A new official Pink Floyd compilation project titled 8-Tracks, featuring eight essential classics selected from the band’s 1971 – 1979 era, will be released on June 5 via Sony Music. The album is available to pre-order on vinyl, CD and digitally here.

The tracklist includes the instantly recognisable hits “Money,” “Wish You Were Here,” “Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2,” “Time” and “Comfortably Numb,” alongside earlier cuts in “One Of These Days” and “Wot’s… Uh The Deal,” as well as an exclusive full version of “Pigs On The Wing,” previously available only on the 1977 Animals 8-Track cartridge release. The track sequence has been edited by Steven Wilson using sound effects sourced from the original multitracks to make for a continuous listening experience in classic Floydian style.

8-Tracks documents the full measure of Pink Floyd’s transition into their breakthrough era, propelled into superstardom throughout the 1970s. The eight-year period this special release celebrates encompasses music from some of the band’s most successful and celebrated records ever. 1971’s Meddle, 1972’s Obscured By Clouds, 1973’s The Dark Side Of The Moon, 1975’s Wish You Were Here, 1977’s Animals and 1979’s The Wall. Six monumental, classic albums in their own right. Collectively, it’s a body of work that sees Pink Floyd shifting far beyond the early psychedelic pop Syd Barrett era and their post-experimental output, cementing their global status as one of the greatest rock bands of all time.

8-Tracks offers a brilliant insight into this incredible period of creativity. A starting point for new listeners to discover the depth and breadth of Pink Floyd’s peerless album catalogue, as well as a carefully curated collection for longtime fans to appreciate.

The 2026 announcement of 8-Tracks follows a remarkable 12 months for Pink Floyd. The 50th anniversary release of Wish You Were Here became a Top 10 charting album across the world, signalling Pink Floyd’s second #1 release of 2025 in the UK, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, 50 years after it first topped the chart. Seven months prior, the cinematic release of Pink Floyd at Pompeii – MCMLXXII became a Top 10 Box Office hit, and the accompanying soundtrack album earned the band’s first UK #1 album since 2014’s The Endless River – their final studio LP.



Tracklisting:

Side A
“One Of These Days”
“Wot’s… Uh The Deal”
“Money”
“Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2”

Side B
“Wish You Were Here”
“Time”
“Comfortably Numb”
“Pigs On The Wing” (full version originally released on the Animals 8-Track cartridge and exclusive to this compilation)

In a new interview with WGN News, acclaimed rock drummer Tommy Clufetos insisted that he never got entrenched in the alcohol and drug lifestyle that has claimed the lives of so many iconic musicians.

"I know I look like a nutcase, but I'm about the straightest guy you've ever seen in your life," Tommy said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I never did drugs, I don't drink, and I just play rock and roll like a guy who did — wild and crazy. Because when I was a kid, I wasn't interested in that stuff. I always thought that the wildness came from your gut. And it does come from your gut with me."

Clufetos, who played with Ozzy Osbourne, one and off, for more than a decade, first as a member of Ozzy's solo band and then as the replacement for Bill Ward in BLACK SABBATH's touring lineup, was also asked if he has the freedom, when joining an established group, to inject his own style into performing the drum parts or if he has to play the songs just the way the previous guy played them. He responded: "Hopefully not [the same way the previous guy played them] because he's gone. Well, I always try to take it back to its original incarnation that people love, and I do my thing through doing that. I bring my own energy to it. And hopefully my passion and my fire for music reignites that original flame that some of these artists have had."

Clufetos worked with such rock icons as Ted Nugent, Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie before joining Ozzy Osbourne in 2010. That led to a spot as the drummer on BLACK SABBATH's last two world tours.

Clufetos did not play on the SABBATH reunion album, "13", a role that was filled by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE drummer Brad Wilk. Ozzy Osbourne told The Pulse Of Radio at the time that Clufetos was gong to play on the record until producer Rick Rubin stepped in.

TOMMY'S ROCKTRIP, where Clufetos offers his take on the rock 'n roll influences that made him one of the most sought-after drummers in the current hard rock scene, will play at the Token Lounge in Westland, Michigan on April 23 and at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, Illinois on April 24.

In May 2021, TOMMY'S ROCKTRIP released its debut album, "Beat Up By Rock 'N' Roll", via Frontiers Music Srl. Eric Dover, known for singing and playing guitar with JELLYFISH, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT and Alice Cooper, handled lead vocals on the LP (though Tommy grabbed the mic for three tracks). Eliot Lorengo (bass),Hank Schneekluth (guitar) and Nao Nakashima (guitar) rounded out the supporting cast.

In a recent interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, Tommy was asked if he ever thought, while growing up in Detroit, that he would so connected to Ozzy's camp. Tommy said: "Well, in a strange idea, yes, I did think, whether it was Ozzy or somebody else, I did envision whatever's happened in my life to happen. And I envision more to happen. I didn't get into drums to play at the corner bar. Even though I played at the corner bar — I got no problem with it — but I had the biggest aspirations. I still do, and that's where my fire comes from, is I want."

He continued: "They say, "Well, you can't play in every band.' And I go, 'Why not? Why can't you? Why can't you?' I can do whatever I want, and wherever my talent leads me, I will follow. And that's what I've always done. And it's led to playing with Ozzy Osbourne and BLACK SABBATH and Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper. But I always approached it the same when I was playing at home in Detroit, the same death grip of the drumsticks and going for it. That's where I got my craft. That's where I got to play for all these greats, is from playing in Detroit like it was the end, 'cause it's always the end. And that's what I'm gonna do at the Token Lounge [in Westland, Michigan when I play there in April with my band TOMMY'S ROCKTRIP]. I'm gonna play just like I was playing at the BRIT Awards [as part of the Ozzy tribute], like everybody's watching, because everybody always is watching."

Tommy added: "It's not about being a used car salesman, but it's about having a passion for what you do. And hopefully that passion ignites inside of you, and you can't help but let it out. I can't help but let it out. When I get behind my drums and I do what I do, the Motor City and playing gigs till four in the morning and lugging my gear in the snow and loading up the P.A., and bar owners screwing you on money and all these hard things and all these things that you secretly love come through the passion of what I do."

In a new interview with The New Scene, NEUROSIS vocalist/guitarist Steve Von Till spoke about the band's recently released first new album in a decade, "An Undying Love For A Burning World". The LP sees the band — Von Till, drummer Jason Roeder, bassist Dave Edwardson and keyboard player Noah Landis — joined by Aaron Turner (SUMAC, ISIS),a musician whose legacy is intertwined with NEUROSIS's own and a true kindred spirit.

Addressing the fact that he and his NEUROSIS bandmates had silently split with co-founder Scott Kelly in 2019, keeping Scott's domestic abuse and emotional manipulation and subsequent dismissal quiet to respect Kelly's family's wish for privacy, before Scott finally copped to the damage three years later, Von Till said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I don't wanna feed too much oxygen into a certain situation as we're looking forward. But we weren't sure. We had to walk away and put it on ice. We had to get perspective. You can imagine that the entire mixed emotions that we had of having essentially our life's work pulled out from under us… It was heartbreaking and devastating and shameful, seeing what our name was associated with.

"Everything we had to say about that, we said in that statement that we did at that time, and we still stand by exactly those words," he continued. "So when we were finally free to talk about things openly in 2022, when we did speak that, then we finally could at least… I don't even know how to put it.

"So 2019 to 2022 was purgatory. Couldn't talk. Couldn't say," Steve recalled. "Just tend to a rotting corpse. 2022 we were at least able to finally say, and that's when we could emotionally mourn it, move on, process the ego death, process the humiliation and wonder how and what and why. And so, really, it took a while to — for me the 'why'. Ego's not enough. Just because we want it is not enough. And so finally, I think, late 2023 or so — I don't remember the dates exactly — but the four of us got together and started making some noise, not knowing, not having a plan, not having a purpose, not knowing what was happening. And we could instantly feel that everything we've always been is still there. Our desire is still there. Our unique voice will always be what it is, just because of our communal process. But it still wasn't clear. It wasn't clear until we brought Aaron in as the much-needed element and the much-needed kind of new energy and interesting perspectives. 'Cause we had a lot of different ways we perceived maybe reinventing ourselves sonically in different ways and manipulating sound. But Aaron was the missing piece that we needed to bring in to really make it jell and make it clear. And it instantly felt right. And the music started coming and the music that started coming was really inspiring. But it wasn't until this crystallizing moment where we sat down together in Aaron's yard, on the island he lives on, in front of the little shack we were playing in, and, 'Are we doing this? If we're doing this, we're making plans tomorrow.' And that was September [of 2025]. And here we are… We had another rehearsal session or two, and then it was recording the first third. 'Cause we weren't prepared to record and rehearse it all at once. It was just too much material. So we just said, 'Let's break it into bite-sized chunks.' We only have weekends. We're all working class. We all have to go to work like everybody else. And so we just decided we're just going to focus on zooming in on one third and really deconstructing it, putting it back together into its most essential form that we felt right and then two weeks later record it. Two weeks later, rehearse the second third, two weeks later record it. Two weeks later rehearse the last third, two weeks later record it. Two weeks later mix it. Have the mastering engineer on standby, waiting for the files from Scott Evans. And we were approving test pressings weeks ago before the [late March 2026 album] drop."

Regarding how Aaron came to join NEUROSIS, Steve said: "Well, we've been friends for a long time. ISIS toured with NEUROSIS when they were a young new band. And Aaron had done artwork for a NEUROSIS EP, and we had put out some ISIS stuff and some of his side-project stuff on Neurot Recordings. So we'd been in contact over the years. I've paid attention a lot to what he's doing with SUMAC. I was really always impressed by his not falling back on what he had done before, but pushing the envelope and really finding interesting and unique ways to approach heavy music, emotional, heavy music, and art. And at first, we didn't sit down with a bunch of names and think. We were just thinking, 'What's the right energy?' And his name kept coming up, as we were thinking about it. Our only initial hesitation was, it's so frickin' obvious, it can't be right. That's too obvious. And we'll never hear the end of the fucking NEUR-ISIS jokes… And honestly, again, being apprehensive and I guess just lacking confidence in what we were doing and how we were going to come back, if we were going to come back. It was never sure. All we knew is we never declared we were done, and if we had something to say, we'd say it. We weren't gonna say something until it was 100% clear. So, really, we thought maybe he was too busy. He has a lot going on. He's got a young family. He's got his musical projects. And it's a lot. Committing to a band like NEUROSIS is a lot, just energy-wise. We're not a currently working band out there in the world. But once you make plans to, you would imagine it's a lot of work, and it takes a lot of bandwidth. And so, really, I think I was sitting right here with my friend Randall, setting up a vocal sound for my last solo record, and he's, like, 'Man, I think he'd do it. You should just ask him.' And he was threatening to text him himself. I'm, like, 'Dude, do not do that. I need to talk to my brothers first.' And so our next time I said, 'I think Aaron's the guy. What do you guys think?' And they instantly kind of thought about the energy he has, and having seen SUMAC recently, the energy that they brought. And we actually took SUMAC on tour back — I don't know; 2017, '18; I don't know; I'm bad with the years, but one of SUMAC's earliest tours, we took them out. So they knew the energy, and they were, like, 'Yeah, that seems right. And let's ask him.' And so we basically said, 'Hey, you wanna join our dysfunctional old-man band?' And he said, 'I wouldn't even consider this for any other thing in my life right now. I've got too much. But, yeah, let's have a conversation and let's try it.'"

On the topic of the songwriting process for "An Undying Love For A Burning World" and Aaron's musical contributions to the album, Steve said: "I believe that was May 2024, was our first kind of jam together. And 2024, we could only get together, I think it was three times over the year, 'cause people were already busy and scheduled with stuff and had different stuff going on. But basically we just kind of — beforehand we asked him to learn a few old songs, just so we'd have something to jump in and play. I mean, we need to play — just shake the rust off and just dive in on something. And so we relearned the songs. I showed him some of the guitar parts online. We had a couple of Zoom meetings where I showed him some of the fingerings and where things were and which guitar part was which. So we came in and we jumped right in on a few songs, and it just felt really good and natural. I mean, obviously he grew up with our music, and so we didn't have to tell him the deal. We didn't have to explain the vibe. That was all ingrained. We already had some new ideas that we had kind of worked on a little bit, and we showed him some of those and he instantly started contributing. 'Cause we didn't have all the parts written for those; they were just very skeletal ideas. And our communal process is most of the time everybody — unless somebody had a really great brainstorm at home, it's mostly people are contributing their own parts; they're writing their own parts for everything, or at least augmenting them and manipulating them into something that works. And, yeah, he instantly started contributing, instantly had great ideas. I think he went away really inspired, and the second time he was bringing ideas, bringing his own ideas in. And except for the first few ideas that we had before him, which he added greatly to, including adding his own riffs and entire parts… Our process is very meat grinder. We build everything up and completely destroy it and then reform it from the ashes of what the original idea was until we're happy with it. And it's everybody's unique feedback and filters that make it what it is and make it make it stronger than any individual's ideas could have ever been."

"An Undying Love For A Burning World" was recorded by Scott Evans (KOWLOON WALLED CITY, SUMAC, GREAT FALLS) at Studio Litho in Seattle during three weekends this winter, and mixed in three days just six weeks before release at Evans's Antisleep Audio in Oakland.

NEUROSIS will play their first show in seven years on the traditional lands of the Blackfeet Nation in Montana as part of Fire In The Mountains festival by special invitation of Firekeeper Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to reducing youth suicide in Indian Country.

Photo by Bobby Cochran
An Undying Love For A Burning World by Neurosis

During an April 6 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", POISON frontman Bret Michaels spoke about the possibility of a tour to commemorate the 41st anniversary of the band's debut album, 1986's "Look What the Cat Dragged In", in 2027. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're hoping for '27, 'cause I know it's a big question. I think — I really strongly think '27, without going into details yet, is going to be a good reunion year for POISON. I think it's gonna be awesome."

Referencing POISON drummer Rikki Rockett's recent claim that the band's 2026 tour was no longer happening after Bret allegedly demanded to earn $6 for every dollar each of his bandmates stood to make from the shows, Michaels continued: "Most people like the drama. I'm an anti-drama guy. I love the guys. I think '27 is gonna be great.

"Rikki is my brother. And you're allowed to agree and you're allowed to disagree, but we're gonna go out there and make it an incredible [tour], honestly," Bret added. "If '27 all works out here … we'll jump on the phone, get the whole band on there, or at least me and Rikki just talking it up and be able to lay out some dates and bring a great reunion tour. But I'm grateful for POISON and I love my brothers and and sisters in the BMB [BRET MICHAELS BAND, Bret's solo group], and I don't see any reason we can't do both and make it great."

This past January, Bret denied that POISON's proposed 40th-anniversary tour fell through because he allegedly wanting more money. During an interview with "Chaz & AJ In The Morning" on 99.1 WPLR, Michaels teased that POISON's 2027 tour could be called "40 Plus One", since it would happen on "Look What the Cat Dragged In"'s 41st anniversary.

"As this thing got further down the road… Remember, when you're booking stuff, we're already booking stuff solo into '27. So this just got backed up. And I'm hoping that, as a founding member, obviously that would be a great day, and I'm positive we can make that happen in '27," Michaels said.

Asked why the 2026 tour was no longer happening after he allegedly demanded six times as much as each of his bandmates, Bret said: "Well, I'm gonna answer that honestly. It never happened. We never got to that part of negotiations."

He noted that when discussions about a tour begin, "they ask me to put together solo numbers and an average, and that's the first part we turn in."

"We ask what the stage is gonna look like, where do we start the tour? I even got into where we're starting the dates, and then all of a sudden, '26, the shows in '26 wanted solo answers, so we moved this to '27 back last summer," Michaels explained.

Bret added that "even the other members haven't commented. They're, like, 'I thought this is going in '27 now,'" Michaels said of the tour.

Michaels went on to say that he and the other members of POISON are still "all friends."

"If you wanna discuss something, we have each other's phone number for the last 45 years," he added.

He continued: "No offense. I love Rikki. I love Bobby [Dall, POISON's bassist]. I love C.C. [DeVille, POISON's guitarist]. Don't negotiate on the air [during an interview]. Just call me on the phone, and we'll work out what[ever needs to be worked out]. We've worked it out for 40 other years. Let's work out what we need to work out."

When the interviewer noted that he didn't think anyone would blink if Bret asked for more money, Michaels clarified: "Again, I wanna go into this. That never came up on the table. What comes up on the table is, what's people making solo? What are we doing? You throw it out there. And it's not their fault either. It never finished, the negotiations, on everything. Where's the tour start? Who's opening for us? What lights, what sound, what's the stage look like?

"It's hard to explain to everybody how much goes into making a show great," Bret continued. "And with me, when I'm solo. I could make this decision on the bum runners. If I'm out with POISON, we're four founding members. And rightfully so for that situation. So I wanna make sure the fans hear the truth. It should be a four-way discussion. That's what POISON's meant to be."

POISON last hit the road in 2022 when it supported MÖTLEY CRÜE and DEF LEPPARD on a massive stadium tour. After that tour ended, Michaels went back to performing sporadic shows — consisting almost entirely of POISON hits — with his solo band.

In a January 2026 interview with the New York Post's Page Six, Rockett claimed that Michaels was demanding too much money while they were in discussions about a 40th-anniversary tour.

"We had a great offer, I thought, but we left the table. It didn't work," Rikki said at the time. "Really what it came to was C.C., Bobby and I were all in, and I thought Bret was, but he wanted the lion's share of the money, to the point where it makes it not possible to even do it. It's like $6 to every one of our dollars. You just can't work that way."

"I don't do this just for the money," Rikki continued. "I do have a love for this, absolutely. But at the same time, you don't want to go out and work really hard just to make somebody else a bunch of money."

Earlier this month, Rockett announced nearly a dozen shows where he will pay tribute to POISON's "Look What The Cat Dragged In" album by performing the entire LP with his new band, THE ROCKETT MAFIA. This year marks the album's 40th anniversary, which features the hits "Talk Dirty To Me", "I Want Action", "Cry Tough" and the album's title cut.

THE ROCKETT MAFIA features Rikki Rockett on drums, Brandon Gibbs (DEVIL CITY ANGELS) on vocals and guitar, Stacey Blades (L.A. GUNS) on guitar and backing vocals, and Tyson Leslie on bass and backing vocals.

POISON was founded in 1983 and released "Look What the Cat Dragged In" in May 1986.

In a new interview with Paul Christine's YouTube channel Paulieflix, guitarist/vocalist Steve "Lips" Kudlow of Canadian metal legends ANVIL urged fans to go see their favorite bands perform while they are still able to. He explained (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "What is probably important to think about is bucket-list stuff. Are you gonna live long enough, or am I gonna live long enough? I just turned 70, man. It's not like I just turned 20. My days are numbered."

Asked if he has ever thought about retiring from ANVIL, Lips said: "Oh, there is no retirement. Death. It's about not getting up tomorrow morning. That's what it's about. That's when it ends. But what I'm saying is it's not 30 years from now. It's gonna be within the next 10 years, more than likely. More than likely. Once you're 80, there's really not much time left. If you don't live to a hundred — not very many people do, man. Not very many people live to 80 either. Look at [original ANVIL guitarist] Dave Allison — [he] didn't make it to 70. What are you gonna say, man? You can't change that shit."

Lips continued: "We all have an expiry date. That's it. There's no way out, man. There's only one way out. That's it. You're going out in a box… Every minute counts. That's the way to look at it. So that's why you don't quit. And you don't retire. What am I retiring from? You retire from things you hate. Then you don't have to do it anymore. But you don't retire from music. You love it. You do it until you can't… And it's not just me. You go see all the other bands, because we just lost [former MANOWAR guitarist] Ross The Boss. Like, fuck — he was a year older than me. That's what I'm saying. Go see the bands before there is no band. And some guys lose it even before, so that they can't go out and play. I think that's real hell. That's real hell, man."

As previously reported, ANVIL will embark on a North American tour in June 2026. The trek, which will feature East Coast metal wolves MIDNITE HELLION as support, will kick off on June 3 in Rochester, New York and wrap up on July 11 in Toledo, Ohio.

The "Pounding The Past 2026" tour will see ANVIL perform fan-favorite songs from the band's early releases "Hard 'N' Heavy" (1981),"Metal On Metal" (1982) and "Forged In Fire" (1983),along with other classics.

ANVIL's 20th studio album "One And Only", came out in June 2024 via AFM Records. The effort was recorded in the summer of 2023 with longtime producer Martin "Mattes" Pfeiffer and Jörg Uken at Uken's Soundlodge studios in Germany. The same production team was responsible for ANVIL's previous four albums, "Anvil Is Anvil" (2016),"Pounding The Pavement" (2018),"Legal At Last" (2019) and "Impact Is Imminent" (2022).

Released in 2008, the ANVIL rockumentary "Anvil! The Story of Anvil" was the directorial debut of screenwriter Sacha Gervasi ("The Terminal") and was produced by Rebecca Yeldham ("The Kite Runner" and "The Motorcycle Diaries"). The film follows Kudlow and drummer Robb Reiner and their band, ANVIL, which released one of the heaviest albums in metal history, 1982's "Metal on Metal". The album influenced an entire musical generation of rock bands, including METALLICA, SLAYER and ANTHRAX, who all went on to sell millions of records. ANVIL, on the other hand, took a different path — straight to obscurity. The film was both entertaining and touching as it followed their last-ditch quest for the fame and fortune that has been so elusive to them.

Image credit: Volker Mugrauer

On April 17, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame legends FOREIGNER will release "Feels Like The First Time", the first single from their forthcoming album "In The Eye Of The Storm", the official soundtrack to the band's landmark 50th-anniversary concert film captured at Ellis Island and Brooklyn's DUMBO House. April 17 is also opening night of FOREIGNER's highly anticipated new musical "Feels Like The First Time - The Foreigner Musical", at the Little Theater on Long Island University's Post campus, where it will play 11 performances.

The single marks the first release from "In The Eye Of The Storm", out July 17 via Sun Records/Virgin Records and launches a year of celebrations commemorating FOREIGNER's 50th anniversary. The accompanying video for "Feels Like The First Time" will debut alongside the single on April 17, featuring exclusive footage from the forthcoming film.

The new recording of "Feels Like The First Time" celebrates five decades of FOREIGNER vocal excellence, featuring performances from three generations of the band's legendary frontmen — original voice Lou Gramm, twenty-year veteran vocalist Kelly Hansen and lead singer Luis Maldonado. Together, the track captures the evolution of the band's sound across fifty years while honoring the voices that define one of rock's most enduring catalogues.

Filmed on a closed set in the shadow of the Statue Of Liberty, the Ellis Island concert forms the centerpiece of the upcoming feature film, produced by Vertigo Live Productions, which will arrive in theaters worldwide in summer 2026. The historic performance almost never happened. As the band prepared to take the stage, torrential rain, thunder and lightning rolled across New York Harbor, threatening to halt the production entirely. The band pushed forward and delivered the performance, turning what nearly became a force-majeure shutdown into one of the most electrifying concert moments of their fifty-year career.

To coincide with the single release, the band will also launch special limited-edition anniversary merchandise collections, celebrating fifty years of one of rock's most iconic catalogues.

Last May, FOREIGNER lead singer Kelly Hansen announced during the band's performance on the season finale of NBC singing competition "The Voice", that he would be leaving the group at the end of the legendary rockers' summer 2025 tour. In a moving segment that aired nationally, Hansen introduced FOREIGNER guitarist Luis Maldonado as his official successor — a moment that symbolized both an end and a bold new beginning for the powerhouse group.

Before Luis joined FOREIGNER, he was best known as the guitarist for TRAIN and for his work with Lisa Marie Presley.

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

Known for their explosive live shows and era-defining anthems, FOREIGNER have sold over 80 million albums worldwide, cementing their place as one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Their catalogue includes timeless hits like "Hot Blooded", "Juke Box Hero", "Waiting For A Girl Like You", "Cold As Ice", "Urgent", "Feels Like The First Time" and the global No. 1 hit "I Want To Know What Love Is".

Photo credit: Krishta Abruzzini

When you're looking for a great guitar solo, you need a great guitarist to play it. That's what William Shatner thought as he was playing through the early material he has already gathered for his upcoming metal album, and that's exactly what he did.

Shatner was listening back to "The Grim Reaper", a new song that he cowrote with guitarist Marcus Nand, and while he was personally happy with the performance, he also sent their demo to RAINBOW/DEEP PURPLE legend Ritchie Blackmore to ask what he thought, and what he might do differently.

Ritchie got back to William directly. "The guitar solo on what you sent is very good," Blackmore reportedly said." I don't feel I can add anything to change or improve it."

So Nand, already widely regarded as one of the best, if underrated, guitarists on the current scene, known for his refined, tasteful playing style, takes one more giant step towards immortality. Ritchie, after all, is renowned for his refusal to accept second best… if he says something's good, you'd better believe it's good.

And Nand is good, his eclectic upbringing formulating a style that spans the flamenco traditions of Spain, the soulful depths of blues, and the raw power of rock. This unique blend has garnered him significant recognition, notably through his work with long-time David Bowie sideman Mike Garson; the metal band FREAK OF NATURE, featuring Mike Tramp; and the world music-infused rock ensemble ZIROQ, alongside another Bowie veteran, bassist Carmine Rojas.

Blackmore, who has previously collaborated on two William Shatner releases, the blues and Christmas albums, also expressed his gratitude for being considered for this new project and conveyed his encouragement.

And so work continues apace on this most eagerly awaited of albums, but if you can't wait to hear just how good a guitarist Nand is, catch his debut solo album "The Traveler", released in 2024 by Cleopatra Records. Garson, Tramp and Rojas all appear on the album, alongside Billy Idol collaborator Steve Stevens.

Further details about William Shatner's album, including additional guest appearances and release dates, will be announced soon.

William Shatner has cultivated a career spanning over 70 years as an award-winning actor, director, producer, writer, recording artist, and horseman. He is one of Hollywood's most recognizable figures and a major philanthropist.

In 1966, Shatner originated the role of Captain James T. Kirk in the television series "Star Trek". The series spawned a feature film franchise where Shatner returned as Captain Kirk in seven of the "Star Trek" movies, one of which he directed.

Shatner played the title role in the hit television series "T.J. Hooker" before hosting television's first reality-based series, "Rescue 911".

He won Emmys and his first Golden Globe for his portrayal of eccentric lawyer Denny Crane on both "The Practice" and "Boston Legal". He received four more Emmy nominations as well as other Golden Globe and SAG Award nods.

Shatner's love of music inspired him to record the critically acclaimed album "Has Been". The Milwaukee Ballet performed "Common People", a dance presentation set to several numbers from the record; the event and its preparations are featured in the documentary "Gonzo Ballet", which played to sold-out houses at film festivals worldwide.

In September 2021, Shatner released the autobiographical album titled "Bill" with tracks featuring Joe Jonas, Brad Paisley and Joe Walsh, to name a few. In October 2020, "The Blues" album quickly reached No. 1 on Billbord's Blues chart. Shatner previously released the country music album "Why Not Me", in August 2018 with Jeff Cook and Heartland Records. Quickly following that, Shatner experienced much success with "Shatner Clause", a holiday album released in October 2018 which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard chart.

Off the screen and broadcast waves, Shatner has authored nearly 30 best-sellers in both the fiction and non-fiction genres. His autobiography, "Up Till Now", was a New York Times best-seller and was followed by "Shatner Rules", which was released in October 2011. William Shatner's book "Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship With A Remarkable Man", was released in February 2016, appearing on the New York Times bestseller list. Shatner's released "Live Long And…What I Might Have Learned Along The Way" in September 2018 and "Boldly Go", a fascinating and timely collection of essays in which Shatner reflects on key events from his 90-years of life, was released in October 2022.

In April 2011, Shatner launched his hugely popular one-man show, "Shatner's World", on Broadway. He toured in Australia and New Zealand, followed by tours in Canada and over 50 cities in the United States.

Shatner has been successful in another area — horse breeding. A longtime dedicated breeder of American Quarter horses, he has had enormous success with the American Saddlebred, developing and riding world champions and has won numerous world championships in several equine events. His passions for horses and philanthropy were united when he started the Hollywood Charity Horse Show, which benefits Los Angeles-based children's charities.

Shatner continues to act, write, produce and direct while still making time to work with charities and further his passion in equestrian sports. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

William Shatner photo by Elizabeth Shatner (both photos courtesy of Cleopatra Records)

In a new interview with Abe Kanan of Audacy Music, EVANESCENCE singer Amy Lee spoke about the band's upcoming album, "Sanctuary", due on June 5. The LP, which features tracks produced by Zakk Cervini (BAD OMENS, YUNGBLUD, BRING ME THE HORIZON, SPIRITBOX) and Jordan Fish (BRING ME THE HORIZON, POPPY, HOUSE OF PROTECTION, ARCHITECTS),as well as songs produced by Nick Raskulinecz (KORN, FOO FIGHTERS, RUSH) will be available as a digital album, standard CD, deluxe CD and limited-edition box set. A double vinyl of the album will be released on September 4.

Asked how much time EVANESCENCE has spent working on "Sanctuary", Amy said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'd say three years solid. We've been tour touring a lot, as you know. But we had a lot of little trips in between — like while we're somewhere, go rent a place for the days in between the shows. And people come to me and we work together. Or we had some amazing creation sessions with Zakk Cervini and Jordan Fish here in L.A. We recorded stuff in Nick's house in Nashville. It's just been kind of all over the place the last three years."

Regarding the musical and lyrical inspiration for "Sanctuary", Amy said: "I felt very fueled by the state of the world creatively. I feel like I have a ton to get off my chest. This music is a sanctuary for me.

"I've needed this — we all have — just to be able to pour into something," she continued. "And I know I sound like a broken record 'cause I was saying similar stuff about [2021's] 'The Bitter Truth', but music is so, so needed. And we've just been writing like crazy. I've been kind of underground. At the beginning of this year, I just sort of had to disappear and finish all the lyrics, which seemed more important than ever. And I finally pulled my head up and we just finished the album. I'm so excited. It's so good. And it feels so good to finally be releasing the music that we've been obsessing over."

Earlier this month, EVANESCENCE released a new song, "Who Will You Follow". When the track was first made available Amy said in a statement: "This album is over three years in the making, and finally listening back to it all at once, about to release it to the world, I am so damn proud of every second of it. It's overwhelming. Working on it has been my outlet for so much that feels wrong and out of control, and a place to ignite hope through the power of music and connection… good thing we have the tour all lined up or I wouldn't know what to do with myself now! I've been completely obsessed. I'm dying for the fans to hear this."

EVANESCENCE recently announced a 2026 world tour, kicking off on June 11, taking them across North America and Europe. Special guests SPIRITBOX and NOVA TWINS will open on the North American portion of the tour, and special guest Poppy will support on the Europe shows, with NOVA TWINS opening outside the U.K. K.Flay, who features on EVANESCENCE's last single, "Fight Like A Girl", will open the U.K. shows. K.Flay will also support EVANESCENCE for their Red Rocks Amphitheatre concert.

EVANESCENCE has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1/£1/€1 from every ticket sold will support organizations providing humanitarian aid and medical relief to those in need around the world.

EVANESCENCE's most recent tracks "Fight Like A Girl" (featuring K.Flay) and "Afterlife" have been met with praise from fans and critics alike, with Louder stating, "It's an exciting time to be a fan of Amy Lee and co.", and Revolver declaring, "EVANESCENCE's first song in four years finds the band hitting what they hit best". "Afterlife" dominated the charts upon release, reaching the No. 1 spot on both Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart and Mediabase's Active Rock Radio chart in both the U.S. and Canada.

EVANESCENCE is no stranger to success, with the band's 2003 record "Fallen" holding steady as the sixth best-selling album of the 21st century (ranking just behind Lady Gaga's "The Fame" and ahead of COLDPLAY's "A Rush Of Blood To The Head"),remaining one of the best-selling albums of all time, with more than 17 million copies sold worldwide. The album's stratospheric singles, including "Bring Me To Life", broke the Top 10 in more than 15 countries and topped Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 and Alternative Airplay charts. "My Immortal" was a Top 10 hit in over ten countries, including the U.S., U.K. and Australia.

Emerging in 2003, EVANESCENCE reshaped the rock landscape with their debut album "Fallen", a cinematic blend of rock, metal and symphonic, piano-driven melodies led by powerhouse vocalist Amy Lee. The album became a global phenomenon, earning multiple Grammy Awards and selling over 17 million copies worldwide, with hits like "Bring Me to Life" and "My Immortal" defining a generation. "Fallen" remains one of the best-selling albums of all time and has earned diamond certification from the RIAA. Over the past two decades, the band has continued to evolve while maintaining their signature sound, releasing five studio albums, including the chart-topping "The Open Door" and "Evanescence". Their 2021 release "The Bitter Truth" marked a triumphant return, while their global touring has reached new heights, including their largest headline show to date at Allianz Parque Stadium in São Paulo, Brazil.

Now entering a bold new era, EVANESCENCE continues to push boundaries. 2025 was a landmark year for Amy Lee and EVANESCENCE. The release of last year's global phenomenon "Afterlife", from the Netflix series "Devil May Cry", became the fastest-rising track of their career and the band's biggest single since their first album, amassing over 150 million streams globally and reaching No. 1 on the U.S. Rock Radio chart, a first at the format for EVANESCENCE. It was followed by the release of "End Of You", a collaboration between Lee, Poppy and SPIRITBOX's Courtney LaPlante, which was named Revolver's "Song Of The Year". Also reaching No. 1 at US Rock Radio, "End Of You" made history in the U.S. by becoming the first all-female collaboration to do so.

Photo credit: Chapman Baehler (courtesy of Mercenary Publicity)

With their breakout runs supporting Born Of Osiris and currently Lacuna Coil and Escape The Fate, millions of cross platform streams, and their explosive pre-album singles “selfish”, “fragile” and “dismay”, emerging Brazilian metalcore talent AXTY have been inescapable over the last year. Now, what it has all been building to, the band announce their Napalm Records debut, The Pain Made Me Who I Am, dropping August 21.

Alongside the announcement, the band unleashes the record’s cataclysmic closer “end this”, an onslaught of aggression nu and core. Thunderous drumming, bone shattering breakdowns, and a truly inhuman vocal performance from vocalist Felipe Hervoso, this track is violently delicious.

AXTY about “end this”: “One of the most pessimistic moments on the record, this track serves as a closing statement that encapsulates the album’s overarching emotional arc. ‘end this’ portrays a character shaped by accumulated trauma, depression, and intrusive, self-destructive thoughts. Themes that unfold progressively throughout the release. Positioned as the final track, the song leans into a sense of exhaustion and finality, reinforced by the recurring line ‘please end this,’ while subtly subverting its own premise in the opening verse: ‘so here we go again, another song about how I hate myself.’ Musically, it stands out as one of the heaviest and most sonically challenging pieces on the album, featuring its most dissonant chorus to date. This deliberate stylistic contrast mirrors a state of dissociation, culminating in a drifting, almost delirious reflection captured in the line: ‘why try so long here if all we touch will rot and sear.’”

Watch the official music video for “end this” below.

With their new album, AXTY explore universal lyrical themes of self-evolution through harnessing pain and resilience born from adversity, transforming negative experiences into fuel for growth. Moments of barbarism and serenity all tied together with infectious grooves, pristine production, and an unwavering dedication to brutality. Throughout its 12 tracks, The Pain Made Me Who I Am proves AXTY as a visionary force to watch in the ever-expanding modern metalcore scene – inarguably poised for star status as they climb the ranks.

AXTY about The Pain Made Me Who I Am: “The Pain Made Me Who I Am revolves around human emotions, particularly the darker, more difficult ones. However, rather than dwelling on suffering, we focused on the role these emotions play in personal growth and self-evolution. Resilience born from adversity, the idea that growth and self-discovery are deeply rooted in struggle, we wanted to explore how negative experiences, rather than defining us in a limiting way, become the very foundation of who we are.”

The Pain Made Me Who I Am delivers the goods from note one as earth-shattering intro track “pain made me” pulls out all of the stops – crashing in with dense down-tuned guitar chugs beneath hip-hop charged samples. Anthemic “who I am” showcases the band’s seamless, genre-pushing blend with intense polyrhythmic deathcore passages and soaring metalcore melodies, while tracks like “all I love” incite pure metallic violence with the band’s erratic trademark guitar acrobatics, hypnotic drum patterns and addictive vocals – both crushing and clean – showcasing the broad talents of frontman Felipe Hervoso, drummer Gabriel Vacari and guitarist Jonathas Peschiera. Particularly, Hervoso’ keen ability to dramatically tilt his vocal approach from crooning cleans to virtually superhuman screams, growls and squeals will have his name on the lips of deathcore vocal enthusiasts in no time. Songs like “nothing but pain” inject heavy doses of the futuristic metalcore fusion AXTY has become lauded for, while album standouts like first single/album closer “end this” weave alternative and even nu-metal flavor into the album’s addictive mix.



The Pain Made Me Who I Am will be available in the following formats:

– 1 Vinyl Splatter Translucent Turquoise/White, Black, incl. Vinyl Booklet (Napalm Mailorder exclusive)
– 1 Vinyl Solid Aquamarine, incl. Lyric Sheet
– 1 Digisleeve Album
– Digital Album

Pre-order here.



The Pain Made Me Who I Am tracklisting:

“pain made me”
“who I am”
“dismay”
“selfish”
“everything is beautiful”
“all I love”
“closer”
“fragile”
“break”
“nothing but pain”
“with me”
“end this”

“end this” video:

Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame member Robert Plant and his band Saving Grace performed “Higher Rock” from their latest album, Saving Grace, on last night’s episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

Plant and his band stuck around for a bonus performance of the Led Zeppelin classic, “Ramble On.” Watch official video of both performances, plus a “Colbert Before Air” segment with Plant, below:







Record Collector Editor, Paul Lester, recently issued the following in regards to the April 2026 edition of the magazine:

“It’s a bit of a double-whammy, this issue (even though it doesn’t actually feature Wham!). The cover itself is shared by Record Store Day and Robert Plant and is a celebration of all things black and round as the 19th anniversary of the biggest day in the vinyl calendar fast approaches. Over 20 pages in this SPECIAL! BUMPER! issue we tell the story of Record Store Day, speak to the main players who helped make it happen, and nominate some of the weird and wonderful Record Store Day releases since its inception in 2007.

We also get to speak, at length, to one of music’s foremost record collectors: take a bow and shake that mane, Mr Plant. The former Leading Frontman In All Rock’N’Roll talks Kris Needs through the formative vinyl purchases of his childhood and teens, with a focus on folk and blues, discusses the music he’s about to release on his latest Saving Grace EP, issued to coincide with Record Store Day, and explores his involvement with RSD.”

British metal heavyweights, Conjurer, have unveiled a new live video for “The Searing Glow,” recorded at their sold-out November 2025 London headline show at The Underworld.

The band comment: “Headlining, let alone selling out, The Underworld was one of the last milestones we had left for this band. From seeing Yob level the place on September 8, 2014 and deciding that night that we had to make this band happen, it’s been a long time coming. Naturally, we’d want to document the occasion so we enlisted our trusty videographer Joe Guppy to get some multicam footage and here it is: ‘The Searing Glow’, from our album Unself, live at The Underworld, London.”

VENOM will release a new studio album, "Into Oblivion", on May 1 via Noise/BMG. The official Andy Pilkington-created music video for the LP's second single, "Kicked Outta Hell", can be seen below.

Destined to be another crowd pleaser in the live arena, "Kicked Outta Hell" is without a doubt one of the heaviest tracks VENOM has ever penned. Frontman Conrad "Cronos" Lant comments: "This one is me just having fun. I'm putting myself above the Devil in the lyric, which I think is an interesting twist. The Devil's pissed off with us!" Drummer Danté (a.k.a. Danny Needham) adds: "You're not staying in hell, get out!" Guitarist Rage (a.k.a. Stuart Dixon) states: "It's one of the heaviest songs on the album. It's grinding and straight ahead."

"Into Oblivion" is VENOM's sixteenth studio album and features the long-standing lineup of Lant on bass/vocals, Rage on guitar and Danté on drums, and marks VENOM's first new recordings since 2018's "Storm The Gates" LP.

"Into Oblivion" consists of thirteen songs that are signature VENOM: heavy, evil and catchy. There's a combination of the band's classic 1980s sound adjacent to a more modern, progressive approach but without losing any of their fire and brimstone of old.

The album has been in the works for some years now, but a number of factors held back its completion until now; the COVID pandemic, recording setbacks and the hunger to nail it to perfection, but in the words of Cronos: "This album has really pushed the boundaries, but if you want to make a killer album, you pay for it in blood, sweat and tears."

VENOM, true to form, has overcome adversity to release an album worthy of the band's legacy, as Rage affirms: "I'm so proud of this album. It's astounding! It feels so different, yet so familiar. The sonics are a step up, no song sounds the same, but they all work together."

The lead single, "Lay Down Your Soul", is a thunderous first offering and harks back to the band's formative years and the song "Black Metal". While being slightly tongue in cheek, it bears all the hallmarks of a soon-to-be live classic with its rousing sing-along chorus.

Cronos states: "I think it's healthy to recognize things from back in the day and bring them into a new setting that gives it a whole fresh approach. The fans are going to go mental for it!"

The chemistry on "Into Oblivion" is undeniable and is a musical testament to the longevity of this lineup, which now eclipses any other, clocking in at seventeen years. Danté clicks his fingers: "It's gone like that, seventeen years! It's all down to friendship and mutual respect."

Preorders of both vinyl and CD will come with a limited photo card, signed by Cronos, Danté and Rage, only from the Noise Records store, while stocks last.

"Into Oblivion" track listing:

01. Into Oblivion
02. Lay Down Your Soul
03. Nevermore
04. Man & Beast
05. Death The Leveller
06. As Above So Below
07. Kicked Outta Hell
08. Legend
09. Live Loud
10. Metal Bloody Metal
11. Dogs Of War
12. Deathwitch
13. Unholy Mother

There are now three different bands using variations of the VENOM name for their live shows. In addition to the new collaboration between Jeff "Mantas" Dunn and Anthony "Abaddon" Bray, VENOM's iconic co-founders — who recently announced that they will celebrate the 45th anniversary of VENOM's classic debut album, 1981's "Welcome To Hell", at various festivals in 2026, including Germany's Keep It True — there is the Cronos-fronted version of VENOM, in which he is the sole remaining member from the band's classic era, and there is VENOM INC., which is led by Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan, who was a member of VENOM between 1989 and 1992, appearing on the albums "Prime Evil" (1989),"Temples Of Ice" (1991) and "The Waste Lands" (1992).

In June 2024, Cronos filed a lawsuit against Abaddon and Plastic Head Music Distribution Ltd in which he accused the distributor of selling merchandise with Lant's copyrighted VENOM designs and Bray of approving the infringement through a licensing agreement. The dispute revolved around the fact that both parties were licensing and selling official VENOM merchandise featuring the contested designs.

According to Law360.com, Lant testified in court last year that he joined VENOM in late 1979 and came up with the Satanic-themed designs used in the band's logo and album covers, which included goat heads, pentagrams and inverted crosses. Bray filed a counterclaim for infringement against Lant and Lant's distributor, Razmataz.com Ltd., arguing that Bray was the real author of the works. Because Lant was able to produce numerous sketches which demonstrated his design process and Bray was unable to do the same, Bray was deemed the owner of the original logo, while Lant was found to be the creator and copyright owner of all but one of the other artistic works in dispute.

VENOM's classic lineup trio of Dunn, Lant and Bray recorded four studio LPs, "Welcome To Hell" (1981),"Black Metal" (1982),"At War With Satan" (1984) and "Possessed" (1985),and live album, "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (1986). Often cited by bands such as METALLICA, BEHEMOTH, CELTIC FROST and MAYHEM as major influences, they are one of the most revered bands of their generation.

Photo credit: Necrohorns

British heavy metal legends IRON MAIDEN are among the artists who will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame this year. Also set to be honored in the class of 2026 Performer category are Phil Collins, Billy Idol, JOY DIVISION/NEW ORDER, OASIS, Sade, Luther Vandross and WU-TANG CLAN.

Celia Cruz, Fela Kuti, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, and Gram Parsons will be presented with the Early Influence Award; Philly Soul songwriter Linda Creed, producer Arif Mardin, producer Jimmy Miller and Rick Rubin will be honored with the Musical Excellence Award; and Ed Sullivan will be given the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

"Induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame is music's highest honor," John Sykes, chairman of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, said in a statement. "We look forward to celebrating these remarkable artists at this year's ceremony — it's going to be an unforgettable night."

The ceremony will take place on November 14 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. It will air on ABC and Disney+ the following month. It should be noted that on November 14 IRON MAIDEN will be in the middle of an Australian tour, with dates booked for November 13 in Melbourne and November 15 in Sydney.

IRON MAIDEN manager Rod Smallwood said in a statement: "We'd like to thank the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for including us (and former members who were all part of our story) in the 2026 roll call of inductees.

"IRON MAIDEN have always been about our relationship with our fans above anything else, including awards and industry accolades. However, having said that, it's always nice to be recognized and honored for any achievements within the music industry too!"

Smallwood added: "It also seems appropriate for the band to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame this year as we continue our 50th-anniversary celebrations with our 'Run For Your Lives' world tour visiting the Americas and beyond. We would also like to congratulate our fellow 2026 inductees and extend our gratitude as ever to our fans for their loyalty, perseverance and support for over 50 years now! See you all, somewhere on tour."

The MAIDEN musicians being inducted are singer Bruce Dickinson, bassist Steve Harris, drummer Nicko McBrain, and guitarists Adrian Smith, Dave Murray and Janick Gers, along with former guitarist Dennis Stratton, former singers Paul Di'Anno and Blaze Bayley, and former drummer Clive Burr.

Having been eligible for induction since 2005, IRON MAIDEN is one of the biggest bands on the planet. Since the release of their self-titled debut album, the British heavy metal legends have released a further 16 full-length studio records, and sold over 100 million copies.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until 2016.

Nominees are being voted on by more than 1,200 artists, historians and music industry professionals.

The only metal or metal-adjacent acts to have made it into the Rock Hall so far have been BLACK SABBATH, LED ZEPPELIN, METALLICA, AC/DC, JUDAS PRIEST, KISS, VAN HALEN, RUSH, GUNS N' ROSES, Ozzy Osbourne and DEEP PURPLE.

IRON MAIDEN finished in the fourth place in the fan vote for the 2023 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction class. This year, they reportedly received 395,000 votes in the fan vote.

Seven years ago, Harris said that he didn't care that his band had yet to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame despite the fact that it had been eligible since 2004.

"I don't mind that we're not in things like that," he told Rolling Stone in an interview. "I don't think about things like that. It's very nice if people give you awards or accolades, but we didn't get into the business for that sort of thing. I'm certainly not going to lose sleep if we don't get any sort of award, not just that one, any award. I don't think we deserve to have this or that necessarily. With what we do, whatever comes of it is great. Whatever doesn't come of it is great, too."

Dickinson made headlines in 2018 when he referred to the Rock Hall as "an utter and complete load of bollocks" during a spoken-word gig in Australia, insisting that the Cleveland-based institution is "run by a bunch of sanctimonious bloody Americans who wouldn't know rock and roll if it hit them in the face."

Bruce later told The Jerusalem Post that he was "so annoyed with that coverage because they took my statement out of context to make it seem like I was upset that we weren't in the Hall Of Fame.

"I'm really happy we're not there and I would never want to be there," he continued. "If we're ever inducted, I will refuse — they won't bloody be having my corpse in there.

"Rock and roll music does not belong in a mausoleum in Cleveland," Bruce added. "It's a living, breathing thing, and if you put it in a museum, then it's dead. It's worse than horrible, it's vulgar."

Harris previously told "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon" that he wasn't concerned about whether IRON MAIDEN would eventually be inducted into the Rock Hall. "I don't really think about it, to be honest. I think awards are things that are nice to have when you get them, but it's not something you're really striving for — it's not what it's about it," he said. "It's never been about that. It's aways been about just trying to make good music and go out and play good live shows, and that's it, really. Hopefully people will appreciate it. It's probably nice when people give you awards — don't get me wrong; I think it's great — but it's not something that you would lose sleep over if you didn't get any.

"It's the way that I am," Harris added. "I don't know. Maybe the rest of the guys [in the band] might think differently to me, but that's the way I think. It's not that I don't care about [awards]. It's just… And it's not that they're not meaningful when you do get 'em — it's nice. But I certainly don't worry about it or anything like that. I think other people are the ones that make a bigger deal out of it than us, about whether we got one or not."

InsideOut Music has announced the signing of progressive art-rock group THE PINEAPPLE THIEF.

Founded in 1999 by Bruce Soord, THE PINEAPPLE THIEF has long been one of the genre's most successful and accomplished outfits, releasing 16 studio albums and touring worldwide. The band consisting of Soord (vocals, guitars),Jon Sykes (bass),Steve Kitch (keyboards) and Gavin Harrison (drums),is working on a new album for release in late 2026.

Bruce Soord comments: "Joining InsideOut is a definitive milestone for THE PINEAPPLE THIEF. Having spent the past year developing new material, it became clear that InsideOut is the perfect home for our next musical journey. We are energized by this new partnership and can't wait to reveal what we've been working on!"

Thomas Waber, head of InsideOut Music, adds: "We are extremely excited to welcome THE PINEAPPLE THIEF to the InsideOut Music family. As longtime followers of the band, it feels like the right time to be working together, and we can't wait to help bring their new material into the world."

THE PINEAPPLE THIEF recently announced the following festival shows in Europe:

June 25 - Istanbul TK - Zorlu PSM - with The Gathering
June 27 - Cornwall GB - Morvala Festival of Arts
July 03 - Joensuu FIN - Ilovaari Festival
July 04 - Helsinki FIN - CoolHead Live
July 16 - Bronnoysund NO - Rootsfestivalen
Aug. 02 - Manchester GB - Radar Festival

Now, THE PINEAPPLE THIEF is revealing headline tour dates across North America. Tickets go on sale on Friday, April 17 at 10 a.m. local time.

Tour dates:

Nov. 17 - Washington DC - Howard Theater
Nov. 19 - Philadelphia PA – Theatre of Living Arts
Nov. 20 - New York City NY - Gramercy Theatre
Nov. 21 - Somerville MA - Somerville Theater
Nov. 22 - Quebec City QC - Capitole
Nov. 24 - Montreal QC - Beanfield Theatre
Nov. 25 - Toronto ON - Danforth Music Hall
Nov. 27 - Chicago IL - House of Blues
Nov. 28 - Cleveland OH - House of Blues
Nov. 29 - St. Louis MO – Delmar Hall
Dec. 01 - Dallas TX – The Bomb Factory
Dec. 03 - Denver CO - Summit
Dec. 05 - Phoenix AZ - Crescent Ballroom
Dec. 06 - San Diego CA – The Observatory North Park
Dec. 08 - Los Angeles CA - The Bellwether
Dec. 09 - San Francisco CA - August Hall
Dec. 11 - Seattle WA - Neptune Theater
Dec. 12 - Portland OR - Revolution Hall
Dec. 13 - Vancouver BC - Hollywood Theater

Last December, THE PINEAPPLE THIEF released a monumental eight-disc earbook anthology celebrating the band's legacy from 2007 through 2014. "Retracing Our Steps" spanned the albums "What We Have Sown" (2007),"Tightly Unwound" (2008),"Someone Here Is Missing" (2010),"All The Wars" (2012) and "Magnolia" (2014). Available on Kscope, this collection features rarities, acoustic reinterpretations, and new stereo and immersive mixes, charting the band's evolution through a pivotal chapter in their history. Each recording has been remixed and remastered in 2025 by Bruce Soord (remix) and Steve Kitch (remaster). Disc 8, the Blu-ray, extends this new vision with Dolby Atmos, 5.1 surround and hi-res stereo mixes, breathing new life into the classic tracks.

As well as the 8 discs, "Retracing Our Steps" includes a 76-page hardback book written by esteemed music journalist Polly Glass (Classic Rock, Prog),featuring first-hand memories and personal correspondence between Soord and longtime friend and devoted fan Peter Clemens. Through fresh reflections, interviews and photography, Bruce revisits the long nights and small victories, the friendships and near-misses, and the countless "massive wakeup calls" that shaped the music.

THE PINEAPPLE THIEF was formed in 1999 by founder and chief songwriter Bruce Soord and has since released a total of 16 studio albums, six EPs and several live and compilation albums. The lineup now includes Gavin Harrison of PORCUPINE TREE/KING CRIMSON following his permanent joining for 2018's "Dissolution". In February 2024, THE PINEAPPLE THIEF released the critically acclaimed "It Leads To This" which reached No. 1 on the U.K. Rock chart and No. 2 on the U.K. Independent Albums chart.

Photo credit: Martin Bostock

Julien's Auctions, the world's leading celebrity auction house, announced today from Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus the full details of its highly anticipated "Music Icons" sale. This year's collection celebrates the enduring power of heavy metal and commemorates the 50th anniversary of KISS in London with a touring exhibition of highlights from the sale. Bidding on the full collection with over 800 items opens April 27.

"Interest in music memorabilia is reaching unprecedented levels, fueled by collectors who appreciate both the cultural significance of these instruments and the legacy of the artists behind them—often resulting in record-breaking sales," said Martin Nolan, co-founder and executive director of Julien's Auctions. "Our annual 'Music Icons' auction, featuring extraordinary guitars from Ace Frehley, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Kirk Hammett, underscores Julien's ongoing commitment to bringing museum-quality pieces to market while shaping the global conversation around music collecting."

The highlights and registration are now available to view at juliensauctions.com. The two-day auction will be held May 29-30, live from Hard Rock Cafe Times Square in New York City.

The travelling "Music Icons" experience includes an extraordinary collection of some of the most powerful and influential guitars ever to hit the auction stage — instruments played by rock legends including Ace Frehley (KISS),Billy Duffy (THE CULT),Izzy Stradlin (GUNS N' ROSES),Kirk Hammett (METALLICA),Mick Mars (MÖTLEY CRÜE) and Stevie Ray Vaughan and also includes a Zildjian gong played by BLACK SABBATH's Bill Ward.

The highlight exhibition unveiled today at Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus will remain on view through April 13 before traveling to Japan at Hard Rock Cafe Tokyo where it will be displayed on April 27 the day the sale goes live. Additional items will make a stop on May 13 at Hard Rock Cafe Times Square, remaining open to the public until the live auction takes place May 29-30.

At the centerpiece of the collection is Ace Frehley's 1975 Gibson Les Paul, one of the most historically significant guitars in rock and roll. From the very beginning of his career, this instrument, which is expected to fetch between $400,000 and $600,000, was Frehley's constant companion, accompanying him on stage and in the studio with KISS more than any other guitar in his arsenal. His longtime use of this Gibson Les Paul has earned Frehley a place on nearly every "Top 10 Les Paul Players Of All Time" list ever published.

Hosted in partnership with the world-renowned Hard Rock Cafe, Julien's "Music Icons" auction brings together an extraordinary collection of genre-defining memorabilia from the most influential artists in rock and roll history, including instruments played on stage and in studio by revered musicians. This landmark event offers collectors and fans a rare opportunity to acquire pieces from the music legends who shaped generations.

Registration is required to bid in this auction and can be done in person on the day of the auction, or online before the sale at the Julien's Auctions.

Fan-filmed video of DIRTY HONEY performing a brand new song called "Lights Out" on April 4 at the Monsters Of Rock festival at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil can be seen below.

In a recent interview with Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda, DIRTY HONEY singer Marc LaBelle spoke about the band's plans to record new music as a follow-up to 2023's "Can't Find The Brakes" album. Regarding the lyrical inspiration for DIRTY HONEY's new material, Marc said: "I'm sort of more pulling from lyrically about what's going on in the world. It's tough to not have that seep its way into your mind as you're writing lyrics and stuff. So, I think that's gonna be a big change coming up. And then also, yeah, continuing to evolve musically and production-wise, adding more elements in the production."

He continued: "I think you always have to be evolving. There's really one band in history that did the same thing all the time, and that's AC/DC, and they did it amazing. And they're still doing it amazing. So, I'll let them be the flag bearers for that style."

Asked if DIRTY HONEY has already started writing and recording the next LP, Marc said: "Yeah, we've been writing and recording now since, really… I mean, we finished a tour with THE STRUTS on October 4th, so we started really kicking it into… We took about a month off and started kicking it into gear, like, November, December, and now it's time to really record the record. So we're excited to get that done, hopefully here before we go down to Brazil. So hopefully it'll be done and in the can by the time we get down there [in April]."

On the topic of the musical direction of the next DIRTY HONEY album, Marc said: "We're sort of in the process of picking a producer. I think we know who we wanna go with. I'm not a hundred percent sure, but I'm thinking everybody's on the same page. So that's probably gonna happen by the end of this week. And then, yeah, we have some studio time blocked out at the end of the month. So hopefully… We're gonna be figuring that out in the studio a little bit more this time around, I think. Sometimes you're a little bit limited with gear and what's in the studio that you're working with. And I think we're limitless in this situation that we're seeking out. So, yeah, we're just gonna have to see how it goes. And I'm sure it'll be great."

Reflecting on how "Can't Find The Brakes" turned out, Marc said: "I think it was a really good album for us to use as an evolutionary stepping stone. I think we tried a lot of new things. We put our first acoustic song out in 'Coming Home'. We jammed a little at the end of the record and sort of explored the musicianship of the band on a tune like 'Rebel Son'. But also 'Won't Take Me Alive' was a sort of balls-to-the-walls rock and roll tune that was also fresh and different than any of the rock singles that we'd put out before. So, it had a lot of evolution."

In February 2025, DIRTY HONEY issued "Mayhem And Revelry Live", the Los Angeles-based first live-in-concert, double-vinyl CD and digital release, and its companion four-part video documentary, recorded live throughout North America and Europe on DIRTY HONEY's 2023-24 "Can't Find The Brakes" world tour.

DIRTY HONEY made music biz history in 2019 when the band's debut single, "When I'm Gone", went all the way to No. 1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock and Hard Rock charts, making DIRTY HONEY the first — and still only — totally independent, unsigned artist to achieve that. The band sold out its first two U.S. headline tours, Rolling Stone named them an "Artist You Need To Know," their self-titled, debut album was released in April 2021, and with no major label affiliation or support, entered the Current Hard Rock Album chart at No. 2. The band received rave reviews and standing ovations when they opened for THE BLACK CROWES on that band's nine-week summer 2021 "Shake Your Money Maker" U.S. amphitheater tour, and averaged $15,000 a night in t-shirt/merch sales.

DIRTY HONEY first toured Europe in summer 2022, playing support dates with RIVAL SONS, KISS and GUNS N' ROSES, plus a handful of first-time headline shows, all sold out, many of which had to be moved to larger venues due to ticket demand. In January 2023, they returned for their very first full headline tour there — 30 shows in 13 countries, all dates sold out. June/July 2023 saw them playing support shows with GUNS N' ROSES and KISS, plus major festival appearances and headline dates — 21 shows in 12 countries — with all headline dates sold out.

In April 2025, DIRTY HONEY performed the song "When I'm Gone" on an episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" The track, which was originally released in 2019, is featured in "A Minecraft Movie". It plays during the first two and a half minutes of the film while Jason Momoa's character Garrett "The Garbage Man" Garrison is introduced.

Devil’s Train were aptly described on Laut.de as “hard rock for convertibles – or for pole dancing,” because this all-star lineup definitely brought the heat. Their self-titled debut from 2012 was bursting with adrenaline and testosterone, hard-hitting rhythms, and razor-sharp riffs. Above it all towered the voice of R.D. Liapakis, the current frontman of the Michael Schenker Group and the heavy metal institution, Mystic Prophecy. With his raw voice, the Greek-born singer gave the 12 tracks the necessary kick and literally sent grenades like “Roll The Dice” the opening “Fire And Water” and the band anthem, “Devil’s Train”, into ecstasy. With “American Woman”, Devil’s Train paid tribute to the rock ‘n’ roll of the ’70s, which all the musicians have in their blood.

The necessary groove for Devil’s Train is provided by drumming legend Jörg Michael (ex-Saxon, ex-Stratovarius) and Jari Kainulainen (Masterplan, ex-Stratovarius), while guitarist Lakis Ragazas (Mystic Prophecy) strummed the strings and completed the devilish quartet.

On June 19, the legendary debut album will be released for the first time on devilish blood-red colored vinyl and as a re-release in a CD jewel case. Anyone who has missed out on this piece of hard rock history to date and wants to do something good for their record and vinyl player should mark the date in red.

The album is now available for pre-order here.



Tracklist:

“Fire And Water”
“Devil’s Train”
“Roll The Dice”
“To The Ground”
“Forever”
“Sweet Devil’s Kiss”
“Find New Love”
“Room 66/64”
“Coming Home”
“Yellow Blaze”
“The Answers”
“American Woman”

Hammerheart Records will reissue Running Wild’s classic album Pile Of Skulls as a deluxe Picture-LP (limited to 500 copies). Comes with an insert and a huge poster of the artwork.

Running Wild were on a remarkable roll from the late eighties to mid-nineties, and Pile Of Skulls has all the traits that made the band great back in the day, the musicianship is top notch, the production is virtually impeccable and the songs themselves are among the very best that pirate-themed speed/power metal has to offer.

One year after the strong Blazon Stone, Running Wild released one of their best works to date. 1992’s Pile Of Skulls at times harks back to older material like Under Jolly Roger, with the intensity and attitude of their classics, but in a better produced way with a lot more melody vowed into the process. But this also carries on the pattern of getting ever more epic. Each song has an epic atmosphere. The pirate-based speed metal anthem “Whirlwind”, the Indian-inspired mid-paced anthem “Roaring Thunder” and of course the 11 minute closer “Treasure Island” all has different but quite majestic and powerful atmospheres.

And the song intensity gets kicked up yet another notch, and the entire album is completely relentless nearly all the way through, even on mid-paced numbers like “Black Wings Of Death” and previously mentioned “Roaring Thunder”.

Preorder here.



Tracklisting:

“Chamber Of Lies”
“Whirlwind”
“Sinister Eyes”
“Black Wings Of Death”
“Fistful Of Dynamite”
“Roaring Thunder”
“Pile Of Skulls”
“Lead Or Gold”
“Fennings’ Revenge”
“Treasure Island”

Dokken, formed in Los Angeles in 1978, had several hit singles which charted on the Billboard Hot 100, such as “Alone Again”, “In My Dreams”, and “Burning Like A Flame”, and has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide. The classic Dokken lineup consisted of founder Don Dokken on vocals, George Lynch on lead guitar, Mick Brown on drums and Jeff Pilson on bass.

Released in 1999, Erase The Slate had marked a fresh chapter for Dokken, introducing Reb Beach (best known for Winger and later Whitesnake) as the band’s lead guitarist. Erase The Slate blends Dokken’s classic melodic metal roots with a more modern, late-’90s hard rock edge. Reb Beach brought a technically sharp yet fluid guitar style that differed from the flashier, more aggressive approach of former guitarist George Lynch. His playing added a polished, groove-oriented feel while still delivering strong solos and riffs,

Listen to “Change The World” below.

Now it is available through Deko Entertainment for the first time in the United States on 180g vinyl. Completely remastered, repackaged, and limited to only 500 copies of each variation including a beautiful Green Smoke and classic Black. Erase The Slate includes stand out tracks “Erase The Slate”, “Change The World”, as well as a cover of the Harry Nilsson song “One” made popular by the Three Dog Night. This is a must have for any Dokken fan!

Pre-order Erase The Slate while supplies last, shipping in July 2026.





Tracklisting:

Side A
“Erase The Slate”
“Change The World”
“Maddest Hatter”
“Drown”
“Shattered”

Side B
“One”
“Who Believes”
“Voice Of The Soul”
“Crazy Mary Goes Round”
“Haunted Lullabye”
“In Your Honor”

Few bands captured the scale, precision, and uplift of arena rock quite like Triumph – and now, as the Canadian trio steps back into the spotlight, their most defining songs return in one essential collection. The Best Of Triumph arrives June 12, offering a focused retrospective of the band’s most enduring work at a moment of renewed momentum. Featuring powerhouse anthems such as “Lay It On The Line,” “Magic Power,” “Fight The Good Fight,” and “Hold On,” the collection traces Triumph’s ascent from a Canadian breakout act to an international force in rock. Available on LP, CD, and digital formats, the release coincides with Triumph’s long-awaited return to the stage for their first major tour in more than three decades.

Alongside today’s announcement, “Lay It On The Line” (Single Edit) is available now on streaming platforms for the first time. Listen below. Newly mastered from the original analog tapes – part of a full-album remaster – the track presents the concise, radio-ready version that first introduced Triumph to a broad audience in the late 1970s. Many of the single edits featured in this collection have not previously been available on digital platforms, offering listeners a rare opportunity to experience these original versions.

In addition to standard black vinyl, The Best Of Triumph will be available in exclusive color variants, including a “Spellbound Purple” pressing at Barnes & Noble, a “Blue Smoke” edition at Sunrise Records (Canada), and a “Silver Lightning” pressing available via CraftRecordings.com. Meanwhile, an exclusive CD edition featuring a commemorative tour pass can be found at Walmart (US) and Sunrise Records (Canada).

Widely regarded as one of Canada’s most successful rock exports, Triumph helped define the sound of arena rock in the late ’70s and ’80s. Formed in the mid-1970s, Triumph—comprised of Gil Moore, Rik Emmett, and Mike Levine—built a reputation on a powerful fusion of hard rock energy, progressive musicianship, and anthemic songwriting. Across the late ’70s and ’80s, the band earned a string of Gold and Platinum albums while establishing a lasting presence on rock radio.

Their music, defined by soaring guitar work and an optimistic lyrical perspective, set them apart from contemporaries while placing them alongside acts such as Rush, Boston, and Foreigner. Songs like “Lay It On The Line” and “Fight The Good Fight” remain staples of classic rock programming, while continued placements across film, television, and sports have introduced their catalog to successive generations. In recent years, Triumph’s legacy has gained renewed visibility, highlighted by a surprise reunion performance during the 2025 Stanley Cup Final and the announcement of their upcoming 2026 tour.

In tandem with the release, Triumph will return to the road for their 50th anniversary The Rock & Roll Machine Reloaded tour—their first full-scale outing in more than three decades. With special guest April Wine, the expansive North American run celebrates five decades of the band’s legacy, kicking off April 10 in Orlando, FL with a special benefit performance before continuing across Canada and the US through early June. Visit TriumphMusic.com for the latest tour and ticket information.

Click here to pre-order and pre-save The Best Of Triumph today.



Tracklisting:

LP

Side A:
“Lay It On The Line” (Single Edit)
“Magic Power” (Single Edit)
“All The Way”
“Follow Your Heart” (Single Edit)
“Fight The Good Fight”

Side B:
“A World Of Fantasy” (Single Edit)
“Hold On” (Single Edit)
“I Can Survive” (Single Edit)
“Spellbound” (Single Edit)
“Somebody’s Out There” (Single Edit)

CD/Digital:

“Lay It On The Line” (Single Edit)
“Magic Power” (Single Edit)
“All The Way”
“Follow Your Heart” (Single Edit)
“Fight The Good Fight”
“A World Of Fantasy” (Single Edit)
“Hold On” (Single Edit)
“I Can Survive” (Single Edit)
“Spellbound” (Single Edit)
“Somebody’s Out There” (Single Edit)

US brutal death metal force, Embryonic Autopsy, return with their new full-length album, Rise Of The Mutated, set for release on June 5 via Massacre Records.

Serving as the final chapter in the band’s conceptual trilogy, the album completes a storyline that began with Prophecies Of The Conjoined (2022) and continued through Origins Of The Deformed (2024), expanding the narrative of alien intervention, genetic manipulation and the rise of hybrid lifeforms reclaiming their dominance.



With Rise Of The Mutated, Embryonic Autopsy push their vision to its most extreme and fully realized form. Musically, the album delivers a relentless assault of old school brutal death metal, combining blistering speed, crushing grooves and uncompromising intensity with the raw, visceral energy that defined the genre in its early ‘90s peak. At the same time, the band sharpen their songwriting approach, creating a record that is both savage and cohesive, balancing chaos and precision with devastating effect.

Driven by the creative core of vocalist Tim King (SOiL, Oppressor) and guitarist Scott Roberts (ex-Otep), the band once again channel their shared fascination with extraterrestrial mythology into a grotesque and cinematic sonic experience. Lyrically, the album dives deeper into themes of mutation, hybridization and biological horror, painting a disturbing yet compelling vision of a world overtaken by its own corrupted evolution.

The album also features a series of high-profile guest appearances, reinforcing its connection to the legacy of death metal. Legendary guitarist James Murphy (Death, Obituary) returns with multiple lead performances, alongside Terrance Hobbs of Suffocation, adding further weight and authenticity to an already crushing record.

Produced and mixed by Scott Roberts and mastered by Ulrich Wild (Pantera, Dethklok) at Wilderness Studios, Rise Of The Mutated delivers a powerful and organic production that captures both the brutality and clarity essential to the band’s sound. The result is an album that feels equally rooted in tradition and driven by a modern, uncompromising edge.

More details about the album, including track previews and additional content, will be revealed soon.

In support of the new release, Embryonic Autopsy will join forces with death metal legends Six Feet Under for an extensive European tour in June 2026, bringing their devastating live performance to stages across the continent.

ELLEFSON-SOTO, the project featuring former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and acclaimed metal vocalist Jeff Scott Soto, performed on Thursday, April 9 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

ELLEFSON-SOTO lineup:

Jeff Scott Soto - Vocals
David Ellefson - Bass
Andy Martongelli - Guitars
Walter Cianciusi - Guitars
Paolo Caridi - Drums

ELLEFSON-SOTO will also play aboard the Monsters Of Rock cruise, sailing April 12–17.

Last month ELLEFSON-SOTO released two new cover songs, paying tribute to two legendary forces in music: the king of rock and roll Elvis Presley and Los Angeles punk rock icons FEAR. Both songs were recorded and filmed live during the Rogue Recording sessions inside the legendary Battery Studios in London, U.K. in July 2025.

ELLEFSON-SOTO has released two albums so far through Rat Pak Records: "Vacation In The Underworld" (2022) and "Unbreakable" (2025).

To officially launch the ELLEFSON-SOTO project, Ellefson and Soto played concerts in September 2022 in Italy where they performed some of the music as well as ran through various catalog highlights, including selections from MEGADETH and Yngwie Malmsteen. They were joined by Martongelli as the musical director, as well as Caridi on drums and Valerio De Rosa on rhythm guitar.

In March 2021 — two months before David was fired from MEGADETH — Ellefson and Soto announced that they had been collaborating on some new material under the moniker ELLEFSON-SOTO. The ELLEFSON-SOTO version of the RIOT classic "Swords & Tequila" was simultaneously released across all digital streaming outlets via Ellefson's Combat Records.

Regarding how Ellefson's collaboration with Soto came about, David told Screamer magazine in an 2025 interview: "It started with one 'lone wolf' song. It was called 'Writing On The Wall', and I really wanted to get a good vocal on it. Andy Martongelli had suggested calling Jeff and getting the process started, not only with that song, but with a bunch of other songs that he and I had written that were intended for a second ELLEFSON solo album. During the pandemic, we'd done the ELLEFSON 'No Cover' record. Prior to that, I had done the ELLEFSON 'Sleeping Giants' record. So, I was starting to have some titles under my name. But 'Writing On The Wall' started this whole thing moving forward, and then I sent Jeff a couple more songs and he liked them, liked the process, and wanted to lock arms and do the project together."

On the topic of his musical chemistry with Soto, Ellefson said: "I've known [Jeff] a long time, and I've always loved his energy. He's a very charismatic and likable guy, but to start at the beginning, I mean, his voice is just incredible.

"I've had this sort of mantra around me — it was somebody at Clear Channel Radio that said it once. He said, 'David, you make music that's heavy, but melodic.' And that's what radio likes, right? Heavy is cool, but it's gotta have some melody that a mainstream listener can get around. That's the kind of music I grew up with — the '70s hard rock, the '80s metal that I liked from IRON MAIDEN to BLACK SABBATH to DEF LEPPARD. That has carried through my thrash career and everything that I've done since then as well. And for me to fully realize the potential of the music I write, having a singer like Jeff just closes the deal."

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

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Ellefson-Soto live for the first time on April 9, 2026, as the band makes their debut performance...

Posted by Ellefson-Soto on Monday, November 24, 2025