Legendary bassist Billy Sheehan, who is an avowed member of the Church Of Scientology, was asked in a new interview with The SDR Show to name the "biggest misconception" with the general public about the religion which was founded by L. Ron Hubbard in the 1950s. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's a lot of them… Well, we go to doctors. We believe in science and believe in education. Education is a big thing. I'm a language buff and a word definition buff. And that's the foundation to understanding everything, is understanding the language and definition of words."

He continued: "I've been a science buff my whole life. I was a little junior paleontologist, astronomer, biologist. I had my microscope lab when I was a little kid. So I'm grounded in science. My mother worked for Roswell Park institute, a famous cancer institute in Buffalo, New York. We had a medical scientific background in our house and family, so truth and fact and 'two plus two equal four' is a very important thing to me, and that's what I believe it's all about.

"I don't talk much about this subject only because I know there's a lot of detractors that get upset when anybody speaks about it, and I understand that," Sheehan added. "But I do stick to my guns, and I know it's a good thing with good people. There's some amazing rumors floating around and a lot of bad stories. I would never be involved in something that was not on the up and up, and I've been there for over 50 years. And it's been an incredible adventure, been incredibly helpful to me in my life. I did a little bit of drugs in high school. They had a wonderful program to clean the drugs out of your body and start over again, and it was a wonderful thing for me. They do an IQ test before and after, and it's amazing how many points you'll gain [after you've given up drugs]. Very interesting.

"But I respect all religions and I respect people that disagree too."

According to Distractify, Scientology has been a controversial figment in news and pop culture for decades, with documentaries like 2015's "Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief" and Leah Remini's "Scientology And The Aftermath" showing the ugly side of the religion, involving alleged manipulation and abuse, rapid draining of one's funds, and refusal of mental health treatment. But the church has repeatedly denied any allegations from former followers about the religion, including alleged instances of psychological and physical abuse within the organization. Several famous actors, including Tom Cruise, Kirstie Alley, John Travolta and Elisabeth Moss, still practice Scientology to this day.

Earlier this month, Sheehan confirmed that he was unable to join his SONS OF APOLLO bandmates on their South American tour in August due to the fact that he is unvaccinated against COVID-19. His replacement on the trek was ANGRA's Felipe Andreoli. Sheehan told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he was "advised to avoid" getting the COVID-19 vaccine due to "a particular affliction" in his family.

According to Medical News Today, "there are very few medical reasons not to get a COVID-19 vaccine. They include a history of severe allergic reactions, pericarditis, or endocarditis following a prior COVID-19 vaccine.

"People considering a COVID-19 vaccine may worry about complications and side effects. Yet for almost all individuals, the known risks of getting COVID-19 far outweigh any potential risks of the COVID-19 vaccine."

The Church Of Scientology does not have an official position on vaccines, according to Time magazine. However, the church emphasizes the "harmful effects of drugs, toxins and other chemicals that lodge in the body and create a biochemical barrier to spiritual well-being," according to its web site.

In addition to Sheehan, SONS OF APOLLO features former DREAM THEATER members Mike Portnoy (drums) and Derek Sherinian (keyboards),Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (guitar; ex-GUNS N' ROSES) and Jeff Scott Soto (vocals; ex-JOURNEY, ex-YNGWIE MALMSTEEN'S RISING FORCE).

SONS OF APOLLO' second studio album, "MMXX" (pronounced: 20/20),was released in January 2020 via InsideOut Music/Sony.

In a new interview with Highway 81 Revisited, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner, who joined the band in 2011 as the replacement for K.K. Downing, was asked about singer Rob Halford's comment in 2015 that Faulkner "saved" PRIEST. Richie said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's incredibly nice of Rob to say. I obviously didn't realize [the band was at a crossroads at that point]; when you come into a situation, you don't realize what that situation is like behind closed doors. I didn't realize it coming in, but when I sat down with the guys in the initial conversation, it was explained to me and it was very clear that they wanted someone as part of the band; they wanted someone who had their own opinion. I play a Les Paul and a flying V and a Gibson SG and stuff like that — different to Ken [K.K. Downing], really — and they wanted someone who was their own person. I get called a clone a lot, which is quite ironic; I think it's 'cause of the blonde hair or whatever."

Richie continued: "They wanted someone who was part of the band. We didn't know if the writing was gonna be cohesive — we didn't know; you can't know until you start writing — but it was clear that they wanted someone who was part of the band. They wanted a bandmember, someone who was gonna pull in the right direction. They didn't want a hired gun who was just gonna show up for live shows, get their paycheck and bugger off. They wanted someone that added their opinion to the band. And that wasn't just lip service. I think the first example of that was in those discussions. They told me what they wanted as far as a bandmember and guitar player. They asked me what I wanted and what I didn't want, which I thought was… I was surprised at the question. But looking back on it, it gave me an insight into exactly what I just said. They wanted my opinion, they wanted to hear what I wanted as a bandmember, what would make me comfortable or what would make the person that got that role comfortable as a JUDAS PRIEST bandmember. I went to get fitted for the leather and the studs, and I had a conversation with the designer, and he had asked me if I had any ideas for the design — that sort of stuff. And the setlist — do I have any ideas how we could work together to change the songs a little bit. So it wasn't just lip service. It was very much… they meant it; they wanted someone who had their own opinion."

Faulkner added: "I think Glenn [Tipton, PRIEST guitarist] said to me once — they'd been in the band, at the time, for 40-plus years — I'm gonna have a totally different opinion to all of them, and it's one that he thinks is a valuable one. And we're all gonna disagree at some point, and that's fine, but a different opinion is always a valuable one."

Faulkner, nearly three decades Downing's junior, joined PRIEST after K.K. left amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance.

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

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

Back in 2019, Faulkner dismissed the criticism he received for supposedly trying to look too much like Downing. "Obviously, you get the [haters] — the 'clone' comments," Richie told the "Let There Be Talk" podcast. "I've got long blond hair, playing a flying V [guitar]… [Michael] Schenker, Zakk [Wylde], K.K., Randy Rhoads — all those guys. To say I was a Ken clone was fairly narrow-minded. There's tons of guys who have flying Vs and long hair.

"The thing is if I had dyed my hair black to be different, I would have been shot down," he continued. "You've gotta be real; you've gotta be who you are. And I grew up on Ken, I grew up on Glenn [Tipton, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist] and the guys that I mentioned. So you've just gotta be who you are. And I grew up with those guys, and I'm not ashamed. I wear it on my sleeve — they're all my influences, and I'm not afraid of that… There's no point in trying to hide it. But it's gotta be natural as well. And I think somehow it worked out organically. I didn't try to copy him. And as it goes on, you always try to do your own thing and make your own statement."

Four years ago, Downing said that he felt like he was "being cloned" when he first found out he was being replaced by Faulkner.

Downing, who announced his retirement from PRIEST in April 2011 after nearly 42 years in the job, admitted to the "Appetite For Distortion" podcast that he was taken aback when he first saw his replacement.

"Richie, as far as I know, is a nice guy and obviously an excellent player," Downing said. "I was a bit disappointed when, basically… I think the idea was to replace me [with a lookalike], so I did feel as though I was kind of being cloned. But I'm not sure that was exactly fair to Richie. I mean, I could be off the mark here, but I think Richie had the right to bring himself to the stage with his own… portray his own image and ability to play the instrument the way that he does. But it is what it is."

He continued: "When Glenn retired from touring [in early 2018], the same didn't happen — obviously, [Tipton's replacement] Andy [Sneap] doesn't look anything like Glenn; he doesn't wear the same clothes, the red pants, guitars or anything like that. So I don't really know what's going on. But it is what it is."

In a 2011 interview with the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat, Halford stated about Faulkner's physical resemblance to a younger Downing: "People are saying, 'It's a clone. You've got some of K.K.'s DNA.' It's just the way it turned out. We made, like, a secret search. When we knew K.K. was not gonna be making the tour, we did a lot of secret, kind of, searching for another player. And Richie just happened to be the guy. And he just happens to look a little bit of the K.K. image, you know?! I think it would be silly to say, 'We looked for a guitar player that looks like Ken.' What we want is a very good metal guitar player, and that's what Richie Faulkner is."

FILTER has just released a new single, "For The Beaten", via Golden Robot Records. The track is described in a press release as "nothing short of classic FILTER and exactly what hardcore fans of the band have been anticipating for over two years." "For The Beaten" showcases FILTER founder Richard Patrick's signature tenor screams coupled with the band's unique chugging guitar riffs.

"I spent a lot of time in the studio the last two years working on various projects and collaborations but at the core of it all, there is always FILTER," says Patrick, "We chose 'For The Beaten' as the first single because it's dynamic, dark, and heavy, just like the moment we are in. I look forward to working with Golden Robot and can't wait for everyone to hear the full album."

The song, co-written by Patrick and newcomer Zack Munowitz, was co-produced by Patrick and long-time collaborator Brian Virtue and was mastered by Grammy Award winner Howie Weinberg.

This release is the first for FILTER under the Golden Robot umbrella with CEO and president Mark Alexander-Erber previously expressing his excitement at working with the band, stating, "We are over the moon to sign Richard and FILTER to Golden Robot Records for new music, and working with him and his manager Marc Pollack is an honor. I'm more than excited to let the world hear the new music that's currently being produced."

"For The Beaten" comes less than a month after Patrick reunited with his former bandmates in NINE INCH NAILS for the first time in over 25 years. Patrick, the first guitarist to ever tour with Trent Reznor and NINE INCH NAILS, was in the band for four years before departing to form FILTER.

On September 23, Patrick was invited to join NINE INCH NAILS for a special fan day question-and-answer session at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The following night Reznor had Patrick and other former and current NIN bandmembers joined him for a special performance at the Blossom Center in Cleveland, Ohio, where the band was originally formed. The expanded NINE INCH NAILS performed such staples as "Eraser", "Wish", "Sin", "Gave Up", "Head Like A Hole" and a cover of FILTER's 1994 monster hit "Hey Man Nice Shot".

Patrick's career is a vision of multifaceted creativity, which he has delivered throughout his 30-plus years producing music professionally through his band FILTER, various collaborations, side projects, super groups, scoring films and writing for soundtracks.

Patrick's initial foray into the public eye was as NINE INCH NAILS' first touring guitarist. Patrick had met Reznor in the late '80s in a music store in Cleveland. The two became close friends and then bandmates. Patrick played with the band from 1989 to 1993, appearing in numerous music videos including "Down In It", "Head Like A Hole", "Wish" and "Gave Up".

FILTER's debut album, "Short Bus", was released in 1995 and went platinum, largely due to the success of the first single "Hey Man Nice Shot". The follow-up, 1999's "Title Of Record", also went platinum driven by the huge crossover success of the song "Take A Picture". FILTER's third album, "The Amalgamut", is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The album spawned such classic songs as "Where Do We Go From Here" and "American Cliché".

In 2006, the ARMY OF ANYONE project — a supergroup led by Patrick with Dean and Robert DeLeo of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and Ray Luzier of KORN — came to light, releasing one album and a tour before each went back to their respective bands. Patrick refocused on FILTER, releasing "Anthems For The Damned" in 2008, "The Trouble With Angels" in 2010, "The Sun Comes Out Tonight" in 2013 and "Crazy Eyes" in 2016, and two singles in 2020.

Patrick is in the middle of recording a much-anticipated new FILTER album (set for release in 2023 on Golden Robot Records). He also continues to score films, produce, write, record, and collaborate with other musicians in all musical genres.

In a new interview with Finland's Chaoszine, THE HALO EFFECT drummer Daniel Svensson reflected on his 2015 decision to quit IN FLAMES in order to focus on his family life. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I got tired of touring. I felt that I needed to be home with my kids. I was out on tour for almost 20 years, and I felt I needed to do something else. The timing was right, I felt. I was thinking about it for a while."

He continued: "I still love playing, but the problem was that I didn't like being away from home so much… It was hectic for most of the years. So I had to take that decision and it felt right. And I don't regret it. But it feels great to be back on tour again [with THE HALO EFFECT]. Even though we might not tour as much, since [THE HALO EFFECT singer Mikael] Stanne's main priority is still DARK TRANQUILLITY, of course, so we have to adjust our touring schedule to him, so it won't be as much touring as before… It's gonna be… In Sweden, we have a word called 'lagom' — not too much, not too little. So it's gonna be perfect, I guess."

When Svensson announced his exit from IN FLAMES seven years ago, he said in a statement that it was time for him "to take care and spend more time with the most important people in my life — my wife and my three daughters."

In addition to Svensson and Stanne, THE HALO EFFECT includes three other former members of IN FLAMES — Jesper Strömblad (guitar),Peter Iwers (bass) and Niclas Engelin (guitar).

THE HALO EFFECT is planning to enter the studio before the end of the year to record a new EP. The upcoming effort will be the follow-up to THE HALO EFFECT's debut album, "Days Of The Lost", which recently entered the official chart in Sweden at position No. 1. This was believed to be the first time a debut LP from a metal act had ever topped the chart in Sweden in its first week of release. "Days Of The Lost" also landed at No. 6 in Germany.

"Days Of The Lost" came out on August 12 via Nuclear Blast.

A member of IN FLAMES since 1997, Iwers issued a statement in November 2016 saying that he was exiting the band "to pursue other endeavors."

A founding member of IN FLAMES, Strömblad quit the band in February 2010 in order to continue receiving treatment for his alcohol addiction.

Strömblad's THE HALO EFFECT bandmates have been supportive in his ongoing battle with the bottle, going so far as to hire THE HAUNTED's Patrik Jensen to fill in for him at any gigs he is unable to play,

Engelin has been sitting out IN FLAMES' tour dates for the past three and a half years but has never officially confirmed his departure from the band. Engelin's replacement for IN FLAMES' live shows since then has been former MEGADETH and current ACT OF DEFIANCE guitarist Chris Broderick.