Rhino will unveil a very special David Lee Roth box set, "The Warner Recordings 1985-1994", on February 21, 2025. It includes the first five solo releases recorded by the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee and original VAN HALEN lead vocalist in one comprehensive collection for the very first time. Spanning one of the greatest runs in rock 'n' roll history, the set offers lifelong fans and newcomers alike the chance to experience "Crazy From The Heat" (1985),"Eat 'Em And Smile" (1986),"Skyscraper" (1988),"A Little Ain't Enough" (1991) and "Your Filthy Little Mouth" (1994) in succession.

"The Warner Recordings 1985-1994" arrives in multiple configurations, including 5CD at retailers nationwide and D2C online, digital on streaming platforms, and as a special 5LP version available only at Rhino.com. Pre-order here.

40 years ago this month, on January 28, 1985, Roth officially debuted as a solo artist with the "Crazy From The Heat" EP. It crashed the Top 15 of the Billboard 200 and reached RIAA platinum status. Plus, he logged a pair of Billboard Hot 100 hits — the medley of "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody" vaulted to No. 12, while his take on "California Girls" by THE BEACH BOYS soared to No. 3, replicating the 1965 chart success of the original. Meanwhile, "Crazy From The Heat" would later serve as the title of his The New York Times best-selling autobiography in 1997.

The EP paved the way for his first full-length solo LP, "Eat 'Em And Smile". Released on July 7, 1986, it bowed in the Top 5 of the Billboard 200 and eventually went RIAA platinum. Roth hyper-charged his sound, accompanied by an all-star band consisting of Billy Sheehan (bass),Gregg Bissonette (drums) and Steve Vai (guitar). Together, they served up anthems such as "Yankee Rose", "Tobacco Road", "That's Life" and more. Kerrang! notably christened it "Album Of The Year", and Roth launched the seminal "Eat 'Em And Smile" tour in its wake.

1987 saw the platinum "Skyscraper" return Roth to the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, elevated by "Just Like Paradise". Meanwhile, Roth kicked off the '90s with the gold-selling "A Little Ain't Enough" in 1991. It marked his fourth straight Top 20 debut on the Billboard 200 and boasted fretwork from Jason Becker. Finally, he dropped "Your Filthy Little Mouth" in 1994, this time collaborating with none other than iconic producer Nile Rodgers (Madonna, David Bowie),churning out staples such as "She's My Machine".

David Lee Roth, a.k.a. "Diamond Dave," shines as one of the most influential and impactful voices in rock 'n' roll history. Between his output as the original lead singer of VAN HALEN and a platinum solo artist, he has sold over 70 million records worldwide, garnered a Grammy Award nomination, and notably earned a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction with VAN HALEN in 2007.

"Crazy From The Heat" track listing:

A1. Easy Street
A2. Just A Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody

B1. California Girls
B2. Coconut Grove

"Eat 'Em And Smile" track listing:

A1. Yankee Rose
A2. Shyboy
A3. I'm Easy
A4. Ladies' Nite In Buffalo?
A5. Goin' Crazy!

B1. Tobacco Road
B2. Elephant Gun
B3. Big Trouble
B4. Bump And Grind
B5. That's Life

"Skyscraper" track listing:

A1. Knucklebones
A2. Just Like Paradise
A3. The Bottom Line
A4. Skyscraper
A5. Damn Good

B1. Hot Dog And A Shake
B2. Stand Up
B3. Hina
B4. Perfect Timing
B5. Two Fools A Minute

"A Little Ain't Enough" track listing:

A1. A Lil' Ain't Enough
A2. Shoot It
A3. Lady Luck
A4. Hammerhead Shark
A5. Tell The Truth
A6. Baby's On Fire

B1. 40 Below
B2. Sensible Shoes
B3. Last Call
B4. The Dogtown Shuffle
B5. It's Showtime!
B6. Drop in the Bucket

"Your Filthy Little Mouth" track listing:

A1. She's My Machine
A2. Everybody's Got The Monkey
A3. Big Train
A4. Experience
A5. A Little Luck
A6. Cheatin' Heart Café
A7. Hey, You Never Know

B1. No Big 'Ting
B2. You're Breathin' It
B3. Your Filthy Little Mouth
B4. Land's End
B5. Night Life
B6. Sunburn
B7. You're Breathin' It (Urban NYC Mix)

OPETH guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt has paid tribute to former IRON MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno who died last October at the age of 66.

Earlier today (Wednesday, January 8),Mikael took to the OPETH social media to write: "PAUL DI'ANNO 1958-2024. REST IN PEACE.

"I know this eulogy arrives quite a bit too 'late', but there you go. I have been thinking of paying tribute to Paul since the day he passed away. His influence on metal music and on OPETH cannot be understated.

"I remember a vivid conversation with my buddy Jonas Renkse where we almost fought about who's the better singer for IRON MAIDEN. All credit and respect to Blaze Bayley, but we're talking about the older albums that we both grew up listening to. Jonas was adamant that the best singer was Paul and not Bruce. 'Why?' I asked. Based on the track record Bruce has done way more great albums when Di'Anno 'only' did 2. However great they are, Bruce has simply had a longer career with MAIDEN. Jonas reply was 'his soft voice!' I got it! Where Bruce is the 'air-raid siren' Paul had a more sensitive side to his voice when needed. Songs like 'Prodigal Son' and 'Remember Tomorrow' (which we did a rather terrible cover of) are great showcases of this beautiful side to the otherwise snarling and confident voice of Paul. On top of that 'Killers' is one of the best 'fist-on-face' heavy metal records ever released! I've yet to deepen my knowledge of his solo band as well as other projects, like BATTLEZONE.

"I never met Paul but he stood in front of me in line at an airport once and I got too starstruck (of course) to say hi.

"Our late, but deepest condolences go out to his family, friends and fans."

Di'Anno, whose real name was Paul Andrews, passed away at his home in Salisbury.

Di'Anno was laid to rest on November 21 at the City Of London Cemetery And Crematorium in Manor Park, East London, United Kingdom.

An official statement shared to Di'Anno's Facebook page on November 11 with permission from the late musician's family revealed that his cause of death was caused by a "tear in the sac around the heart."

"Dear fans and friends," the statement began. "We have received permission from Paul's family to bring you the news of Paul's cause of death, after the results of the autopsy have been received."

It continued, "His sisters Cheryl and Michelle confirmed the following: 'Basically he had a tear in the sac around the heart and blood has filled inside it from the main aorta artery and that has caused the heart to stop.' Paul's death was instantaneous and hopefully painless. May he rest in peace."

Born in Chingford, East London on May 17, 1958, Paul first came to prominence as lead singer of English heavy metal band IRON MAIDEN between 1978 and 1981. He sang on their groundbreaking debut album "Iron Maiden" and the influential follow-up release, "Killers".

Since leaving IRON MAIDEN, Paul Di'Anno had a long and eventful recording career with BATTLEZONE and KILLERS as well as numerous solo releases and guest appearances.

Despite being troubled by severe health issues in recent years that restricted him to performing in a wheelchair, Paul continued to entertain his fans around the world, racking up well over 100 shows since 2023.

His first career retrospective album, "The Book Of The Beast", was released in September 2024 and featured highlights of his recordings since leaving IRON MAIDEN.

In December 2022, Di'Anno spent time in Split, Croatia recording an album with his new project called WARHORSE. The band was formed earlier that year by Di'Anno and two guitarists/authors, Hrvoje Madiraca and Ante "Pupi" Pupačić. The resulting LP was made available in July 2024 under the PAUL DI'ANNO'S WARHORSE banner.

WARHORSE previously recorded three songs, two of which — "Stop The War" and "The Doubt Within" — were released in May 2022 as a special DVD single along with Paul's video message to all fans who bought the single and thus helped raise funds for his knee operation.

The WARHORSE single marked Di'Anno's first music release after a seven-year hiatus due to severe health issues.

Di'Anno, who finally underwent his knee surgery in September 2022, played the first show since the operation on October 1, 2022 at the Keep It True Rising II festival in Würzburg, Germany.

In May 2022, Di'Anno came face to face with MAIDEN bassist Steve Harris for the first time in three decades before the band's concert in Croatia.

Also in May 2022, Paul played his first full solo concert in seven years at the Bikers Beer Factory in Zagreb. The show was filmed and parts of it will be included in the upcoming Di'Anno documentary, which is being helmed by Wes Orshoski, co-director and producer of the acclaimed 2010 film "Lemmy" about the MOTÖRHEAD icon, and 2015's "The Damned: Don't You Wish That We Were Dead", about punk rock legends THE DAMNED.

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In a new interview with J.J. Caithcart of Different Stages Radio, PARALANDRA vocalist/guitarist Casandra Carson spoke about the status of THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT, her collaborative project with STONE SOUR guitarist Josh Rand. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET:  "I'm gonna be going back into the studio to do more tracking second week of January, before I head out on tour. So we're gonna be releasing two EPs [in 2025]. And we've been working on these songs for, I wanna say, like, three years at this point. We've recorded them, we've demoed them time and time, over and over again, and these last mixes that we've been doing absolutely crush. I am so glad that we waited and really spent the time to let the songs become what they needed to become and kept refining and doing these tiny little tweaks here and there that really make the world of a difference. So, yeah, I've got, like, I wanna say one, maybe two songs left to record for that, and then that'll be out [later this year]."

Regarding how the two new EPs from THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT will be made available to the public, Casandra said: "We're not on a label or anything. We're just gonna be releasing this independently. So, just depends on what the schedule ends up being. And I know that Josh really would love to be able to play some live shows again, but it's kind of been just like working up to that point physically for him to be able to do that and not hurt his back, basically. So, yeah, a lot of a lot of very important things to consider there. But, yeah, we'll see."

Casandra previously talked about new THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT music in a May 2024 interview with the Nothing Shocking podcast. She stated at the time: "As of just less than a week ago, Josh is back playing guitar. He had back surgery that he'd been out of commission for a little over a year at this point, so we've just kind of been waiting for his recovery. So now the plans are to continue writing. We've already got, like, five songs that have been written and recorded that we just haven't released 'cause we wanna be able to actually go out and tour and support it when we do release it. So, yeah, [we're] kind of getting back into the swing of things, but I'm super excited. It's some good music."

Regarding how she balances PARALANDRA and THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT, Casandra said: "It's difficult. PARALANDRA is my baby and I live in Springfield [Missouri], and that's where everybody lives for PARALANDRA. So it's much easier to get together twice a week to have practices. And we write songs organically right there in the garage, whereas with Josh, it's, like, you send off the track to get drums recorded and then you send it off to get the bass done. It's a very different process. So I'm kind of in two different worlds, but I do try to do both of them at the same time as often as I can."

In September 2022, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT released a new single, "Dying Of The Light".

Earlier that year, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT completed a run of U.S. dates as the support act for ALICE IN CHAINS, BREAKING BENJAMIN and BUSH.

THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT made its live debut on April 30, 2022 at The Riff in Springfield, Missouri.

In an interview with HardDrive Radio's Lou Brutus, Rand stated about THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT: "In a sense, it was just something that I started doing a [few] years ago, just writing music myself. And then I just decided I wanted to get a female vocalist, basically, to work on these songs and sing on them. And I found Casandra through a mutual friend — actually, STONE SOUR's [then-]A&R person, Dave Rath — and we hit it off. And then we've just been working on stuff kind of just here and there.

"So, that's really what it's about," he continued. "It's just me musically trying different stuff, but also getting back to where I originally came from, as far as my musical journey. So it's kind of getting back to my roots and just having fun with it. That's what THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT is for me — it's a different vehicle to express myself, I guess, artistically with truly no boundaries, but leaning more towards, musically, I think, coming at it as an educated teenager. What I mean by that is it's the fire of that teenager — that drive, that style of music that I was playing 30 years ago — but now doing it with the experience, the knowledge and all that. So it's kind of like revisiting the past, in a way, or going home in some ways."

THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT released a four-song EP, titled "Big F.O.U.R.", in March 2022 via Bloodblast. The collection featured a clutch of cover versions, one each from heavy music's pioneering icons METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX.

Rand previously stated about the EP: "Recording a 'Big F.O.U.R.' cover EP is something that I have wanted to do for a very, very long time, and [in the] fall [of 2021] I decided to finally do it with THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT.

"Without these four bands (METALLICA, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX and SLAYER),my musical career wouldn't be where it is today. In some ways, you could say this project is paying homage to them or, how I see it, a return to where it all started in my parents' house as a teenager trying to learn just a piece of the music.

"Each of the four songs that I picked were pivotal in my development as a musician, whether it was learning the intro to 'One' on guitar, drums on 'Symphony [Of Destruction]' or bass lines in 'Caught In A Mosh'.

"This EP was a true love and passion project for myself. I feel I captured the vibe and the spirit of the original but with THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT sound. Hopefully you hear it too!"

Stylistically, THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT is a fluid combination of classic metal sensibility and Rand's penchant for pushing the boundaries of contemporary heavy.

THE L.I.F.E. PROJECT's debut self-titled EP came out in the summer of 2021 and was made available exclusively through the band's webstore or via the Nuclear Blast store.

Josh and Casandra's debut single, "The Nothingness", was featured on several major playlists across streaming platforms, including Rock Hard on Spotify, Breaking Metal on Apple Music, Break Through Rock on Amazon and Metal Radar on Deezer. "The Nothingness" was also included on SiriusXM Octane's "Test Drive" show on release.

Former Slipknot drummer Jay Weinberg, who was fired from the band in November 2023 and is now a permanent member of Suicidal Tendencies, has checekd in with the following message:


"Though the phrase 'New Year’s resolution' has never really connected with me, I’ve always believed in the power of intention, and following through on setting manageable goals.


One of my ambitions for 2025 is to record more music in the studio — starting with my own material I’ve been writing for quite a while. Some of which I’ve been working away at since my early 20’s.




This photo (below) is from 2017, during a period of time when I had actually put together a group to play this music in a band setting, during a prolonged downtime from touring. It was awesome, and a great creative challenge. I haven’t touched these songs since then, until recently feeling inspiration to pick the guitar back up and kick this stuff around again. It’s been a fulfilling experience, and I’ll tell you — I’m starting to like where these songs are headed. It feels good to finally set the intention of releasing some of this new music in the coming year.


I’m so looking forward to all the onstage fun that’s ahead of us (Suicidal Tendencies supporting Metallica in stadiums; are you kidding me?) �

No More Tragedy is the new live release from Japan’s Lovebites. No More Tragedy will be released on Blu-ray, DVD, and CD on March 5, 2025, featuring the entire show at Tokyo Garden Theater held on September 1, 2024.


This is the only Japanese performance of the world tour The Thin Line Between Love And Hate held at Tokyo Garden Theater, the largest venue in the band's history. The show was threatened by huge typhoon No. 10, but the band decided to go ahead with the event. However, many fans were unable to attend the show due to the lack of transportation on the day of the show, and many had to give up in tears to see the only live performance in Japan during the year. 


It was a “tragedy” for these people who were not able to attend the show because of the lack of transportation. The title of the concert is “No more tragedy,” as the band wanted everyone to enjoy the concert safely.




The weather was unfortunately inclement, but the concert itself was full of content and excitement befitting of the largest venue ever. The special effects of fire and snow, as well as the band coming down from the stage to the floor to play at the same eye level and almost zero distance from the audience, were elaborate and conveyed the fun and glamour of Lovebites' live performances more than ever.


This time, “Unchained,” a song from the current new studio work Lovebites EP II, was included for the first time in the world. “Wicked Witch” and “The Spirit Lives On” are also included for the first time in a live product, and “The Final Collision” is also being released for the first time as a live video. The concert was broadcast live to the world on that day, but the live footage was edited completely differently for this release, and the sound was mixed and mastered by two masters, Mikko Karmila and Mika Jussila, respectively, at Finnvox Studios, a renowned studio in Finland.


The Blu-ray and DVD include an hour and 20 minutes of documentary footage of the world tour in the UK, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Denmark in June and July, Korea in August, and Japan and the US in September, as well as a commentary by the band members themselves. In addition, a fan-cam music video for “Soldier Stands Solitarily” was created using video files that were filmed by fans on the day of the Tokyo Garden Theater show and later provided to the band is also included as a bonus.


Preorders for the No More Tragedy bundle, includes each format, a T-shirt, and a photobook. The photobook features li

Metro.co.uk is reporting that Guns N' Roses are struggling to sell tickets for their UK tour after headlining Glastonbury festival's Pyramid Stage in June 2023.


According to the report, the new tour marks the first time since 2022 that the group is playing a non-festival gig in England — their We’re F’N’ Back! Tour saw two nights in Tottenham.


Guns N’ Roses’ trend of only playing a handful of UK gigs continues as, despite the 24 dates on their European leg next year, only Birmingham and London have gigs.




Almost every section still has seats available, including both stadiums’ premium Gold Circle VIP areas and hospitality options for Birmingham.


Tickets went on sale on December 13, however, two weeks later there are still hundreds of seats left in both Wembley and Villa Park.


The new tour lands in the UK on Monday, June 23 for a gig at Birmingham’s Villa Park stadium; which has a capacity of 42,000. On Thursday, June 26, the band will head to Wembley Stadium in London (capacity 90,000) for one night only.


Some fans on X said they were put off purchasing by the cost of tickets, with so many stadium gigs recently music lovers have less money to spend.


Read the full report at Metro.co.uk.


Kicking off on May 23, Guns N' Roses' 24 date tour will see the LA legends perform in Saudi Arabia, Georgia, Lithuania and Luxembourg for the first time. The 2025 dates also see the powerhouse rock band return to familiar stages in Bulgaria, Serbia, Turkey, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, Germany, UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland , Poland, Hungary and Austria.





Tour dates:


May
23 - Kingdom Arena - Riyadh, SA
27 - Etihad Arena - Abu Dhabi, UAE
30 - Shekvetili Park 0 Shekvetili, GE (with Rival Sons)


June
2 - Tüpraş Stadyumu - Istanbul, TR (with Rival Sons)
6 - Estádio Cidade de Coimbra - Coimbra, PT (with Rival Sons)
9 - Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys - Barcelona, ES (with Rival Sons)
12 - Firenze Rocks - Florence, IT (with Rival Sons)
15 - Rock For People - Hradec Kralove, CZ (with Rival Sons)
18 - Merkur Spiel-Arena - Dusseldorf, DE (with Rival Sons)
20 - Allianz Arena - Munich, DE (with Rival Sons)
23 - Villa Park - Birmingham, UK (with Rival Sons)
26 - Wembley Stadium - London, UK (with Rival So

On December 28, 2024, all-Canadian rock band Toque, featuring Todd Kerns and Brent Fitz - both of whom play in Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators - along with Cory Churko (Shania Twain) and Shane Gaalaas (Michael Schneker Group), played to a sold-out audience at the Club Regent Event Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba on their Frozen Not Broken Tour.  


Fan-filmed video, courtesy of Jimmy D's Rock Talk can be enjoyed below. Toque's setlist was comprised of the following 20 songs:


"Never Enough For You"
"Fantasy" (Aldo Nova cover)
"Sunglasses At Night" (Corey Hart cover)
"Forever In A Day"
"Up To You"
"Ironic" (Alanis Morissette cover)
"Broken"
"Turn Me Loose" (Loverboy cover)
"When I'm With You" (Sheriff cover)
"Mama Let Him Play" (Jerry Doucette cover with Dallas Smith)
"Something For The Pain"
"Can't Stop It"
"Tom Sawyer" (Rush cover)
"Ugly" (The Age Of Electric cover)
"Dance" (Queen City Kids cover)
"What Kind Of Love Is This" (Streetheart cover)
"The Boys In The Bright White Sports Car" (Trooper cover)
"Working For The Weekend" (Loverboy cover)
"Roller" (April Wine cover)
"O Canada" 

In a recent interview with Belgian Jasper, TESTAMENT frontman Chuck Billy talked about being open to new influences and not staying musically stagnant over the course of the band's nearly four-decade career. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, we've always had a sense of being TESTAMENT because Eric [Peterson, TESTAMENT guitarist and main songwriter] doesn't like venture out and try to listen to new bands. He sticks to the classics that he likes and also he likes a lot of black metal. So he kind of listens to his niche of music, but he doesn't listen to something… Like Sirius [XM] radio, that's where we all find what's new and modern and coming out now — he doesn't listen to any of that, so he's not influenced by that, but [new TESTAMENT drummer] Chris [Dovas], being with Chris and spending so much time with him, Chris has turned him on to some newer bands, and Eric's, like, 'Whoa. Wow, that's brutal.' So I know his gears are turning when he's creating songs with Chris. And I know that since Eric didn't follow the leader all the time, he's always had his own style of writing, and it's staying true to TESTAMENT."

Billy went on to say that fans will be able to hear a noticeable musical evolution on TESTAMENT's upcoming follow-up to 2020's "Titans Of Creation", which is tentatively due in mid-2025.

"This new record, it's still staying true to TESTAMENT, but it is influenced by what's going on, which I'm kind of excited [about], because [Eric's] always kept it in the same vein but always trying to improve what TESTAMENT's doing, where this one, it's pushing me vocally, pushing Alex [Skolnick, TESTAMENT guitarist] solo-wise — everybody's getting pushed to the limits of trying something different and new and fresh and not making the same old record. We don't ever wanna do that. We wanna make something that we enjoy and we feel that we're confident to put this out there to the public and I think they're gonna react to it.

"Eric's always been the guy that had to, like, kind of tell the drummer, 'Play this beat, play that beat, try this,' where I think with Chris, Chris was just ready to go," Chuck explained. "Chris was ahead of him, like doing stuff where Eric's, like, 'Whoa, what was that? Oh, wow. I like that.' And just getting to be Eric and just play guitar. [And] it's been so good that now that we wrote the songs for this record, January, February and March [of 2025], Eric and Chris are getting back together to work on the next record already, because they had such a great time and it just clicked. And we're, like, we don't have time to sit around and wait anymore. Let's just keep carrying on. Don't waste time and stretch us out for two, three years, four years. Let's write another record, put this [new one] out [first] and be ready to go, get ahead of the curve."

This past November, Billy told Australia's The Rockpit, about TESTAMENT's upcoming LP: "Well, this [album is] gonna be very special. I think I'm more excited about this one, just because of the fact — the timing of everything. I'm a big person believer in things happen for reasons. And Chris Dovas jamming with us and having a lot of time to come up and spend with Eric at Eric's place, just jamming, coming up a lot of music and working on it hard and tracking it at home and doing demos. And I could tell, when I first started getting the songs and the riffs sent, that it was something different. It's still Eric and I recognize it, but he was being pushed and inspired 'cause Chris is a very fast, aggressive drummer, and I can tell that it just inspired Eric just to be Eric and play guitar instead of trying to think about building a song or making a song — 'Let's just jam.' And that's the kind of way they approached it. And next thing you know, they had 10, 11, 12 jams that were sounding pretty strong, but individually identified just different vibes. And I was, like, 'Okay, this is what it is.' And then, as it just built vocally and everything, that's when we were kind of, 'Wow. It just feels fresh and new and challenging again. Vocally, for me, I've got a wide range of tones on this one — I'm screaming again, which I haven't done that a lot on a lot of records in the past, but a lot on this one. And we are still writing for ourselves, but we're still excited that when we write a song, how it hits live, and that's always been the payoff, is do these songs we write in the studio hit live like we want 'em to? And that's the fun part."

In June 2024, Chuck told Nikki Blakk of the San Francisco, California radio station 107.7 The Bone about the lyrical themes covered in the new TESTAMENT songs: "[It's] not as focused [on], like, the aliens, creating mankind and that kind of stuff, but there is some of that. There's a lot. Each song definitely has its own identity lyrically. And again, we're writing stuff that is real, that happens with the environment; we're singing about that again. A.I., we're singing stuff about that. That's a big thing. So, there's always an inspiration for songs. I think it's a little easier. There's so much going on in our world to write about now. It's a crazy world today, so there's a lot of stuff to talk about. And I like singing about what's real and what's going on instead of some fantasy lyrics, because, for me, I think when I sing 'em, I have more conviction, I believe in 'em a little more. And maybe it's easier for me to remember the lyrics live. [Laughs]"

Naming specific tracks, Chuck said: "There's a song, 'Havana Syndrome', which is about the Havana Syndrome. People, look that up. There's 'Infanticide A.I.', which is another song going A.I. direction. And there's actually a slower song. We haven't done a slower song. I'm not gonna say 'ballad', but I'm gonna say a slower song that has a lot of groove and soul, called 'Meant To Be'. And it's like a classic TESTAMENT-type ballad, I guess, if you wanna use that word. But we've got a little bit of everything, but, again, I think it's really sticking to TESTAMENT, having to have some melodic stuff, even though there's some really brutal lyrics and real brutal, more of a death voice. I still put the hook in with more of a melodic hook or something. It's still classic TESTAMENT. If you listen to it, you'll go, 'That's TESTAMENT, but a little more octane to it.'"

On February 7, 2025 internationally, Personal Records will release the debut album of Mexico's Fumes, Skeletal Wings Unleashed, on CD format.


The end of 2022 marks the year of gnosis of Fumes, a project made up of four entities as a need to express beyond words and simple sound the ideas of each of its members about darkness, violence, chaos, Death Worship, and true metal attack. As such, those four members - Isaías, Minos, Henry, and Alan - configured a cosmogony that they named Fumes, in honor of the ephemeral manifestations of darkness emanating from the fire that transforms matter.


Stellar Murder Upwards was the name of the first chaotic materialization in a triad of songs made beyond all ties and with the aim of expressing the sound aesthetics of Death. After some demonstrations of the compositions live, preparations for a full-length recording began, and Kamazotz was the result of the different congregations among the members, where the final element of Fumes was formally adopted: pre-Hispanism, since the macabre and worshipful vision of Death was something that the band recognized as an important point to highlight within itself.




Later, what is now known as Skeletal Wings Threshold was consolidated, composed of a dozen songs, including three passages without vocals, which help to understand this debut album as an artistic concept and not simply a debut album; it is a continuation of what was expressed in the EP, of the current situation within Fumes, of what was learned and assimilated on the path of darkness that they have already traced and traveled.


Black metal in name and deed but defiant of easily assimilated versions of "black metal," Fumes' first full-length is a conflagration of hideous energy and nuanced execution - of true Metal of

Progressive metal titans, Sacrosanct, have released "Still Open Sore", the second single from the band's forthcoming studio offering, Kidron, slated for release on March 7.


A message reveals: "This track is an unstoppable thrash metal banger with a twist - clean vocals that are as bold as they are rare in the genre. Rooted in thrash yet pushing boundaries into progressive metal, Sacrosanct delivers a unique sound that demands attention. The official lyric video by John Kaimakamis is here to bring this powerhouse track to life! Expect raw energy, gripping visuals, and a sound that will leave you wanting more!"


Stream the single here, and watch the lyric video below:







Sacrosanct recently inked a worlwide record deal with powerhouse label ROAR, who will release Kidron on March 7. Pre-order the album here.


The band commented: "We are thrilled to be part of the new ROAR family! Yes, it took another year to get everything up and running, and yes, we are all sure it was worth it! Thanks to Markus Wosgien for making this possible for us! With him and Lambros at ROAR we have strong partners at our side who support us in taking Kidron out into the world! On CD, vinyl and live! Stay tuned!"


Sacrosanct, established in 1988, are a well-respected name in the metal scene, most known for their three classic albums during the early 1990s: Truth Is – What Is, Recesses For The depraved and Tragic Intense.


The Sacrosanct signature sound gradually progressed from sophisticated thrash metal to a more edgy, melodic and atmospheric aural landscape. The brainchild of founding member and lead guitar player Randy Meinhard (ex-Pestilence) returned in 2018, after a 25-year hiatus, with their fourth album “Necropolis”, which was highly acclaimed and bears all of the hallmarks and intricacies that defines Sacrosanct, with a strong emphasis on melancholic melodies and harmony guitar parts as well as a focus on thought-provoking lyrics. Six years later, Sacrosanct return with the even more powerful, still complex, but catchy Kidron, introducing their new singer Max Morton, who outshines the album with his clear, dynamic and unique voice. “The album combines all our trademarks, has a unique atmosphere due to all the circumstances we had to g

Transgender singer Mina Caputo — once known as Keith Caputo, the front-person for the popular rock band LIFE OF AGONY — has opened up about her decision to "detransition" and change her name back to Keith Caputo. Detransitioning is the process of stopping or reversing gender transition, whether it be social, medical, surgical or legal changes.

Last November, Mina revealed that she will be living life as a male again, claiming her gender dysphoria "has been cured" and announcing she had already started the process.

Caputo, who was born in December 1973 and began identifying as Mina in 2008 before publicly coming out as transgender in 2011, discussed her detransition process in a recent interview with Buck Angel. Mina said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I felt like I was doing a disservice to the world because I've been medically not on hormones for about six or seven years now. I took myself off of hormone therapy in 2016, because after roughly 17 years of being on hormone therapy, it was incredibly, incredibly difficult for me. And I went on hormone therapy even after male puberty. I can't even imagine what hormone therapy would be like for a child before puberty. Let's just face it, as children, we all go through some kind of identity disorientation. Some things stick to us and some things just work themselves out through time, and that's why I don't think hijacking these little spirits, these little humans is really… I think there's a lot of malpractice going on.

"Just the other day I released to my fans, I really wanted to talk about the elephant in the room and that's me not being on hormones anymore," Mina continued. "And I was in limbo. I was in limbo for these six, seven years, because as I started becoming more and more of my divine male self, my body changing, my facial hair, everything changing, my psychological, my spiritual, my intellectual, my emotional, everything really changed and I really went back to a very clear self, a clarity I've never even experienced before. 'Cause I didn't do any antidepressant. I'm not on any drugs. I smoke pot. I do mushrooms once in a while. But I do no alcohol. I'm on no pharmaceutical drugs. Actually, the hormone therapy was really doing such a disservice to my nature that I knew for years that I was fighting the nature codes. You can't fight the nature codes. And every day it just got worse — the rashes, the migraine headaches. My libido was robbed from me. I'm a very sensual, sexual person — I always was. My libido was stripped from me. I had no fun. I was always depressed. Maybe I'm mislabeling it, but I felt more of a gender anxiety and depression while being on hormone therapy. I thought I was doing myself a service, man, but after all the years, I was torturing myself. And then to protect all these ideologies that I had about myself being trans and being a non-gender-conforming child, which I'll always be... But there's more of a clarity now. I'm walking in a more healed version of myself."

Despite the fact that studies and medical professionals consistently report that the vast majority of individuals who transition do not regret their decision, Mina insisted that "what people don't realize is that gender dysphoria in a lot of people later on in life, it works itself out. And people — of course, the white coats, the therapists, the clinicians, the sexologists, the therapists, the endocrinologists, the surgeons, they don't wanna hear people like me say these things work themselves out.

"The reason why this is so important is because I have now shared with the world that I've been off of hormones," Mina continued. "And now I reached a point where it's, like, 'Oh, shit.' What I wanted to do was, like, okay, I took myself off the drugs. And I said to myself, 'Let me just see how many months or years I can actually get away with this before I might have to, basically, call my surgeon and take my fake boobies out.' And now I feel like I'm at a point where, obviously, I'm totally simmering in my divine male self. Of course, that feminine self is there, but what happened was, after all the years of hormone therapy and realizing that it was actually doing more harm than good for me — for me. My personal journey.

"Before anyone judges me or calls me anti-trans or anti-proper care or treatment, I'm talking about me," Mina added. "I'm a very intuitive person. I knew that the drugs were only making things worse with all the list of side effects that made my journey tumultuous. It actually took all the fun, all the connection to what I had with my feminine self, all that kind of just started dissipating because I spent more time on my couch crying, depressed, filled with anxiety. I stopped going out. I became more of a recluse than I actually am, because I'm a singer, I'm a songwriter, I'm an artist. Isolation, self-reflecting, meditating, going deep within is all part of my journey.

"Thank God my parents didn't bring me to any clinics or therapists of today because here I am at age 51. I'm now going back to my authentic self, my authentic gender, that I'm now comfortable in my body."

Gender dysphoria is the condition of feeling one's gender identity to be at variance with the gender they were assigned at birth.

By the time a transgender teenager comes out or begins to transition, they likely have lived in a body that doesn't match their sense of self for years.

"Listen, we all have body issues," Mina said. "We all have some kind of body dysmorphism or disorientation, even biological young girls. They're all filling up their face with fillers. This is also a disorientation. This is also something going on in the mind. This whole species is quite traumatized. The systems in place are designed to traumatize everybody. I was traumatized as a child. My mom died at 20. I never knew the womb I came from. It makes total sense why I grew up with my grandmother, my aunt, my grandma to put makeup on me. I loved watching her do it in the mirror.

"I'm not 100 percent cured," Mina admitted. "I know I have this feminine energy inside of me. I could play. I can do whatever I want. If I have a new lover and he wants me to play the the woman, I will. I'm open. I'm an open book. This is who I am. I'm a rebel at heart. I'm feral. I'm a fucking nonconformist at heart. That's why I played with my gender to begin with. But I really did have mental issues. I really grew up traumatized. I grew up abused by all the men. My grandfather was very abusive. All the men in my family were very abusive. All the women, they were gentle. They were nurturing. They were sensual. They were intelligent. So as a child, I wanted to be that."

Circling back to her decision to take herself off hormone therapy less than a decade ago, Mina explained: "I'm never gonna change the face. We're never doing that. So what's the fucking point? So what just recently happened is that I was stuck in some kind of limbo for the past four or five years. I finally leveled up. I made decisions for myself. I called my surgeon. I already have my consultation. I got my date, January 28th. I'm going to be living in my full male capacity. I'm taking the fake boobs out. Because you know why? I feel like I found my mental health. And you know what the dysphoria turned into now? Getting them out. Now when people call me Mina or she, now I'm experiencing that same dysphoria. And there was a whole reversal, a whole clarity. And being on hormones that long, it showed me how it wasn't serving me… I'm going back because of all this clarity. And you know what? Once I started making affirmative decisions for myself, I'm so very sure about the decisions that I'm making today for my body and my mind. And I won't allow anyone to dim my light, dim my shine, not talk about what I've been through."

From 1989 to 2006, Mina performed and recorded under her birth name, Keith Caputo. In 2008, she began her transition and eventually made her debut as Mina on her 2013 solo album, "As Much Truth As One Can Bear". She has since recorded another solo album (2016's "Love Hard") and two more albums with LIFE OF AGONY.

According to Xtra, numerous peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown that less than one percent of the trans people who receive these surgeries regret their decision to do so. By comparison, somewhere around 14.4 percent of patients who receive other forms of surgery regret their operations.

Two days after the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Mina took to her Instagram to say that she wanted Donald Trump to win because of his plan to "stop the chemical, physical and emotional mutilation of our youth" and promise to "revoke Joe Biden's cruel policies on so-called 'gender affirming care' — a process that includes giving kids puberty blockers, mutating their physical appearance, and ultimately performing surgery on minor children."

According to USA Today, Trump made gender identity issues a focal point of his campaign, targeting transgender rights in a barrage of TV advertising, speeches and campaign rallies and indicating that elimination of those rights would be among the initial priorities of his term.

VENAMORIS, the project featuring legendary extreme metal drummer Dave Lombardo (SLAYER, FANTÔMAS, TESTAMENT, MR. BUNGLE, MISFITS, DEAD CROSS) and his wife Paula, will release its sophomore album, "To Cross Or To Burn", on February 28 via Ipecac Recordings.

Alongside the album announcement, VENAMORIS has unveiled "Animal Magnetism", a striking cover of SCORPIONS' 1980 love song. The haunting rendition features a guest appearance from Dave's former bandmate, Gary Holt (EXODUS, SLAYER). The song is accompanied by a Displaced/Replaced-created video.

Dave reflects on the personal significance of including "Animal Magnetism" on "To Cross or To Burn": "The first rock concert I ever attended was on May 25, 1980, with SCORPIONS opening for Ted Nugent's 'Scream Dream' tour. We (SLAYER) had covered a couple SCORPIONS songs in the early years, but I never would have thought of re-imagining one of their songs at that time. Now it seems like the most natural thing to do. I could hear Paula's sultry voice, the song taking on a slightly industrial feel… and I could fully hear Gary Holt play this insane lead. It's been incredible to see this idea come to life. To release this at the same time this iconic band celebrates 60 years is a perfect way for me to thank them for an inspiring first show in 1980 and for all that they have contributed since."

The married duo teased "To Cross or To Burn"'s 2025 arrival with the 2024 singles "In The Shadows" and "Spiderweb", which were praised for their unique sound — described by Consequence as "trip-hop style" fused with "the dark/folk metal of Emma Ruth Rundle and Chelsea Wolfe", while Revolver has described the pair as "spellbinding."

Paula, who wrote the album's nine-original songs, offers insight into the album: "'To Cross Or To Burn' has taken us down a darker, very different path than our first album. There's a confidence in this body of work. An overall vibe of heaviness that was unexpected. Verses of hard truths now bound in acceptance. The soul-searching continues."

"To Cross Or To Burn" is available for pre-order now with the collection available digitally, on CD and on both white and limited-edition red vinyl.

"To Cross Or To Burn" track listing:

01. Stay With Me
02. In The Shadows
03. Truth
04. Stain of Pain
05. Spiderweb
06. Burnt Paper
07. Holding On To Nothing
08. Animal Magnetism
09. Numb
10. To Cross Or To Burn

Guests include:

Roberto "Ra" Díaz - bass on "Stain Of Pain"
Trevor Dunn - contrabass on "Stay With Me"
Gary Holt - guitar on "Animal Magnetism"
Alex Skolnick - guitar on "Stain Of Pain" and "Burnt Paper"

The indefatigable Dave Lombardo's bona fides as a world-class drummer are well-known. While he drafted the blueprint that would define thrash-metal drumming, he's also applied his finesse to solo percussion (2023's "Rites Of Percussion"),hip-hop and classical music, as well as boundary-pushing recordings and performances with everyone from John Zorn's ensembles to punk icons MISFITS and MR. BUNGLE. "To Cross Or To Burn" is another milestone in his storied career, where he's added guitar, bass and considerable production techniques to his sonic skill-set.

Canadian-born Paula Lombardo began her musical career at 18 as a backing singer for Las Vegas icon Wayne Newton, performing multiple shows in the demanding Vegas circuit before relocating to Nashville to further her musical career. A dynamic musical force, she combines impressive vocal prowess, a deftness on piano and synthesizers with a natural instinct for crafting alluring lyrics, melodies and arrangements.

Photo credit: Hannah Verbeuren

Finnish folk metal icons ENSIFERUM have unveiled the official music video for "The Howl". The track is taken from the band's "Winter Storm" full-length album, out now on Metal Blade Records.

Much of the material for "Winter Storm" emerged during the COVID lockdown, when ENSIFERUM's founding guitarist Markus Toivonen set himself the challenge of finding new ways to make music — eventually composing every song except the rousing, anthemic "Fatherland", written by bassist Sami Hinkka. The addition of singer/organist Pekka Montin's crystal-clear melodic high notes provided a tremendous boost on "Thalassic". But on "Winter Storm" — a fantasy concept narrative penned by Hinkka — Montin's super-strong voice finds its optimal place in ENSIFERUM's sound. Bringing to life such grandiose, heroic material, the singer emerges as one of the greatest vocal discoveries of the decade.

"The Howl" follows the band's "Fatherland" video which told of a remote tribe who had been fighting against the Winter Storm Vigilantes.

ENSIFERUM bassist/vocalist Sami Hinkka comments: "In 'The Howl', we leap ahead many years from the battle of 'Fatherland'. The young boy grew up and became a shaman. His people are losing the war and as his last deed he calls the Old Spirits one last time. He sacrifices his mortal form and becomes a spirit wolf and starts his journey to find The One to avenge for his people's fate. This song is very ENSIFERUM-ish to the core: catchy melodies, powerful harsh vocals and singalong chorus. We've already played it on a few gigs; it's obviously a great live song!"

ENSIFERUM will join their comrades in KORPIKLAANI for a 2025 North American co-headlining tour. The journey runs from February 27 in Boston, Massachusetts through March 30 in Brooklyn, New York. Additional support will be provided by TROLLFEST and NINI.

ENSIFERUM's "Winter Storm" was produced by Janne Joutsenniemi, mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren, and includes guest appearances by Lassi Logrén on nyckelharpa and violin and Mikko Mustonen on orchestration as well as ELEINE's Madeleine Liljestam who provides all vocals on "Scars In My Heart".

"Winter Storm" was made available on jewel case CD, special edition CD featuring two additional bonus tracks, and digitally as well as vinyl.

ENSIFERUM is:

Petri Lindroos - vocals, guitars
Markus Toivonen - guitars, vocals
Sami Hinkka - bass, vocals
Janne Parviainen - drums
Pekka Montin - keyboards, vocals

Photo by Svetlana Goncharova

In a new interview with U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine, CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani Filth spoke about the band's follow-up to 2021's "Existence Is Futile" album. He said: "It's called 'The Screaming Of The Valkyries' and it should be out at the beginning of April. It's got elements of everything we've done, really. It has a few head nods to works like 'Midian' and 'Dusk[... And Her Embrace]', especially in the atmosphere and the subject matter. It's also got a very brilliant production, courtesy of Scott Atkins."

Asked if there is any overarching theme to it, Dani said: "No, I wouldn't say so. They're tricky things, concept records. You have to have tunnel vision and you can't veer from that path. So this is just an album. It's not an album with filly bits attached, like intros and outros. No guest appearances. Just nine songs. It's still quite a lengthy running time, obviously. We can't write a short song to save our fucking lives."

Dani went on to say that CRADLE OF FILTH's collaboration with pop superstar Ed Sheeran won't be on "The Screaming Of The Valkyries" "because we don't want it to overshadow the record. But we are going to bring it out. Originally, everybody wanted us to bring it out to glorious fanfare but Ed's management weren't keen on that. We're not absolutely sure how it will emerge, but it's been done, mixed and it's sitting on the shelf somewhere… you know, virtually. And it's fucking fantastic. But only a handful of people have actually heard it. My mum hasn't even heard it."

Last November, Dani was asked by Portugal's Look Mag, CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani Filth why it was taking more than three years for him and his bandmates to release the follow-up to "Existence Is Futile" album. He responded: "[We've done] loads of tours. We were in the studio beginning the drums last May. But then we went and did all summer festivals. Then we had holidays — one holiday a year, which we allow us to rejuvenate. Then I was recording with my friend in America. Then we went to South America and Mexico. Then we went, did a co-headline tour with DEVILDRIVER. Then we went back to the studio. Then our producer had a baby. Then it was Christmas, and we did more in the studio. Then we went on tour in Europe. Yeah, that's what happened. We've just been very, very busy.

"It was finished — it's been ready since July [2024], I think," Dani revealed. "We're having two more videos and singles before the album drops. Yeah, maybe even four; I'm not sure. It depends how well it goes. But yeah, there's a plan to a gameplan to everything."

Asked about the musical direction of the new CRADLE OF FILTH material, Dani said: "It's very hard to talk about it. I don't really wanna talk about it because I can't do it justice. Every album has a lot of things going on. It's just a very, very great record. It's the next stage of our evolutionary step as CRADLE OF FILTH, moving on from the [two new songs] we debuted on [the 2023 live album] 'Trouble And Their Double Lives'. It has elements of old-school CRADLE, elements of new-school CRADLE. It's catchy, it's fast, it's slow, it's romantic, it's heavy, it's theatrical."

In October, CRADLE OF FILTH released a new single, "Malignant Perfection", along with a music video directed by Vicente Cordero, who has previously worked with FILTER, DEVILDRIVER, IN FLAMES and BLACK VEIL BRIDES, among others.

In 2023, CRADLE OF FILTH released its first live album in over 20 years, the aforementioned "Trouble And Their Double Lives", via Napalm Records. The LP was recorded between 2014 and 2019 at different performances in the USA, Europe, Australia and beyond during the band's "Cryptoriana" world tour and dates following. Produced, mixed and mastered by Scott Atkins at Grindstone Studios, with recording captured by Danny B, the effort not only featured a slew of fan favorites encompassing the band's discography but also two bonus tracks and two entirely brand new songs, "She Is A Fire" and "Demon Prince Regent".

San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans EXODUS are preparing to enter the studio to begin recording the follow-up to their 2021 album "Persona Non Grata".

Earlier today, EXODUS shared a photo of guitarist Gary Holt and drummer Tom Hunting in the studio and included the following message: "Jam camp has BEGUN!! Tom and Gary are busy crushing riffs to prepare for the next record! Shit is off the charts sick!"

Last October, Hunting told The Metal Voice about EXODUS's next LP: "The music is gonna come together really fast and it's really awesome. We worked last March, April and a little bit in May and got the nucleus for a bunch of songs, basically flip flopped some of the beats on some songs. That happens sometimes. And so I have a lot of material to work with. After this [fall 2024] tour, we're gonna woodshed. We'll probably get together in my studio here; I'm in Northern California. Yeah, we're probably gonna work through the end of December and then into January. So we'll have two months. And we already have the nucleus of a bunch of great songs."

Asked if he is going to be contributing musically and lyrically to the next EXODUS LP, Tom said: "I wrote the lyrics to one [track], 'The Years Of Death And Dying', on the last record, and it turned out to be a really great song. So, I think between that and the journey with the cancer and stuff, it awoke something in me. So I've got notepads with scribbles, like a whole bunch of stuff. I need to formulate them into songs [laughs], but I got a lot of words and stuff… I'm gonna try to write some [of the lyrics]. Yeah, it's really fun. And I really enjoy like lyric writing. It's great."

Regarding the overall sound of the new EXODUS material and whether some of it will "veer off into other directions", Tom said: "I really couldn't tell you. I mean, there could be some experimental stuff, and it all happens organically and kind of in the moment. I thought 'Blood In, Blood Out' was kind of like a good old thrash album. 'Persona Non Grata' was a little more —yeah, a little more meaty, a little more dark, goes to some dark places. All the music we made with [singer Rob] Dukes was a little more progressive and went to dark places, and I like that stuff too. So I think there'll be a little bit of everything. And we've got a bunch of covers in the bag too that we recorded in the last sessions for 'Persona Non Grata', and we'll probably do some of those too — just obscure B-side punk stuff. Fun stuff."

Earlier in October, Holt told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about EXODUS's next album: "I've got a dozen [songs] in the works right now, and Lee [Altus, EXODUS guitarist] has some stuff. Our plan is to hit the studio in February. We were gonna do it this summer, but we felt we were rushing it. And the last time was so well received and a landmark album for us, we can't shortchange ourselves and hurry into it. And [we have a] brand new record label with Napalm Records and we wanted to make sure the album's as good as it possibly can be. So, February and March we'll be in the studio and then back at it again after that. No rest for the wicked, for sure."

Holt previously discussed EXODUS's plans to hit the studio in August in an interview with Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show. He said at the time: "Well, I'm writing the new record right now. We were going to go in the studio in a week, but we needed more time. We're not ready. And if we rushed it, that'd be a huge mistake. Unfortunately, due to touring commitments, our next gap to get in and do this proper, it's, like, the beginning of next year. So, we're pushing back, but it's gonna be worth it 'cause the songs are just coming along very well. I'm super pleased. Stuff's heavy."

He continued: "The last album we had all the time in the world due to the pandemic, and the results are apparent in the record, and to follow 'Persona Non Grata' with a rushed release would be the dumbest thing we could possibly do. But it's coming along — it's coming along really well. Actually, I've got 10 songs I'm working on. Lee's got some stuff, and we'll take it from there."

Asked if it looks like the next EXODUS album will be released in 2025, Gary replied: "Oh, yeah, for sure. It will be next year. It's just gonna be later next year than we hoped."

In February 2024, EXODUS frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza said on his Zetro's Toxic Vault YouTube channel about the musical direction of the band's new material: "I haven't heard anything that they're writing. It usually starts with Tom and Gary. So, it'll be music and then drums. And then when they have kind of stuff pasted together, then I'll hear bits and pieces of it. It kind of rolls like that, but within three or four weeks' time, what sounds like just riffs put together actually turn into full songs, with lyrics and everything. 'Persona Non Grata' went that way, for sure. And in the past we had done it like that. So that's what's actually happening as far as EXODUS is concerned right now."

Souza went on to say that Napalm Records, with whom EXODUS signed a new record deal last year, was anxious to start working with the band on promoting the upcoming LP.

"It's been 20 years or even more than we were on Nuclear Blast," Zetro said. "I mean, the first record on Nuclear Blast was 'Tempo Of The Damned', and so [it was] in 2003, 2002, I think, when we actually signed to them. And then everything that [former EXODUS singer] Rob Dukes did with them was on there. And then when I came back, [we did] 'Blood In Blood Out' and 'Persona' [with Nuclear Blast].

"[Napalm] seem very excited, and that's always a good thing," he continued. "We had such a great relationship with Nuclear Blast and they were really good to us. I think sometimes change is good and a breath of fresh air comes. And I think that we were due for that. So, it's worked out good. We've got, obviously, Napalm, their deal for us was really, really good and it's a three-album deal, so there's at least three more EXODUS records on the books there. So we just have number one that will start this year at some point."

EXODUS completed the "The Battle Of '24" North American tour last fall. The trek marked the band's first headlining run in many years and featured support from thrash metallers HAVOK, metallic hardcore outfit CANDY and crossover thrashers DEAD HEAT. The tour kicked off on November 2 in Tampa, Florida and thrashed across North America, ultimately concluding on December 7 in Los Angeles, California.

"Persona Non Grata" came out in November 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP was recorded at a studio in Lake Almanor, California and was engineered by Steve Lagudi and EXODUS. It was produced by EXODUS and was mixed by Andy Sneap.

"Persona Non Grata" was the follow-up to 2014's "Blood In Blood Out", which was the San Francisco Bay Area thrashers' first release since the departure of EXODUS's singer of nine years, Rob Dukes, and the return of Souza, who previously fronted EXODUS from 1986 to 1993 and from 2002 to 2004.

Photo credit: Tayva Martinez

Jam camp has BEGUN!! Tom and Gary are busy crushing riffs to prepare for the next record! Shit is off the charts sick!

Posted by Exodus on Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Jeffrey Hatrix, also known as Jeffrey Nothing (born Jeffrey Lewis Hetrick),formerly the haunting voice and co-founder behind Cleveland's pioneering alterna-metal and industrial collective MUSHROOMHEAD, is battling cancer, just nine months after losing his wife to the same disease.

Earlier today, Jeffrey's daughter Mea launched a Gofundme campaign for her father, writing in an introductory message: "My dad has recently been diagnosed with Cancer, just months after losing my mom to the same thing. Due to this, he may have to stop working during his treatment. Anything means everything, Thank you."

Jeffrey shared his daughter's post on his social media and wrote in an accompanying message: "I really wanted to keep this to myself. I was diagnosed a couple months ago. It will be very hard to continue working with the treatment path I have chosen. Thank You for anything you can do to help. I know everyone is going through a lot."

Jeffrey's wife Stacy died in April 2024 after a long battle with cancer. She was only 38 years old.

Last August, Jeffrey Hatrix sued MUSHROOMHEAD's drummer and producer Steve "Skinny" Felton, alleging copyright infringement and failure to pay him royalties that he is owed.

Hatrix, who left MUSHROOMHEAD in 2018, claimed in the lawsuit, which was obtained by BLABBERMOUTH.NET, that he had not received royalties for his music "for several years at least", despite the fact that he wrote or helped write 148 songs during his time with the band.

"Most of the performing arts copyright registrations were registered as Stephen Felton being the copyright claimant," the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Cleveland, read. "And, although on many songs [Hatrix] was given proper credit for his participation in creating said works, there seems to be no record of mechanical royalty payments stemming from these performing arts registrations."

In the years prior to Hatrix's exit from MUSHROOMHEAD, "Felton's actions … became more nefarious, including the doctoring of publishing splits giving Skinny (Felton) double pay under 2 names 'Tenafly Viper' and just plain 'Steve Felton', along with 30% going to him under 'unknown publicist' and 'unknown writer'," according to the lawsuit. "In fact, most of the publishing splits seem to have disappeared as plaintiff has not received any mechanical royalties to speak of for several years at least.

"Although the money coming increased, plaintiff was apparently receiving pennies on the dollar," the lawsuit added. "[Hatrix] was paid an 'allowance' $1,200 per week per, per tour. In fact, plaintiff was paid almost nothing beyond this and is due his publishing and other, royalties, income from touring, sales and royalties from film media, along with loss from other sources of income to be determined."

Hatrix's attorney Ronald Stanley told Cleveland.com that Hatrix was seeking at least $3.5 million, but clarified that "we don't know all what he is entitled to yet."

Jeffrey left MUSHROOMHEAD in March 2018, stating: "I am coming to you today with a heavy heart to announce that I am leaving MUSHROOMHEAD. It is a decision that I did not make easily, but one I made for reasons that are best for me as an artist and musician at this juncture in my career." The vocalist went on to thank "the craziest, fucking loyal and amazing fans" for the "once in a lifetime privilege" of performing for them while touring and recording with the group.

A few months later, Hatrix discussed his exit while appearing on the "ADHD" podcast, saying that "my issue was there was only one chief [Steve Felton], and that's not how it started. That really catapulted us all backwards. I feel like we could have done so much more… Things could have all been different and friendly, but I don't believe my former band has that in their vocabulary. I never wanted it like that. It's odd."

He added: "I left the band because I couldn't do it anymore. I stayed for a long time for the fans and it just got to be like, 'Sorry I just can't do it anymore.' I was trying to leave on semi-amicable terms and then that never happened… I got to the point where I didn't even want to go on tour anymore. There was one tour where I felt like I was in need of having every tooth pulled out of my head. The stress was so bad, it felt like that. That ended up not being the case. Once I got home, I was fine. Sometimes a bus can feel like a prison cell or your bunk can feel like a casket or you're doing time or you're not even alive anymore… When it was cool, I liked it. When it became somebody's little game, for lack of a better word, it became very ugly and something I wanted to get out of as soon as I could."

I really wanted to keep this to myself. I was diagnosed a couple months ago. It will be very hard to continue working...

Posted by Jeffrey Nothing on Tuesday, January 7, 2025

please donate if you can. anything helps 🥲

Posted by Mea Hatrix on Tuesday, January 7, 2025

In a new interview with Luke Morton of Kerrang! In Conversation, vocalist Cristina Scabbia of Italian metal titans LACUNA COIL spoke about the title of the band's upcoming tenth studio album, "Sleepless Empire". The band's first collection of new songs since 2019's "Black Anima" will arrive on February 14, 2025 via Century Media Records. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We chose that title because it was representing the times that we are living today. We're always awake, constantly trying to be productive, super connected with the rest of the world, but at the same time, we've never been so disconnected and anxious and feeling that we need to prove something, that we need to be present all the time, because if not, we are forgotten by the rest of the world.

"I am putting myself in the sleepless empire as well, so it's not a criticism," she explained. "It's just a realization, because I am part of that generation that saw it all and saw it coming and saw how fast the technology developed and how big the changes were, so I am trying to take the best out of the past to bring it in the future and the present, because I think that we should take advantage of technology. I mean, the fact that we are talking right now through a screen, it's one of the most beautiful things of technology, because if not, you would have to come to my place or me at yours, or we would have to travel somewhere to meet in person, which would be amazing. But this way, you save time, you can save four hours so you can go spend time with your family and I can go to watch [Italian professionally football club] AC Milan tonight with Andrea [Ferro, LACUNA COIL co-vocalist] at the stadium instead of traveling. So technology is good if used wisely. And I love progress — I love technology and I love to evolve with times — but I think it's cool to remember what the important things really are, because at the end of the day, all the time that we waste in stuff that doesn't really enrich us as persons, it's going to be wasted. So sometimes I try to think about this, even if realistically the first thing that I do when I wake up in the morning is to grab the phone and see the messages and watch the messages and maybe scroll through stories of other people."

Cristina added: "We just need to pay attention. I think that especially with the new generations that never saw it coming and never saw how it was before, they tend to compare to each other. They see beautiful lives in other people's social medias, and they think that that's reality. So sometimes they feel less than they are and they feel depressed and frustrated because they don't feel enough. So at least, just like the fact that I was born earlier kind of gave me a sort of a shelter that it's a sort of a filter that it's, like, okay, I don't need to compare myself to another person because, of course, this is my life. That's their life. And maybe not everything they're showing [is] true. Most probably not everything they're showing [is] 100 percent true. Maybe it is, but who cares? I should look at my life. I should look at what I'm building. I should look at what I'm living. I should look at the people, the real people around me and real life around me. It should be a balance. As everything, you just have to keep the right balance."

Asked if she is guilty of waking up in the morning and picking up her phone immediately and then wasting hours and hours every day just scrolling through social media, Cristina said: "Oh, totally. Totally. I'm guilty, especially in the morning. Not just wasting time, just looking at socials because I also do it as a sort of a study 'cause I wanna see what happens. I'm curious — I'm genuinely curious — so maybe that's not a complete waste of time, 'cause it's still entertaining. What I'm guilty of is that I feel guilty when I want to take time for myself. Now, when [I] get a message, I have the tendency of wanting to reply immediately or I feel guilty. And maybe I should wait. Maybe I shouldn't have so much anxiety if I answer 10 minutes after and I don't reply as soon as I open my eyes. Maybe I should just open my eyes, go in the kitchen, prepare myself a breakfast and then start my day and dedicate it to the work and my mails and everything. Instead, I just grab my phone. I'm just, like, 'Okay, I got a mail. Okay, I've gotta answer. My eyes are still closed, but I'm gonna answer.'

"There is this weird cycle for all of us that we're working hard because we have so many inputs," she continued. "Then we try to detach ourselves and relax watching other stuff on other social medias, thinking that they're entertaining. And they create even more anxiety. So it's a cycle that could be dangerous… But it's not all bad. So the sleepless empire, it's basically an empire with people that never sleep, that [are] always doing stuff, which could be good and could be bad as well."

Inspiration to create "Sleepless Empire" came during the sessions for "Comalies XX" (2022),the acclaimed remake of LACUNA COIL's breakthrough third record "Comalies". Writing and recording took place in northern Italy between Milano (the band's hometown) and Como, where SPVN Studios are located. As with their previous albums, production was done in house with Marco "Maki" Coti Zelati at the helm, and artwork was hand curated by the talented Italian artist Roberto Toderico. Two other very special talents enrich the album, namely the guest vocalists: LAMB OF GOD's Randy Blythe on the song "Hosting The Shadow" and NEW YEARS DAY's Ash Costello on "In The Mean Time".

As a token of the band's love for the gaming world (which we've seen in past endeavors such as their card game "Horns Up" and their collaboration with Zombicide for which they wrote the track "Never Dawn"),the band have created an oracle "game" to be played with custom made dice available only in the box set version of "Sleepless Empire".

The new album is comprised of 11 tracks; each one is a richly textured soundtrack to a specific time and place. With "Sleepless Empire", that place is dark, cinematic, and unmistakably true to the unique characteristics that have given LACUNA COIL such a celebrated entry in the annals of heavy music.

The band previously shared: "'Sleepless Empire' captures, through our eyes, the chaos of a generation trapped in a digital world that never stops, where social media consumes identity and every day pushes us one step closer to becoming soulless zombies. We find ourselves in between, having witnessed a full analogic world and the modern one, confronting the evolution and searching for a true meaning of it all. Throughout every song, the journey is an undercurrent of rebellion, a desperate cry to reclaim oneself in an era that seems to have lost its sense of time and reality."

"Sleepless Empire" track listing

01. The Siege
02. Oxygen
03. Scarecrow
04. Gravity
05. I Wish You Were Dead
06. Hosting The Shadow (feat. Randy Blythe)
07. In Nomine Patris
08. Sleepless Empire
09. Sleep Paralysis
10. In The Mean Time (feat. Ash Costello)
11. Never Dawn

This past October, Italian guitarist/producer Daniele Salomone confirmed that he has joined LACUNA COIL as the replacement for the band's longtime guitarist Diego Cavallotti.

Salomone made his live debut with LACUNA COIL on August 4, 2024 at the Rockstadt Extreme Fest in Râșnov, Romania.

In June 2024, LACUNA COIL announced Cavallotti's departure. Diego, who joined LACUNA COIL in 2016, initially as a fill-in guitarist following the exit of Marco "Maus" Biazzi, later said in a social media post that "this decision is not the result of my dissatisfaction or desire to explore new opportunities."

Cavallotti and Salomone played together in the Italian metal band INVERNO, which released its debut album, "Stasis", in December 2023.

Photo credit: Cunene

AURI, the project featuring NIGHTWISH mainman/keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen and his wife, popular Finnish singer Johanna Kurkela, has entered the studio to begin recording its third album for a 2025 release. Laying down the drums on the effort at the Petrax facility in Hollola, Finland is Kai Hahto, best known as the drummer of NIGHTWISH and WINTERSUN.

Earlier today (Wednesday, January 8),AURI shared a short video from the studio in which Holopainen said: "Good evening and greetings from the legendary Petrax studios in Hollola, Finland, where we just finished recording drums and percussion for the third AURI album by the legend himself, Mr. Kai Hahto, who will also join us for the tour later this year."

Kai added: "Yes, I'm really thrilled to be part of the live shows and hope to see you all there."

AURI released its second album, "II - Those We Don't Speak Of", in September 2021 via Nuclear Blast. The effort was the follow-up to AURI's self-titled debut LP, which came out in March 2018 via Nuclear Blast.

AURI began its life with three people, united through their shared need to hear a kind of a music which can't be described by words alone. The first song born of this mindset, "Aphrodite Rising", appeared in 2011.

Kurkela lent her unique voice, while Holopainen and English composer and multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley (also of NIGHTWISH) cast their spells with various other instruments. Now complemented by the dynamic percussive talents of Kai Hahto (NIGHTWISH),the threesome carves fantastical worlds entirely their own.

In a 2018 interview with Dead Rhetoric, Donockley stated about AURI's formation: "It was always there for us, since 2010. We decided back then that the three of us wanted to do something together. Tuomas and I are huge fans of Johanna's voice. I had been involved in one of her albums as a guest musician, and Tuomas had written a song for her on a solo album. So the three of us realized pretty early on that we wanted to do something together, musically. It was obvious that it couldn't be like NIGHTWISH. But it was something we felt really strongly about, that we had to release this atmosphere we all felt, and were tuned into. I know that sounds fairly vague, but that's truly what it was. It was a kind of music that we wanted to get out of ourselves. We are close friends and have very similar tastes and attitudes towards life so we made our plans, but NIGHTWISH is a behemoth. We have our commitments there and we did 'Imaginaerum' and 'Endless Forms Most Beautiful' after our decision to work together on some music. As it turned out, fortune smiled on us with a sabbatical year. We decided to dive in and work on it."

Asked how he would compare the spirit/essence of AURI with that of NIGHTWISH, Donockley said: "We don't see it as very different from NIGHTWISH at all. Sonically it is, for sure. We were struggling to find a label for it, as it usually happens, so I just tossed out 'celestial metal.' So this Polish journalist said to me, 'I know what you mean about celestial metal. It's kind of heavenly music. It has the metal attitude, but without all of the electric guitars and bass.' Metal is an attitude. The metal scene — the metal fans are open-minded, as I said before. The Italian [NIGHTWISH] fan club, I did an interview with them, and this was brought up and she told me that she was a fan of DIMMU BORGIR as well as Ed Sheeran. That's it right there! So I think the NIGHTWISH connection is inevitable because of Tuomas and I are in it, so there are those elements. But I think the spirit is the same as NIGHTWISH. It does cover a lot of the same themes, it's just not obviously NIGHTWISH. It's down to the sonic side, honestly."

AURI is:

Johanna Kurkela: Voices, viola
Tuomas Holopainen: Keys, backing voices
Troy Donockley: Acoustic and electric guitars, bouzouki, uilleann pipes, low whistles, aerophone, bodhran, keys, voices

Holopainen and Kurkela have been married since October 2015.

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CYHRA, the band featuring vocalist Jake E (ex-AMARANTHE),guitarist Jesper Strömblad (THE HALO EFFECT, ex-IN FLAMES), guitarist Euge Valovirta (ex-SHINING), drummer Alex Landenburg (KAMELOT) and guitarist Marcus Sunesson (ENGEL, THE CROWN), has released a new single, "Superman". The track explodes with headbang-inducing riffs, as Jake teases its epic, melody-rich chorus against a backdrop of sharp instrumentals. The almost-spoken verses escalate to a larger-than-life chorus, culminating in irresistible, sing-along choirs that emphatically signal CYHRA's trajectory is set to soar above and beyond at breakneck speed.

CYHRA comments on the song's meaning: "Sometimes life tests our limits, but when we choose to rise, to dream and to believe, we find the strength to be unstoppable. Because deep down, we all have a 'Superman' within us."

"Superman" not only marks CYHRA's latest single but also the band's debut release with the burgeoning label Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). This track was mastered by renowned audio engineer Maor Appelbaum, known for his work with HALFORD, SABATON and EQUILIBRIUM, among others. The artwork for "Superman" was crafted by Gustavo Sazes, a longtime collaborator who has designed for SOILWORK, DYNAZTY and VLTIMAS. Sazes has been instrumental in shaping the visual identity of CYHRA's previous three studio albums as well.

Jake states: "We are thrilled to announce that we have officially signed with Reigning Phoenix Music! This marks an exciting new chapter in our journey, and we couldn't be prouder to join a family that shares our passion for music and artistry.

"Reigning Phoenix Music is home to a roster of incredible talent and a team of dedicated professionals, many of whom we've had the pleasure of working with earlier in our career. Reuniting with such familiar faces feels like coming home, and we're confident that this partnership will allow us to reach new heights together.

"We're already hard at work with new music, and with Reigning Phoenix Music by our side, we're more inspired than ever to create something truly unforgettable for our fans. Thank you for your continued support — it means the world to us!"

The Reigning Phoenix Music team says: "We are are excited to welcome CYHRA to our family and for the opportunity to work with them again. Their talent, passion, and energy align perfectly with our vision of elevating artistry to new heights. Together, we're setting the stage for an incredible journey!"

As they approach their 10th anniversary next year, CYHRA have carved out a notable place in the metal scene since their founding in 2016 by Jake and Jesper. They were soon joined by Alex and bassist Peter Iwers (THE HALO EFFECT, formerly IN FLAMES). Their debut album, "Letters To Myself", was released in 2017 to glowing reviews, catapulting the group to global stages, crowned with a massive North American tour supporting SABATON and KREATOR.

Following Iwers's departure, Euge Valovirta (guitars, bass) joined the CYHRA lineup, and the band released its second album, "No Halos In Hell", in 2019, which blended groovy metal with a poppy flair and featured the hit single "Out Of My Life", amassing about 11 million streams on Spotify. Their success continued with a European tour with BATTLE BEAST, U.K. dates alongside DELAIN, headline shows in select countries including Finland and Japan, and performances at major festivals like Masters Of Rock, Bloodstock Open Air, Sabaton Open Air and 70000 Tons of Metal.

In 2020, guitarist Marcus Sunesson (RONNIE ATKINS, THE CROWN) joined, expanding the lineup. The pandemic pause allowed the band to craft their third album "The Vertigo Trigger", released in 2023. The album's tour brought them back to Finland to open for SMASH INTO PIECES and to headline shows in early 2024. Quietly beginning their fourth album, CYHRA ended the cycle with a Scandinavian tour with EVERGREY, leading into 2025 with the standalone single "Superman".

Photo credit: Linda Florin

Following the success of their first single "Silver Linings", German metal act OBSCURA returns with the second single, "Evenfall", from the highly anticipated album "A Sonication", due on February 7, 2025 via Nuclear Blast Records.

This standout track showcases OBSCURA's ongoing evolution, masterfully blending their signature technical prowess with a more melodic approach. The result is a fresh yet unmistakably OBSCURA sound that promises to both surprise longtime fans and captivate new listeners.

Accompanying the release is a visually striking music video, bringing the song's intensity and emotion to life. Once again, the video has been directed by Mirko Witzki (ARCH ENEMY, POWERWOLF, ESKIMO CALLBOY). Fans can expect an immersive audiovisual experience that underscores OBSCURA's artistic depth.

Mastermind Steffen Kummerer comments: "With 'Evenfall', we look into the most anticipated song by the band to perform in a live setting on our upcoming tours. The dynamics, groove and pace falls perfectly into place. One of my personal highlights of the new album, showcasing a rather cinematic sound scape within the OBSCURA universe."

The group's second (seventh overall) album for Nuclear Blast, "A Sonication" pivots on many fronts. Advanced, elegant, and yet refreshing, "A Sonication" sums up past endeavors effortlessly as it gazes with purpose and conviction into the future. OBSCURA are fan-renowned and critically acclaimed for challenging and then expanding upon norms. From "Retribution" (2004) through "A Valediction" (2021),the band flourished and made significant progress in a musical genre unprepared for a creative shot of German invention. "A Sonication" spearheads OBSCURA into a new era of extreme metal.

"A Sonication" track listing:

01. Silver Linings
02. Evenfall
03. In Solitude
04. The Prolonging
05. Beyond The Seventh Sun
06. Stardust
07. The Sun Eater
08. A Sonication

A European tour is set to kick off in February 2025. Joining OBSCURA on tour will be American progressive deathcore outfit RINGS OF SATURN and GOROD, the technical death metal force from France. With this international lineup, fans can expect a night of diverse and electrifying performances.

Original Journey bassist, Ross Valory, has released a video for "No One Wins A War", featured on his debut solo album, All Of The Above, available via OID Music. Watch the clip below:





Produced by Valory and co-produced by Eric Levy and Jacob Stowe, the nine tracks on the All Of The Above album represent the full maturity of Valory’s musical gifts, cutting a broad swath through the instrumental territory the music travels. He plays keyboards, guitar, and, of course, many basses in a display of cultivated virtuosity across a palette far broader than could be found in his work with Journey.







Tracklisting:


"Wild Kingdom"
"Tomland"
"Nightflower"
"Touched, Pt. II"
"Windmill"
"Incident At Neshabur"
"Senor Blue"
"Low Rider"
"No One Wins A War"


"Incident At Neshabur" / "Senor Blue" video:





"Touched, Pt. II" video:





"Nightflower" video:





"Low Rider" video:

Melodic metal powerhouse The Ferrymen (Magnus Karlsson, Ronnie Romero, and Mike Terrana) are pleased to share “Mother Unholy”, the next single from their new studio album, Iron Will, set for release on January 24 via Frontiers Music Srl. The release of the single is accompanied by a music video, available to view below.


About the track, vocalist Ronnie Romero says: “The most epic song of the album! Just loved how Magnus is capable to create such an atmosphere for a song. Loved to sing in this epic and yet heavy tune!! I believe The Ferrymen fans are going to love this one!!”


Guitarist Magnus Karlsson adds: “I love to write and produce epic stuff and this song is a really good example of that! The great lyrics are written by Jane Gillard and are about a nun who was pure of heart, but her heart was turned black by the hypocrisy of the people in the order around her, and ultimately, she became evil. Where there is light there, must also be dark”.







Magnus Karlsson expresses his excitement for the upcoming release: “It’s pure fire creating metal with legends like Ronnie and Mike! These tracks hit hard with unrelenting power, but there’s this raw, emotional edge woven into the heaviness that I can’t get enough of. Heavy, honest, and straight from the soul—that’s the vibe we’re bringing”.


“As usual, I just loved singing over Magnus/The Ferrymen songs!! As a singer there is nothing better to work on melodies and lyrics that inspire your performance, but also in real life day by day, and that’s something I strongly believe the fans of the band like the most of this project. Can’t wait for everybody to listen what, once again, is a strong melodic yet heavy album that I am very proud of,” adds vocalist Ronnie Romero.


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:

With acclaimed albums like Universe (2019), The Unknown (2021) and Hologram (2023), as well as blockbuster tours with the likes of Lacuna Coil, DragonForce and Amaranthe, Los Angeles based cinematic hard rockers, Edge Of Paradise, have strongly established themselves on the heavy music scene. Today they are pleased to unveil their epic sixth studio album and Napalm Records debut, Prophecy, arriving March 7.


On Prophecy, Edge Of Paradise rage against the existential crisis of what is commonly known as “The Singularity,” the prophesized moment in time in which humanity loses control of artificial intelligence, leading to potentially cataclysmic shifts to life as we know it. Band mastermind and enigmatic frontwoman Margarita Monet combats this grim prediction with her vulnerable, self-effacing lyricism, and striking artwork featured on the cover and accompanying earbook. Co-produced with Mike Plotnikoff (Nita Strauss, Apocalyptica, Daughtry, Three Days Grace), mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen (Amaranthe, Arch Enemy, Katatonia, Delain, Evergrey), and incorporated for the first time, 8-string guitars, Prophecy packs extreme firepower for Edge Of Paradise’s most intense voyage yet.


Alongside the album announcement, the band unleashes the melodically soaring “Death Note”, a thunderous anthem built on big riffs and harmonious hooks, urging listeners to escape their technological confines and reconnect with humanity. The official music video, directed by Monet, features high quality special effects and deeply immersive sets and costumes, transporting viewers into the band’s rich narrative universe at the Edge Of Paradise.




Monet says about the single: “Death Note’ is an intense battle for identity and connection, powered by soaring melodies and an aggressive sound. In a world where digital forces aim to seize control, and greed and conquest have dehumanized existence and stripped away individuality, two souls stand in defiance. Together, they fight to preserve the essence of being alive. Bound by loyalty, determination and human spirit, they risk everything to stand united against the rising tide of control to reclaim what it means to be truly human.”


Check out the official music video for “Death Note” below.


Prophecy kicks off in explosive fashion with opening track “Death Note”, a bombastic crash through apathetic walls encouraging listeners to break free from their technological isolation, and embrace connection with others over numb comfort alone. “Give It To Me (Mind Assassin)”, cranks up the intensity with an irresistible driving pulse propelled even further by an infectiously dancy chorus. A raucous fight for authenticity and self-realization, “Prophecy Unbound” careens through claustrophobically tight riffage, blossoming into a lush and cathartic belt-along chorus. The winding serpentine melodies of “Falling Light” explode with Monet’s venomous soaring vocals, dancing around ethereal synth textures, enveloping listeners in a sonic gothic cathedral. Released earlier this year, lead single “Rogue (Aim For The Kill)”, is a full throttle industrial rock track about perseverance in the face of seeming unbeatable adversity. “The Other Side Of Fear” is an energized rager built on pulsating dance beats and features a standout guitar solo from composer and commander in shred Dave Bates. Prophecy takes a stand against indifference, encouraging listeners to go outside, cry, and embrace all the uncomfortable parts of life that make us human, before comfort driven apathy driven by addictive algorithms bring about our demise.





Prophecy will be available in the following formats:


- 1LP Gatefold AV Translucent (Napalm Records mail order only - limited to 200)
- 1CD Digisleeve
- Digital Album


Always looking for new and innovative ways to engage with fans, Prophecy will release alongside the highly anticipated follow up to the band’s graphic novel Hologram and Slaves to Forever.


Pre-order Prophecy here.





Prophecy tracklisting:


"Death Note"
"Give It To Me (Mind Assassin)" ( feat. Ben V. from Ludovico)
"Prophecy Unbound"
"Sad Life Of A Rose"
"Rogue (Aim For The Kill)"
"Hear Me"
"The Other Side Of Fear"
"Martyr (Monster)"
"Relive Again"
"Falling Light"


"Death Note" video:





"Rogue (Aim For The Kill)" video:

During his final livestream of 2024 on his YouTube channel, Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, best known for his work with MEGADETH and ANGRA, was asked how he deals with writer's block. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's a good question. I don't have that, the writer's block. I don't know. I think to write ideas, it's more how much you're judging your ideas. I think that's the problem. You play something, and it's, like, 'Hey, I did that already,' or, 'It doesn't sound good,' or, 'I don't like this,' 'Nobody's gonna like it.' You start thinking about other people. Do you think they're gonna like that? They're gonna sell the album. I think bigger bands might have that because they're afraid of just doing whatever they they're doing. I kind of don't have that, or I try to work on my thoughts so I don't have that, but I'm not [pop superstar] Beyoncé or something. So I just do it. Of course I have my conflicts — like, 'Is this good? Maybe not. Maybe I can try a better, a better part,' et cetera. So this is all good. But it doesn't mean I have some sort of a block that nothing happens. Something happens, and then I do it. Sometimes I'm not even liking that much, but then I think like, 'Wow, I have to put this thing out and see what happens.' Because sometimes you write something that you don't like. And also I'm doing this right now, in this last two months."

He continued: "After [my latest solo album] 'Theory Of Mind' was released, I was thinking, ''Theory Of Mind' is quite complicated. Can I do something very simple?' It was a question to myself. And then I started writing very simple things…And then I'm not giving names to the ideas. I just like trying to have a bunch of ideas. So I think I'm around number 20. I was just checking yesterday. So, okay, 20 ideas. 20 songs? I cannot call [them] 20 songs — it's 20 ideas, 20 melodies. And then I was doing one melody, [and] it was not so good, but it's, like, 'Well, let me finish. Let me see where this is gonna lead.' Because sometimes a melody that is not so good leads to another part that's better. And then you get rid of the not-so-good melody, or that not-so-good melody is just a transition to something else. So, that melody kind of works as a transition, but it's not the main thing or it's not the chorus or the main theme of the song. So, we never know. So that's why the writer's block, in this sense, it doesn't happen to me, I guess. And also, when I'm on tour or if I'm traveling a lot, I'm not in a mood to write stuff. So sometimes I don't even try. So maybe if I try during crazy flights or things like that, then maybe it's not gonna work. So, yeah, during the tours I could consider that I have a writer's block because my mind is more into playing well the songs of the tour. But sometimes you get into that place in a hotel room or backstage that you start playing. It's, like, 'Oh, that's a cool idea.' And you get more inspired or you feel more creative and you try to record that. Also with the years doing that, you kind of learn how to put yourself in that space, mental place, mental space. You sit down, you know it takes 30 minutes, one hour to start feeling comfortable of creating stuff that you can use. Then you have always to record your ideas with no judgment. That's very important. So sometimes I go back to my ideas… Sometimes I find the original recordings of some songs that I have."

"Theory Of Mind" was released in November.

In November 2023, Kiko announced his decision to "extend" his absence from MEGADETH's touring activities, explaining that he didn't want to "hinder any of the band's plans or the hard work of all the incredible people involved in the tour."

Kiko revealed in September 2023 that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland.

One day after Kiko's announcement that he was "extending" his absence from MEGADETH's touring activities, band leader Dave Mustaine released a statement in which he said that he loves Loureiro and respects and fully supports Kiko's decision. He described Kiko as "a top-notch professional, a maestro" and thanked the guitarist "for his dedication and hard work these past nine years, helping us to achieve a Grammy on 'Dystopia' and the additional awards we have received on this latest record 'The Sick... The Dying...And The Dead'." Mustaine added: "I could not have done this without Kiko Loureiro."

MEGADETH played its first concert with Kiko's replacement, Teemu Mäntysaari on September 6, 2023 at Revel in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The 37-year-old Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and began playing guitar at the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has also been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.

Loureiro officially joined MEGADETH in April 2015, about five months after Chris Broderick's exit from the group.

Former NIGHTWISH bassist/vocalist Marko Hietala makes a triumphant return with his powerful new single "Rebel Of The North". This high-energy classic rock anthem is a perfect showcase of Marko's talent for crafting timeless, hard-hitting music. The single serves as another taste of his upcoming album, "Roses From The Deep", which is set for release on February 7, 2025.

Accompanying the release is a unique and visually striking music video. Filmed against the breathtaking backdrop of a picturesque Spanish village, the video captures the band's electrifying performance, seamlessly blended with the song's bold and inspiring lyrics. The stunning contrast between the rugged rock sound and the tranquil Mediterranean setting makes this release a feast for the senses.

Hietala comments: "This one is a rocker. The main riff will put you into the Nordics with a slam. And the story is about reimagining, reinventing, and then gathering yourself into a better new being. We should never take ourselves for granted. It leads to becoming jaded and boring. Your inner kid wants to learn and apply anything and everything. Just don't get in the way of yourself."

"Roses From The Deep" marks Hietala's first major project since his critically acclaimed "Pyre Of The Black Heart" captivated fans worldwide in 2020.

"Roses From The Deep" promises to deliver a unique blend of dark, introspective lyricism and soaring, cinematic soundscapes. Drawing inspiration from myth, nature, and the human experience, Hietala has crafted an album that transcends genres, with elements of progressive rock, folk, and symphonic metal seamlessly intertwined.

"Roses From The Deep" represents a journey into the hidden layers of our emotions and the beauty we often overlook in darker times. It's an album about fragility, resilience, and finding light even in the depths of shadow.

The album's previous single, "Impatient Zero", arrived with a visually stunning music video. Featuring a stomping, groovy beat and a grand, anthemic chorus, the track captivated listeners and perfectly set the tone for the rest of "Roses From The Deep".

"Impatient Zero" followed the huge success of the album's first two singles. "Left On Mars", a haunting duet with ex-NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen, quickly became a fan favorite, showcasing the vocal chemistry between the two icons. The second single, "Frankenstein's Wife", with its dark storytelling and intricate composition, further heightened anticipation for Hietala's upcoming release.

"Roses From The Deep" track listing:

01. Frankenstein's Wife
02. Left On Mars
03. Proud Whore
04. Two Soldiers
05. The Dragon Must Die
06. The Devil You Know
07. Rebel Of The North
08. Impatient Zero
09. Tammikuu
10. Roses From The Deep

To mark the album release, Hietala will embark on a tour across Finland.

Feb. 07 - FI Lahti - Finlandia Klubi
Feb. 08 - FI Kuopio - Sawohouse Underground
Feb. 12 - FI Helsinki - Tavastia
Feb. 13 - FI Savonlinna - House Of Olaf
Feb. 14 - FI Tampere - Olympia-kortteli
Feb. 15 - FI Turku - Logomo

Lineup:

Marko Hietala - Bass, Vocals
Tuomas Wäinölä - Guitar
Vili Ollila / Bob Engstrand - Keyboards
Anssi Nykänen - Drums

Hietala announced his departure from NIGHTWISH in January 2021, explaining in a statement that he hadn't "been able to feel validated by this life for a quite a few years now." He has since been replaced by bassist Jukka Koskinen (WINTERSUN),who made his live debut with NIGHTWISH in May 2021 at the band's two interactive experiences.

This past March, Hietala was asked by Brazil's Ibagenscast if he would consider taking part in a reunion of the band's classic lineup, either for a tour or fresh material. He responded: "Hmm, I would consider it. But I think that the organization there would have to be looked very carefully into it and some of it would have to be dismantled. Because the business side and how the people there work, they are one of the big reasons why I left."

He continued: "In all the bands that I've been [in], I found out that I'm probably the most kind of courageous person there is and therefore also I have the inner strength to be the most honest and most fair and the one who upholds the justice between the people and taking care of everyone most. And that is something that I saw, the last years, were lacking. So, these kind of things would have to be taken care of. But I mean, [NIGHTWISH] was a big part of my life and I always, always backed up the music that we did because I love to do music that is versatile and ambitious with a lot of all kinds of atmospheres of all the world, from sensitive and soft into the big and pounding metal and all that. So, musically, I have no regrets at all. I'm happy and proud to have been a part of it. But, yeah, the organizational situation and the attitudes and who talks to whom and about what, those are things that I would totally dismantle and make into a transparent situation."

In an August 2022 interview with Finland's Chaoszine, Hietala revealed that he went through a dark period in his life, which included depression, insomnia, anxiety and an eventual attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. Speaking about how he eventually came to the realization that exiting NIGHTWISH was the right thing to do, Marko said: "It was a long process. Of course, the COVID year that was there, where I had a lot of time for soul searching, it obviously gave me the last incentive that I need something else, that if I just continue with this I'm just gonna get sicker and sicker. But, of course, it's a process.

"I've been chronic depressive since 2010 [or] 2011, so I've been on a permanent medication ever since," he revealed. "Sometimes you get used to the meds [and] you will need more. We did raise [the dosage] during the years also, but it just didn't work. And now that I started to do… I had psychotherapy for over four years now, and then I also talked to psychiatrists and some doctors and did that also in Spain. Then my psychiatrist here in Finland said that I should do these ADHD neuropsychological tests, which I then did in Spain. And, okay, I got it."

Hietala reiterated that he "had been thinking about" leaving NIGHTWISH "for a while" before making the final decision. "Because I had a lot of weight. And I tend to… With the attention disorder, it tells me that when there are lots of trouble, then the disorder makes it into a real chaos," he explained. "There's a shitload of stuff coming and going and no peace anywhere. And for a year or two, I was already waking up every night at three o'clock to bad dreams and anxiety. So I'd say that the whole process probably started already with my former divorce [in 2016]. That was a very sad time when you think about your kids and your broken homes and all that. And then, when I started to get clear from that, then there were, well, all kinds of things. I don't really wanna go any deeper to what kind of things I'd gone through, but I'd gone through enough."

Acknowledging that making NIGHTWISH's 2020' album "Human. :II: Nature." was a "difficult" experience for him, Marko denied that his mental state at the time resulted in a diminished role for him on the final LP. "I think the original idea was to have that… we'll do a couple of [solo vocal appearances], or one solo for me and Troy [Donockley], and the rest Floor [Jansen], and then the harmonies; that was the idea originally for that," he said. "So I don't know if it affected. I think it was sort of as planned. But at that time I already had serious trouble with concentrating and serious trouble with a constant black cloud over my head."

In July 2022, Hietala told Finland's Iltalehti that he had not kept in touch with NIGHTWISH since his departure or followed the activities of his former band.

In December 2020, Hietala was crowned the winner of the fall 2020 season of "Masked Singer Suomi" — the Finnish edition of the popular masked singing contest. He was disguised as Tohtori — the Doctor.

Photo credit: Mika Toivanen

Saber, the a Los Angeles based heavy metal band known for their uniquely sleazy take on the traditional NWOBHM sound, will release their new album, Lost In Flames, on February 7 via RPM-ROAR. Pre-order the album here.


Saber emerged organically in 2018 after lead guitarist Joel Dominguez, who was already working on some similar material with rhythm guitarist Jesus Delgado and bassist David Sanchez, received a message from singer Steven Villa about starting a new 80s-inspired band.


A series of thundering tracks followed soon after, which were refined into their 2021 debut album Without Warning. Produced and released with the help of Trevor William Church (Haunt), who also filled in as the drummer, the album was overwhelmingly positively received, being named as one of Bandcamp's best albums of the year and outranking Exodus and Iron Maiden on BraveWords annual Top 30 list.




Sonically and aesthetically, Saber’s artistic identity is firmly rooted in the 80s. With Jesus now as their drummer and the addition of guitarist Antonio ‘Yogi’ Pettinato, the fearsome fivesome pass influences from Judas Priest and Queensrÿche to Riot, Crimson Glory and Iron Maiden through a unique lens, creating a distinctly energetic audiovisual experience that resonates with their diverse and growing fanbase. “We are heavily inspired by all 80s music, we love the glam era as well, as many can tell, we have that certain look that is unmistakably glam but don't let it fool you, the songs are heavier than you may expect”, says Joel Dominguez.


Saber directly became a part of the NWOTHM scene with young bands, playing traditional heavy metal in a fresh way. “Some of the newer bands we love are Traveler, Visigoth, Wings Of Steel, Evil Invaders, Enforcer, Skull Fist and many more.”


After two years playing and touring alongside legends like Night Demon, Sacred Reich, Haunt and Screamer at institutional events like Decibel's “Metal and Beer Fest” and the sold-out “Hell’s Heroes Fest”, Saber is now preparing for their sophomore release Lost In Flames. “The first new track I wrote that would light the spark to write the songs for Lost In Flames was 'On The Hunt'. We were at rehearsal one day and I picked up my guitar and the first thing I played was that opening riff and all the guys were silent and said 'Is that your riff?! Keep playing!' By the end of that rehearsal that song was completed and we worked from then on”, remembers Joel Dominguez. One and half year later, the second album was written. He adds: “It was an arduous time through all that because things kept happening that would derail our attempt to write songs but we persevered through it.”


The new tracks also mark a new chapter, a logical follow-up by a band that grew together and got more experienced. “We certainly wanted to change the lyrical themes for this album. After going through life changing experiences, we decided we wanted to sing about what we were going through in life at that time. The riffs on this album are also some of the best we've written. 'Steelbreaker' sounds nothing like we've done before but it is relentless from beginning to end. 'Lost In Flames' tells the story of how we were spiraling on a downward trajectory but managed to pull ourselves together and rise from the ashes like a phoenix, so to speak.”


Once again Saber went back to their friend and supporter Trevor at Church Recordings, where they recorded Lost In Flames. The guitar player remembers: “We lived in his studio for a week tirelessly working on recording and fine-tuning certain parts to songs to make them sound the best as possible. We had Darren Trentacoste mix and master the album and it came out sounding amazing.” The result is fresh and unique, wild and… hungry! You can obviously hear that there is a band who live and breathe what they stand for. “The album is relentlessly infectious! We know our fans will love it and we hope to make a lot of new fans upon release.”


The highlights are many. For the band founder Joel it is "Shattered Dreams". “That song has some personal lyrics that Steven wrote and is sung fantastically. His scream at the end of the song makes the hairs in the back of my neck stand straight up! The bridge riff on that song is very ear pleasing to me, especially when the harmony guitar kicks in. I think our fans will love that song just as much as I do.” One of the obvious hist on the album is the hymnic “Madam Dangerous”, a definitive single
and track for a video. “It quickly became one of our favorite songs from the album. We knew it would be a single as soon as we finished recording it. It was inspired by a certain encounter that someone in the band had with a lady he had met at a bar. She was very intense, and I thought it to be a perfect theme for one of our songs. The title came to me almost instantly, I thought it fit perfectly.”


The album title track is the epic “Lost In Flames”, basically expired by a lot of personal tragedy during the songwriting process. Joel remembers: “Jesus' house burned down and he lost everything, including his dog Tim. We were very deeply saddened about that. We also rehearsed and wrote at his house so we had to put that on pause for a while. One night after opening for Midnight in San Diego, David had his car broken into and someone stole his bass and all his equipment. Steven's relationship of 10+ years ended so he was in a dark place for a while, and I had a back injury that prevented me from performing live to the best of my abilities. I had to endure physical therapy for 9 months to strengthen my body back to normal. It started to feel like we were cursed but we didn't let it derail us from what we had to accomplish.” All of this is somehow reflected in the album artwork. “Since we were all battling some demons through this time in our lives, we decided to add that to the artwork as well and "Madam Dangerous" and "Steelbreaker" are also in the artwork. Daniel Porta from The Pit Forge did an amazing job with the artwork. He's a very talented artist and a fantastic person to work with.





Lost In Flame

Tarja has released the official video for "Never Enough", from her recently released Rocking Heels: Live At Hellfest, available via earMUSIC. Watch below:





On June 19, 2016, Tarja delivered a captivating performance at Hellfest, one of Europe's largest and most prestigious metal festivals held in Clisson, France. Her powerful blend of operatic vocals and heavy metal instrumentation enthralled the audience, making her performance one of the festival's highlights. The setlist featured a carefully curated mix of her solo work and iconic Nightwish songs.




Opening with “No Bitter End” from her 2016 album, The Shadow Self, Tarja set the tone for an evening of intensity and emotion. Her dynamic stage presence and dramatic musical arrangements created an unforgettable experience, solidifying her status as one of metal's greatest female singers.


Experience the raw energy and powerful emotion of Tarja Turunen's unforgettable performance at Hellfest 2016. Rocking Heels: Live At Hellfest is available as a Ltd. 1LP Gatefold Vinyl Edition, CD Digipak in LP-replica design and on Digital. Order here.





Tracklisting:


"No Bitter End"
"Never Enough"
"Ciaran's Well"
"Calling From The Wild"
"Supremacy"
"Victim Of Ritual"
"Tutankhamen / Ever"
"Tutankhamen" / "Ever Dream" / "The Riddler" / "Slaying The Dreamer" (Nightwish Medley)
"Die Alive"
"Until My Last Breath"


"Victim Of Ritual" video:

Swedish rockers, Degreed, are pleased to share their new single and accompanying visualizer video, “Good Enough”, out now via Frontiers Music Srl. Stream/download the single here, and watch the clip below.





Vocalist Robin Eriksson comments on the new single: “'Good Enough' is one heavy and fast track with a sing along chorus. You won’t be disappointed.”

Pattern-Seeking Animals comes out of the gate in 2025 with the release of their fifth album, Friend Of All Creatures, due out on February 14 on GEP Records. The Los Angeles-based quartet have been one of the prog scene’s most prolific and well-received artists, beginning with the release of their self-titled debut album in 2019, followed by Prehensile Tales in 2020, Only Passing Through in 2022 and Spooky Action At A Distance in 2023.  





Originally formed with past members of Spock’s Beard, Pattern-Seeking Animals (P-SA) has long since staked claim to its own identity, forging a strong path in the prog world. The band, named after a quote about human behavior from science historian Michael Shermer, PS-A is Ted Leonard (lead vocals and guitar), John Boegehold (keyboards, guitars, programming), Dave Meros (basses) and the energetic Jimmy Keegan (drums and vocals).




The band is pleased to share the lyric video for the new sin