In a new interview with Thunder Underground, ONSLAUGHT founding member and guitarist Nige Rockett discussed his recovery after a three-year absence from the road following a long battle with illness. His first appearance back was on the 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise in January as ONSLAUGHT kicked off a year of 40th-anniversary shows celebrating the release of the veteran British thrash metal group's debut album, "Power From Hell".

Rockett endured a number of cancer removal operations, chemotherapy as well as two spinal operations — upper and lower spine — during his forced hiatus, with both conditions now thankfully in full remission/recovery and continuing to heal.

"I'm still a little way off, because of the time I was out and the nature of my illness," Nige explained to Thunder Underground. "I lost a lot of natural strength. I completely lost the use of my arms for maybe six to nine months. So, I need to get all my muscle back, get up to speed with the material. I mean, it's coming. I'm rehearsing a lot every day on my own, and things are coming back slowly. So I think once we hit a good run of shows, 'cause that always gets your fitness going again, I think I'll be okay."

Nige went on to say that he is "still struggling now" when trying to play some of ONSLAUGHT's more challenging material. "I'm up to around, I reckon, about 185 bpm, something like that, 190," he said. "I need to be up to, like, 200, 210 to play most of the ONSLAUGHT stuff. So it is just a case of getting all that muscle memory back again. It's kind of okay on the 'Power From Hell' stuff, which is not kind of as complex as, say, the material on 'VI' [2013] or 'Generation Antichrist' [2020]. So when we start to drop that stuff in, I've gotta be really sort of up on my game back for that. It's coming slowly. I'm putting the time in and it's definitely getting there."

ONSLAUGHT will release a two-disc career-inspiring album titled "Origins Of Aggression" on May 23, 2025 through the band's new label home, Reigning Phoenix Music. Disc one features a fine selection of ten re-recorded tracks from ONSLAUGHT's early days (1982-1989),while disc two presents a colorful bouquet of cover versions of punk and metal songs that lead fans through the range of bands — from the DEAD KENNEDYS, THE EXPLOITED and DISCHARGE to JUDAS PRIEST, BLACK SABBATH and beyond — defining the group's sound. Also to be found on the second part of the album will be ONSLAUGHT's adaption of "Iron Fist", originally written and performed by MOTÖRHEAD, which was the first single off the forthcoming effort.

"Origins Of Aggression" track listing:

Disc 1

01. Thermonuclear Devastation Of The
02. Black Horse Of Famine
03. Angels Of Death
04. Power From Hell
05. Metal Forces
06. Let There Be Death
07. Fight With The Beast
08. Thrash Till The Death
09. In Search Of Sanity
10. Shellshock

Disc 2

01. Iron Fist [by MOTÖRHEAD]
02. Holiday In Cambodia [by DEAD KENNEDYS]
03. A Look At Tomorrow [by DISCHARGE]
04. U.K. 82 [by THE EXPLOITED]
05. Freewheel Burning [by JUDAS PRIEST]
06. Wardance [by KILLING JOKE]
07. Give Me Fire [by GBH]
08. State Violence State Control [by DISCHARGE]
09. Holidays In The Sun [by SEX PISTOLS]
10. Emotional Blackmail [by UK SUBS]
11. War Pigs [by BLACK SABBATH]
12. Drunk With Power [by DISCHARGE]

ONSLAUGHT's contribution to the thrash metal genre cannot be overstated: from their debut album "Power From Hell" (1985),which is being honored with this new release, to their celebrated performances across the globe, they remain an untouchable force in the world of heavy metal. With over 40 years of history, the quintet has steadily continued to evolve, delivering relentless riffs and neck-breaking anthems, and cementing their place as pioneers of the British thrash scene.

The metal world can additionally look forward to ONSLAUGHT's 2025 world tour, where the band will promote "Origins Of Aggression" and celebrate the 40th "Power From Hell" anniversary — including stops in Europe, the USA, Mexico, and Australia — and expect more exciting news in the near future.

ONSLAUGHT's latest album, "Generation Antichrist", came out in August 2020 via AFM Records. It was the first ONSLAUGHT LP to feature new vocalist Dave Garnett, who replaced longtime singer Sy Keeler.

Garnett made his live debut with ONSLAUGHT at the House Of Metal festival in Umeå, Sweden in February 2020.

ONSLAUGHT announced Keeler's departure in April 2020, explaining in a statement that "some things simply aren't sustainable year after year due to the nature of the modern-day music industry."

ONSLAUGHT is one of the most ferocious, explosive and controversial metal bands ever to come out of the U.K. The group released three now-legendary albums in the 1980s — "Power From Hell", "The Force" and "In Search of Sanity" — and became a major influence for many metal generations to follow.

Since reforming in 2005, ONSLAUGHT has performed countless shows in no less than 70 different countries across the globe, earning themselves the reputation as one of the very best live acts in the metal scene today. ONSLAUGHT also has the enviable kudos of being the first international thrash band to perform in Vietnam and Lebanon.

Five critically acclaimed albums were released between 2007 and 2015 — "Killing Peace", "Live Damnation", "Sounds Of Violence", "VI" and "Live At The Slaughterhouse" — with millions of streams between them.

Produced by Grammy Award-winning engineer Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, IN FLAMES, BEHEMOTH),"Generation Antichrist" gathered huge international acclaim, with many renowned rock and metal pundits declaring it the album of the year.

ONSLAUGHT is:

David Garnett - vocals, guitars
Nige Rockett - guitars
Wayne Dorman - guitars
Jeff Williams - bass
James Perry - drums

Photo credit: Korey Rockett and Karen George

GREEN DAY will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame on Thursday, May 1 at 11:30 a.m. PT. Tennis legend Serena Williams and actor/producer Ryan Reynolds will speak at the event, which will be streamed live at the Walk Of Fame's web site. Radio and TV personality Matt Pinfield will emcee.

GREEN DAY's star will be located at 6212 Hollywood Boulevard, near Amoeba Music.

"The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is honored to welcome GREEN DAY's Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool to the Hollywood Walk of Fame," Walk Of Fame producer Ana Martinez said. "GREEN DAY's music has not only inspired generations but also served as the soundtrack to our lives."

The Hollywood Walk Of Fame is a celebration of art, entertainment, and all things Hollywood.

The Hollywood Chamber Of Commerce administers the Walk Of Fame on behalf of the city of Los Angeles.

Honorees are selected by a committee of their peers.

Formed in 1986 in Berkeley, California, GREEN DAY is one of the world's best-selling bands of all time, with more than 75 million records sold worldwide and 10 billion cumulative audio/visual streams.

The five-time Grammy Award-winning Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees released their breakout album, "Dookie", in 1994, which sold over 10 million and achieved ten-times-platinum diamond status, is widely credited with popularizing and reviving mainstream interest in punk rock, catapulting a career-long run of No. 1 hit singles.

Entertainment Weekly calls GREEN DAY "the most influential band of their generation," while Rolling Stone attests, "GREEN DAY have inspired more young bands to start than any act this side of KISS, and that doesn't seem to be changing."

In 2004, GREEN DAY released the rock opera "American Idiot", which captured the nation's attention, selling more than eight million copies in the U.S. alone and taking home the Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album". Mojo declared "It's exhilarating stuff, the kind of record that sets new parameters as to what is possible from a punk rock'n'roll band in the 21st century."

In 2010, a stage adaptation of "American Idiot" debuted on Broadway to critical and commercial acclaim.

Released in 2020, GREEN DAY's thirteenth studio album, "Father Of All..." , debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Album Sales chart and No. 1 in both the U.K. and Australia. Pitchfork declared, "GREEN DAY's most fetching and youthful songs in ages. The trio sounds reinvigorated, more like hungry newcomers staking their claim."

In July 2021, GREEN DAY embarked on "The Hella Mega Tour" with FALL OUT BOY and WEEZER. The global tour included 29 sold-out stadium gigs — including renowned venues like London Stadium and Los Angeles's Dodger Stadium.

On January 19, 2024, the band released its 14th studio album, "Saviors", which included hit singles "The American Dream Is Killing Me", which reached No. 1 on Billboard Rock & Alternative Airplay, and "Dilemma". The album debuted at No. 1 on seven different Billboard charts and marked their fifth No. 1 in the U.K. "Saviors" received widespread critical praise, with Rolling Stone describing it as "huge songs and snotty satire for a world on fire," while The New York Times hailed it as "a decisive, even overdetermined return to form." The New Yorker summed it up best with "It's GREEN DAY's world now."

In 2024, GREEN DAY embarked on a sold-out global stadium tour — The "Saviors Tour" — where they played "Dookie" and "American Idiot" in their entirety, along with "Saviors" cuts and fan favorites. The "Saviors Tour" came to a triumphant close as it served as GREEN DAY's biggest tour of their illustrious 30-plus-year career.

Photo credit: Alice Baxley

In a new interview with Riff X's "Metal XS", GHOST mastermind Tobias Forge once again discussed his decision to make the band's 2025 world tour "a phone-free experience", with guests maintaining possession of their phones at all times, secured in Yondr pouches. Asked if the fact that GHOST's feature film debut "Rite Here Rite Now" was filmed over two "device-free" nights in September 2023 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles influenced his decision, Tobias said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " Yes. Simply put, over the last — I don't know — five years, whatever, every year has become more and more and ever-growing distance I felt between the crowd and the band, or the band and myself. I'll talk about myself. I felt that I have a problem with watching someone [in the audience holding up a phone in front of their face]. It's irritating. And maybe I'm old school, maybe I'm old fashioned. I just feel that we're having an intimate moment, and it disturbs me that you're filming while we're doing this together. I'm doing something for you to respond to me. And when we did the shows in L.A., I, together with everyone on stage, was amazed how great it felt and how we wish that it was like this every night, because it made us better. It felt like they were having a better time. And I just felt that I have a hard time not having experienced this. I cannot neglect that I just had an experience saying that this is so much better. And then we did a little bit of a obligatory rounds, when we sort of speak to people: 'How did you feel? What was your impression?' And the overall result that came back was that it was an amazing experience. A lot of people were saying what people are now talking about: how will it feel? Beforehand, you go into it thinking that it might be uncomfortable. 'What am I gonna do with my hands?' I stopped smoking once. I smoked for 17 years. I couldn't even fathom the idea of going out drinking a beer [and not having a smoke]. Obviously, I'm not selling you the ideas of either smoking or drinking beer, but I started drinking beer and smoking at a very early age. That's why I'm not very tall. So when I was in my twenties, I couldn't even imagine not smoking, because I'd never drunk a beer without smoking, so I couldn't fathom where to put my hands if I'm gonna drink a beer. That worked really good. I stopped smoking in 2012. No problem. Long story, long segue to that is that people were afraid, people were worried about the concept of not being able to film or being able to access the world. As soon as they'd done it, they felt so much better, and that is what I want everyone to feel. For two hours, you feel relieved of the chains that is the ether, whatever it is. Then you can call, then you can take photos and then you can do all those things. By all means, tell everyone how awful it was. But I felt that I wanted to do it this way, because it made me, and it made the band and it made all the people that I spoke to, at least from the L.A. shows, feel so much better. And that is the collective joy that I want people to associate GHOST with. That's the show now."

Regarding what GHOST's 2025 live show will look like compared to the band's last tour, Tobias said:  "I can't tell you much about the show because I don't wanna give anything away, but the reason for us not wanting people to film the show is not for copyright reasons. And just because we have a phone ban, because we want people to be engaged and be there and be fun and have fun together and talk to each other, is not in order to not have any leaks. We will make sure that people will see shit from the show. That is not the issue. We're gonna make sure that there will be like documentation and things to look at. So the show itself is gonna be… Of course, [it's a] GHOST show, so it will resemble what you know, but as a creator, as a creative person, having made the film, there was a lot that I learned from just editing the whole thing and seeing the show. I had never really spent that much time watching what we were doing in a long time. And so the controlling director in me will definitely shave off a lot of things that I thought that didn't make the film, basically. Anything that's not in the film were things that I didn't want there, and that taught me a lot about the show and how I want the show to look in the future. And a lot of the new show and its intents are based off having made the film."

Through the use of technology like Yondr, fans are able to place their phones in a pouch that unlocks only after they leave the no-cell-phone zone. The pouch can also be unlocked at specific cell phone stations inside the venue.

Phone-free concerts are touted as a way to cut down on illegal filming and non-stop selfies that can take away from the performance.

Yondr founder Graham Dugoni said his company's pouches were created for "phone-free spaces" where "creativity and productivity could flourish in the absence of technology."

Phones, Apple watches and other communication devices are placed in the pouch and sealed using a magnetized lock, which can be opened with an unlocking base.

Last month, Forge told Audacy about GHOST's "phone ban": "It's an experiment. And to be perfectly honest, my 16-year-old daughter was very, very, very, very skeptical of this idea. And then she was, like, 'No one's gonna buy a ticket.' And I was, like, 'I don't know. I have no idea what people [will do].' I just know one thing, and that is that over the years it's gone absolutely insane. If you have 10,000 people at a concert and 8,000 of them are holding a phone, there's something deeply disconnected. And, obviously, this implies that I had this conversation with my daughter, but we talk about a lot of things and we speak openly about things. But I was saying, like, 'That's like having an intimate moment with someone and that person would just take out the phone like that.' 'Oh, hold on. I'm just gonna take a photo.' I know some people do that.

"If I'm just speaking for myself — I know a lot of artists don't care and I know that there are plenty of upsides, especially commercially because you want people that… The whole thing in the business is, basically, 'Yeah, we want people to film because we want people to see the show, and that will sell more tickets.' Fine. I understand that there's a promotional tool with social media. I'm not gonna neglect that. Part of our success is obviously from social media… We started on MySpace. That was the root cause for our success at the time. I don't know if we would ever become anything if it weren't for MySpace. And, obviously, our TikTok has played a huge part.

"I'm not saying that all social media is bad," he clarified. "I'm just saying that when it comes to the actual live show, my calling, my reason for being there is the connection between myself and everybody that I brought with me that are working in tandem to give you an experience, that experience is completely decocked if everybody's just filming. Am I wrong? Am I right? I don't know. That's how I, and we, felt."

Forge went on to reference the fact that "Rite Here Rite Now" was filmed over two device-free nights in Los Angeles. Tobias said: "This is where we put some practice into the theory. Some of the best shows we've ever done in modern time was — I mean, as far as how it felt for us, what the vibe was — was when we played in L.A., when we recorded 'Rite Here Rite Now'. We were all taken by the fact that people were there. The crowd was there. We have never seen people like that. That was, like, 10 years ago when you saw people engaging. And I get goosebumps when I think about that. And I was, like, 'Fuck, I wanna do that every night. I want everyone to feel like this,' because I know — and this is the conversation I had with my daughter. It's, like, 'I understand that you in theory think that this is like a downside, like a bad thing.' I want people to experience this. It's just two hours of your life. Come on. If you hate it, okay. We all felt so good when we were in L.A., and I know a lot of people said the same thing. It was a great feeling. Fans were saying afterwards, like, 'I was allowed to just sing along and just act… I could do whatever I want. I don't have to worry about someone filming me or…' I mean, I'm not gonna place all the words in everybody's mouths here, but it's a great feeling, and I wanna recreate that."

Forge previously discussed GHOST's phone "ban" earlier in March in an interview with Planet Rock. He said at the time: "I really wanna underline that the ban has nothing to do with, let's say, copyright control. It's not that we wanna sit on all the material and we don't want anybody to monetize [GHOST videos]; it has nothing to do with that."

Tobias continued: "The 'Rite Here Rite Now', the film, the essence of messaging in that film was exactly that, but also I, but us collectively, working, making that film… We filmed two shows in L.A. in front of audiences where they had to put their phones into pockets. You don't give it away. You have your phone; you don't have to worry about that. If you need to call, you can go out. If you need to take a photo, you can take a photo of yourself out in the lobby; that's fine. But what ended up happening was that we had such an engaged crowd that seemed joyous in a way that… I had to go back years and in time since I last saw a fully engaged crowd where everybody's actually watching [the show]. They don't have to watch me, but they're watching the band."

The 44-year-old Forge added: "I don't wanna turn this into an ageist thing where I'm gonna tell 14-year-olds everything was better back then. But I swear that the experience of shows and the making of memories, the making of magic, was much more powerful. Some of the best shows I've ever been to, I have maybe not even seen a picture from that because they all live here [in my head]. They live in my core. That's the memory I have of that. And that is an experience I wish for… Obviously, the part of our crowd that are older and more aware, maybe this becomes a little bit nostalgic then. But I really believe that the younger portion of our crowd will, as they did in L.A., come out saying, like, 'That was not only a great concert; that was also an overwhelming experience.' Because I do believe that you will feel that."

Musicians like Jack White, Alicia Keys, and comedians Dave Chappelle and Jerrod Carmichael have used Yondr pouches at their shows to encourage people to live in the moment.

A number of other musicians have come out in recent years to say that mobile technology is ruining the concert experience, including SLIPKNOT and STONE SOUR singer Corey Taylor. He told "Loudwire Nights" that "it's fine" if people want to take pictures of his bands' shows, but not so much if they are videotaping entire performances. "It's one thing to film it, it's another thing to just be staring at your screen while you're filming it," he said. "It's right there. Are you so terrified of real life that you can't do anything unless it's on that little four-by-four screen? Ugggh. It's very weird."

Former SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach in 2015 urged fans to keep their cell phones at the bottom of their pockets and just watch his performances. "Be in the moment," he said. "You're distracted and it's distracting to the performer as well. Like, put your fuckin' cell phone away, dammit! You're never even going to watch that footage."

The overuse of cellphones to capture grainy, blurry photos and videos at concerts has for years vexed and enraged artists like Bach, who lamented the fact that every one of his performances could be recorded and shared on YouTube almost immediately.

"If I go to a wedding and sing a song, it's on Blabbermouth the next day and everybody analyzes it," said Bach. "It's a really backwards way to watch a band. It's a drag sometimes when I go up there and the first thing I see is everybody getting their phones out and holding them toward my face. It makes you feel intimidated."

Back in 2012, Bruce Dickinson chastised a fan for texting during an IRON MAIDEN concert, calling him a "wanker."

When Axl Rose reunited with his former GUNS N' ROSES bandmates Duff McKagan and Slash for the first time in 23 years at the Troubadour in Los Angeles in April 2016, the concert was phone-free.

"God, it was wonderful," McKagan told The New York Times. "It was the old-school feeling, where people were dancing and getting down. It was really cool."

GHOST will release its new album, "Skeletá", on April 25 via Loma Vista Recordings.

The European leg of GHOST's 2025 world tour kicked off on April 15 in Manchester, United Kingdom and will conclude on May 24 in Oslo, Norway. The North American leg of GHOST's 2025 tour will launch on July 9 in Baltimore, Maryland and wrap up on August 16 in Houston, Texas.

The physical home video of "Rite Here Rite Now" was made available on December 6, 2024.

Tama Drums has just unleashed the “Dream Monster.”

Built for Dream Theater’s 40th Anniversary Tour, this kit was custom-made for Mike Portnoy from the ground up — every drum and piece of hardware dialed in to his exact specs.

Join Mike as he breaks it all down in the clip below.



On March 22, Dream Theater brought their 40 Anniversary Tour to Radio City Music Hall in New York City. It was the last North American show of their 40th Anniversary tour. The band has shared the recap video below.

A message states: “New York, we had the best of times. ❤️ What a night and what a way to end the North American leg of the 40th Anniversary Tour! A big thank you to all who came out and supported us on this tour, it was unbelievably special for all of us and it wouldn’t have been possible without your support. We will be back on the road in the summer with some festival appearances and shows in unique locations / venues. Check dreamtheater.net/tour for all the details!”

On February 28, PAPA ROACH's Jacoby Shaddix (vocalist),Jerry Horton (guitarist) and Anthony "Twan" Esperance (touring guitarist) took part in a "Riff Sessions" acoustic performance at the studios of Detroit's WRIF radio station. You can now watch the set below.

Featured songs:

00:00 - Intro
02:56 - "Even If It Kills Me"
11:04 - "Scars"
17:58 - "Leave A Light On (Talk Away The Dark)"
24:34 - "Last Resort"

Last month, PAPA ROACH released a brand-new version of its latest single, "Even If It Kills Me", via the band's own label, New Noize Records/ADA. The group and Joshua Landry again produced "Even If It Kills Me (Reimagined)". The original single reached No. 1 at U.S. Rock Radio, marking PAPA ROACH's 13th appearance at the top of the charts.

"Even If It Kills Me (Reimagined)" is a fresh take on its heavier counterpart, showcasing the hit song in a new light, with a melodic arrangement and signature vocals delivered by Shaddix.

PAPA ROACH recently completed the European leg of the "Rise Of The Roach" tour. The trek saw PAPA ROACH bring its biggest-ever production and journey deep through their vast music catalogue, including a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the band's iconic breakthrough album "Infest". Special guests for the global tour were WAGE WAR in Europe and will include RISE AGAINST and UNDEROATH in the U.S.

PAPA ROACH are two-time Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling leaders in alternative hard rock music. PAPA ROACH are not unfamiliar with calling attention to mental health and have been doing so since the seminal release of their first hit single "Last Resort". Since then, the band has gone on to create 10 studio albums, their most recent, 2022's "Ego Trip", on their own label New Noize Records.

In a new interview with U.K. radio veteran Paul Stephenson of VRP Rocks, BAD COMPANY drummer Simon Kirke spoke about the British supergroup's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nomination, which was announced in February 2025 after decades of eligibility. Asked how it feels to finally be nominated, Simon said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, it's the first time we've been nominated, and a very good friend of mine is Nicko McBrain from IRON MAIDEN. And he sent me a congratulatory text. He said, 'By the way, Simon, MAIDEN have been nominated 11 fucking times and we haven't been inducted ever. So our management wrote to the Hall Of Fame and said, 'Stop nominating us. Bollocks. Fuck off.

"What can I say? If I was truly honest, I would say it's about time because we've been around for so long," Simon continued. "And hello? How about FREE, which superseded BAD COMPANY? A lot of people have a lot of affection for FREE.

"As I see it, there are 14 nominees, and it's the first four [in the fan vote] that get inducted," Kirke added. "That's my belief. We are behind PHISH who have a huge social media presence. I've never really heard PHISH, quite honestly — they're like the younger version of the GRATEFUL DEAD, but they've got just under 200,000 [fan] votes. We have about 180,000, so we're second. I'm told by an insider that we are gonna get in. we will actually know on Monday or Tuesday. So, yeah, I've already spoken with Paul [Rodgers, BAD COMPANY singer] about what song we're gonna play, and it's gonna be 'Can't Get Enough'. And, yeah, I'm happy — I'll be happy for Mick [Ralphs, BAD COMPANY guitarist], 'cause Mick had a stroke several years ago and he is in not good shape. And as long as he holds out when we get on that stage in November, we're gonna give a shoutout to Mick. Because he wrote the damn song — he wrote 'Movin' On' and he wrote a lot of the hits and he deserves it."

Asked what Paul's reaction was to BAD COMPANY's Rock Hall nomination, Simon said: "I met him a few weeks ago on the West Coast. I was playing in a charity golf tournament in Palm Springs, and he winters in Palm Springs. So we actually got together, and I said, 'What do you think?' He said, 'About fucking time.' We are pleased and we are honored, but there was always this nagging — every year that passed, we didn't even get a nomination. 'Cause there's two steps — nomination, then induction. And we weren't even nominated for all those years. And it was beginning to gnaw at me. But anyway, Paul was 'Yeah, about the time. What are we gonna play?' And I said, 'Well, 'Can't Get Enough',' because Mick won't be there; he can't travel. And it seemed to be the right thing to do. So, yeah, that's it."

Asked if he ever got a reason why BAD COMPANY hadn't been nominated earlier, Simon said: "No. Well… Hmm. There are several reasons. One of them being, I think because BAD COMPANY had three lineups, it kind of diluted our currency, if you will. If you can imagine a band like CREAM and they change Ginger Baker or they change Jack [Bruce] or Eric [Clapton], God forbid, a couple of times, it would kind of dilute and muddy the waters of the committee. So as I'm told by this insider, they wanted to do a FREE-BAD COMPANY doubleheader, as it were, like [when] THE FACES and THE SMALL FACES were inducted, but for some reason it didn't show up. There was also a political thing that I can't really go into without gettingkind of into hot water, but it was a combination. I think the main thing was the triple lineup… It just wasn't a clear-cut 'Let's induct BAD COMPANY.' There were factors that now have dissipated. And it looks like we're gonna get it. [I] hope so."

The 2025 inductees into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame will be announced on a live episode of "American Idol" on Sunday, April 27.

In a statement to Billboard about BAD COMPANY's nomination, Rodgers said: "BAD COMPANY fans and friends have been lobbying for this nomination persistently for years and they never gave up, so big thanks to them. According to them, BAD COMPANY fits all of the criteria and then some to be inducted."

Kirke, for his part, told the publication: "I think it's been a long time coming. It has rankled me a bit. We've been around a long time and we've influenced a lot of bands, and I think it's a place that we deserve. I'm just pleased that we're at least on the ballot. I'm happy and I'm honored, and fingers crossed that we make it."

Back in November 2023, Kirke was asked by "The Bob Lefsetz Podcast" how he felt about BAD COMPANY not having been inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. He responded: "I think it's such a travesty, quite honestly. And not just that, but FREE — FREE certainly should be [in the Hall], because FREE has been around since 1968, and the two bands have been responsible for influencing a lot of bands who are already in the Hall. So I feel pretty bad about it. But I'm not gonna go on too much about it. It's just I think we should be in. Certainly FREE. And I think Paul Rodgers should be in on his own merits, as one of the great rock vocalists of all time. If Eric Clapton and Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck can be inducted as solo artists, then certainly Paul Rodgers should be in there. That's my two cents."

Later in the chat, Kirke offered one possible explanation for why BAD COMPANY had been overlooked by the Rock Hall.

"I think because of BAD COMPANY's changing lineups over the 50 years that we'd been together, it kind of devalued our currency a little bit," he said. "You had the Brian Howe era, you had the Paul Rodgers era, one and two, when Paul rejoined the band, we had Robert Hart. So I honestly don't know why we have not been nominated — not even inducted; you have to be nominated first, as you know."

In September 2023, Rodgers told SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" that he wasn't bothered by his absence from the Rock Hall. "Well, it doesn't affect my daily life. It doesn't affect what I do in any way at all," he said. "It's one of those things. But I remember years and years ago, Ahmet Ertegun, who was the head of Atlantic Records [and a co-founder of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame], said to me, 'Paul, we're making this museum of rock and roll. Do you guys wanna be part of it?' And I said, 'What, a museum of rock and roll? What's it called?' He said, 'Well, it's called the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.' I said, 'Well, I don't think rock and roll belongs in a museum.' So it's my bad, I guess. And he asked me a couple of times, and I kind of like refused, I guess, basically. So, you know, there you go. Onwards and upwards."

Born and raised in London, THE BEATLES perked a teenage Simon's interest in rock music, and he picked up the drums — leading to a gig with a local band called THE MANIACS, on which Simon supplied drums and lead vocals (something quite uncommon at the time).

Simon worked out a deal with his parents after graduating high school, that if he couldn't "make it" as a drummer in a band within a two-year period, that he would begin a college career. Just a few months before the deadline, Simon landed a gig with a group called the BLACK CAT BONES. The drummer befriended the group's talented guitarist, Paul Kossoff, who in turn convinced Simon to leave the group with him and begin a new outfit with singer Paul Rodgers. Soon ex-JOHN MAYALL'S BLUESBREAKERS bassist Andy Fraser signed on and FREE was officially formed in 1968. Mixing blues with hard rock, the group would prove to be quite influential, especially on the strength of their classic 1970 release, "Fire And Water", and its strutting, anthemic hit single "All Right Now".

When the band broke up, it didn't take Simon long to find another gig, joining Paul Rodgers in a new band, BAD COMPANY, which was quite similar stylistically to FREE. Joined by ex-KING CRIMSON bassist Boz Burrell and ex-MOTT THE HOOPLE guitarist Mick Ralphs, BAD COMPANY was the first group signed to LED ZEPPELIN's record label, Swan Song. Their debut album, 1974's "Bad Company", would go on to become one of hard rock's all-time classics, as it birthed such long-standing rock radio standards as "Can't Get Enough", "Ready For Love" and the title track, written by Paul and Simon himself. The group hails as one of the all-time top rock outfits. Kirke is the only member of BAD COMPANY who's been in every lineup of the band.

In a new interview with Brazil's 92.5 Kiss FM radio station, JUDAS PRIEST's Scott Travis was asked how it feels for him to be considered one of the best heavy metal drummers of all time. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[Laughs] I didn't know that, but thank you very much. And it's an honor — obviously, it's an honor. And yeah, you've gotta kind keep it up, you've gotta practice and try and stay in shape. And luckily health is a big issue and I've been healthy and that's by the grace of God. So I'm very appreciative of that. But yeah, it's a great honor and it's one of those things that are given to you or put upon you and it takes a long time, I guess, to win that sort of honor. So I'm very proud of it."

The 63-year-old Travis went on to say that he is "a diehard" heavy metal fan "forever" even though he has been playing professionally for more than three decades. "In other words, since I was a teenager, a young boy, a heavy metal fan, and I still to this day — I mean, that's the music of my choice," he explained. "So I understand that most heavy metal fans, they stick with you for life and they're very dedicated and I have a lot of respect for that."

Asked to name the drummers that inspired him the most, Scott said: "It's a series of what I call the legends of legends — John Bonham and Alex Van Halen and Tommy Aldridge and Neil Peart from RUSH, Ian Paice from DEEP PURPLE. And it's funny, I can go back and listen to any of those drummers and the bands, of course, they're playing with, and just still be, like, 'Wow, that's really great. It's really cool, some of the things they did,' and [it] still inspire[s me]. Even though it might be a song that I've heard a hundred or two hundred or five hundred times, you can still listen to it and go, 'Wow, I understand now why they were so influential on my career.'"

Last August, JUDAS PRIEST shared a video in which Scott explained why he holds his drumsticks upside down. He said at the time: "It is wrong, isn't it? Well, that's a good question. So, many, many years ago, two of my favorite drummers, Neil Peart of RUSH and Tommy Aldridge, who's played Ozzy [Osbourne] and a bunch of other bands, WHITESNAKE, I noticed they were always playing — so they would have the butt end on the left hand, which is normally the snare, and then they would play the tip on the ride cymbal for clarity. So I kind of stole that idea, and then I just figured that if it works on this hand, it's good enough on this hand, and when you have to buy your own drumsticks, which I used to do, they last longer, because, obviously, that's thicker than that. That's what she said. And so that's where it got started, really."

Three years ago, Travis told "Drumtalk", the video podcast by German drummer and videographer Philipp Koch, about the fact that the intro to the title track of JUDAS PRIEST's 1990 album "Painkiller" has become one of the most iconic drum intros of all time: "Me personally, I always loved the drum intro of certain songs. We all know 'Rock And Roll' by LED ZEPPELIN and 'Walk This Way' by AEROSMITH, and, of course, 'Hot For Teacher', which is VAN HALEN. So, anyways, I grew up like that, always understanding that, 'Man, if ever I could come up with a signature drum intro — no guitars; just drums — and make it really impactful.' And sometimes I get emotional, now that I've been playing for so long, that I was able to come up with something."

He continued: "[I recently saw a video featuring] 'Top 15 drum intros'. And, of course, it's subjective. I don't know who made the list; I think it was some rock magazine. So, naturally, I watch it, and it had 'Where Eagles Dare' [by IRON MAIDEN], it had 'Rock And Roll', and number two was 'Painkiller'. And I was, like, 'Oh my God. Thank you so much.' And number one, which I'm happy to take a backseat, was 'Hot For Teacher' — Sir Alex Van Halen. If I'm second place to old Alex, then, man, that's fantastic. Again, that's one opinion and one little something someone made up. But nonetheless, I didn't make it, so I'm happy that people appreciate 'Painkiller' and it has become a signature JUDAS PRIEST song, which I never in a million years would have imagined that."

Back in 2020, Travis told Invisible Oranges that he wrote the "Painkiller" intro at Miraval Studios in France in early 1990 as producer Chris Tsangarides and engineer Patrice Roullion were testing microphone placements.

"We were set up at the studio… Studio Miraval in Nice, France," Travis recalled. "The drums are all set up and they're in a big room and then, of course, the control room is at the other end of the studio. I used to just go and warm up first thing in the morning and just work on the next song we were gonna do the next day, and just start playing it with my own headphones on. It was just a cool place — very comfortable to just go and play whatever you wanted. I knew we were gonna be working on the 'Painkiller' song and it was meant to be a fast-paced upbeat song. And I was just messing around doing the intro type stuff."

He continued: "I don't know what those notes I play with my feet [are called]… between my feet and my hands. Technically, it's four with the feet, one with the hand. So it's not a quad but I don't know, septuplet, quintuplet... Shows you how educated I am on drumming, right? [I was] just out there messing around, doing a flurry of things like that, exercises and whatnot. I had the 'Painkiller' idea in my head and they really liked what I was doing and they said, 'Hey, just do some more of that, some stuff like that.' And I just kind of whipped it up…

"As a young drummer or just as a drummer, period, I always… I don't wanna say dreamt because that sounds corny, but I always was hoping that I could come up with a signature drum intro, and I think every drummer wants that. Rarely does a drummer get to do an intro and especially one that really sticks. Given the fact that it exists now, I'm kind of blown away. It's cool."

Scott's long and very influential drumming career has also included acclaimed work with FIGHT and RACER X.

In a new interview with Ned of Iowa's Rock 108 radio station, PAPA ROACH frontman Jacoby Shaddix once again spoke about how he feels about the supposed nu metal resurgence in recent years, partly thanks to a whole new wave of exciting revivalists. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Dude, it's sick, man, because although the '80s hair metal never really had this major resurgence — I mean, MÖTLEY CRÜE had a second wind — but nu metal, for real, is having like a second go-around right now. It's so dope. And it's cool because there's this underbelly of bands that were listening to our bands back in the day that we're now sharing the stage with all these guys — BEARTOOTH and BRING ME THE HORIZON, to name a couple — that were fans of this genre of music. And so you could hear how our music inspired them and influenced it and then they just flipped it on its head and did their own thing. And it's just really cool to have this moment. Watching our brothers in DEFTONES have another moment in their career. And ourselves experiencing that right now, it's so dope, man. It really is. It's so cool."

Shaddix previously talked about nu metal's comeback less than two years ago during a pre-show press conference at the Hellfest festival in Clisson, France. He said at the time: "Nostalgia is such a powerful thing, and it's so cool to see that that era is making its way back around. And part of it is because, you know, time. And the other part of it is this new generation of bands that were little kids that were listening to bands like PAPA ROACH or KORN or DEFTONES or LIMP BIZKIT or LINKIN PARK, those were the bands that they were listening to, so this music kind of influenced them. And now bands like OF MICE & MEN or BRING ME THE HORIZON, you can hear elements of nu metal in that music. And that's frickin' sick."

As for PAPA ROACH's own "departure" from the nu metal sound, Shaddix said: "It was necessary. It's always about evolution. And for a while I really despised the title of nu metal because everybody was trying to compare us to LIMP BIZKIT or compare us to LINKIN PARK, and we were, like, 'No, we're our own thing.' And we've proved that we are our own thing, throughout the years. And now, as we look back, as older men, I look back proud on being part of that movement. It's just dope that it's finally kind of getting some respect in pop culture. I think that in the time, people just kind of looked down upon the genre. And now, as the years have gone on, there's some respect upon it, which is… it's dope."

Back in 2019, Jacoby said that "it was always a weird thing" for him and his bandmates to be lumped in with all the "nu metal" groups around the time of the release of PAPA ROACH's full-length debut, 2000's "Infest". "With the nu metal kingpins, the top dogs were LIMP BIZKIT at the time, and I wasn't on the same page as Fred [Durst]," he told the KUPD radio station. "I considered myself more of a punk rocker at that time. But we weren't a punk band — we knew that we weren't a punk band. But all the bands that we played with from 1993 up to 1999, they were all the local punk groups and the emo bands, and we were the odd man out all the time. But now, I look back on it, and I'm, like, yeah, we were a nu metal band for a few years — we were definitely a nu metal band. But for us, we kind of outlived the tag of nu-metal and just became more of a rock band."

Asked how PAPA ROACH managed to survive the nu metal phase when so many other bands fell by the wayside, Shaddix said: "For us, it's a trip, 'cause there's a lot of bands — we've seen waves of bands come and go. In the nu metal era, a lot of bands just dissipated or fell apart. And there was the garage rock revolution — THE HIVES, THE STROKES, THE VINES — that kind of sound came and had its time and then it kind of went away. And then screamo came in. And then after that, it was, like… I get lost. We just keep seeing people come and go. And we're, like, all right, cool. We're still here doing our thing. We said it from the beginning — we're the cockroaches; we're gonna be around for a while."

Pressed about whether it was hard for PAPA ROACH not to try to change its sound with the times over the years, Jacoby said: "Oh, yeah. For us, even from the beginning, from where we started, we were more like a funk-punk band when we first started — more like [RED HOT] CHILI PEPPERS meets… I don't even know; just some oddball shit. CHILI PEPPERS meets MR. BUNGLE — that was kind of where we sat in the beginning. And then we got into heavier, more metal style. And that's kind of when I got into rapping, and that's when we started doing that — we became a nu metal band. And then for us, after that, we discovered classic rock, and that was a big evolution for us. I was listening to QUEEN. I've always been a LED ZEPPELIN fan. THE WHO, SUPERTRAMP — all these classic groups. THE CLASH as well. And we were discovering the old stuff, and then it influenced our band again. So then we had guitar solos in our music and our guitar player grew his hair out, and we were just like a rocker band. And we toured with MÖTLEY CRÜE… And then I fell in love with hip-hop music again, and, really, we broke all the walls down again and kind of brought it full circle in a sense. Some of the modern music we're doing now has elements of the old school, but elements of the new school. We love a wide range of music. And so, for us now, I just don't give a fuck anymore. I just wanna make music that gets me off and is inspiring to me and makes me wanna walk into the studio and get on the mic and throw down. And sometimes we hit the mark, and sometimes we don't hit the mark. But for any career band, that's gonna be the story."

Nu metal thrived during the remarkable decade from 1994 to 2004 when mainstream charts, magazines, radio and TV were all taken over by a host of diverse artists performing their own brands of hard rock, hip-hop and heavy metal.

Essentially a fusion of rap and alternative rock (arguably born out of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE),nu metal inexplicably swept the airwaves and peaked for a brief period, with Gregory Heaney of AllMusic describing the genre as "one of metal's more unfortunate pushes into the mainstream." Along the way, several bands associated with nu metal, including KORN, DEFTONES and SLIPKNOT, took a somewhat defensive stance against being labeled as such. Even those less apologetic nu metal groups eventually changed their sound, effectively disowning the genre that they helped pioneer.

In a new interview with Dylan Gowan of Banger TV, DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy spoke about the band's sixteenth studio album, "Parasomnia", which came out on February 7, 2025 via InsideOut Music. The LP marks DREAM THEATER's first release with Portnoy since 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings". When Gowan noted that "Parasomnia" comes across as one of the heavier albums in DREAM THEATER's catalog, Portnoy concurred. "Yeah, I think sometimes people overlook the importance of the metal side to DREAM THEATER, especially with me in the band," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "It's a really important aspect. It always has been. If you look at the very, very first song from the very first album 'A Fortune In Lies', I was playing thrash, double bass, thrash beats right outta the gate. And we've always had songs like that, whether it be 'The Glass Prison' or 'Panic Attack' or 'A Nightmare To Remember'. It's been a big part of the band's sound, and, to be honest, I think it's a big part of the band's success."

He continued: "There's a lot of prog bands or prog metal bands that are still kind of underground and still play smaller shows or maybe don't sell as many records because maybe they haven't tapped into the metal side. But the fact that the metal side is such a big, big part of our sound, I think is what elevates DREAM THEATER to be the cream of the crop in terms of ticket sales and record sales in the prog universe. I think it's that metal side that does it. The fact that we could play these big metal festivals like Aftershock or Louder Than Life or Hellfest or Graspop [Metal Meeting], the fact that we could pull off gigs like that as a prog metal band speaks a lot for that metal side. And when writing 'Parasomnia', we just naturally fell into it. Maybe it was the dark subject matter of sleep disorders and nightmares and things like that, maybe that helped us gravitate towards it."

Portnoy added: "But, yeah, if I had to describe 'Parasomnia', the album, to somebody, I would say it kind of has the darkness and heaviness of 'Train Of Thought' with the cinematic approach of '[Metropolis Pt. 2:] Scenes From A Memory'."

Portnoy co-founded DREAM THEATER in 1985 with guitarist John Petrucci and bassist John Myung. Mike played on 10 DREAM THEATER albums over a 20-year period, from 1989's "When Dream And Day Unite" through 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", before exiting the group in 2010.

Mike Mangini joined DREAM THEATER in late 2010 through a widely publicized audition following the departure of Portnoy. Mangini beat out six other of the world's top drummers — Marco Minnemann, Virgil Donati, Aquiles Priester, Thomas Lang, Peter Wildoer and Derek Roddy — for the gig, a three-day process that was filmed for a documentary-style reality show called "The Spirit Carries On".

"Parasomnia" was produced by Petrucci, engineered by James "Jimmy T" Meslin, and mixed by Andy Sneap. Hugh Syme returns once again to lend his creative vision to the cover art.

In a recent interview with Japanese music critic and radio personality Masa Ito of TVK's "Rock City", Portnoy was asked what he has added to DREAM THEATER since he rejoined the progressive metal giants in October 2023 after a 13-year absence. He responded: "It is not really for me to say. I can't sit here and pat myself on the back and kind of tell all the things I bring to the band. I think it's more for the fans or the listener to kind of come up with that opinion. But I think it's pretty well known what I bring to the band. It's been this way since the beginning of the band 40 years ago."

Mike continued: "I was always contributing in every area — not just the drums, but collaborating on the music and the lyrics and the melodies and the production and the merchandise and the fan club and everything that goes into being in a band. I'm a very hands-on type of person, so for the first 25 years of the band, I oversaw all of that stuff. And then when I left the band, the guys had to kind of figure out how things were gonna get distributed amongst themselves. And however they decided that, that's the way they continued without me. And now coming back in the band, I've had to be very, very respectful of what they've been doing all the years without me. It's a very different organization than when I left in 2010.

"When I left in 2010, I was a control freak. and overseeing everything and very protective of everything," Portnoy added. "But now coming back, I need to respect that they've been touring for all these years without me and making records without me, so they have perhaps different ways of doing things. So, I had to come in very respectful and kind of tippy-toe my way around each area to see how much they wanted from me. There are some areas where they put complete control back into my lap. There's other areas that maybe they wanted to retain some control and maybe ask me to take a step back. So, it's been a learning process over the past year or so how the new chemistry was going to function. And it's been very easy, I think. We're all older and wiser at this stage of our lives. When I left the band in 2010, I was in my early 40s. Now I'm in my late 50s. And I think as you get older and you have more life experiences, you learn more, you learn how to behave in a more mutually beneficial way and try to be respectful of other people's opinions and ideas. And that's a lot of the stuff I learned all the years outside of DREAM THEATER. I did so many other bands and projects and albums, each one of which had a very different chemistry that I would have to adapt to. So I think adapting to all those different situations throughout the years really helped me to be more of a team player than maybe I was the first time around."

DREAM THEATER kicked off the North American leg of its 40th-anniversary tour on February 7 at The Met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The trek was "An Evening With Dream Theater" and was the first tour of North America since Portnoy's return to the lineup, joining Petrucci, singer James LaBrie, Myung and keyboardist Jordan Rudess. The tour concluded on March 22 in New York City.

Provogue is proud to spotlight a blistering new cut from the upcoming Gary More Live From Baloise Session, due out May 23. Taken from his unforgettable 2008 performance in Basel, Switzerland, Moore’s explosive take on the Jimmy Rogers classic, “Walkin’ By Myself”, is now available on all platforms. Listen to the blistering performance below.

More than a cover, “Walkin’ By Myself” becomes a full-throttle showcase of Moore’s unmatched energy and feel for the blues. As he tears into the track, you can hear echoes of his deep respect for the genre’s pioneers — yet the delivery is all Moore: gritty, impassioned, and unmistakably powerful.

Captured in stunning fidelity during the Baloise Session, this rendition brims with urgency. It’s a reminder that even late in his career, Moore was still pushing boundaries and channelling the same raw emotion that made him a legend.

Backed by longtime collaborators Pete Rees (bass), Vic Martin (keys), and Thin Lizzy icon Brian Downey (drums), Moore breathes new life into Rogers’ anthem of self-reliance. Each note he pulls from his Les Paul speaks volumes, and the crowd’s reaction says it all — this was a moment.

This latest release is a perfect teaser for Live From Baloise Session, a distillation of Moore’s late-career brilliance. While we lost him far too soon, recordings like this prove his fire never faded. The blues may be timeless, but few have walked its path with the same ferocity and soul as Gary Moore.



Gary More Live From Baloise Session will be released on CD/Blu-Ray, 2LP blue and also marble yellow flame (web exclusive) as well as being available digitally. Pre-order the upcoming release here.

We didn’t know it then, but when Moore took the stage for the Baloise Session on November 13, 2008, he was less than three years away from his untimely passing at the age of 58. Yet this very special performance – captured for the Live From Baloise Session reminds us that the guitarist played with untouchable skill and molten soul, right to the end.

It’s hard to imagine a finer showcase for Moore’s cask-seasoned talent than Baloise Session. Far from the mud and melee of a traditional festival, the event held in Basel, Switzerland – formerly known as AVO Session – is an intimate encounter with A-list artists, where discerning music-lovers sit at lamp-lit tables modelled on the vintage after-hours clubs of New York, soaking up the set with no distractions.

From Ray Charles and James Brown to Elton John and Eric Clapton, an invitation to the Baloise Session is the stamp of an all-time musical great – and there’s no doubt that Moore belongs in that number.

Gary Moore at full throttle was simply the greatest spectacle in rock ‘n’ roll. From his formative years out on the boards of late-’60s Dublin with Skid Row, through his ’70s gunslinger shifts for Thin Lizzy – onto an ever-evolving solo career that rewrote the book for blues, rock, metal and more – the Irishman attacked every show like it was both his first and last, shrugging off his hallowed reputation and earning his place amongst the greats all over again.

One setlist could never contain it all. Live From Baloise Session, however, is a fist-tight, fat-trimmed distillation of everything that made Moore the blues master, hitting all the marks you’d hope to see from a late-period live set by this deathless artist.

With no fuss or fanfare, the bandleader – flanked by Pete Rees on bass, Vic Martin on keys and fabled Thin Lizzy drummer Brian Downey – walks from the wings, plugs his Les Paul into twin Marshall stacks and fires up “Oh, Pretty Woman” (the fiery Albert King cover that was a highlight of Still Got The Blues). As a statement of intent, it’s stinging, and as Moore soothes and strangles his first solo of the night, you’re reminded of Joe Bonamassa’s sage observation: “Gary’s approach to soloing was like placing a brick on a car’s gas pedal — the brick would go down, and he would never stop!”

Strapping on a Gibson ES335, Moore then tears into his own “Since I Met You Baby” (a spring-heeled groove from 1992’s After Hours, whose studio version featured a guesting B.B. King).

This vintage Baloise Session performance serves as a reminder of all the Irishman did in his lifetime to leave his beloved genre in the best health. The likes of Gary Moore will not come again, but while this deathless music plays, he still walks amongst us, his power undimmed.



Tracklisting:

“Oh, Pretty Woman”
“Since I Met You Baby”
“Thirty Days (To Come Back Home)”
“I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know”
“Don’t Believe a Word”
“Still Got the Blues”
“Walking by Myself”
“The Blues Is Alright”

LINKIN PARK has shared an official visualizer for the band's new single "Unshatter". The track, along with the previously released new song "Up From The Bottom", is taken from the deluxe edition of LINKIN PARK's comeback album, "From Zero", due out May 16 via Warner.

"Unshatter" and "Up From The Bottom" mark the band's first new music since the release of the "From Zero" last November.

"From Zero (Deluxe Edition)" 2CD is a limited pressing. It features a four-panel softpak packaging with 16-page booklet and showcases three new songs, five live tracks recorded around the world and all new, expanded packaging.

The band comments: "'Up From The Bottom' was created in between tours this year, infused with the electricity of those first shows back after a long hiatus. 'Let You Fade' was a song that began during the 'From Zero' sessions but found its final shape in sessions after the album's release. 'Unshatter' was an early track we made while recording 'From Zero'; Emily's huge vocal in the bridge was one of the moments that gave us an indication of what was possible together.

"We are so grateful for the incredible reception to 'From Zero'. This new chapter, our continuing journey, and the connection between the band and fans has been more than we could've hoped for. Thank you for listening."

"From Zero (Deluxe Edition)" track listing:

CD1

01. From Zero
02. The Emptiness Machine
03. Cut The Bridge
04. Heavy Is The Crown
05. Over Each Other
06. Casualty
07. Overflow
08. Two Faced
09. Stained
10. IGYEIH
11. Good Things Go

CD 2

01. Up From The Bottom
02. Unshatter
03. Let You Fade
04. The Emptiness Machine (Live)
05. Heavy Is The Crown (Live)
06. Over Each Other (Live)
07. Casualty (Live)
08. Two Faced (Live)

LINKIN PARK kicked off the 2025 leg of its "From Zero" world tour on January 31 at Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City, Mexico. The trek will resume on April 26 at Austin, Texas's Moody Center.

In late January, LINKIN PARK released an a cappella/vocals-only version of "From Zero", dubbed "From Zero - A Cappellas".

The original version of "From Zero", issued last November, marked LINKIN PARK's first full-length effort since 2017's "One More Light", which was the last LINKIN PARK album before the death of lead vocalist Chester Bennington. "From Zero" features LINKIN PARK's new singer Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain, who have joined returning members co-vocalist and main producer Shinoda, guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell and DJ/visual director Joe Hahnin the band's new lineup. Guitarist Alex Feder is filling in for Delson at all LINKIN PARK concerts for the foreseeable future.

Last fall, Shinoda told KROQ's Kevan Kenney about the emotions surrounding LINKIN PARK's return: "It's really complicated. For me, two years ago it was very overwhelming, and I think the best thing that we did was to just basically let things happen in the order and at the timeline that they were gonna happen, let things happen organically and not push too hard. And I feel like what ended up evolving was we just naturally kind of found each other, we found this new lineup, we found Emily and Colin in particular, and the music just kind of came into focus based on what we were having the most fun doing."

When Kenney suggested that "From Zero" "sounds almost like a return to [LINKIN PARK's] roots", Shinoda said: "I love that there's such a strong LINKIN PARK DNA in the record. It does really feel like LINKIN PARK, but I think there's a part of it that's the old sound and part of that's every era of the band, to me, on the record."

Farrell chimed in: "I don't know if I know well what the LINKIN PARK DNA is. It's kind of like when you're too close to something, you just do it and then other people tell you. They almost interpret it and then you kind of say, 'Okay, cool. I'm glad that came across.' But I think in any and all of that creation of an album or working on new music or new stuff or when there's — I don't know — interstitials or whatever you might wanna call it, for me those things are just like us doing us and figuring that out and moving forward. And in this process, one of the things that was so fun and rewarding and cool and energizing was just how when we started gradually integrating Emily and Colin, it felt like LINKIN PARK. It just felt like it fit for me and for us. And those were the coolest moments in the entire process, was just feeling like things were kind of jelling and coming together and we were having a blast doing it the whole time. So at this stage being ready to finally have the album out, having people be excited about it, that feels great."

LINKIN PARK announced its new lineup during a September 2024 one-hour global livestream of a concert in Los Angeles showcasing Armstrong and Brittain.

Photo credit: Jimmy Fontaine

In a career defined by evolution, Joe Bonamassa is ready to turn the page once again. The blues-rock virtuoso has just announced "Breakthrough", his most adventurous and genre-blending studio album to date, out July 18 via his own J&R Adventures. At the heart of the announcement is the release of the album's powerful title track — "Breakthrough" — a soulful, hard-hitting anthem about letting go, moving forward, and finding your fire again, available today on all streaming platforms.

Crafted across multiple continents and infused with a world's worth of inspiration, "Breakthrough" marks a bold new chapter for Bonamassa — one that leans on fiery solos, emotionally rich storytelling, groove-driven arrangements, and stylistic exploration. Produced by longtime creative partner Kevin Shirley (IRON MAIDEN, THE BLACK CROWES, JOURNEY),the album was shaped by sessions in Greece, Egypt, Nashville, and Los Angeles, resulting in a vibrant sonic tapestry that shifts effortlessly from funky blues and Texas swing to acoustic ballads and swaggering hard rock.

"I think this album, 'Breakthrough', marks a shift in the styling of Joe Bonamassa's recording output," says Shirley. "While there are plenty of guitar solos on this record, his emphasis has been on songs primarily. Each time Joe undertakes a new recording project, he seems to access a different part of his vast library of music genre from the jukebox in his head! This album is a round-the-world musical trip — from LITTLE FEAT funkiness to Texas swing, from hard rock power to acoustic singer/songwriter-style songs."

The newly released single "Breakthrough", co-written with long-time collaborator Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, ZZ TOP, LYNYRD SKYNYRD),captures the emotional core of the record — an uplifting anthem about transformation, persistence, and letting go of the weight that holds us back. With gritty vocals, melodic guitar lines, and lush instrumentation, the track embodies Bonamassa's signature blend of power and finesse while ushering in a bold new direction.

"Breakthrough" follows the success of Bonamassa's recent singles "Still Walking With Me" and "Shake This Ground", both of which hinted at the adventurous spirit behind the full album. "Shake This Ground" delivered a moody, introspective edge, while "Still Walking With Me" leaned into warmth, gratitude, and classic soul. Each track reflects a different facet of Bonamassa's evolving songwriting approach, rooted in emotional honesty and anchored by his unmistakable guitar work.

The album announcement caps a stretch of extraordinary momentum for Bonamassa. Next up, Bonamassa recently began his extensive European spring tour, followed by a June run with his powerhouse supergroup BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION (featuring Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham and Derek Sherinian). After another round of summer dates across Europe — including sold-out shows in Ireland — he'll return stateside for his just-announced 2025 U.S. summer tour, a limited amphitheater run featuring stops at the Greek Theatre, Red Rocks and more iconic venues.

With over 50 albums, 28 No. 1 Billboard Blues albums, and a lifelong commitment to evolving the genre, Bonamassa shows no signs of slowing down. Whether headlining iconic venues, mentoring rising artists through Journeyman Records or supporting music education via his Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, Bonamassa continues to shape the future of blues-rock with every note.

"Breakthrough" track listing:

01. Breakthrough
02. Trigger Finger
03. I'll Take The Blame
04. Drive By The Exit Sign
05. Broken Record
06. Shake This Ground
07. Still Walking With Me
08. Life After Dark
09. You Don't Own Me
10. Pain's On Me

Bonamassa is one of the most celebrated performing musicians of today. As a four-time Grammy-nominated artist and 15-time Blues Music Award nominee (four-time winner),he achieved his 28th No. 1 album on the Billboard Blues chart with his most recent live album and concert film, "Live At The Hollywood Bowl With Orchestra". Only in his mid-40s, Bonamassa has become a living legend with an astounding multi-genre catalog. He has released more than 50 albums, including studio and live recordings, as well as collaborative albums with his adventurous side projects: BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION and ROCK CANDY FUNK PARTY.

A prolific writer who is always on the hunt to expand his eclectic musical horizons, Bonamassa has a limitless work ethic whether it's in the studio, on the road, or working with other artists to spur new music. In recent years, he has produced an immense number of albums, including Joanne Shaw Taylor, Marc Broussard, Larry McCray, Jimmy Hall and others for his independent labels Journeyman Records and KTBA Records, and has also launched Journeyman LLC, a full-service artist management, record label, concert promotion, and marketing company that builds awareness for independent artists worldwide.

Photo by Ian Potter (courtesy of Noble PR)

British heavy metal veterans DIAMOND HEAD will release "Live And Electric", a live album that delivers every nuance of that four-letter word thanks to a song selection that covers the band's seminal career, on July 11 via Silver Lining Music.

The official music video for the LP's first single, "Helpless", created by Jay Shredder, can be seen below.

DIAMOND HEAD founding member and lead guitarist Brian Tatler recalls of the song: "In September 1979 the song 'Helpless' began life as a riff I was playing by an obscure punk band. I was playing it at the 5th fret and singer Sean Harris said, 'Play it at the 2nd fret but play it faster,' and the song took shape. It has always been a powerhouse live and one of the songs that has never left the set list. METALLICA covered 'Helpless' on their '$5.98 E.P. – Garage Days Re-Revisited' in 1987 which introduced it to a whole new set of metal fans."

Recorded in 2022 on DIAMOND HEAD's tour with SAXON, "Live And Electric" takes in performances from Aberdeen, Blackburn, York, Cambridge, Cardiff and Bexhill, creating in the process an unmistakably British energy which is superbly recorded and mixed by Jay Shredder, with singer/frontman Rasmus Bom Andersen mastering. By now, the rock and metal scene knows all about Tatler, whose riffs have genuinely defined a genre as well as influencing one of the world's biggest-ever rock bands, METALLICA, but the contribution of Andersen to these DIAMOND HEAD performances is explosive as he bursts with power, presence and personality.

"It's the first DIAMOND HEAD live album for twenty years and the first time in DIAMOND HEAD's career that we were able to record all fourteen shows and then go through them to find the best performances," Brian says. "In the past we would only record one specific show and so all the pressure to get it right on the night would build up and make everyone very nervous. Somewhere in the middle of this tour things began to gel and fortunately these shows were captured for posterity."

The seamless way in which old classics such as "The Prince" and newer stormers like "Belly Of The Beast" thunder down the tracks is a testimony to the lock-tight no-nonsense foundation that Paul Gaskin (bass),Andrew "Abbz" Abberley (rhythm and lead guitar) and Karl Wilcox on drums add to the alchemy and the balance of respect plus reinvigoration for treasures "It's Electric", "Helpless" and "Am I Evil?" is electrifying. "Live And Electric" is a true roots representation of Britain's metal communities, and a wonderful live celebration of DIAMOND HEAD's distinctly British heavy metal music which feels as fresh, vital, and important now as it ever has before.

"Live And Electric" track listing:

01. The Prince (Live At The Bexhill De La War Pavilion)
02. Bones (Live At St David's Hall, Cardiff)
03. The Messenger (Live At The Cambridge Corn Exchange)
04. In The Heat Of The Night (Live At The York Barbican)
05. Set My Soul On Fire (Live At The Bexhill De La War Pavilion)
06. It's Electric (Live At The Bexhill De La War Pavilion)
07. Dead Reckoning (Live At The Aberdeen Music Hall)
08. Death By Design (Live At The Aberdeen Music Hall)
09. Sweet And Innocent (Live At The Aberdeen Music Hall)
10. Helpless (Live At The Aberdeen Music Hall)
11. Belly Of The Beast (Live At The Aberdeen Music Hall)
12. Am I Evil? (Live At King George's Hall, Blackburn)

DIAMOND HEAD is:

Brian Tatler: Lead, Rhythm Guitars
Rasmus Bom Andersen: Vocals
Karl Wilcox: Drums
Andrew "Abbz" Abberley: Rhythm, Lead Guitars
Paul Gaskin: Bass

Photo by Jay Shredder