A benefit concert supporting SICK OF IT ALL vocalist Lou Koller's ongoing battle with esophageal cancer was held last night (Saturday, November 23) at Irving Plaza in New York City. The "I'm In The Fight With Lou" event featured performances by VISION OF DISORDER, LIFE OF AGONY and MUNICIPAL WASTE, as well as veteran New York hardcore acts KILLING TIME and CROWN OF THORNZ. Notably, it marked VISION OF DISORDER's first live appearance since 2018. It was also LIFE OF AGONY's first show since the band's transgender singer Mina Caputo — once known as Keith Caputo — announced that she had "cured" her gender dysphoria and was planning to "physically completely detransition" in 2025 before changing her name back to Keith Caputo.

After Lou went public in late June with the news that doctors discovered a cancerous tumor in his esophagus, his brother Pete, SICK OF IT ALL guitarist, set up a GoFundMe campaign to help cover some of the costs of his cancer treatment and assist with living expenses while the group is off the road and unable to tour. That campaign has since raised more than $300,000, with fellow artists AFI, RANCID and DROPKICK MURPHYS contributing $5,000 apiece, and bands such as SNAPCASE and HOT WATER MUSIC also making generous donations.

The long-running New York Hardcore band subsequently canceled its previously announced European tour dates.

When Lou first posted about the diagnosis on social media, he said: "[Doctors] found a tumor in my esophagus that goes into my stomach, and I'll have to be getting treatment all summer — and of course, with full support of the band. As soon as they heard it, they were, like, 'Forget the tour. Just get healthy.' … They're all behind me staying home and us staying home."

Koller ended the message by saying: "I'll hopefully beat this thing and see you at the end of the summer … or maybe the winter."

SICK OF IT ALL's European tour was supposed to kick off in the Czech Republic on July 4.

SICK OF IT ALL's latest album, "Wake The Sleeping Dragon!", was released in November 2018 via Century Media.

he final installment in Trans-Siberian Orchestra's famed Christmas Trilogy, The Lost Christmas Eve, is turning 20. To celebrate, the band have released four versions of the album, for the first time ever on vinyl. These include a standard black vinyl, a US Wal-Mart Exclusive Clear 2xLP, a Target Exclusive Cobalt Blue 2xLP, and the Solar Flare 2xLP only at the Trans-Siberian.com and Rhino.com. 


Join Al Pitrelli and Kayla Reeves as they unbox the special  Solar Flare Vinyl edition of The Lost Christmas Eve. Buy it here.







Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) made history on Saturday, November 16 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, as they welcomed their 20 millionth ticketed concert attendee during their matinee performance.


Chuck Brabant, a dedicated TSO fan, was the lucky 20 millionth attendee. His ticket scan earned him and his family - Erin, Anne, and CJ - front-row seats to an unforgettable show. As a token of appreciation, the Brabants were also gifted an exclusive TSO merchandise package making for a once-in-a-lifetime concert experience (click here to see the Brabants at the Denver concert).


This momentous occasion also coincides with the 20th anniversary of TSO’s iconic rock opera, The Lost Christmas Eve, and the milestone of surpassing $20 million in charitable donations.


In addition to celebrating these significant milestones, TSO’s Denver shows benefitted the Denver Post Community Foundation. For each ticket sold, $1 was donated to the foundation, bringing TSO’s total contributions to over $20 million. This remarkable achievement underscores the band’s dedication to philanthropy and positive social impact.


TSO's music director and lead guitarist, Al Pitrelli said, “Reaching 20 million tickets sold is a testament to the vision of our late founder, Paul O’Neill, whose dream continues to live on through our incredible fans. We are incredibly grateful for the unwavering support of our fans, whose passion has made these milestones possible.”


This year's tour, which kicked off November 13, marks the grand return of The Lost Christmas Eve to the stage for the first time since 2013. Fans attending can expect a completely reimagined staging, featuring brand-new visuals, cutting-edge pyrotechnics, and a high-energy second set packed with TSO’s greatest hits and fan favorites.


For more details on tour dates and ticket sales, visit trans-siberian.com.





Dates:


November
23 - Hershey, PA - Giant Center - 3:00 PM & 7:30 PM
23 - Seattle, WA - Climate Pledge Arena - 3:00 PM & 7:30 PM
24 - Portland, OR - Moda Center - 2:30 PM & 7:00 PM
24 - Wilkes-Barre, PA - Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza - 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM
27 - Ottawa, ON - Canadian Tire Centre - 7:30 PM
27 - Sacramento, CA - Golden 1 Center - 2:30 PM & 7:00 PM
29 - Las Vegas, NV - Orleans Arena - 3:00 PM & 7:30 PM
29 - Manchester, NH - SNHU Arena - 2:30 PM & 7:00 PM
30 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center - 3:00 PM & 7:30 PM
30 - Worcester, MA - DCU Center - 3:00 PM & 8:00 PM


December
1 - Phoenix, AZ - Footprint Center - 3:00 PM & 7:30 PM
1 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena - 3:00 PM & 8:00 PM
4 - Austin, TX - Moody Center - 7:00 PM
4 - Buffalo, NY - KeyBank Center - 7:00 PM
5 - Bossier City, LA - Brookshire Grocery Arena - 7:00 PM
5 - Charleston, WV - Charleston Coliseum - 7:00 PM
6 - Cincinnati, OH - Heritage Bank Center - 3:00 PM & 7:30 PM
6 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center - 7:00 PM
7 - Dayton, OH - Nutter Center - 3:00 PM & 7:30 PM
7 - Kansas City, MO - T-Mobile Center - 3:00 PM & 7:30 PM
8 - Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena - 3:00 PM & 7:30 PM
8 - Little Rock, AR - Simmons Bank Arena - 3:00 PM & 7:30 PM
11 - Birmingham, AL - BJCC - 7:00 PM
11 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena - 7:00 PM
12 - Columbia, SC - Colonial Life Arena - 7:00 PM
12 - Jacksonville, FL - VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena - 7:00 PM
13 - Greenville, SC - Bon Secours Wellness Arena - 4:00 PM & 8:00 PM
13 - Sunrise, FL - Amerant Bank Arena - 7:30 PM
14 - Charlotte, NC - Spectrum Center - 3:00 PM & 7:30 PM
14 - Orlando, FL - Kia Center - 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM
15 - Atlanta, GA - Gas South Arena - 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM
15 - Tampa, FL - Amalie Arena - 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM
18 - Raleigh, NC - PNC Arena - 7:00 PM
18 - St Louis, MO - Enterprise Center - 7:00 PM
19 - Charlottesvil

In a new interview with Australia's Jaimunji, DROWNING POOL singer Ryan McCombs was asked if there is more new music on the way, following the release of the band's latest single, "Revolution (The Final Amen)", in September. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We released 'Revolution (The Final Amen)', we released that because it was the first song that came together in the studio. And when I say came together, I mean, finished.

"The demand for the band has been so great, thankfully, that we've been so busy fulfilling live appearances and then tours and everything that we've gotten so little time to actually record. At one point, on the last U.S. run we did, we actually flew our producer out and he spent, like, four or five days on the road with us, just so we could try to make some forward progress with some of these songs that we've got, because we've had so little time outside of touring to actually… The little time that we've gotten, I wanna go home and sleep in my own bed for a day or two. So we've had such little time to actually get any recording done that we've got so much material."

Referencing the fact that "Revolution (The Final Amen)" marks the first song he and DROWNING POOL guitarist C.J. Pierce, drummer Mike Luce and bassist Stevie Benton have worked on in 13 years, Ryan said: "Alaina, C.J.'s wife, actually said to me shortly after us getting back together, she was, like, 'Thank you so much.' She goes, 'You guys getting back together, it's just, like,' she goes, 'I got my husband back.' She goes, 'As you know, C.J., so much of his existence is music,' and she goes, 'I don't know the last time I saw him pick up his guitar.' And this is a guy that always had a guitar in his hand doodling back in the day. And she goes, 'Since you guys have gotten back together, he's just walking around the house with his guitar on again. He's up at three o'clock in the morning, writing music.' She goes, 'It's like I've got my husband back again.' And that's the way we've all been. We've all just been on fire. And the material is a great reflection of that."

Outlining DROWNING POOL's plans to complete some of its new material, McCombs said: "We've got some shows coming up here in Texas in December, and I'm staying for several days afterwards to get some more recordings done. 'Cause the plan is right now, we're gonna release another single or two between now and through [our tour of] Australia [in February 2025] and before the GODSMACK dates that we have with P.O.D. in Europe and in London [in late March and early April 2025]. But then, so, yeah, the plan is to release a couple of more singles in between now and then, and then we'll have a an album or an EP — depending on how much recording time we get — we'll have an album or an EP ready for release in 2025."

Earlier this month, McCombs was asked by Loud & Unfiltered if the "Revolution (The Final Amen)" title is a reference to it being DROWNING POOL's "last hurrah". Ryan responded: "I wish I would have had the foresight to see what that would have read, how people would have read into that, because you're not the first [to ask that] and I'm sure you won't be the last. No, it's far from the band's final amen, 'cause we've got so much material right now. As soon as we got back in… I flew into Dallas two or three days before our first show [back] together, and we went straight from the airport to the rehearsal room. And it was, like, there was a little bit more white hair in the room, but other than that … we didn't miss a beat, man. It was just instantaneous. C.J. and I and Stevie and Mike, we just started writing music, and it just start flowing. It was like opening up the floodgates. So we've got so much material. The problem we have right now is we don't have the time. We keep trying to schedule studio time and then something else show-wise comes up. So our producer, actually, flew out and was on the road with us for a few days on this tour that we're on now so that we can get some stuff down and have the pre-production out of the way so that as soon as the tour's over, I can run to [Las] Vegas and throw some vocals down before we have a show in Mexico City. So in between there, I'll run to Vegas real quick and throw vocals. We're just trying to utilize time, but we just don't [have] enough."

He continued: "But no, to your question, it's definitely not the band's final amen. I mean, we've got too much stuff in the works. We've got too many awesome opportunities that are being presented to us for next year. And we've got a lot of plans band-wise for the next couple of years. So we're definitely not going anywhere. And thankfully, we're not going anywhere because the number one reason we ain't is because people allow us to be around. We'll stay around as long as people are allowing us to. And then thankfully people are giving us the time of day and allowing us to do what we love to do. So we're definitely not going anywhere."

Last month, Pierce told Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", that DROWNING POOL began working on new music right away after McCombs rejoined the group in early 2023: "He came in and we started writing stuff before we even talked about the first show, man," he said. "We sat out here. I have a big gazebo in my backyard, and I have the house set up… My house looks like Guitar Center out there, man. It's a home studio, if you will, and it's just a place of creativity, man. We just started working on stuff. There was one or two riffs and songs that we had worked on that we touched on that we were working on right before we took the hiatus, which is pretty cool. I'd like to finish those. But we've been through so much the last 13 years, so we have a lot of things to share and write about, especially what's going on nowadays. So we're that kind of band that writes what you feel at the time. So a lot of ideas on the plate.'

Regarding DROWNING POOL's plans to release a new full-length album, C.J. said: "We plan on finish up a couple more tracks in the next two weeks before we go out on this next tour. And then we have a little bit of break at the end of the year, and I wanna get back in there and try to finish up some more songs. So we do plan on putting out a record here at some point next year, and then leading into the 25th anniversary of [DROWNING POOL's debut album] 'Sinner' the year after that [in 2026], man. It's pretty wild. We have a lot of stuff coming up."

Asked if "Revolution (The Final Amen)" was the first new song he and McCombs worked on, Pierce said: "It's the first thing that came up right away, man. I started jamming that riff literally out on my gazebo, and then Ryan started singing along to it. And then we went in the room, just rehearsing for the shows that were coming up with Ryan, and we just started jamming that riff like we do, man. We get a lot of stuff done. We're still an organic band. We love to get in that rehearsal room and just hash it out together. Sometimes I'll come up with ideas here at my house or Steve will come up ideas at his house, and once we bring them all together in a room, it really makes it a DROWNING POOL song. But that song, we spent a lot of time on it as well because we wanna come out with every song that sounds strong. We didn't wanna just, 'Oh, Ryan's back,' and just shit out some song, man. We mean what we said. We put a lot of time and effort into our art and what we wanna say with the song, and I'm glad that we did that. It took a little longer just because we started touring so much… So it was just us getting into the studio to get it down. And here it is, man. Finally."

The "Revolution (The Final Amen)" video was filmed at El Paso, Texas's Speaking Rock Entertainment Center and can be seen below.

In a separate interview with iHeart Radio personality Debbie Sexxton, Pierce stated about "Revolution (The Final Amen)": "Yeah, it was great working on the song together. It's the first one with all of us back with Ryan, and we spent a lot of time on it. We started on it, actually, beginning of last year. And just between touring and stuff like that, we weren't able to get it down yet. But the whole process, all of us working together, I mean, we literally sat down at a table and we all had different ideas and every one of us kind of approached the song in a different way. And then we came together as a band. It was just amazing. That sounds like a DROWNING POOL song. That's what we want it to sound like. It sounds like us with Ryan."

Regarding the lyrical themes covered in the new DROWNING POOL single, Pierce said: "We spent a lot of time trying different things out to make sure all the bases were covered and we came across with the message lyric-wise too. We had a couple of different rewrites and redrafts just to make sure the flow is right to get the point across. It's more of a general thing about what's going on now. We definitely need a big change — not specific to any country or government or religion as much as just as a whole. It's more [about] planet earth."

In August, Pierce told the "Thunder Underground" podcast about the musical direction of the new DROWNING POOL song: "I'm so excited, man. It just came out naturally. We never tried to write like a 'Bodies Part Two' or a 'Tear Away Part Two'. We just write what we feel at the time, and the excitement that we had and the energy we have with Ryan being back in the band, the song definitely has that vibe to it. It's in drop C [tuning], and I got a new wah pedal in the studio when I was doing the song. So I'm wah-pedaling all over just like on [DROWNING POOL's] 'Sinner' record. So it has that old-school vibe to it. The people that have heard it so far, that's what they relate it to. It's got that same type of energy. It's its own song and entity. But yeah, it's intense, man. It's a banger."

In July, McCombs was asked by 94 Rocks KFML's "The Dark" rock music program if the sound of the new DROWNING POOL material harkens back to what Ryan did with the band in the past, McCombs said: "It's C.J. It's Stevie. It's Mike. It's myself. We did a couple of really — not to toot our own horn — I think we did a couple really good albums back in the day. And we pick up right where we left off.

"I think the coolest thing about DROWNING POOL is it's really easy with DROWNING POOL to separate things with the singers, as far as eras go, but there's always been the DROWNING POOL sound," Ryan continued. "There's always been a certain aspect of just the tones and everything. So it's still just like it always has been — DROWNING POOL."

In June, Pierce told Scott Penfold of Loaded Radio that he and his DROWNING POOL bandmates are once again working with producer Shawn McGhee. "He has his own studio," C.J. explained. "We did the last record with him as well. We did [2022's] 'Strike A Nerve' [with him]. And he's just a great guy to work with. He's on the same page as us and a great friend and a great musician and a killer producer and mixer. So, we love working with Shawn. He really knows how to capture what we're trying to do, man. That's the kind of producer you want. We put him in a driver's seat and somebody you can trust to have that outside ear to take what we have already and elevate it."

McCombs played his first shows back with DROWNING POOL in March 2023 at Club L.A. in Destin, Florida and at the inaugural Throwdown At The Campground festival in Fruitland Park, Florida.

The longtime SOIL frontman, who has lived in Swindon, England since 2018, originally joined DROWNING POOL in 2005 and appeared on two of the band's studio albums, "Full Circle" (2007) and "Drowning Pool" (2010),as well as a live album, 2009's "Loudest Common Denominator". He rejoined SOIL after exiting DROWNING POOL in 2011.

McCombs is continuing to front SOIL and will carry on recording and performing with both bands.

DROWNING POOL's debut album, "Sinner", was certified platinum within six weeks of its release in 2001, while the CD's first single, "Bodies", was one of the most frequently aired videos on MTV by a new band. DROWNING POOL reached out to an ever-greater audience with dynamic performances at Wrestlemania XVIII and Ozzfest during the summers of 2001 and 2002. Unfortunately, their streak of success was not to last. Shortly after rousing the crowd at Ozzfest in Indianapolis, Indiana, on August 3, 2002, vocalist Dave "Stage" Williams was found dead of natural causes on the tour bus.

Photo courtesy of O'Donnell Media Group

Front Row Bobby has uploaded video of JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING's November 23 performance at The Fillmore in Detroit, Michigan. You can now watch the clips below.

Jason Bonham spent nearly a decade touring as JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE before changing the band's name to JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING. Bonham later explained that the switch was prompted by a request from the LED ZEPPELIN camp, who wanted to use the "Experience" name for a project involving the archive of ZEP live recordings.

JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE was formed in 2009 to pay tribute to Bonham's father, legendary LED ZEPPELIN drummer John Bonham, who died in 1980 at the age of 32. "It was meant to be part of my way of expressing my love for music and expressing myself with a tip of the hat to my father," Jason told Mixdown in a 2017 interview. "Soon after doing the 28 shows that we did with an orchestra, everyone said, 'You're not going to stop now, are you? You haven't been here, you haven't played there…' And so I said, 'As long as you guys want me to do it, I'll do it.' It's really fan-based. It's not us and them; it's about love for LED ZEPPELIN, and that's how it's grown, as a very honest, natural, fan-based show. You guys all knew him as Bonzo; I knew him as dad, and there's a great interaction."

Jason launched JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE two years after taking part in LED ZEPPELIN's one-off performance at London's O2 Arena tribute concert for friend and Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. The rare live set, which saw Jason behind the drums in place of his late father, was released in 2012 as "Celebration Day".

He told the Chicago Tribune about JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING: "We're not LED ZEPPELIN. We are fans. We love the music. We give it 150 percent energy and time to make it as good as we can make it to give people that feeling and make people go back to their youth.

"I never wanted it to be we are just playing music. It had to be personal with stories to tell people what Dad was like at home. It's nice to know that so many people love hearing that music played in a live environment."

The performance includes LED ZEPPELIN favorites as well as deep cuts. For this year's tour, JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING has worked up a number of fresh inclusions on the setlist, such as "Friends", "Achilles Last Stand" and the arrangement of "Dazed And Confused" from "The Song Remains The Same" concert movie.

"The hardest thing is picking the songs," Bonham told the Chicago Tribune. " "There's more deeper songs — 'In The Light', 'Friends', 'Four Sticks' — songs that never got played live and never made it to a ZEPPELIN show. The list could go on for the more obscure ones that fans like to hear. Of course we still do 'Kashmir', 'Stairway To Heaven' and 'What Is And What Should Never Be'. We started doing 'Dancing Days', 'Houses Of The Holy' and 'That's The Way'. This show is one of the most fun things to do because I get to play all this great music in front of people that really appreciate it."

In a new interview with Trust In Rock, the YouTube channel launched by former MTV's "Headbangers Ball" presenter Vanessa Warwick, ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist/vocalist Jerry Cantrell was asked if he feels that he is continuing the tradition and legacy he and late ALICE singer Layne Staley created together, particularly as it relates to his new solo album, "I Want Blood". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't spend a whole lot of time thinking about that. But now that you brought it up, we were part of starting a band together and a style together, vocally and writing, and you continue on and you reinvent. You've gotta live in the now. And so that's where I spend most of my time. I don't look back too much. But we both imprinted on each other — we all did as bandmembers — and we're all equally responsible for whatever this thing is that's ALICE. And you learn and you grow as you go through the years as an artist, and I take all of those lessons with me and I learned some new ones along the way too with some other people as well. And so where I'm at now is — I think you can hear… You're always gonna hear some elements of anything that you've heard on any record I've done, whether it's ALICE or outside, because I can only be myself. But I'm only one guy in that band too. So, I think if you give ['I Want Blood'] a listen, you'll probably be comforted in the fact that it's something that's familiar, but it's also fresh enough to be something that's, 'Whoa. Okay, that's cool. I haven't heard that before.' So trying to be a mix of both."

"I Want Blood" was released on October 18. The LP, co-produced by Cantrell and Joe Barresi (TOOL, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, MELVINS),was recorded at Barresi's JHOC Studio in Pasadena, California. The album features contributions from bass heavyweights Duff McKagan (GUNS N' ROSES) and Robert Trujillo (METALLICA),drummers Gil Sharone (TEAM SLEEP, STOLEN BABIES) and Mike Bordin (FAITH NO MORE),and backing vocals from Lola Colette and Greg Puciato (BETTER LOVERS, ex-THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN).

To celebrate "I Want Blood"'s arrival, the iconic ALICE IN CHAINS guitarist/vocalist announced a North American tour of the same name.

The trek kicks off on January 31 in Niagara Falls and makes its way across the country, concluding in Cantrell's home state of Washington.

Ahead of the album's release, Cantrell has been featured on the cover of Revolver, participated in a career-spanning conversation with Rick Beato, and has received widespread praise album for the collection's heavier sound. Metal Hammer described "I Want Blood" as having an "iconic sound, sludgy guitars and soulful vocals."

Cantrell's tour with BUSH concluded two months ago, with the North American outing wrapping up at the iconic Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on September 15.

Cantrell's previous solo album, "Brighten", came out in October 2021. The LP was Jerry's first project without ALICE IN CHAINS in 19 years.

Jerry's career outside of ALICE IN CHAINS has consisted of two other solo albums and contributions to major film soundtracks. Cantrell's first solo album, "Boggy Depot", was released in 1998, followed by his second album, "Degradation Trip". In addition to his solo artist work, Jerry has released music on soundtracks for several films, including "Spider-Man", "The Cable Guy", "John Wick 2", "Last Action Hero" and "The Punisher".

ALICE IN CHAINS regrouped in 2006 with William DuVall joining the band, and released its third LP with DuVall in the lineup, "Rainier Fog", in August 2018.

Grammy Award-winning artist Sammy Hagar, alongside special guest Michael Anthony, previewed their upcoming Las Vegas residency during a special halftime performance earlier today (Sunday, November 24) at the Las Vegas Raiders' game against the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Video of their appearance can be seen below.

Less than a week ago, Sammy announced that "The Best Of All Worlds", his critical and commercial hit summer 2024 tour, will launch in 2025 as "The Best Of All Worlds Tour - The Residency" at Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas, Nevada. The tour will reunite the rock powerhouse band of Hagar, Anthony, Joe Satriani and Kenny Aronoff with a new "only in Las Vegas" setlist running April 30 through May 17, 2025.

This highly anticipated residency will showcase Sammy's career-spanning hits, from seminal breakouts with MONTROSE, his iconic solo hits, and a deep dive into his tenure with VAN HALEN, CHICKENFOOT, and everything in between. Presented in partnership by Live Nation and MGM Resorts International, the residency will be custom-designed for Dolby Live, giving fans an intimate, high-energy concert experience in the 5,200-seat entertainment venue.

"I'm so looking forward to this residency and being able to stay in one place so we can get the sound and production completely dialed in," said Hagar. "It also allows the band to experiment with the setlist every night — that's why it's going to be exclusive to Las Vegas. Instead of traveling all day on tour when there's no time to rehearse and make changes. I plan on digging deeper into the VAN HALEN catalog, and my solo career, MONTROSE and CHICKENFOOT, as well. The fans are in for a lot of surprises."

The Las Vegas residency follows on the heels of the chart-topping success of "The Best Of All Worlds" tour, which sold out amphitheaters and arenas across North America and Japan. Together with the release of "The Collection II", the 2023 box set featuring newly remastered versions of the four consecutive #1 albums released during the Hagar era of VAN HALEN: "5150" (1986),"OU812" (1988),"For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" (1991) and "Balance" (1995),fans were reinvigorated by their arsenal of hits, many which hadn't been played live since the band's 2004 reunion tour. Musician Rai Thistlethwayte will also return on keyboard and backing vocals to round out the band of brothers and deliver an exclusive new hits-packed live show.

Tickets for the following nine shows went on sale to the public Friday, November 22:

April 2025: 30
May 2025: 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, 14, 16, 17

Jason Bonham, son of late LED ZEPPELIN legend John Bonham, took part in the U.S. leg of "The Best Of All Worlds", which focused largely on celebrating the music of Hagar's former band VAN HALEN. Unfortunately, Bonham had to leave the tour with four shows remaining on the U.S. leg due to a family issue. The drummer was replaced at the last several dates of the trek by Aronoff, who had previously played with Hagar, bassist Michael Anthony and guitarist Joe Satriani in CHICKENFOOT.

"Kenny is one of the greatest drummers on the planet," Hagar told Rolling Stone. "The biggest surprise in my life as a musician is that we pulled off that change midway through the tour since these songs have cray breaks in them. The way Eddie [Van Halen] writes music doesn't make any sense. It makes the drummer's job so difficult, but Kenny killed it. He crushed it."



Sammy Hagar half time show.
Raiders vs Broncos

Posted by Carlos Bracamontes on Sunday, November 24, 2024



Posted by Glenn Sivits on Sunday, November 24, 2024

Raiders/Broncos ... Sammy Hagar is the halftime show with Michael Anthony on bass.

Posted by Jay Porter on Sunday, November 24, 2024

Glenn Hughes is celebrating the 27th anniversary of his getting sober.

On Saturday (November 23), the 73-year-old former DEEP PURPLE bassist and vocalist shared an image revealing he has been sober for 27 years, 324 months, 9,863 days or 236,693 hours.

He wrote: "Full of gratitude, trudging the road of happy destiny, in the present moment. Abiding in the now …"

Hughes spent key years of his career as the beloved bassist and vocalist of DEEP PURPLE, appearing on the classic albums "Burn", "Stormbringer" and "Come Taste the Band".

A little over three years ago, Glenn was asked in an interview with "The Chuck Schute Podcast" if there was anything someone could have said to him to get him to quit drinking sooner. He responded: "Trust me, everybody that loved me or loves me told me on numerous occasions to get it together, to get it together, to get it together. I got it together when I was sick and tired of waking up sick and tired. So many times I tried to stop, and so many times I couldn't get it together. My suggestion for those out there that may have had one too many drinks, you've gotta realize that that high is never gonna last forever. You've gotta get a grip on it.

"A friend of mine right now is really struggling — really, really struggling. I pray for everyone that is having problems with any addiction, because it needs to be dealt with. You can't shove it away and brush it under the carpet. You have to deal with it, because it will take you out."

Asked if he went to rehab for alcohol abuse or if he just quit cold turkey, Hughes said: "I did [go to rehab]. Let's just say I had one too many cocktails on Christmas Day 1991, and I found myself in the ER room one more time. And I realized that I had a choice — to go back out and do it again or go into [rehab. And] I went to Betty Ford Center in 1992. I had a few relapses in the mid-1990s, and in 1997 I had my last cocktail — November 23rd, 1997. And that's when I started this full road of recovery. And it's been an incredible, incredible journey.

"Somebody said to me early on in sobriety, 'You're gonna on to make even greater songs, write better songs. You're gonna go out and sing better.' And I said, 'Well, I've already done it.' He said, 'No. You're gonna do even better.' And I think I've had a good, long run of a great lifetime of clean and sober living."

Hughes wrote about his path to sobriety in his autobiography, titled "Deep Purple And Beyond: Scenes From The Life Of A Rock Star", which came out in 2011. Glenn told FaceCulture about the book: "In the '70s and '80s, I was a very notorious drug addict, I was a very famous cocaine addict. I don't say that to be arrogant, but I was one of the first rock stars to become, 'Oh, Glenn Hughes, he's a cocaine addict.'"

"There are things that I never told anybody until the book," he explained. "Let's just say that I disappeared in the '90s for awhile and nobody knew where I was and I didn't tell anybody. People thought I was actually on a boat in the Mediterranean and I wasn't I was somewhere else. I was basically being another person under another name being completely isolated and it almost killed me.

"I wanted to experiment. I wanted to be alone and I wanted to live under a different name and I wanted to travel alone with no one [knowing] where I was. I only disappeared five or six times in three years Let's just say that I was on my journey.

"When I got sober a long time ago, and let's just say that I wanted to experiment with other drugs and other things and other people and I wanted to be anonymous," Hughes added. "I wanted to go under another name and I wanted to travel. I wanted to do it without [being] in the public eye in my hometown in the country where I live; I wanted to disappear and there is no greater city in the world to go dark than Amsterdam. If you want weird, it's here. And the fact of the matter is, it got so fucking weird that it scared the shit out of me. Let's just say that I went to the edge of the cliff of insanity. I had this clarity moment where I said, "Well, I can either jump over here and go insane' 'cause I was really, really going insane and I just turned back and became the man that I am now."

Photo credit: Oliver Halfin
Full of gratitude, trudging the road of happy destiny, in the present moment.
Abiding in the now … pic.twitter.com/897LWwB14Z

— Glenn Hughes (@glenn_hughes) November 23, 2024

Matt Sorum is celebrating the 17th anniversary of his getting sober.

On Sunday (November 24),the 64-year-old ex-GUNS N' ROSES and VELVET REVOLVER drummer took to his social media to write: "Woke up this morning at a very early hour which I do regularly now that I have my daughter Lou Ellington and with immense gratitude today marks 17 years of sobriety for me. In that 17 years there have been many twists and turns and ups and downs, but I'm proud to say I did it without drinking or doing drugs. Life on life's terms as we say.

"My days of drinking weren't all horrible as that would be a lie.
My early years in Hollywood and my times traveling the world were wild adventures that I wouldn't change a thing, but the partying did start to take hold of me and I suffered mainly in my personal life. Success was scary and most of all love and relationships scared me. Life in Rock N Roll is like a bubble that anything is acceptable. Bad behavior is recommended and growing up loving RNR, it was par for the course. I did it at the highest level no pun intended. Finally realizing that alcohol and drugs had a grip on me I struggled for years with 3 trips to rehab and multiple relapses. The thing that changed it all for me was turning my will and my life over to the care of God. That trust and faith takes care of me and my family and I have true happiness.

"Thank you to all those of you that have helped me on the most beautiful journey any man could wish for."

During a 2023 appearance on the "Black Oxygen Inspiration" podcast, Matt reflected on his time as the drummer for GUNS N' ROSES. He said in part: "It got scary. In retrospect, maybe, being a little bit older, I would have handled it differently, but it got a little bit out of control because it became so big. We were moving fast. There was a lot of people around us. There was a lot of — I can't say confusion, but… I don't know. I was starting to kind of get out of sorts because we were the biggest band in the world at that time. There was nothing bigger, and it was intense because there was a lot of people coming at you, like old friends, just like infiltrating. And thank God I didn't have a cell phone or text in those days. Like imagine like if you had a text."

He continued: "And I'll admit it. I fell into too much drinking. And the band was pretty famous for that. So, in a way, I felt obligated to do it because we were — and I've explained it before, I always said that I felt like a pirate on a pirate ship. There was just this sort of gang mentality amongst us, and I wanted to be part of the gang. I didn't have one tattoo when I joined GUNS N' ROSES. It's almost like when you're a kid in school and you're hanging with some other guys, this is how that feels. It's, like, 'Okay, I'm gonna go get the tattoos. I'm gonna drink.' I always drank. But my point is things got a little bit confusing only because it was just so big. And there was a lot of kind of Hollywood sycophants around, a lot of what I call — I used to call them spot welders. And some of it I liked. And it was weird, because… I'd say to any young musician that gets successful, watch out for your ego. Just be careful, because that's what happened. And it's cliché — it's very cliché."

Sorum added: "I talk to young bands and I say, 'Hey, man. How's it going? How's your head?' Success can be daunting — when you're very successful — because things just change. I mean, family — I wasn't as close to my family. I was enjoying the ride; I really was. But it was a little bit kind of rock and roll bubble. I was in this big bubble and we were rolling through the world. And I really felt like I just wanted to have every part of that adventure, but it started to kind of affect me musically. I started to enjoy the party a little bit more than the music. [Laughs] And in retrospect, I'd say to myself, would I do it any different? No. [Laughs] I think I would have maybe — with the way I am now as an older guy, the way when you learn through life how to react to things, I've learned a lot more about how to sort of deal with things that I didn't understand, if that makes sense."

Matt went on to say that it was important for him to be honest in his book about how he handled being in GUNS N' ROSES at the height of the band's commercial success.

"I don't want any people to believe that it was just squeaky clean," he said. "If they read my book, the train came off the tracks a couple times. But where I am now in my life is a completely different circle of the people I keep around me. I don't really have time for anyone that needs to — I don't know. It doesn't make sense. I'm very, very content. Like, people will say — this is a Hollywood thing — 'So, what are you doing lately?' I love that question because I'm, like, 'I've done plenty and I'm just chillin'.'"

Sorum, who replaced Steven Adler in GUNS N' ROSES, recorded the highly successful albums "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" (both 1991) and "The Spaghetti Incident" (1994). He also supported the group on the "Use Your Illusion" tour and can be heard on GUNS N' ROSES' "Live Era: '87-'93" (1999) and "Greatest Hits" (2004).

Sorum was among the GUNS N' ROSES members who were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April 2012. He, Adler, guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan attended the ceremony, while singer Axl Rose and founding guitarist Izzy Stradlin stayed home.

The musician, who has also played with THE CULT, VELVET REVOLVER and HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES, is not involved with GN'R's hugely successful reunion tour, which features Rose, Slash and McKagan alongside drummer Frank Ferrer, keyboardist Dizzy Reed, guitarist Richard Fortus and second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

Sorum's autobiography, "Double Talkin' Jive: True Rock 'N' Roll Stories From The Drummer Of Guns N' Roses, The Cult, And Velvet Revolver", arrived in May 2022 via Rare Bird Books.

Photo credit: Michael Segal

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In a new interview with the "Johnny Dare Morning Show", CREED frontman Scott Stapp spoke about what is has been like to reunite with his bandmates after publicly grappling with substance abuse problems and mental health struggles in the mid-2010s. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "This is very cliché, but it's so true. It's not how many times we fall. What makes a man or a woman is getting back up. We're all gonna get knocked down, no matter whether it's by our own choices or by life circumstances, but you've gotta keep getting up. And I think that doing that and having that will — it doesn't make me special; we all have it in us — to not let life defeat us, to keep getting up, I think it just continues to build a strength inside of you that ends up inevitably leading to good things happening. And hence me and the boys getting back together again and everything that's happening now. And then having this wealth of experience that I hope I can continue to share with people and let them know they're not alone and that, man, if I can do it, anybody can do it."

Stapp went on to say that he is enjoying performing now more than he ever has in the past.

"That's one thing that I've learned over the years, is just stay in the moment, stay in the present, appreciate these good things in life because they can all be gone tomorrow," he said. "And I think that's one thing that we've all learned in the band as well as in our personal lives, is to cherish relationships, nurture relationships, and don't take anything for granted because it can all be gone tomorrow, especially when good things are happening in your life."

As for how long he has been sober now, Scott said: "Oh, man. I have had two or three slips in 10 years. And so when I say slips, it's three or four hours and then I'm, like, 'What am I doing?' and then [get] right back on track. So, I say I've had three or four bad days in 10 years. So that's serious progress for me. And this whole thing, they say, it's about progress, not perfection. But needless to say, that's a win for me and I'm sober today. And I plan to be sober tomorrow. And so I just take it one day at a time and keep moving forward."

Asked if it is scary to walk out on that stage a hundred percent sober or if it is better than ever, Scott said: "No, I love it. I love it, man. I mean, you feel and see and process everything. And the energy that is happening up there between the audience and the band, to be in it and living it and experiencing it with a clear mind and a clear body and a healthy mind and a healthy body, it's the only way to do it, man. And it allows me to deliver the best performances of my life, in my opinion, and then also be fully present to engage in the audience and to seize moments as they come up. And I think it just makes for an unforgettable experience for all involved."

Scott previously discussed his sobriety last month in an interview with Stereogum. Asked if it is difficult staying sober on a cruise ship, like on the band's two sold-out "Summer Of '99" cruises earlier this year, he responded: "No, it's not. I create my own world. And I have my own, my entire situation laid out for me and a big 5,000-square-foot cabin. And I actually brought my sponsor out, just because he's my friend. Not because I was concerned about having a drink. But my sponsor was there with me, and I had a couple of friends with me. And that's what I do. I create my own environment, my own sober environment."

He continued: "Drinking, at this point in my life, it's not an option. That's where I'm at. I wake up every day and have notes on my phone that remind me throughout the day, drinking is not an option. And I stay in touch with my sponsor and try to surround myself with other people trying to stay sober. And in doing that, I've only had two or three slips in the last 10 years. Which is a tremendous amount of progress from where I came. And hoping the next 10 years there'll be no slips."

Back in 2019, Stapp credited his family with helping him achieve sobriety after years of abusing alcohol, Xanax and Percocet.

"My [then-]wife and my kids were critical in helping me get sober," he told Meltdown of the Detroit radio station WRIF. "It got to the point where it was either get sober or lose my wife and kids, man, and that's about the lowest rock bottom that I could possibly have gotten to. So they were critical."

According to Stapp, the rock and roll lifestyle "definitely" contributed to him "going down that wrong path. I just had so much in front of me, and being so naïve, walking into it, I just didn't know how to handle it, and it got a hold of me," he explained. "And around the same time, I had my first onset of depression. And you combine that with self-medicating, with alcohol and whatever else you can find, and it's a bad scenario, man. And it took me years to really find out what was going on. I had to get to the other side of it. And it's so nice to be … on the other side of a wild ride."

This past May, People reported that Stapp and his wife Jaclyn were headed for divorce after 18 years of marriage.

The 51-year-old rocker and Jaclyn are parents to daughter Milan and sons Daniel and Anthony, while Stapp is also dad to son Jagger with ex-wife Hillaree Burns.

CREED played its first two shows in 12 years in April as the headliners of the "Summer Of '99" cruise. The band performed aboard a second cruise, the "Summer Of '99 And Beyond", traveling from Florida's Port Canaveral to Nassau from April 27 to May 1. A full-fledged tour, also dubbed "Summer Of '99" tour, produced by Live Nation, kicked off on July 17 and wrapped on September 28. Another tour, "Are You Ready?", kicked off earlier this month and will run through December.

Photo credit: Matt Akana

DREAM THEATER's November 23 concert at Adidas Arena in Paris, France was filmed for future release on DVD and Blu-ray.

Earlier today (Sunday, November 24),DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy took to his social media to share a photo from last night's show and he included the following message: "Merci Beaucoup Paris!! You were everything we hoped for to capture this show/tour for our upcoming live release!

"It was one of those nights where all the stars aligned: great receptive & interactive audience, beautiful packed venue, just an amazing night in every respect…

"Look forward to releasing this magical evening at some point down the road…until then, we wrap up this historic 1st European leg this evening with a Sold Out show here in Amsterdam!"

The setlist for all the shows on DREAM THEATER's 40th-anniversary tour so far has been as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

Act I

01. Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle And The Sleeper
02. Act I: Scene Two: I. Overture 1928
03. Act I: Scene Two: II. Strange Déjà Vu
04. The Mirror
05. Panic Attack
06. Barstool Warrior
07. Hollow Years
08. Constant Motion
09. As I Am

Act II

10. Night Terror
11. This Is The Life
12. Under A Glass Moon
13. Vacant
14. Stream Of Consciousness
15. Octavarium

Encore:

16. Act II: Scene Six: Home
17. Act II: Scene Eight: The Spirit Carries On
18. Pull Me Under

During an October 24 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Portnoy, who rejoined the progressive metal legends in October 2023 after a 14-year absence, was asked if he and his bandmates were recording and filming any of the shows on the current 40th-anniversary European tour for a future release. He responded: "Yeah, we filmed and recorded the big O2, first night [of the tour in London], just mainly for posterity and for the archives. But we do have plans to film our show in Paris [on November 23] for a live Blu-ray and a live album.

"The thing is we're gonna be on the road till the end of next year, and the new [DREAM THEATER] album doesn't even come out till February, so this world tour is gonna kinda go through two phases," Mike explained. "The whole first phase, which would be the first six to eight months will be the 40th-anniversary reunion celebration, but at some point mid-next year, we're gonna transition into a full tour cycle supporting the upcoming album. So even with the live album we're gonna record in Paris [in November], that's probably one of two releases that we'll probably do because we're gonna wanna do a proper live release once we start playing the new album as well."

Asked what it was like to play his first show back with DREAM THEATER after 14 years, Portnoy said: "It was surreal. I've said this a lot of times already since the reunion was announced, but I have dreamt of that moment, being on stage with the guys for the first time in all these years, I dreamt about it hundreds of times through the last decade or so to, so to actually have gone through those emotions and to be up there and to have the Kabuki drop and there's 10,000 of the biggest DREAM THEATER fans all gathered in one place to celebrate not only the band's 40th anniversary, but to celebrate the reunion of this lineup, it was so emotional. I mean, people crying — everywhere I looked, there was people crying, people singing and celebrating. It was just surreal, it was emotional, it was glorious. And I was scared shitless, to be honest. I never get scared before shows, but it was nerve-racking, to be honest… I mean, because there was such such focus on this first show. And we knew there were people coming from all over the world to be a part of the opening night and to have that first experience. And there's nothing better than seeing the first show on the tour, too, and you don't know the setlist. So there's been no spoilers, and from song to song, you're just wondering what's gonna be next. But it was really incredible. Like I said, the most hardcore fans from all around the world wanted to be part of this first one to experience it. And the O2 is massive. I mean, that's where [LED] ZEPPELIN did their reunion show, and that's where GENESIS did their last show. It's London's Madison Square Garden, for all intents and purposes. And it was really one of the greatest nights of my life. I think it was not only a career highlight for DREAM THEATER, but it was a life highlight for all of us as well."

Portnoy co-founded DREAM THEATER in 1985 with guitarist John Petrucci and bassist John Myung. Mike played on 10 DREAM THEATER albums over a 20-year period, from 1989's "When Dream And Day Unite" through 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", before exiting the group in 2010. Portnoy returned to DREAM THEATER in October 2023 after being replaced by Mike Mangini, who played with DREAM THEATER across five studio albums and accompanying world tours.

London marked the kick-off concert of DREAM THEATER's 2024-2025 40th-anniversary tour. The European leg of the trek — presented as "An Evening With Dream Theater" — will run through November 24 in Amsterdam, hitting cities in numerous countries along the way.

DREAM THEATER will release its sixteenth studio album, "Parasomnia", on February 7, 2025 via InsideOut Music. The LP marks the band's first release with Portnoy since 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings".

"Parasomnia" was produced by guitarist John Petrucci, engineered by James "Jimmy T" Meslin, and mixed by Andy Sneap. Hugh Syme returns once again to lend his creative vision to the cover art.

The first single, "Night Terror", is a musical thrill ride captured in the just shy of ten minutes listening experience. A music video for the song — directed by Mike Leonard — is now available.

Merci Beaucoup Paris!! 🙏🇫🇷 You were everything we hoped for to capture this show/tour for our upcoming live release!
It...

Posted by Mike Portnoy on Sunday, November 24, 2024

Eloy Casagrande performed with SLIPKNOT in his home country of Brazil for the first time on October 19 and October 20 at Knotfest Brasil 2024 at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil.

Earlier today (Monday, November 25),Eloy shared drum-cam video of the "Wait And Bleed" performance from the October 20 concert. Check it out below.

In an interview with Tone-Talk, SLIPKNOT guitarist Jim Root spoke about how Casagrande came to join SLIPKNOT and his impact on the band's overall sound. He said: "We didn't even try anybody else. Eloy's name came up. He contacted us, actually, about wanting to be a part of it and started sending a bunch of videos in. I think him and our bass player [Alessandro 'Vman' Venturella] might've had a little bit of a relationship before. I think they knew each other. They had mutual friends. And Vman's really in tune with a lot of really great, proggy, heavy musicians that are passionate about their instruments. And it just seemed like a no-brainer. And he's really respectful of the legacy of [SLIPKNOT's original drummer, the late] Joey [Jordison], and Joey was a huge influence on him. And he's so humble. The dude has so much humility. And you could tell he just lives and breathes his craft, to the point where I see his passion and it ignites my passion for my instrument. And Brazilians, South Americans in general, are so passionate about what they do. Our manager told me, he was out to dinner with four or five promoters from South America, and they were all really stoked. They're all, like, 'It's so good you've got a Brazilian drummer in SLIPKNOT now. We kind of feel like we've won the World Cup.' It's a cool feeling. And God, he just fits in so well. I don't know, man. I mean, there's a lot of things I can say about it. I'm just glad it happened when it did. And we're lucky to have him — we are really lucky to have that dude."

For its 2024 gigs so far, SLIPKNOT adopted a classic look, bringing back the 1999 red jumpsuits and elements of their early masks into their modern versions, tying into the fact that SLIPKNOT is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

After parting ways with Jay Weinberg last November, SLIPKNOT teased fans with a hint about a new drummer more than seven months ago, posting a photo of a single broken drumstick online with the caption "Rehearsal."

The band explained in a statement that the split with Weinberg was a creative decision. Jay followed up with a statement of his own, saying that he was "heartbroken and blindsided" by his dismissal.

Weinberg has since joined SUICIDAL TENDENCIES and INFECTIOUS GROOVES.

Casagrande abruptly quit SEPULTURA six months ago, shortly before he was supposed to begin rehearsals for the band's recently launched 40th-anniversary farewell tour.

"February 6th, a few days prior to the first rehearsal, drummer Eloy Casagrande informed the band that he was leaving SEPULTURA to pursue a career in another project," the band said in a statement.

Casagrande joined SEPULTURA 13 years ago as the replacement for Jean Dolabella.

SLIPKNOT's latest album "The End, So Far", arrived in August 2022. It marked the band's the last full-length LP before the departure of both keyboardist Craig Jones, who left the group in June 2023, and Weinberg.

SLIPKNOT recently completed the North American portion of the "Here Comes The Pain" tour. The band was celebrating the 25th anniversary of its seminal debut album, "Slipknot", which catapulted the band back in 1999. The "Here Comes The Pain" tour, produced by Live Nation, included arena plays nationwide this past summer. Highlights included New York City's Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles's Intuit Dome, Austin's Moody Center and more with direct support from Kentucky's young and vibrant hardcore/metal forerunners KNOCKED LOOSE. ORBIT CULTURE and VENDED also provided support on select dates.

In the video below, OPETH guitarist/vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt takes you through the band's entire new album, "The Last Will And Testament", with some interesting comments about how each track came to be.

"The Last Will And Testament" was released on November 22 via Reigning Phoenix Music/Moderbolaget. Speaking to United Rock Nations about his decision to include growling vocals in the recently released first single from the LP, "§1", Mikael said: "I wanted to try it out. I had been thinking, and we had been talking in the band that we should, maybe we could try and see what happens if we write something that's slightly heavier. And I felt I wanted to try and see if I could write music and fit that type of vocals on to new music. And I hadn't done that for many years… It's been a while. So I wrote a few parts and tried the death metal vocals, and it sounded awesome. Besides, it also provided a different voice to this character in the story. It became an asset that I haven't really had the need for, for the last four albums. But now it was an asset that actually could be beneficial for the whole concept, for the whole record. It sounded awesome too. I'm happy."

Last month, Åkerfeldt addressed the fact that OPETH fans have reacted positively to his return to growling vocals on "§1", telling "Coffee With Ola": "I don't have social media. Obviously, the record is not out yet, so I haven't read any reviews, but I'm on YouTube, believe it or not, every now and then, so I've seen some comments and videos, 'Oh, my god, OPETH is back. Mikael's back,' that type of thing. And yeah, there are some screams on there. And it's cool that they appreciate it. It's also slightly annoying."

Elaborating on why he finds it "annoying" that so much of the focus has been on the fact that he is growling on an OPETH album again, Mikael said: "I choose not to get upset. I'm an old guy. I decided I'm just gonna take in, like, 'You love it? You love that I do that stuff? Fine. I'm gonna be happy about it. But it's also, is that all we are? We've done four records in a row without that type of vocals, which people have liked, but it's been… It's so much focus on the screams, I almost feel like I wanna troll, just do a shit record, like really shit, obvious shit, with great screams and see what they think."

He continued: "But I'm really happy with the record. The screams sound really good. They fit this music and the concept of the record. So, all in all, I'm happy."

When host Ola Englund noted that there are "a lot" of growling vocals on "The Last Will And Testament", Mikael concurred. "Yeah, maybe it's 50-50, maybe more. But it was fun doing it again. I hadn't done it on an OPETH record for quite some time. 'Watershed' was the last [album] with that type of vocals. I wrote the songs. I started with the one called 'Paragraph One' ['§1']. So I tried some screams to see if it fit with the music, because I hadn't written music with the intention of having that type of vocal for a long time. So I didn't know if it was gonna work, but it sounded great to me. So I was, like, 'Okay.' Besides, it's a concept record and it gave a voice to that main character in the story. So that felt, like, 'Okay, I'm gonna try.'"

Regarding the concept for the new OPETH album, Mikael said: "People heard that first song, 'Paragraph One'. It starts with footsteps leading up to a door. A door opens and then off we go. And a patriarch, a father has died. He's a rich, conservative, stern old fucker who's passed away and the album starts when his children, his three children, arrive to attend the reading of his last will and testament, basically to see what they're, so to speak, getting. And then throughout the album, through his testament, all the lyrics are written as if they were written like a proper testament, with paragraphs, which explains the titles, or the lack of titles. And throughout the reading, he will reveal secrets about himself mostly, but many of these secrets will immediately affect his children and kind of turn their lives upside down. And then there's a twist to the story as well in the end."

"The Last Will And Testament" was written by 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 mainman 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 And Testament" is a concept album set in the post-World War I era, unfolding the story of a wealthy, conservative patriarch whose last will and testament reveals shocking family secrets. The narrative weaves through the patriarch's confessions, the reactions of his twin children, and the mysterious presence of a polio-ridden girl who the family have taken care of. The album begins with the reading of the father's will in his mansion. Among those in attendance is a young girl, who, despite being an orphan and polio-ridden, has been raised by the family. Her presence at the will reading raises suspicions and questions among the twins.

"The Last Will And Testament" is the darkest and heaviest record OPETH has made in decades, and it is also the band's most fearlessly progressive. A concept album recounting the reading of one recently deceased man's will to an audience of his surviving family members, it brims with haunting melodrama, shocking revelations and some of the wildest and most unpredictable music that Åkerfeldt has ever written.

The follow-up to 2019's widely acclaimed "In Cauda Venenum", "The Last Will And Testament" is set in the shadowy, sepia-stained 1920s. It slowly reveals its secrets like some classic thriller from the distant, cobwebbed past, with each successive song shining more light on the stated machinations of our dead (but definitely not harmless) protagonist. The emotional chaos of the story is perfectly matched by OPETH's vivid but claustrophobic soundtrack, which artfully winds its way towards a crestfallen but sumptuous finale. Masters of their own idiosyncratic musical domain, OPETH have never sounded more unique.

"The Last Will And Testament" is destined to be a milestone in OPETH's illustrious recorded history. The band's first out-and-out concept record, it features guest cameos from JETHRO TULL legend Ian Anderson and Joey Tempest, frontman with Swedish rock gods EUROPE. Only one of the album's eight songs has a title: closing ballad "A Story Never Told". The rest are simply labeled as numbered chapters in this slowly unfolding saga of deceit, recrimination and betrayal. Enigmatic, unsettling and immersive, "The Last Will And Testament" is a turbulent, prog metal tale like no other.

Making his recorded debut alongside OPETH's long-established lineup of Mikael Åkerfeldt, guitarist Fredrik Åkesson, bassist Martin Mendez and keyboard maestro Joakim Svalberg on "The Last Will And Testament" is new drummer Waltteri Väyrynen, who joined the band in 2022.

In a cover feature for the latest issue of Fistful Of Metal magazine — a special thrash issue — ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante opened up about the band's long-awaited new album and why it's taking so long to complete the follow-up to 2016's "For All Kings". He told Oran O'Beirne: "It's always been a priority to finish the new ANTHRAX album. I don't want people to think that my involvement with PANTERA had anything to do with prolonging the completion of the new ANTHRAX album. It just came down to the fact that some of the material wasn't finished. We went back and redid some things we were not entirely happy with."

He continued: "You have to understand that some of these songs are pre-COVID, so we're going back on ideas from a long time ago. After we started layering all the parts of the new songs, it was a unanimous feeling that some of the stuff we were doing just felt out of date. So we decided to give it some time and revisit at a later stage. We are just trying to make this new record the best that we possibly can."

With a busy summer touring the PANTERA live shows now out of the way, he gave his afterthoughts on performing those classic songs and the overall experience of sitting behind the kit and playing Vinnie Paul Abbott's drum parts.

"It's awesome. I don't take any of this for granted," he said. "I feel extremely privileged that I'm in this role. I love those guys and my history with PANTERA, as a band, and also Vinnie and Dime [late PANTERA guitarist 'Dimebag' Darrell Abbott] goes way back. My relationship with Rex [Brown, PANTERA bassist] and Philip [Anselmo, PANTERA singer] is as important as it was with Dime and Vinnie."

Benante added: "There have been days on tour where we are all just hanging out and the stories will start to come out about the brothers and I can see Philip and Rex just light up when we're sharing memories of the guys. I really think this experience, for both Philip and Rex, is really what they needed, not only for the fans, but for those guys. This has been a very therapeutic experience for all of us, but especially for Rex and Philip."

When asked about adapting his style to the drum parts originally written and recorded by Vinnie Paul, Benante responded: "I've never told this to anyone before, but Vinnie told me numerous times that he'd taken pieces of my drumming and applied it to PANTERA. Vinnie was, like, 'You know that part on [ANTHRAX's] 'Spreading The Disease'? I took that idea for this track.' When he told me that, I was, like, 'Dude, are you serious?', and his response was, 'Absolutely.' So, now when I listen back, I can actually hear what he was talking about.

"And if Vinnie was still here, I'd be showing him some [of his] drum parts I've used on a few ANTHRAX tracks," Charlie admitted. "Some drummers have really big egos and they don't usually discuss things like that. The truth of the matter is, whatever you were listening to during the course of your life from a teenager to an adult, that style and flare in the music is inevitably going to be an influence. I've had Joey Jordison [late SLIPKNOT drummer] tell me the exact same thing that Vinnie told me, saying that he got some licks and ideas from my drumming for SLIPKNOT, and I'm totally honored when I hear that. I do the same thing and tell other drummers, 'Hey, I got this idea from your playing on this track.'"

Read the full interview in the latest issue of Fistful Of Metal magazine. Issue #17 is a "Thrash Attack Special" also featuring METALLICA, SODOM, BODY COUNT, XENTRIX, OPETH, KREATOR, TESTAMENT, MEGADETH, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, TANKARD, GAMA BOMB, SADUS, MERCYFUL FATE, 200 STAB WOUNDS, SLIPKNOT and many more.

Fistful Of Metal is available for order online, as well as through WH Smith (U.K.) and Barnes & Noble (America).

Thanks to Oran O'Beirne for providing BLABBERMOUTH.NET with the above quotes from his ANTHRAX feature

TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2024!!! In the new FOM- hitting stores soon! What's your Favourite album of 2024?? Order the new magazine NOW!!! https://fistfulofmetal.co.uk/

Posted by Fistful Of Metal Mag on Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Scott Gorham has revealed the musicians he would like to join him in a reactivated THIN LIZZY. He's also said there's one LIZZY song that he would love to re-record with an all-star lineup, saying that he'd like to do it "just to see how it would sound with the new technology." The guitarist made his comments in a brand new interview with Eonmusic's Eamon O'Neill.

Scott recently said that "She Knows", from the 1974 THIN LIZZY album "Night Life" holds a special place in his heart, and in the Eonmusic interview, he went even further, stating: "That song is near and dear to me. That became the first song that Phil [Lynott, late THIN LIZZY frontman] and I wrote together on the first album that I'd ever done, and it became the opening track for that album."

It was then that Gorham revealed that he would like to revive the track recorded five decades ago, stating: "I'm really proud of that song, and also I would love to redo that song somehow, get another bunch of guys in there and just re-record that, just to see how it would sound with the new technology today and all that, to see what we could come up with."

When pressed on which musicians he imagines recording with, and whom he would like to see in a reactivated THIN LIZZY, he said, "There's a whole load of guys out there that are great," before going on to name some familiar players. "There's Vivian Campbell from DEF LEPPARD, Richard Fortus from GUNS N' ROSES," he said. "I've worked with both of those guys. Marco Mendoza, great bass player, so yeah, I mean, there's a ton of guys out there."

However, those waiting for LIZZY to take to the stage once more shouldn't hold their breath. "The problem being with all that is they all have day jobs," lamented Scott. "They've got to pay the rent, and I imagine their rent is pretty high. So with that kind of thing, I have to wait around, to wait to see when all the stars align perfectly, to get everybody lined up on that stage."

Read the entire interview at Eonmusic.

In 1974, the Californian musician moved to the United Kingdom and joined Irish rockers THIN LIZZY. Scott would perform on ten best-selling albums, including "Jailbreak", "Johnny The Fox", "Bad Reputation" and "Live And Dangerous", and on the hit singles "The Boys Are Back In Town", "Rosalie", "Dancing In The Moonlight (It's Caught Me In Its Spotlight)" and "Waiting On An Alibi".

This past April, Gorham unveiled six new works of art, with limited-edition prints available to purchase through the artist's web site. The Scott Gorham World site showcases the first six illustrative works from an archive the now-73-year-old guitarist started creating under the radar as an artist nearly 40 years ago.

Gorham was in BLACK STAR RIDERS for nearly a decade, having formed the band in 2013 with other THIN LIZZY members after deciding to write and record new music under a new moniker. BLACK STAR RIDERS' original lineup was completed by vocalist Ricky Warwick, guitarist Damon Johnson, bassist Marco Mendoza and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso.

BLACK STAR RIDERS announced Gorham's departure in September 2021, with Warwick saying in a statement: "We are very sad to see Scott go, but we discussed a very heavy world touring commitment on the new record and Scott decided he wanted to concentrate just on THIN LIZZY — and being the legend he is, none of us can blame him."

In a recent interview with Neil Jones of TotalRock, Gorham was asked if he is involved in any music projects at the moment. He responded: "Well, I'm not really working on anything really solid right now, unfortunately. I would really like to get back out, put just an absolute kick-ass THIN LIZZY band together and either tour England again or Europe or something like that.

"I don't think I'm ever going to lose that love for playing that music, just because all of us were so involved in writing it, rehearsing it, recording it," he explained. "And there was a lot of work that — well, everybody, every bandmember will know all the work that has to go into just being able to get out on the road.

"So, we'll see. Hopefully in the near future I'll have some sort of news and I'll get my butt out there and start playing again," Scott added. "So, that's really all I can say right now."

Gorham discussed his decision to leave BLACK STAR RIDERS in a February 2022 interview with "The Hook Rocks!" podcast. He said: "It was right in the beginning of the whole pandemic thing. I know Ricky wanted to do an album straight off the bat. And I said, 'Well, I can't and I won't get on a plane right now, for god's sakes. We've got this thing raging around all of us. It's kind of impossible.' And I did not wanna do an album by Zoom; I didn't even wanna contemplate on that. Plus, I did wanna start concentrating on THIN LIZZY, to get out there and show people these really great songs. So I thought it would be unfair to try to really put a hundred percent concentration and effort into one and then the other is kind of flailing there on the side. So I thought, well, I've done four albums with BLACK STAR RIDERS. I love 'em and I love the guys. I've proved the point with BLACK STAR RIDERS. Now it's time to concentrate a little bit more on THIN LIZZY and see what we can do. 'Cause there are so many really great musicians who want to be in this band called THIN LIZZY. They've listened to the songs their whole life, and to be able to get up on a stage and for real play the songs… It's really kind of heartwarming that I know that I can reach out and there's so many guys who wanna get up there and sit up there shoulder to shoulder with me, paying homage to Phil [Lynott] and Gary [Moore] and everybody else that was in the band. And it's not an easy thing as you would think to pick who's going to do it. It really is picking the right person for the right tour when we do THIN LIZZY."

In a new interview with Tone-Talk, veteran rock/metal bassist and songwriter Bob Daisley, who performed on — and wrote/co-wrote the lyrics/music for — a good portion of Ozzy's early solo catalog, was asked about the fact that he didn't get a mention during Osbourne's induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction last month. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, to be honest with you, I didn't expect to be mentioned, only because of the dirty water that's gone under the bridge between us. And how [former Ozzy drummer] Lee [Kerslake] and I have been taken out of photographs, been taken out of films, had credits removed, had photographs removed, all that stuff. So, it was no surprise to me that I didn't get mentioned. But somebody used a good analogy about my situation with that, and that was in comparison with Elton John and Bernie Taupin, that all those songs were written, lyrically, by Bernie Taupin and Elton John wrote the music. And it was a similar situation with [me and Ozzy] — I wrote all the lyrics for those albums and songs."

Asked what he thought of Ozzy's speech at the Rock Hall, Bob said: "He looked unwell. He looked unhappy. And I don't get off on seeing people, regardless of who they are or what they've done, looking unwell or looking unhappy or whatever. He probably just went through the motions. But it's kind of what I expected. I didn't expect to be mentioned or anything. Regardless of how important my role was or what I created or helped to create or whatever, I really didn't expect to even get a mention… I mean, it would have been nice."

The 74-year-old Daisley, who has sued the Osbournes several times over unpaid royalties, added: "Amanda Peters is a female guitarist in Los Angeles that I will be working with next year. And she's a lovely person, very supportive and all of that. But she started up a petition saying that I should be inducted with Ozzy — if he's going in, then I should be, because [late Ozzy guitarist] Randy's [Rhoads] already in there. Then Ozzy was being inducted, and all the stuff that we did together. If anybody should be in there, Lee and I should be in there as well. And a lot of people did sign the petition, but it didn't get anywhere or do anything. It was a nice gesture on her part and all the people that that signed it. I felt nice. It was nice to see supportive people thinking that way."

More than three years ago, Bob spoke to Rolling Stone magazine about the controversial 2002 re-recordings of the drum and bass parts on OZZY OSBOURNE's classic first two solo albums, 1980's "Blizzard Of Ozz" and 1981's "Diary Of A Madman".

The tracks originally played by bassist Daisley and Kerslake on both albums were replaced on the reissue by Robert Trujillo (now in METALLICA) and Mike Bordin, respectively, after Daisley and Kerslake sued Ozzy and his wife/manager Sharon Osbourne over royalties. They were restored for the 30th-anniversary editions.

Asked how he felt when he learned that his parts on the first two Ozzy records had been re-recorded, Bob said: "To be honest with you, I thought it was pathetic. Someone sent me a copy of one of them, and I laughed. I thought, 'Is this a joke?' I just didn’t think it was done right. The thing is, you can't reheat a soufflé. You can't take the ingredients out of a cake and then try and bake it again. It happened once. We did various takes of each song and we used the parts where each of us shined the best. There might be five takes of 'Crazy Train' or four takes of something else, or eight takes of something else, and we picked the one that had the best vibe. And it was four people being recorded in a room together. You can't change that.

"And the fans hated them for it. It was, like, 'God, you've got no respect for the fans and everyone that spends money on this music.' They were hated for it. I'm just quoting what fans said, not me."

Ozzy told The Pulse Of Radio he was against the idea of replacing the original tracks when he found out about it. "Believe me, it wasn't my doing," he said. "I mean, I didn't know that was being done, 'cause Sharon was fighting all the legal things that were going down at the time. I said, 'What did you do that for?' And she said, 'The only way I could stop everything was if it went to that level.' And I said, 'You know what, whatever the circumstances were, I want the original thing back.' I mean, I wouldn't have done that."

Daisley told Rock Cellar in a 2012 interview that the 30th-anniversary reissues of both albums could have featured the material as bonus content. He explained, "I offered to supply tapes of our rehearsals and writing sessions, to go as proper bonus material. And I just said that I wanted a royalty out of it, because it's my stuff. But they wouldn't do it because they didn't want to give me a royalty — they just wanted to buy it."

Daisley said that he and Kerslake were fired because of disagreements with Sharon over a number of things, including refusing to do two shows in one day out of worry that Ozzy would blow out his voice.

According to the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA),1980's "Blizzard Of Ozz" has been certified quintuple platinum for shipments in excess of five million copies, while 1981's "Diary Of A Madman" has been certified triple platinum for more three million units sold.

Hachette Books has released the cover artwork for EXODUS and SLAYER guitarist Gary Holt's upcoming memoir, "A Fabulous Disaster: From The Garage To Madison Square Garden, The Hard Way", which is tentatively due on April 8, 2025. Check it out below.

In the book, which features a foreword by former EXODUS an current METALLICA guitarist Kirk Hammett, Holt presents an entertaining, personal memoir detailing his "destruction-laden" life and the origins of the thrash metal scene from the San Francisco Bay Area to its world dominance.

Since exploding out of the Bay Area heavy metal scene in the 1980s, thrash metal has made its way to every corner of the globe, conquering worldwide charts year after year. As the guitarist and primary songwriter of EXODUS, and an originator of the subgenre and one of its fiercest proponents, Gary Holt watched as his peers — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER, ANTHRAX — soared to superstardom. As his fellow artists amassed millions of fans and record sales, EXODUS's albums received critical recognition and inspired generations of listeners but struggled to reach the same heights of success, as the band was plagued by years of bad management, bad luck, and bad decision-making.

In "A Fabulous Disaster", written in collaboration with Adem Tepedelen, Holt shares a deeply personal account of what it was like to "live fast, play fast, and crash hard" as thrash metal dominated the globe. Readers witness his highest of highs and lowest of lows as Holt and his bandmates juggle major label contracts, MTV-sponsored tours and festivals, growing addictions to alcohol and meth, and the departures of original members. In the throes of addiction, Holt's own fall from grace is swift: one year he's playing on the MTV "Headbanger's Ball Tour" with ANTHRAX and HELLOWEEN, and the next he's struggling to find minimum wage jobs as he battles drugs, divorce, and the impending collapse of his music career. Ultimately, after the tragic death of one of his closest friends and former bandmates — Holt realizes the only one who can save him is himself.

An "unadulterated odyssey through decades of insanity," punctuated by Holt's unique insight and knack for storytelling, "A Fabulous Disaster" is a thrill ride from start to finish. His story proves that redemption — even from the pits of rock 'n' roll excess — is always possible.

Tepedelen is an award-winning journalist covering metal for over thirty years for Decibel, Revolver, RollingStone.com, and many others. He's written and co-written numerous books, including "The Brewtal Truth to Extreme Beers" and "Mud Ride: A Messy Trip Through the Grunge Explosion" (with MUDHONEY guitarist Steve Turner).

Extreme metal legends, Cradle Of Filth, performed at Sala But in Madrid, Soain on November 23. Fan-filmed video of the entire show can be viewed below.


Setlist:


"Existential Terror"
"Saffron's Curse"
"The Forest Whispers My Name"
"She Is a Fire"
"Malignant Perfection"
"Summer Dying Fast"
"Heartbreak And Seance"
"Nymphetamine (Fix)"
"Born In A Burial Gown"
"Malice Through The Looking Glass"
"Creatures That Kissed In Cold Mirrors"




Encore:
"The Monstrous Sabbat (Summoning The Coven)"
"Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids"
"Scorched Earth Erotica"
"Her Ghost In The Fog"





Cradle Of Filth “By Order Of The Dragon” EU tour dates:


November
23 - Madrid, Spain - BUT
24 - Lisbon, Portugal - LAV Lisboa ao vivo
26 - Bilbao, Spain - Santana 27
28 - Lyon, France - La Rayonne
29 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
30 - Vaureal, France - Le Forum


December
2 - Luxembourg, Luxembourg - Rockhal
3 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Substage
4 - Berlin, Germany - SO36
5 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg
7 - Leige, Belgium - OM
8 - Tilburg, Netherlands - 013


Positioned firmly at the top of the extreme metal genre, Cradle Of Filth reign supreme as one of the most revered, formative and notorious names in the scene, and are responsible for breaking ground for many of today’s top metal artists with their trademark mixture of grim blackened heaviness, macabre theatricality and scintillating gothic style. The rule of Filth began in 1991, followed by the unleashing of 1994’s The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh – humble beginnings that expanded into cinematic classics like Cruelty And The Beast and Midian.
 
The band’s unyielding international touring schedule has garnered them a massive following both in the cult underground and at the top of the mainstream, defying trends while staying true to their roots. More recent offerings such as 2015’s Hammer Of The Witches and 2017’s Cryptoriana - The Seductiveness Of Decay continued to bolster the unremitting legacy of Filth, until the band, along

Sweden's Amaranthe have checked in with the following update:


"We're releasing the acoustic version of our single, 'Insatiable'. It's out on all the platforms you can think of!"


Guitarist Olof Mörck comments: “The cool thing with bonus tracks is that you can venture a little further away from what you would normally do musically. This time, we settled for a groovy blues/latin jazz version of ‘Insatiable’, in a guitar, piano and double bass trio format. Definitely not something you hear from Amaranthe every day, but we had a ton of fun making this - enjoy!”




Pick up the single here.





Amaranthe released their latest album, The Catalyst, via Nuclear Blast Records in February 2024. Order the album here.





Tracklisting:


"The Catalyst"
"Insatiable"
"Damnation Flame"
"Liberated"
"Re-Vision"
"Interference"
"Stay a Little While"
"Ecstasy"
"Breaking the Waves"
"Outer Dimensions"
"Resistance"
"Find Life"


"Interference" video:





"Re-Vision" video:





"Outer Dimensions" video:

The Metal Voice recently interviewed Body Count's guitarist, producer about the bands new album Merciless and he also spoke about his time producing Black Sabbath's Forbidden album (1995).



When asked about producing Black Sabbath's Forbidden and today's new remix of the album:

"Yeah it's pretty good actually. (Remix) I like it. I like it. BTW I'm on that (cover) my picture is coming out of the grave there with the hat. I'm right there with a hat turned backwards. So the band (Black Sabbath) didn't bring me in (to produce) Miles Copeland brought me in to do the record. So I went over there when I was between 20- 30 years old or something. I was like I'm going to bring Black Sabbath's sound up to date, they're gonna sound like Nirvana. Cozy Powell was the drummer and he came in with four drum sets and he played on each one for an hour. So he did this whole thing and I mixed the drums the way it was going to sound and he came in and he had a stopwatch. He was timing himself with a stopwatch. He said like Ernie I'm off right there. I'm like really? That's some interesting stuff I had never seen before, I'm from South Central so we didn't have stopwatches. (Laughs). So anyway we go through the whole thing and he listens to his drums and he hands me a tape and says. (You know I had his drums dried up a little bit and it wasn't the big massive sound that he had.) He (Cozy) says tomorrow make my drum sound like this, like okay I gotta figure this out now. (laughs) They wanted to change but they didn't want to change, they wanted to stay far from the course. So I wanted to change it a little more."



When asked how did he produce a legend like Tony Iommi?

"You don't, you just let him play. You get like Brian May (Queen) and Jeff Beck popping in the studio and you're saying to yourself why am I here? (laughs). He (Iommi) was a great guy. He was really nice to me and everything like that but the music didn't work out the way we wanted it to. But it was a good experience. It made me say to myself okay I'm accepted kind of in rock and roll. He was kind of in a place where they were kind of settled in what they were. So what I had the engineer put on the record and I played all through the record every song, I played guitar all the way through it. Then Tony came in the next day and said who played that last night? I said, I did. He said well I'm going to play my parts on it now, so it got him motivated to play more. So I thought that was kind of cool. Also he and Ozzy didn't get along (back then). I said you know you should do something with Ozzy cuz you guys are what it is. And after that he played OzzFest. Also at the studio (Producing the album) I got a cease and desist letter from Sharon (Osbourne) Tony (Iommi) said don't worry about that, she does that to everyone, she's just trying to scare you. I'm like well she's doing a damn good job. (Laughs)."




When asked about producing Tony Martin's vocals:

"Tony was good but you know the thing that Tony had to live with” He had to go against Ozzy and Dio and so he had to step into those shoes. So he had a thing. Tony would say well Dio would sung it like that. I'm like why are you gonna say that?


"When asked about his overall thoughts on Forbidden:

"It was a good record. If it wasn't Black Sabbath it would have been a great record but because it was Black Sabbath they had high expectations, it wasn't the record they expected. When people say it was a bad album whatever... I always say how many Black Sabbath records have you produced?"



Forbidden is the eighteenth studio album by Black Sabbath, released on June 5th, 1995. This recording saw the reunion of Black Sabbath's Tyr-era line-up from 1990, with the return of Neil Murray and

Memphis May Fire - Matty Mullins (vocals), Kellen McGregor (guitar), Cory Elder (bass), and Jake Garland (drums) - have released their new single, "Shapeshifter". A video for the song can be found below.


"Shapeshifter", available for streaming here, is the title track of the band's new album, out March 28 via Rise Records. Pre-order the album here.







Shapeshifter tracklisting:


"Chaotic"
"Infection"
"Overdose"
"Paralyzed"
"Hell Is Empty"
"Necessary Evil"
"The Other Side"
"Shapeshifter"
"Versus"


"Shapeshifter" video: