FIMBUL WINTER, the new Swedish death metal band featuring three former AMON AMARTH members, will release its debut EP, "What Once Was", on November 14. The project consists of original AMON AMARTH members Niko Kaukinen on drums and Anders Biazzi (formerly Anders Hansson) on guitar, and former AMON AMARTH drummer Fredrik Andersson on lead guitar. Completing the lineup is Clint Williams on vocals.

According to a press release, FIMBUL WINTER fuses decades of experience with a fresh, uncompromising energy. "What Once Was" delivers a sound that is cold, intense, and fiercely authentic — a bold statement from a band built on unfinished business and a shared passion for the roots of Swedish death metal.

"What Once Was" track listing:

01. Storms Rage
02. What Once Was
03. Mounds Of Stones
04. A Soul That Soared
05. In Solitude's Embrace

The official Svartna Film-created music video for the EP's first single, "Mounds Of Stones", can be seen below.

FIMBUL WINTER comments: "We've poured our passion, energy, and heart into this track. It's more than just a song, it's our way of showing the world what we're capable of, and we can't wait for people to finally hear it.

"'Mounds Of Stones' tells the story of a figure shaped by suffering, who turns his pain into vengeance. He isn't remembered by name, only by the silence and the stones left behind."

Lineup:

Niko Kaukinen (AMON AMARTH founding member) - Drums
Anders Biazzi (AMON AMARTH founding member) - Guitar
Fredrik Andersson (ex-AMON AMARTH) - Lead Guitar
Clint Williams (MUNITIONS) - Vocals

Session bass by Tobias Cristiansson (NECROPHOBIC, GRAVE, DISMEMBER)

The idea for FIMBUL WINTER's formation was born out of a spontaneous reunion performing the AMON AMARTH demo from 1994 called "The Arrival Of The Fimbul Winter". That reconnection quickly turned into something more serious: a desire to create new music that captures the spirit of the early Swedish scene, without compromises and without dilution of intensity. The result is "What Once Was", where FIMBUL WINTER delivers a sound that is cold, uncompromising, and fiercely authentic. As torchbearers of the Swedish melodic death metal tradition, the band channels decades of experience while staying true to the sound that defined them, from rediscovered riffs originally written for AMON AMARTH to entirely new compositions.

FIMBUL WINTER is not a side project or nostalgia trip. It's a band built on unfinished business and a shared intent to continue shaping the sound they helped create.

Regarding how FIMBUL WINTER came together, the band said: "The idea started with Niko wanting to play the demo 'The Arrival Of The Fimbul Winter', which he recorded over 30 years ago, at his 50th-birthday party. Fredrik thought it sounded like fun and offered to play the guitar. After that Anders was asked to join in and then with the addition of friends Linus Nirbrant on bass and Clint on vocals, a selected amount of friends got to experience this unique lineup and hear the tracks that once laid the foundation to what was to become. Having so much fun playing together and realizing all three former members had a ton of killer old-school material, the decision to keep on playing and to eventually record new songs was made."

Andersson was fired from AMON AMARTH in March 2015, just as the band was preparing to enter the studio to begin work on its 2016 album "Jomsviking". AMON AMARTH opted to enlist a session drummer, Tobias Gustafsson (VOMITORY, CUT UP),during the recording sessions for the disc, but hired Jocke Wallgren to join them on the road. Wallgren was named a permanent member of AMON AMARTH in September 2016.

In a 2016 interview with Brazil's "Wikimetal" podcast, AMON AMARTH guitarist Olavi Mikkonen stated about the band's split with Andersson: "I don't really wanna go into details regarding Fredrik, but, basically, we just separated. It's kind of like a marriage that doesn't work, and you get divorced. And that's kind of what happened to our band."

FOO FIGHTERS have surprise-released a new live EP. Recorded at various club shows the band played across the United States in September, "Are Playing Where??? Vol. 1" is available exclusively on Bandcamp, with proceeds going towards local charities working to combat food insecurity in San Luis Obispo and Santa Ana, California, Washington, D.C., and New Haven, Connecticut — the four cities where the gigs took place.

"Are Playing Where??? Vol. 1" was captured at at San Luis Obispo's Fremont Theater, Santa Ana's The Observatory, Washington, D.C.'s Black Cat and Toad's Place in New Haven.

According to a press release, "Are Playing Where??? Vol. 1" boasts "absolutely ripping live tracks recorded in front of dozens, possibly hundreds of lucky fans at the band's recent surprise club gigs".

The "Are Playing Where??? Vol. 1" track listing consists of "Alone + Easy Target", "Exhausted", "Wattershed" and "Weenie Beenie", all of which originally appeared on the FOO FIGHTERS' 1995 self-titled debut album, along with a live rendition of a bonus track from that era, "Winnebago". Also included is a live version of "White Limo" from FOO FIGHTERS' seventh album, 2011's "Wasting Light".

The track listing is:

01. Alone + Easy Target (Live From Somewhere 2025)
02. Exhausted (Live From Somewhere 2025)
03. Wattershed (Live From Somewhere 2025)
04. Weenie Beenie (Live From Somewhere 2025)
05. White Limo (Live From Somewhere 2025)
06. Winnebago (Live From Somewhere 2025)

FOO FIGHTERS played their first concert with new drummer Ilan Rubin on September 13 at the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, California.

The Grohl-fronted outfit announced the surprise show the day before, revealing that it would play an all-ages gig at the 900-capacity venue, marking the band's first official performance with Rubin, the former NINE INCH NAILS drummer who joined the FOO FIGHTERS earlier this year.

At one point, Grohl introduced Rubin from the stage. "Everybody else has said it," Dave said. "I finally get the opportunity to say, 'Ladies and gentlemen, will you please welcome…' The most badass motherfucker, Ilan Rubin, is playing drums in the FOO FIGHTERS right now. It's official. You can stamp the passport."

Prior to the San Luis Obispo concert, FOO FIGHTERS had been off the road since September 2024.

FOO FIGHTERS played in Jakarta, Indonesia on October 2, and will next play in Singapore, Tokyo and Osaka later this month. They will also play a show in Mexico City on November 14.

FOO FIGHTERS announced Rubin as their new drummer this past July.

Rubin was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with NINE INCH NAILS in 2020.

Rubin stepped into the FOO FIGHTERS as the replacement for Josh Freese, who was fired from the group in May. Freese, meanwhile, who was the NAILS' touring drummer from 2005 to 2008, returned to the band earlier this summer.

Two years after he was recruited to fill the vacancy left by the late Taylor Hawkins, Freese shared a statement on Instagram on May 16 in which he said the FOO FIGHTERS called him earlier that week to let him know that they had decided "to go in a different direction with their drummer." Freese added, "No reason was given."

Rubin played with NINE INCH NAILS from 2008 to 2009, and again from 2013 until his latest exit. Rubin is also a member of Tom DeLonge's band ANGELS & AIRWAVES, and has played with Danny Elfman. He also recorded solo albums under the name THE NEW REGIME.

FOO FIGHTERS' 11th album, "But Here We Are", was released in June 2023 on Roswell/RCA.

Hawkins tragically passed away in March 2022 at the age of 50.

Hawkins was found dead in a hotel room in Colombia, shortly before FOO FIGHTERS were due to play a festival in Bogotá. No cause of death was ever announced.

Hawkins had been the FOO FIGHTERS drummer for 25 years, taking over from original drummer William Goldsmith in 1997.

FOO FIGHTERS staged two tribute concerts in honor of Hawkins. The first tribute concert took place September 3, 2022 at London's Wembley Stadium. A Los Angeles concert was held on September 27, 2022 and raised money for Musicares and Music Support charities and served as a farewell party for Hawkins's adopted hometown.

Other notable tributes to come in the months following Hawkins's death included a segment at the 2022 Grammy Awards, a drum circle in Taylor's hometown, and a live performance of the FOO FIGHTERS song "My Hero" by more than 1,000 musicians.

Photo credit: Elizabeth Miranda
Are Playing Where??? Vol. I by Foo Fighters

Following the stomping debut single "Heavy As Hell" from their upcoming album "Built To Destroy", due out on November 14, New York steamrollers N.Y.C. kick down the doors of the virtual Heaven 'N' Hell Bar once again, this time with the album's crushing title track. Louder, faster, and meaner, "Built To Destroy" is a perfect metal battering ram for the beginning of the end times. The self-titled track arrives accompanied by an official next-gen Unreal Engine 5 music video, available below.

N.Y.C. — featuring Tommy Bolan (WARLOCK),Stet Howland (W.A.S.P., METAL CHURCH) and Steve Unger (METAL CHURCH) — rages with the raw spirit of an era when "badass" was still a compliment, when action heroes were leather-clad wild cards instead of neurotic teens, and when heavy metal proudly gave pop the middle finger. Think classic riffs, explosive energy, and a no-compromise attitude forged in the fire where metal, action flicks, and first-person shooters like Doom collided.

Bolan sums it up best: "The title song — a crisp 'I'm fed up and sick of everything!' Simply a respawn of the good old Do It My Way — and if you get in my way, I'll run you over and drop a building on you. A feel-good song for everyone who's had enough!"

Keeping with the band's signature mix of heavy riffs and cinematic world-building, the track's music video takes place in the flame-spewing cathedral of the Heaven 'N' Hell Bar. This time, the doors open to a dark dimension, revealing glimpses of a post-apocalyptic cityscape that fans will instantly connect to the Doom-inspired aesthetics introduced in "Heavy As Hell".

Directed once again by Academy Award–winning Hollywood veteran Walter Schulz, the video continues N.Y.C.'s groundbreaking series of virtual performances powered by Epic's Unreal Engine.

"The approach to the N.Y.C. music videos has been a unique new way and possibly a future industry standard to produce content for this type of material," says Schulz.

Markus Liedtke, CEO and founder of AMNET (Adrenalizing Media Network),adds: "Every gamer knows Epic's Unreal Engine — but we're taking it to the next level. With our N.Y.C. music video project, we're redefining how artists, gaming, and entertainment merge into a new kind of global franchise."

The Heaven 'N' Hell Bar itself debuted at San Diego Comic-Con (CCI 2023) in an exclusive comic book edition of NRCity Stories Extreme: Chapter 0 – A Painful Birth, where the band first stepped into their growing narrative universe.

What would it sound like if AC/DC brawled with JUDAS PRIEST in an alley while MOTÖRHEAD revved a Harley over the whole thing? Meet N.Y.C. and their debut album "Built To Destroy". It's heavy, it's loud, it's fed up, and it's definitely not here to make friends.

Founded by lead singer and guitarist Tommy Bolan, born and raised in Queens, New York and the six-string shredder behind WARLOCK's platinum "Triumph & Agony", N.Y.C. also features metal legends Howland on drums and Unger on bass. Together, they channel the sound of New York City: noisy, restless, pissed off and ready to rise from the gutter.

Their debut album "Built To Destroy" was produced by Tommy Bolan and is being released by Adrenalizing Media Network (executive producer). It was recorded at Deep End Music Studios and mastered by Robert Vosgien (Los Angeles, USA).

Bolan comments on the debut album: "I wanted to write songs that were real to me. With our songs, we can vent our aggression while at the same time exorcise our demons of insanity. I'm the guy on the New York street corner screamin' about everything, and you FEEL that intensity in our live show."

Tommy continues: "'Built To Destroy' is basically the return for anyone to end all of the bullshit that has been dumped on them in their life. All of the madness, lies, and self-sacrifice of body, mind, and soul at the hands of others shall now be turned around. As my song says: I am 'tired of smiling'. All of this has made me the half man-half machine you see before you. I have returned to set my demons free and tolerate no one's limitations any longer."

"Built To Destroy" track listing:

01. Heavy As Hell
02. Twisted
03. United
04. Tired Of Smiling
05. Lyin' Eyes
06. Let's Roll (40 Brave)
07. Central Park
08. Fight
09. Full Tilt
10. Highway To Nowhere
11. Gasoline
12. 244
13. Built To Destroy

"Built To Destroy" is a full-on sonic tantrum and the pre-release festivities are coming in hot. The launch of Bolan's signature guitar strings (via Optima Strings) is underway, alongside some — quite literally — epic and amazing videos with VFX veteran Walter Schulz (Emmy and Academy Award winner and Hollywood VFX director). Schulz and the team at Adrenalizing Media Network have been working with Unreal Engine and all their latest technologies, spared no effort to get never done before uses out of the outstanding capabilities of the latest gaming tech.

"Walter is a master at his craft and a perfect fit," states Bolan, "The visual world he has created captures the intensity of N.Y.C."

N.Y.C. is:

Tommy Bolan - Vocals/Guitar
Stet Howland - Drums
Steve Unger - Bass

Scott Stapp's "Deadman's Trigger" shoots to No. 9 on the Mediabase Active Rock chart, becoming the third consecutive radio hit from the CREED frontman's latest solo album, "Higher Power". Previous singles were "Black Butterfly" (No. 5) and "Higher Power" (No. 8).

Released in March 2024, "Higher Power"'s sustained success, amidst two years of sold-out arena tours with CREED, has now cemented the icon status of one of rock's most recognizable voices.

To accompany the single, Stapp released "Deadman's Trigger: A Short Film" in August. The nine-minute rock-fueled Western is a classic showdown in which a peaceful man of faith defends what he loves most. In a hail of Hellfire, he protects (and is saved) by an unlikely hero — his seven-year-old son Anthony Stapp.

Billboard wrote the "Higher Power" album is "growling and energetic, but also admirably reflective." Esquire wrote, "with 10 huge, earnest, soaring, anthemic tracks, it's everything you love about Scott Stapp," and Loudwire named it "one of the year's best solo rock records."

In March 2024, "Higher Power" debuted at No. 2 on the Current Hard Music Albums chart, No. 4 on the Current Digital Albums chart and No. 6 on the Current Rock Albums chart.

Stapp first emerged as the high-energy frontman of CREED. The Grammy-winning songwriter penned anthems like "Higher", "My Own Prison", "My Sacrifice", "With Arms Wide Open", "What If", "Say I" and "One", selling over 50 million albums and earning a diamond certification. Stapp's solo albums include the platinum-certified "The Great Divide" (2005),"Proof Of Life" (2013),"The Space Between The Shadows" (2019),and "Higher Power".

In 2024, CREED announced a North American tour. After each show quickly sold out, the tour was extended into 2025. The Grammy- and American Music Award-winning band formed in 1994 in Tallahassee, Florida. Nearly 30 years later formation, the anthems composed by Stapp and guitarist Mark Tremonti are part of mainstream rock's DNA. "My Own Prison" (1997) remains one of the late 20th century's biggest debuts. "Human Clay" (1999) and "Weathered" (2001) entered the Billboard 200 chart at No. 1, while "Full Circle" (2009) debuted at No. 1 on the Top Rock, Hard Rock, and Alternative charts and No. 2 on the Billboard 200. With over 53 million albums sold worldwide, CREED stands alongside VAN HALEN, GUNS N' ROSES and METALLICA as one of an elite few rock bands to earn RIAA diamond-certified status, for more than 11 million sales of "Human Clay" in the U.S.

After years away from the spotlight, AC/DC's iconic drummer Phil Rudd made his triumphant return to the stage. On July 26, 2025, Rudd appeared at Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand, performing live as part of the "Full Metal Orchestra" — a massive rock-meets-classical show featuring members of the Auckland Philharmonic, conducted by Sarah-Grace Williams. Together with Jon Toogood (SHIHAD) and a stellar lineup of rock vocalists, Phil delivered versions of AC/DC classics like "Thunderstruck", "Back In Black" and the anthemic "It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Want To Rock 'N' Roll)".

Professionally filmed video of Rudd"Back In Black"'s performance from the Spark Arena concert can be seen below.

"Full Metal Orchestra", which brings together the "raw power" of rock and metal music with the "sheer might" of a 29-piece classical orchestra, was powered by award-winning producer Jol Mulholland.

"Think METALLICA meets Mahler, AC/DC a deux, and [BLACK] SABBATH with strings — this is a symphonic experience like no other," organizers Duco Touring and Liberty Stage said when they announced the concert back in April.

"You'll witness massive metal anthems from the likes of METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN, BLACK SABBATH and AC/DC and more — amplified by soaring orchestral arrangements, searing guitars, powerhouse vocals, and epic visuals."

Duco Touring founder David Higgins told Stuff about Rudd's participation in the event: "Phil Rudd was always in my mind as the dream 'get' as one of the world's best known rock stars, living right here in New Zealand."

The now-71-year-old Rudd told Stuff six months ago: "It's going to be massive, fueled, we'll take off the roof…you wait. It's going to be thumping, boom boom, bang. It's exciting, like nothing else I've ever done, putting the best raw banging rock songs with a classical orchestra."

"Full Metal Orchestra" marked Rudd's first public performance since last November when he played AC/DC's classic song "T.N.T." with a local party act in New Zealand.

In a November 2023 interview with New Zealand's Stuff, Rudd said that he was unable to join his AC/DC bandmates at the Power Trip festival in California that year, but that he was "look[ing] forward to playing with them again in the future."

Sitting behind the drum kit for AC/DC's appearance at Power Trip in October 2023, on the spring/summer 2024 European tour, the spring 2025 North American tour and the summer 2025 European tour is Matt Laug. The 57-year-old Laug is an American drummer who has played with many bands/artists such as Alanis Morissette, Alice Cooper, SLASH'S SNAKEPIT and Vasco Rossi. Matt moved to Los Angeles after graduating from South Florence High School in 1986 and after attending college in L.A., Matt became a sought-after studio drummer. In 2001, Laug supported AC/DC as part of SLASH'S SNAKEPIT on the North American and European legs of the "Stiff Upper Lip" tour.

When AC/DC announced in September 2023 that Laug would play drums for the band at Power Trip, it offered no explanation for the absence of Rudd, who rejoined AC/DC for the recording of the group's comeback album, "Power Up", which came out in November 2020.

Rudd was ousted from AC/DC when he was sentenced to eight months of home detention by a New Zealand court in 2015 after pleading guilty to charges of threatening to kill and drug possession. He was replaced on the band's "Rock Or Bust" tour by Chris Slade, who had previously served as AC/DC's drummer between 1989 and 1994, playing on the album "The Razor's Edge".

Rudd, who appeared on all but three of AC/DC's 18 previous studio albums, toured in support of his 2014 solo debut, "Head Job". It was the release of that album that led indirectly to Rudd's arrest, with the drummer allegedly so angry at a personal assistant over the way the record was promoted that he threatened to have the man and his daughter killed.

During an appearance on a November 2020 episode of Dean Delray's "Let There Be Talk" podcast, Rudd confirmed that the seed for his return to AC/DC was planted at the funeral of AC/DC rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young in 2017. Rudd, singer Brian Johnson and bassist Cliff Williams all attended the ceremony. At the time, the three musicians were considered former members of AC/DC, with Johnson and Williams both having left in 2016 for health reasons, while Rudd was sidelined in 2015 with various legal issues.

"Angus and I had a good chat at Mal's funeral and caught up," Rudd recalled. "[After I played on the 'Rock Or Bust' record] there was crazy shit going on, but since then, I'd got my shit together and put a little band together, I went to Europe and was doing a bit of playing and stuff and did [a solo] album. The guys knew I was still playing, so when I caught up with Angus at the funeral, we were sort of chatting away and somehow, he just sort of [asked me] if I was up for [doing a new AC/DC] album. And he started writing the next day. He went in the studio and started writing straight away."

Angus told Rolling Stone that it was indeed Malcolm's funeral that helped heal old wounds.

"[Phil] was there and in good shape," the guitarist said. "He was keeping himself well together. He was getting therapy and sorting himself out. It was really good."

Johnson added that he and the rest of AC/DC welcomed Rudd with open arms. "I speak for all the boys with Phil," he said. "We defend Phil to the hilt. What happened up there, that's not the Phil we know. That was just something else. He's really looking brilliant now and doing everything great."

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Posted by Ticketmaster New Zealand on Wednesday, April 30, 2025

UMe/Geffen celebrate GUNS N' ROSES' incredible musical legacy with "Live Era '87-'93", the ultimate vinyl set that chronicles the first official live album from GUNS N' ROSES. "Live Era '87-'93" was recorded live across the universe between 1987 and 1993, and it has been newly remastered for this collection from the original stereo analog master tapes for the first time since 1999. Included on "Live Era '87-'93" are definitive, of-era live renditions of classic GUNS N' ROSES tracks such as "November Rain", "Sweet Child O' Mine", "Welcome To The Jungle", "Don't Cry" and "Paradise City".

Set for release on November 21, 2025, "Live Era '87-'93" features a total of 23 live tracks. It is available in multiple configurations, including a Premium 4-LP Color Vinyl, Standard 4-LP 180-Gram Black Vinyl, and Digital Remaster. The new remaster of "Live Era '87-'93" will be available to stream and as digital downloads newly expanded with the 1999 vinyl and Japan bonus track "Coma", with all vinyl configurations available to pre-order now.

"Live Era '87-'93": 4LP Premium Edition

The limited-edition 4LP Premium Edition sports two gatefold jackets that come inside an embossed slipcase with foil details, and includes a poster. Each of the 4 LPs are pressed on unique color vinyl.

"Live Era '87-'93": 4LP

The standard 4LP edition is pressed on 180-gram black vinyl, has been expanded into two gatefold jackets that are housed in a slipcase, and comes with a poster.

"Live Era '87-'93": Digital

The digital version features the complete album remastered from the original stereo analog master, and it also contains the 1999 vinyl & Japan-exclusive bonus track "Coma" that will be available digitally worldwide for the first time on November 21.

The history of GUNS N' ROSES up to the time that "Live Era '87-'93" was originally released in 1999 is the stuff of legends. The first full-length album from GUNS N' ROSES, 1987's "Appetite For Destruction", is one of the most popular hard rock albums in history and has been on the Billboard 200 albums or Top Pop Catalog chart for a total of 746 weeks. Certified 18 times platinum in the U.S., "Appetite For Destruction" charted No. 1 for five weeks and includes three Top 10s: the anthem "Welcome To The Jungle" (No. 7) and the frenzied rocker "Paradise City" (No. 5),plus their platinum-selling No. 1 single "Sweet Child O' Mine". The video for "Sweet Child O' Mine" has over one billion views on YouTube.

1988's "G N'R Lies", comprised of songs from the group's independently-released 1986 EP "Live?!*@Like A Suicide" plus new studio recordings, followed "Appetite For Destruction" up the charts, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The Grammy-nominated album (for "Best Hard Rock Performance") was five times platinum (each platinum level connotes sales of more than one million units) and claimed the gold No. 4-charting ballad "Patience".

Then, on September 17, 1991, with one of the most anticipated releases ever in music, both "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" debuted. "Use Your Illusion I" featured two gold singles with "November Rain" (No. 3) and "Don't Cry" (No. 10) plus another Top 40 with "Live And Let Die" (No. 33). "Use Your Illusion II" boasted another gold hit with the previously released single "You Could Be Mine" (No. 29),heard in the film "Terminator II: Judgment Day". "II" also features "Yesterdays", "Civil War" and GN'R's take on Bob Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door". Each of the "Use Your Illusion" albums went seven times platinum, with "Use Your Illusion I" going to No. 2 and "Use Your Illusion II" hitting No. 1. "Use Your Illusion I" was Grammy-nominated for "Best Hard Rock Performance" as was the WINGS cover "Live And Let Die". Both "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" have sold over seven million copies to date.

A collection of GUNS N' ROSES covers of classic, mainly punk, songs that had influenced the bandmembers since their early days, 1993's "The Spaghetti Incident?" hit No. 4, and is certified platinum. "The Spaghetti Incident?" features renditions of THE DEAD BOYS' 1978 track "Ain't It Fun" and an unlikely cover of THE SKYLINERS' '50s doo-wop gem "Since I Don't Have You".

GUNS N' ROSES will be on tour internationally in October and November 2025.

Former IRON MAIDEN singer Blaze Bayley is among the musicians who took part in a tribute concert to late MAIDEN singer Paul Di'Anno on Thursday, October 2 at the Keep It True Rising V festival at Posthalle in Würzburg, Germany.

Also taking part in the event were all members of Paul's most recent backing band from Norway:

* Rikard Nilsen (guitar)
* Jon Vegard Næss (guitar)
* Are With Gogstad (bass)
* Henrik Haugsnes Kaupang (drums)

Additional lead vocals were provided by Roger "Stocky" Stockbroeks from POWERVICE

Other guests:

* Terry Wapram (ex-IRON MAIDEN)
* Terry Rance (ex-IRON MAIDEN)
* Thunderstick (ex-IRON MAIDEN, SAMSON)
* Tino Troy (PRAYING MANTIS)

Professionally filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

Di'Anno was laid to rest on November 21, 2024 at the City Of London Cemetery And Crematorium in Manor Park, East London, United Kingdom.

Di'Anno, whose real name was Paul Andrews, passed away on October 21, 2024 at his home in Salisbury at the age of 66.

An official statement shared to Di'Anno's Facebook page on November 11, 2024 with permission from the late musician's family revealed that his cause of death was caused by a "tear in the sac around the heart."

"Dear fans and friends," the statement began. "We have received permission from Paul's family to bring you the news of Paul's cause of death, after the results of the autopsy have been received."

It continued, "His sisters Cheryl and Michelle confirmed the following: 'Basically he had a tear in the sac around the heart and blood has filled inside it from the main aorta artery and that has caused the heart to stop.' Paul's death was instantaneous and hopefully painless. May he rest in peace."

Born in Chingford, East London on May 17, 1958, Paul first came to prominence as lead singer of English heavy metal band IRON MAIDEN between 1978 and 1981. He sang on their groundbreaking debut album "Iron Maiden" and the influential follow-up release, "Killers".

Since leaving IRON MAIDEN, Paul Di'Anno had a long and eventful recording career with BATTLEZONE and KILLERS as well as numerous solo releases and guest appearances.

Despite being troubled by severe health issues in recent years that restricted him to performing in a wheelchair, Paul continued to entertain his fans around the world, racking up well over 100 shows since 2023.

His first career retrospective album, "The Book Of The Beast", was released in September 2024 and featured highlights of his recordings since leaving IRON MAIDEN.

In December 2022, Di'Anno spent time in Split, Croatia recording an album with his new project called WARHORSE. The band was formed earlier that year by Di'Anno and two guitarists/authors, Hrvoje Madiraca and Ante "Pupi" Pupačić. The resulting LP was made available in July 2024 under the PAUL DI'ANNO'S WARHORSE banner.

WARHORSE previously recorded three songs, two of which — "Stop The War" and "The Doubt Within" — were released in May 2022 as a special DVD single along with Paul's video message to all fans who bought the single and thus helped raise funds for his knee operation.

The WARHORSE single marked Di'Anno's first music release after a seven-year hiatus due to severe health issues.

Di'Anno, who finally underwent his knee surgery in September 2022, played the first show since the operation on October 1, 2022 at the Keep It True Rising II festival in Würzburg, Germany.

In May 2022, Di'Anno came face to face with MAIDEN bassist and founder Steve Harris for the first time in three decades before the band's concert in Croatia. Also in May 2022, Paul played his first full solo concert in seven years at the Bikers Beer Factory in Zagreb. The show was filmed and parts of it will be included in the upcoming Di'Anno documentary, which is being helmed by Wes Orshoski, co-director and producer of the acclaimed 2010 film "Lemmy" about the MOTÖRHEAD icon, and 2015's "The Damned: Don't You Wish That We Were Dead", about punk rock legends THE DAMNED.

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Global rock superstars GREEN DAY — Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool — celebrate the 25th anniversary of their seminal sixth album, "Warning", with a brand new expanded edition titled "Warning (25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)", out November 14, 2025. It will arrive in multiple configurations, including a robust limited-edition Super Deluxe Box Set available in either vinyl or CD as well as on all DSPs.

GREEN DAY notably just released "Castaway (Demo)" from the upcoming deluxe edition — which has never appeared on streaming platforms until now.

"Warning (25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)" comprises 49 songs in total across either 5LPs or 4CDs. The track listing spans a brand new remaster of the original album in addition to a plethora of previously unreleased material such as eight demos, and two new mixes on the special B-sides and rarities disc, plus an explosive 21-track recording of a standout 2001 concert at Shibuya-Ax in Tokyo, Japan. The latter is an all-killer, no-filler set stacked with huge anthems and fan favorites. For the 5LP version of the Super Deluxe Box Set, the LPs will be pressed on Green Galaxy, Yellow Marble, and Orange Galaxy vinyl. Also included is a 24-page booklet, poster, cloth patch, button set, and sticker sheet. A special D2C and Indie Retailer version also boasts a yellow "Warning" construction sign. Meanwhile, the CD configuration of the Super Deluxe Box Set features a 32-page book, cloth patch, button set, and sticker.

Winding back the clock, GREEN DAY first unleashed "Warning" back on October 3, 2000. This time around, the band notably took the reins and personally produced the 12-track body of work, accenting their trademark punk snarl with folk eloquence and elevated Americana-style songwriting.

Anchored by staples such as title track "Warning", "Waiting" and the perennial live showstopper "Minority", the album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and earned a gold certification from the RIAA, generating global sales of over three million and nearly one billion total streams. In retrospect, Louder hailed it as an "overlooked folk-punk classic." Speaking to its quiet impact on rock music and culture at large, Stereogum recently rated it at #2 on an extensive ranking of GREEN DAY albums, going on to attest, "'Warning' ends up being one of the best GREEN DAY records out of them all when the dust settles almost 25 years later." Not to mention, Consequence Of Sound pegged it at No. #3 on its "Definitive Ranking Of Every Green Day Album," proceeding to affirm, "'Warning' is one of GREEN DAY's smartest and most cohesive records."

Moving ahead at full speed, GREEN DAY recently captured the No. 1 spot on the Mediabase Alternative chart with "One Eyed Bastard". This feat cemented them as "the first band to earn four No. 1 entries on the chart since 2003!" It's just one of many highlights from their Grammy Award-nominated 14th studio album, "Saviors". Plus, "One Eyed Bastard" is also available on the new "Saviors (Édition De Luxe)" out now via Reprise Records.

Earlier this week, after two years, 106 shows, 88 cities, 33 countries and over 2.5 million tickets sold, GREEN DAY wrapped up their monumental, sold-out world tour — the biggest of their career — in support of "Saviors". The massive tour saw the trio headlining some of the world's most prestigious festivals, including Coachella, Download, Lollapalooza India, Osheaga, Riot Fest, Oceans Calling, Corona Capital and Ohana. The tour also included sold-out historic stadium shows at legendary venues like Wembley Stadium, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Citi Field in New York, Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park, and Chicago’s Wrigley Field — cementing their status as one of the most enduring and electrifying live acts in rock music, and proving that 35 years in, the band is still at the top of their game.

Photo credit: Emmie America

CYNIC has released "Focus, The Official Drum And Bass Tracks" exclusively on Bandcamp. For the first time, fans can hear Sean Malone's bass and Sean Reinert's drums in complete isolation from the band's landmark era. This collection offers an intimate listen into the rhythmic heart of CYNIC, revealing the nuance, interplay, and precision that shaped the group's sound. Listen at this location.

CYNIC guitarist and founding member Paul Masvidal comments: "These tracks let you sit inside what feels like an intimate conversation between two master musicians. Malone and Reinert created a foundation that remains vividly alive, existing in its own realm. This release honors their legacy and offers a glimpse into the heartbeat that carried 'Focus'. And for drummers and bass players out there, it is a master class in progressive metal rhythm section work from true visionaries."

"Focus" is the debut album by American progressive death metal band CYNIC, released in 1993. It is renowned for its innovative blend of technical death metal with jazz fusion elements, featuring complex time signatures, philosophical lyrics, and prominent use of vocoder effects on the vocals. The album is considered a landmark in progressive metal, influencing countless bands with its unique sound and intricate musicianship.

This Friday's launch is taking place on Bandcamp Friday, an artist-driven initiative that began in March of 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when the shuttering of venues led to a loss of vital tour revenue for artists. Since then, Bandcamp Fridays — on which Bandcamp waives its revenue share and passes the funds directly to artists and labels — has resulted in millions of fans paying over $120 million directly to labels and musicians they love. In addition to helping artists pay the rent, or fund album recordings and tours, Bandcamp Fridays have also become a beacon for artists and record labels looking to raise awareness for causes or raise money for charities.

The year 2020 will go down in history as a tremendously difficult time for the global human population. For the CYNIC family, the struggle was not restricted to a pandemic. It was two utterly senseless losses that threw the band's immediate concerns into the background: the premature deaths of drummer Sean Reinert in January, at age 48, and bassist Sean Malone in December, at age 50, were shocking and unthinkable.

Reinert, a founding CYNIC member since formation in 1988, was highly influential to a multitude of young drummers. His work on "Focus" and DEATH's watershed 1991 album "Human" found him sculpting extreme technical metal with a jazz fusion-inspired approach. Now taken for granted, that approach to the instrument and the genre was undoubtedly pioneered in large part by Reinert. Though parting with CYNIC in 2015, his imprint on CYNIC is inescapable.

The death of Sean Malone dealt another horrible layer of tragedy to CYNIC's 2020. In his many years with the band, Malone's virtuoso playing meshed intuitively with Reinert's. Together they formed a nucleus of kinetic, highly capable rhythmic dexterity that fueled CYNIC's celestial aims.

LIVING COLOUR was the musical guest on last night's (Thursday, October 2) episode of ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" The band played its breakthrough single "Cult Of Personality" during a week's worth of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" tapings from host Jimmy Kimmel's native Brooklyn, New York. It marks Kimmel's first full week of shows since returning from suspension.

"Cult Of Personality" is a pointed, politically charged tune which opens LIVING COLOUR's debut album, 1998's "Vivid". The track includes audio snips of political speeches and references to John F. Kennedy, Gandhi, Stalin and Mussolini, and it became LIVING COLOUR's signature tune and the accompanying music video was an MTV hit. A searing indictment of politicians that readily addressed the concerns of an electorate during the mudslinging Bush-Dukakis presidential campaign, "Cult Of Personality" hit No. 13.

In an April 2024 interview with "The Logan Show", LIVING COLOUR singer Corey Glover stated about "Cult Of Personality": "I think if it weren't for that song, I'd be working for UPS. How about that? If it weren't for that song and the evergreen nature of that song, because it seems like every so often it pops up in very interesting places — with CM Punk or the video games or 'Guitar Hero' or even within the political discourse, where people use it and quote it on newscasts. It has a weird sort of continuing life that I am very happy and very grateful that it exists."

"Vivid" went on to become the first album by an all-black rock band to win a Grammy for "Best Hard Rock Performance" and the video for "Glamour Boys" was the first to be closed captioned for the hearing impaired.

LIVING COLOUR disbanded in 1995 but reunited in 2000. (Original bassist Muzz Skillings left the group in 1992 and was replaced by Doug Wimbish.)

LIVING COLOUR guitarist Vernon Reid's new solo album, "Hoodoo Telemetry", will be released on October 3 via Artone / The Players Club Records.

In a new interview with Australia's Sense Music Media, six-time-Grammy Award-nominated musician, songwriter and producer Steven Wilson spoke about the lyrical inspiration for his song "Objects Outlive Us", from his latest album, "The Overview", which arrived this past March via Fiction Records. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): I could have easily called [the album] 'Perspective' instead of 'The Overview'. I called it 'The Overview' because there is a recognized scientific phenomena called 'the overview effect', and that that is what astronauts experience when they go into space and they look back at Earth. They are experiencing the overview effect. That's what it's called. So I called the album 'The Overview', but more broadly than that, it is about this idea of perspective and reminding people just how insignificant we really are, but trying to do it in a way that's not negative. I know that sounds like a really negative thing to do, but to me, when you remind people, 'Look, the universe doesn't care about you. Your life is a blip on a blip on a blip on a blip,' it's like kind of saying in a way, 'For fuck's sake, enjoy it.' [Laughs] 'For fuck's sake, make the most of it. Do something extraordinary. Have profound experiences. Travel, communicate, engage with other human beings. Don't spend all day long on this fucking thing [lifting up his phone], looking at banal bullshit. And this, of course, is a kind of existential crisis that we're kind of facing now, particularly with kids, although I'm just as guilty of it as anyone. Actually, no, that's not true — I'm not as guilty of it as some people that I see, and my kids included."

He continued: "I think, for the younger generation, they've got used to the idea that they experience the world, the whole world, through the prism of social media, through Snapchat, through Instagram, through whatever it is they're on. And they almost, in a way, don't engage with reality. So that's a kind of big step towards us just simply becoming a brain floating in plasma plugged… I mean, it's 'The Matrix' [film franchise], isn't it? It's Neo [fictional character and the protagonist of 'The Matrix'] in 'The Matrix' — a brain or a body floating in sort of plasma plugged into a matrix. I mean, for fuck's sake, we're almost there. We're almost there. And this is so sad because, to me, this is the very antithesis of what humanity is supposed to be. Humanity is supposed to be engaging with the world around us and with the other people around us, and with the rest of the species."

Wilson added: "I'm a vegan, as you probably know, so I'm a great believer — all these other species we share the planet with, we think we're more important than all of them. We're not. We're not — we are no more important. In fact, again, to follow 'The Matrix' thing, in many ways we behave like a virus. We really do. So in many respects, you could say we're the one of the least important species on Earth, and yet we somehow behave as we're somehow the curators of our planet. And again, we've been here 300,000 years for out of four billion. Relatively speaking, that's like the last five minutes. And so we have an extraordinary arrogance and an extraordinary lack of perspective about our own importance, not only in relation to the universe, but even in relation to our own planet. We are not as important as we think we are. And again, I think it's a really beautiful and positive thing to remind or try to remind people of this, because it can only help them, in a way, to process, I think, what we're all going through. Things that seem to matter really don't, really don't. And to remind ourselves of that every day, I think, is fundamental to happiness and contentment."

When the interviewer "outed" himself as "being pretty much a straight-up nihilist", Steven said: "Well, and I don't blame you. I don't blame you for being [like that]. I have a lot of that. It's funny — I don't know if this resonates with you, but I have a conversation with my bass player sometimes, Nick, and he's kind of a little bit the same. And we both kind of agree that the best thing that could possibly happen to this planet is the human race will just wipe itself off the fucking Earth — the best thing that could be for this planet. And a part of me really believes that, and it's so sad that I would believe that, because we are capable of such extraordinary things. And you only have to hear an incredible piece of music or see a gymnast and what we can do, or a dancer, these incredibly beautiful things that we can do. So I'm constantly fighting my own instinct instincts to be what you said, like a nihilist, but I completely get that too. It's hard not to be some days, isn't it?"

The North American leg of Wilson's "The Overview" tour — his first full-band solo headline run in the U.S. and Canada in over seven years — launched on September 9 at San Francisco, California's The Masonic and will continue through mid-October.

"The Overview" may well be the most audacious work of Wilson's already visionary career. Written, produced, and mixed by Wilson at his home studio between December 2023 and August 2024, "The Overview" sees the world-renowned artist once again expanding the parameters of progressive music, a genre he has long helped redefine through both his groundbreaking solo career and landmark work with PORCUPINE TREE. The 42-minute collection is comprised of just two epic tracks, "Objects Outlive Us" and "The Overview", each made up of distinctive musical sections that flow from one to the next, playing out as unique and continuous pieces. Once again, Wilson's resolutely expansive music incorporates everything from glistening electronics to post-rock and beyond, pushing forward the singular sound and vision that has long defined his wildly ambitious body of work for more than three decades.

"'The Overview' is a 42-minute long journey based on the reported 'overview effect,'" Wilson said, "whereby astronauts seeing the Earth from space undergo a transformative cognitive shift, most often experiencing an overwhelming appreciation and perception of beauty, and an increased sense of connection to other people and the Earth as a whole. However, not all experiences are positive; some see the Earth truly for what it is, insignificant and lost in the vastness of space, and the human race as a troubled species. As a reflection of that, the album presents images and stories of life on Earth, both good and bad."

Although initially conceived as a solo recording, "The Overview" sees Wilson backed by frequent collaborators Craig Blundell (drums),Adam Holzman (keyboards) and Randy McStine (guitars),alongside lyrics from XTC's Andy Partridge that help form the story that drives "Objects Outlive Us". Consistent with Wilson's illustrious reputation, "The Overview" was presented as a true audiophile experience, with spatial/Atmos audio versions available both physically and digitally; vinyl editions of "The Overview" have been specifically mastered at half-speed at London's Abbey Road by three-time-Grammy Award-nominated engineer Miles Showell (THE BEATLES, ABBA, THE POLICE).

Wilson marked the arrival of "The Overview" with a wide-ranging European headline tour — his first solo tour in more than five years. In addition, "The Overview" was accompanied by a full-length film directed by Wilson's longtime visual collaborator Miles Skarin.

Hailed by David Fricke in Rolling Stone for his "fighting spirit and truly progressive ideals in rock composition, group improvisation and emotionally authentic storytelling," Wilson is, among his many guises, a visionary solo artist, founding member of Grammy Award-nominated British rock band PORCUPINE TREE, and pioneering spatial audio remixer known for his work with such artists as KING CRIMSON, YES, TEARS FOR FEARS, XTC, NEW ORDER and many more. "The Overview" follows Wilson's seventh solo studio album, 2023's "The Harmony Codex", which debuted at No. 4 on the U.K.'s official albums chart amidst worldwide critical applause from the likes of Mojo, which praised the groundbreaking collection as "a sonic journey where you never quite know what's round the corner."

2022 saw the internationally acclaimed release of PORCUPINE TREE's long-awaited eleventh studio album and first release in over 12 years, "Closure/Continuation", which debuted at #2 on the U.K. albums chart and reached No. 1 in Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. An epic world tour followed, making stops in North America, South America, and Europe before culminating with a triumphant sold-out show at London's famed OVO Arena Wembley. 2022 also saw the publication of Wilson's much-applauded first memoir, "Limited Edition Of One" (Little, Brown).

What's more, 2024 was highlighted by "The Itself Of Itself", the first full-length release from Wilson's experimental solo project, BASS COMMUNION, in more than 12 years. The album's limited-edition release was celebrated with Wilson's only live appearance of 2024, a sold-out performance at London's intimate Cafe OTO, as well as the long-awaited arrival of the previous BASS COMMUNION catalog at all leading streaming platforms.

Photo credit: Kevin Westenberg

SAXON frontman Biff Byford has shared a new video message in which he offered an update on his battle with bowel cancer. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "Hi, it's Biff here from SAXON. I wanna give you an update. So, yeah, I've done the chemo now. And, yeah, I'm gonna be getting fit now, ride the bike. I'm doing some vocals for the new album and, yeah, rehearsing for the [SAXON U.K. tour], which starts in Belfast. — I think it's on the beginning of November, 3rd or the 4th of November. We're gonna be doing the 'Wheels Of Steel' album complete, obviously, in the set, with a lot of other songs as well, obviously. Udo [Dirkschneider and his band DIRKSCHNEIDER] is gonna be doing 'Balls To The Wall', the ACCEPT album, a brilliant album. So he's gonna be doing that completely. I think TYGERS OF PAN TANG in Newcastle are gonna do a special setlist. And we've got a new band called UNTAMED SILENCE with us on two shows, Manchester and Sheffield. So, yep, it's gonna be great. We're looking forward to it, and we'll see everybody there. A few tickets left in some shows, so get your tickets bought, and come on. Peace and quiet."

Although Biff released a video message in August in which he implied that he underwent an operation to remove "a small tumor" from his "prostate gland", he later clarified that he was actually diagnosed with bowel cancer, which is cancer that is found anywhere in the large bowel, including the colon and rectum. Byford was later treated with chemotherapy for "a short period", resulting in the cancelation of a couple of shows and the postponement of several others.

On August 19, Biff released the following message via social media: "Firstly thanks to everyone for their wonderful messages of support it really does mean a great deal to me.

"Following Friday's post I just wanted to clear up a couple of things that seem to have been slightly misinterpreted. Firstly, I just want to quickly clarify that I actually have bowel cancer not prostate cancer although I did have a scan on my prostate. Also, as reported in some media, we have not postponed all of our upcoming shows, only the shows that clashed with my chemotherapy treatment sessions.

"All of our special UK & Ireland 'Hell, Fire & Steel' tour dates this November are still going ahead as planned. There are not many tickets left now for these shows so grab them quick so as not to be disappointed. This will be the very last time we play our classic hit album 'Wheels Of Steel' from start to finish in the UK. We are also still playing Metal Hammer Paradise in Lübeck, Germany this November too. All of the rescheduled shows will be announced here imminently too.

"Tickets for all shows are available from www.saxon747.com.

"Thanks again for all your amazing support."

Bowel cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the U.K.

Byford underwent surgery on July 8 to remove the cancer.

According to Cancer Research UK, patients are likely to have chemotherapy after surgery for colon cancer if they have stage 2 cancer and their cancer has features which increase the risk of it coming back, or if they have stage 3 cancer. Patients don't usually need chemotherapy if they have stage 1 colon cancer.

Biff previously said that his cancer was revealed when he underwent an MRI scan on his prostate gland before he went to America a few months ago.

According to the singer, his operation was "successful" and the doctors "got all the cancer out, but they just need to make sure there's none floating around in my bloodstream." He added that his prognosis is "good" and his "cure is progressing."

In August 2024, Biff underwent a "procedure" to treat atrial flutter, a type of heart rhythm abnormality, or arrhythmia, that causes the heart's upper chambers (atria) to beat too quickly.

In September 2019, Biff suffered a heart attack and underwent an emergency triple bypass surgery.

SAXON's latest album, "Hell, Fire And Damnation", marked the band's first release with new guitarist Brian Tatler (DIAMOND HEAD).

"Hell, Fire And Damnation" was produced by Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, EXODUS, ACCEPT) and Byford, with Sneap mixing and mastering.

In early 2023, SAXON guitarist Paul Quinn announced that he was stepping back from touring with the band. As a result of his decision, SAXON canceled its April 2023 South American tour as well as the appearance at the Monsters Of Rock cruise. Quinn has since been replaced on the road by Tatler.

Brian has been touring with fellow guitarist Doug Scarratt, drummer Nigel Glockler, bassist Tim "Nibbs" Carter and Byford since mid-2023, but continues to be a member of DIAMOND HEAD.

Byford and Quinn are the sole remaining original members in SAXON's current lineup.

Originally from South Yorkshire, England, SAXON has gone on to sell about 23 million albums and has produced such classic songs as "Denim And Leather", "Princess Of The Night", "Wheels Of Steel" and "Power And Glory".

When IRON MAIDEN leader Steve Harris got together with long-term acquaintance Rock Candy magazine editor Howard Johnson, there was much catching up to do. During the in-depth chat, Steve gave his views on many topics, including the recent departure of drummer Nicko McBrain, MAIDEN's first lineup change in 25 years.

"To be honest, we didn't really have a choice and had to make the change after Nicko suffered his health issues," Harris said, referencing McBrain's 2023 stroke. "It was what it was, and we had a decision to make as to whether we wanted to carry on or not. Obviously we had a tour booked at the time that it happened, and the rest of us all wanted to continue. But ultimately, after we got through all that, it was Nick's decision to step away and we all respected the fact that he'd decided to do that."

He also explained his thinking about any changes MAIDEN are making to still be a massive band playing huge venues. "In general we haven't done much at all," he said. "And yet all the same, nowadays we're seeing a lot of younger people coming to gigs, which means that it's happened naturally. I presume it's because people pass down their musical tastes to their sons and daughters - or even their grandsons and granddaughters! We're lucky that we're able to pull people of all different ages."

The Steve Harris interview is part of a 24-page IRON MAIDEN special in issue 52 of Rock Candy magazine, which also features interviews with Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke of BAD COMPANY, Don Barnes of 38 SPECIAL, Don Felder, Vernon Reid of LIVING COLOUR, a reappraisal of the THIN LIZZY classic "Black Rose", LED ZEPPELIN frozen in time in '75 and many other fascinating contents created with love and devotion.

Rock Candy is a 100 page, full-color bi-monthly rock magazine, created in the U.K. It covers the sights, sounds and smells from the greatest era in hard rock, the '70s, '80s and early '90s. It is the brainchild of respected U.K. rock journalists Derek Oliver, Howard Johnson and Malcolm Dome — all frontline writers for the legendary Kerrang! magazine in the golden era.

McBrain announced his retirement on December 7, 2024 in a statement on MAIDEN's web site and social media. The now-73-year-old musician also said that night's concert at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil would mark his final show with the legendary rock band. He has since been replaced by Simon Dawson, a former session drummer and Harris's longtime bandmate in BRITISH LION.

This past July, Nicko told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about his exit from MAIDEN: "I had my health issues, which was one of the primary reasons that I decided to hang it up with the guys. And I wasn't doing the songs justice because of the handicap that I had. And it wasn't fair on everybody else either in the band. They supported me 100% through the 'The Future Past Tour', and that was fantastic. I couldn't have asked for a better bunch of brothers to support me through my darkest hour."

Elaborating on the physical ailments which contributed to his decision to retire from touring with IRON MAIDEN, Nicko said: "Primarily, I was fed up with touring in terms of the travel and not having days to recoup my body… I wasn't so much slowing down, although we did play the songs that… I got told off at rehearsals last year because I was playing the songs too fast, 'cause I'd been playing with [my Florida-based side project] TITANIUM TART [which plays MAIDEN songs] before I went off and did the rehearsals in Australia with MAIDEN. And I actually got told off for playing too quick. So it wasn't a question of not being able to drive the band. It was just not being able to drive the band with the drum fills that I'd been used to playing for 42 years. So the question mark was raised about the performance side. And that's quite right…So that was part of the decision that I made."

In January 2023, Nicko was at his home in Boca Raton when he suffered a stroke with partial paralysis.

When Nicko first went public with his stroke in August 2023, the drummer said in a statement that the episode left him "paralyzed" down one side of his body and "worried" that his career with the band was over.

Five years ago, McBrain was diagnosed with stage 1 laryngeal cancer and opened up about it in a single interview in 2021 but otherwise kept it mostly under wraps.

McBrain officially joined IRON MAIDEN in December 1982 for the 1983 "Piece Of Mind" album and tour, replacing Clive Burr, after McBrain's previous band TRUST had supported IRON MAIDEN during the U.K. leg of the "Killers" tour in 1981. McBrain brought a degree of finesse and technicality that was largely missing from IRON MAIDEN's early output. Whereas Burr was often lauded for his heavy-handed, punk-oriented style, McBrain was largely the opposite, playing with a degree of dexterity and flair that helped primary songwriter Harris take MAIDEN down more adventurous paths. He eventually became the third longest-tenured member of MAIDEN, behind Harris and guitarist Dave Murray.

Photo by: John McMurtrie

Swedish metallers AVATAR — vocalist Johannes Eckerström, guitarists Jonas Jarlsby and Tim Öhrström, bassist Henrik Sandelin and drummer John Alfredsson — will release their tenth studio album, "Don't Go In The Forest", on October 31.

The official visualizer for the LP's fourth single, "Death And Glitz", can be seen below.

Speaking about "Don't Go In The Forest" as a whole, Eckerström offers: "The secret ingredient is that we still feel like we're just getting started. 'Don't Go In The Forest' is an album filled to the brim with stuff we've never done before. It's all songs and concepts we haven't been close to touch until now. The mind is wild and we have lost ourselves in the darkest woods, filled with memories, and fantasies. Forbidden thoughts that must be spoken."

He concludes: "It would have been impossible to make this album at any other time than now. That's all we ever wanted, and I think you'll find it's all you ever wanted too."

The band has previously shared the songs "Captain Goat", "In The Airwaves" and "Tonight We Must Be Warriors", all of which will also appear on "Don't Go In The Forest".

In a recent interview with Nic and Big J of the Boise, Idaho radio station 100.3 The X Rocks, Eckerström stated about AVATAR's upcoming LP: "It's our tenth album. That's a high number, and I don't think many bands on purpose would phone it in at this point. But I think certainly there's a risk of taking things for granted. And maybe just looking at the trip that we had to make to make this album and to have it make sense making an album, it can be harder and therefore more important than ever the further you go to find a reason, why is this important to us right now? Why does this one matter to us? Why does it matter to us to get to do another one? What do we wanna put on there that we are really passionate about right here right now? And I think we nailed that.

"I'm trying to think about the different songs and different directions it goes," Johannes continued. "There are all these things that we haven't done before. I get to pretend that I'm Elton John, meaning that I've been playing a bit of piano. But now I get to do it while drums are being played, so I feel I'm in the band — finally, after all these years, I'm in the band. So that's something. And work with outside musicians for stuff, orchestral things and all that, taking that to the next level. I don't think this is a prog album, really, but some of our most clearly progressive parts ever are probably on this album.

"An ethos I had for a while, a mantra almost going around was when writing to make the choices and also about what to write and stuff is just trust what's beautiful," he explained. "'Cause I believe the subconscious speaks whatever needs to actually say that might not make sense at the given moment when you're doing it, but if you find it beautiful as you create it, once upon revisiting, it's very likely to mean exactly what it needed to mean. So there's a dream factor to this album, letting the subconscious speak through imagery that I picked up in dreams. There's a surrealness to it, therefore. And all these groovy, lofty words being said on something that is between 40 and 45 minutes of kick-ass heavy metal and hopefully always with ambition forever and ever and ever when it's AVATAR that it's songs that you haven't heard yet."

In June, Eckerström told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station about the lyrical inspiration for the first single from AVATAR's upcoming LP, "Captain Goat", which came out in May: "Well, that's the weird 'twilight zone' in which AVATAR exists. AVATAR, as far as a heavy metal band, we really intend to be first and foremost a good time. But at the same time, the writing comes from the whole concept of finding dark rooms in your soul, in your brain, in your mind and open the doors into those forbidden places and kind of air it out, and hopefully by keep on doing this and try to force yourself to be honest with who you are and where you're at with each album, maybe get closer and closer to some kind of sense of truth. And that side of it, yeah, it's a dark endeavor, but then I also believe… I don't know. I believe it's healthy… It's that duality of what AVATAR is as a band."

Asked why "Captain Goat" was chosen to be the first single from AVATAR's upcoming album and how it relates to the rest of the LP, Johannes said: "It relates poorly to the whole album because AVATAR doesn't write the same song twice. So that's by design, but it just shows that a lot of things are different this time, as they should be and as they always are. [As for] how we choose [the first single from an album]… Well, it kind of reveals itself over time. You just kind of circle back to the people in the demo stage of things while writing and doing the pre-production, what you get excited about then. And already at that stage, there was a lot of excitement about this song as a potential single, as a standout track in that kind of way. 'Cause it's a balance."

He continued: "We always, obviously, try to only put good songs on an album and they're all there for a reason. And then it's just a fact of life that some of them are good in a more direct way, I guess. And this, I think, is a very direct song. And whatever people felt at the demo stage of the song comes back when rehearsing it and it comes alive where we really start playing it together — real drums and everything in the room. 'Cause while writing, we use a lot of drum machines so you can just boom, boom, boom. Everybody can sit and do ideas in their own little corner. So therefore rehearsing is the first time you get to really feel what it feels like being people playing this song before entering the studio and doing it properly there. And in each and every step of this, there's been something — just one of those songs that were something to it. And, again, I think it stands out in what we usually do, but it's at the same time built on billing blocks that is part of the way we do our heavy metal."

AVATAR will embark on a U.S. tour this fall with support from ALIEN WEAPONRY and SPIRITWORLD. Additionally, there are forthcoming tours supporting IRON MAIDEN and METALLICA, along with the band's biggest show ever in Mexico City.

AVATAR is:

Johannes Eckerström - Vocals
Jonas Jarlsby - Guitar
Tim Öhrström - Guitar
Henrik Sandelin - Bass
John Alfredsson - Drums

Photo credit: Johan Carlén