Professionally filmed video of THE CULT's entire February 27 performance at the Viña Del Mar International Song Festival 2025 at the Quinta Vergara amphitheater, the festival's venue in the coastal city of Viña del Mar, Chile, can be seen below.

Featured songs:

00:52 Ride Of The Valkyries (Intro)
01:57 Rise
06:00 Wild Flower
10:00 The Witch
15:00 Mirror
18:55 War (The Process)
23:56 Fire Woman
30:02 Love Removal Machine
35:22 She Sells Sanctuary
44:28 Premiacion Gaviota De Plata

THE CULT's latest album, "Under The Midnight Sun", arrived in October 2022 via Black Hill Records. The LP was produced by Tom Dalgety (PIXIES, GHOST, ROYAL BLOOD). Dalgety is the first British producer THE CULT has worked with since its second album, "Love" (1985).

Born out of the ashes of the U.K. post-punk scene, THE CULT evolved to become one of the most influential and controversial rock bands of the late 20th century, selling millions of albums, headlining arenas and stadiums around the world, infusing innovative possibilities into the worlds of music and art, and quickly ascending through the ranks of the indie music world to achieve global status. THE CULT, whose music transformed from punk rock to post-punk, psychedelia, heavy dance music and transcendental hard rock, became one of the handful of important bands in the U.S. post-modern and hard rock communities, and was embraced by a generation that was waking up to the influence of 1960s and 1970s rock icons like LED ZEPPELIN, THE NEW YORK DOLLS and David Bowie.

The constant core of THE CULT is the "head and heart" of the band, singer Ian Astbury and guitarist Billy Duffy. Attitude incarnate, the chemistry between these two vastly different artists — equal parts genuine affection and palpable tension — remains the source of their long-standing partnership. Duffy grounds Astbury's esoteric side with a hard rock perspective, and there is no doubt that at all times, these two have each other's back. THE CULT's current lineup also includes former WHITE ZOMBIE, EXODUS and TESTAMENT drummer John Tempesta.

THE CULT holds a significant place in musical history due to its pioneering use of post-punk, hard rock, and experimentalism, pushing boundaries and influencing countless bands across multiple genres. With their musical prowess, uncompromising attitude and captivating stage presence, they forged a distinct identity while charting new territory for bands to explore. From Duffy's formative, and influential, years in the Manchester underground, to Astbury's groundbreaking "Gathering Of The Tribes", the duo has left an indelible mark on modern music, shaping its trajectory in profound ways.

In a recent interview with Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda, Astbury was asked if there are any plans for the band to release new music as the follow-up to "Under The Midnight Sun". Ian responded: "If it happens, it will happen organically. And there's no hard plans, but there are recordings that are already nearly finished, things that we were working on previously.

"We released [the songs] 'Flesh And Bone' and 'C.O.T.A.'. That only came out as a seven-inch. Nobody even knew it came out. I decided they were DEATH CULT [a stepping stone between Astbury's previous band SOUTHERN DEATH CULT and THE CULT] songs. Call it whatever you want. For me it felt like DEATH CULT songs. And now people are beginning to listen to those songs and go, 'Oh, these are really interesting. Do you have any more?' And we go, 'Well, we have a few more from that period.' And there's plans to drop some other recordings, maybe from DEATH CULT. But definitely THE CULT…"

"I mean, there's definitely plans to do things, but a formal album in the studio? I don't know," he continued. "It could happen. It may not happen. We're talking about music right now. We're always talking about music. But… I don't know. There's no formal plans to go in the studio and make an album right now.

"If you know about the way the streaming works, the algorithm, you can spend so much time, you can make a masterpiece, and you can put it out in the world and the algorithm doesn't like it, and then it disappears very quickly. You're competing with thousands and thousands and thousands of thousands and thousands of individual artists.

"[It] seems to me there's a decline in bands, and there's an increase in artists who are making records in their bedrooms and studios, small studios.

"I'll definitely be releasing music," Ian added. "There will be CULT music this year of some description. But it's not gonna be in a conventional format. There will be one record released maybe in the middle of the year that will be in conventional format, a live concert, but I can't say much more than that. You have to wait for that. We'll see. We have to do some negotiations to get it finished."

"With THE CULT, we're very intuitive in that way. We don't follow a plan or a schedule. We kind of work in harmony with the rhythm of what's happening around us.

"'Under The Midnight Sun' is referring to the pandemic 'cause it was this anomalous moment where a once-in-a-lifetime experience — not even once-in-a-generation [or] once-in-a-lifetime; once-in-a-century experience — so it was this anomalous moment. There's just so many layers. But ultimately, it has to translate with four musicians on stage and then you have to use your emotional intelligence to convey this. So, a lot of time is spent living, documenting, studying, reading.

"I don't really watch — I don't watch TV. I have two TVs in my house. They're never on. Maybe football, and that's about it. Everyone's saying, 'Have you seen this TV show, seen this TV show, seen this film, seen this TV show?' I'll go to a theater to see a film, like the last 'Dune' film. I had to see that on a big screen, 'cause on TV it's just blergh. I don't watch much television. I've watched a lot of film in my life, but if it's an important film, I'll watch it or I'm interested in it. But mostly I'm reading and listening to music. And then training in martial arts. And then doing creative direction for the band. And then working on other projects — my material. I wouldn't even call it solo projects. They're collaborations.

"So my intention is there'll be more CULT at some point, there'll definitely be DEATH CULT, there'll be more CULT, and then I'll be working on other things myself, other collaborations," Astbury concluded.

Former HANOI ROCKS singer Michael Monroe was joined by GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash on stage last night (Saturday, April 12) at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California for performances of the STEPPENWOLF cover "Magic Carpet Ride" and the Monroe song "Dead, Jail Or Rock 'N' Roll". Also appearing with Monroe at the Whisky A Go Go was BLACK OAK ARKANSAS frontman Jim Dandy for a version of the latter band's classic song "Rock 'N' Roll". Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

Back in December 2015, just weeks before the GUNS N' ROSES reunion was officially announced, Monroe said that a comeback of the classic lineup of GUNS N' ROSES "wouldn't make any sense" unless Slash and Axl Rose were able to "reconnect" on a personal and creative level first. He told Eddie Trunk's podcast: "Reunions suck. People ask me, 'Do you think GUNS N' ROSES will reunite?' It wouldn't make any sense unless Slash and Axl would reconnect and really get into a new kind of thing and start creating something new. Who wants to see guys put together forcibly and then go through the old stuff…? It doesn't make any sense to me."

Monroe went on to say that a GUNS N' ROSES reunion wouldn't be the same unless one key ingredient was involved in the mix. He explained: "One thing we must not forget was Steven Adler, the original [GN'R] drummer. The first album [1987's 'Appetite For Destruction'], there's a chemistry that is unlike anything they've done since. Because Steven Adler, he's maybe not technically as great as [his replacement] Matt Sorum, who is also brilliant, but he had a kind of vibe; he was pushing, and he was playing a bit ahead of the beat. He had a style that was part of the chemistry, to me. The sound, the original sound of the band, he was an integral part of that."

Even though HANOI ROCKS was formed in Finland, their trashy, hedonistic, decadent hard rock/pop-metal boogie influenced many Los Angeles acts, including GUNS N' ROSES and MÖTLEY CRÜE.

More than two years ago, Monroe released the video for the title track of his "I Live Too Fast To Die Young" solo album, featuring a guest guitar solo from Slash.

"Slash is one of the nicest guys that I know and one of rock's greatest guitarists as he's maintained the spontaneity, the human touch and the heartfelt kick-ass attitude in his playing," Monroe said at the time. "I figured this would be a good one for him to play a solo on. He said he loved the song and that it's super catchy."

Asked in a 2007 interview if he ever felt jealous of GUNS N' ROSES' commercial success, considering that GN'R openly cited HANOI ROCKS as a huge influence in the Axl Rose-fronted band's early days, Monroe said: "No, I never felt that! Not at all! I was always happy for their success and they definitely earned it themselves. I'm thankful for them recognizing the HANOI ROCKS influence and talking about it in the press."

He continued: "A lot of bands weren't really that talented and they sold a lot of records and really just deliberately tried to fake something out of it with the looks and not having much to back it up with. But GUNS N' ROSES really had their own thing and they were secure enough in themselves to quote HANOI ROCKS as an influence. Also, they released a lot of the old catalog in America with their Uzi Suicide label. So they were definitely paying homage to us and they were being very cool.

"I've never been envious of their success — quite the opposite; I've been very happy for them. I was part of it. I played on their records and I was happy to be part of it. It's always fun working with those guys. Slash played the right kind of guitar because he grew up with HANOI and mine and Andy's [McCoy] playing. I actually did something with him for the movie 'Coneheads'."

Asked if he remembered the first time he met GUNS N' ROSES, Monroe said: "I met Axl... he came to my video shoot in New York. I was shooting a video for 'Dead, Jail Or Rock 'N' Roll'. He showed up and just came to say hi and he introduced himself. I got to talk to him and he was a big NAZARETH fan and I was, like, 'Wow, a NAZARETH fan.' He didn't realize that 'Not Faking It' was a cover of a NAZARETH song. He had heard the record and he was really into it and he liked the song 'Dead, Jail Or Rock 'N' Roll', so I said 'Why don't you come up and do a couple of takes with us?' He came up on stage and he ended up in the video. I got along with him great and I always had a nice time with him. I never had a problem with him. I hear all these horror stories, but he's always been cool with me. It was fun working with those guys afterwards. Playing sax on their record and we did the duet 'Ain't It Fun'. That was magical and they have great star quality."

LOS ANGELES - Tickets are on sale now for our show at the Whiskey on April 12th!

Posted by Michael Monroe on Friday, October 18, 2024

In a new interview with Brazil's Monsters Of Rock, QUEENSRŸCHE singer Todd La Torre was asked which "unexplored musical directions" he would like to see the band go in on QUEENSRŸCHE's upcoming follow-up to 2022's "Digital Noise Alliance" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[We're] kind of [doing] the same thing as what we've been doing. I mean, we don't go in writing a record with a preconceived idea. We just get in a room and [go], 'Hey, show me your guitar parts. What do you have in your mind?' And we kind of all get together in a room and just see what happens in real time. So as far as unexplored musical directions… Personally, I'd love to hear more clean guitar on the next record, maybe some more spacious stuff, some more clean guitar. Orchestration is always fun to work with. It's very huge and cinematic sounding. So those are fun things to play with. Maybe some different percussion things would be interesting to play around with again.

"But, gosh, after 40-plus years, I think without completely changing the band, the band's style of music, I don't know that there's really any too much unexplored musical directions," he continued. "I mean, QUEENSRŸCHE's kind of done a lot within the large space that QUEENSRŸCHE has to run around in. I mean, if we were to do something — we wouldn't write a hip-hop song, we wouldn't write a death metal song. So within the confines of what QUEENSRŸCHE kind of is, as diverse as it as it is, I don't know what kind of unexplored musical directions there would be. On the next one, I mean, I would love to, like I say, play around with some other clean guitar sounds, maybe some more interesting percussion things — like the song 'I Am I' had some really neat percussion things going on."

Guitarist Mike Stone, who rejoined QUEENSRŸCHE in 2021, contributed guitar solos to the band's latest studio album.

Since late May 2021, Stone has been handling second-guitar duties in QUEENSRŸCHE, which announced in July 2021 that longtime guitarist Parker Lundgren was exiting the group to focus on "other business ventures."

Stone originally joined QUEENSRŸCHE for the 2003 album "Tribe" and stayed with the band for six years before leaving the group.

For the past eight years, drummer Casey Grillo has been filling in for original QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield, who stepped away from the band's touring activities in early 2017 to spend time with his young son.

In October 2021, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against guitarist Michael Wilton and bassist Eddie Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge. A few months later, Wilton and Jackson filed a countersuit against Rockenfield, accusing him of abandoning his position as a member of the band and misappropriating the group's assets to his own personal benefit. That dispute has since been settled out of court.

In a recent interview with The Joel Martin Mastery Podcast, Wilton stated about QUEENSRŸCHE's next studio album: "We do have one record left with our contract with Century Media and Sony. And yeah, we're putting together demos right now. So, when will it get done? I don't know. QUEENSRŸCHE has a lot of touring to do, and you've gotta schedule with your producer. But yeah, we've started writing demos, and we've got a good bunch of tunes. And we're about ready to head to Europe, and then we do the Monsters Of Rock cruise and then we're [going] to South America, and then after that, maybe we can concentrate a little more on the next QUEENSRŸCHE record."

Asked if he thinks the next QUEENSRŸCHE album won't arrive before 2026 at the earliest, Michael said: "We don't know. Just because it's harder to find pockets of time when we can develop this. We're always touring or on the road, doing weekend gigs or whatever. But we'll just see where this takes us."

Wilton also talked about whether the new QUEENSRŸCHE LP will be once again helmed by Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who previously worked with QUEENSRŸCHE on 2015's "Condition Hüman", 2019's "The Verdict" and "Digital Noise Alliance" LPs. He said: "Well, he's already committed to helping the demos getting written. So, yeah, he's back."

Elaborating on the QUEENSRŸCHE songwriting process, Wilton said: "Well, the last few albums we've kind of wanted to write fresh, so kind of on the spot. So I'm not looking at anything I've done in the past. I'm looking at just the inspiration of the day and getting something recorded and live with it for a couple of days and then come back and go, 'Okay, yeah, this is pretty cool,' or, 'Nah, I'm gonna delete this.' But I think it's something that is special to a group of guys that everything that you create is new or kind of new. We're probably ripping ourselves off blind with all the riffs and melodies, but that seems to be the fresh approach. I mean, the stuff that goes by the wayside, that's stuff that goes on solo albums. [Laughs]"

Wilton previously discussed the progress of the songwriting sessions for the follow-up to "Digital Noise Alliance" in February in an interview with Marko Syrjala of Metal-Rules.com. Michael said at the time: "We're currently working on demos for the next album, which is really important for us. After this [European tour], we have the Monsters Of Rock cruise, followed by the Monsters Of Rock festivals in South America. That brings us to May. Then we have some sporadic gigs here and there, but we're also planning to work with our producer, Chris 'Zeuss' Harris, and continue the writing sessions. Hopefully… But we're already getting offers for the end of the year, so I'm not sure when the album will be released. [Laughs]"

When Syrjala noted that the "schedule sounds a bit complicated," Michael explained: "You know, for the bands to make money, they have to tour. We get lots of offers — weekend gigs, two-week tours or even just a weekend here and there. You can't say no because if you do, someone else will take that opportunity and might not ask you again.

"The thing is, to do a proper QUEENSRŸCHE album, we need about six weeks of uninterrupted time. But it's harder now because we have to juggle these gigs — weekends here and there — before coming back to focus. Zeuss has had to adapt; he's very mobile now. He's learned to be because we’re not the only band that does this; all bands do. He works with Rob Zombie — 'Hey, come on over for the weekend. Let's work on some stuff.' Or with SHADOWS FALL — 'Let's work on some stuff.' So, he's used to it. It's just a matter of someone organizing it all."

Wilton went on to say that he and his QUEENSRŸCHE bandmates are "following the same process" this time around as they did for "Digital Noise Alliance". "With ['Digital Noise Alliance'], the recording and writing sessions were meant to feel fresh — nothing was e-mailed back and forth," he said. "Everything was built during the writing process. In that sense, it was about going back to the days when we'd be in a room writing the [debut QUEENSRŸCHE] EP in the morning. Back then, we didn't have technology like we do now. No cell phones, no computers — maybe, if you were lucky, you had a four-track recorder. The way we worked was simple: 'Hey, Chris [DeGarmo], you got a riff?' And I'd say, 'Okay, I like that. Let me add something to it.' It was a real band effort because everyone was in the room, giving input. That's exactly what we did with ['Digital Noise Alliance']. Everyone was involved — 'Oh, I like that,' 'Oh, I don't like that' — and the songs evolved a little more each day. Some songs we dissected and reworked completely. Take 'Tormentum', for example — that's like four songs merged into one! [Laughs]"

Asked if it's "correct to say" that recording the "Digital Noise Alliance" album was "a fresh start" for QUEENSRŸCHE, with drummer Casey Grillo becoming a permanent bandmember and guitarist Mike Stone returning to the fold for the studio sessions, Michael said: "Yeah, I think so. This next one will be even better because, with ['Digital Noise Alliance'], Mike didn't come in until the end of the process. But now, he's here from the beginning of the process. He's writing with me, and I'm writing with him, so it should be a bit more cohesive, I think… He knows the ways of the RŸCHE. He knows the guitar style and how to stay within that area. But, like I said, the stuff we've written so far sounds pretty cool."

Today, April 11, Nyström issued a follow-up statement, which reads, “Because of how things have been interpreted, speculated, and even officially manipulated, here’s a follow-up to my last statement and this will be posted here, because I feel the current Katatonia social media channels is no longer my place.

Regarding the scenario about Katatonia’s “new vs old” material being blown up as a main reason for my exit. I didn’t say (and never have) that I wanted to bring back the old direction and make a new album in that style with the current line-up. Some people are too quick to project their assumptions into some kind of pseudo-reality. Listen, I have been saying all along, provided Katatonia remains a touring act, that we should have included parts from all chapters in our live sets to respect our history. That’s also an honorable thing to do for our fans in each respective era. Furthermore, I wasn’t kidding myself, pretending the setlist would suddenly turn around only for the old stuff. Obviously, the majority of songs would always stay in line with the contemporary cycle, but Katatonia is doing a terrible job of keeping in touch with the past. Therefore, I even suggested an alternative idea of just doing a special old-school set now and then, or putting on ”an evening with…” type of show, where the setlist would exclusively focus on the old era and allow us to include much more of that material in one go, similar to what it’s like playing full album anniversary shows. But bringing that up was like talking to deaf ears. The status of the old stuff remains at 0%, and frankly, I’m sick of rooting for it. So why is this really that much of a big deal? Well, seemingly unlike others, my integrity is still ”connected” with our past, because I value each step that led to another. You can’t erase where you came from! As for people who only care for the new stuff and couldn’t give a shit about the old, or vice versa, that’s fine, but as far as I’m concerned that’s more your loss than mine. I was lucky to be part of it all and continue to be passionate about it.

Now, there have been claims I’ve been out for too long already, and haven’t contributed to the band in the last decade, so “nothing I say really matters anymore”. Ok, let me try to break that down. I’ve indeed been sitting out the live activities for a good while now, that much is true. Complicated as life can be, it turned out I couldn’t do the first two tours in 2023, so I fixed a stand-in to cover for me on the first one, but failed to do so for the second run, so I can rightfully be blamed for putting the band in a difficult situation at that time, as they ended up relying on backing tracks to replace my parts. I remember we had the same thing happening a few years earlier when Roger was sitting out a tour, which ended up with only me on guitar and his parts put on backing tracks. Sure it was weird and compromising, but served as a temporary solution instead of canceling the tour. Anyways, before the summer of 2023, when the festivals were waiting around the corner, I was informed that “the band had decided to continue using backing tracks instead of bringing me back in”… Did that mean I was still to be held accountable for the band deciding to continue down that path? Could there have been another solution? At the very same time, Jonas quit Bloodbath right out of the blue, and with all those gigs also coming up I devoted my time and energy to make sure things would hold up on my side. With a busy live schedule for both bands in front of us, we fulfilled all commitments on our own ends. Much time came and went until I discovered Roger had been forced to leave the band, and he and I (or the backing tracks in my case) had been replaced by new touring guys. I reached out to Jonas to say I wanted to pull the break on the whole situation, but I got no response. Our dysfunctional communication was already a fact and was handled poorly, by all. Maybe due to the complex nature of our relationship (we’re both in the right and wrong no matter what), or the undiagnosed personal traits that linger in the whole band, or simply all of that and much much more, we struggled and grasped at the beginning of the end several times before. The Katatonia curse.

So, for the second part about ”not contributing to the band in the last decade”. Let me give you some plain insight into what it’s been like being in a band for as long as we have. Any rough estimate of how much time and effort, or even sacrifices I’ve made to make the band always my priority in the last three decades? Just because I don’t have a writer’s credit for a certain song/album, do you really think that’s all there is to it? You don’t know what workload and distractions I’ve taken off Jonas’ shoulders so he can focus on doing what he loves the most. Do you have insight as to which decisions I’ve taken while recording and producing our music (including Jonas’s great songs) and how that process intertwines creatively and artistically? Is there any significance in having art-directed and helped design most of our albums and merchandise and the band’s themes since the very start, including Katatonia’s logos and symbols? How does one validate my efforts of handling most of the tireless communication, negotiations or even being the one who always have to look like the bad guy in the band when facing conflicts that the others were too uncomfortable to confront? I’ve made the band save so much money by not shrugging my shoulders or put my head in the sand when things gone south. Most of it has just been taken for granted. All these things that happen behind the scenes aren’t deemed to be put into credits in a booklet nor on a Wiki page for your reference, but likewise it’s all chained together. So besides writing songs, there are many more wheels in the machinery spinning in the background that contributes to an artist maintaining a professional career.

I don’t claim to have perfected this band by myself at any point; I never could! Each member had a stake in that over the years, but I always went the extra mile for Katatonia when no one else would. Nobody can argue that a management helps with administration or that a road crew helps the band while out on tour, so think twice before you question anyone’s relevance. Is it just by a fluke that people who mainly discovered Katatonia first in our late career fail to understand the third of a lifetime had already come and gone before they even knew who we were? We have a history that led us to where we are now. If you only perceive what or who Katatonia is based on Jonas being the frontman with sole writer credits on the last couple of albums, then go ahead and enjoy living in that bubble! But don’t think for a second that I’m downplaying his role or importance for the band because he is both an original co-founder and currently the primary writer and rightfully celebrated as such by all. I’ve always encouraged him to be our frontman. 20 years ago I even demanded him to step up and claim that position! Nothing is gonna take that away, but despite all his talent and dedication to songwriting, it doesn’t mean he has sovereignty over our band name no more, and no less than I do. It’s our call since day one and that’s the main point of all of this.

So, legally and spiritually, the conclusion only gives us two alternatives. Either the name goes into hibernation which gives anyone the freedom to go his own way and move on under a new moniker or we mutually agree that we both have the right to keep using our name. By the fact that Jonas is now releasing a new Katatonia album on his own, it seems the second of the two alternatives has indirectly been chosen and in that case, I’m no stranger to look at what can be done with the neglected stuff. In this weird situation we’ve put ourselves in, before our fate and business have been settled, continuing playing live is one thing, but planning and writing a brand new album in stealth, bringing in a new line-up to record it, do photo sessions and shoot videos with no one telling me about any of it? On top of that posting a new official biography full of contradictions… What more can I say?

Bear in mind that just a few years ago,’ City Burials’ was originally planned to be Jonas’s first solo album and not to be released under the Katatonia flag, at all. I was convinced to transform those songs into a Katatonia comeback album that would effectively put an end to our previous hiatus, but up until that stage, Jonas’s had every intention for it to be his solo debut. So, what exactly makes that theoretically any different from the situation we’re in now? I thought this was perhaps going to be another shot at making that solo album after all, and for that, Jonas certainly wouldn’t need to ask and wait for my permission. I’d support that through and through, but as it turns out, it will now be released yet again under the Katatonia flag and exercised under the same contract my name is on. I also couldn’t help but notice the bird in our current logo has now been removed, and the font has been tweaked, but for what purpose? Artistically? Or was it just to try to draw another line…?

Not once during all this time did I ever say that I’ve decided to quit or give up Katatonia and neither has anyone asked me to, until last month when I was told that ”the band wants me officially replaced”. People have asked me ”but you must have known…?” Well if silence can effectively phase you out as a legit way of communication, I guess that’s how this story ends. Although I have now officially agreed to part ways with the current version of the ”band”, I will never part ways with my legacy within Katatonia, which follows my soul beyond the grave.

Always looking for the alternate ending.” – Anders ’Blakkheim’ Nyström

The record label, Sevan Mater, has launched an innovative product for the music recordings business: fully lenticular, single-piece 3D album covers.

This striking design offers a visual experience, bringing album artwork to life in a way never before seen. Unlike traditional covers that use an adhesive 3D layer, Sevan Mater’s creation is seamlessly integrated into a single piece, elevating the aesthetic appeal of music releases to a new dimension.

Despite its high-end appearance and cutting-edge technology, Sevan Mater is committed to making these stunning 3D album covers accessible to a wide range of artists and labels. Manufactured in Italy, the product remains affordable, making it a viable option for independent musicians and major players alike.

This product has already garnered significant interest from several record labels and bands. The first album to feature this technology is a reissue from the iconic metal band Iced Earth (available for pre-order here, available June 20). This special edition showcases the full potential of the technology, with a striking front and back 3D lenticular effect, marking a historic moment as the first record product of its kind crafted by Sevan Mater/7 Mater in a single, cohesive piece.

This Iced Earth reissue is expected to be a highly sought-after item among collectors. The album itself marked a significant return for the band at the time, featuring new vocalist Stu Block (formerly of Into Eternity), who has been praised for bringing Iced Earth back to their glory days, delivering what many consider their best release since Horror Show.

The album is rich with epic guitar passages, minimalist thrash riffs, and the familiar structures that Iced Earth fans have come to love. This special reissue will be available in a limited edition of 500 copies, split between Marbled Red and Transparent Red vinyl, each including an insert and sealed with a sticker.



Tracklisting:

Side 1
“Dystopia”
“Anthem”
“Boiling Point”
“Anguish Of Youth”
“V”

Side 2
“Dark City”
“Equilibrium”
“Days Of Rage”
“End Of Innocence”
“Tragedy And Triumph”

In a new interview with Larry Mac of the 96.1 KLPX radio station, WARRANT singer Robert Mason was asked if there are any plans to release new music as a follow-up to 2017's "Louder Harder Faster" album. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "'Louder Harder Faster' came out at the back end of '17, and we toured on that for a while. And it's fun to do a record — believe me, I love doing new material, and it satisfies my soul a little bit and probably ego too, like, 'Ooh, I wrote these songs' or whatever. But then we came upon that thing, if you've been a band for long enough, you celebrate anniversary tours. And we're, like, 'Ooh, 30th anniversary of 'Dirty Rotten [Filthy Stinking Rich]' in 2019. So then you spend a year doing that because you're celebrating that record and fans want it, and you do merch and everything — we change the scrims and the look of the band changes for that whole show pattern. And 2020 was the 30th anniversary of 'Cherry Pie' — it came out in the back half of September, I think, 30 years prior to that. So we were, like, 'Uh oh.' Everybody sat home for 16 months. So then we come in and start touring again — I like to call it a year and a half without a Santa Claus, the COVID thing. So we got back to work playing live shows when it was allowed and everybody wanted to — mid-2021. So we figured we're taking a mulligan, if you play golf, on the whole 'Cherry Pie' anniversary. And in 2021 through 22, it was the 30th anniversary of 'Cherry Pie' record. So then [the 30th anniversary of] 'Dog [Eat Dog]' came right after that, and we're, like, 'Whoa.' And I said, 'Guys, we're running out of 30th anniversaries to celebrate. We should probably try to figure out what to do.'"

Mason explained that he and his WARRANT bandmates are not opposed to working on new music.

"[WARRANT bassist Jerry] Dixon and I have been talking very recently," he said. "I'm always writing. I have ideas that fall out of my head and they're on my phone or they're recorded in my home studio. Jerry does the same. Everybody's got that mindset, but we just haven't had the structure or the impetus to put a whole record together. I don't know if that's in the cards for a nostalgia band. We may do something like release one, two or three, do a partial even greatest-hits box set thing with new songs from my era in there as well. I don't know. All options are open. And this is total honesty — you're one of the first people who's really asked me that. And it's all, we'll see what happens.

He added: "We're loving playing these songs. There's a huge nostalgia component to the band, and I recognize that. And it's so much fun to do that that maybe it took a little of that focus away from music, 'Oh, I have to do a record.'"

According to Robert, the evolving nature of the music industry has also contributed to WARRANT's reluctance to work on a new full-length album.

"What's a record now? Shouldn't it just be like three bonus songs, or three songs with a bonus song, if you do download them, or some sort of promotional thing, to reach fans and get 'em, 'Okay, new songs'?" he said. "But then, 'Ooh, what if we redid this from back in the day? Or what if there's a live version of this?' So the extremely long answer is we're talking about all that stuff."

Mason previously touched upon the possibility of new WARRANT music in a March 2025 interview with Joe Scibilia of The Rock N' Roll & Coffee Show. He said at the time: "We have something that might happen. I kind of feel that there's that huge nostalgia component. My ego doesn't mean I have to put a record out just for the sake of it. And I understand you make a certain piece with — fans wanna come and hear the nostalgia, and that's our role, that's our lane to kind of stay in. If we come up with something great and we wanna put something out, we certainly might. I've got ideas. I know Dixon does as well. He and I worked together just a couple of years ago on a bunch of material for something that might have been a record that we just kind of put aside for a minute because he started playing with the band less and we were trying to concentrate on just making our live band and our consistent touring as good as possible for us."

Asked if there is really a reason for a band like WARRANT to put out an album in today's musical climate, Robert said: "We wrestle with that, but that's the nostalgia component. Sometimes promoters or agents say, 'Well, we can sell a new tour and a thing,' I'm, like, 'Yeah, but there's so much nostalgia and that's what really fans [want to hear].' We play a couple of songs off the two records which I did with the band, songs we wrote to do that, and people dig it. We do 'Louder Harder' and I get 'em to scream the chorus and they're still into it. There's a certain component — and I love those people — that are into that. But I think as years go by, the one thing is if you're one of the last bands standing, then the herd narrows and you become one of those bands. It can go either way, and I sometimes I wake up and I'm, like, 'Man, we should do a record,' and then I go, 'You know what? I watch the people's reaction to the catalog material and I still get off on doing it. And so does the band.'"

He continued: "There's no urgency to put something new out there. The climate of a band of guys in their 60s — what are we gonna get? A radio hit? It's a bygone era, and if it makes a good story for interviews, cool. And it's satisfying to play new songs. I will always do that in one respect or another. I write for other people. There's some film and TV work and stuff that we've all dabbled in. It's still satisfying. And it's something in your soul. It makes you feel good to be creative if you're a songwriter type. But then again, those hits are the hits. They're still fun to play, and that gets a great reaction from the audience. So then is that my time best served? No."

Regarding whether he would ever put out a solo record, Mason said: "I've been asked. And I play piano. I wake up and make coffee every morning and go sit at a very nice antique grand piano in my house and go hammer away on it heavy handed, like I do everything. And I write a ton — I have a ton of guitar stuff and a ton of piano stuff.

"It seems almost gratuitous and weird and like egocentric to [make a solo album]," he explained. "I write with a bunch of friends in Nashville, and some in particular you just get on great with and every time you hang out and do something, it's just magic.

"I might someday. I would almost wanna do something to throw a curve ball and do an acoustic-piano-and-voice thing only, or very little instrumentation. I wouldn't wanna put a rock band together and do it necessarily, 'cause then it's, like… The thing is, if you go play live, you're, like, 'I do that. That's my job.' I would rather explore something completely different. Or at least genre specifically different that would be, like, 'Wow, that's that guy? Really? He doesn't scream like he's coughing up a lung. He can actually sing that too."

Elaborating on the musical direction his solo music might take, Robert said: "I grew up, man, in love with my dad's music and crooners and music from the 40s, 50s and 60s. So, I have lots of sides."

"Louder Harder Faster" was released in May 2017. The disc was recorded with Jeff Pilson — a veteran bassist who has played with DIO, FOREIGNER, DOKKEN and T&N, among others — and was mixed by Pat Regan, except for the song "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink", which was mixed by Chris "The Wizard" Collier (FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, PRONG, LAST IN LINE).

Mason replaced original WARRANT singer Jani Lane in 2008 and has brought a degree of stability to the band after Lane's unceremonious departure and subsequent 2011 death.

In February, Dixon told Mark Strigl about WARRANT's plan to release new music: "We're kind of thinking and probably implementing kind of like a box set of things we have with Jani, unreleased stuff. We have maybe a song from a demo. We've got, like, nine records that [the rights] have come back to us over the years. So we wanna do some sort of box set with some new music as well, but also include all of WARRANT — Jani years, Jaime St. James years, 'Born Again', 'Rockaholic', all of [it]."

Asked if there are "numerous tracks" with Jani Lane that have not been released, Jerry said: "There actually are hardly any, but there's a few that we got back that we're working on finding. There's a lot of things that happened with the legality of stuff, but there are a couple diamonds that we have found. But we released everything with him. We never did anything just to go do it. If we were gonna record, it was a purpose — it was for a soundtrack or a record. So, you pretty much have 99.9 percent of everything out that we've done."

Elaborating on what might be included on the aforementioned box set, Jerry said: "Like, say we're writing and we're recording with Jani and he's talking, but it's not a finished song yet. So it may be something that entails video. We're sharing all that stuff. The making of 'Dog Eat Dog', we have a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff of that record that nobody's ever seen."

Regarding WARRANT guitarist Joey Allen's comment from October 2024 that he and his bandmates were collecting footage for a possible documentary, Jerry said: "Yeah, we have that in the works too, but it's a lot of speculation and people have ideas, but who's doing the work? So we'll figure it all out. But, yeah, I think it's time to do that and not give everything away on social media for free and just let people steal it and take it and molest it. And it's disgusting. We wanna put something out that people can take home and enjoy, like the old days."

Last October, Joey was asked by Become A Guitarist Today whether there has been any talk of a follow-up to "Louder Harder Faster". He said: "Here's the deal with WARRANT on records, is that the first three records, Jani Lane was the the creative force behind all the songwriting, which is fantastic. I mean, he was great at it. And it was a magic time for everybody. When you've got a guy that's bringing in songs like '[Mr.] Rainmaker' and 'Uncle Tom's Cabin', and nobody else is bringing in 'Uncle Tom's Cabin', you're, like, 'Okay, keep on going.' And so when he wasn't in the band, and then you've got the five of us, it's kind of the same thing. Whoever writes the music brings it in. If it's good and it's complete, then there you go. And I'm not a songwriter as much as I am a guitar player. I'm great at interpreting people that can't play guitar great and turning it into some cool-sounding riffs, the way I play. But it gets to the point where if there's riffs out there and you need somebody to come in and write lyrics to it, well, then everybody should pay attention and see if there's a riff out there. So the choices of songs and how we put a record together is very arduous. It's very difficult for WARRANT, for some reason. And it's amazing that after a record like 'Louder, Harder, Faster' that the band was still together. So, looking forward to another record, you're, like, 'Hmm.' [Laughs] 'Do you wanna do that again now — what is it? — seven years later?' And I think there's some desire, but it's not heavy."

He added: "New music's different now. People do records, nobody cares. So do we do a few songs at a time and release a song or two? I don't know what our model is gonna be. We're not going away. How's that? You want us to go away? We're not. And we still do 50 or 60 shows a year over here [in the U.S.]."

Allen went on to say that WARRANT fans can expect to see something else that might satisfy their craving for new product.

"We've gotten through a lot of our archives of videotapes and pictures and things that we all four of us have in our boxes in the attic and we've gotten them down," he said. "Because everybody had those little video cameras back in the day. So, there is private video from 1987. And I think we're trying to catalog all that data and kind of put together some type of a documentary with that stuff. And that's the next project. So if anybody was in the band from the front end on, from 'Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich' on, they're gonna get a peek behind what we were doing, what you thought we were doing. Were you right? Were you wrong? I mean, it's certainly not gonna be X rated by any means, but if you see some of the shit that did go on, it's great fun. I don't know if it'll be rated as a comedy or what, but there's some funny shit in there. So that's it."

Joey previously talked about the possibility of a new WARRANT album in March 2024 in an interview with the "Rimshots With Sean" podcast. He said at the time: "New record? I don't know. The last one was fun to make, and [producer] Jeff Pilson was fun to work with. And the one before that [2011's 'Rockaholic'] with [producer] Keith Olsen — God rest his soul — was great and fun to do.

"It's such an undertaking for us, and the return on making a record is [miniscule]," he explained. "You know what I mean? And not everything's about money. It's, like, can we play it live? Well, you can, but people are just gonna sit there and look at you, like, 'Where's 'Cherry Pie'? Where's 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'? Where's 'Down Boys'? Where are those hits I wanted to hear?' And so you can't go out and play three or four or five new tunes, which would be — for me, thumbs up. I would dig to do that. But we have a responsibility to play the songs that people really wanna hear too. So it's a double-edged sword. And that's what I mean when I [say], what's in it for us? It's not financially. The thing in it for us is to play new music, to create new music, to grow. Let's not be a nostalgia act. So I don't know if it'll be a new record or if it'll be a song at a time or whatever — I'm sure sooner than later something [will] happen — but nothing's going on right now."

In December 2023, WARRANT guitarist Erik Turner told Robert Miguel of Uvalde Radio Rocks that he and his bandmates were "not sure" what they were going to do as far as new music was concerned. "It's just been a little bit — there's just been some stuff going on where we haven't really been doing any new music," he revealed. "We have some riffs [being thrown] around. We have some half-finished songs going on. Due to some personal stuff going on, we're just kind of on hold as far as the new record goes. Nothing horrible, but just band stuff."

In March 2023, Allen told Mankato, Minnesota's "The Five Count" radio show that he and his WARRANT bandmates were "actually writing right now for a record. So people are sending riffs around. You can do it on the Internet nowadays," he explained. "We just have a cloud-based files system where we just upload ideas. And somebody will take an idea, a music idea, and put some lyrics to it, and we'll start to craft our songs. So maybe by this fall we'll dig into the studio again and [record] the follow-up to 'Louder Harder Faster', which came out, I think, six years ago this year. The recording process takes about four or five weeks, so maybe early next year we'll have something new out for everybody to listen to and back on the road we will go to support that."

Four years ago, Mason told the "Thunder Underground" podcast that there wasn't "a defined schedule" for WARRANT's next studio album, but he added that he and his bandmates are "always writing."

In 2020, Turner told the "Talking Metal" podcast that WARRANT was "throwing some ideas around" for a new LP. He said: "I've been sending Robert some riffs, and Robert's been working on songs. I've got a song going with Jerry. So it's a slow, long process for us, but the seed of a new record has been started. Now, that doesn't mean the seed will grow into a record. We've got a long way to go. We don't have one finished song. We've got a couple of things cooking, and we're actually sending ideas around back and forth to each other."

WARRANT is rounded out by original drummer Steven Sweet.

Image credit: BeetlejuiceRocksTV

Ayreon mastermind Arjen Lucassen released the “20-ish Anniversary Box Set” of The Human Equation on April 18. He has shared an unboxing video and an official animated video of the track “Day 10: Memories”. Both clips can be viewed below.

Pick up the box set in CD and vinyl LP formats here.



Remixed and remastered classic Ayreon album, originally released in 2004, with bonus tracks from the Ayreon archives. The Human Equation was the sixth album from Ayreon by Dutch musician Arjen Lucassen. As with other Ayreon albums, it features guest appearances from several musicians previously unrelated to the project, including James LaBrie of Dream Theater, Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth, Eric Clayton of Saviour Machine, and Devin Townsend, performing music arranged and written by Lucassen.

The album explores the idea of psychological rebirth, and follows the story of a man who, after falling into a coma following a car crash, is confronted with his past, his emotions, and his current situation as he lays trapped inside his own mind. The circumstances surrounding the crash are mysterious, as the man (Me, portrayed by James LaBrie) ploughed into a tree on a deserted road in broad daylight. Following this, he slips into a twenty-day coma, with each day represented by a single song. Each song follows a slightly different format, though there are major common themes, such as the presence of Me’s manifest emotions in his dream world including Fear (Mikael Åkerfeldt), Reason (Eric Clayton), and Pride (Magnus Ekwall); the presence of Me’s Wife (Marcela Bovio) and Best Friend (Arjen Lucassen) at his bedside; and the past events that Me is forced to reflect on.



Tracklisting:

CD 1
“Day One: Vigil”
“Day Two: Isolation”
“Day Three: Pain”
“Day Four: Mystery”
“Day Five: Voices”
“Day Six: Childhood”
“Day Seven: Hope”
“Day Eight: School”
“Day Nine: Playground”
“Day Ten: Memories”
“Day Eleven: Love”

CD 2:
“Day Twelve: Trauma”
“Day Thirteen: Sign”
“Day Fourteen: Pride”
“Day Fifteen: Betrayal”
“Day Sixteen: Loser”
“Day Seventeen: Accident?”
“Day Eighteen: Realization”
“Day Nineteen: Disclosure”
“Day Twenty: Confrontation”

CD 3:
“August Fire”
“No Quarter”
“Space Oddity”
“Day Six – Childhood” (Acoustic Version)
“How You Gonna See Me Now”
Bloopers
Untitled Instrumental
“When I’m Sixty-Four”
“Loser” (Star One Version)
“No Quarter” (Alternative Version)
“Back 2 Me” (Dance Mix)

Bluray 1:
• The Human Equation (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio)*
• The Human Equation (DD 5.1 audio)
• Come Back To Me (Music video)**
• Day Eleven: Love (Music video)**
• Day Sixteen: Loser (Music video)**
• The making of The Human Equation**
• The making of Come Back To Me music video**

Bluray 2:
• The Theater Equation full show
• The Theater Equation tryout show
• Trailer
• Behind the scenes
• Curtain calls

Laurenne/Louhimo – the collaboration between powerhouse Finnish vocalists Noora Louhimo (Battle Beast) and Netta Laurenne (Smackbound) – have released their sophomore album, Falling Through Stars, via Frontiers Music Srl.

To celebrate, the band has released a new single titled “All For Sale” which is accompanied by a visualizer, available to view below.

Laurenne/Louhimo is one of the most exciting projects on Frontiers Music Srl and, in this second chapter, deliver a full force metal assaults with the power to blow you away.

Talking about the new single, Netta Laurenne commented: “’All For Sale’ is one of the metal ballads on the new album. It is a story of lost love that evolves into the realization that love is never truly lost but instead serves as a teacher. That heartache has a deeper purpose in our lives as a catalyst and healer.”

This new album from Laurenne/Louhimo offers listeners a mix of heavy metal and hard rock tracks that explore the variety of the genre while maintaining a straightforward, easy-to-enjoy appeal. Falling Through Stars has shades of all eras of Rainbow here and there, as well as Judas Priest and many other 80s icons of the style. All of these influences are expertly filtered into Netta and Noora’s way of composing music.



The idea of a possible collaboration between Netta and Noora became a reality once the pandemic started and cleared out calendars for both artists. It felt like a perfect time to start the project and share all the things they have in common, from the same original town to similar idols and influences.

The main highlights of the album are, naturally, the vocal melodies created and shared by Netta Laurenne and Noora Louhimo.

Falling Through Stars has been once again produced at the Sonic Pump studio under the guidance of Nino Laurenne (who also played the guitars and contributed to the songwriting). The production is clear and powerful and gives the deserved value to the two stars here.

Songs like “Falling Through Stars”, “Damned”, “Loud And Clear” or “Wait” are just a few of the highlights of a great album that will please all melodic metal fans.

Commenting on the album, Netta states: “Falling Through Stars is the second collaborative album with Noora, and it gave us the opportunity to step in and out of our comfort zones to meet halfway. We had a great time writing and recording the album, which I co-produced with my husband, Nino Laurenne. This album takes us on a journey through both the past and future of metal. We’ve aimed to incorporate styles, instruments, and emotions spanning from the ’70s to the present day. It’s a dynamic album that showcases both raw power and delicate moments, and we’re excited to share it with everyone”

Order the album here.



Falling Through Stars tracklisting:

“Falling Through Stars”
“Damned”
“To The Dark”
“All For Sale”
“The Cradle”
“Rotten Gold”
“FTS”
“Let The Light Be Free”
“Loud And Clear”
“Wait”
“David Bowie & Clyde”

“Falling Through Stars” video:

International metal act, Veil Of The Serpent, has unveiled their latest release, a thunderous and emotionally charged cover of Iced Earth’s classic track, “Last December”. Known for their dark, haunting sound and gripping storytelling, Veil Of The Serpent delivers a fresh yet faithful rendition of the 1995 Burnt Offerings masterpiece. Retaining the original song’s raw intensity and melancholic atmosphere, the band injects their signature heavy, immersive sound, making this version a standout tribute to the legendary power metal pioneers.



The release of this cover also coincides with the 30th anniversary of Iced Earth’s Burnt Offerings, an album that left an indelible mark on the metal scene. Veil Of The Serpent pays homage to this milestone by bringing new life to one of its most memorable tracks, bridging the past and present of heavy metal.

This release follows Veil Of The Serpent’s recent success with their concept album Gallery Of Sin, which received critical acclaim for its cinematic storytelling. Their momentum continues with “Last December”, showcasing their ability to reimagine classic metal anthems while staying rooted in their own artistic identity.

Fans can stream “Last December” on all major digital platforms, with an accompanying lyric video available below:

Motörhead have released the video below, a performance of “Ace Of Spades” from BBC’s Top Of The Pops.

Description: “Ace Of Spades” appears on Motörhead’s album Ace Of Spades. Originally released on Bronze Records on 8th November 1980, produced by Vic Maile. The line up on this album was Lemmy, Fast Eddie Clarke and Philthy Animal Taylor. This was their second appearance performing on BBC’s Top Of The Pops when it re-entered the charts on 16th September 1993.



Watch more Motörhead Top Of The Pops performance videos below:

80s USPM pioneers, Sacred Oath, have released a second single, “Don’t Be Afraid”, from their forthcoming 12th album. The band is currently in the studio working on a full-length follow-up to Return Of The Dragon (2021) and anticipate a 2025 release.



“We’re all excited to put this one out there,” says singer and guitarist Rob Thorne. “The last single ‘Is It Time?’ was angry, anxious, and desperately hopeless, which is valid. But we forge on, don’t we? We rediscover hope; we find a way to get our asses out of bed and give every day the best we’ve got. And in many ways, ‘Don’t Be Afraid’ is the best we’ve got.”

Sacred Oath are back working on a complete album of new songs in Thorne’s Connecticut studio, where most of their catalog has been recorded over the past twenty years.

“For the first time ever, I’m drawing upon my conversations with my own kids for the lyrics,” says Thorne. “I’ve lived my whole life as the angry teenager, and now I find myself advising and consoling a houseful of them. It’s weird. There’s a lot happening in their world. They need encouragement. And they most certainly need music.”

Watch a lyric video for the single below, and stream it worldwide on all platforms currently serviced by Virgin/UMG.

BraveWords Records has released “Hand Of Doom”, the next preview of the new Jack Starr solo album, Out Of The Darkness Part II, which will be released on April 25. Listen below:



Jack Starr talking about the new album, “This is the album I always hoped I would make, one that would be filled with power and glory but also melodic and passionate at the same time. This is the sequel to my 1984 album Out Of The Darkness, and it truly is a worthy successor that I believe will be embraced with the same affection that greeted the original. So yes, Out Of The Darkness Part II is here, and I urge everyone to listen to it. Keep the metal burning.”



Out Of The Darkness Part II tracklisting:

“Hand Of Doom”
“Endless Night”
“Into The Pit”
“Rise Up”
“Underneath The Velvet Sky”
“Tonight We Ride”
“The Night Has A Thousand Eyes”
“Sahara Winds”
“The Greater Good”
“Soulkeeper”
“Savage At The Gate” (Bonus Track)
“The Lesson” (Bonus Track)

Prior to the launch of JUDAS PRIEST's spring 2025 South American tour, singer Rob Halford spoke to Chile's Radio Futuro about the band's latest album, 2024's "Invincible Shield", which was widely praised as one of PRIEST's finest-ever efforts. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's extraordinary. There is no other band out there in metal that is making these kinds of statements. And we bring that type of philosophy with ourselves. We're always thinking about the best way to represent JUDAS PRIEST at this particular moment in time because just recently we celebrated the 50th anniversary of [PRIEST's debut album] 'Rocka Rolla', [which came out] in 1975, and here we are decades later with 'Invincible Shield' and the metal treasure trail of music, all those albums. We're always trying to make the best metal that we can make, and I think every band would say that, which is what you should say. But in terms of the songwriting and the performance and the attitude of the guys and the production, 'Invincible Shield' was probably as close to an important statement since 'Painkiller' that I can remember."

Halford continued: "A lot of people were wondering — when your favorite band makes an album, and then you have to wait two, three, four years for the next one, there's always anticipation: 'Please, God, don't let the album suck,' that kind of thought. 'Don't let your fans down.' It can become a very complex type of overthinking type of place that you can put yourself. So you should be aware of who you are and what you've done and how you've got there, but at the same time, it's making the metal now, making the metal in this metal moment. And I think where we were at making 'Invincible Shield' was a particularly strong display of relevance, that we're not holding anything back, that we're still pushing ahead and we're still making really good metal albums."

Halford also talked about the absence of PRIEST's classic guitar duo of Kenneth "K.K." Downing and Glenn Tipton, the former of whom left PRIEST in 2011 and the latter of whom retired from the road in 2018 following a Parkinson's disease diagnosis. He said: "[Glenn is] a remarkable man. Parkinson's is a cruel, cruel condition, particularly for musicians, particularly for guitar players who need to use their hands, because Parkinson's takes away that skill. Thank God his beautiful lead breaks and his guitarmanship will live forever with the work that he's done for JUDAS PRIEST, from 'Rocka Rolla' all the way through to the work that he did on 'Invincible Shield'.

"The relationship with K.K.? You could ask that question to any band that's had a number of changes going on," Halford continued. "Again, I think that Ken's role, Ken's place in PRIEST is permanent, with his guitar skills and with his writing that he did with Glenn and myself. So, I wish him all the best. We always wish everybody that takes an adventure away to do other things. You can't be angry about it. You can't be bitter about it. That's putting poison into your system. You've gotta let that go."

Referencing the musicians who are in PRIEST's current recording and touring lineup, Halford said: "The fact that Richie [Faulkner, PRIEST guitarist] came in when he did and is doing such extraordinary work now, making 'Redeemer Of Souls' and 'Firepower' and now 'Invincible Shield', alongside the bass God. Ian [Hill, PRIEST bassist] is playing as great and as strongly and as powerfully as he's ever done backed with the rhythm section of Scott [Travis, PRIEST drummer], who's still pulling out great things on metal drum performances. It's just a wonderful collection of really top-class metal musicians in JUDAS PRIEST."

Rob added: "I'm still trying to do as best as I can with my voice. There are some things I can't do anymore because I've been screaming my lungs out for over 50 years. But I still think that with the encouragement that I get and the support and love that I get from the band and primarily from the fans, I'm able to deliver the goods.

"So, yeah, it's nice to be philosophical and talk like this about PRIEST. The summation of all of that is when you see us at work in a few weeks' time on stage, you'll see all of those things that I've just talked about at its best level.

"Bands talk all the time about their music, and it's important to do that, but the actual proof of your ability takes place when you're on stage. So that's why we have to come back and show you guys the PRIEST is back and the PRIEST is still kicking ass."

Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance. He was replaced by Faulkner, nearly three decades his junior.

In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as "a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music," while the second was "angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties."

Downing later said that he believed the second letter was "a key reason" he wasn't invited to rejoin PRIEST after Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

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

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

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

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

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

JUDAS PRIEST will celebrate the 35th anniversary of its classic album "Painkiller" extensively live with the "Shield Of Pain" tour. This "rare" and "unique set" will include "beloved classics" and "will be defending the metal faith in a truly memorable experience throughout Europe" this summer, according to a social media post from PRIEST.

In a new interview with "The KiddChris Show", which airs on the WEBN radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio, STAIND guitarist Mike Mushok weighed in on CHEVELLE frontman Pete Loeffler's 2021 revelation that the latter band hadn't made any money from record sales despite the fact that CHEVELLE had sold six million albums for Epic Records. Mike said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Listen, I've sold I don't know how many millions of records, and I've never once received a royalty from the record company after — whatever — 20, whatever, 25 years. We still owe them money. We haven't been on the label since — I don't know — 2011 was the last record we put out on Atlantic, and we still owe them money. And listen, I'm not gonna lie — they gave us large advances, and that's why [we still owe them money]. But seriously, they have to be paid off. But anyways, I think it's estimated, I think we're saying, like, another three years it'll be paid off and I'll actually start making royalties on our records."

Asked if the STAIND bandmembers can, at some point, can, own their music, Mike replied: "Yeah. So supposedly after 35 years, the masters are supposed to revert back to you. But I was talking to our attorney about that, and he said that no label ever lets you do that. They try to buy you out and give you money so they can continue to own the masters — unless you fight them."

After separate stints with major labels — STAIND with Elektra and Atlantic and CHEVELLE with Epic — the two bands are now both signed to Alchemy Recordings, a record label created in partnership between Dino Paredes, former American Recordings vice president of A&R, and Danny Wimmer, the founder of Danny Wimmer Presents, the premier production company for rock music festivals in the United States.

Back in October 2023, STAIND's first studio album in more than a decade, "Confessions Of The Fallen", debuted at No. 4 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart. The set sold 11,000 copies in the U.S. in the week ending September 28, 2024, according to Luminate.

Of "Confessions Of The Fallen"'s first-week sales, physical sales comprised 7,000 (5,000 on CD and 2,000 on vinyl) and digital downloads comprised a little over 4,000.

"Confessions Of The Fallen", which was produced by Erik Ron (GODSMACK, PANIC! AT THE DISCO, BLACK VEIL BRIDES),marked the first studio release for STAIND on Alchemy Recordings/BMG, after the band's six studio albums from 1999 through 2011 were all released through either Elektra or Atlantic.

In August 2024, STAIND released a deluxe edition of "Confessions Of The Fallen", featuring a brand-new track, "Full Of Emptiness". Along with the brand-new song, the digital-only deluxe album also included the alternate version of the "Better Days" single, featuring singer and namesake of Los Angeles rock band DOROTHY.

In a 2024 interview with Germany's Riot Vision, Mushok spoke about the "electronic element" which was incorporated into "Confessions Of The Fallen". Mike said: "Well, that was something that [singer] Aaron [Lewis] really wanted to explore. We had talked about it before, but we'd never really done it. So he really wanted to make that a part of what we were doing. And it was funny, 'cause I do remember saying to him, like, 'I play guitar. I don't know how to do that.' So that's where I feel like Erik played a really big part in helping make that a part of what this album sounds like. Some of those verses where you hear [and] it's like more electronic[-sounding], that's a guitar part I wrote just played on a synthesizer, [using] some crazy sound. So he was able to take some of those things that I wrote and adapt it to kind of bring in some of those elements into the music. And I think he did a great job. I like it. I'm pretty happy with it."

Asked what new musical elements he would like to explore on future STAIND albums, Mike said: "I don't know. To me, it's just really about trying to write great songs. It's really just kind of trying to take what we do and make it better. And I don't really have any kind of guidelines. If it calls for more electronics or — I don't know — a guitar solo or whatever the case may be, whatever really the song calls for, I think that that's what the best thing to explore is. But I was very happy with the process of making this record and how it came out. Some records have been really difficult to make. This one wasn't one of those. The way we did it, it took us a while, but we got there. And by the end of the day, once we got there, I was really happy with the end results."

When "Confessions Of The Fallen" was announced in April 2023, Lewis stated about the LP's musical direction: "I did want to modernize the sound and bring us up to date. You can certainly recognize the band but at the same time you can hear that we've been paying attention and understand what kind of sounds and approaches we can use that maybe weren't around the last time we did this."

STAIND has released eight albums since 1995, including 2011's self-titled effort. The band has had a number of hit songs during its first two decades, including the Top 10 smash "It's Been Awhile" from the No. 1 album "Break The Cycle". Follow-up LPs "14 Shades Of Grey" and "Chapter V" also topped the Billboard chart.

STAIND released its first album in nine years, "Live: It's Been Awhile", in May 2021 via Yap'em/Alchemy Recordings. The "Live: It's Been Awhile" album was accompanied by "The Return Of Staind", a two-part global streaming series in partnership with Danny Wimmer Presents.

In a new interview with "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie, PAPA ROACH frontman Jacoby Shaddix, who will turn 49 in July, was asked if he can see himself performing into his seventies and eighties. The California-based singer said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "I'm taking this thing a decade at a time. I'm wrapping up my forties here in the next couple years, and I can definitely see us taking this into our fifties, for sure. And we will do this a decade at time."

He continued: "I've gotta take care of my physical health, I've gotta take care of my voice. Me, staying sober is paramount to that. I've just celebrated 13 years free from alcohol, so that's a huge milestone for me. And I will stay on that path because for me to drink is to die, essentially. And I love what I do. I love stepping on that stage. And being out here on 'Rise Of The Roach', this tour [with RISE AGAINST] in particular, it's really, honestly, reinvigorated my love for the stage and this connection because we've leveled up and we've elevated this thing to another place that we haven't been in a long time. And I look at it with gratitude, and I'm so thankful to still be in the game and really making an impact. It's popping off the hinges right now. And we're 25 years into the game. So, I've definitely got more gas in the tank."

Jacoby also talked about PAPA ROACH's hit song "Last Resort", which originally appeared on the band's breakthrough album "Infest". The LP peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart and has been certified triple platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for sales in excess of three million copies in the U.S. alone.

"Oh, man. It is a cult classic, a bestseller," he said. "It's just one of those that sits right in the fabric of rock and roll very nicely, and I'm so grateful that it just continues to get celebrated and it gets placed in all kinds of TV shows. People refer to it. It's like meme core. It rips through the Internet on a regular basis. We see it continually spin on our streaming. It still pops off, and I'm just over the top. I'm stoked about it every time. It gets me pumped up.

"I'll say one of my favorite placements of all time that that song has been in — there was a movie, it's one of my favorite movies. It's called 'Training Day'," Jacoby continued. "It's got Denzel Washington in it, which is one of my favorite actors. And there's a scene in the movie where the song's on the radio, and I just was, like… Having it in such an iconic film that I was a — I loved the film itself, but to also have Denzel in the film, it was just one of those moments where I had to pinch myself and just go, 'Oh, is this real life?'

"And, yeah, man, that song is the gift that keeps on giving," Shaddix added. "And [I'm] so grateful to have a song that has stuck through the test of time, if that's the right saying. But yeah, man. Cult classic, bestseller, baby. Let's go."

Last month, PAPA ROACH released a brand-new version of its latest single, "Even If It Kills Me", via the band's own label, New Noize Records/ADA. The group and Joshua Landry again produced "Even If It Kills Me (Reimagined)". The original single reached No. 1 at U.S. Rock Radio, marking PAPA ROACH's 13th appearance at the top of the charts.

"Even If It Kills Me (Reimagined)" is a fresh take on its heavier counterpart, showcasing the hit song in a new light, with a melodic arrangement and signature vocals delivered by Shaddix.

PAPA ROACH recently completed the European leg of the "Rise Of The Roach" tour. The trek saw PAPA ROACH bring its biggest-ever production and journey deep through their vast music catalogue, including a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the band's iconic breakthrough album "Infest". Special guests for the global tour were WAGE WAR in Europe and include RISE AGAINST and UNDEROATH in the U.S.

PAPA ROACH are two-time Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling leaders in alternative hard rock music. PAPA ROACH are not unfamiliar with calling attention to mental health and have been doing so since the seminal release of their first hit single "Last Resort". Since then, the band has gone on to create 10 studio albums, their most recent, 2022's "Ego Trip", on their own label New Noize Records.

In a new interview with Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com, Lorraine Lewis revealed the lineup of her long-running FEMME FATALE. FEMME FATALE released a self-titled MCA album in 1988 which produced two big rock singles and MTV videos: "Waiting For The Big One" and "Falling In And Out of Love". She said: "Well, it's all guys, for one thing. I've had a wonderful time being with the ladies of rock and roll — do not get me wrong — I've had a major blast. But FEMME FATALE originally was myself and four rocking guys, and we're getting back to the roots of that.

"Look, we can't go back to the '80s — I don't wanna do that — but I do want to be the front person, the leader of the pack that has these great rocking guys in back of me," she explained. "And so we're getting back to that look, getting back to that sound.

"I'm excited to play with guys again, quite honestly," Lorraine continued. "I've been on stage the last couple of weeks at the 'Ultimate Jam Night' at the Whisky [A Go Go in West Hollywood, California], and I got to perform with a great rocking band, with Sean McNabb [DOKKEN, QUIET RIOT, HOUSE OF LORDS, GREAT WHITE] on bass and just a plethora of just total rock stars backing me up. And there's just a difference in energy. I mean, it's one thing to be with badass babes, a whole 'nother ball game to be with rock star dudes. There's a power that comes with that, and I love it. They're super confident, they're great players, and the sound is great.

"We have a new single that's ready to drop," Lewis revealed. "I actually just sent it to a label this morning. I've gotta be all quiet about all of that stuff. But we're in talks with some labels about FEMME FATALE. In the meantime, I do have a band together. Right now my rhythm section is Matt Starr [Ace Frehley, MR. BIG] on drums. Sean McNabb on bass, and Joel Hoekstra [WHITESNAKE, NIGHT RANGER] is the guitarist. Joel is amazing. I have a track that is going to get mixed and mastered probably in the next week, with myself and Leather Leone from CHASTAIN, and we did a duet together, a rocking duet, our voices together. And Joel just laid guitar on that on Tuesday. So, I just heard what he did last night around midnight — the tracks came in — and I'm, like, 'Oh, damn.' [Laughs] I mean, what an amazing guitar player. What an amazing talent. He's been working with Cher. I mean, he does so many different things. I know he is working with [producer] Mike Clink. I read something about that. Yeah, he's very, very, very busy, and I am lucky and honored to get him when I can get him.

"So that's my lineup," she added. "Will it change from time to time due to people having commitments? So, look, if Cher needs Joel to be on stage with her, I will relinquish to Cher, because Cher is the queen. As a matter of fact, Cher has been very, very monumental in my personal growth as of late, over the last year, I would say, looking at Cher as a role model of sorts because she's such a fierce open-book badass. I don't know her personally, but I have definitely gotten some high fives, so to speak, of wanting to do certain things with my life and just looking at hers. And she's just done things the way that she's wanted to, and so I've loved that about her.

"So, yes, if Joel needs to be with Cher — totally understandable. So I have other players lined up that would fill in for that. But that's the lineup right now. Yeah. I'm excited… Yeah, they're really great. And just like I said before, power, the power, and when you have that kind of power behind you, for me, it just elevates me to another level. It's, like, 'Oh, you did that? Well, let me go here.'"

The 66-year-old Lewis reactivated FEMME FATALE after a nearly six-year run as the lead vocalist of VIXEN, whom she was invited to join in 2019. Lorraine has also been recording with Lou Gramm, the original FOREIGNER lead singer and Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer. They have recorded an interpretation of David Bowie's "Heroes" for release later this year.

Lewis was fired from VIXEN in May 2024 and was replaced by Rosa Laricchiuta.

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.

A collection of demos for what was supposed to be FEMME FATALE's second album, "One More For The Road", was released in 2016 via FnA Records. The demos were recorded back in 1989/1990 with the original bandmembers and had never seen the light of day until more than a quarter century later.

"One More For The Road" contained 14 tracks, including a version of Janis Joplin's "Piece Of My Heart".

FEMME FATALE released a live album in April 2024, "Demos + Live", that also included five demo tracks and a cover of AC/DC's "It's A Long Way To The Top".

In a new interview with Sonoridades Inc., QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton spoke about the band's lead singer Todd La Torre, who joined the group in 2012 as the replacement for QUEENSRŸCHE's original vocalist Geoff Tate. Michael said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[Todd has] helped keep us relevant. He's a great songwriter, but he's not just a vocalist and a lyric writer. He's a drummer. He can play guitar. He can speak to you and communicate to you as a musician, not just a singer. I mean, he grew up in Florida in the metal era, and he's got a lot of that influence, but he's very melodic as well. And he's got a killer voice. So I think it's just something that in the evolution of post-QUEENSRŸCHE, it's, like, we are still doing it and kicking ass. And hopefully we'll have something new out in the future."

Regarding the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for the follow-up to 2022's "Digital Noise Alliance", Michael said: "Right now we're writing. We're doing so much touring right now, it's hard to figure out where we will have a block of time to make an album. But before we went to Europe, we brought Zeuss [Chris Harris], our producer, down to Florida, and we worked on some ideas. We just started writing. And that's where we're at right now."

Wilton also talked about QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Casey Grillo, who joined the band in 2017 as the replacement for the original QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield. He said:  "[Casey is] an amazing player and he brings so much to QUEENSRŸCHE. He respects the songs, but he's such a dynamic player. He's very talented, and he helps in the writing process as well. So, yeah, he's been in the band over five years, six years, or whatever it is, seven, and, yeah, he's great."

In October 2021, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against Wilton and bassist Eddie Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge. A few months later, Wilton and Jackson filed a countersuit against Rockenfield, accusing him of abandoning his position as a member of the band and misappropriating the group's assets to his own personal benefit. That dispute has since been settled out of court.

Earlier this month, La Torre was asked by Chile's iRock.cl how QUEENSRYCHE's sound has changed since he joined the group 13 years ago as the replacement for Tate. He responded: "I think that the band kind of got its sound back, more of the roots, the heavier kind of sound that QUEENSRYCHE was known for early on. There was a long period of time where the music got more adult contemporary and less hard rock and heavy metal and progressive and all of the different elements that QUEENSRŸCHE was kind of known for. So I think me being in the band — I mean, it could have been any other singer — has allowed these guys to completely write whatever they wanna write without it being turned down as being too heavy, for example, 'cause that had happened."

He continued: "I love the old classic stuff. We perform all the songs in the standard tunings like they were recorded, so there's nothing downtuned that changes the way they sound. I think that's helped contribute to kind of the resurgence of the band. But we just write songs, and sometimes I think, 'Oh, I wanna write a masterpiece of a song like 'Roads To Madness'' or a great song like 'Take Hold Of The Flame' or — I don't know — songs off of '[Operation:] Mindcrime', for example. But we all have a great time and the chemistry in the band is perfect. We all are super, super close. We all get along off the stage so well that it really kind of… I think that the contribution that I bring in is the jokes, the laughter, the creativity with music and art idea, artistic ideas with album covers and video concepts and that kind of thing. I don't know. That's the best way I could answer it, is I'm just one fifth of QUEENSRŸCHE. But the band is in a very healthy state."

Regarding how he sees the future of QUEENSRŸCHE, Todd said: "Oh, man. I kind of see the future as kind of what we're doing still. A lot of bands have retired, and we're still out there. There's nothing in the future that I see of the band retiring. I mean, we play about a hundred shows a year. So probably more of the same — just performing live shows, writing new songs and making new records and promoting our art that way. But, I mean, really it boils down to the live concert. That's really what we are now."

In a separate interview with Brazil's Monsters Of Rock, Todd was asked which "unexplored musical directions" he would like to see QUEENSRŸCHE go in on the band's upcoming follow-up to "Digital Noise Alliance". He said: "[We're] kind of [doing] the same thing as what we've been doing. I mean, we don't go in writing a record with a preconceived idea. We just get in a room and [go], 'Hey, show me your guitar parts. What do you have in your mind?' And we kind of all get together in a room and just see what happens in real time. So as far as unexplored musical directions… Personally, I'd love to hear more clean guitar on the next record, maybe some more spacious stuff, some more clean guitar. Orchestration is always fun to work with. It's very huge and cinematic sounding. So those are fun things to play with. Maybe some different percussion things would be interesting to play around with again.

"But, gosh, after 40-plus years, I think without completely changing the band, the band's style of music, I don't know that there's really any too much unexplored musical directions," he continued. "I mean, QUEENSRŸCHE's kind of done a lot within the large space that QUEENSRŸCHE has to run around in. I mean, if we were to do something — we wouldn't write a hip-hop song, we wouldn't write a death metal song. So within the confines of what QUEENSRŸCHE kind of is, as diverse as it as it is, I don't know what kind of unexplored musical directions there would be. On the next one, I mean, I would love to, like I say, play around with some other clean guitar sounds, maybe some more interesting percussion things — like the song 'I Am I' had some really neat percussion things going on."

Guitarist Mike Stone, who rejoined QUEENSRŸCHE in 2021, contributed guitar solos to the band's latest studio album.

Since late May 2021, Stone has been handling second-guitar duties in QUEENSRŸCHE, which announced in July 2021 that longtime guitarist Parker Lundgren was exiting the group to focus on "other business ventures."

Stone originally joined QUEENSRŸCHE for the 2003 album "Tribe" and stayed with the band for six years before leaving the group.

SMASHING PUMPKINS frontman Billy Corgan spoke to Fox 32 Chicago 's Paris Schutz about his decision to team up with Lyric Opera of Chicago, his hometown company, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the band's massive, decade-defining double album "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness". Regarding how the collaboration came about, Billy said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "A couple friends that are sort of tight with people at the Lyric said, 'Would you ever do anything with the Lyric? They really need to get some other energy in here from outside.' It's a well-known thing that opera and classical music is sort of struggling with the general culture, which I understand and am empathetic to, as a fan of this incredible body of work that is often performed at the Lyric and with the CSO [Chicago Symphony Orchestra]. So my first reaction was, they wouldn't wanna work with me. I mean, what would they want with me? And it came back through kind of back channels that they would wanna have a conversation. So we got together and kind of had a pitch meeting, like, 'What do you think? What do we think?' And I think we both walked out there thinking, 'Okay, this can work.' We actually kind of meet in the middle more than we maybe would've thought we would've met in the middle."

Asked how he is planning to adapt "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness", with different themes running through the album, into one theatrical production, Billy said: "That's a fantastic question. I think the first thing you do is you tackle a musical thematic and create a musical through line that tells a story just as a musical compositional thing. And then once you do that, then you kind of figure out how to stage it and maybe create it. We're not trying to do it as a sort of operetta. I think the musical story and the lyrical narrative will tell enough of a narrative.

"The album was written as a sort of a mythical 24 hours in a day in someone's mind," Corgan explained. "So I think, depending how the music works modularly, it'll kind of work. But once I hear it all together, I'll be able to tweak it from there."

Billy went on to say that he didn't want Lyric Opera of Chicago to just make a "rock opera" version of "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness", with the album presented with a few strings. "This is a full adaptation to the classical and operatic world," he explained. "The first thing I said to Lyric is I don't want opera to go rock. My fans don't wanna see that. I don't wanna see that. I've seen where other bands have done it always to kind of, in my estimation, a little bit of a mixed result. I think it's cool. We've even had it proposed to us, and I've always turned it down. This is a unique opportunity to recast my work thematically, aesthetically in a totally different set of musical destinations. And that, to me, is like, 'Oh my God.' My brain just explodes, because as a composer, the SMASHING PUMPKINS version is only one version of the songs that I wrote. And having performed those songs over 30 years, I've done all those songs in different ways — slower, faster, more electronic, whatever. So I know they will adapt. And so that's why I'm working with a true string arranger from that world because it'll be up to him to kind of decode these melodies out."

"A Night Of Mellon Collie And Infinite Sadness" is described in a press release as "a new commission inspired by one of the greatest alternative albums of all time. You'll hear Corgan and special guest artists along with the epic sound of the Lyric Opera Of Chicago Orchestra And Chorus in a completely new, sonic and visual experience. Whether you love the PUMPKINS and are excited to hear their music in a sumptuous new dimension, or you simply crave the opportunity to hear a new work inspired by the unexpected, this promises to be one of the can't-miss cultural collaborations of the season."

"A Night Of Mellon Collie And Infinite Sadness" will be staged across seven nights only, November 21–30, 2025. Corgan reimagines his magnum opus by marshaling all of Lyric's technical and artistic forces for an immersively original sonic and visual experience that blurs the boundaries of opera, rock, and performance art. Featuring newly commissioned arrangements and orchestrations by Corgan and James Lowe, who also conducts, as well as costumes from House of Gilles by Gilles and Chloé Mendel Corgan, these historic performances promise to further magnify the legend of the original album and expand the definition and intention of opera.

"It is thrilling to collaborate with Lyric head John Mangum, my musical partner James Lowe, and all of the artists at Lyric in reimagining this very special and historic album, and to discover how Lyric's full operatic treatment is helping me experience my own compositions in powerful new ways," Corgan previously said in a statement. "Opera and rock both tell stories of heightened emotions, and I am excited for both fans of my music and traditional opera fans to hear some truly inspired work; for the balance here is to honor both traditions in a magisterial way."

John Mangum, general director, president and CEO of Lyric Opera of Chicago, added: "Next season is filled with a tremendous range of lavish and powerful opera productions that we are excited to share with our audiences. I'm just as excited about the special performances like 'A Night Of Mellon Collie And Infinite Sadness' that open the aperture and expand the definition of opera and what an American opera company can be. The season clearly illustrates how this company continues to push the art form forward and create new work that can only happen in Chicago."

"Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness" was SMASHING PUMPKINS' third studio album. It featured the singles "Tonight, Tonight", "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" and "1979".

San Francisco Bay Area metallers MACHINE HEAD filmed a music video for the song "Outsider" during their April 17 concert at The Aztec Theatre in San Antonio, Texas. The track is taken from the band's eleventh studio album, "Unatoned", which will be released on April 25 via Nuclear Blast/Imperium Recordings.

Fan-filmed video of the "Outsider" performance in San Antonio can be seen below.

According to a press release, "Unatoned" is "a testament to momentum, an album honed to its sharpest edge, forged on creative discipline and the hunger to push forward. It drips with melancholy melodies, and yet hammers with bludgeoning riffs, soars with anthemic sing-alongs of love lost and sadness, to bellowing power and undeniable confidence. Eleven albums deep, MACHINE HEAD remain as fierce, relevant, and unstoppable as ever."

Written in motion — on the road, in hotel rooms, and across continents — "Unatoned" reflects the raw energy of their return to the global festival circuit after an 11-year hiatus. The LP was recorded at guitarist/vocalist Robb Flynn's Jam Room, Sharkbite Studios and Drop Of Sun Recording between July 2023 and December 2024. The album was produced by Flynn, as well as Zack Ohren, who was also responsible for the engineering. The mixing and mastering was handled by Colin Richardson and Chris Clancy at Audioworks UK, and the mastering of the record was handled by Ted Jensen and his assistant Justin Shturtz. The only exception was the track "Landscape Of Thorns" which was produced by Flynn and Joel Wanasek who was also in charge of mixing the single alongside Zack Ohren. MACHINE HEAD once again tapped Seth Siro Anton to create the album artwork.

"Unatoned" track listing:

01. Landscape Of Thorns
02. Atomic Revelations
03. Unbound
04. Outsider
05. Not Long For This World
06. These Scars Won't Define Us
07. Dustmaker
08. Bonescraper
09. Addicted To Pain
10. Bleeding Me Dry
11. Shards Of Shattered Dreams
12. Scorn

MACHINE HEAD performed "These Scars Won't Define Us" and "Unbound" live for the first time during the kick-off concert of the band's North American tour on April 1 at Revolution Concert House And Event Center in Garden City, Idaho. MACHINE HEAD also played in Spokane, Washington on April 3 before teaming up with IN FLAMES, LACUNA COIL and UNEARTH for another 25 dates across the U.S. and Canada.

Flynn told "The Garza Podcast" about "Unatoned": "My last album was like a huge renaissance for the band. It just was fucking crazy. We headlined Hellfest [in France]. It was our tenth record. It was a concept record. It was the first time we ever did a concept record. Opening track was a 10-minute-long song. It's nuts.

"I'm fortunate enough to have been in this position a handful of times where I now have to follow up this record that is so beloved by fans, by people," he continued. "It's incredibly successful — elevates the band to another level. And everybody wants us to write another concept record. Everybody is just, like, 'You should just make another record like that one.' And I'm, like, 'You can't, because it's never gonna live up.' Nothing's ever gonna live up, because that moment for so many people... Lars [Ulrich of METALLICA] always talked about this — the reason so many people love [METALLICA's] Black Album, it's, like, they lost the virginity to the Black Album. Nothing is ever gonna top that. People lost their virginity to [MACHINE HEAD's] '[Unto] The Locust' or 'The Blackening' or whatever. Nothing's ever gonna top that. That's just life and stuff.

"So with this record, I set some pretty strict parameters around what I could do," Flynn explained. "And I'm not a big believer in talking about the direction of a record. I always feel like even if we have done it in the past, it never panned out. 'Oh, it's gonna be the heaviest or the thrashing' or the whatever, and you've just gotta follow it to wherever it goes… But I did want to put some structure around it. The last record had a bunch of long songs, so I was, like, 'I don't want any song longer than four minutes on this record.' So that was one structure. The other structure is — [I'm a] huge SLAYER fan to the death; [they're] one of my favorite bands, life-changing bands of all times. And one of the most underrated things about SLAYER is their genius use of chord changes — chord changes fucking galore all over every song. [They'd] have, like, three different chord changes in the lead section, and it the way it sets up the chorus or whatever. So I was, like, 'Every song has to have a chord change outside of the typical structure that you would expect.' … At some point it's gotta go to a key change that totally doesn't go with where the rest of the song went. Last thing is that the music in the last chorus had to be different from the music in the first chorus — maybe the drums drop out, maybe the guitars drop out, maybe that's where the key change happens, but something had to be [different]. The lyrics would always be the same. And at first it kind of took me a minute to kind of get into that mindset, like, 'Wow, this is a really challenging way to write,' but it always just became about trimming the fat, trimming the fat, trimming the fat. And in the end what we came up with was 10 songs plus two instrumentals. It's 41 minutes — the shortest album in MACHINE HEAD history. And I'm really proud of this thing. I really feel like we've got a fucking monster on our hands. It's just really unique."

Elaborating on the musical direction of "Unatoned", Robb said: "It's not our heaviest record; I would never say that it's our heaviest record. It's got a lot of melody. The last song on the record is a… I'm a total sucker for the Elton John piano ballad. I love Chris Stapleton… And that last song 'Scorn' is… It's, like, I've been trying to write a piano ballad for four albums in a row now, and I failed four albums in a row. And I finally nailed it with this album. I collaborated with this guy Joel Wanasek. I collaborated with Jordan [Fish], ex-BRING ME THE HORIZON, on the whole album. He actually got a piece on the record, which was really cool — added a really amazing element. I've got a few collaborators, like four guys that I work with, but me and this guy, Joel Wanasek, finally nailed down this piano thing… It was the last song I wrote on the record. And I know a lot of people think I'm super Mr. Libtard, social justice warrior guy and that's just not me, but that's kind of just what people think and the haters think. And I just started writing about — not that — but I just started writing about, I don't believe in Trump, but I think the fucking Democrats are a bunch of spineless fucking pussies. And I don't believe in anything anymore. I believe in myself. And I just wrote all of these lyrics kind of in that mindset. And the last line is, 'The wings of an angel, the heart of a king, the strength of a lion, the power I bring. I've lost faith in everyone, follow no more, my heroes have failed me, they look down on me with their scorn.' And so I took all of that. I was, like, 'I don't have any music, but I really like these lyrics.' So I came in with Zack [Ohren] — Zack's my engineer; he's my producer. He is fucking awesome; he's amazing… And I just picked up a guitar and I just said, 'I'm gonna play four chords here and I'm just gonna make this up as I go. I don't even know what I'm doing. I just wanna sing over this to something.' And I did, and I sang it, and I sang it in two takes. I laid out all the lyrics that I had written that morning. I pulled up some shit on my computer. I got two binders of lyrics. I wrote three and a half binders of lyrics from this record alone — just three and a half binders… And I literally sang the song in two takes, and when I was done, I was, like, 'That song's fucking done.' And it's the last song on the record. And I sent the chords to Joel and I was, like, 'Hey, like, can you make this into sad piano chords and put it together and kind of reverse engineer the rest of the song?' And I've gotta say, I'm so proud of this song. It's definitely kind of the outlier of the record, but I really just feel like it's a special song. And it's kind of something we've never done. And when you've been trying to do something for a long time — 15 years, I've been trying to write a fucking piano song — and it always just sounded too dorky… And it [finally] happened [on this album]."

Flynn also talked about his general approach to creating art with MACHINE HEAD, saying: "I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just trying to write music. Alls I ever wanted to do was just play guitar and write songs and sing and make motherfuckers circle pit and make motherfuckers jump and sing and fucking headbang and go crazy. That's all I've ever wanted to do.

"I'm not a businessman. I don't know what the fucking right decision is," he continued. "I just know the music that I do and where it comes from, and I do know that I'm really, really, really good at that. I know that. I'm not one of these guys who's good at a million fucking things — I'm not — but I do know that I'm really, really good at that. And I just try and focus on that. And I've got a good team of people that help me make decisions now and I feel like we've all got a good head on our shoulders and what MACHINE HEAD needs to be.

"We're not the heaviest band in the world," he added. "We're heavy, but we've been around for 32 years, and motherfuckers like [SUICIDE SILENCE] came along and LORNA SHORE and SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL, and [those bands are] fucking 10 times heavier than we will ever, ever, ever be. I can't sing like that. I don't even wanna try to; it'd be fucking ridiculous to. It would sound stupid for my fucking heavy metal Gandalf ass to be fucking trying to sing like that. We found our lane and we're super lucky that we found our lane and we fucking made that lane a little bit wider and a little bit wider so we can kind of go over here and do this and go over here and do this. But at the end of the day, it's just MACHINE HEAD music. That's what it is to me. It's metal, for sure — a hundred percent."

Last November, MACHINE HEAD released "These Scars Won't Define Us" as the first single from "Unatoned".

MACHINE HEAD's current lineup includes former HAVOK guitarist Reece Alan Scruggs. Scruggs stepped in for MACHINE HEAD's previous guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka, who had been unable to make some of the group's dates due to his touring commitments with his longtime band DECAPITATED.

Reece made his live debut with MACHINE HEAD in November 2022 at Strummer's in Fresno, California at the opening show of the "Electric Happy Hour (Live)" tour.

Vogg joined MACHINE HEAD's touring lineup prior to the launch of the band's "Burn My Eyes" 25th-anniversary tour in late 2019.

The rest of MACHINE HEAD's lineup consists of guitarist/vocalist Flynn, bassist Jared MacEachern and British drummer Matt Alston (DEVILMENT, EASTERN FRONT).

Earlier last year, MACHINE HEAD completed the "Slaughter The Martour" North American tour with support from L.A.'s FEAR FACTORY, Sweden's ORBIT CULTURE and Louisville, Kentucky's GATES TO HELL.

METALLICA played the first concert of 2025 last night (Saturday, April 19) at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, New York. Support at the show came from PANTERA and SUICIDAL TENDENCIES.

METALLICA's setlist was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

01. Creeping Death
02. For Whom The Bell Tolls
03. Hit The Lights
04. King Nothing
05. Lux Æterna
06. Screaming Suicide
07. Kirk And Rob Doodle
08. The Day That Never Comes
09. Fuel
10. Orion
11. Nothing Else Matters
12. Sad But True
13. One
14. Seek & Destroy
15. Master Of Puppets
16. Enter Sandman

Fan-filmed video can be seen below.

Since opening April 2023 in Amsterdam, "M72" has seen METALLICA play to some three million fans. Variously hailed as "an altogether life-affirming experience" (Billboard),"impossible to leave unsatisfied" (Austin Chronicle),"a stone-cold stunner of a show" (Detroit News),"the mother of all summer concerts" (Worcester Telegram Gazette) and "as tight and furious as METALLICA has sounded in ages" (Los Angeles Times),"M72" continues to amaze fans and critics alike. The tour concluded its triumphant 2024 run with four nights at Mexico City's Estadio GNP Seguros, where METALLICA played to more than 250,000 fans over the course of two No Repeat Weekends.

The "M72" world tour's 2025 itinerary continues the hallowed No Repeat Weekend tradition, with each night of the two-show stands featuring entirely different setlists and support lineups. These will include the band's first Nashville shows in five years on May 1 and 3 at Nissan Stadium, as well as METALLICA's return to Tampa after 15 years on June 6 and 8 at Raymond James Stadium. "M72" has also confirmed its much-anticipated Bay Area hometown play, to take place June 20 and 22 with the band's debut performances at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.

In a new twist, "M72" 2025 features several single shows bringing the tour's full production, with its massive in-the-round stage, to venues including two college football stadiums: the aforementioned JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, New York on April 19, and METALLICA's first ever visit to Blacksburg, Virginia, home of the Virginia Tech Hokies. The May 7 show at Lane Stadium will mark the culmination of 20-plus years of "Enter Sandman" playing as the Hokies take the field.

In addition to playing football stadiums across the nation, the "M72" world tour's 2025 itinerary will also include one festival headline — May 9 and 11 will mark a festival/No Repeat Weekend combo as METALLICA plays two headline sets at Sonic Temple at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

Support on "M72"'s 2025 North American run comes from PANTERA, LIMP BIZKIT, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and ICE NINE KILLS.

"M72"'s 2025 North American leg is produced by Live Nation and presented by new sponsor inKind. inKind rewards diners with special offers and credit back when they use the app to pay at 2,000-plus top-rated restaurants nationwide. The company provides innovative financing to participating restaurants in a way that enables new levels of sustainability and success. METALLICA fans can learn more at inkind.com.

As always, a portion of proceeds from every ticket sold will go to local charities via the band's All Within My Hands foundation. Established in 2017 as a way to give back to communities that have supported METALLICA over the years, All Within My Hands has raised over $15 million — providing $8.2 million in grants to career and technical education programs including the ground-breaking Metallica Scholars Initiative, now in its sixth year, over $3.6 million to combat food insecurity, more than $3.5 million to disaster relief efforts.

FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares has responded to Burton C. Bell's claim that the bandmembers "locked" themselves "in a box" be delivering a "certain sound" on most of their albums.

Earlier this month, the former FEAR FACTORY singer was asked by Rock Hard With Phil And Tish if and his bandmates ever felt the pressure that they had to release a certain type of music. Bell responded: "I feel, as a band, we locked ourselves in a box. And the label was expecting a certain sound, certain members were expecting a certain sound and, to be honest, a lot of fans were expecting a certain sound. Releasing anything else would have been — what's the word? — would have just been heresy, like, 'What are doing? That doesn't sound like FEAR FACTORY.' 'Well…'"

Burton went on to say that FEAR FACTORY released one album that didn't fall in line with what the fans expected from him and his bandmates. "We did a record [in 2005] called 'Transgression'. And the title in itself was a transgression of the actual sound of what FEAR FACTORY was. Instead of being an industrial metal band, on that record we were like a hard rock band almost. And fans treated it as such. So we did it to ourselves. But now as a solo artist, I don't feel that [kind of pressure] at all. I feel the sky's wide open."

Earlier today (Sunday, April 20),Cazares shared a screenshot of BLABBERMOUTH.NET's headline focusing on Bell's original comment, and he included the following message: "FEAR FACTORY didn't 'lock themselves in a box', we destroyed the box and evolved while maintaining a core sound. It's a choice driven by passion not pressure."

He continued: "I live, die, and regenerate FEAR FACTORY, loyal to the end. Machines Of Hate".

In a separate post on X, he added: "Innovation doesn't come from following the map it comes from redrawing it completely. Revolutionizing a new path forward."

Responding to a fan on X, Dino elaborated on why he disagrees with Burton's comment, saying: "It's just 2 different people's perspective on when they were in the band. One felt like he was boxed in, like he was doing it because he had to not because he wanted to, the other (me) did it out of love and passion it genuinely matters to me it's a choice, driven by passion not by pressure."

He later added: "The idea that FEAR FACTORY 'locked themselves in a box' doesn't really hold up when you look at our evolution. Sure, we had a core sound — tight, mechanical riffs, syncopated rhythms, and that signature clean/growl vocal contrast — but within that framework, we pushed boundaries constantly."

FEAR FACTORY created a sound that revolutionized extreme metal, defined in no small part by Bell's innovative scream/sing dichotomy and the influences he brought from post-punk and industrial.

Bell was the only musician to appear on every FEAR FACTORY release from 1992 through 2024.

After years of behind-the-scenes bandmember turmoil and legal issues, Bell left FEAR FACTORY in the fall of 2020.

The 56-year-old Bell had been largely inactive on the musical front since officially announcing his departure from FEAR FACTORY in September 2020. At the time he said that he could not "align" himself with someone whom he did not trust or respect, an apparent reference to Cazares. Bell has since been replaced in the band by the Italian-born singer Milo Silvestro.

Bell issued two solo singles in 2024 — "Anti-Droid" and "Technical Exorcism" — and a cover of RAMMSTEIN's "Du Hast" in 2023.

A new single from Burton called "Savages" is expected to be released later this spring.

Bell played the first concert with his solo band on June 13, 2024 at 1720 in Los Angeles, California.

Backing Bell at his recent gigs have been guitarist Henrik Linde (THE VITALS, DREN),drummer Ryan "Junior" Kittlitz (ALL HAIL THE YETI, THE ACID HELPS),bassist Tony Baumeister (ÆGES) and multi-instrumentalist Stewart Cararas.

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral (courtesy of Nuclear Blast)
Fear Factory didn't "lock themselves in a box." , we destroyed the box and evolved while maintaining a core sound. It's a choice driven by passion not pressure.
I live, die, and regenerate Fear Factory, loyal to the end.
Machines Of Hate
Happy Easter 🐇 pic.twitter.com/YegMEYT3Cm

— Dino Cazares (@DinoCazares) April 20, 2025


Innovation doesn't come from following the map it comes from redrawing it completely. Revolutionizing a new path forward.

— Dino Cazares (@DinoCazares) April 20, 2025


It's just 2 different people's perspective on when they were in the band. One felt like he was boxed in,like he was doing it because he had to not because he wanted to, the other(me) did it out of love and passion it genuinely matters to me it's a choice, driven by passion not by… https://t.co/m8iFdKOcTb

— Dino Cazares (@DinoCazares) April 20, 2025


Honestly, that comment makes no sense to me.
The idea that Fear Factory “locked themselves in a box” doesn't really hold up when you look at our evolution. Sure, we had a core sound—tight, mechanical riffs, syncopated rhythms, and that signature clean/growl vocal contrast—but… https://t.co/GSfTFcVUDo

— Dino Cazares (@DinoCazares) April 20, 2025

In a new interview with Rock Hard With Phil And Tish, former FEAR FACTORY singer Burton C. Bell was asked if and his bandmates ever felt the pressure that they had to release a certain type of music. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I feel, as a band, we locked ourselves in a box. And the label was expecting a certain sound, certain members were expecting a certain sound and, to be honest, a lot of fans were expecting a certain sound. Releasing anything else would have been — what's the word? — would have just been heresy, like, 'What are doing? That doesn't sound like FEAR FACTORY.' 'Well…'"

Bell went on to say that FEAR FACTORY released one album that didn't fall in line with what the fans expected from him and his bandmates. "We did a record [in 2005] called 'Transgression'. And the title in itself was a transgression of the actual sound of what FEAR FACTORY was. Instead of being an industrial metal band, on that record we were like a hard rock band almost. And fans treated it as such. So we did it to ourselves. But now as a solo artist, I don't feel that [kind of pressure] at all. I feel the sky's wide open."

Bell issued two solo singles in 2024 — "Anti-Droid" and "Technical Exorcism" — and a cover of RAMMSTEIN's "Du Hast" in 2023.

A new single from Burton called "Savages" is expected to be released later this spring.

Bell played the first concert with his solo band on June 13, 2024 at 1720 in Los Angeles, California.

Backing Bell at his recent gigs have been guitarist Henrik Linde (THE VITALS, DREN),drummer Ryan "Junior" Kittlitz (ALL HAIL THE YETI, THE ACID HELPS),bassist Tony Baumeister (ÆGES) and multi-instrumentalist Stewart Cararas.

Bell's discography includes multiple live and recorded collaborations with BLACK SABBATH icon Geezer Butler and JOURNEY's Deen Castronovo (as G/Z/R); industrial maverick Al Jourgensen and MINISTRY; and guest vocal appearances with PITCHSHIFTER, CONFLICT, SOIL, STATIC-X, SOULFLY and DELAIN, among others. He's the vocalist of ASCENSION OF THE WATCHERS and CITY OF FIRE and, of course, the co-creator of FEAR FACTORY and the only musician to appear on every FEAR FACTORY release from 1992 through 2024.

FEAR FACTORY created a sound that revolutionized extreme metal, defined in no small part by Bell's innovative scream/sing dichotomy and the influences he brought from post-punk and industrial. Songs like "Replica", "Linchpin", "Edgecrusher", "Fear Campaign", "Archetype", "Cyber Waste" and "Zero Signal" are modern metal anthems. "Demanufacture" (1995) and the RIAA gold-certified "Obsolete" (1998) are genre-redefining works heralded by fans and critics as essential albums. Orwell, Bradbury, "Blade Runner", and sophisticated sci-fi and fantasy works fed Bell's lyrics and concepts.

The band toured the world with METALLICA, SLIPKNOT, KORN, MEGADETH and OZZY OSBOURNE, taking bands like SYSTEM OF A DOWN and STATIC-X out as support acts in their early stages. After years of behind-the-scenes band member turmoil and legal issues, Bell left FEAR FACTORY in the fall of 2020.

The 56-year-old Bell had been largely inactive on the musical front since officially announcing his departure from FEAR FACTORY in September 2020. At the time he said that he could not "align" himself with someone whom he did not trust or respect, an apparent reference to FEAR FACTORY founding guitarist Dino Cazares. Bell has since been replaced in the band by the Italian-born singer Milo Silvestro.

SAVATAGE performed live for the first time in 10 years earlier today (Saturday, April 19) at the Monsters Of Rock festival at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil. The event also featured SCORPIONS, JUDAS PRIEST, EUROPE, OPETH, QUEENSRŸCHE and STRATOVARIUS.

SAVATAGE's lineup for the Monsters Of Rock festival and the upcoming shows this spring and summer consists of Johnny Lee Middleton on bass, Chris Caffery on guitar, Al Pitrelli on guitar, Jeff Plate on drums and Zak Stevens on lead vocals. Also appearing with the group are SAVATAGE's two new touring keyboardists, Paulo Cuevas and Shawn McNair.

One key member is missing from SAVATAGE's reunited lineup: Jon Oliva, the band's founding vocalist and keyboardist. In 2023, Oliva suffered a T7 vertebra fracture in three places, a severe injury that has left him relying on a wheelchair. Additionally, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and Ménière's disease, conditions that have further complicated his health.

SAVATAGE's setlist for the Monsters Of Rock festival was as follows:

01. The Ocean (performed for first time since 1998)
02. Welcome (performed for first time since 1998)
03. Jesus Saves
04. The Wake Of Magellan (performed for first time since 2002)
05. Dead Winter Dead
06. Handful Of Rain (performed for first time since 2002)
07. Chance
08. Gutter Ballet
09. Edge Of Thorns
10. Believe (sung and played by Jon Oliva on piano, video on screen; band came in after first chorus)
11. Sirens (performed for first time since 2003)
12. Hall Of The Mountain King

In an interview with Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda, Oliva repeatedly emphasized that his injuries prevent him from taking part in the tour, explaining how his condition has affected even basic activities, let alone performing. "I can't even sing right now because of the pain," he admitted. "I can't stand for too long, and I need time for my vertebra to heal naturally." When asked about surgery as a possible solution, Oliva explained that he had considered it but ultimately decided against it after seeking advice from medical professionals and acquaintances. "They wanted to put metal in my body," he said. "But people I spoke to told me not to do it, that I would regret it. So, I chose to let it heal naturally."

This past January, Caffery and Plate spoke to The Metal Voice about SAVATAGE's 2025 live shows. Regarding how the SAVATAGE "reunion" came together, Plate said: "Well, I think the catalyst has just been the fanbase. The fanbase never gave up on us. They've been beating the drum for this reunion for years.

"The band never broke up," the drummer clarified. "We haven't done a proper tour in over 20 years, but we never officially broke up. Obviously, we all work together in TSO [TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA]. We've played a lot of this SAVATAGE music in the TSO shows. Throughout the years, we've done at least one SAVATAGE song per tour, I believe — at least one. So the music has been out there. And the fanbase has been clamoring for this for the longest time. And, man, I've gotta hand it to them.

"Jon Oliva, several years ago… Jon is always writing music, and the plan was to do some recording — he's got a bunch of new ideas — do some recording and get out there and let's do this again. Jon has obviously run into a number of health problems, which are serious, and I'm sure everybody's read about them. But in Jon's wisdom, he's, like, 'You know what?' The ball kind of started rolling again. He's not going to stop it this time. Jon's gonna be involved in everything that we're doing from here forward. He can't go out and do these tours right now, and he's gonna work himself back into it. We've got our fingers crossed. But I tell you, man, the music in general, the fanbase, there's just a strength behind all that that's really kept the name alive, kept the interest alive.

"We're all here," Plate continued. "We're all playing probably as well or better than we've ever played. It's not like we've been sitting around for 20 years doing nothing and decided to reunite. Chris and I, Johnny and Al, we've been doing these TSO tours every year, plus a number of things in the off season. So there's a lot of factors to this. But the excitement of seeing the reality of it, seeing the confirmed shows, seeing the posters…

"Chris and I have been basically joined at the hip since 1995," Jeff added. "We've done a lot of stuff together. We talk about this all the time, and it really is exciting just to be able to get back out there and do this and play this music."

Chris chimed in: "The plan was, after we did Wacken [Open Air festival in 2015], to start playing. But [TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA founder] Paul [O'Neill] passed, and then we had to get over that. Then COVID came. And then Jon wanted to get started, then his injuries came. Like Johnny Lee had said when I was just speaking with him, 10 years went by like that. And we need to do this now. It's, like, if you blink your eyes, 10 more years will go by. And I don't wanna get emotional on things, but every other day, somebody in my life passes, it seems nowadays, as you get older. So we wanna take the advantage now of getting us together and celebrating what Jon and Paul and Criss [Oliva, late SAVATAGE guitarist] and all of us have done with SAVATAGE's music and give the fans that had a chance to see it a chance to see us again and the ones that never saw us a chance to see it."

Jeff continued: "And I'll tell you something. Chris mentioned losing Paul, and that obviously threw a huge wrench into everything. But in the infinite wisdom of Jon and Paul, they never dissolved the band. We've had this discussion several times. 'Well, what is SAVATAGE? Are we still a thing?' Paul refused to ever say that we were done. 'We're still a band,' yada, yada. So here we are all these years later. It may have been frustrating for a lot of people that we haven't played, but we never broke up. So now we're back. And I think this is gonna be really interesting and it's gonna be awesome."

Chris said: "I used to tell the fans, 'My crystal ball isn't working. When it happens, I will be there.' And I wanted it probably as much [as], if not 10 times more than, the fans, because it was such an important part of my everyday life. The fans are fans of a band, and SAVATAGE was a lot of my life for decades. And then TSO came along, but that piece of SAVATAGE not being there… I'm the one who's not married and I don't have kids, so it's, like, that part of my life being gone was a big part of me. So it means a lot for me to be back in that family and that world. It really does."

Zak joined SAVATAGE in 1992 as the replacement for Jon Oliva. Zak sang on four albums with the band — "Edge Of Thorns" (1993),"Handful Of Rain" (1994),"Dead Winter Dead" (1995) and "The Wake Of Magellan" (1997) — before departing in 2000, allowing Jon to return. Both Jon and Zak took part in SAVATAGE's 2015 performance at Wacken Open Air, which marked the band's first, and only so far, appearance on stage since they went on hiatus back in 2002.

SAVATAGE's last album release, "Poets And Madmen", in 2001 was highlighted by Jon's return as lead vocalist, replacing Zak, who left the band citing family reasons, and the departure of guitarist Al Pitrelli, who accepted an offer to join MEGADETH in 2000. Pitrelli did record solos for some songs prior to his departure. Another very limited U.S. tour followed, supported by FATES WARNING in the early shows, and then NEVERMORE for the remainder. Around this time, Jon chose Zak's replacement in the form of Damond Jiniya (DIET OF WORMS). Damond performed Zak's parts on tour, with Jon having an increased vocal role in proceedings.

In September 2021, Jon Oliva was arrested on the west central coast of Florida for driving under the influence as well as possession of a controlled substance. Police charged Oliva with possession of cocaine, which is a felony, and DUI, which is a misdemeanor. Oliva was reportedly arrested again in July 2023 on another cocaine possession charge.

Back in 2016, Jon announced on social media that he suffered a stroke in April of that year. At the time, he said: "It was not as serious as it could have been, but it did leave me with some physical recovery challenges often associated with strokes."

Despite his health issues, Jon said that he didn't regret the way he had lived his life. He wrote: "I lived the rock 'n' roll lifestyle since I was 18. It's all I knew and I enjoyed the ride very much. But there comes a time in everyone's life where you have to step back and make some life-changing decisions... which I have."

Shortly after SAVATAGE's reunion performance at the 2015 Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany, Oliva claimed that he felt better than he had in 20 years because he had "stopped drinking and eating" in preparation for the concert. He explained: "It's my voice that's freaking me out, because, even when I was in my late 20s, early 30s, doing songs like '24 Hours Ago' were always really hard to do. And, of course, I didn't realize that it was all the drugs and alcohol I was doing. But, after doing that, getting my act together and stuff, singing '24 Hours Ago', it's actually easy now. [Laughs]"

In addition to his work with SAVATAGE, Oliva is well known for co-creating the classical music-meets-prog rock and pyro act TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA alongside the project's founder Paul O'Neill. Oliva has reportedly remained involved in TSO's activities even after O'Neill's April 2017 death of an accidental drug overdose.

Jon's brother Criss, who was one of the founding members of SAVATAGE, was killed in October 1993 by a drunk driver when he and his wife Dawn were en route to the Livestock festival in Zephyrhills, Florida. The driver of the other car was found to have a drunk driving record of seven prior DUIs and having a blood alcohol content of .294 percent.

In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge spoke about the band's new single "Satanized", which came out earlier this week. The track is taken from GHOST's upcoming album, "Skeletá", which will arrive on April 25 via Loma Vista Recordings. "Yeah, it's a fun video and it's a upbeat, fun track," Tobias said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). It's a song about being in love and how that can potentially be mistaken as demonic possession, but in reality this song has nothing to do with demonic possession."

Asked why he picked "Satanized" to be the first single from "Skeletá", Tobias said: "It's funny because as I was making the record, I didn't really put much like regard into trying to write… Of course, as a songwriter, you always try to write as good songs as possible, but there wasn't a whole lot of, like, 'Oh, I'm gonna write a hit song.' So I was more interested in sort of making a bunch of songs that I was gonna put cohesively into an understandable and entertaining album. And wise with experience over the years where I've delivered records to the people that work with me, and I'm, like, 'This is the song. This is the single. This is the hit.' And more than often, it ends up being, like, 'Oh, no. We believe in that song instead.' Okay. So finally I've sort of given up a little bit on that. So I just sort of gave the record and I'm, like, 'You guys choose what you wanna do.' And then I'm sort of holding my thumb a little, crossing my fingers, hoping that that maybe they they'll hear what I hear. And to my big surprise, they came back with 'Satanized'. And I was, like, 'I couldn't be happier. I have a really funny video idea for that one. I never thought that you would go for that one,' simply because it's like…"

He continued: "To me, I am a huge fan of '70s music. That's a very simplified way of saying that, but I'm a big fan of SCORPIONS from the '80s, but also the SCORPIONS from the '70s, which sometimes, I guess, a certain age group might not be aware that that SCORPIONS was a band in the '70s, and they released several records. Those records are a little bit different from the '80s records, when they sort of became a '80s hit rock band. And 'Satanized' definitely had more of a SCORPIONS '77 stomp that I really liked about the track. And somehow, therefore, I guess, I wasn't like putting that as a hit-single fan favorite, or a favorite that way. I thought I was gonna work my magic to make that song a big song, the same way that we did with 'Mary On A Cross' once upon a time, when that was regarded as this 'B' track that was just for fun. And I was, like, 'I think that that song is actually quite good. We're gonna play it every show we're playing.' And it took years before it became what that became."

Circling back to the fact that his record company seemingly had the same vision for "Satanized" as he did in terms of the song's potential, Forge said: "I was overwhelmed and overjoyed with the synchronicity, because I have done that mistake before where I have conceived a record, conceived a track, have an idea for a video for a track, and then the powers that be want another kickoff. And then that leads to a discussion, and then more than often, the reasoning as to why you go with another track might be perfectly understandable, but all of a sudden my idea is just not worth the piece of paper it's written on, because it simply doesn't work if it's not in a… Sometimes the crux of being conceptual, sometimes your ideas are simply too conceptual and too based on presentation and stars aligning. But in this case, we ended up with fluency, which was cool."

"Satanized" was described in a press release as "an avalanche of infectious hooks and harmonies is buoyed by a hypnotic shuffle, as the narrator succumbs to dark forces within and without, helplessly acknowledging their own blasphemy and heresy as it inexorably consumes them." By the time the song's opening lines "There is something inside me and they don't know if there is a cure" have moved from the inner monologue of the possessed to the ears of the hapless listener, it will already be too late: You will have been "Satanized".

The "Satanized" music video introduces the new character who will be fronting GHOST for its 2025 touring cycle: Papa V Perpetua.

GHOST's sixth psalm, "Skeletá", is its most unflinchingly introspective work to date. Where previous GHOST albums dealt largely with chronicling and/or observing outward facing subject matter — such as "Impera"'s meditations on the rise and fall of empires and its predecessor "Prequelle"'s evocations of the ravages of era-defining plagues — "Skeletá"'s lyrics render the distinct individual emotional vistas of each of its 10 songs in one-on-one fashion, at times as if in a dialogue with oneself in a mirror. The end result is a singular collection of timeless, universal sentiments, all filtered through a prism of a uniquely personal point of view.

GHOST has also launched an interactive element dubbed The Satanizer, a first-of-its-kind music video experience for fans who wish to be "Satanized." Developed in partnership with Jason Zada (Elf Yourself),The Satanizer will morph its users into characters featured in the song's melodramatic video. With a quick upload of your photo, The Satanizer will send out a personalized music video clip featuring the participant, who can in turn share via social media that they too have been "Satanized."

"Skeletá" track listing:

01. Peacefield
02. Lachryma
03. Satanized
04. Guiding Lights
05. De Profundis Borealis
06. Cenotaph
07. Missilia Amori
08. Marks Of The Evil One
09. Umbra
10. Excelsis

Forge performed as a "new" Papa Emeritus on each of the band's first three LPs, with each version of Papa replacing the one that came before it. Papa Emeritus III was retired in favor of Cardinal Copia before the release of 2018's "Prequelle". In March 2020, at final show of GHOST's "Prequelle" tour in Mexico City, Mexico, the band officially introduced Papa Emeritus IV, the character who fronted the act for its "Impera" (2022) album phase.

As previously reported, GHOST will embark on a world tour in 2025. The European leg of the trek will kick off on April 15 in Manchester, United Kingdom and conclude on May 24 in Oslo, Norway. The North American leg of GHOST's 2025 tour will launch on July 9 in Baltimore, Maryland and wrap up on August 16 in Houston, Texas.

The physical home video of GHOST's worldwide Top 10 box office smash feature film debut "Rite Here Rite Now" was made available on December 6, 2024.

In a new interview with WNST and Baltimore Positive founder Nestor Aparicio, guitarist/vocalist Rik Emmett of legendary Canadian rockers TRIUMPH was asked when fans can expect to see him performing again at Rams Head Tavern in Annapolis, Maryland. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "You know what?! I tell you this: of all the places that I would maybe go, that was always a great place to play. I loved that venue, loved just the feel of it. It was a nice place to play. And there's videos on YouTube you can find of moments at the Rams Head. I still have a t-shirt somewhere, a Rams Head t-shirt.

"But honestly, and not to end on a down note, but because of all of the B.S. that's going on now between America and Canada, and the guy that you guys decided to elect as president," referring to U.S. president Donald Trump.

Aparicio then flashed his "Canada" red visor hat and noted that he wasn't one of the 77 million people in the U.S. who voted for Trump (49.8% of the popular vote, compared to 75 million who voted for Kamala Harris, or 48.3% of the popular vote). He also expressed his concern that he may not be welcomed if he tries to cross the border and enter Canada, to which Emmett said: "Wear that hat, buddy — just make sure you're wearing that hat — because there are gonna be people that are walking around out… Like [comedian] Mike Myers on 'Saturday Night Live' was talking about 'elbows up' [as a rallying cry among Canadians in response to President Donald Trump's recent threats against the essential ally], like [Canadian hockey legend] Gordie Howe, we're gonna be defensive now."

Rik continued: "The Republicans in your country are offensive people, and they're being offensive to the rest of the world.

"I love the fact that there are Americans that don't agree with that, but we are gonna be defensive. And yes, your [Baltimore] Orioles [baseball team are gonna get a little bit of that [when they play the Toronto Blue Jays this week]. They might hear some booing of your national anthem and stuff.

"It's not that I don't love what America stands for," Rik clarified. "The greatest part of my career happened because of the support of Americans. They're still the largest amount of fans that I have. But whatever happened to the America of Lady Liberty? Whatever happened to the America that had an open mind and an open heart and open arms? Like, come on! That's a thing that's — it's gone now, and it's something to regret. So I'm just telling you, if somebody's got their elbows up, you just have to go, 'Yeah. Okay. I'm sorry.' Wear a little maple leaf over your heart. You'll be fine. [Laughs]"

On March 4 and on the eve of his joint address to Congress, President Trump started a trade war, hiking tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China, the United States' three biggest trading partners. Trump's tariffs, along with fears of an economic downturn, drove a stock market sell-off that has wiped billions from Americans' retirement accounts.

Tariffs are not paid by countries, but importers — in this case, U.S. companies — that buy products from businesses in the targeted countries.

Trump's trade tariffs are set to make everyday goods that are imported from across the border more expensive for consumers.

A new CNN/SSRS poll Wednesday showed 56% of Americans now disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy — his worst rating on this issue of his entire White House career.

On Wednesday, Canada announced new retaliatory trade duties on some $21 billion worth of U.S. goods, a response to Trump implementing universal steel and aluminum tariffs.

In a news conference announcing the retaliatory duties, a Canadian government spokesman called Trump's tariffs "completely unjustified, unfair and unreasonable."

"The U.S. administration is once again inserting disruption and disorder into an incredibly successful trading partnership and raising the costs of everyday goods for Canadians and American households alike," said François-Philippe Champagne, Canada's minister of innovation, science and industry.

Last month, Reuters reported that Canadians have canceled trips south of the border, boycotted U.S. alcohol and other products and even booed at sporting events after Trump announced 25% tariffs on most of Canada's goods.

Trump has also repeatedly expressed his desire to annex Canada, saying that it only makes "sense" for Canada to become another American state to make tariffs disappear, to reduce taxes and secure its military defense.

In a new interview with Brazil's Monsters Of Rock TV, OPETH guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt spoke about the importance — or lack thereof — of staying true to the band's roots while taking OPETH's sound and songwriting to new heights with each successive album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "I don't really pay too much attention to our roots, to be honest. They are there regardless if I want it or not, so I don't really have to think about those kind of things. I think that some of our fans would probably disagree and say that we have abandoned our roots, and to some extent, I suppose that's true, but the kind of core of our sound from the beginning wasn't to attach ourselves to a specific sound or — how do you say? — a specific direction. It was always — the idea was always [to keep] evolving.

"I remember from early on that we talked amongst ourselves in the early incarnation of the band that it would be great if we could be one of those bands who could do anything we want," he explained. "Even when we did the first album, I was 19 years old, but I already started dabbling in death metal music. I was heavily into progressive rock. I was into singer-songwriter music. I had bought myself a couple of jazz records, a couple of fusion records, some classical music, all sorts of stuff. And I felt early on it would be impossible for me to carry on being in a band if I couldn't allow myself to write music without boundaries. And who's gonna set boundaries for us? I mean, nobody's in that position. And in the early days, we didn't even have fans. [From the very beginning, we were] thinking we can do whatever we want. There was no references. It was just us trying to put together music that we liked. And pretty early on we started shifting. I mean, the first album is similar to the second, but then we made a shift, and then after that we made another shift, and then later on we made another shift. And it always evolved. And I always liked that."

Mikael added: "For me, I don't believe in staying true to the roots, because those roots don't really exist in the same way in our band as they do in maybe some other bands. I don't know. Our roots has always been to evolve."

As previously reported, OPETH was honored in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal" category at this year's edition of the Swedish Grammis awards (Swedish Grammy equivalent),which was held on March 27 at Annexet in Stockholm.

"The Last Will And Testament", OPETH's fourteenth studio album, was released last November via Reigning Phoenix Music/Moderbolaget. The LP was written by OPETH frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt, with lyrics conferred with Klara Rönnqvist Fors (THE HEARD, ex-CRUCIFIED BARBARA). "The Last Will And Testament" was co-produced by Åkerfeldt and Stefan Boman (GHOST, THE HELLACOPTERS),engineered by Boman, Joe Jones (KILLING JOKE, ROBERT PLANT) and OPETH, with Boman, Åkerfeldt and the rest of OPETH mixing at Atlantis and Hammerthorpe Studios in Stockholm. The strings on "The Last Will And Testament" were arranged by Åkerfeldt and returning prog friend Dave Stewart (EGG, KHAN) and conducted by Stewart at Angel Studios in London. Not one to miss a beat, visual artist Travis Smith returned to the fold, crafting his 11th cover, a haunting "photograph" reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's infamous "Overlook Hotel" photograph. Miles Showell (ABBA, QUEEN) also revisited mastering and vinyl lacquer cutting at Abbey Road Studios in London.

Åkerfeldt rolled out the red carpet for storied flautist and JETHRO TULL mainman Ian Anderson. Not only do Anderson's signature notes fly on "§4" and "§7", he narrates on "§1", "§2", "§4", and "§7". Joining Anderson, EUROPE's Joey Tempest lends a backing vocal hand on "§2", while Åkerfeldt's youngest daughter, Mirjam Åkerfeldt, is the disembodied voice in "§1".

Making his recorded debut alongside OPETH's long-established lineup of Mikael Åkerfeldt, guitarist Fredrik Åkesson, bassist Martin Mendez and keyboard maestro Joakim Svalberg on "The Last Will And Testament" is new drummer Waltteri Väyrynen, who joined the band in 2022.