In a recent interview with Empire Extreme conducted at the 2025 edition of the M3 Rock Festival at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, ACCEPT guitarist Wolf Hoffmann spoke about the legendary German/American heavy metal band's longevity, having celebrated the 45th anniversary of the release of ACCEPT's self-titled debut album in 2024. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It still blows my mind that people really… I mean, it almost feels like this stuff is for eternity, which is something that nobody could have expected. When I think back to all these years ago in Germany, when we were, basically, little kids in a garage trying to start a band and wrote our first songs, nobody could have thought that this stuff is gonna last. And so we had no idea that songs like that would have as much staying power, and then 40 years later, it means something to people and it doesn't seem to go away in a way. It's crazy. And it's a wonderful thing because what else in life is there, what else can you do in life that kind of has that?

"I'd been away from the music business for a number of years, and I kind of realized it there more than ever, no matter what other job you have, I don't think there's anything that has as much impact on other people like music and art in general," Wolf continued. "It's great. It's a privilege, man."

Speaking specifically about the enduring impact of ACCEPT's iconic song "Balls To The Wall", which was released as the lead single from the band's 1983 studio album of the same name, Wolf said: "I remember when I came up with the first parts of that song and I brought it to the guys, I thought, 'Oh, this is a very cool song. I think it's gonna do something for us.' But nobody had an idea that heavy metal would even last this long. Personally, I always thought it's gonna be like — I don't know — maybe like punk or something. It's gonna be a wave that comes and goes, but nobody could have anticipated that that heavy metal is really still around all these years later. And nobody thought of music — when we got into all this, we didn't think of it as a career. We just thought, 'Man, we're gonna do this as long as we can and we're gonna have a bit of fun. And then maybe one day it's all over.' That was kind of everybody's mindset back then, because there was nobody out in their forties or fifties even doing this kind of stuff. Everybody was young."

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.

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

In a recent interview with Mark Strigl, Hoffmann was asked if ACCEPT's longtime producer Andy Sneap will be involved with the band's upcoming 50th-anniversary album. Wolf said: "He will not be on this one, because he asked for a year off from us. 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, which is expected to launch at the end of the year, 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."

Asked what continues to drive him creatively to keep making new music with ACCEPT, Wolf said: "Well, we're still hungry. I still have the energy and I still have the passion for it, so I don't ever feel like I'm at this point where I've kind of had enough or I wanna retire or anything like that. I'm still full force in it, man. And so is everybody in the band. And that is, I guess, what keeps us motivated and what keeps it going. And it's a lot of fun to create stuff that actually means something to the fans. It would be one thing if we were releasing albums and everybody said, 'You know what? Just play the old songs. We don't really need any new stuff.' But the opposite is true. People are really eating the stuff up, and they're really, really happy and they're respecting the fact that we are still working so hard. So the old songs and the new songs kind of live side by side when we perform live. I mean, at one point the classics are always gonna be the classics and they're gonna be featured on radio more and that sort of thing. But when it comes to live performances. I think the fans really appreciate the fact that we play new stuff."

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.

Four months ago, 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."

Massachusetts metallers KILLSWITCH ENGAGE — Jesse Leach, vocals; Adam Dutkiewicz, guitar; Joel Stroetzel, guitar; Mike D'Antonio, bass; and Justin Foley, drums — released their latest album, "This Consequence", on February 21, via Metal Blade. The LP arrived alongside a hugely successful winter/spring 2025 tour, yielded a Top 10 single with "I Believe" and landed the band on the covers of Revolver and Outburn.

The album was another reminder of why KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, who have earned several gold and platinum certifications alongside three Grammy nominations, remain one of the most enduring bands of the modern metal scene.

Today, the band proudly shares the evocative video for "Aftermath". For this video, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE collaborated with some of the world's leading environmental groups to highlight damage being done to Earth and things we can all do to help stop it.

Watch the video, produced and directed by Good Eye: Music Visuals, below.

"'Aftermath' is a song about the realization of a tragic event or a war, and the strength it takes to rebuild and the hindsight of the loss, betrayal, and madness that transpired while going through it all," Leach explains. "I think we can all relate to this in one way or another. We see daily the tragedies of humanity as well as the destruction of a place we call home. We have taken so much from our planet and ripped the scales in the incorrect direction."

The singer continues: "This song is not just a desperate song with a sense of sadness and anger — it is a call to arms. I'm urging my fellow humans to rise above the helplessness and despair. I want people to see we need to put one foot in front of the other and start to rebuild our lives. Be it from an abusive relationship, a financial hardship, a death of a loved one, or mourning yet another disaster unleashed upon the natural world."

Leach finishes: "We all have power to create change. To me, this works perfectly with the various organizations we partnered with for this video. We all have a responsibility to the amazing place we call home. All of us can make a difference big or small by just contributing to righting the wrongs and repairing the damage we have inflicted on our planet. Our hope is to inspire others to help contribute to keeping our home safe and clean for future generations. It starts right here and right now with us."

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE will return to the road this week on the massive "Summer Of Loud" tour, co-headling alongside BEARTOOTH, I PREVAIL and PARKWAY DRIVE.

Fans got their first taste of "This Consequence" with pulverizing track "Forever Aligned", swiftly followed up with the instant classic "I Believe". More recently, the group shared a video for "Collusion".

"Making this record lit a fire under my ass and made me rethink everything," admitted Jesse. "It had to be next level. It had to be different enough for people to really recognize we're putting forth an effort-or what's the point of doing this? There was no repeating ourselves. It was very carefully planned out and passionately written. It sounds like KILLSWITCH, yet there's also a fresh spirit to it."

This time around, the group emphasized working together face-to-face in a Massachusetts rehearsal spot. The process enabled them to apply the pressure on every element. At the collective urging of his bandmates, Jesse poured over his words like never before.

"We pushed him to do more vocal demos and were super tough on him," recalls Adam. "He was so open to feedback though, and he definitely got the lyrics right. I love it when he and I are face-to-face, and ideas are flying around. We work especially well together when we're in the heat of the moment. All of the demoing made for a better record, and there was so much communication between all of the band members."

"It felt like everyone put a ton of effort into this," Mike adds. "It's the first time since 'Alive Or Just Breathing' that we really hashed everything out together in the same room. It was a combined effort, and there are even some things you've never heard from KILLSWITCH."

"I never considered myself to be a part of mainstream society," he goes on. "I've always been in the middle. To me, this record is about the consequences of our actions as humans as we engage in war, hatred, division, and falling in line with control. History repeats itself. We're going to have to answer for our actions-whether it's how we treat the earth or each other. There will be an uprising and a backlash from nature. Cause and effect is a driving theme. We will face a consequence."

In a new interview with Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini of The Boom Boom Room, '80s hard rock queen Lita Ford spoke out about the infamous 2010 biopic on her former band, THE RUNAWAYS, which stars Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett, Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie and Scout Taylor Compton as Lita. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I felt that THE RUNAWAYS movie was all about Joan, and the stories that they told about Joan were just not accurate. They really made her to look larger than life. And I just didn't agree with any of it.

"I love Scout Taylor Compton," Lita clarified. "I thought she did a fantastic job playing Lita and that she's a really great person and great actress. And I love that they picked Scout for that role. And Scout had reached out to me multiple times, 'Lita, help me with this' and 'help me with that'. And then, of course, they had Kristen Stewart playing Joan Jett. And Kristen Stewart is not one of my favorite people, and neither is Joan Jett.

"The movie is just kind of, for me in my book, I glanced over it when it first came out and just thought, 'Okay, I've seen it. I'm done. I don't ever wanna see it again,'" Lita added.

"Yeah, I would've done it different. But maybe I will one day."

Before "The Runaways" was released 15 years ago, Scout praised Lita, saying: "Lita Ford is an icon of rock and has always been a personal hero of mine. I can't wait for her to see the film. I put my heart and soul into portraying her and to find out she is such an amazing person was truly a blessing for me. It's something I'll never forget."

The first true girl band of the 1970s, THE RUNAWAYS toured internationally and made a dent in the charts before calling it quits at the end of that decade.

In November 2018, Ford told the Daily Mail that a reunion of THE RUNAWAYS will probably never happen. She explained: "Joan Jett is very much in 'Joan Jett land,' I guess you could say. Will she ever come out of Joan Jett land? I don't think so. I think her manager controls that and it's really up to him and her. It seems to me like Joan Jett's manager just runs her life in every way, shape, or form. He's very controlling and he has a real problem with me. He has a real issue with me. He sees me as a threat, which is ridiculous, because she's like my sister and I love Joan. It's ridiculous, it's uncalled for, and it's caused a little bit of rivalry between her and I, which is totally uncalled for. It's his fault."

Ford claimed that Jett's manager has prevented her from even talking about a RUNAWAYS reunion with Jett.

"The hard part is just trying to communicate with Joan without her manager involved," she added.

"We had dinner a couple of years ago, what was supposed to be a girl's night out, and she brought her manager with her.

"So it's like, "Dude, answer the question. I'm trying to ask you a question. Are you interested in putting THE RUNAWAYS back together?' She never answered the question."

Ex-THE RUNAWAYS singer Cherie Currie told the "White Line Fever" podcast in 2016 that RUNAWAYS came close to reuniting three decades ago. "Lita had reached out to us to convince us, me and Joan, to do a RUNAWAYS reunion. And we did, with Kenny Laguna basically at the helm, he secured a tour and Lita, she just basically doesn't get along with Kenny and she just walked away from that."

In a 2015 interview with the WHMH (Rockin' 101) radio station, Lita explained that she decided against a possible RUNAWAYS reunion in the early 1990s because "NIRVANA was just kicking in, and it was really bad timing; it wouldn't have worked. People would have just turned their nose up at it."

In a new interview with The Delz Show, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson spoke about his current relationship with the band's leader Dave Mustaine. After show host Delz said that he misses seeing Ellefson and Mustaine playing together, David said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I miss Dave too. Look, some of some of the best stories of my life begin with 'the time me and Dave' — fill in the blank. You know what I mean? Because we lived such an interesting life together with that band. We haven't talked in a few years, but I miss the guy, of course. We had a lot of fun. And anytime we've ever had [a falling out] like this [in the past], as soon as we get back together, it's like we just were hanging out yesterday."

This past May, Ellefson spoke about his last stint with MEGADETH, which began in 2010 with a tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of the "Rust In Peace" album and ended in 2021 when he was fired after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter. He told The Candid Mic With Fran Strine podcast about his initial return to MEGADETH 15 years ago: "I said, 'Look, I'll come back for a month. Let me just get through this tour. We'll see how it goes.' And it went well. And I'd been there as an owner of the company. I was no longer an owner at this point. I was just a hired sideman musician, which, quite honestly, at that point I was okay with. I was kind of, like, well, as much as the owner also can get a lot of the perks, I know the owner of the business gets paid last. And if things fuck up or a show cancels or anything happens, guess what? Now you're on the hook for all the bills too. And that happened a lot over the years. So I was, like, 'Well, let me just try… Let me keep it simple, keep it easy.' And as we went around the world, it was great. With the 'Big Four' [tour featuring METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX], it was cool because I was back in MEGADETH, Joey Belladonna was back in ANTHRAX, Dave Lombardo was back in SLAYER. Everybody was back home, and the excitement for each of our bands as well as all of our bands together was huge."

He continued: "For MEGADETH, we got another 10 years, 11 years out of it, won a Grammy. So I feel like a lot of our story together in MEGADETH with me and Dave got to be completed as well. And if that means we never play together again — oh, well. It was a good couple of chapters. And if one day we do, well, then we'll see where that goes. But I think you don't sit around and wait for those things. You just get on with it. You just get moving forward. And I certainly didn't stop. I just kept going."

When host Fran Strine suggested that Ellefson is "busier" now than he has ever have been, David said: "Yeah. And I feel lighter, to be honest with you. I wake up and every day is a day, like, 'All right. What are we gonna do today?'"

Asked if he has spoken with Mustaine since his May 2021 dismissal from MEGADETH, Ellefson said: "Nope. Not one word. No need to. After that? No, I don't need to be your friend. I'll move on.

"Look, the ending of that friendship was a long time in the making," Ellefson explained. "It really started in 2018… There was some stuff that I was just — and I was vocal about it. I stood up for what I felt to be the right thing. And, of course, that was not well received… [It was] just about writing the new album, the next album that took five years to make. And every time I would try to write and put something on it, it would get taken off. And it seemed very personal. And at some point it's just kind of, like, 'Look, dude, if you don't want me here, fuck it. I'll move on.' So I guess it took what it took and what happened, happened. And then that was the moment to just sort of abolish it and make it all go away.

"The first time out the door [in the early 2000s], there was legal stuff [to sort out between me and Dave], 'cause we were legally bound into — we were owners of a business and a corporation. So that's not uncommon, to have that. And a lot of that was just so that I could get paid direct from all the sources, so that my money wouldn't keep flowing through MEGADETH. It was just so I could I get paid directly from Capitol and Warner Brothers and everybody. So it was worth going through that process, as shitty as it is. But because we settled it, it did allow at a later day for me to come back and go through all that again. And that's why I didn't fight my way out the door, and I didn't talk a bunch of smack. It was just kind of, like, 'All right, well, look, if we can't get along, just move on.'

"I'm the guy that I don't close doors," David explained. "I don't slam it in people's [faces and say], 'Fuck you. That's it. And you'll never work in this town again.' Because you're mad in the moment. That's all it is. Just move on. Just keep moving on.

"I didn't see coming back to MEGADETH in 2010, and suddenly there it was. It was in the front view and it worked out great. It was glorious, it was huge and we accomplished a lot of great stuff together. But that group is not about being…

"People always talk about the '90s, the 'Rust In Peace' era, where we were very much a group," Ellefson added. "It was very much a group. We worked together, we fought together, we won together. We scaled the mountains and won the battle together. It's not that anymore. It's the Dave show, and that's the way they want it. And as you can see, I've got a lot of other things I wanna say in my life and a lot of other things I wanna do in my life. And I always try to kind of angle it so that it speaks well back into MEGADETH, rather than oppose it. Why oppose what I've done? That's like shitting on my own work. So it's, like, hold that up in high regard, high esteem, because it is — we really did some great stuff together — and then just kind of move on from it. So, that way you're not tarnishing your own past and your own work. It's, like, why fight with yourself?"

Ellefson was originally in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, when the group briefly broke up because Mustaine suffered severe nerve damage that left him unable to play.

Mustaine reformed MEGADETH 21 years ago. Originally setting out to record a solo album, Mustaine enlisted studio musicians to play on what ultimately became MEGADETH's 2004 "The System Has Failed" comeback album, subsequently recruiting former ICED EARTH bassist James MacDonough to take Ellefson's place for the album's touring cycle.

Ellefson sued Mustaine in 2004 for $18.5 million, alleging that the MEGADETH guitarist/vocalist still owed him substantial merchandise and publishing royalties. In January 2005, the case was dismissed in court, and five years later, Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH.

In his first book, Ellefson admitted that he became a salaried employee upon his return to MEGADETH 15 years ago. He told Metal-Rules.com in an interview: "Going from being a co-founding owner to just a sideman musician was initially why I didn't come back in 2004. I was not happy with the participations that were presented to me. In recent times, coming back, I found great joy in doing music with a lot of other people in other settings that helped me fall back in love with playing music. Now I can come back into or go into musical situations and be able to be there for a purpose and level of pay. Being a sideman absolves you from being involved in all the other stuff. At this point in my life, I would rather leave that stuff on the sidelines. Like American Express says, 'membership has its privileges,' being a sideman has its benefits. In my case, it helps retain a friendship too. In order to have a friendship, I had to give up some ownership."

In his 2004 lawsuit against Mustaine, Ellefson claimed that he "attempted to resolve his differences with Mustaine on an amicable basis and offered to continue to perform with [MEGADETH]." However, his "offers were met with verbal abuse, threats, lies and continued invective from Mustaine." Ellefson also said that Mustaine — a veteran of at least 17 drug rehab stints, according to the bassist — resented Ellefson, a former drug addict, for having kicked his own habit. According to Ellefson's court papers, the battle of the band spread to the Internet when Mustaine posted on Megadeth.com that Ellefson was trying to extort him.

Mustaine gave his version of why the 2004 reunion with Ellefson didn't pan out in a message posted on the MEGADETH web site. In lengthy essay, Mustaine claimed that Ellefson missed several deadlines to accept his offer, which included 20% of the artist royalties on "The System Has Failed", none of the publishing royalties and a $2,500-a-week salary while the band was on the road.

At this weekend's Download festival at Leicestershire, United Kingdom's Donington Park, APOCALYPTICA lead cellist Perttu Kivilaakso was asked by Daniel Steer of Mike James Rock Show if there are any musicians left on his "wish list" for possible collaborators on the band's future recordings. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We have worked with an incredible amount of amazing artists. And [METALLICA's] James Hetfield [who guested on APOCALYPTICA's cover of METALLICA's 'One' from APOCALYPTICA's latest album, 2024's 'Apocalyptica Plays Metallica Vol. 2'], of course, has probably been the top of the list, kind of the dream that it would be unbelievable if he someday does something for us. But, of course, there are still so many fascinating artists. For example, I think that the charisma and incredible person of Nick Cave, for example, could be something really cool to make a dark, gloomy thing with the cello and his expression. Or whomever, like Pink or somebody with a really, really great attitude.

"The lovely thing about APOCALYPTICA is that we are very versatile with our music, that it could go from very beautiful classical elements to brutal thrash metal," he explained. "And even still I would love to work more with the greatest growers — Alissa White-Gluz [ARCH ENEMY] or whomever — great artists there are. So the good thing is that the ideas never kind of end. You only end up having the problem with too many ideas and somebody in a business saying that, 'Not all is possible, guys. Come on.'"

Kivilaakso went on to say that he and his APOCALYPTICA bandmates are grateful to still have a global audience with their unique fusion of classical cello music with hard metal elements. "So far, that has been really working," he said. "And I just somehow started to appreciate more and more the fact that we still can do this for a living and entertain people around the world. And it makes us feel, I guess, blessed in that sense. And that gives you the sparkle to still continue and try to figure out more cool things."

As previously reported, Hetfield attended APOCALYPTICA's March 3 concert at the Paramount Theatre in Denver, Colorado. The Finnish cello rockers were touring North America at the time in support of "Apocalyptica Plays Metallica, Vol. 2" — the sequel to their legendary debut record — which came out in June 2024 via Throwdown Entertainment.

"Apocalyptica Plays Metallica Vol. 2" continues the journey that began in 1996 when cellists from Helsinki's world-renowned Sibelius Academy played symphonic tribute to METALLICA. The "One" single saw Hetfield joining proceedings for a soul-stirring, spoken word of those inimitable, now-immortal lyrics.

The album's lead single was "The Four Horsemen", a song that originally appeared on METALLICA's 1983 debut "Kill 'Em All". It features a guest appearance by METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo.

At this weekend's Download festival at Leicestershire, United Kingdom's Donington Park, Matt Tuck of Welsh metallers BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, who have spent the first half of 2025 celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut album, "The Poison", on tours of Europe and North America, spoke to James Wilson-Taylor of Rock Sound about their plans for the band's eighth album, tentatively due in 2026. Matt said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We haven't had a lot of opportunity to get back and focus on it, 'cause since I [last] saw you, we just haven't stopped playing. It's been really intense, but a good intense."

He continued: "There's a lot of love around the world for the band, and we're just trying to kind of make the most of this opportunity, 'cause once [the 20th-anniversary celebration of 'The Poison'] is done, it's done forever. We're not gonna do it again. We're not gonna milk 25, 30, none of that shit.

"But, yeah, I listened to [the new ideas we have come up with so far] a lot when we were [touring] in the States [earlier this year], and, yeah, when I hear it, it still gives me the vibes," Tuck added. "And I think the beginning of August, we're gonna hit the studio for real. And we'll be there until it's done."

Released in 2005, "The Poison" propelled BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE to unimaginable heights. That year saw the Welsh metallers graduate from supporting FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND on their U.K. run in the summer, to ending the year headlining the very same venues just months later. Dropping in October 2005, "The Poison" hit number 21 in the U.K. album charts, becoming a late contender in end of year polls, placing at number seven on Kerrang!'s "Albums Of The Year" list, and since achieving gold status.

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE and TRIVIUM were on the road together earlier thus year to celebrate the joint 20th anniversaries of their respective albums "The Poison" and "Ascendancy".

Last month, TRIVIUM revealed that plans were scrapped to have the two bands hit other territories around the world as part of "The Poisoned Ascendancy" tour. Details surrounding the cancelations were unclear, although TRIVIUM bassist Paolo Gregoletto said in a livestream that Tuck had pulled out of the tour early as he "didn't wanna do it." Gregoletto also claimed that Tuck made the move because he is "the sole decision maker of [BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE] and he has no respect for us or our crew."

The members of BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE later shared a statement on social media saying that they were "grateful" to the fans who wanted to see them live but explained that they had decided to focus their efforts on making a new album instead.

"We're incredibly grateful to have been given the chance to look back at a pair of life-changing albums for us & TRIVIUM, who we have nothing but respect and admiration for," they said. "With that being said, the four of us collectively feel that the time is right for us to divert our full attention towards the next chapter of BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE."

They added: "We can't wait to get back in the studio later this summer and finish what we promise you is our best album to date. To go along with this, we are already starting to make plans for the 2026 & 2027 touring cycles, hitting every corner. We are super excited to drop new music for you all. We value our fans above all else and are forever grateful for your support. We'll be back with all of you very soon."

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE released the deluxe version of its latest, self-titled album in August 2022 via Spinefarm/Search & Destroy. This extended release featured four brand new tracks, plus "Stitches", a song previously only available as a Japanese exclusive. Following the CD and digital releases, a vinyl pressing launched in November 2022.

HEART guitarist Nancy Wilson has blasted the Trump administration for using the band's classic song "Barracuda" at Saturday's (June 14) military parade in Washington, D.C. to celebrate the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary. The military parade coincided with U.S. president Donald Trump's 79th birthday.

Last night, Nancy took to her social media to write: "Earlier today, during a parade held in support of our nation's military and organized by President Donald Trump, the song 'Barracuda' by HEART was played without permission or authorization from us.

"'Barracuda', written and performed by Ann [Wilson, HEART singer] and I, is a powerful piece of music that was never intended for political use.

"As daughters of a U.S. Marine Corps major, we hold a deep and abiding respect for the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces. On a day meant to honor that service, it's important that music used in such settings reflects not only the tone of the event but also the wishes of the artists who created it."

Nancy included a photo of her wearing a hat that said "No Kings But Us", a reference to the "No Kings" protests across the country on Saturday denouncing what organizers described as Trump's authoritarian policies.

The military parade featured dozens of armored tanks and artillery vehicles, such as HIMARS, army aircraft, including Black Hawk helicopters and Apaches, and more than 6,000 uniformed troops.

Instrumental versions of "Barracuda" and JOURNEY's "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" were reportedly among the songs blared during the festivities.

Attendance at Trump's parade, which came with an expected price tag of between $25 million and $45 million, was reportedly dwarfed by the millions who showed up at roughly 2,000 anti-Trump "No Kings" protests in cities and towns all over the U.S.

The Wilson sisters previously objected to "Barracuda" being used for political purposes in 2008 when then-Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin played the song at the Republican National Convention.

Ann told The Hill in a 2018 interview that "Barracuda" could be used by just about any candidate in the 2020 election if they desired. "I think anybody but Trump," she clarified. She also noted that she "definitely wouldn't" vote for Trump in the 2020 election.

This past March, Nancy told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that she feels "embarrassed" to call herself an American in this day and age.

According to Billboard, the performing rights organizations BMI and ASCAP require political campaigns to obtain licenses to use songs in their catalogs, with a caveat in the license that allows songwriters to object to usage in a political campaign. At both ASCAP and BMI, members can request to withdraw their music from political-campaign licenses.

Photo credit: Epiphone / Prime PR Group, Inc.

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In a new interview with Altars Of Metal, former MORBID ANGEL bassist/vocalist David Vincent was asked if there are any plans for him to record new music with I AM MORBID, the band which has spent the last few years exclusively performing material that Vincent recorded with MORBID ANGEL. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've talked about it. I have some songs. I just don't know if anybody would care, because it would only be compared to the [classic MORBID ANGEL] records."

He added: "There's a lot of time that passes, and as time passes, you grow. And if there would've been a continuum for so many years, and new record, new record, new record, probably what I would do now would be a bit different, because music and art is a reflection of where you are today. And where I am today is much different from where I was in the '80s.

When the interviewer noted that an album of original I AM MORBID material wouldn't sound like a new version of "Blessed Are The Sick" or "Covenant" but would be a musical representation of whatever was fueling Vincent creatively in 2025, David said: "Maybe. We've talked about it. I just don't know that it's a good idea. I mean, I really wanna keep this kind of as a legacy project. That's what's important to me. And I think that's what's important to fans. And every band probably goes through this. I mean, IRON MAIDEN could come out tomorrow with the very best record that they've ever done — musically, sonically, the composition, et cetera — but when they play live, what do people wanna hear? They wanna hear 'Wrathchild', they wanna hear 'The Number Of The The Beast', they wanna hear 'Flight Of Icarus'. All bands have the same problem. So, nobody cares about the new stuff. They wanna hear their favorites."

When the interviewer brought up METALLICA as an example of a band which has been able to retain many of its original fans while also making new music which has been embraced by younger followers, Vincent said: "But the thing is that METALLICA has been METALLICA. Other than the bass player, they've been a consistent unit that has continued and continued and continued. So the changes and the growth that they've had has been gradual and eventual. It's been a minute since the four [MORBID ANGEL] records that we're talking about now [were originally recorded and released]. So there's not a continuum to go further than that, and people would be, like, 'Oh, yeah. Okay, well, hopefully they'll do 'Covenant Part 2',' or something. And that's just not gonna happen. That's not where I am right now. So I could force it. I could just think a lot and really try to force something, but I don't write that way, number one. Number two, I would feel really bad about myself to do something that was only because it's what's expected. I mean, I'm a rebel. I've always been a rebel. If somebody expects me to do something, that's a perfect reason not to do it. That's my attitude."

David didn't completely close the door on the idea of I AM MORBID making new, original music, saying: "Well, we'll see what happens. We'll leave it there. We'll see what happens."

During the same chat, Vincent touched upon his reasons for launching I AM MORBID in the first place. He said:  "What happened was we felt like that we needed to sort of keep our legacy alive. And that's the reason for creating I AM MORBID, because these are my children, all of these albums. And it's important to me to be able to perform… I love the music. I love everything that I've done. Thankfully, the fans do too. So, it's been good. And the response has been really good. We've been doing this for a while now. So, I'm happy to be alive and healthy and able to do it."

In addition to Vincent, I AM MORBID includes another former MORBID ANGEL member Pedro "Pete" Sandoval (drums),along with guitarists Richie Brown (EXMORTUS, THE ABSENCE, TRIVIUM) and Bill Hudson (NORTHTALE, DORO).

In October 2022, I AM MORBID parted ways with guitarist Kelly McLauchlin (POSSESSED, DIABOLIC, UNHOLY GHOST) and replaced him with Brown.

Brown made his live debut with I AM MORBID at the Grita Fest in Colombia.

I AM MORBID's spring 2022 European tour marked the first time Sandoval and Vincent played together in 12 years.

Sandoval, who now lives his life as a born-again Christian, was forced to leave MORBID ANGEL in 2010 after undergoing surgery for a prolapsed disc.

Vincent told Invisible Oranges in a December 2013 interview that Pete had "found Jesus," which meant that Sandoval and MORBID ANGEL were no longer "compatible."

Sandoval spent much of the last decade recording and touring with TERRORIZER, whose latest studio album, "Caustic Attack", was released in October 2018 via The End Records.

Vincent previously talked about the possibility of I AM MORBID making original music in a March 2024 interview with Robert Walton of The Metal Meltdown. He said at the time: "Well, there's been some discussion about it. I'm still on the fence. I'm on the fence about that because, with that, there are expectations. And goodness, when you have the catalog that I do and the formula that was part of that catalog, that may or may not be a difficult thing. I mean, there's some days where I feel very inspired to do so, [and] there's other days where I'm, like, 'This is like an old wine. And a young wine doesn't…' Some of the beauty of it is the age of it. So, I don't know. It's an ongoing discussion, but I don't have anything to announce right now."

When Walton noted that EMPEROR's Ihsahn has been reluctant to make a new album with the legendary Norwegian black metal outfit because he feels that it could never live up to fans' expectations, David seemingly concurred. "Well, Ihsahn is a good friend of mine," he said. "I respect him quite a bit as an artist, and I actually agree with him. There is something to that.

"There have been offers [for I AM MORBID to make new music] — substantial offers — but not everything is about money with me. I mean, sure, everybody has bills to pay. We're all humans, we all have needs, but my artistic needs outweigh any greed that may get in the way. I don't allow my needs to push me into doing anything. When it comes to art, it's as pure and organic as possible. And I don't want to let those considerations in."

Vincent left MORBID ANGEL in 2015. He has since been replaced by a returning Steve Tucker, who previously handled bass and vocals on MORBID ANGEL's "Formulas Fatal To The Flesh", "Gateways To Annihilation" and "Heretic" LPs.

In a May 2019 interview with Jorge Botas of the "Metal Global" radio show, which airs on the Portuguese public TV and radio broadcaster RTP, Vincent said that he had every right to perform MORBID ANGEL's classic songs with I AM MORBID. "Times come and life works the way that it does," Vincent said. "And there are times when… It's like a marriage — sometimes they don't always work forever. But that doesn't mean that the children that we've had together, that I don't still love my children. Although Trey [Azagthoth, MORBID ANGEL guitarist and sole remaining original member] and I have some irreconcilable differences, that doesn't in any way preclude me from still having the love and the passion for all of my children."

Asked what he has to say to people who insist that he should not play MORBID ANGEL's early material without the other members of the group's classic lineup, David said: "There's examples of this very situation… I mean, when Ozzy [Osbourne] left BLACK SABBATH, that didn't stop him from playing 'Paranoid' every night, even though he didn't write the song. All of the songs that I'm singing I wrote. So I don't really understand that. But different people become attached to different things. And they have their opinion and I have mine. And I don't really consider this kind of negativity. I don't have it in my life."

In 2019, Vincent released "Something Wicked Marches In", the debut album from his supergroup VLTIMAS, also featuring guitarist Rune Eriksen (formerly of MAYHEM) and CRYPTOPSY drummer Flo Mounier. A follow-up effort, "Epic", arrived in 2024.

In 2017, Vincent issued his debut country single, "Drinkin' With The Devil".

In a new interview with Wayne Carle Jr. of the 95 WIIL Rock (WIIL-FM) radio station in Wisconsin, vocalist Johannes Eckerström of Swedish metallers AVATAR spoke about the band's upcoming July/August 2025 European tour as the support act for IRON MAIDEN after previously opening for the British heavy metal legends for three shows in Brazil in August/September 2022. Johannes said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, it's a full month [of dates we are doing with IRON MAIDEN this time] because nowadays they play every other day. I think they've earned that pacing. Because we got to do it for a bit there in Brazil, I think now I feel kind of free to just enjoy it purely. Because the first time around, that's the most nervous I've been going on stage since — I don't remember when — since probably before existed even. And I think that has something to [do with]… It was just the fandom, of us being fans and the role that IRON MAIDEN play in the world of metal beyond what we think of them, but what everybody thinks of them, I guess. And also it was in Brazil, which is such an IRON MAIDEN place. So it was an intimidation that we felt — a lot of things all at once, and it became incredibly emotional and therefore great. And once we survived that first show and people did not throw rocks and it was a good time, we were kind of able to enjoy the rest of it and start to get into the groove of claiming ownership of your time on stage."

He continued: "That's the challenge with something like that. Yes, it's great to go on tour with your heroes that have inspired you so much and everything, but that is also this opportunity for the band to be seen and heard, and you kind of have to get over yourself a little bit and, yeah, claim ownership, because that is kind of how you make sure that you will deserve the opportunity you've been given. And I think I'm more there now already, because we got to do that trial run… This is less of a question of, like, how do you even do that? I kind of have an idea now. So now just we'll enjoy it for what it is."

AVATAR released a new single, "Captain Goat", in May. The song is taken from the band's upcoming tenth studio album, which will be released later in the year.

AVATAR will embark on a U.S. tour this fall with support from ALIEN WEAPONRY and SPIRITWORLD. Additionally, there is a four-date run supporting METALLICA in spring/summer 2026, along with AVATAR's biggest show ever in Mexico City.

Johannes formed AVATAR in 2001. The band's lineup has remained virtually the same ever since, save for guitarist Tim Öhrström, who entered the fray just over a decade later. AVATAR also includes guitarist Jonas Jarlsby, bassist Henrik Sandelin and drummer John Alfredsson.

AVATAR's latest album, "Dance Devil Dance", came out in 2023. The LP featured a guest appearance by Lzzy Hale of HALESTORM on the song "Violence No Matter What". The record also included the single "The Dirt I'm Buried In", which hit No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.

Photo by Johan Carlén