San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans DEATH ANGEL have released the official music video for their first new music in six years, a song called "Wrath (Bring Fire)" . The clip, which can be seen below, was filmed by Edgar Salazar during the "Summer Of Wrath Tour 2025" in Europe.

When "Wrath (Bring Fire)" was first made available in May, DEATH ANGEL vocalist Mark Osegueda commented: "'Wrath(Bring Fire)' is the first DEATH ANGEL song featuring the whole band to be released since our 2019 Grammy-nominated album 'Humanicide'. This song was, however, written during the pandemic. I wrote the lyrics and melody to this song in January of 2021. During that time I was, as all of us were, stuck at home lost, angry and very confused. I was also watching way more television than I usually had. One genre being medieval/fantasy shows which were kind of new to me as an adult yet were very popular during that time. Which makes sense in retrospect. We all needed some new forms of escapism from the worldwide hell that we were all going through. That being said, it was partially what inspired these lyrics. An ancient/medieval fantasy end of the world war meets my actual approach in disputes. That can unfortunately, for all involved, turn very ugly if I'm pushed to a certain level or place when I feel I'm being wronged. And, as always for me, pen doesn't hit the paper until I hear the music and that paints a picture and inspires a vision that ends up being my lyrics. And the music Rob [Cavestany, guitar] wrote for this and the fantasy/medieval-based shows I was watching at that time and the personal hell that I was going through, figuring out who the hell I was during that awful time in our collective history and marrying that with my true personal aggressions and fury that I still fight with to this very day when I feel I've been wronged, inspired this song. And it does still happen to me, and I'm sure all of us. It definitely still happens to me to this very day. Sometimes it still does, by those that are supposed to be closest to me that think they must be more clever than me when in actuality they are just deceitful and so easily read.

"Well, for those of you who can relate to this subject, which I assume is most of us, this song is for you. Because if you are foolish enough to try to take advantage of me once or continually — to quote Al Capone: 'Don't mistake my kindness for weakness. I am kind to everyone, but when someone is unkind to me, weakness is not what you are going to remember about me.' That being said, when I come, I'll bring FIRE!!"

As previously reported, DEATH ANGEL will celebrate the 35th anniversary of its "Act III" album by performing it in its entirety on a fall 2025 U.S. tour. The trek, which will feature support from VIO-LENCE (replacing originally announced support act TOXIC HOLOCAUST),LIONS AT THE GATE and MISFIRE, will kick off on November 26 at the Oriental Theater in Denver, Colorado and wrap with two Christmas shows on December 18-19 at The Fillmore in San Francisco, California.

In March 2024, DEATH ANGEL guitarist Ted Aguilar told El Planeta Del Rock that there were "a bunch of songs, a lot of skeletons" for the band's next album. "We spent the first three months of this year writing. We didn't do any activity — just writing… There's a bunch of skeletons, as we call it. There's a lot of ideas that we're waiting for [singer] Mark to put some vocals on."

Osegueda is the featured singer on SLAYER guitarist Kerry King's debut solo album, "From Hell I Rise", which arrived in May 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music.

Earlier in March 2024, Osegueda told El Planeta Del Rock about the songwriting process for DEATH ANGEL's next LP: "It's going great. And we're excited about it."

In a separate interview with Elevar, Cavestany confirmed that new DEATH ANGEL music was in the works. "I don't like divulging the 'play by play'; I'd rather news came out when there is substantial information to speak of," he explained. "That being said, I can tell you there are around seven songs we are currently working on and I'm currently getting deep into the writing zone, which is my happy place. If we can manage to stop saying yes to every tour offer (we love to tour),then maybe we can finally get this new album done."

Also in March 2024, DEATH ANGEL drummer Will Carroll said that he was "stoked" about how the band's new music was shaping up. "The creative juices are flowing and things are moving along at a very productive rate," he wrote on social media.

He added: "I can't wait for the DA fans around the world to hear this new material and hopefully we'll make some new ones along the way. Exciting times indeed."

In January 2024, Will said that he and his DEATH ANGEL bandmates were "hard at work getting" the band's next album "written and completely demo'd."

"It felt good to get back to work with Rob Cavestany," Will wrote. "It's a real challenge to not rehash the same ideas and beats from previous albums but I think so far things are sounding fresh and inspired."

In July 2024, Aguilar told Vikram Chandrasekar about the band's songwriting process: "Well, when it comes down to writing, it's all Rob. It's all Rob. It starts with him. He comes up with a basic structure and him and Will get together and they hash it all out and they record it. And when they get it to a point where, 'Oh, yeah, this is great,' then they send it off to everyone else. And Damien does his parts and Mark will listen to it and try to write lyrics and melodies. And I'll listen to it and I'll touch base with Rob: 'What do you want me to do here? Do you want me to play something here? Or do you want me to do something different?' 'Cause Rob has a vision and you kind of wanna see his vision. And as soon as the song comes together to where we play it quite a few times, then we could throw in our ideas, like, 'Hey, maybe that part should be a little longer,' or, 'Maybe cut that out,' or Will will go, 'I wanna do something different here instead.' So, you know, Rob has a vision, we listen, we play along with it. Then if we feel like there needs to be changes, we express our concern, and Rob is really good at, 'Yeah, let's give it a try.' So we try everything. And it comes down to, 'All right, this is what works.' So it starts with Rob. And with regarding the lyrics, every now and then Rob will pick out a song: 'I wanna write lyrics for this song.' And Mark goes, 'Go ahead.' But Mark writes all the lyrics, and what he does is with the music, he'll listen to it over and over by himself. I don't know where he goes. He goes into the far corners of the earth by himself, with the headphones and music, and he'll come up with so many types of different melodies and stuff, and then come up with the ones he's happy with and lay it down on the demo form. Then when we get into the real studio, then things start to evolve 'cause we've played it so many times or we listened to it so many times that when we get in there, [we go], 'All right, let's try this.' It's always evolving to the point where it's handing it in to get mastered. Some songs stay kind of the same from what it was, but we just put more energy into it. Some songs have been rewritten quite a few times, so it differs. Rob's the songwriter, and on the last album I wrote one song. Yeah, it's how it is. And right now I'm writing some stuff, and how it goes is I'll write some stuff, I'll send it to Rob. I always tell him, 'If it's good, use it. If not, if you find parts are good, use it. If it's not good, it's okay, dude.' I'm just throwing some stuff out there, 'cause he knows what the DEATH ANGEL sound should be. And if he likes it, he'll use it. If he doesn't, my feelings are not broken."

DEATH ANGEL released a live album titled "The Bastard Tracks" in November 2021 via Nuclear Blast. Recorded live at The Great American Music Hall in their hometown of San Francisco on May 22, 2021, and streamed live soon after, "The Bastard Tracks" was described in a press release as "a deep-cuts collection of rarely and never performed songs from the band's catalog" that was released digitally and on CD, vinyl and Blu-ray.

In October 2020, DEATH ANGEL released a four-song EP, "Under Pressure". The effort included a cover of QUEEN + David Bowie's "Under Pressure", followed by a new track titled "Faded Remains", plus acoustic versions of "Act III"'s classic "A Room With A View" and "Humanicide"'s "Revelation Song". The EP was mixed by Max Norman (OZZY OSBOURNE, MEGADETH, BAD COMPANY) and mastered by Ted Jensen (LAMB OF GOD, MACHINE HEAD, HALESTORM).

Released in May 2019 via Nuclear Blast, "Humanicide" saw DEATH ANGEL returning to producer and friend Jason Suecof (DEICIDE, TRIVIUM) of Audiohammer studios for the recording and mixing, along with the mastering of the legendary Ted Jensen (SLIPKNOT, PANTERA) of Sterling Sound, who added the final touches and brought it all to life, with artist Brent Elliott White (LAMB OF GOD, MEGADETH) providing the ominous cover artwork.

In March 2020, Carroll spent almost two weeks on a ventilator in an intensive care unit at a Northern California hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. He first got sick when he and the rest of DEATH ANGEL spent more than a month on the road in Europe with TESTAMENT and EXODUS as part of "The Bay Strikes Back 2020" tour.

DEATH ANGEL was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for the "Humanicide" title track. It was the group's first Grammy nomination.

Carroll joined DEATH ANGEL in 2009 as the replacement for the band's original drummer, Andy Galeon.

In a new interview with Teresa Robinson of New Mexico Entertainment, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist Richie Faulkner was asked what is next for him and his bandmates after the completion of their recent North American tour with Alice Cooper. Richie responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's a good question. We've always got something bubbling under the surface going on, and we always try and think about what's coming up after this. There's a few things I'm not sure if I can say [what they are] or not, but we've talked about whether we are gonna do album number 20. Is that gonna happen or not? Or, have got any ideas for that sort of stuff? We've done a lot of touring over the last couple of years, so maybe it's time to look at the studio stuff and see where we go from there."

He continued: "One thing I do know is that I joined [JUDAS PRIEST] on [what was supposed to be] the [band's] farewell tour and I'm still here 15 years later, so it doesn't stop. It doesn't stop. That I do know. I know it's usually album, tour, album, tour, album, tour — that seems to be the pattern — so, historically, if that tells you anything, there's usually another album somewhere. But we'll see."

Asked what he would like his personal legacy to be, Faulkner said: "That's a very good question. I think all you can do is your best. And I think the people decide what your legacy is… I'm lucky enough to be in a position where I'm touring and writing music with JUDAS PRIEST, one of the biggest heavy metal bands, most influential heavy metal bands in the world. So, fortunately, people are listening to stuff that I'm doing and the band are doing in 2025. That's legacy enough — just being a part of that legacy is enough for me."

Produced by Live Nation, PRIEST's 22-city tour with Alice Cooper kicked off September 16 at Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi, with stops in Toronto, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and more before wrapping October 26 at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands, Texas.

PRIEST was touring in support of its latest album, "Invincible Shield", which entered the U.K. chart at No. 2, just behind Ariana Grande's "Eternal Sunshine".

Prior to "Invincible Shield"'s arrival, PRIEST's highest U.K. chart achievement was with 1980's "British Steel", which reached No. 4.

PRIEST's 2018 album "Firepower" entered the chart at No. 5.

"Invincible Shield" was JUDAS PRIEST's fifth Top 10 album, after the aforementioned "British Steel" and "Firepower", as well as 2014's "Redeemer Of Souls" (No. 6) and the 1979 live album "Unleashed In The East" (No. 10).

"Invincible Shield" landed at No. 1 in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as No. 5 in France, No. 8 in Italy and No. 16 in Australia

During the European leg of JUDAS PRIEST's "Shield Of Pain" tour, the band's setlist included seven tracks from PRIEST's 1990 album "Painkiller", which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year.

In addition to performing the "Painkiller" title track, PRIEST played "All Guns Blazing", "Hell Patrol", "A Touch Of Evil", "Night Crawler", "One Shot At Glory" and "Between The Hammer And The Anvil" from the same LP.

When PRIEST first announced the "Shield Of Pain" tour last fall, the band promised a "rare" and "unique set" which would include "beloved classics" and would "be defending the metal faith in a truly memorable experience throughout Europe".

In a rare new interview with "Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen And Shane McEachern", legendary DEEP PURPLE and RAINBOW guitarist Ritchie Blackmore paid tribute to British guitar icon Jeff Beck, who died nearly three years ago. Ritchie said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " Jeff was a great guitar player. That was a big blow, him going, I mean, he was vegetarian and he didn't take drugs particularly or anything. I was very shocked to hear about him dying that way. That was terrible."

Blackmore added: "He had a very special way of playing. It was so different from anybody. I always used to go and see him play, because I found him very refreshing. And he would always put himself down. I'd say, 'How is your latest record, Jeff?' And he'd go, 'Oh, it's a lot of rubbish.' And he would always say that about anything he put out. He was always reaching for something he couldn't find."

The Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer, who rose to prominence with THE YARDBIRDS, died "suddenly" on January 10, 2023 after contracting bacterial meningitis, his representative said.

Two days after Beck's passing, Ritchie took to his social media to write: "First met Jeff Beck around 64-65 and it was a session where we were both playing guitars and Jimmy Page was producing. I couldn't believe how incredible he was, not only with his technique but his sound too. I became a fan of his ever since. He could reach up into the stars and make magic with his playing. His choice of notes were always absolutely perfect.

"This whole thing is a shock. We shall always remember Jeff as the best rock and roll player."

Having cultivated one of the most influential careers in rock history, Beck was universally acknowledged as one of the most talented and significant guitarists in the world, and has played alongside some of the greatest artists of rock, blues and jazz.

Over the course of his distinguished 50-plus-year music career, he had earned an incredible eight Grammy Awards, been ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time," and been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame twice — once as a member of THE YARDBIRDS and again as a solo artist. In the summer of 2016, the guitar virtuoso celebrated his five decades of music with an extraordinary concert at the famous Hollywood Bowl.

Speaking when he was inducted to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for the second time in 2009, Beck said: "I play the way I do because it allows me to come up with the sickest sounds possible. That's the point now, isn't it? I don't care about the rules. In fact, if I don't break the rules at least 10 times in every song, then I'm not doing my job properly."

Beck famously replaced Eric Clapton as THE YARDBIRDS' lead guitarist in 1965 and later went on to form THE JEFF BECK GROUP, which featured Rod Stewart on vocals and Ron Wood on bass. Their two albums — "Truth" (1968) and "Beck-Ola" (1969) — would become musical touchstones for hard rockers in the years to come.

The constantly evolving Beck's next move — a power trio with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, which released "Beck, Bogert And Appice" (1973),once again shattered people's preconceptions of what a rock guitarist was supposed to sound like.

1985's "Flash" kept Beck in the spotlight as he earned the "Best Rock Instrumental" Grammy for the song "Escape". A second Grammy came with Jeff Beck's "Guitar Shop" with Terry Bozzio and Tony Hymas, and a third for "Dirty Mind" from the "You Had It Coming" album in 2001. 2009 saw the release of the platinum-selling "Performing This Week… Live at Ronnie Scott's", which earned a Grammy for "A Day In The Life".

Beck's astonishing 2010 solo album, "Emotion & Commotion", brought about two additional Grammy Awards; Beck was nominated in five categories before bringing home three: "Best Rock Instrumental Performance" for "Hammerhead" and "Best Pop Instrumental Performance" for "Nessun Dorma", both from "Emotion & Commotion", and "Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals" for "Imagine", his collaboration with Herbie Hancock.

His "Rock 'N' Roll Party (Honoring Les Paul)" album was nominated for a 2012 Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album". In 2016 he released "Loud Hailer" and in 2017 "Jeff Beck: Live At The Hollywood Bowl" was released, both to widespread critical acclaim.

CATEGORY 7, the new band featuring former MACHINE HEAD and current KERRY KING guitarist Phil Demmel, ex-ADRENALINE MOB guitarist Mike Orlando, ARMORED SAINT/ex-ANTHRAX singer John Bush, SHADOWS FALL/ex-OVERKILL drummer Jason Bittner and EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson, played its second-ever concert last night (Thursday, October 30) at Piper's Pub in Pompano Beach, Florida. Fan-filmed video of the entire show can be seen below.

CATEGORY 7 made its live debut on June 30 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

Last December, CATEGORY 7 canceled its previously announced first-ever U.S. tour in support of its self-titled debut album. The 14-show trek was scheduled to launch on March 6, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland and run through March 23, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. CATEGORY 7 was also scheduled to embark on its first-ever South American tour in early July 2025, but that trek was scrapped in June, with the cancelation blamed on "non-compliance of the contract at some points, combined with low ticket sales."

When the CATEGORY 7 U.S. tour cancelation was first announced nearly a year ago, the band said in a statement: "With the overwhelming competition for the live show dollar, we feel that our projected ticket sales will not be enough for our tour to be profitable, so we have made the painful decision to cancel our tour in March.

"The cost of touring continues to go up and while we had no illusion of big profits, at least breaking even was a goal which after speaking to our agent and the promoters of the shows did not seem achievable.

"We appreciate everyone that is enjoying our music, and we will continue to attempt to find a way to bring the live show on the road.

"Thank you again for the support for CATEGORY 7."

CATEGORY 7's self-titled debut album was released on July 26, 2024 via Metal Blade Records.

With veteran musicians from so many legendary bands, it's hard not to think of CATEGORY 7 as a supergroup.

"I think we're pretty super," joked Demmel, who has also earned mega-metal cred over the decades as a member of VIO-LENCE and has played as a fill-in road guitarist for SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD, OVERKILL and others. "Really, I feel like this is a band, not a side project. And I feel like we have written this incredible piece of music, and we're not done. I'm so proud of the way this came together and the people who were involved. And I think we all feel super positive about this and what else we can do with it going forward."

The songs on the band's self-titled debut speak for themselves. As crushing and confrontational as an armed rebellion, as rhythmically thunderous as a storm of golf ball-sized hail, and as fiercely melodic as infectious riffs and aggressive vocals can be, CATEGORY 7 is a new breed of metal that lives up to the storied histories of its members. They're as heavy as a battleship, yet the songs are meticulously structured, skillfully balancing thrash beats, New Wave Of British Heavy Metal rhythms, punk metal attitude, blistering and ferocious dual guitar work, and scar-inflicting vocals.

"It's all about big verses and big songs, and it has a lot of the elements we've explored in our other bands," explained guitarist and main songwriter Mike Orlando (ADRENALINE MOB, SONIC UNIVERSE, NOTURNALL).

Take the upbeat album opener "In Stitches", which starts with piledriving double-bass drums, a feral thrash passage, and a fiery lead before toning down just enough for the distinctive vocals to stand out.

"It gets heavy, it's thrashy at times, but it opens up in the verses, and then the double-bass drums come in and knock you off your chair, but in a great way," Orlando said.

Bush further elaborated, "I read an article on an unhoused pregnant woman named Stitches who resided in Los Angeles obviously living a very difficult life that was compounded by mental illness and drug abuse. The encampment situation in my beloved city drives me bats. I balance between serious empathy and complete anger. The combination of imagining her life as well as my own internal turmoil led me to an almost humorous insanity state while writing this scathing album opener."

"Land I Used To Love" is slightly slower and more melodic, with guitar chords that complement the harmonized vocals and a searing guitar fill over the chorus that ups the temperature on the molten riffage. Then there's the propulsive, piledriver "Exhausted", which features blazing guitar licks, a punchy riff, and hammering thrash beats that climax with another unforgettable chorus.

The album closes with the explosive eight-minute instrumental, "Etter Stormen", in which Orlando and Demmel engage in a contest of dueling guitar leads over volleys of battering beats and riffs that see-saw between pounding metal and whiplash-inducing thrash.

CATEGORY 7, named after the numerical designation for the most powerful wind storms, came together from a batch of musicians who strived to play music they loved and weren't hearing elsewhere, and wanted to do so with bandmates they enjoyed being with. Orlando and Demmel became friends after taking part in a batch of tributes to the late OZZY OSBOURNE guitarist Randy Rhoads. The seeds of CATEGORY 7 were then cemented one night a couple years later when Orlando went to hang out at the Clifton, New Jersey metal club Dingbatz as Demmel was filling in on lead guitar for OVERKILL, which also featured SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner.

"We were hanging out and tearing it up, and between beers we were like, 'Hey, we need to do something,'" recalls Demmel. "We need to write some new music. We've got three-fifths of a band here. Let's get together and do some songs."

Since OVERKILL was practicing in New Jersey for a couple days before launching a tour, Demmel and Bittner were hanging out in the area. So, the day after the Dingbatz conversation, the guitarist got back in touch with Orlando, and the two decided to get together after the show and jam to see if their playing styles meshed.

"We just started throwing around some riffs, and it was pretty incredible, but different," Orlando said. "We immediately clicked together as writers. And to me, it was such a joy because the bands I have been in have always been just one guitar player. I never had a partner. So, to have a dude I liked, who plays really well, to bounce ideas around with was freaking awesome."

"Mike had this idea of doing stuff that was a little more mainstream than the heavier stuff that I've done. But we didn't want anything to sound contrived," added Demmel. "So, the first thing we did had all these different parts and crazy tempos and it kind of sounded like RACER X-meets-PANTERA. But we liked it and had fun doing it, so it was a great start."

Added Bittner: "The funniest part about that was me and Phil were rehearsing for OVERKILL in New Jersey, and I had no idea I was two rooms over from you writing this song. So, after we practiced for five hours you guys worked on a song for another two hours. I couldn't believe that. And I went, 'Okay, next time you guys do something, count me in.'"

As a staple of the Bay Area thrash scene, EXODUS bassist Jack Gibson was the natural choice to expand CATEGORY 7, and he was intrigued by the idea of stepping into a new pair of shoes. "When I first heard the song they did, I really liked that it was heavy and melodic, which is very different than the stuff I play with EXODUS, which is very rhythmic and chromatic," he said.

By far, the greatest challenge for CATEGORY 7 was finding the right singer. Not that the members couldn't agree on who they wanted. They all wanted ARMORED SAINT and ex-ANTHRAX vocalist John Bush; there wasn't even a second option. But getting him to agree to join the band was an exercise in patience and persuasion. When he was invited to join CATEGORY 7, Bush wanted to hear the band's music. But the only song they had recorded was the RACER X-meets-PANTERA-style instrumental, which they feared wasn't going to vibe with Bush's interest or ability. So, they put a couple more demos together, which were far more melodic, and they sent them to Bush, then waited on tenterhooks for him to get back to them.

"I listened to the music they sent me, and I was like, "Wow, this is pretty scathing stuff,'" Bush recalled. "It's awesome, but the question was, what could I do with it vocally that would fit? As Jason said, 'These guys are riff maniacs.' So, I wasn't totally sure right away that I was the right guy for it. But I started tinkering around with it and writing, and, to my satisfaction, everything came out relatively easy."

With Bush onboard, CATEGORY 7 went into overdrive. Now that they had a vocalist locked in, they were able to structure the songs to work with his melodic vocal style. Orlando worked separately and then together, assembling dynamic riffs and rhythms that peaked in complexity and heaviness during the intros, midsections and outros, and settled into a sparser, more melodic pocket for the verses and choruses.

"There was a cognizant effort to give the verses some space and to let John create his vocal melodies for them and the choruses," Demmel said. "Because he's the 'Bush hooks man.'"

CATEGORY 7 quickly realized the best way for Orlando and Demmel to combine their considerable talents as songwriters was for Orlando to write the skeletons for the tunes and have Demmel contribute fills, middle eight sections and leads. For Orlando, writing for the band became far easier once he had a vocalist in mind for his songs.

"When John Bush entered the picture, I knew who I was writing for and that helped me immensely," he said. "I wasn't just writing for the sake of writing; I was writing parts specifically for John Bush to sing. That was great for me not only because gave me a goal to strive for, but because, as a fan of John Bush's vocals for decades in ARMORED SAINT and ANTHRAX, it was exciting to know he was gonna be on these songs."

Even though CATEGORY 7 purposely wrote songs that gave Bush the room he needed to make the material shine, they stopped short of writing together anything that sounded like the bands Bush was best known for. That left Bush filtering through the complex rhythms and sometimes unconventional melodies to find the right spots in which to sing and the tone for those passages. While the work was sometimes challenging, it was equally rewarding and imbued songs like "Land I Used to Love", "Exhausted" and "Through Pink Eyes", with urgency and immediacy.

"Working on these songs opened up a big part of my brain to just be real creative," Bush said. "It all came out sounding very fresh and new. And it was really liberating for me because I was able to open up a whole new door for myself. Because working with these guys was just different than what I've done before because they're different people and the way they write, the way they create, and the way they play is new for me. And that compelled me to gravitate to what they were doing, which created this fresh sound that's unlike anything I've done or heard."

Bush also entered new territory with his lyrics. While he has addressed current events and the downfall of society in the past, with CATEGORY 7 he wrote about the desperation that pervades society and the destructive divide that has evolved and separated people for decades but is now worse than ever. As much as anything, Bush wanted songs like "White Flags & Bayonets", "In Stitches" and "Land I Used To Love" to inspire thought while being open to interpretation.

"I just say it's social commentary, man," Bush said. "There's a slew of information there to choose from and it's all in there. Obviously, every single day you could wake up and check out the news and have conversations with people and friends and feel a lot of the way I did when I was writing these songs. So, I just ran with that. But there's a certain ambiguity to some of the lyrics because I don't want to spell out exactly what these songs are about because they could be about a lot of things. And I want people to use their imagination. I want to touch on all these particular topics and scenarios that feel very current without telling people what they need to think."

CATEGORY 7 started working together on March 2023. During the months that followed, Orlando and Demmel wrote on a regular basis, and during the pre-production stage, Bittner recorded drums to the tracks at his home studio. When he sent them back to the guitarists, they would send him the next batch of songs to work on. Not only did Bittner bring on the kind of technical drum skills he has exhibited in SHADOWS FALL and OVERKILL, he went above and beyond, injecting a tumbling, barreling feel into the variegated songs.

"Jason is not only technically incredible, his parts are musical, and his feel is musical," Orlando said. "He's the ideal drummer for this band because he exudes this fire and passion which I love because that's the only way I play guitar."

Bush started recording his vocals after Orlando, Bittner and Gibson laid down all their tracks at Orlando's recording facility, Sonic Stomp Studios, where he produced, engineered, mixed and mastered the album. With the songs in their final form, it was just a matter of fine-tuning a mix here or overdubbing a part there. And Orlando had almost as much fun finishing the album as he did writing it.

"One thing I love to do is to be able to take the guitar player hat off and become the producer and studio guy," he said. "And it was easy with these guys because we all had the same vision, and we were so prepared. But it took a little bit of tinkering because I wanted this album to sound big - not in the sense of overly produced but big in a way that it knocks you out of your shoes and off your feet. And we all wanted the same thing, so there was no conflict whatsoever."

In the end, CATEGORY 7 created an album that is fresh and familiar. The mixture of NWOBHM, thrash, punk-metal and traditional metal is cohesive and sonically rewarding, establishing an eclectic musical backdrop for Bush's instantly identifiable vocals. At the same time, the diversity of styles creates its own template that's ideal for headbanging, moshing, and voluble sing-alongs.

"I think the sound of this band really comes down to the odd connection that all of us have," Bittner said. "We've known each other for years as friends and peers. And we've all looked up to each other and know that one day we'd have to work together. It's taken almost two decades for that to happen, but lo and behold, once it did there was no stopping us."

"Category 7" features art and layout by Carlos Fides at Artside Studio (ANGRA, EVERGREY, KAMELOT). The record is available on CD and digital formats as well as several vinyl color variants.

Posted by Piper's Pub on Tuesday, May 6, 2025

In a new interview with the 100 Words Or Less podcast, RISE AGAINST frontman Tim McIlrath spoke about how he injects political activism into his songwriting. Regarding how he navigates the fact that not everybody who listens to RISE AGAINST's music agrees with his political views, Tim said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's that 16-year-old me that doesn't mind making people a little uncomfortable… I'm not that person today, but that kid still exists in me. And so it makes me not care too much about the friction that I create. And not in a mean or confrontational way — I just know that that's where change happens, in that friction, that you gotta be a little confrontational, you have to create a little bit of friction. And I also feel like we've been given this huge opportunity to play for a crowd that's bigger than the Fireside Bowl [venue in Chicago]. And so there's a lot of responsibility, like, 'Hey, you guys made it out of this scene, and now you're in this bigger scene. So, tell them. Tell them what we talk about. Talk about environmentalism. Talk about sweatshops and fair labor. Talk about animal rights.' You now have a bigger microphone, a bigger bullhorn. You're doing it. So how could I leave that behind? How can I just drop that all of a sudden, just to get a few more smiling faces and thumbs up from a gen pop crowd of people who listen to everything and are unfamiliar with my scene. And so we're a package deal. [Laughs] We come with that baggage, and you're gonna get it in the song and on the stage and whatever else.

"And so does it ever bother me? Do I ever like lament? I want everyone to love what we're doing," he continued. "But it doesn't bother me in the sense that, like, there's nothing I can do about it. This is who I am. It's, like, take it or leave it.

"You can't ask me to disown my politics any more than you can ask me to disown my family," Tim added. "There's not a price tag on that. I understand what you're asking, but you understand I'm unable to accommodate that request. So, sorry. And if anything, [RISE AGAINST's sociopolitical messages are] part of who we are as a band and why you know who we are as a band. They're part of our DNA and our identity. If people gravitated towards our music and our band, there's something about what we do that made that happen. So even if you wanna talk about it as, as strictly a commercial decision, it will be bad to take this out. We're leaving this in. It makes sense on no level to all of a sudden strip a band of its personality."

Earlier this year, Tim told Sophie Dobschall of the Eyes Closed blog and Messed!Up Magazine that he wants people to "walk away feeling hope" after listening to RISE AGAINST's music. "The way I look at songs, as a songwriter, is that RISE AGAINST is a band that, like maybe many other bands, we are writing a song and we might take you to a dark place, we might bring you down into this dark cave and show you problems and conflict and sadness and that kind of thing, and then maybe where we're different, or I hope we are at least, is that before that song is over, I hope that there's a trail of breadcrumbs that will lead you out of it. We're not gonna leave you in the dark. We want you to see the underbelly, we want you to see the problems of the world and society and the human condition, but, at the same time, because I think, as a songwriter, I do feel real hope and a lot of our fans give me that hope, I wanna make sure the song is laced with that hope as well. And so by the end of it, it's, like, yes, these are problems, but they're not something we haven't seen before and not something that we can't tackle and not something that we can't get through."

He continued: "So living in a moment — right now we're watching this rise of a radical right wing sort of ideology sort of consuming the planet. That's something RISE AGAINST has spoken about since our inception. We're not a band that veered into politics late in our career; we're a band that came out of the gates with politics. And so I think we've been unapologetic about our position. And I think what I'm focused on now is sort of reminding people the punk and hardcore values that exist in a band like ours have always been anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-homophobic. Punk has been pro science, punk has been pro truth and pro facts. And there is some of that that that gets twisted in the world we live in nowadays with disinformation and lack of critical thinking, or just really misinformed critical thinking that turns into conspiracy theories. As a band now, I think our mission is to kind of remind people that there's a lot of different people out there trying to pull you into their revolution. But if that revolution, if there are elements of racism and sexism and homophobia in that revolution, that's something that punk and hardcore has always rejected. And that's a good way to find out if you are in some sort of bullshit revolution or going down the wrong path. And that's something that we'll just kind of continue to sing about."

When Dobschall noted that she "having a really hard time right now being hopeful," Tim said: "I think that's normal. I think that there's stress and anxiety in turning on the news these days, especially for somebody who cares about people and cares about the direction of the planet. And so, yeah, there are moments that I think that we are going to feel a lot of anxiety, and this is when we double down. This is when we put up a fight.

"I think I look at it as sometimes things have to get really bad for us to shake ourselves out of the sort of apathy, and I think there was a lot of apathy that allowed the White House to turn into what it has turned into," Tim explained. "I think the silver lining is that I think that we're going to expose what a radical right really looks like and what they really want, something that they've been good at kind of keeping secret, but now the secret's kind of out and we're seeing all these sort of racist and sexist underpinnings to the policies. And I think people are good and they're going to reject that, when they get a chance to reject that. And in the meantime, we get to see on full display how backwards, how anti-science and anti-fact like a lot of these ideologies are. And that's something that I hope is one of the silver linings in this."

RISE AGAINST's first new album in four years, "Ricochet", came out on August 15 via Loma Vista Recordings.

In a new interview with author/journalist Joel Gausten, BIOHAZARD drummer Danny Schuler spoke about the status of the long-in-the-works documentary about the band, which is being helmed by renowned film and video director Drew Stone. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "Well, first of all, we have a long history with Drew Stone. Drew is a great archivist of our history and just hardcore history, music history. He's always been around with a camera in his hand. He's always been a very charismatic kind of interviewer kind of guy. He's always put himself in situations to capture unique things, and he was around us a lot in the early part of our career. And so I don't think we could make a documentary without involving Drew Stone. He was there for so many of the crucial moments in the history of the band along the way, he would have to be involved."

Elaborating on how the idea for the documentary came about, Danny said: "A while ago we had the idea of doing something. Drew has all the footage, and it was just, like, 'Hey, man, let's do this.' So we started putting it together, and it's still a work in progress. We wanna make something that's really comprehensive, really covering the history of the band. It's been since the late 1980s, so there's a lot of history to cover. And we were lucky enough to have Drew there for a lot of it in the beginning. So there's a ton of footage. He's got everything. So, one day it's gonna come out. I don't know when exactly, but hopefully soon. But it's gonna happen — it's gonna happen, for sure. I just don't know when it's gonna happen. But we're excited. We filmed a lot of new footage for it also, some really cool interview footage. We went back to [legendary New York club] L'Amours in Brooklyn and sat on the steps and had a talk there. And it's gonna come out. It's gonna be good. If you're a BIOHAZARD fan, it'll be a cool thing and a good chronicle of our history… I mean, we were kind of getting close to it being finished and then some things came up, but I think it's gonna get done soon — sooner rather than later."

Schuler previously discussed the BIOHAZARD documentary in a February 2024 interview with "That Fuzzing Rock Show". He said at the time: "Well, it's not finished. The documentary is not finished. Our old friend Drew Stone, who's really been there since almost the beginning with us and has always been filming shit, is producing and directing and editing a documentary film about BIOHAZARD — about our history and about coming back together And I don't think anybody's really being tight-lipped about it, but it's not finished, so there's nothing to really talk about until it gets there. But, yeah, up in Albany, at the Extreme Music Awards, he played a little trailer that he came up with, and when I saw him last week when we played down in Baltimore, he actually played me a 75- or 100-minute cut of the film. So I just saw it for the first time myself and it's in a very raw kind of form. But there's a lot of great old shit in there — a lot of great old stuff. A lot of great new stuff — a lot of funny, cool, insightful, interesting interviews and good stuff. It's gonna be a cool thing.

"I don't know how to really feel about a movie being made about us," he continued. "To me, I kind of feel like who's gonna give a shit about that? But seeing it, sitting down and watching it, I was, like, 'Fuck man.' There's like 35 years of history here. There's a lot. How do you even make a movie about all those years?

"I watched the AGNOSTIC FRONT movie, 'The Godfathers Of Hardcore', which was so well done and so awesome. But even with them, you're talking about 40 years, 40-something years of guys playing. How do you make a little hour-and-a-half movie? They did an amazing job on that.

"But the BIOHAZARD thing, it's gonna be a look back at the history of the band and kind of telling the story of how things went wrong and some of the fucked up shit, and then kind of how it came back together and how we are now. I mean, for a fan, I think it's gonna be cool."

"Divided We Fall", BIOHAZARD's first studio album in over a decade, will arrive on October 17 via BLKIIBLK. The recording sessions for the LP took place at Shorefire Recording Studios in Long Branch, New Jersey and The Hydeaway in Van Nuys, California, with engineering by Joseph DeMaio and additional recording from Matt Hyde. Guitar and production tech duties were handled by Phil Caivano.

BIOHAZARD has released four singles from "Divided We Fall" so far: "Forsaken", "F**k the System", "Eyes On Six" and "Death Of Me".

The first show from the reunited classic lineup of BIOHAZARD — Schuler, guitarist/vocalist Billy Graziadei, guitarist Bobby Hambel and bassist/vocalist Evan Seinfeld — took place in May 2023 at the Milwaukee Metal Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

As previously reported, BIOHAZARD will team up with the American hip-hop group ONYX for a North American tour this fall.

Photo credit: Jeremy Deputat

In a new interview with the Mind Behind The Music podcast, DROWNING POOL guitarist C.J. Pierce spoke about the possibility of one day releasing a solo album as well as his desire to pursue other side projects. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, at some point, time permitting, [I would like to do that, but it's] all things DROWNING POOL right now. I'm talking later on, if we take a break or something like that and I have that kind of time on my hands, I would get into that. But there's a project I've been working on called AS ABOVE / SO BELOW with my brother. We started that in 2012, and I have a whole full-length record written and done with them. I have a few little things left to do on it, but with COVID happening, everybody had to disband and do their own thing. And now that I'm back here, it's all things DROWNING POOL, man. The last two and a half years has just been go, go, go. So those guys kind of reformed into a band called ANEMIC, and it's all the guys in that band. So they're doing their own stuff now. I would love to put that out at some point and have the time to play, 'cause my brother sings — my brother and I sing in the band together, my brother Jacob Pierce. And the stuff he's doing now is great, 'cause they're writing new songs and doing their own thing. So I love that they're doing that, because they didn't wanna play AS ABOVE / SO BELOW shows unless I'm in the band with them playing it; they didn't wanna get somebody to fill in. Working with [the other] guitar player Maxx [Chandler], he's amazing and we play a lot off each other. So it's fun to have a two-guitar-player band and do two different things. I just don't have that kind of time at all right now. The focus is, obviously, with DROWNING POOL. But that would be fun to finish that."

He continued: "I [also] have a project called ELECTRIC VELVET with my wife that we do. Right now we're doing a handful of cover tunes. When I have any kind of free time, that's our date night: 'Let's go out and play some songs at the local club down the street.' But we have original stuff as well. So I'm looking forward to getting that out, 'cause my wife's got a very unique, awesome voice. And we sing together. So it's cool. We do a lot of A PERFECT CIRCLE and TOOL covers as well. I think people trip out on that. But singing that style of stuff together is really cool."

Over the course of the last year, DROWNING POOL has released two new singles — "Madness", which came out in April, and "Revolution (The Final Amen)", which arrived in September 2024. "Revolution (The Final Amen)" was the first piece of music Pierce, DROWNING POOL drummer Mike Luce and bassist Stevie Benton completed with singer Ryan McCombs in 13 years.

It was reported last month that DROWNING POOL was working on a brand-new EP set for release in 2026 via SBG Records. This project will mark the next chapter in the band's legacy as they gear up to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their landmark debut album, "Sinner".

Since its release in 2001, "Sinner" has become a defining record in modern rock, featuring the anthemic hit "Bodies", which remains a cultural staple across radio, sports arenas, and entertainment to this day. With the 25-year milestone approaching, DROWNING POOL is ready to honor their history while pushing their sound forward.

This past April, Pierce confirmed to Thomas S. Orwat, Jr. of Rock Interview Series that DROWNING POOL is planning to tour in 2026 in celebration of the 25th anniversary of "Sinner", which was certified platinum within six weeks of its release in 2001, while the CD's first single, "Bodies", was one of the most frequently aired videos on MTV by a new act.

After the release of "Sinner", DROWNING POOL reached out to an ever-greater audience with dynamic performances at Wrestlemania XVIII and Ozzfest during the summers of 2001 and 2002. Unfortunately, their streak of success was not to last. Shortly after rousing the crowd at Ozzfest in Indianapolis, Indiana, on August 3, 2002, DROWNING POOL's original vocalist Dave "Stage" Williams was found dead of natural causes on the tour bus.

In a new interview with Mexico's Heavy Mextal, AVATAR vocalist Johannes Eckerström was asked what means music to him in the context of his life. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It means more than I could put my words on. I think the thing is, okay, we got lucky in AVATAR. We worked hard, yes, but a lot of bands work hard. But we got lucky, so we get to call this our livelihood now. But I think we would've kept doing this no matter what. I truly believe that even if no one cared, we would've kept on caring. It would've been the end of us, because I don't know if we would ever figure out how to stop."

He continued: "I'm just grateful 'cause I have had… Through the years I made my living in other ways, and my day job was always working with people, to some degree. I would work with children, I would work in schools, I would work at camps with kids with special needs. I would work in elderly care, so I would always work with… I would always change diapers in various ages and I always worked close to people. And in those jobs, I also used music a lot. And I think that's the thing always, when people ask me for advice when it comes to, 'Okay, I'm pursuing music,' and I think, for the sake of having a career, that advice is 'never stop'. But also, if it's not your career, I still say 'never stop' because it's such a gift in and of itself where, really, what I get out of music, because I got lucky and my band, I get to go on a plane and fly to Mexico [to play there with AVATAR at the end of October] and there will be thousands of Mexicans there losing their shit together with us. Of course that's amazing, but it's such a tiny part of what it's really about. 'Cause then sometimes — I don't know — you meet your family and you have a fire going and you sit in a circle and there's acoustic guitar and you sing all those songs you sang 10 years ago and 20 years ago and there's that connection, the communal part of it and the creative outlet."

Johannes added: "Before I knew how to play a piano, 'cause my family, they bought an electric piano and I was playing with it before I knew how to play it, I found the C and the E sounded good together and something was going on. And that playfulness and that outlet, that I would make music with friends also when I was eight years old, a childhood friend of mine, he, on his computer, had a program where you could write the notes in and make MIDI music. So it was always there, always a part, always something I would play with as a child, something I would use in other jobs than being a musician, something that I will do recreationally and all of that. So it's hard to put into words exactly what it means because it ended up being such a humongous part of my being and my everyday life inside and outside of the band."

AVATAR will release its tenth studio album, "Don't Go In The Forest", on October 31 via Black Waltz Records.

Eckerström explained in a statement that the LP is "filled to the brim with stuff we've never done before. It's all songs and concepts we haven't been close to touch until now," he said. "The mind is wild and we have lost ourselves in the darkest woods, filled with memories, and fantasies. Forbidden thoughts that must be spoken."

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

In a new interview with Chuck Armstrong of Loudwire Nights, GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash weighed in on the announcement that RUSH was reuniting for a tour next year. The limited run of summer and fall 2026 dates — bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson's first official shows under the RUSH banner in 11 years — will begin at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, site of the last RUSH concert on the legendary Canadian band's "R40" anniversary tour. Joining the duo on the trek will be German drummer Anika Nilles, who toured with legendary guitarist Jeff Beck in 2022 and has been rehearsing with Lee and Lifeson in preparation for the tour, dubbed "Fifty Something".

Slash told Loudwire Nights (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Alex, who I'd never met before, just a couple years ago, he did a cameo in a movie that I produced called 'The Breach'. And it was shot in Ontario. And my producing partner knew somebody that knew Alex or whatever, and he called me up and he goes, 'What do you think about Alex for this character?' Small part but important part in this movie, but a lot of dialogue. And I was, like, 'Well, if Alex is up to it, cool.' And so after the movie was shot — I wasn't there for the shoot; it was during COVID — and so I was in L.A. scoring and those guys were all in this hotel, this abandoned hotel in the woods in Ontario, and they couldn't leave because of COVID. It was a really crazy production. But Alex shot his part from somewhere in his house, and he filmed it there. And when we were doing a screening, the first screening of the movie, Alex was there, and I flew in. And so we hung out and had a great time. We went to dinner and talked about all kinds of different stuff. But I could tell that he was really itching to go out and play, and he didn't wanna go out and play in just whatever throw-together thing. He wanted to do something, but he didn't seem to know what he wanted to do. Anyway, but I got that feeling, and I sort of felt bad for him 'cause I could tell that there's a… I know how I would feel. There's a certain amount of frustration in not being able to just do what you wanna do. So with this announcement, I thought, 'Man, that's so cool, that they're gonna go out there and they've got a great drummer and they're gonna go out there and play.' And she is going out there and honoring [late RUSH drummer] Neil [Peart]. And I think it's wonderful."

Slash previously talked about meeting Alex during a 2023 interview with Banger TV to promote "The Breach", which was directed by Rodrigo Gudiño. Addressing how Lifeson took on a fill-in acting role in part of the film, Slash said: "Rodrigo called me up, and he goes, 'What do you think about Alex Lifeson?' I was, like, 'Are you kidding? That would be fucking awesome.' So I was really happy that he came in and did that."

Slash added: "I know Alex, but I've never jammed with him or anything. I don't know him that well, but he's a really nice guy, and the fact that he's in this is really cool."

RUSH will perform multiple shows in cities across Canada, the United States and Mexico, beginning June 7, 2026 at The Kia Forum in Los Angeles. These special "evening with" shows will find the band playing two sets each night. Each show will feature a distinct selection of songs and RUSH will build each night's setlist from a catalogue of 35 songs including their greatest hits and fan favorites.

After Lee and Lifeson announced RUSH's initial 2026 tour dates in early October, they instantly sold out. They then doubled the tour's length due to increased demand before adding even more dates to the trek.

At the moment, the "Fifty Something" tour is scheduled to stretch into the fall and early winter, with sold-out shows in Chicago, Cleveland, Fort Worth, Los Angeles, New York and Toronto, as well as dates in Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C., to name a few.

Peart died in January 2020 after a three-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 67 years old.

RUSH waited three days to announce Peart's passing, setting off shockwaves and an outpouring of grief from fans and musicians all over the world.

Since Peart's death, Lifeson and Lee have not recorded any new music or performed live under the RUSH name, although both of them confirmed that several drummers reached out to them in the days after the legendary drummer's passing about the possibility of stepping in for Neil.

Legendary producer Flemming Rasmussen, the man behind the sound of METALLICA's classic early albums "Ride The Lightning", "Master Of Puppets" and "…And Justice for All", has teamed up with ToneGodz to release an unprecedented online masterclass revealing exactly how some of the most influential metal records in history were created.

Over 15 hours of in-depth lessons, Rasmussen walks viewers through the complete recording, mixing, and production process that defined METALLICA's golden era.

The ToneGodz masterclass offers rare insights not just for fans, but for producers, engineers, and musicians seeking to understand how these tones were crafted. The series includes:

* Exclusive breakdowns of sessions from the original METALLICA recordings

* Detailed production techniques and workflows used at Sweet Silence Studios

* Real mixing walkthroughs with Flemming explaining decisions track by track

* Never-before-heard stories from the band's recording sessions

Custom IR packs and drum samples created by Flemming

Zack Elekes, co-founder of ToneGodz, comments: "This is more than a masterclass — it's a piece of metal history. We wanted to preserve and share the true story of how these albums were made, straight from the man who shaped their sound."

The project has already gathered strong anticipation online and the masterclass is available now exclusively at www.tonegodz.com.

Rasmussen is an award-winning Danish producer and engineer best known for producing METALLICA's "Ride The Lightning" (1984),"Master Of Puppets" (1986) and "…And Justice For All" (1988). His work has shaped the sound of heavy metal for generations and influenced countless artists worldwide.

ToneGodz is a recently started music education and production platform dedicated to bringing legendary producers' knowledge directly to musicians, engineers, and fans. Each masterclass captures the craft, creativity, and untold stories behind the world's most iconic records.

In a 2014 interview with RockHall.com, Flemming was asked if he had a favorite METALLICA recording, one he was most proud of. He responded: "I would say 'Welcome Home (Sanitarium)' on 'Master Of Puppets' is probably one of them. That's the one with the mono-stereo — and I'm a sucker for that kind of shit, you know, when you sit with headphones and you go, 'What the hell was that?' ... There's a lot of those, I think theres a lot of songs on all three albums that I'm really proud of. I think 'Creeping Death' on ['Ride The Lightning'] was probably where we really nailed the METALLICA sound. That whole epic kind of thing. It's also a very, very good song — that, of course, has something to do with it. We all had this feeling where what we were doing, we were going to go a long way. We were going to change music history. And I think that was the project from the beginning. Also, you know, we think about it and they had their own thing going, and they had this tremendous energy, that, kind of, is a trademark for the band. They don't want to rely on MTV to play their videos, so they didn't make any videos, because they didn't care because that wasn't important to them. It's been like that with METALLICA always."

In a new interview with Lyndsanity! With Lyndsey Parker, BAD COMPANY drummer Simon Kirke spoke about the British supergroup's upcoming Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction, which was announced in April 2025 after decades of eligibility. Asked if fans can expect to see him and BAD COMPANY singer Paul Rodgers perform at the induction ceremony, which will be held on November 8 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Simon said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "I think the secret is out that we will perform. I don't know — I might get into trouble, but I saw some Google news that BAD COMPANYwill perform at the Hall Of Fame. So I will cautiously say yes. I'm not at liberty to say which songs. I mean, quite honestly, I don't give a shit. We're gonna play, and whatever Paul chooses is fine by me. And just to play with him again is gonna be a real thrill for me, 'cause I missed him. I missed playing with the band. I miss playing particularly with Paul, 'cause he's such a wonderful singer."

Asked how long it has been since he and Rodgers performed together, Simon said: "We did our last show over five years ago, in Las Vegas, of all places where BAD COMPANY and LYNYRD SKYNYRD were flip-flopping a headline tour. And it was one of the best gigs we ever played on. So thank God we finished on a good gig and not a shitty one."

As for how Paul's voice is these days, considering that Rodgers revealed in September 2023 for the first time that years earlier he suffered 11 minor strokes and two major strokes, which nearly ended his career, Kirke said: "I haven't heard him sing since [we last played together], quite honestly. I know he has sung, and we are gonna do a couple of rehearsals for the cameras and so on and so forth. But when you have a voice that naturally good, it's gonna take a hell of a lot for it to fray or devalue or whatever. So I think he's gonna be fine for the two songs that we've chosen."

This past August, Kirke told Defenders Of The Faith about finally being inducted into the Rock Hall: "We're very pleased. We're very honored. Quite honestly, I think it's about time [laughs], but I don't want to appear ungrateful.

"BAD COMPANY, as you know, have been around 50 years. We influenced a couple of generations of bands, so it's about time and we're very happy," he continued. "I'm also happy, because dear old Mick Ralphs, our guitarist who passed away a couple of months ago, learned that BAD COMPANY was going to be inducted just a couple of weeks before he finally passed away. That made us very, very happy indeed."

The now-75-year-old Rodgers suffered his first major stroke in 2016 and a second in October 2019, which required him to undergo a major surgery to recover from. At the time, Rodgers underwent a carotid endarterectomy, a procedure to remove plaque from the arteries running through your neck to your brain, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

This past June, Ralphs died at the age of 81 due to complications from a stroke he suffered in 2016.

Other inductees in the Performer category are SOUNDGARDEN, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast and THE WHITE STRIPES.

BAD COMPANY has been eligible for induction since 1999 and received its first nomination this year.

The induction ceremony will once again stream live on Disney+, and an edited version will air on ABC at a later date.

Asked by U.K. radio veteran Paul Stephenson of VRP Rocks if he ever got a reason why BAD COMPANY hadn't been nominated earlier, Simon said: "No. Well… Hmm. There are several reasons. One of them being, I think because BAD COMPANY had three lineups, it kind of diluted our currency, if you will. If you can imagine a band like CREAM and they change Ginger Baker or they change Jack [Bruce] or Eric [Clapton], God forbid, a couple of times, it would kind of dilute and muddy the waters of the committee. So as I'm told by this insider, they wanted to do a FREE-BAD COMPANY doubleheader, as it were, like [when] THE FACES and THE SMALL FACES were inducted, but for some reason it didn't show up. There was also a political thing that I can't really go into without getting kind of into hot water, but it was a combination. I think the main thing was the triple lineup… It just wasn't a clear-cut 'Let's induct BAD COMPANY.' There were factors that now have dissipated."

Back in November 2023, Kirke was asked by "The Bob Lefsetz Podcast" how he felt about BAD COMPANY not having been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. He responded: "I think it's such a travesty, quite honestly. And not just that, but FREE — FREE certainly should be [in the Hall], because FREE has been around since 1968, and the two bands have been responsible for influencing a lot of bands who are already in the Hall. So I feel pretty bad about it. But I'm not gonna go on too much about it. It's just I think we should be in. Certainly FREE. And I think Paul Rodgers should be in on his own merits, as one of the great rock vocalists of all time. If Eric Clapton and Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck can be inducted as solo artists, then certainly Paul Rodgers should be in there. That's my two cents."

Later in the chat, Kirke offered one possible explanation for why BAD COMPANY had been overlooked by the Rock Hall.

"I think because of BAD COMPANY's changing lineups over the 50 years that we'd been together, it kind of devalued our currency a little bit," he said. "You had the Brian Howe era, you had the Paul Rodgers era, one and two, when Paul rejoined the band, we had Robert Hart. So I honestly don't know why we have not been nominated — not even inducted; you have to be nominated first, as you know."

In September 2023, Rodgers told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he wasn't bothered by his absence from the Rock Hall. "Well, it doesn't affect my daily life. It doesn't affect what I do in any way at all," he said. "It's one of those things. But I remember years and years ago, Ahmet Ertegun, who was the head of Atlantic Records [and a co-founder of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame], said to me, 'Paul, we're making this museum of rock and roll. Do you guys wanna be part of it?' And I said, 'What, a museum of rock and roll? What's it called?' He said, 'Well, it's called the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.' I said, 'Well, I don't think rock and roll belongs in a museum.' So it's my bad, I guess. And he asked me a couple of times, and I kind of like refused, I guess, basically. So, you know, there you go. Onwards and upwards."

In a new interview with Tim Caple of Rock 'N' Blues Experience, legendary guitarist George Lynch spoke about why he is still playing shows under the LYNCH MOB banner, seven months after the completion of the band's "The Final Ride" farewell tour celebrating LYNCH MOB's 35-year legacy. Joining Lynch on stage at all the recent gigs were vocalist Andrew Freeman (LAST IN LINE),drummer Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, FOREIGNER, OZZY OSBOURNE) and bassist Jaron Gulino. George said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I think you can see a common thread throughout this interview that I make really bad decisions [laughs] throughout my life. Horrible. You do not want me in charge of any of your decision making. So, if I give you any advice, do the opposite for a better outcome. I don't wanna be in charge. I shouldn't be managing anything or making any decisions about anything other than just playing my guitar and writing music. Having said that, I still try to do the right thing and be smart, but whatever.

"So we decided, or I decided, I think earlier this year, if I'm not mistaken, that this was the 35th anniversary, I believe, of the band, so maybe let's go out with a nice bookend and put out a good record and call it a day," he explained. "And we called it 'The Final Ride' — the tour was called 'The Final Ride'. And so I did that and sort of — not fired the band; we just all agreed to do this. So everybody went their separate ways. And there was some momentum and some interest because of that announcement. So all of a sudden my agent started getting all this work opportunity. He talked me, as agents do, talked me out of quitting LYNCH MOB touring. He said, 'Well, just add a few more shows.' Well, that's parlayed into, we just kept it going. So here we are. We're still touring, we're still putting out records. It's a different band than it was last year, but… Brian Tichy's back in the band. Andrew Freeman, Jaron Gulino and myself. It's a great band. And why not?"

He continued: "So, people are, like, 'Well, you said you were retiring LYNCH MOB.' I go, 'Well, I lied. I changed my mind. I'm sorry. Sue me. I'll see you in court.' I mean, what do you want me to tell you?

"So that's what it is. I make silly decisions — off-the-cuff decisions — sometimes that aren't well thought out. Here we are."

Tichy was previously a touring member of LYNCH MOB in 2010, 2012–2013, 2015, 2020 and 2025; Gulino was in LYNCH MOB from 2022 to 2025; and Freeman played with LYNCH MOB in 2003, 2010 and 2019.

This past July, the same four musicians played their first two shows under the name of what at the time was supposed to be George's new touring entity, GEORGE LYNCH & THE MOB.

Earlier in the year, George told Talking With Cars that he would put together "another" touring band with "a revolving door of different people." He added that he was "tentatively calling it GEORGE LYNCH & THE MOB, so people can identify with my name and the fact that there's still the LYNCH MOB aspect to that name without the bad connotations."

LYNCH MOB played what was being billed as the group's "final" concert on March 22 at the Medina Entertainment Center in Medina, Minnesota.

LYNCH MOB was formed in 1989 after Lynch parted ways with his former band DOKKEN. Their debut release, "Wicked Sensation", was met with critical and fan acclaim and went on to be certified gold in sales by the RIAA. The band would continue on through the years with a cast of talented players joining Lynch throughout their musical journey over the course of six more studio albums.

In August 2020, Lynch announced that he was ending LYNCH MOB due to the racial insensitivity of the moniker, saying he would no longer record or perform under that name. Two years later, George had a change of heart, explaining that he had to "live with the fact that [the name LYNCH MOB] has some negative connotations that I probably have to continue explaining for the rest of my life, and I don't mind doing that. But it is a brand that I built, and I'm just gonna stick with it. As far as a marketing thing and a brand thing and a business thing and a working thing, and it keeps my band guys working and it keeps the fans happy, it makes sense."

LYNCH MOB will release its ninth and final full-length studio album, "Dancing With The Devil", on November 28, 2025, via Frontiers Music Srl.

As was the case with LYNCH MOB's eighth studio album, 2023's "Babylon", "Dancing With The Devil" features Lynch alongside vocalist Gabriel Colón, bassist Jaron Gulino (TANTRIC, HEAVENS EDGE) and drummer Jimmy D'Anda (ex-BULLETBOYS).

Video and image credit: George s Pogacich

This weekend
Friday LYNCH MOB • BULLETBOYS
Saturday KINGS OF THRASH featuring David Ellefson & Jeff Young (ex Megadeth)

Posted by The Token Lounge on Monday, October 20, 2025

LYNCH MOB • BULLETBOYS
Friday 10/24

Posted by The Token Lounge on Friday, October 17, 2025

In a new interview with Greg Prato of Alternative Nation, FAITH NO MORE co-founder, musical trailblazer, and queer icon Roddy Bottum — who is promoting the upcoming release of his memoir "The Royal We" — was asked if he would consider playing shows again with his bandmates. He responded: "I don't think so. No." Pressed for a reason for his reluctance to reunite with the influential alt-metal act, which scrapped all of its previously announced fall 2021 performances more than four years ago, saying singer Mike Patton was unable to perform as hoped due to mental health issues, partially exacerbated by the pandemic, Roddy explained: "It's not just me. I don't think anyone's sort of up for it at this point. We had a bunch of shows that we were gonna play, and they got canceled, just for various reasons. But I don't think the course that we were on has fixed itself. I just don't see it happening again, honestly. I think we did a really good job. We played a bunch of reunion tours, and I think we did what we kind of set out to do. So I don't think anyone's upset about it or anything. But I mean, for sure, getting back together would mean a big paycheck, but I think all of us are pretty good with what we did, sort of just, like, artistically with the band and committing to ourselves and playing with each other. I think we're all pretty good with the decisions that we've made up to now, and I don't see what could really happen more getting back together and doing more shows."

FAITH NO MORE, which hasn't played a concert since 2016, initially reunited for touring purposes in 2009, 12 years after issuing its previous studio set, "Album Of The Year", and followed that up with 2015's "Sol Invictus" album. Asked by Alternative Nation what he recalled about FAITH NO MORE's reunion shows, Bottum said: "When we did the first reunion tour, we had broken up for like… almost 15 years. And it was kind of, like, I used to have dreams when I was younger — I get to school and, 'Oh my God, I forgot to study for the test.' And then the test is right then, and I'm, like, 'Oh my God, I'm gonna fail.' At some point after FAITH NO MORE broke up, I kept having these dreams that I would show up, 'Oh my God. FAITH NO MORE was doing a reunion tour, and I forgot to learn the songs.' It became this thing that sort of replaced that dream scenario for me. So, I kept having these dreams. That was a nightmare I kept having. And then we structured a whole tour and learned the songs and played the songs and did the tour, and it's, like, I was able to address that nightmare in a real, actual physical sense. And I think it was key in moving forward in my life in some weird way. Plus, it was just really fun. Billy [Gould, FAITH NO MORE bassist] and I have been friends since we were, like — I don't know — nine or 10 years old. So, it was fun to sort of tap back into that friendship and just hang out."

Last April, FAITH NO MORE drummer Mike Bordin addressed the band's status in an interview with the "Let There Be Talk" podcast with rock and roll comedian Dean Delray. He said at the time: "All I can say is, and I think I do want this to be on the record, actually — because we don't promote ourselves, we don't talk about ourselves, and that's, that's really been to our detriment. But we'd been rehearsing for six months for these dates [in September/October 2021]. We'd been rehearsing instrumentally and we incredibly sounded phenomenal. I mean, the bass player said, 'I've never heard us sound this good. This is how these songs sounded in my mind.' And we've never gotten that on album, on live, whatever. I mean, we were ready, we were prepared. And it came to pass that when the gear was in the truck, when it was rolling to Chicago, 36 hours before we were supposed to be on stage, and our guy [Mike Patton] doesn't show for the rehearsal, the one rehearsal that we're gonna do. And we go to go see him and see what's going on. 'What the hell's going on here? Our gear's rolling already to the gig.' And it was very clear that he was unable at that point to physically do it. We made the decision that, 'Look, we've gotta support our guy.' It's gonna be a shit storm canceling fucking 75 shows, but none of us wants to be the guy that breaks his back and forces him to do something that he's not in the position to be able to do. It wasn't even an argument. The only argument was, 'How the fuck did we logistically do this? Because we have to.' I mean, we did support him in our way, and whether that's perceived or not is beyond — I can't control it. So we pull these shows and just wait to see. Hopefully things are better, and try to find out what we can around the edges. But ultimately shows get started to get booked with another band," referencing Patton's sporadic appearances with his long-running avant-garde/thrash band MR. BUNGLE in the last three years, "and that's continued to this day. So it's my take, my position, my statement on it is that he's gone from being unable to do the shows to clearly being unwilling to do shows with us. And that's heavy. That's a big difference. That's a big difference. And we haven't really had much dialogue on it."

Bordin continued: "It doesn't feel great to me. It honestly kind of hurts my feelings a little bit, but that's personal. That's a private thing. It's business. We were never gonna force somebody to do something that they weren't able to do. And now, as I say, it looks like it's more really about being willing to do it."

Bordin clarified that he was "grateful for what [Patton has] given to us. I mean, we're blessed to have been blessed by such a gigantic, enormous talent," he said. "And the future? I don't know. Will he be willing to do stuff or not? It's not for me to say.

"I tell my kids a lot of times, especially when they were young, it's, like, appreciate what you have and don't really trip on what you don't have," the drummer continued. "So I'm grateful for the time we had with [former FAITH NO MORE guitarist] Jim [Martin]. I'm grateful for the time we have with [former FAITH NO MORE singer] Chuck [Mosley]. I'm grateful for the time even we had with [former FAITH NO MORE member] Courtney [Love] 'cause we learned from all of it. And certainly am I grateful for the time with Mike Patton? Yeah, because my life would be very different without it. But I can't force him to do something that he, from where I'm sitting, doesn't seem to wanna do. That's all I can say. And I don't wanna be controversial. I'm not looking for a fucking headline — I'm really not. I'm just trying to tell you sort of what it looks like from here."

This past January, Gould was asked by Chile's Radio Futuro what is going on with the band at the moment. He responded: "I don't know. I honestly don't know. And you don't have to believe me, but there's nothing… Right now we're in a really weird spot, a really strange spot, and I can't really tell you what's going on. I don't know myself. I get different information from people, and I'm in the band, so…"

When the interviewer suggested that Gould "calls the shots" in FAITH NO MORE, Bill replied: "Uh, not really. If I did, probably we'd be playing in Chile next week. [Laughs]"

In October 2024, Bottum said that FAITH NO MORE was on "semi-permanent hiatus".

After FAITH NO MORE canceled its fall 2021 performances, the other members of the band issued a statement expressing their disappointment about the tour cancelation while also throwing their support behind Patton.

In a 2022 interview with The Guardian, Patton revealed he developed agoraphobia and depression during lockdown, and started drinking heavily. "Because I was isolated so much, going outside was a hard thing to do," he said, "and that's a horrible thing. And the idea of doing more FAITH NO MORE shows — it was stressful. It affected me mentally. I don't know why, but the drinking just… happened."

Patton didn't return to the stage until December 2022, when MR. BUNGLE played six shows in South America.

In July 2022, Patton discussed the mental health issues which caused the cancelation of FAITH NO MORE and MR. BUNGLE's live appearances in an interview with Rolling Stone. At the time he said: "It's easy to blame it on the pandemic. But I'll be honest, man: At the beginning of the pandemic, I was like, 'This is fucking great. I can stay home and record.' I've got a home studio. So I was like, 'Yeah, what's the big deal?' And then something clicked, and I became completely isolated and almost antisocial [and] afraid of people. That sort of anxiety, or whatever you want to call it, led to other issues, which I choose not to discuss."

Asked to elaborate on the "other issues" that led to the cancelations and whether that included "substances" and "alcohol", Patton said: "It was a little bit of everything. But mostly, in my experience, it was mostly mental. I saw some therapists and all that stuff, which is the first time I ever had to do that in my life. And they basically diagnosed me as having agoraphobia; like, I was afraid of people. I got freaked out by being around people. And maybe that was because I spent two years basically indoors during Covid. I don't know. Maybe it reinforced feelings that I already had. But just knowing about it, talking about it, really helped."

Mike said that he realized he had a problem "right around the time that FAITH NO MORE was about to go back on the road. That's when I kind of lost it, and it was ugly and not cool," he said. "A few days before we were supposed to go on the road. I told the guys, 'Hey, man, I don't think I can do it.' Somehow my confidence was broken down. I didn't want to be in front of people, which is weird because I spent half of my life doing that. It was very hard to explain. And there were some broken feelings on both sides about it, but it's what I had to do. Because otherwise something really bad could have happened… It was right before our first rehearsal, and I just freaked out. I just said, 'I can't do it.' They had been rehearsing so [pauses] if I were them I'd be really pissed off at me. And they were. And they probably still are. But it's just about being true to yourself and knowing what your limits are. And I knew that if I kept pushing, it could have been some sort of disastrous result. It was just like, 'Goddamn it. Maybe I don't need to do this. Even though I agreed to do it, and it's gonna bum a lot of people out. I gotta take care of myself.' So I'm getting better at that."

As for where things stood with FAITH NO MORE as of July 2022, Patton told Rolling Stone: "Radio silence. [Laughs]. I don't know. We may reschedule stuff; we may not. I'll just leave it at that. It's a little confusing and complicated. So if we do, we do. If we don't, that's cool, too."

Due on November 4 via Akashic Books, "The Royal We" documents Bottum's travels from Los Angeles — growing up gay with no role models — to San Francisco, where he formed FAITH NO MORE and went on to tour the world relentlessly, surviving heroin addiction and the plight of AIDS, to become a queer icon.

Photo credit: Jimmy Hubbard (courtesy of Speakeasy PR)

In a new interview with Setlist.fm, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frotnman Jesse Leach reflected on seeing MOTÖRHEAD for the first time nearly a decade and a half ago. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "We were on tour with TIMES OF GRACE, which is a project I have with Adam [Dutkiewicz, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE guitarist] on the side. And we were on tour for that record, and I'd never seen MOTÖRHEAD live. And I had access to side stage. So you're standing there. And one thing I always heard about was the volume; it's, like, the loudest. And I'm, like, 'All right. Cool.' So I had my earplugs in, prepared — or so I thought. And the thing about MOTÖRHEAD was [MOTÖRHEAD frontman] Lemmy. Lemmy was just — even just seeing the mic stand without him even standing there, you're just, like, 'I'm pre preparing to watch an absolute legend do what he does.' And if you're watching the band, they're not running around like crazy. He's just iconic. He's got that power stance up to the microphone. And I just sat there in absolute awe, having to plug my ears and then for three days after still having tinnitus — it was that loud. And bands don't do that anymore."

Jesse continued: "Most bands, including KILLSWITCH, we're on in-ears. It's a reasonable volume on stage. You get the volume outside, but not on stage. But MOTÖRHEAD was full tilt. And to me, Lemmy was one of the last real rock stars, 'cause he didn't have to do much. You just sat there and it was like watching this rock god hanging out, just hanging out, singing these songs that everybody knew, and watching the audience bouncing up and down and being probably 25, 30 feet from him. And I never even bothered him. I didn't go up to him after; I just didn't bother him. I didn't wanna cross that boundary line of fan. And I had a couple of opportunities. I saw him at the Rainbow [Bar & Grill in West Hollywood, California] as well. I didn't bother him. And I kind of like that I didn't, 'cause he lives in my mind a completely different iconic thing, where I didn't engage with him. I just let him be the rock god that he is. So, yeah, I'll never forget that as long as I live. And there's not many people who can just kind of just hit a power stance and be incredible."

Leach added: "There was a vibe coming off that man. And the way he carried himself in interviews. Just like, whatever. I love that line from 'The Decline Of Western Civilization Part II' [movie], where [the interviewer was], like, 'Well, what do you think about the pretty rock and rollers?' He is, like, 'Ah, good luck to 'em. Wish I was.' That's it. And then they move on. And it's, like, he just stole the whole thing. Just cool. King of cool… And he would treat you the same way as he would treat somebody who's a rock star or royalty. That's what I loved about him. He was a man for the people."

Asked if he remembers the first MOTÖRHEAD album he got, Jesse said: "Obviously 'Ace Of The Spades' was the song that got me. So, to me, the self-titled one — 'Love Me Like a Reptile', 'Killed By Death'. I think that record, to this day, is the one that I would go to. How can you not? It's iconic."

He added: "I was kind of a late bloomer. 'Ace Of Spades', you heard it, but back then, if it wasn't on TV and you weren't going to the shows, the visual element wasn't really there for me. It's, like, I can remember [GUNS N' ROSES guitarist] Slash, for example, like the hat, and Lemmy had that same thing about him, even the warts. It was almost cartoon-like, but iconic."

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE released its latest album, "This Consequence", in February via Metal Blade. The LP arrived alongside a hugely successful winter/spring 2025 tour, yielded a Top 10 single with "I Believe" and landed the band on the covers of Revolver and Outburn.

This past summer, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE completed the massive "Summer Of Loud" tour, co-headlining alongside BEARTOOTH, I PREVAIL and PARKWAY DRIVE.

Fans got their first taste of "This Consequence" with pulverizing track "Forever Aligned", swiftly followed by "I Believe". More recently, the group shared videos for "Collusion" and "Aftermath".

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

Today, STRYPER has shared a new single, "On This Holy Night", taken from "The Greatest Gift Of All". The new track arrives alongside a lyric video, available to view below.

STRYPER comments on "This Holy Night": "We wanted to release a song that is dark and heavy yet describes how the world has taken 'Jesus' out of Christmas. What better way (or day) to release a song like this? Halloween! This song exemplifies everything that we are as a band, lyrically and musically."

On the new album, STRYPER guitarist/vocalist Michael Sweet previously commented: "We have wanted to record a Christmas album for many years. Ever since we released our first single ('Reason For The Season') back in 1985, the fans have been asking for a full-length Christmas album. Well, the time has finally come.

"We wanted to make an album of five traditional songs and five original songs. To put our own spin on our own Christmas album and not follow the pack, so to speak. We could not be more pleased with how it turned out! We obviously re-recorded 'Reason For The Season' and 'Winter Wonderland' and we decided to go with 'Winter Wonderland' as the next single just to give you an idea of what it might sound like today in 2025.

"We're happy to say that we finally have our own Christmas album and hopefully it will become a fan favorite year after year."

With "The Greatest Gift Of All", STRYPER answers decades of fan requests crafting a holiday record that blends festive classics, brand-new compositions, and their unmistakable mix of faith, power, and metal energy.

In a move that makes the release even more special, "The Greatest Gift Of All" will be available exclusively in physical formats. Fans can look forward to a collectible release that captures the spirit of the season in true old-school fashion.

"The Greatest Gift Of All" track listing:

01. The Greatest Gift Of All
02. Go Tell It On The Mountain
03. Heaven Came (On Christmas Day)
04. Little Drummer Boy
05. Still The Light
06. Silent Night
07. On This Holy Night
08. Joy To The World
09. Reason For The Season
10. Winter Wonderland

This past July, STRYPER released the first single from the upcoming Christmas LP, a song called "Still The Light". Just in time for Christmas in July, the track also arrived alongside an official lyric video, available below.

At the time of "Still The Light"'s release, Michael Sweet commented on the track: "STRYPER fans worldwide have wanted a Christmas record for 40+ years. Now we can say that we have finally made this a reality. With the first single, 'Still The Light' — let's celebrate Christmas in July and acknowledge that Jesus will always be The Reason For The Season!!"

In a recent interview with Jorge Pozo of LotsOfMuzik, Michael stated about the upcoming STRYPER Christmas album: "It is awesome. Oh my gosh. We're so excited about this one."

Asked which songs will be included on the record, Michael said: "We've got five traditional Christmas songs on it. We did a remake of 'Winter Wonderland' and then we did a version of 'Silent Night', a version of 'Little Drummer Boy', 'Go Tell It On The Mountain', which is not one that's been covered a lot, which is cool, and it is considered a Christmas hymn. And then also 'Joy To The World'. So we've got those five songs, and then we did a remake of 'Reason For The Season', made it sound more today. It's still the same arrangement, but obviously with new tones. It sounds bigger and thicker and heavier. And then we did four new original Christmas songs: 'The Greatest Gift Of All', 'On This Holy Night', 'Still The Light' and — what's the other one? I'm trying to think. It's slipping my mind right now. It'll come to me. Anyway, we're really, really, really pleased with how this one turned out, man. It's really cool. It's gonna be a great album."

Regarding which of the songs on the Christmas album he feels "most connected to", Sweet said: "Probably the new stuff. I love the traditional stuff and it was awesome and fun doing that, but I always feel a little more connected with new material 'cause it's a little more exciting and hasn't been done before. So it's new territory."

Asked what he meant when he wrote in a social media post that the STRYPER Christmas album has "a unique signature", Michael said: "Well, I mean it definitely has a very unique signature. We didn't really plan it this way, but it has this really great merge of classic — it's got that undeniable classic sound to it, STRYPER classic sound, but yet at the same time it's got that undeniable modern-era STRYPER sound too, because we're tuned down to D now. So the guitars are a little thicker and things sound a little bigger and heavier. So it's got the perfect merge in combination of classic and modern. Something else we did — for example, we did every single solo in harmony. So every solo, every note is in harmony, which is a first. We've never done that on any album. But the minute you hear those harmony guitar solos, that's a very STRYPER signature sound. So you get lots of that on this album. It's really cool, man. It's exciting, and I can't wait for people to hear it. We have a new song called 'On This Holy Night'. It's very heavy musically — dark. It sounds almost like [BLACK] SABBATH. And it's got this cool vibe to it and such a great message about how we worldwide really more often make Christmas about everything but Jesus. So that's the message, and it's a cool message. And then we've got an uptempo song called 'The Greatest Gift Of All'. It's almost kind of a little GREEN DAY-slash-BLINK-182 sounding, and it's just this power-pop metal, slightly punk vibe to it. It's really cool. So it's got some new flavors to it that I think people are gonna like and appreciate."

On the topic of whether there were any challenges balancing the STRYPER sound with the traditional sound of the songs on the Christmas record, Michael said: "No. Not at all. It just all came together so naturally. As you know, we did remakes, re-recordings of 'Winter Wonderland' and 'Reason For The Season'. So we tried to stay true to the original form. The only difference is they'll both be tuned down a half a step, and 'Winter Wonderland', we didn't do the joking around in the beginning. Because we felt like that was something that you shouldn't touch. That was with Tim [Gaines, original STRYPER bassist] and that was a spontaneous, fun thing. And we didn't wanna go down that road and try to mimic that; that could have been real corny. But other than that, it's the same arrangements. And the other traditional songs sound killer. 'The Little Drummer Boy' is powerful. It's a really good album, and we're excited. We've been talking about a Christmas album since 1985, believe it or not."

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

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

The band recently completed the U.S. leg of its 40th-anniversary tour, which was described as "a celebration of both classic hits and new-era fan favorites, including outfit changes and an exciting new show production."

In December 2023, Michael underwent partial thyroidectomy, the surgery to remove part of his thyroid gland. It is the most common surgery for thyroid cancer.

Formed 41 years ago, STRYPER's name comes from Isaiah 53:5, which states: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."

STRYPER's other albums include "To Hell With The Devil", "Second Coming", "No More Hell To Pay", "Fallen", "God Damn Evil", "Even The Devil Believes" and "The Final Battle".

Photo credit: Pedro Blanco

Last night was a night to remember as rock icons and hometown heroes Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Sammy Hagar and Jay Buchanan, frontman of RIVAL SONS, took the stage together at the Stage Red Fontana Youth Music Foundation's inaugural gala presented by Earl Minnis Presents at Stage RED Theater at 8463 Sierra Ave. in Fontana, California.

The two powerhouses brought the crowd to its feet with a rousing set that included a heartfelt rendition of LYNYRD SKYNYRD's "Simple Man", a song both artists dedicated to their mothers. Hagar's emotional performance honored his late mother, while Buchanan's tribute was made extra special by his mom's presence in the audience. The night continued to rock with high-energy hits, including Hagar's VAN HALEN hit "Finish What Ya Started" and several fan favorites that showcased the enduring chemistry between the two frontmen.

Hagar, joined by his wife Kari Hagar, and Buchanan, joined by his wife, Caitlyn Buchanan, shared the stage in a celebration of music, community and mentorship. City of Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren welcomed guests and led the evening's program.

The unforgettable event commenced with a cocktail reception featuring creations made with Hagar's award-winning spirits, like the Santo Sunrise crafted with Santo Mezquila and the tropical Macadamia Piña-jito made with Sammy's Beach Bar Red Head and Platinum Rums.

Presented in partnership with the City of Fontana, the event marked the official launch of the Stage Red Fontana Youth Music Foundation, which aims to empower local youth by providing funding for instruments, resources and music education opportunities. The evening also honored Anthony Allmond, longtime music director at Kaiser High School, for his decades of leadership and impact on young musicians. The Kaiser High School Marching Band set the tone early, leading a spirited procession down Sierra Avenue to kick off the night.

In a moving announcement, the Grammy Museum Grants Program revealed it will send two local Fontana students to Grammy Camp, offering them an extraordinary opportunity to explore their musical passions at the next level.

The event was made possible thanks to the generous support of sponsors, including Earl Minnis Presents and Gibson Gives, which donated a stunning cardinal-red Les Paul guitar for auction, as well as the City of Fontana. Together, Hagar, Buchanan and their community proved that the spirit of rock and roll and the love of music education continue to thrive in Fontana.

Hagar commented: "Last night Stage Red Fontana was full of Fontana soul. Was great to have another homeboy Jay Buchanan there to help raise funds for young musicians from our hometown. To get them musical instruments in school and programs to give them a better chance to fulfill their dreams — I'm so happy and proud that Jay and I have the same goals in mind and came from the same cloth. That's a miracle in itself. Not only is he a great singer, he's a great human being. See you next year!"

Stage RED Theater, formerly known as Center Stage Theater, is a premier performance venue in Fontana, California. Renovated and rebranded in 2024, the venue is named in honor of Sammy Hagar, Fontana's native son. This state-of-the-art facility features some of the latest technology in audio, video, lighting, and presentation. Additionally, the theater boasts a complete banquet and catering menu and a full bar. Stage RED Theater is available for concerts and private events. For more information, visit StageRedFontana.com.

For over four decades, Grammy Award winner and Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Sammy Hagar has been one of rock music's most dynamic and prolific artists. From his breakthrough with MONTROSE to a multiplatinum solo career and his years fronting VAN HALEN, CHICKENFOOT, THE CIRCLE, and now THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS BAND, Hagar has sold over 50 million albums worldwide and delivered anthems like "I Can't Drive 55", "Right Now" and "Why Can't This Be Love". In 2024-'25, his "Best Of All Worlds" tour became one of the year's top-grossing rock runs, leading into a hit Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM and the upcoming live album, "Sammy Hagar & The Best Of All Worlds Band: The Residency".

Beyond music, Hagar is a pioneer in the spirits and lifestyle space, having founded Cabo Wabo Tequila and led award-winning brands including Sammy's Beach Bar Rum, Santo Spirits with Guy Fieri, and Red Rocker Brewing Co. His restaurant ventures include Sammy's Beach Bar & Grill locations at airports in Honolulu, Maui, Las Vegas, Cleveland and Charlotte, as well as Cabo Wabo Cantinas in Cabo San Lucas and Las Vegas, and Cabo Wabo Beach Club in Huntington Beach, California.

A No. 1 New York Times bestselling author, TV and radio host, and philanthropist, Hagar has also earned numerous honors, including a Grammy Award (1992),induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame (2007),recognition as the first Honorary Ambassador to Los Cabos (2022),and a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame (2024).

Jay Buchanan is the electrifying frontman of RIVAL SONS, the Grammy-nominated rock band celebrated for reviving and redefining classic rock. With multiple chart-topping albums, sold-out world tours, and performances alongside legends such as BLACK SABBATH, AEROSMITH and THE ROLLING STONES, Buchanan has solidified RIVAL SONS as one of the most powerful forces in modern rock. Jay began chasing his musical dream in Fontana, singing in the FUSD Elementary School Honor Choir and the Fontana Middle School Madrigals. He spent his teens playing coffee shops and busking throughout the Inland Empire, recording his first studio tracks at just 16. In January, Jay will release his sixteenth studio album and first solo record, "Weapons Of Beauty".