Bullet For My Valentine and Trivium kicked off their The Poisoned Ascendancy Tour on January 26 in Cardiff, Wales at Utilita Arena. The tour celebrates the 20th Anniversary of their respective albums, The Poison and Ascendancy.

Trivium setlist:

“Rain”
“Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr”
“Drowned And Torn Asunder”
“Ascendancy”
“A Gunshot To The Head of Trepidation”
“Like Light To The Flies”
“Dying In Your Arms” (first time live since 2017)
“The Deceived”
“Suffocating Sight”
“Departure” (first time since 2012)
“Declaration” (first time since 2007)

Encore:
“In Waves”

During an appearance on "The New Man" podcast with Tripp Lanier, LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe spoke about being 14 years sober. Asked about how he got over the notion that really creative people, including great writers, need alcohol or drugs to find their best ideas or perform to the best of their ability, Randy said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "That's a sort of cultural mythos, especially in rock bands, and even more so in a metal band. I believe that that mythos is sort of shifting, that paradigm is shifting, and the young kids don't think it's as cool to be fucked up anymore like we did when we were kids. It was part of the deal. And it's a lie, it's definitely a lie that you need all that stuff to do what I do. But it's a cultural sort of mythos that I bought in to, not just with music, but with writing, because like any other angst-riddled 20-something male American dude, I loved reading Hemingway, I loved reading Bukowski, I loved reading Hunter S. Thompson, F. Scott Fitzgerald, all these members of this supremely male canon of authors who really reshaped modern English literature. And all of them had a few things in common — all of them were wild, did wild manly shit, which I'm for. All of them drank to excess and generally got into some sticky situations from time to time. It's a cornerstone of your identity, it becomes so. So for me, in my twenties and thirties, I would talk about being a writer a lot and I was doing all the things that all those writers, Hemingway and Hunter S. Thompson and Bukowski, all those guys did — I did a lot of drinking, I did a respectable amount of womanizing, I did some fist fighting here and there, I got into some crazy shit, I was practicing, I was doing all the things the great writers did except for the writing part. That's the hart part. So that's that cultural mythos with the writers. And then with music, and being in a heavy metal band, and the sort of cultural perception of that, that baggage, and me personally knowing some of the legends from this who did drink and drug to excess, I bought in to that. And in a sense in the beginning, alcohol was useful, and every now and then some drugs were useful."

Asked what he means when he says that alcohol and drugs were "useful", Randy explained: "Well, if you have a sense of stage fright, a liquid courage, a little bottled confidence [would always help in the early days]. And we were very confrontational band, so our earlier gigs were at house parties, squats and things like that. They weren't even in clubs, and you're on the floor with people, and [they were] very physical. The crowd can either aggressively not like you or aggressively really like you — either way.

"There's no school to teach you how to be a frontman, how to get in front of people and do your thing," Blythe continued. "You're not, like, 'Okay, I'm relying on my training,' like a Navy seal, like falling back on to the level of your training. It's, like, 'Okay, let's go out and see what fucking happens.' And so that can give you the nerves. And in the early days you, I could quiet those nerves with some alcohol. Most certainly. They don't call it liquid courage for nothing. After a while, that inhibits your ability to do your job. Luckily, in my case, I wasn't doing Al Green. I'm not Pavarotti. So if Pavarotti or Marvin Gaye got up there all fucked up, people would be, like, 'Oh my God, this sucks.' When you're in a heavy metal band, there's an element of danger to it, which I think is valuable in music, at least in what we do. And there was definitely an element of danger to what we did. And alcohol was part of that. The thing is, though, man, you don't need that. That's a lie."

Regarding how he turned that corner, Randy said: "I had to get beat on the head repeatedly that I was going to die if I didn't stop drinking. I can tell you about my first sober show if you want [to hear it]. We were in Australia, and we were on tour with a band called METALLICA. And we had been out with them for about a year over the course of two, two and a half years. We'd done Europe, United States a few times, and we ended this tour in New Zealand and Australia. And my last night of drinking was in Brisbane, Australia. And I went out with some friends and just got completely, utterly fucked up, except for that it didn't work. I drank enough and I'm sure had I been given a breathalyzer, they would have been, like, 'Jesus Christ, how is this dude still alive? There's almost no blood left in his alcohol system.' … And the alcohol, for me, was a thing that shut off the voices in my head, the voices that were angry at the way the world was behaving, that were angry at myself for my own shortcomings and asshole-ish behavior or moral cowardice at times — whatever. The inner critic was incredibly harsh — and still is sometimes. But I'm trying to ameliorate that from time to time. But anyway, I went out and it stopped working. And I woke up in Brisbane on a hotel balcony. And I looked out on the street below… And one of my favorite bookstores in the world was directly across the street from the hotel. And then down the streets more were great restaurants, plenty of food. And then over to the left was the Brisbane Botanical Gardens, which are cool. And they've got all sorts of beautiful, weird plants we don't have. And of course it's Australia, so you're gonna see weird-ass animals and birds. It's just a gorgeous place. And so I looked out from my hotel balcony. And I had a suite. It was very nice. We're in Australia. I've got money in the bank. I'm on tour with fucking METALLICA. It's the biggest heavy metal band in history, not to mention one of the biggest bands in the world, period. I've got money in the bank account. My band, I've learned somehow to function well enough, drunk, that I can still do my job. I still had a romantic partner at that time, a longterm romantic partner that ended eventually, but at that time I still had her. And everything on the outside was good. And I looked out over this street and all this cool shit and I realized I didn't want to do anything. I didn't want to exist. It wasn't like I felt suicidal, like 'I wanna kill myself', but I was, like, 'I don't wanna be here anymore. I just want to vanish from existence.' And I looked over at this table where I had set the beer bottles from the night before 'cause I'd been drinking for a few days and I'm kind of a weirdo OCD dude with my surroundings. So I had very carefully, even while intoxicated, lined these beer bottles perfectly up in this — you know how bowling pins would be, like they're just perfectly lined up, touching each other. All the labels are facing the right way. 'Cause I'm trying to, by controlling my external environment, exert some sort of control on the disaster that is Randy. So I looked over at these beer bottles that were empty and they were stacked there and I realized that they were a metaphor for my life. Because on the outside, just like my life, everything was perfect and orderly and in its place. But, just like those bottles, I had just become an empty receptacle for alcohol and drugs. And all it would take would just be a little push, and those bottles would just fall and shatter. So I looked. I was, like, 'Fuck. I don't wanna exist. I'm just an empty beer bottle now. And I thought, 'Man, maybe I ought to really try and quit drinking, honestly, this time,' because I'd been trying half-assed for, like, four or five years. And this time I took it serious. And I was, like, 'Hey, I have to quit drinking.' And so I asked the universe, I was, like, 'God, please help me.' Whatever's out there. I had this moment where it wasn't, like… I didn't have a picture of a bearded dude in the sky or anything, but I just asked — I use the term 'God' for lack of a better term. I asked, 'Whatever is out there, please help me because I don't know what to do.' I knew then, like, 'Let's stop and try drinking,' and a peace washed over me, like immense calm in that moment. When I was just, like, 'I'm fucked,' 'cause that's the only way, if you have a problem, you're ever gonna get better, is if you realize that you're fucked. It was a realization of reality, to put it simply recognizing that I was indeed totally fucked. So I had this brief moment of immense peace wash over me, and it lasted for approximately 45 seconds. And then this little devil on my shoulder, like little Satan, he's always there or whatever, the demon, it was, like, 'Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Hold on. Let's think this through. Maybe you just had a bad night. Maybe you've just had a bad 22 years of solid drinking and drugging. It was crazy. It was crazy. I totally didn't wanna live anymore. And it wasn't the first time I'd felt that way. And I'd had these repercussions for drinking… You feel like you can't function. And I felt that. And I was, like, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa. A second ago you were all good, and then before that you wanted to die and now you wanna drink again. You're crazy. You are crazy, bro.'

"Some of the guys in METALLICA's band and crew were sober on that tour, and they had had words with me," Randy added. "I'd been getting signals for fucking 15, 20 years from parents, family, kindly members of the Richmond Fraternal Order Of The Police, judges. I had a journalist in Richmond write a story about me, like, 'This dude needs to sober up.' I was, like, 'Fuck you. Fuck you. You don't know what I do. If you had to do what I did, you'd drink too.' So I was, like, 'I think what I'm gonna do is I'm just gonna try not to drink.' I made a decision, 'cause there was beer in the fridge right there in that hotel. I was, like, 'I'm not gonna go get a beer. I'm not gonna go get a beer. I'm gonna go to tonight's show and I'm gonna talk to these guys. I'm gonna be, like, 'Will you fucking help me? What the fuck do I do?' So I went to the gig, and I showed up early and I found a couple of those guys. I'm, like, 'Look, I'm fucked. Help me. I'm trying to be sober.' And they were, like, 'We got you, bro.' And my hair was still long then. I walked on stage that night in front of 14,000 people, falling to pieces, weeping hysterically. Luckily, like I said, I had long hair, so I kept it in my face. And our music is, like, super aggressive, so I'm just crying… I think [the emotion at the time] was just, like, 'I don't know what I'm going to do. What is going on? What happened to my life? How did I reach this point?' It's like someone had scraped my entire skin, like road rash all over my soul. So I stood on stage in front 14,000 people screaming my head off while weeping uncontrollably. Luckily, no one could tell because I was just constantly running and headbanging. And I made it through that show. And that was my first day sober. And that was October 18th, 2010. I haven't had a drink or a drug since."

In a separate interview with the The Lydian Spin podcast, Blythe spoke about the challenges of going on tour and being around people who are drinking. The 53-year-old musician said: "I can be kind of antisocial in general anyway. By the end of my drinking, I just wanted to be alone: 'Leave me the fuck alone, and let me drink.'

"I can go out," Randy explained. "I'll go anywhere. I'm not afraid of being around alcohol or drugs. If I was, I would never tour again. For me, being around utterly shitfaced people is fairly intolerable now. And so if I go to a party, if there's like a house party, friends of mine are having dinner, I'll hang out and I'll hang out until people hit me with the 'I love you, man,' like a couple times. I'm, like, 'Okay, it's time to go. I had a great time, and you guys can carry on and God bless. Good luck and godspeed. I'm outta here.' So, I don't have a problem [being around people who are drinking], and I don't walk around like some sort of angry curmudgeon, like, 'Don't fucking talk to me.' And when I am trapped by those people, I look at it as a karmic debt. I look at it as a karmic debt, because I fucking terrified and annoyed countless people for decades. So it's, like, what comes around goes around."

Randy previously discussed his sobriety during a September 2022 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He said at the time: "It's not attractive to sit up and fucking drink and snort coke and say a bunch of stupid shit with a bunch of morons when you're [in your early 50s]. It's just not. [Laughs] I haven't had a hangover in over [more than a decade]. I don't know if I would survive one now."

Asked by host Eddie Trunk if it was "tough" for him to be on the road where alcohol can be found everywhere, Randy said: "No. Hell no, dude. Seeing people party and stuff, especially when they 'party party' and get stupid… I don't judge, but it makes it more repulsive to me, 'cause I was, like, Jesus… I was pretty bad. Nobody looks cool when they're wasted, so it just doesn't appeal to me. And I have better things to do. I'm trying to do good things with my life — write books and do photography and shit like that. I can't do that when I'm drunk. Plus, man, I drank enough. I did it for 22 years. I'm not gonna discover anything new in drugs and alcohol."

Pressed about whether it bothers him when people around him are drinking, Blythe said: "It doesn't bother me. It only bothers me if they're fucking wasted and saying stupid shit to me and then I run. But it doesn't make me wanna do it, if that's what you're asking. It has the opposite effect. Seeing people drink does not bother me at all. The only thing that bothers me is when they're hammered and in my face. But other than that, I don't expect the rest of the world to behave… I can't expect the rest of the world to behave in the way I do and not drink because not everybody's an alcoholic like me. Some people are perfectly okay, and that's no problem. God bless. Have a good time. But if you're wasted and the 'I love you, man' starts, then I just dip out. It's not a problem."

Blythe discussed his battle with alcoholism and how he got sober after a couple of decades of drinking during a book-signing event and question-and-answer session for his memoir, "Dark Days: A Memoir", in 2015. At the time, he said: "Most people, when they stop… It's entirely individual… Some people hit bottom because they wake up in jail, because their wife has left them, because they don't have any money left, because they lost their job, or because they just can't… they can't take it anymore."

He continued: "When I woke up the morning… I wrote about this in my book; I wrote about the last night I drank and the first day of sobriety. I woke up, and I was on tour. I was in Australia. I was opening up for the biggest band in metal, in the world — ever, in the history of metal. I was in a beautiful place. I had money in my bank account. My wife hadn't left me yet — and she still hasn't, somehow amazingly. And everything on the outside of my life, to anyone looking at it, beyond the fact that I looked kind of busted, everything would look good. Like, this dude is in this band, he's on this tour in this beautiful place. It's Australia, it's paradise. He's getting paid…. Not millions of dollars; don't get me wrong. But he's making money. I woke up one day and I just did not want to do anything. It's the strangest feeling to not want to… I couldn't think of a single thing I wanted to do. I didn't wanna eat, I didn't wanna sleep, I didn't wanna read a book, I didn't wanna go to work, I didn't wanna… drink. I couldn't imagine not drinking. I didn't want to do anything. I felt completely empty."

Blythe added: "So, for me, it was a very emotional flatline… like, bottom. It wasn't anything traumatic whatsoever. I just reached a point where I was, like, 'I've gotta do something else, or else I might as well be dead.' And I firmly believe I would be dead [by now if I hadn't stopped]. So it was just a weird thing. I don't know why. I drank 22 years — heavy — and finally I got enough pain where it's, like, 'Okay, this sucks. I've gotta stop.' But it's different for everyone. Anybody who's ever had a drinking problem can tell you that it's different for everyone."

Blythe's second book, "Just Beyond The Light: Making Peace With The Wars Inside Our Head", is due on February 18, 2025 via Grand Central Publishing (GCP).

"Just Beyond The Light" was described by Blythe as a "tight, concise roadmap of how I have attempted to maintain what I believe to be a proper perspective in life, even during difficult times."

In December, Blythe announced more spoken-word and question-and-answer events to promote "Just Beyond The Light". The special "evening with" event includes a spoken-word performance, an audience question-and-answer session, a copy of "Just Beyond The Light" and an opportunity to have the book signed.

In 2012, Blythe was arrested in the Czech Republic and charged with manslaughter for allegedly pushing a 19-year-old fan offstage at a show two year prior and causing injuries that led to the fan's death. Blythe spent 37 days in a Prague prison before ultimately being found not guilty in 2013.

Blythe's prison experience inspired two songs on LAMB OF GOD's 2015 album "VII: Sturm Und Drang": "512", one of his three prison cell numbers, and "Still Echoes", written while he was in Pankrac Prison, a dilapidated facility built in the 1880s that had been used for executions by the Nazis during World War II. It also led him to write his first book, "Dark Days", in which he shared his whole side of the story publicly for the first time.

Italian groove metallers Dosgamos have announced that their second album, On Day Seven He Regretted, will be released on March 14, 2025 via Wormholedeath Records. The band’s first single “Slay The Mother Of All Ignorance” is streaming now.



“We’re stoked to announce that we’ve signed with Wormholedeath Records, a label with years of experience and an internationally recognized name,” the band says. “A new chapter begins for us, and we’re ready to bring our music to a larger audience. We can’t wait for everyone to hear our new material—a product of total dedication and relentless effort. We are proud, grateful, and more driven than ever to work harder and push forward. Forge onward. Ever onward.”

Formed in 2018, Dosgamos has been carving out a unique niche in the metal landscape, blending powerful grooves with intricate melodies. The band features Michele Altavilla’s dynamic vocals, along with drummer Gorath (Stormcrow), bassist Giulio Garibaldi, and guitarist Vinnie (Injury). Following the pandemic, they completed their debut album, Wrapped Renaissance, which was recorded in late 2021 and released in 2022.

Since then, Dosgamos has been relentlessly promoting their debut with electrifying live performances across Eastern Europe. The addition of drummer Elia Dutto and guitarist Alessandro Parola has only strengthened their live presence, culminating in a powerful debut at a festival in Prague.

Mixed and mastered by Ronnie Björnström (Meshuggah, Aeon), On Day Seven He Regretted promises to be a game changer. This collaboration is set to elevate Dosgamos to new heights, representing their growth and commitment to pushing their sound forward.



Tracklisting:

Slay The Mother Of All Ignorance
Categorical Reprisal
Death Obeys
Apple Of My Eye
Raped Feelingly
I’ve Rehab
On Day Seven He Regretted
Indulgence At Stake

In a new Instagram Live, DISTURBED guitarist Dan Donegan spoke about the band's upcoming 34-date "The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour", which will kick off in Nampa, Idaho on February 25, 2025 and is produced by Live Nation. The tour celebrates 25 years of DISTURBED's seminal debut album which launched the band into public consciousness and is one of the most important and influential heavy metal albums of all time. 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.

Donegan said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "We start the first leg of the tour in a few weeks in Idaho with SEVENDUST and THREE DAYS GRACE. Do that for a few weeks with those guys. Two of my favorites there. And then a few days off here and there. And then we will go to start the second leg with NOTHING MORE and DAUGHTRY. So it's gonna be a great run on both these. I love all these bands, of course. Very inspirational, all of them. Amazing guys, amazing musicians. So hopefully you got your tickets coming out to see at least one of those, or if not both of those.

"We will be playing all of 'The Sickness', the whole album, front to back, and some additional hits. So it's kind of like a two-part set for us. And so it'll be, besides the two support acts before us, we will play a couple hours as well. So it'll be a nice, fun-filled night.

"So we're just diving into the rehearsal, start jamming through the songs again. [it's] pretty exciting because some of these songs we haven't played in many, many years. Mostly the ones from 'The Sickness' — songs like 'Numb', 'Violence Fetish', 'Conflict', a lot of these songs we haven't played in a long time. So, pretty exciting to get back and work the rust off a bit, get back into it. I was jamming the songs at home a bit and it's kind of nice because muscle memory came back real quick. Sometimes you don't wanna overthink it. You just get back in that muscle memory and you just play, and so the songs came back to me rather quick. So it'll be a good time."

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, in editions including:

* A limited edition 1-LP (silver vinyl) and 3-CD box set. It includes the original album, B-sides, unreleased demos, and an unreleased 14-track concert from The Palladium in Los Angeles from April 2001 as well as songs recorded at Chicago's Metro in March 2000 and the London Astoria in February 2001. The box includes a poster, cloth patch, backstage pass, and a set of guitar picks. It also includes a book featuring rare photos and memorabilia, and an extensive essay with new interviews with the members of DISTURBED, and producer Johnny K. An exclusive lithograph signed by the band is included with the limited-edition D2C format.

* A 2-CD deluxe edition that includes the original album, plus a disc of B-sides, unreleased demos, and rarities. The booklet features an essay with new interviews with the members of DISTURBED and producer Johnny K.

* Vinyl editions, including variants in limited edition green vinyl, limited edition orange vinyl (Germany/Central Europe exclusive),and limited edition milky clear vinyl (Spotify Fans First).

* Digitally, which includes all 40 tracks included in the limited-edition box set.

"The Sickness" 25th-anniversary edition is available to pre-order on all formats here. 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.

DISTURBED has become one of the most celebrated and commercially successful metal acts of all time. To date, DISTURBED has seen record-breaking success with sales of over 17 million units and 14 billion streams. It all began with "The Sickness", which includes their songs "Down With The Sickness" (recently certified eight times platinum),"Stupify" (two times platinum),"Voices" (gold),and "The Game" (gold). The album peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard 200 chart and spent a total of 106 weeks on the chart. To date, "The Sickness" has been streamed 2.5 billion times worldwide. It was included as No. 24 on Loudwire's "Top 25 Debut Hard Rock Albums" list, one of Metal Hammer's "20 Best Albums Of 2000," and was highlighted in Revolver magazine's "20 Essential Nu Metal Albums" list. 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."

Emerging out of Chicago at the turn of the century with an insidious, infectious, and inimitable vision without comparison, DISTURBED have quietly dominated hard rock on their own terms. They make the kind of music that pushes you to hold on tighter, fight harder, and persevere forever. It's why they've claimed a place at the forefront of 21st century rock with record-breaking success, sales of over 17 million-plus units, nearly eight billion streams, and sold out shows around the globe. The band have six RIAA album certifications, and singles from all eight albums have reached the top ten of the Mainstream Rock chart.

The two-time Grammy Award-nominated quartet have notched five consecutive No. 1 debuts on the Billboard Top 200 for "Believe", "Ten Thousand Fists", "Indestructible" and "Asylum", occupying rarified air alongside METALLICA — the only other hard rock group to accomplish this feat. Since their influential five-times-platinum debut "The Sickness" in 2000, they have built a bulletproof catalog highlighted by a procession of smashes, including the platinum "Stupify", "Inside The Fire" and "Land Of Confusion", two-times-platinum "Stricken", six-times-platinum "Down With The Sickness" and seven-times-platinum "The Sound Of Silence" to name a few. The latter notably received a Grammy Award nomination in the category of "Best Rock Performance" as the band earned "Best Rock Artist" at the 2017 iHeartRadioMusic Awards. Still, DISTURBED never stop, and their most recent 2022 album "Divisive" featured their 17th No. 1 at Rock Radio "Hey You", "Unstoppable" and more.

Junkyard – a gritty, streetwise band with a bluesy undercurrent – has issued the following unfortunate statement regarding their frontman:

“We all know and love David Roach—not just as our incredible singer, but as a true friend, an inspiration, and a fighter.
Right now, he’s facing one of the toughest battles of his life: an aggressive cancer diagnosis.
To help with the overwhelming medical expenses David is selling his plaque art. Every purchase, share, and donation can make a real difference in getting him the care he needs.
In the coming months, we’ll be making our classic merch available for purchase, with a portion of every sale going directly to David and Jennifer. We also have more ways to help in the works and will be sharing those details in the months ahead.
If you can contribute in any way—whether by buying his art, picking up some merch, or simply spreading the word—it would mean the world.
Let’s rally behind him like we always have. Much love and gratitude to you all.”

German thrash metal veterans DESTRUCTION have announced a new documentary "The Art Of Destruction", to be released in German cinemas in March 2025.

Earlier today (Monday, February 3),DESTRUCTION released a trailer for the documentary along with the following message: "'The Art Of Destruction' is finally ready to be released! This highly anticipated movie portrays some of the most challenging years of our history. It all starts with a big dream, but soon turns into a wild ride across the globe — from Germany to Mexico and back!

"The film crew worked on this documentary with us for nearly five years, bringing you up close and personal with Schmier and the band.

"'The Art Of Destruction' is an inspirational story about perseverance, a lifelong dream, and the magic of music.

"The film will hit cinemas in Germany in March 2025, with an international release and screenings also in the works.

"Stay tuned! More news coming later this week!"

DESTRUCTION will release its 16th studio album, "Birth Of Malice", on March 7, 2025 via Napalm Records.

Schmier once again combines his dual vocal/bass attack with crashing riffs from dual battle axe masters Martin Furia and Damir Eskić, while Randy Black blasts his drums to new heights. As witnessed on their previous thrash fest "Diabolical" (2022),DESTRUCTION return with their uniquely raw and brutal sound, delivering merciless songs with a touch more variety and groove this time. All 12 songs straight from the butchers hit with a direct, clean sound — resulting in addictive metal anthems for the next generation of thrashers.

The "Destruction" single was released last November and as it's named after the band, it contains everything DESTRUCTION is revered for. This thrash anthem reflects on the band’s legacy, fueled by razor-sharp riffs and Schmier's relentless vocals. With lyrics celebrating their outcast origins and unbreakable metal spirit, "Destruction" is a tribute to over 40 years of thrash dominance.

DESTRUCTION's newest onslaught is opened by the aforementioned "Destruction", with a luring intro transforming into a true thrashing hymn with razor-sharp guitars honoring the band's 40-plus-year legacy, where mastermind Schmier reflects on the old days. Like the title "Birth Of Malice" suggests, lyrically, Schmier delves deep in human errors — like selfish behavior on "Greed" and "Evil Never Sleeps", while stomping "A.N.G.S.T." delivers shredding guitar solos and flirts with our paranoid instinct, criticizing evil forces who prey on the weaknesses of others. A clear statement is made with carnage on "Scumbag Human Race", exploring the mistakes mankind makes and pushing authorities in its memorable chorus "I will count your days!" The same rebellious attitude can be witnessed on the banging "No Kings – No Masters". DESTRUCTION also shifts to futuristic topics on the album, like the unconscious influence of technology and new forms of war on "Cyber Warfare". To close this brutal tour de force on a positive note, the thrashing legends celebrate their strong allyship with metal colleagues ACCEPT by presenting their own version of classic neck breaker "Fast As A Shark". All of these heavy topics are combined in the brutal cover artwork, designed by talented Hungarian artist Gyula Havancsák, known for his works for bands like ACCEPT, KREATOR and BLIND GUARDIAN.

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

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

DESTRUCTION, known as one of the "Teutonic Four", alongside KREATOR, SODOM and TANKARD, were reunited with the other three acts at the "Klash Of The Ruhrpott" concert on July 20, 2024 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

In a January 2023 interview with Felipe Canales of Chile's iRock, Schmier was asked if he and his DESTRUCTION bandmates have ever considered changing their sound in order to reach a wider audience. He responded: "In Germany, we say, 'Don't change your winning recipe. Stick to the guns. Stick to what you can do best.' And for me, what I can do best is playing thrash metal. Every album we do sounds a little bit different, but it always will sound like DESTRUCTION.

"When you get older, it's very easy to slow down," Schmier explained. "A lot of musicians, when they [get] older, they wanna slow down; they wanna play blues; they wanna play more mellow music. For me, that's never been the case. I think the older you [get], the more you go crazy about it. You wanna still show the young kids how it's done. When we go out there to the festivals, we compete… To all those young bands, I could be [their] father, so I have to be the role model. So that's how I see it. Slowing down and changing something is not what we do."

As for whether it's harder for him to play physically challenging music as he gets older, Schmier said: "It's like in football — the old, experienced player, he has the feel for it. The young player runs more and runs faster. The old player has the eye and the brain. And it's the same in music. Of course I have to train harder to go on stage, but my experience of my age is great because I have better voice control. I know more what I want. I know what I don't want and where the band belongs. So this experience of a certain 40 years in the music business is, of course, a great one."

DESTRUCTION's latest studio album, "Diabolical", came out in April 2022 via Napalm Records.

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

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

DESTRUCTION 2025 is:

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

Photo credit: Jennifer Gruber



DESTRUCTION CINEMA MOVIE TRAILER ONLINE!

The “The Art of DESTRUCTION” is finally ready to be released! This highly anticipated movie portrays some of the most challenging years of our history. It all starts with a big dream, but soon turns into a wild ride across the globe—from Germany to Mexico and back!
The film crew worked on this documentary with us for nearly five years, bringing you up close and personal with Schmier and the band. The Art of Destruction is an inspirational story about perseverance, a lifelong dream, and the magic of music.

The film will hit cinemas in Germany in March 2025, with an international release and screenings also in the works.

Stay tuned! More news coming later this week!

Check comments for external video link! 👇

@hmhtv @DeniseDörner

Posted by Destruction on Monday, February 3, 2025

Sammy Hagar has shared a new live video along with the following message:

“At last night’s MusiCares honoring the Grateful Dead, right before my performance of ‘Loose Lucy’, I decided to play the guitar solo myself. Having Zac Brown, Billy Strings, Marcus King, John Mayer and many other guitar greats in the house, needless to say, I was nervous! But anything for my brothers Bob Weir and Mickey Hart. The band was great, thank you all.”

PANTERA drummer Charlie Benante has shared front-drum-cam video of the "Suicide Note, Pt. 2" performance from the band's January 28, 2025 headlining concert at AFAS Live in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Check it out below.

Joining the ANTHRAX drummer in PANTERA's reformed lineup are surviving members Rex Brown (bass) and Philip Anselmo (vocals),along with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY).

According to Billboard, the lineup was given a green light by Vinnie Paul and Dimebag's estates.

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

Benante opened up about his participation in PANTERA's return during an interview with Australia's Heavy. He said: "We get people coming, we see them after the show, we see them during the VIP meet-and-greet things, and some of them are crying because it's a part of their youth. And they never thought they would hear these songs in this environment again. And it's the same thing for me. When I'm playing, I'm looking down at the setlist. I get excited about the next song coming up. It's good."

Charlie also addressed the negative comments he has received for his participation in PANTERA's comeback without Dimebag and Vinnie Paul. He said: "It's more important to — again, like I said a little while ago about hearing these songs again… Some of these people who were negative at the at the start of this whole thing, my whole thing was just, please shut up for a minute and just wait. If you don't wanna come, don't come. But if you do wanna come, and just come and then witness it, and then afterwards you can say, 'Fuck this. This was horrible.' But that hasn't happened. A lot of people are so positive about it and they enjoy it.

"There's no way I was gonna make this a bad, bad decision or a bad kind of vibe," Benante explained. "It had to be meeting my standards. It's gotta be killer. It's gotta sound like PANTERA. And that was it. There was a lot of homework that went into it. So for people to insult and say this, that, and the other thing, It's, like, well, that's not true. That's not true right there."

After one of the interviewers noted that most of the complaints center around the fact that the new PANTERA lineup is not "the real thing", Benante fired back: "What band is the real thing? What band is the real thing right now? Give me one band.

"Things happen. Life happens sometimes," he continued. "I went to see U2 about a month and a half, two months ago, and the drummer wasn't there. But I enjoyed the shit out of it anyway. It was just great.

"People online, they got those Internet balls and they have to talk shit. They can't exactly show any restraint. 'No, I have to push that 'enter' [key],' you know what I mean? It's, like, fuck you. Let me come to where you are. Let me just fuck with you all day."

During a February 2024 interview with "THAT Rocks!", the YouTube series hosted by Eddie Trunk, Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson, Benante spoke about some of the criticism he has received for his involvement with PANTERA. He said: "People had their preconceived notions of what they were gonna think: 'Oh, I don't dig this without Vinnie and Dime.' And of course… What do you think? We don't know that Vinnie and Dime are not with us anymore? But when we start playing the songs and you just see the faces in the crowd, all that shit goes out the window, the negative stuff that has been said.

"Man, that's all I ever wanted to do, is just come and do this and make people hear these songs again," he explained. "And that's what it's all about, really. It's about the music."

Asked who was in charge of making the decision to use the name PANTERA for the new lineup instead of calling it a tribute or naming it something else, Charlie said: "It wasn't me. [Laughs] For us it was about the celebration of the music and Dime and Vinnie; that's what it was about since day one. No one called it a tribute; no one called it a reunion. It can't be a reunion. This is a celebration of the music of PANTERA. Come and enjoy It. And that's it. That's all could do."

Benante also talked about his personal connection to Dimebag and Vinnie, saying: "Yeah. I loved those two guys, man. You never think that certain things would ever, ever happen, and then when it does, you sit back and think, like, 'How did this happen so fast? How did this time just slip by?' And Darrell's been gone for a while now. But it doesn't change how we all miss him and feel him.

"Every show that we play… [Longtime PANTERA engineer, bass tech and friend] Sterling [Winfield], who used to work for PANTERA — still does, in a sense. The first show, he came to Mexico City and he brought me one of Darrell's wristbands and a pair of Vinnie's gloves that they used. And every show that I've played so far, I wear the wristband and Vinnie's glove is in my pocket because I feel like they're with me. And I do that for every show, and I'll continue to do that for every other show we play. It just has significance."

During an interview with Consequence, Benante addressed the negative comments he has received for his participation in PANTERA's comeback, saying: "I don't go [online] looking for [people's negative comments about it]. There's people that send me, 'Hey, did you see this?' And I'm, like, 'Why did you send me this? Why ruin my day?'

"I think the people who do these things, these comments, I don't even think they realize how much of an effect that they could have on people," he continued. "And whether or not you hate the situation, or whatever it is, why can't you find some sort of restraint? Why do you need to say this thought that you have? Can't you just hold it in and maybe be, like, 'I'll keep my thoughts to myself.' No, they've gotta tell you. I've never seen more of it in my life than I [did] in these past couple of months about just people judging."

Regarding his personal approach to playing the parts originally written and recorded by Vinnie Paul, Charlie said: "I just spent a lot of time on Vinnie's parts and more importantly the tone that Vinnie had because I wanted it to sound like PANTERA. That was my thing. And my drum configuration is different from the ANTHRAX one because I wanted to challenge myself to play those parts like he played them in that configuration, which, to me, was more important than anything. But yet people still have to find some problem in that."

According to Benante, the initial rehearsals for the PANTERA comeback tour were "an emotional thing" for Philip and Rex "too, because they hadn't played as a group, those two hadn't played together in a long time, playing PANTERA songs. Yeah, they played [together] in DOWN, but this was an emotional thing for them," Charlie said. "And I remember after the week of rehearsals that we did, saying goodbye was weird, because it was an emotional thing; we really kind of bonded, the three of us. Zakk wasn't there at the time. But for me, I knew I had done something right."

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

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

Vinnie passed away on June 22, 2018 at his other home in Las Vegas at the age of 54. He died of dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart, as well as severe coronary artery disease. His death was the result of chronic weakening of the heart muscle — basically meaning his heart couldn't pump blood as well as a healthy heart.

In a new interview with Musicfrenzy, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson spoke about the possibility of METAL ALLEGIANCE writing and recording a third album as the follow-up to 2018's "Volume II: Power Drunk Majesty". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "METAL ALLEGIANCE, look, we're not only these all-star concerts that we give, but just as much, we've got two full-length records out. The guys also did a little 'Fallen Heroes' EP [without me] that I was on tour at the time [it was recorded]. But we've got some new material that we're working on now. We've already got our sights set on January 2026 for the next events and some new material coming along now. So that's exciting. So that band, it's not just an all-star band, it's also a recording group. We call it the 'core four' — me, [guitarist Alex] Skolnick [TESTAMENT], [bassist Mark] Menghi and [drummer Mike] Portnoy [DREAM THEATER] — we're the driving force of the creative, recording side of that."

Last month, Skolnick told RadioBypass about new METAL ALLEGIANCE music: "Yes. We've been talking about it for some time. It's always easier said than done, given everybody's schedules, but we're continuing to talk about it and I'm pretty sure that [2025] is the year we will get started on it. So I don't know what it's gonna look like, I don't know how it's going to compare to the past albums. Maybe we'll get our feet wet with an EP or a single — who knows? — but either way, we're gonna get started and see how it goes, probably later this [coming] year."

METAL ALLEGIANCE began as a celebration of heavy metal, powered by the almost tribal bond shared between the extreme music community's most revered trailblazers, armed with a list of contributors onstage (and off) that read like a Wikipedia entry on the genre itself.

Since METAL ALLEGIANCE's inception in 2014, the band is comprised of the core four members of: Mark Menghi on bass, Skolnick on guitar, David Ellefson (MEGADETH) on bass, and Mike Portnoy (DREAM THEATER) on drums.

Collaborative tribute experiences like HAIL! and METAL MASTERS eventually led to the founding of METAL ALLEGIANCE a decade ago.

The collective's raucous renditions of classic material from the likes of JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN, OZZY OSBOURNE, THIN LIZZY, VAN HALEN and PANTERA in clubs, conventions and cruise ships inevitably led to the creation of an album of brand new material.

METAL ALLEGIANCE has issued two full-length albums so far, 2015's self-titled debut and "Volume II: Power Drunk Majesty", as well as an EP, 2016's "Fallen Heroes".

On January 23, 2025, METAL ALLEGIANCE performed at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, California. Joining the core four at the Anaheim gig were Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT),Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth (OVERKILL),John Bush (ARMORED SAINT),Doc Coyle (BAD WOLVES, GOD FORBID),Brandon Ellis (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER),Marty Friedman (MEGADETH),Gary Holt (SLAYER, EXODUS),Andreas Kisser (SEPULTURA),Jeff Loomis (ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE),Mark Tornillo (ACCEPT),Angel Vivaldi and more.

AEROSMITH singer Steven Tyler performed six songs at his sixth annual "Jam For Janie"Grammys viewing party on Sunday, February 2 at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California.

Tyler and EXTREME's Nuno Bettencourt opened with "More Than Words", joined by Mick Fleetwood, and went into "Dream On" with Lainey Wilson. AEROSMITH's Tom Hamilton and THE BLACK CROWES' Chris Robinson then joined Tyler and Bettencourt for "Sweet Emotion", "Walk This Way" with Jessie J, and "Heartbreaker". Tyler and Bettencourt also performed "Toys In The Attic".

Tyler's Grammys viewing party was sponsored by Janie's Fund, the initiative he created in order to bring hope and healing to girls and young women who have experienced trauma. More than 100 firefighters who battled the recent Los Angeles wildfires were also invited to the event through the Widows, Orphans And Disabled Firefighters Fund and Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation.

Tyler said: "What the Los Angeles community has endured with these wildfires is unthinkable. Music has healing powers and we hope to bring a moment of joy and levity to our first-responder firefighters and those most affected by the fires. The trauma experienced by the girls we work with is also unthinkable and we will continue to shed light and support the amazing work of Janie's Fund."

The evening featured a red carpet, cocktail reception, dinner, live auction, and exclusive after-party benefitting Janie's Fund, as well as raise critical proceeds for the aforementioned fire organizations to acquire lifesaving equipment and resources.

Joining AEROSMITH as event chairs are Ace and Matt Sorum, Alice Cooper, Andrea Bocelli, Ashlee Simpson and Evan Ross, Bill Maher, Bo Derek, Chris and Rich Robinson, Dolly Parton, Flavor Flav, Jane Lynch, Kayte and Kelsey Grammer, Lionel Richie, Melissa Joan Hart, Miley Cyrus, Nuno Bettencourt, Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson, Sammy Hagar, Scarlett Johansson and Shep Gordon.

Last August, AEROSMITH announced that they were officially retiring from touring due to Tyler's vocal injury.

The legendary Massachusetts rockers made the announcement on August 2, 2024 — nearly one year after the now-76-year-old singer fractured his larynx during a September 2023 show.

Six months ago, Hamilton was asked by AARP how much hope AEROSMITH has of future activities on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being "doubtful we'll do anything" and 10 being "Yes, we'll be doing something". The AEROSMITH bassist said: "On the hope scale, I'm somewhere between 7 and 9. We won't be doing any tours from now on, but I'll always have hope that other types of opportunities will come along. This isn't the first time black clouds have been on our horizon — and somehow the sun managed to come out. Time and hope are all we have at the moment."

But when asked about the possibility of AEROSMITH doing more Las Vegas residencies, Hamilton said that although he loved the band's time in Sin City, "I have doubts that there are any more in the future." He also seemingly poured cold water on the idea that AEROSMITH could record a new album, saying "so far there hasn't been any talk" about going back into the studio, 12 years after AEROSMITH released its last LP, "Music From Another Dimension!"

Despite the fact that AEROSMITH will never tour again, Hamilton said that he holds out hope he and his bandmates can keep AEROSMITH alive.

"Steven has a way of powering through challenges like this one," Tom said. "He's done it before. You never know. We won't be touring, but there are a lot of other ways to be and do AEROSMITH."

Earlier in August, Hamilton told Charlie Kendall's Metalshop about AEROSMITH's decision to retire from touring: "First let me start by clearing up some information on Steven's injury. We were playing the third show of our 'Peace Out' tour [in] September [2023]. During the third song of the set Steven had a fall that resulted in a fracture to his larynx. Somehow he finished the show. Don't ask me how. It's a testament to his strength and desire to give the people what they came for. It wasn't a case of him blowing his throat out by doing something wrong. He has been healing well and working his ass off to get ready to go back out on the road but it just wasn't possible. We don't know what the future holds but it won't include touring."

Asked how much of the decision to retire from touring was made by the management as opposed to the bandmembers themselves, Tom said: "The decision was made by the team which includes the band and our dedicated management."

Hamilton went on to say that AEROSMITH's "magnificent crew and everyone who works for the band were informed" of the band's decision "within a day or two."

Tom also shot down the possibility of AEROSMITH carrying on with another singer, as there had been talk about doing a decade and a half ago when AEROSMITH fell out with Tyler after a canceled tour and Steven's stated intention to work for two years on a solo project. Tyler subsequently entered rehab for an addiction to painkillers.

"There's been no talk at all about going on the road with another singer," Hamilton stated. "I can't imagine it."

In AEROSMITH's original retirement announcement, the band wrote: "As you know, Steven's voice is an instrument like no other. He has spent months tirelessly working on getting his voice to where it was before his injury. We've seen him struggling despite having the best medical team by his side. Sadly, it is clear, that a full recovery from his vocal injury is not possible.

"We have made a heartbreaking and difficult, but necessary, decision - as a band of brothers - to retire from the touring stage," the statement continued. "We are grateful beyond words for everyone who was pumped to get on the road with us one last time."

The band also thanked its fans for their constant support.

"Thanks to you, our Blue Army, that spark caught flame and has been burning for over five decades," the statement read. "Some of you have been with us since the beginning and all of you are the reason we made rock 'n' roll history."

"It has been the honor of our lives to have our music become part of yours. In every club, on every massive tour and at moments grand and private you have given us a place in the soundtrack of your lives," the statement continued.

The "Peace Out" tour came to a halt after what turned out to be a final gig in Elmont, New York on September 9, 2023. That show came just three dates into the trek, which was supposed to last through February 2024. Tyler said in a statement at the time that the injury caused bleeding but that he hoped he and his AEROSMITH bandmates would be back on the road after postponing a few shows.

The rescheduled "Peace Out" tour was due to begin September 20, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with special guests THE BLACK CROWES.

Tyler released a solo LP in 2016.

As previously reported, Hamilton's new band CLOSE ENEMIES has signed with TLG|ROCK for management and label services. CLOSE ENEMIES debut single, "Sound Of A Train", was released on January 17 and is being distributed through Virgin Music Group.

Joining the 72-year-old Hamilton in the new group his bass tech Trace Foster, who plays guitar in CLOSE ENEMIES alongside Peter Stroud, who has been playing with Sheryl Crow for 25 years. CLOSE ENEMIES' drummer is Tony Brock, who had a band called THE BABYS and then played with Rod Stewart for 12 years. Fronting CLOSE ENEMIES is Chasen Hampton, a performer from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with a strong background in the country music scene. CLOSE ENEMIES is also working with "a great lyricist" named Gary Stier.

In an interview with Metal Magnitude at last month's Metal Hall Of Fame in Anaheim, California, ARCH ENEMY singer Alissa White-Gluz, who is vegan and straight edge, was asked if it's difficult for her to maintain her lifestyle while she is on tour. She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've been touring for about 20 years and I've been vegan for 25 years and vegetarian before that, so I've definitely seen it become way easier. I've done it all across the world, with language barriers and cultural barriers and lack of time or money or transportation, and I'm still able to do it. So I have to say it is totally possible.

"Moby, obviously, is a well-spoken animal rights activist as well, and he's a friend of mine, and so he did this documentary ['Punk Rock Vegan Movie'] sort of diving into the connection between the punk mentality and, by extension, the metal mentality and veganism. And I think it's a really cool aspect and an interesting facet of the movement."

Apart from her musical acclaim, Alissa is a passionate advocate for animal rights. She has been vegetarian since birth, and vegan since the 1990s, and her dedication to animal rights is evident in her collaborations with various animal welfare organizations and her outspoken stance on issues related to animal exploitation, aligning her musical career with a fervent commitment to creating awareness and promoting compassion for all living beings.

Alissa's distinctive blend of artistry and activism has garnered widespread acclaim, earning her recognition as a trailblazer in the realm. As an influential figure in both the metal community and the animal rights movement, White-Gluz remains steadfast in her commitment to creating a more compassionate and just world for all beings.

During the 2023 edition of the Tuska festival in Helsinki, Finland, Alissa was asked by Kiki of the "Bleeding Metal" podcast if her activism is part of her identity. Alissa responded: "Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I am an activist before I'm a musician even. That's really what drives me forward every single day, is hoping that in some way my existence on this planet can make it a little bit better for everybody else who is currently existing on the planet and who will exist in the future. And that's first and foremost animal rights."

Asked if she would describe that as her purpose in life then even, Alissa said: "I don't know if people have, like, a purpose in life. I think it's nice to think that we do. I don't really know if we actually do. I think someone's purpose in life can just be whatever they attach themselves to — you know, whatever drives them forward. It doesn't have to be some big grandiose thing. But with that definition, then yes, I would say that it's my purpose. Yeah."

As for what her activism entails, Alissa said: "For me, I mean, I don't look at it as a job or something that I can really detail out because if I did, I would do that and not this. So it's really just… Deep down inside, I love animals. I think it's amazing that we share this planet with so many different, uncountable species in the sky, in the water, on land, these amazing creatures. They look different than us. They have different abilities than us. I mean, a fish can just live underwater; we would drown. You know what I mean? Like, just even simple things like this. A bird just flies. They just jump off a building and then fly. I still have this childlike awe over animals that can do this. And I think it's so sad that we have built an industry that doesn't care about that and actually only cares about profiting off of exploiting animals. And so as much as possible, I like to just show people that you don't have to take part in those industries. You can actually still have all the things that you wanna have in life — everything that you like; your food, your makeup, your whatever — you can still have all those things without involving animals at all. And now, actually, I've been more and more involved in the tech space when it comes to this. So there's some really cool innovations happening in the tech space when it comes to the future of food and also just reducing animal testing."

In 2022, during a question-and-answer session at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany, White-Gluz was also asked if it's difficult for her to maintain her lifestyle while she is on tour. She responded: "It super easy, actually, because I still party; I just don't intoxicate myself when I do it. But if other people wanna do that, that's their choice — it's up to them. Smoking, I'd like them to stay away 'cause I don't wanna breathe that in. But otherwise, it's really, really easy, actually. It's not even something that I think about. And actually, we have… In our tour bus, in our band and crew, I'm not the only sober one and I'm not the only vegan either, so I'm surrounded by a lot of different kinds of people and we all get along beautifully."

Two years earlier, White-Gluz explained why being vegan is definitely metal, telling the Mercy For Animals Facebook page: "So, I've been vegan for over 20 years now. I was vegan before I ever started in music. I've never eaten meat in my life. I grew up in a completely vegetarian household, so going vegan was just like the logical next step. And when I started doing music, there was nothing that I wanted to talk about more than animal rights. And so I was now using this heavy, passionate form of music to sort of convey a message that I wanted to. When I'm screaming in my band, I feel like I'm screaming for the voiceless. And I can't imagine being that loud if I had nothing to say.

"Being female, being vegan and also being straight edge in the metal world is just a combination of targets on my forehead that make it really easy for me to get singled out or pushed around," she continued. "But those are just things that are so much a part of who I am that I couldn't change them even if I wanted to. And I wouldn't — I wouldn't change for anyone.

"In my opinion, metal is all about rebellion — it's about carving your own path, thinking against what everyone's trying to make you think," Alissa added. "And veganism is the ultimate form of rebellion, because you are literally taking things that people have told you are normal that deep down inside you don't think are normal that you've been conditioned to accept about your day-to-day tasks, like eating or what you wear or what you choose to buy. Everyone says that that's normal, that you need to exploit other living beings for those things, but you don't. And so taking a stand against that is what veganism is. And that is really metal."

GOJIRA was honored with a Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category in the pre-telecast ceremony at the 67th annual Grammy Awards, which is being held tonight (Sunday, February 2) at the Crypto.com Arena (formerly the Staples Center) in Los Angeles, California. GOJIRA was nominated for "Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça Ira!)" — a version of the French Revolution-era standard "Ah! Ça Ira!" — which the band performed at last year's Olympic Games opening ceremony.

Last July, GOJIRA performed a surprise rendition of "Ah! Ça Ira" alongside opera singer Marina Viotti as well as a number of beheaded figures representing the slain Queen Marie Antoinette. The performance took place outside the Conciergerie, a former prison and residence of French kings during the French Revolution where Antoinette was held before she was beheaded in 1793.

The nominees in the "Best Metal Performance" category were as follows:

* GOJIRA, MARINA VIOTTI, VICTOR LE MASNE - "Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça Ira!)"
* JUDAS PRIEST – "Crown Of Horns"
* METALLICA - "Screaming Suicide"
* KNOCKED LOOSE (feat. Poppy) - "Suffocate"
* SPIRITBOX - "Cellar Door"

The 67th annual Grammy Awards are being broadcast live on the CBS television network and streamed live and on demand on Paramount+.

Before the awards, final round voting took place from December 12, 2024 to January 3, 2025. The Recording Academy's voting members, composed of music creators, including artists, producers, songwriters, and engineers determine the Grammy winners across all categories revealed on Grammy night. This thorough process underscores the integrity of the Grammy Awards as music's only industry-recognized, peer-voted honor.

This year, the Recording Academy, the organization behind the Grammy Awards, introduced several key updates to the annual Grammy Awards process, including adjustments to eligibility criteria and category renaming, which will all go into effect immediately at the 2025 Grammys.

Fans can also look forward to the debut of the "Harry Belafonte Best Song For Social Change Award", which was recently renamed and recategorized in honor of the late entertainment industry icon and social justice champion Harry Belafonte.

All these changes are designed to enhance the integrity and inclusivity of the Grammy Awards and reflect the Recording Academy's commitment to supporting and progressing the evolving music industry.

The Academy's total membership is over 16,000 members, of which more than 13,000 are voting members.

The eligibility period for the 67th annual Grammy Awards is September 16, 2023 through August 30, 2024.

The Recording Academy reportedly received 20,000 entries across 94 categories.

The Grammys voting process begins with members and record companies submitting entries, which are then screened for eligibility and category placement.

In a new interview with V13 Media, PAPA ROACH guitarist Jerry Horton was asked what fans can expect from the band's upcoming twelfth studio album. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Man, I feel like I've said this before, but because we worked with different producers — it was like a group of three to four different guys — and we did a few songs each, so it's very diverse. There are some things that are really experimental, and it's kind of all over the place, but there's so many great moments and riffs and hooks and beats and all of it. That's really as far as I can go to describe it. You're gonna have to hear it."

Last month, PAPA ROACH frontman Jacoby Shaddix spoke to Audacy Check In about the band's latest single, "Even If It Kills Me", which was made available on January 22 via the group's own label New Noize Records/ADA. He said: "It's just got such a cinematic feel to it and it's just got the big riffs that we are known for. And it's got a hooky chorus. I really love the chorus. And it's just one of those songs that when I heard the demo, when the band wrote the music, I just instantly picked up the phone, I called [PAPA ROACH bassist] Tobin [Esperance]. I'm, like, 'Dude, I don't even have to think twice on this one. It's go time on this track.'"

Jacoby continued: "When we land on those moments when we're making music, when I just know there's an inner knowing, there's something magic in that. And it sets a tone for then what's to come and what we're gonna write after that. And we kicked it off with this one and it just was so inspired. It was the first song that we wrote after we had been touring on our last album, [2022's] 'Ego Trip', and it was the first one that we went back into the studio and we were, like, 'All right, let's start writing music again.' And it seems like when we've kind of been out there working and playing songs live and been out on tour and hadn't been writing new music in a while, it's like when the levee breaks, and it's just this flood. And that's what happened when we wrote that song, and we're so proud of it. And I've gotta tell you, just wait till you see the music video for this one, 'cause it's leaps and bounds levels up of what we've done lately with our music videos. And I'm so excited about this one."

Asked if there is a new PAPA ROACH album on the way, Jacoby said: "So we've been in the studio throughout 2024 working on a bunch of music, and we have songs in a lot of different states. There's songs that are completely finished. We have other songs that are like verses and choruses, and we've gotta write maybe a bridge or get back there and kind of retweak 'em and work 'em. And so they're in all these different states. There's another couple of songs that are just acoustic guitar and vocal, and it's, like, 'All right, this one's gonna be a banger. We've just gotta go in there and, like, bandify the song.' And so we have a ton of material demoed out. And so throughout this year, we're just gonna keep jumping back into the studio and finishing up those pieces. Management's going, 'Let's try to hit it later this year.' And I'm, like, 'I wanna release music throughout the whole year.' And it's going to lead up to an album eventually. Whether it's the end of 2025 or early 2026, there will be a new PAPA ROACH album."

He continued: "The music we're making right now is very inspired and it's got us all pumped up. When you go back in the studio, you just don't know what's gonna come. And after we wrote 'Even If It Kills Me', I'm just, like, 'Oh. It's on. Let's go.'"

Shaddix also talked about PAPA ROACH's musical evolution, saying: "We have definitely come a long way since 1993. And over the last six months, I've kind of been diving back into the old early, early, early releases of PAPA ROACH 'cause I just was doing some purging of things from my home and just clearing stuff out. And I found all these old demo CDs of early iterations of 'Last Resort' and stuff well before that. And just kind of seeing where we started as a band and where we're at right now is definitely… We've grown so much, and to be as inspired as we are these days, it's exciting. Being this deep into our career and still making music that feels current — it feels like we're pushing the bar, honestly, and raising the bar, and to be doing that, I'm grateful for it. And it's a testament to our passion to this craft of what we do. And also, I think for us, our willingness to shake things up and try working with different producers and seeing how they reflect the mirror back at us and we break this thing down and we build it back up. And yeah, man, I'm fricking stoked where we're at right now, especially we're on the precipice of one of our biggest tours throughout Europe, and I'm just, like, 'We turned up over here.' It's gonna be good."

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

PAPA ROACH has also charted Top 15 for the first time at U.S. Hot AC with "Leave A Light On (Talk Away The Dark)". Earlier this month, the track and campaign were recognized in the 2025 Clio Music Awards, where it received a Bronze award in the category of Social Good.

In a recent interview with Germany's Rock Antenne, Shaddix stated about PAPA ROACH's new material: "We're really proud of the stuff that we've done. And I think the fans will be surprised. As we evolve the music and push things forward, you never know what's gonna happen in the studio. And I've gotta tell you, what happened in the studio this time around has been just exciting.

"We've had a really good run with our [last] album, 'Ego Trip', and a lot of successes, especially here in America as well, as well as Germany, we've had some great successes on that record, and it's just been one of those records that our fanbase has been really excited about. And so we're taking that momentum and going back into the studio and creating again, it's been a really good feeling."

In November 2024, Horton was asked by The Mistress Carrie Podcast if the experience of making PAPA ROACH's upcoming album was different to the way he and his bandmates went about making "Ego Trip". He responded: "I would say that maybe the experience — well, definitely the experience was different, 'cause we kind of bounced around different producers, different studios, but I think the energy is the same. We're still fired up about it. And the first song coming is — it's a banger. It's heavy, catchy — it sticks in your head, for sure. And the record is diverse, just like the last one. It's experimental and it's emotional, it's dynamic. I think even though the experience was different, it has more in common with the last record than not."

In October, Shaddix told "The Jasta Show" about his band's plans for new music: "We've been getting in the studio for the last five months. I'd say probably about 10 days a month we're together. We'll go, write, create, step away, trip out on what we created and finetune it the next time. And now we've got seven or eight songs. And the first kind of go-around for us, we went in… 'Cause our current single, it's an acoustic song; it's very heartfelt. And we're, like, 'All right, let's flip the script. We need to go write the heaviest P-ROACH we possibly could ever write. Let's just go see what that sounds like. Let's go experiment in the studio.' And so we've done that a few times over, and some of the stuff that we're… We've drop tuned some of the stuff. We're messing with some of the tunings, which then adds even a heavier element to it. And you know I love heavy music. It's something that is in my blood as well. I'm a fan of many styles. And it just feels natural to wanna lean into that heavy sound for us right now. And I'm excited. I feel inspired about creating."

PAPA ROACH are two-time Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling leaders in alternative hard rock music, who in 2025 are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their iconic album "Infest". PAPA ROACH are not unfamiliar with calling attention to mental health and have been doing so since the seminal release of their first hit single "Last Resort". Since then, the band has gone on to create 10 studio albums, their most recent, "Ego Trip", on their own label New Noize Records.

Photo credit: Bryson Roatch

Prepare to descend into the abyss! At Bloodstock Open Air 2023, Triptykon unleashed a powerful and sinister performance of “Into Crypts Of Rays”, a track that pays homage to their Celtic Frost roots. Renowned for their signature fusion of doom, gothic, and black metal, the band crafted an otherworldly atmosphere that captivated metalheads and transported them into the darker, mythic realms of their sound.

Taking the Ronnie James Dio Stage on Saturday, August 12th, 2023, Triptykon performed as special guests in support of the evening’s headliners, the progressive metal giants Meshuggah. The band’s slow, crushing riffs, ominous melodies, and frontman Tom G. Warrior’s iconic growls created a stark contrast to the electrifying chaos of other festival acts. The audience was pulled into an oppressive soundscape, where the primal roots of extreme metal were both celebrated and reimagined.



After an extended period of frantic inactivity on the recording front, Swiss/German avant-garde extreme metal group Triptykon convened in the summer of 2024 to focus on the completion and recording of material for the band’s long-awaited fourth album.

The album is scheduled to be released by long-time music industry partners Century Media Records/Sony Music Entertainment in 2025. For this purpose, Triptykon (via the group’s own label Prowling Death Records) signed a new, vastly enhanced licensing agreement with CMR/SME on 1 June 2024. It is likely that an EP or onstage glimpses of Triptykon’s new music will precede the album. The album will again be produced by V. Santura and Tom Gabriel Warrior.

In light of the fact that Triptykon was established as the direct successor to Celtic Frost, there also exists an emblematic undertone to these sessions, as they are taking place exactly 40 years after Celtic Frost commenced work on that band’s debut album, Morbid Tales.

Laura Guldemond, vocalist for Swiss heavy metal force Burning Witches, has shared a cover of the Iron Maiden classic, “The Trooper”, featuring bandmate Courtney Cox.

For more videos and exclusive material go to Guldemond’s official Patreon page.



Burning Witches bring back the vibe of ’80s heavy metal and update their powerful force with renewed sonic clarity on their new maxi-single, The Spell Of The Skull, out via Napalm Records. With screaming guitars, the Swiss band is back for a heavy metal blast session in the snow.

With The Spell Of The Skull, they curse audiences with two new songs from their latest conjuring of witchcraft. Witchqueen Romana Kalkuhl hypnotizes your mind with her melodic riffs, while diabolic priestess Laura Guldemond conquers your soul with crowd pleasing shouts.

The stunning single “Mirror, Mirror” has been released alongside an official lyric video. The track opens with a virtuous intro that shows the band’s true witchcraft, especially when it comes to creating catchy and hypnotizing guitar riffs. Laura Guldemond, on the other hand, impresses with her incredible vocal range and distinctive style of singing. This new onslaught satisfies all supporters of the fast and unholy forces.

Only a few years after their foundation, these five witches had already performed at fully attended shows at the biggest and most important festivals of the entire metal universe, like Wacken, Summer Breeze and Rock Harz Open Air in Germany. After five attention-grabbing albums, Burning Witches prepare for another attack in 2025.

Watch the lyric video for “Mirror, Mirror” below.

At last month's NAMM's "Ultimate Jam Night", Lloyd Grant, the guitarist who played on the original recording of the METALLICA song "Hit The Lights" in early 1982, reflected on how he hooked up with the legendary heavy metal act more than four decades ago. He told Reality Check TV (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " Well, I don't think METALLICA wants to say I am an original member because the band weren't really formed then. It was, like, I was looking for people to play with and we had a magazine, or a weekly [publication] that comes out on every Thursday, and Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] put an ad in and I answered the ad. And we started jamming and so forth."

Back in 2015, Grant told the "Rockzone Legends" show about how he first got involved with METALLICA: "There's a lot of different versions of what happened. My version is, me and Lars were jamming down there in Orange County, California, and we jammed with a few people, and we were looking for other people to jam with. And we met through… they had a weekly newspaper down here called the Recycler, and we met through that. And that's how it started."

He continued: "We were playing for a long time, and he came down to my place, my apartment, once, and he kept asking me to come by and jam with the band, but I was really busy doing other stuff. And I went down and played with them… me and him and James [Hetfield, METALLICA guitarist/vocalist]; just the three of us. James was playing bass and I was playing guitar and Lars was playing drums. And we rehearsed that 'Hit The Lights' song. But way before that, Lars let me hear that song. We were hanging out watching soccer, and he says, 'Hey, I met this guy,' blah blah blah, 'and he's exactly what we wanna jam with.' And he played this one song, and it was great, and that's how I first was introduced to 'Hit The Lights'. And after that, I went over and jammed a few times. Then he called me and said they were gonna be on this compilation album ['Metal Massacre'] and he brought over a tape of 'Hit The Lights' recorded on a four-track and asked me to make some solos for that, and they were gonna bring the four-track down and they were just gonna put it out an dump it on the compilation album."

Grant also talked about what it was like joining METALLICA on stage at the Fillmore in San Francisco as part of the week-long celebration of the band's 30th anniversary in December 2011.

"Yeah, it was one of the greatest experiences of my lifetime, man," he said. "I went up there, and all these rock stars are showing up — Ozzy [Osbourne], Geezer Butler… Everyone was totally well known and rock stars on the same stage that I was gonna play on that night, so that was a pretty wonderful experience. And those guys worked really hard on that stuff. I mean, they'd get there in the morning and they'd play all the songs they were gonna play in the set and they'd go over them several times. They'd start rehearsing in the morning, and they'd stop just before the show start[ed], so they worked really hard. So more power to them. They worked pretty hard. And not only that And not only that — they were really hospitable, and it was a great experience, to be honest. A really good experience."

In his "Metallica Unbound" book, noted hard rock journalist K.J. Doughton wrote about Grant's brief time with METALLICA, "Lars and James decided, with only hours to go before the 'Hit The Lights' demo was due for submission [to be included on Metal Blade Records' 'Metal Massacre' compilation], that a second lead by a second guitarist would be essential! Lars knew a Jamaican guitarist named Lloyd Grant who was available. So, on the way to Hollywood's Bijou Studio where Brian Slagel [Metal Blade Records head honcho] was already finished mixing the other 'Metal Massacre' tracks, the band screeched into Grant's driveway, lugged the four-track into his front room, and watched him churn a second lead break. The 'Hit the Lights' recipe was now complete."

"I remember we had this four-track recorder," explained Hetfield, recalling the last-minute struggle. "It had tracks for drums, bass, guitar and vocals. Because there were no vocals in certain parts of the song, we could punch a lead in on the vocal track. I remember we wanted to get another solo on, so we stopped by Lloyd's house and hooked up some little fuckin' amp and just ripped through a solo. It was the first take. We went into the studio and that solo ended up on the record. It's a fuckin' great solo, man!"

Although many stories claim Grant was actually a member of METALLICA, James maintains that this single, slapdash encounter was the only time he was involved with the band. Other associates remember that Grant was a talented Delta blues player who had a knack for tasty leads. "He could play leads like a motherfucker," said James, "but his rhythm stuff was not very tight."

The second and third pressings of "Hit The Lights" for "Metal Massacre" included Dave Mustaine and not Grant.

Germany’s greatest export, Scorpions, have released a live performance of the Crazy World classic “Send Me An Angel” from France’s Hellfest 2022.



More footage from the band’s Hellfest 2022 appearance can be viewed below:











Scorpions recently announced “60th Anniversary – Coming Home” a unique concert experience in their hometown, Hannover, Germany, on July 5, 2025. The show will include special guests, including Judas Priest.

Niklas Kvarforth’s pioneering black metal institution Shining has announced two brand-new albums, Live In Transylvania and Beating Belgium Black And Blue. These official bootleg recordings will be out on March 17. Preorders are available at Shining Legions.



Live In Transylvania captures a ritual held in 2009 and boasts a perfectly curated tracklist:
“Intro I”
“Eradication Of The Condition”
“Yttligare Ett Steg Närmare Total Jävla Utfrysning,”
“Submit To Self-Destruction”
“Vilseledda Barnasjälars Hemvist”
“Intro II”
“Besvikelsens Dystra Monotoni”
“Neka Morgondagen”



Beating Belgium Black And Blue presents listeners with Shining’s phenomenal 2016 performance at Graspop Metal Meeting, where the powerhouse played the following classics:
“Vilja & Dröm”
“Framtidsutsikter”
“Människa O’Avskyvärda Människa”
“Submit To Self-Destruction”
“Låt Oss Ta Allt Från Varandra”
“For The God Below”

Music enthusiasts should also be aware that Shining, in conjunction with Kvarforth’s label The Sinister Initiative, recently released another pair of masterpieces: The Helsinki Tapes, consisting of the previously unheard Redefining Darkness demos, and Feberdrömmar (Del Ett), the expanded reissue of the celebrated 8 1/2. Feberdrömmar (Del Två), which showcases five new tracks by five surprising guest vocalists, will drop later this year, also on TSI.

Kvarforth has not only been serving up audial atrocities, but both the perfected 2024 and 2025 versions of his literary weapon, When Prozac No Longer Helps, have been printed and are currently in stock at Shining Legions. All copies of these limited offerings are signed and numbered in Kvarforth’s blood.