In an interview with Brazil's Heavy Metal On Line, bassist Jørn "Necrobutcher" Stubberud of Norwegian black metallers MAYHEM spoke about the band's recently completed 40th-anniversary tour of Latin America. Asked if he and his MAYHEM are planning to keep making albums and touring until they are physically unable to do it, Stubberud replied (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think, yes. I think that is the truth, because I've been thinking about it. And I'm thinking that — take an example. Attila [Csihar, MAYHEM singer] said a couple years ago that maybe we should take a little break, a year or two, just to chill out. But everybody got the same thought as I had, and that was, no, it's stupid to stop now because you never know what's gonna happen. And we are not getting younger either. So it's better to do it now.

"I think if something happens with the three main members — me, Hellhammer [MAYHEM drummer Jan Axel Blomberg] or Attila — I'm not sure if there's any point going on, and maybe that would be the end. You could replace any of us, but then again, really? I mean, of course if it could work and if — I don't know. It's hard to say, really, but I think if any of those two guys can't do it anymore, I think I will quit the band. Also, I will finish the band. And not 'finish' as in [completely] finish [doing stuff related to MAYHEM]. We are [still] gonna have a merch shop going.

"Here's another thing. I'm 57 now. We are 42 years and two months [old now as a band]. New carrot for me: if we can stick it [out for another] eight [years], so [in] eight more years, we will have [our] 50-year anniversary. In Norway, you get your state pension when you're 67, and that will be the year I get my state pension. Sorry, the year later. So if we make it next eight years, then I would be like all the people who work their whole life until they retire and get the state pension. And I would be happy with that. That would be a lifetime achievement for me. So everything works out.

"So, to tell you why I think this is gonna happen, that is, we [will] release a new album now in 2026. [There's] gonna be two, two and a half years touring to finish the [touring cycle] of 65 countries and 200 shows. And then we still have one record left on a record deal with Century Media under Sony Music. And it's a progressive deal, so it means that we made a deal for 'Daemon' and then for two more albums. So we come up with a new one now, and we still have another one [to record under the deal]. So if you think that we are able to do it and have inspiration enough to do it, that in three years now we stop the touring circle, we take a year off to write and record the next album, and then we go into the next [touring cycle], it's gonna take us two, three years — boom, we are 50 years old and it's a lifetime achievement. And then if we made it there, I mean, what are we gonna look like in 10 years from now? Are we gonna be in fucking wheelchairs or are we gonna be in diapers? Are we gonna be with a white cane? Are we gonna shake? Who the fuck knows? But this is what happens to people when they start to get to the end of 60 years, 70 years old… And then again, we are not just a guy with a guitar that can come up on stage and do some Johnny Cash songs and play until you're 85. This is high-energy movements and techniques that you need to be on your fucking game to be able to get the fingers around the thing or the drums. I can see people now that are still touring, but everybody knows that they shouldn't. We are not there yet, but I don't wanna be there. I don't wanna come there. I would rather give up when the game is good still."

Last month, Necrobutcher was asked by Mexico's Metal Memes Mx if he thought, when MAYHEM was first formed in 1984, that the band would still be around 40 years later. Stubberud replied: "Yes. And the reason why I can say that very quickly, without even thinking about it, is that I think, as in most things, to put it in perspective so people understand that, if you find something that you believe a lot in, and so you think this is it. And then just with that, you already believe that this is gonna be so great that it's gonna last forever. So, I think that you even need this kind of way of thinking to be able to succeed. You tell yourself, 'This is fucking great. This is gonna go fucking straight up there. We're gonna make it. This is good music.'"

He continued: "I told in many interviews over the years that me and Manheim, the guy I started the band with, we had different bands before we met Øystein [Aarseth, a.k.a. Euronymous]. And I think Øystein was our fifth guitarist at that time, when he came along in 1984. And so when he plugged in and we started jamming with us, he knew some of the same cover songs. We did some VENOM covers. We did some MOTÖRHEAD covers. I think we did a JUDAS PRIEST cover, and we knew some BLACK SABBATH. So we kind of knew the same cover tracks. So when we started to jam on that, I immediately felt — and I never forgot it — the feeling of euphoria. It was, like, This is it. This is what we were looking for.' And I always felt that, and I felt so strongly for this project my whole life. This is my life's work. This is the essence of all my work, my whole life. So, I always believed in it."

Necrobutcher went on to clarify that MAYHEM has never achieved the kind of commercial success that would allow him and his bandmates to stop working. "We are not METALLICA — we are still an underground band — so it's not like achieved everything and now I can retire," he explained. "It's not that kind of achievement. It's more like we made it and we are doing what we are supposed to do. We are now playing live concerts 'cause we are live musicians. We are not studio musicians. We are that, too, but most and foremost, we are a live band and we have been since 1984. And I don't see any reason to stop."

Asked if he would like to see MAYHEM continue as a band even after he is no longer involved in the group, Necrobutcher said: "I think, personally, that there should at least be one original member. Otherwise, it could be watered out, and then maybe it will lose the essence of it.

"I don't see us continuing without, let's say, the old members that are in the band today, and I don't think, let's say, if anything would happen to me, Hellhammer or Attila, we might say, 'Okay, we'll call it quits.' But here's the thing. We're still able to do it. And I'm 57 now. I'm the oldest in the band, so everybody was born two years or more, younger than me, but they are getting there at some point. But here is my philosophy. We go on as long as we can because you never know when you're forced to stop… You never know what's gonna happen. And this is my perspective, and I haven't thought about it, but since you just asked the question, I would think if the core members, something happened to them that they were not able to do it anymore, maybe then we will say that we have met the end of the line. Now, MAYHEM will live on anyway, but there wouldn't be any touring, there wouldn't be any recording of new albums. But the will be there as long as people are interested in listening."

MAYHEM will release its seventh studio album, "Liturgy Of Death", on February 6, 2026 via Century Media.

"Liturgy Of Death" is the follow-up to MAYHEM's sixth studio album, "Daemon", which came out in October 2019 via Century Media. A live album, "Daemonic Rites", arrived in September 2023.

MAYHEM's current lineup consists of Necrobutcher (bass),Hellhammer (drums),Attila Csihar (vocals),Teloch (guitars) and Ghul (guitars).

MAYHEM will embark on the "Death Over Europe" European headlining tour in February 2026. Support on the trek will come from MARDUK and IMMOLATION.

In the fall of 2024, MAYHEM canceled its previously announced North American 40th-anniversary tour "due to a member of the band having a medical emergency that requires immediate surgery."

The North American dates were scheduled to kick off on November 12, 2024 in Montreal, with stops in Toronto; Queens, New York; Chicago; and Los Angeles before and wrapping up November 23, 2024 in Denver.

MAYHEM launched a short European tour on December 4, 2024 in Paris, France. An Australian tour followed in January.

When MAYHEM's North American tour was first announced in August 2024, the band said that its 40th-anniversary show would be "a once-in-a-lifetime experience for fans, featuring a setlist that spans their illustrious career, from their groundbreaking debut album, 'Deathcrush', to present day."

In a new interview with Matt Bingham of the Z93 radio station, FINGER ELEVEN frontman Scott Anderson spoke about the long gap between the band's last two albums.

Released in November, "Last Night On Earth" marked the first new full-length effort from the Canadian rockers in 10 years, following 2015's "Five Crooked Lines".

Regarding why it took a decade for FINGER ELEVEN to release a new LP, Scott said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Look, we're all dads and we're all husbands. And we didn't do well with remote recording. We tried, but everybody's schedules, it's pretty full up. So the only thing that really worked is — and still — the only effective thing is getting together. So what we would do — always traditionally — we'll rent a cottage and spend a week or two up there and grind the ideas out. Now, that's great because the ideas get developed and they get better and better and better. But the old-school system is you rent a big studio for a month or two, and then when the time runs out, your album is done. Well, we had the exact opposite problem — there was kind of no time limit. We didn't rent the big studio. We would go to cottages and then we would go to Steve's [Molella] house, who is the drummer in the band and the producer on this album. And we would just improve the material. We would break it down and keep what's cool about this song and write it and rewrite it again over and over and over. So that kept the song quality up, but it just took forever. And then last summer rolled around and we had that big tour with CREED and there was some interest in the band. And so we were, like, 'Look, man, we gotta strike while the iron is kind of sort of hot. We need to figure out how to finish this record.' And so we eventually did. But, yeah, I can't believe it took that long, but in a way I can sort of account for the time. But I don't wanna take that long again, that's for sure."

Scott went on to say that being able to take 10 years to fine-tune the material is "great for musical quality" but "it's murder for your career. It's terrible. Don't do it. Finish the record. My advice to any musician out there: finish your dang record earlier than 10 years, please. Don't do this."

After Bingham noted that a lot of FINGER ELEVEN fans were probably getting impatient while waiting for a new full-length album from the band, Scott said: "Well, I think that's true, but I also think it's difficult to get excited about an older band's new record, let's say. Sometimes those don't turn out so good. And I think this one will be a surprising one because of the circumstances, because the quality control is there. The sacrifice was all this time, but the result is that it's a really solid record for a band that's been around for a minute."

Anderson also talked about the FINGER ELEVEN songwriting process, explaining: "Not only is it a collective effort, it's more open than it ever has been, which is pretty magical. And anybody gets to chime in on anything. 'What about this riff?' Or, 'Scott, what's that lyric?' 'Oh, okay.' It's much more open than it ever used to be. That's creatively satisfying, but it takes a very, very long time for everybody to be happy, because if you've got one person saying, 'No, no, no. You play this, you play this, you play this,' your album's gonna be done in, like, a week. But that's not really a satisfying vision, that's not what keep bands together, in my opinion. It's not what keeps them happy, at least. So, it's great. You're not afraid to say anything in the room."

"Last Night On Earth" came out on November 7 via Better Noise Music.

Released in September, the "Last Night On Earth" title track was the follow-up to the album's second single and video which was released in August, the thunderous "Blue Sky Mystery" featuring Richard Patrick from FILTER.

Last year, fans got the first taste of "Last Night On Earth" via the high-octane "Adrenaline" (which reached the Top 20 on the Mediabase Active Rock chart) and a video that's garnered nearly 200,000 views on YouTube. The song also reached No. 2 on the Active Rock chart in Canada, where the song held strong in the Top 5 for over four months.

FINGER ELEVEN have always amalgamated their musical influences from the 1960s forward into their rock mix. They acknowledge that Phil Collins and GENESIS were a big melodic influence on "Last Night On Earth". And the new tunes explore time-honored FINGER ELEVEN concepts with fresh twists. While "Adrenaline" is a rousing, intense anthem about pushing forward against adversity, "Blue Sky Mystery" is another hard-hitting rocker about being beguiled by something just out of reach. Further into the album, "The Mountain" rides musical peaks and valleys in its quest to chase the song, about the creative process expressed in a fantasy setting. Then there is the acoustic number "Last Night On Earth", which tackles relationship turmoil. It's the most personal new track for Anderson.

Originally from Burlington, Ontario and now based mostly out of Toronto, FINGER ELEVEN has released a series of consecutive hit albums and become among the greatest live bands to ever emerge from the great White North. Their self-titled debut album broke the band into the international mainstream, achieving gold status in the United States and platinum in Canada, and smashing the first single "One Thing" across the radio and Billboard charts. Their 2007 album "Them Vs. You Vs. Me" launched the single "Paralyzer", setting radio records in the U.S., peaking at No. 1 internationally and going five times platinum, the band's second million-plus seller. They won the Juno Award for "Rock Album" the following year and set an incredible run at rock radio, with an unbeaten 14 weeks at the top spot. "Life Turns Electric" was nominated for a Juno Award for "Best Rock Album Of The Year". 2015's "Five Crooked Lines" continued to electrify audiences the world over and their 2023 "Greatest Hits" includes their biggest smash hit in a decade, "Together Right", which topped the radio charts for an amazing five-week run at No. 1.

In a recent interview with Chas Byrne of Express FM, HALESTORM bassist Josh Smith spoke about how he and his bandmates — guitarist/vocalist Lzzy Hale, drummer Arejay Hale and guitarist Joe Hottinger — have managed to stay together and remain successful for more than two decades. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "When I joined it, it was — it is, but it was — this family thing. Arejay was, I think, 18 when I joined. I was, 20, just turning 21. Their parents would still come out, and their mom was tour managing it for a few years. And it was just always this family vibe. And it still feels like that. It feels like they're my brothers and sisters. And we've certainly had our disagreements, and it's like we're best friends. Lzzy and Arejay are siblings. Lzzy and Joe are in a relationship; they have been. And so you're juggling that with also, 'Hey, we're bandmates, we're business partners.' You're wearing a lot of different hats."

Josh continued: "I think in any situation, whether it's your brother and sister or your wife, you live with someone long enough, you know what buttons you can push to upset someone. You know that — you know what to do to push buttons or to not. And I think that's a big part of it, is — I don't wanna say 'compromise', but just being truthful and respectful to each other. And I don't know — to all of us, we just made up our minds quickly: this is what we're doing. And so going back to that mantra thing, it's, like, let's make it work. And we've worked hard at that, we've worked hard at our relationships with each other and as musicians on stage. It's something we put a lot of time and effort into. And when we go home, we're still getting together to work, to prep for tour or anything, but very early on, it became an absolute: 'There's no backup plan. This is what we're doing.' I don't know. It sort of left any question behind about what we're doing and how we're going to work together."

HALESTORM's music has earned multiple platinum and gold certifications from the RIAA, and the band has built a reputation as a powerful live music force, headlining sold-out shows and topping festival bills around the world, and sharing the stage with icons including HEAVEN & HELL, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett and JUDAS PRIEST. Additionally, Lzzy was named the first female brand ambassador for Gibson and served as host of AXS TV's "A Year In Music".

"Love Bites (So Do I)", from HALESTORM's second album in 2012, won the Grammy Award that year for "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance".

In 2019, HALESTORM was nominated for "Best Rock Performance" Grammy for the song "Uncomfortable".

HALESTORM worked with producer Dave Cobb on the band's latest studio album, "Everest", after making three records with Nick Raskulinecz.

Last month, HALESTORM shared a new two-track bundle of singles, the retrospective ballad "How Will You Remember Me?" and the sultry tribute to bisexuality "Like A Woman Can". Recorded live from the road on the Pennsylvania-bred and Nashville-based quartet's recent "nEVEREST" tour, the songs are taken from "Everest", out on Atlantic Records. Lending orchestration to the tracks are tour buddies and Finnish symphonic metallers APOCALYPTICA.

Awarding "Everest" four stars, The Times declared, "There is fantastical appeal throughout." The Daily Star concurred, reminding fans about the band’'s upcoming tour with their four-star review, stating "headlining arenas in November, every track here is sure to get phones out en masse."

"Everest" came hot on the heels of HALESTORM's fiery European tour with metal icons IRON MAIDEN. The U.K.'s Metal Hammer said of opening night, "Before all that, it falls to HALESTORM to take on the famously unenviable task of warming up an IRON MAIDEN crowd — a task they ace pretty effortlessly, in fairness. Decades in and arena headliners themselves at this point, the Pennsylvania rockers also have the ace in the hole that is Lzzy Hale, whose screams, croons, cries and shrieks reaffirm her status as one of the best singers of her generation. Half of their support set is comprised of tracks from imminent album 'Everest', and you can understand why they're feeling confident about it: the new material sounds excellent."

After wrapping the IRON MAIDEN tour, the band had the honor of performing at BLACK SABBATH's "Back To The Beginning", Ozzy Osbourne's last show.

Earlier this year, SHINEDOWN drummer Barry Kerch was asked by My Weekly Mixtape if he was disappointed or relieved to know that the band's upcoming follow-up to 2022's "Planet Zero" album won't be another concept LP. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Thank God it's not a concept record. [Laughs] I had a great time with [2018's] 'Attention [Attention]' and 'Planet Zero'. 'Attention' was purposely a concept record. 'Planet Zero' just happened to become one because of the time period, recording it during COVID. We were talking about what's going on in the world, and, 'Oh, shit. We wrote another concept record.' We purposely said, 'Can we just get a collection of songs together that are fun and put out a record, like old-school rock and roll record?' And that's what this one will be."

Asked if SHINEDOWN's recently released singles "Three Six Five", "Dance, Kid, Dance", , "Killing Fields" and "Searchlight" are "a strong representation of the sound and style that fans can expect" from SHINEDOWN's upcoming eighth album, Barry said: "No, not at all. It's as eclectic as we always do. There's gonna be things that you're gonna be, like, 'Oh, I didn't expect that.' And there's gonna be some that are, like, 'Oh, that took my head off.' Is it a reflection of where we're at right now? Sure. But every song is its own little animal, and I think that's kind of the excitement of it. I think there's gonna be some fun stuff that comes out that fans are gonna really glom on to. And there's certain ones I'm thinking of in the back of my head that are, like, it's different, that one's different, but I love it. And then there's some that, oh, yeah, that's just a straight-ahead, hit-you-over-the-face SHINEDOWN rock song, which I think 'Dance, Kid' is, in a lot of ways. Get ready for a ride, just like we always do."

Asked if "Eight" is the working title for the new SHINEDOWN album or if he and his bandmates have an actual title in mind for the upcoming LP, Barry said: "That's literally the working title, is 'Eight'. [Laughs] We have no idea what we're gonna name it yet. Initially there was talks of 'Dance, Kid, Dance' being the title of it, 'cause it kind of had that vibe in some respects. With 'Planet Zero' and even with 'Attention Attention', they just quickly raised their hands. It was, like, 'Oh, yep, that's gotta be the album title. That just fits.' This one also not being a concept and just being a collection of songs, that one thing hasn't raised its hand yet. And each one of us, 'cause SHINEDOWN is a democracy — we're all 25-percenters, but we're all very opinionated 25-percenters — we'll see what happens. I'll give Brent [Smith, SHINEDOWN singer] the 26 [percent], 'cause you have to have a leader, and he is the leader of SHINEDOWN proudly, and should be. He's got the vision more so than anybody."

Last month, SHINEDOWN released a new single, "Searchlight", via Atlantic Records. The song was first performed live during the band's Opry debut in October where SHINEDOWN's fans packed the infamous venue and the song became the most talked-about moment of the night.

Written by Smith, SHINEDOWN bassist/producer Eric Bass and Dave Bassett and produced by Bass at his Big Animal Studio in Charleston, South Carolina, "Searchlight" channels the emotional depth and anthemic power that have become SHINEDOWN's signature but with new sonic elements fitting of the Opry's stage. In the song's music video, shot by Andrew Donoho, you can see each member performing their own instruments including a steel pedal guitar and banjo. Filmed in Nashville, Tennessee the day after their Opry debut, the video showcases the band's live performance as well as the emotional power behind the song.

2025 was a defining year for SHINEDOWN, with "Searchlight" following their powerful global hit "Three Six Five", which topped multiple radio formats including No. 1 at Alternative, Top 10 at Hot AC and AC, and Top 20 at Top 40. The band also released "Dance, Kid, Dance" and "Killing Fields" — both of which hit No. 1 — further cementing their dominance at radio. SHINEDOWN currently holds the record for the most No. 1 songs on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart (21 No. 1s to date),making them the top artist in the chart's history, as well as the most No. 1s on the Mediabase Active Rock chart (23 No. 1s to date),along with the records for the most Top 5s and Top 10s in the chart's history.

In addition, this year SHINEDOWN sold out and performed at Madison Square Garden for the first time during the band's "Dance, Kid, Dance" arena tour — a career milestone for the band. As part of the tour, they donated $1 from every ticket sold to Musicians On Call, resulting in a $300,000 contribution that helped launch a new bedside music program in partnership with HCA Florida Healthcare. Smith and SHINEDOWN guitarist Zach Myers recently performed at the program's kickoff event. Earlier this year, the band also took home multiple iHeartRadio Awards, further solidifying their standing as one of the most impactful bands of today.

Recently the band announced their first-ever curated festival event — Shinedown's Lunatic Ball Beach Weekend, taking place October 23-25, 2026 in Miramar Beach, Florida. The three-day destination experience will feature performances from SHINEDOWN (two headlining sets),BUSH, HANSON, FLYLEAF (with Lacey Sturm),LIVING COLOUR, FROM ASHES TO NEW, GUARDIANS OF THE JUKEBOX, NEON MOONERS and more.

Not to mention, SHINEDOWN recently announced they will be headlining the unparalleled Sonic Temple festival. They'll take the main stage on Friday, May 15, 2026, marking their first time headlining the iconic Ohio event. Their momentous performance will anchor the festival's second night, with MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, BRING ME THE HORIZON and TOOL leading the other days of the lineup.

Photo credit: Ryan Camp

Norwegian singer Silje Wergeland, who has been fronting Dutch rockers THE GATHERING since early 2009, has announced her departure from the band.

Earlier today (Sunday, December 28),Silje shared the following statement via her social media: "It's a new dawn and a new year. After 16 years of creating and playing great music with THE GATHERING, it's time to move on to new ventures.

"I have had so many awesome experiences and made great memories with this band that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

"I wish my band mates all the best for the future.

"Thanks for all the great support and the lovely conversations with all you wonderful [THE GATHERING] fans around the globe.

"Lots of love, Silje".

Prior to joining THE GATHERING, Silje sang for the Norwegian band OCTAVIA SPERATI.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of their "Mandylion" album, THE GATHERING musicians who recorded the LP — including singer Anneke Van Giersbergen — reunited for several shows in their home country this past summer.

The "Mandylion" lineup of THE GATHERING has already announced more than two dozen concerts for 2026, including in Europe, South America and at the ProgPower USA festival in Atlanta in September.

The lineup for the concerts will consist of the following musicians:

* Anneke Van Giersbergen - vocals
* Hugo Prinsen Geerligs - bass
* Frank Boeijen - keyboards, backing vocals
* Hans Rutten - drums
* René Rutten - guitar
* Jelmer Wiersma - guitar

This past September, René Rutten was asked by Chile's Radio Futuro if he had always kept in contact with Anneke during her time away from the band. René said: "Yeah, sometimes, because you've made albums together, so you have some moments that you talk a bit. But not that much. Only last year, the old record label, finally they said, 'Okay, we can't hold it anymore, but your album become a gold record here in the Netherlands.' So we got a gold record last year. So then we saw all the bandmembers again. And I keep contact with Anneke — sometimes we did some lunch, just meeting — and then one moment we said, like, 'Yeah, let's do something next year, if the album becomes 30 years old.' And that's what now is gonna happen with the five shows here in Nijmegen. But we had contact with all the other members as well. Hugo [Prinsen Geerligs] came back earlier already for being playing bass guitar. Frank [Boeijen, keyboards] was always there. And Jelmer [Wiersma, guitar], we asked him, like, 'Hey, do you like to join us in this?' And yeah, he loves it. So he also is very enthusiastic about it to play this album ['Mandylion' in its entirety] and more."

After the interviewer noted that it's unusual for a band like THE GATHERING — which is known for constantly moving forward musically and evolving its sound — to celebrate a moment from the group's past by performing it in its entirety live, René concurred. "I can't make music with the same kind of feeling [as something we have already done]," he explained. "That's not into me. You make that chapter. It's like you're writing a book, and you wrote that part, and then you start with something new. And that's more what my feeling is about music. I can't make two albums — no, I can't make it twice."

THE GATHERING's "Mandylion" lineup officially kicked off its run of five reunion shows on August 27 at Doornroosje in Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

The "Mandylion" lineup of THE GATHERING previously played a kick-off "try-out" concert on June 29 at Dynamo in Eindhoven.

THE GATHERING's third studio album, "Mandylion" was released in August 1995 via Century Media Records. It was the band's first LP to feature Van Giersbergen.

In a recent interview with Femmetal - Goddesses Of Metal, Anneke spoke about THE GATHERING's 2025 reunion concerts to celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Mandylion". She said: "Well, actually, I'm quite excited… This idea came kind of spontaneous. We were having conversations, we had just coffee and talking about life, other things, and then we talked about 'Mandylion' turning 30 and because time flies, we didn't really think about it. And then we said, 'Maybe we can do something nice with it,' because it's such an important album for us personally because we had a great time at the beginning of THE GATHERING career with me, of course. And we said, 'Well, if we do something, we have to do it now, because next year it's not such a good reason because now 'Mandylion' is 30 years old, and let's do something nice.' And so we made this plan, and we made these ideas for these shows. And then a lot of people wanted to come to the shows. I mean, I know THE GATHERING is still a popular band and I know it's alive — people really like THE GATHERING's music now and back then. But we didn't expect this many people to react on it and want [to buy] a ticket [to see us perform live again]. And so we are so happy. And we're gonna make a few beautiful shows and gonna have lots of fun playing together again, 'cause it's been a long time. It's been 10 years, I think."

When the interviewer inquired about the possibility of a show from THE GATHERING in Spain, Anneke said: "Everybody's asking. I mean, it's fantastic. It's a great problem to have, that a lot of people want us to come to their country. But we focus on these shows here, and a lot of people are traveling for it, so that's really, really wonderful. And then we'll see. But we just focus on these shows and take it from there."

Asked which THE GATHERING song she was most excited to play again, Anneke said: "It's kind of a wide variety of atmospheres on this album ['Mandylion'], but I like songs like 'On Most Surfaces' [from 1997's 'Nighttime Birds'], because they're heavy and we can let all the energy flow on this one. I like the more heavy songs as well, but 'In Motion #1' and '[In Motion] #2' are, for instance, very, very melodic — they're carrying you through a story — and I also like that so much. So, different vibes on the album, and I like all of it. But I like also the heavy songs, especially for playing live, 'cause I can sing really loud and headbang and have fun."

THE GATHERING previously said in a statement: "After so many years, we are very excited to celebrate this anniversary together, an album that still means so much to us."

In November 2014, THE GATHERING celebrated its 25th anniversary with a one-time special show at Doornroosje in Nijmegen. All past and present members of THE GATHERING — from 1989 until 2014 — appeared on stage and performed in this unique show together.

Van Giersbergen announced her departure from THE GATHERING in 2007. She has since released several albums on her own and with her AGUA DE ANNIQUE solo project.

In 2005, Century Media celebrated the 10th anniversary of "Mandylion" by releasing a special deluxe edition of the album. The double-CD set featured new artwork, a 16-page booklet with song-by-song liner notes from the band and never-before-seen photos from the album's recording sessions. CD2 contained the first demo recordings THE GATHERING did with Van Giersbergen in June 1994 and early 1995. "Solar Glider" was a previously unreleased instrumental while "Third Chance" appeared two years later in a different version on the "Nighttime Birds" album.

In a 2007 interview with PopMatters, Van Giersbergen stated about her decision to leave THE GATHERING and launch AGUA DE ANNIQUE: "I had been in THE GATHERING for 13 years, and I had never done anything for 13 years in my life. It's been my whole adult life, so to leave that, on one hand, was a very clear decision and a very strong feeling, and I was ready. In 13 years, things had changed in my personal and musical life. It was difficult as well, because the guys, they were like brothers, so to leave that and to change that relationship has been a long process and was probably one of the hardest things I did.

"I told them at the beginning of March, and so we really took some time to assess the situation," she continued. "Also, the guys, they wanted to see what their plans would be next. Of course they were not happy with my decision, but they are respectful and they have good spirits to continue. Of course, I put a big stamp on the sound and the look of THE GATHERING, but on the other hand I'm not the only singer in the world, so it's going to change, but it's not going to stop."

Regarding her reasons for leaving, Anneke said, "There were a lot of physical reasons, but they all came out of one big feeling in my heart that it was time to change. I was supposed to do this record besides THE GATHERING, and I was given time and it was all okay, but I like to do other small projects and work with other people a lot. I had some plans, and the feeling became stronger to develop that more seriously and also especially to be with my family a little bit more. Now, I can direct everything I do from this one agenda, and it feels very good to be the director of your own life. In a way THE GATHERING was officially a bigger band, and we were day and night constantly working with it, and it was quite intense, all the processes. So a lot of small things became one big feeling, like, 'Okay, I'm ready.'"

Posted by theGathering on Thursday, December 18, 2025

In a new interview with Bonnie Laufer, MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee spoke about the band's longevity. Asked what the "secret" is to the secret to MÖTLEY CRÜE's ability to stay together as a band for 45 years, Lee responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I don't know, sweetheart. I pinch myself on a daily basis. Truly. The fact that we're all still here doing this, and our fans are so awesome. They've stuck with us. We're all very fortunate and blessed because this doesn't happen very often. It just doesn't."

Regarding how he keeps things "fresh" for himself after playing in the same band for more than four decades, Lee said: "That's a really great question. Not a lot of people ask that because, look, if you're out there and you're rehearsing or, whatever, or you're performing, I'm always looking for some way to update it. I would play it differently now than I did when we recorded it. So I'm always constantly pushing the band to, like, 'Let's do a new version of this,' even though some people wanna hear the original version. But I don't know — it inspires me to keep things fresh, because I don't know if people understand. You got these guys that are playing these songs and then playing 'em the same way over and over and over and thousands and thousands of times, we, as artists, we gotta keep it fresh too. There's nothing worse than watching a band phone it in."

Asked if he and his MÖTLEY CRÜE bandmates are "more patient with each other" as they get older, Tommy said: "Well, like any good brotherhood or marriage or whatever you wanna call it, we have our moments, of course. The one thing that is very exciting for us is [MÖTLEY CRÜE's new guitarist] John 5. With all due respect to [original MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist] Mick Mars, when [John 5] came in, he lit a fire under everybody. It was just this new energy, new fire. So I can tell you that that's been really inspirational. And we feed off that — we all feed off that. So, we're actually closer now than we've ever been."

John 5 joined MÖTLEY CRÜE in the fall of 2022 as the replacement for Mars.

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

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

In 2026, MÖTLEY CRÜE will embark on the "The Return Of Carnival Of Sins" tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of CRÜE's groundbreaking 2005-2006 "Carnival Of Sins" tour and the 45th anniversary of the band. The 33-city Live Nation-produced trek will kick off on July 17, 2026 in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania at the Pavilion at Star Lake and will feature support acts EXTREME and TESLA.

MÖTLEY CRÜE said that $1 from every ticket sold for "The Return Of Carnival Of Sins" will be donated to ASAP! (After School Arts Program) through the Mötley Crüe Giveback Initiative to fund hands-on arts programs for young people.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's Las Vegas residency launched on September 12 and at Dolby Live at Park MGM and ran through October 3. The shows had initially been set for spring but were rescheduled after frontman Vince Neil revealed he had suffered a stroke on Christmas 2024.

In September, Vince said that he had actually had a series of strokes before he suffered the "big one" in his sleep the Christmas night of 2024, rendering him unable to get out of bed when he woke up the next day.

When MÖTLEY CRÜE originally postponed the Las Vegas residency, the band said it was because Neil needed a "medical procedure," but offered no further details.

In a recent interview with Belgische Radio Unie, original AC/DC frontman Dave Evans was once again asked how the band got its name. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, we were trying to find a name because the guy that was gonna manage us at the time, he said, 'Look, I've got you a show coming up in two weeks' or something. 'You'd better get a name for yourselves because I've got a gig at the famous Chequers nightclub.' It was the number one nightclub in Australia. And so he said, '[You'd] better get a name.' So at rehearsals we were all tossing around names, and no one could agree with the other one. And I'd come up with a great name, but they didn't like it. And then Malcolm [Young, AC/DC's founding rhythm guitarist] would come up with a name, and I didn't like it. So we couldn't agree on a name. So we said, 'We've gotta get a name. So next rehearsal, we're gonna have three names each. We're gonna put them in a hat. And then we're just gonna pull one out and whatever the name is, that's gonna be the name of the band. 'Cause we've gotta make big posters up all over town for the Chequers nightclub.' We said, 'Okay.' So the next rehearsal, I had three names in my pocket, and we got to rehearsals. And before we could do that, Malcolm said, 'Oh, by the way,' [Malcolm and Angus Young's] sister-in-law, [their older brother] George's wife, I think [her name was] Sandra, 'She has a name that she suggested.' 'So what is it?' And Malcolm said, 'AC/DC.' And it was just went off like that, yeah. Because AC/DC is an easy name to remember. AC/DC, AC/DC, A-B-C-D. It's easy. And it means power — AC/DC, alternate current, battery, direct current, plug it into the wall. And I had an AC/DC record player that I could plug into the wall or take it down the park and be a hippie and sit in the grass and under the tree and be a hippie and play it on batteries. So that's what a AC/DC means. It means you can power it by batteries and take it wherever you want or be at home and just plug it into the wall. And I thought, 'That's great. It means power.' And I thought to myself — this is all going very quickly through my mind — and I thought, 'And we're getting free advertising all over the world because all these appliances have got AC/DC on the side of them.' AC/DC. Yeah. I thought free advertising, it means power, easy to remember. And I remember quickly going, 'Yeah, I like it. I like it.' And then Malcolm goes, 'Okay. What about you, [then-AC/DC drummer] Colin [Burgess]?' And Colin said, 'Yeah, I like it too.' And then, [then-AC/DC bassist] Larry [Van Kriedt], what do you think?' And Larry went, 'Yep. Okay.' So Malcolm said to us, 'Well, shall we call ourselves AC/DC?' And we all put our hand up like that. He said, 'Okay.' And we all shook hands. And he said, 'We are now AC/DC.'"

Asked if he still remembers his first concert with AC/DC, Dave responded: "Yeah, of course I do. You never forget your first. Anyway, yeah, I remember, of course. It was Chequers nightclub, the number one nightclub in Australia, and it was New Year's Eve, which was massive. It was packed to the rafters. It was just everyone, just crazy. And we had to go on at 11:30 on the 31st of December. So it was the 31st of December, 1973, and we're gonna go through midnight into 1974. And I [did the countdown], all that stuff, and blah, blah, blah. So I remember it distinctly because we didn't have enough songs. We had two sets to do. We were gonna do that one and another one. And Malcolm said, 'We haven't got enough songs. What are we gonna do?' And I said, 'Well, look, I'll make up some names of songs, and I'll just announce them during the set. We'll do the ones we know. Then I'll just announce a name.' I said, 'You just start jamming, and I'll make the song up on the spot.' I used to do that when I was a kid. I said, 'I can make songs up right now if you want me to.' It's just something I could always do, just make up a song quickly, and it just happens. So I said, 'I'll just announce the titles and you just start jamming something and I'll sing the song.' So that's what we did."

In the past, it had been reported that AC/DC got its moniker when Malcolm and his brother, AC/DC lead guitarist Angus, were hunting for a catchy name, and their sister Margaret saw the letters AC/DC on either her sewing machine's power adapter or on the back of a vacuum cleaner. The Young brothers reportedly thought it was a good name for their band, because "it had something to do with electricity, so it seemed to fit".

Dave recorded AC/DC's first two singles, "Can I Sit Next To You Girl" and "Baby, Please Don't Go". But in October 1974, less than a year after AC/DC's first gig, Evans was out of the band. He was replaced by Bon Scott, who sang on AC/DC's first six studio albums and became a legend himself after his death in 1980.

Evans discussed his stint with AC/DC in an interview with Brazil's Guarda Volume podcast. Speaking about the way his time with the band ended, Dave said: "We were very young — we were all very, very young. And our ambitions were forever. I didn't go, 'Oh, I'm gonna be in a band.' No. I had my whole career, my whole life to sing. I've been singing since I can remember. It ain't gonna stop because of a band I was with, I split from. I was in bands before AC/DC, of course. I was with bands before AC/DC. I split. VELVET UNDERGROUND [not to be confused with Lou Reed's group] I was with, a top band. AC/DC, Okay, I kept going. RABBIT, my own career. I never thought about splitting or stopping to sing. It was just another band I was with, but a very successful band. We had a hit record, 'Can I Sit Next To You Girl' was named as the best Australian group record of the year. First up. Great. Fantastic. It was a hit record. And to have a young band, first record, against all the other bands in Australia, [named] the best Australian group record of the year. That was fantastic. But there were different reasons why I split from the band, mostly because I wasn't getting paid any money."

He continued: "The manager was the third manager at that time. We weren't getting paid for the shows, and we were doing the biggest shows in Australia. The Sydney Opera House, the famous Sydney Opera House, Hordern Pavilion in Sydney, Festival Hall down in Melbourne, all the shows. Where's the money? Show me the money. No money. We toured with Lou Reed from the USA. [We played] the biggest venues, sold out — all sold out. How about some money? No money. So in the end, I couldn't stay with the band, because I was paying off my car in Sydney, paying my car off, my flat, and I'm working hard. So we had a bit of a meeting one night and had a few drinks and stuff. And the manager was there. And he was making money because he was getting money off the top. The rest of the money, I don't know what happened to it. We didn't have any. So, the manager, nice new permed hair, new jeans, bell bottom jeans, leather valise, flying around the country, us in trucks. He had the money. We had no money. So at, I said to him, 'What's happening here?' I confronted him. We were all bitching about it. And he got up and smart-mouthed to me. So I got up and bang, knocked him down. And the other boys got me and pulled me off the manager. So it was decided that when that tour we were on finished that this had to be resolved. This had to be resolved. I said, 'If I'm not getting paid, I am not gonna go on tour again.' So I said, 'I'm not going.' Who would? I'm not stupid. So at the end of the tour, no resolution. They weren't gonna give me what I wanted. So I split from the band. I said, 'Well, that's it.' I said, 'Okay. See you later.' I wasn't gonna take it."

Elaborating on his reasons for walking away from AC/DC, Evans said: "It's like any job. If you're a carpenter or you're a teacher or something, and they don't pay you, what are you gonna do? 'Oh, it's okay.' No. How are you gonna feed your children? No children for me, but if you had children, how would you feed your children? How would you pay your car off? You can't. And you're working hard. [AC/DC founders] Malcolm and Angus Young lived at home with their parents. They lived at home with their parents. They didn't have to pay any money. I did. I had my apartment in Sydney, so I had to pay. Otherwise I was gonna lose it. My car, they'd come and take it away. But Malcolm and Angus, [they had] no car. And they lived at home with their parents. So it didn't matter so much to them, but it mattered to me. And I wasn't gonna take it. So I stood up for myself."

Regarding the iconic singer who replaced him, Dave said: "Poor Bon Scott. Bon Scott joined the band and he went through a lot of crap too. And he ended up dead. He was working, working, working, working, working, working. And he was depressed, sad. He looked happy, 'cause he was drunk all the time. Bon Scott drank all the time. Alcoholic. You see photographs of Bon Scott, he's always got a bottle or a drink all the time. Sad. Sad. But it killed him in the end. But he was going through a lot of hell, too, with the band.

"I spoke to Bon Scott after he joined [AC/DC]," Evans revealed. "We had a private conversation about things, which will remain private. And so when I found out what happened to Bon Scott, when I read about it, and I spoke to his wife about it too — I saw his wife who told me what happened and stuff — I wasn't surprised. I was not surprised."

Evans previously talked about his exit from AC/DC in a 2021 interview with DJ Grant from New Zealand's Galaxy 107 FM. At the time, he said: "You've gotta remember that Bon Scott did a lot of the songs that I already did, like 'Baby, Please Don't Go', we already did that. That's the song that I got Angus up on my shoulders, and, of course, he used to watch us doing our show, so he copied that. I understand that he copied what I was doing. And the songs too, and re-recorded them and re-wrote the lyrics to some of the songs that I had already put down. But he was told to do that. I know that he was under instructions to do this, so I don't really hold it against Bon Scott for that, because when he joined the band, he was washed up at the time, and he got a great chance to do something, and he did too. He did a great job, but his lifestyle just let him down."

Evans also talked about the enduring popularity of "Can I Sit Next To You Girl", which was originally released as a single in July 1974 and featured drums by Colin Burgess and bass by George Young (older brother of AC/DC co-founders Malcolm and Angus Young).

"It's one of those songs, I play it around the world — I still do, of course, every show I do — and people love the song," he said. "And it's amazing how many people say to me that's their favorite AC/DC song. I can't believe it. [AC/DC has] 'T.N.T.' and all those great songs, 'Highway To Hell' and all these other great songs, and fans come up to me and say that that's their favorite song."

Earlier in 2021, Dave was asked in an interview with The Rocker Diaries if he thought "that would be it" for AC/DC after Bon's death in 1980. He responded: "No, not at all. I mean, we all keep going. And AC/DC has had that many players through [the history of] the band. I don't know how many. 20? And three singers, plus a stand-in singer as well.

"We were always ambitious when we first started," he continued. "We always wanted to be the best in the world — all of us. And after me, Bon Scott got his chance. He did great with the band. And when he died, I just thought, 'Who are they gonna get?' I never thought [I would be approached about it] myself, because that's water under the bridge. And I was busy with bands as well at the time, and doing my own music and recording. I was just wondering who it would be. I had heard of [Brian Johnson's pre-AC/DC band] GEORDIE — just the name GEORDIE. I'd never heard of Brian. And then Brian popped up and, of course, the 'Back In Black' album came out, which was a massive album around the world, and they were off and running with Brian. But if Brian quit, they'd get another singer, and another singer. [They've gone through] different bass players [and] different drummers.

"The drive was always Malcolm Young," Dave added. "I remember Malcolm when I first met him. He was such a driving force. Just a tiny little guy — just a little touch over five foot tall — but, boy, he had a big heart and a big personality. And he was tough, too — Malcolm was very tough. And no matter what, he was AC/DC through and through. And, of course, once he passed away, which is very sad, AC/DC, of course, will never, ever be the same without Malcolm. How can it be?"

E-FORCE, the band led by ex-VOIVOD vocalist/bassist Eric Forrest, is putting the finishing touches on a new album, "Voivod Revisited". In an interview with Chile's iRock, Forrest said the effort will contain re-recordings of songs from the two VOIVOD albums he appeared on, 1995's "Negatron" and 1997's "Phobos", as well as a new original track and a cover version of an as-yet-unspecified song. Furthermore, current VOIVOD guitarist Daniel "Chewy" Mongrain will contribute a guitar solo to E-FORCE's new recording of the "Negatron" track "Nanoman", the lyrics to which were originally written by Ivan Doroschuk of MEN WITHOUT HATS.

Regarding why E-FORCE is re-recording songs from VOIVOD nearly 25 years after his departure from the band, Forrest told iRock (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, throughout the E-FORCE career, I've always played a couple of VOIVOD songs in the set. The majority is E-FORCE [material], and [there are] two three VOIVOD songs in the [set]. I guess it was kind of like going to [see], back in the day or whatever, when he was alive, [former IRON MAIDEN singer] Paul Di'Anno, you wanna hear some IRON MAIDEN, of course. So I've always put a few songs in the set. But, say the last four or five years, since our last release, 'Mindbender' record, with all this COVID shit, it really fucked everything up for us and many bands. And we were kind of doing this 'Voivod Revisited' shows for the last four or five years. So the timing seems right just to do."

Reflecting on his time with VOIVOD, Eric said: "It was a real honor and privilege to be part of it. Many, many great experiences that I really lived and learned a lot from those guys. And what an incredible experience, to say the least. It was the first time I'd seen a drummer do drum tracks with no ghost guitar guides or nothing. [VOIVOD drummer Michel 'Away' Langevin] would do his tracks with just playing the drums. It's just, like, wow, I'd never seen that — ever, because people have the ghost track, the demo to play along with. Away would just play the song, memorize the whole thing in his head and play. It's just, like, wow. That's special. And, of course, riff master Piggy [late VOIVOD guitarist Denis D'Amour] would just come up with these riffs and experiment with stuff. And sometimes he's just fucking around and he creates something [great]. Wow. Really, really really cool."

Regarding how his songwriting approach has evolved since his time with VOIVOD, Forrest said: "Well, it's very similar but yet different. It's kind of what I see my vision of what I wanted to write. I mean, when I was with VOIVOD, I kind of followed those guys and contributed what I could. But in E-FORCE, I'm the boss, so I write what I want lyrically or musically, and it's different. It's more work, but when it's finished, it's very gratifying and a good feeling. So I just roll with it and do what I can."

"Voivod Revisited" is tentatively due next spring via Mighty Music.

E-FORCE's fifth studio album, "Mindbender", was released in November 2021.

E-FORCE was formed in Montreal, Canada in 2001 by Forrest upon his departure from the legendary Canadian cyber metallers VOIVOD. In all, Eric appeared on two VOIVOD studio masterpieces, "Negatron" and "Phobos", on the live album, "Voivod Lives" and on the compilation "Kronik". When leaving VOIVOD, Forrest used his nickname, E-Force, as the name for his new band.

Forrest's wide array of musical influences and vocal capabilities set E-FORCE apart from the pack and ensure that this band is very original. E-FORCE released their debut album "Evil Forces" to widespread critical acclaim in 2003. Soon after, Forrest relocated to France, resulting in a lineup change.

In 2008, E-FORCE released their follow-up, "Modified Poison". The album further expanded the intensity of the band, impressing both fans and critics alike.

In 2014, the band released their third album, "The Curse", on Mausoleum Records. "Curse" was a concept album based on a collection of songs describing the power and temptation of, and obsession with the female race.

The fourth album was released in 2015 on Mausoleum Records: "Demonikhol", lyrically another concept album with alcohol as the subject matter, illustrating the ravages and destruction of all kinds it is capable of causing. Musically, E-FORCE has become an intense and shatteringly percussive killing machine, driven by battering ram guitars, supporting Eric's primal screaming vocal assault.

In 2017, to celebrate the anniversary of VOIVOD's legendary album "Phobos", Forrest led a European tour performing songs from "Negatron" and "Phobos" albums by VOIVOD. The band assembled for that tour was operating under the name "E-FORCE Performing VOIVOD". In 2018 the tour achieved by participating to the Brutal Assault festival (Czech Republic).

Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who is best known for his work with MEGADETH and ANGRA, has shared a trailer for the upcoming film "Theory Of Mind", which he executive produced. Kiko is also responsible for the movie's soundtrack.

Movie synopsis: Seven influencers from around the world (rivals and ideological opposites) are invited to participate in a global social experiment for the launch of the most advanced A.I.-powered smartphone ever created. But when a critical bug is activated, the experiment spirals out of control, turning technology into a deadly psychological test.

Due in 2026, "Theory Of Mind" was created and directed by Leo Liberti. The movie stars Kane Hodder, who portrayed Jason Voorhees in four "Friday The 13th" films, and "Devil's Rejects" star Bill Moseley.

In addition to the "Friday The 13th" series, Hodder portrayed Victor Crowley in the "Hatchet" series. Moseley is best known for playing Chop Top in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2", in addition to his work in Rob Zombie's films.

"Theory Of Mind" was the title of Loureiro's 2024 solo album.

When the "Theory Of Mind" LP was first released, Kiko commented: "When I set out to write this album, 'Theory Of Mind', it felt more like an exploration than a project. Music, for me, has always been about uncovering the hidden layers of thought and emotion, and this album took me into new territories — ones where psychology and technology intersect with the core of what makes us human. But this wasn't just a conceptual or intellectual exercise for me. I had personal experiences that led me to create this music, experiences that reshaped how I see the world and how we understand each other.

"The concept of 'theory of mind' isn't new. It's a psychological term, first developed to describe the unique human ability to recognize and interpret the mental states of others. We use it every day, often unconsciously, to navigate the social world, to empathize, to predict what others might feel or think. It becomes even more profound when applied to those who experience life differently for whom 'theory of mind' may not come naturally. In them, the gaps in understanding can be bridges to deeper ways of seeing the world. This album seeks to capture that complexity — the struggle, the beauty, and the unknown that comes with interpreting the minds of others. I've seen this first-hand, both in my own life and through people close to me. Watching someone struggle to connect with others on an intuitive level or seeing how people are often misunderstood because they process the world differently — it all started to shape my thinking. How do we understand those whose minds work in ways we can't immediately grasp? How do they understand us? These questions weighed heavily on me and became a driving force behind this album. I wanted to reflect on those personal experiences musically, creating an emotional landscape where the listener could step inside that journey, even if just for a moment. But there's another layer to this album that extends beyond psychology and into the future of technology.

"We are on the verge of a new era where machines — artificial intelligence — are approaching what scientists refer to as 'theory of mind'. This marks the moment when A.I. not only calculates and processes information but begins to perceive, empathize, and interact as humans do. What intrigued me is how A.I., now convincingly mimic human understanding of mental states, even outperforming humans in 'theory of mind' tests. It's one thing to create music that evokes human emotion, but what does it mean when a machine can understand and resonate with those emotions too? Imagine a world where technology not only responds but feels.

"Each track on the album is a chapter in this story, and I hope listeners feel the evolution. The opening song begins with an intricate awakening motif, almost like the first realization of self-awareness, like when a child first grasps that other people have thoughts, emotions, and experiences separate from their own. The music builds from there, layering with complexity, much like how we learn to navigate the minds of others — tentative at first, and then more certain, with moments of tension and harmony. There's a rhythmic pulse throughout the album. It represents that shared essence we all have the need to connect, to feel understood. I incorporated melodies and counter-melodies, verses and choruses, peaceful and aggressive, dissonant or consonant that mirror the interplay of thoughts in dialogue, where communication is imperfect but still profound. The tension and release echo the internal conflicts we all experience—wondering if we truly understand others or if we're just projecting our own thoughts onto them.

"There's a vulnerability in the tracks' melodies, a fragile but fierce will to connect. In a way, it's a meditation on empathy, on the effort it can take to truly see someone for who they are. The use of A.I. as an inspiration for some of the album's themes might seem abstract. As I wrote and composed, I kept coming back to the question: What happens when machines learn to understand us on an emotional level? When we teach them to interpret our mental states? Does it make them more human, or does it reveal more about what it means to be human ourselves? Should I let A.I. start making all the music, what about me, how can I express myself?

"'Theory Of Mind' isn't just about understanding — it's about the desire to understand. Whether it's a person who feels misunderstood, or a future A.I. learning to perceive our emotions, the album is an invitation to explore that space. To sit with the complexities, to feel the tension, and ultimately, to wonder — where do we go from here?"

One of the most internationally recognized Brazilian guitarists, Kiko has received the highest rankings in countless polls such as "Best Guitarist" and landed the front cover of major guitar magazines such as Young Guitar, Guitar Player and Guitar World. In early 2017, while still a member of MEGADETH, Kiko became the first Brazilian musician to receive a Grammy for playing in a rock/heavy metal band. He is known as a tireless and complete musician who is constantly looking to push his limits and discover something new.

Kentucky rockers BLACK STONE CHERRY have launched All I'm Dreamin' Of Foundation.

The band states: "This is something we have been passionate about and wanted to make happen for some time, and we thought this was as great a time as any to launch it."
All I'm Dreamin' Of Foundation exists to empower and inspire local artists, musicians, and dreamers alike. The Foundation's mission is help fund and champion community arts and music programs, ensuring that creativity, expression, and opportunity remain accessible to all.

BLACK STONE CHERRY will release a brand-new EP, "Celebrate", digitally on March 6, 2026 via Mascot Records.

"Celebrate" was produced by the BLACK STONE CHERRY bandmembers themselves and recorded at High Street Studios in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The effort consists of six original tracks and a cover of SIMPLE MINDS' "Don't You (Forget About Me)" featuring Tyler Connolly (THEORY OF A DEADMAN).

BLACK STONE CHERRY is an American rock band formed in June 2001 in Edmonton, Kentucky. The founding members were Chris Robertson (vocals, guitar),Ben Wells (guitar),Jon Lawhon (bass) and John Fred Young (drums). The band originally rehearsed in a house previously used by THE KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS and began performing in local clubs.

In 2003, they released their first demo, "Rock N' Roll Tape". Their debut studio album, "Black Stone Cherry", was released in 2006 through Roadrunner Records. This was followed by the albums "Folklore And Superstition" (2008),"Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea" (2011),"Magic Mountain" (2014),"Kentucky" (2016),"Family Tree" (2018),"The Human Condition" (2020) and "Screamin' At The Sky" (2023). In addition, the band has released two EPs.

In 2021, bassist Jon Lawhon left the group and was replaced by Steve Jewell Jr. Since 2016, the band has been working with Mascot Label Group.

In October 2024, BLACK STONE CHERRY was inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall Of Fame.

With our hometown shows approaching this weekend, we are incredibly proud to announce that this year’s portion of...

Posted by Black Stone Cherry on Thursday, December 18, 2025

During a December 16 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick was once again asked if he was ever approached to rejoin the band after Ace Frehley left for good back in 2001. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Clearly, when I heard that Ace was probably not showing up [for the gigs in 2001], and all of a sudden the understudy, Tommy [Thayer], who could throw the outfit and the makeup on to pop in on a few things before Ace just left, I was, like, 'Are they gonna ask me?' I remember talking to a couple of my friends that had the inside scoop on the band, and I don't know what they were gonna do, but I thought about it and I was, like, 'Could I do that? Could I become the Spaceman? That seems not really right.' I remember [feeling] conflicted. On the other hand, I was, like, 'I'd really enjoy being back in KISS, playing huge arenas and private jets and all the perks and what fame comes with that. And then, of course, I was not considered, which was a blessing in disguise."

Asked if he was "hurt" by the fact that he wasn't approached to rejoin KISS, Bruce said: "No. I really did understand them going to Tommy. I knew Tommy very well. He used to work a lot with the band creatively — write songs and tour manage, and he worked on 'Kisstory', the big nine-pound book or whatever. And knowing that he was in a tribute band [called] COLD GIN, for KISS, and could play the Ace riffs…"

Bruce continued: "Here's a perfect example: when Paul Stanley told me, 'You're the new guitarist of KISS,' back in '84, days before 'Animalize Live [Uncensored]' [concert video]. 'We want you to play competitive. You know what's going on in the guitar world. You know what we need. You have one foot in the kind of vintage material, and then I need you to play like the modern guitar players.' And clearly Tommy got a little different kind of job application kind of checkbox: 'Play Ace's riffs.' So, in conclusion, knowing that that mine was be me with my face with no confusion, no character, and the other side of it being… I would've pooped on my era if I suddenly did take that job, if it was offered to me. And I couldn't tell you, I swear to you, if they said, 'No, we really want you. And here's the pay and here's your commitment.' I might've said yes. I mean, how could I deny that I would love to be in the band? But at that cost… And you gotta remember, looking back in — what year would that have been? 2000-ish; 2001 or something around there — I don't know where my headspace be. But looking back all these years and seeing how my era has been more embraced and more celebrated, and I also think Pophouse [the Swedish company which bought the KISS catalog, brand name and intellectual property in early 2024] really wants to support all 50 years of the band, meaning my era will get more of a spotlight than during those makeup years where Gene [Simmons] and Paul and Doc [McGhee, KISS's longtime manager] were controlling basically the narrative of the band. Understandably. I was never bitter at them. Why should they do 'Revenge' songs if they don't want to or if it doesn't feel right? I get it. But boy, it makes it special when I play that stuff [with other musicians now]."

In 1984, Bruce joined KISS, where he remained as their lead guitarist for twelve years, accompanying the band on the "Animalize" tour and continuing with the band until the 1996 reunion tour. Bruce is heavily featured on "Kissology – Vol. 2" and "Vol. 3", the band's DVDs spanning their historic 45-year career.

Back in November 2024, Bruce was asked by Loaded Radio why he wasn't ever approached to rejoin the band after Ace left for good back in 2001. He responded: "That's a great question. And not everyone's aware of some of the backstory. I would hear things about them having problems with Ace and Ace was getting erratic or difficult. And Tommy Thayer was actually tour managing with them; he was on the road with them. Because even during my era, he was involved with the band, helping with 'Kisstory' and doing things for the group. He wrote some songs with Gene and was always part of the inner circle, shall I say. So from what I understood, there was one or two things that KISS did — not a concert, even though once Ace was almost not gonna make it and they made Tommy get the outfit on. [He had a] similar build — tall and thin — and Ace made it to the show. But there were a couple of other things they needed to do. I believe 'That '70s Show', when they were taping, Ace didn't show up. 'Tommy, get the outfit on.' And then I think there was a private gig, too, that no one would really know about — one of those things where you go to an island and play for some rich people. And Ace wouldn't go. And KISS wasn't gonna say, 'All right, we're not gonna take the gig.' So if they ever had a thought of me, I think they would have known that that probably would have been a lot harder. Tommy was younger, there already, if you know what I mean, working with them. And Tommy, not everybody knows that he was in a tribute band for fun at times called COLD GIN as Ace Frehley."

Bruce continued: "So if they would have went to me, I can't say I absolutely would have said 'no.' I miss being in KISS. I do realize it would have kind of pooped on my era because then I'd have to kind of play the role of the 'Spaceman' and shoot rockets and play more like Ace. I was never given that direction from Gene and Paul, where Tommy knew that it actually was more comfortable with his natural style of guitar playing. He wasn't a Floyd Rose, play-some-flashy-riffs king of the mountain. So I never felt like they made the wrong choice — ever. I always felt that was the right way to go 'cause then Tommy could assume the role of the Spaceman in the group. Eric [Singer, KISS drummer] sometimes gets some criticism, like Tommy has, but Eric being behind the drums and having five years in the band without the makeup, maybe he gets a little less. Neither of them really deserve criticism because they're talented players doing a great job. And it was Gene and Paul's choice to say, 'And now you're the Catman,' 'And now you're the Spaceman.' It wasn't [Tommy and Eric] saying, 'Please, I wanna be the Spaceman.' And to new generations, Tommyis the Spaceman. Even though Eric has a lot of credibility from 'Revenge' and 'MTV Unplugged' and 'Carnival Of Souls' and all the work that we did together for those five years. So, I actually kind of lost the big gig on many levels for the right reasons though. And I was never fired the first time. It was simply, 'Well, we're making all this money. Now we're selling out from arenas to stadiums in makeup.' So my era ran its course."

In an April 2020 interview with Sleaze Roxx, Kulick said that he was "relieved" he wasn't approached to rejoin the band after Frehley left for good back in 2001.

"When I had to leave in '96 after the success of the KISS 'Unplugged' performance, people were aware of the musicianship that existed in the band between Eric Singer [drums] and I, but after 20 years of people hearing about KISS in makeup, it was kind of like 'Star Wars' when it was rebooted people went to see what it was all about," he said. "I understood that it was the original guys, they put the makeup on and people were excited to either see it again or see it for the first time. That carried on, then it carried on and it carried on. [Laughs] It then reached a point where Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley] couldn't continue with Peter [Criss] so they called on Eric Singer to step into the role and the makeup.

"Eric is such a tremendous drummer," he continued. "I was genuinely happy for him. I still am. Then when Ace started dropping the ball, it was seamless for them to go with Tommy Thayer who does such a fantastic job as the 'Spaceman.'

"If I had been asked to step into the 'Spaceman' role, it would have been really awkward for me. I get asked by the fans a lot, 'Well, why aren't you there?' I think Tommy stepping into the role was a lot more natural than Bruce Kulick becoming the 'Spaceman' and shooting rockets off of my guitar. I would have had to play the songs note for note like Ace. I don't think I could do that and remain happy in the band. Tommy does that to perfection. I was never required to learn the classic stuff note for note, but if you're going to be the 'Spaceman,' it would have to stay true to the way Ace plays it. That's not to say that I don't play the classic songs with respect. I play the GRAND FUNK RAILROAD songs with respect, while injecting my own style into them, like I did in my time in KISS. I would lose my 'liberties' if I stepped into the 'Spaceman' role.

"I'm friends with Tommy, Bruce added. "We've gotten closer over the years on the 'Kiss Kruise'. We've spoken a lot on the 'Kruise'. He once said to me, 'Hey, I never got into the Floyd Rose whammy bar thing. How do you play 'Crazy Nights'?' I said, 'Don't worry about it. Play it how you play it. It's what works for you. I don't take any offense and you don't need to copy how I do it.'

"Tommy's style is so much closer to Ace's than mine. I have a unique style to my approach you can hear it on 'Tears Are Falling', 'Who Wants To Be Lonely', 'Unholy' and even the acoustic solo on 'Forever'. I am proud of my body of work for that era of KISS. I'm embracing it. The fans are embracing it. It's all good."

Kulick went on to say that he is at peace with the fact that he will never be part of the makeup era of KISS.

"I was relieved [when they didn't ask me to step in after Ace left]," he said. "I think if I had been asked and done it, I think it would hurt. I know that Tommy and Eric avoid… I'm close to both but I'm closer with Eric. They avoid reading things online. Their best medicine is to just do a great job every night and not read that stuff. I'm shocked that sometimes someone will leave a snarky comment toward me. I'm, like, 'Really?' I don't get into that stuff and I don't like anything negative on social media and I never do or post anything negative. I won't allow anything negative. There's times I read something and I choose to ignore it. Everyone has a voice these days. They have a laptop, a tablet or a smartphone.

"I was relieved, but how could I not have 'entertained' the idea if I was asked? At the time when they swooped Tommy right in, I was already in GRAND FUNK RAILROAD and I was pretty happy with my role in the band. Sure, it wasn't KISS, but it's a great gig. Now think of it from this angle. Let's say they made the right proposition and I took it, then Ace wanted back into the band. Where would that have left me? No KISS gig and no gig in GRAND FUNK."

In some of his interviews, Bruce confirmed that he wasn't asked to perform at KISS's final show and wasn't invited to attend the event, which was held in December 2023 at New York City's Madison Square Garden.

In a new interview with Australia's Flying The Metal Flag, vocalist/guitarist Mille Petrozza of German/Finnish/French thrash metal veterans KREATOR spoke about his recently released official German-language autobiography, which he wrote with journalist, author and presenter Torsten Groß. Titled "Your Heaven, My Hell - Mein Leben, Heavy Metal Und Wie Das Alles Passieren Konnte", the book was published on August 28 via Ullstein Verlag. Mille said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I had a co-author, a friend of mine, Torsten Groß, who is a journalist for the German Rolling Stone magazine. There was this publishing company here in Germany, which is one of the bigger ones, Ullstein books, they asked me to write an autobiography. And I was, like, 'You know what? I think it could be a little bit repetitive and it could be a little boring to write like a book with 1,200 pages or something, talking about each album, and anything from 1985 to 2025.' So I asked them, 'You know what? I'm gonna do it different. I'm gonna make it more like a novel-style, coming-of-age book that ends in the year 1993. So it's from my birth to the year 1993, which is when our album 'Renewal' came out, the book ends. So there might be a part two — or maybe not. We'll see. So it keeps it really short.

"Most people, when they talk about metal, they wanna know about the '80s, because, for some people, that's the golden days of metal," he explained. "So we kept it in the '80s. We only went to the beginning of the '90s to make it more exciting, make it more of a unique autobiography.

"No disrespect, but sometimes when you read autobiographies by other artists, and I'm a big sucker for autobiographies — I read a lot of those — sometimes it gets a little boring," Mille added. "There's only so much that happens in the life of a musician. You go into a studio, you go on a tour, and if you do it like for, like, 40 years of career, then it's, like, okay, okay, more of the same. So I wanted to keep it short and sweet. And so the book ends in the year 1993… And like I said, everybody that I talk to and everybody that wants to know about the glory days and the golden age of metal, they always refer to the '80s."

Petrozza also talked about the official KREATOR documentary, "Hate & Hope", which was shown on July 2 at the 42nd Munich International Film Festival and received a theatrical premiere on September 4. The 110-minute film was directed by Cordula Kablitz-Post. Mille said:  "That came out in the summertime. It was in the movie theaters over here in Germany. And it kind of gives you like a little bit of an insight, behind-the-scenes kind of look — you can sneak and see how we work in the studio, how we write songs and life on the road. The director came to us, and she followed us around the world, really. She shot footage in Los Angeles. She followed the band to India and Japan. So, it was exciting. It was pretty cool. I mean, it's same with the book. It's very entertaining. You watch the movie and you're not bored. And to me, that's always the most important thing, that people are enjoying the stuff, that people, when they watch the movie, they go, like, 'Wow, now I wanna go see the band live.' That would be the perfect scenario."

KREATOR's sixteenth studio album, "Krushers Of The World", will arrive on January 16, 2026 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP was recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren. Bogren previously helmed KREATOR's "Phantom Antichrist" (2012) and "Gods Of Violence" (2017) LPs. The "Krushers Of The World" cover artwork was created by Polish genius Zbigniew Bielak (GHOST).

KREATOR has released three singles so far from "Krushers Of The World": "Seven Serpents", "Tränenpalast" and "Satanic Anarchy".

"Tränenpalast" features vocal coach Britta Görtz of extreme metal band HIRAES on guest vocals.

KREATOR will promote "Krushers Of The World" with a monumental European tour across 20 countries, joining forces with fellow metal powerhouses CARCASS, EXODUS and NAILS. The trek will kick off on March 20, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal, at MEO Arena and wrap up on April 25, 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark, at Poolen. Highlights include shows in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Paris, Milan, Berlin, Stockholm, and more.

KREATOR will also embark on a U.S. tour next spring. The band, which last conquered American audiences and venues in 2024, will embark on a headline tour in 2026, with stops at key festivals, including Welcome To Rockville, Sonic Temple and Maryland Deathfest. The tour kicks off on May 7 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and runs through May 23 in Huntington, New York.

The "Krushers Of The World" cover sees Zbigniew Bielak, renowned for his work for GHOST, art and design, offer an interesting twist to KREATOR's history. Transforming classic visual trademarks dedicated fans will recognize from "Coma Of Souls" (1990),"Out Of The Dark... Into The Light" (1988) and "Pleasure To Kill" (the font!) into a highly detailed tapestry garnered with occult symbolism, Bielak crafted an outstanding piece paying homage to a band he loves since his teenager days yet with a daring and unique flair. The cover of "Krushers Of The World" rewards everyone willing to analyze the grandiose sleeve design.

KREATOR's upcoming effort will be the follow-up to 2022's "Hate Über Alles", which was recorded at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin, Germany. Helming the sessions for that LP was Arthur Rizk, who has previously worked with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, CODE ORANGE, POWER TRIP and SOULFLY, among others.

"Hate Über Alles" marked KREATOR's first album with bassist Frédéric Leclercq, who joined the group in 2019.

Photo credit: Robert Eikelpoth

In a recent interview with Kadin McElwain of Autism Digest, POISON drummer Rikki Rockett spoke about the fact that people with autism are highly creative, imaginative individuals who often have special talents in areas such as art and music. Explaining that autism may be disabling for musicians on the spectrum in social settings, but it doesn't hinder them when it comes to making music, Rikki said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think there are artists that are autistic. There's artists that are ADHD [Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder], I think I'm probably ADD [Attention Deficit Disorder] myself.

"Here's the thing: a lot of autistic people can multitask in ways that people that don't [have autism] can't," Rikki continued. "And I've found that sometimes it's a superpower — literally. And you cannot judge a book by its cover. And the cool thing is, is that at least for the most part — and this isn't across the board — but for the most part, I feel like musicians who are a little more open to all kinds of different people, as long as they have something to contribute and they're being creative, I think other musicians listen to other musicians, and if they don't, they usually don't last that long. You can usually pick 'em out. They're usually not the ones that are the cream of the crop. It's the ones that are very open-minded. And I would recommend that artists listened, if a neurodivergent artist had a great song idea, for example, listen to the song. Listen to the song. Maybe it's not good. Maybe it's something that you never, ever would've thought, because it's coming from somebody that perceives things just a little bit different than you do, and that's key."

Rikki's new rock project THE ROCKETT MAFIA recently signed a deal with Pavement Entertainment. The partnership includes live show engagements, merchandise, and upcoming music releases.

In addition to Rockett, THE ROCKETT MAFIA includes Brandon Gibbs (DEVIL CITY ANGELS) on vocals and guitar, Mick Sweda (BULLETBOYS) on guitar and backing vocals and Michael Adams (PUDDLE OF MUDD) on bass.

THE ROCKETT MAFIA performs a powerful mix of classic rock from the 1970s and 1980s, often reimagining songs from that era with a heavier, more contemporary feel. Their live set also features deep cuts from POISON's catalog — songs the legendary band rarely performs — giving fans a rare and exciting experience.

Rikki's memoir, "Ghost Notes", which was written with writer duo Leif Eriksson and Martin Svensson, is due in April 2026 via Rare Bird Books.

POISON exploded into the highly competitive Los Angeles music scene in the 1980s, making a name for itself in the clubs on the Sunset Strip.

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

In a recent interview with Chris Williamson of the "Modern Wisdom" podcast, Eric Vanlerberghe, vocalist, songwriter and founding member of the band I PREVAIL, was asked for his opinion of artificial intelligence-generated music, particularly since A.I. or A.I.-assisted artists have regularly appeared on the Billboard charts in the past few months. Eric said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Oh, man. Don't get me started. It's a little frightening, man. I just came across… A friend of mine went on a rant and posted all these bands on Spotify that were A.I. bands. And whether it's a band that's feeding prompts and getting it and playing it or it's one guy that just used ChatGPT, Grok, whatever, to create everything, and then you go look at the monthly listeners and there's 700,000 monthly listeners. And it's not the fear that someone's gonna go, 'I'd rather listen to this A.I. band over a real human band,' it's the fact that it's just gonna get slipped into playlisting, and it's just gonna be on your playlist, and it's just gonna just accumulate more and more of all these other fake bands. And by the time you go and look through your playlist, you're, like, 'Oh, who's this? Who's this? Who's this?', and there's no real musicians. But my ultimate worry is that who's to say that someone who owns a streaming platform doesn't just start making music off A.I. himself or herself and feeding it into the playlisting, and now there's even less of the pie. Artists are getting fractions of a penny on the dollar for streams. Well, now that those playlists that these bands are fighting hard for, who's to say the CEOs of Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, whatever, aren't just making their own music, feeding it into the algorithm, putting it into the playlisting. And now how are we supposed to fight that?"

Eric also addressed the dilemma of A.I.-generated music as it relates to A.I.'s ability to enhance creativity, efficiency and personalization in music creation and the significant ethical, legal, and economic challenges it poses to human artistry. He said: "Yeah. That's an interesting slippery slope you get down, 'cause you like to think that inspiration you hear, like these bands [I grew up listening to] — yeah, I loved all those bands and I took influence from them, the style of music we wanna play, from lyrics to melody and all that. But back then there was no A.I., so it was something that they were inspired by and then that band was inspired by, and it just water falls down, cascades down into our creative process. And then it's up to us to put it through our filter and use our own words and generate the same emotion or feel that we're going for, that we are inspired by. But it all ultimately is through the human experience. And then you have the opposite where it's you just go to a computer and be, like, 'I'm sad. Write a sad song like MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE,' and it's, like, here's the options. And it's, like, well, now I'm just picking and choosing, like I'm going down the grocery store and going, 'I'll take that one. I like that brand. I'll take that one. I'll take that one.' Yeah, it's, like, where does artistry stop when you start using tools? But then at the same time Melodyne [pitch correction software] pitch correcting on a track or when you're demoing songs and you program the drums — bands have done that for the last 20 years — and you program the drums, and, 'Oh, man, actually, let's track the drums.' 'Well, the programmed drums, I think, sound better.' Well, you run with it. And well, where's that line? So it's a very blurred line right now."

I PREVAIL's latest album, "Violent Nature", was issued in September via Fearless Records. The LP marked a major turning point for the band as they usher in a new chapter, with Vanlerberghe as the only lead singer tackling both clean and unclean vocals.The entire record was produced by the band's bass player Jon Eberhard, and it boasts a total of ten hard-hitting tracks.

Brian Burkheiser had handled the clean vocals in I PREVAIL since the band's formation but was forced to step away from the group's touring activities due to his battle with Eagle's syndrome, a condition associated with the elongation of the styloid process or calcification of the stylohyoid ligament, clinically characterized by throat and neck pain, radiating into the ear. In Burkheiser's absence, co-vocalist/growler Vanlerberghe had handled the bulk of the singing in I PREVAIL, with the help of guitarist Dylan Bowman.

This past summer, I PREVAIL completed the "Summer Of Loud" tour alongside BEARTOOTH, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and PARKWAY DRIVE as co-headliners. Main support on the trek came from THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, THE AMITY AFFLICTION and ALPHA WOLF.

In October 2024, I PREVAIL released an expanded edition of its 2022 album "True Power", featuring one new song and three reimagined tracks. The updated version included the new single "Hate This Song", the band's collaborative track with ALL TIME LOW, along with reimagined versions of the album singles "Bad Things", "There's Fear In Letting Go" and "Deep End".

Rising to an arena level and receiving two Grammy nominations — "Best Rock Album" for "Trauma", and "Best Metal Performance" for "Bow Down" — I PREVAIL saw its "Hurricane" single top Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart in 2020, officially the top song on U.S. rock radio at the time. A number of their singles have since been certified gold and platinum, and they have been praised by press far and wide, including Forbes, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter and NPR.

In a recent interview with Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", TRIVIUM bassist Paolo Gregoletto was asked which METALLICA album he thinks is better, "Ride The Lightning" or "Master Of Puppets". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "'Master', for me. I can see why some people maybe lean towards 'Ride The Lightning', but I'm, like — oh, it's just so hard. I just feel like 'Master Of Puppets' is the ultimate record. So, yeah, that's an easy one for me. It's a perfect record."

Paolo went on to reflect on TRIVIUM's cover of the "Master Of Puppets" title track, which was recorded in 2006 for the Kerrang! magazine 20th-anniversary tribute to the "Master Of Puppets" album.

"We covered 'Master', because when we got the opportunity to do that Kerrang! tribute, I was, like, 'Well, if we're doing that, we've gotta do 'Master'," the bassist recalled. "I'm, like, 'That's the ultimate song and the ultimate record.' And we actually did it this past run in the summer over in Europe. We were dropping in part of our 'Master Of Puppets' cover."

Asked if the "Master Of Puppets" title track is his favorite song on the METALLICA album, Paolo said: "Yeah, I'd probably say so. But it's one of those records where I'm, like, you don't really listen to one song, if you start. You'd better sit down for a bit and be ready to listen to the whole thing. I'm definitely more of a full-record guy with listening to stuff. I mean, I will pop around to singles and stuff here and there, but if I start something I like, I'm just, like, I wanna just go — I wanna hear the whole thing."

TRIVIUM opened for METALLICA at the heavy metal giants' "intimate" concert on November 4, 2021 at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Tickets for the 7,000-seat-theater show went on sale on July 30, 2021 and quickly sold out. Speaking to El Cuartel Del Metal about how the Orlando metallers landed the opening slot at the METALLICA gig, TRIVIUM frontman Matt Heafy said: "It was Sunday afternoon [four days before the show]. I think we were just about to watch a movie with the kids. And I got an e-mail from our manager. He's, like, 'METALLICA asked if you can be available for this Thursday.' We were, like, 'Yes. Yes, we can. Let's do everything we can.' But we had to keep it quiet 'cause it wasn't fully confirmed yet. It didn't get confirmed until, I think, 30 minutes before we started driving down to South Florida. So we had to get our crew back down to Florida, get our gear back together, rehearse again. Luckily, we all rehearse so much individually, it's not like we're ever sloppy; it's not like we take time off. So we were ready to go. And we made it happen. We got down there. We weren't able to say 'hey' [to the guys METALLICA], but METALLICA left us an amazing handwritten letter and gave us a box of [METALLICA's] Blackened [whiskey]."

He continued: "To be able to see them at a quote[-unquote] small show; I mean, a small show for them is seven thousand people. That's more people than we can do on a big show. So, to be able to watch them that close — I was able to be on the floor and watch them — it was incredible. They're all amazing, but [James] Hetfield's [METALLICA frontman] voice sounds better than ever. I don't know how the hell that happened, but he sounds like a better singer now than he's ever been. And it's just so amazing. The vibe was great."

Heafy added: "They're truly the greatest band in the world and [have] always been the greatest band in the world. And it's awesome that they thought of us. They were, like, 'Hey, let's get TRIVIUM down here.' For METALLICA to have an opening band, that's usually just their decision; it's whatever they wanna do. And the fact that they picked us was really cool."

Asked if TRIVIUM has ever gotten feedback from any members of METALLICA about their music, Heafy said: "Way back in 2006, we did festivals with them. I remember we'd never met them before. Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] pops his head in the dressing room. We were, like, 'Holy crap.' He starts talking to us. He said how they really liked the 'Master Of Puppets' cover we did for Kerrang! [magazine]. They obviously liked the band 'cause they brought us out. I remember they brought us, AVENGED [SEVENFOLD] and BULLET [FOR MY VALENTINE] out for a couple of off dates and they kind of looked at the three of us as the next generation of metal bands, which was really cool. They've always been complimentary. I've been able to hang out with Kirk [Hammett, METALLICA guitarist] a couple of times. Kirk took us out to an incredible sushi dinner on that tour. Kirk has taken us out to an incredible Chinese place in San Francisco years and years and years later. We've always kept good casual contact with them, and they're the kings. They've always been nothing but truly wonderful, welcoming, amazing people."

Back in April 2021, Gregoletto reflected on what it was like to meet his heroes in METALLICA. Recalling the night in 2006 when he and his bandmates ended up having dinner with Kirk Hammett in Amsterdam, he told Epic Footnote Productions' "There Goes My Hero" podcast: "It was at the hotel they were staying at. It was in Amsterdam. It was at a really fancy place, and they had a fancy sushi restaurant. Kirk really loved [TRIVIUM's] 'Ascendancy' [album], and he just wanted to come out and hang out with us. So we went to dinner at that place in the hotel and pretty much just ordered everything on the menu — like, every single thing… I don't know how long we were there, but it was quite awhile. It was crazy. And then at the end, he kind of jokingly handed me the bill, like, 'Here you go.'

"It was pretty wild to just hang out with this dude," Paolo continued. "I don't even remember what we talked about; that's the craziest thing. It's almost like one of those experiences [where] you know it happened, but you don't really remember. It was like waking up from a dream and being, like, 'Wow, that was wild. What happened?' You don't remember all the details, but you know something happened."

Asked how old he was when he first discovered METALLICA's music, Paolo said: "I think it was '96 — I'm pretty sure that's when I found METALLICA. So I was probably about 11 or 12 when I discovered them. It was right when I started playing bass. I saw [METALLICA's] 'King Nothing' [video] on MTV, and I was just, like, 'That's the band. That's the coolest thing ever. And these dudes are playing in the snow, and they look cool.' At that point, all I knew was pop-punk and whatever was popular on MTV. So they were very different. And, of course, metal in the '90s — this is before I discovered PANTERA and anything like that — metal is not on MTV anymore at that point; it was starting to slowly filter out. And I wasn't watching 'Headbangers Ball', if it was even around in '96. So that was it. METALLICA was kind of flying the flag in the mainstream world, and thank God I found them, 'cause I don't know if I would've gotten into music the way I did. To me, that was what made me serious about it, like, 'Okay, I wanna play this type of music. I wanna do what these guys are doing.' And pretty much after that, that was my homework after school — was to just watch METALLICA videos and watch [METALLICA's] 'Live Shit: Binge & Purge' [concert videos] and all that stuff, and just try to emulate them with my own local band and trying to figure out how to make it work."

Robert DeLeo, bassist and principal songwriter of the iconic band STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, has confirmed that he is working on his second solo album. The upcoming LP, which is tentatively due in 2026, will be the follow-up to "Lessons Learned", which came out in October 2022.

Asked in a recent interview with the "100 Guitarists" podcast which projects he is working on right now, Robert said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I am trying to finish up a second solo record that I'm doing right now. And like I did on my first one, I have different singers that I'm getting to come in. People always ask why I don't sing my own songs, [and it's] 'cause I really can't. And that's why, fortunately, I have some great friends with amazing voices. So I'm trying to finish that up right now. I'm doing all the guitars."

Pressed about the singers that will be involved with the making of his new solo album, Robert said: "I've got Jimmy Gnecco, and I've got Jay Buchanan from RIVAL SONS, Pete Shoulder, who sang on my last record, Tim Bluhm from THE MOTHER HIPS; he'll be singing on there. I've got some other in mind. I'm trying to get Trey Hensley… Trey is an amazing person, an amazing guitar player and an amazing singer. So I got a song for Trey that I sent to him. Great, great talent, great talent that guy. And then there's Jon Regen on some keys, from New York, and Tristan Cappel on some flute, and Omar Velasco. Omar Velasco is a great singer too, a great songwriter. He's singing on there too. Yeah, so, I'm just trying to get that finished up."

Robert played virtually all the instruments on "Lessons Learned", complemented by guest musicians and vocalists, all of which lent to the undeniable intimacy of the music.

Asked in a January 2023 interview with Bass Magazine what inspired him to write a solo album at that point in his career, Robert said: "Really, it was the state of the world these past couple of years. Everyone was allowed a lot of time to sit down and rethink life, which has definitely been rearranged. I had that time to pull out these instruments and not only appreciate them, but start playing all of them again. After touring for so long, I had an urge to get back into my guitar playing again. I play so much bass at all times, but I've written a whole lot of songs on guitar, and I draw a lot of inspiration from that. I got back into my finger playing on my acoustic and got back to where I once was with that. This album basically sparked from all of that. I acquired a couple of new instruments, and every time you get something new, it steers you in a direction or speaks to you in a different way. I was on the hunt for a great couch guitar, and I found an old nylon-string that was perfect. Sitting down with it, I immediately wrote 'She Brings The Rain', which was the first song I tracked for the record. I ended up using that guitar in the studio to record the song. That was the start of this journey."

Regarding the different musical styles covered on "Lessons Learned", Robert said: "For me personally, I've always delved into those areas, even since 'Core' [STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, 1992]; 'Creep' was almost a country-inspired song, if you really listen to it. All the way through to now, I've been integrating my inspirations into STP, which is a lot of acoustic-based bossa nova and samba. I hate to label music, but I just wanted to make a record that was purely me and acoustically pure. That's really what acoustic instruments do — they bring out the purity of a song. It's one of the ingredients I appreciate about Brazilian music and country music. The acoustic aspects of these genres speak purely."

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS features three original members — Robert DeLeo, guitarist Dean DeLeo and drummer Eric Kretz.

Singer Jeff Gutt, a 49-year-old Michigan native who spent time in the early-2000s nu-metal act DRY CELL, among other bands, and was a contestant on "The X Factor", joined STONE TEMPLE PILOTS after beating out roughly 15,000 hopefuls during an extended search that began more than a year earlier.

Original STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer Scott Weiland, who reunited with the group in 2010 after an eight-year hiatus but was dismissed in 2013, died in December 2015 of a drug overdose.

Chester Bennington, who joined STP in early 2013, departed nearly three years later to spend more time with his main band LINKIN PARK. Bennington committed suicide in July 2017.

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS released their first all-acoustic album, titled "Perdida", in February 2020. The disc was Gutt's second with STP. His recording debut with the group was on its self-titled seventh album, which arrived in March 2018.

In a recent interview with the I-Rock 93.5 radio station, DEATH ANGEL singer Mark Osegueda, who also fronts SLAYER guitarist Kerry King's solo band, was asked what keeps him and his DEATH ANGEL bandmates motivated to make new music and tour, more than four decades into the group's existence. Mark responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's the love of the music, and the love of performing. You're built for it or you're not. I think with this type of music, the adrenaline and the release, it's almost an addiction. But I think you hear that from all performers across the board. With metal, though, it's so grounding to me because I get out my frustrations every night when we play it. And that goes for everyone. And that's why they're going."

Referencing the fact that SLAYER stopped touring in 2019 and that MEGADETH will embark on a "farewell" tour in 2026, Mark continued: "MEGADETH said, yeah, they're calling it quits, but I just recently saw an article where Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader] said the farewell tour is gonna last anywhere from three to five years. So I'm, like, well, there you go. So you just kind of go till your body lets you. And SLAYER the same. They're no longer touring, but they're doing a handful of shows every year. And I think that's awesome for SLAYER fans who never got to see them, 'cause there is a young generation of metalheads that keep cropping up every year. And some of them missed opportunity to see these guys and now they get to, so it's pretty awesome. And what keeps us going is pretty much the same thing — just the love for the music and the love for this scene and all this music has brought to us and selfishly how it makes me feel when I'm on stage. I'm gonna go till my body literally can't do it anymore."

DEATH ANGEL released two new singles in 2025, "Wrath (Bring Fire)", which was first made available in May, and "Cult Of The Used", which came out in November.

DEATH ANGEL's fall 2025 U.S. tour featured support from VIO-LENCE (replacing originally announced support act TOXIC HOLOCAUST),LIONS AT THE GATE and MISFIRE. The trek kicked off on November 26 at the Oriental Theater in Denver, Colorado and wrapped with two Christmas shows on December 18-19 at The Fillmore in San Francisco, California.

DEATH ANGEL pulled out of its fall 2024 tour as the support act for W.A.S.P. because of scheduling conflicts with King's solo band.

Osegueda is the featured singer on King's debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", which arrived in May 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

DEATH ANGEL released a live album titled "The Bastard Tracks" in November 2021 via Nuclear Blast. Recorded live at The Great American Music Hall in their hometown of San Francisco on May 22, 2021, and streamed live soon after, "The Bastard Tracks" was described in a press release as "a deep-cuts collection of rarely and never performed songs from the band's catalog" that was released digitally and on CD, vinyl and Blu-ray.

In October 2020, DEATH ANGEL released a four-song EP, "Under Pressure". The effort included a cover of QUEEN + David Bowie's "Under Pressure", followed by a new track titled "Faded Remains", plus acoustic versions of "Act III"'s classic "A Room With A View" and "Humanicide"'s "Revelation Song". The EP was mixed by Max Norman (OZZY OSBOURNE, MEGADETH, BAD COMPANY) and mastered by Ted Jensen (LAMB OF GOD, MACHINE HEAD, HALESTORM).

DEATH ANGEL's latest album, "Humanicide", was released in May 2019 via Nuclear Blast. The LP saw DEATH ANGEL returning to producer and friend Jason Suecof (DEICIDE, TRIVIUM) of Audiohammer studios for the recording and mixing, along with the mastering of the legendary Ted Jensen (SLIPKNOT, PANTERA) of Sterling Sound, who added the final touches and brought it all to life, with artist Brent Elliott White (LAMB OF GOD, MEGADETH) providing the ominous cover artwork.

DEATH ANGEL was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for the "Humanicide" title track. It was the group's first Grammy nomination.

In a new interview with Costa Rica's Backstage Magazine, DREAM THEATER keyboardist Jordan Rudess spoke about the touring cycle for the progressive metallers' latest album, "Parasomnia", which arrived in February 2025. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "Well, it's been a very exciting year. We've been on tour for over a year now… We've been having a great year. It's been wonderful to have [original DREAM THEATER drummer] Mike Portnoy back in the band after so many years. He kind of like came back home, if you will, which has just felt so good. So, the whole last — whatever it's been — 15 months of running around the world and playing shows and putting out our 'Parasomnia' album has been pretty, pretty awesome. It's been a great time in a very long career. And I guess to kind of like top it off, 'cause when we see all of you [in Central and Latin America], it'll be the last phase of the world tour, it'll be a nice way to do it because we know the fans are really great and they'll be excited. And I'm sure that'll just be a great celebration for everybody."

On the topic of DREAM THEATER's mindset while performing live, Jordan said: "What we do is pretty interesting because when you think about people like us, bands or any entertainer, artist being in front of large audiences and getting the kind of love and emotion and energy from the audience, plus the emotions that we feel just in our internal world, just the band by being together and making music for this many years and all that, you can really get hit with a big wave of kind of intensity, and it can be very joyful. It can be really amazing."

Rudess continued: "It's always been an interesting thing for me and something that I've tried to even share a lot with younger people, younger musicians or anybody who has to get in a situation where they have to be in front of the public and have to deal with emotions that are more than just sitting in their own home and just hanging out or being with a friend, because we all get kind of pushed into these situations where life can get kind of challenging and challenging not always in a bad way, but even in a way, like, something's happening, and it's a big emotion and you have to know how to kind of deal with it and keep thinking clearly and keep kind of being aware and, in our case, being able to play intricate music while there's a lot of stuff going on, whether it's the audiences cheering or there's noises or we're playing a really hard section of the music. So, for me, that kind of being able to focus and being able to absorb those emotions and still remain calm is probably one of the biggest lessons in life. It's allowed, I think, all of us in the band to kind of become the people who we are and to refine our craft in a way that we can get up there and we can play a complicated DREAM THEATER song. And I mean, we're human beings — we make mistakes certainly — but just to be able to perform at a high level and to do it and to feel the joy and to put out the energy and to share that with everybody, it's kind of a big deal."

On DREAM THEATER's upcoming spring 2026 tour of Latin America, the progressive metal giants are continuing their "An Evening With Dream Theater" run that celebrates DREAM THEATER's latest album, "Parasomnia", by performing the LP in its entirety, as well as playing the entire seven-movement masterpiece "A Change Of Seasons" for the first time since drummer Mike Portnoy's return as well as other classics and fan favorites from the band's catalog.

DREAM THEATER played its first concert with Portnoy in 14 years on October 20, 2024 at the O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom. The drummer, who co-founded DREAM THEATER, played on 10 of the band's 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.

DREAM THEATER kicked off its summer/fall 2025 "An Evening With Dream Theater" U.S. tour on September 5 at Santander Performing Arts Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. The 30-city trek ran through October 25, when it wrapped in Long Island, New York.

DREAM THEATER launched the spring/summer 2025 leg of its "40th Anniversary European Tour" on June 3 at Logomo in Turku, Finland.

"Parasomnia" came out on February 7, 2025 via InsideOut Music. The LP was produced by John Petrucci, engineered by James "Jimmy T" Meslin, and mixed by Andy Sneap. Hugh Syme returned once again to lend his creative vision to the cover art.

"Parasomnia" is an eight-song, 71-minute set which was recorded at DREAM THEATER's DTHQ studio on Long Island, New York. It is the follow-up to 2021's "A View From The Top Of The World", which debuted at in the top 10 of Billboard's Top Hard Rock Albums, Top Rock Albums and Independent Albums charts. Six songs on "Parasomnia" are over seven minutes and the closing epic "The Shadow Man Incident" clocks in at nearly 20 minutes.

The North American leg of DREAM THEATER's 40th-anniversary tour kicked off on February 7 at The Met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The trek was "An Evening With Dream Theater" and was the first tour of North America since Portnoy's return to the lineup,. The tour concluded on March 22 in New York City.

Portnoy, Petrucci and bassist John Myung started DREAM THEATER as MAJESTY in 1985, after meeting at the Berklee College Of Music in Boston. Singer James LaBrie came on board in 1991, while Rudess joined in 1999.

Prior to Portnoy's return to DREAM THEATER, the drummer and Petrucci worked together on the latter's 2020 solo album, "Terminal Velocity", and toured together. Portnoy and Petrucci also joined Rudess and bassist Tony Levin for a third studio album as LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT in 2021.

In a recent interview with MuchMusic, Adam Gontier from Canadian rockers THREE DAYS GRACE was asked how much "social media and the trends and platforms" affect how he and his bandmates approach music now. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, for us, we're just trying to make the best music we can, so, we still sit together in a room, we write songs, we record them all and then get them out there. And the way that the music gets out there is a little bit different than it was before. But for us, it's basically the same thing. We're still still just trying to write the best songs we can. And it's pretty amazing that the whole world is at your fingertips to be able to get it out there. So, yeah, it's really cool. It is a bit of a different world from when we first started, though, for sure."

Gontier also talked about the fact that THREE DAYS GRACE's 2003 single "I Hate Everything About You" recently surpassed one billion streams on Spotify. The song, which explores the tension of a love-hate relationship, originally appeared on the band's self-titled debut album. Asked what it is like to perform the song live now, Adam said: "Yeah, it's just one of those songs, everybody sings it. I try to get the whole crowd to sing it with us. It's still pretty surreal to play that song and have just people really freak out when we play that song. And it's wild. It's crazy. It's still hard to believe."

Asked to name one thing he loves about THREE DAYS GRACE, Gontier said: "We grew up as friends in a small town in Ontario — Norwood, Ontario. A lot of bands just kind of come together and make a band and try to be a band. We were friends before the band ever took off. So that's one thing that I think is really special about us, is that we're all really good friends before we're bandmates, and that's pretty important."

Pressed about whether he thinks rock is making a comeback, with the renewed activity from such bands as 2000s emo legends MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE and British rockers OASIS, Adam said: "It does feel kind of like rock is making a bit of a comeback, especially with CREED and bands from that era are starting to tour again and make new music. So, yeah, I think it feels like there's a resurgence of those bands from the late '90s, and just rock in general. I mean, people have said quite a bit over the last decade or so that rock is dead, and it's the opposite of that."

THREE DAYS GRACE balances moments of extreme emotion on an axis of pummeling hard rock anthems and pensive balladry. Along the way, the multi-platinum record-breaking Ontario, Canada band have amassed billions of streams and millions of album sales, sold out arenas on multiple continents, and reached unprecedented heights The band also has earned now staggering 21 total No. 1 entries on the Mediabase Active Rock chart.

To date, THREE DAYS GRACE's veritable arsenal of Billboard No. 1s includes "Just Like You", "Pain", "Animal I Have Become", "Never Too Late", "Break", "Good Life", "World So Cold", "Misery Loves My Company", "The High Road", "Chalk Outline", "I Am Machine", "Painkiller", "The Mountain", "Infra-Red", "Right Left Wrong", "So Called Life", "Lifetime", "Mayday", "Apologies" and the aforementioned "Kill Me Fast".

THREE DAYS GRACE surprised fans with the return of the band's original singer Adam Gontier and along with singer Matt Walst, guitarist Barry Stock, drummer Neil Sanderson and bassist Brad Walst released their eighth studio album, "Alienation" (RCA Records). The 12 tracks on the record all play a pivotal role in defining this significantly new, but nostalgic, chapter of the band.

THREE DAYS GRACE continues to achieve new levels of success, performing at sold-out arena shows with massive festival crowds, a sold-out co-headlining tour in Canada, and hitting the stage at some of the largest venues of their career in Europe.

Last month, THREE DAYS GRACE announced the 2026 "Alienation" tour, kicking off in Fort Wayne, Indiana in February, before hitting Canada and Europe and wrapping up the tour in November for the final show in Los Angeles, California. The U.S. tour dates will receive support from I PREVAIL and THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT, and Canada will see support from FINGER ELEVEN and ROYAL TUSK on select dates.

THREE DAYS GRACE played its first full show with Gontier in 12 years on February 25, 2025 as the support act for DISTURBED on the U.S. leg of "The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour" at Ford Idaho Center Arena in Nampa, Idaho.

In 1992, Gontier, Brad Walst, Phil Crowe, Neil Sanderson and Joe Grant formed GROUNDSWELL while most of the members were still in high school. That band broke up in 1995, but two years later Gontier, Sanderson and Walst reformed as THREE DAYS GRACE. Gontier left the band in 2013 and was replaced by Matt, the vocalist from another Norwood band, MY DARKEST DAYS.

Gontier initially went into rehab in 2005 in Toronto after admitting an addiction to Oxycontin. The rehab stint influenced some material which would appear on THREE DAYS GRACE's "One-X" album, including the songs "Pain" and "Over And Over".

Gontier left THREE DAYS GRACE in the spring of 2013. At the time, the Canadian rockers cited unspecified "health issues" when his departure was announced. Adam later released a statement explaining he exited THREE DAYS GRACE to pursue new projects, and not to deal with addiction.

In a recent interview with Mark Strigl, DISTURBED bassist John Moyer addressed the band's recent announcement that it was taking "quite a bit of time off next year". John said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, you know, every band takes a break after they tour. It's pretty standard. Some people are trying to make — honestly, it's so weird. Social media, and some of these news outlets, they try to blow things up, 'DISTURBED are taking break after' blah, blah, blah, and I'm just, like, uh, every band takes a break after a tour. There's nothing special about this. It's not that big a deal. [Laughs] It's just, like, I don't understand sometimes some of these headlines that come out, I mean, I get it — it's for clicks, and it's, like, 'Oh, is something wrong with DISTURBED?' There's nothing wrong. Everything's great. Dave [DISTURBED singer David Draiman] just got married. He might wanna enjoy some time with his wife before we jump out back on the road again. I don't know. Just a thought. [Laughs]"

Asked about the possibility of new music from DISTURBED after the release of the a new single, "I Will Not Break", in February 2025 via the band's own label, Mother Culture Records, John said: "There's no shortage of music coming from DISTURBED, I'll tell you that right now. I know that for a fact. We've got stuff. We've got a lot of stuff that… Now I'm letting cats out of the bag, but even though there's not a record that's coming out, there's no announcement of anything, the band's been working in the studio now for the last two years, and there's a lot of material that is sitting there, that's gonna get released. And it's some great stuff. It's just a matter of the timing of it and which songs are right for us and what the concept is and all the things that go with creating that art and pushing it."

In late October, DISTURBED guitarist Dan Donegan said that he and his bandmates would "take quite a bit of time off next year". The 57-year-old musician made his comments just two days after Draiman wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that he wasn't sure when the group would tour again, explaining, "We all need a nice long break."

On October 31, Donegan took to his Instagram Live to reflect on DISTURBED's recently completed European headlining tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of the band's debut album, "The Sickness", with support from MEGADETH. He said in part: "[We had a] very successful run out there in Europe — packed shows, packed arenas and a bunch of sold-out ones. [We had an] amazing time. The MEGADETH guys were great. Dave Mustaine is a legend. He's got a great band behind him — really cool guys. And, yeah, it was a really fun tour to be on. Everybody was healthy, feeling good. David [Draiman] was singing strong. Sometimes it gets tricky traveling that much and going from country to country to try to stay healthy, being in different time zones, trying to get adjusted to the time change and being on planes and tour buses and all the traveling can get tricky to stay healthy. And luckily everybody did, for the most part. I think we held up pretty good and sounded strong. I think we were playing our best; I think we've gotten better. So it's been an amazing run."

As for DISTURBED's plans for the coming months, Dan said: "We are done [playing shows for now]. We are done with 'The Sickness', done with the anniversary tour. [We'll be] home for the rest of the year, and probably gonna take quite a bit of time off next year. So no discussions of doing anything else. We just feel like we could use a break. It's been a pretty strong run earlier this year. We started in the U.S. and a little bit into Canada and finishing this European run, we just feel we could enjoy some time home. And [we've] got a lot of stuff going on in our personal lives. [We've] got holidays coming up. Unfortunately, a handful of us had some relatives pass away while we were in Europe. So I had an uncle pass away last week. My guitar tech had his father and a cousin, a week apart from each other, both passed away. So those are the things that happen when you live life on tour and on the road. And it's such a heartbreaking thing, to be away from home and you get that kind of phone call when somebody close to you or a family member passes away."

DISTURBED kicked off the U.S. leg of "The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour" on February 25 at Ford Idaho Center Arena in Nampa, Idaho. The trek celebrated 25 years of DISTURBED's seminal debut album which launched the band into public consciousness and is one of the most important and influential heavy metal albums of all time.

Since "The Sickness" was released in 2000, the album was certified five times platinum by the RIAA, spent a total of 106 weeks on the US Billboard 200 chart, and Revolver named it one of "Top 25 Debut Hard Rock Albums." Billboard said of the title track upon release: "'Down With The Sickness' is, of course, the quintessential DISTURBED song, harnessing all the band's seethe and its now-famous tribal beat and guitar chug into three and a half minutes of alt-metal mayhem. It's menacing, it's rhythmic, it's rebellious."

According to People, Perry Farrell and his JANE'S ADDICTION bandmates Dave Navarro, Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins have reached a settlement over the singer's onstage altercation with Navarro in September 2024 that forced the cancelation of JANE'S ADDICTION's reunion tour.

The Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, dismissed the lawsuit on Monday, December 22.

The dismissal came about a week after Perry, Navarro, Avery and Perkins announced that they had "resolved their differences" over the infamous on-stage brawl where Farrell punched Navarro on stage in what became JANE'S ADDICTION's final show.

On December 17, JANE'S ADDICTION released the following statement via social media: "We would like to clarify the events surrounding the cancellation of the tour after the show in Boston in September 2024. After that show, without notice to Perry, we unilaterally determined it would be best to not continue the tour and made inaccurate statements about Perry's mental health which we regret.

"Today we are here to announce that we have come together one last time to resolve our differences, so that the legacy of JANE'S ADDICTION will remain the work the four of us created together.

"We now look forward to the future as we embark on our separate musical and creative endeavors. JANE'S ADDICTION will forever live in our hearts. We are proud of the music we created together.

"You, the fans, are our lifeblood, and we will always appreciate you."

Perry added in a separate statement: "To everyone in Boston, and around the world. I'd like to address what happened on stage last year. I've reflected on it and know I didn't handle myself the way I should have. I apologize to our patrons and my bandmates for losing my temper and for disrupting the show.

"JANE'S ADDICTION has been at the center of my life for decades. The band, the songs, the patrons and the impact that we've had on music and culture mean more to me than any words I could ever possibly write down.

"My aim has always been to give our audience the best possible show, something real, honest and positive. In Boston, we fell short of that, and I'm truly sorry to everyone who was impacted.

"From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank each and every one of you for your continued love and support."

This past summer, Navarro, Avery and Perkins filed a lawsuit against Farrell over the Boston concert, claiming intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract, while claims from Navarro included allegations of assault and battery over the incident.

Perry later responded to the lawsuit, listing 35 affirmative defenses, including claims that Navarro had "unclean hands," "fail[ed] to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action against" and "failed to exercise reasonable care and diligence to mitigate [the] alleged claims and damages." The 66-year-old vocalist also said he acted in "good faith and without malice" toward the guitarist.

Navarro, Avery and Perkins filed their lawsuit this past July in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging that the group lost over $10 million as a result of the tour's cancelation. The JANE'S ADDICTION members also alleged in their lawsuit that Farrell was often unable to deliver on stage as a result of his alcohol consumption.

In a statement shared with Variety, Farrell said of the trio's lawsuit: "As a founding member and creative force behind JANE'S ADDICTION, Perry Farrell has always prioritized the band's legacy and its supporters, which is why the events of September 13th, 2024 in Boston and the resulting fallout was so devastating. Without warning or consultation and using Perry as a scapegoat, Dave Navarro and the other band members took it upon themselves to abruptly cancel the remaining tour dates — violating contracts and disregarding all professional obligations. Perry was blindsided by not being allowed to vote and be heard, leaving him unable to plead his case to continue the tour for their fans. If that was not harmful enough, Dave Navarro then intentionally and publicly blamed Perry for the canceled tour dates effectively destroying Perry's reputation and causing him irreparable harm. Despite this continued bullying perpetuated by Navarro, Perry's dedication to JANE'S ADDICTION and the preservation of its positive impact on the music industry remains unshaken. He is actively exploring ways to address the situation and ensure accountability."

JANE'S ADDICTION's September 13, 2024 concert at Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston came to a sudden end after Farrell bumped Navarro's shoulder with his own before seemingly yelling at the guitarist. Navarro then placed a hand between himself and Perry before Farrell appeared to throw a punch at him. Another man then jumped between them, breaking up the fight. A couple of days later, JANE'S ADDICTION announced that it was scrapping the rest of its tour dates following the incident. The band said it "made the difficult decision to take some time away as a group," therefore scrapping the rest of the dates of their tour. A short time later, Navarro, along with drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery, posted a joint statement to their respective Instagram accounts in which they said the cancelation of the tour is a result of a "continuing pattern of behavior and the mental health difficulties of our singer Perry Farrell."

"Our concern for his personal health and safety as well as our own has left us no alternative. We hope that he will find the help he needs," the statement read.

Navarro, Perkins and Avery expressed "regret" for the cancelation but added that they "can see no solution that would either ensure a safe environment on stage or reliably allow us to deliver a great performance on a nightly basis."

"Our hearts are broken," the statement concluded.

Later that same day, Farrell wrote in a statement posted to his Instagram story that "this weekend has been incredibly difficult and after having the time and space to reflect, it is only right that I apologize to my bandmates, especially Dave Navarro, fans, family and friends for my actions during Friday's show."

His statement added: "Unfortunately, my breaking point resulted in inexcusable behavior, and I take full accountability for how I chose to handle the situation."

A few days after the tour cancelation, JANE'S ADDICTION released a new single, "True Love". The track, which was performed live for the first time in 2023 and had been played at a few other shows since, was the second new single from the band's classic lineup of Farrell, Navarro, Perkins and Avery, following "Imminent Redemption", which arrived in July 2024.

"True Love" was written by Farrell, Navarro, Avery and Perkins, with assistance from touring guitarist Josh Klinghoffer.

"Imminent Redemption" was tracked at Sweetzwerland Studios in Hollywood, California.

Prior to "Imminent Redemption"'s arrival, Avery's last time in the studio with JANE'S ADDICTION was for the classic 1990 album "Ritual De Lo Habitual".

"Imminent Redemption" was first performed live when JANE'S ADDICTION's classic lineup played its first show in 14 years on May 23, 2024 at London, United Kingdom's Bush Hall.

Navarro sat out JANE'S ADDICTION's 2022 and 2023 shows due to his battle with long COVID. He was replaced at that year's gigs by Klinghoffer, a former member of RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS who also records with Eddie Vedder and performs with PEARL JAM. 2022 saw QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's Troy Van Leeuwen step in for Navarro.

The fall 2022 "Spirit On Fire" tour marked the first JANE'S ADDICTION run of shows in more than a decade to feature returning Avery. Prior to that, Avery last played with the band for a short stint in the 2000s before departing again in 2010.