Legendary British rock vocalist David Coverdale (WHITESNAKE, DEEP PURPLE) has revealed that he is planning to "withdraw from social media" in order to enjoy his recently announced retirement.

Earlier today (Thursday, December 11),Coverdale shared the following statement via social media: "Ladies & Gentlemen, Boys & Girls, Brothers & Sisters Of The Snake… After over 20 fun-filled years of interacting online with all of you Snake People, first with the BBS on whitesnake.com & then onto Twitter ( those were the days ) Facebook, Instagram & Tik Tok…It's been a fab ride, but, along with the over 50 years in the music business, it's time for me to withdraw from social media to fully engage in sweet reflection on my career & my life & enjoy my retirement with my friends & my Beloved Family…

"It has been such a pleasure for me to interact with you all over the years…sharing music videos, funny memes, farts & giggles, tour info, Unboxings, Q & A with DC…Santa Snake…etc… Unforgettable, precious memories…& I thank each & everyone of you for your support & participation… What An Incredible Journey We've Shared Together!!! What A Magical Experience!!!

"Please take care of yourselves & know YOU are TRULY LOVED BEYOND MEASURE… Be Safe, Be Happy & Don't Let Anybody Make You Afraid… A Very Merry Christmas & Wonderful New Year To You & Yours From Me & Mine!!!

"Your Obedient Serpent, David Coverdale".

The 74-year-old David announced his retirement in a video message on November 13, telling his fans before a remake of WHITESNAKE's 2011 song "Fare Thee Well": "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, brothers and sisters of the 'SNAKE, a special announcement for you.

"The last few years has been very evident to me that it's time really for me to hang up my rock and roll platform shoes and my skin-tight jeans. And as you can see, we've taken care of the lion's wig. But it's time for me to call it a day."

Coverdale expressed his gratitude to his loved ones and fans, who have supported him as the frontman for both WHITESNAKE and DEEP PURPLE, but said it was time for him to enjoy his retirement.

"I love you dearly. I thank everyone who's assisted and supported me on this incredible journey. All the musicians, the crew, the fans, the family. It's amazing."

Coverdale raised a glass as he delivered his parting message, "Fare thee well," referencing WHITESNAKE's song of the same name.

On June 28, 2022, WHITESNAKE scrapped three shows on its spring/summer European tour due to Coverdale's infection of the sinus and trachea. Three days later, the rest of the trek was also called off. At the time, David blamed the decision on "continuing health challenges, doctor's orders, and our concern for everyone's health and safety."

David was not the first member of WHITESNAKE to fall ill during the group's spring/summer 2022 European tour. Guitarist Reb Beach missed several shows on the trek in June 2022 after being "under the weather." On June 25, 2022, WHITESNAKE canceled its show at the Rock Imperium festival in Spain due to the fact that drummer Tommy Aldridge "went down" and "was bad enough at the time to have missed the first show ever in his career," according to Coverdale.

In April 2023, Coverdale told "Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern" regarding the possibility of WHITESNAKE resuming its farewell tour in 2024: "It's not really a professional decision. It's literally a health decision.

"[In 2022] it took me seven months to get rid of a sinus infection that went so deep into my body… And then we discovered a secondary one, which is why I had to cancel the U.S. tour," he explained. "So all of that appalling antibiotics I had for three months, all the damage it did to my system, was a waste of time because this other infection was canceling it out. So I had to go on to heavier medications and steroids, and at the same time ignoring a torn rotator cuff.

"When I was onstage with Steve Vai at Hellfest [in France in June 2022], which turned out to be the last WHITESNAKE show — hopefully not the last WHITESNAKE show [ever] — underneath my shirt, my shoulder was taped up like I was going into the arena to face another gladiator," Coverdale revealed. "And you couldn't really tell. And thank God I could still fling the mic stand around. But as soon as I got signed off back in January, the infection had gone, I realized that we had to sort out the shoulder, 'cause that had been of secondary importance — minor compared to this, 'Am I ever gonna be able to sing again?' That's a big deal. It's something you wake up and almost take for granted.

"So, I'm getting a lot of approaches [regarding Las] Vegas residencies. I'm not quite sure about that. I feel I owe Japan. I feel I owe the U.S. I feel I owe South America. 'Cause I've been pretty successful for 50 years, and you can't buy that. It's people who've supported you to be in this position. It was a personal choice. I didn't wanna do a video going, 'Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, brothers and sisters of the 'SNAKE, thank you for 50 years. I'm done.' I wanted to be there.

"I wanted to retire in 2020," David added. "I thought the appropriate age for the singer of WHITESNAKE to step down was 69. But, of course, bloody COVID came [and ruined those plans].

"We have three to five years of projects here at my studio. So I'm certainly not finished with music. But my health will dictate whether I can take on [a full tour]. 'Cause it's incredibly physically demanding for me. I don't wanna do a half-assed [tour], standing-there stuff. I love telling my stories and moving and working."

Also in April 2023, Coverdale told Ultimate Classic Rock that the illness that forced him off the road in 2022 was "the worst sinus infection I've ever had in my life. And as a singer, I know them like fucking relatives of mine," Coverdale said. "This was one of the ugliest illnesses I think I've [ever] had. For seven months, I was taking ever-increasingly strong antibiotics and horrifying prednisone steroids."

WHITESNAKE launched its farewell tour on May 10, 2022 at Dublin, Ireland's 3Arena. The band's 14-song set, which was part of a European tour with special guests EUROPE and co-headliners FOREIGNER, marked WHITESNAKE's inaugural performance with the group's two latest two additions, keyboardist, guitarist and backing vocalist Dino Jelusick and bassist Tanya O'Callaghan.

Coverdale had both his knees replaced with titanium in 2017 after suffering from degenerative arthritis. He later explained that he was in so much pain with arthritis in his knees that it hampered his ability to perform live.

Prior to the pandemic, WHITESNAKE had been touring in support of its latest album, "Flesh & Blood", which was released in May 2019 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Posted by Whitesnake/David Coverdale on Thursday, December 11, 2025

In a new interview with U.K.'s Metal Hammer magazine, CLUTCH frontman Neil Fallon spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's follow-up to the "Sunrise On Slaughter Beach" album, which was released in September 2022. He said: "We did begin a pre-production and writing session earlier this year, but then we went back out on tour. There will be another writing session in January, and the plan is to record in late January or early February. Nowadays, from finishing a record to mastering takes up to six months. And the great thing about being our own record label is that if it doesn't feel right to put it out at that time, we won't. We'd rather wait and make it as good as it can be. That's where we are at. There are a number of songs in the can, but I'm not going to predict when it might be released."

Asked if the new material "sounds good", Neil said: "Every year it gets harder and harder to come up with stuff, because you already have these existing records, but… yeah. We know that [as an album] it'll be alright."

Back in May, CLUTCH revealed that it had reteamed with Grammy-winning producer Gene "Machine" Freeman (LAMB OF GOD, KYNG) for the recording sessions for the band's next studio album. Freeman previously worked with CLUTCH on 2004's "Blast Tyrant", 2013's "Earth Rocker" and 2015's "Psychic Warfare" LPs.

In March 2025, Neil told the Mark And Me podcast about CLUTCH's next LP: "Yeah, we're writing now. It's taken longer than I think we would've liked to have, but to be honest, we toured a lot in the past three years, like really grounded down. When you come home from tour, you don't wanna turn around the next day and say, 'Let's get together and write a song.' Gotta take a bit of a break. And we took off maybe four weeks and then got back together. And we get together maybe once, twice a week for four or five hours. But again, it's, like you gotta write a lot of garbage to get to the good stuff. And it seems the less premeditated it is, those are the songs that end up as part of the canon, almost the accidental songs. Those are the ones that seem to be the best."

CLUTCH has been writing new music on and off around its touring commitments, preparing for what will be the band's fourteenth studio LP. Although CLUTCH previously announced it was working with producer Tom Dalgety once again, those plans appear to now have been abandoned.

As previously reported, CLUTCH and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY will join forces for the "Suffer No Evil U.S. Tour 2026" in April and May. Support on the trek will come from JD PINKUS.

CLUTCH shares more in common with THE GRATEFUL DEAD, RUSH and THE ALLMAN BROTHERS than their heavy riffs and heady twists-of-phrase might suggest. Because like those bands, the supporters who adore CLUTCH are there for the experience, community, and authentic connection. To love CLUTCH is to feel a sense of ownership, membership, and belonging.

Seneca Valley High School classmates Neil Fallon (vocals),Tim Sult (guitar),Dan Maines (bass) and Jean-Paul Gaster (drums) share an unshakeable musical and personal bond now three decades strong. Shaped by the same region which birthed BAD BRAINS, MINOR THREAT and RITES OF SPRING, CLUTCH crafts hyper-literate and libertine jams informed by hardcore fury and fuzzy, athletic, stoner rock.

Live shows over the years include tours with SLAYER and SYSTEM OF A DOWN and more recent co-headlining treks with DROPKICK MURPHYS, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and MASTODON. Like SLAYER or IRON MAIDEN, CLUTCH outlasted rock bands anchored to "hit songs" and the pressure of replicating them. The foursome from Germantown, Maryland, isn't bound by trends. Across thirteen studio albums and assorted releases since 1991, they've earned a reputation as one of the best around.

In a recent interview with music producer Nasir AlBashir of the XP AIR podcast, Brazilian guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who is best known for his work with MEGADETH and ANGRA, was asked if he thinks it's "easier or more difficult to be in a band" in the age of social media. He responded in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I wonder. The things that I've been thinking lately is about the future of the bands. Because the society got to be, because of social media, so individualistic that I wonder how people are gonna get together and support each other for many years, like we did many years ago, with the fights. And I'm talking about a relationship with another person, family relations. Everybody's individualistic, showing what they're doing, and I'm including myself, showing what they're doing to the world. So even the festivals, the bands, everything has to understand this shift is about the person. It's not about the rock star; it's about the person. The person wants to be the rock star of the event, so if you're here, you have to do stuff for the person to feel the element of the place. So I think also that the connection of people is harder. So I don't know if the new bands, how they're gonna be…

"If you think about LED ZEPPELIN, so when the drummer died, they said no more band," Kiko continued. "Now, any little thing in a band, [it's], like, 'Oh, change the guy.' That connection [doesn't exist anymore]. QUEEN was the same. When Freddie Mercury passed, [they said], 'We don't play anymore.' They took — what? — 20 years to come back. So I think that's the question."

After AlBashir noted that there is more "pressure" on musicians to perform in a band and all be great on their instruments, Kiko said: "I tend to disagree… Because the band is not about everybody being the best. It's not like a dream team. It's not like the national team soccer. It's not about that. The band can have a weaker link. It actually gives a wabi-sabi kind of an imperfection to the band that makes the band a band. Because if you look all the great bands, not everybody's like this amazing musician. I think you need that because — I mean, I don't wanna mention bands, because I don't know them personally, but you can feel sometimes based on documentaries or videos, okay, this guy is the leader, this guy is the composer. Sometimes the leader or the composer is not the frontman. The frontman is great live, has a great voice, charisma. But then there's somebody composing. Maybe there's somebody producing. Maybe there's a guy that's the weaker guy, but he's the business guy. You don't know. Maybe there's a weaker musician, but he's the cool guy that puts all the glue together of the personalities. Because when you have two alpha males, let's say, facing for who's the best, whatever, you need to have that cool guy that [goes], 'Hey, guys, calm down.' You need that guy. And sometimes that guy is not the best musician. But it's so important for the dynamics of the band, of the group. So you never know. You never know. We know some bands that it clearly is like that, [where they] have two main characters and then one they think, 'Ah, what is this guy doing there?' But actually he might be the guy [who keeps it all running]. And it's the same for for sports. Because sometimes people are, like, 'Why is this player there?' You never know if, before the game, he is the guy who puts everybody up. But the coach knows. And then [maybe there is] a great player that the coach doesn't take to the game because the guy kind of destroyed the [rhythm of the game]."

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

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

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

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

The 38-year-old Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and began playing guitar at the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has also been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.

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

Kiko's latest solo album, "Theory Of Mind", was released in November 2024.

In a new interview with Anthony Bryant of The Hair Metal Guru, WINGER drummer Rod Morgenstein spoke about the band's decision to retire from touring after the completion of the group's final gig of 2025, which took place on August 31 at the Rainbow Bar & Grill Backyard Bash 2025 in West Hollywood, California. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think it's been years in the making. Part of it is Kip's [Winger, WINGER bassist/vocalist] concern over his voice.

"When you're a crooner, you can sing forever, but when the vocal demands are in this high register — we've seen it all too many times with singers who were in their forties, fifties and sixties; it's just not possible for them to do it anymore," Rod explained. "If you saw Robert Plant try to sing [LED ZEPPELIN's] 'Rock And Roll' [now], he would [sing it in a lower register]. It's not possible [for him to sing it the way it was originally recorded]. And so, from show to show over these past few years, Kip always worried, like, 'Uh-oh, is this the show where the voice is not gonna give me all that I need?' There's that, and then just, like, wow, I mean, it's been a 37-year run. Pretty not bad. Some of us have other things in us that we'd like to do. [Kip] would like to spend more of his time in his classical world."

Rod added: "But when we did that last show [at the Rainbow], we kind of left the stage instead of saying, 'This is it. You've been the best. We are done a hundred percent' over, over, over. It's, like, 'Hey, look, let's never say never.' So, being a little cutesy to leave the door open if maybe there might be the occasional event now and then."

This past March, WINGER guitarist Reb Beach told Adam Roach of the Become A Guitarist Today podcast about the band's announcement that it was embarking on "farewell" tours of Australia and Japan in 2025: "It's too bad that Kip wants to end it, from my end, just because I'm loving it and I could do it another 10 years. But it's really hard on his voice. When he says he has a bad night, you'd never know it. I've seen singers have a bad night, and his bad night sounds like a record. One note might be flat, or he might have trouble with three notes in 'Miles Away', and then afterwards he's, like, 'Uh, this is so embarrassing.' And it's, like, 'No, those are three notes. Come on, man.' These people go to see these singers from the '80s who just can't sing a note anymore. And Kip's really, really amazing. But it's just such an effort for him to keep up that vocal excellence."

Reb continued: "It's that, and it's also that touring is hard, but it's mostly that he hears a different drummer. He's always wanted to do the classical thing. That's what's in his heart. He's been rocking for 35 years here with this band, and he's finally broken into the classical world. He was nominated for a Grammy a few years ago. And the Nashville Symphony Orchestra is performing his piece that he wrote for them. And that's what really excites him. He doesn't need the money. I could use the money. He doesn't need the money. So it's his time to quit it now. And it's too bad, because you would think we could get another singer. But no — you can't have another singer in WINGER. That wouldn't make any sense."

In a separate interview with The Rockpit, Beach was asked if WINGER might continue making music even after the band stops touring. Reb responded: "No. Kip is classical. That's where he's at. He's over the rock thing. He gets so much more enjoyment from writing classical music. And he overbooks himself with the classical music. He has to write. You can just hear him saying, 'I have the 12 symphonies I have to write in the next three years, and I'm not even halfway done with the first one.' So, yeah, there's no way. There won't be another WINGER record, I don't think, unless I come to Kip and go, 'Kip, I've written 70 precent of the new WINGER record.' If I'm desperate for another WINGER record and I just write great riffs and I already have a verse and a chorus and a solo section for 10 songs, he may do it. It's never worked that way, though. Most of the time if I come in with a completed idea like that, he just feels like it has to have its inception when he and I are sitting in a room for it to have the magic. As soon as I play a riff that I come up with on the spot, that's exciting to him. If he's listening to something that I put a drum machine to and have any kind of production to, he's not inspired by that. I don't think he's ever used a riff that I brought in, whereas [my] BLACK SWAN [project] uses every riff that I bring in, which are usually the riffs that I brought to Kip that he turned down."

Earlier in March, Kip was asked by Steve Mascord of White Line Fever TV what he would miss about playing with WINGER. Kip said: "Listen, I've been well-known my whole life. But I was never, like, 'Hey, I'm a rock star' or anything like that. It's very matter of fact to just talk to people. What I'll miss is playing with these guys that I really love so much, but I'm very excited to move on to this other world that I'm really inspired because I'm hearing so much of the music.

"At some point I'm gonna play a final show with the band," Kip explained. "I don't know when it is. But that's not to say I might not do a cruise or something. I don't really know. I'm not going, 'Hey, this is the last show we're ever gonna do' because… Well, hey, KISS did it for 10 years, so… [Laughs]"

Kip also talked about how his daily routine would change once WINGER haf stopped touring. He said: "Well, the biggest thing is the traveling. If you do 40 gigs in a year, and sometimes we do more than that, you have twice that many days on each end traveling. So, you spend half of the year of your life sitting in an airport, and it really… Listen, we're not a huge band — we don't fly around in our own Learjet — so it tends to take a toll on you. And then, all of a sudden, all my personal goals just end up drifting away in an airport somewhere in Chicago. So my life will be different in that way."

Kip continued: "Listen, interruption is the death of creativity. So my focus is to get myself into a place where I can be 100 percent creative and keep it rolling because it's really difficult to have it all broken up so much. And I've written every kind of rock song possible. I've made my final statement on the last WINGER record. And a lot of people think that's, like, if not our best record, it's close to being our best, along with 'Pull'. And I kind of brought back the original guys and put the original logo on and gave it a nice full circle. So, there's nothing else that Reb and I could do with WINGER that wouldn't just be, like, 'Okay, let's write another one of those' or 'another one of those.' And now I'm in this whole other mentality where the sky's the limit and I've got 30 more years of expressing myself in a world of things that haven't been done by me."

WINGER issued its seventh studio effort overall in 2023, the appropriately titled "Seven". Kip is also a respected and successful symphonic composer, having issued recordings under the name C.F. Kip Winger, while Reb has been a member of WHITESNAKE since 2002, and drummer Rod Morgenstein has served as a professor at Berklee College Of Music (in addition to playing in a variety of other more jazz-fusion-based projects).

WINGER formed in the late 1980s and soared to immediate success with its 1988 self-titled release. The album spawned the hit singles "Seventeen" and "Headed For A Heartbreak" and achieved platinum sales status. "Winger" also stayed on the Billboard 200 chart for over 60 weeks where it peaked at #21. Their next album, "In The Heart Of The Young", also achieved platinum status behind the singles "Can't Get Enuff" and "Miles Away". The change in musical climate of the mid-'90s, compounded with unprovoked ridicule on MTV's popular "Beavis And Butt-Head" show, led the band to go on hiatus in 1994. In 2001, WINGER reunited and has not looked back since. Kip also earned a 2016 Grammy nomination for the classical album "C.F. Kip Winger: Conversations With Nijinsky", recorded with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra.

Former DRAGONFORCE and SKID ROW singer ZP Theart has released a new single, "Dark To Light", which marks his first new music in 13 years.

Theart comments: "This single marks my first solo release, and stepping into this new chapter has been incredibly energizing.

"I've been collaborating with the ridiculously talented Swiss writer and producer Syndrone and it has opened the door to a sound I've been wanting to explore for a long time.

"I'm beyond excited to reveal everything I have planned for you all in 2026. Merry fucking Christmas!"

Theart has carved out one of the most distinctive vocal paths in modern metal. He first exploded on to the scene as the founding voice of DRAGONFORCE, shaping the band's trademark blend of turbo-charged guitars and sky-high melodies. Across albums like "Valley Of The Damned", "Sonic Firestorm", "Inhuman Rampage" and "Ultra Beatdown", his vocals became the backbone of a sound that pushed the power metal group into the global spotlight and to RIAA gold and platinum certification. The era-defining anthem "Through The Fire And Flames" became a worldwide phenomenon, appearing in video games "Guitar Hero III", "Fortnite" and even the movie "Minions 4", while their single "Heroes Of Our Time" earned a Grammy nomination, cementing Theart as one of metal's most recognizable frontmen.

After his departure from DRAGONFORCE in 2010, Theart launched I AM I, exploring a more hard-rock-driven sound, and briefly joined NWBHM veterans TANK, adding his intensity to their 2015 album "Valley Of Tears".

In 2016, he surprised many by stepping into American hard rock as the new vocalist for SKID ROW. Initially touring with the band, he became their official frontman in 2017 and spent several years performing internationally, injecting fresh energy into their revered live shows. He also ventured into gaming-inspired metal, lending his voice to Riot Games' virtual band PENTAKILL as the character Karthus on their 2014 album "Smite And Ignite", proving his versatility across mediums.

From speed-metal pioneer to hard-rock frontman to digital-era metal icon, Theart has spent more than two decades proving he can command any stage and any genre. His return isn't just a comeback, it's the next chapter in a legendary career built on relentless energy and intensity, a visceral force of vocal power and a presence that demands attention, ready to set the world on fire once again.

Theart, who hooked up with SKID ROW in 2016 following the departure of Tony Harnell (TNT, STARBREAKER),was abruptly fired from SKID ROW in February 2022 and replaced by ex-H.E.A.T. frontman Erik Grönwall.

SKID ROW guitarist Dave "Snake" Sabo addressed Theart's exit from the band in an October 2022 interview with Rockin' Metal Revival. He said: "We just came back to start playing shows again in February [2022]. And before that, we had noticed, prior to the Christmas holidays, we had noticed that the band and ZP were starting to diverge and go in different directions. And we were hoping that by doing this record and moving forward and going to play live shows that maybe those two paths would converge. And unfortunately, they just grew more distant from one another. So we had a really difficult decision to make, because we knew that it couldn't go on like this, and thus we knew that we wouldn't be making the best record possible if we didn't make the change. So in late February [2022], with less than a month to go before the residency with the SCORPIONS and a whole record to record vocals on, we decided to part ways."

Earlier in October 2022, SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan told the "Pat's Soundbytes Unplugged" podcast about the decision to fire Theart: "It's really hard when you have to make a decision that could affect someone else's life, and your life. And it's never taken lightly. But sometimes you just start growing in different directions.

"It's really important to be like-minded with everyone, to have five guys with a common goal, or common goals, whether they're quickly obtainable or you have to work at 'em for a while," Rachel explained. "It's tough and it's a really hard decision to make, but you have to just be, like, 'Okay, this isn't personal. It's business. And we've gotta move on.' So that's what happened. And hopefully someday we'll be having beers together again or whatever and all be buds. But sometimes that doesn't happen that way. But it was never a decision that was taken lightly, for sure."

Sabo previously discussed SKID ROW's split with Theart in August 2022 in an interview with The Metal Voice. At the time, he said: "It was just we had gotten to a crossroads where we were done with most of the [latest SKID ROW] record. I think we had maybe three vocal tracks on the record, but most of the music was done, if not all. And we just realized that we needed to make a change. And it was a harsh realization. There was no arguments or anything like that with ZP; there was no animosity. I think that we both — and when I say 'we', I mean ZP over here and myself, Rachel, Scotti [Hill, guitar] and Rob [Hammersmith, drums] over here — we kind of just knew that the two sides were going in separate directions, to be quite honest."

Snake went on to say that "it was hard" dismissing Theart from SKID ROW "'cause he's a really good guy. I had a lot of fun with him," he explained. "[He's a] great singer, but we were going in two different directions and it was inevitable. We were recording the record, like I said, and we just felt like, 'If we're gonna make a change, we have to do it now.' And it was not the most opportune time to make a change, being that we were in the middle of this record and we had this SCORPIONS residency coming up in Las Vegas. So it was really difficult. And we only had one person in mind, and it was Erik. So when we figured out and made the decision and informed ZP that we're gonna go our separate ways, like I said, I think everyone was well aware that we were traveling in opposite directions, or different directions."

Pressed about whether these "different directions" were of a musical or a personal nature, Sabo said: "I think it was everything. I think that we were just, as musicians, as artists, as people, we were starting to go down two different paths. Like I said, there was no blowout argument or anything like that; there was nothing that anybody did that was salacious or disrespectful. Nothing like that."

Photo courtesy of Atom Splitter PR

Following a joint statement from the families of Wayne Static (STATIC-X) and Tera Wray expressing "strenuous objection" to filmmaker Matt Zane's recently announced documentary, Zane has issued a detailed response addressing the concerns and clarifying the intent of his project.

The families' statement asked that any rare or unseen footage in Zane's possession be submitted for review and possible inclusion in the official "Evil Disco" documentary, which is currently in development with the approval of Wayne's estate.

Zane, who had a long personal and creative relationship with both Wayne and Tera, responded: "I understand the family's concerns, especially Wayne's sister Aimee who is a wonderful person, but my obligation isn't to the families — it's to Wayne and Tera. They asked me to do this, and I know they would want the focus to be on the two of them."

In response to the estate's request regarding material, Zane stated that there has been confusion surrounding his involvement with "Evil Disco".

"I think the family is a bit confused about the creation of the official documentary 'Evil Disco'," he said. "I was hired and edited about 85% of that and in good faith allowed my footage to be used within the edit. I never signed over the footage legally for use but was willing to do so if the agreed-upon terms were met. I also allowed my personal footage of Wayne to be used in multiple music videos such as 'Stay Alive' and 'All These Years' even though the band hasn't officially licensed it from me."

Zane emphasized that his film will not conflict with the narrative direction of "Evil Disco", noting that the two projects serve very different purposes.

"I personally think both movies can exist. I watched a working cut of 'Evil Disco' with Wayne's sister Aimee and it's really cool, but it's more about the band — past and present. My movie is about Wayne and Tera."

Zane also confirmed that the unreleased Wayne Static music he had hoped to include will not be used without explicit approval from the estate.

"As far as the unreleased music, unfortunately I'm unable to use any of that without the family's consent," he said. "What I may do is create tracks based off of the music Wayne and I worked on and bring in other singers, similar to what Jonathan Davis did for 'Queen Of The Damned'."

However, Zane revealed the existence of additional solo material recorded by Wayne that has never been made public.

"But I can tell you this: there are six tracks Wayne wrote and recorded that I did not have any part in that are truly his final solo works," he said. "Yes, his vocals are on them and they were done in 2013."

Zane's film is intended to be a personal, emotionally driven account focused on the relationship between Wayne Static and Tera Wray — a story he says the couple explicitly wanted him to tell.

The crowdfunding campaign for the documentary is now live on IndieGoGo.

On December 10, the families of Wayne Static and Tera Wray released the following statement via social media: "A message from the families of Wayne Static & Tera Wray.

"We are sharing this with the world to ensure that our feelings are crystal clear on this matter.

"We are not interested in the further development of any unauthorized biography or documentary focused on our deceased son, daughter, and siblings, Wayne Wells ('Wayne Static') and Tera Lents ('Tera Wray'). This includes but is not limited to: any behind-the-scenes footage from music videos, adult film sets, concerts, house parties, developmental projects, reality TV pilots, private photos, or any other portrayals of Wayne Wells Static, Tera Lents Wray Static, or either of their likenesses. Any attempt to exploit their unauthorized likeness will be met with the appropriate legal response.

"We strenuously object to any further exploration or exploitation of this dark and tragic chapter in their lives. Additionally, we feel that the music video for the Wayne Static song 'Assassins Of Youth', directed by Matt Zane and released in 2013, and the STATIC-X 'Stay Alive' music video released in 2023, thoroughly depict the dangerous lifestyle that Wayne and Tera were embracing prior to their subsequent deaths. Further, STATIC-X is nearing completion of the official STATIC-X documentary titled 'Evil Disco - The Rise, Fall, And Regeneration Of Static-X'. The official documentary dives deep into the entire life's work of Wayne Static and STATIC-X. The film is expected to be around 80 minutes in length and devotes the appropriate amount of time to exploring the lifestyle changes and ultimate tragedies that followed.

"If Mr. Zane is in possession of any additional rare or unseen footage that could contribute to the celebration of Wayne's life and legacy, we kindly ask him to share the footage with our families so that we can review and consider it for potential inclusion in the official 'Evil Disco' documentary. Additionally, any unreleased music featuring the voice of Wayne Static or his musical compositions would require the approval of the estate before any publication or release.

"We further challenge Mr. Zane to share any musical works that he claims might contain the actual voice of Wayne Static so that we can determine their authenticity and quality for consideration. We are not interested in Wayne Static's voice appearing within any Al-generated music.

"In closing, we would like to thank the STATIC-X fans around the world for their continued love and support for Wayne and the band. We are so proud of the band and what they have accomplished together.

"STATIC-X's music is as popular as ever, and Wayne's energy and legacy have been celebrated and regenerated through the band's incredible return to the stage.

"We fully support the current team and lineup of STATIC-X and their continued respect and love for Wayne's memory and our family. We are delighted that the world is continuing to celebrate the powerful music that Wayne and the band created together and the incredible energy that he and the band have always carried onto the stage.

"Sincerely, The family and estate of Wayne Wells Static & Tera Lents Static".

Zane previously directed all of Wayne's solo videos, including the "Pighammer Promo", "Assassins Of Youth" and Wayne's last music video, "Noise Revolution", with DMC. At the time of Wayne's death, the trio were developing additional projects.

Wayne Static died more than a decade ago after mixing Xanax and other powerful prescription drugs with alcohol, according to the coroner's report. The 48-year-old Static, whose real name was Wayne Richard Wells, was found dead in his Landers, California home on November 1, 2014.

Tera Wray Static took her own life in January 2016. Her friends revealed that she was found dead at a friend's house in California.

Randy Emon, the supervising deputy coroner investigator for the San Bernardino County coroner's office, told BLABBERMOUTH.NET in a written statement at the time: "Our coroner records indicate [Tera] died on January 13, 2016 in Joshua Tree, CA. The manner of death was listed as suicide."

Tera's roommate at the time of her death wrote on Facebook that she came home after work and found "one of my dearest friends had ended her life in my guestroom where she was staying."

A statement which was apparently approved by Tera's mother said that "Tera suffered from depression since the death of her husband."

Wray, who was born Tera Lents, met Wayne during the Ozzfest tour in 2007 when she was modeling for Hustler lingerie. They were married in January 2008 and she retired from porn in August of that year.

Adult entertainment attorney Michael Fattorosi, who last spoke to Tera one day before her death, told New York Post's Page Six that Wray left behind a note instructing her roommate to call him and Tera's mother.

"She was one of the sweetest, most gentle women I have worked with in [the adult film industry]," Fattorosi told Page Six. "She had a light to her that was evident when she walked into room. She was always smiling and happy. I know she loved Wayne dearly. When they met and got married, she left the [adult film] industry to go on tour with him and the band. From what I understand, she was constantly by his side. His death must have weighed on her tremendously."

In July 2015, Tera paid tribute to her late husband with a sleeve tattoo that she showed off on Facebook.

Posted by Aimee Wells Pittman on Wednesday, December 10, 2025

ADEMA has recruited David Gnozzi, mix engineer, producer and host of the YouTube channel MixbusTV, to mix the band's long-awaited fifth studio album, "Cruel Machine", tentatively due in early 2026 via Cleopatra Records. A couple of short previews of the music that is set to appear on the effort are available below.

In a recent interview with Australia's Heavy, ADEMA guitarist/vocalist Tim Fluckey addressed the fact that he is now handling vocals for the band after the 2024 departure of Ryan Shuck, who joined the group in 2019. Asked if he always wanted to be the singer in ADEMA or if that's just how it worked out, Fluckey said: " No. I did not always wanna do that. I didn't mind doing backup vocals. That was cool. I liked just being over in my guitar world, and doing that and being able to jump around and move around and interact with the crowd that way. And then it just came by necessity. One tour, our singer, we had already… we couldn't find him for days. We already missed a couple of shows and we were, like, 'Are are we gonna get sued?' And so they were, like, 'Can you do it?' I go, 'I'll try.' So literally on the way out to the first show — we never rehearsed with me singing. I was just sitting there playing my guitar and trying to sing along to this stuff. And we went out there… We were, like, 'Let's play three songs without saying a word and see what happens. We'll see how the crowd reacts.' And the first song people were like confused. And the second song they were kind of, like, 'Eh, it's okay.' And then the third song, they were, like, 'Oh, this is fine. This works.' And so never once did anybody say they wanted their money back or said it sucked it our faces. And so it just kind of grew from that. And then Marky [Chavez, ADEMA's original singer] did come back for a little while, but then he kind of essentially retired. And then we got offered a tour in 2019 and I was, like, 'Well, let's bring somebody in from our genre.' And then Ryan came in from ORGY and JULIEN-K. But he had another band, so it was always gonna be temporary. So then when it came down to making a decision about moving on, and we were getting offered record deals at the time, so they were, like, 'Do you wanna sing again?' I go, 'Yeah, let's do it. We don't need to bring anybody else in here.'"

Tim continued: "The four of us have been around each other for 25 years, so we can deal with each other. I'm sure it's hard for somebody new to come into that situation. We're not normal dudes. Our band would be boring if it was. I know it's probably hard for people to come in and join that and just be around guys who've been around each other for 25 years."

Asked if he is "fully settled into" the ADEMA frontman role by now, Tim said: "I think so. I think the difference between me back then and me doing it now is I'm a little more confident with the crowd. I just pretty much went to the James Hetfield school of the crowd, and not copying him, but just being like… Some singers get the tendency of saying the same thing in the same spots every night and then kind of maybe homogenizing it a little bit, but I one day just said, 'I'm just gonna say whatever the hell comes to my mind. Who cares what the repercussions are.' I feel a lot more comfortable on stage doing that, and I think people react to that. I think when you're just who you are, people react to that. They don't have to agree with what you're saying, and I'm not political, but I'm just saying that they don't have to like or agree with it, but they can appreciate that you're being yourself."

Fluckey also talked in more detail about the new ADEMA music, saying: "This new stuff, it sounds like ADEMA. It's the original band. It's everybody from the band. And so just through kind of, I'm sure, osmosis, there's gonna be parts where I sound like Marky, our original singer, and then I have my own thing too. But it just sounds like ADEMA now. And so I'm excited about it. The songs are cool, and, like I said, I have a little more confidence probably with what my sound is and what kind of singer I wanna be."

Asked if the new ADEMA material is musically what the band's fans expect at this point or if it's going off in new directions, Tim said: "Yeah. I think it is [what the fans expect]. Obviously it's gonna evolve a little bit, but it's not far from our first two or three records. So, I think ADEMA fans will be into it. Everybody kind of brings their own kind of special thing to the band that made it sound like ADEMA back then, and I think that's back in the band now. I had to change the way I kind of wrote music when Mikey [Ransom, ADEMA guitarist] was out of the band. And so now to go back to how I originally wanted to do it and how I'm doing it now, knowing that when I write a part, I can think about, 'Okay, what's he gonna do over it?' 'What's Dave [DeRoo] gonna do on bass?' That stuff. 'What's Kris [Kohls] gonna do on drums?' So, that's exciting for us, and hopefully it's exciting for our fans."

In June 2024, Fluckey was asked by Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", what happened to cause the "divorce" between ADEMA and Shuck. Tim said: "I don't know if I would characterize it as a divorce. And Ryan — I'll start by saying we wish Ryan and Amir [Derakh, Ryan's bandmate in JULIEN-K] the best, for sure. It's nothing like that. And there's maybe a kind of a divergence of — and he can say what he wants to say — just kind of things like… We knew from the beginning, let's say, that he was in another band and that he was helping us out, and that we needed somebody in the band, including Amir, to be around. And for people don't know Amir was in ORGY with Ryan and they've been partners for years. And they don't just do music together; it's kind of definitely a package thing. But it just came to a point where, and even in his own words, he knew that it was somehow temporary. We just didn't know how temporary. And so it just came down to our band was heading in one direction as far as how we wanted to do what we're gonna do — like massive amounts of touring, get these new songs out and take advantage of what our band's about. And then his band was doing his thing. And it really was one of those things, we just [went], 'Do we do this now or do we do it six months from now? Do we do it two years from now? And so it was just pretty much, 'We're doing it now.'"

In February 2024, ADEMA "abruptly" parted ways with Shuck. A short time later, the remaining members of ADEMA — Fluckey, DeRoo, Kohls and Ransom — posted a message on social media in which they said: "ADEMA has made the decision to move forward without Ryan Shuck. Our plan is to continue on indefinitely as a four-piece, and we sincerely wish Ryan all the best in the future."

In June 2022, ADEMA released a new song, "Violent Principles". It was the follow-up to ADEMA's first single in nearly a decade, "Ready To Die", which came out in August 2021. Both tracks were planned for inclusion on ADEMA's upcoming album, which was tentatively titled "360 Degrees Of Separation".

Original ADEMA frontman Marky Chavez first
left ADEMA in 2004 due to "creative differences" after two successful albums, "Adema" and "Unstable". The singer — who is the half brother of KORN frontman Jonathan Davis — quit ADEMA again in January 2011 in order to pursue his "solo project." He rejoined the group again six years later and played his first comeback show with ADEMA in May 2017 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

After Chavez's original exit from ADEMA, the other members of the band found their way with new lead singers Luke Caraccioli and later Bobby Reeves, while Mark founded MIDNIGHT PANIC with his cousin Peter Shubert. He also produced fellow artists.

ADEMA's last official release was 2013's "Topple The Giants" EP. The group's first CD since 2007's "Kill The Headlights" contained brand new tracks plus re-worked versions of ADEMA's chart-topping hits "Giving In" and "Unstable". A three-song EP, "The Cerberus", was sold exclusively on ADEMA's 2023 "Nu Metal Madness 2" tour.

Photo courtesy of ADEMA

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CARNIVORE A.D., featuring bassist/vocalist Baron Misuraca (SHEER TERROR, DARKSIDE NYC),guitarist Chuck Lenihan (CRUMBSUCKERS, CHRISTIAN DEATH) and drummer Joe Cangelosi (KREATOR, MASSACRE, WHIPLASH),has inked a deal with Apostasy Records.

When Brooklyn, New York thrash metal crossover band CARNIVORE was first formed in 1982 by groundbreaking vocalist Peter Steele, no one could have predicted the influence they would inject into underground heavy metal culture, or the legacy Steele would carry on into TYPE O NEGATIVE. The raw energy of their aggressive and often shocking, violent live assaults reverberated beyond the walls of the New York City clubs they frequented, creating an impact acknowledged throughout the metal community even today.

CARNIVORE reformed in 2017 with the addition of the "A.D." suffix, with original CARNIVORE drummer Louie Beato (a.k.a. Louie Beateaux) recruiting former CARNIVORE guitarist Marc Piovanetti as two-thirds of the band's "Retribution" lineup, bringing in New York native Misuraca to fill the bassist/vocalist role.

CARNIVORE A.D. has long stood as a living vessel for the primal force that defined the original CARNIVORE era, carrying it onto stages worldwide with the blessing and support of Beato. What began as a mission to preserve and present the past with authenticity has, through time and experience, grown into something that breathes on its own — guided by experience, commitment and a deep responsibility to the foundation from which it came. The partnership with Apostasy Records reflects this ongoing evolution and signals the start of a new period for the band, with its first signs set to emerge in the year ahead.

Freshly returned from a short but intense European tour, which included several sold-out club shows, CARNIVORE A.D. continues to demonstrate its strong standing as a live act. Just prior to this run, the band completed a U.S. tour, performing in respected venues such as Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles, alongside additional Pacific Coast dates.

Over the past years, CARNIVORE A.D. has appeared at established metal festivals (including Brutal Assault and Hellfest) as well as stages at events like Rock Hard Festival, Lisbon Tattoo Rock Fest, Ruhrpott Metal Meeting and Maryland Deathfest, reinforcing its reputation through consistent live performances and international presence.

Photo courtesy of Apostasy Records

During an appearance on the December 11 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", STRYPER frontman Michael Sweet opened up about his recent revelation that he has been diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer, the most common type of thyroid cancer. The diagnosis came less than a month after he underwent a biopsy of a nodule in the right lobe of his thyroid. Sweet said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I've noticed over the past 10 years some issues with my neck and my voice, a little more difficulty singing like I wanna sing. And I just wrote it off to getting older and age and whatnot. I went in and got checked and they scoped me and did an ultrasound and they discovered that I had some nodules on my thyroid on each side. And they just kept an eye on those for a number of years. And they got bigger, they got larger, and then one in particular, the one on my left side, got large enough where they wanted to biopsy it, and it came back malignant. I had surgery two years ago to have that removed. My right side, I have Hashimoto's [chronic autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid gland] and I had a nodule on that side, but it wasn't suspicious. They didn't think I'd have any issues with that. Having the other side removed and going on medication, well, obviously things took a different direction. There was some new calcification in that nodule and they did a biopsy and it came back malignant. So I gotta go through it again."

Asked by host Eddie Trunk to clarify if this is the same kind of operation he already underwent two years ago but just in "another part of the thyroid", Sweet said: "That's correct. Yeah, they left it in my right thyroid, with that nodule, 'cause they weren't concerned about it. Obviously things have a way of working themselves out, uh, different from what you might think and plans change, and that's what happened with me. So I've gotta go have the same surgery…"

Michael continued: "I've got all these people who — God bless them, and I appreciate it — are reaching out to me about holistic medicine and natural healing and this and that. And to be honest with you, I just wanna get it out of there. And I don't wanna mess around with it… It's papillary, slow growing. It's at a stage where I'm okay, but if I ignore it and I'm not proactive, it'll get to a point where it will eventually spread, and then I've got real issues."

Sweet also talked about the importance of early cancer detection, because it drastically improves treatment effectiveness, increases survival rates, and often allows for less invasive treatment, making it easier and cheaper to cure, catching cancers before they spread. Asked if there were any symptoms that he noticed before getting diagnosed, Michael said: "There are symptoms, and I had those symptoms. I mean, probably the biggest symptom that you will notice is a hoarseness. You can probably hear it in my throat right now. I never had a hoarseness in my throat. So I went to go get checked to see if I had any polyps on my vocal folds, and I didn't. And when you have any type of prolonged hoarseness or sore throat, and then the obvious, if you have any protrusions in your neck, when you tilt your head back, any lumps, anything you see it, don't mess with it. Go. And chances are it's not gonna be anything. I'm in the very rare minimum and few that it develops into cancer. I wanna say, I believe it's four or five percent. Well, I'm that guy. And it's happened twice. So, it's one of those things. And I'm not gonna sit here and whine about it or anything. I mean, everybody has their issues — we all do — but I think the key is being proactive. Don't put off for tomorrow what you should deal with today regarding your health. Don't do it. Colonoscopy — I was scared to death to get a colonoscopy. I don't know why. I just was. I finally got one. I waited till I was 53. Thank God there were no issues at all. I'm good, but don't wait. Go deal with it."

When Sweet first went public with his latest cancer diagnosis on December 9, he wrote on his social media: "A lot of you have been asking about my health and well being so I wanted to give you an update.

"First, thank you all for your continued thoughts and prayers. It always means the world and I can't thank you enough for taking the time to think of me.

"I spoke to my endocrinologist and unfortunately the biopsy that was performed on 11/17 (a nodule in my right thyroid) came back positive. Malignant.

"I'm scheduled for a CT and an ultrasound next Monday 12/15 (following the Christmas show) and then I'll be meeting with my doctor/surgeon on 12/22 to figure out a plan moving forward.

"We start recording the new STRYPER album on 12/28 and that will remain on schedule. Once we finish tracking, I'll be undergoing another surgery to remove my right thyroid and the nodule itself.

"This is papillary thyroid cancer, so the good news that it's slow growing and something that my doctor seems very optimistic about.

"Interestingly enough, I sang the album 'When We Were Kings' 2 months (to the day) after my first thyroidectomy, and I never felt better vocally.

"Unfortunately (and more recently),I've been experiencing a few issues vocally and it feels a little more 'crowded' in there. Now I understand why.

"My sincere apologies for not being to perform at 100% lately. It's been a bit of a burden to be honest, but I'm confident that things will get better.

"Even though it's concerning to even hear the 'C' word (much less be diagnosed with it),I believe that it will be behind me soon enough. I'll get in and deal with it and heal up and be ready for 2026.

"Please don't worry about me as I know and trust that God has a plan.

"I've always felt some kind of peace in being able to ask for prayer here. Whether it's for someone else or for myself, you always take the time to do that and it is a true blessing. It's been a constant in my life and I believe that you all are friends. Family.

"I love you guys and I can't wait to see you on the road in 2026.

"Merry Christmas and I hope you all are enjoying the new STRYPER Christmas album!

"Always remember - He Is The Reason For The Season".

According to the Columbia University Department Of Surgery, papillary thyroid cancer makes up about 80% of all cases of thyroid cancer. It is also the thyroid cancer with the best prognosis and most patients can be cured if treated appropriately and early enough.

In December 2023, Sweet underwent partial thyroidectomy, the surgery to remove part of his thyroid gland. Five months later, he told Steve Mascord of White Line Fever TV about the procedure: "I had nodules a nodule in each side of my thyroid, so thyroid nodules. And one of those got larger and larger. It was biopsied and it was cancer. So they removed half of my thyroid, [the left] half. [The right] half I still have. I have a nodule there still that's cystic they're gonna keep an eye on. I had to start thyroid medication. But I had the surgery back in December — December 15th [of 2023]."

Regarding how the operation affected his singing voice, Sweet said at the time: "I could feel the pressure of the room and the space in that area with those nodules getting larger. I could feel it. And it's been like that for a few years. I've had 'em for a while, but I had to have it removed because of the cancer, and I dealt with it right away. But having the side of that thyroid removed, they had to cut through some muscles. So I can really feel it — it just feels different, it's the only way I can describe it. My vocal nerve was not damaged. I went to the best doctor in Boston who specializes in that, specifically not damaging the vocal nerve. He uses a very particular monitoring system, and he kind of wrote the book on that. And no damage to my vocal nerve — thank God. But still, it feels weird when I sing. It feels like someone kind of has their hand on my throat. It's the only way I can describe it."

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

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

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

In a new interview with Ed Hackimer of This Day In Metal, former SEPULTURA and current SOULFLY frontman Max Cavalera was asked what is has been like for him to infuse Brazilian culture into his music and have that not only be accepted but celebrated on such a global scale. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's been great, man. I love the fact that a lot of — not just Brazil, but a lot of third world countries, a lot of the more broken kind of countries, [where they] have a lot of crime or poverty or problems with society, they embrace me as kind of like, that I'm their voice. And that's been really cool for many years.

"I feel like Brazil, there's so much bad shit. It's a beautiful country, but there's a lot of bad shit," he continued. "And we only have a couple of good things that come out of Brazil. I feel like I've been carrying that flag and that torch now for 40 years. [I'm] probably the most worldwide recognized Brazilian musician right now in the rock world. But it's, so cool, 'cause we came from nothing. It was us against the world. I mean, other things haven't happened yet, like Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame hasn't called me or anything like that. But I don't know. If it happens, it happens. It'll be cool. If it doesn't, it doesn't. It's all good. But I know that the fans love it."

Max added: "I love the fact that I also kind of introduced the Brazilian culture to Americans, to Europeans, and they really appreciate that, man. I talked to a lot of fans that they didn't know a lot of stuff about Brazil until they learned from my songs, either SEPULTURA or SOULFLY. And [SOULFLY's latest album] 'Chama' is very Brazilian in its essence. The name is Brazilian, the songs — 'Favela', 'Indigenous Inquisition'. There's a lot of Brazil in 'Chama', which is, I don't know why that happened; it just kind of went that way. But, yeah, I'm very proud of it, but not proud in a nationalistic [way], 'Oh, Brazil is better than everybody.' None of that. I love the grit that we have. The culture is beautiful. It's powerful. And I like to mix that with metal."

SOULFLY's thirteenth album, "Chama", was released on October 24 via Nuclear Blast Records. SOULFLY drummer — and Max's son — Zyon Cavalera co-produced the LP, which was recorded at the Platinum Underground Studio in Mesa, Arizona by John Aquilino. John has worked with Max and company multiple times before and is not only a talented engineer but a family friend. The album was produced by Zyon and Arthur Rizk. The latter was also responsible for the mixing and mastering. Rizk has not only worked with the Cavalera family numerous times before, but has also helped to shape the world of heavy metal in the modern day. SOULFLY enlisted Carletta Parrish to create the album artwork. For the album, Igor Amadeus Cavalera (GO AHEAD & DIE, NAILBOMB, HEALING MAGIC) played bass and Mike De Leon played guitar. The album also features Dino Cazares (FEAR FACTORY) on one of the tracks.

This past May, SOULFLY recruited Chase Bryant (WARBRINGER) to play bass on the band's European tour, which kicked off on June 7 at the South Of Heaven festival in Maastricht, Netherlands.

A month earlier, SOULFLY parted ways with the band's longtime bassist Mike Leon.

Leon, formerly of HAVOK, joined SOULFLY in September 2015 as the replacement for STATIC-X bassist Tony Campos, who left SOULFLY in May of that year.

Guitarist Mike DeLeon has been touring with SOULFLY for more than two years. Prior to hooking up with SOULFLY, DeLeon had been a member of PANTERA singer Philip Anselmo's solo band PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, which he joined in 2015 as the replacement for Marzi Montazeri. More recently, Mike filled in for Zakk Wylde at the first rehearsal for the fall 2022 PANTERA shows.

EVANESCENCE performed the song "Afterlife" during last night's (Thursday, December 11) Game Awards at Los Angeles's Peacock Theatre. Professionally filmed video of the band's appearance can be seen below.

The original version of "Afterlife" was released in March 2025. The track appeared in Netflix's adult animated urban fantasy action television series "Devil May Cry", which is based on the Japanese video game franchise of the same name by Capcom. Created by Adi Shankar and produced by Studio Mir, "Devil May Cry" was released in April on Netflix.

EVANESCENCE has also teamed up with the British synthwave band GUNSHIP to release a new Spotify Singles version of "Afterlife".

"We've been looking for an excuse to work with GUNSHIP for too long, and I couldn't be more excited about this dark new version of 'Afterlife'," said EVANESCENCE singer Amy Lee. "Being a part of the 'Devil May Cry' series has been an honor and too much fun."

In an interview with Audacy Music, Lee stated about how the original version of "Afterlife" came together: "Netflix, via Mako, who is a guy that did score work on this series, 'Devil May Cry', had this song started and reached out to me and was, like, 'Hey, we'd worked together once before on a Lindsey Stirling track during the pandemic.' So, I made vocals to it, and we were kind of just communicating via e-mail. But he was, like, 'Hey, check it out. Would this be cool? Would you sing on this?' And that just snowballed into finishing the song together and then getting it, like, 'This is an EVANESCENCE song. Let's get the band in here. And let's just take this all the way.' And us getting to go into the studio with [producer] Nick Raskulinecz, who we did our last two albums with and love working with him. He is right here in Nashville, so it's fun and easy for me and I could just keep going over there and annoying him. And it kind of just happened, kind of fast."

Game Awards is an annual awards ceremony for video games which first launched in 2014. This year's event handed out awards to some of the biggest games to take over consoles, including the prestigious "Game Of The Year" award. The winner of the entirely fan-voted "Players' Voice" award was also revealed.

Earlier this month, EVANESCENCE announced a world tour for 2026. The trek will kick off on June 11, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida and run through the end of October. EVANESCENCE will perform in North America in June and July, before heading over to Europe, and wrapping things up at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. Support on the trek will come from SPIRITBOX, Poppy, K. Flay and NOVA TWINS across select dates.

EVANESCENCE recently completed a tour of Australia and New Zealand at, including several shows as the support act for METALLICA.

In 2003, when the rock charts were dominated by predominantly male nü-metal and post-grunge acts, a young female-fronted band from Arkansas stood out from the crowd, offering something entirely new. They were EVANESCENCE — and with their debut album, "Fallen", they transformed the rock landscape. Led by Lee, EVANESCENCE's cinematic blend of metal and symphonic, piano-driven melodies captured a generation, while "Fallen" set the band on a path to global superstardom, earning them multiple Grammys, and becoming one of the highest-selling albums of all time.

Released in the spring of 2003, "Fallen" resonated deeply with fans, selling more than 141,000 copies in its first week and peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, where it spent an astonishing 43 weeks in the Top 10. Within a month, "Fallen" was certified platinum by the RIAA, while it was a Top 10 hit in more than ten countries, reaching No. 1 in the U.K., Canada, Australia, and across Europe. Much of the album's initial success can be attributed to its stratospheric singles, including "Bring Me to Life", which broke the Top 10 in more than 15 countries and topped Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 and Alternative Airplay charts. "My Immortal" was a Top 10 hit in over ten countries, including the U.S., U.K. and Australia.

At the 2004 Grammys, EVANESCENCE received five nominations, including "Album Of The Year", "Best Rock Album", "Best Hard Rock Performance" for "Bring Me To Life", and "Best New Artist", taking home the latter two. The following year, "My Immortal" received a nod for "Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals".

Today, "Fallen" holds steady as the sixth best-selling album of the 21st century (ranking just behind Lady Gaga's "The Fame" and ahead of COLDPLAY's "A Rush Of Blood To The Head") and remains one of the best-selling albums of all time, with more than 17 million copies sold worldwide. In 2022, "Fallen" received a rare diamond certification from the RIAA, which recognizes 10 million units in U.S. album sales. As a testament to the album's enduring appeal, the video for "Bring Me To Life" surpassed 1.6 billion views on YouTube, making it one of the most-watched rock videos of all-time while "My Immortal" follows close behind.

To date, EVANESCENCE has released a total of five studio albums, including the multi-platinum "The Open Door" (2004) and "Evanescence" (2011),both of which topped the Billboard 200. In 2021, the band thrilled fans with their first album of new material in a decade, "The Bitter Truth". Now more than 20 years on, EVANESCENCE continues to scale new heights. Featuring a lineup of Amy Lee (vocals, keyboards),Tim McCord (guitar/bass),Will Hunt (drums),Troy McLawhorn (guitars) and Emma Anzai (bass, backing vocals),the band continues to travel the globe, staging some of the most successful shows of their career, including Allianz Parque, a soccer stadium in Sāo Paulo, Brasil, which was the biggest headline show of EVANESCENCE's career to date, drawing 40,000 fans.

This past Monday (December 8),KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons was asked by CNN's "The Lead With Jake Tapper" if he ever thought he and his bandmates would one day be recognized by the Kennedy Center Honors, the annual celebration of luminaries in American performing arts. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yes. That, and more."

Gene explained: "When we're all children, we all have delusional notions about ourselves… You had big dreams, and part and parcel between the big dream and reality is just hard work. Hard work is easier, but to have this kind of, imagine this, the will to reach for the stars and all that… I'm getting very emotional about this. But in America, it's big dreams. Reach for the stars. Did I ever imagine? You betcha. Climb Mount Olympus? You betcha. The air up there's thin, but I belong there."

Regarding the fact that original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley didn't live long enough to be honored — alongside Simmons, drummer Peter Criss and guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley — at the 48th annual Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday, December 7, Gene said: "Well, his daughter Monique and his wife Jeanette were there, and it's heartbreaking. Ace actually found out from the Kennedy Center that we were going to be honored, and he was so thrilled.

"We were four knuckleheads off the streets of New York with no resume, no experience, no manager," Simmons added. "We didn't know. We were like kids playing in the mud. Scientists call that a singularity. It just happened — the right thing at the right place at the right time… And I wanna tell you that I can't explain it, but here we are. And I get very emotional talking about this because I wasn't born in America. I know I don't look Swiss. My mother and I came here as legal immigrants, because there is a difference, and we waited in line for years until we finally came in. And one of the first images I saw on television was a man, and he was flying through the air with no jets or anything and just a cape on his back. And my mind was blown. What kind of country is this? And I'm still amazed by the wonder that's America. And I get flack for that from people saying, 'Well, you're doing soundbites.' No, no. I deeply love, and I'm amazed by this country, no matter all the problems. There's always people [who] always argue about stuff, but the wonder that is America is that I can be here, first-generation legal immigrant, and people who've been here for hundreds of years don't say, 'Go to the back of the line.' I can have access to any position in power I can have, as long as I'm willing to work for it. That's the American dream."

On the red carpet of this year's Kennedy Center Honors, Stanley told People magazine that "the fans carry on [Ace's] legacy" and added that Frehley, who died in October, was there in spirit.

"We are here and simultaneously we can mourn his passing and celebrate our accomplishments. So both things can be true at the same time," Paul said. "He's here in spirit. He was looking very forward to being here and I feel he's here."

"People live on through the arts," Paul continued. "That's the beauty of the arts, is that when people are gone, they remain. Their impact remains. The joy that they bring people remains. You know, Beethoven doesn't have to be here today. Picasso doesn't have to be here today. The fact that they existed and contributed something means that we all benefit timelessly."

In a statement about this year's Kennedy Center Honors, KISS said: "From the very beginning, KISS has been about proving that anything is possible with hard work and passion. We're deeply honored to receive the Kennedy Center Honors, and proudly share this recognition with our fans and all those who have been a part of creating this legacy. This honor would not be possible without the irreplaceable contributions of our founding partner, Ace Frehley. knowing how much this award meant to him, we celebrate this milestone as we mourn his loss."

U.S. president Donald Trump praised this year's honorees as "perhaps the most accomplished and renowned class of Kennedy Center honorees ever assembled."

According to Billboard, Ace became only the third person to receive a Kennedy Center Honor posthumously, following two other group members who likewise died after the groups' awards were first announced: Glenn Frey of EAGLES and Phil Lesh of GRATEFUL DEAD.

Throughout its 48-year history, the annual Kennedy Center Honors Gala has become the highlight of the Washington cultural and society calendar.

The Kennedy Center Honors recognizes and celebrates individuals whose unique artistic contributions have shaped our world. Recipients have each had an impact on the rich tapestry of American life and culture through the performing arts. Whether in music, dance, theater, opera, motion pictures, or television, each Kennedy Center honoree has a unique place in the fabric of our nation and their influence has inspired audiences from all walks of life.

The honoree selection process includes solicitation of recommendations from former honorees, the artistic community, the Kennedy Center board of trustees, and the general public. This year's selected honorees were chosen based on the recommendation of the Center's special honors advisory committee.

As in years past, last Sunday night's gala will be turned into a broadcast special that will air on CBS and Paramount+ on December 23.