Robert Mason says that WARRANT has "grown and gained momentum" in the 16 years since he joined the band.

Original WARRANT singer Jani Lane recorded several albums with the band in late 1980s and early 1990s but left the group several times. The band's seventh studio LP, "Born Again", was released in 2006 and featured Jaime St. James as the lead singer. In 2008, Lane returned to WARRANT temporarily and toured with the group. In September that year, WARRANT announced that Jani had left again. The band replaced him with Mason and released its eighth studio album, "Rockaholic", in 2011.

In a new interview with 97 Underground's Michael Spedden, Mason stated about performing the songs originally written and recorded by Lane (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The nostalgia aspect is a huge component of what we do. Yes, we're still up there and we're playing songs, and I've done two records with the band, so there are songs that are newer, but by and large, your garden variety WARRANT fan remembers those first three really big records, if they're of that certain age. That meant something to them… By and large, WARRANT fans are there to have a good time, and if we provide that — they hear the songs, they get the live performance where we don't just stare at our shoes, my intent is to metaphorically get out there and really reach the audience and have them reach back and have everybody kind of bond on that energetic level.

"On one hand, I think [WARRANT guitarist] Joey Allen said at one time, he said, 'If my singer didn't have a really thick skin, he wouldn't be able to do this.'

"I've been in this band over 16 years," he continued. "It was at a time when they really needed somebody to be the hood ornament, the horn in front of the car, the headlights, and they had fans and promoters and shows booked and people willing to come see the band, and they just couldn't manage it with all five guys. Jani, bless him, was not in a good place nor fit to go do that. I met them at a festival show, kind of reconnected with them, and it was just a very organic natural thing. Now my band had opened for WARRANT in arenas in '92. So, we were friends for all that time, albeit casual, distant acquaintances and friends. We got to be friends on that tour, and Jani and I got to be friends, pretty good friends throughout those months on the road in '92. So, we were all in a similar place. We're all of a similar age. It was a very organic fit for me to come in and first fill in some shows. And I know I've said this before as well, but really quickly, if I would have filled in half a dozen shows, a half a year, a year, whatever, and Jani got himself healthy and wanted to come back — 'here you go. It's your band.' That was not the case. And we all had to make peace with that. There was a certain element of — it's still, in some ways, a job and a career and a passion. It's like you mix ego, art and commerce, and they don't always flow together perfectly well forever and for amen. But we had four out of five guys, a booking agent, promoters and fans willing to keep the wheels rolling and keep the band going. So we just did it. And it's honestly grown and gained momentum throughout the years, to the point where now we're still doing, I think it's just short of 60 shows this year, fly dates, and we still love doing it. Everybody gets along, and the testament is that it's still going after 16 and a half some odd years. I've said as long as we keep going and fans still wanna come out and we're still doing good shows and everybody's happy, then we'll keep doing it."

In an April 2021 interview with Waste Some Time With Jason Green, Mason stated about how Lane's last split from WARRANT came about: "They told Jani he was better off probably staying off the road, because they were having a hard time keeping him sober. They hired a very expensive per-day sober coach that couldn't do it.

"It's a horrible thing," he continued. "He succumbed to all of that… He was in a very, very dark place, and the worst place for him was to be on the road. And my guys were deathly afraid of finding him not making lobby call one day and expired in a hotel on the road, and how that would look and how that would feel for them.

"So, yes, they told, 'No more WARRANT for you. Please go home and make yourself better. And maybe we'll talk about it someday. But make yourself better.'

"[After I joined WARRANT] Jani was alive and did Jani Lane solo shows for a little bit. He put a band together with a lot of the usual suspects, guys he would use, and really great players. But he was just not the same guy and not in the same place."

Lane died in August 2011 at age 47. Paramedics found his body in a Comfort Inn motel room in Woodland Hills, California, which is near Los Angeles. Lane had battled alcohol abuse for years.

Reflecting on how he found out about Jani's death, Robert said: "I think it was us and the SLAUGHTER guys, we were all having dinner at a steak joint somewhere in the middle of the country doing a gig, and everybody's phone just buzzed — it seemed [like it happened] all at once. It was kind of rare for us — all band and crew; everybody — after flying in, we were all sitting around the table, with appetizers, waiting for entrees to show up, and all of sudden, everybody's phones just blew up. And it was that horrible look. I remember somebody looking and going [opens his eyes wide]. And I know they thought to themselves, 'This is what this is,' and they were dead right. We all picked up the phone, and we were, like, 'Did you just hear…?' 'Yeah, I just got a text from so-and-so.' 'I just missed a phone call from six people.'"

According to Mason, Lani's passing didn't come completely unexpectedly to him and the rest of WARRANT. "Clearly, it's not anything that anybody wanted to happen, but it was less of a surprise, I think," he said. "It wasn't as huge a shock. And that's a terrible thing to admit."

WARRANT's latest album, "Louder Harder Faster", was released in 2017 via Frontiers Music Srl. The disc was recorded with producer Jeff Pilson — a veteran bassist who has played with DIO, FOREIGNER and DOKKEN, among others — and was mixed by Pat Regan, except for the song "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink", which was mixed by Chris "The Wizard" Collier (FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, PRONG, LAST IN LINE).

Opeth's mesmerizing headline performance at Bloodstock Open Air 2024 is available for streaming below.


Captured live on August 9, 2024, this stunning set showcases the Swedish progressive metal legends in all their glory as they deliver a carefully curated, fan-chosen set on the iconic Ronnie James Dio Main Stage. Held at Walton on Trent, Derbyshire, Bloodstock is renowned as the UK's biggest independent metal festival, and Opeth's performance was undoubtedly one of the weekend's highlights.


Blending intricate guitar riffs with haunting melodies and progressive soundscapes, Opeth’s music defies genre boundaries, weaving through elements of folk, jazz, and classical music while maintaining a deeply rooted heaviness. Tracks like "The Grand Conjuration," "Ghost Of Perdition," and "Sorceress" captivated the crowd, while the raw emotion in "In My Time Of Need" and the crushing power of "Deliverance" left fans speechless.




Setlist:


Intro  
"The Grand Conjuration"
"Demon Of The Fall"
"The Drapery Falls"
"In My Time Of Need"
"Heir Apparent"
"Ghost Of Perdition"
"Sorceress"
"Deliverance"





Opeth's 14th studio album, The Last Will And Testament, is now available worldwide via Moderbolaget / Reigning Phoenix Music. In the video below, frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt takes us through the entire album, with some interesting comments about how each track came to be.





Opeth's fourteenth album was written by Mikael Åkerfeldt, with lyrics conferred with Klara Rönnqvist Fors (The Heard, ex-Crucified Barbara). The Last Will And Testament was co-produced by Åkerfeldt and Stefan Boman (Ghost, The Hellacopters), engineered by Boman, Joe Jones (Killing Joke, Robert Plant), and Opeth, with Boman, Åkerfeldt, and the rest of Opeth mixing at Atlantis and Hammerthorpe Studios in Stockholm. The strings on The Last Will And Testament were arranged by Åkerfeldt and returning prog friend Dave Stewart (Egg, Khan) and conducted by Stewart at Angel Studios in London. Not one to miss a beat, visual artist Travis Smith returns to the fold, crafting his 11th cover, a haunting "photograph" reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's infamous "Overlook Hotel" photograph. Miles Showell (ABBA, Queen) also revisits mastering and vinyl lacquer cutting at Abbey Road Studios in London.


Åkerfeldt rolls out the red carpet for storied flautist and Jethro Tull main man Ian Anderson. Not only do Anderson's signature notes fly on "§4" and "§7", he narrates on "§1", "§2", "§4", and "§7". Joining Anderson, Europe's Joey Tempest lends a backing vocal hand on "§2”, while Åkerfeldt's youngest daughter, Mirjam Åkerfeldt, is the disembodied voice in "§1".


The Last Will A Testament is gripping from start to finish, jaw-dropping inside and out, representing some of Opeth's finest material to date. Just as Opeth welcomed many into its distressed arms over the years, the Swedes again deliver on the promise that great music always tells a compelling story—this time with growls.


Order The Last Will And Testament here. Album cover by Travis Smith.





The Last Will And Testament tracklisting:


"§1"
"§2"
"§3"
"§4"
"§5"
"§6"
"§7"
"A Story Never Told"


"§4" lyric video:





"§3":





"§1" (Radio Edit) lyric video:





After conquering North America this past October, Opeth will emba

In a new interview with Loaded Radio, former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick was asked if he thinks the upcoming KISS avatar show is going to do well. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I hate to ever count out the capabilities of creative minds with a lot of money and means. If you think about what the makeup characters represent, I've seen it in a comic book form. There were fanzines even that were drawing them. I was even included, not as necessarily a makeup person, but you know what I mean. 'THE BEATLES meet KISS, 'Asylum'-era KISS,' stuff like that. But there's something about technology that they have all these really great people who I know the way… I don't know much about the company that bought them, but I know they were very successful for the group ABBA. So will they be able to recreate that success for KISS? I say don't count them out, but I don't know what the public will think.

"I think there'll always be a certain part of the fans that needs something organic, just like maybe the CD will never go away, vinyl will never go away, cassettes will never go away," he continued. "Like maybe KISS live in person or even a tribute band to KISS live and in person still would feel maybe more than an incredible avatar performance. But that doesn't mean that this couldn't be something wildly successful. I just wouldn't count it out.

"There's lots of criticisms — I see people saying 'not interesting', 'can't wait' — but we know it's years off now. Years," Kulick added. "And I'm glad that they're recognizing that to do this right, it might take a lot of years. And let's see what the future holds for bringing people together in an environment to see KISS put on a show like no other. Who knows? But again, I can't fault them for trying that. 'Cause they clearly didn't wanna go the route of, 'We're gonna find the best tribute band ever and put them out.' The official KISS that isn't KISS, but they're all approved. And I know that there were reputable TV shows and producers that saw that as an opportunity for KISS, and they didn't bite. And I respect that, that they didn't choose it, but I could definitely see how that could have gone that route too. And they chose not to."

The technology being used for the KISS avatars, originally developed for ABBA's "Voyage" show in London, will allow KISS to stay "on the road" in retirement.

The KISS avatars were created by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and were financed and produced by the Swedish company Pophouse Entertainment, which is behind "ABBA Voyage".

Using cutting-edge technology, Pophouse Entertainment Group, which was founded by ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus, will create digital versions of KISS. The project was previewed at the final KISS concert in New York in December 2023.

In September, Paul Stanley was asked by Billboard's "Behind The Setlist" podcast about the reports that the KISS avatar show will debut in 2027 in Las Vegas. Paul said: "What I can tell you is that the technology that's being used, which is a furthering of the technology used on the ABBA show, has to be installed and basically a building has to be built around it. So this isn't something where you're in Kansas City today, and tomorrow you fly with your projector to do it. It demands an arena, so to speak that's really solely used for a show like this. But it's not something that can play on Wednesdays and Thursdays or Saturdays and Sundays, and then something else is in there during the week."

In an interview with TMZ, Gene Simmons defended KISS's plans for an avatar concert similar to ABBA's with digital versions of the group.

"A.I. [artificial intelligence] is here to stay," he said. "Technology is here to stay. And you either join in and try to adapt and try to figure out how that works with you or you're just yesterday's news in a very real way.

"Truthfully, KISS has stopped touring," he continued. "We will never tour as KISS again. However, the end is also the beginning. We're gonna do things that will blow your socks off. But we couldn't do this without our new best friends for life Pophouse. They're really remarkable people."

When the interviewer asked if fans will embrace the concept of a concert that is A.I.-driven and consists of nothing but holograms, Gene said: "It's not just, 'Okay, they're gonna show up on stage just like they did before, but it's holograms. No. That's an archaic term. Technology has advanced so far, you won't believe it.

"We spent some time at George Lucas's place and did motion capture stuff secretly," he continued. "We didn't talk to anybody — media or anything — about it, because we wanted this to be like nothing anybody's ever seen. And I will tell you, if you've seen the ABBA show in London, which is phenomenal, this is gonna be beyond anything you've ever seen.

"So the future is here, and with our friends at Pophouse, who are visionaries, we're gonna be doing things that no band and no musical — nobody's ever done before," Gene added. "Our events are going to be multi, I wanna say multidimensional. You just won't believe your eyes. Things are gonna be so much larger than life in front of you. You won't believe it. We've already seen the first fragments of that. It's just jaw-droppingly amazing."

As part of the partnership, Pophouse will create digital versions of KISS that will allow the band and their unique personas to live forever. The project, already underway, was previewed at the final KISS show in Madison Square Garden, New York on December 2, 2023, when, to the audience's surprise, KISS avatars closed the night with a rendition of "God Gave Rock And Roll To You" (resulting in international headlines). Through a magical combination of cutting-edge technology and unrivalled creativity, Pophouse will bring the full, authentic KISS experience to both existing and new fans for years to come. The avatar show is planned to launch in 2027.

Releasing their fourth studio album, Nemesis, this past September, Canadian prog rockers The Wring is inviting fans to enter the "Badlands" with their latest lyric video in support of the record.


Don Dewulf explains the track further: "Bad behaviour of major media outlets has given rise to powerful lower tier/social media that operate without any requirement for truth or decency; conflicting accounts, conspiracy theory, assertions without proof but presented as fact. It’s everywhere, but most obvious in the USA where almost every issue is dramatically polarized. Even the average semi-intelligent person doesn’t really know what to believe anymore. Musically, Badlands starts with a crushing bass riff leading into an angular verse and a very metal pre-chorus. The chorus is open and singable. I love the solo. It’s got some Lydian forms which has a ‘crooked major’ jazzy kind of vibe. Fun to play."







The Wring's fourth album, Nemesis, marks a significant step in the band’s journey, showcasing a more cohesive and refined sound that blends their heavy rock roots with progressive and jazz influences. With eight tracks spanning just over 40 minutes, Nemesis adds a new, technical twist to progressive metal.


Exploring themes of external and internal conflict, each song represents a different facet of our struggles. From the driving intensity of tracks like “Badlands” and “The Sword” to the melodic intricacy of “The Nail” and “Before I Disappear”, the album is a dynamic journey through the band’s musical and lyrical vision. Reggie Hache’s expanded role on vocals, bass, and keyboards brings a new depth to The Wring’s sound, while Dewulf’s guitar work continues to anchor the band’s heavy yet nuanced approach.


Throughout Nemesis, the playing is tight, precise, and yet still free-flowing. Each instrument complements the others and often provides a steady hand while the other players move in different directions. It's a metal album, a prog album, a rock album, or even a pseudo-jazz affair.


Don Dewulf comments: “Thematically, Nemesis speaks to conflict of all sorts. Musically, there is a similar conflict of musical styles. The central idea of every Wring album is to combine many genres in a single song, so while nothing is new, hopefully, the combination can seem fresh or different. For many listeners, even the most dedicated, certain musical stylings are an onerous listen – jazz, prog, even classical. The idea of Nemesis is to give the listener a way to enjoy odd times, peculiar harmony, and aggressive riffs without having to give up their soul to do it. The backbone of every song is firmly rooted in traditional hard rock so there is always something to grab onto.”





Tracklisting:


“Badlands”

Art Gates Records has announced the signing of Chile's Without The Sun.


Without The Sun is a Chilean alternative metal band that is musically characterized by the search for its own sound, focused on highlighting reliefs and shines hidden in the density of the low notes of the strings, with nuances and aggressive contrasts of a clear and powerful voice; added to the rhythm of a strong and aggressive drums.


Through this sound they want to project lyrical concepts and experiences based on the introspection of the human being, to transmit current realities of the sensations that the modern world makes us feel, always trying to show a positive edge that allows us to maintain hope among the current chaos.  




In terms of performance, what they intend to transmit is an experience that generates an enveloping environment to the public, with a dark, dense and powerful atmosphere as transmitted by their sound.  


They make modern metal not to include additives and external sounds to their music, but to e

On November 15th, Linkin Park - Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Phoenix, Joe Hahn, alongside new members Emily Armstrong (vocals) and Colin Brittain (drums) - performed live at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil. They have shared an official live video for their new single, "Two Faced", shot at the show. Check it out below.





After a year of monumental returns and record-breaking milestones, Linkin Park - Mike Shinoda, Dave “Phoenix” Farrell, Joe Hahn, Emily Armstrong, and Colin Brittain - announce From Zero World Tour will continue into 2025, with the next leg launching in January of next year. The tour celebrates their new album, From Zero, out tomorrow via Warner Records and hits stadiums and arenas across North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America. The run also includes several notable festival plays around the globe, including Sick New World, I-DAYS, Novarock, and more.




Their 2024 arena run was met with incredible demand, prompting the addition of four stadium dates in Paris, Dallas, and São Paulo. Now, fans worldwide will have even more chances to experience Linkin Park’s raw, high-octane performances with an expanded tour schedule in 2025. Full ticketing and tour info is available below. Special guests Queens of the Stone Age, Spiritbox, AFI, Architects, grandson, Jean Dawson, JPEGMAFIA, and PVRIS will join on select dates.


“Getting back out on the road has been incredible,” says Mike Shinoda. “The fans’ support is overwhelming, and we’re ready to take this energy even further around the world. From Zero is a new chapter for us, and we’re so excited to share it with everyone on a bigger scale.”


Highlights of the upcoming run include the band’s first stadium shows in Tokyo and Mexico City since 2017, a return to Jakarta after 13 years, and performances at Wembley Stadium, Stade de France, and Dodger Stadium, where they’ll perform both new hits like “The Emptiness Machine” and “Heavy Is The Crown” alongside iconic anthems spanning their 20+ year career. Additional ticketing and venue details for South America and Jakarta will be forthcoming.


Following the release of “Heavy Is The Crown”, the official League of Legends World Championship Anthem and their first collaboration with Riot Games, Linkin Park has reasserted their position as one of rock’s defining voices. The song’s hard-hitting rhythm and anthemic energy embody the bold, renewed spirit of the band and have resonated with fans across the globe, paving the way for From Zero.


Linkin Park made their triumphant return to the spotlight with "The Emptiness Machine," which surged to #1 on both the Billboard Alternative and Mainstream Rock Airplay charts, marking their 13th and 11th chart-toppers on these lists, respectively. The song also debuted at #4 on the UK Singles Chart, achieving the band’s highest UK chart position in their 24-year career, and has held the #1 spot in Germany for an incredible 9 weeks in a row and counting.


Tickets:


- LP Underground fan club exclusive presales start November 18. Get all details and ticketing info here.
- North America: The general onsale will take place on Thursday, November 21 at 12 PM, Local Time.
- Europe/UK: The general onsale will take place on Friday, November 22 at 10, AM Local Time.


With over 54 million monthly listeners on Spotify and accolades from Billboard, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times on their recent singles, Linkin Park’s comeback has proven they are more influential than ever. The band’s recent late-night performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon showcased their timeless appeal, and their latest music has struck a powerful chord, propelling them to the forefront of rock music in 2024.





From Zero World Tour 2025:


January
31 - Estadio GNP Seguros - Mexico City, MX =


February
3 - Estadio 3 de Marzo - Guadalajara, MX =
5 - Estadio Banorte - Monterrey, MX =
11 - Saitama Super Arena - Tokyo, JP
12 - Saitama Super Arena - Tokyo, JP
16 - Venue TBA - Jakarta, ID


April
12 - Sick New World Festival - Las Vegas, NV *
26 - Moody Center - Austin, TX ^
28 - BOK Center - Tulsa, OK ^


May
1 -  Van Andel Arena - Grand Rapids, MI ^
3 - CFG Bank Arena - Baltimore, MD ^
6 - Lenovo Center - Raleigh, NC ^
8 - Bon Secours Wellness Arena - Greenville, SC ^
10 - Sonic Temple - Columbus, OH *
17 -  Welcome to Rockville - Daytona, FL *


June
12 - Novarock Festival -Nickelsdorf, AT *
14 - Rock for People Festival - Hradec Kralove, CZ *
16 - Heinz-Von-Heiden Arena - Hannover, DE ~
18 - Olympiastadion - Berlin, DE ~
20 - Bernexpo - Bern, CH
24 - I-DAYS Festival - Milan, IT *
26 - Gelredome - Arnhem, NL $
28 - Wembley Stadium - London, UK $&


July
1 - Merkur Spiel Arena - Dusseldorf, DE ~&
3 - Rock Werchter Festival - Werchter, BE *
5 - Open’er Festival - Gdynia, PL *
8 - Deutsche Bank Park - Frankfurt, DE ~&
11 - Stade de France - Paris, FR
29 - Barclays Center - Brooklyn, NY+


August
1 - TD Garden - Boston, MA +  
3 - Prudential Center - Newark, NJ +  
6 - Bell Centre - Montreal, QC +
8 - Scotiabank Arena - Toronto, ON +  
11 - United Center - Chicago, IL +  
14 - Little Caesars Arena - Detroit, MI +  
16 - Wells Fargo Center - Philadelphia, PA #
19 - PPG Paints Arena - Pittsburgh, PA #
21 - Bridgestone Arena - Nashville, TN #
23 - Enterprise Center - St. Louis, MO #
25 - Fiserv Forum - Milwaukee, WI #
27 - Target Center - Minneapolis, MN #
29 - CHI Health Center - Omaha, NE #
31 - T-Mobile Center - Kansas City, MO #


September
3 - Ball Arena - Denver, CO #
6 - Footprint Center - Phoenix, AZ #
13 - Dodger Stadium - Los Angeles, CA !&
15 - SAP Center - San Jose, CA &
17 - Golden 1 Center - Sacramento, CA &
19 - Moda Center - Portland, OR &
21 - Rogers Arena - Vancouver, BC &
24 - Climate Pledge Arena - Seattle, WA &


October
26 - Venue TBA - Bogota, CO
29 - Venue TBA - Lima, PE


November
1 - Venue TBA - Buenos Aires, AR
5 - Venue TBA - Santiago, CL
8 - Venue TBA - Rio de Janeiro, BR
10 - Venue TBA - São Paulo, BR
13 - Venue TBA - Brasilia, BR
15 - Venue TBA - Porto Alegre, BR


* Festival Performance
! With support from Queens of the Stone Age
$ With support from Spiritbox
= With support from AFI
~ With support from Architects
^ With support from grandson
# With support from Jean Dawson
& With support from JPEGMAFIA
+ With support from PVRIS
 
Linkin Park's From Zero will be released tomorrow (November 15). Pre-order / pre-save here via Warner Records.





Tracklisting:


"From Zero" (Intro)
"The Emptiness Machine"
"Cut The Bridge"
"Heavy Is The Crown"
"Over Each Other"
"Casualty"
"Overflow"
"Two Faced"
"Stained"
"IGYEIH"
"Good Things Go"


"Two Faced" video:

Devin Townsend is currently on the road in the UK supporting Myled Kennedy with an acoustic show. The tour kicked off on November 25th at Galvanizers in Glasgow, Scortland, and fan-filmed video of Townsend's solo set can be viewed below.


Setlist


"Let It Roll"
"Love?" (Strapping Young Lad )
"Bring Him Home" (Claude‐Michel Schönberg - Les Miserables)
"Lightworker"
"Ih-Ah!" (Devin Townsend Project song)
"Hyperdrive" (audience request)
"Deadhead"
"Why?" (intro only, audience request)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers and Import Specialists assigned to the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport, in conjunction with U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agents, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) Investigators, and Gibson representatives, announced the seizure of over 3,000 counterfeit Gibson guitars with a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP),had they been genuine, of $18,742,820 (USD).

CBP officers in coordination with HSI special agents and LASD investigators intercepted the suspected cargo arriving in ocean containers from Asia. CBP's Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising Center of Excellence (CPMM) assisted in estimating the MSRP of the shipment. Gibson confirmed that the guitars intercepted were in fact counterfeit, nothing than authentic Gibson guitars are made in the U.S.A. only.

"These fraudulent guitars may look and feel legitimate for unsuspecting consumers buying them from third party online sources, street markets, unauthorized retailers, and person-to-person transactions," said Cheryl M. Davies, CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles. "As we approach the busy Holiday shopping season, consumers should pay attention on where they are buying these goods and how much they are paying, and if is too good to be true it probably is."

"Intellectual property theft is not a victimless crime. Victims are American consumers, businesses, trademark holders and people who manufacture and sell legitimate products. Often, the illicit proceeds resulting from the sale of counterfeit or unlicensed products are funneled back to support a broad range of illegal activities," said HSI Los Angeles Deputy Special Agent in Charge John Pasciucco.

"Counterfeit products harm legitimate businesses, erode consumer trust, and damage the reputation of iconic brands like Gibson. Beyond the economic losses, counterfeit goods often do not meet safety or quality standards, leaving consumers at risk," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Lieutenant William Kitchin.

"We are grateful for the hard work that our U.S. CBP officers, HSI special agents, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigators are doing to stop counterfeiting," adds Cesar Gueikian, CEO of Gibson. "Our partnership is designed to help every agency work together to protect consumers and our fans from being misled into counterfeits."

"This is really emotional and personal for us not only because of the protection of our players, but because of our Gibson team at large, including the artisans at our craftories in Nashville, TN and Bozeman, MT, who are generations of American families that have dedicated their entire lives to handcrafting Gibson instruments," adds Beth Heidt, Chief Marketing Officer at Gibson. "As Gibson celebrates its 130th anniversary this year, we are proud of our legacy of quality and craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships with our artists, and our efforts to promote and create more musicians that continue to shape the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across every genre."

Counterfeit goods also threaten the health and safety of shoppers as they are often made of inferior materials, manufactured under uncontrolled and unsanitary conditions, and labeled with false information.

"Counterfeit goods fund criminal enterprises that engage in forced labor, smuggling, drug trafficking, and other illicit activities, said Africa R. Bell, CBP Port Director of the Los Angeles/Long Beach seaport. "Counterfeiters are only interested in making a profit — they do not care about you or your family's well-being or the well-being of our economy."

To deter the importation of illicit goods and protect U.S. consumers and businesses, CBP has developed a proactive, aggressive, and dynamic enforcement approach to Intellectual Property Right (IPR) enforcement.

Nationwide, in Fiscal Year 2023, CBP seized 19,724 shipments containing goods that violated Intellectual Property Rights (IPR),this equates to nearly 23 million counterfeit goods. The total manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of the seized goods, had they been genuine, was over $2.7 billion (USD). Seizures of counterfeit goods from China and Hong Kong accounted for 46% of counterfeit seizures and 84% of the value of counterfeit seizures.

For more information about the risks associated with purchasing counterfeit goods, visit CBP's Fake Goods, Real Dangers web site and read CBP's e-Commerce Awareness Guide. Additional tips for protecting your family from counterfeit goods are available at StopFakes.gov. Rights holders wishing to protect their brand from infringing imports should record their trademarks and copyrights with CBP at iprr.cbp.gov.

Suspected intellectual property rights violations, fraud, or illegal trade activity can be reported by contacting CBP through the e-Allegations Online Trade Violations Reporting System or by calling 1-800-BE-ALERT. Violations can also be reported to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center at www.iprcenter.gov/referral/ or by telephone at 1-866-IPR-2060.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency. The 65,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We facilitate safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country's economic prosperity. We enhance the nation's security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.

Photo courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

Returning from a week of shows in France, plus an appearance at last weekend’s Ruinfest, Seattle extreme metal band Lacabra return with a second single/music video. “Human Quilt” comes from the group’s full-length debut planned for release next spring.


"'Human Quilt' is about a psychic attack that creates a purposeful mental assault on lost and vulnerable human beings," explains vocalist Lance Neatherlin. "The sheer terror of will bending atrocities brought to these unfortunate people and their families is one of the saddest things I can imagine.  Bad things happen to good people."







The live video was shot by fans at the Funhouse in Seattle, showcasing the band’s frenzied live attack, with interspersed cult scenes driving the lyrics home, which were edited together by Jason Frost.


Lacabra rose from the ashes of Locisteller, whose promise fell apart during Covid-19 pandemic, but Lance Neatherlin (vocals) and Eric Snyder (guitar) recruited Eric Weber (bass), Michael Anthony (guitar), and Richie Sather (drums) transforming into Lacabra. Neatherlin and Snyder (also key members) While Lacabra takes a more straightforward and punishing approach with their music, and it’s fair to say that in Lacabra they’ve caught lightning in a bottle.  


The band’s eclectic influences range from traditional heavy metal, dark wave, black metal as well as 1990’s melodic death metal, which they interweave seamlessly throughout their songs in a unique and purely original way. Their live shows are crushingly heavy and intense with dueling lead guitars and stage presence that rival any band out there today.  


Their performances and unique sound have garnered them a reputation as a must-see band in the Pacific Northwest (US) and beyond, having shared the stage with bands such as Goatwhore, Crypta, Destruction

During an appearance on the "100 Words Or Less" podcast, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach spoke about his recent wedding to his longtime girlfriend Corinne Paris (a.k.a. Philia Porphyra). Asked how the experience of tying the knot has changed him, the 46-year-old said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think the big thing I've been learning a lot lately is being considerate, especially when you live this kind of a lifestyle, considering her feelings before I do something or say something or whatever. When you're in a relationship, communication is key, but I think consideration should take the front seat with a lot of relationships.

"When you're a — I hate to use this term — semi-famous person, you sort of navigate life a little differently and people treat you differently so you're used to having this privilege that you just kind of tell people what to do, say what you want and you get it," he explained. "And it's not that way in a marriage or a friendship or whatever. And that's been the big thing for me, is she keeps me grounded and she keeps me realizing that I need to work as a partner. I can lead in the relationship here and there, but we are partners. So that's been the big thing, lately, we've been moving through in our relationship after being married.

"Marriage is not the end; it's the beginning of a whole other thing. So that's part of it. And I'm grateful for the lessons that I'm learning. I think it's important to progress as a person when you're with somebody, and look at your own flaws and go, 'Oh, yeah, I gotta work on that shit. That's something I gotta work on.'"

Leach added: "I've been learning that lesson, to just listen to what she's saying instead of immediately going, 'Well, no.' 'Cause that's just gonna make it worse. It's a big lesson to be learning. Anyone who's listening out there, you're in a relationship, yeah, don't get defensive. Let that person talk. That's huge.

"She's amazing. I love her to death."

Leach and Paris share a home in Woodstock, New York.

Six years ago, Leach revealed on social media that he would take time "to get help" after informing fans that he and his wife of over 16 years, Melissa, had decided to go separate ways.

Leach, who has been open about his battles with anxiety and depression, took to Instagram to let his followers know that he would be seeking treatment so that he can avoid becoming "another statistic of suicide."

2018 was a tough year for Leach, who underwent surgery on his vocal cords to remove nodules in April 2018, and dealt with depression, anxiety, and "full-on mental breakdowns" throughout the rest of the year. Although these setbacks had an impact on the recording schedule for the latest KILLSWITCH ENGAGE album, 2019's "Atonement", Jesse eventually finished laying down his tracks for the effort with the help of guitarist and producer Adam Dutkiewicz, whom he has described as his "musical soulmate."

In May 2018, Leach gave a shout-out to his "badass" then-wife for supporting him through his vocal surgery and for being his "biggest fan, biggest critic, best friend, partner in crime and the love of my damn life."

Jesse previously revealed that the reason he originally left KILLSWITCH ENGAGE in 2002, after recording two albums, was because "there was definitely something wrong with my head. I was dealing with a depression," he said. "At that time, it was a pretty lowdown feeling of being alienated, just sort of not being prepared mentally for a life on the road."

In August 2018, Leach wrote lengthy social media post in which he once again admitted that he had "a mental illness," adding: " I too have anxiety, suicidal thoughts, depression and addictions. I do and say things 'out of character' when I am mentally 'high or low' — it's just part of the distinction of the illness."

Leach rejoined KILLSWITCH in 2012 following a split with the band's previous frontman, Howard Jones.

Announcing their partnership with Thunderflix earlier this November to showcase their full live performance at this year's Hellfest Open Air (Temple Stage) in Clisson, France, Italian melodic death-doom force Shores of Null are sharing their next clip from the festival for the song "My Darkest Years" off their latest and fourth record The Loss of Beauty released on Spikerot Records during March 2023.


Vocalist Davide Straccione adds:


“Hellfest was the culmination of an intense promotional cycle during which we had the privilege of taking The Loss Of Beauty far and wide. Stepping onto that stage was an incredibly powerful experience, rewarding us for years of relentless hard work, dedication, and a deep love for what we do. We felt the energy of the crowd resonating with us, and in that moment, it truly felt like we were exactly where we were meant to be. On a personal level, it was a dream come true, and I believe I can speak for the entire band when I say it was the highlight of our career so far.”

In a new interview with Sense Music Media, Max Cavalera reflected on NAILBOMB's lone studio album, 1994's "Point Blank". "Point Blank" saw the then-SEPULTURA frontman team up with FUDGE TUNNEL's Alex Newport for a dense, industrialized offering that included a variety of samples and punk rock influences. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I love that record so much. I think 'Point Blank' is by far one of my favorite records of all time. It was just a blast to make it. Of course we really didn't care for anything. We just wanted to make a brutal, pissed off record full of industrial sounds and samplers and riffage. And it's crazy that NAILBOMB is 30 years old next year, and we're actually gonna come and do some festivals in Europe in the summer. It's great. I love it. I think it's one of those records that would be a shame not to play live because it's so good. I don't feel the necessity to re-record the NAILBOMB record, but I feel that live it needs to be played. People need to hear NAILBOMB."

Touching upon the musical and lyrical relevance of the NAILBOMB effort, Max said: "In a weird way, 'Point Blank' was almost prophetic. The stuff we were singing about is what's happening right now in the world, unfortunately. You've got stuff like '24 Hour Bullshit' with media. You have 'Sick Life' with the drug problem. You have 'Guerrillas' with the war in the Ukraine. Even the chorus of 'Guerrillas', it's eerie: 'Away from home, learn to hate, die for the land, fucking waste.' I think that's how those Russian kids must feel like right now going to Ukraine.

"Yeah, it's a prophetic album that is actually more relevant now than when it first came out," he added. "It's crazy."

Max revived NAILBOMB for a November 9 performance at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe, Arizona as part of the SOULFLY-headlined "Max Cavalera Dynasty Show". NAILBOMB's lineup for the event included three guitarists, Max, Max's son Igor Amadeus Cavalera and Travis Stone. The three previously took part in the CAVALERA "Third World Trilogy" tour in Europe. Travis is also the guitarist of PIG DESTROYER. Johny Chow, formerly of STONE SOUR, FIREBALL MINISTRY and CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, handled the bass duties for NAILBOMB. Alex Cha, of PIG DESTROYER, was on sampler and Adam Jarvis, of MISERY INDEX and PIG DESTROYER, bashed the drums.

Last month, it was announced that NAILBOMB will perform at next year's Alcatraz festival in Kortrijk, Belgium and at the Bloodstock Open Air festival at Catton Park in Derbyshire, United Kingdom.

The sonic love child of Max and Newport, this 1994 one-off album from their NAILBOMB union showcased dense, industrialized heaviness, seething with all-out punk aggression. In 13 tracks, the revered duo — crediting SEPULTURA alumni Andreas Kisser and Igor Cavalera, as well as FEAR FACTORY's Dino Cazares as players on the final product — managed to make an angry masterpiece that meets in the middle of what both SEPULTURA and FUDGE TUNNEL were doing at the time. But as for the visual representation of "Point Blank", the war-time photo of a Viet Cong woman with a gun to her head proves just as striking as the devastatingly heavy music within its sleeve.

Max told TeamRock in 2016 about "Point Blank": "It's just such a pissed off album. Me and Alex were pissed at everything and decided to make a real fuck-the-world 'hate project.' It is one of the most 'fuck-you' albums of all time; it aims at everything, and destroys everything. So, that'd be cool — to be remembered as a person who came here to fuck shit up, NAILBOMB's perfect!"

Swedish rockers Degreed have unveiled their new single and accompanying visualizer video “Get Up!!”, available today via Frontiers Music Srl.


Vocalist Robin Eriksson comments about the new single: “Sometimes life hits you so hard that you can barely stand up. Blow after blow, and it never seems to end. But you get up. You have to get up. Sometimes it can even be that you need to be slapped in the face to wake up.”


“This song is about all that, and about not giving up. But it also has a more serious undertone of bearing the weight of all the demands of today's society. Ultimately, this song is about NEVER giving up! Get up and try again!”, he adds.







Degreed have been releasing critically acclaimed music since the start of their career with their first album Life, Love, Loss in 2010. Over the course of their career, the band has gone from strength to strength with every release, touring and gaining fans all over the world. Their sound mixes classic melodic and hard rock sounds with more contemporary influences, offering the fans a very personal, fresh and exciting mix of great rock music.


Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the band wasn’t able to tour on the heels of the release of the album Lost Generation in 20

In a new interview with cult San Antonio video show Robbs MetalWorks, Kirk Windstein (guitar, vocals; CROWBAR, DOWN, KINGDOM OF SORROW) spoke about SUN DONT SHINE (formerly EYE AM),the band featuring Windstein alongside former TYPE O NEGATIVE members Kenny Hickey (guitar/vocals) and Johnny Kelly (drums),plus Todd Strange (CROWBAR, DOWN). He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're actually gonna go to Europe for about a ten-day, two-week little tour, play a few festivals. And it'll be our first time playing live. Fuck, we haven't even actually played a complete song in a room together. It was kind of a get-together-and-writing-type thing, and we have a seven-song EP coming out. So, I'll be busy with that."

Regarding the musical direction of SUN DONT SHINE, Kirk said: "We we like to think, us four guys, that it's not what people think when you've got half of the original CROWBAR and half of TYPE O NEGATIVE. It doesn't sound like either band, so it's its own thing, which I'm very proud of."

Noting that Hickey handles most of the lead vocals in SUN DONT SHINE, Windstein said: "When I heard his voice, I'm, like, 'Dude, you're the singer. We do some call-and-answer, and we do a lot of vocal harmonies. I told him I'm more nervous about trying to harmonize right with my gravelly voice, and he's got this high, clean, powerful voice. And he's, like, 'Oh, you're gravelly voice blends good with mine. It'll be great.' Yeah, he's got an amazing voice — he really does. A great sense of melody. It's really great stuff."

Under the band's original name EYE AM, SUN DONT SHINE has released two singles so far, "Dreams Always Die With The Sun" in June 2023 and "Cryptomnesia" in November 2023, via Corpse Paint Records. The songs' accompanying music videos were shot and directed by Mike Holderbeast at OCD Recording And Production.

With Windstein's earth-shaking riffs and Hickey's evocative, often ethereal melodies, the band strikes a delicate balance between heavy and haunting. Kelly's drumming keeps things tight but never feels constrained, while Strange's bass lines act as the backbone, holding down the bottom end with a ferocity only years in the rock trenches can cultivate.

Yet what truly sets SUN DONT SHINE apart is the chemistry among its members. You can hear it in every note, a raw, almost unfiltered energy that comes from playing with people who have been through it all together — both the highs and the lows. Their music is about embracing imperfections and channeling them into something transcendent, capturing a moment rather than chasing perfection. It's messy, it's visceral, and it's real.

The group's dynamic blend of heaviness and atmospheric nuance makes them a standout, but SUN DONT SHINE's identity goes deeper than their sound. With influences spanning everything from BLACK SABBATH to THE BEATLES, their music tells stories of resilience, reflection, and catharsis. Every song feels like a journey, guided by a sense of purpose that's as intense as it is unpredictable.

"I don't want our music to be one-dimensional," Hickey previously said. "I don't want it to be just dark and doomy or always so heavy. I want it to be both light and dark, dynamic and unpredictable." It's a sentiment that runs deep in their sound, where each track takes on a life of its own, exploring contrasting moods and textures that reveal more with every listen.

For Windstein it's about "breaking new ground." Whether they're delving into bone-crushing riffs or taking a melodic detour, SUN DONT SHINE is less concerned with fitting into a genre and more focused on creating music that resonates with their own experience and emotions.

Speaking to Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, Kelly stated about how SUN DONT SHINE came together: "That was started with Andrew Spaulding. I met him; he was a merchandiser for DANZIG. And then TYPE O went on tour after that. We brought him out and he worked with TYPE O up until Peter [Steele, TYPE O NEGATIVE frontman] passed away. And we all remained good friends and stuff. And he started an indie label; he started a small little label. And he suggested putting me and Kenny together with Kirk Windstein and Todd Strange from CROWBAR. We've all been friends — I've known Kirk and Todd for, like, 30 years at this point. So we've always been friends and we've always crossed paths and hung out and this and that but never really had the opportunity to get in a room and play together. And Drew had it worked out. We all met in Florida. We got into a room, came up with that song, recorded it the next day, and that was it; it was done.'"

According to Kelly, "Dreams Always Die With The Sun" was written and recorded in less than a day. "Drew literally picked me up from the airport and drove me to rehearsal," he said. "And the guys were in the room. And I just put my suitcase over to the side, set up the kit and we started working on the song. And then the next morning we went to the recording studio, tracked all the drums. And then I was on a plane. I don't know where I was going after that, but I had to leave right after we were done tracking; I think my flight was at six in the morning the next morning. So I was there just literally for a few hours."

Regarding how "Dreams Always Die With The Sun" turned out, Johnny said: "It's a cool song. I really wasn't sure what to expect. I guess the best way to compare it — on a different scale, of course — would be like Scott Weiland and VELVET REVOLVER [got together]. You take these people from these bands and you put 'em together and you have a certain expectation of it. Then you're not sure if it's gonna meet it, if it's exceeding it or if it falls way below. But I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was and how much fun it was to work with everybody."

In addition to their work with TYPE O NEGATIVE, Hickey and Kelly had previously collaborated in a band called SEVENTH VOID, which released one full-length album, "Heaven Is Gone", in 2009, and SILVERTOMB, which issued "Edge Of Existence" in 2019.

In a 2018 interview with Rock And Roll Fables, Hickey stated about his chemistry with Kelly: "I've been working with Johnny long before TYPE O. I met Johnny probably in 1986. TYPE O formed in 1989, so we were already in a thrash band together. Basically, we grew up and learned everything the wrong way together and had to work it out over the course of the years. [Laughs] For me, it's completely natural with him. We got better at it. Dude, you do something for 35 years, I hope you're getting better at it."

Original CROWBAR bassist Strange returned to the band in 2016 for the touring cycle in support of the band's "The Serpent Only Lies" album.

Strange, who originally left CROWBAR back in 1999, stuck around for two years before departing once again to focus on his family life.

Windstein, who also plays in the New Orleans supergroup DOWN, released two albums with HATEBREED's Jamey Jasta under the KINGDOM OF SORROW banner. Kirk's debut solo album, "Dream In Motion", arrived in 2020.

The Canadian Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences (CARAS) recently unveiled several major announcements, including that the Canadian punk rock icons SUM 41 will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame during the 54th annual Juno Awards. This will be done during a special presentation and performance presented by Juno premier sponsor TD Bank Group.

Earlier this year, the Grammy-nominated band announced their breakup after 27 years of making music together. They released their final album "Heaven :x: Hell" in March which received rave reviews from the likes of Kerrang!, Dork, NME and more. The band's hit singles off the record "Dopamine" and "Landmines" have made waves in radio airplay over the last several weeks, reaching No. 1 on Mediabase Alternative charts.

Looking back at the band's storied 28-year career, SUM 41 has firmly cemented their place in history with over 15 million records sold worldwide, multiple Billboard-charting releases and No. 1 hits, a Grammy nomination, two Juno Awards (seven nominations),a Kerrang! Award in 2002, multiple Alternative Press Music Awards, sold-out tours and packed venues everywhere, and countless other accolades. The Canadian leg of their farewell tour begins in January. They will play their final show in Toronto, Ontario on January 30, followed by an encore performance live at the Juno Awards broadcast in Vancouver, British Columbia on March 30.

The Canadian Music Hall Of Fame was established by CARAS in 1978 to acknowledge artists who have contributed to Canadian music nationally and globally. SUM 41 will join the ranks of Canadian music icons spanning many genres, including Deborah Cox, Alanis Morissette, BARENAKED LADIES, Jann Arden, Joni Mitchell, K.D. Lang, Leonard Cohen, NICKELBACK, Neil Young, Oscar Peterson, RUSH, THE GUESS WHO, THE TRAGICALLY HIP, Sarah McLachlan and Shania Twain. The Canadian Music Hall Of Fame has a permanent home within the National Music Centre situated inside Calgary's Studio Bell.

"We're excited to be back at the Junos and to receive this recognition," said SUM 41. "We've come so far as a band since we first started and we look forward to celebrating in Vancouver with our fans and fellow Canadian artists."

The 15-time Juno Award winner, multi-platinum superstar entertainer, and Vancouver native Michael Bublé will host and perform at the 2025 Juno Awards broadcast. During the Juno Awards gala presented by Music Canada, Live Nation Canada's Riley O'Connor will also be presented with the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award.

The 54th annual Juno Awards, produced by Insight Productions (a Boat Rocker company),will broadcast and stream live across Canada from Rogers Arena in Vancouver on March 30 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One, CBC Music, CBC Listen and globally at CBCMusic.ca/junos and CBC Music's YouTube page.

The TD pre-sale for The 2025 Juno Awards broadcast runs today until Wednesday, November 27. Tickets to the 2025 Juno Awards go on sale to the general public this Friday, November 29. They start at $70.85 (including tax plus fees) and are available at ticketmaster.ca/junos.

Photo credit: Travis Shinn

On Monday, November 25, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman came to Tokyo's Foreign Correspondents' Club Of Japan, one of the world's oldest and most prestigious press clubs, to talk about his music, his life and extraordinary cultural journey from America to Japan. Video of the question-and-answer session can be seen below.

Friedman, who has been living and recording music in Japan since 2003, was asked about the stereotype that the heavy metal genre draws individuals who feel they are outcasts from popular society. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Especially when I grew up, I guess it's the same as it is now, but people who listened to hard rock and loud music and all that stuff, it wasn't like the quarterback of the football team. It wasn't like the popular guys, not the smart guys, not the guys with great girlfriends, it wasn't the top-of-the-class, honor roll guys — it was the guys who would cut class and hang out with their friends and smoke cigarettes and maybe other things and not the popular guys. It was the outcasts. And that's just kind of where hard rock had its place in society. Popular people liked dance music and pop music, and they didn't really care so much about music. It wasn't important because they had good lives already. They didn't need to be medicated by getting deep into this music and being saved by the music. They were, like, 'Oh, there's music in the background. Great. Let's dance. Party. Cool.' But for those of us who didn't have a whole lot of friends, we were at home playing BLACK SABBATH at full volume and going, 'Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's all right. This is so cool.' But popular people weren't like that. In Japan, however, it is so completely different. You look at people in bands, you look at people who've dedicated their life to playing rock, and they were popular in school, they're good looking, they had girlfriends, they were on the sports team, they had good grades, totally normal guys, but for some reason, they play rock music, and they're in these bands playing this loud, obnoxious music. You meet the guys and they're so completely polite and well spoken, and not like Kurt Cobain might possibly have been, but just normal good guys who had good jobs and just grew up nicely and have manners and they're playing rock. And so you live here long enough, you try to analyze why this is, to answer a question like that, and you can only give my own opinion."

Friedman continued: "I will stand on my opinion that hard rock and guitar-based or guitar-oriented music, heavy metal and guitar stuff, the reason why Japanese people, of all kinds, of all types of people, the reason why they relate to it is because — and I welcome any opposing views — I think that in Japanese traditional music, the sound of an aggressively played stringed instrument plucked loudly, the shamisen with the big pick, the bachi, distorted guitars played aggressively is something that people's grandparents and great grandparents are already used to and wired to listen to. They're used to it already. So if you listen to old people's music, like Anka or traditional music, lo and behold, there's distorted guitar solos in this music. It's like just right out of IRON MAIDEN or something. And it's, like, who's listening to it? Somebody who's, like, 95 years old. And I'm, like, that doesn't happen in America. So, why is it?"

Marty added: "The distorted sound of a shamisen — there's like a switch on the top of the guitar pegs, that if you switch it, it makes it sound dang dang dang dang, really rattly and distorted. So Japanese people, they're already used to this. So, to them, it's not a rebellious sound at all. In America, if you had a distorted guitar, it's, like, 'Oh my god, oh my god.' That's why Jimi Hendrix had such a big impact, 'cause at the time no one made noise with a guitar. It was the most hated thing in the world. Certainly your grandmother wasn't listening to it. Rock and heavy metal was a way to piss off people. In Japan, I don't think it pissed, really, anybody off. So it's a kind of a different approach to the same thing. And I just think it's fascinating.

"And that's my answer to it. Now, there probably is another better explanation, but just with my musical experience here in Japan, that's what I think it is. That's what I think the difference is."

Friedman's musical journey has taken him from the heaviest of heavy metal in the United States (CACOPHONY and MEGADETH) to the poppiest of pop music in Japan and he is now an iconic figure on Japanese TV. He is seen as a cultural ambassador for both his home country, America, and his adopted country of Japan, using his fluent Japanese to seamlessly cross the cultural divide.

In addition to selling millions of albums, he has worked in movies and TV and has recently published his autobiography, "Dreaming Japanese", a book, according to Amazon, that "follows the wildly entertaining, inspiring, and above all, unprecedented path of a rock and roll guitar player who took the biggest risk, leaving worldwide success to start over from scratch in a country, culture and society far from his own, ultimately becoming an official ambassador of Japan."

TWISTED SISTER bassist Mark "The Animal" Mendoza has collaborated with singer Marla Adler on a Christmas single called "I'm Your Christmas Present". The track, which is now available on all major streaming services, was released via Two Stooges Records.

TWISTED SISTER's 2006 album "A Twisted Christmas" featured metal versions of Christmas songs, including the holiday carol "Oh Come All Ye Faithful", which heavily inspired TWISTED SISTER's biggest hit, "We're Not Gonna Take It". Also appearing on the LP were such holiday chestnuts as "Silver Bells" and "Let It Snow", propelling the album's sales to more than 150,000 copies and spawning a live Christmas show the band performed annually for several years.

Mendoza, who began his career as the bass player for THE DICTATORS, has left an everlasting mark on fans. In 1978, Mark was asked to join TWISTED SISTER, replacing bass player Kenny Neill.

Marla has been an active keyboard/vocalist/bandleader and D.J. for over 20 years in the tri-state area and around the world in places like Hawaii, Rome, Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Puerto Rico and Thailand. In addition to performing in various venues like the rainbow grill at the Rainbow Room, Top of the Sixes, the New York Athletic Club and Central Park North, the Peninsula Hotel on Fifth Ave., Marla appeared on the wedding special for live with Regis and Kathy Lee in 2000 as well as singing various jingles in the 1988 Olympics. Marla also has had several of her songs recorded on various major labels (EMI and RCA) and has sung On a Billboard Top 10 Single in 1985 ("Who Do You Love"),which has been remade by Chaka Khan, as well as writing and performing a 12-inch single on Emergency Records with Lenny White from "Return To Forever" and worked with producer Fred Zarr (Debbie Gibson) and renowned bassist Marcus Miller.

In 2016, TWISTED SISTER embarked on one final trek, titled "Forty And Fuck It", in celebration of its 40th anniversary. These shows featured the band's "core lineup" of Dee Snider, Jay Jay French, Eddie Ojeda and Mendoza, along with DREAM THEATER's Mike Portnoy. The band's last-ever concert took place in November of that year — 20 months after the passing of drummer A.J. Pero.

TWISTED SISTER's original run ended in the late '80s. After more than a decade, the band publicly reunited in November 2001 to top the bill of New York Steel, a hard-rock benefit concert to raise money for the New York Police And Fire Widows' And Children's Benefit Fund.

In a new interview with the That Metal Interview podcast, former SAVATAGE drummer Steve "Doc" Wacholz was asked if he foresaw the success of the band's fourth album, 1987's "Hall Of The Mountain King", prior to the LP being released. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, you don't see anything like that coming. You just go in the studio, you do the best job you can do, you bust your ass and you throw it against the wall and you hope it sticks. So, there's no real, when you get down to brass tacks, security in this business that you know you just wrote a hit record or something. You hope you can, but it's just kind of like the soup of the day.'

He continued: "When metal started getting to a certain point, all of a sudden, grunge came in and took over. There goes the hair metal, there goes metal down the drain — everybody was jumping on the grunge bandwagon with NIRVANA and all those Seattle stupid bands. And then what happens to all the hair bands, they all kind of go back underground again and kind of regroup. It's amazing today to me that you still have the RATTs, the POISONs, all these bands coming back around, and people are rediscovering them and then people my age are going back and just, like, 'Wow, I'm reliving my childhood watching DEF LEPPARD.' So you just don't know. I mean, look at SAVATAGE or TSO [TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA] now. They're [SAVATAGE] getting ready to do some European dates or dates down in South America. You think about it. I mean, I was playing with the Olivas [Jon and Criss Oliva] in 1977. What year is it? 2024, you know? It's crazy."

When the interviewer opined that SAVATAGE should have asked Steve to sit behind the drum kit for the two shows the band will play in South America in April 2025 — at Brazil's Monsters Of Rock festival and at Chile's Masters Of Rock festival — with a lineup that will consist of Johnny Lee Middleton on bass, Chris Caffery on guitar, Al Pitrelli on guitar, Jeff Plate on drums and Zak Stevens on lead vocals, Steve said: "I told Johnny. You can keep this between us, or I don't care if [it's made public]. I said, 'Look, if old Jeff has a meltdown because old Trumpy [president-elect Donald Trump] got in, you just let me know, man. I'm your backup dude.' And I can play every damn song, because I still play. I mean, I play two, three times a week… At least the band would have a founding member [in the lineup for those shows]. But that's okay. I do what I do and I love doing what I do."

Back in 2019, Wacholz's store Cherokee Guns, which is located in Murphy, North Carolina, came under fire for its billboard mocking the minority female congresswomen known as "The Squad" — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.),Ilhan Oman (D-MN),Rashida Tlaib (D-N.Y.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA). The progressive quartet, elected in November of 2018 as part of a so-called "blue wave," were frequent critics of then-U.S. president Donald J. Trump.

Wacholz left SAVATAGE in 1993, soon after the completion of the group's seventh full-length, "Edge Of Thorns". (Although he is pictured and credited on the following year's "Handful Of Rain", he did not actually perform on the album.) Since then, Wacholz — whose nickname "Doc" is an abbreviation of "Doctor Killdrums", a moniker he earned for his hard-hitting style — has recorded with the likes of CRIMSON GLORY, REVERENCE and JON OLIVA'S PAIN.

His primary focus for the past 15 years, however, has been Cherokee Guns, which he described on the store's web site as a "humble lil' gun shop... built by our back pockets, the sweat of our brow and great customer service. No one helped us with ANY type of loans (especially FEDERAL government Obama loans)."

The "4 Horsemen" billboard wasn't Cherokee's first advertisement that had raised eyebrows. In 2017, the store leased a sign that was headlined with the words "Infidel Armament" in block letters above Arabic script and an automatic rifle. Two years prior, another Cherokee billboard read, "Give me your tired, your poor... Keep your Syrian refugees."

Zak joined SAVATAGE in 1992 as the replacement for the band's founding vocalist Jon Oliva. Zak sang on four albums with the band — "Edge Of Thorns" (1993),"Handful Of Rain" (1994),"Dead Winter Dead" (1995) and "The Wake Of Magellan" (1997) — before departing in 2000, allowing Jon to return. Both Jon and Zak took part in SAVATAGE's 2015 performance at Wacken Open Air, which marked the band's first, and only so far, appearance on stage since they went on hiatus back in 2002.

SAVATAGE's last album release, "Poets And Madmen", in 2001 was highlighted by Jon's return as lead vocalist, replacing Zak, who left the band citing family reasons, and the departure of guitarist Al Pitrelli, who accepted an offer to join MEGADETH in 2000. Pitrelli did record solos for some songs prior to his departure. Another very limited U.S. tour followed, supported by FATES WARNING in the early shows, and then NEVERMORE for the remainder. Around this time, Jon chose Zak's replacement in the form of Damond Jiniya (DIET OF WORMS). Damond performed Zak's parts on tour, with Jon having an increased vocal role in proceedings.

Jon's brother Criss, who was one of the founding members of SAVATAGE, was killed in October 1993 by a drunk driver when he and his wife Dawn were en route to the Livestock festival in Zephyrhills, Florida. The driver of the other car was found to have a drunk driving record of seven prior DUIs and having a blood alcohol content of .294 percent.

Photo courtesy of REVERENCE

FORBIDDEN guitarist Craig Locicero has confirmed that the first new music from the resurrected band will arrive in early 2025. He is collaborating on the material with the rest of the new FORBIDDEN lineup, consisting of Matt Camacho (bass),alongside the group's latest additions, Norman Skinner (vocals) and Chris Kontos (drums),plus VOIVOD guitarist Daniel Mongrain, who stepped in as a temporary replacement for Steve Smyth in July.

In a video message shared on Instagram on Monday (November 25),Craig said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Now we're writing. I'm writing with mostly Chris. And everybody comes down, we work on stuff, but Chris Kontos and I as a writing team has been awesome. And we're just really getting started where everyone else really contributes more and more and more. And Dan is gonna contribute to that in between all this stuff he has going on with VOIVOD. And it works out perfectly. It works out pretty good. We're not stomping on each other's schedules, and both bands prioritize quality over quantity. So that's what I'm looking at."

Regarding a possible timetable for the release of the new FORBIDDEN music, Craig said: "I think we're gonna release some new songs in the early part of next year. We have the opportunity to do it on our own. We don't have any obligations to anyone. I personally don't wanna obligate the band to anyone yet. I think we're good free agents right now. It's a good spot to be in. We've already been approached. We're not in a hurry to give it all away quite yet. There might be a time where we need to add a label to the picture, but for the time being, I think we're pretty good. And with that being said, you can just expect to hear some new music soonish. I would imagine by the end of the first quarter of 2025, we should have some new music out — at least a song or two — and that's something to look forward to. And so far it's been fucking awesome writing 'em. So now it's just time to get dirty, get our hands dirty."

He added later in the message: "Just know we're doing well. We're busy. We're gonna be writing music. We're gonna be hanging out and bonding even more as brothers. And eventually, Dan's gonna contribute to some of that music. And if you could imagine what that would be like, imagine it even better than you imagine it, and that's what it's gonna be like."

This past August, Locicero spoke to Bloodstock TV's Oran O'Beirne about FORBIDDEN's decision to remain independent, at least for the time being. He said: "We don't have a record label. I don't want a record label yet. I have an opportunity to finally do this with no monkey. And we're a better band than we were at any point recently because of all the things that have kind of brought us together. It feels different, and that's no knock on anyone. But from the top down, with Russ [Anderson, former FORBIDDEN singer] going through what he went through, that's kind of the stigma that stayed on us for a while. He wasn't feeling a hundred percent. So now you have Norm who's up there, he's, like, 'Yeah.' He's not trying to be anybody, and there's just a whole positive groundswell."

Elaborating on why FORBIDDEN has no interest in aligning itself with a record label right now, Craig said: "It's important to say that we have no delusions of grandeur either. I think that we understand more than anybody how much the industry has changed.

"I don't wanna get caught in the machine, and the machine can chew you up before you get creative," he explained. "You can get stunted creatively if you agree too quickly. 'Cause we've been approached already. And I'm, like, 'Not yet.' We're not gonna go there yet.

"It's important for us to feel like we got our album done and artistically put together, lyrically," Craig added. "No one needs to fucking tell us how to do it. And I feel good about our chances of at least reigniting and kind of reforging our path again. 'Cause there's a spot for us. 'Cause we've got all our Bay Area brothers, but we're that band, we're a little more heavy metal, a little more melodic. We do things a little differently. So we have our own little spot. And I hope to have it all land where it's supposed to be."

Smyth exited FORBIDDEN four months ago, saying in a statement that he "decided it's time to part ways with FORBIDDEN, and return to my band ONE MACHINE as priority, along with other projects on the horizon, and of course session work, and teaching music as always."

The resurrected FORBIDDEN lineup made its live debut at a "secret" show in July 2023 at Baltic Kiss in Richmond, California under the TWISTED INTO EVIL banner.

Originally founded in 1985 as FORBIDDEN EVIL by Anderson, guitarists Locicero and Robb Flynn, bassist John Tegio and drummer Jim Pittman, the quintet started playing house parties and Bay Area clubs such as the legendary Ruthie's Inn soon after. After a couple of lineup changes (Paul Bostaph on drums and Matt Camacho on bass) in '86, the band quickly rose through the ranks of Bay Area thrash to gain a massive following and worldwide notoriety. In 1986, the band added Glen Alvelais as the second guitarist. It was this lineup that cemented itself into the Bay Area scene and soon after recorded 1988 release "Forbidden Evil" for Combat Records, changing the band's name to simply FORBIDDEN. In May of '89 while on a European tour with SACRED REICH, FORBIDDEN made their first appearance at the legendary Dynamo Open Air in Eindhoven, Netherlands. It was here that FORBIDDEN made their European mark and recorded the "Raw Evil" EP. The band returned Stateside and replaced Alvelais with Tim Calvert. Calvert was a missing ingredient that brought the band closer together as a team. They continued to tour the U.S. first with EXODUS and then again with SACRED REICH with Calvert on second guitar. The band went on to release "Twisted Into Form" in 1990, "Distortion" in 1994 and "Green" in 1996. However, the band, having gone though many lineup changes, disbanded in 1997.

In 2008 Craig being inspired at a screening of the movie "Get Thrashed", called the other members of the band and suggested getting back on stage to see if they could reignite the FORBIDDEN machine. With Anderson, Locicero, Camacho back in the mix along with new additions Glen Alvelais and Gene Hoglan they played two sold-out DEATH ANGEL shows in San Francisco. Steve Smyth came into the mix in place of Alvelais and Mark Hernandez took Hoglan's place. The band then released "Omega Wave", the fifth in the catalog and went on a U.S. tour with OVERKILL. European festivals were next but afterwards Hernandez had to walk away due to personal reasons leading to a tour cancelation. Sasha Horn was the answer to fill the drummer's spot.

After playing "Bonded By Baloff" with EXODUS and one Bay Area show, FORBIDDEN embarked for Chile to play the Metal Fest in Santiago. It was on this flight back home that Russ informed the band that he couldn't tour anymore because of the physical toll it was taking on him. With that, the band dissolved once again for 11 years.

When FORBIDDEN's "rebirth" was first announced in April 2023, Locicero said in a statement: "First off, I did NOT see this coming. When FORBIDDEN quietly disbanded the second time in 2012, I figured it was over. While I always apply the 'never say never' mantra to my life, Russ made it clear that he was completely finished with touring. My wingman and main dude from the conception of FORBIDDEN EVIL, Russ was my mentor and the guy who bought me beer when I was 15! I couldn't imagine FORBIDDEN without him, so I had little hope of a future with FORBIDDEN. Today Russ is happily retired and living the sober life. I have nothing but love for that and him. Everyone needs to respect his wishes like we do.

"So then ….. fast forward 11 years after our last show, Bay Area vocal talent Norman Skinner walks in to help us rehearse and sing a few thrash classics for the BAY AREA INTERTHRASHIONAL set at Dynamo MetalFest 2022. WHAMMO! That's when it all happened by accident. Truly. Then it happens AGAIN when Norman sings 'Chalice Of Blood' onstage alongside WARBRINGER at the one Bay Area show of BAY AREA INTERTHRASHIONAL. Holy fuck!"

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During an appearance on the Music Matters podcast, hosted by pro musician, producer, and Sports Illustrated photographer Darrell Craig Harris, Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, best known for his work with MEGADETH and ANGRA, explained that creating music is about finding the balance between genuine self-expression and the commercial demands of the industry.

"If you look at all the musicians around and you listen to their interviews and stuff, you're gonna see it's more than the music," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "[Your] music is a translation of your life experience. It's more unique, if you can put yourself there — it's more unique. You find that that's your voice, which is very tough in the beginning, but some artists, they could do [it] right away. Some need a few albums to find their voice. But, yeah, so that's important to understand who you are, what you want and just believe and do it, and then see what happens. That's the way I did in a group. And if you talk about it with the ANGRA guys, it would be the same. If you get to talk to Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader], you can see it's the same. It's not different. It's just different level. It's the musician mindset of, 'Let's do this,' the excitement of creating music.

"I was making music with Dave that has 10 years more than I have in this business and did everything you can imagine," Kiko continued. "And he still has this excitement. 'I found the name of the song.' 'I found the name of the album.' 'That's the artwork of the album.' I mean, it's all there.

"It's a tricky thing, being an artist. And then the older you get — I think MEGADETH deals with that, older companies deal with that — people compare your work to your younger self. So, like, 'Yeah, I like you, Kiko, but the album you did in '90-something is best.' MEGADETH, of course, you're gonna play 'Rust In Peace', you're gonna play 'Peace Sells', so it's tough to bring something new because you are not that person. I'm 52. I like the Kiko from when he was 21, but I wanna show what I'm doing now. So you always have this comparison. It's almost like your younger self is your competitor, which is crazy.'

Kiko added: "So I get excited because I can show my development as a human being. I wanna show that now, I know sometimes the fans, they want the old stuff. So it's tough for some artists sometimes. Some artists get into the trap that, okay, they just play what they did 30 years ago and don't take the risk anymore. Because you also have the commercial side. We live in a capitalism society, so if you put your tickets [on sale] and you bring a crew of 50 people and three buses and five trucks, you need to put people inside that venue. Otherwise you don't come back. And then and to put people inside, [people are, like], 'I wanna see that band, and that band I wanna see, I wanna see them playing that song that I like.' So it's part of the game. So have to understand. And then you slowly [adopt the attitude of], 'That's what I did. And that's who I am now. And let's celebrate both.' How to find the balance is tough."

In November 2023, Kiko announced his decision to "extend" his absence from MEGADETH's touring activities, explaining that he didn't want to "hinder any of the band's plans or the hard work of all the incredible people involved in the tour."

Kiko revealed in September 2023 that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland.

One day after Kiko's announcement that he was "extending" his absence from MEGADETH's touring activities, band leader Dave Mustaine released a statement in which he said that he loves Loureiro and respects and fully supports Kiko's decision. He described Kiko as "a top-notch professional, a maestro" and thanked the guitarist "for his dedication and hard work these past nine years, helping us to achieve a Grammy on 'Dystopia' and the additional awards we have received on this latest record 'The Sick... The Dying...And The Dead'." Mustaine added: "I could not have done this without Kiko Loureiro."

MEGADETH played its first concert with Kiko's replacement, Teemu Mäntysaari on September 6, 2023 at Revel in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The 37-year-old Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and began playing guitar at the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has also been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.

Loureiro officially joined MEGADETH in April 2015, about five months after Chris Broderick's exit from the group.

In a recent interview with Japan's Young Guitar, Kiko was asked about the possibility of a future guest appearance with ANGRA. He responded: "In the last two albums from ANGRA, not being in the band, I did record a guest solo. I was touring a lot and I have small kids, so I didn't wanna travel more to do a guest appearance. It might be in the future. I'm friends of everybody. I have a great history with ANGRA. Same goes with MEGADETH. I'm still friends of everybody, and I don't wanna burn bridges."

He continued: "I'm proud of all the albums I recorded with ANGRA. I'm proud of the albums that I recorded with MEGADETH, the two albums I recorded with MEGADETH, all the concerts and tours we did together. So, guest appearances, recording a solo, helping somehow or just hanging, I'm happy to do it, because I like all those people as friends and family, because I shared so many great moments of my life with the guys from ANGRA, of course, many, many years, and also almost nine years in MEGADETH as well."

Original members of GRIM REAPER, guitarist Nick Bowcott, bassist Dave Wanklin and drummer Mark Simon, reunited for the first time in over 35 years to perform with singer Harry Conklin of JAG PANZER fame at the Wings Of Angels festival on Saturday, November 23.

Steve Grimmett, producer, songwriter and lead singer of the internationally renowned metal band GRIM REAPER, was remembered at the one-day event, named after the lead track from STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER's 2018 album "Walking In The Shadows".

GRIM REAPER was at the forefront of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal scene which took the world by storm in the 1980s.

Grimmett, who sold over a million albums, is considered one of the greatest heavy metal singers of all time. He gained notoriety throughout the world, with a large following in Europe as well as across the Atlantic in the USA, South America, and also in Japan. His career included numerous highly acclaimed studio albums, single releases and MTV airplay.

Steve passed away in August 2022. To meet the demand from the singer's global fanbase, his wife Millie organized the festival to celebrate his life with a musical send-off.

The festival included guest singers performing songs from Steve's back catalog, and bands from around the world with a connection to Steve and his music. Former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes headlined the event.

Other former members of STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER, the revamped version of GRIM REAPER led by Grimmett, joined the festivities, including Chaz Grimaldi, Paul White, Mart Trail, Mark Walker, Julian Hill and Ian Nash. Plus there were special appearances by Richie Yeates, Sy Davies, Kim Jennett, Mike Jurgens and Franc Potvin.

On Tuesday, November 26, Bowcott shared a backstage photo of him, Wanklin and Simon, and he included the following message: "37 YEARS LATER!!! 75% of the 1985-1987 GRIM REAPER lineup...

"Damn! I haven't seen this fine pair of fellas, let alone played with them in 37 years...but that all changed at the 'Wings Of Angels' Festival in sunny (cough, cough) Swindon, England this past Saturday.

"This charity event was a celebration of the amazing life of the late, great Steve Grimmett. The two other old gezzas in the picture are, of course, Dave Wanklin (a.k.a. 'Chief') and Mark Simon...the driving rhythm section on the 'Fear No Evil' (1985) and 'Rock You To Hell' (1987) albums. And we played 8 songs together with no rehearsal and a dodgy monitor mix..but had an absolute blast...jazz notes and all!

"Special thanks to Harry Conklin, Mike Jurgens and Mark Hale for the stellar singing; Richie Yeates for great geetar work (sans our planned 'All Hell Let Loose' closing dual lead dribble...darn it!); the kickass audience; and, of course, Millie Grimmett and Karen Chen for their tireless efforts in putting this wonderful festival of nostalgia, dear old friends, and some new ones too. HOORAH!"

In addition to Steve's back catalog of music dating from 1979-2022, his legacy also includes influence on popular culture in the 1990s, with GRIM REAPER songs "See You in Hell" (1983),"Fear No Evil" (1985) and "Rock You To Hell" (1987) each gaining notoriety for appearing on the MTV animation "Beavis And Butt-Head".

During his 45-year career, Steve shared the stage with a wealth of big names including JUDAS PRIEST, BON JOVI, SCORPIONS and DEEP PURPLE. At one time he was even touted to be the new vocalist for IRON MAIDEN.

Millie said: "Such was Steve's impact on music that we have had people contact us from around the world to purchase tickets and to join us in Swindon, U.K. for Wings Of Angels. People have been sharing stories and pictures on our social media pages and it is really heartwarming to see this outpouring of affection for someone who did so much to shape the metal scene over several decades."

Grimmett's passing came more than five years after he had his right leg partially amputated in January 2017 when an infected wound on his foot spread to the bones in his leg partway through the group's five-week tour of South America. The life-saving surgery was carried out in Ecuador and the frontman was in hospital for just over a month while fans raised $14,000 to bring him home after his insurance company refused to pay because of the type of work he was doing.

GRIM REAPER's story begins in 1979 after successfully fighting off hundreds of bands in a local Battle Of The Bands competition. This win, combined with an already sizeable following, aroused the interest of Ebony Records. Signing with the small U.K. label, GRIM REAPER released three albums in rapid succession to international acclaim. Due to legal turmoil with Ebony, GRIM REAPER would disband in 1988. Grimmett would go on to record with ONSLAUGHT, LIONSHEART and more recently THE SANITY DAYS. His renowned vocal range remains one of metal's most identifiable with loyal fans turning out in numbers to hear him perform.

GRIM REAPER was part of the "Hell On Wheels" tour which crossed the States in 1987, alongside ARMORED SAINT and HELLOWEEN.

Grimmett reformed GRIM REAPER in 2006 as STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER following an amicable decision between the singer and original GRIM REAPER guitarist Nick Bowcott, who both agreed that using the original name minus the other members of the classic lineup wouldn't be a proper reunion.

STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER released two studio albums, 2016's "Walking In The Shadows" and 2019's "At The Gates".

Since 2006, STEVE GRIMMETT'S GRIM REAPER had made a number of European festival appearances and toured all around the world.

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About last nights Wings of Angels Festival ….. will do a proper post another time but what I will say is… WHAT A NIGHT!...

Posted by Steve Grimmett's Grim Reaper on Sunday, November 24, 2024



Hands down, the best experience of my life 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼💙💙💙💙
What a pleasure being up on stage singing with all these wonderful people, who meant so much to dad.

I hope I did you proud big man 💙 Steve Grimmett

Wings of Angels Festival

Posted by Sami Lea Drewitt on Saturday, November 23, 2024

Darkness Shall Rise Productions have announced the release of Thyrmr's debut album, Saga Of the North, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.


Trym Torson, who is widely known as having been the drummer on landmark albums of Norwegian black metal like Emperor's Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk or Enslaved's Vikingligr veldi and Frost, moved into uncharted waters by composing music inspired by his longstanding passion for movie soundtracks and ambient music. 


Thrymr doesn't have much in common with black metal, but the eight tracks that make up the debut album Saga Of The North are not to be missed if you are into dark sounds àla Mortiis or Summoning.

'Tis the season. Grammy-nominated, Lancaster five-piece August Burns Red - JB Brubaker [lead guitar], Brent Rambler [rhythm guitar], Matt Greiner [drums], Jake Luhrs [vocals], and Dustin Davidson [bass] - release an instrumental holiday cover song every year.


This year, they've chosen the classical track "Waltz Of The Flowers" from The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and have given it quite the guitar-driven and metallic makeover.


Listen here, and below:







"In keeping with our annual tradition, we are excited to reveal this year's

Legendary US thrash metal band, Hirax, will release their new full-length album, Faster Than Death, on February 21 via Doomentia Records. The album will be available on LP (die-hard version, 2 colors), CD digipack, and cassette tape.


Further details, as well as pre-order options, will be available next week. In the meantime, check out the album artwork, created by Thomas Pinheiro, below:







Back in August, Hirax released the Faster Than Death 7" vinyl EP via doomentia.com.

In a new interview with Andy Greene of Rolling Stone magazine, Sammy Hagar was asked to address his absence from Alex Van Halen's book "Brothers" in which the VAN HALEN drummer wrote that the essence of VAN HALEN ended when David Lee Roth left the group. Hagar said: "It's sad. I haven't read the whole book, but I've seen all the excerpts, and I heard some of the interviews. It breaks my heart, because if I think what Alex is going through, losing his brother, never played with anybody else in his life, and then his health."

Referencing the fact that Alex has been filmed and photographed walking with a cane while promoting "Brothers", Sammy continued: "When I saw how rickety he is, I realized, 'No wonder he's not answering my call when I say, 'Do you want to go out and play with us?'' He can't. That breaks my heart, because I can only put myself in those shoes and say, 'What if I couldn't sing and perform anymore?' The thing that I did my whole life, the thing I devoted my life to, the thing that made me rich and famous and gave me the most beautiful life on the planet, and all of a sudden I can't do that anymore? I would feel like I was robbing the fans, to start with. When you put yourself in his shoes, I'm saying, 'Okay, I feel sorry for him.'"

Hagar added: "Why he left me out, I would like to hear him explain that someday, because I don't get it completely. I know that he's bitter about some things, whatever that is… It's like, 'If you don't want that era, that even gives me more justification to say I own it then,' because no one else can do it, and he can't do it even without me. It makes it easier for Mike [Anthony, former VAN HALEN bassist] and I [to go out and play the songs on our own]. We're sitting there going, 'Okay, I guess we own this,' and we have the obligation to bring this to the fans to keep this music alive, keep it live and alive. This music is too good to throw away."

Later in the interview, Sammy once again said that he is determined to make peace with Alex. "It's on my bucket list that I will not take this to my grave, and I don't want Al taking it to his grave," he said. "I've put the olive branch out there many times, and I just put it out again to [VAN HALEN manager] Irving Azoff.

"I want to be friends… I don't want to play in a band with Al," Sammy explained. "I'm not asking for that. I can see that he's not capable of doing that. If he was, I'd be happy to play with him, but it's not what I'm looking for. I just want to be friends again."

Last month, Alex explained his refusal to participate in this past summer's "The Best Of All Worlds" that focused largely on the music of VAN HALEN. The trek featured Hagar and Anthony, along with guitarist Joe Satriani and drummer Jason Bonham.

The 2024 tour came more than two years after Satriani revealed that he was approached about participating in a VAN HALEN tribute show with Alex and David Lee Roth. That project never got off the ground, reportedly because Roth was "holding up" getting everything approved.

In an interview with Billboard, Alex said about why he was not responsive when Hagar and Anthony reached out about him taking part in some way in "The Best Of All Worlds": "I'm not interested. They're not doing the band justice. They can do what they want to do. That's not my business."

"Brothers" largely ignores Hagar's stint with VAN HALEN, as well as that of EXTREME vocalist Gary Cherone, and even VAN HALEN's reunion with Roth that started in 2007.

"What happened after Dave left is not the same band," Alex told Billboard. "I'm not saying it was better or worse or any of that. The fact is Ed [legendary VAN HALEN guitarist and Alex's brother Eddie Van Halen] and I did our best work whenever we played. We always gave it our best shot. But the magic was in the first years, when we didn't know what we were doing, when we were willing to try anything."

In a separate interview with Rolling Stone, Alex didn't even utter Hagar's name. "The heart and the soul and the creativity and the magic was Dave, Ed, Mike and me," he said. In the book, his only acknowledgment of the "Van Hagar" era reportedly came in the line, "We had a lot of other singers over the years."

This past August, Hagar confirmed to Las Vegas Review-Journal that he attempted to see if Alex would be interested in taking part in "The Best Of All Worlds" prior to getting Bonham involved. Sammy said: "I reached out to Alex a dozen times, before this tour was announced, and got no response. I mean, I've asked him to meet me under any conditions, any circumstances, anytime, anyplace, anywhere. It's not like, 'Well, let me think about it.' It's like, no answer. Zero."

According to Hagar, he was willing to offer Van Halen the spotlight "to just play a couple of songs, or if you want to be the drummer the whole night, or be the executive producer. [Laughs] What do you want to do?"

Hagar went on to say that Alex's autobiography may have something to do with the drummer's lack of communication about a possible appearance on the tour.

"I'm sure when he made his book deal, they said, 'You cannot talk to Dave, and you cannot talk to Hagar," Sammy said. "I guarantee you, that that was part of the deal."

In July, Hagar told Ultimate Classic Rock that he and Anthony "reached out to Alex before we did [the tour]. We reached out to him a dozen times before this tour, in every way. E-mail, text message, phone call, message on the machine, okay? No response. No response. I mean, we made every offer to get together or to just talk or to have breakfast, lunch or dinner. Go to the studio and play. Come to my house or I'll come to your house. Go ride horses, go sit on the beach. What do you want to do? Let's just do something. Let's get together. And nothing."

Explaining that he and Alex Van Halen "don't have a relationship," Hagar added: "When the tour came, the first person we called and left all of the messages, sent all of e-mails, it was Alex Van Halen. Mike and I said, 'We're wanting to do this thing.' Alex's famous line to me [was], 'Sammy, we ain't getting any younger.' Mike and I said, 'Alex, we ain't getting any younger. We're going out and playing for the people. We're going to go honor the VAN HALEN catalog. Let's just get together and let's talk about it. Mike and I, we're going out, we're going to do this, Alex. Please join us. Let's be friends, let's bury the hatchet, whatever.' There was no response. I was saying, 'He'll come to a show, he's got to — in L.A. or something. I'm sure he'll come.' But no, no, he sold all of his equipment. That was his statement. That was like, 'ah, I ain't coming nowhere.'"

Hagar previously discussed the possibility of Alex taking part in "The Best Of All Worlds" in November 2023 during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". At the time, he said: "Jason insisted upon, 'I will not say yes to do this thing until at least you get… Alex says yes or no.' Alex hasn't returned my call for five years. I've called, I've left messages, I've left texts, I've left e-mails.

"I don't think Al really wants to go out and play; otherwise they would have did it with Joe when they were thinking about it [back in 2021]," he continued. "And Irving Azoff called me [around that time in 2021] and said, 'Hey, would you do it? Somebody's out of their mind. You and Alex, I've gotta get you guys together.' I said, 'Fine.' He said, 'Reach out one more time.' I reached out one more time. No response.

"Alex never played with anybody ever except his brother," Hagar added. "He never jammed with anybody. The whole time we were in VAN HALEN, Mike and I would be out playing clubs with Eddie [Van Halen], jumping on stage on nights off. And Alex [would be] standing on the side of the stage [and looking on]."

Hagar and Anthony previously worked with Satriani in the supergroup CHICKENFOOT. They recorded two albums between 2009 and 2011 and toured across America but never performed any VAN HALEN material. More recently, Hagar and Anthony have played some of the VAN HALEN catalog with guitarist Vic Johnson and Bonham in SAMMY HAGAR AND THE CIRCLE.

Hagar mended his relationship with Eddie Van Halen months prior to the legendary VAN HALEN guitarist's October 2020 passing.

Hagar replaced Roth in VAN HALEN in 1985 and recorded four studio albums with the band — "5150", "OU812", "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" and "Balance" — all of which topped the U.S. chart.

Sammy, Eddie, Alex and Michael last teamed up in 2004 for a U.S. summer tour. In exchange for taking part in the tour, Anthony reportedly had to agree to take a pay cut and sign away his rights to the band name and logo.