e news was announced by Tyler Reiner, who shared the social media post below. Details on his passing are currently unavailable. Condolences to his family, friends, and fans from all of us here at BraveWords.





Dave Allison was a member of Anvil for 10 years and recorded sev

In a new interview with Matt Zaniboni of Metal Express Radio, SOULFLY frontman Max Cavalera spoke about his plans for the band's follow-up to 2022's "Totem" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm working on it right now. A lot of people have been asking me [about it]. It is a little bit of return to the early SOULFLY. I feel there was a magic around those early records that kind of got lost in the shuffle of the years. And because I do have stuff like [side projects] GO AHEAD AND DIE and CAVALERA to satisfy my extreme underground flavor, I can actually let SOULFLY be SOULFLY again, let it be what it was in the beginning, which is this really powerful, free band with a lot of heavy tribal parts. We kind of went away from that, and I think it's cool to return to that all those years later and really make a record that is… To me, when I'm creating this new record, for me, this is the album that should have been made after [2000's] 'Primitive'. So, I feel like like I have a chance to make the third record all over again, and I'm making it more towards the vibe I had on [1998's] 'Soulfly' and 'Primitive'. So, it's gonna be cool, man. I'm excited for that."

SOULFLY will embark on the "Superstition" U.S. tour in October. Support on the trek will come from EYEHATEGOD (from October 22 until November 6 only),MUTILATION BARBECUE and SKINFLINT.

SOULFLY is continuing to tour in support of "Totem", which came out in August 2022 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2018's "Ritual" was recorded at Platinum Underground in Mesa, Arizona by John Aquilino and Arthur Rizk with assistance from John Powers. Produced by Max Cavalera alongside Arthur Rizk (KREATOR, MUNICIPAL WASTE, CODE ORANGE),the LP boasts guest appearances from John Powers (ETERNAL CHAMPION),Chris Ulsh (POWER TRIP),and John Tardy (OBITUARY). Rizk was also responsible for playing lead guitar on the record. The artwork for the album was created by James Bousema.

In a recent interview with Germany's Moshpit Passion, Max spoke in more detail about the musical direction of the band's upcoming follow-up to "Totem". He said: "I really liked the early SOULFLY stuff because it was more tribal and more groove. And now because I have [the] CAVALERA and GO AHEAD AND DIE [projects], I can be as heavy as I want with CAVALERA that it leaves me SOULFLY to be something quite different. I can mold SOULFLY a bit different now where SOULFLY is really kind of like more of a groove-oriented tribal band. And I think that's really, in a lot of people's perception, that was the best of SOULFLY was like that. So, it's not that I'm jumping on the bandwagon of nu metal; it's not really that. It's just that I think that the early SOULFLY had some kind of magic that, through the years we kind of lost that magic. And I think we're trying to bring it back with this new record that is gonna come out next year."

Elaborating on what fans can expect to hear on SOULFLY's upcoming thirteenth album, Max said: "I think it's gonna be cool because it's also influenced by other stuff I'm listening to at the moment, like KUBLAI KHAN and JESUS PIECE and KNOCKED LOOSE, JUDICIARY. So there's really heavy breakdown grooves together with tribal drums. It's gonna be cool, man. It's gonna be a real cool album that I am very excited to create. And, of course, also the fact that my mother passed away last year, I'm gonna make this album for her. It's a homage to her. So it's gonna be also a spiritual record for me because of that. So it's gonna be a special record, for sure. It's been [two] years since 'Totem'. 'Totem' was our last record. I think we are inspired to create something special next year."

This past March, Max was asked by Radioactive MikeZ, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", if guitarist Mike DeLeon, who has been touring with SOULFLY for more than a year, will be featured on the band's next LP. Max responded: "I'm leaving it open for now. Mike is gonna jam with us. We have some festivals in the U.S. I think we're doing, and we're also doing the LAMB OF GOD boat [Headbangers Boat], the cruise. That should be fun as hell. And Mike will play with us for that. He's a great guy. I love Mike."

He continued: "I don't know. It's too early to know where I'm gonna go with this record — if I'm gonna try to find somebody else to record or if we're just gonna roll with Mike. We don't know yet. I haven't even — I [only] have a few riffs written [so far]."

Asked if he writes music for I whatever record or project he is working on or if he puts riffs aside for certain records, Max said: "When I lock in on a project, I get very obsessed with the project. I become so obsessed that everything I'm writing is for this and I know exactly what it needs, what kind of sound I'm looking for. And SOULFLY, I'm kind of planning a little bit of a return to the early sound. The big-groove tribal sound will return to SOULFLY. I think a lot of fans want that. I love that. I think it's kind of like a trademark of SOULFLY that kind of got lost in the shuffle through the years. We went more into the trashier side of stuff. But now I have [my side project] GO AHEAD AND DIE that I can trash all I want in it. I can have SOULFLY be a little bit more what it was in the beginning — more about that, the whole tribal thing, which is really cool and unique. It's a unique thing that SOULFLY has. So we're gonna probably go back more to that, which should be really cool."

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

In August 2021, SOULFLY parted ways with longtime guitarist Marc Rizzo due to personal differences. FEAR FACTORY's Dino Cazares played guitar for SOULFLY on the band's 2021 and 2022 run of shows.

In February, Max told Ghost Cult's Keefy that SOULFLY's follow-up to "Totem" likely wouldn't arrive before 2025.

Photo credit: Jim Louvau

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER has released the official music video for the song "Panic Hysteric". The fiery new tune comes off the band's tenth studio album, "Servitude", which came out on September 27 via Metal Blade Records.

"Panic Hysteric" is a modern, classic THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER waltz in the time-honored Swedish style. "Lyrically, it's a tribute to the fear and outrage that rock 'n' roll ignited in mid-century America," elaborates vocalist Brian Eschbach. "I was reading quotes from Frank Sinatra, who really didn't like rock 'n' roll, and was pretty eloquent about it. I quoted him a couple of times in the song. That was a fun Sunday writing those lyrics. I'm not gonna lie — vodkas and Shirley Temples were involved."

With the tragic passing of the band's frontman and co-founder Trevor Strnad in 2022, Eschbach, bassist Max Lavelle, drummer Alan Cassidy and producer/guitarist Brandon Ellis were faced with a decision: close the door on one of the most beloved death metal bands of the last twenty years, or carry on in their fallen brother's charismatic spirit?

"Everyone that's in the band now is someone that Trevor and I searched for," Eschbach says. "We spent so much time on the road together that everyone understands the mission statement. We don't really need to talk about it. We just need to make great music and try to make people happy playing it."

After a period of profound grief and deep soul-searching, Eschbach moved from guitar to vocals, setting aside his lifelong identity as a live guitarist for the survival of the band. Former THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER member Ryan Knight returned to the fold to take Eschbach's place on guitar. The new lineup made their debut in the band's hometown of Detroit in late October 2022 for a tribute show for Strnad.

Fast forward to right about now: THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER's new album is the one that many would have thought impossible. "Servitude" marks Eschbach's recorded debut as THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER's lead vocalist and lyricist — and their first with Knight on guitar since 2015's "Abysmal".

"I just had to lean into it hard," Eschbach says of approaching 'Servitude' in a completely new role. "Honestly, writing the lyrics for this album was easier for me than writing the music for the three songs that I wrote music for. I'd pick a subject, research it, and just kinda dive in. Even though it's not something I'd really ever done before, there was a natural flow to it once I started."

You can hear the thrilling results on "Aftermath" the ripping lead single, which envisions a post-apocalyptic cannibal scenario. "We wanted that one to be heard first because it's one of the faster songs on the album, if not the fastest," Eschbach says. "We wanted that very aggressive BLACK DAHLIA melodic death metal feel coming right at you. Lyrically, it's about a meteor that fucks up the whole planet, but there's still people living. Kind of like 'The Walking Dead', but with no zombies — so you get right to how people deal with it. And by the end, they're eating each other."

The members of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER know that some will be skeptical of an album without Trevor's inimitable presence. But many fans have already embraced the band's decision to move forward.

"More than pressures or expectations from the fanbase, I feel their trust and support," Ellis says. "We've always done what we do for them, and they've appreciated our consistency over the years. The global outcry following Trevor's passing has shown us how important the band's music has been to so many people, and how important it is that we continue in his honor. Under all that weight, I think we all knew what needed to be done."

"We put in everything we had, and this is the album that felt right to make," he adds. "I'm proud of it and proud of the five of us. You can never please everybody, but I know that this music will be a healing and positive force for those who embrace it!"

The guitars, bass, and vocals for "Servitude" were recorded at Ellis's home studio in New Jersey. The drums were recorded by Mark Lewis in Nashville, Tennessee where the album was also mixed. "Servitude" was mastered by Ted Jensen.

"Servitude" was released on digipak CD, cassette and digital formats as well as vinyl.

"Servitude" track listing:

01. Evening Ephemeral
02. Panic Hysteric
03. Aftermath
04. Cursed Creator
05. An Intermission
06. Asserting Dominion
07. Servitude
08. Mammoth's Hand
09. Transcosmic Blueprint
10. Utopia Black

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER will join DYING FETUS for a North American co-headlining tour this fall. The "Beg To Serve 2024" tour will commence on October 3 in Cleveland, Ohio and make its way through over two dozen cities, the journey coming to a close on November 10 in Chicago, Illinois. Support will be provided by SPITE, ANGELMAKER and VOMIT FORTH.

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER is:

Brian Eschbach - lead vocals
Max Lavelle - bass
Alan Cassidy - drums
Brandon Ellis - lead guitar, backing vocals
Ryan Knight - rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Photo by Marshall Wieczorek

For more than 20 years, vocalist/guitarist Michael Poulsen has been spearheading Danish rock and roll machine VOLBEAT, releasing eight full lengths, selling millions of albums, and filling stadiums worldwide. Before fronting VOLBEAT, however, Poulsen formed death metal band DOMINUS, which recorded four fast, brutal albums in the mid-1990s.

When Poulsen was putting together songs for VOLBEAT's 2021 album, "Servant Of The Mind", he wrote a bunch of death metal riffs and saved them on his phone. Then, when he was done with the VOLBEAT record, he reopened the rusty gates to Armageddon and started putting together songs for his new death metal band ASINHELL, whose debut album "Impii Hora" (Latin for "Ungodly Hour"),is a tribute to Poulsen's favorite old-school groups.

"Impii Hora" was released September 29, 2023 via Metal Blade.

Today, the band has shared the video for the title track. Watch it below.

The video comes on the first anniversary of the album release. The footage was shot in Berlin during the band's recent European tour.

"It means 'Ungodly Hour' in Latin and the song is about all these evil, vile, and terrible acts that get committed in this Ungodly Hour," shares Poulsen about the title. "It's definitely an anti-religion song. Basically, we are not churchgoers, but on the other hand, I totally respect people who believe in something. But religion, to me, is the oppression that comes with being a part of the church. That's the oppressive thing, not the belief in some high, holy spirit. To me, the anti-religion stuff is more about what people have done to believers — trying to manipulate people to follow them, which is an autocratic kind of thing."

It follows last spring's video for "Pyromantic Scryer".

Poulsen has rekindled the death metal fire that fueled his first band DOMINUS. He began jamming on riffs with longtime friend and neighbor, drummer Morten Toft Hansen (RAUNCHY). The two started playing in Morten's tiny garage: no mics, no P.A. — just a drum kit and a combo amp turned all the way up like they used when they were teenagers. Soon, the pair were completing a new song every time they got together. When it came time to add vocals, Poulsen turned to his good friend, who also happened to be one of his all-time favorite death metal growlers: Marc Grewe (INSIDIOUS DISEASE, ex-MORGOTH).

"I had known Michael quite a long time and he always mentioned that we should do a death metal project one day, but I never took him too seriously because he was so busy with VOLBEAT," Grewe says. "Then he called for real and said, 'Yeah, I want to do it now. Are you up for it?' Immediately, I was like, 'Yes, of course!'"

With ASINHELL fully formed, the three convened with VOLBEAT producer Jacob Hansen to produce, mix, and play bass on their debut album. When it was time to add lead guitar to the album, Michael looked no further than friend and THE ARCANE ORDER axeman Flemming C. Lund.

ASINHELL made its live debut on May 30 at Pumphuset in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Joining ASINHELL on the road were Hansen on bass as well as Lund on lead guitar, making the band's first live incarnation the same lineup that performed on "Impii Hora".

Fan-filmed video of CANNIBAL CORPSE's entire September 29 concert at the Roundhouse in London, England can be seen below.

As previously reported, CANNIBAL CORPSE guitarist Erik Rutan has left the band's European headlining tour after his home in St. Petersburg, Florida sustained "catastrophic damage from Hurricane Helene".

Hurricane Helene barreled through the Southeast on Friday, September 27, causing flooding in Florida, Tennessee and Georgia. The Tampa Bay area of Florida, particularly St. Petersburg, was hit hard.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg experienced more than six feet of storm surge, and more than 100 miles of flooded roads.

On Saturday, September 28, CANNIBAL CORPSE released the following statement via social media: "Due to catastrophic damage to his home from Hurricane Helene, Erik Rutan has left the tour to be present with his family at this time. Our hearts go out to Erik and his wife as they deal with this situation."

In a separate post on his Instagram, CANNIBAL CORPSE frontman George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher wrote: "My heart hurts so much for @erikrutanofficial and his wife but let me tell you this….he is the toughest guy I know and he will come out of this stronger than ever.

"This man has done so much for me personally, for my musical career and for that I will forever be grateful. I've had so many laugh till it hurts moments in the studio with him that it didn't even feel like we were working on records.

"When I was at my lowest point and wanted to give up, on one knee in the recording booth nearly in tears, he came from behind the console, put his hand on my shoulder and reminded me of who I am and urged me back on my feet and never give up. He never lost confidence in me and we finished the record with a lot of laughs and I never doubted myself again. He taught me how to conduct myself in a lot of areas I was deficient in and is no doubt the biggest reason I am the vocalist people say I am.

"I did not intend for this to be a long read, I was only going to repost what our CC insta posted but I really felt the need to share a story and a few words about what Erik means to me personally.

"We will continue the tour without him onstage but he will be there in our hearts and I urge everyone reading this to please send positive energy his way."

CANNIBAL CORPSE's European tour with MUNICIPAL WASTE, IMMOLATION and SCHIZOPHRENIA kicked off on September 20 in Oberhausen, Germany and is scheduled to end on October 20 in Frankfurt, Germany.

Rutan was named a permanent member of CANNIBAL CORPSE in 2021. He joined the band as the replacement for CANNIBAL's longtime guitarist Pat O'Brien.

Rutan, one of the death metal's most acclaimed guitarists, is known for his time as part of MORBID ANGEL throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, as well as handling vocals/guitars for HATE ETERNAL. He is also an acclaimed producer, working mostly out of his Mana Recording facility in St. Petersburg.

Hurricane Helene is one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the United States, with wind gust speeds of 140 mph and heavy rain.

The organizers of the annual Wacken Open Air festival have announced that for the 2025 edition of the event, set to take place from July 30 to August 2 in Wacken, Germany, is completely sold out.

A total of 34 artists have been announced for the 34th edition of Wacken Open Air, including MACHINE HEAD, PAPA ROACH, GOJIRA, APOCALYPTICA, SAXON and WITHIN TEMPTATION.

Earlier today, the following message was posted on the Wacken Open Air social media: "Dear metalheads, it's time to say thank you again! This year we celebrated the 33rd edition of the Wacken Open Air with you during best weather conditions and the new arrival concept also worked and took you all to the Holy Ground without any problems and traffic jams. Now we can also announce that Wacken Open Air 2025 is completely SOLD OUT and we are once again more than grateful for your endless support and trust!

"You are the best fans in the world! We are incredibly proud to be able to put on the most spectacular metal event for all of you next year!"

Confirmed bands so far for Wacken Open Air 2025:

MACHINE HEAD
SALTATIO MORTIS
PAPA ROACH
GOJIRA
APOCALYPTICA
SAXON
WITHIN TEMPTATION
DIMMU BORGIR
MINISTRY
MICHAEL SCHENKER (My Years With UFO)
PEYTON PARRISH
BEYOND THE BLACK
CLAWFINGER
GRAVE DIGGER (45th-Anniversary Show)
AUGUST BURNS RED
OBITUARY
WIND ROSE
BROTHERS OF METAL
TARJA & MARKO HIETALA
HANABIE
DECAPITATED
DESTRUCTION
CELESTE
ORANGE GOBLIN
ANGEL WITCH
DOMINUM
EXHORDER
NIGHT DEMON
MIMI BARKS
SEVEN SPIRES
CLOWNS
DOOL
CROWNSHIFT
MIDNIGHT

A total of 85,000 tickets were sold for Wacken Open Air 2024.

German hard rock legends SCORPIONS headlined this year's edition of Wacken Open Air, which takes place annually in Wacken, a village with a population of just about 2,000.

The first Wacken Open Air event in 1990 drew less than 800 people, but it has since grown to become the biggest open-air festival of its kind.

Around 30 percent travel from other countries to the festival, which over recent years has been growing in popularity.

Wacken Open Air was forced to take a break for two years due to coronavirus restrictions.

Wacken Open Air normally does not announce the names of its headliners before tickets go on sale. Still, the festival usually sells out within hours.

The festival also doesn't sell VIP access or upgrades and all purchases are for all the days without a single-day ticket option, something they did away with two decades ago.

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British heavy metal legends SAXON have announced the extensive "Hell, Fire And Steel" 2025 European tour.

The band states: "The tour will see us perform our classic album 'Wheels Of Steel' in its entirety on what will be its 45th anniversary, plus all the hits, fan favorites and songs from our new album 'Hell, Fire And Damnation'. This is a SAXON tour like no other and one you are not going to want to miss!"

The "Hell, Fire And Steel" tour kicks off in Bremen, Germany on February 4 and concludes on March 5 in Leipzig, Germany.

Tickets are available via general on sale Friday, October 4, with various pre-sales prior, with Sweden general on-sale Monday, October 7.

"Hell, Fire And Steel" 2025 European tour dates

Feb. 04 - Aladin Music Hall, Bremen (DE)
Feb. 06 - Amager Bio, Copenhagen (DK)**
Feb. 07 - Conventum, Orebro (SE)
Feb. 08 - Värmekyrkan, Norrköping (SE)
Feb. 09 - Slagthuset, Malmö (SE)
Feb. 11 - Rockefeller, Oslo (NO)
Feb. 13 - Trädgär'n, Gothenburg (SE)
Feb. 14 - Folkets Park, Huskvarna (SE)
Feb. 15 - Cirkus, Stockholm (SE)
Feb. 17 - Docks, Hamburg (DE)
Feb. 19 - Lucerna Music Bar, Prague (CZ)**
Feb. 20 - Studio, Kraków (PL)**
Feb. 21 - Gasometer, Vienna (AT)**
Feb. 23 - Progresja, Warsaw (PL)**
Feb. 25 - Muffathalle, Munich (DE)
Feb. 26 - Live Club, Milan (IT)*
Feb. 28 - Volkshaus, Zurich (CH)
Mar. 01 - Central, Erfurt (DE)
Mar. 02 - 013, Tilburg (NL)*
Mar. 04 - Huxleys, Berlin (DE)
Mar. 05 - Haus Auensee, Leipzig (DE)

* Tickets on sale for Milan and Tilburg as of Tuesday, October 1
** Tickets on sale for Copenhagen, Prague, Kraków, Vienna and Warsaw as of Wednesday, October 2

For tickets and more information, visit www.saxon747.com/tourdates.

SAXON's critically acclaimed 24th studio album, "Hell, Fire And Damnation", came out in January via Silver Lining Music.

"Hell, Fire And Damnation" is an album which sees SAXON investigate all areas of history and mystery amidst ten of their most confident and thunderously powerful songs yet.

On "Hell, Fire And Damnation", singer Biff Byford delivers his richest vocals in years, Nigel Glockler and Nibbs Carter on drums and bass, respectively, lay down the rhythmic law with bombastic power, and the guitars of Doug Scarratt and Brian Tatler are fresh and fiery, a perfect complement to each other, carrying an overall energy and fury which will have fans salivating. Musically, SAXON bring it all to the table. There's a furious tribute to actual heavy metal in the denim-and-leather-coated super-sprint "Fire And Steel", a wonderful nod to the NWOBHM's birth in the electric mid-pace "Pirates Of The Airwaves", but maybe the true treasure amidst the jewels is "There's Something In Roswell", with the sort of expansive groove and embrace which deserves arenas.

Produced by Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, EXODUS, ACCEPT) and Byford, with Sneap mixing and mastering, "Hell, Fire And Damnation" strides the perfect line between confident, current power, and gloriously irreverent flexing of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal muscle which SAXON co-created.

"I think this album's one of the best he's done sound-wise, and he's done a lot of albums," Biff declared. "It has a really raw, vibrant sound... if you compress the total time making this album, it was four weeks tops… you can hear everything brilliantly, nothing's overcomplicated, nothing's over compressed. The guitar sounds are fucking immense, they're just great, raw guitar sounds. And we haven't done a lot of overdubbing on there, it's just playing. I really, really like it."

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

Brian has already joined fellow guitarist Doug Scarratt, drummer Nigel Glockler, bassist Tim "Nibbs" Carter and Byford for a number of shows in 2023 and 2024, but will continue to be a member of DIAMOND HEAD.

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

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

Quebec City, Canada’s heavy rock powerhouse Sandveiss is now releasing their electrifying new single, the title track from their upcoming album Stand In The Fire”. The single showcases the band’s signature blend of heavy riffs and melodic vocals, pushing their sound into new territories while staying true to their rock roots. Vocalist/guitarist Luc Bourgeois explains the single:


“The main idea for the song 'Standing In The Fire' was written during the early days of the lockdown in March 2020, actually after watching the Rocky movies with my son. The soundtracks of those movies inspired me to write a straightforward rock song as a tribute to the bands that made me want to play guitar when I was a kid in the '80s.”


He goes on to say that lyrically, the song addresses science denialism and the damage caused by disinformation. Belief and knowledge are two very different things, and unfortunately, there seems to be a blurring of the lines between the two for many people. Sandveiss always tries to push things a little further on every record that they do. On this one, they expanded their boundaries on all sides: the heavy is heavier, the prog is proggier, and the catchy is catchier.

In a new interview with PK of Louisville, Kentucky's ALT 105.1 radio station, HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's follow-up to 2022's "Back From The Dead" album. Lzzy said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've had three separate sessions in the studio with — we're making a record with [producer] Dave Cobb. And he's actually a huge closet metal fan, and so he's really excited. And so we're making this great music, but we're constantly touring. So we've had, like, three different sessions in the studio. We're probably — what? — 70, 80, maybe, percent there. We have a studio in our house and so I'm doing a lot of the finishing touches on vocals and sewing everything up, doing solos and all that. And then we get back in in December to just say, 'Okay, this is good.' And then, yeah. And then there we are. So we're excited about it. We really are."

Cobb has shared in nine Grammy wins, including four for "Best Americana Album" and three for "Best Country Album". He's also been named "Producer Of The Year" by the Country Music Awards, the Americana Music Association (twice) and the Music Row Awards, and has been a Grammy nominee in the category.

Lzzy previously talked about working with Cobb earlier this month in an interview with "The Morning After With Nic & Big J" on the 100.3 The X Rocks radio station. She said: "It's been a really crazy whirlwind making [the new album]. We ended up going in with Dave Cobb, the producer. And it's something completely different than what we've ever had. We literally rolled in with all of our baggage, all of our songs, our riffs, the whole thing, and he's, like, 'No, we're not gonna do any of that. We're just gonna start.' And I'm, like, 'What? There's no plan? What's happening.' And it's kind of beautiful 'cause all of us are very ADHD, and we're locked together in this house in Savannah, Georgia, which, if you've ever been to Savannah, Georgia, there's no scene. It's a spooky historic town with a lot of Spanish moss. And we're locked — literally I'm saying locked, because we locked the doors — we're locked in this house full of every piece of equipment you could ever need. It's all set up. The board is there — everything — and we're all unsupervised. Which I can't tell you the last time that has happened making an album — probably since the first record, [when] we were all living in an apartment together. So, all of our inner children are screaming and we're all just getting into the sandbox and playing, 'Hey, I brought some LEGOs. You brought a rocket. Let's see if we can get it to space.' And so all of this stuff has really been coming together in such a weird and organic way, to the point that it's very much peeling back the onion of what is HALESTORM.

"My brother [HALESTORM drummer Arejay Hale] and I have had many moments while making this record where we look at each other and we're, like, 'This reminds me of when we were 14.' It's just wild," Lzzy added. "So, I'm very excited for everyone to hear it and I'm excited for it to be done. And so hopefully we wrap it up in December and get get it the hell out — out of my house. [Laughs]"

Elaborating on the songwriting process this time around and how it was different to some of HALESTORM's previous records, Lzzy said: "I think that the big lesson in the front of the race here that has been answered is that usually the weirdest ideas are the best. And sometimes it's the things that you don't think are very good that everyone collectively is, like, 'No, that's actually great.' And I think that that's been the beautiful thing is that the four of us, even though… I mean, my brother's 37 — he's the young gun, but we're all in our early forties — and we've been doing this a long time together. And so to have that kind of reconnection to who you are as people and as friends and really having that kind of come out in the music and it not be this kind of assembly line, like, 'Okay, Lzzy wrote 12 songs. We all really like 'em. Let's record 'em.' Or, 'Hey, we have this collection. And we have a month to be in the studio. Let's just go and bang it out.' We've really kind of taken the time to really let the music tell us what to do and honestly let our weird brains tell us what to do, because we're all terrible adults [laughs], and I think that we were never meant to be. So it's been nice to just kind of have the freedom to do whatever the hell we want and then worry about the consequences later. [Laughs]"

This past July, Arejay was asked by The VORTX Podcast with host Ethan Jackson about HALESTORM's decision to work with Cobb this time around. Arejay said: "It's always good for a band to, if you want your sound to evolve, bring in some fresh minds into it. And the cool thing about Dave is that he's a total hard rock and metalhead at heart. A lot of his most successful projects have been a lot of country, a lot of alternative — I mean, he's all over the spectrum — so when works with us, you can tell… There's a really great mutual respect between [us], 'cause we've been doing this long enough and he's been doing it for so long. We've been a huge fan of his as well, so there's a lot of mutual respect between the two of us, and you can feel it in the room."

Asked if he and his HALESTORM bandmates set a date for themselves for when they want to be done with a record, Arejay said: "It used to be a lot more stringent in the early days. 'Cause when you're trying to get the band off the ground, you really wanna kind of keep that momentum going. But our last couple of records have been a little bit more laid back, which is nice. It kind of gives it room to breathe. It gives us time to like really assess where we wanna go. And definitely COVID changed everything."

On the topic of whether the HALESTORM members do more work remotely now or if they still all get together in the studio and collaborate on ideas in one room, Arejay said: "Oh, it's so much more effective for us to be in the same room. I think it kind of forces you to just… I guess we work well under pressure, 'cause, going back to your last question… We definitely feel the pressure to get the album out at a certain time, but what really cranks up the pressure is the fact that we're leaving Nashville and going to Savannah for only a set period of time, 'cause Dave [only has certain] windows [of availability]. And it really forces us to just dig into your gut and just pull things out. And when we're all together in the room and Joe [Hottinger, HALESTORM guitarist] starts playing around with the riff and I start jamming with them, things just come out, things just happen. There's a magic there."

In June, Lzzy told Decker of the rock station Razor 94.7/104.7 (WZOR) that she and her HALESTORM bandmates initially "got a lot of pushback" from their team about the prospect of working with Cobb. She recalled: "We were saying, 'Oh, wouldn't it be cool to do a record with Dave Cobb? Because that would be something that nobody would really expect from us. And I bet you he would come up with some crazy ideas. Don't know the guy, but let's figure it out.' And everybody on our team was, like, 'No, no, he's too busy. That's not you. He's got this stuff going. He's got, like, nine Grammys with Chris Stapleton. That's not your scene.' And so we kept pushing back. We're, like, 'No, no, no. Just ask him. Just ask him. We can handle rejection, but just ask him.' And so finally, our A&R guy at our label is, like, 'Fine, I'll reach out. Whatever. Just stop bugging me.' And so he reached out, and then he called me, like, the next day. He's, like, 'Hey, I heard back from Dave Cobb. And guess what? Not only does he absolutely know who you are, but he's been wanting to make a record with you for, like, seven years. And he has a plan already of how he wants to do it.' And we're, like, 'What? This is sick.' So anyway, we went to go test the waters, and we go into the studio. And look, I write every day. When I die, there's gonna be so much that everyone has to sift through, just gibberish songs, all that. So I always have, like, a bank with me, like, 'Here's riffs, here's songs, here's subject titles, here's poetry.' And he was, like, 'No, no, no. We're not gonna do anything that you already have. Nothing.' I'm, like, 'Uh. What?' And he's, like, 'No, we're just gonna start.' Everyone's sitting in a circle and we're, like, gonna kumbaya. So everyone got an instrument, like, 'All right. So what are we feeling today?' I'm, like, 'Is this a therapy session?' And we ended up — it's crazy, 'cause then we'll like grab on to something 'cause of that pressure of, like, 'Well, I was thinking about this as this is happening.' 'Cool. Let's go there.' And so he has this amazing instincts that are very, like, you can't see it when you're in it. And then, as soon as we start like putting stuff together, we kind of zoom out and, like, 'Oh, wait a minute. This is so wild and awesome and exactly what we do.' So it's very strange. But we're all very free. And then the other thing is that while we're writing it, we're recording it at the same time. So these tracks are, like, us discovering the song for the first time as well as we're performing them. There are some things that we're performing them all at the same time. There's one track in particular that we completely forgot to put the click track on, and we did like three takes like that, and then we're, like, 'Oh, wait. We don't even have a click going.' Arejay said something, like, 'Were we supposed to have like a click track so we all are on time together?' And everyone's, like, 'We didn't even notice it was gone.' And so we did another take with the click. We're, like, 'No, we like that other one better.' So there's stuff like that. A lot of weird surprises. There's a lot of space. And we're really excited because we're not going country or anything like that, or Americana. This is such a new — it's got so much teeth, and it's so different than what we just did with 'Back From The Dead', but in this almost weightier, heavier way. And the lyrics are — I'm tackling subjects I've never tackled before because I'm having the freedom to do so. So I'm very excited."

HALESTORM and I PREVAIL recently embarked on summer 2024 co-headlining tour. Produced by Live Nation, the trek kicked off on July 9 in Raleigh and ran through August 17 in Las Vegas. HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD and FIT FOR A KING served as support. The tour was also the catalyst and the creative spark for HALESTORM and I PREVAIL's collaborative track "Can U See Me In The Dark?", which was released in June.

"Back From The Dead" has tallied over 100 million streams worldwide. Rolling Stone called the title track "a biting but cathartic howler about overcoming all obstacles," and that song as well as "The Steeple" marked their fifth and sixth number ones at rock radio, respectively. Associated Press said the album "will definitely be in the running for best hard rock/metal album of the year." Their previous album, "Vicious", earned the band their second Grammy nomination, for "Best Hard Rock Performance" for the song "Uncomfortable", the band's fourth #1 at rock radio, and led Loudwire to name HALESTORM "Rock Artist Of The Decade" in 2019.

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

res the #1 rock hit “Speak” and the #4 hits “The Enemy” and “Shine Down.” It was the first Godsmack album produced solely by Sully Erna, marking a significant milestone in the band's journey. The album sold 211,000 copies in the US in its first week of release, debuting at #1 on the Billboard chart. It also debuted at #4 on the Top Canadian Albums and #1 on the Top Internet Albums, solidifying its place in music history.  


Presented with exceptional remastered audio and debuting on 2LP 45rpm vinyl, Godsmack IV fuels the band’s converging disciplines for what Sully calls old-school Godsmack, harking back to the thunderous arc of multiplatinum masterpieces like th

Today, epic power metal slayers, Dragony, share "Twilight Of The Gods", the third single from their upcoming fifth studio album, Hic Svnt Dracones. The album is out on October 11 via Steamhammer/SPV. The track is accompanied by a new music video available below.


About "Twilight Of The Gods," singer Sigi Samer had this to say: "This track is told from the perspective of a Viking warrior as he relates the events of the Ragnarök, the 'end of days' in Norse mythology, which have been set in motion by the arrival of the British colonists in their mythical land-before-time which the Vikings call Midgard. It is a heavy, mid-tempo song driven by its uncompromising chorus and catchy synth leads, topped off by an epic guitar solo."


Once again, Dragony invites listeners on an epic journey into long-forgotten times and realms, as the concept story behind Hic Svnt Dracones tells a new, fantastical interpretation of the events surrounding the Lost Colony of Roanoke in the “New World," as well as the fate of the British colonists who disappeared there, all neatly tied into a bombastic power metal package.




Produced, mixed, and mastered by genre great Jacob Hansen (Amaranthe, Epica), this release features eleven catchy and melodic tracks that will excite both fans of modern Power Metal and traditionalists alike.


Watch the music video for "Twilight Of The Gods":





What started in the summer of 2007 as a studio project conceived by a handful of enthusiastic power metal fans from Vienna, Austria known as “The Dragonslayer Project,” Dragony has long since become an established name in the international metal world.


After completing their first headlining tour across Mexico in October 2023 and later touring as a support act for Warkings, the group has now begun a new chapter. For 2024, Dragony refreshed their lineup, welcoming Matt on guitars and Chris on drums. Having signed with the renowned metal label Steamhammer/SPV this rejuvenated ensemble is ready to write the next part of its story, combining new members' talents with the support of its esteemed new label.


Hic Svnt Dracones will be available in the following formats:


- CD Digipak
- 2LP Gatefold Version
- Download
- Stream


Pre-order here.





Tracklisting:

Daughtry have released their debut record with Big Machine Label Group. Out now on all platforms via Big Machine Rock, the 6-track EP, Shock To The System (Part One), includes previously released back-to-back No. 1s, “Artificial” and “Pieces,” in addition to new single, “The Dam”. Listen to "The Dam" below, and stream/download the new EP here.


Daughtry’s Shock To The System (Part One) offers up the first set of tracks in a two-part project that continues pulling back the curtain on frontman Chris Daughtry’s personal life. Six new songs, highlighted by amplified production and commanding vocals, showcase the universal story of a life laid bare by grief and built back up again through sheer determination. The journey through loss may be arduous, but on their new EP, Daughtry delivers a soundtrack to see you through every step of the way.


“This EP in many ways is a documentation of my catharsis – a peek behind the curtain into the healing of my inner self, if you will,” frontman Chris Daughtry explains. “Every day in the studio writing and recording these songs felt like therapy. It wasn’t part of some agenda or conscious effort, it just happened in a very organic way. I hope everyone who listens finds comfort in the fact that they are not alone in their struggles and finds the courage the say it out loud.”




In equal parts strength and vulnerability, the Daughtry’s new single, “The Dam,” sees their powerhouse lead vocalist at the top of his game. Atypically raw, yet still pristine vocals are set apart in cinematic, synth-drenched verses and high-octane choruses, laying the groundwork for what’s to come with the Nashville-based group.

At some point in your life you just have to take account for your actions and Face The Music. Prophets Of Addiction mainman Lesli Sanders has taken that to heart.


Prophets Of Addiction’s fourth album, Face The Music, is set for a release on October 25 via BraveWords Records. The first single, "Superhero", is out now. Stream/download the song here, and listen below.


Kicking things off with the downright dirty “Flavor Of The Danger,” the listener is immediately clued in to what they’re getting with Face The Music, an album loaded with catchy late 70s inspired glam punk n roll riffs, powerful and emotionally resonant vocals and a clever lyrical output. “Let’s Get High” sees the band slide slightly into a melodic goth route ala Sisters of Mercy. The song isn’t a drug reference, but a “recollection of the excitement that a new record would bring as a teenager and after the long wait finally able to hear it for the first time,” says Sanders. The band’s take on the Rod Stewart classic “Maggie May” is nothing short of punk magnificence, The band had the opportunity to play the track for drum legend Carmine Appice, who played with Stewart from 1976 - 1982. Appice was so impressed that he asked, “would you mind if I send this to Rod?” The album’s lead single “Superhero” comes complete with a hook that won’t leave your head for days. “Superhero is a song I have been sitting on for a few years and wasn't going to record until the right musicians were put in place, realizing the potential. I finally found that group of musicians,” the frontman states.




Face The Music, Prophets Of Addiction’s debut for BraveWords Records was recorded between 2022 and 2023 in Seattle, WA and Las Vegas, NV and produced, mixed and mastered by Phil Soussan (bass player for Ozzy Osbourne, Billy idol and more).


Drummer Wayne Stokely says of the album, “We wanted to make a classic 70's style rock n' roll album without losing our raw and punky vibe, but with a modern 2024 production. There's not a lot of records out there like this one, so I think we achieved our goal. The songs speak for themselves,” while Sanders adds “this is the record I have been wanting to record for years. The feel is right, the musicianship is right, the songs are right and now the time is right for you all to give us your thoughts.”


Of the band’s signing with hotshot upstart label BraveWords, Sanders declares “We were looking for the right label and the search was extensive, the most important aspect to me was getting it out there for people to hear – otherwise, what's the point, right?” while Stokely adds, “I've known Tim and Giles for years now. Plus, I'm already signed to the label with another act so it seemed like a natural fit.”





Face The Music tracklisting:


"Flavor Of The Danger"
"Let's Get High"
"Slippin' Away"
"Walk The World"
"Maggie May"
"Superhero"
"I Want You To Know"
"Hollywood"
"Wasted Tears"
"Last One In The Bar"
"Take Me To Your Leader"


"Superhero":





The Players:


Lesli Sanders: Lead Vocals, Guitars
Phil Soussan: Bass, Piano, Mandolin,Percussion, Backing Vocals
Wayne Stokely: Drums,Backing Vocals
Tchad Drats: Guitar, Ebow, Backing Vocals
G.G. Guitar, Backing Vocals
Terry Bratsch, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Steel, Backing Vocals





About BraveWords Records:


There is a serious void which desperately needs to be filled, hard-working and creative bands that have yet to find a partnership and a mutual vision with a

Guitarist Kiko Loureiro (ex-Megadeth) has released his new single, "Mind Rise". Stream the track here, and listen below.


Says Kiko: "After years of playing in massive arenas and headlining festivals, there's something refreshing about focusing on the fundamentals. The new song taps into that, where catchy, straightforward guitar riffs take center stage, using a deep, lower-register pentatonic scale to immediately engage the listener.


"In my mind, the verse goes: Carlos Santana meets Jeff Beck, with sinuous, curvy lines where slight variations in playing the same note make a huge impact on the theme. As the saying goes, "The devil is in the details," and here, those details shape the entire vibe of the track.




"The song kicks off in E minor, one of the most commonly used keys in rock guitar. But just when it feels familiar, it shifts into G major, its relative key, lifting the track and creating a sense of elevation. The dynamics between these two bring energy and keep the listener's attention without overcomplicating the composition. In this way, the song avoids relying only on a traditional chorus. Instead, it uses a strong, recurring guitar riff as its focal point.


"And then there’s the suspe

In Episode 6 of Behind The Summer Stadium Tour, Def Leppard try on some hats, hang with Steve Miller, visit Electric Fetus to sign some vinyl and hide a pair of tickets, and more. Watch below:





Def Leppard’s 2024 summer stadium tour kick started with the release of a brand new standalone single, "Just Like 73". Watch the band “live from the 2024 Summer Stadium Tour" below:







Returning to the road on a massive North American summer stadium tour, the electrifying single, "Just Like 73" featuring Tom Morello, made its debut for the first time reaching #1 on various charts across the globe.


Speaking about the track, Joe Elliott shares, “It encapsulates a time that burned deep into our DNA. We w

Swedish death metal legends, The Crown, will issue their twelfth studio album, Crown Of Thorns, on October 11 via Metal Blade Records. Check out a new unboxing video below:





Crown Of Thorns serves as the band's dynamic follow-up to 2021's Royal Destroyer and the record's musical dynamics are on a new level due in no small part to the 2022 addition of drummer Mikael Norén and bassist Mattias Rasmussen as well as the return of lead guitarist Marcus Sunesson, rejoining longtime members Tervonen and vocalist Johan Lindstrand.




"With Mikael, we managed to bring back a bit more of that crazy 'Janne Saarenpää' feel to the drumming, so that was a really cool energy boost. Mattias comes more from a punk/crust background, and he wrote 'I Hunt With The Devil' and 'Mind Collapse,' which turned out great. This is definitely a step up in many ways, changing the way we worked on the CSV and RD albums."


It's very few bands who have a revered and established career - The Crown celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2020 (their first eight years spent as Crown Of Thorns) - yet up the ante continually. With 2018's Cobra Speed Venom the band reached the same lofty heights as their 2002 landmark release, Crowned In Terror. And with the barbaric Royal Destroyer, and now, 2024's powerful and unique Crown Of Thorns, the metal vets rage with a rekindled fire and ferocity while honoring their roots. As Tervonen concludes, noting of Crown Of Thorns, "I guess every band needs to do a self-titled album at some point. So now we did it, our way."





Crown Of Thorns was recorded by Marko Tervonen (Studio-MT), mixed and mastered by Jonas Kjellgren (Black Lounge Studios), and will be released on jewel case CD (US), limited digipak CD with three additional studio songs (EU), and digital formats, as well vinyl in the following color variants:


- Black + White Split (US)
- 180g Black (EU)
- White Black Marbled (EU)
- White Black Dust (EU - Ltd. 300)
- Iron-Grey Marble (EU - LP + bonus 7", slip mat, patch - Ltd. 500)


Pre-order here.





Crown Of Thorns tracklisting:


"I Hunt With The Devil"
"Churchburner"
"Martyrian"
"Gone To Hell"
"Howling At The Warfield"
"The Night Is Now"
"God-King"
"The Agi

Today, Richie Kotzen premiers the official lyric video for “Nihilist”, to coincide with the release of his brand-new solo studio album, Nomad, out now via BMG. The album is available digitally, on CD and sky-blue vinyl and can be ordered here.


“’Nihilist’ may be the cornerstone of the entire album as I see it,” says Kotzen. “It is certainly the oldest composition as I have been holding onto this master recording for a few years. I knew it was a special song and I wanted folks to hear it, but I wasn’t clear on how to go about that. Meaning, it could have been a single but I didn’t have the right window for that. Once I felt like I was on path to making a full-length album it became clear to me that this was the closing song regardless of what may come before it.”







While Nomad has no shortage of heavy guitar rockers, the sheer diversity of the album as heard on tracks such as “Nihilist,” “This Is A Test” and the title track “Nomad,” showcases not only Kotzen’s musical range and vocal prowess, but his fearless imagination as a producer/arranger. Already globally renowned as an extraordinary guitarist, with Nomad Kotzen stands tall as a truly remarkable all-round lyricist-producer/arranger and singer.


“My approach for the Nomad album was to imagine as if I was only offering this on vinyl,” explains Kotzen. “What songs would live together on that format and how would I sequence side A versus side B and so on and so forth. As it were the song ‘Nomad’ became the closer on side A and ‘Nihilist’ on side B as both compositions were written around the same time I felt they made perfect companions. I am very excited to finally be able to share all these compositions on the full release. I hope folks feel the music the same way I do.”


Written, recorded and produced by Richie Kotzen, Nomad features eight new tracks showcasing Kotzen’s multi- faceted musical styles with Kotzen playing almost every instrument on the album. On Nomad, Kotzen expresses his diverse techniques and influences, from hard rock to 70s infused soul and funk, jazz fusion to R&B. It’s all intertwined with his own unique playing and songwriting approach, while retaining his ever-evolving signature style.





Tracklisting:


"Cheap Shots"
"These Doors"**
"Insomnia"
"Nomad"*
"Escape"
"On The Table"
"This Is A Test"
"Nihilist"


* Dan Potruch plays drums on “Nomad”
** Kyle Hughes plays drums on “These Doors”


"Cheap Shots" lyric video:





"On The Table" lyric video:





"Cheap Shots" video:

Tarja is set to release the second volume of her live series, Rocking Heels: Live At Hellfest on December 6 via earMUSIC. This release follows the successful Rocking Heels: Live At Metal Church, which came out in August 2023.


On June 19, 2016, Tarja delivered a captivating performance at Hellfest, one of Europe's largest and most prestigious metal festivals held in Clisson, France. Her powerful blend of operatic vocals and heavy metal instrumentation enthralled the audience, making her performance one of the festival's highlights. The setlist featured a carefully curated mix of her solo work and iconic Nightwish songs.


Opening with “No Bitter End” from her 2016 album, The Shadow Self, Tarja set the tone for an evening of intensity and emotion. Her dynamic stage presence and dramatic musical arrangements created an unforgettable experience, solidifying her status as one of metal's greatest female singers.

Night In Gales will release their ninth studio album, entitled Shadowreaper, on December 6th via Apostasy Records.


The artwork, created by Paolo Girardi (Incantation, Cryptopsy, The Black Dahlia Murder), and tracklisting are as follows: 







"Into The Evergrey"
"The Horrors Of Endlessness"
"Open The Sun"
"The Nihilist Delta"
"Spirals"
"Dead Inside"
"Window To The End"
"Sculptured And Defleshed"
"Walk Of Infinity"


Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.


Since their ‘return’ with 2018’s The Last Sunsets, Night In Gales are consistent in the best sense of that word. They constantly deliver melodic death metal that stays not only true to the core of the genre itself, but is also on par with its classics. And another detail will catch the attention of everyone checking their album titles: There is something more about them than just the absence of light. The “Shadowreaper” symbolizes the final stage of the finiteness of all existence: it shreds the lost souls - aimlessly caught up in “The Black Stream” – so that nothing remains. He is also the incarnation of our nightmares:

One of Melbourne's most intriguing progressive metal bands, Teramaze, have released a video for "Battle" (Acoustic Version), featured on their upcoming release, Teracoustic Sessions / Volume 1. Watch the clip below.





Announcing Teracoustic Sessions / Volume 1, the band stated: "Introducing Teracoustic Sessions Volume 1, the brand-new acoustic album from Teramaze that promises a fresh and intimate listening experience. In this special release, Dean and Nathan have carefully selected nine standout tracks from our extensive catalogue and reimagined them in their purest form. Stripped down to just acoustic guitar and vocals, this collection offers a raw and unembellished take on our music—no frills, no effects, just the essence of Teramaze.




"The result is a collection that’s not only a testament to the strength of our songwriting but also something you can enjoy with family and friends who may not be familiar with our usual sound. We're thrilled with how these tracks have come together, and we believe you will be too. Teracoustic Sessions Volume 1 invites you to experience Teramaze like never before, in an intimate and personal way that highlights the beauty and emotion of our music."


Due for release on September 27, you can pre-order Teracoustic Sessions / Volume 1 here.

On Saturday, September 28, guitarist Nita Strauss, who plays in Alice Cooper's band in addition to being an acclaimed solo artist, was interviewed by Rock Antenne at this year's Guitar Summit in Mannheim, Germany. Asked if there are any other artists she would love to work with down the road, Nita said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "There are so many, honestly. I had a wish list for 'The Call Of The Void', which was my second album but the first that I had any vocals on. So, basically, I just crossed some off the list, but I still have a long list. So it's exciting."

She continued: "I'm writing the third record now — I'm writing it on days off on the tour, whenever I have the time — so I'm kind of writing with these people in mind, going, like, 'Okay…' Like, for example, I have one vocalist who actually I wrote a song for on 'The Call Of The Void', and then they weren't able to actually record it because they had a conflict with their album coming out. So I was, like, 'Perfect. I'll get 'em on this one.' And I started writing a song again sort of in that key with that style with this vocalist in mind. So just keep checking them off the list."

When the interviewer suggested SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL vocalist Alex Terrible as a possible guest on her upcoming third solo album, Nita said: "That is absolutely one of the names on my list. And we're on the same label, which is easy-easy. SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL is on Sumerian with me, so easy. That has already been a conversation."

Elaborating on her interest in collaborating with Alex, Nita said: "You know what people don't realize? He actually can sing. Like, he can really sing. He's got an unearthly growl and scream — everybody knows how incredible his metal voice is — but he can sing. Like, he can really sing. And what I did on my record was I took people to a slightly different place for them, like Alissa White-Gluz [ARCH ENEMY], who's such a strong singer and people didn't really know how good her clean voice was. What if I can do that for him? What if I can push him someplace slightly different? Or maybe we'll just write something really heavy and see how that is."

Strauss went on to say that she is "a big fan" of Terrible. "He seems like a really nice guy," she added. "I love seeing his posts, like with the dogs, helping find homes for the dogs and stuff like that. I think it's really, really great."

Asked if she has a specific date in mind as to when she might hit the studio to record the new album, Nita said: "Not at the moment. My touring schedule is so crazy. I've literally been on the road since I finished recording 'The Call Of The Void' in 2021. I toured all through '21, '22, '23, I've toured all through '24. So I think I've got '25 booked up until the summer. Alice Cooper, I think, is talking about doing something different next summer, so if that happens, then I will take the summer and probably get into the studio and do some proper recording. Or maybe I'll see if I can do some this winter. It just depends on how crazy my schedule gets."

The Los Angeles-born guitarist has become a force to be reckoned with, dazzling over a million audience members per year around the world. Fans may recognize Nita as the touring guitarist for rock legend Alice Cooper and superstar Demi Lovato, the official guitarist of the Los Angeles Rams, as well as her successful career as a solo artist. She has played multiple sports events, including NASCAR races and WWE pay-per-views, most notably her critically acclaimed performance at "WrestleMania 34" in 2018.

"The Call Of The Void" debuted as the No. 1 Top New Artist album on the Billboard chart, No. 1 on the iTunes Rock chart, and No. 4 on the overall iTunes chart, behind only Taylor Swift.

With the album's first single, "Dead Inside" featuring DISTURBED's David Draiman, Nita became the first female solo artist to have a No. 1 single at rock radio in 32 years.

Nita released "Controlled Chaos" to mass acclaim from fans and media alike, with Metal Injection calling it "a great debut that — as its creator intended — leaves no doubt", and Guitar World stating "'Controlled Chaos' is a panoramic view of Nita Strauss's many strengths".

In March 2023, it was announced that Nita would return to Alice's band for his 2023 tour and beyond.

Nita spent eight years playing with Alice before joining Demi Lovato's band in the summer of 2022.

Strauss has been playing with Cooper since 2014 when she replaced Australian musician and former Michael Jackson player Orianthi. She joined Alice in time for a mammoth MÖTLEY CRÜE tour. She was recommended to Cooper by the legendary rocker's former bass player and WINGER frontman Kip Winger.

Jerry Kurunen of Rauta conducted an interview with drummer Kjetil-Vidar "Frost" Haraldstad of Norwegian black metallers SATYRICON at this year's Beyond The Gates festival in early August in Bergen, Norway. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked what fans can expect from SATYRICON's upcoming studio album, Frost said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think that whatever this new album is gonna be, because we don't know for sure yet, but it's gonna be a more conventional album in a way, but there's gonna be a lot about it that is not conventional. We are looking into some different ideas, but I cannot reveal too much about them. That wouldn't make sense at this point. But somehow, the journey that Satyr [SATYRICON frontman Sigurd Wongraven] was on when he worked on the [Edvard] Munch project will also have a pretty grave effect on what is happening with this new material. And I think that it will somehow reflect on how we think musically. But you might also say that we are a bit more back in a more conventional landscape, if that term makes sense in SATYRICON's world. And I think that the album will be very, very varied. But you can always expect the unexpected in this band, and that continues to be true now and definitely not less — perhaps even a little bit more after that Munch period."

Regarding when SATYRICON will release the new album and whether there will be any touring in support of it, Frost said: "We have made most of the material for the album, and we have been rehearsing it and going a little bit back and forth with that material now, doing some demos and stuff for a while. So we will take that to an end, record it, find out exactly what to make out of the release, because that's gonna be a thing that people will find out when it's done. And I expect that we will somehow tour with the album — perhaps not a conventional club tour. Could be something else. Could be something more like doing special shows with some elements that add something visually or musically or both. And we know that the band will at least be active as a live band also in the future. And we have some tours planned. If you had asked me one year ago, I would have said that this is probably not gonna happen again ever, but people that do follow us on the Internet probably know that we are gonna be touring in the spring again. And there is probably gonna be more of that as well. So what I can say now is that the new album and touring following that is gonna fill a lot of the next two or three years. I'm pretty sure."

In 2022, SATYRICON released a 56-minute composition titled "Satyricon & Munch" in a unique collaboration with the world-famous Munch museum in Oslo, Norway. The music, created by Satyr, was written in the shape of a so-called musical work and transcended any genre barriers.

SATYRICON's latest regular collection of original material, "Deep Calleth Upon Deep", was released in September 2017 via Napalm Records. The disc was recorded in Oslo, Norway and Vancouver, Canada, during early 2017 and mixed together with revered studio guru Mike Fraser (who previously worked on SATYRICON's 2006 album, "Now, Diabolical").

SATYRICON's first two albums, 1993's "Dark Medieval Times" and 1994's "The Shadowthrone", were released as remixed and remastered reissues with altered cover artworks, in May 2021 via Napalm Records.

In July 2022, Frost told Heavy New York about how he and his SATYRICON bandmates have progressed musical since the group's inception three decades ago: "The way I see it, SATYRICON is always going through a constant evolution. We have always emphasized the importance and the meaning of creativity and innovation and boldness and daring to try something new because we see black metal as a genre that was born through creativity. It was born through bands that dared to go where other bands hadn't been going before them. They took things further in many, many ways, made their music harder and rawer than anything that was really done before that, and they brought some darkness into this that you didn't really have before. There were some attempts perhaps, but before the very first black metal bands, you didn't really have it in that sense. And also many of these bands showed a great pioneering spirit and there was a lot of avant-garde work going on. And these elements were very, very important, and through SATYRICON we have always tried to cultivate these elements and really make it a part of our musical DNA to cultivate that creativity. And then that is your starting point. I think that the band will go through lots of changes, and sometimes the evolution will happen in a very, very significant way from album to album, other times perhaps at a slightly slower pace, but it will always be there."

He continued: "I think that a band like SATYRICON has always been really bound to seek new musical territory and to constantly renew ourselves, and it's also a natural part of our way of operating too, to seek new ways of working and to see whether we should try to bring in something that we have never had before and that we don't really even master, and see if it is a resource that we actually manage to bring into the band and make the whole thing grow."

Photo credit: Morten Andersen

In a new interview with Lauren O'Neil of Chicago's Q101 radio station, THE OFFSPRING singer Bryan "Dexter" Holland and guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman spoke about the ongoing celebration of the 30th anniversary of the release of the band's mainstream breakout album "Smash". The LP, which was released in April 1994, sold over 11 million copies and is credited with helping revive the punk rock genre in the 1990s. Asked what it has been like to perform the entire album at some of the shows on the current tour, Noodles said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We just did it once [before] in June at home, a hometown show, kind of a big like hockey arena, local hockey arena in Orange County [California]. And we did 'Smash' all the way through and then came back out and did some other hits after that."

Dexter added: "It's always fun to do that kind of stuff. You feel like you're taking something out and dusting it off, kind of — you're re-learning the songs. 'Cause some of those songs we haven't played in a long time; some of 'em we almost never played, period. So it was interesting and fun to get to do it and kind of play it as an album all the way through."

Asked about some of the challenges of performing the "Smash" material live, possibly as it relates to incorporating different guitar tunings, Noodles said: "It's actually, I think, easier now. And there's not that many tunings. Back when we were doing 'Smash', we didn't mess around with alternate tunings. [Addressing Dexter] Well, you do have one. You do have one."

The guitarist added: "Those songs still sound as relevant today — to me, anyways — as they did back when we first came out with them."

THE OFFSPRING first celebrated the 30th anniversary of "Smash" with a special concert on June 1 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The set included a full-album performance of "Smash", as well as other OFFSPRING hits.

"Smash" featured the singles "Come Out And Play" and "Self Esteem" and was certified six-times platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America).

Throughout THE OFFSPRING's career, they've sold over a staggering 40 million albums, and toured arenas, and built a global fan base.

In a March 2024 interview with the Colombian radio station Radioacktiva, Noodles stated about "Smash": "It's hard for me to place the songs as being part of that time. The songs, to me, are timeless. The songs are every bit as [relevant] today as they were 30 years ago. But I feel that way about a lot of the music I've loved throughout my life, and especially all the music we've made. I can think back to when I first heard 'Come Out And Play' on the radio and just thinking, 'Whoa, what is this? This is mind-blowing. This doesn't happen to bands like us.' That was a very exciting thing. And once we realized, 'Hey, man, we've gotta pick up this ball and run with it. Let's see. Maybe we can get a few years off playing music for a living.' But I don't think any of us thought 30 years later we would still be making music."

Originally formed under the name MANIC SUBSIDAL, THE OFFSPRING's lineup consists of Holland, Wasserman, bassist Todd Morse, multi-instrumentalist Jonah Nimoy and drummer Brandon Pertzborn.

THE OFFSPRING's eleventh album, "Supercharged", will arrive on October 11 via Concord Records. The LP was produced by Bob Rock (METALLICA, BON JOVI, AEROSMITH) in Maui, Vancouver and the band's Huntington Beach, California studio.

Photo credit: Daveed Benito

In a new interview with Really Famous With Kara Mayer Robinson, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons was asked how he thinks he is perceived by most people. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I would say there are some — could be a large number, could not — who think I'm an asshole. In fact, I named my second solo album 'Asshole', which, I thought, was akin to black people taking possession of the 'n' word. And fat people, overweight people, obese people, taking possession of that, so that you lessen the impact of that.

"I'm okay with being labeled or thought of as an asshole, because I know who I am," he continued. "And there are other people who think, 'You only do this for money.' And my response is — of course. Why am I not salt of the earth when almost all the jobs on the face of the planet are performed by people who don't like the job they have, and the only reason they're doing that is to be able to earn money to feed their families and put a roof over their head? Only for money. Nobody wants to dig ditches on a highway. The building we're in, somebody had to put up. They do that every day. They go to work, do the same thing every day, nine to five, five days a week. Join the union or not, and break their backs and never get rich, just to be able… 'That's the salt of the earth.' Why can't I be salt of the [earth]? The fact that I make more money? But I also give to philanthropy. And by the way, it's none of your fucking business who or what or where. I'm not trying to impress you or not. I know who I am. And maybe that's the best thing to do in life, is to just be comfortable in your own skin, 'cause not everybody likes Jesus either."

Asked who he is "for real", Simmons said: "I was born Chaim Witz, a name given to me, but I'm much bigger than that. I'm really something. And I would recommend everybody to be delusional that way about themselves, because whether you are that or not, your brain helps you get there by being delusional about it. Take [American professional boxer] Mike Tyson, who I know reasonably well, a fascinating human being — I mean, really exceptional. You have to consider that at some point early on in life, he had a bad childhood, bad family life and all that. If it wasn't for [American boxing manager and trainer] Cus D'Amato raising him and instilling in him and all that… He was shorter than heavyweights. His arms weren't as long as heavyweights. He talks with an interesting voice and has some problem pronouncing certain words, so he's the butt of jokes and everything. Except he decided at some point in his life, early on, before he turned 20 — 18, 19 — that he was gonna be the most dangerous man that ever stepped in the ring. Mindset is the most important thing. Regardless of the fact that there was no logic, almost delusional, in saying, 'Oh, yeah, I'm gonna be the most dangerous man. I'm gonna knock out people in five seconds.' That's exactly what he did. There's such a thing as will to live, will to win — it's the will. Mindset is everything. So I recommend to everybody, be more delusional. Every female that ever put on stiletto heels or anything, be hot. You are hot. You ever wonder how larger black girls have no problem shaking it, showing it off, whereas white girls are concerned if there's five more pounds of stuff. What do black girls have that white girls don't have? Strong sense of self. It's what it's all about. And the more they have of that feeling, the sexier they are. You make it real by your mindset."

Simmons added: "Never pick a fight with a short guy who is smaller than you and lighter than you who just has the 'Your ass is mine.' Don't pick a fight with that guy 'cause it doesn't matter if you're gonna win; you're gonna get hurt. So the will to win is everything. And that's what I have buckets full of… I'm more ravenous and hungry to do stuff and achieve more than I've ever been. And I've done pretty well so far."

Simmons was born Chaim Witz in August 1949, at Rambam Hospital in Haifa to Jewish immigrants from Hungary. He was the son of Holocaust survivor Flora Klein and a father, Feri Witz, who soon abandoned his family, leaving them penniless prior to emigrating to America in search of a better life.

Simmons is a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, and media mogul. He has achieved success that reaches far beyond his music career, extending into television shows, films, publishing, merchandising, worldwide restaurants, consumer products, and more.

Gene was inspired to become a rock star when he first saw a televised performance by THE BEATLES. He formed several bands and then met fellow KISS co-founder Paul Stanley in 1970 and they formed the group WICKED LESTER. In the winter of 1972, with a desire to create the "ultimate" rock band, not just "another" rock band, Simmons and Stanley formed KISS with original band members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley. Inspired by his love of comic books and horror films, Simmons conceived the concept of his face paint. The addition of elaborate costumes, frenetic stage performances and ostentatious concert effects, catapulted KISS to international stardom and a coveted position as one of the most recognized rock and roll bands in the world.

Since their inception, KISS has developed millions of fans around the world, also known as the KISS Army. With over 100 million CDs and DVDs sold worldwide, KISS sold out stadiums and arenas around the world for five decades, breaking box-office records set by Elvis Presley and THE BEATLES.

KISS was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2014 and in 1999 received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. Merchandising giant Simmons's keen business acumen has expanded the KISS brand beyond the stage. With more than 5,000 licensed/merchandised items, KISS has generated more money from merchandising and trademark deals than any other band in music history.

Recently, Gene launched Gene Simmons MoneyBag soda — a new line of sodas made with all natural flavors, colors, and pure cane sugar, and packaged in painted bottles.

Simmons is renowned and sought after worldwide as a notable and opinionated media commentator on a diverse range of topics from politics to business.