Iconic streetmetal pioneers, Spread Eagle, are turning up the volume to celebrate the 35th anniversary of their electrifying debut album. In true rock ‘n’ roll style, the band has planned a series of can’t-miss events for fans worldwide, including an anniversary tour, the highly anticipated release of their original 1989 demos, and exclusive commemorative merchandise.


Relive the raw energy of The 1989 Demos:


Fans can now get their hands on The 1989 Demos, a limited-edition CD showcasing six tracks from the band’s earliest days that secured them their major label recording deal. The collection features raw, unfiltered versions of five songs that later rocked the world on their debut album, along with an unreleased gem “Gun Shy”— a must-hear for any Spread Eagle devotee. Produced by Charlie Gambetta, these demos capture the essence of the band’s New York City roots and their unrelenting streetmetal spirit.




Pre-order the CD here.





The 1989 Demos tracklsiting:


“Scratch Like A Cat”
“Switchblade Serenade”
“Hot Sex”
“Thru These Eyes”
“Gun Shy”
“Spread Eagle”


Merchandise for the true fans:


Celebrate the legacy in style with Spread Eagle’s exclusive debut album t-shirt. Featuring the iconic album artwork on the front and the tracklist on the back, this collector’s item is available now at the band’s official webstore here.


Hit the road for the anniversary tour:


Spread Eagle is bringing their high-octane live energy to fans in the US with their 35th Anniversary Tour, kicking off January 30 in Tucson, AZ. With stops in the US and more dates to be announced globally, this tour promises to be a celebration of their debut album plus other fan favorites. Catch them 100% live and experience the unrelenting energy that only Spread Eagle delivers. Don’t miss this chance to see a band at the height of their powers, still carrying the flag for authentic, unfiltered rock ‘n’ roll.





2025 tour dates:


January
30 - Tucson, AZ - The Rock
31 - Phoenix, AZ - Rhythm Room


February
1 - Hollywood, CA - Whisky a Go-Go
21 - Denison, TX - Red

Finnish melodic death metal band, Defiled Serenity, is set to release their long-awaited debut album, Within The Slumber Of The Mind, on February 21st via Inverse Records. The third single is a cover of Rihanna's 'Unfaithful' featuring Karisma on vocals. 


Vocalist Paavo Laapotti comments: "I've always loved making cover songs, and especially when you do a metal cover of a pop song. I heard this song when I was younger and the melody got stuck in my head. This song is very suitable as a melodeath cover and I got the vision for it pretty quickly. We also got a very talented singer Sonja Lindberg to do a feature for this track. I met her while filming The Voice Of Finland program. She did an excellent job and I really like her unique sound a lot."







Defiled Serenity is a melodic death metal band from Loimaa, Finland. It was founded by t

In a new interview with Greg Prato of Ultimate Guitar, ex-MEGADETH guitarist Chris Poland was asked to name his favorite MEGADETH guitarists apart from himself. He responded: "I like Marty [Friedman], what he brought to MEGADETH. But I think Kiko [Loureiro] was my favorite of everyone. I just liked the way he played probably better than anybody. But Marty would be a close second."

In 2023, Friedman was also asked by Ultimate Guitar whether he had any favorites of the MEGADETH guitar players who either came before or after him. He replied: "After I left MEGADETH, I didn't really follow a few of the guys that they had after me. I'm sure they were fantastic because that's just the kind of band it is. But if I think of other MEGADETH guitarists, I think of how Chris Poland was in the band before I was in it."

Marty continued: "I hated copying [Chris's] stuff, I couldn't do it. It was just too alien. Like any, you know, super musician, they've got their own stamp on it and there's no way for one person to step into that other person's shoes. It's impossible. I love his playing. I hated trying to copy that. Just a super, super guitar player, and a great guy, too. We toured together once."

Friedman also praised Loureiro, MEGADETH's guitar player from 2015 until 2023, calling him "just a super, phenomenal talent. I remember, shortly after he joined the band, he sent me a video of him playing, I think it was 'Tornado Of Souls'. He sent me a video from YouTube, and he was, like, 'Dude, check this out.' And I'm, like, 'Yeah, man, you're totally kicking ass on this.' I was very excited.

"If someone's gonna, like, carry the torch, I was very relieved that it was someone as great as Kiko," Marty added. "And he's just a super-, super-talented guy.

"There's never been any slouches in the MEGADETH guitar department, but those are the two that really stand out to me."

Asked in a 2022 interview with VWMusic how he has gone about interpreting the solos recorded by Poland, Friedman and Chris Broderick in a live setting, Kiko said: "It's funny; I was never a guy who learned solos note-by-note; I never had the patience to learn note by note. And I still do it like this with those solos; I learn the main things, like the solo sound — very similar, I don't improvise and don't change the solo — but some stuff, I do the way I feel like. If the player does the arpeggios a specific way, but if I feel more comfortable doing it another way, I do it the way I feel like. That works, live, too, because live, you're running, you're moving; you're doing your own stuff. So, it has to feel comfortable as well. But again, you have to practice — I have my way of practicing guitar — so solos like 'Trust' and 'Tornado Of Souls', they're very recognizable, so I have to be very accurate on those solos. Some of those solos, less; it really depends.

"The Chris Poland solos are pretty hard, to be honest," he admitted. "The way he plays and his techniques I was not familiar with, so it was a bit harder to understand and play. Marty Friedman is more from the generation that I was studying. I'm a bit younger than him, so I was listening to Marty Friedman, Jason Becker, Paul Gilbert and Steve Vai, those guitar players from that generation. So, I was a bit more familiar with his phrasing. But he's unique, Marty Friedman. And I had to be smart enough that I had to play the solo the way it is, but also, I don't wanna copy because it's impossible. The way I think about music, I think everybody has their own individuality and personality, so I don't wanna be somebody else. I can play the notes, but I play the notes, and the way the notes come out, it's gonna be my way.

"And then, regarding the solos, of course, the fans can say whatever they wanna say — some people love it — I don't get a lot of haters, so I'm fine with that. But the band or Dave [Mustaine, MEGADETH leader], nobody ever said anything about the solos. Dave is really picky regarding the rhythms, to the details that you cannot imagine, because, for him, that's what makes the sound of a band. And it's very important because I have to play with him; we have two guitars together. The solos, he's more open to, but of course, I'm not creating new solos, you know?"

Poland was a member of MEGADETH from 1984 to 1987, during which time he performed on the band's classic albums "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!" and "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?" He is also a featured soloist on the group's 2004 album, "The System Has Failed".

For the past couple of decades, Poland's main musical focus has been the fusion band OHM:, which has released several full-length studio albums to date.

Italian masters of modern melodic metal, Temperance, have spellbound their symphonic magic into a thrilling live album, From Hermitage To Europe, out March 14 via Napalm Records. Captured during the band’s latest extended tour supporting their album Hermitage - Daruma's Eyes Pt. 2 (2023), the new live recording brings the magical village of Hermitage and fan favorites to life.


Now featured for the first time in live recording form, this story was first explored on the aforementioned full-length studio album, which has since also been released in its orchestral version, featuring many renowned guests such as Fabienne Erni (Eluveitie) and Laura Fella (Faun).


Known for their vocal harmonies, the first single, "Daruma", is a gift to symphonic lovers, where melodic guitar passages collide with a galloping drum beat. Temperance's Michele Guaitoli takes us into their magical world, while his vocal comrade-in-arms Kristin Starkey heats up the tension with her dark timbre. This live recording serves as the perfect prelude to their highly anticipated 2025 European tour, with melodic death metal giants Ignea and symphonic powerhouse Induction.




Marco Pastorino on “Daruma”: “It's been years since our only live release, and the time has come to publish material with our current lineup. For the first time, you’ll be able to listen to some of our most renowned tracks in their live versions - such as 'Of Jupiter And Moons', 'Diamanti', and 'The Last Hope In A World Of Hopes', while also including some of the most beloved songs from our latest album, Hermitage, after spending a year on the road supporting it. For this reason, we have chosen to release ‘Daruma’ as the first single, marking the first track released with our Kristin Starkey. We will celebrate the release of From Hermitage To Europe alongside our European headlining tour!”


Watch the live music video for “Daruma” below.


Rousing guitar riffs, epic orchestrations and powerful vocal duets are a welcome gift for symphonic metal lovers, now captured for the afterworld. While "The Last Hope In A World Of Hopes” combines gripping melodies and choral vocals, their stunning live performance can also be witnessed in “Darkness Is Just A Drawing” - fans will experience one of the band's most magical compositions, shining with masterful vocal harmonies. The palpable energy on fan-favorites like “Diamanti” and “Of Jupiter And Moons“ showcase the band’s extraordinary musical atmosphere.


Michele Guaitoli about the album: “The last years have been a rollercoaster of emotions. Temperance have grown on every level and have been traveling the world, having the honor of performing in Europe, the UK, the US and South America.


"Those who follow us are well aware that from Of Jupiter and Moons to Hermitage, we’ve faced a relevant lineup change. We felt it was fundamental to let our listeners understand who Temperance is nowadays, as the arrival of Kristin during the EU tour as special guests for Tarja had a strong impact on the sound of the band, thanks to her unique (and outstanding) voice.


"From Hermitage To Europe gives justice to what you are going to witness live in March during our headline run, and most importantly, sets in stone the essence of this new cycle of Temperance, which we want to be a cycle of rebirth.”


From Hermitage To Europe will be available in the following formats:


- 1CD Digisleeve - (Napalm Records Mailorder)
- Digital Album


Pre-order here.





From Hermitage To Europe tracklisting:


Intro (live)
"Daruma" (live)
"The Last Hope In A World Of Hopes" (live)
"No Return" (live)
"A Hero Reborn" (live)
"Welcome To Hermitage" (live)
"Glorious" (live)
"Start Another Round" (live)
"Darkness Is Just A Drawing" (live)
"Into The Void" (live)
"Diamanti" (live)
"Of Jupiter And Moons" (live)
"Pure Life Unfolds" (live)


"Daruma" video:

DISTURBED has announced the 25th-anniversary edition release of "The Sickness", the band's seminal debut album which launched DISTURBED into public consciousness and is one of the most important and influential heavy metal albums of all time. 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.

Today the band also shared a new mix of their song "Glass Shatters", available for the first time ever on DSPs, and includes a Stone Cold Steve Austin intro.

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."

DISTURBED recently announced the 34-date "The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour" which will kick off in Nampa, Idaho on February 25 (and is produced by Live Nation. Each night will feature two sets of music, opening with DISTURBED playing the five times platinum "The Sickness" in full, followed by a full set of greatest hits. The first half of the tour will feature support from special guests THREE DAYS GRACE, featuring the return of original singer Adam Gontier, and opener SEVENDUST, and the second half will feature special guests DAUGHTRY with opener NOTHING MORE.

"The Sickness" 25th-Anniversary Edition Deluxe Box Set

Original Album – LP & CD

01. Voices
02. The Game
03. Stupify
04. Down With The Sickness
05. Violence Fetish
06. Fear

01. Numb
02. Want
03. Conflict
04. Shout 2000
05. Droppin Plates
06. Meaning Of Life

CD 2 (Demos and Rarities)

01. The Game (demo) (unreleased)
02. Stupify (demo) (unreleased)
03. Down With The Sickness (demo) (unreleased)
04. Want (demo) (unreleased)
05. Shout (demo) (unreleased)
06. Droppin' Plates (demo) (unreleased)
07. Meaning Of Life (demo) (unreleased)
08. God Of The Mind (released on 10th-anniversary CD/2LP version (The Lost Children)
09. A Welcome Burden (released on 10th-anniversary CD/2LP version) ("The Lost Children")
10. Stupify (the forbidden "Fu" mix)
11. Glass Shatters (new mix) a.k.a. "Stone Cold Theme". New Mix with Steve Austin intro (unreleased version)

CD 3 (Live- Recorded live at The Palladium, Los Angeles- April 18 2001)

01. Want (live)
02. Fear (live)
03. Droppin' Plates (live)
04. Fetish (live)
05. Stupify (live)
06. Numb (live)
07. God Of The Mind (live)
08. Shout 2000 (live)
09. Voices (live)
10. Meaning Of Life (live)
11. Conflict (live)
12. The Game (live)
13. Walk (live)
14. Down With The Sickness (live)
15. Voices (live) (recorded live at the Metro, Chicago on March 10, 2000)
16. Stupify (live) (recorded live at the London Astoria on February 25, 2001)

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.

Swedish rock quartet THUNDERMOTHER has released a new single, "Can't Put Out The Fire". The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Dirty & Divine", which will arrive on February 7, 2025 via AFM Records.

THUNDERMOTHER singer Linnea Vikström Egg comments: "'Can't Put Out The Fire' is THUNDERMOTHER's love letter to rock 'n' roll and more specifically — KISS! It's a trip down nostalgia lane to the time where our childhood rock 'n' roll dreams were made. You wanted the best, and you got it — THUNDERMOTHER!"

A blistering onslaught of loud, proud and gritty hard rock, "Dirty & Divine" marks the start of a new era for THUNDERMOTHER. This album showcases the THUNDERMOTHER recording debut for both Linnea Vikström Egg and drummer Joan Massing. "Dirty & Divine" also welcomes bassist Majsan Lindberg back into the fold.

THUNDERMOTHER have always been committed to the electrifying euphoria of real, organic rock 'n' roll. Over the course of 15 years and five widely acclaimed studio albums, they have firmly established themselves as one of the most vivacious and vital hard rock bands around, with a never-say-die spirit and collective charisma that underpin everything they do. These women are rock 'n' roll diehards, and "Dirty & Divine" takes that ethos up a notch. The sixth THUNDERMOTHER album crackles with gritty authenticity and unstoppable passion. For guitarist and founding member Filippa Nässil and Linnea, their newly forged partnership has been an unequivocal success.

"We've been working on this a long time, maybe a year and a half," says Filippa, who was pregnant during the "Dirty & Divine" recording process and is now a "thunder mother" for real. "As soon as Linnea came into the band, we started sending demos to each other, and we did loads of writing, which was great, because she's a fantastic songwriter. I was sending her the music and she was sending me these amazing lyrics and melodies. It's been fun to work with someone that good! On the last album we had outside songwriters because we didn't have that kind of synergy in the band. Now I send Linnea music, and then just kick back, because it is guaranteed she'll send lyrics and melodies that just crush the song."

"Dirty & Divine" illustrates perfectly all that is new and improved for THUNDERMOTHER. As the first two singles already made clear ("Speaking Of The Devil" and "I Left My License In The Future"),every one of the album's ten, sweat-soaked songs are dripping with potential to saturate and satisfy rock fans. Meanwhile, the decision to record the new material live in the studio has reaped its own rewards. "Dirty & Divine" is the sound of a kickass rock 'n' roll band doing it for real, and loving every raucous second.

"There is still that genuine THUNDERMOTHER feeling, with my guitar playing and all of that," says Filippa. "It's still got a '70s vibe, but the melodies are catchier and the vocals are obviously different. We're always evolving, never standing still. I think this is the best album we've made so far, and I'm very picky! [Laughs] We recorded it in Copenhagen, with Søren Andersen producing again, and we recorded eight songs in four days. So this was the quickest recording we've ever done, and the best outcome."

In support of "Dirty & Divine", THUNDERMOTHER will embark on an extensive European tour, kicking off in Hamburg, Germany in early February 2025.

"Dirty & Divine" track listing:

01. So Close
02. Can't Put Out The Fire
03. Speaking Of The Devil
04. Feeling Alright
05. Take The Power
06. I Left My License In The Future
07. Dead Or Alive
08. Can You Feel It
09. Bright Eyes
10. American Adrenaline

THUNDERMOTHER is:

Linnea Vikström Egg (vocals)
Filippa Nässil (guitar)
Majsan Lindberg (bass)
Joan Massing (drums)

The new THUNDERMOTHER lineup made its live debut on April 20, 2023 by playing a "secret" show at Pub Anchor in Stockholm, Sweden. The latest THUNDERMOTHER incarnation played its first "official" concert on April 22, 2023 at Ski & Rock in Sälen, Sweden. They then kicked off a series of European shows as the support act for the SCORPIONS.

In February 2023, it was announced that singer Guernica Mancini, drummer Emlee Johansson and bassist Mona Lindgren were exiting THUNDERMOTHER and were forming a new band together. At the same time, Nässilrevealed that she would continue with a new THUNDERMOTHER lineup.

In early 2023, Mancini, who joined THUNDERMOTHER in 2017, gave several interviews in which she described her time with the group as "six tough years" and "a very bumpy ride". She also said that Filippa decided to fire her from the band without consulting the other members of THUNDERMOTHER, a move which they perceived as "very disrespectful towards them, being that they believed that we were a democracy and that we had a say in these things," according to Guernica.

In March 2023, Mancini, Johansson and Lindgren announced that their new band would be called THE GEMS. They have since signed a worldwide deal with Napalm Records and have issued their debut album, "Phoenix".

Photo credit: Mats Vassfjord

Mexican-American death grinders BRUJERIA kicked off the "Europa Rigor Mortis Part I" 2025 European tour last night (Wednesday, January 15) at Trix in Antwerp, Belgium. The trek launched four months after the band's frontman, lyricist, leader and co-founder John Lepe, a.k.a. Juan Brujo, died at the age of 61 and six months after longtime BRUJERIA vocalist and samplist Ciriaco "Pinche Peach" Quezada passed away at the age of 57.

Billed as a "tribute to Juan Brujo and Pinche Peach", "Europa Rigor Mortis Part I" sees Henry "El Sangrón" Sanchez handling lead vocals for BRUJERIA and features CARCASS as headliner and support from ROTTEN SOUND.

Fan-filmed video of the Antwerp concert can be seen below.

In September, BRUJERIA announced that Juan Brujo died after suffering a heart attack during the "Mexorcista" tour in Saint Clairsville, Ohio.

BRUJERIA released its fifth full-length album, "Esto Es Brujeria", in September 2023 via Nuclear Blast Records.

In a 2015 interview with The Moshville Times, Brujo said that BRUJERIA was never meant to be a touring band. "We only ever meant to make some records. What it was, was back in L.A. in 1989, there was a metal scene which included grind and hardcore stuff. There was a band called TERRORIZER, and they wouldn't let them play in the normal clubs so they'd play in backyards in the Mexican parts of town. We would go — in the backyard of someone's house — and none of the fans there watching the show spoke English. All these Mexicans — there are a lot of Mexicans in L.A., so we just thought, 'We have to start a band that sings in Spanish. Give them what they want.'

"There were issues with some of the guys — 'I've got a contract with my other band,' 'I might be on the road' — but we were only ever going to make music; we were never going to tour it. Just make music in Spanish and see how it went. We did the first record in a day at the studio. We had nothing written; we had no drummer… we just showed up. Someone who'd never played drums in their lives was playing drums. We recorded four songs and when we left, we gave a copy to a Mexican kid and a white guy — one of those hardcore dudes, just someone who didn't speak Spanish. The next day we met the hardcore guy again and he had a patch on his arm. He'd got a BRUJERIA tattoo. He wanted to be the first guy with a BRUJERIA tattoo. The day after we recorded the songs. The Mexican guy — he didn't speak any English — we saw him a couple of days later and he'd memorized all the words. I mean, they're really [makes harsh vocal noises] but he'd listened to them about a thousand times and worked them all out. He was singing them to us there and that's when we thought, 'This thing is gonna work.'"

BRUJERIA's most recent lineup also included Jessica Pimentel, the American actress best known for her role as Maria Ruiz on the Netflix original series "Orange Is The New Black".

In the video below, DREAM THEATER guitarist John Petrucci talks about the recently released single "Night Terror", which is taken from the band's upcoming sixteenth studio album, "Parasomnia", due on February 7, 2025 via InsideOut Music. The LP marks the band's first release with drummer Mike Portnoy since 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings". John said: "' Night Terror' was actually the first song that we wrote when we got into the studio. So it's really reflective of what we were feeling. I think for fans, they kind of could pick up on the excitement, the energy. I think it also set the tone for the type of record it was gonna be. I mean, it's certainly heavy, has all the different elements of DREAM THEATER that we love to inject, the prog elements, riffy elements, things like that."

He continued: "It's been a blast to play live on the 40th anniversary tour. When we kick into that, it feels like a song that's been in our catalog forever. And it was also fun to write lyrics to that topic that really kind of expressed the really scary sensation that some people experience when they go through a night terror."

This past November, Petrucci told "Coffee With Ola" about "Night Terror": "There was some back and forth as to what single we should lead with, and 'Night Terror' is the first song that we wrote together. When we got together, that's what came out of us. And so, for us, yeah, maybe there are songs that are a little bit more immediate to the general fanbase, but for us, we felt it was important that the first thing that people heard is, 'Listen, this is what DREAM THEATER is. This is the first thing we wrote. This identifies all the stuff that everybody loves about the band and showcases Mike.' I always said that opening fill before the guitar riff that Mike does, that fill is like, 'I'm back.' [Laughs] 'In case you missed me.' And I think he did that in one take. It was, like, 'Yeah, that's it. That's the signature.'"

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

John chimed in: "It's tough to explain. For anybody out there who has been in bands with their friends, you almost have like an unspoken language, like somebody plays something, I know what he means when he plays it and I respond and vice versa. So it's, like, immediately the songs just developed and grew in such a natural and organic way. It was so cool."

On the topic of "Parasomnia", which DREAM THEATER previously said had a conceptual theme but not a concept album, John said: "Without giving too much of a way, because we always like to keep the mystery, but I think this has been said before, the album's called 'Parasomnia', and for those people that don't know what that is, it kind of encompasses a broad range of sleep disturbances, and that could range from snoring to some scarier things, like sleepwalking and night terrors, false awakenings and things like that that are actually really very frightening for the people that it happens to. So, much in the way that [2002's] 'Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence' had a lyrical theme to it where there were different case studies having to do with challenges of mental illness and stuff like that, 'Parasomnia' is sort of the sleep disturbance version of that, but in an entire record, as opposed to just a song."

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

The drummer co-founded DREAM THEATER in 1985 with Petrucci and bassist John Myung. Mike played on 10 DREAM THEATER albums over a 20-year period, from 1989's "When Dream And Day Unite" through 2009's "Black Clouds & Silver Linings", before exiting the group in 2010. Portnoy returned to DREAM THEATER in October 2023 after being replaced by Mike Mangini, who played with DREAM THEATER across five studio albums and accompanying world tours.

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

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

In a new interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, legendary rocker Sammy Hagar, who is preparing for a nine-show Las Vegas residency in the spring, said that he longer wants to spend any time on the road. "I don't think I want to go on tour anymore," he said. "I hate to say that, because I don't want to piss my fans off. I'll go out and do a one-off show and do things like that, but the residency is going to give me a good extension of my career. That's what I'm hoping for."

Referencing the upcoming residency, "Best Of All Worlds Tour - The Residency", which is scheduled for April 30-May 17 at Dolby Live, the 77-year-old former VAN HALEN and MONTROSE frontman said: "With this, I don't have to travel, I don't have to unpack and pack and get on an airplane every day. You know, at my age, it hurts my shoulders to do all this. And I have to perform. I'm a performer, at the end of the day."

"I keep telling my manager, 'Don't take any tours, let me do this residency,'" Hagar added. "If I like it enough, I'll do another one. And if that's successful I'll do another one, and I can squeeze a few more years out of my career."

Last November, Hagar admitted to People magazine that retirement had "crept into my head for 10 years."

"I get insecure in between shows, in between tours, and I think, 'Gee, do I still have it? Can I really still do all that?' And I get out there, and it's like it's riding a bike or having sex," he said.

"I'm going to retire when I can't do this, when I can't sing anymore… I'm not going to have people pay the kind of money that it costs to see these concerts these days and not deliver. So that's where my retirement is. It's in the hands of the higher being."

"The Best Of All Worlds Tour - The Residency" will reunite the rock powerhouse band of Sammy, Michael Anthony, Joe Satriani and Kenny Aronoff with a new "only in Las Vegas" setlist.

This residency will showcase Sammy's career-spanning hits, from seminal breakouts with MONTROSE, his iconic solo hits, and a deep dive into his tenure with VAN HALEN, CHICKENFOOT, and everything in between. Presented in partnership by Live Nation and MGM Resorts International, the residency will be custom-designed for Dolby Live, giving fans an intimate, high-energy concert experience in the 5,200-seat entertainment venue.

Tickets for the following nine dates are onsale now: April 30, 2025 and May 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, 14, 16, 17, 2025.

The Las Vegas residency follows on the heels of the chart-topping success of "The Best Of All Worlds" tour, which sold out amphitheaters and arenas across North America and Japan in 2024.

LAMB OF GOD drummer Art Cruz is celebrating the second anniversary of his getting sober.

Earlier today (Thursday, January 16),the 36-year-old musician took to his Instagram to write: "2 Years. #SOBER. I'm grateful I'm alive to share this milestone with you today. Not for me, but for anyone that is struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or life events that may lead you further down the dark bottom of a bottle. Today I pray for you, and for the ability to encourage and inspire your next step to recovery. Because it works.. if YOU work it."

A year ago, Cruz was asked by Drumeo what he would say was the "hardest part" about joining LAMB OF GOD — if it was "something technical, like learning the parts, or it was "dealing with fans who have opinions of the old band configuration." He said: "It's a combination of both. I was so confident with my playing, and not in an egotistical way. I was just very confident with where I was on my skill level. I had been touring for a long time in the trenches, man — from local bands to selling merchandise for bands to being a driver to just being the guy that 'let me help' kind of thing to playing in bands and sleeping on floors and doing all that good stuff. But it wasn't really that — it was wasn't the playing; I was confident enough with my playing. It was a challenge with the fans. It's a big deal. And that goes for anybody. You're [former METALLICA bassist] Jason Newsted, you're [ex-METALLICA bassist] Robert Trujillo; it's crazy how they went back to back to convince fans. And you don't think about that until it's a reality, and you're getting blown up on social media and you're experiencing it. And those are probably the most challenging parts. But with a band and a brotherhood that I have, they've walked me, literally — pun intended — walked me through hell and helped to see me on the other side, so I don't have to really pay attention to that stuff anymore. And I don't. I'm here to inspire. That is my only goal in this world, is to show you where I came from — my vulnerabilities, my weaknesses, and show you how I grow from that and do what I can to be in this position. And thankfully I'm in a better place than I used to be before. It was hard to get through that stuff, man. But thankfully, it's a lot easier to avoid it. Yeah, I just don't go on [social media]. It's fun."

In June 2023, Cruz was asked, as part of Jonathan Montenegro's "My 3 Questions To" series, to name his top three drummers of all time. He responded: "It's a tough one. Honestly, I always have to say my first inspiration — I just got finished, actually, watching a video of Woodstock — [Carlos] Santana. He's not a drummer. However, to me, the entire entity of Santana and his music is very percussion backed — it's very percussion. So, as a kid, that's what I first listened to, it's what I first saw, it's what I first was around my entire childhood. So that's what got me into drums. So I stuck with that. So Santana — I have to classify him as one of my favorite drummers. Weird, but it's the truth.

"After that, I would have to say most definitely Mike Portnoy [DREAM THEATER]," he continued. "A huge part of my career. Good friend now — thank God. He influenced me to really think outside the box and get creative and have that Portnoy factor in my playing. And I'm sure, if you are a drummer, you can hear that in my playing.

"And then my third… That's really hard, man — top three's hard. But I will probably have to say… David Garibaldi, the drummer from TOWER OF POWER. I'm a very funky dude," Cruz added.

"Notice how not all these guys are metal, or metal at all, but those are the guys that influenced me early.

"To give you some bonus fours and fives — Dave Lombardo [SLAYER] and Chris Adler [LAMB OF GOD]. And a bonus six — Joey Jordison [SLIPKNOT]."

In a 2022 interview with Finland's Chaoszine, LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton was asked if Cruz, who has been the band's drummer of the past seven years, was more involved in the songwriting process on LAMB OF GOD's latest album, "Omens", than he was on 2020's self-titled effort. He responded: "I think so. Yeah, I'd say so. Not that he wasn't involved in the first one — he was very involved in the first one — but I think his confidence was up. And I think psychologically, everyone, especially him, was ready to have a bigger impact sonically on the record and to have more personality in the drums rather than… I think on the last album, the self-titled album, he played phenomenally but he stuck very close to traditional LAMB OF GOD movements, and on this album he stretched out quite a bit."

Morton continued: "I think it's about finding a balance about staying true to the historic sound of the band and how the band has sounded; you don't wanna come in sounding radically different. But I think we're all ready, and have been ready, to allow him to grow within the context of LAMB OF GOD, and he's done that for sure."

Cruz filled in for original LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler on several of the band's tours before being named Adler's official replacement in July 2019.

Art spoke about his contributions to "Omens" — which arrived in October 2022 via Epic Records — during an appearance in June 2022 on "The Garza Podcast", hosted by SUICIDE SILENCE guitarist Chris Garza. "The first, self-titled one we did, it was great, man — we wrote some great songs," he said, referring to 2020's "Lamb Of God", which marked his recording debut with LAMB OF GOD. "But I was still learning their vibe. I was green to that level of… Those guys had been doing it for 28, 29 years — almost 30 years — and I'm the new guy, a young kid coming in. You have to go through the trenches in every which way. And that first album was a very secure, safe way for all of us to just, 'Here's the tunes. Let's figure it out. Learn how we work.' And this one that's coming out, 'Omens', they really let me spread my wings and they really let me play me — they let me be me.

"I'm always inspired by LAMB, and LAMB is a signature sound," he continued. "LAMB OF GOD, to me, is that sound as a unit. It's a unit — it's not one individual. It's Randy [Blythe, vocals], it's Mark [Morton, guitar], it's Willie [Adler, guitar], it's John [Campbell, bass], it's Chris. That's, to me, what LAMB OF GOD was. So I'm not far off from that. That's what inspired me to be listening to metal and shit. It's my favorite metal band of all time. So to take that inspiration and then become my own person, my own player, from WINDS OF PLAGUE to AZUSA to my first band ENTHRAL to PRONG, to finally come to this point, and this is the album. It's all of those bands, it's all of those struggles, all of those trenches, all of those challenges, all of those tours — this is the album that I was able to really… And then the last LAMB OF GOD album, that is what built me to be to this 'Omens' album, for real. And we're just getting started, man — we're so just getting started. And I'm ready. And I'm mentally in a better place to do that, and I'm ready to do it. And the band is, they're my brothers."

The band tracked "Omens" with longtime collaborator Josh Wilbur (KORN, MEGADETH) live in the room together at Henson Recording Studios (formerly A&M Studios) in Los Angeles, California, a location that birthed classics from THE DOORS, PINK FLOYD, RAMONES and SOUNDGARDEN, among others.

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SALIVA is embarking on a new chapter with the announcement of its new deluxe album "Revelation: Retold", available January 31 2025 via Judge & Jury Records. The band recently released "Time Bomb" off the upcoming record, a confrontational track rooted in the hardships of the world featuring post-grunge vocalist Peyton Parrish. Paired with a compelling performance heavy visual, "Time Bomb" can also be viewed on YouTube with a music video directed by Mason Wright.

On the upcoming record, SALIVA vocalist Bobby Amaru shares: "We received an incredible amount of support and positive feedback from critics and fans alike at radio with 'Revelation' in 2023, with the singles 'High On Me' and 'Crows' both breaking into the Top 20. That being said, while working on that album, we wrote a lot more music that resonated with its sound and theme but didn't make the final cut. 'Revelation: Retold' is exactly what the name implies — a reimagining of our 2023 release 'Revelation'. It features music from the original album alongside contributions from several guest artists and some brand-new songs."

"Revelation: Retold" track listing:

01. Time Bomb (feat. Peyton Parrish)
02. High On Me: Retold (feat. Lauren Babic)
03. Horizon (feat. Kevin Martin of CANDLEBOX)
04. Crowd Goes Wild
05. Devils World
06. Come Back Stronger
07. Die Before You Fly
08. Crows
09. How To Be Human
10. Fractures
11. Warzone
12. How To Live
13. I Belong
14. Friend In A Bottle
15. Toxic

The upcoming record will be available via Judge & Jury Records, a powerhouse record label and production company founded by multi-platinum producer Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, SEETHER, SKILLET, OF MICE & MEN) and Neil Sanderson of THREE DAYS GRACE. The instrumentation was meticulously crafted by Benson and Sanderson at West Valley Recording Studios, Benson's studio in Woodland Hills.

On the signing to Judge & Jury Records, Benson adds: "I have known SALIVA for a while and was a fan of Bobby's vocals before he was even in the band. When we heard they were looking for a new label, I thought the band was a great fit for Judge & Jury Records. We are stoked on the result!"

SALIVA's career launched in 2001 with the release of "Every Six Seconds", a certified double platinum-selling album, containing the hits, "Click Click Boom" and 2002 Grammy-nominated "Your Disease". SALIVA's in-your-face, anthemic writing style continued with a certified gold-selling album "Back In To Your System" that contained top singles "Always", "Raise Up" and the Nikki Sixx-co-written "Rest In Pieces". Despite original vocalist Josey Scott leaving the band in 2011, the addition of Amaru brought a contemporary feel to the band, all while staying true to the band's blue collar roots. Amaru has been the SALIVA frontman for the past decade plus and was featured on the most recent releases "Rise Up", "Love Lies And Therapy", "10 Lives", "Every Twenty Years" EP and "Revelation".

Shortly before the release of the most recent album, SALIVA guitarist Wayne Swinny passed away unexpectedly. The "Come Back Stronger" video was notably filmed just days before Swinny's death, and was dedicated to the fallen guitarist. The album went on to be highly acclaimed by critics and the singles "Crows" and "High On Me" charted Top 20 on Billboard's Active Rock chart. The band continues to honor "Uncle Wayne" at every show.

With nearly three million monthly listeners and Spotify and a catalog that boasts more than one billion streams, the popularity of the music, old and new, endures.

SALIVA is Bobby Amaru (vocals),Brad Stewart (bass),Josh Kulack (guitar),Sebastian LaBar (guitar) and Sammi Jo Bishop (drums).

Photo credit: Gabriel Goulding

EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet's long-running AVANTASIA project will release its tenth studio album, "Here Be Dragons", on February 28, 2025 via Napalm Records. The official lyric video for the LP's second single, "Against The Wind", featuring H.E.A.T. vocalist Kenny Leckremo, can be seen below.

Sammet comments: "'Against The Wind' is an anthemic uptempo rocket that contains lot a lot of what AVANTASIA stands for. What I especially like about the song is the combination of speed and power, along with an uplifting and elating harmonic and melodic approach. It comes over you with sheer force, but it drags you along to a better place, it gives you strength and encourages you to stay true to yourself in adverse wind and raise the middle finger to those who want to keep you from being yourself."

He continued: "Musically and vocally, it's quite a demanding tune, as you need the full toolkit of a power metal singer, but it's got some loose kind of JOURNEY feeling also in certain places that require a completely different way of feeling the song. So I was looking for a vocal partner who would have metal skills and quite a range, but also understand the background of singers like Sam Cooke or Steve Perry. And I knew that Kenny Leckremo of H.E.A.T. would be able to pull it off. In all modesty: I think we both sound amazing together here. I love this song!"

In addition to containing absolute AVANTASIA essentials such as spellbinding choirs and theatrical symphonic metal elements, "Here Be Dragons" finds Sammet surprising fans old and new with plenty of intriguing fresh soundscapes. "Here Be Dragons" gives the celebrated AVANTASIA sound that has been carefully crafted over a quarter of a century an exciting and powerful spin. The new album is the most consistent and concise piece of art that the band has ever crafted.

AVANTASIA's impressive success story has seen nine previous studio albums (including the 2019 offering "Moonglow" that charted at No. 1 in Germany),gold awards, hundreds of millions of streams as well as headline shows at all important metal festivals and worldwide sold-out arena tours with tens of thousands of devoted fans. AVANTASIA is not showing any signs of slowing down; soon after the release of "Here Be Dragons", the band will head out on an extensive arena tour across Europe, promising to deliver fans an immersive experience with their biggest and most epic production ever.

Sammet comments: "This new album carries the most adventurous and bold spirit my music has had in decades. And it's rather reckless, fearless, powerful, and uplifting and not introverted at all. While my previous albums allowed me to get a lot off my chest, this time I dove headfirst into the creative flood, crafting ten discrete, musical pictures, that miraculously merged into what I believe is the tightest chapter in AVANTASIA's history. I did everything exactly how I wanted it, approaching the album with unrelenting determination and a carefree attitude that was reminiscent of my early days way before the Metal Opera thing, when I felt unstoppable and let instinct just write songs. Right now I'm bursting with energy and can't wait to unleash 'Here Be Dragons' and then kick off the big tour with our new stage. We'll present the new material alongside our classics and some rarities in the most spectacular stage show AVANTASIA has ever delivered. An early Merry Christmas, everyone!"

In grand AVANTASIA tradition, the new full-length is rich in vivid storytelling and cinematic atmospheres, not to mention the highest level of musicianship. Opening track "Creepshow" is without a doubt one of the catchiest songs in their career. The energizing future hit truly welcomes the listener into the new era of AVANTASIA and will be an integral part of the band's spectacular live shows. In contrast, the incredible title track "Here Be Dragons" is a classic AVANTASIA song, and, at almost nine minutes, is by far the longest on the album. The cinematic dark soundscapes of "The Witch" captivate and support the song's storyline perfectly. Emotional, multifaceted vocal performances mesmerize on "Avalon", while the heavy metal number "Against The Wind" serves as further proof of the versatility of AVANTASIA's sound. Remaining well-balanced and cohesive, "Here Be Dragons" is undeniably AVANTASIA's most powerful album so far.

The 10-track offering was written and composed in its entirety by Tobias Sammet himself, produced and recorded by Tobias Sammet together with Sascha Paeth, mixed by Sascha Paeth and mastered by Michael Rodenberg. The stunning cover art was once again created by acclaimed British fantasy artist Rodney Matthews. "Here Be Dragons" marks another masterpiece in the AVANTASIA catalog, leaving both fans and critics speechless and proving the band's standing as a main force in the world of rock and metal!

"Here Be Dragons" is now available for pre-order in several exciting physical editions, with bonus albums included in select limited formats, like a 3CD hardcover artbook with 96 pages, over 160 pictures, drawings of Rodney Matthews and extensive stories to accompany the music and pictures.

"Here Be Dragons" track listing:

01. Creepshow
02. Here Be Dragons
03. The Moorland At Twilight
04. The Witch
05. Phantasmagoria
06. Bring On The Night
07. Unleash The Kraken
08. Avalon
09. Against The Wind
10. Everybody's Here Until The End

AVANTASIA's ninth album, "A Paranormal Evening With The Moonflower Society", was released in October 2022 via Nuclear Blast. The disc was the follow-up to "Moonglow", which came out in 2019.

"A Paranormal Evening With The Moonflower Society" was produced by Sammet with AVANTASIA guitar player Sascha Paeth. The cover artwork was created by Swedish illustrator Alexander Jansson.

Since its beginnings in 1999, AVANTASIA's past releases have featured international stars such as Alice Cooper, Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker (SCORPIONS), Sharon Den Adel (WITHIN TEMPTATION), Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer (KISS), Eric Martin (MR. BIG), SAXON's Biff Byford, TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider and many more.

Photo credit: Kevin Nixon

Swiss hard rock veterans GOTTHARD have kicked off the new year with the release of their second single, "Thunder & Lightning", from their upcoming 12-track studio album "Stereo Crush". As the world remains blanketed in snow, this new track spreads spring fever with its uplifting leads and emotionally charged storyline about love, quickly capturing the hearts of fans and heightening anticipation for the band's eagerly awaited new album.

Today, alongside the worldwide launch of pre-orders, GOTTHARD is also excited to reveal the cover artwork for "Stereo Crush", set to hit the shelves on March 21, 2025 via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). The artwork, designed by Thomas Ewerhard, who has previously collaborated with the band, perfectly encapsulates the album's themes of honesty, rawness, and a broad spectrum of emotions.

GOTTHARD singer Nic Maeder comments: "Freddy [Scherer; guitars] came to my house with the musical idea for this song. We started there and came up with the structure and the vocal melodies together and recorded the demo there. I then spent quite some time figuring out lyrics. The sound of the chorus riff somehow sounded electric to me, and I was thinking of words like 'lighting,' 'thunder' etc...and then I thought of the concept of how lighting never strikes twice but in this case it does, using this as a metaphor for love. Also in French, which I'm fluent in, you can say that 'love at first sight' is like getting hit by a bolt of lighting."

After releasing two singles, there's no really doubt that GOTTHARD are more than ready for the future with "Stereo Crush". Decorated with a powerful and contemporary production, the album delivers a series of big anthems but also a few surprises which help the Swiss icons to improve their DNA fresh and to spice up the essence of their trademark sound in an exciting way.

"Stereo Crush" track listing:

01. AI & I
02. Thunder & Lightning
03. Rusty Rose
04. Burning Bridges
05. Drive My Car
06. Boom Boom
07. Life
08. Liverpool
09. Shake Shake
10. Devil In The Moonlight
11. Dig A Little Deeper
12. These Are The Days

Produced and mixed by long-time partner Charlie Bauerfeind, who's known for his work with the likes of HELLOWEEN and BLIND GUARDIAN, alongside Leoni, at Yellowhouse Studio, and mastered by Sascha "Busy" Bühren (TrueBusyness),"Stereo Crush" promises to set new standards which will additionally come to shine on the band's forthcoming touring cycle: GOTTHARD will be touring in May, accompanied by special guests Y&T, rounded off by select festival and headline dates during the course of the year.

With 16 No. 1 albums, a Diamond Award for selling over one million units in Switzerland, and multiple platinum records, including their quadruple platinum album "Homerun", and several double and triple platinum albums, GOTTHARD has an unmatched legacy of successes, rounded off by over 3.5 million units sold worldwide and more than 2,000 live performances. Their tracks like "Heaven", a platinum single, and seven top 10 singles have cemented the band in the international music scene.

Maeder, who was born in Lausanne, Switzerland, lived in Melbourne, Australia and grew up between Switzerland and "Down Under", joined GOTTHARD in 2011.

GOTTHARD's previous vocalist, Steve Lee, was killed on October 5, 2010 in what has been described as a freak road accident in Nevada.

GOTTHARD is:

Nic Maeder - vocals
Leo Leoni - guitars
Freddy Scherer - guitars
Marc Lynn - bass
Flavio Mezzodi - drums

Photo credit: Manuel Schütz

AEROSMITH bassist Tom Hamilton's new band CLOSE ENEMIES has released the official lyric visualizer for its debut single, "Sound Of A Train". Check it out below.

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.

CLOSE ENEMIES recently signed with TLG|ROCK for management and label services.

"Sound Of A Train" is being distributed through Virgin Music Group.

Foster and Stroud recently spoke to the "Is Breakfast Included?" podcast about how the band came together almost exactly two years ago. Peter said in part: "I'm sure each of us have our own perspective. It was sort of in layers. Trace and I had already been working on another band project, trying to get something off the ground, and then just out of the blue — I think it was at the when an AEROSMITH tour had to go on a hiatus — apparently Tom and Trace had been speaking where Tom said, 'Man, I got all these songs I would love to try to do something with,' and the light bulb goes off in Trace's head, and he goes, 'I know just the guy to come up, and maybe we can get together and help you with that.' So he asked if I'd be interested in going up there and just jamming around, and I said, 'Yeah, well, I think I know just the drummer who would be into it.' And that was Tony Brock, who's a longtime buddy of mine. And we had always been trying to figure out some way to play together. And I figured that Tony and Tom might find some common ground and a good comfort zone playing-wise. So that was sort of the initial get-together."

Trace added: "I had this other band, and I thought we're riding around in a van, doing shows and not making any money. And I'm, like, if I'm gonna do this, I need to up my game, because at our age to be driving around in a van, not to make any money… So I called Peter. Why not? Why not start there? I just thought we could add him to the band I was already in. And then we did it. And it started to work really well. And then, of course, like every other band that you've been in in your life, somebody does something wrong and they're out of the band. Me and Peter were, like, 'This isn't worth it. Let's just wait.' And then, like he said, we started putting this other project together, 'cause we did all kinds of writing and we got the guy from Atlanta, Gary Stier, that was in my original band in Atlanta. I started writing with him, and then I brought Peter in. Peter knows Gary, of course. So the band that I was in in Atlanta all knew Peter, but I didn't so that's the weird thing. And then it just kind of went from there. Everybody's schedule didn't always jibe, and we just tried to make it work, and then we were in Las Vegas with AEROSMITH and I literally went, 'Man, we really gotta do something.' And then I just looked at Tom, and it was one of those moments where you go, 'This is the guy. He's asking for some help,' and this and that. I just walked up and I said, 'Hey…' I didn't ask him. I basically told Tom, I said, 'Hey, we're gonna come to Boston and work on your songs.' And he was, like, 'Well, let me think about that.' And then like an hour later, he was, like, 'I think that's a really good idea.' So that's how it started. And once Tom and Tony played together, it was pretty much a given."

Peter continued: "That was a great five days. I loved it, too, where Trace suggested to Tom, 'Hey, why don't we come up for a couple days, two or three days?', and he goes, 'How about five?' First he was, like, 'Well, let me think about it.' He was like, 'How about five? You guys wanna move up here?' I was, like, 'Man, there you go. I said, 'That's a reflection of somebody who knows hard work right there.'"

When the TLG|ROCK deal was first announced in December, Hamilton said in a statement: "We're really excited to be working with TLG/Virgin on the release of the CLOSE ENEMIES record! They're genuinely as excited about putting it out as we are! Can't wait to see what happens!"

Brock added: "TLG/Virgin are the perfect match for CLOSE ENEMIES as we are both SUPERGROUPS! Can't wait to see the results!!"

Foster said: "After spending a year on the writing and recording of this record, we were not going to sign with just anyone to put it out. Once we spoke with Dennis Sanders and his team at TLG/Virgin, we knew we had an ally with the same vision."

Hampton stated: "Honored to join forces with history! TLG/Virgin/Universal Music Group are all proven visionaries and a perfect fit for this band of brothers. We are excited to get this music heard and be a part of this new family."

Stroud said: "We could not ask for a better partner with Denny and The Label Group. His experience across all fronts of the industry is a perfect fit for CLOSE ENEMIES. And I always prefer flying Virgin! It's an honor to be playing with these musical brothers and now working with the ultimate team."

Denny Sanders, CEO of TLG|ROCK, stated: "My good friend Andy Gallagher of the band OVERHAUL sent me the music. I absolutely loved it, then to find out who's in the band, well that was just icing on the cake. We are all thrilled here at TLG to be working with CLOSE ENEMIES."

CLOSE ENEMIES made its live debut on October 11, 2024 at Eastside Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee.

In a recent interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, Tom said about CLOSE ENEMIES' debut gig: "I was a little bit nervous, you know. But that feeling, it energizes you. It doesn't hold you back. It makes you want to dive in deeper and deeper."

In an interview with AARP, Tom described Hampton as "a gifted singer who really made the songs come to life."

"When I joined, these guys had worked up a bunch of great songs, and I was able to contribute something I had," the bassist continued. "Hopefully, when the time comes, we'll work up some others I've had in my pocket for a while. All of these guys are great musicians, and it's an honor and a challenge to be part of it all. I'm looking forward to seeing how people like it. I think they'll be pleasantly amazed."

The members of AEROSMITH made the announcement that they were retiring from touring on August 2, 2024 — nearly one year after singer Steven Tyler fractured his larynx during a September 2023 show.

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.

Photo credit: Eduardo Andrade

Don Airey, the master behind the keys for some of rock's most iconic albums, has announced his latest studio album, "Pushed To The Edge", set to be released on March 28 via earMUSIC. The new song "Tell Me" is now available for streaming and as an instant gratification track with all download pre-orders of the album.

As one of the most recorded keyboardists of all time, with over 300 albums featuring his unmistakable sound, Don Airey's skills have been valued by nearly every rock 'n' roll superstar. The list includes legendary artists and bands such as Ozzy Osbourne, RAINBOW, WHITESNAKE, JUDAS PRIEST, Gary Moore, Brian May, JETHRO TULL, BLACK SABBATH, and, of course, DEEP PURPLE, the band Airey has been a full-time member of for over 20 years. After last year's success, when DEEP PURPLE secured their fourth consecutive No. 1 album with "=1" and a subsequent global tour, Airey kicks off 2025 with the same energy in his solo work.

Joining Airey on the new album is an all-star lineup featuring Carl Sentance (NAZARETH) and Mitchell Emms ("The Voice UK") on vocals, DEEP PURPLE guitarist Simon McBride, drummer Jon Finnigan, and bassist Dave Marks. Produced in the finest hard rock tradition, "Pushed To The Edge" is a raw gem — crafted without tricks or shortcuts, staying true to the pure musicianship of world-class artists.

"Pushed To The Edge" track listing:

01. Tell Me
02. The Keep On Running
03. Moon Rising
04. Rock The Melody
05. Flame In The Water
06. Out Of Focus
07. Power Of Change
08. Girl From Highland Park
09. Godz Of War
10. Edge If Reality
11. Finnigan's Awake

Last September, Airey told Roppongi Rocks' Stefan Nilsson about his plans to release a new solo album: "Well, I've always kept the solo… I had my own band. That's how we found Simon, 'cause Simon became part of my band, and a very big part of it. We started writing together, and it was a very good partnership. And I always had it in my head, 'If Steve [Morse, former DEEP PURPLE guitarist] decides to leave PURPLE, we won't have to look very far for someone.'"

He continued: "But we've got an album in the can that we did before lockdown. We did most of it before lockdown and we finished it after lockdown, put the vocals on after lockdown. And that's in the can with earMUSIC. And I think that's gonna come out at the end of March."

Asked if the upcoming album will feature Simon on guitar, Don replied: "Yeah, yeah, but it's under my name. It's like a solo album, but, really, it's just my band playing it. I think it's gonna be called 'Pushed To The Edge'."

Photo credit: Franz Schepers

In a new interview with Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada's 104.9 The Wolf radio station, BUSH frontman Gavin Rossdale spoke about the progress of the recording sessions for the band's upcoming album, "I Beat Loneliness". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We start mixing tomorrow. Tomorrow is day one of the mix. And we already have, I think, two or three of the songs mixed and mastered. We did those first to just make everyone feel comfortable that we weren't doing a progressive jazz album and that we're making good music. So we presented three to the label to kind of be given the chance to finish them off and do the other nine songs.

"I'm so thrilled about the record," he continued. "It's successful to me because I'm really proud of it. And I think that people who like the band will be really, really into it and we might get some new fans as well. But it's good to feel fulfilled by when you make a record, and not, like, 'Oh, man. I should've done this, should've done that.' I think it's really good. I haven't figured out the order yet, but we'll get there."

Earlier in the month, Gavin told iHeartRadio's JD Lewis about the "I Beat Loneliness" title: "Well, it's one of those weird titles. It's an infinite title because you can never beat loneliness; you can just only beat it temporarily.

"I feel that the connection with the band and the power that we have, from talking to a lot of people that see us, is people can kind of connect with the music and connect with the words and make their own narratives about it," he continued. "But we've created this blueprint for people through the years.

"More and more mental health has been sort of brought to the discussion kind of around us all at the moment — people are talking about people's wellness a lot. And I've always been into that human-condition thing since the beginning of BUSH — it's like music of complaints and hopes and sort of disappointments and aspirations and all that stuff. So it's just like living.

"A lot of people are struggling so much that it's just such an ironic title, I thought," Rossdale added. "It's one of those things, when I thought of it and it just came, I was, like, 'Oh my god, it's a precious phrase.' And I just like that idea of that sense of bravado that you've beaten loneliness, because we all suffer from melancholia or whatever, and I think that's a healthy thing because it makes you reflective and sort of appreciative of the good times. And I'm not a negative person — I'm really positive — so I just think that you have to go through this sort of like storm clouds to get to the good bits. And so the title just stuck with me."

Rossdale also talked about the importance of youth mental health, especially as it relates to his three songs Kingston, Zuma and Apollo. He said: "I think it's absolutely essential, because I think that what happened is that with COVID, one of the biggest things for kids is COVID took away all that socialization. So all those two, three years where they were meant to be sort of learning how to be with their peers, I noticed with my own kids, that was taken away from them. They didn't have that time. And so I think that's been a real struggle for people, for kids especially, to learn how to adapt, how to be social, because they haven't had the same things that maybe we had. We didn't grow up through a pandemic. And so that is what really affects me. And kids are so mean — bullying in schools, ostracization, all that stuff. Kids are mean. And the way the world is set up is really scary for that."

Gavin went on to speak about the dangers of social media and how it is not an accurate reflection of society but more like a funhouse mirror distorted by a small but vocal minority of extreme outliers.

"Social media, expectations, people feeling they're not having a fulfilled life 'cause they look at Instagram or wherever and they see people with these great lives, when we all know that those lives are kind of hollow and have their have their troubles as well," he said. "But things are portrayed that people just get lost in that sort of rat race of thinking that they've gotta try and keep up with their friends. I mean, I look at Instagram and I'm always, like, 'Man, I need to live better.' I'm just, like, 'No, no, don't fall for it. Don't fall for it. Your life is fine. You have great things going on.' So I think that's where it's really difficult for kids, the sense that they're not in the right place at the right time. They're generally [of the opinion that they're] in the wrong place at the wrong time and everyone else is having a great time. And that's super dangerous for people to think that."

Rossdale previously talked about the "I Beat Loneliness" title in a December 2024 interview with Voice Of America's (VOA) "Border Crossings". Regarding why he chose to call the new BUSH record "I Beat Loneliness", the 59-year-old musician said: "Because I think that everyone is struggling the whole time." He added: "It's funny because when I reflect on the career that I've had and the songs that I've written, they do say that most people write one song over and over, and my theme that I've always dealt with is sort of people's mental health and their feelings and kind of the landscape of the landmines of hurt that we all live through. Everybody has so much broken stuff that they just sort of put the face on, go out and deal with it. But everybody having these crazy triggers — you see that suicide rates are insane, suicides among the military, the ex-military, men three times more likely to commit suicide as women. It's just people are hurting. And so my literal simple role in life, in that sort of Japanese concept of a vocation, is really writing songs about people and about feelings. And it's funny because when I began, it wasn't like that. You could just complain in songs, but I always wanted to have this sort of sense of hope, this sense of help and support and close community and people and love and friendship and kindness. And so I've written like that.

"So 'I Beat Loneliness', it's just probably the best title I've ever written because, of course, it's self-fulfilling in its impossibility," he continued. "'Cause you can't say you beat loneliness, 'cause if you say you beat loneliness, it means that you're a really melancholic person who beat loneliness for about 20 minutes, and it's coming back the next day like a boomerang. So I just like that idea of that bravado. It's strength. It's not bravado. It's strength in the face of adversity."

2024 marked the 30th anniversary of the release of BUSH's six-times-platinum debut album, "Sixteen Stone".

Last summer, BUSH celebrated its 30th anniversary with an extensive North American headline tour. The "Loaded: The Greatest Hits Tour" kicked off on July 26 in Bend, Oregon and included shows at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, New Jersey and the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Most of the dates were produced by Live Nation. Jerry Cantrell and CANDLEBOX were the special guests on all dates.

BUSH released "Loaded: The Greatest Hits 1994-2023" in November 2023 via Round Hill Records. The set included a new song called "Nowhere To Go But Everywhere", which was written by Gavin and produced by Rossdale and Corey Britz.

With over 24 million records sold, one billion streams and a procession of No. 1 singles, the band — comprising Rossdale, Chris Traynor (guitar),Corey Britz (bass) and Nik Hughes (drums) — stand tall as rock outliers whose imprint only widens as the years pass. "Loaded: The Greatest Hits 1994-2023" (Round Hill Records),their first-ever greatest-hits collection, provides an expansive view of their incredible legacy with 21 tracks spanning nearly 30 years — from their breakthrough hit "Everything's Zen" to the aforementioned "Nowhere To Go But Everywhere".

"Loaded" included iconic hits from each of BUSH's nine studio albums as well as "Mouth" (The Stingray Mix) from the 1997 remix album "Deconstructed" and a cover of THE BEATLES' "Come Together" that saw a very limited release in 2012.

BUSH broke up in 2002 but reformed in 2010, and has since released five albums: "The Sea of Memories" (2011),"Man On The Run" (2014),"Black And White Rainbows" (2017),"The Kingdom" (2020) and the aforementioned "The Art Of Survival".

"Black And White Rainbows" was crafted after Rossdale went through a divorce with pop star/reality TV judge Gwen Stefani in 2015.

Photo credit: Shervin Lainez (courtesy of 2b Entertainment)