Former ARCH ENEMY singer Alissa White-Gluz has released "The Room Where She Died", the first single from her upcoming debut solo album.

The music for "The Room Where She Died" was written by KAMELOT keyboardist Oliver Palotai, while Alissa performed, recorded and wrote all the vocals for the track. White-Gluz also came up with the script for "The Room Where She Died"'s accompanying music video, which was created by Serbian video production company iCODE Team.

Alissa comments: "I hope you love this first offering from my upcoming solo album.

"'The Room Where She Died' is a song that feels truly satisfying to me; like I get to express myself in so many ways that have been dormant for years.

"This upcoming album is diverse; and I love the idea of opening up this new chapter with this song and video, which I wrote the script for.

"Can't wait to share more with you!"

Earlier today (Sunday, November 23),ARCH ENEMY announced it had parted ways with White-Gluz, writing on social media: "ARCH ENEMY have parted ways with singer Alissa White-Gluz. We're thankful for the time and music we've shared and wish her all the best.

"Wherever there is an ending, there is also a beginning.

"See you in 2026."

Alissa added in a separate statement on her Facebook page: "After 12 years in ARCH ENEMY, we have parted ways. I am forever thankful to the thousands of amazing fans I have met along the way. Thank you, Beastlings!

"I can't wait to share what I have been working on with you all (with some big surprises in store). Stay tuned for big news in 2026 and see you very soon."

White-Gluz, former vocalist of Canadian extreme metallers THE AGONIST, joined ARCH ENEMY in 2014 as the replacement for Angela Gossow. Angela, who joined ARCH ENEMY in 2000 and made her debut on the now-classic "Wages Of Sin" (2001),stepped down as frontwoman and is now focusing on management, while Alissa took her place.

ARCH ENEMY released four studio albums with White-Gluz on vocals: "War Eternal" (2014),"Will To Power" (2017),"Deceivers" (2022) and "Blood Dynasty" (2025).

Throughout her career, the now-40-year-old Alissa has consistently used her music as a vehicle for social change, addressing pressing issues such as environmental conservation, veganism, and the ethical treatment of animals.

During a March 2022 appearance on the "Vox&Hops" podcast, White-Gluz spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for her long-in-the-works debut solo album. She said: "What happened was it was announced [in September 2016] that I signed [with Napalm Records] for a solo album. All I did was sign to do one, but I think a lot of people interpreted that I had an album that I was ready to put out. So, basically, when the news came out about this solo album, the only thing that happened at that point was that I just agreed to do one. And then I was on tour for, like, three hundred days of the year up until 2020. And so now it's done, because now I've actually been home long enough to write the songs and get them done. And it's awesome and I love it."

Regarding a possible release date for the effort, Alissa said at the time: "There's nothing holding it back — it's done — but I need to be careful with how I release it, because now there's so many releases happening that I wanna make sure that the music gets the attention it deserves. So it's not gonna come out at the same time as an ARCH ENEMY album, for sure, because that's just not a good idea, but I will find a time to release it in a way that makes sense."

As for the musical direction of her solo material, Alissa said: "It doesn't really sound like ARCH ENEMY, actually. It's still me, so it's gonna sound a little bit like ARCH ENEMY, but it's kind of different. I feel like it's kind of an amalgam of that really interesting place that you're at when you're a beginner musician, because although I'm not a beginner vocalist or songwriter, I am a beginner guitarist — I'm very bad at guitar. So when I'm writing songs on guitar, I have an approach that is probably totally wrong, and that's what, I think, makes it cool. It's different — it's an unorthodox approach. I mean, I can still play it, but it's not my main instrument, so when I'm writing riffs on a guitar, I'm writing like a vocalist writing riffs on a guitar. Some could argue that that's kind of how Michael [Amott, ARCH ENEMY] writes too, actually, because his riffs are so 'sing-songy.' But, yeah, so I wrote a bunch with Jeff [Loomis, now-former-ARCH ENEMY guitarist] and I wrote a bunch with a lot of other people, actually, which I don't wanna spoil and announce them all now. But there's clean singing, there's growling, of course, and other interesting vocal techniques with the note screaming and some operatic stuff. It's a heavy album. I don't know what genre to call it. It's totally self-produced in that sense. It's honest. It's exactly what I just felt like writing for this. So there's some prog elements, there's some rock and roll elements, there's a lot of metal in it, obviously. But, yeah, I'm really happy with it. So I hope that other people like it too, basically."

Back in 2017, Alissa said that her debut solo album would feature collaborations with a member of KAMELOT and at least one of her now-former bandmates in ARCH ENEMY.

The now-ex-ARCH ENEMY frontwoman said that the idea for a solo project came about as a suggestion from Gossow, who had been managing ARCH ENEMY's career for more than a decade and also oversaw Alissa's personal affairs.

"[Angela] was, like, 'Well, you need something. You need something that you can do, because I know you're a workaholic and you're not gonna be able to just sit there like this waiting for the next ARCH ENEMY tour,'" Alissa told France's Duke TV. "And she's totally right — I needed something else to be able to work on. And also, I have a lot of ideas that maybe don't sound like ARCH ENEMY and it would be kind of silly to just force them into ARCH ENEMY."

According to White-Gluz, her debut solo album will be released under the ALISSA banner because she wanted to "keep it simple" and "make it very clear who it is and what it is." In order to make the disc, Alissa "did a huge life overhaul," which included building a studio and investing a lot of time and money into learning how to engineer and record, program drums and improving at playing guitar. "Of course, on the album itself we're gonna have real musicians playing all of these things, but in terms of just getting the style down and the songwriting, it's something that I need to start on my own," she explained to Duke TV.

At the time of the Duke TV interview, half of Alissa's solo effort had been written, and it contained some musical surprises. "It doesn't really sound like ARCH ENEMY — it's pretty different — but I think it's pretty cool," she said. "For example, a song that I'm writing with Oliver from KAMELOT doesn't sound like KAMELOT and it doesn't sound like ARCH ENEMY, but it's members of both."

Loomis, who joined ARCH ENEMY in late 2014 and left in December 2023, didn't have any of his songwriting ideas included on the latter band's "Will To Power" and "Deceivers" albums, but will apparently play a prominent role on Alissa's upcoming disc.

"Jeff didn't write with Michael, because Michael was already writing so well with Daniel [Erlandsson, ARCH ENEMY drummer] that we just actually had too many ideas," White-Gluz told France's Loud TV in a separate interview. "But all of Jeff's ideas are really good and I've heard them and they're gonna be released, so people will hear them… Jeff is gonna be one of my collaborators on my solo project, because how can you say no to that? [Laughs]"

ARCH ENEMY played the final show of its European "Blood Dynasty" 2025 tour with AMORPHIS, ELUVEITIE and GATECREEPER on November 15 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

ARCH ENEMY has parted ways with its singer of the past 11 years, Alissa White-Gluz. No reason was given for her departure.

Earlier today (Sunday, November 23),the veteran extreme metallers released the following statement via social media: "ARCH ENEMY have parted ways with singer Alissa White-Gluz. We're thankful for the time and music we've shared and wish her all the best.

"Wherever there is an ending, there is also a beginning.

"See you in 2026."

Alissa added in a separate statement on her Facebook page: "After 12 years in ARCH ENEMY, we have parted ways. I am forever thankful to the thousands of amazing fans I have met along the way. Thank you, Beastlings!

"I can't wait to share what I have been working on with you all (with some big surprises in store). Stay tuned for big news in 2026 and see you very soon."

White-Gluz, former vocalist of Canadian extreme metallers THE AGONIST, joined ARCH ENEMY in 2014 as the replacement for Angela Gossow. Angela, who joined ARCH ENEMY in 2000 and made her debut on the now-classic "Wages Of Sin" (2001),stepped down as frontwoman and is now focusing on management, while Alissa took her place.

ARCH ENEMY recorded three albums with vocalist Johan Liiva — "Black Earth" (1996),"Stigmata" (1998) and "Burning Bridges" (1999) — before Liiva was replaced by German singer Gossow.

ARCH ENEMY released four studio albums with White-Gluz on vocals: "War Eternal" (2014),"Will To Power" (2017),"Deceivers" (2022) and "Blood Dynasty" (2025).

Throughout her career, the now-40-year-old Alissa has consistently used her music as a vehicle for social change, addressing pressing issues such as environmental conservation, veganism, and the ethical treatment of animals.

Back in 2016, it was announced that White-Gluz had signed a deal with Napalm Records for the release of her debut solo album. The following year, she said that her solo LP would feature collaborations with a member of KAMELOT and at least one of her now-former bandmates in ARCH ENEMY.

The now-former-ARCH ENEMY frontwoman said that the idea for a solo project came about as a suggestion from Gossow, who has been managing ARCH ENEMY's career for more than a decade and also oversaw Alissa's personal affairs.

As for the musical direction of her solo material, Alissa told the "Vox&Hops" podcast in a March 2022 interview: "It doesn't really sound like ARCH ENEMY, actually. It's still me, so it's gonna sound a little bit like ARCH ENEMY, but it's kind of different. I feel like it's kind of an amalgam of that really interesting place that you're at when you're a beginner musician, because although I'm not a beginner vocalist or songwriter, I am a beginner guitarist — I'm very bad at guitar. So when I'm writing songs on guitar, I have an approach that is probably totally wrong, and that's what, I think, makes it cool. It's different — it's an unorthodox approach. I mean, I can still play it, but it's not my main instrument, so when I'm writing riffs on a guitar, I'm writing like a vocalist writing riffs on a guitar. Some could argue that that's kind of how Michael [Amott, ARCH ENEMY] writes too, actually, because his riffs are so 'sing-songy.' But, yeah, so I wrote a bunch with Jeff [Loomis, ex-ARCH ENEMY and current NEVERMORE guitarist] and I wrote a bunch with a lot of other people, actually, which I don't wanna spoil and announce them all now. But there's clean singing, there's growling, of course, and other interesting vocal techniques with the note screaming and some operatic stuff. It's a heavy album. I don't know what genre to call it. It's totally self-produced in that sense. It's honest. It's exactly what I just felt like writing for this. So there's some prog elements, there's some rock and roll elements, there's a lot of metal in it, obviously. But, yeah, I'm really happy with it. So I hope that other people like it too, basically."

In a February 2020 interview with Metal Hammer, White-Gluz was full of praise for her then-ARCH ENEMY bandmates, saying: "It's a really good environment on tour with ARCH ENEMY: we all hang out and get along well. It's not like we just hired some guy to do sound or lights. We roll like a family. I go hiking with my guitar tech, canoeing with my front-of-house engineer, bike riding with my monitor guy whenever we can. We discuss things every day on how we can improve our show, I talk to our lighting guy about what colors he's feeling for each song. I say I'm thinking of making a jacket in a certain color and ask how it would look on stage with this light setup. We really go into detail and I love every aspect of it."

ARCH ENEMY's latest studio album, the aforementioned "Blood Dynasty", was originally released in March of this year via Century Media Records. The "Blood Dynasty (Deluxe Edition)" was made available October 10, and it came with three bonus tracks, one of which, "Lachrymatory", was previously unreleased.

ARCH ENEMY played the final show of its European "Blood Dynasty" 2025 tour with AMORPHIS, ELUVEITIE and GATECREEPER on November 15 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Photo credit: Patric Ullaeus

In a new interview with Mark Strigl, veteran hard rock drummer Johnny Kelly — best known for his work with TYPE O NEGATIVE and DANZIG — spoke about the status of the unreleased song recorded by the surviving members of TYPE O NEGATIVE and legendary BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I wanna say at this point, maybe it was eight years ago, something like that. The foundation of it is, at the time, when Peter [Steele, TYPE O NEGATIVE frontman] had passed away, Bill had written a song in tribute to Peter. And he wanted to get the rest of us to play on it — Kenny [Hickey, TYPE O NEGATIVE guitarist], Josh [Silver, TYPE O NEGATIVE keyboardist] and myself. So Kenny and I went out to California. We did the drum tracks, did the guitar tracks for it. I think Kenny's singing on it a little bit." Referencing vocalist Jason "Dewey" Bragg, who played with Kelly in KILL DEVIL HILL and with Ward in DAY OF ERRORS, Johnny continued: "I think Dewey may be singing on [the song], 'cause through that friendship of Bill and I, Dewey became friends with Bill Ward, and then Bill would have Dewey sing a lot of the stuff. Bill's always working on music, so he's always writing and recording and stuff like that. And he grabbed Dewey. So we did the song. Josh actually did a keyboard track on it and stuff. He didn't go to California; he did it in New York. And that was it. We recorded the song, and for a long time I wasn't really sure what's going on or whatever. But the last time I spoke to Bill, he was talking about getting the song finished… That was this year. It was after [the] 'Back To The Beginning' [concert in early July]. He said that he was gonna start working on that and get it wrapped up."

Asked if the song is musically heavy, Johnny said: "Uh, yes, it's heavy, melancholy. I'm trying to remember it. It was eight years ago. [Laughs] As it was happening, I was just like… Bill Ward was my hero growing up, so to sort of become friends with him… And now I'm in a room recording with him. And I was just in awe of the whole experience. So I'm sitting there on the kit, and Bill is in front of me like a maestro, pointing, telling me where to go and what to [play]. I'm just, like, 'Deep breath.'"

After Strigl noted that he would love to hear the song, Kelly said: "I wanna hear it too. And it's cool in the sense where you have the three surviving members of TYPE O actually playing music together, which is cool in itself to me. And then, throw on top of it, you're working with people from BLACK SABBATH — like, O.G. BLACK SABBATH. So it's pretty cool in that sense. But, yeah, hopefully it comes out soon. I guess we'll all know when it comes out."

Johnny first mentioned his collaboration with Ward during a June 2024 appearance on the "Sh!t Talk Reviews" podcast. He said at the time: "[Bill] wrote a song a few years ago. He wrote it after Peter died. And he wrote it as a tribute to Peter, and he got me, Kenny and Josh to play on it. I don't know when it's coming out or anything like that. Bill operates on his own plane, and he does his own thing. But, yeah, it was cool. Kenny and I, we went out to L.A. for — I don't know — like, five days or whatever. We worked on the song. And the best part of the whole experience was driving to and from the studio with Bill. We would sit there and we would trade war stories. Bill's actually a really big TYPE O fan, so he loved hearing the stories, with me and Kenny telling war stories and stuff like that. And then Bill would say, 'Oh, yeah, there was this one time in SABBATH.' And it would just completely blow our minds. These guys [in BLACK SABBATH] created this [genre of music]. [Laughs] It was one of those surreal moments where you meet one of your heroes and they turn out to be really amazing people. And he really is — he's one of the sweetest people I've ever met."

Back in 2017, Ward named TYPE O NEGATIVE's 1996 album "October Rust" one of his favorite metal LPs of all time, telling Rolling Stone magazine: "The reason why I picked 'October Rust' is, number one, I'm a huge fan of TYPE O NEGATIVE and have been since I first heard them. But one of my favorite songs on this particular album is one that we play every Christmas on our radio show. It's called 'Red Water (Christmas Mourning)', and it's just a fucking brilliant arrangement. It's got everything in there. Kenny and Johnny and Josh sound absolutely formidable on this track. The way that they put it all together with the sound effects, you can feel the coldness and the chill when you listen to the song. It's conveyed perfectly. It's just a very well-orchestrated piece of music. Then, Peter's lyrics are, I think, absolutely outstanding. I think he nailed everything in this song. As he did in a number of other songs, too. There's something about it that's really chilling and it has a complete ring of honesty about it. Sometimes, TYPE O will come out with something completely unbelievable, and this is one of their unbelievable tracks. So that's particularly why I picked 'October Rust'."

Ward added: "The first time I heard them, I was attracted to them immediately. When I first heard them, it was almost like, 'Oh, I feel like I've been in this band.' Or I feel like this would be a band I could play in, which is no disrespect to Johnny. Johnny and I are pretty good friends, to say the least. But when I first heard it, I thought, 'Oh, my God, there's something about this band which is really, really cool.' At the time, I didn't know that they were huge SABBATH fans. I found out later.

"There's something very magnetic; they have something that draws you in. I think it's one of those bands where you either love them 120 percent or you kind of go, 'Eh, I'm not sure.' Kind of like SABBATH, actually. … Very loud, extremely powerful. They have all the same things: they leave everything out on the stage and they leave everything out when they record. They've definitely got a sense of humor throughout the band. There's no question about that. I think it [gets] missed and it's misunderstood. [There was] a lot of humor in SABBATH. We were falling over ourselves sometimes. [Laughs]

"When Peter died [in 2010], that one kind of knocked me about a lot. … It was unexpected because the path that Peter was on was an upswing and it's like, 'Oh, man, what's happened?' Yeah, I built a bonfire for Peter and I said some prayers, basically letting him know that the bonfire was to light his way to a new path. I loved him, very much. I admired him. There's nobody else on earth like Peter."

TYPE O NEGATIVE effectively broke up after the passing of Steele in April 2010 from heart failure at the age of 48. Born Petrus T. Ratajczyk on January 4, 1962 in Brooklyn, New York, he stood 6' 7" (201 cm) tall, and had a low, bass-heavy voice, which was one of the most recognizable features in TYPE O NEGATIVE's music.

Before forming TYPE O NEGATIVE, Steele played for the metal group FALLOUT and the thrash band CARNIVORE.

In a new interview with Levi Buckley of Sticks For Stones, legendary rock singer Graham Bonnet (RAINBOW, ALCATRAZZ, MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP) spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the next studio album from his group, the GRAHAM BONNET BAND. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[English rock singer, guitarist, songwriter and producer] Russ Ballard has written three songs for us, two of which I think are definites [to go on the record], and we might even do the third. But the third one he sent me recently is a little bit too poppy, possibly. But, hey, [the Ballard track] 'Since You Been Gone' [which RAINBOW recorded during Graham's time with the band] was a fricking pop song. What can you say? I mean, it was a pop song."

Asked about the song on GRAHAM BONNET BAND's upcoming album which will feature a guest appearance by IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson, Graham said: "Yeah, Bruce has done his bit. What happened was we wanted him to do the last verse and the last chorus kind of thing, and then take it out with ad libs or whatever he wants to do. So he's got the last part of the song. And I haven't done my bit yet, which is the first verses, whatever, and chorus and pre-chorus. So it'll be half and half, both of us."

Asked if he thinks he will be able to make a music video for the song with Bruce making an appearance in it, Graham said: "Yeah, I do. We'll do that. I'm thinking about it now. I think probably at the end, or even at the beginning, Bruce could sing with me on the first verse. I don't know. But he's done all his [parts], and it sounds great. And so I think I'll leave it as it is."

Regarding how the collaboration with Bruce came about, Graham said: "I've known him for — God — a long time, but I haven't seen him every day. He's not my best friend or anything…. He said to somebody — in his [solo] band, I believe — 'I never do this for anybody,' do a [guest] appearance on [somebody's] album. 'But I'll do it for Graham.' That's how much of a friend he is. And I thanked him very much for being so generous and going out of his way to do this with us, 'cause he does like the band and everything. He's with us all the way, and we've been to see a lot of his shows recently."

GRAHAM BONNET BAND will release a new live album, "Lost In Hollywood Again", on December 12, 2025 via Frontiers Music Srl. The LP was recorded on August 29, 2024, at the world-famous Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles, California.

The GRAHAM BONNET BAND's third studio album, "Day Out In Nowhere", came out in May 2022 via Frontiers Music Srl. Graham was joined on the LP by longtime bandmates Beth-Ami Heavenstone (bass) and Conrado Pesinato (guitar),as well as keyboardist Alessandro Bertoni and drummer Shane Gaalaas. "Day Out In Nowhere" also saw performance and co-writing guest appearances from Jeff Loomis (ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE),John Tempesta (THE CULT, WHITE ZOMBIE),Mike Tempesta (POWERMAN 5000),Roy Z (HALFORD, BRUCE DICKINSON) and Don Airey (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW).

Bonnet is a hard rock legend with a pedigree to back that statement up. His solo offerings and stints with RAINBOW, MSG, ALCATRAZZ and IMPELLITTERI prove he is one of the finest rock vocalists and songwriters of his generation. From his late 60s into his 70s, Graham has written and recorded some of the best albums he's ever done, including a reunion album with GRAHAM BONNET'S ALCATRAZZ called "Born Innocent" in 2020, along with three records with his GRAHAM BONNET BAND: 2016's "The Book", 2018's "Meanwhile, Back In The Garage" and the aforementioned "Day Out In Nowhere".

In 1979, Bonnet auditioned for the frontman position in RAINBOW. With his James Dean image, the choice of Bonnet to replace Ronnie James Dio was subject to some questions. However, once the band heard Bonnet sing, they knew they had their man. With Bonnet at the mic, they recorded the "Down To Earth" LP, which became one of RAINBOW's most successful releases.

Graham moved on from RAINBOW in the early '80s to work on his solo career. He also played with MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, recorded several albums with ALCATRAZZ and had a short stint with IMPELLITTERI.

BLKIIBLK has announced the signing of Greek power metal band FIREWIND.

Led by guitar virtuoso Gus G., FIREWIND has evolved into a powerhouse band with a devoted international fanbase and a string of acclaimed albums.

As the band enter this exciting new era, FIREWIND also announce major lineup updates. After his departure in late 2019, powerhouse vocalist Henning Basse is officially returning to the band. Basse's history with the group goes back to 2007, when he first stepped in as a touring vocalist on the "Allegiance" tour, and later became a defining voice during FIREWIND's post-hiatus era from 2016 to 2019, leaving a lasting imprint on the acclaimed album "Immortals". At the same time, FIREWIND has announced that Herbie Langhans is stepping down from vocal duties.

FIREWIND said: "We 'borrowed' Herbie from AVANTASIA for as long as we could, but our schedules and needs kept clashing, with all the increasing touring obligations. We understand Herbie's situation and we thank him for his time in the band, the awesome music we made together and wish him all the best."

Gus G. expressed his enthusiasm for this new chapter by saying: "We're all very excited, as we commence work on the upcoming concept album that will be the biggest and most epic thing we've ever done. And for this, we couldn't have imagined a better label partner other than Frontiers Records' new imprint label BLKIIBLK. We're honored to be label mates with metal titans such as MEGADETH and BIOHAZARD and we can't wait to unleash the new music to the world. Please stay tuned for more details on that and we will be seeing you on the road in 2026!"

Aldo Lonobile, head Of A&R Europe at Frontiers Label Group, added: "We are truly excited and proud to welcome FIREWIND to BLKIIBLK. Over the years, I've crossed paths with Gus G. on several occasions, and now we finally have the opportunity to work more closely together. Beyond being one of my favorite guitar players, he is a brilliant songwriter, and FIREWIND have firmly established themselves as one of the most exciting metal acts in the scene. We can't wait to be part of the next chapter in their career!"

Blazing a trail across the global metal scene for over two decades, FIREWIND stand as a pillar of modern melodic power metal. Combining anthemic choruses, dazzling guitar work, and soaring vocals, FIREWIND bridge the gap between classic heavy metal and modern power metal sensibilities. With influences ranging from RAINBOW and JUDAS PRIEST to HELLOWEEN and SYMPHONY X, their sound is as timeless as it is energetic.

The band's discography includes standout releases like "Allegiance" (2006),"The Premonition" (2008),and "Immortals" (2017),each demonstrating FIREWIND's knack for fusing melody and technical mastery. Their 2020 self-titled album marked a rebirth of sorts — introducing Langhans (AVANTASIA, SINBREED) and delivering a heavier, more aggressive edge without sacrificing the band's signature hooks.

At the center of it all is Gus G., whose explosive yet lyrical guitar style has earned him global recognition and endorsements, from playing stadiums with Ozzy Osbourne to headlining clubs with FIREWIND. Known for his precision, tone, and deep-rooted love for heavy metal, Gus G. is both the heart and architect of FIREWIND's sound.

FIREWIND's latest album, 2024's "Stand United", featured nine brand new songs produced with Dennis Ward (MAGNUM, UNISONIC),as well as a cover of the 1980s pop rock classic "Talking In Your Sleep", originally recorded by THE ROMANTICS but given a metal twist in the style of FIREWIND.

FIREWIND released a concert album/Blu-ray, "Still Raging", in September 2023 via AFM Records.

FIREWIND continues to tour worldwide, captivating audiences with their electrifying live performances and unwavering dedication to the genre. With new material on the horizon and their legacy firmly cemented, Firewind remain a vital force in the metal world — bold, melodic, and unstoppable.

Photo credit: Akis Douzlatzis

In a new interview with the "Iron City Rocks" podcast, QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's upcoming follow-up to 2022's "Digital Noise Alliance" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, we've started the writing process. We've got a good bunch of songs. And it's doing this in pockets of time. All bands are touring, so you find a week where you can go record. And producers are [now becoming] used to this. Long gone are the days where a band has three months to record an album."

Asked if he and his QUEENSRŸCHE bandmates are once again working with Chris "Zeuss" Harris, who previously worked with the group on 2015's "Condition Hüman", 2019's "The Verdict" and "Digital Noise Alliance" LPs, Wilton said: "Oh, yeah. We're already working with him. We built such a relationship, and when he hears my ideas and my riffs and everything, he knows, and I trust him with his decisions. And we just have a great relationship with Zeuss."

Earlier this month, QUEENSRŸCHE bassist Eddie Jackson told J.J. Caithcart of Different Stages Radio that he and his bandmates were "still in the writing process" for the upcoming LP. "We actually started it last January, beginning of this year, before we embarked on a month tour over in Europe," he explained. "And then last summer we got together again. And we're just continuing to write now that we have [fall 2025 North American] tour with ACCEPT. We won't be able to get together as a band in one location. We will be on tour, but it's not like a studio. But we still kind of bring our little recording devices with us to come up with more ideas."

Jackson added: "We're hoping to get in the studio sometime, maybe beginning of spring next year, and hopefully we'll have a late fall release. And that would be nice."

Eddie also talked about QUEENSRŸCHE's relationship with Zeuss, saying: "Yeah, he's just awesome. He's great to work with and bounce ideas with. He's a great guy, and he's actually a good musician too; he plays guitar and all that. But if it's still working, why not continue working with him?"

As for QUEENSRŸCHE's touring plans for the coming months, Eddie said: "Well, that's an unknown, but I know for now we're locked in with [ACCEPT] for this fall tour. But there are some dates being scheduled for European festivals end of spring, early summer of next year. So there's actually some dates already scheduled, but that's kind of what the schedule is for now. Once the year is over, we're really gonna try to focus on the new album — get the songs ready to record, record them, get 'em mixed, released and follow it up with a tour."

This past April, QUEENSRŸCHE singer Todd La Torre was asked by Brazil's Monsters Of Rock which "unexplored musical directions" he would like to see the band go in on its next LP. He said: "[We're] kind of [doing] the same thing as what we've been doing. I mean, we don't go in writing a record with a preconceived idea. We just get in a room and [go], 'Hey, show me your guitar parts. What do you have in your mind?' And we kind of all get together in a room and just see what happens in real time. So as far as unexplored musical directions… Personally, I'd love to hear more clean guitar on the next record, maybe some more spacious stuff, some more clean guitar. Orchestration is always fun to work with. It's very huge and cinematic sounding. So those are fun things to play with. Maybe some different percussion things would be interesting to play around with again.

"But, gosh, after 40-plus years, I think without completely changing the band, the band's style of music, I don't know that there's really any too much unexplored musical directions," he continued. "I mean, QUEENSRŸCHE's kind of done a lot within the large space that QUEENSRŸCHE has to run around in. I mean, if we were to do something — we wouldn't write a hip-hop song, we wouldn't write a death metal song. So within the confines of what QUEENSRŸCHE kind of is, as diverse as it as it is, I don't know what kind of unexplored musical directions there would be. On the next one, I mean, I would love to, like I say, play around with some other clean guitar sounds, maybe some more interesting percussion things — like the song 'I Am I' had some really neat percussion things going on."

Guitarist Mike Stone, who rejoined QUEENSRŸCHE in 2021, contributed guitar solos to the band's latest studio album.

Since late May 2021, Stone has been handling second-guitar duties in QUEENSRŸCHE, which announced in July 2021 that longtime guitarist Parker Lundgren was exiting the group to focus on "other business ventures."

Stone originally joined QUEENSRŸCHE for the 2003 album "Tribe" and stayed with the band for six years before leaving the group.

For the past eight and a half years, drummer Casey Grillo has been filling in for original QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield, who stepped away from the band's touring activities in early 2017 to spend time with his young son.

In October 2021, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against Wilton and Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge. A few months later, Jackson and Wilton filed a countersuit against Rockenfield, accusing him of abandoning his position as a member of the band and misappropriating the group's assets to his own personal benefit. That dispute has since been settled out of court.

In a recent interview with The Joel Martin Mastery Podcast, Wilton stated about QUEENSRŸCHE's next studio album: "We do have one record left with our contract with Century Media and Sony. And yeah, we're putting together demos right now. So, when will it get done? I don't know. QUEENSRŸCHE has a lot of touring to do, and you've gotta schedule with your producer. But yeah, we've started writing demos, and we've got a good bunch of tunes."

Wilton also talked about the QUEENSRŸCHE songwriting process, explaining: "Well, the last few albums we've kind of wanted to write fresh, so kind of on the spot. So I'm not looking at anything I've done in the past. I'm looking at just the inspiration of the day and getting something recorded and live with it for a couple of days and then come back and go, 'Okay, yeah, this is pretty cool,' or, 'Nah, I'm gonna delete this.' But I think it's something that is special to a group of guys that everything that you create is new or kind of new. We're probably ripping ourselves off blind with all the riffs and melodies, but that seems to be the fresh approach. I mean, the stuff that goes by the wayside, that's stuff that goes on solo albums. [Laughs]"

Wilton previously discussed the progress of the songwriting sessions for the follow-up to "Digital Noise Alliance" in February in an interview with Marko Syrjala of Metal-Rules.com. Michael said at the time: "We're currently working on demos for the next album, which is really important for us.

"The thing is, to do a proper QUEENSRŸCHE album, we need about six weeks of uninterrupted time," he added. "But it's harder now because we have to juggle these gigs — weekends here and there — before coming back to focus. Zeuss has had to adapt; he's very mobile now. He's learned to be because we’re not the only band that does this; all bands do. He works with Rob Zombie — 'Hey, come on over for the weekend. Let's work on some stuff.' Or with SHADOWS FALL — 'Let's work on some stuff.' So, he's used to it. It's just a matter of someone organizing it all."

Wilton went on to say that he and his QUEENSRŸCHE bandmates are "following the same process" this time around as they did for "Digital Noise Alliance". "With ['Digital Noise Alliance'], the recording and writing sessions were meant to feel fresh — nothing was e-mailed back and forth," he said. "Everything was built during the writing process. In that sense, it was about going back to the days when we'd be in a room writing the [debut QUEENSRŸCHE] EP in the morning. Back then, we didn't have technology like we do now. No cell phones, no computers — maybe, if you were lucky, you had a four-track recorder. The way we worked was simple: 'Hey, Chris [DeGarmo], you got a riff?' And I'd say, 'Okay, I like that. Let me add something to it.' It was a real band effort because everyone was in the room, giving input. That's exactly what we did with ['Digital Noise Alliance']. Everyone was involved — 'Oh, I like that,' 'Oh, I don't like that' — and the songs evolved a little more each day. Some songs we dissected and reworked completely. Take 'Tormentum', for example — that's like four songs merged into one! [Laughs]"

Asked if it's "correct to say" that recording the "Digital Noise Alliance" album was "a fresh start" for QUEENSRŸCHE, with Grillo becoming a permanent bandmember and Stone returning to the fold for the studio sessions, Michael said: "Yeah, I think so. This next one will be even better because, with ['Digital Noise Alliance'], Mike didn't come in until the end of the process. But now, he's here from the beginning of the process. He's writing with me, and I'm writing with him, so it should be a bit more cohesive, I think… He knows the ways of the RŸCHE. He knows the guitar style and how to stay within that area. But, like I said, the stuff we've written so far sounds pretty cool."

U.K. alt-rock shapeshifters DON BROCO continue their 2025 streak with "Euphoria", an electrifying new single and their fourth release this year on Fearless Records.

Equal parts seductive and explosive, "Euphoria" opens with an electronic, vocal-driven tease before dropping into heavy guitars, driving drums, and a deliciously funky bassline. Its energy twists through dance-floor grooves and an anthemic, shout-along chorus ("Gonna live forever!"),capturing the bold, unpredictable sound defining the band's next era. "Euphoria" lives up to its name — a rush of sound and feeling that lingers long after the final hit.

When asked about the inspiration behind the song, the band shared, "'Euphoria' is about chasing that rush of the first time, trying to recapture that brand new magical feeling again and again for the rest of your life."

Building on the momentum of the previous singles, "Euphoria" finds DON BROCO refining the chaos, emotion, and experimentation that define this next chapter. Each new release has carved out its own distinct corner of the band's sonic world — from the nu-metal ferocity and swagger of "Cellophane" to the explosive, hook-laden energy of "Hype Man" and the emotional weight of "Disappear". Together, they trace the shape of a band unafraid to evolve — pushing harder, thinking bigger, and delivering some of the most dynamic and ambitious music of their career.

Having just wrapped the first leg of their U.S. tour with an incendiary show in New York City, DON BROCO is riding unstoppable momentum into the next chapter. Known for their high-octane, genre-blurring performances, the band will return to stages worldwide in 2026, bringing their boundary-pushing sound and infectious live energy to fans across the globe.

Always unique, and forever pushing boundaries, DON BROCO have cemented themselves as one of the U.K.'s most dynamic and forward-thinking rock bands. Fusing elements of rock, metal, pop, and electronic music, the Bedford quartet — Rob Damiani, Matt Donnelly, Simon Delaney and Tom Doyle — have earned critical acclaim and commercial success with albums like "Automatic" (U.K. Top 10),"Technology" (U.K. Top 5),and "Amazing Things", which reached No. 1 on the U.K. official albums chart.

Garnering nothing but praise for their relentless high-octane performances, DON BROCO have previously sold-out arena shows across the U.K., headlining Wembley Arena after selling out Alexandra Palace as well as festival performances around the world including Download, Reading and Leeds, Slam Dunk, Vans Warped Tour and more. They have also toured with the likes of Mike Shinoda, STATE CHAMPS, DANCE GAVIN DANCE and OUR LAST NIGHT in the U.S. as well as selling out their very own debut U.S. headline tour.

Now signed to Fearless Records, DON BROCO are kicking off their next chapter with their dynamic new singles "Cellophane", "Hype Man", "Disappear" and "Euphoria" — offering a fresh glimpse into what's coming next — more bold moves, big riffs, and boundary-pushing anthems that only they could deliver.

Photo credit: Bethan Miller

15 years into their career, VOLUMES have weathered ups, downs, time, trends, and everything else life could throw at them only to come out stronger on the other side. Against all odds, a devout audience has ridden shotgun and grown with them every step of the way, waiting for this moment.

The Los Angeles quartet — Michael Barr (vocals),Raad Soudani (bass),Myke Terry (vocals) and Nick Ursich (drums) — recently announced their fifth album, titled "Mirror Touch". It will be released digitally on December 12 via longtime label Fearless Records. The physical album will arrive on February 27 of next year.

Today, VOLUMES have shared the video for "Bad Habit".

Here, VOLUMES take a stunning sonic left turn. While the track has the guitar girth and grit that is familiar to loyal VOLUMES fans, the band leans into its melodic sensibilities and synths, trading its usual heavy dose of screams for fully clean verses and choruses. The result is a gorgeous and unexpected alt metal song that will turn heads — both new and old.

"'Bad Habit' is a song about identifying that habits that are deemed bad for you or unhealthy are sometimes the only thing getting you through life," shares Barr. "Is there a balance that can be achieved? Typically, no."

"Mirror Touch" track listing:

01. Sidewinder
02. Bottom Dollar
03. Bad Habit
04. California
05. Adrenaline
06. Stitch
07. S.O.A.P.
08. Dream
09. Worth It
10. Suffer On (feat. Black Sheep Wall)

Through a decade and a half, VOLUMES' quiet impact has been felt, with over 167 million streams in the U.S. alone, widespread acclaim, and sold-out shows. They've carved out their own corner of heavy music with an inimitable hybrid of head-crushing polyrhythmic prog-spiked metal, hardcore spirit, and unbridled attitude. They have assuredly leveled up over the course of albums such as "Via" (2011),"No Sleep" (2014),"Different Animals" (2017) and "Happier?" (2021). Kerrang! hailed the latter as "an album that gives a nod to the band's past while still bringing in new ideas." Meanwhile, the group shared stages on tour with everyone from ICE NINE KILLS and BORN OF OSIRIS to DANCE GAVIN DANCE and COUNTERPARTS. The Los Angeles group continues to fortify a full-on sensory assault with thick riffing, chilling soundscapes, and the venomous bite of its incomparable two-headed vocal hydra.

Photo credit: Lindsey Byrnes

Robert Plant and his new band SAVING GRACE delivered a five-song set as part of National Public Radio's (NPR) popular "Tiny Desk" concert series, which sees artists play in the open office for a small crowd of mostly NPR employees. Check out video of the performance below.

Plant and SAVING GRACE perform "Gospel Plough" to "It's A Beautiful Day Today" by Moby Grape, along with a version of "Higher Rock" by the singer-songwriter Martha Scanlan and LOW's "Everybody's Song". They close with a new arrangement of "Gallows Pole", another traditional Plant first reinterpreted for the "Led Zeppelin III" album in 1969.

Robert Plant and SAVING GRACE's setlist was as follows:

01. Gospel Plough
02. Higher Rock
03. Everybody's Song
04. It's a Beautiful Day Today
05. Gallows Pole

Musicians:

Robert Plant: vocals, harmonica
Suzi Dian: vocals, accordion
Matt Worley: guitar, banjo, cuatro, background vocals
Tony Kelsey: guitar
Barney Morse-Brown: cello
Oli Jefferson: drums

Robert Plant and SAVING GRACE's debut album was released on September 26 via Nonesuch Records.

The genesis of "Saving Grace" began during the lockdown in "The Shire", when Plant's customary wandering was all but forbidden. While his recent adventures have centered around Nashville, having reunited with Alison Krauss for 2021's chart-topping, multi Grammy-nominated "Raise The Roof", it was in the English countryside that Robert Plant connected closely to this diverse group of musicians, who through their own experiences had a shared lean towards his much-loved corners of evocative song. Together, Plant and SAVING GRACE — vocalist Suzi Dian, drummer Oli Jefferson, guitarist Tony Kelsey, banjo and string player Matt Worley, cellist Barney Morse-Brown — spent the past six years growing into a wide-ranging workshop of styles and personalities, weaving through time and circumstance with joy and abandon.

"We laugh a lot, really. I think that suits me. I like laughing," Plant said. "You know, I can't find any reason to be too serious about anything. I'm not jaded. The sweetness of the whole thing…These are sweet people and they are playing out all the stuff that they could never get out before. They have become unique stylists and together they seem to have landed in a most interesting place."

Following his previous acclaimed releases on Nonesuch Records — 2014's "Lullaby And… The Ceaseless Roar" and 2017's "Carry Fire" — "Saving Grace" brings yet another chapter of Robert Plant's ceaseless roar into the daylight. Produced by Robert Plant and SAVING GRACE — and recorded between April 2019 and January 2025 in the Cotswolds and on the Welsh Borders — "Saving Grace" breathes fresh life into a collection of century-old music. A treasury of songs featured back in time by Memphis Minnie, Bob Mosley (MOBY GRAPE),Blind Willie Johnson, The Low Anthem, Martha Scanlan, Sarah Siskind, and Mimi Parker and Alan Sparhawk's LOW.

Plant told Rolling Stone magazine about the creation of "Saving Grace": "Well, we began with one microphone on a mic stand in a field adjacent to Matt Worley's place. We had a little desk set up. And we would get nowhere nearer than about four yards away from each other, and one by one go up to the microphone, and spray the microphone. On the last track on the record, you can hear some birds singing because we’d individually play a part and come away from the mic. It was an experiment that took me back to 'Physical Graffiti' with LED ZEPPELIN when I did quite a few vocals outside. I really enjoyed the whole idea of being out there rather than in the constraints of a studio. It began with 'Higher Rock', I believe, and maybe even 'Chevrolet'. That was probably about 2019 or '20. And then I'd go off somewhere else, and then we'd come back to it.

"A friend of Steve Winwood's got an old farm down in Gloucestershire, and he used to be quite involved with the very early days of TRAFFIC. And so as the conditions changed [after the pandemic] and the world started to open up, occasionally we'd go down to his barn and see what we would do there. It's really great, very pastoral.

"I think maybe we made one sojourn to Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios to try and see how we would get on with a different drum sound or whatever it was. But it's been pretty organic all the way through. I know that's a very overused word, but that's how it is. Nothing was riding on it, nobody was thinking beyond maybe putting this record out. Some shows in the U.S. later in the year might be about the zenith of anything that anybody ever imagined, really. There's never any sort of aspiration.

"Whereas when I came back after the demise of LED ZEPPELIN, I was in a different place, a different headspace, a different time in my life. I was really quite determined to take my music with a lot more drive, whereas this seems to be, it seems pretty pastoral, really.

"In SAVING GRACE, I don't think any of us live more on about eight miles apart. It's a very familiar combination of people in every respect, because I guess we've come out of the same area completely. There's a coherence even in our humor. We've got a good thing going on without where there's no huge imperatives. It's just really nice."

After touring extensively across Europe in recent months and years, Robert Plant and SAVING GRACE are performing for the first time in the U.S. this fall.

In a new interview with Jono and Nats of Dubai 92's "The Big Breakfast", DEEP PURPLE singer Ian Gillan was asked if there is "an end in sight" to the hard rock legends' six-decade career or if he and his bandmates just plan to "keep on rocking". Ian responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, no one's really thought it through. We don't talk about it that much. And as life gets on, the end is nearer than the beginning, that's for sure. We all know that. But at the moment we're getting a lot of joy from what we're doing. I think the band is rejuvenated since Simon [McBride, guitar] joined us. And so we're looking a long way ahead. And you don't make long-term plans if you're thinking of stopping. So, we'll see what the future holds. I think probably human dignity is gonna be the deciding factor. Once you start going out and embarrassing people with your inability to do what you've done all your life, then it's time to stop. But until that moment arrives, then we're going good. And the band is hard and mean and hungry at the moment. I've never felt it so tight."

Earlier this month, DEEP PURPLE announced a U.K. tour for November 2026, including shows in Newcastle, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, and London.

The 80-year-old Gillan recently admitted to Uncut magazine that he was unsure how much longer he and his bandmates would be able to keep performing live.

"It's one of those things," he said. "I've only got 30 percent vision. That won't get better. It makes life mysterious. The hardest thing is working on my laptop. I can't see anything on the screen unless I use my peripheral vision; I pick up a line by looking at it sideways. But you find a way. You adapt. But it's achingly tiresome. It takes a long time to do the work."

Ian went on to say that he is grateful he still has his sense of humor.

"It's hilarious this growing old thing. It's a laugh a minute," Gillan said. "Well, sometimes yes and sometimes no. I walk down the road and hear something drop off — clang, there's something else gone. Nothing's changed really apart from I can't pole vault any more. Other than that, things move a little more slowly. But nothing's changed."

Contemplating the possibility of retirement, Gillan said: "I think if I lose my energy I'm going to stop. I don't want to be an embarrassment to anyone. We're not far off that. It creeps up on you — you don't really notice."

In August 2024, Gillan was asked by SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" if retirement was out of the vocabulary for him and his DEEP PURPLE bandmates, more than eight years after they launched "The Long Goodbye" tour. He responded: "I think it is. That was a joke, actually, because it was the promoters. And someone said, 'We've gotta sell some more tickets.' And it's the good old standby, the farewell tour. So I said, Okay, we'll call it 'goodbye' tour, but let's call it 'the long goodbye', and let's make the emphasis on the word 'long',' so it's kind of an enigmatic phrase."

He continued: "There's no intention to stop. At the moment… I spoke to my manager the other day. I've got some solo project. He said, 'You're gonna have to put 'em back,' and I'm putting them back years. We're already booked to the end of '26, in the planning stage, in the diary, with all the projects we've got for DEEP PURPLE. So, yeah, years to come, hopefully."

Earlier in August 2024, Gillan was asked by Ultimate Classic Rock how close the end of the road — and, perhaps, DEEP PUPRLE — feels to him, the singer responded: "As soon as you start feeling unable to deliver at that level — of course, you adjust, of course, you adapt and make do the best you can. But when the energy level goes, that's time to stop because then it gets embarrassing and nobody wants that. But so far, so good."

In December 2023, DEEP PURPLE drummer Ian Paice, who turned 77 in June, was asked by Zoom when he and his bandmates will eventually retire from performing live. He responded: "We have never planned a date to stop working. We are realists. The guys are getting older, and there's gonna come a point where maybe one or two of us don't want to do it anymore or [it's] not physically possible for them to do it. But we don't think about that. We're still having a great deal of fun. A lot of people still enjoy what we do, and so long as those two things stay in harmony, we'll continue.

"I don't think we'll ever know what the last gig, what the last tour is," he continued. "I think it'll come and just smack us in the face. Unless there's a definite plan, which there isn't, to do something as a final bye-bye, I just think we'll just go, 'Sorry, guys. We're finished. We can't do it anymore. It's been wonderful.' But even then, I think if we stopped touring, there's no reason why we couldn't make more records. That's the easiest thing in the world. All you've got to do is have the ideas. That's the hardest thing in the world. But physically making a record is easy."

Paice added: "Touring only works if you enjoy it. You can't just enjoy the two hours a night when you're playing. You've got to be able to deal with the whole thing. You've got to be able to deal with a ten-hour flight, a hotel which is less than perfect, transportation which goes wrong. You've gotta deal with all that. And if you can, and still enjoy it, then why would you stop something that you got into as a kid 'cause it made you happy? And if it still makes you happy, why would you stop it?"

Paice's PURPLE bandmate Roger Glover expressed a similar sentiment about the band's final tour in a June 2023 interview with Rock Hard Greece. The bassist, who will turn 80 later this month, said: "I don't like the idea of announcing the last show: 'And here they are. This is their last show.' I mean, the stress involved in that would be ridiculous. Where would it be? When would it be? For me, the ideal ending for PURPLE is that we just carry on until it stops. No announcement. We're not gonna announce, 'This is the last one.' People would buy tickets: 'Oh, this is the last one.' It's an exercise in making money. It's not very good. I've never liked it. I'd rather go and play and play and play and play, and one day when something happens and one of us drops dead or gets really ill or whatever, [we say], 'Well, that's that.' And leave it at that."

In 2022, DEEP PURPLE keyboardist Don Airey, who turned 77 in June, told Rolling Stone magazine that there was no concrete plan for him and his DEEP PURPLE bandmates to stop playing live shows.

"We started the farewell tour in 2017. It was due to end in 2019," he noted. "But the thing is, when you're a musician in a band, you think you're in control of it, but you're not. The business is running you.

"Of course, there was so much demand for the band to continue from the promoters and agents that we said, 'Okay, we'll do one more year.'"

Regarding when he thinks DEEP PURPLE will finally call it quits, Don said: "The words of T.S. Eliot [the greatest English-language poet of his generation] come to mind: 'This is the way the band ends. Not with a bang, but with a whimper.' I think we won't know it's the last gig. We won't have a clue that this one is going to be the last one. That's how it's going to end. It's going to be no big scenario.

"I like what Buddy Guy said. He said, 'Musicians don't retire. They drop.' You do have thoughts about being in the garden and bouncing the grandchildren on your knee, but it's part of your blood system, playing and touring. It's an addiction. I hope I keep playing for a while yet."

In July 2022, guitarist Steve Morse officially left PURPLE to care for his wife, Janine, who was battling cancer. He has since been replaced by Simon McBride.

DEEP PURPLE's latest album, "=1", came out in July 2024 via earMUSIC.

During a recent livestream, singer Katon W. De Pena (HIRAX) addressed his departure from NEFARIOUS, which features Rick Hunolt (EXODUS, DIEHUMANE) and Doug Piercy (HEATHEN, ANVIL CHORUS) on guitar, Tom Gears (BLIND ILLUSION, ANCIENT MARINER) on bass and Will Carroll (DEATH ANGEL) on drums. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, NEFARIOUS was great. I'm glad I did the record. I'm very proud of the record. And I did one show with them. That was awesome too. But I have to focus on HIRAX. That's my band. It's been my band for 40 years, and that's where my heart's at and that's what I gotta do. But I wish NEFARIOUS all the best. Great band and great musicians."

NEFARIOUS has since replaced De Pena with Sean Rivera (COFFIN HUNTERS). The band's new lineup will make its live debut on January 3, 2026 at the DNA Lounge in San Francisco, California.

Carroll discussed the NEFARIOUS singer switch during a recent appearance on Zetro's Toxic Vault, the YouTube channel of former EXODUS frontman Steve "Zetro" Souza. He said in part: "Things didn't work out [with Katon]… HIRAX is touring, and they're pretty busy. So that played a part in it. But it was a communication thing that was really the problem. He would not talk to us for months at a time… He just broke off communication with us. So we took that as he didn't wanna be in the band… And we did waste some time waiting and sitting around… But we had to move on. And that's where Sean comes in."

Regarding NEFARIOUS's new vocalist, Will said: "His name is Sean Rivera. And he sings for a band, or he's in a band called COFFIN HUNTERS. Not to be confused with the [side band of EXODUS bassist] Jack Gibson, COFFIN HUNTER. This one's plural, COFFIN HUNTERS, and they're more of a traditional heavy metal band. They play a lot in Santa Rosa. Rick discovered him. Rick went to one of their shows and saw him sing. And we knew things were kind of going south with Katon."

In a social media post, Carroll stated about his appearance on Zetro's Toxic Vault: "I didn't say anything out of line or untrue. In fact, I gave a very vanilla version of the whole Katon thing."

The Katon-fronted version of NEFARIOUS played its first — and only — show on July 19 at the DNA Lounge in San Francisco. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below.

NEFARIOUS's debut album, "Addicted To Power", came out on July 18 via Relentless "Metal" Records, with the collector vinyl available through Hectic/Bleeding Priest Records.

Regarding how NEFARIOUS came together, Katon told The Metal Crypt: "I think it was going to be a solo record for Doug Piercy at first. We had all run into each other from years of playing in the same scene. It seemed like the timing was really what it was. I did a couple of benefits. I did one for Tom Hunting from EXODUS where we raised money for his hospital bills. We did another one for Sean Killian, the singer from VIO-LENCE. At those benefits, I saw a lot of these musicians. We talked to each other and obviously talked about music. Then it came around to where we played some shows together. I think that's what made us all notice each other a little bit more, like, 'Hey, I wonder what it would be like to play with those guys.' Even though I live in Los Angeles, I go up to San Francisco quite often. It's been working out pretty well. We're just going to keep writing music. The one thing that we all have in common is we love writing music. I think that's what keeps us so motivated to do this."

On the topic of NEFARIOUS's musical influences, Katon said: "We all listen to a lot of music. Some of it would surprise people. Obviously, there's going to be heavy metal influences in there because we all grew up on DEEP PURPLE and early SCORPIONS. We love Uli John Roth, obviously, BLACK SABBATH and THIN LIZZY, bands like that. You can't help it. When you play music for as long as we have, other styles of music are going to come into play, whether it's classical music or jazz. Myself, I love stuff like Luciano Pavarotti. There's going to be those things. It also helps the songwriting because you take from some of your heroes, like Jimi Hendrix or, like I said, back to opera music or classical music, you can't help but intertwine some of that in the music. That is in the roots of the music. Then, obviously, thrash metal plays a very big part of it, because we all came from a lot of the early bands. There's going to be some of those influences. People will hear a little bit of the EXODUS thing; they will hear a little bit of the HIRAX thing. Even with Doug, he's just a well-rounded guitar player, and his songwriting skills are majorly off the charts. This guy's got a big brain, and he really has a great way of looking at music. People are going to hear the stuff that we grew up on, whether it's BUDGIE or any of that kind of stuff. They're also going to hear thrash metal mixed in with elements of classical music."

Describing NEFARIOUS's sound, Katon said: "I think we're a cross between, obviously, early thrash metal, but also a lot of the heavy metal influence is there as well. You will hear some harmonies, bands like [IRON] MAIDEN and THIN LIZZY. We'd be lying if we said that wasn't there, because we grew up on that stuff. DEEP PURPLE's a big influence. RAINBOW. Obviously, Ritchie Blackmore, stuff like that. It's going to be in there. I think we also have a different way of looking at it, because we've been doing it for so long. We're not trying to be like a lot of the other bands, and we're not trying to be modern. There are modern sounds, because we're recording in modern studios. The music's definitely coming from the right place. I think that people hear that when they listen to this new song 'One Nation Enslaved', you can hear that we definitely have stuck to our guns. We're not trying to do commercial music, but we also are writing songs that are memorable."

This past July, NEFARIOUS released the official music video for the "Addicted To Power" title track. The clip is a raw performance piece filmed at Soundwave Studios in Oakland, California.

"Addicted To Power" followed previously released, critically praised tracks "Master Plan" and "One Nation Enslaved", which were made available earlier this spring.

The music for "Addicted To Power" was recorded at Subterranean Studio in Oakland, California and Pyramid Studio in San Francisco, California. It was mixed by Damien Rasmussen of Smoke And Mirrors Productions.

De Pena previously stated about NEFARIOUS: "We're not a band. We are a gang ready to crush skulls and make eardrums bleed ... Necks will be sore ...!!"

Press photo courtesy of Freeman Promotions

On November 13, GHOST's "Mary On A Cross" single was certified double platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for accumulating two million certified units. The certification comes a little over two years after "Mary On A Cross" became the first GHOST single to achieve platinum status. Also on November 13, "Dance Macabre", the second single from GHOST's fourth studio album, 2018's "Prequelle", was certified platinum by the RIAA.

According to the RIAA, one equivalent song unit is equal to a single digital song sale, or 150 on-demand audio and/or video streams.

In November 2022, "Mary On A Cross" became the fourth GHOST single to achieve gold status that year. In June 2022, "Cirice" (from GHOST's third album, 2015's "Meliora"),"Dance Macabre" (from 2018's "Prequelle") and "Square Hammer" (from 2016's "Popestar" EP) were also certified gold. These marked GHOST's first RIAA certifications.

In September 2022, GHOST scored its first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with "Mary On A Cross". The song, which was originally released as a two-track single in 2019 via Loma Vista/Concord (alongside "Kiss The Go-Goat"),debuted at No. 90 on the chart with six million U.S. streams and 1,000 downloads sold, according to Billboard.

"Mary On A Cross" had been gaining traction after a TikTok user used a slowed down version of the song to soundtrack a short video about the Netflix show "Stranger Things". Since then, "Mary On The Cross" was used to soundtrack tens of thousands of videos on the platform. GHOST later released the official slowed down version of "Mary On A Cross" with added reverb.

This past May, GHOST's latest studio album, "Skeletá", landed at position No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 86,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the LP's first week of release. 89% of that figure (77,000) consisted of traditional album sales, with vinyl purchases accounting for over 44,000 copies. Notably, "Skeletá" was the first hard rock album to reach the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 since AC/DC's "Power Up" in 2020.

"Skeletá" marked the ninth time GHOST charted on the Billboard 200. The band first landed on the chart in 2013 with its second album, "Infestissumam", reaching No. 28.

"Skeletá" was GHOST's eighth album to reach the Top 40 and fifth to reach the Top 10. The band had previously peaked at No. 2 with 2022's "Impera".

In September 2022, GHOST scored its first-ever Top 40 single in the U.K. with "Mary On A Cross".

GHOST's "Skeletour" world tour will continue in the new year, with the recent announcement of 20 new North American shows kicking off January 21 at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida and running through February 23 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

As previously reported, the final two shows on this year's edition of GHOST's "Skeletour" were filmed for future release.

After's GHOST's September 23 concert in Mexico City was canceled due to frontman Tobias Forge having food poisoning, the band's two performances at the 20,000-capacity Palacio De Los Deportes on September 24 and September 25 were shot on 16mm film "for the rest of the world to see at some point".

This past August, GHOST completed the first U.S. leg of the "Skeletour" in support of "Skeletá", which came out in April. Marking a bold evolution in GHOST's live performances, the tour was the band's most theatrical and cinematic production yet. Designed by creative director Tobias Rylander and Forge, the tour embraced a grander and more ambitious scale than ever before.