U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER, the two bands fronted by former ACCEPT singer Udo Dirkschneider, have parted ways with guitarist Andrey Smirnov. A replacement guitarist has yet to be announced.

Earlier today, U.D.O. released the following statement via social media: "After many years of successful collaboration, U.D.O. / DIRKSCHNEIDER and guitarist Andrey Smirnov have decided to part ways. This decision was made amicably and with mutual respect.

"The band would like to thank Andrey for his outstanding musicianship, dedication and contribution to U.D.O. over the years. We wish him continued success in all of his future endeavors.

"U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER will continue with all upcoming projects and live shows as planned and further news will be announced soon."

Smirnov joined U.D.O. in January 2013 as the replacement for Stefan Kaufmann, who left the group in late 2012 for health reasons.

The 41-year-old Andrey is a Russian rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter who was previously the lead vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter and founder of the Russian modern metal band EVERLOST. He was also the session guitarist of Paul Di'Anno, Blaze Bayley (ex-IRON MAIDEN) and once was a part of famous Russian metal bands MASTER, EPIDEMIA and few others. Andrey is a well-respected studio musician.

U.D.O.'s latest album, "Touchdown", came out in August 2023 through Atomic Fire Records.

"Touchdown" was recorded at various locations with producer Martin "Mattes" Pfeiffer and was mixed at Redhead Studio (Wilhelmshaven, Germany) while the mastering was handled by Stefan Kaufmann at ROXX Studio (Solingen, Germany). The record includes a guest appearance by violinist Stefan Pintev on the title track, and bass tracks were recorded by former ACCEPT bassist Peter Baltes. Artwork was provided by Martin Häusler who was also responsible for shooting band photos in support of the album campaign.


In April 2023, Baltes officially joined U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER. The former ACCEPT bassist had been playing bass for U.D.O. since September 2022, initially as a temporary replacement for U.D.O.'s then-bassist Tilen Hudrap who was hospitalized after the band's show in Munich, Germany.

DIRKSCHNEIDER is the name of Udo's band which performs ACCEPT material exclusively.

Although Udo announced 10 years ago that his initial DIRKSCHNEIDER tour would mark his final time performing ACCEPT songs, he has continued to play select shows under the DIRKSCHNEIDER banner for the past decade.

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No band embodies the spirit of black metal like MAYHEM. In the wake of violence and scandal, the Norwegians set the standard for the genre with their canonical 1994 debut. Other influential acts were quick to follow in their footsteps, but these iconoclasts defied convention by making a truly bold statement on "Grand Declaration Of War".

"This record means a lot", its chief sonic architect Blasphemer told Outburn during a recent retrospective on the band's long since debated second album. "It built a foundation, not only for me personally, but it also built a new foundation for MAYHEM."

Today, Season Of Mist is celebrating the album's 25th anniversary with a special edition of "Grand Declaration Of War", due out on December 5. Along with the original master, this sunburst colored gatefold LP includes new silver hot foil packaging, a double-sided poster and an embroidered leather patch.

"For Season Of Mist, there was a before and an after 'Grand Declaration Of War'," says the label's founder and manager Michael Berberian. "This is probably the first true classic album we ever released, the one that put us on the map. And what an album. Talk about unexpected. Talk about daring."

On "Grand Declaration Of War", MAYHEM continued to bow down for no one — even themselves. The band were coldblooded as ever on merciless cuts like "A Time To Die", but their arsenal of blast beats and tremolo picking was strengthened by an increase in command. Written in collaboration between newly appointed guitarist Blasphemer and vocalist Maniac, the album didn’t expand so much as it invaded territory that was then believed off-limits: spoken word ("View From Nihil"),trip-hop ("A Bloodsword And A Colder Sun"),soundscapes of doom ("Completion In Science Of Agony").

Track listing:

01. A Grand Declaration Of War (6:23)
02. In The Lies Where Upon You Lay (5:57)
03. A Time To Die (1:48)
04. View From Nihil (Part I of II) (3:05)
05. View From Nihil (Part II of II) (1:16)
06. A Bloodsword And A Colder Sun (Part I of II) (00:33)
07. A Bloodsword And A Colder Sun (Part II of II) (4:27)
08. Crystalized Pain In Deconstruction (4:07)
09. Completion In Science Of Agony (Part I of II) (9:44)
10. To Daimonion (Part I of III) (3:26)
11. Untitled (4:54)
12. Untitled II (00:07)
13. Completion In Science Of Agony (Part II of II) (2:14)

Founded as early as 1984 in Oslo, Norway by the late and legendary frontman Øystein Aarseth (a.k.a. Euronymous),bassist Jørn "Necrobutcher" Stubberud and Kjetil "Manheim" Haraldsson on drums, MAYHEM took its name from the VENOM song "Mayhem With Mercy". Continuing and renewing the black metal style heralded by the latter English trio, the band soon became the instigators of the so called second wave and were at the heart of every controversy surrounding that genre.

The suicide of misanthropic frontman Per Yngve "Dead" Ohlin, the murder of Euronymous by guest bass player "Count Grishnakh" alias the notorious Varg Vikernes, church burnings, drugs and prison sentences — MAYHEM were always at the center of the storm. Yet not even death could stop the Norwegians, who released one musical milestone after another.

The incredible rawness of the "Deathcrush" EP (1987) was followed by the still iconic and genre-defining "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" (1994),which featured devilish drummer Jan Axel "Hellhammer" Blomberg, who had joined in 1988. The vocalist on this album was the Hungarian Attila Csihar of TORMENTOR fame, who returned later in 2004 to take over from his meantime heir, the enigmatic original singer Sven-Erik "Maniac" Kristiansen. The latter was featured on the "Wolf's Lair Abyss" EP (1997),which was written mostly by highly talented guitarist Rune "Blasphemer" Eriksen, who scored a massive artistic success with the highly controversial "Grand Declaration Of War" (2000).

Recording lineup:

Maniac - Vocals
Blasphemer - Guitars
Necrobutcher - Bass
Hellhammer - Drums

Guest musicians:

* Tore Ylwizaker - Noise on "Completion In Science Of Agony (Part I of II)"
* Øyvind Hægeland - Additional vocals on "Completion In Science Of Agony (Part I of II)"

Italian heavy rockers LACUNA COIL performed at Le Bikini in Toulouse, France on October 14 as part of a fall 2025 European tour with special guests NONPOINT. Fan-filmed video of the entire concert can be seen below.

According to Setlist.fm, LACUNA COIL's setlist was as follows:

01. Layers Of Time
02. Reckless
03. Hosting The Shadow
04. Kill The Light
05. Die & Rise
06. Spellbound
07. In The Mean Time
08. Intoxicated
09. Downfall
10. Heaven's A Lie
11. In Nomine Patris
12. The House Of Shame
13. Blood, Tears, Dust
14. Gravity
15. Oxygen
16. Nothing Stands In Our Way

Encore:

17. The Siege
18. I Wish You Were Dead
19. Swamped
20. Never Dawn

LACUNA COIL is touring in support of its latest album, "Sleepless Empire", which came out in February 2025 via Century Media Records.

In an interview with Luke Morton of Kerrang! In Conversation, LACUNA COIL vocalist Cristina Scabbia spoke about the "Sleepless Empire" title. She said: "We chose that title because it was representing the times that we are living today. We're always awake, constantly trying to be productive, super connected with the rest of the world, but at the same time, we've never been so disconnected and anxious and feeling that we need to prove something, that we need to be present all the time, because if not, we are forgotten by the rest of the world.

"I am putting myself in the sleepless empire as well, so it's not a criticism," she explained. "It's just a realization, because I am part of that generation that saw it all and saw it coming and saw how fast the technology developed and how big the changes were, so I am trying to take the best out of the past to bring it in the future and the present, because I think that we should take advantage of technology. I mean, the fact that we are talking right now through a screen, it's one of the most beautiful things of technology, because if not, you would have to come to my place or me at yours, or we would have to travel somewhere to meet in person, which would be amazing. But this way, you save time, you can save four hours so you can go spend time with your family and I can go to watch [Italian professionally football club] AC Milan tonight with Andrea [Ferro, LACUNA COIL co-vocalist] at the stadium instead of traveling. So technology is good if used wisely. And I love progress — I love technology and I love to evolve with times — but I think it's cool to remember what the important things really are, because at the end of the day, all the time that we waste in stuff that doesn't really enrich us as persons, it's going to be wasted. So sometimes I try to think about this, even if realistically the first thing that I do when I wake up in the morning is to grab the phone and see the messages and watch the messages and maybe scroll through stories of other people."

Cristina added: "We just need to pay attention. I think that especially with the new generations that never saw it coming and never saw how it was before, they tend to compare to each other. They see beautiful lives in other people's social medias, and they think that that's reality. So sometimes they feel less than they are and they feel depressed and frustrated because they don't feel enough. So at least, just like the fact that I was born earlier kind of gave me a sort of a shelter that it's a sort of a filter that it's, like, okay, I don't need to compare myself to another person because, of course, this is my life. That's their life. And maybe not everything they're showing [is] true. Most probably not everything they're showing [is] 100 percent true. Maybe it is, but who cares? I should look at my life. I should look at what I'm building. I should look at what I'm living. I should look at the people, the real people around me and real life around me. It should be a balance. As everything, you just have to keep the right balance."

Asked if she is guilty of waking up in the morning and picking up her phone immediately and then wasting hours and hours every day just scrolling through social media, Cristina said: "Oh, totally. Totally. I'm guilty, especially in the morning. Not just wasting time, just looking at socials because I also do it as a sort of a study 'cause I wanna see what happens. I'm curious — I'm genuinely curious — so maybe that's not a complete waste of time, 'cause it's still entertaining. What I'm guilty of is that I feel guilty when I want to take time for myself. Now, when [I] get a message, I have the tendency of wanting to reply immediately or I feel guilty. And maybe I should wait. Maybe I shouldn't have so much anxiety if I answer 10 minutes after and I don't reply as soon as I open my eyes. Maybe I should just open my eyes, go in the kitchen, prepare myself a breakfast and then start my day and dedicate it to the work and my mails and everything. Instead, I just grab my phone. I'm just, like, 'Okay, I got a mail. Okay, I've gotta answer. My eyes are still closed, but I'm gonna answer.'

"There is this weird cycle for all of us that we're working hard because we have so many inputs," she continued. "Then we try to detach ourselves and relax watching other stuff on other social medias, thinking that they're entertaining. And they create even more anxiety. So it's a cycle that could be dangerous… But it's not all bad. So the sleepless empire, it's basically an empire with people that never sleep, that [are] always doing stuff, which could be good and could be bad as well."

Inspiration to create "Sleepless Empire" came during the sessions for "Comalies XX" (2022),the acclaimed remake of LACUNA COIL's breakthrough third record "Comalies". Writing and recording took place in northern Italy between Milano (the band's hometown) and Como, where SPVN Studios are located. As with their previous albums, production was done in house with Marco "Maki" Coti Zelati at the helm, and artwork was hand curated by the talented Italian artist Roberto Toderico. Two other very special talents enrich the album, namely the guest vocalists: LAMB OF GOD's Randy Blythe on the song "Hosting The Shadow" and NEW YEARS DAY's Ash Costello on "In The Mean Time".

The new album is comprised of 11 tracks; each one is a richly textured soundtrack to a specific time and place. With "Sleepless Empire", that place is dark, cinematic, and unmistakably true to the unique characteristics that have given LACUNA COIL such a celebrated entry in the annals of heavy music.

The band previously shared: "'Sleepless Empire' captures, through our eyes, the chaos of a generation trapped in a digital world that never stops, where social media consumes identity and every day pushes us one step closer to becoming soulless zombies. We find ourselves in between, having witnessed a full analogic world and the modern one, confronting the evolution and searching for a true meaning of it all. Throughout every song, the journey is an undercurrent of rebellion, a desperate cry to reclaim oneself in an era that seems to have lost its sense of time and reality."

In October 2024, Italian guitarist/producer Daniele Salomone confirmed that he had joined LACUNA COIL as the replacement for the band's longtime guitarist Diego Cavallotti.

Salomone made his live debut with LACUNA COIL on August 4, 2024 at the Rockstadt Extreme Fest in Râșnov, Romania.

In June 2024, LACUNA COIL announced Cavallotti's departure. Diego, who joined LACUNA COIL in 2016, initially as a fill-in guitarist following the exit of Marco "Maus" Biazzi, later said in a social media post that "this decision is not the result of my dissatisfaction or desire to explore new opportunities."

Cavallotti and Salomone played together in the Italian metal band INVERNO, which released its debut album, "Stasis", in December 2023.

The STEVE MORSE BAND will release a brand-new album, "Triangulation", on November 14 via Music Theories Recordings. The official music video for the LP's second single, "TexUS", featuring a guest appearance by Eric Johnson, can be seen below.

Whenever we think of the greatest guitar players of all time, Steve Morse is a name that's always in the conversation. This album sees Morse teaming up once again with THE DIXIE DREGS, STEVE MORSE BAND and FLYING COLORS bassist Dave LaRue, with Van Romaine (Enrique Iglesias) joining on drums.

Steve beams: "Dave and Van have been the bedrock of this trio, and this recording shows why. These guys are unique and incredible musicians on their own, and together, our chemistry is magical. While making the album, we played together, working through parts, riffing off each other, and collaborating on arrangements. I'd bring an idea, and hear it instantly — and then hear it improved. We made this album together, and you can hear it."

There are also some stellar guest features, from Eric Johnson's majestic contributions to "TexUS" and DREAM THEATER's John Petrucci bringing his inimitable progressive metal thunder and, of course, Kevin Morse joining his father on "Taken By An Angel".

Executive producer Bill Evans noted: "The compositions are among Steve's best. And audiences can finally hear every detail of Van and Dave's performance…the band's collaborative musicality." Steve added, "Brian captured me brilliantly, and Carl Roa created more sonic and performance clarity than we've ever had."

Morse started his career in the mid-1970s, playing mind-melting jazz-rock with THE DIXIE DREGS, which earned him multiple Grammy nominations in the process. The following decade, he formed the STEVE MORSE BAND, grabbing an additional Grammy nod, and joined arena heavyweights KANSAS, before being recruited by rock and roll originals DEEP PURPLE in 1994. And despite being in one of the world's biggest bands, he continued to innovate in other projects like LIVING LOUD, ANGELFIRE and FLYING COLORS — as well as guitar supergroup G3 — showing the world just how much versatility there was in those magic fingers. He announced his departure from DEEP PURPLE in 2022, choosing to care for his wife, who passed away in 2024, by that point having become their longest-serving guitarist.

Naturally, the last few years have been the most personally traumatic of his life, which is perhaps why this year's creative comeback with the new STEVE MORSE BAND album "Triangulation" embodies the spirit of a master returning to do what he does best. Its nine tracks are a thrilling ride through the mind of a musician who seemingly knows no bounds, crossing over into a cornucopia of sounds and styles from funk and blues to classical and metal.

"The album title 'Triangulation' comes from the concept of aviators, navigators, and sailors looking at two points to pinpoint their exact location at a specific moment in time," says Steve. It's a geographical concept that also applies to human life on a broader level, and given the journey Morse has been on in recent years, it's only natural that he's been on a path of self-discovery and reflection.

Perhaps the most poignant of the nine tracks is "Taken By An Angel" — a tribute to Steve's beloved wife Janine. Steve left the music world behind to care for her, remaining by her side until her final days. "That song is new territory for me," explains Morse. "It was put together for my late wife's memorial service, with my son Kevin playing along. It brought tears to many folks' eyes because Janine was a huge part of my life and career. People knew her from the STEVE MORSE BAND tours. She was the smiling face opening CDs for me to sign, selling t-shirts, listening to people's stories in the crowd, and taking photos for VIP visits."

After all the heartache and anguish of the last few years, you can't help but feel grateful Morse is once again ready to share his creative genius with the world around him. Given his stature among the guitar community — often lauded as "your hero's hero" in the same way people spoke about Jeff Beck — his creative return marks a new phase of inspiration and brilliance. In that sense, you can tell the release of this record means a lot to him.

The band hits the road in October bringing the new repertoire to the stage. Steve Morse shares: "Every generation or so, we put out a new album, and the time is now! We'll be doing new material on stage, and have enlisted a special guest, Angel Vivaldi, to allow us to better perform some of the layered tunes in concert. Excited to have a bigger sound and new material! See you on tour!" Van Romaine offers: "I am so thrilled for this brand new major STEVE MORSE BAND chapter with new tour dates and an album that was so much fun to record with Steve and Dave LaRue, and a couple special guests. While music is always subjective this 'Triangulation' album is such a gem to me on many levels."

Upcoming appearances are:

Oct. 16 - Annapolis, MD @ Rams Head On Stage
Oct. 18 - Elkton, MD @ Elkton Music Hall
Oct. 19 - Lititz, PA @ Mickey's Black Box
Oct. 20 - Red Bank, NJ @ The Vogel
Oct. 21 - Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theater
Oct. 23 - Somerville, MA @ Somerville Theatre
Oct. 25 - Cohoes, NY @ Cohoes Music Hall
Oct. 26 - Ridgefield, CT @ Ridgefield Playhouse

Before performing acoustically at Los Angeles's Grammy Museum on October 9, Billy Idol and his longtime guitarist Steve Stevens were interviewed by producer Jimmy Jam (Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey). A few excerpts from the conversation appear below.

On initially meeting one another:

Billy: "I'd come to New York to start a solo career after GENERATION X broke up, and I had an American manager, Bill Aucoin, who [also] managed KISS. He was based in New York, and he knew the New York scene. He'd been watching Steve's career — he didn't manage Steve, but he knew Steve, and he told me right from the start that he thought we'd be a great combination. Once I met Steve and found out what a great guy he was – we had a great first meeting and then just decided to play together, really, and see what happens."

Steve: "I went to [New York City's] High School of Performing Arts — the 'Fame' school. Dropped out, didn't graduate, started playing in bands, and I knew just about every musician in Manhattan at that time. I was crafty — I said to Billy, 'You know, if you don't choose me as a guitar player, I know all the musicians. I'll help you audition everyone else – the bass player, the drummer — and then if you would just consider me as the guitar player…' By that time, we kind of got to know each other. Although we grew up an ocean apart, we kind of grew up on the same music. I wasn't a part of the '77 punk thing in England, but [at legendary New York City nightclub] CBGB's, I saw TALKING HEADS, TELEVISION and all that. Once we kind of talked about our record collection — SWEET, SLADE, [Marc] Bolan — we kind of went, 'Oh, yeah.' And Lou Reed — that was the other one. Billy said, 'Hey, do you know 'Coney Island Baby'?' And I started to play the solo, and he went, 'You know that?' It was just a matter of finding mutual ground."

On their early musical collaborations:

Billy: "I had an EP [1981's 'Don't Stop'] that I'd put out, that I'd done in Los Angeles with [producer] Keith [Forsey], but I didn't have a band — we just used a few people Keith knew. That's what I said to Steve — 'I need to put a band together for this EP. Maybe if we put a band together, we'll just see how it goes, really.' It went really well. Once I saw what Steve could do, I knew anything I wanted to do, I could do it. Then with Keith producing, I just knew we had this sort of triumvirate that ended up really fueling the Billy Idol of the '80s."

On mixing punk with dance-pop:

Billy: "Obviously, I was part of the punk rock movement in England, but it didn't mean that you weren't listening to dance music or reggae or whatever. I was listening to all sorts of music. And that was the other thing — going solo [from GENERATION X], I knew I could expand. Now I didn't have to listen to three other guys telling me what they wanted to do. It was really all down to me. I knew I wanted to combine the synthesizer world with the rock world, the guitar world, the dance world, the disco world, the punk world, whatever. I wanted to put a number of different things together. We've grown up basically with eclectic albums. I think most of the people we've loved — even if you think about THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, you think of them as this crazy 'Sister Ray', but they did other ballads and things. It wasn't all just 'Waiting For The Man' — it's some beautiful songs Lou Reed wrote. Groups like that, they went all over the map, and when I saw what Steve could do, I knew with Keith Forsey and Steve, I could really go all over the map musically. I could go anywhere I wanted. That's what I did ever since. We were already kind of doing that already with GENERATION X, because even though we were a punk band, we still kind of pushed against the boundaries of punk and didn't just stay confined to punk. We sort of pushed against it and broke some of the punk rock rules, and then coming to America and working with Steve, I could see this sort of future opening up that was so incredible. When it actually happened, it was pretty amazing."

On the genesis of his self-titled 1982 full-length debut:

Billy: "'Dancing With Myself', a song I'd done with GENERATION X, was a massive hit on the underground new wave dance [scene]. That's what I found out when I got to New York — 'Dancing With Myself', they put it on for 20 minutes at somewhere like [Manhattan dance club] Danceteria. People would just go crazy for 20 minutes to it, and I'd go, 'This is what I've really got to follow up.' I didn't really follow it up until I wrote 'White Wedding'... Putting it together with Steve and Keith Forsey, we really had this kind of idea that we knew we could expand over the course of a few albums, and it would be really exciting."

On writing together:

Steve: "A problem I have with guitar players [is that] they don't learn the lyrics. It's the first thing I always do, because that's your blueprint. I almost look at playing guitar as being like a film scorer or something — it's tapping into the lyrics, the emotion… 'Eyes Without A Face' is a perfect example. Musically, it's kind of like '50s doo-wop, and then Billy had these lyrics, and I went, 'Oh, maybe this chord will go there.' I'm able to sense an emotion behind it. I never have [an] agenda. The guitar is a vehicle to tell the story, and I'm not one of those guitar players that waits for three minutes for my moment of glory with the solo. When Billy came up with 'Rebel Yell' and the whole concept, it was like, 'Man, it can't just be about notes.' That's how I came up with the ray gun thing — [I thought,] 'It's got to be more than just guitar. Whatever it takes.' I think the main thing is, what's the song about? What's the story? Where's it going to travel from beginning to end?"

On the power of MTV:

Billy: "At first, some of the radio stations didn't want to play my music because I had a punk rock image, and they didn't believe that punk rock music sold advertising dollars, so there was a bit of a push-back. We didn't put my picture on the 'Hot In The City' single that we put out. It got to number 18, so radio stations knew Billy Idol but didn't really know what I looked like. But 'White Wedding', we [included] my picture. I was obviously a punk rocker, and they didn't want to play it. But college radio and then MTV and the people phoning up either hearing it on college radio or watching MTV gave us this platform that broke through any kind of stranglehold. Anybody who didn't want to play the new music, they soon found out that it did sell advertising dollars, and all the barriers fell away. That was super-exciting — to go through where there is this barrier, and you don't know if it's going to go away or not, and then you watched it fall, and you watched the power of television telling radio what was going to happen."

On their recently completed tour with Joan Jett:

Billy: "It's [been] going incredibly well. We can mix and match, and the old music and the new music goes together really well. The songs power each other — they seem to reflect off each other nicely. It seems like there's not a down moment in the set. The band we've got, everybody is really a team player. There's no dead weight; there's nobody dragging it down. Everybody's on it, so every night, I feel like I'm surfing on this incredible wave or I'm riding this incredible Aston Martin that's going faster than anything. It's just this power machine, and it's an incredible feeling. It's like you get high every night, and it's a natural high. That's been fantastic. I'm almost surprised — we've done quite a few shows now, and I still feel fresh. I don't feel burnt out, so that tells you a lot, you know?"

Billy Idol's ninth studio album, "Dream Into It", was released via BMG on April 25. A two-part concept album about Idol's life, the record features Josh Freese (NINE INCH NAILS, FOO FIGHTERS) on drums and Chris Chaney (JANE'S ADDICTION, AC/DC) on bass and includes guest vocal performances by Avril Lavigne, Joan Jett and Alison Mosshart (THE KILLS, THE DEAD WEATHER).

Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Peter Criss have commented on the death of their fellow KISS co-founder Ace Frehley. The legendary guitarist died after sustaining injuries in a fall last month, his family confirmed Thursday (October 16).

In a statement, Stanley and Simmons said: "We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley. He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history. He is and will always be a part of KISS's legacy. Our thoughts are with Jeanette, Monique and all those who loved him, including our fans around the world."

Simmons also wrote on X: "Our hearts are broken. Ace has passed on. No one can touch Ace's legacy. I know he loved the fans. He told me many times. Sadder still, Ace didn't live long enough to be honored at the Kennedy Ctr Honors event in Dec. Ace was the eternal rock soldier. Long may his legacy live on!"

In a separate statement, Criss wrote: "With a broken heart and deep, deep sadness, my brother Ace Frehley has passed away. He died peacefully with his family around him. My wife and I were with him to the end as well.

"I love you, my brother. My love and prayers go out to Jeanette, Monique, Charlie and Nancy and all of Ace's extended family, bandmates, fans and friends. May the Lord comfort you at this difficult time.

"As a founding member of the rock group KISS and in Ace's solo career, Ace influenced and touch the hearts of millions of people. His legacy will live on in the music industry and in the hearts of the KISS Army.

"At this time I ask all of you to please be respectful to Ace's family and allow them to grieve privately.

"To the KISS Army and Ace's Rock Soldiers, my heart is with you all... Broken... God Bless."

Frehley passed away peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey, following a recent fall at his home.

TMZ reported earlier on Thursday that Frehley was on life support after suffering from a brain bleed from the fall a few weeks ago. He had to cancel his tour dates and his condition had not improved.

Frehley's family confirmed his death, writing in a statement: "We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth.

"We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace's memory will continue to live on forever!"

Frehley appeared on KISS's first nine albums, and returned for the band's 1998 reunion album, "Psycho Circus", only to leave again. He was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the rest of KISS's original lineup in 2014.

Frehley first left KISS in 1982. He rejoined in 1996 and parted ways with the band once again in 2002 after the conclusion of KISS's first "farewell tour." Since his departure, guitarist Tommy Thayer had assumed the role of the Spaceman.

Earlier this month, Frehley scrapped the remainder of his previously announced 2025 tour dates due to unspecified "medical issues".

The legendary rocker announced the cancelation two weeks after he pulled out of the Antelope Valley Fair in Lancaster, California after sustaining minor injuries in a fall at his home.

When Ace's Antelope Valley Fair cancelation was first announced, it was revealed that Frehley had had "a minor fall in his studio, resulting in a trip to the hospital." He was later advised by his doctor to refrain from travel in order to fully recover from his injuries.

At the time of his passing, Frehley was working on "Origins Vol. 3", the sequel to Ace's 2016 and 2020 collections of cover songs that inspired the former KISS guitarist.

The Kennedy Center paid homage to Frehley, who was slated to be recognized alongside Stanley, Simmons and Criss at the 48th Kennedy Center Honors later this year.

"We send our deepest condolences to his friends, his family, and millions of fans worldwide," the Washington, D.C.-based cultural center wrote in a social media post. "We will be paying tribute to this 'rock soldier,' his work, and his legacy at our ceremony in December."

Ace's latest solo album, "10,000 Volts", came out in February 2024 via MNRK Music Group (formerly eOne Music). It was the follow-up to "Spaceman", which was released in October 2018 via eOne.

Simmons co-wrote two tracks on "Spaceman", "Without You I'm Nothing" and "Your Wish Is My Command", the latter of which also featured Gene's bass playing.

In a recent interview with Guitar World, Ace revealed he declined an invite to join his former KISS bandmates at the "Kiss Kruise: Land-locked In Vegas" event at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in November, despite having participated in the Kiss Kruise events in the past.

"They asked me and I declined," Frehley told the magazine. "There's no way I'm gonna be involved with that, you know? Their biggest mistake is that they should have done that at Madison Square Garden, not in Las Vegas in a 5000-seater, or whatever it is."

He added that he was "having too much fun doing my own thing."

"And maybe I'll eventually get inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a solo artist," Frehley said.

Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley has died at the age of 74. The news of his passing comes just hours after TMZ.com reported that the musician was hospitalized on life support after he suffered a brain bleed when he took a fall in his studio a couple weeks ago.

Frehley's family issued the following statement to Variety: "We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth. We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace's memory will continue to live on forever!"

Earlier this month, Frehley scrapped the remainder of his previously announced 2025 tour dates due to unspecified "medical issues".

The legendary rocker announced the cancelation two weeks after he pulled out of the Antelope Valley Fair in Lancaster, California after sustaining minor injuries in a fall at his home.

When Ace's Antelope Valley Fair cancelation was first announced, it was revealed that Frehley had had "a minor fall in his studio, resulting in a trip to the hospital." He was later advised by his doctor to refrain from travel in order to fully recover from his injuries.

Frehley appeared on KISS's first nine albums, and returned for the band's 1998 reunion album, "Psycho Circus", only to leave again. He was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the rest of KISS's original lineup in 2014.

Frehley first left KISS in 1982. He rejoined in 1996 and parted ways with the band once again in 2002 after the conclusion of KISS's first "farewell tour." Since his departure, guitarist Tommy Thayer had assumed the role of the Spaceman.

At the time of his passing, Frehley was working on "Origins Vol. 3", the sequel to Ace's 2016 and 2020 collections of cover songs that inspired the former KISS guitarist.

Ace's latest solo album, "10,000 Volts", came out in February 2024 via MNRK Music Group (formerly eOne Music). It was the follow-up to "Spaceman", which was released in October 2018 via eOne.

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons co-wrote two tracks on "Spaceman", "Without You I'm Nothing" and "Your Wish Is My Command", the latter of which also featured Gene's bass playing.

Ace's most recent backing band consisted of Ryan Spencer on bass, Jeremy Asbrock on guitar and Scot Coogan on drums.

In a recent interview with Guitar World, Ace revealed he declined an invite to join his former KISS bandmates at the "Kiss Kruise: Land-locked In Vegas" event at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in November, despite having participated in the Kiss Kruise events in the past.

"They asked me and I declined," Frehley told the magazine. "There's no way I'm gonna be involved with that, you know? Their biggest mistake is that they should have done that at Madison Square Garden, not in Las Vegas in a 5000-seater, or whatever it is."

He added that he was "having too much fun doing my own thing."

"And maybe I'll eventually get inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a solo artist," Frehley said.

Grammy-winning, progressive music titans DREAM THEATER will release "Quarantième: Live À Paris" on November 28 via their longtime label partner Inside Out Music/Sony Music. The second performance video from the effort, for the song "Barstool Warrior", can be seen below.

"Quarantième: Live À Paris" documents DREAM THEATER's November 23, 2024 concert at Adidas Arena in Paris, France during the band's 40th-anniversary headlining tour of Europe, and it features the lineup of James LaBrie (vocals),John Petrucci (guitar),John Myung (bass),Jordan Rudess (keyboards) and Mike Portnoy (drums). The effort contains a setlist that spans the band's entire career with classics like "Metropolis Pt. 1", "Panic Attack", "Octavarium" and "Pull Me Under" represented among other fan favorites.

Petrucci comments: "From the moment we announced our 40th-anniversary tour, we knew it would be a very special event for both the band and our fans and must be captured. With this release, our performance in Paris is presented so beautifully in both stunning audio and video and really encapsulates this momentous occasion for all to enjoy."

Adds Portnoy: "We always knew this tour would be unforgettable because not only were we celebrating four decades since forming the band, but also the reunion of the band's classic lineup. The excitement and emotions between us and our fans at each and every show were palpable and totally off the charts! The night captured here in Paris was an epic evening that we can now share with the whole world to celebrate this incredible tour."

Presented in several formats, with artwork by longtime collaborator Hugh Syme, "Quarantième: Live À Paris" will be available as a limited deluxe 3CD+3Blu-ray artbook, including 68 pages of photos and artwork as well as an additional Blu-ray of bonus material. It will also be available as a special edition 3CD+2Blu-ray Digipak, limited deluxe 180g 4LP boxset and digitally. The Blu-ray includes the full show with Dolby Atmos, 5.1 Surround Sound and high-resolution stereo audio.

The track listing for "Quarantième: Live À Paris" is as follows:

CD1:

01. Metropolis Pt. 1
02. Overture 1928
03. Strange Déjà Vu
04. The Mirror
05. Panic Attack
06. Barstool Warrior
07. Hollow Years
08. Constant Motion
09. As I Am

CD2:

01. Orchestral Overture
02. Night Terror
03. Under A Glass Moon
04. This Is The Life
05. Vacant
06. Stream of Consciousness
07. Octavarium

CD3:

01. Home
02. The Spirit Carries On
03. Pull Me Under

Blu-ray 1:

01. Metropolis Pt. 1
02. Overture 1928
03. Strange Déjà Vu
04. The Mirror
05. Panic Attack
06. Barstool Warrior
07. Hollow Years
08. Constant Motion
09. As I Am

Blu-ray 2:

01. Orchestral Overture
02. Night Terror
03. Under A Glass Moon
04. This Is The Life
05. Vacant
06. Stream of Consciousness
07. Octavarium
08. Home
09. The Spirit Carries On
10. Pull Me Under

During an August 6 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Portnoy spoke about what it has been like for him to be touring with DREAM THEATER once again after a 13-year absence. The progressive metal legends played their first concert with Portnoy in 14 years on October 20, 2024 at the O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom. The drummer, who co-founded DREAM THEATER, played on 10 of the band's albums over a 20-year period, from 1989's "When Dream And Day Unite" through 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", before exiting the group in 2010. Portnoy returned to DREAM THEATER in October 2023 after being replaced by Mike Mangini, who played with DREAM THEATER across five studio albums and accompanying world tours. Portnoy told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk""It's been incredible — the biggest tour the band has ever done. We started at the O2 in London, which was incredibly emotional, and then we wrapped the U.S. tour at Radio City Music Hall… There's so many highlights. It's been incredible. We did all of Europe once with [the] 'An Evening With' [run of shows], then we did South America. We did North America, then we did this [European] festival run, and now we're about to shift into finally doing a tour for the new album, 'cause through all this we put out a new album in February, and we haven't really had a chance to properly give attention to that yet, 'cause we've been so busy with the 40th-anniversary thing. So we're about to shift into 'Parasomnia' mode, and we have a North American tour kicking off next month. And we'll be all through the States in September and October with a completely different show. So if anybody saw us in the last round, this is a completely different set, completely different stage, and we're gonna play the whole new album in its entirety, which will be a lot of fun and finally give it its due."

Asked if the tracks from DREAM THEATER's sixteenth studio album, "Parasomnia", will be performed in the same order that they appear on the LP on the current U.S. tour, Portnoy said: "Yeah, it was written to be performed that way. The whole album is very much like a concept album in that respect. So we've played a couple of the songs this past year on the 40th-anniversary tour, but now we could dig into it and give it a full top-to-bottom presentation. And then gonna celebrate the 30th anniversary of 'A Change of Seasons', which was like the first big epic the band put out 30 years ago. So we're gonna play that as well."

Portnoy added: "We've still got a lot of gas left in the tank. We're gonna go over to Asia right after New Year, and then we have a third European run next spring to do the 'Parasomnia' over there. So it's been incredible, but the emotions at every show — the fans, you just look out there and you see grown men crying, and it's all smiles and tears."

After Trunk noted that a lot of the emotions surrounding DREAM THEATER's current tour are based on the fact that Portnoy is back in the band after such a long time away, Mike said: "I'm so thankful that it's come back full circle. It would've been really sad if we never did reunite. I've seen other bands, like PINK FLOYD with Roger Waters, or GENESIS with Peter Gabriel, certain bands that never do reunite. And as a fan, it's a shame. I would love to see those lineups together again before it all ends. So for us to be back together again and celebrating the 40th anniversary of the band and riding off into the sunset together, it's poetic. It's the way it should be, really. And I'm so glad that we're here together again."

DREAM THEATER's summer/fall 2025 "An Evening With Dream Theater" U.S. tour is hitting 30 cities across the United States, kicking off September 5 in Reading, Pennsylvania and running through October 25, when it wraps in Long Island, New York. The tour is making stops in Orlando, Floria; Detroit, Michigan; Kansas City, Missouri and Providence, Rhode Island, among others. DREAM THEATER is performing its latest album in its entirety as well as classics and fan favorites from the band's catalog in what promises to be an unforgettable evening of music.

"Parasomnia" came out on February 7, 2025 via InsideOut Music. The LP marked DREAM THEATER's first release with Portnoy since 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings".

"Parasomnia" was produced by guitarist John Petrucci, engineered by James "Jimmy T" Meslin, and mixed by Andy Sneap. Hugh Syme returned once again to lend his creative vision to the cover art.

"Parasomnia" is an eight-song, 71-minute set which was recorded at DREAM THEATER's DTHQ studio on Long Island, New York. It is the follow-up to 2021's "A View From The Top Of The World", which debuted at in the top 10 of Billboard's Top Hard Rock Albums, Top Rock Albums and Independent Albums charts. Six songs on "Parasomnia" are over seven minutes and the closing epic "The Shadow Man Incident" clocks in at nearly 20 minutes.

The North American leg of DREAM THEATER's 40th-anniversary tour kicked off on February 7 at The Met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The trek was "An Evening With Dream Theater" and was the first tour of North America since Portnoy's return to the lineup. The tour concluded on March 22 in New York City.

Portnoy, Petrucci and Myung started DREAM THEATER as MAJESTY in 1985, after meeting at the Berklee College Of Music in Boston. LaBrie came on board in 1991, while Rudess joined in 1999.

Prior to Portnoy's return to DREAM THEATER, the drummer and Petrucci worked together on the latter's 2020 solo album, "Terminal Velocity", and toured together. Portnoy and Petrucci also joined Rudess and bassist Tony Levin for a third studio album as LIQUID TENSION EXPERIMENT in 2021.