THE KOVENANT returned to the live stage on December 14, 2024 at the Eindhoven Metal Meeting festival in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The band, which won a Norwegian Grammy equivalent, called Spellemannsprisen, in 1999 in the category of "Best Hard Rock Album" for the "Nexus Polaris" LP, performed that effort in its entirety at Eindhoven Metal Meeting with a lineup that featured all the original members back in action, including vocalist and bass guitarist Nagash, drummer Hellhammer, keyboardist Sverd, guitarist Astennu and female vocalist Sarah Jezebel Deva.

Professionally filmed video of the "Chariots Of Thunder" performance from the Eindhoven Metal Meeting concert can be seen below.

THE KOVENANT also performed on the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise in late January and early February, and will appear at the Karmøygeddon Metal Festival in Kopervik, Norway in early May. The band's set included tracks from "Nexus Polaris" and "Animatronic", along with classics from THE KOVENANT's debut album, "In Times Before The Light".

While the band faces challenges with the absence of founding member Psy Coma due to health issues, Knut Magne Valle from the legendary band ARCTURUS has stepped in to ensure that the magic continues to flow seamlessly.

THE KOVENANT was formed in 1993 under the name COVENANT by two black metal artists known as Nagash (Stian Arnesen) and Blackheart (Amund Svensson),who released the debut album, "In Times Before The Light" (1997). The band signed with the German record company Nuclear Blast in 1998 and recruited four other members to form an actual band: Astennu (of DIMMU BORGIR, CARPE TENEBRUM),Sverd (of ARCTURUS),Sarah Jezebel Deva (of CRADLE OF FILTH and others) and Hellhammer (of MAYHEM and others). With these new recruits, they released their second album, "Nexus Polaris", which was hugely successful and is largely considered their best album to date by fans.

Following a dispute with a Swedish electronic band of the same name, in 1999 COVENANT changed its name to THE KOVENANT. The name change also signaled a musical shift into an industrial metal-influenced sound.

In the beginning THE KOVENANT had a sound much similar to DIMMU BORGIR. Indeed, Nagash has played in the band and is a longtime friend to the lead vocalist Shagrath. On the "Nexus Polaris" album, the band developed a more industrial sound but still with a strong symphonic black metal influence. A re-release of "Nexus Polaris" was made in 2002. The original tracks were left untouched but two versions of "New World Order", a song from their 1999 album "Animatronic", were included as a bonus.

On the heels of the tremendous success of "The Morrison Project" and No. 1 song "Crack Cocaine", rock guitarist Billy Morrison and Ozzy Osbourne release an epic new single "Gods Of Rock N Roll" today, Valentine's Day, through TLG|ZOID, distributed by Virgin Music Group. Fans got their first listen when Ozzy's Boneyard on SiriusXM premiered the song on January 17, and now the song is already a Top 20 Billboard Mainstream Rock hit coming in at No. 18 this week.

Morrison says: "Ozzy and I have breathed new life into what we always felt was a huge song. 'Gods Of Rock N Roll' was written ten years ago in a South American hotel room, but with this re-recording we both feel we have finally made the song what it was always meant to be — a huge emotive ballad."

He adds: "A huge portion of the song was completely re-recorded, the 61-piece Budapest Scoring Orchestra recorded the orchestral score composed by Fred Coury, and then the John Burroughs High School choir were added. Barry Pointer had the unenviable task of mixing 132 tracks and he did an incredible job. The end result is what happens when Ozzy Osbourne makes some suggestions, and Billy Morrison listens!"

The orchestral score was composed and arranged by Fred Coury, and the song was mixed by Barry Pointer and mastered by David Donnelly. The recording features the renowned Budapest Scoring Orchestra. "Gods Of Rock N Roll" showcases the talents of Billy Morrison on guitar, Ozzy Osbourne on vocals, and Steve Stevens on lead guitar.

The video can be seen below.

Morrison states: "Having the opportunity to include everyone that was involved in the making of 'Gods Of Rock N Roll' and shoot it all for the video at NRG Studios was a dream come true for me. It was an amazing vibe. Ivo, the director, captured the intimacy, and the fun that we had, and I believe the video truly represents the spirit of the song that Ozzy and I wrote. It's wide reaching, cinematic and shows just how amazing Ozzy is to work with. I'm honored to be putting this out into the world."

Ozzy told Kerrang!: "Billy and I wrote 'Gods Of Rock N Roll' together in a hotel room while I was touring in South America about 10 years ago. This re-recorded version of the song finally has all the bells and whistles. I told Billy then that it needed an orchestra and a choir, but it took 10 FUCKING YEARS for him to listen to me."

To add to the excitement, Morrison is set to release a deluxe digital edition of "The Morrison Project" album on February 21. This special edition will be released through TLG|ZOID, distributed by Virgin Music Group. The deluxe edition features six previously unreleased bonus tracks, including "Gods Of Rock N Roll". There is also a "stripped down" mix of just the orchestra and Ozzy that will be available soon.

Morrison explains: "I have always wanted the opportunity to do an expanded, 'deluxe' version of a record. It's basically where you get to have some fun, remix some things, and include songs that mean something personal. Thanks to the guys at TLG|ZOID, I have been given that opportunity! So to have Youth from KILLING JOKE actually mix an amazing dub version of 'We Are The Dead', to have Jeff Lane throw down an incredibly different remix of 'Crack Cocaine', and to have my track with CYPRESS HILL all on the extra disc is just a fantastic feeling! Plus I got the opportunity to remix 'Dystopia' myself and did the whole half-time vibe that I was originally playing with, back when I wrote it."

The original version of "Gods Of Rock N Roll" was the closing track on Morrison's sophomore album, 2015's "God Shaped Hole". Billy released his first solo album, "Stimulator", in 2008.

Ozzy previously made an appearance on Morrison's third solo album and first since 2015, "The Morrison Project", which came out in April 2024 via TLG|ZOID.

The British guitarist, singer, and songwriter — primarily known as Billy Idol's rhythm guitar player for the past 15 years alongside Stevens, and for his previous role as bassist in THE CULT — assembled 12 songs including additional guest performances by Idol, DMC, Al Jourgensen, Steve Vai, Steve Stevens, Linda Perry, Tommy Clufetos andJohn 5.

The LP's second single, "Crack Cocaine", featured Osbourne and Stevens, with Clufetos on drums.

"Crack Cocaine" marked the first new song with Ozzy on vocals since the 2022 release of his worldwide smash album "Patient Number 9" which earned him two Grammy Awards ("Best Rock Album", "Best Metal Performance").

"The Morrison Project" was produced by Billy Morrison, mixed by Barry Pointer and mastered by Dave Donnelly. All the songs on the album — recorded in Los Angeles at various studios — were written by Billy Morrison in collaboration with his guests.

Ozzy and Billy are longtime friends who co-host the "Ozzy Speaks" show on SiriusXM.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Osbourne stated about Morrison: "Billy Morrison has been a good, good friend for such a long, long time. He's helped me out a lot of times over the years."

Asked what he and Morrison have in common on a musical level, Osbourne laughed and said: "Well, we're both fucking crazy."

Photo credit: Jane Stuart @JaneStuartPhotos

P.O.D. has revealed a fresh take on its hit single "I Won't Bow Down" with a collaboration with singer and guitarist Andrés Giménez of Argentinian metal band A.N.I.M.A.L.

The original version of "I Won't Bow Down" appeared on P.O.D.'s most recent studio album, 2024's "Veritas".

"I'm very happy to have received this wonderful invitation about making a new English/Spanish version. It's really fantastic," says Andrés. "P.O.D. and A.N.I.M.A.L. together are pure brotherhood. I have a truthful respect, admiration and appreciation for P.O.D."

Giménez co-founded A.N.I.M.A.L., who exploded out of the Buenos Aires scene with their blend of groove and thrash metal in the 1990s. They gained huge success selling out shows in Argentina and touring across Latin and North America as well as Europe, playing with the likes of PANTERA, BAD RELIGION, MEGADETH, SEPULTURA and SLIPKNOT as well as taking part of the legendary 2000 Warped Tour alongside GREEN DAY, NO DOUBT, NOFX and PAPA ROACH. They released eight studio albums, including 1998's "Poder Latino" which was produced by Max Cavalera (SEPULTURA) and featured Robert Trujillo (METALLICA),Christian Olde Wolbers (FEAR FACTORY) and Jimmy DeGrasso (MEGADETH, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, OZZY OSBOURNE).

P.O.D. guitarist Marcos Curiel says: "As we journey through life, certain songs emerge that resonate deeply with our generation and those to come. 'I Won't Bow Down' is one of those gems. It's heartfelt in every sense of the word and anthemic to the core. Enjoy it, turn it up, sing along and always remember: Never bow down."

P.O.D. will join U.S. hard rockers GODSMACK as special guests on their March/April European tour. The trek will kick off on March 22 with a sold-out show at the Sofia Arena in Bulgaria and will then call through Romania (Bucharest),Hungary (Budapest),Poland (Gliwice),Austria (Vienna),Croatia (Zagreb),Czech Republic (Prague),Germany (Munich, Berlin, Offenbach),U.K. (London),Belgium (Brussels),and will finish with two shows in Germany, Hamburg, and finally April 12 at the Turbinenhalle in Oberhausen.

Talking about the tour, P.O.D. singer Sonny Sandoval says: "We are so excited to return back to Europe and celebrate our latest record 'Veritas' with our friends GODSMACK and DROWNING POOL. We know this will be the rock 'n' roll show to remember.”

In May last year, P.O.D. released its 11th album, "Veritas", via Mascot Records. The album was a Top 10 hit across the U.S. Billboard Current Hard Rock, Current Rock, and Current Alternative album charts, and has already surpassed 48 million streams.

P.O.D. has released several singles from the album including "Drop", "Afraid To Die", "I Got That" and "I Won't Bow Down".

"Drop" features a vicious vocal feature from LAMB OF GOD singer Randy Blythe, while the equally eruptive single "Afraid To Die" features JINJER vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk.

As well as releasing "Veritas", P.O.D. has toured with SKINDRED, who between them brought the party in a major way to the U.K. They bulldozed through Europe with euphoric festival sets at Graspop Metal Meeting, Summerside and Rock For People. They supported MUDVAYNE, took on their blistering U.S. "I Got That" headline tour with special guests BAD WOLVES and NORMA JEAN, and festival stops at Louder Than Life, Aftershock, Sonic Temple, Welcome To Rockville and made waves on the ShipRocked cruise. They spent October touring Latin America, playing Knotfest and headline shows in Brazil as well as shows in Chile, Colombia and Mexico.

During a new appearance on Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show, Glenn Danzig spoke about DANZIG's upcoming string of rare live shows on the U.S. West Coast, set to take place in late March. Support on the trek, which will include cities DANZIG has not played in many years, will come from DOWN, ABBATH and CRO-MAGS.

Asked if the upcoming dates will be all that DANZIG will do this year, Glenn said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't really like going on tour. As you can see, I'm only doing six shows. So just trying to get me to go and do a bunch of shows — I don't mind doing a one-off here or there or whatever, but doing a bunch of shows, riding around on the bus, I've said it before… I know that we had to make up a Phoenix show last time that had to get canceled because we there was a bus shortage. And so basically in order to get a bus, we had to move all our first dates on the tour to the end of the tour. And there wasn't an available venue in Phoenix that time period. We'll make up the Phoenix show. And then we had a lot of fans asking why we haven't come up to the big Northwest and San Francisco. So we're trying to make that up. And it'll be it for a while."

Danzig also talked about the changes in touring since his early days, saying: "Well, everything's more expensive. The last time I went out — I think it was 2022 or 2023, again just a handful of shows — and prices on buses and gas had just gone [way up]. And then this last time we went out in 2023, they went up three times what we normally pay. And this time it's even crazier. So, I think it's also become really hard for a lot of bands to go out there and tour. I've said it before — a young band just going out there, they would have to go out in a van, well, kind of how we did back in the day with DANZIG and SAMHAIN and the MISFITS. I mean, we would go out in a van. It was all we could afford."

Asked if he enjoyed touring in a van at that time, Glenn said: "No. No one loves being in a van with a bunch of other people and a limited amount of space. I'd have to be driving, too. A lot of times we'd have the stick shift, and me and maybe one other person in the van would know how to drive a shift. So I'd have to drive most of the time also. You're driving and you're loading equipment in and you're doing everything, pretty much."

He added: "But anyway, I'm looking forward to these shows. It's been a while. And hopefully all the fans will be digging it. And I'm sure they'll have a great time. The lineup is insane. So, I don't know what else we can do except come out there and knock you on your ass."

Asked if there is any new DANZIG music on the horizon, Glenn said: "No." He went on to clarify that he is "not even focused on touring," explaining that he is "just doing six shows. And if that's touring, then what I used to do must have been mega touring," he said. "I mean, we used to go out for three, four, five, six months at a time."

Circling back to the possibility of new music, Glenn said: "The whole music thing and recording and everything, it's just changed dramatically where people really don't buy physical product anymore. They just wanna download it for free online. So there's really no incentive to new music, unless I'm in the studio and I do something and I wanna give it away for free to everybody. I don't know if that's a great business model."

Asked if he still enjoys writing music, Glenn said: "Yeah, of course. But I write lots of different stuff.

"I don't see the music industry changing at all. So I don't know if I'm ever gonna record again, at least DANZIG stuff," he admitted. "Maybe at some point. I don't know right now."

DANZIG tour dates with DOWN, ABBATH and CRO-MAGS:

March 21 - Las Vegas, NV - The Virgin Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
March 22 - Lincoln, CA - Thunder Valley Casino Resort
March 25 - Seattle, WA - Wamu Theater
March 26 - Portland, OR - Moda Center-Theatre of the Clouds
March 29 - Los Angeles, CA - Kia Forum
March 30 - Phoenix, AZ - Arizona Financial Theatre

DANZIG's latest album, "Black Laden Crown", came out in May 2017 via Evilive Records/Nuclear Blast Entertainment.

Danzig released a collection of Elvis Presley covers, "Danzig Sings Elvis", in April 2020 and has been focusing on making films, including "Death Rider In The House Of Vampires" and his feature film directorial debut, "Verotika".

When it debuted at the Cinepocalypse festival in Chicago in 2019, "Verotika" was compared by some reviewers to Tommy Wiseau's "The Room", the so-bad-it's-amazing drama which is considered one of the worst movies ever made.

Glenn has been talking about the end of his touring career since at least 2015. At that time, he told Cleveland Scene: "I love being on stage and that's the great part of touring. I'll always do that. It's the bouncing around on a bus. That's the part I hate."

When DANZIG, the band, grew out of the MISFITS/SAMHAIN lineage in 1987, Glenn went into the new project with even grander ambitions and a long-term design. Between 1977 and 1987, the MISFITS' horror-punk morphed into the darker, occult-steeped SAMHAIN. When producer and record mogul Rick Rubin showed interest in signing SAMHAIN to his Def Jam label and producing their first record, the band yet again evolved, and DANZIG was born.

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach has released yet another video from his "Child Within The Man" album, which came out last May via Reigning Phoenix Music. The clip for "To Live Again" marks the seventh from the album and is another collaboration between Bach and Jim Louvau and Tony Aguilera. Watch the video below.

"'To Live Again' is the closest song to a ballad on the record," Sebastian says. "It was co-written with the super-talented Myles Kennedy, who also co-wrote the song 'What Do I Got to Lose?' the first single off this record.

"I could not be more proud of this song and this video. This song is the sound of my voice being pushed as far and as hard as it will go, in every way — power, range and emotion. If you have enjoyed the ballads that I have been releasing since the year 1989, I really do think you will enjoy this song and video."

"We have been working on this video for months and months and it was finally completed in January 2025. Without a doubt, this is the most time, effort and pathos that I have ever put into creating a rock video. This video is like a fantasy dream that has been going through my head for the last year. The directors Jim Louvau and Tony Aguilera have made recurring dreams that I have had at night come to life in this beautifully shot video."

This year will see Sebastian expand his horizons with his first-ever art show. In collaboration with Wentworth Gallery, Bach will make a special in-person appearance on the Monsters Of Rock cruise (March 10-15) showcasing stunning works inspired by his late father, the renowned artist David Bierk. On the live front, look for a May headlining performance at M3 Rock Festival followed by a slot at Summerfest.

2024 was a remarkable year for the singer, songwriter, author, Broadway star and actor. "Child Within The Man" — his first album in more than 10 years — was well-received, with Associated Press saying "…it shows a fierce performer in prime fighting form…his vocals remain sharp and his songwriting talents as cunning as ever," while Ultimate Classic Rock noted: "Bach's voice has lost none of its rage or range, even in the highest registers…" In addition, the album's "(Hold On) To The Dream" track was included in Consequence's "30 Best Metal & Hard Rock Songs Of 2024" which described the song as "...a late-career masterpiece from the former SKID ROW singer. Baz hits some of the highest notes of his career on the sweeping ballad, an inspiring anthem about perseverance."

"I would like to thank all of the rockers who put 'Child Within The Man' at the top of so many fans Top Album lists of 2024," Bach continues. "This will be the last full video that we will shoot for a while. There is one more video surprise coming later this year from the record, but this will be the last full concept video from the album…for now anyways. I cannot thank you all enough for the support on this project which has consumed my life for over a decade now. For those devastated by the California wildfires and the courageous first responders, the song 'To Live Again' carries the sentiment that even if you lose everything you have, if you still have your family, that is the most important thing. Make art at all costs. That's what we do. The show must go on. There is no other option."

On the touring front, Sebastian performed a record 91 shows in 2024. The dates included two successful North American tours — one around the release of the album, followed by another leg of fall shows — and a series of overseas appearances just before the album's release.

Last month, Sebastian was back on TV when he appeared on Food Network's "Worst Cooks In America Celebrity Edition: Heroes vs. Villains". In addition, last June Sebastian was the subject of an A&E "Biography: Rock Legends" special. This follows his 2023 appearance as "Tiki" on Fox's "The Masked Singer".

"To Live Again" is the latest release from his "Child Within The Man" album which has yielded the following singles/videos, all of which have impacted the rock charts: "Freedom", "What Do I Got To Lose?", "Everybody Bleeds" and "(Hold On) To The Dream" (along with the "(Hold On) To The Dream" alternate video) and "Future Of Youth".

"Child Within The Man" was recorded in Orlando, Florida; produced and mixed by Michael "Elvis" Baskette; engineered by Jef Moll, assistant engineered by Josh Saldate and mastered by Robert Ludwig of Gateway Mastering. Bach wrote or co-wrote all the album's 11 tracks and sang all lead and backing vocals.

"Child Within The Man" features guest appearances from John 5 (MÖTLEY CRÜE, ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON),Steve Stevens (BILLY IDOL) and Orianthi (ALICE COOPER, MICHAEL JACKSON) — who all co-wrote their respective tracks with Bach — and two tracks co-written with ALTER BRIDGE's Myles Kennedy ("What Do I Got to Lose?" and "To Live Again"). Devin Bronson (guitars),Todd Kerns (bass) and Jeremy Colson (drums) round out the players on the album.

In an interview with "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie, Sebastian spoke about the inspiration for the "Child Within The Man" title. He said: "Well, my wife calls me man-child. That's kind of been a theme for me my whole career. I bring a youthful energy to the stage when I get up there. People are smiling and excited and hooting and hollering. But the line 'child within the man' is a line of one of the songs on the record. And I scream it like bloody murder. And it kept haunting me. "

Sebastian also talked about the "Child Within The Man" artwork, which holds special meaning since it was designed by Bach's father, noted visual artist David Bierk.

"I have a lot of my dad's artwork," Bach said. "He's no longer alive. And we all, all of his kids, we got a lot of his art when he passed away. And I unrolled a roll of paintings that I knew had the SKID ROW 'Subhuman Race' painting in it, and I wanna take care of it and make sure it's preserved. But in that roll was this painting that I remember my dad doing of me when I was 10 in a field next to this beat-up old Cadillac car in the field and then behind the car, it's Jesus ascending into heaven, and I'm running next to the car. It looks like an album cover. And then he also did a painting of me from Circus magazine, the first centerfold of me on stage at Giants Stadium. He did a gigantic painting of that, like 12 feet high. And so the cover is gonna be me running as a child into me on stage as a man, and it's child within the man. And it just reminds me of the '70s, like child in time, and it just reminds me of a good '70s album cover. And the fact that I can bring back a painting from the year 1978 and make it into artwork in 2023, 2024, that's really mind-blowing to me."

Prior to "Child Within The Man"'s arrival, Bach hadn't released a full-length disc since "Give 'Em Hell", which came out in March 2014.

To celebrate the release of "Revelation: Retold", the new deluxe album from SALIVA, the band released a music video for "Horizon" featuring Kevin Martin of CANDLEBOX, honoring SALIVA's musical legacy with never-before-seen clips of the group's late founding guitarist Wayne Swinny on stage and in the studio.

SALIVA vocalist Bobby Amaru comments: "'Horizon' holds the deepest meaning for me on this record. Working with Wayne during the writing process was nothing short of surreal. He improvised most of the solos and layers in just one take, bringing an incredible sense of emotion and depth to the song. The lyrics speak to change, hope, and offering guidance even in the toughest times, a reminder of belonging, no matter how lost or alone someone may feel. After Wayne's passing, this song took on an even more profound significance for me. Having Kevin Martin on the track added an entirely new dimension. I've been a fan of CANDLEBOX forever, and it was truly an honor to have him be part of such a personal and meaningful song."

Amaru previously stated about "Revelation: Retold": "We received an incredible amount of support and positive feedback from critics and fans alike at radio with 'Revelation' in 2023, with the singles 'High On Me' and 'Crows' both breaking into the Top 20. That being said, while working on that album, we wrote a lot more music that resonated with its sound and theme but didn't make the final cut. 'Revelation: Retold' is exactly what the name implies — a reimagining of our 2023 release 'Revelation'. It features music from the original album alongside contributions from several guest artists and some brand-new songs."

"Revelation: Retold" track listing:

01. Time Bomb (feat. Peyton Parrish)
02. High On Me: Retold (feat. Lauren Babic)
03. Horizon (feat. Kevin Martin of CANDLEBOX)
04. Crowd Goes Wild
05. Devil's World
06. Come Back Stronger
07. Die Before You Fly
08. Crows
09. How To Be Human
10. Fractures
11. Warzone
12. How To Live
13. I Belong
14. Friend In A Bottle
15. Toxic

"Revelation: Retold" was made available via Judge & Jury Records, a powerhouse record label and production company founded by multi-platinum producer Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, SEETHER, SKILLET, OF MICE & MEN) and Neil Sanderson of THREE DAYS GRACE.

The instrumentation was meticulously crafted by Benson and Sanderson at West Valley Recording Studios, Benson's studio in Woodland Hills.

SALIVA's career launched in 2001 with the release of "Every Six Seconds", a certified double platinum-selling album, containing the hits, "Click Click Boom" and 2002 Grammy-nominated "Your Disease". SALIVA's in-your-face, anthemic writing style continued with a certified gold-selling album "Back In To Your System" that contained top singles "Always", "Raise Up" and the Nikki Sixx-co-written "Rest In Pieces". Despite original vocalist Josey Scott leaving the band in 2011, the addition of Amaru brought a contemporary feel to the band, all while staying true to the band's blue collar roots. Amaru has been the SALIVA frontman for the past decade plus and was featured on the most recent releases "Rise Up", "Love Lies And Therapy", "10 Lives", "Every Twenty Years" EP and "Revelation".

Shortly before the release of the most recent album, Swinny passed away unexpectedly. The "Come Back Stronger" video was notably filmed just days before Swinny's death, and was dedicated to the fallen guitarist. The album went on to be highly acclaimed by critics and the singles "Crows" and "High On Me" charted Top 20 on Billboard's Active Rock chart. The band continues to honor "Uncle Wayne" at every show.

With nearly three million monthly listeners and Spotify and a catalog that boasts more than one billion streams, the popularity of the music, old and new, endures.

SALIVA is Bobby Amaru (vocals),Brad Stewart (bass),Josh Kulack (guitar),Sebastian LaBar (guitar) and Sammi Jo Bishop (drums).

Photo credit: Gabriel Goulding

The new HERMAN RAREBELL & FRIENDS studio album, "What About Love?", will be released on April 11 via Metalville Records.

On "What About Love?", HERMAN RAREBELL & FRIENDS take you back to the '80s and together we return to our very time with the greatest music of this powerful decade. Herman has chosen 12 songs to re-record with good friends and great musicians as a tribute to the greatest hits of a time that was a golden age for him personally. Former OZZY OSBOURNE bassist Bob Daisley can be heard on this album, as can Dann Huff, who was a studio musician on some of the greatest albums in pop history, as well as Howard Leese from the legendary U.S. rockers HEART and singer Michael Voss (CASANOVA, MAD MAX, MICHAEL SCHENKER).

Herman says about this time: "I think that more powerful music has never been created before or since. It was the golden age for me. I enjoyed it. We traveled the world with the SCORPIONS, we met people from all cultures. It was one big rush. Anything was possible at any time.

"With this album, I don't just want to bring back memories of the great hits of the '80s. It's not just about the melodies and rhythms that I miss today. Above all, it's about the feeling that these songs convey. The love, the courage, the optimism that is in them. I think a lot of that has been lost. The groove in 'Here I Go Again', the larger-than-life chorus of 'I Love Rock'n'Roll' and the unshakeable power of 'Rock You Like A Hurricane'. The love and longing of 'I Want To Know What Love Is'. It's no wonder that these songs have held a place in people's hearts for four decades.

"For me, the power, the special spirit of the '80s is in every chord of these songs, every hit on the bass drum. Every take we recorded for this album was pure pleasure. Friends who play great music.

"We hope you feel what we've put into these new recordings: Love, power, optimism! For me, that's the power of the '80s! Anyone who was there will remember. And anyone who missed it deserves to relive it, at least in this way.

"With this in mind: Here I am - Rock you like a Hurricane!"

The album was produced by Herman Rarebell and Michael Voss at Kidwood Studios in Münstertal, Black Forest.

The official music video for the "What About Love?" title track can be seen below.

Herman says about this song: "Here is my message to the world: We must return to love again! We have to stop the hate!!! This song should remind you all of love and peace! I am grateful to all my musician friends for helping me with this news!"

"What About Love?" track listing:

01. In The Air Tonight
02. I Want To Know What Love Is
03. Love Is A Battlefield
04. What About Love
05. Every Breath You Take
06. Sweet Child O' Mine
07. Here I Go Again
08. Addicted To Love
09. Passion Rules The Game
10. Rock You Like A Hurricane
12. These Dreams
12. I Love Rock 'N' Roll

Recording lineup:

Herman Rarebell - Drums

Herman's friends:

Michael Voss - Vocals, Guitars
Van De Forst - Vocals, Acoustic Guitars, Keyboards
Dann Huff - Lead Guitars
Howard Leese - Lead Guitars
Bob Daisley - Bass
Neil Carter - Keyboards
Jim Vallance - Keyboards
Eva Von Der Forst - Backing Vocals
Lexus De La Foret - Backing Vocals

Back in September 2021, Rarebell blasted his former SCORPIONS bandmates, calling them "rude" and accusing them of "greed" over their apparent refusal to allow him to rejoin the band. Rarebell, who was a member of the SCORPIONS from 1977 to 1995, discussed the possibility of his return to the group in an interview for Classic Rock magazine. Asked if he was disappointed not to have been invited back into the fold following the 2016 dismissal of longtime drummer James Kottak, Herman said: "I'll tell you how disappointed I am. I sent them a message offering my services, and never even got a reply. I thought that was very rude. Now I hear the SCORPIONS are claiming their new album will be a return to the glory days of the eighties. If they're serious about that, they should get [former bassist] Francis [Buchholz] and me back, and also Dieter Dierks who produced all those classic albums. You know why they won't do that? Greed. It would mean having to share everything five ways and not three."

Rarebell also criticized his former bandmates for seemingly not giving him enough credit for their commercial success in the 1980s. "The band never mention me in interviews, which I find ridiculous," he stated. "But there's a new documentary in the pipeline from ITV on the band. I am being interviewed for this, so I can finally set the record straight on my role."

In an interview with Classic Rock Revisited, Herman stated about the huge commercial success of SCORPIONS' 1982 album "Blackout": "Mercury Records was totally behind us and they believed in us. They wanted us to keep making albums. They wanted us to grow and do better each time out. 'Lovedrive' went gold. 'Animal Magnetism' went gold and then 'Blackout' was the first one to go platinum. [Rudolf] Schenker / [Klaus] Meine / Rarebell was a great songwriting team. You can see that from how many successful albums we had. After I left the band, they didn't have any more hits."

Rarebell also talked about the inspiration for the lyrics to "Rock You Like A Hurricane", which was released as the lead single from SCORPIONS' ninth studio album, 1984's "Love At First Sting". "Those lyrics were very easy to write," he said. "I woke up early in the morning after fucking and doing cocaine all night and I opened up the curtains. 'It's early morning, the sun comes out. Last night was shaking and pretty loud. My cat is purring and she scratches my skin.' She had scratched my back during our lovemaking. I just sat down and wrote it right then and there. It was five in the morning and the girl was still in bed as I was sitting there writing it. The next day, I said to Rudolf, 'I have some great lyrics for that riff you have.'"

Jimmy Page and THE BLACK CROWES celebrate 25 years of their iconic live album "Live At The Greek" with an expanded edition, available worldwide on March 14.

In October 1999, Page teamed up with THE BLACK CROWES for a two-night performance of material from the LED ZEPPELIN catalog and old blues and rock standards. A live album, "Live At The Greek", was recorded during these shows and released in February 2000. The set was dominated by LED ZEPPELIN tunes, along with a mix of classic blues nuggets and covers of FLEETWOOD MAC and Page's first group, THE YARDBIRDS. (Due to contractual obligations, no CROWES songs were included.)

This special anniversary release features 36 newly remixed and remastered recordings, including 16 never-before-released tracks from the legendary 1999 performances at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

Newly added to the track listing are THE BLACK CROWES' "Remedy", "Wiser Time" and "No Speak, No Slave" as well as a cover of Otis Redding's "Hard To Handle". There are also five songs recorded during a soundcheck: ZEPPELIN's "Custard Pie", "You Shook Me", "The Lemon Song" and "Ten Years Gone", as well as a track titled "Jam", written by Rich Robinson and Jimmy Page.

Page says: "I'm really looking forward to the soon-to-be-available release of Jimmy Page and THE BLACK CROWES material from concerts in 1999. The new mixes capture the collaboration of those historic encounters and provide the full explosive passion and exciting energy of those alchemical moments."

THE BLACK CROWES singer Chris Robinson adds: "The new 'Live At The Greek' box set brings the whole experience of our work with Jimmy into a vibrant, electric, mystical, and powerful perspective. Hail, hail rock 'n' roll!"

THE BLACK CROWES guitarist Rich Robinson says: "Going through the shows and putting together the new box set has been such an incredible dive back to that time in our history. It was a once-in-a-lifetime thrill to play these amazing iconic songs with the man who composed them. The sound of the new mixes and extra songs blew me away when I first heard them."

Pre-order the album now on 6LP box set, 3CD set and on a limited 2LP "Best Of" edition and listen to the newly released tracks, "No Speak No Slave" and "Bring It On Home".

"Live At The Greek" track listing

01. Celebration Day
02. Custard Pie
03. Sick Again
04. No Speak No Slave
05. Hard To Handle
06. The Wanton Song
07. Misty Mountain Hop
08. Hots On For Nowhere
09. What Is And What Should Never Be
10. Wiser Time
11. Mellow Down Easy
12. Woke Up This Morning (My Baby She Was Gone)
13. Ten Years Gone
14. In My Time Of Dying
15. Your Time Is Gonna Come
16. Remedy
17. The Lemon Song
18. In The Light
19. Shake Your Moneymaker
20. Sloppy Drunk Blues
21. Shape Of Things
22. Nobody's Fault But Mine
23. Heartbreaker
24. Bring It On Home
25. She Talks To Angels
26. Oh Well
27. Band Intros
28. Hey, Hey, What Can I Do
29. You Shook Me
30. Out On The Tiles
31. Whole Lotta Love
32. Custard Pie (soundcheck)
33. You Shook Me (soundcheck)
34. The Lemon Song (soundcheck)
35. Ten Years Gone (soundcheck)
36. Jam (soundcheck)

Five years ago, Rich Robinson refuted former THE BLACK CROWES drummer Steve Gorman's claim that the guitarist turned down an offer to write music with Jimmy Page.

In his book "Hard To Handle: The Life And Death Of The Black Crowes", Gorman said that he learned from Page that the legendary LED ZEPPELIN guitarist wanted to write songs with the Robinson brothers for what at the time was supposed to be THE BLACK CROWES' next record, but that Rich blew him off with a "No thanks! … We don't need more songs." "I was insulted," Page allegedly said to the drummer, who furiously called THE CROWES' manager and told him, "I'm driving to Connecticut, and I'm going to kill Rich in his home."

Speaking to U.K.'s Classic Rock magazine, Robinson said that there was no validity to Gorman's account. "Absolutely not true," Rich said. "I remember having conversations with Jimmy, telling him: 'Hey, if you ever wanted to make a record or do anything, I would love to help in any way I can.' Jimmy's a brilliant musician, a brilliant person. I loved playing with him."

He continued: "Jimmy Page wants to write songs for me, and I'm gonna say: 'You know what, Jimmy? LED ZEPPELIN was all right, but I'm not gonna do it'? It's the most absurd thing I've heard in my life."

Gorman is not involved in THE BLACK CROWES' reunion, which officially launched in 2021 — delayed by the pandemic — after being announced two years earlier.

Renowned for its genre-defying sound and electrifying high-energy live performances, LETLIVE. is set to triumphantly return to stages one more time, reuniting with fans and reigniting the fire that defined a generation of alternative music.

The trailblazing progressive soul punk band from Los Angeles will bring its chaotic-yet-cathartic stage presence to Europe, Australia and the United States. The "Sincerely Yours" tour will kick off in June, featuring headlining shows and appearances at major festivals, including When We Were Young, Vans Warped Tour, Louder Than Life, Jera Open Air and 2000 Trees festival.

LETLIVE.'s 2025 lineup features founding members Jason Aalon Butler (vocals),Jeff Sahyoun (guitar) and Jean Nascimento (guitar),joined by Sage Webber (POINT NORTH) on drums and Skyler Acord (ISSUES) on bass. Fans can expect a setlist that spans their celebrated discography.

Jason Aalon Butler explains: "I think this is all happening out of necessity. The boys and I have expressed our need to play LETLIVE. music again based on where we are in our lives individually and how the collective spiritual theme between us has aligned. Also, if you'll allow me to be presumptuous — I believe the world could use the ll.ove. Besides, soul punx never dies."

Nascimento adds: "We came from a time of building an audience in grassroots venues. I am grateful to be able to enter a new chapter of LETLIVE., where our life experiences in the past few years can offer a new and exciting experience for our fans."

Sahyoun says: "LETLIVE. represents a part of my life that refuses to be silenced. Coming back to it feels like fulfilling a calling — one that reminds me of why I ever started all of this in the first place."

Fronted by the electrifying and charismatic Jason Aalon Butler, LETLIVE. emerged in 2002, quickly earning a reputation for their genre-blending sound and fearless live shows. Their 2010 breakthrough album "Fake History" catapulted them to critical acclaim and paved the way for subsequent releases "The Blackest Beautiful" (2013) and "If I'm The Devil..." (2016). With their eclectic arsenal of influences, letlive. took heavy music to new heights with dynamic songwriting, blistering rhythms, hook-loaded metal riffs, and Butler's remarkable ability to balance cathartic screams and melodic vocals.

Fans won't want to miss the chance to experience LETLIVE. one more time, where the raw intensity and emotional depth they've always delivered will take center stage.

LETLIVE. tour dates 2025

June 14-15 - Washington, DC - Vans Warped Tour
June 26 - Ysselsteyn, NL - Jera On Air
June 27 - Münster, DE - Vainstream Rockfest
June 28 - Leipzig, DE - Impericon Festival
July 01 - Berlin, DE - Berlin Privatclub
July 02 - Hamburg, DE - Logo
July 03 - Köln, DE - Gebäude 9
July 07 - Prague, CZ - Fuchs2
July 10 - London, UK - Electric Ballroom
July 12 - Gloucestershire, UK - 2000 Trees Festival
September 05 - Brisbane, AUS - The Triffid
September 06 - Sydney, AUS - Manning Bar
September 07 - Melbourne, AUS - Max Watts
September 09 - Adelaide, AUS - Lion Arts Factory
September 10 - Perth, AUS - Magnet House
September 19-20 - Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life Festival
October 01 - Detroit, MI - St Andrews Hall
October 02 - Chicago, IL - House Of Blues
October 04 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
October 05 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
October 06 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
October 10 - Austin, TX - Come and Take It Live
October 11 - Dallas, TX - South Side Music Hall
October 16 - Denver, CO - Summit Theatre
October 18 - Las Vegas, NV - When We Were Young Festival
October 23 - San Francisco, CA - August Hall
October 24 - Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern
November 15-16 - Orlando, FL - Vans Warped Tour

Photo credit: DJay Brawner

In a new interview with Scorpions Brazil, SCORPIONS frontman Klaus Meine spoke about the status of the band's upcoming biopic, "Wind Of Change", which is currently being developed and produced by ESX Entertainment, the company founded by actor, producer and former race car driver Ali Afshar. Klaus said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, movies [are] also something that takes some time until things get rolling. And right now we hope later this year the biopic will be out all over the world. They start filming in a few months. Right now [they are] working on the script and working on the actors, to find the right characters who play the band. It's not so easy to find five Brad Pitts."

Asked if he and the rest of SCORPIONS are involved in the casting and the screenplay, Klaus said: "Yeah, we participate in the script and when they go for the first checking out who can play Rudolf [Schenker, SCORPIONS guitarist], Matthias [SCORPIONS guitarist] and myself. So we stay in close touch with our friend Ali Afshar, who is the producer of this movie. And he has a great team, and he has a big heart, and he loves the band and he will make a very special biopic, because he's in it, together with this team, really with heart and soul. You can tell."

Meine went on to say that he doesn't know exactly when "Wind Of Change" will be released. "Unfortunately, it's too early," he explained. "They start shooting around May, and then I have no idea. Hopefully in the fall. It would be great. But with these filmmaking issues, you really never know. There are a million things that can go great or can go wrong. So what do we know? We're part of it and we support the team. But they have a clear concept about the movie and the script is pretty cool as well. But if there are things to change along the way… We're part of it, but we stand watching with a lot of excitement. And hopefully it will be as great as the filmmakers think it will be."

ESX Entertainment is a a prolific indie film and TV production company that made its name in recent years pumping Yuletide content to streamers amid the pandemic.

"Wind Of Change" will tell the story of "three unlikely friends whose passion for rock 'n' roll fueled their rise from the ashes of post-World War II Germany to the global stardom in the 1980s as the multi-platinum rock band SCORPIONS," according to Deadline. French-born filmmaker Alex Ranarivelo ("American Wrestler: The Wizard") will direct.

When "Wind Of Change" was first announced last June, Afshar said: "The SCORPIONS' music has penetrated our culture in a big way. There is an evocative quality to their sound that is unmatched in the genre, which is one of the reasons hits like 'Rock You Like A Hurricane' and 'Still Loving You' continue to get so much airplay and fill movie soundtracks, and their music continues to connect with a new generation of fans across the globe.

"When my family fled Iran and came to the United States, the SCORPIONS' music changed my life — if not saved it," he continued. "I'm hoping that by telling the SCORPIONS' story, we can bring some of that same inspiration to the world."

"Wind Of Change" is being produced by ESX Entertainment's Christina Moore and Daniel Aspromonte ("Bennett's War", "American Fighter").

SCORPIONS wrote their classic ballad "Wind Of Change" after performing at 1989's Moscow Music Peace Festival in Moscow, where they shared the stage with other hard rock acts like BON JOVI and MÖTLEY CRÜE. The song was inspired by the sight of thousands of Russians cheering them on in 1988 — when they became the first hard rock band to play in Russia — and in 1989, at the aforementioned festival, even though they were a German band.

When the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, "Wind Of Change" accompanied the moving scenes of East Germans passing through the Brandenburg Gate and entering the West for the first time.

In May 2020, a theory that "Wind Of Change" was actually penned by the CIA as a piece of late Cold War propaganda was raised in an eight-part podcast series, also called "Wind Of Change", which premiered on Spotify. The podcast was hosted by New Yorker journalist Patrick Radden Keefe, who said he launched the investigation after hearing a second-hand story from a friend who used to work for the CIA — that "Wind Of Change" was actually written by the CIA to encourage change throughout the Soviet Union.

SCORPIONS' only continuous member has been Schenker, although Meine has appeared on all of the band's studio albums, while Jabs has been a consistent member since 1978, and bassist Paweł Mąciwoda and drummer Mikkey Dee have been in the band since 2003 and 2016, respectively.

SCORPIONS' latest album, "Rock Believer", was released in February 2022. The album was recorded primarily at Peppermint Park Studios in Hannover, Germany and was mixed at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, Germany with engineer Michael Ilbert, who has earned multiple Grammy nominations for his mix work with producer Max Martin on albums by Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.