the latter of which was dubbed a "catchy goth-rock epic" by Vice and hailed by Brooklyn Vegan as "the band's trademark occult rock sounding as equally eerie and triumphant as ever".

"Skeletá" will arrive on April 25 via Loma Vista Recordings.

GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge told Metal Hammer about "Peacefield": "Because the record is going to slalom into darker subjects, I wanted to set a tone of hope in the beginning. I wanted to add a hand to the listener: 'It will all be fine, but we’re gonna go sideways now and go on a little trip.'"

In a recent interview with Brent Porche of Philadelphia's 93.3 WMMR radio station, Forge stated about "Skeletá": "It is a record that is introspective to a further degree, I guess, than especially the previous record [2022's 'Impera']. Just to be clear, I do believe that most artists usually create a new record based on where they were on the previous one — not as a counter-reaction, but usually there's something that you wish to achieve that you maybe didn't on the previous[ one] or you wanna change something or just fill your… At the end of the day, what you're doing is basically you're filling your repertoire with hopefully songs that you didn't have before. But thematically, I usually have some sort of thematic guideline when I write, first and foremost for myself in order to make sense of what the new record is so it's not too whimsically just about everything at the same time. But where 'Impera' was very much not only extroverted, but exteriorly reflecting on bigger society, social issues, and also, as the title implies, imperial structure and its ultimate demise, it didn't feel very productive to continue down that and make an 'Impera 2', talking about the continual demise of… I was more attracted to the idea of this this record that was more shining a light in inside and making a record about healing aspects of being essentially a human being in whatever structural design, because at the end of the day, most humans are surprisingly alike and display the same abilities to sentiments. And these sentiments are usually quite basic. And that idea was attractive to me — making a record that had a song about hope, had a song about hate, had a song about love, acceptance and all these things."

Last month, Forge told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station about "Satanized", which came out in early March: "Yeah, it's a fun video and it's a upbeat, fun track. It's a song about being in love and how that can potentially be mistaken as demonic possession, but in reality this song has nothing to do with demonic possession."

Asked why he picked "Satanized" to be the first single from "Skeletá", Tobias said: "It's funny because as I was making the record, I didn't really put much like regard into trying to write… Of course, as a songwriter, you always try to write as good songs as possible, but there wasn't a whole lot of, like, 'Oh, I'm gonna write a hit song.' So I was more interested in sort of making a bunch of songs that I was gonna put cohesively into an understandable and entertaining album. And wise with experience over the years where I've delivered records to the people that work with me, and I'm, like, 'This is the song. This is the single. This is the hit.' And more than often, it ends up being, like, 'Oh, no. We believe in that song instead.' Okay. So finally I've sort of given up a little bit on that. So I just sort of gave the record and I'm, like, 'You guys choose what you wanna do.' And then I'm sort of holding my thumb a little, crossing my fingers, hoping that that maybe they they'll hear what I hear. And to my big surprise, they came back with 'Satanized'. And I was, like, 'I couldn't be happier. I have a really funny video idea for that one. I never thought that you would go for that one,' simply because it's like…"

He continued: "To me, I am a huge fan of '70s music. That's a very simplified way of saying that, but I'm a big fan of SCORPIONS from the '80s, but also the SCORPIONS from the '70s, which sometimes, I guess, a certain age group might not be aware that that SCORPIONS was a band in the '70s, and they released several records. Those records are a little bit different from the '80s records, when they sort of became a '80s hit rock band. And 'Satanized' definitely had more of a SCORPIONS '77 stomp that I really liked about the track. And somehow, therefore, I guess, I wasn't like putting that as a hit-single fan favorite, or a favorite that way. I thought I was gonna work my magic to make that song a big song, the same way that we did with 'Mary On A Cross' once upon a time, when that was regarded as this 'B' track that was just for fun. And I was, like, 'I think that that song is actually quite good. We're gonna play it every show we're playing.' And it took years before it became what that became."

Circling back to the fact that his record company seemingly had the same vision for "Satanized" as he did in terms of the song's potential, Forge said: "I was overwhelmed and overjoyed with the synchronicity, because I have done that mistake before where I have conceived a record, conceived a track, have an idea for a video for a track, and then the powers that be want another kickoff. And then that leads to a discussion, and then more than often, the reasoning as to why you go with another track might be perfectly understandable, but all of a sudden my idea is just not worth the piece of paper it's written on, because it simply doesn't work if it's not in a… Sometimes the crux of being conceptual, sometimes your ideas are simply too conceptual and too based on presentation and stars aligning. But in this case, we ended up with fluency, which was cool."

"Satanized" was described in a press release as "an avalanche of infectious hooks and harmonies is buoyed by a hypnotic shuffle, as the narrator succumbs to dark forces within and without, helplessly acknowledging their own blasphemy and heresy as it inexorably consumes them." By the time the song's opening lines "There is something inside me and they don't know if there is a cure" have moved from the inner monologue of the possessed to the ears of the hapless listener, it will already be too late: You will have been "Satanized".

The "Satanized" music video introduces the new character who is fronting GHOST for its 2025 touring cycle: Papa V Perpetua.

GHOST's sixth psalm, "Skeletá", is its most unflinchingly introspective work to date. Where previous GHOST albums dealt largely with chronicling and/or observing outward facing subject matter — such as "Impera"'s meditations on the rise and fall of empires and its predecessor "Prequelle"'s evocations of the ravages of era-defining plagues — "Skeletá"'s lyrics render the distinct individual emotional vistas of each of its 10 songs in one-on-one fashion, at times as if in a dialogue with oneself in a mirror. The end result is a singular collection of timeless, universal sentiments, all filtered through a prism of a uniquely personal point of view.

GHOST has also launched an interactive element dubbed The Satanizer, a first-of-its-kind music video experience for fans who wish to be "Satanized." Developed in partnership with Jason Zada (Elf Yourself),The Satanizer will morph its users into characters featured in the song's melodramatic video. With a quick upload of your photo, The Satanizer will send out a personalized music video clip featuring the participant, who can in turn share via social media that they too have been "Satanized."

"Skeletá" track listing:

01. Peacefield
02. Lachryma
03. Satanized
04. Guiding Lights
05. De Profundis Borealis
06. Cenotaph
07. Missilia Amori
08. Marks Of The Evil One
09. Umbra
10. Excelsis

Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of the band's first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of 2018's "Prequelle". In March 2020, at final show of GHOST's "Prequelle" tour in Mexico City, Mexico, the band officially introduced Papa Emeritus IV, the character who fronted the act for its "Impera" (2022) album phase.

The European leg of GHOST's 2025 world tour kicked off on April 15 in Manchester, United Kingdom and will conclude on May 24 in Oslo, Norway. The North American leg of GHOST's 2025 tour will launch on July 9 in Baltimore, Maryland and wrap up on August 16 in Houston, Texas.

The physical home video of GHOST's worldwide Top 10 box office smash feature film debut "Rite Here Rite Now" was made available on December 6, 2024.

Five years ago, Florida-based metallers TRIVIUM used profits generated from a livestreamed concert to purchase a decommissioned airplane hangar. The Orlando facility is now serving as the band's headquarters for both recording and rehearsing, in addition to being a place where TRIVIUM can store its equipment.

TRIVIUM guitarist/vocalist Matt Heafy recently gave Fishman Music a full tour of the hangar. Check out the report below.

Asked how one goes about buying an airplane hangar, Matt told U.K.'s Rock Sound in a 2020 interview: "Man, that's a great question. We've been renting at a pretty sketchy place. Most bands, I think, are in the kind of position that we are that you rehearse somewhere that you don't love; it's kind of crappy; you're paying rent to someone else. Just thinking to ourselves, we don't wanna be paying rent — we wanna be investing in ourselves and our future, and we've always wanted a headquarters where we could do everything. And we've talked about the idea of a place where we can rehearse and also store but eventually make records in. And then when we started seeing how much we love livestreaming, it's a place that we can stream every single thing from — we can stream our tour rehearsals or do special little sets there that are still free on our channels.

"I contacted our real estate agent, who helped my wife and I get our house way back, who just helped Paolo [Gregoletto, bass] move," he continued. "Paolo actually lives nine minutes away from me now, which is amazing — he just left Chicago during the pandemic; he got in a car and he was, like, 'I'm outta here. I'm [moving] by you guys.' So we contacted her and we were looking at commercial real estate. I saw a bunch of different places.

"I'm not saying now is the time to buy, but I kind of figured now might be an okay time to look," Matt added. "And we're very, very smart with our money. We're not a loaded band by any means. I am not living in a mansion. We have just what we need. We love just having what we need. And the same idea was for the practice thing. So we were, like, 'Let's find something that is exactly what we need — exact size, exact shape, somewhere where we can do exactly what we wanna do.' And so she kind of led me to this one agent where I found a bunch of places, and I talked about the idea of an airplane hangar, 'cause I saw one hangar at a different airport. And I mentioned it to my mother-in-law just in passing, and she was, like, 'You know who owns one of those?' [My wife] Ashley's uncle. So I contacted Ashley's uncle and his son, and I've been dealing with his son now. They happen to own multiple of these extra hangars. So it's buying from my family, which is even better. So we're setting it up with one of our family members, and the process is kind of going through. We're very close now. It's not complete. It's not the size of a commercial plane — it's not the IRON MAIDEN-size hangar like that; it's more modest than that. But it's good that we're able to keep it all in the family; we're actually able to support our family, so TRIVIUM can buy from them. They're acting as the agents, and we can work from there."

TRIVIUM and BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE recently launched "The Poisoned Ascendancy" tour during which the two bands are celebrating the 20th anniversary of "Ascendancy" and "The Poison" albums, respectively, by playing them in full.

Produced by Live Nation, the North American leg of "The Poisoned Ascendancy" kicked off on March 30 at PNE Forum in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, making stops across North America in Las Vegas, Chicago, New York and more before wrapping up in Raleigh, North Carolina at Red Hat Amphitheater on May 18.

Released in March of 2005, TRIVIUM crafted a classic in the form of "Ascendancy". It concluded 2005 as Kerrang!'s "Album Of The Year," went gold in the U.K., and has since surpassed global sales of 500,000 copies. Opening the main stage of Download festival that year, the Floridian four piece — barely out of their teens — delivered a set that left all who witnessed it in no doubt that they were looking at future legends, with Kerrang! readers later voting it as the tenth best gig of all time.

TRIVIUM's latest album, "In The Court Of The Dragon", came out in October 2021 via TRIVIUM's longtime label Roadrunner Records. The record was produced and mixed by Josh Wilbur and recorded in the fall of 2020 at Full Sail University in Orlando. The album cover is an original oil painting by French artist Mathieu Nozieres.

CANDLEMASS leader Leif Edling says that the band's upcoming reunion concert with Messiah Marcolin will be a one-off event, with no chance of further dates being added.

As previously reported, Messiah will front CANDLEMASS for an appearance at this year's edition of the Rock Hard Festival Greece, slated for September 12-13, 2025 in Athens, Greece. It will mark Marcolin's first performance with CANDLEMASS in nearly 20 years.

Earlier today, Edling released a video message in which he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " Hello, everybody. This is Leif Edling from CANDLEMASS. We are celebrating 40 years as a band this year, and there will be a lot of happenings. And one of those will be a live gig with Messiah Marcolin in Athens at the Rock Hard Festival on September 13. So that will be a blast, definitely. There will be one show and one show only. No recordings, no tours, nothing more, just one show. And I'm sure it will be a fantastic event. And don't forget our new EP, the 'Black Star' EP. So check it out. Good stuff. And take care. And see you soon on the road somewhere."

In a recent interview with Finland's Chaoszine, CANDLEMASS's current singer Johan Längqvist (a.k.a. Johan Langquist) was asked if he will be a part of the band's upcoming performance featuring Messiah. He responded: "No, I'm not a part of that performance, because the Greeks, they loved CANDLEMASS from the very beginning, and we are very popular in Greece. And I think the reason is because [Messiah] has a part of their history, the music listeners in Greece. So I do respect they wanted us to do a gig with Messiah."

Johan continued: "What can I say? I wish him the best. And he was a character in the band and we've actually met two nights together, partying together. And I wish him the best. I hope they're gonna make a great show down there. Yeah, that's it."

As the godfathers of epic doom metal, CANDLEMASS defined the genre with releases such as "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" (1986) and "Nightfall" (1987). Through their evil riffs, crushing rhythmic attack and dramatic vocals, they changed the landscape of metal worldwide. Led by Edling, CANDLEMASS reunited with Längqvist in 2018, 32 years after the singer performed on "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus".

Längqvist originally exited CANDLEMASS after "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" and was replaced by Marcolin.

Marcolin exited CANDLEMASS for the presumably final time in 2006, one year after the release of the band's self-titled album. He was later replaced by Robert Lowe (SOLITUDE AETURNUS),who sang on the band's "King Of The Grey Islands" (2007),"Death Magic Doom" (2009) and "Psalms For The Dead" (2012) LPs. CANDLEMASS's frontman between 2012 and 2018 was Mats Levén, who previously recorded and toured with YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and THERION. Seven years ago, CANDLEMASS fired Levén and rehired Längqvist.

Back in October 2022, Messiah and longtime CANDLEMASS guitarist Mats "Mappe" Björkman joined Canadian metallers ANVIL on stage at the Slaktkyrkan venue in Stockholm, Sweden to perform the classic ANVIL song "Metal On Metal". The event marked the first time in 16 years that the two musicians performed together.

Earlier this month, CANDLEMASS unveiled the title track of its upcoming EP, "Black Star", due out May 9 via Napalm Records. The EP impressively marks the 40th anniversary of the legendary band.

Johan's solo project JOHAN LANGQUIST THE CASTLE will release its self-titled debut album on CD and vinyl on June 27 via I Hate Records. The record was initially made available digitally without a label in 2024.

SAVATAGE played its first non-festival headlining concert in more than 20 years Monday night (April 210) at the Espaço Unimed in São Paulo, Brazil. The show took place two days after SAVATAGE performed at the Monsters Of Rock festival at Allianz Parque in São Paulo.

SAVATAGE's setlist for the Espaço Unimed concert was as follows:

01. The Ocean
02. Welcome
03. Jesus Saves
04. Sirens
05. Another Way (first time since 2015)
06. The Wake Of Magellan
07. Strange Wings (first time since 2002)
08. Taunting Cobras (first time since 1998)
09. Turns To Me (first time since 2015)
10. Dead Winter Dead
11. The Storm (first time since 2015)
12. Handful Of Rain
13. Chance
14. This Is The Time (1990) (first time since 2002)
15. Gutter Ballet
16. Edge Of Thorns
17. The Hourglass (first time since 2002)
18. Believe (Jon Oliva on piano and vocals on screen; band came in after chorus; Criss Oliva tribute during solo.)

Encore:

19. Power Of The Night (first time since 2003)
20. Hall Of The Mountain King

SAVATAGE's lineup for the two São Paulo gigs and the upcoming shows this spring and summer consists of Johnny Lee Middleton on bass, Chris Caffery on guitar, Al Pitrelli on guitar, Jeff Plate on drums and Zak Stevens on lead vocals. Also appearing with the group are SAVATAGE's two new touring keyboardists, Paulo Cuevas and Shawn McNair.

One key member is missing from SAVATAGE's reunited lineup: Jon Oliva, the band's founding vocalist and keyboardist. In 2023, Oliva suffered a T7 vertebra fracture in three places, a severe injury that has left him relying on a wheelchair. Additionally, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and Ménière's disease, conditions that have further complicated his health.

In an interview with Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda, Oliva repeatedly emphasized that his injuries prevent him from taking part in the tour, explaining how his condition has affected even basic activities, let alone performing. "I can't even sing right now because of the pain," he admitted. "I can't stand for too long, and I need time for my vertebra to heal naturally." When asked about surgery as a possible solution, Oliva explained that he had considered it but ultimately decided against it after seeking advice from medical professionals and acquaintances. "They wanted to put metal in my body," he said. "But people I spoke to told me not to do it, that I would regret it. So, I chose to let it heal naturally."

This past January, Caffery and Plate spoke to The Metal Voice about SAVATAGE's 2025 live shows. Regarding how the SAVATAGE "reunion" came together, Plate said: "Well, I think the catalyst has just been the fanbase. The fanbase never gave up on us. They've been beating the drum for this reunion for years.

"The band never broke up," the drummer clarified. "We haven't done a proper tour in over 20 years, but we never officially broke up. Obviously, we all work together in TSO [TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA]. We've played a lot of this SAVATAGE music in the TSO shows. Throughout the years, we've done at least one SAVATAGE song per tour, I believe — at least one. So the music has been out there. And the fanbase has been clamoring for this for the longest time. And, man, I've gotta hand it to them.

"Jon Oliva, several years ago… Jon is always writing music, and the plan was to do some recording — he's got a bunch of new ideas — do some recording and get out there and let's do this again. Jon has obviously run into a number of health problems, which are serious, and I'm sure everybody's read about them. But in Jon's wisdom, he's, like, 'You know what?' The ball kind of started rolling again. He's not going to stop it this time. Jon's gonna be involved in everything that we're doing from here forward. He can't go out and do these tours right now, and he's gonna work himself back into it. We've got our fingers crossed. But I tell you, man, the music in general, the fanbase, there's just a strength behind all that that's really kept the name alive, kept the interest alive.

"We're all here," Plate continued. "We're all playing probably as well or better than we've ever played. It's not like we've been sitting around for 20 years doing nothing and decided to reunite. Chris and I, Johnny and Al, we've been doing these TSO tours every year, plus a number of things in the off season. So there's a lot of factors to this. But the excitement of seeing the reality of it, seeing the confirmed shows, seeing the posters…

"Chris and I have been basically joined at the hip since 1995," Jeff added. "We've done a lot of stuff together. We talk about this all the time, and it really is exciting just to be able to get back out there and do this and play this music."

Chris chimed in: "The plan was, after we did Wacken [Open Air festival in 2015], to start playing. But [TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA founder] Paul [O'Neill] passed, and then we had to get over that. Then COVID came. And then Jon wanted to get started, then his injuries came. Like Johnny Lee had said when I was just speaking with him, 10 years went by like that. And we need to do this now. It's, like, if you blink your eyes, 10 more years will go by. And I don't wanna get emotional on things, but every other day, somebody in my life passes, it seems nowadays, as you get older. So we wanna take the advantage now of getting us together and celebrating what Jon and Paul and Criss [Oliva, late SAVATAGE guitarist] and all of us have done with SAVATAGE's music and give the fans that had a chance to see it a chance to see us again and the ones that never saw us a chance to see it."

Jeff continued: "And I'll tell you something. Chris mentioned losing Paul, and that obviously threw a huge wrench into everything. But in the infinite wisdom of Jon and Paul, they never dissolved the band. We've had this discussion several times. 'Well, what is SAVATAGE? Are we still a thing?' Paul refused to ever say that we were done. 'We're still a band,' yada, yada. So here we are all these years later. It may have been frustrating for a lot of people that we haven't played, but we never broke up. So now we're back. And I think this is gonna be really interesting and it's gonna be awesome."

Chris said: "I used to tell the fans, 'My crystal ball isn't working. When it happens, I will be there.' And I wanted it probably as much [as], if not 10 times more than, the fans, because it was such an important part of my everyday life. The fans are fans of a band, and SAVATAGE was a lot of my life for decades. And then TSO came along, but that piece of SAVATAGE not being there… I'm the one who's not married and I don't have kids, so it's, like, that part of my life being gone was a big part of me. So it means a lot for me to be back in that family and that world. It really does."

Zak joined SAVATAGE in 1992 as the replacement for Jon Oliva. Zak sang on four albums with the band — "Edge Of Thorns" (1993),"Handful Of Rain" (1994),"Dead Winter Dead" (1995) and "The Wake Of Magellan" (1997) — before departing in 2000, allowing Jon to return. Both Jon and Zak took part in SAVATAGE's 2015 performance at Wacken Open Air, which marked the band's first, and only so far, appearance on stage since they went on hiatus back in 2002.

SAVATAGE's last album release, "Poets And Madmen", in 2001 was highlighted by Jon's return as lead vocalist, replacing Zak, who left the band citing family reasons, and the departure of guitarist Al Pitrelli, who accepted an offer to join MEGADETH in 2000. Pitrelli did record solos for some songs prior to his departure. Another very limited U.S. tour followed, supported by FATES WARNING in the early shows, and then NEVERMORE for the remainder. Around this time, Jon chose Zak's replacement in the form of Damond Jiniya (DIET OF WORMS). Damond performed Zak's parts on tour, with Jon having an increased vocal role in proceedings.

In September 2021, Jon Oliva was arrested on the west central coast of Florida for driving under the influence as well as possession of a controlled substance. Police charged Oliva with possession of cocaine, which is a felony, and DUI, which is a misdemeanor. Oliva was reportedly arrested again in July 2023 on another cocaine possession charge.

Back in 2016, Jon announced on social media that he suffered a stroke in April of that year. At the time, he said: "It was not as serious as it could have been, but it did leave me with some physical recovery challenges often associated with strokes."

Despite his health issues, Jon said that he didn't regret the way he had lived his life. He wrote: "I lived the rock 'n' roll lifestyle since I was 18. It's all I knew and I enjoyed the ride very much. But there comes a time in everyone's life where you have to step back and make some life-changing decisions... which I have."

Shortly after SAVATAGE's reunion performance at the 2015 Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany, Oliva claimed that he felt better than he had in 20 years because he had "stopped drinking and eating" in preparation for the concert. He explained: "It's my voice that's freaking me out, because, even when I was in my late 20s, early 30s, doing songs like '24 Hours Ago' were always really hard to do. And, of course, I didn't realize that it was all the drugs and alcohol I was doing. But, after doing that, getting my act together and stuff, singing '24 Hours Ago', it's actually easy now. [Laughs]"

In addition to his work with SAVATAGE, Oliva is well known for co-creating the classical music-meets-prog rock and pyro act TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA alongside the project's founder Paul O'Neill. Oliva has reportedly remained involved in TSO's activities even after O'Neill's April 2017 death of an accidental drug overdose.

Jon's brother Criss, who was one of the founding members of SAVATAGE, was killed in October 1993 by a drunk driver when he and his wife Dawn were en route to the Livestock festival in Zephyrhills, Florida. The driver of the other car was found to have a drunk driving record of seven prior DUIs and having a blood alcohol content of .294 percent.

São Paulo, we’re coming for you... x2! Join us a couple days after our appearance at Monsters of Rock for an...

Posted by Savatage on Tuesday, February 18, 2025

In a new interview with Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", EXODUS drummer Tom Hunting was asked which METALLICA album he thinks is better, "Ride The Lightning" or "Master Of Puppets". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think I would pick 'Master'. I think 'Ride The Lightning' is a more brutal record, but I think 'Master Of Puppets', that was a moment captured in time of a band — just young men peaking creatively. It's a perfect record from end to end. And 'Ride The Lightning' is definitely a close second. I mean, 'Master' is my favorite album. Pinning it against all the others, I think it's better than all the others. The 'Black Album' is a great record, lots of commercial success for that one for them. They just blasted the door down for everybody. But I'd definitely pick 'Master'."

He continued: "I think James's [Hetfield] vocals on that record… With any band, you could see the progression, if they're doing it right. You could see the progression of a musician as they're getting better. 'Kill 'Em All', we were just kids and he was just figuring out how he was gonna be a metal singer. And he invented that shit — he invented the METALLICA-style singing and then took it to another level on 'Ride The Lightning'. And then 'Master Of Puppets', he just crushes."

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

In January it was announced that EXODUS had parted ways with longtime singer Steve "Zetro" Souza and was being rejoined by Dukes.

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 appeared on four of EXODUS'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).

Although EXODUS rarely gets mentioned alongside the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX — the band's "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.

In a new interview with Headbangers México, Mark Morton, guitarist and songwriter for the five-time Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling band LAMB OF GOD, spoke about his evolution as a solo artist, particularly as it relates to his latest solo album, "Without The Pain". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I think that [Morton's debut solo album, 2019's] 'Anesthetic' was a wonderful experience. [I'm] very proud of that record. It had some incredible moments and I built some incredible relationships there and [it had] really cool songs. And doing that record, which was a little more hard rock, heavy metal, a little bit closer — well, certainly closer to what I do with LAMB OF GOD than this new record is. And so doing that record really gave me the confidence and the independence to pursue doing a record that really reflected the music that I'm most a fan of and most listen to at home. And it's how I play guitar at home and the types of songs that I play on my own time. So I think 'Anesthetic' allowed me to do a record like 'Without The Pain', because it gave me the confidence, and I was able to feel that creative freedom."

Asked what inspired the "shift" from his heavier roots with LAMB OF GOD to the "southern rock, Americana, blues"-inspired direction of "Without The Pain", Mark said: "It's not a shift at all. I mean, this has always been part of my life. I didn't decide to explore this new avenue. This has always been who I am. If you grew up where I grew up, when I grew up, how I grew up, this is part of the culture, so this is very much part of my life, [and] always has been. It's the music that I'm most a fan of. So it feels like coming home, really, for me to be able to make a record like this."

Earlier in the month, Mark told Riff X's "Metal XS" that he has "never completely defined" himself "as just a heavy metal guitar player. And when I say 'just', there are plenty of players that just play metal and they're phenomenally explosive, incredibly dynamic and creative musicians. And that's cool," he said. "And so I believe that's possible. But for me, I've never felt like metal was the only place my creative spirit lives. So, I think I have, over time, built up this ambition and this kind of desire to express my musical spirit and my creative ideas outside of the context of LAMB OF GOD — not in spite of LAMB OF GOD, just in addition to. I love LAMB OF GOD, I love heavy metal. It's been my life's work, really, musically, until recently where I really kind of started exploring some of the stuff that was more reflective of what my personal listening tastes are. And that's what you hear on this new record."

Addressing the fact that the songwriting process in LAMB OF GOD at times requires him to make compromises while maintaining his vision of the band, Mark said: "I think what we have been able to develop in LAMB OF GOD is a real trust with one another creatively. So typically, and it's not always the case, but typically if there's some debate going on and somebody feels really, really strongly about it, where other people aren't sure, that becomes pretty apparent. And if Willie [Adler, LAMB OF GOD guitarist] feels absolute about this musical thing that I'm not sure about, then I trust his artistry because I respect and admire him as a musician. And I think the same is true the other way. And the same with Randy [Blythe, LAMB OF GOD singer]. Him and I write lyrics together, and if he feels really, really strongly about a lyrical thing, then, yeah, you're the one singing it. Run with it. Your question makes it sound like it's this sort of liability that we have to give each other room. I think it's a strength."

"Without The Pain" marks a significant departure from Mark's work with LAMB OF GOD, diving into his southern roots and leaning heavily into the southern rock lane. The album features collaborations with artists like Cody Jinks, Jaren Johnston (THE CADILLAC THREE),Charlie Starr (BLACKBERRY SMOKE),TYLER BRYANT AND THE SHAKEDOWN, Travis Denning plus guitar solos from Grace Bowers, Jason Isbell, and more, making it a unique and exciting project that blends blues, southern rock, Americana and outlaw country influences with Mark's signature guitar work.

Last month, Mark was asked by United Rock Nations about his recent comment that he had been "waiting [his] whole life" to make "Without The Pain". Asked why it took him so long to finally write and record the effort, Morton said:  "Well, I think it's been a process for me to kind of get to the point where I've felt the confidence and the independence to make this kind of record. I made my first solo LP, 'Anesthetic', which came out in 2019, I think, and that was like my first published work outside of LAMB OF GOD as a solo artist. And while it was very different than LAMB OF GOD and that was the point, I think it was still kind of tied to metal roots and metal influences. And having had the experience of making that record and gaining the confidence in my ability and in learning that my audience was willing to go there with me, I think it gave me this sort of creative freedom to feel like I could lean into what is truly the music that I'm a fan of and the kind of music that I listen to, and have been a fan of, really, my whole life and that's kind of, really, at the foundation of my playing as a guitar player. I've always felt like I'm a blues player first. That's just the way I feel about it. So for me, it wasn't really uncomfortable at all to pursue this kind of music. It was more [that] it felt like something I finally could do after waiting for a long time to get the opportunity."

Asked if making a really personal album like "Without The Pain" is a form of therapy for him, Mark said: "I think some of it's personal, some of it's not at all. I think the songs are just the songs. I think sometimes there are songs that wind up being really personal. The last song on the record, 'Home', is extremely personal. There are components of 'Brother' that are lived experience and 'Without The Pain' has references to parts of my life. But then songs like 'Hell & Back' are really just a cool kind of story. And 'Come December' is not a personal experience; it's a story. That one's cool. 'Nocturnal Sun' is just very abstract. 'Forever In The Light' is pretty abstract as well. So I don't think they're all like directly autobiographical in a sense like that."

Mark continued: "Songwriting is such a strange thing because sometimes there are lines in a song that are lived experience, and they may appear in a song that isn't entirely autobiographical. So just because a part of a song is directly related to something from a songwriter's life — there's songs that are collaborative, so different people adding different things. And really it becomes more about the song than it does what maybe inspired one or another part of it. It's a weird kind of thing. But in the end, it becomes this unique thing and when it works best is someone listens to it and they make it about their own story, and that's when it works best. And how genuine or authentic it is to a direct lived experience is less important than it being a genuine and authentic representation of a feeling or an emotion."

"Without The Pain" was released on April 11 via Snakefarm.

"Without The Pain" track listing:

01. Hell & Back feat. Jaren Johnston of THE CADILLAC THREE (Mark Morton, Jaren Johnston, Josh Wilbur)
02. Brother feat. Cody Jinks (Mark Morton, Cody Jinks, Travis Denning)
03. Without The Pain feat. Matt James of Blacktop Mojo (Mark Morton, Jaren Johnston, Josh Wilbur)
04. Kite String feat. Travis Denning (Mark Morton, Travis Denning)
05. Come December feat. Charlie Starr of Blackberry Smoke & Jason Isbell (Mark Morton, Charlie Gray, Matt Connor)
06. Dust feat. Cody Jinks & Grace Bowers (Mark Morton, Jaren Johnston, Cody Jinks)
07. Forever In The Light feat. Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown (Mark Morton, Tyler Bryant, Caleb Crosby)
08. Nocturnal Sun feat. Troy Sanders & Jared James Nichols (Mark Morton, Josh Wilbur)
09. The Needle And The Spoon feat. Neil Fallon of Clutch (Allen Collins, Ronald W Vanzant)
10. Home feat. Travis Denning (Mark Morton, Travis Denning, Josh Wilbur)

Mark co-wrote every song on "Without The Pain" except for the track "The Needle And The Spoon", which is a cover of the iconic LYNYRD SKYNYRD song. Throughout the album, Mark's songwriting explores themes of healing, growth, and self-reflection, with each track reflecting his journey of personal evolution. Drawing from his deep southern roots, Mark embraces the sounds of southern rock, blues, and outlaw country, while maintaining his signature edge — blending honest, raw lyricism with intricate guitar work. This album represents a true reinvention for Mark, as he embraces a more introspective and reflective phase in his career, marking his second solo release after his critically acclaimed debut.

The themes explored on "Without The Pain" are a natural progression from Mark's deeply personal autobiography, "Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir". In the book, Mark delves into his struggles with addiction, mental health, and the toll of his heavy metal career, offering a raw, unfiltered look at his life and the journey toward finding peace and redemption. "Without The Pain" picks up where the memoir left off, providing a soundtrack to Mark's continuing journey of growth and reconciliation.

Just ahead of their "Bonded By Blood" 40th-anniversary shows, "Swarm of Horror" USA headline tour and stops at Sonic Temple, Welcome To Rockville and Milwaukee Metal Fest, San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal pioneers EXODUS have released a brand new cover of the SCORPIONS deep cut "He's A Woman - She's A Man" featuring fellow thrash icon Mark Osegueda of DEATH ANGEL on lead vocals. This unmissable hard rock-turned-thrash metal meeting sees some of metal's legendary greats paying homage to one of rock's most timeless artists.

EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt says: "We decided to cover one of our favorite bands of all time a ways back and have been sitting on it until now, and even better, the one and only Mark Osegueda of DEATH ANGEL/KERRY KING collabed with us to sing it, and he crushes it! He is the only guy we knew who could do Klaus [Meine] justice. Hope you dig it!"

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

In January it was announced that EXODUS had parted ways with longtime singer Steve "Zetro" Souza and was being rejoined by Dukes.

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 appeared on four of EXODUS'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).

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.

HALESTORM has unveiled "Darkness Always Wins", a slowly building, cinematic hard rock anthem that marks the Grammy-winning band's first release of 2025. The song, helmed by Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb, is the first to be revealed from a new album from Atlantic Records, details of which will be announced soon.

"'Darkness Always Wins' is not a song of hope, nor is it a song of despair," said HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale. "It is reality. History repeating. Evil prevails and the good depart first. But we are not doomed as long as we persist and keep our fires burning. The war may not be won in this lifetime. But our mission is to pass the torch so that those who follow have a light to fight with."

In a social media post, HALESTORM guitarist Joe Hottinger wrote about "Darkness Always Wins": "We wrote this down in Savannah, GA. It was the first song we wrote for what became the album. It was like a test session… we went down there to see how it was working with Dave Cobb. Wrote and recorded this in two days at his then new studio. It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship that turned into a beautiful album.

"Can't wait for everyone to hear what we've been up to."

In a recent interview with Cutter's Rockcast, Lzzy spoke about HALESTORM's songwriting and recording sessions with Cobb, known for his previous collaborations with the likes of Sammy Hagar, Slash, GRETA VAN FLEET and RIVAL SONS. Asked if the band's follow-up to 2022's "Back From The Dead" album was "done", Lzzy said: "Yes. Literally we're getting mixes back as we speak."

Regarding the musical direction of the new HALESTORM material, Lzzy said: "It's really hard to describe this one. We did the record with Dave Cobb, which is a new producer for us. His ADHD mixed very well with our ADHD. But we didn't do it traditionally the way we always do these albums. First day, we walked in and I always have, like, whatever, a ton of half-written songs or full-written songs, or, 'Here's a riff or whatever' — you come in with your bag of tricks. And Dave Cobb says, 'Oh, we're not gonna do any of that.' And I'm, like, 'What do you mean?' He's, like, 'We're not doing demos. I hate demos. What we're gonna do is we're gonna start and we're gonna write, and as we're writing, we're recording at the same time.' So that's what we did. The first day we actually ended up writing our first single that'll be coming out soon. But, yeah, we started, like, 'Okay, who's got a line?' 'Oh, I have this that I thought of yesterday.' 'Cool. That'll work. Let's go.' Set up the drums, set up the guitar, here's the vocals. And so we would be recording while we were writing it, and then we would get done and we would move on to the next day. And so there are songs that don't even have a click track to them or a guide because we forgot."

Lzzy continued: "There's so many different elements of songs that we used to write when we were kids, but, obviously, as adults — a lot of that feeling. It was kind of an emotional rollercoaster. There's also, I think, some of the heaviest songs we've ever written on there, some really beautiful mid-tempos. A lot of personalities that I've always wanted to kind of put on a record, but I never really had the freedom or time to, because usually when we do a HALESTORM record, it's, like, 'Okay, we have to have all the songs picked. We have to have them rehearsed.' We go in and kind of do it like an assembly line. Like, 'Okay, you do the bass, do the drums, do the guitar, do the vocals, and we're good.' So there's no time to really like sit with things before they're, like, 'Okay, we've already decided we're gonna do that.' And so the freedom and kind of the nerve-racking kind of element of the fact that there wasn't really a plan ended up being the special sauce on this album, because we were just chasing everything that got us excited. And if it wasn't a 'hell yeah', it was a 'hell no'. So there's nothing on there on this album that we don't feel complete ownership over. There's nothing on this album that anybody forced us to do. There's nothing on this album that isn't part of our personalities."

Elaborating on why the new HALESTORM album feels like it is a return to the band's roots in a way, Lzzy said: "My bass player said it yesterday. He's, like, 'It's kind of like this long road to the beginning,' 'cause all of the guys at one point in time said this really feels like we're back in our parents' basement again and we're hustling and we're trying to figure out how to write songs on the radio. But we have all this knowledge now. So everything ended up coming together so incredibly well. But it was almost like the reverse, that the music was telling us what to do and not us trying to like shoehorn anything in.

"I'm telling you, man, — it is the most HALESTORM record we've ever done," Lzzy added. "It is the first time in the 20 years we've been on Atlantic Records that we have not felt lorded over in regarding to making records, because usually it's time crunch. Somebody's always there being, like, 'Oh, we can't do that.' 'Oh, you probably shouldn't say that.' 'What about this thing?' And that kind of thing. So it usually becomes like a project, like a group project.

"We didn't do it in Nashville — we did it in Savannah, Georgia, locked in a house in the middle of nowhere, next to a river," Hale revealed. "The guys and I would wake up like around 11:30 a.m., we would start recording and we wouldn't stop until 4:00 a.m. And then we would annoy the hell out of the engineer who was trying to sleep with playing on the proper keyboard and coming up with weird stuff. But we were unsupervised in the best way, and it was all about, who are we now? Who were we then? This is our story. For me, when I listen to this album, it's my personal opus — all the things that I've gone through in my life, both dark and not. There's more questions than answers. It's not just me giving myself a pep talk, like 'I'm the fire', 'I'm back from the dead.' It's like I'm dealing with a lot of my reality and a lot of the reality of the world in my own way. And then it's also our story as a band, and you can really hear it in the music and in the lyrics. So I'm so excited for people to hear it. And it's to the point where it's, like, I don't even really care if anybody likes it because all four of us are, like, 'This is our favorite album we've ever done.'"

Earlier this year, Lzzy and Joe completed "Halestorm's Lzzy And Joe: The Living Room Sessions" tour featuring the duo performing acoustic, stripped down versions of HALESTORM favorites and the music that inspired the band.

Cobb has shared in nine Grammy wins, including four for "Best Americana Album" and three for "Best Country Album". He's also been named "Producer Of The Year" by the Country Music Awards, the Americana Music Association (twice) and the Music Row Awards, and has been a Grammy nominee in the category.

Last summer HALESTORM and I PREVAIL completed a co-headlining tour. Produced by Live Nation, the trek was also the catalyst and the creative spark for HALESTORM and I PREVAIL's collaborative track "Can U See Me In The Dark?", which was released last June.

"Back From The Dead" has tallied over 100 million streams worldwide. Rolling Stone called the title track "a biting but cathartic howler about overcoming all obstacles," and that song as well as "The Steeple" marked their fifth and sixth number ones at rock radio, respectively. Associated Press said the album "will definitely be in the running for best hard rock/metal album of the year." Their previous album, "Vicious", earned the band their second Grammy nomination, for "Best Hard Rock Performance" for the song "Uncomfortable", the band's fourth #1 at rock radio, and led Loudwire to name HALESTORM "Rock Artist Of The Decade" in 2019.

Fronted by Lzzy with drummer Arejay Hale, Hottinger and bass player Josh Smith, HALESTORM's music has earned multiple platinum and gold certifications from the RIAA, and the band has earned a reputation as a powerful live music force, headlining sold-out shows and topping festival bills around the world, and sharing the stage with icons including HEAVEN & HELL, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett and JUDAS PRIEST. Additionally, Lzzy was named the first female brand ambassador for Gibson and served as host of AXS TV's "A Year In Music".

Photo credit: Jimmy Fontaine

Dawn Of Ashes was founded in Los Angeles by Kristof Bathory at the turn of the millennium, the group moniker he chose suggestive of “the beginning of the end.” Emerging from the industrial and aggrotech genres before expanding into the blackened metal and extreme industrial scenes, Bathory and his band have been a relentless force ever since, evolving and redefining the boundaries of extreme music for over two decades.

Having recently relocated to Denmark, forthcoming new album Infecting The Scars sees Bathory return Dawn Of Ashes to its aggrotech roots while pushing forward with a new level of intensity and maturity. It marks a rebirth, fusing the raw, unfiltered aggression of the past with a refined and evolved sound. Lyrically and sonically, it reaches a level where the songs are no longer merely anthems of destruction, but rather an exploration of psychological horror, inner demons and the scars left behind by life’s most brutal moments.

Embodying this evolution, the album’s first single, “Hypertensive Crisis”, is described by Bathory as a deliberate attempt to “recapture the nostalgia of our early era while seamlessly blending it with fresh, modern elements. Evolution and maturity – both in sound and lyrics – are crucial to the creative process. Artistic growth has allowed this project to delve deeper, delivering more meaningful lyrics that evoke horror through the lens of psychosis. This song is a perfect example, showcasing a fully realised version of our classic sound, reimagined with a new intensity and depth.”

The move to Denmark also sees Dawn Of Ashes set to expand its reach, bringing the group’s visceral live performances to new territories. European tour dates are currently in the works alongside planned shows in Mexico, promising a global assault of chaos and horror.

Infectting The Scars will be released on June 6 via Metropolis Records.



Tracklist:

“Intro – Made In Hell”
“Infecting The Scars”
“Bone Saw” (feat. Alien Vampires)
“Visceral Rage”
“Hypertensive Crisis”
“Coma Maker”
“Masochism”
“Faith Desecration”
“Throne Of Misanthropy”
“Outro – Existential Despair”

“Hypertensive Crisis”

Moribund Records has announced May 23 as the release date for Waxen’s new album, High Plains Bloodlust. Check out the track, “Black Nitrite”, below, and pre-order the CD here.

Waxen delivers skillfully played blackened thrash metal with strong true metal leanings and the undercurrent of black metal, drenched in Toby Knapp’s trademark neo-classical shred-mastery.

Waxen’s seventh album, High Plaines Bloodlust, see’s Toby Knapp bringing a much more melodic approach to their normal rough and raw black thrash metal sound. The album is loaded with traditional thrash metal riffing that transforms into black metal shredding, then oscillates towards a neo-classical heavy metal solo or segments of brutal death metal tremolo. Toby Knapp’s innovative and eclectic style and talent for writing real songs surpasses and sets him apart from all other shredders, and catapults Waxen to the forefront of the US black thrash metal scene.



Tracklisting:

“Battle Of One Hundred Slain”
“A Horse Named Fear”
“Hadamar”
“Black Nitrite”
“Red Clouds Over Kill Zones”
“High Plaines Bloodlust”

“Black Nitrite”:

During an appearance on a recent episode of The Candid Mic With Fran Strine podcast, DRAGONFORCE guitarist Herman Li was asked if he and fellow DRAGONFORCE founding guitarist Sam Totman are essentially the only actual members of the band, with the other musicians performing and recording with the group as mere "hired guns". Li responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, Sam and I started the band, and we always did pretty much all the work for it. So, in a way, it hasn't really changed. It's just some people's lives change, and that's what happens [to cause lineup changes in a band]. And every time we make a change in a band, it's because we're trying to make it better. Someone here isn't happy — they're not able to give it a hundred percent. They have other things they need to do or they just want a change in their life. And that's kind of what happens. And it's normal. It's like a company. If you're buying a Nvidia graphics card, someone, an engineer, decides they're gonna do a different job, are you gonna say, 'Wow, what's going on? This GPU is not gonna work.' Or this camera, someone making this camera. But in a band, because of what you see, who performs, sometimes you think, well, you might have some ideas."

Regarding how he and his DRAGONFORCE bandmates have adapted to the changes in the music industry over the last couple of decades, Li said: "It has changed a lot. And because the industry is changing… So the story is this: in 2018, we got rid of management, we got rid of everything. Our old business system that was put in place by our old manager, we just kind of got rid of it because it's, like, 'Well, this needs to be changed here. This is not working out.'

"I managed the band up until basically the third DRAGONFORCE album [2005's 'Inhuman Rampage'], our big hit album. At that time, the band exploded, so me managing the band wasn't even possible anymore. Especially if someone's gonna come to me and say, 'Well, I can manage the band. I work with these other bands.' Who am I to question to say, 'I know better than this guy'. So we did that for a number of years, and then I realized, 'Well, this is not actually any better.' So now I have the experience, I'm gonna do it. I've been doing enough, and I'm sure I can do a better job. So that was the big change. So I can say we had the downtime, unfortunately, through, I believe, mismanagement, because the music hasn't got worse. And now, luckily, we're more successful and popular than at that time [during] the 'Guitar Hero' explosion. And now we are actually doing better. And funnily enough, that song 'Through The Fire And Flames' [from 'Inhuman Rampage'] just got released on probably one of the biggest video games in the world right now, Fortnite. It came out last week and it's been an absolute hit. It's been crazy. I mean, how many people play that game, Fortnite? It's insane."

Herman recently confirmed that there are tentative plans for him and his DRAGONFORCE bandmates to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their most commercially successful album, "Inhuman Rampage", by performing the LP in its entirety on a 2026 tour.

Back in July 2017, "Inhuman Rampage", which came out in 2006 via Roadrunner, was officially certified gold by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of half a million copies.

"Inhuman Rampage" sold almost 10,000 copies in its first week of release to land at position No. 103 on the Billboard 200 chart. A song from the LP, the aforementioned "Through The Fire And Flames", received rock radio and Fuse TV airplay and was featured as a playable track (along with "Heroes Of Our Time") on the videogame "Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock". The platinum-selling single brought the Grammy-nominated extreme power metal group international acclaim.

In March 2019, the "Through The Fire And Flames" music video reached a new milestone: it surpassed one hundred million views on YouTube — DRAGONFORCE's first music video to do so.

Earlier in March, "Through The Fire And Flames" was released as a Jam Track in the video game Fortnite, available to players participating in the game's new "Spring Raid" event.

"Inhuman Rampage" was the second-to-last album to feature singer ZP "Zippy" Theart, who exited the band in 2010 and was replaced by Marc Hudson.

Only Li and Totman remain from the "Inhuman Rampage" recording lineup. They are joined in group's current formation by Hudson, drummer Gee Anzalone and bassist Alicia Vigil.

DRAGONFORCE's latest album, "Warp Speed Warriors", was released in March 2024 via Napalm Records.

"Warp Speed Warriors" was produced, mixed and mastered by Damien Rainaud at Mix Unlimited in Los Angeles, California with Totman and Li.

In a new interview with Springfield, Missouri's Q102.1 radio station, FOZZY frontman Chris Jericho was asked if there are any plans for him and his bandmates to release a follow-up to their 2022 album "Boombox". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's interesting. So our last record, 'Boombox', we wrote it and recorded it basically during the pandemic. And then it took a couple of years to finally release it, because you didn't wanna release it with no radio playing new stuff and you can't tour on it. And that record, we spent so much time with it, I realized, and the rest of the guys did as well, maybe making a [full-length] record isn't the way to do it anymore. 'Cause we had three radio singles with it, three other songs that we play live, and then the other six songs just kind of go to the elephant burial ground where you don't really hear them ever again. And in our opinion, as you should think this way, every one of those songs could have been a Top 10 hit, like 'Sane' was and like 'Nowhere To Run' was and 'I Still Burn' was. So we're just releasing one song at a time for right now, which I think in the modern world, might be the way to do it."

Jericho continued: "If you're kind of old school, like METALLICA or [IRON] MAIDEN or something, albums still seem to be the way to go, but I think for us rock radio bands, one song at a time, because every song will get a chance to live or die on the radio and every song will get a chance to live or die live. And I think that's what we're gonna be concentrating on. So we released 'Spotlight' [in October 2023] that way. Now 'Fall In Line' [has just come] out. We're already working on the next tune, so that when this one starts to… Radio takes about a good five or six months to go through the cycle, and when it starts going down, we'll release another one. So I think that's gonna be kind of our M.O. for the next little while."

Chris went on to say that he likes releasing one song at a time as opposed to making full-length albums.

"I wanna give every song a chance at this point in time, 'cause, like I said, on 'Boombox', there was far too many great songs that just didn't get their chance," he explained. "And I think that's a shame when you spend so much time. And you know, like, 'This song is great.' We had a song called 'Ugly On The Inside' on 'Boombox'. As soon as I heard it, I'm, like, 'That's gonna be a Number One song.' We didn't even release it as a single. We never even played it live, 'cause other songs come out and the other songs work better in certain situations. So I think from now on, it's just one at a time. So we are working on the next one right now. ['Fall In Line'] just came out. So give it a chance first. But maybe in six months or so we'll release another one."

"Fall In Line" was released on April 17 via Madison Records.

The 2025 leg of FOZZY's 25th-anniversary tour, dubbed "2025th Anniversary Tour", features support from LILIAC and THE NOCTURNAL AFFAIR. The trek kicked off on April 17 in Springfield, Missouri and will conclude on May 12 in Wyandotte, Michigan.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Resurrected San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans FORBIDDEN will release a new song, "Divided By Zero", later in the year. The track will mark the band's first recording with FORBIDDEN's current lineup, consisting of founding guitarist Craig Locicero, alongside longtime bassist Matt Camacho and the group's latest additions, Norman "Norm" Skinner (vocals) and Chris Kontos (drums),plus VOIVOD guitarist Daniel Mongrain, who stepped in as a replacement for Steve Smyth in July 2024.

In a new interview with The Metal Command podcast, Skinner stated about "Divided By Zero": "It's going to be released soon enough. They just finished the single artwork for it. And the clock is already ticking on that first song being released."

Regarding how his vocal approach is different from that of former FORBIDDEN singer Russ Anderson, Norm, who has previously fronted such acts as NIVIANE and IMAGIKA, said: "I kept in mind, I'm, like, 'I've gotta throw a little bit of Russ in there on some of this. I can't just be, like, 'Okay, well, now here's a new song done completely in the style of Norm now.' So, yeah, it's a balancing act with some of these songs.

"It's a little different and there's a bit of a learning curve for me because I'm so used to singing a certain way and recording a certain way and everything, and now with this group of guys, it's, like, 'Well, we don't do it that way. We do it this way,'" he explained.

"I just finished a powwow with our guitar player Daniel Mongrain and found out that I sing a lot of 'happy chords', a lot of majors, he says. So we're going on ways to — I don't know — maybe make it sound a little more evil. But then when you've been singing power metal for 10 years, that tends to happen.

"But I'm definitely keeping it in the back of my mind that, as we roll out these new tunes, to make sure I still stay true to what I think the FORBIDDEN fans will like while staying true to myself at the same time," Norm added.

On the topic of the musical direction of the new FORBIDDEN music compared to that of the band's previous efforts, Norm said: "The music itself, I've heard Craig [say] that it's very a mixture of [2010's] 'Omega Wave' and [1990's] 'Twisted Into Form'. That's the cross where vocally I'm doing the more modern-sounding singing like I do — I'm throwing in my harsh screams and growls sprinkled throughout, which Russ really didn't do until 'Omega Wave'. 'Omega Wave', all of a sudden it's, like, 'Oh, wow.' I mean, [1997's] 'Green' was an angry album, and Russ was just more just like raw scream and just anger. 'Omega Wave' was a more polished, some more death vocal stuff thrown in and stuff. So I'm bringing a lot of that in these songs here and there, because that's something I like to do. But then at the same time I'm taking a lot of the kind of phrasing that Russ would do on those old thrash songs. And, of course, I'm keeping the high notes in there, here and there. Not overdoing it, just placing them where they need to be. So you get that little, 'Yeah, there it is.' We're just trying to really balance these songs as best. And, for me, those are my two favorite FORBIDDEN albums: 'Twisted Into Form' and 'Omega Wave'."

FORBIDDEN's new songs are being recorded at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with engineer/co-producer Zack Ohren.

As previously reported, FORBIDDEN will embark on the "40 Years Of Twisted Evil" European tour in August. The trek will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the band's formation and the 35th anniversary of the release of FORBIDDEN's second album, "Twisted Into Form", which originally came out in March 1990 via Combat Records.

In August 2024, Locicero spoke to Bloodstock TV's Oran O'Beirne about FORBIDDEN's decision to remain independent, at least for the time being. He said: "We don't have a record label. I don't want a record label yet. I have an opportunity to finally do this with no monkey. And we're a better band than we were at any point recently because of all the things that have kind of brought us together. It feels different, and that's no knock on anyone. But from the top down, with Russ going through what he went through, that's kind of the stigma that stayed on us for a while. He wasn't feeling a hundred percent. So now you have Norm who's up there, he's, like, 'Yeah.' He's not trying to be anybody, and there's just a whole positive groundswell."

Elaborating on why FORBIDDEN has no interest in aligning itself with a record label right now, Craig said: "It's important to say that we have no delusions of grandeur either. I think that we understand more than anybody how much the industry has changed.

"I don't wanna get caught in the machine, and the machine can chew you up before you get creative," he explained. "You can get stunted creatively if you agree too quickly. 'Cause we've been approached already. And I'm, like, 'Not yet.' We're not gonna go there yet.

"It's important for us to feel like we got our album done and artistically put together, lyrically," Craig added. "No one needs to fucking tell us how to do it. And I feel good about our chances of at least reigniting and kind of reforging our path again. 'Cause there's a spot for us. 'Cause we've got all our Bay Area brothers, but we're that band, we're a little more heavy metal, a little more melodic. We do things a little differently. So we have our own little spot. And I hope to have it all land where it's supposed to be."

Smyth exited FORBIDDEN in July 2024, saying in a statement that he "decided it's time to part ways with FORBIDDEN, and return to my band ONE MACHINE as priority, along with other projects on the horizon, and of course session work, and teaching music as always."

The resurrected FORBIDDEN lineup made its live debut at a "secret" show in July 2023 at Baltic Kiss in Richmond, California under the TWISTED INTO EVIL banner.

Originally founded in 1985 as FORBIDDEN EVIL by Anderson, guitarists Locicero and Robb Flynn, bassist John Tegio and drummer Jim Pittman, the quintet started playing house parties and Bay Area clubs such as the legendary Ruthie's Inn soon after. After a couple of lineup changes (Paul Bostaph on drums and Matt Camacho on bass) in '86, the band quickly rose through the ranks of Bay Area thrash to gain a massive following and worldwide notoriety. In 1986, the band added Glen Alvelais as the second guitarist. It was this lineup that cemented itself into the Bay Area scene and soon after recorded 1988 release "Forbidden Evil" for Combat Records, changing the band's name to simply FORBIDDEN. In May of '89 while on a European tour with SACRED REICH, FORBIDDEN made their first appearance at the legendary Dynamo Open Air in Eindhoven, Netherlands. It was here that FORBIDDEN made their European mark and recorded the "Raw Evil" EP. The band returned Stateside and replaced Alvelais with Tim Calvert. Calvert was a missing ingredient that brought the band closer together as a team. They continued to tour the U.S. first with EXODUS and then again with SACRED REICH with Calvert on second guitar. The band went on to release "Twisted Into Form" in 1990, "Distortion" in 1994 and "Green" in 1996. However, the band, having gone though many lineup changes, disbanded in 1997.

In 2008 Craig being inspired at a screening of the movie "Get Thrashed", called the other members of the band and suggested getting back on stage to see if they could reignite the FORBIDDEN machine. With Anderson, Locicero, Camacho back in the mix along with new additions Glen Alvelais and Gene Hoglan they played two sold-out DEATH ANGEL shows in San Francisco. Steve Smyth came into the mix in place of Alvelais and Mark Hernandez took Hoglan's place. The band then released "Omega Wave", the fifth in the catalog and went on a U.S. tour with OVERKILL. European festivals were next but afterwards Hernandez had to walk away due to personal reasons leading to a tour cancelation. Sasha Horn was the answer to fill the drummer's spot.

After playing "Bonded By Baloff" with EXODUS and one Bay Area show, FORBIDDEN embarked for Chile to play the Metal Fest in Santiago. It was on this flight back home that Russ informed the band that he couldn't tour anymore because of the physical toll it was taking on him. With that, the band dissolved once again for 11 years.

When FORBIDDEN's "rebirth" was first announced in April 2023, Locicero said in a statement: "First off, I did NOT see this coming. When FORBIDDEN quietly disbanded the second time in 2012, I figured it was over. While I always apply the 'never say never' mantra to my life, Russ made it clear that he was completely finished with touring. My wingman and main dude from the conception of FORBIDDEN EVIL, Russ was my mentor and the guy who bought me beer when I was 15! I couldn't imagine FORBIDDEN without him, so I had little hope of a future with FORBIDDEN. Today Russ is happily retired and living the sober life. I have nothing but love for that and him. Everyone needs to respect his wishes like we do.

"So then ….. fast forward 11 years after our last show, Bay Area vocal talent Norman Skinner walks in to help us rehearse and sing a few thrash classics for the BAY AREA INTERTHRASHIONAL set at Dynamo MetalFest 2022. WHAMMO! That's when it all happened by accident. Truly. Then it happens AGAIN when Norman sings 'Chalice Of Blood' onstage alongside WARBRINGER at the one Bay Area show of BAY AREA INTERTHRASHIONAL. Holy fuck!"

In a new interview with IMPACT Metal Channel, Anneke Van Giersbergen spoke about the upcoming reunion shows from her former band THE GATHERING to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Dutch rockers' "Mandylion" album. Asked if she is excited about performing with her former bandmates again, she said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Very. Very. It's been great coming up with the idea, just to talk about it with the band and to reconnect and to just talk about it and to have these plans. And we knew that people were going to like this idea and people would come to the show, but I didn't know that it was gonna be so crazy — people wanting to get tickets, and it was sold out so fast. And we were all shocked by it and very happy — happily shocked. And so we are very much looking forward to it and rehearsing, making sure we're going to do the best that we can for these shows. So we're revisiting all the old songs, which is great. Yeah, so good times."

Asked if there are any tour plans with THE GATHERING beyond the already announced concerts, Anneke said: "Um, not just yet. We focus on these Dutch shows, and we wanna concentrate on these shows, so we're not looking very much into the future yet. So, we'll see."

The "Mandylion" lineup of THE GATHERING will reunite for five exclusive sold-out shows in August at Doornroosje in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Prior to those gigs, THE GATHERING will play "one try-out show" at club Dynamo in Eindhoven, the Netherlands on June 29.

Upcoming shows:

June 29 - Eindhoven, Netherlands @ Dynamo
August 27 - Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Doornroosje
August 28 - Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Doornroosje
August 29 - Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Doornroosje
August 30 - Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Doornroosje
August 31 - Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Doornroosje

Fans can expect to hear all "Mandylion" tracks as well as more songs from the band's Anneke era.

THE GATHERING previously said in a statement: "After so many years, we are very excited to celebrate this anniversary together, an album that still means so much to us."

The lineup for the Nijmegen concerts will consist of the following musicians:

* Anneke Van Giersbergen - vocals
* Hugo Prinsen Geerligs - bass
* Frank Boeijen - keyboards, backing vocals
* Hans Rutten - drums
* René Rutten - guitar
* Jelmer Wiersma - guitar

In November 2014, THE GATHERING celebrated its 25th anniversary with a one-time special show at Doornroosje in Nijmegen. All past and present members of THE GATHERING — from 1989 until 2014 — appeared on stage and performed in this unique show together.

Van Giersbergen announced her departure from THE GATHERING in 2007. She has since released several albums on her own and with her AGUA DE ANNIQUE solo project.

In 2005, Century Media celebrated the 10th anniversary of "Mandylion" by releasing a special deluxe edition of the album. The double-CD set featured new artwork, a 16-page booklet with song-by-song liner notes from the band and never-before-seen photos from the album's recording sessions. CD2 contained the first demo recordings THE GATHERING did with Van Giersbergen in June 1994 and early 1995. "Solar Glider" was a previously unreleased instrumental while "Third Chance" appeared two years later in a different version on the "Nighttime Birds" album.

In a 2007 interview with PopMatters, Van Giersbergen stated about her decision to leave THE GATHERING and launch AGUA DE ANNIQUE: "I had been in THE GATHERING for 13 years, and I had never done anything for 13 years in my life. It's been my whole adult life, so to leave that, on one hand, was a very clear decision and a very strong feeling, and I was ready. In 13 years, things had changed in my personal and musical life. It was difficult as well, because the guys, they were like brothers, so to leave that and to change that relationship has been a long process and was probably one of the hardest things I did.

"I told them at the beginning of March, and so we really took some time to assess the situation," she continued. "Also, the guys, they wanted to see what their plans would be next. Of course they were not happy with my decision, but they are respectful and they have good spirits to continue. Of course, I put a big stamp on the sound and the look of THE GATHERING, but on the other hand I'm not the only singer in the world, so it's going to change, but it's not going to stop."

Regarding her reasons for leaving, Anneke said, "There were a lot of physical reasons, but they all came out of one big feeling in my heart that it was time to change. I was supposed to do this record besides THE GATHERING, and I was given time and it was all okay, but I like to do other small projects and work with other people a lot. I had some plans, and the feeling became stronger to develop that more seriously and also especially to be with my family a little bit more. Now, I can direct everything I do from this one agenda, and it feels very good to be the director of your own life. In a way THE GATHERING was officially a bigger band, and we were day and night constantly working with it, and it was quite intense, all the processes. So a lot of small things became one big feeling, like, 'Okay, I'm ready.'"

During an appearance on the April 17 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen revealed that he took a break from showcasing his art on the 2025 Monsters Of Rock cruise in part because he is still recovering being attacked outside a Florida hotel more than two years ago. "I've been going through some challenging times, kind of related to what happened in Florida," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And that whole thing is kind of ongoing, when I got beaten up outside the hotel [there]. So I've been trying to deal with that the best that I can, and really I just needed to take a break from some of the side projects that I was busy with, just so I could spend more time at home. So, that's been a real challenge for me. Hopefully I can put it all behind me and I can just kind of get back to as normal as I could possibly be given the circumstances. But that was very traumatic for me, and, yeah, it's been difficult. But hopefully I can put it behind me soon."

Allen added: "I did go out and I did a cruise, and I realized that I was finding it difficult to be around a lot of people like that. And so I decided, 'You know what, Rick? Don't try and bite off more than you can chew. Just deal with this, deal with what's in front of you. Spend as much time as you need to at home.' And I'm just hoping, as I say, that I can put it behind me… I'd love to get back to doing some of my side projects, particularly the art. And let's hope I can soon."

DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen has given his first interview since being assaulted outside a Florida hotel earlier this year.

Allen, who was in South Florida to perform a show with his DEF LEPPARD bandmates at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, was attacked on March 13, 2023 while taking a smoke break outside the Four Seasons hotel on Fort Lauderdale Beach.

A then-19-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident, but no motive was given for the attack.

Police said at the time that the suspect, who was initially hiding behind a pole, ran toward Allen at full speed, striking him and knocking him backward and slamming his head on the ground and "causing injury."

The suspect, who was facing a charge of abuse to an elderly or disabled adult without great harm, was arrested that same day and had later bonded out of jail.

In his first official interview about the incident, Allen told "Good Morning America" back in May 2023: "I heard a couple of steps. And then I just saw this dark sort of flash. And the next thing I knew was I was on the ground. I landed on my backside and then continued on, hit my head on the pavement… I reached my hand up into the air 'cause I thought I was gonna get attacked again. And I just said, 'I am no threat to you.' I don't think he knew who I was. But he must've seen that I wasn't a threat because, you know, I've only got one arm."

Allen went on to say that losing his left arm in a car accident in 1984 when he was 21 years old made him better equipped to deal with the emotional aftermath of this attack.

"I immediately just went to that place of just feeling grateful for the fact that I have an amazing wife and an incredible family," he said. "I just started just thanking a higher power for the fact that I'm still here."

Rick's DEF LEPPARD bandmate, guitarist Vivian Campbell, addressed the assault during an appearance on the March 31, 2023 episode of "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". Describing Allen's assailant as "some kid on spring break who couldn't hold his beer or his drugs or whatever," Vivian added that "Rick will be fine. He's been through a lot worse, obviously. He's a resilient human being. He will absolutely be okay."

A few days after the incident, the now-61-year-old Allen took to his social media to say that he was thankful for all the support he had received from his fans. He also expressed his relief relieved his wife, Lauren, wasn't with him when the incident occurred, and he revealed that they were "working on recovering in a safe space."

Fort Lauderdale police later released 911 calls that led to the arrest of a man in connection with the Allen assault. In the first 911 call released by Fort Lauderdale police, a woman working security for the Four Seasons called around three minutes after the alleged attack.

"Apparently a guest, some guy assaulted her and was actually beating her up in front of the front of our building," the woman told 911, adding that the female victim was in the lobby of the hotel but the suspect had fled. She didn't mention Allen.

Another caller who said the suspect was trying to break into his restaurant — the Wine Garden, which is near the Four Seasons — told 911, "Send the police here right now!…I'm sitting on a fucking suspect."

Another man on the same call explained, "I was sitting out front. This guy, I caught him throwing chairs inside our establishment and then he ran."

He said the suspect was trying to break the restaurant's window, and they chased him and caught him.

A third caller from the nearby Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach Hilton said: "I have an individual who has been running around breaking windows and has beat up a couple of guests at the Four Seasons, as well." He added the suspect was allegedly "very highly intoxicated."

The police report, which was obtained by TMZ, said a woman came out of the hotel to try to help Allen, but the suspect also knocked her to the ground.

The report said: "While she is on the ground, the defendant continues to batter her by striking her. [She] attempts to escape by running into the hotel. The defendant then grabs [her] by her hair and drags her out of the lobby and back onto the sidewalk before fleeing the area."

The suspect declined to comment when approached by Miami's 7 News WSVN and was asked, 'Are you a DEF LEPPARD fan?"

Allen provided a sworn statement to police and later told them that he wanted the suspect to be prosecuted.

Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Sammy Hagar will release a personal new single, "Encore, Thank You, Goodnight.", on April 25 via Big Machine Rock. The track, a melodic rock anthem written by Hagar and guitar legend Joe Satriani, was inspired by a dream and brought to reality by introspective lyrics, powerful chords and rhythmic guitar and drums. The single will debut globally across all platforms on April 25, accompanied by an official lyric video on YouTube.

Inspired by a vivid dream Hagar had about the late Eddie Van Halen, the song marks a full-circle moment in his storied career. "Encore, Thank You, Goodnight." features Hagar on vocals, Michael Anthony on bass, Joe Satriani on guitar and Kenny Aronoff on drums. The production — handled by Hagar, Satriani and Eric Caudieux — delivers a sound that is at once nostalgic and forward-looking. According to Hagar, the dream that sparked the song came about a year after Eddie's passing and left a lasting impact. Rather than being a somber farewell, the song is a celebration and expression of appreciation — for the fans, and for the unforgettable chapter they shared in VAN HALEN.

"This song is my final bow to that part of my life," says Hagar. "It's not meant to be anything more than a 'thank you' — with love, with respect, and with one hell of a guitar solo." Hagar also shared that Satriani's contribution to the track brought a unique emotional energy. "Joe was the perfect partner to help me shape the sound — he brought in that big, emotional, guitar-driven energy that feels like Eddie's spirit but is entirely of Joe's creation. With Michael Anthony's thundering bass and stellar VAN HALEN-esque background vocals and Kenny Aronoff's relentlessly powerful driving rhythms, the song really came together on all levels."

The release week will be a monumental one for Hagar and the band, with:

On April 27, the official "Encore, Thank You, Goodnight." music video, directed and edited by ZZ Satriani, will premiere live during Hagar's headline set at the Stagecoach festival's Palomino Stage and globally during a YouTube video premiere.

On April 30, fans at the launch of Hagar and the band's Las Vegas residency will experience the song's first live performance at the kick-off show at Dolby Live at Park MGM.

"Encore, Thank You, Goodnight." will be serviced to classic, active and mainstream rock radio on April 25. A full digital campaign will launch across social platforms, showcasing behind-the-scenes footage, TikTok and Instagram reels, fan-generated content and more. A seven-inch collector's edition vinyl will be available for pre-order, along with bundles and exclusive merchandise drops.

For more than four decades, Hagar has been recognized as one of the best and most accomplished lead singers and songwriters in rock music. From breaking into the industry with the seminal hard rock band MONTROSE to his multi-platinum solo career to his ride as the frontman of VAN HALEN, CHICKENFOOT and his latest supergroup THE CIRCLE, Hagar has amassed 25 platinum albums on sales surpassing 50 million worldwide. Along his journey, he has set the tone for some of the greatest rock anthems ever written, with songs like "I Can't Drive 55", "Right Now" and "Why Can't This Be Love", and earned the highest respect of the music industry with a Grammy Award and induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Since opening his flagship Cabo Wabo Cantina in 1990, he's turned a lifelong passion for great food, music and spirits into a thriving and iconic lifestyle brand encompassing restaurants and spirits. A pioneer in the spirits industry, he launched Cabo Wabo Tequila in 1996 and catapulted it into the No. 2-selling premium tequila brand in the United States. In 2010, Hagar sold his interests in Cabo Wabo Tequila to Gruppo Campari in a nine-figure deal that's widely credited as the start of the celebrity-owned spirits trend. He now owns an award-winning portfolio of top-shelf spirits and beer which includes Sammy's Beach Bar Rum, a partnership with Rick Springfield, Santo Spirits, a partnership with Guy Fieri, and Red Rocker Brewing Co. Never one to hit the brakes, Sammy's also expanded his successes into publishing, TV, radio and beyond, including five seasons of his hit TV show "Rock & Roll Road Trip With Sammy Hagar" and as host of "Sammy Hagar's Top Rock Countdown", a weekly syndicated radio show on more than 90 U.S. stations. He's a No. 1 The New York Times bestselling author, a dedicated philanthropist, donating millions back to local communities through The Hagar Family Foundation, and as the first Honorary Ambassador to Los Cabos, an honor he was bestowed in 2022 in recognition of his longtime investment in the people and economy of Mexico.

Photo credit: Rob Shanahan

FOREIGNER will celebrate 50 years as a group with a special five-show Las Vegas engagement on March 6-14, 2026 at The Venetian Theatre.

The legendary rock band will perform all the hits in a stunning presentation with a 20-piece orchestra led by Juilliard protégé and orchestral arranger Dave Eggar.

The "Foreigner: The Hits Orchestral - Celebrating 50 Years Live In Vegas" performances are set for March 6, 7, 11, 13 and 14.

Tickets go on sale on April 25 at 10 a.m. PST.

Last month, FOREIGNER singer Kelly Hansen revealed that he will miss the band's upcoming Latin American and Canadian tours due to undisclosed "residency issues" which have forced him to limit appearances outside of the USA this year.

FOREIGNER's upcoming South American run will see guitarist Luis Maldonado, who has been recording some of the band's hits in Spanish, handling most of the lead vocals along with original FOREIGNER singer Lou Gramm who will be guesting with FOREIGNER for those shows.

FOREIGNER's 13-city Canadian tour this fall will feature a guest appearance by Nova Scotian singer-actor Geordie Brown, with Maldonado again handling the bulk of the lead vocals. The trek begins on October 21 in St. John's, Newfoundland and concludes on November 7 in Kelowna, British Columbia. The tour includes a stop in Brown's hometown at Halifax's Scotiabank Centre on October 24.

Gramm most recently joined FOREIGNER's current lineup on stage at the end of the band's March 15 concert at the BayCare Sound in Clearwater, Florida to perform two of the legendary rock group's classic songs, "I Want To Know What Love Is" and "Hot Blooded".

Gramm previously said he planned to retire at the end of 2024, but later revealed that he was in talks to make appearances at "select" tour dates with FOREIGNER's current lineup in 2025. Bassist Rick Wills and drummer Dennis Elliott are also expected to appear at some shows, including FOREIGNER's upcoming fall 2025 Las Vegas residency.

Gramm was the voice on FOREIGNER's biggest hits, including "Feels Like The First Time" and "Cold As Ice" from the band's eponymous debut in 1977, and later songs like "Hot Blooded" and "I Want to Know What Love Is".

The 74-year-old Gramm left FOREIGNER for good in 2002 and has battled health issues in recent years, including the removal of a non-cancerous tumor. He told the Democrat & Chronicle in 2018 that he was planning to retire, but still reunited with FOREIGNER for several shows that year.

FOREIGNER replaced Gramm with Hansen in 2005. Guitarist Mick Jones, the only remaining original member of FOREIGNER, suffered from some health issues beginning in 2011, eventually resulting in heart surgery in 2012. In February 2024, Jones revealed on social media that he was battling Parkinson's disease, which explained his absence from FOREIGNER's live shows since 2022.

FEAR FACTORY has entered the studio to begin recording its first new album in four years.

Joining founding FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares in the group's current lineup are Milo Silvestro on vocals, Tony Campos on bass, and Pete Webber on drums.

On Sunday (April 20),FEAR FACTORY shared a couple of photos of Webber in the recording studio and included the following message: "Yes we started tracking drums yesterday for the new FF. The majority is with the 8 string guitar tuned to 8E 7A 6D 5G 4C 3F 2A 1D".

Last June, Cazares told Primordial Radio about the chemistry of the musicians in FEAR FACTORY's current lineup: " At the moment, [it's all] smooth sailing. And it's been great. Everybody's on point. Pete Webber's on drums. He's sick. He came from a thrash metal band called HAVOK. Killer drummer. We call him Pete The Feet. Milo Silvestro — new kid on the block. He came straight from Rome, Italy. He sounds like a young Burton [C. Bell, original FEAR FACTORY singer], you know what I mean? [He sounds like Burton did] back in the day. He sounds amazing. He's probably the most musically talented in the band. And then Tony Campos, my old friend. He's been with the band since, like, 2015. He comes from a band called STATIC-X. He's been my mate for 30-plus years, and it's always good to play with him, and I'm glad he's with us."

Dino continued: "It's a great place right now. We are trying to avoid any of that drama. And luckily we have for the past year and a half since we came back."

Asked what is left for FEAR FACTORY to do, Dino said: "New record with Milo Silvestro. That's what we're gonna do next. New record. And then conquer the world again."

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

In a separate interview with Brutal Planet Magazine, Dino was asked whether Milo is a "good lyricist". Cazares responded: "Oh, yeah. He's got some other little projects that he works on and the lyrics are really good. So we're not gonna have any issues with that. That was one of the main things that a lot of people have been complaining — not complaining, but the Internet type of bitching. It was, like, 'Okay. Yeah, he could sing great live. He could do all the songs great live. But what's it gonna be like when he does the record? How's his lyrics gonna be? How's this gonna be?' Relax. It's all gonna be good. Don't worry."

In the fall of 2023, Dino told Nyva Zarbano that Milo "brings obviously a freshness that FEAR FACTORY needed. The last singer that we had [Burton C. Bell], obviously he had a lot of vocal issues and he really couldn't sing or do any of this kind of heavy touring," he explained. "It just was a big setback for us. So bringing Milo into the band, obviously he's got a great voice, he's very talented, he's a multi-instrumentalist. He could play more than one instrument. The kid's very talented. Of course, the story is I found him on the Internet. He was releasing videos of him doing FEAR FACTORY covers and he was posting them on all the FEAR FACTORY fan sites. And I saw him there, and I was, like, 'Okay, that's really got my attention.' But we had many people audition, but he was the one that really stood out. And he's a huge fan of FEAR FACTORY. And he pretty much learned from listening to our older vocalist. So he learned a lot of his stuff. And so, I mean, if you close your eyes, you think it's the original singer."

Speaking to Australia's "Everblack" podcast, Cazares was asked if Silvestro was "getting more comfortable" with his position as the frontman of the long-running California metal act. Dino responded: "Oh, yeah. I mean, from the first day, we talked about a lot of stuff. Before the tour started, we rehearsed, and we were, like, 'Okay, these are the kind of things that we've done before. And I think you need to do this, this, this.' And he goes, 'Okay.' So then the first day [of the tour] comes, he just goes wild. And I'm, like, 'Oh, shit.' I was, like, 'Calm down.' I go, 'You don't need to go insane everywhere. Just focus on singing, focus on getting everything, giving the crowd all equal attention,' blah, blah. There's certain things you just gotta teach him a little bit, right? And so he pretty much nailed it the first day."

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

Earlier in 2023, FEAR FACTORY completed the "Rise Of The Machine" U.S. tour as the support act for STATIC-X marked the Cazares-led outfit's first run of shows with Silvestro and Webber.

Prior to being named an official member of FEAR FACTORY, Webber had been filling in for FEAR FACTORY's longtime drummer Mike Heller who was unable to play with the band due to "scheduling conflicts."

FEAR FACTORY's latest album, "Aggression Continuum", was released in June 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP, which was recorded primarily in 2017, featured Cazares, Bell and Heller.

In September 2020, Bell issued a statement officially announcing his departure from FEAR FACTORY, saying that he "cannot align" himself with someone whom he does not trust or respect, apparently referring to Cazares.

Bell later told Kerrang! magazine that his split with FEAR FACTORY had been a long time coming. "It's been on my mind for a while," he said. "These lawsuits [over the rights to the FEAR FACTORY name] just drained me. The egos. The greed. Not just from bandmembers, but from the attorneys involved. I just lost my love for it.

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral
Yes we started tracking drums yesterday for the new FF. The majority is with the 8 string guitar tuned to 8E 7A 6D 5G 4C 3F 2A 1D pic.twitter.com/SsxUJoyxy8

— Fear Factory (@FearFactory) April 20, 2025

The surviving members of the original ALICE COOPER band — singer Alice Cooper, guitarist Michael Bruce, bassist Dennis Dunaway and drummer Neal Smith — have reunited to record their first new studio album in over 50 years.

Due on July 25 via earMUSIC, "The Revenge Of Alice Cooper" also includes a special appearance by late COOPER guitarist Glen Buxton, who died in 1997 at the age of 49. The song "What Happened To You" was built from the riff on an old demo tape Dunaway and Buxton made together and the limited-edition box set bonus track "Return Of The Spiders 2025" is an updated remix of a track from the COOPER group's second album, 1970's "Easy Action".

"The Revenge Of Alice Cooper" was produced by longtime Alice Cooper collaborator Bob Ezrin, who worked with the COOPER group on 1971's "Killers", 1972's "School's Out" and 1973's "Billion Dollar Babies", and who has helmed a number of albums that Cooper released as a solo artist.

The 14-song album's first single, "Black Mamba", will debut on Tuesday, April 22 on Cooper's syndicated radio show "Alice's Attic". The track features a guest appearance by THE DOORS' Robby Krieger.

Cooper told Billboard that making a new album with his original bandmates "was very much like this was our next album after [1973's] 'Muscle Of Love', just like, 'Okay, this is the next album.' Isn't that funny after 50 years? All of a sudden it just falls into place."

Ezrin said about the making of "The Revenge Of Alice Cooper": "None of them has changed much as a person. Obviously, everyone's older and more mature and more settled, but when we all get together and I watch the interplay between them, it's like they just walked out of high school and were hanging out in the local cafe. They just revert to type. They revert to who they were as kids when the first got together… and make music together like they did 50-some years ago."

As for the possibility of the original COOPER band hitting the road again, Alice said: "We haven't even gotten to that point yet. I don't really see it being a full-out tour; it would be very, very hard, I think, if you haven't done it for a long time. But I could see it being a feature, like going into certain cities — Detroit, New York, L.A., London maybe, and doing a half-hour or 40 minutes in a club or something. We always leave those things open, and if it looks feasible, then we do it."

"The Revenge of Alice Cooper" track listing:

01. Black Mamba
02. Wild Ones
03. Up All Night
04. Kill The Flies
05. One Night Stand
06. Blood On The Sun
07. Crap That Gets In The Way Of Your Dreams
08. Famous Face
09. Money Screams
10. What A Syd
11. Inter Galactic Vagabond Blues
12. What Happened To You
13. I Ain't Done Wrong
14. See You On The Other Side
15. Return of the Spiders 2025 (bonus track)
16. Titanic Overunderture (bonus track)

Formed in 1968, the original ALICE COOPER band forged a theatrical brand of hard rock that was destined to shock and had never been seen before. Within five years, they would release no fewer than seven studio albums, amongst them their international breakthrough "School's Out" (including the Top 10 hit of the same name) and the U.S. No. 1 "Billion Dollar Babies" (1973). By 1974, the band had risen to the upper echelon of rock stardom... and then it dissolved.

In October 2015, over 40 years later, record store owner and superfan Chris Penn convinced the original lineup to reunite for a very special performance at Good Records, his record store in Dallas, Texas. Alice, Michael, Dennis and Neal were joined on stage by Alice's current guitarist Ryan Roxie (standing in for Buxton).

Cooper pioneered a grandly theatrical brand of hard rock that was designed to shock. Drawing equally from horror movies, vaudeville, and garage rock, the group created a stage show that featured electric chairs, guillotines, fake blood and boa constrictors. He continues to tour regularly, performing shows worldwide with the dark and horror-themed theatrics that he's best known for. With a schedule that includes six months each year on the road, Cooper brings his own brand of rock psycho-drama to fans both old and new, enjoying it as much as the audience does. Known as the architect of shock rock, Cooper (in both the original ALICE COOPER band and as a solo artist) has rattled the cages and undermined the authority of generations of guardians of the status quo, continuing to surprise fans and exude danger at every turn, like a great horror movie, even in an era where mainstream media can present real-life shocking images.

In a new interview with "The David Ellefson Show", co-hosted by former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt reflected on how he first reacted when his former bandmate, original EXODUS guitarist Kirk Hammett, was asked to join METALLICA 42 years ago. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, it's a whole incestuous relationship, for sure. Kirk's in EXODUS, Kirk joins METALLICA. I'm friends with both, and there's a lot of sniping and stuff, and a lot of bad blood. But I stayed out of that. But, yeah, it kind of put me in the driver's seat [when it came to EXODUS]. I was starting to write a lot of riffs. When I joined [EXODUS], Kirk wrote everything. And at the time when he left, I was happy for him."

Asked by co-host Joshua Toomey if he would have joined METALLICA had he gotten the call instead of Kirk, Gary said: "Probably not. 'Cause at that time in my life, change was scary to me. I was always happy where I was comfortable. I would've probably said no. At the time, [before they recorded] 'Kill 'Em All'… If you joined, you were joining a great band, but you were joining a band that [was about to] put out an independent album and were playing clubs. You didn't know they were gonna be [what they eventually became]. If I had been asked and knew now in the future of what they'd become, I would've traveled back in time and kicked my own ass to take that job."

Asked if there was any thought of asking ex-METALLICA guitarist Dave Mustaine to join EXODUS after Kirk's exit from the latter group, Gary said: "No, no. It was, like, 'Congratulations, Kirk. I love you, bro. And thanks for getting me started on this journey and teaching me my first licks and chords. And now it's my band. Let's go.'"

Three years ago, Holt was asked by RadioactiveMike Z, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM radio program "Wired In The Empire", how he first met Hammett. He said: "The first time I met Kirk was in my high school music room, Richmond High, and EXODUS came and played. [Original EXODUS drummer] Tom Hunting grew up, like, 50 yards from my house, across from a park, but he went to a different school — he went to De Anza High, where Kirk did. I knew Tom, I'd see him around, but I didn't know him that well. But I was really good friends with the other guitar player in EXODUS, Tim Agnello, who I did know. And they came in and played in the music room, and it was awesome. Even though Kirk sang [SCORPIONS'] 'Another Piece Of Meat', and it was just really awful, as you can imagine — Kirk Hammett trying to sing Klaus Meine at his greatest; it was bad. But there was something about… Even though I'd been to many concerts, being in a room and hearing an electric guitar that up close and personal, it was kind of like a special moment for me, 'cause I'd never experienced it. I'd only seen guys onstage; I'd never stood five feet away. And it was killer. I totally [knew] that's what I wanted to do. And then we went to see Ted Nugent and the SCORPONS together, and we became best of friends from that first time we hung out. And then he said, 'You wanna learn to play guitar?' And I said, 'Yeah.' And he taught me the basics and some chords. I think the first thing he ever taught me was some ROLLING STONES song and a couple of licks and all that, and six months later I was in the band."

Asked if he had a favorite METALLICA song, Gary said: "I'd have to go… I've got a lot of favorites — that's one of those tough questions — but one that's always near and dear to my heart is 'Damage, Inc.'"

Three months earlier, Holt was asked during an appearance on "Put Up Your Dukes", the podcast hosted by EXODUS singer Rob Dukes, if Hammett was involved in the songwriting for any of the material that ended up on EXODUS's classic debut album, 1985's "Bonded By Blood". "There were riffs that I had written while Kirk was still in the band, and he tried to adapt them, tried to change 'em a little bit — the old, 'I changed it a little bit. I'm a co-writer on this riff,'" Holt recalled. "And that was, like, two riffs, I think. And the rest of 'em were written after he left. We never used a Kirk Hammett riff, ever, until [2004's] 'Tempo Of The Damned' [album] when we recorded [the early EXODUS song] 'Impaler'."

Explaining that "the first two [EXODUS] songs finished post-Kirk Hammett were 'Strike Of The Beast' and 'No Love'," Holt continued: "The biggest talent I have, if you wanna call it a talent, is my fucking memory. I can remember fucking everything. I remember showing him… I can picture it as a film, showing Kirk the riff to 'Strike Of The Beast', and I can picture it as if I'm watching it on a film — in the jam room, me in my spot where I played him [the riff] and him wanting to change the higher note to a lower note; I remember it all as if I'm watching a movie of it. I remember all of it — every last minute of it. I remember details from fucking most meaningless shit."

The original lineup of EXODUS consisted of guitarists Hammett and Agnello, Hunting and vocalist Keith Stewart. Holt joined the band in 1981, while Kirk left two years before "Bonded By Blood" saw the light of day.

Although EXODUS rarely gets mentioned alongside the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX — "Bonded By Blood" 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.

Back in 2018, Kirk spoke about the fact that riffs from songs by EXODUS, "Die By His Hand" and "Impaler", found their way into "Creeping Death" and "Trapped Under Ice", from METALLICA's "Ride The Lightning" album. "What I think happened was when Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] and James [Hetfield, METALLICA frontman] were thinking about getting rid of Dave [Mustaine], our sound guy, Mark Whitaker — who was EXODUS' manager — gave them EXODUS' demos," Kirk said. "I think 'Die By His Hand' might have caught their ears. So when they were writing 'Creeping Death', they went, 'Great. 'Die By His Hand'. Put it right there.' It was definitely not me going, 'I have a riff here in this EXODUS song, and it needs to be here in this METALLICA song.' By the way, I wrote that 'Die By His Hand' riff when I was, like, 16 years old."

SLAYER guitarist Kerry King played WWE wrestler Damian Priest to the ring at "WrestleMania 41". King performed Priest's theme at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada as the WWE star came to the ring for his match with esteemed Scottish wrestler Drew McIntyre.

King played guitar on Priest's updated version of his entrance song "Rise For The Night", which originally debuted last November during WWE's weekly "Raw" broadcast. At the time, Priest took to social media to thank King for "adding some of his genius to my theme."

Priest spoke about his love for metal in a Metal Hammer interview in April 2024. "I would say that METALLICA and Ozzy [Osbourne] were my first [bands] where I was, like, 'Oh, I love this,'" he said. "That's what really got me hooked on heavy metal."

Although "Rise For The Night" marked King's first performance on a theme song for a WWE wrestler, SLAYER originally recorded the "God Hates Us All" album track "Here Comes The Pain" for a compilation LP by now-defunct promotion WCW in 1999. More recently, SLAYER's classic 1988 song "South Of Heaven" was licensed by WWE as a one-off entrance theme for veteran wrestler Edge at "Wrestlemania 39" in 2023.

King and his new solo band completed a 28-date North American headline tour in early 2025 with support from MUNICIPAL WASTE and ALIEN WEAPONRY.

King's debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", was released in May 2024. All material for the LP was written by the 60-year-old SLAYER guitarist. Helming the sessions at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles last year was producer Josh Wilbur, who has previously worked with KORN, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD and BAD RELIGION, among others.

Joining Kerry in his new band are Mark Osegueda (vocals, DEATH ANGEL),Phil Demmel (guitar, MACHINE HEAD, VIO-LENCE),Kyle Sanders (bass; HELLYEAH) and Paul Bostaph (drums, SLAYER).

In early May 2024, the KERRY KING band performed its first live show at Reggies in Chicago. In the days following, the band went from playing an intimate venue to performing at the huge U.S. festivals Welcome To Rockville (Florida) and Sonic Temple (Ohio).

KERRY KING launched a European tour on June 3, 2024 — King's 60th birthday – in Tilburg, The Netherlands. The trek combined headline shows in the U.K., The Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Spain but also festival appearances such as Rock Am Ring, Hellfest, Tuska, Download, Sweden Rock Festival and many more.

Ex-METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted, who will play a two-night benefit concert inside the Everson Museum Of Art's iconic Hosmer Auditorium in Syracuse, New York, in July, spoke to Jeff Kulikowsky of 9 WSYR-TV in Syracuse about his former band, who performed in the city's JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday night (April 19). Asked what a METALLICA show is like for somebody who has never seen the group play live, Jason said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "Yeah, it's been a while since METALLICA played in Syracuse. I was with them there, I think it was '96, that was the last time we did it. They have been together for 44 years. They have thousands of shows under their belt. I think probably the number one live act from America currently is METALLICA. They bring it all every time, and I know that the production this time around is the most fantastical one to date. So, yeah, get your dancing shoes on."

Regarding his upcoming shows at the Everson, which are being billed as "Jason Newsted & Friends", he said: "I've been playing benefit shows the last 20 years or so. I choose six or eight a year, and they're usually affiliated with youth, art and music programs. So I started out with a thing called Little Kids Rock back in the early 2000s. They now call it Music Will. And we have been responsible for putting thousands of instruments in kids' hands. And so that was my beginning, and ever since that time, I've put my energies toward earning the kids — I guess trying to make them aware of art and make them aware of music and get instruments and paintbrushes in their hands."

Jason left METALLICA back in 2001 but was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, along with guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, guitarist Kirk Hammett, and the man who replaced him, bassist Robert Trujillo, in 2009.

Back in May 2023, Jason performed with his NEWSTED project for the first time in nearly a decade at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Newsted, who plays bass and sings in the project, was joined at the gig by original NEWSTED members Jesus Mendez Jr. (UNDERLORD) on drums and Jessie Farnsworth (UNDERLORD) on guitar, along with new guitarist Humberto Perez.

NEWSTED's sole full-length effort, "Heavy Metal Music", sold nearly 8,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 40 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was made available in August 2013 in North America via Chophouse Records/Collective Sounds and in Europe through Spinefarm Records.

Professionally filmed video of THE CULT's entire February 27 performance at the Viña Del Mar International Song Festival 2025 at the Quinta Vergara amphitheater, the festival's venue in the coastal city of Viña del Mar, Chile, can be seen below.

Featured songs:

00:52 Ride Of The Valkyries (Intro)
01:57 Rise
06:00 Wild Flower
10:00 The Witch
15:00 Mirror
18:55 War (The Process)
23:56 Fire Woman
30:02 Love Removal Machine
35:22 She Sells Sanctuary
44:28 Premiacion Gaviota De Plata

THE CULT's latest album, "Under The Midnight Sun", arrived in October 2022 via Black Hill Records. The LP was produced by Tom Dalgety (PIXIES, GHOST, ROYAL BLOOD). Dalgety is the first British producer THE CULT has worked with since its second album, "Love" (1985).

Born out of the ashes of the U.K. post-punk scene, THE CULT evolved to become one of the most influential and controversial rock bands of the late 20th century, selling millions of albums, headlining arenas and stadiums around the world, infusing innovative possibilities into the worlds of music and art, and quickly ascending through the ranks of the indie music world to achieve global status. THE CULT, whose music transformed from punk rock to post-punk, psychedelia, heavy dance music and transcendental hard rock, became one of the handful of important bands in the U.S. post-modern and hard rock communities, and was embraced by a generation that was waking up to the influence of 1960s and 1970s rock icons like LED ZEPPELIN, THE NEW YORK DOLLS and David Bowie.

The constant core of THE CULT is the "head and heart" of the band, singer Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy. Attitude incarnate, the chemistry between these two vastly different artists — equal parts genuine affection and palpable tension — remains the source of their long-standing partnership. Duffy grounds Astbury's esoteric side with a hard rock perspective, and there is no doubt that at all times, these two have each other's back. THE CULT's current lineup also includes former WHITE ZOMBIE, EXODUS and TESTAMENT drummer John Tempesta.

THE CULT holds a significant place in musical history due to its pioneering use of post-punk, hard rock, and experimentalism, pushing boundaries and influencing countless bands across multiple genres. With their musical prowess, uncompromising attitude and captivating stage presence, they forged a distinct identity while charting new territory for bands to explore. From Duffy's formative, and influential, years in the Manchester underground, to Astbury's groundbreaking "Gathering Of The Tribes", the duo has left an indelible mark on modern music, shaping its trajectory in profound ways.

In a recent interview with Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda, Astbury was asked if there are any plans for the band to release new music as the follow-up to "Under The Midnight Sun". Ian responded: "If it happens, it will happen organically. And there's no hard plans, but there are recordings that are already nearly finished, things that we were working on previously.

"We released [the songs] 'Flesh And Bone' and 'C.O.T.A.'. That only came out as a seven-inch. Nobody even knew it came out. I decided they were DEATH CULT [a stepping stone between Astbury's previous band SOUTHERN DEATH CULT and THE CULT] songs. Call it whatever you want. For me it felt like DEATH CULT songs. And now people are beginning to listen to those songs and go, 'Oh, these are really interesting. Do you have any more?' And we go, 'Well, we have a few more from that period.' And there's plans to drop some other recordings, maybe from DEATH CULT. But definitely THE CULT…"

"I mean, there's definitely plans to do things, but a formal album in the studio? I don't know," he continued. "It could happen. It may not happen. We're talking about music right now. We're always talking about music. But… I don't know. There's no formal plans to go in the studio and make an album right now.

"If you know about the way the streaming works, the algorithm, you can spend so much time, you can make a masterpiece, and you can put it out in the world and the algorithm doesn't like it, and then it disappears very quickly. You're competing with thousands and thousands and thousands of thousands and thousands of individual artists.

"[It] seems to me there's a decline in bands, and there's an increase in artists who are making records in their bedrooms and studios, small studios.

"I'll definitely be releasing music," Ian added. "There will be CULT music this year of some description. But it's not gonna be in a conventional format. There will be one record released maybe in the middle of the year that will be in conventional format, a live concert, but I can't say much more than that. You have to wait for that. We'll see. We have to do some negotiations to get it finished."

"With THE CULT, we're very intuitive in that way. We don't follow a plan or a schedule. We kind of work in harmony with the rhythm of what's happening around us.

"'Under The Midnight Sun' is referring to the pandemic 'cause it was this anomalous moment where a once-in-a-lifetime experience — not even once-in-a-generation [or] once-in-a-lifetime; once-in-a-century experience — so it was this anomalous moment. There's just so many layers. But ultimately, it has to translate with four musicians on stage and then you have to use your emotional intelligence to convey this. So, a lot of time is spent living, documenting, studying, reading.

"I don't really watch — I don't watch TV. I have two TVs in my house. They're never on. Maybe football, and that's about it. Everyone's saying, 'Have you seen this TV show, seen this TV show, seen this film, seen this TV show?' I'll go to a theater to see a film, like the last 'Dune' film. I had to see that on a big screen, 'cause on TV it's just blergh. I don't watch much television. I've watched a lot of film in my life, but if it's an important film, I'll watch it or I'm interested in it. But mostly I'm reading and listening to music. And then training in martial arts. And then doing creative direction for the band. And then working on other projects — my material. I wouldn't even call it solo projects. They're collaborations.

"So my intention is there'll be more CULT at some point, there'll definitely be DEATH CULT, there'll be more CULT, and then I'll be working on other things myself, other collaborations," Astbury concluded.

Former HANOI ROCKS singer Michael Monroe was joined by GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash on stage last night (Saturday, April 12) at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California for performances of the STEPPENWOLF cover "Magic Carpet Ride" and the Monroe song "Dead, Jail Or Rock 'N' Roll". Also appearing with Monroe at the Whisky A Go Go was BLACK OAK ARKANSAS frontman Jim Dandy for a version of the latter band's classic song "Rock 'N' Roll". Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

Back in December 2015, just weeks before the GUNS N' ROSES reunion was officially announced, Monroe said that a comeback of the classic lineup of GUNS N' ROSES "wouldn't make any sense" unless Slash and Axl Rose were able to "reconnect" on a personal and creative level first. He told Eddie Trunk's podcast: "Reunions suck. People ask me, 'Do you think GUNS N' ROSES will reunite?' It wouldn't make any sense unless Slash and Axl would reconnect and really get into a new kind of thing and start creating something new. Who wants to see guys put together forcibly and then go through the old stuff…? It doesn't make any sense to me."

Monroe went on to say that a GUNS N' ROSES reunion wouldn't be the same unless one key ingredient was involved in the mix. He explained: "One thing we must not forget was Steven Adler, the original [GN'R] drummer. The first album [1987's 'Appetite For Destruction'], there's a chemistry that is unlike anything they've done since. Because Steven Adler, he's maybe not technically as great as [his replacement] Matt Sorum, who is also brilliant, but he had a kind of vibe; he was pushing, and he was playing a bit ahead of the beat. He had a style that was part of the chemistry, to me. The sound, the original sound of the band, he was an integral part of that."

Even though HANOI ROCKS was formed in Finland, their trashy, hedonistic, decadent hard rock/pop-metal boogie influenced many Los Angeles acts, including GUNS N' ROSES and MÖTLEY CRÜE.

More than two years ago, Monroe released the video for the title track of his "I Live Too Fast To Die Young" solo album, featuring a guest guitar solo from Slash.

"Slash is one of the nicest guys that I know and one of rock's greatest guitarists as he's maintained the spontaneity, the human touch and the heartfelt kick-ass attitude in his playing," Monroe said at the time. "I figured this would be a good one for him to play a solo on. He said he loved the song and that it's super catchy."

Asked in a 2007 interview if he ever felt jealous of GUNS N' ROSES' commercial success, considering that GN'R openly cited HANOI ROCKS as a huge influence in the Axl Rose-fronted band's early days, Monroe said: "No, I never felt that! Not at all! I was always happy for their success and they definitely earned it themselves. I'm thankful for them recognizing the HANOI ROCKS influence and talking about it in the press."

He continued: "A lot of bands weren't really that talented and they sold a lot of records and really just deliberately tried to fake something out of it with the looks and not having much to back it up with. But GUNS N' ROSES really had their own thing and they were secure enough in themselves to quote HANOI ROCKS as an influence. Also, they released a lot of the old catalog in America with their Uzi Suicide label. So they were definitely paying homage to us and they were being very cool.

"I've never been envious of their success — quite the opposite; I've been very happy for them. I was part of it. I played on their records and I was happy to be part of it. It's always fun working with those guys. Slash played the right kind of guitar because he grew up with HANOI and mine and Andy's [McCoy] playing. I actually did something with him for the movie 'Coneheads'."

Asked if he remembered the first time he met GUNS N' ROSES, Monroe said: "I met Axl... he came to my video shoot in New York. I was shooting a video for 'Dead, Jail Or Rock 'N' Roll'. He showed up and just came to say hi and he introduced himself. I got to talk to him and he was a big NAZARETH fan and I was, like, 'Wow, a NAZARETH fan.' He didn't realize that 'Not Faking It' was a cover of a NAZARETH song. He had heard the record and he was really into it and he liked the song 'Dead, Jail Or Rock 'N' Roll', so I said 'Why don't you come up and do a couple of takes with us?' He came up on stage and he ended up in the video. I got along with him great and I always had a nice time with him. I never had a problem with him. I hear all these horror stories, but he's always been cool with me. It was fun working with those guys afterwards. Playing sax on their record and we did the duet 'Ain't It Fun'. That was magical and they have great star quality."

LOS ANGELES - Tickets are on sale now for our show at the Whiskey on April 12th!

Posted by Michael Monroe on Friday, October 18, 2024

In a new interview with Brazil's Monsters Of Rock, QUEENSRŸCHE singer Todd La Torre was asked which "unexplored musical directions" he would like to see the band go in on QUEENSRŸCHE's upcoming follow-up to 2022's "Digital Noise Alliance" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[We're] kind of [doing] the same thing as what we've been doing. I mean, we don't go in writing a record with a preconceived idea. We just get in a room and [go], 'Hey, show me your guitar parts. What do you have in your mind?' And we kind of all get together in a room and just see what happens in real time. So as far as unexplored musical directions… Personally, I'd love to hear more clean guitar on the next record, maybe some more spacious stuff, some more clean guitar. Orchestration is always fun to work with. It's very huge and cinematic sounding. So those are fun things to play with. Maybe some different percussion things would be interesting to play around with again.

"But, gosh, after 40-plus years, I think without completely changing the band, the band's style of music, I don't know that there's really any too much unexplored musical directions," he continued. "I mean, QUEENSRŸCHE's kind of done a lot within the large space that QUEENSRŸCHE has to run around in. I mean, if we were to do something — we wouldn't write a hip-hop song, we wouldn't write a death metal song. So within the confines of what QUEENSRŸCHE kind of is, as diverse as it as it is, I don't know what kind of unexplored musical directions there would be. On the next one, I mean, I would love to, like I say, play around with some other clean guitar sounds, maybe some more interesting percussion things — like the song 'I Am I' had some really neat percussion things going on."

Guitarist Mike Stone, who rejoined QUEENSRŸCHE in 2021, contributed guitar solos to the band's latest studio album.

Since late May 2021, Stone has been handling second-guitar duties in QUEENSRŸCHE, which announced in July 2021 that longtime guitarist Parker Lundgren was exiting the group to focus on "other business ventures."

Stone originally joined QUEENSRŸCHE for the 2003 album "Tribe" and stayed with the band for six years before leaving the group.

For the past eight years, drummer Casey Grillo has been filling in for original QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield, who stepped away from the band's touring activities in early 2017 to spend time with his young son.

In October 2021, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against guitarist Michael Wilton and bassist Eddie Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge. A few months later, Wilton and Jackson filed a countersuit against Rockenfield, accusing him of abandoning his position as a member of the band and misappropriating the group's assets to his own personal benefit. That dispute has since been settled out of court.

In a recent interview with The Joel Martin Mastery Podcast, Wilton stated about QUEENSRŸCHE's next studio album: "We do have one record left with our contract with Century Media and Sony. And yeah, we're putting together demos right now. So, when will it get done? I don't know. QUEENSRŸCHE has a lot of touring to do, and you've gotta schedule with your producer. But yeah, we've started writing demos, and we've got a good bunch of tunes. And we're about ready to head to Europe, and then we do the Monsters Of Rock cruise and then we're [going] to South America, and then after that, maybe we can concentrate a little more on the next QUEENSRŸCHE record."

Asked if he thinks the next QUEENSRŸCHE album won't arrive before 2026 at the earliest, Michael said: "We don't know. Just because it's harder to find pockets of time when we can develop this. We're always touring or on the road, doing weekend gigs or whatever. But we'll just see where this takes us."

Wilton also talked about whether the new QUEENSRŸCHE LP will be once again helmed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who previously worked with QUEENSRŸCHE on 2015's "Condition Hüman", 2019's "The Verdict" and "Digital Noise Alliance" LPs. He said: "Well, he's already committed to helping the demos getting written. So, yeah, he's back."

Elaborating on the QUEENSRŸCHE songwriting process, Wilton said: "Well, the last few albums we've kind of wanted to write fresh, so kind of on the spot. So I'm not looking at anything I've done in the past. I'm looking at just the inspiration of the day and getting something recorded and live with it for a couple of days and then come back and go, 'Okay, yeah, this is pretty cool,' or, 'Nah, I'm gonna delete this.' But I think it's something that is special to a group of guys that everything that you create is new or kind of new. We're probably ripping ourselves off blind with all the riffs and melodies, but that seems to be the fresh approach. I mean, the stuff that goes by the wayside, that's stuff that goes on solo albums. [Laughs]"

Wilton previously discussed the progress of the songwriting sessions for the follow-up to "Digital Noise Alliance" in February in an interview with Marko Syrjala of Metal-Rules.com. Michael said at the time: "We're currently working on demos for the next album, which is really important for us. After this [European tour], we have the Monsters Of Rock cruise, followed by the Monsters Of Rock festivals in South America. That brings us to May. Then we have some sporadic gigs here and there, but we're also planning to work with our producer, Chris 'Zeuss' Harris, and continue the writing sessions. Hopefully… But we're already getting offers for the end of the year, so I'm not sure when the album will be released. [Laughs]"

When Syrjala noted that the "schedule sounds a bit complicated," Michael explained: "You know, for the bands to make money, they have to tour. We get lots of offers — weekend gigs, two-week tours or even just a weekend here and there. You can't say no because if you do, someone else will take that opportunity and might not ask you again.

"The thing is, to do a proper QUEENSRŸCHE album, we need about six weeks of uninterrupted time. But it's harder now because we have to juggle these gigs — weekends here and there — before coming back to focus. Zeuss has had to adapt; he's very mobile now. He's learned to be because we’re not the only band that does this; all bands do. He works with Rob Zombie — 'Hey, come on over for the weekend. Let's work on some stuff.' Or with SHADOWS FALL — 'Let's work on some stuff.' So, he's used to it. It's just a matter of someone organizing it all."

Wilton went on to say that he and his QUEENSRŸCHE bandmates are "following the same process" this time around as they did for "Digital Noise Alliance". "With ['Digital Noise Alliance'], the recording and writing sessions were meant to feel fresh — nothing was e-mailed back and forth," he said. "Everything was built during the writing process. In that sense, it was about going back to the days when we'd be in a room writing the [debut QUEENSRŸCHE] EP in the morning. Back then, we didn't have technology like we do now. No cell phones, no computers — maybe, if you were lucky, you had a four-track recorder. The way we worked was simple: 'Hey, Chris [DeGarmo], you got a riff?' And I'd say, 'Okay, I like that. Let me add something to it.' It was a real band effort because everyone was in the room, giving input. That's exactly what we did with ['Digital Noise Alliance']. Everyone was involved — 'Oh, I like that,' 'Oh, I don't like that' — and the songs evolved a little more each day. Some songs we dissected and reworked completely. Take 'Tormentum', for example — that's like four songs merged into one! [Laughs]"

Asked if it's "correct to say" that recording the "Digital Noise Alliance" album was "a fresh start" for QUEENSRŸCHE, with drummer Casey Grillo becoming a permanent bandmember and guitarist Mike Stone returning to the fold for the studio sessions, Michael said: "Yeah, I think so. This next one will be even better because, with ['Digital Noise Alliance'], Mike didn't come in until the end of the process. But now, he's here from the beginning of the process. He's writing with me, and I'm writing with him, so it should be a bit more cohesive, I think… He knows the ways of the RŸCHE. He knows the guitar style and how to stay within that area. But, like I said, the stuff we've written so far sounds pretty cool."

Today, April 11, Nyström issued a follow-up statement, which reads, “Because of how things have been interpreted, speculated, and even officially manipulated, here’s a follow-up to my last statement and this will be posted here, because I feel the current Katatonia social media channels is no longer my place.

Regarding the scenario about Katatonia’s “new vs old” material being blown up as a main reason for my exit. I didn’t say (and never have) that I wanted to bring back the old direction and make a new album in that style with the current line-up. Some people are too quick to project their assumptions into some kind of pseudo-reality. Listen, I have been saying all along, provided Katatonia remains a touring act, that we should have included parts from all chapters in our live sets to respect our history. That’s also an honorable thing to do for our fans in each respective era. Furthermore, I wasn’t kidding myself, pretending the setlist would suddenly turn around only for the old stuff. Obviously, the majority of songs would always stay in line with the contemporary cycle, but Katatonia is doing a terrible job of keeping in touch with the past. Therefore, I even suggested an alternative idea of just doing a special old-school set now and then, or putting on ”an evening with…” type of show, where the setlist would exclusively focus on the old era and allow us to include much more of that material in one go, similar to what it’s like playing full album anniversary shows. But bringing that up was like talking to deaf ears. The status of the old stuff remains at 0%, and frankly, I’m sick of rooting for it. So why is this really that much of a big deal? Well, seemingly unlike others, my integrity is still ”connected” with our past, because I value each step that led to another. You can’t erase where you came from! As for people who only care for the new stuff and couldn’t give a shit about the old, or vice versa, that’s fine, but as far as I’m concerned that’s more your loss than mine. I was lucky to be part of it all and continue to be passionate about it.

Now, there have been claims I’ve been out for too long already, and haven’t contributed to the band in the last decade, so “nothing I say really matters anymore”. Ok, let me try to break that down. I’ve indeed been sitting out the live activities for a good while now, that much is true. Complicated as life can be, it turned out I couldn’t do the first two tours in 2023, so I fixed a stand-in to cover for me on the first one, but failed to do so for the second run, so I can rightfully be blamed for putting the band in a difficult situation at that time, as they ended up relying on backing tracks to replace my parts. I remember we had the same thing happening a few years earlier when Roger was sitting out a tour, which ended up with only me on guitar and his parts put on backing tracks. Sure it was weird and compromising, but served as a temporary solution instead of canceling the tour. Anyways, before the summer of 2023, when the festivals were waiting around the corner, I was informed that “the band had decided to continue using backing tracks instead of bringing me back in”… Did that mean I was still to be held accountable for the band deciding to continue down that path? Could there have been another solution? At the very same time, Jonas quit Bloodbath right out of the blue, and with all those gigs also coming up I devoted my time and energy to make sure things would hold up on my side. With a busy live schedule for both bands in front of us, we fulfilled all commitments on our own ends. Much time came and went until I discovered Roger had been forced to leave the band, and he and I (or the backing tracks in my case) had been replaced by new touring guys. I reached out to Jonas to say I wanted to pull the break on the whole situation, but I got no response. Our dysfunctional communication was already a fact and was handled poorly, by all. Maybe due to the complex nature of our relationship (we’re both in the right and wrong no matter what), or the undiagnosed personal traits that linger in the whole band, or simply all of that and much much more, we struggled and grasped at the beginning of the end several times before. The Katatonia curse.

So, for the second part about ”not contributing to the band in the last decade”. Let me give you some plain insight into what it’s been like being in a band for as long as we have. Any rough estimate of how much time and effort, or even sacrifices I’ve made to make the band always my priority in the last three decades? Just because I don’t have a writer’s credit for a certain song/album, do you really think that’s all there is to it? You don’t know what workload and distractions I’ve taken off Jonas’ shoulders so he can focus on doing what he loves the most. Do you have insight as to which decisions I’ve taken while recording and producing our music (including Jonas’s great songs) and how that process intertwines creatively and artistically? Is there any significance in having art-directed and helped design most of our albums and merchandise and the band’s themes since the very start, including Katatonia’s logos and symbols? How does one validate my efforts of handling most of the tireless communication, negotiations or even being the one who always have to look like the bad guy in the band when facing conflicts that the others were too uncomfortable to confront? I’ve made the band save so much money by not shrugging my shoulders or put my head in the sand when things gone south. Most of it has just been taken for granted. All these things that happen behind the scenes aren’t deemed to be put into credits in a booklet nor on a Wiki page for your reference, but likewise it’s all chained together. So besides writing songs, there are many more wheels in the machinery spinning in the background that contributes to an artist maintaining a professional career.

I don’t claim to have perfected this band by myself at any point; I never could! Each member had a stake in that over the years, but I always went the extra mile for Katatonia when no one else would. Nobody can argue that a management helps with administration or that a road crew helps the band while out on tour, so think twice before you question anyone’s relevance. Is it just by a fluke that people who mainly discovered Katatonia first in our late career fail to understand the third of a lifetime had already come and gone before they even knew who we were? We have a history that led us to where we are now. If you only perceive what or who Katatonia is based on Jonas being the frontman with sole writer credits on the last couple of albums, then go ahead and enjoy living in that bubble! But don’t think for a second that I’m downplaying his role or importance for the band because he is both an original co-founder and currently the primary writer and rightfully celebrated as such by all. I’ve always encouraged him to be our frontman. 20 years ago I even demanded him to step up and claim that position! Nothing is gonna take that away, but despite all his talent and dedication to songwriting, it doesn’t mean he has sovereignty over our band name no more, and no less than I do. It’s our call since day one and that’s the main point of all of this.

So, legally and spiritually, the conclusion only gives us two alternatives. Either the name goes into hibernation which gives anyone the freedom to go his own way and move on under a new moniker or we mutually agree that we both have the right to keep using our name. By the fact that Jonas is now releasing a new Katatonia album on his own, it seems the second of the two alternatives has indirectly been chosen and in that case, I’m no stranger to look at what can be done with the neglected stuff. In this weird situation we’ve put ourselves in, before our fate and business have been settled, continuing playing live is one thing, but planning and writing a brand new album in stealth, bringing in a new line-up to record it, do photo sessions and shoot videos with no one telling me about any of it? On top of that posting a new official biography full of contradictions… What more can I say?

Bear in mind that just a few years ago,’ City Burials’ was originally planned to be Jonas’s first solo album and not to be released under the Katatonia flag, at all. I was convinced to transform those songs into a Katatonia comeback album that would effectively put an end to our previous hiatus, but up until that stage, Jonas’s had every intention for it to be his solo debut. So, what exactly makes that theoretically any different from the situation we’re in now? I thought this was perhaps going to be another shot at making that solo album after all, and for that, Jonas certainly wouldn’t need to ask and wait for my permission. I’d support that through and through, but as it turns out, it will now be released yet again under the Katatonia flag and exercised under the same contract my name is on. I also couldn’t help but notice the bird in our current logo has now been removed, and the font has been tweaked, but for what purpose? Artistically? Or was it just to try to draw another line…?

Not once during all this time did I ever say that I’ve decided to quit or give up Katatonia and neither has anyone asked me to, until last month when I was told that ”the band wants me officially replaced”. People have asked me ”but you must have known…?” Well if silence can effectively phase you out as a legit way of communication, I guess that’s how this story ends. Although I have now officially agreed to part ways with the current version of the ”band”, I will never part ways with my legacy within Katatonia, which follows my soul beyond the grave.

Always looking for the alternate ending.” – Anders ’Blakkheim’ Nyström