Legendary heavy metal powerhouse NEVERMORE has signed with Reigning Phoenix Music. The band also welcomes to the lineup Jack Cattoi on guitar, Semir Özerkan on bass, and new vocalist Berzan Önen. To showcase the new lineup, NEVERMORE's first live appearance will take place on April 1, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey.

On this new chapter, guitarist Jeff Loomis and drummer Van Williams share: "We are thrilled to announce that NEVERMORE has officially signed with Reigning Phoenix Music! It was obvious from the start that they were the perfect partner for the new era of NEVERMORE. Their passion for metal music combined with the extensive industry pedigree of their team made the choice easy. We can't wait to get back on stage in front of our fans in Istanbul on April 1st, and we are just as excited to finish writing and putting together the new NEVERMORE album!"

Reigning Phoenix music co-founder Gerado Martinez comments on NEVERMORE joining the RPM roster: "There are no words to describe how proud and excited RPM is at the prospect of being part of NEVERMORE's next chapter. Having been a fan since 1995 when I saw them on tour with DEATH, I've followed them on their entire musical journey and cannot wait for what is yet to come."

Directed and produced by Ola Englund, NEVERMORE has released a documentary film showcasing their rehearsals in January of this year at Swans Neck Soundworks in Väderstad, Sweden. Featuring powerful, raw performances of their tracks including "The River Dragon Has Come", "Engines Of Hate" and "The Heart Collector", it offers an thrilling insight into the band's new era. The film also sees guitarist Jeff Loomis and drummer Van Williams discuss their decision to bring NEVERMORE back, introduce the new members, and reveal their thoughts throughout the audition process. Additionally, Loomis and Williams share news of forthcoming festival appearances across 2026, and future plans for NEVERMORE.

NEVERMORE enters 2026 with purpose, fire, and a clear sense of who they are. Forged in the aftermath of SANCTUARY, the band carved out a sound defined by precision musicianship, fearless songwriting, and emotional intensity. From their self-titled debut in 1995 through landmark releases such as "Dead Heart In A Dead World" and "This Godless Endeavor", NEVERMORE built a global following and a reputation as one of modern metal's most distinctive voices.

Now that legacy moves forward under the leadership of guitarist Jeff Loomis and drummer Van Williams, joined by guitarist Jack Cattoi, bassist Semir Özerkan and vocalist Berzan Önen. After years apart, the spark that first ignited the band has returned with renewed focus. For Van, the timing feels natural.

"It's been brewing for quite a while and has just started to manifest itself into the now," Van says. "So what better time is there to kick things off than now?"

New music is already taking shape. Van smiles at the early results. "If the new music had to be described by one word, that would have to be delicious. Because it's so good it's gonna leave you hungry for more." The writing process is unfolding alongside preparations for the stage, with the band focused equally on honoring the catalog and building what comes next.

The addition of Berzan signaled a powerful evolution. Jeff remembers the first time he saw Berzan's audition video. "He really stood out strong in so many ways upon a first listen," Loomis says. "I could really feel the emotion and passion when I heard him sing for the first time. He wasn't just going through the motions." The connection was immediate. "I could tell right away that he was a fan of Warrel's singing just by the way he delivered and said certain words. I was really blown away at first watch."

The history of NEVERMORE includes an extraordinary lineage of musicians who shaped its evolution. Guitarists Pat O'Brien, Tim Calvert, Steve Smyth and Chris Broderick each left a distinct imprint on the band's catalog and live presence. Bassist Jim Sheppard played a central role in shaping the band's identity during its defining years.

Following the band's disbandment, Jeff Loomis released the acclaimed solo albums "Zero Order Phase" and "Plains Of Oblivion", co-founded CONQUERING DYSTOPIA and spent nearly a decade as a member of ARCH ENEMY, contributing to releases, including "Will To Power" and "Deceivers". Van Williams remained active through projects such as ASHES OF ARES and GHOST SHIP OCTAVIUS. Warrel Dane continued creating until his passing in 2017, leaving behind a body of work that continues to inspire musicians and fans worldwide.

As NEVERMORE steps into 2026, the mission is grounded in honesty and intensity. Jeff captures the heart of it. "Van and I are super passionate about the band," he says. "What we deliver and bring back to the audience is us wanting to hear those old tracks again just as much as the fans. We obviously want our old fans there every step of the way, but also look forward to meeting a new generation of fans as well."

NEVERMORE effectively split up in 2011 when Loomis and Williams announced their departure from the band due to personal differences with Dane and Sheppard. Warrel later described NEVERMORE in an interview as "the greatest band that alcohol ever ruined."

Dane died in in December 2017 in São Paulo, Brazil while recording his posthumously released solo studio album, "Shadow Work". The musician reportedly had a heart attack during the night and could not be revived.

According to guitarist Johnny Moraes, who played in Warrel's solo band, Dane had a history of addiction and other health issues. "His health was already very weak because of his diabetes and his problems with alcoholism," he said.

The instrumental parts for Dane's follow-up to 2008's "Praises To The War Machine" solo album were almost completed and he had begun laying down his vocals shortly before his death.

When Loomis and Williams revealed their plan to launch a "world search" for a vocalist and bassist for the reformed version of the band, Van addressed Jim's absence from the reunion, saying: "Some people think it's disrespectful not to involve Jim or inform him of our plans. But those who feel that way don't know the history of the band or the behind-the-scenes dynamics that led to this decision. While it may not have been the most ideal approach, the reality is that there hasn't been communication with Jim in years.

"We felt that sometimes, for the sake of a fresh start, it's necessary to move on from relationships that may no longer be conducive to growth or new beginnings. We made this decision with the intention of honoring the legacy of the band while moving forward in a way that felt right for us at the time. That said, we wish him good health and he is free to pursue whatever path he chooses. Without going into too much detail, I'll just say respect goes both ways, and certain things became irreconcilable over time for us… I wish the situation with Jim were different, but the past has brought us here."

Williams also denied that he and Loomis were reforming NEVERMORE as a "money grab", explaining: "Most musicians don't do this for the money. We've spent countless hours thru the years sweating, rehearsing, performing, and recording simply because we love it. This is what we chose to do in life because we've always loved it. That's what drives us, the passion for music, the connection with fans, and the creative process. If money comes from that, great but it has never been the focus, but we also have bills to pay like you."

For his part, Jeff defended the decision to reactivate NEVERMORE with new musicians, writing: "No one can replace Warrel Dane. Bottom line. With his interesting melodies and charisma onstage, he was a force that was a huge part of the band both lyrically and spiritually. With that being said, we aren't looking for a Warrel Dane clone. We are looking for someone that can carry the older NEVERMORE tunes in his vocal style, and someone who can add something new and refreshing to the next chapter of the band. Obviously, this won't be the easiest thing to do."

Loomis "amicably" left ARCH ENEMY in December 2023 and was replaced by Joey Concepcion.

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

In December 2019, Sheppard launched a project called THE DEAD HEART COLLECTIVE, featuring music and lyrics inspired by Dane. At the time, Sheppard sent his synopsis of THE DEAD HEART COLLECTIVE to BLABBERMOUTH.NET in which he explained his decision to start a new project as a vehicle for Warrel to "channel songs and paintings" through him.

Sheppard addressed NEVERMORE's return in a statement he released to BLABBERMOUTH.NET on January 4, 2025. He wrote at the time: "In my heart, NEVERMORE will always be Warrel, Jeff and I living in a one-room apartment, slaves to an eight-track recording machine, non-stop songwriting insanity. We were driven, we were hungry... To quote Dave Mustaine, we were ready to 'smile, eat shit and ask for more!'

"True, I've been retired. I enjoy my new life in Alaska following bears with my wife Priscila, a wildlife photographer.

"My opinion of [Loomis's and Williams's] press release [announcing the NEVERMORE comeback is] Van came across self-promoting and Jeff felt very sincere; he truly wants to capture a little piece of the magic we held.

"I'm disappointed no one reached out to me concerning the name NEVERMORE, a name that means blood, sweat and tears. With that said, I wish them the best."

Photo credit: Ola Englund

EVERGREY, Gothenburg's masterminds of melancholia, offer up another outburst of beautiful darkness and turn their inner fire into something unstoppable: their intense fifteenth album, "Architects Of A New Weave", will be released on June 5, 2026 via Napalm Records, just days before the band takes the stage as special guest to the undisputed kings of heavy metal IRON MAIDEN for two shows on their "Run For Your Lives" world tour.

This is the wake-up call you didn't know you needed: a plunge into thinning air, burning worlds, and lingering guilt — only to break free with fierce momentum. The album refuses to wallow. It ascends — fast, heavy, and cinematic. But it refuses to hide in the dark. It rises: quick, fierce, and utterly transformative.

Stay tuned for new music coming soon.

EVERGREY frontman Tom S. Englund states about "Architects Of A New Weave": "We've literally never had this much trouble picking singles. And honestly? That's the best problem we could possibly have. Every song on this record is fighting to be the one you hear first — because we poured everything into making an album we're flat-out obsessed with. Like always there are no fillers, no compromises, just twelve tracks we're stupidly proud of and will be for the rest of our lives. Pre-order the album now and join the weave!"

Dive into "Architects Of A New Weave"'s standout tracks like "The World Is On Fire", "Leaving The Emptiness", "Heaven" and "The Prophecy", and the breathtaking title anthem "Architects Of The New Weave". Their choruses break through like sunlight piercing storm clouds: enormous, cinematic melodies that pull you upward, riffs with genuine weight and bite, and vocals dripping with raw, unflinching truth. In one breath, you're shouldering buried longing; in the next, you're weightless, fearless, endless. Scars transform into badges of survival, fractures fuel reinvention. In the second half of the album, fellow Gothenburg icon Mikael Stanne (DARK TRANQUILLITY, THE HALO EFFECT, GRAND CADAVER, CEMETERY SKYLINE) joins Tom S. Englund in vocal duties for "A Burning Flame", the voices of the two scene legends intertwined compellingly.

"Architects Of A New Weave" was produced by Tom S. Englund and Vikram Shankar, with a stellar mix by Adam "Nolly" Getgood.

Among other exclusive formats, "Architects Of A New Weave" comes with a bonus album, containing bonus tracks "Heights" and "One Heart", as well as an album mix of the previously released standalone single "Oxygen!" (2025). Additionally, it features a demo version of "Longing", instrumental tracks of "Leaving The Emptiness", both new songs, as well as a live version of "Falling From The Sun", the hit single off the previous record, "Theories of Emptiness" (2024) and continuation of "Ominous" off "A Heartless Portrait (The Orphean Testament)" (2022).

"Architects Of A New Weave" track listing:

01. Welcome To The Pattern
02. The Shadow Self
03. Architects Of The New Weave
04. The World Is On Fire
05. Heaven
06. The Script
07. Leaving The Emptiness
08. Longing
09. A Burning Flame
10. Call Off Your Lions
11. Chains Of Shame
12. The Prophecy

Longtime EVERGREY drummer Jonas Ekdahl announced his departure from the band in May 2024, explaining in a statement that his "passion within music [had] gradually shifted from touring and playing live shows to the creative aspect of being in the studio: writing songs, recording, producing, and mixing. It has reached a point where I no longer find joy and excitement in touring, making it difficult to continue," he said. "It has felt like I was traveling away from something rather than toward something whenever we would go out to play. Instead, I want to dedicate my time, focus, and energy to writing, producing, and mixing."

EVERGREY's fourteenth studio album, "Theories Of Emptiness", came out in June 2024 via Napalm Records. The LP was produced by Englund and Jonas Ekdahl, and was mixed by Getgood, who worked closely with the band from the start — bringing out the vividness of the album's overall sonic profile. Rounding out the album's production, mastering was helmed by Thomas "Plec" Johansson (SOILWORK, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA, ONSLAUGHT, THE GEMS, ELEINE and many more).

Photo credit: Patric Ullaeus

In a new interview with Roppongi Rocks' Stefan Nilsson, former SKID ROW singer Erik Grönwall confirmed that his new solo album will arrive before the end of 2026. He worked on the LP with his producer and former H.E.A.T. bandmate Jona Tee. Erik said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I can't say much about it because there will be a press release soon. But, yeah album coming out this year. And it was just one of those things that I've built my career in bands, I've loved being in bands, but I also asked myself, who am I as a songwriter when I release my own music? 'Cause I did a solo album after [appearing on the competition show] '[Swedish] Idol', but I have to say that was more Sony Music's album. And to be fair against the people I worked with then, and I didn't really know what I wanted to do either. So it was kind of, like, 'Okay, you have a guy who can sing stuff, probably. What do we do? Maybe this.' And then we just put it out there. And it was way too fast. We put it out just to get it out for people to shop for Christmas. [Laughs] So, yeah, it wasn't from the heart. But now it is. And I've never been prouder of an album than I am right now. I've really taken the time, and Jona has been next to me. And I've been experimenting. I've been soul searching, like, 'What if we do this? No, that doesn't feel right. This, no. Okay.' And then I realized that who I am as an artist is everything I've done so far, combined — H.E.A.T., SKID ROW, Michael Schenker. It's not that hard. It's rock and roll. If you can count to four, you can do rock and roll. 1, 2, 3, 4 — it's done. That's all you need."

Grönwall, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021, also spoke his decision to join SKID ROW in early 2022 and his eventual departure two years later. He said: "For me, it was an obvious 'yes' [when I was asked to join SKID ROW], but I think what people have to understand is that I got the question five months after my bone marrow transplant against leukemia. [I had a] new immune system, new blood type — [I went through] a total reset of the immune system. I weighed 55 kilos [around 121 pounds] after all the chemo. And I got the question. If the question came a month before, earlier, a month earlier than that, I wouldn't have been able to do it. So it was perfect timing, but still the worst timing. So for me, it was a yes, but it was also one of those, like, 'If my doctor says no, I'm not gonna do it.' Because … health always comes first. So that's what I try to live by. And sometimes it's hard in this business because you've got beer in the fridge. So it was a yes for me, and I wanted to do it."

Erik, who auditioned for "Swedish Idol" back in 2009 by singing a cover of SKID ROW's "18 And Life", continued: "SKID ROW has been one of those fans that I've been listening to when I grew up. I love the band. I had a lot of fun in that band, but it was really hard for me to… Here I am doing what I love, my dream, and I get to do it with one of the bands that I grew up listening to. And it was just so surreal. And I did the '18 And Life' when I auditioned for 'Idol' and it was just, like, 'Is this happening? It's surreal.' But at the same time, I had this voice in my head saying, 'Health first, health first.' You gotta respect the guy who went through all the shit at the hospital, the guy who fought for his life. You have to stand up for that guy now. And I felt like it was really hard to say 'no' to touring and to doing shows, because you don't wanna be that guy. You don't wanna be the typical singer. [Laughs]"

Asked if his departure from SKID ROW to focus on his health was also an "easy" decision for him, Erik said: "It was harder. It was really hard. And also because I had a really good time in the band and still have a lot of respect and love for the guys. But, for me, I asked for… I wasn't saying 'no' to touring completely. I was just saying I need a month off at home in between tours. Just 'cause I was still doing checkups at the hospital and I still do it. I actually have one in February coming up. So I kind of felt like I was everywhere and I didn't really take care of myself. And that became stressful because knowing what I've been through, and I don't know what can happen if… It's very unpredictable. Cancer is very unpredictable. So I just wanted to take care of myself, recuperate, have that time. I was still living in Sweden, so [I] just [wanted to] have that time to really take care of myself. So, [what I asked for was] one month off and three weeks on the road, one month off, three weeks on the road. But they are a touring band, and that didn't work for them. And that's completely fine. No hard feelings. That was just something I needed. And then that happened. I decided to take a step back and started doing more stuff on YouTube."

Erik added: "I love singing and I love putting stuff out on YouTube, doing songs I love, interpretations. But then I also found a love for writing music again. So I asked myself after SKID ROW, like, who am I? Who am I? Because I've always built my career in bands. So what do I sound like? And that's what we're gonna find out now."

A year ago, Erik opened up about his decision to exit SKID ROW, telling Shawn Ratches of Laughingmonkeymusic: "It was a really, really tough decision. And if I could have stayed in the band, I would. It just got to a point where I was, like, well, if I'm gonna respect the guy who went through all of this and respect my own values, I just had to make that decision. But it was the right decision, but it was a hard decision."

Grönwall went on to say that both he and the members of SKID ROW "took a risk" when they decided to work with each other. "I remember once saying to [SKID ROW bassist] Rachel [Bolan], like, 'Wow, you guys took a really big risk with me.' And he was, like, Yeah, but you took it that times four' or something, 'cause there are four [other] people in the band. But the thing is we found each other right away. And I still think we were so good for each other. They helped me and I hope I added value to SKID ROW. It feels like it. And they added value to Erik Grönwall, the Grönwall business. So it was a really, really good relationship we had, and we had a really good thing going. But they definitely took a big risk."

Elaborating on the factors that were involved in his decision to leave SKID ROW, Erik said: "I understand it's hard to grasp how what a bone marrow transplant comes with or a leukemia treatment comes with. There's so much, and it's not like there's any blueprint for it. It's just, 'Okay. Today this is happening to your body. Okay, we've gotta check what that is.' And it's blood tests every month, every third month, every six months. And it's a big thing. And it's a lot to keep keep track on, obviously. But we were really good for each other. And those guys were very extremely generous from day one. Very democratic. It was democratic from day one. It wasn't like I was the hired guy. I was part of the band. So they made me feel really good about that. And I wanted to be a part of the band as well. There's a lot to say, obviously, but we had a really good thing together."

Regarding why SKID ROW turned down his proposed touring schedule of three weeks on the road, including traveling, and then one month off, Erik said: "I can't speak for them, obviously. I gave them a proposal that I thought would be manageable for me, but it didn't work for them. And they have to do what they do, and they've been doing this for a long time, and they somehow always manage to come back again. So it's not for me to say."

Erik added that he really wanted to make things work, given the circumstances, but he was given no choice but to leave.

"I can also feel saddened that we ended up here," he said. "But I think we really tried to find a solution. And at the end of the day, everybody's gotta do what they feel is best for them."

Grönwall also spoke highly of SKID ROW's original singer Sebastian Bach, who hasn't fronted the group since his 1996 departure.

"I've always said, from the day I joined SKID ROW, I was, like, if I meet [Sebastian], I'm gonna shake his hand and just say, 'Thank you for the inspiration,' because he was a vocal inspiration for me when I grew up," Erik said. "And I will say it again, what he did on [SKID ROW's] 'Slave To The Grind' [album] — [one of] top three best vocal performances of all time in rock and roll history. That was insanely good. So, for me, it was a privilege to go out and sing those songs. There's a lot of stuff going on vocally, which makes it fun, obviously. It's not fun on bad days, though. When you have a cold, then it sucks — then it's the worst job in the world —but on good days, it's great."

SKID ROW's longtime friend Lzzy Hale (HALESTORM) handled lead vocals for the band's four concerts in late May 2024 and early June 2024, two months after Erik's exit from the group.

At the time of Grönwall's departure, SKID ROW members said in a statement that they were "proud" of what they had "created and accomplished with Erik" over the previous two years" and wished "nothing but the best to him and his health."

In January 2025, Erik told Finland's Chaoszine about his exit from SKID ROW: "Leaving the band was one of the toughest career decisions I ever had to make. I loved being in that band. It didn't hurt waking up being the lead singer of SKID ROW. But I would still be in the band if that was an option.

"I left to respect the person who went through the leukemia — I mean, the person at the hospital," he explained. "I promised myself that I would always put my health first. And when I felt like I couldn't do that being in the band, I just had to make that decision.

"I loved my time in the band. I had so much fun with the guys. We clicked right away, and I will always look back at that time with a smile, for sure. And I would have loved to stay in the band. But given the circumstances, we just couldn't find common ground in terms of how much we should tour."

Grönwall went on to clarify that he was always open to continuing with SKID ROW if an agreement had been reached regarding how much time to spend on the road.

"I'm not sure if it's been said in any interview, but, for me, it was never about not touring at all," he said. "I just wanted to have more time in between to recover. So, my suggestion was three weeks on the road, including traveling, and then one month off, three weeks on the road, including traveling, one month off, just to have that time in between. But they didn't find that feasible, and that's totally fine. I mean, SKID ROW has been doing this since before I was born. [Laughs] They have a recipe. I totally respect that they didn't find out feasible at all. But it was what I needed, and here we are."

According to Erik, leaving SKID ROW has given him "a lot of freedom" to pursue other projects.

"I won't stop being an artist," he said. "I can pretty much do whatever I want. And I like that. I'm not signed to any label right now. I don't wanna be. I like that kind of independence, freedom. Maybe there will come a time when it makes sense to sign with someone, but right now I'm doing everything from [my home]. It's nice to wake up, just go downstairs, put on some coffee, get in here and sing, and then go to the next room here and record the video and put it on YouTube. It's kind of convenient."

In a November 2024 interview with Chris Akin Presents, Bolan and SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo addressed Erik's exit from the group. When host Chris Akin noted that Grönwall's explanation for exiting SKID ROW sounded a little "fishy" to him and other SKID ROW fans in light of the fact that Erik had immediately announced that he was releasing his autobiography and was planning to go on tour with Michael Schenker in 2025, Rachel said: "Well, I'll put it this way: we understand exactly what you're saying. And I'd be a liar if I said sometimes I don't feel the same way. We were told exactly what he announced to the rest of the world via his YouTube channel. That's exactly what we were told. That's exactly what he sent in a text to Snake. I'm not gonna sit here and shit talk the guy because it's not gonna do anything. But we had a really, really, really good thing going, and we're here now."

Bolan continued: "You're not the first person to say this to any of us. We've all been DMed and a lot of fans thought think the same thing, and, like I said, I'd be lying if I didn't say that I thought the same thing at times, but we're just going by what he told to us."

Snake chimed in: "Obviously, we had to postpone and cancel some shows. There was definitely some health issues with him while we were out there. But what Rachel is saying is 100 percent true. This is what we were told, and we made attempts to figure it out, how we could do this where we could cut way back on the touring, but it just wasn't economically feasible for anybody — it just couldn't be done. And, yeah, we had a really, really good situation, but he was the one who left."

Bolan and Sabo also touched upon the fact that Grönwall released a demo version of a song called "Can't Kill What's Dead" which Erik said he co-wrote with his producer Jona Tee for possible inclusion on a new SKID ROW album while he was still in the band.

"Yeah, I heard the song for the first time in [Erik's October 2024] post," Rachel said. "So I'm not even sure what he was talking about."

After Akin clarified that Erik said "Can't Kill What's Dead" was one of three songs Grönwall co-wrote with Tee for potential inclusion on a new SKID ROW album, Rachel said: "That's creative wording. That's for sure."

Added Snake: "That's news to us. I mean, I guess we would have to play on it for it to be on a SKID ROW record."

Rachel continued: "Yeah, I saw the post and I was, like, 'Huh. Okay.' I was as confused as everyone else. I'm, like, 'Okay.'"

The English version of Grönwall's autobiography, "Power – Music, Death, Life", was made available in December 2024 via HarperCollins.

Grönwall, who was a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T. for nearly a decade before exiting the group in October 2020, announced in September 2021 that he was cancer free after receiving a bone marrow transplant one month earlier.

Grönwall sang on four H.E.A.T. studio albums — "Address The Nation" (2012),"Tearing Down The Walls" (2014),"Into The Great Unknown" (2017) and "H.E.A.T II" (2020).

More recently, Erik sang on two of Michael Schenker's albums, 2024's "My Years With UFO" and 2025's "Don't Sell Your Soul". He also toured Europe and Japan with the legendary German guitarist.

In September 2021, just four months before joining SKID ROW, Grönwall released his new cover version of "18 And Life" via all streaming platforms.

In 2018, Grönwall debuted in the U.S. for 10 million viewers in NBC's live broadcast of Andrew Lloyd Webber's and Tim Rice's musical "Jesus Christ Superstar". Along with John Legend, Alice Cooper, Sara Bareilles and others, Erik played the key role of Simon Zealotes.

In late March 2022, SKID ROW released its first single with Grönwall, "The Gang's All Here". The song is the title track of the band's latest album, which arrived in October 2022 via earMUSIC.

SKID ROW played its first show with Grönwall on March 26, 2022 at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada as the support act on the rescheduled dates for SCORPIONS' "Sin City Nights" residency.

Grönwall lives in Knivsta, a city in Uppsala County in east central Sweden, with his wife and their son.

LORDS OF NWOBHM, the new supergroup featuring members of PRAYING MANTIS, DIAMOND HEAD, RAVEN, TANK and PERSIAN RISK, stormed into 2026 with two sold-out shows in Tokyo, Japan with a setlist comprising of NWOBHM classics by SAMSON, PRAYING MANTIS, DIAMOND HEAD, TYGERS OF PAN TANG, IRON MAIDEN, RAVEN, SAXON, TANK, PERSIAN RISK, DEF LEPPARD and ANGEL WITCH.

With the ever-growing interest and respect around the world for the rock music genre known as the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) — the monumental British metal and European metal movement from 1979 through 1982 — there has never been a better time to celebrate the music of those pioneering bands from the era.

Several musicians who were key members of some of the biggest bands of that time have come together as LORDS OF NWOBHM to faithfully perform many of those classic songs that are now a major part of rock music history.

LORDS OF NWOBHM's setlist features classic tracks from the above bands plus a carefully curated selection of songs from several of the other iconic artists from the era to make this the ultimate NWOBHM show.

The official LORDS OF NWOBHM lineup comprises:

Tino Troy (PRAYING MANTIS) - Guitar
John Gallagher (RAVEN) - Bass
Karl Wilcox (DIAMOND HEAD) - Drums
Cliff Evans (TANK) - Guitar
Carl Sentance (PERSIAN RISK) - Vocals

The setlist for the Tokyo shows included the following songs:

* SAMSON - "Riding With The Angels"
* PRAYING MANTIS - "Children Of The Earth", "Lovers To The Grave"
* DIAMOND HEAD - "Am I Evil?", "In The Heat Of The Night"
* TYGERS OF PAN TANG - "Hellbound"
* IRON MAIDEN - "Phantom Of The Opera"
* RAVEN - "Break The Chain", "Don't Need Your Money"
* SAXON - "Princess Of The Night"
* TANK - "Shellshock", " (He Fell In Love With A) Stormtrooper"
* DEF LEPPARD - "Getcha Rocks Off"
* PERSIAN RISK - "Women And Rock", "Riding High
* ANGEL WITCH - "Angel Witch"

Troy commented: "Performing these songs really transported us back to the early days of NWOBHM when the scene started to explode. So many great bands came out of that era and it's such a pleasure to get on stage to play and celebrate these classic songs."

Evans added: "This all-star lineup knows how to play these songs as they should be played as we've all been such a big part of the NWOBHM movement since the start. It's in our blood!

"With the ever growing interest and respect around the world for the rock music genre known as the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal means there's never been a better time to celebrate the music of those pioneering bands from the era. We have succeeded in bringing together a group of musicians that were key members of some of the biggest bands of that time to faithfully perform many of those classic songs that are now a major part of rock music history."

In an April 2023 interview with Japanese music critic and radio personality Masa Ito of TVK's "Rock City", Lars Ulrich spoke about METALLICA's enduring appreciation for New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and how it continues to influence METALLICA's music to this day. He said: "[New Wave Of British Heavy Metal is] a big part of the reason that METALLICA exists and it's a big part of the reason that, obviously, we're still sitting here.

"My playlists in my iPhone and the playlists in my car and the music that I listen to… Yesterday — I kid you not — I was listening to DEF LEPPARD's 'Good Morning Freedom', I was listening to HOLLOW GROUND, the single by this band HOLLOW GROUND, one of the lesser-known bands of British heavy metal, on one of my playlists in my car as I was driving to take my son to and from school and to his sports practices.

"New Wave Of British Heavy Metal is a big part of me, it's a big part of METALLICA," Lars continued. "New Wave Of British Heavy Metal is for us in METALLICA a gift that keeps on giving. And it's something that we circle and have circled in and out of forever.

"I know there's a lot of people that connect [METALLICA's recent single] 'Lux Æterna' to the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. And I can tell you and look everybody in the eye and go, that wasn't necessarily the battle cry. When we sat down, we didn't say, 'Let's write a New Wave Of British Heavy Metal type of song.' But, obviously, I can hear those connections in the song when I disconnect myself from the recording and the writing process. And, like I said, I'm always proud to fly the flag for New Wave Of British Heavy Metal at any level that I can."

A self-proclaimed NWOBHM fanatic, Ulrich spent much of his time in the early 1980s tracking down obscure recordings from his favorite groups of the era. Ten years after the NWOBHM's glory days of 1982, Ulrich took time out to put together a multi-band compilation, "'79 Revisited: New Wave Of British Heavy Metal", along with journalist Geoff Barton, whose work in the now-defunct weekly U.K. rock paper Sounds had kept Ulrich posted while he was in the States.

At METALLICA's first-ever concert, which took place on March 14, 1982 at Radio City in Anaheim, California, Ulrich, James Hetfield, Dave Mustaine and Ron McGovney ran through a nine-song set, including no less than seven NWOBHM covers: four tracks by DIAMOND HEAD and one each from BLITZKRIEG, SWEET SAVAGE and SAVAGE.

Back in 2010, Lars was asked by Australia's long-running rock station Triple M about the band that was responsible for inspiring him to launch METALLICA. Ulrich said: "It was the summer of '81 and I'd been trying to get a band off the ground in California, but not much happened, so I sort of got fed up with the whole thing.

"DIAMOND HEAD were my favorite band, and I landed at Heathrow Airport (in London) and I went down to Woolwich Odeon, it was called, which was sort of a baby Odeon; it was about the size of this room we're in here. And there they were — DIAMOND HEAD. And I brown-nosed my way backstage and got a chance to meet them afterwards. I had actually written them a couple of fan letters. I was stunned to find out that they actually knew who I was. Maybe they didn't get as much fan mail as I expected, because the letter that I had sent them were actually on their radar. But then I ended up staying with them for the better part of the rest of the summer and ended up sleeping in the singer's front room.

"A lot of these bands that came out of that period, everything about the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal that I really liked was that all these bands were really grounded. There was a relaxed atmosphere around them, it wasn't sort of... Everything that had been going on in the '70s with bands like QUEEN and PINK FLOYD and DEEP PURPLE and LED ZEPPELIN, it was all about this larger-than-life type of thing and all these bands that were so grand and so majestic and so kind of out there. And a lot of these new bands — IRON MAIDEN and DIAMOND HEAD and all these bands — they were just kids, and they had their feet very firmly planted on the ground. So, in some way, the spirit of that whole movement was about keeping it real and all those attitudes just kind of rubbed off on us and rubbed off on me and made me want to start a band and really have the fans involved and give the fans as much access as possible."

Posted by UPP-tone company on Tuesday, December 2, 2025

In a new interview with Jon Mahon of Kerrang! Radio, FOZZY frontman and wrestling superstar Chris Jericho was asked to share stories about crossing paths with Ozzy Osbourne and his wife/manager Sharon Osbourne over the years. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[Ozzy] came and hosted WWE [World Wrestling Entertainment's flagship show] 'RAW' one year. And I'd seen him… At the time there was a lot of… There was these [heavy metal awards shows like] Golden Gods Awards that we had that Ozzy was at, or there'd be a roast of Sharon Osbourne. Ozzy would be there, and I would see him in different places. I was also very tight with Zakk [Wylde, Ozzy's longtime guitarist]. We did a bit backstage for the 'RAW' thing where whenever we had these guest GMs — every week we'd have a guest general manager; it was like a stunt —and I would always get put in with whoever the general manager was because they knew I would make the segment good. 'Cause a lot of these guys, like [American civil rights and social justice activist] Reverend Al Sharpton, sucked as an on-air guy, but put 'em with Jericho and they'll make it good. And Vince [McMahon, then-World Wrestling Entertainment chairman and CEO] would always put me with them. So finally Ozzy's there. And I was, like, 'Can I please just do something with Ozzy? For every Al Sharpton and [actor] Jeremy Piven, or whoever the else you put me with, can I just do something with Ozzy?' So Vince said, 'Yeah, you can do something with Ozzy.' So I do this thing where I talk that Ozzy's gone soft and I lost respect for him and all these different things. 'And it used to be 'The Ultimate Sin', but now you can't even stand up straight,' or whatever the hell I said. And at the end, Vince wanted Ozzy to call me a wanker. And Ozzy's, like, 'I can't call him a wanker.' And Vince is, like, 'Well, no one's gonna know that.' And he's, like, 'But your show airs in England and everyone knows what wanker means there. You can't show that in England. They'll edit it out.' And Vince was, like, 'Oh, wow. You're right.' When did you ever think Ozzy would be the voice of reason on when not to swear on TV?"

Chris went on to recount another hilarious story involving the Osbourne clan. He said: "Zakk and I, at one Ozzfest [Ozzy's traveling heavy metal festival], drank a lot of beer at the time, and we decided to play baseball in the parking lot where the buses were parked. Why not, right? So he had a bat and a glove. And so I'm pitching to him, and he's swinging, and I pitched this really bad throw and he's laughing, 'Ah, you terrible. You can't even throw a ball.' And I was, like, 'All right, fuck this. I'm gonna show him what I can do.' So there's people gathering, watching. So I throw this ball like straight down the middle. It's like Nolan Ryan [American former professional baseball pitcher], and Zakk connects with it, and it goes all the way out into the parking lot, over the fence of where the buses were into the actual general parking lot. And as he's running the non-existent bases, we hear this, 'What the fuck are you doing?' And we turn, and it's Sharon, and she's power walking towards us. She might have even been wearing a pants suit. That's what I just remember. And [I was fucking] terrified. This is Sharon: 'What the fuck are you doing?' And she's screaming at us. She's, like, 'If that ball hit somebody on the head, we could get sued and lose this entire festival.' She's, like, 'What were you thinking, Zakk?' And then she looks at me and goes, 'And who the fuck are you?' 'I'm nobody.' She says, 'You're right. You're nobody. Get outta my face.' So me and Zakk were almost running to the bus, his bus. And he's trying to put the key code in so we can get on. It was like a horror movie. We finally get on the bus and we start howling."

Chris continued: "When Sharon and Ozzy hosted ['RAW'], I told Sharon that story and reminded her of it. And Ozzy heard that and thought that was hilarious. 'Who the fuck are you, man? Who the fuck are you?' Sharon pinches me on the ass on the way out. I don't know why. And Ozzy's, like, 'All right, man. See you later. Who the fuck are you?' Just a couple of brushes with him."

Jericho added that was "a huge [Ozzy] fan," explaining that "where I grew up in Canada, in Winnipeg, everyone loved Ozzy — everyone loved Ozzy. He was just an everyman. And I think that's one of the reasons why he had such great appeal. He was just a guy. So when Ozzy passed, [FOZZY] had done a cover of 'Crazy Train', gosh, probably six years earlier, because the 'Judas' album was gonna get re-released with some bonus tracks. It never happened, so we had this version in the can. And I said when he passed away, 'Why don't we release this as a single, touch it up a bit and see how it goes?' And it ended up being a Top 10 song for us there."

Back in May 2022, Jericho was asked by PopCulture about the similarities between his singing voice and that of Ozzy. He responded: "I've always had that in me. It's not trying to sound like Ozzy; that's my vocal range — that really high-end… So there's always been elements of it. As a matter of fact, on [2012's] 'Sin And Bones' record, I said, 'Let's just fucking record a [BLACK] SABBATH song. Let me try and sound like Ozzy.' And we did 'Fairies Wear Boots'. And if you listen to it, it's, like, 'Okay, now that's Ozzy.' So we've always had some of those elements.

"But you're right — there's a couple of songs… I mean, 'Nowhere To Run', even when we play it, we play it live every night [sings song's chorus] — that one, singing it, I feel like, 'Oh, this is the Ozzy part,'" Chris added. "And I think one of the reasons for that is when Rich Ward writes the melody line, or Johnny Andrews, our producer, who co-writes all the songs with us, they know what my wheelhouse is, and they know that there's that high-end, I guess you'd say 'Ozzy-esque' style to it. Some people sound like Steve Perry; some people sound like Bruce Dickinson; some people sound like [Paul] McCartney — I sound like Ozzy. So that's kind of my wheelhouse. And [we're] not trying to write songs that sound like Ozzy, but there are definite parts that have that vibe to it, and even I can feel it and I know it. Which is cool — it's fun to know that if you're gonna be compared to somebody… Listen, people forget — Ozzy's one of the greatest rock and roll singers of all time, so I'll take that comparison any day of the week, man."

Legendary rock/power-pop artist Donnie Vie has released the single "Plain Jane" on limited-edition seven-inch vinyl and across all major digital platforms via Wicked Cool Records, the label founded in 2005 by "Little Steven" Van Zandt. The release is backed with the B-side "Instant Karma" (a John Lennon cover),offering fans a double shot of Vie's signature melodic grit and timeless songwriting.

"Plain Jane" showcases Donnie Vie at his finest — hook-driven, emotionally charged, and packed with the unmistakable vocal character that has made him one of rock's most distinctive melodic voices. Paired with the energetic and attitude-filled "Instant Karma", the release captures both sides of Vie's musical personality: heartfelt pop craftsmanship and raw rock 'n' roll edge.

"Plain Jane" originally appeared on Vie's latest solo album, "Beautiful Things", which came out in June 2019 via Deko Music.

Earlier this week, Donnie shared the following message via social media: "Hello brothers and sisters, I'm Donnie Vie, and I'd like to spread the word about my signing with Wicked Cool Records, who will be releasing my best and latest record, 'Beautiful Things'. The first single, 'Plain Jane', will be premiering on Little Steven's Underground Garage [a 24/7 rock and roll radio station on SiriusXM], on February 6. You can also get the vinyl 45 single 'Plain Jane' / 'Instant Karma', along with other items at: Donnievie.com and donnievie.bandcamp.com. At last — a proper release for this awesome record."

Van Zandt, the creator of Underground Garage and Wicked Cool Records, added: "We are very excited to welcome Donnie Vie to the Wicked Cool Records family! Get his single 'Plain Jane' on Sunburst Yellow vinyl at https://donnievie.bandcamp.com/".

Donnie Vie is widely recognized as one of rock's most distinctive melodic voices. For more than four decades, he has built a reputation as a standout singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, delivering some of modern rock's most enduring power-pop moments.

As the founding vocalist and primary songwriter of ENUFF Z'NUFF, Vie helped define the band's signature blend of razor-sharp pop hooks and gritty rock attitude. He and ENUFF Z'NUFF were instant critics’ darlings, with a debut record that soared up the charts generating two long-playing MTV hits, "New Thing" and "Fly High Michelle". A "Top Pick" from Rolling Stone magazine, and inciting numerous TV and radio performances with repeat invitations from David Letterman and Howard Stern, the group released their "self-titled" and follow-up "Strength" on Atco Records, before being picked up by Clive Davis and signed to his Arista label for "Animals With Human Intelligence".

Following his time with ENUFF Z'NUFF, Donnie Vie's solo career further expanded his creative range. Albums including "Just Enough!", "The White Album", "Wrapped Around My Middle Finger" and "Beautiful Things" highlight his gift for emotionally rich, melody-forward songwriting. "Beautiful Things", in particular, is frequently cited as a career high point, praised for its warm production, deeply personal tone, and classic power-pop sensibility.

With "Plain Jane", Vie continues to prove that his songwriting instincts and unmistakable voice remain as vital and compelling as ever.

Image credit: Melvin Zoopers

In a new interview with Randy Legault of the Beer Rum & Rock N Roll podcast, Todd Kerns spoke about the status of the songwriting and recording sessions for the next SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album. The bassist and backing vocalist said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We just listened to [the final] mixes. We just listened to the sequence of the album. So we have that. I probably shouldn't talk about it, but we have a title, but you're never gonna hear about that for a long time. [Laughs]"

Asked if SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS worked with producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette this time around after collaborating with Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, John Prine, Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile) at Nashville, Tennessee's historic RCA Studio A for 2022's "4", Todd said: "Yes, yes. We're very happy to have that team together again. It was a fun experiment to kind of like step out and do other things. And I think you have to do that. I think every band, every artist has to kind of go and try other things here and there, and I think it was really fun to try this and that, but returning to it was very sort of like… Well, I've always said it — every time Slash plays me a new riff, I always go, 'I'll be watching some guy on YouTube play that riff next year.' [Laughs] Every riff he plays is that iconic."

Elaborating on the SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS recording process, Todd said: "We always play together. The idea is the usual — playing together, trying to capture a drum performance, and then replacing… We did it pretty normally. We didn't get too jiggy with this and that. We're always in a constant state of, like, even though we've rehearsed our butts off, we still go in with the idea of, like, 'Well, maybe this, maybe that.' So as we're working on it, it's sort of in a constant state of rearrangement or sort of refinement as we're going along."

Regarding how the upcoming SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS LP stacks up against the band's previous four albums, Todd said: "It's interesting that you say that because I think that there's something to be said about it being of the flavor that you know, the familiarity of it, but at the same time there's always gonna be something a little different regardless. But there's a couple of times where we get a little bit more fierce than I think we're kind of known for. [Singer] Myles Kennedy [who also fronts ALTER BRIDGE] can kind of, like, 'Oh, he's taking the gloves off on this one.' I go, 'Okay.' 'Cause he sort of comes from a very sort of — not 'controlled'; [it's] not the right word, but ALTER BRIDGE has a very sort of… I don't even know how I could put this in words, but it's so much more musical in a way. [Laughs] They [ALTER BRIDGE] get really heavy, those guys. They get really heavy. They've kind of gotten heavier as time's gone by."

Kerns went on to say that "there's some really killer songs" on the upcoming SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album, which was recorded at Elvis's Studio Barbarosa in Gotha, Florida.

"It's the weirdest thing, by the time it comes out in '27, [drummer Brent] Fitz, Myles, Slash and I will be playing together for 17 years, off and on, and the CONSPIRATORS will be around 16 years, 'cause we weren't really called the CONSPIRATORS until 2011," Todd said. "So it's just a really weird thing to consider. What it does is it really makes me realize 10 years doesn't seem that long to me anymore. It goes fast."

Earlier this month, Slash told 93.3 WMMR's Brent Porche about the next SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album: "It's done. We just finished mixing it. I finished the sequence yesterday. It's a killer record, man. We're excited about it, but it doesn't come out till the GUNS tour's over. So it'll get released in probably January of 2027, and then there'll be a whole world tour that goes along with that. So I had to wait to release it because GUNS is out from March through December of this year. So [we're] putting it out in 2027. But it's done."

Last month, Myles told Anne Erickson of Audio Ink Radio about the next SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album: "All the tracks are recorded. I finished my vocals back in, let's see, August of 2025… And then the goal is to get it released soon. We've got this ALTER BRIDGE tour cycle and album cycle, and then we'll see, after that, how quickly we can put out some new music with SLASH & THE CONSPIRATORS."

Regarding the musical direction of the new SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS material, Myles said: "Oh, it's definitely… The thing about that band is it's a certain approach that we keep consistent throughout. I don't think you're ever gonna get a record of synth pop, but it's because the fans expect a certain thing, and it's what we do. And so we try not to veer too far from that. But we'll let people judge for themselves when it comes out."

Last October, Slash told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about the next SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS LP: "It doesn't come out till 2027. But then we're gonna do a full-blown tour. And that's the thing, is I had to find a window where I could do a full-scale tour with the CONSPIRATORS. And I didn't wanna release it until I was able to do that, and 2027 is the real window for it. So that's when the record comes out."

As for how the new SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS LP turned out, Slash said: "It's really cool — the record's badass. All things considered, I don't like to hype a record up, but I'm excited about it."

Slash previously revealed in an August 2025 social media post that the recording sessions for SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS were completed. He wrote at the time: "Recording for #SMKC record number 5 is done today. Album title [to be confirmed]. This has been a super cool session all around. & we all agree it's one of, if not the best one yet. Unfortunately you'll have to wait till 2027 to weigh in, too much going on next year to put it out. But it will be worth the wait. Full blown world tour to follow!"

In a separate interview with J.J. Caithcart of Different Stages Radio, SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS drummer Brent Fitz stated about the band's next album: "Slash has the greatest work ethic of any musician I've ever worked with. So, we got busy. We toured together in 2024, and then we were out doing other things, and then Slash did a blues record and tour. And then, as soon as that was done, we got right into the studio in L.A. He has an amazing working studio. We can be busy there in L.A. We did that for a month, and then we went out to Florida and recorded most of all the bed tracks, the music parts of it."

In January 2025, Kennedy told Heavy Consequence about the next SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album: "As for the direction of the record, it's still riff-based rock 'n' roll with a heavy dose of the blues element that Slash brings, like only he does. It's some really great stuff. I think it's going to be another fun one to tour live."

In December 2024, Myles told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that "the demoing and all that, the writing" for the next SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album "was done before I even embarked on [my] last [solo] tour. The easy part is the recording; the hard part is the writing. Slash and I were — he was sending me demos of the tunes. Then I was spending time with him, coming up with melodies and lyrics. And so that's all done — I think with the exception of one song. Now I just have to find a moment to get in the studio and all that, knock that out. But I will say that just even in the demo process and where we stood there before they went in to actually make the record musically, it is really exciting stuff. I'm really, really stoked about where this one's going. It's gonna be cool."

Asked if he writes any of the music for SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS or if he is mostly in charge of coming up with the lyrics and the melodies, Myles said: "Yeah, most of what I'm doing is lyrics and melodies. Occasionally if something comes in and I'm, like, 'Hey, can we change this chord progression for the sake of the melody?' But it's interesting 'cause more so on [2012's] 'Apocalyptic Love', when I played guitar on that record, there was a little bit more of, 'Hey, try this part. See what this sounds like, if we utilize this to help the arrangement somehow.' But it's funny — I was thinking about that the other day, and I was just, like… It just highlights how cool [Slash] is. I [was] coming in, it was [my] second record [with Slash] and I've got my guitar, and I'm, like, 'What do you think? What if we tried this?' And I'm, like, 'You're sitting there with Slash. He doesn't need any help, man.' But he was so cool and so accommodating. But as the years have gone on and we've made all these records, one thing that continues to amaze me is just how much he understands, not just the riff thing, but coming up with chord progressions that really lend themselves to coming up with compelling melodies for me. It's, like, he knows how to sequence the chords where it's gonna really leave room for a melody, which I appreciate. And, like I said, occasionally I'd be, like, 'Hey, can we try a G here instead of a D 'cause I hear the melody doing this?' Or I'll send the melody back and he'll go, 'I'm gonna change this chord because I feel like it suits the melody better.' I'm, like, 'Great.' So yeah, he totally gets it."

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS entered the studio in November 2024 to begin recording its fifth album.

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS kicked off "The River Is Rising - Rest Of The World Tour '24" on January 23, 2024 with the band's return to Mexico City's Pepsi Centre WTC. The group's 24-song setlist included the live debut of a deep GUNS N' ROSES cut, "Don't Damn Me", featuring Kerns on lead vocals.

Prior to the launch of "The River Is Rising – Rest Of The World Tour '24", SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS last performed in February and March 2022 as part of a U.S. tour.

"4" was released in February 2022 via Gibson Records in partnership with BMG.

"4" was Slash's fifth solo album and fourth overall with his band featuring Kennedy, Fitz, Kerns and guitarist Frank Sidoris.

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS released "Live At Studios 60", their first-ever double live LP, for the 2022 Record Store Day. The effort contained a performance of "4", plus four additional songs from the group. Recorded live in Los Angeles at Studios 60, the "Live At Studios 60" double LP exclusive Record Store Day release was limited to only 2,250 copies. The full concert featured all the songs from "4". Additional performances of the group's Top 5 rock radio hits, including "You're A Lie", "World On Fire", "Anastasia" and "Driving Rain" are also included in the double vinyl package.

For "4", Cobb shared the band's desire to lay down the tracks live, in the studio including guitar solos and vocals — a first for Slash's group.

Slash released a blues album called "Orgy Of The Damned" in May 2024 via Gibson Records.

In the summer of 2024, Slash brought his brand-new "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival to cities across the U.S.. On all dates, Slash performed alongside his blues band featuring bassist Johnny Griparic, keyboardist Teddy "ZigZag" Andreadis, drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal.

Photo credit: Ross Halfin

Former KAMELOT and current CONCEPTION vocalist Roy Khan will stage a unique and deeply personal event in Oslo, Norway this fall.

On November 27, at Rockefeller Music Hall, Khan will present KAMELOT's "One Cold Winter's Night", performed in its entirety, marking 20 years since the recording of one of the most revered live albums in symphonic power metal history.

Originally recorded in Oslo in 2006, "One Cold Winter's Night" captured a defining moment not only in Khan's career, but in the genre as a whole. The album has since become a reference point for live performance, emotional depth, and musical craftsmanship.

Now, two decades later, Khan returns to the city where it was recorded to honor that moment — not as an act of nostalgia, but as a sincere reflection on legacy, artistry, and belonging.

The performance will feature the complete original setlist, alongside special guest appearances and full production, carefully created exclusively for this night. This is a one night only special event.

Khan comments: "Coming back home to Oslo to perform 'One Cold Winter's Night' in full is something I never imagined I would do again.

"This particular show represents a very special moment in my life, both artistically and personally. To stand on that stage again, here at home, fills me with gratitude and pride. This is not about recreating the past, but about honoring it in an honest and meaningful way.

"I know that what will happen this night will be unique. If you come to share the experience with me, you will witness something truly special."

Earlier this month, Roy announced that he was working on his first solo album, expanding on a project first revealed in late 2024. The LP represents a new creative chapter in the Norwegian singer's career and follows a period of renewed live activity and closer engagement with his audience.

In a recent Instagram post, Khan shared a moment from the writing process, stating: "Writing down the first three lines of the first song finished for my first solo album…"

Khan's solo album is being produced by Sascha Paeth, a producer, composer and musician with a long-standing career in European metal. Paeth is widely recognized for his fundamental role in shaping the sound of classic KAMELOT albums such as "The Fourth Legacy", "Karma", "Epica" and "The Black Halo", as well as for his work with acts like AVANTASIA, EPICA and ANGRA. His signature blend of heaviness, refinement and cinematic atmosphere aligns closely with the artistic identity Khan has developed throughout his career.

Alongside Paeth, the album is also being co-produced by Caio Kehyayan (FIREWING) and Adrienne Cowan (SEVEN SPIRES),both of whom have been deeply involved in the songwriting process. Additional songwriting contributions come from Bill Hudson, best known for his work with TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, I AM MORBID and CIRCLE II CIRCLE. Multiple collaborative sessions have helped define the core musical direction and early structure of the album, highlighting an active and collaborative pre-production phase.

Still untitled and without a confirmed release date, the solo album promises to explore new territory within Khan's musical universe, balancing a distinct personal identity with the experience accumulated through his work with KAMELOT and CONCEPTION. Further details regarding recordings, guest musicians and upcoming steps will be announced as the project moves forward.

In parallel with the studio work, Khan remains active on stage. He has a confirmed appearance at the Bangers Open Air on April 26, 2026, in São Paulo, and will also appear as a special guest with SEVEN SPIRES at the festival's official pre-party on April 24 at Audio.

Last July, Khan took the stage at Tokio Marine Hall in São Paulo, Brazil for a one-night-only performance celebrating the 20th anniversary of KAMELOT's "The Black Halo" album.

Originally released in 2005, the LP remains a landmark in metal history, featuring iconic tracks like "March Of Mephisto", "The Haunting (Somewhere In Time)" and "When The Lights Are Down".

Backing Roy at the São Paulo show were members of the Brazilian progressive rock/heavy metal band MAESTRICK, consisting of Fabio Caldeira on vocals, piano and synthesizers, Renato Montanha on bass, Heitor Matos on drums and Guilherme Henrique on guitar. Also appearing on select tracks was American vocalist Adrienne Cowan of SEVEN SPIRES.

In a 2025 interview with PowerOfMetal.cl, Roy was asked why now was the right time for him to celebrate "The Black Halo". Roy said: "Well, it's 20 years ago since it came out. And 'The Black Halo' is undoubtedly possibly the most important album in my catalog. So I just felt that it was in its place to do some sort of celebration in connection with the 20th anniversary. And that's what we're doing in São Paulo on the 5th of July."

Asked what he thinks made "The Black Halo" such a "timeless" record, Roy said: "I think it was in a very important phase of the band's development, both as a group and as the members individually. The time was right. There were some new collaborations there that took place. It was the first record we recorded with SPV, so we had a good budget and we could do whatever we wanted. We could try our stuff and tear things down in studio, build them up again. We had the finances to do things properly. And I think the lyrics hit some sort of nerve that I think a lot of people can relate to. But most of all, I think it's a bunch of people that happened to align with each other and managed to make something that is really greater than the sum of them all. And 'The Black Halo' has definitely stood the test of time. I mean, the album is a classic in the genre."

"The Black Halo (20th Anniversary Edition)" was made available in an array of special formats, including a limited-edition wooden box set featuring splattered vinyl, a collector's chalice, a ring, a pendant in a velvet bag, a 20-page booklet, and an exclusive autographed card. Other variants include deluxe marbled vinyl, a slipmat and a digipak CD edition. This collector's edition was released via Napalm Records on March 14, 2025 — exactly two decades after its original debut.

Khan is also featured as a special guest on "Here Be Dragons", the latest album from Tobias Sammet's AVANTASIA. His powerful vocals grace a grand and emotional power ballad, marking another exciting chapter in his return to the scene. Sammet himself praised Khan's contribution, calling the song "one of the most moving and emotional, yet biggest ballads I have ever done."

In the summer of 2023, Roy said that a number of things contributed to his decision to leave KAMELOT nearly a decade and a half ago. The now-55-year-old Norwegian singer announced his exit from KAMELOT in April 2011 after taking several months off to recover from a "burnout."

After his departure from KAMELOT, Khan, who is a devout Christian, joined a church in the coastal town of Moss, Norway.

In an interview with Justin Young of Monsters, Madness And Magic, Roy — whose full name is Roy Sætre Khantatat — was asked what led to his split with KAMELOT. He responded: "Everything. Too much travel. Too much work. I had my first kids. I got married and I was pretty much falling into every pit there was. And this whole character that I was creating was very different from the person that I was and wanted to be at home. And those two characters pulled farther and farther from each other and that whole thing just tore me apart. I wasn't really present when I was at home either. I'd come back from a six-week tour and just take my shoes off and sit right down on the PC and work on something, and it was not good. And I got mentally sick. That summer of 2010, I had a period of five, six weeks where I literally did not sleep. Maybe, I mean a little bit, of course, but there were so many nights that I did not sleep at all. I just wandered around the house and worrying about everything and nothing."

Asked if he became religious after his exit from KAMELOT, Roy said: "Religious? Depends on what you mean by religious, how you define that. But I've always been occupied with big questions and also spiritual things. I mean, those kind of things have always fascinated me. But there were some really weird things that happened to me in connection with me being at my lowest low ever in 2010. I mean, obviously, I was really mentally ill at that point, but we experienced things. I mean, I experienced things that other people experienced together with me, and the timing of things were really awkward. Whatever that was, it definitely made me completely change my mind on the whole issue, is there something out there that we can't see that affects us? I'm positive about that. And I still have to sit down and pinch myself in the arm and just remind myself that the things that happened happened. I mean, some of those things people surely will say are coincidence. Some will say that I just imagined it. Some people will say that — some people won't even believe. But for me, it was very, very clear. And, there's no doubt in my mind. That doesn't mean that that completely changed my life. I mean, it did, but it's not like I was a whole new being all of a sudden. I still have things that I struggle with. It's not like you go from being an arrogant, sinful bastard to being an angel. It's a process. But all those things, having those things in mind for me is definitely gradually changing me in my approach to other people, life in general and then how I look at the time that I have left on this planet."

Four years ago, Roy told Chaoszine about his split with KAMELOT: "I'm really, really extremely thankful that KAMELOT was able to continue without me, 'cause I had no intention to hurt the band. It was a very personal decision to quit the band and I simply had to. And I'm just glad that everything turned out in the end to be… They managed to go on without me, and I'm just very thankful for that, really."

Khan, who reformed his pre-KAMELOT band CONCEPTION eight years ago and released an EP, 2018's "My Dark Symphony", and a full-length album, 2020's "State Of Deception", previously reflected on the circumstances that led to him ending his long working relationship with KAMELOT during an appearance in 2021 on the "Breaking Absolutes With Peter Orullian" podcast. Roy said: "That whole thing was a cocktail of several things that just happened to climax at that point. As you all, KAMELOT was getting more and more popular, so I was away months every year — like half the year at least I was gone. I was having a family, and that right there was starting to tear me apart. And then I was living my life not very healthy — let's put it that way — and I did a lot of stupid stuff back then that… I knew in my heart that it was going down the drain."

He continued: "I remember every night when I sang [the KAMELOT song] 'Karma', I would feel that this shit is gonna knock me on the back of the head at some point. If it's gonna tomorrow, [if] it's gonna be two years from now, I don't know, but the way I live my life, that's not gonna work — it's not sustainable. And then it happened. I knew for so many years, actually, that this was gonna not work out, and then, all of a sudden, it happened. I broke down. I had a full summer where I barely slept — like six to eight weeks where I didn't sleep a whole lot of hours during those six to eight weeks, and I was going really completely crazy. And in connection with that, a lot of stuff happened."

According to Khan, leaving KAMELOT after a 13-year run weighed heavily on him at the time.

"Quitting KAMELOT was the best decision that I've ever made, and by that I don't mean that… KAMELOT was a fantastic thing in my life, and Thomas and the other guys — it had nothing to do with them; it was all me and the way I lived my life, and I just couldn't take it any longer," he explained. "And I was also overworked — I worked all the time. Even when I was home. The first thing I'd do when I got back home is I would kick my shoes off in the hallway and I'd just sit right down at the computer and start working. I was really not a good husband and I was not a good father. Lots of things weren't good about me at that point.

"Quitting KAMELOT at that point, it was easy but it was hard," he elaborated. "It was easy because I didn't really have a choice. I was really wrecked. And at the same time, it was hard because I'd been working to get to that point my whole life, basically — 20 years, at least — and finally I was there. And then I threw the towel in and said, 'Hey, guys, I'm not coming in for the next tour.' 'Okay. Well, what's wrong?' 'Well, actually, I'm not coming back at all.' And obviously, everybody… My mom was, like, 'Are you kidding me? Are you serious?' Then the guys in the band, they thought that it was gonna pass. But I knew in my heart that summer [of 2010], already in August, I knew that that's it."

KAMELOT officially announced Tommy Karevik as its new lead singer in June 2012. The Florida-based band has recorded four albums so far with the Swedish vocalist: 2012's "Silverthorn", 2015's "Haven", 2018's "The Shadow Theory" and 2023's "The Awakening".

Asked if he has listened to any of KAMELOT's recent material with Karevik, Roy told Italy's SpazioRock back in 2018: "Yes I have. I really like some of their new stuff. Sounds classical KAMELOT in my ears, and Tommy is a great singer."

Roy Khan Returns Home to Oslo for a Once-in-a-Lifetime Performance.
Twenty Years Colder – One Cold Winter's Night...

Posted by Roy Khan on Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Dave Grohl's 19-year-old daughter Violet has released an evocative video for her debut single "THUM", out now via Republic Records through her imprint Auroura Records. The video, directed by Nikki Milan Houston and shot on a Super 8 and 16mm, matches the track's loud, raw, and emotionally explosive sound. Upon its initial release, Rolling Stone called the track "a two-minute blast about struggling to break a bad habit," while Consequence praised its "cinematic feel, highlighted by Violet's velvety vocals."

Previously only accessible via Bandcamp, Grohl's tracks "THUM" and "Applefish" are now officially available on all streaming platforms.

Last month, Violet released "What's Heaven Without You", a haunting track written in the aftermath of the Altadena fires in Los Angeles, inspired by David Lynch. Flood magazine said it "features an atmospheric instrumental bolstered by a marching snare drum and ethereal synths," while Alternative Press said it "shows Grohl's voice drifting over an enigmatic instrumental as she grapples with an internal monologue, feeling trapped between devotion and self-protection."

"What's Heaven Without You" was produced by Justin Raisen (Kim Gordon, Yves Tumor) and Anthony Paul Lopez, and was written by Violet with Raisen and Persia Numan. The latter is the daughter of new wave legend Gary Numan, whose song "Down In The Park" was covered by FOO FIGHTERS on "Songs In The Key Of X: Music From And Inspired By The X-Files", a 1996 compilation album released in association with the American science fiction television series "The X-Files".

On the track, Violet shared: "This song was written in David Lynch's memory alongside two of my favorite collaborators in the world, Persia Numan and Justin Raisen. A few days after the chaos and devastation of the L.A. fires, we came together in our sadness and grief and let it pour out into this song. We hope you can find some resonance in it. The impact he left on art is truly magical. We miss you, David."

In 2018, when she was just 12 years old, Violet performed a cover of Adele's "When We Were Young" with Dave Grohl. Since then, she has also joined her father and other surviving members of NIRVANA for a cover of "Heart-Shaped Box", in addition to providing backing vocals for the likes of St. Vincent and Beck. She has also provided backing vocals on the FOO FIGHTERS' "Medicine At Midnight" and "But Here We Are" albums, and performed as part of the tribute concerts to late FOO FIGHTERS drummer Taylor Hawkins. In 2021, she released her debut single, a cover of X's "Nausea".

"From the moment we met Violet, it was clear that she represents the next generation of artists," Kristina Grossmann, SVP of A&R/operations at Republic Records, shared. "The music is immediate, intentional and her voice holds a rare duality. She is unapologetically cool and is a fearless female voice. We couldn't be more excited to help bring her vision and this album to life."

David Wolter, EVP/head of A&R at Republic Records, added: "Violet brings a rare combination of perspective, artistry, and reverence for the craft. She understands the history of music, but she's also pushing it forward. She is the future."

Photo credit: Bella Newmann (courtesy of Republic Records

In a new interview with Metal Anthology, SOILWORK vocalist Björn "Speed" Strid spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to "Övergivenheten" album, which came out in 2022. Regarding how the writing process has changed since the passing of SOILWORK guitarist David Andersson in September 2022, Strid said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, [David] was very much of a driving force. So I think it's a bit more of a group effort now, like a collective thing. And it feels like we're entering a bit of a new era. And I think next album will be slightly different from 'Övergivenheten', but it will have some of those elements — the atmosphere, but maybe more mixed with the sort of old, heavier stuff from the 2000s. But, yeah, it's very much of a group effort and, obviously, [longtime touring guitarist] Simon [Johansson] joining the fold as well has brought some fresh blood, both on a personal level and songwriting-wise and everything. So we're looking forward to create this new album together."

Simon added: "Yeah, it's interesting. We're learning to write together in a way, because we haven't really done it. And [bassist] Rasmus [Ehrnborn] is also new, kind of, so it's kind of like a new constellation having to create music. But it's working well. I mean, [SOILWORK's latest single], 'Spirit [Of No Return]' [which came out in October 2024] turned out well. And we have a lot of really promising songs for the new album. We have a lot written already — more than one album."

Asked if the upcoming SOILWORK release will be a double album, Simon said: "No, that won't happen. We're gonna do a moderate, normal-length album. But it's gonna be a cool one. But it's always nice to have extra songs, for whatever purpose, to choose from, to start with. And then, of course, you can maybe release some singles [ahead of the full-length]."

On the topic of whether the new SOILWORK material will be" a little bit a throwback to the faster" nature of some of the band's earlier efforts, Björn clarified: "No. More like heavier — the heaviness, I would say, that we had on maybe [2001's] 'A Predator's Portrait' and [2002's] 'Natural Born Chaos', maybe a little bit of [2005's] 'Stabbing [The Drama]' too, but I kind of wanted to bring back the heaviness a bit and sort of mix it up with a more recent atmosphere, the epicness. So, that's sort of what I'm picturing, personally. I don't know if [the other] guys picture the same thing, but we have been discussing it a little bit, so it seems like we're on the same page."

Simon chimed in: "And then you never know what happens during an album process. It could take some turn or whatever, but that's also the beauty of it. Because, for me, many times it's been, like, the least favorite song, [when you] start recording an album, it's, like, 'Oh, that one isn't that good.' And then you start to add things and all of a sudden that is the best song. It's super interesting. It's so fun to be in that process."

As for which producer SOILWORK will work with this time around, Björn said: "We've had some producers, but this one we're gonna gonna be pretty much self-produced. We'll record at Simon's studio. So all of us are kind of [involved]; it's like a group effort."

Simon explained: "We also have this engineer, mixing guy that is working with us and has been working with us for a couple of albums. He also has ideas. He contributes whatever good things he can come up with. So we kind do it together, that part, I think."

In November 2024, Björn was asked by Germany's Moshpit Passion if "Spirit Of No Return" was indicative of the musical direction of SOILWORK's next studio album. Strid said: "Well, hard to say. I mean, we decided to just approach things quite slowly this time around because we've been through a lot, as I'm sure you know. Simon joined the fold now and he's a great guy and a fantastic guitar player. He's been playing with us live for a pretty long time, but he contributed with this new song and it has a little bit of a thrashier side to it and kind of like more SOILWORK rootsy kind of feel, but also still blended with the more current elements that we're known for. So it's really hard to say exactly where we're gonna go, but I would say that the sound is gonna be slightly more metallic, whatever that means, but I also feel that we discovered so many amazing things through when we did [the 2020 EP] 'A Whisp Of The Atlantic', with 'Verkligheten' [2019] and with 'Övergivenheten' [2022], and those elements we wanna take with us. But I think there's also maybe old things that we want to revisit and bring back again. And I think this new one, it has more sort of like a metallic vibe over it, but we keep on evolving, and I never wanna fall into some kind of cliché or trying to rehash things. So I'm as curious as you are where we're gonna go. But I think this song is maybe giving you a little bit of a hint where we're going. But we always try to experiment as well."

"Spirit Of No Return" showcased SOILWORK's signature blend of frenzied intensity, soaring melodies, epic arrangements, and a touch of progressive complexity — traits that have cemented their reputation over the last decades. Johansson's contribution to the songwriting channels the band's essence while bringing fresh energy to their unmistakable sound.

Strid previously stated about the song: "'Spirit Of No Return' is a fierce reminder of the past, but also an introduction of the new SOILWORK era, where we've taken the thrashier early days and dressed it in a new heavier suit. Lyrics are dealing with the urge of belonging and fitting in — and how it in the end can be disastrous as you abandon your true self."

SOILWORK's high-class creative consistency, which they have been delivering solidly throughout their career, is the virtue that probably best defines them. Founded at the end of 1995, SOILWORK released their debut album "Steelbath Suicide" in 1998, garnering a great early response. By 2001 SOILWORK had joined Nuclear Blast, and by 2003 they already had five records under their belt.

In a new interview with Rev. Tom Brice of Sportzwire Radio, legendary rock drummer Carmine Appice was asked if he had any advice for young artists looking to break into the music business today. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't have a clue how they make it today. I really don't. Just keep playing, learn your art and practice and become good. And hopefully you'll get with the band and somehow make it. I do not know how people make it today. All these bands are the big today, I never heard of them. I mean, it used to be I'd drive in my car and I'd listen to radio and hear new bands. Now [it's, like], 'Oh yeah, man. It's on YouTube.' I said, 'You think I have time to sit around on YouTube and look [for new bands]?' 'Oh, let me look at some new bands.' It used to be you drive, you're going somewhere, you hear some music you like."

Carmine continued: "I mean, there's a few things I found online by accident. I don't even know how I found them, but these bands that are big — they're selling out. They're heavy metal bands, the ones that wear the masks now. SLEEP TOKEN — I never heard of them. And I listen to them, and it's interesting. SLEEP TOKEN's interesting. Kind of like VANILLA FUDGE. It's soft passages, and then there's loud passages."

Back in 2022, Carmine spoke about the fact that many artists are facing severe financial struggles as they rely on touring to gain a following and who barely make any money from streaming music services. He told acclaimed guitarist Joe Bonamassa's hit interview series "Live From Nerdville" at the time: "Today, it's very difficult [for musicians to make a living]. Take the zeroes off. I mean, I sold my rights to 'Sexy' [one of Rod Stewart's biggest hits, 'Do Ya Think I'm Sexy'] back to Warner Brothers, because there were no mechanicals. [Editor's note: Mechanical royalties are royalties that are generated each time a musical composition is reproduced, whether physically or digitally via on-demand streaming or download-to-own services.] Mechanicals, when people buy a record, there were no mechanicals anymore. And that was a huge record. But I kept ASCAP.

"I've been watching my money since I moved to California in 1975," he continued. "Because when I moved there, and all the three bands I was in, I walked out and I said, 'This is all the money I have?' 25 percent [goes] to the manager, five percent to this guy, 10 percent to the agent. And pay your bills. By the time the band ends up with something, you've got 10 dollars to split. Today it's hard to even make any money. The only way you can make money is, if you have a band, play gigs, build a following, but keep your eye on the expenses. And now it's really hard with these gas prices and everything. We just budgeted all the CACTUS thing we're doing, but now the gas prices are, like, double since we did the budget. So who knows what we're gonna end up with.

"It's very difficult today," the now-79-year-old Appice, who current resides in Florida, repeated. "But all I can say is keep your eye on the money. I've done other things in my life. I wrote the drum book. That did well. Just stuff that came out that I did. I dabble in real estate. But, knock on wood, I had accountants and people watch over me, and I had a corporation, so I set myself up. But a lot of guys don't. I mean, even guys in bands that I played with. And I've been lucky I played with all these different bands that made money. Today it's very difficult to play… Unless you're in a huge band like FOO FIGHTERS that go out on the road and make all the money, 'cause the record business is really… There is no record business anymore. I was thinking about that yesterday. I said, 'How do these record companies make any money?' Spotify pays nothing. Maybe if you get some people [buying music] on iTunes, downloads, that still makes a little money. There's no CD sales anymore. Maybe some album sales. So how does a record company make any money? That's why they're not giving out any money [as recording advances].

"I [sold] my [rights to] 'Sexy' and 'Young Turks' back to the company because there's no money being made there. But I kept ASCAP. And ASCAP actually still makes money. But what I did, I took my money and I bought some real estate with it. And that real estate is generating more income than the actual song was in mechanicals.

"You've gotta use your head," Carmine added. "There's a lot of guys, musicians, who don't have a clue about finance and how it works and money. I was lucky, a manager I had, a Mafia guy, he always told me, 'Buy real estate. People gotta live somewhere. Buy real estate.' He owned so many real estate properties in New York… You need somebody to mentor you in this when you're a musician, 'cause if you don't, you don't have a clue."

Appice is the original drummer of VANILLA FUDGE, with whom he still records and performs today. He has also played with CACTUS and BECK, BOGERT & APPICE, in addition to spending stints in the bands of Ozzy Osbourne and Rod Stewart, co-writing the latter's No. 1 hit "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?"Carmine was named the 28th greatest drummer of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.

Appice is widely considered to be one of the most accomplished showmen in rock and is the recipient of numerous awards, including dozens of gold- and platinum-selling records. Carmine has broken new ground in every aspect of his career as a performer, as a teacher, and as a writer, and he continues to inspire drummers and listeners throughout the world with his originality and his unwavering dedication to the art of drumming.

Carmine's autobiography, "Stick It!: My Life Of Sex, Drums, And Rock 'N' Roll", was released in May 2016 by Chicago Review Press.

Under the moniker APPICE, Carmine and his brother Vinny released "Sinister", their first joint studio album, in October 2017 through SPV/Steamhammer.

In a new interview with Pablo of the Minneapolis, Minnesota radio station 93X, Slash was asked if there is going to be a new GUNS N' ROSES album where he, bassist Duff McKagan and singer Axl Rose get into a studio and write an entire collection of fresh material. The guitarist responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, that's the thing. We haven't spent the time sort of compiling everything and narrowing it down or any of that yet. And so that's probably what — that's gonna be a lot of work. That's gonna be the hardest part, is trying to figure out what's what. And I think we're starting to get to that point where we're gonna actually do that.

"GUNS records are something that just happen," Slash explained. "And when it's happening, it happens really fast. But getting to that point of where we all sit down and focus on 'this is what we're doing 'has always been the hardest part. It just happens when it happens. But there's a lot of material to work with when it does."

Asked if everyone has a voice in the recording process with GUNS N' ROSES, Slash said: "Yeah, it's always been a democracy like that. It's always been really, really collaborative — from every song, all the way back to the very, very beginning, before [GUNS N' ROSES' debut album] 'Appetite [For Destruction]'. Everything has always been very collaborative, which is really cool because it gives every song — I don't know what the right word for it is, but you have a lot of interesting things going on in a song from different people in the band that come up with it."

Last month, Slash told longtime radio host Abe Kanan of Audacy that he, McKagan and Rose had "already written a ton of shit" for a possible new GUNS N' ROSES album. "So we just have to get together and actually get into the process of going through all the material and figuring out what the songs are gonna be and recording them and all that kind of shit," he explained. "And so that's something that's pending. It's probably gonna happen sooner than later, because we've gotten all this other stuff out and we've been touring for pretty much the better part of the decade. And so we've been wanting to do this. It's just a matter of buckling down. When is that gonna happen, where we're, like, 'Okay, no other distractions. We're just gonna do this.' Anyway. But it's coming."

Slash also talked about the band's recently released two new songs called "Atlas" and "Nothin'". When they were made available in December, the tracks marked the first new GN'R music since the 2023 singles "The General" and "Perhaps". Both "Atlas" and "Nothin'" were produced by Rose and Caram Costanzo (Janet Jackson, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE); Costanzo co-produced GUNS N' ROSES' latest album, 2008's "Chinese Democracy", alongside Rose. Asked if it's true that he and Duff were instrumental in reworking some of those songs which were originally written before they rejoined the band, Slash said: "Well, there was a conversation that we had at some point after we got back together. Axl had a bunch of unreleased material, and so we listened to it. We said, 'We could redo the bass and the guitars for this song and this song,' and 'this one would be cool.' And we ended up doing that over time. We did a couple songs to begin with. I think 'Hard Skool' and 'Absurd' were the first two that we did, and then a couple of more after that. And 'Nothin'' and 'Atlas' were the last two songs that we did; everything's been done, and these are the last two that were left over. And, yeah, it's been fun, because they're all really cool songs. And it's not like writing it from its inception, but I still have to write stuff to go over the changes and everything. So it's a fun kind of a project for me — and I think for Duff too, just to come up with new ideas for something that's been pre-recorded."

Earlier in January, Slash told Sylvia Alvarado of the Las Vegas radio station KOMP 92.3 about "Atlas" and "Nothin'": "It's good to have a couple of songs that we're promoting and then a tour that's really a long tour. It's gonna go from the end of March until the end of December. And it's exciting, 'cause we're coming back to the U.S., which is the first time we've been in the U.S. in a while."

Asked if releasing standalone singles is how GUNS N' ROSES plans to make new music available going forward or if there are still plans to release a new full-length album, Slash said: "I think in this instance it's what we're doing, because we only re-recorded those songs — like a couple of songs here, a couple of songs there. These were the last two that are left to do, and we actually did them not even back to back. 'Nothin'' was one, and 'Atlas' was at a different time, but they hadn't been released yet. So, we're releasing 'em now. And then there's really no more of that sort of old rehash stuff to release. But I think what we're gonna do, we're gonna take all those songs and put them on something and release that as a package. And then the next record that we're gonna do is gonna be all new original stuff, and that'll be an actual album."

Slash added: "It's a really weird time for especially rock and roll and how it works in this industry and how it works for fans. I think most die-hard rock and roll fans would like to get an album and they love vinyl, but they would want a package of songs. But some of the younger kids who are sort of raised in this new fancy kind of digital era that we're in don't know about albums, really, being released as a whole. So it's a strange time. It's harder to navigate. But to me, it's a no-brainer. Make a record. You can do all the digital stuff in any configuration you want. But make sure that there's an album. Yeah."

Regarding the fact that all the recently released GUNS N' ROSES songs had existed in the GUNS sphere in the past, with "Atlas" having once gone under the working title "Atlas Shrugged", Slash said: "Well, we took a bunch of material that Axl had, and we all sat down and listened to it. And so we sort of picked out all the different songs that we wanted to do and what Axl wanted to do. And we just sort of took all the guitars and the bass off and redid it. And it was fun. And it was the kind of thing where we did one song at a time. We did one or maybe two in the same week. But for the most part it was spread out over a long period of time. So it was just something fun to do and go, 'Okay, what's gonna be my approach for it?' So each one of 'em has been an interesting sort of little project."

On the topic of what his approach was for recording "Atlas" and "Nothin'", Slash said: "'Atlas' has some really cool chord changes and time signatures, so that was interesting in itself. And then coming up with the right voicings for that. With 'Nothin'', it was a very spontaneous, very sort of simple, bare-bones approach. Not much thought went into it at all. It was just improvising."

Slash went on to say that he is looking forward to performing "Atlas" and "Nothin'" when GUNS N' ROSES returns to the road in March.

"Well, we were gonna [play] 'em [live] both — I guess it was a couple of years ago, or a little over a year ago," he explained. "And we were gonna do 'em both, and we actually rehearsed them and they sound great live and it was really fun. But then we decided that we didn't know when we were gonna release these songs and we didn't end up releasing them then. So we had to take them out of the set and wait. So we're excited to go to play 'em now finally the songs are released."

"Nothin'" and "Atlas" find GUNS N' ROSES showcasing two different sides of the band's personality. "Atlas" is GN'R in full surging rock mode, while "Nothin'" grows more introspective over floaty keys and an emotive guitar.

GUNS N' ROSES released a four-song EP, "Hard Skool", in February 2022. The effort, which was exclusive to the GUNS N' ROSES' official store, contained the two new songs the band released in 2021 — the title track and "Absurd" — as well as live versions of "Don't Cry" and "You're Crazy".

The legendary hard rock outfit has not released a full-length effort since "Chinese Democracy", which included only Rose from the band's classic lineup. McKagan and Slash reunited with Axl in 2016 and have since released several standalone singles — "Absurd" (stylized as "ABSUЯD"),"Hard Skool", "Perhaps" and "The General" — but have not made any announcements about another LP.

If and when it happens, the new GUNS N' ROSES studio album will be the first under the GUNS banner since "Chinese Democracy" and the first to feature Slash, Rose and McKagan since 1993.

Written by Rose and co-produced by Rose and Caram Costanzo, "Hard Skool", which had the working title "Jackie Chan", was originally recorded during GN'R's "Chinese Democracy" era but was eventually omitted from that album. Short clips of the song were later posted online and a full version was leaked in August 2019.

"Absurd" came out on August 6, 2021, three days after GUNS N' ROSES performed the tune live for the first time during its concert at Boston's Fenway Park.

GUNS N' ROSES last performed "Silkworms", which was also reportedly written during the "Chinese Democracy" sessions, in 2001.

"The General" was the B-side of GUNS N' ROSES' limited-edition seven-inch vinyl single titled "Perhaps", which was made available for pre-order in August 2023.

Like "Perhaps", "Hard Skool" and "Absurd", "The General" was written during the sessions for the "Chinese Democracy" album. It was previously talked about by ex-GN'R drummer Bryan "Brain" Mantia, who reportedly wrote some of the song's music and gave it its title, and former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach.

GUNS N' ROSES will hit the road again in the spring and summer 2026. This tour will see GUNS N' ROSES visit Mexico and Brazil, before headlining additional European markets, as well as stadiums across the U.S. and Canada. The upcoming run includes a special performance at Los Angeles's Rose Bowl, marking a historic return to the venue for the first time in over 30 years.

GUNS N' ROSES are Axl Rose (vocals, keyboards),Duff McKagan (bass),Slash (lead guitar),Dizzy Reed (keyboard),Richard Fortus (rhythm guitar),Isaac Carpenter (drums) and Melissa Reese (keyboard).

In a new interview with Jonathan Cornell of Immersive Audio Album, six-time-Grammy Award-nominated musician, songwriter and producer Steven Wilson spoke about his upcoming follow-up to last year's "The Overview" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, it's almost finished, actually. It's a very strange record. It's a complete opposite of 'The Overview', which was a very lush, very big record and also about a very large — well, the largest possible subject matter you can imagine, literally the cosmos as we know it. This is a much more insular record. It's still very conceptual. It's still very experimental and the pieces are — well, it feels like another single piece of music to me, in that sense. But it's much more angular and experimental in a way that I'm really excited about. And that's all I can really say at the moment. Very different again, yeah."

Wilson, who is well known for his remixing work, which he began in 2009 as a sideline to his very successful career as a musician and producer, also talked about his production approach on the upcoming LP. He said: "The way I make records is, by definition, pretty layered. I love the possibilities of the studio. I love overdubbing. Now on this particular new record I'm making, there's a lot of what I would call sound design elements. Now, that's not to say they haven't been on all my records, but let's just say I've taken it to another level on this record. There's a lot of sound design. There's a lot of sound effects that kind of place you in a particular place and a particular feeling. And there's a lot of use of lo-fi sounds as well, keeping things sometimes in mono… But I'm making a lot of decisions on this album to keep things very small and mono, but also knowing that those things can be just as impressive in surround because you've got something very small and mono. You can place it very discretely in a particular place in the room. Sometimes when you have things that have been tracked four or five times, they're kind of coming from everywhere. But sometimes what's also nice in spatial audio is having something that's just mono and being able to place it very, very particularly in a particular place. And that can be just as effective in spatial as the big immersive sound. So I'm using a lot of mono reverbs, spring reverbs. It all kind of relates to the concept of the record, which I can't really talk about at the moment, but keeping things sounding almost old and rusted. And I think those are gonna be really effective in spatial audio, because I've got a lot of those kind of elements. I'm playing a lot of instruments I've never played before. I'm playing the drums on some tracks myself. I'm playing violins, oboes, harmoniums. It's a very — I don't wanna say it's a nostalgic-sounding record, because it isn't. There's a lot of use of modern technology too. But, yeah, it's gonna be a strange record, and I think it's gonna be a really interesting — the kind of [Dolby] Atmos mix I've never done before, in the sense of all these little details and things that will be very discretely, particularly placed in a speaker or a position in the room."

Earlier this month, Wilson announced the launch of Headphone Dust, a new online platform dedicated to offering high-resolution, 5.1, and Atmos/spatial audio editions of Wilson's work. The platform's first release is "Impossible Tightrope: Live In Madrid", which captures the final night of the 2025 European leg of Wilson's "The Overview" tour and includes the full two-hour show mixed in Stereo, 5.1 and Atmos. There are no plans for a physical release of this recording; it is exclusive to Headphone Dust. Also available now is a brand new Dolby Atmos mix of Wilson's 2013 album "The Raven That Refused to Sing", alongside high-res editions of "The Overview", "The Harmony Codex" and more. A new Atmos mix of 2015's "Hand. Cannot. Erase." will follow "soon".

Headphone Dust is open now at headphonedust.store.

Wilson is one of contemporary music's most visionary auteurs — a six-time Grammy nominee, revered producer, and boundary-pushing composer whose work fuses cinematic ambition with emotional depth. He first gained recognition with PORCUPINE TREE, pioneering modern progressive rock, and has since crafted a dynamic solo catalog that includes "The Harmony Codex", "Grace For Drowning" and "Hand. Cannot. Erase."

A musical polymath and spatial audio pioneer, Wilson has remixed the work of KING CRIMSON, TEARS FOR FEARS, PINK FLOYD, XTC, BLACK SABBATH, GRATEFUL DEAD, CHIC and THE WHO, among many others, bringing new dimension to classic albums with his meticulous touch. His own music wrestles with existential questions — alienation, technology, mortality — delivered with both poetic lyricism and sonic boldness.

His most recent album, "The Overview" (written, produced, and mixed by Wilson),is a high-concept, long-form experience inspired by the cosmic awe of space and the human condition. Featuring immersive visuals and dense, genre-defying compositions, the album is Wilson at his most ambitious, combining influences from PINK FLOYD to gothic horror, electronica to orchestral grandeur.

Photo credit: Kevin Westenberg

ANTHRAX's long-awaited new studio album is tentatively due in May in North America via Megaforce and in Europe through Nuclear Blast. The mixing sessions, as well as some of the recording sessions, for the LP took place at Dave Grohl's Studio 606 in Northridge, California. ANTHRAX once again worked with producer Jay Ruston, who previously helmed 2016's "For All Kings" and 2011's "Worship Music" albums.

ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello revealed the new LP's tentative arrival month during a recent interview with Long & McQuade's Dan Coniglio. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The record will come out in May. I'm very proud. It's so heavy. Some parts are really hard to play — really hard to play, which I'm happy to say, 'cause I like the challenge of it all. Joey's [Belladonna, ANTHRAX singer] vocals — I don't understand how the guy could sing like that, but he still is killing it. And I'm very psyched.

"If you like the last two records we've come out with and the past stuff, I think everybody's gonna be happy, 'cause as fans, we're very stoked," he added. "And it's been a while, guys, so thank you for waiting. It's been 10 years [since the release of the last album]. So we made sure it's worthwhile."

Asked about ANTHRAX's creative process, particularly as it relates to the upcoming album, Frank said: "We had to get over the COVID thing, like everybody else. We couldn't be one of those bands that were doing it over video, 'cause the latency, number one… Say we were jamming on something, it would come out a half a second later. It's, like, 'Oh,' and you lose the vibe. So we would just send files to each other and stuff like that. And then we got together when it was safe to get together, when they told us it was safe. So the three of us — Charlie [Benante, drums], Scott [Ian, bass] and I — got together, as we've done all our lives, and started exchanging ideas. And from the files we've had, [we went through it and said], 'What's good? Is that good? Does that work here? Back and forth. And then you go home again and see what works. Then we start putting melodies to it, and then we put lyrics… It's really like making a cake. It really is that. So it starts with the foundation of the three of us getting the music together. Music [comes first] and then melodies, usually. Scott and I usually go back and forth with that a lot. Charlie comes up with a lot of great music ideas, but we all came out with a lot of music ideas in this. And then the melodies. Scott and I would work on that a lot. And it's an open thing. Everybody can come in with ideas. That's the idea. And then the lyrics would come on top. And to get it through us, to make sure, as fans, and we've been doing this for a while — we cut out a lot of stuff: 'No'. 'Yes'. 'No'. 'Yes'. 'Cause you want the best, like everything else. Like mom and my grandmother said, it's gotta be the best. Work ethic. Editing is really tough, and it's hard. Sometimes you lose parts that you love, but if it's not good for the song. It's all about the song, man. At the end of the day, that's all we're about. It's about the song. And still to this day. Period."

After Coniglio noted that you can't be "married too hard to your ideas", Frank concurred. "I'm still brokenhearted," he said. "And it's true. I think every songwriter will tell you that. Especially when you're in a band, when you're just not writing the stuff by yourself. When you're collaborating, you have to be open and get ready for that. If that's not working, you can't force feed it in, 'cause it's gonna screw up the song and not make it as potent as it can be. You gotta say, 'All right, I gotta get rid of that ego thing and [be, like], 'Okay. You're right.' And learn to say 'you're right' and 'I agree'. And then when you really feel strongly about something, you gotta remember that other side of it and you gotta really fight your way through. And sometimes that works too. So it's a balance."

This past December ANTHRAX filmed a music video for the first single from the band's upcoming LP.

Earlier in December, Benante told the "100 Songs That Define Heavy Metal" podcast about the status of the band's long-awaited follow-up to "For All Kings":  "Not because it's our record, but God, this record is so good. And I know it took a long time to make, but I think people will really be surprised and they will really grasp this and just be, like, 'Oh my God. This is worth the wait.' At least that's what I think."

Regarding ANTHRAX's working relationship with Ruston, Benante said: "I'll tell you, man, Jay's done the last few ANTHRAX records, and he's become… We talked about [legendary THE BEATLES producer] George Martin before, and Jay has become that [for us]. And him and I have been working very close on this record."

Charlie continued: "I know other bands will understand when I say this — it's, like, you could have three or four songs and it's, like, 'Okay, they're good.' Then you have seven, then you have 10, then the record starts to take shape.

"A couple of months ago, I started to listen to all of [the songs from the new ANTHRAX album] in the order that I think we're gonna put the record in, and it's, like, 'Wow, this is really good,'" Benante added. "It's the best thing when you could put them all together and it just flows. So I'm really excited about it… We pushed the envelope on this record too, so I'm happy about that."

In a recent interview with Thomann's Guitars & Basses, Bello stated about the band's next LP: "I think it's been almost 10 years since the last ANTHRAX record, which is insane. We all are very, very hungry, 'cause we're in mixing right now. The new ANTHRAX record, I'm proud to say, I'm very psyched about this… The parts are all done. Everything's locked in. And to hear what they're gonna sound like for when people hear it, as a fan of the band, it's, like, 'Fuck yeah!' You get hungry and you're ready and you know you have the goods. So we're pretty psyched."

Elaborating on the enthusiasm he and his ANTHRAX bandmates feel about releasing a new album more than 40 years into the group's career, Frank said: "You know what it is, man? I think you never stop being a fan. Never stop being a fan, because that's where the gut is. It comes from your gut, and you are hungry. I'm an ANTHRAX fan, so I wanna hear the best of the best. What do we have? When you hear a bad riff, it's out. Something's gotta work and it's gotta be good enough for us. That's why we know if it's good enough for us, everybody will like it. And that's the way we've always worked."

Bello also talked in more detail about the ANTHRAX songwriting process, explaining: "It's all [about exchanging] demos at this point. It's all digital stuff, so we send each other stuff. Charlie's in Chicago, Scott's in L.A., I'm in New York. So imagine traveling like that. The three of us get together after we have a collection that we think are strong enough, and we'll bat them down and really put 'em together and make sure they work."

In July 2025, Benante told the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast that he had "just finished the album cover" for the upcoming ANTHRAX album "and that is fucking trippy as hell," he said. "I designed it with this artist, who is killer. You know David Blaine, the magician. He did a six-part series recently [National Geographic's 'Do Not Attempt'], and Mark [Stutzman], the artist, he did a lot of the conceptual art for it.

"It's so weird how things happen to me," Charlie continued. "It's, like, I was looking for an artist and I'm watching this David Blaine documentary, and there's this art, which is exactly what I wanted. And I contacted him, and he loved the idea and he was a fan. So it's so crazy how things just turn out that way. So I'm really happy about that."

Earlier in July, Bello told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about ANTHRAX's new album: "I can't say the title [of the album yet], but what I can say is people who have liked the last two records, and there's been a lot of you, and thank you for that, I think we took another step from that. And this isn't just a salesmanship thing. I am, as a fan, really proud of the band stepping up like this — musicianship, songwriting. Joey's vocals — I'm not even joking when I say this about Belladonna, it's one of the best singing he's done on an ANTHRAX record. I'm not even joking with that. So, we made sure the melodies, everything is right with this record. We're ready to go. It's been a long time, but I think we have the goods. I'm really proud of it, and I can't wait to play this stuff. It's gonna be a little challenging, definitely, but I'm looking forward to getting out there again."

In September 2023, Belladonna was asked by Tulsa Music Stream if he is typically presented with finished lyrics to sing or if he gets to contribute a lot lyrically to the content. Joey said: "I love doing lyrics, but there's a lot of lyrics that Scott — he just loves to do it. It's his thing. He just digs into such — these topics that he likes to go and get into, and we all kind of have our own little thoughts on the songs. But I get in there and I really kind of — I dig into the whole thing a lot further. There's a lot of stuff that I have to… When you start singing on something, you really have to find the pockets of what you wanna do, what kind of tone I wanna throw on it and how I wanna go for a certain range for certain things and how I approach it is very important. There are lyrics, but at the end of the day, I have to go in there and still sing as good and catchy and appropriate as I can to make this stuff my thing, my style. Obviously, we're not the hit-oriented type of thing, but I'm always going for something cool to catch you off guard and neat and different. I have my own style, so I just kind of do my thing."

ANTHRAX celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2021 with a number of special activities and events. Formed by Ian and bassist Dan Lilker in Queens, New York on July 18, 1981, ANTHRAX was one of the first thrash metal bands to emerge from the East Coast and quickly became regarded as a leader in the genre alongside METALLICA, SLAYER and MEGADETH.

Active over the past five decades, ANTHRAX has released 11 studio albums, been awarded multiple gold and platinum certifications, received six Grammy nominations, toured the world since 1984 playing thousands of shows, including headlining Madison Square Garden and playing Yankee Stadium with the "Big Four".

"For All Kings" was called by some critics ANTHRAX's strongest album to date. Its arrival followed a five-year period during which the group experienced a rebirth of sorts, beginning with ANTHRAX's inclusion on the "Big Four" tour, and continuing with the release of comeback LP "Worship Music".

During a January 28 question-and-answer session at the HMV store on Oxford Street in London, United Kingdom, Zakk Wylde spoke about BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's upcoming album, "Engines Of Demolition", which will be released on March 27 via MNRK Heavy. The follow-up to 2021's "Doom Crew Inc." contains 15 tracks, including the four previously released singles, "Name In Blood", "Broken And Blind", "The Gallows" and "Lord Humungus", as well as a tune titled "Ozzy's Song", which is a tribute to the BLACK LABEL SOCIETY guitarist/vocalist's longtime bandmate, the iconic BLACK SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne. Asked when he wrote "Ozzy's Song" and how it came together, Zakk said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I actually wrote the music before, obviously, I wrote the lyrics. I had the music done, and I was just, like, 'I'm really happy with the way it came out,' but I was just, like, 'I gotta figure out what I [wanna write about].' Usually, for me, always the lyrics are last, 'So I gotta figure out what I wanna sing about.' Like 'Lord Humungus', you know what I mean? So let's figure out how write a song about Lord Humungus and Mad Max."

Zakk continued: "I didn't have any lyrics for it, but after we had laid Ozz to rest… 'Cause we had done the ['Back To The Beginning'] show [in early July 2025], and then I went back home. We were playing with PANTERA [in the U.S.], and after we did the gig, and I got the phone call from [Ozzy's son] Jack, Jackie boy, and I spoke with Jack [about the fact] that Ozz passed away. So then we flew back over [to the U.K.]. We laid Ozzy to rest, and when I got back home, right after we got back, I went right back to playing with PANTERA celebration. It was crazy, 'cause the first gig we did back, when I flew back after we laid Ozzy to rest, was at Jones Beach in New York. And I remember playing there with Ozzy when it was pouring rain and people all in the front, everybody was standing in knee-high water. So I'll never forget that show. So we were playing there. So all I was thinking about was Ozzy at that first [PANTERA] show [after Ozzy's funeral]. And then after we got done with the PANTERA celebration, once the tour ended, I got home. It's crazy. In our library room, where we have books, we have Ozzy's books up on the the library shelves. And I was looking at him while I was listening to the tunes, and then I just wrote the lyrics."

Regarding why it has taken five years for BLACK LABEL SOCIETY to release the follow-up to "Doom Crew Inc.", Zakk said: "I can't believe it's already been — 2021 was when 'Doom Crew Inc.' came out. And so we started working on ['Engines Of Demolition'] middle of 2022. And it was just, like, we went out and did the PANTERA celebration for a year. I figured after we got done writing, we'll put the new BLACK LABEL album out. And then we went back out [on tour] again, and I came back and wrote some more riffs and some song ideas. I said, 'Well, I might as well get the fellows out to the Vatican [Zakk's home studio called the Black Vatican] again. Then we'll record some more.' Then we went back out [on the road] for another year, and then recorded some more. So next thing you know, we're sitting here talking right now, and four years have gone by in the blink of an eye. To me, it was just, like, 'All right, I'll just keep writing until PANTERA celebration takes a rest, and then we'll put the album out.' There's no sense of putting the album out if I'm not gonna be able to give it any TLC [tender loving care], you know what I mean?"

Wylde went on to say that the songwriting process for "Engines Of Demolition" once again took place at the Black Vatican. "Yeah, it always usually takes place at the Vatican when I get home [from tour]," he explained. "I mean, once we get out on the road, whether we're doing ZAKK SABBATH or we're doing PANTERA celebration or whatever, there's not that much that I do writing. I might as well jam when I'm in my room. But I might get a song idea or a ballad thing or something on the guitar — maybe — but usually when you're writing heavy riffs, the instruments that you're playing on usually dictate and inspire you the way you're gonna play. When I'm sitting behind the piano, you're gonna start playing — you'll get more reflective, mellow, either THE [ROLLING] STONES, ALLMAN BROTHERS, Elton [John], THE EAGLES, that that kind of stuff is gonna come out of you with an acoustic guitar. When you're playing a piano, you really don't think about writing something like [the classic BLACK SABBATH songs] 'Supernaut' or 'Into The Void', you know what I mean? But when you're playing an electric guitar — I'll plug into my little practice amp at the house, at a low volume with some reverb on it so it sounds like I'm playing at Madison Square Garden with nobody in it, and it's inspiring. It inspires you to write riff-orientated stuff. So that's why I usually just wait until I get home."

Wylde formed BLACK LABEL SOCIETY in 1998 and has kept the band busy in between touring and recording with Ozzy Osbourne, whose backing group he first joined nearly four decades ago.

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY's "Order Of The Black" (2010) and "Catacombs Of The Black Vatican" (2014) both broke into the top five on the hard rock album charts.

Since first joining Ozzy, Zakk had played on all of the BLACK SABBATH singer's solo albums except for 2020's "Ordinary Man", including such classic efforts as "No More Tears" (1991),"Ozzmosis" (1995) and "Black Rain" (2007).

In an October 2025 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Zakk was asked if he thought Ozzy knew he would die shortly after performing at the "Back To The Beginning" concert in Birmingham, United Kingdom in early July 2025. Zakk responded: "No, I don't think so. The way I always felt, all the things that I've gone through with them, it was always — if it was a setback or anything like that — it was more of a speed bump and it was just like, 'All right, we'll fix the flat tire on the truck and then we'll just keep moving.' So, I think it was more like that, because I knew he still wanted to make records and things like that. But I was just thinking, 'Who knows, man, hopefully if this thing goes over well, then we might be able to do some other shows or do select shows throughout the year.' Like these Ozzfest-type things, just so Ozz can still keep doing gigs, but maybe not touring in the capacity of doing four shows a week or whatever."

Asked if Ozzy felt indestructible to him, Zakk said: "Yeah, totally. It's just like with THE [ROLLING] STONES, you just always think they're going to be there. I felt like that with us. Even when we were doing that show, I didn't go, 'Oh, this is the last time I'm ever going to play 'Mama, I'm Coming Home' with him or 'Crazy Train' with him' or anything. You're in the moment anyways. You're playing, so my concern was making sure he was okay. I wasn't thinking about any of that, because it's like you're playing a game. You never think it's your last Super Bowl; you're playing and you're playing to win. So, yeah, I didn't think about it, and like I said, I've always been optimistic. I would always tell him, no matter how bummed he got, 'Just keep doing therapy and keep doing everything you've got to do because what's the option? Then you just quit in the corner, and you whine about it. Or you could do something about it, with therapy and hitting the weights and doing everything you got to do.' There was no quit in him. So, that's where we were at. I never thought like, 'Oh, yeah, this was the last gig.' I didn't think after we did the show, two weeks from now, he was gonna be gone. I wasn't thinking that at all."

Zakk, who became Ozzy's guitarist in 1987 after sending the singer a demo tape, previously discussed the legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman's passing last August in an interview with Waste Some Time With Jason Green. He said at the time: "It was so crazy, 'cause when we went back to the house — obviously we went home [in early July after the 'Back To The Beginning' concert], and then Barb [Zakk's wife Barbaranne] called me up [when I was on the road with PANTERA to tell me] that Ozz passed away.

"Whenever any of this stuff [about Ozzy's health issues] would always come up with us [in the past], just 'cause Ozz was just so tough and resilient, it would just be, 'Oh, it's just another bump in the road or another hurdle. We'll get through it.' So it was just always that. So you just always — not that you take anything for granted ever, but it'd be like Ozzy being Evel Knievel [American stunt performer and entertainer] — it's, like, he survives, he makes a jump, or even if he gets into an accident, we get him to the hospital, [and] he'll be fine. And then he gets out and he's all right, and then we'll do another jump. You know what I mean? So you never think, like, 'This is the end.' You're just, like, 'Ah, Ozz will be fine.' Then we'll either do another record or whatever until Ozz gets better. But truly it was just like he willed himself to hang in there long enough to knock that [final] show [at the Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom] out. 'Cause I was just saying, like, what happens if the show was [scheduled to take place] this month [in August]? He doesn't make it. That's what's crazy about the whole thing. And you just always had that sense that he's gonna be around forever, just kind of like Keith Richards and Mick Jagger and all the guys."

When podcast host Jason Green noted that Osbourne's health issues didn't keep him from making music in recent years, Zakk concurred. "Obviously until he get his health back, it was just, like, 'Ah, just keep plugging away, man,'" he said. "And either you quit or you keep conquering and climbing. And he never had any quit in them. So, yeah, it was just, like, all right, well, then in the meantime, until you can get better, well, we'll write and make records or whatever you wanna do, man. I mean, that's what I just figured. It was, like, 'Ah, I'll see Ozz on Tuesday,' and we'll start working again or whatever."

In late July 2025, Zakk spoke to Guitar World about the final text he received from Ozzy before the singer died. Wylde performed during the aforementioned "Back To The Beginning" farewell concert on July 5, 2025, and according to the guitarist, Osbourne reached out to him after the show.

"Everybody and their mother were in the backstage dressing room and I just wanted to give him a break," Wylde said. "I figured we'd see him later on — the next day or whatever. But no. The last text I got from Ozz was saying, 'Zakky, sorry, it was like a madhouse back there. I didn't see you.' He goes, 'Thanks for everything.' It was just us talking, saying, 'I love you, buddy.' That was it."

Wylde added that the singer was "almost like an older brother" to him. "There was almost a 20-year age gap between us," he told Guitar World. "With our relationship, there was the fun drinking — but if I ever needed advice, I could talk to him."

Wylde also told Guitar World that his priority with Osbourne's farewell show was "making sure that Ozz was okay."

Ozzy died on July 22, 2025 of a heart attack, his death certificate revealed. The certificate filed in London also said Osbourne suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease.

A private funeral service for Ozzy was held on July 31, 2025 on the 250-acre grounds of the house the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer and his wife bought in 1993 in Buckinghamshire, England. Only 110 of the singer's friends and family members attended the service, including his SABBATH bandmates, Robert Trujillo (METALLICA),Rob Zombie, Wylde, Marilyn Manson and Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT).

The day before the private funeral, thousands of fans gathered in the streets of Birmingham to pay tribute to Ozzy. Sharon, along with their children Aimée, Kelly and Jack, joined mourners for the emotional tribute.

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY is:

Zakk Wylde - vocals, guitar, piano
John "JD" DeServio - bass
Jeff Fabb - drums
Dario Lorina - guitar

Photo credit: Justin H. Reich

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Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH have commented on the cancelation of their scheduled performances in Turkey, calling the decision by Turkish authorities to scrap the shows an "example of ideology being used to suppress artistic expression and restrict cultural freedom".

"To our fans in Istanbul and Ankara, we are deeply disappointed to confirm that our scheduled performances in Turkey have been cancelled. Despite exhausting every possible avenue throughout the day and engaging in extensive discussions, the decision from the local authorities remains final. There is simply nothing further we can do to overturn it.

"The cancellations come after pressure from religious groups who have characterized our art as satanic propaganda and deemed it unacceptable. This is another example of ideology being used to suppress artistic expression and restrict cultural freedom. BEHEMOTH has always stood for creative independence and the right of artists to express themselves without censorship. Music is not a threat, but silencing it should concern anyone who values freedom of expression.

"To those who planned to attend, who travelled, and who stood ready to share this night with us, we are truly sorry. We fought to make these shows happen and we share your frustration and disappointment. Turkey has some of the most passionate and dedicated fans in the world and we hope the day will come when we can return to Istanbul and Ankara and perform for you without interference. Until then, thank you for your unwavering support."

The Beşiktaş District Governor's Office called off the concerts in Istanbul and Ankara, citing concerns that the events conflict with "societal values" after a wave of online backlash and accusations of satanism.

"The events were found to have caused public reaction due to their incompatibility with our societal values," the governor’s office said in a statement.

Based on Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations, "all concerts, festivals, group and ticketed events, and similar activities within Zorlu PSM and Zorlu Center have been banned for two days," the office said.

İstanbul governor Davut Gül supported the decision, quoting the post of the district governor's office on social media that "no activity that corrupts society has ever been allowed in İstanbul, and none will be allowed in the future."

According to Turkiye Today, the ruling handed down by the Beşiktaş District Governor's Office canceled not only the BEHEMOTH shows, but "all concerts, festivals, and ticketed public events at Zorlu PSM and the wider Zorlu Center complex" for a two-day period.

A pro-government Islamist broadcaster recently singled out BEHEMOTH and SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL, whose February 10 Istanbul concert was also canceled, claiming they promoted satanism and posed a threat to youth.

"Bands named 'SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL', who preach satanism and steal the faith of young people, and 'BEHEMOTH', who blatantly oppose religion with their satanic attire, are coming to Turkey," the broadcaster remarked. "These two groups are banned in Russia. We call on the authorities to act urgently and cancel these events that poison our children and youth," he said.

BEHEMOTH, which is no stranger to controversy, last performed in Istanbul in 2019 at the Volkswagen Arena.

Back in February 2021, BEHEMOTH frontman Adam "Nergal" Darski was convicted for offending religious feelings by a court in Warsaw. The charges stemmed from an image the Polish musician posted on social media showing a foot stamping on a picture of the Virgin Mary. At the time, Darski was ordered to pay a fine of 15,000 złoty (approximately $4,000) and court costs of almost 3,500 zloty (approximately $942). Darski later contested the judgement and the case was eventually dismissed.

This wasn't the first time Nergal had encountered legal problems in Poland related to his social media activities. Back in January 2018, it was announced that Nergal was being formally charged by Polish authorities in a case involving BEHEMOTH's "Republic Of The Unfaithful" tour artwork and merchandise, which was said to be "insulting" to the national coat of arms of Poland, a stylized white eagle with a golden beak and talons, and wearing a golden crown, in a red shield. Seven years earlier, Nergal was acquitted in Poland on charges he insulted religious sentiment when he called the Catholic Church "the most murderous cult on the planet" during the band's September 2007 performance in Gdynia and tore up a copy of the Bible, calling it "a book of lies."

Photo credit: Sylwia Makris and Christian Martin Weiss

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Ancient storms gather once more as MELECHESH unveils their new single, "Raptors Of Anzu", accompanied by a striking lyric video that channels mythic devastation and divine revelation. The track is the first offering from the band's forthcoming digital EP, "Sentinels Of Shamash", set for release on April 10 via MELECHESH's new label home Reigning Phoenix Music.

"Raptors Of Anzu" descends into a forgotten age, a time when the Ancient Ones ruled beneath darkened suns and the sea was still land. From Eridu, city of kingship and divine law, the will of Anu is unleashed through storm and destruction. The raptors emerge as agents of fate, enslaving the lost and tearing through failing orders as destiny unfolds beyond mortal control. Rage burns without mercy as empires fall, logic collapses, and ancient mechanisms of the soul are set into motion.

What begins as an Anunnian tale becomes a violent revelation. Death fades, knowledge is unveiled, and cosmic order is shattered only to be restored through fire and ruin. With commanding riffs, ritualistic rhythms, and incantatory vocals, MELECHESH conjures a soundscape as apocalyptic as the myth it embodies.

Regarding the signing with Reigning Phoenix Music, MELECHESH states: "We're proud to have signed with Reigning Phoenix Music, a label run by true fans who deliver professionalism and a personal touch.

"After some delays which were not in our hands and we have overcome, we're ready to present our new EP 'Sentinels Of Shamash', unrelenting, diverse, and true to the MELECHESH spirit.

"We know about all the anticipation and patience you all displayed so we only deliver the best for you. Now the focus is to play live everywhere and bring the new songs to the stage, while continuing writing and reworking new material for the next without limiting creativity."

"It is an honor to be able to be part of the next chapter of MELECHESH," says Reigning Phoenix Music co-founder Gerardo Martinez. "They are a band that continues to push boundaries and maintaining that rich artistic aspect that makes them so unique."

"Sentinels Of Shamash" stands as a ceremonial descent into ancient law, fire, and cosmic vigilance. Drawing from Mesopotamian myth and the solar judgment of Shamash, god of truth and justice, MELECHESH crafts an offering steeped in divine wrath and esoteric order. Each composition unfolds like a sacred inscription, invoking forgotten gods, fallen kings, and the eternal tension between chaos and balance.

Through commanding riffs, relentless rhythms, and a sonic architecture that bridges ancient cosmology with modern extremity, "Sentinels Of Shamash" delivers a mythological statement rooted in fire, judgment, ruin, and restoration. The sentinels stand eternal guard over fate itself.

"Sentinels Of Shamash" track listing:

01. The Seventh Verdict
02. In Shadows, In Light
03. Raptors Of Anzu

MELECHESH was formed in 1993 in Jerusalem with the intent to forge what the band defines as Mesopotamian metal. Rooted in black metal and thrash, their sound draws deeply from Sumerian and Mesopotamian mythology, cosmic and occult themes, and incorporates Mediterranean and Middle Eastern musical elements into an extreme metal framework. Over the decades, MELECHESH has evolved into an international musical and cultural phenomenon, known for its distinct identity, scholarly mythological focus, and uncompromising artistic vision. The band remains a singular force within extreme metal, standing apart through both concept and sound.

Legendary New York hardcore juggernauts PRO-PAIN are starting a new era by signing with Napalm Records. With the new partnership comes a new release: their sixteenth studio album, "Stone Cold Anger", will be out on May 15, 2026. The band's first release in eleven years showcases their explosive energy in its purest form. "Stone Cold Anger" unfolds heavy, angry, and ready as ever — proving PRO-PAIN haven't lost even an ounce of strength. An exceptionally catchy offering, the new album fortifies its groovy melodies and stirring guitar riffs with furious and inciting, anthemic vocals, turning the ten new songs into worthy follow-ups to their 3.5-million-stream hit "Voice Of Rebellion" (2015).

PRO-PAIN announce their long-awaited album with a new single: "Oceans Of Blood" is an energetic opening track from an album that shows that the scene luminaries have not lost a step in their three-decade campaign of carnage. With the groovy "Oceans Of Blood", the New York-bred hardcore outfit returns heavy, angry, and ready as ever.

PRO-PAIN bassist/vocalist Gary Meskil comments: "A common thread runs through the lion's share of lyrics found in 'Stone Cold Anger'. Much of it has to do with retribution, and our first single, 'Oceans Of Blood', is representative of that. The frustration among people worldwide regarding the rampant corruption and criminality of their governments has reached a breaking point. Wars are being waged in their names, without any consent, funded by their own hard-earned tax dollars. With rising living costs and inflation eroding the value of money, tensions are rising. We've already seen this reach a critical level in countries like Sri Lanka, France, and more recently, Nepal, where desperate citizens have taken drastic actions against corrupt politicians, even resorting to violence and destruction of property. When those in power evade accountability for their actions, it leaves the populace with little choice but to assert their rights and take back control."

The highly anticipated new album — which features the return of former guitarist Eric Klinger — opens up with the punishing "Oceans Of Blood", an energetic and captivating track which confirms once again that the hardcore icons have not lost one bit of their relentless anger in the last 35 years. The title track abruptly commences with soaring melodic guitars acting as sirens around frontman and bassist Gary Meskil's commanding barks. Aptly named "March Of The Giants" is just that, a show of brute force layered upon an ever-so-heavy groove-laden foundation. "Uncle Sam Wants You!" displays a more rock 'n' roll attitude, complete with a driving bass line and distinct social commentary; the raw and honest vibe continues throughout "Demonic Intervention" and "Rinse & Repeat". Meskil's raspy shouts fill the melodies of "Hell Or High Water" before PRO-PAIN forge onward and into the anthemic "Scorched Earth" — fiercely belting "And so it begins…" The following track, "Jonestown Punch", galvanizes with stirring, up-tempo two-steps before "Sky's The Limit" rounds off the album with catchy sing-along choruses.

Meskil adds: "Thank you to our fans worldwide for 35 years of unwavering support. After a decade away from the recording studio, we return with 'Stone Cold Anger' — an album forged from global tension and the rising demand for accountability. Our first single, 'Oceans Of Blood', captures the outrage felt as corruption, injustice, and economic pressure push people to their limits."

"Stone Cold Anger" track listing:

01. Oceans Of Blood
02. Stone Cold Anger
03. March Of The Giants
04. Uncle Sam Wants You!
05. Demonic Intervention
06. Rinse & Repeat
07. Hell Or High Water
08. Scorched Earth
09. Jonestown Punch
10. Sky's The Limit

PRO-PAIN is:

Gary Meskil - Bass, Vocals
Jonas Sanders - Drums
Greg Discenza - Lead Guitar
Eric Klinger - Rhythm Guitar

THE MELVINS and NAPALM DEATH have joined forces for "Savage Imperial Death March", due on April 10 via Ipecac Recordings. The effort is described in a press release as "a true collaboration — not a split, but a new album featuring members of both bands."

The album shares its name with the two bands' "Savage Imperial Death March" tours from 2016 and 2025, but marks their first full-length studio collaboration under the moniker.

Yesterday, the first track from the album, "Tossing Coins Into The Fountain Of Fuck", premiered with Jose Mangin on SiriusXM's Liquid Metal and can now be streamed below.

"Savage Imperial Death March" was recorded at THE MELVINS' Los Angeles studio, with THE MELVINS' Buzz Osborne (vocals/guitar) and Dale Crover (drums) joined by NAPALM DEATH's Barney Greenway (vocals),Shane Embury (bass) and John Cooke (guitar).

"I have loved THE MELVINS forever and their outlook on music," Embury explains. "A chance to make an album of eclectic musical madness with them was truly an honor and a whole lot of fun, which surely is the whole point! Let's do another one soon."

"NAPALM DEATH are one of my favorite bands ever," Osborne says. "It was an absolute pleasure and a dream come true to do this collaboration with them. We wrote songs together. I would write a riff and we would learn it and record it right there. They wrote stuff and we would learn it immediately as well. It was truly a 50/50 partnership."

"Funny how life turns out sometimes... collecting hard-to-find MELVINS 7-inches on Bleecker Street in 1989 and then touring twice and doing an album with them within the following 35 years," Greenway adds. "Had a great time with it all, and nice to work with fellow travelers in THE MELVINS who also couldn't care about pandering to 'demographics.' I felt myself almost babbling lyrically during the recording, and that alone made for very fun recording times."

"Savage Imperial Death March" pre-orders are available now. The eight-song album will be released on CD, digitally and across four limited-edition vinyl variants: Black As Your Soul, Indie Exclusive Obnoxious Orchid, Ipecac Exclusive Absurd Aqua and Revolver Exclusive Neon Coral. An abbreviated version of the album was released during the band's 2025 tour as a hyper-limited vinyl/CD edition. This iteration features new Mackie Osborne-created artwork and two new tracks ("Awful Handwriting" and "Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy").

The "Savage Imperial Death March" cover art was created by Mackie Osborne.

"Savage Imperial Death March" track listing:

01. Tossing Coins Into The Fountain Of Fuck
02. Some Kind Of Antichrist
03. Awful Handwriting
04. Nine Days Of Rain
05. Rip The God
06. Stealing Horses
07. Comparison Is The Thief Of Joy
08. Death Hour

Separately, THE MELVINS will play Sick New World festival this spring, with a pair of California headlining dates surrounding the festival appearance. NAPALM DEATH is currently on tour in Europe ahead of a North American trek later this spring.

Swedish gothic doom metallers DRACONIAN will release their new studio album, "In Somnolent Ruin", on May 8, 2026 via Napalm Records. This promises to be one of the most personal records in the band's discography, revealed through a dreamlike journey across nine tracks and the poetic lyricism of vocalist Anders Jacobsson. The new album also marks the return of longtime frontwoman Lisa Johansson — the band's vocalist for their first five records — who now once again shares vocal duties with Anders Jacobsson. The lineup on the new album has been together and touring since 2022, which gives the album a special live feeling.

As a recurring theme on "In Somnolent Ruin", DRACONIAN explores Plato's theory of the soul — an element that was not planned from the very beginning, but instead emerged organically during the creation of the new album, which has once again been written, recorded and arranged by Johan Ericson.

Johan Ericson comments on the new album: "The first idea — the embryo, really — of 'In Somnolent Ruin' goes back to 2021. It began with the song 'Misanthrope River', a title that had already existed since the demo days of 'Under A Godless Veil', now finally finding music to accompany it. As small pieces and fragments slowly started to grow into actual songs, it only made me more inspired to keep writing.

"I drew a lot of inspiration from art and from other musical acts — everything from dark folk to eerie ambient music — which helped keep the creative spark alive. Early on, I had a clear sense of the overall vibe I wanted for the album: classic doom intertwined with ambient soundscapes. I also wanted a wide variety of songs across the record, but without losing that strong gothic thread that connects everything and gives it a shared atmosphere."

Anders Jacobsson adds: "It took quite some time before the album began to feel whole. We didn't settle on the final track list until very late in the process, as each piece slowly came together — vocals finding their place, ideas overlapping, and a real sense of collaboration allowing the songs to evolve toward an imagined destination. In the end, the music always seems to transform into something that once felt almost unimaginable.

"For me personally, it was a fascinating but challenging experience. I struggled at times to see how everything would ultimately come together, and there were moments of doubt throughout the process. But it did come together in the end, and all the uncertainty and self-reflection somehow proved worthwhile. The creative journey for me is always deeply tied to introspection, and this record demanded a great deal of that.
It was without question the most difficult album for me to fully grasp and work through — but perhaps that's what makes the final result all the more compelling, and, I believe, quite remarkable. It's been a long time coming… It was also fantastic to work with Lisa again, and to have Daniel Johansson bring a new dimension to the drums added another layer of depth to the entire process."

"In Somnolent Ruin" track listing:

01. I Welcome Thy Arrow
02. The Monochrome Blade
03. Anima (feat. Daniel Änghede)
04. The Face Of God
05. I Gave You Wings
06. Asteria Beneath The Tranquil Sea
07. Cold Heavens
08. Misanthrope River
09. Lethe

Six years have passed since the band released its predecessor, "Under A Godless Veil", DRACONIAN's most successful record to date. Much has changed since then, yet everything feels familiar: after introducing new guitarist Niklas Nord (MYTERI, DEATHTRAP, THE RANDOM VICTIMS) in spring 2022, the band announced the return of vocalist Lisa Johansson, who now once again shares vocal duties with Anders Jacobsson, promising even more enigmatic music to come. Johansson had been the band's vocalist for their first five records before leaving DRACONIAN in 2011 for personal reasons. "In Somnolent Ruin" marks her official comeback, following several live performances at festivals over the past years. The band's renewed lineup is rounded out by Daniel Johansson (ANTIKULT, ex-WORMWOOD),who joined DRACONIAN as a full member in 2025 following Jerry Torstennson's departure. Prior to that, Johansson had served as the band's session drummer since 2019. It's the first album on which longtime member Daniel Arvidsson can be heard on bass, where he switched from guitar in 2022.

"In Somnolent Ruin" captures the essence of a band that no longer needs to prove anything — and yet still does. Active since the mid-1990s and having released their debut album, "Where Lovers Mourn", in 2003, DRACONIAN have continuously demonstrated their unmatched ability to craft otherworldly doom melodies and searing heavy instrumentation, complemented by lyrics that read like poetry. Their art cuts deep, compelling listeners to confront their inner demons, wander through the darkest shadows, and even embrace emotional numbness, only to emerge with a sense of inner peace. This album confronts listeners with life's hardest questions, exploring feelings of alienation and the search for direction in unfamiliar territory.

"In Somnolent Ruin"'s journey begins with "I Welcome Thy Arrow", which captivates from the very first seconds through haunting melodies and a vocal interplay that embodies fragility and strength alike. Tracks such as "The Monochrome Blade" and "The Face Of God" introduce increased tempo and eruptive vocal dynamics. "Anima" features Swedish artist Daniel Änghede, adding layers of emotional depth and confronting listeners with their darker impulses, capturing the sense of being lost and questioning one's place in the world. "Asteria Beneath The Tranquil Sea" serves as a transitional interlude between "I Gave You Wings" and "Cold Heavens", the latter exploring the delicate balance between life and death and not finding relief in any of both, while delivering the album's most intense vocal performance. "Misanthrope River" opens with an extended instrumental passage and narration by Simon Bibby, slowing the tempo but by no means reducing the emotional weight, reflecting life's daily struggles and obstacles. The closing track, "Lethe", references the river of forgetfulness in Greek mythology. Those who drank from it would lose all memory. "Oh, shooting star… Drown in me! Drink. Forget. Repeat." mourns Jacobsson through devilish growls. And yet, "In Somnolent Ruin" remains a work of art one wishes not to forget — not a single blink of an eye.

DRACONIAN 2026 tour dates (more to be announced):

May 16 - Sao Paulo, Brazil @ Carioca Club
May 17 - Buenos Aires, Argentina @ Teatro Flores
May 19 - Santiago, Chile @ Sala Metronomo
May 21 - Bogota, Colombia @ Teatro Astor Plaza
May 23 - Mexico City, Mexico @ Circo Volador
Aug. 06 - Jaromer, Czech Republic @ Brutal Assault

DRACONIAN is:

Johan Ericson - Guitar, Vocals, Keys
Anders Jacobsson - Vocals
Lisa Johansson - Vocals
Daniel Arvidsson - Bass
Niklas Nord - Guitar
Daniel Johansson - Drums

Photo credit: Therés Stephansdotter Björk