After an exciting start telling their cosmological tales at some of the largest Iberian stages and earning the attention of the metal media giant Prog Magazine with their EP, Phase Transition will release their debut album, In Search Of Being, on June 6. Based out of Porto, Portugal, the band is comprised of violinist/vocalist Sofia Beco, guitarist Luís Dias, and drummer Fernando Maia.

The first single, “Becoming, (R)evolution”, expresses the rebelliousness and exhilaration of youth along with the refusal to bow to others’ opinions. The virtuosic guitar and violin solos elevate its intensity and evidence the uniqueness of the band.

Watch the video below.

Writing for the album started in 2023 when guitarist Luís Dias was in Barcelona for a while. The band worked on the music remotely which took about a year and a half to lay down, then another six months to produce and record everything. The final production, mixing, and mastering was done with the help of former Anathema member Daniel Cardoso, at Öhme Studio.

Drummer Fernando Maia on new single: “‘Becoming’ – along with ‘Veil Of Illusions’ – had a different writing process than what we were used to. In the end, it really worked out well. We’re really proud of both tracks, and they wouldn’t be as amazing as they are without everyone’s contribution! I love the super catchy melodies that Sofia came up with, and I think the heavy riffs, guitar tone, and those proggy sections in the middle are just next-level. This song really hits hard—it’s straight up in your face!”

Pre-order here.



Tracklisting:

“Dichotomy”
“Becoming, (R)evolution”
“Veil Of Illusions”
“Shadows Of Grief”
“The Other Side”

“Becoming, (R)evolution” video:

In a new interview with Iain McCallum, former SEPULTURA guitarist/vocalist Max Cavalera spoke about why he and his brother, former SEPULTURA drummer Igor "Iggor" Cavalera decided to revisit their earliest SEPULTURA releases, "Morbid Visions" and "Bestial Devastation", and re-record them and put them out, along with a re-recorded version of guitarist Andreas Kisser's first album with SEPULTURA, "Schizophrenia". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Those are the records that we felt they needed to showcase the sound properly. I think they are great songs and they're great records, but they're very badly recorded because of the situation we were in, in the Brazilian studios without money and without producers. And the best we could come up [with] was that at that time. But I think our own original vision for those albums and songs are different than what it came out. So we had the chance, years later, to go back in the studio and redo them with a great guitar sound, with a great drum sound, with a real professional producer, but keeping all the aggression. And it's still dirty and aggressive and pissed off and angry. And the heart of the thing is intact. So I think that was the coolest thing about these re-recordings, was actually how to go back in time, grab something that was done 40 years ago, make them sound relevant right now, but it still has the same spirit of the original. And I think that was the main mission of this recording, was to do that. And I think we did it. I think a lot of fans love the re-recordings. I myself, as a musician, I love it because I think a lot of songs came to life on these re-recordings that, in the original record, they were buried with shitty sound. And when you listen to them on the re-recordings, stuff like 'Mayhem' and pretty much the whole 'Schizophrenia', 'From The Past Comes The Storms' and 'To The Wall' and 'Septic Schizo', they are amazing songs, man. It's hard to believe that I wrote them when I was 15, 16 years old. That's incredible on its own, 'cause they're crazy songs. But yeah, we had the chance, me and Igor, to do that. And then we got to involve a new generation of players, like my son Igor [on bass] and Travis [Stone on leader guitar]. They come with the new blood of the newer metal that has been done right now in the underground. So that's cool — the clash of generations and the chance to redo something that you did a long time ago that you weren't totally happy with. Not many musicians get a chance to do that. So I had the blessing to be able to do that. And we took it very seriously, though."

Max added: "The hard part was… I think there's a human thing about changing. You wanna change, right? So you have the originals. So there's the temptation to change the songs. And I had to resist that temptation. I told Igor, 'We don't need to change the songs. They're fucking great. There's nothing wrong. They just need to be played better and to sound better.' So I think we resisted the temptation to mess about changing them, modernize them. They don't need to be modernized. They're good as they were. We just played them better, executed them better, recorded them better with the same piss-and-vinegar attitude. So that was a lot of fun."

In a separate interview with Australia's Heavy, Max was asked if he thinks those early SEPULTURA albums would have been as well received had they been as well recorded back in the 1980s. Max said: "We never had a manual how to do this stuff. We did it on the fly. They call it, you're gonna wing it, you're just gonna do it by trial and error. And that's the beauty of these records — they were full of stuff that really comes out of nowhere. Like, what I was thinking when I made this riff; this riff is crazy. What the hell was I thinking? But it's beautiful, man. It's cool. It shows that even at the age of 14, 15, I had that metal in my veins. I had that wild metal flowing through my blood, and I just went for it. And now I have a chance to revisit, as an older person, and still get the same enjoyment from these albums that I got it when I was a kid. It's an incredible feeling. You get to do this. I feel very fortunate, me and my brother, we are able to celebrate our past through these albums and get to play them live for people. It's an incredible feeling."

SEPULTURA fell apart in 1996 with the exit of Max after the rest of the Brazilian four-piece split with the vocalist/guitarist's wife Gloria as their manager. Max's brother, drummer Igor stuck around with the group for another ten years before leaving SEPULTURA and re-teaming with Max in CAVALERA CONSPIRACY.

For the new versions of "Morbid Visions", "Bestial Devastation" and "Schizophrenia", the Cavalera brothers enlisted Travis Stone (PIG DESTROYER) on lead guitars. The full lineup would consist of more Cavalera alumni, as Igor Amadeus Cavalera (GO AHEAD AND DIE, HEALING MAGIC) once more brought his talents on bass to the fold.

CAVALERA's version of "Schizophrenia" was recorded from April 15, 2023 to June 5, 2023 at Focusrite Room in Mesa Arizona. Mixing and mastering was handled by Arthur Rizk (SOULFLY, GO AHEAD AND DIE, TURNSTILE). The original "Schizophrenia" cover artwork was restored in hand-painted watercolors by Eliran Kantor.

Last November, Kisser was asked by IMPACT Metal Channel for his opinion about Max and Igor's decision to re-record "Morbid Visions" and "Bestial Devastation", and re-record them and put them out, along with a re-recorded version of Andreas's first album with SEPULTURA, "Schizophrenia". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't think anything. I mean, it's a weird choice that they had. I think artistic value is zero. Maybe they're going for some money or something, but there's no reason to do something like that. I much rather prefer THE TROOPS OF DOOM, the new band from Jairo [former SEPULTURA guitarist Jairo 'Tormentor' Guedz], which are doing a really amazing tribute to that era, very honest, doing new stuff, writing new music… But if they're having a good time, so let it be. I don't care, man. I just think it's totally unnecessary. It's really very disrespectful from themselves, for their own selves in the past."

Andreas added: "It's weird to see a guy [Max] who always says, 'Oh, I did this,' 'I did all that,' 'I'm so creative,' and 'I did everything by myself,' and doing this shit, like re-recording riffs that we did 30, 40 years ago. It doesn't click, the rhetoric with the example. But whatever. I just don't think that — the artistic value is zero."

Earlier last year, Max told V13 about the decision to re-record "Morbid Visions", "Bestial Devastation" and "Schizophrenia": "I think [Igor and I] were [doing special tours celebrating] the other [SEPULTURA] records, like we did 'Roots', and then we did 'Beneath The Remains' and the reaction was so explosive and the fans were reacting so good, with the way we were playing that stuff live that, I mentioned to Igor that it would be cool to have this sound on this old records that sound like shit, especially if we can get them to sound the way we sound now because we sound great right now with the way we are playing.

"A lot of people are… there's a big taboo about re-recording," Max continued. "There are a lot of people who are [freaked out] about touching old stuff. I had to kind of block all that and think, 'Fuck it. Let's do it, man, but let's do it the way we wanna do it, the way we wanna hear it as fans.' I think that's the difference in the approach that we took. So 'Morbid Visions', 'Bestial Devastation', it's still very dirty and aggressive, maybe even more aggressive than the original. We play a little bit faster and it's more angrier. I don't know how, but it's angrier than the original. I think that's key for these records. We don't want it a digital, brand new modern sound. We just want it to sound live, like a good live-sounding [recording] and we did that. I think that's why it sounded so cool. Of course, when we did those, we knew what we were going to do with 'Schizophrenia', because it's another record that we feel it's never really lived up to the potential. The songs are great, but they were never really recorded the right way. So now we're very happy. We did the three, we got the trilogy and we got to tour for it."

Although SEPULTURA has maintained a diehard fanbase in all parts of the world throughout the band's nearly four-decade history, Max-era albums "Roots" and "Chaos A.D." were by far SEPULTURA's most commercially successful, having both been certified gold in the U.S. for sales in excess of five hundred thousand copies.

In December 2023, SEPULTURA announced that it would celebrate its 40th anniversary this year by embarking on a "farewell tour" which will cover the entire globe.

SEPULTURA's current lineup comprises Kisser, vocalist Derrick Green, bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. and drummer Greyson Nekrutman, who officially replaced SEPULTURA's longtime drummer Eloy Casagrande in February 2024.

In a new interview with "The Plowzone" video show on RokuTV, LIVING COLOUR bassist Doug Wimbish was asked if he and his bandmates are working on fresh music. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We are. It's interesting because [when people ask], 'Are you in the studio writing some stuff?' Well, we're going in the studio in a couple of weeks, and we've been in the studio actually creating some ideas. So, to be honest, yeah, we're in the process of making a new record. I'd like to say we're in the process, really, of collecting the material to get to that point where we can actually go in and have enough music or enough ideas to start to really build out songs."

He continued: "That's how we work. We're a band where [we work best when you] get us all in the room, turn it on and let's all play at the same time. That's when the magic happens. And to not overthink it. Just get in. Let's go. Take a break. Play some more. Make sure that you can actually document the stuff. Go home. Sleep on it. Come back and do the same thing the next day. And if you can get into that kind of routine, then things start to happen. Or you can wait for that magic moment, and you'll be waiting on Godot. So we're in that flow vibe, and I'm looking forward to going in the studio and chopping it up."

Last May, LIVING COLOUR singer Corey Glover told Robert Cavuoto of Myglobalmind that he and his bandmates were "still in the writing stage" for the follow-up to 2017's "Shade" album. He said at the time: "I think we're in search of a voice at this point. I think it's important that we have something to say that's sort of poignant, particularly in and around this time. If everything was right, this record would have come out this year. But I think scheduling was not in our favor. But I don't think the world is going to change significantly. And if it does, we'll talk about it. But for the most part, we're trying to figure out what our mission statement is for this. And we're writing it in that regard to sort of jumpstart that process."

In September 2023, Corey expressed hope that LIVING COLOUR would have some new music ready to release soon. He told May The Rock Be With You at the time: "We really, really take our time making records, because when you have musicians of the caliber of Vernon [Reid, guitar] and Will [Calhoun, drums] and Doug — and myself, I guess — we get kind of precious about our thing. We want it to be right. We want it to be exactly the way we want it to be as it occurs, what it is and how it is. So it takes a minute."

He continued: "Making records is simpler technically, but a lot more difficult in terms of living your life. We're a lot older. We've got a lot more responsibilities. We've got kids. We've got college. We've got high school. You've got all this other stuff that you gotta think about — and write a song. [Laughs] So it's a two-sided coin in terms of having the wherewithal to make music and live the rest of your life."

Asked what the process is like writing music now compared to, say, 1988, Corey said: "Well, you can get the information out to people a lot quicker. You can say, 'I've got this groove.' Back in the day, you played it on the phone or you made a recording, and then you physically brought it to them. Now I can hum a thing on my phone and say, 'Here. I'm sending this to you. What can you do with this?' And then they send me something back, and we can go back and forth with that in real time as it occurs. And that makes the process that much simpler."

LIVING COLOUR disbanded in 1995 but reunited in 2000. (Original bassist Muzz Skillings left the group in 1992 and was replaced by Doug Wimbish.)

In June 2020, LIVING COLOUR released a video for its classic song "This Is The Life" featuring footage of the peaceful protests that swelled across the U.S. and around the world over the death of George Floyd at the hands of police. The original version of "This Is The Life" appeared on LIVING COLOUR's 1990 album "Time's Up".

"Shade" was released in September 2017 via Megaforce Records.

Glover and ADRENALINE MOB guitarist Mike Orlando recently launched a new project called SONIC UNIVERSE. The group, whose lineup is completed by bassist Booker King and drummer Taykwuan Jackson, released its debut album, "It Is What It Is", in May 2024 via earMUSIC. The 10-song effort was produced, engineered, and mixed by Orlando at his Sonic Stomp Studios.

Glover's other side projects in recent years have included some acting, touring as a member of jam band GALACTIC and, more recently, forming the jazz-rock supergroup ULTRAPHONIX with legendary DOKKEN guitarist George Lynch. Reid, for his part, has released solo albums and been involved in side projects with Masque and YOHIMBE BROTHERS; collaborated with Mick Jagger, Bill Frisell, Jack Bruce and Ronald Shannon Jackson, among many others; produced albums for Salif Keita and James Blood Ulmer; and composed film scores.

As part of EMGtv's "5 Minutes With Zakk Wylde" episode, the longtime Ozzy Osbourne guitarist and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY frontman was asked to name his "most memorable recording studio moment". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, they're all different. 'Cause I would always ask Ozz [Ozzy Osbourne], what was his favorite moments of from [BLACK] SABBATH to with Randy [Rhoads] and Jake [E. Lee] and everything like that. He was just always, like, 'Well, I really like this one.' With Ozz, it would be mostly whether he had a good time making specific albums or whatever. So, for me, I always had a blast. You're doing what you love and you're making records. But I know where Ozzy's coming from, too."

Zakk continued: "But, no, for me, I guess it would have to be [Ozzy's] 'Miracle Man' or anything like that. Actually hearing the playback and when it was done, and then I remember the first time I heard it on the radio. So I'd have to go with that. I mean, that was pretty monumental. It was the first song I ever wrote with the Boss [Ozzy] and then the first song with the Boss I ever heard on the radio. So, yeah, that was pretty monumental. But I mean, obviously, 'No More Tears' and 'Mama I'm Coming Home' and everything like that, and hearing those. But then, like with the BLACK LABEL [SOCIETY] stuff, whether it's 'Stillborn' or 'Suicide Messiah', any of those. And then even up to the new one, when I'm doing 'The Gallows'. But even 'The Book Of Shadows' records. I think if you ask any musician, when they're hearing the playbacks and it's finally done and it's the way you want it, it's awesome — the feeling of satisfaction from when you first wrote it to it coming to life. So I think if you ask any musician, they'll say the same thing."

Last September, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY released a brand-new single titled "The Gallows" via MNRK Heavy (formerly eOne Music).

In April 2024, Wylde confirmed to Scott Davidson of Chicago's Rebel Radio 92.5 FM that he and his BLACK LABEL SOCIETY bandmates were working on the group's next album. BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's twelfth studio LP will be the follow-up to "Doom Crew Inc.", which came out in November 2021 via MNRK Heavy.

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY headlined Zakk's inaugural music festival, Berzerkus, on September 14, 2024 at Poconos Park in Bushkill, Pennsylvania. Berzerkus was co-headlined by outlaw country music's Cody Jinks.

Wylde formed BLACK LABEL SOCIETY in 1998 and has kept the band busy in between touring and recording with Ozzy, whose backing group he first joined more than three and a half decades ago.

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's "Order Of The Black" (2010) and "Catacombs Of The Black Vatican" (2014) both broke into the top five on the hard rock album charts.

Since first joining Ozzy, Zakk has played on all of the BLACK SABBATH singer's solo albums except for 2020's "Ordinary Man", including such classic efforts as "No More Tears" (1991),"Ozzmosis" (1995) and "Black Rain" (2007).

In a new interview with Indie Power TV, veteran rock/metal bassist and songwriter Bob Daisley, who performed on — and wrote/co-wrote the lyrics/music for — a good portion of Ozzy's early solo catalog, addressed the fact that he wasn't invited to take part in Ozzy's final concert, which will take place in Birmingham, United Kingdom on July 5.

Ozzy and the rest of the original BLACK SABBATH lineup — Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward — will headline a one-day festival at Villa Park, featuring a number of bands they inspired, including METALLICA, PANTERA, SLAYER, GOJIRA and ANTHRAX.

Osbourne, who has largely been forced to stop touring due to a combination of Parkinson's and spinal injuries, will play a short solo set before joining his bandmates. Appearing with Ozzy will be some of the musicians who played on his early solo records, including Rudy Sarzo, who was Ozzy's bassist between 1981 and 1982, as well as guitarist Jake E. Lee, who played with Ozzy between 1982 and 1987 and performed on the albums "Bark At The Moon" and "The Ultimate Sin".

Regarding the revelation that he will not be part of the Villa Park event, Bob told Indie Power TV: "To be honest with you, I don't think I'd wanna be a part of that that day. It'll be awkward, but it could turn out as an embarrassment as well, but we'll see. We'll see."

Bob also talked about the fact that he didn't get a mention during Osbourne's induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction last October. He said: "I didn't expect [to get a mention]. I knew that was coming, because there's been some dirty water gone under the bridge between us — there's been lawsuits and legal issues and that — so I was not surprised when I didn't get a mention. Many people thought that it was wrong and that I should have got a mention. But I really didn't expect it, so I wasn't surprised."

Speaking about the chemistry between the original members of Ozzy's band, including guitarist Randy Rhoads and drummer Lee Kerslake, Bob said: "It was a chemistry and a formula that worked, and it worked very well. I don't think any one of us could have been replaced with anyone else and have it work like it did. Ozzy's voice tone and melodies were integral to the sound and deliverance of everything that we did. And Randy and me working together musically first, and then me writing the lyrics to Ozzy's vocal melodies, it all just jelled. And Lee was definitely the last piece of the puzzle that helped the chemistry and the big picture."

Bob previously discussed not getting a mention during Ozzy's Rock Hall induction speech last November in an interview with Tone-Talk. He said at the time: "Well, to be honest with you, I didn't expect to be mentioned, only because of the dirty water that's gone under the bridge between us. And how Lee and I have been taken out of photographs, been taken out of films, had credits removed, had photographs removed, all that stuff. So, it was no surprise to me that I didn't get mentioned. But somebody used a good analogy about my situation with that, and that was in comparison with Elton John and Bernie Taupin, that all those songs were written, lyrically, by Bernie Taupin and Elton John wrote the music. And it was a similar situation with [me and Ozzy] — I wrote all the lyrics for those albums and songs."

Asked what he thought of Ozzy's speech at the Rock Hall, Bob said: "He looked unwell. He looked unhappy. And I don't get off on seeing people, regardless of who they are or what they've done, looking unwell or looking unhappy or whatever. He probably just went through the motions. But it's kind of what I expected. I didn't expect to be mentioned or anything. Regardless of how important my role was or what I created or helped to create or whatever, I really didn't expect to even get a mention… I mean, it would have been nice."

The 74-year-old Daisley, who has sued the Osbournes several times over unpaid royalties, added: "Amanda Peters is a female guitarist in Los Angeles that I will be working with next year. And she's a lovely person, very supportive and all of that. But she started up a petition saying that I should be inducted with Ozzy — if he's going in, then I should be, because Randy's already in there. Then Ozzy was being inducted, and all the stuff that we did together. If anybody should be in there, Lee and I should be in there as well. And a lot of people did sign the petition, but it didn't get anywhere or do anything. It was a nice gesture on her part and all the people that that signed it. I felt nice. It was nice to see supportive people thinking that way."

More than three years ago, Bob spoke to Rolling Stone magazine about the controversial 2002 re-recordings of the drum and bass parts on OZZY OSBOURNE's classic first two solo albums, 1980's "Blizzard Of Ozz" and 1981's "Diary Of A Madman".

The tracks originally played by bassist Daisley and Kerslake on both albums were replaced on the reissue by Robert Trujillo (now in METALLICA) and Mike Bordin, respectively, after Daisley and Kerslake sued Ozzy and his wife/manager Sharon Osbourne over royalties. They were restored for the 30th-anniversary editions.

Asked how he felt when he learned that his parts on the first two Ozzy records had been re-recorded, Bob said: "To be honest with you, I thought it was pathetic. Someone sent me a copy of one of them, and I laughed. I thought, 'Is this a joke?' I just didn’t think it was done right. The thing is, you can't reheat a soufflé. You can't take the ingredients out of a cake and then try and bake it again. It happened once. We did various takes of each song and we used the parts where each of us shined the best. There might be five takes of 'Crazy Train' or four takes of something else, or eight takes of something else, and we picked the one that had the best vibe. And it was four people being recorded in a room together. You can't change that.

"And the fans hated them for it. It was, like, 'God, you've got no respect for the fans and everyone that spends money on this music.' They were hated for it. I'm just quoting what fans said, not me."

Ozzy told The Pulse Of Radio he was against the idea of replacing the original tracks when he found out about it. "Believe me, it wasn't my doing," he said. "I mean, I didn't know that was being done, 'cause Sharon was fighting all the legal things that were going down at the time. I said, 'What did you do that for?' And she said, 'The only way I could stop everything was if it went to that level.' And I said, 'You know what, whatever the circumstances were, I want the original thing back.' I mean, I wouldn't have done that."

Daisley told Rock Cellar in a 2012 interview that the 30th-anniversary reissues of both albums could have featured the material as bonus content. He explained, "I offered to supply tapes of our rehearsals and writing sessions, to go as proper bonus material. And I just said that I wanted a royalty out of it, because it's my stuff. But they wouldn't do it because they didn't want to give me a royalty — they just wanted to buy it."

Daisley said that he and Kerslake were fired because of disagreements with Sharon over a number of things, including refusing to do two shows in one day out of worry that Ozzy would blow out his voice.

According to the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA),1980's "Blizzard Of Ozz" has been certified quintuple platinum for shipments in excess of five million copies, while 1981's "Diary Of A Madman" has been certified triple platinum for more three million units sold.

Last year, veteran Midwest metallists, Conquest, returned with their latest album, Paradox. And now, the lads are prepared to unleash their latest single/video, “Love Amplified”. And like their previous standout offerings, “Walking Dead” and “The Writings On The Wall,” “Love Amplified” merges metal with melody, and measures up mightily to the current competition. Local fans will be able to hear the song performed live soon, as several performances have been confirmed. See dates below.

“A strong, in your face hard rock song about the love of playing guitar, drums, bass, whatever it is that you love to play as a musical instrument,” explains the group’s singer/guitarist, Derrick Brumley. “A very cool track to play live – the audience seems to love it, and we truly enjoy playing it!”

Drummer Lee Skyles also holds the track in high regard: “‘Love Amplified’ was definitely one of those songs we wrote that was outside of our norm. When Mike Crook played this cool guitar intro to the song, excitement set in and we knew we were on to something different. It’s one of those upbeat, feel good songs that get you on your feet, and will make you move however you move! For me, I love the lead solos, as they are tasty, raw, and full of pizzazz! I think folks will really like the tune on loud! Turn it up to 11!”

“Of The Devil’s Creed”
“Walking Dead”
“Save Me”
“He Shall Return”
“Celtic Mist”
“Love Amplified”
“Valley Of The Damned”
“Dying To Live”
“World Of Hate”
“The Writing’s On The Wall”
“King Of The World”
“In The Heavens”
“Babylon America”
“The Killing Time”
“Last Goodbye”
“Man On The Silver Mountain” (Rainbow cover)

“I find it impossible to see the two careers as two separate careers. When you’re holding a pen, you can only write one letter at a time” – Pete Townshend 2024

Universal Music Recordings are proud to announce the release of Pete Townshend – The Studio Albums, an 8CD Box Set that collects all of Townshend’s solo studio albums for the first time.

Newly remastered by Jon Astley, the new set is the perfect accompaniment to last year’s Pete Townshend – Live In Concert 1985-2001 box. It features expanded deluxe packaging in a CD-sized box with new art by longtime Townshend collaborator Richard Evans, sleeve notes by band archivist Matt Kent, a new exclusive Pete Townshend foreword, and rare photos and memorabilia in a 28-page book.

The boxset features seven albums: Who Came First, Rough Mix (with Ronnie Lane), Empty Glass, All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes, White City (A Novel), The Iron Man: The Musical by Pete Townshend, and Psychoderelict, as well as the music only version of Psychoderelict.

Who Came First was Townshend’s debut solo record, first released in 1972. The album collected tracks from Pete’s private pressings of his tributes to Meher Baba Happy Birthday and I Am and demos from the unrealised concept album Life House, part of which became The Who’s classic Who’s Next album. The cover photo of Townshend taken by Graham Hughes (who also shot the cover of The Who’s Quadrophenia) features Pete standing on eggs and is a reference to the philosophical dilemma “Who came first? The chicken or the egg?.”

Rough Mix was initially released in September 1977 while The Who were on hiatus. It was a collaboration with Small Faces bassist the late Ronnie Lane and features contributions from Who bassist John Entwistle, Eric Clapton, and Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, amongst others. The orchestral arrangements for the track “Street in the City” were provided by Townshend’s then father-in-law, noted British film and television theme composer Edwin Astley.

Empty Glass, produced by Chris Thomas (Roxy Music, Sex Pistols, Pretenders, Wings), was Pete’s next solo release, appearing in April 1980. The songs predominantly deal with issues Townshend was struggling with at the time, including alcohol, drugs, and the death of Keith Moon, The Who’s former drummer. The second single from the album “Let My Love Open the Door” was a US Top Ten hit, propelling the album to #5 on the US Billboard chart, and the first single “Rough Boys”, which was dedicated to Pete’s children and The Sex Pistols, was a UK top 40 hit. The album was well received at the time, with some critics even referring to it as a Who album that never was.

All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes, released in June 1982, was Pete’s next solo release and contained two singles “Uniforms (Corp d’Esprit)” and “Face Dances (Pt 2)”, as well as “Somebody Saved Me” a song The Who had recorded for their 1981 album Face Dances, which didn’t appear until 1997. The track “The Sea Refuses No River” has since been singled out as one of Townshend’s most underrated songs.

Chris Thomas once again produced the album, featuring Simon Philips on drums and Jody Linscott on percussion, who would later perform with The Who. Promo videos were made for seven tracks from the album (“Prelude”, “Face Dances Pt 2”, “Communication”,
“Uniforms”, “Stardom In Acton”, “Exquisitely Bored” and an alternate version of “Slit Skirts”) by renowned photographers Davies & Starr (Chalkie Davies and his then-wife Carol Starr) and released on VHS. Pete didn’t get to play the album live as three months after its release, The Who’s It’s Hard appeared, and the band undertook their farewell tour.

White City (A Novel) was released in the autumn of 1985. As the title suggests, the album tells a story of cultural conflict, racial tension and youthful hopes and dreams in the White City, London housing estate in the 1960s, not far from where Pete grew up. White City (A Novel) was again produced by Chris Thomas and features guest appearances by David Gilmour, Clem Burke, John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick, Pete’s daughter Emma Townshend and a young Justine Frischmann, who would later form the Brit-Pop band Elastica. As with his previous album, Pete filmed several videos but this time compiled them into a long-form video, White City (The Music Movie) featuring the singles “Face the Face” and “Give Blood”, directed by Richard Lowenstein, who had worked extensively with INXS.

The Iron Man: The Musical by Pete Townshend from 1989 is an adaptation of Ted Hughes‘ famous short story, The Iron Man. The album was produced and mainly composed and performed by Townshend but also features performances from Roger Daltrey, legendary bluesman John Lee Hooker and the astonishing Nina Simone. The three then-surviving original members of The Who (Daltrey, John Entwistle, and Townshend) perform two songs, “Dig” and a cover of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown’s “Fire”. A stage version was mounted at The Young Vic Theatre in 1993, where 20 years earlier, The Who had debuted songs for Life House/Who’s Next, which led to a movie version in 1999 for which Pete received an executive producer credit.

Psychoderelict, released in 1993, is Pete’s last solo album to date. Structured like a radio play with dialogue, it follows Ray High, a reclusive 60s rock star who resurfaced in Townshend’s novella The Boy Who Heard Music and in the mini rock opera Wire & Glass, the centrepiece of The Who’s Endless Wire album. The album is presented both with and without the dialogue of the original release.

Pete Townshend says of his solo studio work, “I have always written first for myself. Not as an artist but for play, for fun, for joy, for self-expression. For therapy? In a way, of course. These solo songs are therefore not Who exclusions or out-takes, they are part of a story that may well have been very different had I not made some poor decisions in the early ’80s. I have stories to tell about every song, and one day I may write a book that tells of that journey, but I’m probably happier spending my time today writing new music rather than explaining how the old stuff came about.”

Available on March 28, you can pre-order the set here.



Tracklisting:

Disc One – Who Came First”
“Pure and Easy”
“Evolution”
“Forever’s No Time At All”
“Let’s See Action”
“Time Is Passing”
“There’s a Heartache Following Me”
“Sheraton Gibson”
“Content”
“Parvardigar”

Disc Two – Rough Mix (Pete Townshend / Ronnie Lane)
“My Baby Gives It Away”
“Nowhere To Run”
“Rough Mix”
“Annie”
“Keep Me Turning”
“Catmelody”
“April Fool”
“Street In The City”
“Heart To Hang Onto”
“Till The Rivers Run Dry”

Disc Three – Empty Glass
“Rough Boys”
“I Am An Animal”
“And I Moved”
“Let my Love Open The Door”
“Jools And Jim”
“Keep On Working”
“Cat’s In The Cupboard”
“A Little Is Enough”
“Empty Glass”
“Gonna Get Ya”

Disc Four – All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes
“Stop Hurting People”
“The Sea Refuses No River”
“Prelude”
“Face Dances Part Two”
“Exquisitely Bored”
“Communication”
“Stardom In Acton”
“Uniforms”
“North Country Girl”
“Somebody Saved Me”
“Slit Skirts”

Disc Five – White City (A Novel)
“Give Blood”
“Brilliant Blues”
“Face The Face”
“Hiding Out”
“Secondhand Love”
“Crashing By Design”
“I Am Secure”
“White City Fighting”
“Come To Mama”

Disc Six – The Iron Man: The Musical By Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend With Deborah Conway – “I Won’t Run Anymore”
John Lee Hooker – “Over the Top”
Simon Townshend – “Man Machines”
The Who – “Dig”
Pete Townshend – “A Friend Is a Friend”
John Lee Hooker – “I Eat Heavy Metal”
Pete Townshend With Deborah Conway and Chyna – “All Shall Be Well”
Pete Townshend – “Was There Life”
Nina Simone – “Fast Food”
Pete Townshend – “A Fool Says…”
The Who – “Fire”
Chyna With Pete Townshend and Nicola Emmanuel – “New Life / Reprise”

Disc Seven – Psychoderelict
“English Boy”
“Meher Baba M3”
“Let’s Get Pretentious”
“Meher Baba M4 (Signal Box)”
“Early Morning Dreams”
“I Want That Thing”
“Dialogue Introduction To ‘Outlive The Dinosaur’”
“Outlive The Dinosaur”
“Flame” (Demo)
“Now And Then”
“I Am Afraid”
“Don’t Try To Make Me Real”
“Dialogue Introduction To ‘Predictable’”
“Predictable”
“Flame”
“Meher Baba M5” (Vivaldi)
“Fake It”
“Dialogue Introduction To ‘Now And Then” (Reprise)
“Now And Then” (Reprise)
“Baba O’Riley” (Demo)
“English Boy” (Reprise)

Disc Eight – Psychoderelict – Music Only
“English Boy”
“Meher Baba M3”
“Let’s Get Pretentious”
“Meher Baba M4”
“Early Morning Dreams”
“I Want That Thing”
“Outlive The Dinosaur”
“Now And Then”
“I Am Afraid”
“Don’t Try To Make Me Real”
“Predictable”
“Flame”
“Vivaldi – Meher Baba M5”
“Fake It”
“English Boy” (Reprise)

Celtic-punk outfit, Flogging Molly, have been forced to cancel their upcoming live dates as frontman Dave King (ex-Fastway) is “battling a very serious health condition.”

The band shared the following message via social media:

“To our family, friends and fans,

“Our fearless leader, the inimitable Dave King, is currently battling a very serious health condition. Dave and Bridget ask everyone to respect their privacy at this time, we will share as we can. Any good thoughts or prayers you can send Dave’s way, he and we would appreciate it.

“Unfortunately Flogging Molly will be unable to perform shows in 2025. With the Salty Dog Cruise 12 days away, the boat will sail as planned with 18 bands, and members of Flogging Molly, on board to celebrate the cruise, the community and our captain, Dave King.

“Thank you, Flogging Molly”

Hammerheart Records have announced a reissue of Vintersorg’s 2000 album Cosmic Genesis on orange/black marble vinyl.

Hammerheart Records states: “In progressive music circles, the genre of black metal sometimes seemed to get a treatment as if it is was plague-like. Even a lot of metalheads themselves cannot bring themselves to develop a taste for it, although diehard fans of the genre swear it is one of the most atmospheric and emotive styles of music in existence to date.

“With Vintersorg’s Cosmic Genesis it appears as if there is a perfect album for those who are not too much into black/pagan metal (or other extreme forms) but are interested to look into it. Strong melodies and intelligent instrumentation mixed with some more primal, heavy sounding riffs make for a very well-rounded metal album that a much wider variety of listeners should find appreciation for.”



Cosmic Genesis was originally released on November 3, 2000 via Napalm Records

Metal Blade Records have announced the addition of Pennsylvania deathcore behemoths The Last Ten Seconds Of Life to its esteemed roster.

The Last Ten Seconds Of Life was forged in 2010. Within a year, they were touring regularly and had self-released their debut album, Know Your Exits. By 2013, independent metal label Density Records unleashed their second album, Invivo [Exvivo].

Further touring ensued with the likes of I Declare War, Fit For An Autopsy, Thy Art Is Murder, and Kublai Khan. The prolific act would go on to release five more full-lengths, each earning Billboard chart placements and reaping critical accolades both stateside and abroad.

Comments the band on their signing, “We are beyond excited to announce that we have signed with the legendary Metal Blade Records. It is an honor to be on the same roster as such iconic acts past and present. Shout out to Ryan Williams and the rest of the Metal Blade team for giving us the opportunity to riff.”



The Last Ten Seconds Of Life have done nearly fifty tours since 2011 and are currently supporting Distant and Enterprise Earthon their EU/UK co-headlining run. The Origin Of Madness Tour commenced last week and includes additional support from Harbinger.

Stand by for more news on The Last Ten Seconds Of Life to be unveiled in the weeks to come.

Lineup:
Wyatt McLaughlin – guitars
Tyler Beam – vocals
Andrew Petway – bass
Dylan Potts – drums

Hailing from Norway, Helvitnir combine the best elements of ‘90s black metal into hard and haunting tracks. The band will release their debut album, Wolves Of The Underworld, on March 14, 2025, through the esteemed Italian label Dusktone.

Helvitnir, the Norwegian black metal act forged in the icy depths of 2023, is set to release their debut album, Wolves Of The Underworld, on March 14, 2025, through the esteemed Italian label Dusktone.

Second single “Void Of Emptiness” is streaming below.

The band was born when Hellcommander V, Bjarkan, and Ihizahg parted ways with Ragnarok, carrying with them years of shared creative synergy. Determined to continue their collaboration, the trio brought along a treasure trove of raw material, which they meticulously refined in the months that followed.

Helvitnir officially announced their arrival in November 2023 with the release of the single and video “Helvitnir”, which immediately set the tone for their uncompromising style. Shortly after, they recorded a 7-track demo, which quickly caught the attention of Dusktone. The momentum continued with the December release of a second video single, “Void Of Emptiness”.

The band solidified its lineup at the end of 2023 by enlisting the legendary Mayhem drummer Jan Axel “Hellhammer” Blomberg, whose technical prowess and iconic style brought an additional layer of ferocity to Helvitnir’s sound. With the lineup complete, the band set its sights on the future.

In June 2024, Helvitnir released an EP featuring four tracks from their demo. The EP was met with acclaim, showcasing the band’s versatility — a masterful blend of raw, chilling aggression and majestic, grandiose compositions.

Helvitnir’s music stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Norwegian black metal while forging a distinct identity that bridges the past and the future. Drawing from the raw intensity and bleak atmospheres that defined the genre’s origins, the band weaves in a modern sensibility that expands its sonic scope.

Their sound pays homage to the cold, primal energy of their predecessors while pushing boundaries, introducing dynamic shifts, melodic textures, and a powerful sense of narrative. This careful balance between reverence for tradition and a forward-thinking approach positions Helvitnir as torchbearers of the genre’s next chapter.

By September 2024, Helvitnir entered the studio to craft their first full-length album. The result is Wolves Of The Underworld, a brutal and evocative work that promises to leave an indelible mark on the black metal landscape. The album is a sonic journey through icy wastelands and infernal depths, where every track resonates with a visceral, unrelenting energy.



Tracklisting:

“Throes Of Transformation”
“Black Flame Triad”
“Helvitnir”
“Void Of Emptiness”
“Imagery Of Deceit”
“Odinsbane”
“Dread Biter”
“Helheim’s Throne”
“Draugr”

“Void Of Emptiness”:

Legendary space-rock pioneers HAWKWIND return with their latest studio album, "There Is No Space For Us". Following 2024's critically acclaimed "Stories From Time And Space" and recent triple disc live album "Live At The Royal Albert Hall", this new release develops the dystopian themes of recent albums and the cosmic, almost metaphysical perspective on humanity's place in the universe through expansive soundscapes and electrifying psychedelic rock.

Blending hypnotic rhythms, immersive synths, and driving guitar riffs, "There Is No Space For Us" takes listeners on an interstellar voyage from the synth laden thunderous opening track "There Is Still Danger There" to the eerie, atmospheric depths and outstanding heights of "Space Continues (Lifeform)" . Tracks like the acoustic led "The Co-Pilot" (a song which transforms multiple times across eight minutes) and title track "There Is No Space For Us" (the definition of what a "space western" should sound like) showcase the band's signature fusion of chugging guitars, electronic rhythms, and grand science fiction vision of human destiny. Another stand-out moment is the frenzied theremin laced freak-out of "Neutron Stars", while "A Long Long Way From Home" delivers a melancholic yet powerful crescendo, reflecting on the fragile nature of existence in an ever-expanding universe.

Another classic album to add to the HAWKWIND canon, "There Is No Space For Us" is presented by Dave Brock, Richard Chadwick, Magnus Martin, Doug MacKinnon and Tim "Thighpaulsandra" Lewis on both CD and double vinyl (the vinyl features a bonus two recent live rehearsals) andwill be released to coincide with live shows in the spring and summer.

Track List:

01. There Is Still Danger There
02. Space Continues (Lifeform)
03. The Co-Pilot
04. Changes (Burning Suns and Frozen Waste)
05. There is No Space For Us
06. The Outer Region Of The Universe
07. Neutron Stars (Pulsating Light)
08. A Long Long Way From Home

Vinyl only:

09. Practical Ability
10. Second Chance

Tour dates:

April 17 - Gateshead, UK - Glasshouse
April 18 - Guildford, UK - G Live
April 19 - Bournemouth, UK - Pavilion Theatre
April 20 - Birmingham, UK - Symphony Hall
May 09 - Aylesbury, UK - Waterside Theatre
May 10 - Liverpool, UK - M&S Bank Arena
May 11 - Manchester, UK - Bridgewater Hall
May 23 - Sheffield, UK - City Hall
May 24 - Portsmouth, UK - Guildhall
May 25 - Cambridge, UK - Corn Exchange
May 26 - London, UK - Barbican
August 17 - Kent, UK - New Day Festival

HAWKWIND were formed in 1969, originally as HAWKWIND ZOO, by former London busker Dave Brock. In 1970, the band appeared outside the perimeter fence of the Isle Of Wight festival as a protest to the admission charge. Jimi Hendrix was spotted in the audience. The same year they played at the first Glastonbury festival. These activities helped establish them as the people's band, as well as being widely acknowledged with creating a brand new genre of music — space rock. Also in that year the band's first single, "Hurry On Sundown", was released followed by the self-titled debut album, "Hawkwind".

By 1972, the band's popularity had grown to such an extent that they could now headline venues such as the famous Chalk Farm Roundhouse in London. A gig billed as the "Greasy Truckers Party" at this venue in February was to be forever etched into HAWKWIND folklore, as it was at this show that their trademark single "Silver Machine" was recorded. The track, which featured Lemmy on vocals, brought the band to the attention of the wider general public after it reached number two in the U.K. charts in the June of that year.

The success of "Silver Machine" financed their famous themed tour, titled "Space Ritual". This show set the precedent for all future HAWKWIND shows. The band's wealth of creative talent, including contributions from the likes of sci-fi author Michael Moorcock, poet and visionary Bob Calvert, designer Barney Bubbles and lighting engineer Liquid Len created the world's first truly multimedia touring roadshow. The barrage of light, sound, dance and theatrics has since become a hallmark of all subsequent HAWKWIND shows, making each gig a unique and spectacular event, rather than another standard rock concert.

In a new interview with Sean P McKenna, host of "Rimshots With Sean" on Barstools And Bandtalk, TWISTED SISTER guitarist Jay Jay French spoke about how the perception that rock is dead often stems from a lack of visibility in mainstream charts. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "People say to me, 'What makes you say rock is dead?' Well, here's my take on that. When I was 17 years old back in 1969, all my heroes — BEATLES, [THE ROLLING] STONES, [THE] WHO, [LED] ZEP [PELIN], FLOYD, [Jimi] Hendrix, [Bob] Dylan, GRATEFUL DEAD, JEFFERSON AIRPLANE; you name it, you name 'em all — none of them were older than 27. Now think about this for a second. The greatest rock artists in the history of the world, when I was 17, were no older than 10 years more than me. Most of them were 25 to 27. Well, I say, name me a 27-year-old rock star right now. And nobody can name one.

"So when you tell me, 'Rock isn't dead, man. It's all over the place,' I go, well, okay, fine. I'm not saying that there are no rock bands. I'm just saying that the collective psyche that dictates current music trends and sociological impact of music, it's not showing up in the rock world in terms of mass acceptance," he explained. "What is showing up in the music world? Hip-hop, huge. Country, huge. Female pop artists, huge. You can rattle off 20 rappers under the age of 25, you can rattle off 20 female pop singers under 25, you can rattle off country artists by the ton. You're not rattling off rock musicians. It doesn't mean, clearly, that no one's creating it. It just means that the body of what we constitute as the standard rock act — two guitars, bass drums, lead singer, blah, blah, blah, blah — is, for the most part, by and large, over. And if it is over, and people say to me, 'Well, how do you feel about that, man?' I don't look at it and go, 'Oh, why can't it come back?' I go, you had a 55-year run. I mean, hell, what doesn't have a 55…? Big band had a 20-year run and jazz had a 20-year run. They had 20-year runs. Disco had a seven-year run. Then it all kind of comes as a niche product. Does it mean disco's not around? No, disco's around for certain people who like to listen to disco music. You can find the channel and listen to it all day long, but it's not impacting the world. Same thing with jazz and classical music. It's always gonna sell, there's always gonna be a body of people out there buying it — wonderful — but the youth of America is not absorbing it and saying, 'This is reflective of who we are.'"

French previously discussed rock music's diminished appeal in a 2016 interview with Kaaos TV. Asked if he thinks any of the newer hard rock artists have a shot at becoming arena-sized acts once the current crop of dinosaur bands are no longer around, Jay Jay said at the time: "When I was 17 years old, when Jay Jay French was 17, THE BEATLES, THE [ROLLING] STONES, THE WHO, [LED ZEPPELIN], [PINK] FLOYD, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, THE GRATEFUL DEAD, JEFFERSON AIRPLANE, THE DOORS… none of them were older than 26 when I was 17. Now we, as 17-year-olds, never went to see bands that were 60; we saw bands that were all 25: THE BEATLES, THE STONES, THE WHO, ZEP, FLOYD, CREAM, Hendrix… They were all 25, 26 years old. If I told my mother I was gonna go see a band with 60-year-old guys, she'd look at me like I was crazy or I was going to some jazz band or some classical group. So now we play festivals where all the bands are 60 years old: us, WHITESNAKE, KISS, [BLACK] SABBATH, AC/DC… they're all 60. Maybe 50, with METALLICA.

"So I ask everybody out there: where's the 25-year-old rock stars? Where are they? You can't name them. Someone goes, 'MUSE.' They're not 25 years old; they're way older than that. AVENGED SEVENFOLD: they're not 25 years old; they're way older than that. SLIPKNOT: they're not 25 years old; they're way older than that. So the next generation doesn't seem to be there, and I don't know the reason why. I wish I knew the reason why. Because pop music is huge; female pop stars are huge, right? And hip-hop is huge, and rap is huge, and country music is huge. So where's rock? Rock is kind of not there."

French went on to say that the sales figures support his belief that the market for new rock music has weakened.

"Again, it's not Jay Jay saying rock is dead," he explained. "Look at the charts. Tell me where it is. It's not there. Radio doesn't play it, and it doesn't seem the kids are buying it. So if radio is not playing it, and the kids are not buying it, who's creating it?"

He continued: "Look, I am grateful; TWISTED SISTER is grateful that we have an audience, that we matter, that people love the band and they wanna see the band. IRON MAIDEN is grateful, and AC/DC is grateful, and JUDAS PRIEST is grateful. But we're all getting older. In five years, there'll be no more KISS and MAIDEN, and they'll all be retired. So who comes up? I don't know."

French added: "In South America, we have fans that are 17 to 22 years old; they fill soccer stadiums. And I say to them: who's your new band? 'Oh, we don't like our new bands.' Well, then… I don't know what to say then. Like, really? There's gotta be hundreds of them. You can't find one? Two? They'll put a couple on the shows with us, because they have to fill the gap a little bit. We just played Mexico, and there's a couple of bands there on the bill that are young and up-and-coming, but the enthusiasm isn't there for it. So I don't know. It's a strange time."

In 2016, TWISTED SISTER embarked on one final trek, titled "Forty And Fuck It", in celebration of its 40th anniversary. These shows featured the band's "core lineup" of French, singer Dee Snider, guitarist Eddie Ojeda and bassist Mark "The Animal" Mendoza, along with drummer Mike Portnoy. The band's last-ever concert took place in November of that year — 20 months after the passing of drummer A.J. Pero.

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

In a new interview with Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show, King Diamond discussed his namesake band's upcoming horror trilogy, part one of which is titled "Saint Lucifer's Hospital 1920". Speaking about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the project, King said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's so much, actually. There's another song we played live, which has not been finished yet, but it's extremely close. But it's not like we are working on one song at a time; we are working on the entire album. And so there's 10 titles right now that's being worked on simultaneously, and was being worked on before the tour as well. And one is almost done. The lyric is not completely finished, but all the parts for the lyric is there — the way to sing it is there completely. It's one of the songs that will probably have a guest sharing one of the characters with me, the different moods of that character. And this is a song called 'Lobotomy', which all the music is written except for the guitar solos that the guitarist will do themselves…. There's an intro and a small outro on that one song, on 'Lobotomy'. There's another song called 'The Nun' that has old Hammond [organ] from start to finish, actually — super raw. Lots of stuff — very, very tricky parts, tempo changes. And it's a very full power, double kick. But this one, 'Lobotomy', is heavy and very dark. I played it, just the music, for [Metal Blade Records founder and CEO] Brian Slagel one day at my house and he was, like, 'That is so dark.' And it's turned out exactly like it should. It also has some Hammond parts in it that makes it really crazy, because we're actually gonna perform it live. And we had an extra wheelchair, actually, on stage that was supposed to be for 'Lobotomy', but 'Lobotomy' never got finished completely. So, in Europe, we are hoping that — of course it will be done by [the time we start the European tour] — but we will be able to do 'Lobotomy' and show it on stage."

This past December, KING DIAMOND released a new single, "Spider Lilly". The official music video for the track, which was directed by My Good Eye Visuals, can be seen below.

A first-time mixing collaboration with Arthur Rizk, who also mastered "Spider Lilly", the music and lyrics for the song were written by King Diamond.

The recording lineup for "Spider Lilly" was still the same, with King Diamond handling lead and backing vocals plus playing the Hammond organ, Andy La Rocque and Mike Wead on guitars, Pontus Egberg on bass, and Matt Thompson on drums. There is also a special guest appearance by Danish female vocalist Myrkur with some amazing additional backing vocals.

Part of the new "Spider Lilly" video was filmed at the very haunted Pennhurst Asylum outside of Philadelphia on a travel day during the band's recent North American tour, two days before Halloween. It was only King himself and actress Jodi Cachia who could participate on that specific day, together with producer David Brodsky, Allie Woest and their killer crew.

KING DIAMOND performed "Spider Lilly" live for the first time at the kick-off concert of the band's fall 2024 North American headlining tour, which launched on October 15 at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas. The "Saint Lucifer's Hospital 1920" trek ran through December 6 in Dallas, Texas. Support came from OVERKILL and NIGHT DEMON. Additional backing vocals for the KING DIAMOND set were provided by the special guest Myrkur.

In November, the KING DIAMOND shows in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (November 20 at Edmonton Convention Center),Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada (November 21 at TCU Place),Calgary, Alberta Canada (November 22 at Grey Eagle Event Centre),Portland, Oregon (November 24 at Keller Auditorium) and Seattle, Washington (November 25 at The Moore Theatre) were canceled due to "unforeseen circumstances".

KING DIAMOND's setlist for the fall 2024 tour included two new songs, "Electro Therapy" and the aforementioned "Spider Lilly".

In October 2023, KING DIAMOND released a music video for the 2019 single "Masquerade Of Madness". The clip was directed by David Brodsky and Allison Woest of My Good Eye Visuals.

A month after KING DIAMOND released "Masquerade Of Madness" in November 2019, KING DIAMOND guitarist Andy La Rocque told The Metal Voice that he came up with the music for the track first before passing it off to King, who "needed to arrange a few things and change just a small few things for making it work with his vocals. And then, of course, he wrote the lyrics for it," the guitarist revealed. "So we [went] a little back and forth until he felt like, 'Okay, this is cool, man. This is the right key to sing in,' and all that."

KING DIAMOND received a Grammy nomination in the "Best Metal Performance" category for the track "Never Ending Hill" off the band's last album, 2007's "Give Me Your Soul … Please".

"Give Me Your Soul ... Please" sold 4,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 174 on The Billboard 200 chart.

KING DIAMOND released a DVD/Blu-ray, "Songs For The Dead Live", in January 2019 via Metal Blade Records. The set captures 1987's seminal "Abigail" album in its entirety, twice, and in very different locales: Belgium's Graspop Metal Meeting in June 2016 and Philadelphia's Fillmore in November 2015.

Photo by Jeremy Saffer

In a new interview with Terrie Carr of the Morristown, New Jersey radio station 105.5 WDHA, Joe Satriani spoke about the collaborative album he is working on with fellow guitar legend Steve Vai. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, we are recording every single day. Steve and I've been doing most of it remotely. We had great plans. Once he finished BEAT, I finished working with Sam [Sammy Hagar as part of 'The Best Of All Worlds' tour], we said we're gonna get together in L.A., and then L.A. caught fire. So we went back to working remotely. We've got about maybe half the record finished. But I'm heading down to Los Angeles next week and we'll spend some time working in the studio together."

He continued: "This album is crazy sounding and it's just guitar playing all over the place. Steve and I'd never written music together, so this is really fresh and different for us. It's very exciting. And we've got a bunch of different players on it from both of our bands, as well as other musicians in L.A. that we always love playing with.

"So, yeah, we hope to have another single out by the middle of March, I think."

As previously announced, Satriani and Vai have joined forces to create the SATCHVAI band. Last month they introduced the rest of the group's lineup: powerhouse drummer Kenny Aronoff, renowned bassist Marco Mendoza and virtuoso guitarist Pete Thorn.

"Finding the right musicians for the SATCHVAI band was at first a daunting task, then an exciting one; there are so many great musicians to choose from!" Satriani said. "It's no secret that the chemistry between players will always be the thing that makes them a magical live band, and we've found that chemistry with Kenny, Marco and Pete. The upcoming shows will focus on not only our respective solo works, but also the music from our new album. We are so excited to get this show on the road and celebrate it with all of our fans!"

As Vai explained: "When considering forming one band around myself and Joe we talked about the qualities needed for each position, bass, drums, rhythm guitar. It was a surprising challenge to find the right fits."

Drummer Kenny Aronoff is no stranger to Satriani fans. He has toured alongside Joe as part of the CHICKENFOOT band, joined on Satriani solo tours since 2019, played on "The Elephant Of Mars" album, and most recently stepped in for Jason Bonham on "The Best Of All Worlds" tour with Satriani, Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony.

"What can I say about the legendary Kenny Aronoff that I haven't said before?" asked Satriani. "No other drummer has the sound, feel, time, groove, and swagger like Kenny. He's an exceptional human being too. He's supernatural!"

"Kenny is the quintessential rock drummer," said Vai. "His time is bulletproof, his tone is fat and clean, and his ability to respond in an improvisational setting is instant. Besides that, he's one of the easiest and most fun guys to tour with — an essential quality on the road."

When it came to adding a rhythm guitarist and bass player, the duo was challenged to find the right combo. Vai had been aware of Pete Thorn for quite a while and knew he was perfect for their band. As Vai explains: "Pete's playing is rock solid with a huge tone in his fingers. His rhythm playing is tight and in tune in a way that's rare, and his intonation is stunning. He's the perfect musician for this band, and we couldn't be happier to have him."

Satriani agreed: "Pete is an all-around monster guitarist. He has that rare ability to shine on rhythm and lead guitar, switching back and forth with finesse. He's got the technical abilities and the rock 'n' roll attitude Steve, and I were hoping to find for our band."

Then came the choice for bassist. Vai said of the addition of Marco Mendoza: "Marco is a bass phenomenon. With his six-string fretless, his bass sings with perfect intonation and swooning vibrato. His wide, rich tone and masterful control of dynamics will bring a new dimension to our songs."

With Satriani echoing, "Marco's musicianship is boundless. He's got a special magic to his bass playing; it's both foundational and out front at the same time. Together with his exceptional singing voice and stage presence, he will be a driving force in our band."

Aronoff said: "I've been performing and recording music with Joe Satriani since 2012 (CHICKENFOOT, Sammy Hagar, G3 and Joe's band) and have performed live with Steve Vai, but the next level is RIGHT NOW because I am joining the SATCHVAI band for a two-month tour this summer in Europe. I am pumped, excited and ready to kick ass!"

Thorn stated: "It sounds like something out of a mad fantastical dream that the 14-year-old guitar-obsessed me would have had….'Joe Satriani and Steve Vai called, they want you to join their new band!' And then I'd wake up and go to 9th grade math class! But it's real! It's a mind-blowing opportunity, and yet I also feel like I've arrived exactly where I've always wanted to be. I'm beyond excited to be of musical service to these legends, and to rock out!"

Mendoza said: "I have to say that getting invited to be part of a great project like this is monumental for me personally! I know it's going to be something very special, and I can't wait to get it started."

The SATCHVAI band tour will kick off on June 13 and feature stops in major cities like London, Paris, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam, and will also include performances at major European summer festivals including Hellfest, Umbria Jazz Festival and Guitares en Scene Fest. The tour is set to conclude in late July, with more dates to be announced soon.

Celebrating nearly five decades of musical friendship, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai made their first musical collaboration debut in March 2024. "The Sea Of Emotion, Pt. 1" showcases the unmatched synergy between these two legendary guitarists as they seamlessly trade solo sections throughout the nearly six-minute opus. Their second collaboration is set to be released just before the European tour, adding even more anticipation for this epic run.

DEEP PURPLE guitarist Simon McBride has announced the release of his new album, "Recordings 2020-2025", due out March 14 on earMUSIC.

The first single, a fascinating take on DURAN DURAN's 1992 hit track "Ordinary World", is available now for streaming and download.

"This is such a beautiful song," Simon McBride shares about the single. "I wanted to try a different feel on it. Like with any version of a song, it's important to me to be creative but also pay respect to the original."

McBride's meteoric rise has been nothing short of remarkable. Since joining DEEP PURPLE in 2022, he has captivated audiences worldwide, playing a crucial role in the band's latest chart-topping album "=1". His journey — from years of hard work as a solo artist to gracing the covers of music magazines and celebrating multiple number one chart positions — is the kind of story rock and roll dreams are made of.

"Recordings 2020-2025" showcases McBride's unique musical style, a dynamic blend of blues, hard rock and jaw-dropping guitar mastery. Featuring raw, intense studio sessions, it captures the essence of McBride's high-energy live performances. Alongside original material, the new album includes handpicked covers such as "Ordinary World"; MR. MISTER's "Uniform Of Youth"; and Bryan Adams's "Kids Wanna Rock".

With flawless performances and exceptional production quality, this collection of rare tracks is essential for rock fans. For those who have followed McBride's journey with DEEP PURPLE, the new album offers an exciting glimpse into his versatility and musical brilliance.

McBride will embark on a European tour in March and April.

"Recordings: 2020-2025" track listing:

01. Uniform Of Youth
02. Kids Wanna Rock
03. Ordinary World
04. Grandma's Hands
05. I Gotta Move
06. Lovesong
07. Dead In The Water
08. Gimme Something Good
09. Don't Dare
10. Heartbraker
11. The Stealer
12. Hell Waters Rising
13. Dead Man Walking
14. Fat Pockets
15. So Much Love To Give

Tour dates:

March 23 - The Stereo - Glasgow, Scotland
March 25 - The Deaf Institute - Manchester, England
March 26 - The 100 Club - London /England
March 28 - Backstage At The Mill - Paris, France
March 30 - Colombia Theatre - Berlin, Germany
March 31 - Kent - Hamburg, Germany
April 01 - Strom - Munich, Germany
April 02 - De Casino - Sint Niklaas, Belgium

Last November, McBride, who joined DEEP PURPLE in September 2022 as the permanent replacement for Steve Morse, spoke to Thomas Blug of BluGuitar about what it has been like for me him to step into the shoes previously filled by Ritchie Blackmore, Tommy Bolin, Joe Satriani and Steve Morse. Regarding his approach to playing DEEP PURPLE's classic songs, Simon said: "Well, I try to be very respectful to what's been done before, because, obviously, there's things I can change and there's things I can't change. That's probably why I sound a little bit like Steve or like Ritchie at times 'cause I'm playing their solos, and I'm trying to put a bit of my own influence into it as well. But it's the only way you can do it. I think if I tried to play like Ritchie or play like Steve, they'd sack me. 'Cause they said, 'We want you. We don't want any copies.'"

McBride also talked about his pre-DEEP PURPLE work with PURPLE keyboardist Don Airey on Don's solo tours as a member of THE DON AIREY BAND or DON AIREY & FRIENDS. He said: "Don's what we call rock royalty. He's been around for years and he's done everything. But yeah, in his band, we basically did lots of his stuff from RAINBOW, Ozzy [Osbourne], Gary Moore, the list goes on, WHITESNAKE and all that stuff. So it was a lot of fun. We actually only really played ever one DEEP PURPLE song in his set 'cause he has so many songs he could choose from. And he always wanted to play his own solo stuff as well, which I was part of. But yeah, it's been a fun last ten years for me."

Back in April 2023, McBride was asked by Colombia's El Expreso Del Rock how he landed the DEEP PURPLE gig. He responded: "I know Don Airey very well. I played with Don for [about] 10 years now. And I also know [PURPLE singer] Ian Gillan very well, and I played with him off and on. I also know Roger [Glover, PURPLE bassist] and I know Paicey [PURPLE drummer Ian Paice] as well. I've known them all, I've played with them all, but never at the same time. And I get on very well [with them]… I think I was kind of the natural fit for the band because… as I know Don and played with him and played with Gillan and I know the rest of the guys. We all get on very well. But, yeah, it was still… When I got a call to do it, it was just a bizarre feeling. I think I was jumping for joy."

Regarding how he feels being a member of such a legendary band, McBride said: "It's a great thing to be part of DEEP PURPLE. The name DEEP PURPLE is just iconic, and I'm very lucky that I can put my name through that, as being a part of it. But, yeah, the guys are great, and all the crew. It's like a big family on the road. And we all have a lot of fun and we all get on very well. Yeah, I'm very honored to be a part of the whole thing."

Simon previously recounted the initial call he received to fill in for Morse in an October 2022 interview with Andrew Daly of Vinyl Writer Music. At the time, he said: "Well, there was talk of me stepping in for Steve temporarily towards the end of 2021, but I never really thought much of it. I never thought much of it because it was always a case of, 'It may happen or it may not happen,' because it depended on Steve's wife's condition as to whether he would be able to tour. But it just got to the stage where Steve decided enough was enough, and he needed to look after his wife, which is an amazing thing he's doing. So, I knew it was possible, but I didn't know for sure; I only really found out recently that I was being confirmed as a permanent replacement."

McBride went on to say that the chemistry was "immediate" between him and the other members of DEEP PURPLE. "We had a few days of rehearsal in May [2022], and that's all we needed. And then we did a few shows in Israel, and places like that, which were my first shows, and all we had was those few days of rehearsal. I know Don very well, and I've played with Ian [Gillan] and Roger for a long time, so it clicked quickly. But yeah, it was a funny thing — we did the three or four days of rehearsals, but we really only needed one. After the first day, we all looked at each other and said, 'Well, we think it sounds pretty good. We don't really need two extra days.' We got to work straight away, and everybody was very happy. It helps that I'm a very easygoing person, and I get on well with everybody, I think. So, there was never an issue or a thought about if I would get on with them or not. And as I said, I've met them before, knew their personalities, and knew what to expect, so it's been a great atmosphere."

In August 2022, McBride told the "Scars And Guitars" podcast about his approach to playing DEEP PURPLE's classic songs: "At the end of the day, for me, with this gig, there's been lots of people saying, or asking me will I play like Ritchie or will I play like Steve or will I do this like Tommy or Satriani or whatever. So that thing initially kind of confused me a little bit; I didn't know what to do. It was only when I was talking to Don Airey about it, and he just said, 'Forget about it all. Just be you. Play your own thing.' That's it. Which I did. And I kind of started to relax a little bit and just be myself.

"When you start to think about who else has been in the band, you get a little bit confused what to play or when to play or what to do or 'should I play this like Ritchie?' or 'should I play it like Steve?'" he continued.

"Everybody has their own opinion on the guitar players in DEEP PURPLE and which ones worked better or whatnot. I [am] respectful to everybody who's played there, because they're all good players — every single one of 'em — so whether it's Ritchie or Tommy or Steve, I just kind of [am] respectful to what they've done in the past, and I just do my own thing most of the time.

"There's certain things you have to play. Like 'Highway Star', for example, I'm not gonna play anything different to what's there in the original, because why the hell would I? [Laughs] That's my attitude. If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

McBride, who had previously toured with both Gillan and Airey, among others, added: "I learned a lot from Don Airey over the years, playing with him, because when he plays some of the Jon Lord parts, he's, like, 'Well, have you heard the keyboard solo?' I was, like, 'Yeah.' And he said, 'Well, why in the hell would you change it?'

"Some people can be, like, 'Oh, I need to do my own thing.' And I go, 'Well, I'm sorry. But these guys spent a lot of time in the studio, or wherever it is, creating these pieces of music that fit the song. So why would I be so arrogant to say, 'I'm gonna change that just because I wanna play my own thing'? 'Cause I know, really, I wouldn't come up with anything better.

"It's case of just… I just go on and do my thing and I don't really think about it too much, what people say. People will either like me or hate me. I don't know."

As for the response he has gotten from the DEEP PURPLE fans, the Irish blues-rock guitarist said: "To be honest, everybody's been so nice and so cool and so kind, especially on the social media stuff where it's all been very positive. You get the odd negative one, but I don't read a lot of it anyway. But it's really cool that people accept me, because it is a legacy band and they've been around a long time. I really appreciate that people are digging what I do, and I feel it every night onstage. Some of the shows we've done, some of the audience reaction has been incredible.

"We played a show in Macedonia. We came off. We did an encore and stuff. And then 20 minutes later, the audience are still shouting," he recalled. "I'd never heard this my entire life — 15, 20 minutes of 10 thousand people shouting for more, just constantly, and they wouldn't leave. Even Don Airey and Roger Glover were standing there in shock, going, 'We haven't heard this in a long, long time.' I'm not saying that's all for me; I'm just saying that's just for the band.

"I'm very [happy] that people like what I'm doing because it is always hard stepping into a band where you've had [laughs] Ritchie Blackmore, Steve Morse, Joe Satriani and Tommy Bolin. They're not small names by any means, so it's always very… I think if you just play and have fun, that comes across and people respect that and people will really see.

"I'm [45], so I kind of grew up in that old-school playing method anyway. 'Cause I grew up in the '80s and '90s, so I guess I'm still part of that older generation, if you wanna call it. So the way that I play would still fit very well, whereas maybe some of the new, modern players wouldn't fit. I don't know.

"Yeah, the response has been brilliant. I can't complain at all. And I thank every single person that has said a nice thing about me."

In July 2022, Morse officially left PURPLE to care for his wife, Janine, who was battling cancer.

Morse's announcement came four months after the guitarist said that he would be taking a hiatus from the band, in the hope of rejoining his bandmates once his wife's health improved. He was then replaced on the road by McBride.

Morse effectively took over Ritchie Blackmore's DEEP PURPLE slot in 1994 and had since been in the group longer than Ritchie.

McBride, who is guitar player, singer, songwriter and a band leader all in one, hails from Belfast in Northern Ireland — a place that resonates of the best music traditions like Gary Moore and Rory Gallagher, as well as bands such as THIN LIZZY, STIFF LITTLE FINGERS and obviously U2.

Photo credit: Franz Schepers

DEF LEPPARD has released the official music video for its cover of Ben E. King's 1961 classic "Stand By Me". Check it out below. All proceeds from the song will go to FireAid, which raises money for those impacted by the fires that swept through Los Angeles throughout January.

DEF LEPPARD's version of the song is featured in the Netflix film "Bank Of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger", which was released on January 10. The band can be seen performing the track before the credits.

DEF LEPPARD says: "We are very excited to share our take on 'Stand By Me' from 'Bank Of Dave 2', which you can stream.

"All proceeds from the track will be donated to FireAid to assist in both short-term relief efforts and long-term initiatives to prevent future fire disasters throughout Southern California.

"Los Angeles, we stand by YOU".

DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott said: "Los Angeles and its surrounding area has always played a central role in DEF LEPPARD's career, from it being where some of us are based and it being our U.S. hub for rehearsals, to being the city where we played our first-ever American gig. We feel blessed to be able to dedicate this song and give all the royalties to the amazing heroes in L.A. helping those affected by the fires. No better song."

DEF LEPPARD bassist Rick Savage said: "For a time in the '80s and '90s, L.A. became my home from home. To see the devastation caused by the wildfires is heartbreaking. To everyone affected by the tragedy, our hearts go out to you all. May you find a way forward physically, mentally and spiritually. It's hard to comprehend the incomprehensible but there's a chance if we stand by each other."

DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen said: "I have a continued appreciation for the L.A. firefighters and all of the first responders. I know how important first responders are in states of emergency, especially given my history, which is why in addition to supporting FireAid through the release of 'Stand By Me', the Raven Drum Foundation will be offering five signed guitars to benefit First Responders Resiliency Inc., offering free resiliency and trauma trainings for first responders and their families across California."

DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen said: "In times of devastation, standing together is more important than ever. As a resident of Southern California for 35 years, I've witnessed the impact of wildfires as they continue to ravage communities across California.

"Our cover of Ben E. King's 'Stand By Me' is a tribute to resilience, unity, and hope. All proceeds from our version will go directly to wildfire victims, helping those who need it most. Let's stand by each other and make a difference — because no one should face hardship alone."

DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian Campbell said: "Having spent most of my adult life living in L.A., it's beyond heartbreaking to see the devastation wrought by the fires. I'm familiar with each and every neighborhood affected and know so many who have lost their homes and livelihoods. Our thoughts continue with them all as they begin to rebuild their lives and communities."

DEF LEPPARD's first concert of 2025 took place on January 18 at Feria Estatal De León in León, Mexico. As was the case with the band's October 14, 2024 private show in Nashville (as part of the Daimler Truck Customer Appreciation Event),Campbell was unable to join his bandmates at the León gig due to his cancer treatment and was replaced by John Zocco, who is Phil Collen's guitar tech.

Campbell — who before joining DEF LEPPARD in 1992 was well known for his work with DIO and WHITESNAKE — went public with his Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis in June 2013.

Vivian underwent three separate spells of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, only for his Hodgkin's lymphoma to return.

Six years ago, Campbell underwent spine surgery.

Vivian and his DEF LEPPARD bandmates were finally inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in March 2019 — 14 years after the British rockers first became eligible.

DEF LEPPARD's latest album, "Diamond Star Halos", arrived in May 2022 via UMe.

SPIRITBOX, the boundary-pushing force redefining modern metal, return with their latest single, "No Loss, No Love" — a genre-fluid odyssey that seamlessly collides pulverizing prog-metal, hypnotic electronica, and haunting spoken-word passages. Courtney LaPlante is in peak form, her voice stretching from guttural depths to android-like serenity, channeling both raw power and eerie detachment. Produced by Dan Braunstein and SPIRITBOX's Mike Stringer, the track twists and turns, building from ominous tension to a crescendo of swirling chaos. "No Loss, No Love" feels like a companion to "Yellow Jacket" from the band's acclaimed "Eternal Blue" album.

Accompanying the track is a visually arresting music video, directed by Max Moore and Mike Stringer. Shot in Los Angeles, the video matches the song's frenetic energy, cutting between the band thrashing on a platform engulfed by crashing waves and LaPlante draped in pearls and bold, avant-garde glam, exuding an otherworldly presence. The contrast between organic destruction and meticulous artistry mirrors the sonic textures woven throughout "No Loss, No Love".

"No Loss, No Love" follows the heavy-hitting "Soft Spine" and melodic "Perfect Soul", which is currently climbing the Active Rock radio charts, this week reaching No. 25. Together, they offer yet another glimpse into "Tsunami Sea", the two-time Grammy-nominated band's anticipated sophomore album arriving March 7 via Pale Chord / Rise Records.

With "Tsunami Sea" on the horizon, SPIRITBOX are preparing to unleash their most expansive vision yet. Before the album drops, the band kicks off their sold-out European tour on February 13 at London's iconic Alexandra Palace, marking their largest headline show to date with 10,000 tickets sold. From there, they'll continue across Europe before launching into the "Tsunami Sea" North American tour, beginning April 3 in Dallas, Texas. The 24-date trek — produced by Live Nation — brings LOATHE, DYING WISH and GEL along for the ride, tearing through cities across the U.S. and Canada.

This summer, SPIRITBOX will step onto even bigger stages, joining LINKIN PARK for select stadium dates in Italy, the Netherlands, and the U.K.

"Tsunami Sea" track listing:

01. Fata Morgana
02. Black Rainbow
03. Perfect Soul
04. Keep Sweet
05. Soft Spine
06. Tsunami Sea
07. A Haven With Two Faces
08. No Loss, No Love
09. Crystal Roses
10. Ride The Wave
11. Deep End

Formed in 2017 in the picturesque yet isolated region of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada by vocalist Courtney LaPlante and guitarist Mike Stringer, SPIRITBOX would fully cement themselves as a household name in the summer of 2020 with the release of their blistering breakout single "Holy Roller", along with a host of other captivating singles shortly after, resulting in a media firestorm of hype.

With new and existing fans eagerly watching their next move, SPIRITBOX exceeded every expectation imaginable in 2021 with the release of their genre-defining debut studio album "Eternal Blue" via Pale Chord/Rise Records. "Eternal Blue", which debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard 200, kicked open the doors of the heavy metal scene and rewrote the genre's playbook with 12 stunning tracks that incorporated everything from djent and post-metal to infectious synth-laden pop sensibilities and cinematic arrangements, brought fully to life by the inimitable LaPlante's ethereal and commanding vocal performances.

The album cycle for "Eternal Blue" saw SPIRITBOX not only grace the covers of esteemed music publications such as Revolver, Alternative Press, Rock Sound and Kerrang!, among many others but would also solidify the band as one of the most in-demand groups in live music today with their one-hundred percent sold out, first-ever headlining tour in support of the album which saw ticket sales over 40,000. The band would also share the stage with seasoned metal veterans such as LIMP BIZKIT and GHOST and win "Best International Breakthrough Band" at the 2021 Heavy Music Awards.

In 2022, SPIRITBOX secured highly coveted spots at numerous major U.S. rock and metal festivals and were nominated for two Juno awards. SPIRITBOX would also round out their current lineup with the inclusion of drummer Zev Rose and bassist Josh Gilbert in addition to releasing their sonically experimental EP "Rotoscope" in June of that year as well as a cross-genre collaboration with dubstep artist Illenium for the track "Shivering".

During another whirlwind year for the band, including a U.S. tour with SHINEDOWN and PAPA ROACH, SPIRITBOX wrote and recorded their critically acclaimed EP "The Fear Of Fear", released in November 2023. The EP features the single "Jaded", which was nominated for "Best Metal Performance" at the 66th annual Grammy Awards. In the same month, the band would make another genre-bending splash with a high-profile collaboration with rapper Megan Thee Stallion for a remix of her song "Cobra".

In a new interview with Sweetwater, Art Cruz spoke about how he joined LAMB OF GOD nearly six years ago as the official replacement for Chris Adler. Cruz, who had previously played with PRONG and WINDS OF PLAGUE, filled in for Adler on several LAMB OF GOD tours before being named the latter band's new drummer in July 2019.

Art said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've been touring for, like, 17 years professionally — not even just as a drummer: merch guy, drum tech, hangout guy. I've done kind of a lot of different aspects of this industry. I was kind of prepared to jump into something. And most of my career evolved always kind of just elevating itself. It just kept getting like, 'Whoa,' next big thing, next big thing, next big thing. And that wasn't a coincidence. It was just my drive — against all the odds.

"I wasn't raised with a ton as a kid," he continued. "I had a great set of parents who it took me a while to convince them, but they supported my music journey from the very beginning for the most part. So I kept jumping from band to band to band, and with all of the time that you spend on the road, like I said about the metal community, you create friends, you create relationships."

Cruz added: "[Me joining LAMB OF GOD] derived from a relationship that I made with my first band, WINDS OF PLAGUE. We toured with LAMB OF GOD in the 2010 Mayhem Fest. And that was the tour that I first met them and became friends. And we were instantly best friends ever since. I didn't realize, fast forward, eight years later that I would be given the opportunity to help them. And that's what it was — that's what friends do. That was the initial plan, was friends helping friends, and that's what I did. When I got that phone call to help them was one thing, but the in-person conversation to actually join the band was a life-changing experience that I will not forget."

A year ago, Cruz was asked by Drumeo what he would say was the "hardest part" about joining LAMB OF GOD — if it was "something technical, like learning the parts, or it was "dealing with fans who have opinions of the old band configuration". He said at the time: "It's a combination of both. I was so confident with my playing, and not in an egotistical way. I was just very confident with where I was on my skill level. I had been touring for a long time in the trenches, man — from local bands to selling merchandise for bands to being a driver to just being the guy that 'let me help' kind of thing to playing in bands and sleeping on floors and doing all that good stuff. But it wasn't really that — it was wasn't the playing; I was confident enough with my playing. It was a challenge with the fans. It's a big deal. And that goes for anybody. You're [former METALLICA bassist] Jason Newsted, you're [ex-METALLICA bassist] Robert Trujillo; it's crazy how they went back to back to convince fans. And you don't think about that until it's a reality, and you're getting blown up on social media and you're experiencing it. And those are probably the most challenging parts. But with a band and a brotherhood that I have, they've walked me, literally — pun intended — walked me through hell and helped to see me on the other side, so I don't have to really pay attention to that stuff anymore. And I don't. I'm here to inspire. That is my only goal in this world, is to show you where I came from — my vulnerabilities, my weaknesses, and show you how I grow from that and do what I can to be in this position. And thankfully I'm in a better place than I used to be before. It was hard to get through that stuff, man. But thankfully, it's a lot easier to avoid it. Yeah, I just don't go on [social media]. It's fun."

In a 2022 interview with Finland's Chaoszine, LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton was asked if Cruz, who has been the band's drummer of the past six years, was more involved in the songwriting process on LAMB OF GOD's latest album, "Omens", than he was on 2020's self-titled effort. He responded: "I think so. Yeah, I'd say so. Not that he wasn't involved in the first one — he was very involved in the first one — but I think his confidence was up. And I think psychologically, everyone, especially him, was ready to have a bigger impact sonically on the record and to have more personality in the drums rather than… I think on the last album, the self-titled album, he played phenomenally but he stuck very close to traditional LAMB OF GOD movements, and on this album he stretched out quite a bit."

Morton continued: "I think it's about finding a balance about staying true to the historic sound of the band and how the band has sounded; you don't wanna come in sounding radically different. But I think we're all ready, and have been ready, to allow him to grow within the context of LAMB OF GOD, and he's done that for sure."

Art spoke about his contributions to "Omens" — which arrived in October 2022 via Epic Records — during an appearance in June 2022 on "The Garza Podcast", hosted by SUICIDE SILENCE guitarist Chris Garza. "The first, self-titled one we did, it was great, man — we wrote some great songs," he said, referring to 2020's "Lamb Of God", which marked his recording debut with LAMB OF GOD. "But I was still learning their vibe. I was green to that level of… Those guys had been doing it for 28, 29 years — almost 30 years — and I'm the new guy, a young kid coming in. You have to go through the trenches in every which way. And that first album was a very secure, safe way for all of us to just, 'Here's the tunes. Let's figure it out. Learn how we work.' And this one that's coming out, 'Omens', they really let me spread my wings and they really let me play me — they let me be me.

"I'm always inspired by LAMB, and LAMB is a signature sound," he continued. "LAMB OF GOD, to me, is that sound as a unit. It's a unit — it's not one individual. It's Randy [Blythe, vocals], it's Mark [Morton, guitar], it's Willie [Adler, guitar], it's John [Campbell, bass], it's Chris. That's, to me, what LAMB OF GOD was. So I'm not far off from that. That's what inspired me to be listening to metal and shit. It's my favorite metal band of all time. So to take that inspiration and then become my own person, my own player, from WINDS OF PLAGUE to AZUSA to my first band ENTHRAL to PRONG, to finally come to this point, and this is the album. It's all of those bands, it's all of those struggles, all of those trenches, all of those challenges, all of those tours — this is the album that I was able to really… And then the last LAMB OF GOD album, that is what built me to be to this 'Omens' album, for real. And we're just getting started, man — we're so just getting started. And I'm ready. And I'm mentally in a better place to do that, and I'm ready to do it. And the band is, they're my brothers."

The band tracked "Omens" with longtime collaborator Josh Wilbur (KORN, MEGADETH) live in the room together at Henson Recording Studios (formerly A&M Studios) in Los Angeles, California, a location that birthed classics from THE DOORS, PINK FLOYD, RAMONES and SOUNDGARDEN, among others.

During an appearance on "The Adamantium Podcast", ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell spoke about the fact that the average life span of a band is only three or four years. He explained (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Bands aren't built to last, so bands that can stick around and go through fucking changes and shit, that's pretty fucking admirable 'cause it's hard work. And people change. People grow, they have different interests, you got family, life interests, wanna do other shit. They're not built to last. Generally, if you really look at the career, there's a few that really stand the test of time, like decades and decades and decades, but really, if you look at the peak of like a band's career [that creates an] impact, it's about three records. It's about a three-to-five-record window where you're gonna do the bulk of your impact work if you're lucky enough to get it and have it… I'm just saying, in general, they're not built to last. And so when you have a band that can last decades and still be creative and go through stuff, it's something to be fucking admired. It really is — because it takes a lot of effort and a lot of work, and it also takes a connection to a lot of people who fucking support it and love it and fucking wanna show up and hear you play those tunes. And it becomes part of their identity as well as yours."

Cantrell continued: "It's the reason I wanted to do it as a kid and I thought it was magical, and I still think it today. It's such a cool fucking thing to make some shit up, have a good time with your buddies, make some stuff that you like and then you throw it out there and it actually connects to people and it becomes just as important to them as it is to you. And maybe not in the same ways — they probably overlap and you share a similar thing — but that's the cool thing about music. It's so individual, what it speaks to. And also people's tastes change too. Maybe you start out as kind of a punk person and then maybe you get into fucking — I don't know — get into fucking jazz or something, like you go through a blues period or soul and R&B. I did. I went through all of that shit. I'm still evolving."

Cantrell's latest solo album, "I Want Blood", was recently reimagined as a spoken-word series.

The spoken-word version of "I Want Blood" arrived as Cantrell headed out on his first headlining tour supporting the LP. The five-week tour kicked off on January 31 in Niagara Falls, with FILTER opening on all dates.

"I Want Blood" was released on October 18, 2024. The LP, co-produced by Cantrell and Joe Barresi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, MELVINS),was recorded at Barresi's JHOC Studio in Pasadena, California. The album features contributions from bass heavyweights Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES) and Robert Trujillo (METALLICA),drummers Gil Sharone (TEAM SLEEP, STOLEN BABIES) and Mike Bordin (FAITH NO MORE),and backing vocals from Lola Colette and Greg Puciato (BETTER LOVERS, ex-THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN).

Cantrell's previous solo album, "Brighten", came out in October 2021. The LP was Jerry's first project without ALICE IN CHAINS in 19 years.

Jerry's career outside of ALICE IN CHAINS has consisted of two other solo albums and contributions to major film soundtracks. Cantrell's first solo album, "Boggy Depot", was released in 1998, followed by his second album, "Degradation Trip". In addition to his solo artist work, Jerry has released music on soundtracks for several films, including "Spider-Man", "The Cable Guy", "John Wick 2", "Last Action Hero" and "The Punisher".

ALICE IN CHAINS regrouped in 2006 with William DuVall joining the band, and released its third LP with DuVall in the lineup, "Rainier Fog", in August 2018.

Photo credit: Darren Craig

In a new interview with Cassius Morris, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman was asked if he would ever consider joining another band where he does not have complete creative control. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Let me make this completely clear. In my own Marty Friedman world, anything that's got my name on it, my solo band, my solo albums, I have complete control over that. But I take a lot of people in who I respect their opinions, and I use their ideas very, very much. I am definitely not the type who has to have everything come from me. Of course I can veto anything, but you would be so surprised how many people's ideas I take along the way — guitar techs, engineers, of course my band members, people that I hire. The reason I surround myself with the people I do is because I want their opinions, and I wanna get every single thing out of them that I can, and that's a huge part of my music. So when you hear me, it's a combination of everybody. It's a combination of all the ideas and all of the identities of the people that I work with. That's why I choose them. So, that'll make that clear.

"And another thing: I would be absolutely thrilled to join any band or any project that I enjoy and have absolutely no or little say in what goes on in it because I just love music," he continued. "And if I love the music, I'm there. I will do it. I play in a lot of different projects in Japan and all around the world, all around the world. I just played in Jakarta with a girl named Isyana [Sarasvati], who I guess you would say might be the Beyoncé of Indonesia. And her music is very, very intense and heavy and very musical. And she called me to come down and play it at her show and collaborate with her on a single, and I just absolutely loved it.

"So I am open for doing anything," Marty added. "I just love music. In my world, I have the final say of it, but in any other world, I'm absolutely happy to not have the final say of it. And actually, I like not having the final say of it. I like to just play guitar and headbang and play my ass off. That's a wonderful feeling too. So, I do everything. I just love music and I love to play huge situations, small situations in between. As long as I love the music, I'm in there, 'cause that's what I do, that's what I love to do.

When Morris asked Friedman to clarify that he "wouldn't rule out" joining another band, Marty said: "I wouldn't rule anything out. I wouldn't rule anything out at all. Of course, if I don't like it, I would rule that out, if I don't like the music. But you would be very surprised. I mean, people offer me stuff, and sometimes I take it. I love it. If I love the music, it wouldn't matter if it's a veteran or if it's a brand new band. I would do it, man. I'm crazy. I love when people make music that appeals to me. It's magical. So, I'm there, dude."

Friedman kicked off his "Live Drama 2025" U.S. tour on January 25 at Count's Vamp'd in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Friedman's latest solo album, "Drama", came out last May via Frontiers Music Srl.

Recorded in Italy, "Drama" showcases Marty's unique touch, for the first time using both vintage and modern guitars, delivering a pure delight for lovers of music everywhere. From the captivating first single "Illumination", to the album's breathtaking "Mirage" and 10 other emotionally charged mini-symphonies, Marty paints atmospheric elements with a modern and exotic flair, promising an unforgettable musical experience.
Marty's presence in the world of music, the world of guitar and Japanese pop culture is mystifying, bizarre, and nothing short of inspiring. His first major impact in music was in the game-changing guitar duo CACOPHONY, which he founded with equally enigmatic and now-legendary guitarist Jason Becker. He then spent 10 years as lead guitarist in the genre-defining thrash metal act MEGADETH before moving to Tokyo due to his love for Japanese music, language, and culture.

Following his move, he landed a starring role for a new TV comedy "Hebimeta-san" ("Mr. Heavy Metal") and its spinoff, "Rock Fujiyama", which ran for six seasons and propelled him into the living rooms of Japan's mainstream. He has since appeared in over 800 TV shows, movies and commercials, including a two-year campaign with Coca-Cola for Fanta, authored two best-selling novels and was the first-ever foreigner to be appointed as an ambassador of Japan heritage and perform at the opening ceremony for the Tokyo Marathon.

At the same time, Marty has continued his career in music with several solo albums in addition to writing and performing with the top artists in Japanese music, racking up countless chart hits, including a No. 1 with SMAP, two No. 2 songs with MOMOIRO CLOVER, a No. 2 with SOUND HORIZON — just to name a few.

Friedman's autobiography, "Dreaming Japanese", arrived on December 3, 2024 via Permuted Press.