As the "Into Oblivion" title track explores a world in flux, LAMB OF GOD turns inward with "Blunt Force Blues", reaching back to its Richmond, Virginia origins and the local music community that shaped them. The track serves as the final preview of the band's forthcoming album, "Into Oblivion", which arrives on March 13 via Epic.

LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe reflects on the group's formative years on the new single: "We learned how to play by watching and hanging out with other local dudes. That's what we aspired to do — keep up with good local bands. They were just as much of an influence on us as any of the bigger bands from different cities."

For LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton, the song speaks to the perspective they've gained over the course of the band's 25-plus-year career. "For me, the album is about having the space to breathe creatively and not feeling like we have to keep up with any trend or expectation," he says. "It feels nice to be untethered from any agenda beyond rallying around the notion of, 'Let's just make music that we think is cool,' which is really where it all started."

Earlier this week, the band announced a nationwide series of listening parties, with more than 140 independent record stores celebrating "Into Oblivion"'s release weekend (March 13-15). Exclusive merch, including free LAMB OF GOD swag (while supplies last),prizes, and an indie-exclusive, limited-edition Poltergeist vinyl variant of the new album will be available. A full list of participating stores can be viewed via LAMB OF GOD's social channels.

In the months leading up to today's announcement, the metal veterans released a trio of blistering singles that offered listeners a taste of the album's range. "Sepsis", the band's first new song since 2022, also paid homage to the early '90s Richmond underground, with Consequence noting the song's fresh approach, saying "Morton's riffs are bruising at this slower pace," and adding that Blythe bellows "like a heavy metal Nick Cave." "Parasocial Christ" followed, evoking classic LAMB OF GOD with a three-minute onslaught that Revolver dubbed an "anti-tech thrasher." Most recently, it was the title track, "Into Oblivion", which Metal Hammer deemed "ferocious," while Brooklyn Vegan called it "as much of a gut-punch as you'd hope for from LOG."

Produced and mixed by longtime studio collaborator Josh Wilbur, "Into Oblivion" was recorded across multiple locations tied closely to the band's identity. Drums were tracked in Richmond, Virginia, with guitars and bass recorded at Morton's home studio. Blythe recorded his vocals at the legendary Total Access studio in Redondo Beach, California, the birthplace of seminal punk records by BLACK FLAG, HÜSKER DÜ and DESCENDENTS.

Album pre-orders are available now, including remaining limited-edition vinyl variants, a collectible "Into Oblivion" CD with a limited-edition companion zine featuring album art sketches, handwritten lyrics and never-before-seen studio photos, as well as additional album-themed merch items.

"Into Oblivion" track listing:

01. Into Oblivion
02. Parasocial Christ
03. Sepsis
04. The Killing Floor
05. El Vacío
06. St. Catherine's Wheel
07. Blunt Force Blues
08. Bully
09. A Thousand Years
10. Devise/Destroy

LAMB OF GOD previously announced a spring North American tour in what promises to be the heaviest trek of 2026. Joined by KUBLAI KHAN TX, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY and SANGUISUGABOGG, the tour kicks off on March 17. Tickets and VIP packages are on sale now via Lamb-of-god.com/tour.

"Sepsis" arrived during a milestone year for LAMB OF GOD. In 2025, the band celebrated the 25th anniversary of its discography, performed at the historic "Back To The Beginning" concert and subsequently released their thunderous take on BLACK SABBATH's "Children Of The Grave", along with appearances at several festivals, including Inkcarceration and Louder Than Life, and a headlining show at Richmond's new 7500-seat outdoor venue Allianz Amphitheater during its opening season.

LAMB OF GOD is Randy Blythe (vocals),John Campbell (bass),Mark Morton (guitar),Willie Adler (guitar) and Art Cruz (drums). Formed in 1994, the Richmond, Virginia-based band has released nine critically acclaimed albums, received five Grammy Award nominations, sold over three million albums, packed arenas around the world, and tallied over one billion streams and counting. Widely regarded as one of the most influential and innovative forces in modern heavy music LAMB OF GOD's most recent collection, "Omens", arrived in late 2022 , marking their sixth consecutive album to debut in the Top 15 of on the Billboard 200. Kerrang! noted that the album finds the band "as reliably heavy, violent, and pissed off as ever," and Consequence said the "album will break you down to nihilistic pieces."

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

Finnish power metal pioneers SONATA ARCTICA have unleashed a brand-new single titled "Freedom Concept". The track arrives as a powerful statement in the band's 30th-anniversary year, followed by an extensive touring schedule, and delivers the melodic intensity and energy fans have come to expect.

"Freedom Concept" captures the signature blend of soaring melodies, driving rhythms and emotional depth that has defined SONATA ARCTICA for three decades. At the same time, the song explores a thoughtful and timely subject: the complex idea of freedom and the responsibility that comes with it.

SONATA ARCTICA frontman Tony Kakko comments: "'Freedom Concept', a song about understanding and misunderstanding the concept of freedom, often forgetting it comes paired with responsibility, and how what ever values and thoughts you may have are not automatically transferred to your offspring and how in most cases that's an effin' great thing…(breath in) has been sitting on my desk for a while and we figured this kind of melodic power metal blast we're known of would be a good way to celebrate the 30th anniversary 'tourette' we've started at the end of January 2026 WHILST also working on our next studio album. This song's NOT gonna be on it. So…extra special snack in between meals. Enjoy!"

It has been 30 years since SONATA ARCTICA began their journey as one of the Finnish power metal pioneers. Emerging on the international scene in 1999 with its debut album "Ecliptica", the band quickly established itself as a leading force in melodic metal.

Since then, SONATA ARCTICA has released 11 studio albums, alongside countless singles, EPs and several live albums. Over the decades, they have toured the world extensively, built a dedicated global fanbase and solidified their reputation as one of the most successful Finnish metal bands of all time.

With "Freedom Concept", the band once again proves why their sound continues to resonate across generations: melodic, powerful and unmistakably SONATA ARCTICA.

SONATA ARCTICA is:

Tony Kakko (vocals)
Elias Viljanen (guitars)
Tommy Portimo (drums)
Henrik "Henkka" Klingenberg (keyboards)
Pasi Kauppinen (bass)

Photo credit: Jarkko Piipari

Rock legend Billy Idol is included in the newly announced nominations for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Class Of 2026 alongside Phil Collins, Lauryn Hill, OASIS, Sade, IRON MAIDEN, Jeff Buckley and many more. In celebration of the nomination, Idol is debuting the brand new trailer for the forthcoming feature-length documentary film "Billy Idol Should Be Dead". The film debuts in theatres nationwide starting today following its premiere at Los Angeles's TLC Chinese Theatre.

"Billy Idol Should Be Dead" was directed by three-time Grammy winner Jonas Åkerlund and produced by Live Nation Studios. The film traces the life and career of punk pioneer turned rock 'n' roll icon Billy Idol. Through never-before-seen archival and personal interviews with Idol, his family, peers and collaborators, the documentary digs deep into his emergence as a prototypical punk rocker, his meteoric rise as a global superstar in the MTV era and the myriad of challenges Idol had to overcome to not just survive, but to remain one of the most beloved figures in rock n roll, almost fifty years into his career.

"Billy Idol Should Be Dead" made its festival debut at the Tribeca Film Festival last summer, followed by an award-qualifying run. The film features Idol's original song with Academy Award-nominated writer J. Ralph, "Dying To Live". The film's coda sequence is built around "Dying To Live", featuring imagery — both animated and archival — from throughout Idol's life and storied career and was written by Idol and Ralph alongside longtime Idol collaborators Steve Stevens, Tommy English and Joe Janiak.

Idol's first full-length album of new music in over a decade, "Dream Into It", is out now on Dark Horse Records. The album reached No. 7 on the U.S. Top Albums chart and No. 4 on the U.S. Current Rock Album chart, No. 9 on the U.K. Official Album Sales chart and No. 2 on the German Top 100 Album chart. "Dream Into It" continues to see extensive critical acclaim from The New Yorker, New York Magazine, AARP The Magazine, Consequence, Billboard, USA Today and many more. The album includes performance and co-writing contributions throughout from Idol's longtime guitarist/collaborator Steve Stevens plus appearances by Avril Lavigne, Joan Jett and Alison Mosshart of THE KILLS, and is produced by Tommy English (KACEY MUSGRAVES, BLINK 182, BØRNS, K. FLAY).

Idol recently returned to the road for "It's a Nice Day To…Tour Again!" The tour saw Idol sell out venues across the U.S., Europe and Latin America while touring with support from JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS, NEW MODEL ARMY and more.

For 46 years, recent Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nominee Billy Idol has been one of the definitive faces and voices of rock'n'roll. Between 1977 and 1981, Idol released three albums with GENERATION X as their camera-ready frontman. In 1982, he embarked on a transatlantic/trans-genre solo career that integrated the bold and simple lines of punk and rock'n'roll decadence. With his longtime guitarist/collaborator Steve Stevens at his side, Idol has toured consistently around the world for the last ten years. Showing no signs of slowing down, Idol released both "The Roadside" EP in 2021 and "The Cage" EP in 2022 on Dark Horse Records, earning praise from fans and critics alike.

Photo credit: David Raccuglia

In a recent interview with Poland's MetalSide, vocalist Fernando Ribeiro of Portuguese goth overlords MOONSPELL spoke about the band's upcoming follow-up to 2021's "Hermitage" album, tentatively due this summer via Napalm Records. Asked how many songs MOONSPELL was planning to record for the LP, Fernando said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I think we are going to make between eight or 10 songs. We don't want a very long album this time. I prefer quality over quantity."

As for the musical direction of the new MOONSPELL material, Fernando said: "It was the big question for us: Why should we do a new MOONSPELL album, with all the legacy that we've been talking about, and which direction should it be? Because it's a question for us too. And so we let all these years go by between 'Hermitage' and the new album. But I think, if I can describe it well, it's a very atmospheric, very gothic metal album. It's a very classical album from MOONSPELL. And also the lyrical side is very fantasy-like, very literature-oriented. That's what we needed as musicians, and that's also what we think — we might be wrong because it's always a challenge for us to know what the fans want — I think that's what the fans are looking for. It's beautiful songs, strong, catchy choruses, heaviness mixed with atmosphere."

He continued: "I wouldn't say it's our best album. I mean, I'm done with this conversation — best album, worst album. It really depends on the zeitgeist. I think 'Hermitage' is a great album — great reviews, great sales, but many also complaints with the fans, and many people loving it too. So I believe this will be a more consensual album, but what do I know? So I just say personally, from what I gather now, from everything we worked, from the project we did, the demo, et cetera, we are all very, very enthusiastic and very happy about the album. Let's see how it translates to the audience, but I think it's gonna be one of the best moments of MOONSPELL, yeah."

This past January, Fernando wrote in a social media post that the new MOONSPELL album "almost finished" and that he and his bandmates were putting the "finishing" touches on the mixes for the effort.

In a separate social media post, Fernando wrote: "This new MOONSPELL album was quite the ride yet now it's tracked and recorded and will enter a new phase, before public scrutiny in summer 2026.

"This time I thought we could never do new music again. I did it for many reasons I will explain more in detail. To cut a long sorry short, I'm just happy that we will now bring something new to our fans and that we could actually get together at least one more time to do so.

"When I say it's a do-or-die album [for MOONSPELL], I don't mean it's the last one we gonna do. But the special feeling that fuels this one has to be met with love, kindness and why not, worship by the people who follow us.

"I had enough of micromanagement, harsh criticism, gatekeeping or gaslighting. Sure it can go that way as it has been for most MOONSPELL released music but this one I'll fight for because it is indeed a jewel I've been keeping inside for many years."

Last October, Fernando told Denis Denisdriver about MOONSPELL's upcoming LP: "And what kind of music will it be? Our last album, full-length, it's from 2021, so it's gonna be five years since we released new music. But we had to prepare ourselves, too, and we had to prepare our audience. So we already wrote all the album. We're gonna record it in December. It's coming out in the summer of 2026. I think in March you can already see the first single and the first video clip that we are gonna [film], I think, in January."

Regarding the musical direction of the new MOONSPELL material, Fernando said: "We'd done so much and we had so much musical experience and extensions, et cetera, that we felt in our heart that we had to do a very classic album. So it's a gothic metal album. I don't know if it's 'Irreligious Part Two' or whatever — it's not the terms we are thinking — but it's beautiful songs, romantic songs, melancholic songs with great riffs, great solos, great atmosphere, lyrics about fiction and fantasy. So we are very, very happy with the result of the songwriting. Now we're going to record it, and we can't wait for our fans to discover new songs about MOONSPELL, because I think it's high time they do that. I'm curious about their reaction, as always, but I think we're gonna have a great time together when the new album is out and when we take it on the road and on the festivals."

Fernando went on to say that he and his MOONSPELL bandmates are "very lucky" to "still [have] the drive to do new music and to have such a beautiful past and such an unpredictable past because I never thought that the MOONSPELL could be a professional band and tour and have fans all around the world. It was too good to be true when we were starting off in Portugal — especially coming out of Portugal that nobody had ever done it before us."

In November 2024, Fernando told IMPACT Metal Channel that "Hermitage" was "a complicated album because it got swallowed by the pandemic. It had beautiful reviews. It sold quite a lot because people were at home, so they found that was the way of supporting the band. We were met with mixed feelings, which is not new for MOONSPELL. I have mixed feelings about our albums, too. But this album, it was [conceived] before the pandemic, but then it was really affected by the zeitgeist of the pandemic. Everybody thought it was a pandemic album, and that wasn't good for the album… 'Irreligious' is going to be 30 years in 2026, so we can make celebrations around it. But let's say the big issue here, it's the pertinence of the album, of making new music, that is not made to fulfill a cycle of an album, two years of touring, another album. I think that kind of kills the creativity, at least for MOONSPELL. And also we have to answer, with music, to the why of making a new album. 'Cause we have so many albums, so many musical avenues we've pursued that it's, for us, hard to pick which MOONSPELL is coming next. But I want an album that doesn't need to grow on people. I want an album that speaks volumes to the fans and that they probably will say, 'Well, that's it.' So, I think it's a very important album. That's why we are stalling it so much."

October 26, 2024 saw MOONSPELL perform its first-ever symphonic show, dubbed "Opus Diabolicum", at the MEO Arena in Lisbon, Portugal's capital city. The band made history at this unforgettable live event, adding another magnificent chapter to both metal music made in Portugal and their very own legacy. A year later — on October 31, 2025 — this monumental event was made available to view anytime, available in DVD/Blu-ray, two-CD, black and colored vinyl and digital formats via Napalm Records.

On "Opus Diabolicum", MOONSPELL revisited its classics and its bombastic album "1755" at a one-off, exclusive show and its biggest production to date. The heavy metallic power of the dark metal pioneers met the classical magnitude of the 45-piece Orquestra Sinfonietta de Lisboa (Lisbon Sinfonietta Orchestra) — one of Portugal's finest orchestras — conducted by maestro Vasco Pearce de Azevedo.

In September 2022, MOONSPELL released a very special Blu-ray/DVD and album, a live performance of their latest studio album, "Hermitage", with "From Down Below - Live 80 Meters Deep" via Napalm Records.

"Hermitage" was released in February 2021 via Napalm Records. The LP was recorded, mixed and mastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano (PARADISE LOST, PRIMORDIAL, GHOST, SÓLSTAFIR) at the Orgone Studios in the U.K.

In 2020, MOONSPELL parted ways with original drummer Miguel "Mike" Gaspar and replaced him with Hugo Ribeiro (no relation to Fernando Ribeiro).

Press photo credit: Rui Vasco (courtesy of Jassy of Decibel Touring)

Cleveland's unholy denizens of the underground NUNSLAUGHTER come slamming out of the grave to announce their new album, "Satanic Chaos Legions", set for release on June 26, 2026 via BLKIIBLK.

To offer fans a taste of the mayhem to come, the band unleashes the title track from the upcoming album, alongside an official music video, available below.

On the first single and music video, NUNSLAUGHTER vocalist Don Of The Dead shares: "'Satanic Chaos Legions', the first video is like a ritual dagger — sharp, merciless, and the ideal initiation into our relentless Luciferian audio onslaught."

On the upcoming album, he continues: "Now with BLKIIBLK on our side, NUNSLAUGHTER can ram the black horn of Satan down the throats of every metalhead on the planet, spitting fresh venom and blistering hatred directly into the rotting face of Christianity with 'Satanic Chaos Legions'."

A constant in extreme metal and an unyielding inspiration for generations of black metal and thrash provocateurs, NUNSLAUGHTER's latest hymnal of brutality kicks off with a call to irreligious arms and doesn't let go until the bloody end. Tracks like the grinding "Peukharist" and the uncompromising "Unsacrament" batter the senses like the bastard offspring of SLAYER and "Earth A.D."-era MISFITS, inverting crucifixes while worshipping at the hoof of the ibex.

Having already set fire to the international metal scene with festival appearances across the globe, ritual performances alongside ACID BATH and a European tour on the way, make no mistake: NUNSLAUGHTER's campaign of world-defilement is just beginning.

"Satanic Chaos Legions" track listing:

01. Satanic Chaos Legions
02. Jesus F***ing Dies
03. Unsacrament
04. Christian Ruse
05. Die Your Own Death
06. Rotten Messiah
07. Peukharist
08. Undead Melody
09. Cathedral Of Stench
10. In The Flames Of Inferno
11. Lucifer The Light
12. Listen To The Lies
13. Infernal Reign
14. The Spear Of Satan

NUNSLAUGHTER will hit the road soon with several upcoming live dates, including a gig supporting ACID BATH on March 13 in Cleveland, an appearance on day one of Milwaukee Metal Fest, and a European tour.

NUNSLAUGHTER is:

Don Of The Dead - Vocals
Wrath - Drums
Malum - Bass
Tormentor - Guitar

Photo credit: @necroshorns

In a new interview with Australia's Heavy, DEVILDRIVER frontman Dez Fafara, who is promoting the band's July 2026 co-headlining tour of Australia with CRADLE OF FILTH, was asked if DEVILDRIVER fans can expect to hear some fresh music from the group following the release of the 2023 album "Dealing With Demons Vol. II". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm not gonna say. [Laughs] I can't say. What I can say is you guys [in Australia] will definitely be getting something on stage that no one's got."

After the interviewer noted that all of DEVILDRIVER's musical output has been consistently strong, Dez said: "We try to make every album sound different, man. We don't wanna be pigeonholed. Fans started calling us 'groove metal' years and years ago, when there really was no groove metal and when that terminology was not being used. Now, of course, there's a lot of bands that that jump on that and hashtag 'groove metal'. But we are.

"One of my favorite artists is James Brown," Dez explained. "So it's stuff like that — we make sure and keep it moving. There's a beat and it's fun to listen to. And if you wanna get in the pit, that's it. It's aggressive music that you can go pit to and dance to."

Released in May 2023, "Dealing With Demons Vol. II" was produced and engineered by Steve Evetts, with additional engineering from then-DEVILDRIVER guitarist Mike Spreitzer.

Spreitzer announced his departure from DEVILDRIVER in September 2024. He has since been replaced by ENTERPRISE EARTH guitarist Gabe Mangold. Mike was the second-longest-lasting member of DEVILDRIVER following the departures of all original members except Fafara. Spreitzer co-wrote and performed on DEVILDRIVER's albums "The Fury Of Our Maker's Hand" (2005),"The Last Kind Words" (2007),"Pray For Villains" (2009),"Beast" (2011),"Winter Kills" (2013),"Trust No One" (2016),"Outlaws 'Til The End: Vol. 1" (2018),"Dealing With Demons Volume I" (2020) and "Dealing With Demons Volume II" (2023).

In December 2022, DEVILDRIVER parted ways with drummer Austin D'Amond and replaced him with Davier Pérez.

In July 2022, DEVILDRIVER announced the return of original bassist Jon Miller after more than a decade-long absence from the scene. In addition to epic reunion, DEVILDRIVER added guitarist Alex Lee (HOLY GRAIL) to the lineup, replacing Neal Tiemann.

In October 2021, DEVILDRIVER parted ways with Tiemann. Neal, formerly of BURN HALO, joined the band in 2015 as the replacement for Jeff Kendrick, who left DEVILDRIVER in October 2014.

Chrysalis Records announced the latest in the acclaimed UFO reissue series: the classic 1981 album "The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent".

Reissued on stunning three-LP tri-fold sleeve 180gm vinyl and 2CD digipak formats on May 1, 2026, the album now sounds more dynamic and detailed than ever, thanks to new remastering from the original tape transfers.

Originally released on January 16, 1981, this pivotal album captures UFO at a creative high point, blending soaring melodies, powerful performances, and Phil Mogg's unmistakable voice. The lineup had modified a little with the debut of keyboardist/guitarist Neil Carter, replacing Paul Raymond. Carter also supplied backing vocal and saxophone on "Lonely Heart".

Lead singer Phil Mogg recalled: "Neil had a box of tricks. Getting the backing vocals was great, though I still don't think he's forgiven me for making him play saxophone. He was a great add to the band. Plus, he was a nice bloke."

Drummer Andy Parker said: "Neil was just an incredible musician. He brought another energy into the band."

This deluxe edition also includes a brand-new mix of the previously unreleased "Live At The Hammersmith Odeon", recorded on January 29, 1981, by Brian Kehew, offering an electrifying snapshot of UFO's energy on stage. Original seven-inch edits of the two singles "Couldn't Get It Right" and "Lonely Heart" released with this album are included as well as an alternative mix of album standout "It's Killing Me".

The set is rounded out with newly written liner notes by Michael Hann, featuring fresh interviews with Phil Mogg and Andy Parker, alongside a collection of previously unseen photographs from the era — making it an essential addition for fans and collectors alike.

Track listing:

CD1 - "The Wild, The Willing & The Innocent" 2026 Remaster

01. Chains Chains
02. Long Gone
03. The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent
04. It's Killing Me
05. Makin' Moves
06. Lonely Heart
07. Couldn't Get It Right
08. Profession Of Violence
09. Couldn't Get It Right (7" Edit)
10. Lonely Heart (7" Edit)
11. It's Killing Me (Alt. Mix) *

CD2 - "Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London, 29th January 1981" (Newly Mixed) *

01. Long Gone
02. Chains Chains
03. Lonely Heart
04. Cherry
05. Mystery Train
06. Only You Can Rock Me
07. Too Hot To Handle
08. Lights Out
09. Rock Bottom
10. Doctor Doctor
11. Shoot Shoot

* Previously unreleased

LP1 - "The Wild, The Willing & The Innocent" 2026 Remaster

01. Chains Chains
02. Long Gone
03. The Wild, The Willing And The Innocent
04. It's Killing Me
05. Makin' Moves
06. Lonely Heart
07. Couldn't Get It Right
08. Profession Of Violence

LP2 / LP3 - "Live At Hammersmith Odeon, London, 29th January 1981" (Newly Mixed) *

01. Long Gone
02. Chains Chains
03. Lonely Heart
04. Cherry
05. Mystery Train
06. Only You Can Rock Me
07. Too Hot To Handle
08. Lights Out
09. Rock Bottom
10. Doctor Doctor
11. Shoot Shoot

* Previously unreleased

To order, click here.

In a new interview with The Logan Show, former HANOI ROCKS frontman Michael Monroe spoke about his plans to tour the U.S. in support of his latest studio album, "Outerstellar", which came out on February 20 via Silver Lining Music. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We definitely wanna come to the States to play. We came over a year ago or in the spring. When we played there, it was fantastic. It was a great reaction. And rock and roll has such a strong foothold. It was just such a strong part of the culture already in the States. In America it's always been taken seriously, unlike growing up in Finland, [where] it was kind of, like, the parents would tell the kids, like, 'Come on. Just put 'em down in the basement. Make some noise, and then they'll grow out of it soon and they'll get real professions.' But especially in America, it's already been established so much as part of the culture. And Little Richard, Chuck Berry, they started it. They actually were the key people, and Buddy Holly and all that, that's such a strong thing. And you could tell when you play a gig in America, you guys love the guitar rock, especially with two guitars. So, we definitely wanna play in the States more.

"Before the last tour we did, I hadn't played there for 13 years, so it was great to come back and see how people were really… I was surprised how much they were into it and how much fun it was being there," Michael continued.

"Some people say, 'Well, no, we're not gonna go and play in America 'cause of [U.S. president Donald] Trump.' Fuck that. Politics and rock don't mix. Who cares? That's more of a reason to go and play there," Monroe added. "It's not our audience's fault if the president is what it is. I mean, if you're not gonna not go to America because of that, then you're kind of giving up and playing in to doing exactly what they want — joining the enemy. There's a great audience there. I love American people. [They] are fantastic. I love playing there, and I wanna come there as much as possible.

"We don't have a concrete tour booked yet at this point, but we're working on it — definitely. Me and [guitarist] Rich Jones got work permits for two more years now, so we gotta put 'em to good use… We're working on another [tour], getting something happening in the States, coming back to tour there, one way or another, before too long, with this album, for sure. We're doing the best we can, and as soon as possible we're coming to play there — the promised land of rock and roll."

Asked why there was such a long gap between Monroe's last two visits to the U.S. and whether it was cost-related, Michael said: "It was not by choice… Well, COVID period, that didn't help either. Financially, I mean, we played there… We did a couple of months touring, but playing clubs in America, I just came to the conclusion that at the level that we were doing it, you're just pissing away money. And it's not worth it. You're just losing money unless you get some kind of grant or somebody sponsoring something, because it is such a big country that you have to really — if you wanna break it, make it there… Well, it's a big area. Nowadays, actually, what I noticed when we played there last time, it's different. It's not the same anymore as it used to be. It used to feel like, yeah, you had to play for two years opening up somebody big in stadiums and stuff, and then you get noticed. But things are different. Maybe that's one good thing about the Internet. So, you reach more people maybe through that too. But it was not by choice. It's just the way it turned out. And also my band lives all around the world. Steve Conte lives in New York City, the guitar player. Rich Jones lives in Toronto. [Bassist] Sami Yaffa, he lives sometimes in Helsinki, sometimes in Mallorca in Spain. [Drummer] Karl Rockfist lives in Spain, but far away from Sami. And they're all all over the world. So getting this band together, all the members in one place, is always a bit of a challenge. So that's been part of it too. And just the cost of going to the States and touring, it's not very cost effective. If I had a lot of extra money, that would've been different, but it's a challenge 'cause of expenses and all, how to make it work. However, I haven't had a decent manager in my solo career since I started my solo career, except till a couple of years ago, Gav McCaughey, my current manager, Gav, he is the best thing that happened to me for a long time. For the first time ever, I can say I have a great manager in my solo career. I'm not talking about HANOI, but solo career. And I have faith that things are gonna — they're already being turned around, and gradually they are getting better and better all the time in terms of touring and stuff. So things are starting to — hopefully everything is gonna keep going the right way, which it is now. The wheels are turning the right way now. So, hopefully that means that we get to play everywhere we wanna play and expand our [fanbase] to a point where we are able to play in every country in the world without losing everything, without losing money."

The Monroe band's all-star lineup features former HANOI ROCKS and NEW YORK DOLLS bass player Sami Yaffa, who has played with Michael since the '80s. On guitar duties are Rich Jones (formerly of the Ginger Wildheart band) and Steve Conte (best known as the guitarist who filled the void left by Johnny Thunders in the NEW YORK DOLLS, as well as playing guitar with many other name acts such as Suzi Quatro, Eric Burden and many more) and drummer Karl Rockfist (who has played with notable acts such as DANZIG).

Last August, Monroe canceled his participation in last fall's U.S. tour as the support act for BUCKCHERRY in order to recover from a ruptured meniscus.

Monroe celebrated his 60th birthday in September 2022 at the Helsinki Ice Hall (Helsingin Jäähalli) in Finland. As the grand finale of the concert, the original lineup of HANOI ROCKS, one of Finland's most significant rock bands of all time, took the stage: Monroe, Andy McCoy, Sami Yaffa, Nasty Suicide and Gyp Casino. The "support band" for the show was the reunited DEMOLITION 23. Led by Monroe, the band rose to great cult fame, although they only released one album ("Demolition 23") in 1994 and broke up shortly afterwards. This was DEMOLITION 23's first performance since the band's breakup in 1995.

Monroe and McCoy founded HANOI ROCKS in the late 1970s and the band's original lineup was established in 1980. HANOI ROCKS, the first Finnish rock band to make an international breakthrough, recorded their first three albums with the original lineup: "Bangkok Shocks, Saigon Shakes, Hanoi Rocks" (1981),"Oriental Beat" (1982) and "Self Destruction Blues" (1982). Casino was replaced in 1982 by Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley who became an integral member of HANOI ROCKS. Razzle died in a tragic accident in 1984. Unfortunately, this led to the band's untimely demise in early 1985.

HANOI ROCKS did reform once before in 2002, albeit with only Monroe and McCoy from the band's classic lineup, and released a comeback album, "Twelve Shots On The Rocks". The reunion lasted until 2009.

Fresh from touring with MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE across a run of sold-out Latin American stadiums, playing to just shy of half a million fans across Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Peru, Swedish rockers THE HIVES have shared a brand new video for their latest anthem, "Roll Out The Red Carpet". The clip is in the stop-motion animation style and directed by the hugely talented artist Cissi Efraimsson.

This is the latest declaration from their recently out long-playing opus, "The Hives Forever Forever The Hives", which was crafted with commitment, abandon and skill in Sweden in cohorts with the esteemed producers Pelle Gunnerfeldt and Mike D of BEASTIE BOYS which was released last August on Play It Again Sam Records to rapturous reviews. The track follows previous smashes "Enough Is Enough", "Paint A Picture", "Legalize Living" and "The Hives Forever Forever The Hives".

And let it be known, following their recent jaunts around Europe and beyond playing to packed auditoriums, your favorite live sensations will head to the United States shortly for a run of headline shows.

The dates are as thus:

Mar. 13 - Nashville, TN - Brooklyn Bowl Nashville (w/ THE CHATS)
Mar. 14 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel (w/ THE CHATS)
Mar. 16 - Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore (w/ THE CHATS)
Mar. 18 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Paramount (w/ THE CHATS)
Mar. 19 - New Haven, CT - Toad's Place (w/ THE CHATS)
Mar. 20 - Boston, MA - House of Blues (w/ THE CHATS)
Mar. 22 - Toronto, ON - HISTORY (w/ THE CHATS)
Mar. 23 - Toronto, ON - HISTORY (w/ THE CHATS)
Mar. 24 - Detroit, MI - The Fillmore (w/ THE CHATS)
Mar. 26 - Chicago, IL - The Salt Shed (Indoors) (w/ THE CHATS)

Globally one of their most successful albums to date, "The Hives Forever Forever The Hives" launched with an extravagant live stream from Mexico City's Marble Palace, arriving by motorcade in a royal-style ceremony where they unveiled their era defining album artwork premiering "Enough Is Enough".

The last few months have seen THE HIVES embrace the stunning royal iconography across visuals and performances, most notably on the title track's video, filmed at Stockholm City Hall — the first music video ever shot there. Garnering global support from the likes of "Later… With Jools Holland", BBC Radio 1 and BBC 6 Music and ARTE in France, the band also found time for a memorable performance at the foot of New York's Rockefeller Centre.

THE HIVES, consisting of Howlin' Pelle, Chris Dangerous, The Johan And Only, Nicholaus Arson and Vigilante Carlstroem, have, over 30 years, carved their name into the annals of rock history. Their exploits have seen them sell out grand stadiums and share the stage with such monumental acts as AC/DC and THE ROLLING STONES. The BBC declared them "a force of nature," and Rolling Stone named their album "Veni Vidi Vicious" one of the "Top 100 Albums Of The Decade". Furthermore, THE HIVES' anthem "Hate To Say I Told You So" earned a most honorable spot among Pitchfork's "Top 500 Songs Of The 2000s". With millions of albums sold, and the recognition of platinum certifications and numerous awards — Swedish Grammis awards, MTV Awards, NME Awards — they stand as titans in the realm of music.

Photo credit: Dean Bradshaw

GHOST has been nominated in six categories at this year's edition of the Swedish Grammis awards (Swedish Grammy equivalent),which will be held on April 29 at Annexet in Stockholm.

In addition to being up for the "Artist Of The Year" and "Album Of The Year" awards for 2025's "Skeletá" LP, GHOST is in the running for the " Hard Rock & Metal" honor, while band mastermind Tobias Forge, Max Grahn, Vincent Pontare and Salem Al Fakir are also up for "Producer", "Songwriter" and "Lyricist" awards for their work on the record.

GHOST 2026 Grammis nominations:

* Årets Artist / Artist Of The Year
* Årets Album / Album Of The Year
* Årets Hårdrock/ Metal / Hard Rock & Metal
* Årets Producent / Producer
* Årets Kompositör / Songwriter
* Årets Textförfattare / Lyricist

GHOST had been nominated for seven Grammis awards in the past, and have won the "Hard Rock & Metal" award four times: for "Infestissumam", "Meliora", the "Popestar" EP and "Impera".

In May 2025, "Skeletá" landed at position No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 86,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the LP's first week of release. According to Billboard, 89% of that figure (77,000) consisted of traditional album sales, with vinyl purchases accounting for over 44,000 copies. Notably, "Skeletá" was the first hard rock album to reach the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 since AC/DC's "Power Up" in 2020.

"Skeletá" marked GHOST's ninth Billboard 200-charted effort and was the band's fifth to reach the Top 10. The band first landed on the chart in 2013 with its second album, "Infestissumam".

Prior to "Skeletá"'s arrival, GHOST had peaked at No. 2 with its previous full-length studio album, 2022's "Impera".

The 2026 North American leg of GHOST's "Skeletour" world tour kicked off on January 21 at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida and concluded on February 23 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California.

The European leg of GHOST's 2025 world tour kicked off on April 15, 2025 in Manchester, United Kingdom and concluded on May 24, 2025 in Oslo, Norway.

The North American leg of GHOST's 2025 tour launched on July 9, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland and wrapped up on August 16, 2025 in Houston, Texas.

[MESSAGE FROM THE CLERGY]

We wish to inform you that GHOST has been recognized with six nominations at this year's...

Posted by Ghost on Wednesday, February 25, 2026

As the curtain falls on an extraordinary career spanning more than four decades, Brazilian/American metallers SEPULTURA are preparing to close their final chapter at the end of this year. With over 40 years of band history, 14 gold records, and performances across more than 80 countries, SEPULTURA stand as Brazil's uncompromising emissary to the global stage and one of today's most influential metal bands.

Currently bringing SEPULTURA's pioneering sound to audiences worldwide on the "Celebrating Life Through Death" farewell tour, the question has arisen: how should SEPULTURA mark the end of such a monumental journey? The answer came naturally: By capturing a final creative moment and preserving it for posterity. The result is "The Cloud Of Unknowing" EP, set to be released on April 24 via Nuclear Blast Records.

"The Cloud Of Unknowing" EP is one of SEPULTURA's most diverse and emotionally resonant releases. Across four tracks, the EP serves as a bittersweet farewell, showcasing the full spectrum of the band's creativity, reflecting both the ferocity and depth that have defined SEPULTURA's legacy.

SEPULTURA has today released EP track "The Place", which vocalist Derrick Green sheds some light on: "This song deals with immigrants who have come to a place seeking refuge and start a new life. Once assimilated into a false sense of security and relentless propaganda, they began to act out against what they hate about themselves. The transition begins to escape from the self-hatred and the lashing out against people who believed in the same ideas. I feel the lyrics truly follow the transitions of the song. Starting with disappointment and arriving at anger."

"The Cloud Of Unknowing" EP will be available in the following formats:

* Oxblood
* Transparent Petrol (Nuclear Blast exclusive)
* Crystal clear (band exclusive)
* Transparent red (band exclusive)
* All LP variants come with a CD of the EP in a card wallet.

"The Cloud Of Unknowing" EP track listing:

01. All Souls Rising
02. Beyond the Dream
03. Sacred Books
04. The Place

Last year, SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser spoke about plans to release new music with the SEPULTURA's current touring drummer, 23-year-old Greyson Nekrutman, who officially replaced the group's longtime drummer Eloy Casagrande in February 2024. He said at the time:  "We recorded four new songs with Greyson on drums. I don't think nobody knows that, but there we go. We have four new songs, and we have the intention, next year, to release an EP, just to celebrate this momentum. It's original songs that we worked [out]. It's already recorded and everything, and we're taking our time, really, to see where it's gonna be the good time to do it."

Regarding how the new SEPULTURA material came about, Andreas said: "It was very spontaneous. We had a situation that we played the 70000 Tons Of Metal [cruise in January 2025] and we stayed in Miami. 'We have this studio. We have a few ideas. Okay, let's do it.' [Laughs] And it was great. No pressure from labels, no due date… But it's great… We did it in our time with no rush… And it's great. Because of the farewell [tour] idea, we can do that as well, to plan something like that, or not plan something like that, plan as less that we can to really to challenge ourselves artistically to work something like that."

Asked if SEPULTURA's decision to embark on a two-and-a-half-year farewell tour was motivated in any way by his desire to explore other styles of music away from extreme metal, Andreas said:  "I never felt kind of locked in the SEPULTURA world to write [in a specific style]. We were always very fearless to do whatever we want. I mean, 'Nation' is a very different album, 'A-Lex', all those albums that were inspired by books and stuff. It is, I think, more of the routine of being in a band like SEPULTURA. 40 years — 40 years, man. Have you ever done something for 40 years, like your job? Think about it. [Laughs] It's an amazing achievement inside the entertainment business to have such a band for so long, and ups and downs, to have a following. Every time we were doing albums, we were playing, we had a deal with the record label, regardless of the formation, regardless of the time we were. We played for 10 people, then we were back to play big places and stuff. It's a beautiful history. It's a beautiful history of art and life. And I was kind of feeling to get in that mode of doing another album, doing another tour, it's kind of too predictable. I mean, an artist has to be not in the comfort zone. If you're there, you're fucked, because you're going to lose touch with reality. You're gonna start living in this bubble of what SEPULTURA should be. There's no 'should'. There's a new SEPULTURA every day. We can do anything we want, musically wise, because we conquered that. SEPULTURA is this. It is not thrash metal. It's not heavy metal. It's not dark metal. It's not Brazilian metal. It's SEPULTURA metal. That's why we have a name, right? [Laughs] Otherwise, why have a name? This is SEPULTURA. That's what we are — very free. We're not scared or to take risks. Art is risks. If you do something new, you're gonna take risks. There's no other way. And that's where you learn, with your mistakes or with your errors and your everything. But it's great to stop in a great momentum without fighting, without an external factor breaking up this band. It's our own terms. We chose that very peacefully, a conscious decision. We took two years talking about working out, preparing this, and now we enjoying ourselves. It's amazing. And why not? I mean, it's a privilege to have that, to have that possibility, to stop while we can or to stop in this momentum. And then the future is the future. Let's see. [Laughs]"

Kisser also once again spoke about what SEPULTURA's final concert might look like. He said: "The idea is to do it around October 2026 in São Paulo, Brazil. A big SEPUL-fest type of show, a party with bands that are important. And as a part of SEPULTURA's history, we like to invite every member that was a part of SEPULTURA, including the Cavalera brothers [Max and Igor], to be a part of the concert, to play, to jam. I mean, it's totally irrelevant to discuss the past, who is right, who is wrong. We're never gonna get to a point — we're gonna have two different views of it, and that's fine. This is irrelevant. Let's jam for the fans, to ourselves, to our families [who had] never seen us together. But not only them — Jairo [Guedz], Eloy Casagrande, Jean Patton and Roy Mayorga, musicians that were a part of SEPULTURA in very specific and important moments that kept SEPULTURA flowing and going regardless of our problems and our challenges that we had. So hopefully that will happen. They are gonna be invited. If you wanna be a part of this party, you are welcome. If not, that's fine."

SEPULTURA kicked off its farewell tour on March 1, 2024 at Arena Hall in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The sold-out show marked the band's debut performance with Nekrutman, who previously played with SUICIDAL TENDENCIES.

SEPULTURA announced Casagrande's departure on February 27, 2024, explaining in a statement that he was leaving to join "another project", with Eloy later confirming that he was the new drummer of SLIPKNOT.

The news of Eloy's exit from SEPULTURA came just two months after the band announced it would celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2024 by embarking on a "farewell tour" which will cover the entire globe.

In SEPULTURA's statement, the remaining bandmembers expressed their shock over Casagrande's departure, saying they were "taken by surprise" that their now-former drummer would "abandon everything related to SEPULTURA" less than a month prior to the start of the tour.

SEPULTURA is putting together a live album commemorating its last run of shows. The band is recording 40 songs in 40 different cities for what will be a "massive compilation of our best, most energetic moments on stage," according to a statement released by SEPULTURA in December 2023.

The final North American leg of SEPULTURA's "Celebrating Life Through Death" tour will feature support from thrash legends EXODUS, hardcore heavyweights BIOHAZARD, and newcomers TRIBAL GAZE. The trek will kick off on April 29 in Montclair, New Jersey and will visit major cities across the U.S. and Canada, including Montreal, Detroit, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles, before concluding on May 29 at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. Along the way, SEPULTURA will also perform at major festivals, including Welcome To Rockville and Sonic Temple.

In a new interview with Darren Redick of U.K.'s Planet Rock, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson of RUSH spoke about their decision to reunite for a tour in 2026 and 2027. The run of dates — Lee and Lifeson's first official shows under the RUSH banner in 11 years — will begin at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, site of the last RUSH concert on the legendary Canadian band's "R40" anniversary tour. Joining the duo on the trek will be German drummer Anika Nilles, who toured with legendary guitarist Jeff Beck in 2022 and has been rehearsing with Lee and Lifeson in preparation for the tour, dubbed "Fifty Something".

Geddy said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "What started this whole thing is [Alex and I] started jamming, and the jams were kind of interesting, but in the middle of it, after we sort of got tired of jamming, we said, 'Well, let's play a RUSH song.' And then it changed the subject. So we got to the point with that where it was either we're going to follow through on this or we're never gonna talk about it again, because you can caught in this thing, 'Shall we? Shall we not? Shall we? Shall we not?' And for me, it was, we're not getting any younger. If we're gonna do it, let's do it now, or let's just not do it."

Regarding how Nilles ended up joining RUSH's touring lineup, Geddy said: "My bass tech Skully [John McIntosh] — he hates when I tell this story, but he had been on tour with Jeff Beck; he worked for Jeff Beck for the last three, four tours before [Jeff] sadly passed away. And on the last tour, there was a drummer, Anika Nilles. And he came back from that tour just raving about how great she was and how nice she was. And he said, 'Well, if you ever decide to do a solo project or something with Al, think about it.' So here it was. I had done some investigation about her — I'd watched her videos and listened to her play — and she's deeply talented. And so I brought her up to Al, and he went out and did his own research on her and came back and said, 'Wow, she's great.' So we just arranged a Zoom call with her, and it went really well. And we said, 'Would you come to Canada very quietly and jam with us for a few days and play a few RUSH songs and see how that goes?' She said, 'Sure, I'd love to.' And that's how it all began. And by the end of five days, we sort of had a drummer."

As for what fans can expect from the "Fifty Something" tour, Geddy said: "We're gonna do two sets. Each set will be about an hour, a bit more. So we'll end up playing around two hours, 15, 20 minutes, something like that, with an intermission, of course. And in each of those sets, we'll take a song and do a bit of our own way of tributing to [late RUSH drummer] Neil [Peart]. And, of course, his presence will be throughout the evening. But we're hard at work designing a show now, and we've got some of the old insane-person people that work for us to help us design, to do what we have always done. It'll be a show along the lines of what we've done in the past. And I'm pretty excited about some new technology that we're using. So, it's a full-time job right now. And we're working hard."

Lee added: "Anika knows about 25 songs now. We've had numerous rehearsals with her. And we just let her know yesterday that we've added another song to the set. So we're gonna hope to learn around 40 songs, and we will change the set every day a little bit, but 40% of the set will be different from night to night to night to night."

Alex chimed in: "So many RUSH fans go to multiple shows. So it's nice to provide a difference for each of those sets on a five-night cycle."

Asked what the "challenges" are of putting the "Fifty Something" tour together, Alex said: "We always rehearsed a lot, and in the past we would rehearse on our own individually for maybe a month, and then we would get together and rehearse for a month, and then we'd do a couple of weeks, full-production rehearsals in a venue. So by the time you hit the stage on the first show, you're seasoned; it's like the 20th show. The difference this time around is that we're rehearsing for about a year — seriously — before the [first] show. We just really wanna be at our absolute peak by the time we start the tour in earnest."

Geddy added: "And it's a lot for Anika to take on. Even though we're rusty on some songs, they're lying in the grooves in the brain somewhere, and it comes back. But she's starting from scratch. And she's starting from scratch trying to fill the shoes of a guy whose shoes are impossible to fill. So she has her work cut out for her. But she's incredibly, deeply talented, both technically and from a musical knowledge standpoint. She's got a fantastic work ethic. She's easy to be around. She's a great person, and she's ready to take on the inevitable scrutiny of RUSH fans. And so far they've been very welcoming, they've been very warm, and she's really appreciative of that."

Geddy went on to say that the overwhelmingly positive response from RUSH fans to the tour announcement took him and Alex by surprise.

"Originally the tour we wanted to do was just going to be six or seven cities and we would thought we'd do these small residencies," Lee explained. "And when we announced it, people went crazy, and we were taken aback. Our new management was very heartened and very bullish. They thought the shows would do well, obviously, but we didn't expect them to sell out in a few days. It was insanity. And so we had not been prepared for anything beyond that. But management always thinks ahead. And we had hoped that we could come to the U.K. in the fall of 2026, but we couldn't get the dates. So we added an American leg, which is also selling incredibly well. And so finally we can organize coming over to Europe and the U.K. [in 2027].

"So it's a lot to take on," Geddy admitted. "We haven't done a tour that big in many years, so we're just gonna make sure that it is effing note perfect."

The 2026 leg of the "Fifty Something" tour, which will cover Canada, USA and Mexico, initially consisted of 22 dates, which sold out immediately, prompting the addition of more shows. The tour now totals 58 shows across 24 cities, with over half a million tickets sold for 2026.

Earlier this week, RUSH announced the addition of South America and Europe tour dates to the "Fifty Something" tour, in early 2027. The dates will be the first time the band has played in Europe since 2013 and 17 years since visiting South America.

Performing 24 shows across 13 European countries, these special "evening with" shows will find the band playing two sets each night. Each show will feature a distinct selection of songs and RUSH will build each night's setlist from a catalog of more than 40 songs, including their greatest hits and fan favorites.

For "Fifty Something", Lee and Lifeson will be accompanied by Nilles and keyboard player Loren Gold (THE WHO, Roger Daltrey).

RUSH invites fans to get closer than ever with elevated ways to experience the tour: a special VIP program with the 2112 Platform Experience, and curated travel packages for those journeying in to see the show.

VIP packages could include meet-and-greet access, an autograph signing session and production tour, entry to the Xanadu pre-show VIP lounge, exclusive merch gifts, and more.

Each travel package includes a two-night stay at a curated hotel, premium tickets to the show, a limited-edition gift, a Rush Welcome Pack, Transportation Pass and more exclusive goodies.

On October 6, 2025, fans got the news via a RUSH newsletter from a home video that announced the celebration of upcoming dates with Lee and Lifeson at Geddy's home studio.

Peart died in January 2020 after a three-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 67 years old.

RUSH waited three days to announce Peart's passing, setting off shockwaves and an outpouring of grief from fans and musicians all over the world.

Since Peart's death, Lifeson and Lee have not recorded any new music or performed live under the RUSH name, although both of them confirmed that several drummers reached out to them in the days after the legendary drummer's passing about the possibility of stepping in for Neil.

Orange County's finest are back with a vengeance: SOCIAL DISTORTION's long-awaited eighth album, "Born To Kill", will be released May 8, 2026 via Epitaph Records.

The official music video for the hard-charging title track that's been lighting up crowds at the band's shows for the last several months can be seen below.

"Born To Kill" is more than the conclusion to a 15-year wait between SOCIAL DISTORTION albums, it's a revelation: 11 songs of pure, unadulterated rock 'n' roll fury, joy and catharsis, all imbued with the signature blend of defiance and world-weariness that has made founder Mike Ness a poet and sage to the dispossessed for more than 40 years.

The first SOCIAL DISTORTION album since Ness's recovery from a bout with cancer, "Born To Kill" brims with aggressive optimism. The album wastes no time letting the listener know where its heart is, with its title track and mission statement dropping nods to Lou Reed ("rock 'n' roll animal gonna come your way!") and Iggy Pop and THE STOOGES ("The agenda is, yeah, to search and destroy") and an homage to David Bowie ("it's a rock 'n' roll suicide") following a few songs later on "Partners In Crime". This is a man, a band, and a record that wear their influences proudly while creating timeless anthems and ballads that both chart SOCIAL DISTORTION's path forward and celebrate its storied past: "Tonight" and "The Way Things Were" are emotionally charged reminiscences in the vein of classics like "Story Of My Life" from the band's eponymous 1990 breakthrough and "I Was Wrong" from 1996's "White Light, White Heat, White Trash", the latter containing a potent distillation of the SOCIAL D ethos: "I wrote a song with a stolen riff / If you ain't got a song you ain't got shit."

Co-produced by Ness and Dave Sardy, and featuring guest appearances from Benmont Tench of TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS and Lucinda Williams and collaborative cover art by Ness and Shepard Fairey, "Born To Kill" is the latest installment in a remarkable catalog that spans nearly three generations, including "Mommy's Little Monster" (1983),"Prison Bound" (1988),the RIAA-gold-certified "Social Distortion" (1990) and "Somewhere Between Heaven And Hell" (1992),"White Light, White Heat, White Trash" (1996),"Sex, Love And Rock 'N' Roll" (2004),and "Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes" (2011).

As announced yesterday, SOCIAL DISTORTION will support "Born To Kill" with an extensive North American tour. The trek will kick off August 25 in Phoenix and play a total of 23 shows in 21 cities before concluding October 3 in San Diego.

Last December, Ness, who revealed a diagnosis of tonsil cancer in June 2023, offered an update on his recovery, telling Kevin Ryder at the annual KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas 2025: "I was afraid I was gonna not gonna live. I've been through some hard things in my life in some dangerous situations, as you can imagine, but nothing like that."

Asked if he had to learn to talk and sing again, Mike said: "I had to learn to eat, swallow — everything. I mean, they went in there — they sent a robot. I call him Ike, the robot. He went down and cut out my tonsil and the tumor. And then the second part of the surgery was, they slit my neck and cut the lymph nodes out. So I could not eat food. I mean, I came out of surgery with a drain and a feeding tube."

After Ryder noted that he is "glad" that Ness could sing again after his cancer battle, Mike said: "My voice is stronger than it's ever been. I think I'm singing like there's no tomorrow. So every show is great because I'm singing like there's no tomorrow."

Ness started SOCIAL DISTORTION as a teenager in 1979. Over the course of the next decade, Ness battled drug and alcohol addiction, spending stints in jail and rehab.

Formed as rebellious teenage punks in the working-class suburb of Fullerton, California, SOCIAL DISTORTION survived their tumultuous youth to pioneer an undeniably honest and fiery brand of rock 'n' roll that would incorporate outlaw country, classic seventies punk and primal blues. Seven studio albums and countless electrifying live shows have earned the band a dedicated worldwide fanbase and catalog of timeless anthems, including "Story Of My Life", "Ball And Chain", "Prison Bound" and more. The band's last release, 2011's "Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes", entered the Billboard 200 at No. 4, and in 2019 SOCIAL DISTORTION celebrated 40 years as a band.

Photo credit: Jonathan Weiner

THE CLAYPOOL LENNON DELIRIUM will return this spring with their third and most outlandish album yet, "The Great Parrot-Ox And The Golden Egg Of Empathy", due May 1 via ATO Records. Reuniting after several years of intergalactic solo missions and sonic side quests, Les Claypool and Sean Ono Lennon once again combine their mutant minds to deliver an elaborate, 14-song concept record reflecting on morality, mortality, and the warnings of A.I., with a story-world that doubles as a cautionary tale about sustainability and the slippery slope of optimization without empathy.

Available for pre-order on vinyl and CD, the physical edition expands the album's mythology into a true companion piece: a two-LP set in a tip-on gatefold jacket paired with a 24-page comic book, with each song mapped to its own illustrated chapter. What began as an ambitious idea for a feature-length animated film ultimately became a fully realized graphic narrative — one that now defines the album's identity as much as the music itself. Exclusive color variants are available to preorder via the band's store, at Indie shops and other retail sites where vinyl is sold.

Out today alongside the album announcement is the project's latest single and official music video, "The Golden Egg Of Empathy (feat. Willow)". A key moment in the album's narrative arc, the track introduces Willow's lead vocal as Claypool and Lennon tilt the DELIRIUM's technicolor theatrics toward something strangely tender, surreal, and human. In the song's language, the modern world's glowing conveniences start to look "insignificant," "devoid of love," and the search for empathy becomes its own kind of destiny. The video serves as a first glimpse into the album's elaborate visual universe, animating the rich illustrations and characters that populate the full-length comic companion.

Set in the once-glorious land of Cliptopia, where a sentient A.I. known as Cliptron and his army of robots are resourcing everything, then turning it all into Clipnex brand paperclips, the album follows young artist Hippard O. Campus Jr. as he rebels against his father, Hippard Sr. (owner of the Clipnex corporation and creator of Cliptron). With help from salty sea-dog Colonel O'Coren, Hipp embarks on a fantastical adventure to stop Cliptron's cold, chrome heart from converting the world, humans included, into paperclips.

Hipp's quest leads across the sea to the Isle of Lucidity, where the all-wise Ministry of Manatees guide him to the Great Parrot-Ox, whose Golden Egg Of Empathy is the only thing that can bring understanding and emotion to Cliptron.

"'The Great Parrot-Ox And The Golden Egg Of Empathy' is a cautionary tale of what could be in store for humanity if we continue to favor machines over men," Lennon shares. "It is a tale of a technocracy eclipsed by paperclips; a young man destined to unravel the fabric of his father's folly, and a sacred feathered Goddess (played by Willow),who holds the egg-shaped key to their future."

It's a world of distorted fables and absurdist characters, told across 14 songs with classic psychedelic and progressive rock stylings, paired with a fully realized visual universe and comic storytelling.

Recorded at Claypool's Rancho Relaxo studio in Sonoma County, as well as Lennon's studio The Farm in upstate New York, "The Great Parrot-Ox And The Golden Egg Of Empathy" pairs elaborate narrative arcs with the band's signature blend of psychedelic-prog theatrics, absurdist humor, and conceptual invention. Based on the "Paperclip Theory," the renowned thought experiment about artificial intelligence safety, the album poses a pointed question: in the face of extreme, rampant, single-minded efficiency, can human values and empathy save the day?

The album's story and music were created by THE CLAYPOOL LENNON DELIRIUM, with artwork by longtime collaborator Rich Ragsdale. "Rich Ragsdale is an old friend," Lennon shares. "He directed the 'Animals' video for THE GHOST OF A SABER TOOTH TIGER, an animated video for UNI, and the 'Blood And Rockets' video for the DELIRIUM," Lennon explains. "Initially Les and I were imagining a feature-length animated film for 'Parrot-Ox', but we realized there wasn't enough time to complete such an undertaking, so we asked Rich if he could distill the story into a comic book for us. He did an incredible job."

"I think we all share a lot of taste and sensibility," Lennon continues. "The process was really smooth for the most part. I think the Colonel said he's never been so happy so quickly with that kind of thing. Les and I really belabored the story beforehand, but when it came time for Rich to flesh it out, things went very quickly. Now that the story exists in this comic book form it's even easier to imagine it becoming a feature some day. And you never know!"

The animated "Golden Egg" video marks the first time that world moves beyond the page, offering a preview of how deeply intertwined the story, artwork, and music are across the entire project.

"'The Great Parrot Ox And The Golden Egg Of Empathy' was over three years in the making and was the most labor intensive recording I have ever been involved in," shares Claypool. "The results are something Shiner and I are very proud of; a relevant concept piece accompanied by a colorful, phantasmic comic book."

The album announcement follows the January release of first single "WAP (What A Predicament)", which opened the DELIRIUM's next chapter with a warped meditation on A.I., morality, and what happens when empathy gets optimized out of existence.

Beyond the DELIRIUM, Claypool has remained relentlessly prolific, reuniting his FEARLESS FLYING FROG BRIGADE, celebrating his solo legacy with the "Adverse Yaw: The Prawn Song Years" box set, and launching PRIMUS's "Interstellar Drum Derby", the global open call that drew over 6,200 applicants and culminated in the addition of drummer John Hoffman.

Lennon has likewise stayed active across disciplines, performing in an improvising trio with John Zorn and Laurie Anderson, releasing his experimental instrumental album "Asterisms" on Zorn's Tzadik label, producing TEMPLES' EXOTICA, earning a Grammy in 2025 for his design of John Lennon's "Mind Games" boxed reissue, and writing and producing the animated short inspired by John & Yoko's "War Is Over", which earned him the Academy Award for "Best Animated Short Film".

Following the album's release, Claypool will hit the road with "Claypool Gold", a full-evening tour that brings together PRIMUS, THE CLAYPOOL LENNON DELIRIUM and LES CLAYPOOL'S FEARLESS FLYING FROG BRIGADE in one surreal, genre-defying night, with each band performing a full set. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.primusville.com.

"The Great Parrot-Ox And The Golden Egg Of Empathy" track listing:

01. Pro-Log
02. Wap (What A Predicament)
03. The Wake Up Call
04. Meat Machines
05. Troll Bait
06. Simplest Of Deeds
07. Heart Of Chrome
08. Through The Horizon
09. Mantra Of The Manatee
10. The Golden Egg Of Empathy Feat. Willow
11. Cliptopia
12. Cliptron Scuttle
13. Melody Of Entropy
14. It's A Wrap

Photo credit: Jay Blakesburg