In a new interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, former IRON MAIDEN singer Blaze Bayley spoke about the passing of another ex-MAIDEN vocalist, Paul Di'Anno, who died last October at the age of 66. Asked how he initially reacted to the news of Paul's death, Blaze said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, he wasn't in good health the last time I saw him, and he'd been stuck in a wheelchair for a while. But we did a lot together. We went to a lot of places together. Before all the problems with Ukraine, we did a tour of Russia. We played Sweden Rock [Festival] together. We went to Australia and New Zealand together. And we did a a lot together.

"I wouldn't say that I didn't expect it, but I was absolutely gutted when [I got] the news that Paul had gone," Blaze admitted. "I didn't think he would go then. It just didn't feel right. Of course, it was too soon. He shouldn't have gone at all. But it was a lot. And you think we did so much together. And his voice, man. There were some nights on tour when we were together — we had some good bands together that people put together for us — and you close your eyes and you listen to him singing those early MAIDEN songs, and you go, 'He sounds better than he ever did on the record.' It was incredible. If you were lucky, there was a couple of times that he had a good rest and a good sleep and he hadn't been too stressed and he just sounded incredible. And he's a legend. That is the voice that began, that first record. You can never take that away. Those first two albums, they're the Di'Anno records. And that's a band that doesn't care about the rules, that's doing their own thing, that's making music that they think is the best that they can do. And they really don't care too much about what people are saying, 'Oh, the chorus should be here,' or, 'The guitar solo should…' They didn't care at all — absolutely didn't care. There's no click track, there's no nothing. Everything they did in the studio is all about vibe and the timing, and you can hear what Paul does. It just feels like, wow, he's there pissed off and expressive. And that's in his voice. You can hear it… That's his energy. And his energy was there. His solo albums that he did, he did some fantastic work as well. He's done some great recordings. So it's tragic, that he's gone."

Blaze added: "So what I've been doing in my setlist [at my solo shows] is a small tribute, and it's fun for me. I do [MAIDEN's classic song] 'Wrathchild' in my set. And it's for Paul — it makes me think of Paul. And so it's for Paul, it makes me think of Paul. It's an excuse to do a song I like as well. And it's, yeah, let's remember Paul. Just for four minutes, think of Paul. And that song comes to life. It's a great song. It breaks the rules, the way the arrangement is and everything. So all of that, it fits right in with my mentality."

Bayley went on to call Di'Anno's passing "a sad loss" and he expressed his regret that he, Paul and current IRON MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson never got a chance to perform together. "I always hoped that it would be Paul, Bruce and me somewhere on stage together," he said. "One gig. It would be so fantastic for the fans. And that dream died with Paul, which is a great shame. Because I thought it was unlikely, but I didn't think it was impossible. Now it is impossible, which is sad."

When Paul's passing was first announced, Bayley took to his social media to write: "Very sad to hear of the death of my friend Paul Di'Anno.

"Paul & I did quite a few tours & concerts together over the years… Sweden Rock, Ukraine, Australia, Scandinavia. He had a great sense of humour & those were crazy times.

"His voice & his music with IRON MAIDEN & his own projects will live on.

"Fondly remembered, sadly missed. RIP."

Di'Anno, whose real name was Paul Andrews, passed away at his home in Salisbury.

Born in Chingford, East London on May 17, 1958, Paul first came to prominence as lead singer of IRON MAIDEN between 1978 and 1981. He sang on their groundbreaking debut album "Iron Maiden" and the influential follow-up release, "Killers".

Since leaving IRON MAIDEN, Paul Di'Anno had a long and eventful recording career with BATTLEZONE and KILLERS as well as numerous solo releases and guest appearances.

Despite being troubled by severe health issues in recent years that restricted him to performing in a wheelchair, Paul continued to entertain his fans around the world, racking up well over 100 shows since 2023.

His first career retrospective album, "The Book Of The Beast", was released in September 2024 and featured highlights of his recordings since leaving IRON MAIDEN.

The day that Di'Anno's death was announced, IRON MAIDEN released a statement in which the band said: "We are all deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Paul Di'Anno earlier today. Paul's contribution to IRON MAIDEN was immense and helped set us on the path we have been travelling as a band for almost five decades. His pioneering presence as a frontman and vocalist, both on stage and on our first two albums, will be very fondly remembered not just by us, but by fans around the world. We were very grateful to have had the chance to catch up a couple of years ago and to spend time with him once more.

"On behalf of the band, [managers] Rod [Smallwood] and Andy [Taylor], and the whole IRON MAIDEN team, we extend our deepest sympathies to Paul's family and close friends. Rest in peace, Paul."

MAIDEN bassist and founder Steve Harris added: "It's just so sad he's gone. I was in touch with him only recently as we texted each other about West Ham and their ups and downs. At least he was still gigging until recently, it was something that kept him going, to be out there whenever he could. He will be missed by us all. Rest in peace, mate."

The 62-year-old Bayley fronted IRON MAIDEN from 1994 until 1999. The two MAIDEN albums he appeared on, "The X Factor" and "Virtual XI", sold considerably less than the band's prior releases and were their lowest-charting titles in the group's home country since 1981's "Killers".

Since leaving IRON MAIDEN in 1999, Bayley has released a number of albums, including several under the moniker BLAZE and more than a handful under his own name. He also appeared on 2012's "Wolfsbane Saves The World", the first album of new material by WOLFSBANE since the group's self-titled 1994 effort, and a follow-up LP, 2022's "Genius".

Blaze's latest studio album, "Circle Of Stone", came out in February 2024.

In March 2023, Blaze underwent a quadruple bypass surgery following a heart attack. He later shared details of the massive outpouring of well-wishes he received, including messages from his former MAIDEN bandmates.

Swiss/Dutch/American heavy metal powerhouse BURNING WITCHES will release a new studio album, "Inquisition", on August 22, 2025 via Napalm Records. On BURNING WITCHES' sixth studio album, the band returns with a darker, more thunderous brew — diving headfirst into the themes of medieval persecution, religious oppression, and the unbreakable spirit of resistance. Featuring 12 brand-new tracks, the album marks a bold new era: forged in the flames of power/heavy metal, sharpened by anthemic songwriting and epic instrumentation.

A music video for the album's title track has just premiered. This first single breaks open the gates with a tempest of high-energy power metal, as thunderous bass lines, pounding drums and twin guitars dripping in witchery support Laura Guldemond's hair-raising vocals, channeling raw emotion and groove.

The band says about the track: "We are happy to present you with this epic, classic heavy song full of depth and occult moments that go straight under your skin! From a dark time of mankind, this song was composed with respect to all blood that this time has poured. 'Inquisition' will stay as a song that moves our engine with power to do more and more..."

Following the classic heavy metal tones of BURNING WITCHES' previous record, "The Dark Tower" (2023),"Inquisition" delivers tight production and an unrelenting onslaught of burning riffs, crushing drums, and vocal sorcery, driven by producers Damir Eskic (DESTRUCTION) and V.O. Pulver (Little Creek Studio, PRO-PAIN, DESTRUCTION),and shaped by the songwriting of founding guitarist Romana Kalkuhl.

With "Inquisition", BURNING WITCHES unleash their most focused and ferocious album yet, honoring classic heavy metal roots while diving into darker, more powerful territory. From mystical ballads to breakneck shred-fests, the album channels both the sacred and profane, the melodic and the menacing — a testament to a band unafraid to evolve, fight, and enchant!

Kalkuhl says about the album: "As we celebrate our 10-year anniversary in 2025, I am very happy as well to announce our sixth album with pride and satisfaction. I am extremely happy to start the next chapter of our metal journey with my girls. The album 'Inquisition' is for those of you who are into legends like IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST and SLAYER. Full of power, melodies, double bass drums, heavy riffs and speedy guitar solos, 'Inquisition' is not only our style and lifestyle, it's our life! From the beginning to the end, it's the best of us.

"We and our label Napalm Records are a huge supporter of vinyl records, so with passion and joy we chose some great editions to add to your collectables. Now it's your time to pick your 'Inquisition'!"

"Inquisition" track listing:

01. Sanguini Hominum
02. Soul Eater
03. Shame
04. The Spell Of The Skull
05. Inquisition
06. High Priestess Of The Night
07. Burn In Hell
08. Release Me
09. In For The Kill
10. In The Eye Of The Storm
11. Mirror, Mirror
12. Malus Maga

BURNING WITCHES are:

Romana Kalkuhl - Guitar
Laura Guldemond - Vocals
Courtney Cox - Guitar
Jay Grob - Bass
Lala Frischknecht - Drums

Photo credit: Martin Rahn

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach joined RATT singer Stephen Pearcy and guitarist Warren DeMartini on stage last night (Tuesday, June 10) at Count's Vamp'd in Las Vegas, Nevada to perform a few RATT classics, including "Round And Round". Fan-filmed video of Sebastian's appearance can be seen below (filmed and uploaded by Shawn McCullough).

Playing alongside Pearcy and DeMartini were former RATT and QUIET RIOT guitarist Carlos Cavazo, former RATT and ROUGH CUTT bassist Matt Thorr and former SLAUGHTER drummer Blas Elias. Thorr and Elias are both current touring members of Pearcy's solo band.

In a recent interview with Waste Some Time With Jason Green, Pearcy spoke about his reunion with DeMartini for a handful of shows this spring and summer. He said: "It's always been going around, 'You guys should get together.' I believe I actually approached Warren a few years ago. I go, 'Hey, why don't we try doing this [Jimmy] Page-[Robert] Plant [-style] thing or something.' And nothing became of it. So, I'm, like, hey, well, he's grooving. He's still that guy — he's the lead guitar player in RATT, the guy who co-wrote those songs; he's the guy. So I went about my business, as you know, and do my solo thing. And I have great players, but this is the real deal.

"So what happened was, over seven years later here, we get a contact from a promoter at M3 [Rock Festival], and it was, like, 'Well, I have this idea. Maybe we can get you guys back together and you can headline one of these nights.' And I'm, like, 'Okay. Yeah, right. Okay, well, let's see what happens.' So anyway, long story short, I said, 'Hey, whatever it takes, I'm in. Let's see if we can make this happen.' Well, it just happened to be the right timing for Warren too, to go, 'Hey, why not? Let's play again.' And here we are."

Regarding Pearcy and DeMartini's first reunion show at Mohegan Sun, which took place in April, Stephen told Waste Some Time With Jason Green: "It was fucking amazing. And we kind of blundered here and there and it's a given. We had a few rehearsals.

"The way Warren and I worked in RATT was we do like to be loosely tight," he explained. "We don't wanna be that technical out there when we play. So it kinda worked out the other day, like, 'Okay, we got our feet wet. Now we know what's happening.' So, some of those songs you may never hear us play again, that we played."

Asked if there are any other songs that he would like to perform at the future shows, Stephen said: "Oh, a hundred percent. And I think [Warren] would do it. I wanna play 'Eat Me Up Alive'. And that's a song Carlos and I wrote, so what the fuck? We played it before. That's a song I wanna do. I liked the couple songs Warren picked.

"For me, it's kind of cool, and even being this sobered up guy for years, is going out there and it's still the same as it was in '85, '86 with Warren up there," Pearcy added. "That's the vibe I got. I mean, we were able to sit there and chit-chat and didn't give a fuck on stage. 'Let's take a second out for us, dude. This is funny, huhThis is a trip, right?' That's our conversation up on stage."

Regarding the fact that drummer Bobby Blotzer and bassist Juan Croucier, who were both members of RATT's classic lineup, are not playing with Pearcy and DeMartini at the current shows, Stephen said: "People are already going, 'Oh, bring back the other guys.' Well, I don't really think they know how complicated it is or it would be, or if it even need be. Because the reason Warren and I are out here in the first place is to kick about the legacy of the music. Hey, we had great songs.

"It wouldn't have worked [with the other members], nor would I think I would've… Of course if you're really doing 'business business', you have to consider all aspects," he added. "But do I wanna fuck with our fans or our friends and go out there and pretend it's fucking cool and it's really not? You know what I mean? I mean, look, it took seven years for Warren and I [to play together again], and it was, like, 'Hey. Wow.' I never thought it would happen, but now we're talking about writing new music. So what the fuck?"

Asked if he thinks he will ever play under the RATT brand again, Stephen said: "Uh, well, I could say it would be cool, but I've proven it's not necessary right now. If you're doing 'business business', so to speak — but it's not necessary. That's why I've been out there busting ass for the last few years, is to establish that… It's irrelevant. I'm the guy who co-wrote or wrote those songs, created the band. Here I am — I'm singing. Because one day I'm gonna wake up and go, 'I don't wanna do this shit anymore.' And it happens… But, yeah, I think about that all the time. I mean, I'm fucking Evel Knievel right here, so I've gotta take it carefully.

Pearcy and DeMartini will also perform a set of RATT classics at Rock The Dam 8 in Beaver Dam, Kentucky, on July 26.

"It's all good," Stephen said. "And I'll tell you what we've decided to move forward and because of that show, because we were touchy-touchy, if we wanted to stay out. And so we're gonna entertain some more shows. It's by overwhelming demand. I mean, this might be it, the last you'll see of RATT, for all I know. I don't know. But I'm enjoying this shit. It's fun again. It's been fun for me for the last few years, and I'd like to keep it that way."

During an appearance on the January 29 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Stephen said about the lineup of his new band with DeMartini: "We're gonna have Carlos out there, which is cool. And I'm bringing in Matt Thorr on bass, who's pretty much an original RATT guy from 1981, '82, when Jake E. [Lee] and Warren pulled in. And then we're taking Blas Elias on drums from SLAUGHTER and my band. And we're ready to go."

Added Warren: "When I moved up to L.A. to join RATT, I stayed at a house with Jake E. Lee for a few months, and, it was like a three-bedroom [house], and Jake had one, and Matt had the other, and this other musician had the third. And I was on the couch. But Matt goes way back with [RATT]. I'm actually kind of looking forward to checking that out again. He was playing bass at the time I joined [RATT]."

Regarding why they were not playing these reunion shows under the RATT banner, Pearcy said: "Well, I'll tell you right straight up — it's not about RATT. It's about the legacy of our music. And who better to deliver it, because we don't have all the proper original elements, which would include [late RATT guitarist] Robbin [Crosby]. So we just decided — no. This is great. This is perfect. I mean, we don't wanna hit a brick wall. We want this nice and smooth. So that's what we intend to do. It's not about that — it's about the legacy of RATT. Period."

DeMartini went on to say that he was open to playing more shows with Pearcy in the future, beyond the M3 Rock Festival gig and the other concerts that have been announced.

"Since we announced the M3 show, other stuff has come up," he revealed. "When this [M3 concert] came up, I was treating it as a one-off, but everything has a momentum, or it can have a momentum. And in this case, it just feels better and better.

"I've always wanted to play these songs to the people, like we always have," he added. "So I'm totally game to doing more."

Asked if Blotzer and Croucier would have any involvement in M3 and other gigs Pearcy and DeMartini plan to play together, Stephen said: "No, no, no. Not on this. No. Like I say, we wanted it to be about the music and Warren and myself delivering it, because it is gonna be a little different. If you were to throw the other guys in the mix, it wouldn't be exactly what it is now, the opportunity."

On the topic of what he has been doing in the seven years since he last played with Stephen, Warren said: "What I always did and what I always do. When I'm not sort of dealing with all the stuff that we deal with in life, I drift back into the studio and either start working on something that I hear in my head or refining something that I have going. So it's been a really nice thing to be able to do all this time, because basically since Stephen and Robbin and I wrote 'Round And Round', it's, like, 'Okay, you can be a writer if you wanna be,' so that's what I do, basically."

Asked if he missed being on stage and being in front of an audience, Warren said: "Oh, of course. It's hard to find words to describe the kind of energy that we have with our audience. It's just fantastic… I did do some gigs with some friends, like the last one was with Billy Gibbons and Sebastian Bach, and we would all play each other's songs. It was two or three songs each. And stuff like that kind of kept it burning, but this is the real fire."

Last year, Pearcy celebrated the 40th anniversary of RATT's classic debut album, "Out Of The Cellar", by performing it in its entirety and in sequence for the first time.

RATT exploded on to the national scene in 1984 with the release of "Out Of The Cellar". Featuring an undeniable hook and legendary music video, lead single "Round And Round" hit No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, while "Out Of The Cellar" reached No. 7 on the Billboard Top 200 and was certified triple platinum. Two more charting singles followed with "Back For More" and "Wanted Man". RATT started the tour as an opening act, but by the end of the tour had climbed to arena headliner.

RATT returned in 1985 with its second full-length album, "Invasion Of Your Privacy". Certified double platinum and also reaching No. 7 on the Billboard 200, "Invasion Of Your Privacy" also featured the classics "Lay It Down" (No. 40 on Billboard Hot 100) and "You're In Love".

"Dancing Undercover" followed in 1986 as RATT toured North America with a then-brand new Los Angeles band called POISON as the opening act. Lead single "Dance" hit the Billboard Hot 100 and spawned another music video hit with "Slip Of The Lip", while "Body Talk" was featured in a key scene in the Eddie Murphy film "The Golden Child". "Dancing Undercover" became RATT's third consecutive platinum album and reached No. 26 on the Billboard 200.

1988's "Reach For The Sky" saw RATT return to the Top 20 of the Billboard 200 album charts, peaking at No. 17. Driven by the bluesy hit and MTV favorite "Way Cool Jr.", "Reach For The Sky" was also certified platinum and became RATT's fourth album in a row to move well over a million copies. "I Want A Woman" was also a successful single and the video captured the excitement and energy of RATT live.

RATT released its last full-length record of the Atlantic era, "Detonator", in 1990. Music was changing, but "Detonator" was still a success, peaking at No. 23 on the Billboard 200 and going gold. It was the first RATT album to feature major outside songwriting contributions (Desmond Child, Diane Warren) and guests (Jon Bon Jovi, Michael Schenker). Lead single "Lovin' You's A Dirty Job" hit No. 18 on the rock chart while the power ballad "Givin' Yourself Away" reached No. 39.

In 1991, they released the single "Nobody Rides For Free" from the hit film "Point Break", starring Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze.

In January 2021, Pearcy told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he was open to the idea of making a new RATT album with all the surviving members of the band's classic lineup.

RATT hasn't released any new music since 2010's "Infestation" LP.

Posted by Count's Vamp'd on Tuesday, May 20, 2025

RAMMSTEIN frontman Till Lindemann kicks off the festival season with a brand new single, "Und Die Engel Singen", via Out Of Line Music, alongside the official music video on his YouTube channel.

Simultaneously, pre-orders for CD, vinyl and merchandise have started. The physical versions of "Und Die Engel Singen" will be released on limited picture vinyl 7", limited minimax picture CD, regular vinyl 7" and regular maxi CD on August 8, 2025. The limited picture vinyl 7" and limited minimax picture CD are exclusively available at the Out Of Line shop.

Last December, Lindemann unveiled another standalone solo single titled "Meine Welt". The song did not appear on Lindemann's debut solo album, "Zunge", which arrived in November 2024.

Last fall, Lindemann wrapped up his first-ever solo tour of North America. For that run of shows, his band was made up of guitar players Jes Paige and Emily Ruvidich, bassist Danny Lohner (NINE INCH NAILS),keyboardist Constance Day and drummer Joe Letz (COMBICHRIST).

In the summer of 2025, Lindemann will head out for his first solo festival tour through Europe.

Starting October 2025, fans can experience Till's world on his "Meine Welt" tour across Europe, with special guest AESTHETIC PERFECTION.

In the spring and summer of 2024, Lindemann joined his RAMMSTEIN bandmates for another European stadium tour. The trek launched on May 11, 2024 at Airport Letňany in Prague, Czech Republic and wrapped up with two performances at Veltins-Arena in Germany, Gelsenkirchen on July 26, 2024 and July 27, 2024.

In August 2023, Berlin public prosecutor's office dropped its investigation into accusations of sexual offenses by Lindemann, citing a lack of evidence. Lindemann always denied the allegations, with his lawyers calling them "without exception untrue".

Despite Lindemann and RAMMSTEIN's firm denials of wrongdoing, the allegations led to Lindemann being dropped by his publisher, and the Berlin public prosecutor's office launching an investigation.

Image credit: MusicJunkie422

BEACH BOYS co-founder Brian Wilson has died at the age of 82.

Wilson's family announced his death on social media earlier today (Wednesday, June 11),but did not reveal a cause.

"We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away. We are at a loss for words right now," the post read. "Please respect our privacy at this time as our family (is) grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world. Love & Mercy."

Brian was an American songwriter, producer, arranger, singer and musician, who co-founded the BEACH BOYS. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and mastery of recording techniques, he was widely acknowledged as one of the most innovative and significant songwriters of the 20th century.

Raised in California, In 1961, he began his professional career as a member of the BEACH BOYS, serving as the band's songwriter, producer, co-lead vocalist, bassist and keyboardist.

Wilson is considered the principal originator of the California sound, and classed among the first rock producers to use the recording studio and mixing desks as an instrument. The zeitgeist of the early 1960s is commonly associated with his early songs, and he became an important figure in the development many of pops music genres and the art pop scene. Wilson's honors include inductions into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame (as a member of the BEACH BOYS) the Songwriters Hall Of Fame, two Grammy Awards and the Ivor Novello.

Image courtesy of Craft Recordings

We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away.

We are at a loss for words right...

Posted by Brian Wilson on Wednesday, June 11, 2025

The new lineup of the legendary punk rock band BLACK FLAG made its live debut earlier tonight (Tuesday, June 10) at Mixtape 5 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Fan-filmed video of the concert can be seen below (courtesy of Nedko Ignatov).

Joining BLACK FLAG's founding guitarist Greg Ginn in the group's current lineup are Max Zanelly on vocals, David Rodriguez on bass and Bryce Weston on drums.

A May 2025 press release from Ginn's SST Records stated about BLACK FLAG's future plans: "With a fresh lineup and renewed creative energy, BLACK FLAG is gearing up for an exciting season of live shows and new music production. The group has already begun writing and rehearsing together, building on their signature sound while embracing new influences brought in by the latest members."

The press release added: "BLACK FLAG's upcoming performances will showcase the chemistry and talent of the revitalized lineup, giving fans a first taste of the new era."

BLACK FLAG formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California, and made music from 1978 until the mid-1980s with several singers, including Keith Morris, Ron Reyes, Dez Cadena and Henry Rollins. BLACK FLAG has been called the first American hardcore band.

BLACK FLAG's 2024 lineup consisted of Ginn, singer Mike Vallely, who first appeared with the band as a guest in 2003 and became BLACK FLAG's fifth vocalist in 2014, and a rhythm section of Harley Duggan and Charles Wiley (both from Seattle band DARKHORSE RISING). Vallely played his last show with BLACK FLAG in January 2025.

In 2013, Ginn sued his former BLACK FLAG bandmates Keith Morris, Dez Cadena, Chuck Dukowski and Bill Stevenson for touring as FLAG, which he claimed constituted a violation of trademarks to the name and logo. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Ginn claimed that use of the band's logo, consisting of four uneven black bars simulating a waving flag, was an infringement and that FLAG was "a colorable imitation" that was "likely to cause confusion, mistake or deception among consumers." In April 2014, the parties informed the court of a settlement. "FLAG gets to be FLAG, and BLACK FLAG as it is presently known continues to be BLACK FLAG," attorney Evan Cohen, who represented Ginn, told Billboard.

California thrash metal pioneers DARK ANGEL performed their entire second album, 1986's "Darkness Descends", during their headlining concert Sunday night (June 8) at the Underworld in London, United Kingdom.

The band's setlist was as follows, according to Setlist.fm:

01. Time Does Not Heal
02. Never To Rise Again
03. Extinction-Level Event
04. No One Answers
05. Circular Firing Squad
06. Darkness Descends
07. The Burning Of Sodom
08. Hunger Of The Undead
09. Merciless Death
10. Death Is Certain (Life Is Not)
11. Black Prophecies
12. Perish In Flames

Fan-filmed video of the entire performance can be seen below.

Earlier this month, DARK ANGEL released "Circular Firing Squad", the second single from the band's first new album in 34 years, "Extinction Level Event", due later in 2025 via Reversed Records.

The LP's first single, the "Extinction Level Event" title track, was written by DARK ANGEL guitarist Jim Durkin a decade ago, long before he suffered from severe liver disease, and, to the surprise of everyone, passed away in 2023. It was recorded and mixed at the Armoury Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, executive produced by DARK ANGEL drummer Gene Hoglan, produced and engineered by Rob Shallcross and mixed by Mike Fraser.

Durkin died on March 8, 2023 at the age of 58. An original member of DARK ANGEL, Durkin played on the band's first three albums — 1985's "We Have Arrived", "Darkness Descends" and 1989's "Leave Scars" — before departing the group in 1989. He was part of DARK ANGEL's lineup when the band reformed in 2013, and had been playing with them, on and off, ever since.

Prior to his death, Durkin had been sitting out some of DARK ANGEL's gigs. He was replaced at the shows by Hoglan's wife Laura Christine, who has since joined DARK ANGEL as a permanent member.

The "Extinction Level Event" artwork and layout was designed by Cain Gillis, with concepts by Hoglan.

"Musically, lyrically, and vocally, I'm so stoked about this album," Hoglan previously said. "I'm really excited about DARK ANGEL right now, and everyone who's heard the new album is losing their minds. Every time I'd finish a song and send it over to the guys, everybody was, 'Gene, this is my favorite song!' 'No, this is my favorite song!!' 'Dude, this is totally my favorite song!!!' That's never a bad sign."

Hoglan and Christine wrote everything except for the title track on "Extinction Level Event". Other songs set to appear on the effort include "Atavistic", which is described as "a full-on three-minute thrash metal barrage", "Woke Up To Blood", the title of which stemmed from a dog attack, and "Terror Construct", which Gene wrote about the way the media and corporations team up to spread fear among the masses so they can continue to fill their pockets.

The seeds of "Extinction Level Event" were planted in late 2013 between the time when TESTAMENT stopped touring to work on their new record and Hoglan was scheduled to work on his next major project. After the first batch of writing sessions for "Extinction Level Event", Hoglan had to put writing for DARK ANGEL on hold until late 2022. With other obligations behind him, Gene laser-focused on DARK ANGEL, listening back to the jams he and Durkin made earlier, and writing more than 10 new songs over the next three months. With a full album of pummeling new songs, Hoglan flew to Vancouver to track the album at the Armory. There, he and his bandmates worked with Rob Shallcross and Mike Fraser, and over a few sessions, DARK ANGEL had recorded everything but the vocals.

Having passed away two years ago, Durkin's sudden death is still traumatic for DARK ANGEL and especially Hoglan. At the same time, he takes bittersweet pride in knowing that Jim's playing and performances live on through him and DARK ANGEL, not only when the band plays his old riffs, but also in the continued influence Durkin has on the band's new songs.

"One of the last things I told him was, 'Jim, dude, you're my original guitar hero," Hoglan recalls. "'My entire guitar style is based on your style because you are who I really learned how to play guitar from.' So, my guitar approach with DARK ANGEL is Jim Durkin's approach. When I write for the band, I'm thinking, 'What would Jim do here?' That's why his presence is massively all over this new record. Every single song. I wanted to make it to where people are like, 'Yeah, Jim wrote that riff. Oh, there's another Jim riff' because Jim wrote all the best riffs in the band, forever."

DARK ANGEL was originally scheduled to play new music for the first time since 1991 during its January 29 concert at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California. However, that show ended up getting postponed due to the wildfires in the state.

DARK ANGEL released two albums with Don Doty on vocals — the aforementioned "We Have Arrived" and "Darkness Descends" — before he exited the group and was replaced by Ron Rinehart (after a brief stint with Jim Drabos in 1987). The band issued two more studio LPs — "Leave Scars" and "Time Does Not Heal" — before calling it quits in 1992.

This past Friday, June 6, one of the greatest and most successful Canadian rock bands of all-time, Triumph, was honored with a star-studded tribute album. Magic Power: All-Star Tribute To Triumph arrived via Round Hill Records, featuring such renowned rockers as Dorothy, Sebastian Bach, Nancy Wilson, Joey Belladonna, Slash, and Jeff Keith covering classic Triumph tunes.

The 15-track album features an amazing collection of musical firepower, including drummers Kenny Aronoff and Tommy Aldridge, and guitarists Bumblefoot, Paul Gilbert, and Nita Strauss. The project was conceived by renowned producer Mike Clink – who has produced classic recordings for Guns N’ Roses, Mötley Crüe and Whitesnake.

The album is available on CD with a 12 page booklet, and as a double LP gatefold edition. Order here, and/or stream below.

The participants are extremely honored to salute Triumph, including guitarist Phil X, who went on to say, “It is so incredible to get back to my roots with my brothers, Gil, Mike and Rik. The Triumph fans will love this!”

Enthusiastically, Journey drummer Deen Castronovo commented, “Triumph was a huge influence, no Gil Moore, no Deen Castronovo singing behind a kit.”

Furthermore, Sebastian Bach said, “The music of Triumph will always hold a special place in my heart. I’m super proud to pay tribute to one of my favorite bands of all time…the Rock n’ Roll Machine known as TRIUMPH!”

Dee Snider recalled, “The first time I heard this song (‘Lay It On The Line’), I was blown away. There’s only one Rik Emmett and Triumph. I’m honored to be a part of this!”

Originally formed in 1975 and hailing from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, the trio was always proud of their Great White North roots. And seemingly ever since their inception, Triumph was on the cutting edge of technology when it came to their live show – particularly lighting, sound, and effects.

Sophisticated lasers, pyrotechnics and moving lighting rigs, all computer-controlled – Triumph was one of the first arena rock bands to incorporate all of these elements into their shows. Triumph’s headlining tours were legendary, and the band was featured on many memorable stadium/outdoor shows – including the US Festival, the World Series of Rock, the American Rock Festival and Texxas Jam, Day on the Green, to name but a few.

And now, fans will be able to re-experience Triumph classics in a whole new way – via Magic Power: All-Star Tribute To Triumph.





Tracklisting:

“24 Hours A Day” – Sebastian Bach
“Rock & Roll Machine” – Sebastian Bach
“Magic Power” – Joey Belladonna
“Spellbound” – Mickey Thomas
“Lay It On The Line” – Dee Snider
“Somebody’s Out There” – Lawrence Gowan
“Never Surrender” – Deen Castronovo
“Hold On” – Jeff Keith
“Just One Night” – Jason Scheff
“I Live For The Weekend” – Slash, Dorothy & Tyler Connolly, Nita Strauss
“Fight The Good Fight” – Nancy Wilson
“Follow Your Heart” – Jack Blades
“Allied Forces” – Phil X
“Blinding Light Show” – Envy Of None
“Fight The Good Fight” (encore) – Dino Jelusick

In a new interview with Music Week, BLACK SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi spoke about the band's upcoming "Back To The Beginning" show, which will be held on July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The farewell gig will see the original members of BLACK SABBATH — consisting of Iommi, singer Ozzy Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — reunite for the first time in 20 years, to play in their former hometown one last time. For Ozzy, who lives with Parkinson's disease, the event will also mark his final performance on stage.

Ozzy and BLACK SABBATH will be supported by heavy metal icons including METALLICA, SLAYER, PANTERA and many more, with profits from the show to be shared equally between the charities Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice.

"This would be a big, monumental thing if it all comes good," Iommi told Music Week about "Back To The Beginning". "The worrying thing for me is the unknown. We don't know what's going to happen.

"Normally, when we'd tour, we'd rehearse and run through the thing for a while, and it's just us," he explained. "But with this event there are so many other moving parts."

Acknowledging the fact that Ozzy has publicly stated that he is not able to walk due to his battle with Parkinson's disease, Tony added: "You're used to Ozzy running around, but he certainly won't be doing that for this show. I don't know if he's going to be standing or sitting on a throne or what."

Iommi went on to say that he is approaching this show with "excitement mixed with fear". He clarified: "Once we start playing, then we'll know we're doing it. It's always a worry, even when we did tours before, there's always that build-up, and then it gets to the point that we do it and it's okay."

Last month, Iommi revealed to The Guardian that it took some serious convincing to get him on board for "Back To The Beginning".

"I'm the one that said, 'I don't know if we should do it', because we did a farewell tour and I didn't want to get into that thing like all the other bands are doing, saying it's the last tour and then reappearing again," he explained.

As for what changed his mind, Tony said: "I've been convinced, because we're doing it for a reason… No one's getting paid or anything."

For his part, Butler admitted to The Guardian that he was stressing about the gig. "I'm already having palpitations," he revealed. "In fact, I had a nightmare last night. I dreamed everything went wrong on stage and we all turned to dust. It's important that we leave a great impression, since it's the final time that people will experience us live. So it has to be great on the night."

After fans snapped up tickets to "Back To The Beginning" in just 16 minutes, it was announced that the event will be streamed worldwide. Fans will have access to the raw livestream from 3:00 p.m. on July 5, and will also have exclusive access to rewatch the concert in its entirety for another 48 hours.

For more information, visit www.backtothebeginning.com.

"Back To The Beginning" will be captured, produced and distributed by Mercury Studios ("One To One: John & Yoko", "American Symphony", "Metallica Saved My Life"),who are pioneering the way for premium, music-driven storytelling across film, television, podcasts and immersive formats. Mercury has partnered with Kiswe — the global D2C streaming partner behind the record-breaking BTS concert livestream — to deliver this moment of music history to fans across the globe.

The all-day event at Villa Park, produced by Live Nation, will be hosted and compered by American actor Jason Momoa, and feature a supergroup of musicians.

This past February, Sharon told The Sun that her husband is struggling to walk amid his battle with Parkinsons disease, but that his singing voice is "as good as ever". She said: "[Ozzy's] very happy to be coming back and very emotional about this.

"Parkinson's is a progressive disease. It's not something you can stabilize. It affects different parts of the body and it's affected his legs. But his voice is as good as it's ever been."

According to Sharon, Ozzy, who paused touring "for now" in 2023 after extensive spinal surgery and rescheduled his "No More Tours 2" shows from going ahead several times because of illness, the pandemic and logistical issues, will not play any more shows after the Villa Park event.

"Ozzy didn't have a chance to say goodbye to his friends, to his fans, and he feels there's no been no full stop," she explained. "This is his full stop."

In addition, there will be a performance by a "supergroup of musicians" including Duff McKagan and Slash (GUNS 'N' ROSES),Billy Corgan (THE SMASHING PUMPKINS),Fred Durst (LIMP BIZKIT),K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST),Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE),Wolfgang Van Halen (VAN HALEN, MAMMOTH) and Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE).

"It's an endless amount of people," said Sharon. "They're going to be doing some SABBATH songs, some Ozzy songs, and they'll all mix together. Different little groups will be coming on, but they're all icons."

The original lineup of BLACK SABBATH last performed in 2005. Since then, SABBATH has played in partial reunions but never in its original lineup.

"For Ozzy right now, it's definitely: 'I love you and good night'," Sharon told Reuters.

She added that Ozzy was doing well and excited about the gig. "It's stimulated him," she said. "He's very, very excited and very thankful that he can do it."

The legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman was diagnosed in 2003 with Parkin 2 — a very rare genetic form of Parkinson's. During a TV appearance in January 2020, the singer disclosed that he was 'stricken" with the disease which occurs when the nerve cells of the body degenerate and levels of dopamine are reduced. Dopamine is an essential chemical that is produced by these nerve cells which send signals to different parts of the brain to control movements of the body.

Ozzy's health issues, including suffering a nasty fall and dislodging metal rods placed in his spine following a quad-bike accident in 2003, as well as catching COVID-19 three years ago, forced him to cancel some of his previously announced tours.

While Osbourne's health issues forced him to scrap most of his live appearances, the musician said he would return if his condition improved.

Osbourne's previously announced European tour with guests JUDAS PRIEST, originally set for 2019 and then rescheduled three times, was officially canceled in early February 2023.

Despite his health problems, Osbourne has performed a couple of times in the last three years, including at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in August 2022 and at the NFL halftime show at the season opener Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills game in September 2022.

Professionally filmed 4K 50fps video of MEGADETH's entire June 29, 2024 concert at the Resurrection Fest in Viveiro, Lugo, Spain can be seen below.

Featured songs:

0:00:00 Intro
00:00:41 The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!
00:05:20 Take No Prisoners
00:09:03 Dread And The Fugitive Mind
00:13:49 Angry Again
00:17:45 Hangar 18
00:23:03 Sweating Bullets
00:28:19 Kick The Chair
00:32:48 Skin O' My Teeth
00:38:10 Tornado Of Souls
00:43:45 Trust
00:49:34 We'll Be Back
00:54:38 Symphony Of Destruction
00:58:41 Peace Sells
01:04:19 Holy Wars

MEGADETH has spent the last few months recording its seventeenth studio album, due later in the year. The LP will be released via frontman Dave Mustaine's Tradecraft imprint with the Frontiers Label Group's new imprint BLKIIBLK.

MEGADETH is once again working with Chris Rakestraw, a producer, mixer and engineer who previously worked on MEGADETH's last two albums, 2022's "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" and 2016's "Dystopia".

Last September, MEGADETH guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari, who joined the band a year and a half ago as the replacement for Kiko Loureiro, was asked by Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station about the progress of the songwriting sessions for MEGADETH's next LP. He said: "Yeah, actually, already a while back Dave started talking about making the next album and kind of starting to do pre-production. And as soon as he mentioned that, and kind of before that already, once it was clear that I'm gonna be staying with the band, then I kind of started putting my ideas down and just recording any riff ideas that I feel like could be something that could be used in MEGADETH. And by now I have a bunch of riffs and ideas that I've gathered. And then Dave told me that he likes to work the way that everybody does their riffs and then at some point we're gonna get together and then review things and see which riffs are gonna work together and then work out the parts between the riffs to kind of connect things and then that way come up with the skeletons for the songs. And I'm really looking forward to doing that and hearing how he feels about my ideas as well. But what I've done so far is whenever I have a moment to sit down, I usually just record a little video of myself playing a riff idea and then when we have a day off at the hotel, then I would record that properly and then just like have this folder of riffs that we can look into at some point. So, [I'm] really looking forward to that. And Dave has been really supportive and sounds like he wants to have all the guys' input on the next album, which is really exciting."

In August 2024, Mustaine was asked by Chuck Armstrong of "Loudwire Nights" how the dynamic within MEGADETH has changed since Mäntysaari's addition to the band. Mustaine responded: "Well, we are a band again. It doesn't feel like me and some side players or some session guys. Not that it felt like that with any of the previous lineups, but that was one of the fears that I had. I feel like Kiko did us a really huge courtesy by helping us find Teemu because with Kiko needing to step down… I thought I was gonna finish my career out with Kiko, and when things came up with him, he couldn't tour anymore because he needed to be home for his kids. So I see he's touring again, which I'm happy that he's still playing. But he had to go home. And when he did, he introduced us to Teemu. And it was an even closer connection between me and Teemu than Kiko and I had. We'll [Kiko and I] always be friends, but this new relationship I have is — it harkens me back to the days when we had Marty Friedman in the band and the four of us actually felt like a band."

Mäntysaari stepped in September 2023 for Loureiro, who announced earlier that month that he would sit out the next leg of MEGADETH's "Crush The World" tour in order to stay home with his children back in Finland. It was later revealed that the now-38-year-old Finnish musician would continue to play guitar for MEGADETH for the foreseeable future, with Loureiro seemingly having no plans to return.

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

Earlier in August, Mustaine was asked by Kyle Meredith what Mäntysaari has brought to MEGADETH that wasn't there before. Mustaine responded: "God, he's such an amazing talent. And as far as being a human is concerned, he's a really humble guy. He's fun to be around because he's kind of — there's this 'greenness' to him, if that's a word, greenness. He makes it really fun because he's gone from being in a band that was pretty well known to being in MEGADETH. And so everything's very new for him at this level. And for us, we get to kind of enjoy ourselves, because we sometimes forget where we're at and then you see other people that, 'Wow, the bread is round and so is the meat,' that kind of shit. And it just makes him really happy, and it just reminds you of how good you have it."

Regarding how much a lineup change like that actually alters the musical DNA of the band, Dave said: "Well, it depends on who the new player is. If they're willing to learn the parts, then the songs either, they stay where they are or they get better. And a lot of times when you have a new player, like when Teemu came in, he played everything identical to the original players. So, he's been one of the best guitar players to step in and play somebody else's stuff. I don't know what his stuff's going to sound like yet, which I'm looking forward to finding out."

In June 2024, Mustaine told Sakis Fragos of Rock Hard Greece that he thought Teemu would contribute to the songwriting process on MEGADETH's next studio album. "I think he's gonna be a great addition to MEGADETH," Dave said. "He already has. We're playing more songs now than we were playing before. And that has nothing negative to say about any of the previous lineups. It just says that he knew more about the band and understands the metal backbone of so many of these songs more than some of the other people would understand it."

He continued: "When you're a metal guy, I think you understand metal compositions more than somebody who, say for example, knows progressive rock like [former MEGADETH guitarist] Chris Broderick does, or somebody who knows bossa nova, which Kiko does, or somebody that plays jazzy, like [former MEGADETH guitarist] Glen Drover would play, maybe Al Pitrelli. These guys all have their strengths."

Mustaine added: "I've often thought, although I've never said it, I do believe that when somebody gets singled out by me, that's pretty much it for them. They've been indoctrinated into the world of great guitar players, and from that moment on, their life will change."

In early October 2023, Mustaine told Shaggy of the 94.9 and 104.5 The Pick radio station in Idaho Falls, Idaho about Teemu's addition to MEGADETH: "People are losing their minds over how things are going right now 'cause we have a really good chemistry together."

In September 2023, Mustaine was equally full of praise for Mäntysaari, telling Wes Styles in a separate interview: "He's really great. And I'm super excited with what Teemu has brought. And it's uncanny because he plays a lot like Marty. And it's really exciting. At certain times I just close my eyes during the set and I just hear these songs played, whether like Kiko in the past or Teemu now, it just sounds really magic because these guys have learned these songs and they're not just going out there and just banging their guitar around; they actually learned the solos from some of the virtuosos that I've played with over my career."

Cult favorite post-hardcore band LETLIVE. returns in full force this summer, reigniting its legacy with a newly remixed and remastered edition of their iconic 2013 album. "The Blackest Beautiful (Revisited)" arrives on all digital streaming platforms June 13, 2025, featuring two powerful bonus tracks and marking the band's first digital release since reuniting.

To kick off the campaign, LETLIVE. drops a blistering new single today: "The Dope Beat Rendition (ft. Dan Campbell)" , a reimagined version of a fan favorite featuring vocals from Dan Campbell of THE WONDER YEARS. The single is available now across all major platforms.

Originally released in 2013, "The Blackest Beautiful" was a defining moment for LETLIVE., fusing unfiltered emotion with genre-defying intensity. With "Revisited", the band has sonically reimagined the album from the ground up — revitalizing every mix, remastering every moment, and adding two bonus tracks that showcase their enduring influence and collaborative spirit.

"It's surreal hearing 'The Blackest Beautiful' remastered after all these years," says guitarist Jeff Sahyoun. "This record meant everything to us, and now it gets to live again in a new light. I couldn't be more excited to share it with everyone."

In addition to "The Dope Beat Rendition", "Revisited" includes "27 Club Rendition (ft. Keith Buckley)" , featuring MANY EYES frontman in a searing new version that amplifies the urgency and vision of the original record.

"'The Blackest Beautiful' is a lighthouse for those who feel lost in this mad world," adds guitarist Jean Nascimento. "It's an honor for us to give our fans a chance to listen and have a new perspective on this album, one more time."

The digital release coincides with LETLIVE. returning to the stage one more time, which includes a packed summer of festival appearances and headlining dates across North America, Europe and Australia. The band will hit major stages at the D.C. and Orlando dates of Warped Tour, When We Were Young festival in Las Vegas, Louder Than Life in Kentucky, and the U.K.'s 2000 Trees festival.

This run marks LETLIVE.'s first tour in years and has already drawn massive anticipation from fans across the globe.

"The Blackest Beautiful (Revisited)" track listing:

01. Banshee (Ghost Fame)
02. Empty Elvis
03. White America's Beautiful Black Market
04. Dreamer's Disease
05. That Fear Fever
06. Virgin Dirt
07. Younger
08. The Dope Beat
09. The Priest And Used Cars
10. Pheromone Cvlt
11. 27 Club
12. The Dope Beat Rendition (ft. Dan Campbell)
13. 27 Club Rendition (ft. Keith Buckley)

Photo credit: Djay Brawner

In a recent interview with the FM99 WNOR radio station from Norfolk, Virginia, SHINEDOWN drummer Barry Kerch was asked about the status of the songwriting and recording process for the band's eighth studio album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The news is it's not ready yet. We're really close — I'd say 95% there — but we're never gonna put anything out that's not up to our standards. And we've never rushed a record and we're not gonna rush this one.

"I'd say probably early next year is what we're shooting for [as far as a release date for the album goes]," he continued. "We have a couple of more [songs] that we just need to tweak and we're not happy with.

"It takes a lot to make a record — between the actual songs, recording the instruments, then getting the right mix and the right master and then going, 'Okay, here's a collection of songs. Which ones are gonna make the record and which ones aren't good enough for us?'

"SHINEDOWN's had a lot of throwaways that are good songs, but they didn't either fit that record or they just weren't good enough," Barry explained. "But you have to get those ideas out to move on to whatever that next idea is. So we're kind of in that process right now.

"You know my lead singer [Brent Smith] — he never stops touring or stops working, so it's also finding time to get in the studio without him going, 'Oh, yeah, by the way, we're gonna go over to Europe for a month,' and then come back and do this… Which is fine, and I love his work ethic. That man will work circles around all of us in this room and then some. And that's what makes it fun and interesting in this band, is seeing his passion. I've known him for 23 years now. He's my ride or die. I support that guy, and even in his worst and darkest days, when he made a decision, it was always the right one."

SHINEDOWN released the first two singles from the upcoming album, "Three Six Five" and "Dance, Kid, Dance", in January via Atlantic Records.

Last month, SHINEDOWN kicked off its "Dance, Kid, Dance" tour at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. The 36-date trek is one of the largest run of shows (and venues) the band has ever put on. It will be the first time the band has ever headlined some of the country's most legendary venues, including Madison Square Garden (July 20),Boston's TD Garden (July 19),Los Angeles's Kia Forum (August 3) and more. Joining them on the tour are BEARTOOTH and BUSH (on select dates) and Morgan Wade for all shows.

SHINEDOWN recently released an official music video for its No. 1 song "Dance, Kid, Dance". The clip was directed by Lewis Cater, choreographed by Julissa Bond, and edited by Samuel Halleen.

This year has also come with some historic wins for SHINEDOWN as they recently took home two trophies at the iHeartRadio Music Awards where they won "Rock Artist Of The Year" and "Rock Song Of The Year" for "A Symptom Of Being Human".

The awards were in celebration of the banner year they've had as "A Symptom Of Being Human" has hit nearly 125 million global streams and charted at five radio formats, including a No. 1 at Active, Top 10 at Alternative, Top 10 at AC, Top 15 at Hot AC and a Top 20 at Top 40. To date, SHINEDOWN is the very first artist to get a song Top 10 at Active, Alternative, and Hot AC Radio on Mediabase with one song. The song, off SHINEDOWN's "Planet Zero" album, resonated with fans across the globe for the unifying message of its lyrics: that it is our human connections that matter the most.

SHINEDOWN has already had a packed 2025 as its latest single "Dance, Kid, Dance" has made history, reaching No. 1 on the Mediabase Active Rock chart, which marks their 22nd song to reach No. 1 on the chart, and on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. SHINEDOWN has become the only band in the chart's history to reach 20 No. 1s on the chart. Not to mention when the song entered the Top 5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, SHINEDOWN tied with the FOO FIGHTERS for the artists with the most songs to hit the top 10 in the chart's history with 32 songs each. All these incredible accomplishments continue to solidify that SHINEDOWN have made a name for themselves in rock. On Mediabase, SHINEDOWN hold the record for the most No. 1s, No. 5s and No. 10s on the Active Rock chart, with a total of 24 No. 1s on the Mediabase charts.

Smith and bassist/producer Eric Bass co-wrote "Three Six Five", and "Dance, Kid, Dance" was co-written by Brent Smith, Eric Bass and Dave Bassett. The songs were produced by Eric Bass at his own Big Animal Studio in Charleston, South Carolina.

Photo credit: Ebru Yildiz

Barry Kerch of Shinedown stopped by the station to talk Boos, Brew and BBQ. You can catch him at Afterglow Brewing.

Posted by FM99 on Friday, May 23, 2025

In a new interview with Belgian Jasper, BUCKCHERRY frontman Josh Todd spoke about AC/DC's influence on his band's music. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's always AC/DC flavors on every BUCKCHERRY record. It goes all the way back to our first one, with 'Lit Up' and stuff. And I'm a huge a AC/DC fan. I will always put it to [BUCKCHERRY producer] Marti [Frederiksen] and [BUCKCHERRY guitarist] Stevie [Dacanay, a.k.a. Stevie D.], once we've written a bunch of songs, I'll always come in and say, 'Where's my AC/DC track?' And then finally they'll throw me a composition, like 'Come On', which is a really great song that we just dropped and we're playing live. And it sounds a lot like AC/DC. But once you put my voice and our melodies and the words behind it, it's a BUCKCHERRY song. But that happens with all bands. You sometimes bring up artists or a song that you kind of wanna reference to get the creative juices flowing, to get everybody in the right direction. And then you just write — you write your own song."

Asked to name his favorite AC/DC song, Josh said: "Probably 'You Shook Me All Night Long'. 'Back In Black' was a huge record for me. I had gotten into rock music late in my teens because all my rock records from my early teens were independent punk rock records. I grew up surfing and skateboarding in Southern California, and that's just what I was into. So when I did hear AC/DC for the first time, I didn't know about [late AC/DC singer] Bon Scott. I had just heard 'Back In Black'. That was it. 'Back In Black' was on all the rock radio stations. Everybody played it at parties. I mean, it was amazing. And so that's when I became an instant fan. And then I started getting into the whole scope of their career and really dug deep. And Bon Scott is a huge influence as well."

Back in July 2024, Todd was asked by Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips what he learned from touring with AC/DC for about a week back in May 2001. He responded: "How to be humble and really cool. And those guys, they were very humble and sweet, and answered all our questions. [They] let us have full sound on their P.A., which doesn't happen. Mostly headliners only give you so much sound so that when they come out, they sound bigger. AC/DC was, like, 'You can have full P.A. Do whatever you want.' They were very gracious and cool, and that's what we wanted to be. So that's what I learned."

He continued: "I got to sit on a couch and drink tea with [AC/DC guitarist] Angus [Young] and talk about his career. And [AC/DC singer] Brian Johnson was walking around the room telling jokes. And I was, like, 'Wow, this is fucking so amazing.' Because sometimes you meet musicians and… I give everybody the benefit of the doubt. Not everybody is in a great headspace every day. So sometimes people can be a little bit not what you thought they were gonna be, and you've gotta give 'em a second, and maybe next time it'll be different. And I always do that with everybody. But when we met those guys, they were the same all the time. And that's what I loved about them."

BUCKCHERRY will release its eleventh album, "Roar Like Thunder", on June 13.

As with 2023's "Vol. 10" and 2021's "Hellbound", "Roar Like Thunder" was recorded in Nashville at Sienna Studios and helmed by producer and songwriter-for-hire Frederiksen, who has previously collaborated with AEROSMITH, DEF LEPPARD, Jonny Lang and Sheryl Crow, among many others. All 10 tracks were written by Todd, Dacanay and Frederiksen.

"Roar Like Thunder" will be released in North America by Round Hill Records, in Japan by Sony Japan and in the remainder of the world by Earache Records.

"Vol. 10" came out in June 2023. The 11-song LP featured 10 new BUCKCHERRY originals and, as a bonus track, a cover of the Bryan Adams classic "Summer Of 69".

In November 2023, BUCKCHERRY released a new holiday song called "Tell 'Em It's Christmas".

BUCKCHERRY previously released another holiday song, "Christmas Is Here", back in 2010.

In the summer of 2020, BUCKCHERRY recruited JETBOY's Billy Rowe as its new guitarist. He joined the group as the replacement for Kevin Roentgen, who left BUCKCHERRY in July of that year.

In 2019, BUCKCHERRY enlisted Francis Ruiz as its new drummer. He joined the group as the replacement for Sean Winchester, who exited BUCKCHERRY after laying down the drum tracks on "Warpaint".

The 20th-anniversary deluxe edition of the double-platinum BUCKCHERRY album "15" on physical and digital formats arrived on January 17 via Endurance Music Group. Originally released in 2005, the album featured the four-times-platinum single "Crazy Bitch" and the two-times-platinum single "Sorry". The deluxe edition was issued in North America on a two-vinyl-LP format featuring the album's 11 original songs as well as four bonus tracks recorded in 2005 and three newly recorded acoustic tracks by Todd and Dacanay.

In a new interview with RichardMetalFan, UNLEASHED drummer Anders Schultz spoke about the Swedish death metal veterans' upcoming fifteenth studio album, "Fire Upon Your Lands", which will be released on August 15 via Napalm Records. Regarding the songwriting and recording process for the follow-up to 2021's "No Sign Of Life", Anders said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've been writing since the last [album] came out. It's an always-ongoing process. So it's just been — I don't know when ['No Sign Of Life'] came out; it's been a couple years, I guess, maybe three. But, yeah, as soon as we do something, we keep writing. So it's always kind of ongoing. So there's stuff that's at least three years old or whatever on the new one. And we played a lot of shows and stuff as well, so it's not like we have a certain period of time we're gonna write stuff and do stuff. We'll just keep doing it until, 'All right. The stuff is ready,' and then we start putting the last bits together and then we do the record. And sometimes it takes longer, 'cause you've got other stuff to do. Sometimes it comes quicker, whatever. So that's kind of how we're used to doing it. And it's good. And then, I guess after a couple years, it's always like, 'Oh, you know what? We should start [recording].' Cause if you don't plan for something, it's never gonna happen. So you just keep writing stuff and then, like, 'The stuff is ready.' It's, like, 'Okay, now we've gotta set a date and we wanna do this.' [Then we] talk to labels or whatever. And then they're, like, 'Okay, we wanna have it done by a certain date.' And then we start really doing like the last bits, [and that's] when it gets a bit intense, because the whole time before that, it's just been kind of mellow, writing, putting stuff together, and then towards the end, it's, like, 'Okay, now we've gotta get this shit in gear and make sure everything is perfectly put together and then set the studio times and then go for it.' It's how we do it [and] always have, I guess. It's comfortable."

Anders continued: "We actually went into the studio a while ago to start [recording the new album], 'cause I think actually it was supposed to have an earlier release date. So we were a bit pushed: 'Okay, it's gotta be done by a certain date.' So we had to get on it. And then, actually, the date got pushed back a bit. So it's, like, 'Oh, shit.' We didn't need to… We didn't rush it. It's always good to have a positive stress kind of thing. So it's good to have a date so you get it done. But we would've had more time, but it doesn't matter. So it's actually been done for a while. So it's just the release date that got pushed back until kind of the end of the summer instead of the beginning, I think. For whatever reasons, I don't know."

Asked if UNLEASHED went into the songwriting and recording process this time around with a desire to try something new or different that he and his bandmates hadn't done before, Anders said: "Well, the thing with this band is it's always kind of a constant.. But you've always gotta hear that it's UNLEASHED. If you put the record on, it's gotta be noticeable that it's an UNLEASHED record, so you can't really sway too much and go crazy on weird shit, which is something we don't [do anyway]. But it's still gotta be progress. So it's still in the same vein, but, of course, you try to progress a bit. But there's, of course, not major [stylistic] turns. This band from the start has been said to be what it is. So there's no going off and doing rock and roll stuff or whatever. But we try to make progress within what we are and what we do. It's a strong record. It's got good songs on it. But it's probably pretty similar to the last one. But then again, the last one is kind of similar to the one before, but you just kind of veer off a little bit and progress. So that's what we try to do."

Anders added: "We said that, actually, from day one when we started this band. It's, like, 'It's gonna be death metal.' Because there was a lot of bands that after a few records, they start veering off somewhere else, incorporate a bunch of… [it's] not necessarily bad, 'cause if that's stuff you wanna do, that's what you wanna do. But we always said it's gotta be UNLEASHED. And if you wanna do something different, then you've gotta be in another band. From the first [album] and the last one, there's a big difference, but you can still tell it's UNLEASHED. And that's kind of the point — there is progress. It's just that you kind of get progress within what you do. And that was always important to us. And we said it from when we started the band: 'This is what it's gonna be.' Of course we didn't think we were gonna do this like 36 years later, but there was never anybody that was, like, 'Shit, you know what? I wanna put some jazz in here. I wanna do some rock and roll stuff.' It's, like, it's gotta be death metal, it's gotta be UNLEASHED."

The official music video for the first single from "Fire Upon Your Lands", a song called "War Comes Again", can be seen below.

UNLEASHED previously stated about "War Comes Again": "When your enemies do their best to take everything away from you and things look as bad as they can get, you prepare for battle and face the enemy head on! This is fundamentally what being a warrior is all about. You know it's inevitable that war will come again… and again."

From the very first crushing riffs in "Left For Dead", as the warriors of Midgard deal with the captured son of White Christ, "Fire Upon Your Lands" plunges listeners into the chaos of battle. Forged in the fire of unrelenting aggression by mastermind and founder Johnny Hedlund, venomous growls and battle cries set the tone for the neck-breaking masterpiece. Roaring riffs and razor-sharp solos unleash a sonic onslaught on "A Toast To The Fallen" while UNLEASHED create a powerful and triumphant tribute to the warriors lost in battle. Meanwhile, "To My Only Son" slows only to strike deeper, it's haunting melodies and doom-laden atmosphere embodying sorrow and honor in the face of war. In the eclipse they summon the Midgard Warriors with "Hold Your Hammers High!", an anthemic battle cry that follows the son of Thor into the unknown. Fueled by sheer aggression and grand, warlike melodies, the track stands as a testament to the band's mastery in crafting Viking battle hymns.

UNLEASHED commented: "'Fire Upon Your Lands' is our 15th album in 37 years. It is also a continuation of the storyline from the World of Odalheim, where the Midgard Warriors keep fighting for their way of life against their main enemy 'White Christ'. We hope you appreciate this new Blot of 11 songs of pure Viking death metal. See you all on the road!"

With production that captures both raw energy and cinematic depth, "Fire Upon Your Lands", proves again that UNLEASHED reign among the masters of death metal. Combining blistering death metal brutality with a timeless heavy metal core, their unrelenting power, storied legacy and unwavering commitment to their craft continue to inspire legions of fans across the world. Prepare for war, raise your hammers and join the battle live!

"Fire Upon Your Lands" track listing:

01. Left For Dead
02. A Toast To The Fallen
03. The Road To Haifa Pier
04. War Comes Again
05. Fire Upon Your Lands
06. Loyal To The End
07. Midjardarhaf
08. Hail The Varangians!
09. To My Only Son
10. Hold Your Hammers High!
11. Unknown Flag

In addition to Hedlund and Schultz, UNLEASHED's current lineup includes guitarists Tomas Måsgard and Fredrik Folkare.

Photo credit: Jens Rydén