German company Aviationtag, which specializes in upcycling scrapped airplanes, has created a limited run of one-of-a-kind tags made from the fuselage of Ed Force One, the moniker given the plane that served IRON MAIDEN on its 2016 "The Book Of Souls" world tour. This special edition celebrates the spectacular and storied history of IRON MAIDEN's legendary "flying tour bus," the Boeing 747 Ed Force One.

Ed Force One was not merely a mode of transport; it became a flying symbol of IRON MAIDEN's global touring legacy. The aircraft, a Boeing 747-400 with registration TF-AAK, was instrumental in carrying the band, its crew, and an impressive array of stage equipment on their epic 2016 world tour, "The Book Of Souls".

Bruce Dickinson, IRON MAIDEN's legendary frontman and licensed pilot, was more than just the voice of the band — he also personally took the controls of Ed Force One during the tour. Reflecting on the aircraft's unique presence, he summed up its legacy: "She always behaved like the Queen Of The Skies that the 747 will always be. There will never be another to occupy her throne. The power, the noise of those 4 engines, the featherlight touchdowns (not my fault — blame good design) and her airborne elegance put the 747 in a unique category."

A new video accompanying the product launch can be seen below.

A detailed interview with Dickinson is available exclusively in a booklet, which is included as a special supplement with every Ed Force One Aviationtag.

In Zurich, Ed Force One truly stood out. While the jets belonging to chancellor Angela Merkel and president François Hollande were parked nearby and appeared almost miniature in comparison, Ed Force One captured everyone's attention. Its larger-than-life presence and undeniable rock 'n' roll charm set it apart, underscoring why this iconic aircraft remains a symbol of global aviation history.

The Aviationtag x Iron Maiden Edition is carefully crafted from upcycled material of the iconic Boeing 747 TF-AAK, which was scrapped in 2024. The tag's front proudly displays the legendary Ed Force One logo, while the back features the unmistakable image of Eddie, IRON MAIDEN's iconic mascot. This design not only celebrates the aircraft's storied past but also bridges the gap between aviation heritage and rock 'n' roll culture.

Tobias Richter, CCO at Aviationtag, states: "We have been working on this project for over two years, and we're proud to finally present our Aviationtag x Iron Maiden Edition. Ed Force One is one of the most famous aircraft in the world, and this edition captures its enduring legacy in a truly collectible form."

With this exclusive Aviationtag edition, fans can now hold a tangible piece of aviation and rock history in their hands.

Each tag is sized around 1.5 by 3.5 inches (35 by 88 millimeters) and retails at €66.66 (around $73) on Aviationtag's web site. The price point is a nod to 666 and the IRON MAIDEN classic "The Number Of The Beast".

For more information and to purchase, visit www.aviationtag.com/ironmaiden.

Frontiers Music Srl has announced the signing of LYNYRD SKYNYRD, one of the most legendary and enduring bands in rock history. This partnership celebrates the band's incredible legacy while looking ahead to exciting new projects.

As part of this exciting new collaboration, the Frontiers label will release "Celebrating 50 Years - Live At The Ryman", a live album and DVD capturing LYNYRD SKYNYRD's historic 50th-anniversary concert at Nashville's legendary venue in 2022. This special release holds profound significance as it features the final performance of founding member Gary Rossington.

The album showcases the band's unparalleled energy, their signature blend of blues rock and Southern hard rock swagger, and stands as both a heartfelt tribute to Rossington and a celebration of LYNYRD SKYNYRD's lasting legacy in music history.

Johnny Van Zant expressed his enthusiasm about the signing and the upcoming release: "50 years for LYNYRD SKYNYRD… WOW! We are so grateful to the devoted fans for their support throughout the years of transitions and losses. Last year we lost the great Mr. Gary Rossington. We unknowingly were able to capture his final performance with us. It's bittersweet but what a special place to have had his final performance, the mothership of music — The Ryman Auditorium!

"It was a very special night with incredibly talented guests as we honored the iconic musicality of SKYNYRD. We are so grateful to the Ryman and to all of those who have worked so hard to make this project become a reality! This will forever be a keepsake in our hearts, and we are so happy to be able to share it with our Skynyrd Nation," he continued.

"Few bands have left such a lasting impact on rock music as LYNYRD SKYNYRD," stated Serafino Perugino, president and CEO of Frontiers Label Group. "It is an honor to work with such an iconic name, and we can't wait to bring fans something truly special."

Tom Lipsky, head of A&R of North America for Frontiers Label Group, added: "Gary Rossington touched the world with his songwriting and inspired us for decades onstage. It is an honour to bring the words and music of LYNYRD SKYNYRD to the fans via Gary's final performance, surrounded by his LYNYRD SKYNYRD family as together they delivered an unforgettable concert experience at The Ryman!"

Ross Schilling of Vector Management commented: "We are excited to bring 50 years of SKYNYRD to the fans. The Rossington family felt it was important to share Gary's last performance with everyone. It was a special night with incredibly talented guest artists, honoring the iconic songs of SKYNYRD in the mother church of music, The Ryman Auditorium."

With over 28 million records sold in the U.S. and a sound as iconic as the American culture it celebrates, Rock And Roll Hall of Famers LYNYRD SKYNYRD continue to inspire fans of all ages while embodying the very soul of Southern rock.

From their humble Jacksonville beginnings, through tragedy, reunion, and redemption, the band has earned its place on Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time", as well as a prominent spot in the hearts of generations.

In the wake of the 50th anniversary of their pioneering debut album "(Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)" the band continues to tour, record, and delight their hundreds of millions of global fans with an eye on both the future and their rich history.

Originally formed in 1964 as MY BACKYARD, the band evolved into LYNYRD SKYNYRD in 1968, with a lineup featuring Ronnie Van Zant (vocals),Gary Rossington (guitar),Allen Collins (guitar),Larry Junstrom (bass) and Bob Burns (drums). Their 1973 debut album introduced the world to their unmistakable blend of blues, country, and hard rock. Hits like "Sweet Home Alabama" and the timeless "Free Bird" cemented their status as pioneers of the genre.

At the peak of their success, in 1977, a devastating plane crash claimed the lives of lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, and backup vocalist Cassie Gaines, leaving the music world in shock. Despite the unimaginable loss, LYNYRD SKYNYRD's legacy endured, and their music remained a beacon of Southern rock.

In 1987, the band reformed with Ronnie's younger brother, Johnny Van Zant, taking the lead as lead vocalist. LYNYRD SKYNYRD continued to tour and record, with guitarist Rickey Medlocke returning to the fold in 1996. Throughout the years, the band remained a driving force in rock, honoring their roots while bringing their signature sound to new audiences.

Recognized as one of the greatest rock bands of all time, LYNYRD SKYNYRD was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2006 and ranked No. 95 on Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Artists Of All Time." With over 28 million records sold in the United States alone, their impact on music is undeniable.

Though founding member Gary Rossington's passing in 2023 marked the end of an era, LYNYRD SKYNYRD's influence remains stronger than ever. Their enduring music, spirit, and legacy will forever stand as a testament to the power of rock and roll.

Photo credit: Doltyn Snedden (courtesy of Frontiers Music Srl)

In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist John 5 paid tribute to legendary Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhoads, who died exactly 43 years ago. John 5 said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Randy was an anomaly. He just had this style that nobody really had before. And it was kind of like the invention of the microwave, and you're, like, 'Oh, wow. Look at this. This is so different.' Or an electric car. You're, like, 'Whoa, this is so different.' And that's how Randy was to millions of fans, me included. I just loved his style. It was very unique and he had classical, of course, in there. And you could tell he was just obsessed and so dedicated to the guitar. Not only such a incredible guitar player, but such a incredible songwriter too."

Referencing the fact that Ozzy made a name for himself as the frontman of BLACK SABBATH before launching a solo career with Randy's help, John 5 continued: "It's not like Randy came in and they sounded like BLACK SABBATH. They took a totally different direction than SABBATH. And Randy reinvented the wheel — if you think about it, he totally reinvented the wheel. It's unbelievable. Coming out with [the Ozzy song] 'Crazy Train' — I think that was their first single — that riff will never die. That riff will be popular forever and ever and ever… Just think about that. You get into a band. Randy might go, 'Oh, I'll write some BLACK SABBATH riffs. Tony Iommi's genius and I love him.' And Randy reinvented the wheel. Unbelievable! And the world loved it. The world loved it."

Asked what the last time was that he saw a new guitar player where he was "maybe even a little bit blown away", John 5 said: "I think it's more today than it has been in decades, because of the fact we have Instagram, we have things like that where you can see people from all over the world. Before, you got to just see people that were famous or that were in your neighborhood. But there's people that are unbelievable that are all over the world.

"It's funny because when guitar players do interviews, they ask 'Oh, who do you like? Who do you like?', they always say people from the past. And I love people from the past, but I always give praise to people that are right now. And I think it's wonderful.

"I think guitar playing has evolved so much — it really has. It's evolved so much… And I learn every day. I am learning every day, because I'm never comfortable — ever. I'm never, ever comfortable. And I never wanna be, 'cause I always just wanna keep going, keep going and keep improving and keep improving. So it's a blast. I love it. Thank God. I think that's the meaning of life, is doing what you love."

In May 2025, John 5 will open up his personal KISS collection for the first time ever to fellow KISS fans around the world with his brand-new Knights In Satan Service Museum of KISS memorabilia in Los Angeles, California. Guided tours will be open to the public for one month only (with a possible expansion). Current dates available are May 5-9, May 12-16, May 19-23 and May 27-30. Each will be led by John 5 himself who will provide tons of rich detail and answer any questions.

Tickets are on sale now at John5Store.com.

John 5's collection spans 2,500-plus pieces encompassing unique merch and one-of-a-kind collectibles from the gilded era of KISS, 1973-1983, including one of the only known pairs of Gene Simmons's "Destroyer" boots from 1976 and his first outfit from 1974 as well as banners from the band's appearance at Woodfield Mall, outside Chicago, in 1974 for the "National KISS-Off" kissing contest.

John 5 recently wrapped up a massive 2024 tour with several legs of solo dates and international appearances with MÖTLEY CRÜE. Look for more to come in 2025.

For over 30 years, John 5 has been one of the most in-demand guitar players on the planet. As well as being a songwriter/guitarist for hire, John 5 has shared the stage as axe-man for Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson and Rob Halford. He has also worked with an impressive array of names, from all walks of music, including KD Lang, Rod Stewart, David Lee Roth, Alice Cooper, Tina Guo, LYNYRD SKYNYRD, Meat Loaf, Dolly Parton and Ricky Martin. In October 2022, it was announced that John 5 would be joining MÖTLEY CRÜE as their guitarist following the revelation that Mick Mars would be retiring. John 5 continues to tour with MÖTLEY CRÜE.

“On No One’s Word” is taken from Bark‘s forthcoming album The Time Has Come out on April 2025. Produced by Martin Furia (Destruction), it is a death ‘n’ roll anthem for those who dare to stand on the flames of the fire stake. It may seem that you are alone, but you’re not. Times may change but the Man trying to rule you is a constant.

Recorded at their own studio Jurassic Recordings, under the guidance of guitarist Martin Furia, the album boasts a production that amplifies Bark’s signature sound while pushing their sonic boundaries even more to achieve their most brutal album to date.

The Time Has Come is due for release on April 25 via Listenable Records. Preorder at the Listenable Records webshop.



Tracklisting:

“Negativist”
“Shaman”
“Dodge The Bullet”
“On No One’s Word”
“Whisky Rivers”
“Faceless”
“Wanted Man”
“Seven”
“Wildheart”
“Lord Of The Skies”
“Wrath Unchained”
“The Curse From Above”

On March 20, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson returned to Kino Regis in Bochnia, Poland as part of his 2025 "Bass Warrior Tour". Video of the entire concert can be seen below.

The "Bass Warrior Tour" sees Ellefson gracing select European cities with a captivating evening of cherished classics, deep cuts, and insightful storytelling from his illustrious career. This journey encompasses his role as a co-founding member of MEGADETH, his ELLEFSON solo material, and more.

When the "Bass Warrior Tour" was first announced, Ellefson said in a statement: "I've approached my career as that of a musical warrior, always accompanied by my bass guitar. I eagerly anticipate bringing these songs back to the stage, while sharing introspective and entertaining anecdotes about their creation. It's been a wild ride of low notes and high stakes!"

Accompanying Ellefson on this tour is Italian guitarist and musical director Andy Martongelli, a longtime friend and collaborator who has been by Ellefson's side during his solo ventures, "Basstory", ELLEFSON-SOTO and ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE tours across Europe. On drums is Roberto Pirami (Michael Angelo Batio, Rowan Robertson, Gus G.),on vocals Titta Tani (EHFAR, ex-drummer of Claudio Simonetti's GOBLIN),and on rhythm guitar Walter Cianciusi (Geoff Tate band).

Featured songs in video below:

00:00 Intro
01:30 Train Of Consequences (MEGADETH)
05:18 If You Were God (SEVEN WITCHES)
09:15 Wasted (DEF LEPPARD)
14:13 Celebrity Trash (ELLEFSON/SOTO)
18:04 Reckoning Day (MEGADETH)
23:18 Metal Gods (JUDAS PRIEST)
27:51 Bad Omen (MEGADETH)
32:55 Vultures (DAVID ELLEFSON)
36:41 Like A Bullet (ELLEFSON/SOTO)
41:19 Simple Truth (MEGADETH)
45:14 Running Free (IRON MAIDEN)
48:43 Feel Your Pain (David Ellefson)
55:45 Countdown To Extinction (MEGADETH)
1:00:14 Lucrecia / Take No Prisoners / Five Magics (MEGADETH)
1:03:44 Tornado Of Souls (MEGADETH)
1:09:52 Symphony Of Destruction (MEGADETH)
1:19:33 Peace Sells (MEGADETH)

Ellefson was originally in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, when the group briefly broke up because MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine suffered severe nerve damage that left him unable to play.

Mustaine reformed MEGADETH 21 years ago. Originally setting out to record a solo album, Mustaine enlisted studio musicians to play on what ultimately became MEGADETH's 2004 "The System Has Failed" comeback album, subsequently recruiting former ICED EARTH bassist James MacDonough to take Ellefeson's place for the album's touring cycle.

Ellefson sued Mustaine in 2004 for $18.5 million, alleging that the MEGADETH guitarist/vocalist still owed him substantial merchandise and publishing royalties. In January 2005, the case was dismissed in court, and five years later, Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH.

In his first book, Ellefson admitted that he became a salaried employee upon his return to MEGADETH 15 years ago. He told Metal-Rules.com in an interview: "Going from being a co-founding owner to just a sideman musician was initially why I didn't come back in 2004. I was not happy with the participations that were presented to me. In recent times, coming back, I found great joy in doing music with a lot of other people in other settings that helped me fall back in love with playing music. Now I can come back into or go into musical situations and be able to be there for a purpose and level of pay. Being a sideman absolves you from being involved in all the other stuff. At this point in my life, I would rather leave that stuff on the sidelines. Like American Express says, 'membership has its privileges,' being a sideman has its benefits. In my case, it helps retain a friendship too. In order to have a friendship, I had to give up some ownership."

During a February 2021 appearance on Mitch Joel's "Groove - The No Treble Podcast", Ellefson reflected on his legal battle with Mustaine, saying: "I firmly believe Dave and I ended up in that situation because he and I were not directly communicating. There was a new manager, a new lawyer, a new team of people, and they were all trying to impress the client, so they were just, 'Well, we're just doing whatever the boss tells us to do.' And it's, like, wait a minute — your job is to manage and counsel and direct your client, and — in my opinion — avoid litigation, avoid these things. Those people are no longer here — they've all been let go, thank God — and once most of them were let go was when Dave and I had an opportunity to come back and reconcile. And as soon as Dave and I get in a room, it's, like, 'What the hell are we fighting over? Get your guitar. Let's play. Let's jam.' And then it becomes about the music, and there it is. So when we keep it on that level, it goes well. When the business people and the lawyers and the people come in and they try to sort of put logic around it, that's when the trouble [begins].

"I've always said MEGADETH is completely illogical — there's no logic to it at all," he continued. "And there's not really supposed to be, because it's something of the heart — it's not of the head; it's of the heart. I always say the longest journey is the 15 inches from the head to the heart. To memorize it is one thing, but to know it by heart is another thing. And that's what we do as musicians — we don't just memorize it; we have to really [know] it by heart. And that's what a group is — a musical setting is about that. And, of course, there has to be some sort of business dynamic around it to kind of make it work, I guess — at least for the accountants."

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH nearly four years ago after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.

HERMAN RAREBELL & FRIENDS have released the official music video for their cover version of the SCORPIONSclassic "Passion Rules The Game". The track is taken from the upcoming HERMAN RAREBELL & FRIENDS studio album, "What About Love?", which will be released on April 11 via Metalville Records.

On "What About Love?", HERMAN RAREBELL & FRIENDS take you back to the '80s and together we return to our very time with the greatest music of this powerful decade. Herman has chosen 12 songs to re-record with good friends and great musicians as a tribute to the greatest hits of a time that was a golden age for him personally. Former OZZY OSBOURNE bassist Bob Daisley can be heard on this album, as can Dann Huff, who was a studio musician on some of the greatest albums in pop history, as well as Howard Leese from the legendary U.S. rockers HEART and singer Michael Voss (CASANOVA, MAD MAX, MICHAEL SCHENKER).

Herman says about this time: "I think that more powerful music has never been created before or since. It was the golden age for me. I enjoyed it. We traveled the world with the SCORPIONS, we met people from all cultures. It was one big rush. Anything was possible at any time.

"With this album, I don't just want to bring back memories of the great hits of the '80s. It's not just about the melodies and rhythms that I miss today. Above all, it's about the feeling that these songs convey. The love, the courage, the optimism that is in them. I think a lot of that has been lost. The groove in 'Here I Go Again', the larger-than-life chorus of 'I Love Rock'n'Roll' and the unshakeable power of 'Rock You Like A Hurricane'. The love and longing of 'I Want To Know What Love Is'. It's no wonder that these songs have held a place in people's hearts for four decades.

"For me, the power, the special spirit of the '80s is in every chord of these songs, every hit on the bass drum. Every take we recorded for this album was pure pleasure. Friends who play great music.

"We hope you feel what we've put into these new recordings: Love, power, optimism! For me, that's the power of the '80s! Anyone who was there will remember. And anyone who missed it deserves to relive it, at least in this way.

"With this in mind: Here I am - Rock you like a Hurricane!"

The album was produced by Herman Rarebell and Michael Voss at Kidwood Studios in Münstertal, Black Forest.

The official music video for the "What About Love?" title track can also be seen below.

Herman said about this song: "Here is my message to the world: We must return to love again! We have to stop the hate!!! This song should remind you all of love and peace! I am grateful to all my musician friends for helping me with this news!"

"What About Love?" track listing:

01. In The Air Tonight
02. I Want To Know What Love Is
03. Love Is A Battlefield
04. What About Love
05. Every Breath You Take
06. Sweet Child O' Mine
07. Here I Go Again
08. Addicted To Love
09. Passion Rules The Game
10. Rock You Like A Hurricane
12. These Dreams
12. I Love Rock 'N' Roll

Recording lineup:

Herman Rarebell - Drums

Herman's friends:

Michael Voss - Vocals, Guitars
Van De Forst - Vocals, Acoustic Guitars, Keyboards
Dann Huff - Lead Guitars
Howard Leese - Lead Guitars
Bob Daisley - Bass
Neil Carter - Keyboards
Jim Vallance - Keyboards
Eva Von Der Forst - Backing Vocals
Lexus De La Foret - Backing Vocals

Back in September 2021, Rarebell blasted his former SCORPIONS bandmates, calling them "rude" and accusing them of "greed" over their apparent refusal to allow him to rejoin the band. Rarebell, who was a member of the SCORPIONS from 1977 to 1995, discussed the possibility of his return to the group in an interview for Classic Rock magazine. Asked if he was disappointed not to have been invited back into the fold following the 2016 dismissal of longtime drummer James Kottak, Herman said: "I'll tell you how disappointed I am. I sent them a message offering my services, and never even got a reply. I thought that was very rude. Now I hear the SCORPIONS are claiming their new album will be a return to the glory days of the eighties. If they're serious about that, they should get [former bassist] Francis [Buchholz] and me back, and also Dieter Dierks who produced all those classic albums. You know why they won't do that? Greed. It would mean having to share everything five ways and not three."

Rarebell also criticized his former bandmates for seemingly not giving him enough credit for their commercial success in the 1980s. "The band never mention me in interviews, which I find ridiculous," he stated. "But there's a new documentary in the pipeline from ITV on the band. I am being interviewed for this, so I can finally set the record straight on my role."

In an interview with Classic Rock Revisited, Herman stated about the huge commercial success of SCORPIONS' 1982 album "Blackout": "Mercury Records was totally behind us and they believed in us. They wanted us to keep making albums. They wanted us to grow and do better each time out. 'Lovedrive' went gold. 'Animal Magnetism' went gold and then 'Blackout' was the first one to go platinum. [Rudolf] Schenker / [Klaus] Meine / Rarebell was a great songwriting team. You can see that from how many successful albums we had. After I left the band, they didn't have any more hits."

Rarebell also talked about the inspiration for the lyrics to "Rock You Like A Hurricane", which was released as the lead single from SCORPIONS' ninth studio album, 1984's "Love At First Sting". "Those lyrics were very easy to write," he said. "I woke up early in the morning after fucking and doing cocaine all night and I opened up the curtains. 'It's early morning, the sun comes out. Last night was shaking and pretty loud. My cat is purring and she scratches my skin.' She had scratched my back during our lovemaking. I just sat down and wrote it right then and there. It was five in the morning and the girl was still in bed as I was sitting there writing it. The next day, I said to Rudolf, 'I have some great lyrics for that riff you have.'"

Modern rock powerhouse POP EVIL — vocalist Leigh Kakaty, guitarists Dave Grahs and Nick Fuelling, bassist Joey "Chicago" Walser and drummer Blake Allison — has just released its eighth album, "What Remains", via MNRK. The band has also shared the video for "Side Effects". The performance clip for the ferocious track, which is loaded with explosive riffs and a tectonic plate-shifting breakdown, can be seen below.

"Side Effects" is an arena-ready juggernaut and boasts rueful lines such as "The world I built you tried to tear apart" and "Why did I try so hard to prove / What's killing you is killing me too," serving a powerful, unshielded message for anyone who has found themselves in a toxic situation and seeks the strength to break free for their own happiness and growth.

"Every action causes a reaction, a side effect," says Kakaty. "Toxicity is a virus that spreads and kills, but liberation and healing lies in an antidote you already possess. And now is the time to take it."

POP EVIL will hit the road on a massive spring 2025 headline tour. They will launch the trek on April 8 in Tulsa and wrap it up on May 18 in Bloomington, Indiana. DEVOUR THE DAY (which features members of POP EVIL),RETURN TO DUST and ONI will serve as support.

For two decades, Kataky has needed to mine the deepest of reserves in order to drag the band up from the blue-collar grassroots of his local Michigan scene to stand proud at the top of the modern rock game. Soaring successes, bitter defeats… Kakaty has survived it all.

"What Remains" is the culmination and story of this journey with POP EVIL, laid bare like never before. Continuing in the recent vein of 2023's acclaimed "Skeletons", the new opus is both sonically and thematically POP EVIL's heaviest ever offering; a thundering collection of arena-ready modern rock and metal hits in which Kakaty opens heart, mind, and soul.

"There are a lot of issues and things that I've dealt with in this journey of POP EVIL that I've buried for a long time," the frontman explains of this document of resilience, perseverance, and accountability.

POP EVIL were born in North Muskegon, Michigan in 2001, Kakaty drawing on the lessons of a youth first shaped not by music, but by high school basketball — leadership, team work, the drive to improve in the lonely hours put in at the gym at 5 a.m., the will to win suppressing any fear — in order to fight tooth and nail for their break-out moment.

"I was hustling and learning every day to make my dreams come true," Kakaty recalls of his time playing local bars and slinging early EPs out of the back of his truck. "Studying never interested me. Neither did getting a regular job. A knee injury wrecked my shot at playing sports. Music was all I wanted to do from that moment, and I didn't give myself a backup plan. POP EVIL gave me a purpose, and a reason to get up every day. It became a crusade."

"Lipstick On The Mirror", POP EVIL's 2008 debut, and its follow-up, "War Of Angels", brought acclaim and global attention; 2013's "Onyx" delivered the first of the band's nine No.1 singles and six RIAA-certified gold and platinum plaques, but also a period of darkness brought on by the grief of Kakaty losing his father. "I was completely lost … I had just missed the last five years with my dad, chasing this dream when I could have been with him. I didn't know if I wanted or could do POP EVIL anymore," he says. The band's 2017 self-titled album, opened by the smash-hit "Waking Lions" was written "pretty much to save my life" — but in turn "reminded me of the fire I have inside, and that God put me here to make music that could help people."

It's a mission statement enshrined in POP EVIL to this day — and which provided the spark for the genesis of "What Remains".

"You're always chasing that one song that can connect with that one person," Kakaty says. "And that process has to start with yourself. There's a lot of personal healing on this record, a lot of things I wanted to get out for my own mental well-being. I'm finally at a place where I can confront my demons."

Sonically, the album is a riotous explosion of life-affirming noise; a vortex of scything riffs and gut-punch drum beats that regularly give way to POP EVIL's hallmark anthemic choruses.

"We set out to push boundaries," nods Kakaty. "Metal has always been a part of our DNA, but we've never made it such a focal point before. A lot of writing on this record has been about listening to what my soul is saying and letting the songs find their own path, rather than chasing a sound that might fit in on the radio. I think you can really hear the mood and emotion of the album's themes in the music."

"What Remains" track listing:

01. The Bullet That Missed
02. Deathwalk
03. What Remains
04. Wishful Thinking
05. Side Effects
06. Criminal
07. Enough Is Enough
08. Zero To None
09. Knife For The Butcher
10. Overkill

In a new interview with Andrés Durán of El Expreso Del Rock, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner spoke about what it was like for him to join the band in 2011 as the replacement for original guitarist Kenneth "K.K." Downing. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think you can never replace someone like K.K. Downing. He was in the band for 40 years. He started the band with them. He helped create what they created together. So you're never gonna replace that. I don't think that's ever been my mindset. But when you get the opportunity for that position, you have to respect what went before but I think you also have to try and create your own sound moving forward with the band."

Richie continued: "I'm the same with bands like UFO. I love [former UFO guitarist] Michael Schenker or [former DEEP PURPLE guitarist] Ritchie Blackmore. DEEP PURPLE have had different guitar players as well. I love Ritchie Blackmore. Some people love K.K., some people love us all, some people love it all, and it's great. But there's always gonna be people that have their favorite guitar players. I'm just happy to be there helping and give what I can and paying respect, hopefully, to what he laid out before."

Asked by Durán how he feels about the fact that PRIEST singer Rob Halford previously credited Faulkner with "saving" the band nearly a decade and a half ago, Richie said: "I would say, after 50 years the band is putting out new music and we're still touring in Colombia, around the world. We got nominated for a Grammy in the metal category for new music. I think that it's a strong message that heavy metal is still relevant and JUDAS PRIEST is one of the bands that's still making it relevant. Whether you think the Grammys are — whether they mean anything, the fact is the world watches that and they see hip-hop and they see country and they see pop, but they see heavy metal there as well. And it's GOJIRA, METALLICA, PRIEST, SPIRITBOX — we're still up there. PRIEST is still up there as a contender after more than 50 years. And I think that feels, to me, like we're doing something right and we're still flying the flag for heavy metal, and we're all proud to do it. And that's all I can say, really. What it was before, I don't know, so coming into the band, I don't know what it was like before."

Faulkner continued: "I think it's a really nice thing of Rob to say, but I think we're a team — we work as a team — not just the band, but management and the label and our crew; the crew's fantastic. So we're all part of the machine. And what's gone before was the same and what will come after was the same. It'll be the same. We're part of a team, we're part of the JUDAS PRIEST family — K.K., Ripper Owens, Les Binks, Dave Holland, John Hinch, so many — we're all part of that legacy, and the best thing we can do is just give a thousand percent and hopefully still fly the flag for heavy metal 60 years later or 70 years later. I think that's that's what the goal is. Whether you achieve that, I think that's what your focus has to be."

Back in December 2022, Faulkner spoke to Great Day Houston about what it was like for him to join the band in 2011 as the replacement for Downing. He said: "I played in a cover band in London and around the U.K. And JUDAS PRIEST songs were the staple diet of a gig in rock guitar playing. You had to know JUDAS PRIEST and DEEP PURPLE and IRON MAIDEN and all those songs if you wanted to play regularly. So I was intimately familiar with the band's material — never met the band before. I knew one of their ex-drummers, Les Binks. And I got the call from the management one day. I was a bit of… You know the 'Goldilocks And The Three Bears' where the porridge is just right; I wasn't a completely new guy where I was gonna get stage fright, but I hadn't been around the block for the last 10 years where I was gonna have a list of demands. I was right in the middle."

Regarding how his addition to PRIEST proved to be such a seamless transition, Faulkner said: "I think half of it was the size of it. You just kind of get swept along with the wave of it. You realize how much this means to so many people around the world. I think I was ready for the challenge. I know the duty that comes with being the guitar player in such a meaningful band."

Faulkner, nearly three decades Downing's junior, joined PRIEST after K.K. left amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance.

In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as "a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music," while the second was "angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties."

Downing later said that he believed the second letter was "a key reason" he wasn't invited to rejoin PRIEST after Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

Back in 2019, Faulkner dismissed the criticism he received for supposedly trying to look too much like Downing. "Obviously, you get the [haters] — the 'clone' comments," Richie told the "Let There Be Talk" podcast. "I've got long blond hair, playing a flying V [guitar]… [Michael] Schenker, Zakk [Wylde], K.K., Randy Rhoads — all those guys. To say I was a Ken clone was fairly narrow-minded. There's tons of guys who have flying Vs and long hair.

"The thing is if I had dyed my hair black to be different, I would have been shot down," he continued. "You've gotta be real; you've gotta be who you are. And I grew up on Ken, I grew up on Glenn [Tipton, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist] and the guys that I mentioned. So you've just gotta be who you are. And I grew up with those guys, and I'm not ashamed. I wear it on my sleeve — they're all my influences, and I'm not afraid of that… There's no point in trying to hide it. But it's gotta be natural as well. And I think somehow it worked out organically. I didn't try to copy him. And as it goes on, you always try to do your own thing and make your own statement."

Seven years ago, Downing said that he felt like he was "being cloned" when he first found out he was being replaced by Faulkner.

Downing, who announced his retirement from PRIEST in April 2011 after nearly 42 years in the job, admitted to the "Appetite For Distortion" podcast that he was taken aback when he first saw his replacement.

"Richie, as far as I know, is a nice guy and obviously an excellent player," Downing said. "I was a bit disappointed when, basically… I think the idea was to replace me [with a lookalike], so I did feel as though I was kind of being cloned. But I'm not sure that was exactly fair to Richie. I mean, I could be off the mark here, but I think Richie had the right to bring himself to the stage with his own… portray his own image and ability to play the instrument the way that he does. But it is what it is."

He continued: "When Glenn retired from touring [in early 2018], the same didn't happen — obviously, [Tipton's replacement] Andy [Sneap] doesn't look anything like Glenn; he doesn't wear the same clothes, the red pants, guitars or anything like that. So I don't really know what's going on. But it is what it is."

In a 2011 interview with the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat, Halford stated about Faulkner's physical resemblance to a younger Downing: "People are saying, 'It's a clone. You've got some of K.K.'s DNA.' It's just the way it turned out. We made, like, a secret search. When we knew K.K. was not gonna be making the tour, we did a lot of secret, kind of, searching for another player. And Richie just happened to be the guy. And he just happens to look a little bit of the K.K. image, you know?! I think it would be silly to say, 'We looked for a guitar player that looks like Ken.' What we want is a very good metal guitar player, and that's what Richie Faulkner is."

Emo rock revivalists THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT — Lee Jennings (vocals),Cody Weissinger (guitar),Caleb Freihaut (guitar/auxiliary),Robert Weston (bass) and Homer Umbanhowar (drums) — have unveiled the strikingly cinematic video for "Holy Water". Watch THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT with Ivan Moody, lead singer of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, in the video below.

"Holy Water" features Moody's powerful and distinctively rugged guest vocals and is taken from the deluxe edition of THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT's critically acclaimed second album "Greetings From Suffocate City", out June 13 via Better Noise Music. "Holy Water" debuted at on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks chart at No. 21 and is now positioned at No. 14.

"Holy Water" is brought to life in a gothic-style video directed by Michael Lombardi of Better Noise Films, an affiliate of Better Noise Music. The video's narrative outlines the origin of how singer Lee Jennings got his power to ignite the souls of fans around the world.

"We filmed Ivan Moody deep in the desert of Prescott, Arizona on top of a thousand-foot canyon," says Lombardi. "We then had to shoot THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT on a day off between shows in Philadelphia and New York City. This created a challenge in finding the epic gothic-style church location I needed. After scouting several locations, I ended up finding a phenomenal old and abandoned church in the Poconos in Pennsylvania."

"Filming the 'Holy Water' music video was an absolutely insane experience," declares Jennings. "The production was on another level — every detail, every shot, just completely unreal. Michael Lombardi brought a vision to this that was bigger than we ever imagined, turning it into a full-on cinematic experience. And having Ivan Moody be a part of it? That was next level. His energy and presence took everything to a whole new dimension. We can't wait for everyone to see what we created — it's dark, intense, and something truly special."

Pre-orders for the digital, CD and vinyl copies of the deluxe edition of "Greetings From Suffocate City" are available now. The digital deluxe collection will contain 24 songs, including "Holy Water" featuring Ivan Moody, songs from the "Cassanova" EP and the "From Beyond The Abyss" EP, as well as the recently released version of "Hearse For Two" featuring Lilith Czar and three brand new songs, "Skinny Lies", "Evergreen" and "Lost Boy". The vinyl and CD two-disc deluxe packages feature 21 tracks, one of which is exclusive to the physical formats ("Friends Like These").

"'Holy Water' has always been one of the most personal and cathartic songs I've ever written," explains Jennings. "It's about confronting your darkest moments and finding the strength to cleanse yourself of the weight they carry. Seeing the connection it's made with fans, especially during our live shows, has been beyond powerful — watching the crowd scream the lyrics back at us is proof that music really can heal. Having Ivan Moody join us on this track took it to another level. His energy, passion, and personal story made him the perfect voice to help tell this chapter, and we couldn't be more honored to have him be part of it."

"Before our tour together, I wasn't too familiar with THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT's music, so I didn't know what to expect," says Ivan Moody. "But after watching them night after night, seeing how they commanded the stage and connected with the crowd, I was absolutely hooked. The passion, intensity, and raw emotion they bring to their performances make them one of the most exciting new bands out there. And Lee's voice? Absolutely incredible — one of my favorite new singers! We had talked about collaborating before the tour, but the timing never worked out. Then, while speeding down the highway, I heard 'Holy Water' on the radio and couldn't help but sing along. What an amazing track! It immediately brought back the idea of working together, so I hit up Lee about the possibility of me redoing the song with them. Luckily, he was all in — and here we are….the rest is history."

"Holy Water" was described by MetalPlanetMusic.com in a September 8, 2024 review as "a full-on arena anthem sound that hits straight between the ears. The beat is hard and uncompromising, with the dual guitar riffs forcing the emotion down your throat. The choral harmony during the bridge gives the track a 'it's our song, and we're going to do what the fuck we want to' vibe. It's a real monster of a track."

"Greetings From Suffocate City", released September 13, 2024 via Better Noise Music, consists of 14 tracks of theatrical, dramatic, unapologetic, full-throated flair with guest appearances from Bert McCracken of THE USED, Spencer Charnas of ICE NINE KILLS, Danny Worsnop of ASKING ALEXANDRIA, and Amanda Lyberg of EVA UNDER FIRE.

In touring news, THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT has been bringing their message to the masses with an aggressive touring plan that continues throughout 2025. The band recently wrapped up a nationwide trek with CATCH YOUR BREATH and ARCHERS, and they'll soon head out for a handful of shows with UNDEROATH (April 14-16). Next comes a new tour with ICE NINE KILLS starting April 30, as well as appearances as part of the Vans Warped Tour in Long Beach, California on July 26 and 27, and the Louder Than Life, Rocklahoma, Welcome To Rockville and Rock Fest summer festivals.

In a special episode of "Women Who Make Q101", Lauren O'Neil of the Chicago radio station Q101 sat down with LINKIN PARK singer Emily Armstrong for an exclusive conversation about Emily's journey, creative process, and the experiences that have shaped her career. Tune in as Emily shares insights, inspiration, and what it's like to be one of the influential women making waves at Q101.

Speaking about how she developed her musical connection with her new LINKIN PARK bandmates, Emily said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's interesting because I think we've talked about it a lot where it's just kind of, we didn't [run] in the same circles. It was so far and few between. But when we started writing again for the second time in the studio, things started to really click in a way where we found so many similarities that didn't quite click before. I don't know if this makes any sense, but there was so many things of being, like, 'Wait, you worked with this guy? We did that with our first album.' Literally so many things started to like come together where it's just the synergy that is a kismet. Everything was just aligning in a way where it was so surreal to me, because I'm, like, how have I never met any of these people before, and then all of a sudden at this point where everything starts to really make sense and where we are in our lives as them as people in their band and me as an artist and in my band, how it really came together at a time where we both were looking for this. We found so many similarities that it just started bringing us closer and closer together. It was, like, 'Okay, this is it.'"

As previously reported, LINKIN PARK will release a new song, "Up From The Bottom", on March 27. The track will mark the band's first new music since the arrival of the "From Zero" comeback album last November.

LINKIN PARK teased "Up From The Bottom"'s release through the band's LPTV "From Zero" video series where co-vocalists Mike Shinoda and Armstrong could be seen in the studio working on the new track.

LINKIN PARK kicked off the 2025 leg of its "From Zero" world tour on January 31 at Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City, Mexico.

In late January, LINKIN PARK released an a cappella/vocals-only version of "From Zero", dubbed "From Zero - A Cappellas".

The original version of "From Zero", issued last November, marked LINKIN PARK's first full-length effort since 2017's "One More Light", which was the last LINKIN PARK album before the death of lead vocalist Chester Bennington. "From Zero" features Armstrong and new LINKIN PARK drummer Colin Brittain, who have joined returning members co-vocalist and main producer Shinoda, guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell and DJ/visual director Joe Hahnin the band's new lineup. Guitarist Alex Feder is filling in for Delson at all LINKIN PARK concerts for the foreseeable future.

LINKIN PARK announced its new lineup during a September 2024 one-hour global livestream of a concert in Los Angeles showcasing Armstrong and Brittain.

Last November, LINKIN PARK announced a massive world tour across North America, Europe, Asia and South America. This spring and summer, LINKIN PARK will hit a number of cities the United States and end in November with a run throughout South America.

In a new interview with Radio Forrest, a radio DJ on 96.9 The Eagle in Boise, Idaho, HEART guitarist Nancy Wilson reflected on the list of estimable Seattle singers who have died prematurely in recent decades, including SOUNDGARDEN's Chris Cornell, whose 2017 death was ruled a suicide by hanging; NIRVANA's Kurt Cobain, who committed suicide in 1994; and ALICE IN CHAINS' Layne Staley, who died of drug abuse in 2002. Asked if she thinks "those three specifically were, in a way, tortured individuals" or if the fame eventually became "too much" for them to handle, Nancy replied (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Good question. I mean, it's yes to both. You can have all the talent and all of the mindfulness and energy to make great creative statement in the arts and in music and in the world, but sustaining the capability of knowing how to handle it is a whole other skill that a lot of people can't deal with. And Chris Cornell and [late FOO FIGHTERS drummer] Taylor [Hawkins] — I mean, Taylor was not one of those; he would have gone till 110. But he just had a physical problem. An ex-addict, though, so probably dealing with his own issues, trying to get through the gauntlet of being a famous person and just really loving what you do and having to deal with a lot of the roadblocks. And it's kind of a minefield, in a lot of ways, emotionally to become a rock star or a famous person."

She added: "And so I think, yeah, that's a good question. And a lot of people are not exactly equipped with the armor that it takes to kind of soldier through the fame [involved]."

The 2025 North American leg of HEART's "Royal Flush" tour kicked off on February 28 at the BleauLive Theater in Las Vegas. The show marked HEART's first live performance since the band postponed the remaining dates of its 2024 North American tour in July in order for singer Ann Wilson to undergo cancer treatments.

The rescheduled "Royal Flush" tour will wrap up on April 16 in New York City.

Last week, HEART announced the "An Evening With Heart" spring/summer 2025 U.S. tour. The trek, which will see the band performing two separate sets each night, will kick off May 31 at the Hard Rock in Atlantic City and conclude on June 28 in Hollywood, Florida.

The current members of HEART feature Nancy Wilson (rhythm, lead and acoustic guitar, backing and lead vocals),Ann Wilson (lead vocals and flute),Ryan Wariner (lead and rhythm guitar),Ryan Waters (guitars),Paul Moak (guitars, keyboards and backing vocals),Tony Lucido (bass and backing vocals) and Sean Lane (drums and bike).

When Ann and Nancy formed HEART, the idea of two women leading a rock band was still groundbreaking. From the moment 1975's "Dreamboat Annie" was released, they became stars. With hits like "Magic Man", "Crazy On You", "Barracuda", "Alone", "What About Love" and "These Dreams", the band became one of the biggest hit-makers in the Seventies and Eighties, selling more than 35 million records. In 2012, their memoir "Kicking & Dreaming: A Story Of Heart, Soul And Rock & Roll" became a New York Times bestseller.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, there is security video of Kimberly Burch, the fiancée of FASTER PUSSYCAT frontman Taime Downe, jumping overboard from the Royal Caribbean ship Explorer Of The Seas during the first day of this year's edition of The 80s Cruise. It is unclear whether Burch, who had been in a relationship with Downe for nearly a decade, fell or jumped.

Since the Explorer of the Seas is registered in the Bahamas, the Nassau police came aboard to review the case and subsequently cleared Downe of any wrongdoing, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Riki Rachtman, former host of MTV's "Headbangers Ball", who says he has been friends with Downe for 38 years, went on Facebook Live on Friday (March 7) to criticize social media users who have been speculating about what happened that night off the coast of the Bahamas. Saying that he has been in touch with his "best friend" Taime in the days following the incident, Riki added: "I know that I would not the career that I have now if it wasn't for Taime Downe. I also know Kimberly Burch because I've been with Taime and Kimberly many, many, many times, to the point — I mean, Kimberly and Taime have been at my house many times."

He went on to say that "Kimberly and Taime have always had a very toxic relationship. They have been fighting a lot. They have always fought a lot. A lot of it had to with drugs and alcohol." But he insisted that "Taime loved Kimberly very, very much" and "Kimberly loved Taime very, very much. However, they fought all the time. That is the true story."

Riki added: "There is video of [Burch] committing suicide and Taime was cleared of all charges."

He continued: "How's Taime doing? Well, how do you think he's doing? The woman that he's in love with, that he's lived with for the past eight years, committed suicide in front of him. And I feel horrible for Kimberly … that she had been in so much pain that she had to commit suicide. I know to be fact that Taime did absolutely nothing wrong, but Taime is going to be scarred for the rest of his life."

The 80s Cruise, a nostalgia music cruise featuring such acts as FASTER PUSSYCAT, WARRANT, DOKKEN, FIREHOUSE, SQUEEZE, Adam Ant, Tiffany and MEN AT WORK, began on Sunday, March 2 and returns on Sunday, March 9.

A search operation involving several ships was conducted after Burch went overboard around 11 p.m. on Monday, March 3. She fell to her death after a heated argument with Downe aboard the ship, according to Kimberly's mother. But Carnell Burch told TMZ Kimberly wouldn't purposefully hurt herself.

Like Carnell, Kimberly's sister-in-law, Kellie Burch, said that she didn't believe Kimberly would intentionally harm herself. "She wouldn't do that," Kellie told DailyMail.com. "It's just not her.

"We just want to know what happened," Kellie added. "We just want answers… All we want is answers. We've had absolutely zero contact with the cruise company. We've emailed, we've called, and nobody has gotten back to us."

Kimberly's family announced her death in a statement on Facebook Tuesday morning.

"It is with broken hearts that we share the sad news that Kimberly Burch has passed away," they wrote. "She was a beloved daughter, sister, sister-in-law and aunt. She will be greatly missed by all that knew and loved her. We ask for prayers during this time for our family as we try to wrap our minds around this heartbreaking tragedy. We love and miss you Kimberly Burch!!"

A Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson said in a statement: "Our crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort, is working with local authorities, and we are providing support and assistance to the guest's family during this difficult time. To respect the privacy of our guest's family, we have no additional details to share."

A U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson told TMZ the incident happened roughly 20 miles away from Freeport, Bahamas.

The ship's captain informed passengers of the situation via the public address system, and crew members promptly deployed a speedboat to search for the missing individual. Two nearby vessels also joined the search efforts.

On Monday, Kimberly posted a selfie with Taime on social media with the caption, "We made it aboard @the80scruise."

An anonymous ship passenger told The Hollywood Reporter the incident occurred at the end of the evening when SQUEEZE was on stage.

"There was an announcement over the PA saying someone went overboard so the ship was going to stop and turn around to try and locate the person," the ship passenger said.

The passenger added that the ship stopped for a few hours deploying safety boats and floodlights to search. Eventually, the Explorer Of The Seas continued, arriving at its next destination at Nassau, Bahamas just a few hours behind schedule.

For this year's Valentine's Day, Kimberly shared a series of photos of her with Taime and she wrote in an accompanying caption: "Happy Every Day! From your first hello to me I fell head over heels in love. You are my Valentine every day of my life. We are a tornado at times and pure raw love. I wouldn't have it any other way. We do us like no other. I love you with my entire heart and soul".

Originally formed during the mid-1980s glam rock era, FASTER PUSSYCAT has gone on to have a triumph of success, with over two million albums sold worldwide, and has accompanied some of rocks most distinguished names on tour, such as ALICE COOPER, OZZY OSBOURNE, MÖTLEY CRÜE, GUNS N' ROSES and KISS.

Ex-QUEENSRŸCHE singer Geoff Tate kicked off the U.S. leg of the "Operation: Mindcrime - The Final Chapter" tour this past Tuesday night (March 18) at the Rialto Theatre in Tucson, Arizona. The trek sees the 66-year-old vocalist performing the band's classic "Operation: Mindcrime" album in its entirety for the last time.

Fan-filmed video of the Tucson concert can be seen below (courtesy of Live Rock Music Concerts).

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

01. Anarchy-X
02. Revolution Calling
03. Operation: Mindcrime
04. Spreading The Disease
05. The Mission
06. Suite Sister Mary
07. The Needle Lies
08. Electric Requiem
09. Breaking The Silence
10. I Don't Believe In Love
11. Waiting For 22
12. My Empty Room
13. Eyes Of A Stranger
14. I'm American
15. The Chase
16. Jet City Woman
17. Murderer?
18. If I Could Change It All
19. Empire
20. A Junkie's Blues
21. Silent Lucidity

Encore:

22. Take Hold Of The Flame

In a recent interview with Marko Syrjala of Metal-Rules.com, Tate spoke about his upcoming third and final chapter in QUEENSRŸCHE's classic "Operation: Mindcrime" album series. Regarding how the idea for the LP came together, Geoff said: "Well, I don't know. I just started writing, and it sort of happened. [Laughs] Really, there wasn't anything more to it than that. But over the last couple of years, while preparing for this upcoming ['Operation: Mindcrime - The Final Chapter'] tour, we've written quite a few songs for the album. We have enough material for a full album, and it's all ready to go. We're planning to release it in segments — like two songs here, then another two songs, then three songs — and kind of release it in parts. The plan is to start putting songs out in March when the U.S. tour begins and then do a physical release toward the end of the year."

As for the musical direction of the material that will appear on "Operation: Mindcrime III", Geoff said: "It definitely has a strong early QUEENSRŸCHE vibe, with some tracks being super heavy and technical. The album is also deeply emotional, marking the final chapter in the 'Mindcrime' saga. It continues the story of Dr. X, Nikki and Sister Mary, focusing on a specific point in their journey. I'm thrilled with how it's turning out and can't wait for people to hear it."

Geoff went on to say that he wrote the songs for "Operation: Mindcrime III" mostly with his guitarists Kieran Robertson from Scotland and Alex Hart from Boston. "I think that's it — the three of us primarily wrote the whole thing," he said.

Tate also addressed the risks of creating sequels to classic albums like the original "Operation: Mindcrime", saying: "Am I worried about people's expectations? No, I've never been worried about that. [Laughs] Never. I didn't worry about it with the first or second one. Why would I start worrying about the third? … Honestly, I don't care. [Laughs] I don't write records to make people happy or to impress them. I make them simply to make records. Whether people like them or not doesn't matter to me. You can't try to please everyone's musical tastes because we're all affected by music differently. And if it's a matter of sales, well, that's a whole different can of worms, as they say. That depends entirely on the company's expertise in trying to sell it and who they've hired for promotion — it's all up in the air, you know? I mean, Jesus, look at GUNS N' ROSES. They built a massive 30-year career out of just three albums. [Laughs] It's crazy. They must've had a great promo team, I guess."

Originally released in May 1988, QUEENSRŸCHE's third studio album, "Operation: Mindcrime" took the quintet to an entirely new level. The concept, revealed through the songs, revolves around the character of Nikki, a recovering drug addict disillusioned with a corrupt society. Drawn into a cult-like revolutionary group headed by Dr. X (voiced by the late and beloved British actor Anthony Valentine),Nikki is manipulated to assassinate political leaders until his friendship with nun Sister Mary finally opens his eyes to the truth. Regarded as one of the greatest concept metal albums of all time, "Operation: Mindcrime" was certified platinum in 1991 in the U.S. and was ranked in the "Top 100 Metal Albums Of All Time" by both Kerrang! and Billboard magazines. Rolling Stone included it on a similar list, noting that "nearly 30 years after its initial release, 'Mindcrime' feels eerily relevant."

The original "Operation: Mindcrime" album weaved themes of religion, drug abuse and underground, radical politics. By contrast, 2006's "Operation: Mindcrime II" was regarded as an unnecessary sequel that many felt cheapened the original album, despite being a decent record in its own right.

In January, Geoff told 96.1 KLPX afternoon jock Larry Mac about the upcoming third and final chapter in the classic "Operation: Mindcrime" album series: "Well, I wouldn't call it a sequel. I'd call it a continuation of the story. We're doing it in kind of an interesting way. We're not gonna release an album, so to speak, right off the bat. We're going to release the album once all the songs are released, if that makes sense. We're gonna release a song a month or every quarter, and then when it's all finished, we're gonna do a special presentation with all the songs included."

Regarding how he comes up with the musical and lyrical ideas for his albums, Geoff said: "It's all different, really. Sometimes it's a musical figure that you're fiddling around with in the studio that leads to a complete song or a few songs. And sometimes it's the lyrical idea. Sometimes it's a sentence that just sparks your imagination and gets you rolling on something. With the 'Operation: Mindcrime' albums, it was a story that came about really quickly, actually — I wrote it very quickly — and then expanded on it over the years to explain a little bit more in depth as to what was happening within the story. 'Cause the first album is a little bit vague in what it's talking about in it. The second album explains even more as to what the characters are going through. And the third album, again, will be even more explanation, but taken from a number of different viewpoints, which kind of is interesting, I think."

Tate previously discussed his plans for "Operation: Mindcrime III" in a November 2024 interview with "Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern". Speaking about the musical direction of his new solo material, Geoff said: "I would say it has more of an early QUEENSRŸCHE feel. [The new songs are] super heavy, and some of 'em are incredibly technical. They're like algebra. [Laughs] You need a calculator when you're listening to the song. [Laughs] And, of course, some of them are very emotional. It's the last chapter in the 'Mindcrime' series. So it's following the exploits of Dr. X and Nikki and Sister Mary, and picks up at a particular point in their story and kind of does the microscope of what is happening at that particular time with them. And I am just in love with it. I am so happy with everything so far, and I can't wait for people to hear it."

Asked if there will once again be "some of those political interplays" within the lyrical themes on "Operation: Mindcrime III", Tate said: "Oh, I think so. Yeah, I think that people will be able to detect little bits of what's happening around them. And it's an interesting time right now — very interesting. Especially next week [after the 2024 U.S. presidential election], it's gonna be really interesting [laughs] what happens. So, we'll see."

Pressed about whether "a familiar voice" will play Dr. X on "Operation: Mindcrime III", Geoff said: "I can't tell you, actually. But thanks for asking. [Laughs]"

In a 2016 interview with East Valley Tribune, Tate said that he looked back fondly on "Operation: Mindcrime II". "I haven't listened to that album since I recorded it," he admitted. "However, it was a new story. Overall, it went down well live with the audience. I have no complaints or regrets about it."

During QUEENSRŸCHE's 2012 legal battle with Tate over the rights to the band's name, guitarist Michael Wilton submitted a sworn declaration in which he said the idea to make "Operation: Mindcrime II" was first brought to the table by Geoff's wife and QUEENSRŸCHE's then-manager Susan Tate. "The band was hesitant and did not want to lessen the original," the guitarist claimed. "But Susan Tate and Geoff Tate hired a budget producer and took control without really any other input. Scott Rockenfield [drums], Eddie Jackson [bass] and I were squeezed out of having any input in the musical direction or business decisions, thus the project suffered. During the initial writing phase, I would show up to bring my input to the creative process only to find that the producer, the new guitar player (who were both staying with the Tates at the time),along with Geoff Tate had been up late the night before or up early that morning and had written the songs without me. I was then told my ideas were not needed as the songs were now done. I could, however, 'bring my own style' in during the recording after learning to play what they wrote for me. In frustration, I gave up on the writing process knowing that I would at least get to make changes in the studio to bring back the QUEENSRŸCHE sound into these songs that we were known for. The final straw was when they refused to let me to be a part of the final recordings and mixes. I was shut out and they had the nerve to replace some of my parts on my songs. They denied me flying to San Francisco to be a part of my band, telling me that everything was ready to go and I was not needed. Had the communication been better, and had I been aware that parts needed to be recorded or rewritten, I would have been there. It was not until years later that I even became aware of the issues during the final recording and mixing of 'Operation: Mindcrime II'. It was all under the control of Geoff and Susan Tate. Call it delusions of grandeur, but they were convinced that this was going to sell three times more than the original, and to date (six years later) this album has sold fewer than 150,000 copies. The original album sold over 500,000 copies within a year."

In April 2014, Tate and QUEENSRŸCHE announced that a settlement had been reached after a nearly two-year legal battle where the singer sued over the rights to the QUEENSRŸCHE name after being fired in 2012. Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson responded with a countersuit. The settlement included an agreement that Wilton, Rockenfield and Jackson would continue as QUEENSRŸCHE, while Tate would have the sole right to perform "Operation: Mindcrime" and "Operation: Mindcrime II" in their entirety live.

Tate's replacement, Todd La Torre, has released four albums thus far with QUEENSRŸCHE: 2013's "Queensrÿche", 2015's "Condition Hüman", 2019's "The Verdict" and 2022's "Digital Noise Alliance".

We are announcing the following 2025 USA Tour dates to the Operation Mindcrime, The Final Chapter Tour! Select venues...

Posted by Geoff Tate on Tuesday, October 1, 2024

In a new interview with Radical Metal, MASTODON guitarist Bill Kelliher spoke about how he and his bandmates are going about their search for a replacement for their longtime axeman Brent Hinds. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, we haven't really decided how we're gonna go about that yet. We're just sort of taking it easy. No update. Nothing that I can really share with you at this moment."

Referencing the fact that MASTODON hired YouTuber and session musician Ben Eller to perform with the band on March 9 at "Tool Live In The Sand" festival in the Dominican Republic, Bill said: "We had Ben Eller, who's a great friend, and he filled in for this show. And we've got the COHEED [AND CAMBRIA] tour coming up. So, we'll figure it out. We've got a lot of requests and stuff like that. But it's really hard shoes to fill, obviously. Nobody plays like Brent. He's a very, extremely unique player. So it's not gonna be an easy task. We're all hopeful and we're gonna figure it out. So that's really all I have to say about it."

Regarding how MASTODON hooked up with Eller, Bill said: "I saw him playing some MASTODON stuff [in a YouTube video] and then I was, like, 'That's close, but it's not quite right.' So I started writing to him. And we became good friends just through that, 'cause he's, like, 'Oh, man, show me how to play it right so I can put it up on my YouTube.' … He's giving instructions to other people how to play stuff. So I was, like, 'You're not quite playing it right.' … I mean, he's 99 percent there. He's a great fucking player. He's one of the nicest guys I've ever met."

Since 2000, Hinds had served as lead guitarist and vocalist for MASTODON, alongside bassist/singer Troy Sanders, drummer Brann Dailor, and Kelliher.

MASTODON's lineup had remained the same for 25 years, recording eight studio albums, beginning with 2002's "Remission" until the band's latest LP, 2021's "Hushed And Grim".

Eller is a guitarist and bass player from Tennessee who has gained popularity for his awesome chops on his guitar lesson series "This Is Why You Suck At Guitar".

When MASTODON announced Brent's departure from the band on March 7, they wrote in a statement: "Friends and Fans, After 25 monumental years together, MASTODON and Brent Hinds have mutually decided to part ways.

"We're deeply proud of and beyond grateful for the music and history we've shared and we wish him nothing but success and happiness in his future endeavors.

"We are still very inspired and excited to show up for fans in this next chapter of MASTODON. As we move forward, all 2025 touring plans will remain intact. We look forward to seeing you on the road."

MASTODON has had nine Billboard 200-charting albums and has been nominated for a Grammy Award six times. The band won a "Best Metal Performance" Grammy for "Sultan's Curse" in 2018.

MASTODON's latest album, "Hushed And Grim", was a double LP recorded at the band's Atlanta studio, West End Sound.

In December, MASTODON and COHEED AND CAMBRIA announced "The Infinite Arc" tour with special guests PERIPHERY. Produced by Live Nation and FPC Live, the 20-city trek kicks off on May 10 in Salem, Virginia, spanning the East Coast and Midwest before wrapping up in Waukee, Iowa on June 8.

In a separate interview with Guitar World magazine, Kelliher stated about what he and his bandmates are looking for in a replacement for Hinds: "Someone who is easy to get along with, and who really has a desire to play — and can play well. Obviously, you gotta be somebody who we all get along with and can stand the true test of time. Like, living together in a little tour bus on the road for fucking days and months at a time, it's got to be someone who can do all that. And that's another variable. Like, 'Oh, this person is a great guitar player. Why don't you hire them?' It's like, 'Well, they gotta stand the test of time.' We've got to be able to sit down and have a beer with them, go out to dinner with them, you know, feel them out, and make sure they're MASTODON material. Like, can they hang, for sure, but it's got to be someone who has a unique style, and is very serious about it."

Kelliher went on to say that he doesn't know if Eller will be a permanent addition to the band.

"We do have some more shows coming up," he said. "We have a tour with COHEED AND CAMBRIA coming up in May, which, you know, we're still going to fulfil that. We're going to finish up our new record.

"I'm not sure what our future is with Ben or if we'll try a couple of other people out. Not really sure yet; it's too early to say."

Kelliher previously told Guitar World about Hinds's exit: "What can you say about the legacy of MASTODON's first 25 years with Brent? It's been a fun, wild fucking ride, that's for sure. We achieved a lot of things that I never in a million years would have imagined. There's been Grammys, touring with our heroes, like IRON MAIDEN, METALLICA, MOTÖRHEAD and TOOL. I cherish all of that.

"Like a marriage, sometimes people grow apart, and they get interested in other things," he explained. "We wish nothing but the best for Brent in chasing his dreams."

Touching upon the musical and personal chemistry between MASTODON's longtime members, Bill said: "You know, it's amazing that we made it 25 years with the four of us. I mean, it's like being married to three other dudes, traveling the world, trying to stay the course, and having everybody agree. That we managed to do it this long, I feel like that's a feat in itself. You could never replace any of us because we [are the] the sum of four parts. That doesn't mean there's not someone else out there that has stuff to offer in a new direction. I think I'll just leave it there, you know? It was a hard decision we all had to make. It's just… it was just time."

On March 11, METALLICA's Lars Ulrich joined Apple Music's global creative director and Apple Music 1 lead anchor Zane Lowe at SXSW (South By Southwest) conference and festivals for a session at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas titled "Breaking The Fourth Wall". Lars and Zane explored how the band is continuing to use revolutionary technology to connect more deeply with fans, bringing them truly inside their dynamic live performance. In this candid chat, attendees heard from Lars how METALLICA has leaned into technology throughout their career to the present day, to reinvent storytelling and redefine the fan experience that ultimately breaks the fourth wall.

Discussing METALLICA's relationship with the band's fans, Lars said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Going back to growing up in Copenhagen, Denmark, I used to go to rock shows, started going to rock shows when I was really young. My dad took me to see DEEP PURPLE when I was 10 years old, 1970-something. And so I would see all these shows, and I found myself just kind of wanting to get close to the music, close to the band, close to the players, close to the experience and try to sort of immerse myself into all of it.

"When DEEP PURPLE would stay in Denmark — all the rock bands in the '70s stayed at the Plaza Hotel, and I would park myself outside of the Plaza Hotel and I would wait for Ritchie Blackmore and David Coverdale and bands like THIN LIZZY and KISS and whoever else was coming through, BLACK SABBATH," he continued.

"There was just something about that when you were drawn to the music and drawn to the experience, you wanted to try to just get as close as you could. And anyway, so when we then subsequently later formed a band, the bands that we were inspired by and that made us want to be METALLICA and play music were also the ones that had the most transparency and the most open doors. A lot of the bands, as you know, that directly affected METALLICA's sound and attitudes in the very early days — bands like MOTÖRHEAD, IRON MAIDEN, a lot of the bands in the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, which really at core was sort of the punk aesthetic, the punk attitude, the punk sort of DIY approach, but played heavier and set obviously in a heavy world. But all those bands, they had that door — let's call it the transparency door — wide open, wide open. So come in. Be part of what's going on. And if you like the music, you also had access to the band. And that was the attitude that we took with us when we started. We just wanted to be on the same level as anybody who was interested in listening to the music and being part of the ride. The fans, the kids, as the English would call 'em at the time, but it was all about being on an even playing field.

"A lot of the bands that, if you go a little bit back for sort of more understanding the threads and the history of music, the punk movement in itself was sort of an answer or a middle finger to how larger than life all the mid-'70s rock bands and how far from reality they were and how far removed from their audiences," Lars explained. "The bands were these elevated characters and the fans were down here, and the punk movement was all about bringing everybody down. And you guys know the RAMONES and the SEX PISTOLS and all that was about, 'I could do that. I could play those three chords. I could be that.' And so it was all about doing away with that separation, doing away with that kind of the pretend barrier. I kind of see it often as a barricade that separates the fans from the bands and vice versa, about doing away with that sense of separation. And that has really been our sort of driving force for the 40-plus years, is just trying to stay on the same level, do away with whatever it is that separates the bands and the fans, and that is still what gets us out of bed to this day."

Back in July 2023, METALLICA put out a casting call for "superfans" of the band to possibly appear in an upcoming documentary. The filmmakers were looking for "big personalities, unique characters and unexpected stories from METALLICA fans who consider METALLICA to be their favorite band, real 'Fifth Member' types. All stories and walks of life" were "welcome and encouraged to reach out."

The documentary was reportedly being produced by METALLICA and Mercury Studios, powered by Universal Music Group.

Two years ago, Ulrich credited the use of "Master Of Puppets" in 2022 in the hit Netflix series "Stranger Things" with creating a whole new generation of METALLICA fans.

As a result of the song's appearance in the show, "Master Of Puppets" — the title track of METALLICA's 1986 album — went on to top of the iTunes Rock Chart and crack the Spotify Top 50.

Ulrich told Japan's TVK: "I'm just so happy that hard music and hard rock still has a place. To see so many young people connecting with music again. . . I can see it my kids; I can see it, in the last nine months, the 'Stranger Things' phenomenon of so many young kids discovering 'Master Of Puppets' and that being a gateway to maybe more METALLICA music or to more heavy music or heavy rock music."

Lars went on to say that the possibility for METALLICA's music to reach a new audience seems endless.

"I see that there's still so much, all over the world, a coming of age when kids are 12, 13, 14 years old, to get into music and for us to be part of that discovery is an incredible thing," he explained.

In a 2015 interview with Time Warner Cable News, METALLICA frontman James Hetfield was asked what it feels like to get such a strong reaction from the crowd every time the band performs live. He said: "Well, it's like an ultimate family for us — especially for me. When I'm able to just be honest and ask, 'Hey, help sing this part,' or I screwed up the words and they sing it for me. It's, like, 'Man, they really do have our back.' And we don't look at things as mistakes. There are no mistakes that happen. There's just unique ways of doing it for that day. We go up there and we play it. So there's just such a freedom when you have… When the crowd has your back, there's such a freedom to be able to even explore more up there or to even do better. 'Cause you know you're not out there to impress people, you're out there just to deliver what you've got in you."

In 2016, Ulrich told Vice that he and his bandmates don't make a concerted effort to bring in new fans or win over naysayers whenever they release a new album. "I mean, we are all aware kind of aware of the fact of how wide the net is cast," he said. "And like I said, most things that I see in the world is in grays, so it's pretty easy with this stuff. So 40-year-olds, 50-year-olds, 30-year-olds, 20-year-olds, teens, it's fine. We don't go out of our way to do one thing more than the other. I think that there still there seems to be a rite of passage for 13 and 14-year-old boys and in lots of places around the world. There are still a lot of young kids. When I occasionally check our social media, I can tell that a lot of them are younger, which is cool. So I think we got a pretty good balance. There are certain places like in Scandinavia, they're really young and there is like 14-year-old girls down in the front row. Sometimes parents bring their kids, or kids bring their parents. It's fun."