At this weekend's Guitar Summit guitar show in Mannheim, Germany, ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello and MR. BIG bassist Billy Sheehan revealed that they have both recorded separate guest appearances on the upcoming 50th-anniversary album from legendary German/American metallers ACCEPT.

Tentatively due in early 2026, ACCEPT's upcoming effort will cover the band's entire musical history. The anniversary LP will contain a carefully curated selection of the best ACCEPT songs from the last five decades, re-recorded — partly with well-known surprise musical guests and colleagues — as well as with some rare tracks that have not been played so often before.

Frank said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "My friends in ACCEPT, the band ACCEPT — I love the band ACCEPT. You guys know the band ACCEPT? I've been a fan forever. So they were kind enough to ask me to play a song on their 50th-anniversary record. I did a song, it's called 'Save Us' [from ACCEPT's second album, 1980's 'I'm A Rebel']. It's an old-school song. Some good, fun bass lines in it. And the funky thing [I mentioned in an Instagram clip I posted from the sessions a couple of days ago], I found it fun and challenging."

Billy, for his part, said: "I just did four songs on the ACCEPT 50-year-anniversary tribute record. ACCEPT was one of my favorite heavy metal bands of all time. Thank you, Germany. [Laughs] I did 'Fight It Back' [from 1983's 'Balls To The Wall' album], 'Restless And Wild' [the title track of 1982's 'Restless And Wild' album] and two others; I forgot. So that's coming out."

Last year, ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann told Metal Journal about the band's upcoming 50th-anniversary LP: "I can't tell you anything yet, because it's way too early. I can just tell you it's gonna be a massive thing. And I don't really wanna get into it yet because I'm not really here to talk specifics about it. It's still in the planning stages. It's gonna be amazing. I think it's gonna be some really big names that are gonna be participating in that. And you'll have to wait. Sorry. It's just too early."

As for whether ACCEPT had already "selected" the guest musicians who would appear on the album, Wolf said at the time: "Yes, we have selected a lot of it. Not all of it, but we have selected a lot."

Back in April, Wolf revealed to Mark Strigl, that longtime ACCEPT producer Andy Sneap would not be involved with the band's upcoming 50th-anniversary album. "He will not be on this one, because he asked for a year off from us," Wolf said. "I asked him, I begged him to produce his album, but then we found a good buddy of his. His name is Zeuss [Chris Harris]. He's producing it."

Hoffmann continued: "[Andy is] kind of part of the family now, but he's been touring so much with [JUDAS] PRIEST [as that band's touring guitarist], and he's been working so much in the studio last year. I think he did SAXON, he did PRIEST, he also did DREAM THEATER — he's done a bunch of stuff. So when I said, 'Hey, can we work this year again?' He said, 'Man, can I please have a year off?', which is understandable."

Regarding ACCEPT's upcoming 50th-anniversary tour, Wolf said: "It's gonna be a retrospective of the whole 50-year career and, of course, it's gonna feature a lot of the important stuff from the '80s and some deeper cuts. And we're gonna perform with guest singers and guest players, and it's gonna be super exciting, like a once-in-a-lifetime thing. You only have one shot at a 50-year anniversary… I don't think we'll get a chance for another one."

Sneap produced ACCEPT's last six studio albums: "Blood Of The Nations" (2010),"Stalingrad" (2012),"Blind Rage" (2014),"The Rise Of Chaos" (2017),"Too Mean To Die" (2021) and "Humanoid" (2024).

Zeuss has previously worked with ROB ZOMBIE, HATEBREED, QUEENSRŸCHE, SHADOWS FALL, DEMON HUNTER, OVERKILL and REVOCATION, among many others.

In February, Hoffmann told Metal Talks about ACCEPT's 50th anniversary: "Yeah, it's a funny thing. I joined this band when I was 16 and just never left. And here I am all these all these years later, coming on a 50th anniversary, which is crazy. But yeah, it's definitely something that we're very proud of. And not every band is lucky enough to be around for this long and to still be in the business and to still be touring to still have fans.

"I think ACCEPT, we're very fortunate in the way that we achieved the impossible," he continued. "We had a change of lead singers 15 years ago with Mark Tornillo, and things are better than they've ever been for us. I mean, the last few albums have been phenomenal, the touring is going great, we have sold-out shows everywhere. So, I mean, we are really, really fortunate, and I'm fully aware of that. And yeah, to mark the occasion, we're gonna have a special tour. We're gonna release a new album with — we're gonna re-record some of the old classics and some of the deeper-cut songs from back then with guest people, guest singers, guest guitar players, and we're gonna bring this out on the road in '26. So we're working on that for the next year or so.

"This is a milestone that needs to be celebrated properly, and what better [way to do it]?" Hoffmann added. "I mean, we only have one chance for a 50th anniversary. I don't think I'll get another one. With all optimism, I don't think I'll be around 50 years from now, or the fans will be, so we might as well have this opportunity and make use of it. And it's gonna be fantastic. I know it. We're gonna play some songs we've never played before, and it's gonna be great."

Last November, Wolf told The Adamantium Podcast about ACCEPT's upcoming 50th-anniversary album and tour: "Well, I can't tell you too much yet, because it's too early and right now we're featuring this tour [promoting ACCEPT's latest album, 'Humanoid'], so let's focus on that. But I can tell you it's gonna be a huge thing because turning 50 is a big deal."

Wolf continued: "We have always shied away from all these, I would call them little anniversaries, because, really, we could have done a [celebration of] 20 years of this album, 20 years of that album, 30 years [of some other album]. Every year is something to celebrate. I mean, when you have 15 albums or 16 or 17, something always happened 20, 30, 40 years ago. It's always a round number of years. So we could have done that for a long time. There's people who do it all the time. We always said, 'Nah, we'd much rather feature the current album and then make a new one after that and stay current.' But, man, with 50, that's where I gotta say this is the one — this is the big one. There won't be another one… And also, quite honestly, we're getting up there in age a little bit, and I'm not quite ready to retire, but you never really know. Honestly, at some point, we could all say this might be our last tour. You never really know. Somebody might get sick.

"50 is a big deal, and we're gonna really celebrate it properly," Hoffmann added. "It's gonna be a completely different show with a lot of surprises. That's all I know. So we've got a year of planning to do and then executing and stuff."

Hoffmann told Metal Journal about why he and his bandmates decided to announce that they would embark on a 50th-anniversary tour in late 2025 when they still had plenty of touring to do last year in support of their latest album, "Humanoid": "Things like that take time. People have asked me for the last two years: 'Are you gonna do an anniversary thing?' Everybody wants to know. So I finally said, 'Okay, we're gonna do it.' And it's gonna be massive, man. It's gonna be a huge surprise with all the guests that we're gonna have. And I think it's gonna be completely different from anything we've ever done before. So I think it's gonna blow people away. But that doesn't take away from this tour that we have coming up, because, first of all, it's gonna be another year or more before we even go on this next tour. So if you like the new album, 'Humanoid', and if you love ACCEPT, you've gotta see this tour, no matter what. It's gonna be definitely a highlight anyhow."

On the topic of whether there was any talk about possibly announcing a farewell tour to coincide with ACCEPT's 50th anniversary, Wolf said: "We've been doing it for a long, long time. And I honestly don't know how long I can do this. I mean, nobody knows what the future will bring, and it has crossed our mind, absolutely. So, it might be that we go off with a highlight like this and then just really say, 'Okay, this was it.' I don't know yet, to be honest."

Regarding whether former ACCEPT members Udo Dirkschneider (vocals) and Peter Baltes (bass) will be invited to take part in the 50th-anniversary tour, perhaps just in the form of a guest appearance at select shows, Wolf said: "Yeah, of course, of course. That doesn't mean they're gonna [show up]. We have to wait and see. Of course, everybody [is invited]. The door is always open for anybody to join us on this, because it's gonna be a retrospective of all the 50 years of ACCEPT, and whoever wants to participate is more than welcome. Yes, sure."

Asked if he will call Udo and Peter directly to ask them to participate in the tour or if he will wait for their call, a visibly irritated Wolf said: "Can you shut up already? You're not gonna get me to talk about it. I'm sorry, man. I know it's a nice try. Everybody wants to know these things."

Over the past five decades, ACCEPT has sold millions of albums and inspired countless musicians. Their energetic live performances and iconic albums such as "Balls To The Wall", "Restless And Wild" and "Metal Heart" have left a lasting mark on the heavy metal genre. Hoffmann's guitar style and musical vision have made the band one of the most respected on the heavy metal scene.

After a hiatus in the band's career, Wolf was introduced to New Jersey singer Mark Tornillo in 2009. The chemistry and fit between them was so remarkable, ACCEPT reformed and almost immediately rose to global success with chart-topping albums. ACCEPT continues to be celebrated for each of their new records with Mark, who is now the longest-reigning frontman of ACCEPT, placing the Hoffmann-Tornillo partnership firmly in the Metal Hall Of Fame.

For decades, ACCEPT has been recognized as a guarantee of high quality and each of their albums has reached the top of the charts, delivering energy, melodies, killer riffs and an impressively powerful stage presence for 50 years.

Tornillo joined ACCEPT in 2009 as the replacement for Dirkschneider, who was the band's original lead singer. Mark can be heard on ACCEPT's last six studio albums.

As previously reported, ACCEPT will support QUEENSRŸCHE this fall on the "Volume And Vengeance Tour". The trek will kick off on November 7 in Denver, Colorado at Summit and will conclude on December 20 in Temecula, California at Pechanga Theater Casino.

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Glasya has released “Glimpse Of Memory” (featuring Visions Of Atlantis’ Michele Guaitoli), second single taken from the new album “Fear” to be released on October 24 by Scarlet Records.

This emotional song marks the moment when Sarah – the main character of the “Fear” story/concept – begins to have flashes of memory and remember herself and her past, and that there is someone else close to her… A magnificent duet with the very special guest Michele Guaitoli on vocals.

Three years after the Attarghan concept album, Fear displays a more modern symphonic metal sound with strong grooves, catchy chorus and several honorable special guests (Moonspell’s Fernando Ribeiro, Vision Of Atlantis’ Michele Guaitoli, Dark Oath’s Sarah Leitão).

Fear tells the quest of a woman who finds herself confronted with her own fears and gains the courage to overcome them. The listener will be walking in the shoes of the protagonist and feel her trepidation, her convictions, her achievements and the confidence that she develops in herself to help a close one.

During the course of the compelling story, she will fully reveal her weaknesses and how they can finally become her strengths – a real triumph over adversity.

Produced by Fernando Matias at The Pentagon Audio Manufacturers (Sinistro), and mastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano at Orgone Studios (Ghost, Behemoth, Paradise Lost), Fear will be released in the following formats:

– jewel case CD
– digital

Artwork by Phobos Anomaly Design:



Tracklisting:

“Fear” (feat. Fernando Ribeiro)
“Hunt Of The Haunted”
“In Debris” (feat. Fernando Ribeiro)
“Stuck In A Cobweb”
“Glimpse Of Memory” (feat. Michele Guaitoli)
“Rising Wildfire” (feat. Sarah Leitão)
“In A Flooding Room”
“The Cold Of Dark”
“Rescue”
“The Confrontation”
“In Your Haven”
“The Ultimate Challenge”
“Overcoming”
“No Teu Abrigo”

Dawn Of A Dark Age are finally ready to unveil some of the main aspects of their new album, Ver Sacrum. It will be released on December 12 via My Kingdom Music in digipak CD, LP and deluxe edition.

Today they present the amazing cover artwork created by Norwegian photographer, Kjetil Karlsen. See below.

The album sees the presence of a new singer, Ignazio Cuga, aka Brusiòre, of the Sardinian folkish black metal band Kre’u and this will permit the album to be brought on stage for the first time for the band with exclusive live shows programmed for December.

Musically, it is even darker and more sinister, with truly ancient atmospheres that leave an indelible mark on this work. The theme once again harks back to the Samnites, and in particular to the so-called Sacred Spring (Ver Sacrum in Latin), a social and religious ritual common in pre-Roman times.

Pre-order the album here.



Tracklisting:

“Il Voto Infranto (L’Ira Di Mamerte)”
“Il Consiglio Degli Anziani (L’Oracolo)”
“Il Rito Della Consacrazione”
“Venti Anni Dopo: La Partenza (Nascita Della Nazione Sannita)”

Metallica introduce the new Funko POP! Rocks: 72 Seasons figures with the following update:

“In the fifth Metallica x Funko collaboration, we’re celebrating 72 Seasons! Get your hands on the complete band bundle, now available in The Metallica Store, the Probity UK Shop, Funko.com, and in-store at various retailers.”

Shop The Met Store, shop Probity Merch, shop Funko.









Metallica continues: “When you support All Within My Hands through Fandiem, you could win an autographed copy of the new Load (Remastered) Deluxe Box Set!

Donation options start as low as $10, plus a free entry method. All donations support All Within My Hands’ mission to create sustainable communities by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services.

Sweepstakes ends Friday, October 3, 2025, at 11:59 PM PT. Open worldwide. Must be 18 or older to win. See complete details and donate to win at fandiem.com/metload,”

Catalyst Crime vocalist Zoe Marie Federoff, formerly of Cradle Of Filth, has checked in with the following update:

“Two years ago, Catalyst Crime shot a video for a song written almost four years ago. That video and that album will finally see the light of day soon. I’m sure a lot of people are expecting me to release music related to my departure from another band, but I just don’t have any interest in making music about that. I’ve got things I’ve been waiting ages for you to hear- and it’s not a sequel or a derivative. It’s a whole other book.

Prepare for something completely different. It’s been a long time coming.”



Catalyst Crime previously shared the following news:

“Dear Catalyst Crime friends,

Many of you noticed we were gearing up for a release next month with teaser posts and hints about an upcoming single/album. Unfortunately, after much thought, we’ve decided to once again delay the upcoming release. Most of it was written 3-4 years ago before Zoe joined another band, and is unrelated to anything underway in the public eye.

We have been sitting on this nearly complete album for almost 3 years and we hate to delay it again, but we feel strongly that it has nothing to do with current events and needs its own space to breathe.

We apologize to everyone who was anticipating this release and we hope to have a new date set soon when the time feels right. This hiatus should hopefully be much shorter than the last.”

Catalyst Crime is an international cinematic symphonic metal band that began in 2017 as a project between Xandria drummer Gerit Lamm and American vocalist Zoe Marie Federoff. They joined with orchestral composer and keyboardist Jonah Weingarten (Pyramaze, Aries Descendant), guitarists Chena Roxx and Kaelen Sarakinis, and bassist Matt Federoff, eventually taking shape into a fully formed band, blending the epic soundscapes of symphonic metal, the dark intensity of death metal, and moments of free-spirited progressive metal.

Upon meeting the band and hearing their music, legendary producer Alexander Krull (Leaves’ Eyes, Atrocity) eagerly joined the team and began recording sessions at Mastersound Studios in Stuttgart, Germany. Their self-titled debut album was released in October 2021 to widespread acclaim. Building off the positive reception of the album and 3 video singles, the band returned to Mastersound to record their second – and once again delayed – album in the fall of 2023.

US death metal veterans Deteriorot have dropped their second advance single, “In Battle To Survive”, from the band’s fourth full-length album, Awakening , which is set for release on October 21, 2025 via Xtreem Music on CD, vinyl, cassette, and digital formats. Place your pre-order here.

Stream “In Battle To Survive” at this location, and check out the lyric video below:



This new single follows the album’s first unveiled track, “Winter Moon”, and continues to showcase Deteriorot’s trademark fusion of atmospheric Finnish/UK death metal tones, Swedish brutality, and raw NJ/NY intensity — a sound that has solidified their legacy since their origins in 1988 (then as Mortuary, becoming Deteriorot in 1989).

Having shared the scene with influential acts such as Immolation, Incantation, and Mortician, founding member Paul Zavaleta (vocals, guitars) continues to drive the band’s vision forward, channeling pure darkness, heaviness, and atmosphere into Awakening.



Tracklisting:

Awakening
The Flame
In Battle To Survive
Horrors In An Everlasting Nightmare
A Ghost In The Mirror
Deliver Us From Fiction
Haunting Images From A Past Life
Programmed By Fear
Winter Moon
In Silence
The Spirit
To Sleep

Rammstein proudly present their ultimate vinyl collection, to be released on November 14, 2025. A limited-edition vinyl box featuring all 33 of the band’s singles, remastered, pressed on 7″ vinyl and housed in a stunning, handcrafted, black, heavyweight wooden case.

Pre-order Rammstein’s XXXIII Limited Edition Collector’s Vinyl Box here. Check out the trailer below.



With the XXXIII Collector’s Vinyl Box, released on November 14, 2025, a complete anthology of all 33 officially released singles since 1995 will be available for the first time – presented chronologically from “Du riechst so gut” to “Adieu” (2022), each with its original artwork and B-sides on 7″ vinyl.

This collection comes in a deep-black wooden box featuring an inlaid metal logo – strictly limited to 6,000 copies worldwide.

– each box is hand-numbered
– 33 x 40 g black vinyl
– remastered edition
– beech wood box, stained black
– embossed metal Rammstein logo, antique silver finish
– embedded metal hinges and magnetic closure



Tracklisting:

Vinyl I
Side A // “Du Riechst So Gut” (Single Version) 04:50
Side B // “Du Riechst So Gut” (Scal Remix) 04:45

Vinyl II
Side A // “Seemann” (Single Version) 4:48
Side B // “Der Meister” 4:10

Vinyl III
Side A // “Engel” (Single Version) 04:23
Side B // “Wilder Wein” (Demo Version 1994) 5:41

Vinyl IV
Side A // “Du Hast” (Single Version) 03:54
Side B // “Du Hast” (Remix by Jacob Hellner) 06:44

Vinyl V
Side A // “Das Modell” (Single Version) 04:46
Side B // “Kokain” 03:09

Vinyl VI
Side A // “Du Riechst So Gut ’98” (Single Version) 04:24
Side B // “Du Riechst So Gut ’98” (Remix by Faith No More) 01:58

Vinyl VII
Side A // “Stripped” (Single Version) 04:25
Side B // “Stripped” (Heavy Mental Mix by Charlie Clouser) 05:12

Vinyl VIII
Side A // “Asche Zu Asche” 03:51
Side B // “Wollt Ihr Das Bett In Flammen Sehen?” (Live Version) 05:52

Vinyl IX
Side A // “Sonne” (Single Version) 04:32
Side B // “Sonne” (Clawfinger K.O. Remix) 04:10

Vinyl X
Side A // “Links 2 3 4” (Single Version) 03:42
Side B // “Halleluja” 03:40

Vinyl XI
Side A // “Ich Will” 03:38
Side B // “Ich “Will” (Paul van Dyk Mix) 06:13

Vinyl XII
Side A // “Mutter” (Radio Edit) 03:40
Side B // “5/4” 05:30

Vinyl XIII
Side A // “Feuer Frei!” (Single Version) 03:08
Side B // “Feuer Frei!” (Rammstein vs. Junkie XL Remix) 04:10

Vinyl XIV
Side A // “Mein Teil” (Single Version) 04:23
Side B // “Mein Teil” (You Are What You Eat Edit Remix by Pet Shop Boys) 04:06

Vinyl XV
Side A // “Amerika” (Single Version) 03:46
Side B // “Amerika” (Western-Remix by Olsen Involtini) 03:14

Vinyl XVI
Side A // “Ohne Dich” (Album Version) 04:31
Side B // “Ohne Dich” (Mina Harker’s Version, Remix by Laibach) 03:58

Vinyl XVII
Side A // “Keine Lust” (Single Version) 03:42
Side B // “Keine Lust” (Black Strobe Remix) 07:08

Vinyl XVIII
Side A // “Benzin” (Single Version) 03:48
Side B // “Benzin” (Combustion Remix by Meshuggah) 05:06

Vinyl XIX
Side A // “Rosenrot” (Single Version) 03:47
Side B // “Rosenrot” (Northern Lite Remix) 04:45

Vinyl XX
Side A // “Mann Gegen Mann” (Single Version) 03:51
Side B // “Mann Gegen Mann” (Popular Music Mix by Vince Clarke) 04:06

Vinyl XXI
Side A // “Pussy” (Radio Edit) 03:48
Side B // “Rammlied” 05:19

Vinyl XXII
Side A // “Ich Tu Dir Weh” (Radio Edit) 03:57
Side B // “Pussy” (“Lick It” Remix by Scooter) 04:54

Vinyl XXIII
Side A // “Haifisch” (Single Version) 03:45
Side B // “Haifisch” (Remix by Hurts) 03:45

Vinyl XXIV
Side A // “Mein Land” (Single Version) 03:53
Side B // “Vergiss Uns Nicht” 04:10

Vinyl XXV
Side A // “Mein Herz Brennt” (Album Version) 04:39
Side B // “Gib Mir Deine Augen” 03:44

Vinyl XXVI
Side A // “Deutschland” (Album Version) 05:26
Side B // “Deutschland” (RMX by Richard Z. Kruspe) 05:45

Vinyl XXVII
Side A // “Radio” (Single Version) 04:37
Side B // “Radio” (RMX by twocolors) 05:00

Vinyl XXVIII
Side A // “Ausländer” (Single Version) 03:52
Side B // “Ausländer” (RMX by R3HAB) 03:50

Vinyl XXIX
Side A // “Zeit” (Single Version) 05:21
Side B // “Zeit” (RMX by Ólafur Arnalds) 03:53

Vinyl XXX
Side A // “Zick Zack” (Single Version) 04:04
Side B // “Zick Zack” (RMX by Boys Noize) 04:00

Vinyl XXXI
Side A // “Angst” (Single Version) 03:44
Side B // “Angst” (RMX by twocolors) 04:01

Vinyl XXXII
Side A // “Dicke Titten” (Single Version) 03:38
Side B // “Dicke Titten” (LaBrassBanda Version) 03:17

Vinyl XXXIII
Side A // “Adieu” (Single Version) 04:38
Side B // “Adieu “(RMX by Richard Z. Kruspe) 04:42

Intense Indifference, the latest full-length from Swedish melodic death/thrash metal outfit Vittra, is out today (September 19).

Intense Indifference follows Vittra’s debut, Blasphemy Blues, released in 2022, and centers on one’s own emotional journey — soul searching while simultaneously fighting an inner battle, all while presenting an untroubled, almost indifferent attitude. Inevitably, it all cracks.

In celebration of the release, the band has unleashed a video for opening track, “MOFO.” Comments guitarist Johan Murmester, “‘MOFO’ is the opening track of the new album, and it sort of sets the tone for the whole creation. You got some thrash, death, and folk music vibes, and that music is about having fun!

“In the building where the recording studio is located,” he continues, “there used to be a research lab, now abandoned, that to some extend has turned into a film studio, where they do all sorts of movies and TV series. We got the opportunity to explore this environment with the amazing Snovonne during two days and the outcome is the video for ‘MOFO!’”



Intense Indifference was recorded and engineered by Simon Johansson (Soilwork, Wolf), produced by Johan Murmester, and mixed and mastered by Lawrence Mackrory (Lik, Bloodbath, Katatonia). The record includes several guest appearances including John Lönnmyr (Night Flight Orchestra) who adds piano to “Transylvanian Buffet,” Bastian Thusgaard (Soilwork) who contributes the shaker on “Burn(h)er” and vibra-slap on “Transylvanian Buffet,” and Linus Öhrn (Valkyrja) who contributes backing vocals on several tracks. Cover art for Intense Indifference was created by Hjules (Accept, Destruction, Jungle Rot) and based on his own interpretations of the record’s lyrics.

Intense Indifference will be released on LP and digital formats. Order here.



Intense Indifference tracklisting:

“MOFO”
“Reign Supreme”
“Burn(h)er”
“Transylvanian Buffet”
“Soul Searcher”
“The Leap”
“Bound By Blood”
“Hate”
“End To It”
“Piece By Piece”

Today, 38 Special, the classic southern rock band behind worldwide hits such as “Hold On Loosely” and “Caught Up In You,” have released their new album, Milestone. In celebration of the band’s 50th anniversary, their first new music in over 20 years features guests and co-writes with Pat Monahan (Train) and Randy Bachman (Bachman Turner-Overdrive / The Guess Who), and longtime collaborator Jim Peterik (Survivor, Sammy Hagar, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cheap Trick).

Stream and purchase Milestone here.

Along with the album’s release, 38 Special shared a visualizer video for “So Much So Right.” Co-founder and frontman Don Barnes says, “‘So Much So Right’ is of course about the moment of raw passion, but it is more than that. It also speaks to how a man feels when he’s found his partner for life. She can make so much so right!”



50 years together. 20 million albums sold. More than 15 albums of guitar-driven southern rock, stacked high with hits like “Hold On Loosely,” “Caught Up In You,” “If I’d Been The One,” “Back Where You Belong,” and “Second Chance.” 38 Special is proof that there’s strength in numbers. Formed in 1974 the band toured tirelessly from the start, sharpening the explosive live show that’s been 38 Special’s calling card for a half-century. Along the way the Florida natives fine-tuned their sound too: a blend of muscle and melody, filled with the arena-rock pop hooks that would soon become staples of FM radio.

As 38 Special enters its sixth decade together, the music continues with Milestone. Fueled up on snarling guitars, anthemic melodies, and the desire to break new ground, they update their sound for the 2020s, bridging the gap between past and present without forgetting their rock & roll roots. First single “All I Haven’t Said” earned widespread acclaim, reaching #1 on the Mediabase Classic Rock airplay chart.

“After all this time, we wanted to create a more modern 38 Special album,” says Barnes. “This is a fresh, updated approach to the sound we’ve been making together for so long. Why not make a big statement after all these years? When you’re reintroducing yourself to the world, ‘good enough’ doesn’t work anymore. If you’re gonna do it, you might as well go big.”

To revisit — and reimagine — the tightly-constructed sound that turned 38 Special into platinum-selling artists, the band turned to an old friend. Decades earlier, they’d struck up a partnership with Jim Peterik, founder of the band Survivor. Sitting around his kitchen table in 1980, Barnes and Peterik co-wrote “Hold On Loosely” with 38 Special’s original guitarist Jeff Carlisi. One year later the same trio wrote “Caught Up In You.” Those songs became defining songs not only of a decade, but of an entire genre, and Milestone gave the band a chance to work with Peterik once again.

38 Special’s ever relentless touring schedule continues throughout 2025 with dates across the US including shows with Kansas, The Outlaws and Jefferson Starship. See full list of tour dates below.



Milestone tracklisting:

“So Much So Right” (D. Barnes / J. Peterik)
“Slightly Controversial” feat. Pat Monahan (D. Barnes/B. Capps/R. Wilson)
“All I Haven’t Said” (C. Barnes/D. Barnes/J. Peterik)
“The Main Thing” (D.Barnes/J. Peterik)
“Long Long Train” (D.Barnes, R. Bachman)
“Looking For My Life” (D. Barnes, J. Peterik)
“Making Up For Lost Time” (D. Barnes, J. Peterik)
“Windows of Memories” (D. Barnes, J. Peterik)
“The Look” (J. Peterik)

After the release of Bon Jovi’s acclaimed 2024 album Forever, the band reimagined every song on the album with an array of some of the world’s most revered and innovative artists who are also friends of the band.

Forever (Legendary Edition) includes one brand new track (“Red, White And Jersey”) and 13 fresh takes on songs from the Forever album featuring artists like Joe Elliott, Bruce Springsteen, Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, and Jason Isbell. Hear Forever in a whole new way, releasing October 24, 2025.

Watch a lyric video for “Living Proof” (with Jelly Roll) below, and stream the song here.



Forever (Legendary Edition) is available for pre-order here.



Tracklisting:

“Red, White And Jersey”
“Legendary” (with James Bay)
“We Made It Look Easy” (with Robbie Williams)
“Living Proof” (with Jelly Roll)
“Waves” (with Jason Isbell)
“Seeds” (with Ryan Tedder)
“Kiss The Bride” (with Billy Falcon)
“The People’s House” (with The War & Treaty)
“Walls Of Jericho” (with Joe Elliott)
“I Wrote You A Song” (with Lainey Wilson)
“Living In Paradise” (with Avril Lavigne)
“My First Guitar” (with Marcus King)
“Hollow Man” (with Bruce Springsteen)
“We Made It Look Easy / Hicimos Que Pareciera Fácil” (with Carín León)

“Living Proof” (with Jelly Roll) lyric video:

During his September 23 guitar clinic at Kadıköy Sahne in Istanbul, Turkey, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman spoke about the importance of developing your own sound and style. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " I think as a guitar player, it's easy to see someone who's really good at guitar and wanna play like that — just get good, just get good at guitar. The problem with that is if you really get into that, you start to lose your own personal identity because you're just learning things to make you better on the guitar.

"I think the people that guys like me, maybe, who you can hear their sound, these are guys who don't really try to learn every single thing out there," he explained. "A lot of guitar players, especially when they're younger, think, 'I need to know everything. I need to play like this guy, that guy, this guy, everything.' It's very intimidating. It's more important to me to be very honest with things I care about learning about. I don't wanna waste time, like, for example, pick some… Like Eric Johnson — fantastic, unbelievable guitarist. I can never play like that. So I don't try to learn what he does because there's things that I'm more interested. I just know he's a fantastic player — I respect him — but that doesn't mean that's gonna be part of my musicality.

"You have to be very honest with yourself, each person's personal taste and life experience," Marty added." 'Oh, I love this. I need to learn this,' not just because it's good, just because it means something to you. Those are the things that you need to learn. It's very important to be honest with your own taste. A lot of people think, 'Well, I have to play like Al Di Meola because he's so good and I wanna get good.' Well, no. I could never play like that in a million years. It's very nice technique, but that's his life experiences. Your experience is different. Yours different, different, different. So I think you should be relieved to not think that you have to learn everything. But you have a responsibility to really learn the things you love and learn it well."

The day before his guitar clinic in Istanbul, Marty and his solo band performed as the support act for MEGADETH at the city's Maçka Küçükçiftlik Park venue. Marty did not take the stage with his former band at the show, but he took to his social media right after the gig and wrote: "My band and I had an incredible time playing in Istanbul! … After our show Naoki [Morioka, a member of Marty's Japanese touring band] and I watched as [current MEGADETH guitarist] Teemu [Mäntysaari] absolutely NAILED my solos with ease and MEGADETH tore up the place! We can't wait to come back."

Marty rejoined MEGADETH twice on stage over the course of a six-month period in 2023 — first in February 2023 at Tokyo, Japan's famed Budokan and then in early August 2023 at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany.

At the 2023 Wacken Open Air, Marty performed four songs with MEGADETH: "Trust", "Tornado Of Souls", "Symphony Of Destruction" and "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due".

At Budokan, Friedman came up on stage for three songs toward the end of MEGADETH's main set: "Countdown To Extinction", "Tornado Of Souls" and "Symphony Of Destruction".

Last December, Marty was asked by France's Metal Obs' what it was like to rejoin his former band on stage after more than two decades: "It was good fun — nothing but pure fun. And [it was] wonderful to watch the audience react to it, because it was just a wonderful experience for everybody, especially those of us on stage because the audience was… We did it because we knew that the audience would get something that they can remember, something they can go home with and have a memory. And we just enjoyed it. I enjoyed it a lot."

Regarding what it was like meeting up with MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine again, Marty said: "It was great. We never really lost touch. But there's never much that we have to talk to each other about, so we don't talk to each other every month or anything. But it's always been friendly, so when the chance came for us to play together, it was just natural."

ISTANBUL!!! September 23 I will do a very special guitar seminar/workshop/clinic/Q&A session!! This will take place the...

Posted by Marty Friedman on Friday, September 19, 2025

My band and I had an incredible time playing in Istanbul! Were you at the show?
After our show Naoki and I watched as...

Posted by Marty Friedman on Monday, September 22, 2025

Today, Skull Revenge, the melodic metal collective featuring an international lineup of renowned artists from bands like Candlemass, Therion, Narnia, Jaded Heart and more, are proud to release their new lyric video for “Road Of Pain,” available to view below.

“Road Of Pain” is featured on the recently released debut album from Skull Revenge, titled State Of Oblivion, available via Skull Revenge Productions/Sound Pollution.

Watch the lyric video for “Road Of Pain”:



State Of Oblivion delivers a fierce blend of melodic and traditional heavy metal. Each track is fronted by a different vocalist, creating a unique yet cohesive listening experience across the record. Influences include legends like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Saxon, Helloween, and Avantasia.

The album was mixed and mastered by legendary producer Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman, and features cover artwork by Martin Wrigsjö, known for his work with Manowar.

State Of Oblivion is a bold statement of international collaboration and passion for heavy metal, blending soaring vocals, powerful riffs, and driving rhythms. Every song is a showcase of unique talent and unified vision—delivered with intensity and purpose.

Order State Of Oblivion here.



State of Oblivion tracklisting:

“A Voice In The Desert” – Airton Araujo
“Afterlife” – Peter Östros
“Beast Turning Human” – Peter Östros
“Future” – Christian Liljegren
“Lost In Time” – Airton Araujo
“Road Of Pain” – German Pascual
“Stardust” – Airton Araujo
“State Of Oblivion” – Fredrik Notling
“This Once Broken Tree” – Thomas Vikström

“A Voice In The Desert” lyric video:

In a new interview with the No Cover Charge Podcast, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner was asked what piece of advice he would give to aspiring guitarists out there. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I always say, if I can do it — I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know theory. There's no right or wrong way to do things. It's just what sounds right. And if it sounds wrong, you will know, or people will tell you and you'll work it out. And again, if I can do it, anyone can do it, really. We're all doing it. We're doing it the best we can, learning stuff along the way as well. Just do what sounds right to you."

He continued: "I'd definitely say what Glenn [Tipton, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist] said to me as well. Glenn's been a bit of a mentor over the years. He said when he was younger, he listened to [Irish musician, singer and songwriter] Rory Gallagher and stuff like that, and he'd copy Rory Gallagher, but it wouldn't sound like Rory Gallagher. And he couldn't understand why it didn't sound like Rory Gallagher. It was the same notes. But he realized that it sounded like Glenn Tipton. And he said, 'That's what I need to embellish and work upon, and that's what happened, which is massive advice, really. So I'd pass that advice on to anyone."

Back in August 2023, Faulkner shared a similar piece of advice for young guitarists while speaking to Gibson Gear Guide. He said at the time: "Well, I've always been an advocate for, you don't need to know the latest mode or scale, or you don't need to know all the theory, anything like that. And I'm living proof of it. I don't know what I'm doing at all, apart from what I've found out by putting pedal to the metal and finding out via experience — gear, sound, what works, strings, picks. It's what works for you. I'm living proof. If I can do it, you can do it. Trust me. You don't need to know what mode this is before you go out. You don't have to be great to do, but you have to do to be great. You know what I mean? That's been my philosophy. So just get out there and do it. Experience. Make mistakes. Do what feels right to you, not what someone else tells you to do necessarily. Just get out there and play and what feels right. If I can do it, you can do it. That's what should be on my gravestone."

A month earlier, Richie was asked by the "Talk Louder" podcast to name the best piece of advice he ever got from PRIEST singer Rob Halford. He said at the time: "We were in the studio writing [2018's] 'Firepower' [album] and we had some differences of opinion. And I said my piece and Glenn said his piece. I mean, he's a legend of rock guitar. What the hell do I know? But I felt like I had an opinion. So we had a few words — it wasn't arguing or anything like that, but we had some strong opinions about where we thought the song should go. And afterwards, I said to Rob, 'Sorry that it got like that.' And he said, 'No, you have to do that. Otherwise you resent the other person and you end up not doing anything. If you think that that opinion is right, you've gotta put it out there.' And he's right. I think otherwise, you can imagine, if you do that a few times, you start resenting the people that you're creating with, and that just stifles the creativity. So I always remember that. And Glenn is one of those guys as well that he'll always say, 'What is your idea?', and if he thinks it's a better idea, we'll go with that. So he's very open to new ideas, which he didn't have to be. So it was an honor to be included in stuff like that."

JUDAS PRIEST and Alice Cooper kicked off their summer/fall 2025 co-headlining tour on Tuesday (September 16) in Biloxi, Mississippi. Support on the trek is coming from CORROSION OF CONFORMITY. The tour is making its way through Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Colorado, Utah, California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, winding down on October 16 at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in Houston.

PRIEST last toured the U.S. in the fall of 2024 as part of the second leg of its "Invincible Shield" tour and the release of the band's celebrated 19th studio album, which debuted at No. 18 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Box office reports submitted to Pollstar from last fall include a sellout YouTube Theater in Los Angeles, with 5,481 tickets sold.

Earlier this year, PRIEST completed a run of South American and European dates.

During the European leg of JUDAS PRIEST's "Shield Of Pain" tour, the band's setlist included seven tracks from PRIEST's 1990 album "Painkiller", which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year.

In addition to performing the "Painkiller" title track, PRIEST played "All Guns Blazing", "Hell Patrol", "A Touch Of Evil", "Night Crawler", "One Shot At Glory" and "Between The Hammer And The Anvil" from the same LP.

PRIEST formed in 1969 and has sold over 50 million albums.

In 2011, Faulkner came in to replace original PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing, who had left in 2010. The move seemed to have reinvigorated the band as evidenced by a show-stealing performance on the "American Idol" finale that also served as Faulkner's debut performance with the band.

In a new interview with the But That 1% With Sona Oganesyan podcast, AVENGED SEVENFOLD's Brooks Wackerman reflected on how he landed the AVENGED gig back in 2014. The drummer, who had been a member of BAD RELIGION since 2001, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I didn't think I got the gig [after the first day auditioning for AVENGED SEVENFOLD], to be honest with you. It was this internal dialogue. It went well, but we had two days [to play together] and… I don't know. I'm trying to go back to that time, but I just remember being bummed out and came home. I'm, like, 'Yeah, I don't think it's gonna happen.' Maybe I thought they weren't into how it was going down."

Asked what made him feel that way, Brooks said: "I don't know. I think I was excited about the prospect. I knew the songs like the back of my hand. I was a fan [before I auditioned]. So I was excited about this this prospect, and I think I just got really in my head. And then the second day I felt like it went better."

Pressed about what he was telling himself that he could have done better, Brooks said: "Great question. I think I remember now. I think there was one part that I didn't play like the record, and Zack [AVENGED SEVENFOLD guitarist Zacky Vengeance] told Matt [Sanders, a.k.a. AVENGED SEVENFOLD frontman M. Shadows], and Matt called me that night and he said, 'Hey, can you play that part like the record?' And I took that information and I'm, like, 'Oh, they don't fucking like it.' So it was just chatter in my head, just negative thinking."

Asked what his mindset is when auditioning for a band and whether it is to play the songs just like on the records or to inject his unique personal twist on the material, Brooks said: "Yeah. Great question. It's both. When I learn a song, I learn the album version. Well, actually, I go to the last tour that they've done on YouTube, and I digest how they play it live because I would hope that they wouldn't play exactly how they do on the record, because through evolution and doing a million tour dates, it does evolve into something hopefully better. And it did. So I learned the live YouTube versions. But then, 'cause I'm a different player than their past drummers. I wanted to add my own voice into it. So I think maybe in my head I was thinking, 'Oh, okay, well, maybe I put too much of the Wackerman in the set.' I don't know."

He continued: "I'm kind of bouncing all over the place here because I'm trying to remember what was going on with me at that time. And I think I wanted everything to go smoothly, and I felt like just hearing that one comment just went, 'Oh wait, maybe it's not gonna happen.' And then the next day everything fell into place."

Regarding how he eventually found out that he out got the AVENGED SEVENFOLD gig, Brooks said: "Well, after we got done playing, I think it was maybe that day or the next day, they said, 'How would you like to be in AVENGED SEVENFOLD?' [I said], 'Of course, yes. Let's do this.' So, yeah, it was quickly after the second day of auditioning, so it was a quick process. Prior to that, we met for dinner. And I had never met the guys and so, yeah, we had a great conversation. They told me about what their goal is — they were trying to find a permanent drummer — and everything they were telling me aligned with what I wanted in a new band for me. And then we got together, played and then I got the gig officially."

This past May, Brooks told Stevo 32 about how he got the AVENGED gig: "My friend Diony [Sepulveda] — he used to be my personal manager, and then he was AVENGED SEVENFOLD's tour manager — they talked to him, and they started establishing a dialogue about, 'Do you think Brooks would be into playing with AVENGED?' So he called me and I'm, like, 'What? It was just so outta — maybe not outta left field, but when you get that call and you just start kind of envisioning yourself in a completely different light. It's, like, metal festivals, even though, to me, AVENGED is so much more than metal, but we are playing metal fest festivals. So, yeah, it was exciting. I'm, like, 'Okay, I haven't felt this way in a while' at the time. I was grateful for all my work with BAD RELIGION, but I was in the band for 15 years, and I wanted to spread the wings a little wider, too, musically. So I'm, like, 'Okay, not only are they interested, but they're also interested in writing with me for this record. They want me to contribute.' And I'm, like, 'Yeah, let's do this.' 'Cause to actually feel like you're a proponent between five guys in a studio, it's special."

Asked if he felt like he wasn't able to do that in BAD RELIGION, Brooks clarified: "The writers were Brett [Gurewitz, BAD RELIGION guitarist] and Greg [Graffin, BAD RELIGION singer], and as they should be, because they created the sound. I always call them the [John] Lennon and [Paul] McCartney of punk rock. There's no one that can write like those guys. I did parameters, but I'm not gonna sit here and say BAD RELIGION didn't allow me creativity — they did — but I will say once I did the second record with BAD RELIGION, that's when I really felt like myself. I didn't feel a hundred percent like myself on [2002's] '[The] Process [Of Belief]', and I think that was a) nerves, b),not knowing the guys, and c) they had all the songs demoed. So by the second record, I was demoing at Brett's house. He wanted to hear what I would come up with and it was more collaborative. But when you get the AVENGED call, it's, like, 'Okay, so the Latin beat that I practiced when I was 12, I can now apply this in a song.' It's, like, just the rhythmic possibilities, the creative possibilities [were endless]…"

Regarding what songs he played at the AVENGED SEVENFOLD audition, Brooks said: "'Nightmare', 'Little Piece Of Heaven', 'Bat Country', I think 'Buried Alive'. Yep, 'Buried Alive'. I think it was just that."

AVENGED SEVENFOLD had been working with Brooks for over a year already following the departure of Arin Ilejay before Wackerman was announced as the band's new drummer. Although Ilejay left the group in 2014, his departure was only announced in July 2015.

Ilejay was AVENGED SEVENFOLD's drummer for four years, playing on 2013's "Hail To The King" album. In announcing his exit, the band thanked him for his "positive energy" but added that it "needed to move in a different direction."

Back in November 2015, M. Shadows told the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast about Brooks's addition to AVENGED SEVENFOLD: "To be honest, Brooks's name has always been in the mix. It was one of the names we were throwing around when Jimmy [original AVENGED SEVENFOLD drummer James 'The Rev' Sullivan] passed away in terms of who was going to step up for [the 2010 album] 'Nightmare'. We felt Mike [Portnoy, DREAM THEATER] was the right choice and we still feel that way. Mike just destroyed on the record. He was perfect. But at the time, our tour manager brought up Brooks's name as well. But at the time he was also busy with BAD RELIGION and it was also… People were going to look at it differently because he was a punk drummer at this point."

Regarding the split with Ilejay, M. Shadows said: "It just became increasingly difficult to be on the same page, not only touring, but with writing and just where we want to take things. We're just a bunch of guys who are all over the place and we have a bunch of different influences and we need somebody who can instantly… who can sit there and say, 'Yeah, I've got that influence too or I understand why we're gonna go here. I understand why we're going to do that.'"

He continued: "It just got to the point where after Mayhem Festival [in 2014], we had just decided to fire on all cylinders the way we want to, we needed to make a change. And we all had our little talk. We said, 'Listen, we can ride this thing out the way it is right now and we'll be fine or we can shake the nest a little bit and we want to fire on all cylinders again. We want to be the baddest band on the planet. We want to just dominate onstage.' And I came up with the idea that I really want to talk to Brooks and see if there's any chance and see where he's at in his life right now."

He went on to say: "Jimmy's missing and you're not trying to replace that and you're just trying to get to the point where if you were to tear this thing to the bottom floor, how would you rebuild it — to just say new band, new mentality, new fire. And one of the things was, 'Let's give Brooks a call and see what he's doing.' It wasn't like we were going to start trying guys out and we were serious about this change. It was, like, 'If Brooks is willing to do this, that's what we want to do.' So it wasn't like we were gonna just start looking for drummers."

Thin Lizzy have announced the November 21 release on the 74-75 – Night Life / Fighting Super Deluxe 40th Anniversary 6CD/Blu-Ray Boxset. Pre-order here. Pre-add/pre-save here.

Recorded in 1974 and 1975, Fighting and Night Life were the first Thin Lizzy albums to feature what is regarded as the classic line up with guitarists Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson

Night Life was released in November 1974 produced by Ron Nevison and Phil Lynott and features evergreens such as “Still In Love With You” and “Sha La La”. Fighting was released in September 1975 and reached #60 in the UK charts and featured tracks such as “Rosalie” and “Suicide”.

This box set contains the two versions of the Night Life, the original album and a new stereo mix by Richard Whittaker as overseen by guitarist Scott Gorham and mastered by Geoff Pesche at Abbey Road. Fighting is available in a newly mastered form with four tracks newly re-mixed in Stereo.

The other discs contain unreleased mixes from the bands vault, outtakes, B-Sides, Radio Sessions, and for the first time officially a show from Derby recorded in 1975.

The package housed in a 10 x 10 box is rounded off with sleeve notes by mojo’s Mark Blake and has a 40-page hard backed booklet packed with rare photos and memorabilia with contributions from long time contributor Jim Fitzpatrick.



Tracklisting:

Disc One: Night Life

Nightlife Original Mix
“She Knows”
“Night Life”
“It’s Only Money”
“Still In Love with You”
“Frankie Carroll”
“Showdown”
“Banshee”
“Philomena”
“Sha La La”
“Dear Heart”

Night Life 2024 Mix
“She Knows”
“Night Life”
“It’s Only Money”
“Still In Love with You”
“Frankie Carroll”
“Showdown”
“Banshee”
“Philomena”
“Sha La La”
“Dear Heart”

Disc Two: Fighting

Fighting Original Mix
“Rosalie”
“For Those Who Love to Live”
“Suicide”
“Wild One”
“Fighting My Way Back”
“Kings Vengeance”
“Spirit Slips Away”
“Silver Dollar”
“Freedom Song”
“Ballad Of a Hard man”

Fighting 2024 Mix
“Rosalie”
“Wild One”
“Kings Vengeance”
“Silver Dollar”

Disc Three: Night Life Outtakes, B-sides, 7″ Edits

“Philomena” – 7″ Single Edit
“Showdown” – Demo
“Still In Love with You” – Demo with Gary Moore
“It’s Only Money” – Demo with Gary Moore
“She Knows” – Demo
“It’s Only Money” – Demo
“Dear Heart” – Demo
“Rock And Roll with You” – Instrumental
“Banshee” – With vocals
“Dear Heart” – Extended version
“Night Life” – Extended version
“Philomena” – Alt version
“Showdown” – Alternate Take
“Still In Love with You” – Rough Vocal Mix

Disc Four: Fighting Outtakes, B-sides, 7″ edits

“Rosalie” – 7″ Mix
“Halfcaste” – 7″ B-Side
“Wild One” – 7″ Mix
“Ballad Of a Hard Man” – Instrumental Demo
“Try A Little Harder” – Alt Vocal
“Fighting My Way Back” – Rough Mix
“Song For Jesse” – Instrumental Demo
“Leaving Town” – Instrumental
“Leaving Town” – Extended take
“Spirit Slips Away” – Extended Version Take 4
“Wild One” – Instrumental Demo
“Brian’s Funky Fazer” – Silver Dollar
“Cadillac” – Instrumental Demo
“For Those Who Love to Live” – Demo
“Freedom Song” – Demo
“Suicide” – Demo

Disc Five: Fighting / Night Life Mixes

“Frankie Carroll” – Instrumental Outtake
“Showdown” – Extended Take
“Sha La La” – Extended Take
“Philomena” – Acoustic Demo
“Wild One” – Acoustic
“Silver Dollar” – Alt Vocal
“Rosalie” – Extended Alt Vocal
“Kings Vengeance” – Alt Vocal
“Song For Jesse” – With Vocal
“For Those Who Love to Live” – Instrumental Demo
“Rosalie” – Outtake
“Try A Little Harder”

Disc Six: BBC Sessions

John Peel Session 1974
“She Knows”
“It’s Only Money”
“Sha La La”
“Philomena”

Bob Harris Session 1974
“Dear Heart”
“Banshee”

Live In Concert 1974
“She Knows”
“Its Only Money”
“Still In Love with You”
“Showdown”
“Rock And Roll with You”
“Baby Drives Me Crazy”

John Peel Session 1975
“Halfcaste”
“Rosalie”
“Suicide”

Disc Seven: UK Tour 1975 (Derby College)

“Fighting My Way Back”
“It’s Only Money”
“Wild One”
“For Those Who Love to Live”
“Still In Love with You”
“Showdown”
“Suicide”
“Rosalie”
“The Rocker”
“Sha La La”
“Baby Drive Me Crazy”
“Me And the Boys”
“Cowboy Song (Derby Blues)”
“Little Darling”
Sound Check Jam

Today, Danish metallers, Defecto, share their new single “Eternal Descent,” taken from their upcoming new studio album, Echoes Of Isolation, out on October 31 via Frontiers Music Srl. The new track arrives accompanied by an official video, available to view below.

Nicklas Sonne describes the new single: “’Eternal Descent’ dives into the endless spiral of insomnia – where nights feel like prisons, thoughts race without mercy, and the line between dreams and reality slowly disappears.”

Watch the video below:



Defecto is a Copenhagen-based metal band formed in 2011 by guitarist/vocalist Nicklas Sonne, guitarist Frederik Møller, and bassist Thomas Bartholin.

Known for their combination of technical precision, melodic strength, and emotional intensity, the band has become one of the most respected names in the modern Danish metal scene.

With three studio albums, two EPs, and several acclaimed festival appearances (Copenhell, RockFest Finland) and support slots with Metallica and Rammstein, Defecto has consistently pushed the envelope of progressive and cinematic metal.

Now, Frontiers Records proudly presents Echoes Of Isolation, the band’s most personal, intense, and introspective record yet – a concept album exploring the haunting landscape of mental illness and psychological struggles.

Nicklas Sonne stated: “Each song inhabits a different psychological struggle – insomnia, schizophrenia, OCD, PTSD, paranoia, dissociation, trauma – giving voice to the war within. This isn’t just a metal album. It’s a mirror held to the mind. For us, it’s about turning pain into power, and creating something that can connect deeply with anyone who has ever felt broken, isolated, or misunderstood.”

Fans of Metallica, Symphony X, or Evergrey will be captivated by the album’s cinematic power and progressive depth, driven by Sonne’s compelling vocals and razor-sharp songwriting.

Pre-order here.



Echoes Of Isolation tracklisting:

“The Unraveling”
“Eternal Descent”
“Sacred Alignment”
“Eclipsed By The Void”
“Heart On Fire”
“Quantum Abyss”
“Through Cloak And Bones”
“Shattered Reality”
“Echoes Of Isolation”

Rock legends MÖTLEY CRÜE today announced a special 40th-anniversary limited-edition deluxe box set for "Theatre Of Pain", out November 14 via BMG.

Released in June of 1985, "Theatre Of Pain" marked a bold new chapter for MÖTLEY CRÜE — stylistically daring, musically explosive, and unapologetically street glam.

Fueled by the swagger of "Smokin' In The Boys Room" and the anthemic pull of "Home Sweet Home", the CRÜE's third studio album broke new ground while staying true to their hard rock roots. This trailblazing album set the music and style template for many bands that followed, while the CRÜE themselves continued to evolve and reinvent their look and sound with each album.

"Theatre Of Pain" was MÖTLEY CRÜE's first LP to hit the U.S. Top 10, landing at No. 6, and became a global smash (No. 7 Australia, No. 7 Sweden, No. 5 Finland, No. 11 Canada, first U.K. Top 40 at No. 36). The album is now RIAA-certified four times platinum in the U.S. and three times platinum in Canada.

The album's lead single, MÖTLEY CRÜE's cover of "Smokin' In The Boys Room", became the band's first U.S. Top 20 hit, reaching No. 16. The iconic "Home Sweet Home" video was the most requested on MTV for over 90 days, leading to the infamous "Crüe Rule", limiting videos to 30 days. The song recently hit No. 1 again — this time at U.S. classic rock radio — thanks to MÖTLEY CRÜE's new version featuring global superstar Dolly Parton.

The 40th-anniversary deluxe box set for "Theatre Of Pain" is a must-have for fans and collectors, featuring reimagined artwork, the newly remastered album on color vinyl, a never-before-released 1985 Long Beach live concert (2LP),rare demo recordings (1LP),and a 76-page hardcover book packed with never-before-seen photos and memories from the "Theatre Of Pain" era. This definitive set captures the raw energy and spirit of a band at their peak — and is available only for a limited time.

"Theatre Of Pain" 40th-anniversary limited edition box set includes:

* 1LP remastered "Theatre Of Pain" original album on color vinyl
* 2LP never-before-released live album originally recorded for Westwood One radio broadcast on color vinyl
* 1LP rare demos album on color vinyl
* 76-page hardcover book featuring many never before published photos from "Theatre Of Pain" Tour

In addition to the limited-edition deluxe box set, "Theatre Of Pain" 40th-anniversary edition will be available in standard audio, Dolby Atmos audio, as well as a variety of physical configurations including standard CD and LP sets alongside CD and LP exclusive variants at Walmart, an LP exclusive for independent retail, an LP exclusive for Amazon and an LP exclusive for Urban Outfitters. A limited-edition "Theatre Of Pain" 40th-anniversary cassette will also be available exclusively at the Crüeseum.

Fans can step inside the Crüeseum to experience the new "Theatre Of Pain" collection, showcasing unseen candid moments, tour-worn clothing, backstage itineraries, powerful live photography, and more from MÖTLEY's 1985 classic.

Earlier this month, MÖTLEY CRÜE stormed back on to the Las Vegas Strip launching their new show, "The Las Vegas Residency 2025", at Dolby Live at Park MGM. Continuing through Friday, October 3, the residency marks the band's third Vegas takeover and its first in more than a decade.

As previously announced, MÖTLEY CRÜE is donating a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales of "The Las Vegas Residency 2025" to Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth (NPHY),a Las Vegas-based organization that provides the thousands of young people experiencing homelessness in Southern Nevada with wraparound support to help move into stable housing, grow and flourish.

ZEBRA, the legendary power trio consisting of lead guitarist/vocalist Randy Jackson, bassist/keyboardist Felix Hanemann and drummer Guy Gelso, performed two new songs, "All Your Love" and "Walk With You", during the band's September 20 concert in downtown Las Vegas as part of Fremont Street Experience's "Downtown Rocks" concert series. Video of the performance can be seen below (courtesy of the 3.V Audio & Video channel on YouTube).

Featured songs:

00:43 She's Waiting For You
05:13 All Your Love (from upcoming album)
09:23 Tell Me What You Want
10:55 Better Not Call
11:55 Walk With You (from upcoming album)
15:33 The La La Song
16:43 Who's Behind The Door?
23:56 Take Your Fingers From My Hair
25:59 Stairway To Heaven

ZEBRA has also reportedly performed two other new songs, "Direction" and "Love Sex", at various shows in 2024 and earlier this year.

ZEBRA will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year with the release of its long-awaited new studio album. This will be the band's first release of new material since "Zebra IV" in 2003.

ZEBRA's new album, which was recorded at Jackson and Gelso's home studios, was partially helmed by producer Jack Douglas, who previously produced the band's 1983 self-titled debut and 1984 sophomore effort, "No Tellin' Lies".

Speaking to Rev. Tom Brice of Sportzwire Radio, Jackson stated about what it has been like working with Douglas again: "Well, it's been really, really interesting. I've kept in touch with Jack ever since we first worked [together more than four decades ago]… It's been great. It's a whole different world now. I mean, it's been 40 years, so technology has changed. But both Jack and I have kept up with what's going on, and we've been doing a lot of it just online, back and forth, with a lot of the sessions. And then he has come to my studio several times. But we get a lot done online, which makes it easy. He's upstate, and if he happens to be in Los Angeles, we can do it online that way too. And it works out great. There's a program we use where he could pretty much hear all the tracks and look at the soundboard and mix, if he wanted to, but at this point I'm doing the engineering and he's just kind of sprinkling it up."

Regarding how the songwriting process for ZEBRA has evolved over the last 40 years, Jackson said: "Well, it's the same process except we don't have the luxury, or we haven't made it, so that we played the songs for any amount of time. There's a lot of stuff that's gonna be heard by people the first time when we release 'em. But we have a pretty good idea at this point what our fans liked and what worked. And there's a lot of material. There's also material that we never did record that people are familiar with, 'cause we did play it live years and years ago, that we've been asked for time and time again. So that'll be added on the record. And we just keep adding songs to the record all the time."

In a separate interview with Goldmine, Jackson stated about ZEBRA's upcoming LP: "Five of the songs are being produced by Jack Douglas, and I've written songs with a variety of people over the years, and some of those songs will appear on the new record, too. We just started performing some of the songs live. They seem to be going over great. We're gonna release it in sections over the next six months. It seems like it will be a great way to keep fans interested in the entire release instead of just throwing the entire album all out there at once."

ZEBRA is the longest-running American band still touring with all its original members. Formed in New Orleans in 1975, Jackson, Hanemann and Gelso have performed together every year for the last 50 years. 2025 will continue that trend as the band is heading out on their "Zebra 50 - 2025 Anniversary Tour". New dates have been added to the band's previously announced performances in celebration of 50 years of performing together live. More dates will be announced in the future. Information on all shows including ticket links and access to VIP experiences can be found on the band's official web site at zebraband.com.

Last December, Jackson told Newsday about ZEBRA's upcoming LP: "The record will feature a variety of songs. We got some stuff from 1977 we never recorded, songs I penned with other people and a bunch of tunes that I wrote recently. It's evolving as we're doing it."

In 2023, ZEBRA celebrated the 40th anniversary of its debut album by playing the entire album in order and continued doing some more of these special shows in new cities during its 2024 tour.

ZEBRA has also been working on a new documentary that will feature new interviews and performance clips from the recent tour "plus a lot more" about the band's history. The documentary, tentatively titled "Tell Me What You Want: 50 Years Of Zebra", will feature never-before-seen footage from the band's birth in Louisiana, to spreading new roots and reaching legendary status in Long Island, New York.

ZEBRA galloped out of New Orleans in early 1975. The trio concocted their moniker from a 1926 Vogue magazine cover and soon won over the South and East Coast.

ZEBRA's self-titled debut album, released on March 21, 1983, went gold, and at that time was the fastest-selling debut album in Atlantic Records history, thanks to the radio and MTV airplay of "Tell Me What You Want" and "Who's Behind The Door?"

In 2010 ZEBRA was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame and is acknowledged as Louisiana's No. 1 rock and roll band by the Louisiana Music Commission. On October 18, 2012 ZEBRA was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall Of Fame.

The amps are cranked and the stage is set for Zebra (band)! 🤘 Join us September 20 at 9PM for a free night of classic rock ‘n’ roll.

Posted by Fremont Street Experience on Tuesday, September 9, 2025

THE ACACIA STRAIN — Vincent Bennett, vocals; Devin Shidaker, lead guitar; Griffin Landa, bass; Mike Mulholland, guitar; and Matt Guglielmo, drums — has released the official music video for "Swamp Mentality", the latest single from the band's upcoming album, "You Are Safe From God Here", due on October 24 via Rise Records.

"The swamp is a place of rot, death, and decay; but it is also ripe with life and regeneration," the band says. "You are safe from God in the points of darkness and decomposition. Seek your sanctuary. No one leaves the swamp."

For a new release from THE ACACIA STRAIN, expect an uncompromising sonic assault that further solidifies their reign as titans of extreme music. This latest offering delves deeper into the crushing territories of sludge, doom, and death metal, while retaining the raw, unbridled aggression of their hardcore punk roots.

"This record is unapologetically THE ACACIA STRAIN; take that however you want," the band declares. "It's angry, it's sad, it's us. We made a record that made us feel uncomfortable. We hope it makes you feel the same way."

Lyrically, Bennett once again navigates the bleak landscapes of misanthropy, nihilism, and existential dread, delivering his venomous pronouncements with unflinching intensity. Fans can anticipate a relentless barrage of bone-shattering breakdowns, cavernous riffs, and a palpable sense of impending doom that has become synonymous with THE ACACIA STRAIN's destructive sound.

Following their innovative dual release of "Step Into The Light" and "Failure Will Follow" in 2023, which showcased both their traditional shorter, pulverizing tracks and their expansive, sludgier compositions, this new album promises to push the boundaries of their established ferocity while maintaining the unparalleled heaviness their dedicated fanbase craves. Prepare for an auditory experience that is as punishing as it is profound, a testament to THE ACACIA STRAIN's enduring legacy in the realm of extreme metal.

"You Are Safe From God Here" track listing:

01. Eucharist I: Burnt Offering
02. A Call Beyond
03. Swamp Mentality
04. The Machine That Bleeds (feat. Brody King + Colin Young)
05. Mourning Star
06. I Don’t Think You Are Going To Make It
07. Acolyte Of The One
08. Aeonian Wrath
09. Holy Moonlight
10. Sacred Relic
11. World Gone Cold
12. Eucharist II: Blood Loss (feat. Sunny Faris)

In a new interview with Brenden "Peaches" Peach of the Idaho Falls, Idaho radio station KBEAR 101, MUDVAYNE singer Chad Gray spoke about what it has been like to play shows on the "L.D. 50 25th Anniversary" tour without MUDVAYNE guitarist Greg Tribbett whose wife recently lost her year-and-a-half-long battle with cancer. He said  (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We are excited to be standing on any stage we can be on because I'm telling you what, I would rather be at home in bed in a fetal position crying right now. But I'm out here. I'm out here forGreg. He wanted us to do this tour. And there's no way that I could do what I'm doing right now if I didn't have the love and support of my fans that are standing in front of me every single night. You love days off out here, 'cause it's a grind, but I'm telling you what — that's one thing I miss about a day off. I might be relaxing or whatever, or chilling, but, man, a big part of me wants to be on stage, 'cause what we exchange is profound and very, very powerful and it is absolutely giving me the motivation. My fans, my friends, my family, my tribe are giving me all the love and support that I need. So just thank you from the bottom of my heart."

The "L.D. 50 25th Anniversary" tour kicked off on September 11 in Dubuque, Iowa and will conclude on October 26 in Uncasville, Connecticut. The tour features support from STATIC-X, while VENDED is opening every show.

"L.D. 50" was MUDVAYNE's debut studio album, arriving in August 2000 via Epic, and established the band as a new yet major player in the hard rock scene. It eventually went on to achieve a gold certification. Years after its release, both Revolver and Metal Hammer deemed the album an essential of the '00s metal class, rightfully so.

Regarding how touring is different today compared to how it was 25 years ago when "L.D. 50" was first released, Gray told Peaches:  "Back then, I toured that album for 26 months, and there was probably a week or two off at the end of each tour, maybe a week. And then we were right back in it. We had shit consistently lined up to do. We were like worker bees — working, working and working. And now touring, since we've been back, it's like once a year. I don't like it, personally. I've been writing, recording and touring for 25 years. I wanna write and record and tour. But you just can't go overtour, you know what I mean? You can't tour too much. And you lose some of the excitement. But I think the [two] new [MUDVAYNE] songs [which were recently released] are really helping with that. I mean, I think you can come back officially and do it and make everyone happy, but if you wanna have staying power and longevity in your comeback, you need to release [new music]. I think that will help."

After Peaches noted that a lot of fans are demanding to see MUDVAYNE perform in their hometown, Chad said: "I wanna be there. I wanna be in their city. I just wanna make sure that when I'm in your city, everybody wants to be there. And if I'm in your city every three months, then there's a lot of, 'Ah, I'll just see you next time.' Where if you tour in the States once a year, it's, like, 'If I don't go see 'em now, I'm not gonna get to see 'em for a year, if I ever get to see 'em again at all.' 'Cause we did that too — we just straight up went away for 12 years."

According to a GoFundMe campaign that was launched more than a year ago, Debbie Tribbett was diagnosed with angiosarcoma, a rare type of cancer that develops in the lining of blood vessels (endothelium). It is an aggressive malignancy that can spread rapidly and is difficult to treat.

Debbie's passing was confirmed in a September 7 post on the MudVayNe Mob fan page on Facebook.

"With the heaviest of hearts we mourn the loss of our dearest most beautiful friend Debbie Tribbett," the post read. "Anyone who has been here from the start of the Mob family knows she was a huge integral part of this page and the family she did take a step back once she needed to but was still watching and sharing as she always did. She was fiercely supportive of MUDVAYNE and her loving husband Greg always so proud! I thank her for bringing her love and light to so many of us who were lucky enough to connect with her. We miss you beautiful sweet friend more than words can say god bless you and may your family be blessed with strength".

Last year, Greg sat out the remaining shows on MUDVAYNE's "Destroy All Enemies" tour with MEGADETH due to what at the time was described as a "family issue". Filling in for him was MUDVAYNE's touring guitarist Marcus Rafferty, who has served as a guitar tech for several metal bands over the years, including LAMB OF GOD and HATEBREED. He also worked for HELLYEAH, which originally featured both Tribbett and Gray.

On September 11, MUDVAYNE released a new single called "Sticks And Stones". The track arrived two weeks after the release of MUDVAYNE's first new single in 16 years, "Hurt People Hurt People", which has already accumulated over half a million streams and counting.

"Sticks And Stones" and "Hurt People Hurt People" were released through Alchemy Recordings, a record label created in partnership between Dino Paredes, former American Recordings vice president of A&R, and Danny Wimmer, the founder of Danny Wimmer Presents, the premier production company for rock music festivals in the United States. Other Alchemy artists include STAIND and CHEVELLE.

Prior to the arrival of "Hurt People Hurt People", the reunited metallers hadn't put out any new material since 2009, which means more than a decade and a half had gone by without a single fresh MUDVAYNE song.

MUDVAYNE formed in 1996 and has sold over six million records worldwide, earning gold certification for three albums ("L.D. 50", "The End Of All Things To Come", "Lost And Found"). The band is known for its sonic experimentation, innovative album art, face and body paint, masks and uniforms.

Gray spent 15 years fronting HELLYEAH, which released its sixth studio album, "Welcome Home", in September 2019 via Eleven Seven Music. The disc marked the group's final effort with drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, who passed away more than seven years ago.

MUDVAYNE did not tour behind its fifth album, which was barely promoted and sold weakly upon release.

Released in 2000 via Epic, "L.D. 50" produced three singles — Dig", "Death Blooms" and "Nothing To Gein". "L.D. 50" peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and No. 85 on the Billboard 200. It was certified gold by the RIAA for shipment in excess of half a million copies in the U.S. alone.

MUDVAYNE completed its first headlining tour in over 14 years, "The Psychotherapy Sessions", in the summer of 2023. Support on the 26-city trek, which was produced by Live Nation, came from COAL CHAMBER, along with GWAR, NONPOINT and BUTCHER BABIES.

Previously, MUDVAYNE made waves in 2022 when they embarked on the "Freaks On Parade" tour co-headlined with ROB ZOMBIE. The 2023 tour, however, marked MUDVAYNE's first headlining endeavor since 2009.

Robin Taylor Zander — a touring member of CHEAP TRICK and son of CHEAP TRICK's legendary frontman Robin Wayne Zander — will release his new self-titled album on October 17 via Confidential Records. He has also shared the sunny-yet-melancholic new single "She Can't Turn Back Now", which is accompanied by a Jon Gillies-directed video. The track follows singles "All She Wrote" and "Nobody's Home".

Rolling Stone calls Robin Taylor Zander "CHEAP TRICK's secret weapon." A versatile multi-instrumentalist, Robin is a full-time member of CHEAP TRICK, with seamless facility on guitar, bass, drums and backing vocals. With lush immersive harmonies, Robin delivers vintage pop rock with a modern twist — a taste of '60s British invasion, '70s punk, '80s new wave, and '90s alternative — a sonic palette that's Robin's own.

Co-produced with rock legend Jack Douglas (AEROSMITH, John Lennon, CHEAP TRICK) and mixed by Douglas with renowned engineer Jay Messina (KISS, Peter Frampton),Zander's new album delivers a deeply personal, unfiltered solo effort that resonates with raw, poetic emotion.

A career in music was inevitable for Robin Taylor Zander. It's in his heart, his soul — and his very DNA. "RTZ", whose father is the founding frontman for iconic rock band CHEAP TRICK, drops his new single "Nobody's Home", following his acclaimed debut solo album, "The Distance" (2023).

Robin's music is awash in smoothly textured instrumentation and soaring, layered vocal harmonies and pop melodies. Robin melds together the influence of THE BEATLES and BEACH BOYS, THE ROLLING STONES, THE MOVE and THE WHO and so many others, in a sonic palette that's Robin's own. Writing all the songs and recording guitar, bass, drums, and vocals for his solo debut, Robin reveals his exceptional musical chops, range, and versatility.

Growing up in a house filled with musical instruments, recordings, and memorabilia, Robin's own musical journey goes back to the age of 3, when he got his first ukulele. He graduated to guitar when he was five, followed by drums, bass, and piano, and singing in his school chorus.

"When I was little, I would take a record and try to learn the bass part or the guitar part, then the next day try to learn the drum part and piano part," he says. "Then I'd sing it and I'd be able to record it in my own."

If there's anything he's learned since picking up that ukulele 25 years ago, it's that there's always something to prove, whether it's in the studio or on stage. As Robin readily acknowledges. "The one thing I know is this is exactly what I want to be doing — and what I've always wanted to be doing."

Confidential Records NYC is the record label of legendary producer Jack Douglas (JOHN LENNON, AEROSMITH, CHEAP TRICK). Jack has had the honor of producing five bands inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Photo credit: Jay Gilbert and Chris Schmitt (courtesy of Tell All Your Friends PR)