STRYPER frontman Michael Sweet has revealed 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.

Earlier today (Tuesday, December 9),Sweet shared the following message via 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.

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...

Posted by Michael Sweet on Tuesday, December 9, 2025

In a new interview with Audacy Music, Rob Halford spoke about JUDAS PRIEST's "charity" version of the BLACK SABBATH classic "War Pigs", featuring SABBATH frontman Ozzy Osbourne, which was released in late September. All profits of Sony Music Entertainment UK Ltd and Epic Records in the U.K. from audio streams, downloads, and physical sales of the recording will be donated to The Glenn Tipton Parkinson's Foundation and Cure Parkinson's. Rob said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "When we first came up with this idea of making what we call the JUDAS PRIEST heavy metal style of 'War Pigs', we knew we had to tread carefully because there's such a beloved song for SABBATH fans, Ozzy fans all over the world. So we wanted to make sure that we didn't go too far away from the original, classic concept idea. So the band worked really hard to emulate what Tony [Iommi, SABBATH guitarist] and Bill [Ward, SABBATH drummer] and Geezer [Butler, SABBATH bassist] and Ozzy did together, but at the same time give it our own identity. Scott [Travis, PRIEST drummer] did his best to pay homage to Bill — Bill's style of drumming. The same with Ian [Hill, PRIEST bassist] on bass for Geezer. Richie [Faulkner, PRIEST guitarist] did a fantastic job with his guitars, as did Glenn [Tipton, PRIEST guitarist]."

Halford added: "It's really weird, because my voice in that song is in the same kind of tone or range as Ozzy, which makes it work even better. It really feels like it was destined to be."

Referencing the fact that PRIEST released its original take on "War Pigs" on July 2, three days before Ozzy's blockbuster retirement concert, "Back To The Beginning", took place at Villa Park in his hometown of Birmingham, United Kingdom, Rob said: "But, yeah, it was a privilege and an honor to be able to add our contribution to that amazing day at the Aston Villa football ground."

Asked when Ozzy recorded his part for the "charity" version of "War Pigs" with JUDAS PRIEST, Halford said: "He did his part after we sent all the tracks and files over to Sharon [Osbourne, Ozzy's wife and manager], and then all the metal magic happened. And it was great, 'cause he heard the final part before the idea of bringing Ozzy in on to the track came about. And it was Sharon's idea. It was a great idea. She said, 'Is there any way we can get Ozzy on here?' And we thought, 'This is just gonna be insane, if we can get Ozzy to be in the track as well,' because then the idea of making it a charity single came into being. All the contributions are going to Cure Parkinson's, which was Ozzy's big foundation. And then, of course, Glenn Tipton's foundation. So, the fact that they both approved it, especially Ozzy, who allegedly was just sitting there smiling, happy that his kind of Birmingham brothers, because we were both born and raised in the same neighborhood, we had a chance to do something together. And for me as a singer, it was especially powerful and moving to be able to sing alongside Ozzy on that track… We were just happy that we could make this whole thing go up to another level. It was already doing great things as it was with the PRIEST interpretation, but to have Ozzy connected to it just made it even more spectacular."

PRIEST was unable to appear at "Back To The Beginning" on July 5 in Birmingham, United Kingdom because the band was scheduled to perform at SCORPIONS' huge hometown 60th-anniversary concert at the Heinz Von Heiden Arena in Hannover, Germany on the very same day.

"It was a really difficult thing to say, 'I can't do it,' but that was just the way the chips fell on that particular event," Rob told Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show. "However, we were there in spirit, as we said in that brief little thing that we said for Ozzy on the big video screens. And probably even more important, the PRIEST homage to BLACK SABBATH with our — it's not really a version; it's JUDAS PRIEST playing BLACK SABBATH's 'War Pigs' to about as close as we possibly could. 'Cause you don't mess with a song like that. You give it the sounds that you have with your guitars, with your drums, with your bass, with your voice, and you do it in respect, and you do it in a way of saying thank you for BLACK SABBATH and what they did and what they leave us with with their great music."

Regarding the PRIEST version of "War Pigs" featuring Ozzy, Rob said: "When Sharon said, and this is just so beautiful, when she approached me with this idea, she said, 'I love your version of 'War Pigs'. Is there a way we can get Ozzy [on it as well]?' I said, 'You're asking me? This is gonna happen.' So we were able to make it work. So you get Ozzy singing a line, and then I'm singing a line and Ozzy's singing a line and I'm singing a line, and it's the first-ever time in my entire life that I've been able to do a duet with Ozzy. And I'm so eternally grateful and blessed and grieving that I was able to do that. But when you hear it, it's just colossal. If you think that you've heard the one experience of PRIEST's 'War Pigs', but when you hear PRIEST's 'War Pigs' with Ozzy singing on that track, it's just going to a really special place."

Asked by Full Metal Jackie if he had a story in his experiences with Ozzy that spoke to who he was as a person beyond the concert stage, Rob said: "He gave everything on stage. When he walked out on the stage, he was always beaming. He loved his fans with such an extraordinary passion, but that existed offstage as well. Whenever I'd see him, if I went to see a show, the first thing he would say to me was, 'Did you have a good time? Did you enjoy yourself? Was it great?' And so that part of him as a person — he was always giving stuff. He was always giving out. He wasn't a taking kind of a guy. He was always pushing stuff forward, paying it forward, whatever that expression is. So that part of Ozzy that we probably didn't see much of existed when he wasn't on stage."

Halford continued: "He was an extraordinary man. And I think that opportunity that you had through Sharon [Osbourne, Ozzy's wife and manager] and working with 'The Osbournes', which was the first-ever reality TV show, he became our friend. You may not have ever met Ozzy, but you knew him as a family guy, and you knew him as being — he's like us. There's Ozzy on stage, but look at him at home. And I think that that's what drew him even further into us with our love for Ozzy Osbourne and everything that he's left us with."

This past August, Rob told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station about Ozzy's passing: "Oh, man. I got a call the day [Ozzy's death] happened. I just put the phone down in my hotel room in — I think I was in Leeds, in England, and I just curled up in a ball and bawled my eyes out for hours. I just couldn't believe it. I still can't believe it now. I'm still grieving, like so many people. And then we had a show the next day. So, God, how do you process all of this tragedy, all of this love, because I've never seen such an outpouring of love. And we did the show and we came to the song that we'll be playing when we come to see you guys — it's called 'Giants In The Sky', from the 'Invincible Shield' album — and that song talks about people that we love in music that have moved on to this beautiful place. We reference Lemmy [MOTÖRHEAD] and Ronnie [James Dio] and Paul Di'Anno [IRON MAIDEN] and Jill [Janus from] HUNTRESS and Chris [Cornell from SOUNDGARDEN] and all of these greats, Janis Joplin, Freddie Mercury. And then for that show we added Ozzy at the end. And I said to everybody, this just so much to try and comprehend and so tough, but Ozzy would say, 'Let's party. Let's rock and roll. Let's live it up. Let's enjoy.' That was in his heart, his soul, and his spirit. Whenever we did shows together, he would always say that to me after, 'Did you have a good time?' 'Yeah. Yeah.' 'Did you have a good time? Did you really have a good time?' The stuff he pushed out from himself to his fans to everybody, the generosity, the caring, all of the incredible things that he did in music, he was the embodiment of kindness in that respect.

"So it's great that we are talking about him now and we should keep talking about him forever, like I always talk about Ronnie, I talk about Lemmy," Rob added. "These are all friends of mine. And we have to celebrate — we have to celebrate. That's the way of helping you through the grief. You think about the memories, you think about the joy, you think about the good times, and that's what we will always do with Ozzy."

Asked if he remembered the last time he had a conversation with Ozzy or the last time he was in contact with him, Rob said: "No. We used to text occasionally. 'Cause he's another guy I was in awe of. I'm still in awe of Alice [Cooper]. [Laughs] 'Oh my God. He's Alice Cooper.' And I used to feel the same whenever I was in Ozzy's presence, because he had this larger-than-life personality. It'd been a while since we've been in touch. But, again, I just have the wonderful memories of the two opportunities I was able to sing for him with SABBATH. And then this recent opportunity to cover 'War Pigs' [with PRIEST], which we still play at the start of our show, which is one of the greatest metal songs ever written. So that connection will never be severed in that respect."

JUDAS PRIEST paid tribute to Ozzy during the band's July 23 concert at Scarborough Open Air Theatre in Scarborough, United Kingdom. Introducing the aforementioned song "Giants In The Sky", Rob acknowledged the BLACK SABBATH frontman's death a day earlier, saying: "Okay. Look, it's been tough, the last 24 hours, right? It's been tough. But he would want us to be doing this. He would want us to be together, he would want us to be having a good time, which is what we're doing right now. We love you, Ozzy."

After a brief pause amid chants of "Ozzy! Ozzy! Ozzy!", Halford continued: "This next song is all about him and all of the other greats that we've lost. Their music lives forever. They used to be down here on the earth plane. Now they're in the sky plane, as we call it. This is 'Giants In The Sky'."

During the song — a tribute to musicians now gone — the screen displayed images of the likes of Ronnie James Dio, Lemmy, Freddie Mercury, Taylor Hawkins and Christine McVie, finishing on two gigantic images of Ozzy.

A few hours after Ozzy's passing was announced on July 22, JUDAS PRIEST released the following statement via social media: "Our hearts are broken like millions around the world. Words can't express the love and loss we are all feeling.

"Sharon, may God surround you and your beautiful family with love, peace and light.

"Ozzy, you will never leave us — your music is eternal. God blesses you now more than ever after you blessed us all through your magnificent life.

"Rob, Glenn, Ian, Richie & Scott".

In August 2023, Halford picked BLACK SABBATH's classic 1970 self-titled debut album as one of the albums he'd be willing to listen to in perpetuity if he found himself stranded and alone on an island. He said: "I would have to go with BLACK SABBATH, the original 'Black Sabbath' album that I think is the motivator for all great things in heavy metal."

Back in 2020, Halford broke down his top 10 favorite albums in an interview with Rolling Stone and explained how they helped make him who he is. Among the records included on the list was BLACK SABBATH's debut. At the time, Halford said about his choice: "They were local guys from the same neighborhood, the same neck of the woods as PRIEST. We literally grew up together, inventing this great music that we love and cherish so much called heavy-metal music.

"I chose the 'Black Sabbath' album just because, like so many bands, your first one or two records really establish who you are as a band," he explained. "It's a bit like PRIEST with 'Rocka Rolla' and 'Sad Wings Of Destiny'; 'Sad Wings Of Destiny' becomes the one we love so much because it becomes defining. With 'Black Sabbath', here was the first example of what heavy metal music should sound like, just the texture, the tone, the structure of all of the material, Ozzy's very unique voice. It's just become a very important record in the discography of BLACK SABBATH."

Halford joined SABBATH for two gigs to support Ozzy Osbourne on his last shows for the "No More Tours" tour in November 1992 in Costa Mesa, California after SABBATH's singer at the time, Ronnie James Dio, refused to take the stage. Rob also performed with SABBATH members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward on August 26, 2004 at the Camden, New Jersey stop of Ozzfest after Ozzy came down with an "attack of bronchitis" and was unable to take part in the concert.

Asked which SABBATH tune he'd most enjoying performing with the band, Halford told The Georgia Straight: "Oooh, that's a good question. Um, I'd probably say the actual song 'Black Sabbath', which is, to me, the most evil song that's ever been written. [Laughs]. It's very fucking scary. There's something very malevolent about that song. It's just the whole — it's the way it starts, and then it's almost deathly quiet, and then that opening line: 'What is this I see before me?' You know, I just get goosebumps thinking about it now. And when I sang that song live, it makes you feel really… Wow… I can't describe it. It's just very overwhelming, the emotion is very overwhelming. And when you see Ozzy singing it you can see him change, you know, his whole demeanor, he just changes as a person to sing that song. It's really spooky."

A raffle to win one of BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi's guitars raised £50,000 for the hospital where he received his cancer treatment.

On Monday (December 9),Iommi took to his social media to write: "A massive thank you to everyone who bought tickets to my guitar raffle these past few weeks. Together you've raised over £50,000 for the Heartlands Hospital Charity appeal. What an incredible achievement and only possible thanks to all of you".

The 77-year-old guitar legend was treated at Birmingham, United Kingdom's Heartlands Hospital in 2012 after being diagnosed with lymphoma a few months earlier. Four years later, Iommi revealed that his cancer was in remission.

Last month, Iommi joined staff at Heartlands Hospital to help launch a fundraising drive as part of a £150,000 appeal to refurbish the hospital's cancer treatment center.

Speaking to BBC about his diagnosis, Iommi said: "It was a terrible shock. It's really hard when you're going through that. You just never think until you're in that situation, and I know how difficult it is, and how they feel. I like to be able to give something back and be involved and help."

Reflecting on the treatment he received at Heartlands, Tony said: "The more comfortable you can make the patient, the better. I know when I was in, they treated me so well, that everybody was so nice, the nurses were nice, everybody was great. To have the right environment means a hell of a lot."

Iommi will make an announcement on his social media when the raffle goes live.

Iommi revealed his cancer diagnosis in early 2012, shortly after SABBATH announced a reunion tour and album. He underwent treatment throughout the recording of the disc, titled "13", and the subsequent tour to promote it.

The BLACK SABBATH guitarist successfully underwent an operation in January 2017 to remove a noncancerous lump from his throat.

"13" was the first album in 35 years to feature Iommi, singer Ozzy Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler all playing together.

During a June 2023 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Iommi stated about his health: "I'm up and down. I go for my checks. In fact, I was there the day before yesterday, just getting different checks again. It's like any old person [laughs] — you have problems. But, no, all in all, it's been pretty good. Certainly as far as the cancer side of it, it's been — dare I say — good. I get other ailments, like your hands ache and feet and things like that. But apart from that, it's good. And I think doing what I'm doing keeps me up. I don't sit at home just sitting on the couch; I'm out and about doing stuff. And it's good — it keeps you motivated; it keeps you moving."

Regarding where his cancer battle stood at the time, Tony said: "Well, they keep it under control. They check the immune system all the time to make sure you keep it up. I have [vitamin] B12 shots and just try and eat a bit better and try and look after your health a bit more. That's why, really, I had to stop these major tours, because they were long tours and late-night tours. By the time you'd finished playing, especially when we were in the States, and we'd have a base, say, in New York, for 10 days, and we'd have our own plane and fly out to different places and come back. And by the time we get back to the hotel, it's three o'clock in the morning. And these late nights were affecting me a bit. And my oncologist said, 'You know, you shouldn't really be flying as much and doing this amount of work.' So that's sort of why it came to the end of me touring for 18 months. But, yeah, I loved it — I love touring; I love playing; I love seeing the audience. And I still wanna get out and play, but I won't be able to do major tours like that. As I said before, maybe a week or two or whatever, but it's hard to do that, because you've got the crews that work — you have top-notch crews, and you can't expect them to just do two weeks. They wanna get out and do a U.S. tour. But I will be going out, I suppose, doing something along the line. I've been asked to do various things, and we'll see what happens."

In February 2017, SABBATH finished "The End" tour in Birmingham, closing out the quartet's groundbreaking 49-year career.

"The End" was SABBATH's last tour because Iommi can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.

Iommi previously spoke about his battle with lymphoma in a 2013 interview with Guitar World magazine. At the time, he said: "The [cancer] diagnosis came when I was doing my book tour [in 2011] before we started rehearsal. On the book tour, I saw a doctor because this lump appeared in my groin. We thought it was just a swollen gland, so he gave me antibiotics. After the book tour, I was going to L.A to start rehearsals. He said if it wasn't gone in two weeks when I got there, I should see another doctor. So I did, because it was still there. He gave me more antibiotics, because I had developed an infection from this other problem I had with my prostate. It was too big and had to be cut down. So I thought the other lump was part of that. But it never went away. So we were rehearsing and writing, and I kept feeling this pain down in my groin. And Ozzy kept saying, 'You don't look really well.' And I'd say, 'Well, I don't feel too good.' He also told me to go get it checked out. I was going back to England to have the prostate operation, so I decided just to wait until then. They said they'd take out that other lump while they were in there. I thought nothing of it at all, but they found out it was cancer."

He continued: [After they told me I had cancer] my whole life changed. And they're so casual about it! They say, 'The good news is that your prostate is really good. But the lump, we found lymphoma in it.' Lymphoma, what's that? Well, I knew what it was, but I wanted to hear them say it: cancer. Once I heard that, it was awful. I thought, God, of all the times."

A massive thank you to everyone who bought tickets to my guitar raffle these past few weeks. Together you've raised over...

Posted by Tony Iommi on Monday, December 8, 2025

In a recent interview with Shawn Whitney of the Missoula, Montana radio station 96.3 The Blaze, vocalist/guitarist Matthew K. Heafy of Florida metallers TRIVIUM spoke about the lyrical inspiration for the band's latest three-song EP, "Struck Dead", which came out on October 31 via TRIVIUM's longtime label Roadrunner Records. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "Last year, I had a pretty rough year. I think it was kind of like a midlife crisis-slash-mental breakdown, right in the middle of the year. As people were kind of looking around, I was doing so many things — I was scoring video games, scored a movie, I was managing bands, producing bands, [wrote a] kids' book, instructional, all this stuff. I think I did a chart — it was like 30 to 50 projects I'd finished in a year, a year and a half. I don't know why. But I think this was kind of leading up to what I was going into, and I realized that through psychiatry, cognitive behavioral therapy, I'm a person with extreme ADHD-OCD anxiety, which a lot of us have. And those triggered down into depression and things like that. So when we were preparing for the 'Ascendancy' [20th-anniversary] tour, I was looking back at the 'Ascendancy' lyrics, and I was going, 'Man, I'm still thinking that stuff about myself, about the world around me. How's that possible 19 years later?' So I decided to start doing the mental work through psychiatry, CBT therapy, all that stuff, and it was very, very difficult. And I will say that now I'm in a better place than I've ever been in my entire life. [I'm] having more fun doing what I'm doing. I feel better, I feel healthier physically, mentally, everything — everything is clear. But what's right for the [new TRIVIUM] EP, what's great for the art, was right in the middle of that is when we were doing the 'Struck Dead' EP, so all these lyrics were written basically at my mental fritzing lowest point, and I was able to channel all that into the music, thankfully. The music wasn't even enough. I had to do it through so many different outlets at the same time. And I felt like this is very important for me to talk about on stage. And I've been talking about it every single night just to encourage people, if you got this stuff going on…"

Heafy continued: "I think it's great that musicians have put more of an emphasis on mental health being important, but I think a lot of times they don't really give the solution of what you're supposed to do. And so that's why I wanna tell people, like, it's a lot of work. It's a lot of talk therapy, psychiatry, cognitive behavioral therapy, and with the CBT thing, that's like rewiring your brain's habits for something. And the best metaphor I was able to use for an anecdote was, let's say you get cut off in traffic. [You give them the] middle finger, [you're] screaming at them, [you] chase after them a little bit. That's how I used to be. And so that becomes the default reaction that you have. Same thing with jiu-jitsu. We're taught — the very first thing — how to fall correctly. No one knows how to fall correctly just out of the gate. But jiu-jitsu rewires your body so you know how to muscle-memory fall correctly every single time you fall. So CBT helps you… Okay, so I just got cut off. Now I'm, like, 'Okay, maybe they're in a rush. Maybe they're going to the hospital. Maybe they had to do something. Maybe they were late for work.' Instead of getting pissed off and then being, like, 'I'm gonna fight this guy.' So it helps it in that way. So that's just kind of a little microscopic nuance of what I was going into. But I will say that it was amazing people to make all these songs and put all that stuff in there."

TRIVIUM's "Struck Dead" tour kicked off on October 31 in Myrtle Beach and will run through December 14, with an epic hometown show in Orlando. Special guests JINJER appear, while HERIOT serves as support.

TRIVIUM performed "Bury Me With My Screams", the lead single from "Struck Dead", live for the first time at Bloodstock Open Air on August 8 after the song was officially released earlier that day.

This past October, TRIVIUM parted ways with longtime drummer Alex Bent and replaced him with Alex Rüdinger.

Rüdinger is sitting behind the kit for TRIVIUM during the band's fall 2025 North American tour. He will also be part of the writing sessions for the next TRIVIUM album.

During "The Poisoned Ascendancy" tour, TRIVIUM and BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE celebrated the 20th anniversary of "Ascendancy" and "The Poison" albums, respectively, by playing them in full.

Produced by Live Nation, the North American leg of "The Poisoned Ascendancy" kicked off on March 30 at PNE Forum in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, making stops across North America in Las Vegas, Chicago, New York and more before wrapping up in Raleigh, North Carolina at Red Hat Amphitheater on May 18.

Released in March of 2005, TRIVIUM crafted a classic in the form of "Ascendancy". It concluded 2005 as Kerrang!'s "Album Of The Year," went gold in the U.K., and has since surpassed global sales of 500,000 copies. Opening the main stage of Download festival that year, the Floridian four piece — barely out of their teens — delivered a set that left all who witnessed it in no doubt that they were looking at future legends, with Kerrang! readers later voting it as the tenth best gig of all time.

"Ascendancy" ignited a string of six consecutive Top 25 debuts on the Billboard 200 and five straight Top 3 debuts on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart, culminating on 2017's benchmark "The Sin And The Sentence". That album elevated the group's total stream tally past a quarter of a billion. Additionally, "Betrayer" received a Grammy Award nomination in the category of "Best Metal Performance". Unanimous acclaim followed from Decibel, Loudwire, Ultimate Guitar, MetalSucks and Metal Hammer, who dubbed them "quite simply one of the best bands in modern metal." 2020 brought LP "What The Dead Men Say". The album was produced by TRIVIUM and Josh Wilbur and debuted at No. 35 on the Billboard 200; at No. 2 on the Top Current Albums chart, and at No. 3 on both the Hard Rock Albums chart and Top Rock Albums chart.

Canadian rock giants THREE DAYS GRACE have added another No. 1 single to their monster catalog as "Kill Me Fast" reaches No. 1 at Billboard Mainstream Rock, marking the band's 20th No. 1 on the chart. Produced by Zakk Cervini, Dan Lancaster and Howard Benson, the song is the third single from the band's current album, "Alienation", to hit the No. 1 spot. Previous singles "Mayday" and "Apologies" also hit No. 1. "Alienation" marked the return of original vocalist Adam Gontier sharing vocal duties with Matt Walst.

THREE DAYS GRACE comments: "We want to thank everyone at radio and especially all of our fans who have supported us through this unbelievable journey. Having 20 No. 1 records is a testament to them. They have stuck with us through every evolution, every riff, every scream. We don't take that lightly. The best is still to come."

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.

THREE DAYS GRACE recently entered the esteemed Spotify "Billions Club" as their rock anthem "I Hate Everything About You" crossed one billion streams on the digital streaming platform. Released in 2003, the single has since become embedded in rock history.

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 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.

Photo credit: Matt Barnes

Roadrunner Records has announced the signing Boston hardcore institution BLOOD FOR BLOOD.

Since 1994, BLOOD FOR BLOOD has quietly achieved its rightful place in the hardcore pantheon, thanks to an all-out punk and hardcore assault delivered with metallic precision, laced with venomous swagger and spiked with a sarcastic sense of humor. Now they share their new single "You're Gonna Have To Kill Me". It's the first new song from BLOOD FOR BLOOD in 21 years.

Fueled by the very unbridled aggression that propelled them to the top of the hardcore scene in the '90s and early '00's, BLOOD FOR BLOOD is, put simply, fucking back.

Opening with that hardened grit that only a Boston-bred voice could deliver, the band hasn't missed a (two) step — with bass lines that slap and their perma-quintessential middle fingers raised high. It's all fingerpointing, floorpunching, and fist-in-the-air fury.

Notice the tip of the hat to Paul Newman in "Cool Hand Luke", giving way an ominous groan of distortion and frenzied double bass. The riffs thrash and roll, and the groove quakes with enough force to register on the Richter scale. Its bellowing chorus splits the pit with a call-to-arms: "Stay down you're gonna have to kill me, 'cause we won't stay down 'til we're dead." A melodic call-and-response burns like a light at the end of the tunnel.

About the song itself, BLOOD FOR BLOOD singer Rob Lind says, "It's a straight-up-the-pipe BLOOD FOR BLOOD song. Initially, it points out pop culture's fascination with criminality and outlaw nonsense. Everybody is trying to be wild, gangster, or whatever, all of which 'You're Gonna Have To Kill Me' sneers at. For all of this contempt, it ends on a really positive note. It might even be uplifting, which is my hope."

Furthermore, the band declares, "BLOOD FOR BLOOD have returned from exile with new music and new live dates. We're proud to say we've signed with Roadrunner Records, and our new single 'You're Gonna Have to Kill Me' is streaming everywhere now."

The band's upcoming live dates are below. Shows go on sale on Friday, December 12 at 10 a.m. local time.

2026 "Return From Exile" tour dates featuring SKINHEAD:

April 9 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts
April 10 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Monarch
April 11 - Cambridge, MA - The Middle East
April 17 - Los Angeles, CA - The Belasco
April 19 - Berkeley, CA - The Cornerstone
May 30 - Detroit, MI - Tied Down
November 20 - Netherlands - Revolution Calling*

* BLOOD FOR BLOOD only

BLOOD FOR BLOOD came out swinging on 1997's "Spit My Last Breath". You could say they unassumingly reflected the intensity of a scene overlooked by the music industry and simultaneously mirrored the aggression of a working class forgotten by its country's "leaders." During 1998, BLOOD FOR BLOOD uncorked unadulterated rage with "Revenge On Society", which Axe To Grind cited as one of the "5 Hardcore Albums That Defined 1996-2000." The musicians rallied together with 1999's "Livin' In Exile", hailed as "definitive" by Boston Phoenix. The 2002 opus "Outlaw Anthems" resonates to this day with millions of streams. Moreover, they toured with everyone from DROPKICK MURPHYS to TERROR and SICK OF IT ALL. Garnering praise, New Noise Magazine marveled at how "their unforgiving attitude of give no fucks simultaneously created their own niche of a scene, a style, and a culture within sub-genres of music which quickly spread worldwide," and Invisible Oranges attested, "Rob Lind is a friggin' genius in my book." No Jumper even touted them among "the best hardcore bands of all time." Save for a few short-lived reunion attempts, the band was more or less dormant from 2004 onward. Shocked to life once more by founder, guitarist, and vocalist "White Trash" Rob Lind and O.G. bassist Ian McFarland, BLOOD FOR BLOOD is back with shows and its first original release in 21 years "You're Gonna Have To Kill Me".

BLOOD FOR BLOOD is:

Rob Lind - Guitar, Vocals
Pete Morcey - Vocals
Ian McFarland - Bass
Justin Legere - Guitar
Jamie Muckinhaupt - Drums

Photo credit: Jason Zucco

In a new interview with Capital Chaos TV, guitarist/vocalist Luc Lemay of Canadian death metal veterans GORGUTS spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's long-awaited new studio album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I was telling myself, as soon as we're back from that[North American] CANNIBAL [CORPSE] tour that we did [with MAYHEM and BLOOD INCANTATION] two years ago, 'I'm gonna start writing again.' And I was really in the right headspace and I felt I had something to say. And I kind of hit myself on the head a bit with this — why do I take these breaks? But sometimes my mind is just not into it. I like to do a million things all the time. But when we came back from the CANNIBAL tour, I started to [think], 'Okay. What would be the style of this record?' So I was trying to get a new aesthetic together, but I just couldn't find anything interesting to spark me up. And then I said, 'Hey, what if I take ingredients from all the records?' 'Cause I hadn't [written] a riff with tremolo picking and thrash beats since [1993's] 'Erosion [Of Sanity]'. That's a long time. So what about writing riffs like that again? And then I started blending this with dissonant riffs and everything, and then, wow, it gave something really new. You recognize the band right away, but it's very different from all the other records. So, that was the creative process for this one. So I'm very excited for this one."

As for when GORGUTS might enter the studio to begin recording the new LP, Luc said: "We should go maybe March-ish or something. We still need to talk about this. But the music, all the music has been done for a while now. And it takes me a lot of time. I have a lot of reading [to do] to find the concept, 'cause I like doing concept records. So it took me a long time to find the topic. But just before this tour, I stumbled against a few topics and I was, like, 'This is very interesting.' So that's been in my mind since. So, I got my topic I want. So I'm very inspired by it. So, it's gonna be cool."

This past July, GORGUTS spent three days at bassist Colin Marston's studio in Pennsylvania, recording pre-production demos for four new songs intended for the upcoming album.

GORGUTS performed for the first time in nearly six years at the 2023 Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest: Philly. To celebrate the end of this extended break, the band played a special set exclusively of material from 1998's landmark "Obscura" and 1991's old-school classic "Considered Dead".

Few extreme bands can boast the pedigree of GORGUTS. During their early days as part of death metal's first wave, they created a legacy of legendary releases including their debut album "Considered Dead" (1991) and its more experimental and technical follow-up "Erosion Of Sanity" (1993). After a hiatus of five years, Luc returned with a new lineup, which released the highly acclaimed and seminal third full-length "Obscura" (1998). By then GORGUTS had been busy at expanding and redefining the language of death metal. With a new lineup that left Lemay as the sole original member, the next milestone album was released under the title "From Wisdom To Hate" (2001).

Yet again the band went into hibernation, while their musical legacy continued to inspire and thrive as their native Quebec became a focus for technical death metal with acts such as CRYPTOPSY, NEURAXIS and BEYOND CREATION, to name but a few, following in their footsteps. After more than a decade of silence, Lemay unleashed "Colored Sands" (2013) with an all-star line-up including Colin Marston (BEHOLD THE ARCTOPUS),Kevin Hufnagel (DYSRHYTHMIA) and John Longstreth (ORIGIN, SKINLESS),who was later replaced by Patrice Hamelin (QUO VADIS, BENEATH THE MASSACRE) and more recently by Michel Bélanger.

In 2016, GORGUTS released the "Pleiades Dust" EP. In an age of a postulated clash of cultures, Lemay delivered a piece of music that was conceptually and lyrically based on the "House Of Wisdom", a medieval library based in Baghdad and at the heart of the Golden Age of Islam with its many scientific breakthroughs in various fields of learning.

After a successful year of touring in 2017, GORGUTS once again receded into the shadows and went dark before becoming reactivated six years later.

Last month, GORGUTS completed a North American tour as the support act for DEATH TO ALL, the touring tribute to the late Chuck Schuldiner and his pioneering band DEATH.

GORGUTS 2025 is:

Luc Lemay - rhythm guitar, vocals
Kevin Hufnagel - lead guitar
Colin Marston - bass
Michel Bélanger - drums

On a new episode of the "Talk Louder" podcast, hosted by veteran music journalist "Metal Dave" Glessner and lifelong hard rock/metal vocalist Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS),legendary rock singer Graham Bonnet (RAINBOW, ALCATRAZZ, MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP) confirmed that the next studio album from his group, the GRAHAM BONNET BAND, will feature a guest appearance by IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[Bruce] did his vocal — what? — two months ago. What he's doing, he's doing the last verse of the song, the last pre-chorus and then and then the chorus. And then had he ad-libs after the end. And I've got the first verse to do with the pre-chorus and then the chorus. So I've got my bit to do. We haven't done it yet. We're just getting some new equipment together for the studio. And I think we have a new microphone, which is something I've got to look forward to."

Bonnet went on to say that the song Dickinson appears on is called "The Fifth Force Of Nature". "It's about, is this reality or is it something else? That's basically what it's about," Graham explained.

There are four known forces that govern the interactions of matter: gravitation, electromagnetism and the strong and weak nuclear forces. But some researchers claim they have found evidence for a fifth force — the existence of which could broaden our understanding of the universe in important ways

"They really think there is a fifth force of nature, and some scientists or whatever are trying to build this machine that will find that particular place," Graham said about the song's lyrical inspiration. "I looked it up, and it's real. They're actually doing that. It sounds ridiculous, I know, but they think that we are manipulated by something else or we're not even here, which scares the fuck out of me."

Last month, Graham told Levi Buckley of Sticks For Stones about the next GRAHAM BONNET BAND studio album: "[English rock singer, guitarist, songwriter and producer] Russ Ballard has written three songs for us, two of which I think are definites [to go on the record], and we might even do the third. But the third one he sent me recently is a little bit too poppy, possibly. But, hey, [the Ballard track] 'Since You Been Gone' [which RAINBOW recorded during Graham's time with the band] was a fricking pop song. What can you say? I mean, it was a pop song."

Regarding how the collaboration with Bruce came about, Graham said: "I've known him for — God — a long time, but I haven't seen him every day. He's not my best friend or anything…. He said to somebody — in his [solo] band, I believe — 'I never do this for anybody,' do a [guest] appearance on [somebody's] album. 'But I'll do it for Graham.' That's how much of a friend he is. And I thanked him very much for being so generous and going out of his way to do this with us, 'cause he does like the band and everything. He's with us all the way, and we've been to see a lot of his shows recently."

GRAHAM BONNET BAND will release a new live album, "Lost In Hollywood Again", on December 12, 2025 via Frontiers Music Srl. The LP was recorded on August 29, 2024, at the world-famous Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles, California.

The GRAHAM BONNET BAND's third studio album, "Day Out In Nowhere", came out in May 2022 via Frontiers Music Srl. Graham was joined on the LP by longtime bandmates Beth-Ami Heavenstone (bass) and Conrado Pesinato (guitar),as well as keyboardist Alessandro Bertoni and drummer Shane Gaalaas. "Day Out In Nowhere" also saw performance and co-writing guest appearances from Jeff Loomis (ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE),John Tempesta (THE CULT, WHITE ZOMBIE),Mike Tempesta (POWERMAN 5000),Roy Z (HALFORD, BRUCE DICKINSON) and Don Airey (DEEP PURPLE, RAINBOW).

Bonnet is a hard rock legend with a pedigree to back that statement up. His solo offerings and stints with RAINBOW, MSG, ALCATRAZZ and IMPELLITTERI prove he is one of the finest rock vocalists and songwriters of his generation. From his late 60s into his 70s, Graham has written and recorded some of the best albums he's ever done, including a reunion album with GRAHAM BONNET'S ALCATRAZZ called "Born Innocent" in 2020, along with three records with his GRAHAM BONNET BAND: 2016's "The Book", 2018's "Meanwhile, Back In The Garage" and the aforementioned "Day Out In Nowhere".

In 1979, Bonnet auditioned for the frontman position in RAINBOW. With his James Dean image, the choice of Bonnet to replace Ronnie James Dio was subject to some questions. However, once the band heard Bonnet sing, they knew they had their man. With Bonnet at the mic, they recorded the "Down To Earth" LP, which became one of RAINBOW's most successful releases.

Graham moved on from RAINBOW in the early '80s to work on his solo career. He also played with MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP, recorded several albums with ALCATRAZZ and had a short stint with IMPELLITTERI.

Former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes joined BAD MARRIAGE, the band featuring former TESLA guitarist Tommy Skeoch, on stage this past Saturday (December 6) at The Rockin' Buffalo in West Seneca, New York to perform a cover of the Neil Young classic "Rockin' In The Free World". Video of Holmes's appearance can be seen below, courtesy of Thomas S. Orwat, Jr. of Rock Interview Series.

As previously reported, Skeoch and Holmes have teamed up with TESLA bassist and founding member Brian Wheat and original SALIVA singer Josey Scott in a new band called TERMINAL.

This past Friday (December 5),Wheat shared a picture of him with Skeoch and Holmes and he included the following message: "Been working on the new TERMINAL record this week. #newmusiccomingsoon #terminalband #chrisholmes #brianwheat #tommyskeoch".

When Wheat announced TERMINAL's formation in September, he wrote: "We look forward to presenting you with our new brand of music." He then clarified: "No, I am not leaving TESLA. I'm just starting another new band with my old friend."

This past July, Wheat joined BAD MARRIAGE on stage in Webster, New York, marking the first time in nearly 20 years that Wheat and Skeoch had performed live together. Wheat, Skeoch and the rest of BAD MARRIAGE ripped through the TESLA classics "Rock Me To The Top" and "Little Suzi".

Ten months ago, Wheat brought up his current relationship with Skeoch while speaking to Ernest Skinner of Canada's Border City Rock Talk about his friendship with Holmes. He said:  "Me and Chris are gonna do a band or a project, whatever you wanna call it, together. And Tommy has agreed to do it as well. So the three of us have talked about putting together a project, band, whatever you wanna call it this day and age, but me and Chris have already started to work on some songs. And I know me and Tommy know how to write songs together 'cause we did a lot in TESLA. So the next step would be to get me and Tommy and Chris together, whether it's on a Zoom, working together like that or whatever, and write some material, and then find a singer that would be the right singer for that project.

"But, yeah, me and Chris are pretty good buddies," Brian continued. "We see each other when I'm at my house in Italy. He's there all the time. He lives in France. And I'm in Florida now for the winter. Tommy's in Florida. So we've all talked about it. So it's just when we get around to doing it. And it's just carving out a time where Chris isn't busy doing MEAN MAN, I'm not doing TESLA or VIOLET BREED, and Tommy's not doing BAD MARRIAGE.

"I'm looking forward to it, because I like Chris and I wanna work with Tommy again," Wheat added.

In February 2022, Skeoch, who left TESLA in 2006 to receive treatment for substance-abuse issues, reconnected with Wheat for the first time in more than a decade and a half aboard that year's Monsters Of Rock cruise. The charter cruise featured performances by Skeoch's then-band RESIST & BITE while Wheat was onboard showing his art.

In an interview with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Skeoch was asked if he exited TESLA of his own accord or if he was asked to leave. Tommy said: "I was fired. I was getting fucked up and I was definitely in the wrong about a lot of stuff, and they put up with it for a long time. But at the same time, none of us were angels, and we put up with a lot of stuff from the other guys for a long time too, and they're still there. So I felt like a little scapegoated by the thing. And the other thing is they didn't want people — I guess for the benefit of my family, so it wouldn't look bad — they said, 'Tommy's just gonna spend time [with his family].' That's why nobody knows, and that's why you're asking this question. Everyone's confused on even what happened. Basically, I was fired. I was getting fucked up, and I kept fucking up, and I kept telling 'em I wouldn't, and I just couldn't stop."

Skeoch added that he accepts responsibility for the circumstances that led to his departure from TESLA. "I do, of course," he said. "But I also believe we put up with a lot of shit for a long time from almost every other guy in the band, and they're still there. So I don't know what's up with that; that's a little weird to me."

Skeoch was a founding member of TESLA and played on the Sacramento five-piece defining albums, including 1986 debut "Mechanical Resonance" and 1990's "Five Man Acoustical Jam".

Tommy, who was fired due to substance abuse issues in 1994, rejoined when TESLA reformed more than two and a half decades ago following a brief hiatus.

TESLA bassist and founding member Brian Wheat recently teamed up with original TESLA guitarist Tommy Skeoch in a new band called TERMINAL. Joining the duo in the new group are former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes and original SALIVA singer Josey Scott.

Earlier today (Friday, December 5),Wheat shared a picture of him with Skeoch and Holmes and he included the following message: "Been working on the new TERMINAL record this week. #newmusiccomingsoon #terminalband #chrisholmes #brianwheat #tommyskeoch".

When Wheat announced TERMINAL's formation in September, he wrote: "We look forward to presenting you with our new brand of music." He then clarified: "No, I am not leaving TESLA. I'm just starting another new band with my old friend."

This past July, Wheat joined BAD MARRIAGE on stage in Webster, New York, marking the first time in nearly 20 years that Wheat and Skeoch — who is also BAD MARRIAGE lead guitarist — had performed live together. Wheat, Skeoch and the rest of BAD MARRIAGE ripped through the TESLA classics "Rock Me To The Top" and "Little Suzi".

Ten months ago, Wheat brought up his current relationship with Skeoch while speaking to Ernest Skinner of Canada's Border City Rock Talk about his friendship with Holmes. He said:  "Me and Chris are gonna do a band or a project, whatever you wanna call it, together. And Tommy has agreed to do it as well. So the three of us have talked about putting together a project, band, whatever you wanna call it this day and age, but me and Chris have already started to work on some songs. And I know me and Tommy know how to write songs together 'cause we did a lot in TESLA. So the next step would be to get me and Tommy and Chris together, whether it's on a Zoom, working together like that or whatever, and write some material, and then find a singer that would be the right singer for that project.

"But, yeah, me and Chris are pretty good buddies," Brian continued. "We see each other when I'm at my house in Italy. He's there all the time. He lives in France. And I'm in Florida now for the winter. Tommy's in Florida. So we've all talked about it. So it's just when we get around to doing it. And it's just carving out a time where Chris isn't busy doing MEAN MAN, I'm not doing TESLA or VIOLET BREED, and Tommy's not doing BAD MARRIAGE.

"I'm looking forward to it, because I like Chris and I wanna work with Tommy again," Wheat added.

In February 2022, Skeoch, who left TESLA in 2006 to receive treatment for substance-abuse issues, reconnected with Wheat for the first time in more than a decade and a half aboard that year's Monsters Of Rock cruise. The charter cruise featured performances by Skeoch's then-band RESIST & BITE while Wheat was onboard showing his art.

In an interview with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Skeoch was asked if he exited TESLA of his own accord or if he was asked to leave. Tommy said: "I was fired. I was getting fucked up and I was definitely in the wrong about a lot of stuff, and they put up with it for a long time. But at the same time, none of us were angels, and we put up with a lot of stuff from the other guys for a long time too, and they're still there. So I felt like a little scapegoated by the thing. And the other thing is they didn't want people — I guess for the benefit of my family, so it wouldn't look bad — they said, 'Tommy's just gonna spend time [with his family].' That's why nobody knows, and that's why you're asking this question. Everyone's confused on even what happened. Basically, I was fired. I was getting fucked up, and I kept fucking up, and I kept telling 'em I wouldn't, and I just couldn't stop."

Skeoch added that he accepts responsibility for the circumstances that led to his departure from TESLA. "I do, of course," he said. "But I also believe we put up with a lot of shit for a long time from almost every other guy in the band, and they're still there. So I don't know what's up with that; that's a little weird to me."

Skeoch was a founding member of TESLA and played on the Sacramento five-piece defining albums, including 1986 debut "Mechanical Resonance" and 1990's "Five Man Acoustical Jam".

Tommy, who was fired due to substance abuse issues in 1994, rejoined when TESLA reformed more than two and a half decades ago following a brief hiatus.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Brian Wheat (@brianwheat)

GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash joined his SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS bandmate Myles Kennedy on stage last night (Sunday, December 7) at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, California to perform the song "Behind The Veil".

The original version of "Behind The Veil" was featured on Myles's critically acclaimed third solo album, "The Art Of Letting Go", which was released in October 2024 via Napalm Records.

Myles is currently touring North America as the support act for MAMMOTH, the band led by former VAN HALEN bassist Wolfgang Van Halen.

During an October 23 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Slash spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the new album from his long-running project SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS. He said: "It's done. We still have to mix it. I'm gonna mix it in January. I think it's in January — somewhere in there when I get back — and mix it and finish it up. But it doesn't come out till 2027. But then we're gonna do a full-blown tour. And that's the thing, is I had to find a window where I could do a full-scale tour with the CONSPIRATORS. And I didn't wanna release it until I was able to do that, and 2027 is the real window for it. So that's when the record comes out."

As for how the new SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS LP turned out, Slash said: "It's really cool — the record's badass. All things considered, I don't like to hype a record up, but I'm excited about it."

Slash previously revealed in an August 2025 social media post that the recording sessions for SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS were completed. He wrote at the time: "Recording for #SMKC record number 5 is done today. Album title [to be confirmed]. This has been a super cool session all around. & we all agree it's one of, if not the best one yet. Unfortunately you'll have to wait till 2027 to weigh in, too much going on next year to put it out. But it will be worth the wait. Full blown world tour to follow!"

In a recent interview with J.J. Caithcart of Different Stages Radio, SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS drummer Brent Fitz stated about the band's next album: "Slash has the greatest work ethic of any musician I've ever worked with. So, we got busy. We toured together in 2024, and then we were out doing other things, and then Slash did a blues record and tour. And then, as soon as that was done, we got right into the studio in L.A. He has an amazing working studio. We can be busy there in L.A. We did that for a month, and then we went out to Florida and recorded most of all the bed tracks, the music parts of it."

Asked if there was a working title for the upcoming SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album, Brent said: "Nothing. No, no. It's always gonna be a Myles thing, or Slash, just songtitles and lyric ideas. I will say that what's fun is when we do write these songs, and this'll be our fifth record together, but we always have comedic working titles. And Todd's [SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS bassist and backing vocalist Todd Kerns] usually good — Todd and Slash — good for coming up with things that won't be the final title, 'cause obviously with lyrics with Myles, it'll be something completely different. But we usually just give something a title so we can go, 'Hey, let's work on that song.' 'What song?' 'Oh, the song in E.' No, we'll give it a title. But over time we've had these goofy titles, I'll just say, that sometimes they stick. And to this day, some of our songs, I go, 'Oh, it's called 'Wicked Stone'.' And I'm, like, 'But it used to be something completely ridiculous.' And I still think sometimes when I look at our setlist live, I go, 'Oh, that's the 'Elephant Disorder' song.' It's just funny how… We have a whole bunch of goofy working titles for the songs right now."

This past January, Kennedy told Heavy Consequence about the next SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album: "As far as the progress goes, I think a lot of it is well on its way. I have to get my vocals recorded. Just have to find a window of time to do that in between the touring and whatnot. I have my vocals written and melodies and lyrics and all that stuff. I just need to get in to the studio and knock it out."

He continued: "As for the direction of the record, it's still riff-based rock 'n' roll with a heavy dose of the blues element that Slash brings, like only he does. It's some really great stuff. I think it's going to be another fun one to tour live."

In December 2024, Myles told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that "the demoing and all that, the writing" for the next SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS album "was done before I even embarked on this last [solo] tour. The easy part is the recording; the hard part is the writing. Slash and I were — he was sending me demos of the tunes. Then I was spending time with him, coming up with melodies and lyrics. And so that's all done — I think with the exception of one song. Now I just have to find a moment to get in the studio and all that, knock that out. But I will say that just even in the demo process and where we stood there before they went in to actually make the record musically, it is really exciting stuff. I'm really, really stoked about where this one's going. It's gonna be cool."

Asked if he writes any of the music for SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS or if he is mostly in charge of coming up with the lyrics and the melodies, Myles said: "Yeah, most of what I'm doing is lyrics and melodies. Occasionally if something comes in and I'm, like, 'Hey, can we change this chord progression for the sake of the melody?' But it's interesting 'cause more so on [2012's] 'Apocalyptic Love', when I played guitar on that record, there was a little bit more of, 'Hey, try this part. See what this sounds like, if we utilize this to help the arrangement somehow.' But it's funny — I was thinking about that the other day, and I was just, like… It just highlights how cool [Slash] is. I [was] coming in, it was [my] second record [with Slash] and I've got my guitar, and I'm, like, 'What do you think? What if we tried this?' And I'm, like, 'You're sitting there with Slash. He doesn't need any help, man.' But he was so cool and so accommodating. But as the years have gone on and we've made all these records, one thing that continues to amaze me is just how much he understands, not just the riff thing, but coming up with chord progressions that really lend themselves to coming up with compelling melodies for me. It's, like, he knows how to sequence the chords where it's gonna really leave room for a melody, which I appreciate. And, like I said, occasionally I'd be, like, 'Hey, can we try a G here instead of a D 'cause I hear the melody doing this?' Or I'll send the melody back and he'll go, 'I'm gonna change this chord because I feel like it suits the melody better.' I'm, like, 'Great.' So yeah, he totally gets it."

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS entered the studio in November 2024 to begin recording its fifth album.

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS kicked off "The River Is Rising - Rest Of The World Tour '24" on January 23, 2024 with the band's return to Mexico City's Pepsi Centre WTC. The group's 24-song setlist included the live debut of a deep GUNS N' ROSES cut, "Don't Damn Me", featuring Kerns on lead vocals.

Support on various dates of SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS's "The River Is Rising - Rest Of The World Tour '24" came from MAMMOTH WVH.

Prior to the launch of "The River Is Rising – Rest Of The World Tour '24", SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS last performed in February and March 2022 as part of a U.S. tour.

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS' latest album, "4", was released in February 2022 via Gibson Records in partnership with BMG.

"4" was Slash's fifth solo album and fourth overall with his band featuring Kennedy, Fitz, Kerns and guitarist Frank Sidoris.

SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY & THE CONSPIRATORS released "Live At Studios 60", their first-ever double live LP, for the 2022 Record Store Day. The effort contained a performance of "4", plus four additional songs from the group. Recorded live in Los Angeles at Studios 60, the "Live At Studios 60" double LP exclusive Record Store Day release was limited to only 2,250 copies. The full concert featured all the songs from "4". Additional performances of the group's Top 5 rock radio hits, including "You're A Lie", "World On Fire", "Anastasia" and "Driving Rain" are also included in the double vinyl package.

For "4", Slash and the band traveled across the country together to Nashville, Tennessee and recorded the new album at the historic RCA Studio A with producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, John Prine, Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile),revealing a stunning new sound and style all captured live in the studio. Cobb shared the band's desire to lay down the tracks live, in the studio including guitar solos and vocals — a first for the group.

Slash released a blues album called "Orgy Of The Damned" in May 2024 via Gibson Records.

In the summer of 2024, Slash brought his brand-new "S.E.R.P.E.N.T." festival to cities across the U.S.. On all dates, Slash performed alongside his blues band featuring bassist Johnny Griparic, keyboardist Teddy "ZigZag" Andreadis, drummer Michael Jerome and singer/guitarist Tash Neal.

During BLACK SABBATH drummer Bill Ward's December 2025 radio show as part of the LA Radio Sessions, which airs Sundays at 10 a.m. (Pacific Time) on 99.1 KLBP-FM in Long Beach and also online at KLBP.org, he played METALLICA's "Enter Sandman". Bill later discussed METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich and their longtime relationship and mutual respect. Ward said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Lars, first of all, he's the most huggable man. [Laughs] Of course I was with him recently [at the 'Back To The Beginning' event], and I was so happy that we could spend time together earlier when we did the last show with BLACK SABBATH, and we talked, I think, for about an hour nonstop. I mean, when me and him start talking — it's a bit like when I'm with Johnny Kelly from TYPE O [NEGATIVE], to be honest with you. As a matter of fact, you know what?! That can go for all the drummers that I meet. But we gave each other big hugs all the time. And we passed a lot of things between us. There's a lot of history between us. There's a lot of honor between us. I know that he's a huge fan of BLACK SABBATH and I'm a huge fan of METALLICA. I just love METALLICA. I love Lars's drumming. He's had to find himself, as have all the band, they've found a niche or a place where they can exist and dominate in heavy metal."

Bill continued: "When I first met them, they were really young — all the guys [were] really [young]. I think I first met Lars when he was about 18 years old, 19 years old at the most. So, they have created their own society and a musical genre that is unto themselves. And it's such a great name, METALLICA.

"Lars is a brilliant drummer," Ward added. "He's persevering, he works hard. I've seen him work hard. And he's such a nice man. And again, I don't know what it is with fucking drummers, but everybody rattles — 'rattles' is Astonian for 'talks a lot' — and so when we get together, he does all the talking, to be honest, and then I try to find a gap where, if he goes silent while he's taking a breath, I try to find a gap where I can get in a word.

"I love him to death," Bill said. "When I put my arms around him, he could stay there forever. I love his family. I love how he plays. So, he's just one of the best people to know."

Back in October 2014, Ward paid tribute to Ulrich on his "Rock 50" radio show. He said at the time: "Lars is an exceptional drummer. He's spiritually sound. I really like that.

"A lot of the paths that Lars has passed through I've travelled myself. And I ended up with being able to take whatever my abilities are, and I was able to utilize that in whatever music we did with SABBATH or we're doing with my own bands now, or if I jam out with anybody, I just play whatever shows up. So it's, like, 'This is what I've got.' But I can remember going through a period over 20, probably 28, 25 or 26 years ago, where I stopped competing, so I had to find out what I could do and make good use of it. And it sounds like Lars has reached that settling ground as well. And I think he does such a good job of it.

"His drum creations have brought the sound of METALLICA to the very edge of metal spearhead, and he's worthy of much praise. He's inspirational and a must-listen for the students. So go ahead, students. If you are learning drums or need to learn the new techniques and stuff like that, listen to Lars, man. He's got some really good stuff that you can learn from."

After airing several METALLICA songs — including "Enter Sandman", "Master Of Puppets", "Until It Sleeps" and "All Nightmare Long" — Ward said: "There are so many things, drum-wise, in all of those songs that are departure points, where other drummers can look at it and go, 'Well, this didn't exist before.' Then Lars created it and we can all listen to it and go, 'Wow!' We can nick some stuff as well, you know. [Laughs] But I love the guy. I think he's just absolutely incredible."

He continued: "I sighed a deep sigh of relief when I heard [METALLICA's] 'black' album. Everything musically had seemed to be distorted feng shui until I heard Lars and METALLICA landing firmly with a statement that announced, 'This way.' And that's how it felt."

Ward added: "You know where the music scene was during the early '80s. Things were kind of, like, 'Oh, we've got this band, and we've got that going on.' And I was in bad shape. I was coming off SABBATH and we'd been through all the SABBATH years and touring and grinding. And so it was 1980 and I was just waking up into a new life, I guess, and I was listening around, looking around for music, and [a short time later] I heard a couple of METALLICA's early albums and then I heard the 'black' album, and I thought, 'Oh my god.' And it seemed to be like that was… it had the same effect that the 'white' album, THE BEATLES' 'white' album had on me. METALLICA's 'black' album, when I heard that and I heard Lars' playing, and I just was, like, you know, 'Wow! Something really neat's been accomplished here.' It pointed, 'This way, guys. This is the way we're going.' And it seemed like there was a multitude of music that followed that, and we've got this incredible heavy metal thing that we have today."

The original lineup of BLACK SABBATH — Ward, singer Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler — played its final concert this past summer. Dubbed "Back To The Beginning", the charity show was held at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom on July 5.

"Accountable Beasts", Ward's first solo album in 18 years, was released in 2015 via iTunes. The CD featured Ward's drumming on seven of the album's nine tracks, as well as contributions from Bill's longtime collaborators Keith Lynch (guitar, keyboards),Paul Ill (bass) and Ronnie Ciago (drums),alongside drummer Walter Earl and an array of session singers, including Ward's daughter Emily.

Ward in May 2012 announced that he was declining to join his former SABBATH bandmates for its scheduled dates, as well as the recording of the new album, due to a contractual dispute. After SABBATH shot down producer Rick Rubin's suggestion to replace Ward with Ginger Baker (CREAM) ("I thought, 'Bloody hell?'" Iommi told Rolling Stone magazine. "I just couldn't see that.") for the LP recording sessions, Rick suggested RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE drummer Brad Wilk.

Ozzy told The Pulse Of Radio during SABBATH's last tour that Ward was not in shape to participate. "Bill Ward has got the most physically demanding job of the lot of us, 'cause he's the timekeeper," he said. "I don't think personally he had the chops to pull it off, you know. The saddest thing is that he needed to own up to that, and we could have worked around it, whether we had a drummer on the side with him or something."

It was rumored that SABBATH wanted to bring a second drummer on the road to share duties with Ward, something that Iommi confirmed in 2017 during a question-and-answer session about SABBATH's "Ten Year War" box set.

The iconic and highly influential punk rock band BAD BRAINS announced today that they have partnered with Trust Records, the company formed to ensure that classic punk and hardcore music continues to endure. Under the new deal, Trust Records will continue to ensure that the band's music is available for generations to come.

Additionally, Trust Records has established an Artist Advisory Board upon which BAD BRAINS' bassist Darryl Jenifer will serve. The Artist Advisory Board will help to guide the future creative vision of Trust.

The partnership will govern and administer the entirety of BAD BRAINS-owned and -controlled intellectual property, including music publishing, recorded music, name and likeness, trademark, and visual IP, including the self-titled debut album as well as seminal albums "Rock For Light", "I Against I" and "Quickness".

Jenifer said in a statement: "After 40-plus years of forging the spirit PMA through our brand of progressive punk rock a.k.a. hardcore, I'm happy that BAD BRAINS will be sharing the wheel with Trust in our ongoing quest to keep BAD BRAINS alive in the hearts and minds of our supporters as we step into the future. Trust's love and knowledge of BAD BRAINS and the PMA ethos makes them a perfect match to partner with as we keep BAD BRAINS 'Sailin' On.' Stay tuned for what's next to come. One love and a hefty dose of PMA."

Formed in 1978 in Washington, D.C., BAD BRAINS is one of the most influential American recording artists with roots in the punk and hardcore scene. BAD BRAINS' pioneering artistry, strong ethics, and virtuosic musicianship that has had a profound effect on global culture. The band is cited as an influence by countless global artists (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, BEASTIE BOYS, METALLICA, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, NO DOUBT, SUBLIME, GREEN DAY, PEARL JAM, FOO FIGHTERS, DEFTONES). The original lineup consisted of H.R. (vocals),Dr. Know (guitar),Darryl Jenifer (bass) and Earl Hudson (drums).

"We started Trust Records to promote, preserve, and protect punk and hardcore music and the culture that surrounds it," said Trust Records founder Matt Pincus. "BAD BRAINS is the absolute top of the mountain in punk and hardcore. They taught the rest of us how to do it. It is the highest honor partner with Darryl and BAD BRAINS in the stewardship of their iconic work."

Joe Nelson, co-founder of Trust Records, commented: "BAD BRAINS' are an iconic and legendary band whose impact on global culture cannot be overstated. We are thrilled that they've chosen Trust Records as their home and we look forward to working with them to continue to build their fan base around the world."

Trust Records, launched in 2020, was formed to give classic punk and hardcore records the home that they deserve. The great records of this genre sprung from DIY roots to influence millions of disaffected kids around the world. As we now move into the "streaming age", it's crucial to keep their spirit and legacy alive. Trust's focus is to ensure this music is available for all future generations while also getting the story and quality right.

Trust's catalog so far includes 40th-anniversary deluxe versions of CIRCLE JERKS' iconic albums "Group Sex", "Wild In The Streets" and 7SECONDS' 1984 landmark punk record "The Crew" in addition to reissues of YOUTH BRIGADE's "Sound And Fury" and DFL's "My Crazy Life", SSD's "The Kids Will Have Their Say", INK & DAGGER's "The Complete Works" and more.

In a new interview with Chile's SonarFM, AVANTASIA mastermind Tobias Sammet was asked if he was personally affected by the recent losses of Ace Frehley and Ozzy Osbourne, "either as someone who grew up with that lineage or as an artist who spent decades reshaping what metal can be." Tobias responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Absolutely. Because whenever somebody leaves that has played a huge part or a huge role in your childhood, as was the case with both Ace Frehley and Ozzy Osbourne, you always realize — I mean, I don't wanna sound too sentimental, because it may be devastating, way more devastating for the people close to those stars who knew them as persons, as fathers, as husbands, as family members and close friends — but for me, it always feels like a part of my childhood leaves with them. Because I remember both Ozzy Osbourne and a Ace Frehley in particular — those two losses this year were really affecting me personally as a music lover and as somebody who was looking back at his childhood, realizing they were there always. I mean, Ace Frehley, he was an original member of KISS, and KISS has been a huge part of my life. Without those guys, I probably would never have picked up a microphone or entered a stage myself. It was the dream of living my life independently from the mainstream world, so to speak, and doing my thing, doing the greatest thing in the world — music — and being on a stage and becoming a rock musician, a traveling troubadour. And, yeah, Ace Frehley was there. 'Shock Me', 'Cold Gin', 'Rock Bottom'. 'Rip It Out' — those songs are the soundtrack of my childhood. And also Ozzy Osbourne, he was there. He was, to me, the epitome of heavy metal, of what heavy metal is all about, with a sense of humor. It was scary. Whatever Ozzy did was unpredictable, in a way. He was different. He was a rebel, a rock and roll rebel, as he sang himself. And at the same time he was taking it with a certain bit of humor. He was always tongue in cheek, and you could always sense that between the lines he was taking the piss, and that was something that I really adored about Ozzy. And, yeah, whenever somebody with that impact leaves, as I say, a part of your childhood goes, and those two losses affected me personally."

Tobias continued: "Last year [we lost] Tony Clarkin of MAGNUM, which was even much worse for me personally, because I knew Tony and, and I have a very special relationship to the whole MAGNUM camp, that was — it was devastating, but it is what it is. It doesn't really ease the pain much, but they have left us a great legacy. And whenever I put on MAGNUM music today, it still gives me great comfort that he has had that impact on the world and he had lived a great life and created great music for us. And nowadays I can listen to MAGNUM without being sad, but rather celebrate Tony's legacy."

Ozzy died on July 22 of a heart attack, his death certificate revealed. The certificate also reportedly said the 76-year-old musician suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease.

Ace, whose real name was Paul Daniel Frehley, died on October 16 of blunt trauma injuries to his head due to a fall. The Morris County Medical Examiner revealed the cause of death in a report obtained by TMZ. Ace's manner of death was ruled an accident. He was 74 years old.

Clarkin died in January 2024 at the age of 77. The news of his death came just weeks after it was announced that he had been diagnosed with a rare and incurable spinal condition. As a result of his diagnosis, MAGNUM canceled its previously announced spring 2024 tour.

AVANTASIA's tenth studio album, "Here Be Dragons", was released in February via Napalm Records. The 10-track offering was written and composed in its entirety by Sammet himself, produced and recorded by Sammet together with Sascha Paeth, mixed by Paeth and mastered by Michael Rodenberg. The cover art was once again created by acclaimed British fantasy artist Rodney Matthews.

Photo credit: Kevin Nixon

During a December 5 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine spoke about the band's recently announced "farewell" tour, which will officially launch in 2026. The trek, dubbed the "This Was Our Life" tour, will be in support of MEGADETH's upcoming "final", self-titled album, which will arrive in January, and will mark the end of more than four decades of musical history for the 64-year-old musician.

Asked why "Megadeth" will be the band's final album and why he decided to embark on a "farewell" tour at this point of his career, Mustaine said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It had been a long time coming — just physical stuff that was going on with my hands… My hands were letting me down. And there were other things that were difficult because of all the stuff going on in my neck and my trunk. All that area there has arthritis and it has discs that are bulging. I've got a broken lumbar bone. Of course, you know I have my back fused, up by my shoulders, by my neck. And just a lot of stuff."

Mustaine continued: "I always said when it got to the point where I was unable to give a hundred percent every night, that's when I was gonna start considering winding down. And it wasn't that I was unable to give a hundred percent, because we finished the record, and I think we did a good job on it, but there was a period when we were working and I said to my manager, I said, 'I don't know how much longer I can do this. My hands are really hurting.' And I didn't mean to set the ball rolling. Honestly, I just was making conversation, and it turned into me talking to the band guys and sleeping on it and talking to my family and praying on it. And the answer was clear to me that by the time we're done with the record, I'm gonna know how the record's gonna do. If the record does really well, then I'll be able to have one last really good tour. And the part about the farewell thing, it's kind of like the same thing, isn't it? We've got some dates that we wanna play to say goodbye to our friends."

Dave added: "The thing is we're an American band, but we play everywhere. So it's not like we just are weekend warriors, like country acts here in the States. We've got a lot of touring to do in order to do our farewell properly."

After host Eddie Trunk noted that a lot of veteran artists overstay their welcome and don't gracefully bow out of the music scene after they are no longer able to perform their songs properly, Mustaine concurred.  "I don't think there's any reason [for us] to [keep playing when we are not able to deliver a hundred percent]," he said. "I mean, unless you're financially in a bad way and you need to keep playing, which, by the grace of God, I've been successful. I've been able to pay all my bills. All the band guys, they all get their paychecks on time. We do everything right by the book. So, some people, like I said, they may have to keep playing, because there's nothing else for them to do. Now, when I think about, what am I gonna do after I hang the guitar up, that's in relation to touring, and I believe that I'm going to keep doing music in some way, shape or form. But not in the fashion that I was doing with MEGS because if I can't do it and I need to stop playing with my first love, I'm not gonna go out and try and do it again with someone else."

Last month, Mustaine told Kerrang! magazine that MEGADETH's farewell run of shows could last a long time. "We're easily talking about touring for another three to five years," Dave said. "And if we're going to be doing it for that long then, shit, I'll be looking at the birthday I don't even want to think about," he added, referencing the fact that he will turn 70 in 2031.

As someone who overcame addiction to drugs and alcohol and beat throat cancer, Mustaine added: "I'm not caught up in longevity and stuff like that, and being one of those guys who can play until he's in his 80s. I have to remember that people live and they die. And I need to take good care of myself."

"Megadeth" will be released on January 23, 2026. The follow-up to 2022's "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" will be made available via Mustaine's Tradecraft imprint on Frontiers Label Group's new BLKIIBLK label.

In a press release announcing MEGADETH's final album and farewell tour, Mustaine thanked fans for their commitment and love while celebrating the band's impact on the music world.

"There's so many musicians that have come to the end of their career, whether accidental or intentional," Mustaine said. "Most of them don't get to go out on their own terms on top, and that's where I'm at in my life right now. I have traveled the world and have made millions upon millions of fans and the hardest part of all of this is saying goodbye to them."

He continued. "We can't wait for you to hear this album and see us on tour. If there was ever a perfect time for us to put out a new album, it's now. If there was ever a perfect time to tour the world, it's now. This is also a perfect time for us to tell you that it's our last studio album. We've made a lot of friends over the years and I hope to see all of you on our global farewell tour.

"Don't be mad, don't be sad, be happy for us all, come celebrate with me these next few years. We have done something together that's truly wonderful and will probably never happen again. We started a musical style, we started a revolution, we changed the guitar world and how it's played, and we changed the world. The bands I played in have influenced the world. I love you all for it. Thank you for everything."

For its final album, MEGADETH once again worked with Chris Rakestraw, a producer, mixer and engineer who previously worked on MEGADETH's last two LPs, the aforementioned "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" and 2016's "Dystopia".

Guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari joined MEGADETH two years ago. He stepped in as the replacement for Brazilian-born guitarist Kiko Loureiro, who announced in September 2023 that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland. It was later revealed that the now-38-year-old Finnish musician would continue to play guitar for MEGADETH for the foreseeable future, with Loureiro seemingly having no plans to return.

Mäntysaari was born in Tampere, Finland and began playing guitar at the age of 12. In 2004, he joined the band WINTERSUN. He has also been a member of SMACKBOUND since 2015.

Released in September 2022, MEGADETH's latest album, "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!", sold 48,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at position No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. It marked MEGADETH's eighth top 10-charting album.

MEGADETH's previous top 10 entries on the Billboard 200 were "Countdown To Extinction" (No. 2, 1992),"Youthanasia" (No. 4, 1994),"Cryptic Writings" (No. 10, 1997),"United Abominations" (No. 8, 2007),"Endgame" (No. 9, 2009),"Super Collider" (No. 6, 2013) and "Dystopia" (No. 3, 2016).

Led by the growled vocals and razor-wire riffing of Mustaine, MEGADETH are one of the "Big Four" thrash titans. Shortly after being kicked out of METALLICA in 1983, Mustaine met bassist David Ellefson, and the pair bonded quickly, forming the core of MEGADETH. Drummer Gar Samuelson and guitarist Chris Poland later joined, and MEGADETH released their underground-hit debut "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!" in 1985. Its follow-up, "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?", solidified the band's status with sprawling yet tightly wound songs like the uneasy opener "Wake Up Dead" and the fiery title track.

"So Far, So Good... So What!", released in 1988, featured a new lineup as well as a thrashy cover of the SEX PISTOLS' "Anarchy In The U.K." and the anti-PMRC broadside "Hook In Mouth". In 1990 they released "Rust In Peace", with Nick Menza on drums and technical wizard Marty Friedman on guitar; songs such as "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" and "Hangar 18" blended pummeling riffs and suspicion-fueled lyrics with a stadium-rock ambition that matched the era's metal-embracing tendencies.

"Countdown To Extinction", released in 1992, and "Youthanasia", released in 1994, continued the band's dominance of metal and emergence in rock's mainstream, with the latter album's "À Tout Le Monde" being a rare thrash ballad. After a brief breakup in the early 2000s, MEGADETH returned as a de facto Mustaine solo project with 2004's "The System Has Failed". Ellefson rejoined in 2010 prior to the album "Th1rt3en" and remained in the MEGADETH lineup until 2021, when he was fired.

In addition to Mustaine and Mäntysaari, MEGADETH's current lineup includes drummer Dirk Verbeuren and bassist James LoMenzo.

Photo credit: Ross Halfin

METALLICA, BON JOVI, IRON MAIDEN and GUNS N' ROSES have made concert trade publication Pollstar's list of the top 25 "Most Popular Touring Artists Of The Millennium", based on ticket sales from January 1, 2001 to the end of 2025.

METALLICA came in at No. 8 with over 15.5 million tickets sold at 562 concerts since 2001. BON JOVI is ranked No. 9 with over 13.9 million tickets sold at 587 shows, while GUNS N' ROSES is at No. 16 with 10.7 million tickets sold at 486 concerts and IRON MAIDEN is No. 19 with 10 million tickets sold at 620 shows.

COLDPLAY topped the list with 24.8 million tickets sold, followed by U2, with 20.2 million tickets sold, and Ed Sheeran, with 19.6 million.

This landmark quarter-century-spanning chart release is a special advance feature leading up to Pollstar's highly anticipated 2025 year-end special issue, set for publication December 12.

The year-end issue will contain the definitive rankings of the Top 200 Worldwide, North American Top Touring Artists of 2025, and The Year's Top Venues providing the essential metrics and analysis that shape the industry's future.

"Congratulations to COLDPLAY, U2, Ed Sheeran, DAVE MATTHEWS BAND and all the top 25 acts of the last 25 years as well as their teams, their fans, and this entire industry who work tirelessly to make these shows happen," said Andy Gensler, Pollstar editor-in-chief. "It is staggering to consider the exponential growth this industry has undergone over the last quarter century with more superstar acts playing more shows in more territories than ever. This list is the perfect prelude to our 2025 Year End Special Issue in which touring continues to reach new creative and commercial heights across every genre."

Pollstar Live!, the world's largest gathering of concert industry professionals, will return April 14–16, 2026, at the Loews Hollywood Hotel. From talent booking to ticketing, sponsorships to sustainability, marketing to fan engagement — this is where the industry comes together to shape what's next in live entertainment. New in 2026, Pollstar Live! expands to a third full day, answering the demand for deeper content with more sessions, more conversations, and more opportunities to learn, connect, and grow — running alongside the powerhouse Production Live! A highlight of the week, the 37th annual Pollstar Awards will celebrate excellence across the industry, honoring the artists, venues, executives and events that define the business.

Pollstar, "The Voice Of Live", is the premier trade publication dedicated to covering the worldwide concert industry. Pollstar data is the leading resource for the touring industry encompassing box office numbers, event listings and contact directories. Pollstar produces a monthly magazine, weekly and daily e-newsletters, and produces the world's largest gathering of live music industry professionals — Pollstar Live! and VenuesNow conference.

On December 3 and December 4, original FOREIGNER singer Lou Gramm joined the band's current lineup on stage at Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York to perform several songs, including "Luanne", "Girl On The Moon", "Urgent" and "I Want To Know What Love Is". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

FOREIGNER's ongoing tour features Gramm on guest vocals for some of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame group's biggest hits. Gramm is sharing the stage with Luis Maldonado, who stepped in for longtime FOREIGNER frontman Kelly Hansen on lead vocals.

FOREIGNER replaced Gramm with Hansen in 2005. Guitarist Mick Jones, the only remaining original member of FOREIGNER, suffered from some health issues beginning in 2011, eventually resulting in heart surgery in 2012. In February 2024, Jones revealed on social media that he was battling Parkinson's disease, which explained his absence from FOREIGNER's live shows since 2022.

During a recent appearance on the "Jim Kerr Rock & Roll Morning Show" on New York City's Q104.3 radio station, Gramm stated about performing with FOREIGNER's current lineup:  "Honestly, to step on stage as part of FOREIGNER again after a lot of years of being away from it, it still has that magic. And the current lineup is fantastic. They're great players and a great bunch of guys. We get along famously, and they're a lot of fun and they have a great deal of respect for the songs and the way they should be played. And I have no bones about being on stage with them at all. They do the name proud."

This past July, Gramm was asked by Ryan Vacey, music photographer and host of the Beyond The Vibe podcast, why now is the right time for him to return to FOREIGNER as a guest singer, Gramm said: "Well, I know that since we were inducted into the Rock Hall Of Fame, there's been a lot reinterest in the band — the early band and the band as it currently is. And I know Mick is not in good health. I think if he was in good health, he would be out there with this band, and maybe I would be joining him. But he's not well enough to play, and I feel like I wanna help fly the flag for the band — the original band, and the current band right now, in these waning moments and moments when we're getting so much attention for what we've accomplished over the years. I wanna be out there as one of the original members to wave the flag."

Released in 1977, FOREIGNER's debut album produced the hits "Feels Like The First Time", "Cold As Ice" and "Long, Long Way From Home". The albums "Double Vision" and "Head Games" followed with more hits including "Hot Blooded", "Blue Morning, Blue Day" and "Dirty White Boy". Then came "Urgent", "Juke Box Hero" and "Waiting For A Girl Like You". Those songs helped give FOREIGNER's next album, "4", its impressive 10-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard chart. At the zenith of 1980s sound, FOREIGNER's fifth album, "Agent Provocateur", gave the world the incredible No. 1 global hit "I Want To Know What Love Is". This musical milestone followed the record-breaking song "Waiting For A Girl Like You".

VIP MEET AND GREET BOOK SIGNING
This holiday season join me for a VIP meet and greet and very special experience during...

Posted by Lou Gramm on Tuesday, November 4, 2025

Introducing ALWAYS JOVI — the ultimate BON JOVI tribute experience that brings the anthems, energy, and excitement of one of rock's most iconic bands to the stage with unmatched authenticity and passion.

ALWAYS JOVI is a tribute like no other, featuring million-selling New Jersey rock legend Steve Brown — known for his work with TRIXTER, DEF LEPPARD and Ace Frehley. With his powerhouse vocal delivery, electrifying stage presence and deep-rooted connection to the Jersey rock scene, Brown leads this all-star lineup in delivering the timeless hits that defined a generation.

From arena-shaking anthems like "Livin' On A Prayer" and "You Give Love A Bad Name" to heartfelt ballads like "Always" and "Bed Of Roses", ALWAYS JOVI captures the heart and soul of BON JOVI's music in every performance.

Whether you're a lifelong fan or discovering the magic for the first time, ALWAYS JOVI invites you to relive the glory days and sing along to the soundtrack of your life.

ALWAYS JOVI is:

Steve Brown - Vocals, Guitar
Joey Cassata - Drums
Devon Marie - Vocals, Percussion
Kevin Humphris - Bass, Vocals
Fred Gorhau - Guitar, Vocals
Chris McCoy - Keyboards & Vocals

Brown comments: "It's been a long time in the making building this musical extravaganza… but now it's finally ready for the world to see and hear. A tribute band like no other to one of my biggest influences and inspirations… friends of mine too, but most importantly it's a tribute to one of the greatest rock groups ever. Friends, I give you ALWAYS JOVI, and we are celebrating the music of BON JOVI… It's time, so c'mon, CHECK THIS OUT!!!"

SiriusXM radio personality Eddie Trunk commented: "As someone who grew up in New Jersey and saw BON JOVI on their earliest days, I can tell you that ALWAYS JOVI captures the true spirit and energy of the band they are paying tribute to. Steve Brown nails it vocally, as does the rest of the band. With the original [BON JOVI] band not being active currently, ALWAYS JOVI is the next best thing!"

Brown was born and raised in New Jersey destined to live a life submersed in music. The mostly self-taught artist picked up his first guitar at nine years old and never looked back. Steve began his lifelong love affair with live performing at the ripe old age of 12, when he became a regular on the voltaic New Jersey rock scene of the 1980s. At 12 years old, he began writing music, lyrics and founded his first band, TRIXTER. It wasn't long before Steve led the mighty TRIXTER to a record deal with MCA, sold out arena tours and lived every aspect of the rock and roll dream.

In his 40-plus-year career, Steve has sold millions of records worldwide (RIAA certified gold album),written three Billboard Top 100 singles, starred in three No. 1 MTV videos, and shared the stage with the likes of KISS, JOURNEY, Alice Cooper, SCORPIONS, POISON, CHEAP TRICK, STYX, BOSTON, NIGHT RANGER, Rick Springfield and TESLA. As not only a master guitarist, but as an accomplished songwriter, singer, engineer, producer, and performer. Steve has become one of the music industry's most sought-after and entrusted talents. From personal endorsements by Eddie Van Halen to churning out original music for some of television’s most popular hits, to regularly hitting the stage with an ever-growing list of rock and roll greats, Steve Brown is in constant demand.

In 2013, Steve was invited to be the temporary replacement guitarist for Vivian Campbell of the legendary DEF LEPPARD, which led to him joining the band at the historic Wembley Stadium along with other arena and stadium shows throughout North America. In May of 2018 he pulled off a job never done before when he was called in with 24 hours' notice to fill in Phil Collen for three shows, thus giving him the distinct honor of covering duties for both DEF LEPPARD guitarists.

ALWAYS JOVI photo courtesy of Steve Brown / bio courtesy of Headrush

Posted by Always Jovi on Wednesday, August 13, 2025

In a new interview with Estonia's AlteRock, THREE DAYS GRACE singers Adam Gontier and Matt Walst spoke about the band's ongoing tour in support of its latest album, "Alienation", which arrived in August via RCA Records. For the first time in over a decade, original THREE DAYS GRACE frontman Adam is back, joining Matt on vocals along with Neil Sanderson (drums),Brad Walst (bass) and Barry Stock (guitars). Asked if "there was a little bit of a destiny" in how his return came to be, Adam said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, I think so. I think things probably happened for a reason, for the most part. Yeah, that was a long time ago. Lots of things have changed, I guess, over the last 10 years or so. And I think we're kind of better than ever at the moment."

Regarding whether they were "a little bit anxious" about the possibility of there being "some competition" at THREE DAYS GRACE shows, like the fans being divided into Team Matt and Team Adam, Adam: "No, not at all. We did this mainly for the fans. Obviously, we're doing it 'cause we're having fun doing it, but the whole idea was just to — we felt like the fans kind of deserved to see something like this. And so, yeah, there's never any kind of competition or anything like that."

Added Matt: "We play as a team. We're big sports fans, and, yeah, we just put the best team together and we're all on the same team with the same goal — to win."

When the interviewer noted that some THREE DAYS GRACE fans feel Matt was "the savior of the band" when he stepped in following Adam's departure in 2013, Walst said: "I don't know about the savior, but, yeah, it was a life-changing event. And, yeah, here we are now, better than ever, and it's more fun than ever."

Adam chimed in: "I think also just to add to that, if anybody else had to come in, when I did leave the band, if it had it been anybody else that came in, we wouldn't be doing this now, because we grew up as friends and stuff together in a pretty small town. So, yeah, you're absolutely right — if it wasn't for Matt, none of this would be happening. So, yeah, it's pretty amazing."

2025 has been a big year for THREE DAYS GRACE with the release of "Alienation", with No. 1 songs "Mayday" and "Apologies" along with sold-out shows in Canada (co-headline with VOLBEAT) and the U.S. (co-headline with BREAKING BENJAMIN) and an ongoing sold-out European tour (with BADFLOWER).

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 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 a recent interview with Nik Nocturnal, Adam was asked how it feels to be back in THREE DAYS GRACE after such a long absence. He responded: "Well, I think more excitement than anything, man. 'Cause it's just been so long. And it just felt like the right time — it felt like the right time for everybody. So, yeah, just excitement and kind of ready to go."

He continued: "It took a little while to connect with the guys and do a couple shows together, a couple things, but, yeah — just more excitement than anything, and definitely some nostalgia, obviously. But, yeah, I think everybody's really, really excited about this next chapter. It's gonna be quite the year, I think."

Regarding the prospect of sharing lead vocals with Matt in THREE DAYS GRACE's new lineup, Adam said: "Yeah, I was just talking with somebody about that. We got sort of — not lucky, but our voices do blend really well together. And we've noticed it obviously way more now with making the record and recording and all this stuff that, yeah, our voices really blend well. Yeah, so we're fortunate for that, that it's working out the way we had hoped."

Gontier added: "It's been great, man. It's cool. Matt grew up with the band. He's Brad's little brother, and I knew Matt from when he was just a little guy. So I think for them it was a natural fit to get him to take my spot there. And, yeah, now [we're just, like] — let's do it together."

In a December 2024 interview with "Whiplash", the KLOS radio show hosted by Full Metal Jackie,
Matt talked about how the idea for having two singers in THREE DAYS GRACE came about. He said: "I think one day I just talked to my brother Brad about it and was, like, 'It'd be sick if Adam came back. And we could both sing, and I can sing the songs of the past 10 years and Adam can even sing a few of those too.' And yeah, it just seems like a new life to breathe into THREE DAYS GRACE and to make it exciting, like the early days or just to freshen it up and, yeah, make it exciting."

In a separate interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, Neil stated about Adam's return to THREE DAYS GRACE: "We had been talking and we've kept in touch. And the band was just talking about, like, how great would this be for us and for the fans and for the nostalgia of THREE DAYS GRACE. And then he got up on stage with us [for a guest appearance], and then we just thought, 'Let's make something new. Let's sit down and write a song.' And once we kind of got into that songwriting process, it just felt really natural and it felt right. And I think for the fans, we're giving them something that we haven't done before and hasn't really been done much in the past."

In April 2023, Gontier reunited with THREE DAYS GRACE onstage during the band's concert in Huntsville, Alabama. Gontier rejoined his former bandmates when they opened for SHINEDOWN at the Probst Arena At The Von Braun Center to perform two classic songs from THREE DAYS GRACE's 2006 album "One-X": "Never Too Late" and "Riot".

THREE DAYS GRACE later shared a post-performance photo with Gontier on social media and wrote in an accompanying message: "Soooo we did a thing."

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.

Gontier is currently a member of SAINT ASONIA, which also features STAIND guitarist/founding member Mike Mushok. The quartet is rounded out by Cale Gontier (bass) and Cody Watkins (drums).