During a recent appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons reflected on the life and legacy of Ozzy Osbourne following the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer's death. After host Piers Morgan noted that the debut SABBATH album was a "revolutionary" record when it came out in 1970, Gene concurred. "Well, when you first heard it… I mentioned this before elsewhere that I was reading Rolling Stone [magazine], and when you got to the back cover, there was an ad, a black ad with silhouettes of figures," he recalled (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "You didn't quite know what it was. BLACK SABBATH. But the headline said 'BLACK SABBATH — louder than LED ZEPPELIN'. I went, 'Oh my God. I've gotta check this band out. What's this about?' And in the early days, we found ourselves playing with SABBATH — three or four shows, 1974 I think it was. And it was not a big hall — 3,000 seats maybe — and on the way off the stage, Geezer [Butler, SABBATH bassist] was off stage, the great bass player, and with the heels on and everything, I was about seven feet tall, and Geezer is not; Geezer is regular height. And Ozzy tells the story of how Geezer goes back to Ozzy and starts talking, 'What's this band blowing up bombs and all? What's that about?' But I'll tell you what happened is on the way off the stage, Ozzy was going on the stage and we were going by each other and I was aware, 'Oh, this is the lead singer of BLACK SABBATH.' And he walked over and he put his hand out. He says, 'Hello, I'm Ozzy. Nice to see you.' I was fully in my the stage thing. And he [went] just matter of fact, 'Hi, I'm Ozzy. Nice to see you.' I was so caught off guard. And then he went on stage and went crazy.

"What a giant," Gene continued. "People have called me, people in the industry, but there were two fans who were on the phone together that I happened to know, and they couldn't get the words out [because they were mourning Ozzy's death]. They were just bawling. They were just crying. Kept crying. One would start talking about, 'Remember when Ozzy…' And then they would get back to crying.

"He was a giant," Simmons repeated. "What a terrible, terrible loss."

Asked how good of a singer Ozzy was from a technical standpoint, Gene said: "He's never gotten the credit. Ozzy never tried to change his voice. When I sing in KISS or when [METALLICA's James] Hetfield or anybody gets up there, we put on the gruff [tone], we put on the meat grinder in our voice to try to do that. Ozzy was always Ozzy; he sang melody.

"It's funny," he continued. "Ozzy and I ran into each other at an event, and we were sitting with each other and talking. And he said this in public, but he said it to my face. I said, 'So what do you think? What kind of music you like?' 'Oh, I love THE BEATLES.' 'Oh, yeah. Me too. Me too.' 'Who else?' 'I love ABBA.' ABBA?

"The rest of us are all trying to pick the right things to say to bolster our public image. Ozzy didn't give a squat. He was Ozzy, and caution be damned. Take it or leave it.

"Maybe the Greeks were right after all," Gene added. "To thine own self be true. Ozzy was always Ozzy, and he was not a made-up thing. We created our stage personas, with the makeup and sticking my tongue out and all that stuff. Ozzy just walked out on stage… and just let it all hang out. And the love and admiration, not just of the industry but the fans is unequaled. I know right now there are millions of fans — I'm getting choked up myself — there are millions of fans who are just devastated and crying. What a giant."

On the day of Ozzy's death, Gene sat down with NBC News' Gadi Schwartz to discuss Osbourne's legacy and their longtime friendship and intertwined early careers in the music industry. Asked how he remembered the BLACK SABBATH singer, Gene said: "Well, I remember the man. In 1974, we were both trying to forge our paths and we actually played on the same bill. And I will tell you that the masses, the fans are grieving. What can you say? It's just broken hearts. And when I tell you my heart, my prayers and millions of others' to Sharon and the kids.

"People think of him as the Prince Of Darkness and on stage, of course, this huge persona, a giant, but at the same time, [he was] a loving father and a dedicated husband," Gene continued.

"You can say whatever you want about Ozzy. There never was an Ozzy before Ozzy," Simmons added. "You can't really point to anybody and say, 'Oh, yeah, that's where he came from.' Scientists call that a singularity, an anomaly. He was just kind of born Ozzy, and as far as I know, his entire life — to thine own self be true, the Greeks say. Ozzy was always Ozzy — through disco, through whatever musical genres there were, Ozzy was always Ozzy all the way to the end."

Reflecting on Ozzy's final performance, which took place on July 5 at the "Back To The Beginning" event in Birmingham, United Kingdom, Gene said: "It was shocking to see him on his throne, with everybody paying tribute — as well they should — to SABBATH. There wouldn't have been METALLICA and lots of other bands. And Ozzy was just giving it all. And you couldn't tell — you couldn't tell. And a week later, devastating [news about his death]. I mean, the fans, my social media and my phone's been off the hook. People are just crying. They're just devastated. What can you say?"

Gene also talked about his initial introduction to BLACK SABBATH's music, saying: "My first impression of SABBATH was a full-page ad in the back of Rolling Stone [magazine], and it said, 'BLACK SABBATH: Louder Than LED ZEPPELIN.' And I went, 'Oh, yeah. That's the coolest of the cool.' And media being what it is, it promotes everybody. But then when you see SABBATH, it just had, certainly at the time — there was nothing like that on stage. And. When you saw Ozzy running around on stage, you're thinking, 'This is somebody who should be committed,' just a crazy man.

"I've never read [a review] or saw a SABBATH show ever where you got the sense that Ozzy was just going through the paces and, 'Oh, boy. Here's the song. You want the greatest hits,'" Gene continued. "They never played the game, the 'I love you. You're the only one for me. You broke my heart,' you know, those lyrics, which are —let's face it — they're not true.

"People don't realize that Ozzy, though he didn't play an instrument, those are his melodies," Simmons added. "That's him writing melodies and lyrics and crafting that sound, that enormous guitar that [Tony] Iommi has that just shook the heavens, the guitar that ruled the world.

"Ozzy, there never was one like him and probably never will be."

Also paying tribute to Ozzy was Gene's bandmate, KISS co-founder Paul Stanley, who wrote in a post on X: "We have lost a legend. From SABBATH to 'Blizzard' and onward Ozzy has impacted countless bands and that will not end.

"KISS was humbled to be an opening band for SABBATH in the mid 70's.

"Through decades I've known him, Ozzy has always been a kind and very funny soul. Fly high now."

Ozzy died the morning of July 22, his family announced in a statement.

"It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time," the family said.

No cause of death was given, but Osbourne had battled a number of health issues over the past several years, including Parkinson's disease and injuries he sustained from a late-night fall in 2019.

At the "Back To The Beginning" concert, Ozzy and the rest of BLACK SABBATH performed four songs for more than 40,000 people in the stadium and 5.8 million more on a livestream. Ozzy also played a five-song solo set while seated in a bat-adorned throne.

Massachusetts metallers SHADOWS FALL have entered the studio with longtime producer Chris "Zeuss" Harris to begin recording the remainder of the songs for the long-awaited follow-up to the band's 2012 album "Fire From The Sky".

Earlier today, SHADOWS FALL drummer Jason Bittner checked in from the studio via the band's Instagram Live, telling the group's fans: "We're in the studio today with my buddy Zeuss here… We're gonna get this record somewhat finished hopefully this frickin' year. We're starting the back half of the album today. We've tracked five songs so far. You guys have heard two of them that we've released. Today… we're gonna start the last five."

No tentative release date for the new SHADOWS FALL LP has been revealed, but, according to Bittner, fans can expect to hear it "when it's done".

SHADOWS FALL's latest single, "Souls Devoured", came out in May. Like "In The Grey", which was made available last December, the track was issued via SHADOWS FALL's new record label home, MNRK Heavy.

On July 18, prior to SHADOWS FALL's performance at the the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts as the support act for LAMB OF GOD, SHADOWS FALL members Brian Fair (vocals),Jonathan Donais (guitar),Matt Bachand (guitar),Paul Romanko (bass) and Bittner received an official proclamation from Springfield mayor Domenic J. Sarno declaring Friday, July 18, 2025 "Shadows Fall Day".

SHADOWS FALL rose up as a prominent member of the bustling Massachusetts metal and hardcore scene that also produced such bands as KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, ALL THAT REMAINS and UNEARTH. Donais and Bachand got together nearly three decades ago and had the original lineup complete within a year. These members were vocalist Philip Labonte, now with ALL THAT REMAINS, Romanko and drummer David Germain. In 1997, the band released its first full-length album, "Somber Eyes To The Sky", on Bachand's own Lifeless Records. This, however, would be the only album the band would record with Labonte. Philip was replaced by Brian in 1998. Bittner joined SHADOWS FALL prior to the release of 2002's "The Art Of Balance" LP.

SHADOWS FALL's breakthrough happened when it landed a slot on Ozzfest's second stage in 2003. As a result of the band's enlarged fanbase, their next effort, "The War Within", released in 2004, entered the Billboard 200 chart at No. 20 and went on to sell over 300,000 copies.

SHADOWS FALL released a statement in August 2014 in which the bandmembers explained that financial difficulties made it virtually impossible for the group to continue as a full-time concern.

In August 2015, SHADOWS FALL played a few reunion shows on the U.S. East Coast, one year after completing what was being billed at the time as the band's "final" European tour.

SHADOWS FALL's last full-length album, "Fire From The Sky", was released in May 2012 via Razor & Tie. The CD sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 38 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Photo credit: Jeremy Saffer

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shadows Fall (@shadowsfallband)

In a new interview with The Heavy Metal Sitdown, DOWN guitarist Kirk Windstein offered an update on the progress of the recording sessions for the band's long-awaited new album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "We're totally in the — I would say past the middle point of even recording it. We're churning along pretty good. We have to take a break right now due to touring stuff [with our other projects]. But the drums are all done. Pepper [Keenan, DOWN guitarist] and I did the rhythm tracks. The bass is done. I'm not sure if Phil [Anselmo, DOWN frontman] started singing yet or not. That's kind of on his time. But we're really gonna kind of try to dive back into [completing the record] in the month of November, kind of between early November to maybe Thanksgiving, just finish up everything that we have to do on guitars and bass. And the rest is up to Phil. And then [we'll get into the] mixing [process]."

This past April, it was announced that DOWN — which also includes drummer Jimmy Bower and bassist Pat Bruders — had signed with Nuclear Blast Records. The band's new full-length LP is slated for release in 2026.

When the deal with Nuclear Blast was first announced, the label said in a statement: "Nuclear Blast is proud to be in the trenches with NOLA legends DOWN as their partner in their long overdue return to the metal world. In addition, we are excited to bring some of their key past catalog releases back into the spotlight, especially on the vinyl side. There are so many longtime DOWN fans at Nuclear Blast who are excited to be working with one of their all-time favorite bands. 2026 can't come soon enough!"

Anselmo stated: "It's good to sign with Nuclear Blast Records. It's a good label home and we're ready to make some awesome recordings!"

Keenan said: "Having already been a part of the Nuclear Blast family with CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, it is an honor and a privilege to be here as well with my brothers in DOWN. The team at Nuclear Blast is a well-oiled machine and you can definitely tell they love what they do. We are in the right place."

Bower added: "Nuclear Blast is a great label that put out some excellent records. It's an honor to have them work our jams!"

DOWN headlined night one of this year's edition of the Milwaukee Metal Fest in May. The show followed the band's recent Western U.S. tour with DANZIG.

In April 2024, Windstein, who is also the frontman of CROWBAR, told Concrete Spew about the musical direction of the new DOWN material: "It just sounds like DOWN. I mean, it sounds refreshing because we haven't done it in so long, gotten together with me and the guys and done it in — fuck — 12 years or something. So it sounds like DOWN, I think, to me, it sounds more old-school DOWN. And the reason I say that is I think we got to a point where… Like, the 'NOLA' record is so simple, and it just wrote itself; it was so simple. And that's how this is coming about, which is great."

He continued: "We're not overthinking it. We're not trying to make things too complex. Phillip's not trying to write so many lyrics and things. We just kind of got away — I hate to say 'got away', 'cause anything we do is DOWN, but, to me, we kind of got a little bit… We needed to go back and look at each other and just go, 'Let's just get in a room and do it like we did from the beginning.' And that's what it feels like to me. It's very magical. The ideas and the working together, just bounce off of one another, it's a natural thing."

DOWN played its rescheduled concert at Inn Of The Mountain Gods Resort And Casino in Mescalero, New Mexico on September 27, 2024. The band was originally supposed to perform at at Inn Of The Mountain Gods on June 20, 2024, but the show was called off due to a pair of rapidly growing wildfires which were converging on a village inside a tribal reservation in the state. As a result of the postponement, DOWN played two pop-up shows in Louisiana — on June 20, 2024 at Southport Hall in New Orleans and on June 21, 2024 at Varsity Theatre in Baton Rouge.

Prior to Southport Hall, DOWN's last concert took place in September 2022 at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Alton, Virginia.

DOWN made a handful of rare live appearances in the spring and summer of 2022. The band launched a three-date U.S. run of shows in May 2022 at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida. After playing in Atlanta and Dallas immediately after Rockville, DOWN took a three-week break before regrouping for three European festival appearances in June. The aforementioned appearance at that year's Blue Ridge Rock Festival followed in September 2022.

In August 2021, DOWN took part in a very special in-person live and virtual experience. "NOLA Town Throwdown" was held at the Fillmore in New Orleans, Louisiana and featured fans attending the show in person as well as watching it in real time from the comfort of their living room.

In August 2020, DOWN celebrated the 25th anniversary of "NOLA" with a special livestreamed event. Dubbed "The Quarter Century Throwdown", the high-production, multi-camera event took place using cutting-edge streaming technology to create a one-of-a-kind virtual concert experience.

A founding member of DOWN, Windstein left the band in 2013 in order to focus on CROWBAR and his family life. He was replaced by Bobby Landgraf, DOWN's former guitar tech who was previously in GAHDZILLA MOTOR COMPANY, a 1990s outfit also featuring Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS, WATCHTOWER),and HONKY.

Windstein announced his return to DOWN in 2019, with the band confirming a number of festival appearances for 2020 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of "NOLA", all of which were later canceled or postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic which swept the globe.

Prior to the August 2020 livestream, DOWN's last live appearance took place in August 2016 at the Psycho Las Vegas festival in Las Vegas.

The supergroup hasn't issued anything since the arrival of the "Down IV – Part Two" EP in May 2014.

"Down IV – Part Two" sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release in May 2014 to debut at position No. 23 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The band's previous EP, "Down IV Part I – The Purple EP", opened with around 12,000 units in September 2012 to land at No. 35.

"Down IV – Part Two" was recorded at Nodferatu's Lair — Anselmo's home studio — and produced by Michael Thompson. It was released via Down Records/ADA Music.

Photo by MetalDave Media

AFI will release a new album, "Silver Bleeds The Black Sun…", on October 3 via Run For Cover Records. "Silver Bleeds The Black Sun…" marks the twelfth album from AFI and will include the lead single "Behind The Clock", which ushers in the bold new era for the iconic band. Alongside the new single, AFI has shared a music video directed by Gilbert Trejo.

Regarding the experience working with Trejo, AFI vocalist Davey Havok said: "Gilbert's video has sublimated the essence of 'Behind The Clock'. His vision and expertise is inspiring. Working with him was a privilege and utter joy. He is an artist of the purest form."

Speaking about the "Behind The Clock" video, Trejo commented: "We wanted the video to feel like you're seeing something you shouldn't. In effect you are, because that's how Davey writes lyrics. He's expressing himself so openly, that you're let behind this curtain. It's a world that most artists don't cut to, marrow deep."

For more than three decades, AFI has been in a nearly constant state of reinvention. The band have made it a point to evolve with every album — sometimes dramatically so — never allowing themselves to become too comfortable in one genre or rest on any of their impressive career laurels. It's an approach that has grown their audience but also challenged it with a sonic identity that can shift in wild, unexpected directions. Now with "Silver Bleeds The Black Sun…", AFI are once again at the start of an exciting new chapter, only this time they've even managed to surprise themselves.

The goal of "Silver Bleeds The Black Sun…" was to make an album with a singular mood, something dreamy and ethereal, and the band members found themselves diving headfirst into influences that had always been deeply embedded in AFI's musical core, but now were being brought to the forefront. The result is an album that feels out of time, at once familiar and fresh, drawing on classic sounds and reinterpreting them through a modern lens. "Silver Bleeds The Black Sun…" is dark and otherworldly, but also grandiose and stately, biting and beautiful in equal measure — in other words, it's very AFI, yet not quite like any version of the band you've ever heard before.

It's this combination of endless creative daring, deftly wielded influences, and above all else, an unshakeable sense of self that's allowed AFI to stay relevant for more than 30 years, often leading the way through emerging musical moments. From their scrappy roots as a high school hardcore band oin the early '90s ("Answer That and Stay Fashionable", "Very Proud Of Ya" and "Shut Your Mouth And Open Your Eyes"),to their dark melodic punk reinvention at the turn of the century ("Black Sails In The Sunset" and "The Art Of Drowning"),to their crossover into mainstream stardom in the early 2000s ("Sing The Sorrow" and "Decemberunderground") and their years as shapeshifting alternative rock journeymen ("Crash Love", "Burials", "The Blood Album" and "Bodies"),the band has survived and thrived by staunchly being themselves — no matter what that is.

This fall, AFI will embark on their headline North American tour with special guests TR/ST to celebrate the release of "Silver Bleeds The Black Sun..." The 24-date run will begin on September 30 in Madison, Wisconsin, with stops in Chicago, Brooklyn, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, and Denver, before wrapping November 5 in San Diego, CA. The tour marks AFI's first full-scale outing since their celebrated 2021 release "Bodies", and will offer fans the chance to experience songs from across their extensive catalog, delivered with the band's signature electrifying performance.

"Silver Bleeds The Black Sun…" track listing:

01. The Bird Of Prey
02. Behind The Clock
03. Holy Visions
04. Blasphemy & Excess
05. Spear Of Truth
06. Ash Speck In A Green Eye
07. VOIDWARD, I BEND BACK
08. Marguerite
09. A World Unmade
10. Noneunderground

Upcoming live shows:

Sep. 14 - Washington, PA @ Four Chord Music Festival*
Sep. 30 - Madison, WI @ The Sylvee
Oct. 02 - Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit
Oct. 03 - Chicago, IL @ Salt Shed
Oct. 04 - Columbus, OH @ The Bluestone
Oct. 06 - Buffalo, NY @ Buffalo RiverWorks
Oct. 07 - Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues Cleveland
Oct. 09 - Washington, DC @ The Anthem *
Oct. 10 - Boston, MA @ Citizens House of Blues
Oct. 12 - Wallingford, CT @ Dome at Toyota Oakdale Theatre
Oct. 14 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore Philadelphia
Oct. 15 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Paramount
Oct. 17 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
Oct. 18 - Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works
Oct. 20 - Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
Oct. 21 - North Myrtle Beach, SC @ House of Blues Myrtle Beach
Oct. 23 - Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live
Oct. 24 - Fort Lauderdale, FL @ War Memorial Auditorium
Oct. 25 - Tampa, FL @ The Ritz Ybor
Oct. 28 - Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom
Oct. 29 - Austin, TX @ ACL Live at Moody Theater
Oct. 31 - Denver, CO @ Fillmore Auditorium
Nov. 01 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Rockwell at the Complex +
Nov. 04 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theatre *+
Nov. 05 - San Diego, CA @ SOMA
Nov. 16 - Mexico City, Mexico @ Corona Capital*

* Non-Live Nation date
+ Support to be determined

Photo credit: Lexie Alley

In a new interview with Rev. Tom Brice of Sportzwire Radio, GREAT WHITE guitarist Mark Kendall once again confirmed that he and his bandmates are working on material for the follow-up to 2017's "Full Circle" album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We made a lot of demos. It shouldn't be too long. I've been saying it for so long, but it's just hard to put it together, man. But literally I've flown [GREAT WHITE singer] Brett [Carlisle] out here [to California] multiple times, and we're just going in and presenting the band with ideas. It's also a case of we don't know exactly how we're gonna do it, with today's world."

He continued: "To bombard people with, like, 13 songs, it almost doesn't make sense. With all the medium stripped away, except for downloading, I'd rather get the full attention of maybe one song and a video. Let them trip on that, and then we'll come with another one and another one, and maybe then hit 'em with eight songs or whatever. Because it's not like when we were teenagers where we knew everybody's name in every band and we'd sit there and read the liner notes and trip on an album all day long and go out and buy it and take it home and it'd be a 10-hour project. Now they just download a couple of songs from this guy and that guy. It's not the human connection that we used to have, so we have to conform to that. Our thing is we just want to get the music to the people. We want you to hear it 'cause we want feedback. We want you to say 'it sucks' or 'it's great' — tell me something, man.

Back in April 2024, Kendall told George Dionne of KNAC.COM about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the next GREAT WHITE LP: "I've been having [Brett] out recording new stuff. Because I want him to be inspired and just not singing our [old] songs perfect but put his name on some new stuff. So we've been recording. I got a friend, his studio is a little bit more upgraded than mine. This guy Tracy G [Grijalva], he's like a teenage friend of mine who was in DIO. He just has a better studio. So I go down there and lay down ideas and then I have Brett out and go, 'Check this out,' and we sit together. And it's coming out amazing."

Regarding how GREAT WHITE is planning to release its new music, Mark said: "We're not sure how we're gonna put it out, with this day and age. We're talking to a lot of people about it. 'Cause we don't want the music to kind of get lost, with this downloading world. It's not like when we were growing up, we'd buy a record and sit there and listen to [LED ZEPPELIN's] 'Physical Graffiti' all day. Now they just download a couple of songs from this [album], a couple of songs [from that record]. So we're thinking maybe the idea could be [to] just put two or three songs out, maybe a video, and just keep coming with three at a time or something. That way, the music isn't wasted; it actually gets to the people. That's all we're concerned about. We know it's gonna be free on the Internet immediately."

He continued: "Even in our heyday, I was always more interested in the feedback. I want people to tell me, 'Man, I really like this song' or, 'I hate it,' or whatever. I used to go straight to a friend of mine, as soon as we were done, before it was out or anything, because you've gotta wait about four months. So I'd ask him, I go, 'Man, please tell me I'm great. Tell me something good.' He would always pick the singles. And the guy can't — he can't hold a tune in a bucket. I mean, he's so tone deaf, it's insane. But he can listen and he could always pick the singles. I'm going, 'What are you judging by? Is it the beat?' He goes, 'I don't know.' So there's no answer there. But I always like to get the feedback 'cause I wanna know… You have to wait this waiting period after you finish a record to find out if you're good or not, or if people are gonna be accepting. So it is a frustrating time. So I always race all my friends and play it for 'em. So that's what I'm more interested in than the dollars, really, is what people think. And maybe we have a chance to create some more memories."

Asked if he and his bandmates were "a little bit apprehensive" about the fact that Carlisle is only 27 years old while GREAT WHITE, as a group, has been in existence more than four decades, Mark said: "He's in his late 20s, but, believe it or not, he's kind of an old soul in a way. Nothing overwhelms the guy. He just goes out and just totally handles it every night, engages the crowd. He's real good with the interaction. He sings perfect all the time. And he's got really good song sense for a young man. I'm used to feeding people melody ideas when I write a song because that's the way I do it. Everybody has their own way to do it, but I always know that there's a lot of melody available, and he sometimes comes up with something way better than I had. So that's a good sign. And the way he delivers the new stuff, he really has a good handle on the music. And I don't know — I think he was born in the wrong time or something. In other words, we can stand together. It's not like he's standing next to his grandpa or something. It's not like we're CROSBY, STILLS & NASH, and, 'What's that 13-year-old doing there?' When we stand together, it just looks like a band. It doesn't look like we're with a little kid or anything. He's a little better-looking than us, but apart from that…"

Carlisle was officially named GREAT WHITE's new vocalist in October 2022. Brett joined the group as the replacement for Andrew Freeman (LAST IN LINE),who sang for GREAT WHITE for only five months.

Regarding what it has been like working with a singer who wasn't even born when some of GREAT WHITE's classic songs were written, the band's rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Michael Lardie told Robert Miguel of Uvalde Radio Rocks: "Well, I think he gets what we're trying to do. It's been a godsend to have someone with his youth, but at the same time he has what a lot of people would deem as an older soul. His parents did a great job bringing him up on '70s and '80s rock, so he's pretty well versed in that. And he comes from the South, so he's got a little bit of that blues and gospel edge to him."

Michael went on to say that he is "really looking forward" working on the new GREAT WHITE album with Carlisle. "In fact, before we were going on the other night, I was playing him a little bit of a thing that he and I are working on, and he's going, 'Oh, yeah, I got this idea,'" Lardie said. "So he's really psyched about working with us. And it's a joy to be onstage with him. He's turned into a great little performer, and when he's offstage, he's the most down-to-earth, righteous young man that I've come across in a while. And it's been a joy."

Michael added that Carlisle has the singing ability to handle anything from GREAT WHITE's catalog. "With his energy and his vocal range, we can do pretty much anything," he said. "If somebody throws out a tune, no matter how obscure it might be or how high it might be in terms of range, he's, like, 'Yeah, I can do that.' Like one of the songs we are doing from the very, very first record is 'Stick It'. And he hits every one of those notes spot-on every night. So it's awesome."

Regarding the musical direction of the new GREAT WHITE material, Lardie said: "It's hard to say. I would love the album to be kind of an amalgam of '...Twice Shy' [1989], 'Hooked' [1991] and 'Psycho City' [1992]. I mean, that, to me, would be a great combination of things."

In March 2024, Kendall told The Logan Show about Carlisle: "Even though he's younger than us, he's kind of, like… Nothing overwhelms the guy. He's respectful and everything, but he's not, like, 'Oh, my god. Look at this. Oh, my god. [Look at] that.' He just goes out and just totally handles it every night. Yeah, he's younger than us and whatnot, and, like you said, he wasn't even born in our heyday or whatever, probably, but he just goes out, he really brings the crowd into the show. He's really good and natural at… He doesn't have a script when he goes out there; he just kind of whatever he's feeling, and he sings like perfect, no matter what. It's pretty incredible, really. We're looking forward to doing an album with him, I can tell you that much."

After interviewer Logan Crosland noted that "quite a few people online" have commented that Brett is "probably the closest-sounding singer to Jack Russell," GREAT WHITE's original vocalist, and asked if that was a criteria when hiring Brett to front the band, Mark said: "Not necessarily. What it was is he just sang the songs correctly and he has the range to sing 'em. I don't think his voice sounds that much like Jack, but he has the range of Jack in his heyday. And so we're able to play anything we want, and we really haven't been able to do that in the past. Like we're playing 'Stick It' off the first album, which is up in the astral planes with the vocal range, and he's hitting all those notes full power. I mean, it's not like a falsetto, weak high notes. He's like straight from the gut just like screaming these notes, like full power from A to Z. There's not a song in our catalog that he can't totally handle. And I've been writing with him."

Regarding whether he has any songs already completed, Mark said: "Oh, yeah. I probably have seven complete songs on tape right now. [They're] just absolutely killer. But we haven't collaborated. The way we do it is we get together and we sit in a circle and say, 'What do you got? Let's hear it. What do you got?' And if a riff kind of pokes out, we say, 'Let's work on that. That's badass, dude. That's killer.' And that way it's more of a group effort."

Carlisle made his live debut with GREAT WHITE on September 24, 2022 at the Cannery Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

According to Brett, he felt welcomed by his new bandmates and the GREAT WHITE fans from the get-go.

"After meeting [the GREAT WHITE guys], they're all super-cool dudes," he told Kevin McKay of the 99 Rock WKSM FM radio station. "In Vegas, we had a rehearsal the day before, and I already knew half the songs well enough to be able to do it. So I wanted to do the best that I could on 'em. But after we hung out, everybody was cool and stuff. I mean, it's a big crowd. I love big crowds; they're fun."

Carlisle has been playing guitar and singing since the age of eight and counts bands like VAN HALEN, SKID ROW and METALLICA as his main influences.

In May 2022, GREAT WHITE announced that it had parted ways with singer Mitch Malloy and had replaced him with Freeman. Malloy had been in GREAT WHITE for nearly four years, having joined the group in 2018 following the departure of Terry Ilous.

Ilous, frontman of '80s L.A. hard rockers XYZ, joined GREAT WHITE in 2010 after stepping in for touring vocalist Jani Lane (WARRANT).

The Ilous-led GREAT WHITE released two albums, 2012's "Elation" and 2017's "Full Circle", before Terry was dismissed from the group.

In January 2023, Kendall told the "Mark 2.0" podcast that he was surprised by the overwhelmingly positive response to Carlisle's addition to GREAT WHITE. "It was world news," he said. "I'm seeing stuff on the Internet from Italy, Germany, the U.K. And even some of the more online dirt-seeking-type entities that normally are just huntin' for the headline to say, 'He said his singer sucks'. That's the article. That's the way it starts. These guys actually said good things and posted some of the [fan-filmed videos]. They're cellphone cameras, so the quality probably isn't… But you can hear it. You need to sing great."

In October 2022, Carlisle was asked in an interview with AL.com about his approach to singing GREAT WHITE's classic songs. He said: "I just want to do the songs justice, because that's what people expect to hear. They want to go to the shows and hear the songs the way they remember them, the way they know them. It's not about me and how many high notes I can hit or anything like that. I just want to do the give the people, and the band, what they want."

Brett went on to say that he is honored to be singing for a band whose songs — including "Save Your Love", "Rock Me" and "Lady Red Light" — he had previously covered with his other band ALL OR NOTHING.

"I just want to learn from them," Carlisle said of his new bandmates "It's just really cool to be included in what I've grown up listening to, like looking at the CDs and everything. And then now people are coming up after the shows asking me to sign like original GREAT WHITE cassettes and stuff. And I'm sitting here feeling like I'm not worthy. Because I didn't record that. But I'm like, I just sang with them, so, sure, if you want me to.""

Image credit: Paul Roma

This year, Yob will be inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame. The high, well deserved, honor comes in the same calendar year the band celebrate their 25th anniversary and further cements their legendary status as titans at the helm of their genre. The 18th Annual Oregon Music Hall of Fame Induction and Concert will take place on Saturday, October 11th at the Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR.

On the induction, Yob’s founder Mike Scheidt commented, “Yob recorded our first demo in 1999, but the birth of the idea came in 1996. It was a passion project inspired by the love of heavy music. No future plans beyond that. Fast forward nearly 30 years to now being inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame, “surreal” as a description pales to the reality of it. Words fail. Gratitude does not. We’re sending endless gratitude to everyone who has supported us in any way.”

This week Yob also revealed four US shows; New York and Chicago surround the bands previously announced European dates in October, Portland and Eugene will see dates in December.

According to The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, FOO FIGHTERS have recruited Ilan Rubin as their new drummer.

Rubin had previously played with NINE INCH NAILS and was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the band in 2020.

Rubin steps into the FOO FIGHTERS as the replacement for Josh Freese, who was fired from the group in May. Freese, meanwhile, who was the NAILS' touring drummer from 2005 to 2008, will return to the band, with NINE INCH NAILS sharing a picture of Freese on social media earlier today and writing "let's fucking go."

Two years after he was recruited to fill the vacancy left by the late Taylor Hawkins, Freese shared a statement on Instagram on May 16 in which he said the FOO FIGHTERS called him earlier that week to let him know that they had decided "to go in a different direction with their drummer." Freese added, "No reason was given."

FOO FIGHTERS will play their first shows of 2025 this fall, starting in Jakarta, Indonesia on October 2, followed by dates in Singapore, Tokyo and Osaka later that month. They will also play a show in Mexico City on November 14.

NINE INCH NAILS will launch the North American leg of their "Peel It Back" tour at the Oakland Arena in Oakland, California on August 6.

Rubin played with NINE INCH NAILS from 2008 to 2009, and again from 2013 until his latest exit. Rubin is also a member of Tom DeLonge's band ANGELS & AIRWAVES, and has played with Danny Elfman. He also recorded solo albums under the name THE NEW REGIME.

FOO FIGHTERS' 11th album, "But Here We Are", was released in June 2023 on Roswell/RCA.

Hawkins tragically passed away in March 2022 at the age of 50.

Hawkins was found dead in a hotel room in Colombia, shortly before FOO FIGHTERS were due to play a festival in Bogotá. No cause of death was ever announced.

Hawkins had been the FOO FIGHTERS drummer for 25 years, taking over from original drummer William Goldsmith in 1997. He is survived by his wife Alison and their three children.

FOO FIGHTERS staged two tribute concerts in honor of Hawkins. The first tribute concert took place September 3, 2022 at London's Wembley Stadium. A Los Angeles concert was held on September 27, 2022 and raised money for Musicares and Music Support charities and served as a farewell party for Hawkins's adopted hometown.

Other notable tributes to come in the months following Hawkins's death included a segment at the 2022 Grammy Awards, a drum circle in Taylor's hometown, and a live performance of the FOO FIGHTERS song "My Hero" by more than 1,000 musicians.

In a new interview with Ryan Vacey, music photographer and host of the Beyond The Vibe podcast, original FOREIGNER singer Lou Gramm spoke about the band's upcoming shows where he will guest on some of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame group's biggest hits. Gramm will share the stage with Luis Maldonado, who is replacing current frontman Kelly Hansen on lead vocals. Asked why now is the right time for him to return to FOREIGNER as a guest singer, Gramm said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "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 [FOREIGNER's founding guitarist] Mick [Jones] 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."

FOREIGNER recently announced the September 12 release of extensive super deluxe editions of its 1981 smash multi-platinum album "4".

Recorded at the famed Electric Lady Studios in New York City alongside respected music producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange (DEF LEPPARD, AC/DC),"Foreigner 4 Deluxe" will be available in black vinyl and various other formats on September 12 via Rhino. The release will encompass newly remastered Stereo or Atmos versions, and a five-disc CD/Blu-ray package that includes a booklet containing over 60 exclusive photos, five previously unreleased songs, 14 early and alternate versions of various songs, 15 instrumentals, and 15 live performances from across the globe, spanning the band's 1981 and 1982 "4" world tour. The digital deluxe release will also contain alternate versions, instrumentals, and live performances from the era.

Originally released July 2, 1981, "4" spent more weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard charts than any artist in the history of Atlantic Records, including AC/DC, THE ROLLING STONES and LED ZEPPELIN, and went on to sell more than ten million albums worldwide. "4" is certified six times platinum in the U.S. (RIAA),four times platinum in Canada (Music Canada),platinum in Australia (ARIA) and Germany (BVMI),and gold in seven additional countries. It spawned three Billboard Hot 100 singles: "Waiting For A Girl Like You", "Urgent" and "Juke Box Hero". "Foreigner 4", as it's often referred to, is the fourth studio album by the legendary British-American rock band released during a time of transition as they famously went from six members to four.

Jones noted: "Recording our fourth album took the better part of two years. It was something that just had to be right and I truly believe that Mutt Lange, Lou [Gramm], Rick [Willis], Dennis [Elliott] and I accomplished something very special. This package, and particularly the stunning Atmos mixes, present a spectacular culmination of one of the most exciting periods of my life."

To coincide with the deluxe package release, FOREIGNER — Luis Maldonado (lead vocals/guitar),Jeff Pilson (bass),Michael Bluestein (keyboards),Bruce Watson (guitars),Chris Frazier (drums) — will celebrate half a century of music with a new round of headlining tour dates which will include Gramm guesting on some of the songs he helped create almost 45 years ago. The upcoming "Foreigner 4 Deluxe Tour" signals yet another important transition for the band as these new dates will be the first major U.S. shows featuring Maldonado on lead vocals. On the season finale of "The Voice", it was announced that this year's summer tour would be the last for Hansen.

Of the transition, Maldonado had this to say: "Earlier this year, we toured Mexico and South America with the incredible Lou Gramm. We all had such a fantastic time performing and being together, and it's with that same excitement I look forward to working with Lou again. He was an integral part of the writing and recording of the 'Foreigner 4' album and his presence will add a historic dimension to our forthcoming tour."

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".

Check out the "Foreigner 4 Deluxe" show at any of the following tour stops:

December 03 - Port Chester, NY - Capitol Theatre
December 04 - Port Chester, NY - Capitol Theatre
December 06 - Staten Island, NY - St. George Theatre
December 07 - Bethlehem, PA - Wind Creek Event Theater
December 09 - Wallingford, CT - Oakdale Theatre
December 11 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theater
December 12 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theater
December 13 - Williamsport, PA - Community Arts Center

During an appearance on the "Faith & Freedom" podcast, which is hosted by his wife Shemane Nugent, legendary rocker Ted Nugent was asked what it was like touring with Ozzy Osbourne back in the late 1970s when Nugent was the support act for BLACK SABBATH on a North American run of shows. Ted responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, it doesn't really matter because — and bottom line is we love Ozzy. He was a kind man, a gentleman, a hard-working guy, extremely talented. He did a vocalization and a songwriting musical force to reckon with. So we're praying for his family and his friends and those millions and millions of fans out there that are really traumatized [by his passing]. I mean, there's a lot of heartbreak and a lot of crying going on. So we're with you people, and we share your heartbreak, we share your emotion and we share your love for Ozzy. Our hearts are heavy for the Osbourne family because he was a good dad and a good husband… And as he got clean and sober, he was a fun guy. He was a funny guy. He was a cocky guy. And more importantly, he's known as the Prince Of Darkness. He was a Christian. He was against war…"

Ted continued: "I've been reviewing a lot of the testimonies and celebrations of Ozzy's life, and a lot of his lyrics were for peace, supporting the military, good over evil, identifying the scourge of mankind, being negative and being evil and satanic. So I believe, I'm confident when I say that Ozzy Osbourne was a Christian."

Back in 2002, Nugent slammed Ozzy's family reality TV show "The Osbournes" for being "soulless" and singled out Osbourne's wife and manager Sharon for "[taking] advantage of [Ozzy's] drooling condition to make millions of dollars from people laughing at [him]". In an interview published at Salon.com, Nugent had the following response when asked for his opinion on the series that at the time was the highest-rated program in MTV history: "I think the success of 'The Osbournes' as a TV show is an indictment of the soullessness of mankind.

"Now, I'm just a guitar player, but when I see a train wreck, I don't look at it and laugh — I try to save injured people. You're not supposed to wring entertainment out of tragedy.

"Ozzy is a nice man, he is a kind man, he is an extremely talented man, extremely tenacious, obviously. But he is the poster boy of why I never touched poisons in my life. Because I don't want to drool, nor do I want to allow a woman in my life to take advantage of my drooling condition to make millions of dollars from people laughing at me. That's what she has done. And no one is laughing with the Osbournes — they are laughing at them. I find that soulless."

On whether the Osbournes represent the family life that people think most rock stars have, Ted said at the time: "That's the worst thing. There's three levels. Well, there's obviously a million levels. But let's go with the obvious three. There's Jerry Garcia's level: They did so many drugs they died. You don't have enough tape and I don't have enough time to list all the dead assholes. That's Level 1: The ultimate failure of individuals and society to identify deadly conduct. Horrifically, not only didn't they identify it, they fucking celebrated it. They encouraged it, they wrote about it, they danced about it, they drew people into it. So now, you have death and mayhem out of control. That's not an opinion; that's an observation of [more than five decades of] clean and sober. I'd like to go see Jimi Hendrix, I'd like to go see John Belushi, I'd like to, well, I wouldn't like to go see Jerry Garcia, he's not one of my favorite guitar players. But that's the ultimate stupidity: Poison yourself to death for no other reason except that some trendy asshole thought it was groovy, baby."

Ted continued: "The second level is Ozzy: you're not dead, but damn close. And again, I'm to repeat this: I like Ozzy. He is a good guy. He is an extremely talented man. More talented for the fact that he took those talents he does have, which are moderate, and sold 50 million records with them. He surrounded himself with the Randy Rhoadses and the Tommy Aldridges and the Zakk Wyldes and mastered building a million homes out of timber that most people couldn't have built a barn with. That's real talent.

"So that's Level 2: You did all the stupid things, but you survived. Great. Then there is Level 3: Ted. He defied the stupidity and his American dream soars on the wings of an American eagle. Because my happiness — the content, the fiber, the joys, the emotion — is all thriving in my life, because I discipline myself. Aha! That's what Jerry and Ozzy didn't have: The big 'D'. Discipline. My parents taught me to shoot a gun conscientiously, safely, and responsibly, and disciplined me if I didn't. I would get my block knocked off, which is what Ozzy's little brats need a good dose of. God, I wish my dad was still alive. He could fix those kids in one night. I'd just say, Dad, could you fix those assholes for me? Thank you very much.

"Level 3 is those who are smart enough not to drink and drive, not to poison their God-given gifts, and to live the American dream of seeking excellence, and the resulting happiness that can not be stopped."

In a 2003 interview with Classic Rock Revisited, Ted doubled down on his criticism of "The Osbournes", saying: "God bless Ozzy and Sharon. God bless their family. I hope they can find happiness. What I see is not happiness; it is superficial happiness. You don't encourage and much less allow your children to swear violently at people and be totally undisciplined. Look at how fat his kids are. When you have kids that fat, then they are just eating bad food, which is a manifestation of a certain cultural depravation where they can't even monitor their own health habits.

"Ozzy, God bless him, is super talented. He is a great man. He is a man of heart and soul and goodwill. He is a very funny man, but he is a perfect poster child of why I have never touched drugs, alcohol, tobacco or fast food. You get stupid, fat, slow and drooling. He is an absolute shell of a man. He doesn't have any capacities physically or mentally. It is just pathetic that someone would find entertainment or recreational joy from watching a wounded man shuffle about and mumble. It's embarrassing."

Ozzy died the morning of July 22, his family announced in a statement.

"It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time," the family said.

No cause of death was given, but Osbourne had battled a number of health issues over the past several years, including Parkinson's disease and injuries he sustained from a late-night fall in 2019.

Massachusetts rockers EXTREME have been performing a cover of Ozzy Osbourne's "I Don't Know" at the most recent shows on their ongoing European tour as a tribute to the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer, who passed away late last month at the age of 76.

Fan-filmed video of three different EXTREME renditions of "I Don't Know", including at the Artmania festival in Sibiu, Romania on July 26, can be seen below.

A week after taking part in Ozzy's final concert, which was held on July 5 at Villa Park in BLACK SABBATH's original hometown of Birmingham, United Kingdom, EXTREME guitarist Nuno Bettencourt took to his social media to write: "Thank you Ozzy for being a big part of the soundtrack of my childhood and decades afterwards. Also… Thank you to 3 CHOSEN ONES. Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee, Zakk Wylde. Ozzy could not have been Ozzy without your iconic contribution as incredible guitarists and composers. You were an integral part of what made Ozzy Osbourne who he was as an artist. His 'not so' secret weapon. And what was even more amazing is that every single one of you three brought your own DNA to each era… It would've been easy and safe for all you to replicate and clone the previous guitar god and give the fans what they wanted. Given the pressure of the shoes you had to fill. Imagine: Randy having to step into Iommi's shoes. Jake having to step into Randy's and Iommi's shoes. Zakk having to step into Jake and Randy's and Iommi's shoes. And in the end neither of you did… instead you brought your own fucking shoes and cemented your own individual legacies. As a fellow guitarist … that alone is a historic feat.

"Thank you Randy, Jake and Zakk for you inspirational guitar work and shaping me as the guitarist I am today. Love you guys."

Last year, Nuno told YouTuber Rick Beato that he tried to join Ozzy's solo band more than four decades ago when he was just a teenager. "The first time I ever played through a proper cab was when the Circus magazine put out an ad," he recalled. "I think it had come out when Randy passed away, unfortunately, and we were all devastated. And I think, at the moment, [Osbourne's camp] were looking for a guitar player… There was like a little cutout thing, like, almost like an ad: 'Send your tape here, Ozzy looking for a guitar player.' And I'm, like, 'This is my gig. I can do this.' I'm in this four-family home in Hudson, Massachusetts and the ad says, I don't know, 'Send 'Crazy Train' on cassette to this address.' And I'm all in, man. I call my buddy saying, 'Can I borrow your Marshall?', and I put it in my bedroom. I can't do without a cabinet, and I borrowed a 4×12; I had never played through one before… I also borrowed some harmonizer and I didn't even know how to run it, and I'm like, 'That's it!' I'm playing the song, probably horribly; I'm doing the solo… I didn't tell anybody. I took the solo, wrote down the address, licked the stamp, brought it to the post office, and I was just like, 'Okay, now I wait. But I'm getting this gig.' Weeks have gone by, and I'm getting really upset. Then, I read that Brad Gillis is filling in, and I'm, like, 'Oh, man. They better not keep him, because this is my gig.' I believed I was going to do it… I'm waiting, and months have gone by. And then, I heard they got Jake E. Lee. I might have shed a tear because I thought that was my gig."

A decade later, in 1993, after Bettencourt had spent several years touring with EXTREME, the band's booking agent Rod MacSween told Nuno that Ozzy's team offered him guitarist position he once auditioned for, this time without the need for a homemade tape. The guitarist recalled: "He pulls me out and we're in a hallway. I'll never forget this. He's facing me, and Rod says, 'Nuno, Sharon Osbourne called me. Ozzy wants you to be his guitarist.' And then, he says, 'What do you think?' And all I could say was, 'They heard the cassette?', and he's like, 'What are you talking about?'… I was literally thinking about the cassette I sent when I was 12. That's how much trauma I had."

As it turned out, Nuno declined the offer to join Ozzy's band as a result of his loyalty to EXTREME and his determination to "carve [his] own path. He explained: "It finally worked, and I turned it down, because I was in a band, and I was doing my job. And that was the stupidest thing I ever did. Why? Because I left EXTREME about two weeks later. I was like, 'I'm an idiot.' I could have toured with Ozzy, and been on the next album… Because, playing with Ozzy was almost a rite of passage, like you were the chosen one… If Ozzy chose you, you were somebody… But I was trying to carve my own path and be my own person. I don't know what I was thinking; I should have done it."

Ozzy died the morning of July 22, his family announced in a statement.

"It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time," the family said.

No cause of death was given, but Osbourne had battled a number of health issues over the past several years, including Parkinson's disease and injuries he sustained from a late-night fall in 2019.

Ozzy Osbourne, who sadly passed away on July 22 at 76 years of age, was honoured with a drone show at the 2025 edition of Germany’s Wacken Open Air festival. Video can be viewed below.

According to Merkur.de, the message “Ozzy We Love You” appeared above the main stages. This was accompanied by Osbourne’s song “Mama, I’m Coming Home” and then the Black Sabbath number “Paranoid.” Images of Osbourne were simultaneously shown on the large screens.

Nuclear Blast will release Slayer’s 2015 album Repentless as a 10 year anniversary edition on September 12.

The 10th anniversary release will be a limited edition, 180g clear silver red splatter LP, housed in a gatefold jacket with mirror board cover art. Limited to 3,400 units Worldwide.

Preorder at the Nuclear Blast webshop.



Repentless was BraveWords’ #1 on our BravePicks 2015 countdown. The album was originally released September 2015 and is the legendary thrashers’ final record. Singles include the title track, “You Against You”, and “Pride In Prejudice”.

Repentless has achieved gold status Poland for sales/streaming surpassing 10,000 units and reached its highest-charting debut in U.S. in the band’s history reaching #4 on the Billboard 200.

A Kickstarter campaign has been launched for a documentary about Swedish doom metal legends CANDLEMASS.

"9 Lives Of Doom – The Story Of Candlemass" will explore the career and legacy of CANDLEMASS and the band's 40-year journey through creativity, collaboration, breakups, and reconciliation.

As part of CANDLEMASS's 40th anniversary, the influential group has been booked to perform an exclusive, one-off reunion show with its iconic former singer Messiah Marcolin at the Rock Hard Festival in Athens, Greece. Messiah was an important figure in the band's early success. However, the relationship between Messiah and the rest of CANDLEMASS has been turbulent throughout the years. 2025 marks 20 years since they last shared the stage together. "9 Lives Of Doom" will document how the reunion plays out.

Added to CANDLEMASS's present activities, the band's guitarist Mats Björkman recently found a moving box filled with 50 hours' worth of old video tapes, yet to be seen. These tapes will provide a close and personal documentary of the history of CANDLEMASS from their humble formation in Upplands Väsby, north of Stockholm, in 1985 leading up to present day. The story is further told through a wide range of interviews with notable musicians and associates to CANDLEMASS.

After CANDLEMASS's anniversary show in Athens, the band is booked to enter the studio to record what possibly will be CANDLEMASS's last record and thus the culmination of the band's career.

CANDLEMASS's mark on the genre and their legacy can be heard in bands such as OPETH, GHOST and PARADISE LOST. In 2019 CANDLEMASS were nominated for a U.S. Grammy Award with the album "The Door To Doom". One could say that CANDLEMASS reached a full-circle moment when BLACK SABBATH's Tony Iommi played a solo on one of the tracks on the record.

CANDLEMASS's journey reflects the human condition and themes such as artistic expression, relationships and coming of age in a genre often associated with youthfulness and virility. "9 Lives Of Doom" is a story about passion and vision and how CANDLEMASS has been a major contributor to putting Sweden on the world map of heavy metal.

CANDLEMASS was formed in 1984 in Upplands Väsby, Sweden, by bassist and main songwriter Leif Edling. The band quickly became pioneers of a slower, heavier, and darker style of metal that came to be known as doom metal — a direct sonic descendant of BLACK SABBATH, but with its own epic and gothic twist. Their debut album, "Epicus Doomicus Metallicus" (1986),is today considered a genre-defining classic, but at the time it flew under the radar. Ironically, the album's status grew over the years, making it one of the most celebrated and influential doom metal albums of all time. In 1987, the band recruited vocalist Messiah Marcolin, whose operatic, vibrato-rich singing style and monk-like stage persona became an identifiable part of CANDLEMASS's visual and sonic identity. With Messiah on board, CANDLEMASS released the albums "Nightfall" (1987),"Ancient Dreams" (1988) and "Tales Of Creation" (1989) — a trilogy that cemented their legacy and built a loyal international fanbase.

CANDLEMASS's career has been marked by both creative highs and internal conflicts, leading to multiple breakups and reunions over the decades. Despite this, the band has shown remarkable resilience and longevity and in 2018 Johan Längqvist, who sang on CANDLEMASS's debut album, joined the band as a full-time singer.

In 2011 Yasin Hillborg's documentary about the history of Swedish hard rock and heavy metal, "Så Jävla Metal" (English-language translation: "So Damn Metal") premiered. The cast is a who's who of Swedish hard rock and metal musicians. One such musician is the renowned film director Jonas Åkerlund who was the drummer of the legendary Swedish black metal band BATHORY. In the spring of 2024 Åkerlund contacted Hillborg and asked Hillborg if he would be interested in directing a feature length documentary about CANDLEMASS.

Åkerlund, who will serve as the executive producer of "9 Lives Of Doom", has a personal and professional relationship with the band since the 1980s. Åkerlund was the driver and drum roadie on CANDLEMASS's first tour of Sweden and director of CANDLEMASS's first music video, "Bewitched", from 1987. This also happens to have been Åkerlund's directorial debut as music video director. He has since worked with METALLICA, SATYRICON, RAMMSTEIN, MADONNA and THE PRODIGY, among others.

Hillborg has in turn been a fan of the band since he heard them on the radio in 1987. His fandom further deepened when Hillborg saw CANDLEMASS open for SLAYER in 1988. "Every chord they played was like a massive wall of sound," Hillborg says about seeing CANDLEMASS live. CANDLEMASS were also a part of his 2011 documentary "Så Jävla Metal". And when Jonas approached Yasin with the question of directing a documentary about CANDLEMASS, his answer to do it was, of course, yes.

Photo credit: Linda Akerberg