Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall closed in spectacular fashion for another year with another unmissable performance by THE WHO.

Bill Murray was among the lucky audience in the packed venue along with Sadie Frost, Paul McKenna and Tracy-Ann Oberman. Hollywood star Murray recalled seeing THE WHO play 50 years ago and caught up with Roger Daltrey backstage after the gig.

Singer Roger Daltrey CBE launched the Teenage Cancer Trust concert series in 2000, and it has gone on to be an essential part of the U.K.'s music calendar, while raising more than £34 million for the charity. In 2026, THE CURE's Robert Smith will step in as guest curator.

The 2025 series ran from March 24-30, including THE WHO; THE CORRS; James Arthur; a night of comedy hosted by Micky Flanagan; a special night by Erased Tapes featuring Penguin Cafe; and Frank Carter and Paul Cook, Steve Jones, Glen Matlock of the SEX PISTOLS.

After bringing the house down on Thursday (March 27),THE WHO roared into action on Sunday (March 30) with the '60s hits "I Can't Explain" and "Substitute".

The hits kept coming, with the likes of "The Kids Are Alright" and the gorgeous "Behind Blue Eyes" followed by a soaring "Real Me".

Pete's unique guitar style played a starring role in "5:15" before his vocals took the lead on a beautiful "I'm One" ("loneliness starts sinking in"). Fan favorite "Love, Reign O'er Me" received a rapturous reception before "My Generation" spun out into an audience spanning the generations, before segueing into "See Me, Feel Me/Listening To You".

The 1982 track "Eminence Front" follows before "You Better You Bet" truly peeled back the years.

Roger and Pete enjoy a close bond with the band's fans and crack jokes throughout their shows. At one point, Pete said: "Many of you will know this is not my chosen career — I would have preferred to have been a dustman, to be honest. But it's glorious to be here with people like you tonight. Thank you so much."

There was a standing ovation for "Baba O'Riley", while "Won't Get Fooled Again" received a clap-along intro and the famous Daltrey scream was as huge as you could want. The "Song Is Over" was a rare treat for fans.

Aldi, which has partnered with Teenage Cancer Trust since 2017, and raised over £11 million for the charity to date is the headline sponsor for this year's Royal Albert Hall series. Domino's, which has partnered with Teenage Cancer Trust for ten years and has raised £8 million for the charity, is the official sponsor of the Ultimate Backstage Experience.

Teenage Cancer Trust is the only U.K. charity dedicated to providing specialized nursing care and support for young people with cancer.

Cancer kills more teenagers and young adults in the U.K. than any other disease. And for those who survive, going through it without the right support can be devastating — physically and emotionally.

Every day, more than seven young people aged 13-24 hear the words "you have cancer". By 2030 that number will be closer to 10.

There's never been a worse time to receive that news, with healthcare services under enormous pressure.

Money from these iconic gigs at the Royal Albert Hall means Teenage Cancer Trust can fund specialist nurses and youth workers to be there for a young person when cancer has turned their world upside down.

Cancer rates in young people in the U.K. have gone up by a quarter since the early 1990s. And by 2030, it's projected that the number of young people living with a cancer diagnosis will be 65% higher.

Since 2000, over £34 million has been raised by Teenage Cancer Trust concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, and that money has helped fund specialist nurses, hospital units and support services right across the U.K. that help get young people through some unimaginably hard times.

Since 2000 audiences at Teenage Cancer Trust's annual gigs have witnessed some extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime shows, from Noel Gallagher and Damon Albarn performing together for the first time ever in 2013, Sir Paul McCartney in 2012, plus the likes of OASIS, MUSE, Nile Rodgers and CHIC, Ed Sheeran, FLORENCE + THE MACHINE, RUDIMENTAL and many more.

There have been many legendary moments. Sir Paul McCartney was joined on stage in 2012 for THE BEATLES' "Get Back" by Roger Daltrey, Ronnie Wood and Paul Weller — marking a Beatle, Rolling Stone and THE WHO joining forces.

In 2024 a special show was staged as an ovation for Roger Daltrey's years of service, with turns by the likes of Paul Weller, Kelly Jones, Eddie Vedder and Robert Plant.

Guitarist Doc Coyle and bassist Kyle Konkiel have announced their departures from BAD WOLVES. Replacing them in the group are returning guitarist Chris Cain and new bassist Kevin Creekman, respectively.

Earlier today, Coyle released the following statement via social media: "Dear Wolfpack, I regret to inform you that I have decided to part ways with BAD WOLVES. It was not an easy decision to make. I have been playing with the band for almost 9 years, so this is a massive life change for me. It should be said that this is a completely amicable split. I love John, Kyle, DL, and AJ. Not being in the trenches going forward with my boys is the hardest part of all of this. But this has been coming for a long while, and I think my time in the band has just run its course. I am still rooting for BAD WOLVES to take over the world. And it warms my heart knowing that our old guitarist, Chris Cain, is coming back to take the baton from me on lead guitar.

"I won't provide an in-depth explanation of why I'm leaving at the moment. I'm sure I'll share more details at some point when it's appropriate. I feel like I've lost a bit of who I am as a creative and where my passion lies. Being in this band has brought challenges that have taken quite an emotional toll and burned me out. Through the ups and downs, I've done everything in my power to make BAD WOLVES successful. I'm very proud of our work, the albums we made, and overcoming the adversity we faced. But it's time for a fresh start.

"Breaking out the way we did in 2018 gave me a 2nd chapter to my career that I could never have dreamed of. Being in our late 30s and receiving #1 singles, gold albums, and arena tours right out of the gate was a stunning achievement. I'll always be grateful for the opportunities and doors that have opened since I was in BAD WOLVES. And I'm proud of the fact that it inspired many musicians to keep grinding it out. If we could do it, you could do it.

"I want to thank everyone who worked with the band all these years - everyone at 10th Street Management and Better Noise Music, Eric and MSK, Independent Artist Group, every single crew member we've had, everyone who's written songs with us or done production work on any of our albums, but most of all I want to thank the BAD WOLVES fans. Your dedication has been a true inspiration. We've gotten each other through lots of hard times. The Wolfpack really is a family to me. Any time I've had the chance to meet you in person, give you a hug, share your story, or take a picture together has meant the world to me. I will forever be grateful for your support.

"What's next? I'm not sure, but for the first time in a long time, I have nothing on the books. My schedule is wide open. That frightens me and excites me. I'm writing music. I'm on a journey to find out what hell it is I want in life. And it's ok to not have all the answers right now. If you know me, you know that I'm not very good at staying idle, so I'm sure I'll see you all soon.

"Love and respect, Doc Coyle".

Konkiel issued a separate statement, saying: "After eight incredible years, I've decided to step down from BAD WOLVES. This wasn't an easy choice, but after much reflection, I know in my heart that I can no longer give this band 100%. And anything less wouldn't be fair to the music, my bandmates, or the fans.

"There are so many things I still want to accomplish in my career, and I feel now is the time to explore new creative paths, whether on my own or in a new project.

"The memories, the shows, and the experiences over the past near-decade will always hold a special place in my heart. I wish John, DL, and AJ nothing but success and will continue to cheer them on however I can. And as for my brother Doc, you already know I've got his back for life. We've been through more together than most bands ever do, and my support doesn't end here.

"To all the incredible fans, crew, and fellow musicians I've met along the way, thank you. Your support has meant everything, and I look forward to crossing paths again in whatever comes next.

"This isn't the end. Just the start of a new chapter."

BAD WOLVES' latest album, "Die About It", came out in 2023. The LP included the hit single "Legends Never Die" (which peaked at No. 3 on the Active Rock radio chart) and the track "Hungry For Life", which featured Grammy-nominated rock singer-songwriter Chris Daughtry. The effort was co-produced with Josh Gilbert (AS I LAY DYING) alongside drummer John Boecklin and singer Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz.

While this is bittersweet news, I’m glad I can finally talk about it publicly. It’s been a hell of a ride. I can’t wait...

Posted by Doc Coyle on Wednesday, April 2, 2025

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MACHINE HEAD performed two new songs — "These Scars Won't Define Us" and "Unbound" — live for the first time during the kick-off concert of the band's North American tour on Tuesday, April 1 at Revolution Concert House And Event Center in Garden City, Idaho. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

MACHINE HEAD will play in Spokane, Washington on April 3 before teaming up with IN FLAMES, LACUNA COIL and UNEARTH for another 25 dates across the U.S. and Canada.

"These Scars Won't Define Us" and "Unbound" will both appear on MACHINE HEAD's eleventh studio album, "Unatoned", which will be released on April 25 via Nuclear Blast/Imperium Recordings.

MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn told "The Garza Podcast" about "Unatoned": "My last album was like a huge renaissance for the band. It just was fucking crazy. We headlined Hellfest [in France]. It was our tenth record. It was a concept record. It was the first time we ever did a concept record. Opening track was a 10-minute-long song. It's nuts.

"I'm fortunate enough to have been in this position a handful of times where I now have to follow up this record that is so beloved by fans, by people," he continued. "It's incredibly successful — elevates the band to another level. And everybody wants us to write another concept record. Everybody is just, like, 'You should just make another record like that one.' And I'm, like, 'You can't, because it's never gonna live up.' Nothing's ever gonna live up, ecause that moment for so many people. Lars [Ulrich of METALLICA] always talked about this — the reason so many people love [METALLICA's] Black Album, it's, like, they lost the virginity to the Black Album. Nothing is ever gonna top that. People lost their virginity to [MACHINE HEAD's] '[Unto] The Locust' or 'The Blackening' or whatever. Nothing's ever gonna top that. That's just life and stuff.

"So with this record, I set some pretty strict parameters around what I could do," Flynn explained. "And I'm not a big believer in talking about the direction of a record. I always feel like even if we have done it in the past, it never panned out. 'Oh, it's gonna be the heaviest or the thrashing' or the whatever, and you've just gotta follow it to wherever it goes… But I did want to put some structure around it. The last record had a bunch of long songs, so I was, like, 'I don't want any song longer than four minutes on this record.' So that was one structure. The other structure is — [I'm a] huge SLAYER fan to the death; [they're] one of my favorite bands, life-changing bands of all times. And one of the most underrated things about SLAYER is their genius use of chord changes — chord changes fucking galore all over every song. [They'd] have, like, three different chord changes in the lead section, and it the way it sets up the chorus or whatever. So I was, like, 'Every song has to have a chord change outside of the typical structure that you would expect.' … At some point it's gotta go to a key change that totally doesn't go with where the rest of the song went. Last thing is that the music in the last chorus had to be different from the music in the first chorus — maybe the drums drop out, maybe the guitars drop out, maybe that's where the key change happens, but something had to be [different]. The lyrics would always be the same. And at first it kind of took me a minute to kind of get into that mindset, like, 'Wow, this is a really challenging way to write,' but it always just became about trimming the fat, trimming the fat, trimming the fat. And in the end what we came up with was 10 songs plus two instrumentals. It's 41 minutes — the shortest album in MACHINE HEAD history. And I'm really proud of this thing. I really feel like we've got a fucking monster on our hands. It's just really unique."

Elaborating on the musical direction of "Unatoned", Robb said: "It's not our heaviest record; I would never say that it's our heaviest record. It's got a lot of melody. The last song on the record is a… I'm a total sucker for the Elton John piano ballad. I love Chris Stapleton… And that last song 'Scorn' is… It's, like, I've been trying to write a piano ballad for four albums in a row now, and I failed four albums in a row. And I finally nailed it with this album. I collaborated with this guy Joel Wanasek. I collaborated with Jordan [Fish], ex-BRING ME THE HORIZON, on the whole album. He actually got a piece on the record, which was really cool — added a really amazing element. I've got a few collaborators, like four guys that I work with, but me and this guy, Joel Wanasek, finally nailed down this piano thing… It was the last song I wrote on the record. And I know a lot of people think I'm super Mr. Libtard, social justice warrior guy and that's just not me, but that's kind of just what people think and the haters think. And I just started writing about — not that — but I just started writing about, I don't believe in Trump, but I think the fucking Democrats are a bunch of spineless fucking pussies. And I don't believe in anything anymore. I believe in myself. And I just wrote all of these lyrics kind of in that mindset. And the last line is, 'The wings of an angel, the heart of a king, the strength of a lion, the power I bring. I've lost faith in everyone, follow no more, my heroes have failed me, they look down on me with their scorn.' And so I took all of that. I was, like, 'I don't have any music, but I really like these lyrics.' So I came in with Zack [Ohren] — Zack's my engineer; he's my producer. He is fucking awesome; he's amazing… And I just picked up a guitar and I just said, 'I'm gonna play four chords here and I'm just gonna make this up as I go. I don't even know what I'm doing. I just wanna sing over this to something.' And I did, and I sang it, and I sang it in two takes. I laid out all the lyrics that I had written that morning. I pulled up some shit on my computer. I got two binders of lyrics. I wrote three and a half binders of lyrics from this record alone — just three and a half binders… And I literally sang the song in two takes, and when I was done, I was, like, 'That song's fucking done.' And it's the last song on the record. And I sent the chords to Joel and I was, like, 'Hey, like, can you make this into sad piano chords and put it together and kind of reverse engineer the rest of the song?' And I've gotta say, I'm so proud of this song. It's definitely kind of the outlier of the record, but I really just feel like it's a special song. And it's kind of something we've never done. And when you've been trying to do something for a long time — 15 years, I've been trying to write a fucking piano song — and it always just sounded too dorky… And it [finally] happened [on this album]."

Flynn also talked about his general approach to creating art with MACHINE HEAD, saying: "I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just trying to write music. Alls I ever wanted to do was just play guitar and write songs and sing and make motherfuckers circle pit and make motherfuckers jump and sing and fucking headbang and go crazy. That's all I've ever wanted to do.

"I'm not a businessman. I don't know what the fucking right decision is," he continued. "I just know the music that I do and where it comes from, and I do know that I'm really, really, really good at that. I know that. I'm not one of these guys who's good at a million fucking things — I'm not — but I do know that I'm really, really good at that. And I just try and focus on that. And I've got a good team of people that help me make decisions now and I feel like we've all got a good head on our shoulders and what MACHINE HEAD needs to be.

"We're not the heaviest band in the world," he added. "We're heavy, but we've been around for 32 years, and motherfuckers like [SUICIDE SILENCE] came along and LORNA SHORE and SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL, and [those bands are] fucking 10 times heavier than we will ever, ever, ever be. I can't sing like that. I don't even wanna try to; it'd be fucking ridiculous to. It would sound stupid for my fucking heavy metal Gandalf ass to be fucking trying to sing like that. We found our lane and we're super lucky that we found our lane and we fucking made that lane a little bit wider and a little bit wider so we can kind of go over here and do this and go over here and do this. But at the end of the day, it's just MACHINE HEAD music. That's what it is to me. It's metal, for sure — a hundred percent."

"Unatoned" was recorded at Flynn's Jam Room, Sharkbite Studios and Drop Of Sun Recording between July 2023 and December 2024. The album was produced by Flynn, as well as Zack Ohren, who was also responsible for the engineering. The mixing and mastering was handled by Colin Richardson and Chris Clancy at Audioworks UK, and the mastering of the record was handled by Ted Jensen and his assistant Justin Shturtz. The only exception was the track "Landscape Of Thorns" which was produced by Flynn and Joel Wanasek who was also in charge of mixing the single alongside Zack Ohren. MACHINE HEAD once again tapped Seth Siro Anton to create the album artwork.

Last November, MACHINE HEAD released "These Scars Won't Define Us" as the first single from "Unatoned".

MACHINE HEAD's current lineup includes former HAVOK guitarist Reece Alan Scruggs. Scruggs stepped in for MACHINE HEAD's previous guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka, who had been unable to make some of the group's dates due to his touring commitments with his longtime band DECAPITATED.

Reece made his live debut with MACHINE HEAD in November 2022 at Strummer's in Fresno, California at the opening show of the "Electric Happy Hour (Live)" tour.

Vogg joined MACHINE HEAD's touring lineup prior to the launch of the band's "Burn My Eyes" 25th-anniversary tour in late 2019.

The rest of MACHINE HEAD's lineup consists of guitarist/vocalist Flynn, bassist Jared MacEachern and British drummer Matt Alston (DEVILMENT, EASTERN FRONT).

Earlier last year, MACHINE HEAD completed the "Slaughter The Martour" North American tour with support from L.A.'s FEAR FACTORY, Sweden's ORBIT CULTURE and Louisville, Kentucky's GATES TO HELL.

JUST ANNOUNCED: 100.3 The X presents Machine Head April 1st at Revolution Concert House & Event Center.

Special guests...

Posted by 100.3 The X on Tuesday, February 25, 2025

In a new interview with Chile's PowerOfMetal.cl, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner was asked if he and his bandmates have already commenced work on material for the follow-up to their "Invincible Shield" album, which came out a little over a year ago. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, we are always working on ideas and what we could do next. And if we did it, what would it sound like? What would we want to achieve creatively? So we always talk about that sort of stuff. We'll have to wait and see. I can't tell you too much at the moment. We'll have to wait and see. [Laughs]"

Regarding PRIEST's plans for the remainder of 2025 and beyond, Faulkner said: "So we come down to South America, as you know, in a couple of weeks. And then this summer in Europe, we are playing what we call the 'Shield Of Pain' tour. So it's the 35th anniversary of [JUDAS PRIEST's 1990 album] 'Painkiller' this year. So we are celebrating that record and we're also still celebrating the 'Invincible Shield' record. So that's the 'Shield Of Pain'. We're taking that through Europe. And then we're looking at some opportunities after that in 2025. And in '26 — who knows? We're always looking at opportunities, whether it's a new album or a new tour. But for now we're focused on South America. We are coming down to Chile, and we're gonna rock hard ride free, man. [Laughs]"

"Invincible Shield" entered the U.K. chart at No. 2, just behind Ariana Grande's "Eternal Sunshine".

Prior to "Invincible Shield"'s arrival, PRIEST's highest U.K. chart achievement was with 1980's "British Steel", which reached No. 4.

PRIEST's 2018 album "Firepower" entered the chart at No. 5.

"Invincible Shield" was JUDAS PRIEST's fifth Top 10 album, after the aforementioned "British Steel" and "Firepower", as well as 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" (No. 6) and the 1979 live album "Unleashed In The East" (No. 10).

"Invincible Shield" landed at No. 1 in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as No. 5 in France, No. 8 in Italy and No. 16 in Australia.

JUDAS PRIEST will celebrate the 35th anniversary of its classic album "Painkiller" extensively live with the "Shield Of Pain" tour. This "rare" and "unique set" will include "beloved classics" and "will be defending the metal faith in a truly memorable experience throughout Europe" this summer, according to a social media post from PRIEST.

In a new interview with the "Everblack" podcast, former MOTÖRHEAD and current PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS guitarist Phil Campbell was asked about BLACK SABBATH's upcoming reunion concert, which will take place on July 5 in the band's original hometown of Birmingham, United Kingdom. Ozzy Osbourne and the rest of the original BLACK SABBATH lineup — guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — will perform one last time as part a fundraising event at Villa Park, featuring a host of bands they inspired, including METALLICA, PANTERA, SLAYER, GOJIRA and ANTHRAX. Asked if he is planning to attend the show, Phil said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think we are away anyway, but I don't go very far to see acts now. I'd rather stay home with my wife and my dogs, to be honest, I value my home time now. I've been doing so much touring. But I wish Ozzy all the best, and I'm sure it'll be a great day. I wouldn't like to be in Tom Morello's shoes, though. He is the M.D. [musical director] of the day, organizing it all, so he's probably got a hardest job of the lot, taking on that.

"Yeah, it is gonna be amazing — some brilliant bands on there," Campbell continued. "And I don't how long the sets are gonna be — I don't think they're gonna be that long, with all them bands — probably about 20 minutes each band or something like that. I don't know. I'm just guessing. But I hope Ozzy goes out in style again. And, yeah, I'm sure it'll be a fantastic day for everyone."

When the interviewer noted that guys like Ozzy and late MOTÖRHEAD legend Lemmy and "all one of a kind" and the rock world will likely never see anybody like them again, Phil concurred. "Well, you never know, but I can't see anyone getting close to being Lemmy," he said. "He was rock and roll — he lived and breathed it. Ozzy is unique as well; [he has] his own persona. But these people don't come around very often, if ever. They are totally individual, unique characters, and it's a wonderful thing. And when these people stop, these eccentric characters, the world is a sadder, a darker place then. We need these people. Not this politically correct bullshit that everyone wants these days. You can't even wolf whistle anymore; you get arrested over here."

"Back To The Beginning" sold out in less than 10 minutes in February. The concert will mark the first time that the original lineup of BLACK SABBATH has played together in 20 years.

In addition, there will be a performance by a "supergroup of musicians" including Duff McKagan and Slash (GUNS 'N' ROSES),Billy Corgan (THE SMASHING PUMPKINS),Fred Durst (LIMP BIZKIT),K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST),Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE),Wolfgang Van Halen (VAN HALEN, MAMMOTH WVH),Andrew Watt, Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),David Ellefson (MEGADETH),Vernon Reid (LIVING COLOUR),Whitfield Crane (UGLY KID JOE),David Draiman (DISTURBED),Frank Bello (ANTHRAX),Jonathan Davis (KORN),Lzzy Hale (HALESTORM),Mike Bordin (FAITH NO MORE),Rudy Sarzo (OZZY OSBOURNE, QUIET RIOT),Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (ANTHRAX),Sleep Token II (SLEEP TOKEN) and Papa V Perpetua (GHOST).

Ozzy — who hasn't played a full show since late 2018 — announced his last-ever performance on February 5.

Proceeds from the "Back To The Beginning" show will support Cure Parkinson's, the Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice, a Children's Hospice supported by Aston Villa.

The original lineup of BLACK SABBATH last performed in 2005. Since then, SABBATH has played in partial reunions but never in its original lineup.

The legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman was diagnosed in 2003 with Parkin 2 — a very rare genetic form of Parkinson's. During a TV appearance in January 2020, the singer disclosed that he was 'stricken" with the disease which occurs when the nerve cells of the body degenerate and levels of dopamine are reduced. Dopamine is an essential chemical that is produced by these nerve cells which send signals to different parts of the brain to control movements of the body.

Ozzy's health issues, including suffering a nasty fall and dislodging metal rods placed in his spine following a quad-bike accident in 2003, as well as catching COVID-19 three years ago, forced him to cancel some of his previously announced tours.

While Osbourne's health issues forced him to scrap most of his live appearances, the musician said he would return if his condition improved.

Despite his health problems, Osbourne has performed a couple of times in the last three years, including at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August 2022 and at the NFL halftime show at the season opener Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills game in September 2022.

Sharon Osbourne has told Metal Hammer magazine that she is open to the possibility of a BLACK SABBATH avatar-style show.

Asked if she would consider the idea of taking inspiration from the technology originally developed for ABBA's "Voyage" show in London for a SABBATH virtual project in the future, Ozzy Osbourne's wife and manager said: "Sure I would, yeah.

"Technology keeps moving on and on," she explained. "You can do incredible things now, so what you could do in five years will be even better.

"You never know what the opportunities are," she added.

One legendary rock band which is already in the process of developing an avatar show is KISS. The KISS avatars were created by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and were financed and produced by the Swedish company Pophouse Entertainment, which is behind "ABBA Voyage".

Using cutting-edge technology, Pophouse Entertainment Group, which was founded by ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus, will create digital versions of KISS. The project was previewed at the final KISS concert in New York in December 2023.

Last December, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons told "The Zak Kuhn Show" podcast that the technology originally developed for ABBA's "Voyage" "is now yesterday's news." Asked if the KISS avatar show will "totally blow away" "ABBA Voyage", Simmons said: "It already does, yeah. Uh-huh… Technology, I'm sure you keep up with it, is growing by leaps and bounds… The future is here. A.I. now fixes itself and teaches itself. And so the technology has advanced by leaps and bounds even where the ABBA show was. You could swear ABBA was live on stage, but you have to look straight forward. If you look to the left or right, you can see your neighbor sitting behind you or next to you. And so you have that kind of, 'Oh, this is reality. And what's on stage looks like reality.' But as you know, with 3D glasses, virtual glasses, your sense of what's real and what's not is skewed. So there's all that."

Last October, KISS frontman Paul Stanley was also full of praise for "ABBA Voyage", which has been very lucrative since debuting in May 2022. He told "Steve-O's Wild Ride! Podcast": "Yeah, that lives in London, and that's sold out for four years now, I think — every night, eight shows a week," Stanley said. "And it's amazing because I've seen it twice and the audience is just thrilled and so much a part of it. It's not like, 'Oh, we're watching something that's not real.' It's real… I mean, you can see through the clothes. They move back and forth, they interact. It's unbelievable. And when I saw it the first time, at the end of the show, the curtain pulled back and [the] ABBA [members as they look] today, the four of them, came walking out. And I was, like, 'Wow, I'm here on this night to see [the four of them at the performance].' [But] it wasn't them. That's how good it is."

Regarding KISS's apparent willingness to fully embrace modern technology, Simmons told Rockast: "Well, everything evolves. We didn't always stand up on two legs. A few million years ago, we were on four legs. Everything evolves, and you either evolve or you become obsolete or you die. So technology is here. A.I. is here. Virtual reality is here. Everything is here. And we don't wanna be yesterday's news. So even the end of something can be the beginning of something. But we're very excited — and proud. I keep saying proud, because that's what it is."

In a separate interview with TMZ, Simmons was asked if fans will embrace the concept of a concert that is A.I.-driven and consists of nothing but holograms. Gene responded: "It's not just, 'Okay, they're gonna show up on stage just like they did before, but it's holograms. No. That's an archaic term. Technology has advanced so far, you won't believe it.

"We spent some time at George Lucas's place and did motion capture stuff secretly," he continued. "We didn't talk to anybody — media or anything — about it, because we wanted this to be like nothing anybody's ever seen. And I will tell you, if you've seen the ABBA show in London, which is phenomenal, this is gonna be beyond anything you've ever seen.

"So the future is here, and with our friends at Pophouse, who are visionaries, we're gonna be doing things that no band and no musical — nobody's ever done before," Gene added. "Our events are going to be multi, I wanna say multidimensional. You just won't believe your eyes. Things are gonna be so much larger than life in front of you. You won't believe it. We've already seen the first fragments of that. It's just jaw-droppingly amazing."

Swedish/Canadian/American extreme metal titans ARCH ENEMY have released an official music video for the song "A Million Suns". The track is taken from the band's latest album, "Blood Dynasty", which arrived on March 28 via Century Media Records.

Last month, ARCH ENEMY founder and guitarist Michael Amott told Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show that it would be "interesting" for him and his bandmates to perform "A Million Suns" live. "It's got a very new sort of atmosphere for us," he explained.

Amott previously stated about "Blood Dynasty": "This new album pushes the boundaries of what we've done before — it's everything you've come to expect from this band, and then some! We can't wait for you to hear it and feel the energy we've poured into every track. Welcome to the 'Blood Dynasty'!"

Eight months ago, Amott told Pulp Magazine about the first single from "Blood Dynasty", a song called "Dream Stealer", and ARCH ENEMY's plans for new music: "We've been staying busy for sure and are really focused on writing and recording new stuff in between the touring we're doing. I'm kind of always coming up with new musical and lyrical ideas though — I just keep going as it's what I enjoy doing anyway. Making music is a natural process, and it's pretty much a daily thing, so it can be hard to pinpoint exactly when everything was conceived. I do, however, actually remember that the initial seed for 'Dream Stealer' was written during a songwriting session I did with Daniel [Erlandsson, drums] in Los Angeles, California, two years ago, and then it's been rearranged and updated a lot till it reached its final state that you're now hearing."

Asked if it was a conscious decision to go back to the "classic ARCH ENEMY" direction and approach with "Dream Stealer", Amott said: "I've seen some seriously great feedback from the fans, and that's always very encouraging, of course. Personally, I don't know if I’d necessarily say 'Dream Stealer' is a throwback to the sound of the past, but I get what they mean — the song has the energy and speed that is very exciting and infectious. Maybe there is a hint of vintage ARCH ENEMY in there, and why not? I'm looking forward to playing it live on stage — I think it is going to be intense as hell."

ARCH ENEMY played its first concert with new guitarist Joey Concepcion on April 24, 2024 at Musinsa Garage in Seoul, South Korea. The show was part of ARCH ENEMY's 2024 Asian tour.

In December 2023, ARCH ENEMY announced that it had "amicably" parted ways with longtime guitarist Jeff Loomis.

Jeff, who was the main songwriter in his previous group, NEVERMORE, joined ARCH ENEMY in late 2014, but was not involved in the writing for the latter act's last two albums, 2017's "Will To Power" and 2022's "Deceivers".

Photo credit: Katja Kuhl

GODSMACK has confirmed the departure of the band's longtime drummer Shannon Larkin and guitarist Tony Rombola.

Earlier today, GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna released the following statement via social media: "To our dearest friends and fans, we send this message to all of you to share some bittersweet news with you regarding a significant change in our journey together.

"After almost 3 incredible decades, two of our most cherished members, Tony Rombola and Shannon Larkin have decided to retire from the band permanently, on good terms, but for no other reason than to fulfill their desire to live a more simple and quiet life away from touring.

"This decision was not made lightly. Tony and Shannon have been such a big part of our history, bringing their unique talents, creativity, and passion that have shaped our music and our message. Together, we have experienced countless, unforgettable moments and heartfelt interactions with fans like you around the world. We are immensely grateful for every memory we've created together.

"Their departure marks the end of an era, but it also opens the door for new and exciting possibilities. We want to assure you that Shannon and Tony will always be part of our family, and their contributions will forever echo in our music. We respect their decisions and support them wholeheartedly as they pursue their own individual paths.

"Robbie [Merrill, GODSMACK bassist] and I are also excited to explore new directions, and although we have not made any permanent decisions about who may replace Tony and Shannon, we will be continuing this journey together, and we look forward to sharing the decisions we make with all of you as they happen.

"In the meantime, some of you may have heard, drummer Will Hunt of EVANESCENCE, along with guitarist Sam Koltun of DOROTHY are filling in for Shannon and Tony as we honor and complete our current European dates.

"Thank you for your unwavering support over the years. We are grateful to have you by our side as we navigate this transition. Let's celebrate the memories we've made together while we all look forward to our future together.

"With love and respect, Sully, Robbie, Tony, Shannon".

GODSMACK kicked off its 2025 European tour on March 22 at Arena 8888 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The day before the Sofia concert, Erna told Elena Rozberg of Bulgaria's Z-Rock radio station that "personal things" were preventing Tony and Shannon from taking part in the trek and explained that "a couple of guest musicians" were playing with GODSMACK while he and Merrill were " trying to figure out exactly what's happening".

In a since-deleted video shared on Facebook, Larkin addressed his absence from GODSMACK's ongoing tour, saying:  "Well, there's been lots of speculation about [why Tony and I are not on the road].

"First of all, I just wanna thank everybody for the outpouring of texts, all my family and friends. I'm okay. Tony's okay. But we did quit the band last year, after lots of talking to Sully and Robbie. And they understood that we didn't wanna tour anymore — that's the reason — and we understood that they wanted to tour. And so we understood each other. And in the end, GODSMACK's out there touring and we are happily here living our lives.

"Tony turned 60. I'm 58. Look, it's not a physical thing. We wanna be home with everything that we love.

"[It's been] 40 years — think of that; 40 years I've been touring. 28 years for Rombola. And we're getting a little older, so we decided to quit it. And that's it.

"But thanks. And we love you all, the fans and everything.

"This wasn't a bad thing, and I know it looks like it, but I will talk more about it in the future. But it's all love. We're brothers for life with Sully and Robbie, and we wish Will and Sam the best. And all the fans, keep going [to the shows]. They're kicking fucking ass.

"As Sully said at the very end, all good things must come to an end. So GODSMACK didn't come to an end — it's just a new chapter for them — and it's certainly a new chapter for Tony and I. And we're already making music, and everybody's happy. So be happy, people."

In the Z-Rock interview, Sully said about GODSMACK's current status: "I can tell you that there has definitely been some changes that have happened in the last few months. They are changes that we're not sure will be permanent or temporary, but everybody and everyone is in good health and in really good spirits. And the band is doing better than ever. We're [playing to] the biggest audiences ever, and the shows are just becoming more and more valuable, because, as we get older, we still appreciate coming to places like Sofia that is so far away from where we started and being able to come here and sell out a 13,000-seat arena.

"All I can tell you right now is that the band is in good health, we're in good spirits, but there's gonna be a little bit of a different visual for everybody. Tony and Shannon have some personal things going on, and they're not with us. So we have a couple of guest musicians playing with us that are phenomenal."

Asked to elaborate on the reason for Shannon and Tony's absences from the trek, Sully said: "Hmmmm… I don't know. I don't know. I don't know if I feel safe enough talking about that yet, because I don't wanna give people the wrong impression. Right now we're still at a stage where we're trying to figure out exactly what's happening, but we're also trying to respect their privacy. So whatever Tony and Shannon have going on in their personal life, we're just trying to respect that and at the same time still come here and put on a really great show. I can tell you right now that we have a guest drummer playing with us, who's Will from EVANESCENCE. And he is such a good friend of ours and such a great musician, and we've been having so much fun with him. So that's been a real surprise. And then we have a guitar player with us named Sam Koltun, who is somebody who — he's played with several different bands and a really, really nice guy and great guitar player. So as far as the music goes and the sound, it sounds exactly like we've always sounded, which is even surprising to me."

Larkin joined GODSMACK in 2002 after cutting his teeth with WRATHCHILD (later WRATCHILD AMERICA and SOULS AT ZERO) before getting picked up by UGLY KID JOE in time for a taste of their zenith.

Tony had been the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for GODSMACK since the mid-1990s following the departure of Lee Richards.

GODSMACK's spring 2025 European tour features support from P.O.D. and DROWNING POOL.

The 14-date trek will end on April 12 in Oberhausen, Germany.

GODSMACK's latest album, "Lighting Up The Sky", was released in February 2023 via BMG. The LP was co-produced by Erna and Andrew "Mudrock" Murdock (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ALICE COOPER).

The first single from "Lighting Up The Sky", "Surrender", which arrived in September 2022, marked the first release from GODSMACK in four years, following their globally acclaimed and gold-certified 2018 album "When Legends Rise", which earned the Erna-fronted outfit a No. 1 spot across U.S. Hard Rock, Rock, and Alternative album charts.

Press photo by Chris Bradshaw

Posted by Godsmack on Wednesday, April 2, 2025

In a new interview with John Beaudin of RockHistoryMusic.com, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman spoke about the relationship he has with some of his longtime fans. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "My fans, they put up with a lot of stuff because you never know what they found me from, you never know what they like me from. And I've pretty much a hundred percent only done exactly what I wanna do, so I never really kind of pandered to what I thought the fans would like. I knew that anything that I do is gonna delight some people and maybe some people are gonna say, 'Well, it's not for me.' But I'm fine with that. That's the expense of having the luxury of doing exactly what I want. And I think that's what's kept me happy to play music for all these years, because when you hear an album or when you see us live, that's when you know it's exactly what I wanna do. I'm not trying to get on any trend or try to do market research — 'What are they listening to?' — or any of that. It's just the real thing, and I think my super, super fans can follow the thread between all of those things, 'cause my musicality is the same no matter what I'm doing. So, I am so blessed and honored to have fans that followed me through all that stuff."

Marty continued: "When we do these VIP experience things [at my concerts], [my fans] bring so many wonderful things of my career that I'm just so glad that they followed me through all this stuff. It's like someone coming to your house and looking through your drawers and saying, 'Oh, yeah, I remember that jean jacket. That's cool, dude.' It's very personal — my music is personal — and it's just wonderful that people join the party at all. So, yeah, I'm very happy to have the fans around."

Friedman kicked off his "Live Drama 2025" U.S. tour on January 25 at Count's Vamp'd in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Friedman's latest solo album, "Drama", came out last May via Frontiers Music Srl.

Recorded in Italy, "Drama" showcases Marty's unique touch, for the first time using both vintage and modern guitars, delivering a pure delight for lovers of music everywhere. From the captivating first single "Illumination", to the album's breathtaking "Mirage" and 10 other emotionally charged mini-symphonies, Marty paints atmospheric elements with a modern and exotic flair, promising an unforgettable musical experience.

Marty's presence in the world of music, the world of guitar and Japanese pop culture is mystifying, bizarre, and nothing short of inspiring. His first major impact in music was in the game-changing guitar duo CACOPHONY, which he founded with equally enigmatic and now-legendary guitarist Jason Becker. He then spent 10 years as lead guitarist in the genre-defining thrash metal act MEGADETH before moving to Tokyo due to his love for Japanese music, language, and culture.

Following his move, he landed a starring role for a new TV comedy "Hebimeta-san" ("Mr. Heavy Metal") and its spinoff, "Rock Fujiyama", which ran for six seasons and propelled him into the living rooms of Japan's mainstream. He has since appeared in over 800 TV shows, movies and commercials, including a two-year campaign with Coca-Cola for Fanta, authored two best-selling novels and was the first-ever foreigner to be appointed as an ambassador of Japan heritage and perform at the opening ceremony for the Tokyo Marathon.

At the same time, Marty has continued his career in music with several solo albums in addition to writing and performing with the top artists in Japanese music, racking up countless chart hits, including a No. 1 with SMAP, two No. 2 songs with MOMOIRO CLOVER, a No. 2 with SOUND HORIZON — just to name a few.

Friedman's autobiography, "Dreaming Japanese", arrived on December 3, 2024 via Permuted Press.

SEVENDUST guitarist Clint Lowery, whose band is playing the final concert of its "In Dust We Trust" North American tour tonight (Saturday, March 29) in Springfield, Missouri, took to his social media to share a photo of several of his Christian inspirational bracelets, and he included the following message: "Last day of the tour. There's so much I could say and probably will do another post to give some more details of the journey. For now I'll say…I've never done a tour as a saved Christian.

"I am still building my relationship with Christ. I'm still a sinner, flawed and broken. BUT…..I've been able to see the world through a biblical lense. My band of brothers, our crew, the people who have come to the shows.

"It's been the most profound and spiritual tour I've done in my career. Free of resentments, free of judgement of others, less me and more them. Less self will and more of God's will.

"I've stared at these [bracelets] every day multiple times a day. Reminders when I sink into the darkness of my thoughts and fears.

"I'm so thankful to be alive today, to be faithful to my creator.

"Waiting for my family to arrive for our last show of this unbelievable tour I did not know I would be able to do but God made the way. I know he did.

"I never want to boast, or stand on a soapbox, I'm simply stating what has helped me keep moving forward in a better direction. So much respect for my band mates, crew and management. We did some good boys.

"Glory to God."

Lowery became sober nearly 18 years ago after being arrested at the Hodokvas festival in Piestany, Slovakia following what was described as a "wild drunken night" that resulted in the musician trashing his room. At the time, Lowery was on tour with KORN as the latter band's backing/session guitarist. A day following Lowery's arrest, he was released from police custody after apologizing and paying for the damages. He later released a statement explaining that he was "being a lil' rowdy and loud" in his hotel and acknowledging that he "pulled some Rock 101 stuff." He added that he was "not proud of it at all" and claimed that the entire episode was "scary enough" to where he knew he would never be doing anything like that "ever again."

When Clint celebrated the 17th year of his getting sober last October, he took to his social media to write: "Quick story….When I got sober, the first week was a blur to say the least. I entered a treatment center a few days after getting fired from my hired gun role in KORN. One of the many bottoms I hit that were sufficient enough to be willing to get sober and stay sober a day at a time. I was in a holding pattern for a few days waiting to get accepted into the treatment center and those days were foggy.

"I've always had a sobriety date of October 24th. But doing a true gut check and trying hard to remember the true date (which has always bugged me),this being an honest deal, I have to say my true sobriety date is October 27th, 2007 and God willing…I'll make it to tomorrow without a drink or drug.

"For years I've wrestled with that. Sounds like no big deal, right? Well, for me, those lil untruths are not good…at all. For me and especially for God. So only a few days different I'm even more grateful entering another year with that adjustment in the name of truth to self and a God I need to repent to.

"This year has undoubtedly been the hardest in my sobriety dealing with life on life's terms…but the true miracle is I haven't thought of taking a drink. That's a God thing…not a me thing. So before you have any atta boys I give credit to him. I post this also for the alcoholic out there trying to get sober. It can happen for you if it happened for me trust me

"I recently gave my life to Jesus Christ and that has brought me true comfort through the tough times. For me. I'm not here to tell anyone how to live their life and I was certainly one of the people who didn't like that pushed on me, I just encourage people to open their minds and hearts to him. It helped an old country dude find peace in true chaos and uncertainty."

SEVENDUST and THREE DAYS GRACE recently completed a North American tour as the support acts for DISTURBED on the latter act's "The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour".

SEVENDUST is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "Truth Killer", which was released in July 2023 via SEVENDUST's new label home, Napalm Records.

The follow-up to 2020's "Blood & Stone", "Truth Killer" was once again tracked at Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who has previously worked with ALTER BRIDGE and SLASH, among others.

"Truth Killer" showcased the original and current SEVENDUST lineup, comprised of singer Lajon Witherspoon, guitarists Lowery and John Connolly, bassist Vince Hornsby and drummer Morgan Rose.

Last fall, SEVENDUST celebrated the 21st anniversary of its iconic album "Seasons" on a U.S. tour. "Seasons" is the fourth album from the band's catalog and exploded on to the metal world when it was released in October 2003. The album spawned a Top 10 Rock single with "Enemy" and the album closer "Face To Face" is a show staple and fan favorite of SEVENDUST to this day.

"Seasons" was, for a time, the band's last album with Lowery as he left in 2004. Lowery returned to SEVENDUST in March 2008 and has remained with the group ever since.

Last day of the tour. There's so much I could say and probably will do another post to give some more details of the...

Posted by Clint Lowery on Saturday, March 29, 2025

In an interview with Skratch N' Sniff and SNSMix.com, HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD co-founder Johnny 3 Tears revealed that he and his bandmates have no plans to release a new full-length album anytime soon. He explained (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've got new songs coming out real shortly, within the next couple of months. As far as like a new 'record record', I don't know. I don't think we're even planning on [it]. Well, at least as of now, I think those days are numbered, as far as putting out, like, 'Hey, here's an album with 15 songs on it.' I mean, at some point that will happen. But as of now we're just kind of just releasing songs.

"We have a bunch of songs lined up — we're gonna release songs," he clarified. "At one point we'll probably package them with some other songs and put out a record for those who want 'em. But dude, cars don't even have fucking CD players in 'em anymore. What are we gonna release a record for? No one buys 'em. Except for people who like vinyl. And now, it's funny 'cause outside of the artwork, there's almost no incentive to make an album anymore. So we'll see what happens. But as of now, we're just gonna release songs and videos and all the other stuff, and eventually maybe package it into a record for people who want physical product or tangible product. But yeah, as far as releasing an actual album, I have no idea. I don't even know if anybody's gonna do that anymore."

When the interviewer noted that bands put out records, only for people to have forgotten about them within 10 days, Johnny 3 Tears said: "In the streaming era, it's a bummer. I used to love buying an album and you read the liner notes and the thank yous. It was like an event. But then again, I didn't have access to the back catalog of the world either. So it was, like, I spent 20 bucks. I'm gonna go through this and listen to every word and da, da, da, da. Now it's, like, dude, you're lucky if people listen to the first 30 seconds of every song on your album. And no one wants the physical product. So it's been negated by the streaming world. And if you don't adapt to that, it really is just kind of wasteful. And then the back half of your record no one listens to anyway, so you're getting bummed out 'cause you might have some really good stuff that you care about, and now you're, like, 'Well, no one's listening to those songs.'

"It's funny 'cause the hip-hop world's been doing this mix tape stuff for forever — two, three songs here, two, three songs there, a lot of collabing," he continued. "Rock is just now catching up to that. 'Hey, let's call up ICE NINE KILLS and do a song together.' 'Let's do some stuff with PAPA ROACH.' 'Oh, let's do something with ATREYU,' whatever. Hip-hop's been doing this forever, and now rock is coming around to the same avenue because now it makes more sense 'cause, yeah, people don't wanna buy albums and they've realized, Hey, you know what? Not every song has to be this massive event. You can just take something, like, 'Hey, let's record a song today and put it out next week.' Why not? If people don't like it, it's just sitting there, like, what's the big deal? Do you know what I mean? Not everything is living forever on some album now.

"It's a different world, dude," Johnny 3 Tears added. "Honestly, it's hard to adapt to. I can't stand the whole TikTok, 'Hey, you've gotta have snippets. You need these 15-second videos.' It's not my world. I'm just living in it. But as far as music goes, I love it, because I write music all of the time — every day, that's pretty much what we all do. And it sucks 'cause you write music all day every day, and you get every two years you've gotta put up 14 songs out of the hundreds you've worked on. So that's always been very, like, 'Eh, that that part kind of stinks.' So now we just write songs, we send them in and they'll be, like, 'Yeah, let's put it out in a couple weeks. What the hell?' That's a lot more fun. There's not so much weight on it: 'Oh, how did it do? Did it sell a gazillion copies?' It's more like it goes away with the next song that you put out. So there's less pressure on the song. We get to put out whatever we want, whenever we want. It's kind of cool — artistically speaking. But everything has its wins and losses."

He concluded: "It's a different world, dude. We're just living in it, bro."

After the interviewer pointed out that the old way of making records, with bands sometimes having to wait up to a year after an album has been completed for it to come out, Johnny 3 Tears concurred. "You are sitting there and then by the time you are putting it out, you wanna change stuff," he said. "You're, like, "This doesn't sound right now.' It's just a mind game. You do nine mixes, because you have too much time to think and you start making it worse because you have a vacuum in your head now. To me, it's just not conducive to creativity. And when you're making music and you know this probably isn't even gonna come out, you'll do it 'cause you like doing it but there's also this kind of ambivalence to the whole thing. It's, like, what's the point? And so I would way rather just be able to write a song and if we like it, put it out. If people don't like it, okay — I don't care. I'd rather people like it, but if they don't, it's not like I'm gonna go walk off a bridge or something. So it's, like, you let people listen to it. If they like it, they like it. If they don't, they don't. It's music. It's meant to be fluid. And I get it — for a record label, they needed those 14 songs to be perfect 'cause it was propped up on a 10-million-dollar campaign of promotion. They can't afford for it not to succeed, and I understand that. But that's not the case anymore. So, like, well, dude, let's rock and roll."

Last October HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD released a new single, "Hollywood Forever". The track, accompanied by an official music video, marked the band's first release under a newly inked deal with globally renowned independent label Sumerian Records.

HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD has surpassed three billion cross-platform streams and over one billion YouTube views, cementing its status as one of the most streamed rock bands of its generation, with an ever-evolving sound that continues to resonate with a global audience.

Since the release of HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD's RIAA platinum-certified 2008 debut album, "Swan Songs", their distinctive and infectious music has incited a cult audience of millions of fans, resulting in sold-out shows across the globe, in addition to receiving nods in the press from the likes of Consequence Of Sound, Billboard, Alternative Press, Rolling Stone and Revolver. The quintet have also garnered massive mainstream appeal, with their 2011 sophomore record, "American Tragedy", going gold and hitting No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart.

HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD's latest album — the band's eighth — "Hotel Kalifornia", arrived in 2022 via Dove & Grenade Media/BMG.

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

Tim Cronin, founding member of stoner rock pioneers MONSTER MAGNET, has been diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis),a progressive and incurable neurodegenerative disease that causes muscle weakness, paralysis, and eventual respiratory system failure.

While there is no cure, there are care options and accommodations that can have a profound impact on Tim's quality of life. Unfortunately, they are significantly expensive. ALS has been called "the bankruptcy disease" due to the significant and ever-increasing financial burden it places on families.

Cronin's family is asking for fans' support to help ease the cost of this cruel and unfeeling disease and give Tim the comfort and dignity that he deserves.

So far over $55,000 has been raised towards the goal of $75,000 on a GoFundMe campaign which was launched over the weekend.

You donations will go directly towards:

* In-home assistance
* Wheelchair ramp
* Mobility aids
* Medical treatments and therapies
* Assistive devices
* Transportation to doctors appointments

Cronin helped shape MONSTER MAGNET's early sound with contributions on vocals, bass, and drums after the band's formation in 1989. Outside the studio, Cronin has spent over three decades at the helm of Jack's Music Shoppe, a beloved independent record store in Red Bank, New Jersey.

In recent years, MONSTER MAGNET has gone through a number of lineup changes, leaving Dave Wyndorf (vocals and guitar) as the only constant member.

MONSTER MAGNET has released eleven studio albums to date, including the band's latest, a covers album titled "A Better Dystopia", which came out in 2021. They are best known for their 1990s hits "Negasonic Teenage Warhead" and "Space Lord".

MONSTER MAGNET has been credited for developing and popularizing the stoner rock genre, along with MASTERS OF REALITY, KYUSS, FU MANCHU and SLEEP.

Wormholedeath is proud to announce the signing of Italian gothic rock/hard goth revolutionaries, Blax, for their sophomore album, Certesia, slated for release on April 25.

A storm of shadow and steel, Blax merges brooding gothic atmospheres with industrial grit, alternative edge, and the unapologetic fury of hard rock/metal, crafting a sound that defies genre walls while paying homage to the dark romanticism of ’80s icons.

Following their 2022 debut Meravilia – a cult favorite that carved their name into the underground – Certesia marks a journey inward. The album explores a metaphorical “village” of personal certainties, with each track dissecting introspective facets of identity.

“This isn’t just music—it’s a pilgrimage,” says the band. “Certesia is where we confront our shadows and embrace the chaos of self-discovery. It’s raw, theatrical, and unflinchingly honest.”

Get a glimpse of Certesia now with the music video for “Mr Graceful”, a taste of what’s to come. Watch the clip below.

Blax’s artistry extends beyond sound. Their striking visual identity embodies a “goth family” ethos, blending vampiric elegance with punk rebellion. This aesthetic depth amplifies their live shows, where haunting melodies collide with primal energy – a spectacle that has electrified stages at Masters Of Rock (CZ), Rock Castle (SK), and festivals across Europe.

Born in March 2020 as the solo vision of vocalist Giampaolo Polidoro (Blax) and guitarist Marco Fanella (Hektor), Blax evolved into a formidable quintet with Emil Dellantonio (Hexen) on guitar, Carlo Notarfonso (Xavier) on bass, and Luca Urbinati (Anon) on drums. After signing with AlphaOmega and conquering stages from Bulgaria to London, the band now readies their most ambitious work yet with Wormholedeath.



Certesia tracklisting:

“Blax”
“Mr Graceful”
“Doctor Love”
“All Saints In Hell”
“King Of The Cafe”
“Lady Music”
“Misery Of The Cross”
“Philophobia”
“Desideria”
“Rockaphilia”

After more than two decades without a proper tour, SAVATAGE is preparing to return to the stage. The American metal band, known for its fusion of heavy, progressive, and power metal, has been largely inactive in the live scene since 2002, with their last full performance taking place at Wacken Open Air 2015. Now they are set for a series of concerts across South America in April and Europe in June. The return begins in Brazil, where SAVATAGE will perform at the Monsters Of Rock festival on April 19 at Allianz Parque, São Paulo. The event will also feature SCORPIONS, JUDAS PRIEST, EUROPE, OPETH, QUEENSRŸCHE and STRATOVARIUS. However, one key member will be missing: Jon Oliva, SAVATAGE's founding vocalist and keyboardist. In 2023, Oliva suffered a T7 vertebra fracture in three places, a severe injury that has left him relying on a wheelchair. Additionally, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and Ménière's disease, conditions that have further complicated his health.

In an interview with Brazilian music journalist Marcelo Vieira, Oliva repeatedly emphasized that his injuries prevent him from taking part in the tour, explaining how his condition has affected even basic activities, let alone performing.

"Oh, I feel like shit," Jon said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "Well, I've learned my lesson. First of all, never fracture your spine. That's my first tip, because it's incredibly painful and it takes a long time to heal. And, unfortunately, I fractured my spine in three places. Other than that, I'm okay, except with the fracture, I mean, I can't sing. I can't really move around that well yet because it isn't completely healed yet. And I can't do therapy, physical therapy, because it's not healed enough yet for that. So I'm basically stuck, and it sucks and I'm very disappointed, but what are you gonna do? Things happen. And if I would've hit where I did a foot to the left, I'd be dead right now. My truck, my vehicle got cut in half and I missed being grounded to a tree by about a foot. It was scary. And it was a freak accident. I hit a puddle on the road, I hit a puddle and I hydroplaned and I went off the road and hit a tree, and the tree cut my car in half. And, like I said, I just missed hitting the tree with my body by about a foot, they said."

After Vieira noted that Oliva will still serve as SAVATAGE's "musical director" for the upcoming shows and inquired as to what "this new dynamic" has been like for Jon and the rest of the band, Oliva said: "Well, it's weird, it's strange, but I put everything together. I was the first one that started putting this whole tour thing together. And then when the accident happened, I ended up in the hospital for seven months and my managers were, like, 'Well, I guess we're just gonna cancel.' I'm, like, 'Oh, man. No, no. Let me think on this for a little bit.' And I talked to all the guys, and I said, 'Well, look, what if you guys just go and do it and do it without me for this time, for this run, and then when I'm healed up, I'll come back and everything will be like it used to be.' I didn't wanna disappoint the SAVATAGE fans because everyone was looking forward to it and the guys in the band were really looking forward to it. And then, of course, I got in that accident and it screwed everything up. And I'm not that egotistical of a guy where I'm, like, 'Well, if I'm not there, nobody's [gonna play].' I'm not like that. So I talked with everybody. I put a setlist together, song list together, and I said, 'Okay, well, you guys wanna do this? Let's do it. I'm with you.' I'm gonna go to all the rehearsals and everything like that. I'll be there doing musical directing and stuff and whatever.

"The guys are hungry. They're gonna do great," Oliva continued. "I'm very confident that that they're gonna kick your ass. I mean, I wish I could be there, but physically I can't. And I won't go out on stage if I can't be at a hundred percent. And with this injury, there's just no way that I can sing at a hundred percent, and I won't do that. I'd rather just let the guys do it, and when I'm healed up — hopefully next summer, next spring, summer — I'll be okay to be back in there and I'll be back out there."

Asked if this return to the stage is a "one-off celebratory event" or if fans can expect the band to continue to release new material in the future, Oliva said: "Well, we've basically got a whole album that's written, that I've been working on and worked on some stuff with [guitarist] Chris Caffery and I worked on some stuff with [guitarist] Al Pitrelli and some stuff on my own, and we basically got all the material. It's just we were getting ready to start working on it together and this accident happened. I was actually on my way to the studio when this accident happened. It was just bad timing, and what are you gonna do? I mean, it was just a freak accident, but that stuff happens. I'm lucky to be alive. I decided, well, let the guys go and do these shows in South America and maybe a couple shows in Europe and then we'll get to work on the album. And I can do that, I can work on the album, as I am right now, but I can't do any live performances, because I can't stay on my feet that long with this spine thing, and I can't sing. I sing from my diaphragm, and let me tell you, trying to sing with a fractured spine is very painful — it's like being stabbed with a screwdriver. So until I'm better, I'm sending the guys out there to bust ass, and they're gonna do great. And they're very excited, and I'm excited for them. And there's a few surprises we have in store."

Regarding the musical direction of the new SAVATAGE material, Jon said: "It's a little bit of everything. There's some really great, great heavy, heavy dark songs. There's some great progressive, QUEEN-ish type songs. It's a little bit of everything. As a matter of fact, there's so much stuff, it might have to make it a double album, 'cause I've just got too much material. And it's all good. I'm not gonna just slap together some crappy album and call it SAVATAGE: 'Here you go.' No. Every song has gotta be a 10, and so far every song we've worked on is really good. And I think you guys are gonna love it."

Joining Chris and Al in SAVATAGE's current touring lineup are Johnny Lee Middleton on bass, Zak Stevens on vocals and Jeff Plate on drums.

Zak joined SAVATAGE in 1992 as the replacement for Jon. Zak sang on four albums with the band — "Edge Of Thorns" (1993),"Handful Of Rain" (1994),"Dead Winter Dead" (1995) and "The Wake Of Magellan" (1997) — before departing in 2000, allowing Jon to return. Both Jon and Zak took part in SAVATAGE's 2015 performance at Wacken Open Air, which marked the band's first, and only so far, appearance on stage since they went on hiatus back in 2002.

SAVATAGE's last album release, "Poets And Madmen", in 2001 was highlighted by Jon's return as lead vocalist, replacing Zak, who left the band citing family reasons, and the departure of Pitrelli, who accepted an offer to join MEGADETH in 2000. Pitrelli did record solos for some songs prior to his exit. Another very limited U.S. tour followed, supported by FATES WARNING in the early shows, and then NEVERMORE for the remainder. Around this time, Jon chose Zak's replacement in the form of Damond Jiniya (DIET OF WORMS). Damond performed Zak's parts on tour, with Jon having an increased vocal role in proceedings.

In September 2021, Jon Oliva was arrested on the west central coast of Florida for driving under the influence as well as possession of a controlled substance. Police charged Oliva with possession of cocaine, which is a felony, and DUI, which is a misdemeanor. Oliva was reportedly arrested again in July 2023 on another cocaine possession charge.

Back in 2016, Jon announced on social media that he suffered a stroke in April of that year. At the time, he said: "It was not as serious as it could have been, but it did leave me with some physical recovery challenges often associated with strokes."

Despite his health issues, Jon said that he didn't regret the way he had lived his life. He wrote: "I lived the rock 'n' roll lifestyle since I was 18. It's all I knew and I enjoyed the ride very much. But there comes a time in everyone's life where you have to step back and make some life-changing decisions... which I have."

Shortly after SAVATAGE's reunion performance at the 2015 Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany, Oliva claimed that he felt better than he had in 20 years because he had "stopped drinking and eating" in preparation for the concert. He explained: "It's my voice that's freaking me out, because, even when I was in my late 20s, early 30s, doing songs like '24 Hours Ago' were always really hard to do. And, of course, I didn't realize that it was all the drugs and alcohol I was doing. But, after doing that, getting my act together and stuff, singing '24 Hours Ago', it's actually easy now. [Laughs]"

In addition to his work with SAVATAGE, Oliva is well known for co-creating the classical music-meets-prog rock and pyro act TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA alongside Paul O'Neill. Oliva has reportedly remained involved in TSO's activities even after O'Neill's April 2017 death of an accidental drug overdose.

Jon's brother Criss, who was one of the founding members of SAVATAGE, was killed in October 1993 by a drunk driver when he and his wife Dawn were en route to the Livestock festival in Zephyrhills, Florida. The driver of the other car was found to have a drunk driving record of seven prior DUIs and having a blood alcohol content of .294 percent.