Rob Dukes says that he was "as surprised as" everyone else when he was asked to return to EXODUS after a decade-long absence.

Last month it was announced that EXODUS had parted ways with longtime singer Steve "Zetro" Souza and was being rejoined by Dukes.

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

Regarding how he ended up back in the EXODUS fold, Rob told Mark Strigl (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "How it happened was Lee [Altus, EXODUS guitarist] and Gary [Holt, EXODUS guitarist] called me, and Tom [Hunting, EXODUS drummer] called me, and they all spoke to me individually to kind of see where I was at. And then they asked me, and I said, 'Sure.'

"I'm not gonna talk about why they did what they did [as far as parting ways with Zetro] — that's on them to talk about, 'cause I have no idea," he continued. "I mean, I kind of do, but it's not my place. So, I'll let them handle that end.

"I was as surprised as you, man," Dukes admitted. "I mean, when I got the call… Me and Gary didn't speak as much, but me and Tom talk all the time. Me and Lee constantly talk about hockey and give each other shit — I'm a Rangers fan; he's a Flyers fan — so we're always in contact, especially during hockey season. And then, like I said, man, it came out of nowhere for myself too. And I took a day and decided, 'Yeah, okay, I can make it work.' 'Cause I have to put my life on hold, the life I've been building for 10 years as a car builder and a welder. But I sat down with the people I work for and the people I work with and I explained the situation and they were all, like, 'Yeah, go do it, man. You only live once.' And I was, like, 'Yeah, cool. That's exactly how I was thinking about it.' So, it all worked out, man. And everybody's stoked and happy."

As for the timeline for a new EXODUS studio album — his first with the band in a decade and a half — Dukes said: "I'm going up [to the San Francisco Bay Area] in a couple of weeks and start doing vocals on the new record. They have a bunch of songs written. Basically, right now they're working out the composition and the drums and stuff. Once again, I'm the fucking new guy, so I'm not really in the loop on things. I just know that I'm gonna be there in the first week of March and then I'll probably be there for a while."

When Strigl noted that Gary said in a recent interview that EXODUS's next album likely won't arrive before 2026, Rob said: "I don't know. I don't have that information. Like I said, I'm the fucking new guy again. They just asked me, 'Hey, can you do this, this and that?' And I go, 'Yeah, I can make that happen.'

"For me, it was a lot of scrambling trying to get the projects that I'm involved with, the cars I'm working on, trying to get them to either a finish point or at least a decent stopping point and dealing with other people's expectations and putting their expectations on hold a little bit," Rob explained. "So it was kind of like a dance, and I was pretty stressed until about a week and a half ago when things just kind of, like, 'Okay. This is the timeline. This is cool. And everybody's happy and everybody's cool. And I get to go do this thing that…'

"I love doing it, man," Dukes said about playing with EXODUS again. "I love hanging out with these guys. It's just fun. It was fun to do, and it's fun to be a part of this situation. And I'm glad they asked me to come back, man."

On the topic of the musical direction of the new EXODUS material, Rob said: "I've heard a few tracks, and they're just really fast. It's fucking thrash metal, and it's EXODUS, for sure. I've heard bits and pieces. Actually, I went up to San Francisco two or three weeks ago and I sat in on a writing session with Gary and Tom. And it was awesome, man. I was, like, 'Goddamn. All right, cool. This is kind of right where I left off.'"

Dukes also touched upon EXODUS's touring plans, which will include two very special "Bonded By Blood" 40th-anniversary shows (April 25 at UC Theatre in Berkeley, California and April 26 at House of Blues in Anaheim, California). "So we're doing that," he confirmed. "I don't know exactly how many shows. I know our first show is April 5th. It's in Philly at the Decibel [Magazine Metal &] Beer festival. And then a tour starts at the end of April and runs through the middle of May or end of May or something like that. And that's all I'm aware of at this point. I know there are some festivals in Europe. I don't have any of those dates. Like I said, I'm the fucking new guy. So, I'm just rolling with it. I mean, I'll probably know more once I get to the the Bay Area and start hanging around those guys. And like I said, man, I've been trying to try to tie up all the ends of my life here in Arizona before I have to bail and leave. So that's what I've been concentrating on. And I know that all that stuff will just work out the way it's supposed to."

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

Earlier this month, Holt told Shawn Ratches of Laughingmonkeymusic about the progress of the songwriting sessions for EXODUS's follow-up to 2021's "Persona Non Grata" album:  "We were gonna try to put it out this fall, but we needed more time for the songwriting. So we're going in the studio here in just a couple of weeks, but by the time we finish the record, we'd have to have it mixed and turned in within two more, and that's just rushing it.

"We're just working away," Gary explained. "The album will be done when it's done. We're not gonna rush it. The last album was fucking phenomenal. So, I'm always trying to top the last one, and this one's gotta be fucking as good or better than 'Persona', which I rank number two — it's my second-favorite EXODUS album behind [1985 debut] 'Bonded By Blood'."

When Ratches noted that EXODUS has always had strong personalities fronting the band, from Paul Baloff to Steve "Zetro" Souza to Rob Dukes, Holt concurred. "That's just part and parcel of being a frontman, I guess," he said. "I think most frontmen in metal do [have strong personalities]. From all my friends, guys like [OVERKILL's] Bobby Blitz — he's a total frontman, strong personality. He's awesome. He's a character. The rest of us are allowed to be a little normal, I guess, normal-ish. EXODUS were always a fucking band of lunatics anyway, especially in our youth when all five of us were certifiably insane.

"But, yeah, that's a hard job being a frontman," he continued. "You don't have a guitar to hide behind. You're standing there exposed. You have a microphone in your hand, maybe a mic stand, maybe half a mic stand, but that's the extent of what you've got to hide behind, kind of. So it's hard.

"All the vocalists in EXODUS have all contributed amazing shit, Baloff being the gold standard, and Zetro has done amazing work with the band, and so has Rob," Holt added. "And people will say things like, 'Well, this record is so heavy or this era because of Rob.' I write the songs the way I write them regardless of who's fucking singing… I don't write to the guy singing, and I never have. Those songs on the last album would be the same if they were written for Paul, if he was alive, or as they were written for Zetro or written for Rob. The same goes for the Rob Dukes albums. I just write the songs that are in my head at that time."

Although EXODUS rarely gets mentioned alongside the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, MEGADETH, SLAYER and ANTHRAX — the aforementioned "Bonded By Blood" LP inspired the likes of TESTAMENT, DEATH ANGEL, VIO-LENCE and many others to launch their careers and is considered one of the most influential thrash metal albums of all time.

In a new interview with São Paulo, Brazil's 89 FM A Rádio Rock radio station, THE CULT frontman Ian Astbury was asked if there are any plans for the band to release new music this year as the follow-up to THE CULT's 2022 album "Under The Midnight Sun". Ian responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yes, we have some songs. It's just how we're gonna release them, because now everything is very different with albums, streaming.

"Albums are dead, pretty much albums are finished," he explained. "Albums are dead, the concept of making an album, I like the idea of making — if you have a piece of music and it's fresh, put it out."

Asked if he personally prefers the old way of releasing music as a collection of songs on a full-length record, Ian said: "Many years ago, it was just a different format — different time, different format So you went with the format, and the format was to release albums, tour, radio, that kind of thing, whereas now the format is very different — streaming — and I feel that's why there's so many individual artists now or duos who are making music in a much more digital environment, smaller environment. The art of microphoning drum kits, guitar amplifiers is kind of dying because you can get a lot of plugins, if you know anything about recording, that mimic what studio engineers used to be experts at. Digital technology can now mimic that. So we're seeing the end of these incredible engineers and producers who worked in a very different environment. That's not to say that what is happening now is not important or relevant in terms of the quality of what's being made, 'cause there's some incredible music being made that's being done outside of large studios, being done in very small environments with digital technology. But I feel that the way that music is made now changes the way that people create."

Astbury continued: "Definitely rock musicians, for the most part — if you're in a guitar-based band, you like to be in the room together, bass drums, guitars, vocals, unless it's an artist who makes — for example, some artists is one guy, one girl, they make an album in their bedroom and then they put a band together around it and then they present it like a band, but really it's one person."

THE CULT holds a significant place in musical history due to its pioneering use of post-punk, hard rock, and experimentalism, pushing boundaries and influencing countless bands across multiple genres. With their musical prowess, uncompromising attitude and captivating stage presence, they forged a distinct identity while charting new territory for bands to explore. From guitarist Billy Duffy's formative, and influential, years in the Manchester underground, to Astbury's groundbreaking "Gathering Of The Tribes", the duo has left an indelible mark on modern music, shaping its trajectory in profound ways.

"Under The Midnight Sun" arrived in October 2022 via Black Hill Records. The LP was produced by Tom Dalgety (PIXIES, GHOST, ROYAL BLOOD). Dalgety is the first British producer THE CULT has worked with since its second album, "Love" (1985).

Born out of the ashes of the U.K. post-punk scene, THE CULT evolved to become one of the most influential and controversial rock bands of the late 20th century, selling millions of albums, headlining arenas and stadiums around the world, infusing innovative possibilities into the worlds of music and art, and quickly ascending through the ranks of the indie music world to achieve global status. THE CULT, whose music transformed from punk rock to post-punk, psychedelia, heavy dance music and transcendental hard rock, became one of the handful of important bands in the U.S. post-modern and hard rock communities, and was embraced by a generation that was waking up to the influence of 1960s and 1970s rock icons like LED ZEPPELIN, THE NEW YORK DOLLS and David Bowie.

The constant core of THE CULT is the "head and heart" of the band, Astbury and Duffy. Attitude incarnate, the chemistry between these two vastly different artists — equal parts genuine affection and palpable tension — remains the source of their long-standing partnership. Duffy grounds Astbury's esoteric side with a hard rock perspective, and there is no doubt that at all times, these two have each other's back. THE CULT's current lineup also includes former WHITE ZOMBIE, EXODUS and TESTAMENT drummer John Tempesta.

In a new interview with Barbara Caserta of Italy's Linea Rock, SAVATAGE guitarist Al Pitrelli spoke about the reactivated band's upcoming shows in Europe and South America. Joining Al in SAVATAGE's current touring lineup are Johnny Lee Middleton on bass, Chris Caffery on guitar, Jeff Plate on drums and Zak Stevens on lead vocals.

Pitrelli was asked about some fans' complaints that SAVATAGE's comeback doesn't include Jon Oliva, SAVATAGE's founding vocalist and keyboardist, who in 2023 suffered a T7 vertebra fracture in three places, a severe injury that has left him relying on a wheelchair. Additionally, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and Ménière's disease, conditions that have further complicated his health. Al said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's people who are gonna complain and I understand their complaint — I get it. The two original members, Jon and Criss [Oliva, late SAVATAGE guitarist] — well, Jon is not healthy enough to do this this year. And we're gonna do everything in our power to make sure he can come back, 'cause I want the Mountain King to come out and be amazing, not just be there for the sake of being there. And he doesn't wanna be there unless he can do a spectacular job. Now, Criss Oliva passed away 35 years ago. I have no control over that.

"I know that if you enjoyed the 'Dead Winter Dead' and 'The Wake Of Magellan' tours that we had done, and everybody seemed to have, albeit Jon Olivawas with us, then come out and see for yourself," Al continued. "Don't live in disappointment now. Come out and see it, and if you hate it, then I'll buy the ticket back from you. [Laughs] I don't know what to tell you."

Pitrelli added: "There's always gonna be people who are purists, and I respect that, and I understand that completely.

"We're going to present and articulate this music in an outstanding manner, and I hope everybody enjoys it. And for the people who are like, 'Ehhh', just give us a chance, no pun intended. Let us show you what we're working towards and we can carry on the tradition. I think the songs will supersede everything else. When Zak digs in and starts singing all of Zak songs, everybody's gonna just go, 'Wow, that's amazing.' And we will represent the Mountain King songs the best that we can.

"We know we're going up against some haters," Al concluded. "That's okay. But I'm gonna spend more time thinking about the positive side of it and all the people that are just so excited to come see us. And if in the audience, there's a couple of people with their arms folded, we're gonna work real hard to convert you guys over. Give us a shot. Give us a shot. We'll see what happens."

Asked if there are any plans for SAVATAGE to release new music in the not-too-distant future, Al said: "Jon Oliva and [former SAVATAGE producer and TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA founder] Paul O'Neill were constantly writing together — constantly — up until Paul's passing. So there's a lot of unfinished material or demoed material that's kind of sitting around. I know that some of the other guys in the band have gotten with Oliva and were kicking the tires, if you will, on some new material.

"I couldn't give you an answer as to any recording coming out in the near future, only because we're so concentrated on making this world tour so amazing. I would prefer not to confuse anything right now. I just wanna focus on what we have to do, and let's get through this together and see what happens.

"Everybody would love to put a new record out, new material out, but this is not the time," Al added. "This is the time to come out and just show the world this band is better than it was three decades ago."

Zak joined SAVATAGE in 1992 as the replacement for Jon Oliva. Zak sang on four albums with the band — "Edge Of Thorns" (1993),"Handful Of Rain" (1994),"Dead Winter Dead" (1995) and "The Wake Of Magellan" (1997) — before departing in 2000, allowing Jon to return. Both Jon and Zak took part in SAVATAGE's 2015 performance at Wacken Open Air, which marked the band's first, and only so far, appearance on stage since they went on hiatus back in 2002.

SAVATAGE's last album release, "Poets And Madmen", in 2001 was highlighted by Jon's return as lead vocalist, replacing Zak, who left the band citing family reasons, and the departure of Pitrelli, who accepted an offer to join MEGADETH in 2000. Pitrelli did record solos for some songs prior to his exit. Another very limited U.S. tour followed, supported by FATES WARNING in the early shows, and then NEVERMORE for the remainder. Around this time, Jon chose Zak's replacement in the form of Damond Jiniya (DIET OF WORMS). Damond performed Zak's parts on tour, with Jon having an increased vocal role in proceedings.

In September 2021, Jon Oliva was arrested on the west central coast of Florida for driving under the influence as well as possession of a controlled substance. Police charged Oliva with possession of cocaine, which is a felony, and DUI, which is a misdemeanor. Oliva was reportedly arrested again in July 2023 on another cocaine possession charge.

Back in 2016, Jon announced on social media that he suffered a stroke in April of that year. At the time, he said: "It was not as serious as it could have been, but it did leave me with some physical recovery challenges often associated with strokes."

Despite his health issues, Jon said that he didn't regret the way he had lived his life. He wrote: "I lived the rock 'n' roll lifestyle since I was 18. It's all I knew and I enjoyed the ride very much. But there comes a time in everyone's life where you have to step back and make some life-changing decisions... which I have."

Shortly after SAVATAGE's reunion performance at the 2015 Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany, Oliva claimed that he felt better than he had in 20 years because he had "stopped drinking and eating" in preparation for the concert. He explained: "It's my voice that's freaking me out, because, even when I was in my late 20s, early 30s, doing songs like '24 Hours Ago' were always really hard to do. And, of course, I didn't realize that it was all the drugs and alcohol I was doing. But, after doing that, getting my act together and stuff, singing '24 Hours Ago', it's actually easy now. [Laughs]"

In addition to his work with SAVATAGE, Oliva is well known for co-creating the aforementioned classical music-meets-prog rock and pyro act TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA alongside O'Neill. Oliva has reportedly remained involved in TSO's activities even after O'Neill's April 2017 death of an accidental drug overdose.

Jon's brother Criss, who was one of the founding members of SAVATAGE, was killed in October 1993 by a drunk driver when he and his wife Dawn were en route to the Livestock festival in Zephyrhills, Florida. The driver of the other car was found to have a drunk driving record of seven prior DUIs and having a blood alcohol content of .294 percent.

In a new interview with Jonathan Clarke, host of "Out Of The Box" on Q104.3, New York's classic rock station, Ian Anderson reflected on Tony Iommi's sole appearance with JETHRO TULL, which took place in December 1968 for the filming of THE ROLLING STONES' film "Rock And Roll Circus". At that time, JETHRO TULL was in need of a new guitarist after the departure of Mick Abrahams.

Asked how much of the JETHRO TULL performance was actually live, Anderson said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, the only person who was live was me. The band, we were performing to a tape because we were playing a piece of music that had been… Our guitar player by then had left, Mick Abrahams. And so Tony Iommi, who we knew and had done a bit of playing together with he, he came in to mime the guitar part. But he was a little embarrassed. I think his fellow bandmembers in EARTH, who, after a name change, became BLACK SABBATH, I think he had his hat pulled down over his eyes so they wouldn't recognize him as playing with JETHRO TULL — or whatever. But he was actually miming to the part, and I was singing live to the backing tape that the rest of them did. It was a bit embarrassing, really, because everybody else on THE ROLLING STONES' 'Rock And Roll Circus' was indeed performing live, including John Lennon and Yoko Ono and Keith Richards and the members of THE WHO, as well as the members of THE ROLLING STONES. It was all very live and very genuinely a live performance. And I felt a bit of a charlatan by virtue of the fact that I was singing to a backing track. But we'd been asked to do it. And we explained what the situation was, and they seemed happy enough with that. So we turned up for a couple of days in a TV studio near London."

After performing with JETHRO TULL at "The Rolling Stones Rock And Roll Circus", Iommi quickly came back to EARTH.

"Well, everything worked out fine," Anderson told "Out Of The Box". "Tony had a lot of fun playing with us for a couple of days, and he was a great guy. We're good friends today. But Tony's natural place, given his very distinct musical style, was certainly embedded in the prototype BLACK SABBATH and came to fruition a year or two later when BLACK SABBATH became increasingly a major force. And I guess today they are the epitome of what heavy metal is. It was where it really began."

Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, "The Rolling Stones Rock And Roll Circus" was originally conceived as a BBC special and was filmed before a live London audience in 1968. The film centers around the original lineup of THE ROLLING STONES — Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Charlie Watts and Billy Wyman — who serve as the show's hosts and featured attraction. It starred the band performing fan favorite classics like "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want", as well as extraordinary live performances by THE WHO, JETHRO TULL, and more.

This performance marked the first musical concert in which John Lennon performed before an audience outside THE BEATLES, as part of supergroup THE DIRTY MAC, which also included music legends Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Mitch Mitchell. "The Rolling Stone Rock And Roll Circus" was also the last time Brian Jones would perform with THE ROLLING STONES in front of an audience.

"I learned quite a lot from [Ian Anderson], I must say," Iommi later said. "I learned that you have got to work at it. You have to rehearse. When I came back and I got [EARTH] back together, I made sure everybody was up early in the morning and rehearsing. I used to go and pick them up. I was the only one at the time that could drive. I used to have to drive the bloody van and get them up at quarter to nine every morning, which was, believe me, early for us then. I said to them, 'This is how we have got to do it because this is how JETHRO TULL did it.'"

Four years ago, Iommi told the "Backstaged: The Devil In Metal" podcast about his brief stint with JETHRO TULL: "I felt really weird not being with the other [SABBATH] guys. I really missed them. But the thing was I felt a bit out of place 'cause I was joining basically an established band and I wanted to be a part of an established band; I wanted to be able to earn my own dues, if you like. I didn't wanna join a band that was already doing well and I was just gonna be the guitar player. I wanted to be in a band where you all worked together and you are a band. I didn't wanna be the guitar player in JETHRO TULL and like a side musician; I wanted to be a part of a team. So I said to Geezer [Butler], 'Let's get the band back together,' which is what we did. We called Ozzy [Osbourne] and Bill [Ward] from London, and we said we're coming back. 'If everybody's really serious about this, I'm willing to leave and we'll get back together again and really work at it. And that's what everybody suggests.' So that's what we did."

In a new interview with Chuck Armstrong of Loudwire Nights, P.O.D. frontman Paul "Sonny" Sandoval spoke about his upcoming book, "Son of Southtown: My Life Between Two Worlds", in which he talks about walking a unique path between being in a world-famous rock band and his long-held faith as a born-again Christian. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "This is such a fast-forward look. I can honestly write four more books with just the details alone, and the stories alone, which are great. It's rock and roll. But as you kind of read through the book, it's, like, I never intended to be in rock, or I never intended to do this for a living. It just wasn't until I found my faith that I wanted to be vocal about it. I just wanted the people around me to know that I changed.

"My love for Jesus, it's not what the world thinks," he explained. "We've done such a bad job at painting the picture of Jesus, and that's to our own fault. Being Christians, sometimes we come off as we've got it all figured out, and that's not the case. That's not why we have faith. We need a savior; we need God. And when I discovered Jesus, it was just something I wanted for my friends and in my community. And when I was asked to be in this band, I said 'no' at first, 'cause it's not something I wanted to do, but I knew it was a way to just be vocal about the things that I believed, and obviously that took off to what it is.

"But, yeah, I live in the real world of rock and roll, and I've never denied my faith, but also I've never lived rock and roll either. [Laughs] It's everything they say it is — it's all the temptations, it's all the promises of this and that. And I guess maybe now as we've gone through it and look in hindsight, even now, I wouldn't change it for the world. I wouldn't take anything that this world has to offer. This world is temporary, and so I just wanna hold on to the things that I love, and, again, it's my faith, my family, my friends."

After Armstrong suggested that many Christians struggle with their faith from time to time, Sonny said: "Yeah, for sure. But that's what faith is. And I think it's been wrapped up in such a religious bubble that it's given people such a bad taste. And I guess when you're young, you think you have your whole life ahead and you don't think about all those things, but as you get older and my age and life starts to change — the Bible says to set your heart and mind on things above, set your heart on the eternal.

"I mean, let's just call it what it is," he continued. "If none of it is real, then I lose nothing. You lose nothing. You know what I mean? We die, we go to sleep and that's it. Life is over. We lived a great life. And I wouldn't change it. But because I do believe, I believe that there is eternity, I believe that there's a heaven and a hell. And that's not to scare anybody. I believe if God created us, he created us for more than just this temporary life. And so — whatever. It's food for thought. I'm not preaching to anybody, but if there is an afterlife, I wanna be on the right side. That's all."

Armstrong went on to describe "Son of Southtown: My Life Between Two Worlds" as an inspiring read even for those people who don't share Sonny's faith, to which the singer said: "I've tried to do this my entire career where I'm not trying to preach to anybody and tell them how they live. I'm just sharing my story, and my story is undeniable. You're never gonna convince me that there isn't a God, that he doesn't love me and that he's not for us and that we've been created for a purpose and a reason. I need to know these things. I wanna believe that there's a God that is love and that he created me for a reason and that he has a plan for my life, not only on this life, but eternal.

"I get it," Sonny added. "I understand when someone says, 'Man, I'm sick of Christianity. I'm sick of religion.' And I get it. I'm sick of a lot of that stuff too, man. But that is not the Jesus of the Bible. And once I discovered who the Jesus of the Bible was, I fell in love with him, and he's as punk rock as they come. He's as hardcore as they come. He's as rebellious as they come. But people, especially us in the States, we have this Westernized view of this European Jesus that is just fragile and just — I don't know, man — weak. And that's not who Jesus was, man. He was badass."

"Son of Southtown: My Life Between Two Worlds" will be released on February 25 via Baker Books.

Born and raised on the streets of Southtown, two exits from the Mexico border, Sandoval was always going to go his own way. And as frontman of the platinum selling nu metal band P.O.D. — a group too Christian for the world and too secular for the church — he has broken every mold, defied every expectation, and reached into the hearts and minds of hundreds of thousands of people who wanted to belong to something but never felt like they fit in.

In his book "Son of Southtown: My Life Between Two Worlds", he shares how he lived on the edge between two worlds, a line he has attempted to walk with integrity.

Raw and uncut, this memoir tells his true story of growing up in the gritty beauty south of San Diego, his early musical influences and big breaks, his rise to fame and many hardships and struggles along the way.

Readers will get an inside glimpse into stories of performing in cornfields at the Cornerstone Music Festival to rocking MTV's "Total Request Live" with Carson Daly to playing in New York City just weeks after 9/11, and every unglamorous moment in between. His story will inspire readers to always be totally and uniquely them, without apology and without compromise — but with passion and integrity.

Sandoval says: "I've often been asked about my story, and it's always been something I'm very proud to share. This book is a fast-forward look into the off scripted journey that is my life. Now, I'm excited to bring it all together for you on paper, 'Son Of Southtown', coming out everywhere on February 25th! You can pre-order it now wherever books are sold.

"Thank you for all the love and support over the years. I can’t wait to share this journey with you."

KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch says: "Love + Joy + Peace + Patience + Goodness + Kindness + Gentleness + Faithfulness + Self Control — nine attributes which, in my opinion, describe my friend Sonny Sandoval's character precisely. I'm confident that you will agree as you dive into his amazing new book, 'Son Of Southtown: My Life Between Two Worlds'. Sonny would shy away from this statement and say he's not perfect. Obviously true. All of us are beautifully flawed. But Sonny comfortably displays these nine characteristics more genuinely than most I've met in my life. In 'Son Of Southtown' you will find that Sonny is always shining in the crazy entertainment business he and I live in, and he shines just as bright in his personal life when the crowds aren't there to see. A hero of the faith to me since 2005, Sonny Sandoval has been an encouragement to me since day one, and I will love+support this son of Southtown and everything he does forever."

PAPA ROACH frontman Jacoby Shaddix says: "This book is such an open, honest look into Sonny Sandoval's life. His story, his music, and his walk with Christ continues to inspire me and many others."

Toby Morse, H2O singer and host of "One Life One Chance" podcast, stated: "Sonny's journey hasn't been easy. But the pain and struggle he's been through has only made his faith and PMA (positive mental attitude) stronger. And as someone who lost a parent as well, I can relate. Also there are only a few musicians that really live their lyrics off stage, and Sonny is one of them. He's very inspiring to me and millions of people around the world. Honored to call him my friend."

Sandoval is the lead singer and lyricist of the multi-platinum band P.O.D. (PAYABLE ON DEATH) and cofounder of THE WHOSOEVERS. He is a product of Southtown, the southern part of San Diego that approaches the border with Mexico. He is the founder and president of the Youth Of The Nation Foundation, which reaches out to children from underprivileged neighborhoods and gives them the opportunity to find their self-worth and value. Sonny is married to his high school sweetheart, Shannon, and they have three children.

In a new interview with Rutgers University, vocalist Katon W. De Pena of California thrash metal veterans HIRAX was asked what his experience has been like as a black metal artist within the metal community. He responded: "For the most part, it has been an excellent experience. I have met people from all over the world. And I've played concerts in many different countries and been able to learn about all kinds of different cultures. I am very lucky."

Asked if he has encountered racism within the metal community, Katon said: "That's an easy question for me to answer being a black man. Yes, because racism is everywhere. It's just up to you if you want to let it ruin your day. You can't let it consume. Racism only has power if you allow it to. Educate yourself and always be aware of your surroundings and you'll be all right. This is the real world we live in and no one is exempt no matter what race you come from."

Katon went on to say that some people have treated him differently because of his race, but added that "I don't let it bother me because there are worse things in this world than some racist person not liking you. If a person doesn't like you because of your skin color, obviously they have a miserable life. You have to keep in mind they're the person with the problem, not you."

As for whether race has had any impact on HIRAX's music, message, lyrics, or image, Katon said: "Without a doubt, HIRAX would not sound the way we do if those weren't elements were not intertwined in our music. If you listen closely and read the lyrics, which are included with all the records we've ever done, you will understand what we're all about. The underlying message is bringing people together. Unity — that is what we believe in."

He added: "I am very transparent about this issue/question. Race is involved in everything that humans do. It's a part of who we are. It is something we will be dealing with till the end of time. I will never try to candycoat it. That's just the honest truth."

Asked if race has had any impact on his personal image as a black metal artist, Katon said: "Yes. For me, it is important for people to know that I am a black man. That's why if you notice, especially the earlier pictures of my career, I've always had a big Afro. I am very, very proud of it. And even though my race has helped start rock 'n' roll and heavy metal, there are not many black musicians doing what I do for a living."

He added: "Race has an impact on what I do. I've always taken the bull by the horns. I've always embraced who I am. My attitude is if anybody has a problem with it, then that's on them, not me. I have no regrets."

As for whether he thinks race matters within the metal community, Katon said: "Yeah, but I am here to break down the doors and break down the barriers. My mission is to bring people together."

HIRAX will release their sixth album, "Faster Than Death", on February 28 via Armageddon Label. Its release will coincide with HIRAX's 40th anniversary.

HIRAX has shared the stage with iconic peers such as METALLICA, EXODUS, MEGADETH and SLAYER during the explosive rise of thrash metal in the 1980s.

HIRAX's current lineup is rounded out by bassist Jose Gonzalez, guitarist Allan Chan and drummer Emilio Marquez.

Just finished this interview (thought I would share it with you all - humanity).
Rutgers University...

Posted by Katon W. De Pena on Monday, February 17, 2025

During a "VIP Experience" question-and-answer session before W.A.S.P.'s December 12, 2024 concert in Las Vegas, Nevada, W.A.S.P. mainman Blackie Lawless reflected on the songwriting process for the band's classic 1992 album "The Crimson Idol". The concept effort tells the poignant story of Jonathan, a young boy who dreams of becoming a rock star to escape the turmoil of his troubled upbringing. As he rises to fame, he grapples with the dark side of celebrity and the emptiness that often accompanies success. The narrative unfolds through the music and lyrics, showing Blackie's storytelling prowess and personal reflections on fame and identity.

Lawless said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "All authors will tell you writing is a process of discovery. Sometimes you have a germination of an idea that's small, which is what that idea was. I mean, it started — I was in a restaurant in London when the epiphany first hit. But like I said, it was just a germination of an idea. It wasn't very big. But it started growing from there. And that was '87 when I had that idea the first time. So for three years, this thing was percolating in my head. We do 'The Headless [Children]' record [in 1989], but I'm still thinking about it. It's in the back of my mind.

"They say all writers write all the time, whether they're aware of it or not," he continued. "You're constantly writing. And so what happens, it becomes a process of discovery. It has been said that when your brain goes into either an alpha or a beta state before you go to sleep, is when you're your most creative. So, just before you wake up or just before you go to sleep, 'cause you hear guys talk about it all the time when they dream stuff. I dreamt stuff on 'The Crimson Idol'. I dreamt 'Hold On To My Heart'. But you wake up and it's there and the lyrics, it's like getting it for free. 'Headless', I dreamt 'Headless', complete with lyrics. Billy Joel says he dreams all of his [songs]. But you're not gonna get every one of those to do that. So it's always gonna be a process of discovery. And as you start digging, you're going to find things.

"Now, to give you the proper setup of that record, there was also — I was talking about a series of events that happened," Lawless explained. "There was a series of events that happened on that record too, because believe it or not, we have done 'Headless' and I was in a place where I did not know if I could compete with the best songwriters in the world. I was in a place where I thought, 'I'm never gonna be as good as those guys.' I'm talking about the best of the best."

Reflecting on when he first met THE WHO's Pete Townshend at Radio City Music Hall where "Tommy" played and Blackie presented Pete with the gold disc for the W.A.S.P. cover of THE WHO classic "The Real Me", Lawless said: "Pete and I talked for about 45 minutes about songwriting that time, and I asked him, I said, 'Is it easy for you? 'Cause you make it look easy.' He started laughing. And I could tell by his kind of nervous laughter that it was not easy. And I told him, I says, 'All right, let me give you a picture and see if you can relate to this. We're gonna write a song. We're gonna start out with a block of stone. It's square and has no real shape. You got a chisel in one hand and a hammer in the other. You just start whacking away and pretty soon it starts to take some sort of shape. Some shapes turn out better than others. But whether it's a good shape or whether it's a bad shape, somewhere along the way, you're going to slip and your knuckles are going to get bloodied.' And he started laughing. And I said, 'So you can relate.' He said, 'That is the greatest analogy I've ever heard.' Because that process of discovery that I'm talking about is painful. Because to do it right, to make it authentic, you've gotta go to places you don't wanna go to sometimes. And if I had to bet, whether it's me or anybody else, any other artist that has been able to capture an audience and take them for a lifelong ride, and when I say lifelong, I don't mean five years or ten years — take them for that lifelong ride, the common denominator in it all is the lyrics. Probably everybody in this room, the reason you're here is because of those lyrics. If that's true, then how do I relate to you if I'm not authentic? And how am I going to be authentic if I don't let you inside my head, literally let you crack my skull open, let you walk around barefoot, discover the good, the bad, the not so good? If I don't do that with the lyrics, you're never gonna feel like you know me. And if a fan or a listener does not feel like they know you, they're never gonna develop that intimate relationship. And if they are not intimate with you, you will never take them on that lifelong ride. Because records are chapters in a book, and it's not finished until the artist is done with it, and then the book's complete. So when you look at it, all those records, they're like a diary and they're little pieces, little snapshots of where you were at that time.

"I've said that the first record was an angry record done by an angry band. And it was true," Blackie added. "It was. But you go five years down the road and we make 'Headless', it's kind of hard to be angry when everybody in the band is driving Ferraris. It kind of loses something in the translation. So those records become snapshots of who you are at that time. But unless you are being authentic with your audience, allowing them, like I said, to see the good and the bad and the not so good, they're never gonna feel like they know you. So if you're gonna do it and you're gonna do it authentically, it's gonna be like Peter Gabriel said, digging in the dirt to find the places where we're gonna hurt. And you're gonna have to be willing to share that. A lot of writers don't wanna do that, because they don't want people to know about their private lives. Pop music is like that. But pop music is not the kind of art we're talking about. Those are people who just make records. And that's okay. I mean, there's a place for that too. But it's not what we're talking about right now. So if you're gonna do that, you've gotta be willing to lay it out on the table and say, 'Here it is, folks.'

"I laugh when people talk about nowadays or in this day and age where people get canceled and things like that," Blackie said. "Whether it's me or somebody like me, you cannot cancel us. We've already shown you everything there is to know about us. There ain't nothing else left out on the table that you ain't seen. So if you don't like it, too bad. Go and harass somebody else, 'cause I don't give a shit."

As previously reported, W.A.S.P. will perform its classic debut album in its entirety on the spring/summer 2025 European tour, dubbed "Album ONE Alive".

2024 marked the 40th anniversary of the release of W.A.S.P.'s first LP. To celebrate this milestone, W.A.S.P. will, for the first time in 40 years, play the entire album from top to bottom at headline shows across Europe. In addition, W.A.S.P. will appear at a number of European festivals, performing its greatest hits.

W.A.S.P. is again offering fans VIP tickets that give fans a chance to meet Lawless, get a personal photo with Blackie, autographs and take part in a very personal question-and-answer session with Blackie. VIP tickets can be purchased at waspnation.myshopify.com.

W.A.S.P. kicked off the North American leg of the "Album ONE Alive" tour on October 26, 2024 at Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, California.

Along with bassist Mike Duda and lead guitarist Doug Blair, whose tenures in the band are 29 and 26 years respectively, W.A.S.P. is joined by longtime drummer extraordinaire Aquiles Priester.

The 39-city run made stops across North America in Vancouver, British Columbia; Toronto, Ontario; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Dallas, Texas; New York City; Orlando, Florida; and more before wrapping up on December 14 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.

Because of the extensive back injuries Lawless suffered during the European leg of W.A.S.P.'s 40th-anniversary tour, the band's previously announced 2023 U.S. tour was canceled.

W.A.S.P.'s massive European leg of the 40th-anniversary world tour wrapped on May 18, 2023 in Sofia, Bulgaria at Universidada Sports Hall.

W.A.S.P. wrapped up its first U.S. tour in 10 years with a sold-out show on December 11, 2022 at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. This marked the 18th sold-out shows for the U.S. tour, which kicked off in late October 2022. W.A.S.P.'s performances included the return of the band's classic song "Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)", which hadn't been played live in over 15 years.

W.A.S.P.'s latest release was "ReIdolized (The Soundtrack To The Crimson Idol)", which came out in February 2018. It was a new version of the band's classic 1992 album "The Crimson Idol", which was re-recorded to accompany the movie of the same name to mark the 25th anniversary of the original LP's release. The re-recorded version also features four songs missing from the original album.

W.A.S.P.'s most recent studio album of all-new original material was 2015's "Golgotha".

Resurrected San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal veterans FORBIDDEN will enter Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California next week with engineer/co-producer Zack Ohren to record their first three new songs in a decade and a half. Guitarist Craig Locicero is collaborating on the material with the rest of the new FORBIDDEN lineup, consisting of Matt Camacho (bass),alongside the group's latest additions, Norman Skinner (vocals) and Chris Kontos (drums),plus VOIVOD guitarist Daniel Mongrain, who stepped in as a temporary replacement for Steve Smyth in July 2024.

On Tuesday (February 18),Craig took to the FORBIDDEN social media to write: "Hello FORBIDDEN People! We want to share with you that we're deep in our writing pre-production process presently. At this point Chris Kontos, Matt Camacho & myself spend a few night a week banging out the details and we try new arrangement ideas to improve what's already there. Norman comes down one day a week with new melodies, lyrics and more arranges suggestions. Dan Mongrain & I spend a few hours each week on WhatsApp going over the riffs, also adding and subtracting to the arrangements. He's been absolutely fantastic to work with and a great sounding board for suggestions.

"In a weird way, this is as tight of a writing circle that FORBIDDEN's ever had. Lots of listening and open minded trying of new things.

"We're going into Shark Bite Studio with Zack Ohren to record and engineer the first 3 songs next week. Once those are recorded, Dan adds his parts (that we've been working through) from Quebec. Next we get Norm in the studio to knock out the vocals as we slingshot solos and overdubs. There's some pretty grandiose stuff going on with his parts. We're very impressed with his material and work ethic.

"This record is going to be produced by myself with assistance from Kontos, Mongrain & Ohren. Who mixes it is still a bit up on the air. We have some world class mixers that are willing to test mix a song each. We'll see how that lands.

"Very exciting times with so much inspiration to draw from."

As previously reported, FORBIDDEN will embark on the "40 Years Of Twisted Evil" European tour in August. The trek will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the band's formation and the 35th anniversary of the release of FORBIDDEN's second album, "Twisted Into Form", which originally came out in March 1990 via Combat Records.

In August 2024, Locicero spoke to Bloodstock TV's Oran O'Beirne about FORBIDDEN's decision to remain independent, at least for the time being. He said: "We don't have a record label. I don't want a record label yet. I have an opportunity to finally do this with no monkey. And we're a better band than we were at any point recently because of all the things that have kind of brought us together. It feels different, and that's no knock on anyone. But from the top down, with Russ [Anderson, former FORBIDDEN singer] going through what he went through, that's kind of the stigma that stayed on us for a while. He wasn't feeling a hundred percent. So now you have Norm who's up there, he's, like, 'Yeah.' He's not trying to be anybody, and there's just a whole positive groundswell."

Elaborating on why FORBIDDEN has no interest in aligning itself with a record label right now, Craig said: "It's important to say that we have no delusions of grandeur either. I think that we understand more than anybody how much the industry has changed.

"I don't wanna get caught in the machine, and the machine can chew you up before you get creative," he explained. "You can get stunted creatively if you agree too quickly. 'Cause we've been approached already. And I'm, like, 'Not yet.' We're not gonna go there yet.

"It's important for us to feel like we got our album done and artistically put together, lyrically," Craig added. "No one needs to fucking tell us how to do it. And I feel good about our chances of at least reigniting and kind of reforging our path again. 'Cause there's a spot for us. 'Cause we've got all our Bay Area brothers, but we're that band, we're a little more heavy metal, a little more melodic. We do things a little differently. So we have our own little spot. And I hope to have it all land where it's supposed to be."

Smyth exited FORBIDDEN in July 2024, saying in a statement that he "decided it's time to part ways with FORBIDDEN, and return to my band ONE MACHINE as priority, along with other projects on the horizon, and of course session work, and teaching music as always."

The resurrected FORBIDDEN lineup made its live debut at a "secret" show in July 2023 at Baltic Kiss in Richmond, California under the TWISTED INTO EVIL banner.

Originally founded in 1985 as FORBIDDEN EVIL by Anderson, guitarists Locicero and Robb Flynn, bassist John Tegio and drummer Jim Pittman, the quintet started playing house parties and Bay Area clubs such as the legendary Ruthie's Inn soon after. After a couple of lineup changes (Paul Bostaph on drums and Matt Camacho on bass) in '86, the band quickly rose through the ranks of Bay Area thrash to gain a massive following and worldwide notoriety. In 1986, the band added Glen Alvelais as the second guitarist. It was this lineup that cemented itself into the Bay Area scene and soon after recorded 1988 release "Forbidden Evil" for Combat Records, changing the band's name to simply FORBIDDEN. In May of '89 while on a European tour with SACRED REICH, FORBIDDEN made their first appearance at the legendary Dynamo Open Air in Eindhoven, Netherlands. It was here that FORBIDDEN made their European mark and recorded the "Raw Evil" EP. The band returned Stateside and replaced Alvelais with Tim Calvert. Calvert was a missing ingredient that brought the band closer together as a team. They continued to tour the U.S. first with EXODUS and then again with SACRED REICH with Calvert on second guitar. The band went on to release "Twisted Into Form" in 1990, "Distortion" in 1994 and "Green" in 1996. However, the band, having gone though many lineup changes, disbanded in 1997.

In 2008 Craig being inspired at a screening of the movie "Get Thrashed", called the other members of the band and suggested getting back on stage to see if they could reignite the FORBIDDEN machine. With Anderson, Locicero, Camacho back in the mix along with new additions Glen Alvelais and Gene Hoglan they played two sold-out DEATH ANGEL shows in San Francisco. Steve Smyth came into the mix in place of Alvelais and Mark Hernandez took Hoglan's place. The band then released "Omega Wave", the fifth in the catalog and went on a U.S. tour with OVERKILL. European festivals were next but afterwards Hernandez had to walk away due to personal reasons leading to a tour cancelation. Sasha Horn was the answer to fill the drummer's spot.

After playing "Bonded By Baloff" with EXODUS and one Bay Area show, FORBIDDEN embarked for Chile to play the Metal Fest in Santiago. It was on this flight back home that Russ informed the band that he couldn't tour anymore because of the physical toll it was taking on him. With that, the band dissolved once again for 11 years.

When FORBIDDEN's "rebirth" was first announced in April 2023, Locicero said in a statement: "First off, I did NOT see this coming. When FORBIDDEN quietly disbanded the second time in 2012, I figured it was over. While I always apply the 'never say never' mantra to my life, Russ made it clear that he was completely finished with touring. My wingman and main dude from the conception of FORBIDDEN EVIL, Russ was my mentor and the guy who bought me beer when I was 15! I couldn't imagine FORBIDDEN without him, so I had little hope of a future with FORBIDDEN. Today Russ is happily retired and living the sober life. I have nothing but love for that and him. Everyone needs to respect his wishes like we do.

"So then ….. fast forward 11 years after our last show, Bay Area vocal talent Norman Skinner walks in to help us rehearse and sing a few thrash classics for the BAY AREA INTERTHRASHIONAL set at Dynamo MetalFest 2022. WHAMMO! That's when it all happened by accident. Truly. Then it happens AGAIN when Norman sings 'Chalice Of Blood' onstage alongside WARBRINGER at the one Bay Area show of BAY AREA INTERTHRASHIONAL. Holy fuck!"

Hello Forbidden People! We want to share with you that we're deep in our writing pre-production process presently. At...

Posted by Forbidden on Tuesday, February 18, 2025

John Lydon has blasted the other members of SEX PISTOLS for touring without him.

After debuting with three fundraising nights at London's Bush Hall earlier in August 2024, SEX PISTOLS guitarist Steve Jones, drummer Paul Cook and bass player Glen Matlock (who was kicked out of the band's original lineup and replaced with Sid Vicious),teamed up with Frank Carter of GALLOWS and THE RATTLESNAKES for a U.K. tour last September. They have since announced a number of appearances for 2025, including at Download, Glasgow Summer Sessions, Dreamland Margate and Rock For People festivals, as well as participating in the annual Teenage Cancer Trust concert series at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

In a new interview with The I Paper, original SEX PISTOLS singer Lydon (a.k.a. Johnny Rotten),who has been estranged from the rest of the band after unsuccessfully attempting to block the use of SEX PISTOLS songs in "Pistol", a Hulu miniseries based on Jones's 2016 memoir "Lonely Boy" that dramatized the band's story, stated about SEX PISTOLS' collaboration with Carter: "When I first heard that the SEX PISTOLS were touring this year without me, it pissed me off. It annoyed me. I just thought, 'They're absolutely going to kill all that was good with the PISTOLS by eliminating the point and the purpose of it all'. I didn't write those words lightly. They're trying to trivialize the whole show to get away with karaoke but in the long term I think you'll see who has the value and who doesn't."

He added: "I've never sold my soul to make a dollar. It's the Catholic in me — that guilt I don't want to trip. Like Nancy Reagan, I've always found it easy to just say 'no'. If something challenges your heart and your soul and your mind and your sense of purity of what is right and wrong in the world, then just say no. Which, according to the corporate thinking which riddles the music business earns me the title of 'difficult to work with' — a title of which I'm very proud."

Jones recently revealed to the "Rockonteurs" podcast that he hadn't been in touch with Lydon for nearly two decades. "I haven't spoken to him in years," he said. "2008 was the last time I spoke to him. We did 30 shows around Europe. We did a bunch of festivals and all that — Japan, Australia — [and] we ended up at Hammersmith Odeon (now Hammersmith Apollo),and then we had one more show in the Basque Country, and that was it. I was done after that. No more. It's too much, too old, too much, not enough done.”

Asked why he was doing it again, Jones replied: "This is different. It's a different vibe, mate. It's night and day." Steve went on to say Carter, who was asked to join the band as he knew Matlock's son, "doesn't try to be John" and had become "more comfortable" with the band as they continued to play together. Speaking about the partial reunion, Steve said: "We got the idea of, why don't we just do all PISTOLS songs with a different singer, because it ain't gonna happen with John."

In a separate interview with Classic Album Review, Lydon was asked if he thought the SEX PISTOLS' spirit is missing now that the band is performing without him. He replied: "I wrote the fucking songs, didn't I? I gave them the image. I was the frontman. I am the voice, what made the whole world sing. And now you're going out, as they did the year before with Billy Idol. It's just karaoke, really.

"I would love to be embarrassed by high-quality songwriting from them," he added. "They've had long enough to get that together now, haven't they? But no. They profess their hatred for me, but they can't live without me. I am the punishment that goes on giving. [Laughs]"

In recent years, Lydon has publicly voiced his support for Brexit and Donald Trump.

When asked by The I Paper what he thought of Trump once again becoming president of the United States, the British-born Lydon — who has lived in Malibu, California for the past 40 years — replied: "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

"I won't be fooled again," he added. "I had high hopes for Obama but then I found out he was nothing but an officious bureaucrat altering every single institution into a political entity before taking into account common sense and life experiences. But if you're going to repair a broken business, you might as well get a businessman to do it."

In a new interview with Oran O'Beirne of Overdrive, RISE AGAINST lead vocalist and lyricist Tim McIlrath spoke about the band's latest single, "Nod", which marks RISE AGAINST's first new music in three years. The track will appear on RISE AGAINST's upcoming follow-up to 2021's "Nowhere Generation" album, tentatively due later in the year. Regarding when the ideas for the new material came together, Tim said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Let's see if I can remember. It came after the tour. We were really focused on 'Nowhere Generation' when we were touring. And then we wrapped that up. We took a break, which is pretty standard for us. The touring, it's intense and it takes a lot out of you. And that's kind of our moment where everyone can kind of go reconnect with home and then kind of recharge your batteries. And so we started writing probably a few months after we got off the road from 'Nowhere Gen'. We weren't really rushing or pressuring ourselves.

"This is our tenth record — we've been doing this for a long time — and so it's very organic in terms of timing," he explained. "We write when we feel that urgency to write. We record when we feel like it's ready. We don't do anything that's too rushed. And so that was this record, was when ideas started percolating and we started sharing them. We were, like, 'Okay, I think we have some songs here. Let's start putting them together.' And then we just took our time putting those songs together."

Asked if he and his bandmates still get nervous when they are about to release new music in terms of how it will be received by the RISE AGAINST fans, Tim said: "By the time we release it, by the time you hear it, it had to get through so many checks and balances just for the four of us — every single note, part, lyric, sound — and I'm really confident in the song at that point; we're all really confident. So it's, like, this is the best version of RISE AGAINST in 2025. And so, aside from that, there's nothing I can do about how people accept it. And that goes back to when you were first a band, and you took that leap of, like, 'I'm just gonna make music and put it out there.' And it was a surprise to see that anybody connected to it. And so, in that sense, I'm I'm always appreciative, because I don't expect people to love our band, I don't expect them to love our songs. I'm always consistently appreciative. There's a lot of gratitude when someone goes, 'Oh, I love this song.' Especially when you put out a song this late in our career, people are, like, 'Yo, this is a great song. That's awesome.' That's what you want. And if people don't like it, that's kind of okay too. We're not out here trying to shove anything down anybody's throat. But if you're hearing a new RISE AGAINST song, you're hearing what we think is the best version of ourselves right now."

As for whether "Nod" is a good representation of what fans can expect to hear on RISE AGAINST's upcoming album, Tim said: "Yeah, if I had to piece it in a group of songs that we've put together, 'Nod' is probably among the more traditional RISE AGAINST. I think that you hear it and you hear RISE AGAINST, you hear sort of what we've done and what we have been doing, but in a little bit of a new way. So I think it falls in the category of pretty like traditional RISE, which is a sound that we will always embrace. And there's stuff on the record, I think, that will be less traditional, for sure."

Asked when fans can expect to hear another new single and eventual full-length album, Tim said: "I honestly don't know… I'm sure it's out there, and I'm sure somebody knows, but I'm so focused on [our show] tonight in Dublin, I'm so focused on my day-to-day, I trust everybody else to kind of decide how we release music. So I'm not even trying to hold anything back from you — I honestly don't even know — but our plan is to trickle out new music very soon, and then hopefully let you know when an entirely new and tenth album will come out."

Out now on Loma Vista Recordings, "Nod" is a rally cry and call to action, fueled by compassion, camaraderie and the collective urge for change.

"'Nod' is about the solace we find in community," Tim previously said in a statement. "It's about the comfort in knowing that we are not alone. This comfort can temper our anger and our frustration, at least temporarily."

Produced by Catherine Marks (BOYGENIUS, FOALS, MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA, ST. VINCENT) and mixed by Alan Moulder (NINE INCH NAILS, PARAMORE, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, THE KILLERS),"Nod" serves as a searing statement of intent, arriving at the outset of RISE AGAINST's inspired next chapter. Just as the stakes could not be higher, the Chicago punk rock band is back bigger, louder and more progressive than ever, imploring listeners to replace reactions with action. "I swear to God this can't wait," McIlrath proclaims at the top of the song's chorus. "Not one more minute, one more day." Now is the time to resist the constant stimuli that stokes division: stop lashing out, start joining together to consider who benefits from our blind anger. "Are you saving the world so desperately, or are you holding a gun demanding peace," he asks in the second verse. "Because the line that is drawn between nightmares and dreams is thin like a razor, and we're fast asleep."

Read more in Tim McIlrath's newly published manifesto here, via the band's Transistor Revolt newsletter and broadcast channel.

Following 2021's "Nowhere Generation" — an album confronting the daunting social injustice and economic instability that has been dealt to America's youth — RISE AGAINST continues to meet the moment. Like the body of multi-gold and platinum hits that have come before it, "Nod" further amplifies the type of invigorating music, outspoken messages and bulletproof melodies that have earned billions of streams, filled arenas, topped charts, broken records, and, above all, united millions of diverse fans in a necessary embrace of vital issues.

Last month, bandmembers Tim McIlrath (lead vocals/guitar),Joe Principe (bass/vocals),Zach Blair (guitar/vocals) and Brandon Barnes (drums) hit the road for an extensive run of shows across Europe, before playing dozens of U.S. arenas, amphitheaters and pavilions with PAPA ROACH, as part of the co-headline "Rise Of The Roach" tour.

Photo by Alexa Viscius

In a new interview with United Rock Nations, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer Jesse Leach spoke about the band's upcoming album, "This Consequence", which due on February 21, 2025 via Metal Blade. "This Consequence" is KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's ninth LP overall, and sixth with Leach, who rejoined the band in 2012. Asked what the biggest challenge was in making the new record, Jesse said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think for me wanting to be, and I use this word loosely, relevant, but relevant to me and my bandmembers. I wanted what I had to say to excite them, but I also needed it to be genuine. I needed it to be something that when I looked at those lyrics, I thought, 'Yes. That's exactly what I wanna say.'

"I went through — I don't know — seven, eight songs where I was kind of just throwing it out to see what would stick," he continued. "And those guys were, like, 'This doesn't feel like you're really giving us your best.' So having that sort of rejection from them initially was very hard. It sort of felt like I was becoming insecure. I was wondering if I had it in me. But that turned into a determination to rediscover myself as a writer, to go deeper, to tap into things that I never tapped in before, and to sort of look outside of myself. I mean, after everything we've been through, there's so much to draw from. There's so much to pull from. So I started pulling from things that I was seeing on mainstream media. I started pulling from stories that I heard from people that they've been through. I started pulling from extreme relationships of abuse and just kind of dialing them all into a story — obviously coming from me and the way that I saw and felt about those things, but it ended up becoming much more of a worldview as opposed to just me going, 'I, me, I.' It was more about us — 'This is about us.' Hence the title 'This Consequence'. It's about us — all of us. How do you respond to these situations? How do you modify your behavior? What lessons have you learned? And realizing that with everything that you do, there's going to be a reaction.

"So, the big picture to me is what I was focusing on and how to how to heal our PTSD from everything we've gone through and realizing that we're still all going through it," Leach added. "We may not realize it, but we are. And how do we allow the outside sources that are constantly manipulating us to control our minds and to continue to keep us divided? The challenge was how do I crack that code? How do I get that message through to people? And I did the best I could. And I think I did pretty damn well."

Asked if writing about all those topics was a form of therapy for him, Leach said: "Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely, it is. And I think it's necessary. You can't avoid it. And I think I avoided it a lot during the pandemic. I wanted nothing to do with it, 'cause it was such a volatile time. I think we're all sort of coming down off that, and it's not so intense where people are actually open to discussions of, or maybe you weren't 100 percent accurate or correct in your belief. Maybe you have room to be wrong here, and if so, what did you learn from that? And how do you move forward without having that assumption being part of your vocabulary? I think all of that is very important. And as a writer, how do I write it in such a way where you as a listener can draw your own conclusion? So I'm not giving you the answer. I'm asking you to think about this thing. And then what do you think about that? You as the listener can sort of put the answer on that question. And that's really what I tried to do — writing with a broad enough brushstroke where the song can be yours. I penned the lyrics, but I very much want you to sort of take the torch and run with it."

In a separate interview with Joshua Toomey of the "Talk Toomey" podcast, Leach stated about the "dark", "angry" and "aggressive" nature of "This Consequence": "Yeah, I think angry, dark and aggressive, for better or for worse, is kind of what the world needs right now, I think, therapeutically speaking. I think a lot of us can relate to frustration, anger, betrayal, all those things, and that's kind of what I highlighted lyrically with this album; I was really focusing on that stuff. But I will say this: if you really read into the lyrics, there's a positivity through a righteous anger, anger that wants to sort of wake people up and have people choose their own path instead of just the blind leading the blind, which is what we see so much in society and our governments and organized religion and all these things that control us as people. It's very much about breaking out of the matrix, if you will, and carving your own path. And there's a righteous anger underneath all of it, and that's where the positivity lies. But I think with metal music, the great thing about it is you can talk about dark stuff and it is therapeutic. That's why a lot of us get into this kind of music."

Jesse also talked about the lyrical inspiration for the first single from "This Consequence", a song called "Forever Aligned", which was made available in November. Speaking specifically about the line "now my tongue must confess", Jesse said: "Yeah, I'm always weaving in and out… I was raised by a minister, I was raised in a Christian home, so even though I don't subscribe to organized religion anymore, I like using biblical words here and there to sort of tie in the themes. I'm very much a believer in in God, if you will, in general. I know people roll their eyes when other people say that, but my journey has been such where I've just seen much deeper things that I don't think can be defined by a particular human organized religion. And 'Forever Aligned' is about that. It's about love. It's about, first and foremost, the song was inspired by the love I have for my wife and the relationship we were able to have during the pandemic, especially, where it was just the two of us, nobody else, and really learning what love and sacrifice is, and then weaving that into what I believe God is. God is love, to keep it really general for people to understand. We can try to tap into that as humans, that word 'love', but it's far beyond human comprehension. So that song is very much about being broken and in a dark place and finding salvation through love."

Elsewhere in the chat, Leach touched upon his growth as a vocalist since the release of 2019's "Atonement" LP, saying: "Truth be told, ['This Consequence'] was very difficult for me to write and sort of find my inspiration again. And even vocally, learning new techniques, like the vocal fry, and trying to add that into my old technique and still sound like me, it was a long, hard process.

"Especially after my vocal surgery in 2018, I relearned how to speak differently — I speak differently than I did," he explained. "I'm more measured; I make sure my voice is placed in the right place. And through that, it went into my vocals, my singing, especially. I was really focusing on my singing first and foremost to stay in key and not go flat or sharp. Then it was, like, my screams were — I was so paranoid. I was really worried about… We do three shows in a row. That fourth show, I'm, like, 'It's getting difficult. I can feel the swelling happening.' So I was really studying vocal fry, 'cause you can do a lot of cool stuff with fry, but me with my voice, it has such a signature sound to it, I guess, according to Adam [Dutkiewicz, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE guitarist and producer], at least, that if I just went into that new technique completely, the lows were missing something, my yelling. It different. So I was going into these demos just doing fry, saving my voice, especially thinking that, once I get to the studio, it's going to be fatiguing; we're doing four- or five-hour sessions. But I kept falling flat and the voice just didn't sound right. For some of the high stuff, it works, but for the lower, mid stuff and for the death metal growls, that's all old school… It's the old-school way, the way we all started doing it in the late '80s and early '90s. So I've learned, thankfully, through a lot of trial and error, and this album had a lot to do with it, to blend the styles. So I can do my old-school stuff, and then I can sort of blend in some of the vocal fry to hit those crazy, maniacal-sounding highs without it destroying my voice."

"Atonement" was released in August 2019 via Metal Blade Records in the U.S. and Sony Music Entertainment in the rest of the world. The disc featured guest appearances by former KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer Howard Jones and TESTAMENT frontman Chuck Billy.

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE will embark on a headline tour in March 2025. It's their first tour of North America since late 2022. The trek will feature support from KUBLAI KHAN TX, FIT FOR A KING and FROZEN SOUL, and will kick off on March 5 in Nashville and runs through April 12 in Portland, Maine.