After the most successful year of the band’s history, Chris Harms kicks off 2025 by making a long-cherished dream come true, releasing his first solo album, 1980, set for release on January 31 via Napalm Records.


Today, Harms reveals “She Called Me Diaval”, a brand-new song cut from his upcoming debut. In this genre-fluid offering, the Lord Of The Lost vocalist and German ESC finalist emphasizes his boundary-defying artistic vision. The track delivers an 80s synth-pop revival enriched with electronic influences, new wave, and goth elements - all elevated by Harms’ unmistakable signature vocals.


Featuring eleven tracks in total, 1980 offers a distinctive sound that remains unexplored in Harms’ main band. Once again, it highlights his versatility as a musical chameleon and free spirit—qualities that both fans and critics respect and admire.




Chris Harms about the new single “She Called Me Diaval”: “Probably, the most frequently asked question about the song will be 'Who or what is Diaval?' - Well, either the song is about a dream I can't describe in detail, me musically processing a part of my life - because it's my only way of dealing with things, or I just like to tell mysterious, darkly colorful stories. At some point, I'll give it away...”


Watch the official music video for "She Called Me Diaval":





With Lord Of The Lost, Chris Harms just experienced the most successful four years in the band's history, including participation in the Eurovision Song Contest and tours with Iron Maiden, as well as one #1 and two #2 albums on the Official German Album Charts. But a break is out of the question. The idea of a solo album has been maturing in his mind for a long time and has now taken its final form.


Chris Harms describes 1980: “If I were forced to categorize this album and label it, it would probably say ‘a strange but successful mix of Depeche Mode, Modern Talking and Sandra with Chris Harms' voice, but with less perm and mullet’.”


Songs such as the first single “I Love You” and “Lunamor” exude a pleasant lightness, while “Past Pain” and “May This Be Your Last Battlefield” strike a reflective note. Two selected duets round off the album: Harms welcomes guest singer Sven Friedrich (Solar Fake) on “Madonna Of The Night”, while Ronan Harris (VNV Nation) can be heard on "The Grey Machines”.


1980 deliberately avoids attempting to reinvent the wheel, but is to be understood as a musical journey through time. There is no deliberate calculation or riding the wave of any trends on the album, but simply a passion, desire and love for music, with which Chris Harms has marked a remarkable new pinnacle in his discography as a musician.





1980 will be available in the following formats:


- Deluxe Box incl. 2-CD 6 page Digisleeve (1980 & Instrumental Version) with 16 page booklet + Bonus CD (Voice & Keys Version) as 4 page Digisleeve, “1980“ golden chain, 3 printed polaroids – ltd. to 500 copies worldwide (Napalm Records Mailorder + Bandshop exclusive)
- 2 LP Gatefold Cross Fuchsia/Yellow/Red incl. lyric sheet – ltd. to 300 copies worldwide (Napalm Records Mailorder exclusive)
- Tape Neon Orange (Black Print) – ltd. to 100 copies worldwide (Napalm Records Mailorder + Bandshop exclusive)
- 2 LP Gatefold Marbled Translucent (Old Purple, Viola, Black) incl. lyric sheet – ltd. to 100 copies worldwide (Bandshop exclusive)
- 2-CD 6 page Digisleeve (1980 & Instrumental Version) with 16 page booklet (Napalm Records Mailorder + Bandshop exclusive
- Digital Album

Following their Bionic Swarm debut album (2021) and The Silent Call EP (2023), Dutch futuristic metallers, Cryptosis, return with a mighty, awe-inspiring sophomore album, Celestial Death, set for worldwide release on March 7 via Century Media Records.


Today, the band share the official video for "Reign Of Infinite" from the upcoming release. Watch below.


Cryptosis comment: “We’re really excited to share our newest single, 'Reign Of Infinite', with all of you. This track is a dystopian anthem that dives deep into the rise of a new god, blending relentless Overkill-style double bass drums with an epic and dark atmosphere. It’s not your typical Cryptosis sound - most of the song rides on the same beat and pulse, creating a hypnotic energy, while Laurens’ vocals bring an atmospheric edge. As the second single from our sophomore album, Celestial Death, 'Reign Of Infinite' offers a glimpse into the vast and intense album we've created - one that’s darker, heavier, and more unrelenting than ever before. Stay tuned for the full album release and let us know what you think!"







Cryptosis checked in with the following comment about Celestial Death: “We’re excited to announce our new album! A sonic journey that pushes all boundaries of everything we created before. This album represents our evolution - an exploration of darkness that’s both vast and cinematic. 'Celestial Death' pulls you into a haunting atmosphere with relentless heaviness. Each track digs deeper into the enigma of existence, decay and fragile hope. 'Celestial Death' is our darkest vision yet - a soundtrack to the chaotic world we live in. It’s heavier, bolder, and still very much Cryptosis. We can’t wait for you to experience it, and join us in this new chapter. Prepare to ascend. The 'Celestial Death' awaits!".


Recorded by Olaf Skoreng at Tom Meier and Studio Moon Music between April and August 2024, mixed by Fredrik Folkare at Chrome Studios (Unleashed, Necrophobic, Hellbutcher) in Sweden and finally mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Studios (Arch Enemy, Borknagar, Amorphis) in Sweden too, Celestial Death once more comes with artwork by Eliran Kantor (Kreator, Testament, My Dying Bride) and showcases the group on a darker, heavier, more melodic and extremely cinematic journey across its 11 tracks / 42 minutes of playing time.


Celestial Death will be available in the following formats:


- CD Digipak Limited Edition (first pressing only)
- Gatefold LP on 180g black vinyl (unlimited copies)
- Gatefold LP on 180g deep blood red vinyl (limited to 300 copies)
- Digital


Pre-order here.





Celestial Death tracklisting:


Prologue - "Awakening"
"Faceless Matter"
"Static Horizon"
"The Silent Call" (Version 2024)
"Ascending"
"Motionless Balance"
"Reign Of Infinite"
"Absent Presence"
"In Between Realities"
"Cryptosphere"
"Coda - Wander Into The Light"


"Faceless Matter" video:





In other news, Cryptosis has been announced as part of a European tour with British thrashers Onslaught, who are celebrating the 40th Anniversary of their classic Power From Hell album. Find confirmed Cryptosis dates below, including an album release show in Enschede, The Netherlands on March 29.

In a Cameo video message requested by one of his fans, former CANNIBAL CORPSE and current SIX FEET UNDER frontman Chris Barnes commented on the fan's selection of CANNIBAL CORPSE's "The Bleeding" (1994) and SIX FEET UNDER's "Maximum Violence" (1999) as his two favorite death metal albums of all time. Chris said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, this is interesting. Those two albums, 'The Bleeding' and 'Maximum Violence', to me, are… Everything I do, I find important — I guess otherwise I wouldn't release it or work on it — but those albums, they're anchored in a different place for me, because both albums kind of marked a new beginning for two bands. 'The Bleeding' being the first [CANNIBAL CORPSE] album after [guitarist] Bob Rusay, and 'Maximum Violence' being the first [SIX FEET UNDER] album after [guitarist] Allen West. They're really inspired albums, and you find that happens when you bring someone new into a band. And that's always been something that I've kind of noted myself. I put that in the back of my head, like, whenever a band I'm working with picks up a new member, a main songwriter, like Steve Swanson was [in SIX FEET UNDER], it just changes gears and brings a new dynamic into the music itself, which is something I thrive to hunt for in the music of SIX FEET UNDER specifically."

Chris continued: "In CANNIBAL CORPSE, with 'The Bleeding', those guys as musicians were really wanting to progress the band musically in a way. I could kind of say why — I think they were wanting to, in a way, prove themselves as well-skilled musicians. And I thought they always were, because it was always very interesting music, the arrangements and stuff in CANNIBAL CORPSE on the first three albums. But I think they wanted to really hyper focus their skills and weren't able to do that. And I just was along for the ride, man. I can write to anything. It was really challenging to me. And I really liked 'The Bleeding' too. I liked what we were doing with Bob. I didn't want Bob to leave the band, and I didn't want him to be forced out of the band, and neither did Jack [Owen, then-CANNIBAL CORPSE guitarist]. So it kind of was a strange thing with that whole situation, but it did bring about a good album with 'The Bleeding'. And 'Stripped, Raped And Strangled' is probably my favorite song that I've written. And 'Hammer Smashed Face' is probably the most successful song that I've written. But something about 'Stripped, Raped And Strangled', to me, it showed something with the band that never appeared again with any of their albums after that, even 'Created To Kill'. [Editor's note: 'Created To Kill' was the original title of CANNIBAL CORPSE's 1996 album 'Vile', which was partly completed before Barnes was dismissed from the band due to creative differences.] But that is a purposeful thing. I was told by one of the members I will never write another song like that, which I thought was a big mistake. So it's a special song to me in that way, and I love that song. I'll play that song forever.

"You picked two great albums to be your favorites," Barnes added. "I mean, probably pretty close for me too. I kind of tend to really like [CANNIBAL CORPSE's] 'Butchered At Birth' 'cause that's what really brought us out of the woodwork, so to speak, and caused a lot of controversy and also gave us really our first real step up. And the music and everything on that — the band was just hitting on all cylinders. There was not too much tension in the band, although there was some. There was always tension on a personal level in that band when I was in the band, and probably mostly my fault [laughs], so I'll be the first to admit it. But, yeah, those are great albums that you picked there. I'm glad you like those a lot. They're important, important, important albums to me, too."

Barnes fronted CANNIBAL CORPSE from its inception in 1988 until his exit in 1995, one year after the release of the band's "The Bleeding" album.

After Barnes left CANNIBAL CORPSE, he formed SIX FEET UNDER, whose current lineup also includes another former CANNIBAL CORPSE member, guitarist Jack Owen.

Today, the pioneering Newcastle UK heavy metal legends, Raven, unleash the ear-splitting title track from their 50th anniversary Can’t Take Away The Fire release, out February 14 via Silver Lining Music.





Stream the new single "Can’t Take Away The Fire" here. The video, by widely acclaimed visual arts icon Costin Chioreanu, can be viewed below.




This rebel cry from the insane new Raven release underlines that the band aren’t letting their legacy dictate what they are… instead, they continue to push and redefine their approach by employing mega metal flamethrowers of CRUNCH!


Co-founding lead vocalist and bassist John Gallagher comments: “After the last album, All Hell’s Breaking Loose, we knew it was time to raise the bar yet again… ‘Can’t Take Away The Fire’ is the perfect introduction to this new EP … five tracks of pure cranium crushing headbanging mania!”





Founding Geordie brothers John Gallagher (lead vocals, bass) and Mark Gallagher (guitar, backing vocals) aligned with the jet-propulsive power of Mike Heller (drums), throw down their speed demon gauntlet on "Black And Blue", roar with turbo charged intensity on "Power Hungry", carpet bomb and bludgeon with the mega riffs of "Can’t Take Away The Fire" then accelerating back to the pyrotechnic fury of "Gimme A Lie". The new suite of songs wraps up with "The Wreckage" – a doom-tinged epic with the weight of a thousand baseball bats pummelling your skull!


Adding to the festivities are live bonus tracks from across the band�

NONPOINT drummer Robb Rivera says that being rushed to the hospital after he had a dangerously elevated heart rate was an "extremely emotional and overwhelming" experience.

According to the band, Robb had a sudden shift in his heart rate that was "dangerously high" during the NONPOINT concert Sunday night (January 12) at the Mercury Ballroom in Louisville, Kentucky. Since "the paramedics were not able to get it down in time", they took him to the hospital."

On Monday night (January 13),Robb took to his social media to write: "Hello all, as some of you know I had quite the health scare in Louisville, KY. I had an elevated heart rate and the medics that treated me did not let me go back on stage. I was carted off to the hospital where they ran a bunch of tests.

"I will say that the last 24 hours have been extremely emotional and overwhelming. This is something that has never happened to me.

"So what is going on now? Well I have been released and how does that old saying goes, 'The Show Must Go On' so we will be in Greensboro, NC at Hangar 1819! 'Painful Statements' rolls on.

"I want to thank everyone that sent a text, dm, email and phone calls! Thank you for the support. Let's do this!!!!"

A short time after the Louisville concert, NONPOINT vocalist Elias Soriano shared a video message in which he offered an update on Rivera's condition, saying: " So tonight is a pretty wild night here in Louisville. Thank you to all the fans that hung around and stayed. Robb is okay. He is back at the hospital right now, just getting some tests done. His heart rate got a little bit high today on stage. It's something that's never happened before."

He continued: "You guys know we put on an energetic show, and this is never anything that really is any different than what we normally do. But Robb is okay. They got his heart rate down, and we're just gonna wait for more news. But I just wanna let everybody know.

"Thank you so much for everybody in Louisville for coming out," Elias added. "I'm sorry we couldn't do the last song. Literally we had one and a half more songs to do and Robb really wanted to do it, but the paramedics wouldn't let him do it.

"Thank you for everybody for all your support. Everything is okay. Robb is doing good. I just wanna give you guys an update."

NONPOINT also included the following message with the video: "Thank you to the fans of Louisville for understanding us having to cut the set tonight. Robb had a sudden shift in his heart rate that was dangerously high and the paramedics were not able to get it down in time so they took him to the hospital. As of now his heart rate is stable and they're running tests. We'll keep you all posted on his progress as news comes in. Send them healing vibes our way so we can get our brother back on that drum throne. #prayersup".

Louisville was the third show of NONPOINT's "Painful Statements" tour with special guests CROBOT and HEARTSICK. The trek is in celebration of the 20th and 25th anniversaries of NONPOINT's two most popular albums, "To The Pain" and "Statement", respectively. The band is playing songs that not only haven't been heard in a long time, but also songs that have never been played live.

NONPOINT has been captivating audiences with its energetic sound and passionate performances for over two decades. Formed in 1997, the band has consistently pushed the boundaries of what modern rock can be, combining heavy metal, nu-metal, and hard rock into a unique and powerful musical force. Over the course of its 27-year career, NONPOINT has released several critically acclaimed albums and garnered a reputation as one of the most exciting live acts in the industry.

Throughout their career, NONPOINT has been celebrated for their signature sound and powerful lyrics, which often tackle social and political issues. Their hard-hitting sound and emotional live performances have earned them a dedicated fanbase, as well as recognition from the music industry. NONPOINT has received multiple award nominations and has been praised by publications such as Rolling Stone, Revolver and Alternative Press.

NONPOINT's songs "Bullet With A Name", "Alive And Kicking", "In The Air Tonight", "Circles", "Your Signs", "Everybody Down" and many others have been featured in trailers, hit movies, television, iconic video games, as well as broadcasts from NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, WWF.

NONPOINT has toured with major acts like DISTURBED, PAPA ROACH, MUDVAYNE and SEVENDUST, to name a few. They have also been featured on the main stages and support stages of iconic festivals like Soundwave, Rock Am Park, Rock Am Ring, Ozzfest, Rock On The Range, Welcome To Rockville and many more.

Hello all, as some of you know I had quite the health scare in Louisville, KY. I had an elevated heart rate and the...

Posted by Robb Rivera Nonpoint on Monday, January 13, 2025

Today, British metalcore heavyweights, Architects, unleash their blistering new single, "Blackhole: from their 11th studio album, The Sky, The Earth & All Between, out February 28 via Epitaph Records.


Paired with a jaw-dropping, cinematic music video shot on location in California, “Blackhole” is as visually striking as it is sonically explosive. Frontman Sam Carter shares, “So excited to have Blackhole out, it’s one of my favourite songs from the album. The video is equally as intense as the song. We filmed the video at such a wild location and we really are at the top of those buildings that you see. This is Architects at our most ferocious."







The single marks the next chapter in the lead-up to The Sky, The Earth & All Between, following the hard-hitting anthems “Whiplash,” “Curse,” and “Seeing Red.” If these first four single singles are any indication, this album is shaping up to be a defining moment for Architects.





Since dropping their critically acclaimed 2022 album ‘the classic symptoms of a broken spirit’, Architects have cemented their position as one of the UK’s most vital rock bands. The past year has seen the band dominate stages worldwide, from being personally tapped by Metallica to join their tour, to blowing minds at Download Festival 2023 and headlining Bloodstock Festival. This summer, they’re set to continue their takeover with select dates supporting Linkin Park on their world tour.


Armed with sharp innovation and renewed hunger, Architects are a band at the absolute peak of their powers—and they’re not slowing down.


Preorder / pre-save the new album here.





Tracklisting:


“Elegy”
“Whiplash”
“Blackhole”
“Everything Ends”
“Brain Dead” feat. House Of Protection
“Evil Eyes”
“Landmines”
“Judgement Day” feat. Amira Elfeky
“Broken Mirror”
“Curse”
“Seeing Red”
“Chandelier”

The Vito Bratta Forever YouTube channel, dedicated to original White Lion guitarist Vito Bratta, has shared rare fan-filmed video of the band petrforming the Ozzy Osbourne classic "I Don't Know" at an undisclosed location. Check it out below.


White Lion was officially active from 1983 – 1992, releasing four albums: Fight To Survive (1985), Pride (1987), Big Game (1989) and Mane Attraction (1991). The band called it quits in September 1991 and Bratta retired from the music business.







Guitar World caught up with Bratta in 2023, and during the interview he discussed White Lion's debut album, Fight To Survive, released in 1985. Bratta calls it a "fucking disaster" specifically because of the guitar parts that made it onto the record.


He reveals that the entire album consists of scratch tracks. For those who don't know, scratch  tracks are demo tracks recorded as a temporary filler to help hold down the rest of the song. These are meant to be replaced with final takes, which Bratta never

Streetlight have released a video for "Captured In The Night", from their upcoming Night Vision album, out March 14 via Frontiers Music Srl. Watch the clip below:





Streetlight is an AOR/melodic rock band from Jonkoping, Sweden. In 2023, Streetlight released their debut album Ignition via Frontiers, digitally and on CD. The band has not been resting on the laurels, and has worked hard to release their sophomore album, Night Vision.

Operus, the masters of blending theatrical drama with epic metal, are back with their new single, "Psychopomp". This electrifying track offers listeners an exhilarating sonic journey through the afterlife, reimagining the concept of a nightclub where souls gather instead of following the traditional guide to the beyond.


Combining haunting melodies, powerful orchestral arrangements, and intense metal riffs, "Psychopomp" is both a musical and visual spectacle. The single encapsulates Operus’ signature sound: a fusion of metal, classical music, and theatre that delivers an unforgettable experience. With its epic yet fun atmosphere, the song transports listeners to a neon-lit realm filled with mystery, chaos, and the shadowy presence of the titular psychopomp.


Oscar Rangel, guitarist behind Operus, describes the track as, "a celebration of defiance and exploration—an invitation to imagine a vibrant afterlife where boundaries are blurred, and souls revel in their eternal journey."

CREED and ALTER BRIDGE guitarist Mark Tremonti recently spoke to Adam Whalley of Primordial Radio about his love of METALLICA, particularly the latter band's classic third album, 1986's "Master Of Puppets". Tremonti said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "['Master Of Puppets' is] the album that made me a music fanatic in life. Before that, I was just like everybody else listening to whatever was on the radio at the time. I think BEASTIE BOYS' 'Licensed To Ill' was the big record that everybody was listening to. And then one night I couldn't fall asleep and my brother Dan was always listening to metal upstairs and I could hear it in his room upstairs. I said, 'Hey man, what's that song about the sanitarium?' So he gave me the tape, the 'Master Of Puppets' tape with 'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)' on it, and I just fell in love with the album. And it's probably the most important record to me for my history of making me wanna do what I do."

Regarding what it was about METALLICA's music that immediately grabbed him, Mark said: "It's atmospheric, it's epic, it's beautiful, it's mean, it's angry — it's all the things you want it to be… To me, like I was saying, it's beautifully written. You could have a song like 'Battery' that has just this intro that draws you right in with how nicely it's composed, and then all of a sudden it hits you over the head with something that — it did everything I wanted it to do with music when I was listening to it when I was a kid and it made me wanna pick up the guitar and [made me wanna] practice my down strokes like James Hetfield was doing. And I think James's voice, especially on that record, was just one of the greatest rock voices. It's just my thing, man. I think it was my thing and millions and millions of other people's thing, for some reason."

Back in November 2020, Mark told Hakos Pervanidis of Greece's "TV War" that "Master Of Puppets" was his "favorite record of all time. I've listened to it thousands of times," he said. "That's the record that turned me into a music fanatic. Before I heard that record, I was listening to the BEASTIE BOYS, I was listening to the J. GEILS BAND and whatever was popular on the radio, and I came across that record and from that point on, I've been a metalhead, looking for the heaviest thing that I could find. And I think METALLICA 'Master Of Puppets' is METALLICA at their best. Every single song on that record is a 10 out of 10."

Mark's comments echoed those he made in 2012 when he told Noisecreep that "Master Of Puppets" was the record that helped shape him musically. "From there, I searched for the heaviest, darkest, meanest sounding stuff I could find," he said. "I grew up in Detroit and my friends listened to SLAYER and TESTAMENT — I got into punk, too, like BLACK FLAG and MINISTRY. And I got really into black metal. I got into CELTIC FROST, KING DIAMOND and MERCYFUL FATE. I loved that stuff. I'd have to control the volume though so I'd turn it down when they said 'praise Satan' or whatever to keep my parents from taking my records away. [Laughs]"

When asked if there were there specific metal guitarists that influenced him and his riffs, Mark told Noisecreep: "[METALLICA's] James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett, for sure. That down stroke thing they do is one of my core sounds — my rhythm playing is very rooted in the METALLICA-based style. And SLAYER's approach, too. Some of my favorite riffs of all time are on SLAYER's song 'Raining Blood' and that really inspired me to write man of the menacing metal riffs that I have over the years. That's really what turned me on when I was younger, that kind of music."

FEAR FACTORY will celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of its classic second album, "Demanufacture", by performing the LP "in its entirety on most festivals" in Europe this summer.

Tour dates:

Aug. 01 - Wacken, Germany - Wacken Open Air
Aug. 04 - Katowice, Poland - MCK
Aug. 06 - Villena, Spain - Leyendas Del Rock Festival
Aug. 07 - Jaromer, Czech Republic - Brutal Assault
Aug. 08 - Helsinki, Finland - Hellsinki Metal Festival
Aug. 09 - Walton-On-Trent, UK - Bloodstock Festival
Aug. 10 - Kortrijk, Belgium - Alcatraz Festival
Aug. 12 - Manchester, UK - Academy 2 (with Kerry King)
Aug. 13 - Bristol, UK - SWX (with Kerry King)
Aug. 14 - Sulingen, Germany - Reload Festival
Aug. 15 - Eindhoven, Netherlands - Dynamo Metal Fest
Aug. 17 - Carhaix, France - Motocultor Festival

In a 2021 interview with Cuartel Del Metal, FEAR FACTORY guitarist Dino Cazares was asked what the initial response to "Demanufacture" was from the fans and the critics when it was first released in 1995. He responded: "Some people didn't realize that it was real. Some people thought it was electronic drums — programmed drums. Some people thought my guitars were sampled. Because it was such a tight record, it was so mechanical sounding in some ways, so people thought it wasn't real. I was very happy that I was able to create a sound that people still admire today; people still love it today. Some people are still influenced today by that record. It was a milestone in the band's career, and it was something that we created that, I think, defined the genre of industrial metal. Sure, you had bands like MINISTRY and GODFLESH and stuff like that, but I think that FEAR FACTORY took it to another level. We combined a lot of elements that maybe other people weren't doing. I think one of the main things also was the production of the record. The mixing of the record definitely took it to a new level. When Rhys Fulber and Greg Reely mixed the record, it was mindblowing, that it set the standard for that type of music. The vocals alone inspired a generation of musicians to come, vocalists to come. Syncopated guitars and drums… A lot of people were saying, 'Well, MESHUGGAH made that popular.' Yeah, MESHUGGAH didn't make it popular till much later. FEAR FACTORY at that time was a much bigger band. We were the only band, really, at the time that was really popularizing that style with the syncopated guitars and drums. So, yeah, I feel very lucky that I made a classic record that stood the test of time."

In December 2020, Dino told The Pit that he still revisits "Demanfucature" "quite a lot, because it was a groundbreaking record. And I go back sometimes just to listen — not to the tones or anything, but listen to the structures," he said. "But a lot of times, I apply those structures into newer songs. Like, 'Okay, how did I write a song like 'Zero Signal'? How does it go? How does it start? Where does the verse go? Where does the mid-section go?' And blah blah. If I'm stuck on a new song, I'll go back to 'Demanufacture' and be, like, 'Okay, that's how we did it, so let's go back and apply it to this song.' Even though the songs are completely different, the riffs are different, it's still something that helps me craft songs today."

In 2020, Run Out Groove celebrated the 25th anniversary of "Demanufacture" album by issuing it on vinyl and expanding it with a previously unreleased live concert from 1996's Ozzfest. "Demanufacture" was mastered for vinyl with lacquers cut by FEAR FACTORY's producer-engineer Damien Rainaud. The three-LP set was pressed on transparent blue, solid white, and black mixed-color vinyl at Record Industry and housed in a tri-fold jacket containing an exclusive poster.

FEAR FACTORY's current lineup features Cazares, Milo Silvestro on vocals, Tony Campos on bass, and Pete Webber on drums.

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

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

In early 2023, FEAR FACTORY completed the "Rise Of The Machine" U.S. tour as the support act for STATIC-X. It marked the Cazares-led outfit's first run of shows with Silvestro and Webber.

Webber had been filling in for FEAR FACTORY's longtime drummer Mike Heller who was unable to play with the band due to "scheduling conflicts."
In June it will be Demanufacture’s 30 year anniversary, we will be playing it in its entirety on most festivals. Go to https://t.co/6yaEYj0kIB

— Fear Factory (@FearFactory) January 13, 2025

British guitarist, Sophie Lloyd, has issued the following update in regards to her first-ever US solo show, scheduled for Thursday, January 16, at Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California:


"Like most of the world, I have watched, with horror, the fires ravaging LA over the last week. We have witnessed unprecedented destruction across a city so beloved by so many.


"It feels very strange to be discussing our gig when people are experiencing so much loss and pain right now. But I have had a lot of people asking about the status of our show on Thursday, January 16th, at The Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood.




"Things are changing very quickly, but at this time, we have decided to go forward with the show. Everything will go ahead as planned including all the VIP experiences. Safety is our first priority so we will continue to monitor the situation and update you if there are any changes .


"The incredible loss the people of LA have experienced in the past week is unfathomable, but throughout it all, it’s been overwhelming to see the acts of kindness and self

MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee has blasted musicians for promoting their tours and album releases while wildfires have leveled areas of Los Angeles with one of the worst natural disasters to strike California in the history of the United States.

On Monday (January 13),the 62-year-old musician took to his Instagram to write: "Makes me fucking sick to see most people just caring on a posting on lame ass social media!

"Guys right now nobody gives a flying fuck when your record drops or the next concert is when so many people are in the middle of one of the biggest disasters of all time!”

He added: "I get that some comic relief is always needed, but Jesus Christ leave it all alone and maybe just stop and see who needs help if you can."

According to NBC News, there are 24 known deaths from the wildfires that broke out in the Los Angeles region on January 7 as winds with gusts of 80 mph or more turned fires into firestorms.

The Eaton and Palisades fires are likely the second and fourth most destructive in California history, according to CNN. The total area burned by the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires is about 60 square miles, an area larger than Paris.

Elsewhere, DISTURBED's David Draiman condemned social media users who derived pleasure from the misfortune of the victims of the wildfires. He wrote on Instagram: "There are people on this platform cheering on the destruction caused by the Los Angeles Fires. Delighting in the misery and misfortune of others. Nothing justifies this. No reason. No cause. NOTHING. Absolute scum. The lot of you."

Several high-profile rock musicians have lost their homes to one of the Los Angeles wildfires, including PRIMUS guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde, IRON MAIDEN's Adrian Smith and SPIRITBOX bassist Josh Gilbert (formerly of AS I LAY DYING).

Among the musicians who were forced to evacuate during the fires are RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Brad Wilk and ANTHRAX's Scott Ian.

The Recording Academy and charity foundation MusiCares have pledged $1 million to support artists and music industry professionals affected by the ongoing wildfires tearing through the Los Angeles area. Guitar Center has launched an initiative to replace instruments and gear destroyed in the blaze, while the NAMM Foundation and Sweet Relief Musicians Fund are also providing immediate financial assistance to musicians in need.

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METALLICA's foundation All Within My Hands is granting $500,000 to relief efforts carried out by the California Community Foundation's Wildfire Recovery Fund and the Pasadena Community Foundation's Eaton Canyon Fire Relief And Recovery Fund.

The fires raging in the Los Angeles area have relentlessly wreaked havoc and widespread destruction since January 7 and, sadly, do not show signs of slowing down. Despite containment progress over the weekend, officials warn residents to stay vigilant as the Santa Ana winds return and are expected to reach up to 70 miles per hour over the coming days, creating critical fire conditions. In the past week, the community has suffered at least 24 lives lost, nearly 100,000 people under evacuation orders, 40,000 acres burned, and more than 12,000 structures — commercial and residential — destroyed. However, numbers cannot articulate the magnitude of anguish as the disaster upends families and dismantles livelihoods.

The California Community Foundation (CCF) has a long history of ensuring resources reach those most in need. It leverages partnerships with community-based organizations and government agencies while using data from CalFire and the CDC's Social Vulnerability Index to prioritize underserved communities. For the Los Angeles County wildfires, CCF has activated its Wildfire Recovery Fund to complement immediate relief and address the long-term recovery needs of neighborhoods. The fund's disaster and recovery efforts support an array of critical recovery services, including housing, case management, mental health, and medical care for displaced residents. It also aids in rebuilding essential infrastructure like emergency communication systems and offers financial disaster assistance, labor law education, and immigration services to low-wage workers and immigrant families. AWMH is donating $250,000 to the California Community Foundation's Wildfire Recovery Fund.

The Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) has established the Eaton Canyon Fire Relief And Recovery Fund. A smaller agency, PCF is entrenched within the community, poised to leverage connections with civic and nonprofit leaders to ensure its aid reaches those who need it most. The fund will support immediate needs during relief efforts as the fires continue to spread. It will also support critical long-term recovery efforts after the fires are extinguished and the community embarks upon the seemingly impossible task of rebuilding what has been demolished. AWMH is donating $250,000 to the Pasadena Community Foundation's Eaton Canyon Fire Relief And Recovery Fund.

All Within My Hands was established in 2017 by METALLICA to invest in the people and places that have supported the band. It also allows METALLICA's fans to engage in philanthropy and volunteerism. The Foundation is dedicated to creating sustainable communities through workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services. All expenses of the Foundation are covered by the band, the board, and a few special friends so that 100 percent of donations go to the organizations it supports. AWMH is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

The METALLICA family and the All Within My Hands foundation board members are committed to running an organization of the highest integrity where expenses are kept to a minimum and are paid for entirely by the band, the board, and friends who have worked with the band over many years and are excited to help in this mission. As such, 100% of all donations from fans and third parties go to the organizations AWMH supports.

In a recent interview with Rock Your Faith Out, legendary bassist Rudy Sarzo spoke about his collaboration with his former OZZY OSBOURNE bandmates Brad Gillis (guitar) and Tommy Aldridge (drums) on a recording of a "classic cover song", to be released later this year. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's a singer named Rick Hughes. He's in a band called SWORD in Montreal, Canada. His manager contacted Tommy, Brad and me and asked each individually if we wanted to play on one song off his record. I'm not gonna disclose what the song is. I can tell you it's not an Ozzy or BLACK SABBATH song. It's not; it's not at all. It has nothing to do with anything that we have done together in the past, except it's us playing together. There's no tie to what we did in the past."

He continued: "It's not really a project; it's is a one-off, an appearance. And so we did the song about three or four months ago — that's when I did my track — separately. Tommy did his, and I did mine, and then Brad did his. That's how we all were able to do it because we live in different parts of the world. So then they asked us if we wanted to be in the video. And I figured, 'Well, I already played on the track, and I like what I played. So I might as well be on the video.' And that's what we did. We got together [in late November] and we made a video."

Asked when the song and the accompanying music video will be released, Rudy said: "It's not my decision. It should be coming out somewhere in 2025. Stay tuned.

"We were just basically hired to do this," Rudy explained. "We're not part of something. Because I already have my something, which is QUIET RIOT, and I'm very busy with that something."

Gillis first revealed his involvement with Sarzo and Aldridge on the aforementioned recording last November. He wrote on his social media at the time: "Excited about recording a classic cover song and filming a video to be released in early 2025….. Getting together with my ol' Ozzy buddies Rudy Sarzo (bass) and Tommy Aldridge (drums) and talented Canadian vocalist Rick Hughes was a BLAST! More to come soon!!!"

Formed in 1980 in Montreal, SWORD (not to be confused with THE SWORD, a great doom metal band that came out over 20 years later) released its Combat Records debut, "Metalized", in 1986, punctuated by the band's precise thrash attack, and the soaring vocals of Rick Hughes, summed up by Kerrang!'s Mark Putterford as such; "My eyes are a painful shade of purple. My ears are ringing tortuously. My mouth is awash with blood and broken teeth, I've just been ten rounds with a Montreal mob called SWORD. "

SWORD was hand-picked by METALLICA to open the Quebec leg of the "Master Of Puppets" tour, Alice Cooper's Canadian "Return Of The Nightmare" tour and then crisscrossed the U.K. with the mighty Lemmy on MOTÖRHEAD's "Rock N' Roll" tour. "Metalized" was followed up by the heavy but diverse "Sweet Dreams" in 1988.

After a short U.S. tour promoting "Sweet Dreams", SWORD started work on its third album when all hell broke loose, and a parting of ways ensued. Until 2011, when they reunited for a few select shows in Canada and Germany and found the urge to go back in the studio to pick up where they had left off.

The quartet soon ended up right back where they started, after connecting with Thom Hazaert and then-MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson, and their relaunched Combat Records, which immediately released "Live: Hammersmith", a live recording of a "Metalized"-era SWORD show supporting MOTÖRHEAD at England's fabled Hammersmith Odeon.

“Hush Hush Project”

Excited about recording a classic cover song and filming a video to be released in early 2025….....

Posted by Brad Gillis on Wednesday, November 13, 2024

In a new interview with Finland's Chaoszine, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach spoke about his approach to writing lyrics, particularly as it relates to the band's upcoming album, "This Consequence", which is due on February 21 via Metal Blade Records. Asked if he is, most of the time, in a dark place when he is writing KILLSWITCH lyrics, Jesse responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yes, that's the majority of kind of where I come from, is sitting in my darkness, understanding my darkness and then finding a solution to it. It's kind of the formula I like to use 'cause I always like to inject some positivity."

He continued: "And two points. One, I think there are a couple of songs on this record that do not end on a positive note. I think of 'The Fall Of Us'. I think of 'Broken Glass', 'Where It Dies'… And I think that's important. I think it's important to put out something that just feels therapeutic and doesn't necessarily have to have a positive message. And then on the flip side, the song 'I Believe' off the record, which is 100 percent a positive song, and I was in a good mood when I wrote it, I was in a mood of hopefulness and positivity, and I'm proud of that too. And I think you need the contrast between the two as an artist — well, at least for me. I like the diversity of touching on different emotions, touching on different sonic tones, different genres of music, instead of just sort of doing the one thing, like, 'KILLSWITCH is strictly this type of band.' More power to people who are like that, but for us, I enjoy the diversity of our sound, I enjoy the diversity of how we're able to talk about love in this area and then political corruption in this area and maybe spiritual awakening and the desire to understand our existence right here. So I like and enjoy the diversity of all of that. So you can be in a positive headspace and write a song, but you skirt the fine line of trying not to be cheesy, saying what you feel, and I think we achieved that. Maybe I'm wrong."

Asked if the dark times we are living in right now, with the world in such a state of insanity, sorrow and rage, are reflected in his lyrics, Jesse said: "Yeah, and I think that's why the album sounds the way it does and has the lyrics that it does, because I'm very intuned. At least I had to sort of turn my attention to what we've all been through — from COVID, the whole pandemic till now, the divisiveness, people at each other's throats, being divided, sort of political ideologies, religious warfare. Everywhere you look, there's something to be harped upon that is negative and dark, and I think it's important to acknowledge that but not to get lost in it, not to allow it to swallow you to despair. Even one of the lines in one of the songs, 'Aftermath': 'don't give in to despair.' You can't give in to it.

"This record was very much about sitting in my suffering, sitting in the suffering of the world, reflecting upon it and then moving through it with a righteous anger where I wanted to sort of wake people up," he explained. "Like, you don't have to think this way. You don't have to live in this divisive world. You don't have to shut somebody down because they don't agree with you. You can have compassion on that person. You can find yourself in a place of understanding where you take that person's point of view and you try to understand why they think that way and maybe have a little bit of a discourse about it. Maybe you'll learn something about yourself. Maybe you'll gain some wisdom and understanding. The world we live in doesn't want that. And I very much want that. So, to me, what I'm writing, the righteous anger I'm coming through is very much of a revolutionary state of mind, trying to bring people together for the greater good for all of us. Because the powers that be, the people who are in control — name them, whoever you want to call 'em or whatever, entities, beings — there is a reason why they're pushing, through social media, through mainstream media, divisiveness, wars, negativity. Good things don't usually make the headlines, and there's a reason for that. So read between the lines, try to pay attention to what is going on in the periphery and use your discernment to know why this is being thrown at you. And you can fight against it. You can become the change that this world needs within yourself. And it could be very simple things, starting with the way you treat people, your neighbors, someone you see at the grocery store. Those little acts of kindness and compassion have a ripple effect that can create a beautiful, positive change that you don't even understand. And that, to me, is where I'm coming from. If my music can resonate in any way to create some sort of a positive ripple, that is why I do it. Think for yourself."

Asked if writing lyrics is always like a therapy session for him as well, Jesse said: "For better or for worse, yes, it is. Music is definitely one of my many therapies. I think it's important to grow and to sort of admit when you're not in a good place, admit when you're wrong — and change your behavior. And I think people who don't do that, who get stuck in their comfort zones, who get stuck in relationships where things are not great and you just kind of deal with it, I've never been about that. I love the idea of continuing to evolve as a human. I think that goes hand in hand with what I was just talking about being open to hear people and being able to sort of change your point of view. I've changed my opinion and point of view on many things — religion, politics, the two hot topic buttons that people can't talk about. When I've had conversations about those two things, I've changed my ideology a little bit. I'm, like, 'Oh, I never thought of it that way. That's really interesting you say that. I'm gonna do my own research on that because you said that and give your idea a chance because I'm curious why you think that.' So I think with personal growth, it's the same thing. Don't stay stuck. You know the old phrase that I'm not sure if it applies in Finland, but 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks' is something we say here in this country. I completely disagree. You can. You absolutely can. You can change yourself. And I think it's important to adapt and to grow and to gain more wisdom. Why would you not? Why would you want to stay stagnant when you can grow and evolve as a human?"

As previously reported, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE will return to the road this winter and spring. Their upcoming winter headline tour features support from KUBLAI KHAN TX, FIT FOR A KING and FROZEN SOUL and kicks off on March 5 in Nashville and runs through April 12 in Portland, Maine. The band has also announced dates for May, which will feature support from SHADOWS FALL, FIT FOR A KING and BOUNDARIES.

When "This Consequence" was first announced late last year, Leach said in a statement: "Making this record lit a fire under my ass and made me rethink everything. It had to be next level. It had to be different enough for people to really recognize we're putting forth an effort-or what's the point of doing this? There was no repeating ourselves. It was very carefully planned out and passionately written. It sounds like KILLSWITCH, yet there's also a fresh spirit to it."

This time around, the group emphasized working together face-to-face in a Massachusetts rehearsal spot. The process enabled them to apply the pressure on every element. At the collective urging of his bandmates, Jesse pored over his words like never before.

"We pushed him to do more vocal demos and were super tough on him," recalled guitarist and producer Adam Dutkiewicz. "He was so open to feedback though, and he definitely got the lyrics right. I love it when he and I are face-to-face, and ideas are flying around. We work especially well together when we're in the heat of the moment. All of the demoing made for a better record, and there was so much communication between all of the band members."

"It felt like everyone put a ton of effort into this," bassist Mike D'Antonio added. "It's the first time since 'Alive Or Just Breathing' that we really hashed everything out together in the same room. It was a combined effort, and there are even some things you've never heard from KILLSWITCH."

Jesse culled inspiration from "hours on Thesaurus.com," reading as many books as possible, and interacting with fans on the road in between. He confessed, "I found my voice again."

"I never considered myself to be a part of mainstream society," he went on. "I've always been in the middle. To me, this record is about the consequences of our actions as humans as we engage in war, hatred, division, and falling in line with control. History repeats itself. We're going to have to answer for our actions-whether it's how we treat the earth or each other. There will be an uprising and a backlash from nature. Cause-and-effect is a driving theme. We will face a consequence."

"This Consequence" is KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's ninth album overall, and sixth with Leach, who rejoined the band in 2012.

During a recent appearance on the "Artist Friendly With Joel Madden" podcast, AVENGED SEVENFOLD frontman M. Shadows discussed religion and spirituality. The 43-year-old singer, whose real name is Matt Sanders, said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "I'm not religious at all. But I find beauty in no purpose. And I've found a lot of positivity in there being no purpose 'cause I feel like that's the ultimate freedom. I don't want to be told what needs to happen. I want to have my own path. And for me, it's all the simple things we all come back to, and it's all the things that religion would teach you. It's love. It's my family. It's empathy. It's trying to further the human conversation. But the difference here is if you said, 'Matt, does any of it matter?' I would say, 'No.' I would say at the very end, the only reason it matters is 'cause while you're here, I don't like to see suffering… I believe that if you look in a even a five-billion-year time frame when Earth gets wiped out, I believe nothing will ever know we were here. It doesn't matter."

Elaborating on why he is not religious, M. Shadows said: "I look at it like this. I look at deep history. And there's no sign of… I mean, you could always always go back, back, back. And the thing that God has going for it is you can always go, 'Well, what created that?' And you can always go further back. These are just conversations that go in circles. But let's say we have a Big Bang [a physical theory that describes how the universe expanded from an initial state of high density and temperature]… And my question would be, at what point did God start taking notice or care? Was it 2000 years ago? Was he, like, 'Those guys are kind of apes, but they're kind of looking like this new thing that I'm into. I'm gonna send Jesus out in a couple thousand years.' And so there's a bunch of funny things to me.

"I understand that people that believe in God, now they've become more savvy," M. Shadows continued. "So, they go, 'Well, I'm not talking about the guy in the sky. I'm talking about a feeling' or a consciousness.

"When you wanna know what you feel is the truth and you read as much as you can on it, there's a shock to the system, which makes me think it's very much evolutionary and how it's based in a human. 'Cause there's very few things that will make your body chill to the bone. The day that I realized that God was not a feasible option for me, my whole body just shook in fear. And I know that is usually the spot where most people go, 'Okay, I'm going back. I'm gonna run back to it.' And so I just was calm and I just continued to read and see if I could find things on either side.

"The belief in God and the comfort in God almost feels like I'm going to carry on in some way or there's a me, and a lot of the philosophy that that I believe in is that there is no you," M. Shadows added. "That's what [the AVENGED SEVENFOLD song] 'Nobody''s about. Like, there's no you. You are one with the whole universe. Now, God might have his hands around the whole universe, but at that point, you're in an ocean.

"So, when I did 5-MeO-DMT [also known as O-methylbufotenin or mebufotenin, a psychedelic drug that occurs naturally in plants and some animals], the point of it is to wipe away you… It's very scary. But one thing that it led me to was, I have this friend, Jeremiah, who became very religious as of late. And we'd argue with each other — back and forth… So when I did 5-MeO, it's called the 'God [Molecule]'. And you lose yourself. You don't exist when you're on this. And it's not correct for English words or any words. You actually come back and you can't even talk. But the next day I saw Jeremiah, and I gave him a hug and I said, 'You were right all along. He exists.' And I gave him a hug, 'cause I realized at that moment it didn't matter, regardless. And I just said what he believes in and what I experienced was the same thing. He puts a name on it, and I was just one with the universe and with every human that ever existed. And when you listen to 'Nobody', the first lyric is 'I'm a God. I'm awake. I'm the one in everything.' And it's because I'm taking those words and I'm changing them to what you think they mean. I don't think I'm up there making decisions."

M. Shadows went on to say: "There's an old Buddhist saying, 'Enlightenment is when the wave realizes it's the ocean.' It's when you realize you're just one with everything and you're just ebbing and flowing. And so when I realized that, I realized Jeremiah was right all along. What he believes in and what guides him in life, what he calls God is just a technicality. It was all the same thing. And so it was actually an interesting way to come back around to everything."

As previously reported, AVENGED SEVENFOLD will embark on a European tour in June 2025. The 12-date trek will consist of appearances at some of the continent's biggest rock festivals, including Norway's Tons Of Rock, Czech Republic's Rock For People and Greece's Release.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD launched the 2024 leg of the "Life Is But A Dream…" North American tour on March 6 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. The band's 2024 run included AVENGED SEVENFOLD's first-ever performances in Manchester, New Hampshire; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Newark. The group performed in Des Moines, Iowa for the first time in 18 years; Cleveland, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the first time in 15 years.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD has been touring in support of its latest album, "Life Is But A Dream…", which sold 36,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 13 on the Billboard 200 chart.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD made its first festival appearance in five years on May 19, 2023 at Welcome To Rockville at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

AVENGED SEVENFOLD's first concert since June 2018 took place on May 12, 2023 at AREA15 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

To date, AVENGED SEVENFOLD has sold over 10 million albums worldwide and earned two consecutive No. 1 albums on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart (2010's "Nightmare" and 2013's "Hail To The King") to go along with over a billion video views and a billion-plus Spotify streams, as well as multiple No. 1 singles on rock radio.

British rock icons SKUNK ANANSIE have released their brand new single "An Artist Is An Artist". Their first new music in almost three years, it finds the acclaimed four-piece at the peak of their powers and is a witty, provocative, pulsating slice of spiky, new-wave brilliance.

Tackling everything from ageism to our current need for approval in the digital age, "An Artist Is An Artist" somehow seems to hark back to the band's vitriolic debut single, "Little Baby Swastikkka", in terms of its confrontational quality. It also reaffirms the fact that SKUNK ANANSIE is part of Britain's proud agit-pop lineage that extends back to THE SLITS, whilst also conjuring up the wordplay of Ian Dury.

Produced by David Sitek of TV ON THE RADIO fame, known for his production work with FOALS, YEAH YEAH YEAHS, SANTIGOLD, SOLANGE, WEEZER and CHELSEA WOLFE, "An Artist Is An Artist" is the surprising first taste of what's to come from the band in 2025. Reinvigorated after a period of introspection, their work with Sitek has seen the band twist and turn, stepping out of their comfort zone and re-shaping themselves into a lean and vital musical machine, ready to take on the world once more.

"His name seemed to be on a lot of records that we liked. But none of the records sounded the same. The records all sounded fresh, but mainly the artists all sounded like themselves," says singer Skin of the producer.

"He basically reminded us that the process of making music didn't need to be that complicated. When you start a band it never is, so it was a good reminder of that, and he got us to strip things right down," continues guitarist Ace.

Originally based around a trademarked, hulking SKUNK riff, the band listened to Sitek as he reduced the tune to its most primal essence. Then, he decided that they needed to add a sax solo. "I fucking hate sax!" grimaces Skin, "then this really cool fucking dude walks in and played sax like I've never heard it before, and at that point my mantra became, just trust The Dave."

Strangely, what should have felt uncomfortable sounds utterly natural, and the band's performance in the multi-colored lyric video showcases how fresh, vital, current, and contemporary they are, a rare feat for a multi-million-selling group three decades on from their very first release.

"An Artist Is An Artist" will no doubt prove to be one of the highlights of the band's upcoming European headline tour, which kicks off in Portugal on February 28 and continues through Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Czechia, Poland, Denmark, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and Belgium before ending in the U.K. with 14 shows.

SKUNK ANANSIE, formed in 1994 in London, is a seminal band, one of the first multi-racial British rock bands, who are known for their powerful sound and thought-provoking lyrics. Fronted by the charismatic and dynamic vocalist Skin, the band blends alternative rock with elements of punk and metal. They remain one of the most important and influential bands of their era.

Their debut album "Paranoid & Sunburnt" (1995),and its follow-up "Stoosh" (1996) both hit the Top 10 album chart in the U.K. and with hits like "Weak" and "Hedonism", they established themselves on the international stage, helped by their stunning live performances. In 1999, SKUNK ANANSIE closed the decade out in style by releasing their third studio album, "Post Orgasmic Chill" and headlining Glastonbury Festival, before surprisingly going on a lengthy hiatus in 2001.

The band reconvened in 2008 to embark on the second chapter of their career, releasing three acclaimed albums — 2010's "Wonderlustre", 2012's "Black Traffic" and 2015's "Anarchytecture". In 2019, the band marked their 25th anniversary with "25LIVE@25", a live album that brings together the greatest songs from their six studio albums.

Throughout their career, SKUNK ANANSIE has sold over five million records globally. The band's international prominence continues to thrive today, selling out live arenas and headlining festivals across the continent.

SKUNK ANANSIE is celebrated for addressing political and social issues through their music and breaking racial and gender barriers in rock. Their influence extends beyond music, contributing to discussions on identity, equality, and activism.

Photo credit: Rob O'Connor

According to SiriusXM host Mark Strigl, the brand new single from Ozzy Osbourne and Billy Morrison, "Gods Of Rock N Roll", will get its world radio premiere on SiriusXM Ozzy's Boneyard channel 38 this coming Friday, January 17 at 3 p.m. ET / 12 noon PT.

"Gods Of Rock N Roll" is said to be "a re-recorded version of the track from 2015 complete with a 61-piece orchestra and choir" and featuring a guest appearance by longtime Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens.

"Gods Of Rock N Roll" will be made available via TLG|ZOID, distributed by Virgin Music Group.

The original version of "Gods Of Rock N Roll" was the closing track on Morrison's sophomore album, 2015's "God Shaped Hole". Billy released his first solo album, "Stimulator", in 2008.

Ozzy previously made an appearance on Morrison's third solo album and first since 2015, "The Morrison Project", which came out in April 2024 via The Label Group/Virgin Music Group.

The British guitarist, singer, and songwriter — primarily known as Billy Idol's rhythm guitar player for the past 15 years alongside Stevens, and for his previous role as bassist in THE CULT — assembled 12 songs including additional guest performances by Idol, DMC, Al Jourgensen, Steve Vai, Steve Stevens, Linda Perry, Tommy Clufetos andJohn 5.

The LP's second single, "Crack Cocaine", featured Osbourne and Stevens, with Clufetos on drums.

"Crack Cocaine" marked the first new song with Ozzy on vocals since the 2022 release of his worldwide smash album "Patient Number 9" which earned him two Grammy Awards ("Best Rock Album", "Best Metal Performance").

"The Morrison Project" was produced by Billy Morrison, mixed by Barry Pointer and mastered by Dave Donnelly. All the songs on the album — recorded in Los Angeles at various studios — were written by Billy Morrison in collaboration with his guests.

Ozzy and Billy are longtime friends who co-host the "Ozzy Speaks" show on SiriusXM.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Osbourne stated about Morrison: "Billy Morrison has been a good, good friend for such a long, long time. He's helped me out a lot of times over the years."

Asked what he and Morrison have in common on a musical level, Osbourne laughed and said: "Well, we're both fucking crazy."

The brand new single from Billy Morrison and Ozzy Osbourne THE GODS OF ROCK N ROLL will get its world radio premiere on...

Posted by Mark Strigl on Monday, January 13, 2025

In late March 2024, ANTHRAX announced that, due to personal reasons, bassist Frank Bello would not be able to accompany the band on its South American tour, which kicked off on April 13, 2024 at MXMF The Metal Fest in Mexico City. Filling in on those dates, as well as two U.S. festival shows in May 2024, was ANTHRAX founding member and original bassist Dan Lilker, marking his first appearance with the band in 40 years. Lilker, who co-wrote and played on ANTHRAX's debut album "Fistful Of Metal", was also a member of STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH with ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante and guitarist Scott Ian.

In a new interview with Todd Newton of Big Music Geek, Lilker was asked if he was surprised to get the call to play with his former band again. He responded: "It was definitely a surprise, but it ended up being a pleasant surprise.

"Scott had texted me in late February and said, 'Frank can't do these shows we're doing in Latin America and a couple of U.S. festivals in May. Can you do them?' That was only five weeks out from the first show, but I said, 'Sure. What's the setlist?' And I practiced. Every day, I'd come home from work and run through the setlist, driving my wife crazy. But I like to make sure I know stuff and I want to know it with full confidence. I want to play it and still be able to rock out and have it be natural like second nature.

"It was fun," he continued. "I went to some cool places I'd never been to El Salvador or fucking Costa Rica or Ecuador and Uruguay. I went to Uruguay, dude.

"Those guys are all real great musicians," Lilker added. [ANTHRAX vocalist] Joey [Belladonna] is an amazing singer. I never shared a stage with him.

"It was lots of fun, but I was surprised."

Lilker previously talked about his stage reunion with ANTHRAX in a November 2024 interview with the That Metal Interview podcast. Lilker said at the time: "Those shows were great. It was fun. I didn't really know Joey before that, the vocalist. Obviously, I knew Scott and Charlie from [playing with them in ANTHRAX and] S.O.D. and then there's Jon [Donais], the guitar player, who's also a really cool dude who helped me out a lot, teaching me the stuff that I still needed to learn. But yeah, those shows were great. There was eight shows in South America and then there was a couple of U.S. fests, in Florida and Columbus, Ohio. The South American [shows] were in April. I should say Central America — actually, the first show was in Mexico. But let's just say Latin America. And all those shows were killer. I mean, I've played down there a bunch. I went to some places I've never been before, like Costa Rica and Ecuador and El Salvador. But good old Chile and Argentina and Brazil, I knew those were gonna be killers because I played there a bunch with other bands. And, yeah, I think everything was great. It was lots of fun. And I think people enjoyed it, man. It's all over YouTube."

Asked if it's true that they had only one rehearsal in Mexico City before he played his first show back with ANTHRAX, Dan said: "Yeah, there was one rehearsal in Mexico, but I'd gotten approached about doing that about five or six weeks before that. So I had time at home to learn the stuff, and then we just did that one rehearsal, because even those guys needed the rehearsal, 'cause they hadn't done anything at that point since they played, like, the Milwaukee Metal Fest the summer before or something. They'd gone about ten months without doing anything, so even if Frank had done the shows, they would've rehearsed regardless."

When the interviewer noted that Lilker has a slightly different bass sound compared to Frank, Dan concurred. "Oh, definitely," he said. "[Frank] has a nice aggressive bass tone, but mine's definitely a little more distorted, having always sounded like that and then playing grindcore and black and death metal and shit like they've done the last fucking quarter century. Scott and Charlie had played with me with S.O.D. with that bass tone, and I'm sure they were aware that it would sound a little different with ANTHRAX, but it was almost, like, it made it this interesting hypothetical thing for those dudes, like, 'What if Danny had been in the band all this time? What would those songs sound like?' And you got to find out, I guess."

Asked if there were any songs that he had to learn for ANTHRAX's set that gave him trouble, Dan said: "The only thing that was tricky sometimes was doing the backing vocals while playing the bass, 'cause sometimes the phrasing was a little different. Like, believe it or not, going 'what is it? Caught in a mosh' and playing the riff under it, it kind of alternates weirdly. So I had to slow the whole thing down in my brain and go, 'Okay, you have to tap your foot here or say this on that note.' And that's only because in most bands I've been in, if I'm doing backing vocals, I'm usually just screaming or shouting a couple of words, which this is not that dissimilar from. It was just more of a musical phrasing thing, where what you're saying and what you're playing are just different enough that it can fuck you up a little."

Lilker has not been idle over the past four decades, having played in a wide variety of bands. He was the bassist for the thrash/metal band NUCLEAR ASSAULT and the grindcore band BRUTAL TRUTH. He also plays bass for EXIT-13, MALFORMED EARTHBORN, THE RAVENOUS, OVERLORD EXTERMINATOR, VENOMOUS CONCEPT, and more.

To celebrate ANTHRAX's 40th anniversary in 2021, the band's social media accounts offered a series of video testimonials sent in by former bandmembers, fellow musicians, colleagues, and industry veterans sharing behind-the-scenes stories of working with the band and what ANTHRAX's legacy has meant all these years on. These videos honored each album in chronological order beginning with the original release, "Fistful Of Metal". The 11-week series included video contributions from former ANTHRAX bandmembers Lilker, Dan Spitz, John Bush, Neil Turbin and Rob Caggiano.

Lilker, who played bass on "Fistful Of Metal" and wrote most of the music for the record, told Knotfest about ANTHRAX's 40th anniversary: "I'm definitely proud of that whole thing. I think it's great that those guys are still going… That was real good memories back then. I know people go, 'Oh, they fucking threw you out after that,' and blah blah blah. But, obviously, I got over that and formed NUCLEAR ASSAULT. And next year we were doing S.O.D. So I'm not the kind of guy who stays bitter forever. But, yeah, the memories of those times, writing that record and recording it and everything was... 'Cause there was no blueprint or anything; we just had influences and just tried to put our own stamp on 'em back then. So, yeah, it kind of sucks being thrown out three days before [it got] released, but it gave me an excuse to do something else."

When interviewer Daniel Dekay noted that it was "really cool" of ANTHRAX to allow Lilker to tell his side of the story in the above-mentioned documentary series, Dan said: "There was times in the past where I might have been a little neglected on some of the stuff. So I think they wanted to make sure to just have a nice, inclusive vibe and not forget any particular details. Like the fact that I wrote 75 percent of 'Fistful Of Metal'. You know, a minor detail."

A number of years ago, Lilker told Voices From The Darkside that he was fired from ANTHRAX due to "a conflict" with the band's then-vocalist Neil Turbin. "He was an egotist (like most singers, haha) and it bothered him that I was taller than him," Lilker explained. "Also, he had no sense of humor, so if you busted his balls he took it seriously. So, he told the other members, 'I can't take Lilker anymore. It's him or me.' They decided he was more important as a familiar frontman to the fans, so they threw me out, even though I wrote 75 percent of the music on 'Fistful…'. Oh well. He was, of course, thrown out seven months later, and I played with Scott and Charlie in S.O.D. the next year."

In his 2014 autobiography "I'm The Man: The Story Of That Guy From Anthrax", Ian described Lilker's dismissal from ANTHRAX 30 years earlier as "the worst moment for me in the history" of the band. He went on to say that the decision to kick Dan out ANTHRAX was made by Turbin and not the other members of the group.

"The biggest dick move Neil ever pulled was when he fired Danny Lilker behind our backs after 'Fistful…' came out in January 1984," Ian wrote. "The main reason he did it, in my opinion, was because Danny is taller than him. He honestly didn't think someone should be taller than the frontman onstage. He thought it made him look bad, so he tried to stand as far away from Danny as possible, which was hard when we were playing stages the size of ping-pong tables."

In recent years, Ian has voiced his appreciation for the role "Fistful Of Metal" played in giving ANTHRAX its start, telling Metal Hammer: "Let's face it, 'Fistful Of Metal' gave us our career. It got the band some attention, made people all over the world aware of what we could do — and for that reason alone I have to be grateful to everyone involved. The record was vital in launching us, and everything we've done, and become, since stems from that debut record. I may be critical of it in some ways, but I could never do anything other than admit we owe it all to 'Fistful Of Metal'. If that had never happened… well, perhaps you would never have heard of ANTHRAX."

The second edition of the definitive Lilker biography "Perpetual Conversion: 30 Years & Counting In The Life Of Metal Veteran Dan Lilker" was officially released ten years to the day of its first edition, on Lilker's 60th birthday, October 18, 2024, by smoke.grind.sleep Publishing.

Singer Shaina Shepherd, who performed with SOUNDGARDEN's surviving members Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd at a benefit concert last month, says that she "could never front SOUNDGARDEN".

The vocalist was responding to followers of the Hot Metal magazine Facebook page about her appearance with the grunge icons at a December 14 charity event in Showbox in Seattle, during which she performed six songs, with GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan also joining the group on stage.

Shepherd, who fronts soul/grunge act BEARAXE, took to the comments under the Hot Metal post about her performance, saying: "Haters gonna hate while I live my dream."

When one Hot Metal reader defended his right to express an opinion without being accused of hate, Shepherd responded: "SOUNDGARDEN is a revolutionary band that changed my life, your life, the world. I could never front SOUNDGARDEN. But I love making music with those guys. I did it for me, for them like any other music endeavor. I don't care what any of you think - never did. I care what they think - always will. This whole article is meaningless. Just like your timeline."

Shepherd responded to other disparaging comments with "cool", "nice", "OK" and "dope" while a positive comment was met with "bet!"

SOUNDGARDEN's surviving members reunited last night (Saturday, December 14) for a special "brief encore performance" at the 13th annual SMooCH concert benefiting Seattle Children's Hospital's uncompensated care fund.

Thayil, Cameron and Ben Shepherd performed under the anagram alias NUDEDRAGONS, joined by Shaina Shepherd. Also appearing on the bill for the Nordstrom-backed benefit gig wereSebadoh, Doug Martsch of BUILT TO SPILL and GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan.

Fan-filmed video of NUDEDRAGONS' entire performance can be seen below.

Featured songs:

* Hunted Down (with Shaina Shepherd) 0:41
* Outshined (with Shaina Shepherd) 3:52
* Flower (with Shaina Shepherd) 9:52
* Beyond The Wheel (with Shaina Shepherd) 13:51
* Kickstand (with Shaina Shepherd) (duet with Duff McKagan on vocals) 20:41
* Kick Out The Jams (MC5 cover) (with Shaina Shepherd) (with Duff McKagan on bass and vocals) 23:03

Thayil and Shaina Shepherd previously performed together in 2020 as part of MoPOP's virtual tribute concert to ALICE IN CHAINS. Shaina and Kim were joined by Bubba Dupree, Bill Herzog and Nathan Yaccino for renditions of ALICE's "It Ain't Like That" and "What The Hell Have I".

In 2021, Thayil, Cameron and Shepherd joined Brandi Carlile on stage in Seattle to play SOUNDGARDEN's "Black Hole Sun" and "Searching With My Good Eye Closed". Prior to that appearance, the trio reunited for a 2019 memorial concert in Los Angeles.

Pete and Brandy Nordstrom created SMooCH (Seattle Musicians for Children's Hospital) after their own son had an extended stay at Seattle Children's Hospital following a heart surgery. They wanted to help ensure that all kids in the region have access to top-notch medical care, regardless of their family's ability to pay. They have always felt strongly about community participation and musicians are great at bringing communities together for a cause.

SOUNDGARDEN singer Chris Cornell was found hanged in his room at the MGM Grand Detroit hotel in May 2017, following the band's show at the city's Fox Theatre. His body was found soon after he had spoken with a "slurred" voice to his wife by phone. The death was ruled a suicide.

In a new interview with Australia's Heavy, former SEPULTURA guitarist/vocalist Max Cavalera spoke about why he and his brother, former SEPULTURA drummer Igor "Iggor" Cavalera decided to revisit their earliest SEPULTURA releases, "Morbid Visions" and "Bestial Devastation", and re-record them and put them out, along with a re-recorded version of guitarist Andreas Kisser's first album with SEPULTURA, "Schizophrenia". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):"[It was] kind of like a chance to do it again, but do it better, kind of not really fix the mistakes, 'cause I think the mistakes were kind of cool, but make the stuff sound better. We had a chance to have better guitar, better drum sound, a better studio, surrounded by knowledgeable metal people that know how to record this stuff. None of those things were available when we made those records in Brazil. We were on our own. The engineers didn't know what to do, and it was like no man's land making these records in Brazil. So we had a chance to redo them and redo them the way we envisioned them to sound. So the re-recordings is the way we, as musicians, think they should sound like, the re recordings — that's the proper way that we envisioned those songs. Even as kids, we were hoping to get the sound that we got on the re-recordings; this is what we were shooting for in the first place. So it's really cool that we get the chance to do that. A lot of bands don't have the chance, don't try it or they try and they fail. They don't keep the energy and the anger of the original. We kept all that in check. We made sure it stays pissed. It's full of piss and vinegar all the way through. So I think that's why a lot of people love the re-recordings, man. The fans fricking love the re-recordings, and it's really well received around the world."

Asked if he thinks those early SEPULTURA albums would have been as well received had they been as well recorded back in the 1980s, Max said: "We never had a manual how to do this stuff. We did it on the fly. They call it, you're gonna wing it, you're just gonna do it by trial and error. And that's the beauty of these records — they were full of stuff that really comes out of nowhere. Like, what I was thinking when I made this riff; this riff is crazy. What the hell was I thinking? But it's beautiful, man. It's cool. It shows that even at the age of 14, 15, I had that metal in my veins. I had that wild metal flowing through my blood, and I just went for it. And now I have a chance to revisit, as an older person, and still get the same enjoyment from these albums that I got it when I was a kid. It's an incredible feeling. You get to do this. I feel very fortunate, me and my brother, we are able to celebrate our past through these albums and get to play them live for people. It's an incredible feeling."

SEPULTURA fell apart in 1996 with the exit of Max after the rest of the Brazilian four-piece split with the vocalist/guitarist's wife Gloria as their manager. Max's brother, drummer Igor stuck around with the group for another ten years before leaving SEPULTURA and re-teaming with Max in CAVALERA CONSPIRACY.

For the new versions of "Morbid Visions", "Bestial Devastation" and "Schizophrenia", the Cavalera brothers enlisted Travis Stone (PIG DESTROYER) on lead guitars. The full lineup would consist of more Cavalera alumni, as Igor Amadeus Cavalera (GO AHEAD AND DIE, HEALING MAGIC) once more brought his talents on bass to the fold.

CAVALERA's version of "Schizophrenia" was recorded from April 15, 2023 to June 5, 2023 at Focusrite Room in Mesa Arizona. Mixing and mastering was handled by Arthur Rizk (SOULFLY, GO AHEAD AND DIE, TURNSTILE). The original "Schizophrenia" cover artwork was restored in hand-painted watercolors by Eliran Kantor.

Last November, Kisser was asked by IMPACT Metal Channel for his opinion about Max and Igor's decision to re-record "Morbid Visions" and "Bestial Devastation", and re-record them and put them out, along with a re-recorded version of Andreas's first album with SEPULTURA, "Schizophrenia". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't think anything. I mean, it's a weird choice that they had. I think artistic value is zero. Maybe they're going for some money or something, but there's no reason to do something like that. I much rather prefer THE TROOPS OF DOOM, the new band from Jairo [former SEPULTURA guitarist Jairo 'Tormentor' Guedz], which are doing a really amazing tribute to that era, very honest, doing new stuff, writing new music… But if they're having a good time, so let it be. I don't care, man. I just think it's totally unnecessary. It's really very disrespectful from themselves, for their own selves in the past."

Andreas added: "It's weird to see a guy [Max] who always says, 'Oh, I did this,' 'I did all that,' 'I'm so creative,' and 'I did everything by myself,' and doing this shit, like re-recording riffs that we did 30, 40 years ago. It doesn't click, the rhetoric with the example. But whatever. I just don't think that — the artistic value is zero."

Earlier last year, Max told V13 about the decision to re-record "Morbid Visions", "Bestial Devastation" and "Schizophrenia": "I think [Igor and I] were [doing special tours celebrating] the other [SEPULTURA] records, like we did 'Roots', and then we did 'Beneath The Remains' and the reaction was so explosive and the fans were reacting so good, with the way we were playing that stuff live that, I mentioned to Igor that it would be cool to have this sound on this old records that sound like shit, especially if we can get them to sound the way we sound now because we sound great right now with the way we are playing.

"A lot of people are… there's a big taboo about re-recording," Max continued. "There are a lot of people who are [freaked out] about touching old stuff. I had to kind of block all that and think, 'Fuck it. Let's do it, man, but let's do it the way we wanna do it, the way we wanna hear it as fans.' I think that's the difference in the approach that we took. So 'Morbid Visions', 'Bestial Devastation', it's still very dirty and aggressive, maybe even more aggressive than the original. We play a little bit faster and it's more angrier. I don't know how, but it's angrier than the original. I think that's key for these records. We don't want it a digital, brand new modern sound. We just want it to sound live, like a good live-sounding [recording] and we did that. I think that's why it sounded so cool. Of course, when we did those, we knew what we were going to do with 'Schizophrenia', because it's another record that we feel it's never really lived up to the potential. The songs are great, but they were never really recorded the right way. So now we're very happy. We did the three, we got the trilogy and we got to tour for it."

Although SEPULTURA has maintained a diehard fanbase in all parts of the world throughout the band's nearly four-decade history, Max-era albums "Roots" and "Chaos A.D." were by far SEPULTURA's most commercially successful, having both been certified gold in the U.S. for sales in excess of five hundred thousand copies.

In December 2023, SEPULTURA announced that it would celebrate its 40th anniversary this year by embarking on a "farewell tour" which will cover the entire globe.

SEPULTURA's current lineup comprises Kisser, vocalist Derrick Green, bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. and drummer Greyson Nekrutman, who officially replaced SEPULTURA's longtime drummer Eloy Casagrande in February 2024.

NONPOINT was forced to cut its concert short Sunday night (January 12) at the Mercury Ballroom in Louisville, Kentucky after drummer Robb Rivera had a sudden shift in his heart rate that was dangerously high, resulting in him being hospitalized.

A short time after the concert, NONPOINT vocalist Elias Soriano shared a video message in which he offered an update on Rivera's condition, saying (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " So tonight is a pretty wild night here in Louisville. Thank you to all the fans that hung around and stayed. Robb is okay. He is back at the hospital right now, just getting some tests done. His heart rate got a little bit high today on stage. It's something that's never happened before."

He continued: "You guys know we put on an energetic show, and this is never anything that really is any different than what we normally do. But Robb is okay. They got his heart rate down, and we're just gonna wait for more news. But I just wanna let everybody know.

"Thank you so much for everybody in Louisville for coming out," Elias added. "I'm sorry we couldn't do the last song. Literally we had one and a half more songs to do and Robb really wanted to do it, but the paramedics wouldn't let him do it.

"Thank you for everybody for all your support. Everything is okay. Robb is doing good. I just wanna give you guys an update."

NONPOINT also included the following message with the video: "Thank you to the fans of Louisville for understanding us having to cut the set tonight. Robb had a sudden shift in his heart rate that was dangerously high and the paramedics were not able to get it down in time so they took him to the hospital. As of now his heart rate is stable and they're running tests. We'll keep you all posted on his progress as news comes in. Send them healing vibes our way so we can get our brother back on that drum throne. #prayersup".

Louisville was the third show of NONPOINT's "Painful Statements" tour with special guests CROBOT and HEARTSICK. The trek is in celebration of the 20th and 25th anniversaries of NONPOINT's two most popular albums, "To The Pain" and "Statement", respectively. The band is playing songs that not only haven't been heard in a long time, but also songs that have never been played live.

NONPOINT has been captivating audiences with its energetic sound and passionate performances for over two decades. Formed in 1997, the band has consistently pushed the boundaries of what modern rock can be, combining heavy metal, nu-metal, and hard rock into a unique and powerful musical force. Over the course of its 27-year career, NONPOINT has released several critically acclaimed albums and garnered a reputation as one of the most exciting live acts in the industry.

Throughout their career, NONPOINT has been celebrated for their signature sound and powerful lyrics, which often tackle social and political issues. Their hard-hitting sound and emotional live performances have earned them a dedicated fanbase, as well as recognition from the music industry. NONPOINT has received multiple award nominations and has been praised by publications such as Rolling Stone, Revolver and Alternative Press.

NONPOINT's songs "Bullet With A Name", "Alive And Kicking", "In The Air Tonight", "Circles", "Your Signs", "Everybody Down" and many others have been featured in trailers, hit movies, television, iconic video games, as well as broadcasts from NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, WWF.

NONPOINT has toured with major acts like DISTURBED, PAPA ROACH, MUDVAYNE and SEVENDUST, to name a few. They have also been featured on the main stages and support stages of iconic festivals like Soundwave, Rock Am Park, Rock Am Ring, Ozzfest, Rock On The Range, Welcome To Rockville and many more.

DREAM THEATER keyboardist Jordan Rudess has once again weighed in on a debate about people using artificial intelligence (A.I.) to create music. Asked by "#UpgradeMe With Dana Leong" to clarify his feelings about this new technology, Jordan said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's a lot of confusion, there's a lot of fear about A.I., there's a lot of excitement about it. It's all over the map, and there's a lot of energy being put behind it. So it's a tricky world that we live in right now. I don't think I've ever been so into something that has been so like debatable. I could mention to somebody that, 'Oh, I'm working in A.I. music making.' 'Oh, that's the devil. You shouldn't be doing that. And 'I'm gonna ban Jordan Rudess from my life, because he's working on destroying the world.' So there's that to contend with.

"The area that I'm working on, even though I'm working in a facility like MIT that's completely positive and everybody doing work there in A.I. is very inspired and just doing magical things, there's a reality to the world and the way that a lot of people are viewing A.I. So that should be said first," he explained. "It's not with a blind eye that I go into this space, because I think about it all the time.

"My whole life has been spent following my creative journey, following my inspiration, practicing my instruments and my art form and trying to master my craft. The things I'm interested in are things like entertaining, entertainment, I'm interested in education, I'm interested in raising the level of inspiration for myself and others around me as much as I can. And I'm interested in any tools that allow me to do that. So I feel like with A.I., my focus there is on those elements. I wanna use A.I. and figure out how can I help somebody with the next level of ear training. What can we do? People are so interested to learn ear training to get better at playing their instruments and learn where the notes are on a piano or trumpet, a violin, a cello, a voice or whatever. How can we do that with A.I.? There's a lot of really cool ways we can do that."

Rudess added: "There's a lot of interesting ways to think about A.I., not only as a generator of music, riffs, sound, but also as a technology that can be a partner, be a collaborator as well. And even a technology that can predict what you're gonna do. So in my mind, in my experience, this technology opens up the next level of possibility for all the cool, all the fun things that I wanna do with my music. I can have a next-generation jam partner that is sensitive to what I'm playing and offers me interesting ideas. I can have an educational tool that I'm kind of helping to build. For me, it's about the smiles and the inspiration and the positivity and the sound and the journey and learning. And again, just for anybody out there that is thinking that I'm connected with the devil, I am not saying any of this with a blindness to composers' rights and all the things that that musicians are worried about that makes sense to worry about, 'cause they're real. But as a single human being in the space, I think somebody… Let me put it this way: everybody has to decide where are you with technology? What are you doing? Are you working towards something that's magical, cool, educational, entertaining, great and inspiring or are you using it in a way that is mundane, hurtful, something that will just produce content for the sake of it? It's a choice.

"So those are my feelings about it," Rudess concluded. "I don't think that A.I. is gonna destroy the world any more than all the technology we had before it will. I mean, in the wrong hands all technology can be dangerous — the next level of power, certainly. But anyway, my focus is doing what I think are cool things with it… More colors, more sounds, more visuals, more cool."

During the same chat, Rudess was asked to reflect on the "strangest gig" he has ever played. He responded:  "Oh, that's a funny, that's an interesting thing. I've had so many different kinds of gigs and I've had weird things happen. I could point out something that very unusual that happened at one of my gigs. It might be fun for our listeners, which is that I was in Mexico City doing a DREAM THEATER concert. And I have this keyboard stand that actually goes around kind of like a 360[-degree] thing and it tilts and moves in all kinds of interesting ways. So about 20 minutes into the show, we were at the national auditorium there in Mexico City, I went into my lead, the section, and I tilted my keyboard like this, so I'm kind of bending over and the keys are facing the audience. And I did my lead and everybody was, like, 'Oh, that's cool.' Then I went to hit the button that brings it back to the keyboard to be flat and it didn't come back. So my tech came out and he's got a big wrench and he's trying to get the keyboard to come back and he's working as hard as he can, but he could not get that thing. It was locked in this position. And I played the whole rest of the show, bent over, all the different parts. Playing lead that way is one thing, but trying to play piano parts, that was another [thing]. And I was just sitting there playing the whole show like that in front of, like, 10,000 people, and every time a part would come up, I'd go, 'God, can I play this part in this position or not?' And I got through the whole show, and it was so weird. And then I was bent over and I was having trouble getting my body to come back to normal. I needed a chiropractic adjustment after that. It was very odd. It was definitely one of the stranger shows."

Rudess is collaborating with the MIT Media Lab's Responsive Environments research group. Rudess's main partners in the enterprise are Media Lab graduate students Lancelot Blanchard, who expolores musical applications of generative A.I. (informed by his own studies in classical piano),and Perry Naseck, an artist and engineer specializing in interactive, kinetic, light- and time-based media. Overseeing the project is Joseph Paradiso, Alexander W. Dreyfoos (1954) professor at the Media Lab, and head of the Responsive Environments group, whose team has a tradition of investigating musical frontiers through novel user interfaces, sensor networks and unconventional data sets.

Rudess is a keyboardist known for his work with the platinum-selling, Grammy-winning progressive metal band DREAM THEATER, which embarks this fall on a 40th-anniversary tour. He is also a solo artist whose latest album, "Permission To Fly", was released on September 6; an educator who shares his skills through detailed online tutorials; and the founder of software company Wizdom Music. His work combines a rigorous classical foundation (he began his piano studies at Juilliard at age 9) with a genius for improvisation and an appetite for experimentation.

Last September, Rudess was asked by Italy's Metal.it if he has any fears about A.I. Jordan said: "One of the companies that I work with very closely is called Moises. It's a very interesting company. They're mostly known for their work in track separation, and musicians all around the world use it. Because basically the way that it works is that you can upload to their system a stereo audio file or even a video, and then when it's within their system, the system can take it apart. So let's say you upload a DREAM THEATER song, and then when it comes back to you, you can decide: I wanna have the vocals, the piano, the bass, the drums, the lead guitar, the acoustic guitar. You can separate it. It's like having access to all the individual tracks. It's kind of a modern-day musical miracle, really, the way that it works. And there's some different companies that work in track separation, but Moises is pretty much the top of the game. It's incredible. But not only that. So after they kind of put their track separation out into the world, then they started to develop the system even further, to the point where now it does things like — well, first of all, pitch and time are completely flexible. You can have things playing back at different pitches, but maintain the tempo of the music. But it also has gotten really good at showing you the chords exactly on the beat where they fall in the music, and it's getting very accurate as well, which is really great. Plus the idea or the implementation of being able to separate the sections of the music so somebody who's learning a piece can say, 'I just wanna hear the verse,' and loop the verse, maybe the verse into the bridge and connect those two and loop them seamlessly."

He continued: "The reason I bring them up is because I love the technology but also because all the musicians around the world that use this, some of them have this idea that A.I. is a bad thing, but they don't even know that Moises is built on A.I. This is the technology that is the framework for everything that Moises does. I'm sorry to be the bringer of bad news to somebody who's against A.I. but now learning a piece of music using it."

Addressing the original question, Rudess added: "First of all, I believe more and more that artificial intelligence is a very bad name for this technology. There's a lot of other ways to think about it. There's nothing really artificial about it. We should go back in time, really, and change that. It's leading people down the wrong thought process to think about what's actually going on with the tool and how these things are put together."

He continued: "All that said, there's a lot of concern in the music business from people about their rights, how these models have been instructed or loaded in with different songs and styles, and rightly so. People, musicians are concerned. They feel like this is not maybe fair. Maybe their music is being loaded into a computer without their permission. All these kinds of things are really, really important to figure out. This is all legal matters which need to be resolved in a big way. It's gonna take time, and honestly, even though I am aware, sympathetic and also concerned, this is not my specialty, that kind of thing. My specialty is in thinking, okay, well, you have this new technology. How can we use it to make more expressive instruments? How can we use it to have more musical fun? How can we engage more people into the beauty of making music themselves? And how can I use it to just kind of like extend what I do in the musical world and do things that have never been possible before, and also be one of the people who kind of helps to steer it in directions that are most valuable to the future of music and music technology. So that's really important to me. That's one of the reasons I'm really excited about the work that I'm doing with MIT [Center for Art, Science & Technology], because they have some beautiful minds there that are thinking in positive ways about how you can take this technology, the technology that's available to us today, and do amazing, beneficial, cool, important, educational, entertaining things with it."