In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's follow-up to the "Invincible Shield" album, which came out in March 2024. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We got together in February, just outside Nashville, and did the same thing [as we did] with [2018's] 'Firepower'… We got together and we did the drum tracks together. We didn't do it on 'Invincible Shield' because of the restrictions around — [they had] just lifted the COVID restrictions, and we were on tour, so we had to fit the recordings around that. And so that was a bit different. But we got together, recorded the groundings for the record outside of Nashville. So we've got the drums done, we've got the bass done, we've got the guitars done. I did solo guitars in my studio at home. So it's moving on. We've got the base for it. And, yeah, it's sounding really cool."

"The Best Of Judas Priest", a career-spanning collection celebrating one of the most influential and enduring bands in heavy metal, will be released on June 19 via Sony Music.

The mighty JUDAS PRIEST has defined and redefined the sound and imagery of heavy metal for more than five decades. With over 50 million albums sold worldwide and more than 2.5 billion global streams across their catalogue, their impact on music and culture remains unmatched.

JUDAS PRIEST continues to showcase its exemplary live shows across continental Europe this summer as well as a festival stop at Bloodstock Open Air in the U.K. on August 9 and a headline show at Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith on September 21.

An in-depth documentary, "The Ballad Of Judas Priest", was premiered at the 76th Berlinale - Berlin International Film Festival in February. Directed by Tom Morello and Sam Dunn, this fascinating insight into the band's vast career will be released later this year.

"The Ballad Of Judas Priest" received its North American premiere on April 26 at the Hot Docs Canadian international documentary film festival in Toronto.

JUDAS PRIEST's current touring lineup consists of singer Rob Halford, bassist Ian Hill, guitarists Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap and drummer Scott Travis.

PRIEST guitarist Glenn Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease more than 15 years ago but announced in early 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of PRIEST's "Firepower" album. He was replaced by "Firepower" and "Invincible Shield" producer Sneap, who is also known for his work in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.

"Invincible Shield" entered the U.K. chart at No. 2, just behind Ariana Grande's "Eternal Sunshine".

Prior to "Invincible Shield"'s arrival, PRIEST's highest U.K. chart achievement was with 1980's "British Steel", which reached No. 4.

PRIEST's 2018 album "Firepower" entered the chart at No. 5.

"Invincible Shield" was JUDAS PRIEST's fifth Top 10 album, after the aforementioned "British Steel" and "Firepower", as well as 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" (No. 6) and the 1979 live album "Unleashed In The East" (No. 10).

"Invincible Shield" landed at No. 1 in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as No. 5 in France, No. 8 in Italy and No. 16 in Australia.

Photo credit: Andy "Elvis" McGovern

EVERGREY, Gothenburg, Sweden's masterminds of melancholia, will release their fifteenth album, "Architects Of A New Weave", on June 5, 2026 via Napalm Records, just days before the band takes the stage as special guest to the undisputed kings of heavy metal IRON MAIDEN for two shows on their "Run For Your Lives" world tour.

The official music video for the LP's third single, "Leaving The Emptiness", can be seen below. The track offers a chorus that breaks through like sunlight piercing storm clouds and the clip visually underlines its signature character.

EVERGREY frontman Tom S. Englund comments: "Our new single is a high-energy firecracker that makes you want to jump — we know, because we just played it in Brazil twice and people were more in the air than on the ground. But don't let the adrenaline fool you. Underneath the surge is something rawer — a song about the moment you stop running from what hurts and finally turn to face it.

"'Leaving The Emptiness' hits hard because it earns it. The tension between the euphoric, major-key drive and the weight of the lyrics is completely intentional — we want you to feel joy and ache at the same time, because that's what it actually feels like to face your demons and come out the other side. We also made a video that matches that energy in every way, and we genuinely cannot wait for you to see it. If you've ever stood in a crowd and felt the music pull something out of you that you didn't know was still there — for us, this is that song."

"Architects Of A New Weave" was produced by Tom S. Englund and Vikram Shankar, with a mix by Adam "Nolly" Getgood.

The official music video for the second single from "Architects Of A New Weave", a song called "The World Is On Fire", can be seen below. Full of regret, "The World Is On Fire" stages personal emotions as global pain, the apology reverberating, resonating. Enormous, cinematic melodies pull the listener upward, driven by riffs with genuine weight and bite, while vocals dripping with raw, unflinching truth give voice to a deep, aching sense of longing. That longing finds its most intimate expression in the dead of night — when you pull your loved one close, just to feel them breathe — and are confronted with a devastating realization: the promise of a safe tomorrow is a lie you can no longer keep.

"Architects Of A New Weave" is the wake-up call you didn't know you needed: a plunge into thinning air, burning worlds, and lingering guilt — only to break free with fierce momentum. The album refuses to wallow. It ascends — fast, heavy, and cinematic. But it refuses to hide in the dark. It rises: quick, fierce, and utterly transformative.

Englund previously stated about the "Architects Of A New Weave" album: "We've literally never had this much trouble picking singles. And honestly? That's the best problem we could possibly have. Every song on this record is fighting to be the one you hear first — because we poured everything into making an album we're flat-out obsessed with. Like always there are no fillers, no compromises, just twelve tracks we're stupidly proud of and will be for the rest of our lives. Pre-order the album now and join the weave!"

Dive into "Architects Of A New Weave"'s standout tracks like "The World Is On Fire", "Leaving The Emptiness", "Heaven" and "The Prophecy", and the breathtaking title anthem "Architects Of The New Weave". Their choruses break through like sunlight piercing storm clouds: enormous, cinematic melodies that pull you upward, riffs with genuine weight and bite, and vocals dripping with raw, unflinching truth. In one breath, you're shouldering buried longing; in the next, you're weightless, fearless, endless. Scars transform into badges of survival, fractures fuel reinvention. In the second half of the album, fellow Gothenburg icon Mikael Stanne (DARK TRANQUILLITY, THE HALO EFFECT, GRAND CADAVER, CEMETERY SKYLINE) joins Tom S. Englund in vocal duties for "A Burning Flame", the voices of the two scene legends intertwined compellingly.

Among other exclusive formats, "Architects Of A New Weave" comes with a bonus album, containing bonus tracks "Heights" and "One Heart", as well as an album mix of the previously released standalone single "Oxygen!" (2025). Additionally, it features a demo version of "Longing", instrumental tracks of "Leaving The Emptiness", both new songs, as well as a live version of "Falling From The Sun", the hit single off the previous record, "Theories of Emptiness" (2024) and continuation of "Ominous" off "A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament)" (2022).

"Architects Of A New Weave" track listing:

01. Welcome To The Pattern
02. The Shadow Self
03. Architects Of The New Weave
04. The World Is On Fire
05. Heaven
06. The Script
07. Leaving The Emptiness
08. Longing
09. A Burning Flame
10. Call Off Your Lions
11. Chains Of Shame
12. The Prophecy

Last month EVERGREY have announced the addition of guitarist Stephen Platt (SCAR SYMMETRY) to the group's ranks. Platt, who had already been touring with EVERGREY as a live guitarist since late 2025, now officially joins the band as a full-time member.

EVERGREY commented: "We played a lot of shows with Stephen Platt already. He's an incredibly lovely human being on top of being a brilliant guitar player. We couldn't be happier to have him join us for real."

Platt added: "I'm so happy to become the new guitarist of EVERGREY. I've been a fan of the band for a long time now and am extremely honored to have been asked by this group of incredible musicians and people. Looking forward to seeing what the future holds."

Earlier in April, EVERGREY announced the departure of longtime guitarist Henrik Danhage. At the time, the band released the following message via social media: "EVERGREY and Henrik have mutually decided to part ways after working together on and off for 21 years. It is now time for a new chapter for both parties. We wish each other all the best for the future and look forward to new music from both EVERGREY and Henrik. Stay tuned."

Photo credit: Patric Ullaeus

New York City post-hardcore veterans QUICKSAND will release a brand new album, "Bring On The Psychics", on July 17 via the legendary independent New York-based rock label Equal Vision Records. Marking an entirely new era for the storied three-piece — guitarist/vocalist Walter Schreifels, bassist/vocalist Sergio Vega and drummer Alan Cage — "Bring On The Psychics" serves as the sonic bridge between the band's heavy and influential Nineties sound and the ambitious, experimental output contained within its more recent era. Produced and mixed by Jon Markson (DRUG CHURCH, DRAIN) across 10 days, "Bring On The Psychics" once again finds QUICKSAND reinventing the sound they helped pioneer.

Watch the music video for "Regenerate", directed and edited by Jesse Korman, below. Also available is the previously released video for "Get To It".

Schreifels had the following to share about the two brand new singles: "It's tough to talk about your own music and what it means, not only because I sometimes don't understand it myself but in a way it robs the listener of their own interpretation. So if you don't want that, read no further. Otherwise, with 'Get To It' and 'Regenerate' we wanted to do something high-energy and straightforward with a positive feeling. 'Get To It' is about 'getting to it', poking holes in the excuses for standing still. Procrastination is something I've struggled with my whole life so I'm always looking for a new mantra to help overcome my tendency to put things off. 'Regenerate' is about finding new paths forward. It's a theme I think we all return to. No matter how well you play it, life will keep taking things away from you. It sucks but this is how we learn and grow as people, so it might be we're living the most when faced with having to get back up from a hard hit."

It's impossible to overstate the influence that QUICKSAND have on the hardcore scene. Formed in New York City in 1990 out of the ashes of GORILLA BISCUITS, YOUTH OF TODAY, BURN and BOLD, the band took the aggression of hardcore and added a more groove-driven crunch to it, unintentionally inventing the genre known today as a post-hardcore. After releasing two major-label masterpieces in the '90s — 1993's "Slip" and 1995's "Manic Compression" — the band split up at the peak of their powers, only to reunite in 2012 and release "Interiors" and "Distant Populations".

Inspired by a quote from scientist Carl Sagan, "Bring On The Psychics", QUICKSAND's first album in five years and Equal Vision Records debut, sees Schreifels examining his past through his present reality.

"For this album, I was going back to a lot of my earlier influences about 'break down the walls' or 'start today,'" he explains. "Regardless of whether you're into hardcore or youth crew, they're really cool records because they're speaking to the time and providing possible paths to a better future … with mosh parts. That's the energy that I wanted to bring to this."

From the hook-driven heaviness of the opener "Get To It" to the shoegaze splendor of "Crystallize", the band cover a lot of sonic ground on "Bring On The Psychics", but it always sounds like QUICKSAND. Its technical virtuosity is on full display here as well, from bassist/vocalist Vega's locked-in bass grooves on "Cool Guy" to Cage's dynamic drumming on the album's title track. The band also stretched out, musically, on the album as evidenced by the breezy ballad "Days You Run To", a song that might even surprise longtime fans.

"To me, that is the kind of thing that FUGAZI would do on their more chill kind of tunes," Schreifels says of the laid-back feel of the aforementioned track. "It's nice to have something that was more expansive to show the PINK FLOYD side of QUICKSAND."

That aspect of the band has never been a secret; anyone who has seen the band's psychedelic light show can attest to that consciousness-expanding vibe. "Bring On The Psychics" just sees the band encapsulating their creative vision in a fully, more integrated manner.

"I'm really psyched to play these songs live," Schreifels summarizes. "I feel really fortunate to still be playing music with these guys and be able to take it to different places."

"Bring On The Psychics" track listing:

01. Get To It
02. Regenerate
03. Agency
04. Crystallize
05. Supercollider
06. In Full Color
07. Days You Run To
08. Cool Guy
09. Moving Forward
10. Bring On The Psychics

Photo credit: Annette Rodriguez

THE ROLLING STONES today announce the release of their highly anticipated new studio album "Foreign Tongues", arriving July 10 from Capitol Records. The incredibly vibrant 14-track collection follows less than three years after the band's universally acclaimed, Grammy Award-winning "Hackney Diamonds", which topped charts worldwide and achieved multi-platinum success. The new album will be introduced by the upbeat and infectious lead single "In The Stars", released digitally on May 5 alongside the album's opening track "Rough And Twisted". "In The Stars" receives a physical release on May 15. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood are set to attend a media launch for "Foreign Tongues" later today in Brooklyn, New York.

In the lead-up to the announcement, the band have been subtly building anticipation for the new project, including the limited white label release of the track "Rough And Twisted" only on vinyl under the name THE COCKROACHES. Circulating among fans and collectors, the release has already sparked excitement and speculation around the sound and direction of "Foreign Tongues", offering an early glimpse into the album's raw and exploratory energy. Recorded during an exceptionally creative period, "Foreign Tongues" was brought to life in under a month at Metropolis Studios in West London, with Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood reuniting with Grammy-winning producer Andrew Watt, who also helmed "Hackney Diamonds". The result is a dynamic and forward-looking record that captures the band's unmistakable sound while pushing into new sonic and lyrical territory, further cementing their unparalleled legacy.

The album features standout performances from Jagger, Richards and Wood, alongside their core collaborators, including Darryl Jones, Matt Clifford and Steve Jordan. It also includes a special appearance from Charlie Watts, captured during one of his final recording sessions before his passing in 2021. Additional contributions come from an impressive lineup of guest artists, including Steve Winwood, THE BEATLES' Paul McCartney, THE CURE's Robert Smith and Chad Smith of the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.

Reflecting on the recording process, Jagger said: "I love doing these recording sessions in London at Metropolis. It was a very intense few weeks recording 'Foreign Tongues'. We had 14 great tracks and we went as fast as we could. I like the room there as it's not too big so you can feel the passion in the room from everyone."

Richards added: "The 'Foreign Tongues' album has a continuity from 'Hackney Diamonds' and it was great to be working in London again, and to have that London vibe around us. It was a month of concentrated punch. To me, it's all about the enjoyment of it. I'm blessed to be able to do this and long may it last."

Wood commented: "The atmosphere in the room was so creative, and the whole band was on top form throughout the whole process. Very often we nailed it on the first take. I hope everyone loves it."

The album's striking cover artwork is a painting created by acclaimed American artist Nathaniel Mary Quinn, who commented: "Creating the album cover for THE ROLLING STONES is an artistic honour — a dialogue with one of the most enduring forces in cultural history"

"Foreign Tongues" will be available on a wide range of formats, including CD, deluxe CD editions, cassette, multiple vinyl variants (standard and limited colour pressings),exclusive retailer editions, and special box sets, alongside the single "In The Stars" on CD and vinyl formats.

Photo credit: Mark Seliger

LEX LEGION, the new band featuring four-fifths of KING DIAMOND's classic late '80s lineup, has released the official music video for its second single, "Gypsy Tears". The clip was directed by Patric Ullaeus of the rEvolver Film Company and can be seen below.

Featuring Andy La Rocque (guitar),Mikkey Dee (drums),Pete Blakk (guitar) and Hal Patino (bass) — alongside vocalist Nils K. Rue (PAGAN'S MIND) — LEX LEGION brings together decades of experience spanning MOTÖRHEAD, SCORPIONS and, of course, KING DIAMOND.

Dee commented: "It's now time to release our second single; 'Gypsy Tears'. Another great song with a lot of fire and bite, this one is a real driving banger! The video, it's more of a short movie, does a great job of telling the story in the lyrics. Check it out!"

Rue said: "At its core, the song is a dark portrait of obsession, told through the eyes of a watcher who cannot let go. The video re-imagines this as a timeless story of love and longing that stretches beyond reality itself. Through layered metaphors, the lyrics transform personal conflict into vast, symbolic landscapes — where emotional collapse feels like war-torn ground."

Blakk added: "'Gypsy Tears' is the essence of me, Mikkey, Andy and Hal. With me and Andy trading off solos and the power of Mikkey and Hal's rhythm section all supporting the powerful vocals of Nils, the song really brings a new dimension to metal in 2026. The video is tasteful, mystical and raw. It's a piece of art that will leave no one untouched."

In an interview with The Metal Crypt, La Rocque stated about how LEX LEGION came together: "The story is kind of long because it started back in 2008 when me and Pete talked about maybe doing something together. Maybe just put together an album and start writing some songs. We started to write a few songs back in 2008. We had a few riffs here and there, and then it just turned into nothing because we were kind of busy with other things. Then, many years later, I think this was during the pandemic, Pete continued writing a few riffs, and he played some of the riffs and songs for Mikkey, who thought, 'This sounds really good. I want to be a part of this.' Then Pete said, 'Yes, maybe we should ask Andy too, but I guess he's too busy with KING DIAMOND and everything.' At the time, during the pandemic, nothing was really happening. They called me and asked me if I wanted to join that project. I said, 'Sure, man. We're doing nothing really with KING DIAMOND because we have a pandemic now, and let's do it.' During that time, we put together a few more songs, and that's how it started. Then Hal Patino was also asked during that period. It took us about — I don't know — many years. If you count it from 2008 up until now, that's many years. For the final maybe three or four years, we put everything together. In the very end, everything went quite fast. We got a record deal, and everything was really smooth in the very end."

On the topic of why "Sleep Eternally" was chosen to be the debut single from LEX LEGION, Andy said: "We actually asked the record company what they thought would be the first single to release. We went through it. We had a few suggestions, too, of course, but we all agreed on, at the very end, that this would be the first single. They also came up with the suggestion of the second one, which we all agreed on… You'll hear it in a couple of weeks because the second single is going to be released, I don't know, somewhere in May, I believe. People who have heard that say, 'No, I like the second one even better.' [Laughs]"

As for how LEX LEGION has been received so far, Andy said: "The response has been absolutely overwhelming. I also think it's important to say here that the songs we write and the songs from my side of it, it's nothing that — it's no leftovers from the KING DIAMOND songwriting, if you know what I mean, from the library I have with KING DIAMOND. This is completely different and has nothing to do with KING DIAMOND in that sense. KING DIAMOND is KING DIAMOND, and I write songs for KING DIAMOND, and then I write songs for LEX LEGION. I don't want people to believe that, oh, he has some songs that were intended for KING DIAMOND that he's using here. No, not at all. It's not the other way around, either. It's two very different and separate things."

LEX LEGION's self-titled debut album will be released in June 2026 via MNRK Music Group. The first single "Sleep Eternally", sets the tone instantly, while follow-up "Gypsy Tears" continues the momentum with a mix of atmosphere and drive.

This is music for fans of heyday IRON MAIDEN, QUEENSRŸCHE, ACCEPT and, yes, KING DIAMOND, seeing as the four LEX LEGION instrumentalists appeared together on KING DIAMOND's "Them" and "Conspiracy" albums.

"This is totally unique. No one is writing this kind of music and there's a big hole for us to fill," La Rocque previously said about LEX LEGION. "The album is a journey and every song is like the beat of a movie. I want listeners to travel back."

He added: "The song style is different (to KING DIAMOND) but still from the same era. The riffs are different and the arrangements are a little less progressive and a little more straightforward."

"Lex Legion" track listing:

01. Sleep Eternally (3:56)
02. Gypsy Tears (3:57)
03. When The Stars Align (3:52)
04. (I Am) The Resurrected (4:27)
05. Lost Inside (3:33)
06. Darkness (4:28)
07. Saviours (4:03)
08. Life Eternal (3:25)
09. Far Away (2:58)

Photo by Patric Ullaeus

During an April 30 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", UFO frontman Phil Mogg was asked for an update on his health. The now-78-year-old British-born musician, who suffered a heart attack in August 2022, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[My health is] pretty good. I could probably beat you around the block, a race, depending on what's at the end of the race, like the prize. But, no, it's pretty good. Pretty good."

Asked by "Trunk Nation" host Eddie Trunk if that means he has "no issues" and is in a "good spot" right now with his overall health, Phil clarified: "No, [I have] plenty of issues. It's like an old car — bits fall off. It's sort of, you go for an MOT [British Ministry Of Transport test, an annual inspection of vehicle safety] now, and government check out, see whether everything's working. As it is, as you get slightly older, you notice certain things, which I'm sure most people do."

Mogg also talked about "My Years With UFO", the recently released album and accompanying tour from Michael Schenker during which the legendary German guitarist revisited his classic years with UFO from 1972 to 1978. Asked if he had any thoughts about Michael re-recording some of those songs and embarking on a tour focused on his UFO period, Phil said, "Well, I checked the PRS," referring to PRS For Music, which ensures songwriters and composers get paid when their music is played, performed, or streamed worldwide. Asked if he saw "some money from [Michael] playing the songs", Phil said: "I hope so… No, I didn't. I kind of looked here and thought, 'Wow.' I sort of went, 'Wow. You are playing in a band, doing a cover band, playing cover songs of your own songs.' I find that kind of thing a bit tacky. Personally, if I was really looking to do new material, because you can put those numbers into your own set, if you want, but to do an actual whole tour with them is… well, quite unusual. But I'm sure it was good. I wonder about some of the songs, doing them without a professional singer. [Laughs] Oh, stop it. See, look, you got me going, Eddie… No. Do you know what? I didn't actually take much notice of it. It's great. It's good that someone's out there playing the tunes."

Asked if he has any "interest  in any way, shape, or form to do a proper final farewell UFO show in some way", Phil said: "No. I think that's like one of those kind of romances you can't go back to. It's an affair you had, which was great, and you dream and you say, 'Oh, that was great.' You feel like the woman [in question], you think [the relationship] was marvelous, and you go back to [it], and you go, 'Nah, [it] wasn't.'"

He continued: "I don't think you can go back to things like that. And I don't think you can kind of recreate it even. I mean, it'd be a bit of a laugh, but that's about it. No, I wouldn't want to try and get that back. It was a one-off, or a two-off, whatever, and I think I kind of like to leave things like that."

Mogg previously discussed the possibility of future UFO live appearances during an August 2024 interview with Seb Di Gatto of The Metal Gods Meltdown. Asked if the band was "definitely finished" and "never coming back", he responded at the time:  "No, I think we've reached that point now. I believe when [bassist] Pete [Way] went, that it kind of took the wind out of our sails, out of the band, really. I know he was going a bit loopy, but he had a lot of the character which was in the band. So, no, we couldn't replace him. And no, definitely not. No. I think that'd end up being like the Frank Sinatra tour, wouldn't it? What's the other band? SCORPIONS kept retiring, didn't they?"

Mogg continued: "The other thing is when you say, 'This is our last tour,' that really should be, because people come along and they've spent their money getting there or doing whatever for the last tour, and then if you turn around and do another one, they go, 'Oh, you've just done your last tour. I've just paid 50 quid for that.' It would be a little bit unfair."

Asked how he would like UFO and Phil Mogg to be remembered in the years to come, Phil said: "Just as a cracking good little band. Nothing too glorious, but just… You know when you go, like I do, I'd seen THE ANIMALS at Club Noreik in Tottenham when I was about 14, 15. And I always would go, 'Oh, that was a good band. I really enjoyed that night.' And I enjoyed Eric Burdon. So, I think that's compliment enough."

Mogg also addressed UFO's future in April 2024 in an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock. Asked if there was still "more to do" with the band, he responded: "No, no. I think it's come to a conclusion. We did that last U.K. tour in 2019, just before COVID. So that was kind of the end of it, and the time was right."

In August 2022 Phil was rushed to the hospital where he had two stents implanted into his coronary arteries. This is known medically as a coronary angioplasty and aims to re-open the blocked coronary artery by inserting one or more stents. This helps keep the narrowed artery open.

UFO's farewell tour was scheduled to kick off on October 15, 2022 at the De Casino in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium and run through a final show at the Fuzz Club in Athens, Greece on October 29, 2022.

When the news of Mogg's heart attack was first made public, UFO said in a statement: "On Thursday September 1st, 2022 — after having performed several detailed examinations in the past days — the doctors pronounced a strict performance ban for Mogg until further notice. This is why the entire Last Orders farewell tour, which was supposed to lead across Europe from October 15 to 29, 2022 before ending in Athens, had to be cancelled.

"If and when the tour or — at the very least — individual shows can be made up for, is currently completely unclear and will depend on Mogg's recovery, among other things. His rehabilitation therapy will be starting in about six weeks. According to the doctors, it is not yet possible to give any concrete statements about the duration and scope of the treatment."

In 2021, UFO announced that it would embark on its final tour featuring a series of exclusive concerts in summer 2022 to bid farewell to its fans in style. UFO was scheduled to play the very last concert of in Athens, where the band performed its first show featuring current guitarist Vinnie Moore in February 2004.

When UFO's final concert was first announced, Mogg was anticipating this very special farewell show with mixed feelings, while also very much looking forward to UFO once again meeting their extensive fan base between summer and autumn 2022.

Mogg, who turned 78 in April, said at the time: "After so many years with countless highlights, fantastic experiences and lots of beautiful memories — as well as some difficult moments, naturally — it'll be a worthy finale to say goodbye to your fans in person. I know that there are bound to be some very emotional moments on both sides."

In his original statement announcing UFO's final tour, Mogg said the decision was "a long time coming," adding that while "being out on the road isn't always tremendously luxurious and although the playing is as great as it ever was, the stuff that surrounds it becomes very tiresome. I always told myself that when I reached that stage, I would step down, and that's what I'm going to do. This is the right time for me to quit."

UFO guitarist/keyboard player Paul Raymond died in April 2019. He appeared on more than a dozen of UFO's albums, including "Lights Out" and the live classic "Strangers In The Night".

UFO's most recent lineup included original members Mogg and drummer Andy Parker, as well as Moore, who joined in 2003, and Rob De Luca (bass),a member since 2012.

UFO's latest release was the 2017 covers collection "The Salentino Cuts".

Phil's new band MOGGS MOTEL released its self-titled album in September 2024. A follow-up LP is currently in the works.

Image credit: Best In Purple

In a new interview with KillerTube, COAL CHAMBER frontman Dez Fafara spoke about the band's return to the stage for last weekend's Sick New World festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show marked COAL CHAMBER's first live appearance since drummer Mikey "Bug" Cox's successful battle with cancer. Dez said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That [gig] was insane. So, first of all, for those who don't know, in COAL CHAMBER, my drummer Mike went through cancer, stage four cancer that should have taken him out. I don't think a lot of people may have survived that. I watched him — it's hard for me to talk about, actually. I may get emotional. But I just hit him every day. I watched him go after it. He's a great father, a great husband, a great man."

Dez continued: "When we started, [Mikey] was 17 in COAL CHAMBER, so although we bonded on music and we were friends, we were never 'tight tight' because of the age gap. But now he's got a mortgage, a kid, wife. We bond on a level that is unbelievable. And watching him go head-on and take on the amount of chemo and the amount of things he had to do, and do some other stuff with me on the side that we can't discuss yet, while he was going through that was a fucking miracle."

Fafara added: "Watching him take the stage [on April 25] at Sick New World, watching that show go down, they were singing 'Sway', which is 'the roof is on fire' [chorus], 10 minutes before we even came out… Between songs, I couldn't even hear myself think, the crowd was so loud. The first person I hugged was Mike, and we both — I busted into tears, I'm not afraid to say it. And I'm just really blessed that he's with us, and people are gonna be really blessed to hear what went on while he was going through all of that with COAL CHAMBER. Again, that's for another time. But thank you for asking. That show was magnificent."

Last week Cox revealed that he was diagnosed with stage three cancer on April 1, 2025. He described the experience as "dark" and "scary" and added that he went through "a yearlong battle and absolutely brutal rounds of radiation, chemotherapy, and eventually surgery" before being declared "cancer-free".

COAL CHAMBER played its first two shows in eight years at the Sick New World festival in Las Vegas in May 2023 and at the Inkcarceration Music And Tattoo Festival in Mansfield, Ohio in July 2023. That same year, COAL CHAMBER completed a U.S. tour as the support act for MUDVAYNE.

After COVID-19 nearly took Fafara out in 2021, Dez was very vocal about his brush with death and COVID's after-effects, which were brought into view when DEVILDRIVER canceled its appearance at the 2023 Bloodstock Open Air festival in the U.K. due to inflammation in his lower heart.

In January 2025, COAL CHAMBER canceled its previously rescheduled "Fiend For The Fans" U.S. tour. The trek, which was originally slated to kick off in August 2024 before being postponed to March/April 2025 due to Fafara's health emergency, was supposed to feature support from FEAR FACTORY, TWIZTID, BLACK SATELLITE and FRAYLE.

Photo credit: Jim Morris

During an appearance on an upcoming episode of Dean Delray's "Let There Be Talk" podcast, former METALLICA bassist Jason Newsted opened up about a health scare he had last year when he was diagnosed with throat cancer. After Delray noted that Newsted was invited to take part in the final edition of Dean's legendary Bon Scott/AC/DC tribute show this past February, the 63-year-old Newsted, who recently announced that he will embark on the first-ever North American headlining tour with his THE CHOPHOUSE BAND this summer, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET from video clip provided by Dean Delray): "If I could have been there, I would've been there. And so I will talk about this a little bit. I decided that this week, as I'm beginning to roll out the promotion for the shows and stuff and let everybody know I'm gonna be back around, and you already know it — you're, probably, in the 24 people that I told.

"So, let's see — in one week, it's gonna be a year. So one week from today, it'll be a year. May 8th of 2025, I underwent a procedure for throat cancer. And so they took a bunch of shit outta here and then they went in with lasers this way and took a bunch of shit out. So the cavern inside my head is different than it was, but we got it early. And I got my 'free and clear' about three weeks ago. So I beat it."

Newsted added: "I promised myself I was going to rest, and that was the first time I've done that in my life. I'm usually just on or off. And so I promised myself I was gonna take the gravity off and lay down for the right amount of hours. And there's no way, with my arrogant, spoiled ass that I would've stopped smoking weed, that I would've stopped drinking, that I would've stopped doing all the things. But the great spirit got my attention and said, 'That's not good right now, man.' And so it pulled me off it. And so now I'm more clear-headed than I've been in my entire adult life. And so there's blessings within everything. The lemonade I'm making this summer, bro — mm. Sweet. Ooh."

JASON NEWSTED & THE CHOPHOUSE BAND will play eight headlining dates in cities including Northampton, Albany, Alexandria, Grand Rapids, Knoxville and more (full dates below). The group will also support iconic Atlanta country rock outfit BLACKBERRY SMOKE for 10 shows in July.

This 18-date run will kick off on July 1 at Northampton's Iron Horse Music Hall, and visit major markets across the South, Midwest, and East Coast, and conclude with a two-night stand at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee on July 24-25.

Since 1992, JASON NEWSTED & THE CHOPHOUSE BAND have performed periodically at select benefit shows and charity gigs, supporting causes like veterans' relief and animal rehabilitation, as well as youth music and arts education programs.

Newsted leads the 2026 JASON NEWSTED & THE CHOPHOUSE BAND lineup, in which he is joined by Jesse Farnsworth (guitar, vocals),Jimbo Hart (bass, vocals),Humberto Perez (guitar) and Robert John-Tucker (drums, vocals).

JASON NEWSTED & THE CHOPHOUSE BAND play a gritty brand of outsider Americana, with roots outstretched into traditions of bluegrass, folk, soul, rock, and a bit of heavy metal. At the same time, Newsted's lyrics cut deep as he threads personal stories into the fabric of this music, presenting perhaps the most intimate and uncompromising portrait of who he is thus far.

When the tour was first announced in April, Jason said: "I've realized that this is where I can place my energy effectively now. THE CHOPHOUSE is the continuation of my ambassadorship of American music. THE CHOPHOUSE BAND plays everything from bluegrass to fucking slabs of metal. We're covering a lot of ground. There could be country flavor to a song, but it'll still have sharp teeth. We are looking forward to an exciting summer!"

Tour dates:

July 01 - Northampton, MA - Iron Horse Music Hall
July 02 - Albany, NY - Empire Underground
July 03 - Lititz, PA - Mickey’s Black Box
July 05 - Wayne, PA - 118 North
July 06 - Alexandria, VA - The Birchmere
July 09 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater*
July 10 - Durham, NC - Durham Performing Arts Center*
July 11 - Charlotte, NC - Ovens Auditorium*
July 12 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall
July 15 - Lewiston, NY - Artpark*
July 16 - Utica, NY - Saranac Brewery*
July 17 - Farmington, PA - Timber Rock Amphitheater*
July 18 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall*
July 20 - Grand Rapids, MI - Pyramid Scheme
July 21 - Newport, KY - Southgate House Revival
July 22 - Knoxville, TN - Open Chord
July 24 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium*
July 25 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium*

* Supporting BLACKBERRY SMOKE

Named after Jason's four recording studio facilities around the U.S. and featuring a fluid roster of players, THE CHOPHOUSE BAND began in 1992 when Newsted founded The Chophouse Records Studio in San Francisco.

THE CHOPHOUSE BAND is led by Newsted, playing guitar and performing lead vocal, accompanied by 
close friends/musicians of all walks and styles.

Jason previously told the Palm Beach Florida Weekly about THE CHOPHOUSE BAND: "We all get along great because there's not money involved. They've got their own bands, their own families, their own gigs. We do benefit gigs, six a year, and that's it. I record and write and play songs the whole rest of the time. They could all run circles around me musical theory-wise. They could tell you everything they’re playing, and all the relating chords. I surround myself with the badasses, and they make me look really good. I'm playing cowboy chords the whole time, and they're doing their fancy shit to make me look good. I just concentrate on singing, and getting across the things I want people to hear."

Jason left METALLICA back in 2001, but was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, along with Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett and the man who replaced him, bassist Robert Trujillo, in 2009.

Twelve years ago, Jason shelved NEWSTED, the heavy metal project he operated between 2012 and 2014, saying that it cost him "an awful lot of money — hundreds of thousands of dollars." He added: "I couldn't continue because the business is such a harsh thing now and so different than what I had known."

(Thanks to Dean Delray for providing BLABBERMOUTH.NET with video clip containing the above-mentioned quote related to Jason Newsted's throat cancer diagnosis.)

During an appearance on the latest episode of the "100 Songs That Define Heavy Metal" podcast, hosted by Metal Blade Records CEO Brian Slagel, singer Ray Alder spoke about the current status of FATES WARNING, the progressive metal band he has been a member of for nearly four decades. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "Jim [Matheos, FATES WARNING guitarist] and I talk, we talk all the time, obviously, since we've been working on other stuff, discussing maybe we do some live shows again one day. And the idea perhaps has come up a few times. It gets to a certain point, and then it all seems to fall apart. Not a week ago, we were talking about doing a show here in Europe. And we started messing with logistics and everything, and then we were getting right there, and then we just said, 'No. It's just not gonna work.'"

Ray continued: "I'll say never say never, because, again, Jim and I talk all the time, and the idea pops up from time to time. And it's not like we're both completely against it. It's just we need to work the logistics out correctly."

Alder added: "We did the 'Parallels' [FATES WARNING's classic 1991 album] reunion tour a while… It was a long time ago [more than a decade and a half ago], and that was fun. And we only played eight shows. It was a huge success for us. It was such a great tour. And we thought about an ['A Pleasant Shade Of Gray' tour celebrating the 1997 album], another reunion, or maybe not a reunion, but doing the whole album sometime. So, I don't know. We'll see. We'll see if we can work something [out]."

Earlier this month, FATES WARNING bassist Joey Vera was asked by George Dionne of The Rock Is George podcast about the band's current status. The musician, who also plays in ARMORED SAINT, responded: "Man, I wish I had an answer for you… I don't have any news with that, and I'm bummed about that because I do get asked about it a lot. And I'm still in touch with Jim and with Ray. We text each other. I probably text with Ray more frequently than Jim, but we're still in touch. And we're sort of, like, 'Hey, we miss you guys. Let's go out and do this again.' And they're, like, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.' Well, everybody's busy, which, it's kind of true. Everybody's doing other things at the moment."

Joey continued: "But I haven't given up. I would love to do more shows. And I know that there's offers coming in from promoters, 'cause sometimes they come to me. And I'm, like, 'Hey, man, I got no pull here. You gotta go to the booking agents and you gotta go to Matheos and Ray.' But the interest is still there, and I hope that one of these days I can have something better to tell you than what I'm trying to get through right now. [Laughs]"

Four years ago, Vera told VWMusic about how he landed the FATES WARNING gig: "I'd been friends with Jim Matheos and the guys since 1984. In fact, they asked me to fill in for Joe Dibiase back in 1989, when he had a family emergency during their 'No Exit' tour, so I flew out and played four shows with them on the East Coast. One day, I got a call from Jim in 1996, and he asked me if I wanted to play on their new album. I said, 'Hell yes.' I didn't know then that I'd still be working with them after all these years, but it's been one of the most fulfilling things I've done."

Back in February 2024, Alder was asked by Seb Di Gatto of The Metal Gods Meltdown if there were any plans for FATES WARNING to go back into the studio in the near future. He responded: "No. Jim doesn't wanna write any more music for the band. I think he just kind of feels it wouldn't be honest — he wouldn't be honest with himself or to the fans. He's just really not into it at the moment — I don't know; he says not at all, but who knows in the future? Maybe he becomes inspired or bored. I don't know. We'll see."

Ray previously touched upon the fact that FATES WARNING has likely made its final album in May 2023 while talking to Sakis Fragos of Greece's Rock Hard magazine about his decision to continue making solo music. He said at the time: "With FATES, after we did the last album and Jim saying he doesn't wanna write any more FATES WARNING music, I have to do something. I'm a singer. I can't just get a normal job. I mean, music is my life; it's been my life since I was 16 years old. I've been in bands — shit, since I was 14 years old I've been in bands. The first time I ever sang, I think, I was 14, [in] my brother's band. So it's my life. I don't know what else I would do otherwise."

Pressed to clarify if Jim really said that he wasn't interested in writing any more FATES WARNING music, Ray said: "Yeah. [He said it] when we did [2020's] 'Long Day Good Night' [album]. That was basically his saying he doesn't wanna write any more FATES WARNING music. It doesn't mean we won't ever tour again. I would love to tour again, and Jim would as well; we've already discussed it. It's just a matter of getting everyone together. Joey's in five or six different bands. And Bobby Jarzombek, Bobby's now playing with George Strait, one of the biggest country music stars in the world, and Bobby's his drummer now. But George doesn't really do normal tours; he does one-off shows now and then. And so it's really hard for Bobby to leave for more than a week or two to be on tour. So we've been trying to deal with that lately."

Asked if that means that there will be no more new FATES WARNING music in the future, Ray said: "It doesn't seem like it. I can't speak for Jim. Of course I would love to, and everybody else would, but at this point I don't think Jim wants to write anymore."

As for why he thinks Jim isn't interested in making any more FATES WARNING music, Alder said: "You've gotta ask him, man. You've gotta ask him. I can't speak for him. Sorry."

FATES WARNING hasn't performed live since the completion of the band's North American tour in April 2019.

FATES WARNING has been a formidable presence in progressive metal for more than four decades, helping to shape and drive the genre without ever compromising its integrity or losing relevance.

FATES WARNING, with John Arch on vocals, unleashed three albums (1984's "Night On Bröcken", 1985's "The Spectre Within" and 1986's "Awaken The Guardian") that would go on to influence progressive-minded bands like DREAM THEATER, before Arch left the group and was replaced by Alder.

NORTH SEA ECHOES, the project featuring Alder and Matheos, released its debut album, "Really Good Terrible Things", in February 2024 via Metal Blade.

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

In a new interview with George Dionne of The Rock Is George podcast, ARMORED SAINT bassist Joey Vera was asked about the current status of FATES WARNING, the progressive metal band he has been a member of for three decades. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Man, I wish I had an answer for you… I don't have any news with that, and I'm bummed about that because I do get asked about it a lot. And I'm still in touch with Jim [Matheos, FATES WARNING guitarist] and with Ray [Alder, FATES WARNING singer]. We text each other. I probably text with Ray more frequently than Jim, but we're still in touch. And we're sort of, like, 'Hey, we miss you guys. Let's go out and do this again.' And they're, like, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.' Well, everybody's busy, which, it's kind of true. Everybody's doing other things at the moment."

Joey continued: "But I haven't given up. I would love to do more shows. And I know that there's offers coming in from promoters, 'cause sometimes they come to me. And I'm, like, 'Hey, man, I got no pull here. You gotta go to the booking agents and you gotta go to Matheos and Ray.' But the interest is still there, and I hope that one of these days I can have something better to tell you than what I'm trying to get through right now. [Laughs]"

Four years ago, Vera told VWMusic about how he landed the FATES WARNING gig: "I'd been friends with Jim Matheos and the guys since 1984. In fact, they asked me to fill in for Joe Dibiase back in 1989, when he had a family emergency during their 'No Exit' tour, so I flew out and played four shows with them on the East Coast. One day, I got a call from Jim in 1996, and he asked me if I wanted to play on their new album. I said, 'Hell yes.' I didn't know then that I'd still be working with them after all these years, but it's been one of the most fulfilling things I've done."

Back in February 2024, Alder was asked by Seb Di Gatto of The Metal Gods Meltdown if there were any plans for FATES WARNING to go back into the studio in the near future. He responded: "No. Jim doesn't wanna write any more music for the band. I think he just kind of feels it wouldn't be honest — he wouldn't be honest with himself or to the fans. He's just really not into it at the moment — I don't know; he says not at all, but who knows in the future? Maybe he becomes inspired or bored. I don't know. We'll see."

Ray previously touched upon the fact that FATES WARNING has likely made its final album in May 2023 while talking to Sakis Fragos of Greece's Rock Hard magazine about his decision to continue making solo music. He said at the time: "With FATES, after we did the last album and Jim saying he doesn't wanna write any more FATES WARNING music, I have to do something. I'm a singer. I can't just get a normal job. I mean, music is my life; it's been my life since I was 16 years old. I've been in bands — shit, since I was 14 years old I've been in bands. The first time I ever sang, I think, I was 14, [in] my brother's band. So it's my life. I don't know what else I would do otherwise."

Pressed to clarify if Jim really said that he wasn't interested in writing any more FATES WARNING music, Ray said: "Yeah. [He said it] when we did [2020's] 'Long Day Good Night' [album]. That was basically his saying he doesn't wanna write any more FATES WARNING music. It doesn't mean we won't ever tour again. I would love to tour again, and Jim would as well; we've already discussed it. It's just a matter of getting everyone together. Joey's in five or six different bands. And Bobby Jarzombek, Bobby's now playing with George Strait, one of the biggest country music stars in the world, and Bobby's his drummer now. But George doesn't really do normal tours; he does one-off shows now and then. And so it's really hard for Bobby to leave for more than a week or two to be on tour. So we've been trying to deal with that lately."

Asked if that means that there will be no more new FATES WARNING music in the future, Ray said: "It doesn't seem like it. I can't speak for Jim. Of course I would love to, and everybody else would, but at this point I don't think Jim wants to write anymore."

As for why he thinks Jim isn't interested in making any more FATES WARNING music, Alder said: "You've gotta ask him, man. You've gotta ask him. I can't speak for him. Sorry."

FATES WARNING hasn't performed live since the completion of the band's North American tour in April 2019.

FATES WARNING has been a formidable presence in progressive metal for more than four decades, helping to shape and drive the genre without ever compromising its integrity or losing relevance.

FATES WARNING, with John Arch on vocals, unleashed three albums (1984's "Night On Bröcken", 1985's "The Spectre Within" and 1986's "Awaken The Guardian") that would go on to influence progressive-minded bands like DREAM THEATER, before Arch left the group and was replaced by Alder.

NORTH SEA ECHOES, the project featuring Alder and Matheos, released its debut album, "Really Good Terrible Things", in February 2024 via Metal Blade.

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

In a new interview with Jaimunji of Metal On Tap, FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares spoke about the band's upcoming studio album, which is tentatively due before the end of the year via Nuclear Blast. The LP will mark FEAR FACTORY's first release with the band's latest additions, singer Milo Silvestro and drummer Pete Webber, who have been part of FEAR FACTORY's touring lineup for three years. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "On this new record, we have a team of people that are working with us. We had Rhys Fulber do some of the keyboards. We had our fill-in basis, a guy named Ricky Bonazza, who is our fill-in basis for Tony Campos when he can't do it, when he is on tour with STATIC-X, he helped contribute a lot with some of the programming, some of the arrangements and some of the vocals, actually, lyrics. Of course Milo did a great job with a lot of his lyrics and a lot of going over the concept ideas. And our producer Damien [Rainaud] right now, he's been working with us since [2012's] 'The Industrialist', so he definitely knows the band pretty well. We've got a great team of writers, and this record's gonna have a shit-ton of killer songs and it's gonna make it harder picking which songs of that record to play live. And we're gonna be coming out with a new single really soon, so it's gonna be great."

When Jaimunji commended FEAR FACTORY for not releasing new music right away after securing a replacement for original vocalist Burton C. Bell, allowing Silvestro an opportunity to "live and breathe FEAR FACTORY for a while" before contributing to the band creatively, Dino concurred.

"When we released [the final album with Bell] 'Aggression Continuum' [in 2021], we got Milo in, and then right after that we were on tour," Dino said. "So, we were supporting that record. I know that I have said in the past that I was gonna release a [new] single [with Milo's vocals], but I was, like, 'Okay, maybe Milo needs to develop a little bit more before we do that.' We knew that he could jump in seamlessly, singing all of Burt's vocals live, but creatively we still needed to work out that together. And that's exactly what we did. We took our time, and we wanted to make sure this release is gonna be fucking sick. And it is. So I really can't wait for the world to hear it."

Regarding the musical direction of the new FEAR FACTORY material, Dino said: "It's heavy. It's modern. It's got a lot of great programming, cool little surprises. Milo definitely comes into his own, not just a replacement of the last singer. He definitely does have his own little niche, and it's great. All the beautiful melodic choruses that people like, the melodic elements of the clean vocals, of course ripping guitars, shit's getting heavier. Shit's getting lower. So it's all over the place. Shit's fast, shit's groovy. Epic outros, epic closing songs. It's gonna be everything that I think people are gonna love about FEAR FACTORY."

This past March, Dino told Brazil's Headbangers News, about the rest of FEAR FACTORY's current lineup: "I try to pick guys that are best for the band. Obviously, they could play the parts. They don't have a problem playing the parts. And Pete's an amazing drummer. He comes from more of a thrash background, but he also grew up listening to FEAR FACTORY. I mean, he told me that he saw FEAR FACTORY when he was 14 or 15 years old. He came to the show in Worcester, Massachusetts. So, he's been a fan of the band for a long time, so he's learned a lot of the music, and for him stepping in on drums was seamless. And Tony Campos, he's been a friend of mine for many years, probably 30 years, and we've been in numerous bands together. We have a band called ASESINO. And he was playing in the L.A. local scene when we first came out, FEAR FACTORY as well. So I've known him for many years, and he's a great player. But he has his own band called STATIC-X. So whenever STATIC-X is not touring, he tours with us. The door is always open for him."

FEAR FACTORY recently announced a November 2026 U.S. tour with support from DARKEST HOUR and BROTALITY. The "Cybernetic Domination" trek will kick off immediately after FEAR FACTORY's upcoming co-headlining tour with Cleveland, Ohio-based masked metal masters MUSHROOMHEAD.

Silvestro's addition to FEAR FACTORY was officially announced in February 2023.

FEAR FACTORY played its first headlining concert with Silvestro and Webber on May 5, 2023 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

FEAR FACTORY's latest album, the aforementioned "Aggression Continuum", was released in June 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP, which was recorded primarily in 2017, featured Cazares, Heller and Bell.

In September 2020, Bell issued a statement officially announcing his departure from FEAR FACTORY, saying that he "cannot align" himself with someone whom he does not trust or respect, apparently referring to Cazares.

Bell later told Kerrang! magazine that his split with FEAR FACTORY had been a long time coming. "It's been on my mind for a while," he said. "These lawsuits [over the rights to the FEAR FACTORY name] just drained me. The egos. The greed. Not just from bandmembers, but from the attorneys involved. I just lost my love for it."

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral (courtesy of Nuclear Blast)

On the eve on their May 2026 European tour, New York hardcore juggernauts SHEER TERROR have released "Squat Diddler", a brand new track from the band's upcoming TKO Records mini-LP, "Let These Be Our Troubles".

According to a press release, "this new song will serve to confirm that the years have done NOTHING to dull their rage, bile and venom. And what more could you want from a new song by the band that famously 'Just Can't Hate Enough?' Never one to shy away from forcefully speaking his mind, frontman Paul Bearer lets it blast with both barrels with the lyrics for 'Squat Diddler'."

Founded in 1984, SHEER TERROR melded the ultra-aggressive hardcore punk of DISCHARGE and THE NIHILISTICS with the rock-solid low-end of proto-metal behemoths BLACK SABBATH and MOTÖRHEAD. At the center of their churning, sonic onslaught was indomitable frontman Paul Bearer, his much-copied vocal style careening from the hoarsest of howls to a soaring baritone, delivering dark, literate, lyrics, informed by the classic country and blues themes of sin and regret. Starting with 1989's debut album "Just Can't Hate Enough", and going deep into the next decade, SHEER TERROR released a slew of classic recordings that influenced a generation of musicians, from PANTERA to HATEBREED. In the early 1990s SHEER TERROR recorded further albums "Ugly And Proud" and "Thanks Fer Nuthin" and "Old, New Borrowed And Blue". A partnership with the MCA label led their next album "Love Songs For The Unloved" toward the mainstream.

After a period of silence, unexpectedly in 2004 Bearer, Mark Neuman, Mike "Chickie" Walter and Pat Cronin reactivated SHEER TERROR. They played several gigs at the CBGB club, which were documented on the DVD "Beaten By The Fists Of God". Also released in 2014, the album "Standing Up For Falling Down" earned high ratings among genre followers.

In 2023 SHEER TERROR teamed up with Blackout! Records for vinyl reissues of three of their albums: 1992's "Thanks Fer Nuthin", 1994's "Old, New, Borrowed And Blue" and 2016's "Unheard Unloved".

Blackout! Records founder Bill Wilson stated at the time: "SHEER TERROR was a CBGB matinee favorite of mine years before I ever thought about starting a label. But it wasn't the over-the-top ferocity of the band that really got me; it was Paul's lyrics. There was a level of anger, introspection, and storytelling that made all others pale in comparison."

In a new interview with the Slowhands Rock Talk Show, vocalist Nick Holmes of British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST was asked how he takes care of his singing voice now compared to, for example, 30 years ago. Nick responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm taking way more care now, 'cause, obviously, I'm not there to party. When I was a young lad, I was kind of there for that as well. Now there is none of that. I mean, I can't remember the last time I went to a pub, especially on tour. There's none of that. We might have a few drinks after the show, but it's a very quiet affair.

"I tend to talk quietly," Holmes explained. "I never shout, I never try and get upset. I try and get as much sleep as I possibly can. And just very, very boring stuff, I guess. But if you've got a lot of shows in a row or if you've got a lot of red-eye flights, which we often have in the summertime, you just got to kind of behave the best you can to make sure, 'cause the only thing that matters is the show, and that's gotta be the best you can make it. And that's what it's all about."

Nick added: "I don't know anybody my age or even within 10 years of my age that kind of does any of this kind of craziness. There's not many. I mean, even young bands, they tend to be very, very sensible. You don't really see it much, particularly at festivals. Backstage in the '90s, it was just crazy, with the amount of drinking and shenanigans, but it's just a very, very sober affair at most festivals these days, regardless of how old anybody is."

After the interviewer noted that bands nowadays are in the mindset that they want to put on the best performance possible, Holmes concurred. "Oh, totally," he said. "But I also think that the video camera has completely quieted it down, because no one wants to get filmed doing anything stupid. So that's a massive thing as well, for sure."

Less than three months ago, PARADISE LOST guitarist Gregor Mackintosh revealed that he was going through some "health issues" which resulted in him losing a significant amount of weight. However, he assured fans that he was "getting good care" and that he was feeling "fine". He added: "None of this affects my ability to play."

PARADISE LOST is continuing to tour in support of its 17th album, "Ascension", which came out last September via Nuclear Blast Records. The band's first LP in five years, following 2020's critically acclaimed "Obsidian", was produced by Mackintosh and mixed/mastered by Lawrence Mackrory.

Formed in Halifax in 1988, PARADISE LOST quickly became noted as the pioneers of gothic metal through early groundbreaking albums like 1991's aptly titled "Gothic", a mixture of heaviness intertwined with shadowy melody and atmosphere.

Never a group to remain creatively static, across PARADISE LOST's career the bandmembers explored a myriad of avenues of dark music, from sludgy doom-death roots, to conquering the metal mainstream with the enormous, lush sounds of 1995's "Draconian Times", to more experimental, electronic leanings, leaving an influence on a trail of artists as varied as CRADLE OF FILTH, HIM, GATECREEPER and CHELSEA WOLFE.

Photo credit: Ville Juurikkala

In a new interview with Australia's Heavy, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson spoke about the band's upcoming feature documentary, titled "Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition", which will hit theaters for a limited time only beginning May 7, 2026. The film is said to trace the British heavy metal legends' "remarkable five‑decade journey" with "unprecedented access" to the band's official archives.

Bruce told Heavy: "When we knew there was going to be a documentary, the first thing was that we really didn't want to be involved in it in terms of editorial or whatever. You have to have a hands-off approach, because you want somebody to look at it and tell the story. Obviously, there's so many… this documentary could be ten hours long, but then everybody would lose the will to live. [Laughs] So you've got to make the story concise. There are going to be fans who say, 'Oh, they missed out this and what about that' — yeah, sure, but for people who don't know the story of IRON MAIDEN, this is a great introduction to the band. Because of that, we wanted an external take on our career and you can't really be fiddling about with that and going in every five minutes saying 'change this' or 'I don't like that', 'Oh, my hair looks messy in that picture.' None of that crap. We're not a bunch of poodles. It is a bit warts and all, but I think that's great. There's nothing in there that I would want to change."

During the same chat, Dickinson reflected on how he became the fourth singer to front IRON MAIDEN, after Paul Mario Day, Dennis Wilcock and Paul Di'Anno. Prior to joining MAIDEN in 1981, Dickinson spent two years as lead vocalist with SAMSON, another band that rose from the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal.

"The first time I knew the band was going to be huge was when I was in a band called SAMSON and I saw IRON MAIDEN. Believe it or not, we were headlining, and MAIDEN was special guests," Bruce laughed. "I heard a lot of things about MAIDEN and I went to watch them and I went, 'Oh my God, this is incredible. Wow.' My next thought was, 'I need to sing for those guys.' What I wanted to do with my voice and what I heard them doing… if you could glue those things together, we could do something even better, that was my vibe. Then, when I did join the band, [IRON MAIDEN's] 'Number Of The Beast' [album] happened and my first tryout with the band was in Italy, so that was my first-ever IRON MAIDEN show at Bologna in Italy and we had to wait three days to do it because we drove all the way from London. At the time we thought we would do the show in Italy because nobody would review it down there. [Laughs] If it really sucks, it never happened. [Laughs] "

Alongside the band, "Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition" features on‑camera reflections from prominent admirers, including Javier Bardem, Lars Ulrich and Chuck D, each speaking to MAIDEN's influence on music, culture and generations of fans worldwide.

Directed by Malcolm Venville ("Churchill At War") and produced by Dominic Freeman ("Spirits In The Forest - A Depeche Mode Film"),the "electrifying film offers an intimate look at [MAIDEN's] uncompromising vision and unwavering connection with their global army of fans," according to a press release.

Spanish illustrator Alberto "Akirant" Quirantes contributes newly created key art, following his work on IRON MAIDEN's 50th-anniversary coin for the Royal Mint, which was released to celebrate the band's milestone in 2025.

During an April 13 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", IRON MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris was asked why now was the right time to tell the MAIDEN story in film form. Harris said: "Well, in actual fact, it wasn't us. It's about us, but not by us. That's the difference. So it's a documentary, which they came to us with an idea that they wanted to do, and it changed a little bit from the original idea. They were gonna do it more about the fans, and it still is, to a certain degree. So, yeah, it's not by us. They wanted to use our artwork and everything, and it seems like as if it's our documentary. It's not. I think they really should have put out that it's a documentary aboutIRON MAIDEN, not byIRON MAIDEN, because it's not us. We didn't have that control that we would normally have if we were doing it ourselves, of course."

Harris added: "Yeah, we cooperated with it and we did interviews for it and all that stuff — we did what they wanted us to do — but if we'd have done it, I think we'd have done it in a slightly different way, and I'll say no more. But I still think the end result is… Well, I'll say no more because it preempts whatever. I think people should just go and see it and see what they think."

Asked by "Trunk Nation" host Eddie Trunk if "Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition" covers the overall history of the band, Harris said: "Yeah, it's historical stuff. There's a lot of historical stuff for the first hour, probably, I suppose. So, yeah, I think people have gotta watch it and make their own minds up, really."

Formed in East London in 1975, IRON MAIDEN have grown into one of the world's most influential and enduring rock bands. Across 50 years they have released 17 studio albums, sold over 100 million records, and performed almost 2,500 concerts across 64 countries.

The documentary arrives as the band continues its two-year "Run For Your Lives" world tour, which included a triumphant homecoming performance at London Stadium a short distance from where it all began five decades ago.

A recently announced, one-of-a-kind, celebration named EddFest in historic Knebworth Park, England, on July 11 forms part of over 50 shows worldwide in 2026.

IRON MAIDEN was founded in 1975 by Harris and has grown to become one of the world's most celebrated bands. With a steady recording output beginning with their self-titled 1980 debut, they have released 17 studio albums, 13 live albums and 47 singles which have sold in excess of 100 million copies worldwide. They have played almost 2,500 live shows across 64 countries and were carried to some of these aboard Ed Force One, a Boeing 757 and then later a 747 piloted by Dickinson. They have been the recipients of a Grammy Award and a Brit Award, among many other accolades, most recently joining THE ROLLING STONES and PINK FLOYD with their very own Royal Mail stamp set. Their beer, Trooper Beer, is now in its thirteenth year and has sold in excess of 40 million pints and is distributed in 68 countries, including six local variants in USA, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Sweden and Australia. 2025 marked the band's official 50th year and is being celebrated by a two-year world tour titled "Run For Your Lives" and a range of events and products including their first-ever official hardcover visual history book, "Infinite Dreams".

He screamed his way into metal history. Then cancer tried to silence him for good. Now, for the first time, Chuck Billy — the iconic frontman of San Francisco Bay Area thrash legends TESTAMENT — tells the whole truth in his unflinching memoir, "Holding My Breath: The Two Testaments Of Chuck Billy", due on November 10, 2026 via Permuted Press.

This is not your typical rock memoir. Structured as two interlocking testaments, the book traces the full arc of a life lived at maximum volume — and then something louder than any riff: the fight to stay alive. The Old Testament plunges readers into the explosive birth of Bay Area thrash metal, the formation of TESTAMENT, the rivalries, the brotherhood, and the reckless, glorious chaos of becoming one of the genre's most powerful voices.

The New Testament is something rarer and more raw — a frontman at 38, blindsided by a devastating cancer diagnosis, drawing on his Native American and Mexican-American heritage, spiritual healers, visions, and the fierce love of a metal community.

At the center of that community: the legendary 2001 "Thrash Of The Titans" benefit concert — one of the most galvanizing moments in heavy metal history — which rallied old rivals into brothers and helped ignite a genre revival while keeping Chuck Billy in the fight.

"This book is about two versions of me that are really just one story," says Billy. "The guy who thought he was invincible, and the guy who learned how fragile life really is."

Co-written with Dave Erickson, "Holding My Breath" delivers the unfiltered insider story of thrash metal's rise alongside a deeply human account of mortality, miraculous recovery, cultural identity, and chosen family. It is, equally, a gift to lifelong TESTAMENT fans and to anyone who has ever faced the unthinkable — and refused to let go.

Anthony Ziccardi, publisher of Permuted Press, says: "Chuck Billy is a major influential voice in the thrash metal scene. Permuted Press is thrilled to be publishing his remarkable personal journey."

The book features a foreword by Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST) and an afterword by Randy Blythe (LAMB OF GOD) — two of metal's most revered voices bearing witness to Chuck Billy's enduring legacy.

Billy is the powerhouse lead singer of TESTAMENT, one of thrash-metal's original Bay Area legends since the 1980s. He beat cancer in 2001 and came back stronger, weaving his Native American (Pomo) roots into his life and lyrics. He has been honored with a California State Assembly recognition for his positive influence on Native communities, was part of The Smithsonian's National Museum Of The American Indian's exhibition, "Up Where We Belong: Native Musicians In Popular Culture", and won "Best Music Video" at the American Indian Film Festival for "Native Blood".

From the relentless stages of Bay Area thrash metal to the brink of death and back, "Holding My Breath" is the unflinching memoir of TESTAMENT's iconic frontman.

Raised in a resilient Native American and Mexican-American family, Chuck Billy forged his path through rebellion, raw talent, and unbreakable stubbornness — becoming the powerful voice behind one of thrash's most enduring bands.

But at 38, a devastating cancer diagnosis threatened to silence him forever. With the fierce support of the metal community — including the legendary "Thrash Of The Titans" benefit that rallied old rivals and reignited brotherhood — Chuck faced grueling treatments, profound spiritual journeys, and the fight of his life.

This is the story of a man who discovered that true strength comes not just from holding your breath until the world bends — but from learning to breathe again. Stronger. Wiser. Surrounded by family, both blood and chosen. A raw testament to survival, music, and the unbreakable bonds that define a life in metal.

For more information, and to pre-order, visit chuckbillybook.com.

Former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick has offered an update on his recovery, less than two weeks after undergoing "heart valve surgery".

The 72-year-old musician, who also played with GRAND FUNK RAILROAD, took to his social media on Sunday (May 3) — the twelfth day after his operation — to write: "My recent open-heart surgery and 8 days in the hospital were hard to experience. Being home now with [my wife] Lisa to recover is day by day. Happily, I do feel the slow improvements, and the process takes a long time.

"A birth defect in my aortic valve (bicuspid) was becoming nearly 'critical' from severe stenosis. Taking care of the valve before a life threatening heart event happens in order to live long was the right choice. Ignoring it would have been foolish and dangerous.

"I have much more music and many more moments to experience in my life. So now is the time to heal from my surgery and I view this is as my primary goal treating it with dedication and strength, along with my loving wife Lisa who has been beyond incredible to me. I am blessed to have her.

"For those of you that have reached out to me and shared support, it means much more than you can ever imagine. Keep the good thoughts and prayers coming. It's inspiration for me as I go on this difficult journey."

On April 25, Bruce revealed on his social media that his operation was "a success" and went on to thank his "heart surgeon and their fantastic staff for looking after me like a rockstar". He added that he was "on the road to recovery" and "taking it one step at a time". He also wrote that he was "grateful" for his wife Lisa and all her "love and support".

After a media outlet erroneously reported that Bruce had undergone an "emergency open heart surgery", Kulick clarified that "this was NOT emergency surgery" and explained that "an aortic birth defect caused a valve to become a danger".

Kulick's former bandmate in KISS, Gene Simmons, was among the people who offered words of support to Bruce on social media, writing: "Go Bruce, Go. With Lisa by your side, you can lick anything. You know we're all rooting for you. And can't wait for you and Lisa to cook up a new batch of pancakes for all of us."

According to the Mayo Clinic, "heart valve surgery is a procedure to treat heart valve disease. Heart valve disease happens when at least one of the four heart valves is not working properly. Heart valves keep blood flowing in the correct direction through the heart."

Kulick joined KISS in 1984 and remained the band's lead guitarist for 12 years.

Bruce accompanied KISS on the "Animalize" tour and continued with the band until the 1996 reunion tour. Bruce is heavily featured on "Kissology - Vol. 2" and "Vol. 3", the band's DVDs spanning KISS's historic career.

Kulick — who in 2024 launched his own brand to offer period-correct guitars inspired by his KISS era — played on six KISS studio albums and two live records.

Bruce performed at last year's "KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas" weekend-long event at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas on November 14-16. He is scheduled to play at the 2026 edition of the same event.

Kulick did not take part in either of KISS's farewell tours, in 2000-2001, and 2019-2023. Tommy Thayer has been KISS's guitarist since 2002.

In addition to his years in KISS, Bruce toured or recorded with Meat Loaf, Billy Squier, Michael Bolton, AVANTASIA, LORDI, UNION and many others. He frequently makes appearances at guitar shows, clinics and fan autograph events.

Day 12
Open Heart Surgery Recovery

My recent open-heart surgery and 8 days in the hospital were hard to experience. ...

Posted by Bruce Kulick on Sunday, May 3, 2026

In a new interview with Paul Cashmere of Noise11, Mike Ness of punk rock legends SOCIAL DISTORTION spoke about the band's long-awaited eighth album, "Born To Kill". Due on May 8 via Epitaph, "Born To Kill" is SOCIAL DISTORTION's eighth album, first in 15 years, and first since Ness successfully underwent cancer treatment. Ness co-produced the LP with veteran producer Dave Sardy, and it features appearances by Lucinda Williams and Benmont Tench (of TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS). The album artwork was made by Ness and Shepard Fairey.

Asked why now was the right time for SOCIAL DISTORTION to release a new album, Mike told Noise11 (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I wish I had a good answer for you. Fifteen years ago we were touring heavily. A lot of real-life stuff started to happen. My older son got into some trouble with drugs and alcohol. I still had to tour and deal with that. I don't know, honestly, though. I mean, I could name all these things that have happened — COVID and cancer and family stuff — but I don't feel I could have made this record fifteen years ago. I wasn't in a headspace [to make an album]. So, it is what it is. All I knew is when it came time to make this record, I knew I couldn't deliver a sleeper."

Asked how old some of the songs on this album are, Ness said: "I can tell you there's two [songs] that are left over from the [1996] 'White Light, [White Heat, White Trash]' demos — 'No Way Out' and 'Don't Keep Me Hanging On' were both songs that I couldn't finish in time to record [for] the 'White Light' album. And like many ideas, they just get kind of shoved in a corner, and they didn't make the record. It wasn't because they weren't good enough; it's just we didn't have the time to finish them all. And the same thing when it came time to pick these eleven songs. I had over 40 songs to go through and 40 ideas, and we had to spend a couple of months just kind of arranging 'em and playing them and seeing which ones kind of [worked best]. And it was a very tough decision, because you're, like… I guess we can just look at it, like, 'This will go on the next record for sure.' So you just to make a decision."

Regarding "how finished off" the remaining thirty songs are that weren't included on "Born To Kill" and whether they are "in shape to be released", Mike said: "Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. I mean, look, we plan to shock everybody and put out another studio album in a timely manner. [Laughs]"

Asked if he thinks SOCIAL DISTORTION delivered on his desire to make the record of his career, Mike said: "I think so. I was kind of using 'White Light' as a kind of compass of some sort. But that was in the '90s, and I was working with a producer that… I just don't personally — I don't like how he made me sing the songs. He made me sing them really at '15', where it's almost like it wasn't really singing anymore. I thought they were beautiful songs, and if I would've been more aware, like I am now, I would've sang them… Because for me, I've noticed that when I sing a song of mine, or someone else's, the attitude comes out when it's supposed to. It doesn't have to just be slamming the whole time. I feel like you lose something. That's my own critique on myself. But I do think that this is a better record than 'White Light', yes."

SOCIAL DISTORTION will support "Born To Kill" with an extensive North American tour. The trek will kick off August 25 in Phoenix and play a total of 25 shows in 22 cities before concluding October 3 in San Diego.

Last December, Ness, who revealed a diagnosis of tonsil cancer in June 2023, offered an update on his recovery, telling Kevin Ryder at the annual KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas 2025: "I was afraid I was gonna not gonna live. I've been through some hard things in my life in some dangerous situations, as you can imagine, but nothing like that."

Asked if he had to learn to talk and sing again, Mike said: "I had to learn to eat, swallow — everything. I mean, they went in there — they sent a robot. I call him Ike, the robot. He went down and cut out my tonsil and the tumor. And then the second part of the surgery was, they slit my neck and cut the lymph nodes out. So I could not eat food. I mean, I came out of surgery with a drain and a feeding tube."

After Ryder noted that he is "glad" that Ness could sing again after his cancer battle, Mike said: "My voice is stronger than it's ever been. I think I'm singing like there's no tomorrow. So every show is great because I'm singing like there's no tomorrow."

Ness started SOCIAL DISTORTION as a teenager in 1979. Over the course of the next decade, Ness battled drug and alcohol addiction, spending stints in jail and rehab.

Formed as rebellious teenage punks in the working-class suburb of Fullerton, California, SOCIAL DISTORTION survived their tumultuous youth to pioneer an undeniably honest and fiery brand of rock 'n' roll that would incorporate outlaw country, classic seventies punk and primal blues. Seven studio albums and countless electrifying live shows have earned the band a dedicated worldwide fanbase and catalog of timeless anthems, including "Story Of My Life", "Ball And Chain", "Prison Bound" and more. The band's last release, 2011's "Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes", entered the Billboard 200 at No. 4, and in 2019 SOCIAL DISTORTION celebrated 40 years as a band.

In a new interview with Chris Akin of The Classic Metal Show, legendary drummer Carmine Appice once again said that he is not a big fan of the access-over-ownership business model of streaming music. "You know what? I don't belong to any of those streaming services," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I download [music legally instead]. People send me [messages], 'Hey, listen to this on Spotify.' I say, 'I don't do Spotify,' because they rip us off so bad. And I just won't support that."

He continued: "I went to see PAPA ROACH and SHINEDOWN. And I'd never seen SHINEDOWN. I heard about PAPA ROACH. I'd never seen them. And SHINEDOWN was okay, but, man, PAPA ROACH just killed me. They were fricking great. So I went on iTunes and I bought 10 of their songs. I bought 'em. I won't stream it. Now I have it forever. And that's what's missing today."

Appice, who still occasionally performs with "The Rod Show" (also known as "The Rod Experience"),a tribute project that recreates the music and legacy of his time playing with Rod Stewart, went on to say that because streaming music services like Spotify and Apple Music took away the traditional revenue stream of selling music, most rock bands are forced to make their money touring.

"You notice everybody's touring, and look at their ticket prices," Carmine said. "I mean, you go see Rod Stewart — it's a thousand dollars. But you can come see our show for 75 bucks. It's the same thing. But that's it — you look at everybody touring, and the money that people are spending on tickets. $3,000 or something for [a ticket to see] Bruce Springsteen. And I heard that KISS, the last show, [it] was 12, 13 grand for one ticket. That's ridiculous. Who the hell buys tickets for $12,000? And [if] you [wanna] bring your wife, it's $25,000. By the time you're done with everything, it's probably $27,000. If you buy a shirt, two shirts… It's ridiculous. Where do people get that money to do that? Credit cards? … Come on. I mean, that's ridiculous. What do these people do for a living? Average people, what do they make? 70, 80,000 a year? I mean, who's buying all these tickets? Rich people?"

Carmine previously expressed his disdain for streaming music services like Spotify during a July 2024 interview with the Toilet Ov Hell podcast. He said at the time: "Musicians get screwed on Spotify. I will never, ever play a song on Spotify. If I want a song, I'll buy it on iTunes. I did it already a few times. I heard a song — on YouTube, I heard it, and I said, 'I'm gonna buy that.' And I bought it. And I heard another one and I bought it. That's the way to do it, 'cause that keeps the musician alive and making money and working. Otherwise, the only way a musician can make any work or money is to tour and do touring and merchandise. Lucky for me, knock on wood, I started a long time ago. All my big money was made. And I used it and made investments, so I'm sitting okay. But a lot of musicians are starting on Spotify. And they once said, 'Well, Spotify is like radio.' I said, 'No, it isn't. Radio, you get paid for it.'"

About three years ago, Carmine, who worked as Rod Stewart's kit-man in the 1970s and 1980s, co-writing Stewart hits "Young Turks" and "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy", spoke to the "Music Biz Weekly Podcast" about his decision to sell his songwriter share of some of his most popular songs. He said: "There's no money in songwriting anymore. There's no money in selling records. I've got all these gold records on the wall; nobody gets those anymore. And that's how you make money.

"The only way to make any money today is if you get a song on Netflix or you get a song in a movie," he explained. "That's the only way to get money. 'Cause the streaming business is ridiculously useless.

"The reason why I sold my songs was because there's no more royalties; they're very little. Because everything went to streaming, and streaming destroyed the music business, as far as I'm concerned. I won't even listen to Spotify or any of those things; I won't listen to 'em 'cause they're ripping the musicians off so bad. When you talk about young musicians, they have no chance — unless they somehow know how to get all these hits on YouTube. I don't know how to do that."

Later in the interview, Carmine reiterated his belief that he wouldn't know how to go about making money if he was starting out as a musician today. "I don't know how these bands come out and they get two million views on YouTube, or they get four hundred thousand people on Facebook and Instagram," he said. "I don't really know that stuff; I don't have a clue how to do that. So they probably know how to do that better than me. But still, when they do that, the only money [that] could be made from that is going out on tour and playing gigs and [selling] merchandise. Even if you don't have a bigger name, you open up for somebody, you do merchandise and you make some money. And you get big, and it's all about touring and merchandise. You get crappy money from Spotify. And the labels, they don't sell CDs anymore. They might sell a little vinyl, but there's no money in it."

Appice is the original drummer of VANILLA FUDGE, with whom he still records and performs today. He has also played with CACTUS and BECK, BOGERT & APPICE, in addition to spending stints in the bands of Ozzy Osbourne and Stewart. Carmine was named the 28th greatest drummer of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.

Appice is widely considered to be one of the most accomplished showmen in rock and is the recipient of numerous awards, including dozens of gold- and platinum-selling records. Carmine has broken new ground in every aspect of his career as a performer, as a teacher, and as a writer, and he continues to inspire drummers and listeners throughout the world with his originality and his unwavering dedication to the art of drumming.

Carmine's autobiography, "Stick It!: My Life Of Sex, Drums, And Rock 'N' Roll", was released in May 2016 by Chicago Review Press.

Under the moniker APPICE, Carmine and his brother Vinny released "Sinister", their first joint studio album, in October 2017 through SPV/Steamhammer.

Fan-filmed video of WHITE LION's entire performance at the 2026 edition of the M3 Rock Festival, which took place on May 2 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, can be seen below (courtesy of Jim Powers).

Joining frontman Mike Tramp in the current touring lineup of WHITE LION are guitarist Marcus Nand, bassist Jerry Best and drummer Troy Patrick Farrell.

"Songs Of White Lion - Vol. III", the third album in a series where Tramp reinterprets songs from WHITE LION, arrived last September via Frontiers Music Srl.

Mike released "Songs Of White Lion", in April 2023 via Frontiers Music Srl. "Songs Of White Lion - Vol. II" followed in August 2024.

In an August 2025 interview with Anthony Bryant of The Hair Metal Guru, Tramp was asked if he thinks fans will ever hear from his former bandmate, guitarist Vito Bratta, musically again. Tramp responded: "No. Did you see how quick [of a response] that was? And I am probably about the most frustrated person because I feel that I constantly have to be on the defense. Because he has chosen to go into his cave. There's no pictures existing. There's none of anything. He doesn't even wanna come out and just make a quote or something like that. So he's chosen that it's better to keep the mystery and stay silent, but that mystery and staying silent can only last for so long because as days go by, I am pushed to having to reveal more than I really wanted to, because the truth of the matter is I do know the facts, I do know the truth about everything about Vito Bratta. I just wish that he'd just come out and just say something. He can put me down, he can do whatever [he wants]. But he's not gonna silence me. He's not gonna stop me from playing music."

Tramp continued: "I've invited him many ways. I've even asked him, I says, 'If you wanted to do a project that wasn't called WHITE LION', sort of like — not comparing ourselves, but when [Jimmy] Page and [Robert] Plant got together the first time [after LED ZEPPELIN's split]. They didn't call it LED ZEPPELIN. They did the 'Walking Into Clarksdale' project, just to see where their songwriting would go."

Asked what Bratta's response is when Tramp approaches him about making music together again, Mike said: "[He tells me] 'Oh, I don't wanna talk about it.' That's how quickly that's getting shut down."

In July 2024, Tramp was asked by The Rock N' Roll & Coffee Show, what Bratta thought about Mike releasing the first two albums of reimagined WHITE LION songs with a lineup that includes guitarist Marcus Nand. Tramp said: "I can't sit here and completely honestly confirm what Vito thinks. He did give Marcus his blessing and so on. I have a feeling that it might awaken a few wounds. I mean, there are times when I sit and watch a JOURNEY [video] with Arnel Pineda singing, and I close my eyes and go, '[Steve] Perry's back.' And I think, man, how does Steve Perry feel? Probably one of the greatest voices next to Freddie Mercury. How does he feel? Has it really, really ever been completely confirmed that that's where he wanted to be, that's what he wanted to happen?

"You almost feel like my woman went away with the pool boy," Mike continued. " It's, like, 'Well when he can do it, we'll bring someone in who can do it and he's gonna be 100 percent.' And there will be people in the 25th row that [do] not know it's Steve Perry up there, I'll guarantee you.

"I haven't really gotten the chance to really say this in any interviews, and that is that when I turned to Vito three days before we were playing the final [WHITE LION] show on the first tour with the new rhythm section, and something had happened, and we were backstage waiting for the power to come back, I turned to Vito and go, 'When we play Boston the day after tomorrow, it's the final show. I'm done.' And Vito, with the classic Vito look, just goes to me. 'Okay.' Just like that. The day after the show, I fly back to Los Angeles, he flies to New York and stuff like that. And I've said this many times, but I don't think people listen. There [was] not one person in the big WHITE LION machine — record company, managers, publishers, merchandisers, road crew and Vito — who said, 'Let's just give Mike a couple of days to fucking calm down. And then we'll say, 'Okay, how about a break right now? And let's regroup and see where we're going with the next…' And up until today, and up until also tomorrow, not one single time in even in between the lines, in a hidden way or a sign in the sky has Vito ever come out with even anything that just smelled like, 'I would like to do something with Mike.' Not necessarily a WHITE LION reunion."

Tramp added: "If Vito had called me and [said], 'Let's do what Robert Plant and Jimmy Page did.' They knew they weren't gonna put LED ZEPPELIN back together because they felt John Bonham was [impossible to replace]. 'Let's do an album together. We're not gonna go out touring. Let's do something, let's see how strong our songwriting is.' Not a single word, but I have had to defend every time I brought WHITE LION back in one way or another — either with lawsuits, that I came too close to, 'Oh, you're calling it…' and stuff like that, all those things. And every time, after the smoke clears, I call Vito and he tells me 'you're my friend' and stuff, and we talk and we don't fucking get any further than just the weather today. But I still have to defend. And Vito has not done the courtesy, both to me and the fans… And as I say that, I consider Vito my friend, and I would do almost anything for him. He has not gone out and told the fucking world that 'I'm not coming back on stage. I'm not recording anything else. There will not be a reunion.' Instead, there's this old interview [that Vito gave to] Eddie Trunk. Eddie was part of WHITE LION at the beginning, so him and Vito and I have always been very, very, very close. And Vito is up there talking to Eddie — it's almost probably even 10 years ago — [and saying] 'Oh, well, the door's not closed.' Door's not closed? But it leaves me being sort of the bad guy, but I'm not gonna feel like the bad guy. I'm just going out there. I've been the only person keeping WHITE LION alive since WHITE LION broke up. One way or another, you can't do an interview or anything with me without WHITE LION being mentioned."

In 2023, Tramp was asked in an interview about the possibility of WHITE LION reforming for a tour. He said: "When we broke up in '91, we always knew we would never go back together. And a lot of people always talk about reunions. WHITE LION reuniting would not be a better WHITE LION than WHITE LION was, so I'm out there performing the songs, not trying to recreate WHITE LION."

Asked if he has ever thought of calling his solo band WHITE LION and touring with new members, Mike replied: "I can't call it WHITE LION." Pressed about whether he would call his band WHITE LION if he could, Mike said: "I tried, and it cost me money. [Laughs] I think that the audience now is understanding that I'm just keeping the songs alive, and I'm able to perform it in a different way. I'm able to show the image that I'm not coming out there and doing a show but I'm gonna take them through like a greatest hits. I like to tell stories about what the songs are. You can't always do that on a festival when you have one hour, but that is my goal, that I will keep the songs alive. And I think that all the fans and the music fans know who Mike Tramp is and it doesn't need to be called WHITE LION. But it's called 'Songs Of White Lion'."

Back in 2019, Tramp revealed in an interview that he had apologized to Bratta for trying to resurrect his former band without his onetime songwriting partner and bandmate.

The Danish-born singer hasn't played with Bratta since WHITE LION performed its last concert in Boston in September 1991.

In the 35 years since WHITE LION broke up, Bratta's public profile has been virtually nonexistent, while Tramp has remained active, recording and touring as a solo artist and with the bands FREAK OF NATURE, THE ROCK 'N' ROLL CIRCUZ and, more recently, BAND OF BROTHERS. Tramp also attempted to revive WHITE LION with the 2008 album "Return Of The Pride", featuring new members. Two years later, Tramp ceded ownership of the name WHITE LION to Bratta in an out-of-court settlement.

Speaking to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation", Tramp said that he and Vito are once again on speaking terms following his ill-fated attempt to bring back WHITE LION a decade and a half ago.

"I have, over the past couple of years, been the one out there basically both admitting and apologizing that the only thing that I never planned to do in my career and wanted to do was go back and rehash a version of WHITE LION that had nothing to do with WHITE LION, nothing to do with the guys that played in the band," Mike said. "Mike Tramp's heart was not in it. It was just a moment of weakness, not believing enough in my solo albums. [You listen to] some guys saying, 'Hey, if you put a new WHITE LION together, you can play festivals and get much more money.' And then you fall for that and you engage in it and you go out there, and then you realize it's not what you wanna do. And then, of course, Vito did not want the name WHITE LION to be used without him being in the band. And it actually took a couple of years for me to really understand how much it meant to Vito. And when Vito one day told me in one of these conversations… First of all, he told me, 'Mike, I'm not against you. I just don't wanna turn YouTube on and see the title 'WHITE LION live in so and so,' and somebody doing 'When The Children Cry' solo and it's not me. WHITE LION was you and me, it was our band, we wrote the songs. That is the memories I want for the rest of my life.' And when he told me that, I had tears in my eyes and I totally understood it, because I had also gotten to that point that when we closed WHITE LION, we felt that this is where we wanted to stop it. There was something, going into the '90s, that didn't agree with the things we were looking at, and we wanted to somehow end it on a higher level than something that would not represent us in the future. But it just took many years to really understand it."

Asked if he understands why Vito doesn't want to play music professionally anymore, Mike said: "Yes, I do, because there are actually times when I also don't feel like doing it anymore. When all the magic around us, the stuff that made us fall in love with rock and roll — first of all, our heroes, then the industry, then the touring stuff — when all of that was really exposed that it was a two-faced kind of thing, that the people we thought loved us — and I'm not talking about the fans; I'm talking about the people that made money from us, and stuff like that — turned their back on us and stabbed us in the back, it really ripped us apart. And maybe it's just that I came from a different background than Vito, that I maybe was a little bit stronger or just of a different nature that I just fought back, but Vito just said, 'I just don't wanna deal with this.' And I understand now — I understand it from every conversation that I have with him."

Tramp also once again closed the door on a possible WHITE LION reunion, saying: "I can't be Mike Tramp 1988. I can't sing like that, and I'm not going up on stage and doing a half-assed job, which most of the bands out there are doing."

Mainly active in the 1980s and early 1990s, WHITE LION released its debut album, "Fight To Survive", in 1985. The band had its breakthrough with the double-platinum-selling "Pride" album, which produced two Top 10 hits: "Wait" and "When The Children Cry". The band continued its success with the third album, "Big Game", which achieved gold status.

By the time WHITE LION released its final album, 1991's "Mane Attraction", alternative rock was in the ascendancy, leading to a swift decline of the so-called "hair metal" scene in terms of sales, popularity, radio play, and most importantly, relevance.

Fan-filmed video of KINGS OF THRASH, the band featuring former MEGADETH members David Ellefson (bass) and Jeff Young (guitar),performing on May 1 at Rockpile West in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the "Thrashin' The Northeast" spring 2026 North American tour can be seen below (courtesy of JIMM SYMINGTON channel on YouTube).

KINGS OF THRASH's latest single, "Bullets Ready", was released on Friday, May 1 via Cleopatra Records.

"Bullets Ready" delivers a powerful vocal duet between KINGS OF THRASH vocalist Chaz Leon and Gabriel Connor, frontman of the rising Los Angeles theatrical rock group RED DEVIL VORTEX. The track also features a special guest appearance by former EXODUS vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza.

"Bullets Ready" was mixed by Grammy-winning producer Cameron Webb, known for his work with MOTÖRHEAD, DANZIG and GODSMACK.

KINGS OF THRASH was formed in April 2022, following a special appearance by Ellefson and Young at "Ultimate Jam Night" at the legendary Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, California. The event was honoring the legendary "Big Four" of thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX. During the evening, Ellefson and Young performed three classic MEGADETH songs alongside vocalist Chaz Leon. The electrifying performance sparked an immediate chemistry that led to the formation of KINGS OF THRASH.

KINGS OF THRASH was built around a concept envisioned by Ellefson: creating a live experience celebrating early MEGADETH albums and rarely performed deep cuts from his decades-long tenure with the thrash metal pioneers. This vision became known as "The MEGA Years".

In November 2022, KINGS OF THRASH took to the stage with four proof-of-concept concerts in San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Hollywood. Their performance at the Whisky A Go Go on the Sunset Strip was filmed and recorded resulting in the acclaimed release "The Best Of The West - Live At The Whisky A Go Go". The double live album and DVD were released by Cleopatra Records in spring 2023 in both digital and vinyl formats.

In 2025, Cleopatra Records released KINGS OF THRASH's first thrash/punk-inspired song "Lockdown". With its accompanying music video, directed by KINGS OF THRASH drummer Fred Aching, the group distinguished themselves as more than just a nostalgic tribute band.

In January 2023, Young told Ultimate Guitar that he and Ellefson had not received any feedback from Mustaine about their new band or their recent live shows. "We couldn't care less… and it's a win-win for him," Jeff said. "Because all the publishing, for example, on the 'Best Of The West', he's getting all that money. We're making him money and he doesn't have to do anything. So, we're performing the songs because they're part of our history and the fans want to hear them and we will benefit from that, and so will he, so it's a win-win. How much cooler can anything be than that? So, if he has something to say about it… I wouldn't imagine it would be very objective… not that anything he's ever said has been objective."

Jeff's comments were similar to those he made in 2022 when he told Thomas S. Orwat, Jr. of the Rock Interview Series that he and Ellefson were "really not concerned" about Mustaine's reaction to KINGS OF THRASH. "I don't pay attention," he said. "I haven't really paid attention or followed MEGADETH since, I think, I heard the 'Rust In Peace' album a couple of times, and then what you might hear on the radio or in the press.

"For us, this isn't about any spite or retaliation; it's a celebration of the music that we were all a part of, that we helped create," he explained. "And it's fun for us to do this.

"People said, 'You should do this.' And we said, 'Hey, yeah, you're right. We should do this.' It's a win-win — it's a win for us, and it's a win for [Mustaine], because any performance royalties, anything… If we did include live tracks, he would make money off that. It's promoting albums that hopefully fans will go back and buy, which is putting money right in his pocket. Especially 'Killing Is My Business', I think a lot of people are gonna go back and wanna rediscover that album after this tour.

"For us, it's all about positivity," Young added. "We're all in this moment — we're living in the moment, and we're not looking beyond. We're not reading any of the comments on Blabbermouth or any of the stuff. Because we know what our intent is, and intent is everything. And our intent's positive. We like playing together. We know we're crafting original music. We're not relying on this; we don't need to ride the coattails of this. This is just something that the fans wanted, and you wanna give fans what they want."

Ellefson told Yes! You CAN Play Guitar! that the intention behind KINGS OF THRASH is not to stick it to his former bandmates. "This is a celebration, not a retaliation," he explained. "This is a good moment. This is a happy moment, to celebrate these songs and these tracks and these records. So we go at it with just fun… It's, like, 'Wow. Wouldn't it be fun if we went out and played these records?' And we're doing it. So it's meant to be this celebration and bringing people together. And honestly, that was kind of always my role in MEGADETH. Dave [Mustaine] always called me 'The Ambassador', and I was always that guy, and I am that guy. So it's, like, let me just continue that role in our community and have one of good will."

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH five years ago after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

David was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, and again from 2010 until his latest exit.

In 2004, Ellefson filed an $18.5-million lawsuit against Mustaine, alleging the MEGADETH leader shortchanged him on profits and backed out of a deal to turn Megadeth Inc. over to him when the band broke up in 2002. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH in 2010.

Young's entire career with MEGADETH was spent recording and touring in support of the band's 1988 platinum-selling album "So Far, So Good...So What!"

Jeff made headlines in December 2009 for accusing Mustaine of, among other things, "dissing, exaggerating and just plain lying on some level about nearly every talented musician that has passed through his dysfunctional little ensemble." He also disputed Mustaine's claim in an interview that Young's drug problem led to MEGADETH's 1988 Australian tour being called off and the group being "banned" from performing in the country.

THRASH FANS ARE YOU READY!?!?

The Global Thrash Tour continues this May as @kingsofthrashofficial featuring David...

Posted by Kings of Thrash on Monday, April 27, 2026

In an interview with The Metal Summit conducted at the 2026 edition of the M3 Rock Festival on May 2 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, TRIXTER guitarist/vocalist Steve Brown once again confirmed that a new studio album from the band is in the works. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We have 16 songs kind of 75% done for a new TRIXTER record right now. [The album is] not gonna be 16 songs, but [it's] killer. I'm so fucking excited for what's to come. We have a new song" — apparently an AIR SUPPLY cover —"coming out on a '70s soft rock tribute record for Cleopatra Records. It's gonna blow you away. It's gonna fucking blow you away… The new TRIXTER stuff, I'm so excited for it. And sadly, the reality, 'cause I know all you people out there, a lot of you are going, 'Well, when is it gonna come out?' It's gonna come out when it comes out."

Brown also offered an update on a documentary-style film which has reportedly been in the works for at least a few years and will cover Steve and bassist/vocalist P.J. Farley's "journey together". He said: "It's not a TRIXTER documentary. It's a documentary about P.J. and I, our journey together over the last 38, 40 years of being kids, playing together, building this band, becoming successful, and then having to reinvent ourselves, starting a cover band to make money. We've had this great cover band in New Jersey, in the tri-state area, SUGARBELLY, for 15 years. That was our main source of income. And then all the different things, whether it's P.J. playing with Lita Ford, FOZZY, me with DEF LEPPARD, with Dennis DeYoung, with RUBIX KUBE, and we always come back to where we started, which is TRIXTER. So it's more of a life story and just incredible stuff. So we're really excited. And the new record, the new TRIXTER record, we want that to be like a companion piece. So hopefully this time next year. Fingers crossed."

Brown and Farley are the only members of the classic TRIXTER lineup who are still actively touring with the band — which now features Ben Hans on percussion.

"Luckily, we all sing," Steve told Australia's The Rockpit. "And I'm pretty much the lead singer. P.J. is singing a couple of songs. It's one of those things to where, look, it's not the perfect situation. I wish the original band was still together, but as we get older, man, people have different ideas how they wanna live their life. And if someone doesn't wanna get on a plane and play rock and roll, hey, I can't make 'em do it. So when P.J. and I made a decision — we looked at each other and said, 'Hey, man, I wanna keep TRIXTER going,' and this is the way we decided to do it."

In March 2025, Steve was asked by Youngstown Studio's B.J. Lisko what, in his opinion, makes a good TRIXTER song. Brown said: "I think all the classic stuff. What I love is I love pop music that's got great guitars, of course. It's what I always tell people — it's like if you took VAN HALEN, KISS, CHEAP TRICK, BON JOVI and DEF LEPPARD, put it all together, those are probably my biggest influences as far as making records and what I envisioned TRIXTER to be when I was a little kid. That was the concoction that I put in the cauldron. And over the years, that's really it. So I think for me, it's always about melody, a great vocal hook melody, a lyric that you can get behind. I definitely think I took a strong influence from BON JOVI. And I remember when I started getting TRIXTER going, Jon's [Bon Jovi] advice was always, 'Make sure you have a good lyric and something that's powerful.'"

The original TRIXTER lineup — also featuring drummer Mark "Gus" Scott and singer Pete Loran — reunited in 2008 and lasted until 2017, during which time the band released two studio albums via Frontiers Music Srl — 2012's "New Audio Machine" and 2015's "Human Era".

TRIXTER toured extensively in the United States, Canada and Japan in support of its five major label releases. They have performed live in arenas and amphitheaters with crowds up to 35,000 people, appearing with such rock superstars as KISS, SCORPIONS, POISON, TED NUGENT, NIGHT RANGER, CINDERELLA, TWISTED SISTER, DOKKEN, WARRANT, GREAT WHITE and FIREHOUSE.

Image credit: Demetrio’s Rockin concerts

Derek Sharp filled in for Phil X at two of TRIUMPH's concerts in Canada late last month — April 28 at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia and April 29 at Avenir Centre in Moncton, New Brunswick. Fan-filmed video of both shows can be seen below.

TRIUMPH's touring bassist/vocalist Todd Kerns commented: "Phil X was away for the two shows in Eastern Canada due to scheduling conflicts so our dear friend Derek Sharp from GOWAN was kind enough to step in and crush it."

Sharp is a Canadian multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, engineer, and vocalist. He is best known as the lead singer and frontman of the Jim Kale-managed incarnation of THE GUESS WHO from 2008 to 2024.

For TRIUMPH's recently launched first tour in more than 30 years, the band's original members Rik Emmett (guitar, vocals) and Gil Moore (drums, vocals) are being joined by guitarist/vocalist Phil X, drummer and keyboardist Brent Fitz and bassist/vocalist Todd Kerns. Phil X, whose real name is Theofilos Xenidis, is a member of BON JOVI and a former member of TRIUMPH, while Fitz and Kerns are both members of SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS. Original TRIUMPH bassist Mike Levine is not taking part in most of the 2026 tour dates after revealing in December that he has "a problem" with his hand that "precludes" him "from being able to really play well."

In an interview with Mike DiGiorgio of Rochester, New York's 13WHAM, Rik was asked if he thinks the people buying tickets for TRIUMPH's 2026 tour are fans who had never seen the band before or if they are longtime followers  who want to see TRIUMPH again and "relive some great memories," Rik responded: "It's a little bit of both. I think that there are people that — I think there's grandfathers that wanna bring their grandsons and their grandchildren. We're literally sort of three generations in. And honestly, I think it's a question of the music being — the songs are the things that are dragging us all out. So I think that's the biggest thing that I feel, that people are kind of going, like, 'Oh, you haven't lived until you've seen TRIUMPH do 'Magic Power' or 'Fight The Good Fight' or 'Lay It On The Line' live.'"

Rik continued: "But the pressure from fans is an interesting thing because, of course, I can't do what I did when I was in my thirties, which is what most people remember. And so if they think they're gonna get to relive this guy in his red spandex pants or his jumpsuit or something, that's just not gonna happen. But I do feel like the resurrection of the band as a concert touring act is because there's these songs — and I really look forward to the chance of getting to play with different musicians and in a different kind of a circumstance. I mean, it's gonna be a big show. So there's gonna be a crowd that has lots and lots of different people with lots and lots of different expectations in every market. But I don't know.

"Back to your question, I think that there's probably gonna be much more repeat customers than there are people experiencing it for the very first time," Emmett added. "But, like I said, if they're dragging along the next generation or two, then there will be new fans. And so — I don't know. In some ways, I guess I'll have to mind my Ps and Qs a little bit."

Rik also talked about TRIUMPH's decision to hire Phil, Brent and Todd for the current tour, explaining: "Well, first of all, we felt like we had to build a bit of a safety net for ourselves. There are certain notes that I just can't hit, but there's this guy, Todd Kerns, a good Canadian boy from Saskatchewan, and he's been out with Slash and Alice Cooper. And he's a tremendous musician — guitar, bass, singer. And then Brent Fitz on drums, just because there are some songs where Gil goes, 'Well, I wanna come down front and sing.' So Gil Moore is from the original lineup. But there are gonna be double drummers. We're gonna be like the ALLMAN BROTHERS and the DOOBIE BROTHERS, and I'm sure that more than half of your audience doesn't even know who I'm talking about. But we'll have that for some stuff. And then Gil's gonna come down and sing a couple things. And Brent is amazing. He can play keyboards as well, so we kind of get a double-threat kind of guy there. Oh, and he can sing harmony too, so a triple threat. And then Phil X, who replaced me in TRIUMPH when I left. And Phil, he goes out with BON JOVI and plays all kinds of different things. And he's a tremendous guitar player with this absolutely unbridled enthusiasm for rock. So that's really good for me. It's kind of, like, I get this Phil X cattle project; it keeps giving me bursts of energy."

Addressing Levine's absence from the TRIUMPH tour, Rik said: "Mike Levine, his health has been up and down, in and out. I'm not sure he's gonna be able to join us for a lot of shows. The invitation is open, and there's a place for him whenever he feels like he might wanna do it, even if he just came and sat at a keyboard for a bit."

Emmett also talked about the skepticism from some fans about classic rock bands touring with, in some cases, one or two original members, or even no original members. He said: "I don't know. There are bands that are out there — JOURNEY, STYX, REO [SPEEDWAGON], DEF LEPPARD — and they have a catalog that is so strong that it becomes this compelling thing. So it's kind of like jukebox rock, if you're being cynical or skeptical. But what's wrong with a really great jukebox, if the songs are done with respect and they remain true to the spirit of the original? But I will deviate from that, because I feel like I'm a musician and a writer before I'm anything else. So a performer is part of it, and people wanna, 'Hey, I'd love to see [former JOURNEY singer] Steve Perry be able to sing 'Don't Stop Believin' in the original key and hit all the high notes.' But life is the way that it is. You don't get any younger. And so, from my perspective, I go, yeah, but these songs — I get a chance to reinvent them as I reinvent myself, given my circumstances. I'm 72 years old.

"The management company we work with, they also handle Peter Frampton, and Frampton went, 'Okay, I'm gonna go out and I'm gonna do just a farewell tour,'" Rik continued. "And he got out there and he told them, 'That 90 minutes I get on stage is the best part of my day. As long as I can keep doing it, please keep booking me. I wanna go back out.' And I feel like I'm already sensing that, when I'm in rehearsals. I mean, I tire more easily than I did. I'm working hard to have the same level of chops. I practice now more than I've ever practiced in my life. It's kind of, like, the veteran hockey player goes to the camp and he's gotta work way harder than the rookies just to be able to, compete. And I feel that. But I also feel like, how lucky am I, at 72 years of age, that I'm getting to chase this thing? How many other people my age get this opportunity? A friend of my wife said, they were talking on the phone, and she said, 'Most people when they retire,' and I retired about four or five years ago, but she said, 'Most people, when they retire, their lives get smaller. They kind of intentionally, they kind of shrink their lives to make it simpler and easier when they're retired.' She goes, 'Look at Rik. He's trying to make his life bigger.' And I think that's an easy way to say it, that that's the most fun of all, that I'm kind of going, 'Yeah. I'm gonna see if I can keep up with the 60-year-olds.'"

TRIUMPH kicked off its 2026 tour on April 10 in Orlando, Florida.100% of the net proceeds of TRIUMPH's Orlando concert were donated to Make-A-Wish, to create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. The concert was held at Hard Rock Live Universal Orlando, and was part of the 23rd annual Celebration Exotic Car Festival, the world's largest exotic car charity event.

TRIUMPH's 2026 North American run of shows are celebrating the band's 50th anniversary, and feature support from APRIL WINE. The 2026 Canadian leg of the trek will run through a May 8 show in Calgary, Alberta. From there, the band will hit the U.S. starting May 13 in Rosemont, Illinois, and wrapping up June 6 in Boston. In all, 10 Canadian and 17 American cities are included on the tour.

Formed in Mississauga in 1975, TRIUMPH rose from playing high school auditoriums and rock 'n' roll bars to selling out iconic arenas, from Toronto's famed Maple Leaf Gardens to Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas. Their virtuosic musicianship, soaring vocals, and dazzling, high-production live shows helped define an era of arena rock. Blending hard rock power with progressive ambition, TRIUMPH has sold over 15 million albums worldwide and earned multiple gold and platinum certifications, building a global following through headline tours and landmark festival performances, including the 1983 US Festival before 500,000 fans. With hits like "Lay It on The Line", "Magic Power" and "Fight The Good Fight" — combined with pioneering stage productions featuring pyrotechnics, laser lighting, and theatrical flair — TRIUMPH became arena rock legends, securing a permanent place in Canadian and international rock history.

The band's return to the road follows a defining year honoring TRIUMPH's impact across generations. In June 2025, the band was celebrated with "Magic Power: All-Star Tribute To Triumph" (Round Hill Records, June 6, 2025),a 15-track tribute album featuring rock luminaries such as Phil X, Sebastian Bach, Slash, Nancy Wilson, Joey Belladonna, Dee Snider, Lawrence Gowan, Deen Castronovo, Alex Lifeson, Jeff Keith, Mickey Thomas and produced by the world-renowned Mike Clink (GUNS N' ROSES, MÖTLEY CRÜE, WHITESNAKE).

Further solidifying their celebrated status, TRIUMPH was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame in October, a prestigious honor recognizing their enduring influence, masterful songwriting, and contributions to Canada's cultural legacy. This induction adds to their long list of accolades, which includes membership in the Canadian Music Industry Hall Of Fame (2007),the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame (2008),and Canada's Walk Of Fame (2019).

Emmett, who quit TRIUMPH — acrimoniously, in 1988 — over music and business disputes, went on to pursue a solo career, while TRIUMPH carried on with future BON JOVI guitarist Phil X for one more album, 1992's "Edge Of Excess", before calling it a day the following year.

Emmett was estranged, both personally and professionally, from the two other members of the legendary Canadian classic rock power trio for 18 years before they repaired their relationship.

After 20 years apart, Emmett, Levine and Moore played at the 2008 editions of the Sweden Rock Festival and Rocklahoma. A DVD of the historic Sweden performance was made available four years later.

Ex-QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate played "Power", the lead single from his upcoming third chapter in the band's classic "Operation: Mindcrime" album series, "Operation: Mindcrime III", live for the first time during his headlining concert Friday night (May 1) at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Video of the performance can be seen below.

Tate shared the clip on his social media and captioned it: "I f**ked up a bit going into the first chorus but otherwise this is us playing 'Power' last night for the first time!!"

"Power" was written by Geoff and his guitarist/producer Kieran Robertson. It features vocals by Tate, drums by Rich Baur, bass by DISTURBED bassist and "Operation: Mindcrime III" co-producer John Moyer, guitar by Dario Parente and Amaury Altmayer, and synths and strings by Tate and Robertson. It was mixed and mastered by Juan Urteaga at Trident Studios in Pacheco, California.

"Operation: Mindcrime III" will be released on May 3 under Geoff Tate's own name and not under the QUEENSRŸCHE banner. The LP is once again a concept album with a storyline following Nikki, a drug addict-turned-assassin manipulated by a shadowy figure known as Dr. X. However, unlike the first two installments, "Operation: Mindcrime III" will tell the tale from the perspective of Dr. X, "how the story happened from his point of view," according to Geoff. "Which is kind of interesting, I think, because we've only heard it from Nikki's point of view, and he's been sort of this victim throughout the whole story," Tate previously explained. "And Dr. X's perspective is completely different, 'cause he's not the victim at all. So it's very aggressive."

"Operation: Mindcrime III" track listing:

01. The Scene Of The Crime
02. You Know My Fu@king Name
03. The Answer
04. Vulnerable
05. I'll Eat Your Heart Out
06. Do You Still Believe?
07. The Devil's Breath
08. Ascension
09. Set You Free
10. Descension
11. Power
12. You Can't Walk Away Now
13. A Monster Like Me

In a recent interview with the "Let There Be Talk" podcast, hosted by rock and roll comedian Dean Delray, Tate stated about "Power": "It's a cool track. 'Power' is the first — I don't know — we call 'em singles nowadays. It's the first release on the album. And, yeah, it's a really cool song — very, very energetic, very up, and kind of says a lot in a very short time, which I like."

Regarding the writing process for "Operation: Mindcrime III", which follows 1988's "Operation: Mindcrime" and 2006's "Operation: Mindcrime II", Geoff said:  "I think you use whatever sort of way you can in order to get what you want. And, for me, I sort of look at it as a story, and I write the story out first of what is happening, and then I kind of dissect it and create chapters, and those chapters turn into songs. And then I kind of work to link them all together and follow a storyline that makes sense. And then you gotta kind of factor in musically how you're gonna tie it together. Does it make sense musically and melodically to put this song before this song, before this song, before this song? 'Cause that's a big thing too, is making it flow, so it doesn't seem obtrusive and people don't have to turn the page back to find out what happened, and they're kind of following along in a chronological order."

After Delray noted that "Power" "sounds like QUEENSRŸCHE", Geoff said: "Yeah. Well, part of the whole writing process was keeping the music in the universe of 'Mindcrime', writing within that style, I guess you'd say."

As for how "Operation: Mindcrime III" was recorded, Geoff said: "There's 13 songs on the record, and it was recorded all over the world. And the beauty of modern recording is that if you have the right equipment, the quality gear, we just take it with us wherever we go. And we set up in hotel rooms backstage at shows, venues. I think one track was recorded in a church. Just wherever we have the right kind of room for the sound, we can record there. We recorded one of the songs, parts of it, in this castle in Italy. Do you remember that character Casanova? Well, he was imprisoned in this castle way back when. And the place is just an amazing ruin, of course, but it had this one room that was just incredible. It [had] big, high ceilings, open environment, big stone walls and that kind of thing. But it added a really unique sound to the song. So anyway, we just kind of took advantage of that wherever we could and wrote the album as we were touring around the world, really. And I wrote music for the album and lyrics for the album. And Kieran Robertson, my writing partner for this project, contributed so much to this record, playing guitar and also writing music and lyrics too."

This past March, Tate was asked by Canada's The Metal Voice why he wanted to make another LP in the "Operation: Mindcrime" series. Tate said: "I'm interested in it. It's a subject I've always been interested in, the 'Mindcrime' saga, the story of these three characters, really: Nikki, Dr. X and Sister Mary. A fascinating triangle there of… Oh, it's an interesting relationship between all three of them. And Nikki's story has really been kind of chronicled on 'Mindcrime I' and 'Mindcrime II', and nothing has really been written about Dr. X. Like, who is he? What's he all about? Why is he the way he is? What got him to this place he's at? And I just found the subject to be interesting. And especially at the age I'm at now, where I'm probably very close to Dr. X's age, I'm looking at life differently now, and [I have] different goals, [and I have] a different reason to be, really, which I think probably happens with people as they age and get older. You've had past accomplishments, you've had things that you've done that you've really been interested, and you've followed your dreams, you followed your muse, and now you're at a different place where those wants and needs kind of change. So Dr. X is a character study, really, of where he is at and how he got to where he is."

Asked if "Operation: Mindcrime III' is "a prequel" to the first two albums or if it is a continuation of the story, Geoff said: "It's kind of a — hmm, I'd say it's in the same universe, but a different perspective. It's X's perspective. It's happening in time at the same time as 'Mindcrime I'."

On the topic of whether "Operation: Mindcrime III" is musically as heavy as the original "Operation: Mindcrime" album, Tate said: "Oh, yes. The new one is probably, I guess in the same realm. It's heavier than 'Mindcrime I'. I don't know. I'd have to go back and listen to it again, 'Mindcrime II', to see where it compared in the heaviness [laughs] scale."

As for his expectations for the "Operation: Mindcrime III" album, Tate said: "I just hope everybody can give it a spin, check it out. And especially with headphones. It's a wonderful headphone album. Absolutely. We spent a lot of time dialing all the details in that I find to be very important with the record, is it's gotta sound good on headphones. And it really sounds great with the mixing and the engineering on it. John [Moyer, DISTURBED bassist, who produced the album] did an amazing job putting it all together, and the sound, especially of the rhythm section — oh, it's phenomenal. It's really, really crunchy, punchy, big… I think it's miles above 'Mindcrime I' — absolutely. Especially the bottom end — the bass and drums, rhythm section. It's so modern, so huge. If you listen back to the 'Mindcrime I' album, it sounds like… I think it was one of the three first digital recordings made, and so it has a brittleness to it that you just don't hear anymore, 'cause the technology has gotten so much better now. The analog-to-digital converters are so much more sophisticated now. So, yeah, it sounds miles about that. I'm very happy, very happy with it."

Originally released in May 1988, QUEENSRŸCHE's third studio album, "Operation: Mindcrime" took the quintet to an entirely new level. The concept, revealed through the songs, revolves around the character of Nikki, a recovering drug addict disillusioned with a corrupt society. Drawn into a cult-like revolutionary group headed by Dr. X (voiced by the late and beloved British actor Anthony Valentine),Nikki is manipulated to assassinate political leaders until his friendship with nun Sister Mary finally opens his eyes to the truth. Regarded as one of the greatest concept metal albums of all time, "Operation: Mindcrime" was certified platinum in 1991 in the U.S. and was ranked in the "Top 100 Metal Albums Of All Time" by both Kerrang! and Billboard magazines. Rolling Stone included it on a similar list, noting that "nearly 30 years after its initial release, 'Mindcrime' feels eerily relevant."

The original "Operation: Mindcrime" album weaved themes of religion, drug abuse and underground, radical politics. By contrast, 2006's "Operation: Mindcrime II" was regarded as an unnecessary sequel that many felt cheapened the original album, despite being a decent record in its own right.

During QUEENSRŸCHE's 2012 legal battle with Tate over the rights to the band's name, guitarist Michael Wilton submitted a sworn declaration in which he said the idea to make "Operation: Mindcrime II" was first brought to the table by Geoff's wife and QUEENSRŸCHE's then-manager Susan Tate. "The band was hesitant and did not want to lessen the original," the guitarist claimed. "But Susan Tate and Geoff Tate hired a budget producer and took control without really any other input. Scott Rockenfield [drums], Eddie Jackson [bass] and I were squeezed out of having any input in the musical direction or business decisions, thus the project suffered. During the initial writing phase, I would show up to bring my input to the creative process only to find that the producer, the new guitar player (who were both staying with the Tates at the time),along with Geoff Tate had been up late the night before or up early that morning and had written the songs without me. I was then told my ideas were not needed as the songs were now done. I could, however, 'bring my own style' in during the recording after learning to play what they wrote for me. In frustration, I gave up on the writing process knowing that I would at least get to make changes in the studio to bring back the QUEENSRŸCHE sound into these songs that we were known for. The final straw was when they refused to let me to be a part of the final recordings and mixes. I was shut out and they had the nerve to replace some of my parts on my songs. They denied me flying to San Francisco to be a part of my band, telling me that everything was ready to go and I was not needed. Had the communication been better, and had I been aware that parts needed to be recorded or rewritten, I would have been there. It was not until years later that I even became aware of the issues during the final recording and mixing of 'Operation: Mindcrime II'. It was all under the control of Geoff and Susan Tate. Call it delusions of grandeur, but they were convinced that this was going to sell three times more than the original, and to date (six years later) this album has sold fewer than 150,000 copies. The original album sold over 500,000 copies within a year."

In April 2014, Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE announced that a settlement had been reached after a nearly two-year legal battle where the singer sued over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being fired in 2012. Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson responded with a countersuit. The settlement included an agreement that Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson would continue as QUEENSRŸCHE, while Tate would have the sole right to perform "Operation: Mindcrime" and "Operation: Mindcrime II" in their entirety live.

Tate's replacement, Todd La Torre, has released four albums thus far with QUEENSRŸCHE: 2013's "Queensrÿche", 2015's "Condition Hüman", 2019's "The Verdict" and 2022's "Digital Noise Alliance".

JUST ANNOUNCED: Back By Popular Demand! Celebrate Geoff Tate's Operation: Mindcrime - The Final Chapter at The Pabst...

Posted by Pabst Theater Group on Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) has announced the first-ever vinyl pressing of three-times-Grammy Award-nominated rock band AUDIOSLAVE's second full-length album, "Out Of Exile", available on June 12, 2026. The group united the iconic voice and songwriting of Chris Cornell with the explosive, genre-defining sound of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk — forming an undeniable force that helped define 21st-century rock.

For this new reissue, Levi Seitz of Black Belt Mastering has remastered the original "Out Of Exile". It will be available in two configurations: a standard 180g black vinyl edition and a limited edition D2C black liquid vinyl pressing inspired by the album's cover art, housed in a die-cut gatefold jacket designed to showcase the disc.

Originally released May 23, 2005, "Out Of Exile" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the RIAA. The single "Doesn't Remind Me" earned a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Hard Rock Performance", while "Be Yourself" reached No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart. Alongside "Your Time Has Come", they stand among the band's defining radio hits.

As Chris Cornell shared at the time, "Out Of Exile" was his most autobiographical work — the first time he fully embraced writing from a deeply personal place. Emerging from sobriety, personal growth, and newfound domestic stability after 2002, he contrasted it with earlier material rooted in a "dark, lonely, isolated world," instead creating from a place of clarity, joy, and "the ability to feel loved."

As he explained in interviews, the record reflected a new chapter in his life — his marriage, family, and the anticipation of becoming a father — allowing him to write more openly than ever before. Cornell described himself during this period as "constantly inspired," no longer needing darkness as a catalyst, but drawing from a place of connection, purpose, and love.

No longer dependent on darkness as creative fuel, the result is both an artistic evolution and a document of personal renewal, as the band locked into a cohesive, confident sound. Once again, AUDIOSLAVE co-produced the album with Rick Rubin.

The band debuted several songs from "Out Of Exile" during a historic free concert in Cuba, performing for more than 70,000 fans and becoming the first American rock group to play an open-air show in the country. The performance was later documented on the "Live In Cuba" DVD.

Critics praised the album upon release. Slant called it "the sound of a band coming into its own," while Ultimate Classic Rock later named it "perhaps the definitive AUDIOSLAVE LP."

Experience the enduring power and personal depth of "Out Of Exile" on vinyl this June.

Track listing

LP 1

A1. Your Time Has Come
A2. Out Of Exile
A3. Be Yourself
B1. Doesn't Remind Me
B2. Drown Me Slowly
B3. Heaven's Dead

LP 2

C1. The Worm
C2. Man Or Animal
C3. Yesterday To Tomorrow
D1. Dandelion
D2. #1 Zero
D3. The Curse

AUDIOSLAVE stands as the convergence of one of the greatest songwriters and vocalists of all time, Chris Cornell, with the revolutionary sound and force of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Tom Morello, Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk. What emerged was not simply a supergroup, but a band that redefined the possibilities of modern rock — fusing soul, metal, funk, and protest into something timeless.

Across three landmark albums — "Audioslave" (2002),"Out Of Exile" (2005) and "Revelations" (2006) — they created a catalog that continues to resonate across generations. Songs like "Cochise", "Show Me How To Live", "I Am The Highway" and "Like A Stone" have become part of the cultural fabric, with the latter surpassing a billion streams and standing among the most iconic rock recordings of its era.

AUDIOSLAVE's legacy is defined by rare chemistry and fearless expression — where Cornell's voice, melodies, and lyrics met the band's uncompromising sonic power, leaving a permanent mark on the landscape of rock music.