SMASHING PUMPKINS have formally detailed the long-awaited reissue and reformation of their 2000 masterpiece, "Machina/The Machines Of God", and its companion album, "Machina II/The Friends & Enemies Of Modern Music". This reimagined project, featuring extensive remixing and remastering, will be out in multiple formats on August 22 via UMe and through Madame Zuzu's Tea Shop.

SMASHING PUMPKINS frontman Billy Corgan's Madame Zuzu's tea shop in Highland Park, Illinois is exclusively offering an expansive 80-song vinyl box set featuring a 48-track "Machina" plus an additional 32 bonus tracks of demos, outtakes, and live performances, marking the first time these two records will officially be united. This vinyl box set is the only format available to listen to all 80 songs in its entirety.

Additionally, the rock band will release a 16-song reissue of the original "Machina/The Machines Of God" vinyl on August 22, and pre-orders will begin on June 27. UMe will also be releasing various 25th-anniversary remastered formats of "Machina/The Machines Of God", including a black 180g 2LP vinyl reissue; a 180g limited-edition color 2LP in corona red/black, as well as CD and digital formats on August 22.

Corgan said: "It's taken some 25 years to finally release 'Machina' as we in the band had hoped it would be, and with MadameZuzus.com as the only place one can get this expansive, 80-song collection, I personally could not be more proud.

"'Machina' was meant as our swan song, and it was truly a labor of love to bring it to fruition, however broken we were back then. But with the band about to embark on a global tour in 2025, as well as my solo tour with THE MACHINES OF GOD, this set stands as a celebration and testament of will, for the songs alone have helped James, Jimmy and I keep the faith."

SMASHING PUMPKINS are set to kick off a month-long international tour beginning July 27 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Fans can find full tour details and ticket information on the band's official web site. Meanwhile, Corgan's solo project, BILLY CORGAN AND THE MACHINES OF GOD, is currently wrapping up the final two headlining dates of their "A Return To Zero Tour", with upcoming shows in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

SMASHING PUMPKINS are one of the most iconic, iconoclastic, and influential bands of all time, shaping alternative music and culture. Since forming in Chicago in 1988, the group has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and garnered two Grammy Awards, seven MTV VMAs, and an American Music Award. Their catalog includes seminal offerings such as the platinum "Gish" (1991),the quadruple-platinum "Siamese Dream" (1993]),the diamond-certified "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness" (1995),the platinum "Adore" (1998) and the gold "Machina/The Machines Of God" (2000). Rolling Stone cited both "Siamese Dream" and "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness" among its "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time".

It would also be impossible to envision alternative music and culture without SMASHING PUMPKINS' signature iconography such as the idyllic album artwork for "Siamese Dream", the black Zero shirt, the laissez faire bliss of the "1979" music video, the gothic metamorphosis of "Ava Adore" or the multi-dimensional live shows that sell out worldwide to this day. 2018 saw SMASHING PUMPKINS unveil "Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun." and launched the immensely successful "Shiny And Oh So Bright" tour, which packed arenas. Maintaining this momentum, the band released their eleventh full-length double album , "Cyr" (2020),representing yet another evolution, and more recently, "Atum" (2023),the sequel to 1995's "Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness" and 2000's "Machina/Machine Of God". The band's 2024 album, "Aghori Mhori Mei", written in the immediate aftermath of "Atum", sees a return to form for original members Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin and James Iha, and harkens back to the band's early 90's canon; where guitars, bass, drums, and spiking vocals ruled.

Legendary hard rockers AC/DC kicked off the summer 2025 leg of their European "Power Up" tour Thursday night (June 26) at Letiště Praha Letňany in Prague, Czech Republic. Around 60,000 fans reportedly attended the concert, including Czech president Petr Pavel. Pavel is an avid rock fan who also attended Bruce Springsteen and Alanis Morissette shows earlier this month.

The setlist for AC/DC's concert in Prague was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

01. If You Want Blood (You've Got It)
02. Back In Black
03. Demon Fire
04. Shot Down In Flames
05. Thunderstruck
06. Have A Drink On Me
07. Hells Bells
08. Shot In The Dark
09. Stiff Upper Lip
10. Highway To Hell
11. Shoot To Thrill
12. Sin City
13. Rock 'N' Roll Train
14. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
15. High Voltage
16. Riff Raff
17. You Shook Me All Night Long
18. Whole Lotta Rosie
19. Let There Be Rock (with Angus Young guitar solo)

Encore:

20. T.N.T.
21. For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)

Fan-filmed video of the show can be seen below.

The "Power Up" tour shares its name with AC/DC's 2020 album, which debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA chart in Australia and 20 other countries around the globe. "Power Up" notably notched the band's third No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 and exploded as one of the best-selling albums of 2020 worldwide. It closed out the year on Rolling Stone's "Top 50 Albums Of 2020" and Consequence Of Sound's "Top 50 Albums Of 2020." Plus, it garnered Grammy Award nominations in the categories of "Best Rock Album', "Best Rock Performance" and "Best Music Video" for "Shot In The Dark".

In 2024, the "Power Up" tour kicked off in Europe with a staggering 1.7 million tickets sold in the first days of sales, eventually surpassing 2 million tickets sold across 24 shows. The band just concluded 10 sold-out shows in North America and has 15 additional shows scheduled across Europe before returning to Australia.

AC/DC played its very first show on December 31, 1973 at Chequers Nightclub in Sydney, Australia. They are one of the most influential rock bands in history, with over 200 million albums sold worldwide. The band's "Back In Black" LP is the best-selling album by any band ever and the third best-selling album by any artist, with global sales of 50 million and counting.

AC/DC was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2003. The band continues selling out stadiums on multiple continents, selling millions of albums annually and generating streams in the billions.

The "Power Up" 2024 European tour marked AC/DC's first with the band's new touring lineup, consisting of longtime singer Brian Johnson, founding member and lead guitarist Angus Young, as well as rhythm guitarist Stevie Young (who officially joined the band in 2014, replacing his uncle Malcolm Young, who retired due to dementia),drummer Matt Laug (who joined in 2023, replacing longtime drummer Phil Rudd) and former JANE'S ADDICTION bassist Chris Chaney, who came on board in 2024 replacing longtime bassist Cliff Williams. Williams retired from AC/DC after the conclusion of the 2016 "Rock Or Bust" tour, although he did return to the fold briefly for the 2020 "Power Up" album and an appearance at Power Trip.

AC/DC's "Power Up" album came out in November 2020. The follow-up to 2014's "Rock Or Bust" was recorded over a six-week period in August and September 2018 at Warehouse Studios in Vancouver with producer Brendan O'Brien, who also worked 2008's "Black Ice" and "Rock Or Bust".

AC/DC's current tour comes nine years after Johnson bowed out of a 2016 run of shows due to a hearing condition. He was replaced at the gigs by guest vocalist Axl Rose of GUNS N' ROSES.

🤘🎸 Prezident Petr Pavel zavítal na pražský koncert australské legendy AC⚡️DC a hezky opět mezi obyčejné fanoušky. Když...

Posted by Novinky.cz on Thursday, June 26, 2025

Former JUDAS PRIEST and current KK'S PRIEST guitarist Kenneth "K.K." Downing has released a new version of JUDAS PRIEST's classic song "Never Satisfied". The track, which also features former JUDAS PRIEST and current KK'S PRIEST vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens, can be streamed below.

The original version of "Never Satisfied" appeared on JUDAS PRIEST's 1974 debut album, "Rocka Rolla", and was written by Downing and JUDAS PRIEST's original lead vocalist Al Atkins.

"We just had fun in a spare bedroom, trying to create something different," Downing told Ultimate Classic Rock about "Never Satisfied"'s conception. "We wrote quite a lot of stuff and then we went on the road. In my memory, 'Never Satisfied' was always in the set. When Al left and Rob [Halford] joined, then we were on the road for at least a couple of years. We had the song in the set [at that time] with Rob singing it as well."

Downing told Ultimate Classic Rock that the idea for a "Never Satisfied" re-recording came about after last year's 50th-anniversary reissue of "Rocka Rolla". "I thought, 'I'm just going to plug the guitar in and have a go at jamming along to a couple of these songs,'" he remembered. "I just had fun doing it and I thought I would put the track down and ask Ripper if he'd do the courtesy of throwing a vocal on there. It came about really quickly and it was fun."

Reflecting on the updated version of "Never Satisfied", Downing said in a statement: "It's a real treat and great fun to revisit and record this version of 'Never Satisfied', a song I co-wrote over 50 years ago. I really didn't overthink it — I just plugged in my guitar drifting back to a time when metal was an embryo of an idea. I knew the song already sounded great with Rob Halford, but I was especially keen on hearing the mighty Ripper Owens on the vocals."

K.K. added: "The response to the 50th anniversary of 'Rocka Rolla' has been so well received, I wanted to do a little something to add to the celebration — and I can see 'Never Satisfied' becoming a fan favorite at a future KK'S PRIEST show!"

The new version of "Never Satisfied" is now available for streaming and downloading via Exciter Records, in partnership with K.K.'s label Hellfire Thunderbolt Records.

Exciter Records, owned by publisher Reach Music, recently acquired the masters and publishing rights to both "Rocka Rolla" and "Sad Wings Of Destiny" by JUDAS PRIEST. A 50th-anniversary edition of "Sad Wings Of Destiny" is currently in production for a 2026 release.

The remixed and remastered version of "Rocka Rolla" was released digitally in the U.S. and Canada last September. The CD and vinyl versions of "Rocka Rolla - 50th Anniversary: Remixed And Remastered 1974 - 2024" arrived in November.

In addition to Downing and Owens, KK'S PRIEST features guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE),bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

KK'S PRIEST's summer/fall 2024 North American tour with ACCEPT began on August 31, 2024 in Los Angeles, California, visiting a slew of major cities in the USA and Canada — such as Toronto, Montreal, New York and Nashville — before coming to an end in San Francisco, California on October 7, 2024.

KK'S PRIEST's first-ever U.S. headlining tour, which featured support from L.A. GUNS and BURNING WITCHES, kicked off on March 7, 2024 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and concluded on March 24, 2024 at Keswick Theatre in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

KK'S PRIEST's sophomore album, "The Sinner Rides Again", came out in September 2023 via the Austrian label Napalm Records.

KK'S PRIEST made its live debut on July 6, 2023 at Downing's KK's Steel Mill in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.

K.K. formed KK'S PRIEST after JUDAS PRIEST turned down his offer to rejoin the band for their 50th-anniversary tour. It followed a couple of celebrated stage appearances, first with former MANOWAR guitarist Ross The Boss in the summer of 2019, then with a one-off lineup that included former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and former PRIEST drummer Les Binks later that year.

KK'S PRIEST released its debut album, "Sermons Of The Sinner", in October 2021 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.

Downing spent four months writing and recording "Sermons Of The Sinner" and, along with new ideas, he even resurrected a few archived riffs from the 1980s.

Downing was reunited with JUDAS PRIEST for a performance at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in November 2022 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at the event, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance. He was replaced by Richie Faulkner, nearly three decades his junior.

In 2019, Downing said that he reached out to JUDAS PRIEST about taking part in the band's 50th-anniversary tour but that their response was that they were not interested in including him in the celebrations.

In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as "a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music," while the second was "angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties."

Downing later said that he believed the second letter was "a key reason" he wasn't invited to rejoin PRIEST after Glenn Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 and recorded two studio albums with the band — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — before PRIEST reunited with Rob Halford in 2003.

Photo credit: Mind Art Visual

Dizzy Reed, who is the longest-serving member of GUNS N' ROSES after singer Axl Rose, will release his second solo album, "Rock 'N' Roll Chose Me", on August 22, 2025 via the Pittsburgh-based label 50q Records.

This deeply personal and socially reflective 10-song album explores the pain of letting go, the struggles of mental health in an indifferent world, the illusions of the American Dream, and the unifying power of music — all told through a lens of perseverance, connection, and the human cost of chasing meaning in a divided and demanding society.

Written and produced by Dizzy, "Rock 'N' Roll Chose Me" is a gritty, emotionally charged journey. It was co-produced by Jason Achilles Mezilis, with lyrics co-written by Nadja, Del James and Reed himself. The album was mixed by Evan Rodaniche and mastered by Gentry Studer.

The LP's second single, "Falling Down 2gether", can be streamed below.

Track listing:

01. Revolution L.A.
02. D.I.B.
03. Contact
04. Bombz Away
05. Born A Number
06. Intro Thru The Outro
07. Earn It 2 Burn It
08. Falling Down 2gether
09. Rock 'N' Roll Chose Me
10. My Wounds Don't Bleed

Reed's debut solo album, "Rock 'N Roll Ain't Easy", was released in February 2018 by Golden Robot Records. The disc featured guest appearances by musicians from W.A.S.P., QUIET RIOT, PSYCHEDELIC FURS, THIN LIZZY, NO DOUBT, THE REPLACEMENTS, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, and more.

Back in November 2019, Dizzy reflected on his three-plus decades with GUNS N' ROSES during an interview with the "Thunder Underground" podcast. He said: "How the fuck has it been 30 years? [Laughs] Where did the time go?

"I've been so lucky and fortunate that I was ever asked to do this gig in the first place and that I'm still doing it," he continued. "As long as they'll have me, I'm gonna do it. And it's been a great run. There's been some long breaks, but those were being put to good use — writing and whatnot."

Dizzy added: "It's just been a blast. And these last three years have been fantastic. The turnouts have been amazing. And just to be a part of that, it's pretty special. And I'm so fortunate, again. I thank my lucky stars every day, man — I really do."

Reed joined GUNS N' ROSES as a touring member in 1990, during the "Use Your Illusion" era, and has played with most of the original members as well as in all the later editions of the group and the current "reunion" lineup.

In 2012, Dizzy was inducted into the the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a member of GUNS N' ROSES.

The Pulse Of Radio asked Reed how he's managed to stay in the band for so long. "I get asked that a lot and it's really just, I just never really thought about doing anything else, you know, on sort of a permanent basis," he said. "You know, I kind of feel like I'm in GUNS N' ROSES and that's where I was meant to be."

Besides being a member of GUNS N' ROSES, Dizzy has played on albums from artists including MOTÖRHEAD, Mick Taylor, Doug Aldrich, Duff McKagan, BACKYARD BABIES and Gilby Clarke.

HELLOWEEN‬ vocalist Andi Deris spoke to Canada's The Metal Voice about how he takes care of his singing voice, particularly as he and his bandmates prepare to release their new album, "Giants & Monsters". Andi said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I consider myself not living unhealthy except my cigar con[sumption]. But one death you have to die. [Laughs] Put it that way: it's less destructive than chainsmoking normal cigarettes, because [when you smoke cigarettes] you inhale, it's ending up in your lungs, whereas a cigar, you don't take in [unhealthy fumes]. So, for me, it's got the big advantage that certainly my vocal cords are not as stressed as they used to be, because, sure, when you come offstage after a two-hour or three-hour show and then you smoke another 10 cigarettes, we all know what happens with your vocal cords. I mean, they don't really celebrate this. [Laughs] So now it's much cooler. I mean, I've got, like, two and a half, maybe even three halftones easier to sing up there without being scared each and every night if I still can do it — because of smoking. So it was a stupid habit. But loving cigars or loving tobacco, I'm fine with cigars now. I don't miss cigarettes. That's cool."

When interviewer Alan Dixon noted that Deris's voice on "Giants & Monsters" sounds like it did "20 years ago", Andi — who lives in Tenerife, the largest of the Spanish Canary Islands — said: "Well, when you record here on the island, you've got the salt water. I don't smoke anymore, so this gave me immediately, as I told you, two and a half, three tones. That makes a lot of difference. And in another 15 years from now, I'm probably using A.I. [Laughs]"

"Giants & Monsters" will be released on August 29 via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). The follow-up to HELLOWEEN's self-titled record was mixed at the legendary Wisseloord Studios (IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, DEF LEPPARD) in Hilversum, Netherlands.
HELLOWEEN will celebrate four decades of metal mastery with a global 40th anniversary tour. The European leg begins in mid-October, with initial dates selling out quickly. Featuring an ultimate set list packed with surprises, the tour will showcase the band's unparalleled legacy and ongoing creative power.

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

2021's "Helloween" was the first HELLOWEEN album to feature the band's expanded lineup, consisting of returning singer Michael Kiske and guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen along with Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Daniel Löble.

Upon its release in June 2021, "Helloween" landed in the Top 10 in more than 10 countries, including Germany, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria. The cover artwork for the LP was painted by artist Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with HATEBREED, SOULFLY, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH and SODOM, among others.

Produced by Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, the last HELLOWEEN LP was recorded in part at the H.O.M.E. Studios in Hamburg (where everything started in 1984). The same recording console used for such HELLOWEEN albums as "Master Of The Rings", "Time Of The Oath" and "Better Than Raw" was utilized to record the band's new material. The effort was mixed at the Valhalla Studios of Ronald Prent (IRON MAIDEN, DEF LEPPARD, RAMMSTEIN).

"Helloween" saw the legendary German power metallers going "back to the roots," with the band recording fully analog and Löble playing the drum kit previously used by HELLOWEEN's original drummer, the late Ingo Schwichtenberg, on the legendary "Keeper Of The Seven Keys" recordings.

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

"Live At Budokan" was made available in a plethora of formats: 2CD-digipak and 3LP vinyl in trifold with the first print run of both coming as "deluxe edition" including embossed cover artwork, as well as Blu-ray, DVD and digital. Each version is meticulously crafted to suit the metal community's diverse tastes, ensuring every fan can relive the raw, unfiltered energy of HELLOWEEN in their preferred medium.

This release celebrated the grand finale of HELLOWEEN's epic world tour from 2022 to 2023. Spanning over 30 countries on three continents, the tour was nothing short of a triumph, drawing massive crowds and showcasing the band's undying appeal, the sold-out concert in Tokyo is the crowning glory of the cycle.

HELLOWEEN is:

Michael Kiske - vocals
Andi Deris - vocals
Kai Hansen - guitars, vocals
Michael Weikath - guitars
Sascha Gerstner - guitars
Markus Grosskopf - bass
Daniel Löble - drums

In a new interview with Greatest Hits 98.1, FOREIGNER lead singer Kelly Hansen, who announced during the band's performance on the May 20 season finale of NBC singing competition "The Voice", that he will be leaving the group at the end of the legendary rockers' summer 2025 tour, spoke about what it has been like performing with his longtime bandmates for the last time. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, if I can be so bold to say, it's a little momentous, at least for me. And I know that this is my last run of shows with the band, and it's been such a wonderful 20-years experience. And I love the guys and the music and the fans who have been so great. And I know it's gonna be emotional. There's gonna be ups and downs, and I'm just trying to soak it all in and take mental snapshots and just have a joyful time with it."

Asked how his approach to singing FOREIGNER songs, both physically and mentally, has changed over the last two decades, Hansen said: "Well, it's all interconnected. And one of the things that is a very real thing is that these songs require the same standard, the same quality every night. And the older you get, the harder it is to do that properly. And you are always trying to do it perfectly every time. And so that's a constant quest that never really changes. But you go through different phases where I'll have an injury to my Achilles tendon, and that changes how I have to approach physically moving on stage until I get that sorted out. Or I got a shoulder, ACL or some kind of pull or tear. So those are always things that are happening.

"Being on the road nine months a year for 20 years, it means that I have to really constantly focus on maintaining my voice and my health and eating right and not staying up too late — all those things that you never get away from when you're on the road," he explained. "And although it's been an unbelievable experience for me and I feel so fortunate to have had this experience, it's a lot — it's a lot to do. And that the older you get — I'm 64 now — I don't wanna go out there and do the songs less than they require."

Pressed about what things he does with his voice in 2025 to keep it in good shape that he wouldn't have done several decades ago, Kelly said: "Well, in the '80s, I sang much harder and I was much cleaner, because that's the kind of stuff I was doing at the time. And as you age, your voice gets a little rougher, if I can say that, even though you're still working and warming up and taking care. But when I started in the band, very often right before I would go on stage, I'd have something really spicy to eat to try to get blood flow going to the muscles around my vocal cords. And now that's a much different thing. Over the years I've had a little bit more of a acid reflux thing, and that can really affect your vocal cords. So I've had to be conscious about that. But I've gotten off all of the antacid medicines, since they're so bad for you, and try to do things normally and don't eat too late. I don't eat a lot before the show; I'll maybe nibble a little bit. So it has changed. I've become a little bit more austere in my behaviors and also in in my consumption. And I stretch every day before the show. All those things."

In a moving "The Voice" segment that aired nationally, Hansen introduced FOREIGNER guitarist Luis Maldonado as his official successor — a moment that symbolized both an end and a bold new beginning for the powerhouse group.

When Hansen announced his departure from FOREIGNER on May 20, he said in a statement: "Being the voice of FOREIGNER has been one of the greatest honors of my life. But it's time to pass the mic. Luis has the voice, the energy and the soul to carry these songs into the future. I couldn't be prouder to hand this off to him."

FOREIGNER's founding guitarist and main songwriter Mick Jones said that "in 1976, my goal was to assemble the finest group of musicians I could find" and "Results have shown that it worked!" He added that "about thirty years later, Jason Bonham encouraged me to do it all over again and create a brand-new FOREIGNER, and the magic was still there," explaining that "I was especially fortunate in the choice of lead singer."

In the statement, Jones called Hansen "one of the best" frontmen in music and said he "breathed new life into our songs" over a 20-year span. "His boundless energy and flawless talent has helped us climb the mountain and set up the opportunity for FOREIGNER vocalist and guitarist Luis Maldonado to bring us home," Jones said. "I wish Kelly great happiness in his next endeavors after our summer tour, and I look forward to welcoming Luis to his new position."

Before Luis joined FOREIGNER, he was best known as the guitarist for TRAIN and for his work with Lisa Marie Presley. He now steps into the spotlight as FOREIGNER's new lead singer. Maldonado brings a rich blend of vocal power, stage charisma, and musical versatility that makes him a natural fit to lead the next chapter of the band's journey.

"This music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember," said Maldonado. "I'm ready to honor FOREIGNER's legacy and bring my heart to every performance."

Last month, Kelly told Terrie Carr of the WDHA-FM 105.5 FM radio station about his decision to retire from touring with FOREIGNER later this year: "Well, let me just be clear — for me, it's gonna stop. I'm doing all the shows through the end of the summer, and then our rhythm guitar player [Luis Maldonado], who's very talented guy, great singer, great musician, he's been in the band almost five years, he's going to be the new lead vocalist of the band. So I'm stepping away. I'm passing the mic. So this will be my last year as the lead singer of the band, but I am gonna do all the shows through the summer."

Asked by Carr when he knew that "this is gonna be it for me", Hansen said: "Well, I brought the idea of me finally letting go to Mick Jones in 2022. So we talked about it, and he was very supportive. He didn't want me to leave. And we've done so many great things together. But I felt like [since] I've been in this business almost 50 years, I've been in the band 20 years and I'm singing a catalog of songs that every singer couldn't even dream of having. But it's a very demanding catalog of songs, and it doesn't get easier. I mean, the song demand never changes, but as you age, you change. And I don't wanna be out there doing these songs less than the best I can or that the songs deserve. So what we decided to do was when we started kind of putting things in motion, it made all the sense in the world to go inside the band to a guy who's been with the band almost five years, who's an amazing vocalist, and have him be the singer. And it just all made sense to do it that way. And then we were talking about how we were gonna make this transition, and 'The Voice' called us and they said, 'We want you to play on our finale show.' And I had the idea. I called my manager, I said, 'Why don't we do the handoff live on 'The Voice'?' And he thought that was a great idea, and 'The Voice' just thought that was a great idea. And so that's how we made it happen. It was really serendipitous."

Asked how he thinks it's going to feel for him to play his final FOREIGNER concert, Kelly said: "I don't even wanna think about it, because I know the whole tour's gonna be emotionally up and down. It's gonna be a blast and I know there's gonna be some surprises and it's gonna be really fun.

"When you play a show, at least for me, in order to communicate the music and the songs and the lyrics, you have to open yourself up emotionally to get that out," he explained. "But what that does is that also opens it for stuff to come in, and so you're very raw, and that means that any emotion you feel will be right on top, just bubbling right on the top. So hopefully I can hold it together and do it."

Kelly also talked about his future plans, including a possible continuation of some of the philanthropic work that he has done with FOREIGNER. He said: "I don't have any concrete plans for right now. First thing I'm gonna do is I'm gonna take a break. And then I'm looking forward to where the wind takes me. There are a lot of possibilities. I mean, the band has been working with Shriners [Hospitals For Children] and the Grammy Foundation for 15 years, bringing choirs on stage during 'I Want To Know What Love Is', which I've really loved. And I think we get the better end of the deal because they raised recognition about the lack of funding for school music programs, and we get to see the looks on their faces when they're on stage, maybe for the first time in front of thousands of people. And it's really amazing to see that. So I hope maybe that will happen for me in some way. But like I said, for right now, no concrete plans."

Hansen joined FOREIGNER in 2005 and played a crucial role in revitalizing the band's live presence. His powerful vocals and magnetic stage presence helped introduce FOREIGNER's timeless hits to a new generation of fans across the globe.

FOREIGNER's tour continues through 2025 and will feature both Hansen and Maldonado on stage in a symbolic handoff. The transition coincides with major milestones for the band, including next year's 50th anniversary of its formation in New York in 1976.

FOREIGNER replaced original singer Lou Gramm with Hansen. 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.

On July 5, music history will be made as Ozzy Osbourne, the Prince of Darkness, will take to the stage for his final ever live performance, joined by the original Black Sabbath lineup for the first and last time in two decades, in the biggest metal event of all time.

Forbes Senior Contributor, Hugh McIntyre, is reporting that ahead of “Back To The Beginning”, Black Sabbath and Ozzy are enjoying a resurgence on the UK charts.



Osbourne’s solo set, Scream, returns to the Official Rock & Metal Albums chart. The release reenters the genre-specific tally at #32. Throughout the years, it has only spent 12 frames on the list, but it previously climbed all the way to #1.



Black Sabbath fills spaces on both the Official Rock & Metal Albums and Official Rock & Metal Singles charts. Paranoid, the full-length, jumps nearly 10 spots on the albums ranking, landing at #23. Meanwhile, the title track and breakout single pushes to #17 on the singles roster.

This frame is particularly special for “Paranoid” as the cut has now spent 104 weeks — exactly two years — on the Official Rock & Metal Singles chart. The full-length has held onto its respective tally for significantly longer, as it has already racked up 231 stays somewhere on the Official Rock & Metal Albums chart.

Today, rock legend Billy Idol announces new vinyl re-pressings of three classic releases: Charmed Life, Whiplash Smile, and the Don’t Stop EP, out August 15 via Capitol/UMe. In addition to limited-edition vinyl, all three are available in Atmos.

Back on vinyl once more, Charmed Life will be pressed on 2LPs for the first time, featuring standard black vinyl and an exclusive 35th Anniversary limited-edition lavender-colored vinyl. Meanwhile, Whiplash Smile returns to vinyl for the first time in decades, available as either a standard 1LP black vinyl or a limited-edition 1LP opaque tangerine color vinyl. Finally, “Don’t Stop” will be manufactured on 1LP standard black vinyl or a limited-edition lemon-yellow colored LP.

The Platinum-certified Charmed Life initially arrived on April 30, 1990. It soared to the Top 15 of the Billboard 200 and yielded fan favorites such as “Cradle of Love,” his stunning and soulful cover of The Doors’ “L.A. Woman,” and “Prodigal Blues.” Celebrating this seminal album, Idol notably just shared for the first time on his official YouTube channel the original 1990 video for “Prodigal Blues,” remastered in HD.

Pre-order Charmed Life here. Watch the video for “Prodigal Blues” below.

Its Platinum-certified predecessor, Whiplash Smile, first landed on October 20, 1986, vaulting to #6 on the Billboard 200. It impressively delivered a trio of Hot 100 hits, including “To Be A Lover,” “Don’t Need A Gun,” and “Sweet Sixteen.”

Pre-order Whiplash Smile here.

Going back to where it all began in 1981, Idol’s solo debut Don’t Stop EP boasted “Mony Mony” and “Dancing with Myself.”

Charmed Life tracklisting:

Side A
“The Loveless”
“Pumping On Steel”
“Prodigal Blues”

Side B
“L.A. Woman”
“Trouble With The Sweet Stuff”

Side C
“Cradle Of Love”
“Mark Of Caine”
“Endless Sleep”

Side D
“Love Unchained”
“The Right Way”
“License To Thrill”

Whiplash Smile tracklisting:

Side A
“World’s Forgotten Boy”
“To Be A Lover”
“Soul Standing By”
“Sweet Sixteen”
“Man For All Seasons”

Side B
“Don’t Need A Gun”
“Beyond Belief”
“Fatal Charm”
“All Summer Single”
“One Night, One Chance”



Don’t Stop EP tracklisting:

Side A
“Mony Mony”
“Baby Talk”

Side B
“Untouchables”
“Dancing With Myself” (Long Version)*

* Billy Idol With Generation X

Nearly two years after the release of Prong’s latest album, State Of Emergency, the New York City native metal icons and premier rock and metal label Napalm Records have officially joined forces, inking a worldwide record deal.

Formed in 1986 by founder/frontman Tommy Victor and cemented into American metal legend, Prong have never released their grip on the scene. From the 80s club basements of NYC, to the MTV Headbanger’s Ball era with 90s classics Beg to Differ, Prove You Wrong, Cleansing and Rude Awakening, to their official return in the late aughts and today, Prong have stood their ground as household names in the metal universe, continuing to put out grippingly gritty, provocative and vital records for the next generation of heavy music fans. Napalm Records is proud to welcome Prong to their multifaceted roster.

Tommy Victor on signing to Napalm Records: “Oh man, I am honored, thrilled and excited that Prong is now with Napalm Records. It’s simply a fantastic label to be on. I’m so happy about it!”

Prong’s signing arrives just on the heels of the band’s upcoming European headline tour celebrating 31 years of their aforementioned 1994 album Cleansing, kicking off on July 30 in Hamburg, Germany. Featuring support from Escuela Grind and Vlad In Tears, the upcoming tour will visit several European countries, coming to an end at Angeliter Open Air in Taarstedt, Germany on August 16. The tour will also see Prong performing at Brutal Assault Festival, Alcatraz Metal Festival, and many others.

Before the tour, Prong will headline a one-off show in Amityville, NY, and post-tour in October, they’ll perform another one-off show at The Whisky in Los Angeles before hitting the stage at Aftershock Festival in Sacramento, CA. See below for all currently confirmed tour dates.

In a new interview with Kyuss World founder Nathan Lawver, Josh Homme once again spoke about the possibility of a KYUSS reunion. The Californian four-piece split three months following the release of KYUSS's final album, 1995's "…And The Circus Leaves Town", resulting in it being less critically and commercially successful when compared to the two KYUSS albums which helped birth the stoner rock movement — 1992's "Blues For The Red Sun" and 1994's "Welcome To Sky Valley".

Regarding the prospect of KYUSS performing live again, Homme said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I know I thought about it many times… I think about it. I've actually talked about it a few times to people that help me do stuff."

Josh continued: "I don't know. I just feel like the punctuation of KYUSS — it was such a perfect little unit, and it ended the way it should. And was totally in support of what was happening in KYUSS LIVES! and things like that. It was just [that] there were some tricky things that were pulled… I think it's good for people to know what happened. But it always left me with a strange feeling, because it's, like, you wanna set things right. And plus I just don't think it's good… There's no reason to hold on to anything negative. I don't have negative feelings about anybody. None of that stuff matters. So, yeah, it's possible."

Homme previously discussed a possible KYUSS reunion in 2020 while being interviewed by Kyuss World Radio about the 25th anniversary of "…And The Circus Leaves Town". He said at the time: "My philosophy has always been, never do a reunion, never do a sequel. It's not what it was; it's what it is. And that's kind of how I've felt."

Josh added that he's generally not in favor of reunions. "A legacy that involves having been at the epicenter of a scene that got created, it's so fragile," he said. "It's like an ice sculpture. And I don't wanna be a blow dryer on that thing." But he didn't completely rule out the possibility. "That being said, I was in full support of KYUSS LIVES! and I would go to the shows and I told them as much, until what [former KYUSS drummer] Brant [Bjork] and, unfortunately, what [former KYUSS singer] John [Garcia] tried to do. And that was terrible.

"There have been times I thought it cannot end that way, and the only real way to end it correctly now would be to play," Homme continued. "And because they sort of perverted the punctuation and they knocked the wing off this beautiful dragon that's an ice sculpture, and the only way to put the motherfucking wing back on would be to [play again]."

"I have thought about this, especially in the last few years, to do something special, and even to make up for that mistake of Brant and, unfortunately, John, to make up for it. [I thought we should] play and give all the money away. Like, play for the fans — cover your costs and make it five bucks. Figure out a way to be, like, this is how the punctuation will end the sentence of this band. Because it was never about money — it never was about money. It never was about fame, and when it felt like that was the move they were making, I was so sad."

After KYUSS split in 1995, Homme went on to form QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE.

In March 2021, Bjork revealed that he tried to reach out to Homme about a possible reunion of KYUSS's classic lineup. The former KYUSS drummer said that he attempted to repair his relationship with the group's leader after Homme said in the Kyuss World Radio interview that he would be open to playing with his former bandmates again in order to rewrite KYUSS's final chapter. At the time, it had been eight years since a nasty legal dispute ensued when Bjork, Garcia and bassist Nick Oliveri reunited in 2011 as KYUSS LIVES! While Homme initially supported his ex-bandmates' decision to tour under that moniker, he and bassist Scott Reeder sued Garcia and Bjork in early 2012 for "trademark infringement and consumer fraud" when Garcia and Bjork allegedly attempted to trademark the KYUSS name. A judge ruled later that year that Garcia and Bjork were not permitted to release any recordings under the name KYUSS LIVES! and warned them that future concerts under the KYUSS LIVES! mark "might continue to subject them to liability for trademark infringement."

Speaking to TotalRock's "Hobo On The Radio" podcast, Bjork addressed Homme's remark that he would like to see KYUSS end on a high note. "It's an interesting comment, and I can totally relate to his feeling, because I was really bummed the way that KYUSS broke up in '95; I didn't want it to end that way," Brant said. "So what we should have done is never broke up. Had we known as young dudes — which, let's face it, we were young, and it's hard to do — had we known how to keep a band together, we could have just had that band moving all along and taking breaks from time to time to pursue other things. But, yeah, it has this kind of stop and rebirth and reinvention, and, yeah, I share his frustration. But there's always a way to do it, and it just takes communication. I've always said if you communicate, you can relate, and if you can relate, you can create. That's how it works. And if you're not communicating, then there's gonna be absolutely no creating. And that's where the problem is — is that we're unable to communicate. And over the years, I think Josh and I kind of being the ones who, in a lot of ways, oversaw this band existing, in certain terms, we just have a hard time communicating. Which is interesting, because when we were kids, we were great at communicating. We were great at communicating and relating and creating, and that was what made us have the partnership that we had within the band. And then the communication broke down and we were never able to put it back together."

He continued: "I heard his comment. And interestingly, I thought it was really fitting that it was Nick who actually called me and said, 'Hey, you should check this out.' I was, like, 'Oh, yeah. For sure, man. That's pretty trippy.' And so I listened to it. And to be honest, it was really kind of relieving to hear him speak the way he was. I don't talk to him, I don't have a relationship with him anymore, so I don't know who he is and where he is and what he does anymore. But in terms of what we have and did with KYUSS, I thought it was some healthy words and a healthy perspective on things. And it even went to the extent that a friend of mine was, like, 'Hey, you know what? Maybe it's a good time to reach out to him.' And I thought, 'Yeah, it's not a bad idea, man.' I think we're at an age, and after all that we've done and experienced individually, and even collectively when we were younger, I think, there's no reason for us to just kind of say, 'Hey, man…' Not unlike what I'm doing right now with Nick in STONER — a kind of way to say, 'Hey, why don't we just go back and kind of try and plug into that time before we were accomplished professional musicians.' 'Cause there's a starting point to everything. Maybe there's the ability where we can go back before all this stuff happened and try and communicate from that place. I don't know. Maybe that's a fantasy. I don't know. But it was an idea. And I reached out to him. And he actually was, like, 'Yeah, let's talk. And I'll get back to you.' And I was, like, 'All right. Cool, man.' And then it never happened. So I don't know what to say about that.

"As far as a KYUSS reunion happening, that was my attempt at not necessarily getting the band back together but at the very least developing some communication with Josh," Brant added. "And it seemed at first that it might be time and [we] actually [might] be able to connect. But it didn't happen. That was months and months and months ago, so it's clear that it's not gonna move forward. And who knows? Maybe he puts KYUSS together and puts his own version together or whatever. I don't know what he's gonna do. We'll have to just see."

In a new interview with "The Neil Jones Rock Show" on TotalRock, W.A.S.P. frontman Blackie Lawless spoke about his health, more than two years after he suffered extensive back injuries during the European leg of the band's 40th-anniversary tour. Asked how his health is now, generally speaking, Blackie responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's fine. What happened after we played the Roundhouse [in London in March 2023], I was starting to cramp in my lower back and my left leg. And it's a long story, but it was all from that break that I had had — that break in my right leg goes back 12 years now. And it was a residual injury that I had from then, and we had to get that sorted out. But what happened after we played the Roundhouse a few days later, we got down to Spain and I had a doctor, a chiropractor, working on me, and he ruptured a disc in my back. And he screwed me up really, really bad. And I ended up, one of the vertebras broke after that, and it was just a domino effect, but it was all 'cause of that doctor. But I'm good now. Everything's fine. We're back up to speed and ready to do what we do."

Asked about the possibility of W.A.S.P. working on new music in the not-too-distant future, Blackie said: "Well, we've been working on new material for a while, but when this situation happened and that doctor wrecked me a couple of years ago, that put everything on hold for a while. But we're still working on the idea [of making a new album], but quite honestly, for the last year, we've been pretty busy doing what we've been doing touring, and this next year is gonna be the same. So ask me that question in a year when I can come up for air for five minutes and I'll give you a better answer."

Back in August 2023, Lawless underwent a successful surgery to treat two herniated discs and a broken vertebra.

Because of the extensive back injuries Blackie suffered during the European leg of W.A.S.P.'s 40th-anniversary tour, the band's 2023 U.S. tour was canceled.

During a May 2023 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Lawless said that the injuries he suffered during the European tour that year were "a direct reflection of what happened" with his right "femur being broken" back in 2013. "Because I wore a lift for nine years, and come to find out I did not need that lift," he said. "And that was only determined [in the] summer [of 2022], so the lift was taken out. But the spine had adjusted to me walking with that lift. And when we took it out, then that's when the problems started. And it actually started at the beginning of the [2022] U.S. tour. And I was able to get through the U.S. tour okay, and we thought it had settled into place, but when we got to Europe, we quickly discovered, about two weeks into the tour, that was not the case. And what was happening is that the vertebrae were compressing some of the disks. I ended up rupturing a disk, and then that starts leaking out a gelatin that then wraps itself around the nerves coming out of the spinal cord. And that then creates this thing called nerve pain. And I don't know if people understand what that is, because I had heard of it but I had never experienced it before. And it is pain that you cannot imagine. It is unlike anything you've ever experienced before."

W.A.S.P.'s latest release was "ReIdolized (The Soundtrack To The Crimson Idol)", which came out in February 2018. It was a new version of the band's classic 1992 album "The Crimson Idol", which was re-recorded to accompany the movie of the same name to mark the 25th anniversary of the original LP's release. The re-recorded version also features four songs missing from the original album.

More than a year ago, Blackie spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for W.A.S.P.'s 2015 album "Golgotha" in an interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station. He said: "We still are [working on it]. What happened was when we came back from the European tour, I had to have surgery and stuff, about a year prior to that, we had been working on a lot of new stuff. And when I came back, I've had a long time to go through those early demos, of what we have been working on. Listening to it with fresh ears, some of it's really good, but there's not enough of it yet where I would be comfortable in saying, 'Okay, this is finished, and let's go with it.' I'd like to go back and visit the drawing board, so to speak, and see what else is there. Because even from a two-year period of when we started working on that before to where we are right now, you're gonna gain so much, you're gonna grow so much."

Blackie continued: "I've learned you don't make records or I don't make records anymore that are spread out over a two- or three-year period, because the guy you are when you first start making it is not the guy you are when you finish making it. Get in, six months top to bottom, get that thing cranked out, because, like I said, if you don't, you end up running the risk of it kind of being a schizophrenic type of record where you've got one type of one thing and then the other half is something else and it has no real cohesiveness."

2024 marked the 40th anniversary of the release of W.A.S.P.'s first album. To celebrate this classic metal album, W.A.S.P., for the first time in 40 years, played the entire album from top to bottom, start to finish, on a fall 2024 North American tour, dubbed "Album ONE Alive".

In addition to Lawless, W.A.S.P.'s current lineup includes bassist Mike Duda, lead guitarist Doug Blair and drummer Aquiles Priester.

The Fabio Vi channel on YouTube has uploaded video of SAVATAGE's entire June 24 concert at Alcatraz in Milan, Italy. Check it out below.

Featured songs:

01. Welcome
02. Jesus Saves 2:31
03. Sirens 6:45
04. Another Way 10:32
05. The Wake Of Magellan 15:06
06. This Is The Time 20:57
07. Strange Wings 26:14
08. The Storm 30:15
09. All That I Bleed 35:28
10. Handful Of Rain 40:02
11. Chance 45:39
12. Starlight / I Am / Mozart And Madness 53:45
13. Dead Winter Dead 1:04:23
14. The Hourglass 1:08:44
15. Believe 1:15:38
16. Gutter Ballet 1:21:35
17. Edge Of Thorns 1:28:16
18. Power Of The Night 1:34:01
19. Hall Of The Mountain King 1:38:42

In a new interview with MetalTalk, SAVATAGE guitarist Chris Caffery spoke about the reactivated band's recent shows in South America and current dates in Europe. Joining Chris in SAVATAGE's 2025 touring lineup are Johnny Lee Middleton on bass, Al Pitrelli on guitar, Jeff Plate on drums and Zak Stevens on lead vocals. Regarding what it has been like playing with SAVATAGE again, Caffery said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, those guys in the band are people that I see every year [as part of the annual tours with the progressive rock group TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA]. Zak and Jeff are people that I tour with, and Al, me and Johnny and Jeff toured together with TSO on the 'Beethoven's Last Night' tours and stuff like that. So I always see them and we always play. They're my closest friends. And when we played again, it didn't seem like it was 23 years; it seemed like it was three years. It was weird. It just seemed like we never stopped. It's so crazy. It just felt the same but different, 'cause we're a little bit older and a lot of time's gone by. We went up there, and it was just like we were back home. SAVATAGE's music is so powerful on those stages and so much fun to play live. And the music that Jon [Oliva, SAVATAGE mastermind] and his brother [Criss Oliva] and [TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA project founder and SAVATAGE producer] Paul [O'Neill] had assembled for this band's career, it's so magical when it's played in front of audiences. And I know the fans missed it as much as I did.

"Life goes through so many ups and downs, and as you get older, it seems to me like the downs tend to jump out a lot when you don't expect them," Caffery explained. "And now that comes from the health of your family members and things around you like that. But having SAVATAGE back in my life has really been like a good anchor in the middle, 'cause TSO is the greatest fricking musical gig on the planet— I love being a part of that band and going and doing that every year. It's so amazing to be part of what Paul created with TSO. It's the greatest rock show that I could possibly ever imagine being on inside of an arena. The production's amazing. The songs are amazing. The singers and musicians are amazing. The crew — the whole thing is just so, so great. It's that anchor there. Then you go all the way over to the other side of your life, and you've got all these things. And there's time between when you're out with TSO. And having SAVATAGE to balance that time, it's equally as strong as TSO, and it sits in the middle of that. So where you might have a rubber band kind of up and down with everything, SAVATAGE in the middle has kind of given me a nice calming knowing that my childhood band that I got into when I was 19 is back as an everyday part of my life now. I'm doing SAVATAGE press, and I see letters and posts, and we have shows booked and my next performances live are that. It's a great feeling to have that, that be back. And I know everybody in the band is so excited to be back on the stage again, and we're all just bouncing around like a bunch of little kids. It's so much fun."

Caffery also talked about the fact that Jon Oliva has mentioned in several interviews over the course of the last two years that he was working on a new SAVATAGE album that originally had the working title of "Curtain Call". Chris said: "Yeah. It's funny, because Jon mentioning that record [in a 2023 interview with Sakis Fragos of Greece's Rock Hard] is probably a lot of the reason why we're playing, because he did it in one interview around the COVID time, and the next day I got all these e-mails and messages and DMs: 'This is great. SAVATAGE is doing another record. I saw [the article on] Blabbermouth.' And I'm, like, 'We are?' But I think that got agents going to me and the band and the management, and through that, our management came up to us and said, 'Hey, we wanna have a conference call with you guys.' And then they did and they said, 'Well, there's a lot of good offers for you guys to play some shows.' And I think a lot spurred out of that.

"Jon wants to do this music and we're gonna get it done," Caffery confirmed. "I kind of am hoping that his idea of [calling it] 'Curtain Call' is not [a reference to] the curtain going down, but the curtain going up. I have two different versions of where I think that should go. I think that this version of curtain call should be the new chapter starting over again. And hopefully that's where it goes. For me, nothing would make me happier. I know we plan on playing, and I hear the guys talking, and we talk about a 10-year touring plan and this and that. So if we're gonna be out there, there might as well be some new music. And it'll be fun to add a few things into the crazy good fricking back catalog."

Chris added: "I'm just happy that we're playing again. I can't imagine time going by faster than that. But to see 23 years go by with the blink of your eye, it's just crazy, man. It's crazy. It really is."

Regarding the possibility of SAVATAGE playing shows in the U.S. and other territories, such as Asia, Caffery said: "Well, that's the plan. The plan is for us to go anywhere that wants to have us. I don't book the shows. I haven't seen dates, but whenever they show up, to me it'll kind of be like 'The Song Remains The Same'. If I'm in the backyard doing my garden, then that e-mail comes, I'm gonna pack the suitcase and go. That's the way it's gonna be."

SAVATAGE played four shows in South America in April and kicked off a 10-date European tour on June 13 at the Into The Grave festival in Leeuwarden, Netherlands.

SAVATAGE played its first non-festival headlining concert in more than 20 years on April 21 at the Espaço Unimed in São Paulo, Brazil. The show took place two days after SAVATAGE performed at the Monsters Of Rock festival at Allianz Parque in São Paulo.

Appearing with Middleton, Caffery, Pitrelli, Plate and Stevens are SAVATAGE's two new touring keyboardists, Paulo Cuevas and Shawn McNair.

In a recent interview with Scott Itter of Dr. Music, Caffery spoke about the fact that SAVATAGE's comeback doesn't include Jon Oliva, who in 2023 suffered a T7 vertebra fracture in three places, a severe injury that has left him relying on a wheelchair. Additionally, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and Ménière's disease, conditions that have further complicated his health. Chris said: "He's had a lot of punches. He's lost so many people that are close to him. So many people have passed away around Jon. [But] he's the mountain king, man. He had a fall, and then he's had some health stuff and he has his M.S. that he's dealing with and some other things. But I saw him go from being in a wheelchair, a motorized wheelchair, and being with walkers to watching him walking in and out of the studio when we were rehearsing for the [recent SAVATAGE] South American tour. And then I just saw videos of him and pictures online from a ceremony that happened [last week] for Morrisound Studios in Florida. He looked even better than he did when I saw him a month ago. So I think the SAVATAGE thing playing [again] is an inspiration to him. I think it's the best thing that could have happened to all of us in a lot of different ways. But I think Jon, he wants to be there. I want him to be there. I was, like, 'Dude, I've never done a SAVATAGE show without you.' He was, like, 'Just go play the fucking music.' And it's so important to me that he's around. And he had a big part to do with what we were doing [with the SAVATAGE comeback], and he recorded that piece for the video [that we are using in the live show during the performance of the song 'Believe']. But I know Jon — he wants to be there. And I think that seeing just how much people missed him and his music and the legacy of the band, it's inspiring him to get back out there and walk up on that stage and have people fricking say hi to him the way he deserves."

Zak joined SAVATAGE in 1992 as the replacement for Jon Oliva. Zak sang on four albums with the band — "Edge Of Thorns" (1993),"Handful Of Rain" (1994),"Dead Winter Dead" (1995) and "The Wake Of Magellan" (1997) — before departing in 2000, allowing Jon to return. Both Jon and Zak took part in SAVATAGE's 2015 performance at Wacken Open Air, which marked the band's first appearance on stage since they went on hiatus back in 2002.

SAVATAGE's last album release, "Poets And Madmen", in 2001 was highlighted by Jon's return as lead vocalist, replacing Zak, who left the band citing family reasons, and the departure of guitarist Al Pitrelli, who accepted an offer to join MEGADETH in 2000. Pitrelli did record solos for some songs prior to his departure. Another very limited U.S. tour followed, supported by FATES WARNING in the early shows, and then NEVERMORE for the remainder. Around this time, Jon chose Zak's replacement in the form of Damond Jiniya (DIET OF WORMS). Damond performed Zak's parts on tour, with Jon having an increased vocal role in proceedings.

In addition to his work with SAVATAGE, Jon Oliva is well known for co-creating the classical music-meets-prog rock and pyro act TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA alongside O'Neill. Oliva has reportedly remained involved in TSO's activities even after O'Neill's April 2017 death of an accidental drug overdose.

In a new interview with the That Metal Interview podcast, DARK ANGEL drummer Gene Hoglan once again discussed the supposed influence the title track of DARK ANGEL's 1986 album, "Darkness Descends", had on the METALLICA song "One", which was released two years later. Reflecting on when he first heard the METALLICA cut, Gene said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "This was pre-YouTube, pre-streaming. If the album [wasn't] out yet, you had to listen to the radio to hear it. And at that time, KNAC in Los Angeles, they were the rock radio station across the U.S., arguably. And so that new [METALLICA] song was getting played all over KNAC. And I admit, I didn't… I had my cassettes in my car. I listen to cassettes of things. I wasn't listening to KNAC a lot, but I was getting phone calls and messages, answering machine messages from friends saying, 'Hey, man, have you checked out that new METALLICA? Man, check that thing out, man. Wait till you hear that thing.' And I'm just, like, 'Oh, okay. Well, whatever.' And when I heard it, I understood what everybody was talking about."

Theorizing how METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich might have heard "Darkness Descends" in time to "borrow" Gene's drum pattern, Hoglan continued: "I thought back to — 'cause I always love trying to figure out the genealogy or the lineage of riffs and ideas and concepts and what came here, what came first, and I remember having a conversation with [future METALLICA bassist] Jason Newsted when he was in FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, and 'Darkness Descends' was just coming out. [FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's] 'Doomsday For The Deceiver' was out. We were backstage at the Country Club [in Reseda, California]. We were out in the parking lot just shooting the breeze and talking about metal and stuff. And he was talking about what a DARK ANGEL fan he was. And that's where I was kind of, like, he talked about what a fan that he was, and I just kind of wondered… I wonder how this… At first, it's, like, okay, it's a coincidence. It's a drumbeat. But when the opening lyric [of 'One'] is 'Darkness imprisoning me,' that's why I was kind of, like…"

Gene clarified that he was "never offended" by Lars apparently lifting one of his drum licks. "I was grateful," he said. "I was, like, thank you. You made this riff, this thing that I wrote, we wrote, whatever, you just made it become legendary. Thank you, Lars. You are the godfather of all that we do. Please, if I've got anything you wanna borrow, you are welcome to it. Absolutely."

Hoglan went on to say that there was another DARK ANGEL riff that made it into an earlier METALLICA song. "I remember hearing 'Battery' by METALLICA," he recalled. "The first time I heard it, I was, like, 'Hey, Jim [Durkin, then-DARK ANGEL guitarist]. That's the riff from 'Welcome To The Slaughterhouse' off [DARK ANGEL's] 'We Have Arrived' [album].' I was, like, 'Yeah, that's the same riff.'"

Gene added: "I'm the riff police. I'm the O.G. riff police. I could tell you where this riff sounds just like this riff. And [I heard it] admittedly from people where they're, like, 'We totally stole that from you. The other guy in my band, he writes and he's writing some classic metallic tunes that are gonna go down in the annals of history. He's borrowing drastically from your band,' kind of thing. And I'm just, like, 'Wow. That's crazy how that works out.'

"But, yeah, that's where I just wondered," Hoglan said. "And I wonder if that's where it comes from. But METALLICA are the fathers. Lars Ulrich is the godfather of what we do, Bill Ward [BLACK SABBATH] being the godfather of what we all do. So, Lars will always get much respect from me, and we appreciate you doing that.

"And you know who plays that ['One'] drum beat better than just about anybody, even myself? [METALLICA frontman] James Hetfield. You never heard him when they do their little drum thing on stage? James Hetfield gets on the drums and he plays it, and he plays that beat, and it is so rock solid. I'm, like, 'God, he plays that better than me. And I wrote that darn thing.'

"So, there you go. But we are very appreciative to METALLICA for how they've helped us in that little annals of history."

Back in 2019, Gene said that he once joked about suing the members of METALLICA for allegedly "ripping off" "Darkness Descends" for "One". The DARK ANGEL drummer revealed his band's musical connection to METALLICA while discussing the evolution of double-bass drumming during an appearance on Dean Delray's "Let There Be Talk" podcast.

When Delray brought up METALLICA's 1988 cut as an example of how the use of unison sextuplets between a wall of guitars and Lars Ulrich's aggressively EQ'd kick drums redefined the use of double-bass drums in metal, Hoglan said: "I'll flat out tell you, that comes from a DARK ANGEL song. That comes from 'Darkness Descends'. And it's well known in the scene that as soon as [METALLICA] put out 'One', I got so many phone calls going, 'You know those guys are ripping you off.'"

Gene continued: "We had [METALLICA's longtime] soundman, 'Big' Mick [Hughes], we had him on a tour, and METALLICA was up for the Grammy at the time, but it hadn't been announced or anything yet. And I was joking that, 'If they win the Grammy, I'm gonna sue.' [I was] totally joking. And Mick was, like, 'You should. They'll probably give you a hundred grand to shut you up.' And I was, like, 'I'm not gonna become the pariah of the metal scene by suing METALLICA.' Everybody's stolen METALLICA riffs."

Asked by Delray if he believes "One" was inspired by "Darkness Descends" in the drumming only or in "the musical part" as well, Hoglan responded: "The whole everything. The drum part, definitely. And that's why I just thought it was kind of funny. The first line in the whole thing is, 'Darkness…' And it comes right from 'Darkness Descends', opening track on the second [DARK ANGEL] record. So, as soon as you hear it, you'd catch it."

Gene went on to say he never brought up the similarity to Ulrich despite the fact that he had toured with METALLICA many years later when he was a member of FEAR FACTORY.

"One" was featured on METALLICA's fourth album, "...And Justice For All", which was the band's last LP to be engineered and co-produced by Flemming Rasmussen, who also worked on "Ride The Lightning" (1984) and "Master Of Puppets" (1986). According to Rasmussen, Ulrich blasted out the double-bass machine gun section in one take. "He just flew straight through that," he told Songfacts.

Eight years ago, Hoglan told LA Weekly that the "Darkness Descends" title track was the first metal song inspired by Judge Dredd, right before ANTHRAX did its own tribute to Dredd with "I Am The Law" on the 1987 album "Among The Living".

A short YouTube clip pointing out the musical similarity between "One" and "Darkness Descends" can be found below.