A book about Scarborough, Ontario, Canada's death/thrash/crossover pioneers SLAUGHTER is currently being written by two longtime fans of the band, Dragan "Ed" Balog (Utopian Vision Music, Black Mark Production – North America, DOWNFALL, INNER THOUGHT) and Nick Sagias (NIHILIST DEATH CULT, TRIBE OF PAZUZU, SOULSTORM, OVERTHROW, PESTILENCE). Titled "Tales From The Chainsaw", the book is currently slated for release in late 2026 or early 2027.

SLAUGHTER — not to be confused with the American pop-metal band that haunted MTV in the early '90s — left an outsized mark on extreme music during its brief but legendary original run from 1984 to 1986. The trio — bassist/vocalist Terry Sadler, guitarist/vocalist Dave Hewson and drummer/chainsaw/percussionist Ron Sumners — helped shape the foundations of the chainsaw laced death/thrash/crossover sound, influencing countless underground bands and scenes worldwide.

SLAUGHTER's 1985 demo, "Surrender Or Die", and the landmark 1987 album "Strappado" cemented SLAUGHTER's reputation as seminal progenitors of gritty down-tuned heaviness, dual vocal assaults, and the now-iconic chainsaw sound. More than four decades later, their raw, uncompromising approach continues to echo throughout extreme music, and is enshrined in time, vinyl, cassette, CD, and the internet webs for all ears to hear.

A wealth of live, demo, rehearsal, and archival recordings has surfaced over the years, including the 2000 LP release of the "FOD (Fuck Of Death)" rehearsals from 1986 — recorded during the brief period when guitarist/vocalist Chuck Schuldiner of DEATH/MANTAS, played with the band.

Balog comments: "It all began in the fall of 2024, when Nick first shared the idea with me. That initial conversation led to several follow-up discussions over lunch and dinner with Ron Sumners and Dave Hewson, both of whom approved the concept. The idea was then brought to Terry Sadler, who was also on board. Since then, the ball began to roll, and we have both been deeply involved with many interviews with the original members, friends, fans, and many well-known voices within the underground music scene, to give us images, stories, and tales from the chainsaw to share with the fans soon."

In 2001, "Strappado" was re-released via Nuclear Blast. The German record label also issued a SLAUGHTER compilation of demos and live tracks called "Not Dead Yet/Paranormal".

After SLAUGHTER broke up more than 35 years ago, Hewson recruited a new lineup and continued playing as STRAPPADO, but the band never progressed beyond the demo stage.

SLAUGHTER was a crucial player in the early Toronto thrash metal scene alongside genre heavyweights RAZOR, SACRIFICE and EXCITER.

Former ARCH ENEMY singer Alissa White-Gluz joined EPICA on stage on Saturday, February 7 at Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, Netherlands to perform the song "Sirens - Of Blood And Water". Sharing the stage with them for the track were vocalist Elize Ryd of EPICA's European tour co-headliners AMARANTHE and former DELAIN singer Charlotte Wessels of support act CHARLOTTE WESSELS' THE OBSESSION. Alissa later returned at the end of EPICA's set to perform another song, "Beyond The Matrix". Check out the fan-filmed video of the performances below.

Earlier today, Alissa shared video of "Sirens - Of Blood And Water" from the Amsterdam concert, and she wrote in an accompanying message: "After an extremely uplifting, rewarding and productive month in LA, I snuck over to the Netherlands to surprise 8000 fans by jumping on stage with @epicaofficial !

"Amazingly, even though EPICA is one of the first bands I ever toured with, starting about 20 years ago, this is the first time we have performed together.

"Words cannot express the intensity of emotions in @ziggodome that night! Seeing the beautiful faces of @elizeryd , @simonesimons and @charlottewessels while we all sang 'Sirens' together is a memory I will cherish forever. These are 3 incredibly talented, unique artists that I am proud to call friends, that I deeply respect and love as people and I am genuinely a fan of each of them!

"Huge thanks to @jensthepanda for this amazing production, as always; a true master of his craft. Thank you, EPICA, AMARANTHE and CHARLOTTE WESSELS' THE OBSESSION for having me for such a special, important show. Thank you to all the incredible fans in the audience - I really felt the [love] that night!

"If you're still reading this far - what you didn't know is that I actually slipped on ice in my travels from LA to Amsterdam (one night in icy Montreal is all it takes)! I fell down snowy stairs and broke my ribs the night before heading to Amsterdam. So I did this show with broken ribs. I swear I have no intention of breaking my ribs every time I start a new chapter in my career, but I'll take it as a good sign! Just don't make me laugh, that hurts!"

Last November, Alissa released "The Room Where She Died", the first single from her upcoming debut solo album. The music for "The Room Where She Died" was written by KAMELOT keyboardist Oliver Palotai, while Alissa performed, recorded and wrote all the vocals for the track. White-Gluz also came up with the script for "The Room Where She Died"'s accompanying music video, which was created by Serbian video production company iCODE Team.

On November 23, 2025, ARCH ENEMY announced it had split with White-Gluz, writing on social media: "ARCH ENEMY have parted ways with singer Alissa White-Gluz. We're thankful for the time and music we've shared and wish her all the best.

Alissa added in a separate statement on her Facebook page: "After 12 years in ARCH ENEMY, we have parted ways. I am forever thankful to the thousands of amazing fans I have met along the way. Thank you, Beastlings!

"I can't wait to share what I have been working on with you all (with some big surprises in store). Stay tuned for big news in 2026 and see you very soon."

White-Gluz, former vocalist of Canadian extreme metallers THE AGONIST, joined ARCH ENEMY in 2014 as the replacement for Angela Gossow. Angela, who joined ARCH ENEMY in 2000 and made her debut on the now-classic "Wages Of Sin" (2001),stepped down as frontwoman and is now focusing on management, while Alissa took her place.

ARCH ENEMY released four studio albums with White-Gluz on vocals: "War Eternal" (2014),"Will To Power" (2017),"Deceivers" (2022) and "Blood Dynasty" (2025).

Throughout her career, the now-40-year-old Alissa has consistently used her music as a vehicle for social change, addressing pressing issues such as environmental conservation, veganism, and the ethical treatment of animals.

ARCH ENEMY played the final show with White-Gluz on November 15, 2025 in Düsseldorf, Germany as part of the band's European "Blood Dynasty" 2025 tour with AMORPHIS, ELUVEITIE and GATECREEPER.

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The official lyric video for the song "Dark Wings" from POWERRAGE, the new band featuring former EXCITER guitarist John Ricci, can be seen below. The track is taken from POWERRAGE's debut album, "Beast", which will arrive on April 24 via High Roller Records. The LP was mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö at Unisound and it features artwork by Mario Lopez.

In addition to Ricci, POWERRAGE includes bassist Todd Pilon (formerly of WITCHKILLER),vocalist Jacques Bélanger (who previously sang on three EXCITER albums: "The Dark Command" [1997], "Blood Of Tyrants" [2000] and "New Testament" [2004]) and drummer Lucas Dery.

While Ricci and Bélanger were both members of EXCITER, John wants to make one thing perfectly clear. "Well, with this band I didn't want to be another EXCITER," he says. "It was time to move on. Even though EXCITER was based around my guitar style, and it was a successful formula, I wanted to start from scratch and start all over again.

"Starting over and not depending on your past accomplishments is definitely a very difficult task but I feel confident enough I can make it happen," he continues.

It's hard to pin down, but listening to the eight songs on "Beast", you will get a large dose of very heavy, early doom/death metal, as well as some classic EXCITER and also a lot of early MERCYFUL FATE. Asked if this description makes any sense at all, Ricci says: "Yes, I agree with you about the comparisons you mentioned. Doom influence yes, EXCITER classic riffing yes, but MERCYFUL FATE influence? I would say that was not intentional. It was just the way I envisioned the vocals; it was a coincidence."

"When it was time to record the album, we decided to do it the same way as the preceding two-song demo," continues Ricci, "live off the floor in our rehearsal studio. My longtime friend/producer Manfred Leidecker and engineer George Henderson set up a mobile studio and recorded the music, but the vocals were recorded in Manfred's studio (under a more controlled environment). The album was mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö at Unisound.

"I wrote everything on 'Beast': music, lyrics, melodies," Ricci explains. "POWERRAGE is 100 % my musical vision. All eight songs are brand-new — no rehashed riffs from my EXCITER days."

"Beast" track listing:

01. Dark Wings
02. Cremation Damnation
03. Dragon Man
04. Haunted Hell
05. I Torture I Kill
06. The Devil Is Screaming
07. Damned And Cursed
08. The Black Mass

More than seven years ago, EXCITER bassist Allan Johnson spoke to The Metal Voice about the September 2018 departure of Ricci. The guitarist has since been replaced by Daniel Dekay, who has previously played with DIEMONDS. Asked why Ricci decided to once again exit EXCITER, Allan said: "Well, that's still somewhat of a mystery. We haven't seen or actually spoke with John since it happened. We got back from our Singapore gig, and we started some e-mail chats back and forth, and John just said he's kind of getting fed up and he wants out. Dan [Beehler, drums/vocals] and I were actually quite surprised about this. First thing I said was we've got shows next year — tentative shows; nothing concrete — a couple coming up. They start to filter in quite quicky this time of year for 2019. So John said, 'You and Dan can go ahead and do the shows without me.' And that was pretty much it. He didn't give a solid reason why. I don't know what he meant by 'fed up,' but he said he was fed up. I confirmed with him. I said, 'Are you sure about this?' And he said, 'Yeah, I'm definitely out.'"

Ricci previously left EXCITER in 1985 following the release of the band's first three classic albums — "Heavy Metal Maniac" (1983),"Violence & Force" (1984) and "Long Live the Loud" (1985).

"It's funny because the first thing I said to Dan when I contacted him [to let him know John was out] was I texted him and I said, 'Guess what — it's 1985 all over again,'" Allan said. "And he said, 'What? What?' Like, what's going on? It's funny — it's like déjà vu. [In 1985], we came back from a U.S. tour and John said, 'I'm out. That's it. I don't wanna do it anymore.' And we were, like, 'Well, we've got a Germany tour. What do you wanna do?' And he said, 'Do it without me.' So back then, we got our old guitarist, Brian McPhee, from a band that Dan and I played with before we were in EXCITER. So it was like total déjà vu. Only this time we have an opportunity to do things better than we did back in '85. And by having Dekay onboard, I think we're gonna definitely do that."

EXCITER's latest album, "Death Machine", which featured Ricci as the sole remaining original member, was released in October 2010 via Massacre Records.

Ricci, Beehler and Johnson reunited as EXCITER in 2014 and had been playing sporadic shows until John's latest departure.

STATUS QUO founder and frontman Francis Rossi has achieves notable chart success across Europe with his new studio album "The Accidental".

In the U.K., the album debuted in several Top 10 charts, including No. 5 on both the CD album chart and Independent Album chart. In Germany, the album reached No. 6 on the Rock Album chart, while in Switzerland "The Accidental" entered the Official Top 100 Album chart at No. 5. In addition, Rossi's first studio album in seven years reached No. 6 in both Sweden and Scotland.

With "The Accidental", Francis once again highlights his enduring presence as an artist, continuing to reach a wide international audience more than five decades into his career.

In April and May 2026 as well as between September and November 2026, Rossi is welcoming his fans to European "Songbook" tour. All tour dates and further information can be found at www.francisrossi.com/tour.

Released via earMUSIC on CD, LP and digital formats, "The Accidental" garnered great reviews, with Mojo saying, "'The Accidental' reinforces his reputation as a pop songwriter… diehards… will find much to savor here". Classic Rock agreed, writing, "Fans will find much to enjoy.. and tucked away towards the end, 'Beautiful World', six minutes of glorious old-school QUO". Powerplay said simply, "An album of consistently great songs".

"The Accidental" came as something of a surprise. It was certainly a surprise to Francis, who had no plans to record an album. "This truly came out of nowhere," said Rossi. "I spend my life in and out of the studio, rehearsing, tinkering, but something happened earlier this year and, before I knew it, we had created something special."

While Rossi's previous solo albums explored his love for acoustic ballads, vocal harmonies, and the blend of British rock with country influences, this album, his first in seven years, marks a true return to the energetic, guitar-driven sound that made him a legend with STATUS QUO.

"The Accidental" sees Rossi playing to his strengths, but taking risks, cutting loose, and exploring new territory. This album is all about old bones and fresh blood. The fresh blood in question comes largely from Hiran Ilangantilike, a guitarist who was originally a school friend of one of Francis's children, and co-producer Andy Brook. What became the sessions for "The Accidental" was initially born of just plugging in and making some serious noise, but something clicked in the studio. Lightning was indeed bottled: There was a swing and a groove, and the songs started pouring out. With John "Rhino" Edwards and Leon Cave later laying down the bass and drums parts, and Amy Smith again bringing an extra dimension on back-up vocals, this became a project with a bite and DNA all of its own; albeit Francis's playing is a distinctive as ever. Almost all of the songwriting credits reflect this fresh and collaborative ethos, though there are two that bear the classic QUO hallmark: Rossi/Young. Rossi produced "The Accidental"; co-producer Andy Brook recorded, mastered, engineered, and played on the record, and co-wrote three tracks.

Kicking off with a flourish "Much Better" segues into the ebullient "Go Man Go", teeing up future classic "Push Comes To Shove" and the plaintive yet strutting blues singalong of "Back On Our Home Ground" (who will be the first sports team to adopt this one?). By then the engine is well and truly running, and the highlights keep coming. The chug and chant and choppy chords of "Something In The Air (Stormy Weather)" give way to the cantering "Picture Perfect", which could only be a Rossi number. The long strides of "November Again" distill a melancholy refrain into a catchy chorus, and the epic "Beautiful World" channels vintage-era QUO with enough guitar to get the balcony of the Glasgow Apollo bouncing again. "Time To Remember" is built around a piano line and swaying melody and serves as a poignant and powerful coda to an extraordinarily strong set of new songs.

"For anyone who liked any of my solo albums previously, well, I've no idea what you'll make of this one because it's a real departure, but I love it," Rossi said. "It's loud, the guitars are right to the fore, and there are some great songs there."

This new album finds Rossi once more at the top of his game, with a searing yet thoughtful collection of rockers that will please anyone who likes their dose of heavy cut with melody and verve. Mark Twain said that the accident is "the greatest of all inventors" when there are no rules, expectations or preconceptions, anything can — and will — happen. "The Accidental" proves that amazing things unfold when an artist with an unrivaled track record is inspired to create new music — even after more than 50 years of success — by the sheer love of playing. That unbridled joy is where the elemental magic that animates "The Accidental" is conjured.

Photo credit: James Eckersley (courtesy of Chris Hewlett PR)

Swedish sleaze rock veterans CRASHDÏET have released the official music video for their latest single, "Satizfaction", an explosive burst of energy that marks the beginning of the next chapter in the band's career — and the first taste of the upcoming studio album "Art Of Chaos". The clip was created by Johanna Olandersson and can be seen below.

"Satizfaction" is everything CRASHDÏET stands for: raw energy, uncompromising attitude, razor-sharp riffs, and a chorus that hits instantly. The song captures the band's DNA while pointing firmly toward a new era where sleaze rock once again takes center stage.

"Art Of Chaos", set for release on May 8 via Ninetone Records, is described by CRASHDÏET as "the ten sleaziest tracks we've written in a very long time" — a high-octane return to the raw nerve, massive hooks, and filthy rock'n'roll swagger that built CRASHDÏET's reputation from the start.

With new member Chris Young on bass, the band presents a re-energized lineup, and CRASHDÏET sound more focused than they have in years. Live, the band continues to deliver intense, unforgettable shows — and on record, they prove why they remain one of the most relevant names in the ongoing revival of sleaze and glam rock.

CRASHDÏET are pioneers of glam and sleaze metal, a band forged through turbulence, tragedy, and sheer determination. With a career marked by lineup changes, personal losses, and highs and lows on the global stage, they have consistently risen from the ashes — true survivors of the rock scene.

Their sound is a fearless collision of 1980s arena rock swagger — think GUNS N' ROSES, KISS and SKID ROW — infused with a raw punk attitude, solidifying their role in the revival of sleaze and hair metal. Their debut album, "Rest In Sleaze" (2005, Universal Music),earned critical acclaim and launched their career in Sweden. After the heartbreaking loss of frontman Dave Lepard in 2006, the remaining members kept the flame alive, recruiting new vocalists, touring worldwide, and delivering six more studio albums to their dedicated fanbase.

Over the years, CRASHDÏET have collaborated with rock icons including Mick Mars (MÖTLEY CRÜE) and Michael Starr (STEEL PANTHER),cementing their place in the glam metal pantheon.

Today, CRASHDÏET hits the stage with a solid lin-up, anchored by original member Martin Sweet, promising high-octane performances that honor their legacy while pushing the band into exciting new territory. While Peter London is taking a longer break from the band, Chris Young has stepped in on bass for this album cycle, embracing the challenging role with energy and dedication. Fresh music is on the horizon, with fans set to experience the same signature attitude and intensity that has defined CRASHDÏET from day one.

CRASHDÏET is:

John Elliot - Lead Vocals
Martin Sweet - Guitar
Chris Young - Bass
Michael Sweet - Drums

Photo courtesy of Ninetone

This is the first single from our new album – and we couldn’t be more proud.
A straight return to our classic sleaze...

Posted by CRASHDÏET on Tuesday, January 13, 2026

In a new interview with Mark Strigl, QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's upcoming follow-up to 2022's "Digital Noise Alliance" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're working on the new QUEENSRŸCHE, writing with Zeuss [Chris Harris]. So me and [guitarist] Mike Stone are here, and we're blazing away."

Regarding the musical direction of the new QUEENSRŸCHE material, Michael said: "Well, we're pushing the envelope. We don't get a lot of standard radio play, so we're just going for it. We're keeping the progressive element, the melodic element, the heavy metal element. So it's gonna be a killer album. But we're trying to make it a little bit different than the previous one. So, fingers crossed."

Asked if QUEENSRŸCHE is still in the "pre-production" and songwriting stage for the next LP or if he and his bandmates are already recording the music for the effort, Wilton said: "Well, it's a bit of both. We're at a point where we know our sounds, so if it's kept in the arrangement of the song, then you're halfway there. But yeah, QUEENSRŸCHE likes to come up with, in the writing process at least, 15 to 20 songs. So that's kind of where we are right now. We're probably on the 13th idea right now. So we're kicking ass."

Wilton also talked about his songwriting chemistry with fellow QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Mike Stone, explaining: "We're both in the room with Zeuss, our producer. And if I have a song, I play my idea. We document it, get it recorded, and then I go, 'Mike, it needs another part on top,' and he comes up with something and it complements, and then we just work together and just build the song. It's great, because you can bounce ideas off each other and it's not just one person saying, 'It's my way or the highway.' It's about getting the vibe and getting the right flavors of the music, and I'll tell you what: Mike Stone does a great job. He can understand what I'm playing and he knows that what we call RŸCHE-ian sound."

Zeuss previously worked with QUEENSRŸCHE on 2015's "Condition Hüman", 2019's "The Verdict" and "Digital Noise Alliance" LPs.

Wilton previously told the "Iron City Rocks" podcast about QUEENSRŸCHE's working relationship with Zeuss: "We built such a relationship, and when he hears my ideas and my riffs and everything, he knows, and I trust him with his decisions. And we just have a great relationship with Zeuss."

In a separate interview with J.J. Caithcart of Different Stages Radio, QUEENSRŸCHE bassist Eddie Jackson stated about Zeuss: "Yeah, he's just awesome. He's great to work with and bounce ideas with. He's a great guy, and he's actually a good musician too; he plays guitar and all that. But if it's still working, why not continue working with him?"

Last April, QUEENSRŸCHE singer Todd La Torre was asked by Brazil's Monsters Of Rock which "unexplored musical directions" he would like to see the band go in on its next LP. He said: "[We're] kind of [doing] the same thing as what we've been doing. I mean, we don't go in writing a record with a preconceived idea. We just get in a room and [go], 'Hey, show me your guitar parts. What do you have in your mind?' And we kind of all get together in a room and just see what happens in real time. So as far as unexplored musical directions… Personally, I'd love to hear more clean guitar on the next record, maybe some more spacious stuff, some more clean guitar. Orchestration is always fun to work with. It's very huge and cinematic sounding. So those are fun things to play with. Maybe some different percussion things would be interesting to play around with again.

"But, gosh, after 40-plus years, I think without completely changing the band, the band's style of music, I don't know that there's really any too much unexplored musical directions," he continued. "I mean, QUEENSRŸCHE's kind of done a lot within the large space that QUEENSRŸCHE has to run around in. I mean, if we were to do something — we wouldn't write a hip-hop song, we wouldn't write a death metal song. So within the confines of what QUEENSRŸCHE kind of is, as diverse as it as it is, I don't know what kind of unexplored musical directions there would be. On the next one, I mean, I would love to, like I say, play around with some other clean guitar sounds, maybe some more interesting percussion things — like the song 'I Am I' had some really neat percussion things going on."

Stone, who rejoined QUEENSRŸCHE in 2021, contributed guitar solos to the band's latest studio album.

Since late May 2021, Stone has been handling second-guitar duties in QUEENSRŸCHE, which announced in July 2021 that longtime guitarist Parker Lundgren was exiting the group to focus on "other business ventures."

Stone originally joined QUEENSRŸCHE for the 2003 album "Tribe" and stayed with the band for six years before leaving the group.

For the past nine years, drummer Casey Grillo has been filling in for original QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield, who stepped away from the band's touring activities in early 2017 to spend time with his young son.

In October 2021, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against Wilton and Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge. A few months later, Jackson and Wilton filed a countersuit against Rockenfield, accusing him of abandoning his position as a member of the band and misappropriating the group's assets to his own personal benefit. That dispute has since been settled out of court.

In a recent interview with The Joel Martin Mastery Podcast, Wilton stated about QUEENSRŸCHE's songwriting process: "Well, the last few albums we've kind of wanted to write fresh, so kind of on the spot. So I'm not looking at anything I've done in the past. I'm looking at just the inspiration of the day and getting something recorded and live with it for a couple of days and then come back and go, 'Okay, yeah, this is pretty cool,' or, 'Nah, I'm gonna delete this.' But I think it's something that is special to a group of guys that everything that you create is new or kind of new. We're probably ripping ourselves off blind with all the riffs and melodies, but that seems to be the fresh approach. I mean, the stuff that goes by the wayside, that's stuff that goes on solo albums. [Laughs]"

Wilton previously discussed the progress of the songwriting sessions for the follow-up to "Digital Noise Alliance" in February 2025 in an interview with Marko Syrjala of Metal-Rules.com. Michael said at the time that he and his QUEENSRŸCHE bandmates were "following the same process" this time around as they did for "Digital Noise Alliance". "With ['Digital Noise Alliance'], the recording and writing sessions were meant to feel fresh — nothing was e-mailed back and forth," he said. "Everything was built during the writing process. In that sense, it was about going back to the days when we'd be in a room writing the [debut QUEENSRŸCHE] EP in the morning. Back then, we didn't have technology like we do now. No cell phones, no computers — maybe, if you were lucky, you had a four-track recorder. The way we worked was simple: 'Hey, Chris [DeGarmo], you got a riff?' And I'd say, 'Okay, I like that. Let me add something to it.' It was a real band effort because everyone was in the room, giving input. That's exactly what we did with ['Digital Noise Alliance']. Everyone was involved — 'Oh, I like that,' 'Oh, I don't like that' — and the songs evolved a little more each day. Some songs we dissected and reworked completely. Take 'Tormentum', for example — that's like four songs merged into one! [Laughs]"

Asked if it's "correct to say" that recording the "Digital Noise Alliance" album was "a fresh start" for QUEENSRŸCHE, with Grillo becoming a permanent bandmember and Stone returning to the fold for the studio sessions, Michael said: "Yeah, I think so. This next one will be even better because, with ['Digital Noise Alliance'], Mike didn't come in until the end of the process. But now, he's here from the beginning of the process. He's writing with me, and I'm writing with him, so it should be a bit more cohesive, I think… He knows the ways of the RŸCHE. He knows the guitar style and how to stay within that area. But, like I said, the stuff we've written so far sounds pretty cool."

QUEENSRŸCHE will head back to Europe this summer, starting on June 6 in Köln, Germany and ending on July 5 in Cartagena, Spain. Dates include a mix of headlining shows with RIVERS OF NIHIL opening, as well as festival appearances.

Photo by Silly Robot Studios

In a new interview with Hardlore, guitarist Frank Novinec of Connecticut hardcore/metal veterans HATEBREED was asked if there is a new album from his and his bandmates on the way. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[It's] coming out this year, yeah. Most, of it's pretty much — I mean, it's done."

Referencing the fact that HATEBREED released its first new single in nearly five years, "Make The Demons Obey", last July, Frank continued: "The nice thing about in this era — I was telling somebody the other day that's not in the music business like we are — the nice thing about the way things are rolled out now, I think, is you can drop a single even if you have the whole record done, and be, like, 'All right, now there's all this time', where you can really review what you've done and you could really change something that you didn't like or even make another song and all that. It's not, like, 'Okay, there's the record, there's the two videos. Here's what are supposed to be the singles. And that's it.' So it's nice to be able to drop the single, which we had a great response for. We love the song. As far as the band's concerned, we're real happy with 'Make The Demons Obey'. And we'll probably leak another one here soon. And there'll probably be proper videos coming after that."

Novinec, who joined HATEBREED as a full-time member in 2006, was also asked if he has had any major writing contributions to the band's albums since he became part of the group 20 years ago. He responded: "No. I think I have one riff on one song. It was always [founding HATEBREED bassist] Chris [Beattie] and Jamey [Jasta, HATEBREED vocalist] writing the music. That's it. From day one, it's Chris and Jamey. They're the guys [who wrote all the music] from day one, for the most part."

Regarding how the recent departure of Beattie has changed the songwriting dynamic within HATEBREED, Frank said: "[HATEBREED guitarist] Wayne [Lozinak], I think, is… We all have our ideas about songs. Songs are presented, [and then we say], 'Hey, I think we should change this,' 'Hey, I think this riff should go longer.'

"I'm not a groove dude like that when it comes to writing," Frank explained. "I'm not somebody that's trying to show up and break something that's not broken."

At last year's Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky, HATEBREED drummer Matt Byrne spoke to The Kevin Powell Podcast about the band's next studio album. Matt said: "I think this new material is way thrashier. There's always a tinge of metal to HATEBREED. I think a lot of people try to kind of pigeonhole us as a hardcore band, but I think over the years we've just gone way more metal. There is still the hardcore punk vibe to us, but I think the new stuff is way more metal, thrashy, fast, SLAYER-esque, if I may use that term. That's kind of the direction we're going in right now, but there's still a lot of groove to it. It's definitely the heaviest stuff that we've written to date. I know that can be a cliché thing with bands — 'Watch out, everybody. It's the coolest stuff,' or whatever they say — but it's true. It's true. It really is. So I'm excited for everyone to hear the other stuff too."

Regarding what fans can expect from HATEBREED in 2026, Matt said:  "New record, new music. It's a new era of the band. We've had some lineup changes. We dealt with some curve balls this summer, some health stuff. So we're coming out on top, we're grinding through, we're coming out on top. And, yeah — new production. We're just stepping up the show 100% and just forging onward."

Last October, Byrne told Baby Huey of the San Francisco radio station 107.7 The Bone about HATEBREED's new music: "We just released a single ['Make The Demons Obey'] over the summer. We have a new record that'll be coming out next year — not sure when, but it's about 90 percent, 85 percent done. [We're] still tweaking some stuff, but next year's our target [release]. We released a single, 'Make The Demons Obey'. We've been playing it live. It's very fast. It's heavy. It's HATEBREED. It has HATEBREED all over it. So, it's a lot of fun to play. It's always fun playing the new stuff. We've been playing 'I Will Be Heard' since 2002, so as much as you love that song, it's fun to play newer stuff."

Released in July, "Make The Demons Obey" marked the first taste of new HATEBREED material after the group's "Weight Of The False Self" album which came out in 2020.

"Make the Demons Obey" is everything you know, love, want, and expect from HATEBREED. PMA lyrics, sick riffs, singalongs that will make you bumrush to the front of the stage, and some of the deadliest, most ignorant (in the best possible way!) breakdowns known to man.

"Lots of bands say that their newest release will be their heaviest and I guess we are no different," Jasta stated at the time of the song's release. "We've managed to push the envelope and surpass our expectations. We've become tighter, harder and more vicious than ever. This is the most excited I've been for any HATEBREED release."

"Very exciting things are happening in the HATEBREED camp," added Byrne. "It's time to unleash this beast — new music is here! This is the fastest, most vicious, and most aggressive music we have ever created and I'm pumped for the world to hear it."

When "Make the Demons Obey" was made available, HATEBREED was independent and was still deciding what direction it would like to go regarding a record label. But HATEBREED remained open to all options and ideas. In the interim, they will be releasing singles to keep fans satisfied and will self-fund the upcoming album.

Lozinak returned to the live stage at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California in early October. He was diagnosed with a meningioma in the brain while on tour in Europe but thankfully, it was benign. He underwent a craniotomy — a surgical procedure that involves opening the skull to access the brain — on August 4, 2025.

Lozinak has been a key part of HATEBREED's sound since rejoining the band in 2009.

While Lozinak was away, HATEBREED continued its European and American tours, with touring bassist Matt Bachand stepping in on guitar, and Carl Schwartz of FIRST BLOOD and TERROR joining the group on bass duties.

In April 2025, HATEBREED announced it was resurrecting the beloved and annual "Summer Slaughter" tour for 2025, which kicked off on July 8 in St. Petersburg, Florida and ran through July 28 in Grand Rapids.

HATEBREED celebrated its 30th anniversary with a North American tour in the fall of 2024. Support on the trek came from CARCASS, HARMS WAY and CRYPTA.

HATEBREED has released eight studio albums and has consistently sold out shows the world over. Over the course of its career, the band has gone from playing basements and backyards to being a featured attraction on countless festivals like Graspop Metal Meeting, Ozzfest, Warped and Download.

To date, HATEBREED has sold over 1.5 million albums in North America alone.

In May 2025, Jasta spoke to Into The Necrosphere about the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for the follow-up to "Weight Of The False Self" album. He said: "Yeah, I think creatively the ideas are all there, the lyrics are all there, the music's all there. I've been going around taking different meetings with labels."

He continued: "It was kind of funny and cool — I just mentioned in passing that we were free agents, and then that went kind of semi viral or something, because then we got hit up by every label under the sun. And that was really nice to see that there was interest there from all these labels. 'Cause I am one of those people that I really believe that your next biggest, best song is always in you. You just have to get to that point where you can channel it or you can grab it out of the ether. Anybody can do it. You just have to get there, and you have to figure out the path there. And now that 'Weight Of The False Self' is finding fans, I thought, 'Yeah, I could expand on a lot of these topics. But then there was also new topics that I had never touched on before that I had been writing about and riffing out about."

Jasta added: "The real sort of mother lode of riffs that I wrote that I got inspired was right after Milwaukee [Metal Fest], because you get this post-festival sort of slump where you're, like, 'Damn, now what am I gonna do?' And I had to go to Europe right away. But TESTAMENT had given me a guitar — they did a deal with Dean, and they gave me this beautiful guitar. And so I just started riffing out on that guitar as soon as I got back. And I don't know if it just had good energy from the festival in it or if it had a different feel of the neck, but I started messing around with different frets and different placements… But just having that experience and then listening back to 'Weight Of The False Self' and going, 'All right, yeah, I'm ready. I've got enough.' I had 24 topics kind of written on a vision board, and I thought, 'All right, I've gotta narrow those down to 14. Can I combine?' And then I kept going, kept going."

Photo credit: Nicole Noy

The third annual Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp Hall Of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Monday, February 23 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. There will be a VIP dinner and red carpet, and the inductions will be followed by an all-star jam.

In addition to the below inductees, many of the Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp campers are also being inducted:

Inductees:

* Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW)
* Stephen Perkins (JANE'S ADDICTION
* Mike Kroeger (NICKELBACK
* Monte Pittman (MADONNA, MINISTRY
* Tony Franklin (THE FIRM
* Tommy Black (SCOTT WEILAND
* Ashley Reeve (CHER, FILTER
* Valerie Franco (SPINAL TAP

This event will support the Rock Camp Alumni Foundation, a nonprofit created and led by Brad Snitzer and longtime Rock Camp alumni to give back through scholarships for deserving individuals, including veterans and first responders, who may not otherwise be able to attend Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp.

To purchase tickets for the Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, go to this location.

For 30 years, Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp has done something no one thought possible — bringing everyday musicians into rehearsal rooms, studios, and onto stages with the greatest rock legends of all time.

Founded by music industry veteran David Fishof, Rock Camp has become a global phenomenon, uniting thousands of fans and artists through a once-in-a-lifetime immersive experience. As the camp enters its 30th-anniversary year, it does so with one of the most iconic lineups in its history.

The 2026 camps feature legendary headliners, including Roger Daltrey (THE WHO),Stewart Copeland (THE POLICE) and Tommy Lee (MÖTLEY CRÜE). Together, these artists represent three of the most influential bands in rock history — making this anniversary year a true dream lineup for music fans worldwide. Full dates and talent details are available at rockcamp.com.

Over the years, Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp has attracted an extraordinarily diverse and accomplished community. Past campers have included coach John Benton (of the Seattle Seahawks),a former lieutenant governor of Kentucky, as well as college professors, doctors, lawyers, engineers, and tech innovators. Among them is Ed Oates, co-founder of Oracle, underscoring the camp's appeal to elite thinkers and creators far beyond the music world.

Equally notable is the camp's commitment to inclusion. Today, over 40% of Rock Camp participants are women, many of whom are exceptionally accomplished musicians. In an industry long dominated by men, Rock Camp has quietly become a place where women thrive creatively, collaborate fearlessly, and take the stage alongside the legends they admire. The camps also offer "Women's Only", and "Songwriting" camps too.

Beyond the campers, Rock Camp has been equally meaningful for the artists themselves. The late Jeff Beck called the camp "the best way to give back" after everything music had given him. Roger Daltrey says in the documentary "Rock Camp" that the experience reminds him of what it felt like when he was just starting out. KISS's Gene Simmons has said he wishes Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp existed when he was coming up so young artists could learn directly from the legends.

The Rock Camp story has resonated deeply in popular culture, with appearances and coverage spanning "The Simpsons", "Billions", "Saturday Night Live", "The Today Show" and "Pawn Stars".

The documentary "Rock Camp" is currently available for free on Amazon, YouTube and all major streaming platforms.

The "Rock Camp" podcast continues to spotlight unforgettable stories from artists and campers alike.

"For 30 years, Rock Camp has been about one thing — changing lives through music," says founder David Fishof. "We've watched people rediscover their passion, gain confidence, and fulfill dreams they never thought possible. And we've seen the artists experience the same joy by giving back. Fishof adds: "What's always amazed me is the caliber of people who walk through our doors, we've had government leaders, professors, doctors, tech pioneers — and an incredible number of women musicians who absolutely crush it. Rock Camp proves that music isn't about age, gender, or profession. It's about passion."

As Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp celebrates its 30th year, the mission remains the same: no competition, no judgment — just music, connection and the experience of a lifetime.

We’re proud to officially introduce the Rock Camp Alumni Foundation, a nonprofit created and led by Brad Snitzer and...

Posted by Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp on Saturday, January 24, 2026

On a recent episode of the Rock & Roll High School podcast, hosted by two-time Grammy Award-winning producer and music executive Pete Ganbarg, original FOREIGNER singer Lou Gramm reflected on being diagnosed with a type of brain tumor called a craniopharyngioma nearly 30 years ago. Although the tumor was benign, the resulting surgery severely damaged Gramm's pituitary gland, leading to a massive weight gain and keeping him off the stage for a year. Lou said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[It was] not a cancerous brain tumor, but a large brain tumor that had tentacles that were wrapped around my optic nerve and pituitary gland and made my adrenals defunct."

After Ganbarg said that he heard that Lou had to re-learn how to sing after the surgery, Gramm clarified: "I had to re-learn how to talk. My surgeon told me, he says, 'Lou,' he says, 'do you know the operation took 19 hours?' And he said, 'Lou,' he says, 'I'd like you to, to take a year and a half off to make sure everything is as good as we hope it is. 'That way,' he says, 'you'll be near enough. If there's any problems, you come back right away and we'll work on it.' So FOREIGNER's management had to cancel the first leg of our tour so that I could have my operation. Strangely enough, they rescheduled the tour about three weeks after I got outta surgery. And the doctor wanted me to not perform or travel for at least a year and a half because traveling with the air pressure in an airplane and just exerting myself when I've been through such a traumatic experience, he wanted to make sure everything was in order and running smoothly before I started performing again. But FOREIGNER's management had had booked the shows all over again about a month after I got outta the hospital."

Ganbarg then said that it "must have been very challenging" to perform like that, to which Gramm responded: "Challenging? I couldn't remember the words to the songs. I used to dance around a lot on stage. I planted my mic stand in one place and had the beginnings of the first three or four words of every verse written out in a semicircle around me. And we toured the world like that."

Gramm previously talked about his brain tumor diagnosis last October during an interview with LifeMinute.tv. Regarding his recovery, Lou said: "I went to three brain surgeons and they all did MRIs and they sent me home to put my affairs in order because they didn't think I had a chance of surviving the operation. The last one that sent me home, that night, I watched '60 Minutes' on TV, and there was a segment about a brain surgeon in Boston who used laser surgery to operate on inoperable tumors. And at the end of the segment, they gave his phone number. So eight o'clock the next morning I was on the phone with his secretary, and that was on a Tuesday, and they brought me in Thursday and I did some more tests. And Friday morning at four in the morning, they were wheeling me into the operating room. [It was a] 19-hour operation."

He continued: "Although the operation was a success, he told me that I was gonna be going through some struggles, my equilibrium would be off, I might not be able to find all the words I wanna find in a conversation right away. And he told me he didn't want me touring for at least a year and a half, and two months later I was on the road. And I couldn't remember the words of the songs. I had them written out in a semicircle around my mic stand. And every time I'd come to a verse I couldn't remember, I'd look down and see the words. I'd read the first three words, and then the rest of it would come to me."

Gramm also discussed his brain tumor diagnosis in a November 2023 interview with Chicago's 97.1 FM The Drive. Regarding how his tumor was diagnosed, Lou said: "I just started having bad headaches and short-term memory loss. I [initially] couldn't get anybody to operate on it, because of where it was and how complicated it was that normal surgery would've been just a death sentence. So I went to about two or three doctors and had MRIs, and they all told me that I should get my affairs in order. I kind of went into shock. So I went back from New York City to Rochester to put my affairs in order."

Gramm said that he played a few gigs with FOREIGNER within a few weeks of his surgery.

"My surgeon told me because of the length and breadth of the operation, he didn't want me touring for at least a year to a year and a half," he said. "Now, when I in the hospital, FOREIGNER had to cancel a number of shows. So our manager rebooked the shows for two months after my surgery. The doctor wanted me not to perform for a year to a year and a half…. I wanted to do what the doctor wanted me to do, but FOREIGNER's manager said, 'Look, we had to cancel a number of shows because of your surgery and we have to make them up now or we're gonna be sued.' … But I did the shows. But listen to this: I couldn't remember any of the words. I had to have the first two or three words of each verse written out and taped to the floor in a semi-circle for all the songs that we did. I used to move around a lot when I was on stage [and after the surgery] I had to plant myself and keep looking over at the words to make sure I'd remember everything. I was on massive steroids and within six months, my weight doubled. I was 145 pounds at that time of my life, and I had been for 10, 12 years. Within a year, my weight doubled…. [When I got off the steroids, my weight] went back down. It didn't go back down all the way, but it's gone back down a lot. I had to throw every stitch of clothes that I had been wearing to that point. I just donated them to Salvation Army. I was wearing size 42 waist."

In his book "Juke Box Hero: My Five Decades In Rock 'N' Roll", Gramm wrote about his brain tumor: "It was a non-cancerous tumor, but it was the size of a large egg and it was in my frontal lobe and it had tentacles wrapped around my pituitary and optic nerve."

He revealed that he became aware of the tumor in his 40s after experiencing "incredible headaches — worse than any hangover I'd ever had," as well as issues with memory.

He added: "My long and short-term memory started to become spotty, and my eyes would cross once in a while.

"I went for an MRI and they said it was a large tumor, the size of an egg and that it had been there since birth, growing."

When he returned home after his 1997 diagnosis, Gramm happened to come across a television program about a hospital in Boston where they were operating on brain tumors.

Gramm recalled: "At the end of the segment, it gave his office number and I called it early the next morning and his secretary suggested I get my MRIs, get on a plane and come immediately."

Gramm was the voice on FOREIGNER's biggest hits, including "Feels Like The First Time" and "Cold As Ice" from the band's eponymous debut in 1977, and later songs like "Hot Blooded" and "I Want to Know What Love Is".

FOREIGNER replaced Gramm with Kelly Hansen in 2005. Guitarist Mick Jones, the only remaining original member of FOREIGNER, suffered from some health issues beginning in 2011, eventually resulting in heart surgery in 2012.

In February 2024, Jones revealed on social media that he was battling Parkinson's disease, which explained his absence from FOREIGNER's live shows since 2022.

At some of FOREIGNER's recent shows, Gramm guested on some of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame group's biggest hits. Gramm shared the stage with Luis Maldonado, who replaced Hansen on lead vocals last October.

Legendary hard rock band SKID ROW has announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with U.S. company Sweetwater, the world's leading online retailer of musical instruments and pro-audio equipment, to search worldwide for their next lead vocalist. The collaboration invites singers from around the world to audition for the opportunity to front one of rock's most enduring and respected bands.

In 2026, SKID ROW marks its 40th anniversary. Over four decades, the band has delivered some of hard rock's most iconic anthems, including "18 And Life", "I Remember You", "Monkey Business" and "Youth Gone Wild". With multi-platinum albums, chart-topping releases, and a global touring legacy, the band has remained a defining force in rock music. Now, SKID ROW is opening the door to a new era — seeking a vocalist who can honor their legacy and shape the future.

"This is not a contest or a gimmick," the band emphasizes. "It's a genuine search for the right voice, presence, and authenticity to carry SKID ROW forward."

Worldwide auditions officially open February 5, with no submission deadline. SKID ROW will continue reviewing submissions until the right singer is found.

"I first saw SKID ROW play in New Jersey before they were signed, and they totally blew me away with the sheer quality of their songs, and the infectious high-energy of their performance," commented Sweetwater's resident rocker and content creator Nick Bowcott. "We at Sweetwater are excited to partner with the group to host this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

For more information, visit Sweetwater.

On January 31, SKID ROW guitarist Scotti Hill was asked by The Music Universe about the band's singer search following the March 2024 departure of Erik Grönwall. Scotti said:  "Yes, we are working on that. We're gonna really get it kicking in here in a few weeks. Let me see — in about a week we're gonna make an announcement for a real push, and we're gonna get it done and we're gonna get the right person for the job and we're gonna get back out there."

After the interviewer noted that the "singer has to be really top-notch" to be able to handle the SKID ROW material, Scotti concurred. "It's not an easy job. It's not an easy job, really," he said. "I mean, that stuff is really hard to sing. And it's gotta be the right chemistry, because in our band we get along really great. We get along really well. We're family, and we need somebody to be family with us."

Last month SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan spoke to the "Rockstrap" podcast about the band's ongoing singer search following the departure of Grönwall nearly two years ago. The now-38-year-old Swedish-born musician, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021, announced his departure from SKID ROW in March 2024, saying that it had become increasingly "difficult to prioritize" his health and full recovery as the lead singer of the group.

"We have a couple of guys on our radar," Bolan said. "We've auditioned a few people, but we're gonna do a big, gigantic… We were just waiting for the new year to start. Not so much an open call, but there's a lot of people that wanna audition, so we're just going — us and management and our producer, Nick Raskulinecz, we're all going through each person saying, like, 'Okay, let's get in a room with this person. 'This person [is a] little too young or a little too green,' or 'they can't sing. Who told them they could sing?' You get that too. So we have a couple of guys on our radar that we're pretty excited about. So hopefully before the end of the year we'll be back out on the road."

When one of the interviewers noted that SKID ROW has had especially bad luck with securing permanent singers, Rachel said: "It's just one of those things, man. We had a really good thing going with Erik. I think the road was just too much for him, [with] his past health issues and whatnot, and it just didn't work out, which was a bummer… He fit right in, and the fans loved him."

Last September, Rachel told Lisa Karkos of the Nashville On The Rocks podcast/show about how he and the rest of SKID ROW are going about looking for a new vocalist: "It's kind of become a thing with SKID ROW, 'cause we've had quite a few [singers]. But we're going to do something pretty big to find one, find the [right] person [to front the band].

"We have a certain criteria, and I think the main part, you have to have strong pipes," Bolan explained. "You have to be able to tour a lot. And you have to be a good hang. I think that's the main thing, is being a good hang.

"It's really hard doing it as long as we've been doing it, and other bands and artists could back me up on this, [when] you're doing it for this long, the hang becomes really necessary. When you get someone in there that is out for themselves and doesn't care about anything that's going on around them, it's tough.

"So that's where we're at," Rachel added. "We've auditioned some people, and some people came in and they were great — they were really great. But you have four guys that are looking at someone, and it's, like, one guy might think they're perfect, another guy might think they're almost perfect, another person might think, 'Eh,' wasn't feeling it. So all four of us — Rob Hammersmith, Snake, Scotti Hill and myself — we need to be a hundred percent on board."

Rachel went on to say that he and his SKID ROW bandmates are "not gonna rush anything" when it comes to selecting the group's next vocalist. "We have the luxury of time on our side," he explained. "Maybe not our ages [laughs], but we have the luxury of time. We don't have any tours set up or anything like that, that we have to just like kind of get someone in place… Our booking agent says those shows are still gonna be there. If it takes two years, three years, whatever, those shows are gonna be there, dude. And it makes you feel good, because when you're as close to it as I am, it's, like, you don't look at us, like, 'You guys are fucking SKID ROW, man. You can do whatever the fuck you want.' I look at it as, like, 'We're SKID ROW. What the fuck are we gonna do?' We just told ourselves we're not gonna stress. If it takes a long time, it takes a long time. And like I said, we've had people down that we've dug a lot. Something was there. Maybe there was pieces missing, an element missing, but it is what it is. And we're meeting a lot of really cool people along the way — a lot of really cool people who I'm, like, 'Wow.' I'll listen to some of their songs, and it's, like, you look at someone and you're, like, 'Maybe we could work together on something else or write songs together.'"

Erik was SKID ROW's fourth frontman since Sebastian Bach's departure.

In March 2025, Hammersmith told The Chuck Shute Podcast about SKID ROW's ongoing vocalist search: "We've been busy. We've been on the hunt, I guess we've been on the prowl, if you will, we have been on an active search since [2024]. So, having said that, we've had some really good candidates. We've had some really strong candidates that we have been in discussions with. We have actually been in a room with a handful of people. We've had a really good experience with a lot of people. That said, we are still in the midst of an active search, so we like to keep that storyline out there and remind everybody that we are still looking. So if anybody hears this, if there's anybody out there that thinks that they're right for it, it is still an ongoing search at this at this moment. But we've made a lot of progress. And it's amazing — to make the best of a situation like that, it's kind of awesome to see how many talented people there are out there. Whether or not they're right for us, it really doesn't matter. It's really inspiring. It's awesome to see how many talented people there are out there."

Asked if he and his SKID ROW bandmates are looking for a singer who is stylistically similar to the group's previous vocalists, including Bach, or if they want to find someone to take SKID ROW "in a different direction", Rob said: "We would be open to either of those scenarios. When you're dealing with a situation like ours, there's a legacy there. There's a history, there's a legacy, there is a particular component to what we do that a lot of people are very, very attached to, and we're aware of that, and we're grateful for that. It's a really wonderful situation to be in. So having said that, preserving the history and honoring the history is very important to us. But that's not to say — all of our favorite bands have evolved and they've changed throughout the years. So I would say we are open to either scenario that you're describing, but we do have to honor the history and so many important parts of the history of the band."

Regarding whether the singers SKID ROW has auditioned so far are established and well-known vocalists or if they are relatively unknown, Rob said: "A bit of both, a bit of both. So in regards to that, we are certainly not narrowing the scope of that in terms of who we're looking at and who would be a potential candidate."

Circling back to what he and his SKID ROW bandmates are looking for in a new singer, Rob said: "The way I've explained it to a lot of people, in my perception of the situation, it's a very specific gig. We're not claiming to be THE BEATLES, we're not claiming that we write the most complicated music that's out there, but it's a very specific thing. And then going back to the history and the legacy of the band, not only is it a specific thing, but it's a specific established thing. It's a pre-established sound. You're talking about an iconic catalog of music. For some people, they hold that catalog of music very sacred. So, you do have to find out what the balance of evolution, but honoring that and really giving the fans the experience that they're hoping to have. It's difficult. It's a balancing act, but you figure it out as you go. And everybody that we have been in a room with, as I said, there's some amazing people out there, amazing singers. And you can really see where every one of those people would bring something really cool to the table and bring something really cool into the mix. It's just the reality of a situation like this. It's a very specific gig."

In May 2024, Rachel confirmed to Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station that he and his bandmates had been talking to singers about potentially stepping in to replace Grönwall. He explained: "No one, really, with a name. But, yeah, we've been talking to a few guys that piqued our interest, for sure."

That same month, Sabo ruled out a reunion with Bach telling The Hook Rocks podcast: "It's not gonna happen. And I say the same thing every time. I'm thankful that people have such an interest in wanting to see that happen, but I also have to reiterate that this is about being happy in the situation that you're in. So I'll speak for myself personally.

"First of all, I do need to say something too, is that the reason that this isn't happening is because there's three of us — myself, Scotti [Hill, SKID ROW guitarist] and Rachel — who've had conversations about this, and we've all been on the same page that we don't wanna go down that road again. We just — we don't.

"Rachel has taken a beating over this through the years," Sabo continued. "He's the one who's been blamed for this. 'Oh, it's Rachel's ego.' 'It's this and that.' No, that's a load of bullshit. That is not true. And I feel bad because he's really, really had to shoulder that blame and has never said anything derogatory or anything like that. But you know what? The truth of the matter is that Rachel, Scotti and myself have continually felt the same way, that we enjoy being happy in this band and we're really happy.

"It's been such a great experience for the last however, 35 years, everything, all the ups, all the downs, everything, but we just don't wanna revisit that particular aspect of our history," he explained. "I love the songs, [I] love a lot of the memories, [I am] not fond of some of the memories, but just as individuals and as a collective, that's just how we feel. So this is not on Rachel. And this has nothing to do with anyone's ego or anything like that. So that's just gotta be clear. Again, for anyone to sit there and make assumptions that this is Rachel Bolan saying 'nope,' it's not. It's the three of us, and we've all collectively sat there and just said that we don't wanna do it. We just don't wanna do it. And we wish everybody all the best."

Snake added: "We've been just ripped apart by ex-members of the band and stuff — ripped apart. Some really shitty stuff [has been] said about all of us. And we just choose not to [respond]. It's not who I am. It's not who we are. We won't go down that road. We just wanna play music and be happy. This has really never been about a monetary aspect of things because it's known that we've been offered a good amount of money to do shows together and to reunite [with Sebastian] and whatever, but it's just never been about the money, man. I choose my happiness, my willingness to continue to be a really good friend to my best friends and a really good husband and a really good dad and bandmate and person. And I don't wanna endanger that in any way. So the people that we choose to play with, those choices are made in order to keep those particular things in line for all of us."

Bach fronted SKID ROW until 1996, when he was fired. Instead of throwing in the towel, the remaining members took a hiatus and went on to play briefly in a band called OZONE MONDAY. In 1999, SKID ROW reformed and, after a bit of shuffling over the years, featured a lineup consisting of bassist Rachel Bolan, guitarists Dave "Snake" Sabo and Scotti Hill, alongside drummer Rob Hammersmith and singer Johnny Solinger. SKID ROW fired Solinger over the phone in April 2015, a few hours before announcing ex-TNT vocalist Tony Harnell as his replacement. Eight months later, Harnell exited the band and was replaced by South African-born, British-based singer ZP Theart, who previously fronted DRAGONFORCE, TANK and I AM I. Theart was fired from SKID ROW in February 2022 and was replaced by Grönwall, who was previously a member of the Swedish hard rock band H.E.A.T.

Six years ago, Bolan also confirmed that he and his bandmates "were entertaining the idea" of reuniting with Bach following Harnell's departure. But Rachel shot down the possibility of a rekindling of his friendship with Sebastian, explaining: "Well… Here's the soundbite for Blabbermouth. I wouldn't say we were friends [when we were in a band together]. We were bandmates. You know what I mean? We're two very different people." Bolan added that he hadn't seen Bach "in years."

Seven years ago, Bach was asked by Rolling Stone what it would take for SKID ROW to be reunited. He responded: "It would take those guys to realize that I have a lifetime manager. His name is Rick Sales. I've been with him since 2006. They don't want to deal with a guy like that. They want to give some singer who doesn't have a manager $700 to $800 bucks a week. I've got a team that's worked with me and don't allow me to get fucked around. I didn't have that team when I was 19 years old."

In response to Bach's statements about the earnings of SKID ROW's singer, Sabo told Rolling Stone in an e-mail: "I guess fact-checking isn't in his skill set… The five of us go on that stage as a band and we all get paid equally. We're in this together. There's no egos."

Sebastian went on to say that SKID ROW was "close to reuniting, but then it didn't happen. The fact that it didn't happen obviously makes me somewhat bitter, because life is only getting shorter, as the song says," he added.

"I wouldn't say 'came close,'" Bolan told Rolling Stone in an e-mail response to Bach's account of the reunion talks. "We entertained the idea. Snake and I went as far as talking with agents and promoters about money. But we quickly learned after a few text conversations, why we fired him in the first place. Nothing is worth your happiness and peace of mind."

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During an appearance on the latest episode of The SDR Show, legendary DOKKEN guitarist George Lynch was asked how he first met Don Dokken. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[My pre-DOKKEN band was] already bouncing around L.A. We were playing all the clubs, along with everybody else, all the bands in the area at the time, including VAN HALEN. But there was many other good bands too. And A LA CARTE was one of my favorites, and STORMER — there was a lot of bands. It was a very interesting scene at the time. So anyways, Don's band — I forget what they were called; it wasn't DOKKEN; it was something else — they'd play, and we played a few gigs with them.

"I remember we played a gig at the Starwood and we rolled up — I'll never forget this, like it happened yesterday — and we rolled up in our Pinto station wagon and were loading our gear. And we listened, and Don's band — AIRBORN, they were called — they were up there on the stage and they were playing what sounded exactly like one of our songs that we had played the last couple times we played with him. It was called 'Night Boys'. And he was playing the exact same thing and he was saying it was his song, so he plagiarized it. And we were, like, 'What the [fuck]?' So, shoot forward many decades after working with this guy and talking to lots of other people, he did this regularly all the time with lots of bands he ran into. He would just steal the songs. And I remember that night when he played, he also played a very deep track, a JUDAS PRIEST song, and announced to the audience it was his song, it was an original. So the balls on this guy is just crazy. I just [think], like, how does this guy lie like this and just get away with it? But he does. I mean, we have a president does the same exact thing. In fact, I say all the time, Don — and look, I live not far from Don, and he — whatever — says shit about me and I say shit about him. But it's a funny thing, as I always say that he has the same exact personality traits and character as [U.S. president Donald] Trump, except Trump's a better singer… Now I've said that a bunch of times in interviews, but you guys sound like you haven't heard that before. That's pretty cool. That's funny, right?!"

Asked what he thinks it is about his relationship with Don that people find so fascinating more than 40 years later, George said: "It's a classic dynamic of just human nature that everybody runs into in every relationship, or lots of relationships throughout the spectrum — politically, at work, neighbors, friends, family, everything. And it really comes down to our character and what it is that's important. I grew up a certain way. I believe a certain thing. He has a different belief system and a different way of conducting himself. The way he conducts himself has benefited me, my family, and has given me a career, but it's also something I abhor. So I'm conflicted. I will give him the credit for the benefits that we've received from it, but at the same time I could not behave in that way. I could not steal and cheat and lie. I mean, I have, but I try not to, and I'm not proud of it. So it's a weird thing. It's a weird push-pull dynamic."

George also commented on Don's recent suggestion for the classic DOKKEN lineup to reunite to write and record a new EP. Asked if there is any update on that from his end, Lynch said: "No… Well, I still do shows somewhat frequently with DOKKEN, and what that means is either LYNCH MOB will be the opening act and then I hang around and come out and do an encore, extended encore, with them, or I'll fly out, if it makes sense, and I'll just do a walk-on for three songs, three or four songs, at the end of the night, which is fun and I love doing it. And it works for everybody. It's a cool thing, and it keeps the relationship open. And Don lives about two hours away from me. So we're in the same state and we stay in touch.

"He hasn't mentioned any of this stuff about an EP or anything like that," George clarified. "But Don, if you're listening, really there's no point in doing an EP unless you're gonna tour on it. Touring is where the work is and the money is, and that would make it worthwhile. You could tour on the EP, but you have to have a commitment to tour to justify doing the EP. So that's all I would have to say about that, just on the surface, hearing it secondhand from you."

George previously spoke about Don's alleged dishonesty regarding the singer's contributions to the songwriting of DOKKEN's classic early material last November during an interview with Tone-Talk. George said at the time: "Well, I think people that are disingenuine [sic] and lie as part of their character, it's just part of who they are, the fabric of their makeup. I think that it serves multiple purposes. I mean, it's bad in a way, of course, because it breaks the rules that we all sort of agree to, to kind of make sure that we understand what reality is and so we can make good decisions and get along. So it's cheating in a way, but it's also — well, I've been the benefactor of his cheating due to his lying in a big way. We wouldn't be sitting here doing this interview if it wasn't for Don's lies. I mean, when he met us and we first got together, we would do shows and we were both, both in bands in Southern California. He was in a band called AIRBORN and we were THE BOYZ, which then became XCITER, and we were all playing around town with — VAN HALEN was around and A LA CARTE and lots of other bands. It was a really cool scene. And so he started approaching Mick [Brown, later DOKKEN drummer] and then came to us eventually at one point with an offer to join his band and go to Europe and make a record and everything. And so, yeah, he lied about everything, but ultimately he's such a great bullshit artist that he made it happen. [That's the] bottom line. I would've never been able to make [it happen], 'cause I'm not capable… I'm not saying it's good or bad or I'm a good person, I'm just saying I am not capable of doing that. And that's maybe not a good thing as far as propelling your career. But he's willing to go to places that I wasn't willing to go and most people aren't. And I think that's the main reason why he's successful. So it's kind of a back-handed compliment."

George also addressed Don's comment from a couple of years ago that splitting the money equally between the four DOKKEN members was a "stupid thing to do", with Mick having made "millions of dollars" even though "all [he] had to do was spend a couple of weeks [in the studio] playing drums." Lynch said: "Yeah. You can divvy it up any way you want. Why are we re-litigating stuff from 35, 40 years ago? I don't know. Who cares? I mean, we've all done okay. We're all fine. We're still alive, we're still breathing, we're still making music. I'm good with everything, the way everything worked out. Was it fair? No. Life's not fair. But so what?! But Mick, no, he didn't have a lot of direct contribution to the songwriting. He did on 'Tooth And Nail' — he had some concrete contributions with the lyrics of 'Tooth And Nail'. Some of that was him, and probably some other songs.

"But here's the way I always looked at it," George continued. "I was the proponent of the quarter splits for the band because I feel that that was really healthy because it kept the less capable writers out of the mix from forcing their bad ideas on us. You know what I mean? So, if you have a weak-link writer and they're going, 'The only way I'm gonna get paid is if we use my songs,' and your songs suck. So, it's the best thing for the record, I think, is to just pay everybody equally. Like, 'Mick, just go play pool, ride your motorcycle and pop in once in a while, check in. And we got it. And it'll be a great record, and we'll have fun. Every time we make a dollar, everybody makes a quarter, and we'll all make money.' Don was the complete other way of thinking. He wanted it to be all about him, but he wasn't willing to put out the work and his work wasn't the best work, so that wasn't fair. So neither one is fair, but I'm more of a band guy and Don is less of a band guy; he's more of a kind of 'him' guy."

Back in December 2023, Don explained why he and his DOKKEN bandmates decided in the beginning to split their songwriting royalties equally between the four members of the group, telling the On The Road To Rock With Clint Switzer podcast: "DOKKEN was a very unusual band. When I formed the band, even though I'd been DOKKEN for years and years before I met George and Jeff [Pilson, former DOKKEN bassist] and Mick — I'd already toured Germany twice — but when we finally came together, I said, 'Let's make it simple. You write a hit, you write a hit, you write a hit, we'll just split it four ways. It doesn't matter who writes what. May the best songs win.' And that's how it was. Now, looking back, I could say it was a stupid thing to do, because I wrote a lot of the hits and I gave up 75 percent to the three of them. So instead of me getting four bucks, I got a dollar and Mick got a dollar and George got a dollar and Jeff got a dollar and the management took theirs and the accountants took theirs, and I thought, 'Jesus.' I go, 'I lost millions' writing 'In My Dreams' and 'Just Got Lucky' or 'Alone Again'. I mean, I can name a bazillion songs that I wrote by myself on the guitar and wrote all the music. But that's the deal we made. We were nobody. We weren't famous. Hey, if George wrote a hit, I get money. Jeff writes a hit, I get money. Mick's the one that scored. He didn't write. We rehearsed the songs for a week, go into a rehearsal studio, flesh it all out, pick the 12 best songs, Mick comes in the studio for four or five days, knocks out his drums and he goes to the drug dealer and then he heads off for the Rainbow [Bar & Grill in West Hollywood]. I said, 'Mick, you scored. You made millions of dollars and all you had to do was spend a couple of weeks playing drums.'"

A decade ago, Lynch spoke about the breakup of the classic DOKKEN lineup in 1989, telling Guitar Interactive magazine: "Here's the things that happens in a band… especially in our era, in the '80s, and I don't know, even now probably… But if you have a record deal, or a master deal, for a certain amount of time, and you have increasing record sales, and then you get to the point where the deal ends, your managers come in and renegotiate and you get paid. Then you're set for life — possibly. That's when everything changes. That's what you worked for for those however many years. This is where all your… Everything you've invested in time and energy, you get paid back for. And the singer [Don Dokken], at that point, decided that he wanted it all, he didn't wanna share it with [the rest of] us, and he let us know that. So after this [Monsters Of Rock] tour [in 1988 with VAN HALEN, METALLICA and SCORPIONS], where we were gonna go out and play in front of hundreds of thousands of people and get paid lots of money, [he basically said] 'I'm gonna try to take the whole thing and run with it, and you guys are gonna get left in the dust, and if you're lucky, I might hire you [to play in my band].' And you have to go on stage like that."

He continued: "The reason that we were on fire before that — we were so dedicated, we kept persevering — was because we were all working for something. It wasn't even for the money, it was just to get to that point. And success on all levels — musically and financially, so we could be secure, and all these things, for all the right reasons. And we took care of each other, and we were an equal-split band, and I fought for that. And by Monsters Of Rock, when Don announced that he was gonna, basically, try to grab the negotiation brass ring and keep it to himself, that backfired on all of us. Financially, it backfired on all of us, 'cause we didn't get that massive… At that point, I think, that year MÖTLEY CRÜE got a 25-million-dollar deal, ANTHRAX got a 12.5-million-dollar deal, we would have been fine. Basically, we had a lot of leverage. We were gonna be a free agent, so it was really a shame. It just didn't go right for anybody. So I went on to form LYNCH MOB, which did pretty well."

DOKKEN's current lineup consists of Don alongside bassist Chris McCarvill, guitarist Jon Levin and drummer BJ Zampa (HOUSE OF LORDS).

DOKKEN's 13th studio album, "Heaven Comes Down", came out in October 2023 via Silver Lining Music. The follow-up to "Broken Bones" was produced by Bill Palmer and Don Dokken and was mixed by Kevin Shirley (AEROSMITH, IRON MAIDEN).

Image credit: Melvin Zoopers

In a new interview with Brazil's Whiplash.Net, SYMPHONY X bassist Mike LePond spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's long-awaited follow-up to 2015's "Underworld" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "There is new material. I've heard it, so it's real, I promise. We are coming closer to getting the material all put together in a nice package. And I could tell you that, for me, even though I am a member of SYMPHONY X, it sounds amazing and it sounds groundbreaking. And when you guys hear it, I promise you it will be worth the wait."

LePond previously talked about new SYMPHONY X music earlier this month in an interview
with Heavy Mextal. He said at the time: "Well, we have been writing. We've been writing music for years now, new music. We just haven't had enough time to put it together yet, but we're getting closer and closer."

He continued: "I can tell you that I have heard all the new music and I think it's amazing sounding. And once we do put out our next record, and we're working really hard on it, once we put out our next record, I really believe that our fans will think it was worth the wait."

Last August, LePond told Rev. Tom Brice of Sportzwire Radio about SYMPHONY X's next LP: "We are getting closer. And, yeah, the fans, they're clamoring for a new album. I can't blame 'em. It's been 10 years. If JUDAS PRIEST didn't come out with an album for 10 years, I'd be pretty mad too. We have been writing it. We have most of the parts kind of together. Now it's just a matter of recording it, really. So, it's definitely coming. And if things stay on track the way they are, we're thinking next year [it will be out], so we're excited. I mean, the stuff sounds really, really cool. And believe me, I want you guys to hear it as soon as possible."

Regarding the musical direction of the new SYMPHONY X material, Mike said: "Well, the 'Underworld' record, I felt, encompassed a bunch of SYMPHONY X styles. I think the new record, judging from what I've been hearing, it's gonna even more kind of be like a summary of SYMPHONY X's career, as far as our musical directions. 'Cause we went on a few directions. There was a point in our career where we got noticeably heavier and a little more straighter."

LePond went on to elaborate on the reasons for the delay in putting out new SYMPHONY X music, explaining: "With SYMPHONY X, there's tremendous pressure on us to consistently do great records. Our fans, they're really diehard fans and they're so supportive and they expect only excellence from us. So that's always in the back of our mind. So, if we're working on something and maybe it's good, but we're not sure, we won't use it. We're only gonna put songs on the record that we feel are excellent and worthy of the fans. So absolutely that plays a role. But the other things too — you had COVID, and in and out of touring. Once you start touring, then you forget about the writing and then you come back to it and then you forget where you left off and you start again."

Last year, SYMPHONY X completed a North American tour with Finnish metallers SONATA ARCTICA. The trek launched on September 4, 2025 in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania and conclude on September 29, 2025 in Red Bank, New Jersey.

During last year's 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise, LePond told Metal Anthology about the band's follow-up to "Underworld": "[We've been working on new material for] many years. A bunch of years. We are working on a new album, and it's gonna have all the cool stuff you guys like. It's gonna have the big symphonic stuff, it's gonna have the heavy riffs, it's gonna have the classical [elements as well]. It's gonna have all that stuff in there."

He continued: "When we write, it just takes time, because [SYMPHONY X guitarist and main songwriter] Michael Romeo, his rule [is] there's no filler songs, no songs that are, like, 'Ah, it's not bad.' And it goes in the garbage. They've all gotta be where at least we think they're all great. They all have to be that.

"The fans are, like, 'Hey, it's been so long.' But we promise you it's coming," Mike added. "It's gonna be good."

Asked if there will be a longer song on the upcoming SYMPHONY X album, considering "Underworld" contained mostly "shorter, more straightforward" tracks, Mike said: "We're still thinking where we wanna go with that. There's gonna be something crazy epic on it. We just don't know how we're gonna present it yet. But with all the newer technology for the symphonic stuff, it's gonna be monstrous."

LePond added: "So, yeah, we're excited to finally do it again. When it's time to record the bass, I'll been sweating for days, but once it's done… I have this routine. Once I finish all my bass tracks and I'm just so tired and wiped out, I go to McDonald's [fast food restaurant chain]. That's the only time I go, and it's, like, 'Ah.' My comfort."

In October 2024, Romeo told the "Coffee With Ola" podcast about the upcoming SYMPHONY X LP: "With us, it's not like, 'Oh, yeah, we're just gonna write one — how do you say? — single, and then just have a bunch of filler. It's, like, everything's gotta be as good as it can be. So, yeah, it gets harder and it takes longer. Then you throw in COVID and a bunch of other things, and then it's just, like, 'Oh, shit.' Now it's, like, I don't know — eight years or something. I lost track.

"What's different now than in the past is that we could take a bunch of time off. There would be some royalties from CDs back in the day coming in and kind of float on the downtime and really get the record done and then come back out [with a] new record, tour. So now it's, like, well, that money's gone. So we have to tour a little bit, keep things going, work on the record, go back out. So it's been like that for a while. And for me — I do most of the writing, so for me it's hard because you're sitting in the studio for whatever month, 'I got this idea,' and you're trying to put these things together, and it's, like, 'Oh, we've gotta go on tour now.' All right, cool. We do our thing. And then you come back, and it's, like, 'What the fuck was I working on again? Was this riff here?' And so you're trying to arrange all this stuff. And then you're, like, 'Oh, I've got all these new ideas.' So then you keep adding. And then after a long period of time, it's, like, 'Oh my god, there's so much stuff I can't even manage it now.' Plenty of material — like three hours of stuff — but now it's actually making sense."

Elaborating on when SYMPHONY X might be done composing the material for the next album, Michael said: "It's gonna take some time to organize everything. It's not like there's nothing there. It's [not], like, 'Oh, man, we have to start from scratch.' There's quite a bit. It's actually overwhelming. I never remember being this overwhelmed by the amount of stuff, 'cause over the last year and a half or whatever, every time there was a break, it's, like, 'Okay, I'll write something.' I didn't stop and [go], like, 'Well, let me finish this.' It was, like, boom, 'I got all these ideas,' and I just kept going. So now it's, like, all right, no more writing. Now more arranging."

SYMPHONY X completed an extensive tour behind "Underworld" in 2016, including a U.S. run of shows with OVERKILL and a pair of headlining performances in Australia.

In July 2017, SYMPHONY X singer Russell Allen and his ADRENALINE MOB bandmates were involved in a crash that killed the latter group's bassist, David Zablidowsky.

In 2019, Allen — who has toured with TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA since 2013 — was injured during the rehearsals for TSO's annual winter trek and was unable to make the tour.

Romeo released his latest solo album, "War Of The Worlds Pt. 2", in March 2022 via InsideOut Music. The record featured guest vocals by Dino Jelusick (WHITESNAKE, TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA).

Photo credit: Danny Sanchez

After reuniting for two special 25th-anniversary concerts on October 4, 2025 and October 5, 2025 at 013 Poppodium in Tilburg, Netherlands, Mark Jansen's pre-EPICA band AFTER FOREVER has now announced that it will return to the stage in Latin America this fall to celebrate 26 years of the group's debut album, "Prison Of Desire", and 25 years of the follow-up effort, "Decipher".

Produced by Top Link Music, the first confirmed AFTER FOREVER dates in Latin America are as follows:

Oct. 16 - São Paulo, Brazil - @Tokio Marine Hall
Oct. 18 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - @Teatro Flores
Oct. 20 - Santiago, Chile - @Teleton
Oct. 22 – Bogotá, Colombia - @Royal Center

AFTER FOREVER's lineup for the tour will consist of the following musicians:

Angel Wolf-Black (SHEWOLF): Vocals
Sander Gommans (original member): guitar and vocals
Bas Maas (original member): guitar
Luuk Van Gerven (original member): bass
Jeffrey Revet (STREAM OF PASSION): keyboards
Ariën Van Weesenbeek (EPICA): drums

Sander comments: "2025 was a milestone for the band: 25 years since AFTER FOREVER left a timeless footprint on the world of symphonic metal with our debut album, 'Prison Of Desire'. Its successor, 'Decipher', released in 2001, took the band's music even further by blending progressive elements with a heavier sound that helped shape symphonic metal as we know it today. These two releases marked the beginning of a wonderful journey, one that took the band to international stages and into the hearts of fans all over the world.

"In October 2025, AFTER FOREVER came together for two shows in the Netherlands with vocalist Angel Wolf-Black (SHEWOLF),with the goal of honoring and celebrating the band's cherished music and its lasting impact in an unforgettable live experience. During those shows, it became clear that we all missed AFTER FOREVER.

"Fans from Latin America have been supporting AFTER FOREVER since the release of the first album, and we are very happy to announce that we will continue this tribute in 2026.

"We will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of 'Decipher', the 26th anniversary of 'Prison Of Desire', and we might also include some other AFTER FOREVER classics :)

"Join us as we revisit old hits, revive the energy, and celebrate the legacy of AFTER FOREVER."

Mark Jansen adds: "With heavy heart: I won’t be able to join for these shows as I had to make a tough decision to be touring less and be at home as much as I can in 2026. The early years of a little child are crucial so I am sure it's the right decision after all. But I hope you all come and show your support to AFTER FOREVER. It will be four unforgettable nights with magical music and a band on fire."

In April 2025, Mark Jansen told FaceCulture about how the AFTER FOREVER reunion came about: "Ego was involved in everything when I was removed from the band back in the day. My ego was hurt, but we talked later on and we came also to the conclusion with that that everybody had too big egos back in the day, and that was clashing. So me, them, everybody. But it's good to see that from yourself and that everybody has grown. And now it's completely different people. And also now when we work to together, everybody wants to have fun. That's the most important thing. And that's also why I'm part of it. Because we wanna have fun, we wanna do this to have a good time, to play these old songs again and just enjoy ourselves. And that's all [it's] about."

Asked why original AFTER FOREVER singer Floor Jansen, who has been fronting NIGHTWISH for more than a decade, wasn't involved in the AFTER FOREVER reunion concerts, Mark said: "Yeah, of course, we asked her as well, and she said, 'For me it's a closed book. It's a closed thing.' And yeah, you can only respect that. Of course, after that, we thought a bit, what shall we do, maybe not do it at all? But at a certain point we thought, yeah, if we wait forever, then maybe it's never gonna happen. So that would also be a pity… Then it's literally 'after forever' and the chance is gone. [Laughs]"

Regarding his current relationship with Sander, Mark said: "Yeah. Some things are the same. That's the humor that's still the same, the same kind of humor. And some things are really different. Like I said, I feel a growth on a personal level, also in him — in myself, in him, also in the other guys. And if that growth had not taken place in me or in him or in in anybody, it would've not happened because then the old struggles would have come to the surface. But now it's, like… How you say that in English? 'Sand over it.' [Laughs] We have that saying in Dutch. And then it's also, we let it go without that it comes to the surface again with stuff."

In a 2018 interview with FaceCulture, Floor Jansen stated about AFTER FOREVER: "I think it was a very special time. We made great music, which ended way too fast. I'm still sad that it was not able to continue, but I think it was amazing what we did with our young years and, yeah, I'm still extremely proud of what we made and still listen to the music with great joy and memories."

Asked whether she thought AFTER FOREVER could have accomplished more, Floor said: "Yes, I do. I was not too pleased with stopping. I did not think it was a good idea. I think there was [more to do]."

AFTER FOREVER's latest, self-titled album was released in April 2007 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Latin America,

Here we come!

After the Tilburg shows in 2025, we received a lot of request for our shows in your...

Posted by After Forever on Friday, February 6, 2026

In a new interview with Terry Palamara of Loud And Proud Italy, MEGADETH bassist James LoMenzo was asked how it feels to have a No. 1 album in the U.S. with the band's final effort, "Megadeth". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're walking on clouds. We are so elated by the response of the fans buying the record.

"You have to realize that both Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader] and I come from this career of ours making records for years and years and years, going all the way back to the '80s, '90s. And it was a real hard thing to let everybody know you had a record. And then get it out on the radio and make sure that you could promote it and make sure they knew the music was there. That meant nothing if the audience didn't really love what they were hearing. So at this point for MEGADETH, to have a No. 1, to be included with MEGADETH on this album release, for me it's a career high. I've never experienced anything quite like this."

LoMenzo added: "We've spoken to each other over the past couple of days in celebration, preparing to go for our tour to Canada, and we just cannot thank our fans enough for showing such interest in this new record, in this final record, which is really gratifying to bring the legacy of MEGADETH to this really terrific close."

Asked if Mustaine knew already early during the songwriting process that "Megadeth" would turn out to be MEGADETH's final effort, especially since a song like "The Last Note" sees Mustaine writing about touring and leaving the band behind, LoMenzo said: "You know what?! If he did, he never intimated that to us. He never shared that with us going into the record. We came off tour last year, and we had decided to an album and find a new label. Frontiers was terrific, but it was just gonna be business as usual. We tried to make a really good MEGADETH record. And we really focused on trying to find out what there was in all the albums past that kind of made them so MEGADETH-y, and tried to really focus together and really intellectually think about what made some records work better than others, some songs better than others, what fans really enjoy. We know it 'cause we play the hits every night when we get out there. So we kind of know what the parameters of that are. So we discussed that. So there was no indication. I mean, Dave was just gung-ho, 'Let's just make a great MEGADETH record.' And it wasn't until we were, like, halfway, two-thirds through that he started letting us know where he was at with it all. And you would think at one point, everybody would be, like, 'Oh, man, come on.' Teemu [Mäntysaari, MEGADETH guitarist] had just joined the band and all that. But we've seen [Dave] out there and we've seen ourselves out there. And touring is not for the faint of heart unless you're 19; [I] used to be 19. Doing it at this level and bringing the music to the masses takes a lot. And Dave's a bionic dude now. Everybody's well aware of his history. So for him to get out there and really wanna do it really speaks volumes. Giving in to the idea that maybe his hands might not be working as well in the future going forward, it really made a lot of sense to all of us, this was the time to really celebrate MEGADETH and bring this thing to its potential close. And I think Dave was a warrior. He never really gets the lyrics all going until the end of the record, to answer your first question. So, we'll go out there, record some stuff, and he'll start writing and putting stuff up and testing, and he'll send it to us and ask us our opinions. And I've done a few of these records with Dave before, and it really starts to — it's like a snowball; the lyrics get better and better. So what ended up happening in this case was when I finally heard 'The Last Note', and I really heard 'The Last Note', the last version of it, it put a lump in my throat 'cause I could really feel Dave's journey. And I didn't expect that. I didn't expect him to be that candid and honest about things. And so the follow-up was we should let the audience know that we're gonna gonna chug this thing out as long as it's possible. And if you put it into a number, I mean, yeah, a couple of touring cycles is probably what would do it."

Regarding what his personal songwriting contributions to "Megadeth" were, James said: "In my case, I do what I've done for most of my career as a bass player. Bass players are weird people, most of them, in that we don't require the spotlight. Real bass players kind of have this roundabout way of looking at things where we love to really service the music to make it as good as it can be. Okay, so the genre of metal — sure, there's the great metal bass players like Steve Harris [IRON MAIDEN], who leads the band in a way. MEGADETH's never been that. So I have to come in with that attitude and go, 'Okay, how do I support what's going on?' And any good musician would listen first and then add later. If it's not my song we're working on, and it's Dave's song or it's Teemu's song or it's Dirk's [Verbeuren, MEGADETH drummer] song, I have to listen to what's going on and decide what would elevate it and probably not just egotistically step on people's toes and do a big show-off in a space where it doesn't belong. So, I think this record is probably the most refined I've been as far as contributing to the music. Whenever we'd sit around in a circle and put things, we'd all kind of go, 'Hey, try this' or 'Try this riff.' And we'd put it down and then we'd listen to it and go, 'Well, that works better than that.' So, some of my music ended up with the other guys' music on their songs. And that's kind of the way MEGADETH works. It's this great democracy that has a fantastic traffic cop, Dave, who really knows, because he's walked this whole journey his whole life, who really knows what it's going to be in the end. And you can't be in this band without trusting that. Otherwise I think you're gonna fail the whole thing."

"Megadeth" debuted at the top of the U.S. album chart after earning 73,000 equivalent album units in the United States in the week ending January 29, according to Luminate. The bulk of that sum was driven by pure album sales (purchases of physical and digital copies of the album),totaling 69,000. The follow-up to "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" was released via Mustaine's Tradecraft imprint on Frontiers Label Group's new BLKIIBLK label.

MEGADETH also claimed the top spot in Australia (highest previous position No. 2) and Austria (highest previous position No. 8). Other top five spots included No. 2 in Finland (and No. 1 physical),Sweden (plus No. 1 physical; highest previous position No. 9),and Belgium (highest previous position: No. 6); No. 3 in both the U.K. and Germany (highest previous position No. 6); No. 4 in the Netherlands (highest previous position No. 7); and No. 5 in both Italy (highest previous position No. 15) and New Zealand (highest chart position ever).

"The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" sold 48,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marked MEGADETH's eighth top 10-charting album.

MEGADETH's previous top 10 entries on the Billboard 200 were "Countdown To Extinction" (No. 2, 1992),"Youthanasia" (No. 4, 1994),"Cryptic Writings" (No. 10, 1997),"United Abominations" (No. 8, 2007),"Endgame" (No. 9, 2009),"Super Collider" (No. 6, 2013) and "Dystopia" (No. 3, 2016).

For its final album, MEGADETH once again worked with Chris Rakestraw, a producer, mixer and engineer who previously worked on MEGADETH's last two LPs, the aforementioned "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" and "Dystopia".

Legendary songwriter, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee and JOURNEY bandmember Jonathan Cain has released "Only A Prayer Away". The single is available now from The Fuel Music through and precedes Cain's new six-song EP, which is due on February 27.

"This song is for anyone who's been tired, overwhelmed, or searching for hope," proclaims Cain. "If you've been feeling crushed lately, carrying pain nobody sees, need healing in your heart, your mind, your home — Jesus is closer than you think. He's not ignoring you. He's only a prayer away."

"I'm so excited about the release of 'Only A Prayer Away'," says well-known pastor, author and founder of Harvest Crusades, Greg Laurie. "I'm honored to have played even a small part in its inspiration, and I absolutely love this song. It's a beautiful reminder that no matter where you are or what you're facing, God truly is only a prayer away."

Seeing a short film featuring Laurie on television, Cain recalls the song's genesis: "I'm up late one night and I see Greg Laurie walking on the beach sharing the gospel and proclaiming that 'God is only a prayer away.' And then I just went, 'Oh man, that's a song.'"

Sharing his newly written song with Laurie during the National Day Of Prayer in Washington, D.C., Cain said that Laurie later premiered "Only A Prayer Away" on his national radio broadcast. "There were all these beautiful testimonies that came in afterwards," remembers Cain. "People were calling in, sharing how their life had changed. It was phenomenal."

Along with his solo music, Cain and his band JOURNEY are set to launch an extensive, 60-city "Final Frontier Tour 2026" beginning February 28 in Hershey, Pennsylvania and running through July 2 in Laredo, Texas. Prior to the tour, Cain will join his wife, Paula, for her "Unleashed Conference" February 18-21 in Apopka, Florida, which will be livestreamed to 198 countries via Paula White Ministries.

A Chicago native, Cain has spent decades pouring out his musical gifts in front of huge audiences. During his next two tours with JOURNEY that extend into 2027, Cain will share his heartfelt farewell to JOURNEY fans before moving into full-time ministry alongside his wife. When not on tour, Cain can be found serving as a worship leader in his home church, City Of Destiny, in Apopka, Florida, where Paula is pastor.

All the latest news about Cain, his solo albums, book, touring, speaking engagements, philanthropy and more can be found at jonathancain.org.

Press photo courtesy of Rick Hoganson of Hoganson Media Relations

Sweden's masters of thunderous, melodic futurism AMARANTHE have released the official music video for their brand new single, "Chaos Theory". The clip was directed by Jens De Vos of Belgium's Panda Productions. The song was mixed and mastered by AMARANTHE's longtime collaborator, Danish producer Jacob Hansen.

AMARANTHE has been performing "Chaos Theory" live during the band's ongoing European "Arcane Dimensions Tour" with EPICA. A fan-filmed performance video of the track can also be seen below.

In a new interview with MikeP of TotalRock's "The Autopsy" radio show, AMARANTHE guitarist Olof Mörck was asked if the fact that the band has been performing "Chaos Theory", on the "Arcane Dimensions Tour" means that there is a follow-up to AMARANTHE's 2024 album "The Catalyst" coming soon. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I would not say very, very soon, but it's definitely a hint that new music is on the way in general. And so this song, called 'Chaos Theory', I wouldn't consider it the first single from the next album because when it comes to first singles of albums, they're traditionally released once you have recorded the entire thing. And actually we have written a lot of the album, I would say even the major part of the album. So what we wanted to do for this tour was to give the fans something brand new, just to give them a little taste of what's coming up in the future. And then we felt like this is a really uptempo song and it's a song that is really looking forward a lot as, at the same time, it's looking back to maybe our first couple of albums. It has a little bit of 'Amaranthe' [2011] and 'The Nexus' [2013] kind of vibe to it also while being very up to date and very 2026. But I would say in terms of the next album, we will definitely record it this year in full for a late '26 or early '27 release."

Regarding the musical direction of the new AMARANTHE material, Olof said: "Well, it's early to talk [about it]. But I can give you just a general idea, naturally. What I mentioned, it's definitely true for this album because it goes a little bit back to basics. There was stuff that we did on the first couple of albums that we didn't wanna repeat, but that we realize now afterwards that there was some really nice stuff that really worked. … I guess the hypothetical question was, what would it be to combine this the modern AMARANTHE, the modern lineup and everything. But besides that, yeah, we are definitely trying out, as always, as with 'The Catalyst' as well, we're trying out completely new things. But it's difficult to point that out exactly, depending on what's actually gonna go on the album, because I've already written some very different things that might not end up on the album. So we're still wrapping our heads around that. But I think it's gonna be a highly energetic album with a very strong pulse, because I think the differences with 'The Catalyst' was that it was a little bit all over the place in a very nice way. This was very intentional. It was supposed to be very creative and go in a lot of different directions, incorporate a lot of different elements. And while we're still gonna do that, we're just gonna do that with a much more relentless and furious tempo. This is where our brains are at now — something really exciting and uptempo."

On the topic of what AMARANTHE's latest addition, growling vocalist Mikael Sehlin, who joined the band in 2023, has added to AMARANTHE's sound, Olof said: "Obviously, he's one sixth of AMARANTHE, and as soon as you change a member, it's gonna change the flavor of things. And I'm not saying that it changes stuff dramatically, because at the end of the day, me and [female clean vocalist] Elize [Ryd], we write all music and I do most of the growl writing, basically. So I'm gonna do it in a similar way, as before, but I'm still gonna base it upon what Mikael is good at. And Mikael adds a lot of his own flavor to it also. He gets my ideas… For 'Chaos Theory', this new song, for example, he listens to my ideas and then he just spits out, 'This is what I think about this.' And I didn't change a thing from his ideas. But it was the same thing when [male clean vocalist] Nils [Molin] joined the band [in 2017]. It radically changed how the band sounded like because he has a very different kind of male voice and really took it to the next level. So, these changes can really affect things. And it's been really exciting with Mikael so far."

Formed in 2008, AMARANTHE have always walked their own path from the start. With absurdly catchy and crushing pop-metal anthems and euphoric live performances all over the globe, their impact on the scene has been immediate. Their latest album, "The Catalyst" once again delivered the sharpest, cutting edges of melodic metal and electronic rock and with no less than three vocalists on stage and over one billion accumulated streams and 500,000 sold units worldwide, AMARANTHE have long proven that they're masters of their genre.

Led by the endlessly ingenious songwriting of guitarist Mörck and powerhouse vocalist Ryd, AMARANTHE has spent nearly two decades establishing itself as a formidable, positive and fervently melodic force for metallic good. From their explosive self-titled debut in 2011 to the more sophisticated, streamlined likes of 2014's "Massive Addictive" and its immaculate follow-up "Maximalism" (2016),AMARANTHE have masterfully blurred the lines between melodic metal, crushing brutality, cinematic sweep and futuristic sparkle.

"The Catalyst" was the most conceptually coherent piece of work in AMARANTHE's storied history. Dedicated to notions of transformation and revelation, it delved deeper than any previous album.

West Coast thrash metal legends METAL CHURCH return with their 13th studio album, "Dead To Rights", scheduled for release on April 10 via Rat Pak Records. The album marks the first release from the band's latest lineup, featuring founding guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof alongside longtime guitarist Rick Van Zandt, joined by former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson, powerhouse drummer Ken Mary, and dynamic new vocalist Brian Allen.

From the aggressive opening assault of "Brainwash Game" to the riff-driven finale "My Wrath", METAL CHURCH prove they still possess the same relentless drive that has earned them fans for over four decades. Tracks such as "Deep Cover Shakedown", "The Show" and "Wasted Time" deliver the signature sound the band has long been known for.

The album's first single, "F.A.F.O.", was released last November, with its accompanying video surpassing 400,000 views to date.

"Dead To Rights" was produced by Kurdt Vanderhoof and mixed and mastered by Chris "Zeuss" Harris at Planet Z.

"This new album is very special to me for one reason: the band was over, and I honestly didn't see it being resurrected. But somehow, it brought itself back to life — again!" exclaims Vanderhoof. "I'm incredibly proud of these new songs; they hit hard. Brian Allen brings the classic METAL CHURCH sound to the vocals, and adding a rhythm section with musicians of the caliber of Dave Ellefson and Ken Mary makes this a force to be reckoned with. If you enjoy classic METAL CHURCH, you're going to love this record."

The track listing for "Dead To Rights" is:

01. Brainwash Game
02. F.A.F.O.
03. Dead To Rights
04. Deep Cover Shakedown
05. Feet To The Fire
06. The Show
07. Heaven Knows (Slip Away)
08. No Memory
09. Wasted Time
10. My Wrath

METAL CHURCH plans to hit the road extensively this year on the "Dead To Rights" tour. A few dates have been announced been announced with more to come.

"Dead To Rights" 2026 tour dates

May 17 - San Luis Potosí, Mexico - San Luis Metal Fest
July 30 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Pumpehuset (w/ Armored Saint)
July 31 - Ostergotland - Sweden - Skogsröjet Festival
Aug. 1 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Pustervik (w/ Testament & Armored Saint)
Aug. 2 - Lund, Sweden - Mejeriet (w/ Testament & Armored Saint)
Aug. 4 0 Kiel, Germany - Die Pumpe (w/ Testament & Armored Saint)
Aug. 5 - Josefov, Czech - Brutal Assault Festival
Aug. 8 - Cologne, Germany - EssigFabrik (w/ Testament & Death Angel)
Aug. 8, 2026 - Kortrijik, Belgium - Alcatraz Festival
Aug. 9, 2026 - Geiselwind, Germany - Keep It True Festival
Aug. 11 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Substage (w/ Testament & Death Angel)
Aug. 12 - Obertraubling, Germany - Eventhall Airport (w/ Testament & Death Angel)
Aug. 13 - Krakow, Poland - Klub Studio (w/ Testament & Armored Saint)
Aug. 14 - Leipzig, Germany - Parkbuhne (w/ Black Label Society)
Sep. 18 - Westland, MI - The Token Lounge
Sep. 19 - Madison, WI - Blades of Steel Metal Festival

Born out of the explosive West Coast metal scene of the early '80s, METAL CHURCH quickly established themselves as one of the genre's most formidable and musically sophisticated bands. After signing with Elektra Records, the group released two landmark albums — their self-titled debut "Metal Church" and its follow-up "The Dark" — both of which remain essential listening in the heavy metal canon. As the U.S. metal wave surged, METAL CHURCH hit the road with labelmates METALLICA, further solidifying their reputation for precision, power, and uncompromising intensity.

The band continued to evolve into the late '80s and early '90s, tackling political and social themes with vocalist Mike Howe on the acclaimed albums "Blessing In Disguise" and "The Human Factor". While many peers shifted toward the era's commercial trends, METAL CHURCH stayed true to their heavy roots — a commitment that earned them a loyal global following.

In 2016, the band reunited with Howe for their eleventh studio album "XI", which debuted at No. 57 on the Billboard Top 200 and charted internationally, marking one of the strongest comebacks in modern metal. Its 2018 successor, "Damned If You Do", continued that momentum with additional worldwide chart success and reaffirmed the band's enduring relevance.

Singer Marc Lopes joined METAL CHURCH in the summer of 2022 as the replacement for Howe, who tragically passed away in July of 2021. Lopes's first and only studio album with METAL CHURCH, "Congregation Of Annihilation", came out in May 2023 via Rat Pak Records (America) and Reaper Entertainment (Europe). The LP was produced by Vanderhoof.

METAL CHURCH made its live debut with Lopes on June 3, 2023 at the Legions Of Metal festival at Reggies in Chicago, Illinois.

Now entering a powerful new chapter, METAL CHURCH features Vanderhoof, Van Zandt, Ellefson, Mary and Allen. With renewed energy, a legacy spanning over four decades, and a rapidly expanding worldwide fanbase, METAL CHURCH remains a driving force in modern heavy metal — still pushing forward, still evolving, and still unmistakably METAL CHURCH.

Photo credit: Rick Moyer

SHINEDOWN has become the latest act to pull out of this year's edition of Rock The Country, the country music festival launched in 2024 by headliner Kid Rock. Kid Rock will top this year's bill, along with fellow Donald Trump supporter Jason Aldean, and an undercard that includes everyone from CREED to Gavin Adcock, Brantley Gilbert and Nelly.

Rock The Country 2026 will take place May 1-2 in Bellville, Texas; May 29-30 in Bloomingdale, Georgia; June 27-28 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; July 10-11 in Ashland, Kentucky; July 25-26 in Anderson, South Carolina; August 8-9 in Hastings, Michigan; August 28-29 in Ocala, Florida; and September 11-12 in Hamburg, New York. SHINEDOWN was only scheduled to perform at the Anderson, South Carolina stop of Rock The Country on July 26.

Earlier today (Friday, February 6),SHINEDOWN announced its decision to drop out of Rock The Country in a statement posted to social media. The group wrote: "SHINEDOWN is everyone's band. We feel that we have been given a platform to bring all people together through the power of music and song.

"We have one BOSS, and it is everyone in the audience. Our band's purpose is to unite, not divide. With that in mind, we have made the decision that we will not be playing the Rock The Country Festival.

"We know this decision will create differences of opinion. But we do not want to participate in something we believe will create further division.

"And to our fans, thank you for supporting and believing in us.

"We love and appreciate you always."

Just last month, SHINEDOWN drummer Barry Kerch was asked by The Vinyl Road podcast if SHINEDOWN had gotten any pushback for agreeing to play this year's Rock The Country — which isn't explicitly a political event. Barry said at the time: "There's been tons. The knives come out when they don't like it, especially now politically. And we are an apolitical band. But the knives have come out. It's crazy. And to be honest, I had no idea, and neither did Brent [Smith, SHINEDOWN singer] — I think Zach [Myers, SHINEDOWN guitarist] maybe had a clue — I had no idea this was Kid Rock's thing. It was just, 'Hey, here's an offer. It looks like a cool lineup, and it's a mix of country and rock. Okay, we'll play it.' We took the offer and played it, and then all of a sudden we find out, 'Oh, this has got some political leaning to it.'"

Barry added: "I don't care. I'm just gonna go play a show. I really, really don't care. You can keep your politics to yourself. I have no opinion one way or the other on Kid Rock. I love his music. This is about music. Ludacris wasn't tough… I mean, it's not like he needs the money, Jeez. If he's not tough enough to stick it out, that's just silly. That's him being a coward, in my opinion."

Asked by one of The Vinyl Road co-hosts if he and the rest of SHINEDOWN would ever turn down a festival appearance over a fellow artist's political leanings and negative feedback from some of the band's fans, Barry said: "I would hope not, but [SHINEDOWN] is a democracy. There's four of us to vote. My vote would be no, but if three of the other guys vote against it, then, again, it's a democracy. I can't change their vote. But I would hope not. 'Cause I like to stick by my grounds. And listen, I don't do politics when it comes to the business of SHINEDOWN. I have my own beliefs. I keep those to myself, and so do the other three guys. I just wanna go play a rock show with some country bands 'cause it looks like fun."

Back in 2019, Kerch told Cutter and Kaytie of Razor 94.7 and 104.7 that SHINEDOWN is "a full democracy." He explained: "Brent's the 51 percent, because he's gotta be the captain. Every ship has a captain… You have to have a leader, and Brent's good at it. He's driven in a way that I don't have, and he's got the gift of gab, which I can talk to you guys and talk to anybody, but when it comes to business and getting in there and getting in somebody's face, I don't have that. I'm too nice — I'm very nice."

According to Kerch, everyone in SHINEDOWN has "equal" say. "And if somebody's upset or doesn't like something, we're gonna figure it out and find a way to massage that situation to where we all agree on it," he said. "Like, we'll never do a political record, 'cause there's varying political views, so why would we bring that out there? We don't wanna alienate half or bring in a half or any of that stuff — it's not who we are as a band. Just conscious decisions like that. 'Hey, how much are we gonna spend on this show?' 'Do we need to fire this person?' We talk about it. We have meetings. And one cool thing that we always do before we kick off a tour cycle, we get in a room — the four of us — and hash it out. So we bring anything up that bothered us in the past. We sit down and have our little, like the 'METALLICA movie moment' where we just call each other out, tell each other the problems we're having, come to conclusions, and then we can start with a fresh slate. And it makes everything a lot easier."

Back in 2010, Smith addressed SHINEDOWN's attitude when it comes to politics while answering a question about his band performing for the troops in Iraq. He said: "We're not a political band, we're never going to be a political band, but one thing that we are is very upfront about and supportive of the soldiers and what they do for us. No disrespect to the rest of the world; the thing is that these are our soldiers. This is our family. You have to support them, and you shouldn't have to; you should want to. That's ultimately the way we are. We're always going to support them because they keep us safe. They've allowed us to keep our freedom."

In 2022, SHINEDOWN bassist, producer and engineer Eric Bass told Grammy.com that he and his bandmates didn't necessarily always agree in their in your sociopolitical beliefs. But, he clarified: "We never talked about it, to be honest with you. At least in the beginning, we never talked about it. At that time — and now, to a large extent — it was unimportant to me with the people in my life. I don't have to align with people on any sort of political thing to be friends with them or family or whatever. We didn't talk about it. It's like being in a marriage. If it's going to work out, you coalesce into a set of beliefs. My beliefs change on a quasi-daily basis, depending on what I read and educate myself with."

After Ludacris's name was quietly pulled from the list of performing stars on the Rock The Country festival's web site, a representative for the rapper told Rolling Stone that "lines got crossed and he wasn't supposed to be on there."

Several media outlets, including Rolling Stone, reported that Ludacris received backlash for being part of the tour. Some of the rapper's fans believed that the concert tour had "political undertones of supporting President Donald Trump's MAGA movement," according to Rolling Stone.

In 2025 SHINEDOWN released four new singles: "Three Six Five", "Dance, Kid, Dance", , "Killing Fields" and "Searchlight".

The band's eighth studio album will arrive later this year.

SHINEDOWN recently announced they will be headlining the Sonic Temple festival. They'll take the main stage on Friday, May 15, 2026, marking their first time headlining the Ohio event. Their performance will anchor the festival's second night, with MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, BRING ME THE HORIZON and TOOL leading the other days of the lineup.

Photo credit: Ryan Camp

A message from Shinedown

Posted by Shinedown on Friday, February 6, 2026

3 DOORS DOWN singer Brad Arnold has died at the age of 47.

The news of his passing was shared by his bandmates on social media on Saturday, February 7.

Arnold revealed in May 2025 that he was battling clear cell renal cell carcinoma, or ccRCC, a type of kidney cancer.

The band's announcement reads as follows: "With heavy hearts, we share the news that Brad Arnold, founder, lead singer, and songwriter of 3 DOORS DOWN, passed away on Saturday, February 7th, at the age of 47.

"With his beloved wife Jennifer and his family by his side, he passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, in his sleep after his courageous battle with cancer.

"As a founding member, vocalist, and original drummer of 3 DOORS DOWN, Brad helped redefine mainstream rock music, blending post-grunge accessibility with emotionally direct songwriting and lyrical themes that resonated with everyday listeners. Brad's songwriting became a cultural touchstone for a generation, producing some of the most enduring hits of the 2000s, including the band's breakout hit, 'Kryptonite', which he wrote in his math class when he was just 15 years old. His music reverberated far beyond the stage, creating moments of connection, joy, faith, and shared experiences that will live on long after the stages he performed on.

"Above all, he was a devoted husband to Jennifer, and his kindness, humor, and generosity touched everyone fortunate enough to know him. Those closest to him will remember not only his talent, but his warmth, humility, faith, and deep love for his family and friends.

"The family is deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time and kindly asks that their privacy be respected.

"He will be deeply missed and forever remembered."

According to the National Cancer Institute, clear cell renal cell carcinoma is named after how the tumor looks under the microscope. The cells in the tumor look clear, like bubbles.

In adults, ccRCC is the most common type of kidney cancer, and makes up about 80% of all renal cell carcinoma cases. ccRCC is more common in adults than children. Renal cell carcinoma makes up 2-6% of childhood and young adult kidney cancer cases.

ccRCC patients with smaller tumors have a better chance of survival than patients with larger tumors. The five-year survival rate for patients with ccRCC is 50-69%. When ccRCC is already large or has spread to other parts of the body, treatment is more difficult and the five-year survival rate is about 10%.

As a result of Arnold's diagnosis in early 2025, 3 DOORS DOWN canceled all of its previously announced tour dates, including headlining shows, festival appearances and support dates with CREED, as well as a performance at Morgan Wallen's Sand In My Boots festival.

Brad celebrated the tenth anniversary of his getting sober in January 2026.

The singer previously credited his Christian faith for his sobriety.

"I feel like a different person than I did [in 2016] ... and it feels so good," Arnold wrote on social media. "Without question, God took that burden from me. I was so tired of carrying it. I couldn't carry it any more so I gave it to God and I'm not taking it back! If you're struggling with something, give it to Him. He'll gladly take your burden and you'll never have to carry it again."

In a 2021 interview with The Young Folks, Brad revealed that he quit smoking cigarettes around early 2018 after being a smoker for more than a quarter century, adding that giving up smoking and alcohol were "the two best things that I've ever done for my voice. They were the best things that I've ever done for my life, in general, but they were acutely present in my voice."

Arnold co-founded 3 DOORS DOWN at age 16 and wrote the band's hit song "Kryptonite" soon afterward.

Formed in 1995, 3 DOORS DOWN's many accolades include selling 16 million albums globally, receiving three Grammy nominations, and winning two American Music Awards, and five BMI Pop Awards for songwriting — including "Songwriter of the Year". Their debut, "The Better Life", became certified six times RIAA platinum in 2000 and was fueled by the success of the aforementioned juggernaut hit "Kryptonite". This was followed by 2002's sophomore album, "Away From The Sun", which went triple platinum and saw similar success with "When I'm Gone" and "Here Without You". 2005's platinum "Seventeen Days" and 2008's "3 Doors Down" each earned No. 1 debuts on the Billboard Top 200, while "Time Of My Life" landed at No. 3 in 2011. In 2003, the group founded the charity The Better Life Foundation. In 2016, 3 DOORS DOWN released its sixth full-length album, "Us And The Night".

Posted by 3 Doors Down on Saturday, February 7, 2026

Metal Blade Records has announced the signing of Japanese metal sensation BROKEN BY THE SCREAM.

Known for its explosive fusion of crushing metal riffs, modern extreme metal heaviness, deep growls, harsh screams and contrasting melodic vocals, the band has been steadily carving out a unique space in the global heavy music scene — and this marks a powerful new chapter in its career.

Check out BROKEN BY THE SCREAM's latest single below.

BROKEN BY THE SCREAM will make its Summer Breeze Open Air debut this year, bringing their uncompromising live show to one of Europe's premier metal festivals. The band will also play Wacken Open Air and Reload Festival, further cementing their presence on the European festival circuit. More summer dates in Europe will be announced soon.

BROKEN BY THE SCREAM's distinctive style has continued to shock and captivate heavy music audiences both in Japan and worldwide. In 2025, BROKEN BY THE SCREAM performed on the main stage at Resurrection Fest in Spain and at Japan Expo in France as part of their nine-date European tour across seven countries.

Beyond the stage, BROKEN BY THE SCREAM is already hard at work on new material, with fresh music currently in development. While details remain under wraps, fans can expect new songs that continue to push the band's aggressive, genre-defying sound even further.

More news on live dates and upcoming releases will be revealed in the coming months.

BROKEN BY THE SCREAM is:

Tsubaki Nanaougi
Shizuku Mikogami
Io Nozukidaira
Yayoi Takayashiki

Ex-I PREVAIL vocalist Brian Burkheiser will release a new original song, "Phases", along with the track's accompanying music video, next week under the SCATTERBRAIN banner.

Earlier today, Burkheiser released the following statement via social media: "I'm grateful to share that I am officially a free, independent artist, and will be releasing my own original music under the name SCATTERBRAIN.

"I want to sincerely thank Fearless and Concord Records for their professionalism, respect, and support throughout a very complicated period.

"Now that my legal dispute is behind me, I'm ready to share my story.

"My first original song, 'Phases', along with the music video, drops next Friday."

This past December, Brian released a cover of Taylor Swift's "Look What You Made Me Do" under the SCATTERBRAIN banner. At the time, Burkheiser, whose split with I PREVAIL was announced in May 2025, shared the following statement via his publicist, Atom Splitter PR: "To my fans: This year forced me to pivot in ways I never expected, and it tested me more than I can explain. But through it all, your support has meant everything.

"I'm excited to finally share a song with you. I chose this cover because it truly resonates with me and serves as a nod to what first sparked my career.

"I'm still working toward the day I can release my original music, but for now, I'm grateful to have found a way to put a piece of art into the world."

Seven months ago, Burkheiser claimed that "an unresolved dispute" with his former band had prevented him from releasing his new solo music.

On August 25, 2025, Brian took to his social media to write: "Due to an unresolved dispute with my former band I PREVAIL, I am being blocked from releasing my song 'Phases', as well as other new music.

"I'm deeply disappointed, but I'm doing everything I can to move things forward.

"I want to thank my family, friends, and most importantly, my fans for their unwavering support."

Burkheiser had handled the clean vocals in I PREVAIL since the band's formation in 2013 but was forced to step away from the group's touring activities due to his battle with Eagle's syndrome, a condition associated with the elongation of the styloid process or calcification of the stylohyoid ligament, clinically characterized by throat and neck pain, radiating into the ear. In Burkheiser's absence, co-vocalist/growler Eric Vanlerberghe had handled the bulk of the singing in I PREVAIL, with the help of guitarist Dylan Bowman.

I PREVAIL announced in May 2025 that it was "mutually parting ways" with Burkheiser. A month and a half later, Burkheiser posted a series of Instagram Stories in which he claimed there was "no beef" between him and his now-former bandmates. "I love every single one of those guys whether they know it or not," Burkheiser wrote. However, he added that he believed he "didn't deserve how things went down" regarding the circumstances surrounding his departure, before clarifying, "But it doesn't mean they are bad people. I did try to communicate more and I wish that they would've talked to me more," Burkheiser wrote. "But if it took it coming down to this to teach the world this lesson then I'm OK with that because I want to rekindle my friendships with those guys one day."

Burkheiser went on to say that he was proud of Vanlerberghe, who has since become I PREVAIL's primary singer, and encouraged fans to buy tickets to the "Summer Of Loud" tour featuring I PREVAIL, BEARTOOTH, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and PARKWAY DRIVE.

I PREVAIL's fourth studio album, "Violent Nature" arrived in September 2025 via Fearless.

Press photo courtesy of Atom Splitter PR

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Black Lodge Records has announces the signing of Jorn Lande, widely regarded as one of the greatest rock vocalists of our time. The Norwegian singer's enduring influence, distinctive voice, and proven track record place him at the forefront of a renaissance in hard-hitting, melodic rock.

Described by fans and critics alike as the Norse God of metal, Lande has crafted a storied career characterized by clarity of tone, remarkable range, and a prolific output. With more than 50 releases to his name, Jorn has become a global mainstay not only for his vocal prowess but also for his songwriting and lyricism. His work has consistently topped charts and earned critical acclaim worldwide.

Lande was born on May 31, 1968 in the heart of Norway, between massive mountains in a little town called Rjukan. The little blond Viking grew up roaming the forests and mountains and rocking out to Elvis Presley and bands like SWEET, SLADE, JETHRO TULL, DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW, FREE and BLACK SABBATH. Eventually, he would become one of the world's most renowned voices in rock and metal.

Jorn's catalog stands as a testament to consistency and innovation. Since the formation of his principal project in 2000, he has released 21 albums, with 2022's "Over The Horizon Radar" receiving widespread recognition and driving excitement for the next phase of his career. 2026 is already generating anticipation, with plans for a third edition of Jorn's "Heavy Rock Radio" concept, featuring Jorn-ified renditions of beloved rock classics and collaborations with leading artists.

Across his career, Jorn has collaborated with top-tier musicians, enriching every project with his unmistakable voice. His live performances are renowned for their power, emotion, and versatility, supported by a formidable lineup that includes Tore Moren and Adrian SB on guitars, Øyvind Stroenen on bass, Francesco Jovino on drums and Alessandro Del Vecchio on keys. This ensemble is prepared to deliver the kind of electric, wall-of-sound rock experience that fans have been waiting for.

Beyond his main band, Jorn has embraced a range of ventures — from touring worldwide with AVANTASIA to contributing to League Of Legend's virtual metal band PENTAKILL in the gaming world — showcasing his broad appeal and creative energy.

With this partnership, Black Lodge Records reaffirms its commitment to exceptional artists who push artistic boundaries while honoring the timeless spirit of classic hard rock. Jorn Lande's signing signals an ambitious new chapter for both artist and label, promising exhilarating music, unforgettable live performances, and collaborations that will captivate listeners around the globe.

Photo credit: Christine Lande

Legendary New Wave Of British Heavy Metal band MORE has released its powerful anthem "Spirits Of War" — the first single from the band's upcoming "Destructor" album — accompanied by a lyric video.

The "Destructor" album, which is due on March 6, is the final production by the late, legendary producer Chris Tsangarides (JUDAS PRIEST, KING DIAMOND, HELLOWEEN, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN). On the eve of his passing in January 2017, the last mix of "Destructor" was delivered from his own The Ecology Rooms facility. Passionate in his love for the band he had played with, written for and toured alongside for decades, Tsangarides brought his unmistakable touch to the project. During the recording sessions, he applied his world-famous Vortex system to the ripping and mesmerizing guitar work he played throughout the album, establishing the foundation for the MORE sound, with the rest of the outfit pulling their weight to deliver a fiery and seasoned band performance.

MORE bassist Baz Nicholls comments: "Why 'Spirits Of War' as the single? While preparing 'Destructor' for release, MORE began introducing new material into their live set. One song quickly separated itself from the rest. Each time it was played, 'Spirits Of War' drew the strongest reaction from the crowd, with audiences instinctively singing along to its unmistakable 'Valhalla' chorus chant. It soon became clear that 'Spirits Of War' wasn't just another track from the album — it was becoming a MORE anthem. This track really sets the tone for the whole album — it's a warrior anthem in every sense. It was one of Chris Tsangarides's favorites, which makes it feel like a fitting tribute to him. His spirit and influence run through this record, and this song captures that perfectly."

The album of ten titles is finally seeing the light of day after the final mixes were rediscovered by Baz Nicholls, who downloaded them from studio equipment left behind after the facility closed, storing them on a USB drive. It was then decided to bring in a longtime collaborator — the legendary mastering engineer Maor Appelbaum in Los Angeles — who had previously worked on three other albums with Chris Tsangarides. Completed in 2025, the result is an album that balances power and finesse, brutality and nuance — a fitting tribute to the legacy of Tsangarides, while staking a claim in the modern metal scene for MORE.

MORE remains one of the few bands that truly embody the restless energy and resilience of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. Founded in London in 1979 by guitarist Kenny Cox, the band rose quickly with their major-label debut "Warhead" (1981) on Atlantic Records, followed by tours alongside IRON MAIDEN during the "Killers" era and an appearance at Monsters Of Rock. Their follow-up album, "Blood & Thunder" (1982),further cemented their reputation for blistering riffs and gritty hooks, earning inclusion on numerous lists of the greatest NWOBHM albums ever made. Now, the band return with their long-awaited third full-length album.

The band has formed its own label, Warhead Music LLP, and with the support of their management and executive producer Dan McConomy, is releasing "Destructor" worldwide. The release will be supported through licensed deals in different territories, with digital distribution via The Orchard on March 6, 2026. A limited-edition signed CD digipack is available exclusively online until sold out at moreofficialstore.square.site with worldwide shipping.

For longtime fans, "Destructor" is a long-awaited continuation of a story that began over four decades ago. For new listeners, it is a statement: MORE is not a relic of metal's past, but a living force in metal's future. With "Destructor", the band bridge eras — with Tsangarides's influence serving as a guiding spirit even beyond his passing — delivering an album that resonates across generations of metal fans.

Forged in London in 1979 (originally under the name DEFENDER),MORE quickly became part of the second wave of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. Their first two albums, "Warhead" (1981) and "Blood & Thunder" (1982),captured the raw energy and unbridled ambition of the era.

Through lineup changes, internal clashes, and the shifting tides of the music industry, MORE endured. Guitarist Laurie Mansworth went on to form AIRRACE; bassist Baz Nicholls remained a key figure; vocalist slots rotated between Paul Mario Day, Mick Stratton, and later Mike Freeland.

As of 2025, MORE's lineup features:

Baz "Nicholls" (bass)
Peter Welsh (guitar)
Steve Rix (drums)
Mike Freeland (vocals)

Legendary heavy rock drummer Tommy Aldridge has discussed the greatest guitar players he has worked with during his career in his first interview of 2026. The three-minute clip, conducted by Robert Scott of Phantom Four, can be seen below.

Following the soft launch of his new official web site, AldridgeWorld.com, the 75-year-old drummer says he has no plans to retire anytime soon and already has a busy 2026 on the horizon, coming shortly after WHITESNAKE frontman David Coverdale's recent retirement.

During the interview, Aldridge pays tribute to the late John Sykes, as well as Gary Moore and Randy Rhoads, while also praising Steve Vai as one of the greatest guitarists he has worked with. He notes that he knows more about guitar players than drummers and credits much of his career to the great guitarists he has had the privilege to work alongside, adding that he feels truly blessed for the career he has enjoyed.

Aldridge has previously said that Randy Rhoads was the guitarist he always wanted to record with, but that opportunity sadly never came to fruition.

Fans who sign up for the AldridgeWorld interest list can immediately hear a brand-new exclusive 1:23 audio clip of Aldridge discussing his long-standing relationship with the late Ozzy Osbourne. An excerpt from the clip appears below.

Aldridge said: "My first tour abroad was with BLACK OAK ARKANSAS, and my first dates outside the U.S. were supporting BLACK SABBATH. That's when I met Ozzy back in 1773," he joked. "It was a long, long time ago. We spent a lot of time together, and I knew him before most people did, even before he met his wife. I have a lot of respect and appreciation for what Ozzy has done, not just in my career, but musically. There are experiences we shared that few people know about."

Following the news of Osbourne's passing in 2025, Aldridge paid tribute to Ozzy, honoring him as a "friend and brother" and calling him a "force in music." He also recalled stepping in to help Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne navigate the band's direction after the tragic death of guitarist Randy Rhoads in 1982, including assisting with the audition process for new guitarists such as Jake E. Lee.

The full video interview will be released at a later date. The segment was filmed by Fernando Cordero of Industrialism Films at Joel Jack Studio in California's Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country and edited by Robert Scott of Phantom Four, who also provided the graphics.

While official videos will continue to be shared on Aldridge's YouTube channel, OfficialAldridgeWorld, the web site will serve as the central hub for all official news, new music, and updates related to Aldridge's career and projects. Both AldridgeWorld and the YouTube channel are expected to officially launch in March 2026, featuring drum videos, recording sessions, and exclusive content. Several major announcements are also expected throughout 2026.

Aldridge is currently revamping his private drum studio and working with his team to offer premium drumming content, including beat breakdowns of songs he has never dissected before, tutorials, playthroughs, recording sessions, live streams, enhanced reissues of select classic drum performances, and Q&A sessions for supporters and aspiring drummers.

Aldridge is best known for his work with BLACK OAK ARKANSAS, PAT TRAVERS BAND, Ozzy Osbourne, WHITESNAKE, THIN LIZZY, Ted Nugent, Gary Moore and Vinnie Moore. He joined Osbourne's solo band in 1981 and later appeared on "Bark At The Moon" (1983) and the live albums "Speak Of The Devil" and "Tribute". He joined WHITESNAKE in 1987, replacing drummer Aynsley Dunbar, and first appeared on the band's 1989 album "Slip Of The Tongue". Aldridge recorded six studio albums with WHITESNAKE and remained with the band until its effective retirement in November 2025.

In 2025, Rudy Sarzo, Brad Gillis and Aldridge reunited for a cover of THE WHO's "The Real Me", featuring singer Rick Hughes (SWORD, SAINTS & SINNERS). The track appears on Hughes's solo album "Redemption", which was released on October 24, 2025.

Aldridge is also a member of ICONIC, the hard rock supergroup featuring Michael Sweet and Joel Hoekstra on guitars, Marco Mendoza on bass, Nathan James on vocals, and Aldridge on drums. The band's 2022 debut album, "Second Skin", was followed by a completed sophomore album that is scheduled for release in summer 2026.

At 75, Aldridge is widely regarded as the most veteran active heavy rock drummer, continuing to deliver remarkable power, speed, precision, and relentless double-bass work. He famously used two bass drums long before it became fashionable in rock and metal, helping to define a heavier, more aggressive approach to drumming that has influenced generations of players.