KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch joined FLYLEAF vocalist Lacey Sturm on stage last Friday night (February 28) at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Spirit Hall to perform a snippet of the KORN classic "Blind" as well as FLYLEAF's "I'm So Sick". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

Back in 2021, Welch's LOVE AND DEATH side project released the official music video for "Let Me Love You", a fan-favorite cover of DJ Snake and Justin Bieber's smash hit, featuring Sturm.

Lacey released her sophomore solo album, "Kenotic Metanoia", in November 2023.

FLYLEAF played its first concert with Sturm in 11 years on April 27, 2023 at Schoepf's BBQ in Belton, Texas.

Sturm left FLYLEAF in October 2012. She was replaced by Kristen May, who recorded one album with the group, 2014's "Between The Stars", before exiting.

FLYLEAF hadn't performed live since 2016 prior to the Belton concert.

In an interview with Ned of Iowa's Rock 108 radio station, Lacey spoke about how she ended up reuniting with FLYLEAF for their first live shows together in more than a decade. She said: "Well, actually, my assistant that was on tour with us from the very beginning of FLYLEAF; we were called PASSERBY at that time. We were touring in an '88 Ford Club Wagon van, and we had a bunch of gear in the back with a mattress on top, and you could climb in there and sleep. She actually came on tour with us to be a stylist or a merch person — whatever we needed. She was with us from the beginning. So she got married. And we hadn't seen each other in, like, ten years, nine years, and so we all ended up at the wedding together. And that's how it started."

Sturm went on to say that her reunion with FLYLEAF came together in a "more organic" way than has been the case with some of the other high-profile band reunions in recent years. "I think it had to be that way," she said. "There were some offers for us to get back together, to do reunion shows, but we hadn't seen each other, and everybody has different lives, lots of children. So it didn't really make sense in those times, but because we were already connecting, we figured it out."

Legendary hard rock bassist Rudy Sarzo says that it is "very exciting" for him to be participating in Ozzy Osbourne's farewell concert in Birmingham, United Kingdon.

Taking place on July 5 at Villa Park, the all-star event — billed as "Back To The Beginning" — sold out in less than 10 minutes last month.

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

Also set to appear at the event are METALLICA, GUNS N' ROSES, TOOL, SLAYER, PANTERA, GOJIRA, ALICE IN CHAINS, HALESTORM, LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX and MASTODON.

In addition, there will be a performance by a "supergroup of musicians" including Duff McKagan and Slash (GUNS 'N' ROSES),Billy Corgan (THE SMASHING PUMPKINS),Fred Durst (LIMP BIZKIT),K.K. Downing (JUDAS PRIEST),Jake E. Lee (OZZY OSBOURNE),Wolfgang Van Halen (VAN HALEN, MAMMOTH WVH),Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE),Andrew Watt, Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),David Ellefson (MEGADETH),Vernon Reid (LIVING COLOUR),Whitfield Crane (UGLY KID JOE),David Draiman (DISTURBED),Frank Bello (ANTHRAX),Jonathan Davis (KORN),Lzzy Hale (HALESTORM),Mike Bordin (FAITH NO MORE),Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (ANTHRAX),Sleep Token II (SLEEP TOKEN) and Papa V Perpetua (GHOST).

Speaking to Jon Liebman of For Bass Players Only, Rudy, who played bass for Ozzy Osbourne from 1981 to 1982, stated about his involvement in "Back To The Beginning":  "To be there, that's a blessing to me beyond words, to be able to do that. It's just one show, one charity show, with many other bands that were associated not only with the genre, but also they opened up for Ozzy. They got their career breaks opening up for Ozzy on tour and Ozzfest and things like that. So you have METALLICA, ANTHRAX, SLAYER, all the big ones, participating. It is very exciting.

"There's a tendency nowadays for artists to kind of fade out," Rudy continued. "You don't even know that they have quit, they retired, basically. They just fade out. And going out with a bang — you can't fade out if you're somebody like Ozzy who lived his life larger than life. Everything was bigger than life. It's Ozzy. You can't expect him to just quietly go into history. No, he's gotta go out with a huge fricking bang, probably the biggest bang ever. He deserves it. He's gotta do it."

Regarding the other musicians taking part in the concert, Rudy said: "I'm pretty sure they'll be adding on a couple of more, more bands and names. Jake E. Lee has been invited to do it. From what I see on the bill, it says 'Ozzy Osbourne' and then it says 'BLACK SABBATH'. And from what I understand, whether Ozzy is the one who performs Ozzy's solo career music, singing, or if it's other singers — there's gonna be a lot of different singers there, from Billy Corgan to Sammy Hagar through the singer from GHOST; he has like all these names, like Pope something. So there's gonna be plenty of vocalists who take over that, and guitar players."

Ozzy — who hasn't played a full show since late 2018 — announced his last-ever performance on February 5.

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

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

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

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

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

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

In a new interview with VRP Rocks, L.A. GUNS' founding guitarist Tracii Guns spoke about the band's upcoming album, "Leopard Skin", which will be released on April 4. It will mark the first fruit of L.A. GUNS' reunion with Cleopatra Records, a label known for its diverse roster and innovative approach to music production.

Regarding L.A. GUNS' songwriting approach on "Leopard Skin", Tracii said: " Well, L.A. GUNS has always been a mishmash of kind of classic rock, punk rock, metal. We don't do any reggae, unfortunately, We have performed 'The Ballad Of Jayne' in kind of a calypso style live before. But I kind of have the freedom to write whatever styles I'm feeling like at the time of writing any album at any time. And as long as Phil's [Lewis, L.A. GUNS frontman] singing on it, well, it always sounds like L.A. GUNS. So we kind of have that going for us."

He continued: "This album's a little bit different than the last four albums, which had been on the heavier side. And I this album is more what people might consider the classic rock side or the more fun side or more rock and roll, for sure. A little less metal, a little bit more rock and roll. That's the best way I can put it."

Asked why L.A. GUNS is continuing to release new music so frequently when so many of the other 1980s hard rock bands are content to focus on playing their hits on tour, Tracii said: "I think, really, part of what music, for me anyways, and for L.A. GUNS, it's more about being creative all the time, even in a live situation. We take whatever liberties we want when we're playing those songs. Some bands, I guess, they really have a type of hit song kind of thing. They go out there and they play those main songs and that's it. But, man, for me, that's just too boring. That's not what being a musician is about.

"We have these discussions before we go on tour, because usually we're the second slot on a bigger tour and we get between 45 minutes and — the usual headline set is about 90 minutes," he continued. "So we have kind of these powwows of, 'Well, what are we gonna dofor these shows and then these longer shows? And what haven't we done in a long time? What are the new things we're gonna add?' So it keeps it fun. It keeps our brains working and being creative and being as musical as we can.

"I've said it before, we've kind of been on our farewell tour since 1988, you know what I mean?" Tracii added. "So it's just about really going out there and being musical and really bringing it all the time."

Asked if he is still enjoying the creative process as he did all the way back in the 1980s, Guns said: "Well, yeah. I've always had that mentality, 'move forward, move forward, move forward.' I find that it's easier, and obviously we have more control because I produce the records now and engineer, and I have a couple other people I work with. And the workflow's easier and better, so it's easier to go from idea to recording and getting these things done quicker. So the hobby part of it is just getting more and more enjoyable, and as I get more educated and we get more educated, that never ends. So it's just always some kind of a hobby arts and crafts project for us. We're just a bunch of old hippies now trying to live out our hippie dreams. It's like summer camp all the time for L.A. GUNS."

Hot on the heels of 2023's "Black Diamonds" album, "Leopard Skin" is L.A. GUNS' fifth studio effort in seven years, since the core team of guitarist and band founder Guns and singer Lewis reunited in 2017. "Leopard Skin", like the last few L.A. GUNS records, reconvenes the tight-knit lineup of Guns, Lewis, bassist Johnny Martin, guitarist Ace Von Johnson and studio drummer Adam Hamilton.

Last July, Tracii told On The Road To Rock podcast with Clint Switzer about the sound of L.A. GUNS' new LP: "It's different than the other records. That's the thing about L.A. GUNS, is I never know what's gonna come out. I don't know what mood I'm gonna be in or whatever, but I'm really proud of what I was able to record. And all the management and Phil and the guys, they're freaking out, like, 'Where'd this shit come from?' So, yeah, I'm always most excited about L.A. GUNS. It's the complete playground for me. I love it."

"Black Diamonds" came out in April 2023. It was the fourth studio album since the much-welcome reunion of the band's core foundation of Lewis and Guns. It followed the well-received studio albums "The Missing Peace", "The Devil You Know" and "Checkered Past", plus the live release "Made In Milan", and a covers EP "Another Xmas In Hell".

In April 2021, a settlement was reached between drummer Steve Riley and Guns and Lewis over the rights to the L.A. GUNS name. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Guns and Lewis continue to operate under the L.A. GUNS trademark, while Riley and his bandmates from the other version of L.A. GUNS were allowed to perform and record under the new name RILEY'S L.A. GUNS. Riley died in October 2023 at the age of 67.

L.A. GUNS was formed in 1983 and have sold over six million records, including 1988's "L.A. Guns" and 1990's "Cocked And Loaded", both of which were certified gold. "Cocked And Loaded" contained the hit single "The Ballad Of Jayne" that went to No. 33 on Billboard's Hot 100 and No. 25 on the Mainstream Rock charts. From the mid-'90s to the mid 2000s, L.A. GUNS continued to tour and release new music. Following their successful performance at SiriusXM's Hair Nation festival in September 2016, L.A. GUNS went into the studio to record the critically acclaimed "The Missing Peace", which was the highest-selling release for Frontiers Music Srl in 2017. Their 12th album, "The Devil You Know", was released in 2019 to the same critical acclaim.

Photo by Joe Schaeffer

In a new interview with the RRBG podcast, legendary extreme metal drummer Dave Lombardo (SLAYER, FANTÔMAS, TESTAMENT, MR. BUNGLE, MISFITS, DEAD CROSS) spoke about how the music industry has undergone a dramatic transformation with the advent of digital technology and social media platforms. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We all know the negative part of it — obviously, the change we've had to witness But, hey, that's evolution. That's life. We're gonna be viejitos [little old men] if we start complaining about it. It's, like, 'Oh, you know, back in my day,' this and that. It's, like, no — you have to go with the flow.

"I think there's a lot of advantages in today's industry," he continued. "One, you could put music out — anybody could put music out and anybody could record it at home. And there are just so many advantages. The research that you can do online to clear up any questions, if you have an idea, if you have a problem. All those are brilliant advantages. And I think we should embrace those and use them to our benefit. I think also if we sit around and complain about things, you're really missing the point. You've been given all these great tools, and I think it's just better for us all around. Yes, I can go down the path and complain and nitpick all these little things, but, man, I don't view life that way. If something's holding it back, if you fall, get up, brush yourself off, keep moving forward. If something happens, 'Fuck. That hurt. Well, let's go. Come on. So that's just my personality."

Lombardo also weighed in on a debate about people using an A.I. (artificial intelligence) music generator as a tool to create melodies, harmonies and rhymes based on artificial intelligence algorithms and machine learning (M.L.) models. He said: "Actually, I'd like to see A.I. perform it live. The human element, the feeling of having a Marshall stack being played in front of you and some subwoofer and low end from a drummer on a real drum set, there's nothing like that. It could be possible that people will forget, something will come in and take its place and people will forget what that feels like, but hopefully not. That aspect, live music, I think people need that, people need to get out and see and experience that, a live performance, so I don't see that going away. And A.I. definitely can't replace that."

Dave's VENAMORIS project, in which he is joined by his wife Paula, released its sophomore album, "To Cross Or To Burn", on February 28 via Ipecac Recordings.

While Dave drafted the blueprint that would define thrash metal drumming, he's also applied his finesse to solo percussion (2023's "Rites Of Percussion"),hip-hop and classical music, as well as boundary-pushing recordings and performances with everyone from John Zorn's ensembles to punk icons MISFITS and MR. BUNGLE.

Lombardo, who has spent most of the recent years between EMPIRE STATE BASTARD, crossover pioneers SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, horror-punk icons MISFITS, hardcore supergroup DEAD CROSS and MR. BUNGLE, was effectively fired from SLAYER after sitting out the group's Australian tour in February/March 2013 due to a contract dispute with the other bandmembers. He was later replaced by Paul Bostaph, who was previously SLAYER's drummer from 1992 until 2001.

Photo credit: Hannah Verbeuren

HERMAN RAREBELL & FRIENDS' cover version of the Pat Benatarclassic "Love Is A Battlefield" — a song originally written by Holly Knight and Mike Chapman — can be streamed below. The track is taken from the upcoming HERMAN RAREBELL & FRIENDS studio album, "What About Love?", which will be released on April 11 via Metalville Records.

On "What About Love?", HERMAN RAREBELL & FRIENDS take you back to the '80s and together we return to our very time with the greatest music of this powerful decade. Herman has chosen 12 songs to re-record with good friends and great musicians as a tribute to the greatest hits of a time that was a golden age for him personally. Former OZZY OSBOURNE bassist Bob Daisley can be heard on this album, as can Dann Huff, who was a studio musician on some of the greatest albums in pop history, as well as Howard Leese from the legendary U.S. rockers HEART and singer Michael Voss (CASANOVA, MAD MAX, MICHAEL SCHENKER).

Herman says about this time: "I think that more powerful music has never been created before or since. It was the golden age for me. I enjoyed it. We traveled the world with the SCORPIONS, we met people from all cultures. It was one big rush. Anything was possible at any time.

"With this album, I don't just want to bring back memories of the great hits of the '80s. It's not just about the melodies and rhythms that I miss today. Above all, it's about the feeling that these songs convey. The love, the courage, the optimism that is in them. I think a lot of that has been lost. The groove in 'Here I Go Again', the larger-than-life chorus of 'I Love Rock'n'Roll' and the unshakeable power of 'Rock You Like A Hurricane'. The love and longing of 'I Want To Know What Love Is'. It's no wonder that these songs have held a place in people's hearts for four decades.

"For me, the power, the special spirit of the '80s is in every chord of these songs, every hit on the bass drum. Every take we recorded for this album was pure pleasure. Friends who play great music.

"We hope you feel what we've put into these new recordings: Love, power, optimism! For me, that's the power of the '80s! Anyone who was there will remember. And anyone who missed it deserves to relive it, at least in this way.

"With this in mind: Here I am - Rock you like a Hurricane!"

The album was produced by Herman Rarebell and Michael Voss at Kidwood Studios in Münstertal, Black Forest.

The official music video for the "What About Love?" title track can be seen below.

Herman said about this song: "Here is my message to the world: We must return to love again! We have to stop the hate!!! This song should remind you all of love and peace! I am grateful to all my musician friends for helping me with this news!"

"What About Love?" track listing:

01. In The Air Tonight
02. I Want To Know What Love Is
03. Love Is A Battlefield
04. What About Love
05. Every Breath You Take
06. Sweet Child O' Mine
07. Here I Go Again
08. Addicted To Love
09. Passion Rules The Game
10. Rock You Like A Hurricane
12. These Dreams
12. I Love Rock 'N' Roll

Recording lineup:

Herman Rarebell - Drums

Herman's friends:

Michael Voss - Vocals, Guitars
Van De Forst - Vocals, Acoustic Guitars, Keyboards
Dann Huff - Lead Guitars
Howard Leese - Lead Guitars
Bob Daisley - Bass
Neil Carter - Keyboards
Jim Vallance - Keyboards
Eva Von Der Forst - Backing Vocals
Lexus De La Foret - Backing Vocals

Back in September 2021, Rarebell blasted his former SCORPIONS bandmates, calling them "rude" and accusing them of "greed" over their apparent refusal to allow him to rejoin the band. Rarebell, who was a member of the SCORPIONS from 1977 to 1995, discussed the possibility of his return to the group in an interview for Classic Rock magazine. Asked if he was disappointed not to have been invited back into the fold following the 2016 dismissal of longtime drummer James Kottak, Herman said: "I'll tell you how disappointed I am. I sent them a message offering my services, and never even got a reply. I thought that was very rude. Now I hear the SCORPIONS are claiming their new album will be a return to the glory days of the eighties. If they're serious about that, they should get [former bassist] Francis [Buchholz] and me back, and also Dieter Dierks who produced all those classic albums. You know why they won't do that? Greed. It would mean having to share everything five ways and not three."

Rarebell also criticized his former bandmates for seemingly not giving him enough credit for their commercial success in the 1980s. "The band never mention me in interviews, which I find ridiculous," he stated. "But there's a new documentary in the pipeline from ITV on the band. I am being interviewed for this, so I can finally set the record straight on my role."

In an interview with Classic Rock Revisited, Herman stated about the huge commercial success of SCORPIONS' 1982 album "Blackout": "Mercury Records was totally behind us and they believed in us. They wanted us to keep making albums. They wanted us to grow and do better each time out. 'Lovedrive' went gold. 'Animal Magnetism' went gold and then 'Blackout' was the first one to go platinum. [Rudolf] Schenker / [Klaus] Meine / Rarebell was a great songwriting team. You can see that from how many successful albums we had. After I left the band, they didn't have any more hits."

Rarebell also talked about the inspiration for the lyrics to "Rock You Like A Hurricane", which was released as the lead single from SCORPIONS' ninth studio album, 1984's "Love At First Sting". "Those lyrics were very easy to write," he said. "I woke up early in the morning after fucking and doing cocaine all night and I opened up the curtains. 'It's early morning, the sun comes out. Last night was shaking and pretty loud. My cat is purring and she scratches my skin.' She had scratched my back during our lovemaking. I just sat down and wrote it right then and there. It was five in the morning and the girl was still in bed as I was sitting there writing it. The next day, I said to Rudolf, 'I have some great lyrics for that riff you have.'"

JIZZY PEARL'S LOVE/HATE is back with a brand-new music video for the electrifying single "You're Gonna Burn", taken from the band's upcoming album, "Punk Rock Fiesta!", due on March 1 via Kenyon Records. This fast-paced, hard-hitting track now has a visually stunning companion, created by the immensely talented Ashley Miles of Hot Frog Animation, known for his work with former IRON MAIDEN vocalist Blaze Bayley and ex-MOTÖRHEAD guitarist Phil Campbell.

A feast for the senses, the "You're Gonna Burn" video weaves a powerful narrative that brings Jizzy Pearl's storytelling to life. As Pearl describes it: "'You're Gonna Burn' is a cautionary tale of the age-old battle between the conventional 9-to-5 grind and the untamed, gypsy lifestyle of a musician. But this time the musician triumphs, proving that the fire of rock and roll never fades."

Fueled by raw intensity, "You're Gonna Burn" delivers everything fans love about Pearl's signature sound — gritty, rebellious, and unapologetically bold. Featuring blistering guitar work from Darren Householder, hard-hitting drumming from Dave Moreno, and pounding bass by Christian Kimmett, the song is a masterclass in high-energy, no-frills rock and roll.

From the Sunset Strip to stages worldwide, Pearl has made his mark on rock history, selling over 600,000 albums and sharing the stage with AC/DC, OZZY OSBOURNE, SKID ROW and DIO. He currently sings for QUIET RIOT and has recorded and toured with RATT and L.A. GUNS. Now, he delivers a powerhouse collection of songs, capturing the fire and energy of no-frills rock 'n' roll — it's "Punk Rock Fiesta!"

"Punk Rock Fiesta!" is a high-octane ride that leans into the rebellious spirit of classic, streetwise rock. Featuring blistering guitar solos and Jizzy's signature vocals — equal parts grit and soul — the album is a relentless sonic assault.

"Rock and roll should be dangerous, unpredictable, and make you feel something," said Jizzy. "We wanted to bring back that energy that made music exciting in the first place. This record is screaming, loud, and full of old-school rock 'n' roll soul!"

Since 1990, with LOVE/HATE's debut "Blackout In The Red Room" — named "Best Record Of The Year" by Kerrang! and Metal Hammer — Jizzy Pearl has remained a respected force in rock. Whether commanding the stage with multi-platinum bands or pushing his own creative limits, he continues to evolve while staying true to his hard rock roots. With his seventh solo album, Jizzy Pearl is ready to shake up the rock world once again.

"Punk Rock Fiesta!" track listing:

01. You're Gonna Burn
02. Eye For An Eye
03. The Wrath Of Love
04. Over The Edge
05. Didya Think You Could Fall In Love?
06. Can't Be Wrong
07. I'll Be Your Shadow
08. Time To Take Your Pill

Recording lineup:

Jizzy Pearl: Vocals, Guitars, Bass Guitar
Darren Housholder: Guitars
Christian Kimmett: Bass Guitar
Dave Moreno: Drums

Credits:

All songs (words and music) by Jizzy Pearl
Produced by Jizzy Pearl
Executive producer: Brian Kenyon
Mixed by Andy Haller and Jizzy Pearl at Android Audio, Arizona
Mastered by Maor Appelbaum
Guitars recorded by Tim Hofstetter
Drums recorded by Dave Moreno at Doom Room Studios, California
Additional guitars: Andy Haller
Cover art: Jordan Hursch
Layout and design: Michael Wohlberg
Album photos: Christina Pearl

Photo credit: Christina Pearl (courtesy of Kenyon Records)

Polish extreme metal veterans DECAPITATED were joined by MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn on stage last night (Saturday, March 1) at 1720 in Los Angeles, California for a performance of the SLAYER classic "Raining Blood" and the DECAPITATED song "Iconoclast". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

DECAPITATED guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka joined MACHINE HEAD in time for the 25th-anniversary tour for the latter band's classic debut, "Burn My Eyes", which kicked off in Germany in October 2019. Due to his touring commitments with DECAPITATED, Vogg has since left MACHINE HEAD and was replaced by Reece Alan Scruggs (HAVOK).

During this year's 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise, Vogg was asked by the Brutally Delicious podcast if there are any plans for him and his DECAPITATED bandmates to release new music. He responded: "Yeah, I'm working on it. I'm working on the new songs. I have already, let's say 50%, I guess, of the new DECAPITATED record. And, yeah, after this ['Nihility Across America' 2025] tour I'm gonna continue, because sometimes I've been working [on] new ideas on tour, but I don't really like it, because it's just not a place to focus on ideas. It's a mess — people are running around, it's, like, soundcheck and then you need to go out and look for food. It's not really a place to focus [on writing music]."

Elaborating on how he usually writes music, Vogg said: "I'm working at home. I have my room, so I can separate from the family, from kids. But still I can hear them. So it's not maybe perfect place, but I learned during the years. I already made, I think, four albums at home, with the small kids, with the family life, all these things, which I needed to somehow learn how to take my head out of the [everyday life]. But after the tour I have a plan to just go to our rehearsal space and just work on the material there, to be completely out of everything, separated. And I believe it will work well for that."

Asked if he approaches writing a new album with a theme in mind or a topic or if he just kind of sees where it ends up, Vogg said: "Something like [the latter]. Yeah. Anything can inspire me. And just hunting, fishing for the riff. I just spend time with guitar, playing and listening what's going on. And then suddenly, 'Oh, maybe this is gonna be a good idea.' And then work around this and add new ideas around. It's a long process.

"It's weird, because I'm performing," he continued. "I'm a guitar player, so I'm an instrumental guy. Plus I'm composing the stuff. I'm performing on stage. It's a few things you need to connect. And it's not that easy, and you need to find the time for this, for this. Also, I need to practice a lot to keep in shape myself, and it's not possible. If you play DECAPITATED, you can't stop to practice. You can stop practice for one week, but then you need to practice even more to go on stage and perform this kind of stuff."

Regarding how much time he spends "trying not to rewrite" his previous records, Vogg said: "I don't really think about it. And actually every DECAPITATED record is different… I don't have to [put much effort into making sure they're not the same kind of ideas as what we've done in the past]. Somehow it becomes naturally that it's different.

"I had a moment that I was in trouble because I thought it's, like, this is something like a completely different band right now, and what would be the reaction for the fans? Like how [would] they take it?

"Every record is different, but with 'Blood Mantra', for example, we started to do something really different, something groovy, something thrashy — I don't know," he added. "And [our] new record will be, I think, also bringing in new, fresh ideas, which will be surprising [to fans]. And you know what? It always worked that way. You play traditional kind of classic death metal, and then [come out] with an album which is different — it's modern, it's completely alternative to that. And you can see some kind of voices that, 'This is not the band anymore. I don't like it. I'm quitting to be your fan.' And then after five or eight or ten years, these people are, like, 'Oh, this album is like your classic. It's the best album.' It's like — I don't know — when METALLICA released the 'Load' album, or SEPULTURA released 'Roots Bloody Roots', I was, like, 'That's it. I'm done with this band.' And then right now, it's, like, 'Holy shit. It's a good jam.'"

In January, DECAPITATED released two new performance videos, featuring the tracks "Names" and "Eternity Too Short". The clips were filmed live from the band's rehearsal room.

"Names" and "Eternity Too Short" are both seminal tracks from DECAPITATED's acclaimed album "Nihility", which is being played in its entirety on the current tour.

The tour is covering 23 cities in the United States and Canada, concluding on March 2 in Santa Ana, California. Fans can look forward to an electrifying lineup with DECAPITATED headlining, supported by the formidable talents of INCANTATION and DARKEST HOUR, with EXMORTUS opening each night.

Last October, DECAPITATED announced that it had parted ways with vocalist Rafał "Rasta" Piotrowski and replaced him with Eemeli Bodde of Finnish metallers MORS SUBITA.

Bodde made his live debut with DECAPITATED on November 1, 2024 at Damnation Festival's "A Night Of Salvation" at BEC Arena in Manchester, United Kingdom. Also joining DECAPITATED at the gig for several "classic" tracks was the group's original vocalist Wojciech "Sauron" Wąsowicz, who was previously a member of DECAPITATED between 1996 and 2005.

Across eight studio albums, DECAPITATED grew from the adolescent dream of teenagers from a small Central European town to one of the leaders of the metal genre. Each successive album further expands the band's sound with genre-bending authenticity and integrity. As Metal Injection rightfully observed, "any self-respecting death metalhead knows the name well." Like a rose in the devil's garden, the DECAPITATED story builds triumph from tragedy. The gleeful grotesquery of extreme metal imagery and riff-tastic bludgeoning beckons listeners to uncover broader truths.

Their latest studio album, "Cancer Culture", was released in 2022, with instantly recognizable devastation and deceptively sinister hooks abound. Newly minted DECAPITATED anthems like "Last Supper", "Hello Death", "Just A Cigarette", "No Cure", "Iconoclast" and "Cancer Culture" shimmer with sonically sharp production and unrelenting bombast. There's also a newly increased emphasis on melody, even venturing into darkly romantic territory. JINJER vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk and Flynn make impressive guest appearances. Flynn contributes a hauntingly beautiful vocal to the "Cancer Culture" track "Iconoclast", with Shmayluk, a formidable screamer, going the clean vocal route on track "Hello Death".



Posted by Karen DelCastillo on Sunday, March 2, 2025

Sick ahh flyer design for a sick ahh show! We are only a few days away from this crusher! If you haven't nabbed tickets...

Posted by Daniel Dismal on Thursday, February 27, 2025

Frontiers Music Srl proudly announces the signing of renowned guitarist and songwriter Don Felder, best known for his role with the Eagles. This partnership marks the start of an exciting new chapter, with plans to release Felder’s highly anticipated solo album later this year.

Don Felder expressed his excitement by saying: “So thrilled to be joining the Frontiers family and to finally share this new record with the world! This music means everything to me, and I can’t wait for everyone to hear it”.

Charlie Brusco, Red Light Management, added: “Great to have our legendary client Don Felder partnering with Serafino, Tom and the entire Frontiers organization.”

Tom Lipsky, Head of A&R of North America for Frontiers Label Group, commented: “Brilliant songwriting, guitar mastery, and sweet vocals. Don Felder is truly rock royalty, and he has reached new heights on his new upcoming record. We are confident fans will love the music, especially as Don cranks it up coast to coast during the ‘Brotherhood Of Rock’ tour this year with Styx and Kevin Cronin.”

Don Felder is renowned as a former lead guitarist of The Eagles, one of the most popular and influential rock groups of our time.

Hailing from Gainesville, Florida, Felder developed an early passion for music after watching Elvis Presley perform on The Ed Sullivan Show. By the age of 13, he had formed his first band, the Continentals, which included future rock legend Stephen Stills. Felder refined his guitar skills through dedicated practice and even received slide guitar lessons from Duane Allman, laying the foundation for his signature style.

In 1974, Felder joined the Eagles, helping shift their sound from country-rock to a more guitar-driven rock style. He co-wrote and performed the legendary guitar solo for “Hotel California,” one of the most celebrated songs in rock history. His contributions extended to other notable tracks, including “Victim Of Love” and “Those Shoes.”

His dual guitar harmonies with Joe Walsh became a defining element of the band’s sound. In recognition of the Eagles’ massive influence on rock music, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998, with Felder performing alongside his former bandmates at the induction ceremony.

Following his departure from the Eagles in 2001, Felder pursued a solo career, releasing albums such as Road To Forever (2012) and American Rock ‘N’ Roll (2019). Over the years, Felder has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Stevie Nicks, Barbra Streisand, and Michael Jackson, further solidifying his legacy as a versatile and influential guitarist in rock music.

In a new interview with Scotty J of Rock Titan, former ACCEPT and current U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER members Udo Dirkschneider (vocals) and Peter Baltes (bass) were asked if they have given any thought to possibly retiring in the not-too-distant future. The 72-year-old Udo responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Of course, a lot of people [were] already asking me, 'What is your plan when you wanna retire?' and all that stuff. I still have fun to do this. Okay, everything is working — my voice is working, I'm healthy and everything is okay so far. I don't know. Maybe I go over 80, hopefully, and then I'm still on stage.

"There will be definitely a point [where you have to arrive at that decision] by yourself, and then you have to say then, 'Okay, maybe that's it.' You never know," he added. "But at the moment, definitely not. And Peter's still [playing] with me. [Laughs]"

The 66-year-old Baltes chimed in: "I believe the point is always that you have to determine for yourself if you're still worth it, if you still can deliver the goods. And if that's diminishing, then that's time to go. There's a lot of guys out there that don't see that point and they keep pushing on and then it becomes real sad. But we have a lot of gas in the tank. There's a lot of music [that] still has to be written. We have to be there for [U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER drummer] Sven [Dirkschneider] and the other two [members of U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER], to guide them through the rest of this. So, no, it's just too much fun, to be quite honest. What else are we gonna do?"

Regarding the possibility of new U.D.O. music as a follow-up to 2023's "Touchdown" album, Udo said: "There are some ideas. That will be there already. So our plan is we wanna start working on the U.D.O. album, the next one, over the summer. And this [DIRKSCHNEIDER] 'Balls [To The Wall]' [40th-anniversary] tour goes until 2026 — we know that already — and so that means that's the only space we can work on a new U.D.O. album. And then after the 'Balls' tour, definitely we start again then with U.D.O. So that means we are busy."

DIRKSCHNEIDER has just reimagined ACCEPT's iconic album "Balls To The Wall" to celebrate the LP's 40th anniversary. The band's founding member and former frontman has reinterpreted this classic with a fresh and star-studded twist. Far from a simple remake, this project was born out of countless conversations with prominent artists across the global rock and metal scene, who frequently asked: "Are you planning anything special for the 40th anniversary of 'Balls To The Wall'?" These discussions sparked the idea to re-record the album's legendary tracks alongside a stellar lineup of guest musicians, transforming the project into a heartfelt tribute.

DIRKSCHNEIDER, the band featuring Udo and Peter (bass),along with Sven Dirkschneider and the talented guitar duo of Andrey Smirnov and Fabian "Dee" Dammers, celebrated the 40th anniversary of "Balls To The Wall", which was originally released in late 1983 and is the most commercially successful and best-known album by ACCEPT, by performing the LP in its entirety on a recent tour of South America. They will take the "Balls To The Wall" 40th-anniversary tour to the rest of the world during 2025.

Guitarist Wolf Hoffmann is the sole remaining original member of ACCEPT, which he formed in 1976 in the town of Solingen, Germany with Dirkschneider and Baltes.

Over the past five decades, ACCEPT has sold millions of albums and inspired countless musicians. Their energetic live performances and iconic albums such as "Balls To The Wall", "Restless And Wild" and "Metal Heart" have left a lasting mark on the heavy metal genre.

After a hiatus in the band's career, Wolf and Peter were introduced to New Jersey singer Mark Tornillo in 2009. The chemistry and fit between them was so remarkable, ACCEPT reformed and almost immediately rose to global success with chart-topping albums.

Tornillo joined ACCEPT in 2009 as the replacement for Dirkschneider. Mark can be heard on ACCEPT's last six studio albums, "Blood Of The Nations" (2010),"Stalingrad" (2012),"Blind Rage" (2014),"The Rise Of Chaos" (2017),2021's "Too Mean To Die" and 2024's "Humanoid".

Last month, Norwegian black metal band, Djevel, announced the passing of founding guitarist and vocalist, Trånn Ciekals. The band have now shared the following update:

“As much as the last three weeks have set us back both emotionally and practically we have also come to the conclusion that we will perform the two Oslo gigs already planned at Parkteateret on the 21 and 22 of November.

“Not only for our own sake in order to process our loss but also to fulfill these two gigs as a tribute to the life and musical work of Trånn Ciekals. Jan Even Åsli will be filling in for Trånn and we are deeply grateful for the effort Jan Even will put into this with us. We will also team up with old members to make this work out as planned.

“We will inform you with more details when we know. But what we do know is that this will be the last chance to see Djevel ever and we hope that you all will celebrate the band and Trånn these two dark autumn evenings with us.”

Following their acclaimed single "Superman", CYHRA — the Swedish band featuring former IN FLAMES, AMARANTHE and current THE HALO EFFECT, KAMELOT and SUBURBAN TRIBE members — has released even more new music today. "Skin From Bones" is the second release by the internationally recognized melodic metal band through their new label home Reigning Phoenix Music. Mixed by guitarist Euge Valovirta, and once again mastered by sound expert Maor Appelbaum as well as graced by artwork by Gustavo Sazes, the single is a raw expression of breaking free from the lies we tell ourselves and the burdens we carry. It's about shedding layers of pain and deceit to uncover the strength within.

Being both a battle cry and a moment of liberation, diving deep into the struggles of confronting our inner demons and the falsehoods we hold onto, "Skin From Bones" is a powerful anthem of self-discovery, resilience, and the painful yet necessary process of healing. Sometimes, to truly heal, you have to strip everything down to the core.

Introduced by hard-hitting riffs and a catchy keyboard melody, the single seems to go the "usual" way, but CYHRA wouldn't be CYHRA without occasional musical surprises, that's why the band have interweaved a crossover-ish second verse into the track, guiding fans through the territory of rap and showcasing an atypical side of vocalist Jake E's voice. But that's not all as the bridge captures listeners with explosive breakdowns which additionally underline the thematic significance of "Skin From Bones".

Jake E says: "Our second [new] single, 'Skin From Bones', is a bold step into heavier territory for CYHRA, but we're not leaving behind the melodies and catchy choruses that define our sound. This track dives deep into themes of resilience and self-discovery, blending raw intensity with heartfelt emotion. We're constantly evolving as a band, and 'Skin From Bones' is the perfect example of how we're pushing our boundaries while staying true to who we are."

As they approach their 10th anniversary next year, CYHRA have carved out a notable place in the metal scene since their founding in 2016 by Jake and Jesper. They were soon joined by Alex and bassist Peter Iwers (THE HALO EFFECT, formerly IN FLAMES). Their debut album, "Letters To Myself", was released in 2017 to glowing reviews, catapulting the group to global stages, crowned with a massive North American tour supporting SABATON and KREATOR.

Following Iwers's departure, Euge Valovirta (guitars, bass) joined the CYHRA lineup, and the band released its second album, "No Halos In Hell", in 2019, which blended groovy metal with a poppy flair and featured the hit single "Out Of My Life", amassing about 11 million streams on Spotify. Their success continued with a European tour with BATTLE BEAST, U.K. dates alongside DELAIN, headline shows in select countries including Finland and Japan, and performances at major festivals like Masters Of Rock, Bloodstock Open Air, Sabaton Open Air and 70000 Tons of Metal.

In 2020, guitarist Marcus Sunesson (RONNIE ATKINS, THE CROWN) joined, expanding the lineup. The pandemic pause allowed the band to craft their third album "The Vertigo Trigger", released in 2023. The album's tour brought them back to Finland to open for SMASH INTO PIECES and to headline shows in early 2024. Quietly beginning their fourth album, CYHRA ended the cycle with a Scandinavian tour with EVERGREY, leading into 2025 with their previous standalone single "Superman".

Photo credit: Linda Florin

In a new interview with Nic and Big J of the Boise, Idaho radio station 100.3 The X Rocks, DISTURBED frontman David Draiman was asked about the "throwback" vibe of the band's new single, "I Will Not Break", which was released earlier this month. David said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It wasn't intentional, that much I'll tell you. It came at the end of our recording session. It's one of the last songs we did. We were really on a roll. And I remember I had said to Danny [Dan Donegan, DISTURBED guitarist] and Drew [Fulk] and Mike [Wengren, DISTURBED drummer] — Drew's our producer — 'give me a beat that's a good old-fashioned, old-school head bob, something I can really lock in my polysyncopation on. Give me something old school.' And they did, and, boom, this came out. And it immediately spoke to us. It was a hell of a lot of fun to write and record the songs. Very empowering, very healing for me. It's a contrast to some of the darkness I was going through last cycle, and being able to celebrate coming out the other end."

Draiman went on to say that there is plenty of new music on the way from DISTURBED. "We've got a lot of amazing new material we're gonna be releasing piece by piece over the course of the next year or two, culminating with the release of an actual record," he explained. "But we're gonna take our time with it.

"These songs are — the problem we had in studio is that so many of them were so strong and so compelling that we had no shortage of single contenders," he continued. "In fact, we had too many. So we wanna try and give every baby its necessary growth period to be able to grow into a nice big adult song.

"So it's nice, being able to feel that anticipation and the excitement of it. I can't wait," Draiman added. "There's definitely a lot of the meat-and-potatoes DISTURBED in the collection, but there's a couple surprises too, and I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised when they actually get to hear everything."

"I Will Not Break" came out last Friday (February 21) via DISTURBED's own label, Mother Culture Records. The track marks DISTURBED's first new music since its acclaimed 2022 album "Divisive".

"I Will Not Break" was helmed by producer Drew Fulk, also known as WZRD BLD (MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, LIL PEEP, HIGHLY SUSPECT),who previously worked with DISTURBED on "Divisive".

Last week, Donegan spoke to Ryan McCredden of the I-Rock 93.5 radio station about the musical inspiration for "I Will Not Break". He said: "[That song] came late in the recording process. We were out in L.A. this past September, October and November, just getting the ball rolling. There was no really gameplan of a timeframe or deadline in any way. We had some time off the road with only a handful of shows last fall, so we said, 'Let's get back in the room and get things going again and see how the creative process goes.' And everything was going great. We wrote a bunch of material, tracked it all, and then 'I Will Not Break' kind of came late in the session. I just felt like I still had a lot left in me. And I was supposed to be tracking guitars for something else that day, and I just told my producer I felt really creative. I wanted to kind of go with this kind of old-school — I wanted to give something to David that was gonna hopefully trigger kind of that old-school delivery out of David. So we just kind of worked on this heavy groove, this beat, and I just started improvising over it, and as soon as the riff came around, we kind of all just looked at each other, like, 'That's the one. That's the one.' And then I just continued down that road and put together a rough structure. David wasn't there at the moment, at the time, so we just kind of worked out the music and put together a rough structure. And when I'd seen him next, I kind of went over it with him and he connected with it. And he kind of gave us those elements that we were looking for — the still melodic, but still quick, rapid-fire syncopation at times and just that kind of delivery we were hoping to pull out of him. And we thought it would be a great lead-off track to share with the fans."

When McCredden noted that "I Will Not Break" sounds like something DISTURBED could have recorded 25 years ago, possibly inspired by the fact that the band is preparing to embark on a 34-date North American tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of their 2000 debut album "The Sickness", Donegan concurred. "I was going through the archives and going through a lot of stuff here, my memorabilia, gearing up for this 25th-anniversary tour, and I came across some old demo tapes," he said. "I had actually cassette tapes, if people don't remember what those are. Back in the day, in the late '90s, when we got David in the band, we would just set up a little cassette player in the back of the room and hit 'record' and record us — crappy version, but record our practices so we could hear us just improvising ideas. And so I was kind of in that headspace 'cause I was listening to these old riffs and these old deliveries of us just kind of improvising, like I said, and it just had me in that headspace. Actually, one of the song ideas was a riff I pulled from 1998 off the demo and I kind of slid it back into the mix. I have a history of doing that. I have a way of sneaking in old ideas and seeing if it triggers anybody, if they remember it and pick up on it, if it's been that long ago. But I try to get back into that headspace. And so, even though the riff for 'I Will Not Break' is brand new, I was kind of in the spirit of that old-school DISTURBED, and that's what we were hoping to do — trigger [David] in that that kind of way."

According to DISTURBED, "I Will Not Break" is "a necessary song, about becoming stronger than the forces that constantly try to tear you down." The track includes the stirring lyrics "I've had enough of feeling terrified, now I'm deciding that I won't be hiding from anyone," which encourages listeners to push back in the face of adversity.

"Divisive" was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee.

According to Billboard, "Divisive" sold 26,000 equivalent album units in its first week of release, with 22,000 units via album sales.

On the all-format Billboard 200 chart, "Divisive" debuted at No. 13.

DISTURBED has had five No. 1s on the all-genre chart, beginning with "Believe" in 2002.

"The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour" will kick off in Nampa, Idaho on February 25. Produced by Live Nation, each night will feature two sets of music, opening with DISTURBED playing the five times platinum "The Sickness" in full, followed by a full set of greatest hits. The first half of the tour will feature support from special guests THREE DAYS GRACE, featuring the return of original singer Adam Gontier, and opener SEVENDUST, and the second half will feature special guests DAUGHTRY with opener NOTHING MORE.

Since "The Sickness" was released in 2000, the album was certified five times platinum by the RIAA, spent a total of 106 weeks on the US Billboard 200 chart, and Revolver named it one of "Top 25 Debut Hard Rock Albums." Billboard said of the title track upon release: "'Down With The Sickness' is, of course, the quintessential DISTURBED song, harnessing all the band's seethe and its now-famous tribal beat and guitar chug into three and a half minutes of alt-metal mayhem. It's menacing, it's rhythmic, it's rebellious."

DISTURBED recently announced the 25th-anniversary edition release of "The Sickness". To commemorate the anniversary, the band will reissue the five-times-platinum-certified LP on March 7, exactly 25 years to the date of their original release.

"The Sickness" 25th-anniversary edition is available to pre-order on all formats. The deluxe box set will be available via the band's web site and digitally on March 7, and via all retailers in North American on March 21.

Jay Jay Brown was interviewed by Metal Matt and the bassist spoke about his time with Fight. Fight was Rob Halford’s first post-Judas Priest band and they released two albums. The original lineup featured Priest drummer Scott Travis alongside guitarist Russ Parrish (aka Satchel from Steel Panther), and guitarist Brian Tilse.

On working alongside Satchel:

“It was funny because Russ always be like ‘Stay on your side of the stage’ because I’d run all over the place. He’s like, ‘Jesus Christ just stay on your side man.’ I’m like, ‘Sorry man.’

“You know back then I was young and I was a nut you know, I don’t know how Rob put up with me.”

Possibility of a Fight reunion:

“Russ said he would be down and Rob was talking about it when I saw him last year up in Detroit, so you know, he said that he would like to maybe do even at least a couple shows just to celebrate what we did, but I mean I told him, ‘you better hurry up while we’re still all here.’”

In a recent interview with Gym Rock Crew, which is hosted by Ramona, a certified fitness coach and metalhead, STEEL PANTHER guitarist Russ "Satchel" Parrish was asked to name his "favorite exercise". He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "My biggest thing with exercising is I try to change it up because I don't wanna get bored. And if I get bored, I'll stop exercising and I'll be 300 pounds. And it's not good 'cause I love to eat food. So I try to offset it with exercise, which is not a good idea because one of the oldest things you always hear is, like, you can't out-train a bad diet. And I have a tendency to love to eat all kinds of crappy food.

"One of my favorite exercises is definitely pull-ups; I like doing pull-ups," he said.

"Being on the road and learning how to stay active on the road… We've been touring for a long time, and now you can go anywhere and there's gyms like everywhere you go, which is great. But there was a time years ago where it was, like, 'Oh, there's no gym close by.' I would just find places to work out on my own. I'd bring a jump rope with me, a weighted jump rope. That's a good exercise. A weighted jump rope, it only weighs a pound. I have a two-pound jump rope too. The whole rope itself is weighted; it's not just like the handles — it's the actual rope. And that is a great thing to do. A two-pound jump rope feels like you're swinging 30 pounds after five minutes. It's crazy. But jump rope was really good. And that you can do anywhere. Push-ups are great. I've been trying to do squats lately. That's not fun, 'cause, like everybody, I don't like to do my legs as much as other things, but it's important. And I do hanging leg lifts. That's not an easy one. That's a good one, though. I try to switch it up as much as I can, because if you do anything too much, I think your body just gets used to it and you end up not really feeling it as much. So I try to switch up my workouts a lot. That's the main thing."

Asked how long he has been training, Satchel said: "I've been exercising ever since I was a kid. And when I really started getting into guitar, I was pretty young. Well, not pretty young, but like a teenager — 13, 14. But I got really, really into it. Up until that point, when I started playing guitar, I was doing other things, like normal kid stuff, like wrestling and playing soccer and stuff like that. And then I started playing guitar and I was, like, 'This is all I'm gonna do. I'm just gonna get really good at guitar.' And I was playing guitar, like, 10 hours a day. And I realized that I was just doing nothing except sitting on my ass. So I made it a part of my day. I would make sure I went and worked out. Even as a teenager, like 13, 14 years old, I was, like 'I've gotta do something besides practice guitar. Otherwise, I'm just gonna be a big fat pig.' So I started doing that early. But then, as I got older, and once I got into my twenties, I realized that I had to really figure out how to push myself and work out harder in order to see the results. Like right now, especially it's a new year, and everybody gets a new membership and they go to the gym and get on the Stairmaster and after a week they go, 'I look the same. This is horrible.' And then they quit the gym and they wait till next year and then they join the gym again. So the biggest thing for most people is seeing some sort of results. I don't think you necessarily have to see it either. If you feel it —for me, the thing that keeps me motivated and keeps me working out is feeling better now. I don't feel as good if I don't work out. So if I go a couple of days without working out, I crave feeling better and I wanna be active and I wanna go to the gym."

This past December, STEEL PANTHER announced two more legs of its "Feel The Steel 15th Anniversary Tour". The first leg is scheduled for March throughout the United States and the second leg heads to Europe this summer. The U.S. leg of the tour kicks off on March 5 in Lincoln, Nebraska and wraps up on March 28 in Dubuque, Iowa. The tour will make stops in Boise, Idaho; San Francisco, California; Tempe, Arizona and Kansas City, Missouri, to name a few. The European headline leg kicks off on June 18 in Dublin, Ireland before concluding three weeks later on July 6 in Geiselwind, Germany.

Formed in 2000, STEEL PANTHER specializes in imitating and exaggerating the less flattering aspects of 1980s hair metal, with unrepentantly crude, non-PC sexual content as a favorite lyrical theme.

The group's music has been described as "VAN HALEN meets MÖTLEY CRÜE meets RATT meets 'Wayne's World', complete with operatic shrieks, misogyny, shredding guitar solos and libidinal overdrive."

Seventeen years ago, STEEL PANTHER changed its name from METAL SKOOL to its current moniker and shifted the focus of its act from '80s metal covers to originals.

STEEL PANTHER's sixth studio album, "On The Prowl", was released in February 2023.

In September 2022, STEEL PANTHER announced the addition of Spyder as the band's new bassist.

Four months ago, STEEL PANTHER's debut album, "Feel The Steel", was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales in excess of 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom.

"Feel The Steel - 15th Anniversary Edition" was released worldwide on November 15. The 15th-anniversary edition features two tracks that were only released on the original Japanese import: "You Don't Make Me Feel Dumb" and "I Want Your Tits". The album was produced by Jay Ruston (ANTHRAX, COREY TAYLOR).

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the album, STEEL PANTHER embarked on the first leg of the "Feel The Steel 15th Anniversary Tour". The trek kicked off in Huntington, New York on November 20, 2024 and ran through December 13, 2024 when it wrapped up in Orlando, Florida.

In a new interview with Keefy of Ghost Cult magazine, LACUNA COIL singer Andrea Ferro addressed the use of artificial intelligence (A.I.) in the creation of music and album art. A.I. art is generated by inputting data, such as text, images, or sounds, into an algorithm trained to produce new and original artwork. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think technology, as usual, is not good or bad. It depends the way you use it. If it's an extra tool to make your life easier and faster, that's okay. But if it has to substitute the creativity of a person, that I don't like personally. I prefer to use human creativity because humans are great because they make mistakes, and from a mistake, usually that's where great things happen. Whatever you do — you write a book, you write a song, you write a movie — when you fuck up or you make a mistake, and you can go there and see and realize what's special, how special it becomes with the mistakes, that's where you find a new way. You learn something new, you create something new and unique because you never would have thought about it in the correct way. So I think that can't be replaced by machine, at least not yet. And so I think human touch is very important. And there's no need to use A.I. [art for album covers]. If you find the right artist, it's not even that expensive. I think it's reasonably expensive and it's deserved and you can still make money on the merchandise and other things. So it's an excuse for laziness to don't use a real artist, I think, I think A.I. is cool and it can be helpful, but it has to be used with your brain."

LACUNA COIL's latest album, "Sleepless Empire", came out on February 14 via Century Media Records. Inspiration to create the LP came during the sessions for "Comalies XX" (2022),the acclaimed remake of LACUNA COIL's breakthrough third record "Comalies". Writing and recording took place in northern Italy between Milano (the band's hometown) and Como, where SPVN Studios are located. As with their previous albums, production was done in house with Marco "Maki" Coti Zelati at the helm, and artwork was hand curated by the talented Italian artist Roberto Toderico. Two other very special talents enrich the album, namely the guest vocalists: LAMB OF GOD's Randy Blythe on the song "Hosting The Shadow" and NEW YEARS DAY's Ash Costello on "In The Mean Time".

Last October, Italian guitarist/producer Daniele Salomone confirmed that he has joined LACUNA COIL as the replacement for the band's longtime guitarist Diego Cavallotti.

Salomone made his live debut with LACUNA COIL on August 4, 2024 at the Rockstadt Extreme Fest in Râșnov, Romania.

In June 2024, LACUNA COIL announced Cavallotti's departure. Diego, who joined LACUNA COIL in 2016, initially as a fill-in guitarist following the exit of Marco "Maus" Biazzi, later said in a social media post that "this decision is not the result of my dissatisfaction or desire to explore new opportunities."

Cavallotti and Salomone played together in the Italian metal band INVERNO, which released its debut album, "Stasis", in December 2023.