During an interview following SMITH/KOTZEN's March 5 acoustic performance at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen revealed that "Black Light" — the group's current single and latest music video, and the co-title track of SMITH/KOTZEN's forthcoming second album "Black Light/White Noise" — nearly died on the cutting room floor as he and guitarist/vocalist Adrian Smith (also of IRON MAIDEN) were writing material for the record.

"Funny enough, that song almost didn't survive," Kotzen said. "I knew there was something that was cool about it, and I kept pushing Adrian on it, but Adrian [was] like, 'There's something wrong. Something's off.' It was the rare time where I couldn't see it clearly. I was like, 'What doesn't he like about this?' And then one day, I'm like, 'The chorus is wrong. The lyrics are wrong. I get it now.' The music was right, and the beat was right. Everything else was right. It was just [that] what we were singing was wrong.

"We muted the vocals, and I left the room and [Adrian] started messing around," Kotzen continued. "We were at my house doing this, and I was upstairs and I heard him do the verse and I came running downstairs. I busted into the room. I interrupted him and I said, 'Hey, that's it. Whatever you doing, keep doing that.' Sometimes you try something and go, 'Oh, scrap it,' and go to the next thing. I said, 'Don't erase that. Keep doing that. Save that.' And then I went away, and they come upstairs and say, 'Oh, I think I've got something.'

"Then we talked about the chorus. [Adrian] came up with the idea of [the title] 'Black Light'. 'What do you see under the black light?' And I felt like we had this conversation where I don't know who said what, but it was revealable [quoting the song's lyrics] 'under a black light, I see your colors come through; you've got a fine way of hiding the truth; black light, I see the devil in you,' whatever the next line is. Now we've got a story, and now we've got a song, and now we put it together."

Added Smith, "Sometimes, if you've got a strong title to get behind, it sort of gives you a focus to finish the song, I think."

Kotzen went on to discuss the significance of songs' lyrical content and the need for artists to have – as he titled his 1997 solo album – something to say. "[On] this new record, there's a song called 'Heavy Weather'," Kotzen said. "I had it demoed with fake singing, and [Adrian] said, 'I like the chorus. It sounds like you're singing "heavy weather." 'Oh, you mean like a thunderstorm? How can we write a song about that?' Then we started talking, and it's like, 'How about you came up in your time, and you faced a lot of adversity and a lot of things you had to fight and struggle through to get to where you're at. Now, you've got a child, and the child is kind of born into this luxury that you've earned, and they're complaining about things – but you've never faced heavy weather in the way that I have.' That's the thing that I love the most about writing – not so much the riff and how heavy it is. I like the story, because to me, that's what a song is. When we do the riffs and we've got a melody and a good hook, a cool attitude and the beat's cool, [that's fine], but what the fuck are we going to say? If you don't have anything to sing about, that means nothing needs to be written right now. So, you go take a break. For me, I go outside and work on the property – rake leaves or whatever the fuck it is I do. Then you get an idea – 'Okay, that's what I'm going to do.'"

SMITH/KOTZEN's second album, "Black Light/White Noise", will be released via BMG on April 4.

Recorded at The House, Los Angeles, California, produced by Richie and Adrian and mixed by Jay Ruston, the ten-track album is a masterclass in modern rock, with Adrian and Richie's prodigious talents as songwriters, musicians and vocalists on full display.

The official music video for "Black Light", produced and directed by Kevin and Richard Ragsdale a.k.a. The Ragsdale Brothers (DAUGHTRY, Dorothy feat. Slash, THEORY OF A DEADMAN),features the duo performing with bassist Julia Lage and drummer Bruno Valverde, alongside acclaimed Russian acrobat, contortionist and former Cirque Du Soleil performer Gyulnara Karaeva.

Last July, Smith joined Kotzen on stage at the Islington Assembly Hall in London, England to perform THE YARDBIRDS classic "Shapes Of Things".

SMITH/KOTZEN released the "Better Days …And Nights" EP in September 2022 via BMG. The effort comprised five previously unreleased live tracks, plus for the first time ever on CD, the four studio tracks featured on their sold-out, limited-edition 12-inch vinyl EP, "Better Days", released in conjunction with Record Store Day in November 2021.

The live songs were recorded during SMITH/KOTZEN's inaugural whistle-stop tour of the U.S. and U.K. at the start of 2022, which attracted unanimously rave reviews from fans and media alike, celebrating the duo's debut on stage together with stellar back-up from Richie's wife, internationally acclaimed bass player Julia Lage (VIXEN),and drummer Bruno Valverde of ANGRA.

Japan's metal bible Burrn! magazine reviewing the Whisky A Go Go show in Los Angeles pronounced it, "An amazing night….this rock n' roll band is very different from any other…totally unique …and bringing you great songs!". U.K.'s Classic Rock magazine said the show was a, "masterclass in guitar playing and performance".

The original EP tracks were produced by Kotzen and Smith and mixed by Kevin Shirley. The live tracks were produced and mixed by Kotzen and Smith.

SMITH/KOTZEN's eponymous debut album was released globally through BMG in March 2021 to media and fan acclaim, charting No. 10 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart in the U.S., Top 20 in the U.K. as well as in other major markets such as Germany, Japan and Canada.

Smith is best known as one of IRON MAIDEN's principal guitarists, having also enjoyed success as a solo artist. Kotzen is the frontman for THE WINERY DOGS as well as having been the guitarist for both MR. BIG and POISON during his long and acclaimed career, which has to date seen him release more than 20 solo albums. Both artists are also prolific songwriters.

Photo credit: Piper Ferguson

Video of VIXEN's April 12 performance at Cannery Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada can be seen below (courtesy of Tom deBlonk).

In a September 2024 interview with Waste Some Time With Jason Green, new VIXEN singer Rosa Laricchiuta, who joined the band in June 2024 as the replacement for Lorraine Lewis, spoke about how she landed the gig with the long-running all-female rock outfit. She said: "So in fact, I planted the seed because… You know about the Monsters Of Rock cruise, right? I've heard so much about it, but I wanted to get on it. And I was just, like, 'You know what? For the first time in my life, I'm gonna use my contacts.' So I asked as many musicians as I could. I e-mailed and texted brothers and friends from TSO [TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA] and other musicians, and I'm, like, 'How can I get on the Monsters Of Rock cruise?' 'Here's a contact.' I wrote to my contact and I was, like, 'Hey, my name is Rosa.' I dropped all the names. 'I'm a singer with TSO. I know this guy. I've been praised by this guy and that guy,' and I dropped them all. And I've never done that before… So long story short, I heard back from my contact, which is the manager of VIXEN, and he's, like, 'Hey, Rosa. I know who you are.' And he's, like, 'Be patient. The lineup is already set. However, maybe we can figure something out.' Then I saw his number. So I'm, like, 'You know what? I'm just gonna call.' And I called up, left a message: 'Hey, it's Rosa. I wanna talk about the Monsters Of Rock cruise, how we can make this happen.' I hung up. He wrote back to me, like, 'I received your call, but just hang tight.' [He was], like, super cool and professional. It was, like, 'Okay, great.' Good vibes. And I left it at that. And I was okay with that. And then about — I don't know, I would say like a week later, I get the call and I'm, like, 'Hello?' He's, like, 'What a coincidence.' I'm, like, 'What are you talking about?' So he's, like, I'm a manager of VIXEN and I just spoke to…' So he spoke with another… You know how agents talk to each other, managers and all that. And somebody from Quebec had referred me to him, and he's, like, 'You come highly recommended.' I'm, like, 'What? From who?' I'm, like, 'What's going on? I don't follow.' And he's, like, 'I'm the manager of VIXEN and we're looking for a female singer. Would you be interested?' And while he's telling me this, I'm Googling VIXEN because I have no clue who they are. [Laughs] I wasn't like a rocker [growing up], per se. I love all music, and I sing all styles. So, I didn't know. And then I was, like, 'Oh.' So the first thing I said was, 'Holy shit, these girls are badass.' It's been my dream to be in an all-girls band. I have a brother. I've always wanted a sister, and now I feel like I have three sisters. I'm in another hockey team. Okay, a lot smaller. I love everything about VIXEN — everything. So that's how it happened. I planted the seed because of this Monsters Of Rock cruise."

Laricchiuta made her live debut with VIXEN on June 21, 2024 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California alongside GREAT WHITE, SLAUGHTER and QUIET RIOT. Asked in a July 2024 interview with the "All Bets Are Off" podcast with Robby Vegas what was going through her head at that first show, Rosa said: "Well, I was really excited because I'm all over the place because I'm so overwhelmed and it's all so surreal. But growing up, I always wanted sisters, so now I feel blessed to have three sisters. And I feel — this is funny, but I feel like I'm a part of an incredible hockey team doing what I love. [Laughs]"

As for the vibe on stage, Rosa said: "My heart was beating so fast and I was really grateful that the first show was only six songs. [Laughs] Oh my goodness. Of course it was adrenaline and the good stress. But, like I said, the girls really welcomed me from the start. And immediately, when we were on stage, I felt the energy. Britt's [Lightning, a.k.a. Brittany Denaro, VIXEN guitarist] infectious vibe, Julia's [Lage, VIXEN bassist] energy is just wow. And sometimes I had to tell myself, 'Rosa, focus on the crowd,' because I was so — I forgot. I was so lost in the energy that I forgot there's a good crowd in front of us. And then Roxy [Petrucci] on the drums, it's so fun. I just wanted to jump on her riser, but I couldn't because the riser was so incredibly high. And then the second and the third show, I had a moment. I like to look everyone in the eye. And I'm telling you, it's intense, it's amazing, but most of all, I'm having a blast."

Asked if she was aware of VIXEN's legacy prior to being asked to join the band, she said: "Sadly, no… The first thing, the first thing I said was, 'Oh my God. It's an all-female band. Is this really happening?' Because, again, growing up, I never had a sister, and I always dreamed of being in an all-girl, all-female band, always. And then the second thing that came out of my mouth was, 'This is so badass.'"

Laricchiuta is a singer, songwriter, and performer from Montreal, Quebec. After several years cutting her teeth with live shows, she auditioned for the third season (2015) of "La Voix", Quebec's version of the popular TV show "The Voice". Rosa had an instant connection with the legendary francophone rocker Éric Lapointe and chose him as her coach. Rosa showed a solid stage presence, with remarkable intensity and a voice so powerful it sent her straight to the Grand Finale where she shared the stage with DEF LEPPARD, Kelly Clarkson, Jean Leloup and her idol, Melissa Etheridge. She left a lasting impression as she won over millions of viewers who named her the new "it" female rocker of Quebec. She then released one album in the Quebec market before beginning work on her first English language album in 2016. That album, "Free", was released the following year and at the end of the year, she joined the popular American band TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA for their annual mega tour of the United States.

Laricchiuta's hard rock project BLACK ROSE MAZE released its self-titled debut album in August 2020 via Frontiers Music Srl.

During an appearance on the Battleline Podcast, Britt discussed the decision to part ways with Lewis. Asked what she would say to fans who are concerned that VIXEN bears little resemblance to the band that broke through in the late 1980s, with Roxy as the sole remaining member from VIXEN's classic lineup, Britt said: "Yeah, well, I think Roxy is definitely dedicated to maintaining the musical integrity of the classic VIXEN. And she said that. And I think for whatever reason, she feels that this change is gonna be a positive one… So, I'm excited. I trust her. She's been doing this a long time, and she knows what feels right."

Britt continued: "Sometimes things run its course. And, again, I'm not involved in in this decision or at liberty to really speak about … the reasons in it. But at the end of the day, it doesn't matter, I guess. We're forging forward, we're forging ahead, and there will be new music. And I think it's gonna rock. So I'm very excited."

Britt went on to discuss the importance of getting along with VIXEN's new singer on a personal level, explaining: "At the end of the day, obviously you have to be talented, but just being a good person and being a cool person, 'cause we spend a lot of time together. I mean, that saying, musicians, we get paid to travel and then we play the gig, but what do we get paid for? The travel. I mean, I've flown to South America for one 30-minute show and then flown right back. So that's a lot of travel time and not a lot of playing. And that's a lot of time that you have to be with each other, and if you're with somebody that just drives you nuts, that's the worst thing ever. And then you can tell on stage too. So you know there's good chemistry when — you can feel it, is what I'm saying, on stage. And I think the audience can always feel it too."

In January 2019, VIXEN recruited Lewis as its new lead singer following the departure of Janet Gardner.

Lewis had already performed with VIXEN in March 2018 in Durant, Oklahoma while Gardner was recovering from surgery.

Prior to Lewis's addition to VIXEN, Petrucci, bassist Share Ross and Lightning vowed to "expand upon the VIXEN legacy while remaining true to our musical roots."

Gardner, Petrucci and Ross are considered to be part of VIXEN's classic lineup, along with founding guitarist Jan Kuehnemund, who died of cancer in October 2013.

Gardner contributed lead vocals to VIXEN's most commercially successful studio albums — "Vixen" (1988),"Rev It Up" (1990) and "Tangerine" (1998) — as well as the group's latest full-length release, 2018's live album "Live Fire".

More than three years ago, Ross announced that she was "taking a hiatus" from VIXEN. Her replacement is Lage, formerly of the Latin Grammy-nominated Brazilian rock group BARRA DE SAIA and wife of Richie Kotzen. Lage made her live debut with VIXEN on February 8, 2022 at the pre-Monsters Of Rock cruise concert at Magic City Casino in Miami, Florida.

In 2023, VIXEN released a new single called "Red". The official music video for the track, which was written and produced by CINDERELLA drummer Fred Coury, was directed by Drew Johnston and Vicente Cordero and edited by Ryan Conion.

Just Announced‼️
QUIET RIOT w VIXEN
Saturday, April 12th ~ 2025
Cannery Casino - Las Vegas, NV

Tickets on sale...

Posted by Vixen on Friday, February 7, 2025

URIAH HEEP guitarist Mick Box is seeking to recover a cross necklace that he says was snatched from his neck by a cyclist over the weekend. The 77-year-old British-born musician, whose band launched a South American tour on April 4 in Montevideo, Uruguay, took to his Facebook page on Saturday (April 12) to write: "Unfortunately I was walking back from lunch in Curitiba Brazil when a cyclist rode past me at speed and ripped off and stole my cross necklace that has great sentimental value to me. It is gold with diamonds inserted in the cross. If anyone has any information about this in Curitiba there would be a very worthwhile reward on its return. He may try and sell it or pawn it and thanks for reading this! Please contact me via www.uriah-heep.com or www.mick-box.net or even on Facebook."

Last September, URIAH HEEP announced its plans to embark on a farewell tour, dubbed "The Magician's Farewell", beginning with a seven-show U.K. run in February. Asked in an interview with Indie Power TV what led to the decision to stop touring around the world, Box said: "I'd say it was part the fact that we're not getting any younger. But the other big part was that it's becoming impossible to put these tours together now, the long tours that we used to do. Especially over in Europe, with Brexit and after COVID and things like that, it's got really, really hard, because previously we could travel freely through Europe, but now we can't because of Brexit. So, we now have to have carnets [international customs and temporary export-import documents] for equipment to get through to every territory, which they've only gotta get held up in one territory, and you lose the show. Things like that."

Mick continued: "With the advent of the world as it is today, bus prices have tripled, truck prices have tripled, everything's tripled. I mean, to give you an example as well with the airlines, apart from their cost going through the roof, we had 11 flights the other month and five of them were cancelled. So it's getting more and more difficult. So every show you've gotta go in a day early just to compensate for anything that may happen. So it's getting really difficult to put those long tours together. So it's kind of all come to a head, if you like."

Box also spoke in more detail about the barriers British musicians face since Brexit when it comes to touring the EU. He explained: "Yeah, well, unfortunately, the government doesn't recognize how important music is to the world. We've got all these restrictions on. There's even a restriction that you can only stay out 90 days in 180 and things like that. All those things just knock you sideways when you try to put a whole run of tour dates together like we used to do for nine months of the year. It's very difficult."

Mick went on to say that URIAH HEEP will never stop playing live shows altogether. "Yeah, we'll always play festivals, we'll always do things like that, because it's in our blood to keep playing," he said. "But this is a total winddown over two to three years. And when you consider that you and I play in 64 countries, we've got a lot of flying about to do. [Laughs] But we hope to get to everyone we can with this final hurrah, if you like. But it's not that final, because, as we say, we're gonna continue playing probably in pockets rather than these lengthy tours that are now impossible for many, many reasons I just discussed."

Asked if touring America has become increasingly difficult as well, Mick said: "Yeah, the visa side of it is very expensive, of course. And then if you've got a [team of people working for you], which we have with our crew, you've got the flights and everything else to consider before you even play a note. So, those things are difficult, but not insurmountable.

"I think that in America, it's geared a lot better, with the tour buses and everything else, to make it possible," he added. "So, yeah, I don't think it's quite so bad because you don't have, like we do in Europe, to go into each territory, you have a carnet, like I say, for all our equipment to be cleared, whereas in America you can just keep on going. [Laughs]"

Last December, Box was asked by Planet Rock's Paul Anthony what he is planning on doing with his time once URIAH HEEP has completed its farewell tour. Mick said: "I guess we'll do [some] writing and go in the recording studio and do other aspects of the of the game, but as I say, we're still gonna be touring, still gonna be playing. It's just that we're not doing the really long stuff. We'll do it in sections rather than a whole long splurge."

As for the setlist for "The Magician's Farewell", Mick said: "I guess a setlist really writes itself to a degree, because there's so many songs that people expect to hear — you know, the 'Easy Livin'' to 'July Morning' and stuff like that and 'Stealin'' and whatever — so we kind of use that as the template. Then we'll add in some of the latest-album songs, and then build it from there. And maybe revisit something that we haven't revisited for a while, or even something we haven't played before. So we kind of just put it in the mixing pot, really. But it kind of works itself out because the popularity of the songs we've got, which is marvelous."

After Anthony noted that URIAH HEEP still records new music and is not known as "just a heritage act" which doesn't perform its more recent songs live, Mick concurred. "Well, yeah," he said. "I mean, when you look at it, we've got a lot of classic rock songs. And the new songs are soon to be classic, because it's only time that gives them that title. [Laughs] So, yeah, we look at it like that. And they merge very well, because it's the band doing what the band does, using the same template we had from day one, musically, and that's the Hammond organ, the wah-wah guitar, five[-part vocal harmonies], all that sort of stuff. We just apply that to each song and it's URIAH HEEP."

URIAH HEEP's farewell tour will run for approximately two or three years and will include performances in all parts of the globe.

In November 2023, Box was asked by Metallerium how he and his URIAH HEEP bandmates have managed to retain their trademark sound despite having gone through so many lineup changes over the years. He responded: "Well, I think, I think, basically, as long as I'm there, the band's gonna sound like URIAH HEEP. Because we created a template on how we sounded back in 1970 with our first album, '...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble'. So, we've continued with that all the way along the line. And I think a lot of the credit must go to Jay Ruston, our producer, because he understood where we come from, what we're all about, but he managed to make the album sound really fresh and today, and I think that's a marvelous achievement. So really, as long as we keep playing and writing good songs and doing good performances, and we get someone like Jay Ruston recording it, I think it will always sound fresh and exciting."

Regarding what has kept URIAH HEEP going for so long, Mick said: "I think the only thing that drives us on, it's only one word — it's called passion. And if you've got passion for what you do, then eventually you'll achieve it."

URIAH HEEP's 25th studio album, "Chaos & Colour", was released in January 2023 via Silver Lining Music. The LP was recorded during the summer of 2021 at Chapel Studios in London with the aforementioned Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, COREY TAYLOR, BLACK STAR RIDERS) at the helm.

"Jay was completely on board with what we are trying to achieve in the studio," Box previously said. "We're a band that has a fantastic heritage and to carry on that tradition it was vitally important that the band recorded in the studio all playing at the same time. Jay understood that and he pulled out the best of us as a band, as well as individual players, while getting us some amazing sounds."

URIAH HEEP's current lineup includes Box, frontman Bernie Shaw, bassist Dave Rimmer, drummer Russell Gilbrook and keyboardist Phil Lanzon.

URIAH HEEP debuted in 1970 with the release of one of hard rock's milestones, "Very 'Eavy, Very 'Umble", and has since sold in excess of 40 million albums worldwide. They have constantly toured the world, playing up to 125 shows a year to more than 500,000 fans. The band's live set features the classic tracks from the '70s and is a musical journey from the band's beginnings to the present day.

Unfortunately I was walking back from lunch in Curitiba Brazil when a cyclist rode past me at speed and ripped off and...

Posted by Mick Box on Saturday, April 12, 2025

Fan-filmed video of BEHEMOTH's entire April 6 concert at Columbiahalle in Berlin, Germany can be seen below.

The band's setlist was as follows:

01:00 The Shadow Elite
05:55 Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer
11:45 Demigod
15:49 The Shit Ov God
21:52 Conquer All
25:45 Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel
30:53 Ov Fire And The Void
36:23 Christgrinding Avenue
40:20 Bartzabel
47:31 Wolves Ov Siberia
51:03 Once Upon A Pale Horse
56:18 Christians To The Lions
1:00:48 Cursed Angel Of Doom
1:05:12 Chant For Eschaton 2000
1:11:38 O Father O Satan O Sun!

BEHEMOTH's "The Unholy Trinity 2025" features legendary Norwegian black metal pioneers SATYRICON as special guest. From the ancient lands of Greece, the ever-epic ROTTING CHRIST completes the trek

The tour launched on April 4 in Vienna, Austria and descends across major cities, including Berlin, Paris, London, and Stockholm, before culminating in Prague, Czech Republic on April 27.

BEHEMOTH will release its new album, "The Shit Ov God", on May 9 via Nuclear Blast Records.

BEHEMOTH have always been known for not shying away from controversy, and they most certainly remain true to this approach with their 13th full-length. Here's a band that, 34 years in, is releasing its most inflammatory and extreme record to date. Eight songs that go into the fathoms of humanity, divinity, and what defiance means in an age where individuality is prized but everyone is clinging to their saviors — musically, politically, or otherwise. The title of the album is in line with those sensibilities.

Intentionally polarizing, BEHEMOTH founder and frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski said of the title: "We chose this provocative title deliberately, rejecting subtlety in favor of a direct and polarizing statement. It's a defiant plunge into the depths, daring to seek the absolute even in the gutter."

But make no mistake, despite its apparent insubtlety, the album title gets a touch of genius when seen in combination with the strikingly clever artwork, which depicts an upside-down version of the most common Christogram "IHS."

Nergal commented: "I've reached a point in BEHEMOTH's journey and my own creativity where words and statements mean less and less. The true essence of who we are and what we stand for lies in our music, our art, our visuals, our sounds, our performances, and the ways we connect with you. I deeply believe BEHEMOTH represents transcendent, timeless art.

"The number thirteen — so magical and significant. If this were to be our final album, I could say I die a proud man. Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the most refined, purest representation of BEHEMOTH. No filler, no excess — just the very best we have to offer, handed to you.

"Hail Satan."

BEHEMOTH meticulously chose the audiovisual artists involved on the album. Production on the album was helmed by the inimitable Jens Bogren of Fascination Street Studios (EMPEROR, ENSLAVED, KREATOR, ROTTING CHRIST et al.). Working closely with the band, Bogren's deft hand underscored the band's natural sound while sacrificing none of the mayhem and ferocity which permeates the band's essence. As is always the case with BEHEMOTH, the visuals were as carefully constructed as the sound. The band tapped long-time collaborator and partner in crime Bartek Rogalewicz (BLACK.LODGE.IS.NOW) as well as Dark Sigil Workshop to make the beautifully ominous and unique cover art.

BEHEMOTH's 12th studio album, "Opvs Contra Natvram", was released in September 2022. The LP was previously described in a press release as "a stark reminder of the rebellion, individuality, and unflinching self-expression that BEHEMOTH's phenomenal work imbues, shaped by a literary worldview."

Legions! The Unholy Trinity tour with Satyricon and Rotting Christ begins tearing through Europe this April! 🔥

Paris...

Posted by BEHEMOTH! on Friday, February 14, 2025

In a new interview with Riff X's "Metal XS", Mark Morton, guitarist and songwriter for the five-time Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling band LAMB OF GOD, spoke about the blues-inspired musical direction of his latest solo album, "Without The Pain". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I have never completely defined myself as just a heavy metal guitar player. And when I say 'just', there are plenty of players that just play metal and they're phenomenally explosive, incredibly dynamic and creative musicians. And that's cool. And so I believe that's possible. But for me, I've never felt like metal was the only place my creative spirit lives. So, I think I have, over time, built up this ambition and this kind of desire to express my musical spirit and my creative ideas outside of the context of LAMB OF GOD — not in spite of LAMB OF GOD, just in addition to. I love LAMB OF GOD, I love heavy metal. It's been my life's work, really, musically, until recently where I really kind of started exploring some of the stuff that was more reflective of what my personal listening tastes are. And that's what you hear on this new record."

Addressing the fact that the songwriting process in LAMB OF GOD at times requires him to make compromises while maintaining his vision of the band, Mark said: "I think what we have been able to develop in LAMB OF GOD is a real trust with one another creatively. So typically, and it's not always the case, but typically if there's some debate going on and somebody feels really, really strongly about it, where other people aren't sure, that becomes pretty apparent. And if Willie [Adler, LAMB OF GOD guitarist] feels absolute about this musical thing that I'm not sure about, then I trust his artistry because I respect and admire him as a musician. And I think the same is true the other way. And the same with Randy [Blythe, LAMB OF GOD singer]. Him and I write lyrics together, and if he feels really, really strongly about a lyrical thing, then, yeah, you're the one singing it. Run with it. Your question makes it sound like it's this sort of liability that we have to give each other room. I think it's a strength."

"Without The Pain" marks a significant departure from Mark's work with LAMB OF GOD, diving into his southern roots and leaning heavily into the southern rock lane. The album features collaborations with artists like Cody Jinks, Jaren Johnston (THE CADILLAC THREE),Charlie Starr (BLACKBERRY SMOKE),TYLER BRYANT AND THE SHAKEDOWN, Travis Denning plus guitar solos from Grace Bowers, Jason Isbell, and more, making it a unique and exciting project that blends blues, southern rock, Americana and outlaw country influences with Mark's signature guitar work.

Last month, Mark was asked by United Rock Nations about his recent comment that he had been "waiting [his] whole life" to make "Without The Pain". Asked why it took him so long to finally write and record the effort, Morton said:  "Well, I think it's been a process for me to kind of get to the point where I've felt the confidence and the independence to make this kind of record. I made my first solo LP, 'Anesthetic', which came out in 2019, I think, and that was like my first published work outside of LAMB OF GOD as a solo artist. And while it was very different than LAMB OF GOD and that was the point, I think it was still kind of tied to metal roots and metal influences. And having had the experience of making that record and gaining the confidence in my ability and in learning that my audience was willing to go there with me, I think it gave me this sort of creative freedom to feel like I could lean into what is truly the music that I'm a fan of and the kind of music that I listen to, and have been a fan of, really, my whole life and that's kind of, really, at the foundation of my playing as a guitar player. I've always felt like I'm a blues player first. That's just the way I feel about it. So for me, it wasn't really uncomfortable at all to pursue this kind of music. It was more [that] it felt like something I finally could do after waiting for a long time to get the opportunity."

Asked if making a really personal album like "Without The Pain" is a form of therapy for him, Mark said: "I think some of it's personal, some of it's not at all. I think the songs are just the songs. I think sometimes there are songs that wind up being really personal. The last song on the record, 'Home', is extremely personal. There are components of 'Brother' that are lived experience and 'Without The Pain' has references to parts of my life. But then songs like 'Hell & Back' are really just a cool kind of story. And 'Come December' is not a personal experience; it's a story. That one's cool. 'Nocturnal Sun' is just very abstract. 'Forever In The Light' is pretty abstract as well. So I don't think they're all like directly autobiographical in a sense like that."

Mark continued: "Songwriting is such a strange thing because sometimes there are lines in a song that are lived experience, and they may appear in a song that isn't entirely autobiographical. So just because a part of a song is directly related to something from a songwriter's life — there's songs that are collaborative, so different people adding different things. And really it becomes more about the song than it does what maybe inspired one or another part of it. It's a weird kind of thing. But in the end, it becomes this unique thing and when it works best is someone listens to it and they make it about their own story, and that's when it works best. And how genuine or authentic it is to a direct lived experience is less important than it being a genuine and authentic representation of a feeling or an emotion."

"Without The Pain" was released on April 11 via Snakefarm.

"Without The Pain" track listing:

01. Hell & Back feat. Jaren Johnston of THE CADILLAC THREE (Mark Morton, Jaren Johnston, Josh Wilbur)
02. Brother feat. Cody Jinks (Mark Morton, Cody Jinks, Travis Denning)
03. Without The Pain feat. Matt James of Blacktop Mojo (Mark Morton, Jaren Johnston, Josh Wilbur)
04. Kite String feat. Travis Denning (Mark Morton, Travis Denning)
05. Come December feat. Charlie Starr of Blackberry Smoke & Jason Isbell (Mark Morton, Charlie Gray, Matt Connor)
06. Dust feat. Cody Jinks & Grace Bowers (Mark Morton, Jaren Johnston, Cody Jinks)
07. Forever In The Light feat. Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown (Mark Morton, Tyler Bryant, Caleb Crosby)
08. Nocturnal Sun feat. Troy Sanders & Jared James Nichols (Mark Morton, Josh Wilbur)
09. The Needle And The Spoon feat. Neil Fallon of Clutch (Allen Collins, Ronald W Vanzant)
10. Home feat. Travis Denning (Mark Morton, Travis Denning, Josh Wilbur)

Mark co-wrote every song on "Without The Pain" except for the track "The Needle And The Spoon", which is a cover of the iconic LYNYRD SKYNYRD song. Throughout the album, Mark's songwriting explores themes of healing, growth, and self-reflection, with each track reflecting his journey of personal evolution. Drawing from his deep southern roots, Mark embraces the sounds of southern rock, blues, and outlaw country, while maintaining his signature edge — blending honest, raw lyricism with intricate guitar work. This album represents a true reinvention for Mark, as he embraces a more introspective and reflective phase in his career, marking his second solo release after his critically acclaimed debut.

The themes explored on "Without The Pain" are a natural progression from Mark's deeply personal autobiography, "Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir". In the book, Mark delves into his struggles with addiction, mental health, and the toll of his heavy metal career, offering a raw, unfiltered look at his life and the journey toward finding peace and redemption. "Without The Pain" picks up where the memoir left off, providing a soundtrack to Mark's continuing journey of growth and reconciliation.

DARK ANGEL bassist Michael Gonzalez has brushed off criticism of the group's comeback single, saying he is "proud" of the music he and his bandmates have created.

Last Friday (April 11),DARK ANGEL released "Extinction Level Event", the title track of their first new album in 34 years, which is due later in 2025 via Reversed Records. The LP was recorded and mixed at the Armoury Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, executive produced by DARK ANGEL drummer Gene Hoglan, produced and engineered by Rob Shallcross and mixed by Mike Fraser.

Upon its arrival, the "Extinction Level Event" title track was met with a mixed response from DARK ANGEL's longtime fans, with one fan writing on Facebook: " I was just listening to 'Time Doesn't Heal' this week, man, Ron's [Rinehart, DARK ANGEL singer] vocals were top notch. Listening to this song i was like: 'Is that really Ron? What happened to his voice?' Let's hope the album has better songs, this one was boring and generical. Totally not worth waiting 34 years." Another fan chimed in: "All that hype, then this. yawn. No [late DARK ANGEL guitarist Jim] Durkin, no [DARK ANGEL]. Hang it up." A third fan wrote: "It's OK. if it was a young band, I would say that's a great start but for DARK ANGEL, it's disappointing. Nobody expects a new thrash gem like 'Darkness Descends' or a tech cult classic like 'Time Does Not Heal', but something like 'Leave Scars' would be awesome and respected."

"The Metal Command" radio show host Tony Webster offered a scathing review of "Extinction Level Event" on Facebook, calling it "absolutely horrendous. It's four minutes and 16 seconds of my life that I wish I could get back after listening to it," he wrote. "It's badly written, uninspired and right now most people are talking about how terrible it is."

Some of the DARK ANGEL fans were more complimentary of the band's new song, with one fan writing on Facebook: "Yeah vocals are a bit crazy but the riffs are on point." Another fan wrote: "The vocal is a bit different to what Ron Rineheart sounded like but that was 34 years ago. It sounds like DARK ANGEL which means they have their own particular sound rather than sounding like another 1,000 standard metal bands. I can't wait to hear the album." A third fan wrote: "It would have to grow on me but currently my opinion is contrived from their own formula with less altogether good vocals. No catchy phrasing or cohesive riffing. Doesn't mean it won't grow on me or that the rest of the album won't be good. Overall, I am pleased that they're back and hope they make a few more runs at it." A fourth fan said: "People can piss on this all they want but I like it. A few decades pass and people expect everything to stay the exact same? Bollocks. It's metal and crushes most of the new crap out there today."

After one person wrote on Facebook, "I gotta wonder if people are slamming on the new DARK ANGEL song only because their online friends are instead of forming their own opinions based on actually giving it a whirl", Gonzalez weighed in below the post, writing: "It is what it is. We made an album for us and where we are at now. Whether it's loved or hated, I'm proud of what we've done."

The "Extinction Level Event" title track was written by Durkin a decade ago, long before he suffered from severe liver disease, and, to the surprise of everyone, passed away in 2023.

"Jim Durkin left us with this badass tune," Hoglan said in a press release last week. "It is so DARK ANGEL and I'm just so excited about it. We made it the lead-off song on the record, not as a tribute to Jim or because of sentimental reasons — like, 'Here is the song that Jim left us' — but because it's just a totally killer song. He wrote it ten years ago, and by today's standards it's still ball-crushing."

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

Earlier this month, Hoglan told the "Everblack" podcast about "Extinction Level Event": "It's a pretty ferocious record. I'm stoked with it. It took long enough for it to come out, but now that we're getting closer to the release, things are starting to get closer to finalized with it."

Durkin died on March 8, 2023 at the age of 58. An original member of DARK ANGEL, Durkin played on the band's first three albums — 1985's "We Have Arrived", 1986's "Darkness Descends" and 1989's "Leave Scars" — before departing the group in 1989. He was part of DARK ANGEL's lineup when the band reformed in 2013, and had been playing with them, on and off, ever since.

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

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

California thrash metal pioneers DARK ANGEL will release "Extinction Level Event", their first new album in 34 years, later in 2025 via Reversed Records. The LP's first single, the "Extinction Level Event" title track, can be streamed below. It was recorded and mixed at the Armoury Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, executive produced by DARK ANGEL drummer Gene Hoglan, produced and engineered by Rob Shallcross and mixed by Mike Fraser.

"Musically, lyrically, and vocally, I'm so stoked about this album," says Hoglan. "I'm really excited about DARK ANGEL right now, and everyone who's heard the new album is losing their minds.

The "Extinction Level Event" title track was written by DARK ANGEL guitarist Jim Durkin a decade ago, long before he suffered from severe liver disease, and, to the surprise of everyone, passed away in 2023.

"Jim Durkin left us with this badass tune," Hoglan says. "It is so DARK ANGEL and I'm just so excited about it. We made it the lead-off song on the record, not as a tribute to Jim or because of sentimental reasons — like, 'Here is the song that Jim left us' — but because it's just a totally killer song. He wrote it ten years ago, and by today's standards it's still ball-crushing."

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

Earlier this month, Hoglan told the "Everblack" podcast about "Extinction Level Event": "It's a pretty ferocious record. I'm stoked with it. It took long enough for it to come out, but now that we're getting closer to the release, things are starting to get closer to finalized with it. So, everybody keep your eyes open. We just released the album cover and when we have some actual, actual, like 'here is the drop date for it', we'll be able to share that with everybody. Pay attention to the DARK ANGEL socials and all that, and there will be a release date. We're teasing it as 2025, so, hey, before December 31st, we are getting a DARK ANGEL record."

DARK ANGEL was originally scheduled to play new music for the first time since 1991 during its January 29 concert at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. However, that show ended up getting postponed due to the wildfires in the state.

In July 2024, DARK ANGEL officially entered the studio to begin recording its new LP. Two months earlier, Hoglan told Rocking With Jam Man that he had "been working diligently for the last couple of years on some projects that are gonna make DARK ANGEL fans really happy, I think. So, everybody, just sit tight," he said.

Asked what it has been like making new DARK ANGEL music more than 30 years after the release of the band's last album, 1991's "Time Does Not Heal", Gene responded: "Well, that's one thing. It's like we had a choice. I had an entire DARK ANGEL album written that was ready to start getting recorded after the 'Time Does Not Heal' record, and circumstances occurred where the band just had to dissolve. So, I had a bunch of material written. And when Jim Durkin and myself — Jim is no longer with us, but when we put DARK ANGEL back together and we started talking about, like, 'What do we wanna do for the future? Do we wanna write some new material?' And 'I've got some ideas, Gene, and you probably have some ideas.' And I have a number of songs that I sent to Jim. And when Jim heard that — I sent it to him on a CD — he freaked out and he was, like, 'My God, here's our new album. This is gonna be our next record. Hell yeah.' And he got really excited about that material. But I was, like, 'Hey, Jim, tell you what. I feel really strongly about my writing chops, and the songs I'm hearing from you right now are crushing. So how about we just write new stuff, get together and start writing new material?' And so we kind of went that route."

He continued: "For my elements of what I wanted DARK ANGEL to sound like, Jim Durkin is a huge influence on my writing style. So I wanted this to have a lot of the Jim Durkin influence on it. In terms of riffs, there's not as many from Jim as we were hoping for, but Jim's entire presence is all over the new DARK ANGEL material that I've been working on. And he's a huge guitar influence on me, as well as a lot of people. So, there's definitely gonna be a pretty hardy Jim Durkin influence. And I just wanna write a kick-ass metal album. So what I've tried to do is not go back 35 years or 37 years or whatever, 'Darkness Descends' or even 'We Have Arrived', those early albums, or 'Leave Scars' or 'Time Does Not Heal', I've not tried to duplicate anything from any of those albums, but I tried to put myself in the mindset of what if DARK ANGEL just kept writing albums for the last 30-whatever years, 32, 33 years, where would we be at now? And so that has been my approach on the new DARK ANGEL material."

Durkin died on March 8, 2023 at the age of 58. An original member of DARK ANGEL, Durkin played on the band's first three albums — 1985's "We Have Arrived", 1986's "Darkness Descends" and 1989's "Leave Scars" — before departing the group in 1989. He was part of DARK ANGEL's lineup when the band reformed in 2013, and had been playing with them, on and off, ever since.

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

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

Hoglan previously talked about DARK ANGEL's upcoming LP in May 2023 in an interview with Friday 13th. He said at the time: "Jim and I, we had gotten together a number of times to write some new material for DARK ANGEL. And we weren't able to get it down on tape too much. If DARK ANGELhas any new material, there's a song that he's got on there that is pretty darn DARK ANGEL-esque.

"In tribute to Jim, DARK ANGEL's new material will have a ton of his spirit all over it — his feel. Whether he actually wrote stuff on the new stuff or not, his spirit is very there. His imprint is felt throughout thrash metal, I feel. Even before I was in DARK ANGEL, I'd see Jim's influence on bands. Absolutely. So his legacy will live forevermore in the realm of extreme metal. His style will always be a part of DARK ANGEL, absolutely, big time."

Asked how the next DARK ANGEL album will compare to the band's previous efforts, Hoglan said: "Well, I can't really even comment on the fact that there might or might not be an album yet. But put it this way — if I were to have any new DARK ANGEL material, I would want it to be an extension of where the band is at now and where I'm at now. And I would probably approach the writing of it in a way as if DARK ANGEL never disappeared for a decade, two decades, three decades, or whatever it's been. It's just like we just kept doing what we do, and this would be where we're at right now. Which I would want to be putting out the most savage, heaviest material that DARK ANGEL could. And I'm no slouch with writing psychotic, heavy material. So I would be very, very excited with where DARK ANGEL's new material would be."

Photo by Alex Solca

In a new interview with Gustavo Maiato, SAXON frontman Biff Byford was asked if guitarist Paul Quinn, who announced two years ago that he was stepping back from touring with the band, is still contributing to the songwriting process in SAXON or if Quinn's replacement, DIAMOND HEAD's Brian Tatler, is a "full-time" member of the band now. Biff responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, Brian's in the band full-time, but Paul's still sending ideas. He sent me an idea the other day for a song. It just depends how good it is, if we use it. I reject a lot of ideas until people come up with the one that I love.

"We always want to make better albums, so we're always looking for better songs, if you know what I mean," Biff explained.

As a result of Quinn's decision to step back from touring with SAXON, the band canceled its April 2023 South American tour as well as the appearance at the Monsters Of Rock cruise. Quinn has since been replaced on the road by Tatler.

Brian has been touring with fellow guitarist Doug Scarratt, drummer Nigel Glockler, bassist Tim "Nibbs" Carter and Byford since mid-2023, but continues to be a member of DIAMOND HEAD.

Byford and Quinn are the sole remaining original members in SAXON's current lineup.

Originally from South Yorkshire, England, SAXON has gone on to sell about 23 million albums and has produced such classic songs as "Denim And Leather", "Princess Of The Night", "Wheels Of Steel" and "Power And Glory".

Two months ago, Byford was asked by FaceCulture about a possible follow-up to the band's 24th studio album, "Hell, Fire And Damnation", which came out in January 2024 via Silver Lining Music. He said: "We're writing. I've started writing the new album, writing lyrics and titles. The boys have sent me loads of ideas already. So I'm just making a short list of what music we should use, what style we should play in, what songs are slow, fast, medium, good guitar riffs. So, yeah, we're pretty far on. We'll probably start rehearsing the new album maybe June, maybe recording in January, February. So we'll probably have a new album out in late 2026."

Reflecting on "Hell, Fire And Damnation", which marked SAXON's first release with Tatler, Biff said: "I think it's been a natural progression with our following and the fans with our music. Brian coming into the band added a little bit of a different dynamic to the music writing. So I think that was for a good thing. I think the new album, 'Hellfire', has been voted 'Album Of The Year' on quite a lot of sites and things, so obviously we struck a little bit of good scene with the album, a good flow. So hopefully the next one will be just as good, if not better… Well, it can't always be better, but let's hope. I mean, 'Hellfire' is gonna be hard to beat. That's a pretty perfect album, I think."

"Hell, Fire And Damnation" was produced by Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, EXODUS, ACCEPT) and Byford, with Sneap mixing and mastering.

In a new interview with "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie, DISTURBED frontman David Draiman was asked to name something that he observed and took away from touring with Ozzy Osbourne in the past. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "So much. Ozzy is the godfather of metal. He's like a father to all of us. I love the man. I love his family. I couldn't have more reverence for any human being on this planet.

"I think that one of the times that definitely stays in my mind that taught me that sometimes you just need to find the strength to push through was one particular Ozzfest — I think it was our third one — and Ozzy wasn't feeling so well that day," he continued. "He was having a little bit of difficulty. And I remember Zakk [Wylde, Ozzy's guitarist] and Sharon [Osbourne, Ozzy's wife and manager] coming over to me, asking me if I would be willing to take over the set. And I'm, like, 'No. They want Ozzy. They don't want me.' I'm, like, 'I haven't rehearsed.' I said to her, 'I haven't rehearsed. I don't know all the songs by heart.' And she's, like, 'Well, there's a goddamn teleprompter on the stage. Just read the words.' I'm, like, 'Yeah, well, it's not that simple.' And then Ozzy had retreated back into his little vocal area, his little draped off area, and he was gargling and using a spray and trying to get himself clear. And he took a few more minutes and then he came back out and he started belting it out, and it's like he pushed through whatever frog was in his throat, and his face lit up, and the energy immediately changed. And he ended up not only finishing the set, but I think playing an additional 15 or 20 minutes, and, and it was inspiring — it really was."

Addressing the fact that he will appear at the upcoming "Back To The Beginning" charity show on July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom, which will mark the original lineup of BLACK SABBATH's last-ever performance and Ozzy's last appearance as a solo artist, Draiman said: "The man has been through so much. The man has done so much, and between Ozzy, SABBATH, you're talking about the most seminal frontman and the most seminal band for hard rock and heavy metal in existence.

"I couldn't be more honored [to take part in the show]," he added. "I couldn't be more humbled to be a part of it. And I'm going to be like a kid in a candy store that day. It's very, very surreal for me."

Last month, David told Billboard that he is "elated to be part of" "Back To The Beginning", "humbled and honored. It's the most seminal frontman and band for hard rock and heavy metal," he said. "The second record I ever bought, right after KISS 'Destroyer', was [SABBATH's] 'We Sold Our Soul For Rock 'N' Roll'. I love Ozzy. I love the Osbourne family. They've been so supportive, such a huge part of we've become who we've become. We could not have done it without them, so I'm intensely grateful. We all are. I hope that I can just do my little part to pay tribute to their legacy."

DISTURBED kicked off the U.S. leg of "The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour" on February 25 at Ford Idaho Center Arena in Nampa, Idaho. The trek celebrates 25 years of DISTURBED's seminal debut album which launched the band into public consciousness and is one of the most important and influential heavy metal albums of all time. Each night features two sets of music, opening with DISTURBED playing the five-times-platinum "The Sickness" in full, followed by a full set of greatest hits. Openers on the U.S. shows include THREE DAYS GRACE, SEVENDUST, DAUGHTRY and NOTHING MORE, depending on the date.

Last week, DISTURBED announced the European leg of "The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour" with support from MEGADETH.

Since "The Sickness" was released in 2000, the album was certified five times platinum by the RIAA, spent a total of 106 weeks on the US Billboard 200 chart, and Revolver named it one of "Top 25 Debut Hard Rock Albums." Billboard said of the title track upon release: "'Down With The Sickness' is, of course, the quintessential DISTURBED song, harnessing all the band's seethe and its now-famous tribal beat and guitar chug into three and a half minutes of alt-metal mayhem. It's menacing, it's rhythmic, it's rebellious."

DISTURBED recently announced the 25th-anniversary edition release of "The Sickness". To commemorate the anniversary, the band will reissue the five-times-platinum-certified LP on March 7, exactly 25 years to the date of their original release.

On February 21, DISTURBED released a new single, "I Will Not Break", via the band's own label, Mother Culture Records.

Finnish heavy rockers LEVERAGE will release their new album, "Gravity", on June 20 via Frontiers Music Srl.

After the arrival of the LP's first single, "All Seeing Eye", in early March, LEVERAGE has shared the second single, "Shooting Star", along with an accompanying music video, available below.

"Shooting Star" is a soaring, cinematic anthem of escape, defiance, and transcendence. The unexpected initial twist paves the way for a barrage of galloping riffs, thunderous rhythms, and towering vocals that echo the golden age of metal. This bold single blends mythic storytelling and melodic power into a new LEVERAGE sound that bridges past and future.

LEVERAGE lead singer Paolo Ribaldini commented on the new single: "'Shooting Star' stands out as one of the album's strongest and most surprising tracks, with Tuomas leaving storytelling aside and instead capturing deep emotions through music and lyrics. It feels like something the classic [Ronnie James] Dio-era RAINBOW could have created today. The song also highlights my bandmates' incredible performances and is set to become a live staple. I'm especially grateful to Marko and Taksu for their passionate work on the music video, which enhances the song's depth and offers fans an unforgettable experience."

LEVERAGE guitarist Tuomas Heikkinen added: "'Shooting Star' got started right after I had a Bigsby vibrato installed on my black Les Paul. I really like that twanging old school tone you get with it, and just started fiddling around basic chords. I really like it, I knew Paolo would nail the vocals exactly like I heard them in my head, and this song very much paved the way for the whole album, I knew we could now achieve sonic textures that were out of reach before".

LEVERAGE's future seemed uncertain after the untimely passing of singer's Kimmo Blom in the summer of 2022. However, founding member and main songwriter Tuomas Heikkinen decided the final hour for the band was not in sight yet. Outstanding singer Paolo Ribaldini (DELAIN, ex-SKILTRON) and violinist Lotta-Maria Heiskanen joined with the precise task to renew and refresh the sound of the band.

The resulting album, "Gravity", the band's sixth full-length in slightly less than 20 years, aptly showcases contemporary heavy rock sound, combining multiple influence from the genre's golden era with the band's own unique flair and personality. Plenty of ear-catching melodies delivered skillfully with a pristine top-of-the-line production.

LEVERAGE is neither a power metal band, nor an AOR band, nor a nostalgic tribute to the '80s. Instead of falling into one category, they have bent and redefined genre frontiers, thus developing their own style of heavy rock. The sonic stamp says "LEVERAGE", and it speaks louder than words.

LEVERAGE's history is carved deep into the DNA of the new album "Gravity": the grand melodic traditions of the debut "Tides" (2007) and the sophomore "Blind Fire" (2008),the symphonic flair of "Circus Colossus" (2009),and the darker, more mature tones of "Determinus" (2019) and "Above The Beyond" (2021) all find new life here. But "Gravity" doesn't simply revisit the past — it elevates it.

LEVERAGE's lineup now includes Tuomas Heikkinen (guitars),Marko Niskala (keyboards),Elias Ojutkangas (drums),Sami Norrbacka (bass),Paolo Ribaldini (vocals) and Lotta-Maria Heiskanen (violin).

"Gravity" track listing:

01. Shooting Star
02. Tales Of The Night
03. Hellbound Train
04. Moon Of Madness
05. Eliza
06. All Seeing Eye
07. King Ghidorah
08. Gravity

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS guitarist Dean DeLeo has teamed up with English singer/guitarist Pete Shoulder (WINTERVILLE, SLOPER, SILVERTHORNE) in a new project called ONE MORE SATELLITE.

A teaser of the first ONE MORE SATELLITE single, "Paper Over The Cracks", is available below.

DeLeo and Shoulder had previously collaborated on songwriting, including for the album "Lessons Learned" by Dean's younger brother — and STONE TEMPLE PILOTS bassist — Robert DeLeo. They've also worked together in the studio on projects, including a collaboration with STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and TRIP THE WITCH. Shoulder has also collaborated with Robert DeLeo on the aforementioned "Lessons Learned" LP and co-wrote songs for it, including "Love Is Not Made Of Gold".

In addition to his work with STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, Dean DeLeo is known for his role in the short-lived bands TALK SHOW and ARMY OF ANYONE, the latter of which featured Robert DeLeo, FILTER frontman Richard Patrick and session drummer Ray Luzier.

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS features three original members — the DeLeo brothers and drummer Eric Kretz.

In 2017, singer Jeff Gutt, a now-48-year-old Michigan native who spent time in the early-2000s nu-metal act DRY CELL, among other bands, and was a contestant on "The X Factor", joined STONE TEMPLE PILOTS after beating out roughly 15,000 hopefuls during an extended search that began more than a year earlier.

Original STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland, who reunited with the group in 2010 after an eight-year hiatus but was dismissed in 2013, died in December 2015 of a drug overdose.

Chester Bennington, who joined STP in early 2013, departed nearly three years later to spend more time with his main band LINKIN PARK. Bennington committed suicide in July 2017.
Paper Over The Cracks by One More Satellite… all songs written by Dean DeLeo and Pete Shoulder. More to follow… very soon. ♥️@stpband@peter_shoulder@BrianTichy
@ryanwlliamsmixer
illustration by erikaseyes on Instagram pic.twitter.com/mKeTDCVpgy

— One More Satellite (@1moresatellite) April 12, 2025

In a new interview with Talkin' Bout Rock, former TESLA and current BAD MARRIAGE guitarist Tommy Skeoch confirmed that he has been in discussions with TESLA bassist Brian Wheat and former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes about launching a new project together. "Yeah, [Brian and I] talked about it," Tommy said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "We're all doing our own thing, and I don't know when we can ever get together, all of us. Although, when [Brian] asked me about that, I did think it would be cool — I would like to play with that guy [Chris Holmes]. I think me and him would have a cranky guitar thing going on, probably. He's kind of cranky like me. But it's just if we can all get our schedules together, like if we're not doing nothing. But we're all busy. It's hard."

Asked if he has "kind of mended the fences a little bit with the guys in TESLA" since his last exit from the band, Tommy said: "Uh, yeah, for the most part. I mean, whatever. I don't even deal with that stuff until I do interviews, and then it comes up. But, yeah, I'm cool with it."

Circling back to the prospect of playing with Wheat and Holmes, Skeoch said: "It was talked about, you bet. If he calls me up tomorrow and says, 'Hey, let's go,' and I've got a week open, I'll go up there and jam with Chris. That would be fun as hell, man."

This past February, Wheat told Ernest Skinner of Canada's Border City Rock Talk:  "Me and Chris are gonna do a band or a project, whatever you wanna call it, together. And Tommy has agreed to do it as well. So the three of us have talked about putting together a project, band, whatever you wanna call it this day and age, but me and Chris have already started to work on some songs. And I know me and Tommy know how to write songs together 'cause we did a lot in TESLA. So the next step would be to get me and Tommy and Chris together, whether it's on a Zoom, working together like that or whatever, and write some material, and then find a singer that would be the right singer for that project.

"But, yeah, me and Chris are pretty good buddies," Brian continued. "We see each other when I'm at my house in Italy. He's there all the time. He lives in France. And I'm in Florida now for the winter. Tommy's in Florida. So we've all talked about it. So it's just when we get around to doing it. And it's just carving out a time where Chris isn't busy doing MEAN MAN, I'm not doing TESLA or VIOLET BREED, and Tommy's not doing BAD MARRIAGE.

"I'm looking forward to it, because I like Chris and I wanna work with Tommy again," Wheat added.

In February 2022, Skeoch, who left TESLA in 2006 to receive treatment for substance-abuse issues, reconnected with Wheat for the first time in more than a decade and a half aboard that year's Monsters Of Rock cruise. The charter cruise featured performances by Skeoch's then-band RESIST & BITE while Wheat was onboard showing his art.

In an interview with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Skeoch was asked if he exited TESLA of his own accord or if he was asked to leave. Tommy said: "I was fired. I was getting fucked up and I was definitely in the wrong about a lot of stuff, and they put up with it for a long time. But at the same time, none of us were angels, and we put up with a lot of stuff from the other guys for a long time too, and they're still there. So I felt like a little scapegoated by the thing. And the other thing is they didn't want people — I guess for the benefit of my family, so it wouldn't look bad — they said, 'Tommy's just gonna spend time [with his family].' That's why nobody knows, and that's why you're asking this question. Everyone's confused on even what happened. Basically, I was fired. I was getting fucked up, and I kept fucking up, and I kept telling 'em I wouldn't, and I just couldn't stop."

Skeoch added that he accepts responsibility for the circumstances that led to his departure from TESLA. "I do, of course," he said. "But I also believe we put up with a lot of shit for a long time from almost every other guy in the band, and they're still there. So I don't know what's up with that; that's a little weird to me."

Skeoch was a founding member of TESLA and played on the Sacramento five-piece defining albums, including 1986 debut "Mechanical Resonance" and 1990's "Five Man Acoustical Jam".

Tommy, who was fired due to substance abuse issues in 1994, rejoined when TESLA reformed more than two and a half decades ago following a brief hiatus.

VAN HALEN's classic song "Jump" has surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.

VAN HALEN drummer Alex Van Halen took to his Instagram to write: "Thanks to all the fans for listening!"

Billions Club is a playlist first launched in 2020 which includes all of the songs on Spotify that have surpassed one billion streams on the platform. After the achievement, Spotify gifts artists the Billions Club plaque.

"Jump" joins other tracks — including METALLICA's "Nothing Else Matters", "Enter Sandman" and "Master Of Puppets", AEROSMITH's "Dream On", SURVIVOR's "Eye Of The Tiger", ABBA's "Dancing Queen", PAPA ROACH's "Last Resort", GUNS N' ROSES' "Paradise City", EVANESCENCE's "Bring Me To Life" and Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" — to reach the achievement. The milestone has reportedly been achieved by nearly a thousand songs so far.

The lead track from VAN HALEN's "1984" album, "Jump" is the band's biggest hit, having reached the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for five weeks. The track was ranked No. 15 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs Of The 1980s." The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame And Museum also listed it as one of the "500 Songs That Shaped Rock And Roll" and its music video was nominated for three MTV VMAs at the time, along with winning "Best Stage Performance."

With Wolfgang Van Halen, son of legendary VAN HALEN guitarist Eddie Van Halen, on bass, VAN HALEN embarked on lengthy tours in 2007, 2012 and 2015. The band's final run of shows took place in the summer and fall of 2015. The North American trek included 41 concerts beginning on July 5, 2015 and ending on October 4, 2015.

Eddie passed away in October 2020 at the age of 65. He had been battling throat cancer and died surrounded by friends and family at a Santa Monica, California hospital.

VAN HALEN had been inactive since it completed its U.S. tour more than nine years ago.

In early 2019, rumors were rampant that the classic-era lineup of VAN HALEN would reunite for the first time since 1984. It has since been revealed that a health setback involving Eddie was responsible for the tour not materializing.

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In a new interview with Chile's Radio Futuro, FOREIGNER bassist Jeff Pilson and guitarist/vocalist Luis Maldonado spoke about the band's upcoming Latin American tour which will see the legendary rockers reunited with their original singer Lou Gramm. Jeff said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're very excited to have Lou with us. The fact that he's decided to appear as a special guest with us is just an incredible thing. He's been very, very supportive."

"Something happened at [FOREIGNER's] Rock [And Roll] Hall [Of Fame induction last fall] where something happened and we all kind of came together," Pilson explained. "There was almost like a meeting of the minds and we all kind of realized FOREIGNER is bigger than all of us. It's a power bigger than all of us. It's the music that we've all tapped into, we're all a small part of it, but we're all part of this greater whole. And the fact that he's coming down as a special guest to sing four songs with us is pretty amazing. And the other thing is, he loves [Luis], and he's been so supportive and so endorsing of [Luis] singing the rest of the set. It's just been wonderful. We wanna pinch ourselves. We just feel so fortunate that we have this opportunity."

 Pilson also talked about the FOREIGNER stage musical "Juke Box Hero", saying: "We know that it had a nice successful run in Canada a couple years ago, and they're revamping it. And one of the reasons we're [touring] Canada later in the year is that we do wanna promote the musical. And we'll be having Geordie Brown who was the singer in the musical a few years ago in Canada. He's gonna be guesting with us on a few songs up in Canada. And the reason we're doing that is to promote the musical. I believe it's coming out somewhere in the States next year. I think it's September. But, again, that's one of the many things that we're working on. And, yeah, that's part of the big plan."

 Pilson went on to discuss the upcoming reissue of FOREIGNER's fourth album, "4", which was originally released in 1981 via Atlantic. The LP featured such hit singles as "Urgent", "Waiting for A Girl Like You" and "Juke Box Hero" and sold over six million copies in the U.S. alone. He said: "To FOREIGNER fans, they kind of consider it the pinnacle. It was just an incredible masterpiece of a record. I mean, it's a record where every song is great and most FOREIGNER fans relate to everything on there. So it's a very important record for FOREIGNER fans. But wait till you hear this record coming out. It's pretty amazing. Atmos remixes of FOREIGNER '4', which are stellar. Actually, Luis and I got to hear the Atmos remixes with Lou Gramm a few weeks ago, which was pretty amazing. It was really fun getting to listen to that, with Lou, hearing it for the first time. It was amazing. He was just floored by what was happening. So the Atmos remixes alone are worth the price of admission. There's stereo remixes, there's a live show from 1982. And check this out — this is pretty cool. We found an unfinished song in all the files. The song had one verse in it, and Lou had sung one verse and he sang the chorus. And it was great, but it was only one verse. He was mumbling the second verse. So we called Lou. We said, 'What do you think about finishing and singing the song?' So he said, 'Absolutely.' He wrote and finished two verses and sang them. He added cowbell. And we have now a new, old FOREIGNER song that will be on the FOREIGNER '4' release coming out in September. The song is called 'Fool If You Love Him', and it came out great."

Gramm talked about "Fool If You Love Him" during a recent interview with Billboard, saying: "For every FOREIGNER album, we always recorded three or four songs more than we needed, and we usually chose 10 songs and rest were either done or almost done but were excellent. They fall by the wayside on times like this. There doesn't seem to ever be a lack of material."

Last year, FOREIGNER released "Turning Back The Time", an archived 1996 track featuring Gramm on vocals, as part of a new compilation of the same name.

Gramm most recently joined FOREIGNER's current lineup on stage at the end of the band's March 15 concert at the BayCare Sound in Clearwater, Florida to perform two of the legendary rock group's classic songs, "I Want To Know What Love Is" and "Hot Blooded".

Gramm previously said he planned to retire at the end of 2024, but later revealed that he was in talks to make appearances at "select" tour dates with FOREIGNER's current lineup in 2025. Bassist Rick Wills and drummer Dennis Elliott are also expected to appear at some shows, including FOREIGNER's upcoming Las Vegas residency.

Gramm was the voice on FOREIGNER's biggest hits, including "Feels Like The First Time" and "Cold As Ice" from the band's eponymous debut in 1977, and later songs like "Hot Blooded" and "I Want to Know What Love Is".

The 74-year-old Gramm left FOREIGNER for good in 2002 and has battled health issues in recent years, including the removal of a non-cancerous tumor. He told the Democrat & Chronicle in 2018 that he was planning to retire, but still reunited with FOREIGNER for several shows that year.

FOREIGNER replaced Gramm with Kelly Hansen in 2005. Guitarist Mick Jones, the only remaining original member of FOREIGNER, suffered from some health issues beginning in 2011, eventually resulting in heart surgery in 2012. In February 2024, Jones revealed on social media that he was battling Parkinson's disease, which explained his absence from FOREIGNER's live shows since 2022.

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In a new interview with Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life, VIO-LENCE frontman Sean Killian spoke about the band's upcoming "Oppressing The Masses" European tour. Regarding the other musicians who will join him on the trek, Sean said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "I lost [bassist] Christian [Olde Wolbers] 30 days before the tour, or maybe 35. It's not something that makes me bitter or anything; it's just that he's got another opportunity that's a substantial opportunity, to be with CYPRESS HILL. And he's got POWERFLO coming. I think their record's coming out or is already out. He'll be touring with Sen Dog on that. And that's a real good connection for him. So it just got to be too much on his plate, and so he bowed out. Still, we're buddies. I totally respect what he had to do. And then I had a young guitar player, and then he bailed for reasons that I would not wanna discuss because it wasn't an adult thing to do. And that's what happens when you get young musicians sometimes — they make young mistakes. So I've been busy trying to gather up a lineup. And so on this tour we've got Nick Souza on drums, which people know his dad, [former EXODUS singer] Steve Souza, Zetro. And then I've got Jeff Salgado playing bass, and his band is PSYCHOSOMATIC. But he was available. And I brought back Ira Black [on guitar]. I've always enjoyed Ira. I think he's a great guy. He's someone that you like to have around; he's very supportive, [with a] very positive attitude. And then we were gonna take Max Georgiev [on second guitar], but some scheduling conflicts came up. So we're bringing Claudeous Creamer with us, from POSSESSED. So that's been keeping me pretty busy."

Killan went on to say that there are plans for VIO-LENCE to work on new material after the "Oppressing The Masses" European tour. "We've been putting music together, and we'll start writing some music," he said. "I wanna get a full-length album out… We should be able to accomplish it. I've talked to a couple of other musicians, too, that wanna contribute — some big names. It'll be fun to mix it up."

Referencing VIO-LENCE's comeback EP, 2022's "Let The World Burn", Sean said: "With 'Let The World Burn', we went at that with a straight thrash metal attitude. And coming up, it's me and some new people, people I haven't written with, and I just kind of wanna make it that, but a little more."

On the "Oppressing The Masses" European tour, VIO-LENCE will perform the entire "Oppressing The Masses" album, which celebrates its 35th anniversary this summer. The set will also include songs from the band's back catalog.

Olde Wolbers announced his departure from VIO-LENCE in February. He explained in a social media statement at the time that he wanted "to pursue my own new solo band and producing career."

VIO-LENCE released three studio albums between 1988 and 1993. The group reformed soon after founding VIO-LENCE guitarist Phil Demmel acrimoniously left MACHINE HEAD more than six years ago.

Formed in 1985, VIO-LENCE helped define and refine what came to be known as the Bay Area sound, dropping three seminal albums before splitting in 1993. Leaving behind a heady legacy, they reformed briefly a couple of times in the intervening years before becoming a full-time going concern once more in 2019. After playing a string of successful shows, the quintet started to think about new music and delivered "Let The World Burn", showcasing their first new material in 29 years.

Filling out the band's ranks on "Let The World Burn" alongside Killian and Demmel were drummer Perry Strickland, Olde Wolbers and former OVERKILL guitarist Bobby Gustafson.

Killian is the only VIO-LENCE member from the "Let The World Burn" recording lineup who is still touring with the band.

"Let The World Burn" was recorded with Juan Urteaga at Trident Studios (TESTAMENT, MACHINE HEAD, EXODUS),with mixing handled by Tue Madsen (THE HAUNTED, MESHUGGAH) and Grammy Award-winning engineer Ted Jensen (ALICE IN CHAINS, DEFTONES, PANTERA).

Demmel left MACHINE HEAD at the end of the band's fall 2018 North American tour. He was in MACHINE HEAD for nearly 16 years, during which time he played on five of the group's studio albums: "Through The Ashes Of Empires" (2003),"The Blackening" (2007),"Unto The Locust" (2011),"Bloodstone & Diamonds" (2014) and "Catharsis" (2018).

Demmel's final concert with VIO-LENCE took place on February 11, 2024 at Carioca Club in São Paulo, Brazil. The gig also marked the last show of VIO-LENCE's Latin American tour with EXHORDER.

VIO-LENCE played the São Paulo concert as a four-piece after an alleged altercation between Black and Olde Wolbers resulted in Ira being sent home from the tour a few days early.

Although MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn was part of VIO-LENCE's classic incarnation and played on the band's debut album, "Eternal Nightmare", he wasn't approached about taking part in the band's reunion.

Swedish metallers SABATON will release a new single, "Templars", on April 25.

Earlier today (Saturday, April 12),the band took to social medial to write: "Friends and family, we are beyond excited to finally reveal that our new single 'Templars' will be out on April 25.

"'Templars' chronicles the dramatic rise and fall of the Knights Templar, an order of warrior-monks founded in the early 12th century to protect Christian pilgrims in the Holy Land. Bound by vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, they grew into a wealthy and influential force across Europe, until the early 14th century, when King Philip IV of France accused them of heresy and corruption, leading to their sudden and brutal downfall.

"Pre-save the song now to be the first to hear it when it drops! We'd also like to know, have you heard their story before?"

Last October, SABATON frontman Joakim Brodén told Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to 2022's "The War To End All Wars" album: "Yeah, we're working on new material always, it feels like. I mean, if we're done [with] an album, I feel like, 'Screw that. I don't wanna write music for a while now.' But there I am three months later writing new music. Maybe I'll sit with one of the guitarists on tour one day, and we'll be bored on a day off because there wasn't that much to do that day. It was Sunday. Everything's closed. So let's grab our gear and crank out a song because it's better than doing nothing."

He continued: "We already have some material. So it's not like we are, after this, gonna take a break and then start writing. We're in the works already."

Elaborating on how he feels after an album is completed, Joakim said: "For me, when an album is ready, I — sorry to say — fucking hate it, because first process… And I'm not the only songwriter in the band, but I'm the one who writes most of the music. And I'm involved with lyrics or in most of the songs and almost all of the songs in a musical way. So I spend months in the studio writing, alone or with somebody, then getting all the pre-productions ready, which is me again cleaning up takes and what are we gonna do putting it all together, delivering it to everybody in the band so they can practice. Then we go into the studio. And then I'm the constant in the studio, keeping track of everything, making sure everything is [as it should be], with the producer. So I'm there for the whole recording. Then I take a little break, and then the audio engineer starts mixing. And then I come in again for the mixing. And then, at that point, I'm already tired of the songs. And then all you do from that point on is try to find problems and errors. What went wrong? What's wrong here? Do we need to do a retake on something? Should we fix something? Oh, is that too loud? Do we need to EQ? So at that point I've programmed myself to only hear the problems with the album. So by the time like the master is done, I fucking hate it. I'm so tired of that music. So it'll take me a year or two before I can even, in some objective way, listen to it again."

"The War to End All Wars" was the last SABATON album to feature guitarist Tommy Johansson. He has since been replaced by a returning Thobbe Englund.

Thobbe originally joined SABATON in April 2012 and amicably parted ways with the band in July 2016 to focus on his personal life and expand his creativity. He rejoined SABATON in February 2024.

Englund recorded two studio albums with SABATON, namely "Heroes" (2014) and "The Last Stand" (2016),and assisted with the songwriting of some very popular songs including "Shiroyama" and "Fields Of Verdun", among others.

In November 2025, SABATON will embark on a 20-city European run dubbed "The Legendary Tour". The band teased the trek as "a huge celebration of SABATON's music, storytelling and the incredible bond they share with their fans", featuring "The Legendary Orchestra and other surprises," resulting in "something unprecedented."

Last fall, SABATON served as main support to JUDAS PRIEST on the legendary heavy metal band's North American tour.

In the more than two decades since their launch, SABATON has achieved quadruple-platinum sales, headlined major festivals, sold-out arena concerts across the globe, and earned a legion of loyal fans by being self-managed and carving out a reputation as one of the most innovative bands in rock. SABATON combines standout stage design and production with epic concept albums, linking real-life historical war events with classic kick-ass metal. To date, the band has released ten studio albums, amassed six gold, two platinum, and one four-times-platinum awards, seen eight of its albums score Top 10 international chart status, and six claim the Top 5. They have amassed over three billion streams across all streaming platforms and over 1.5 billion views on YouTube.

When SABATON hit the 20-year mark, they headlined both stages at Wacken 2019 — the biggest metal festival in the world — simultaneously. Meanwhile, in 2023 as part of a charity initiative, SABATON donated their full-length animated movie to museums around the world in order to increase awareness and visitor numbers, and successfully encouraged people to support the preservation of history in these establishments. During SABATON's 25th-anniversary year, the band released the "Tour To End All Tours" concert film, and through independent distribution, it was screened in more than 1,200 cinemas spanning 28 territories.

Photo credit: Ryan Garrison

NEW SINGLE “TEMPLARS” OUT APRIL 25!
Pre-save here: 👉 https://sabaton.lnk.to/templars
Friends and family, we are beyond...

Posted by Sabaton on Saturday, April 12, 2025

California crossover thrash/hardcore punk legends SUICIDAL TENDENCIES will release a new single, "Adrenaline Addict", on April 18. A teaser for the track is available below.

As previously reported, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES will support METALLICA on the 2025 North American leg of the latter band's ongoing "M72" world tour. The trek will launch on April 19 in Syracuse, New York.

The 2025 lineup of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES includes founding member, vocalist Mike Muir alongside guitarists Ben Weinman (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN) and Dean Pleasants, bassist Tye Trujillo (son of Robert Trujillo),as well as the band's latest addition, drummer Jay Weinberg.

During a press conference at last year's Hellfest in Clisson, France, Muir was asked if there are any plans for him and his SUICIDAL TENDENCIES bandmates to work on new music. He said: "When we did the last record [of all-new material], it was 'World Gone Mad' in 2016, I kind of said, it sounds bad, but I don't enjoy making records, because it's like full-on mental fuck to me and, then it's the time and the family and everything. It's difficult. But now having [guitarist] Ben in the band, Jay in the band…. One of the first things Jay did after we did a couple shows, he's just, like, going, 'Dude, I wanna fucking make a record.' And the way he and Ben, they said it, they go, like… Ben was, like, 'When I was 12 years old and I heard SUICIDAL, it spoke to me. And other music, I heard a lot of music.' He goes, 'I wanna do a record like that.' And that's exactly what Jay said. Obviously, having Tye, Robert's son in there, Robert's, like, 'Dude, you guys need to make a record. do that thing.' And so I think that we're definitely leaning towards doing it."

He continued: "We realized that a lot of people, with music, you look around and you see what's popular, what's trendy, and we go back to what was popular and trendy when we did our first record, and we didn't do any of that and all the reviews were terrible. And so we'll do a record that people probably will not like, and I will be very happy and stuff. But I think that years from now that people will sit there, and there'll be a lot of people that are not so much into trends or genres that'll go, like, 'That's a fucking really bad-ass record.' And so that's what I want to do. As I say, I like to like people, but I don't care if people like me. [Laughs] It makes my life easier."

SUICIDAL TENDENCIES' latest album, "Still Cyco Punk After All These Years", was released in 2018 via Suicidal Records. A reworking of Muir's 1996 solo outing "Lost My Brain! (Once Again)", "Still Cyco Punk" featured founding SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo.

In 2023, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES celebrated the 40th anniversary of their debut album on a number of shows in the fall, including in New York City; Silver Spring, Maryland; Worcester, Massachusetts; and Berkeley, California. SUICIDAL TENDENCIES also celebrated the 40th anniversary of the LP on a tour of Australia.