After 13 years of silence, an unsettling sound that is strangely familiar yet somehow even more haunted re-emerges from the Arkansas depths. There is no mistake as to what this is. Rwake has released a new transmission. The Return Of Magik has arrived.

Today, Rwake share the official video for the album’s title-track. Watch “The Return Of Magik” (directed by Nouvel Photo & Film) below. Listen & pre-save on all streaming platforms here.

Years have now fed into an album that reaches into a swirling, cosmic unknown – Rwake have grown, and the perspective of the material has shifted accordingly. Overwhelming at its peak and haunting during moments of respite, The Return Of Magik is undeniably Rwake; and every moment feels like an emotionally engrossing journey.

Arrangements carefully and thoughtfully built in layers over a period of years lend mystique and a feeling of building toward a cathartic release. There is no box into which the material might fit other than one with the band’s name on it.

Recorded in early 2024 at East End Sounds in Hensley, Arkansas, The Return Of Magik introduces Rwake’s new lead guitarist Austin Sublett with a barrage of shredded solos suited to the angular, progressive metal riffing of the album’s most jaw-clenching moments, while presenting a through-line of molten, immersive ambience. The opener “You Swore We’d Always Be Together” – already a fixture of live sets – and the expansive sprawl of “Distant Constellations and the Psychedelic Incarceration” move with cruelty and grace alike. Foreboding, syncopated riffs sway against Moog-driven space and guttural bellows. The Return Of Magik’s songs stand alone as individualized post-metallic blends of genres.

Rwake remain dually fronted; Chris Terry’s powerful vocals lay against Brittany Fugate’s visceral screams. Jeff Morgan returns to the drum kit, in addition to acoustic guitar and 12-string bass. Bassist/noisemaker Reid Raley, Sublett, and fellow guitarist John Judkins set an instrumental backdrop that is vast and engrossing in itself – quiet, contemplative passages often explode into gut-wrenching, doomed out distortions. The Return Of Magik burns brighter and beyond the ferocity of the band’s already storied catalog.

Although the Magik may be bleak, the manner in which Rwake revels in it can only be called a celebration.

The Return Of Magik is out March 14 on LP/CD/Digital via Relapse Records. Pre-order here.



The Return Of Magik tracklisting:

“You Swore We’d Always Be Together”
“The Return Of Magik”
“With Stardust Flowers”
“Distant Constellations And The Psychedelic Incarceration”
“In After Reverse”
“Φ”

“The Return Of Magik” video:

Jon Anderson And The Band Geeks have launched the live video for “Your Move – I’ve Seen All Good People”, from their upcoming live CD/DVD, Vinyl, and Blu-Ray release, Jon Anderson And The Band Geeks Live – Perpetual Change, set for release on March 14. Watch the new clip below:



For Live – Perpetual Change, the band recorded and filmed the entire show at the Aracada Theater in St. Charles, Illinois on their August 2023 summer tour. The concert will be available as a two CD/DVD package as well as a triple vinyl package. Both are available for pre-order here.



Tracklisting:

“Yours Is No Disgrace”
“Perpetual Change”
“Close To The Edge”
“Heart Of The Sunrise”
“Starship Trooper”
“Awaken”
“And You And I”
“Your Move” / “I’ve Seen All Good People”
“Gates Of Delirium”
“Roundabout”

POISON THE WELL released the definitive album "The Opposite of December... A Season Of Separation" in December 1999 and it went on to become a benchmark of the genre that has inspired a generation of bands. The LP was chosen as one of the "15 '90s Metalcore Albums That Still Resonate Today" by Brooklyn Vegan; as one of the "21 Best U.S. Metalcore Albums of All Time" by Kerrang!; as one of the "25 Best Metalcore Albums of All Time" by Loudwire; and as one of the "Top 60 Best Hard Rock Albums of All Time" by Revolver. Its influence is indisputable.

But the band is not content to rest on the laurels of its past achievements, as mighty as those achievements are. Instead, POISON THE WELL is looking forward in 2025 by releasing its first new song in 15 years with "Trembling Level".

"Trembling Level" finds POISON THE WELL in top form. Harmonics pierce the armor of a thick riff, and a guttural groove tosses and turns beneath Jeff Moreira's hard-hitting screams. The barrage subsides on an arresting bridge anchored by a dramatic drumroll. A final melodic warning, "Don't you let the silhouettes lead you to the ocean floor," gives way to one last pit-splitting breakdown.

"For me, I was trying to figure how to effectively incorporate elements from our whole discography into one song," POISON THE WELL guitarist Ryan Primack reveals. "We ended up with this, and it has a little bit of everything we've done throughout the course of our existence."

"Lyrically, it's about tackling a fear," says Moreira. "I tend to write based on personal experience. You're approaching something you're scared to do, going through it, and realizing the hardest parts are actually the ones you should be looking towards because those will lead you to success.”

In other POISON THE WELL news, the band has signed with SharpTone Records. More new music is expected, so stay tuned. The band also fortifies its ranks by officially welcoming bassist Noah Harmon and guitarist Vadim Taver into the fold. Both musicians have played with the group for years. Now, they round out the lineup.

Last year, POISON THE WELL announced a massive 25th-anniversary tour celebrating "The Opposite Of December... A Season Of Separation" this spring. POISON THE WELL will be playing the beloved album in full every night, making it a show not to be missed. GLASSJAW, BETTER LOVERS and TEENAGE WRIST will serve as support. New dates have been added in Mesa, Arizona and Lawrence, Kansas. All dates are in the graphic below.

Moreira says: "For me, 'The Opposite of December...' represents everything I absorbed as a teenager: the shows, the music, the raw energy of hardcore and punk. I never imagined that record would still resonate 25 years later. Seeing people continue to connect with it inspires me every day, and I'm so grateful for the opportunities this band has given me.

"This upcoming tour is so much more than just a series of shows. It's a celebration of that record, its impact, and the journey we've shared together. We've worked hard to make it special in every way — from the lineup, featuring GLASSJAW, BETTER LOVERS and TEENAGE WRIST, to the merch, the setlist, and the production. It's all about honoring 'The Opposite of December...' and the listeners who've supported us through the years."

He finishes, "For this to be our first tour in 15 years feels unreal. I can't wait to celebrate with everyone in April. Open the door for your friend."

British rockers BRING ME THE HORIZON have just revealed two exclusive tracks for Spotify, a cover of the OASIS classic "Wonderwall" and a revised version of "YOUtopia (EarthcOre Remix)". To support the release, there will also be a lyric visualizer that will launch with the audio exclusively on Spotify.

The tracks are the latest entries into the long-running Spotify Singles collection of unique recordings, with the band joining the likes of IDLES, WET LEG and LCD SOUNDSYSTEM in contributing reimagined versions of existing tracks, alongside a cover of their choice by one of their musical heroes.

100% of Sony's profits from streams of the BRING ME THE HORIZON single "Wonderwall" and lyric video will be donated to Teenage Cancer Trust.

BRING ME THE HORIZON will headline the main stage at Reading and Leeds festival on August 23 (Saturday) and August 24 (Sunday). They have also been nominated again this year for a BRIT Award in the "Best Group", following their 2024 win for "Best Alt/Rock Act".

BRING ME THE HORIZON's critically acclaimed seventh studio album, "Post Human: Nex Gen", came out in May 2024 via Sony/RCA. Having been streamed over a billion times to date, it was the latest chapter in the series to be revealed and saw the band expanding both musically and conceptually.

BRING ME THE HORIZON recently played its biggest show to date in São Paulo, Brazil, selling out the 45,000-capacity Allianz Parque stadium. They wowed fans with a groundbreaking performance which incorporated the latest techniques in both live AI and AR, as well as a new hybrid paradigm that could be termed as "Generative Augmented Reality" (GAR) plus drones and pyro. They ended 2024 headlining arenas in Argentina, Colombia and Mexico.

BRING ME THE HORIZON is one of the most successful rock bands on the planet, having accumulated over 10 billion streams to date. They have toured the world multiple times, playing sold-out shows in over 50 countries.

BRING ME THE HORIZON is: vocalist Oli Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean and drummer Mat Nicholls.

SUN DONT SHINE (formerly EYE AM),the band featuring Kirk Windstein (guitar, vocals; CROWBAR, DOWN, KINGDOM OF SORROW) alongside former TYPE O NEGATIVE members Kenny Hickey (guitar/vocals) and Johnny Kelly (drums),plus Todd Strange (CROWBAR, DOWN),has released the official music video for its new single, "The Promise Song". You can check it out below.

In a November 2024 interview with cult San Antonio video show Robbs MetalWorks, Windstein stated about SUN DONT SHINE: "We're actually gonna go to Europe for about a ten-day, two-week little tour, play a few festivals. And it'll be our first time playing live. Fuck, we haven't even actually played a complete song in a room together. It was kind of a get-together-and-writing-type thing, and we have a seven-song EP coming out. So, I'll be busy with that."

Regarding the musical direction of SUN DONT SHINE, Kirk said: "We like to think, us four guys, that it's not what people think when you've got half of the original CROWBAR and half of TYPE O NEGATIVE. It doesn't sound like either band, so it's its own thing, which I'm very proud of."

Noting that Hickey handles most of the lead vocals in SUN DONT SHINE, Windstein said: "When I heard his voice, I'm, like, 'Dude, you're the singer. We do some call-and-answer, and we do a lot of vocal harmonies. I told him I'm more nervous about trying to harmonize right with my gravelly voice, and he's got this high, clean, powerful voice. And he's, like, 'Oh, you're gravelly voice blends good with mine. It'll be great.' Yeah, he's got an amazing voice — he really does. A great sense of melody. It's really great stuff."

Under the band's original name EYE AM, SUN DONT SHINE released two singles, "Dreams Always Die With The Sun" in June 2023 and "Cryptomnesia" in November 2023, via Corpse Paint Records. The songs' accompanying music videos were shot and directed by Mike Holderbeast at OCD Recording And Production.

With Windstein's earth-shaking riffs and Hickey's evocative, often ethereal melodies, the band strikes a delicate balance between heavy and haunting. Kelly's drumming keeps things tight but never feels constrained, while Strange's bass lines act as the backbone, holding down the bottom end with a ferocity only years in the rock trenches can cultivate.

Yet what truly sets SUN DONT SHINE apart is the chemistry among its members. You can hear it in every note, a raw, almost unfiltered energy that comes from playing with people who have been through it all together — both the highs and the lows. Their music is about embracing imperfections and channeling them into something transcendent, capturing a moment rather than chasing perfection. It's messy, it's visceral, and it's real.

The group's dynamic blend of heaviness and atmospheric nuance makes them a standout, but SUN DONT SHINE's identity goes deeper than their sound. With influences spanning everything from BLACK SABBATH to THE BEATLES, their music tells stories of resilience, reflection, and catharsis. Every song feels like a journey, guided by a sense of purpose that's as intense as it is unpredictable.

"I don't want our music to be one-dimensional," Hickey previously said. "I don't want it to be just dark and doomy or always so heavy. I want it to be both light and dark, dynamic and unpredictable." It's a sentiment that runs deep in their sound, where each track takes on a life of its own, exploring contrasting moods and textures that reveal more with every listen.

For Windstein it's about "breaking new ground." Whether they're delving into bone-crushing riffs or taking a melodic detour, SUN DONT SHINE is less concerned with fitting into a genre and more focused on creating music that resonates with their own experience and emotions.

Speaking to Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, Kelly stated about how SUN DONT SHINE came together: "That was started with Andrew Spaulding. I met him; he was a merchandiser for DANZIG. And then TYPE O went on tour after that. We brought him out and he worked with TYPE O up until Peter [Steele, TYPE O NEGATIVE frontman] passed away. And we all remained good friends and stuff. And he started an indie label; he started a small little label. And he suggested putting me and Kenny together with Kirk Windstein and Todd Strange from CROWBAR. We've all been friends — I've known Kirk and Todd for, like, 30 years at this point. So we've always been friends and we've always crossed paths and hung out and this and that but never really had the opportunity to get in a room and play together. And Drew had it worked out. We all met in Florida. We got into a room, came up with that song, recorded it the next day, and that was it; it was done.'"

According to Kelly, "Dreams Always Die With The Sun" was written and recorded in less than a day. "Drew literally picked me up from the airport and drove me to rehearsal," he said. "And the guys were in the room. And I just put my suitcase over to the side, set up the kit and we started working on the song. And then the next morning we went to the recording studio, tracked all the drums. And then I was on a plane. I don't know where I was going after that, but I had to leave right after we were done tracking; I think my flight was at six in the morning the next morning. So I was there just literally for a few hours."

Regarding how "Dreams Always Die With The Sun" turned out, Johnny said: "It's a cool song. I really wasn't sure what to expect. I guess the best way to compare it — on a different scale, of course — would be like Scott Weiland and VELVET REVOLVER [got together]. You take these people from these bands and you put 'em together and you have a certain expectation of it. Then you're not sure if it's gonna meet it, if it's exceeding it or if it falls way below. But I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was and how much fun it was to work with everybody."

In addition to their work with TYPE O NEGATIVE, Hickey and Kelly had previously collaborated in a band called SEVENTH VOID, which released one full-length album, "Heaven Is Gone", in 2009, and SILVERTOMB, which issued "Edge Of Existence" in 2019.

In a 2018 interview with Rock And Roll Fables, Hickey stated about his chemistry with Kelly: "I've been working with Johnny long before TYPE O. I met Johnny probably in 1986. TYPE O formed in 1989, so we were already in a thrash band together. Basically, we grew up and learned everything the wrong way together and had to work it out over the course of the years. [Laughs] For me, it's completely natural with him. We got better at it. Dude, you do something for 35 years, I hope you're getting better at it."

Original CROWBAR bassist Strange returned to the band in 2016 for the touring cycle in support of the band's "The Serpent Only Lies" album.

Strange, who originally left CROWBAR back in 1999, stuck around for two years before departing once again to focus on his family life.

Windstein, who also plays in the New Orleans supergroup DOWN, released two albums with HATEBREED's Jamey Jasta under the KINGDOM OF SORROW banner. Kirk's debut solo album, "Dream In Motion", arrived in 2020.

In a recent interview with Leah Rose of the "Broken Record" podcast, ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell was asked how his songwriting has evolved or changed since he got sober more than two decades ago. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've written some really good songs both ways. So I think both ways work. I've lived through a period of my life where it worked and then it didn't work. [Laughs] If something's not working [anymore], you've gotta find a new way to do it. So, I went through that change personally about 21 years ago. I think I'm still writing — to me, anyway — as impactful, weird, fucked up music like I made when I was fucked up. So, I don't really think that [being under the influence is] a requirement [for writing good music]. It is part of the mythos of being a musician and an artist."

He continued: "I think everybody kind of has to go through that period. I knew that was attractive and appealing to me, even with all of the signposts of early deaths and it not working out for people. Like, 'Hey, that's not gonna happen to me.' I'm sure they thought that too. [Laughs] So I don't denigrate it. I don't put it down. I've been sober for 21 years, and I still [missing being] able to get fucked up. 'Cause it is fun. It's fun getting outside your head, it's cool hanging out with weird people, just different scenarios, different frames of mind that being high and getting fucked up can put you in. So I'm not gonna put it down, 'cause I did it and I a lot of good stuff. But at some point it stopped working for me. Luckily, I knew a lot of people that did what I did. Referring to some of the guys that I started playing with right after I got sober — Billy Morrison, [Dave] Navarro, Matt Sorum, Billy Duffy — the guys who'd been through partying and then gone through the other side of, like, 'Okay, this doesn't work anymore. I gotta figure out a new way to do this.' All those guys still rock, as far as I've last checked, and I think I'm doing okay too as far as the music element. So you can do it either way."

Asked if there was a time in his life where he thought drug use was glamorous, Jerry said: "Oh, I don't know. Like I say, it's part of the mythos, and you're a young kid, so you're gonna do all this stuff that young kids do. I'm not a young kid anymore, so I can't do what young kids do. It would fucking kill me. So I gotta do this version of me, which I like very much. I like life. I like the consistency of life now. The ceilings are not as high, okay, but the floors are not as low either. [Laughs] You know what I mean? It's a little bit more even, and I like that consistency."

Cantrell's recently released solo album, "I Want Blood", is being reimagined as a spoken-word series, with new versions of the album tracks debuting every Thursday, and featuring video animations by Boy Tillekens. Additional collaborators on the project include Barresi, Greg Puciato (BETTER LOVERS, THE BLACK QUEEN),Roy Mayorga (MINISTRY),Gil Sharone (STOLEN BABIES, TEAM SLEEP),Rani Sharone (STOLEN BABIES),George Adrian (THE MAYBIRDS),composer Vincent Jones, and producer Michael Rozon.

Cantrell's first headlining tour supporting "I Want Blood" kicks off on January 31 in Niagara Falls, with FILTER opening on all dates.

"I Want Blood" was released on October 18. The LP, co-produced by Cantrell and Joe Barresi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, MELVINS),was recorded at Barresi's JHOC Studio in Pasadena, California. The album features contributions from bass heavyweights Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES) and Robert Trujillo (METALLICA),drummers Gil Sharone (TEAM SLEEP, STOLEN BABIES) and Mike Bordin (FAITH NO MORE),and backing vocals from Lola Colette and Greg Puciato (BETTER LOVERS, ex-THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN).

Ahead of the album's release, Cantrell has been featured on the cover of Revolver, participated in a career-spanning conversation with Rick Beato, and has received widespread praise album for the collection's heavier sound. Metal Hammer described "I Want Blood" as having an "iconic sound, sludgy guitars and soulful vocals."

Cantrell's tour with BUSH concluded four months ago, with the North American outing wrapping up at the iconic Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on September 15.

Cantrell's previous solo album, "Brighten", came out in October 2021. The LP was Jerry's first project without ALICE IN CHAINS in 19 years.

Jerry's career outside of ALICE IN CHAINS has consisted of two other solo albums and contributions to major film soundtracks. Cantrell's first solo album, "Boggy Depot", was released in 1998, followed by his second album, "Degradation Trip". In addition to his solo artist work, Jerry has released music on soundtracks for several films, including "Spider-Man", "The Cable Guy", "John Wick 2", "Last Action Hero" and "The Punisher".

ALICE IN CHAINS regrouped in 2006 with William DuVall joining the band, and released its third LP with DuVall in the lineup, "Rainier Fog", in August 2018.

Photo credit: Darren Craig

In a new interview with Sean P McKenna, host of "Rimshots With Sean" on Barstools And Bandtalk, Chilean-born singer Ronnie Romero reflected on his time with Ritchie Blackmore's RAINBOW, whom he fronted for sporadic shows between 2016 and 2019. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was a huge, huge task, actually, to be in the band. Not only because there is a lot of different material for different areas, different singers that you need to cover, but especially because the people who, they were going to the shows, and I really respect this, they wanna hear the songs as close as the original, but at the same time, they don't want a guy just copying the original singers. So, it was always a fine line in between where I can actually do my performance. And it's a little bit unfair, but I understand the task. If I go and I sing, for example, 'Stargazer' in my pretty own way, the people are not gonna like it because they remember Ronnie James Dio singing that song. But also I cannot copy exactly how Ronnie James Dio did, because the people are gonna say, 'Oh, this guy's just copying it.' So, it was complicated, but at the same time it was a lot of fun. That was the music that I used to listen to when I grew up, when I was a kid, with my father — rest in peace. That brings me a lot of memories also from my childhood. So, it was just awesome for me."

Asked if there is a particular RAINBOW era that maybe strikes a chord a little harder for him than others, Ronnie said: "Yeah, especially the first period on the band, with the first record, [1975's] 'Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow'. Especially that one, because I remember Dio, he was not much aggressive on his singing. He was way more melodic, like he was in his band ELF. So that's my favorite era from Ronnie James Dio, actually. So that's probably my favorite. Also the 'Rising' album because you have all those anthems like 'Stargazer' and all this stuff, but probably the first record."

Back in October 2023, Romero was asked by The Classic Rock Podcast which of his projects in the last decade and a half has given him the most satisfaction. He said: "Well, for me, obviously, because I grew up as a big fan, it was to meet Ritchie and play with him in RAINBOW. It was probably something that I still — I still think about it, like, I would really love to have my father at that time because he died before [I started playing with Ritchie], and he was a huge fan of DEEP PURPLE also. So that's the thing that I [would] love for my father to watch me doing. Even we did not too many shows — at the end, there were, like — I don't know — 12, 15 shows."

Asked if he would do another run of shows with RAINBOW if the now-79-year-old Ritchie called him up again and wanted to do it one more time before he retires from the road, Ronnie said: "Um, I don't think so. But we've been talking before the COVID, we were supposed to do a tour in 2020. And then because of the COVID everything stopped. And then I never talked to him again. But I was thinking about this recently. And since I quit from MICHAEL SCHENKER [GROUP], it's the same thing. And I was, like, I don't think that I wanna do it again. I mean, I really enjoyed it, as I told you, and it probably is the highlight of my professional life and Ritchie gave me the chance to be in the spot and to develop a career and I will be always grateful, but I don't think that I wanna be there. I don't think that's my place anymore — with all due respect, obviously. I think I really wanna face my career from now on in the way that I'm doing now, just putting my name on the front and try to do my own stuff."

Romero previously talked about his decision to focus on his solo career in September 2023 in an interview with Lana Teramae of Metal Express Radio. At the time, he said: "I'm not gonna say I got tired, but, yeah, there was a point where, for me, I wanted to get rid of this label of, 'Ronnie Romero, the singer of.' Obviously, I feel really blessed and grateful and to have the chance to work with all those great musicians, especially with Ritchie Blackmore because he gave me my chance on the music industry and he put me on the spotlight and all the stuff. And obviously, I will always be very grateful. But then there is a point, especially at the end of last year, I was doing a tour with Michael Schenker. And then I felt, like, 'Okay, I need to establish my name at some point.' Because those guys, they're gonna stop playing at some at some point. It's gonna be very soon, because Ritchie, I don't think we're gonna do more shows, but Michael Schenker is celebrating his 50 years career anniversary. So at some point, he's gonna stop, and I need to have something to show to the people. I really wanted to establish my name and get rid of this 'the singer of' [label]. So I can show what I can do in the songwriting side and all this stuff. I learned and I grew up with all those great guys and I played with them, but it was enough. And now I need to move on and look into the future with my own material."

When Teramae noted that Romero didn't want to "rely on the safety net" of singing for someone else's band anymore, Ronnie concurred, saying: "Yeah, absolutely. Actually, the feeling was I was in the safety side. It was not my name or reputation in the front of those shows. There was no my name on the tickets. I was playing big arenas, stadiums, long tours, a lot of things, but because it was somebody else there. So I really wanted to have the risk and see how it's going with my own name, and I think that's part of the excitement also."

Earlier this week, Romero shared his new single and video, a live version of the track "Castaway On The Moon", recorded live at the Spanish Rock Imperium festival.

Romero is also gearing up for his upcoming European headlining tour, which starts March 6 in Wolverhampton, U.K. and wraps up on March 19 in Weert, Netherlands, with support from ABSOLVA.

"Castaway On The Moon" is taken from Ronnie's latest solo album, "Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters", which marks the first time Romero has been involved with 100% of the songwriting on an album he sings on. Romero also co-produced the album with Andy C., marking another first for Romero.

Candice Night has announced her new studio album "Sea Glass", due on April 25 via earMUSIC. The LP's first single, "Angel And Jezebel" (rock version),can now be streamed below.

In her career as a musician, vocalist, composer and lyricist, Candice is perhaps most famously known as the multi-instrumentalist and voice of BLACKMORE'S NIGHT.

"Sea Glass" finds Candice at a new plateau in her life and music.

Inspired by a lifetime of challenging musical adventures as well as the magic and demands of everyday life and family, Candice has crafted an album that observes life through a prism — looking through a kaleidoscope of sea glass colors with their own special glow. Much like an alchemist, she melds together her various influences and experiences to create music that is contemporary yet eternal.

Candice says: "We go through so much in life, we break, we shatter, our pieces tossed and tumbled by forces all around us, smoothing our edges, teaching us lessons. And though some pieces may be lost, most return to be changed, different, worn by time, and yet…brilliant treasures in who we have become…"

The album draws from rock and country influences on tracks such as first single "Angel And Jezebel" (featured on the album in two versions) as well as deft acoustic pop with "Unsung Hero (She'll Never Tell)". Thematically "Sea Glass" touches on themes of loss and love ("The Last Goodbye", featuring her husband, DEEP PURPLE and RAINBOW legend and her BLACKMORE'S NIGHT bandmate Ritchie Blackmore, on guitar) as well as the bond between parents and children and their wishes and dreams for the future ("Promise Me", which, fittingly, features contributions from Candice's son and daughter).

"Sea Glass" features nine Candice Night compositions and a version of the beloved standard "Nature Boy", brought together by Candice in the role of producer on what may be her most personal album to date. It is a journey across time and tides.

"Sea Glass" track listing:

01. Sea Glass
02. Unsung Hero (She'll Never Tell)
03. The Line Between
04. Angel And Jezebel (Rock Version)
05. Promise Me
06. Dark Carnival
07. The Last Goodbye
08. When I Want To Fly
09. Another Day
10. Nature Boy
11. Angel And Jezebel (Country Version)

During an appearance on the January 23 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", SYSTEM OF A DOWN bassist Shavarsh "Shavo" Odadjian spoke about last month's announcement that he and his bandmates added second shows as part of their one-of-a-kind massive stadium events this year. The run of 2025 North American shows will kick off at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on August 27-28 with special guests KORN, as well as two night at Soldier Field in Chicago (August 31-September 1) with AVENGED SEVENFOLD and a final stop at Rogers Stadium in Toronto on September 3 and September 5 with DEFTONES. Shavo said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Literally within a few hours we sold out every show, and it was a shock to us. But I'm very glad that the stadiums were available near those dates. We had a band conference that it sold out. My manager hit us up. He's, like, 'Dude, you guys sold it all out.' … It floored me. People are, like, 'Why should it be so surprising to you?' Everyone sees us a certain way. I still see us as that band from Hollywood. I'm not seeing us as this giant band that could sell out MetLife twice, two nights in a row. Football stadiums, bro. So, we decided, 'Let's add another show to each.' And we put it out there the next day and those sold out too."

Asked why SYSTEM OF A DOWN is only playing shows in three cities this time around, Shavo said: "We haven't played a lot together for a while. We've been doing one or two shows a year since 2017. So, the relationships were not as great as they are now. It's just everybody wasn't on the same page. We've been talking. Everything's great, knock on wood. Everyone's happy. So we decided to test the waters and play some shows. And that's what it is. There is no strategy to it, there's no plan to do the rest of the world just yet. I'm not saying it's not gonna happen; I'm not saying it is gonna happen. We told each other, 'Let's play it by ear, do these shows, see how we feel afterwards. If we don't wanna do any more, we don't do any more. If we wanna do more, we'll do more.' There's no heavy responsibility on anyone, because I feel like a lot of it is just thinking too much, overthinking what could happen."

Shavo continued: "Bad experiences have happened to certain people, and they kind of hold that as PTSD, I think. And now that things are better, we're older, we're, like, 'Dude, no pressure, bro. Let's just do it. If we like it, we do. If we don't like it, we [don't].' 'Cause you know what? Serj [Tankian, SYSTEM OF A DOWN vocalist] had a great time at Sick New World [festival in Las Vegas] last year. We had such an amazing, fun show and everyone left the stage hugging. And so he called back, he's, like, 'Dude, I loved it. Let's do more of these.' So that's where that happened. We're, like, 'Let's go.' As long as everyone is down. Daron [Malakian, SYSTEM OF A DOWN guitarist] was down. So we decided, 'Let's test the waters. Let's not just go full blast and start doing months. Let's just test the waters with three shows.' Those three shows turned to six."

Regarding why SYSTEM OF A DOWN chose to play in those three cities in particular, Shavo said: "We haven't been there for a long time. 'Cause we've been doing West Coast stuff a lot, because we haven't been leaving the West Coast. Like I said, we've been kind of dipping our toe in the water, testing the temperature of the water. So, we've been kind of upsetting the East Coast. It seems like we don't like going there, but we love the East Coast. We love all over. We love the entire country. It's not personal at all. So when we decided to do some extra shows, we said, 'We need to go to the East Coast. That's where this year has to be.' So that's the reason — because we the East; we really do. We talk about it every day — John [Dolmayan, SYSTEM OF A DOWN drummer] and I talk about it every day. We're, like, 'We can't wait for this.' So we're looking forward to seeing the crowd, being there and seeing the city and enjoying it with that eye again. We're playing the city again. And to play two stadiums in each city is just — it's a gift."

Asked if it is tough to ramp up a machine like SYSTEM OF A DOWN to playing at a stadium level for just six shows, Shavo said: "We can do it. Look, for the last few years, we've been doing one or two shows. And we go and we rehearse two weeks for one show. I think that's not smart. So six shows is better than one show to me. I'll take it. I'll take it, and I'm not gonna ask for more. I want it to happen organically. I think our band is that band — we can't be told what to do. The more we push each other to do something, the less we do. So I figure the less we push, the more we'll do. It should be done because we wanna do it, we love to do it, and that's why we do it."

SYSTEM OF A DOWN will also play a run of South American stadium gigs this spring. The seven-show "Wake Up! South America" tour is slated to kick off on April 24 in Bogota, Colombia at the Estadio Nemésio Camacho El Campin, followed by a show in Cercado De Lima, Peru at the Estadio Nacional. The tour will move on to Chile, Argentina and Brazil, wrapping up with a run of three shows in Curitiba, Rio De Janieiro and São Paulo. The concerts will be SYSTEM OF A DOWN's first visit to South America since 2015.

Last May, Serj spoke to the Soul Boom With Rainn Wilson podcast about his reluctance to embrace the touring lifestyle that characterized SYSTEM OF A DOWN's early years. He said: "We've had incredible, unexpected success as a very far-flung kind of progressive metal band with our 'Toxicity' record in 2001 and touring and doing what we did. And after many years of touring, when we were making the last few records which we made together, 'Mezmerize' and 'Hypnotize' — those recordings were done at the same time, then released as two records within six months of each other in 2005 and 2006 — before those sessions, when we first started those sessions, I told the [other] guys [in the band], 'Guys, this kind of cyclical thing that we're doing with making records for a year, touring for two years at that time, doing all this promo publicity,' it was just cyclical. It was, like, 'I've gotta stop. And I also wanna do my own thing. I have other artistic adventures that I wanna get on.'"

He continued: "Part of it was we had so much creativity and input coming into the band, specifically with Daron's songwriting and me wanting to bring in music as well, because, over time, he became a better lyricist and I became a better musical songwriter, a better composer, so it became kind of like a push and pull, which is really good for bands, actually, 'cause it's a yin-and-yang kind of thing — two strong, creative forces. And it also broken up so many bands. So, before 'Mezmerize' and 'Hypnotize', I basically told the guys, 'Listen, I'd like to take a hiatus. I'm not saying I never wanna do this, but I'm saying I can't do this right now anymore. And I wanna do my own thing and also take time off and have a life, and all of that stuff.' It wasn't taken well at the time. I won't get into that. But years later, we started touring again in 2011, and it became a fun thing, 'cause it left… Nothing was totally resolved creatively, but it became a fun thing because we at least put everything to the side and said, 'Look, we're friends, we're brothers. We've known each other for a long time. We still respect and love each other. Let's go have fun and tour together.' And we've been doing that since. Not as much as they would like, let's say, or I'm not gonna speak for each and every person of the band, because that wouldn't be fair of me either. But generally I'm the least person that wants to tour. Part of that is physical, because it's tiring. I've done it for 20, 25 years, and I had back surgery a few years ago. I'm much better now and all of that. But part of it is that. Part of it is that it's artistically redundant after a while, because it's 'Groundhog Day'; you're repeating yourself. David Bowie said the first two weeks of every tour is basically — I'm paraphrasing — creative; after that, it's redundant, kind of thing, which is correct. So it's that. But I do enjoy playing with the guys, and when it's a one-off, it's actually fun, 'cause there's no pressure to do this whole rigamarang of a long tour or press or anything. You just rehearse together, make your dumb jokes, have food together, and then go and play that one show and it becomes a hoorah. So that's what we've been doing. And I'm grateful for that."

Tankian, who was promoting his memoir, "Down With The System", previously addressed how his relationship with Malakian has evolved over the years, particularly as it relates to their collaborative partnership, earlier that same month in an interview with Tom Power, host of "Q" on Canada's CBC Radio One. He said: "Well, changing the dynamic is basically years of time and the progression of the band, the success of the band, everything that happened in between the day that we met and now, basically, so 25, 30 years. A lot changes in that time. And so I think that's a part of it.

"Daron's been a lifer and he's incredibly serious about his music and he's incredibly protective of his music and vulnerable due to his music," Serj explained. "All of those things kind of go together. So it's those things, I think, that created some of the creative differences that we started finding. And it's also our progression. Listen, when Daron and I started working together, I didn't really write a lot of instrumental music — I mostly wrote lyrics; I was the lyricist; I was the singer. And he didn't write any lyrics; he just wrote music. But as time progressed and I played more musical instruments and I started becoming a songwriter/composer and he started writing more lyrics, we started kind of covering each other's territory. And I was okay with that. If he wrote lyrics, I was trying to encourage him to write more, because I believe in artistic growth. I believe in progression. I don't believe in things staying the same way, for music's sake. Otherwise the music becomes the same thing over and over again. That progression is necessary in every artist's life or in every group's life. So I was very encouraging of that. And I just wish that I got some of that back. And so that wasn't the case, and it was disappointing. And it became a creative difference over the band's path, and whatnot, over time."

Asked why he wanted to write about this in his book, Serj said: "A lot of it has been publicized in a very sensationalist format by media, music media mostly, and I kind of wanted to put it in a proper perspective and grounding perspective, but with love and with balance and understanding that these things happen. This is normal. You have a relationship and you have differences in opinion as [to] how you wanna go forward, whether it's a band or a marriage or whatever it is. And these things happen. And so I wanted to take that aspect out, I wanted to take the sensationalist aspect out of the whole thing and be, like, this is not only what happened, but this is how I see things."

Tankian also addressed the fact that SYSTEM OF A DOWN has toured intermittently since ending its hiatus in 2011, but has only managed to record two songs in the last 19 years, "Protect The Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz". Released in November 2020, the tracks were motivated by the conflict between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, with all proceeds supporting humanitarian efforts in SYSTEM OF A DOWN's ancestral homeland of Armenia. Along with other donations from fans on their social pages, they raised over $600,000.

"We haven't been making new music," Serj said. "We only put out two songs when the invasion of Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh happened in 2020 by Azerbaijan, because we felt like the Azeri trolls, the government-sponsored trolls were taking over social media and the news networks, and the victims of these attacks weren't getting the word out. So we became kind of obsessed with getting the word out, because we were seeing our people suffer. So we put out those two songs because of that and we donated a lot of the proceeds for that to the cause as well."

Asked how he balances the love and obligation he might feel toward his fans, those who love SYSTEM OF A DOWN, and the internal struggles within the band, Tankian said: "That's an incredibly smart question. It's really hard catering — when you're an artist, it's really hard catering. If you're an entertainer, catering is [what you do], but if you're an artist, then you're just creating what comes to you. You're almost unaware of what people want. Yes, if it's something heavier, you know people are gonna like it more. But if you're a good songwriter, you could do both. I do orchestral music, I do film music, I do rock music — I do it all. So I enjoy 'em all, but I know that if I do rock, more people are going to listen to it than a piano, instrumental orchestral piece of music, soundtrack kind of music. But it doesn't mean that you don't do both, as an artist. So it's hard to really cater to people's feelings. What I love is, and I know that I can speak for the rest of the guys in the band, that no matter what's going on with our creative difference or the band not making new music or not touring fully or whatever, everyone's incredibly appreciative of what we have in terms of the love that we get from our fans and the way that people react to our music and the way that we get all these e-mails about how it's changed people's lives and all of that stuff, and that is mind-blowing. It's the biggest honor. And when I meet people on the street, I'm still incredibly honored that someone would pick me out and look at me in a positive light, not knowing who I am personally, but knowing me through my music, through our music, let's say. And I think that's a great fucking honor. I feel blessed for it. But it doesn't mean that that thing should continue forever either."