Christian rockers SKILLET have released their first-ever Christmas recording, "O Come, O Come Emmanuel", accompanied by a powerful and moving music video, which was also featured in social collab with "Fox & Friends". Watch it below.

The release caps off a massive year for SKILLET that included packed shows across Europe last summer and a sold-out Central and South American tour in Mexico City, Lima, Buenos Aires, and Santiago, which preceded the November 6 launch of "The Awakening Tour" with Jeremy Camp.

Fans can tune in on YouTube on December 2 to join SKILLET for "A Rock Feed Christmas Special" — an evening of music, conversation, and surprises. The event will feature a special live question-and-answer session with U.S. military veterans, presented in partnership with Vet Tix, a nonprofit organization the band has long supported. This season, SKILLET are spotlighting Vet Tix alongside St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to encourage continued giving and awareness.

"Our fans have been demanding a Christmas song for years, and we are so thrilled to have finally recorded one," say SKILLET's John and Korey Cooper. "We arranged and produced it ourselves, so we were able to put our heart and soul into it. Making a classic piece sound like SKILLET was the mission, and we can't wait for fans to hear it!"

Reinforcing their reputation as a band with a massive global impact, earlier this fall SKILLET announced their return to Europe the spring of 2026. The spring tour will hit 23 cities including London, Glasgow, Paris, Munich, Warsaw and Barcelona, with tickets on sale now.

In various interviews over the years, John Cooper has said that he "always had faith in God" and that his mother was a "Jesus fanatic." He also claimed that he was willing to put his career on the line to take a stand for Christ.

In April 2021, Cooper told the "Undaunted.Life: A Man's Podcast" that it was perfectly fine for Christians to play rock music. "I would say that music is created not by the Devil; [it is] created by the Lord," he said. "All things were created by God. So instead of thinking that the Devil owns a genre of music, I would say capture that music and bring it back into subjection under the Lordship of Christ."

John has written in depth about his views in the two books he has released so far, "Awake & Alive To Truth", which came out in December 2020, and "Wimpy, Weak, And Woke", which became available in late 2023.

Cooper told Baptist Press about how his faith directs him to speak out on cultural issues: "If Jesus is the truth, then that means He has something to say about culture, politics, abortion and sexuality. The Bible has something to say about these things."

SKILLET's latest album, "Revolution", arrived in November 2024 via the band's Hear It Loud imprint.

In celebration of one of America's greatest rock and roll bands, Genesis Publications has announced an official chronicle of VAN HALEN by the band's founding drummer Alex Van Halen. Featuring a dynamic blend of iconic photography alongside rare and never-before-seen images, and with exclusive access to his private archives, "Van Halen" (working title) offers a personally guided tour through the band's legendary career.

Signed, written and curated by Alex Van Halen, this authorized publication opens the Van Halen family archive for the first time. The years 1978–1984 are explored through correspondence, tour memorabilia, album artwork, press material, musical equipment, unpublished photographs and much more — charting the Van Halen brothers' journey from childhood and the band's formation to their debut and meteoric rise.

Register interest today at VanHalenAnthology.com to be among the first to hear more about the book, which will be published as a signed limited-edition book boxed set.

Genesis Publications was founded in 1974 in Britain as an independent publishing house true to the arts of printing and craftsmanship.

During a November 2024 appearance on "Talk Is Jericho", the podcast hosted by FOZZY frontman and wrestling superstar Chris Jericho, Alex Van Halen spoke about his decision to write his memoir, "Brothers", which has been described as a love letter to his younger brother, while still mourning Eddie Van Halen's untimely death. Alex said: "Ed and I were tight. We worked together, we played together, we did whatever. But when he was near the end of his life, because of COVID it was very difficult to visit him in person and to see him. There was always either a glass barrier or a plastic something surrounding [him]. The times that we could actually touch him were few and far between. And that really put everything in a strange kind of — I can't explain it, but it didn't feel right. So we really had no closure, in that sense, and everything was hurried near the end, again, because of the COVID issue. We didn't really have a ceremony afterwards. He was cremated and his ashes were spread. This is my way of saying goodbye to him. And whatever you believe in terms of spiritual pursuits and all that, I think he's still here, he's still here with us in one way, shape or form — not to the point where he's not allowed to go where he really wants to go. [Laughs] They call it a tether; you don't wanna tether him to this dimension. So, Ed, whatever you wanna do is cool. We love you. And I just wanted to say that to the point of infinitum, whatever the expression is."

Alex continued: "It's hard to describe what it's like to not have someone in your life that has been there for 65 years. That's a long, long time, and it wasn't just a regular — and I'm not giving other people a hard time in terms of 'my relationship was stronger than yours'. That's not the point. It's just that when you have something that's taken out of your life after 65 years, it's difficult. And I'm certainly not alone. I'm not saying I'm special or I should get a medal — no, it happens to a lot of different people. And I think one of the side effects of this book has been a lot of people have contacted me and said, 'Reading this book has really given me a different way of looking at the parting with people who I loved.' And I know that grief can be a common denominator, if you will, and that's not my preference — my preference is the happier times — but with the good comes the bad. And everybody's gonna go through it."

Regarding the possibility of previously unreleased Eddie Van Halen music eventually seeing the light of day, Alex said: "I've talked about it loosely, and I am rather superstitious, but I can say a couple of things that I've mentioned before. We're gonna go through the, quote-unquote, vault and go through some of the musical ideas that were there. On the one end of the spectrum is the fact that little licks don't make a song. On the other end of the spectrum, some of those licks are so unbelievably powerful, it's too bad that they ended up in the back of the vault, rather than being records.

"There are so many different variables in a band like ours," Alex explained. "We don't just walk in the studio and plan, 'Let's make a record,' although we have done that to some degree. But it's not a mechanical process for us. We go in and we play and see what happens, listen to it, invite a couple of people and then see what happens with that. And then you listen and you evaluate. If the next day, when you come in and listen to it, if it doesn't kick you in the face like it did the first time, then maybe you should move on and do something else. Don't hold on to an old idea just because it's there. No. That's not how we did it. Having said that, there were also a lot of bad ideas. [Laughs] That's always the risk you run, but if you don't do that, you will become — it'll become inert. It's called inertia, or whatever — entropy. Things will fall off and then you become less and less creative. And the other aspect of all of that is that you are in an open marketplace where you are being judged, and if you don't do well in the marketplace, people are gonna go, 'Maybe it's time to do something else.' And that is a real issue. But now that Ed's gone, none of those things are really valid because all I have, and Wolf [Eddie's son and VAN HALEN bassist] has, is all the recordings in the vault. And they will stay there until we figure out how and why and what to do with them. And again, you have to remember, it has to be on the level of where Ed and I, where we used to play. We're not just gonna shovel it in. We have access to some of the greatest musicians on the planet, and a lot of 'em are more than willing to take a chance on some of the stuff."

When Jericho noted that it sounds like Alex has more than just one or two demos that he could elaborate on and release to the public, the drummer said: "Oh, yeah. Probably three or four records, if not more. I'm serious. There was some good stuff, some good stuff in there. And you have to remember, when in the thick of it, sometimes the really great stuff kind of passes you by. And it's not until you revisit it going, 'Whoa, I forgot about that. This kicks ass.' But that takes time. And you wanna do it right. I wanna do it right."

Alex also talked about the fact that the audiobook version of "Brothers" contains a previously unreleased song composed by Alex and his brother. Titled "Unfinished", it is the last piece of music they wrote together and can be heard as Alex narrates his story.

"I don't wanna use the word 'spiritual', but there is a connection with… Ed and I were very much a product of how our dad saw the world, and one of his favorite pieces of music was a song called 'Unfinished' by Franz Schubert," Alex said. "Actually, it wasn't until I'd done this that I went back and looked at it. It turns out he had a lot of pieces that were unfinished. [Laughs] That seemed to be one of his major traits. So we had this song that was not completely finished yet. It was one of my most memorable songs that was constantly playing in the house. So I thought it was kind of a sign from some different dimension: 'do this'. And as you can tell, I go off on a tangent that may or may not even be real, but I believe that stuff, man. There are a lot of things in this world that we do not know. There's no explanation for them. All you have to do is just sit down, slow down and listen, which is easier said than done. [Laughs]"

Alex is the co-founder of VAN HALEN and its original drummer. Born in Amsterdam and trained as a classical pianist, he graduated from Pasadena High School.

In "Brothers", Alex recounts his and Ed's childhood in an 800-square foot house in Pasadena, with an itinerant musician father and proper Indonesian-born mother — how they arrived in the U.S. from the Netherlands and struggled to fit in. He also shares stories of musical politics, infighting and bad-boy behavior. The book includes never-before-seen photos from the author's private archives, as he sets the record straight on his brother's life and death in the first-ever accurate account of his family and the band.

Alex and Eddie formed a band called MAMMOTH in Pasadena, California in 1972, then renamed it VAN HALEN when singer David Lee Roth joined the group and, later, bassist Michael Anthony.

VAN HALEN was one of the biggest rock bands in the country in the 1980s, with hits like "Runnin' With The Devil", "Dance The Night Away", "Hot For Teacher", "Panama" and "Jump". The group, which later featured Sammy Hagar on vocals, was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

The Van Halen family moved to Pasadena after emigrating to the U.S. from the Netherlands in 1962.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

According to Modern Drummer, Alex was instrumental to VAN HALEN's electrifying, dramatic sound, leading the rhythm section on standout hits like "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love", "Unchained" and "Panama". His double-bass pedal work throughout "Hot For Teacher" was deeply influential, combining technical prowess with a restless, thoroughly original drum composition.

Back in 2021, Hagar said that he had tried to reach out to Alex after Eddie's death but that he was rebuffed.

"Alex just seems to he just doesn't want to communicate with anybody," Sammy told Ultimate Classic Rock. "You know, Mike [Anthony, former VAN HALEN bassist] has reached out, and I reached out many times. I don't know. I'm sure he's still in pain from the whole thing, but I'm not dogging him. I'm just saying he just really doesn't want to be friends or doesn't want to communicate. I don't know why, but we've still got the rest of our lives to work this out."

When Alex turned 68 in May 2021, he commemorated the occasion by sharing the following statement: "First birthday without you, Ed. The view from my drum set will never be the same. VH forever!"

Eddie passed away in October 2020 at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. Alex was by his side, as was Eddie's son, Wolfgang. The axeman died from complications due to cancer, his son confirmed.

Eddie's final Instagram post was a tribute to Alex. On May 8, 2020, the guitarist shared a black-and-white photo of him and his brother to his followers to wish the drummer a happy birthday.

He captioned the picture: "Happy Birthday Al!! Love Ya!! #vanhalen #alexvanhalen #birthday #may #drummer #musician #musicians #family #rock #classicrock #rockband #love".

In early 2022, it was confirmed that Alex had been in talks with Roth and guitarist Joe Satriani to put on a special show in honor of Eddie. However, Wolfgang later said that it was "in such an early stage that it never even got off the ground."

Finnish industrial metallers Ruoska, formed in 2002, will release their sixth studio album in February 2026 via Inverse Records following a three year hiatus. They have shared a new single, “Ihtiriekko”, taken from the upcoming album, Kade.

“Ihtiriekko” is perfectly in line with the band’s intense output, and the song’s story is not exactly cheerful either.

“Taken from Finnish folk tales, ‘Ihtiriekko’ is a powerful and sad story about real-life tragedies that took place in the past, but which today’s listeners can also relate to. In times past, people have sought to explain difficult things through mythology and fantasy in order to find comfort in the midst of often miserable everyday life,” the band explains.

“The final version came together quite painlessly. ‘Ihtiriekko’ combines heavy sounds, electronic music, and classical elements. This is one of the latest and most significant songs that was worked on for the upcoming album.”

Listen to the single on digital music services here.

The band, which hails from Juva, Eastern Finland, and has already racked up nearly 25 million plays on Spotify alone, will also be heading out on an album release tour, which will be announced soon.

In a new interview with Andertons Music Co, legendary bassist Billy Sheehan, who turned 72 this past March, spoke about his continued love for touring and performing live. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I live to play live, and I play live to live. That's gotta be my next tattoo. Yeah, that's what I do. I love to play. I mean, I love to play anyway in any capacity, but some guys I like are more studio cats. That's cool. But when you're out on deck and there's a hot, sweaty crowd, and we played going all through Europe and through the U.K., just amazing nights we've had. And then afterwards hanging out with people, seeing old friends, and it's just great. And the buses are comfortable. Usually in Europe, we use a German bus, and they're double deckers, and they run a tight ship. It's clean and safe and wonderful. USA, in a similar way too. It's easy. Going to Japan is a luxury. We get there and they take such wonderful care of us. And so it's pretty cool. But the main thing is that hour and a half, two hours up on stage where you're playing and you're on. And that, for me, is just the most important thing in my world. And everything you've been practicing and everything you've been working, now, well, here it is. This is to demonstrate — all the hours and days and weeks and years you put into it are now on display. And good luck, that it works out."

He continued: "So, yeah, that's a big thing for me. I'm about performing live. And I'm mostly a band guy — I like a band thing, where you've got guys that you know and you're working with and interact with. And you get to know where they're gonna go. Various guitar players I've played with, we get an instinct, similar to how I spoke with the drums. We kind of know where the other guy's going. I know when to pull back and when to push forward. It's an amazing dynamic thing… It's so great."

Sheehan has played with David Lee Roth, MR. BIG, THE WINERY DOGS, TALAS and SONS OF APOLLO. He's also won Guitar Player magazine's "Best Bass Player" poll several times and is in-demand at clinics and as a session player.

Sheehan has played bass on dozens of records and toured all over the world for many decades, with a unique and original style of playing that has been widely celebrated and documented. Starting in his former hometown of Buffalo, New York with the now legendary hard rock trio TALAS, he went on to join former VAN HALEN singer David Lee Roth in 1985, along with guitarist Steve Vai and drummer Gregg Bissonette. In 1987, Billy left to start his own band, MR. BIG, and in 2002, he founded NIACIN, a fusion/blues trio that featured drummer Dennis Chambers. More recently, Billy joined DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy and guitarist Richie Kotzen to form THE WINERY DOGS.

Sheehan has changed the way bass guitar is played. He recorded two platinum-selling albums with Roth before setting out on his own. Forming MR. BIG in 1989, the band achieved a Billboard No. 1 single in the U.S. and 14 other countries with "To Be With You" from MR. BIG's second Atlantic Records album release "Lean Into It". While developing his trademark style of playing, he performed over 4,000 live gigs on every continent except Africa and Antarctica.

On January 27, 1999, Billy's handprints and signature were preserved in cement on the Hollywood RockWalk at Guitar Center, an honor reserved for those artists who have made a significant contribution to rock and roll.

Kentucky rockers BLACK STONE CHERRY will release a brand-new EP, "Celebrate", digitally on March 6, 2026 via Mascot Records. The official music video for the EP's second single, the "Celebrate" title track, can be seen below.

BLACK STONE CHERRY are a band in the truest sense of the term. Hard rockers of enormous heart. Four accomplished songwriters with rock, metal, roots, blues, soul and hip hop in their blood. Old friends with an instinctive, compassionate sense for what each other is feeling.

BLACK STONE CHERRY comments on the new single and its accompanying music video: "We had so much fun coming up with the concept for the 'Celebrate' video. We got on a phone call with director Kyle Loftus and we all hashed out ideas until we landed on something that got us all excited. We wanted the video to show what it's like to be stuck in something, whether that be a boring job or maybe stuck in your own head, and how any little opportunity can lead to a small victory. The song itself is about celebrating every little thing in life, even if it's just making it through the day. The video came out amazing with an amazing actor/musician, Aaron Paulsen, as the lead and we get chills every time we watch it. The confetti at the end was one of our main requests as we wanted to visually show what it mentally feels like to celebrate inside your mind."

"Celebrate" was produced by the BLACK STONE CHERRY bandmembers themselves and recorded at High Street Studios in Bowling Green, Kentucky. There's happiness and heartache. Muscular hooks and raw soul. The life experiences of four men approaching forty (two of them parents),in one emotive, unpolished diamond of a record. Six commanding, stage-ready original tracks and an inspired cover of SIMPLE MINDS' "Don't You (Forget About Me)" featuring Tyler Connolly (THEORY OF A DEADMAN).

"Neon Eyes" was a soundcheck riff that exploded into a thumping, hard rock party-starter, and the video follows them on a typical day in the life of a band on the road, as they arrive at their stunning headline performance at the 2025 Maid Of Stone festival in the U.K. You get a glimpse of the band behind the scenes, how they prepare for a show, them mingling with the crowd, fans rejoicing throughout the day, and all the way up to a typically high voltage performance showing what an undeniable force they are — plus some magical and unforgettable memories made during the day.

BLACK STONE CHERRY commented: "For 'Neon Eyes' we had the riff recorded on an iPhone and immediately wrote a song around it when we first started writing for this EP. We knew we wanted the main riff to also be the chorus so once we landed on the title, everything fell into place. A classic BSC banger."

BLACK STONE CHERRY are masters of taking a somber subject and flipping it on its head, creating a punchy, empowering rock song.

"Any piece of art is a snapshot of that artist's life," singer/guitarist Chris Robertson reasoned. "So I look at these songs as a culmination of everything we've lived since 'Screamin' At The Sky'."

"None of us are precious, because we're all fighting on the same team," guitarist Ben Wells said. "So John Fred [Young, drums] might have a guitar riff, or me or Chris might have a drum beat. And Steve [Jewell Jr.] is our bass player, but he played slide on the last album, and there's parts on the new stuff where he plays guitar. It was cool to think you could start the day without a song, and five hours later walk out with a demo."

"Celebrate" is an EP of contrasts. "I'm Fine" is a dreamily woozy, NIRVANA-laced grunge singalong. But it was the searing, mid-tempo heartache of "Deep" that struck a really pertinent chord — with Ben in particular. Following long struggles with fertility issues, he and his wife suffered a miscarriage midway through the writing process. Two days later, he was channeling the experience into "Deep".

For a curveball, "Celebrate" is capped off with a strapping-yet-sensuous cover of SIMPLE MINDS classic "Don't You (Forget About Me)", featuring guest vocals from old BLACK STONE friend Tyler Connolly. Immortalized in John Hughes's seminal 1985 coming-of-age film "The Breakfast Club", it turned out to be a surprisingly natural fit for BLACK STONE CHERRY. A happy pairing with the soulful gravel and sincerity of Chris's vocals. "I love that song!" the frontman laughed.

No one in BLACK STONE CHERRY takes what they have for granted, least of all their fans. They'll play to thousands in an arena or festival field, followed by a 100-capacity pub, and put on the exact same show. You can feel it in "Celebrate": the sense that their hearts are totally invested, their priorities clear. Time spent with loved ones. Supporting one another. Connecting with audiences. Music that makes you feel something. No polish, no faking it, just moments that matter.

"Celebrate" track listing:

01. Celebrate
02. Neon Eyes
03. Caught Up In The Up Down
04. I'm Fine
05. Deep
06. What You're Made Of
07. Don't You Forget About Me (featuring THEORY OF A DEADMAN's Tyler Connolly)

BLACK STONE CHERRY is:

Chris Robertson - vocals, guitars
Ben Wells - guitars
John Fred Young - drums
Steve Jewell Jr. - bass

THE WHO guitarist Pete Townshend has expressed an interest in utilizing artificial intelligence technology to complete some of the previously unreleased songs that he has written over the years.

Townshend made the comment during an appearance on the November 12 episode of "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert". Asked if it is true that he has "unheard music in the vault ready to go", Pete responded: "Yeah, I've got about three hundred and fifty, four hundred and fifty pieces of music. Now, a lot of it is probably terrible. I've managed to wade through about half of it."

As for whether the fans may eventual hear any of the material, Pete said: "I don't know what to do with it. I'm also quite interested in A.I. I'm quite interested in getting some of my old songs that didn't quite work because I didn't get them right first time round and put them up on to Suno [a generative A.I. platform that creates songs from user-submitted text prompts] or something, some A.I. music machine and seeing what it can make of it. It might be some hits."

Townshend previously brought up his interest in A.I. during a March 2025 interview with The Times. He said at the time: "If I told A.I., 'Write a load of Pete Townshend songs like he used to in 1973,' a lot of WHO fans would be really pleased."

In November 2023, Pete told the "Broken Record" podcast that he was optimistic about the role of artificial intelligence in music. "Oh, yeah, absolutely," he said. "I think it will help in all kinds of ways that that will surprise us when they happen, just like the Internet has. And of course, the Internet has a very, very dark side… But with respect to A.I., I'm hopeful, but I'm not going to say is inevitably going to be a good thing, because I think it's when it becomes what drives the machine, then we have to be careful."

Townshend is the co-founder, guitarist, second lead vocalist and principal songwriter of THE WHO.

Townshend wrote over one hundred songs for 12 of THE WHO's studio albums, including the rock operas "Tommy" (1969) and "Quadrophenia" (1973). He has also written more than a hundred songs for his solo albums, and his creative output also includes television theme songs and radio jingles. He is renowned for his combination of aggressive playing style and poetic lyrics.

In addition to being a famous guitarist, Pete plays bass guitar, ukulele, mandolin, banjo, violine, accordion, harmonica, drums, and keyboards.

The all-star hard rock collective BLACK SWAN — featuring Robin McAuley (MCAULEY SCHENKER GROUP),Reb Beach (WINGER, WHITESNAKE),Jeff Pilson (FOREIGNER, THE END MACHINE, ex-DOKKEN) and Matt Starr (Ace Frehley, MR. BIG) — will release a new studio album, "Paralyzed", on February 13, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl.

BLACK SWAN unleashes today another extract of the record, "If I Was King", that follows the previously released single "The Fire And The Flame".

Beach described the new single: "'If I Was King' is one of my favorites because it has all the elements of a good BLACK SWAN song. It's powerful with great guitar riffs and soaring vocals, but that chorus has some different chords than usual. It really sticks in my head".

Pilson added: "This song really shows where BLACK SWAN shines at its best. Great melodies and lyrics, burning guitars and pounding rhythms. And wait till you see the video!!!"

McAuley said: "This track sets the tone for what's to come with its dark and heavy opening chords, building intensity into a big melodic chorus that is quintessentially BLACK SWAN. Watch the video and let it pull you in."

Starr stated: "'If I Was King' throws down the gauntlet and is what BLACK SWAN is all about: kick-ass, high-energy rock music with killer melodies, lyrics and musicianship. Robin is so talented at creating imagery with his lyrics based on the music that Jeff and Reb create. This is a great example of that."

McAuley expressed his enthusiasm for "Paralyzed" by saying: "Can't wait for you guys to hear our new record. We feel we've taken our songwriting to another level on this one, with amazing guitar riffs that once again show the brilliance that is Reb Beach, pounding bass, as you'd expect, from Jeff, and Matt Starr leaving no doubt about where the thunder comes from. Soaring melodies with strong lyrics are what we do best, combine that with sheer heaviness and we have a record we think you the fans are going to love".

Beach said: "BLACK SWAN is old-school '80s rock that is all about good guitar riffs with badass vocals. No one is better than Robin at singing this kind of music. I think the combination of my riffs and his vocals are what makes the band stand out."

Starr stated: "I think the fans are going to love our new record. It builds on the first two records taking the songwriting, playing and energy to another level. I'm so proud to be part of this great group of musicians and guys."

Pilson commented: "We're all very excited for the release of BLACK SWAN's 'Paralyzed' and can't wait for all the fans to hear it. We wanted to come up with a real step forward in melodic heaviness, and I strongly believe we delivered. Enjoy!"

With all songs written and composed by McAuley, Pilson and Beach, and expertly produced by Pilson, "Paralyzed" showcases BLACK SWAN at their peak performance — offering a dynamic mix of towering vocals, razor-sharp riffs, and hook-laden melodies. The band's chemistry continues to shine, elevating their songwriting and musical delivery to new heights.

Tracked at Pilson's Los Angeles studio, the album reflects the tight-knit synergy among its members. McAuley's commanding vocals remain as ageless, while the instrumentalists deliver with precision and fire. Much like its predecessors, the new record is a testament to the individual and collective talents of these seasoned musicians.

"Paralyzed" is fresh, heavy, and melodically rich — a cohesive and compelling album that feels both classic and contemporary. Building upon the blueprint laid by their debut, "Shake The World", the band expands their sonic universe.

The result is a record that not only meets but surpasses expectations, cementing BLACK SWAN as a formidable force in the modern hard rock scene. Whether you've followed these legendary musicians since the heyday of '80s rock or you're just now discovering their magic, "Paralyzed" is essential listening — a masterclass in melodic hard rock delivered by artists who continue to defy time and expectations.

The genesis of BLACK SWAN was sparked by a conversation between Jeff Pilson and Frontiers' president and head of A&R, Serafino Perugino, who wanted a project that would not only showcase McAuley's vocal prowess, but have a mighty musical backbone to stand skyscraper tall behind him. Thus, the initial seeds were planted and Pilson ran with it from there.

BLACK SWAN released its debut album, "Shake The World", on February 14, 2020. Their sophomore album, "Generation Mind", followed in 2022, a powerful hard rock statement that consolidated the unique sound of the quartet and highlighted the talent of each of the members.

"Paralyzed" track listing:

01. When The Cold Wind Blows
02. Death Of Me
03. Different Kind Of Woman
04. If I Was King
05. Shakedown
06. The Fire And The Flame
07. I'm Ready
08. Paralyzed
09. Carry On
10. Battered And Bruised
11. What The Future Holds

Regarding how BLACK SWAN has managed to stay together to record a second studio album despite the fact that most so-called "supergroups" don't last very long, McAuley told VWMusic in a 2022 interview: "'Shake The World' was a great first record from BLACK SWAN, and I don't think any of us likes the supergroup reference attached to the lineup. We set out to write some great music together. Music that we enjoy playing and listening to. On 'Generation Mind', I think we achieved that cohesive band sound that is very BLACK SWAN, and the production reflects that very much. It's fresh sounding, high energy, and fun. We're not caught up in having to sound a particular way because the label [Frontiers] put us together. This is who we are as a band."

THE VIOLENT HOUR, the new band fronted by former BUTCHER BABIES vocalist Carla Harvey, has released the official music video for the song "Sex And Cigarettes".

"Sex And Cigarettes" is the third video from THE VIOLENT HOUR's self-titled debut EP, following clips for the tracks "Sick Ones" and "Hell Or Hollywood".

Joining Harvey in THE VIOLENT HOUR are Kiana De León on lead guitar, Allie Kay on rhythm guitar, Jewell Steele on bass and Sasha De León on drums.

Kiana and Sasha previously played together in the PANTERA tribute band FAR BEYOND HOSTILE and the covers project VIXEN VENDETTA.

"'Sex And Cigarettes' was the first song I wrote for THE VIOLENT HOUR EP," said Carla. "It's fun, sexy, and a full-throttle riot-grrrl love letter to chaos and chemistry." For the music video, Carla wrote the treatment, personally scouted most of the locations, from Circus Liquor to Los Angeles's infamous Mustang Motel, and tracked down the badasss red convertible that was part of the adventure.

"I wanted to capture the energy and instant camaraderie we have as a band in a modern, Russ Meyer-esque fever dream that turns a simple road trip to a gig into absolute madness," Harvey added. "I enlisted director Nathan Mowery to bring the vision to life. He's not only a filmmaker, but also a wrestler, so I knew he'd nail the finale I imagined. The final cut is exactly how I dreamed it — gritty, sexy, and a little unhinged… just like the song."

"We hadn't been a band for very long before filming the video," said Kaye, "but spending a full day together to shoot these killer scenes brought us closer together as a group."

"The energy on the set of our first music video was truly unforgettable," said Kiana De León. "Every moment filming felt less like work and more like hanging out with your friends, everyone just naturally vibed with each other. The chemistry was instant, and we all clicked as a whole. It was all good vibes, start to finish, and you can truly feel that excitement in every single scene." "If you're not having fun with your band mates," added Sasha De León, "then what are you doing?"

"I never had so much fun filming a music video," said Steele. "My favorite part was Carla driving the 63' Ford Falcon Futura all around L.A. while we were rocking out and having a blast!"

THE VIOLENT HOUR has been added as direct support for the December STEEL PANTHER dates:

Dec. 04 - St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
Dec. 06 - Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom
Dec. 07 - Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts
Dec. 10 - Flint, MI @ Machine Shop
Dec. 12 - Green Bay, WI @ EPIC
Dec. 13 - Council Bluffs, IA @ Horseshore Whiskey Roadhouse
Dec. 14 - Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note
Dec. 16 - Springfield, IL @ Boondocks
Dec. 17 - St Charles, IL @ The Arcadia Theatre
Dec. 18 - Madison, WI @ Sylvee
Dec. 20 - New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
Dec. 21 - Huntsville, AL @ Mars Music Hall

When the touring lineup of THE VIOLENT HOUR was first announced in August, Harvey commented: "As a huge fan of the '90s Riot Grrl movement, I've dreamed of having an all-girl band my whole life. After a long search, I finally found them. Four incredible women who share the same drive, passion, and fire that fuels me. We are THE VIOLENT HOUR and we are your new favorite band."

THE VIOLENT HOUR's self-titled debut EP was released in July via Megaforce Records. Carla wrote all lyrics and handled all the vocals on "The Violent Hour", while Harvey's now-husband, ANTHRAX and PANTERA drummer Charlie Benante, wrote the music and played all instruments on the EP. The track "Sick Ones" features an absolutely shredding guitar solo from MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist John 5, and PANTERA guitarist and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY frontman Zakk Wylde makes an explosive cameo on the track "Hell Or Hollywood".

"Writing this EP was a liberating experience," Carla said. "When I started, I felt lost… but by the time I sang the last note, I had found myself again. From the beginning, I wanted the music to come out organically: no agenda, just whatever needed to be released. I've been immersed in a world of guttural screaming for so long, but when I sat down to write my own material, what came out felt lighter — like I was reconnecting with parts of myself I hadn't explored in years. It reminded me of why I fell in love with music in the first place. Writing became fun again.

"This EP reflects all sides of me: it's made by the 16-year-old who loved everything from LYNYRD SKYNYRD to thrash metal, the grit and riot girls of the '90s, and the danger of GUNS N' ROSES. It's raw and it's real.

"Working with Charlie on these songs was a dream. He is so talented and he really inspired me to be better; I couldn't have made this album without him."

Said Benante, who also conceived the EP's cover art: "Carla was my muse in all of this. I was inspired and motivated by her to write the songs that fit her voice. Once we got started, it was that lightning-in-a-bottle-feeling.

"I think that this EP, when people hear it — I don't care if you're 13, 33, or 63 — I think you're going to feel the power of it. And I think that once the songs and the choruses hit you, it's going to be unstoppable, it's going to be infectious, and this just might become your favorite new band."

Not many people have comic book author, embalmer and musician on their resumes. Carla boasts all three and so much more.

Carla was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan — a city known for its grit, resilience, and often deep divides. Navigating life as a bi-racial kid in a fractured environment wasn't easy, but Carla found her escape in art, music, and self-expression. By day, she hustled, attending the prestigious College For Creative Studies alongside working odd jobs like perfume counter girl and gas station attendant, and by night, she was on stage with local bands, saving every dollar she could for a one-way trip to Los Angeles.

At twenty, she put all her belongings in her car and navigated from Detroit to Hollywood with a paper map. In L.A., she landed acting roles on shows like "Rules Of Engagement", played in bands searching for her sound, and never stopped creating. But beyond the music was a driven academic. Carla had a deep love for science and eventually pursued a Bachelor Of Mortuary Science (graduating as valedictorian) and a Master Of Science in thanatology. Carla became a licensed funeral director and embalmer and founded her own grief counseling service — all while touring the world extensively as a founding member of the BUTCHER BABIES.

Today, In addition to her music career, Carla is a grief specialist for the innovative death care company Parting Stone that transforms cremated remains into environmentally friendly stones that the departed's family can hold, treasure and honor.

Beyond her professional life, Carla is a devoted collector of pop culture oddities: comics, wrestling figures, vintage Barbies, Elvira, the Incredible Hulk, and rock relics from her wildest nights in Hollywood. She still holds on to her Rainbow Bar & Grill drink tickets from the '90s and a poker chip from Lemmy's last birthday party. Her creative heroes — Russ Meyers, Robert Williams, Robert Crumb and Charles Bukowski — mirror her love of the bold and the raw.

To date, Carla has released six albums, multiple comic books and a 2014 novel, "Death And Other Dances". But if you ask her…she's still just a blue-collar kid from the Midwest with big dreams.

BUTCHER BABIES announced their split with Harvey in July 2024, saying in a statement that "Carla has been an integral part of our journey, bringing her unique talent, passion, and energy to the band," and wishing "her all the best in her future endeavors."

Carla, who co-founded BUTCHER BABIES in 2010 with fellow vocalist Heidi Shepherd, confirmed her exit from the band in a separate post, saying that she was "super proud" of her work with BUTCHER BABIES and adding that she was "not done making music and performing."

In the fall of 2023, BUTCHER BABIES completed a European tour without Carla, who sat out the trek in order to undergo emergency surgery on her left eye.

In January 2024, Harvey and Benante announced that they were officially engaged. They married on October 12, 2025 at The Secret Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada. KISS bassist and co-lead singer Gene Simmons officiated the ceremony, which was attended by more than 200 guests, including members of KISS, PANTERA, ANTHRAX, MÖTLEY CRÜE, DREAM THEATER and NICKELBACK.

Photo credit: Shelby Ingham

In a new interview with The Metal Meltdown, TESTAMENT guitarist Eric Peterson was asked if he can ever see him and his bandmates retiring from playing music. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're gonna take it to the end. I mean, that's what Chuck [Billy, TESTAMENT singer] says. I could keep going forever. That's what I think. But who knows? I still feel young, and I don't feel like I'm 60. [Laughs]"

He continued: "Well, it's weird too, 'cause I remember — if I could go back and see myself now and just think how I'm thinking and hear what I'm doing, I would be, like, 'Whoa.' 'Cause I remember when my grandfather was 60, he was bald and he had this little pencil holder and he was wearing polyester pants up to [his stomach]. And I just don't see that. And I think people now that are older, I think maybe 'cause of our lifestyle… And I think metal keeps you young too… METALLICA — look at METALLICA; they're still kicking ass and their last record was pretty cool. There's other bands. And EXODUS is on fire. They got one of their old singers [Rob Dukes] back. I haven't heard any of [EXODUS's new music] yet, but I know Gary's [Holt, EXODUS guitarist] like me; he is on fire. OVERKILL is still around. I'm excited to hear the new CORONER."

Peterson added: "We're all at that age now where it's, like, am I still into this? Do I still feel like it? I mean, ANTHRAX is still out there kicking. It's funny — there's a lot of bands that all of us listened to, like JUDAS PRIEST and IRON MAIDEN, when we were 18, 17, 19, whatever, and they were in their late 20s or whatever age they were, but they're all probably, like, 10, 15 years older than us, and they're still out there. So there's hope. I remember being in my late 20s and even 30s and seeing, 'Okay, IRON MAIDEN's still going.' And they're still going now. So, yeah, we've still got some time, I think.

"It gets harder when you get [older]," Eric admitted. "And you've just gotta take care of yourself and just eat right and work out. I think if you do that and just maintain yourself and just don't do go too crazy… I know we all still drink still, but it's a little bit harder to recuperate.

"Sadly, there is gonna be a time where thrash metal bands from my genre, it's gonna be gone and then there's gonna be a new wave of stuff. But I'm still seeing the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal bands still out there. And those are the bands that we listened to. So, I think there's still some time. But as far as far as the other bands [who have reformed and are still touring and making music], more power to 'em coming back and trying to give it a go."

TESTAMENT entered a new partnership with Nuclear Blast which secured the first six albums of the band's catalog in the United States. Starting in late 2023 the band saw the re-release of the first two albums. In January 2025, the reissue of TESTAMENT's third album, the band's seminal 1989 effort "Practice What You Preach", was made available. The original master of the album was released as a CD, an orange bone swirl LP, a limited-edition orange cassette (700 worldwide),and a limited-edition long box (CD, sticker, and button, limited to 500).

TESTAMENT's latest album, "Para Bellum", came out on October 10 via Nuclear Blast. The LP was recorded with Juan Urteaga and mixed for the first time by Jens Bogren. The cover art was once again painted by Eliran Kantor.

When "Para Bellum" was first announced in August, it was accompanied by the official music video for the LP's first single, "Infanticide A.I.", directed by Joey Durango.

Press photo credit: Fred Kowalo

BROTHER CANE will release its first new album in 27 years, "Magnolia Medicine", in early 2026 on Double Dragon Records, distributed by Virgin Music Group.

The album opens with "If This Means War", a fierce, no-apologies anthem that makes it clear this is no tentative reunion. BROTHER CANE's return is bold, soulful, and fully committed. This record isn't easing back into rock and roll; it's kicking the door wide open.

The first single, the aforementioned "If This Means War", will drop this Friday, November 14 across all platforms, alongside a lyric video.

BROTHER CANE is an American rock band originally from Birmingham, Alabama. Formed by frontman/guitarist Damon Johnson and bassist Glenn Maxey in 1991, the group released three studio albums, charting several singles, including three No. 1s and five top 10 hits.

"Magnolia Medicine" reunites Johnson with Marti Frederiksen, a songwriter-for-hire who has previously collaborated with AEROSMITH, DEF LEPPARD, Jonny Lang and Sheryl Crow, among many others, rekindling the creative spark that powered BROTHER CANE's legacy and redefining it for a new era.

Damon stated about "If This Means War": "It's badass. The whole album is fantastic. We're all so proud of it. Can't wait for you guys to hear it all."

Earlier in the year, Maxey told AL.com about BROTHER CANE's new material: "I've heard pieces and parts of stuff. It's BROTHER CANE, no doubt about. Damon and Marti, they rock it out."

During his career, Johnson has also played guitar with Alice Cooper and THIN LIZZY and co-written songs recorded by such artists as Stevie Nicks, Sammy Hagar and SANTANA. He is currently playing guitar for Southern rock legends LYNYRD SKYNYRD, having reportedly been handpicked by the band's last original member, Gary Rossington, as his replacement prior to Gary's passing in March 2023 at the age of 71. It was while touring with SKYNYRD that Johnson was pleasantly surprised at how many fans not only remembered BROTHER CANE, but shared their stories on how much the band and those songs meant to them.

BROTHER CANE returned to performing in 2022, released two brand new songs in October 2023, and continues to schedule shows around Johnson's now full-time commitment to SKYNYRD.

BROTHER CANE's current lineup also includes AEROSMITH keyboardist/backing vocalist Buck Johnson, plus guitarist Tony Higbee and drummer Jarred Pope, both from CINDERELLA frontman Tom Keifer's solo band.

"I'm just over the moon about this," Johnson previously said. "BROTHER CANE fans are some of the most passionate that I've encountered in all of my travels."

He added: "I'm certainly proud of all these songs, and the guys and I are energized to be bringing them to the people once again."

BROTHER CANE found immediate success with the July 1993 release of its self-titled debut album, which delivered three singles: "Got No Shame", "That Don't Satisfy Me" and "Hard Act To Follow". "Got No Shame" reached No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock charts and garnered the band U.S. tours with AEROSMITH, Robert Plant and LYNYRD SKYNYRD. The band's next album, "Seeds" (1995),yielded another No. 1 rock track, the haunting and swampy "And Fools Shine On". This hit led to a lengthy and successful tour in support of the mighty VAN HALEN. Three years later saw the release of "Wishpool" (1998) and BROTHER CANE's third No. 1 song at rock radio, "I Lie In The Bed I Make". After major personnel changes at Virgin Records (the band's label),as well as a major shift in style at rock and alternative radio formats, the band laid down their instruments and called it a day in 2000.

BROTHER CANE promotional photo courtesy of Straight 9 Entertainment

WHITESNAKE leader David Coverdale has officially retired.

The 74-year-old British-born rocker, who was also the lead singer of DEEP PURPLE from 1973 to 1976, announced the end of his five-and-a-half-decade career in a video message shared earlier today via his YouTube channel.

In the clip, which can be seen below. David said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, brothers and sisters of the 'SNAKE, a special announcement for you. After 50 years-plus of an incredible journey with you, with DEEP PURPLE, with WHITESNAKE, Jimmy Page, the last few years has been very evident to me that it's time really for me to hang up my rock and roll platform shoes and my skintight jeans. And as you can see, we've taken care of the lion's wig. But it's time for me to call it a day.

"I love you dearly. I thank everyone who's assisted and supported me on this incredible journey — all the musicians, the crew, the fans, the family. It's amazing, but it really is time for me to just enjoy my retirement. And I hope you can appreciate that.

"Once again, I love you with all my heart. Fare thee well."

In July 2024, WHITESNAKE and Bruce Dickinson bassist Tanya O'Callaghan was asked by Finland's Chaoszine if the Coverdale-fronted outfit would ever resume its farewell tour, three years after WHITESNAKE pulled out of its previously announced North American run with the SCORPIONS due to what was described at the time as Coverdale's "continued treatment for a persistent upper respiratory infection. She said: "We're hoping… We're hoping to finish the cycle at least, but I can't really speak fully for David because he's, as he says himself, never say never. But he's still recovering a little bit because that was a pretty intense tour run. And between rehearsals and everything, he had gotten sick and a lot of health stuff unfolded for him. But he's doing pretty good. He's really excited about doing the farewell DVD and the book, and all that will be hopefully next year, which is fantastic. And, as he says, never say never. Maybe we'll go out around that, but he wants to write and record some stuff. So WHITESNAKE is not finished… It's not over by any means. But I don't know what iteration it will be that is next. Maybe, hopefully, I hope we finish the tour cycle. I really, really hope we do 'cause it's a great group of people to work with."

In November 2021, Tanya officially joined WHITESNAKE as the replacement for longtime bassist Michael Devin whose departure was revealed a few days earlier.

In October 2023, Coverdale told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about WHITESNAKE's future plans: "Well, my band and I are in touch all the time. There is still a WHITESNAKE and there are still offers coming. I can't entertain anything until I get my physical aspect together.

"I had a fall recently, which I don't think helped my… I've got two torn rotator cuffs, which would certainly compromise my performance," he explained. "But arthritis, all this kind of stuff's kicking in.

"My heart goes out to Steven [Tyler] after the [2023 AEROSMITH tour] cancelation. It's so awful, getting older and having this burden of responsibility to try to be as good as you can so you don't disappoint anybody. And I know how he feels and I sent my love to him through our friends, mutual friends.

"But I can't commit to anything until I know how my health is," David added. "The last thing I wanna do is go on tour and have to do what happened last year, which was come home, tail between my legs. It was heartbreaking. And being sick for a year didn't really help matters."

In May 2023, Coverdale told Rockonteurs about his respiratory infection: "That was really bad. When these things get on your cords, that just closes you down entirely.

"I spent a fortune keeping the guys [in my band] as safe as we could; we called it the 'COVID bubble.' Private jet wherever we went. And still COVID came in and took some of the crew out. It was really challenging."

Coverdale also shot down the suggestion that the WHITESNAKE farewell tour will drag on for many years to come. "I know contemporaries of mine that have been doing a farewell tour for 20 years," he said. "That's not it. I'm [73]. It's a number that I see and go, 'Really?' Because most of the time I certainly don't feel like that kind of age that would be the perspective we had growing up, when 20 looked old, 25 was ancient. 30? You're kidding. It's just fascinating to look at."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SLAYER's iconic second studio album, "Hell Awaits", is set to receive a 40th-anniversary-edition reissue via Metal Blade Records next spring.

Formed in 1981, SLAYER assaulted the world with a new hybrid of metal and punk — heavier, faster, and darker than the rest — and set a new standard, defining not only a genre, but an attitude. Throughout SLAYER's history, the band never faltered in unleashing their extreme and focused aural assault, and repudiating temptations, SLAYER always chose to remain crushing and brutal, steadfastly refusing to cater to the mainstream.

"It's the record where SLAYER became SLAYER." That's what Kerry King says about "Hell Awaits". And he knows of what he speaks. As the band's guitarist, co-songwriter, and co-lyricist, he was in the trenches with vocalist/bassist Tom Araya, guitarist Jeff Hanneman (R.I.P.),and drummer Dave Lombardo, creating what has become one of heavy metal's greatest albums.

A significant departure from SLAYER's 1983 debut, "Show No Mercy" — and every SLAYER album that came after it — "Hell Awaits" is both an outlier and a solidification of form. "Show No Mercy" was the mission statement, but "Hell Awaits" is a more developed and intricate execution of SLAYER's speed, chops, and aggression.

Released in April of 1985 by Metal Blade Records, "Hell Awaits" was the pinnacle of an action-packed thrash year that saw debut albums from the likes of MEGADETH, EXODUS, KREATOR, POSSESSED, DESTRUCTION, HIRAX and OVERKILL. Heavily influenced by MERCYFUL FATE, the longer, more progressive arrangements on "Hell Awaits" marked a new era for SLAYER. Whereas most of the songs on "Show No Mercy" were less than four minutes long, three of "Hell Awaits"'s seven tracks go beyond the six-minute mark.

"Jeff and I were still trying to figure out who we were as musicians, and we were both infatuated with MERCYFUL FATE's 'Melissa' album during the writing process for 'Hell Awaits'," King says. "That's why there's so few songs and most of 'em are pretty long. That's the only time anything like that ever happened with us."

Tom Araya's performance is similarly impressive. The vocalist spat lyrics a mile a minute on the likes of "Kill Again" and "Praise Of Death".

"I don't recall the songs being hard to sing," he says. "Singing fast and clearly has always been something that I strived for."

The reissue arrives May 15, 2026 in three physical formats and digitally. Preorders are available now at metalblade.com/slayer.

Vinyl box set:

3 LPs total: Seven-track "Hell Awaits" + 18-track live bonus audio ("Live From Bochum 1985")

- 60-page book (12" size)
- "Hell Awaits" album (in gatefold sleeve, 1xLP) mastered and restored from original 1985 production tapes by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony in February 2025. Vinyl color = Fire Splatter
- "Live From Bochum 1985" (in gatefold sleeve, 2xLP) - 18 live tracks never before released physically or digitally
- Replica ticket from the Bochum show
- Replica "Hell Awaits" tour laminate
- "Hell Awaits" tour poster (German dates)
- Slipmat
- Band posters
- Replica merch flyer
- Replica Satanic Wehrmacht newsletter
- 2 flyers

"Blood" Filled Liquid Vinyl (SLAYER store exclusive – limited to 666 worldwide):

Seven-track "Hell Awaits" album mastered and restored from original 1985 production tapes by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony in February 2025

- "Blood" filled liquid vinyl - gatefold

CD Earbook:

Earbook includes 3xCDs — seven-track "Hell Awaits" CD + 18-track live bonus audio (Live From Bochum 1985):

- "Hell Awaits" album (1xCD) mastered and restored from original 1985 production tapes by Patrick W. Engel at Temple Of Disharmony in February 2025
- Live From Bochum 1985 (2x CD) 18 live tracks never before released physically or digitally
- 60-page 11" book
- Poster

Digital:

Includes seven-track "Hell Awaits" + 18-track live bonus audio (Live From Bochum 1985)

"Hell Awaits (40th Anniversary)" track listing:

01. Hell Awaits
02. Kill Again
03. At Dawn They Sleep
04. Praise Of Death
05. Necrophiliac
06. Crypts Of Eternity
07. Hardening Of The Arteries
08. Hell Awaits (Live From Bochum 1985)
09. Aggressive Perfector (Live From Bochum 1985)
10. Captor Of Sin (Live From Bochum 1985)
11. The Final Command (Live From Bochum 1985)
12. Kill Again (Live From Bochum 1985)
13. Crypts Of Eternity (Live From Bochum 1985)
14. Fight Till Death (Live From Bochum 1985)
15. Necrophiliac (Live From Bochum 1985)
16. Haunting The Chapel (Live From Bochum 1985)
17. Hardening Of The Arteries (Live From Bochum 1985)
18. Black Magic (Live From Bochum 1985)
19. Die By The Sword (Live From Bochum 1985)
20. The Antichrist (Live From Bochum 1985)
21. At Dawn They Sleep (Live From Bochum 1985)
22. Show No Mercy (Live From Bochum 1985)
23. Evil Has No Boundaries (Live From Bochum 1985)
24. Chemical Warfare (Live From Bochum 1985)
25. Praise Of Death (Live From Bochum 1985)

For more than four decades, SLAYER's onslaught has proved the band to be the supreme thrash-metal band on the planet, the band that other heavy acts are still measured against and aspire to. Their membership in "The Big Four" — METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX, the four bands that defined the thrash/metal genre — secures their place in music history.

The five-time nominated, two-time Grammy winners have also accumulated an abundance of certified gold albums along with "Best..." awards from media outlets all over the world, including Kerrang!, SPIN, Metal Hammer, Revolver and Esquire. Throughout SLAYER's history, the band never faltered in unleashing its extreme and focused sonic assault, and, unlike many of its contemporaries who commercialized their sound, SLAYER remained crushing and brutal, steadfastly refusing to cater to the mainstream. SLAYER's founding member, guitarist Jeff Hanneman passed in 2013, and EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt has been filling that spot since. Paul Bostaph, who was SLAYER's drummer from 1994 to 2001, rejoined bassist/vocalist Tom Araya and guitarist Kerry King in 2013, and remains back behind the kit.

In January 2018, SLAYER announced they were calling it a day and would be doing one final world tour to thank its fans for their support over the years. Launched on May 10, 2018, by the time the 18-month tour wrapped on November 30, 2019, SLAYER had played 148 shows, performing in 34 countries and 146 cities around the world, and in 40 U.S. states. In February 2024, SLAYER surprised fans with the news that they would headline three major summer/fall U.S. festivals that year — Riot Fest, Louder Than Life and Aftershock.

While SLAYER has no plans to do any extensive touring, the band will likely continue to play some one-off shows.

Meet Night Terror…the supergroup rising from the newly energized ashes of Seven Witches, and the brainchild of acclaimed guitarist, Jack Frost. Frost, who besides being the face of Seven Witches, is best known for playing & touring with national acts such as Aldo Nova, Savatage, Joey Belladonna, Lizzy Borden and many others, put together this monster all-star band of who’s who in metal today.

The line-up consists of vocal legend Jason McMaster of Dangerous Toys & Watchtower, drum icon Karl Wilcox of Diamond Head, Tank & Brothers In Arms, bassist extraordinaire, Dennis Hayes of Iced Earth & Seven Witches, and esteemed special guest on keys, Eric Ragno of Londen.

Night Terror’s debut album Return Of The Witches will bring you back to the era of the famed Seven Witches, Passage To The Other Side record, with its screaming Halford-like vocals & riffs of pure, unapologetic metal at its finest.

That combined with killer thunderous drums and sick bass runs, will take you on a journey to those past days of the early 80’s, and the rise of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Frost’s mission in putting together this newest project with some of the industry’s most quintessential players, was not to reinvent the wheel…but rather to resurrect it.

As he states, “Night Terror is very special to me. Up from the ashes of Seven Witches. I wanted to do more in that power metal vein. And having the opportunity to work with Jason was a magical moment. He’s one of the greatest voices of that classic NWOBHM. And my boys Dennis and Karl just brought it. This EP is true classic metal. Horns Up!”

McMaster continues, “This collection of tunes was an honor to put together with these guys. Jack’s guitar playing is taking my brain, and my guts to places in my subconscious. These places are where I float around and create melodies and topics for lyrics. I feel we are keeping a style of breathing. If you like Dio, Sabbath, UFO, and NWOBHM, this could be satisfaction.”

The first single and video “Remedy Is In The Poison” is out on Halloween with the full album dropping in early December. There are a limited number of autographed bundles signed by the entire band, so don’t miss out on owning a piece of this soon to be classic NWOBHM release.

Order at dekkoentertainment.com.



Tracklisting:

“Dyin’ Days”
“Night Terrors”
“Natural Destruction”
“Remedy Is The Poison”
“Lights Out”

In a powerful episode of the Music Drives Us podcast, rock legend Simon Kirke — founding drummer of BAD COMPANY and FREE — reflects on more than five decades in music and the lessons learned along the way. From crafting iconic hits like "All Right Now" and "Feel Like Makin' Love" to overcoming addiction and finding balance through recovery, Simon shares a story of resilience, creativity, and hope. With honesty and heart, he talks about the healing power of music, his ongoing passion for performing, and what it truly means to keep the beat — in life and on stage.

Asked what advice he would give to young musicians about how to deal with peer pressure, especially in the age of social media, and avoid going down the wrong path, Simon said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Peer pressure is so rampant now. It has been for every generation of musicians. But with social media, it's off the charts. And the cyber bullying that takes place…. Kids are killing themselves 'cause they're getting cyberbullying. I don't wanna get off the subject, but stay off drugs. Stay away from drugs, because the path of my past is littered with hundreds of people — boys and girls, men and women — who went way before their time. And I know you can [say], 'Man, [I'm] gonna have bit of weed and have a little sniff of something.' You don't know what's in that sniff anymore — you don't. The shit that I used to snort was maybe 10 percent pure, but at least it didn't have fentanyl in it.

"I don't wanna sound like an old fart, 'cause I am, but don't go down that drug path, man," Simon repeated. "Really don't. Because the other thing is, since the advent of YouTube and TikTok, I am seeing musicians who knock on me sideways, and they're 12, 13, 14 years old. There's guitarists out there, there's drummers out there — there's a little girl in Japan who's probably 15 now, she plays like John Bonham. My point being the competition is just off the chart. And I know just up the road you've got one of the best musical universities in the world in Berklee, and I did a little talk there, because for some reason they wanted me to talk and I gave them the same message. Be on time, 'cause when you're late, you disrespect everyone else. Don't come in 15 minutes later, 'Oh, I didn't do my homework. Sorry,' and there's a rock falling out your nose. 'Cause you are wasting your life, just wasting your life.

"If you're a member of Berklee [College Of Music] or Oberlin or Juilliard, you are in a privileged place and your parents are paying up the wazoo for you to be there," Kirke added. "So don't waste your time with drugs. Listen, have a drink now again, if you wanna socialize and you don't wanna be a nerd. Everyone goes through that. But if you see warning signs, you start drinking more than you should, just put your hand up and say, 'I got a problem.' 'Cause you couldn't do that in the '60s and '70s. If you said, 'I got a problem,' [they'd call you] a wimp. 'You can't hold your drink.' No, I can't hold my drink, 'cause when I have one beer, I want 20 more. And that's how it is with alcoholics. And then you get behind the wheel of a car. Boom. End of your life."

Kirke and singer Paul Rodgers are the last surviving original members of the British supergroup BAD COMPANY which will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame tonight (Saturday, November 8) at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony will stream live on Disney+. ABC will air a prime-time special on January 1, available on Hulu the next day.

BAD COMPANY guitarist Mick Ralphs died in June, just weeks after learning the band was going to be inducted into the Rock Hall.

Earlier this month, Rodgers announced that he would skip the Rock Hall ceremony "to prioritize [his] health," but he said Kirke will be there and "some outstanding musicians."

Born and raised in London, THE BEATLES perked a teenage Simon's interest in rock music, and he picked up the drums — leading to a gig with a local band called THE MANIACS, on which Simon supplied drums and lead vocals (something quite uncommon at the time).

Simon worked out a deal with his parents after graduating high school, that if he couldn't "make it" as a drummer in a band within a two-year period, that he would begin a college career. Just a few months before the deadline, Simon landed a gig with a group called the BLACK CAT BONES. The drummer befriended the group's talented guitarist, Paul Kossoff, who in turn convinced Simon to leave the group with him and begin a new outfit with singer Paul Rodgers. Soon ex-JOHN MAYALL'S BLUESBREAKERS bassist Andy Fraser signed on and FREE was officially formed in 1968. Mixing blues with hard rock, the group would prove to be quite influential, especially on the strength of their classic 1970 release, "Fire And Water", and its strutting, anthemic hit single "All Right Now".

When the band broke up, it didn't take Simon long to find another gig, joining Paul Rodgers in a new band, BAD COMPANY, which was quite similar stylistically to FREE. Joined by ex-KING CRIMSON bassist Boz Burrell and ex-MOTT THE HOOPLE guitarist Mick Ralphs, BAD COMPANY was the first group signed to LED ZEPPELIN's record label, Swan Song. Their debut album, 1974's "Bad Company", would go on to become one of hard rock's all-time classics, as it birthed such long-standing rock radio standards as "Can't Get Enough", "Ready For Love" and the title track, written by Paul and Simon himself. The group hails as one of the all-time top rock outfits. Kirke is the only member of BAD COMPANY who's been in every lineup of the band.

Metal Blade Records is proud to announce the signing of Yoth Iria, one of Greece’s most revered and influential contemporary black metal acts. Founded by veterans of the Hellenic extreme metal scene, Yoth Iria embody the dark mysticism, grandeur, and spiritual intensity that have defined Greece’s unique contribution to the genre, while adding their own distinctive twist.

“This new chapter with Metal Blade Records marks not only a huge step forward but also a true milestone in our journey. It is a great honor for us to join the roster of such an iconic label and stand alongside so many legendary bands,” comments the band.

The band is currently working on their new studio album, set for release in spring 2026 via Metal Blade Records. Fans can expect a monumental and atmospheric continuation of Yoth Iria’s legacy, pushing the boundaries of black metal with renewed creative vigor.

“Yoth Iria represent everything that makes the Hellenic black metal tradition so enduring: atmosphere, mysticism, and uncompromising artistic spirit. We are thrilled to welcome them into the Metal Blade family and to help bring their next chapter to the world,” says Markus “Bart” Grasseck, European Label Manager at Metal Blade Records.

Before the new album’s release, Yoth Iria will embark on a European tour as direct support to Nailed To Obscurity throughout November and December 2025. The band will bring their intense live performance to stages across Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and more.

In a new interview with "Steve And Rik's POTcast", the podcast hosted by Steve Whiteman of KIX and his friend Rik Parks, TWISTED SISTER singer Dee Snider spoke about why he changed his mind about returning to the road, nine years after the completion of TWISTED SISTER's "40 And Fuck It!" farewell tour, and after he repeatedly slammed KISS and MÖTLEY CRÜE farewell tours and subsequent reunions as mere cash grabs. Dee said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Why am I doing a reunion with TWISTED SISTER? [Sighs] I'll say that it was my idea. The [other] guys [in the band] couldn't even believe I was making the call. And it had to do with — I said this publicly already — I had a little bit of a health scare. It was okay, and it was okay, but it was enough to make me say, 'Wow, that was weird.' I never had to think about those things before. And I'm 70 years old, and I'm, like, 'Do I wanna go out like that, go silently, or do I wanna go kicking and screaming?' And I picked up the phone and I called up John [TWISTED SISTER's founding guitarist Jay Jay French] and Eddie [Ojeda, TWISTED SISTER's longtime guitarist], Jay Jay and Eddie, and said, 'What do you think about getting together?' And they couldn't believe I was suggesting it, 'cause I told 'em,'[It's] not happening. [It will] never happen.' But circumstances, particularly [since] this was emotional circumstances, made me change my mind. Am I regretting it? A little bit right now, sorry to say. [Laughs]"

Regarding how his voice is right now and whether he is capable of getting through a 90-minute or two-hour set with TWISTED SISTER, Snider said: "I know that I've lost a note. My voice is powerful as fuck. But I'm missing my top notes, and I hate that. I hate that because I know where they were… So I don't like that fact that I've lost a note or two on the top. And damn if I'm not aching. I was always aching back in the day, but it's a different kind of aching. And I don't like that either."

He added: "People go, 'Damn, dude.' I go out there [and make guest appearances] with [POISON frontman] Bret Michaels or Lita Ford or whoever, and people go, 'Holy crap, man. Your voice sounds as strong as ever. And you haven't missed a step.' I go, 'For four songs. Yeah, I'm great for four songs. But 90 minutes, 75 minutes, 60 minutes. That's a lot.' But, yeah, it's a lot to carry. So, I'm gonna start. I've got like a local band. I moved to North Carolina now. I built a family compound. So I've got everybody here. But I'm gonna start weekly rehearsing the set with a local band, just to get going."

When Whiteman noted that Snider is "brave" to stage a TWISTED SISTER reunion after not performing a full set with the band in nearly a decade, Dee said: "I'm [either] brave or stupid. Up till TWISTED's retirement, and we did that in 2016 — I mean, first of all, I was 175 pounds, and I was shredded. I had a 29-inch waist. I was 62 years old, and people were going, 'What the actual fuck is going on there?' And I'd take my shirt off at every show and people would go, 'Damn, look at that guy.' I saw wives hitting their husbands, going, 'Why don't you look like that?' But what I really loved is the smiles, man. When you hit start singing and you are on and you're still delivering, the audience would just light up. And I'd see fathers doing like this to their sons, going, 'That's Dee fucking Snider.' They were being transported back to their youth through the performance. And it was the way they remembered it and I looked the way they remembered. And I loved that. And I walked away and said, 'Okay, I don't wanna ever see a look of dissatisfaction.'"

He continued: "Somebody was reviewing our show and said, 'When a reunion is good, it makes you feel young again. When it's bad, it makes you realize how old you've gotten.' And I wanna be the first part. And the review was, like, 'TWISTED SISTER made me feel I was 19.' But I never wanna be that guy where people go, 'Yeah, time's passed,' and make people feel old, just looking at me on stage."

Snider added: "But, yeah, I feel a great weight to make sure I'm in shape, to make sure my voice in shape and start rehearsing those three, four, five, 10 songs, to get there and not let people down. I don't wanna do it."

TWISTED SISTER recently announced its first reunion concerts as part of the band's 50th-anniversary tour. The Snider-fronted act will perform at a number of European festivals next spring and summer, including at Sweden Rock, Copenhell and Graspop Metal Meeting.

TWISTED SISTER's 2026 shows will feature the band's three core members: Snider, founding guitarist Jay Jay French and longtime lead guitarist Eddie Ojeda. Bassist Mark "The Animal" Mendoza won't be joining the celebration. Russell Pzütto, who has toured with Snider's solo projects, will replace Mendoza on bass. Joe Franco, who briefly played with the group in the mid-1980s, will sit behind the drum kit, stepping in for A.J. Pero, who passed away in 2015 at the age of 55.

Snider previously talked about why he changed his mind about returning to the road in a recent interview with John "JP" Parise of Long Island, New York's 102.3 WBAB and Tampa, Florida's 102.5 The Bone radio stations. He said: "First of all, I own [my previous] statements [about not wanting to stage a TWISTED SISTER reunion]. I said that and more. I singled out bands. I named names. I ranted and raved about this, and I expected to get excrements for this, but I'm getting hit hard.

"I'm not gonna lie, and I can only tell you so much, but this is the total truth," he continued. "I turned 70 this year and I had a health scare. And I'm okay… And it shook me up… I won't say [exactly what it was], and I'm okay. But it really made me re-evaluate a lot of things. [When I was] 40, 50, 60, I thought I was superhuman. TWISTED SISTER retired 10 years ago when I was ripped to shreds. And then [at] 70, something happened and it was a re-evaluation, quite honestly. And part of that re-evaluation was looking and saying… Am I ready to go? Well, you never know when you're gonna go quietly to the night. You never know when your time is up. And do I really wanna do that without rocking one more time. And I stopped doing solo stuff a few years back as well. I mean, I go out and I join Bret Michaels or Lita Ford on stage [during their shows] for a couple songs, but I don't go out and perform. And upon talking to my wife and re-evaluating, it was I, me, who called the [other] guys [in TWISTED SISTER]. I called them. They never called. I mean, we talk, but they never brought it up because I was, like, 'This is not happening, guys. It is done. It is over, just like I told everybody.' But, like I said, I had a life-changing experience and re-evaluation of a lot of things, and I reached out. I said, 'Guys, what do you think about doing it one more time?'"

According to Dee, Jay Jay and Eddie didn't immediately jump at the opportunity to return to playing live shows with TWISTED SISTER. "It was a conversation," Snider explained. "At this point, do we wanna take this, for lack of a better word, victory lap, so to speak? But it was a conversation. And then everybody goes, 'Well, how can you not, with Alice [Cooper] out there [at the age of 77]?' Alice told me... I said, 'Dude, when are you gonna retire?' He says, 'I'm looking forward to singing when I'm 80.' So he's got no plans. [Mick] Jagger's out there [playing shows at age 82]. Paul McCartney's doing three hours [at age 83]. Now I know he doesn't run around like I do, but the same time, you go, well, there's precedents. People are out there into — there are octogenarians out there [touring] now. So we decided to go for it and go out on a high note."

After JP criticized some of the media's coverage of TWISTED SISTER's return, particularly as it relates to reports of the band "touring" again, Dee said: "It doesn't say that in the press release. I checked. I'm seeing, 'Tour.' 'They're hitting the road again.' Wait a minute — who's hitting the road? We're flying first class on an air jet airplane. Private plane.

"I'm sorry, folks. People are saying, 'Come to this town, come to that town.' No, man," he clarified. "This is a handful of dates — I'm thinking it's about 20, 25 shows around the world, festivals almost exclusively. And it's not a full-blown tour or anything like that. It's a celebration for us, and I hope you're celebrating with us for the fact that 50 years ago, next year, we got together — me, Eddie and Jay Jay — and we, against all odds, we had success."

Asked by JP "how big the dump truck full of money" was "that showed up in [Dee's] driveway" that convinced the singer to reunite TWISTED SISTER for the band's 50th anniversary, Snider said: "I'm gonna be honest. The numbers are getting higher and higher and higher, but it wasn't really where I — I had this place in mind, and it wasn't there. But like I said, honestly, it wasn't about the money. Yeah, if there was no money, I'm not gonna do it. I'm not gonna lie about that. But it really was this sort of looking in the mirror going, 'Hey, man, that was scary. And I don't wanna go out like that.' I do not wanna go out quietly. Kicking and screaming, man — that's the way I wanna go."

Dee also talked about the challenges of preparing for TWISTED SISTER live performances, particularly as it relates to the physical demands of stepping on a stage for an hour and a half. He said: "I always had a mixed relationship with the concerts. I did so much prep and I got so into it, it was so intense, I made myself miserable. When I go out there, it's the greatest moment in my life for 90 minutes, and I get off the stage and I feel really good for about 15 minutes, half hour, and then I start [to think], 'Oh no. I've gotta do this again tomorrow.' And I start getting manic. And [my wife] Suzette would never come out the road with me. She said, 'You're miserable. You sit in the room, you obsess.' I sit there, and I'm not one of those people, but I sit there writing a list of the exact time I've gotta eat my protein and what time I've gotta do my neck stretches and a hot bath and vocalizing. I write it down on a sheet, and I check it off. I'm, like, manic. And so that's another reason why going back to it, there's a lot of discomfort in the whole — and being away from the family and being away from my wife, 'cause she doesn't wanna be anywhere near me, which I understand. So, this way of doing it, going out and doing a show on a weekend and going out, there'll still be that day of getting ready for the show because it's sort of my method. But at least after the show, Suzette will be out there and we'll go and we'll enjoy wherever we are for a few days and relax until the next one comes. So it'll be one day of intensity as opposed to just an endless day after day after day of obsessing and making myself crazy."

During a September 10 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Dee stated about Mark's absence from the TWISTED SISTER 2026 tour: "I can only simply say irreconcilable differences and leave it at that. I can't get into the weeds and I can't go down that path. And I won't. But irreconcilable differences. People change, and however it is, and I'm not saying he changed; maybe we changed whatever it is. So in deciding who to use on bass, my bass player on the last two Dee Snider albums, 'For The Love Of Metal' and 'Leave A Scar', was Russ Pzütto. And he was Mark Mendoza's bass tech, and a great bass player… So, he did an amazing job on those two albums. He was a great guy to tour with. The band all knew him from years of working with TWISTED, and again, he seemed like a likely choice. As a matter of fact, one time he was Mark's choice to fill in for him. And one gig, it was in Belgium at Graspop, and Mark couldn't make it, and Russ stepped in and played with TWISTED. So he actually has performed with TWISTED once before."

Asked if he thinks the door is open for Mark to play with TWISTED SISTER again at some point during the reunion tour, Dee said: "I can't imagine it right now. I can't imagine it right now. I mean — I plead the fifth. I can't go beyond that. But things have happened that I don't see being reconciled, hence the term 'irreconcilable differences.'"

French previously addressed Mendoza's departure in a statement to Rolling Stone, explaining: "Me, Dee and Eddie have performed as TWISTED SISTER for nearly 50 years with 10 different bass players and drummers. The band has never discussed internal realignment before and has no intention of doing it now. Suffice to say that almost all bands with a 50-year history have gone through realignment as a byproduct of time. We wish Mark well in his future endeavors."

Franco played on TWISTED SISTER's 1987 album "Love Is For Suckers". Mike Portnoy, who took over for Pero after he died near the end of TWISTED SISTER's 2016 run, is busy touring with DREAM THEATER and is unable to participate in the upcoming TWISTED SISTER live activities.

In a separate interview with Joe Rock of Long Island's rock station 102.3 WBAB, Jay Jay was asked if there is any chance of TWISTED SISTER releasing at least one new song to coincide with the group's upcoming shows in 2026. The last new track French and the rest of TWISTED SISTER recorded was "30", which TWISTED SISTER laid down for the 25th-anniversary reissue of the "Stay Hungry" album in 2009. Jay Jay said:
"We played ['30' live]. I love the track. We made a video. It's a great song. And Dee [Snider, TWISTED SISTER singer] predicted that nobody would care. We played it several times on the tour following the release, and Dee said, 'This is the bathroom song coming up, everybody.' People were looking around going, 'What's that bathroom song?' You know the point in the show where someone says, 'This is a new track,' and you all get up and go to the bathroom? He goes, 'We have a bathroom song that's coming up. I'll give you plenty of warning.' And so he made such a point of saying it that nobody would get up and go to the bathroom, 'cause now they were completely humiliated. So he'd say, 'Coming up in two songs is the bathroom song.' And we would play it, [and] everyone was there, everybody clapped."

French continued: "But I guess here's the important point. If you're gonna play 15 songs or 16 songs, whatever the amount songs are, and you laid them out on a grid and you said to a fan, a real fan, 'Okay, we're gonna play this, this, this, but we're gonna put this new track in and we're gonna take this track out.' How do you think the vote would go? You know the answer to that question would be 95-5 against or maybe 99-1 against. And that's the truth. That is simply the truth. I don't care how you wanna cut it, but when you're a classic band like us who's had a ton of product out there and we have five albums and everybody knows who they are, and with [returning TWISTED SISTER drummer] Joe Franco on drums, we're gonna play songs from the album that he played drums on, 'cause he was a bonafide member of the band, it becomes a situation where if we did, what are we taking out to put that in? And that becomes a Dee issue. I trust his vibe as a frontman to control the audience, 'cause he's great at it, have control of the ebb and flow of the night. Now, having said that, he wrote a song and he presented it to us and we're considering recording it. We're considering it, and if we do, then we may play it. But we haven't done it yet. It could happen. However, like I said, if you asked a hundred fans what they wanna hear, you would get a response of almost zero on a song they didn't know."

Two and a half years ago, TWISTED SISTER staged a one-off reunion at the Metal Hall Of Fame in Agoura Hills, California. On hand to be inducted into the Metal Hall Of Fame were Snider, French, Mendoza and Portnoy. Ojeda was absent from the event after contracting COVID-19; filling in for him was Keith Robert War. TWISTED SISTER played a highly charged three-song set consisting of the staples "You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll" and "Under The Blade", as well as the anthem "We're Not Gonna To Take It".

TWISTED SISTER's original run ended in the late '80s. After more than a decade, the band publicly reunited in November 2001 to top the bill of New York Steel, a hard-rock benefit concert to raise money for the New York Police And Fire Widows' And Children's Benefit Fund.