In a new interview with Riff X's "Metal XS", bassist Pär Sundström of Swedish metallers SABATON was asked why he and his bandmates have focused exclusively on singing about military history. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "The other types of history do not really fit so well into heavy metal. I mean, first and foremost, we are a heavy metal band. That's where our hearts really burned for. And we just felt that we needed something that was also relevant to sing about. And we chose military history. We aren't the first one to do so. One of my favorite bands would be IRON MAIDEN, and they did it long before us. And it was maybe somewhere along those, we found the idea to do it, and it simply worked and it stuck with us. And 25 years later, we are still doing it because, unfortunately, the world has been a very violent place, and still continues to be. So we're not gonna run out of topics to sing about, unfortunately."

Asked if SABATON would consider writing about some of the military conflicts going on in the world at the moment, Sundström said: "No, we wouldn't do that, because we still write about military history, not military conflicts, and anything that happening and unfolding at the moment would be so politically charged. And we like to stay away from politics."

SABATON's just-released new album "Legends", dives into the lives of legendary characters like Jeanne D'arc (also known as Joan of Arc),Hannibal, Genghis Khan, Vlad the Impaler, Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte, the Knights Templar and the legendary swordmaster Miyamoto Musashi.

Now available on Better Noise Music, "Legends" marks a bold evolution in SABATON's sound and storytelling, plunging headfirst into the heart of history's most formidable and enigmatic figures. These are not just rock songs; they are battle hymns carved from the blood and legacy of warriors, kings, strategists and revolutionaries.

"Legends" marks the very first time that every SABATON bandmember has come together to contribute to the songwriting process. This is SABATON as you've never heard them before — relentless and unbound. "Legends" is a global journey through the annals of warfare, leadership and unbreakable will.

Building on SABATON's intense blend of rock and world history for fans of all ages, "Legends" is available worldwide as a digital download, as well as in various physical formats and retailer exclusives including CD, 2 CD digibook, 2 CD earbook (both including the exclusive Storyteller Edition),11 unique vinyl editions (including a special vinyl color and exclusive artwork with each),additional exclusive vinyl colors, and a limited box set (including another exclusive vinyl color, the 2 CD earbook, and a colored cassette as an exclusive format).

In the more than two decades since the band's launch, SABATON has headlined major festivals, sold-out arena concerts worldwide, and gained a legion of loyal fans by carving out a reputation for being one of the hardest-working bands in the business. Since their 2005 debut album, they've earned gold, platinum, and multi-platinum certifications in territories around the world with their 10 studio albums. Eight of their albums scored Top 10 international chart status, and six claimed the Top 5. SABATON has earned eight Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards nominations, taking home the award for "Breakthrough Artist" in 2011 and "Best Live Band" in three different years, and a Grammis nomination (Swedish equivalent to the U.S. Grammy Award) as "Best Heavy Metal" band. They've accumulated more than three billion streams across all streaming platforms and two billion views on YouTube.

Known for their explosive stage presence and epic concert experience, SABATON is in the midst of a massive worldwide tour that kicked off October 6 in Istanbul, Turkey and continues November 14 in Cologne, Germany. The itinerary will take them through North America for a 32-date tour set kicking off February 9, 2026 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The trek will hit venues across the U.S. and Canada, including major stops in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston before wrapping April 20 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Tickets are available now at LiveNation.com.

Photo credit: Steve Bright

In a new interview with Rock Your Faith Out, Michael Sweet of Christian rockers STRYPER was asked how he goes about injecting his faith into the music and whether he and his bandmates "go to contemplative prayer" to help them get inspired during the creative process. Sweet responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, of course I pray when I'm writing, but I could always pray more. I'm one of those guys where I'm so hyper-focused and I get so distracted due to my ADHD, which I've talked about many times over the years, that sometimes I forget to pray. And that's not a good quality. But yes, of course. Everything lyrically is biblically based."

Michael continued: "That's the thing I think a lot of people misinterpret or they confuse, is the writing process. I think people have this way of thinking that we always all wrote as a band. And I always get flack for it when I say I'm writing the new album. And people are, like — not all, but some people will come out and say, 'Oh my gosh. Why don't you do it like the old days and all you guys get in the room together and write the album?' And I'm, like, 'That never happened. That's not how it was.' It just isn't how it was. And the reality is most of the time I was in a corner of the studio while Oz [Fox, STRYPER guitarist] was rehearsing or varnishing something and Robert [Sweet, STRYPER drummer] was taping something, I was in the corner writing songs. And I was kind of always the music guy, Rob was always the visual guy, and that's just how it's always been. So that's how it continues to be. It works. There's a certain structure and format to that. And everyone seems happy with it — the band and the fans. So we just keep doing what we — don't fix what ain't broken, that old thing. Why try to do that? It just works. And the label's happy."

Sweet added: "We had a meeting with the label. I said, 'What do you guys want us to do on the next album? Let me hear it. What do you want?' And they're, like, 'What you did on the last album. We love it.' I'm, like, 'Okay, we can do that.' So everyone seems happy and pleased with how things are going."

Michael went on to say that he is writing the next STRYPER album now. "I always try to do something a little different without reinventing the wheel," he explained. "I always try to stretch out a little bit and try some little different flavors here and there, or spices or what have you. And I'm doing that. I will do that. But, yeah, it's gonna be a STRYPER album, and hopefully it's gonna be our best album. We always shoot for that. And we'll record it in January and February, finish it in March, turn it in in April, and it'll come out next year."

STRYPER will release its long-awaited Christmas album, "The Greatest Gift Of All", on November 21 via Frontiers Music Srl. The 10-song effort will include five original Christmas tracks and five traditional Christmas cuts, including remakes of "Reason For The Season" and "Winter Wonderland", both of which originally appeared on a 1985 single and were also made available on the 1986 re-release of STRYPER's debut EP, "The Yellow And Black Attack".

This past July, STRYPER released the first single from the upcoming Christmas LP, a song called "Still The Light". Just in time for Christmas in July, the track also arrived alongside an official lyric video.

STRYPER guitarist Oz Fox recently sat out the band's Latin American tour on advice of his doctor. The 64-year-old musician, who underwent a brain surgery in May 2024, was once again temporarily replaced by Howie Simon (JEFF SCOTT SOTO, GRAHAM BONNET),who previously filled in for Fox on several tours in the past.

STRYPER's latest studio album, "When We Were Kings", came out in September 2024.

The band recently completed the U.S. leg of its 40th-anniversary tour, which was described as "a celebration of both classic hits and new-era fan favorites, including outfit changes and an exciting new show production."

In December 2023, Michael underwent partial thyroidectomy, the surgery to remove part of his thyroid gland. It is the most common surgery for thyroid cancer.

Formed 41 years ago, STRYPER's name comes from Isaiah 53:5, which states: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

STRYPER's other albums include "To Hell With The Devil", "Second Coming", "No More Hell To Pay", "Fallen", "God Damn Evil", "Even The Devil Believes" and "The Final Battle".

In a new interview with Ethan Dometrius of Tampa Bay's 107.3 The Eagle, POISON frontman Bret Michaels spoke about why Slash wasn't chosen to be the guitarist in POISON when he auditioned for the band prior to joining GUNS N' ROSES in 1985. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "So here's the story. We were living behind a dry cleaner so we could rehearse in downtown Los Angeles. And our first guitar player, Matt [Smith], was out there with us. We had no money. We were living on sleeping bags on the floor. I can't make any of this up. I won't embellish anything. We were living in sleeping bags, dry cleaner, downtown L.A. Our guitar player's girlfriend had been out with us for a little bit. She was pregnant, and Matt did the right thing. We had no money. There's no way they could have existed the way we were living. And he did the right thing as a good human being and went home. And so we started auditioning — Rikki [Rockett, POISON drummer], Bobby [Dall, POISON bassist] and myself — and the three guitar players that came down… There was a ton of 'em, 'cause POISON was a popular band on the club scene. But back then, you're not making anything; you're surviving. And that didn't stop us. And the truth is, it came down to Slash, a guy named Steve Silva at that time that was playing with THE JOE PERRY PROJECT, who was great. Slash was great, and C.C. [DeVille, current POISON guitarist]. And each of 'em learned a couple of the songs we had written. And we had a band vote, and I was on the fence between Slash and C.C. I was on the fence. I'm, like, 'But Slash has this style, and C.C. has this style.' But in the end it worked out incredibly great for both GUNS N' ROSES and POISON."

Back in 2017, Rockett was asked by the "Decibel Geek" podcast how Slash came to audition for the guitarist slot in POISON prior to joining GUNS N' ROSES. "Slash we had known," Rikki said. "'Cause he was in HOLLYWOOD ROSE… So Bret and I liked him; we all liked him. And he came and worked on some songs with us, but we continued to audition people even though he was a frontrunner… We didn't want, like, a hotshot Yngwie [Malmsteen-type] guy. We didn't want that. We wanted a rock, East Coast guy. And then C.C. auditioned, and he just made more sense than Slash did. So it was a tough decision, because we all liked Slash. Slash was really pissed off about it. He was pissed. He was, like, 'What the fuck, you guys?'… So there was that rivalry between GUNS N' ROSES and POISON because of that, I think, for a long time, you know? And that's long gone. I see Slash and we're totally cool, you know what I mean?"

Slash spoke about his POISON audition during a 2010 interview with Classic Rock Revisited. He said: "I was living in L.A. and I had just gotten done working in a band with Axl, actually, called HOLLYWOOD ROSE. Steven Adler was in that band as well. I just quit. I told Axl I couldn’t handle it anymore and I walked. That was right after the first time Axl and I ever worked together. Matt, the original guitar player for POISON, who was actually a pretty cool guy, had gotten his wife pregnant or they were getting married or something like that. He was moving back to Pennsylvania. He goes, 'You should try out for POISON.' I hated POISON but in those days you did whatever you had to do to keep moving. Being very ambitious, as I was, I went and auditioned for POISON. I ended up being one of two guitar players left that they were going to pick from. I remember kicking the shit out of the songs they had. There was no denying that I could play them but there was an issue about makeup and stuff. Bobby Dall asked me what kind of shoes I was going to wear. I was, like, 'What?' It was kind of obvious that this was going to go nowhere. As I was walking out of the audition, C.C. DeVille was walking in. He had on pancake makeup and a ton of hairspray. I actually remember thinking right then, 'That should be the guy.' The next day I got a call from Bobby and he said, 'You know, you are great and all but I think we are going to pass on you and go with this other guy.' It was C.C. and it really did make all the sense in the world. I was in a couple of bands after that and then we started GUNS N' ROSES."

POISON has sold over 50 million records worldwide, releasing eight studio albums, four live albums, and four compilations. The band has charted 10 singles on the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, including six Top 10 singles and one Hot 100 number-one smash hit, "Every Rose Has Its Thorn".

POISON's reunited classic lineup — Rockett, Michaels, Dall and DeVille — completed "The Stadium Tour" with MÖTLEY CRÜE, DEF LEPPARD and JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS in 2022. The trek 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.

In a new interview with Pearl Drums, KORN drummer Ray Luzier, who has also played with David Lee Roth, ARMY OF ANYONE and KXM, was asked to name one of his favorite road stories. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've been touring for, well, pushing 35 years now. I played with David Lee Roth for eight years — from '97 to '05 — and I played with ARMY OF ANYONE with the STONE TEMPLE PILOTS guys, and, of course, now KORN since 2007, and in my 17 years with KORN, it's completely different than the other situations and all the other bands I've ever toured with or been in. Everything that that's about you, your personality comes out on the road, because all of a sudden you're roommates with these crew guys, with these bandmembers. And so you could musically get along with everyone on stage, but maybe off the deck, it's a totally different situation. So I always tell people, road or crew, whatever, be cool because you never know when you're gonna see these people again. If you want longevity in this business, you wanna work, you have to be cool. You can't burn any bridges and all that."

He continued: "One story that sticks out for me is on our way to the Boston Pops Orchestra. We played with them in Boston in 2004, I wanna say, 2003. And it was a half a million people on deck. And the whole thing leading up to that, all the just crazy anxiety and being on live television and playing for that many people, millions at home, having Keith Lockhart behind you as instructing the Boston Pops, David Lee Roth in front of you, that was a pretty surreal moment, leading up into that.

"But, yeah, there's so many stories that [laughs] I'll leave that for another time," he added.

Luzier was raised just outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before moving to Los Angeles in 1988 to pursue a career in music.

A decade ago, Ray relocated his family — wife Aspen Brandy Lea and their two sons, Hudson Ray and Beck Jagger — to Franklin, Tennessee.

Ray lived in Los Angeles for 16 years before moving to Nashville.

Luzier, who got the job with KORN in October 2007 and was made an official member in 2009, reflected on some of his favorite memories of playing with the pioneering nu-metal act in a February 2024 interview
with Modern Drummer's David Frangioni. He said at the time: "I love doing a new record and I love touring to support that… Now that I'm a part of the band, writing with them, being on a record and then going out and playing those songs live. I love the classics."

Luzier went on to say that all members of KORN "collaborate" on new music, but occasionally songs will be largely pieced together by one or two members.

"Sometimes Jon [singer Jonathan Davis] will bring [in a finished idea] — there's a song, 'Never Never', off of 'The Paradigm Shift', that was a good single for us," he recalled. "It went to No. 1. And that was completely Jonathan. He brought us a song that he wrote, composed it all. And we were, like, 'Wow, this is catchy. What do we do?' [He said] 'Do whatever you want.' The drum programming that he put on there was very simple. And I ended up doing a very simplistic part because I didn't wanna squash the song. It was such a beautifully melodic song. So there's stuff like that that he brought in. We went full-blown dubstep in 2012 [on 'The Path Of Totality'], and Skrillex and 12th Planet and all these dubstep DJs were a part of our existence. And that was a complete left turn. It made some people angry and it also gained some new fans that liked that style of music."

Ray continued: "That's one thing I love about this band. We're not afraid to experiment and try new things. But going from 'The Paradigm Shift' to 'The Serenity Of Suffering', [which] is one of my favorite records. 'The Nothing' is [also] one of my favorites. And the last one ['Requiem'], we went kind of old school, partly analog, went back to just, like, 'Let's get in a room and jam,' that kind of vibe. And that's some of the best moments for me, is watching these roots grow into the song. It becomes something that appeals to the crowds. They're singing the words back. There's no better feeling, rockin' out on stage, whether it's 500 or 50,000 people, feeling that energy. You can never, ever replace a live experience."

In a new interview with Thomann's Guitars & Basses, ANTHRAX bassist Frank Bello offered an update on the the long-awaited follow-up to the band's 2016 album "For All Kings", tentatively due in early 2026. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think it's been almost 10 years since the last ANTHRAX record, which is insane. We all are very, very hungry, 'cause we're in mixing right now. The new ANTHRAX record, I'm proud to say, I'm very psyched about this, that it's mixing, and now we get to hear the whole thing of it. And just to hear them really come to life now after all that, and, really, the parts are all done. Everything's locked in. And to hear what they're gonna sound like for when people hear it, as a fan of the band, it's, like, 'Fuck yeah!' You get hungry and you're ready and you know you have the goods. So we're pretty psyched."

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

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

This past July, Benante told the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast that he and his ANTHRAX bandmates would "release a song at the end of this year, to give people a taste of what's to come. I just finished the album cover, and that is fucking trippy as hell," he said. "I designed it with this artist, who is killer. You know David Blaine, the magician. He did a six-part series recently [National Geographic's 'Do Not Attempt'], and Mark [Stutzman], the artist, he did a lot of the conceptual art for it.

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

Earlier in July, Bello told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about the progress of the recording sessions for ANTHRAX's new album: "The record's done. It's going into mixing now. Look, I know it's a long time coming, and thank you to the fans that are listening right now, and I know it's been a while. But between COVID, side projects, everything, we've all had different lives, and everybody's very much into what we're doing now with ANTHRAX. So, you'll be hearing something before the end of the year, for sure."

Asked by host Eddie Trunk if that means that ANTHRAX fans will at least get a new song before the end of 2025, Frank said: "That is the plan, Eddie. That is the plan. 'Cause nobody puts out records right away — just a song and then a song, and you tease it out."

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

Asked if 2026 has been "carved out" as the year when everyone in ANTHRAX will focus on touring with the band in support of the upcoming album, Frank said: "That is carved out, from my manager Mike Monterulo, straight from his mouth. We're concentrating specifically on ANTHRAX. Look, there may be shows here and there for other projects and that's fine when we're off, but it's absolutely focused on ANTHRAX and the record and getting it out there and really making people hear the stuff."

In November 2024, Bello returned to Dave Grohl's Studio 606 in Northridge, California to resume recording the bass tracks for ANTHRAX's next effort.

ANTHRAX is once again working with producer Jay Ruston, who previously helmed "For All Kings" and 2011's "Worship Music" albums.

Earlier in July, Belladonna told Chicago's Rebel Radio 92.5 FM as part of the station's 31st-anniversary celebration that he had "finished the vocals" for ANTHRAX's upcoming album. "I'm really happy with what I've done," he said. "And the band sounds great on the record. And as far as I know right now, we're still finishing up a few things. We're not even mixing yet, so at this point I'd be just speculating [about a possible release date]. Obviously, things are going in the right form and the timing is right. So, all good. I'm happy. You're gonna love it."

In September 2024, Ian told Jon Wiederhorn of Guitar World magazine that he and hisANTHRAX bandmates hoped to finally release their new album in 2025.

"We're taking our time and not rushing anything because we want it to be exactly how we want it," Ian said. "We're not in a place in our lives anymore where we could have dropped everything and said, 'All right, we've got two months of studio time. Let's finish writing and then get in there and record it all and do the vocals. Mix, master and we're done — like in the old days.' We have families and commitments now, so it can't work that way anymore and hasn't in a long time."

Regarding the musical direction of the new ANTHRAX material, Ian said: "There are crushing riffs and great, hooky choruses. Even some of the thrashiest songs have great choruses. We're always looking for the hook, and I think we've accomplished that."

He added: "With the songs we've written, we'd be able to put together a nine- or 10-song record that would be thrashier than anything we've done in a long time. But there would also be a way to make it a very different kind of album depending on which songs we choose. And I can tell you, I know which way I'm leaning. And I think we're all on the same page. We want this record to punch people in the face. And then we can use the bonus tracks for other things, but in the context of the record, I really want it to hit hard."

As for his expectations for the new ANTHRAX album, Scott said: "I'd like to think this record will be a slew of songs that people are going to be very excited about hearing live for the next few years. I generally feel the riffs, the grooves and the breakdowns – we used to call them mosh parts in the old days — I think they're gonna connect with our fans. And a lot of these songs are tailor-made for our live show, so I hope we'll be playing them for a long time."

In August 2024, Benante told Metal Hammer magazine about ANTHRAX's upcoming LP: "There's a song which has the same kind of epic feel as 'In The End' [from 2011's 'Worship Music'] and 'Blood Eagle Wings' [from 'For All Kings']. It revolves around the journey we've been on in the band. And there are three songs that don't sound like anything we've done before. One called 'The Edge Of Perfection' I had way before COVID, and it has just stayed with me — the melody and the chords, but also the aggression."

In January 2024, Bello told Rodney McG about the long delay in getting new ANTHRAX music out: "There wasn't a rush, obviously. I know it's been eight years since our last record, but we wanna make sure it's right, and it is [right]. We are very confident. I'm not worried about how right it is. It's right on exactly where I think, and the rest of the band think, we need to be. I love that it's more complicated for me to play. I love the challenge of that. I think we stepped it up a little bit, the heaviness. Again, everybody's gonna prop their record. Doing this for so long, this is how I feel.

"I don't wanna get complacent," he continued. "I want the challenge, 'cause I'm a fan. I'm a fan, and it has to stimulate me. And it has to get me going on stage."

As for the musical direction of the new ANTHRAX material, Bello said: "On this record, there's stuff that we've never done before. I'm just saying right out — there's stuff, in a heavy way, which I'm very proud of. I like that we went that way with it and just went, 'What the fuck was that?' Some of the things that Charlie Benante does on drums, Scott and I were just, 'What the fuck was that?' And that's great, 'cause you wanna raise your game after that. I think it makes everybody step up a little bit. I'm doing some bass stuff that I had some fun with on this that I would never have done. I think there's a lot of cool stuff that's going on vocally, melody-wise. I'm really happy where the next ANTHRAX record is going."

In October 2023, Ian told "THAT Rocks!" that he and his ANTHRAX bandmates had "only really been working on" their new LP "for a year-ish, I would say… But then once lockdown and all that stuff happened, we just all walked away; nothing creative was happening at all with us through that whole period," he explained. "And then, slowly but surely, when we started playing shows again in '21 and going into '22, that's when we started working again, really. And then in the last year, we really started to put stuff together and Charlie and Frankie and I getting together and having writing sessions and arranging stuff."

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

During an August 2023 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Ian said about the musical direction of the new ANTHRAX material: "Certainly of the nine [songs] we've tracked so far, from a riff point of view, it's definitely — I mean it's riffs with all capital letters. Like if you were going to write, you would write 'riffs' in all capitals with an exclamation point. The riffs are killer. It's very riff-centric. There's a lot of faster uptempo material, certainly."

Ian added: "I will say there is a song — I won't say any titles yet, 'cause it's still probably a working title — there's definitely one song, it's the fastest thing we've ever done. There's another song that we haven't recorded yet that's also in the vein, more of a 'Gung-Ho' or a 'Caught In A Mosh'. Because Charlie and I talk all the time. I said, 'We still need something that's like a three-and-a-half-minute just ripper. You know, something like that.' And then we come up with something like that and I'm, like, 'Hey, I forgot I'm 60 now, and now I have to play this song for the next three years.' Just make my life harder."

Earlier in 2023, Benante was asked by Robert Cavuoto of Metal Rules why it has taken so long for ANTHRAX to complete the writing process for a new LP. Charlie said: "If we didn't get hit with this whole global pandemic thing, it would have been out probably two years ago, three years ago. But we all know what happened. But now, being that some of the songs were [written] before the pandemic hit, they're old to me. So now there's a bunch of new songs that kind of came in the mix. So that's a good thing. You can never have enough… We're still working on the older ones because we really like a lot of those."

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

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

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

Frank played his first show with ANTHRAX in nearly a year and a half on October 12, 2024 at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California.

Bello and ANTHRAX were supposed to perform at the Louder Than Life festival in Louisville, Kentucky on September 27, 2024, but their show ended up being canceled due to severe weather.

Prior to Aftershock, Bello last played with ANTHRAX in May 2023 at the Milwaukee Metal Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

In April and early May 2024, Bello sat out ANTHRAX's South American tour as well as two U.S. festival dates due to "personal reasons." Filling in on those shows was ANTHRAX founding member and original bassist Dan Lilker, marking his first appearance with the band in 40 years. Lilker, who co-wrote and played on ANTHRAX's debut album "Fistful Of Metal", was also a member of STORMTROOPERS OF DEATH with Benante and Ian.

VOLBEAT's latest single, "Time Will Heal", is the band's twelfth No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream chart.

The Danish rock and rollers still hold the record for the most No. 1 singles on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart by an artist based outside of North America.

The new milestone follows "By A Monster's Hand", which topped the chart for three weeks earlier this year and marked VOLBEAT's eleventh No. 1 single. For those keeping score at home, VOLBEAT set the record back in March 2020 with "Die To Live" (featuring CLUTCH's Neil Fallon),which was their eighth No. 1.

VOLBEAT singer and guitarist Michael Poulsen stated about "Time Will Heal":  "Musically, it's one of those songs, I'll say, that's also a signature VOLBEAT song when it comes to the more pop-rock songs from VOLBEAT. But yeah, lyrically, we are talking about struggling a little bit with life where I think we all know the feeling — suddenly we wake up and we don't know why we feel bad. Why is this day so terrible? Nothing had happened yet. It's a feeling. It's like getting the wrong leg out of the bed. But with life experience, we just know that's part of life. You will have days where you don't feel good and suddenly it's like turning on a switch and the light is there. Where there's darkness, there will be light. So it's something where I'm trying to keep a balance in the lyric where you have to accept the bad days just as much as you have to accept the good ones. And while you are in the bad ones, just tell yourself constantly it might get better in two minutes or tomorrow or the day after that everything's gonna be all right. So the message in that is we all have those days where everything feels wrong and going against you, but tomorrow's gonna be another day. And it's very much about appreciating just waking up, being alive. Appreciate what you've got."

"Time Will Heal" and "By A Monster's Hand" are both taken from VOLBEAT's ninth album, "God Of Angels Trust", which arrived on June 6.

After a successful U.S. headline tour, VOLBEAT remains on the road, headlining Europe through the end of the year.

VOLBEAT has risen from the clubs of Denmark to some of the biggest stages in the world, collecting more than 145 gold and platinum certifications along the way. The band has also accumulated 18 Top 10 singles on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, including twelve No. 1s — the most of any band based outside of North America. They have received multiple awards across the globe and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance" for "Room 24" (featuring King Diamond). Their ninth album, "God Of Angels Trust", was released on June 6 and features the No. 2 hits "By A Monster's Hand" and "Time Will Heal", along with fan favorites "Demonic Depression" and "In The Barn Of The Goat Giving Birth To Satan's Spawn In A Dying World Of Doom".

VOLBEAT, consisting of Poulsen, drummer Jon Larsen, bassist Kaspar Boye Larsen, and joined by lead guitarist Flemming C. Lund while on tour, is currently on the third leg of "The Greatest Of All Tours Worldwide", trekking across Europe.

Fan-filmed video of KINGS OF THRASH performing a cover of the KISS classic "Cold Gin" in honor of Ace Frehley this past Friday, October 24 at the Machine Shop in Flint, Michigan can be seen below (courtesy of the Joe E Bravo channel on YouTube). For the "Cold Gin" rendition, KINGS OF THRASH members David Ellefson (bass, ex-MEGADETH),Jeff Young (guitar, ex-MEGADETH),Chaz Leon (vocals, guitar) and Fred Aching (drums, DEAD GROOVE/ex-BULLETBOYS) were joined by Gabriel Connor of RED DEVIL VORTEX on vocals.

In a recent interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, Ellefson stated about Frehley's passing: "Yeah, [that was] a sad moment, for sure. Ace Frehley passing is on the level of Eddie Van Halen passing. He was that influential — a different guitar player, of course. AceandEddie, they not only made us wanna become musicians, they made us wanna become rock stars. And I think that's the difference. KISS made you wanna go to the next level, and KISS, with their manager Bill Aucoin in those early days, they created something that was just unreachable, and, to some degree, still is."

He continued: "Now we've got GHOST, we've got SLEEP TOKEN, we've got TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, so there's artists out there kind of doing what KISS has done, of course, but when you're the first one doing it, and even KISS when they ended it, it was still the biggest thing out there. They were still doing stuff that it's, like, God, only KISS would [have] three guys come down from the ceiling on their platforms. And they've still got the boots and the whole thing. I mean, there's just no replacing what they have done for all of us in our lives."

Circling back to Ace's passing later in the interview, David said:  "It's sad news. You think about it, though. He was — what? — 74, I think. So 74 Ace Frehley years, that's like 77 Ozzy Osbourne years. These are guys that were true rock and rollers in every sense. So the fact that our beloved heroes have been with us this long is something, I think, we all should be thankful for as well, 'cause they certainly gave us a lot."

Reflecting on his friendship with Frehley, Ellefson said: "Ace and I became friends — not close friends. We had each other's cell phone [numbers]. I'd usually text him every year for his birthday, and me and Frank Bello [ANTHRAX] would text him because [Ace] played a solo [on the song 'Late'] on our ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE record, which we were super grateful for. [He was] clearly our hero. KISS is the reason I'm even here talking to you. For me, 'Destroyer' was the first record I bought; I bought it on cassette. And KISS 'Alive!' right after that. And then I went back and I listened to 'Dressed To Kill', 'Hotter Than Hell', the first album, et cetera. And I remained a diehard KISS fan pretty much through KISS 'Alive II'. And then I did not buy 'Dynasty', of all things. And then I kind of moved on. VAN HALEN came into my life, and then BOSTON and then I kind of started getting into STYX, 'The Grand Illusion', the RAMONES' 'Rocket To Russia', I started getting into some other stuff. But those formative years — I mean, KISS were my BEATLES, in the same way THE BEATLES were THE BEATLES for KISS. And I love Gene Simmons's bass playing. In fact, just today I was listening to 'Cold Gin' and some stuff off of KISS 'Alive!' and thinking, 'God, this guy's just a masterful bass player, man' — while spitting blood and breathing fire and doing all the rest of it."

Last year, Ellefson told Ultimate Guitar that he thought Frehley's latest solo album, "10,000 Volts", was exceptional. "Ace stepped up; he really delivered," David said. "That's the best thing I've heard from Ace since his solo album in 1978, when they still had the make-up on."

"I always thought that [Ace] had the best solo record [of the original solo albums from the KISS members]," Ellefson added. "Paul's [Stanley] was probably the next right behind it with some good stuff. But Paul was so prolific that anything he did sounded like KISS. Because in a lot of ways, he is the sound of KISS. His voice, his style of writing. And obviously, Gene has his flavor. But I always felt there was this whole other world of Ace that finally once his solo album came out, we heard it. We heard it on 'Shock Me', 'Rocket Ride', and the solo album. So, '10,000 Volts', I was so happy to hear what a great record that is."

Ace died on October 16 at the age of 74.

Frehley, whose real name was Paul Daniel Frehley, passed away peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey.

Ace co-founded KISS with guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley, bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons and drummer Peter Criss in New York City in 1973. Frehley appeared on KISS's first nine albums, and returned for the band's 1998 reunion album, "Psycho Circus", only to leave again. He was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the rest of KISS's original lineup in 2014.

Frehley first left KISS in 1982. He rejoined in 1996 and parted ways with the band once again in 2002 after the conclusion of KISS's first "farewell tour." Since his departure, guitarist Tommy Thayer had assumed the role of the Spaceman.

The Machine Shop TONIGHT!
Special guests @reddevilvortex @gravelhardrock
VIP at kingsofthrash.comh

Posted by Kings of Thrash on Friday, October 24, 2025

In a new interview with Beyond The Fame With Jason Fraley, former ROB ZOMBIE guitarist John 5 spoke about how he came to join MÖTLEY CRÜE in the fall of 2022 as the replacement for the band's co-founding guitarist Mick Mars. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, [Mick] retired and he gave the band 40-something years. I love Mick Mars and he retired and luckily they asked me to fill in. And I know Mick well and he was very supportive and really happy I was there. And I've known the guys for a long, long time. I mean, I would go to their shows and I'd be in Mick's dressing room the whole time, talking with him and stuff. Of course I'd say hi to the [other] guys, but Mick's my friend, and of course I've known Nikki [Sixx, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist] and Tommy [Lee, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer] forever too. So it just fit really well."

John 5 went on to say that he will continue performing with MÖTLEY CRÜE going forward while still pursuing his solo career on the side. "A hundred percent, yeah," he said. "We just finished up a Las Vegas residency, MÖTLEY CRÜE did, and now I'm gonna go jump and play my crazy instrumental music [on a fall 2025 tour]. And then I'll go back to CRÜE. And so it's wonderful. It really works out well."

In September 2024, John 5 told Matt Pinfield of 95.5 KLOS's "New & Approved" show about his addition to MÖTLEY CRÜE: "When I was asked to join MÖTLEY CRÜE, we didn't really have any bad things going on [in ROB ZOMBIE] or anything like that. So it was tough [for me to leave Rob's band]. I was doing it for 17 years and I loved it. We were friends and laughed, and everything was still the same. But I thought to myself, 'I want to…' 'Cause I always thought about everybody else: 'Let me make sure everything sounds good.' I just wanted to think about myself for a minute and go, 'I really wanna experience this. Life is short and I want to experience as much as possible.' And, of course, I love MÖTLEY CRÜE."

John 5 continued: "I've been friends with Nikki forever — forever. Just really close. And then with Tommy, I've always worked with him. So I was really close with these guys — really, really, really close. And poor Mick, he has a horrible disease. And the poor guy. If I have a weird papercut, I'm, like, 'I don't know if I can do the show.' And you've got Mick Mars out there… I would always say he's the toughest guy I know because he's getting up there and just killing it and in pain, but just playing. And I'm, like, wow, I have such respect for him. And then he didn't want to tour and things like that. So they asked me and I was, like, 'Absolutely. I would love to do it. I would love to do it.' And they gave me the songs, and, of course, I didn't wanna say, but I knew every single song — I knew how to play them all. But I told Rob, and I said, 'Rob, I just want to experience life and I wanna do this.' And he understood. He was cool. He wasn't psyched, but he understood, and that's what was really, really cool."

Regarding what is has been like to tour and record with MÖTLEY CRÜE, John 5 said: "Man, I'm telling you, it has been such an incredible experience to do this. It's a different thing. 'Cause you imagine what it could be like, and then it just goes so far beyond that. It's so crazy in such a fun, incredible way. And it just feels like life is brand new again. It's so exciting. It's like when you get a new girlfriend or something. You're, like, 'Wow, this is great. Look at how blue the sky is.' So it's been absolutely wonderful — absolutely wonderful."

John 5 previously discussed his addition to MÖTLEY CRÜE during a May 2023 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He said at the time: "Well, I've been friends with Nikki and Tommy forever — forever and ever and ever. I'm so close to Nikki. We talked, like, probably 80 times a day for a decade. And we've done so much work together. We worked on the Meat Loaf song together, 'The Monster's Loose'; SIXX:A.M., of course; L.A. RATS; 'The Dirt' [soundtrack]. But other than music, we were just always around. I mean, he was the best man at my wedding. And we'd always go to the mall and ride bikes and just do total normal stuff. So when this came about… We were talking to each other on tour, like, 'All right, dude. I'm going on stage.' And he's, like, 'All right, dude. I'm going on stage. I'll talk to you after the show,' and blah blah blah. So we talked pretty much every day when he was on tour and I was on tour at the same time with the Zombie thing. We were doing 'Freaks On Parade'. It was great — great shows, packed to the nines, and having a good time and laughing and making music. And the tour ended. We went home. Actually, I went to do some CREATURES shows, my instrumental thing. And MÖTLEY was finished. They were off tour. And I was still doing some shows. And Nikki called and said, 'Listen, Mick is going to retire. And we have these obligations from Live Nation. We have South America booked. We have Europe booked. Would you wanna come on board?' And I was, 'Absolutely.' I mean, it's just like your brother asking you or something like that. But now the hard part was telling Rob, because we never had a negative word between us. And he's my buddy and we made great music and great live shows together for 17 years, and we never really had a problem. But I was thinking to myself, I was, like, 'Life is short.' And I'm being completely honest with you — 'Life is short. I wanna experience as much as I can in life.' And I was thinking about myself. And I was, like, 'I wanna do this for me, because I'm 51 years old' at the time, and I was, like, 'I wanna do this. I want to experience this.' How many times do you get a new chapter in your life at this magnitude later in life? And I talked to Rob, and he understood. Rob is a smart, rational person. I mean, he wasn't psyched, but he understood. And I think that was amazing of him. And he was just, like, 'Go get 'em.' He was fine about it. And then they got [Mike] Riggs, who I think is a great addition. That's who he was using when Rob did the early solo records, and I think it's a great addition. And they're kicking ass."

Detailing how he told Rob about his decision to leave his band and join MÖTLEY CRÜE, John 5 said: "I told Rob before it got out in the press. But I agreed to Nikki. And I called Rob and I said, 'This is what's happening.' And we did a show, Louder Than Life, together, and that was my last show [with Rob] in Kentucky. And then they got Riggs and were rehearsing with him and did the Aftershock show. And then it was announced — my time frame is not great, but then I believe it was announced a little bit after that. But it was no bad blood or anything; it wasn't anything bad; it wasn't dramatic or anything. And Rob was super cool. He was, like, 'Hey, I get it.' He was cool about it."

Asked if he has spoken with Rob since his announcement that he was joining MÖTLEY CRÜE, John 5 said: "To be honest, I haven't, and I miss talking with him and texting with him. I'm more worried about him not texting me back or not replying. I think that would really break my heart. That's the thing. I think I'd be really bummed out about that. But I haven't. To answer your question, no, I haven't."

Elaborating on his reasons for leaving Zombie's band and joining MÖTLEY CRÜE, John 5 said: "In the 17 years of being with Zombie, I got asked to join a ton of bands — a ton of bands. But, listen, I am so close with the guys, and with Mick too. So close with the guys. Something said, 'You've gotta do it.' It's just something I really wanted to do. Because life is show. I wanna experience everything. I don't wanna be laying in my bed at 126 years old — that's what I plan to live to be — laying in my bed at 126 years old going, 'God, I wish I would have done this, that and the other thing.' But I'll probably say that to myself anyways. But it's been an amazing ride so far."

In April 2023, Sixx spoke with Wyatt of U.K.'s Planet Rock about MÖTLEY CRÜE's decision to hire John 5 to replace Mick, who announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2022 as a result of worsening health issues.

"I've been friends with John forever and I would make jokes, 'As long as you're a 5, I feel good being a Sixx.' Y'know, stupid best buddy jokes. Me and that guy have been either hanging out at each other's houses, writing songs… he plays (guitar) all day long. So, he comes over here and he grabs one of my guitars or brings his own and we just sit around and play and talk about the '70s and how great LYNYRD SKYNYRD and 'Scooby Doo' was."

He continued: "My wife just said that when Mick told us he was leaving the band and I told her I'd talked to Tommy and Vince [Neil, CRÜE singer], and everybody feels that John would be a great fit, and I hadn't called John yet because you had to be sure we were doing everything correctly. My wife said, 'Well, that's great.' I said, 'What do you mean by that?' She goes, 'Well, you'll be going on stage and you'll be on the phone to John.' And they're, like, 'You gotta go on stage!', and he'll be like 'Okay, call me back in an hour and a half.'

"So we're always chatting and jamming and the friendship is so wonderful. Him and Tommy are really close. Vince loves him. He's just a great guy and a great musician and he gives us a great opportunity as a three-piece so to speak to really lock in. He's just such a great guitar player."

Comparing CRÜE 's current musicianship to how it was while Mick was still in the band, Nikki added: "It's nothing against any other musician that you play with, just that when you play with new musicians you play differently. We're still playing the same songs that people wanna hear but it kind of like re-inspires you. And I'm sure the same thing would happen if they got a new bass player. They're like 'oh wow, he's attacking it differently.' So it's never about how bad anybody was.

"It's a nice time [for MÖTLEY CRÜE] and it's kind of inspired us to write a little bit," he added. "We love our history, we're very proud of everything we've done. We've always been really supportive of Mick no matter what Mick was going through. We're just happy with where we're at right now."

When Mars announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE, he maintained that he would remain a member of the band, with John 5 taking his place on the road. However, in April 2023 the now-74-year-old musician filed a lawsuit against CRÜE in Los Angeles County's Superior Court claiming that, after his announcement, the rest of CRÜE tried to remove him as a significant stakeholder in the group's corporation and business holdings via a shareholders' meeting.

In October 2023, Mick was asked if he was still friends with John 5 after the latter guitarist was hired to replace him in CRÜE. He said: "Well, I've never disliked John. I've always liked him and still do. He's been a really good friend of mine for a long time. So I think they've made a very, very wise choice with John."

Regarding Mick's lawsuit against MÖTLEY CRÜE, Nikki told Planet Rock: "If a member of a band tells you that they can't tour because of health reasons, you have two choices. You can quit as a band [after] 42 years of work. Or we could look at each other and go 'are we done yet?!' We're really peaking and we understand [Mick's] health issues.

"We wish him the best and we know that he's a little bit confused and being misled by representatives right now. But we still have to stay focused on why we're here."

Mars suffers from Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS),a chronic and inflammatory form of arthritis that mainly affects the spine and pelvis. After years of performing through the pain, he informed the other members of MÖTLEY CRÜE in the summer of 2022 that he could no longer tour with them but would still be open to recording new music or performing at residencies that did not require much travel.

In his lawsuit, Mars also alleged that he was the only band member to play 100 percent live on their 2022 stadium tour, claiming Sixx "did not play a single note on bass during the entire U.S. tour."

After Mars filed his lawsuit, Sixx responded on Twitter, writing: "Sad day for us and we don't deserve this considering how many years we've been propping him up. We still wish him the best and hope he find's [sic] lawyers and managers who aren't damaging him. We love you Mick."

In a new interview with Tim Caple of Rock 'N' Blues Experience, singer Ronnie Romero (RAINBOW, MSG) spoke about the status of the sophomore album from ELEGANT WEAPONS, the band led by JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Actually, the album is recorded already. It's finished. It's totally done. Actually, a couple of weeks ago, I got some final mixes from Richie, just to check it out. Yeah, it is fantastic. I think it's gonna be fantastic. Also, I feel like it's really a step forward from the first one, because when I recorded the first album, the album actually was already recorded by another singer. So what I did, it was just going to the studio and trying to fit my vocals on what it was already done. And it took me two or three days doing that recording. But this time we took the time, going to the studio, being all together with Richie Faulkner and [producer] Andy Sneap and just working on the songs: 'This kind of lyrics works.' 'This doesn't work.' 'We need to change the vocal line.' 'We need to change the key.' 'We need to change this.' 'We need to add some backing vocals here.' And we spent a lot of time together, so this is more ELEGANT WEAPONS than the first one."

Asked if there is a working title for the new ELEGANT WEAPONS LP yet, Ronnie said: "Yeah, I don't know if I'm allowed to say something. [Laughs] I think that also there was a cover art that Richie sent me to check it out also, so I will say it's pretty much done. It's pretty much ready."

As for a possible release date for the second ELEGANT WEAPONS album, Romero said: "That's the only thing that I know because, actually, Richie is still talking to some record labels because he's not going to release the album with the same record label that we did the first one. So he's just thinking of some options. And it all depends on his duties with JUDAS PRIEST, because now he's touring in the U.S. and then I think they're starting to work on a new album."

Ronnie previously discussed the upcoming ELEGANT WEAPONS effort this past May in an interview with J.J. Caithcart of Different Stages Radio. He said at the time: "When I joined the band, the [first] album was recorded already. They had a different singer, so the songs were there. I just needed to listen to the songs and the previous singer and then try to record on my own way, but [there was] still a lack of personality of my voice in that way. But this time we were working together with Andy Sneap and with Richie Faulkner, the three of us, working on the lyrics, working on the vocal lines, working on the harmonies, working all together. We spent a lot of time in the studio together doing all this work, the vocal production."

Regarding the musical direction of the new ELEGANT WEAPONS material, Ronnie said: "It is an evolution of the band. We have this stable lineup with Christopher Williams from ACCEPT and Dave Rimmer from URIAH HEEP. They recorded the album already also. So, it is more ELEGANT WEAPONS than the first one, I would say. The songs are great. There is a few great songs that — I was talking with Richie yesterday and I said, 'Every day I like a different one.' It's, like, today I like this one very much, and then I listen to the album again and now I like this other one because it's a different thing. But, yeah, I think it's a great album. And it's gonna sound like an evolution of the band, for sure."

Back in April, Faulkner told Igor Miranda of Brazil's Rolling Stone magazine about the status of ELEGANT WEAPONS: "We are almost finished recording the second record. We were recording vocals a couple of weeks ago. So it's nearly finished. We don't know when it's gonna be released because, obviously, we've got commitments with PRIEST and other bands. But it's great. Obviously, it's me, Ronnie Romero, and it's like an evolution, the second time around, because the band is solidified. It's Christopher Williams on drums, Davey Rimmer on bass and Ronnie and myself. So it feels like an evolution of the band. So we're excited to get it finished and get it out to you guys. But it's almost done. So, watch this space."

In October 2024, Faulkner told Clint Switzer of On The Road To Rock about ELEGANT WEAPONS:  "Ronnie's fantastic. Again, he's one of those guys, he's not only a singer, he's a frontman. He fronts the band. There's a lot of people I know, they've got great voices, but it takes a frontman or frontwoman, front person to do that job. So Ronnie's definitely got that.

"We did some dates [in 2023] in Europe, which was fantastic," he continued. "We did some dates with PANTERA, which was nuts. You can imagine opening up for them."

Richie went on to say that he never intended ELEGANT WEAPONS to just be a one-album project. "That's what it was about, really. It wasn't about the one record recorded during COVID; it was about a band that goes on," he explained. "We've all got our different things, obviously — PRIEST, ACCEPT, Ronnie's got his stuff — but we wanted it to be a proper band with multiple records doing live dates, which we've done. But it's just, obviously, when PRIEST are out, ACCEPT are out, URIAH HEEP are out at the moment as well, when we find a window in between for that, then we'll look at releasing the second record. So, that's an exciting thing to think about, too."

In 2023, Richie told Jorge Botas of Portugal's Metal Global that he plans on focusing on ELEGANT WEAPONS full-time once PRIEST has officially called it a day.

"PRIEST music is gonna be around a lot longer than we are," he said. "It's legendary music. They're genre-defining musicians and it's a genre-defining band. It will be around for a long time. But none of us gets out of this alive. That's just the reality of it. So if one day that call comes in and that's the last tour or the last album, whatever it is… I mean, I joined the band on what was the farewell tour. Luckily it wasn't, and we're still here 12 years later. [It's] fantastic. But at the time, I think I would have been silly not to consider what I was gonna do after the band, because of the circumstances of the tour. It was a farewell tour — it was [supposed to be] the last tour — so what am I gonna do after? So it's always been in the back of my mind. And this is a band that seems natural to me to continue with if that call ever came in."

ELEGANT WEAPONS made its first two festival appearances in June 2023 at Hellfest in Clisson, France and at Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium.

ELEGANT WEAPONS' debut album, "Horns For A Halo", was released in May 2023 via Nuclear Blast. The LP was recorded with bassist Rex Brown (PANTERA, DOWN) and drummer Scott Travis (JUDAS PRIEST) and was helmed by acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap, who has previously worked with JUDAS PRIEST, ACCEPT, EXODUS and MEGADETH, among many others.

ELEGANT WEAPONS played additional shows in Europe through July 2023. The trek included performances with PANTERA, festival appearances and headlining shows.

METALLICA played a 12-song set on October 15 at San Francisco, California's Chase Center as part of Salesforce's annual Dreamfest fundraising event for UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.

Professionally filmed video of the "Sad But True" performance from the Dreamfest show can be seen below.

Tickets for the concert, which also included the pop sensation Benson Boone, started at $1,500 at www.theconcertforkids.org.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Dreamfest began inside San Francisco's Chase Center with a VIP cocktail reception.

METALLICA took the stage as a buffet, interactive experiences and more were set up throughout the venue.

"We're here to have some fun, so join us," METALLICA frontman James Hetfield said following opening track, "Creeping Death".

"Welcome to the Dreamfest party. Where did you all come from?" Hetfield asked,. "Whether you came from far away or down the street, we're happy you're here."

The band's setlist was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

01. Creeping Death
02. For Whom The Bell Tolls
03. Fuel
04. The Memory Remains
05. The Unforgiven
06. Sad But True
07. Wherever I May Roam
08. Nothing Else Matters
09. Seek & Destroy
10. One
11. Master Of Puppets
12. Enter Sandman

When the concert was first announced in August, METALLICA said in a statement: "We're honored to announce that we've once again been asked to play at Dreamfest, the concert benefiting UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals in San Francisco. Held in conjunction with Dreamforce, Salesforce's annual technology conference, the show will take place at Chase Center on October 15, 2025.

"We look forward to welcoming visitors from around the world to the Bay Area for the conference and the show!"

When METALLICA played the ninth annual Dreamfest fundraising event in 2018 at Civic Center Plaza, some of the neighbors in San Francisco were angered because of the noise, which traveled a considerable distance across the city. People reported hearing the concert from as far away as Dogpatch, Cole Valley and the Mission.

The annual benefit concert has previously hosted the likes of FLEETWOOD MAC, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, FOO FIGHTERS, U2 and GREEN DAY, among others.

The Dreamfest benefit concerts have raised $120 million for UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals since launching in 2010.
We’re excited to return to the Dreamfest stage on October 15, 2025, at San Francisco’s Chase Center to benefit @ucsfchildrens!

Now through September 3, Fifth Members can enter to win tickets to this unforgettable event! Only at #DF25.

Enter the Contest ➡️… pic.twitter.com/2j0fFygED5

— Metallica (@Metallica) August 21, 2025

In a new interview with 213Rock Harrag Melodica Live, CORONER's guitarist, songwriter and producer Tommy Vetterli (a.k.a. Tommy T. Baron) spoke about the band's latest studio album, "Dissonance Theory", which came out on October 17 worldwide via Century Media Records. The LP marked CORONER's first release in more than three decades, following 1993's "Grin". Regarding the musical direction of the new CORONER material, Tommy said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah. I thought about it, but I found out really fast that it doesn't make any sense [to repeat what we had previously done] because it's another time, and I'm a total different person nowadays. I couldn't write 'No More Color' again. So, I decided to just sit down and see what comes out. I knew from the beginning that we gonna go in the right direction because I was really picky with myself. I bore myself a lot when I play guitar, so it took forever. Maybe out of 30 riffs, one made it on the album."

On the topic of why it took so long to release the new CORONER album, Tommy said: "We signed the record contract about 2014 or '15 and actually started to write some stuff then, but then always life came into the way. Yeah, there was a lot of stuff going on, like people died and I got through a divorce and then there was COVID. And the main reason that it took that long was maybe my daytime job. I'm a music producer, I have my own studio and I work with a lot of bands, and when I work a whole day recording a band, in the evening it's hard to be creative. In the evening I hate music."

"Dissonance Theory" contains 10 new songs across 47 minutes, recorded by Vetterli at New Sound Studios in Switzerland and mixed/mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (OPETH, KREATOR, AMON AMARTH) in Sweden. The album's cover artwork (see below) was created by Stefan Thanneur. Explaining the decision to hire Bogren to mix the LP, Tommy said: "I was supposed to mix the album, but towards the end of the recording, it was, like, I wrote everything from the beginning over a long time, and at the end of the recording, I felt like someone with a fresh ear should mix it because I couldn't see the forest for the trees, because I heard it too much. So, for me, it was important that somebody takes over with a fresh perspective and a fresh ear, and it was the best decision."

When "Dissonance Theory" was first announced in August, Tommy said in a statement: "I thought a lot about what CORONER should sound like today, but I pretty quickly realized that looking backwards wouldn't serve us. Of course, over time you develop a certain signature as a musician. So even if the material is new, it might still feel like a bridge to earlier phases — simply because it's me writing it. That said, we didn't set out to continue a legacy. We just wanted to create something honest and grounded in the present."

"Dissonance Theory" is available as a limited 2CD mediabook (with expanded booklet and the legendary "Death Cult" four-track demo from 1986, featuring Tom G. Warrior [TRIPTYKON, CELTIC FROST, HELLHAMMER] on vocals, as a bonus CD),standard CD jewelcase, digital album and LP.

When Swiss metal pioneers CORONER disbanded in 1996, they left a trail of deeply inspirational and influential albums. From the classically tinged 1987 "R.I.P." debut and its follow-up one year later, "Punishment For Decadence", to the sleek modernisms of 1993's "Grin", their discography is a clinic in performance acumen and how to balance grace with grit and grime. In a word, they were the true definition of "progressive" music: Always laser-focused with a firm direction, CORONER never let themselves be bound by genre convention.

Ever the forward thinkers, ever the seekers of unique expression, CORONER's main material never traded heaviness for innovation. They were a rare band that merged both in a way that was never forced or too consciously conflated. And yet we can't forget the bolder moves along the way: The haunting closer of 1989's "No More Color", "Last Entertainment (T.V. Bizarre)" and THE BEATLES cover on 1991's "Mental Vortex". These might have seemed unlikely choices on paper, but they actually worked brilliantly, lending great depth to their respective albums. There was nobody like CORONER. And the bar of expectation they set, they set very high.

With all that as part of historical record, it would seem that expectations for a new CORONER album would be impossibly high. But take one listen and you understand that it's not hyperbolic, nor cliché, to say that with 2025's "Dissonance Theory", CORONER have met and even exceeded expectation. The material, as all the best CORONER does, hangs somewhere between stealthy restraint and wild abandon.

When the band returned to the stage in 2011, with original trio formation Tommy Vetterli, Ron Broder and Marky Edelmann, new material wasn't even a consideration. For them, they were simply happy to revive all that much-loved material and present it to old fans, as well as younger ones who weren't around to experience CORONERlive the first time around. Indeed, they are another of metal's finest bands that gained more popularity after the initial breakup than during their era of actual operation.

A couple years after their revival, Edelmann bowed out, although Vetterli and Broder kept the machine running because, in the guitarist's words, "we were having way too much fun". Still, they had no intentions of recording new material with freshly installed drummer Diego Rapacchietti. But by 2015, seeds of fresh CORONERideas, tiny as they were, began sprouting from Vetterli's fertile mind. Ten years later, with a new album completed, the six-stringer explains the long gestation of "Dissonance Theory": "I started sketching ideas around 2015, but never found the mental space to focus fully. Life kept getting in the way — short bursts of progress, then long interruptions. Running my own recording studio means I 'm constantly producing other bands while managing the studio's demands. After nine-hour days recording or mixing, there's not much creative energy left at night. The actual recording sessions didn't kick off until June 2023 — and even those got interrupted multiple times for the same reasons."

While Vetterli avoids mentioning particular musical artists, bands or movements as inspiration for the new material, he astutely notes, "Inspiration is just life, really. Everything you see, hear, or feel leaves a trace — music, films, books, the state of the world, personal stuff. Sometimes it's something big. Sometimes it's just a tree standing alone on a hill somewhere. That can be enough. It's never about specific bands or styles — more about what hits you at the right moment."

It was also the presence of Rapacchietti that fueled Vetterli and Broder's constructions as new material came together. "Diego brings a level of technical precision and musicality that opened up entirely new dimensions in our songwriting," says Vetterli. "His versatility allowed us to explore fresh territory without losing ourselves. Especially rhythmically, we were able to push things further than ever before."

The album's first tracks establish that the CORONER sound is intact, even 30 years after their initial run. In tone and texture, "Consequence" and "Sacrificial Lamb" are not terribly far away from the band's early '90s material. These offerings unite the focused hypno-drone of "Grin" with the clean-kill post-thrash technicality of "Mental Vortex". Yet that's only an approximation of where the album sits in the sonic space. It's after these that the scope widens. Ultimately, "Dissonance Theory" claims its own ground, sounding like an album that could've been released in the late 1990s, but one clearly informed by the variety of inspirations noted above and the many years lived between then and now.

It seems impossible after all the time elapsed, but this is CORONER at its best. We hear evidence of this on songs such as "Crisium Bound", with its spacious dark pulse, and "Symmetry", which is driven by drummer Rapacchietti's colorful backing over one of the most exciting guitar solos Tommy Vetterli has ever composed. Broder's bass lines are as commanding as ever throughout, and his arrogant snarl remains packed with bile and spite, as if 30 years had never passed. Sumptuous passages in "Transparent Eye" recall the atmospheric material the band were working on before their initial breakup, but merged with a stabbing momentum and a few tricky rhythms. A modern-day classic CORONER song.

Perhaps this all comes off so well because the band didn't overthink anything. They understand the pressure of coming back with their first material in three decades, but they shook off that pressure and simply let CORONER be CORONER. As Vetterli notes, "I thought a lot about what CORONER should sound like today — but I pretty quickly realized that looking backwards wouldn't serve us. What's past is past. So much time has passed, and we're not the same people. Just like we didn't care about trends back then, we didn't try to make this record for anyone but ourselves. We weren't trying to continue a legacy — we were just trying to create something honest and present."

Further into the album, it becomes ever more apparent that their approach was the right one. "Trinity" shows Vetterli as the hugely underrated guitarist he's always been: Its solo section is one that probably couldn't have even been conceived of 30 years ago. It's imbued with a kind of wisdom and experience that expresses itself in interesting melodic choices and wild fingerwork, brilliant melodic sparks flying from his instrument.

As we approach the culmination of the album, the well-titled "Renewal" is ablaze with energy, its vigorous pulse a statement of intent for this era of return. And in final track, "Prolonging", we get another brave album conclusion from the band, featuring Hammond organ over beguiling, hypnotic metal drama, as Broder spits out a final question: "What remains? What remains?"

"Dissonance Theory", in totality, is rich in sonic detail, a stereophile's delight. Part of that can be attributed to the expert mixing/mastering by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios in Sweden. But the production, arrangement and soundscape details are largely the work of Vetterli and a longtime creative partner at his own New Sound studio. Vetterli notes, "At some point, I felt something was missing — a kind of creative counterweight. Someone to reflect things back with a fresh, critical ear. That's when I brought in a longtime collaborator I've worked with for years at my studio. He helped push things into new territory and gave me the clarity and momentum "Dissonance Theory" needed to move forward. We made a point throughout the production to record as many authentic, organic sounds as possible. The studio was packed with tube amps, analog synths, and vintage instruments — including a harmonium and a grand piano — and we put them all to good use. We've worked together on many other productions, so the trust was already there. We get into that whole collaboration — and how it evolved — more deeply in the CD mediabook edition."

CORONER 2025 is:

Ron "Royce" Broder - vocals, bass
Tommy Vetterli - guitars
Diego Rapacchietti - drums

Photo credit: Manuel Schütz

THE DAMNED has announced the release of "Not Like Everybody Else", a deeply personal and celebratory covers album — dedicated to the memory of Brian James, the band's legendary founding guitarist, who passed away on March 6, 2025. Recorded in a blistering five days of emotion and creative fire at Revolver Studio in Los Angeles, the album finds THE DAMNED — Dave Vanian on vocals, Captain Sensible on guitar, Rat Scabies on drums, Paul Gray on bass and joined by longtime keyboardist Monty Oxymoron — reconnecting with the raw energy that started it all. "Not Like Everybody Else" marks the first time in 40 years that Rat Scabies has returned to the studio with the band.

Kicking off with R. Dean Taylor's "There's A Ghost In My House" and moving through classics like PINK FLOYD's "See Emily Play" and THE ANIMALS' "When I Was Young", the album closes with a powerful farewell: "The Last Time" by THE ROLLING STONES, featuring Brian James himself, taken from his final live performance with THE DAMNED at Hammersmith and lovingly remixed for this release.

To celebrate the album, THE DAMNED will play a one-off covers show at Albert Hall in Manchester on January 28, 2026 performing songs from "Not Like Everybody Else" alongside fan-favorite covers that have marked their career. It will be an unforgettable night honoring Brian James and the band's shared history.

Fans who order the album through the official album store starting October 29 will receive early access to release show tickets. In addition, three exclusive 7" vinyl singles featuring previously unreleased B-sides will be available for pre-sale in the store.

The first single, "There's A Ghost In My House", reimagines R. Dean Taylor's classic with THE DAMNED's unmistakable energy and dark charm. Driven by Captain Sensible's urgent guitar and Dave Vanian's atmospheric vocal delivery, the track perfectly blends Northern soul spirit and gothic rock swagger. It's both a nod to Brian James's love of raw, melodic power and a reminder of THE DAMNED's gift for turning familiar songs into something entirely their own.

"There's A Ghost In My House", accompanied by a music video directed by Gilbert Trejo and filmed during the band's recent U.S. tour — including their legendary show at the inaugural CBGB Festival in Brooklyn, New York — will be released on October 30.

Set to coincide with THE DAMNED's 50th-anniversary celebrations, "Not Like Everybody Else" isa heartfelt homage, and a testament to the enduring spirit of one of punk's most pioneering bands.

50 years of THE DAMNED also means 50 years of punk, with the explosion of 1976 hitting a half century. The band jump started the revolution, releasing the first U.K. punk single in "New Rose" and album "Damned, Damned, Damned". Brian James wrote that debut single and was lead songwriter on the album. He left the group after the release of their second album, "Music For Pleasure", in 1977.

The band earned an ever-expanding fan base fueled by legendary live shows, while their dar lyrics and Dave Vanian's rich baritone vocals catapulted them to the forefront of the goth-rock genre.

THE DAMNED have announced a special 50th-anniversary show at OVO Arena Wembley on Saturday, April 11, 2026, marking five decades since the band first exploded on to the scene as one of the founders of British punk rock. The milestone celebration will also feature special guests THE LOVELESS featuring Marc Almond, PETER HOOK AND THE LIGHT and THE COURETTES.

"Not Like Everybody Else" track listing:

01. There's A Ghost In My House
02. Summer In The City
03. Making Time
04. Gimme Danger
05. See Emily Play
06. I'm Not Like Everybody Else
07. Heart Full Of Soul
08. You Must Be A Witch
09. When I Was Young
10. The Last Time

Press photo courtesy of The Outside Organisation

A PERFECT CIRCLE will return to Europe next summer with the Maynard James Keenan- and Billy Howerdel-led band performing its first live shows on the continent since 2018.

News of the headlining dates, which include back-to-back outings at London's O2 Academy Brixton and a performance at Berlin's Zitadelle, follow several festival announcements featuring the band, including Copenhell, Rock Im Park, Rock Am Ring and Nova Rock.

"To our European friends," Billy Howerdel says. "We miss you. It's been far too long… like seven years too long. We found a solution."

Tickets for all headlining performances are on sale this Friday, October 31 at 10 a.m. local time. An artist pre-sale begins October 29 at 10 a.m. local time (Code: ELEPHANT). The performance at Stockholm's Gröna Lund is part of a season subscription series.

A PERFECT CIRCLE 2026 tour dates:

June 03 - London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton
June 04 - London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton
June 06 - Nürnberg, DE @ Rock Im Park
June 07 - Nürburg, DE @ Rock Am Ring
June 09 - München, DE @ Zenith
June 10 - Warszawa, PL @ Torwar
June 12 - Wien, AT @ Nova Rock Festival
June 13 - Ferrara, IT @ Ferrara Summer Festival
June 15 - Budapest, HU @ Budapest Park
June 16 - Zagreb, HR @ SRC Šalata
June 18 - Zürich, CH @ Halle622
June 21 - Düsseldorf, DE @ Mitsubishi Hall
June 24 - Amsterdam, NL @ AFAS Live
June 26 - København, DK @ Copenhell
June 28 - Stockholm, SE @ Gröna Lund
July 01 - Berlin, DE @ Zitadelle
July 02 - Praha, CZ @ Forum Karlín
July 04 - Esch-sur-Alzette, LU @ Rockhal

Formed in 1999 by Billy Howerdel and Maynard James Keenan, A PERFECT CIRCLE has released four albums while holding the distinction of having the highest-charting debut rock album at the time, "Mer De Noms" (2000),which recently marked its 25th anniversary. The collection, which boasted ever popular singles "Judith" and "3 Libras", set a significant milestone for alternative and hard rock. Over their 25-plus-year career, they have released three additional albums, "Thirteenth Step" (2003),"eMOTIVe" (2004) and "Eat The Elephant" (2018),the latter of which debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Billboard Rock Albums chart.

A PERFECT CIRCLE has headlined festivals worldwide, sold out prestigious venues including the Hollywood Bowl, Madison Square Garden and the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and performed on a variety of late night television programs, including "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and "The Tonight Show".

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER, the two bands fronted by former ACCEPT singer Udo Dirkschneider, have recruited Alen Brentini as their new guitarist.

A 48-year-old Croatian guitar player, singer and songwriter who started playing guitar at the age of nine and became a professional musician aged 19, Brentini joins U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER as the replacement for Andrey Smirnov, who announced his exit from the two groups earlier in the month.

Earlier today (Monday, October 27),U.D.O. released the following statement via social media: "We are excited to welcome guitarist Alen Brentini to our lineup. Alen will be with us on guitar as we move into the next chapter of U.D.O. on stage and in our day-to-day creative work. His sound and energy fit the band perfectly and we're looking forward to raising hell together!

"Please join us in giving Alen a loud welcome to the U.D.O. family. You'll hear him with us at the upcoming shows. See you out there!"

Brentini has performed on some of the biggest live TV shows in Germany and Austria, stadium tours as well as "MTV Unplugged". As a solo artist, he has released several records like "Treca Dimenzija", "Behind The Walls Of Silence", "Soul'd Out" and "Black Tears". In 2020, the first album of SOMETHING ON 11, his collaborative project with Jen Majura (ex-EVANESCENCE),was released.

When Smirnov announced his exit from U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER on October 17, he said in a statement: "After nearly 13 years, U.D.O. / DIRKSCHNEIDER and I are parting ways.

"It's both overwhelming and exciting to close a chapter that has shaped my life.

"I've been living in the fast lane since 2012 — flying straight from my last show with Paul Di'Anno and Blaze Bayley to recording 'Steelhammer' with U.D.O. Since then, we've written and released 8 studio albums, 4 live records, even reimagined the legendary ACCEPT album 'Balls To The Wall' — and played hundreds of shows all around the world. I'll always treasure those nights when the crowd's roar became my heartbeat. But every journey has its horizon — and mine is calling me forward.

"I will continue to write, record, mix, and play music — for you, and with you.

"Let's stay connected through music — because that's what unites us all.

"Thank you for being part of my story. I love you all!"

U.D.O. added in a separate statement at the time: "After many years of successful collaboration, U.D.O. / DIRKSCHNEIDER and guitarist Andrey Smirnov have decided to part ways. This decision was made amicably and with mutual respect.

"The band would like to thank Andrey for his outstanding musicianship, dedication and contribution to U.D.O. over the years. We wish him continued success in all of his future endeavors.

"U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER will continue with all upcoming projects and live shows as planned."

Smirnov joined U.D.O. in January 2013 as the replacement for Stefan Kaufmann, who left the group in late 2012 for health reasons.

The 41-year-old Andrey is a Russian rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who was previously the lead vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter and founder of the Russian modern metal band EVERLOST. He was also the session guitarist of Paul Di'Anno, Blaze Bayley (ex-IRON MAIDEN) and once was a part of famous Russian metal bands MASTER, EPIDEMIA and few others. Andrey is a well-respected studio musician.

U.D.O.'s latest album, "Touchdown", came out in August 2023 through Atomic Fire Records.

DIRKSCHNEIDER is the name of Udo's band which performs ACCEPT material exclusively.

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In a new interview with Metal Mayhem ROC, German metal queen Doro Pesch was asked about her status as a pioneer for women in heavy metal music. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's nice. Yeah, when people say, 'Yeah, man, you inspired me with your video,' 'All We Are', or something, or, 'We formed a band because we saw the video' or 'we listened to one song', that makes me so happy.

"When I started out, I swear, there were maybe 99% guys in the audience and maybe a handful of girls, and now it's almost 50-50. So I think that's great," she continued. "And so many great singers and female musicians and female bands. It feels great. But back when we started, I was the singer of the band. I didn't even think that I was like any different. I just did what I loved. Everybody knew I was dead serious about it. I wouldn't give up so easy, and I was always treated really good. I never felt that it was so different being a woman. Later on, people like journalists, they wrote some articles [highlighting the fact that I was a] woman, but to me, I'm just my little old self. I'm a metalhead. I love music. I love to make the fans happy and give them all I've got and empower them, give out great energy and sing my heart out. So, yeah, to me it was nothing special being a woman. I was just a woman. But I loved it. I was always treated so good. When we toured with people like Ronnie James Dio or MOTÖRHEAD or JUDAS PRIEST or SAXON, you name it, everybody was always super, super nice to me and very supportive. And then even these big rock stars like Gene Simmons…. I was a big KISS fan growing up — I still am — and then it was so wonderful when Gene Simmons [produced] one of my records. It was in '89, '90… That was unbelievable that Gene Simmons would produce an album, and he was writing many songs for this. And it was, 'Wow.' I mean, if you would've told me when I was like still in school that I would ever work with Gene Simmons of KISS — oh my God. So many great things happened, and I learned a lot. I learned a lot from so many people. I'm very grateful, and I wanna give it back to other bands or to new bands or to new female musicians or female bands. All the support I got, I always give it back. Whoever wants to do it — it's a tough job too, always goes up and down, but it's the best. It's the best."

A decade ago, Doro was asked by the Phoenix New Times if she could recall a memory when she first realized that the industry was embracing more females in heavy metal. "I love music and I loved the fans right from the start," she responded. "I had a great connection to the art and to the fans. To me, in metal, it doesn't matter if you're a woman or man; music isn't about that. So I never felt like I got negative feedback or feelings. I was just Doro. Everyone was so supportive, especially my other musicians or bands on tours, whether it was the legendary JUDAS PRIEST or the greatly loved and missed Ronnie James Dio and W.A.S.P. — we just had so many excellent tours and everyone was so nice and respectful."

She continued: "In the industry, it was always cool and I never felt different. I just know in the media and in magazines, they were writing things like, 'one of the few women of heavy metal,' but, to me, honestly... I think people knew I was deadly serious and dedicated, so people maybe didn't question it."

Doro added: "People might've thought it was crazy or different, a woman in heavy metal, but I never felt different. I think it was more, um, you had to fight more for your music; you had to fight more to do heavy metal. Because in the beginning with metal, it was accepted as a whole. So you had to really work your ass off, work 10 times more, to make other people feel like metal is something really beautiful. So, as a metalhead, I had more issues in the beginning just having people accept metal in general. [Laughs] Yeah, yeah! Metal has so much power and soul. It's about fighting for your music; to fight for heavy metal. That was way more difficult than fighting to be a woman in the genre."

Doro has just released "Warriors Of The Sea" via Rare Diamonds Productions. This special album is available not only as a CD digipak and picture-disc vinyl, but for the first time in Doro's career, also as liquid-filled vinyl — infused with blue curaçao.

Pesch told Metal Talk about "Warriors Of The Sea": "It's a special album, 'Warriors Of The Sea'. I'm super excited about it. At first, it was this idea to just write a song for this cruise. We did our own cruise for the first time. I did many cruises, like the Full Metal Cruise, the Monsters Of Rock cruise and the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise. So, I thought, I want to do my own cruise if it's at all possible. It was hard work to even get connections to the right ship, to people who want to do it. And then we did it. And the fans, they were excited about it. So, the first cruise was immediately sold out. And then we said, okay, let's do a second one. Then I thought, man, we… must do something really special each day, a different setlist, a different design. So, it looked like a ghost ship, a pirate ship. Then we wear different outfits like little pirates. Then I wrote a song for this cruise, and it's called 'Warriors Of The Sea'. At first, I thought maybe a single. And then we were talking about it, thinking about it, and how about we do a whole album, which has songs for this cruise. Then we came up with the idea, a picture of this, and then the liquid-filled vinyl, which is a new thing. I don't know if it will last because it is sinfully expensive. It's made by hand, but I have it here. The liquid goes crazy when you put it on your record player. It's really nice and it's all made by hand. I can't believe it."

On March 31, Doro received a lifetime achievement award in her former hometown of Düsseldorf. The award was presented to the singer in a grand, ceremonial setting by Klaus Meine, frontman of the legendary rock band SCORPIONS.

The award honored Pesch's groundbreaking career, which began in the 1980s with her band WARLOCK. As one of the first women to break into the male-dominated heavy metal scene, she established herself as a lasting force in the international music industry. With over ten million albums sold and more than 3,500 concerts across 60 countries, the Düsseldorf native is among the most successful female rock musicians of all time.

Doro's latest album, "Conqueress - Forever Strong And Proud", was released in October 2023 via Nuclear Blast.

Photo credit: Jochen Rolfes

In a new interview with Jason Green of Waste Some Time With Jason Green, Nicko McBrain confirmed that he is still technically a member of IRON MAIDEN despite having retired from touring with the band nearly a year ago. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm still a member of the band, but what does that mean exactly? Well, I'm still part of the family, so I do a lot of work with the fan club, and I'm going out and doing still IRON MAIDEN-related stuff [at conventions like Son Of Monsterpalooza]. And, yeah, it's great."

Regarding the possibility of playing on a new IRON MAIDEN album in the future, Nicko said: "First of all, there's no plans to make a new album as yet. That could change. So if that that's the case, maybe I'll be asked to do a couple of songs."

McBrain went on to say that his health issues, including the partial paralysis he experienced when he suffered a stroke nearly three years ago, contributed to his decision to stop touring with MAIDEN.

"I had a stroke in '23, in January, January the 19th, to be exact," he said. "And it left my right side paralyzed down to the waist and just slightly below. I couldn't move my leg very well. Anyway, it left me with a handicap of not being able to play fast single-stroke rolls, 16th notes, 32nd notes, a tempo like that, and then on from there. You need two hands to do that kind of speed, and [my right arm] just didn't work [the same way] anymore. So, we used to have to change the drum fills on various songs over the last two tours, the 'Legacy Of The Beast' tour part two, and then 'Future Past'. But going forward, there were songs on this new set that I knew I would have difficulty playing, and we wouldn't wanna change them, like the parts we changed, say, in 'Trooper', for instance; I didn't play the big drum fills anymore. So, we agreed. I had a big conversation with Steve [Harris, MAIDEN bassist and founder] and I told him, 'Look, I'm finding it very difficult with all the traveling and the recuperating time.' We didn't have days off, so to speak. And he said, 'Okay, I get it. And maybe it's best.' And so it was more of 80 percent me, 20 percent in agreement with the rest of the guys to hang it up. And that's why I retired."

Last month, Harris told Rock Candy magazine editor Howard Johnson about MAIDEN's first lineup change in 25 years: "To be honest, we didn't really have a choice and had to make the change after Nicko suffered his health issues. It was what it was, and we had a decision to make as to whether we wanted to carry on or not. Obviously we had a tour booked at the time that it happened, and the rest of us all wanted to continue. But ultimately, after we got through all that, it was Nick's decision to step away and we all respected the fact that he'd decided to do that."

McBrain announced his retirement on December 7, 2024 in a statement on MAIDEN's web site and social media. The now-73-year-old musician also said that night's concert at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil would mark his final show with the legendary rock band. He has since been replaced by Simon Dawson, a former session drummer and Harris's longtime bandmate in BRITISH LION.

This past July, Nicko told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about his exit from MAIDEN: "I had my health issues, which was one of the primary reasons that I decided to hang it up with the guys. And I wasn't doing the songs justice because of the handicap that I had. And it wasn't fair on everybody else either in the band. They supported me 100 percent through the 'The Future Past Tour', and that was fantastic. I couldn't have asked for a better bunch of brothers to support me through my darkest hour."

Elaborating on the physical ailments which contributed to his decision to retire from touring with IRON MAIDEN, Nicko said: "Primarily, I was fed up with touring in terms of the travel and not having days to recoup my body… I wasn't so much slowing down, although we did play the songs that… I got told off at rehearsals last year because I was playing the songs too fast, 'cause I'd been playing with [my Florida-based side project] TITANIUM TART [which plays MAIDEN songs] before I went off and did the rehearsals in Australia with MAIDEN. And I actually got told off for playing too quick. So it wasn't a question of not being able to drive the band. It was just not being able to drive the band with the drum fills that I'd been used to playing for 42 years. So the question mark was raised about the performance side. And that's quite right…So that was part of the decision that I made."

When Nicko first went public with his stroke in August 2023, the drummer said in a statement that the episode left him "paralyzed" down one side of his body and "worried" that his career with the band was over.

Five years ago, McBrain was diagnosed with stage 1 laryngeal cancer and opened up about it in a single interview in 2021 but otherwise kept it mostly under wraps.

McBrain officially joined IRON MAIDEN in December 1982 for the 1983 "Piece Of Mind" album and tour, replacing Clive Burr, after McBrain's previous band TRUST had supported IRON MAIDEN during the U.K. leg of the "Killers" tour in 1981. McBrain brought a degree of finesse and technicality that was largely missing from IRON MAIDEN's early output. Whereas Burr was often lauded for his heavy-handed, punk-oriented style, McBrain was largely the opposite, playing with a degree of dexterity and flair that helped primary songwriter Harris take MAIDEN down more adventurous paths. He eventually became the third longest-tenured member of MAIDEN, behind Harris and guitarist Dave Murray.

In a new interview with Brazil's A 89 Rádio Rock, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH guitarist Zoltan Bathory was asked how he sees the musical evolution of the band which formed two decades ago and released its ninth studio album, "AfterLife", in 2022. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Actually, it's an interesting question, because right now we are in a process of recording our tenth album. We just did, obviously, the two best-of compilations ['Best Of - Volume 1' and 'Best Of - Volume 2'], but we also recording an [all-new] original album. And this is literally the conversation Ivan [Moody], our singer, and I are having right now, of where are we going with this? Are we making an album that is sort of a revisit of our history? Should we make an album that sort of puts a bow on the top of what we have done before, revisit the best of what we have done, the best of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH and create one comprehensive album that sort of recaptures our history. Is that what we should be doing? Or should we just keep moving and evolving and do something new, do something else? Something else — I mean, you can't really go far away from your core sound. That's our sound, so it's not like we are gonna sound like jazz fusion anytime soon, but should we try to approach this new album like, 'Hey, let's do something fresh and new completely?' Maybe change a little, tiny, tiny [bit in terms of our] direction or revisit [what we have done in the past]. So literally that's the conversation right there. So the question that you have is the question that we have also. Where are we going right now? So we have five, six songs that we wrote so far, and it doesn't mean that they're gonna be final or even stay. So we just gonna keep writing and sort of feel it out. So right now it is up in the air. We don't know yet what this next thing is gonna be."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is celebrating its 20th anniversary with the release of two definitive greatest-hits collections: "Best Of - Volume 1" (released in July) and "Best Of - Volume 2" (out today). Both albums feature newly re-recorded versions of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's biggest anthems, created in response to the sale of the original song masters — made without the band's knowledge or opportunity to reclaim them.

Instead of remixing or remastering, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH turned the setback into a positive by fully re-recording fan favorites across two volumes — both as a tribute to the songs and the fans who've stood with them over two decades. While honoring the originals and those who helped create them, the band brings renewed intensity to tracks like "Sham Pain", "Blue On Black", "Trouble" and "Burn MF". Together, the two collections pay respect to the past while reintroducing the music for a new era. "Best Of - Volume 2" includes 16 re-recorded classics plus three previously unreleased live versions of "Wash It All Away", "Wrong Side Of Heaven" and "Jekyll and Hyde".

On September 5, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH announced today's release of "Volume 2" alongside a new single, "The End", featuring BABYMETAL. The song has been steadily climbing the rock charts since and is at No. 5 this week. BABYMETAL vocalist Su-Metal shares: "We were invited to take part in a 20th-anniversary collaboration project featuring guest artists on past songs. FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH and BABYMETAL had performed at the same festival overseas back in 2015, so I was really happy thinking they might have remembered me from then. I sang Japanese lyrics inspired by the original lyrics of 'The End' and spent a lot of time experimenting to find the voice that best fit such a deep, cool track. My favorite moment is the flow from 'Negai o kakete' into the break, where my voice is gradually engulfed by Ivan's growl — it gave me chills. I hope listeners feel that too."

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH is currently making history with "The End" featuring BABYMETAL — the first-ever song including Japanese lyrics to break into U.S. Active Rock radio. The track has been resonating powerfully with fans worldwide and recently had a No. 1 streak for several weeks on the Japanese iTunes Metal chart. It also reached No. 18 on the Japanese all-genres chart — a rare feat for an international rock release, confirming that music truly is universal.

Earlier this year, "Best Of - Volume 1" led with the 2025 version of "I Refuse" featuring Maria Brink of IN THIS MOMENT, which hit No. 1 on the rock charts in July. With over 13 billion streams, countless No. 1 hits, and multiple gold and platinum awards, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH remains one of the 21st century’s most dominant rock acts.

To mark the release of "Volume 2" today, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH has partnered with Fandiem for a special contest to benefit MusiCares, an organization supporting the music community by providing a safety net of critical health and welfare services through Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Services, Health and Human Services. Fans can donate for a chance to win roundtrip airfare and a two-night hotel stay to a FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH show, an exclusive, signed B.C. Rich guitar, a meet-and-greet with members of the band, merch and more.

A FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH 20th-anniversary playlist generator is now live here, allowing fans to create their own personalized playlist and enter to win a limited-edition custom award plaque commemorating "Best Of - Volume 1" and "Volume 2".

"Best Of - Volume 1" and "Best Of - Volume 2" are available worldwide in multiple formats, including standard CD and vinyl, a limited-edition CD exclusive to Walmart, multiple collectible vinyl editions available at Best Buy, Walmart, the FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH webstore, indie retail and a Revolver magazine exclusive.

To commemorate FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's 20th anniversary, a special merchandise collection is also available now in the official webstore.

Photo credit: Chad Martel

BIOHAZARD guitarist/vocalist Billy Graziadei cut his head open during the band's concert last night (Saturday, October 25) in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Graziadei and his bandmates were playing the second song of their set, "Wrong Side Of The Tracks", at Théâtre Beanfield when Billy lost his footing and fell backwards, hitting his head against the drum riser. He was quickly helped back up by two roadies, after which he removed his hooded sweatshirt and proceeded with the rest of the concert.

After the show, Graziadei took to his social media to share a phot of him with his face and shirt covered in blood, and he included the following message: "Thank you Montreal! I bled for you and left it all on stage!"

Fan-filmed video of the incident can be seen below.

BIOHAZARD first studio album in over a decade, "Divided We Fall", came out on October 17 via BLKIIBLK. The recording sessions for the LP took place at Shorefire Recording Studios in Long Branch, New Jersey and The Hydeaway in Van Nuys, California, with engineering by Joseph DeMaio and additional recording from Matt Hyde. Guitar and production tech duties were handled by Phil Caivano.

BIOHAZARD has just teamed up with the American hip-hop group ONYX for a North American tour.

The first reunion show from the reunited classic lineup of BIOHAZARD — Graziadei, drummer Danny Schuler, guitarist Bobby Hambel and bassist/vocalist Evan Seinfeld — took place in May 2023 at the Milwaukee Metal Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

"Divided We Fall" is Graziadei and Seinfeld's first full-length with Hambel and Schuler since 2012's "Reborn In Defiance".

Prior to BIOHAZARD's latest reunion, the group, which is acknowledged as one of the earliest outfits to fuse hardcore punk and heavy metal with elements of hip-hop, had been out of the public eye since Scott Roberts left the band more than nine years ago.

Roberts, who played guitar on BIOHAZARD's 2005 album "Means To An End", rejoined the group in June 2011 as the replacement for Seinfeld. Scott fronted BIOHAZARD for nearly five years before exiting the band in February 2016.

Thank you Montreal! I bled for you and left it all on stage! #biohazard #dividedwefall

Posted by Billy Biohazard on Saturday, October 25, 2025

Legendary guitarist George Lynch and his band — once again billed as LYNCH MOB — performed on October 24 at Token Lounge in Westland, Michigan. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below. Joining Lynch on stage at the show were vocalist Andrew Freeman (LAST IN LINE),drummer Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, FOREIGNER, OZZY OSBOURNE) and bassist Jaron Gulino.

Tichy was previously a touring member of LYNCH MOB in 2010, 2012–2013, 2015, 2020 and 2025; Gulino was in LYNCH MOB from 2022 to 2025; and Freeman played with LYNCH MOB in 2003, 2010 and 2019.

This past July, the same four musicians played their first two shows under the name of what at the time was supposed to be George's new touring entity, GEORGE LYNCH & THE MOB.

In a recent interview with Talking With Cars, Lynch spoke about his upcoming touring activities following the completion of LYNCH MOB's "The Final Ride" farewell tour celebrating the band's 35-year legacy. He said: "Well, LYNCH MOB did its last show March 22nd, earlier this year. And so that's it for touring for LYNCH MOB. So I have another entity partially put together, which will probably be a revolving door of different people. But right now I'm just tentatively calling it GEORGE LYNCH & THE MOB, so people can identify with my name and the fact that there's still the LYNCH MOB aspect to that name without the bad connotations."

Asked if GEORGE LYNCH & THE MOB will feature a "rotating" lineup of musicians, George said: "Most likely, yeah. Because we aren't gonna be touring solidly enough to really keep a band together. So it'll just be probably a basket of different people that'll rotate in and out on a need-to basis or whenever they're available."

He continued: "The interesting thing is I've played with so many people in LYNCH MOB that a lot of those people are still friends of mine. They're familiar with me and the material and what people wanna hear. So it's easy. So we've got a couple shows coming up in the summer here. And it is Jaron [Gulino] still on bass from LYNCH MOB. And, we've got Brian Tichy on drums for the next couple shows. But we do have a LYNCH MOB record coming out. So, it's being mixed right now. It's all done. It's been done for a second, and it's gonna be a double album — it's gonna be, well, actually two albums. Two separate albums but packaged together. So it's a live album — full live show — and then also a studio album. And that's it. It's mixed right now. So, [it will be out] later in the year."

LYNCH MOB, the band formed by George in 1989 after his exit from DOKKEN, played its "final" concert on March 22 at the Medina Entertainment Center in Medina, Minnesota.

In February, George was asked by the Iron City Rocks podcast how he felt about completing one final trek with LYNCH MOB. George said: "Well, it's a mixed bag. I thought that it would make sense to go out with a band that, or a version of the band, which this is, that has remained intact for a while. LYNCH MOB has a history of having a revolving door, so that's been frustrating for me because when I first put the band together in '89, I was hoping for the exact opposite… And, of course, that did not happen. But we have a great time, and when we spend time together and tour, it's just really a dream, fun band. We joke around a lot. We work hard and the band — we bring it when we get on stage and we get in the studio. I thought, 'Well, that's the way to go out.' And also, on the other side of the coin, I'm not getting any younger. I didn't want to be that guy up there on crutches, having to sit down. I wanted people to remember it with some sense of vitality. Yeah, so I think we're kind of ending on a positive note, I would say. And we gave ourselves quite a long window. We decided this last year, and it gave us an eight-month, nine-month window. So it's a long, slow kind of fade into the sunset… And we've got, actually, two records [in the works] — we've got a live album and a live DVD and a studio record."

Asked if he was planning on getting involved in more recording projects in the future once the LYNCH MOB tour was done, George said: "Well, I love being in the studio, and I have a pretty nice studio situation, both in California, where I have my own studio, and in New Mexico, where I have found a home out there and a really wonderful venue, where I'm working now, actually. So, as long as I have something to say, I'll try to say it musically. But I will say that I've sort of spent my — I've done a lot of recording, I've written a lot of songs in the last group of years, since COVID and so forth, so I find myself kind of treading over old ground and saying the same thing, and I don't like that. And I think on occasion I've gotta slow down in my output a little bit. So, as I mentioned, we are working on a LYNCH MOB 'Final Ride' studio record. And beyond that, I've got other records in the pipeline that I am obligated — well, I can do, let's say; I don't know how obligated I am. If I don't wanna do 'em, I don't have to do 'em. One is a fourth THE END MACHINE record for Frontiers. And the other one is a third 'Heavy Hitters' album, which is a series of records that [ex-DOKKEN bassist] Jeff Pilson and I have been doing for Cleopatra Records, which are covers, and that's always really fun to do. I enjoy working with Jeff. I'll be working with Jeff Pilson on both those records. So that might be something that I decide to finish up. But, having said that, those are obligations consistent with my past work, doing THE END MACHINE records and 'Heavy Hitters' records and LYNCH MOB records and various other projects, with KXM and so forth, that I have been doing. But what I'm thinking is I would really like to — not to be super self-indulgent, but do something different. And that requires kind of banking a bunch of experiences and exposure, different kinds of music and styles and saying something unique. Or doing a master guitar record, what I consider would be my magnum opus guitar record. That's easier said than done, but maybe I need [to do something like that]. I don't know. I'm not sure what I wanna do yet. But I'm gonna let this touring schedule ride out and then I'm gonna sort of collect my thoughts [about what my next step will be]."

LYNCH MOB was formed in 1989 after Lynch parted ways with his former band DOKKEN. Their debut release, "Wicked Sensation", was met with critical and fan acclaim and went on to be certified gold in sales by the RIAA. The band would continue on through the years with a cast of talented players joining Lynch throughout their musical journey over the course of six more studio albums.

In August 2020, Lynch announced that he was ending LYNCH MOB due to the racial insensitivity of the moniker, saying he would no longer record or perform under that name. Two years later, George had a change of heart, explaining that he had to "live with the fact that [the name LYNCH MOB] has some negative connotations that I probably have to continue explaining for the rest of my life, and I don't mind doing that. But it is a brand that I built, and I'm just gonna stick with it. As far as a marketing thing and a brand thing and a business thing and a working thing, and it keeps my band guys working and it keeps the fans happy, it makes sense."

LYNCH MOB will release its ninth and final full-length studio album, "Dancing With The Devil", on November 28, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl.

As was the case with LYNCH MOB's eighth studio album, 2023's "Babylon", "Dancing With The Devil" features Lynch alongside vocalist Gabriel Colón, bassist Jaron Gulino (TANTRIC, HEAVENS EDGE) and drummer Jimmy D'Anda (ex-BULLETBOYS).

This weekend
Friday LYNCH MOB • BULLETBOYS
Saturday KINGS OF THRASH featuring David Ellefson & Jeff Young (ex Megadeth)

Posted by The Token Lounge on Monday, October 20, 2025

LYNCH MOB • BULLETBOYS
Friday 10/24

Posted by The Token Lounge on Friday, October 17, 2025

Fan-filmed video of BULLETBOYS' October 24 concert at Token Lounge in Westland, Michigan can be seen below.

The Token Lounge gig marked BULLETBOYS' first performance since the return of drummer Jimmy D'Anda. Playing alongside him in the band's current lineup are fellow original members Marq Torien (lead vocals, guitar) and Lonnie Vencent (bass),plus the group's latest addition, guitarist Frankie Lindia (David Lee Roth, RATT).

When D'Anda's return was first announced earlier in the month, Torien said in a statement: "After many years, Jimmy is coming home. Lonnie and I couldn't be happier. We are recapturing the heart and soul of the band's original chemistry, something that we know the fans will be happy about."

BULLETBOYS added: "BULLETBOYS is also proud to reveal that Frankie Lindia (formerly David Lee Roth, RATT, ATOMIC PUNKS) will also join the lineup. Frankie's fiery playing adds a modern edge and technical brilliance to the band's catalog. Paired with Torien's powerhouse vocals and the locked-in groove of Vencent and D'Anda, the BULLETBOYS lineup is stronger than ever.

"More than three decades after their debut, BULLETBOYS promises to remain a force of unapologetic, soulful hard rock! We love our fans, who can expect the energy of the original lineup, rekindled with the same fire that made the band stand out when it exploded on to the Los Angeles rock scene in 1988. It is a new era for BULLETBOYS — one that honors the band's roots while charging forward with renewed passion and pure hard rock fire."

The original BULLETBOYS lineup of Torien, Vencent, D'Anda and guitarist Mick Sweda last reunited back in mid-December 2019 and lasted for a couple of years before Sweda announced in January 2022 that both he and D'Anda were exiting the band. In December 2024, Vencent rejoined BULLETBOYS once again.

D'Anda broke the news of his return to the BULLETBOYS in an October 13 post on his Facebook page. He wrote at the time: "Everyone knows it's a monumental task for bands to reunite, especially bands that have been fractured for years… Having said that, I felt that there was unfinished business with my old band BBOYS and after losing OZZY , that shook me to my core … So Lonnie, Marq and myself sat down at SALSA AND BEER and had a heartfelt moment of honesty and cleared some years of resentment ( witch we had never done before). I then sat down with Mick, the original guitarist, and asked if he’d come back, he had no desire to do so, and understandably so. I reached to several guitarist but none had the fire of guitarist Frankie Lindia ( DLR /RATT/ATOMIC PUNKS) so please welcome him to the fold!"

BULLETBOYS formed in 1988 at the very peak of the Los Angeles glam metal movement. As a collection of talented musicians, BULLETBOYS were able to quickly capture the attention of music fans around the world. Unlike other rockers of the day, the BULLETBOYS possessed more hard rock-blues fusion than pure hair metal. Thanks to comparisons to the likes of AEROSMITH and VAN HALEN, talent scouts came running and the band quickly received their first major label contract.

BULLETBOYS' self-titled debut was released in 1988 via Warner Bros. and peaked at number 34 on the Billboard 200. The album spawned two hit singles, a cover of the O'JAYS classic "For The Love Of Money" and "Smooth Up in Ya", both of which charted on the Mainstream Rock chart and saw regular airplay on MTV. BULLETBOYS went on to release two more albums, 1991's "Freakshow" and 1993's "Za-Za", before splitting up.

After the original BULLETBOYS lineup's most recent full reunion disintegrated almost four years ago, Sweda said in an interview that he would "never do anything with BULLETBOYS again."

This Friday Night!!!
#lynchmob @georgelynch
BULLETBOYS
@tokenlounge
We are stoked to playin with #georgelynch
Cant wait to see all yall and rock the hizz with you!!
BB🥳💯🖤🏴‍☠️🎶⚡️🔥

Posted by BULLETBOYS on Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Golden Robot Records has released "It's Only Love", a powerhouse new single from Militia Vox and Corey Glover (of LIVING COLOUR),with guest appearances by Vernon Reid (LIVING COLOUR) and Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME). The track is now available across all major digital platforms and can be streamed below.

"It's Only Love" is a high-energy, hard-hitting rock duet that explodes with empowerment and passion. Originally made famous in the '80s by Bryan Adams and Tina Turner, this modern reimagining sees Vox and Glover deliver a searing vocal performance, rich with chemistry and intensity. Their voices intertwine with fiery grit and soulful depth, giving the classic an electrifying new edge. The track also features an all-star guitar showdown between Reid and Bettencourt, whose dueling lead guitar parts bring both raw power and intricate flair. Reid's inventive, razor-sharp style collides with Bettencourt's explosive, virtuosic shredding — creating a blistering sonic clash that pushes the track into overdrive.

With its cutting-edge electronic/industrial rock production, "It's Only Love" updates the timeless anthem for a new generation while paying homage to its original spirit. The result is a bold, modern rock collaboration that celebrates resilience, strength, and the sheer force of love.

Militia Vox is an alt-rock/metal artist, singer, songwriter, composer, actress, host, fire performer, visual artist and AR/XR/XR immersive creator. Her music is a unique and rebellious blend of metal, rock, goth/industrial, prog and cinematic soundscapes. Known for her four-octave range, raw presence and serious vocal power, this award-winning heavy music trailblazer has worked with Cyndi Lauper, TWISTED SISTER, LIVING COLOUR, Nancy Sinatra, CANDLEBOX, L7, Kathleen Hanna (BIKINI KILL, LETIGRE),Doug Pinnick (KING'S X),John Petrucci (DREAM THEATER),Nuno Bettencourt (EXTREME, Rihanna),24-7 SPYZ, Paul Schaffer and the CBS Orchestra and members of GUNS 'N' ROSES, BAD WOLVES, KITTIE, THE ROOTS and more.

Militia Vox's duet with heavy metal icon Rob Halford (JUDAS PRIEST),"Push Comes To Shove" by BAD PENNY, reached No. 23 on iTunes. She is also frontwoman of all-female heavy metal sensation JUDAS PRIESTESS — and the only artist to have a duet with the person they've tributed! Her cover of LED ZEPPELIN's "Friends" by PATRIARCHS IN BLACK (with Johnny Kelly of TYPE O NEGATIVE, DANZIG and QUIET RIOT) was named No. 10 in the "Top 10 Best Of" on SiriusXM's Liquid Metal.

Militia made her Lincoln Center debut in 2025, her Carnegie Hall debut in 2022 and has performed in Broadway shows and musicals such as "Everything Bad And Beautiful", "Chix 6", regional productions/tours of "Rock Of Ages", "The Rocky Horror Show" and the European tour of "Jesus Christ Superstar". She also starred in the national tours of Dee Snider's horror orchestra "Van Helsing's Curse" and Black Women Rock / Daughters Of Betty.

Militia hosted Fuse TV's "Heavy Metal Makeover" and VJed on MTV2, VH1 and MuchMusic USA. Militia is in books and films, including the documentary "Betty: They Say I'm Different" about the life of funk-rock legend Betty Davis (Amazon Prime).

New York hardcore veterans MADBALL will release a new album in March 2026. The LP's first single, "Tethered", will arrive in November.

MADBALL will next support California hardcore outfit LIONHEART on a European tour in early 2026. Additional support will come from GIDEON and SLOPE.

On Thursday (October 23),MADBALL shared the following update via social media: "Looking forward to next year for many reasons! We will be kicking off the year with this banger of a line up - do not sleep on this tour … get your tix asap!! New album will be dropping in March 2026 - very excited for people to hear it !! First single Tethered will drop in Nov, this year!"

In August 2023, longtime MADBALL bassist Jorge "Hoya Roc" Guerra announced his departure from the band. MADBALL frontman Freddy Cricien later said that there was "no bad blood or animosity" between him and Guerra, explaining that they were "simply moving in different directions".

MADBALL originated in the late 1980s, as a side project of AGNOSTIC FRONT. The band developed after AGNOSTIC FRONT frontman Roger Miret would let his younger half-brother, Freddy Cricien, take the microphone and perform lead vocals during AGNOSTIC FRONT shows.

MADBALL's latest album, "For The Cause", was released in June 2018 via Nuclear Blast. The record was mixed and mastered by renowned producer Tue Madsen at Antfarm Studios in Denmark. It was co-produced by Tim Armstrong (RANCID),who is also featured on the album.

Press photo courtesy of Nuclear Blast Records

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Florida metallers TRIVIUM have recruited drummer Alex Rüdinger (formerly of WHITECHAPEL) to sit behind the kit for their fall 2025 North American tour.

Earlier today (Friday, October 24),TRIVIUM released the following statement via social media: "Hi everyone: As we prepare to hit the road next week for our North American tour we wanted to explain where we are with our drummer.

"We want to sincerely thank Greyson Nekrutman for stepping in and crushing it with us at Aftershock festival. It was an honor to share the stage with such a powerhouse talent, and we're grateful to both Greyson and SEPULTURA for making it possible.

"As we look ahead to our North American tour with JINJER and HERIOT and into a new album cycle, the realities of scheduling made it clear that Greyson wouldn't be able to continue with us for the tour. There's nothing but respect between us — Greyson is a humble, confident, and passionate musician, and we'll always be fans.

"That said, we're excited to share that we've reconnected with a drummer we've known for over a decade — Alex Rüdinger (formerly of WHITECHAPEL). Fun fact: we asked Alex to join TRIVIUM nine years ago, but the timing didn't align.

"Alex Rüdinger will join us on tour starting next week and will be part of our writing sessions for the next TRIVIUM record. We're thrilled to finally share the stage with him and explore what's ahead.

"See you on the road."

Rüdinger added in a separate post: "Beyond thrilled to be doing this.

"I've been so focused on learning material that I've barely had time to even process it. Been GRINDIN', transcribed 14+ songs, learning & drilling them on the kit (trying to remember to rest, a challenge for me. Lol!) — just truly so stoked to do this.
"I have more I want to say but, for the moment, I'mma get back to practicing...! Getting the material all sick is my top priority!

"Will make a better post soon. But yeah — just, so stoked y'all."

In a recent interview with Australia's Wall Of Sound, TRIVIUM's Corey Beaulieu spoke about the band's recent split with its longtime drummer Alex Bent. The guitarist said: "It just kind of happened, and it was kind of a surprise. I don't think anyone was really expecting it. But it is what it is. When it all kind of went down, we all wished each other the best. There's no hard feelings. It was just kind of one of those things where it's, like, life changes paths. And it's all positive. We made three amazing records together. The [upcoming 'Struck Dead'] EP is amazing, which it will be his last thing. He started working on the [next TRIVIUM full-length] record with us, so hopefully when that's finished and done, he'll feel a part of that."

Corey continued: "When [Alex] came into the band, we had a great chemistry, a great writing team. I think all the music we did together is — hopefully the fans just are really excited about what was created in that time. And Alex, he's a great drummer, a great person and stuff, and I'm sure he's got plans for whatever his next chapter is."

Referencing the fact that Nekrutman performed with TRIVIUM at the Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California, just a few days after Alex's exit, Corey said: "I guess the timing [of Alex's departure] kind of put us in a pickle, but with all that going down, it was, like, we just had to kind of like, block everything out and like focus on how to get… We didn't have much time to get ready for this show [at the Aftershock festival] and we have a tour coming up. But there's a lot of amazing musicians out there, and luckily we were able to find someone that could give us a helping hand to be able to play Aftershock and not cancel."

TRIVIUM bassist Paolo Gregoletto told Thunder Underground about the band's split with Bent:  "I don't feel like I want fans to be, like, Hey, okay, we're over it. We expect you to be over it,' kind of thing. I'm like, no. I'm, like, we made a lot of great music and there's a lot of history between us. He was almost in the band as long as Travis [Smith, former TRIVIUM drummer] was and almost made as many albums, I believe. So that's a pretty big chunk of our history right there. And I think 'The Sin And The Sentence', of the stuff we all did together, is maybe one of my favorite records we've done. And I think the [upcoming] EP ['Struck Dead'], too — if that's the end of the chapter, I'm, like, that's a great ending right there, 'cause I think it's a very, very cool EP. And I can say without a doubt, I feel that the albums and EP has been an incredible run. I don't feel we had a real weak point. I can't say that's something I feel like for our whole career. So I'm, like, I feel very proud of that. It was a lot of effort and work and everyone's part."

At Aftershock, Paolo told Baby Huey and Chasta of the San Francisco radio station 107.7 The Bone about Bent: "We've had a great nine years together. I feel like it's kind of a weird thing because, obviously, being in a band together, but I feel like because we've all had families and stuff, there's a tighter connection there that even just what people see. So I think it's one of those things, we all were kind of sad, but at the same time, we said, 'Alex, we want you to kind of make the statement. You kind of lead how you'd like to handle all this stuff.' And I didn't wanna put words in his mouth or say whatever. He made the statement. I feel like we ended on great terms. And that's really kind of it. I mean, there's no juicier CRADLE OF FILTH [-style] drama [with former hired musicians sharing their grievances online]. And, again, it's one of those things where we wanted him to make a statement."

Paolo continued: "In the past we've always been very, like — we don't really like to get into any behind-the-scenes stuff with that. And, of course, we've had changes before, but we felt like in this instance, rather than just saying 'we're parting' or whatever, we [told Alex], like, 'Well, you've been around for so long, our fans would wanna hear from you.' And so that made it more important to us to be, like, 'Okay, you are gonna say whatever you'd like to say.' We didn't [tell Alex], 'You can't say this or that.' And then just give it 24 hours. And then as we hit the stage [at the Aftershock festival] today, be, like, 'Okay, this is the guy playing with us for today, for the tour,' and then that's kind of it."

When Alex announced his departure from TRIVIUM on October 3, he said in a statement: "I am beyond grateful for the incredible past nine years with TRIVIUM — filled with unforgettable moments, music, and friendships that I'll always carry with me. I'm so proud of every record and tour we created together, and I know TRIVIUM will continue to dominate the world; they'll always have my support.

"While this chapter has come to a close, this is by no means the end of my path as a musician. I'm excited for this new chapter, and I look forward to continuing to create, perform, and share music in new ways.

"Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way. Your encouragement means the world."

In December 2016, TRIVIUM parted ways with Paul Wandtke and welcomed Bent, a former member of BATTLECROSS and DECREPIT BIRTH who had previously played with TESTAMENT as a fill-in for that band's longtime drummer Gene Hoglan.

"Struck Dead" will arrive on October 31 via longtime label Roadrunner. The effort was produced by TRIVIUM and recorded with Mark Lewis at the band's Hangar Studios in Orlando, Florida. It was mixed and mastered by Josh Wilbur.

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Posted by Trivium on Friday, October 24, 2025