FIMBUL WINTER, the new Swedish death metal band featuring three former AMON AMARTH members, will release its debut EP, "What Once Was", on November 14. The project consists of original AMON AMARTH members Niko Kaukinen on drums and Anders Biazzi (formerly Anders Hansson) on guitar, and former AMON AMARTH drummer Fredrik Andersson on lead guitar. Completing the lineup is Clint Williams on vocals.

According to a press release, FIMBUL WINTER fuses decades of experience with a fresh, uncompromising energy. "What Once Was" delivers a sound that is cold, intense, and fiercely authentic — a bold statement from a band built on unfinished business and a shared passion for the roots of Swedish death metal.

"What Once Was" track listing:

01. Storms Rage
02. What Once Was
03. Mounds Of Stones
04. A Soul That Soared
05. In Solitude's Embrace

Lineup:

Niko Kaukinen (AMON AMARTH founding member) - Drums
Anders Biazzi (AMON AMARTH founding member) - Guitar
Fredrik Andersson (ex-AMON AMARTH) - Lead Guitar
Clint Williams (MUNITIONS) - Vocals

Session bass by Tobias Cristiansson (NECROPHOBIC, GRAVE, DISMEMBER)

The idea for FIMBUL WINTER's formation was born out of a spontaneous reunion performing the AMON AMARTH demo from 1994 called "The Arrival Of The Fimbul Winter". That reconnection quickly turned into something more serious: a desire to create new music that captures the spirit of the early Swedish scene, without compromises and without dilution of intensity. The result is "What Once Was", where FIMBUL WINTER delivers a sound that is cold, uncompromising, and fiercely authentic. As torchbearers of the Swedish melodic death metal tradition, the band channels decades of experience while staying true to the sound that defined them, from rediscovered riffs originally written for AMON AMARTH to entirely new compositions.

FIMBUL WINTER is not a side project or nostalgia trip. It's a band built on unfinished business and a shared intent to continue shaping the sound they helped create.

Regarding how FIMBUL WINTER came together, the band said: "The idea started with Niko wanting to play the demo 'The Arrival Of The Fimbul Winter', which he recorded over 30 years ago, at his 50th-birthday party. Fredrik thought it sounded like fun and offered to play the guitar. After that Anders was asked to join in and then with the addition of friends Linus Nirbrant on bass and Clint on vocals, a selected amount of friends got to experience this unique lineup and hear the tracks that once laid the foundation to what was to become. Having so much fun playing together and realizing all three former members had a ton of killer old-school material, the decision to keep on playing and to eventually record new songs was made."

Andersson was fired from AMON AMARTH in March 2015, just as the band was preparing to enter the studio to begin work on its 2016 album "Jomsviking". AMON AMARTH opted to enlist a session drummer, Tobias Gustafsson (VOMITORY, CUT UP),during the recording sessions for the disc, but hired Jocke Wallgren to join them on the road. Wallgren was named a permanent member of AMON AMARTH in September 2016.

In a 2016 interview with Brazil's "Wikimetal" podcast, AMON AMARTH guitarist Olavi Mikkonen stated about the band's split with Andersson: "I don't really wanna go into details regarding Fredrik, but, basically, we just separated. It's kind of like a marriage that doesn't work, and you get divorced. And that's kind of what happened to our band."

In a new interview with the That Metal Interview podcast, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson spoke about the changes in the music industry since he first started in the 1980s and 1990s. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I got in under the wire. I got in when there was still an opportunity to have a career, make a living, basically pay for your life so you can keep making more music. For me, that was the goal. It wasn't just to acquire a bunch of toys and then retire. It was, like, no, this is what you do. And so I've tried to be a good steward of the money I've made and the things so that I can pay the bills and not have to stress. 'Cause believe me, me and Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader], we were homeless in those early years. Man, that was rough. And I never called home for money. I said, like, 'I've gotta make this on my own, man.' And by doing that, it makes me appreciate. It's the old saying, you know the price of everything but the value of nothing. And I think by going through what we went through, putting MEGADETH together and then starting all these new bands, 'cause you all start from the beginning, you start at the beginning, you appreciate the value of it. And that's why I think I appreciate the value of camaraderie, the value of when you have real musical companionship with people, and the value of when you put something out and it connects with people and you feel that it's connecting, that you really feel like we're building a community here with what we're doing. And I think the community, to me, at this point in my life is always more important. And we're a tribe. We're a tribe of kind of quirky misfits, and we do the best we can to integrate into normal life. But let's face it, we're the black T-shirt crowd. I was at a Comic-Con this weekend with [former MEGADETH guitarist] Chris Poland, and it's the gathering of misfits — the wanted and the unwanted. And that's who we are."

He continued: "I've gotten to make music for the masses who consumed music through radio and MTV and these things, and I've gotten to make music that's just kind of for the little clique of weirdos that we all are. I think, look, the music industry, it was all kind of born… [Late AC/DC singer] Bon Scott said it best, 'The guitar man got famous, the businessman got rich.' [Laughs] Look, there's two sides to it. There's the music industry, which is where you make music and you sell that music as a product. And it used to be done through record companies and now it's done through Spotify, YouTube, digital, more of the digital means… But then the other side of it is the entertainment industry. So when you go on stage, you're not really in the music industry anymore. Now you're in the entertainment industry. So when you get on stage, what makes you a compelling product? 'Cause that's what you are at that point. You're a product. And if you don't like that, then don't get in the business. Again, it's kind of the circus. That's why I think KISS learned how to breathe fire and put makeup on: 'Let's go to the circus.' And for those of us, it's so weird that my generation, we grew up as these big KISS fans with all this sort of fantasy thing, and then our generation was the opposite of that. We're, like, jeans and t-shirts, and our connection was that we were no different than the audience. And that was our connection. And generations kind of go through these cycles. And so for our generation, and AC/DC was like this, I would say, there was a connection of that the musicians were just like us. They were one of us. We were like them. They were like us. METALLICA were the kings of this, and they still are. Their whole show is very fan-driven — the snake pit, just everything about what they do. And they were the leaders of the thrash movements. And I'm lucky that I got to be part of that and help expand and develop and color that as well.

"When you're on that stage, you've gotta be doing something that is compelling, to make people watch you on the stage," Ellefson added. "So that, to me, is kind of the mindset of it. And, of course, for us musicians, we take our songs on the stage because that's the reason we're on the stage, quite honestly. But, again, it's not the music business; it's the entertainment business. Record companies, or in this case, Spotify, YouTube, whatever, they sell the music. When you get on a stage, there's a promoter. Their job is to sell the concert ticket. So that's really what it is, in my view."

Ellefson was originally in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, when the group briefly broke up because MEGADETH leader Dave 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.

Ellefson was fired from MEGADETH more than four years ago after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter.
<

Schmier — founder, bassist, and frontman of DESTRUCTION — and Denise Dörner, co-director of the acclaimed new documentary "The Art Of Destruction" about the iconic German thrash metal band, sat down for a discussion at the Beyond The Gates festival in Norway. They explored the film's making, from exclusive behind-the-scenes tales to the intense legacy of German thrash history.

Regarding what his initial reaction was when the idea of a DESTRUCTION documentary was first proposed, Schmier said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Nobody ever asked me to do a movie about my band, so I was, like, 'It's cool, but how is it gonna be?' We didn't know at that time. And I didn't know we were gonna film for four and a half years. We thought it's gonna be one tour, a little filming here, a little filming there, and then that's it… That's why the movie turned out so cool, because we had to face a lot of problems, and it's in there."

Asked if it felt strange for him and his DESTRUCTION bandmates to allow that degree of access to the group as well as to him personally, Schmier said: "I think it just happened, because we got closer [to the filmmakers] over time. In the beginning, you feel uncomfortable when somebody walks behind you with a camera all the time. But over time, we became closer to them as friends and humans, and then they got very close. And I also watched some documentaries at that time to get an idea, how is it gonna be? And I think the best documentaries that I watched was the Liebling documentary ['Last Days Here'], the Bobby Liebling [PENTAGRAM frontman] one, or Lady Gaga ['Gaga: Five Foot Two'] or the ANVIL one [Anvil! The Story Of Anvil'] — documentaries that are real, that show the real thing, not just praising the band, just catching the moment and catching the stuff behind the curtain. So when I had the first cut, I was, like, 'How many scenes do we have to delete here?' But they convinced me that it's cool to leave stuff in that also maybe at the moment it feels weird for you as a musician, but it reveals something behind the curtain that's cool."

Founded in Weil am Rhein in 1982, the thrash metal band DESTRUCTION is one of the "Big Three" of German thrash metal alongside KREATOR and SODOM. With their uncompromising music and energetic live performances, they have won millions of fans worldwide and released numerous albums that are considered classics of the genre. The documentary "The Art Of Destruction" by Ili Jelusic and Denise Dörner offers a unique insight behind the scenes of this influential band. Schmier and guitarist Mike Sifringer, both in their mid-50s, are transitioning to a new phase in their lives and dream of touring the world together with SODOM and KREATOR. But unexpected events call their plans into question and threaten the existence of the band.

Over a period of five years, the filmmakers accompanied the band and collected exclusive material that stands out from traditional, interview-heavy documentaries. In reportage-like scenes, the viewer dives deep into the world of DESTRUCTION and experiences the highs and lows of life as a heavy metal musician, from gigs in small, sweaty clubs to huge open-air stages. Schmier always remains true to his convictions and leads the band through every challenge.

"The Art Of Destruction" uncompromisingly shows what it means to live a life for heavy metal, providing intimate insights into the passion and fighting spirit of one of thrash metal's most influential bands.

DESTRUCTION's 16th studio album, "Birth Of Malice", was released on March 7 via Napalm Records.

Schmier is joined in DESTRUCTION's current lineup by guitarists Martin Furia and Damir Eskić, along with drummer Randy Black.

"Birth Of Malice" was recorded at Switzerland's Little Creek Studio by V.O. Pulver. Guitarist Martin Furia mixed and mastered the masterpiece at The Black Mancave in Hannover, Germany.

DESTRUCTION's massive career has seen many successes, with the band hitting stages at the world's biggest festivals around the world like Hellfest, Wacken Open Air, Graspop Metal Meeting and México Metal Fest.

In August 2021, DESTRUCTION officially parted ways with Sifringer and replaced him with Martin Furia. The Argentinian-born, Belgian-based Furia is best known for his work as sound engineer and producer for such bands as NERVOSA and EVIL INVADERS.

Sifringer was the only member of DESTRUCTION to have remained constant throughout the band's career. Schmier appeared on DESTRUCTION's first three albums before exiting the band and being replaced by POLTERGEIST vocalist André Grieder. André's sole recorded appearance with DESTRUCTION was on the "Cracked Brain" album, which came out in 1990. Schmier rejoined DESTRUCTION in 1999.

DESTRUCTION 2025 is:

Schmier - Bass, Vocals
Martin Furia - Guitars
Randy Black - Drums
Damir Eskić - Guitars

In a new interview with The Prog Report, DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie discussed the band's reunion with Mike Portnoy in October 2023, 13 years after the drummer first left the progressive metal titans. Asked how many shows into the band's 40th-anniversary tour it took before "the shock" of him "turning around and seeing Mike back" behind the drum kit "died down a little bit" for him, James said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was probably the first five, six shows — it just felt a little surreal, 'cause, yeah, I'd turn around and we're, like, both looking at each other, whatever, smiling or making faces at one another. But, yeah, I'd say maybe after the first five shows, then it just became, like, 'Okay, it's cool.' This is a great new beginning once again, you could actually say. And it just feels right."

Referencing the fact that Portnoy was replaced in 2010 by Mike Mangini, who played with DREAM THEATER across five studio albums and accompanying world tours, LaBrie added: "I've said it in several interviews. It's funny. You get away, and Mike Mangini is a phenomenal drummer — he was incredible in the band and that, and he has his style of playing and being involved in the music and the writing and all that stuff. And then coming back to Mike Portnoy, I was just reminded, and we even talked about it while we were writing [the latest DREAM THEATER album] 'Parasomnia', and he has a very specific vibe and feel and groove to when he plays. And you just feel that, and then you're reminded and you're, like, 'Wow. Yeah. There it is. There it is. That's exactly what it used to be like.' And it's good. It's like a coming home — for all of us. For all of us. For sure."

This past January, LaBrie was asked by This Day In Metal if it's fair to say that his face-to-face meeting with Portnoy in March 2022 "was maybe one of the last dominoes to fall before the classic DREAM THEATER lineup reunited", James said: "Yeah, for sure. When Mike and I met — you're referring to our initial meeting at the Beacon Theatre [in New York City] when we were playing there and he came out to the show. But, yeah, that was somewhat the catalyst that really kind of busted the door wide open with the possibility that we could all start really thinking about. Is this something that we should be seriously considering, a reunion? And things inevitably did lead to that, but I think there were some precursors, like Mike had already done [DREAM THEATER guitarist] John Petrucci's solo album, then he did his solo tour, then he also worked with John and Jordan [Rudess, DREAM THEATER keyboardist] on the latest LIQUID TENSION [EXPERIMENT] album. So all these things were kind of just slowly but surely ensuring that he was walking through the door of being back in the fold."

James continued: "[Mike] coming back in, though, when it actually did happen, it was very natural. There was no — I don't know — feelings of whether or not, 'Hey, is this really gonna work? Is this gonna be what we remember the band as?' And if there were any apprehensive feelings, that just definitely was never a part of it. To be quite honest with you, I joke around, in some of the interviews I've said it felt like Mike went out for a coffee and he came back and we just started writing. But it was very smooth, seamless. And we were joking a few times, saying stuff like, 'Oh my God…' Because once you actually get into that environment and you start writing the album, you start remembering the chemistry that was almost palpable. And it was within the first day or two days of starting to write [the upcoming DREAM THEATER album] 'Parasomnia', we were joking around, we were laughing, it was, like, 'Oh my god. I remember that, that whole interaction, that whole analytical approach to the songs and how they slowly but surely evolve into a complete composition.' So it was all this familiarity going on, going, 'Oh my god. That's exactly the way it used to be. This is where we are today, but it doesn't seem that we've missed a step.' So it was extremely effortless, so to speak. It was just doing what we know how to do when the five of us get into the studio."

The progressive metal legends played their first concert with Portnoy in 14 years on October 20, 2024 at the O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom.

The drummer co-founded DREAM THEATER in 1985 with Petrucci and 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.

London marked the kick-off concert of DREAM THEATER's 2024-2025 40th-anniversary tour. The European leg of the trek — presented as "An Evening With Dream Theater" — ran through November 24, 2024 in Amsterdam, hitting cities in numerous countries along the way.

Portnoy told "Coffee With Ola" about how it feels to be back in DREAM THEATER after a 13-year absence: "It feels great. I mean, it's funny because for the whole world, they're just starting to see the reunion now, but we've been together for a year behind the scenes. So it's been over a year for us behind the scenes and making the new record, but it's only now in the past couple weeks since the [40th-anniversary European] tour began and since the first music video [from the upcoming DREAM THEATER album] came out that people are actually seeing us back together again. But for us, it's, like, it's old news… It is exciting, though. And you could feel the excitement and the love and the emotions at every show. And every night James welcomes me back on from stage. And it's been overwhelming, the amount of love and everybody being so welcoming back and everything."

DREAM THEATER's sixteenth studio album, "Parasomnia", came out on February 7, 2025 via InsideOut Music. The LP marked the band's first release with Portnoy since 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings".

Regarding what it felt like to be writing and recording with DREAM THEATER again, Portnoy said: "To be back with these guys, it feels really special. It feels like family, really, honestly. John and me and DREAM THEATER bassist] John Myung have been playing together almost 40 years at this point. We formed the band when we were teenagers and met at college, the first month of college. So, for us, it's deeper than just being in a band together. We've been through life together. We met our wives together, our wives played in a band together, we ad our families at the same time, we've been to the funerals of each other's parents and siblings and things like that. So, we've been through all these life experiences together. It goes beyond just the music for us. All that being said, it also, at least to me, felt like no time had passed. It did not feel like 13 years. Once we started writing together, it felt so natural and so fresh. 'Night Terror' was the first thing we worked on, and it just came out so naturally. There wasn't much thought needed to go into it. It was, like, 'Okay, here we are where we just left off.'"

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

TESLA bassist and founding member Brian Wheat has teamed up with original TESLA guitarist Tommy Skeoch in a new band called TERMINAL. Joining the duo in the new group are former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes and original SALIVA singer Josey Scott.

Earlier today, Wheat shared a photo of him with Skeoch, and he included the following message: "It's good to reconnect with my old pal Tommy Skeoch. We're working on a new band together called 'TERMINAL' with Chris Holmes and Josey Scott from SALIVA. We look forward to presenting you with our new brand of music.

"No, I am not leaving TESLA. I'm just starting another new band with my old friend …..also look for me and Alex with VIOLET BREED and a lot of new exciting TESLA stuff coming up in the works."

"Love you all, B Dub".

On July 24, Wheat joined BAD MARRIAGE on stage in Webster, New York, marking the first time in nearly 20 years that Wheat and Skeoch — who is also BAD MARRIAGE lead guitarist — had performed live together. Wheat, Skeoch and the rest of BAD MARRIAGE ripped through the TESLA classics "Rock Me To The Top" and "Little Suzi".

Seven months ago, Wheat brought up his current relationship with Skeoch while speaking to Ernest Skinner of Canada's Border City Rock Talk about his friendship with Holmes. He said:  "Me and Chris are gonna do a band or a project, whatever you wanna call it, together. And Tommy has agreed to do it as well. So the three of us have talked about putting together a project, band, whatever you wanna call it this day and age, but me and Chris have already started to work on some songs. And I know me and Tommy know how to write songs together 'cause we did a lot in TESLA. So the next step would be to get me and Tommy and Chris together, whether it's on a Zoom, working together like that or whatever, and write some material, and then find a singer that would be the right singer for that project.

"But, yeah, me and Chris are pretty good buddies," Brian continued. "We see each other when I'm at my house in Italy. He's there all the time. He lives in France. And I'm in Florida now for the winter. Tommy's in Florida. So we've all talked about it. So it's just when we get around to doing it. And it's just carving out a time where Chris isn't busy doing MEAN MAN, I'm not doing TESLA or VIOLET BREED, and Tommy's not doing BAD MARRIAGE.

"I'm looking forward to it, because I like Chris and I wanna work with Tommy again," Wheat added.

In February 2022, Skeoch, who left TESLA in 2006 to receive treatment for substance-abuse issues, reconnected with Wheat for the first time in more than a decade and a half aboard that year's Monsters Of Rock cruise. The charter cruise featured performances by Skeoch's then-band RESIST & BITE while Wheat was onboard showing his art.

In an interview with SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Skeoch was asked if he exited TESLA of his own accord or if he was asked to leave. Tommy said: "I was fired. I was getting fucked up and I was definitely in the wrong about a lot of stuff, and they put up with it for a long time. But at the same time, none of us were angels, and we put up with a lot of stuff from the other guys for a long time too, and they're still there. So I felt like a little scapegoated by the thing. And the other thing is they didn't want people — I guess for the benefit of my family, so it wouldn't look bad — they said, 'Tommy's just gonna spend time [with his family].' That's why nobody knows, and that's why you're asking this question. Everyone's confused on even what happened. Basically, I was fired. I was getting fucked up, and I kept fucking up, and I kept telling 'em I wouldn't, and I just couldn't stop."

Skeoch added that he accepts responsibility for the circumstances that led to his departure from TESLA. "I do, of course," he said. "But I also believe we put up with a lot of shit for a long time from almost every other guy in the band, and they're still there. So I don't know what's up with that; that's a little weird to me."

Skeoch was a founding member of TESLA and played on the Sacramento five-piece defining albums, including 1986 debut "Mechanical Resonance" and 1990's "Five Man Acoustical Jam".

Tommy, who was fired due to substance abuse issues in 1994, rejoined when TESLA reformed more than two and a half decades ago following a brief hiatus.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Brian Wheat (@brianwheat)

In a new interview with Ore Bihovsky of TotalRock's "Louder" radio show, SNOT guitarist Mikey Doling spoke about the band's return to the live stage and the reactivated Santa Barbara-based metal/punk rock hybrid's plans for the coming months. Referencing the fact that Andy Knapp of fellow Southern California band STRONGER THAN MACHINES made his live debut with SNOT on January 17 at the Parish room at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, California, Doling said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm really excited, first of all. Just having SNOT back — [I] never expected it. We found a new singer who's amazing, and he made it all possible. And we put some tickets on sale and they're all selling out, all the shows, and we're pretty blown away. We're very grateful to be doing it and super stoked."

Asked how it feels to have Knapp fronting SNOT, three decades after the band's formation and 27 years after the passing of the group's original vocalist Lynn Strait, Doling said: "Honestly, it feels kind of like it used to, with Andy. Andy brought energy to the band that we haven't seen or had since Lynn Strait… Having Andy in the band, he's brought that energy again to us. The shows are full of energy. It's wild, man."

After Ore noted that this is the first time that he has heard the members of SNOT say that the band is officially "back", Doling clarified: "Well, before, when we [played gigs with other vocalists], it was more like we wanted to fucking just get together and play. We weren't really focused on new music or promotion or selling shows. We didn't give a shit. We just wanted to go out and play. This time, we feel like we found the right singer. Also, that it's the right time to actually bring it back full blown. So we're getting in the studio, we're recording new music, we're booking tours. We've got the booking agent. And we're just going full-on, man, and it's great."

Asked about new SNOT music and whether the band is working with a record label at the moment, Mikey said: "I think what's going on is that… There's been a couple of labels that reached out, but they were not the ones that we'd be interested in working with. And I wanted to wait till we started thinking about that kind of stuff until we recorded a couple songs and see where we are. Well, we have recorded a couple of new songs, and we're working with Chris Collier, the producer — a fantastic producer. He just did the last couple of KORN records, he's done the last few PRONG records. He's amazing, and he and I click musically. So, we're working together on some new songs. It's going very well. It's funky. It's punk. It's got attitude. It's cool. It sounds like old SNOT. And we're trying to keep it like that. We don't wanna change the sound. We wanna keep it like 1996, '97 — lots of wah pedal, lots of grooves, some heavy punk influences. It's cool."

Regarding when fans can expect to hear some new SNOT music, Doling said: "I'm hoping by the end of the year or maybe the beginning of the year 2026. I think we're going to drop a single, and maybe a couple months after that drop something another one. It'd be cool to have two songs out next year. And during the next year, we're gonna try to complete an entire album. So I've got — I don't know — seven or eight new songs written. We've recorded two. It's just a matter of having the time to get in the studio. We're playing so much, we're out on the road, and getting everybody in the same room, it's a little hard. It is challenging, but, we're making it happen."

This past July, SNOT entered Dead End Studios in Palm Desert, California with Collier to lay down tracks for two brand new songs.

SNOT recruited former GODSMACK drummer Shannon Larkin to sit behind the kit for the band's performance in May at the Welcome To Rockville festival at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Due to SNOT's regular drummer Jamie Miller's touring commitments with BAD RELIGION, he was unable to make the date.

In April, SNOT recruited Doc Coyle (GOD FORBID, ex-BAD WOLVES) as the band's touring guitarist after the group's recent split with Sonny Mayo.

The news of Mayo's departure was broken by Doling, who stated in a video message at the time:  "Sonny Mayo has decided to quit SNOT. SNOT doesn't fit into his life right now, and he just wants to focus on himself and his life. And SNOT's just too busy for him to be able to continue.

"So I'd like to wish Sonny Mayo the best of luck in his future, and I wanna thank him for all he's contributed to SNOT over the years. We love you, brother," Mikey continued.

"That being said, our very, very good friend from GOD FORBID, formerly BAD WOLVES, Doc Coyle, is going to be filling in on guitar for the upcoming shows. And we're excited to have him on board. And thank you very much, Doc Coyle."

SNOT disbanded in 1998 following Strait's death, putting an end to a career that generated considerable promise but only one studio album, "Get Some". The band had been writing material for its sophomore CD and had completed 10 songs at the time of Strait's tragic passing. As a memorial to Strait, SNOT eventually decided to release those tracks, with lyrics and guest vocals provided by a host of stars from the alt-metal community. The resulting album, "Strait Up", was a fitting tribute from Strait's peers and friends, featuring members of LIMP BIZKIT, KORN, SLIPKNOT, SEVENDUST, (HED) P.E., COAL CHAMBER, SUGAR RAY, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, SOULFLY, and more.

SNOT in 2014 recruited Carl Bensley (VITIATE, CONSUME THE FIRE) to sing for the band following the departure of Tommy "Vext" Cummings (ex-DIVINE HERESY, BAD WOLVES).

According to the Los Angeles Times, Lynn died in died in a car accident in December 1998 as he attempted to drive across Highway 101 in Mussel Shoals, California. The 30-year-old singer died instantly after his 1992 Ford Tempo was broadsided by a southbound full-size pickup truck about noon. Also killed was Strait's small bulldog, SNOT's mascot Dobbs, who adorned the cover of the band's debut album, the 1997 Geffen Records release "Get Some". Strait, a Santa Barbara resident, was crossing the highway after visiting his girlfriend in the community. Lynn apparently pulled into the path of the truck, which was going about 65 mph. The impact sent Strait's car spinning into the center divider where it stopped, a California Highway Patrol officer told the Los Angeles Times at the time.

Cummings fronted SNOT in 2008-2009 before he and Mayo exited the group amid "strained relationships."

SNOT press photo courtesy of Alcatraz festival

When Cradle Of Filth keyboardist / backing vocalist Zoe Marie Federoff – who had been with the band since 2022 – recently quit, and shortly thereafter her husband, Cradle Of Filth guitarist Marek “Ashok” Smerda was fired, due to contractual disputes, social media erupted with both sides posting highly detailed accounts of what transpired, as they saw it.

Earlier today, September 1st, former Cradle Of Filth keyboardist / backing vocalist Zoe Marie Federoff shared the following comments:

“We’d like to issue a statement in response to the most recent one by Dani Filth. We consider it a positive step.

We know your mother is battling cancer and we wish her well in this. As I recall I’m one of the first people in the band that you told. I’ve been praying for her ever since, and I condemn anyone who tries to drag her into this.

That said, we didn’t go public with personal issues we’ve had involving anyone’s day to day behavior. We strongly support anyone’s journey in sobriety. Our focus remains the business issues and the business environment. We dispute any claim that alcoholism or alcohol use led to this current situation. We maintain it was months of trying to talk to you, Dan, trying to get you to understand the plight of the people who work for you. Your silence and stonewalling became deafening. We left because every indication you gave instilled in us the impression that you didn’t care, and what’s worse, you did indeed allow management to mislead and lie to us. The responsibility for these things at the end of the day falls on you.

We are disappointed that you went for personal issues and speculation on our marriage, and we still have no plans to go for personal attacks on you. We want the best for you and your new family with Sofiya. We want you to get better as a leader, Dan. We want you to run the band better and treat people better. No one wants the end of Cradle Of Filth as an artistic concept. It’s an institution of great creativity that gives people joy. We and others want the end of you letting bad deals hurt people. We tried to talk to you for months about all of this. It didn’t have to go this way. Take care of the people who write music for you and play shows for you.

We will probably and unfortunately see you next in court, but never doubt for a moment I can see the human being in you and the twinges of a conscience.

Peace be with you.”

In a separate post, also dated September 1st, Marek “Ashok” Smerda wrote:

“To Dan after last post,

And I believe this will be end of public statements from my side and my wife’s as long as it is end from his side. I know this is grating everyone… me too, but private convos did not sort anything for months. Understand it was last resort to go public.

I am usually most silent person even when I am hurt, which is probably why it took 12 years to properly say all of this.

Here are my hands. The hands I used to serve you for 12 years. To write and play music for you. I gave you these hands.

Your mom is always great person to me and I wish her healing. Her heart is huge as far as I ever knew. However it feels low to me to use her right now as excuse when we all know she’s been sick since last year. Everyone has been there for you and supportive Dan. We all give so much love and support to her as soon as you tell us.

I lost my own mother to sudden medical tragedy and I never even said goodbye to her- there was no time. She never saw me on stage with Cradle. She haunts me every day. But her memory tells me to be better man and treat others better. I would never use her as excuse for hurting others.

But if you respect mothers, then why twist our tragedy of miscarriage into something that was not true of my wife- she never drink while pregnant. However her doctor told her the lack of sleep, irregular schedule, constant pressure of management threatening her job if she did anything they didn’t like… all of this more than likely contributed to her body rejecting pregnancy. She exhibits high signs of the stress she is under. It is true we cannot blame it all on you, but for you to assume she was drinking with the pregnancy was low, because we all know there is very little that is worse to accuse woman of than killing her own child.

I saw many times rest of the band would protest or argue with you and management, but only Zoe was singled out to be mocked and punished. Even now your “fans” call her crazy but I can guarantee every man in the band has said same things she is saying. I am saying it too. There was never same respect for my wife there was for opinions of the men.

You once had my respect and full loyalty. Respect you lost while ago and loyalty you threw away not long ago. Even when I stopped respecting you, when it was obvious you did not care about us, I stayed loyal. Until… you respond to heartfelt plea to give us better chance for living with that sordid contract, which every session member knows you sent with instructions to sign as soon as possible. No one has a shitty contract just lying around to be sent by mistake.

To not take ownership even now for the many ways in which you screw us all, it is not surprising but it is still sad Dan… cuz again, even after years of being treated disposable I wrote my heart and soul into albums for you… because I love music and I love the joy of the fans. It is sad that you could not take responsibility for these issues in private, and now they are public, so we all are caught in giant storm. This is on you for not allowing anything to be handled privately. Just ignore, ignore, ignore everything we tried to tell you for long time.

I wish I could see a man when I look at you, Dan, but I don’t. I see excuses.

In time all will come to light as I do not believe we will be last to say something- although it is now obvious why 40 other ex members never did say much. It has been hell for us to speak up. But I do not regret it.

Treat my brothers still in the band better, if there is any honor left in you. They are damn good people and will always have my love and support. That is entire goal we have.”

The recent resignation of Cradle Of Filth keyboardist / backing vocalist Zoe Marie Federoff, and subsequent dismissal of her husband, Cradle Of Filth guitarist Marek “Ashok” Smerda, due to contractual disputes, resulted in an unparalleled online firestorm with all parties involved sharing lengthy statements for the world to see.

Earlier today, September 1st, Cradle Of Filth frontman Dani Filth took to social media with the following comments:

“After a long day of reflection on the road, I want to make one final statement about recent events.

First, I’ll acknowledge that in my last message I let fatigue and frustration steer me into sharing more personal detail than was probably necessary. For that, I apologise. The truth of my account remains, but out of respect for everyone involved, I will not be commenting further on personal matters in public.

What I must address, however, are the claims of “theft” and “exploitation” made against me, the band, and our management. These allegations are false and damaging. We maintain clear records that show otherwise, and any dispute will be dealt with properly, not through trial by social media.

I also want to speak of something more personal. As Zoe and Ashok are only too aware, my mother is currently battling stage 4 cancer — a fight that takes all her strength. She has seen the wave of online attacks aimed at me, and it has only added to her distress. Whatever else is said, I hope we can all agree that dragging families into this storm is a cruelty none of us should wish on another.

To Zoe and Ashok: despite everything, I do wish you well. We shared great times together, and I’ll always be grateful for those memories. But I won’t let unfounded slander define this band or diminish the work we’ve put into it.

The show must go on — and it’s not a Christmas pantomime. Our focus remains on delivering these shows with the passion our fans deserve, and on building a stronger, clearer foundation for all our musicians moving forward.

Onward!
— Dani Filth / Cradle Of Filth”

In a new interview with Chris Akin of The Classic Metal Show, JUDAS PRIEST drummer Scott Travis was asked if he and his bandmates still look back fondly on their controversial symphonic heavy metal concept double album about Nostradamus, which came out more than a decade and a half ago. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think it would depend on who you talk to in the band. [Laughs] For me personally, yeah, I don't think it was our strongest release, and it was meant to mimic — not mimic, but it was meant to go after the sort of, not the crowd, 'cause it was definitely for the PRIEST fans, but the… What am I trying to say? It was trying to go after something that could be made more than just a rock band doing a rock album and releasing it and doing a tour. In other words, it was meant to be something that maybe could have been turned into some kind of theater show or could have gone on to be a bigger production. I'm not really sure. I just remember hearing the talk about the idea initially to do an album based around Nostradamus's life and things like that."

Referencing the fact that "Nostradamus" arrived three years before the departure of founding PRIEST guitarist Kenneth "K.K." Downing and a decade before the retirement from the road of fellow PRIEST guitarist Glenn Tipton, Travis added: "Thinking back on it, it was also near the end of the K.K.- Glenn relationship. Do you know what I mean? 'Cause they were still in the band, but there was a lot of fracture there. And again, I was witness to it. And I could tell things probably weren't gonna last. I didn't know what would happen or that K.K. would actually leave the band — I certainly didn't predict that — but I could just tell that they weren't getting along and everybody as a group was kind of just spreading out and living in different parts of the world."

Last October, JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill told Chris Akin Presents about "Nostradamus": "It was probably something we needed to get out of our system. But it's one of those albums — it's very long, very complicated as well, and it is designed to be listened to in one sitting, which is one of the reasons that we don't play any songs from that record. It's great — I mean, it is, at heart, a great heavy metal record; it really is — but it's picking out the songs that would fit into the set at the moment. And there's not anything there that would enhance the set. But for the sake of it, we could do that — [play a song] from 'Nostradamus' — but it wouldn't have helped the set in any other way. And it is difficult to do, when you're getting a setlist together, because you have to find that blend of new material, obviously old favorites that you'd get lynched if you didn't play, and then you've got a whole melting pot there of stuff that we can pick out of. And it gets more difficult with each album, because every time you put a new song in, you've got to drop someone's potential favorite. But we do our best, and I think we've got it pretty much right up until now anyway."

Released in 2008, "Nostradamus" was criticized by fans for not sounding like classic PRIEST and for consisting almost entirely of slow, doomy, operatic, keyboard-heavy anthems, apart from a token couple of mid-tempo songs.

The two-CD, 23-track journey through the life of the controversial, 16th-century prophet "Nostradamus" shifted 42,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at No. 11. At the time, this was the band's highest-ever chart position in the U.S. In Canada, the CD opened at position No. 9 after moving close to 4,000 units.

In a 2020 interview with The Flying V Documentary TV Channel, Downing said about "Nostradamus": "A lot of people probably don't understand or quite get 'Nostradamus', but it was great for us — it was great for us to express and to exhibit what we could actually do as musicians. And also it was something original. And I love it. The downfall of 'Nostradamus' was probably the one thing that I actually thought, naively, was gonna be the best thing about 'Nostradamus', and that is the fact that I wanted to take people back to how it used to be," he continued.

"Years ago, when you had a big concept album, like when I first got [THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE's] 'Electric Ladyland', for example, we used to go in our bedroom, close the curtains, put the headphones on and just disappear into our world for however long it took to get through the album and just absorb it and just be at one with it. And I wanted people to experience 'Nostradamus' like that."

Back in 2018, Downing described "Nostradamus" as "our chance to create something different in the music place that we don't always go to. We have lots of great musicals, and we go into great, prestigious venues, like the Royal Albert Hall or Carnegie Hall — great theaters around the place," he said. "To create something and not let everyone else have all of the spoils — 'Phantom Of The Opera' and 'Cats' and all of these musicals and stuff like that. Why can't we, JUDAS PRIEST, put something that's rock and metal into that musical and entertainment place?

"Okay, we might have been going off on a tangent, getting on the wrong track as far as everybody wanting a [classic-sounding] JUDAS PRIEST record, but looking at the bigger picture of broadening the scope and the horizons of what a rock and metal band can do, it's an opportunity kind of missed through no fault of anyone's except our own record company and management, or whatever, decisions," he continued. "It wasn't to be, and probably it was a good decision. But it's a dream — it's a dream for me. I often think about it."

In a 2009 interview with PyroMusic.net, PRIEST singer Rob Halford also defended "Nostradamus", saying: "For us in the band, it was just a wonderful opportunity to complete an idea that we'd had and we'd talked about for many, many years. Growing up as we did, there were a lot of those types of concept records around in the '70s and we always wondered how we would tackle that kind of endeavor. So 'Nostradamus' turned out to be a real satisfying experience for us all."

A "march" for former MASTODON guitarist Brent Hinds was held in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia on Sunday, August 31. A large crowd of people, including Brent's longtime MASTODON bandmates Bill Kelliher and Brann Dailor, gathered and walked from Elmyr to the Star Bar and celebrated Hinds's life after he was tragically killed late last month in a motorcycle crash. Photos and video from the event can be found below.

Brent was reportedly riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle late on August 20 when he was hit by an SUV turning left and failing to yield at the intersection of Memorial Drive SE and Boulevard SE, less than two miles from downtown Atlanta, according to Atlanta police.

Hinds was found unresponsive by officers who responded to the crash around 11:35 p.m. and was pronounced dead by medical workers.

According to an incident report uploaded online by the Atlanta Police Department, the driver who hit Hinds remained at the scene and spoke with investigators. She told the police that she was "positive the light was green" as she turned and kept going straight when she hit Hinds on his motorcycle. However, one witness who spoke to officers said that he looked at the light at the time of the incident and saw it was red. The same witness and a second witness both said that Brent was "driving fast" when the crash occurred.

A 911 caller who said one was "two cars back" from the accident described seeing Hinds going "up in the air" immediately following the impact and spinning "a couple of times. And then he fell. It looks like his left leg buckled over his right leg. I was two cars back, so I didn't get to see the full impact, but I heard the impact and [saw Hinds] spinning."

The reporting police officer wrote: "At the moment I arrived on scene [Hinds] was breathing and moving with visible injuries to his head, arms and torso. He was transported … to Grady [Memorial Hospital] where he perished from his injuries."

Dailor paid tribute to Hinds at the end of MASTODON's August 22 concert at the Alaska State Fair as part of the ConocoPhillips Alaska Concert Series at the Borealis Theatre in Palmer, Alaska, Dailor stepped out to the front of the stage and told the crowd:  "We lost somebody very special to us yesterday. Brent Hinds, 25 years with us as our guitar player, one of the most creative, beautiful people that we've ever come across in this world, tragically left us. Very, very unfortunate. We loved him so, so, so very much. And we had the ups and downs of a 25-year relationship. You know what I mean? It's not always perfect, it's not always amazing, but we were brothers to the end. And we really loved each other and we made a lot, a lot of very beautiful music together. And I think that that's gonna stand the test of time, evidenced by you people here tonight."

Brann continued: "So we will continue to play Brent's beautiful, beautiful music that he helped us make, that we formed this band together and traveled the world together, slept in a van together, laid our heads down on beds of fucking kitty litter, got way too drunk to remember anything the next day about a thousand, million times over and over again with the love that we shared and the beauty, all the audiences that we played, for all the stages we stepped on."

He added: "I don't know. We're just at a loss for words. We're absolutely devastated and crushed to lose him and to be able to never have him back again."

A few hours after Brent's death was made public, MASTODON commented on his passing in a statement on social media, writing: "We are in a state of unfathomable sadness and grief… last night Brent Hinds passed away as a result of a tragic accident. We are heartbroken, shocked, and still trying to process the loss of this creative force with whom we've shared so many triumphs, milestones, and the creation of music that has touched the hearts of so many. Our hearts are with Brent's family, friends, and fans. At this time, we please ask that you respect everyone's privacy during this difficult time. RIP Brent."

In March, MASTODON revealed that the band and Hinds had "mutually decided to part ways" after "25 monumental years together."

Since 2000, Hinds had served as lead guitarist and vocalist for MASTODON, alongside bassist/singer Troy Sanders, Dailor, and guitarist Bill Kelliher.

MASTODON's lineup had remained the same for 25 years, recording eight studio albums, beginning with 2002's "Remission" until the band's latest LP, 2021's "Hushed And Grim".

When MASTODON announced Brent's departure from the band on March 7, they wrote in a statement: "Friends and Fans, After 25 monumental years together, MASTODON and Brent Hinds have mutually decided to part ways.

"We're deeply proud of and beyond grateful for the music and history we've shared and we wish him nothing but success and happiness in his future endeavors.

"We are still very inspired and excited to show up for fans in this next chapter of MASTODON. As we move forward, all 2025 touring plans will remain intact. We look forward to seeing you on the road."

Hinds later claimed he had been ejected from MASTODON and called his former bandmates "horrible humans" in a social media post.

Hinds was involved with several music projects apart from MASTODON, including the group GIRAFFE TONGUE ORCHESTRA — alongside members of THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN and ALICE IN CHAINS — as well as LEGEND OF THE SEAGULLMEN and the long-running project FIEND WITHOUT A FACE.

More recently, Hinds had a tour, "An Evening With Brent Hinds", set for November and December throughout Europe.

"I'm a free spirit," Hinds said in the MASTODON documentary "The Workhorse Chronicles". "I enjoy life and I live it to the fullest."

Brent played his first show since exiting MASTODON on March 21 with his band FIEND WITHOUT A FACE at 529 in Atlanta, Georgia.

MASTODON has had nine Billboard 200-charting albums and has been nominated for a Grammy Award six times. The band won a "Best Metal Performance" Grammy for "Sultan's Curse" in 2018.

MASTODON's latest album, "Hushed And Grim", was a double LP recorded at the band's Atlanta studio, West End Sound.

MASTODON recruited Ben Eller, a guitarist known for his popular YouTube channel, to step in for Hinds when the band played at TOOL's "Tool In The Sand" festival in the Dominican Republic in March. For MASTODON's spring 2025 tour and other recent shows, the band enlisted Canadian musician Nick Johnston. Johnston has six solo records under his belt, and has also worked with POLYPHIA, Guthrie Govan, PERIPHERY and many others.

March of William B Hinds!

Posted by West End Motel on Monday, September 1, 2025

Memorial Parade for Brent Hinds, in Little Five points yesterday. To say Farewell to an Atlanta legend 🤘MASTODON FOREVER

Posted by Jack Calatayud on Monday, September 1, 2025

Brent Hinds March❤️ Thank you to everyone who came out to honor Brent Hinds. The love, stories, and memories shared...

Posted by Video Rahim Hakmati on Monday, September 1, 2025

Yesterday, a large crowd of people gathered and marched from Elmyr to the Star Bar and celebrated the life of Brent...

Posted by Tim Jones on Monday, September 1, 2025

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Video Rahim (@videorahim)

"Who Are You", THE WHO's eighth studio album, will be released in a suite of formats including a super deluxe edition this October 31 featuring over 70 unreleased tracks including never-before-heard versions of the title track "Who Are You", newly mixed live tracks from their first tour without original drummer Keith Moon and candid recordings of the band rehearsing in 1977 and 1978. Also included in the 7CD/1 Blu-ray set are brand-new Atmos and stereo mixes by Steven Wilson. The album will also be released as a deluxe 4LP box set, a 2CD deluxe edition, and limited-edition colored and half-speed master vinyl editions.

Initially released in August 1978, "Who Are You" marked a significant chapter in THE WHO's career while a commercial triumph, peaking at No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and achieving double platinum status and No. 6 on the U.K. Albums chart, it was also tragically the last album to feature legendary drummer Keith Moon, who died a week after its release.

The album saw the band pushing boundaries once more, with the songs referencing the incoming influence of British punk. Most notably, the title track was written after a night out with Steve Jones and Paul Cook of THE SEX PISTOLS, and it reflected the sentiments of "Music Must Change" and "Sister Disco". Pete Townshend also delivered some of his most ambitious and intricate arrangements, incorporating layers of synthesizers and strings into THE WHO's powerful backing tracks.

The title track "Who Are You" preceded the album in early July 1978 and became an instant anthem and has remained in the band's set list to this day. Aided by its appearance in the "CSI" TV franchise in the early 2000s, it is one of the band's most-streamed tracks.

The initial sessions for the album took place at the band's Ramport Studios, produced by Glyn Johns and Jon Astley. However, the recording process was fraught with challenges and creative tensions. The "Who Are You" super deluxe edition finally tells the whole story, featuring, for the first time, the rejected original Glyn Johns mix of the album, a newly remastered version of the released Jon Astley mix and fly on the wall rehearsal sessions from Shepperton Studios, which the band owned at the time, and a wealth of unreleased material including demos, alternate takes and in the case of standout track "Sister Disco", a previously "lost" guitar solo rescued from the multi-track tapes by Steven Wilson.

In 1978, the album was seen as a return to form for THE WHO, and anticipation for a tour to support the album was high. Sadly, the death of Keith Moon on August 23 put paid to any such plans. The band introduced their new drummer, Kenney Jones, formerly of THE FACES and THE SMALL FACES, in May 1979, along with new keyboard player John "Rabbit" Bundrick. One of the many highlights of the super deluxe edition is the newly mixed live tapes from the U.S. leg of the 1979 tour, capturing THE WHO's explosive new lineup in full flight with tracks from the album coming to life onstage with a renewed energy.

The band sustained that momentum into the new decade with the epic film project "The Kids Are Alright", the "Quadrophenia" movie, and the multi-platinum "Face Dances" album in 1981.

"Who Are You" Super Deluxe Edition

7 Audio CDs

CD 1: The original album newly remastered by Jon Astley at Close to the Edge.

CD 2: The "Who Are You" album, first mixed by Glyn Johns, rejected by the band, plus new mixes created by Steven Wilson

CD3: Early run-throughs, sessions and out-takes plus several demos by John Entwistle.

CD4: Previously unreleased tracks from the 1977 Shepperton studios rehearsals, including Keith Moon singing "I Saw Her Standing There" and Barbara Ann Plus a very early live version of "Who Are You" from Toronto, 1976.

CD5: Includes six tracks from the live concert at Shepperton for the filming of "The Kids Are Alright" documentary. Plus rehearsals with new drummer Kenney Jones for THE WHO's 1979 U.S. tour.

CDs 6 & 7: Live recordings from the 1979 U.S. tour, including tracks recorded at the Pontiac Silverdome, the Spectrum in Philadelphia and the Masonic Temple, Detroit, including a rare live version of John Entwistle's "Trick Of The Light"

Blu-ray: Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, and PCM Stereo mixes created by Steven Wilson

Super Deluxe Edition Book

A 100-page hardback book with extensive sleeve notes by Matt Kent covering the period before and after the album's release, plus track-by-track details, and session notes, as well as sleeve notes by Steven Wilson on his remixes for Dolby Atmos. The book is lavishly illustrated with previously unpublished photographs, memorabilia, tape boxes and original print ads.

"Who Are You" Deluxe Edition

4-LP Set

This limited-edition deluxe vinyl box set features a four-LP set on 180-gram vinyl, including the original album newly remastered, plus live recordings from the 1979 U.S. tour. The lift-top box includes 1 LP in a single sleeve and 3 LPs in a triple gatefold sleeve, together with a 28-page soft cover book.

2-CD Set

The Deluxe 2CD set pairs the original album newly remastered with a CD of tracks taken from the studio sessions, demo recordings and live material.

The two discs are presented in an 8-panel digipak with a 16-page booklet.

"Who Are You" 1-LP Limited-Edition D2C Only Vinyl

This limited edition 180-gram yellow-colored vinyl 1-LP of Who Are You

Features the newly remastered album in a replica single sleeve.

"Who Are You" 1-LP Limited-Edition Half Speed Master Vinyl

This limited edition 180-gram 1/2 speed master 1-LP of Who Are You

Features the newly remastered album in a replica single sleeve.

Guitarist René Rutten of Dutch rockers THE GATHERING spoke to Chile's Radio Futuro about the reunion of the band's "Mandylion" lineup of — including singer Anneke Van Giersbergen — for run of August 2025 shows at Doornroosje in Nijmegen, The Netherlands as well as a Latin American tour in 2026. Asked if he had always kept in contact with Anneke during her time away from the band, René said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, sometimes, because you've made albums together, so you have some moments that you talk a bit. But not that much. Only last year, the old record label, finally they said, 'Okay, we can't hold it anymore, but your album become a gold record here in the Netherlands.' So we got a gold record last year. So then we saw all the bandmembers again. And I keep contact with Anneke — sometimes we did some lunch, just meeting — and then one moment we said, like, 'Yeah, let's do something next year, if the album becomes 30 years old.' And that's what now is gonna happen with the five shows here in Nijmegen. But we had contact with all the other members as well. Hugo [Prinsen Geerligs] came back earlier already for being playing bass guitar. Frank [Boeijen, keyboards] was always there. And Jelmer [Wiersma, guitar], we asked him, like, 'Hey, do you like to join us in this?' And yeah, he loves it. So he also is very enthusiastic about it to play this album ['Mandylion' in its entirety] and more."

After the interviewer noted that it's unusual for a band like THE GATHERING — which is known for constantly moving forward musically and evolving its sound — to celebrate a moment from the group's past by performing it in its entirety live, René concurred. "I can't make music with the same kind of feeling [as something we have already done]," he explained. "That's not into me. You make that chapter. It's like you're writing a book, and you wrote that part, and then you start with something new. And that's more what my feeling is about music. I can't make two albums — no, I can't make it twice."

THE GATHERING's "Mandylion" lineup officially kicked off its run of five reunion shows on August 27 at Doornroosje in Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

The "Mandylion" lineup of THE GATHERING previously played a kick-off "try-out" concert on June 29 at Dynamo in Eindhoven.

THE GATHERING's third studio album, "Mandylion" was released in August 1995 via Century Media Records. It was the band's first LP to feature Van Giersbergen.

In a recent interview with Femmetal - Goddesses Of Metal, Anneke spoke about THE GATHERING's 2025 reunion concerts to celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Mandylion". She said: "Well, actually, I'm quite excited… This idea came kind of spontaneous. We were having conversations, we had just coffee and talking about life, other things, and then we talked about 'Mandylion' turning 30 and because time flies, we didn't really think about it. And then we said, 'Maybe we can do something nice with it,' because it's such an important album for us personally because we had a great time at the beginning of THE GATHERING career with me, of course. And we said, 'Well, if we do something, we have to do it now, because next year it's not such a good reason because now 'Mandylion' is 30 years old, and let's do something nice.' And so we made this plan, and we made these ideas for these shows. And then a lot of people wanted to come to the shows. I mean, I know THE GATHERING is still a popular band and I know it's alive — people really like THE GATHERING's music now and back then. But we didn't expect this many people to react on it and want [to buy] a ticket [to see us perform live again]. And so we are so happy. And we're gonna make a few beautiful shows and gonna have lots of fun playing together again, 'cause it's been a long time. It's been 10 years, I think."

When the interviewer inquired about the possibility of a show from THE GATHERING in Spain, Anneke said: "Everybody's asking. I mean, it's fantastic. It's a great problem to have, that a lot of people want us to come to their country. But we focus on these shows here, and a lot of people are traveling for it, so that's really, really wonderful. And then we'll see. But we just focus on these shows and take it from there."

Asked which THE GATHERING song she was most excited to play again, Anneke said: "It's kind of a wide variety of atmospheres on this album ['Mandylion'], but I like songs like 'On Most Surfaces' [from 1997's 'Nighttime Birds'], because they're heavy and we can let all the energy flow on this one. I like the more heavy songs as well, but 'In Motion #1' and '[In Motion] #2' are, for instance, very, very melodic — they're carrying you through a story — and I also like that so much. So, different vibes on the album, and I like all of it. But I like also the heavy songs, especially for playing live, 'cause I can sing really loud and headbang and have fun."

THE GATHERING previously said in a statement: "After so many years, we are very excited to celebrate this anniversary together, an album that still means so much to us."

The lineup for the concerts consists of the following musicians:

* Anneke Van Giersbergen - vocals
* Hugo Prinsen Geerligs - bass
* Frank Boeijen - keyboards, backing vocals
* Hans Rutten - drums
* René Rutten - guitar
* Jelmer Wiersma - guitar

In November 2014, THE GATHERING celebrated its 25th anniversary with a one-time special show at Doornroosje in Nijmegen. All past and present members of THE GATHERING — from 1989 until 2014 — appeared on stage and performed in this unique show together.

Van Giersbergen announced her departure from THE GATHERING in 2007. She has since released several albums on her own and with her AGUA DE ANNIQUE solo project.

In 2005, Century Media celebrated the 10th anniversary of "Mandylion" by releasing a special deluxe edition of the album. The double-CD set featured new artwork, a 16-page booklet with song-by-song liner notes from the band and never-before-seen photos from the album's recording sessions. CD2 contained the first demo recordings THE GATHERING did with Van Giersbergen in June 1994 and early 1995. "Solar Glider" was a previously unreleased instrumental while "Third Chance" appeared two years later in a different version on the "Nighttime Birds" album.

In a 2007 interview with PopMatters, Van Giersbergen stated about her decision to leave THE GATHERING and launch AGUA DE ANNIQUE: "I had been in THE GATHERING for 13 years, and I had never done anything for 13 years in my life. It's been my whole adult life, so to leave that, on one hand, was a very clear decision and a very strong feeling, and I was ready. In 13 years, things had changed in my personal and musical life. It was difficult as well, because the guys, they were like brothers, so to leave that and to change that relationship has been a long process and was probably one of the hardest things I did.

"I told them at the beginning of March, and so we really took some time to assess the situation," she continued. "Also, the guys, they wanted to see what their plans would be next. Of course they were not happy with my decision, but they are respectful and they have good spirits to continue. Of course, I put a big stamp on the sound and the look of THE GATHERING, but on the other hand I'm not the only singer in the world, so it's going to change, but it's not going to stop."

Regarding her reasons for leaving, Anneke said, "There were a lot of physical reasons, but they all came out of one big feeling in my heart that it was time to change. I was supposed to do this record besides THE GATHERING, and I was given time and it was all okay, but I like to do other small projects and work with other people a lot. I had some plans, and the feeling became stronger to develop that more seriously and also especially to be with my family a little bit more. Now, I can direct everything I do from this one agenda, and it feels very good to be the director of your own life. In a way THE GATHERING was officially a bigger band, and we were day and night constantly working with it, and it was quite intense, all the processes. So a lot of small things became one big feeling, like, 'Okay, I'm ready.'"

In November 2025, Swedish metallers SABATON will embark on a 20-city European run dubbed "The Legendary Tour". The band teased the trek as "a huge celebration of SABATON's music, storytelling and the incredible bond they share with their fans", featuring "The Legendary Orchestra and other surprises," resulting in "something unprecedented." "The Legendary Tour" will be SABATON's first headlining tour in support of the band's upcoming eleventh studio album, "Legends", which will arrive on October 17 via Better Noise Music.

Speaking to "Coffee With Ola", the YouTube program hosted by Ola Englund, SABATON bassist and manager Pär Sundström stated about the upcoming trek (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We've  got bigger stuff planned for the upcoming tour [than what we have done before]. And it's a very special kind of thing, so we have to build it around the 'Legends' album. But I don't wanna spoil too much. I think it will be exciting to see it. And we are also building a show that is a little bit more than just a rock show, so to say. So we have two stages and something that connects them.

"On the previous tour, 'The Tour To End All Tours', we used a couple of little acting things, and there was a little bit more theater than we did before," he explained. "A lot of fans liked it, and it further strengthened the topics with the show. And we thought, 'Okay, let's continue down this road.' So it's a little bit more on the theater side. And then we got this little twist there, which is the opening band, which is 'The Legendary Orchestra', which we created specifically around — this was the time, this was the album, this is the tour. It's not like SABATON and orchestra. There will be a full show with SABATON, but before that it's a full show with The Legendary Orchestra, which is pretty much — you can see it as a cover band of SABATON, playing SABATON tunes [that we won't play during our set on the upcoming tour], but in orchestral arrangements, with lead instrumentalists, lead vocalists, choirs, and it's very powerful, very emotional, and it sounds, of course, completely different — no electrical guitars, no drums, percussions… So a SABATON fan gets a lot of SABATON songs. And just that we can't play all of them ourselves, because, yeah, that would be a very long night for us and we wouldn't be able to do so many of them."

Regarding SABATON's switch from longtime record label Nuclear Blast to Better Noise Music, Sundström said:  "It was something that we were negotiating with for over a very long period of time. It's an important step because we had been with Nuclear Blast since 2010. So it's 15 years working with Nuclear Blast. And to move away from them, it was a decision because we wanted to try, like what happens if we go somewhere else? What new networks, what new ideas, what comes out of it? And so it's been an interesting thing, but it's also so much people to talk to. And I found that we really needed also a label that has a strong presence in the United States. So, during this, like, one and a half year when we've been negotiating, it's a lot of nighttime calls to various departments in America and interviewing them about how they do ideas, feeling, what do you think about this? [We] shared the album with a bunch of them and to get feedback, like, are they gonna like it? And this kind of things. It's been a very interesting process to find a new record label. And then we kind of ended up where it all started, because Better Noise Music, they came to visit very early. They jumped on a flight to meet up with us and expressed [that], like, they really would like to work with us. And in their roster, they don't really have any band in the power metal genre. So it was also a challenge for them to try something that they haven't really worked before, which I liked that they were not afraid of that challenge. They were, like, 'We would like to do this, and we think that we can do a great job with it.' So it's been very exciting. And now we're living it and we're in the middle of it and seeing things unfold and we see the new networks, we see the new opportunities."

Throughout the aptly titled "Legends", which blends rock and history for fans of all ages, SABATON delves into some of history's greatest and most loved characters such as Jeanne D'arc (also known as Joan Of Arc),Napoleon Bonaparte, Julius Caesar and the legendary swordmaster Miyamoto Musashi.

"Legends" will be available across various different physical formats and retailer exclusives including CD, 2CD digibook, 2CD earbook (both including the exclusive Storyteller Edition),11 unique vinyl editions (including a special vinyl color and exclusive artwork each),additional exclusive vinyl colors and a limited box set (including another exclusive vinyl color, the 2CD earbook, and a colored cassette as an exclusive format).

Among 11 unique vinyl editions, each one portraying one legendary figure, "Legends" will be available as the "Hannibal Edition" and the "Miyamoto Musashi Edition", which are linked to today's song releases for "Lightning At The Gates" (Hannibal) and "The Duelist" (Miyamoto Musashi).

"Legends" is a rock odyssey that transcends time and borders, with melodic guitar riffs, goosebump-inducing choirs, and epic choruses. It marks a bold evolution in storytelling, plunging headfirst into the heart of history's most formidable and enigmatic figures. These are not just rock songs, they are battle hymns carved from the blood and legacy of warriors, kings, strategists, and revolutionaries.

SABATON have always had a signature focus on writing songs about historical battles, wars, and acts of heroism that have solidified their impact with their loyal and longtime fans. They've collaborated closely with its network of specialists, developed over the years since the launch of the Sabaton History Channel on YouTube, to make sure this new album is once again as close to reality as possible.

SABATON continues to work with graphic artist Peter Sallai to create the striking album artwork, and producer Jonas Kjellgren is once again behind the boards from his Swedish Black Lounge Studios to create the classic SABATON sound the band is now known for.

In the more than two decades since the band's launch, SABATON has headlined major festivals, sold-out arena concerts worldwide, and gained a legion of loyal fans by carving out a reputation for being one of the hardest working bands in the business. Since their 2005 debut album, they've earned gold, platinum, and multi-platinum certifications in territories around the world with their 10 studio albums. Eight of their albums scored Top 10 international chart status, and six claimed the Top 5. SABATON has earned eight Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards nominations, taking home the award for "Breakthrough Artist" in 2011 and "Best Live Band" in three different years, and a Grammis nomination (Swedish equivalent to the U.S. Grammy Award) as "Best Heavy Metal" band. They've accumulated more than three billion streams across all streaming platforms and two billion views on YouTube.

Guitarist Thobbe Englund originally joined SABATON in April 2012 and amicably parted ways with the band in July 2016 to focus on his personal life and expand his creativity. He rejoined SABATON in February 2024.

Englund recorded two studio albums with SABATON, namely "Heroes" (2014) and "The Last Stand" (2016),and assisted with the songwriting of some very popular songs including "Shiroyama" and "Fields Of Verdun", among others.

Last fall, SABATON served as main support to JUDAS PRIEST on the legendary heavy metal band's North American tour.

Photo credit: Steve Bright

4K fan-filmed video of Alice Cooper's entire August 30 concert at Soundstage at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee can be seen below.

The setlist for the show was as follows:

01. Lock Me Up
02. Welcome To The Show
03. No More Mr. Nice Guy
04. I'm Eighteen
05. Under My Wheels
06. Bed Of Nails
07. Snakebite
08. Be My Lover
09. Lost In America
10. He's Back (The Man Behind The Mask)
11. Hey Stoopid
12. Drum Solo
13. Welcome To My Nightmare
14. Cold Ethyl
15. Go To Hell
16. Poison
17. Guitar Solo
18. Black Widow Jam
19. Ballad Of Dwight Fry
20. I Love The Dead
21. School's Out
22. Paranoid (BLACK SABBATH cover)
23. Feed My Frankenstein

Cooper pioneered a grandly theatrical brand of hard rock that was designed to shock. Drawing equally from horror movies, vaudeville, and garage rock, the group created a stage show that featured electric chairs, guillotines, fake blood and boa constrictors. He continues to tour regularly, performing shows worldwide with the dark and horror-themed theatrics that he's best known for.

In an interview with the 96.1 KLPX radio station, Cooper stated about how his stage show has evolved over the years: "It's so funny because it used to be easy to shock an audience in the '70s. Now nobody's really trying — we're not really trying to shock an audience. I don't think anybody is 'shock rock' anymore, but those elements still remain in the show because they're fun to watch. It's still fun to watch the guillotine and the fact that you really buy in to it because of what happens before that. You're really concerned about this character Alice up there, what happens. And that's what I like about it. I want the audience to get involved in the show. We don't do a lot of lasers. We don't do things like that, because I want the emphasis to be on the character Alice, what happens to him and what he what exactly he's doing. But all that happens during all these songs that everybody knows — 'Feed My Frankenstein' and 'Poison' and 'No More Mr. Nice Guy' and, of course, 'School's Out' at the end."

Fresh from the success of his latest solo album "Road", a concept album about the thrills and spills of touring, Alice is accompanied, as always, by his long-running live band of Ryan Roxie (guitar),Chuck Garric (bass),Tommy Henriksen (guitar),Glen Sobel (drums) and Nita Strauss (guitar).

With a schedule that has included six months year in and year out on the road, Cooper brings his own brand of rock psycho-drama to fans both old and new, enjoying it as much as the audience does. Known as the architect of shock-rock, Cooper (in both the original ALICE COOPER band and as a solo artist) has rattled the cages and undermined the authority of generations of guardians of the status quo, continuing to surprise fans and exude danger at every turn, like a great horror movie, even in an era where CNN can present real-life shocking images.

With his influence on rock and roll and popular culture long since acknowledged, there is little that Cooper hasn't achieved in his remarkable career, including platinum albums, sold-out tours and any number of honors and career achievement awards.

The surviving members of the original ALICE COOPER band — Alice, guitarist Michael Bruce, bassist Dennis Dunaway and drummer Neal Smith — recently reunited to release a brand-new studio album, "The Revenge Of Alice Cooper", on July 25 via earMUSIC. This LP is heralded as the successor to their iconic records "School's Out", "Billion Dollar Babies", "Love It to Death" and "Killer".

U.S. metal veterans HELSTAR have released the title track of their eleventh studio album, "The Devil's Masquerade", which is due on September 12, 2025 through Massacre Records. The effort will be available as a limited mediabook, limited vinyl LP in various colors, and digital formats.

"The Devil's Masquerade" marks a powerful return to the band's roots, bringing back the classic creative chemistry between James Rivera (vocals) and Larry Barragan (guitars). The album was produced and mixed by Barragan at Hombre Malo Studios, and mastered by Robert Colwell at Colwell Mastering.

Lyrically, "The Devil's Masquerade" dives deep into tales of vampirism, demonic possession, and mankind's downfall — drawing inspiration from cult horror films and series such as "Annabelle", "Midnight Mass", "The Exorcist: Pope", and even classic "Twilight Zone" episodes. Each track tells a story, blending myth, horror, and symbolism with HELSTAR's trademark power.

The song "I Am The Way" features an all-star guest appearance by iconic Texas metal voices Robert Lowe, Jason McMaster, Travis Wills, George Call, Mike Soliz, Christopher Salinas, Drew Brown and Jeff Vandenburg.

Rivera comments: "All I can say is that this album is every HELSTAR fan's dream come true. Larry and I went back to the old-school way of working together, and you can hear that energy from the very first track. We've taken the bull by the horns, and we can't wait for everyone to experience the magic we've always created."

An influential force in the American power metal movement, HELSTAR was formed in Houston in 1982 by Barragan, who quickly assembled the band's original lineup, including Rivera. HELSTAR released its debut LP, "Burning Star", in 1984 via Combat Records, and followed it up with a string of seminal releases, including "Nosferatu", before a '90s hiatus. The band became active again with Barragan and Rivera in 2006.

From "Burning Star" (1984) to milestones like "Nosferatu" (1989),and more recent releases such as "This Wicked Nest" (2014) and "Vampiro" (2016),HELSTAR have carved a unique and enduring legacy in U.S. heavy metal. With "The Devil's Masquerade", the band once again proves their legendary status, delivering a fierce and uncompromising new chapter.

Barragan told Robbs MetalWorks about the task of engineering, recording and producing "The Devil's Masquerade": "It's quite an undertaking. 'Cause when you own the studio, the band takes — not takes it for granted, but they're, like, 'Well, I can't make it today. I'll be there in a couple days,' so everything gets extended, whereas if we were actually on the clock and paying [for studio time], it'd be, like, 'No, you're gonna be there.' So that's where it gets a little tough because, obviously, James and I are longtime friends as well, so it's, like, 'Oh, okay, I'll see you next weekend then,' whatever… And we had a lineup change in the middle of the recording session. There were songs that were written by [now-former guitarist] Andrew [Atwood] that, obviously, they're Andrew songs. So, we respect him and we're not gonna take them and go, like, 'Well, you were in the band when you wrote these. So, it was one of those things where you're, like, 'All right, how many songs do we have? How many have I written?' And so it turned out we still had enough to do an album. And I think there was like one additional song that came on there at the end, which was the instrumental. But everything else, I think, was kind of done."

"The Devil's Masquerade" track listing:

01. Avernus
02. The Devil's Masquerade
03. Stygian Miracles
04. Carcass For A King
05. The Staff Of Truth
06. Seek Out Your Sins
07. The Haunting Mirror
08. The Black Wall
09. Suerte De Muleta
10. I Am The Way

HELSTAR is:

James Rivera - vocals
Larry Barragan - guitars
Mikey Lewis - drums
Garrick Smith - bass
Alan DeLeon Jr. - guitars

Photo credit: Sandra Solis

In a new interview with Geoff of the Gas Masks & Hand Grenades podcast, DOWN guitarist Kirk Windstein offered an update on the progress of the recording sessions for the band's long-awaited new album. Kirk is joined in the long-running heavy metal supergroup by vocalist Philip H. Anselmo, guitarist Pepper Keenan, drummer Jimmy Bower and bassist Pat Bruders. Asked if it's true that DOWN was originally going to release a covers LP next, Kirk said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It started out that way. And that was the talk for quite a while, and it was kind of, like, well, if we're gonna learn all these really obscure songs, in the time it's gonna take us to learn all these fucking things and kind of make 'em our own, we could probably write originals. So we got together in January of 2024. Went to Phil's [rehearsal and recording studio]. Pepper, myself, Jimmy and Pat had gotten together and come up with a few ideas, and Phil had some stuff. We went out for three days and came back, came home, and by the time we were done, we had seven songs — not perfectly arranged."

According to Kirk, all the drums, bass and "95 percent" of the rhythm guitars have been recorded so far. "I think we have one or two songs [to do rhythm guitars on]," he explained. "And then we're gonna go over to Phil's and do solos and sweetie tracks, we call it — just interlude things you put in between vocals and shit."

Elaborating on the songwriting and recording process for the new DOWN material, Kirk said: "When we got together to write, the chemistry is just undeniable. It's just magic. We've known each other so long, we've jammed together for so long. And Pepper and I did something — [it was] kind of his idea, but I thought it was a pretty brilliant idea. Jimmy doesn't play to a click track, so it's harder [to keep time], especially when you're not looking at him. So, he said, 'You know what? Let's track the fucking guitars together. Let's not do one guy, then one guy. Let's pick out one section, let's make it through the whole fucking verse, and if one of us fucks up, we stop, go back and start it again.' So we're doing it, just playing together and shit. So it's got more of a live feel, because Pat and Jimmy laid the drums and bass down together, and now we're doing guitars together with the rhythm tracks and shit."

He added: "DOWN's one of the few bands — of course we use Pro Tools [recording software], but we don't do click tracks and fix shit. It's real music."

As for a possible release date for the next DOWN album, Windstein said: "I would guess — hoping by the summer next year."

Earlier in the month, Kirk told The Five Count radio show in Mankato, Minnesota about the upcoming DOWN LP: "We couldn't be more excited about the material we have. The songs are extremely strong and they're very old school. They're put together really well, arranged really well, great riffs. We're real excited about it and I think the fans will be equally as excited."

In a separate interview with The Heavy Metal Sitdown, Kirk said that DOWN was "past the middle point" of recording the band's new album. "We're churning along pretty good," he said. "We have to take a break right now due to touring stuff [with our other projects]. But the drums are all done. Pepper [Keenan, DOWN guitarist] and I did the rhythm tracks. The bass is done. I'm not sure if Phil started singing yet or not. That's kind of on his time. But we're really gonna kind of try to dive back into [completing the record] in the month of November, kind of between early November to maybe Thanksgiving, just finish up everything that we have to do on guitars and bass. And the rest is up to Phil. And then [we'll get into the] mixing [process]."

This past April, it was announced that DOWN had signed with Nuclear Blast Records.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo by MetalDave Media