HighVoltageRockNRoll has shared fan-filmed video of AC/DC performing at Nippon Seinenkan in Tokyo, Japan on February 5, 1981. Check out the entire show below.  


Setlist:


"Hells Bells"
"Shot Down in Flames"
"Sin City"
"Back in Black"
"Bad Boy Boogie"
"The Jack"
"What Do You Do For Money Honey"
"Highway to Hell"
"High Voltage"
"Whole Lotta Rosie"
"Rocker"




Encore:
"You Shook Me All Night Long"
"T.N.T."
"Let There Be Rock"





AC/DC return to the road in North America for the first time in nine years on the 2025 Power Up North American Tour.


Much to the delight of millions of fans across North America, the legendary Grammy Award-winning Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame-inducted band will perform in 13 stadiums coast-to-coast next spring. This run kicks off on April 10 in Minneapolis, MN at US Bank Stadium, canvases the continent, and concludes on May 28 in Cleveland, OH at Huntington Bank Field. Along the way, they will play some of the most iconic and historic stadiums in the world, including the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA on April 18 and Soldier Field in Chicago, IL on May 24.


Tickets for all shows, featuring support from The Pretty Reckless, are on sale now, here.


The tour shares its name with their 2020 album, Power Up, which bowed at #1 in 21 countries. In 2024, AC/DC completed a European leg of the Power Up Tour, packing the biggest stadiums on the continent in the process. Power Up notably notched their third #1 debut on the Billboard 200 and exploded as one of the best-selling albums of 2020 worldwide. Plus, it garnered Grammy Award nominations in the categories of “Best Rock Album” and “Best Rock Performance” and “Best Music Video” for “Shot In The Dark.” Power Up is available here.


AC/DC played their very first show on the 31st December 1973 at Chequers Nightclub in Sydney, Australia. They are one of the most influential rock bands in history, with over 200 million albums sold worldwide. The band’s Back In Black LP is the “bestselling album by any band ever” and the “third bestselling album by any artist” with global sales of 50 million and counting. AC/DC was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2003. The band continue selling out stadiums on multiple continents, sell millions of albums annually and generate streams in the billions.


To continue their reign as the world’

Aerosmith were featured on the Dutch television show, 2 Meter Sessions, in 1997 and played four songs: "Rats In The Cellar", "Love In An Elevator", "Taste Of India" and "Pink". Check out the pro-shot video below.





In a recent interview with Bass Player, Aerosmith bassist, Tom Hamilton, discusses how close the band came to missing out on "Sweet Emotion", his near-grudge over "Janie’s Got a Gun", why he was glad Joe Perry quit, the development of his video screen bass, and more. And excerpt from the feature follows.




Bass Player: Many say Rocks is Aerosmith’s best album – do you agree?


Tom Hamilton: “I’d have to agree it’s the album that defines us. I’d say it’s virtually neck and neck with Toys. Both of those albums were a friggin’ blast to put together. Working with Jack was really fun and exciting. He and the band were very much into experimentation, and you can really hear that with those records.”


Bass Player: How do you look back on the tough period of the late ’70s?


Hamilton: “By the time we started work on Draw The Line, drugs were becoming more destructive. I don’t consider that a great Aerosmith album, although a lot of people really like it. It definitely has some great moments on it. Then came Night In The Ruts. It was actually a step in the right direction, but by that time, the band was starting to fall apart. We were only partway finished with that record and we had to go on the road. A tour had already been booked and we couldn’t put it off.

Rockshots Records is thrilled to announce the release of Finnish avant-garde band Aitheer’s debut full-length album, The Serpent, coming February 21.


Building on the introspective vibes of their 2020 Sleeper EP, The Serpent represents a bold evolution for this Finnish progressive metal band. Formed in 2017, Aitheer has transitioned from a cover and jam project to a pioneering force in the music scene, now ready to take you on a dynamic 32-minute musical voyage.


This album explores new sonic territories, blending progressive metal with rock, jazz, classical, and ambient influences, creating a theatrical and cinematic experience. The meticulously crafted arrangements, recorded at Studio UG in Kerava, Finland, feature talented musicians, including session drummer Toni Paananen.




The title track, “The Serpent”, drops today. It’s an experimental piece combining groovy bass lines with psychedelic and cinematic elements, embodying the album’s spirit of pushing musical boundaries. This

"Blood And Teeth", the new single from the American hard rock trio, Inside The Trojan Horse, opens with an intimate vocal revealing a dark connection with an unseen force, "When the hammer strikes the needle, we go down, yes we do." The hypnotic pulse creeps and crawls, taunting the vocal to reveal clues to the crime, eventually building into a frenzy of explosive howling redemption, "You'll never break me of my will, so don't even waste your time."





Listen to "Blood And Teeth" here, and watch the official video below:

Finland's Midjungards have released the new single and visualizer, "Ermesinda", featured on their upcoming album, Ravens And Eagles, due in 2025.


About "Ermesinda", the band says, "This song is dedicated to all the heroines and heroes who never received the necessary recognition for their bravery. We hope you like it."


Stream the single here, and watch a visualizer below:







On the new album, the band says, "In Ravens And Eagles, Midjungards journeys into darker musical territories, embracing el

WormHoleDeath is thrilled to announce the signing of Plague Of Stars for the release of their latest album, Extinction.


This marks their heaviest offering yet, featuring the powerful debut of their new vocalist, Liz Ziegler. Drawing inspiration from the fractured world around us, the band fuses doom, black, and gothic metal with ethereal clean vocals and intense harshness. With its diverse soundscapes, Extinction offers a captivating experience that every metal fan will appreciate. The album is set to drop on January 31.


Hailing from the vibrant metal scene of Minneapolis, MN (USA), Plague Of Stars has captivated audiences and critics alike with their unparalleled blend of darkness, energy, and raw musical prowess.

Modern metal powerhouse Reeper, led by multi-instrumentalist and visionary Elias Andrada, is set to kick off 2025 with the release of The Butterfly Effect Deluxe Edition. This special edition of their groundbreaking album drops on January 8 across all major digital platforms. Fans can pre-save or order now, here.


With The Butterfly Effect Deluxe Edition, Reeper offers a bold reimagining of their signature sound. Speaking about the release, Elias shared: “We wanted this Deluxe Edition to be more than just a re-release. It’s a complete experience for our fans, featuring new tracks, enhanced sound, and details that tell the story behind every riff and every lyric. We can’t wait for you to hear it!”


Every instrument on the album was masterfully performed by Elias Andrada, showcasing his unparalleled musicianship and commitment to Reeper’s sound.




The album’s stunning artwork, designed by renowned Argentine creator AbstractChaos, features a vibrant butterfly set against a blue backdrop. This fresh visual direction reflects the band’s evolution, breaking away from traditional metal imagery and inviting fans to interpret their music in new and exciting ways.





The Butterfly Effect tracklisting:


"Blur Horizon"
"Fire From Athens"
"Rain"
"Just Enough"
"For All That We Have"
"Self-Indulgent"
"Timelapse"
"Get Out Of My Mind"
"Out Of Color"
"Frequency"

Bloodstock festival organizers have released the video below, along with the following message:


"Experience the full set of symphonic death metal legends, SepticFlesh, as they take over the main stage at Bloodstock Open Air 2024! This performance is a masterclass in dark, cinematic metal, blending ferocious riffs, thunderous drumming, and haunting orchestral arrangements to create an atmosphere that left the crowd in awe.


"SepticFlesh delivered an unforgettable performance at one of the world’s premier metal festivals. Fans were treated to an epic journey through the band’s iconic discography, including timeless classics and powerful new material from their acclaimed album Modern Primitive. From the crushing opening notes to the grand finale, this set showcases why SepticFlesh remains a driving force in the metal scene.




"The band’s commanding stage presence, combined with the incredible production and energy of the Bloodstock crowd, makes this performance a must-watch for metal fans everywhere. Whether you were in the pit at Catton Park or watching from home, this full set brings the festival experience directly to you.


"Relive the intensity, the power, and the unforgettable moments of SepticFlesh live at Bloodstock Open Air 2024. This is more than just a performance; it�

The Dead Daises have released Part 3 of their 2024 recap video series. Watch below.


Says the band: "Following on from the second instalment of our Epic 2024, here’s the final episode featuring the Fab Five on the European leg of our Light 'Em Up Tour! Check out the fun & antics!!"







Watch Parts 1 & 2 below:








The Dead Daisies' new album, Light 'Em Up, lands at #29 on our BravePicks 2024 Top 30. Follow the countdown here. The release is available to order here.





Light 'Em Up tracklisting:


"Light 'Em Up"
"Times Are Changing"
"I Wanna Be Your Bitch"
"I'm Gonna Ride"
"Back To Zero"
"Way Back Home"
"Take A Long Line"
"My Way And The Highway"
"Love That'll Never Be"
"Take My Soul"


"I'm Gonna Ride" (Revamped) video:





"I Wanna Be Your Bitch" video:

34;They're Both One String, One Note Riffs" (Video)">
Rock Kommander recently caught up with Annihilator founder / guitar legend Jeff Waters for an exclusive Q&A session. Check out Part 3 below:


"In this special Q&A session, legendary guitarist Jeff Waters (of Annihilator and American Kaos) responds directly to fan questions. He reflects on his past projects, shares insights on his upcoming trilo

Norwegian cosmic brutal tech-death metal juggernaut Celestial Scourge will release their first full-length album, Observers Of The Inevitable, on February 28m 2025 via Time To Kill Records. Pre-orders can be placed now at this location.


As a preview, Celestial Scourge has shared the album's first single / video, "Vessels". The band commented: "'Vessels' is a shorter track filled to the brim with obscene slaughter and is a fast-paced invitation early on the album. The track is part of the story that goes in and out throughout the voyage, and enters your mind without hesitation and at insane speeds. Not to forget that breakdowns and chugs are of course not forgotten in our songwriting to keep you grounded and sane."







Following their explosive 2023 debut EP, Dimensions Unfurled, Celestial Scourge is ready to take the

Jon Oliva's Pain, featuring Savatage co-founder / original frontman Jon Oliva, was active from 2003 – 2019. They released four albums and one EP between 2004 and 2010. Plans for a live DVD to be filmed in 2009 were rescheduled, with a concert at Poppodium 013 in Tilburg, Netherlands in October 2010. Slated to be release in 2011, the DVD has yet to surface.


However, multi-cam video of "Death Rides A Black Horse" from the Tilburg show ha surfaced on YouTube courtesy of Mark Christopher Garrett. Check it out below.


"Death Rides A Black Horse" is taken from the band's 2010 album, Festival.







The legendary Savatage (Johnny Lee Middleton - bass, Chris Caffery - guitars, Al Pitrelli - guitars, Jeff Plate - drums, and Zak Stevens - vocals) have announced tour dates across Europe for summer 2025, with a mix of festival appearances and headline shows.


Says Zak Stevens: "As you can imagine, there are so many special things about these shows that are racing through my mind. We get to play a series of headline shows for the first time in over twenty years that will put us right back in front of all of the unbelievable fans who have given us so many unforgettable memories over the last three decades. Here’s our chance to directly give back to everyone who’s been there supporting us all these years! All the great festival shows are going to be off-the-charts amazing. It’s even hard to imagine the scale of excitement that’s going to take place with those shows."


Savatage mastermind Jon Oliva expressed his disappointment at not being able to join the band for the shows, but shared his excitement, stating: "I am very exc

In a new interview with Australia's Metal Mal, former JUDAS PRIEST singer Tim "Ripper" Owens spoke about his involvement with KK'S PRIEST, the band led by another ex-PRIEST member, guitarist Kenneth "K.K." Downing. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "It's really great 'cause the material is so good. This last record we just put out [2023's 'The Sinner Rides Again'], I just absolutely love it. It's been great. The shows are really good. I'll tell you what's great about is I think that the band's so good and the sound's so good and the shows are so good. When people watch it, when they watch the concerts, they're amazed. They like to hear that songs played right for a change. So it's kind of nice."

Asked if KK'S PRIEST is performing JUDAS PRIEST songs during its live shows that JUDAS PRIEST itself doesn't play or has never played before, Tim said: "Oh, we did do, yeah. We did 'Before The Dawn'. We do 'Before The Dawn', and PRIEST never played that, ever. Ken said he's 100 percent [sure] they never played it live ever.

"Yeah, we did some changes [to KK'S PRIEST's setlist]," Owens explained. "Earlier in the year, we did 'Beyond Realm Of Death' and 'Victim Of Changes', and this time we did 'Diamonds And Rust', the version that I did with the band, that version with the high notes at the end, 'Before The Dawn' and 'Sinner'. So we did it a little bit different.

"I would like to [play more songs PRIEST has never performed live]," Tim added. "The problem is we kind of split it half and half. The biggest complaint we actually get is that we don't do more [songs] of my era [of PRIEST]. We do one song, 'Burn In Hell'. So that's actually what we get the most, is how come we're not doing more of [the material I recorded with PRIEST]. But it's a hard thing. The problem is we're not an old, established band. We get together and we learn these songs. We have the screens that go to it in the background. You just can't change your setlist and learn new songs while you're on the road and doing it. Other bands can. Like JUDAS PRIEST, they've been touring with that lineup for — what? — 12 years now. So they have all these songs that they can kind of rehash and just throw in the setlist. But it's a good setlist we have."

In a recent interview with TalkShopLive, Downing spoke about KK'S PRIEST fall 2024 North American co-headlining tour with ACCEPT. He said: "Yeah, it was fantastic, to be out there with the guys. ACCEPT — I met those guys, I think it was '82 or maybe '83. I think they came on board as a support [act] when we [JUDAS PRIEST] were on the — I think it was 'Point Of Entry' tour; I think it was, yeah, the album after 'British Steel'. And so we became good friends, and, obviously, I'm very proud of the guys. And they literally did stick to their guns, and they are literally metal through and through, so it was great to hook up with Wolf [Hoffmann, ACCEPT guitarist] and the guys again. Actually, just prior to that, we'd been playing some some big festivals in Europe, and so we ran into the guys there and, obviously, we were talking about the tour that we were about to embark on in the States. And it went fantastic. We had some great times, going back to a lot of the old stomping ground, the cities — so many great cities. Obviously, America's a big place, a very big place, and we didn't play everywhere, but we did 28 shows. So, it was good to be back and undoubtedly we will return again."

Downing also touched upon the first two KK'S PRIEST albums, 2021's "Sermons Of The Sinner" and "The Sinner Rides Again", and the possibility of a follow-up, saying: "We got extremely busy — did two albums in three years. Hopefully we can make it three albums in four years. But, obviously, the touring schedule — we have been very busy for the last 18 months, and we're looking forward, at some point, to get out there again and look at South America and Australia. And I don't know where people are tuning in from today, but hopefully there's people out there that live in those territories. So I'd just like to say, please be patient and we'll get there. We'll get to you."

In addition to Downing and Owens, KK'S PRIEST features guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE),bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

KK'S PRIEST's North American tour with ACCEPT began on August 31 in Los Angeles, California, visiting a slew of major cities in the USA and Canada — such as Toronto, Montreal, New York and Nashville — before coming to an end in San Francisco, California on October 7.

KK'S PRIEST's first-ever U.S. headlining tour, which featured support from L.A. GUNS and BURNING WITCHES, kicked off on March 7 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and concluded on March 24 at Keswick Theatre in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

KK'S PRIEST's sophomore album, "The Sinner Rides Again", came out in September 2023 via the Austrian label Napalm Records.

KK'S PRIEST made its live debut on July 6, 2023 at Downing's KK's Steel Mill in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom.

K.K. formed KK'S PRIEST after JUDAS PRIEST turned down his offer to rejoin the band for their 50th-anniversary tour. It followed a couple of celebrated stage appearances, first with former MANOWAR guitarist Ross The Boss in the summer of 2019, then with a one-off lineup that included former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and former PRIEST drummer Les Binks later that year.

KK'S PRIEST released its debut album, "Sermons Of The Sinner", in October 2021 via Explorer1 Music Group/EX1 Records.

Downing spent four months writing and recording "Sermons Of The Sinner" and, along with new ideas, he even resurrected a few archived riffs from the 1980s.

Downing was reunited with JUDAS PRIEST for a performance at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in November 2022 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

PRIEST received the Musical Excellence Award at the event, which honored Eminem, Dolly Parton, DURAN DURAN, Lionel Richie, Pat Benatar, EURYTHMICS and Carly Simon in the Performers category.

Downing left PRIEST in 2011 amid claims of band conflict, shoddy management and declining quality of performance. He was replaced by Richie Faulkner, nearly three decades his junior.

In 2019, Downing said that he reached out to JUDAS PRIEST about taking part in the band's 50th-anniversary tour but that their response was that they were not interested in including him in the celebrations.

In 2018, Downing revealed that he sent two resignation letters to his bandmates when he decided to quit JUDAS PRIEST. The first was described as "a graceful exit note, implying a smooth retirement from music," while the second was "angrier, laying out all of his frustrations with specific parties."

Downing later said that he believed the second letter was "a key reason" he wasn't invited to rejoin PRIEST after Glenn Tipton's decision to retire from touring.

Owens joined PRIEST in 1996 and recorded two studio albums with the band — 1997's "Jugulator" and 2001's "Demolition" — before PRIEST reunited with Rob Halford in 2003.

In a recent interview with Shawn Ratches of Laughingmonkeymusic, STABBING WESTWARD vocalist Christopher Hall said that he and his bandmates are no longer "chasing new fans." He explained (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's weird debates and conversations in the van about, 'Oh, what if we did this?' or things you could do to get a younger fanbase or get new fans and stuff. And I don't really think it's worth the effort. I think that you just put out good music for the people that know you, and if something organically happens where younger kids… Because we're playing a lot of festivals.

"We played a festival in Ohio where we got to play in front of BAD OMENS, which is a really big, kind of popular band at the moment," he continued. "And I think a lot of their fans got to see us play, and that's kind of cool because I think that there's some cross-generational similarities or whatnot. And opportunities like that arise when we play a lot of the bigger festivals, just a chance to get in front of other people's uh fans.

"In the early days of STABBING, you had to constantly sell yourself and try and build [a larger fanbase], because you're on a record label, and you have to get ready to play and you have MTV and you have to constantly be building. I don't really feel that pressure anymore. A lot of it's just because we do it for the love of it. It's not about the money anymore. I have money so I don't need to hustle every single day to try and pay the rent or whatever. So for me, it's more about us going out and playing shows 'cause we love to play, giving the fans kind of what they want.

"We've got the 30th anniversary of [STABBING WESTWARD's second album] 'Wither [Blister Burn & Peel]' coming up, I think, in 2026, so I'd like to focus on doing something really special for that, maybe doing the whole album with some cool production and doing a proper tour and maybe do some kind of a release based around that," he added.

Regarding the possibility of a follow-up to STABBING WESTWARD's 2022 album "Chasing Ghosts", Hall said: "We haven't really talked much about new music. I went through a pretty horrific couple of years [after being diagnosed with throat cancer in July 2022] and didn't even know if I was gonna be able to sing again. So the fact that we're just touring again and doing that feels really good to me. And the one thing I don't wanna do is write a record about going through cancer. I don't wanna be that guy. I wanna get to the point where I don't think about it all the time or care anymore, and then maybe I can write music. But for me, writing new songs is very personal and it has to be something that's inspired. I have to have something in my life that has triggered me, that has made me want to sit down and write something. I can't just say, 'Okay, it's time to write a new record. Let me self-evaluate and see if I can pick at any scabs and dig up some sort of intense thing to write about.' I kind of need to have something trigger me. And that did trigger me, but I don't know that there's any songs that I wanna write about it."

Elaborating on his lack of motivation to write new music, Hall said: "Honestly, nobody's waiting for us to write a new record. [Laughs] When we play shows, we hardly play anything off of 'Chasing Ghosts' because you can see the fans either haven't heard it or they don't know it well enough that it entertains them while they're at the show. And at end of the day, we're there to entertain the people who paid 25, 30 bucks to see us play. And I know when I see a band play, I wanna hear… If I were to go see Gary Numan play, I would wanna hear songs from 'Savage (Songs From A Broken World)', like 'My Name Is Ruin'. That's the album that I kind of got into during COVID. And I wouldn't necessarily wanna hear a bunch of songs off his newest album. I would wanna hear the hits of the songs that I've known through his career. I would listen to songs that he played off his new album, because I'm a big fan, but I would do it with less enthusiasm than I would than if he played the songs that I love dearly. If I'm going to see PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT, I wanna hear [songs from] JOY DIVISION and NEW ORDER. I don't wanna hear Peter Hook's new songs. He doesn't play new songs. He knows that we don't care, and I appreciate that…

"We have to think that our fans are not 15-year-olds; they're 40- and 50-year-olds that want to hear the music they grew up with," Hall added. "And that's why when we play a show, we play 95 percent the it songs from the [first] four records. We add in 'Bizarre Love Triangle' [NEW ORDER cover], we add in the 'Burn' [THE CURE] cover, 'cause everyone likes to hear a song that they know, a different version of it, and we just try and make it as you walk away feeling like you got everything that you're hoping to hear. Now there's always gonna be the people that are, like, 'Oh, I wanted to hear the Japanese B-side [song], some weird obscure track. 'Oh, you once sang a Tori Amos song at a soundcheck. I wanna hear.' Well, don't count on that."

Blending the scathing electronics of underground industrial/rock with the emotive melodies of goth and a decidedly radio-friendly sensibility, STABBING WESTWARD rose to great heights in the mid-1990s alternative boom. Formed in 1986 by Hall and multi-instrumentalist Walter Flakus, the band went from underground cult sensation to the heights of critical and commercial success thanks to such songs as "Shame", "Save Yourself", "So Far Away" and "What Do I Have to Do?" To this day, these songs remain anthems of heartache, dejection, rage, betrayal and depression. With two gold albums and numerous hit singles, STABBING WESTWARD fell from grace with the 2001 self-titled album amid personal and professional turmoil, disbanding the following year and leaving a void in modern music that was somewhat filled by Hall's later work in THE DREAMING. However, it was the release of that band's "Rise Again" in 2015 that the seeds were sown for a reunion. That album saw Flakus once again making music with Hall, with STABBING WESTWARD guitarist Mark Eliopulos joining THE DREAMING onstage in Chicago for a set of past hits. In 2019, Hall and Flakus came together again to release the "Dead And Gone" EP, the first new STABBING WESTWARD material in 18 years. Written and produced by Flakus and Hall over the course of three years, and recorded in multiple states and time zones, these songs captured the very essence of the STABBING WESTWARD sound.

"Chasing Ghosts" was released in March 2022, marking the influential industrial rock band's first new LP in more than 20 years.

"Chasing Ghosts" was made available via COP International Records. It features 10 tracks that showcase the industrial rock band's characteristic sound with a modern sheen that picks up right where they left off with their last full-length in 2001. With the new tracks, STABBING WESTWARD has not only managed stay true to their original sound, but also expanded it to fit the frantic new reality of the 21st century.

"Chasing Ghosts" features brand-new songs as well as re-workings of the band's acclaimed 2020 reunion EP "Dead And Gone" that found original founding members Hall and Flakus honing in on the incredible partnership that once produced a string of hits that dominated alternative radio and film soundtracks, including "Shame", "Save Yourself" and "What Do I Have to Do?" — and resulted in two gold records.

To recreate that original chemistry, the band recruited the legendary producer John Fryer to again helm "Chasing Ghosts". Fryer, whose production credits include DEPECHE MODE, NINE INCH NAILS, 4AD, COCTEAU TWINS and LOVE AND ROCKETS, originally worked with STABBING WESTWARD on their best-selling early releases "Ungod" (1994) and "Wither Blister Burn + Peel" (1996). "Chasing Ghosts" was also mastered by Tom Baker who, like Fryer, worked with STABBING WESTWARD on their early releases and is part of the reassembled production team on the latest album.

DISTURBED guitarist Dan Donegan was recently asked by GHS Strings if he had a favorite DISTURBED album or song. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's so many, for so many reasons, 'cause everything we write is always so personal. We've probably written close to a couple of hundred songs over our career. But if I'm gonna narrow it down, which I normally don't do, but certain ones, like a song called 'The Light', it's just something that's… A lot of times we like to take darker subject matter and spin a positive outcome on it, for encouragement and empowerment and just a reminder that we all go through different things in our lives. We all go through tough times and struggles, whether it be depression or addiction or sadness or losing a loved one or going through a breakup or having a rough time at work or at school or whatever you're going through, and just trying to have a positive outcome to be able to fight through those tough times. So 'The Light' always sends a positive message. The big catchphrase in that song is 'sometimes darkness can show you the light.' Sometimes you need those dark times in life to be able to dig deep, find that strength to find the light again, to be able to power through it and get through it."

As for what piece of advice he would give to aspiring artists, Dan said:  "There's no boundaries. There's no boundaries in music. You should just keep an open mind. Do what sounds good to you. Do what feels good to you. For me, the guitar is an extension of who I am and how I feel. And don't worry — don't chase things, what you think other people wanna hear, and don't chase trends, and just write naturally. Always just keep on trying to write and express yourself. And that's all I ever wanted to do; it was just another way to express myself. Because I was kind of a quiet kid, it was an escape for me, and it just allowed me to express myself how I was feeling. If I felt aggression or I felt like writing a heavier riff or I felt just more somber and just moody and vibey… Just don't second guess yourself. A lot of times your first instincts are sometimes the best ones. Even [in] our early days as a local band, writing and doing demos for the first time, when we were trying to recreate that, when we got a record deal and we were doing our first album, 'The Sickness', we were trying to recreate the demos, and there was something just very raw and natural about the demos, because it was just first instinct. So we actually lifted some of the tracks off the demo, and those were the keeper tracks for the album, because there was a rawness to it; there was something that was captured in that moment, It's always hard to try to recreate something when the first time was [when] the magic happened. So I'd say just keep an open mind and just do what feels good to you."

This past October, DISTURBED announced the 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.

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."

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 8 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 #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.

Karl Sanders from NILE recently went on Side Jams With Bryan Reesman to discuss his love for pickleball. He even revealed that he plays with a CANNIBAL CORPSE paddle.

Sanders used to play tennis regularly with original NILE drummer Pete Hammoura, but when Hammoura's hips started bothering him, Sanders contemplated an alternative. The NILE frontman's wife had given him a pickleball paddle for Christmas, and they occasionally played together, so he suggested the idea to Hammoura. The duo tried pickleball and fell in love with it.

"There's a social aspect to the game, and it somehow is a game that encourages sportsmanship and politeness with your opponents," Sanders told Side Jams. "You're pretty close to each other, especially if you're playing doubles and your partner's right next to you. So it encourages, in the most incredible way, very nice socialism between people. You'll see the best human behavior you could possibly imagine on the pickleball court. It's unbelievable. [If] you ran into that person in the parking lot at Walmart it would probably be a normal Walmart parking lot experience, you know, not necessarily the most humane thing imaginable. But put those same people on a pickleball court together, and they act like civilized human beings who care about one another. It's just the damnedest thing."

Sanders says that while he likes "the violence of tennis," he feels that pickleball has "a little more chess to it."

Beyond his love for the sport, Sanders loves the interaction on the court.

"After the pandemic, I was very disappointed in how I saw people treating each other," Sanders recalled. "I was like human beings are better than this. It is possible to be a good person and treat other human beings like human beings. Pickleball has restored my faith in humanity."

NILE's tenth album, "The Underworld Awaits Us All", was released in August via Napalm Records.

Boasting airtight technicality and unrelenting brutality, the LP pushes each member of NILE — Sanders, longtime drum master George Kollias, vocalist/guitarists Brian Kingsland and Zach Jeter, and bassist Dan Vadim Von — to their furthest extremes both in artistry and performance.

Once again produced and recorded at Sanders's own Serpent Headed Studios in Greenville, South Carolina, the band returned to "Vile Nilotic Rites" engineer Mark Lewis (CANNIBAL CORPSE, DYING FETUS, WHITECHAPEL) for mixing and mastering.

"The Underworld Awaits Us All"'s mind-bending art was once again envisioned and created by Michał "Xaay" Loranc, with reference to the cycle of life and judgment at its end.

NILE has announced its upcoming 2025 USA co-headline tour with death metal greats SIX FEET UNDER. The tour begins January 7, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee and will feature support from PSYCROPTIC and EMBRYONIC AUTOPSY.

In a new interview with Angela Croudace of Australia's Heavy, vocalist Joacim Cans of Swedish metallers HAMMERFALL was asked if he does lots of vocal warming up before hitting the stage. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I need to be ready when I hit the stage since this type of singing is not meant for men sometimes, because it's so high pitched. You need to be ready.

"I have my ritual," he continued. "I've been doing the same things for 30 years now, and it works for me. So I would never change anything. Exactly one hour before the intro starts, I will go away for 10 minutes to find a room with a nice reverb, like a shower, in worst case, I have to go to a bathroom, but you have to do what you gotta do, you gotta do what you gotta do. So I'm starting up with my warmups. And then when I'm done with that, I get dressed, I maybe have half a can of Coke and a half an hour, 20 minutes before the show, I go back into the warmup room. And then I am starting to test my high pitch and see if I woke that up by doing the lower parts before.

"So you need to be ready," Cans added. "If you're not ready, you will probably lose your voice within a couple of songs… Whatever you do the day before the days before the week before the night before will affect your voice. So, just add fluids, and with fluids I'm referring to water. I'm referring to electrolytes that you need, because we're sweating so much on stage. If you wanna drink beer, drink wine, do that after the show. Sometimes I have half a beer before the show, if I feel like I just need to have a little kickstart. That's half a beer, but that's it."

Asked if it is exhausting performing with a band like HAMMERFALL, Joacim said: "It is exhausting, but you also need to be prepared for it. You can't be a couch potato and expect to deliver 90-plus minutes on stage. So, personally I'm out running three times a week. I'm doing approximately 25 to 30K in a week. And that is to get my pulse down as quick as possible. So if I run from one side to the other on stage, my pulse is going down. So I can sing without sounding like [I am out of breath]. Because a lot of singers, they just stand still because they can't move because if they move, they get exhausted. They need to catch their breath. They can't sing. I can actually headbang and sing at the same time because my resting pulse is so low.

"If you're 20 years old, it's different," he explained. "But this is what I do. I've been doing this for 30 years and I really hope to be able to do this for another 10 years. And now it's up to me. It's not up to anyone else. It's up to me if I'm gonna stay in shape to be able to perform and deliver.

"I don't wanna end up like many of my vocal heroes, that they can't sing anymore, but they still go on tour," Cans added. "And it sounds — I can't really find my words for it. It must be so shameful for them. They must feel so bad on stage, but they can't quit because they don't know anything else.

"Your body's like a race car. You need an oil change, you need to fix things, you need to get new tires in here. Otherwise it breaks down."

HAMMERFALL's latest album, "Avenge The Fallen", was released in August via Nuclear Blast Records.

In December 2022, HAMMERFALL, which started its career in 1997 on Nuclear Blast with its debut album "Glory To The Brave", announced that it was returning to the long-running German label.

HAMMERFALL's entire Nuclear Blast catalog, from "Glory To The Brave" to the 2014 album "(r)Evolution" was certified with a diamond award for over 1.5 million worldwide sales.

Following on from "Renegade" (2000),"Crimson Thunder" (2002) and "No Sacrifice, No Victory" (2009),HAMMERFALL's fifth studio album, "Chapter V: Unbent, Unbowed, Unbroken" from 2005, became the band's fourth album to go gold in Sweden, while "Crimson Thunder" even went platinum, surpassing 60,000 sales in the group's home country.

In April 2023, HAMMERFALL released a special platinum edition of "Crimson Thunder" with tons of bonus material.

Photo credit: Tallee Savage (courtesy of Nuclear Blast)

Guitarist Jeff Loomis and drummer Van Williams are teasing the return of their longtime band NEVERMORE.

Earlier today (Friday, December 27),Loomis and Williams both shared a one-minute video teaser containing various NEVERMORE-related imagery and what appear to be the silhouettes of Loomis and Williams along with the text "Resurrecting The Dream". The teaser ends with the NEVERMORE logo along with the line "A New Chapter Rises" and the year "2025".

NEVERMORE effectively split up in 2011 when Loomis and Williams announced their departure from the band due to personal differences with singer Warrel Dane and bassist Jim Sheppard. Warrel later described NEVERMORE in an interview as "the greatest band that alcohol ever ruined."

Dane died in December 2017 in São Paulo, Brazil at the age of 56 while recording his posthumously released solo studio album, "Shadow Work". The musician reportedly had a heart attack during the night and could not be revived.

According to guitarist Johnny Moraes, who played in Warrel's solo band, Dane had a history of addiction and other health issues. "His health was already very weak because of his diabetes and his problems with alcoholism," he said.

The instrumental parts for Dane's follow-up to 2008's "Praises To The War Machine" solo album were almost completed and he had begun laying down his vocals shortly before his death.

In a 2019 interview with Metal Master Kingdom, Loomis was asked if there were any plans to resurrect NEVERMORE without Dane. Jeff responded: "It's one of those things where I think NEVERMORE had such a special sound and it was simply because of all the musicians that were in that at the time. Van, me, Warrel, Jim. We had numerous different guitarists in the band throughout the years. We had Chris Broderick, we had Tim Calvert, who sadly passed away. A lot of good players. Steve Smyth, Curran Murphy. All these guys were a part of NEVERMORE in the past. Honestly, in my vision, it's important that you move on in your life. I really would like to remember the spirit and the attitude that we had as a band with the music and just move on from there. Because without Warrel, it's just not feasible, in my mind. [He is] sadly missed. He was one of my best friends. Things like that happen and it's a very sad situation. It really was. But we have the music to remember it all by."

In 2018 interview with France's Loud TV, Loomis stated about Dane's passing: "It's a sad situation with one of my best friends that I grew up being in a band with. [He was] one of the best lyricists in metal, I believe, that was ever out there — a fabulous person. He was a troubled person too at the same time; he had some issues. We had many great times together in the past, and we had many bad times, but I would say that the good times outweighed the bad. And in the end, we were talking still as friends, and we talked in the end before he passed away. We were on good terms. It's a very sad loss to the music community and he'll be well remembered as one of the great vocalists of a metal era."

Loomis added that Warrel had been "struggling with drinking and things like this" for years before he died. "I'm not getting into too much detail there," he said. "He had some troubles. I'm gonna miss him a lot. He was a great friend of mine and he was a wonderful human being."

Asked if there was any talk of a NEVERMORE reunion before Warrel passed away, Jeff said: "I think that once you do something for such a long time and you make your mark in the music world, sometimes things do have to come to an end. And, unfortunately, with my situation with NEVERMORE, after 18 years of being in the band, it marked kind of an end of an area. And for me personally, it was kind of moving on to another chapter in my life. There was talks, like maybe [in late 2016] about maybe doing a reunion show, but it never happened, of course. Obviously, now it's not going to happen."

Loomis "amicably" left ARCH ENEMY in December 2023 and was replaced by Joey Concepcion.

Jeff, who was the main songwriter in NEVERMORE, joined ARCH ENEMY in late 2014, but was not involved in the writing for the latter act's last two albums, 2017's "Will To Power" and 2022's "Deceivers".

In a new interview with Greg Prato of Ultimate Guitar, former MEGADETH guitarist Chris Poland was asked what it was like to work with Dave Mustaine in the studio and whether the MEGADETH leader demanded very specific solos of him. Chris responded: "[Dave] never told anybody what to do, really. I mean, sometimes he would say, 'Can you go in an upper register?' after I'd maybe try to solo three or four times. And he's like, 'Can you go up there?' But it was never, like, 'Okay, you're gonna start here and then you're gonna do this.' It was never like that. And then with 'The System Has Failed', it was fun. I'm pretty sure he was sober. It was a good experience. Except — I don't want to get into what happened, but he was remixing all the records, and we all know the story. But anyway, I had a lot of fun. It was really great working with [engineer] Ralph Patlan. He's just a consummate pro, man."

As for what it was like playing on MEGADETH's "The System Has Failed" albums compared to the band's first two LPs, Poland said: "Well, first of all, I was sober. And second of all, I was in an environment with a really good studio and a really good producer. Not that Randy Burns wasn't really good, but this was all next level, you know? And in my own stuff, I have to record my stuff in my studio with whatever I got. So being in that environment, I was, like, 'Wow, this is awesome.' Got this great console. Ralph Patlan had a 50-watt '60s Plexi Head Marshall with a matching cabinet. It was perfect."

Nearly three years ago, Poland has confirmed to Sofa King Cool that the song "Liar" from MEGADETH's 1988 album "So Far, So Good... So What?" was written by Mustaine about him. He said: "Oh, yeah. Obviously, Dave was very upset with me when I left the band — when he fired me, basically."

Asked if he was angry when he first heard he was the lyrical inspiration for the song, Poland said: "No, man. It's like the pot calling the kettle black, man. When you point your finger, man, there's three pointing back at you. I just rolled my eyes and was, like, 'Really?'"

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".

Back in 2004, Poland and/or his management and attorney filed a lawsuit against Mustaine regarding the use of the three "Rust In Peace" demos on the album's reissue without Chris's permission. According to MEGADETH's webmaster, Mustaine included the demos because he thought Chris would be "thankful for the promotion, the tipping of the hat, and showing the fans how Marty [Friedman, MEGADETH's guitarist during some of the post-Poland years] had actually been influenced by some of Chris's solo selections for those songs." Chris also allegedly tried to sue Dave for defamation of character because Dave called him a "thief," but Chris's attorney "dropped that after he found out that Chris had actually taken the band's gear and sold it for drugs," according to MEGADETH's webmaster. "Remember, there is a confession in the VH1 'Behind the Music' on MEGADETH," the webmaster said. Chris eventually settled for $9,500 and thereby ended a professional relationship with Dave and MEGADETH.

In a September 2020 interview with Darren Paltrowitz (host of the "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" podcast),Mustaine singled out Poland, saying: "Chris Poland, as much as I don't really like the guy, he was a great guitar player, and I wanted to give him a shot when we did the 2004 reissues for 'Peace Sells' and 'Rust In Peace', and I wanted to put that song out on the 'Rust In Peace' reissue. He got involved in a nuisance lawsuit, I think it was, and we just ended our friendship. And I thought, 'God, that was such a waste.'

"There was a little teeny mountain that was right out by where we live, and I said I could have just as soon bought that piece of dirt there than sell Chris's friendship, and I'm so bummed that this happened," Mustaine added. "'Cause I thought it would have been terrific to have him on the record. [When] people say, 'Hey, this sounds like Marty Friedman.' No, Marty Friedman sounded like this, because Chris played it first."

Poland previously discussed the legal issues surrounding the 2004 reissue of "Rust In Peace" in a 2018 interview with the As The Story Grows podcast. He said: "When I did 'The System Has Failed', [Dave] was working on adding the demos to a re-release of 'Rust In Peace'. And I wasn't going to get paid, but I didn't realize that until it came out. I was like, 'Wait a minute — I'm not getting paid for this.' And I tried to call Dave at least a dozen times, and I never heard back from him. Then I called Dave's manager a dozen times, and he wouldn't get back to me. The last time I called him, I said, 'Hey, man. If you don't call me back, I'm going to call [my lawyer], and we're going to have to get into it.' [The manager] calls me back and totally insults me, saying, 'You played a couple solos. So what?' And I'm like, 'What do you mean, 'So what?'' 'Well, Dave thought that you would do it for the fans.' I said, 'Okay. Is everybody else that played on that demo doing it for the fans? Are they getting paid?' He said, 'Chris, that's not the point.' I said, 'Listen, man, we have to do something here. I'm not just going to walk away. I love the fans, but I'm just not going to do it. If everybody else is getting a performance royalty for this, I want one.' I want everybody to know that it wasn't a nuisance suit, it wasn't anything like that. I made every attempt to work it out, and they just ignored me."

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.

During their recent appearance on the Tuna On Toast With Stryker podcast, THE OFFSPRING singer Bryan "Dexter" Holland and guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman admitted they'd welcome a Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction, even if it doesn't feel likely.

"We've never won any awards," Dexter noted. "We haven't gotten a Grammy, we've never been on the cover of Rolling Stone, any of that stuff. So I don't know if that's in the cards for us. But I mean, sure, it'd be nice to be recognized."

Added Noodles: "So many great bands have been snubbed, it's almost kind of more elite to be in that club, it can be argued. I think would be a great honor to be in it, but I'm not gonna hold my breath."

Tuna On Toast host Stryker said he hoped to see THE OFFSPRING get inducted before they're old men, which elicited some laughs from the musicians.

"I'll go up there with a walker," Noodles said. "I don't care."

Noodles previously touched upon the prospect of THE OFFSPRING being inducted into the Rock Hall in a 2023 interview with CleveRock.com. He said at the time: "We usually are kind of overlooked by the critics by that sort of thing. I don't think we've ever been nominated for a Grammy, let alone be awarded one."

He added: "It's not something that concerns me."

Noodles also weighed in on the debate about whether the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame should be called the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame after a number of hip-hop, country and pop artists have been inducted in recent years.

"I think rock and roll should be inclusive," Noodles said. "I think Willie Nelson… people think of him as a country artist. Doesn't he belong in the County Hall Of Fame? You know, screw that. He also writes great songs. He rocks in his own way. So does Dolly Parton, of course. There are all the hip-hop guys. Like when NWA was inducted, people came out of the woodwork for that. That's great. They're punk as hell. They were defiant. That's what rock and roll is all about: being defiant."

THE OFFSPRING's latest album, "Supercharged", came out on October 11 via Concord Records. The LP's first single, "Make It All Right", hit No. 1 on both the Alternative Airplay chart (Mediabase) and the Active Rock chart (on Mediabase) as well as No. 1 on the Billboard Rock and Alternative Airplay chart.

"Make It All Right" marked THE OFFSPRING's sixth No. 1 song on the Active Rock chart, following "I Choose" (1997),"Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)" (1998),"The Kids Aren't Alright" (1999),"Hit That" (2003) and "Gone Away" (1997),which remained on No. 1 on the chart for five consecutive weeks and the song that QUEEN's own Brian May performed with them earlier this year. It also marked the first time ever THE OFFSPRING have had a No. 1 at both Alternative and Active Rock radio in the band's history.

On the Alternative Airplay chart, "Make It All Right" marked the band's fourth No. 1 song, following "Come Out And Play (Keep 'Em Separated)" in 1994, "Hit That" in 2003, and recent Spotify Billions Club inductee "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" which hit No. 1 for 11 weeks straight in 2008. This only adding to the accolades the band has hit over the years with over 40 million records sold worldwide.

The song also hit No. 1 on Billboard's Rock & Alternative Airplay chart. The No. 1 followed "Days Go By" which hit No. 4 in 2012 and "Coming For You" (No. 7 in 2015) and "Let The Bad Times Roll" (No. 5 in 2021) which hit Top 10.

"You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" off of their 2008 "Rise And Fall, Rage And Grace" album was recently added to Spotify's Billions Club after the song reached one billion streams on the platform. Prior to this "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" had already been certified platinum in the United States, United Kingdom and gold in Spain, Poland, Italy, Germany, and Denmark. Upon release, the song hit No. 1 on the Alternative Airplay chart (formerly the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart) and remained at the top spot for 11 weeks — making it the longest #1 of any of the band's singles. The Billions Club, which first launched in 2020, lists all of the songs that have reached one Billion streams on Spotify. THE OFFSPRING's infamous song has now joined the list which features songs from peers and icons including AC/DC, FLEETWOOD MAC, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Whitney Houston, THE KILLERS and more.

Recently, THE OFFSPRING surprised the crowd at Open Air Gampel in Switzerland with none other than Yungblud. The alt rocker joined the band for a performance of their song "Self Esteem" off their album "Smash". Not only did Yungblud join the band onstage for the song, but he hyped up the crowd by jumping offstage and onto the barrier all while singing along.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the six-times-platinum "Smash" album and the collaboration with Yungblud is just one of many this year already. Previously the band broke the Internet when they were joined by Ed Sheeran to perform one of his favorite songs "Million Miles Away". Sheeran not only said he was a massive fan of the band's but also has a tattoo inspired by their album "Conspiracy Of One". Then at Starmus Festival, THE OFFSPRING were joined by music industry legend — QUEEN's own Brian May and The Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra for a performance of THE OFFSPRING's "Gone Away" and a cover of QUEEN's "Stone Cold Crazy".

Photo credit: Daveed Benito

LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton is celebrating six years of sobriety.

Earlier today (Friday, December 27),the 52-year-old musician took to his social media to write: "I woke up this morning with 6 years clean & sober. This comes after decades of drinking nearly every day & with the final 10 years of that compounded by an aggressively progressive opiate addiction that almost killed me.

"I'm writing this just in case someone out there who feels as hopeless, helpless & crippled by addiction as I once did might read it & start to believe that recovery IS possible.

"You can get clean & live a life beyond anything you've ever dreamed of. Find an alcoholic or addict living in recovery. Ask them what they did. You're worth it."

In his recently released memoir "Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir", Morton credits Slash for making "sobriety look cool" and helping him along his recovery journey. Speaking to the GUNS N' ROSES-centric podcast "Appetite For Distortion" about how the GN'R guitarist was instrumental in getting Morton to stay sober, Mark said: "I didn't actually check with Slash before I wrote that part of the book, so I hope he doesn't mind me sharing that story. Maybe I should have reached out, but I don't think it's anything…

"Slash has been pretty open about his experience with some of these things," Morton continued. "And so when I was trying to get sober and well before I was able to accomplish any kind of sustained sobriety or recovery, Slash was very helpful. He was very compassionate, very kind and made himself available to me with some insight and perspective that he shared.

"Let me add to that, that I think Slash and some other people who have been open about their experience with addiction… I'm the kind of person that has to think something's cool to wanna pursue it, because, see, I have a low self-esteem, so I want you to think I'm cool," Mark explained. "'Cause I'm not sure that I am. So when something's cool, I'm gonna chase it 'cause I wanna be that. And people like Slash, who's cool and people that put themselves out there and shared their story and shared their experience made it look cool, made sobriety look cool to me. And I'm grateful for that. 'Cause that's part of what it took. I'm just being genuine.

"It's not an intellectual decision," Morton added. "Addiction's not an intellectual issue. Some of the smartest people I know are addicts and alcoholics. People that aren't addicts and alcoholics tend to overlook that. It's not a matter of reason or, in my experience, rational thinking or intellect. It's something deeper than that. And so, for me, having an example of people that I admired that I said, 'Hey, there's something on the other side of this that can still be cool.' Because, see, I thought being a drug addict and an alcoholic was what rock and roll was [and was] part of what it was supposed to be. And it turns out it's not."

"Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir" was released in June via Hachette Books. Co-written with Ben Opipari, the book explores both Mark's life in music and his tumultuous path through addiction and into recovery.

Morton addressed his sobriety in the lyrics to the song "All I Had To Lose", which appeared on his "Ether" solo EP, released in 2020.

"When I was in that kind of mindset of drinking and drugs and all that, I tended to have this sort of negative filter," Morton told ABC Audio about the track, which he described as among the "most personal" songs he's ever written. "I could make anything 'woe is me,' or 'it should be this way,' just entitled, very addict sort of viewpoint on things."

He continued: "You get a little bit of clarity and you get a little bit of gratitude, and you start seeing, like, 'Wow, I still have so much going on. It's amazing that I didn't mess this up.'"

"Desolation" was described by the publisher as "the story of Morton's lifelong quest for clarity and self-acceptance, and shows how the pressures of career success and personal battles eventually came into conflict with Morton's dedication to the creative process."

Morton co-founded LAMB OF GOD, which was initially called BURN THE PRIEST, in 1994.

In 2019, Morton released his debut solo album, "Anesthetic".

LAMB OF GOD's latest LP, "Omens", came out in 2022.

Morton and the rest of LAMB OF GOD completed the "Ashes Of Leviathan" tour with MASTODON this past summer.

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In a recent interview with Made In Metal, legendary German guitarist Michael Schenker reflected on his decision to leave UFO after recording five albums with the band between 1974 and 1978. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[After 1977's 'Lights Out'], at that moment, because it became a hit, I felt the pressure that now everything had to be — I wasn't free anymore. I felt like we are gonna be whipped, making money for management, et cetera, until we are dead. And so I didn't like the feeling of being in a spotlight and having to do things. I like to have fun doing things, not having to do things. Music, for me, is fun, not having to do it. And so therefore I actually sold everything and I was done with it. I did not want to be part of the rat race and staying in a race of who is gonna be the most famous. I was not interested in that. For me, my passion is music and self-expression. So, after two months, [then-UFO bassist] Pete Way, he persuaded me to come back, and I did. And I did 'Obsession', and then finally after 'Stranger In The Night', I went my own way and to fulfill my own vision."

Regarding why he decided to return to UFO to record the 1995 album "Walk On Water", Michael said: "Phil [Mogg, UFO singer] came over to America with his manager and he begged me, 'Michael, please, please. UFO is completely destroyed. Can you help me to rebuild UFO?' And I said, 'Okay. Three conditions. One is I get half of the name. Number two is we do it with all six original members, including [producer] Ron Nevison. And number three is that we sell the records on the road. And that was it. He agreed to it. And we did a fantastic album… [Later on] Phil broke the agreement and he didn't want to stay with the conditions, so I didn't think that was fair, so we kind of departed for a while."

Asked how his relationship with the other UFO members is now, Michael said: "Well, there's only Andy [Parker, drums] and Phil left. So I have no contact to Andy. But Phil I see once in a while because he lives in the next village to mine. And that's it. We wave at each other. That's about it."

Schenker previously talked about his 1993 return to UFO in a February 2021 interview with Eonmusic. Explaining how the reunion came about, Michael said: "Phil Mogg came to Los Angeles in '93, begging me to refuel UFO because he completely had destroyed it. I said, 'I have a few conditions. One is, you have to give me 50 percent of the UFO name so you don't destroy it again, especially if I put my energy into it."

The onetime SCORPIONS man went on to say that initially, things were great within the camp, and that he noticed a change in the formerly dejected Mogg almost immediately. "I tell you, when I saw Phil the next time when we started recording, he looked like an one hundred and eighty degree different person," Schenker said. "He was happy, healthy. He was unbelievably fit."

But it was a harmony that wasn't to last. "'Walk On Water' was a blessing after 17 years," Michael said. "It was such a beautiful record that famously carried on from 'Strangers In The Night' [1979]. And then, of course, we went on the road, and then Phil lost it, and wanted control again and destroyed everything."

Despite going on to record two further albums with the band — 2000's "Covenant" and 2002's "Sharks", Michael said that it was further lineup changes (the ousting of both Parker and Raymond) which ultimately destroyed the band.

"I always said to him, 'Never do a reunion with UFO unless it's the original setup, including the producer,'" Michael said. "Because if you take one piece out, the chemistry is finished."

Bringing in producer Mike Varney for "Sharks" in place of Ron Nevison, the man behind their greatest '70s triumphs, for Michael, the end was nigh. "I said to Phil, 'Don't do this. It will backfire. It will not succeed.' And it did not. The natural flow of the chemistry was destroyed, and basically, we were just limping towards the end."

Despite this, Michael made one final gesture of good will toward Mogg. "I'd had enough of UFO at that point, and in 2002, Phil Mogg asked me, 'Michael, I need the name UFO back.' I said to Phil, 'You know what? God bless you. I'll give you the name back for free. Enjoy your life.' And then that was it. That was the end of it."

Schenker recently announced a spring 2025 European tour in support of his "My Years With UFO" album celebrating the 50th anniversary of Michael's years with UFO. Joining him on the trek will be former SKID ROW frontman Erik Grönwall, who is the featured singer on the "Mother Mary" song on "My Years With UFO", which also includes a guest appearance by GUNS N' ROSES' Slash on guitar.

In an interview with Noise11's Paul Cashmere, Schenker revealed that he is already working on a new MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP album called "Don't Sell Your Soul" which will feature Grönwall "singing most of the songs," along with vocal contributions from Robin McAuley and Michael Voss.

Produced by Schenker and Voss, "My Years With UFO" marks the 50th anniversary of Schenker's era with UFO, spanning from 1972 to 1978. The "German Wunderkind" was asked to join UFO at just 17 years old. Touring the globe as a teenager, Schenker became a driving force behind some of UFO's most loved tracks, such as "Doctor Doctor", "Rock Bottom" and "Only You Can Rock Me".

Although Michael Schenker's era with UFO spanned only six years, his influence as a young songwriter and exceptional guitarist had already left a lasting mark on rock. During these meteoric years, the UFO albums "Phenomenon", "Force It", "No Heavy Petting", "Lights Out", "Obsession" and the seminal live album "Strangers In The Night" were recorded, each contributing significantly to the genre. "Strangers In The Night" particularly stands out as one of the most influential live rock albums of all time and is still regarded as a cornerstone in any rock enthusiast's collection.

In this celebratory album, Michael Schenker presents 11 of UFO's greatest hits from this magical era with an impressive lineup of guest stars. Joining Schenker on this journey are Derek Sherinian on keyboards, Brian Tichy on drums, and Barry Sparks on bass.

The stellar roster of guest artists includes Axl Rose (GUNS N' ROSES),Slash (GUNS N' ROSES),Kai Hansen (HELLOWEEN),Roger Glover (DEEP PURPLE),Joey Tempest (EUROPE),Biff Byford (SAXON),Jeff Scott Soto (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JOURNEY),John Norum (EUROPE),Dee Snider (TWISTED SISTER),Joel Hoekstra (WHITESNAKE),Joe Lynn Turner (RAINBOW),Carmine Appice (VANILLA FUDGE, CACTUS),Adrian Vandenberg (WHITESNAKE),Michael Voss, Stephen Pearcy (RATT) and Erik Grönwall (SKID ROW).

Photo credit: Tallee Savage