At last weekend's Bloodstock Open Air festival, TRIVIUM guitarist Corey Beaulieu spoke to Forever Loud about the band's upcoming three-song EP "Struck Dead" which will arrive on October 31 via longtime label Roadrunner. It was produced by TRIVIUM and recorded with Mark Lewis at the band's Hangar Studios in Orlando, Florida. It was mixed and mastered by Josh Wilbur. Corey said:  "We had all of last year off and we were rehearsing for [TRIVIUM's recent tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of the band's second album and Roadrunner debut] 'Ascendancy'. So we'd go up a couple times a week and just play the record from start to finish. And then we knew, 'cause we had the studio construction [at Hangar] going on, we knew by the time that the studio was finished, we obviously wanted to take it for a test run and make sure everything was working properly. So we were just, like, 'Hey, let's just write a…' Originally it was, like, 'Let's just write a song so we have something to record.' And then it was kind of while we were doing this anniversary tour, [we wanted to] drop a song in the middle of it to kind of use, I guess, the nostalgia to kind of hype up new music for eventually a new record. And then when all the plans changed — we wrote the song, but we had so much time, we ended up, like, 'Oh…' [We] wrote another song and we wrote another song, and next thing we had three songs and so we just recorded 'em all. And we weren't really sure what we were gonna do, if we were just gonna release like one song at a time kind of down the line as standalone singles. And then once the touring plans changed, that kind of a changed our mindset of what we should do with the music. And it turned into a three-song EP instead of just a song here or there. So we kind of made it a little mini release to hold people over till we have the time off to dive into the next album."

TRIVIUM performed "Bury Me With My Screams", the lead single from "Struck Dead", live for the first time at Bloodstock Open Air on August 8 after the song was officially released earlier that day. Corey told Forever Loud about the response to the track: "[It] seems like a lot of people have been listening to it, checking it out. So hopefully there'll be a couple people in the crowd [at Bloodstock] that heard it before they showed up here.

"When we wrote it last year when we were rehearsing, we've probably been playing that song for almost a year or so," Corey revealed. "Playing it in the set, it kind of feels like an old song to us at this point, since we played it so many times up until this point. So, it'll fit right in real naturally with the rest of the songs in the set."

When "Bury Me With My Screams" was first released, TRIVIUM bassist Paolo Gregoletto said in a statement: "In 2023, we decided it was finally time to take the next step with the Hangar space we purchased — it was time to turn it into a full studio. We brought in designer Roger D'Arcy, thanks to an introduction from Mark Lewis, and set out on a year-long build. While construction was underway, we were deep in rehearsals for 'The Poisoned Ascendancy' tour, celebrating 'Ascendancy''s 20th anniversary. What started as an idea to release one single during the tour quickly grew into two, then three, as we kept writing while we were waiting for the build-out to be completed."

He continued: "During that time, the energy of revisiting 'Ascendancy' started bleeding into these new songs. Matt [Heafy, TRIVIUM guitarist/vocalist] poured a lot of his personal struggles from the past year into the music, and we used the writing process as a cathartic release. Those sessions evolved into a three-song EP that we're incredibly proud of, and we can't wait to debut 'Bury Me With My Screams' live at Bloodstock Open Air festival."

"Struck Dead" EP track listing:

01. Bury Me With My Screams
02. Struck Dead (Pain Is Easier To Remember)
03. Six Walls Surround Me

TRIVIUM will embark on "The Ascend Above The Ashes" trek that kicks off October 31 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and runs through December 14, with an epic hometown show in Orlando, Florida. Special guests are JINJER and HERIOT.

TRIVIUM and BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE recently teamed up for "The Poisoned Ascendancy" tour during which the two bands celebrated the 20th anniversary of "Ascendancy" and "The Poison" albums, respectively, by playing them in full.

Produced by Live Nation, the North American leg of "The Poisoned Ascendancy" kicked off on March 30 at PNE Forum in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, making stops across North America in Las Vegas, Chicago, New York and more before wrapping up in Raleigh, North Carolina at Red Hat Amphitheater on May 18.

Released in March of 2005, TRIVIUM crafted a classic in the form of "Ascendancy". It concluded 2005 as Kerrang!'s "Album Of The Year," went gold in the U.K., and has since surpassed global sales of 500,000 copies. Opening the main stage of Download festival that year, the Floridian four piece — barely out of their teens — delivered a set that left all who witnessed it in no doubt that they were looking at future legends, with Kerrang! readers later voting it as the tenth best gig of all time.

"Ascendancy" ignited a string of six consecutive Top 25 debuts on the Billboard 200 and five straight Top 3 debuts on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart, culminating on 2017's benchmark "The Sin And The Sentence". That album elevated the group's total stream tally past a quarter of a billion. Additionally, "Betrayer" received a Grammy Award nomination in the category of "Best Metal Performance". Unanimous acclaim followed from Decibel, Loudwire, Ultimate Guitar, MetalSucks and Metal Hammer, who dubbed them "quite simply one of the best bands in modern metal." 2020 brought LP "What The Dead Men Say". The album was produced by TRIVIUM and Josh Wilbur and debuted at No. 35 on the Billboard 200; at No. 2 on the Top Current Albums chart, and at No. 3 on both the Hard Rock Albums chart and Top Rock Albums chart.

According to Rolling Stone, Eddie Van Halen's 1982 Kramer electric guitar will be auctioned by Sotheby's New York this fall.

The guitar, which was played by the legendary VAN HALEN axeman in 1982 and 1983, is expected to fetch between $2 million and $3 million during Sotheby's inaugural Grails Week from October 21 to October 28.

Eddie later gifted the guitar to his longtime guitar technician Robin "Rudy" Leiren (the guitar sports an inscription to Leiren),who sold it to then-MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist Mick Mars. Mars used it during the recording of his band's "Dr. Feelgood" album, including on the song "Slice Of Your Pie". The guitar's current owner is not known.

Ian Ferreyra de Bone, Sotheby's managing director of its luxury division, said: "Played during some of Eddie's most iconic performances and later used by MÖTLEY CRÜE's Mick Mars, this instrument connects two giants of heavy metal. With its custom build and incredible backstory, it's a true grail — exactly the kind of piece we had in mind for Sotheby's first-ever Grails Week, which shines a spotlight on the most sought-after treasures from music, film, TV and comics and puts Sotheby's right at the center of pop culture."

The guitar will be on display in Monterey, California from August 13 until August 16.

Back in April 2023, another guitar owned by Edie Van Halen — that one he used in VAN HALEN's "Hot For Teacher" music video — was sold for $3,932,000.

Eddie died in October 2020 at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Following his death, fans left flowers at his childhood home on Las Lunas Street in Pasadena, California. Additional flowers, candles and fan mementos were placed on Allen Avenue where Eddie and his brother, VAN HALEN drummer Alex, scratched their band's name into the wet cement of a sidewalk when they were teenagers.

After Eddie was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, he began flying to Germany for treatments. Eventually, the cancer spread to Eddie's spine and brain. Just a few months later, Eddie died at age 65.

VAN HALEN was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists.

Photo courtesy of Sotheby's

In a new interview with Guitarristas, critically acclaimed guitarist and singer Orianthi was asked how the creative process behind her latest studio album, "Some Kind Of Feeling", was different from that for 2022's "Rock Candy". She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, 'Rock Candy' kind of had parameters around it. I had a lot of fun creating with my dear friend Jacob Bunton. We wrote and recorded the entire album in 14 days. So that was a goal I set, and we did it. We handed it in. With 'Some Kind Of Feeling', I was able to do whatever I wanted. So, basically, create the album I've always wanted to do. And I produced half of the record — well, not half of it, but four songs — and then Kevin Shirley produced the rest of it. And it was an honor to work with Kevin. He's a great producer and he's a great person and he brought a lot of energy to the studio, so I loved it."

Asked if she has all the songs pretty much finished before she starts recording or if it was a process where she develops the tracks as she starts tracking the LP, Orianthi responded: "They're pretty much done, 'cause I like to record, do pre-production in my home, bring them in. But then we change things around. Kevin's, like, 'I think you should add this or do something different.' I'm, like, 'Okay, cool.' So we change it up. Yeah."

She added: "I pretty much fully produce up demos at home — how I want 'em to sound, the textures, all the layers. So they're similar [to the final versions], but they're not because they're all programmed except for the guitars and all the vocals. But, yeah, so there's more life to the real thing, 'cause you've got real drums and we cut it all live."

"Some Kind Of Feeling" came out digitally on June 27 via Woodward Avenue Records and will be made available on CD on August 15, and on vinyl on September 19.

Orianthi produced three songs from the new album: "First Time Blues", "Ghost" and "Bad For Each Other". The remaining seven songs on the album, including the "Attention" single, were produced by Kevin "The Caveman" Shirley (Beth Hart, Joe Bonamassa, Joanne Shaw Taylor).

Orianthi, who has previously played with Alice Cooper, Dave Stewart and Richie Sambora, and who was hired by Michael Jackson for his London performances the year of his untimely death, has had plenty of her success as an artist in her own right, starting with her Top 20 Billboard pop hit "According To You" and gold-selling Geffen album "Believe", released in 2009. While playing with legends over the years, she's continued to build her discography with numerous albums on different labels.

Shirley's extensive resume includes Bonamassa, JOURNEY, AEROSMITH, LED ZEPPELIN, DREAM THEATER and countless artists from his home country of South Africa and his later adopted home of Australia.

In a new interview with Waste Some Time With Jason Green, Zakk Wylde, who became Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist in 1987 after sending the singer a demo tape, reflected on the recent passing of the legendary BLACK SABBATH frontman. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET: "It was so crazy, 'cause when we went back to the house — obviously we went home [in early July after the 'Back To The Beginning' concert], and then Barb [Zakk's wife Barbaranne] called me up [when I was on the road with PANTERA to tell me] that Ozz passed away.

"Whenever any of this stuff [about Ozzy's health issues] would always come up with us [in the past], just 'cause Ozz was just so tough and resilient, it would just be, 'Oh, it's just another bump in the road or another hurdle. We'll get through it.' So it was just always that. So you just always — not that you take anything for granted ever, but it'd be like Ozzy being Evel Knievel [American stunt performer and entertainer] —it's, like, he survives, he makes a jump, or even if he gets into an accident, we get him to the hospital, [and] he'll be fine. And then he gets out and he's all right, and then we'll do another jump. You know what I mean? So you never think, like, 'This is the end.' You're just, like, 'Ah, Ozz will be fine.' Then we'll either do another record or whatever until Ozz gets better. But truly it was just like he willed himself to hang in there long enough to knock that [final] show [at the Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom] out. 'Cause I was just saying, like, what happens if the show was [scheduled to take place] this month [in August]? He doesn't make it. That's what's crazy about the whole thing. And you just always had that sense that he's gonna be around forever, just kind of like Keith Richards and Mick Jagger and all the guys."

When podcast host Jason Green noted that Osbourne's health issues didn't keep him from making music in recent years, Zakk concurred. "Obviously until he get his health back, it was just, like, 'Ah, just keep plugging away, man,'" he said. "And either you quit or you keep conquering and climbing. And he never had any quit in them. So, yeah, it was just, like, all right, well, then in the meantime, until you can get better, well, we'll write and make records or whatever you wanna do, man. I mean, that's what I just figured. It was, like, 'Ah, I'll see Ozz on Tuesday,' and we'll start working again or whatever."

Last month, Zakk told Guitar World about the final text he received from Ozzy before the singer died. Wylde performed during the aforementioned "Back To The Beginning" farewell concert on July 5, and according to the guitarist, Osbourne reached out to him after the show.

"Everybody and their mother were in the backstage dressing room and I just wanted to give him a break," Wylde said. "I figured we'd see him later on — the next day or whatever. But no. The last text I got from Ozz was saying, 'Zakky, sorry, it was like a madhouse back there. I didn't see you.' He goes, 'Thanks for everything.' It was just us talking, saying, 'I love you, buddy.' That was it."

Wylde added that the singer was "almost like an older brother" to him. "There was almost a 20-year age gap between us," he told Guitar World. "With our relationship, there was the fun drinking — but if I ever needed advice, I could talk to him."

Wylde also told Guitar World that his priority with Osbourne's farewell show was "making sure that Ozz was okay."

Ozzy died on July 22 of a heart attack, his death certificate revealed. The certificate filed in London also said Osbourne suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease.

A private funeral service for Ozzy was held on July 31 on the 250-acre grounds of the house the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer and his wife bought in 1993 in Buckinghamshire, England. Only 110 of the singer's friends and family members attended the service, including his SABBATH bandmates, Robert Trujillo (METALLICA),Rob Zombie, Wylde, Marilyn Manson and Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT).

The day before the private funeral, thousands of fans gathered in the streets of Birmingham to pay tribute to Ozzy. Sharon, along with their children Aimée, Kelly and Jack, joined mourners for the emotional tribute.

In a new interview with Brazil's 92.5 Kiss FM, former MISFITS singer Michale Graves confirmed that he is planning on releasing new music in the coming months. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah. I certainly will have some new releases in 2026. I'm working on new music right now and recording. I'm putting something together that probably by the time I get to South America I'll be able to talk more about. So, yeah, new music, videos. I'm writing a book that should come out in 2026. I'm working on lots of things.

"As far as new music, I didn't wanna release something that was subpar," he explained. "And if I'm gonna release something, which I am, I wanna be able to be proud of it. I want it to be able to really capture what I hear in my mind. I make tons of demos. I've been working these past years and just recording all these new songs that I have and these ideas just over and over and really trying them in different ways and just really producing that the heck out of them. So, when I do release them, it's gonna be awesome."

Asked if fans can expect to hear some of this new material when Graves embarks on a South American tour in late October, the singer, who fronted MISFITS from 1995 to 2000, said: "Yeah, you know what? We might play a new song or two, something brand new that we can put out there and just kind of tease. So, yeah, there's so much material. Sometimes it's overwhelming trying to figure out what to play because there's all the MISFITS songs that everybody wants to hear, and then there's so much Michale Graves stuff. But yeah, the band knows one of the new songs, and we actually recorded it. So, yeah, for sure."

Michale is an internationally recognized artist who has been creating music and telling stories for over two decades. Before his 20th birthday, he was recruited to be the lead singer and primary songwriter of the legendary punk band the MISFITS. Graves faced an uphill battle of immense criticism while trying to fill the shoes of original MISFITS vocalist Glenn Danzig, but he injected the group with freshness, youth and energy which rewrote the history of the band in a way that even his sharpest critics found undeniable, reaching a whole new generation of music fans in the process.

After recording two albums with the MISFITS, "American Psycho" via Geffen and "Famous Monsters" through Roadrunner, as well as touring the world to meet millions of fans, Graves quit the band to blaze his own path. Michale steadily built a reputation as the working-man's punk rocker. He reintroduced himself to the scene with non-stop touring around the country before taking his new act worldwide.

In recent years, some of Graves's concerts ended up being canceled over his reported affiliation with the right-wing group Proud Boys.

When Graves testified on behalf of five Proud Boys members in March 2023 that he was asked to perform for them on the afternoon of January 6, 2021, he acknowledged that members of the Proud Boys may have been guilty of trespassing on Capitol grounds that day, but he said he did not believe they had any intention of targeting Congress.

The singer, who gained notoriety for his conservative views, has claimed that his "candor" got him "canceled", resulting in him being removed from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

He went on to resurrect his show called "Radio Deadly With Michale Graves", which he brought to the Censored.TV platform.

On August 1, SHINEDOWN joined the KROQ radio station inside the Helpful Honda Sound Space on Tuesday, July 15 for a special interview and performance. Check out video of the band's appearance below.

Asked when SHINEDOWN's eighth studio album might see the light of day, the band's bass player and producer Eric Bass said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I read an article where Brent [Smith, SHINEDOWN singer] said, I think he said the record is 95% done, and I said he forgot a decimal point between the nine and the five. [Laughs] No, I think we're [aiming to get the album released in] March.

"Honestly, this record has been way different than any of the others. Usually we go in and write 30-plus songs and choose 10 to 15 of them to record, 10 of 'em go on the record, that kind of thing, and this one has been. we're sort of writing and mixing and recording as we go. So, we still have songs to write, and we have three songs that are already released from the record. So, it's been a unique experience for sure, but after this tour we're going into hard-work mode and get it finished, for sure."

Smith added: "Yeah, we've got some bigger exposure shows that haven't been announced yet, but for the most part, once we finish — I think this is August 1st — pretty much this entire month is the back half of the 'Dance, Kid, Dance' tour for the year.

"Look, we're not walking into the studio every day going, 'Let's write a song because it'll make us famous.' We're writing the songs because we have something to say," Brent explained. "And me and Eric always talk about it too — all of us do in the band — it sounds simple, but you have to remind yourself, it's not like it's not gonna happen. We're gonna complete it and then give it to the world. But we take it seriously. We take it really seriously."

Eric continued: "That's a good lesson for everybody here. If you have something going on in your life and you're stressed out about it and you feel up against a wall. I mean, I get like that about these records nonstop. [Brent] has to talk me off of a ledge all the time, but he's right. It's not like it's not gonna happen. It's not like you're not gonna have a moment where it's ready to go and you're successful and you achieve the thing you were trying to achieve. And I think maybe if you retain that sort of thinking in every aspect of your life, it could be wildly helpful for you. I haven't figured it out yet, but when I do, I'll let you know."

Last month, Brent told The Mistress Carrie Podcast about SHINEDOWN's eighth studio album,: "What I can tell you is we don't know what the name of the album is just yet. I can tell you that it's not a concept record. It is definitely a true traditional album. [The songs] all stand alone, but they all belong on the same body of work. But they're not related to one another. But they're on the body of work — they're under the same roof, basically. I can tell you that there's gonna be another single in October that's going to show a completely other side of the band. I can tell you that the announce of the record will be in November."

He continued: "I don't necessarily like using the term 'a deadline', but the fact of the matter is because it's so competitive right now… And we're stoked that we're still a physical-selling band, meaning our vinyls do quite well. It's a pretty large order internationally that we have to look at. So you have to have it turned in in time. There are going to be — I can tell you there's a lot of color on this record… I can tell you that the announce for the album should be November. And I'm pretty secure in telling you that it'll be March, is when it'll be released."

Earlier in July, SHINEDOWN released a brand new single, "Killing Fields", via Atlantic Records. The track arrived just days before SHINEDOWN headed off on the largest and most ambitious tour it has ever set out on in its career. Performing at arenas all across the country, the tour kicked off on July 19 at Boston's TD Garden and the next day they performed at Madison Square Garden (the first time they have ever performed there as a band),as well as Los Angeles's Kia Forum on August 3. Joining on the second leg of the tour are BUSH and Morgan Wade on all shows.

"Killing Fields" is the third new song SHINEDOWN has made available in 2025 after the simultaneous release of "Three Six Five" and "Dance, Kid, Dance" in January. Breaking rules and doing what few artists have been able to achieve, "Three Six Five" is currently charting at five different radio formats: already hitting No. 1 at Alternative, it also has hit Top 10 at Hot AC and AC, No. 16 at Active Rock and is approaching Top 20 at Top 40 radio.

The massive support at radio can also be derived from the inspirational message of the song. Upon release of the animated music video, which featured storylines of three people each dealing with loss in their lives over the course of a year, and how they navigated through it, inspired fans all over the Internet. Many wrote in their own stories of loss and used the comment section of the video almost as an online therapy board.

Released simultaneously with "Three Six Five" was "Dance, Kid, Dance". The song has literally made history for the band as when it reached No. 1 on the Mediabase Active Rock chart, it marked SHINEDOWN's 22nd song to reach No. 1 on the chart. On the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart (where it also hit No. 1) SHINEDOWN became the only band in the chart's history to get 20 No. 1s on the chart. Not to mention when the song entered the Top 5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, SHINEDOWN tied with the FOO FIGHTERS for the artists with the most songs to hit the top 10 in the chart's history with 32 songs each. On Mediabase, SHINEDOWN holds the record for the most No. 1s, No. 5s and No. 10s on the Active Rock chart, with a total of 24 No. 1s on the Mediabase chart. All these incredible accomplishments continue to solidify that SHINEDOWN have made a name for themselves in rock and are one of the biggest bands in the world.

This year has also come with some historic wins for the band as they recently took home two trophies at the iHeartRadio Music Awards where they won "Rock Artist Of The Year" and "Rock Song Of The Year" for "A Symptom Of Being Human". The awards were in celebration of the banner year they've had as "A Symptom Of Being Human" has hit nearly 125 million global streams and charted at five radio formats including a No. 1 at Active, Top 10 at Alternative, Top 10 at AC, Top 15 at Hot AC and a Top 20 at Top 40. The song, off SHINEDOWN's "Planet Zero" album, resonated with fans across the globe for the unifying message of its lyrics: that it is our human connections that matter the most.

Smith and Bass co-wrote "Three Six Five", while "Dance, Kid, Dance" was written by Smith, Bass and Dave Bassett. The songs were produced by Bass at his own Big Animal Studio in Charleston, South Carolina.

For the tour, SHINEDOWN has teamed up with Musicians On Call and will be donating $1 for every ticket sold for the tour. As the nation's leading provider of live music in hospitals, Musicians On Call (MOC) has delivered the healing power of music to patients, families, and caregivers in healthcare environments for 25 years. More than one million people across all 50 states have experienced the joys of live music in the hospital setting through MOC's bedside, virtual, and streaming programs. MOC volunteers perform live for children and adults facing any health challenge, including Veterans recovering in VA facilities, family members supporting loved ones in need, and healthcare workers caring for patients. The collaboration is just one of the many charities SHINEDOWN supports as they frequently give back to organizations in need.

In a new interview with Poland's Brudne Brzmienie, legendary DEEP PURPLE and BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes spoke about how the music industry has changed in the five and a half decades since he launched his career. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There is no such thing as the music industry anymore. It's not the same at all. It's just not the same world. From where I came from all those years ago, it's just completely changed. The record labels are a waste of time. The people that work at record labels haven't got a clue what they're doing, as far as musically. They might think they are great at business, but I don't think so. So it's just a different, different, different field to work with. And it's really difficult for new, young artists — really difficult."

Asked if he feels like he has to play the game again to stay relevant in today's music world, Glenn said: "Do I feel like I have to play the game again? No. No, and I say that with all gratitude that I'm at a place right now in my life where I don't really have to worry too much about anything because I've done pretty much everything I wanted to do as a child. All I wanna still do is make music, play some shows and have fun. And I don't get carried away with anything else other than playing music today right now in this very moment."

Glenn's new studio album "Chosen", is set for release on September 5 via Frontiers Music Srl.

In early June, Hughes released the official music video for the "Chosen" title track. It was followed by the "Voice In My Head" video a month later. Earlier this month, Glenn shared "Into The Fade".

This year will also see Hughes busy touring across Europe and South America, with "The Chosen Years" tour starting in Zoetermeer, Netherlands, on September 2 and ending on November 29 in Bogota, Colombia.

Glenn, a native of Cannock, England, absorbed all kinds of influences, including early British hard rock, THE BEATLES and, most importantly, American soul and R&B. The sleek Motown sound from Detroit and the gritty Stax/Volt sound from Memphis left their mark on him.

Hughes first found success in the early '70s with the band TRAPEZE before joining DEEP PURPLE in 1973 during a pivotal lineup change that introduced him and David Coverdale to the group. Despite initial skepticism, the revamped band silenced critics with the release of "Burn" (1974),a powerful album that revitalized PURPLE's sound and remains a classic. During this era, the band headlined the iconic California Jam in front of over 300,000 fans, toured the world aboard their private jet The Starship, and released two more studio albums, "Stormbringer" and "Come Taste The Band", before disbanding in 1976.

Glenn's first solo album "Play Me Out" was released in 1977. He joined former Pat Travers guitarist Pat Thrall to form HUGHES/THRALL, which released an acclaimed self-titled album in 1982. Throughout the '80s and '90s, Glenn Hughes made countless guest appearances (both credited and un-credited) as a vocalist, bass guitarist or songwriter on other artists' albums. The endless list includes — among others — Gary Moore, John Norum and Tony Iommi of BLACK SABBATH.

Since 1992, Glenn has started a prolific solo career with a dozen studio albums where he explored all the different sides of his songwriting and influences: from hard rock to funk and more contemporary sounds. He collaborated — among others — with such musicians as Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),Dave Navarro, John Frusciante and many others. He also founded or took part in some amazing musical alliances such as CALIFORNIA BREED (with Jason Bonham and Andrew Watt),BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION (with Joe Bonamassa and Jason Bonham) and THE DEAD DAISIES.

Glenn has collaborated with Robbie Williams on his new single "Rocket", which was released on May 22, 2025. The track also features a collaboration from Iommi and will be the first time Glenn has been featured on a record with Tony since 2005, when they released "Fused" together.

Glenn also recently joined forces with SATCHVAI, a new collaboration by legendary guitar icons Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, by writing and singing on their new single "I Wanna Play My Guitar".

"Chosen" track listing:

01. Voice In My Head
02. My Alibi
03. Chosen
04. Heal
05. In The Golden
06. The Lost Parade
07. Hot Damn Thing
08. Black Cat Moan
09. Come And Go
10. Into The Fade

Recording lineup:

Glenn Hughes – Vocals
Søren Andersen - Guitar
Ash Sheehan - Drums
Bob Fridzema - Keys

During an August 6 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy spoke about the recent passing of legendary BLACK SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The impact has been huge. I don't know if I've felt a loss like this… This is as big as John Lennon or whatever. Obviously, in our world, in the metal world, you have losses like [Ronnie James] Dio or Lemmy or Eddie Van Halen, and those are massive. But this has been a whole other level of mainstream. Because he transcends metal, he transcends rock even, he transcends music. He's a pop culture figure. So this has been a huge one."

Portnoy went on to say that he went back and listened to Ozzy's music as a way of remembering the heavy metal icon, who was 76 years old at the time of his death. "First, I was going through the whole SABBATH catalog after the ['Back To The Beginning' farewell] concert [in early July]," he said. "And then after he passed, I've been going back through the solo catalog. And it's been a great, great musical trip to be revisiting all this stuff. It's amazing. What a career. But, yeah, what a loss."

Mike added that it was "a gift" that Ozzy got a chance to play one last concert for 40,000 fans at the Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom and more than five million via a livestream. "What a blessing that that happened, that he got to say goodbye to the fans, do a final show surrounded by every band that loves him and grew up with him and he influenced," Mike said. "And what a blessing to have done that. Now, I don't wanna be like a conspiracy theorist, but I wonder if some of that contributed. 'Cause it had to have been so stressful, it had to have been so exhausting. It probably took a lot out of him to go through rehearsals and everything like that. So I can only imagine. But thank God he got to do that show and to have that goodbye. He threw the greatest farewell concert of all time. Incredible… It was a gift for him and a gift for the fans and his loved ones. What a way to say goodbye, really. I mean, you've seen these tribute concerts, like the Taylor Hawkins tribute concert, which was amazing, and the Freddie Mercury tribute concert. But this was a rare case where you had a tribute concert when he actually got to be there and attend it and be part of it. So, really, it was the ultimate farewell. Incredible."

Ozzy died on July 22 of a heart attack, his death certificate revealed. The certificate filed in London also said Osbourne suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease.

A private funeral service for Ozzy was held on July 31 on the 250-acre grounds of the house the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer and his wife bought in 1993 in Buckinghamshire, England. Only 110 of the singer's friends and family members attended the service, including his SABBATH bandmates, Robert Trujillo (METALLICA),Rob Zombie, Zakk Wylde, Marilyn Manson and Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT).

The day before the private funeral, thousands of fans gathered in the streets of Birmingham to pay tribute to Ozzy. Sharon, along with their children Aimée, Kelly and Jack, joined mourners for the emotional tribute.

Back in 2013, Portnoy commented on BLACK SABBATH's decision to record and tour without original drummer Bill Ward, telling former RIP magazine editor and veteran music journalist Lonn Friend's "Energize With Lonn Friend" podcast: "Here's my issue with it. I have no issue if Bill Ward is not fit to play in SABBATH, as they're saying. Or I have no issue with it if they're having money litigations and problems and they couldn't agree on something that was fair. My issue is that they're calling it a BLACK SABBATH reunion. It's not a BLACK SABBATH reunion without the four of them. It is now just the latest BLACK SABBATH lineup."

He continued: "Why is this BLACK SABBATH, but [SABBATH offshoot band] HEAVEN & HELL wasn't BLACK SABBATH? I mean, we all know the real reason for it. But it's not a true BLACK SABBATH reunion without Bill Ward. And if they need to do it without Bill, then they do it without Bill. But don't call it a reunion. It's just BLACK SABBATH 2013."

In a new interview with The Five Count radio show in Mankato, Minnesota, DOWN guitarist Kirk Windstein offered an update on the progress of the recording sessions for the band's long-awaited new album. Asked when fans can expect to hear new DOWN music, Kirk said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're shooting for [early] next [year] probably… Everything seems so far away when you talk about it, but when you're in this business, things get planned out so far in advance. I think in reality I see no reason why we can't have it out before the summer of next year. We're gonna reconvene and get together, finish the rest of the guitar stuff, and any little fixes we might need on bass here and there. And really from there it's up to Phil [Anselmo, DOWN singer], when this current PANTERA wraps up and he gets a little break and a little time and he's in the vibe, that's just up to him to lay down the vocals and then all we have to do is mix and it's a wrap. But we couldn't be more excited about the material we have. The songs are extremely strong and they're very old school. They're put together really well, arranged really well, great riffs. We're real excited about it and I think the fans will be equally as excited."

Earlier in the month, Kirk told The Heavy Metal Sitdown that DOWN was "past the middle point" of recording the band's new album. "We're churning along pretty good," he said. "We have to take a break right now due to touring stuff [with our other projects]. But the drums are all done. Pepper [Keenan, DOWN guitarist] and I did the rhythm tracks. The bass is done. I'm not sure if Phil started singing yet or not. That's kind of on his time. But we're really gonna kind of try to dive back into [completing the record] in the month of November, kind of between early November to maybe Thanksgiving, just finish up everything that we have to do on guitars and bass. And the rest is up to Phil. And then [we'll get into the] mixing [process]."

This past April, it was announced that DOWN — which also includes drummer Jimmy Bower and bassist Pat Bruders — had signed with Nuclear Blast Records.

When the deal with Nuclear Blast was first announced, the label said in a statement: "Nuclear Blast is proud to be in the trenches with NOLA legends DOWN as their partner in their long overdue return to the metal world. In addition, we are excited to bring some of their key past catalog releases back into the spotlight, especially on the vinyl side. There are so many longtime DOWN fans at Nuclear Blast who are excited to be working with one of their all-time favorite bands. 2026 can't come soon enough!"

Anselmo stated: "It's good to sign with Nuclear Blast Records. It's a good label home and we're ready to make some awesome recordings!"

Keenan said: "Having already been a part of the Nuclear Blast family with CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, it is an honor and a privilege to be here as well with my brothers in DOWN. The team at Nuclear Blast is a well-oiled machine and you can definitely tell they love what they do. We are in the right place."

Bower added: "Nuclear Blast is a great label that put out some excellent records. It's an honor to have them work our jams!"

DOWN headlined night one of this year's edition of the Milwaukee Metal Fest in May. The show followed the band's recent Western U.S. tour with DANZIG.

In April 2024, Windstein, who is also the frontman of CROWBAR, told Concrete Spew about the musical direction of the new DOWN material: "It just sounds like DOWN. I mean, it sounds refreshing because we haven't done it in so long, gotten together with me and the guys and done it in — fuck — 12 years or something. So it sounds like DOWN, I think, to me, it sounds more old-school DOWN. And the reason I say that is I think we got to a point where… Like, the 'NOLA' record is so simple, and it just wrote itself; it was so simple. And that's how this is coming about, which is great."

He continued: "We're not overthinking it. We're not trying to make things too complex. Phillip's not trying to write so many lyrics and things. We just kind of got away — I hate to say 'got away', 'cause anything we do is DOWN, but, to me, we kind of got a little bit… We needed to go back and look at each other and just go, 'Let's just get in a room and do it like we did from the beginning.' And that's what it feels like to me. It's very magical. The ideas and the working together, just bounce off of one another, it's a natural thing."

DOWN played its rescheduled concert at Inn Of The Mountain Gods Resort And Casino in Mescalero, New Mexico on September 27, 2024. The band was originally supposed to perform at at Inn Of The Mountain Gods on June 20, 2024, but the show was called off due to a pair of rapidly growing wildfires which were converging on a village inside a tribal reservation in the state. As a result of the postponement, DOWN played two pop-up shows in Louisiana — on June 20, 2024 at Southport Hall in New Orleans and on June 21, 2024 at Varsity Theatre in Baton Rouge.

Prior to Southport Hall, DOWN's last concert took place in September 2022 at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Alton, Virginia.

DOWN made a handful of rare live appearances in the spring and summer of 2022. The band launched a three-date U.S. run of shows in May 2022 at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Daytona Beach, Florida. After playing in Atlanta and Dallas immediately after Rockville, DOWN took a three-week break before regrouping for three European festival appearances in June. The aforementioned appearance at that year's Blue Ridge Rock Festival followed in September 2022.

In August 2021, DOWN took part in a very special in-person live and virtual experience. "NOLA Town Throwdown" was held at the Fillmore in New Orleans, Louisiana and featured fans attending the show in person as well as watching it in real time from the comfort of their living room.

In August 2020, DOWN celebrated the 25th anniversary of "NOLA" with a special livestreamed event. Dubbed "The Quarter Century Throwdown", the high-production, multi-camera event took place using cutting-edge streaming technology to create a one-of-a-kind virtual concert experience.

A founding member of DOWN, Windstein left the band in 2013 in order to focus on CROWBAR and his family life. He was replaced by Bobby Landgraf, DOWN's former guitar tech who was previously in GAHDZILLA MOTOR COMPANY, a 1990s outfit also featuring Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS, WATCHTOWER),and HONKY.

Windstein announced his return to DOWN in 2019, with the band confirming a number of festival appearances for 2020 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of "NOLA", all of which were later canceled or postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic which swept the globe.

Prior to the August 2020 livestream, DOWN's last live appearance took place in August 2016 at the Psycho Las Vegas festival in Las Vegas.

The supergroup hasn't issued anything since the arrival of the "Down IV – Part Two" EP in May 2014.

"Down IV – Part Two" sold around 10,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release in May 2014 to debut at position No. 23 on The Billboard 200 chart.

The band's previous EP, "Down IV Part I – The Purple EP", opened with around 12,000 units in September 2012 to land at No. 35.

"Down IV – Part Two" was recorded at Nodferatu's Lair — Anselmo's home studio — and produced by Michael Thompson. It was released via Down Records/ADA Music.

Photo by MetalDave Media

SNOT played a cover of BLACK SABBATH's "Children Of The Grave" as a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne during the reactivated Santa Barbara, California metal/punk rock hybrid's August 10 concert at The 1865 in Southampton, England. Fan-filmed video of the performance can be seen below.

On July 22, the day Ozzy died, SNOT released the following statement via social media: "Our deepest condolences to the Osbourne family. We are very saddened to hear the news of the Prince of Darkness passing today. It was Sharon and Ozzy that brought SNOT in 1998 to the Ozzfest and help break the band. It was Ozzy that took Lynn [Strait, late SNOT singer] under his wing and they became friends for the very short time that they knew each other before Lynn's passing in late 1998.

"All of our hearts cry out in memory of Ozzy today. Ozzy Osbourne will forever be the most iconic lead singer of heavy metal history! Mama Ozzy is coming home to the great Heavy Metal Heaven in the sky!"

Ozzy died of a heart attack, his death certificate revealed. The certificate filed in London also said Osbourne suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease.

A private funeral service for Ozzy was held on July 31 on the 250-acre grounds of the house the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer and his wife bought in 1993 in Buckinghamshire, England. Only 110 of the singer's friends and family members attended the service, including his SABBATH bandmates, Robert Trujillo (METALLICA),Rob Zombie, Zakk Wylde, Marilyn Manson and Corey Taylor (SLIPKNOT).

The day before the private funeral, thousands of fans gathered in the streets of Birmingham to pay tribute to Ozzy. Sharon, along with their children Aimée, Kelly and Jack, joined mourners for the emotional tribute.

Last month SNOT entered Dead End Studios in Palm Desert, California with producer, engineer and mixer Chris Collier to lay down tracks for two brand new songs which are set to be released late 2025 or early 2026.

SNOT recruited former GODSMACK drummer Shannon Larkin to sit behind the kit for the band's performance in May at the Welcome To Rockville festival at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Due to Jamie Miller's touring commitments with BAD RELIGION, he was unable to make the date.

In April, SNOT recruited Doc Coyle (GOD FORBID, ex-BAD WOLVES) as the band's touring guitarist after the group's split with Sonny Mayo.

In March, SNOT announced a European tour for August 2025. The trek marks the band's first shows on the continent with singer Andy Knapp, who made his live debut with SNOT in January.

SNOT's first gig with Knapp took place on January 17 at the Parish room at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, California. The performance was also livestreamed via the band's Instagram.

UMe celebrates the legacy of one of the most quietly influential bands in history, MOTHER LOVE BONE, by reissuing the Seattle, Washington group's "Shine" EP and seminal full-length debut "Apple" on September 26. This reissue is a testament to the enduring impact of MOTHER LOVE BONE's music and a must-have for any serious music collector. Both "Shine" and "Apple" will be available in multiple physical configurations, including CD, standard black vinyl, or limited-edition color vinyl variants. A limited-edition, newly remastered Japan-exclusive mini-LP/SHM-CD that includes both the "Shine" EP, as well as the debut full-length album "Apple", will also be available on October 10.

The CD version of the "Shine" EP includes "Capricorn Sister (Album Version)" as a bonus track, not included on the LP. The "Shine" vinyl formats feature a four-song track list repeated on both sides, and it is available in three options: a standard black vinyl, a limited-edition "Purple Haze" vinyl, and a limited-edition "Skyblue" vinyl LP.

Fully remastered for the 35th anniversary, "Apple" is officially being released for the first time since 1990. The CD version includes two bonus tracks not included on the vinyl format: "Gentle Groove" and "Mr. Danny Boy". At the same time, the vinyl formats will be available in standard black vinyl, a limited-edition "Red Alert" color vinyl, or a limited-edition "Apple Habanero" color vinyl.

MOTHER LOVE BONE's sound, a unique blend of larger-than-life rock 'n' roll and intense nascent alternative, was first introduced on the "Shine" EP on March 6, 1989. This release showcased the interplay between drummer Greg Gilmore, lead guitarist Bruce Fairweather, the late legendary frontman Andrew Wood, and the tandem of guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament, who would later co-found PEARL JAM. The band's influence on the grunge and alternative rock scenes is undeniable, and their music continues to inspire new generations of musicians and fans.

The EP also effectively set the stage for the band to deliver a classic in the form of "Apple". The latter arrived on August 14, 1990, in the wake of Wood's untimely passing, which had occurred less than five months earlier. Despite this tragic loss, its 13 tracks stood as a testament to both the frontman's outsized talent and the once-in-a-lifetime chemistry shared by his bandmates. The album yielded favorites such as "Crown Of Thorns" and "This Is Shangrila", among many others. To date, it has generated tens of millions of streams.

Speaking to "Apple"'s long-lasting impact, Rolling Stone asserted, "Their combination of Northwest grunge and runny-mascara glam sounded like a prediction of where hair metal, just beginning its decline in 1990, could go." Ultimate Classic Rock applauded how "On 'Apple', the quintet combined funk-metal flash, bluesy LED ZEPPELIN homages, glam-grunge charisma and hard rock & roll aggression while eschewing hair metal's sleazy pomp in favor of something more soulful." Classic Rock professed, "MLB walked the thin line between cutting-edge rock and evocative echoes from the past." Plus, Pitchfork hailed it among "The 25 Best Grunge Albums Of The '90s," going on to attest, "'Apple' is nonetheless a foundational text for prophesying how the genre's grimy guitar sound could be reengineered for arena-rattling mass appeal."

"Shine" CD track listing (**with one bonus track)

01. Capricorn Sister (Album Version)**
02. Chloe Dancer / Crown Of Thorns
03. Half Ass Monkey Boy
04. Mindshaker Meltdown
05. Thru Fade Away

"Shine" LP track listing:

Side A

01. Thru Fade Away
02. Mindshaker Meltdown
03. Half Ass Monkey Boy
04. Chloe Dancer/ Crown Of Thorns

Side B = A

"Apple" CD track listing (**with two bonus tracks)

01. This is Shangrila
02. Stardog Champion
03. Holy Roller
04. Bone China
05. Come Bite The Apple
06. Stargazer
07. Heartshine
08. Captain Hi-Top
09. Man Of Golden Words
10. Capricorn Sister
11. Gentle Groove**
12. Mr. Danny Boy**
13. Crown Of Thorns

"Apple" LP track listing

Side A

01. This Is Shangrila
02. Stardog Champion
03. Holy Roller
04. Bone China
05. Come Bite The Apple

Side B

01. Heartshine
02. Stargazer
03. Captain Hi-Top
04. Man Of Golden Words
05. Capricorn Sister
06. Crown Of Thorns

HATEBREED guitarist Wayne Lozinak says that he is "getting better every day", a week after he underwent an operation to remove a benign brain tumor.

On Sunday (August 10),Wayne took to his Instagram to write: "Hello everyone! I'm finally home. Last week was rough! But I'm getting better every day. Gonna be a while before I get fully recovered, but it's going good!

"I want to thank you all for all the messages. I didn't have my phone in the hospital, so that's why I didn't respond. Just started to look over them today. I really appreciate it! Made me feel good!

"I also want to thank @katnacario!!! She stayed with me in the room all week, and contacted people to let them know what was going on. She is the greatest! I love You!

"My surgical team was great! Big thanks to @kims.living.life for getting me the best care, and checking on me every day!

"Thanks again, for all the messages! Onward & upward!"

On August 4, Wayne underwent a craniotomy — a surgical procedure that involves opening the skull to access the brain.

When Lozinak's brain tumor diagnosis was first announced on June 17, HATEBREED wrote in a statement: "On the night of June 14th, while at Download Festival, Wayne began experiencing mild symptoms that raised concerns of a possible stroke. Out of an abundance of caution, he sought medical attention the following day upon arriving in Lille, France. After undergoing a CT scan at the ER, doctors discovered a brain tumor, leading to his immediate admission for further testing.

"Following a thorough 24-hour evaluation, including an MRI, it was determined that the tumor is a benign meningioma — a slow-growing mass that has likely been present for years. We are immensely relieved that Wayne's diagnosis is the best possible outcome given the circumstances."

In the meantime, HATEBREED has continued its European and American tours, with touring bassist Matt Bachand stepping in on guitar, and Carl Schwartz of FIRST BLOOD and TERROR joining the group on bass duties.

Lozinak has been a key part of HATEBREED's sound since rejoining the band in 2009.

Last month, HATEBREED released the official lyric video for its first new single in nearly five years, "Make The Demons Obey". The track is the first taste of new HATEBREED material after the group's "Weight Of The False Self" album which came out in 2020.

This past April, HATEBREED announced it was resurrecting the beloved and annual "Summer Slaughter" tour for 2025, which kicked off on July 8 in St. Petersburg, Florida and ran through July 28 in Grand Rapids. Support for this year's run included FUGITIVE, GRIDIRON, INCITE, ESCUELA GRIND and SNUFFED ON SIGHT on select dates.

HATEBREED celebrated its 30th anniversary with a North American tour last fall. Support on the trek came from CARCASS, HARMS WAY and CRYPTA.

HATEBREED has released eight studio albums and has consistently sold out shows the world over. Over the course of its career, the band has gone from playing basements and backyards to being a featured attraction on countless festivals like Graspop Metal Meeting, Ozzfest, Warped and Download.

To date, HATEBREED has sold over 1.5 million albums in North America alone.

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RISE AGAINST has released the title track and final preview of "Ricochet", the bands's first new album in four years, out this Friday, August 15 on Loma Vista Recordings. Arriving in a time when the lies are inescapable, greed is brazen and cruelty is shocking, this 12-track collection reaffirms RISE AGAINST's role as a north star of artful resistance. While dystopia looms large, "Ricochet" emphasizes our collective interconnectedness, dissecting these crises with lucid clarity, raw emotion and a global perspective, by way of the band's most visceral, urgent, and high-stakes music to date: indelible, colossally ripping rock songs that capture the chaos of the moment, articulating complex truths with seismic power and an awareness of the consequences that may befall us.

Amidst a period of nationalist aggression and isolationism, "Ricochet" puts forth the album's message of interconnectivity.

"We rely on each other, whether we like it or not," says RISE AGAINST lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and lyricist Tim McIlrath. "Everything that you do will affect somebody. We're connected to other countries and other economies; we're connected to undocumented immigrants. We're connected to every decision that our leaders make. We are not as isolated as we think. What we do, good or bad, creates one big ricochet effect."

Opening with an undulating pattern of drum machine and acoustic guitar, before soaring into another sky-rattling anthem, "Ricochet" is accompanied by an explosive performance video, juxtaposing self-absorption and self-destruction.

"When I was writing 'Ricochet', I couldn't shake this image: people dancing while bombs and bullets careened overhead," McIlrath adds. "That contrast — the obliviousness of joy against the backdrop of destruction — felt like the world we're living in. The video brings that to life. It's about more than action and reaction. It's about how even our silence, even our detachment, carries weight. Every choice, every shrug, every shot fired — they all ricochet."

Produced by Grammy winner Catherine Marks (BOYGENIUS, FOALS, MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA, ST. VINCENT) and mixed by Alan Moulder (NINE INCH NAILS, PARAMORE, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, THE KILLERS),"Ricochet" balances introspection with the incendiary, and offers righteousness without sanctimony as it chronicles our collective unravelling. The "Ricochet" title track follows "I Want It All", "Prizefighter" and "Nod", hailed as a "particularly potent rallying cry for the moment" (Rolling Stone),and "the anthem we need right now" (Vice). Across the rest of the album, RISE AGAINST cover apocalyptic scenarios ("Black Crown"),false promises sold to the youth ("Gold Long Gone"),the necessity of resisting blind allegiance ("Soldier"),mental health ("Sink Like A Stone"),and the sensationalism of the algorithmic entertainment-industrial complex ("State Of Emergency"),all with a sense of optimism for real, lasting change.

Taking inspiration from one of their favorite literary works, Tim McIlrath and bandmates Joe Principe (bass/vocals),Zach Blair (guitar/vocals) and Brandon Barnes (drums) have absorbed the maxim that "in a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." The mantra has permeated RISE AGAINST's growing body of multi-gold and platinum hits, filling arenas, topping charts, breaking records and earning billions of streams while uniting millions of listeners in a necessary embrace of vital, progressive issues.

Having just made their triumphant return to Vans Warped Tour, while playing Los Angeles's Kia Forum, headlining festivals and touring across three continents this year, RISE AGAINST are getting ready to hit the road again this fall, for dozens of arena and amphitheater shows in the U.S.

In the four years since 2021's "Nowhere Generation", the Chicago band's outspoken messages, bulletproof melodies and deep body of multi-gold and platinum hits have reached more fans than ever, uniting millions in a necessary embrace of vital, progressive issues. Whether they are singing about injustice, instability, environmentalism, animal rights or the way the social and economic decks have been stacked against the youth, RISE AGAINST continues to fill arenas, top charts, break records and earn billions of streams.

"Ricochet" track listing:

01. Nod
02. I Want It All
03. Ricochet
04. Damage Is Done
05. Us Against The World
06. Black Crown
07. Sink Like A Stone
08. Forty Days
09. State Of Emergency
10. Gold Long Gone
11. Soldier
12. Prizefighter

Photo credit: Mynxii White

In a new interview with Scott Itter of Dr. Music, legendary vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes (DEEP PURPLE, BLACK SABBATH) spoke about the status of his BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION project, also featuring guitarist Joe Bonamassa, drummer Jason Bonham (LED ZEPPELIN) and keyboardist Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, ALICE COOPER, BILLY IDOL). He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "Well, we just did 10 shows in Europe and we recorded them, and it looks like there's gonna be a live album coming early next year. And I haven't spoken about this, but yes, we are planning on doing album number six next year too — and shows behind it."

Hughes also mentioned a BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION live album in a separate interview with J.J. Caithcart of Different Stages Radio. Regarding what is going on with BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION at the moment, Glenn said: "Well, it's on pause right now, 'cause we did 10 shows in Europe in June, which were fantastic. And we actually were recording the whole tour, and so we're gonna have a live album. That's coming early next year. And apparently there's gonna be some shows next summer."

Asked if those shows will take place in North America or just Europe, Hughes responded: "I hope [there will be some shows in North America]. For sure in Europe, at festivals, but I'm planning on talking to Joe and everybody about America and Canada next year, for sure."

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's recent European tour was a combination of headline shows in the Germany, The Netherlands, Austria and Czech Republic, as well as festival appearances such as Sweden Rock and Poland's Rock Legends.

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION was touring in support of its fifth studio album, "V", which came out in June 2024.

Since their debut in 2010, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION has delivered a series of critically acclaimed albums, each showcasing the group's ability to fuse British blues-rock with American soul in a way that captivates audiences worldwide.

Resonating with the band's signature fusion of hard rock and soul-stirring blues, "V" was described in a press release as "as a testament to BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's growth and mutual admiration, symbolizing their commitment to producing music that is authentic, heartfelt, and reflective of their shared experiences and vast musical expertise."

"This band allows me to embrace all of it," commented Bonamassa. "It's funny because the four musicians up here — everybody brings a certain thing to this that’s very specific. Every part is irreplaceable. For me, it's about playing old-style rock guitar, loud."

Hughes chimed in: "We make music for the five of us. We make music that we love and like, hoping it registers with everyone else. We don't make it for record companies, or this guy or that guy." Sherinian credited producer Kevin Shirley for keeping the band's creative energies focused, adding, "We've got to give Kevin Shirley massive credit because he controls. He keeps it all flowing."

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION's inception took place when Hughes and Bonamassa fused their styles on stage in Los Angeles for an explosive performance at Guitar Center's King Of The Blues event. With the help and guidance of Shirley, they further added to their rock lineage by recruiting Bonham and Sherinian.

In a 2017 interview, Hughes talked about the chemistry between the BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION members, especially since all the musicians have had successful careers prior to launching the group.

"This band was meant to be," Glenn said. "It was formed out of a friendship with Joe and I. We got the [other] guys to come in, and it's always been a strong brotherhood. And we're just very lucky and fortunate to have met. I've known Jason since he was [a kid]. I just think that these four guys in this band are the right guys to play in the band."

Hughes's new solo album, "Chosen", is set for release on September 5 via Frontiers Music Srl. Two singles have been made available so far, "Voice In My Head" and the title track.

This year will see Hughes busy touring across Europe and South America, with "The Chosen Years" tour starting in Zoetermeer, Netherlands, on September 2 and ending on November 29 in Bogota, Colombia.

Glenn, a native of Cannock, England, absorbed all kinds of influences, including early British hard rock, THE BEATLES and, most importantly, American soul and R&B. The sleek Motown sound from Detroit and the gritty Stax/Volt sound from Memphis left their mark on him.

Hughes first found success in the early '70s with the band TRAPEZE before joining DEEP PURPLE in 1973 during a pivotal lineup change that introduced him and David Coverdale to the group. Despite initial skepticism, the revamped band silenced critics with the release of "Burn" (1974),a powerful album that revitalized PURPLE's sound and remains a classic. During this era, the band headlined the iconic California Jam in front of over 300,000 fans, toured the world aboard their private jet The Starship, and released two more studio albums, "Stormbringer" and "Come Taste The Band", before disbanding in 1976.

Glenn's first solo album "Play Me Out" was released in 1977. He joined former Pat Travers guitarist Pat Thrall to form HUGHES/THRALL, which released an acclaimed self-titled album in 1982. Throughout the '80s and '90s, Glenn Hughes made countless guest appearances (both credited and un-credited) as a vocalist, bass guitarist or songwriter on other artists' albums. The endless list includes — among others — Gary Moore, John Norum and Tony Iommi of BLACK SABBATH.

Since 1992, Glenn has started a prolific solo career with a dozen studio albums where he explored all the different sides of his songwriting and influences: from hard rock to funk and more contemporary sounds. He collaborated — among others — with such musicians as Chad Smith (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS),Dave Navarro, John Frusciante and many others. He also founded or took part in some amazing musical alliances such as CALIFORNIA BREED (with Jason Bonham and Andrew Watt),BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION and THE DEAD DAISIES.

Glenn has collaborated with Robbie Williams on his new single "Rocket", which was released on May 22, 2025. The track also features a collaboration from Iommi and will be the first time Glenn has been featured on a record with Tony since 2005, when they released "Fused" together.

Glenn also recently joined forces with SATCHVAI, a new collaboration by legendary guitar icons Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, by writing and singing on their new single "I Wanna Play My Guitar".

In a new interview with Brazil's Gustavo Maiato, EPICA singer Simone Simons was asked if she was "already a fan" of the symphonic metal genre before the making of the band's debut album, 2003's "The Phantom Agony". She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yes. Yeah, I was. Before I knew what metal music was, I was more into rock, alternative rock bands like RADIOHEAD, SILVERCHAIR, DEFTONES, R.E.M. And then I got into black metal, actually. I was a fan of CRADLE [OF FILTH], DIMMU BORGIR, MYSTIC CIRCLE, OLD MAN'S CHILD, to name a few. And then I heard bands like LACUNA COIL, NIGHTWISH, WITHIN TEMPTATION, AFTER FOREVER. Hearing this metal combined with a beautiful female voice was something completely new to me, and combined also with classical music, classical singing, I thought it was magical."

Asked if there were any particular records from these symphonic metal bands that caught her attention back then, Simone said: "Yeah. From LACUNA COIL, it's, I guess, 'In A Reverie'. From WITHIN TEMPTATION, 'The Dance'. NIGHTWISH — 'Angels Fall First' and 'Oceanborn', those albums. And TRISTANIA, I think it's 'Beyond The Veil'. Those were the albums."

She added: "I recently found — my mother gave me a cassette, a little mix tape that I made from my favorite bands back in the day, and there's LACUNA COIL on it and NIGHTWISH, DIMMU BORGIR. It's really cute. I don't have a cassette player or a Walkman anymore. I should buy one so I can listen to it, for nostalgic reasons."

EPICA's ninth studio album, "Aspiral", came out on April 11 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP title is derived from the eponymous bronze sculpture made by Polish sculptor and painter Stanisław Szukalski back in 1965 and stands for renewal and inspiration — key words that define EPICA in 2025. In Szukalski's work every detail is a piece of art in its own right, and there's always more to the story than you initially think. The band saw this as the perfect analogy for the creation of this ninth album: each song stands on its own with a distinctive vibe and meaning, while together they enforce each other into a monumental effort.

The album, featuring stunning cover artwork by Hedi Xandt (RAMMSTEIN, GHOST, PARKWAY DRIVE),was recorded once again at Sandlane Studios and expertly mixed and produced by Joost Van Den Broek.

To celebrate the "Aspiral" release, EPICA played three exclusive shows in the United States in early May: in New York City, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.

Photo credit: Tim Tronckoe (courtesy of Nuclear Blast)

Bassist Phil Soussan, who played on Ozzy Osbourne's "The Ultimate Sin" album and was credited with co-writing one of Ozzy's biggest hits, "Shot In The Dark", discussed his time as a member of the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer's solo band during an appearance on the "Talk Is Jericho" podcast, hosted by FOZZY frontman and wrestling superstar Chris Jericho. Soussan said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I see Ozzy's career as having gone in three chapters. There was the first chapter where he was the bat-biting Satanist of the underground heavy metal movement, and everybody was convinced that he was the Devil incarnate here [in the U.S.]. [He was] probably not as big as you would think in Britain [at the time]. I think [he was] quite underground. BLACK SABBATH were always underground. They were always there, but metal has this tendency of going underground and then coming to the surface and going underground, but it's always present. It just happens to be in different states of recognition. The second chapter of Ozzy's career, I think, was a pivotal moment when he went from that to being a household name. And that happened as a result of 'The Ultimate Sin', it happened as a result of 'Shot In The Dark'. And so when that song came out, all of a sudden it was his first commercial hit. We were pegging the MTV charts; I think we were number two for six months. We were all over the radio stations, and it really transitioned Ozzy Osbourne into a household name, into a commercial, recognized name. So, after that, of course, came the TV show and all of that, which sort of showed his kind of humorous tongue-in-cheek side. But, for me, being part of that pivotal moment was remarkable."

Phil continued: "I flew on Concorde [supersonic passenger airliner] one time, the plane, and when you take off, they can't fly supersonic over land 'cause it would destroy all the windows and shit. So they sort of fly at a sort of normal speed, and then they say, 'Once we're over the coast of Ireland, we're over the ocean, we're gonna accelerate.' It was the same as that. All of a sudden the plane just goes [super fast], and you feel like you're taking off times three. Same thing with Ozzy. There was this career, and then all of a sudden this single comes out and a whole new world opens up. I think we were all surprised, including Ozzy, and that really cemented him into the public eye as a household name, as somebody who was a personality."

Soussan added: "The third part of his career, I think, is probably the most important, where he sort of went back to revisiting who BLACK SABBATH were, who early Ozzy was, with the additional artillery of commercial success. And that all of a sudden started influencing all of these bands. I mean, it started with the grunge thing, and then it went on, and that's his legacy. That's where you see so many bands — so many bands in this world — who have a direct tie of influence to someone like Ozzy. And that is his legacy. That's what people are going to remember him for. And those bands are gonna be there for a long, long time into the future, and they're going to be protecting his legacy a long time into the future. So it was quite a rollercoaster ride, in a simple sense."

Back in May 2021, Soussan discussed his decision to leave Osbourne's band during an appearance on "The Five Count" radio show. Asked about the "weirdness" that went on between him and Ozzy's camp following his exit from the group, Phil said: "Let me clear this up once and for all. There wasn't that much weirdness that was going on. I think what happened was I was in a position where I was not able to cut the deal that I wanted. I wanted to do certain things; I wanted to cut a certain type of deal. And kudos to Sharon [Ozzy's wife and manager]. Listen, she basically presented this to us in a very simple way. We were there, and we were being hired to do our best work — the best work that we could possibly do to make Ozzy sound and look as good as he possibly could. And we also knew that if we were not okay with that situation, there's probably three dozen people waiting in the wings that would gladly come along and do what we were doing."

He continued: "It got to a point where I was being expected to write more songs, and I wanted to kind of boost up my publishing and what have you, and for whatever reason, I was not able to cut a deal that was acceptable with Sharon, and I couldn't really get the same deal that I wanted. And at the moment, I just said, 'It's time for me to move on.' And it was a difficult decision — you leave the biggest band in the country. But I said, 'You know what? I've done it all once. I did one round, one tour, one this, one that, and let me move on and see what happens.' And I left. And I think she might have been a little upset about that, about the fact that I left. But for whatever reason, we had some accounting issues. So all of a sudden, I was having a hard time getting paid, and my accountants went back and forth a few times. And all of this got resolved eventually. It was just a payment thing — it was, like, late payments and stuff. And I don't know what the motivation was, or whatever it was, or if there was even a motivation — maybe it was just 'out of sight, out of mind' — but once I wasn't in the band, people weren't jumping to take my call about things like that. So it got resolved, and it got resolved in probably 1992 or 1993. And ever since then, everything's just been fine."

Soussan went on to say that he has heard "some really weird stories" about why he supposedly left Ozzy's band, including that he had sued Osbourne over unpaid royalties. He clarified: "I was asked to join a lawsuit that [former Ozzy bassist] Bob Daisley had, but I never joined that lawsuit; I didn't have anything to sue anybody about. I think Bob and Lee [Kerslake, former Ozzy drummer] had some issues that were going on, but when they called me, I just said the same thing I just said to you. I said, 'Why would I wanna do this?' So that was it. But all of a sudden, you hear these stories that we were in court. We never went to court. I never sued anybody."

"The Ultimate Sin" reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified platinum in the United States on May 14, 1986, by the RIAA and and double platinum in October 1994. It was the follow-up to "Bark At The Moon", which was the first Ozzy album to feature Jake E. Lee on guitar following the tragic death of Randy Rhoads.

The writing sessions for "The Ultimate Sin" were by disagreements over songwriting, with Jake, who claimed he had been cheated out of the credits he deserved on "Bark At The Moon", later telling Ultimate Classic Rock that he demanded a revised contract before agreeing to contribute. Daisley was dismissed during the making of the LP and Soussan was brought in as is his replacement. Ozzy later invited Daisley to come back to help with the lyric writing, which Bob had shouldered the bulk of since the start of the singer's solo career.

Six years ago, Ozzy said that "The Ultimate Sin" was his least favorite album he has ever released as a solo artist. Although it was out of print physically at the time (but available on streaming services),the 1986 LP has been certified double platinum. "[Producer] Ron Nevison didn't really do a great production job," Ozzy told Rolling Stone. "The songs weren't bad; they were just put down weird. Everything felt and sounded the fucking same. There was no imagination. If there was ever an album I'd like to remix and do better, it would be 'The Ultimate Sin'."

Daisley, who is credited with all the lyrics on "The Ultimate Sin" apart from "Shot In The Dark" (which is credited to Soussan and Osbourne),later said he was also heavily involved with the music writing on the LP.

"I did write the album with Jake and then Ozzy and I had a falling out and he fired me and he was going to fire Jake as well," Bob explained in an interview. "I've never been a 'yes' man. So a few weeks later, he called me and he had Phil Soussan on bass but I'd already written a lot of the music with Jake, so they knew they had to credit me on the songs anyway, so I guess he thought he may as well get his money's worth and asked me to come back and write the lyrics also. I did that as sort of a paid job. I write it, you pay me and take it and go. So I spent a few weeks writing the lyrics for the whole album. Then they recorded it. In a way, I am glad I am not on that album. It's the one album I didn't really like."

In an interview with the Mike James Rock Show conducted at this weekend's Bloodstock Open Air festival in the United Kingdom, FEAR FACTORY's new singer Milo Silvestro spoke about what it has been like spending most of the last two and a half years on the road with such an internationally acclaimed metal act. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah. I'm really thankful for all the fans that are accepting with open arms this new lineup of FEAR FACTORY because it's really not an easy thing… It's a really big legacy and we're trying to honor it as much as we can."

He continued: "I'm a really meticulous, picky individual when it comes to replicating something. We're playing [FEAR FACTORY's second studio album, 1995's] 'Demanufacture' in its entirety [on the current tour], so I went back to the stems of the record and even listened to vocals closely and just tried to replicate every nuance that Burt [original singer Burton C. Bell] did. So, yeah, we try to make it right and we appreciate that the fans are supporting this."

Elaborating on the way he approaches singing the parts which were originally written and recorded by Bell, the Italian-born Silvestro said: "I try to sneak in some bits of my vocal personality, but not too much to change it completely. I try to sound like the original singer, because his vocal legacy of the band is such an iconic vocal sound, and you wanna nail that style. I'm still working on playing a cappella and try to nail the sound more and more and more because I think this band deserves it."

Asked if he ever has to "take stock" and realize that he is now actually the vocalist of FEAR FACTORY, a band that he had been listening to for so many years, Milo said: "All the time. I've always been a hardcore FEAR FACTORY fan, and for me, this is beyond crazy. When people are, like, 'This is a dream come true,' I go, like, 'This wasn't even supposed to be a dream.' My dreams were right here [raises his hand to his nose level] — maybe having some kind of success with my own bands. But this is just right here [raises his hand way above his head] or maybe even higher. It's so crazy to the point of fucking with your brain… [It's] so surreal that it's kind of like a drug for my brain. Like, what's going on? I mean, I love it. Also, it wasn't like most of the bands, like Dino [Cazares, FEAR FACTORY's founding guitarist], all these artists, they progressively went higher and higher when they were young. In my case, I spent most of my life, up until I was 32, 33, as a local musician in Rome [Italy], and then all of a sudden — boom — big stages and festivals, interviews, being known. And I'm, like, what's going on? But it's cool — don't get me wrong — but sometimes it's just, like, 'Whoa.'"

Earlier this month, Cazares told Slovakia's Tomketoviny about FEAR FACTORY's latest additions, Silvestro and drummer Pete Webber, who have been part of touring lineup for more than two years. He said: "The fans are reacting great [to the new lineup]. It's been all positive reaction. Milo, obviously, he auditioned 'cause we were looking for a vocalist. We got more than 300 submissions of a videotape of… This was during COVID, so a lot of people couldn't get on a plane and come see me. So a lot of it was just done online. And so we had a lot of submissions, and it was a lot of stuff to go through. But one stood out, and that was Milo. And that was pretty much how he got the gig. When the travel ban was lifted, he was able to fly into L.A. and physically auditioned. So that worked out. And Pete — we had another drummer at the time [Mike Heller], but our drummer had some prior commitments and he couldn't make it. And then Pete filled in and we decided to keep Pete. We liked his attitude, we liked the way he played, and that's really important."

Regarding when FEAR FACTORY fans can expect to hear some new material from the band, Dino said: "Next year, for sure. Next year, 100%. Maybe a single this year, but for sure next year."

FEAR FACTORY kicked off a European tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of its classic second album, "Demanufacture", on July 18 at Turock in Essen, Germany.

FEAR FACTORY's current lineup features Cazares, Silvestro, Webber and Tony Campos on bass.

Ricky Bonazza (BUTCHER BABIES) is playing bass for FEAR FACTORY on the road in Europe while Campos is busy touring with STATIC-X.

Silvestro's addition to FEAR FACTORY was officially announced in February 2023.

FEAR FACTORY played its first headlining concert with Silvestro and Webber on May 5, 2023 at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood, California.

In the fall of 2023, Dino told Nyva Zarbano that Milo "brings, obviously, a freshness that FEAR FACTORY needed. The last singer that we had [Burton C. Bell], obviously he had a lot of vocal issues and he really couldn't sing or do any of this kind of heavy touring," he explained. "It just was a big setback for us. So bringing Milo into the band, obviously he's got a great voice, he's very talented, he's a multi-instrumentalist. He could play more than one instrument. The kid's very talented. Of course, the story is I found him on the Internet. He was releasing videos of him doing FEAR FACTORY covers and he was posting them on all the FEAR FACTORY fan sites. And I saw him there, and I was, like, 'Okay, that's really got my attention.' But we had many people audition, but he was the one that really stood out. And he's a huge fan of FEAR FACTORY. And he pretty much learned from listening to our older vocalist. So he learned a lot of his stuff. And so, I mean, if you close your eyes, you think it's the original singer."

In early 2023, FEAR FACTORY completed the "Rise Of The Machine" U.S. tour as the support act for STATIC-X. It marked the Cazares-led outfit's first run of shows with Silvestro and Webber.

FEAR FACTORY's latest album, "Aggression Continuum", was released in June 2021 via Nuclear Blast Records. The LP, which was recorded primarily in 2017, featured Cazares, Heller and Bell.

In September 2020, Bell issued a statement officially announcing his departure from FEAR FACTORY, saying that he "cannot align" himself with someone whom he does not trust or respect, apparently referring to Cazares.

Bell later told Kerrang! magazine that his split with FEAR FACTORY had been a long time coming. "It's been on my mind for a while," he said. "These lawsuits [over the rights to the FEAR FACTORY name] just drained me. The egos. The greed. Not just from bandmembers, but from the attorneys involved. I just lost my love for it."

The day after Ozzy Osbourne's passing, SMASHING PUMPKINS frontman Billy Corgan was a guest on the "Klein.Ally.Show" on the KROQ radio station to discuss the impact the legendary BLACK SABBATH singer had on his musical upbringing. The 58-year-old Corgan, who had performed at Ozzy's final concert in Birmingham, United Kingdom just two weeks earlier, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "The beautiful thing is there's been such an incredible outpouring of tributes [in the hours after Ozzy's death was announced]. I've been sitting on social media, and literally everybody I follow — I don't care if it's a clothing company, I don't care if it's a pedal maker — everybody [was] paying tribute to Ozzy [on the day that he died]. I think it's so amazing that he had this connection with people, and you see it.

"I just went through it, of course, a few weeks ago in Birmingham with the ['Back To The Beginning'] concert. But now to see this, it's even more overwhelming," he added.

Asked if he had a chance to speak with Ozzy at the final show in Birmingham, Billy said: "I kind of let him be because there was so many people wanting to talk to him. And there were people he hadn't seen for years. And [Ozzy's wife and manager] Sharon and I had been discussing, ever since Sharon appeared on my podcast, that I was gonna go over to their house in L.A. and interview Ozzy. So in my mind, I was, like, 'I'm just gonna wait. I'm gonna have that conversation when I see him after this.'

"I'd like to share one special moment though," Corgan continued. "I don't wanna say who the other person is — it's somebody from a very famous alternative band. But when BLACK SABBATH soundchecked two nights before the actual concert, there was literally nobody in the stadium except security and me and this person from another famous alternative band. And we were literally watching BLACK SABBATH soundcheck with Ozzy for the last time. And Ozzy saw us down there and did the famous Ozzy — [he was] sitting in his chair, but he did the famous Ozzy peace sign to both of us down and smiled. And that's the moment I'll always hold on to, because it was in that private moment where it was just us and the band, basically. And both me and the other person — this is why I don't wanna say who the person is — we both started crying because we couldn't believe this magical dream of this band in our lives was coming to an end."

Corgan also reflected on being introduced to BLACK SABBATH's music when he was just eight years old. He said: "My uncle was a drummer, and he had a very progressive kind of rock collection, and my grandmother, for some reason, let me play his records. And the first record in the stack was 'Master Of Reality'. Never heard of the band, had no idea. And the first song I ever heard by them was 'Sweet Leaf'. And it had such an impact on me, the sound of his voice. I couldn't understand what was happening. It was like quicksilver through me. And then, of course, Tony's [Iommi] guitar. And I'm not saying anything, if you're a SABBATH fan, that sounds new, but when you're eight years old and you have no context for that, it was so shocking. And the feeling of them has never left me and it's had such a huge influence on my music and my approach to music. So to be with them on that day, it was like a magical dream. And it's been such a high. I think everybody involved — METALLICA, Tom Morello; I mean, everybody — we've been talking, and it was such an amazing event to be part of. It was the greatest musical event I think I've ever been a part of as sort of a one-day thing. It was so incredible. Everybody was on their best behavior. Everyone was playing their hearts out because there was so much love for Ozzy and the band. And I saw it. I mean, I saw it behind the scenes, I saw it when the cameras were on. And so to be coming off that high and then have somebody run in a room [on July 22] and say, 'Oh my God. Ozzy just died,' it was, like, 'Wait. The movie's not supposed to end like this.'"

Asked if it was shocking for him to hear that Ozzy had died, particularly considering that the singer had been battling serious health issues for years, Corgan said: "Well, I was around him, and obviously people were paying a lot of attention to the shape he was in. He was obviously not at a hundred percent. But if anybody's seen those group photos where it was, like, me and METALLICA and so many of the artists playing, we were in this group photo, and the photographer was Ross Halfin, a very famous rock photographer, and we've all shot with Ross for years. And he's been shooting Ozzy for 45 years. And Ozzy was cussing him out, just like you would hear in an episode of [Ozzy reality TV show] 'The Osbournes'. So I saw nothing in his spirit that told me that he was anywhere near the end of his life. And talking about it with the band, we were almost thinking that maybe this concert was the thing that kept him going. Maybe the idea that there was this rainbow at the end of this particular road, maybe that kept his spirits up. And I am not saying once it was over, he was over. I'm just saying maybe the concert actually elongated his life because he had something to fight for, something to strive for, and to see how much that show and those artists meant to him… I mean, we all watch through our phone these days, but I was there, I was watching everybody turn into a little kid again because for a hard rock — you've got TOOL there, you've got Morello there, for bands like us, SABBATH has always been an alternative band; we never saw them as just a metal band. So the greatest rock stars in the world, we were all there for one reason. And there was so much love for Ozzy. When you see it in person, it was so humbling to be a part of that."

Ozzy died the morning of July 22, his family announced in a statement.

"It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time," the family said.

No cause of death was given, but Osbourne had battled a number of health issues over the past several years, including Parkinson's disease and injuries he sustained from a late-night fall in 2019.

Ozzy's death came a little more than two weeks after he took the stage for his final performance with BLACK SABBATH at Villa Park in the band's original hometown of Birmingham, United Kingdom. They performed four songs for more than 40,000 people in the stadium and 5.8 million more on a livestream. Ozzy also played a five-song solo set while seated in a bat-adorned throne.

Formed in Birmingham in 1968, BLACK SABBATH is widely recognized as one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time, with a career spanning decades and over 75 million albums sold worldwide. Their impact on the genre remains as significant today as it was in the early 1970s, with their music shaping generations of metal musicians.

Ozzy's family reality television show "The Osbournes" won a 2002 Primetime Emmy.

In 2006, Osbourne and the other members of the original BLACK SABBATH were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Ozzy was also inducted into the Rock Hall as a solo artist in 2024.

Osbourne won several Grammys, including one in 1993 for his solo song "I Don't Want To Change The World".

Ozzy and his wife and manager Sharon started their annual tour — Ozzfest — in 1996 after he was rejected from the lineup of what at the time was the top touring music festival, Lollapalooza. The first traveling version of Ozzfest in 1997 included MARILYN MANSON and PANTERA as part of the lineup.

Osbourne leaves behind his wife, three children from his first marriage (including an adopted son from his first wife's previous relationship),and three with Sharon: Jack, Kelly and Aimee.

Metallic Blue Records has signed one of Arizona’s premier metal bands from the 1980’s, Surgical Steel, who are releasing their first two albums on September 19.



The band has a fantastic story, being put in a movie, having the Metal God himself (Rob Halford of Judas Priest) guest on their albums and get close several times to a record deal.



Surgical Steel – Metal From America:

Surgical Steel formed in 1981 with Greg Chaisson (Badlands, Steeler) on bass, Jimmy Keeler on guitar, Steve Wilson on vocals, John Aquilino (Schoolboys, Icon) on guitar and Bob Milan (Lydian, Harlequin, Rip N Tear, 40 Thieves, Bob Welch) on drums. The band went through a few lineup changes, but first started recording with Jeff Martin (Racer X, Badlands, MSG, Lethal X) on vocals, Paul Kosanovich on guitar along with Jimmy, Greg and Bob. The band’s first recording was the track “Rivet Head” that was featured on the Metal Blade Records compilation Metal Massacre II. The band would catch the attention of Rob Halford (Judas Priest, Fight) where he and the band Surgical Steel would become very good friends. Rob joined the band in the studio and recorded dual lead vocals (with Jeff) on the track “Smooth And Fast” along with some backing vocals on the track “Bedtime Baby”. The track “Rivet Head” was really the band’s only true “heavy metal” song, as the rest of their catalog is much more melodic metal in the vein of bands like Scorpions, (Turbo-era) Judas Priest and mid 80’s Pretty Maids.



Metal From America tracklisting:

“Rivet Head”
“Smooth And Fast”
“Bedtime Baby”
“To The Bitter End”
“IOU Nothing”
“No Foolin’ Around”
“Moby Dick”
“Bad Boy”
“Officer Steel”







Surgical Steel – Crank It Up!:

Surgical Steel’s second studio release, Crank It Up!, features the two songs (“Gimme Back My Heart” and “Surrender”) that were featured in the movie Thunder Alley (which the band also made a theatrical appearance in). The album also features Rob Halford on backing vocals on two songs (“Hotwire” and “You Were There”). The album features arguably the two most melodic songs on it, starting off with the title track “Crank It Up!” and “Tonight”. The songs “Power To Rock” and “Rock And Women” and reminiscent to many tracks off the Judas Priest album Turbo. Judas Priest would actually record a song on the Turbo album about their times hanging out with the guys in Surgical Steel at the club Rockers with their song “Wild Nights, Hot Crazy Days”. The band would go on and record several more demos with Jeff Martin on vocals (coming out later through Metallic Blue Records), before Jeff would depart to join Paul Gilbert (Mr. Big) to form Racer X. Surgical Steel would recruit vocalist Derek Kendal who was previously in the band Hooker with Scott Travis (Hawk, Racer X, Judas Priest). They also recruited Rik Fox (W.A.S.P., Steeler, Sin) on bass. The band would have a few lineup changes with Derek on vocals, where they would record several more songs (also coming soon from Metallic Blue Records), including recordings with the last lineup featuring Megattack guitarist Parrish Hultquist.



Crank It Up! tracklisting:

“Crank It Up!”
“Tonight”
“Hotwire”
“Power To Rock”
“See No Evil”
“Rock And Women”
“Gimme Back My Heart”
“Surrender”
“You Were There”

Legendary rock band FOREIGNER will appear in a one-night-only benefit concert on Friday, September 5, 2025 at Tilles Center for the Performing Arts on the Long Island University Post campus in Brookville, New York. The concert will feature special acoustic renditions of FOREIGNER's biggest hits such as "Cold As Ice", "Juke Box Hero", "Waiting For A Girl Like You", "I Want To Know What Love Is", "Hot Blooded" and more in a rare and intimate unplugged format. Just announced, a local high school choir from Uniondale High School will perform with the legendary band.

"Foreigner: The Hits Unplugged" will be hosted by original FOREIGNER lead singer Lou Gramm who will also greet guests at an exclusive pre-show VIP cocktail reception. A limited number of premium tickets and invitations to the exclusive party, which includes a photo opportunity with Lou and the band, are available at TillesCenter.org/ForeignerBenefit.

This very special concert celebrates FOREIGNER's groundbreaking collaboration with Tilles Center for the Performing Arts and Long Island University's Post Theatre Company to develop and stage "Feels Like The First Time - The Foreigner Musical". All proceeds from the evening will support the production and LIU and Tilles Center's New Works Initiative. As a registered nonprofit, LIU's fundraising efforts qualify for tax-deductible donations, subject to government guidelines. Tickets to the show and details of tax-deductible donations are available here.

"Feels Like The First Time - The Foreigner Musical" will be directed by Broadway icon Adam Pascal ("Rent", "Aida", "Cabaret", "Chicago", "Something Rotten!" ),and the show will premiere in April 2026. Pascal will also perform with FOREIGNER at "The Hits Unplugged" concert and help make this evening a truly memorable event.

"When I wrote 'Feels Like The First Time', I had no idea how far that song would take FOREIGNER," said Mick Jones, founding member and chief songwriter. "It is a personal thrill for me to know that the amazing Adam Pascal has elected to use it as the title of our new musical. I am very confident that he and the whole team will create something very special, and I look forward to seeing the completed work in 2026, the 50th-anniversary year of the founding of FOREIGNER."

FOREIGNER will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2026 with a new round of headlining tour dates, which will include a special five-show engagement at The Venetian Theatre in Las Vegas on March 6, 7, 11, 13 and 14, 2026. The band will be joined by a 20-piece orchestra, conducted by Juilliard-trained musician and orchestral arranger Dave Eggar.

Singer Kelly Hansen announced he's stepping down from FOREIGNER in late May live during a special appearance on NBC's "The Voice". In a moving segment that aired nationally, Hansen introduced FOREIGNER guitarist and backing vocalist Luis Maldonado as his official successor — a moment that symbolized both an end and a bold new beginning for the powerhouse group.

Before Luis joined FOREIGNER, he was best known as the guitarist for TRAIN and for his work with Lisa Marie Presley. He now steps into the spotlight as FOREIGNER's new lead singer. Maldonado brings a rich blend of vocal power, stage charisma, and musical versatility that makes him a natural fit to lead the next chapter of the band's journey.

Hansen joined FOREIGNER in 2005 and played a crucial role in revitalizing the band's live presence. His powerful vocals and magnetic stage presence helped introduce FOREIGNER's timeless hits to a new generation of fans across the globe.

FOREIGNER's tour continues through 2025 and will feature both Hansen and Maldonado on stage in a symbolic handoff. The transition coincides with major milestones for the band, including next year's 50th anniversary of its formation in New York in 1976.

FOREIGNER replaced original singer Lou Gramm with Hansen. Guitarist Mick Jones, the only remaining original member of FOREIGNER, suffered from some health issues beginning in 2011, eventually resulting in heart surgery in 2012. In February 2024, Jones revealed on social media that he was battling Parkinson's disease, which explained his absence from FOREIGNER's live shows since 2022.

Photo credit: Adam Gorodetzer

VICIOUS RUMORS guitarist and leader Geoff Thorpe suffered a serious accident in Cham, Germany after the band's recent European tour. Walking back to the band apartment in total darkness, Geoff fell and severely broke his right shoulder.

Geoff said: " I couldn't see a thing, it was so dark. There was no light... just a black night. Next thing I knew I was on the ground. I don't even know what I tripped over. After about 10 minutes, Chalice [VICIOUS RUMORS singer Brian Betterton] heard me calling for help. The guys helped me so much and Peter Lehan, our amazing guitar tech, called an ambulance and stood by me the whole time. I broke my right shoulder badly enough to require surgery with a long rehabilitation time."

Geoff is now recovering, and as a result, VICIOUS RUMORS' U.S. tour originally set to take place between August 20 and September 21, 2025, will be rescheduled to 2026.

VICIOUS RUMORS' new album, "The Devil's Asylum", will be released on August 29, 2025 worldwide (except Japan) through SPV/Steamhammer as a CD digipak, LP version, download and stream.

Joining Thorpe in VICIOUS RUMORS' current lineup are original member Larry Howe on drums and vocals, with longtime bassist Robin Utbult, who has been with the group since 2019, completing the core foundation of VR. After the songs for "The Devil's Asylum" were written, the addition of two new members has made the band chemistry rise to a new level. There's vocalist Brian "Chalice" Betterton and the second new member guitarist Denver Cooper, who — like Chalice — hails from Cape Coral in Florida.

The first single and video for the song "Bloodbath" was made available in May. The track was described in a press release as "a raw speed metal attack with melodic vocals and thrashy guitar riffs which perfectly combines the group's irresistible heaviness with speed and catchiness."

Thorpe formed VICIOUS RUMORS in 1979. He told The Press Democrat in a 2023 interview that there have been more than 40 different members in the band since its inception.

"One good thing about all of the members is that we have a very good relationship with almost all of them," Thorpe said. "When I need someone to fill in, I've got a lot of people I can call on."

VICIOUS RUMORS has released 17 albums, including three LPs recorded for Atlantic Records in 1990 and 1991, which were reissued as a box set titled "Vicious Rumors: The Atlantic Years" in September 2022.