During a three-hour interview with Shawn Ryan, a former Navy SEAL and CIA contractor, and host of the Shawn Ryan Show, MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine spoke about his brief stint as a member of METALLICA in the early 1980s. Asked how he ended up joining METALLICA, Dave responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I was done with [my previous band] PANIC and I said, 'I'm gonna find something else to do.' So I got a newspaper called The Recycler, and it's just a rag from Los Angeles, Orange County. It's like a county classified ad magazine. And I'm looking in the classified ad magazine. Go figure. The biggest band in the world would advertise in this newspaper. So I look at it and it says, 'Wanted lead guitar player' and mentioned a couple bands. So I called up and I got Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] on the phone, and I said, 'Yeah, well, I like MOTÖRHEAD and I like BUDGIE. And he goes, 'You like fucking BUDGIE, man?' And I went, 'Yeah, I do.' And that was the icebreaker because BUDGIE is a Welsh band. It's a three-piece. It's very obscure. And by me listening to them showed that I had credibility in the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal world because of the bands I was listening to. They were not a band like a white metal band or a progressive metal band. They were a three-piece from Wales that kicked ass. They didn't have to have all those silly names in front of it."

Mustaine continued: " So, [Lars and I] were on the phone, and he made that comment that I know them, and I said, 'Yeah.' So we talked about meeting face to face. And I drove down from Huntington Beach to Newport Beach where he lived in a place called — I think it was called Park Newport. And the funny thing was my mom was a maid and she had actually worked a event for catering in his complex he was in. And I'm thinking, 'Go figure. My mom was a maid here and your mom has a place here. What a story that is, two different sides of the same coin.' And so I went into his place and started talking to him. And he played this song called 'Hit The Lights' that was written by a guy named Lloyd Grant. METALLICA didn't write that song. Lloyd Grant wrote it, and then he was friends with Lars, and then Lars introduced him to James [Hetfield, METALLICA guitarist/vocalist] and then they started playing 'Hit The Lights'. That's a song that I heard from them first and I said, 'Wow, this song needs way more lead solos in it.' It was just me being cocky, being me: 'It needs more lead solos in it.' And he was trying to figure out if I was for real. And so we went to rehearsal. He said, 'We're gonna try you out.' I said, okay. I mean, I knew how good I played. I have been gifted, and I know it's not by my own doing, so I don't try to take any credit for it. So I don't care how good I am or not, or what people say or anything like that. So I just knew what I knew, what I knew. And I went to [then-METALLICA bassist] Ron McGovney's parents' fourplex. They had this place that James was living with Ron. And I went up there with Lars and I set up my amps and I plugged my guitar in and I just started warming up. [And] they wouldn't come in. They wouldn't come into the rehearsal room. So I put my guitar down and I thought, 'This is really strange.' And I walked out and I said, 'Guys, are we gonna do the audition?' They said, 'You got the gig.'"

Mustaine went on to say that he "knew" he would get the METALLICA gig when he first went to audition for the band. "'Cause I could play that stuff," he explained. "I mean, there weren't very many guitar players like me around at the time. Who were they? Randy Rhoads. There were people like that. The guy from RATT — Warren DeMartini was really great. But real shredders? There wasn't a lot of us around at the time."

Asked what it felt like being in METALLICA in those early days, Mustaine said: "Well, again, it's kind of like it seemed like this was what my destiny was. And when it came time for us to do our first concert, we played at a high school, or maybe it was a junior high school Lars might've gone to. I know he went to it, but I can't remember if it was elementary or junior or high school, whatever. And from that point on, it was just clear that whenever there was any kind of altercation that was going down, I would be the one that would take care of it. James was very peaceful, and Lars, he was a little bit of a devil; he liked to have fun. But, yeah, if there was ever any stuff going down, I had to take care of it. When we went up to San Francisco and did our first couple shows up there at a place called The Stone, I was the one who had to go and collect the money. And there's a million ways to embezzle or to be corrupt when it comes down to running a club or a bar when it involves a band getting paid. They can say all kinds of stuff. And if you don't know, you don't know. And most kids my age at that time don't know. And they try and get money and they'll say, 'Well, you sold 200 tickets and you have a bar tab here, and so we're gonna give you 150 bucks.' And you know that they made a killing on their booze. You know that they made money on the food and snacks that they have there and the ticket prices. Plus they take a giant whack of your merchandise. And that was my gig. I would go do that."

Reflecting on METALLICA's ill-fated cross-country trip in the spring of 1983 that resulted in his firing from the band, Mustaine said: "When we decided we were gonna move out to New York, that was because Lars had found somebody he wanted to manage us, this guy Jonny Zazula, who had Megaforce Records. And [Jonny] heard our demo tape, the 'No Life 'Til Leather' demo tape. And he lost his mind, just like everybody else in the world. And they wanted to get the band to come out and record a record. And while we were on the way out there, we got in a car crash. We were driving through the snow. None of us knew how to drive through snow except for Lars, because he was from Denmark. And I'm driving this Ryder truck. It's a 24-foot truck, and it had a tow bar and it had James's pickup on the back. So when we were driving, we hit black ice and the whole thing spun around while I was driving. And I managed to keep it upright in the middle of the freeway, but the truck stopped and oncoming traffic was coming towards us. And the events that happened at that location… The guy that had produced — I think he produced the first [METALLICA] record; his name's Mark Whitaker. He was the guy that was doing our sound and stuff. He almost died. I had to push him out of the way, and a truck was to the right or right where he was standing. So if I wouldn't have seen that truck coming and saved his life, he'd be dead right now. And when we went to the U-Haul place to get our truck, we placed and moved all of our gear into the new truck. James and Lars had made a decision to replace me because they tried to pin that driving thing on me as the last straw."

Addressing the allegations that his excessive drinking was the main reason he was fired from METALLICA, Mustaine said: "We all drank. That's why they called it ALCOHOLICA. I mean, they didn't call it DAVE-ALCOHOLICA. We all drank. And they continued to drink like that even after I was gone. But that was, I think, the beginning of the end. And when we got out to New York, I had a reel of tape, this quarter-inch tape, that had probably two days' worth of guitar riffs on it, just me playing and playing and playing. And we took that tape player and the reel of tape with us out to New York. We did two shows out there, and after those two shows, they woke me up one morning and said, 'Look, you're out of the band.' And I said, 'What are you talking about?' 'You're out of the band.' I said, 'No warning? No second chance? You're not gonna give me a warning? You're just gonna kick me out?' And I thought that was unfair. And it showed a grotesque lack of character. And so that pissed me off and was a huge part of the fuel. But at the time, I was really mad and I didn't wanna forgive them for what they did. And I told them when I left, 'Do not use my music. And of course they used it. [The] 'Ride The Lightning' [title track] I wrote. 'The Call Of Ktulu' I wrote. Let's see, what else? There's 'Phantom Lord', 'Metal Militia', 'Jump In The Fire', 'The Four Horsemen'. And I wrote a bunch of 'Leper Messiah' [on METALLICA's third album, 'Master Of Puppets'] too. They didn't give me credit on that. You listen to the riffs, you know they're my riffs. It's, like, you think I'm gonna all of a sudden hear my riff and say, 'That's not me.' So, yeah, I wrote a lot of their music that made them, and all the solos on that first record were mine — the best Kirk [Hammett, Mustaine's replacement in METALLICA] could try and copy them."

Asked why he was singled out and fired from METALLICA when everybody in the band drank heavily at that point, Dave said: "Because when I got drunk, I got violent. James and I had gone out to a club one time. It was the old Mabuhay [Gardens in San Francisco]. It was across the street from The Stone. And we were out front, and some guy came out of the alleyway and he said, 'There's a guy beating some girl up in the alleyway.' And, of course, I being the champion for justice, did not want to hear that and not do anything. So I went down the alleyway with James, and, of course, James not being a fighter, started yelling out, 'Kill him, kill him, kill him.' And the guy comes out from behind a van and he was much bigger than James, and he said, 'Who's gonna kill me?' And James goes — points to me. So I immediately grabbed a guy and put him down in a submission and started rabbit punching him until he stopped moving. And then we ran out of the alleyway and we stood out front until the paramedics came. And that was it. So I imagine he saw that and he figured, 'I don't wanna be part of this. Dave's already beat me up back down in Los Angeles, and he's just too violent.' 'Cause James did get a punch in the mouth from me. He kicked my puppy."

Elaborating on the punch-up that occurred between him and Hetfield, Mustaine said: "I was selling pot for a living, so one time I did a concert and people knew I was on stage, so they just shimmied the window. There was nobody there. They took all my pot, and I was pissed. So I got two dogs. My nephew took one and I took the other one, and I had taken her up with me to rehearsal. And she was playing and she's looking up at me. I'm standing over here. Ron McGovney's got this really nice GTO and she leans up against the car and puts her paws on the front quarter panel and [James] goes bang and kicked the dog. And I went, 'What did you just do? What did you just do?' And it went from the front yard into the house, and there was still stuff being said. And I said, 'You better shut up or I'm gonna punch you in the mouth. And then Ron McGovney says, 'If you hit him, you're gonna have to hit me first.' And I said, 'You stay out of it.' And then James said the same thing: 'If you hit him, you're gonna have to hit me first.' And I said, 'Okay, you win.' And bang, I hit James in the mouth, and then I hip-tossed Ron into his television set-up. And that was it. Two strikes and it was over. And Lars was pulling his hair going, 'I don't want it to end this way.' And I thought, 'You know what? I've already told you, it's either me or James.' And we did that a bunch of times, 'cause James was doing stupid stuff. And I told James the same thing. I said, 'Man, it's either me or Lars, 'cause Lars sucks.' And I got the ax in the end. So it's good. Fine."

Asked what he did after he got "axed" from METALLICA, Mustaine said: "I went home and I contacted a friend of mine and I said, 'I quit.' She said, 'No, you didn't. You got fired.' And I said, 'Yeah, I got fired. I quit. I got fired, whatever. I'm back home. Wrong word. [it's] not changing the outcome.' And I made sure not to ever say that I quit, 'cause I wanted people to know that I was unfairly dismissed and that I didn't give a shit. 'Cause we [MEGADETH] may not be as big as they [METALLICA] are. Hell, their biggest song, 'Enter Sandman', go look up the band EXCEL right now. Look up their song — I think it's something 'Into The Unknown'. [Editor's note: The track is actually called 'Tapping Into The Emotional Void'.] Pretty similar."

A decade ago, Grant told the "Rockzone Legends" show that he first heard "Hit The Lights" when Ulrich played it for him before their first rehearsal with Hetfield. "James was playing bass and I was playing guitar and Lars was playing drums," Lloyd recalled. "And we rehearsed that 'Hit The Lights' song. But way before that, Lars let me hear that song. We were hanging out watching soccer, and he says, 'Hey, I met this guy,' blah blah blah, 'and he's exactly what we wanna jam with.' And he played this one song, and it was great, and that's how I first was introduced to 'Hit The Lights'. And after that, I went over and jammed a few times. Then he called me and said they were gonna be on this compilation album ['Metal Massacre'] and he brought over a tape of 'Hit The Lights' recorded on a four-track and asked me to make some solos for that, and they were gonna bring the four-track down and they were just gonna put it out an dump it on the compilation album."

In a November 2022 interview with Greg Prato of Songfacts, Mustaine was asked to elaborate on his comment that he would like to collaborate again with Hetfield. Asked if he actually discussed that with James, Dave said: "The last time we talked it didn't end very well because we have some memory of a couple of things that took place when I was in the band. I remember it one way and he is saying that it happened another. But it's about somebody else — it's not even him. He's talking to me on behalf of 'you know who'," apparently referring to Ulrich. "They wanted to release 'No Life 'Til Leather' [the early METALLICA demo Mustaine was on] — 27 songs, posters, flyers, pictures, everything. I said I would love to do this thing, and James said, 'Look, we fucked up. The last three things we've done failed abysmally.' He said it was 'Lulu' [METALLICA's collaboration with Lou Reed, released in 2011], something called Orion [a festival called Orion Music + More that took place in 2012 and 2013], and there was one other thing... I think it was a film about a fan or something [the 2013 film 'Metallica: Through The Never']. I don't know. I don't see them as a failure. But I had said, 'Yeah, I'd be interested.' And he said, 'We'd like to get everything right with all the history, the publishing and stuff.' And I said, 'Good.' Because part of the reason why we haven't been able to really reconcile is because I had songs that when I left I didn't want them to record, and they went ahead and recorded them but they didn't pay me what my share of the songs were.

"James and I wrote 'Metal Militia' and 'Phantom Lord' — every note," Dave continued. "And somehow, on the record ['Kill 'Em All'] it says Lars gets 10%. And on 'Metal Militia' that Kirk gets some of it, and he wasn't even in the band.

"So I've come to terms with it, and when he said, 'We'd like to get this right,' I said, 'Great. Let's do it. I have no problem.' And when I said, 'This is what it is,' he said, 'No. It's kind of what it was, and that's how it is.' And I thought to myself, you know what? When you guys did that to me before, it was not cool. I said, 'Don't use my stuff' and you did it, and then didn't give me my fair share. So why would I want to willingly enter into something like that? I wouldn't. So that's where we stand right now.

"I would love to work with James. I'd like to work with Lars again, too, but I think the real talent in METALLICA has always been around the guitar — everybody makes fun of the drums.

"Lars is a really great song arranger. And believe it or not, I watched him on a piece-of-shit acoustic guitar write the opening riff to 'Master Of Puppets'. You know what that was? It was a guy with a guitar that doesn't know how to play, and he's going [mimics playing a chromatic run] on the neck. It wasn't anything really mind-blowing by any means. The way James played it made it mind-blowing."

Seven years ago, Mustaine said that he didn't want to "perpetuate false information" by giving Ulrich songwriting credit on the previously announced expanded version of "No Life 'Til Leather".

"No Life 'Til Leather" was released as a limited-edition cassette for Record Store Day in April 2015, available exclusively in independent record stores. It featured artwork copies from drummer Ulrich's own personal copy of the original demo, as well as his handwriting. At the time, the band also promised that expanded editions of the demo, which had never before been commercially available, would arrive on CD, vinyl and in a collector's set.

The seven-song tape was recorded with the first lineup of the band that appeared live as METALLICA, including Ulrich, Hetfield, lead guitarist Mustaine and bassist Ron McGovney. The original recordings were paid for by High Velocity record label owner Kenny Kane, with a view of making them available as an EP in 1982.

Mustaine discussed the proposed expanded edition of "No Life 'Til Leather" during a June 2018 interview with U.K.'s Kerrang! magazine. Saying that the last time he spoke to Hetfield was when the METALLICA guitarist/vocalist called him to talk about the "No Life 'Til Leather" re-release, Mustaine recalled: "He was trying to get me to give publishing over to Lars, despite James and I being the sole songwriters. Lars wanted a percentage and I just said no. I love James, he's a terrific guitar player, but yeah, I can't do that. The songs are already out there. I'm not going to release something just to have a product to sell — especially if they are perpetuating false information. Lars did not write the songs. It was just me and James. Period."

Ulrich told Metal Forces in 2016 that "some unexpected difficulties on the legal side… prevented the 'No Life 'Til Leather' box set and our vision for how we were going to kick this whole reissue series off. We spent some time doing that dance, but then James and I decided that it wasn't worth it getting bogged down in all the unpleasantries, because this was supposed to be a celebration and not end up being a tug of war, so we thought, 'You know what? Fuck it. We'll just move on to 'Kill 'Em All'," he said.

Ulrich did not want to get into the details of the exact issues that were preventing the demo tape from being released. "It's a little more complicated than that," he said. "There's no reason to go deeper into it. It was just something that we hadn't expected."

Back in November 2017, Mustaine tweeted that he was contacted by Hetfield two years earlier about "officially" releasing "No Life Till Leather" with "27 tracks, pics, the whole enchilada," but, he said, "the talks broke down because Lars wanted credit on two songs I wrote every note and word to. I have the texts. I passed."

When Ulrich spoke to Metal Forces in 2016, he made it clear that METALLICA was still hopeful that the expanded version "No Life 'Til Leather" would arrive at a later date. "As you know, I am the eternal optimist, and I am the eternal 'glass is well fucking half full,' so who knows?" he said. "I think some of those parties have circled back around now that they've seen that this is real and so we'll have to see. It would be great to share 'No Life 'Til Leather' in a year or two with our fans and with the people that care. We haven't shut the door on it."

"No Life 'Til Leather" was recorded on July 6, 1982 at Chateau East Studio in Tustin, California. All the songs on the tape later appeared on the band's 1983 debut album, "Kill 'Em All", including "Hit The Lights", "Motorbreath", "Jump In The Fire", "Seek And Destroy", "Metal Militia", "Phantom Lord" and "The Mechanix", which was renamed "The Four Horsemen" on the album.

Mustaine was a member of METALLICA for less than two years, from 1981 to 1983, before being dismissed and replaced by Hammett.

Mustaine was not inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with METALLICA during the April 2009 ceremony at Cleveland, Ohio's Public Auditorium. Ulrich later explained to The Plain Dealer that Mustaine "never played on any METALLICA records. No disrespect to him. But there [were] half a dozen other people that were in the lineup in the early days. We thought... the fair thing to do would be to include anybody that played on a METALLICA record." He added: "Dave Mustaine was in the band for eleven months, predominantly in 1982... I'm not trying to play it down. I have nothing but respect and admiration for his accomplishments since."

During an appearance on the latest episode of The Candid Mic With Fran Strine podcast, David Ellefson spoke about his last stint with MEGADETH, which began in 2010 with a tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of the "Rust In Peace" album and ended in 2021 when he was fired after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter. He said about his initial return to MEGADETH 15 years ago (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I said, 'Look, I'll come back for a month. Let me just get through this tour. We'll see how it goes.' And it went well. And I'd been there as an owner of the company. I was no longer an owner at this point. I was just a hired sideman musician, which, quite honestly, at that point I was okay with. I was kind of, like, well, as much as the owner also can get a lot of the perks, I know the owner of the business gets paid last. And if things fuck up or a show cancels or anything happens, guess what? Now you're on the hook for all the bills too. And that happened a lot over the years. So I was, like, 'Well, let me just try… Let me keep it simple, keep it easy.' And as we went around the world, it was great. With the 'Big Four' [tour featuring METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX], it was cool because I was back in MEGADETH, Joey Belladonna was back in ANTHRAX, Dave Lombardo was back in SLAYER. Everybody was back home, and the excitement for each of our bands as well as all of our bands together was huge."

He continued: "For MEGADETH, we got another 10 years, 11 years out of it, won a Grammy. So I feel like a lot of our story together in MEGADETH with me and Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader] got to be completed as well. And if that means we never play together again — oh, well. It was a good couple of chapters. And if one day we do, well, then we'll see where that goes. But I think you don't sit around and wait for those things. You just get on with it. You just get moving forward. And I certainly didn't stop. I just kept going."

When host Fran Strine suggested that Ellefson is "busier" now than he has ever have been, David said: "Yeah. And I feel lighter, to be honest with you. I wake up and every day is a day, like, 'All right. What are we gonna do today?'"

Asked if he has spoken with Mustaine since his May 2021 dismissal from MEGADETH, Ellefson said: "Nope. Not one word. No need to. After that? No, I don't need to be your friend. I'll move on.

"Look, the ending of that friendship was a long time in the making," Ellefson explained. "It really started in 2018… There was some stuff that I was just — and I was vocal about it. I stood up for what I felt to be the right thing. And, of course, that was not well received… [It was] just about writing the new album, the next album that took five years to make. And every time I would try to write and put something on it, it would get taken off. And it seemed very personal. And at some point it's just kind of, like, 'Look, dude, if you don't want me here, fuck it. I'll move on.' So I guess it took what it took and what happened, happened. And then that was the moment to just sort of abolish it and make it all go away.

"The first time out the door [in the early 2000s], there was legal stuff [to sort out between me and Dave], 'cause we were legally bound into — we were owners of a business and a corporation. So that's not uncommon, to have that. And a lot of that was just so that I could get paid direct from all the sources, so that my money wouldn't keep flowing through MEGADETH. It was just so I could I get paid directly from Capitol and Warner Brothers and everybody. So it was worth going through that process, as shitty as it is. But because we settled it, it did allow at a later day for me to come back and go through all that again. And that's why I didn't fight my way out the door, and I didn't talk a bunch of smack. It was just kind of, like, 'All right, well, look, if we can't get along, just move on.'

"I'm the guy that I don't close doors," David explained. "I don't slam it in people's [faces and say], 'Fuck you. That's it. And you'll never work in this town again.' Because you're mad in the moment. That's all it is. Just move on. Just keep moving on.

"I didn't see coming back to MEGADETH in 2010, and suddenly there it was. It was in the front view and it worked out great. It was glorious, it was huge and we accomplished a lot of great stuff together. But that group is not about being…

"People always talk about the '90s, the 'Rust In Peace' era, where we were very much a group," Ellefson added. "It was very much a group. We worked together, we fought together, we won together. We scaled the mountains and won the battle together. It's not that anymore. It's the Dave show, and that's the way they want it. And as you can see, I've got a lot of other things I wanna say in my life and a lot of other things I wanna do in my life. And I always try to kind of angle it so that it speaks well back into MEGADETH, rather than oppose it. Why oppose what I've done? That's like shitting on my own work. So it's, like, hold that up in high regard, high esteem, because it is — we really did some great stuff together — and then just kind of move on from it. So, that way you're not tarnishing your own past and your own work. It's, like, why fight with yourself?"

Ellefson was originally in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, when the group briefly broke up because Mustaine suffered severe nerve damage that left him unable to play.

Mustaine reformed MEGADETH 21 years ago. Originally setting out to record a solo album, Mustaine enlisted studio musicians to play on what ultimately became MEGADETH's 2004 "The System Has Failed" comeback album, subsequently recruiting former ICED EARTH bassist James MacDonough to take Ellefson's place for the album's touring cycle.

Ellefson sued Mustaine in 2004 for $18.5 million, alleging that the MEGADETH guitarist/vocalist still owed him substantial merchandise and publishing royalties. In January 2005, the case was dismissed in court, and five years later, Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH.

In his first book, Ellefson admitted that he became a salaried employee upon his return to MEGADETH 15 years ago. He told Metal-Rules.com in an interview: "Going from being a co-founding owner to just a sideman musician was initially why I didn't come back in 2004. I was not happy with the participations that were presented to me. In recent times, coming back, I found great joy in doing music with a lot of other people in other settings that helped me fall back in love with playing music. Now I can come back into or go into musical situations and be able to be there for a purpose and level of pay. Being a sideman absolves you from being involved in all the other stuff. At this point in my life, I would rather leave that stuff on the sidelines. Like American Express says, 'membership has its privileges,' being a sideman has its benefits. In my case, it helps retain a friendship too. In order to have a friendship, I had to give up some ownership."

In his 2004 lawsuit against Mustaine, Ellefson claimed that he "attempted to resolve his differences with Mustaine on an amicable basis and offered to continue to perform with [MEGADETH]." However, his "offers were met with verbal abuse, threats, lies and continued invective from Mustaine." Ellefson also said that Mustaine — a veteran of at least 17 drug rehab stints, according to the bassist — resented Ellefson, a former drug addict, for having kicked his own habit. According to Ellefson's court papers, the battle of the band spread to the Internet when Mustaine posted on Megadeth.com that Ellefson was trying to extort him.

Mustaine gave his version of why the 2004 reunion with Ellefson didn't pan out in a message posted on the MEGADETH web site. In lengthy essay, Mustaine claimed that Ellefson missed several deadlines to accept his offer, which included 20% of the artist royalties on "The System Has Failed", none of the publishing royalties and a $2,500-a-week salary while the band was on the road.

Swedish thrash metal pioneers THE HAUNTED have shared the official music video for the song "Death To The Crown". The track is taken from the band's tenth studio album, "Songs Of Last Resort", which is being released today (Friday, May 30) via THE HAUNTED's longtime partners Century Media Records.

THE HAUNTED guitarist Ola Englund comments: "'Death To The Crown' is one of those songs that just came out of pure frustration. It's about that feeling when you're watching politicians or leaders treat real people like pawns in some kind of game. It's not about any one person or country — it's about the bigger pattern. Power going to people's heads, egos growing out of control, and the rest of us left dealing with the mess. It's heavy. It's aggressive. It's THE HAUNTED."

In a recent interview with J.J. Caithcart of Different Stages Radio, THE HAUNTED guitarist Patrik Jensen was asked why it has taken so long for him and his bandmates to release the follow-up to 2017's "Strength In Numbers". Patrik said: "We've never taken a break. We've always been wanting to write the next album. Ola has always had new material, 'cause he has his YouTube channel. He demos stuff all the time and he has to write stuff every week. Jonas [Björler, THE HAUNTED bassist] was feeling burnt out from writing two AT THE GATES albums on his own. His twin brother wasn't in [AT THE GATES at the time]. Anders is back [in AT THE GATES] now. But, yeah, so [Jonas] was burnt out from that.

"See, when THE HAUNTED started out, we were rehearsing band," Patrik explained. "We were a rehearsing band for much longer than the other of our Gothenburg peers. So that's how we write our music. The kind of thrash that we play, it kind of leans forward, and it needs that live feel to it to make it feel appropriate to the genre. But after we changed a lot of members in 2012, we all live in different cities — all of us. Even different countries, as our drummer Adrian [Erlandsson] lives in London since '99 when he left THE HAUNTED to join CRADLE OF FILTH.

"But yeah, so after 'Strength In Numbers', I felt that… It feels a bit stiff. I wanted the next album to sound more like THE HAUNTED did back in the day. And I didn't know that what I had on my computer, the tools I had, the guitar plugins [were] holding me back. But to try to get things moving, I booked a studio here in my hometown. We flew Adrian over, so just him and me, we were gonna have six days in the studio and write songs. I had a bunch of ideas. We were gonna make a fair amount of songs here. So we had everything set up. We went back to my place. He was crashing on my couch. We were gonna start fresh the following day. Adrian comes down with a tummy bug and he's wiped out for three days. And then, on day three, of course I get it, 'cause that's how tummy bugs work. So I was still sick when he had to go back and pack everything up and get on his plane home. So not one single minute came out of that, that whole thing. So that was a bummer. That was 2021. We also had the pandemic in between there. But in 2018 I started working as leading a guitar team at a company that makes guitar plugins. So, in March last year, we put out a high-gain guitar plugin, the ENGL Savage. And when I played that, I realized that this sounds just like I'm sitting in the rehearsal space. That's where I grew up. Ola, he's a few years younger than the rest of us, so he's used to playing everything in the computer; that's how he's always done it. But all of a sudden it felt like home. I could get everything out of my right hand that I want. So between March last year and the end of summer — so what is that, six months? — I had written 11 songs for this album. I had no idea I was so held back by the tools I had at my disposal. So all of a sudden I had songs, Ola has always had songs. I told the other guys, 'Okay, we're gonna record this in November.' I found a studio, the studio that I've learned to know through the work I do with THE HALO EFFECT. And, of course, they were happy, but they were skeptical. With so many years and nothing happening, they were, like, 'Are we really gonna be ready?' 'Yeah, man, we're gonna be ready.' And eventually, Jonas got going too. And, yeah, we entered the studio and this thing came out."

Regarding how "Songs Of Last Resort" turned out, Jensen said: "You're always happy about a new album, but we didn't know. We think it's a really good album. We didn't know when we entered the studio that it was gonna be more than a new album, if that makes sense. But when things started to get added, the beginning of the mix, when we started to hear the songs with vocals and solos, we were, like, in our chat group, 'This sounds really good.' Everyone was chiming in. So maybe it was worth the wait, but, yeah, we never intended it for to be eight years. Now we're back on track. I've already started to write for the next album, 'cause it's just so easy. I say 'easy' — it is work, but I don't feel held back anymore."

According to Patrik, the reception to the LP's first two singles, "Warhead" and "In Fire Reborn", has been "very good. As a band, because it's been eight years, we were curious if people even remember us," he said. "So we've, or at least I have, read the comments [from people online]. I know a few other guys [in the band] have too. People are very happy about the songs. We are very happy about them, of course, but there's a lot of great comments. And we've never had the numbers of views on YouTube increase so fast that we have with these two songs. And friends have texted me, people I know all around the world, and some of the nicest or the best compliments I've ever gotten is that people say that it feels like coming home. And I understand what they mean.

"When I grew up, I listened to KISS," Patrik explained. "No one else listened to KISS in my class, when you're, whatever, 12. And then one summer into seventh grade or eighth grade, I show up for school and everyone has JUDAS PRIEST patches and SAXON and, whatever, Ozzy [Osbourne]. And so I just dove headfirst into that. It was great. And I thought, 'Oh, KISS is just old bag. I don't care about them anymore.' Then on TV, I saw a live video of 'Love Gun', and I was, like, 'Ah, this is the band I cared so much about.' And that made me feel like coming home again. So I know exactly what people mean by that, and that is the best compliment I've ever gotten, I think. Like, 'Oh, yeah. I cared so much about this band, and they're back.' It means a lot."

The official music videos for previously released singles "In Fire Reborn" and "Warhead", both of which were directed by Patric Ullaeus of rEvolver (IN FLAMES, ARCH ENEMY, DIMMU BORGIR),can be seen below.

With music recorded by Oscar Nilsson at Studio Bohus, main vocals recorded by Björn Strid at The Cellar Studio, "Songs Of Last Resort" was mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (KREATOR, ARCH ENEMY, SEPULTURA). Artwork was once again provided by longtime visual collaborator Andreas "Diaz" Pettersson.

"Songs Of Last Resort" track listing:

01. Warhead (03:39)
02. In Fire Reborn (03:18)
03. Death To The Crown (02:56)
04. To Bleed Out (04:29)
05. Unbound (03:34)
06. Hell Is Wasted On The Dead (02:53)
07. Through The Fire (03:01)
08. Collateral Carnage (04:03)
09. Blood Clots (01:30)
10. Salvation Recalled (03:26)
11. Labyrinth Of Lies (03:30)
12. Letters Of Last Resort (04:06)

"Songs of Last Resort" is available as a limited CD mediabook and poster (including the bonus track "Feeding The Furnace"),as a standard CD jewelcase, as a digital album and as a 180g LP and poster.

THE HAUNTED 2025 is:

Ola Englund – rhythm, lead guitar
Jonas Björler - bass, backing vocals
Marco Aro - lead vocals
Adrian Erlandsson - drums
Patrik Jensen - rhythm guitar

"Strength In Numbers" was released in August 2017 via Century Media. That disc was recorded at Parlour Studios in the U.K. with producer Russ Russell (NAPALM DEATH, DIMMU BORGIR, THE EXPLOITED). The artwork for "Strength In Numbers" was created by THE HAUNTED's longtime designer Andreas Pettersson.

Back in 2017, Englund told Heavy Music HQ about the differences between "Strength In Numbers" and its predecessor, 2014's "Exit Wounds": I think with 'Exit Wounds' that there was a hunger and urge to just show that THE HAUNTED is not slowing down or done, for that matter. That album is full force throughout. For 'Strength In Numbers', we definitely had more time to reflect and not rush into the studio in the same way. The songs slowly developed over time and overall it feels like it's a more mature album. Also, of course, the guys let me take a much bigger role for the album writing with this one, and I definitely felt more comfortable to take more space."

Photo credit: Linda Florin

FIT FOR A KING will release its eighth album, "Lonely God", on August 1 via Solid State Records. The LP was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Daniel Braunstein (SPIRITBOX).

FIT FOR A KING, which just wrapped up a sold-out North American tour with KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, KUBLAI KHAN TX and FROZEN SOUL, has shared the official music video for the "Lonely God" title track. Check it out below.

"Lonely God" boasts all the sonic hallmarks FIT FOR A KING fans have come to know and love — gnarly riffs, guttural growls, deep grooves, and a slightly industrial crunch that takes things to the next level, every single time.

"In general, 'Lonely God' relates to the pursuit of power," states FIT FOR A KING vocalist Ryan Kirby about the track. "They're trading companionship, relationships, and love for power and money. You may have all of the power and be a 'God,' but it's a lonely spot because the world despises you."

Further expanding on the album itself, Kirby says: "'Lonely God' is the result of us writing with no agendas. We didn't care about which song could be viral, or if we needed radio tracks, etc. We just wrote what we wanted, for the first time, in a really long time."

He finishes: "All five of us have our fingerprints on this album. We found a way to balance our voices. We've always been genuine with the lyrics, and that's the case again. There's so much heart behind all of the instrumentation too. There's definitely a lot of growth because our bond is tighter than ever."

"Lonely God" track listing:

01. Begin The Sacrifice
02. The Temple
03. Extinction
04. No Tomorrow
05. Shelter
06. Monolith (feat. Lochie Keogh)
07. Lonely God
08. Between Us
09. Sentient
10. Blue Venom
11. Technium (feat. Landon Tewers)
12. Witness The End (feat. Chris Motionless)

FIT FOR A KING harness the power of their brotherhood in order to push forward. The music contains traces of the members' personal and collective experiences grafted onto an ever-evolving sonic palette of metalcore unpredictability, alternative melody, and deathcore brutality laced with electronic alchemy. As trends came and went in the background of the last decade, the quintet has weathered trials and tribulations as well as enduring the chaos of a world constantly influx. However, their bond stretches back to 2011 when FIT FOR A KING unleashed their independent debut "Descendants". They continually progressed with "Creation/Destruction" (2013),"Slave To Nothing" (2014),"Deathgrip" (2016) and "The Path" (2020). Meanwhile, 2022's "The Hell We Create" marked their fifth Top 3 debut on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart and third straight Top 15 debut on the Top Album Sales chart. Outburn applauded how, "With 'The Hell We Create', FIT FOR A KING takes on a new depth," and Kerrang! assured, "It hits hard in all the right places." They've impressively garnered just shy of half a billion streams fueled by staples like "When Everything Means Nothing", "The Price Of Agony", "Breaking The Mirror" and more. Along the way, they also collaborated with the likes of AUGUST BURNS RED, THE PLOT IN YOU, THE GHOST INSIDE and WE CAME AS ROMANS in addition to packing houses on tour.

Photo credit: Jonathan Weiner

HALESTORM, the Grammy-winning band initially formed by siblings Lzzy and Arejay Hale with guitarist Joe Hottinger and bassist Josh Smith, will release "Everest", its sixth studio album, on August 8 on Atlantic Records. The official music video for the LP's title track can be seen below.

"Our song 'Everest' is the summit of everything we've fought for — every scream, every scar, every triumph," declares HALESTORM frontwoman Lzzy Hale. "This album is us, louder and bolder, and more brutally honest than ever, standing tall in the face of the storm."

The intense "Everest" visual includes a variety of clips of humans on the brink and imminent explosions, both literal and metaphorical. Interspersed with the vignettes is a rage-fuelled, passionate performance by the band.

"Everest" follows "Darkness Always Wins", the album's first radio single, which just entered the top 20 at Active Rock radio in the USA, and is already on the B-list at both Planet Rock radio and Kerrang! Radio in the U.K.

Earlier this week, HALESTORM kicked off a tour in Europe supporting the legendary IRON MAIDEN. Following that run, HALESTORM will perform at BLACK SABBATH's final show on July 5, and then they'll travel back to the U.S. to tour with VOLBEAT. In September, they'll kick off the "nEVEREST" North American tour with Lindsey Stirling and APOCALYPTICA.

Produced by Grammy winner Dave Cobb (Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell),"Everest" dives deeply, both lyrically and sonically, into the band's mountainous climb over the last couple decades.

"Our album 'Everest' is a story of our journey as a band, full of beautiful endings and new beginnings," Lzzy previously said. "We weave a tangled web of melancholy, frustration, anger and the vast purgatory of love and love lost. It is a rollercoaster of epic musical detours, great songwriting and completely unhinged twists and turns. 'Everest' is an auditory representation of the four pillars of HALESTORM. Let us reintroduce ourselves and invite you into our world…if you dare."

Rolling Stone said of "Darkness Always Wins", "What the song has going for is its catchy, brooding, and dramatic in all the ways we love HALESTORM songs to be," and Revolver noted "The arrangement remains lean even as the amps begin to crank into the red, though 'Darkness Always Wins' still sports some exquisite minor-key melodicism, a metal-chunked bridge, loud-as-hell requiem bells and a classically rippin' rock guitar solo."

"Everest" track listing:

01. Fallen Star
02. Everest
03. Shiver
04. Like A Woman Can
05. Rain Your Blood On Me
06. Darkness Always Wins
07. Gather The Lambs
08. WATCH OUT!
09. Broken Doll
10. K-I-L-L-I-N-G
11. I Gave You Everything
12. How Will You Remember Me?

In a recent interview with Cutter's Rockcast, Lzzy spoke about HALESTORM's songwriting and recording sessions with Cobb, known for his previous collaborations with the likes of Sammy Hagar, Slash, GRETA VAN FLEET and RIVAL SONS. Regarding the musical direction of the band's follow-up to 2022's "Back From The Dead", Lzzy said: "It's really hard to describe this one. We did the record with Dave Cobb, which is a new producer for us. His ADHD mixed very well with our ADHD. But we didn't do it traditionally the way we always do these albums. First day, we walked in and I always have, like, whatever, a ton of half-written songs or full-written songs, or, 'Here's a riff or whatever' — you come in with your bag of tricks. And Dave Cobb says, 'Oh, we're not gonna do any of that.' And I'm, like, 'What do you mean?' He's, like, 'We're not doing demos. I hate demos. What we're gonna do is we're gonna start and we're gonna write, and as we're writing, we're recording at the same time.' So that's what we did. The first day we actually ended up writing our first single that'll be coming out soon. But, yeah, we started, like, 'Okay, who's got a line?' 'Oh, I have this that I thought of yesterday.' 'Cool. That'll work. Let's go.' Set up the drums, set up the guitar, here's the vocals. And so we would be recording while we were writing it, and then we would get done and we would move on to the next day. And so there are songs that don't even have a click track to them or a guide because we forgot."

Lzzy continued: "There's so many different elements of songs that we used to write when we were kids, but, obviously, as adults — a lot of that feeling. It was kind of an emotional rollercoaster. There's also, I think, some of the heaviest songs we've ever written on there, some really beautiful mid-tempos. A lot of personalities that I've always wanted to kind of put on a record, but I never really had the freedom or time to, because usually when we do a HALESTORM record, it's, like, 'Okay, we have to have all the songs picked. We have to have them rehearsed.' We go in and kind of do it like an assembly line. Like, 'Okay, you do the bass, do the drums, do the guitar, do the vocals, and we're good.' So there's no time to really like sit with things before they're, like, 'Okay, we've already decided we're gonna do that.' And so the freedom and kind of the nerve-racking kind of element of the fact that there wasn't really a plan ended up being the special sauce on this album, because we were just chasing everything that got us excited. And if it wasn't a 'hell yeah', it was a 'hell no'. So there's nothing on there on this album that we don't feel complete ownership over. There's nothing on this album that anybody forced us to do. There's nothing on this album that isn't part of our personalities."

Elaborating on why the new HALESTORM album feels like it is a return to the band's roots in a way, Lzzy said: "My bass player said it yesterday. He's, like, 'It's kind of like this long road to the beginning,' 'cause all of the guys at one point in time said this really feels like we're back in our parents' basement again and we're hustling and we're trying to figure out how to write songs on the radio. But we have all this knowledge now. So everything ended up coming together so incredibly well. But it was almost like the reverse, that the music was telling us what to do and not us trying to like shoehorn anything in.

"I'm telling you, man, — it is the most HALESTORM record we've ever done," Lzzy added. "It is the first time in the 20 years we've been on Atlantic Records that we have not felt lorded over in regarding to making records, because usually it's time crunch. Somebody's always there being, like, 'Oh, we can't do that.' 'Oh, you probably shouldn't say that.' 'What about this thing?' And that kind of thing. So it usually becomes like a project, like a group project.

"We didn't do it in Nashville — we did it in Savannah, Georgia, locked in a house in the middle of nowhere, next to a river," Hale revealed. "The guys and I would wake up like around 11:30 a.m., we would start recording and we wouldn't stop until 4:00 a.m. And then we would annoy the hell out of the engineer who was trying to sleep with playing on the proper keyboard and coming up with weird stuff. But we were unsupervised in the best way, and it was all about, who are we now? Who were we then? This is our story. For me, when I listen to this album, it's my personal opus — all the things that I've gone through in my life, both dark and not. There's more questions than answers. It's not just me giving myself a pep talk, like 'I'm the fire', 'I'm back from the dead.' It's like I'm dealing with a lot of my reality and a lot of the reality of the world in my own way. And then it's also our story as a band, and you can really hear it in the music and in the lyrics. So I'm so excited for people to hear it. And it's to the point where it's, like, I don't even really care if anybody likes it because all four of us are, like, 'This is our favorite album we've ever done.'"

Fronted by Lzzy with drummer Arejay Hale, guitarist Joe Hottinger and bassist Josh Smith, HALESTORM's music has earned multiple platinum and gold certifications from the RIAA, and the band has earned a reputation as a powerful live music force, headlining sold-out shows and topping festival bills around the world, and sharing the stage with icons including HEAVEN & HELL, Alice Cooper, Joan Jett and JUDAS PRIEST. Additionally, Lzzy was named the first female brand ambassador for Gibson and served as host of AXS TV's "A Year In Music".

Photo: Jimmy Fontaine

EVANESCENCE's Amy Lee and Grammy-nominated singer Halsey have released the official Hannah Lux Davis-directed music video for their collaborative song "Hand That Feeds". Check it out below.

"Hand That Feeds" is taken from the new John Wick spin-off movie "Ballerina", which is due in theaters on June 6. The film marks the first big-screen spinoff for the popular "Wick" series. It stars Ana de Armas as Eve, an assassin seeking revenge on the people who killed her family.

Lee and Halsey performed "Hand That Feeds" live for the first time when EVANESCENCE supported Halsey at her show on May 14 at the famed Hollywood Bowl.

When "Hand That Feeds" was first announced on May 6, Lee took to her social media to write: "So thrilled to bring you a new song, 'Hand That Feeds' with Halsey. We've been fans of each other's work for a long time and it really feels like the universe pulled us together for this moment. We already had the Hollywood Bowl show in place when Lionsgate invited us to work on a song for the Ballerina Movie together, and it's finally time to serve it UP! Cannot wait for you all to hear!!"

In a text message to fans, Halsey shared a snippet of "Hand That Feeds", writing in an accompanying message: "I really hope I see some of you guys on the For My Last Trick tour. Here is something to hold you over … (the answer is yes, I am freaking out about it)."

Halsey has reportedly been a fan of EVANESCENCE since childhood. When promoting her 2024 album "The Great Impersonator", Halsey dressed up as 18 of her musical heroes, one of whom was Lee. Recreating the EVANESCENCE "Fallen" album cover, Halsey wrote on Instagram that Lee was her "OG dark rock queen". Halsey also shared a childhood photo in which she sported an EVANESCENCE t-shirt. "I wore that shirt into the ground," she wrote.

Directed by Len Wiseman, "Ballerina" is produced by John Wick's Chad Stahelski and features performances from Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, with Ian McShane and Keanu Reeves alongside de Armas.

EVANESCENCE last released new music in March, with the arrival of the song "Afterlife" for the Netflix series "Devil May Cry". The track, which was co-written by critically acclaimed producer, songwriter and musician Alex Seaver, professionally known as Mako, and Lee, was performed live for the first time last night during the Hollywood Bowl show (see video below).

Delivering a number of dynamic rock hits over the last two decades, EVANESCENCE recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its landmark debut album, "Fallen", originally released in 2003. They recognized the milestone with a special anniversary edition of the smash album, which spawned gigantic rock hits like "Bring Me To Life", "Going Under" and "My Immortal", kickstarting a thriving career they're still carrying out today.

To date, EVANESCENCE has released a total of five studio albums, including the multi-platinum "The Open Door" (2004) and "Evanescence" (2011),both of which topped the Billboard 200. In 2021, the band thrilled fans with their first album of new material in a decade, "The Bitter Truth". Now 20 years on, EVANESCENCE continues to scale new heights. Featuring a lineup of Amy Lee (vocals, keyboards),Tim McCord (guitar/bass),Will Hunt (drums),Troy McLawhorn (guitars) and Emma Anzai (bass, backing vocals),the band continues to travel the globe, staging some of the most successful shows of their career, having wrapped a run of sold-out shows in Latin America, including Allianz Parque, a soccer stadium in Sāo Paulo, Brazil, which was the biggest headline show of EVANESCENCE's career to date, drawing 40,000 fans.

Shortly following its release in March 2021, "The Bitter Truth" rose to the top of the iTunes Album charts in 22 countries and also landed the top spot on Billboard's Top Hard Rock Albums chart.

EVANESCENCE first topped the Hard Rock Albums chart in October 2011 with its self-titled effort. The album stayed atop the list for three weeks.

"The Bitter Truth" was recorded during the pandemic and confronted the dark realities of the world head-on. Yet its resounding message was one of light: pushing through is better than giving up.

Legendary musician and Rock & Roll Hall Of Famer, John Fogerty, has announced the release of a powerful new album, Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years, arriving August 22 via Concord.

The 20-track collection features newly recorded versions of Fogerty’s most beloved songs – from “Proud Mary” and “Bad Moon Rising” to “Fortunate Son” and “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” – marking both a celebration of an iconic catalog and a personal reclamation of artistic ownership. Fogerty announced the album from the stage during his sold-out 80th birthday bash last night at NYC’s Beacon Theatre. He returns to the Beacon stage tonight for another thrilling performance.

For the first time in his career, Fogerty fully owns the rights to his groundbreaking Creedence Clearwater Revival catalog – a milestone decades in the making. With “Legacy”, he offers fresh takes on the music that continues to define American rock, recorded with renewed energy and a deep sense of purpose as he celebrates his 80th birthday.

“For most of my life I did not own the songs I had written,” says Fogerty. “Getting them back changes everything. Legacy is my way of celebrating that – of playing these songs on my terms, with the people I love.”

Produced by Fogerty and his son Shane Fogerty, with executive production by his wife Julie Fogerty, Legacy is a family affair through and through. Julie Fogerty says, “I knew first-hand how much it meant for John to get his publishing back. It has been so joyful and beautiful since this happened for him. This is a celebration of his life’s work. It is the biggest party for the good guy/artist winning.”

Both Shane and his brother Tyler Fogerty perform throughout the album, recorded with Matt Chamberlain, Bob Malone, Bob Glaub and Rob Stone. It was mixed by legendary engineer Bob Clearmountain. The result is a vibrant, electrifying collection that captures the raw spirit of Fogerty’s original songs while infusing them with vital new life.

Today, new recordings of “Up Around The Bend”, “Have You Ever Seen The Rain”, and “Porterville” are available to stream on DSPs. Listen here. Watch the album trailer below.

The album’s release comes during a banner year for Fogerty, who continues to experience a remarkable career resurgence. From a recent induction at the American Music Honors, introduced by Bruce Springsteen, to headlining sets at JazzFest (hailed as a “home run” in a Times Picayune front-page rave review), Glastonbury, The Hollywood Bowl, and more, Fogerty is as fierce and joyful as ever. His recent Celebration Tour sold out venues across the country, and his iconic Chronicle anthology has spent over 14 consecutive years on the Billboard 200.

In another major cultural moment, Fogerty has teamed up with Eric Church and NASCAR on Prime to create the league’s brand-new anthem — a reimagined version of his classic “Up Around The Bend”, available exclusively on Amazon Music.

Still, for Fogerty, the thrill remains rooted in the music itself. As Legacy makes clear, the fire still burns. The album is a testament to an artist who’s not only reclaimed his songs, but continues to shape the sound of American rock & roll — even as he turns 80.



Tracklisting:

“Up Around The Bend”
“Who’ll Stop The Rain”
“Proud Mary”
“Have You Ever Seen The Rain”
“Lookin’ Out My Back Door”
“Born On The Bayou”
“Run Through The Jungle”
“Someday Never Comes”
“Porterville”
“Hey Tonight”
“Lodi”
“Wrote A Song For Everyone”
“Bootleg”
“Don’t Look Now”
“Long As I Can See The Light”
“Down On The Corner”
“Bad Moon Rising”
“Travelin’ Band”
“Green River”
“Fortunate Son”

Bioscope is the collaborative project from guitar maestro Steve Rothery (Marillion) and electronic composer Thorsten Quaeschning (Tangerine Dream).

Their debut album Gentō, out August 22 via earMUSIC, offers a deeply atmospheric journey where two distinct musical worlds converge. The album features an extraordinary performance by Elbow’s drummer Alex Reeves, whose rhythmic finesse and musical intuition bring depth and subtle momentum to the entire album.

The project began in early 2020 and gradually developed through focused five-day sessions in Berlin and at Rothery’s home studio in Southwest England. Each of the five instrumental tracks draws inspiration from man’s endearing fascination with the moving image. From soaring guitar themes that recall the best of progressive rock to sequencer-driven passages rooted in Berlin School electronica, the music unfolds like a film without images – immersive, dreamlike, and full of detail. Each track reflects a shared sensibility shaped by decades of musical exploration.

Gentō will become available in retail stores as a CD+Blu-ray Digipak, including the full album in High-Res, Dolby Atmos as well as Dolby 5.1 Surround Mix, and Heavyweight Black 2LP Gatefold.

The first track, “Kaleidoscope,” taken from the album, is out today and offers an exciting first glimpse into the intriguing fusion of Steve Rothery’s unmistakable melodic guitar work and Thorsten Quaeschning’s mastery of the analog electronic world. It’s a perfect blend between progressive rock and ambient music.

Stream the “Kaleidoscope” single here, and watch a video below.

Bioscope are Steve Rothery, founding member and guitarist of Marillion, whose melodic playing helped define the sound of modern progressive rock and led to millions of records sold and Thorsten Quaeschning, musical director of Tangerine Dream, credited on over 80 releases and internationally known for his work on film and game soundtracks, real-time composition, and electronic music innovation.

Together, they bring decades of musical experience to a project that feels both intimate and expansive. Rothery’s guitar lines speak with emotional clarity, while Quaeschning’s detailed sound design shapes the music’s internal architecture.

Their collaboration is not just a fusion of styles, but a thoughtful dialogue between two established musical identities – a true “bioscope” in the sense of offering a view of life through music.

The name Bioscope comes from the Greek bios (life) and skopeein (to look). Before cinema, it meant “a view or survey of life” – a fitting metaphor for a project that turns musical experience into shared perception.

Formats:

– 2CD+Blu-ray Digipak
– Black 2LP Gatefold
– Digital Audio

Pre-order the album here.



CD tracklisting:

“Vanishing Point (Pt. 1, 2 & 3)”
“Gentō”
“Kinetoscope (Pt. 1 & 2)”
“Bioscope (Pt. 1, 2 & 3)”
“Kaleidoscope”

Blu-ray tracklisting:

Full Album with visual in Stereo, Dolby Atmos and 5.1 48kHz/24bit)

LP tracklisting:

Side A:
“Vanishing Point (Pt. 1, 2 & 3)”

Side B:
“Gentō”
“Kaleidoscope”

Side C:
“Kinetoscope (Pt. 1 & 2)”

Side D:
“Bioscope (Pt. 1, 2 & 3)”

Earlier this month, it was revealed that former EXODUS singer Steve "Zetro" Souza will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the band's 2004 album "Tempo Of The Damned" on a solo tour of Latin America in September 2025. At all the shows, the details of which will be announced soon, Souza will also perform classic songs from his other former bands TESTAMENT (Zetro was the lead vocalist for LEGACY, an early incarnation of TESTAMENT) and HATRIOT, as well as the Bon Scott era of AC/DC.

Backing Souza on stage at the shows — billed simply as ZETRO — will be the following musicians:

* Zakk Frye (SLIKK WIKKED) - Rythm Guitar/Backup Vocals
* Kyle Smith (SLIKK WIKKED) - Lead Guitar
* Paul "MX" Marsciano (NASTY TRAST, Joey Belladonna) - Drums
* Donny "Death" Weissinger (NASTY TRAST, HATE GRENADE) - Bass

In the latest episode of his Zetro's Toxic Vault YouTube series in which he is joined by his longtime friend and co-host Walter Morgan, Zetro spoke about his upcoming return to the live stage. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "I was approached by this young man, and he asked me if I was interested in doing kind of a festival in Iowa in October. I should know the name of it, but I don't. Anyway, I thought about it, and I said, 'What do you mean?' He was, like, 'Well, we'll play backing songs, back you up,' him and his band. And so I listened to his band. He's got a good band. And I was, like, 'Yeah, okay.' One show, one-off...

"Again, I don't wanna tour," Zetro explained. "I don't wanna get on a tour bus, but I'm not opposed to going out and playing songs from [the various projects] that I've done. I've played in many, many bands, so there've been so many things I can do. So I agreed to do that. All of this stuff, if it materializes, I'll be great with it.

"So then he got ahold of me and said, 'Hey, there's this guy in South America that wants to bring you down there,'" Zetro continued. "And so he kind of made a kind of a not a written deal, just kind of a verbal deal, and it was something that I was, like, 'Yeah, if we could do that, I'm cool with it. I'll go down there.' And he wanted to do it in August and September. Now, before I could even approve anything, Cody, my son, the next day sends me a message and says, 'Hey, dad, did you see this?' He shows me a poster, and it's got the 'Tempo Of The Damned' album cover, it says 'ZETRODUS', it's got EXODUS's logo and TESTAMENT's logo and HATRIOT's logo on there. And I went, 'Whoa.' I go, 'I said I agreed to do this, but I didn't see this. I didn't approve this.' But I was not pissed off, like, 'Goddamn it, why did they…?' 'Cause if we go, we go, kind of a thing."

Souza went on to say that the South American tour is still not completely set in stone. "I just wanna be honest with you guys up front," he explained. "South America has a lot of moving parts, especially you guys in South America. I didn't see any dates. All I've seen is a poster, and it says I'm coming. I haven't seen any dates. So I'll believe this when I see it. Again, I am not opposed to doing it — five or six or seven dates in South America. I love going to South America. You guys are the greatest crowds. You know that. That's why everybody does live videos from Santiago, Chile or Buenos Aires or Sao Paulo, because they're so crazy. Or Bogota, you know? And so I'm cool with that. But, again, there's a lot of things involved to get it going. Again, there's a lot of moving parts too, South America.

"So, am I gonna do this? Probably, 'cause it fits my schedule," he added. "I can do it at my own discretion. I mean, if we're doing more than five or six dates, [it's] too long, I mean, I'll go to the East Coast and hit up five or six dates. I'll go to Florida and do that. I'm not jumping in a tour bus again unless the tour bus, it's just me, my wife and my pugs, and I just don't think that the type of music that I make is gonna be able to afford me to take my own tour bus out on that. And I don't wanna do that anymore."

Zetro also revealed that there are plans to resurrect TENET, his project also featuring guitarist Jed Simon (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, ZIMMERS HOLE),drummer Gene Hoglan (STRAPPING YOUNG LAD, DEATH, TESTAMENT, DARK ANGEL),guitarist Glen Alvelais (FORBIDDEN, TESTAMENT) and bassist Byron Stroud (FEAR FACTORY).

"I've been been speaking to Jed and Glenn Alvelais," Zetro said. "And he was talking to Byron Stroud. For those of you guys who don't know, in 2009 I did an album with three of the four STRAPPING YOUNG LAD guys. It didn't have Devin Townsend in it. It was Gene Hoglan, Byron Stroud, Jed Simon and Glenn Alvelais, who played on [FORBIDDEN's] 'Forbidden Evil' record and also did a couple records with TESTAMENT, and some tours. So we did this record. The band is called TENET. And the album's called 'Sovereign'. It came out in 2009. We've never played have that a show for that band ever. And so now, talking to the guys, we were, like, 'Well, we should resurrect this.' 'Cause those guys are in the same mentality I am. I don't necessarily wanna hit this at hundred yards. I'll do a couple shows here or there. I'll do Milwaukee Metal Fest. I don't know if I wanna take it to Europe because that's more moving parts over there, depending. But we'll see, and then see what happens with it. And then again, I'll continue to do [my AC/DC cover band] AC/DZ. I love AC/DZ. I love singing those songs. I get to be Bon Scott for an hour and 20 minutes, or 16, 17 songs, however we do it."

SLIKK WIKKED is a metal/thrash band that was started in 2013 by Zakk Frye in Rochester, New York. Since then, they have released two EPs, including the thrash anthem "Black Wind Of Death", followed by the full-length album "Savage", all of which are available on YouTube and Bandcamp. Zakk also owns and runs 10th Ward Productions, the team helping bring Zetro back to the masses.

Dates for Zetro's tour are now being booked starting in late summer and continuing through the year. More details will be released soon.

Zakk told BLABBERMOUTH.NET: "We will be performing a full 90-minute set of all the deep classics from EXODUS and TESTAMENT/LEGACY. And also ripping tunes from HATRIOT and even AC/DC. This will be an action-packed balls-to-the-wall metal show for all Zetro fans. They will not want to miss this."

Any venues interested in booking Zetro dates can contact Zakk Frye at 10th Ward Productions via [email protected].

Three months ago, it was announced that EXODUS had parted ways with Souza and had welcomed back Rob Dukes.

Souza joined EXODUS in 1986 after previously fronting the band LEGACY (which, as stated above, later became TESTAMENT). He remained in EXODUS until their hiatus in 1993, but rejoined them for two years from 2002 to 2004. Dukes became the singer of EXODUS in 2005 (following Souza's departure) and stayed until 2014, when Souza returned.

Souza discussed his most recent split with EXODUS during a previous episode of Zetro's Toxic Vault. Addressing the reasons for his departure, Zetro said in part: "I've been doing this since 1986 —1986, in June, I joined EXODUS for the very first time. I was 22 years old. I'm now 61. So to have kind of a rollercoaster ride in music has actually been kind of exciting,. It kept my life going. Certain things happen and certain things go on, and you kind of have to deal with them as they happen, like anything."

Clarifying that he "did not quit" EXODUS and "was let go", Souza continued: "I don't read much of what goes on the Internet. With no disrespect to anybody, I don't give a fuck what anybody thinks about me or what you say… But I was made privy by my son of something Gary [Holt, EXODUS guitarist and main songwriter] had responded to me saying that I didn't quit; I was let go. And I have to agree with his analogy. Being in a band is like a marriage — it truly is — and the marriage was over. And it was. Now, I was never gonna quit, meaning maybe I guess I would never leave the marriage, for whatever reason. But I truly think that it was probably the right thing for me especially, and I hope it's the right thing for them as well."

Regarding his mindset after his latest departure from EXODUS, Souza said: "People were calling me — my friends and my family — asking me if I was okay. And I was fine. I was, like, 'I'm great.' I'm really, really happy and more content. And again, we're in April now, and this went down in January. And actually, I knew in December — I knew before anybody knew, before it was announced. And I was cool with it."

Speaking directly to the EXODUS fans, Zetro said: "I'm gonna miss you guys. I really am. But for me, my life has changed a lot. What I liked when I was younger in my twenties and my thirties are not necessarily what I'm into anymore. I love my family. I mean, I came home and got married to Vickie, who I've been with for 17 years, and she is the love of my life. And you know how hard it is to go away from the love of my life at this point, at 61 years old for five weeks, six weeks at a time? It wasn't easy for me, even though it may not have shown on stage, and it definitely didn't show when I was with you guys, with you fans, and anybody that approached me because I would never want anyone to have an awful experience with me. But I think it was time, honestly.

"I had told Gary, and I told them that I would like to do this till I was 70 and probably not much more than that, but I think in the back of my mind I think I was kind of already done with the rigorous life of touring, 'cause it's very demanding," Souza admitted. "And the business doesn't care about what you have going on. [I'll] give you an example — in 2016, my mother died and I was in El Salvador on tour. I should have been at her bedside, but I wasn't, because I had to do this. I've had dogs pass. I've missed graduations from my children. Any musician that has been in my position can absolutely relate with this, because it is part of it. And a lot of times people don't necessarily think of that. And then there's the guys, there's the musicians that really like to do this, and they'll go out and they'll hit it hard. They'll go from one thing to another."

Elaborating on his reasons for wanting to spend less time on the road, Zetro said: "I've changed over the past few years, even in the last 10 years since I've been back. And I think I'm more interested in what's going on in my house and around what I'm doing here. I like to see my dogs every day. I have three pugs that absolutely love. I have a grandson now. I never get to see them. I wanna see my wife every day. I wanna sleep in my bed every day. It's been something that mentally has gone on and changed. But again, I would've never quit because I'm not a quitter in that type of respect. Everybody's, 'Oh, well, you quit in 2004.' No, I had to leave the band because I had a union job, three little kids and a wife, and I was trying to balance working as a foreman, as a union job, being a father, coaching baseball and soccer, and being a husband and playing in EXODUS, and I couldn't balance all three. The thing that I loved the most was playing in EXODUS, but, unfortunately, it could not take care of my wife and my kids and ballerina signups, baseball signups. The business wasn't paying that much at the time, so I needed to go and take care of my family… So coming back into the band in 2014, kids are grown, I'm set in my job. I was very, very excited. And again, I had a really good time over the last 10 years playing in the band. And it was one of those things that I have to say I'm kind of glad that I've ended up where I'm at right now, I don't like airports anymore. I don't like sleeping on the tour bus anymore… So I'm not saying that this was a decision that I would've made, but I'm saying for myself and to have a few months to look at it, it was definitely the right decision."

Souza went on to say that EXODUS fans should continue to support the band now that Dukes has returned to the group.

"I look at it now as, what about all you guys that are big fans of Rob's era? Just think — now you get to come back and see Rob maybe for the next 10 years and see him continue on," Zetro said. "So if you were fans of his era, like you were fans of my era, or both eras — I know there's some of you [that are] 'I'm [Team] Zetro' or 'I'm [Team] Rob', or whatever, 'I'm cool with whatever EXODUS does,' I get it. And I totally understand that, and I respect every one of you for those things. But now maybe for the last part of the band they get to enjoy Rob and Rob's era of the band. I mean, Gary's gonna continue to write music and record music. And Gary Holt doesn't know how to write a shitty riff. Okay? So you EXODUS fans know what you're gonna get from that, and that's what I have to say."

Souza also addressed the possibility of another reunion with EXODUS down the line, saying: "Will I ever grace the stage with them? No, definitely not. I think it's been done. This was the third time that I had joined the band, so I think it would be a bit redundant to try to do this or do this again. So just so you guys wanna know, I have no desire to do that ever again. It's been done. If you saw my last concert in Los Angeles at the Regent [in December 2024], then you truly saw the last concert that Zetro will ever sing with EXODUS."

Zetro added that he went out on top, both in term of his live performance with EXODUS and his relationship with the band's fans.

"If you saw us on the last tour with HAVOK, then, honestly, I was singing better than I've ever sung through the years," Souza said. "So I don't feel that it was something that, vocally… I did my job — I did my job quite well — and even they'll tell you that. And the fans, you guys know that I bring it. Every time I come, I bring it. And that's just the way it is. And if you walked up to me for a picture or an autograph, I never would say no and I've never pushed you guys away. I would hang out and talk to you about stuff. How many of you fans have spent time after the show talking to me about whatever? Horror, movies, metal sports, whatever. I'll sit out there and talk to you guys 'cause I've never considered myself above anybody."

Asked what specifically he didn't enjoy about the touring lifestyle, Zetro said: "Too much time in the day. Waiting to wait. It's a lot of waiting. Going to an airport, waiting four hours for the flight, getting on the flight for five hours, getting to where you've gotta go. Then you have another six-hour layover before you have another five-hour flight. And line one, line two, security this, security that. I don't have the patience for that anymore. The bus — I know this sounds very pompous. I was very fortunate to get to tour in a bus. I know bands that do not tour in buses… But for me, the bunk started to be very, very uncomfortable. And the only time I could get in there was when I truly had to sleep. But as soon as I woke up, I got up. So there's too much time in a day for you to go to museums or comic bookstores or me to go buy toys and whatever I do on the road. It is just a lot of downtime, and I feel as now 61 years old, I wanna do other things in that downtime. And I don't wanna be doing this, and all of a sudden I end up getting sick or my wife end up getting sick and one of my children, and I have to come home and I've got six months to live, or they've got six months to live and I've missed all of this with them and I missed it all. I don't want to do that anymore. I've missed too much over the years, and it's just kind of where I've been mentally — especially the last few years I've been thinking about that."

EXODUS played its first concert with Dukes in nearly 11 years on April 5 at the Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest: Philly at the Fillmore in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Dukes previously joined EXODUS in January 2005 and appeared on four of the band's studio albums — "Shovel Headed Kill Machine" (2005),"The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A" (2007),"Let There Be Blood" (2008, a re-recording of EXODUS's classic 1985 LP, "Bonded By Blood") and "Exhibit B: The Human Condition" (2010).

CULTURA TRES, the South American metal powerhouse led by SEPULTURA bassist Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr., has joined forces with Latin music icon Juanes on a daring new collaboration, "Cien", available now through ONErpm.

A seismic blend of thrash, grunge, and Colombian folklore, "Cien" evokes the spirit of 1990s metal while honoring the rich musical traditions of Latin America. The track is as sonically heavy as it is emotionally evocative — rooted in themes of environmental loss, particularly the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest.

Not a surprising topic, considering these Colombian, Brazilian and Venezuelan musicians, are all from countries with the rainforest in their backyard.

"It's a pleasure to share a song with Juanes, not only a legend of Latin music, but also a true heavy metal fan," says Paulo Xisto.

"Man! It's been a pleasure to make this song with you. Since my teenage years, metal has been a part of my essence, and having the opportunity to record the solo and sing has been amazing," says Juanes.

The collaboration unfolded over six months, beginning with CULTURA TRES sending Juanes a batch of punk-infused riffs. When Juanes returned with haunting, psychedelic guitar additions, the song's energy shifted entirely — prompting a complete rewrite of the original material. This creative back-and-forth resulted in a track that balances dark melodies with abrasive power.

CULTURA TRES frontman Alejandro Montoya says: "Juanes is an incredible metal guitarist — when we first heard his solo on 'Cien', it blew us away."

Originally drafted in English, the lyrics only truly resonated when the band followed Paulo's suggestion to switch to Spanish. The change added a deeper sense of authenticity and emotional weight. The contrasting vocal styles — Juanes's melancholic chants and Alejandro's screaming vocals — reflect the song's central tensions: beauty versus destruction, tradition versus progress.

"Blending metal and Latin music in one of our native languages (Spanish),helps showcase the power and potential of South American metal!" says Paulo.

What may surprise casual fans is that Juanes — known worldwide for his Latin pop-rock hits — started his career in a metal band (EKHYMOSIS, 1988). His admiration for SEPULTURA and deep respect for Paulo's legacy created a natural bridge for this collaboration. After one of Juanes's shows in Amsterdam, Paulo and Alejandro were invited backstage, where they had a chance to check out Juanes's newly released signature Fender guitar. Mutual admiration, shared roots, and even common crew members eventually led to exchanging riffs and ideas and "Cien" was born.

"Once a metalhead, always a metalhead," says Paulo.

With members from Colombia, Brazil, and Venezuela, CULTURA TRES is a genre-defying metal act known for blending sludge, thrash, and traditional South American sounds. Their 2023 album "Camino De Brujos" (Universal Music) solidified their reputation across Europe, Japan, and Latin America as a truly innovative force in heavy music.

A global ambassador for Latin music, Juanes has earned 25 Latin Grammys, four Grammy Awards and international acclaim for his signature fusion of rock, pop and Latin folk. Beyond his music, he is a dedicated activist through his Fundación Mi Sangre, championing peace and social justice in Colombia and beyond.

Swedish metallers IN FLAMES have tapped UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS drummer Jon Rice for their spring/summer 2025 European tour. Rice has stepped in following the recent departure of IN FLAMES' drummer of the past seven years, Tanner Wayne.

Earlier today (Thursday, May 29),IN FLAMES shared a photo of the rehearsal sessions with Rice, accompanied by a simple caption: "Rehearsals".

Rice is expected to make his live debut with IN FLAMES at the first show of the band's spring/summer 2025 European tour, which will kick off on June 2 in Tallinn, Estonia.

This is not the first high-profile touring gig for Jon. Rice subbed for longtime BEHEMOTH drummer Inferno (real name: Zbigniew Robert Promiński) during BEHEMOTH's 2017 North American tour with SLAYER, select 2019 headlining dates in Israel and Turkey and fall 2024 South American tour with ARCH ENEMY.

Rice joined UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS in 2017 and appeared on the band's 2018 "Wasteland" studio album. He has since performed in 2022 with the reactivated THE RED CHORD and Norwegian black metallers TJUSDER. Prior to that, Rice was a member of Arizona death metal merchants JOB FOR A COWBOY and Austin, Texas rockers SCORPION CHILD.

Wayne, who was previously best known for his work with UNDERMINDED, SCARY KIDS SCARING KIDS and CHIODOS, joined IN FLAMES in time for the band's summer 2018 tour.

Wayne stepped into IN FLAMES following the departure of Joe Rickard, who played on the band's 2016 album "Battles".

When IN FLAMES announced Wayne's departure on May 27, the band released the following statement via social media: "It is with profound gratitude and appreciation that we announce our creative decision to part ways with Tanner Wayne. His dedication and musicianship over the past several years has left, and will continue to leave, a lasting mark on this band. We wish him nothing but the best.

"We appreciate your support and understanding at this time and hope to see you all on tour this summer."

Tanner made his live debut with IN FLAMES on July 4, 2018 in Brno, Czech Republic.

IN FLAMES is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "Foregone", which was released in February 2023 via Nuclear Blast. According to a press release, the LP "combines the greatest aggressive, metallic, and melodic strengths of their landmark records with the seasoned songwriting of their postmodern era."

"Foregone" was the second IN FLAMES album with bassist Bryce Paul and Wayne, the first with ex-MEGADETH guitarist Chris Broderick, and the third with Grammy-winning producer Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, THREE DAYS GRACE). Mike Plotnikoff (ALL THAT REMAINS, WARBRINGER) engineered at Benson's West Valley Recording Studios. Joe Rickard (10 YEARS, STARSET, DIAMANTE),who played drums for IN FLAMES from 2016 through 2019, handled mixing duties.

In 2023, IN FLAMES parted ways with Paul and replaced him with Liam Wilson (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN).

Wilson made his live debut with IN FLAMES on June 7, 2023 at the Release Athens festival in Athens, Greece.

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British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST have parted ways with their drummer of the past two years, Guido Zima Montanarini.

Earlier today (Thursday, May 29),PARADISE LOST released the following statement via social media: "We've made the difficult creative decision to part ways with our drummer, Guido Zima. We thank Guido for his contributions to the band and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

"We appreciate your continued support and understanding, and we're looking forward to the next chapter with the band."

When Guido first joined PARADISE LOST in March 2023 as the replacement for Finnish drummer Waltteri Väyrynen, PARADISE LOST guitarist Greg Mackintosh said in a statement: "We welcome Guido as PARADISE LOST's new drummer. He cut his teeth with us on our European tour at the end of 2022. Guido did such a good job that we have decided to make him our new drummer and he will be playing on all upcoming PL shows and working on new material with us for our next album."

PARADISE LOST just completed "The Devil Embraced" North American tour. The trek kicked off on May 16 at the Milwaukee Metal Fest and concluded on May 24 at Maryland Deathfest.

In September 2022, Väyrynen left PARADISE LOST to join OPETH. At the time, he issued a statement saying that his decision involved "absolutely no bad blood or drama whatsoever."

In a recent interview with Alejandrosis, PARADISE LOST guitarist Aaron Aedy spoke about the status of the follow-up to the band's latest album, "Obsidian", which was released in May 2020 via Nuclear Blast. He said: "It's not fully mixed yet, but it's recorded." Asked if he could give fans some details about the musical direction of the new PARADISE LOST material, Aaron said: "No. It's like opening your presents before Christmas. No, I don't wanna go into the new album too much just yet, 'cause I'll wait to see what it's like when it's mixed. It's almost finished, but not quite."

This past March, Mackintosh told Chile's PowerOfMetal.cl that PARADISE LOST's new LP would likely be released "September time." He added: "It's been the longest time we've ever had between albums. But that's kind of because of the pandemic as well… So shit happens. And, yeah, hopefully it'll come out September, October time this year."

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of their fourth album, "Icon", PARADISE LOST re-recorded the LP for a special new release. There was also "an extra special vinyl" version of the album, both of which were made available in December 2023.

"Icon 30" is a totally re-recorded version of "Icon", and PARADISE LOST once again worked with longtime collaborator and producer Jaime Gomez Arellano.

PARADISE LOST recorded the vocals and drums for "Icon 30" at Jaime's new studio Arda Recorders in Porto, Portugal. The rest of the album was completed at Mackintosh's Black Planet Studios. "Icon 30" also features brand new artwork created by Scott Robinson and new liner notes from Kerrang!'s Nick Ruskell.

"Icon" marked a departure from the death-doom sound of PARADISE LOST's early work and was the last album to feature Matthew Archer on drums.

In February 2018, "Icon" was inducted into the Decibel "Hall Of Fame", with the magazine naming it influential to the development of the gothic metal subgenre.

Formed in Halifax, West Yorkshire, in 1988, PARADISE LOST were unlikely candidates for metal glory when they slithered from the shadows and infiltrated the U.K. underground. But not content with spawning an entire subgenre with early death/doom masterpiece "Gothic" nor with conquering the metal mainstream with the balls-out power of 1995's "Draconian Times", they have subsequently traversed multiple genre boundaries with skill and grace, evolving through the pitch-black alt-rock mastery of 1990s classics "One Second" and "Host" to the muscular but ornate grandeur of 2009's "Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us" and "Tragic Idol" (2012),with the nonchalant finesse of grand masters. The band's "The Plague Within" (2015) and "Medusa" (2017) albums saw a much-celebrated return to brutal, old-school thinking, via two crushing monoliths to slow-motion death and spiritual defeat.

Posted by Paradise Lost on Thursday, May 29, 2025

Chrysalis Records will release UFO's classic 1980 album "No Place To Run", newly remastered from the original production tapes transfers at AIR Mastering and reissued on stunning three-LP tri-fold sleeve 180gm vinyl and two-CD digipak formats, on August 15, 2025.

"No Place To Run" was the eighth studio album by UFO and the first with Paul Chapman on guitar, following the departure of Michael Schenker. It was produced by legendary BEATLES producer George Martin and recorded at his newly launched AIR Studios in Montserrat in the Caribbean, a stark difference from the band's usual surroundings.

Reflecting on the album 45 years later, UFO singer Phil Mogg said: "The thing that sticks in my mind from recording 'No Place To Run' was the complete mismatch with UFO / George Martin (who was a lovely chap) and nothing summed it up more than when George would say to Geoff (sound engineer): 'Well, Geoff, it's six o'clock, time for a G&T out on the veranda.' How very civilized!"

The reissue includes a new and previously unreleased mix of "Live At The Marquee, London, November 16th 1980", mixed by revered engineer Brian Kehew from the original multi-track tapes, giving a powerfully fresh sound. Only three tracks have ever been officially released before ("Lettin' Go", "Mystery Train" and "No Place To Run"). The other 11 tracks from this legendary show have not been available until now. The set will take fans right back to the electric atmosphere of the Marquee, with a band at the very top of their game.

Kehew said: "Paul Chapman's guitar sound here is really superb, a thick and singing B.C. Rich-into-Marshall tone…

"'No Place To Run' is certainly a special time for the band, the peak of their public acceptance. With the music world shifting into new wave and synth-pop around them, they stayed true to their roots and delivered yet another classic album." (Quote taken from liner notes.)

Both formats feature new liner notes by Michael Hann, featuring interviews with Mogg and drummer Andy Parker.

Track listing

LP1 / CD1: No Place To Run - 2025 Remaster

01. Alpha Centuri
02. Lettin' Go
03. Mystery Train
04. This Fire Burns Tonight
05. Gone In The Night
06. YoungBlood
07. No Place To Run
08. Take It Or Leave It
09. Money, Money
10. Anyday

LP2 & LP3 / CD2: Live at The Marquee, London, November 16th, 1980 - Newly Mixed / Previously Unreleased

01. Introduction
02. Chains Chains
03. Lettin' Go
04. Long Gone
05. Cherry
06. Only You Can Rock Me
07. No Place To Run
08. Love To Love
09. Hot And Ready
10. Mystery Train
11. Too Hot To Handle
12. Lights Out
13. Rock Bottom
14. Doctor Doctor

In the special 50th edition of Rock Candy magazine, Philip Anselmo of the returning PANTERA tells editor Howard Johnson what it means to him to have the band back on the road and playing sold-out shows. "I feel crazily lucky, crazily fortunate," he says. "I have a hard time putting it into words, but I'll try. Oh man, it feels like a blessing."

Now 56, Anselmo joined PANTERA when he was 18 years old and has been suffering from chronic back pain since his early 20s, but surgery and rehabilitation have got him to the point he can deliver the goods on stage night after night on the band's current tour, which will include the farewell BLACK SABBATH gig on July 5 in the U.K.

"It's PANTERA, man, so it's still going to war," Anselmo says. "I'll be honest, that's some young-man shit to sing, so you've got to throw everything into it. It's a beating, very physical. But when I see the crowd reaction, I love it. I don't care. That's the payoff right there. And yet funnily enough, it's also cathartic. When I get into the zone, it blocks out all the noise and the bullshit and it's mellow."

You can read the exclusive interview with Anselmo and PANTERA drummer Charlie Benante in issue 50 of Rock Candy magazine, together with in-depth stories and interviews with STYX legend Dennis DeYoung, Rich Williams of KANSAS, Chris Goss of MASTERS OF REALITY, Josh Todd of BUCKCHERRY and much more.

For more details, visit www.rockcandymag.com.

The reformed PANTERA — featuring surviving members Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass),along with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and Benante (ANTHRAX) — are headlining a number of major festivals across North America, South America and Europe and staging some of their own headline concerts. They are also supporting METALLICA on a massive stadium tour.

It was first reported in July 2022 that Anselmo and Brown would unite with Wylde and Benante for a world tour under the PANTERA banner.

According to Billboard, the lineup has been given a green light by the estates of the band's founders, drummer Vincent "Vinnie Paul" Abbott and guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, as well as Brown, who in 2021 said Wylde wouldn't tour with PANTERA if a reunion were to happen. It's unclear what changed his mind.

Anselmo and Brown spoke about PANTERA's return to the stage during an appearance on the seventeenth episode of "The Metallica Report", the podcast offering weekly insider updates on all things METALLICA. Philip said: "It's empowering. It is incredibly beautiful, and you feel so much love when you're up there. And if you take it in, it's a great feeling, man. These days, man, that's where me and Rex, you know, we get to dig the shows more."

He continued: "When we were younger, we were at war and when we were on stage; we were just angry and at war, man. Now it's — the songs are there. I can concentrate on singing the fricking songs, number one. Geez, that's a relief for me, man. I don't have to break my fricking body in part anymore."

Anselmo and Brown also talked about Charlie and Zakk being part of the PANTERA team. Philip said: "Them two dudes, so enthusiastic. And they got their damn thing and they got their own damn legacy, both of them, without us. It's an honor to play with them. They're the nicest frickin guys in the world, man. I'm just so... [Laughs] Zakk, he's a crack-up, man. He's a sweetheart. And fricking Charlie, we've known Charlie since '87, man. It's a long time."

Rex chimed in: "The way [Charlie] plays Vinnie's parts is uncanny. I don't think there's any drummer out there that could play the way that Vinnie did. I would close my eyes, because I was trying to get tight, and sometimes if I close my eyes, I can hear a little better; I think I can. And there'd be a tear of joy just coming down, because that was so close to what Vinnie and I used to play. So you have the foundation."

Philip concurred, saying: "The low end sounds so PANTERA, man. It's freaking me out."

When the interviewer suggested that PANTERA in 2023 had Vinnie Paul and Dimebag's "spirit inside it", Philip said: "Only thing I can say is, man, I know for a damn fact Vince and Dime would want us to do this, hands down. They would want the PANTERA brand or the legacy to go on. And I don't know what you believe in, but sometimes, you know, you would like to think that them old fellas are looking down on us, giving us the thumbs-up."

While he was alive, Vinnie Paul had repeatedly dismissed talks of a PANTERA reunion, telling Germany's EMP Rock Invasion in 2014: "People are selfish, man. They want what they want; they don't care what you want. And it's unfortunate that people go, 'Oh, wow, man, they can get Zakk Wylde to jump up there on stage and it's PANTERA again.' No, it's not, you know. It's not that simple. If Eddie Van Halen was to get shot in the head four times next week, would everybody be going, 'Hey, man, Zakk, go play for VAN HALEN. Just call it VAN HALEN.' You see what I'm saying? I mean, it's really selfish for people to think that, and it's stupid. It's not right at all."

He continued: "They call it a reunion for a reason. It's called bringing the original members back to what it was. So there's a lot of these things that they call reunions that aren't really reunions. They've got one dude from the band floating around in them, you know. That's not a true reunion. With PANTERA, it'll never be possible."

He repeated those same sentiments a few months later, telling PlanetMosh in a separate interview: "Without Dimebag Darrell, there is no [PANTERA] reunion. And that's all there is to it. We were a very influential band, and we touched millions and millions of people with that band, but it's over. People really have to come to grips with that, and that's all there is to it. If all of us were still here, then the possibility would truly be there, but since it's not, you know… It's selfish of the fans to want something that they can't have. And they don't ever understand that, and I get it. There's things I want in this world too. You know, people in fucking hell want ice water, but they're not gonna get it."

Up until his passing in June 2018, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with Anselmo, whom the drummer indirectly blamed for Dimebag's death.

Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.

Dimebag's longtime girlfriend Rita Haney in 2011 called on Vinnie and Philip to settle their differences in honor of Dimebag.

Vinnie, who was Dimebag's brother, and Anselmo had not spoken since PANTERA split in 2003. But the relationship got even more acrimonious when Vinnie suggested that some remarks the vocalist had made about Dimebag in print just weeks earlier might have incited Dimebag's killer.

Haney told the producers of "Behind The Music Remastered: Pantera" that she forgave the singer after they found themselves unexpectedly face to face at a concert in California.

Progressive rock legends STYX have released the official music video for their new single "Build And Destroy". The thrilling A.I. conceptual clip — directed by Jay Ziebarth — can be seen below.

Creating and recording new music is often considered the lifeblood of any band — an ethos AOR torchbearers STYX continue to embody with the highly anticipated release of "Circling From Above", the 18th studio album in their formidable catalog via the band's label Alpha Dog 2T/UMe. Spanning 13 tracks, the album navigates the complexities of the human experience through the intersecting lenses of technology and nature.

STYX made the exclusive announcement on TalkShop.live yesterday, where a limited number of autographed CDs can be ordered now for immediate delivery. Tommy Shaw, Lawrence Gowan and Will Evankovich participated in a live interview with host Steve Harkins, which can be viewed now.

While the album won't be available on streaming or digital outlets until July 18, "Circling From Above" CDs and vinyl copies are also available to purchase today on StyxWorld.com for immediate delivery. They will also be available at every show of this summer's "Brotherhood of Rock" tour with THE KEVIN CRONIN BAND and special guest Don Felder (a former lead guitarist of THE EAGLES).

"Circling From Above" features contributions from all seven members of the band, including founding guitarist/vocalist James "JY" Young (affectionately known as "The Godfather of STYX"),guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, original bassist Chuck Panozzo, longtime drummer Todd Sucherman, keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan, guitarist/vocalist Will Evankovich and bassist Terry Gowan.

The kinetic energy of lead single "Build And Destroy" is the first introduction of new music to their fans who've been circling around the band for over 50 years. It's available to stream and download on all digital outlets, including the band's YouTube page.

"That little melody, I kept singing 'Build And Destroy'," explains singer/keyboardist Lawrence Gowan, who takes the lead vocal. "Even though we don't sing over that part, I kept thinking that would be a good title. It's thematic. The melody feels like a little 'Star Trek' or 'Twilight Zone' thing — just a small tag that reinforces the title."

Shaw and Evankovich jumped in to flesh out the verses and finalize the lyrics, and the song came together in just a day and a half. "We knew it was strong," Gowan says. "Even though it was the second-to-last song we finished, it felt like a quick way into the album's overall theme."

"Circling From Above" is a dynamic collection that reflects the full emotional and stylistic range of the STYX canon. It's muscular yet introspective, theatrical in moments and layered in sincerity at others — balancing progressive leanings with deeper, thought-provoking messages.

"When you start writing an album, there's generally something that piques your imagination, and all of a sudden, you're a storyteller starting with the seed of a story," says Shaw. "A good song is like a straight road — it'll get you to the next place."

The album, the band's third in eight years, delivers a 41-minute, end-to-end listening experience that is both thought-provoking and exhilarating. A masterclass in storytelling, it blends signature STYX hallmarks with bold steps forward — building on the creative momentum of recent releases "The Mission" (2017) and "Crash Of The Crown" (2021).

The album was produced by Evankovich, who also helmed the band's previous two records before becoming an official member in 2022. All 13 songs were penned in various combinations by the band's songwriting triumvirate of Shaw, Evankovich and Lawrence Gowan. Referencing the trio's creative spark, Lawrence Gowan says it's not a simple case of majority rules but rather a true collaborative endeavor.

"I've noticed over the last three records, there's a real effort to make sure everyone's got a smile on their face at the end of it," he says. "There's creative friction, but everybody gets a go around the table and we all get a swing at the tree. And that's really, really good."

"It's a strange three-way democracy for sure," Evankovich says. "We all know that the institution of STYX is the most important thing."

Midway through writing the album, a loose theme began to orbit the band's creative process — a gravitational pull, if you will, guiding them down the straight road Shaw describes. In a moment of studio serendipity, talk turned to an app that tracks abandoned satellites, those silent relics of once-lofty ambition. From that spark, the opening tracks — including the title cut and "Build And Destroy" — took shape, tracing the tension between human ingenuity and the dreams we sometimes discard in its pursuit.

"When they were shot up into space, these satellites were somebody's dream and ambition," says Shaw of the once-cutting-edge technology now floating aimlessly through the atmosphere. "They served their purpose and they were cast aside. It's a wasteland up there, but they were once created with love. We're all humans, and who's to say our love project is better than someone else's?"

Look closely at the album cover art and you will see this thematic overture take flight. Thousands of starlings — chosen specifically for their supreme ability to work in concert together with their flight patterns — in the shape of one bird, soaring over a dilapidated satellite dish.

"They're prevailing and we're failing," notes Evankovich of the cover. "We're not like the rest of the creatures that work in stewardship together, like the birds and the bees and all the other things. We do things and then create waste for ourselves that ends up harming us."

STYX has remained a touring juggernaut for the past 25 years, but according to guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, the band's current streak of artistic resurgence in the studio is due to multiple factors tethered to a deep sense of harmony.

"There's just a lot of positive flow right now," says Shaw. "There's a lot of people playing great, and there's a lot of love, respect and excitement about each other's talents. Bands can go lifetimes and never have this kind of rapport and chemistry."

Earlier this year, STYX and Kevin Cronin, the iconic voice and writer behind REO SPEEDWAGON's greatest hits, wrapped up hugely successful sold-out residencies at The Venetian Theatre. For the first time in their 50-plus-year career in Las Vegas, Nevada, STYX performed 1977's "The Grand Illusion" in its entirety, while REO SPEEDWAGON performed 1980's "Hi Infidelity" in its entirety. Due to the overwhelming response from both residencies, STYX and THE KEVIN CRONIN BAND are bringing these special album shows for the first time, plus their hits, to the amphitheaters and arenas as part of the "Brotherhood Of Rock" tour.

It wouldn't be summer without a live celebration of some of the greatest rock anthems of all time from each of these multi-platinum albums, including "Come Sail Away", "Keep On Loving You", "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)", "Take It On The Run", along with "Hotel California" and other classics by THE EAGLES. The official trailer for the "Brotherhood Of Rock" tour can be seen on Live Nation's YouTube page.

Tickets for the trek, produced by Live Nation, are on sale now on LiveNation.com. STYX and THE KEVIN CRONIN BAND are also offering VIP packages via their own StyxWorld.com and KevinCronin.com websites, as well as on LiveNation.com.

"Circling From Above" track listing:

01. Circling From Above
02. Build And Destroy
03. Michigan
04. King Of Love
05. It's Clear
06. Forgive
07. Everyone Raise A Glass
08. Blue Eyed Raven
09. She Knows
10. Ease Your Mind
11. The Things That You Said
12. We Lost The Wheel Again
13. Only You Can Decide

Photo credit: Jason Powell

On the latest episode of SiriusXM's Ozzy Speaks, Ozzy Osbourne and co-host Billy Morrison talked about Ozzy's final performance, set for July 5 in his original hometown of Birmingham, England. Ozzy also reflected on the significance of the show, shared stories, played music from the bands performing that day, and gave a health update.

Regarding the fact that he hasn't played a full show since late 2018, before undergoing extensive spinal surgery and revealing he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, Ozzy said: "I haven't done any physical work for the last seven, six and a half, seven years." He went on to say that "by hook or by crook, I'm gonna make it" to the stage at Villa Park.

"I've got this trainer guy who helps people get back to normal," he explained. "It's hard going, but he's convinced that he can pull it off for me. I'm giving it everything I've got."

Asked by Morrison if he is "waking up thinking about it, stressing about it," Ozzy said: "Sometimes, but what I do, if I start obsessing all the time, I'll be insane by Friday, you know? So, I'm just taking it one day at a time and when I do it one day at a time. You know, when we were talking about this [obsessive-compulsive disorder], whatever. I have that badly."

He continued: All I can say is I'm giving 120%. If my God wants me to do the show, I'll do it."

The legendary heavy metal singer announced his last-ever performance on February 5, revealing that the original members of BLACK SABBATH are reuniting for the first time in 20 years for the show. Joining them at the concert called "Back To The Beginning", which will take place on July 5 at at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom, will be a host of metal bands SABBATH inspired, including METALLICA, SLAYER, LAMB OF GOD, MASTODON, PANTERA and ANTHRAX.

"It's all the people that we've influenced over the years," Ozzy said. Asked by Morrison how it feels to have influenced all of these great bands, Ozzy said: "When we did the Ozzfest, bands would come to it and go, 'Oh, man, SABBATH really was an influence.' I'd go, 'I think you're just saying that.' I'm very self-critical about people's adoration… I'm one of these guys that goes, 'Oh, yeah, I'll accept that now.' [But] I'm not good at accepting.

"[My son] Jack said to me, 'Well, you've done it now,' and I go, 'No, I haven't. I wanna make more music.'

When Morrison commended Ozzy for being able to appreciate the effect that he and the rest of BLACK SABBATH had on the rock world, Osbourne said: "I remember a guy doing a news story. He goes, 'You know, you and your solo work and SABBATH were the soundtrack of my life,' and I go, 'Really?' But then THE BEATLES… When I met Paul McCartney, I nearly fucking dropped dead. And there was a kid, he said to me when I was explaining that, and he goes, 'Do you know, that's what my experience of meeting you [is like].'"

Earlier this month, Ozzy told The Guardian about the upcoming concert: "I'll be there, and I'll do the best I can. So all I can do is turn up."

Addressing his physical ailments, Ozzy said: "You wake up the next morning and find that something else has gone wrong. You begin to think this is never going to end."

He said the SABBATH reunion concert was conceived by his wife and manager, Sharon, as "something to give me a reason to get up in the morning".

"I do weights, bike riding, I've got a guy living at my house who's working with me. It's tough — I've been laid up for such a long time," Ozzy said. "I've been lying on my back doing nothing and the first thing to go is your strength. It's like starting all over again. I've got a vocal coach coming round four days a week to keep my voice going. I have problems walking. I also get blood pressure issues, from blood clots on my legs."

The singer continued: "I'm used to doing two hours on stage, jumping and running around. I don't think I'll be doing much jumping or running around this time. I may be sitting down."

He added: "We're only playing a couple of songs each. I don't want people thinking 'we're getting ripped off', because it's just going to be … what's the word? … a sample, you're going to get a few songs each by Ozzy and SABBATH."

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."

On last month's episode of Ozzy Speaks, Ozzy offered a health update, saying: "I'm in heavy training for this ['Back To The Beginning' concert] that's coming up. I haven't done anything for — this will be seven years [since I played a full concert], and so I've been through all this surgery. It really is like starting from scratch."

Asked what sort of training he is going through at the moment, Ozzy said: "Well, it's endurance training. The first thing to go when you're laid up is your stamina, so believe it or not, I'm doing two sets of three-minute walks a day and weight training. I've gotta get going, you know."

He explained: "I'm waking up in my body. I mean, three minutes to you, for instance, is nothing, but I've been laying on my back recovering from umpteen surgeries."

As for what his appearance at ["Back To The Beginning" might entail, Ozzy said: "I'm not planning on doing a set with BLACK SABBATH but I am doing little bits and pieces with them. I am doing what I can, where I feel comfortable."

The 76-year-old heavy metal singer, who revealed in 2020 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, added that he is doing what he can to get ready for the Villa Park concert.

"I am trying to get back on my feet," he said. "When you get up in the morning, you just jump out of bed. I have to balance myself, but I'm not dead. I'm still actively doing things."

Ozzy talked in more detail about his condition on his SiriusXM radio show. He said: "I have made it to 2025. I can't walk, but you know what I was thinking over the holidays? For all my complaining, I'm still alive. I may be moaning that I can't walk but I look down the road and there's people that didn't do half as much as me and didn't make it."

Proceeds from the "Back To The Beginning" show will support Cure Parkinson's, the Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice, a Children's Hospice supported by Aston Villa.

The concert will mark the first time that Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward have played together in 20 years.

Sharon told BBC News about Ozzy: "He's doing great. He's doing really great. He's so excited about this, about being with the guys again and all his friends. It's exciting for everyone."

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 WVH) 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.

SOULFLY has recruited Chase Bryant (WARBRINGER) to play bass on the band's European tour, which will kick off on June 7 at the South Of Heaven festival in Maastricht, Netherlands.

SOULFLY frontman Max Cavalera states: "Welcome to the tribe, Chase!"

He adds: "Chase will be playing bass for SOULFLY on our 'Spirit Animal' Europe tour '25! Chase is an amazing player, technical but also full of thrash vibes!

"SOULFLY will play festivals like Graspop and Copenhell and we'll go from Germany to Bulgaria dropping groove bombs everywhere! JUMPDAFUCKUP TRIBE!!!"

This past April, SOULFLY parted ways with the band's longtime bassist Mike Leon.

Leon, formerly of HAVOK, joined SOULFLY in September 2015 as the replacement for STATIC-X bassist Tony Campos, who left SOULFLY in May of that year.

SOULFLY's latest album, "Totem", came out in August 2022 via Nuclear Blast. The follow-up to 2018's "Ritual" was recorded at Platinum Underground in Mesa, Arizona by John Aquilino and Arthur Rizk with assistance from John Powers. Produced by Max Cavalera alongside Arthur Rizk (KREATOR, MUNICIPAL WASTE, CODE ORANGE),the LP boasts guest appearances from John Powers (ETERNAL CHAMPION),Chris Ulsh (POWER TRIP),and John Tardy (OBITUARY). Rizk was also responsible for playing lead guitar on the record. The artwork for the album was created by James Bousema.

In August 2021, SOULFLY parted ways with longtime guitarist Marc Rizzo due to personal differences. FEAR FACTORY's Dino Cazares played guitar for SOULFLY on the band's 2021 and 2022 run of shows.

Guitarist Mike DeLeon has been touring with SOULFLY for more than two years. Prior to hooking up with SOULFLY, DeLeon had been a member of PANTERA singer Philip Anselmo's solo band PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, which he joined in 2015 as the replacement for Marzi Montazeri. More recently, Mike filled in for Zakk Wylde at the first rehearsal for the fall 2022 PANTERA shows.

In a recent interview with MetalUnderground.com, Max spoke about his plans for SOULFLY's follow-up to "Totem". He said: "We're working on the new record right now. It's going good, man. We're taking our time to do it right. We are in the process of finishing the recordings right now, and then we're gonna start getting stuff mixed and finding the songs that are gonna go on all the socials, Spotify and all that jive. But, yeah, I'm very proud of the record."

Regarding the musical direction of the new SOULFLY material, Max said: "The record, it's cool. It feels to me [like it] has the adventurous spirit of the first record [1998's 'Soulfly']. Sonically, it's pretty different from the first record — it's more intricate and maybe even heavier, heavier grooves. But in terms of spirit and attitude, it's similar to the first record, which I think is cool that I got to figure out a way to put my mind back at that time and what made me create that record and use it again on a new record. It's pretty fun. It's kind of hard to do, but I think it was an exciting thing to tackle. It was kind of, like, 'Let's try to do this. Let's see if you can use your first album as somehow some kind of inspiration for your thirteenth record. [Laughs] And that was great, man. I love that. I love that kind of vibe that the record has."

Cavalera continued: "That's the cool thing about this record. It's kind of, in a way, a return to what me and fans of SOULFLY fell in love with SOULFLY for. And then throughout the years, many of the other records had a lot of different vibes in it. Some of them went more thrashy with stuff like 'Dark Ages' [2005], 'Omen' [2010], 'Conquer' [2008]. So, to me, making a record that sonically is inspired by the first thing that you did as a band, it was a challenge — there's a challenge in that — 'cause it's easier said than done. Because I don't wanna just copy that first record either. There's no point in doing that. I'm just using it as inspiration. It's really just full on for metal inspiration. The songs [themselves], they're gonna have their own personality and their own vibe. But, yeah, it's coming out quite interesting. I'm excited to hear what the fans are gonna think about this one."

Asked about a possible release date for the new SOULFLY album, Max said: "Right now I think we're looking at October. That's they're talking about. And we do have a European tour that starts in June. It goes from June to late July. We are gonna be playing one or two songs of the new record on that tour, which I think is great. Anytime I had a chance to do that, it's been great. I remember playing 'Primitive' [the title track of SOULFLY's second album, which came out in 2000] on the first record tour, because I wrote 'Primitive' at the same time I wrote the first SOULFLY record. I just couldn't fit in. There was too many songs, and I was, like, 'All right. Fuck it. I don't need another song on this record.' But then we went on tour, and I got a chance to play the song 'Primitive' live before the 'Primitive' record came out, so that people got a taste of the second record coming up. So it's kind of similar kind of thing — people get a taste of this album a little bit before. Especially this day and age with the Internet, people gonna get it on YouTube, they're gonna watch it, and they're gonna feel the record before October, at least."

Soulfly recruits Chase Bryant of Warbringer for European Summer Run

Max Cavalera states, “Welcome to the tribe CHASE!”...

Posted by Soulfly on Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Progressive metal pioneers CYNIC have parted ways with drummer Matt Lynch. Sitting behind the kit for the band's May 24 appearance at the Maryland Deathfest — which included a performance of CYNIC's entire debut album, 1993's "Focus" — was GORGUTS' Michel Bélanger.

Lynch had been drumming with CYNIC since 2015 and appeared on the band's latest full-length, 2021's "Ascension Codes", as well as the 2018 single "Humanoid".

Earlier today, CYNIC released the following message via social media: "After a meaningful chapter together, we've decided to part ways with Matt Lynch. We're thankful for the time and music shared and wish Matt all the best as he moves ahead."

In 2023, CYNIC celebrated the 30th anniversary of "Focus" by playing the LP in its entirety on a special headlining tour of North America, while also paying tribute to late drummer Sean Reinert and bassist Sean Malone.

The year 2020 will go down in history as a tremendously difficult time for the global human population. For the CYNIC family, the struggle was not restricted to a pandemic. It was two utterly senseless losses that threw the band's immediate concerns into the background: the premature deaths of drummer Sean Reinert in January, at age 48, and bassist Sean Malone in December, at age 50, were shocking and unthinkable.

Reinert, a founding CYNIC member since formation in 1988, was highly influential to a multitude of young drummers. His work on "Focus" and DEATH's watershed 1991 album "Human" found him sculpting extreme technical metal with a jazz fusion-inspired approach. Now taken for granted, that approach to the instrument and the genre was undoubtedly pioneered in large part by Reinert. Though parting with CYNIC in 2015, his imprint on CYNIC is inescapable.

The death of Sean Malone dealt another horrible layer of tragedy to CYNIC's 2020. In his many years with the band, Malone's virtuoso playing meshed intuitively with Reinert's. Together they formed a nucleus of kinetic, highly capable rhythmic dexterity that fueled CYNIC's celestial aims.

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