Finnish rock veterans THE RASMUS are back with their electrifying new single, "Creatures Of Chaos", released today (March 28) on all digital outlets via Better Noise Music and Playground Music.

With its signature blend of dark atmospheres and anthemic melodies, THE RASMUS once again proves why it remains a force to be reckoned with in the rock world. In their native Finland, where they are the reigning No. 1 rock band, THE RASMUS stands at No. 1 on Spotify, YouTube, Instagram and Deezer as far as followers, views, likes and streams.

The video for "Creatures Of Chaos" can be seen below.

At its core, "Creatures Of Chaos" is an anthem for outsiders, a rallying cry for anyone who has ever felt like they don't belong.

THE RASMUS frontman Lauri Ylönen comments: "'Creatures Of Chaos' is a global invitation to all misfits and anyone out there who's ever felt like an outsider to join us.

"The world is such a messed up place right now. I felt like going harder musically to match my feelings of being lost, scared and uncomfortable. People are so divided with their opinions that I find myself looking for hope and unity out of people like myself. It's important to belong somewhere and take a stand with your opinions. 'Creatures Of Chaos' is a shout-out to all people like us to come together."

Packed with driving riffs, anthemic hooks, and raw emotion, "Creatures Of Chaos" channels the spirit of rebellion and unity that has always been at the heart of THE RASMUS's music. The song was written by Lauri along with renowned songwriter Desmond Child (who contributed to THE RASMUS's "Black Roses" and "Rise" albums and has worked with BON JOVI, JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS, AEROSMITH and Alice Cooper, among countless others),and Marti Fredriksen (AEROSMITH, DEF LEPPARD). Tracked at Fredriksen's Sienna Studios in Nashville and produced by Frederiksen and Child, with additional production by Joseph McQueen, it captures the band at their most dynamic and urgent.

"Creatures of Chaos" is the follow-up to "Rest In Pieces", which was released October 25, 2024 via Better Noise Music.

With their signature blend of dark atmospheres and anthemic melodies, THE RASMUS once again proves why it remains an aesthetic force to be reckoned with in the rock world.

THE RASMUS has generated an impressive 829 million global career streams.

THE RASMUS will bring their unforgettable stage show to audiences worldwide in 2025 on the "Weirdo Tour", including a U.S. run with THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT in April and May.

Formed 31 years ago, THE RASMUS, led by founding frontman and songwriter Lauri Ylönen, immediately inked a major label deal after the release of their first EP in 1995. The band's fifth album, "Dead Letters", solidified them as a global force, achieving eight gold and six platinum certifications with over two million copies sold worldwide and breaking the record for performance royalties received abroad on a Finnish composition. Its lead single "In The Shadows" received six-times-gold and two-times-platinum certifications, selling over one million copies and was nominated for Kerrang! Awards "Best Single" in 2004. The album won in five categories at the 2004 Finnish EMMA Awards, earned the band "Best Nordic Act" honors at 2003 MTV Europe Music Awards and garnered two awards for "Best International Artist" and "Best International Newcomer" at the 2004 MTV Russia Music Awards.

Since then, THE RASMUS have continued to evolve their sound with the perfect mix of melody, edge and showmanship; they also possess the ability to perfectly blend across genres — from mainstream pop and electronica to explosive rock and hard-hitting metal.

Photo credit: Venla Shalin

Swedish progressive metal pioneers MESHUGGAH are set to kick off their monumental North American tour with CANNIBAL CORPSE and CARCASS this Friday, March 28. To celebrate, they have teamed up with several local restaurants along the route for unique food collaborations, bringing fans a one-of-a-kind fusion of fierce flavors and sick riffs. Multiple stops along the way will feature a unique culinary experience, perfectly paired with their groundbreaking sound, making this tour an unmissable feast for the senses!

For the full list, see below.

* Quebec City (March 28 to March 29) Poutine (Homemade Yukon Gold fries, cheese curds, Swedish meatballs and a wild mushroom cream sauce) at Blaxton Grill (https://blaxton.com/)

* Toronto (March 15 to March 30) Meshuggah Burger (Charcoal bun with dill mustard sauce, single/Double patty, American Cheese, pickled red onions and lingonberry bacon jam) at Slayer Burger (https://slayerburger.com/)

* Detroit (March 30) Swedish Meatball Frita and Coconut Cloudberry Batido at Frita Batidos ( https://fritabatidos.com/)

* St. Louis (April 2) Cherry smoked elk meatballs in a lingonberry BBQ sauce served over with creamy grits at Salt and Smoke (https://www.saltandsmokebbq.com/)

* Denver (March 25 to April 15) Machshuggah (4 Cheese Cavatappi mac 'n' cheese with grated Vasterbotten cheese, rustic herb crust, mini Swedish meatballs, mushroom demi cream sauce, smoky haystack onions and grated parmesan) at the Brutal Poodle (https://brutalpoodledenver.com/)

* Tampa (April 19) Immutable Beer (Belgian Triple) at Magnanimous Brewing (https://magnanimousbrewing.com/)

The reissue of MESHUGGAH's critically acclaimed album "Immutable" will be presented in the remastered "Indelible Edition", due on April 4, 2025 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

Following the critical acclaim of the original 2022 release of "Immutable", the "Indelible Edition" arrives with a sonic enhancement, redefining the album's depth and clarity, and includes three riveting live tracks recorded during MESHUGGAH's world tours in 2023 and 2024. These additions not only showcase the band's raw live energy but also underline their commitment to pushing musical boundaries.

The "Indelible Edition" of "Immutable" transcends a typical reissue, offering a fully immersive experience that extends over an hour of MESHUGGAH's meticulously crafted music. This special edition will be available in two exquisite formats: a two-LP gatefold vinyl and a single-disc digipak. Each format boasts a remastered audio experience, enriched by breathtaking new artwork and layout. Notably, the inclusion of distinctive gold foil accents enhances both the tactile and visual appeal, making it a collector's gem.

"Immutable" was released in May 2022 via Atomic Fire. The follow-up to 2016's "The Violent Sleep Of Reason" was recorded at Sweetspot Studios in Halmstad, Sweden; mixed by Rickard Bengtsson and Staffan Karlsson; and mastered by multiple Grammy Award winner Vlado Meller (METALLICA, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, SYSTEM OF A DOWN). Visionary artist Luminokaya once again created the stunning cover artwork.

MESHUGGAH guitarist Mårten Hagström discussed "Immutable" during an appearance on MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn's "No Fuckin' Regrets With Robb Flynn" podcast. He said: "It's a double album, if this was a vinyl. It's 13 tracks; 66 or 67 minutes of music. It's the longest album we've put out so far, to this date. And it's a bit funny, 'cause when we started writing, I was really adamant that, 'Let's try to make a 'Reign In Blood' album' — like the MESHUGGAH 'Reign In Blood' album; just short but sweet. Not maybe 27 minutes, but keep it just over half an hour. 'Cause albums aren't what they used to be anyways; it's singles. So, obviously, we went the opposite direction and made a double album and just built it as an album and thought of it as, like back in the day, very important with the track listing and all that shit.

"For us, it was, like we always do, trying to find the… What's the MESHUGGAH sound? How do we keep it but make it interesting to us?" he continued. "'Cause that's been our modus operandi all along: if we please ourselves, we please our fans. That's how it's been. So that's what we need to take care of.

"We started writing it when we came off that COVID truncated touring cycle, and then, after that, it was just all systems go. We've been working our asses off for almost three years now. And we're really happy with the result. We may have tried out a few things that we haven't done before — not anything mindblowing. But from the reactions we've been getting so far, I think it's pretty much what we hoped for. 'Cause people are saying that it's an unexpected album. And that might sometimes be a bad thing, but in our minds, it can never be. And nobody said that it was surprising in a bad way; only positive so far. So we'll see.

"You know what it's like. When you work on an album, you really don't know. When you're done with it, everything's so jumbled up in your head, you don't know how to feel about it. It's just, like, 'Okay. Good enough. Let it go.'

"But we're really fired up about it," Mårten added. "It's a lot of music. It's by far the most dynamic we've been on an album. And that's something we've been going for. And I look forward to see how it comes across."

Hagström previously stated about the "Immutable" title: "The title fits perfectly for where we are as a band. We're older now. Most of us are in our fifties now, and we've settled into who we are. Even though we've been experimenting all along, I also think we've been the same since day one. The way we approach things and why we still make new albums, and why we still sound the way we do, it's immutable. Humanity is immutable, too. We commit the same mistakes over and over. And we are immutable. We do what we do, and we don't change."

MESHUGGAH completed its first pandemic-era U.S. tour in September and October 2022.

Québec City! Stop by blaxtonpub for a special poutine collaboration with homemade yukon gold fries, cheese curds,...

Posted by Meshuggah on Wednesday, March 26, 2025

2025 is a definite milestone in the career of U.K. thrashers ONSLAUGHT, recalling their roots and their iconic debut album, which saw the light of day in 1985. Comprised on two discs, the group will now release a career-inspiring album titled "Origins Of Aggression" on May 23, 2025 through their new label home, Reigning Phoenix Music. Disc one features a fine selection of ten re-recorded tracks from ONSLAUGHT's early days (1982-1989),while disc two presents a colorful bouquet of cover versions of punk and metal songs that lead fans through the range of bands — from the DEAD KENNEDYS, THE EXPLOITED and DISCHARGE to JUDAS PRIEST, BLACK SABBATH and beyond — defining the group's sound. Also to be found on the second part of the album will be ONSLAUGHT's adaption of "Iron Fist", originally written and performed by MOTÖRHEAD, which is the first single off the forthcoming effort.

ONSLAUGHT founding guitarist and songwriter Nige Rockett, the sole remaining member from the band's original lineup, states: "What true metalhead doesn't love MOTÖRHEAD? And we weren't any different.

"In the early beginnings, I was still very much a novice on guitar and it was Lemmy, Phil and Eddie that really drove our band in the metal direction from our hardcore punk roots. Myself, I actually learnt the whole 'Live At Hammersmith' album — including all the solos — and it greatly improved my personal playing and knowledge of the guitar. It was a real learning curve for ONSLAUGHT and we would always jam the tracks at rehearsal and even sometimes live.

"So, the reason we chose 'Iron Fist', apart from it being one of their heaviest, most aggressive songs, is that we got to tour with MOTÖRHEAD on the 'Orgasmatron' tour in Europe 1987. We arrived at the Zurich venue, the first show for us, just as MOTÖRHEAD were about to start soundcheck. Lemmy struts out on the stage, stamps his foot four times and they crash into 'Iron Fist'... WTAF... IT BLEW US ALL CLEAN AWAY... I'd never witnessed anything like it and that moment will never be forgotten and changed our lives as a band."

Accompanied by a powerful music video, the single amplifies ONSLAUGHT's trademark intensity and relentless energy. This ferocious cover is a nod to the band's punk and metal roots, capturing the spirit of rebellion which is still running through their DNA.

"Origins Of Aggression" track listing:

Disc 1

01. Thermonuclear Devastation Of The
02. Black Horse Of Famine
03. Angels Of Death
04. Power From Hell
05. Metal Forces
06. Let There Be Death
07. Fight With The Beast
08. Thrash Till The Death
09. In Search Of Sanity
10. Shellshock

Disc 2

01. Iron Fist [by MOTÖRHEAD]
02. Holiday In Cambodia [by DEAD KENNEDYS]
03. A Look At Tomorrow [by DISCHARGE]
04. U.K. 82 [by THE EXPLOITED]
05. Freewheel Burning [by JUDAS PRIEST]
06. Wardance [by KILLING JOKE]
07. Give Me Fire [by GBH]
08. State Violence State Control [by DISCHARGE]
09. Holidays In The Sun [by SEX PISTOLS]
10. Emotional Blackmail [by UK SUBS]
11. War Pigs [by BLACK SABBATH]
12. Drunk With Power [by DISCHARGE]

ONSLAUGHT's contribution to the thrash metal genre cannot be overstated: from their debut album "Power From Hell" (1985),which is being honored with this new release, to their celebrated performances across the globe, they remain an untouchable force in the world of heavy metal. With over 40 years of history, the quintet has steadily continued to evolve, delivering relentless riffs and neck-breaking anthems, and cementing their place as pioneers of the British thrash scene.

The metal world can additionally look forward to ONSLAUGHT's 2025 world tour, where the band will promote "Origins Of Aggression" and celebrate the 40th "Power From Hell" anniversary — including stops in Europe, the USA, Mexico, and Australia — and expect more exciting news in the near future.

Nige made his return to the live stage with ONSLAUGHT in January after a three-year absence following a long battle with illness. His first appearance back was on the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise.

Rockett has endured a number of cancer removal operations, chemotherapy as well as two spinal operations — upper and lower spine — during his forced hiatus, with both conditions now thankfully in full remission/recovery and continuing to heal.

ONSLAUGHT's latest album, "Generation Antichrist", came out in August 2020 via AFM Records. It was the first ONSLAUGHT LP to feature new vocalist Dave Garnett, who replaced longtime singer Sy Keeler.

Garnett made his live debut with ONSLAUGHT at the House Of Metal festival in Umeå, Sweden in February 2020.

ONSLAUGHT announced Keeler's departure in April 2020, explaining in a statement that "some things simply aren't sustainable year after year due to the nature of the modern-day music industry."

ONSLAUGHT is one of the most ferocious, explosive and controversial metal bands ever to come out of the U.K. The group released three now-legendary albums in the 1980s — "Power From Hell", "The Force" and "In Search of Sanity" — and became a major influence for many metal generations to follow.

Since reforming in 2005, ONSLAUGHT has performed countless shows in no less than 70 different countries across the globe, earning themselves the reputation as one of the very best live acts in the metal scene today. ONSLAUGHT also has the enviable kudos of being the first international thrash band to perform in Vietnam and Lebanon.

Five critically acclaimed albums were released between 2007 and 2015 — "Killing Peace", "Live Damnation", "Sounds Of Violence", "VI" and "Live At The Slaughterhouse" — with millions of streams between them.

Produced by Grammy Award-winning engineer Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, IN FLAMES, BEHEMOTH),"Generation Antichrist" gathered huge international acclaim, with many renowned rock and metal pundits declaring it the album of the year.

ONSLAUGHT is:

David Garnett - vocals, guitars
Nige Rockett - guitars
Wayne Dorman - guitars
Jeff Williams - bass
James Perry - drums

Photo credit: Korey Rockett and Karen George

In a new interview with USA Today, POISON frontman Bret Michaels called his trademark bandana his "super power". "It's my own feeling of identity," he said. "Somehow I became 'Bandana Man'." But he added that there is a practical dual purpose to his cranial complement. "It keeps all of the sweat out of my eyes when I'm exercising or performing," he said. "And I sweat."

Lass than three years ago, Bret spoke to Shaggy of the 94.9 and 104.5 The Pick radio station in Idaho Falls, Idaho about his video tutorial on how to fold a bandana like a headband. Regarding how he developed the technique, Bret said: "Through trial and error, which is the story of my life. People have been laughing about the TikTok video. I do these for fun and inspiration — just crazy moments. If they get a chance, the fans, to check out… I'm telling you — if you're ever gonna wear a bandana, I have figured out the patented diamond fold, the Bret Michaels diamond fold, that works every time. It's simple. But I went through a lot of trial and error. And I'm giving it to the fans. It's on the house. [Laughs] It's a free one on the house. And people literally have been… even my buddies are texting me, 'Dude, thank you. This has been battle for years, going to a concert or getting on my Harley and taking a ride.' So I've unleashed the diamond fold… And it came with much trial and error, trust me. Over the years, I'm, like, 'There's gotta be a better way. I'll just go right back to the drawing board.' And I finally figured out the diamond technique that'll adjust to any head size. [Laughs]"

Back in 2010, Michaels told "The Oprah Winfrey Show" that he kept his trademark bandana on the entire time when he was rushed to the hospital after suffering a brain hemorrhage.

"It's like Superman without the cape. I said, 'If I'm going out, I wanna go out rocking,'" Michaels told Winfrey. "Leave the boots on [and] some form of a bandana."

In 2013, in a video interview with People magazine, Michaels admitted to having an extensive collection of the popular head gear. "I don't have an exact count," the 59-year-old musicians said, "but I'm going to say at least a thousand different bandanas."

As a reality TV star, Michaels has appeared in an extensive library of hit shows including VH1's smash show "Rock Of Love", winning the highest-rated season of NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" and Travel Channel's "Rock My RV", currently featured on the Discovery+ streaming platform. Fans have eagerly binged his TV hits on Hulu, Amazon Prime, Tubi, PlutoTV and AppleTV.

Bret was born in Butler, Pennsylvania on March 15, 1963. Rising to fame as the frontman of POISON, one of rock's most iconic and enduring bands, he helped define rock 'n' roll on the Sunset Strip. POISON's massive success includes selling over 30 million records worldwide and numerous hit singles. Bret's solo career has charted its own course with multiple solo albums. His "Custom Built" album included guest appearances by Joe Perry (AEROSMITH) Loretta Lynn, Jimmy Buffett, Ace Frehley (KISS),Michael Anthony (VAN HALEN) and members of LYNYRD SKYNYRD.

POISON's "The Stadium Tour" with MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEF LEPPARD and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS was originally scheduled to take place in the summer of 2020 but ended up being pushed back to 2021, and then to 2022, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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During an appearance on the latest episode of the "Rock And Roll Geek Show" podcast, which is hosted by former EXODUS bassist Michael Butler, EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt opened up about the recent departure of singer Steve "Zetro" Souza. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " People ask [why we fired Zetro] — everybody wants to know because we've chosen not to tell anybody. All I ever tell people is, marriages don't often work. And just 'cause you saw a married couple out in public that seemed happy, you don't know what's going on at home. I don't know if the wife's throwing frying pans at his head or he's fucking drunk out of his ass, fucking screaming at him and slapping the kids. You don't know. Just 'cause they go out in public and they put on a happy face.

"We've got nothing but respect for Zetro, and we've got love [for him] and I'm honored to have made some great music [with him]. But I'm also 60 years old, and the five of us need to be on the same page. And now we are."

After Butler suggested that musicians sometimes have different personalities and "people can get on your nerves sometimes", Holt clarified: "It's not even a matter of [anything] like that because we all get on each other's nerves. It's just as you get older, this job, either you still love it or it becomes incredibly difficult… For me, [it's] fucking not [difficult] at all. And so, for whatever our reasons, four guys had a reason to do what we did."

Asked if he personally called Zetro to tell the singer he was fired, Gary responded: "I don't really wanna go into all that. [Laughs] There's no hate involved. It's just the fucking marriage didn't work. Sometimes you get along with your ex. Sometimes you don't hate your ex; you just can't be married to them anymore… Sometimes the wife still likes him and he's a good father, but God, what a fucking crappy husband. Or what a bad life. But she was good with the kids and she's a member of the PTA. Who fucking knows?

"What's funny is online people are coming up with their conspiracy theories [about why Zetro was fired]," he continued. "It's like Pizzagate. It's fucking crazy. Like that it had something to do with that he just got married. Like, 'Rob Dukes got married right when he got fired, and Zetro got married [before he got fired]. Hmm. Pattern?' Dude, I've got grandkids. Like I fucking have a problem with my singer being married. Fucking stupid. I had one guy, when it happened, he got on my Instagram and he broke down his timeline of how we treat singers. Well, the first thing he said was, 'Gary Holt's just all about the money.' And if you fucking think parting ways with your singer is a fucking path to financial security, you're fucking high. What the fuck's wrong with you? And then he broke down his whole timeline. And I politely corrected his timeline for him. I don't respond to fucking people — I ain't got time for — but the guy goes, 'Band hires Paul [Baloff]. Fires Paul.' True. Paul was fired. Paul's life was a mess. In hindsight, we later became just as big a mess as he ever was. And then he said, 'Band hires singer, Steve Souza.' And he goes, 'Band fires Steve Souza.' No, we broke up [after] 'Force Of Habit'. He goes, 'Band rehires Paul Baloff. Band fires Paul Baloff.' I'm, like, 'He fucking died. We didn't fire him. He died.' And then he said, 'Band hires Steve Souza. Band fires Steve Souza.' No, he quit… In his eyes, we fired the dead guy. And I was, like, 'Just fuck off,' you know?, I politely said, 'Hey, buddy, let me correct your timeline for you.' I didn't go, 'Fuck you, dude.' I just said, 'Let me fix your timeline.'

"People are dumb," Holt added. "And I don't like to be mean to people. I've done stupid shit myself. But people fucking create whatever theories they can come up with in their little brains."

Regarding why he and his EXODUS bandmates decided to bring singer Rob Dukes back to the group, Gary said: "I'm 60 years old. The idea of getting an unfamiliar person in the band would not be an option… I think we all reached out when we became apparent. And sure, I could have found some 30-year-old dude who could still jump off a drum riser and has washboard abs and is not all fat like the rest of us. But I need someone who's close to my own age. I'm too old to have to like fucking educate some young kid on music that I like."

Holt also talked about the progress of the recording sessions for EXODUS's follow-up to 2021's "Persona Non Grata" album. He said: "Personally, I have two more songs of rhythm guitars to do. Lee [Altus, EXODUS guitarist] still has some. We're literally racing, trying to record two albums at once. Even if we don't finish it, we'll have the second album close to ready. Maybe we'll have to do some solos or vocals later, but we won't have to do this whole process again. Now I'm thinking, like, all right, we're gonna finish the album, get the guitars and drums done for album two. And then when it's time to think about releasing the album, we don't have to do this whole process again. Even before then, when we have a break, we can go and finish this stuff so that when we normally would start recording an album, maybe I can finally go on a vacation. I never had one."

When asked if all the songs are written for both albums, Holt said: "Yeah. Yeah. We've got a couple more to finish, but we write and record through the whole process. We don't stop. [Drummer Tom Hunting and I are writing it, along with] Lee. Lee's writing a whole lot of stuff for this record.

"A lot of bands, they go in, the record's done, they do the drums, and the drums go away. And now we're on the guitar stuff. But we don't do that anymore," Gary explained. "We leave the drums up the whole time so we could write the whole time. Because sometimes our best stuff happens at the end. I just finished a new [song] yesterday. It's just the most furious thing in the world. It's fucking insane. This shit is fucking heavy. The one I wrote yesterday, Lee heard my little demo and he asked if I started icing my wrist down yet. It's fucking heavy. But there's some really great songs on it. It's not just heavy. Right now I think we're at 18 songs, with two more to finish. That's two albums.

"I look at it like this: I'm getting older," Holt added. "And you start worrying about shit like mortality and if I fucking died. Between this album and the next one, there's Gary Holt's final fucking release and put some money and earn some royalties for my grandkids and my kids and my wife, because, of course, your albums sell better when you're dead."

Souza joined EXODUS in 1986 after previously fronting the band LEGACY (which later became TESTAMENT). He remained in the band until their hiatus in 1993, but rejoined them for two years from 2002 to 2004. Dukes had joined EXODUS in 2005 (following Souza's departure) and remained until 2014, when Souza rejoined.

When EXODUS announced Souza's latest departure on January 15, the band wrote in a statement: "We thank Steve for his years fronting the band and all the killer music we made during that time. We wish him only the best in the future and much success with anything he does.

"And please help us welcome Rob Dukes back to EXODUS! We are beyond stoked to have Rob back ripping up the stage with us and he's looking forward to crushing everything like only he can.

"Next chapter begins, new record rolls along as planned and the beatings will continue."

Dukes joined EXODUS in January 2005 and appeared on four of the band's studio albums — "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" (2005),"The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A" (2007),"Let There Be Blood" (2008, a re-recording of EXODUS's classic 1985 LP, "Bonded By Blood") and "Exhibit B: The Human Condition" (2010).

Although EXODUS rarely gets mentioned alongside the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX — the band's debut album, "Bonded By Blood", inspired the likes of TESTAMENT, DEATH ANGEL, VIO-LENCE and many others to launch their careers and is considered one of the most influential thrash metal LPs of all time.

In a recent interview with Germany's Metal Hammer magazine, guitarist Andreas Kisser spoke about SEPULTURA's plans for the remainder of the Brazilian band's farewell tour, which launched in early 2024. Asked where the final SEPULTURA concert will take place, Andreas said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We are planning to do a very big show in São Paulo, Brazil, or in [SEPULTURA's original hometown of] Belo Horizonte. We're still balancing these ideas. But at the end of 2026, we'd like to do this last show. We'd like to stretch [out the tour]. There's no reason for us to stop in a hurry just because we announced [the] last [tour] two years ago or so. We had a great time last year. This year is already looking great…. We're doing Lollapalooza in South America — Brazil, Argentina and Chile. We have a few shows in Central America, a few festivals this year in Europe, a few special concerts. In 2026 we'd like to do all the big festivals and finish in Brazil."

Regarding what the farewell tour has been like so far, Andreas said:  "It's amazing. And it's great to feel and to see that SEPULTURA is important in so many people's lives. A lot of people are very emotional coming to the shows, remembering the first show or the first shirt, the first song they ever heard. Some people that met their wives in a SEPULTURA concert, they got married, they bring their kids. It's amazing.

"Heavy metal, it's a big family, not only the SEPULTURA fans, but all the metal community," he continued. "It's a big family. And it's great to see that a lot of people that never seen SEPULTURA before are coming to see SEPULTURA for the first time, which is great. And not only young people — people that are following SEPULTURA for so many years, they've never seen SEPULTURA live, and now that we say this is the last [tour we will do], they are leaving their houses to come to see us. So it's great. We're having the best times. And everything is the way it's supposed to be, the way we planned — to celebrate. It's not a sad or melancholic situation. We feel great. We are having the best time of our lives and celebrating. It's a very thankful feeling for our fans."

Less than two months ago, Kisser was asked by Reality Check TV about the possibility of reuniting with original SEPULTURA frontman Max Cavalera and drummer Igor "Iggor" Cavalera for a final show to cap off the band's ongoing farewell tour. He said: "I hope so. The idea is to do a very last show [in 2026] in São Paulo, Brazil, where we have all the guests, friends to celebrate our history."

He continued: "There's no reason to be fighting. We just go on stage, enjoy ourselves. We know how to play the songs. It's gonna be a party for the fans. Forty years of history, it's a lot — many albums, many different changes and different styles of music. And it's gonna be an amazing party — I hope so — and hopefully everybody will be a part [of it]."

SEPULTURA kicked off the North American leg of the massive "Celebrating Life Through Death" farewell tour on September 17, 2024 at the Concord Music Hall in Chicago, Illinois. The band played a career-spanning set that honors SEPULTURA's 40 years of existence. Joining SEPULTURA on this tour were Florida-based death metal veterans OBITUARY, iconic New York hardcore pioneers AGNOSTIC FRONT, and São Paulo, Brazil's death/thrash metallers CLAUSTROFOBIA.

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

Asked in a new interview with Germany's Moshpit Passion if SEPULTURA's final show will also be included in the package, Andreas said: "Who knows? Everything is possible. We did three big shows in São Paulo [Brazil] before we went to the States. And we recorded the whole show — the cameras, DVD and stuff. Of course, this stuff that we're recording for the live album is audio only. And we are planning to have the last farewell show in São Paulo in 2026, so we like to go places, we like to visit places that we've never been before. We like to do our goodbye in a relaxed mood — no hurry. There's no reason really to rush anything. We are enjoying the moment so much. We are celebrating the momentum. It's fantastic. It's amazing. So it's something that is gonna be on the recording as well, this great vibe, the connection we have with the crowd and stuff. But, yeah, everything is possible. I mean, of course, the last show, [it] would be great to have a register. We like to invite all the ex-members, including the brothers, Cavalera brothers. Let's see what happens. We're working towards that, to have a big celebration for the fans."

Acknowledging the fact that SEPULTURA had an acrimonious split with Max Cavalera nearly 30 years ago, Andreas said: "We don't care who is right or wrong. We're never gonna get to that point. [Laughs] We have different point of views and different perspectives about same historical events and stuff. So let's jam, let's have a good time for the fans, for us, for ourselves, and really close this amazing 43 years or 44, whatever it's gonna be at the time, in peace with ourselves, and really reach for something different afterwards. At least in my point of view, I like to, of course, continue with music and everything, but maybe do something different. Who knows?"

In a recent interview with Metal Hammer magazine, Kisser and vocalist Derrick Green were asked about their plans for after the completion of the farewell tour. Andreas said: "I don't know, and it feels great. I want to study acoustic guitar, and to create instructional material on the SEPULTURA music. I've done small things here and there, but not a complete overview of my guitar playing and writing. I will decide when the time comes, but right now it is time to celebrate the moment."

Derrick added: "I want to do a lot more with the TV show I'm working on, 'Highway To Health'. I've also been interested in doing voiceover work in animation or commercials. Musically, I'd like to do something outside of metal with more singing, but if somebody approaches with something I think is intriguing, I'm definitely open to that, because I never want to step away from music."

Asked if Andreas and Derrick will still work together in the future, Kisser quipped: "Nah. We only talk to each other by contract. When the contract is done, we're done. [Laughs] No, of course there are a lot of possibilities. I would love to work with Derrick outside of SEPULTURA. We have the idea for a reggae project on the cards, which we have a great name for. The comfort zone is the worst thing that can happen to an artist. It would be boring to stop SEPULTURA and do something else that is SEPULTURA-like."

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

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

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

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

Photo credit: Edu Defferrari

EVANESCENCE has released a brand-new song, "Afterlife", co-written by critically acclaimed producer, songwriter and musician Alex Seaver, professionally known as Mako, and EVANESCENCE's Amy Lee and co-produced by Nick Raskulinecz and Seaver.

"Afterlife" will be released by Netflix where an alternate version will appear multiple times in the upcoming adult animated urban fantasy action television series "Devil May Cry". The song will be available on all audio streaming services at midnight and the soundtrack album for the series will be released on April 3.

In this animated adaptation of the popular Capcom game and from the vision of Adi Shankar, sinister forces are at play to open the portal between the human and demon realms. In the middle of it all is Dante, an orphaned demon-hunter-for-hire, unaware that the fate of both worlds hangs around his neck.

In a recent interview with Audacy Music, Lee stated about how "Afterlife" came together: "Netflix, via Mako, who is a guy that did score work on this series, 'Devil May Cry', had this song started and reached out to me and was, like, 'Hey, we'd worked together once before on a Lindsey Stirling track during the pandemic.' So, I made vocals to it, and we were kind of just communicating via e-mail. I still haven't met the guy in person. But he was, like, 'Hey, check it out. Would this be cool? Would you sing on this?' And that just snowballed into finishing the song together and then getting it, like, 'This is an EVANESCENCE song. Let's get the band in here. And let's just take this all the way.' And us getting to go into the studio with [producer] Nick Raskulinecz, who we did our last two albums with and love working with him. He is right here in Nashville, so it's fun and easy for me and I could just keep going over there and annoying him. And it kind of just happened, kind of fast."

Lee went on to say that she and her EVANESCENCE bandmates are "very excited to have new music. This is the first of many [new tracks]. We are working on a lot of songs right now for the new album, but this came up through Netflix, and we were just really excited to have an excuse to get in there right away."

Asked if there is a new EVANESCENCE album in the works, Amy said: "Yeah. I don't have a date for you. We are just working. We got off the road in November or something, and we've been just creative.

"When we book shows and we happen to have time in between that makes sense, like we have a show on a Saturday and we have another show, but it's not till the next Thursday 'cause it's festivals or whatever, it's, like, 'Hey, let's stick around, get an Airbnb and get some instruments together and see who's got an idea.' So we were doing some of that, and that can be fun and productive," she explained. "We got some cool locations out of it. We did one in Italy. But really spending the time in the studio, me just focusing and us taking the time to turn some of those ideas into real songs has been happening since. So, we've got a lot cooking, lot cooking. I don't have a date for you, but there'll be more and more and more music coming out."

Delivering a number of dynamic rock hits over the last two decades, EVANESCENCE recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its landmark debut album, "Fallen", originally released in 2003. They recognized the milestone with a special anniversary edition of the smash album, which spawned gigantic rock hits like "Bring Me To Life", "Going Under" and "My Immortal", kickstarting a thriving career they're still carrying out today.

To date, EVANESCENCE has released a total of five studio albums, including the multi-platinum "The Open Door" (2004) and "Evanescence" (2011),both of which topped the Billboard 200. In 2021, the band thrilled fans with their first album of new material in a decade, "The Bitter Truth". Now 20 years on, EVANESCENCE continues to scale new heights. Featuring a lineup of Amy Lee (vocals, keyboards),Tim McCord (guitar/bass),Will Hunt (drums),Troy McLawhorn (guitars) and Emma Anzai (bass, backing vocals),the band continues to travel the globe, staging some of the most successful shows of their career, having wrapped a run of sold-out shows in Latin America, including Allianz Parque, a soccer stadium in Sāo Paulo, Brazil, which was the biggest headline show of EVANESCENCE's career to date, drawing 40,000 fans.

Shortly following its release in March 2021, "The Bitter Truth" rose to the top of the iTunes Album charts in 22 countries and also landed the top spot on Billboard's Top Hard Rock Albums chart.

EVANESCENCE first topped the Hard Rock Albums chart in October 2011 with its self-titled effort. The album stayed atop the list for three weeks.

"The Bitter Truth" was recorded during the pandemic and confronted the dark realities of the world head-on. Yet its resounding message was one of light: pushing through is better than giving up.

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

DRAGONFORCE guitarist Herman Li has confirmed that there are tentative plans for him and his bandmates to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their third and most commercially successful album, "Inhuman Rampage", by performing the LP in its entirety on a 2026 tour.

During a March 18 livestream on YouTube, Li said about the prospect of playing "Inhuman Rampage" from beginning to the end (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Why is it good? Well, first we've gotta play 'Through The Fire And Flames' not last. That would be a great change. And I do like those songs. I think they're great songs. I'd love to play some of them again. Of course, we played 'Revolution Deathsquad' recently. We've been playing… Oh, shit. That's right. 'Cry For Eternity' will be on it. Is 'Cry For Eternity' on that album? Yes. Well, that's the bad thing. I've gotta learn that song finally — I've gotta shut up and learn it. But 'Operation Ground And Pound', we played that song, we played 'Body Breakdown', we played all those songs before. So it shouldn't be too hard to learn mainly, and it would be kind of cool."

Li also revealed that he would welcome the return of the "Inhuman Rampage" touring lineup for a 2026 tour celebrating the LP's 20th anniversary. Herman said: "I'll ask the people that were part of that tour lineup to see if they would do it too. So we will see what result I'll get. But I have started asking people to see if they wanna be part of it."

He explained: "Life has changed for a lot of people that was once on that tour lineup. So, we'll see what happens. But I'm telling you, I will ask them, I will talk to them. If this doesn't happen with them, it's not my fault. I have asked them. So, that's the plan."

Li added: "So we're still in the early stage of planning. We'll see if we can get a tour for that too."

Herman then asked the people viewing his livestream if they would rather get a new DRAGONFORCE album in 2026 or if they would prefer to see the "Inhuman Rampage" 20th-anniversary tour. After glancing over the results of his "non-technical survey", Li said: "This is interesting. I'm putting this in my mind. I'm calculating what this all means." He added: "Well, from what it seems from the chat right now in my mind is you guys don't give a fuck about us making any more new songs. That's right. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. But it seems like a lot of people wanna see 'Inhuman Rampage' being played from beginning to the end."

Regarding the possibility of "Inhuman Rampage" vocalist ZP "Zippy" Theart taking part in the 20th-anniversary tour, Herman said: "We will ask Zippy to see if he wants to be part of it. That's all I can say. What's the probability of him being on that tour, that he would like to do it? Mm, I don't know. We'll find out. Like I said, people's lives change — one minute they wanna do it, one minute they don't wanna do it. I don't know. Maybe they wanna do it again. Maybe next they don't wanna do it. But we'll see. If not, we've gotta find a way to do it."

Back in July 2017, "Inhuman Rampage", which came out in 2006 via Roadrunner, was officially certified gold by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of half a million copies.

"Inhuman Rampage" sold almost 10,000 copies in its first week of release to land at position No. 103 on the Billboard 200 chart. A song from the LP, the aforementioned "Through The Fire And Flames", received rock radio and Fuse TV airplay and was featured as a playable track (along with "Heroes Of Our Time") on the videogame "Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock". The platinum-selling single brought the Grammy-nominated extreme power metal group international acclaim.

In March 2019, the "Through The Fire And Flames" music video reached a new milestone: it surpassed one hundred million views on YouTube — DRAGONFORCE's first music video to do so.

Earlier this month, "Through The Fire And Flames" was released as a Jam Track in the video game Fortnite, available to players participating in the game's new "Spring Raid" event.

"Inhuman Rampage" was the second to last album to feature Theart, who exited the band in 2010 and was replaced by Marc Hudson.

Only Li and fellow DRAGONFORCE guitarist Sam Totman remain from the "Inhuman Rampage" recording lineup. They are joined in group's current formation by Hudson, drummer Gee Anzalone and bassist Alicia Vigil.

DRAGONFORCE's latest album, "Warp Speed Warriors", was released in March 2024 via Napalm Records.

"Warp Speed Warriors" was produced, mixed and mastered by Damien Rainaud at Mix Unlimited in Los Angeles, California with Totman and Li.

Upcoming DRAGONFORCE shows:

Apr. 10 - CN, Shanghai - Bandai Namco Shanghai Base Dream Hall
Apr. 12 - CN, Jinan - YOMA Spring World Festival
Jun. 6 - SE, Sölvesborg - Sweden Rock Festival
Jun. 8 - DE, Dortmund - FZW
Jun. 10 - FR, Toulouse - Zenith*
Jun. 11 - FR, Lyon - Halle Tony Garnier*
Jun. 13 - SK, Presov - Dobry Festival
Jun. 14 - AT, Nickelsdorf - Nova Rock Festival
Jun. 16 - FR, Meisenthal - La Boite Noire
Jun. 17 - FR, Lille - Zenith*
Jun. 18 - DE, Bremen - Modernes
Jun. 20 - DE, Rostock - Stadthalle*
Jun. 21 - BE, Dessel - Graspop Metal Meeting
Jun. 22 - SE, Huskvarna - Folkets Park *^
Jun. 24 - SE, Uppsala - Fyrishov *^
Jun. 27 - FI, Helsinki - Tuska Festival
Jun. 30 - PL, Lodz - Atlas Arena *~
Jul. 2 - HR, Zagreb - Tvornica
Jul. 3 - HU, Dunaujvaros - Rockmaraton
Jul. 5 - DE, Ballenstedt - Rockharz Festival
Jul. 6 - NL, Utrecht - Tivoli Ronda
Jul. 9 - DE, Nurnberg - Hirsch
Jul. 10 - CZ, Vizovice - Masters of Rock Festival
Jul. 11 - DE, Balingen - RV Bang Festival
Sep. 19 - USA, Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life Festival
Oct. 4 - USA, Sacramento, CA - Aftershock Festival

* With POWERWOLF
^ With AMARANTHE
~ With EPICA

California rockers PAPA ROACH have released a music video for a "reimagined" version of their first single in three years, "Even If It Kills Me", directed by Jesse Davey and Ed Shires.

In a recent interview with the I-Rock 93.5 radio station, PAPA ROACH frontman Jacoby Shaddix spoke about the lyrical inspiration for "Even If It Kills Me", which was released in late January via the group's own label New Noize Records/ADA. He said: "This one was started about two years ago, the music part of it, and I heard it first from the first musical just vibe with the strings. I was, like, 'It sounds cinematic. This sounds like it's about to be a journey we're taking the fans on.' So I hit the boys up instantly. I'm, like, 'Dude, I can't wait to get in the studio on this one.' Then life happens, and some stuff goes down. My older son went through this really traumatic heartbreak breakup. Just his whole world was leveled, and I watched my son just crumble. And that was a tough one. But to also have to go, 'Hey, man, there's some hard truths about life, and sometimes people aren't what they show themselves as, and there's two sides to people sometimes. And you got one, and then eventually discovered that other dark side of them and you were hurt.' And that was really hard for me to watch my son just fall to pieces. And that song was born from that moment of going, 'I wanna be able to help you, but I also know that you kind of gotta walk through the fire.' And knowing that, 'I'm not gonna leave you. I'm here for you, but I'm also gonna stand in that fire with you.' And I wanted to shoulder the pain. I wish I could, but sometimes we have to go through those moments in life that build character. Who are you? Can you get back up? Well, my son got back up."

PAPA ROACH recently completed the European leg of the "Rise Of The Roach" tour. The trek saw PAPA ROACH bring its biggest-ever production and journey deep through their vast music catalogue, including a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the band's iconic breakthrough album "Infest". Special guests for the global tour were WAGE WAR in Europe and will include RISE AGAINST and UNDEROATH in the U.S.

In a separate interview with Germany's Rock Antenne, Shaddix was asked if fans can expect to see a new studio album from him and his PAPA ROACH bandmates in 2025. He responded: "Definitely. At some point [in 2025], there will be a new record. Probably not — it won't be till the end of the year at the soonest. But we're really proud of the stuff that we've done. And I think the fans will be surprised. The fans that are coming to the shows are gonna be surprised at what we're doing too. And so it's gonna be a good time.

"As we evolve the music and push things forward, you never know what's gonna happen in the studio," he added. "And I've gotta tell you, what happened in the studio this time around has been just exciting.

"We've had a really good run with our [last] album, [2022's] 'Ego Trip', and a lot of successes, especially here in America as well, as well as Germany, we've had some great successes on that record, and it's just been one of those records that our fanbase has been really excited about. And so we're taking that momentum and going back into the studio and creating again, it's been a really good feeling."

PAPA ROACH are two-time Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling leaders in alternative hard rock music. PAPA ROACH are not unfamiliar with calling attention to mental health and have been doing so since the seminal release of their first hit single "Last Resort". Since then, the band has gone on to create 10 studio albums, their most recent, "Ego Trip", on their own label New Noize Records.

Photo credit: Bryson Roatch

Multi-platinum rock band CHEVELLE is back with its first new music in four years.

Today, the band has dropped the video for the new single "Rabbit Hole (Cowards, Pt. 1)".

It's a gnarly, riffy rager with more hooks than a tackle box and alternately snarling and melodic vocals. Push and pull tension define the song, which leads to thrilling, dissonant breakdown at the end of the song. Put simply, it was worth the wait.

Watch the accompanying visualizer below.

CHEVELLE says: "How about we all put on our tinfoil hats, slam a Dunkies, and go deep doomscrolling. If that sounds like your sorta thing, we've got a new song for you called 'Rabbit Hole (Cowards, Pt. 1)'. Enjoy."

Earlier this week CHEVELLE announced its return to the stage with special guests ASKING ALEXANDRIA and DEAD POET SOCIETY. Produced by Live Nation, the 38-city tour kicks off on August 7 at Boeing Center at Tech Port in San Antonio, Texas, making stops across North America in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and more before wrapping up in Airway Heights, Washington at BECU Live at Northern Quest on October 2.

During an appearance on a December 2024 episode of the "Anti-Heroes With Zach Blair" podcast, CHEVELLE frontman and main songwriter Pete Loeffler spoke about the status of the band's new studio album, which is tentatively due later in 2025. The follow-up to 2021's "Niratias" will mark CHEVELLE's first release through Alchemy Recordings following a long run with the Epic label. Alchemy Recordings is a record label created in partnership between Dino Paredes, former American Recordings vice president of A&R, and Danny Wimmer, the founder of Danny Wimmer Presents, the premier production company for rock music festivals in the United States.

Pete said: "We don't know when [the new CHEVELLE album will be released], but we're hoping to get a single out there real soon, in the next month. So, if everybody in our team sort of agrees on which one that is."

Pete went on to say that CHEVELLE is "actually in the process of talking to managers again." He explained: "We don't have management at the moment. We've just been rolling, dude, since '21. We just let everybody go. I mean, we have all the other team members — agents — and we just started interviewing some management. And that's hopefully going to be a good thing. We'll see about that."

Last July, CHEVELLE drummer — and Pete's brother — Sam Loeffler told TribLive.com about the band's next LP: "We kind of did expect to have it done [already]. It's like pulling teeth. This is what I described: Writing an album and doing all that is like pulling your hair out and then trying to put it back in. Writers love having written, is what I learned. It's just torturous on my brother. It's torturous because there's just so many factors to making something great. And then the longer you can live with it, the more changes you're gonna make. So that makes you never want to put it out. You never want to pull the pin and throw the grenade because you're like, well, it gets better every time I look at it."

As for what the 10-song album — which was produced by the CHEVELLE members themselves — sounds like, Sam said: We're always skewing towards heavy. [But] these [last] two songs that we've been working on right now are definitely different from everything we did, although 'Niratias', our last album, I think was a really important snapshot of what we've been learning about writing and about music and stuff. This one definitely sounds different than just rock music, definitely different."

Back in 2022, Sam told Knotfest's Cori Westbrook about CHEVELLE's songwriting process: "Well, Pete's our songwriter so he's our lyricist and everything. Basically, he just writes about what's going on around him. If he's taking the garbage out that night or has a bad day driving, he's watching a documentary that really affected him, he hears a podcast — so he's writing about those kinds of things. So if you're able to internalize that kind of a thing, I think you have a lot to write about. It doesn't just have to be a relationship that — a relationship with your dad or your significant other. I think those are some pretty powerful feelings — I get it — but if you are able to bring in all those other things in from your everyday life, there's a lot more to write about. So as far as inspiration goes, it's not hard to find; it's everywhere; it's all around you. And especially nowadays, we have so much access to what's going on around us that there's even more ideas to pull from."

In a separate interview with Heavy New York, Sam said that he and Pete had "a whole bunch of music written... Because that's what we do — you put music out, you write… It'll be our first record in a long time not with a major label, which is just neither here nor there," he added. "Epic Records did a lot of good stuff; we were with them for a long time, but we're finished with that contract now. So now we're doing something different. And we'll see how different it is."

Released in March 2021 via Epic Records, "Niratias" was recorded throughout 2019 and 2020 with longtime producer Joe Barresi (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE). The album artwork was designed by Boris Vallejo — the famed and award-winning artist is responsible for the posters used for films like "Knightriders" and "National Lampoon's Vacation", as well as iconic '70s and '80s science fiction novel covers and magazines (such as Heavy Metal).

Over the course of its career, the Chicago rockers have generated nearly half a billion streams, notched seven No. 1 hits, and sold out shows worldwide. Their catalog spans the double-platinum "Wonder What's Next", which boasts the double-platinum smash "The Red" and the platinum hit "Send The Pain Below". "This Type Of Thinking (Could Do Us In)" attained platinum status, while "Vena Sera" was certified gold. CHEVELLE has landed four Top 10 debuts on the Billboard 200, including "Sci-Fi Crimes" (2009),"Hats Off To The Bull" (2011),"La Gárgola" (2014) and "The North Corridor" (2016). The latter two each captured the No. 1 slot on the Top Rock Albums chart.