ACCEPT's Mark Tornillo joined KK'S PRIEST on stage last night (Monday, October 7) at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco, California to perform the JUDAS PRIEST classic "Breaking The Law". Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

San Francisco was the final show of ACCEPT and KK'S PRIEST's "Full Metal Assault Tour 2024", which began on August 31 in Los Angeles, California and visited a slew of major cities in the USA and Canada, such as Toronto, Montreal, New York and Nashville.

KK'S PRIEST features former JUDAS PRIEST members K.K. Downing (guitar) and Tim "Ripper" Owens (vocals),along with guitarist A.J. Mills (HOSTILE),bassist Tony Newton (VOODOO SIX) and drummer Sean Elg (DEATHRIDERS, CAGE).

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.

MÖTLEY CRÜE played the first of three exclusive, intimate club shows Monday night (October 7) at Troubadour in West Hollywood, California. The concert was part of what MÖTLEY CRÜE is calling a "Höllywood Takeöver", an series of gigs which were first teased over the Labor Day weekend when flyers promoting the gigs at The Roxy, Troubadour (October 9) and Whiskey A Go Go (October 11) popped up all over Los Angeles.

The setlist for the Troubadour concert was as follows:

01. Primal Scream
02. Too Fast For Love
03. Wild Side
04. Shout At The Devil
05. Live Wire
06. On With The Show
07. Dogs Of War
08. Guitar Solo
09. Looks That Kill
10. Rock And Roll Part 2 / Smokin' In The Boys Room / Helter Skelter / Anarchy In The U.K. / Blitzkrieg Bop
11. Fight For Your Right
12. Home Sweet Home
13. Dr. Feelgood
14. Same Ol' Situation
15. Girls, Girls, Girls
16. Kickstart My Heart

Fan-filmed video is available below.

The three club shows are following on the heels of the October 4 release of MÖTLEY CRÜE's "Cancelled" EP, the band's debut record with Big Machine, which features three new songs: Top 5 rock radio hit "Dogs Of War"; new single "Fight For Your Right", a cover of the BEASTIE BOYS classic "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)"; and as well as the record's title track, "Cancelled".

In addition to the special shows and EP release, a MÖTLEY CRÜE pop-up store with exclusive, band-curated merchandise opened on October 6 at the world-famous Rainbow Bar & Grill on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood and remain open through October 12 from 3 p.m. PT to midnight daily.

Tying into the events on the Sunset Strip in October, MÖTLEY CRÜE is also introducing its new philanthropic endeavor, the Mötley Crüe Giveback Initiative, a moniker under which the band will partner with different non-profit organizations near and dear to their hearts moving forward.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's version of "Fight For Your Right" has quickly become a fan favorite since the band first debuted the song live during their secret 2023 club show at The Underworld in London, U.K. At its premiere, 450 lucky, sweat-drenched fans who came out to see a band advertised as DÖGS OF WAR got the surprise of a lifetime when MÖTLEY CRÜE took the stage with the BEASTIE BOYS classic in their set list.

The veil of speculation surrounding the DÖGS OF WAR pseudonym was finally lifted when the band released their first new single since 2019 by the "Dogs Of War" name in the spring of 2024. "Dogs Of War" subsequently became a Top 5 Rock Radio hit, accompanied by a highly acclaimed music video by director Nick DenBoer. The cutting-edge visual, which is entirely CGI-based, features the members of MÖTLEY CRÜE navigating an exhilarating post-apocalyptic world.

MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer Tommy Lee told Bill Maher's "Club Random" podcast last year that he and his bandmates felt inspired to write a song called "Cancelled" because they were surprised it never happened to them.

"There was this article that was like, 'How did MÖTLEY CRÜE ever not get cancelled?'" he said. "And we were like, 'Fuck, we've gotta write a song about that because we didn't ever get it.' We snuck in under the whatever threshold, wherever that was, where we got away with fucking murder."

MÖTLEY CRÜE's deal with Big Machine sees the band and the label working together again after making the 2014 project "Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute To Mötley Crüe", which featured CRÜE tracks covered by country stars RASCAL FLATTS, FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE, Darius Rucker and more. Big Machine also partnered with MÖTLEY CRÜE's new guitarist John 5 for the release of his 2021 album "Sinner".

MÖTLEY CRÜE's last studio album was 2008's "Saints Of Los Angeles", which was followed by a 2009 "Greatest Hits" compilation.

In 2018, MÖTLEY CRÜE recorded four new songs for "The Dirt" movie, including the single "The Dirt (Est. 1981) (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly)", "Ride With The Devil", "Crash And Burn" and the band's own spin on Madonna's "Like A Virgin".

John 5 joined MÖTLEY CRÜE in the fall of 2022 as the replacement for the band's co-founding guitarist Mick Mars. Mick announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2022 as a result of worsening health issues.

In a recent interview with Janne Innanfors of the Swedish radio station Rockklassiker, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx stated about the mixed response to "Dogs Of War" from the band's fans: "We like the fact that there was kind of a knee-jerk reaction, because at least people were listening. It's a very strange time now where, whether it's a news cycle or socials, everybody has turned into a critic. And I always say, they've never erected a statue of a critic. It's never happened, right? It's always the artist. But now everybody's a critic. So within a short amount of time, we get, 'We love it.' 'We hate it.' 'You're over.' 'You've reinvented yourself.' 'It sounds like 'Shout At The Devil'. 'It sucks.' And we just kind of sit there and go, 'That's cool, guys, but we didn't really ask for any input from you.' We're just artists writing music, and we're pretty cool. I'm happy with it. I like it."

During an appearance on SiriusXM Fight Nation's "Busted Open" show, Sixx discussed the musical direction of "Dogs Of War", saying: "A lot of people said it's a different sound, but I'll be honest with you, I don't necessarily agree with that. If you listen to the verses, they're very similar to a lot of stuff that we've done — that simple, grinding thing with those almost CHEAP TRICK melodies. And the riff, I mean, it could be off of 'Dr. Feelgood'. So I don't really feel like it's that different. I think what's different for people is that when we were working on the song, Tommy [Lee, CRÜE drummer] had the idea to just let the bottom fall out in the verses, which is not really what we do. We usually go for it, and [it's] really unique for Vince [Neil, CRÜE singer]."

Vince chimed in: "I don't ever sing like that. But it works in the song." He added that "Dogs Of War" "was very easy to sing."

Nikki elaborated on the CRÜE songwriting process, saying: "I think what we do together is we all kind of know each other so well, we know each other's strengths and weaknesses. And for me as a lyricist, I'm always thinking about Vince and his tempo as I write. So it's not like out of the wheelhouse, but it's nice to know each other so well, if that makes sense."

When "Dogs Of War" was first released, Neil described the track as "like old school meets new school. It's got that old-school vibe about it, but it's new music. Nikki came up with it and he sent me the music and I thought it was really cool. So I started singing it and we got in the studio and it turned into the song I think the fans are really gonna like it."

Florida death metal veterans DEICIDE have canceled the last three shows of their North American tour with KRISIUN, INFERI and CLOAK in order to return home "to protect" their "families and properties" as Floridians prep for the second storm to hit the Gulf Coast in a little over two weeks.

On Monday (October 7),DEICIDE released the following statement via social media: "Due to the pending landfall of hurricane Milton on central Florida and the gulf coast , we will be leaving the tour after the performance today in Corpus Christi Texas and heading back to the state of Florida to protect our families and properties, we are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause, and appreciate your understanding, Houston, New Orleans and Pensacola will be canceled to allow us time to return to our families and homes. We will be playing early tonight 8 to 9 so hurry out tonight!"

Forecasters expect Hurricane Milton to make landfall near Sarasota, Florida on Wednesday evening, with a slew of advisories going into effect across large stretches of the western Florida coastline, where storm surges could get as high as 15 feet. National Hurricane Center forecasters also said that weather conditions in Florida may deteriorate much earlier on Wednesday.

"Hurricane conditions are expected in the warning area on the west coast of Florida as early as Wednesday afternoon, with tropical storm conditions beginning early Wednesday," the agency told NPR.

Milton was downgraded early Tuesday to a Category 4 hurricane, but forecasters said it still posed "an extremely serious threat to Florida."

The Tampa Bay region, where the members of DEICIDE reside and which is still rebounding from Hurricane Helene and its powerful surge 12 days ago, has not endured a direct hit by a major hurricane since 1921.

Almost the entirety of Florida's west coast was under a hurricane warning early Tuesday as the storm and its 155 mph (250 kph) winds crept toward the state at 12 mph (19 kph),although scientists expect the system to weaken slightly before landfall.

In a new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, Sully Erna spoke about GODSMACK's announcement that the band's latest album, "Lighting Up The Sky", will likely be its final collection of new material. Asked if he and his bandmates are working on any new music, Sully said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "No. There'll be no more new GODSMACK… I mean, you can never predict the future, but the decision that was made was that we're gonna go out now and start honoring the catalog of music that we created over the last 30 years and just enjoy kind of the greatest-hits moments."

When Meltdown noted that a lot of artists have "gone away from the album thing" and are focusing on releasing singles, Erna said: "I mean, it sounds like the smart thing to do these days. Nobody's really buying full albums anymore. And they make playlists of their favorite songs. So it just seems appropriate for this day and age. But again, [that's] another argument for us to kind of dip out while we're still in the world that we enjoyed growing up in, which was doing full-length albums and having artwork and lyrics and give the fans a whole experience through that body of work that you create. And I just no longer wanna put a year, year and a half of my time and effort and blood, sweat and tears into a piece of art for someone to just tear it apart, grab a couple of singles and move on. So, there's that. And then there's just the fact that we have a lot of singles right now. I mean, 27 Top Tens is a lot. That means we can't even play them all in one night, 'cause we usually average about 15 songs a night. So for us, I just think it's time that we start honoring the music and the catalog and giving the fans what they wanna hear."

Sully went on to say that he is "not complaining" about having so many hit songs to choose from for a GODSMACK live set. "I am very grateful," he clarified. "So it's not a complaint. It's just reality. And when I go to see my favorite bands, like AEROSMITH or METALLICA or whoever, I don't know. Do I really wanna hear their new album? Probably not. I wanna hear 'Dream On' and 'Same Old Song And Dance' and 'Walk This Way', and if I leave there and they're not playing those songs, I'm gonna be pretty mad. So, for our fanbase, I think we're at that level where we have to honor that."

"Lighting Up The Sky" was released in February 2023 via BMG. The LP was co-produced by Erna and Andrew "Mudrock" Murdock (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ALICE COOPER).

The first single from "Lighting Up The Sky", "Surrender", which arrived in September 2022, marked the first release from GODSMACK in four years, following their globally acclaimed and gold-certified 2018 album "When Legends Rise", which earned the Erna-fronted outfit a No. 1 spot across U.S. Hard Rock, Rock, and Alternative album charts.

Sully previously touched upon his lack of interest in releasing new GODSMACK music this past January during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He said at the time: "It's funny. I just had this talk with my record label yesterday. We had a meeting about some other stuff, and I told them that, like, listen… 'Cause they're a little bummed out. They're, like, 'Ah, is this the last [album]?' And I said, 'Listen, you can never say never.' But I do know this: [late RUSH drummer] Neil Peart said this to me once — all great things must come to an end eventually. It doesn't matter how great you are, who you are. But all great things are gonna come to an end at some point. And I just never forgot that. And I'm, like, at what point do you just start living your life for you and not always be on a schedule, not always be in a recording studio, not always be signing autographs, taking pictures, touring, playing shows, doing podcasts, doing videos. It's a lot, man. It consumes your life, and it's what I've always wanted, and I'm so proud of it, and I'm so grateful for this career. I have nothing to complain about. But am I gonna do this forever, until I'm in my grave? I don't know. I know right now I'm still good, and I like it. And I'm enjoying it. I'm getting tired. And there is more things I wanna do with my life. Music's not everything I wanna do with my life."

Erna continued: "So, I don't know. I know right now we're gonna finish this album cycle. We'll take a break. I have a feeling I'll end up doing some solo stuff. I don't even know what that's gonna sound like yet, but I may want to do a little bit more of a rock album on the solo side. But I don't know.

"I have a feeling that in time, I'm just gonna be writing," he added. "And I'm gonna do what I've always done. I'll finish a song and it'll go in one folder 'cause it sounds like solo music to me. And I'll finish another song and it'll be banging and heavy and I'll be, like, 'It's going in that folder 'cause that's a GODSMACK song.' And then eventually I'm gonna have a record. And, of course, I'm gonna release it. [Laughs] And then here we go again."

Regarding how he and his GODSMACK bandmates arrived at the decision to make "Lighting Up The Sky" their final album, Sully said: "It's just what we feel at the moment. We tripped across this conversation. The more we thought about it, the more we were like… We're starting to bum out a little bit live because there's a lot more songs that we wanna play. And again, I'm not complaining. We've been very blessed to have a good career and a good run of Top 10 singles — we're at, I think, 27 Top 10 singles with 13 Number Ones. So that means — I don't know — if we get two or three off this record, we're gonna be at 30 Top 10 singles. That means we could do 15 songs a night, play back-to-back nights in the same venue and never play the same single twice, let alone the deep cuts. So we're going, like, 'Fuck, at what point do we honor the catalog and do what we want as fans when we go to see our favorite bands, like AEROSMITH or METALLICA, whatever? Are we really going to see their new record? Hmmm, no. I'm just being honest. I'm glad you put it out. I'm gonna check it out, but am I gonna love it as much as 'Train Kept A-Rollin'' and 'Dream On' and 'Same Old Song And Dance' and 'Walk This Way'? No. That's the shit I'm going to see. I wanna see it. Play those songs. Don't spend 45 minutes playing your new record because that's not the nostalgia of why you've been around for 40, 50 years."

He continued: "So we're just trying to like set ourselves up to at least give our fans what I think they expect us to do. And with this many singles, we're, like, man, how many more things are we gonna pile on our plate here before we can't even get to all of them, which is now. And that's kind of part of the reasoning behind it. So we were, like, 'Yeah, maybe it's the right time. Maybe we just go out and honor the catalog and go play live shows,' which is what we love to do, what the people love to see us do. And, again, if we write some new music, we write some new music. I don't know what's gonna happen with that right now. But we do love playing shows, and that's what we're gonna do for now."

p>The Vintage Caravan, hailing from Álftanes, Iceland, is a hard-hitting rock band formed in 2006 by the talented guitarist and vocalist Óskar Logi Ágústsson. The band was initially a duo but later expanded into a full-fledged trio, becoming well-known for their distinctive blend of vintage rock, heavy grooves, and a modern edge. Their sound draws inspiration from the classic rock and psychedelic scenes of the 60s and 70s, but with a fresh, contemporary twist that appeals to today's hard rock and metal fans. The Vintage Caravan has built a strong and devoted following over the years, largely due to their relentless touring schedule and captivating live performances.

In a new interview with Chris Akin Presents, JUDAS PRIEST bassist Ian Hill was asked if there have been any albums that he and his bandmates have regretted making once they had been released and been out for a while, including PRIEST's controversial symphonic heavy metal concept double album about Nostradamus and the synth-heavy "Turbo". Hill responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, you do with hindsight… 'Point Of Entry' was probably the first time we took a sidestep. And we went a little bit more commercial. And we thought that maybe that's where we should be heading. And we went into it with all great intent, with all good intent, and, of course, we were met with mixed reviews. We came back, of course, after that with 'Screaming For Vengeance' and what have you. And then with 'Turbo'. It is funny because we got to 'Defenders Of The Faith', and we'd almost reached the end of the line. We could have done another 'Defenders Of The Faith' easily, but we wouldn't have been taking that step. And Roland came along with these great guitar synthesizers and they gave us first chance at them. We thought, 'Well, maybe this is it.' And, of course, we did that. And again, it lost us a lot of fans but it's also gained us a lot of new ones. So it evened itself out at the end of the day from a purely commercial point of view. And then, of course, after that, we went with a harder edge with 'Ram It Down' and then 'Painkiller', and that's the way it's been ever since."

Hill continued: "But, yeah, we've had a couple of sidesteps, and 'Nostradamus', it was probably something we needed to get out of our system. But it's one of those albums — it's very long, very complicated as well, and it is designed to be listened to in one sitting, which is one of the reasons that we don't play any songs from that record. It's great — I mean, it is, at heart, a great heavy metal record; it really is — but it's picking out the songs that would fit into the set at the moment. And there's not anything there that would enhance the set. But for the sake of it, we could do that — [play a song] from 'Nostradamus' — but it wouldn't have helped the set in any other way. And it is difficult to do, when you're getting a setlist together, because you have to find that blend of new material, obviously old favorites that you'd get lynched if you didn't play, and then you've got a whole melting pot there of stuff that we can pick out of. And it gets more difficult with each album, because every time you put a new song in, you've got to drop someone's potential favorite. But we do our best, and I think we've got it pretty much right up until now anyway."

Released in 2008, "Nostradamus" was criticized by fans for not sounding like classic PRIEST and for consisting almost entirely of slow, doomy, operatic, keyboard-heavy anthems, apart from a token couple of mid-tempo songs.

The two-CD, 23-track journey through the life of the controversial, 16th-century prophet "Nostradamus" shifted 42,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at No. 11. At the time, this was the band's highest-ever chart position in the U.S. In Canada, the CD opened at position No. 9 after moving close to 4,000 units.

In a 2020 interview with The Flying V Documentary TV Channel, original PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing said about "Nostradamus": "A lot of people probably don't understand or quite get 'Nostradamus', but it was great for us — it was great for us to express and to exhibit what we could actually do as musicians. And also it was something original. And I love it.

"The downfall of 'Nostradamus' was probably the one thing that I actually thought, naively, was gonna be the best thing about 'Nostradamus', and that is the fact that I wanted to take people back to how it used to be," he continued.

"Years ago, when you had a big concept album, like when I first got [THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE's] 'Electric Ladyland', for example, we used to go in our bedroom, close the curtains, put the headphones on and just disappear into our world for however long it took to get through the album and just absorb it and just be at one with it. And I wanted people to experience 'Nostradamus' like that."

Back in 2018, Downing described "Nostradamus" as "our chance to create something different in the music place that we don't always go to. We have lots of great musicals, and we go into great, prestigious venues, like the Royal Albert Hall or Carnegie Hall — great theaters around the place," he said. "To create something and not let everyone else have all of the spoils — 'Phantom Of The Opera' and 'Cats' and all of these musicals and stuff like that. Why can't we, JUDAS PRIEST, put something that's rock and metal into that musical and entertainment place?

"Okay, we might have been going off on a tangent, getting on the wrong track as far as everybody wanting a [classic-sounding] JUDAS PRIEST record, but looking at the bigger picture of broadening the scope and the horizons of what a rock and metal band can do, it's an opportunity kind of missed through no fault of anyone's except our own record company and management, or whatever, decisions," he continued. "It wasn't to be, and probably it was a good decision. But it's a dream — it's a dream for me. I often think about it."

In a 2009 interview with PyroMusic.net, PRIEST singer Rob Halford also defended "Nostradamus", saying: "For us in the band, it was just a wonderful opportunity to complete an idea that we'd had and we'd talked about for many, many years. Growing up as we did, there were a lot of those types of concept records around in the '70s and we always wondered how we would tackle that kind of endeavor. So 'Nostradamus' turned out to be a real satisfying experience for us all."

Genesis Publications and BON JOVI have announced "Bon Jovi Forever", a forthcoming book to celebrate the band's 40th anniversary.

BON JOVI have given Genesis unprecedented access to their entire archive to take you on a thrilling journey through the band's phenomenal 40 years in which they have created 16 studio albums — with massive hits such as "Livin' On a Prayer", "You Give Love A Bad Name", "It's My Life" and "Have A Nice Day" — and performed more than 2,700 concerts to 34 million fans in over 50 countries.

Jon Bon Jovi says: "I never laid out a plan for what I wanted people to feel from listening to our songs. But when you're writing a collection of songs, it's often the ones that really resonate with you that stand the test of time and resonate with others. If a song is pure of heart, if it comes from an emotional place and is not just 'crafted', chances are the listener will take that story and make it their own."

Exclusive text from Jon Bon Jovi will expound on the archive material, which includes handwritten lyrics, clothing worn on and off stage and in music videos, guitars, studio track lists, photographs from the band's personal collections, tour passes, posters and much, much more. In addition, a selection of the very best photography of the band — live, backstage, on tour and in the studio — will make this book the ultimate historical document of BON JOVI.

Created with the full participation of Jon Bon Jovi and the band, "Bon Jovi Forever" will be published as an official signed and numbered limited edition book and boxed set that includes an exclusive seven-inch vinyl record.

For more information, visit www.genesis-publications.com.

In a new interview with Billboard, THE OFFSPRING singer Bryan "Dexter" Holland, who is a licensed pilot, confirmed that being a musician wasn't his first career choice. "I wanted to fly fighter jets when I was a kid," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And I tried to get in the [United States] Air Force Academy, and I almost got in. They weren't gonna let me fly because I had to wear contact lenses or whatever. And so I decided to do something else, and I went to university instead, but I always wanted to fly. And so when I finally had the chance to later on, after the band took off, I started flying and I just get a big kick out of it. I love it. And I have a plane, and we take it on tour. But I will say I always take a pilot with me on tour. I don't wanna take all the credit, because on tour you should probably have some help in the flying department."

Asked if it is "scary being up there and having just this tube of metal in the sky that you're in control of," Holland replied: "Yeah, I can see how there's two things going on. On the one hand, it can seem exciting and adrenaline and maybe scary and 'I'm way up here. And what am I doing?' And on the other hand, it's very peaceful. It's very, almost meditative in a way, which is kind of weird. And I love flying single pilot. There's something about it. I love the getting away, and it doesn't bother me to be by myself."

Earlier this year, Dexter told Twin & Turbine about his interest in becoming a pilot: "I always knew that I was going to fly one day. I went to USC for undergrad and was focused on a medical research track. At that point in my twenties, that's what I was concerned about, and there was no way that I would be able to afford flying. Something had to happen before I could afford flight lessons. Luckily, my band took off in the '90s, and then I was able to pay for the lessons. I started taking them pretty much as soon as I could, which would have been in '95. I just loved it, and it's one of those things in life. For some people, it's golf, and for others, it's horseback riding or whatever. The first time that I got in an airplane, it felt completely natural, and I knew that I wanted to keep doing it."

THE OFFSPRING's new album, "Supercharged", is due out October 11 via Concord Records.

THE OFFSPRING's recent 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 band'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.

"You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" off THE OFFSPRING's 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".

Cleopatra Records has announced the signing of the legendary industrial band MINISTRY, featuring key members Al Jourgensen and Paul Barker.

Brian Perera, president of Cleopatra Records, shared his excitement about the reunion: "We couldn't be more excited to welcome MINISTRY back home to Cleopatra. We've always taken great care of their classic Wax Trax! recordings, and now, as we reunite with Paul and Al, we're ready to continue honoring and expanding their iconic legacy."

Al says: "Looking forward to how this new and FINAL MINISTRY record comes out. Turns out working with Paul is like riding a bike; you never forget how. Buckle up, this is going to be a good one. It seems that everything has come full circle, with the re-inclusion of Paul for the FINAL record, it's like wrapping a bow on a 40-plus-year career."

Paul adds: "After a couple years apart, these new recording sessions started in our tried-and-true manner: we started going in opposite directions that circled around which inevitably forced us to meet in the middle, much like a particle accelerator!"

MINISTRY's return to Cleopatra Records marks a new chapter for the band and their fans, with their highly anticipated last-ever album due in 2025. This release promises to capture the essence of MINISTRY's groundbreaking sound while delivering fresh, innovative tracks that will resonate with both longtime followers and new listeners alike.

The news follows MINISTRY's whirlwind summer as a featured guest on the "Freaks On Parade" tour headlined by ROB ZOMBIE and ALICE COOPER. MINISTRY has one more concert date left for 2024, with an appearance at California's Aftershock festival on October 10.

MINISTRY's 16th studio album, "Hopiumforthemasses", is also out now via Nuclear Blast Records and streaming on all networks, featuring single "Goddamn White Trash", plus "Just Stop Oil", as well as "B.D.E." and "New Religion".

Joined by MINISTRY's current frontline of musicians — creator and mastermind Al Jourgensen, John Bechdel (keyboards),Monte Pittman and Cesar Soto (guitars),Roy Mayorga (drums) and Paul D'Amour (bass) — "Hopiumforthemasses" also has a slew of special guest contributors including GOGOL BORDELLO's Eugene Hutz, longtime collaborator and LARD companion Jello Biafra and CORROSION OF CONFORMITY frontman Pepper Keenan.

Born in 1981 in Chicago, MINISTRY has been the lifetime passion project of founder Al Jourgensen, considered to be the pioneer of industrial music. In its early days, MINISTRY was identifiable by its heavy synth-pop material in line with the new sounds and technology that were being developed in the 1980s. MINISTRY's output began with four 12-inch singles on Wax Trax! Records in 1981 before the first LP "With Sympathy" in 1983 via Arista Records. As time progressed however, so did MINISTRY, quickly developing a harsher, and more stylized sound that the band soon became infamous for on seminal albums "Twitch" (1986),"The Land Of Rape And Honey" (1988) and "The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste" (1989). With the release of "Psalm 69: The Way To Succeed And The Way To Suck Eggs" (1992),MINISTRY hit an all-time high in the mainstream musical realm and received its first Grammy nomination. In total, MINISTRY has been nominated for a Grammy Award six times. Eight more albums would follow before an indefinite break in 2013, only to be unearthed again in 2018 with "AmeriKKKant", continuing to reflect Jourgensen's views on the frightening state of society and politics. The 2021 album "Moral Hygiene" marked a new creative era of Jourgensen and the band. MINISTRY's 16th studio album, "Hopiumforthemasses", was released March 1, 2024 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Metallica have released more official live video footage from their show at Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City, Mexico, on September 22. Check out "Inamorata", as well as the previously posted "Ride The Lightning", below:










Watch "Seek & Destroy" and "King Nothing" from the Mexico City show on September 20:








Metallica have launched the pre-order for the recordings from their September 27 and 29 concerts in Mexico City. It was their second round of shows following the September 20 / 22 No Repeat Weekend.





Says Metallica: "Relive the September 27 & 29 concerts from Estadio GNP Seguros with the ultimate souvenir... an official live audio recording on CD. Both shows are available now for pre-order in the Met Store individually and as a bundle. And in case you missed it, both shows from the previous weekend are available for pre-order, too!


Thanks again for four amazing shows across two incredible weekends in Mexico City. We hope to see you all again soon!"


Live CDs and bundles are available via the official Metallica online shop here.


Expected availability date is November 29.


"We’re kicking off year three of M72 with 21 North American shows across April, May, and June of next year," begins a recent M72 2025 update from Metallica. "This leg will stop in 14 cities with 18 shows in the round, plus two festival stops, seven No Repeat Weekends, and seven one-night-only stops.


"We’re continuing the M72 tradition of unique support acts - a mix of Pantera, Limp Bizkit, Suicidal Tendencies, and Ice Nine Kills - and setlists for each No Repeat Weekend show. The Snake Pit will remain in the center of the stage for all in the round (non-festival) stops. And we’ll be sure to have plenty of extracurricular events planned for the Metallica Family to stay busy around the shows.


"Enhanced Experiences ranging from access to a meet and greet, production and stage tour, food and beverage in the “Black Box” lounge to early entry into the venue and the aforementioned Snake Pit will be available. The I Disappear Ticket is back for the fan who wants to run away with us for all the shows. And new to M72, travel packages, including hotel, ticket, and shuttle options, will be available for most locations.


"North America is not our only stop in 2025, as this year, we will return to Australia and New Zealand after far too long away!!! Stay tuned for the full announcement coming VERY soon."





Tour dates:


April
12 - Las Vegas, NV - Sick New Wor

KITTIE guitarist/vocalist Morgan Lander spoke to Metal Hammer magazine about the musical direction of the Canadian band's upcoming first album in 13 years, titled "Fire" and due later in 2024 via Sumerian Records.

"There's a lot of variety," she said. "I think the kind of variety that you will expect from KITTIE. If you listen to the production of [the LP's recently released first single] 'Eyes Wide Open', that kind of visceral, raw, but very modern sound is prevalent throughout all of the songs. The songwriting is definitely next level."

"Eyes Wide Open", which was released in February, was produced by Nick Raskulinecz.

Last November, it was revealed that KITTIE was working on a new studio LP with Raskulinecz at Nashville's Sienna Studios.

Raskulinecz, who moved to Nashville from Los Angeles around 16 years ago, had previously worked with such acts as RUSH, ALICE IN CHAINS, KORN, RISE AGAINST, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, SKID ROW and the DEFTONES.

Regarding the overwhelmingly positive response to KITTIE's live shows and music since the band's return in 2022, Lander told Metal Hammer: "I just think that the world is ready for us now. A lot of the things that we were doing 25 years ago were still... I don't want to say controversial, but they seemed so new. It definitely has a lot to do with a shift in thinking and acceptance and representation in the years since the very first time that KITTIE came out. Sometimes it just takes the world a bit of time to catch up and appreciate those things."

Last month, Morgan told The MetalSucks Podcast about KITTIE's plans for the rest of 2024: "To be honest with you, this all just feels brand new again. I know that we're veterans of the music industry and whatnot, but we've sort of stepped into a new age and a new era of music releasing and record labels and things like that. So I think the goal is just to just enjoy — for us, for sure — enjoy the process and just — I don't know — put some smiles on people's faces, really. All of the things that come along with releasing new music and an album, like new merch and shows, headlining stuff, album-release stuff, all of that is definitely coming down the pike. But I think ultimately the goal for us is just to sort of enjoy the ride. All of those tangible things will come. It all feels so new and exciting again. So, yeah, we're just here to enjoy the ride."

Asked how she views all the platforms, with social media and music streaming services, now compared to how it was when KITTIE last released new music nearly a decade and a half ago, Morgan said: "Well, I feel like in 2011 [when 'I've Failed You' came out] and 2009 [when 'In The Black' was released], those last two albums, I actually really don't know that Spotify and music and streaming platforms were catching on. And so it was this weird sort of interim period where they may have existed but nobody cared and people were definitely still buying tangible CDs. And, yeah, so now we're in this new era of streaming, and I really feel like music is more accessible than ever and I think more people are listening than ever before, because things are just so easy to find; everything that you need is on a streaming platform. And so I definitely think that it does have its benefits. I mean, as far as being an artist and on the serving-the-artist side of things, it doesn't pay great, but I feel like the audience is greater than ever before. Way back, when we were active, I guess you could say the first time, the industry was definitely a different beast. And this time around, I feel like a lot of people, since we put out our last albums, have discovered the band, a lot of young people as well. And so because streaming [is so widely available], they've had this ability to discover and listen to our old catalog and continue to keep those songs popular and alive. And ultimately, it's that sort of simmering growth that's allowed us to have this opportunity that we have today. So, I don't think that it's a bad thing. I'm excited for the weirdness of the future."

Speaking about the inspiration behind the new single, Morgan said in a statement: "Our first new material in 13 years, 'Eyes Wide Open' is a vision quest for truth. It is a torch lit in the darkness of ignorance to reveal one's true motives. 'Eyes Wide Open' is a lesson in trust, betrayal, and ultimately the ability to see behind the curtain to reveal all. It was one of the first songs we wrote, coming together again after a long time away from creating, and I think you can really hear the fires reigniting in this track."

In a recent interview with Knotfest's "She's With The Band" podcast, KITTIE drummer Mercedes Lander and Morgan spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the long-awaited follow-up to the Canadian metallers' 2011 album "I've Failed You". Mercedes said about the musical direction of the new KITTIE material: "I'm gonna say that we are just really stoked to write 1,200 percent bangers. I think that's just where we're at now. We want people to feel good. We want people to feel what we're feeling. I feel like bangers, that's what we're good at."

Asked by host Tori Kravitz about the possibility of KITTIE combining some of the old-school sound from the band's early days and mixing it up with a fresh approach, Morgan said: "I think marrying some of the ideas, 'cause I don't think we're ever going to put our JNCOs [jeans] on again. But, yeah, the idea of marrying some of those ideas — like who we are now with the ideas of who maybe we used to be and kind of being able to meet somewhere in the middle, but in a way that will just create something brand new again. I'm excited for it to be unleashed upon the world."

At some of its recent shows, KITTIE has been performing a brand new song called "Vultures".

KITTIE played its first concert in five years in September 2022 at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival at the Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.

Joining Morgan and Mercedes in KITTIE's current lineup guitarist Tara McLeod and bassist Ivana "Ivy" Vujic.

Prior to Blue Ridge, KITTIE had not performed since its reunion show at London Music Hall in the band's native London, Ontario in 2017, celebrating the group's documentary "Kittie: Origins/Evolutions".

Vujic joined KITTIE in 2008 and appeared on the band's fifth studio CD, 2009's "In The Black". She also wrote and recorded bass for KITTIE's sixth album, 2011's "I've Failed You".

In January 2022, the original lineup of KITTIE — Morgan, Mercedes, Fallon Bowman (guitar) and Tanya Candler (bass) — reunited for an online chat to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of its gold-certified 2000 debut album, "Spit".

Candler left KITTIE after the release of "Spit" in order to finish high school and was replaced by Talena Atfield.

Bowman exited KITTIE in 2001 and started her own industrial/electronic project, AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT.

After KITTIE completed the touring cycle for "I've Failed You" album, the band entered a long period of inactivity during which Morgan focused on a marketing job for a chain of fitness clubs while Mercedes worked in real estate and more recently at a software company. The group also began work on a career-spanning documentary, "Origins/Evolutions", which finally saw the light of day in 2018 via Lightyear Entertainment in North America.

"I've Failed You" sold 3,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 178 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Vocalist Dani Filth of British extreme metal titans CRADLE OF FILTH spoke to Australia's Metal Roos about the band's long-awaited collaboration with British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. Regarding how the pairing came about, Dani said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "What happened was, see, he released a record with [the single] 'Bad Habits' on [it], and he was a vampire in [the song's accompanying music video]. And he was on a big, big — I can't remember what it was, some huge interview he did, and they asked him about his growing up, and he said he was into CRADLE and SLIPKNOT. And somehow our managers got in contact and put me in contact with him, 'cause he was an old fan. And then we decided it'd be fun to do a collaboration, which actually got off the ground — a year later, we actually did it. And that was done like a year and a half ago."

On the topic of when CRADLE OF FILTH's collaboration with Sheeran will finally see the light of day, Dani said: "It was going on this [upcoming CRADLE OF FILTH] record, but chances are, because we don't wanna delay our record any longer than it can, it'll probably go on a special edition. And that is because Ed's taking a blackout this year — totally no musical output. And, of course, you can't release it at the same time… His management were just, like, 'You've gotta appreciate, you can't release your single at the same time as one of Ed's singles, because it kind of defeats the purpose of it.' So there's a reasoning behind that, but it's not gonna delay the inevitable. It's a great song anyway. And it just keeps people guessing a little bit longer. But it also shows that we're not using it as a vehicle for the record, which I was very keen to stress that, yeah, he's one of the biggest artists in the world, and yes, we've done a thing with him, [and] yes, everybody's very curious about it, but at the same time, I don't want it to overshadow what we're doing. 'Cause it's not a novelty song, although the ideology behind it is very novelty, and I love the juxtaposition of the marriage of extremes — you know, like, who the hell would do this? Well, us, for a start. So I'm happy with that. And I'm happy with the fact that it gets released under its own stream. I mean, obviously everybody will make a big meal of it because it is what it is, but it kind of takes the onus of us making a meal of it."

Asked if he thinks Ed Sheeran fans are going to be "a little bit in for a shock" when they hear the song, Dani said: "I think so. I think they're gonna be in for a shock because it's still an extreme song. There's still a blast beat on it. But it does sound like Ed Sheeran; it really does. It sounds like Ed Sheeran singing with us. And he's got some breakdowns in it. He plays acoustic guitar. It's very catchy, but it's very heavy at the same time."

This past January, Dani told Poland's Pełna Kulturka about CRADLE OF FILTH's next studio album: "It's a very heavy record. We just upped the game as a band. We moved one step further toward the future from our previous record. We see everything as an evolution, everything as an evolutionary step, everything as a necessary link in the chain. And this album's gonna be an important record for us — our first for Napalm Records, if you discount, obviously, the live record… But expect the first single probably about September, October time."

Asked if he had heard Sheeran's collaboration with BRING ME THE HORIZON on a new version of the former's "Bad Habits" song, Dani said: "I did hear it, yeah. They decided to do that after we started working [with Ed]. 'Cause we actually did the song with Ed over a year ago now. And before then, the idea happened off the back of 'Bad Habits', the album. So, it's been about two and a half years, and it's probably gonna be three and a half years before anybody actually hears the song. But it is what it is. Obviously, he's one of the biggest artists in the world, and we have to kind of abide by his rules because… He's a lovely guy — don't get me wrong — but his management, obviously, have his vested interest at heart. And I think this year he's taking a complete year off. And obviously we want him in the video, so if that's gonna happen, we have to release that single with him on next year. But that's not gonna affect the rest of the album."

Filth originally broke the news about potentially working with the 33-year-old singer/songwriter, who is one of the most successful musicians on the planet, during an interview with Kerrang! Radio"Breakfast Show" at the 2021 Bloodstock Open Air festival in the U.K. At the time, Dani said: "I've actually been e-mailing with [Ed]… He actually touched base with me. I've been invited up to his place. Well, he said he could come down to mine, but I pointed out to him that I don't own my own bar or village, and it'd be better if I went there.

"He said he'd do anything," he added. "Quite literally. He said he's a massive fan. He seems like a genuinely very nice guy actually."

Filth went on to say the prospect of collaborating with someone like Sheeran is not as far fetched as one might think. "We've always been like that," he explained. 'If someone tells us not to do something, then we'll do it. That's been our prerogative the whole time. I did this rap song with this band called TWIZTID in America. It's actually turned out more like RAMMSTEIN and BEASTIE BOYS than full-on rap. So, in that respect, I think it the Ed Sheeran collaboration would be great fun. I think it'd be great if we did it for charity, because at least it would bring a bit of credibility to it. Because obviously to his public, it'd be, like, Oh my god, he's got this weird comical guy,' and to my public it'd be, like, 'Oh my god, this is a bit weird, isn't it? But I think that sort of thing nowadays works."

In July 2021, Sheeran floated the possibility of exploring a more extreme musical path while speaking to The Sun. He said: "I was really into death metal as a kid. I listened to CRADLE OF FILTH and SLIPKNOT and all that stuff. I'm not saying I could ever step into that world. I learnt all those riffs on guitar as a kid. That's something I've never thought about doing — but something I would not be opposed to creating."

Sheeran had previously dabbled in a variety of genres, including rock, dance, rap and reggae.

After The Sun published Sheeran's comments, Filth posted a screenshot of an article headlined "Ed Sheeran is open to recording a death metal album after spending his youth listening to CRADLE OF FILTH" and wrote in an accompanying caption, "I'll believe it when I see it. Fellow Suffolk lad could come good in the end. 'Dracula's Castle On The Hill' anyone?"

Last May, Dani was asked by BLABBERMOUTH.NET if he envisions the next CRADLE OF FILTH studio album staying in the same vein as "Cryptoriana" or "Existence Is Futile". He responded: "It's not going to be a million miles away from that. I've been working on some of the material today. We're putting the finishing touches on the songs we're going to record, whether all of them make the grade or not. It has a 'Dusk… And Her Embrace' vibe to them. Musically, it plays across 'Dusk' and 'Midian', but lyrically, and the vibe of it, it has a 'Dusk… And Her Embrace' feel to it. I don't know why. History repeats itself. Maybe it's because we wrote 'Dusk' around this particular time of year, but it has that vibe. It sounds great, but I would say that, wouldn't I?"

In April 2023, CRADLE OF FILTH released its first live album in over 20 years, "Trouble And Their Double Lives", via Napalm Records. The LP was recorded between 2014 and 2019 at different performances in the USA, Europe, Australia and beyond during the band's "Cryptoriana" world tour and dates following. Produced, mixed and mastered by Scott Atkins at Grindstone Studios, with recording captured by Danny B, the effort not only features a slew of fan favorites encompassing the band's discography but also two bonus tracks and two entirely brand new songs, "She Is A Fire" and "Demon Prince Regent".

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German rock legends, Scorpions, have shared pro-shot footage of their entire Hellfest 2015 show, which took place in Clisson, France on June 20th, 2015.


Setlist:


"Going Out with A Bang"
"Make It Real"
"The Zoo"
"Coast To Coast"
"Top Of The Bill / Steamrock Fever / Speedy’s Coming / Catch Your Train"
"We Built This House"
"Delicate Dance"
"Always Somewhere / Eye Of The Storm / Send Me An Angel"
"Wind Of Change"
"Big City Nights"
"Dynamite"
- drum solo -
"Crazy World"
"Blackout"
"Still Loving You"
"Rock You Like A Hurricane"







Scorpions, one of the most iconic and influential hard rock bands of all time, are returning to the Las Vegas Strip in 2025 with exclusive headlining residency show in celebration of the band’s 60th anniversary.


Promoted by Live Nation and Caesars Entertainment, Scorpions – Coming Home To Las Vegas 60th Anniversary Las Vegas Residency kicks off on Thursday, February 27, 2025 at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Scorpions will be joined by special guest Buckcherry. The new show follows the band’s two previous sold-out residencies at the venue – Scorpions - Love At First Sting Las Vegas in 2024, and Sin City Nights in 2022.


“There couldn‘t be a better way than to start 2025 in Las Vegas with another residency at Planet Hollywood… come and celebrate with us our 60th Anniversary and catch a rockin‘ good time… we gonna sting yaaaa!!!” - Klaus Meine


Tickets go on sale Saturday, September 28 at 10 AM, PT. Scorpions Rock Zone fan club members will have exclusive, first access to tickets starting Tuesday, September 24 at 10 AM, PT. For more information and to jo