In a recent interview with MuchMusic, Adam Gontier from Canadian rockers THREE DAYS GRACE was asked how much "social media and the trends and platforms" affect how he and his bandmates approach music now. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, for us, we're just trying to make the best music we can, so, we still sit together in a room, we write songs, we record them all and then get them out there. And the way that the music gets out there is a little bit different than it was before. But for us, it's basically the same thing. We're still still just trying to write the best songs we can. And it's pretty amazing that the whole world is at your fingertips to be able to get it out there. So, yeah, it's really cool. It is a bit of a different world from when we first started, though, for sure."

Gontier also talked about the fact that THREE DAYS GRACE's 2003 single "I Hate Everything About You" recently surpassed one billion streams on Spotify. The song, which explores the tension of a love-hate relationship, originally appeared on the band's self-titled debut album. Asked what it is like to perform the song live now, Adam said: "Yeah, it's just one of those songs, everybody sings it. I try to get the whole crowd to sing it with us. It's still pretty surreal to play that song and have just people really freak out when we play that song. And it's wild. It's crazy. It's still hard to believe."

Asked to name one thing he loves about THREE DAYS GRACE, Gontier said: "We grew up as friends in a small town in Ontario — Norwood, Ontario. A lot of bands just kind of come together and make a band and try to be a band. We were friends before the band ever took off. So that's one thing that I think is really special about us, is that we're all really good friends before we're bandmates, and that's pretty important."

Pressed about whether he thinks rock is making a comeback, with the renewed activity from such bands as 2000s emo legends MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE and British rockers OASIS, Adam said: "It does feel kind of like rock is making a bit of a comeback, especially with CREED and bands from that era are starting to tour again and make new music. So, yeah, I think it feels like there's a resurgence of those bands from the late '90s, and just rock in general. I mean, people have said quite a bit over the last decade or so that rock is dead, and it's the opposite of that."

THREE DAYS GRACE balances moments of extreme emotion on an axis of pummeling hard rock anthems and pensive balladry. Along the way, the multi-platinum record-breaking Ontario, Canada band have amassed billions of streams and millions of album sales, sold out arenas on multiple continents, and reached unprecedented heights The band also has earned now staggering 21 total No. 1 entries on the Mediabase Active Rock chart.

To date, THREE DAYS GRACE's veritable arsenal of Billboard No. 1s includes "Just Like You", "Pain", "Animal I Have Become", "Never Too Late", "Break", "Good Life", "World So Cold", "Misery Loves My Company", "The High Road", "Chalk Outline", "I Am Machine", "Painkiller", "The Mountain", "Infra-Red", "Right Left Wrong", "So Called Life", "Lifetime", "Mayday", "Apologies" and the aforementioned "Kill Me Fast".

THREE DAYS GRACE surprised fans with the return of the band's original singer Adam Gontier and along with singer Matt Walst, guitarist Barry Stock, drummer Neil Sanderson and bassist Brad Walst released their eighth studio album, "Alienation" (RCA Records). The 12 tracks on the record all play a pivotal role in defining this significantly new, but nostalgic, chapter of the band.

THREE DAYS GRACE continues to achieve new levels of success, performing at sold-out arena shows with massive festival crowds, a sold-out co-headlining tour in Canada, and hitting the stage at some of the largest venues of their career in Europe.

Last month, THREE DAYS GRACE announced the 2026 "Alienation" tour, kicking off in Fort Wayne, Indiana in February, before hitting Canada and Europe and wrapping up the tour in November for the final show in Los Angeles, California. The U.S. tour dates will receive support from I PREVAIL and THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT, and Canada will see support from FINGER ELEVEN and ROYAL TUSK on select dates.

THREE DAYS GRACE played its first full show with Gontier in 12 years on February 25, 2025 as the support act for DISTURBED on the U.S. leg of "The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour" at Ford Idaho Center Arena in Nampa, Idaho.

In 1992, Gontier, Brad Walst, Phil Crowe, Neil Sanderson and Joe Grant formed GROUNDSWELL while most of the members were still in high school. That band broke up in 1995, but two years later Gontier, Sanderson and Walst reformed as THREE DAYS GRACE. Gontier left the band in 2013 and was replaced by Matt, the vocalist from another Norwood band, MY DARKEST DAYS.

Gontier initially went into rehab in 2005 in Toronto after admitting an addiction to Oxycontin. The rehab stint influenced some material which would appear on THREE DAYS GRACE's "One-X" album, including the songs "Pain" and "Over And Over".

Gontier left THREE DAYS GRACE in the spring of 2013. At the time, the Canadian rockers cited unspecified "health issues" when his departure was announced. Adam later released a statement explaining he exited THREE DAYS GRACE to pursue new projects, and not to deal with addiction.

In a recent interview with Mark Strigl, DISTURBED bassist John Moyer addressed the band's recent announcement that it was taking "quite a bit of time off next year". John said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, you know, every band takes a break after they tour. It's pretty standard. Some people are trying to make — honestly, it's so weird. Social media, and some of these news outlets, they try to blow things up, 'DISTURBED are taking break after' blah, blah, blah, and I'm just, like, uh, every band takes a break after a tour. There's nothing special about this. It's not that big a deal. [Laughs] It's just, like, I don't understand sometimes some of these headlines that come out, I mean, I get it — it's for clicks, and it's, like, 'Oh, is something wrong with DISTURBED?' There's nothing wrong. Everything's great. Dave [DISTURBED singer David Draiman] just got married. He might wanna enjoy some time with his wife before we jump out back on the road again. I don't know. Just a thought. [Laughs]"

Asked about the possibility of new music from DISTURBED after the release of the a new single, "I Will Not Break", in February 2025 via the band's own label, Mother Culture Records, John said: "There's no shortage of music coming from DISTURBED, I'll tell you that right now. I know that for a fact. We've got stuff. We've got a lot of stuff that… Now I'm letting cats out of the bag, but even though there's not a record that's coming out, there's no announcement of anything, the band's been working in the studio now for the last two years, and there's a lot of material that is sitting there, that's gonna get released. And it's some great stuff. It's just a matter of the timing of it and which songs are right for us and what the concept is and all the things that go with creating that art and pushing it."

In late October, DISTURBED guitarist Dan Donegan said that he and his bandmates would "take quite a bit of time off next year". The 57-year-old musician made his comments just two days after Draiman wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that he wasn't sure when the group would tour again, explaining, "We all need a nice long break."

On October 31, Donegan took to his Instagram Live to reflect on DISTURBED's recently completed European headlining tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of the band's debut album, "The Sickness", with support from MEGADETH. He said in part: "[We had a] very successful run out there in Europe — packed shows, packed arenas and a bunch of sold-out ones. [We had an] amazing time. The MEGADETH guys were great. Dave Mustaine is a legend. He's got a great band behind him — really cool guys. And, yeah, it was a really fun tour to be on. Everybody was healthy, feeling good. David [Draiman] was singing strong. Sometimes it gets tricky traveling that much and going from country to country to try to stay healthy, being in different time zones, trying to get adjusted to the time change and being on planes and tour buses and all the traveling can get tricky to stay healthy. And luckily everybody did, for the most part. I think we held up pretty good and sounded strong. I think we were playing our best; I think we've gotten better. So it's been an amazing run."

As for DISTURBED's plans for the coming months, Dan said: "We are done [playing shows for now]. We are done with 'The Sickness', done with the anniversary tour. [We'll be] home for the rest of the year, and probably gonna take quite a bit of time off next year. So no discussions of doing anything else. We just feel like we could use a break. It's been a pretty strong run earlier this year. We started in the U.S. and a little bit into Canada and finishing this European run, we just feel we could enjoy some time home. And [we've] got a lot of stuff going on in our personal lives. [We've] got holidays coming up. Unfortunately, a handful of us had some relatives pass away while we were in Europe. So I had an uncle pass away last week. My guitar tech had his father and a cousin, a week apart from each other, both passed away. So those are the things that happen when you live life on tour and on the road. And it's such a heartbreaking thing, to be away from home and you get that kind of phone call when somebody close to you or a family member passes away."

DISTURBED kicked off the U.S. leg of "The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour" on February 25 at Ford Idaho Center Arena in Nampa, Idaho. The trek celebrated 25 years of DISTURBED's seminal debut album which launched the band into public consciousness and is one of the most important and influential heavy metal albums of all time.

Since "The Sickness" was released in 2000, the album was certified five times platinum by the RIAA, spent a total of 106 weeks on the US Billboard 200 chart, and Revolver named it one of "Top 25 Debut Hard Rock Albums." Billboard said of the title track upon release: "'Down With The Sickness' is, of course, the quintessential DISTURBED song, harnessing all the band's seethe and its now-famous tribal beat and guitar chug into three and a half minutes of alt-metal mayhem. It's menacing, it's rhythmic, it's rebellious."

According to People, Perry Farrell and his JANE'S ADDICTION bandmates Dave Navarro, Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins have reached a settlement over the singer's onstage altercation with Navarro in September 2024 that forced the cancelation of JANE'S ADDICTION's reunion tour.

The Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, dismissed the lawsuit on Monday, December 22.

The dismissal came about a week after Perry, Navarro, Avery and Perkins announced that they had "resolved their differences" over the infamous on-stage brawl where Farrell punched Navarro on stage in what became JANE'S ADDICTION's final show.

On December 17, JANE'S ADDICTION released the following statement via social media: "We would like to clarify the events surrounding the cancellation of the tour after the show in Boston in September 2024. After that show, without notice to Perry, we unilaterally determined it would be best to not continue the tour and made inaccurate statements about Perry's mental health which we regret.

"Today we are here to announce that we have come together one last time to resolve our differences, so that the legacy of JANE'S ADDICTION will remain the work the four of us created together.

"We now look forward to the future as we embark on our separate musical and creative endeavors. JANE'S ADDICTION will forever live in our hearts. We are proud of the music we created together.

"You, the fans, are our lifeblood, and we will always appreciate you."

Perry added in a separate statement: "To everyone in Boston, and around the world. I'd like to address what happened on stage last year. I've reflected on it and know I didn't handle myself the way I should have. I apologize to our patrons and my bandmates for losing my temper and for disrupting the show.

"JANE'S ADDICTION has been at the center of my life for decades. The band, the songs, the patrons and the impact that we've had on music and culture mean more to me than any words I could ever possibly write down.

"My aim has always been to give our audience the best possible show, something real, honest and positive. In Boston, we fell short of that, and I'm truly sorry to everyone who was impacted.

"From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank each and every one of you for your continued love and support."

This past summer, Navarro, Avery and Perkins filed a lawsuit against Farrell over the Boston concert, claiming intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract, while claims from Navarro included allegations of assault and battery over the incident.

Perry later responded to the lawsuit, listing 35 affirmative defenses, including claims that Navarro had "unclean hands," "fail[ed] to state facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action against" and "failed to exercise reasonable care and diligence to mitigate [the] alleged claims and damages." The 66-year-old vocalist also said he acted in "good faith and without malice" toward the guitarist.

Navarro, Avery and Perkins filed their lawsuit this past July in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging that the group lost over $10 million as a result of the tour's cancelation. The JANE'S ADDICTION members also alleged in their lawsuit that Farrell was often unable to deliver on stage as a result of his alcohol consumption.

In a statement shared with Variety, Farrell said of the trio's lawsuit: "As a founding member and creative force behind JANE'S ADDICTION, Perry Farrell has always prioritized the band's legacy and its supporters, which is why the events of September 13th, 2024 in Boston and the resulting fallout was so devastating. Without warning or consultation and using Perry as a scapegoat, Dave Navarro and the other band members took it upon themselves to abruptly cancel the remaining tour dates — violating contracts and disregarding all professional obligations. Perry was blindsided by not being allowed to vote and be heard, leaving him unable to plead his case to continue the tour for their fans. If that was not harmful enough, Dave Navarro then intentionally and publicly blamed Perry for the canceled tour dates effectively destroying Perry's reputation and causing him irreparable harm. Despite this continued bullying perpetuated by Navarro, Perry's dedication to JANE'S ADDICTION and the preservation of its positive impact on the music industry remains unshaken. He is actively exploring ways to address the situation and ensure accountability."

JANE'S ADDICTION's September 13, 2024 concert at Leader Bank Pavilion in Boston came to a sudden end after Farrell bumped Navarro's shoulder with his own before seemingly yelling at the guitarist. Navarro then placed a hand between himself and Perry before Farrell appeared to throw a punch at him. Another man then jumped between them, breaking up the fight. A couple of days later, JANE'S ADDICTION announced that it was scrapping the rest of its tour dates following the incident. The band said it "made the difficult decision to take some time away as a group," therefore scrapping the rest of the dates of their tour. A short time later, Navarro, along with drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery, posted a joint statement to their respective Instagram accounts in which they said the cancelation of the tour is a result of a "continuing pattern of behavior and the mental health difficulties of our singer Perry Farrell."

"Our concern for his personal health and safety as well as our own has left us no alternative. We hope that he will find the help he needs," the statement read.

Navarro, Perkins and Avery expressed "regret" for the cancelation but added that they "can see no solution that would either ensure a safe environment on stage or reliably allow us to deliver a great performance on a nightly basis."

"Our hearts are broken," the statement concluded.

Later that same day, Farrell wrote in a statement posted to his Instagram story that "this weekend has been incredibly difficult and after having the time and space to reflect, it is only right that I apologize to my bandmates, especially Dave Navarro, fans, family and friends for my actions during Friday's show."

His statement added: "Unfortunately, my breaking point resulted in inexcusable behavior, and I take full accountability for how I chose to handle the situation."

A few days after the tour cancelation, JANE'S ADDICTION released a new single, "True Love". The track, which was performed live for the first time in 2023 and had been played at a few other shows since, was the second new single from the band's classic lineup of Farrell, Navarro, Perkins and Avery, following "Imminent Redemption", which arrived in July 2024.

"True Love" was written by Farrell, Navarro, Avery and Perkins, with assistance from touring guitarist Josh Klinghoffer.

"Imminent Redemption" was tracked at Sweetzwerland Studios in Hollywood, California.

Prior to "Imminent Redemption"'s arrival, Avery's last time in the studio with JANE'S ADDICTION was for the classic 1990 album "Ritual De Lo Habitual".

"Imminent Redemption" was first performed live when JANE'S ADDICTION's classic lineup played its first show in 14 years on May 23, 2024 at London, United Kingdom's Bush Hall.

Navarro sat out JANE'S ADDICTION's 2022 and 2023 shows due to his battle with long COVID. He was replaced at that year's gigs by Klinghoffer, a former member of RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS who also records with Eddie Vedder and performs with PEARL JAM. 2022 saw QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE's Troy Van Leeuwen step in for Navarro.

The fall 2022 "Spirit On Fire" tour marked the first JANE'S ADDICTION run of shows in more than a decade to feature returning Avery. Prior to that, Avery last played with the band for a short stint in the 2000s before departing again in 2010.

LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton is celebrating seven years of sobriety.

Earlier today (Saturday, December 27),the 53-year-old musician took to his social media to write: "This morning I woke up 7 years clean & sober. I genuinely owe my life to the addicts & alcoholics in recovery who taught me how to free from addiction…one day at a time.

"I've been asked….Why still focus on it? Why count time? Why not just be sober and move on? Fair questions… Here's why… Right now there are countless people out there who have lost all hope that they can live a life without drugs or alcohol. I know this to be true because I was one of them. So when I talk about getting sober, it's never to solicit 'congratulations' or to suggest that anyone else should. It's so that one person might hear that recovery IS possible for all who seek it. Someone out there right now needs to hear that message & I hope they do. I was that person. If [I] can do it, you can too…I promise it's worth it."

In his memoir "Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir", Morton credits Slash for making "sobriety look cool" and helping him along his recovery journey. Speaking to the GUNS N' ROSES-centric podcast "Appetite For Distortion" about how the GN'R guitarist was instrumental in getting Morton to stay sober, Mark said: "I didn't actually check with Slash before I wrote that part of the book, so I hope he doesn't mind me sharing that story. Maybe I should have reached out, but I don't think it's anything…

"Slash has been pretty open about his experience with some of these things," Morton continued. "And so when I was trying to get sober and well before I was able to accomplish any kind of sustained sobriety or recovery, Slash was very helpful. He was very compassionate, very kind and made himself available to me with some insight and perspective that he shared.

"Let me add to that, that I think Slash and some other people who have been open about their experience with addiction… I'm the kind of person that has to think something's cool to wanna pursue it, because, see, I have a low self-esteem, so I want you to think I'm cool," Mark explained. "'Cause I'm not sure that I am. So when something's cool, I'm gonna chase it 'cause I wanna be that. And people like Slash, who's cool and people that put themselves out there and shared their story and shared their experience made it look cool, made sobriety look cool to me. And I'm grateful for that. 'Cause that's part of what it took. I'm just being genuine.

"It's not an intellectual decision," Morton added. "Addiction's not an intellectual issue. Some of the smartest people I know are addicts and alcoholics. People that aren't addicts and alcoholics tend to overlook that. It's not a matter of reason or, in my experience, rational thinking or intellect. It's something deeper than that. And so, for me, having an example of people that I admired that I said, 'Hey, there's something on the other side of this that can still be cool.' Because, see, I thought being a drug addict and an alcoholic was what rock and roll was [and was] part of what it was supposed to be. And it turns out it's not."

"Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir" was released in June 2024 via Hachette Books. Co-written with Ben Opipari, the book explores both Mark's life in music and his tumultuous path through addiction and into recovery.

Morton addressed his sobriety in the lyrics to the song "All I Had To Lose", which appeared on his "Ether" solo EP, released in 2020.

"When I was in that kind of mindset of drinking and drugs and all that, I tended to have this sort of negative filter," Morton told ABC Audio about the track, which he described as among the "most personal" songs he's ever written. "I could make anything 'woe is me,' or 'it should be this way,' just entitled, very addict sort of viewpoint on things."

He continued: "You get a little bit of clarity and you get a little bit of gratitude, and you start seeing, like, 'Wow, I still have so much going on. It's amazing that I didn't mess this up.'"

"Desolation" was described by the publisher as "the story of Morton's lifelong quest for clarity and self-acceptance, and shows how the pressures of career success and personal battles eventually came into conflict with Morton's dedication to the creative process."

Morton co-founded LAMB OF GOD, which was initially called BURN THE PRIEST, in 1994.

In 2019, Morton released his debut solo album, "Anesthetic".

LAMB OF GOD's latest LP, "Omens", came out in 2022.

Morton and the rest of LAMB OF GOD released two new singles this fall, "Sepsis", which arrived in October, and "Parasocial Christ", which came out in November.

Last month, LAMB OF GOD announced a 2026 North American tour, produced by Live Nation, featuring support from KUBLAI KHAN TX, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY and SANGUISUGABOGG. Kicking off in Maryland on March 17, the trek will run across North America, hitting cities like Toronto, Portland, Albuquerque, Nashville, and Buffalo. The tour will conclude in Boston on April 26.

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During an appearance on the latest episode of The SDR Show, Don Dokken joined hosts Ralph Sutton and Aaron Berg to discuss DOKKEN performing at the first Rocklahoma festival, growing up in an orphanage until he was six years old, starting out as a drummer and guitarist and coming from a musical family, working as a sous-chef for his uncle before getting into music, getting sent to juvenile hall for stealing quarters, then being sent to live with his dad in Los Angeles, how DOKKEN came together, writing "Dream Warriors", Don having a paralyzed arm and an ankle broken in four places, the possibility of one more EP with George Lynch and other members of the classic DOKKEN lineup before retiring, Don's first concert, first drug and first sexual experience and more. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked if he thinks there is still a chance of the classic lineup of DOKKEN reuniting for a new album, the 72-year-old musician responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, the last 20 or so shows we've [the current lineup of DOKKEN] done in the last few months, George was coming on as special guest. And he would play two songs with us, or three. And we're old — we're too old to bicker and fight, even though a couple years ago he went at it again with the lawsuits. But that's in the past. So, we're both gray haired now. And then the last show he just did, he brought his whole band, the LYNCH MOB, and they opened for us. And he still came on stage at the end of the night and did two songs, or three maybe. He did three songs… So we talked about it. And I said, 'But the problem is I can't play guitar anymore.' And I said to George very openly, I said, 'And you don't write like I write.' He's got his own trip. If you listen to the last four LYNCH MOB albums, they have nothing to do with DOKKEN. And you listen to [former DOKKEN bassist] Jeff Pilson solo albums, they have nothing to do with DOKKEN. It comes out of your mind, your spirit, God. I can't stand when people go, 'How do you write a song? You get a piece of paper and you sit down and you start playing your guitar and that sounds cool. And start writing lyrics.' I've never written like that. I wait — I wait for the moment. And the bitch is sometimes it doesn't happen for, like, three weeks. I'll write four songs. I'll come back to 'em in my studio and go, 'It's crap.' Or 'I just repeated myself.'"

Don continued: "So I talked to George — to answer your question — and a lot of labels keep approaching us. And we did an experiment — what's it been, like seven years now? — we did an experiment, and we said, 'We'll write one song together'. And that was 'It's Another Day'. And we wrote, recorded it, made a cool video. Original members. We went to Japan. I said, 'I'm not doing America. We'll go to Japan, and we'll see if we don't kill each other.' And that's exactly what I said. We did the Japanese tour. It was a disaster, mostly because of me. I just wasn't on my game. We did that song, 'It's Another Day', put the video out, and we just came back and I said, 'I don't think this is gonna work.' So that was the end of that. So now I've talked to George when we played, and I said, 'I might be up for an EP only.' But I said flat out, 'It has to sound like DOKKEN. I'm not trying to insult you, George, but I've listened to all your records. It has to be DOKKEN.' That's what the fans want. They don't want to hear tripped out stuff… George puts out what he puts out, but it has nothing to do with the way I write.

Pressed to confirm that the DOKKEN EP idea is "still on the table", Don clarified: "We haven't got down to the nitty gritty. George is now my neighbor, which is weird. I live in New Mexico. He lives in New Mexico. He actually dropped me off from the airport two weeks ago."

Back in November 2024, Pilson told The Logan Show about the possibility of the classic lineup of DOKKEN reuniting for a new album or possibly even some live shows.: "There's always pressure on us to reform and reunite and do a record, and I would love to do a record — I would love to do a last DOKKEN record that was really good. And judging by what we did in 2016 together, our chemistry is kind of intact. It's not gonna go anywhere. So if we did a record, it'd be great, but I don't anticipate it, partly because of my schedule and partly I think Don is — I think he has his own version of the band right now and I think he's pretty happy with that. I don't think he wants to deal with a situation where other guys are kind of equals with him. And I'm not saying that as a slight; I'm just saying I think that's the fact. I think he just doesn't wanna deal with that. I kind of don't blame him. And remember, it's all his right now. If George [Lynch, former DOKKEN guitarist] and I get involved, it's not all his. So I don't see him wanting to do that. I mean, I know there's a part of him that would love to do a last DOKKEN record together that would be great. I think there's a part of him that knows that the best DOKKEN record would be if he and George and I wrote it; if we did a final DOKKEN record together, that would be the best result. Maybe someday. I don't know."

Pilson added: "Don has said some really nasty things about [me and George] in the press lately, so that gives me the impression that he's not in the mood to reunite at the moment. So let him stew. And he's got his own [DOKKEN] record out [2023's 'Heaven Comes Down']."

Jeff clarified that he is "never opposed" to the idea of a classic DOKKEN reunion. "You can always call me and talk about it," he said. "But the scheduling would be really tricky. And again, I don't know if Don's heart would be into it, and it would have to be George's is. George and I talk about it. He's, like, 'God, one more record. Just one more record. If we could just do one more record.' And I agree with him. We'll see. But don't hold your breath. [Laughs]"

According to Pilson, the public interest in a DOKKEN reunion has carried on far longer than he "ever would have thought. I mean, when we talked about reuniting 30 years ago, we were wondering, like, 'Well, is this kind of the end of people's interest in us?' And here we are 30 years later," Jeff explained. "So who knows? Who knows?"

For much of the past few years, Lynch has been rejoining DOKKEN on stage at various shows to perform three of the band's classic songs: "Kiss Of Death", "When Heaven Comes Down" and "Tooth And Nail". Asked in a March 2023 interview with TotalRock's Neil Jones what the experience has been like for him, George said: "For one thing, I can do it with one arm tied behind my back in my sleep. It's songs I wrote — what? — 40, 45 years ago, whatever, and I played them thousands of times. So it's easy, in a sense, but it also feels like going back home. So that's nice. And the best thing about it is Don and I get along great. The band's great. Everybody's happy. Our band is opening up, so I'm playing twice that night. We do a lot of that. These are packed houses, and everybody loves it. The whole audience is with us, and this is kind of what they're waiting for, and it's just a beautiful moment. Not a self-congratulatory moment, but just kind of an acknowledgement of the history and the power of the songs and good songwriting. It's songs that people — it marks time for them, and it's meaningful for them. And so it is a beautiful moment for all of us that we all get to share."

As for the possibility of a "full-blown reunion" of DOKKEN's classic lineup, George said: "I pretty much doubt it. Mick [Brown, former DOKKEN drummer] has quit playing drums, sold his kit. He's not a drummer anymore. His brother Steve, who's very similar to him, does play with [me and Jeff Pilson] in THE END MACHINE. Mick played on the first THE END MACHINE record. We [use] Steve Brown now. So Steve Brown would be a natural fit for a DOKKEN reunion. But Jeff's been in FOREIGNER for [20] years. I've got nine different bands. We're all older guys. And, really, to put a DOKKEN reunion together would be very, very difficult — politically, personally. And then we have to ask ourselves the honest question: would it just be a money grab or would it be a great record; would it be a great book end? We've got 'Breaking The Chains' and 'Tooth And Nail' and 'Under Lock And Key' and 'Back For The Attack'. Is it gonna hold up to that, or are we just too far past that? And the answer is I think that ship has sort of already left the harbor."

In October 2016, the classic lineup of DOKKEN — Don, George, Jeff and Mick — reunited to play the Loud Park festival in Japan. Fortunately for fans outside of Japan, cameras were there to capture the performance and Frontiers Music Srl issued "Return To The East Live 2016" in April 2018. In addition to the Japanese performance, the set featured footage from the classic lineup's only U.S. show in September 2016 at Badlands in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The package also included the aforementioned new song called "It's Another Day", the first DOKKEN track featuring the group's classic lineup since 1997's "Shadowlife", and two acoustic re-workings of classic tracks.

Since completing the Japanese reunion dates, DOKKEN has continued to perform with the group's current lineup — including bassist Chris McCarvill, guitarist Jon Levin and drummer BJ Zampa (HOUSE OF LORDS).

DOKKEN's 13th studio album, "Heaven Comes Down", was released in October 2023 via Silver Lining Music. The follow-up to 2012's "Broken Bones" was produced by Bill Palmer and Don Dokken and was mixed by Kevin Shirley (AEROSMITH, IRON MAIDEN).

In a new interview with Australia's Metal Mal, Mille Petrozza of German/Finnish/French thrash metal veterans KREATOR spoke about the band's upcoming sixteenth studio album, "Krushers Of The World", which will arrive on January 16, 2026 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP was recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren. Bogren previously helmed KREATOR's "Phantom Antichrist" (2012) and "Gods Of Violence" (2017) LPs. The "Krushers Of The World" cover artwork was created by Polish genius Zbigniew Bielak (GHOST).

Regarding the "Krushers Of The World" songwriting and recording process, Mille said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I constantly write music, so that's what I do. I always collect ideas — I collect riffs, I collect melodies, lyrics. And so I started writing the album in probably 2022 and was just collecting stuff constantly. And then when it came time to go into a studio to do the demos, that was the next part of the journey. I had a collaborator, Andy [Posdziech] from ANY GIVEN DAY; we would record demos. And I booked the studio for May '25, this year. And before, I collected 12 songs. So I told the band that we will go into the studio in May, and I think I sent them the songs maybe five weeks or so before we went into the studio, to keep it fresh. So then we entered the studio in May and we stayed there for two months. And ideas were flowing, creativity was flowing, everybody was participating."

He added: "Now that I got the album, the vinyl — I just received the vinyl from the label — I can't believe that I did another album. I was, like, this is the sixteenth KREATOR studio album, and I'm, like, wow. [It's a] good thing I still have it, and I still got the channels are open and there's still creative juices flowing from me and there's still the energy and there's still the vision turned into reality again. Because every time I start the journey, it seems like, 'Okay, is it still relevant? Is it still current? Do I still have it?' And, yeah, I'm happy that the album came out the way it came out."

Petrozza went on to talk about the importance of KREATOR recording an album as a band as opposed to having each musician lay down his parts at home away from the rest of the group.

"The whole band were in the studio together," Mille confirmed. "We were insisting on going into the studio together, because even though it's kind of old school to go into the studio as a four-piece with all the musicians at the same time, we are an old-school band. We came from the '80s. We use modern-day technology. I mean, it's essential for now to get the best results, but the fact that we're in the studio together, jamming on the songs, talking about the songs, questioning whether or not the part is strong enough, it's a part of the journey that makes an album, in my opinion, makes an album good. I mean, it would probably be possible [for us] to just send files around and, 'Okay, you do your part, you record your part there, you can record your part at home,' but it would lack something — it would lack the human feel, [the] eye contact [and the] emotional connection. Everybody in the band needs to be able to connect to the music, to the lyrics, and it's open for discussion. So, it is a process that's just as important as me sitting at home, coming up with the ideas and writing the lyrics, writing the songs. KREATOR is a band, and I think it's big part of the sound to be able to go into a studio together."

Petrozza previously talked about the "Krushers Of The World" songwriting process earlier this month in an interview with Australia's Inner-Strength Check. He said at the time: "If there's one thing that I don't want, it's to turn into an nostalgia act and just repeat what we've already done in the past. So every time I do an album, it's always, like, I treat it like my first album. I know it sounds absurd because it's my sixteenth album, but that's how I try to approach going into a new songwriting session. And I don't know if it always works, but we try not to repeat ourselves and we try not to do something that we've already done. It's hard because we're playing metal. We are not doing progressive metal. We're playing pretty straightforward metal. So there's a little bit of a limitation. To me, it's all about the songs. To me, it's all about the songwriting. I'm a big fan of songwriters from any genre. I love the art of songwriting, and I'm a nerd when it comes to that."

Mille continued: "To me, I see the whole process of creating new music as a challenge to come up with stuff that I'm getting excited about. And hopefully if that works and I'm excited, I just put it out and hope that other people get excited about it. And that's how we work. That's basically it."

After the interviewer noted that it's "interesting" to see KREATOR working within the confines of being an extreme metal band as opposed to "maybe loosening the reins" and pursuing a more progressive direction, Petrozza said: "Yeah, it's an option. Technically, we could do it, but it's not something that we wanna do. I mean, on [2022's] 'Hate Über Alles' [album], there was a seven-minute song, which was kind of epic, but on this album it just didn't happen. I mean, the songs are four or five minutes long. So whatever comes out. You need to come up with like a selection of songs that makes sense and comes from the heart and kind of reflects and represents what we've been through since the last album and whatever you experience, and it needs to come… As a musician and as a creative person, you can only open the channels. You pick up your guitar and then you try to see what comes out. And whatever comes out is what you hear on the record, really. I mean, it's as simple as that. And it's something that I work on a lot. I'm not the kind of artist that just thinks that anything that I put out is amazing. I mean, we had, like, 12 songs for this record, and only 10 made it on the record. And then I have a couple of ideas, unfinished songs and all that. So I'm constantly writing music. Anything that I think excites me will end up on an album."

Mille discussed his overall mindset as it relates to the songwriting process in November during an interview with "Coffee With Ola". He said at the time: "The thing is, it's like a puzzle. You start coming up with all these riffs that you think maybe it's a little bit above what I am able to play, but if I rehearse and if I get into practice, and if I get into the mindset, I might be able to do this at one point. Which is not when we go into the studio. But it might be when we play the first five shows of a tour. And then everything starts to flow."

Mille continued: "The lyrics, most of the time they're first. And there needs to be an idea. And when I have a lyrical idea… then I come up with the riffs. And the riffs, I don't wanna limit myself. I want them to be a little spectacular or something that not everybody can just play right away. But also harmonically, they need to be nice for my voice, for my mid-rangey kind of voice, in order to work in live situation… But in the end of the day, in my experience, it was always good to play a little bit above your abilities. But at some point, you, it makes you a better musician because you challenge yourself. It doesn't necessarily have to mean that, that there's the. The riffs have to be complicated at any cost. If they're cool and they're very easy to play, they make great songs also. So, I think you always have to find whatever's best for the song. And I think finding the riffs is only 10% or 15% of the whole composition. But it's very important, especially in metal."

After host Ola Englund noted that, for him personally, riffs constitute "90%" of the songwriting process, Petrozza clarified: "There's definitely exceptions to the rule. I don't know how METALLICA write their songs. But I think they also have the riffs first. So every band is different. So there's no formula — there's no certain formula that works for every band. And I think for my band or for my style of songwriting, it always worked quite well to have a lyrical theme or sometimes even just some chorus. I need to have something that people can sing along. I like it when people sing along. And I like it when you can remember the songs. I like catchy stuff. I'm not a 'prog' head. I love RUSH — don't get me wrong — and I love TOOL, early stuff, but I also like songwriting. And I think, for example, a band like TOOL and RUSH, they have this in between — they have great songs, but they have weird rhythms. And so it makes me, as a listener, it makes it enjoyable. But if it's just too [complicated] for the sake of it, it's not my taste."

On the topic of how the songs for "Krushers Of The World" came together, Mille said: "The way I write is I just record demos. I have a friend [Andy Posdziech] that has a great studio. He plays in a band called ANY GIVEN DAY. They're a really good band. And this time when I recorded the demos, the demos almost sounded like the album, because it was so detailed. The drums sounded great. And the way we recorded the riffs, the sonic quality of the demos was really good. So I enjoyed listening to the demos. I listened to the demos for a couple of months, really, before I even played it to anyone. That made me kind of figure out whether or not I enjoyed these songs. And I lived with it for half a year or so and then went to Jens's studio. I went there with the demos, and he would do a pre-production of the pre-production, like coming up with his ideas."

Mille added: "Everybody is different, but I think it can really help if you make a proper recording of a song that you have in mind with electronic drums and all digital stuff, but make it kind of how it's gonna sound in the end of the day and then figure out while you are — whatever — doing the dishes or just cleaning your apartment or whatever, and you listen to it in the background and if you enjoy it, it could be a good song. Like I said, it's just my way of doing things, but it helps me."

Mille previously spoke about the making of "Krushers Of The World" earlier in November in an interview with Sweden's "Rockpodden" podcast. He stated about the LP at the time: " I'm happy. I'm happy with the way it came out. It took me a while to write it, but I think we have a nice variety of interesting music and nice poetry and lyrics. Hopefully people appreciate it."

When the interviewer noted that "Krushers Of The World" sounds sonically "amazing", Mille responded: "Oh, thank you. Yeah, that's the band being very, very prepared. And the chemistry in the band, within the band is very positive. And also we worked with one of the best producers in the world, Jens. He really put his heart and soul into this production this time, and once we got into the studio, he got so involved in everything."

Mille confirmed that all of "Krushers Of The World" was recorded in Sweden. He said: "I think on 'Gods Of Violence', we went also to Örebro to record guitars, vocals and mix. And this time we did everything in [Jens's] studio because he has a nice setup now. He has a drum room, so it wasn't necessary to move studios for the drums. So, we were there for six weeks or seven weeks, and then he would go on a little vacation, and then he came back and took another three or four weeks to mix the album. [He did] really, really nice work this time."

Mille continued: "The way it's set up [at Fascination Street], you have everything under one roof. You have the mastering, the mixing, the recording, and then you have all these people working there all day. They're all metalheads. So it's almost like Disneyland for metalheads. We stayed there the whole time. We all had our rooms there. So it's very convenient, because you get up in the morning. Jens is already there. We start very early. And overall, it was a very, very focused experience, but also a very fun experience. We had a lot of laughs and really enjoyed the process of doing the album, and I think that really shows on the record. It sounds fresh."

Regarding how he and the rest of KREATOR manage to always come up with material that doesn't sound like a rehash of what they have done in the past, Mille said: "What a lot of bands tend to forget is once it turns into a routine and you just record albums in order to go back on tour or to stay relevant or other reasons, it's not natural. You have to question yourself all the time. You have to be very self-critical with your own art. You have to live with the music for a while."

Mille continued: "This time I went into pre-production on a very early stage. I did pre-production for over a year, and I wrote the songs for another year. I mean, I started writing in '22 and up to '25. And it was a process where I had time to have — me and my friend Andy from the band ANY GIVEN DAY, we would do demos that have a great quality already that people, if they would've listened to the demos, they would've already had heard a very good production. So the demos were very nice to listen to and gave me the opportunity to live with the songs for a while and rewrite stuff that I thought was weak or add stuff when I thought there was something missing. And that process really gave the album time to grow. And when I played it to the band, for me it was already old, but I was confident that these songs are great. And then the band came with their ideas and then Jens came with his ideas. So it's a very, very nice pot-pourri of creativity and passion for the music. And everybody involved gave their 150 percent."

Asked how open he is to new ideas, particularly from an outsider like Jens, Mille said: "It depends. Sometimes [Jens] makes suggestions and they're great. Sometimes we don't like his suggestions. Everything we question is for the better. Nobody that's involved wants the songs to suffer or push their ego. Like, 'This is my idea, so it needs to be on the song.' That sometimes can be a problem with producers or musicians that are thinking, 'Oh, no. I need to put this song part in there. Otherwise the song is not good.' And we were very open. And we discussed a lot. We talked a lot. And this is the third album that we did with Jens, so we kind of know each other well enough to know how we can actually take criticism or joke around if an idea's not good. So we don't get butthurt about things where we will go, like, 'Yeah, but I want my idea there.'"

Asked if he is "a hundred percent sure" that there will be another KREATOR album after "Krushers Of The World", Mille said: "Yeah. I think yes. But it's a nice trick. We could also do like this whole, 'Okay, it might be our last album.' THE CURE's done it for many years, and now I think MEGADETH is putting out their last album. It's a nice — how do I put this? — if they really feel that way, then it's cool.

"I think that I have at least five more albums in me," Mille explained. "I mean, the end is coming eventually. The physical body will disappear. Seriously, I don't really think in these categories. I think once you get on this journey, it ends when it ends. But I wouldn't be surprised if there's even more than five albums in me still, if I live long enough. Now that I'm getting to a certain age, of course, it's not like when you're 20 years old, you're, like, 'I have, a hundred percent, five more albums in me.' But I do — I think I do. But let's see — let's see what the future brings. You never know. But I'm open for whatever happens. But we'll see."

Petrozza added: "Those cryptic thoughts never come to me. I always think that, and also I think on 'Krushers Of The World', you can hear that I think music can be empowering and should be joyful. And this album, even though it has dark stuff on it, and it has like very heavy stuff on it, but it's a very positive energy that we're spreading."

KREATOR has released three singles so far from "Krushers Of The World": "Seven Serpents", "Tränenpalast" and "Satanic Anarchy".

"Tränenpalast" features vocal coach Britta Görtz of extreme metal band HIRAES on guest vocals.

When "Tränenpalast" was made available in late October, Mille commented: "'Tränenpalast' is our tribute to the great tradition of Italian cinema. We drew inspiration from Dario Argento's classic 'Suspiria' and Luca Guadagnino's epic masterpiece remake. Musically, we bow to the great GOBLIN, in direct conversation with maestro Claudio Simonetti. We hope you enjoy the song as much as we do. Only love to the greats! Hail to the Hordes!"

KREATOR will promote "Krushers Of The World" with a monumental European tour across 20 countries, joining forces with fellow metal powerhouses CARCASS, EXODUS and NAILS. The trek will kick off on March 20, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal, at MEO Arena and wrap up on April 25, 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark, at Poolen. Highlights include shows in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Paris, Milan, Berlin, Stockholm, and more.

The "Krushers Of The World" cover sees Zbigniew Bielak, renowned for his work for GHOST, art and design, offer an interesting twist to KREATOR's history. Transforming classic visual trademarks dedicated fans will recognize from "Coma Of Souls" (1990),"Out Of The Dark... Into The Light" (1988) and "Pleasure To Kill" (the font!) into a highly detailed tapestry garnered with occult symbolism, Bielak crafted an outstanding piece paying homage to a band he loves since his teenager days yet with a daring and unique flair. The cover of "Krushers Of The World" rewards everyone willing to analyze the grandiose sleeve design.

KREATOR's upcoming effort will be the follow-up to 2022's "Hate Über Alles", which was recorded at Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin, Germany. Helming the sessions for that LP was Arthur Rizk, who has previously worked with CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, CODE ORANGE, POWER TRIP and SOULFLY, among others.

"Hate Über Alles" marked KREATOR's first album with bassist Frédéric Leclercq, who joined the group in 2019.

The official KREATOR documentary, "Hate & Hope", was shown in July at the 42nd Munich International Film Festival and received a theatrical premiere in September. The 110-minute film was directed by Cordula Kablitz-Post.

Mille's official German-language autobiography, which he wrote with journalist, author and presenter Torsten Groß, "Your Heaven, My Hell - Mein Leben, Heavy Metal Und Wie Das Alles Passieren Konnte", was published on August 28 via Ullstein Verlag.

Legendary rocker Alice Cooper, along with two members of his touring band, guitarists Tommy Henriksen and Nita Strauss, took part in this past fall's "Night Of The Proms" tour in Germany.

"Night Of The Proms" features rock and pop artists performing with orchestral accompaniment. Other artists featured on the 2025 tour included Joss Stone and ULTRAVOX's Midge Ure.

Fan-filmed video of the December 19 and December 20 "Night Of The Proms" concerts at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany can be seen below.

Since its founding in Belgium in 1985, "Night Of The Proms" has captivated hundreds of thousands of fans across Europe each year, according to a press release shared by Sick Things UK. Its unique formula: international pop stars perform their biggest hits, not with a traditional rock band, but in lavish arrangements with a full symphonic orchestra and classical choir. Combined with timeless classical works — from Beethoven and Mozart to modern composers — the result is a dramatic, emotional journey that gives audiences goosebumps.

Cooper pioneered a grandly theatrical brand of hard rock that was designed to shock. Drawing equally from horror movies, vaudeville, and garage rock, the group created a stage show that featured electric chairs, guillotines, fake blood and boa constrictors. Known as the architect of shock-rock, Cooper (in both the original ALICE COOPER band and as a solo artist) has rattled the cages and undermined the authority of generations of guardians of the status quo, continuing to surprise fans and exude danger at every turn, like a great horror movie, even in an era where CNN can present real life shocking images. Few performers in the history of rock and roll have blended music, theater, and pure shock the way Alice Cooper has. For more than five decades, the godfather of shock rock has terrified, thrilled, and captivated audiences around the globe with a stage show unlike anything else in music. From the guillotines and snakes to unforgettable anthems like "School's Out" and "Poison", Alice Cooper turned concerts into experiences that blurred the line between rock and horror.

Cooper completed a U.S. co-headlining tour with JUDAS PRIEST in October.

Next March, Cooper and extreme illusionist Criss Angel will unite in "Welcome To Our Nightmare", an exclusive, limited-engagement partnership at the Criss Angel Theater at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

In a recent interview with Argentina's TCDG Guitar Lessons, former MEGADETH guitarist Marty Friedman once again reflected on his audition for Ozzy Osbourne's band back in the late 1980s. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "They actually called me when I lived in San Francisco. I was in CACOPHONY at the time and completely broke, almost homeless. But [Ozzy's wife and manager] Sharon Osbourne called me up and said if I want to go to L.A., they'd fly me out to L.A. to audition. I'm, like, 'Wow, that's cool.' So, I did the audition and played. I thought I did a good job. But I didn't really match the vibe of the band very much. They were full-on L.A.-metal type of guys with handcuffs in their belts and Jack Daniel's t-shirts, and they were all decked out for rehearsal. And I understood doing that for a show, but at rehearsal they wore cowboy hats and all kinds of necklaces and jewelry. And they were full-on Sunset Strip rock mode. And I came in a t-shirt and jeans. I looked like a regular guy waiting for a bus or something."

Marty continued: "I played and I thought it went well. And it did sound fine to me, and it was no problems. I learned, like, four songs, and we did 'em bam, bam, bam, and it was fine. But we were in this rehearsal hall. There was all kinds of envelopes with cassettes and resumes, and so they were probably trying hundreds of guys. And so I never heard back from them. And then finally Zakk Wylde got the job. And he was just perfect. He was so much better than I would've been for that gig. He was just right, and he plays really well. So I understood it, but at the time I thought, 'Well, I did a good job, but I don't think those guys are gonna [pick me].' They probably went out drinking and partying right after rehearsal, and I was a real good-boy type of guy. Really boring."

Marty previously reflected on his Ozzy audition during Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp's "Metalmania III" event in November 2023 in Los Angeles. Friedman stated at the time: "I failed miserably. I think it was probably because of the way I looked.

"I actually got a call from Sharon Osbourne way, way back, and I was living in San Francisco, and they said, 'We'd like to fly you down to audition for Ozzy,'" he continued. "And I'm, like, 'Oh my god. This is great.' I was practically homeless at the time, living with my then-girlfriend and dealing with the rent and all that stuff, as California rock musicians do. And I was so happy to get the call. So I learned the music, went down to L.A. — they flew me down to L. A. to play with the band. And it was, I guess, the guys who were in the band at the time. And I thought I played everything absolutely just fine, and I thought it sounded great. Everybody was friendly enough. But our images were very different. Those guys in the band were, like — it was just like a rehearsal, and they were totally decked out in 1980s Sunset Strip — what do you call it? — skull t-shirts with handcuffs and long necklaces. And they were just ready to go out on the Strip, and I was just in jeans and a t-shirt, totally normal. I just thought that… It was just a different air. It wasn't like these three guys are gonna get together and jell, even though it sounded fine, I thought. I mean, I thought I played everything correctly."

Marty added: "Being in a band is so much more than the playing. And, actually, the playing is kind of down on the list. If you have the same kind of vibe with the people, you can just kind of smell it: 'This is the guy I wanna hang out with.' And it was different on that level… They smelled like L.A. and I smelled like San Francisco, which was a different smell. Neither of us smelled very good. But they were cool. Everybody played everything great. They were auditioning thousands of guys. So I didn't get it.

"A band is just… it's like more of the personalities between the people. Because there's so many great players who can play every gig, you know what I mean? It's really about who do you wanna hang out with? I would have loved to have got the gig, but they were probably just getting ready to go back out drinking, and I'm not a very big drinker, so it wouldn't have jelled so well. But at the time I was, like, 'Oh, I played it perfectly. Why didn't they call me back?' But I get it [now]."

Friedman defined modern guitar playing with Jason Becker in CACOPHONY, was a key element in the wildly successful rise of thrash pioneers MEGADETH, and with his "Marty-esque" improvisations and exotic fusion of Eastern and Western music, has achieved global success with his 15 solo albums.

Friedman left MEGADETH in 2000 due to creative differences and pursued a solo career, having released his most recent album, "Drama", in 2024.

Friedman first visited Japan in the late 1980s with CACOPHONY, and came to Japan regularly with MEGADETH, all the while studying the Japanese language. After he quit the Dave Mustaine-fronted outfit, he moved to Tokyo.

At this year's edition of the Rockharz festival, vocalist Biff Byford of British heavy metal legends SAXON spoke to Katrin Riedl of Germany's Metal Hammer magazine about the inspiration for the band's classic song "Denim And Leather", which was the title track of SAXON's fourth studio album. Biff said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I still think it is an anthem for metal fans around the world. It's a big song. Well, really, I'm writing the lyrics about the audience there, and I think it was one of the first songs, really, that we actually got the fans to come down and sing on the record — by mail, letters and telephone. So, it was a bit of a big deal for us at the time. Some people didn't really like it, but we thought, 'Fuck it. Let's do it. It's a song about the fans, so let's include the fans.' And it's a good groove. "

Biff continued: "At the time, we were big fans of MONTROSE, of the first MONTROSE album. There was a song on there called 'Rock Candy', and we loved the drum beat. So we sort of used that sort of groove for the basis of 'Denim And Leather'. So, yeah, it was great, great, great. People liked it. It's probably the biggest album of the three — 'Wheels Of Steel', 'Strong Arm Of The Law' and 'Denim And Leather'. 'Cause it had two [other] big songs on there, 'Never Surrender' and 'And The Bands Played On'."

Speaking about SAXON's association with the biker scene, particularly as the "Denim And Leather" back cover featured a photo of the bandmembers on motorcycles, Biff said: "Well, we were a biker band — from me, really, 'cause I was a big biker. [I] still am, really. I like motorbikes. I haven't really got one at the moment. But, yeah, I've had hundreds of bikes. So I was just singing from my upbringing, really, which was all about motorcycles, making cars go faster. My brother was a big petrolhead. So from those days, I was just writing about my life and life of my friends. And I just think that the whole concept of the band at that time was to write about things that we liked. So I think the inspiration behind 'Denim And Leather', because by 1981, we were pretty big in the U.K. and Europe, probably one of the biggest bands of the newer bands. And [I wanted] to sing a song about the audience. And because everybody at that time started wearing denim jackets [with] cutoff sleeves and leather jackets, it was a bit of a uniform. I mean, I think it went away a bit in the '90s, but recently, in the last 10 years, it's come back again, and a lot of younger fans are wearing battle jackets. So it's a great thing — it's a great thing to be connected to that movement, really. You can be into hardcore metal or death metal or classic metal — it doesn't matter, as long as you're wearing the jacket with your favorite bands' patches on there. That's the main thing."

Asked how important of a song "Denim And Leather" was for SAXON, Biff said: "Well, I think it was fairly important to us. We'd had three albums out very quickly — one in '79, late '79, two in 1980 and then one in '81, 'Denim And Leather'. So it was pretty important for our rise, I think."

On the topic of SAXON's stage clothes, particularly the fact that the bandmembers later wore spandex and sneakers, Biff said: "To tell you the truth, they weren't really that important. We just wore jeans and leather jackets back in the day. I think the spandex thing started years before that. So we just emulated bands that we wearing them at the time, really, from the '70s. But mostly it was leather jackets, really — black T-shirts and leather jackets; that was our uniform. And the bullet belts. Me and Lemmy [MOTÖRHEAD] were quite well known for wearing bullet belts at the time. But, yeah, it was a good look. It was biker, but it wasn't too extreme of a look. Lemmy was the same. I don't think Lemmy really was a biker, but he was associated with that sort of look. I mean, he did own a motorcycle, but I don't think he rode many of them. So, yeah, 'Denim And Leather', on the back [there] was a picture of us on motorcycles, so it's a bit of a giveaway, really."

After the interviewer noted that the denim-and-leather look has come to symbolize the heavy metal genre to the mainstream, Biff concurred. "Yeah, I did have some denim stuff made for that tour, but just jackets with the stuff on the back," he said. "And I think over the years that look has become iconic with metal and hard rock. So, yeah, I think we started a great trend. It was already there, but we've sort of put it on the map, if you like, with that song and that album… I mean, the song's known all over the world, and not everybody knows it's our song. But they all know the song."

SAXON recently entered the studio to begin recording the follow-up to its 24th studio album, "Hell, Fire And Damnation", which came out in January 2024 via Silver Lining Music.

A little over two months ago, Byford shared a video update in which he said he had completed the final round of chemotherapy in his fight against bowel cancer.

Although Biff released a video message in August in which he implied that he underwent an operation to remove "a small tumor" from his "prostate gland", he later clarified that he was actually diagnosed with bowel cancer, which is cancer that is found anywhere in the large bowel, including the colon and rectum. Byford was later treated with chemotherapy for "a short period", resulting in the cancelation of a couple of shows and the postponement of several others.

Earlier in the year, SAXON announced the cancelation of 10 summer shows and festival appearances while Byford was recovering from the cancer surgery.

In August 2024, Biff underwent a "procedure" to treat atrial flutter, a type of heart rhythm abnormality, or arrhythmia, that causes the heart's upper chambers (atria) to beat too quickly.

In September 2019, Biff suffered a heart attack and underwent an emergency triple bypass surgery.

"Hell, Fire And Damnation" was produced by Andy Sneap (JUDAS PRIEST, EXODUS, ACCEPT) and Byford, with Sneap mixing and mastering.

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

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

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

In a recent interview with Brazil's Todo Mundo Em Campo, former HELLOWEEN guitarist Roland Grapow spoke about the upcoming MASTERPLAN album, "Metalmorphosis", which is tentatively due in early 2026 via Frontiers Music Srl. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "It's finished already. It was a long progress and process [making the record]. I think we started to make this album already five years ago, and — I don't know — it took so long. And the idea was for me to make a bit more direct, not so much progressive elements. Not too melodic. I mean, I love melodies. I love melodic stuff, but not so poppy, commercial. So that's why the new album [is] called metal 'Metalmorphosis'. So we went a bit back more to the harder direction of — maybe MASTERPLAN never had it. Who knows? But we still have the elements — we have the midtempo numbers, we have still progressive elements, but somehow I felt like this album is more direct. And that was my inspiration. And I didn't wanna make any compromise. Maybe next album's even more harder. You never know. Depends how the people will like it."

He continued: "It's a natural progress. Because you can't repeat yourself. I'm not that kind of guy — I don't like to repeat myself too much. If I would make the same album every time, I would feel, like, 'Nah.' That's not me. I like to be in a challenge situation. Not going too far left and right, but always a bit — see what you can do. And the lyrics are about more critical as well — not only happy and positive. But they're still positive because it's my, or our, mentality. But it's more critical here and there, to mention something what's going on in this crazy world."

This past October, Grapow told Argentina's El Cuartel Del Metal that he and his MASTERPLAN bandmates already filmed three music videos in support of the "Metalmorphosis" album.

Grapow also talked about the inspiration for the "Metalmorphosis" album title, explaining: "The reason for this name was a bit like my kind of thinking that we have a bit more metalish influences again, back to the roots, you can say. Still proggy elements, still MASTERPLAN elements. I would say not so many pop songs. So that's my taste. I don't know — maybe I'm wrong. But we still have a good combination of nice melodies on every song."

Grapow addressed MASTERPLAN's switch from longtime label AFM Records to Frontiers Music Srl, saying: "Basically, we were lucky with AFM very much in the beginning, because the owner — Andy Allendörfer was his name, [and he] died after the second album of MASTERPLAN — and he was a very, very big MASTERPLAN fan, so we felt the support a lot. And after he died, everything changed drastically. The company went totally in different hands. The location changed — they went to Hamburg from kind of South Germany — and we always heard, like, we were priority, but later I had the feeling we were just one of hundreds [of bands on the label]. And so I lost a bit interest. That's why we didn't release any new material. I was basically more working in the studio for other bands, for 14 years maybe. And that's why I'm now concentrated with Frontiers. [It's] some fresh wind. The guy who takes care about us from Frontiers is a big Roland Grapow fan, MASTERPLAN fan and also HELLOWEEN fan. So that means he knows what he is liking and doing. And so when he heard the new album, he said, 'Wow, that's a very powerful, strong album.' So he was really happy. So this is the kind of relationship I need — I need some attention and feelings from the record label, not being [just] like a business partner."

Earlier in October, Grapow was asked by the Honduras rock radio station Conexión if the goal with the new MASTERPLAN album was to stick with the band's classic sound or experiment a little bit. Roland said: "I think both. I'm always thinking about how we have the typical MASTERPLAN style. I mean, it's my style of playing guitar, arranging the songs. It doesn't matter who writes the songs; I'm always responsible for arranging it and say 'yes, it's good' or not. And in that case, I'm not so easy going, because I have a concept. We started it and I don't want to leave the concept too much left and right, but I like to make experiments and I think it's also the strength of MASTERPLAN. We always did little bit left and right. Also, also when you see 'Time To Be King' [2010], this album was more heavier, more open, more different — not too power metalish, but still great. I love this album. But this time we go back a little bit to a new experiment with meets power metal style of MASTERPLAN. We have some elements ala 'Kind Hearted Light'. We have prog elements; we always had prog elements. Like 'Soulburn', definitely, is kind of a bit proggy song, and we always had it in many, many songs. It's, like, on one song on each album, it was a prog element. Or a lower key, like 'Bleeding Eyes' — very low tuning, which I need a different guitar for it; I can't play it with normal tuning. And I'm always open for this. We have also a couple of songs left, which we don't use this time because I think we went too far, if we would use these two, three songs which are left. One, really, is a very happy song, which is not typical MASTERPLAN; it's more like a HELLOWEEN song, to be honest. Could [have been] written by Weiki [HELLOWEEN guitarist Michael Weikath]. And I said, 'Nah, not now. Next time.' But it's a beautiful song. I like it. And then we have one song, it's a ballad and it's very Irish-sounding. And I also thought, 'This is too much now.' So we have 10 songs now, and, yeah, I'm pretty happy. Every song is a bit different. I don't like to have 10 songs the same, like AC/DC or something — not to make them degrading and something. It's just a style, which I think it's a bit boring."

He added: "Everything I learned in HELLOWEEN, I still keep arranging in my part as a guitar player. MASTERPLAN is just more modern HELLOWEEN style, kind of, with a mix of my old heroes like RAINBOW, DEEP PURPLE, maybe even the bands which are not metal at all, like FOREIGNER, STYX, KANSAS, TOTO. I'm the biggest TOTO fan in the '80s. Steve Lukather was my idol. I have many, many solo elements I'm playing from him. I learned from him. You see, I'm just showing all my idols melted in one — it's like a melting pot. But I think the new album is pretty good."

Asked in a separate interview with Zona Franca who composed the music and lyrics for the upcoming MASTERPLAN album, Roland said: "The music is composed by Axel Mackenrott, the keyboard player, and myself. We have two guest writers, friends of mine. One is from Slovakia, one is from Sweden. So the lyrics, basically — of the 10 songs, I did the lyrics for nine songs, and Rick [Altzi, MASTERPLAN singer] had one [set of] lyrics written. And that's it. Yeah, it's more or less teamwork."

Earlier this year, Grapow told Jarkko Lunnas about the musical direction of the new MASTERPLAN material: "I think it's still sounding like MASTERPLAN. I mean, it's my guitars, my arrangements, my mixing, kind of. You have to develop somehow. You can't repeat yourself. And I think every band, once in a while, or every musician has a peak in his career, and I think it would be not possible, and I don't even know any musician who was mega famous and he went better and better with a higher age. I think it's not possible."

He continued: "I call it a bit more — for my taste — a bit more back to the roots. It's more metal. We have a couple of progressive elements always, but maybe one song I wrote is very progressive but very fast and double bass. But we have also some more rock songs or metal songs in a typical way. So I didn't want it to make it too bluesy or too progressive this time, but we still have every element inside. It's my style. I can't do just like AC/DC, one style. It's not possible for me. Or I could, but I would get so much bored. Then I think, 'Oh, no, I don't like to do that.' You need to make yourself happy in a way, and then hope that the people like it."

In 2017, MASTERPLAN released an album titled "PumpKings", containing reworked versions of HELLOWEEN songs from albums that Grapow played on during his time in the legendary German power metal band. Included are three songs from HELLOWEEN's "Pink Bupples Go Ape" (1991) LP, two from "Chameleon" (1993),three from "Master Of The Rings" (1994),one from "The Time Of The Oath" and two from "The Dark Ride" (2000).

MASTERPLAN's first-ever concert release came out in October 2015. "Keep Your Dream aLive" was made available as DVD/CD and Blu-ray/CD sets, both including the entire show from Masters Of Rock festival, recordings from Wacken Open Air, footage from the band's Asian tour and ProgPower USA, as well as all five official MASTERPLAN video clips. The Masters Of Rock show is featured on the CD.

MASTERPLAN's latest studio album of all original material, "Novum Initium", was released in June 2013 via AFM.

A new MASTERPLAN single, "Rise Again" was made available in early 2024 via AFM Records.

In a new interview with Italy's Wanted Record, HELLOWEEN vocalist Andi Deris once again spoke about how the German metallers have managed to pull off the seemingly impossible by uniting returning singer Michael Kiske and guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen with Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Daniel Löble. Regarding the inspiration for the "Pumpkins United" tour, which marked the first time Kiske had played live with HELLOWEEN since 1993, Deris said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm a huge fan of VAN HALEN, and I remember back in the days there was this reunion with David Lee RothandSammy Hagar, and they played one show in Las Vegas. But it was the one and only show because in the middle of the concert, they kicked their asses. I mean, seriously. Probably Diamond Dave had too much cocaine, and maybe Sammy Hagar was too much on vodka — I don't know — or tequila. But they really kicked their ass on stage in front of everybody. And my dream was destroyed, because I love 'em both; I love Diamond Dave, I love Sammy Hagar. Yeah, that, for me, would've been the greatest 'Pumpkins United'. But they didn't do it. And I remember back in the days when we had the first meetings with Kai and Michael Kiske, we talked about that too. That was a shock for everybody, because nearly all the guys in the band are VAN HALEN fans and everybody would have celebrated having both of the singers on stage. And that gave us, yeah, the focus, so to say, not to fuck it up, if possible, because I realized I was not the only guy completely disappointed. There were millions of people disappointed because VAN HALEN didn't go through with it; they couldn't do it. Idiots. [Laughs] But, yeah, that's life. But that was something to learn from. I mean, you cannot force it. If people don't like themselves, you should not put them on stage together. I think that's the moral of the story."

Asked if he and the other members of HELLOWEEN had a feeling, when they first came up with the idea of an expanded reunion, that it would turn out to be such a success, Andi said: "Honestly, we did not even realize it. After the first three or four concerts, it finally hit, like, that was not an exception. We played in front of, like, uh, four up to seven thousand people somewhere in South America, and we realized, 'Okay, that's great,' but it didn't kick in that this is now the future, that there will forever be at least five, if not fourteen thousand people in the concert hall. This was, like, wow, a big jump up, and it took us quite a while to realize that this is the new normal now. And then you are just grateful. I mean, I remember Michael Kiske and I, when the boys mainly had their own shit going on, with Kai's medley, for example, and we had, like, 14 minutes during Kai's medleys, and Michael and I just were standing side by side and looking into the crowd behind the curtain and looking at everything. Everything got so big, everything was so huge, and we just looked at each other and said, 'Wow. Can you believe it?' And we both were, like, 'Nah. Unbelievable.' So we did not take it for granted. We really were, like, 'wow', in awe. And something happens here which is not to be explained easily. So, yeah, we did something right, I think. And, yeah, I'll be forever grateful for that. And believe me, the next world tour, we're gonna enjoy it again and again."

Earlier this year, Kiske brought up VAN HALEN while talking to Music Life Magazine about HELLOWEEN's enduring success. He said at the time: "The bands of the 1980s defined the modern hard rock and metal style, and most of them are still around. Some of them have stopped now because they get too old, but they never got out of fashion. And I think it's because when you do something that is not just a reflection of the fashion or trying to fall in line with the fashion, when you do something that creates its own kind of voice, it's possible to have a very long career because while fashion goes away and changes, you never have to. I always find it interesting when you look at the VAN HALEN history, for instance. When you look at the records with David Lee Roth, I think they’re even more timeless than the records they did with Sammy Hagar. And that's simply was because Eddie [Van Halen] wanted to prove a point. He was hungry and had something to say on those first records. He wanted to be successful, but he wanted to be successful doing it his way. I think they're [the albums with Hagar] still great sounding records and you're still able to listen to all those records even today, but to me they sound a little more dated, they sound a little more like the time they were in [mid to late 1980s] than the records with David, because the early VAN HALEN didn't care about anything. They just did their own thing. And those songs are timeless. That's one of the reasons why bands like HELLOWEEN can still be out there and still doing new music, and still being passionate about it, because they write songs that are timeless. I don't really see any band being around for a long time unless they have great songs and are able to continue to have great songs. And you need to be able to still play those songs well and put on a good show."

HELLOWEEN recently announced the North American leg of the band's "40 Years Anniversary Tour". Support on the trek, which will take place next spring, will come from Finnish melodic metallers BEAST IN BLACK.

HELLOWEEN kicked off the European leg of the "40 Years Anniversary Tour" on October 17 at Rockhal in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.

HELLOWEEN is touring in support of its latest album, "Giants & Monsters", which came out in August via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). The LP follows HELLOWEEN's self-titled No. 1 2021 record and is said to be the most versatile and dynamic release of the band's career. Mixed at the legendary Wisseloord Studios (IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, DEF LEPPARD) in Hilversum, Netherlands, "Giants & Monsters" reaffirms HELLOWEEN's position at the pinnacle of the metal world.

"Giants & Monsters" pushes the boundaries of HELLOWEEN's sound, thanks to the instincts of producers Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, as well as the band's relentless pursuit of excellence. Per example, Löble recorded all tracks using three different drum kits to capture the perfect vibe for each song, a testament to their attention to detail and love of experimentation.

"Helloween" was the first HELLOWEEN album to feature the band's expanded lineup, consisting of returning singer Michael Kiske and Hansen along with Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Daniel Löble.

HELLOWEEN released a live album, "Live At Budokan", on December 13, 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). The colossal effort immortalized HELLOWEEN's September 16, 2023 performance at Tokyo's legendary Nippon Budokan.

STRYPER frontman Michael Sweet has shared an update on his recent revelation that he has been diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer, the most common type of thyroid cancer. The diagnosis came less than a month after he underwent a biopsy of a nodule in the right lobe of his thyroid.

On Wednesday (December 24),Sweet took to his social media to write: "I wanted to give you all an update. I met with my doctor/team and apparently I'm a prime candidate for 'active surveillance'. What that means is they're going to do an ultrasound in 6 months to see if there has been any change to the nodule in my right thyroid.

"It is malignant, but the good news is it's self contained and surrounded by healthy tissue. It's also small enough that they feel it makes more sense to 'keep an eye on it' instead of rushing surgery at this point in time. They feel that surgery itself is more risky than the nodule itself. At least for now. So, I'll have an ultrasound in June and we'll go from there. My hopes and prayers are to see it disappear. Maybe through diet, hope and prayers, it will.

"Thank you all for taking the time to think of me and to prayer for me. It's comforting to know that there are so many friends out there and I love you all".

Two weeks ago, Sweet told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about his papillary thyroid cancer diagnosis: "Well, I've noticed over the past 10 years some issues with my neck and my voice, a little more difficulty singing like I wanna sing. And I just wrote it off to getting older and age and whatnot. I went in and got checked and they scoped me and did an ultrasound and they discovered that I had some nodules on my thyroid on each side. And they just kept an eye on those for a number of years. And they got bigger, they got larger, and then one in particular, the one on my left side, got large enough where they wanted to biopsy it, and it came back malignant. I had surgery two years ago to have that removed. My right side, I have Hashimoto's [chronic autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid gland] and I had a nodule on that side, but it wasn't suspicious. They didn't think I'd have any issues with that. Having the other side removed and going on medication, well, obviously things took a different direction. There was some new calcification in that nodule and they did a biopsy and it came back malignant. So I gotta go through it again."

Asked by host Eddie Trunk to clarify if this was the same kind of operation he already underwent two years ago but just in "another part of the thyroid", Sweet said: "That's correct. Yeah, they left it in my right thyroid, with that nodule, 'cause they weren't concerned about it. Obviously things have a way of working themselves out, uh, different from what you might think and plans change, and that's what happened with me. So I've gotta go have the same surgery…"

Michael continued: "I've got all these people who — God bless them, and I appreciate it — are reaching out to me about holistic medicine and natural healing and this and that. And to be honest with you, I just wanna get it out of there. And I don't wanna mess around with it… It's papillary, slow growing. It's at a stage where I'm okay, but if I ignore it and I'm not proactive, it'll get to a point where it will eventually spread, and then I've got real issues."

Sweet also talked about the importance of early cancer detection, because it drastically improves treatment effectiveness, increases survival rates, and often allows for less invasive treatment, making it easier and cheaper to cure, catching cancers before they spread. Asked if there were any symptoms that he noticed before getting diagnosed, Michael said: "There are symptoms, and I had those symptoms. I mean, probably the biggest symptom that you will notice is a hoarseness. You can probably hear it in my throat right now. I never had a hoarseness in my throat. So I went to go get checked to see if I had any polyps on my vocal folds, and I didn't. And when you have any type of prolonged hoarseness or sore throat, and then the obvious, if you have any protrusions in your neck, when you tilt your head back, any lumps, anything you see it, don't mess with it. Go. And chances are it's not gonna be anything. I'm in the very rare minimum and few that it develops into cancer. I wanna say, I believe it's four or five percent. Well, I'm that guy. And it's happened twice. So, it's one of those things. And I'm not gonna sit here and whine about it or anything. I mean, everybody has their issues — we all do — but I think the key is being proactive. Don't put off for tomorrow what you should deal with today regarding your health. Don't do it. Colonoscopy — I was scared to death to get a colonoscopy. I don't know why. I just was. I finally got one. I waited till I was 53. Thank God there were no issues at all. I'm good, but don't wait. Go deal with it."

When Sweet first went public with his latest cancer diagnosis on December 9, he wrote on his social media: "A lot of you have been asking about my health and well being so I wanted to give you an update.

"First, thank you all for your continued thoughts and prayers. It always means the world and I can't thank you enough for taking the time to think of me.

"I spoke to my endocrinologist and unfortunately the biopsy that was performed on 11/17 (a nodule in my right thyroid) came back positive. Malignant.

"I'm scheduled for a CT and an ultrasound next Monday 12/15 (following the Christmas show) and then I'll be meeting with my doctor/surgeon on 12/22 to figure out a plan moving forward.

"We start recording the new STRYPER album on 12/28 and that will remain on schedule. Once we finish tracking, I'll be undergoing another surgery to remove my right thyroid and the nodule itself.

"This is papillary thyroid cancer, so the good news that it's slow growing and something that my doctor seems very optimistic about.

"Interestingly enough, I sang the album 'When We Were Kings' 2 months (to the day) after my first thyroidectomy, and I never felt better vocally.

"Unfortunately (and more recently),I've been experiencing a few issues vocally and it feels a little more 'crowded' in there. Now I understand why.

"My sincere apologies for not being to perform at 100% lately. It's been a bit of a burden to be honest, but I'm confident that things will get better.

"Even though it's concerning to even hear the 'C' word (much less be diagnosed with it),I believe that it will be behind me soon enough. I'll get in and deal with it and heal up and be ready for 2026.

"Please don't worry about me as I know and trust that God has a plan.

"I've always felt some kind of peace in being able to ask for prayer here. Whether it's for someone else or for myself, you always take the time to do that and it is a true blessing. It's been a constant in my life and I believe that you all are friends. Family.

"I love you guys and I can't wait to see you on the road in 2026.

"Merry Christmas and I hope you all are enjoying the new STRYPER Christmas album!

"Always remember - He Is The Reason For The Season".

According to the Columbia University Department Of Surgery, papillary thyroid cancer makes up about 80% of all cases of thyroid cancer. It is also the thyroid cancer with the best prognosis and most patients can be cured if treated appropriately and early enough.

In December 2023, Sweet underwent partial thyroidectomy, the surgery to remove part of his thyroid gland. Five months later, he told Steve Mascord of White Line Fever TV about the procedure: "I had nodules a nodule in each side of my thyroid, so thyroid nodules. And one of those got larger and larger. It was biopsied and it was cancer. So they removed half of my thyroid, [the left] half. [The right] half I still have. I have a nodule there still that's cystic they're gonna keep an eye on. I had to start thyroid medication. But I had the surgery back in December — December 15th [of 2023]."

Regarding how the operation affected his singing voice, Sweet said at the time: "I could feel the pressure of the room and the space in that area with those nodules getting larger. I could feel it. And it's been like that for a few years. I've had 'em for a while, but I had to have it removed because of the cancer, and I dealt with it right away. But having the side of that thyroid removed, they had to cut through some muscles. So I can really feel it — it just feels different, it's the only way I can describe it. My vocal nerve was not damaged. I went to the best doctor in Boston who specializes in that, specifically not damaging the vocal nerve. He uses a very particular monitoring system, and he kind of wrote the book on that. And no damage to my vocal nerve — thank God. But still, it feels weird when I sing. It feels like someone kind of has their hand on my throat. It's the only way I can describe it."

STRYPER released its long-awaited Christmas album, "The Greatest Gift Of All", on November 21 via Frontiers Music Srl. The 10-song effort includes 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".

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 all-original studio album, "When We Were Kings", came out in September 2024.

Hey everyone! First, Merry Christmas!! I hope you all have a blessed and beautiful Christmas🙏🙏

I wanted to give you all...

Posted by Michael Sweet on Wednesday, December 24, 2025

In a new interview with Spain's MetalJournal.net, IRON MAIDEN guitarist Adrian Smith was asked if it's true that he tried out for DEF LEPPARD following the passing of the latter band's guitarist Steve Clarke in 1991. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, I did. I went over to L.A. for a couple of days. Phil [Collen, DEF LEPPARD guitarist] phoned me up — him and Ross Halfin [legendary rock photographer] phoned me up and said, 'Would you be interested in coming over?' I said, 'Yeah.' So I went to L.A. I played with him for a couple of days. I sat down with Phil. We went through some songs. It sounded good, it sounded good. And they're a great bunch of guys. But it didn't work out. Plus I had — my PSYCHO MOTEL [band Smith formed after leaving MAIDEN in 1990] album was just about to come out, so I was kind of, you know… But who knows? It was worth pursuing. They did okay without me."

Back in June 2023, Collen confirmed that Smith and ex-WHITESNAKE/THIN LIZZY guitarist John Sykes were among a handful of musicians who tried out for DEF LEPPARD following Clarke's death. Another WHITESNAKE alumnus, Vivian Campbell, ended up landing the gig. Speaking to Eonmusic at a pre-show press conference at the 2023 Hellfest in Clisson, France, Collen recalled the audition process to find a new second guitarist for DEF LEPPARD after Clarke's January 1991 death of a drug overdose.

"We invited five people we knew, five friends," Phil said. "And Vivian just fit in straight away; it was just like [it was] meant to be. [But] Adrian is great — he's a great singer. That was one of the other things [we were looking for], if you can sing. And there was some other people. We played with John Sykes — also an amazing player, amazing singer.

"Vivian's voice [was] unbelievable. And more than that, he just fit in the style of what we're doing.

"With Adrian, he played in context with what we were doing when we were rehearsing," he continued. "I mean, we were doing DEF LEPPARD songs — we weren't doing IRON MAIDEN songs, we weren't doing DIO songs; we were doing DEF LEPPARD. So, whoever comes into our house has to kind of play by the same rules.

"So that was the thing," Phil added. "And Viv fit straight in. And like I said, there was only five people. We didn't do, like, cattle calls or anything like that, because it was still a bit painful after losing Steve, to be quite honest. So we wanted someone who emotionally would work with us as a family member. And Viv did straight off the bat. It was just wonderful."

Adrian auditioned for DEF LEPPARD a year after he left IRON MAIDEN during the making of the latter band's "No Prayer For The Dying" album.

In a 2021 interview with Eonmusic, DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen also confirmed that Smith had been on the LEPPARD radar for the role that was eventually landed by Campbell. The drummer then went on to name some of the other players who were under consideration, including an unknown Birmingham guitarist and the man who provided the licks on WHITESNAKE's colossal self-titled 1987 release. "There was a kid called Huwey Lucas that was a contender; there was John Sykes; there were all these people kind of lined up," he said.

However, it was Smith who impressed the drummer, with Rick praising Adrian for his ability to adapt.

"I loved the idea," Allen said. "It's interesting — you put somebody in a slightly different situation and new things are revealed about them, and it was cool. It was a compliment that he was so into it."

Concluding, however, Allen added: "But I think, ultimately, Vivian was the absolutely perfect choice."

In a 2020 interview with Eonmusic, Smith, who was promoting his memoir, "Monsters Of River & Rock", at the time, was asked if it was true that he was in contention to join the Sheffield rockers, to which he replied, "I was, yeah. I'm not sure… I want to write more books; that might be in my next one. [Laughs] There's a whole story about that, there's a whole story about that."

A year after he joined DEF LEPPARD, Campbell spoke to Steve Newton of Georgia Straight about how he ended up securing the spot. He said: "I've known [LEPPARD singer] Joe Elliott for a few years. He lives in Ireland, where I'm originally from, so I would see him every time I'd go there — we have a lot of mutual friends and stuff. And a couple of months after Steve had died, he had said that they were gonna continue, that they were gonna finish the record as a four-piece, but that they were eventually going to look for a new guitar player — and that he would like it to be me. Obviously, I didn't know the other people in the band very well, and they all had their own opinions. So about a year passed, and they made the record, and they had a short list of three or four people that they wanted to play with. So they came to L.A. and played with some folks, and that was that."

Elaborating on the audition process, Campbell said: "Well, it was weird. It was strange for a number of reasons. I've never played with a drummer with electronic drums before, and that's a different thing, 'cause normally when you're in a small room and you play with an acoustic drum kit, you hear it because of the proximity — you're standing next to it and it's loud. With an electronic drum kit, you don't hear it from the source, you hear it comin' through monitors, so that was a little strange from a musical point of view. The other thing was, most of my 'audition', so to speak, was them asking me questions as opposed to me playing guitar. I mean, it was more a personality test than it was to see whether the guy can sing or play."

Jeff Scott Soto says that he wants to be friends with Yngwie Malmsteen again, nearly four decades after he left the legendary Swedish guitarist's band.

Soto, who sang on Yngwie's first two albums, 1984's "Rising Force" and 1985's "Marching Out", discussed his relationship with Malmsteen during a recent interview with Artists On Record With Stefan Adika. Asked by a viewer if Yngwie comes to his shows and if he goes to Malmsteen's concerts when the guitarist comes through Soto's town, Jeff responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, you gotta pay a little more attention to Blabbermouth and all that stuff going on out there, because if you did, you'd know that there's absolutely no relationship between Yngwie and I right now. I'm trying to change that. Even on your show, I've been trying to extend that olive branch and trying to fix and change it. And the thing is, everybody thinks I want something out of Malmsteen, that, 'Oh, you're just doing this 'cause you're trying to get back with him. You wanna work with him.' No. I just want peace. I want love and harmony between me and everybody else I've ever worked with in my career. And that's why I keep extending, overextending that olive branch, because I'm 60 years old. Who knows how much longer I've got on this planet? I wanna walk away with no enemies, clean slate. Everybody in my life, I just wanna have good relationships with them. And Malmsteen [and me], we have no speaking relationship. We don't talk. I don't go to his shows. He doesn't come to mine. But hopefully one day we can change that."

Asked about Yngwie's recent online post in which the guitarist blasted some of the singers he worked with early in his solo career for allegedly "trying to capitalize from [his] brand", Jeff said: "My phone was blowing up for two days [after Yngwie posted that]. Everybody thought he was talking about me again. And he wasn't. He was talking about two other former singers that are going out and doing shows based on a tribute to Yngwie or a tribute to the time that they spent with Yngwie. And I guess that they were promoting that and he caught wind of it, and that's where that came from. Nothing to do with me."

Soto continued: "I'm not doing anything where I'm going out doing Yngwie shows or trying to capitalize on his name or his legacy. Not at all. All I do is I post things online to celebrate — celebrate my involvement, celebrate the things I did with him, because I have a legacy too, in my own world or however you want to call it. It's part of my history too, so I celebrate that. I'm not trying to toe the line, I'm not trying to do anything and try to get anything from him in those terms."

Referring specifically to the part of Yngwie's post where Malmsteen questioned what these singers have "recorded" and "created [in] the last 30, 40 years", Soto said: "You definitely can't put that on me, because if you look at the past 30, 40 years, I'm on easily over a hundred records. Just my solo records alone, I've got eight solo records. Then you do the W.E.T., you've got TALISMAN. So I've been busy. You can't ask, what have I done? I've done a lot.

"Everybody thought he was referring to me," Jeff continued. "They're sending virtual hugs: 'Dude, we got you, man. We understand what you're going through. We read this stuff, and it's not fair.' I say, 'Hey, he wasn't talking about me. It's cool.'"

Asked if he has ever tried reaching out to Yngwie directly, Jeff said: "I wouldn't know how. I don't have any numbers, any contacts or anything, so I wouldn't know how to reach out to him. But there's enough I put out there when I do interviews or do anything, even Cameos. I put it out there all the time that I would love to just bury the hatchet, whatever that hatchet is, and just walk away as friends again one day. I'd love to go to shows and be in the audience watching the show and not saying, 'Oh, man, hopefully one day he'll have me back.' It's not about that at all. I did my time with him. If someday, one day he wanted to do something like that, I'd absolutely be open to it. But I'm not looking for that. I don't need that in my life in terms of that's the only thing I have going for me. I got a lot going for me. I just wanna be the guy's friend again."

After host Stefan Adika pressed Jeff to record a personal message for Yngwie, Soto said: "Hey, listen, Yngwie. We've got a lot of history, man. We go back over 41 years. We made some great music together. I got to sing on your two classic records that everybody loves, and somewhere along the way we've stumbled on some blocks, on some roadblocks, on some walls. Let's put 'em aside. Let's break bread again. Let's be buddies. I don't need anything from you. You don't need anything from me, but I just wanna be your friend again. There's my olive branch extended once again. I love you, I respect you, and I cherish and treasure everything I ever did with and for you. So if we can fix this someday, I'm all in."

Jeff later added about the guitarist: "I know his wife. I never met his son, and that would be a nice thing. I'd love to meet the next generation of the Malmsteens, his son. He's got a kid. I know his wife. Everything was cool. We had a great relationship. There were times where I was possibly coming back and singing with him back in the day. These things didn't pan out — whatever. I don't want or need that. I would like to just say, 'Hey, let's be buddies again.'"

On December 18, Yngwie, who has worked with a number of other acclaimed vocalists over the years, including Mark Boals, Joe Lynn Turner, Göran Edman, Michael Vescera, Mats Levén and Tim "Ripper" Owens, with Nick Marino most recently handling some of the vocal duties live, took to his social media earlier to write: "So it has come to my attention that these hired and paid singers that I hired for my solo records are all trying to capitalize from my brand!

"Let's be clear: performing on MY SOLO records does not equal ownership, authorship, or legacy. Writing a line here and there doesn't make someone a songwriter, and singing my material doesn't make it theirs. They were merely given a salary (work for hire) to put down MY written parts, just like the keyboard player, bassist, drummer etc.

"If the only way you can tour or get attention is by leaning on my brand and using my name and album titles and my SOLO catalog, then you've already answered the question of who actually built something. And -What have they recorded/created the last 30,40 years?"

It's unclear what prompted Malmsteen's latest outburst, but it could have something to do with the fact that Levén recently announced that he will play two shows in Japan in May 2026 that will apparently focus heavily on the material from the sole Yngwie album he appeared on, 1997's "Facing The Animal".

Separately, Boals and Vescera have announced a European tour for September 2026 dubbed "The Seventh Trilogy Tour". An admat for the tour shared on social media bills the singers as "The Voices Of Yngwie Malmsteen."

Boals appeared on four Yngwie studio albums, including the hard rock classic "Trilogy".

Vescera recorded two full-length studio records with Malmsteen as well as an EP, various videos and the "Live At Budokan" DVD in the 1990s

After working with some of the top hard singers of the past four decades, Yngwie now handles much of the lead vocals himself in his own band, backed by a lineup that includes keyboardist Nick Marino, bassist Emilio Martinez and drummer Kevin Klingenschmid.

Only four of the songs on Yngwie's latest album, 2021's "Parabellum" featured vocals. The album title is Latin, translating as "Prepare For War".

In a March 2023 interview with the YouTube channel of Brazilian music journalist Igor Miranda, Jeff reflected on his claim that Yngwie threatened to cancel his concert in May 2022 in Agoura Hills, California after finding out his former bandmate was in attendance. Jeff said: "I thought it was kind of funny. I mean, when I posted about it [on social media] that night, I was doing it because it was so unbelievable, I was laughing. I was, like, 'I have to share this because it's so silly.' But then to be called a liar about it, it made it even more funny to me, because why would I lie about something about that? Why would I even care to go to any extreme to go see somebody who doesn't wanna see me or doesn't want me around them? Of course I was there to see my friends' band playing. They invited me. It's a place that I go to all the time. I didn't feel there was any harm gonna be done if I just kind of stayed in the corner. And, of course, when the word was out that I was there, I was told if I'm gonna remain in the building, the show would be canceled. It's a thousand, one billion percent truth behind that. Two guys came up to me that work there, that I know that work there, they said, 'I don't know what this is about, Jeff, but I'm sorry to tell you that we've been informed if you don't leave, the show's gonna be canceled.' And I was gonna leave anyways. I was there to watch my friends' band. When they were finished, I was paying my bill to the bartender, who's also a very good friend of mine, and everybody watched that happening, and we were just, like, 'Can you believe this?'"

Jeff continued: "I wasn't there for the Yngwie show. I wasn't planning to stay. I didn't sneak in — none of that. Of course, it was so silly to me, it was so hilarious to me. But it's unfortunate that it has to be that, because I'm not looking to keep talking about this or to keep elevating it or to keep getting news from it. I want peace from everybody in my life. Anybody that has any issues with me, I would love to just give them a hug and move on with life and leave this world, leave this planet with no enemies. But, unfortunately, that's not the case on that side."

When Soto first posted about the Agoura Hills concert in May 2022, he wrote: "Hey my peeps, here's a fun little diddy for ya! I went to the Canyon Club tonight, my local watering hole for the past 21 years, it's like my Cheers where everybody knows my name...I actually went to see one of the support bands who were killer btw, I hesitated on going because my former ahem 'boss' was headlining but I was not planning to stay anyway...well, word got to him I was in the house and I was kindly told as long as I am present, the show would be cancelled... Now I've seen it all!

"I left as planned but it's kind of funny, I just had to share the ludicrousness (not a real word but seems to fit the detail) that continues in 2022, I laughed all the way home!' Jeff added. "I'm sure this will be shared like crazy but I couldn't help but sharing it with you all, good times!"

The following day, Malmsteen disputed Soto's account of what happened in Agoura Hills, writing on his Facebook page: " Hmmmm…. I think some people are making up stories to be in the media again. Kids, don't believe made up BS from people who are trying to stay relevant! He's not important for me to cancel my show to my fans. On the other hand I was told by my agent that he snuck in there without paying so the security threw him out. Certain people make up stories… turn up at my show, get kicked out by security because they snuck in the venue WITHOUT PAYING, then turn around make up a story to try and grab media attention… some people are sick. STOP stalking me and get help ".

When one fan questioned Yngwie about his claim that Jeff has to struggle to appear relevant on the scene today and challenged Malmsteen to "compare audience response to said projects and releases to what [Yngwie has] accomplished during the same period," Malmsteen responded: "Hmmm Let me think In the last 15/ 20 years … I have been on the American billboard chart every single time I have released a record including my last one! being playing theaters, promoters are happy. On top of that I have made mega deals including signature models with Major companies such as Marshall, Fender, ovation, Dunlop, Seymour Duncan, Lewitt microphones and the list goes on. On top of that I have won awards for the most magazine covers ever in the history of certain guitar magazines. Would you like me to carry-on?!? None of this matters to me, however what does matter is an intent to smear an attack me and my reputation for the last 40 years. Everything this man says is a lie with the intent to do damage. I have not once spoken about him and nor have any interest to simply because he’s not important to me. And yet he can’t stop talking about me on a regular basis! Making up stories because he has not had any relevant success on his own he tailgates on other people. He needs to just MoveOn and stop stalking me. Oohh I almost forgot I have over HALF A MILLION listeners on Spotify every month alone! His let me look it up… oh no ONLY 40k! Yep he needs to keep slandering me a bit more."

Soto later returned to social media to respond to Yngwie with the following missive: "I will put this to rest after clarifying a few things.

"God forbid ANYONE thinks I am trying to drum up press, especially by berating someone in the process.

"I post my past on social media to celebrate and share the pride I have for my musical endeavors the past 4 decades. I don't and don't need to ride anyone's coattails, stalk or trying to drum up press for myself, I have my music and the current things I partake in to do this. Everything else I share is a celebration, nothing more, nothing less.

"I went out to a venue I frequent for the past 21 years, I have played this venue more times than I can remember or count and know all that have been and still there since I walked through those doors the 1st time in 2001. I have not 'snuck in' to a show since 1988 when I heard of an intimate jam Prince was throwing at an undisclosed location which I found out about and finally made it in 15 min before he was done playing. That said, if I have to sneak in to a venue or not pay to get into one for ANYONE, I simply would not even be near the building, I am 56, not 16!

"Lastly, I went to this venue to see someone play who is very near and dear to me. When I found out who the headliner was, I decided it best not to go as I didn't wanna ruffle any feathers in any way. Then I decided I will go but leave before said headliner begins as I had no interest in seeing that part of the evening anyway.

"If anyone has been paying attention to interviews, award speeches and even my own social media where I have stated numerous times all I want in my life is peace, no enemies, no animosity ESPECIALLY with ANYONE in my past, they will know my intent is ONLY about leaving this planet with no water under the bridge. I extend olive branches, continue to celebrate my past with a positive spin and make sure everyone knows I wanna hug it out with anyone who has or has had any issue with me. If this is 'sick' then institutionalize me immediately!"

Eight years ago, Soto engaged in a war of words with Yngwie over the fact that Malmsteen claimed in an interview that he "always wrote everything," including the lyrics and melodies, and simply hired various vocalists to sing his material.

Back in 2017, Soto told the "US American Made Guitars" show that "it's false information" to suggest that he contributed nothing to Yngwie's early albums "because we co-wrote [some of] those songs together. I actually authored those songs," he said. "For him to say, 'I wrote every lyric, every melody,' it's absolute falsity. And he's speaking out of whatever anger or whatever throwaway conversation he might be having, but when it's put on text, it comes across as very crude and very arrogant. So, of course, I don't take that kind of stuff too personally."

The singer went on to say that faulty memory may be at least partly to blame for Yngwie's comments. "Yngwie's written so much of his own stuff, he's written so much on his own when it comes to lyrics and melodies through the years," he said. "Maybe the past eight albums… I don't even know how many albums he's put out, but for that many albums he's put out, clearly his memory is fogged on the albums that he wasn't doing all of that."

He continued: "Joe Lynn [Turner] was a very strong collaborator on the album ['Odyssey'] with he did with Yngwie, as was I, as were some of the other singers that were involved with him. Maybe later on that changed and the other guys were basically just used to sing his words. And I was as well on some songs. I mean, 'I Am A Viking', I didn't write one word or one melody on it. But the stuff that we did together, that's stuff that we did together. And there's some stuff I did on my own that's on there — he didn't add or remove one single thing from it. So, again, it's selective memory. It could be he doesn't wanna talk about me, he's got a bad taste in his mouth about me, so he's gonna do everything in his power to make sure that everybody knows how downplayed my role was in his life and his career."

As for why he thinks Malmsteen has been making disparaging comments about him and other former singers in the press, Soto told "US American Made Guitars": "If anybody knows anything about Yngwie's… the business end of things, his wife is managing him. And through the years, she's gotten more control over the people in his life, the people that were in his life, and it's really sad to see that a lot us have been kind of locked out. Slowly but surely, everybody that was in his past, including his band, including myself who actually retained a great friendship and relationship with him, were just dialed out. And we were just kind of pushed to the wayside for whatever reason, whatever paranoias there are. I really don't understand it. I actually had a great relationship with both of them, and I just saw more and more that they were just pushing everybody away. They wanted their inner circle to be so small, and I never did anything to interrupt that circle. But there were others around that I'm very close to, and was very close to, one of them being Marcel Jacob, who was the bass player that was in [Yngwie's] band when I was in the band. We had a band together called TALISMAN for about nineteen years until [Marcel] took his own life back in 2009. But he and Yngwie had a bit of a conflict and they dangled that over my head for a couple of years until Marcel actually passed away in 2009. When that happened, I assumed, like everyone else that knew Marcel, the guys in the band EUROPE, so many people, whether they were big or small, acknowledged Marcel's passing. Everyone expected Yngwie to do the same, and when he didn't, it rubbed everyone the wrong way, including myself. We tried to at least just get a statement or an acknowledgement of it, and when he was not only not doing that but actually hanging up on people, blocking them or changing his number so nobody can reach him anymore about it, to me… I made a statement, and that probably got back to their camp, that said, 'To me, Yngwie is dead.' I don't wanna know or hear from him."

Soto added: "Marcel was one of my best friends, and if you can't put water under the bridge when somebody has passed, to me, that's just the weakest, juvenile way of dealing with life. And it must have gotten back to his camp, 'cause all of a sudden I was cut out."

In the days after Yngwie's original interview with Metal Wani was published on BLABBERMOUTH.NET, several of the guitarist's other former singers — including Joe Lynn Turner and Tim "Ripper" Owens — responded on social media, with Turner describing Malmsteen's statements as "the rantings of a megalomaniac desperately trying to justify his own insecurity." This was followed by a retort from a member of Yngwie's management team, who wrote on Malmsteen's Facebook page that the three vocalists "came out enraged, spitting insults and profanities" at the guitarist because "Yngwie said something that they didn't like." The management representative added: " It's very unfortunate that these past hired vocalists must resort to mudslinging and insults to elicit any kind of media attention towards them. Such classless, puerile words are ungentlemanly at best and absolutely disgraceful at worst."

During a recent appearance on the Iron City Rocks podcast, DEATH ANGEL singer Mark Osegueda spoke about how he ended up joining SLAYER guitarist Kerry King's solo band more than two years ago. In addition to Kerry and Mark, the KERRY KING band includes drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER),bassist Kyle Sanders (HELLYEAH) and guitarist Phil Demmel (formerly of MACHINE HEAD). Osegueda said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I love working with Kerry, and I love being in that band. It's a blast. I love all the guys. It's been a great experience. It sure has.

"Now, when the opportunity presented itself, it presented itself in an odd way as so much I also sought it," Mark explained. "I did — I sought it. 'Cause I kind of caught wind, at one of these NAMM conferences… I was somewhere at one of the NAMM conventions, and at this particular one, a couple of people just approached me. They were in the industry. I had no idea. And I was down there performing with [the all-star metal collective] METAL ALLEGIANCE. It was at the after parties at the hotel or whatnot, and a couple different people from different circles came up to me that particular year and said, 'You're one of the people Kerry's considering for his new project.' It kind of took me aback. I'm, like, 'Really?' Because I'm friends with Kerry, and it was never mentioned to me. And then it started getting a little mouse in my head running. And then I kind of started really thinking about it. This was during the pandemic now. A few months had gone by, and the pandemic was happening, I started just really thinking about it, and I approached a few people of mine that are heavy hitters in the music industry as far as musicians and some management companies. And I said, 'Hey, I'm just throwing this out there. What would you think if I was approached by Kerry? Do you think I should do it?' And these were people that are far more successful than me in music, than many people in music. [Laughs] And they were, like, 'You'd be a fool not to.' So when I kind of heard that, that's when it kind of hit me. And as I said, me and Kerry are friends. So I just kind of texted him and just said, 'Hey, man. I know you're putting something together. And I just wanna throw my hat in the ring.' I go, 'or rather my throat in the ring.' And his response was, 'I'd be lying if I [said I] hadn't thought about it.' And I said, 'Okay."

Mark continued: "So then me and him just started — he started sending me things, music, just instrumental things, and then started sending me music and sheets of lyrics and then some guide vocal stuff. And then I started going down to Southern California and demoing things with him, just privately. We didn't let anyone know we were doing this. And we eventually ended up demoing what [has] come [to be] the whole first [KERRY KING] record. But he already had the whole [rest of the] band picked out, except he kind of waited until the last minute before he finally said, 'Okay, you're the guy.' And when he finally did, he pulled me aside — this was a couple of years later, since I started the process — and he just kind of said, 'If you want the gig, it's yours.' And I just gave him a big hug. I'm, like, 'Fuck yeah. I do.' And it's been great. It's been a great experience. And I look forward to more to come with them too. I just love playing music. As long as I'm busy playing music, I'm happy."

Asked if there was any "trepidation" on his part to perform SLAYER songs with Kerry, considering that his voice is a bit different from that of SLAYER frontman Tom Araya, Mark said: "Well, I've always respected Tom, and I really admire his voice and always have. So, actually, when I got the gig with Kerry, we were mostly just working on the original material with that. Kerry pretty much had what he wanted. He laid down the guide vocal and said, 'This is what I want, just more aggressive.' So I just went in there and gave it my all and made it very, very aggressive. So, that came out. That's just me at my most aggressive, I guess, delivery of anything. And then it's when it came to playing live and that's when we throw in some SLAYER songs. But with that, I'm a SLAYER fan, so it doesn't take me long to learn the songs. So I just get up there and I do him justice — I do Tom justice. That's the way I see it, for sure. And I say that because justice needs to be done, if you're gonna sing him, 'cause got such a unique voice and I think a great voice. And that's why — I do my best to do him justice, and I think I do."

In a separate interview with the That Metal Interview podcast, Osegueda stated about his involvement with King's solo band: "Yeah, it's doing great. We just got back from Japan about three weeks ago, our first shows in Japan. So those were amazing. And, yeah, for [King's debut solo] record [2024's 'From Hell I Rise'], we toured everywhere. And I guess in a certain way, the touring cycle for that record has been completed. We did North America a couple of times, Europe a couple of times, South America, Japan, Australia. So we've worked that record pretty good. And now we're busy writing, getting the material together for the second record. And it's coming, it's coming along. And we're gonna probably record the second record sometime in the first quarter of this upcoming year. As far as when it'll be released, I'm not quite sure. But we're definitely in the process of getting the songs together for it."

Commenting on what it has been like to record and tour with King, Demmel and Bostaph, Osegueda said: "They're good guys. I love the guys. It's a great band to be a part of. Touring with them's amazing. They're all solid dudes that I've known for years, decades. And I'm very proud to be a part of it and I look forward to much more to come, for sure."

When the interviewer noted that Mark does a "great job of emulating Tom Araya's" vocal parts when King and his solo band perform SLAYER material live, Osegueda said: "Well, Tom, he's an icon. I admire him; I have for many years. I'm a SLAYER fan, so he's got a very distinct voice and one that I've admired for many, many years. So when we do those songs, I just get out there and do my best to do the songs justice and his voice justice, because I think he's fantastic."

In December 2024, Mark was asked by Australia's May The Rock Be With You what he thinks he can do vocally with Kerry's solo band that he can't do with DEATH ANGEL. He responded: "I don't know if that is anything that I'm not allowed to do that I can't do with DEATH ANGEL because I kind of have carte blanche with DEATH ANGEL to do what I want, in a way. But what I think it's just brought out another character in my voice. And it's much more aggressive — probably the most aggressive thing that I've done vocally. The closest thing we'd have in it from DEATH ANGEL is a song called 'Divine Defector'. [That] is the closest one that we have to that intensity level. But this whole album is even more so. If anything, it just allows me to just really get out all frustrations the whole way through the set. [Laughs] And, as I said, it gives more variety in my voice."

"From Hell I Rise" came out in May 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music. Working with producer Josh Wilbur (KORN, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, BAD RELIGION),the vast bulk of King's solo album was recorded at Henson Recording Studios (formerly A&M Studios) in Los Angeles, California, a location that birthed classics from THE DOORS, PINK FLOYD, RAMONES and SOUNDGARDEN, among others.

Last year, Mark told Uruguay's The Dark Melody about how he feels about being part of Kerry's band: "I'm thrilled about it. That's how I feel about it. I'm excited as hell. I worked hard to get that gig — very hard to get that gig — and since I did, I worked very hard in the studio. And then the recording experience of the record was incredible. We went to the studio with Josh Wilbur and the recording went great. It went great. And I think Kerry assembled a band of people he knew could pull off the vision and what he heard in his head… And the album, it's a beast. It's a savage. It is."

Regarding how he landed the gig in Kerry's band, Mark told El Planeta Del Rock: "It wasn't an overnight thing. It was a long process. Me and Kerry are friends, for sure, but that's not the reason I got the gig. By no means did I get the gig because we're friends; it was definitely a lot of hard work.

"He's an institution unto himself as his, as is SLAYER, and when SLAYER announced that they weren't gonna go any longer, he made it known to everyone that he was far from done," Mark continued. "And when that was announced, it was quite a few years ago. It was probably during the pandemic that I just gave him a cold call out of the blue, or a cold text rather, just saying, 'Just so you know, I heard you're doing this, and I'm just throwing my name into the hat, into the ring, or throwing my throat into the ring rather.' And he was, like, 'Hmm.' He's a very to-the-point guy, and he said, 'Okay.' And I know he's very serious about everything he does musically.

"It was a lot of hard work, I'll tell you that — a lot of going back and forth," Mark repeated. "I did quite a bit of demoing with him, and nothing was a sure thing ever. I know he had other people in mind for every for every position in the band. I think Paul was the shoo-in right off the bat, and then after that… Kerry knew his vision. He knew what he wanted. He knew what he heard in his head, and he wanted a lineup that could deliver it. And after a lot of hard work, one day me and him were out together — and it was plain simple as that. But quite some time had gone by and a lot of work was put into it, and he just said, 'If you want the gig, it's yours.' And I, of course, I just looked at him, like, 'Ah.' Pretty much, 'Fuck yeah.' And I gave him a huge hug, and from then on it was just even more hard work. As hard as I worked to get the gig, once I got the gig, it was even more hard work just concentrating on the songs and getting what I was gonna do to deliver in the studio. Once we got in the studio, we went in with Josh Wilbur, who produced it, at Henson Studios in Hollywood, and we didn't mess around. We got in — I think loaded in, two weeks later loaded out. It was work every day, but one of the most amazing studio experiences I've had and very fulfilling."

Kerry told Rolling Stone about Osegueda's addition to the band: "With Mark, he was on board early on. I just didn't pull that trigger. I was like, 'Let's see what happens.' Say for instance, [JUDAS PRIEST's] Rob Halford calls me and says, 'Hey, I would love to be your singer,' I'd have to go that way."

King also confirmed that PANTERA's Philip Anselmo was "considered" as a possible singer for his new project. "My management, my promoter, my record label all wanted Phil," Kerry said. "Phil's a good friend of mine, but I always thought he's not the right guy. That has nothing to do with his ability; I just knew he wasn't the right guy. When you hear Mark on this record, you know that's the guy.

"I had to do due diligence, because at the end of the day, had Philip been the guy, we'd be in arenas immediately because we could play new stuff, we could play PANTERA, we could play SLAYER, and fans would've been happy. It ended when the PANTERA thing came up.

"I saw Mark a few years back singing covers of MINOR THREAT and cameo in THE WEDDING BAND with members of METALLICA," King added. "It was different from what he does in DEATH ANGEL, and he sounded great. He's super versatile. He took steps to make this different than DEATH ANGEL. I don't touch on probably 50 percent of what he can do on the album.

"Mark knew how I expected the songs to be performed. On my demos, I sing with very good conviction, but I don't have pipes; that's why I don't sing. With 'Residue', he sounded so good I had to ask him, 'Is this sustainable? I don't want you to blow your load on this record and then blow your voice out every third show.' And he swore up and down he could do it. He went on to some of the harder ones and did the same thing on those, so I went, 'Okay.'"

Following a tour with LAMB OF GOD and MASTODON and his first European headline tour in 2024, King and his new band hit the road for the 28-date North American headline tour in early 2025. With MUNICIPAL WASTE as special guest and ALIEN WEAPONRY supporting, the tour launched in San Francisco on January 15, 2025, and wrapped at House of Blues in Las Vegas on February 22, 2025.

In early May 2024, the KERRY KING band performed its first live show at Reggies in Chicago. In the days following, the band went from playing an intimate venue to performing at the huge U.S. festivals Welcome To Rockville (Florida) and Sonic Temple (Ohio).

KERRY KING launched a European tour on June 3, 2024 — King's 60th birthday – in Tilburg, The Netherlands. The trek combined headline shows in the U.K., The Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Spain but also festival appearances such as Rock Am Ring, Hellfest, Tuska, Download, Sweden Rock Festival and many more.

The SLAYER guitarist's solo band played its first concert as the support act for LAMB OF GOD and MASTODON on July 19, 2024 at the Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie, Texas. The six-week "Ashes Of Leviathan" tour wrapped on August 31, 2024 in Omaha, Nebraska.

Image credit: Pics from the pit

BLINK-182's "Enema Of The State" is the newest title unveiled for Interscope/Capitol's acclaimed Definitive Sound Series (DSS),a new premium audiophile limited edition series using the state-of-the-art One Step process.

As one of the defining bands of modern punk-pop, "Enema Of The State" cemented BLINK-182 as the architects of a new wave of melodic punk. Pairing high-velocity hooks with irreverent humor and an unexpected emotional core, the album launched the trio to global stardom and became a cultural touchstone for a generation. Now widely regarded as one of the most influential rock albums of the late '90s and 2000s, its legacy continues to resonate across modern pop-punk and alternative music.

Mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering from the original analog master tapes, the AAA (All Analog Mastering) 180-gram high-definition vinyl LP ($100) was pressed at Record Technology, Inc., and features a top-quality heavyweight Tip On gatefold single jacket, housed inside a uniquely designed slipcase.

Limited to 3,000 hand-numbered copies, each DSS edition includes a certificate of authenticity detailing the mastering, plating, and pressing chain.

"The Definitive Sound Series represents the pinnacle of vinyl craftsmanship," says Xavier Ramos, EVP D2C and eCommerce Strategy at Interscope/Capitol. "We're proud to invest in these collectible pieces that reflect our respect for these iconic artists, their groundbreaking music, and the fans whose passion continues to keep these albums as relevant today as when they were first released."

Previous DSS titles include Dr Dre's "The Chronic", A PERFECT CIRCLE's "Mer De Noms", Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song", R.E.M.'s "Chronic Town / Murmur", Lionel Richie's "Can't Slow Down" and Beck's "Morning Phase". All DSS releases will be initially exclusive to Interscope.com and shop.capitolmusic.com.

The Riff Crew channel on YouTube has uploaded professionally filmed video of LEFT TO DIE's entire March 9, 2025 concert at the Melbourne Dethfest at Corner Hotel in Melbourne, Australia. Check it out below.

LEFT TO DIE is the band featuring classic DEATH members Terry Butler (also formerly of MASSACRE and currently in OBITUARY) and Frederick "Rick Rozz" DeLillo (ex-MASSACRE) paired with GRUESOME founders Matt Harvey (EXHUMED) and Gus Rios (ex-MALEVOLENT CREATION).

LEFT TO DIE performs most of the songs from DEATH's classic "Leprosy" album, along with cuts from DEATH's debut LP, "Scream Bloody Gore".

Featured songs in video below:

00:00 Intro
00:45 Leprosy
07:29 Open Casket
12:31 Infernal Death
16:25 Sacrificial
20:05 Torn To Pieces
23:39 Regurgitated Guts
27:34 Left To Die
32:32 Scream Bloody Gore
37:10 Zombie Ritual
42:57 Pull The Plug
48:10 Evil Dead

Back in November 2023, Rozz said that it has been an "honor" to perform songs from DEATH's revered first two studio albums, "Scream Bloody Gore" and "Leprosy" as part of LEFT TO DIE. In an interview with BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Rozz was asked whether he had any trepidation over learning material he hasn't played since 1989, which is the year he was dismissed by DEATH leader Chuck Schuldiner. "It was quite terrifying at first, especially when I saw we were doing a full tour," he said. "I had my taste of anxiety before the East Coast run that we did. I was like, 'Holy crap. I have to learn all of these songs and some 'Scream Bloody Gore' songs, and we're playing in front of people. I was like, 'Ugh.' Other than that, it's cool. It's chilled out a little bit."

Rozz then went on to discuss whether he has come "full circle" in his career by playing the songs that helped start his musical career. "It's been a blessing," he said. "I've made some new friends and rekindled my friendship with Terry. We room together. It's pretty cool. Then, getting to know Gus and Matt. They're so good at what they do. They're so passionate about the music and the songs. It's a really good feeling. It's an honor. There's nothing full circle about it, but it's pretty cool."

Rozz was also asked whether he has noticed increased fan support for DEATH, particularly the band's early period. "Definitely, especially these first two DEATH records," he said. "Not that people aren't passionate about the other records. There seems to be something with these first two records. It's an honor. It's flattering. It's a blessing. All of it all wrapped up into one. Those guys could have said, 'Nah. I'm good. We have enough on our plate.' They didn't have to learn all these songs and do a tribute to these records, but they did. It really is cool. It's been a lot of fun. When you're doing something with cool people — nobody is on their high horse or thinks they're owed something from someone else, that's the coolest thing about it. Everyone is doing their thing and gets along. There's no baloney."

Founded in 1984 by Chuck Schuldiner under the original name of MANTAS in Altamonte Springs, Florida, DEATH was among the more widely known early pioneers of the death metal sound, along with California's POSSESSED. Inspired by NASTY SAVAGE, DEATH was among the first bands in the Florida death metal scene. In the late '80s, the band was both a part of and integral in defining the death metal scene which gained international recognition with the release of albums by a number of area acts.

In late 2023, LEFT TO DIE completed a run of West Coast dates that included a guest appearance from "Scream Bloody Gore" drummer Chris Reifert (also of AUTOPSY) in Oakland, California. Reifert performed the DEATH classics "Infernal Death" and "Evil Dead".

LEFT TO DIE completed its first U.S. tour in July 2022. A European run of shows followed this past March and April 2023.

Butler previously stated how LEFT TO DIE came together: "After the [2021] Chuck tribute shows that Matt, Gus, and myself did, Rick posed the question, 'Would anyone want to see some 'Leprosy' shows?' With a resounding 'yes!', the masses had spoken. Matt and Gus threw their hats in immediately and, in my opinion, they were the only real choice to bring this thing to life."

Schuldiner died on December 13, 2001 after a battle with pontine glioma, a rare type of brain tumor.

"Born Human: The Life And Music Of Death's Chuck Schuldiner", the fully authorized biography of the legendary DEATH frontman, was released in November via Decibel Books.

"Born Human", authored by accomplished journalist David E. Gehlke ("The Scott Burns Sessions: A Life In Death Metal 1987-1997", "Turned Inside Out: The Official Story Of Obituary"),features exclusive interviews, contributions, stunning new Ed Repka cover art and previously unreleased, hand-selected photographs from those who knew Chuck best. "Born Human" brings life to the dramatic story of the man who blazed an iconic path in metal music, laying the foundation for generations to come.

Fans can order their copy now at store.decibelmagazine.com.

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Posted by Melbourne Dethfest on Tuesday, January 28, 2025

For the first time ever in Australia, Left to Die March 2025!

Pioneering the sound of Death Metal since the 1980s', a...

Posted by YOUR MATE Bookings on Sunday, September 15, 2024

On December 11, Grammy-winning CREED and ALTER BRIDGE guitarist Mark Tremonti once again showcased his versatility at The Paramount in Huntington, New York by honoring Frank Sinatra with "Tremonti Sings Sinatra", featuring signature Sinatra songs and Christmas classics performed with a 17-piece orchestra including members of Sinatra's touring band, among them saxophonist Mike Smith and guitarist Dan McIntyre. Video of the concert can be seen below (courtesy of NYPearlJammer).

In May 2022, Tremonti released a collection of Sinatra covers to support NDSS (National Down Syndrome Society). "Tremonti Sings Sinatra" was made available as part of a new charity initiative created by Tremonti called Take A Chance For Charity. Proceeds from the album go to support NDSS and the work they do to advocate for and support individuals with Down syndrome and their families. Mark and his family were blessed to welcome their first daughter Stella in March 2021 — who was born with Down syndrome — and the idea for the project was born.

In an interview with Guitar Interactive at last year's Download festival in the United Kingdom, Tremonti stated about "Tremonti Sings Sinatra": "The Sinatra record was probably one of the most satisfying records I've ever done. We've raised over a million dollars with it. I've gotten to see firsthand what it does. And I actually love it. Every show is raising further money for the charity. I'm trying to get other artists to do something similar to keep on raising funds."

When "Tremonti Sings Sinatra" was first announced, Tremonti said in a statement: "For years, I've loved singing along to Frank's songs. One night, I found an old video of him performing 'The Song Is You' from 1944. It made me want to dive into his vocal approach. I was all in and I wanted to do something with it. When we found out about our daughter Stella's Down syndrome diagnosis, the stars aligned. My obsession with Sinatra had its reason. Frank Sinatra raised more than a billion dollars for charity and that is a fact I wish the public the public knew more about. Beneath his cool and calm persona, he had a big heart. Doing this charity in his name was another way the stars had aligned. I decided to do this record to raise funds for families and individuals with Down syndrome. This project is the start of a new purpose that I will have for the rest of my life."

Tremonti came together with surviving members of Frank Sinatra's orchestra, creating new takes on some of the classics and some deeper cuts from Frank's catalog. From the opening horns and piano of "I've Got You Under My Skin" to final vocal outro of "All Or Nothing At All", Tremonti showcases the signature vocal approach and exemplary musicianship that made Sinatra's work timeless. To see his vision through, Mark reached out to Sinatra's musical director Mike Smith who collected as many remaining members as possible of Frank's touring band to record the music for "Tremonti Sings Sinatra". Popular standards like "I've Got The World On A String", "My Way" and "That's Life" find new life in the hands of these incredible musicians. Tremonti — known for his guitar work that has won him countless accolades — leaves the instrument behind and just sings on the 14-track album. The artwork on the album cover is an original painting that Tremonti created especially for this project.

Tremonti's first-ever Christmas album, "Christmas Classics New & Old", was made available in October 2023. "Christmas Classics New & Old" is Mark's interpretation of nine holiday classics and one original penned song from the acclaimed songwriter himself. After the success of his interpretation of songs Frank Sinatra made famous on his album "Mark Tremonti Sings Frank Sinatra", Mark decided to partner up with the orchestra from that album to work on the holiday album.

"This has been the most well-received and highly regarded thing I've ever done in my entire career," Tremonti told Newsday earlier this year. "Growing up as a kid in Detroit, my parents would play Sinatra around Christmastime. I'd hear it in the car and at the dentist. It's hard to escape him."

Regarding what it has been like performing with members of Sinatra's touring band, Mark said: "There's not many opportunities left for us on this earth to see people who shared the stage with Frank Sinatra. These musicians are some of the top performers in the business and I'm honored to share the stage with them."

~~Tremonti Sings Sinatra Tour ~~

12.04 - Orlando - Walt Disney theater
12.09 - Des Plaines, IL - The Des Plaines...

Posted by Mark Tremonti on Sunday, November 2, 2025

Former VENOM members Jeff "Mantas" Dunn (guitar) and Antony "Abaddon" Bray (drums) reunited for a special concert on November 30 at Shinjuku Antiknock, a legendary music venue in Tokyo, Japan. Dunn and Bray performed three VENOM classics alongside some of Japan's finest black metal players: Masaki "Gezol" Tachi (SABBAT) on bass and vocals, Mirai Kawashima (SIGH) on vocals, Shinji "Samm" Tachi (METALUCIFER) on drums, and Noboru "Jero" Sakuma (ABIGAIL) on guitar. Support at the gig came from SURVIVE and HELL FREEZES OVER.

Video of the entire show can now be seen below, courtesy of the UPP-tone music channel on YouTube. Also available is a previously released clip of "Welcome To Hell" performance from the Shinjuku Antiknock concert, courtesy of Roppongi Rocks.

Mantas and Abaddon recently announced that they will celebrate the 45th anniversary of VENOM's classic debut album, 1981's "Welcome To Hell", at various festivals in 2026, including Germany's Keep It True and Belgium's Graspop Metal Meeting. Speaking to MetalKaoz, Dunn confirmed that the door is open for VENOM bassist/vocalist Conrad "Cronos" Lant to take part in the reunion.  "I'll tell you right now that for 2026, the 45th anniversary of 'Welcome To Hell', Cronos has been invited," Mantas said. "He was invited by me. He was invited by the lawyers in the [recent] court case [involving Cronos and Abaddon]. His answer was, 'It's not worth my time.' That was his answer."

Mantas added that the prospect of spending time with Cronos again was not something he would ever look forward to.

"What I say to people is this. Fair enough, everybody wants to see their favorite members back together. We know that. 'And, oh, yeah, just travel separate. Just go in separate hotels.' We've done all that," Mantas explained. "We've done that. We did it on the first reunion. Okay, think of the most toxic relationship you've ever been involved in, how it made you feel. At your age now, invite it back into your life."

Mantas also touched upon the lawsuit Cronos filed against Abaddon and Plastic Head Music Distribution Ltd in June 2024 in which he accused the distributor of selling merchandise with Lant's copyrighted VENOM designs and Bray of approving the infringement through a licensing agreement. The dispute revolved around the fact that both parties were licensing and selling official VENOM merchandise featuring the contested designs.

Reflecting on VENOM's early days, Mantas said: "We were three young guys in a band, happy to be in a band and jamming. And that was it. And to us, at that particular point, it didn't matter who wrote the songs or who did the drawings or whatever. It was one for all and all for one. And that's why everything went the three ways for the first two albums. But then, when you get a bit wise at the business and everything like that, it's, like, you think, 'Wow. I wrote all that stuff and everybody else is still getting a share.' I don't mind that. That's the songs. That is the songs. And at the end of the day, you put those songs out into the world and you are giving them to the people.

"Now, it doesn't matter what your logo looks like," he continued. "It doesn't matter how good your album cover is. It doesn't matter what your image is, how much leather you are wearing or what guitar you are playing, if someone puts that album on and doesn't like the songs, you are done. A band isn't about logos and t-shirts and stuff like that — it's about music. Why do you wear the t-shirt of a band? Because you like their music. It's as simple as that.

"Now, I'm not saying that Cronos didn't write anything," Dunn clarified. "He wrote some phenomenal lyrics, and I've said this. The lyrics to 'Manitou', I think they are stunning. The lyrics to 'Nightmare' — amazing. We came up with some great songs together in the later stages, where we just bounced the ideas, and some of it just happened. We didn't have to look for it. And 'Welcome To Hell' is my first attempt at writing songs. I hadn't written anything before that — not a thing."

Asked if he and Abaddon have thought about writing and releasing new music, possibly under the VENOM banner, Mantas said: "No, no. At the end of the day, does the world need a new VENOM album? I remember reading an interview with Paul Stanley [of KISS] where he even said, 'I'll never write another KISS song.' Because as good as some of the '80s KISS material was, everybody still wants to hear 'Black Diamond' and 'Cold Gin' and 'Strutter' and 'C'mon And Love Me' and all that stuff. And I'm the same. Like JUDAS PRIEST — 'Firepower', great album; 'Invincible Shield', great album; but if I go to see PRIEST now and they kick into 'The Ripper', game over. It's, like, I'm happy. I know that's a sort of nostalgic way of looking at it, but if we are doing a celebration of this band… All I'm saying is it's a celebration of the music that we wrote 45 years ago; that's all it is. And you've got the two original members in there doing it as well."

Mantas added: "So, new music? I don't know. I don't know. I'm not adverse to maybe getting one song together or something like that. But do people really wanna hear it? It's, like, let's have a vote. I don't know."

There are now three different bands using variations of the VENOM band name. In addition to Mantas and Abaddon's new collaboration, there is the Cronos-fronted version of VENOM, in which Cronos is the sole remaining member from the band's classic era, and there is VENOM INC., which is led by bassist/vocalist Tony "Demolition Man" Dolan, who was a member of VENOM between 1989 and 1992, appearing on the albums "Prime Evil" (1989),"Temples Of Ice" (1991) and "The Waste Lands" (1992).

According to Law360.com, Lant testified in court earlier this year that he joined VENOM in late 1979 and came up with the Satanic-themed designs used in the band's logo and album covers, which included goat heads, pentagrams and inverted crosses.

Bray filed a counterclaim for infringement against Lant and Lant's distributor, Razmataz.com Ltd., arguing that Bray was the real author of the works.

Because Lant was able to produce numerous sketches which demonstrated his design process and Bray was unable to do the same, Bray was deemed the owner of the original logo, while Lant was found to be the creator and copyright owner of all but one of the other artistic works in dispute.

Nearly a decade ago, Dunn formed VENOM INC. with Bray and Dolan.

In December 2024, approximately eight months after suffering his second heart attack, Dunn announced that he was leaving VENOM INC., explaining in a statement that his "health and wellbeing are of paramount importance to myself and my family," but adding that "there are also more personal issues which have influenced my decision."

Dunn suffered his first heart attack in May 2018 and underwent a double bypass surgery.

Mantas sat out VENOM INC.'s fall 2023 U.S. tour after revealing that his wife had been diagnosed with cancer. He was replaced on the trek by Mike Hickey, known for his work with VENOM, CARCASS, CATHEDRAL and CRONOS.

VENOM INC. is not to be confused with the Lant-fronted version of VENOM, which is continuing to tour and make albums under the VENOM moniker. Joining Cronos in that group are Rage (a.k.a. Stuart Dixon) on guitar and Danté (a.k.a. Danny Needham) on drums.

VENOM's classic lineup trio of Dunn, Lant and Bray recorded four studio LPs, "Welcome To Hell" (1981),"Black Metal" (1982),"At War With Satan" (1984) and "Possessed" (1985),and live album, "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (1986). Often cited by bands such as METALLICA, BEHEMOTH, CELTIC FROST and MAYHEM as major influences, they are one of the most revered bands of their generation. VENOM is still fronted by Cronos and headlines festivals all over the globe and continues to release new music while Dunn and Dolan had joined forces in the similarly named VENOM INC.

Abaddon was part of VENOM's classic lineup from 1978 to 1992. He then returned to the band in 1995 and stayed with them for four years before joining VENOM INC. alongside Dunn and Dolan. VENOM INC. released its debut album, "Avé", in August 2017. A year later, VENOM INC. revealed that it was recruiting Jeramie Kling of the Tampa-based melodic death metal band THE ABSENCE to fill in for Bray on a European tour while Abaddon stayed home to spend time with his newborn daughter.

Dunn, Bray and Dolan released the aforementioned three albums as VENOM: "Prime Evil", "Temples Of Ice" and "The Waste Lands".

In September 2022, Bray revealed that he had been diagnosed with lymphoma.

For the April 24, 2026 appearance at the Keep It True festival at Tauberfrankenhalle in Lauda-Königshofen, Germany, Mantas and Abaddon will be joined by an all-star lineup of guest musicians:

* Tom Angelripper and Andy Brings (SODOM)
* Tom G. Warrior (CELTIC FROST, HELLHAMMER, TRIPTYKON)
* Schmier (DESTRUCTION)
* Attila Csihar (MAYHEM)
* Danny Lilker (NUCLEAR ASSAULT, S.O.D.)
* Diva Satánica (BLOODHUNTER, NERVOSA)
* and introducing Blake "Bulldözer" Arendell from the rising force INTERCEPTOR

In a recent interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, Mantas said about the fact that there are now three different bands using variations of the VENOM band name: "I'm just gonna speak the truth, the absolute truth. I'm the founder member [of VENOM]. If there's a co-founder, it's Abaddon. Cronos was the last one to join. Everyone knows that. I wrote all the early material, blah, blah, blah. And at this very moment in time, the way I look at it is there isn't a VENOM out there. There's bands out there who are playing VENOM material. And that's the honest way that I look at it."

Regarding why he and Abaddon chose to reteam for these shows right now, Mantas said: "Myself and Abaddon, we said, 'Look, why don't we just do something to celebrate this fucking band?' And that's all we're doing. It's a celebration of 'Welcome To Hell', 45 years of that album. And this stupid fucking band has missed every major anniversary in its history. We've never celebrated an anniversary of this band. So I spoke to the guys at Keep It True, Oliver Weinsheimer in particular, the owner of the festival. And I said, 'Right, here's an idea. Why don't we get some special guests, people who have been influenced by the band? All that kind of thing.' And he said, 'Great. Let's do it.' So that's how it all came about. And now we're getting offers from other places to do the same thing. So, yeah, if nobody else will do it, we're gonna go out and celebrate this band."

Asked what band name he and Abaddon will perform under, Mantas said: "As far as I'm concerned, there's no fucking name to it. There's Abaddon's VENOM logo, which is his. And underneath it, it says, 'Mantas and Abaddon.' And then special guests. And that's what we're doing."

Elaborating on the reasons he and Abaddon have chosen to play the VENOM music together again, Mantas said: "I know it's not gonna be the PANTERA thing, and I know it's not a fucking KISS reunion or anything like that, but this band has had, for whatever reason, and it still amazes me to this day, but this band has had so much influence on the metal scene from day one, especially when that album ['Welcome To Hell'] came out. And then [VENOM's second album] 'Black Metal' — black metal, as a genre, is still alive and kicking today. Extreme metal is around, people say, because of us."

On the topic of the response from VENOM fans to the announcement of the Keep It True concert, as well as the November 30, 2025 appearance by Dunn and Bray at Shinjuku Antiknock, a legendary music venue in Tokyo, Japan, alongside some of Japan's finest black metal players, Mantas said: "Every comment I've seen so far, 90 percent has been really, really positive. Like, 'Great. Go for it, guys,' all this kind of stuff. Then you get the one, 'Oh, no Cronos, no VENOM.' It's, like, okay, listen to me right now. You can you imagine the most toxic relationship and the most stressful relationship you've ever had in your fucking life, and now go back and invite it back in. And that's what we tried to do.

"If everybody knew the real reason I left in 1986, you wouldn't even fucking look at that guy again. All these people who say that about Cronos and stuff like that, yes, he was a part of the band. I appreciate that. He didn't write all the fucking early material. He didn't found the band. He was the last person to join.

"If you were having problems with your wife and you put it on the fucking Internet, I would never go, 'Oh, yeah, well, I know what's going on,' because you don't — you don't know the personalities of the people involved in it," Mantas explained. "All you see from the outside is a band. I mean, I love KISS. I love JUDAS PRIEST. Now there's fucking problems with K.K. [Downing] and all the rest of fucking PRIEST. There's problems with Ace [Frehley] and fucking Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley] and Peter [Criss], but we don't know what's really gone on. And it's, like, yeah, I tell you what, get back in your mom's basement. Eat your fucking microwave meal and play your video games. This is ridiculous to comment on people's careers. And that's the way I feel about it. And all I'm saying is that myself and Abaddon, as the two original members of VENOM, we're gonna go out and we're gonna celebrate this band and its music. And that's it. Nothing more, nothing less."

Abaddon also offered his opinion on the VENOM name issue, saying: "My take on that is very straightforward. If you've got three bands using the word VENOM to sell the music… Originally, VENOM were a three-piece. Unless you've got two members of that three-piece, you can't call it VENOM because it's Cronos and some other blokes, or it's Dolan and some other blokes. If you've got me and Jeff, you've got two-thirds of the original fucking band. That's as straightforward as you can get."

Mantas Venom Japan公演まであと3日！
参加チケットは前日まで発売中！
https://upp-tone-music.com/mantas2025/index.php

VENOM「Welcome to...

Posted by UPP-tone company on Thursday, November 27, 2025

DEEP PURPLE drummer Ian Paice has revealed that he is working on a solo album of sorts with his son James.

The 77-year-old British-born-musician — who spent much of the past year performing with the band PURPENDICULAR, which started in October 2007 as a DEEP PURPLE tribute act but evolved into a band playing original music — announced the first details of the upcoming LP in a video message he shared on Tuesday, December 23.

Ian said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "Hello, my friends. It's been a strange year for us. DEEP PURPLE decided to take the summer off, something we haven't done since 1984. And it was great being able to spend that time with our families instead of sitting on airplanes and going around the world. But although I wasn't working with DP, you'll have noticed I did quite a few shows with the PURPENDICULAR band. And great fun it is too.

"When I'm asked at these shows why I'm doing them, why I'm playing in small clubs and small venues, I tell people, and it's the truth," he continued. "When you get to a certain age, you've gotta keep playing. You mustn't stop. When you're 21, 22 years old, you can take a year off and you'll come back and you'll be the same. A little later in life, the muscles don't work the same way. So you can't let them forget what they're meant to do. And the only way to keep that right is to be on stage. You can sit in the practice room all you want; it won't be the same. So that's why I do 'em. It keeps the muscles right, keeps the brain right. That has to tell these [limbs] what to do or else it makes no sense. And if you take too long off, that can slip and that's not a great idea.

"I've also been working in the studio with my son James and his musical partner, Ben Batson," Paice added. "They've written some wonderful new music for me to play on. We've been taking a while to get this right, because I wanted really good musicians on it and their availability isn't something you can just take for granted. These guys are working all the time — instrumentalists and vocalists. And just so you know, it's not a drumming record. Eventually even drummers get bored with those. It's some nice new rock and roll music. I think you'll enjoy it. I did the drum tracks about four years ago now. That's how long it's taken us to get it right with the best musicians possible. Many of them are friends, and I did have the advantage of begging them, cajoling them, asking them nicely to help out with the project, and they all very graciously joined in. As I said, the hardest thing was trying to get the time when we could be together, locked in, when I was here and when they weren't on the road working with other people. It was difficult, and sometimes it didn't work. My dear friend Brian Johnson [AC/DC] was slated to come in and take a whack at a couple of the tracks, but the night before the session was due, a rather devastating hurricane blew through Florida and over the region where Brian's main house is. So, obviously, he had to hightail it back to the U.S. and check if he still had a house. It was literally one of those times where the best-laid plans were just blown out of the water. Then, of course, AC/DC went back on the road for a rather lengthy tour, and so the whole thing became impossible. And that's just the way it goes sometimes. Oh, well.

"We believe we have the recording finished now," Ian added. "So the next thing for us to work out is who, where, when we mix it. And I think logically it should be ready for you lot towards the end of next year.

"So at this time, I wish you and yours a very merry Christmas, and like any sane person in the world, I hope the chaos so many people are enduring at the moment can be quickly sorted out. History has shown us that when these situations happen — wars, conflicts, call 'em what you will — in the end, nobody really wins.
So please enjoy yourselves. Stay safe, and as you will have seen, DEEP PURPLE will be going around the world again next year. So I hope to see you at one of those gigs somewhere."

Throughout DEEP PURPLE's long career, which has seen numerous changes among the other personnel, Ian is the only drummer the band has ever had. When the group dissolved in 1976, Ian joined then-DEEP PURPLE vocalist David Coverdale to form WHITESNAKE. After a short hiatus, DEEP PURPLE reunited in 1984 for the "Perfect Strangers" release and has not stopped performing and recording since.

During a decade that DEEP PURPLE did not tour or record, Ian worked with the aforementioned WHITESNAKE, guitarist Gary Moore and, during a brief rest from touring in 1999, recorded an album and played a few shows with Sir Paul McCartney.

Paice suffered a minor stroke in 2016, forcing him to miss the band's shows in Sweden and Denmark — the first time his medical condition prevented him from performing with the group.

Paice and his DEEP PURPLE bandmates were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in April 2016.

In a new interview with Riff X's "Metal XS", LYNYRD SKYNYRD guitarist Rickey Medlocke and singer Johnny Van Zant spoke about the possibility of fresh music from the iconic rockers. Johnny said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We have songs that we wrote with Gary [Rossington, late LYNYRD SKYNYRD guitarist] that we never recorded." Rickey chimed in: "We discovered [these songs] shortly after Gary's passing. They brought us a load of tapes and all this stuff — [Gary's] wife did — and we discovered we had about 30 songs that Gary had taken part with Johnny and myself and whomever. And you could hear him talking on the tapes and talking about lyrics and all that stuff. And Johnny and I started talking about doing — possibly doing — another LYNYRD SKYNYRD record that included Gary's songs on it and stuff."

Added Johnny: "We'll see what the future brings, but we would like to bring that to the forefront and get it to our fans."

Nearly a year and a half ago, Rickey told Joe Rock of Long Island's rock station 102.3 WBAB that he was "excited" about the prospect of making a new LYNYRD SKYNYRD album. He explained: "After being in this band, and this is my second go-around in this band, and after spending, collectively — what? — over 30 years with the LYNYRD SKYNYRD brand, I think it's, I guess, needed or wanted. What we should do is put out new music, like we've been doing all these past years since I've been back with the band. Starting in '96, we did LYNYRD SKYNYRD 'Twenty' record, and here we are today getting ready to do another record, and for me, I'm excited about it. And it is a tribute, basically, to Gary, because we're gonna include a lot of these songs that he wrote, co-wrote. And you know what, man? I'm really looking forward to this. I really am. Not too many people can say that they're still a part of an all-time, incredible band, classic band that has gone through everything that LYNYRD SKYNYRD has gone through and still come out on the very end of it. Back when Gary got me back in the band, I promised him that I would be here until the last note of 'Free Bird' was played. So here I am."

In March 2024, Medlocke told Iridium Rock And Metal Reviews that LYNYRD SKYNYRD may not go down the traditional route when releasing new music. "I do have I do have a thing about putting out whole albums now, because I think that people will go online or go to iTunes or go to Spotify or whatever, they'll see a whole album, but they're only gonna play one or two songs," he said. "They might scan over the rest of them, but they'll pick out one or two of their favorite and then that's it. My thing is that's one of the reasons why I like putting out one song at a time, and you see how people would accept it, react to it, or maybe they don't react to it at all. Maybe they don't like it for whatever reason. But I find that you get a lot of mileage out of one song instead of a collective of 10 to 12 songs or more… You can release one every three months or whatever and then you get a collection of it and release the collection. So, all of a sudden, everybody's got a collection of five songs that they can go and grab after they've loved, like, maybe three or four of 'em. And then you've got the collection and you're all the better for it. But we have thought about that. And we've also thought about how long are we gonna take this?"

Elaborating on how long he thinks LYNYRD SKYNYRD can carry on, Rickey said: "I will put this out there. There's one more guy — he's such a hero to me. And I know you're gonna laugh about this, but Gary, Johnny and I figured, people used to ask us, 'How long are you guys gonna take this?' And I always said, 'Hey, look. If THE ROLLING STONES can do it, we can do it.' And I'm telling you — come on, Keith [Richards]. If you can do it, I know I can do it. Come on, Keith. Join us in LYNYRD SKYNYRD and play on stage with us, because there's another one I'd love to see climb up there with us."

If a new LYNYRD SKYNYRD album materializes, it will be the group's first since 2012's "Last Of A Dyin' Breed". The band released a single, "Last Of The Street Survivors", in 2020.

"Last Of The Street Survivors" — which shares its name with what was the time of the song's release supposed to be LYNYRD SKYNYRD's farewell tour — was penned by Rossington alongside Van Zant, Medlocke and songwriter Tom Hambridge, and found the Southern rockers reminiscing about their career and the bandmates they lost.

After four SKYNYRD members were killed in an October 1977 plane crash, Rossington recruited Johnny to fill his brother's shoes a decade later.

Medlocke, who played drums in SKYNYRD in 1970-71 before leaving to lead his own band BLACKFOOT and coming back to SKYNYRD in 1996, defended LYNYRD SKYNYRD's decision to carry on, telling Cleveland.com in May 2023: "People have beat us up over the years: 'Ah, you guys ain't nothin' but a freakin' tribute band' and blah, blah, blah.

"There's a lot of tribute bands out there to LYNYRD SKYNYRD, but none of them holds it as dear to their hearts as the guys who have been there as long as we have," he explained. "We have the history; I played on the first (recording) sessions. We just know that we have to portray the music with the integrity and the sound and the love as close as we can to when it was originally created."

Rossington was the last surviving founding member of LYNYRD SKYNYRD. On March 5, 2023, his bandmates announced the news of his death in a statement shared on their social media.

LYNYRD SKYNYRD and FOREIGNER recently announced 19 co-headline appearances across North America confirmed for summer 2026. Produced by Live Nation, the "Double Trouble Double Vision Tour" begins on July 23 in Atlanta, Georgia at the Ameris Bank Amphitheatre with a final performance planned on August 29 in Rogers, Arkansas at the Walmart AMP.

During a recent appearance on the "Mohr Stories" podcast, hosted by comedian and actor Jay Mohr, Gene Simmons was asked how he found out about the passing of his longtime KISS bandmate Ace Frehley. Gene responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I was here in California, and I got a text from Gigi, Peter Criss's [original KISS drummer] wife, that Ace had passed. He fell down the stairs, apparently the second time, and they couldn't… The short story is the hospital said, 'He has to go.' The family fought to keep him alive, but he didn't last long. So Peter Criss, Paul Stanley [KISS guitarist/vocalist] and myself went and flew to the wake [in New York] and then the funeral. But I will tell you that no matter how emotional it was, the open casket was just too much. I just had to put my head down because he was right in front of — we were right there. And Ace looked like he was [gonna go], 'Oh, just kidding,' and get up and always be the fun guy he was."

Reflecting on some of the most turbulent moments in KISS's history, Gene said: "Families have squabbles. Sometimes they don't agree on stuff, sometimes they don't talk to each other, but family is forever, and without Ace, and certainly without Peter, KISS wouldn't have happened. There's that chemistry thing. Despite the fact that they were in and out of the band three separate times, what I can say about Ace, whether you like it or not, is almost every guitar player out there grew up playing his licks. Kirk Hammett from METALLICA and Mike McCready [PEARL JAM] literally copied his solo note for note… He told me. I said, 'Yeah, that's note [for note].' NINE INCH NAILS, you name the bands, they all grew [up on KISS]. I've got a photo of Lenny Kravitz at 13 being thrown out of school for wearing KISS makeup. But what I'm getting at is despite the fame and the glory and the money and the chicks, all that stuff, there was something inside of Ace — originally it was alcohol — he just couldn't stop. We all tried, and then it went on to this stuff and some of the heavier stuff, and he was just in and out of it, back and forth. And then he finally passed younger than I am. And maybe the only thing you can say is he lived his life his way all the way to the end, and people tried to either change him, but he was always Ace. And that's the way he chose to live his life."

Simmons added: "The saddest part of all, for me, other than his passing, is we're about to be honored by the president of the country [at the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors], and we're gonna have an a seat right between us that's gonna be empty and hopefully Ace is gonna be looking out. 'Wow, we did some cool stuff, right? Didn't we?' He should have at least stayed alive just that long, to be there with his family and stuff. It's heartbreaking. What are you gonna do?"

Asked if the call informing him of Ace's death is one that he was, in the back of his mind, expecting for a long time, Gene responded: "Yes. When you see — when you witness, not see, when you're in the company, when you witness self-destructive behavior, you start to imagine… I mean, there were so many car wrecks, so many — let's just say lesser people would've died."

Pressed about whether he and the other members of KISS had interventions for Ace while he was still in the band, Gene said: "In those days it was unheard of. And once he was out of the band the third time, there were times when he'd move around to different states, different phone numbers, different girlfriends, and it was just… to separate. But we'd talk. Every once in a while we'd get on [the phone and go], 'Hey, remember that time,' and everything. What are you gonna do?"

Acknowledging Frehley's role in KISS's rise to fame and the band's cultural impact, Simmons added: "We were four knuckleheads off the streets of New York without a resume, no expertise, no experience, who had this bizarre notion of putting together a band that we'd never seen before. Why can't you be on stage and spit fire, or have rockets come out of your guitars or fly through the air? …  So we had this kind of singularity, this moment of, 'Wait a minute. They're gonna come hear the songs, but they're bringing their eyes. Give them something audiovisual. Give them something to look at.'"

Earlier this month, Gene said that he was sorry for suggesting that Ace's death may have been caused by "bad decisions".

Simmons made headlines after he alleged that Frehley's "lifestyle" contributed to a fall at the guitarist's New Jersey home, which ultimately caused his October 16 death at age 74. A couple of days later, Gene apologized, writing on X: "On reflection, I was wrong for using the words I used. I humbly apologize. My hand to God I didn't intend to hurt Ace or his legacy but upon rereading my words, I see how it hurt everyone. Again, I apologize. I've always loved Ace. Always."

Simmons originally told the New York Post in an interview on December 6 that Frehley "refused [advice] from people that cared about him — including yours truly — to try to change his lifestyle." He added: "In and out of bad decisions. Falling down the stairs — I'm not a doctor — doesn't kill you. There may have been other issues, and it breaks my heart. The saddest thing — you reap what you shall sow, unfortunately."

The founding KISS guitarist died of blunt-trauma injuries to his head due to a fall, the Morris County Medical Examiner confirmed in a report obtained. The manner of death was ruled an accident.

According to the report, a CT scan of Frehley's head revealed multiple contusions, bone fractures to the back of his skull, hemorrhages, and a subdural hematoma (the type of bleeding that occurs in a person's brain after a head injury). Additional bruises were found on the musician's hip, thigh, and abdomen. The report also noted that Frehley had suffered a stroke.

A separate toxicology report on Frehley's blood at the time of his death has not yet been released.

During last month's "KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas" event, Gene talked about Ace and Peter while answering a question about what he would have done differently in his career if given the opportunity. He said: "If I have any regrets, it's that I sometimes — and I think we all go through this — wish we were smarter and better at trying to help Ace and Peter have better lives. All of us are guilty of it, and so am I — 'I don't want to start an argument. Let's just continue doing the tour,' because you want to get through it for selfish reasons because it's working and the chicks and the money and [so on], and you don't want to ruin anything. [In the] meantime, somebody who might be your brother is ruining their life by bad decisions. I think this goes to your friends, your lovers, your family members — I wish I would have practiced more tough love and been more in the face of people that we cared about… Tough love is a good idea in my opinion with your children, with the people you love, with the people you care about, with the people you work with. It's not going to be a popular thing — you're going to argue about it — but in the long run, you're going to be helping that person hopefully change their life."

Frehley's longtime manager John Ostrosky confirmed to the New York Post that the late KISS icon was laid to rest at Woodlawn Cemetery in Bronx, New York.

The legendary musician was buried on October 22 following a private memorial on October 21 at Sinatra Memorial Home in Yonkers, New York.

Frehley, whose real name was Paul Daniel Frehley, passed away peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey. He reportedly died nearly two weeks after a second fall at his home, which led to him being placed on life support after a brain bleed. The musician's family made the heartbreaking decision to take him off the ventilator.

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!"

The day of Ace's death, Stanley and Simmons issued a statement in which they 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!"

Ace co-founded KISS with Paul, Gene and Peter in New York City in 1973. 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 in October, 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.

Frehley had a rocky relationship with Simmons and Stanley whom he blamed for exacerbating his abuse of drugs and alcohol because they allegedly minimized his contributions to KISS.

In 2019, Simmons told Guitar World that Frehley and Criss had exited KISS three times, in part because they "weren't carrying their load" and weren't dependable onstage. In response, Frehley called Simmons and Stanley "control freaks, untrustworthy and… too difficult to work with."

Ace said in a 2024 interview that he got sober in 2006 after "10 car accidents" and credited his daughter Monique with inspiring him to give up drinking in 2006.

"My daughter calls me up and goes, 'Dad, I'm not hearing good things about you.' I looked in the mirror and just said, 'Shit — she's right,'" he said. "That evening, I called my sponsor and he took me to an AA meeting, and I've been sober ever since."

In a new interview with the RRBG podcast, former SEPULTURA and current SOULFLY frontman Max Cavalera — who is known for his many collaborations through the years — weighed in on a debate about people using an A.I. (artificial intelligence) music generator as a tool to create melodies, harmonies and rhymes based on artificial intelligence (A.I.) algorithms and machine learning (M.L.) models. Max said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's one of my arguments with people about this whole A.I. shit. To me, that's like what A.I. cannot do. You can't really put people like me and Dino [Cazares, FEAR FACTORY guitarist], or me and Chino [Moreno, DEFTONES singer], or me and Tom Araya [SLAYER vocalist], and you get a cool song out of it. A.I. can never do that. And they won't be able to do it. They'll do a false Xerox of it, but it's not the same… I don't give a shit what people say. It's not the same, man, and it will never be."

Addressing A.I. technology as a whole, Max said: "My hope is that we can coexist with this thing; that's my wish. 'Cause I think some of it can be good, if it's done the right way. I think we're gonna actually learn to coexist with this A.I. technology and see where it goes from there. But the soul of the person, yeah, that's a unique thing. Your heart, your passion, that's a human thing, man."

SOULFLY's thirteenth album, "Chama", came out on October 24 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Last month, SOULFLY kicked off the "Favela Dystopia" 2025 West Coast tour with GO AHEAD AND DIE. The 17-date trek launched on November 1 in Roswell and headed to Denver, Spokane and Fresno, among other cities, before concluding in Flagstaff on November 23.

SOULFLY drummer — and Max's son — Zyon Cavalera co-produced "Chama", which was recorded at the Platinum Underground Studio in Mesa, Arizona by John Aquilino. John has worked with Max and company multiple times before and is not only a talented engineer but a family friend. The album was produced by Zyon and Arthur Rizk. The latter was also responsible for the mixing and mastering. Rizk has not only worked with the Cavalera family numerous times before, but has also helped to shape the world of heavy metal in the modern day. SOULFLY enlisted Carletta Parrish to create the album artwork. For the album, Igor Amadeus Cavalera (GO AHEAD & DIE, NAILBOMB, HEALING MAGIC) played bass and Mike De Leon played guitar.