October 26, 2024 saw Portuguese metallers MOONSPELL perform their first-ever symphonic show, dubbed "Opus Diabolicum", at the MEO Arena in Lisbon, Portugal's capital city. The band made history at this unforgettable live event, adding another magnificent chapter to both metal music made in Portugal and their very own legacy. Now, a year later, this monumental event can be yours to view anytime, available in DVD/Blu-ray, two-CD, black and colored vinyl and digital formats via Napalm Records on October 31, 2025.

On "Opus Diabolicum", MOONSPELL revisits its classics and its bombastic album "1755" at a one-off, exclusive show and its biggest production to date. The heavy metallic power of the dark metal pioneers meets the classical magnitude of the 45-piece Orquestra Sinfonietta de Lisboa (Lisbon Sinfonietta Orchestra) — one of Portugal's finest orchestras — conducted by maestro Vasco Pearce de Azevedo.

A new video clip for the MOONSPELL anthem, "Vampiria", is premiering today below. Captured live at the "Opus Diabolicum" show, it's a haunting tribute to the gothic roots of MOONSPELL, that now rises once more in full symphonic glory, unleashing dramatic orchestration and vampiric grandeur like never before!

MOONSPELL frontman Fernando Ribeiro comments: "'Vampiria' is a MOONSPELL classic, as old as time itself. It was a first choice for us because it's actually one of the most remarkable arrangements of the whole show, which granted new blood and life (aren't they the same?) to a timeless, eternal song. See it risen from the dead with your own eyes, after 'travelling oceans of time'."

Regarding his vision for "Opus Diabolicum", Fernando said: "I have never been the one to push MOONSPELL into an orchestral direction. I mean, like any fan, I can recognize the impact classical had over heavy metal (Quorthon, from BATHORY, used to quote Wagner as his favorite 'band') and in my musical collection Mussorgsky, Prokofiev and Ravel could be found, shoulder to shoulder with the aforementioned BATHORY, CELTIC FROST, SARCÓFAGO or [IRON] MAIDEN. But I wasn't a fan of the metal-meets-orchestra efforts myself and when I approached Jaime (Gomez Arellano) to mix this beast, I asked him: have you heard [METALLICA's] 'S&M' and other 'live-with-an-orchestra' metal bands' albums? We want nothing like that!

"This is work of passion: truly the work of the devil (opus diabolicum): imperfect, unprocessed, untamed. A release made by friends to all the friends we have around this goth forsaken world and that in an arena in Lisbon or in a sweaty club in Texas, keep the spell going, until we are no more."

"Opus Diabolicum" track listing:

01. Tungstennio (CD + DVD/Blu-ray only)
02. Em Nome do Medo
03. 1755
04. In Tremor Die
05. Desastre
06. Ruinas
07. Breathe (Until We Are No More)
08. Extinct
09. Proliferation
10. Finisterra
11. Everything Invaded
12. Scorpion Flower
13. Vampiria
14. Alma Mater
15. Fullmoon Madness

In a recent interview with Greece's Keysmash magazine, Ribeiro spoke about a possible follow-up to MOONSPELL's 2021 album "Hermitage". He said: "Well, material we never stopped writing. But I had a kind of dilemma, because we are 30 years old as a band. This year, it's 30 years of [MOONSPELL's debut album, 1995's] 'Wolfheart', three decades of 'Wolfheart'. Next year is gonna be three decades of [MOONSPELL's second album, 1996's] 'Irreligious'. So I entertained the idea of why not be a legacy band? Why not play some shows? What's the point of making new music? I think that's a question that every musician, every honest musician, has to answer. For instance, when I see METALLICA struggling with a new album… Personally, I didn't like [METALLICA's '72 Seasons'] — I mean, not liking, but I didn't [think] it was like such a special album. I like 'Hardwired[... To Self-Destruct]' but '72 Seasons', I think, 'Well…' But I understand, as a musician, that sometimes, even if you are the biggest band in the world, you are not inspired and you just do it for reasons that I want to understand. So we kind of delayed and delayed the album."

He continued: "'Hermitage', the last [MOONSPELL] album, was from 2021. We had our label saying, 'What's up with the new album?' But we did touring, we did the theater acoustic show in Portugal, we did the orchestra show in Portugal. That's all coming out. And I know it's very romantic sounding, but we had to feel the muse calling. And I went to Pedro [Paixão, MOONSPELL keyboardist] and Ricardo [Amorim, MOONSPELL guitarist], because we write the songs, and I said, 'I think it's time for a new album. I think it's time to man up and do something.' And I think that this is gonna be one of the most important albums of our lives. That's what I'm writing. I wrote a lot of lyrics, like 30 lyrics or more. We wrote a lot of songs. We are now cherrypicking what's coming in the album, what's not coming in the album [and what] can be used later on. And I think we're gonna have a new MOONSPELL album in the first semester of 2026."

Regarding the musical and lyrical direction of the new MOONSPELL material, Fernando said: "It's still in the early days. It's not going to be progressive like 'Hermitage', 'cause we've done that before. But I want make an album that is about pure feeling and an album that will grab [people] immediately as the sound of MOONSPELL. So, as I do more the lyrics than the music, I'm not writing about politics or society, money or ambition. People have this every day in their news, in their feed, so I'm writing a very romantic, even gothic album about love, death, what are we doing here? You know, more existentialism. And I think that's the direction we want to go now. So, wish us luck, because I think we'll need it. There's so many bands coming, but I think it's high time and also as a kind of a reward to the fans that have waited so much for the new album. I think we never spent so much time in between albums, so it's gotta be special. And for us too, because otherwise why make something just to fill the calendar when you have albums like 'Wolfheart', 'Irreligious' or [2015's] 'Extinct'? So the stakes are high. So we have to be on par with the stakes."

In the spring of 2023, MOONSPELL completed the "American Full Moon" 30th-anniversary trek.

Three years ago, MOONSPELL canceled its summer 2022 North American tour due to "unsolvable logistic and transportation problems".

In September 2022, MOONSPELL released a very special Blu-ray/DVD and album, a live performance of their latest studio album, "Hermitage", with "From Down Below - Live 80 Meters Deep" via Napalm Records.

MOONSPELL's 13th studio album, "Hermitage", was released in February 2021 via Napalm Records. The LP was recorded, mixed and mastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano (PARADISE LOST, PRIMORDIAL, GHOST, SÓLSTAFIR) at the Orgone Studios in the U.K.

In 2020, MOONSPELL parted ways with original drummer Miguel "Mike" Gaspar and replaced him with Hugo Ribeiro (no relation to Fernando Ribeiro).

MOONSPELL is:

Fernando Ribeiro - Vocals
Ricardo Amorim - Guitars
Pedro Paixão - Keys
Aires Pereira - Bass
Hugo Ribeiro - Drums

Photo credit: Rui Vasco

In a new interview with Rev. Tom Brice of Sportzwire Radio, SYMPHONY X bassist Mike LePond spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's long-awaited follow-up to 2015's "Underworld" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We are getting closer. And, yeah, the fans, they're clamoring for a new album. I can't blame 'em. It's been 10 years. If JUDAS PRIEST didn't come out with an album for 10 years, I'd be pretty mad too. We have been writing it. We have most of the parts kind of together. Now it's just a matter of recording it, really. So, it's definitely coming. And if things stay on track the way they are, we're thinking next year [it will be out], so we're excited. I mean, the stuff sounds really, really cool. And believe me, I want you guys to hear it as soon as possible."

Regarding the musical direction of the new SYMPHONY X material, Mike said: "Well, the 'Underworld' record, I felt, encompassed a bunch of SYMPHONY X styles. I think the new record, judging from what I've been hearing, it's gonna even more kind of be like a summary of SYMPHONY X's career, as far as our musical directions. 'Cause we went on a few directions. There was a point in our career where we got noticeably heavier and a little more straighter."

LePond went on to elaborate on the reasons for the delay in putting out new SYMPHONY X music, explaining: "With SYMPHONY X, there's tremendous pressure on us to consistently do great records. Our fans, they're really diehard fans and they're so supportive and they expect only excellence from us. So that's always in the back of our mind. So, if we're working on something and maybe it's good, but we're not sure, we won't use it. We're only gonna put songs on the record that we feel are excellent and worthy of the fans. So absolutely that plays a role. But the other things too — you had COVID, and in and out of touring. Once you start touring, then you forget about the writing and then you come back to it and then you forget where you left off and you start again."

Early next month, SYMPHONY X will embark on a summer/fall 2025 North American tour with Finnish metallers SONATA ARCTICA. The trek will launch on September 4 in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania and conclude on September 29 in Red Bank, New Jersey.

During this year's 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise, LePond told Metal Anthology about the band's follow-up to "Underworld": "[We've been working on new material for] many years. A bunch of years. We are working on a new album, and it's gonna have all the cool stuff you guys like. It's gonna have the big symphonic stuff, it's gonna have the heavy riffs, it's gonna have the classical [elements as well]. It's gonna have all that stuff in there."

He continued: "When we write, it just takes time, because [SYMPHONY X guitarist and main songwriter] Michael Romeo, his rule [is] there's no filler songs, no songs that are, like, 'Ah, it's not bad.' And it goes in the garbage. They've all gotta be where at least we think they're all great. They all have to be that.

"The fans are, like, 'Hey, it's been so long.' But we promise you it's coming," Mike added. "It's gonna be good."

Asked if there will be a longer song on the upcoming SYMPHONY X album, considering "Underworld" contained mostly "shorter, more straightforward" tracks, Mike said: "We're still thinking where we wanna go with that. There's gonna be something crazy epic on it. We just don't know how we're gonna present it yet. But with all the newer technology for the symphonic stuff, it's gonna be monstrous."

LePond added: "So, yeah, we're excited to finally do it again. When it's time to record the bass, I'll been sweating for days, but once it's done… I have this routine. Once I finish all my bass tracks and I'm just so tired and wiped out, I go to McDonald's [fast food restaurant chain]. That's the only time I go, and it's, like, 'Ah.' My comfort."

Last October, Romeo told the "Coffee With Ola" podcast about the upcoming SYMPHONY X LP: "With us, it's not like, 'Oh, yeah, we're just gonna write one — how do you say? — single, and then just have a bunch of filler. It's, like, everything's gotta be as good as it can be. So, yeah, it gets harder and it takes longer. Then you throw in COVID and a bunch of other things, and then it's just, like, 'Oh, shit.' Now it's, like, I don't know — eight years or something. I lost track.

"What's different now than in the past is that we could take a bunch of time off. There would be some royalties from CDs back in the day coming in and kind of float on the downtime and really get the record done and then come back out [with a] new record, tour. So now it's, like, well, that money's gone. So we have to tour a little bit, keep things going, work on the record, go back out. So it's been like that for a while. And for me — I do most of the writing, so for me it's hard because you're sitting in the studio for whatever month, 'I got this idea,' and you're trying to put these things together, and it's, like, 'Oh, we've gotta go on tour now.' All right, cool. We do our thing. And then you come back, and it's, like, 'What the fuck was I working on again? Was this riff here?' And so you're trying to arrange all this stuff. And then you're, like, 'Oh, I've got all these new ideas.' So then you keep adding. And then after a long period of time, it's, like, 'Oh my god, there's so much stuff I can't even manage it now.' Plenty of material — like three hours of stuff — but now it's actually making sense."

Elaborating on when SYMPHONY X might be done composing the material for the next album, Michael said: "It's gonna take some time to organize everything. It's not like there's nothing there. It's [not], like, 'Oh, man, we have to start from scratch.' There's quite a bit. It's actually overwhelming. I never remember being this overwhelmed by the amount of stuff, 'cause over the last year and a half or whatever, every time there was a break, it's, like, 'Okay, I'll write something.' I didn't stop and [go], like, 'Well, let me finish this.' It was, like, boom, 'I got all these ideas,' and I just kept going. So now it's, like, all right, no more writing. Now more arranging."

SYMPHONY X completed an extensive tour behind "Underworld" in 2016, including a U.S. run of shows with OVERKILL and a pair of headlining performances in Australia.

In July 2017, SYMPHONY X singer Russell Allen and his ADRENALINE MOB bandmates were involved in a crash that killed the latter group's bassist, David Zablidowsky.

In 2019, Allen — who has toured with TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA since 2013 — was injured during the rehearsals for TSO's annual winter trek and was unable to make the tour.

Romeo released his latest solo album, "War Of The Worlds Pt. 2", in March 2022 via InsideOut Music. The record featured guest vocals by Dino Jelusick (WHITESNAKE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA).

Industrial metal legends DIE KRUPPS have inked a multi-album deal with Dependent Records. The German band's new album will be released in 2026, and a large part of their catalog will also be reissued in digital and physical formats via the label.

DIE KRUPPS's Jürgen Engler comments: "We're coming full circle and that is a good thing! Our first contact with [Dependent director] Stefan Herwig goes back about 30 years, before he founded Dependent Records. Back in the days, he hooked us up with FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY for the compilation series 'Remix Wars' and put us on a tour with them in North America in 1996. Now in 2025, the time has come for DIE KRUPPS and Dependent to join forces in order to write the next chapter in our long history. It somehow feels like a homecoming — a great omen for the successful collaboration that we are very much looking forward to!"

Ralf Dörper adds: "With the exception of a short detour at a major record company during the early days of our career, we have always been with independent labels. Therefore it is quite logical that we are joining Dependent Records in the 45th year of our band history. Particularly as the label is run by a veteran and companion of many years such as Stefan Herwig, who has continually brought new impulses to the scene."

Stefan Herwig states about DIE KRUPPS's addition to the label: "DIE KRUPPS are a musical legend, perhaps even the most traditional electronic band of their scene to be named in the same breath as DAF and EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN. What sets them apart from many of the peers is the undeniable fact that they are still very much active and going strong. This is exemplified by their highly successful U.S. tour with MINISTRY and NITZER EBB, where the band enjoyed a phenomenal reception. We are electrified and thrilled to begin this cooperation."

DIE KRUPPS have left a massive mark on the German electronic music scene and also created a massive impact around the globe. And they are not done with continuing their work at all. Although in the 45th year of their fascinating career, DIE KRUPPS are ready to take on the world with their forthcoming new studio album.

DIE KRUPPS were formed in Düsseldorf in 1980 by frontman Jürgen Engler and bass player Bernward Malaka, who had already played together in MALE — one of the first German punk rock bands. They were soon joined by electronic musician Ralf Dörper. At their core a German industrial and EBM band, their name was inspired by the famous Krupp steelworks, symbolizing industrial revolution, massive firepower, and the fusion of machine and music that defined the band's style. Blending elements of electronic rhythms, heavy metal guitar riffs, and socio-political themes, DIE KRUPPS were pioneers of several genres including industrial, EBM and industrial metal.

The early works of DIE KRUPPS, such as the debut album "Stahlwerksynfonie" (1981),were heavily experimental, drawing on industrial noise and mechanical soundscapes. With their sophomore full-length, "Volle Kraft Voraus!" (1982),and even more so with the previous single "Wahre Arbeit - Wahrer Lohn" (1981),the Germans delivered a musical blueprint for the developing EBM scene and its leading acts such as FRONT 242 and NITZER EBB.

During the 1990s, DIE KRUPPS incorporated more metal-oriented guitars, leading to a crossover industrial-metal style heard on albums like "I" (1992) and "II - The Final Option" (1993). Their blending of EBM sequences and heavy guitars influenced the German NDH (Neue Deutsche Härte) scene including RAMMSTEIN. This period gained DIE KRUPPS international recognition and collaborations, while the band also included EXODUS guitarist Lee Altus in their lineup at the time.

After a hiatus in the late 1990s, DIE KRUPPS reformed in the 2000s, resuming touring and releasing new material. Later albums, such as "The Machinists Of Joy" (2013) and "Vision 2020 Vision" (2019),reaffirmed their position as a longstanding and influential act in the industrial and EBM scenes.

For 45 years, DIE KRUPPS have been synonymous with innovation, energy and uncompromising attitude. What Jürgen Engler as the driving creative force and composer and the visionary lyricist and sound artist Ralf Dörper have created is more than just music — it is a movement, a soundtrack for rebellion and change that has blurred the boundaries between EBM, industrial and metal. They are now joined by drummer extraordinaire Paul Keller and as the latest addition, guitarist Dylan Smith, who is well-known from his time with the legendary THE SISTERS OF MERCY. Smith brings a breath of fresh air and a special dynamic to the group, taking the band's already powerful sound to a new level.

DIE KRUPPS is:

Jürgen Engler - vocals, keyboards, guitars, steelophone
Ralf Dörper - keyboards
Dylan Smith - guitars
Paul Keller - drums

In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford reflected on last month's passing of legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman Ozzy Osbourne. Rob said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Oh, man. I got a call the day [Ozzy's death] happened. I just put the phone down in my hotel room in — I think I was in Leeds, in England, and I just curled up in a ball and bawled my eyes out for hours. I just couldn't believe it. I still can't believe it now. I'm still grieving, like so many people. And then we had a show the next day. So, God, how do you process all of this tragedy, all of this love, because I've never seen such an outpouring of love. And we did the show and we came to the song that we'll be playing when we come to see you guys — it's called 'Giants In The Sky', from the 'Invincible Shield' album — and that song talks about people that we love in music that have moved on to this beautiful place. We reference Lemmy [MOTÖRHEAD] and Ronnie [James Dio] and Paul Di'Anno [IRON MAIDEN] and Jill [Janus from] HUNTRESS and Chris [Cornell from SOUNDGARDEN] and all of these greats, Janis Joplin, Freddie Mercury. And then for that show we added Ozzy at the end. And I said to everybody, this just so much to try and comprehend and so tough, but Ozzy would say, 'Let's party. Let's rock and roll. Let's live it up. Let's enjoy.' That was in his heart, his soul, and his spirit. Whenever we did shows together, he would always say that to me after, 'Did you have a good time?' 'Yeah. Yeah.' 'Did you have a good time? Did you really have a good time?' The stuff he pushed out from himself to his fans to everybody, the generosity, the caring, all of the incredible things that he did in music, he was the embodiment of kindness in that respect.

"So it's great that we are talking about him now and we should keep talking about him forever, like I always talk about Ronnie, I talk about Lemmy," Rob added. "These are all friends of mine. And we have to celebrate — we have to celebrate. That's the way of helping you through the grief. You think about the memories, you think about the joy, you think about the good times, and that's what we will always do with Ozzy."

Asked if he remembers the last time he had a conversation with Ozzy or the last time he was in contact with him, Rob said: "No. We used to text occasionally. 'Cause he's another guy I was in awe of. I'm still in awe of Alice [Cooper]. [Laughs] 'Oh my God. He's Alice Cooper.' And I used to feel the same whenever I was in Ozzy's presence, because he had this larger-than-life personality. It'd been a while since we've been in touch. But, again, I just have the wonderful memories of the two opportunities I was able to sing for him with SABBATH. And then this recent opportunity to cover 'War Pigs' [with PRIEST], which we still play at the start of our show, which is one of the greatest metal songs ever written. So that connection will never be severed in that respect."

JUDAS PRIEST paid tribute to Ozzy during the band's July 23 concert at Scarborough Open Air Theatre in Scarborough, United Kingdom. Introducing the aformentioned song "Giants In The Sky", Rob acknowledged the BLACK SABBATH frontman's death a day earlier, saying: "Okay. Look, it's been tough, the last 24 hours, right? It's been tough. But he would want us to be doing this. He would want us to be together, he would want us to be having a good time, which is what we're doing right now. We love you, Ozzy."

After a brief pause amid chants of "Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy!", Halford continued: "This next song is all about him and all of the other greats that we've lost. Their music lives forever. They used to be down here on the earth plane. Now they're in the sky plane, as we call it. This is 'Giants In The Sky'."

During the song — a tribute to musicians now gone — the screen displayed images of the likes of Ronnie James Dio, Lemmy, Freddie Mercury, Taylor Hawkins and Christine McVie, finishing on two gigantic images of Ozzy.

A few hours after Ozzy's passing was announced on July 22, JUDAS PRIEST released the following statement via social media: "Our hearts are broken like millions around the world. Words can't express the love and loss we are all feeling.

"Sharon, may God surround you and your beautiful family with love, peace and light.

"Ozzy, you will never leave us — your music is eternal. God blesses you now more than ever after you blessed us all through your magnificent life.

"Rob, Glenn, Ian, Richie & Scott".

Earlier in July, PRIEST released a cover of BLACK SABBATH's "War Pigs" ahead of the "Back To The Beginning" concert, which marked the original SABBATH lineup's last-ever performance.

PRIEST was unable to appear at "Back To The Beginning" on July 5 in Birmingham, United Kingdom because the band was scheduled to perform at SCORPIONS' huge hometown 60th-anniversary concert at the Heinz Von Heiden Arena in Hannover, Germany on the very same day.

This past May, Halford said that he was "absolutely gutted" to have to miss the last BLACK SABBATH concert. Rob told Metal Hammer: "I had no idea [the SABBATH show] was happening. It all got announced and was a big deal — [the Hannover concert featuring] SCORPIONS and PRIEST — and suddenly I get this phone call [from Ozzy Osbourne's wife and manager Sharon Osbourne]: 'Robbie, I know you've got this gig with SCORPIONS, but could you consider coming over to do a thing with Ozzy and the guys. He'd love to see you.'"

Halford explained that trying to make both performances happen would be "dangerous", adding: "Even with a private plane, there's a word called 'technical', where something could go wrong, or the weather that time of year could cause problems… I was absolutely gutted."

Acknowledging that K.K. Downing was going to perform at the Villa Park concert, Halford said that the founding PRIEST guitarist would represent "the spirit of the band".

In August 2023, Halford picked BLACK SABBATH's classic 1970 self-titled debut album as one of the albums he'd be willing to listen to in perpetuity if he found himself stranded and alone on an island. He said: "I would have to go with BLACK SABBATH, the original 'Black Sabbath' album that I think is the motivator for all great things in heavy metal."

Back in 2020, Halford broke down his top 10 favorite albums in an interview with Rolling Stone and explained how they helped make him who he is. Among the records included on the list was BLACK SABBATH's debut. At the time, Halford said about his choice: "They were local guys from the same neighborhood, the same neck of the woods as PRIEST. We literally grew up together, inventing this great music that we love and cherish so much called heavy-metal music.

"I chose the 'Black Sabbath' album just because, like so many bands, your first one or two records really establish who you are as a band," he explained. "It's a bit like PRIEST with 'Rocka Rolla' and 'Sad Wings Of Destiny'; 'Sad Wings Of Destiny' becomes the one we love so much because it becomes defining. With 'Black Sabbath', here was the first example of what heavy-metal music should sound like, just the texture, the tone, the structure of all of the material, Ozzy's very unique voice. It's just become a very important record in the discography of BLACK SABBATH."

Halford joined SABBATH for two gigs to support Ozzy Osbourne on his last shows for the "No More Tours" tour in November 1992 in Costa Mesa, California after SABBATH's singer at the time, Ronnie James Dio, refused to take the stage. Rob also performed with SABBATH members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward on August 26, 2004 at the Camden, New Jersey stop of Ozzfest after Ozzy came down with an "attack of bronchitis" and was unable to take part in the concert.

Asked which SABBATH tune he'd most enjoying performing with the band, Halford told The Georgia Straight: "Ooo, that's a good question. Um, I'd probably say the actual song 'Black Sabbath', which is, to me, the most evil song that's ever been written. [Laughs]. It's very fucking scary. There's something very malevolent about that song. It's just the whole — it's the way it starts, and then it's almost deathly quiet, and then that opening line: 'What is this I see before me?' You know, I just get goosebumps thinking about it now. And when I sang that song live, it makes you feel really… Wow… I can't describe it. It's just very overwhelming, the emotion is very overwhelming. And when you see Ozzy singing it you can see him change, you know, his whole demeanor, he just changes as a person to sing that song. It's really spooky."

According to BBC News, BLACK SABBATH's farewell concert made a total of £33.8 million (approximately $45.5 million).

New figures from the University of Birmingham show £27.6 million (approximately $37 million) of the total amount raised by the "Back To The Beginning" event at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom was retained in the West Midlands region, which consists of seven metropolitan boroughs, including the city of Birmingham.

Dr. Matt Lyons, who conducted the analysis, told BBC News: "As regional economists from the University of Birmingham, we thought we would do our bit to honor Ozzy's legacy by estimating the economic impact of his last gig.

"The impact of the Prince Of Darkness obviously goes far beyond the financial impact his gigs and TV shows have netted.

"Ozzy is a global legend, and his gift of incredible music, and now his final economic impact, will go on to benefit his home city far into the future."

42,000 tickets were sold for the concert, with 20% of them being purchased by international fans, paying prices ranging from £197.50 to £834.

Last month, Sharon shot down as "ridiculous" reports that "Back To The Beginning" raised nearly $200 million.

In the days after "Back To The Beginning", the event's musical director, Tom Morello, shared an Instagram post stating that roughly $190 million (140 million British pounds) would be donated to charity from the concert. Billboard magazine later also reported that the event had raised $190 million, while The Guardian reported that the pay-per-view livestream of the event reached nearly six million fans, generating an estimated $150 million in revenue. At the time, it was expected that the funds would be distributed equally to Birmingham Children's Hospital, Acorn Children's Hospice and Cure Parkinson's — an organization dedicated to finding a cure for the disease Osbourne had lived with since 2019.

In an interview with music industry trade publication Pollstar, conducted on July 17 — just five days before Ozzy's death — his wife and manager said that claims of "Back To The Beginning" raising nearly $200 million were highly inaccurate.

"One of the things that's frightening me is all this false press about [how], we've made $140 million and all of this, and I'm like, God, I wish we could have, for one gig," Sharon said. "It's just ridiculous, the different stories. I went on the internet the next morning and it was like, $140 million, $160 million. And I'm like, Where does this stuff come from?"

"It takes a really long time [to arrive at the final number that will be donated to charity], because we've had all of the bands that we had come in and their expenses, and it'll take a good six weeks to get the final number," she continued.

When Pollstar writer Ray Waddell noted that "these reports are not helpful for the Children's Hospital to see, waiting for their $190 million", Sharon responded: "Oh my God! It's the Children's Hospital, a children's hospice, and Parkinson's research. Everybody thinks that they're going to cure everything with this much money, but it's not the real world."

Sharon went on to say that the concert, which also featured a solo performance from Ozzy, as well as appearances by METALLICA, SLAYER, PANTERA, GUNS N' ROSES and TOOL, among many others, was "a huge success." She said: "It was a phenomenal event. It was the first time, I think, that anybody's gone into retirement and done it, where the show is streamed and it goes to charity. So it's the first time anybody has said goodnight like that, it's the perfect way, when you've had such a long career, to end it. I never wanted Ozzy to just disappear without some big event."

Billboard reported last month that the concert was watched by 40,000 ticketholders and 5.8 million individuals online, with each of the above-mentioned charities also raising tens of thousands of pounds in additional donations by raffling off tickets to the show, auctioning off iconic art and band photographs donated by BLACK SABBATH, and through individual contributions from fans as they streamed into the concert, which took place at Villa Park in Birmingham, England.

At "Back To The Beginning", Ozzy played a five-song set with his solo band — consisting of guitarist Zakk Wylde, bassist Mike Inez, keyboardist Adam Wakeman and drummer Tommy Clufetos — before being joined by fellow original BLACK SABBATH members Tony Iommi (guitar),Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums) for four classic SABBATH songs: "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "N.I.B." and "Paranoid".

Ozzy's solo set consisted of four songs from Osbourne's 1980 solo debut album "Blizzard Of Ozz" — "I Don't Know", "Mr. Crowley", "Suicide Solution" and "Crazy Train" — along with his 1991 "No More Tears" ballad "Mama, I'm Coming Home".

The 76-year-old heavy metal singer sang while seated on a black throne and appeared overcome with emotion at times. "You have no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart," he told the crowd.

At the end of SABBATH's set, Ozzy said: "It's the last song ever. Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle, thank you from the bottom of our hearts." Osbourne was then presented with a cake, while fireworks lit up the stadium from overhead.

A message on screen then read, "Thank you for everything, you guys are fucking amazing. Birmingham Forever," before the sky lit up with fireworks.

Ozzy died on July 22 of a heart attack, his death certificate revealed. The certificate also reportedly said the musician suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease.

Photo credit: Ross Halfin

In a new interview with Strefa Music Art, DARK ANGEL and DETHKLOK drummer Gene Hoglan, who is known for combining great chops with blistering speed and technical brutality, spoke about how he maintains his way of playing extreme metal music after four decades. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm always trying to keep my chops up. And one thing that I have noticed over the years is that, for whatever reason, there are things that occur where, like, say a Bear McCreary tour is not gonna challenge me physically the way a DARK ANGEL or DETHKLOK is, but I notice I can kind of jump back into the physicality and the cardio or whatever that a DETHKLOK or a DARK ANGEL or a DEATH TO ALL needs pretty quickly after the Bear run, which definitely shows a different aspect of my drumming, a more well-rounded aspect of my drumming as opposed to just [full speed ahead for] 12 songs a night kind of thing."

After the interviewer noted that Hoglan said in the past that he wanted to keep playing until he is at least 70, Hoglan said: "Into my seventies, yeah, definitely. So, yeah. I'm 57 now. 70 is 12 years away. No problem. 75 is, whatever, 17 years away, and 80 is just, whatever, 23 years away, whatever it's gonna be. 12 years [until I'm 70]. Shoot, man, as long as I just remain healthy, I see no problem with pummeling people until my eighties. That's my intent. I'm not gonna hang up the sticks at some point. I'm going to be crushing until very much longer than this.

"I admit, when I was 19 or 18 doing [DARK ANGEL's] 'Darkness Descends' [album], I never thought this far in advance, that, 'Hey, 40 years from now, are you gonna be playing this material?' Never even thought about that. But here we're now — [I'm] definitely doing it."

DARK ANGEL's first new album in 34 years, "Extinction Level Event", is due later in 2025 via Reversed Records.

The "Extinction Level Event" title track was written by guitarist Jim Durkin long before he suffered from severe liver disease, and, to the surprise of everyone, passed away on March 8, 2023 at the age of 58. It was recorded and mixed at the Armoury Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, executive produced by Hoglan, produced and engineered by Rob Shallcross and mixed by Mike Fraser.

An original member of DARK ANGEL, Durkin played on the band's first three albums — 1985's "We Have Arrived", 1986's "Darkness Descends" and 1989's "Leave Scars" — before departing the group in 1989. He was part of DARK ANGEL's lineup when the band reformed in 2013, and had been playing with them, on and off, ever since.

Prior to his death, Durkin had been sitting out some of DARK ANGEL's gigs. He was replaced at the shows by Hoglan's wife Laura Christine, who has since joined DARK ANGEL as a permanent member.

The "Extinction Level Event" artwork and layout was designed by Cain Gillis, with concepts by Hoglan.

DARK ANGEL released two albums with Don Doty on vocals — the aforementioned "We Have Arrived" and "Darkness Descends" — before he exited the group and was replaced by Ron Rinehart (after a brief stint with Jim Drabos in 1987). The band issued two more studio LPs — "Leave Scars" and "Time Does Not Heal" — before calling it quits in 1992.

After almost three decades as bassist, vocalist and co-writer for legendary bands like PIXIES (2014–2024),A PERFECT CIRCLE, ZWAN and THE ENTRANCE BAND, Paz Lenchantin now steps forward with her debut solo album, "Triste", out October 17 on her own label, Hideous Human Records.

"Triste" is a 12-track album that blends both Latin folk textures with American rock structures that features Paz on piano, adding her signature string arrangements around the rock band roots she came from. Paz performed all of the instruments before enlisting some of her favorite Los Angeles-based musicians, reuniting her with former A PERFECT CIRCLE bandmates Josh Freese (drums),Troy Van Leeuwen (guitar),and also longtime friend Jeffertiti on the album's lead single "Hang Tough".

The official music video for "Hang Tough", directed by Lenchantin, can be seen below.

"Triste" began forming in Petatlán, Mexico, where Paz spent most of 2024 on her own writing songs about faith, doubt, and self-discovery, mirroring her own experiences post PIXIES.

Mixed by Chris Coady (BEACH HOUSE, YEAH YEAH YEAHS),"Triste" delivers a fiercely personal and expansive statement that stamps the first chapter in her solo career.

“I had to make this record on my own — not to prove anything, but just to have faith that music can nurture me back," Paz said in a statement. "And it did."

"Triste" track listing:

01. Novela
02. Lows & Highs
03. Woman Of Nazareth
04. Hang Tough
05. Wish I Was There
06. Si No!
07. In The Garden With The Devil
08. Adam
09. Lucia
10. Sin Dios
11. Save It For Hell
12. Triste

Lenchantin joined PIXIES in 2014 after the group parted ways with bassist Kim Shattuck. In 2024, after recording three albums with PIXIES and countless world tours with the band, the PIXIES announced that they were parting ways with her.

"My departure is a bit of a surprise to me as it is to many," Lenchantin told Rolling Stone at the time, "but it looks like they have a solid plan figured out, which in turn has pushed me to move onwards onto new projects that I am excited about."

Photo by David Alvarado

In a new interview with the Everblack podcast, MY DYING BRIDE guitarist Andrew Craighan spoke about the band's decision to recruit vocalist Mikko Kotamäki (SWALLOW THE SUN) to front MY DYING BRIDE for its live appearances in 2025 after an apparent dispute with MY DYING BRIDE's founding singer Aaron Stainthorpe. Asked how the collaboration with Mikko came about, Andrew said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "Basically, it was fairly easy. All we did is ask — via Facebook, of all things… We just told him that we need a vocalist for these upcoming shows. We didn't give him any ins and outs of what was taking place. [We just asked], 'Are you available?' And he just said, 'Yeah, I'm in. I'll do it. Whatever you want, I'll do it.' And we're, like, 'Fucking hell. That was easy.' He then flew over to England a couple of weeks later and we rehearsed and it was easy. And we thought, 'This is easy.' So that was pretty much it."

Andrew continued: "When we got him in rehearsal and we were playing some of the older stuff, he just knew [the songs]. There was just no drama. And we were, like, 'This is gonna be all right. He knows the songs.' Now, don't get me wrong — he doesn't sing quite like Aaron does or would, but what he's done is done absolute honesty to the albums, but with his nuances, let's say, his sort of characteristics, but not losing anything, or anything at all, actually."

Craighan also talked about a possible follow-up to MY DYING BRIDE's latest album, "A Mortal Binding", which came out in April 2024 via Nuclear Blast Records. He said: "We're always writing. Well, I'm always writing. We were in a little mini studio recently in Huddersfield. It's a great place called Vibration, and we put some new stuff together there just for fun. And we we're just sort of toying with ideas of where we wanna go next. I mean, it'll still be us, of course; we're not gonna be breaking out into any strange hip-hop or anything like that.

"We've nothing to lose — we've really nothing to lose at this stage — so we are kind of damned if you do, damned if you don't," Andrew explained about MY DYING BRIDE's new material. "So we're thinking of maybe even going back to, say, bringing back some of the early death metal stuff off the first album. Maybe do another '[The] Barghest [O' Whitby]' where we deliberately write a song so you can't have a B-side because it's 30 minutes long and we don't like B-sides…

"But, yeah, I'm certainly always writing, and I've got plenty of ideas," he added. "And there's some riffs that didn't quite squeeze on to the last album that for some reason just didn't make it on that we can always use those to springboard the next session of writing. So, short answer is yes, we're writing. There's nothing complete — maybe bits of three songs. But I wouldn't wanna play it to anybody right now because it's too soon."

Last month, Andrew spoke in more detail about MY DYING BRIDE's decision to recruit Mikko, telling Metalirium: "Despite all the problems, the band was willing and ready to perform the remaining shows in 2024, but, unfortunately, there was no willing singer. The band only discovered this at the very last minute, which led to the cancelation. Given that the album had just been released, the band was not prepared to be sidelined. As a result, a meeting was organized to discuss the possibility of a replacement. Mikko was the unanimous first choice."

As for Aaron's current status with MY DYING BRIDE, Andrew said: "As Aaron has, in truth, distanced himself from the band, we are only aware of his activities through social media and online interviews. The band contacted him in March 2025 to enquire about his intentions with MY DYING BRIDE, but he has not responded. We first learned through social media that he was on a hiatus from MDB. Although he states online that he is still part of the band, he has not engaged with us since April 2024. So, in response to your question, the band does not know what his plans with MDB are."

Kotamäki has already played three shows with MY DYING BRIDE in Europe, at the Rockmaraton Fesztivál in Hungary, the Pit Of Metal in Slovakia and at the Dark River festival in Finland.

During a recent appearance on the Iblis Manifestations podcast, Stainthorpe stated about his current status with MY DYING BRIDE: "Well, in fact, the last thing I heard was they're writing new material as well now, which is interesting. I have not heard from Andrew for over a year. And as me and him are the only founder members left… And we never had a manager. Me and Andrew managed as best we could for years and years and years. There was only one stint when we nearly got a manager — Ronnie James Dio's ex-wife, funnily enough. That was a long, long time ago. So me and Andrew figured, 'Well, we could probably do it.' So we had a go of it, and then we had this big bust-up — I can't even remember when it was now, a year ago, a year and a half. And I thought, 'We'll let it die down a bit, and when we come to our senses, we'll get around the table, thrash out our differences and reignite the band.' And then I saw they were gigging without me. So I thought, obviously there's no communication then. So, what do I do? I'll just keep doing what I do until there is some communication. And there still hasn't been. So I'm getting on with my life. I'm not gonna sit there and stew and wait for things to happen. I'm gonna crack on and maintain a busy schedule. But I've no idea who they're gonna use in the studio, if they do a new album. I don't even know if there's a record deal anymore, 'cause everything's gone pear shaped at Nuclear Blast. I don't even know if Nuclear Blast is operating as a full record label anymore. I've heard all kinds of weird stories. And I know for a fact that the guy I used to chat with at Nuclear Blast, he's not there anymore. So over the last couple of years there's been massive, massive changes. So I don't even know if MY DYING BRIDE have a deal. And if they do, I don't know where that leaves me. I've not left the band, and I haven't been kicked out, so I don't understand where we're gonna go. I don't know what the future is. But having been a founder member and in the band for 35 years, I'm not leaving. If they wanna do things without me, well, good luck to 'em."

When Iblis Manifestations host Shayan noted that "it sounds like quite a complicated situation" in light of the fact that a legal MY DYING BRIDE partnership exists between Aaron and Andrew, Stainthorpe concurred. "Yeah. And it'll only get more complicated," he said. "I don't fully understand it. You would hope and imagine that as a founder member who hasn't left, I would have some authority somehow, but it seems not. So I don't really know. I'm probably gonna have to seek legal advice at some point. Obviously, I didn't want to, and I don't want to, but if a record comes out, a MY DYING BRIDE record comes out, and I'm not on it, but I'm still officially the singer, I don't know legally what I'm supposed to do. So at some point, unfortunately, it looks like I might have to seek legal advice, which in this country we have the musicians' union, so it's not a problem. They've got all the experts. And I do know some people quite high up in the business. So I've got people with their finger on the pulse so I can chat with them and just see what's what. But I don't want to. I would just rather keep singing MY DYING BRIDE songs. But maybe I don't have a choice with that."

Aaron also clarified that his involvement with his new band HIGH PARASITE, which released its debut album, "Forever We Burn", last September via Candlelight/Spinefarm, didn't create any issues with MY DYING BRIDE, despite fan speculation to the contrary. "Yeah, there was never gonna be a conflict," he explained. "MDB do about 15 gigs a year, and [there is] sometimes three or four years between albums. I could be in 10 bands and it wouldn't affect the scheduling of MY DYING BRIDE. I spoke to [HIGH PARASITE bassist/vocalist Danny] Tombs [Lambert] back in the day and I said, 'Here's some MY DYING BRIDE gigs. Make sure there's no HIGH PARASITE [gigs] clashing, any clashing of any gigs at all.' And he said, 'Absolutely fine. That will not happen.' And, well, it never even got that far, because we had a big bust-up before then, and the gigs got canceled anyway.

"You don't sacrifice the main band for your smaller band," Aaron continued. "That doesn't happen. Can you imagine Lars Ulrich saying to METALLICA, 'Do you know what, guys? Can we cancel those big gigs, 'cause me and my mates wanna mess around in this other band?' It doesn't work that way. It doesn't happen like that. And it would be ridiculous to even think that. 'Cause I know some people think, 'Oh, Aaron's concentrating more on HIGH PARASITE than MY DYING BRIDE. So he sacrificed MY DYING BRIDE for HIGH PARASITE.' You don't do things like that. It's utterly, utterly ridiculous. And why would I? MY DYING BRIDE has been an absolute delight for me for 30-odd years. I'm not gonna let that go. And I'm certainly not gonna let another, a smaller band batter it out the way. It doesn't work like that. Literally every musician I know is in more than one band. It's easy. Anyone can do it. It's not an issue."

Asked if he has been in touch with any other members of MY DYING BRIDE, Aaron said: "I see Neil [Blanchett, guitar] every once in a while for a beer in Halifax. But zero communication with the others. They've all got my details."

Pressed as to whether he has tried to reach out to the other members of MY DYING BRIDE since the "bust-up" happened that he mentioned earlier in the interview, Aaron said: "There's no point. There's no point because if they're not contacting me, they don't want to. So it's pointless me chasing them. They're doing what they wanna do and they clearly wanna do it without me."

Aaron went on to say that he is still holding out hope things could be ironed out between him and the other members of MY DYING BRIDE in the coming months.

"The reason why I'm not screaming and shouting is because I genuinely think it's not over," he said. "If I knew it was definitely over, then, yeah, I'd be heartbroken. But I try to remain optimistic that somehow we can work stuff out. I don't see why we can't. We're not kids. We're not a gang. We can surely work something out. Because normally when bands split up, there's normally some sort of financial irregularity, someone's run off with all the money, or there's some infidelity — 'You slept with my wife' or 'you slept with my wife.' Bands split up because of serious — something's gone really bad, really bad. We have none of that, which is why I think we can get back together. But let's see."

Asked what he would say to Andrew right now if the guitarist was listening to the interview, Aaron said: "Give us a ring. Give us a ring. It's not hard, is it?"

MEGADETH guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari has shared a new video message in which he offered an update on the recording sessions for the band's final studio album.

On August 14, MEGADETH announced that its upcoming LP will be the band's last. The Dave Mustaine-led outfit will also embark on a farewell tour in 2026.

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

In his video message, Teemu said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Hey, Teemu from MEGADETH here. I hope you guys are doing great. I just wanted to give you a little update on what's been going on lately.

"Most of this year we've been in the studio working on the new MEGADETH music, starting with songwriting, getting in the studio and jamming together, arranging the songs, recording demos, getting all the little details right, getting the final takes and slowly crafting the music to its best form. So there's been a lot of traveling between home, my home studio in Zurich [Switzerland] and the band's studio in Nashville. We also got to squeeze in a couple of festival shows this summer.

"Currently we are very close to completing the recordings for the album," Teemu revealed. "I think the songs are sounding great, and I am super excited for you guys to hear it soon as well. So I hope you guys stay patient for just a little bit longer. New music and a lot of other exciting things are on the way. We have also some shows coming up this fall. We are playing an exclusive headlining show in Istanbul, Turkey on the 22nd of September, followed by a four-week tour across Europe with DISTURBED. So if you haven't gotten your tickets yet, now is the time. I hope you also check out our VIP options so we can meet you in person.

"I'm really looking forward to getting back on tour," the guitarist added. "See you guys soon."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mäntysaari joined MEGADETH two years ago. He stepped in as the replacement for Brazilian-born guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who announced in September 2023 that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland. It was later revealed that the now-38-year-old Finnish musician would continue to play guitar for MEGADETH for the foreseeable future, with Loureiro seemingly having no plans to return.

Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and began playing guitar at the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has also been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.

Released in September 2022, MEGADETH's latest album, "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!", sold 48,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marked MEGADETH's eighth top 10-charting album.

MEGADETH's previous top 10 entries on the Billboard 200 were "Countdown To Extinction" (No. 2, 1992),"Youthanasia" (No. 4, 1994),"Cryptic Writings" (No. 10, 1997),"United Abominations" (No. 8, 2007),"Endgame" (No. 9, 2009),"Super Collider" (No. 6, 2013) and "Dystopia" (No. 3, 2016).

Led by the growled vocals and razor-wire riffing of Mustaine, MEGADETH are one of the "Big Four" thrash titans. Shortly after being kicked out of METALLICA in 1983, Mustaine met bassist David Ellefson, and the pair bonded quickly, forming the core of MEGADETH. Drummer Gar Samuelson and guitarist Chris Poland later joined, and MEGADETH released their underground-hit debut "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!" in 1985. Its follow-up, "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?", solidified the band's status with sprawling yet tightly wound songs like the uneasy opener "Wake Up Dead" and the fiery title track.

"So Far, So Good... So What!", released in 1988, featured a new lineup as well as a thrashy cover of the SEX PISTOLS' "Anarchy In The U.K." and the anti-PMRC broadside "Hook In Mouth". In 1990 they released "Rust In Peace", with Nick Menza on drums and technical wizard Marty Friedman on guitar; songs such as "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" and "Hangar 18" blended pummeling riffs and suspicion-fueled lyrics with a stadium-rock ambition that matched the era's metal-embracing tendencies.

"Countdown To Extinction", released in 1992, and "Youthanasia", released in 1994, continued the band's dominance of metal and emergence in rock's mainstream, with the latter album's "À Tout Le Monde" being a rare thrash ballad. After a brief breakup in the early 2000s, MEGADETH returned as a de facto Mustaine solo project with 2004's "The System Has Failed". Ellefson rejoined in 2010 prior to the album "Th1rt3en" and remained in the MEGADETH lineup until 2021, when he was fired.

In addition to Mustaine and Mäntysaari, MEGADETH's current lineup includes drummer Dirk Verbeuren and bassist James LoMenzo.

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In a new interview with Andrew McKaysmith of the Scars And Guitars podcast, legendary German guitarist Uli Jon Roth spoke about his pioneering role in the neoclassical metal genre. His unique style, incorporating classical techniques and exotic scales, has inspired numerous guitarists, and his time with the SCORPIONS significantly shaped the band's sound. Uli said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm not a metal guy. When I was in the SCORPIONS and the name heavy metal barely existed, we were considered, if you want to classify it, as a melodic hard rock band. So metal, the name, came afterwards, and then it became something which is actually not my cup of tea. Most metal, for me, is just a little bit too hardcore, a little bit too distorted and, for me, maybe a bit two-dimensional. And what I mean by that is the lack of dynamics.

"I come from a time, like in the '60s when I first started, in the '70s, where even loud bands played with a lot of dynamics," Uli explained. "People like LED ZEPPELIN, [Jimi] Hendrix, CREAM, they were loud on stage with the amplifiers, but they were actually very dynamical in it. The guitars, the drums, everything was dynamical. Now, in heavy metal that gradually went away and everything went to 11 all the time — the guitar constantly hyper distorted, every drum beat fortissimo — and for me, it's very often more like a cacophony. So I'm not a fan. There are some metal things that are excellent and great — absolutely — but on the whole, it's not something I like to listen to. It's not my world."

Asked how it feels to know that he and fellow German guitarist Michael Schenker were so hugely influential in shaping the heavy metal guitar style that is popular today, Uli responded: "I don't really think along these lines. For me, I know that we had a strong influence on particularly guitar players, but some people have said, 'Yeah, these two guys are the architects of rock,' which is, I think, an exaggeration, because we were standing on the shoulders of other people. Michael was listening to maybe LED ZEPPELIN, Rory Gallagher, MOUNTAIN and I was listening to [Eric] Clapton, Hendrix and some other bands. And that's where we learned our craft. And then, of course, we were like the next generation. We put our own stamp on it. And it was a time of discovery — the early '70s sort of field was wide open; it was completely wide open. And there weren't that many explorers around, I found. There were a few, and they pushed it forward. In Holland, in the Netherlands, you had Jan Akkerman. He was an explorer, and he was amazing, and his guitar playing — he was way ahead of the game of most of the other players. In England you had Ritchie Blackmore [DEEP PURPLE]. Then you had Brian May [QUEEN] in England slightly later. All these people were pushing it forward in their own way, and most of them were in England, most of the great guitar players, which is very strange, but I counted it once; there were at least 12 of them. Some of them may be not as well known, but there was [PINK FLOYD's David] Gilmour, there was Allan Holdsworth. There was Gary Moore; of course, he was Irish. There was Hank Marvin, who started it all. There was [THE BEATLES'] George Harrison. Amazing what he did on the electric guitar and the sitar. And I probably forgot quite a few here, but they were all English and British or Irish. And the rest of Europe had a lot of guitar players, but not many of them made it into quote-unquote writing history as such, or rock history. You can count them on one hand, whereas in England it was like a nest. You had all these people. Yeah, Jimmy Page also. Of course, Jeff Beck. I forget Jeff Beck. Hello. Big mistake. He was definitely one of the all-time greats."

This fall Uli Jon Roth will return to North America with an extraordinary new program titled "Pictures Of Destiny". This highly anticipated tour promises to be a mesmerizing three-hour extravaganza, including the premiere of compositions from his long-awaited "Requiem For An Angel". Uli will be accompanied by a full band and a string quartet, making for an ensemble of 10 talented musicians performing on stage. The music will be enriched by dynamic multimedia projections, offering audiences an immersive experience at seated venues.

Fans will have the opportunity to witness a stunning orchestral rendition of Roth's groundbreaking piece "Sails Of Charon", alongside several new compositions and material from his acclaimed "Transcendental Sky Guitar" albums. There will also be a couple of classic early SCORPIONS tracks, from Uli's "Tokyo Tapes Revisited" DVD, blending a touch of nostalgia with innovative artistry. While the show will include many beloved pieces, the spotlight will shine brightly on Roth's latest compositions, marking their debut in the United States.

As a special addition, Roth will showcase a collection of his original oil paintings, inspired by his music and songs, in each venue's foyer. Critics have described his artwork as "Rembrandt meets 'Star Wars'," and these visually striking works of art will be integrated into the performances to enhance the audience's journey.

Roth's tour offers more than just a concert — it is an emotional and artistic odyssey. Through his exceptional guitar artistry and evocative paintings, Roth invites audiences to immerse themselves in a world of profound beauty and inspiration.

In recent years, Roth has revisited the early music of his period with the SCORPIONS, which resulted in the "Scorpions Revisited" double CD and "Tokyo Tapes Revisited" DVD/Blu-ray releases.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest guitar players ever, Uli pioneered a unique style of guitar playing which — for the first time — combined complete mastery of the instrument with an intensely melodic and emotional appeal.

From his earliest days onwards, Uli has always been a bold and uncompromising musical innovator of the first order. Being the first guitar player in rock to incorporate complex melodic arpeggio sequences, Uli Jon Roth — in the eyes of many of his peers — practically reinvented modern guitar technique almost singlehandedly during his SCORPIONS tenure, but even more so during his ELECTRIC SUN days.