|
| |
 |
  |
22 èþë 2025
ISKALD new bass player
 Iskald, a melodic black meta band from Norway, are pleased to welcome Tobias Aubert as their new full-time bassist. He will replace Emanuel Salgado.
Comments the band on new addition in the ranks: "We’re thrilled to officially welcome Tobias Aubert as our new bass player! A talented, young, and dedicated musician who instantly felt like the right fit for our next chapter. The passion and precision he brought to our upcoming album is nothing short of incredible - we can’t wait for you to hear it.
"At the same time, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Emanuel Salgado for two great years of music and memories. Things ended on good terms, and we wish you nothing but the best in your future endeavors."  | 0 |  |
|  |
22 èþë 2025
SWEET FREEDOM Release “Another Day” Single And Lyric Video
 Sweet Freedom share today their new single and official lyric video, “Another Day”, taken from the upcoming new album Blind Leading The Blind, set for release on August 29 via Frontiers Music Srl.
Jörgen Schelander commented on the new single, by saying: “Sweet Freedom is about being free, but ‘Another Day’ is about the opposite, the suffocating feeling of not being free. These days, we all know where in the world that is, and we all must use our voice (our vote) to change it. This track is a true classic rock anthem, and Matti really shows what an amazing singer he is.”
Talking about the record, Schelander says: “This album is a blast of classic rock. Close your eyes and listen all the way through Blind Leading The Blind – and you’ll come out blind no more… Maybe just a little deaf! The energy we captured, especially with Stefan Boman’s production, is something rare these days.”
Sweet Freedom began as a solo project by Swedish keyboardist Jörgen Schelander during the pandemic, born from a clear artistic vision and DIY spirit that had long been brewing in his mind.
Their debut album, initially released with no promotion, gained surprising attention — even landing coverage in Sweden Rock Magazine as one of the year’s top releases. By late 2022, the band evolved from a solo project to a full lineup under the name Sweet Freedom, reminiscent of how Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow became simply Rainbow.
The new album, Blind Leading The Blind, sees the return of the same core lineup, but with one notable change: powerhouse vocalist Matti Alfonzetti (Skintrade, Jagged Edge) steps in as frontman, replacing Stefan Nyqvist. Matti’s signature voice and charisma elevate these already high-octane songs to new heights.
Together with Håkan Nilsson on guitar, Jan Lund on bass, and Håkan Rangemo on drums, Sweet Freedom forms a Swedish supergroup. The new album is a ten-song collection of massive classic rock with a progressive twist.
The album was recorded live as a full band at Tilt Recording Studios in Strömstad, Sweden – an intentional move to capture the raw energy and chemistry that can only happen when a real band plays together in the same room. That energy, combined with a massive-sounding mix and master by Stefan Boman (Opeth, Alice Cooper, Def Leppard), results in a huge, dynamic rock production.
While Matti is well known in the rock world, the rest of Sweet Freedom’s members also boast serious credentials. Jörgen performed all keyboards on the 2024 touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar (featuring Daniel Gildenlöw of Pain of Salvation), and both Jan and Håkan previously played in Sabbtail alongside Mats Levén and Fredrik Åkesson of Opeth.
Pre-order the new album here.
Tracklisting:
“Infinity”
“Tears Of The Sun”
“Another Day”
“Skin And Bone”
“Innocent Child”
“Live From The Heart”
“Skeleton Key”
“Solid Ground”
“I Push Too Hard”
“Outcry” | 0 | |
| |
22 èþë 2025
Íîâàÿ ïåñíÿ NICOLAS CAGE FIGHTER
 Australian metallic hardcore outfit Nicolas Cage Fighter has unveiled their latest single, "Garden of the Grieving Mother", from the upcoming album I Watched You Burn, set for release on September 12 via Bleeding Art Collective / Blood Blast Distribution (Nuclear Blast/Believe).
I Watched You Burn was mixed and mastered by Cryptopsy guitarist Christian Donaldson (also known from his work with Neuraxis, Despised Icon, Shadow Of Intent, The Agonist, Beneath The Massacre among others), and will be released on CD, LP, and digital formats.
Artwork for the album has been created by Giannis Nakos, who has worked with acts such as Suffocation, Emperor and Aborted.
Vocalist Nick Moriarty had the following to say: "If this album was a Nic Cage film, it would be Mandy. It's dark, savage, and has a righteous thirst for bloody vengeance; we are pushing our sound to new extremes.
In "Garden Of The Grieving Mother," mother nature comes back to take that which is rightfully hers. The protagonist in the concept behind the album, after having eaten the tainted fruit of the corrupted tree of life, is infected with an incurable curse, his soul stripped from his flesh as he is condemned to rot away in a prison of the mind. Sentenced to an eternity in limbo between the life of chaos he has known and an uncertain future in the abyssal void that lies ahead, he can only watch on in hopelessness as the bodies around him are consumed by the Earth."
Last month, Nicolas Cage Fighter also released a music video for the album's title track, which can be viewed below.
Video by Steller Media
Guitarist Justin Ellis commented: "'I Watched You Burn' was the first song I wrote for the new album and we all loved it from the pre-production ideas. Plenty of riffs but still catchy. Working with Dyl on it and the ideas he had really set the level we wanted to reach for the whole album. It's also a beast to play live and the reception has been great."
I Watched You Burn tracklisting:
01. I Watched You Burn
02. Valley Of Agony
03. Godforsaken Silence
04. The Executioner
05. Tempest
06. Garden Of The Grieving Mother
07. Death In Bloom
08. Legacies Of Dust
09. Existing Beyond Death
10. Tarnished Remains | +1 | |
| |
![=]](/img/news-bord-shr.gif) |
|
  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22 èþë 2025
| 0 | |
| |
22 èþë 2025
| +1 | |
| |
22 èþë 2025
| +1 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22 èþë 2025
CORROSION OF CONFORMITY Records Guitars For New Album At BEE GEES Legend BARRY GIBB's Studio
 CORROSION OF CONFORMITY has completed recording guitars for its long-awaited follow-up to 2018's "No Cross No Crown" album. The sessions took place at a private Miami, Florida studio owned by Barry Gibb of the BEE GEES.
On Sunday (July 20),CORROSION OF CONFORMITY shared a photo of C.O.C. frontman Pepper Keenan and Gibb at the studio and included the following message: "Beer drinkers and free thinkers… We wanna let y'all know we just finished trackin guitars in a very special place…
"Here's the deal… We were diggin around in the underground and fell upon an outing by a band called [KILL THE ROBOT] , the production caught our ear immediately as did the songs …clicked a lil deeper n' realized it was our dear friend Stephen Gibb's [Barry Gibb's son, who has previously played with BLACK LABEL SOCIETY and CROWBAR] new outing… and was recorded and produced by [Warren Riker], another ol' friend who recorded the orginal 'Stare Too Long' and produced two [DOWN] records ..
"Didn't take long to start puttin the pieces together. Couple of texts and phone calls and we got the ultimate invitation… Come record at my father's place , where Warren and Stephen had built a dream studio. We stole the gas money and loaded the U haul n' headed to Miams.. We're goin to @officialbarrygibb of the friggin BEE GEES !! What followed next is way too epic to share…. but it took us to another level.
"We are forever grateful for sharing your world with us… never in our youth did we think we would be here tracking, and having Barry share his most prized instruments .. aka the Staying Alive Strat !!.. No Jive Talkin… We are humbled and definitely thank you Barry Gibb, Stephen Gibb and Warren Riker..
"Stay tuned! The new COC record is a monster!!
"We love you all..
"See yall next tour with Alice [Cooper] and the mighty [JUDAS] PRIEST."
Last October, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY recruited onetime DOWN guitarist and current PANTERA bass tech Bobby Landgraf to play bass for the band on the 2024 edition of the Headbangers Boat cruise. He has since joined CORROSION OF CONFORMITY in the studio and on the concert stage.
In September 2024, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY's founding bassist Mike Dean announced his departure from the band.
Dean revealed his decision to leave CORROSION OF CONFORMITY in a statement posted on social media. He wrote: "Recently I made a decision to step away from CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, a band started 40-odd years ago by Reed Mullin, Woody Weatherman, and myself.
"I'm extremely proud of everything we've done together, and look forward to hearing more from the band going forward.
"When I rejoined COC for the finishing touches of the 'Deliverance' album, I moved back to Raleigh, NC for an all-in creative campaign, but time, distance and side projects and life in general has changed all of that.
"Ever since Reed drifted away from the band and then passed away, it's been difficult for me to collaborate on new material with bandmates who live hundreds of miles away.
"I look forward to putting together a new Raleigh-based outlet to create new music with more alacrity and with more of an emphasis on my own ideas than in recent times. Also, I look forward to continuing to record and produce other artists.
"All the best to Woodroe, Pepper, and COC crew, and most importantly, many big thanks to the fans of all iterations of the band, who have made this real for all of these years. Salute!"
The remaining members of CORROSION OF CONFORMITY — Keenan and Weatherman — added in a separate statement: "We, Woodroe and Pepper, are in full support of Dean's future endeavors and wish him all the best in the quest. Thankful for the music made and (R)evolutionary paths created. That being said, this book of CORROSION is not finished, nor will the train stop.
"The opportunity to play music and create is something that we don't take lightly, and we will not waver. New COC recording is well underway and will be released in 2025.
"Much love and respect to all the free thinkin' beer drinkin' friends and fans worldwide, looking to making more. Without you, we are just growing deaf in a garage."
Two years ago, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY confirmed the return of Moore for its upcoming album.
Mullin died in January 2020 at the age of 53. The drummer, who co-founded CORROSION OF CONFORMITY in 1982 as a hardcore punk act alongside Weatherman and Dean, had missed a number of shows in the preceding four years due to a variety of health issues, including an alcohol-related seizure he suffered back in June 2016.
In 2014, after nearly a straight decade traversing the globe as a guitarist with New Orleans supergroup DOWN, Pepper reconnected with the core CORROSION OF CONFORMITY trio of Weatherman, Dean and Mullin to hit the road hard. "Reed called me and mentioned maybe playing a couple shows," Keenan recalled back in 2017. "I said, 'Let's just go to Europe and see if it works.' So we went to Europe and then ended up going back four times in one year... We toured for a year and then started tracking."
CORROSION OF CONFORMITY recorded "No Cross No Crown" in about forty days over the course of a year at a North Carolina studio with longtime producer John Custer.
Beer drinkers and free thinkers… We wanna let y'all know we jus finished trackin guitars in a very special place…...
Posted by Corrosion Of Conformity on Sunday, July 20, 2025 | +1 | |
| |
22 èþë 2025
| +2 | |
| |
22 èþë 2025
| 0 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22 èþë 2025
| 0 | |
| |
22 èþë 2025
| 0 | |
| |
22 èþë 2025
| 0 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22 èþë 2025
MALEVOLENT CREATION's PHIL FASCIANA Is 'Showing Improvement' After Being Placed In An Induced Coma
 Guitarist Phil Fasciana of long-running Florida death metallers MALEVOLENT CREATION will likely remain hospitalized for at least another week in Montpelier, France after developing a severe case of bacterial pneumonia.
As a result of Phil's hospitalization, the other members of the band — Ronnie Parmer (drums),Jesse Jolly (bass, lead vocals) and Chris Cannella (guitar) — are playing the remaining shows of the band's in-progress European tour as a three-piece, beginning with this past Thursday night's (July 17) concert at Razzmatazz in Barcelona, Spain.
Earlier today, Parmer, Jolly and Cannella released the following update on Fasciana's condition via social media: "There is positive news to share regarding Phil's condition. However, to understand the gravity of the situation, we need to be fully transparent with the fact that when Phil was admitted to the ICU, he was placed in an induced coma to avoid any intense strain on his cardiovascular system during his intravenous treatment. Phil has shown improvement, and the doctors are remaining positive based on signs of his recovery, as his infection has almost cleared up! He is slowly being taken off of breathing assistance, and he is responding to his name as they attempt to communicate with him, but he is not out of the woods just yet. He will likely be in the hospital for another week, at least, but his overall condition is improving.
"We cannot express enough how much his family, friends, and we as his brothers-in-arms appreciate the continuing thoughts, hopes and prayers directed towards his recovery. We will do our best to provide timely updates as they become available and appropriate, based on further developments.
"Horns high, for you, Phil. We love you".
Fasciana is the sole remaining original member of MALEVOLENT CREATION, which formed in in Buffalo, New York in 1986 and later relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
MALEVOLENT CREATION's latest album, "The 13th Beast", was released in January 2019 via Century Media. It was the band's sole disc to feature drummer Phil Cancilla and vocalist/guitarist Lee Wollenschlaeger.
Former MALEVOLENT CREATION frontman Bret Hoffmann died in July 2018 after a battle with stage 4 colon cancer. He was only 51 years old.
Bret performed on the first three MALEVOLENT CREATION releases until he left the band after 1993's "Stillborn" album. Five years later, he returned and performed on "The Fine Art Of Murder" and "Envenomed" before leaving again and being replaced by Kyle Symons. He rejoined MALEVOLENT again in 2006 and appeared on three more of the group's albums, 2007's "Doomsday X", 2010's "Invidious Dominion" and 2015's "Dead Man's Path". He exited the group once again in 2016 and was replaced by Wollenschlaeger.
Image courtesy of Soundterror
A brief update on Phil:
There is positive news to share regarding Phil's condition. However, to understand the gravity...
Posted by Malevolent Creation Band on Monday, July 21, 2025 | +3 | |
| |
22 èþë 2025
| +1 | |
| |
22 èþë 2025
| +2 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22 èþë 2025
WILL CARROLL: 'DEATH ANGEL Should Be A Hell Of A Lot Bigger Than They Are'
 DEATH ANGEL drummer Will Carroll was interviewed by "Reckless" Rexx Ruger for a new episode of the Pod Scum podcast. Asked by Ruger where DEATH ANGEL's place is within the San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal scene, Will — who joined DEATH ANGEL in 2009 as the replacement for the band's original drummer, Andy Galeon — responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Ah, that's a hard question. Where does DEATH ANGEL fit in the Bay Area thrash community? I mean, it's gonna be a biased answer, obviously, 'cause I'm in the band. But I think DEATH ANGEL should be a hell of a lot bigger than they are. And I'm not quite sure why that is, that they haven't had more success. I mean, we're successful, but I think DEATH ANGEL should be much more successful and playing better spots on festivals, better slots on festivals and bigger tours and everything. They've paid their dues and they've put out a long string of killer albums, before I was in the band and since I've been in the band."
Will continued: "I'm not trying to sound like I'm patting myself on the back, but we're hard workers, man. And we've toured our asses off in the past 16 years since I've joined. And we've toured way more since I've joined than they did the first time around. And I'm not even gonna take the time to figure out why they're not more successful than they are. But — whatever — I think the band should be further along. And it is not 'cause of lack of hard work on our end."
Carroll spent almost two weeks on a ventilator in an intensive care unit at a Northern California hospital in March 2020. He first got sick when he and the rest of DEATH ANGEL spent more than a month on the road in Europe with TESTAMENT and EXODUS as part of that year's "The Bay Strikes Back" tour. The now-52-year-old musician was hospitalized at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco after catching COVID-19 on the aforementioned European tour.
Carroll woke up from a medically induced coma on March 30, 2020 after spending nearly two weeks on a ventilator. Doctors told the San Francisco Chronicle he was in critical condition and came close to dying.
DEATH ANGEL had been touring in support of its ninth album, "Humanicide", which came out in May 2019 via Nuclear Blast.
The band was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Metal Performance" for the "Humanicide" title track. It was the group's first Grammy nomination.
Will can be heard on the last four DEATH ANGEL studio albums: "Relentless Retribution" (2010),"The Dream Calls For Blood" (2013),"The Evil Divide" (2016) and the aforementioned "Humanicide".
DEATH ANGEL will celebrate the 35th anniversary of its "Act III" album by performing it in its entirety on a fall 2025 U.S. tour. The trek, which will feature support from TOXIC HOLOCAUST, LIONS AT THE GATE and MISFIRE, will kick off on November 26 at the Oriental Theater in Denver, Colorado and wrap with two Christmas shows on December 18-19 at The Fillmore in San Francisco, California.
This past May, DEATH ANGEL released its first new music in six years, a brand new song called "Wrath (Bring Fire)".
| +3 | |
| |
22 èþë 2025
AGRICULTURE new video
| 0 | |
| |
22 èþë 2025
| 0 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
22 èþë 2025
Watch: RUSH's ALEX LIFESON Joins TOM MORELLO For 'Limelight' Performance In Toronto
 RUSH guitarist Alex Lifeson joined RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Tom Morello on stage this past Thursday (July 17) at the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada to perform a spirited version of the RUSH classic "Limelight". Fan-filmed video of Alex's appearance can be seen below.
Back in 2021, Lifeson teamed up with Morello and METALLICA's Kirk Hammett for a collaborative track, "I Have Seen The Way", which appeared on the RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist's "The Atlas Underground Flood" album.
This past April, Lifeson insisted in an interview with The Rockman Power Hour that he still has a modest view of his place in the music world, despite his status as one of the most legendary rock musicians of the past half century. He said: "You get a lot of celebrity thrown at you and all of that stuff. It's just normal in this fan world. But honestly, I'm just a guy who loves playing guitar, and I always have, since I was 11 years old. I feel so lucky that I have that, and it's not about having a successful career or any of this.
"I play guitar every day. I play usually for — I don't know — three or four hours a day," he explained. "I play for an hour before I go to bed every night. I like to have a little puff, and then I sit down. I keep a couple of guitars in the bedroom, and I go back and forth — it's nylon string one day, steel string [the next day] — and I play for an hour, and I'm lost. And I don't play scales or I don't practice. I just play guitar because it's so fucking amazing to be able to do that. And I'm gonna do it until my last breath. I know that. And I don't attach any kind of specialness to it. It's just blessing for me that I can do that. And then if I can apply it to other people's music and use my skills that I've learned over the years to do something to make their music better, that's a real gratifying experience for me.
"I work on a lot of different projects," Lifeson added. "I'm working on a project now with some of the guys from BARENAKED LADIES and the RHEOSTATICS on a Great Lakes documentary, and it's all jam based, so we have hours and hours of jamming and now we're editing and putting it all together. Wow. What a great experience that is, because it's not being a big shot. It's there playing with other great players, making great music, and everybody's contributing. And that's the essence of being a musician and being a part of this whole musical world. It's not about being a big shot."
RUSH drummer Neil Peart died in January 2020 after a three-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 67 years old.
RUSH waited three days to announce Peart's passing, setting off shockwaves and an outpouring of grief from fans and musicians all over the world.
Since Peart's death, Lifeson and Lee have not recorded any new music or performed live under the RUSH name, although both of them confirmed that several drummers reached out to them in the days after the legendary drummer's passing about the possibility of stepping in for Neil.
Lifeson made his mark on the music industry over 50 years ago, redefining the boundaries of progressive rock guitar. His signature riffing, copious use of effects processing and unorthodox chord structures befitted him the title by his RUSH bandmates as "The Musical Scientist." While the bulk of Lifeson's work in music has been with RUSH, he has contributed to a body of work outside of the band as a guitarist, producer and with the release of his 1996 solo album "Victor". Lifeson ranks third overall in the Guitar World readers' poll of "100 Greatest Guitarists" and is also included in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarists Of All Time."
ENVY OF NONE, the band featuring Lifeson, Andy Curran (CONEY HATCH),Alfio Annibalini and singer Maiah Wynne, released its second album, "Stygian Wavz", on March 14 via Kscope.
JUST ANNOUNCED: Tom Morello, founding member of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, prolific guitarist, producer...
Posted by Live Nation Ontario on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 | +1 | |
| |
21 èþë 2025
ANDI DERIS Says HELLOWEEN Can 'Satisfy All Generations Of Fans' With Reunited Expanded Classic Lineup
 In a new interview with Andrew McKaysmith of the Scars And Guitars podcast, HELLOWEEN vocalist Andi Deris spoke about how the German metallers have managed to pull off the seemingly impossible by uniting returning singer Michael Kiske and guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen with Deris, guitarists Michael Weikath and Sascha Gerstner, bassist Markus Grosskopf and drummer Daniel Löble. Asked if having worked with the expanded seven-piece HELLOWEEN lineup for the past nine years feels like "a renewal" of sorts, Deris responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yes and no. We still call 'em the new old guys. [Laughs] If we talk about fresh wind, again, that's the fresh old wind, which we are very happy to have. So it works much smoother now because you can satisfy automatically all the generations of HELLOWEEN fans. Meanwhile, we are running into three generations [of HELLOWEEN fans]. There's the first generation, which is probably the biggest part, that the was the 'Walls Of Jericho' / 'Keeper Of The Seven Keys' fans. And to completely satisfy these guys, you definitely need Michael Kiske, and Kai is definitely a great bonus to it, but I think the voice is the most important thing, that the people are listening to Michael again, which they are used since their youth, since their childhood even. So this is something the 'new' singer could never beat. So that's quite clear… Well, that's the way it is. So I have nothing to complain about it and not to even talk about. It's the way we all feel."
He continued: "When I listen to my old heroes — yes, I know [late IRON MAIDEN singer] Paul Di'Anno is not as good [of a vocalist] as [current IRON MAIDEN frontman] Bruce Dickinson. But nevertheless, these are the albums I more or less grew up with metal, so I always love these two albums with Paul Di'Anno — certainly I do. Still, I would say I love lots of songs with Bruce Dickinson. But when Paul was not in the band anymore, I, as a fan, back in the days, I left MAIDEN, so to say, just to re-rediscover them later on. But first I was pissed. [Laughs] Maybe that's the right description."
Circling back to HELLOWEEN's reunion with Kiske and Hansen, Deris said: "But, yeah, [it was] very important that we got the boys back in the band, definitely, because now we've got every right to connect with the history without being called copycats or whatever. 'How can you with a new singer?', blah, blah, blah. So this is off the table. And now we are allowed to kind of produce best of both worlds. And everybody's exactly expecting that. So what I wanna say, I'm allowed now to play or to write a [song like] 'Giants On The Run', or [at] the same time a ballad like 'Into The Sun' or maybe a poppy thing like 'A Little Is a Little Too Much' [all three of which are included on HELLOWEEN's upcoming album 'Giants & Monsters'] and perform it with Michael together and the worlds co don't collide, but they interconnect, and this is something I really enjoy. So all ego shit besides, that's exactly what a band should do."
After McKaysmith noted that HELLOWEEN is the only major act which has seemingly been able to bring singers from two or more different eras of the band together on stage and in the recording studio, Deris said: "I'll just give you an example of where my idea was born to have this 'Pumpkins United' thing, was actually when VAN HALEN tried to reunite with Diamond Dave and Sammy Hagar. For me, it was a dream come true, being an old VAN HALEN fan, and I was completely hooked and totally destroyed when I learned that the first show already went to hell in Las Vegas and they kicked their asses on stage. For me, the world was blowing apart. And I just thought, 'Okay, could we do that but stick together?' But seeing that show in Las Vegas with VAN HALEN, we told everybody, 'Yes, we wanna do that 'Pumpkins United' tour. And we swear we're gonna stick together until the end of the tour, even if we would hate ourselves and try not to kick our asses on stage,' which fortunately never happened. But maybe that was a good warning sign with what happened with VAN HALEN, that you should actually try to keep your ego shit in the stable, hold your horse and don't boil over just because you think you have to now because you've got it in the wrong. In Germany, you would say you got it in the wrong tube. So you get the point."
He continued: "But actually, it did not take any effort because Michael Kiske was super cool and from beginning on, he gave me the security that we could get along super nicely. The first two or three hours we talked together and the impression that I have or I had back in the days, I thought, 'Okay, if this impression is who he really is, I would probably love that guy.' And time just went on and I realized, 'Okay, I miss him, actually, as a person, as a discussion partner and everything.' So after the tour, I was in that hole — there was no Michael around me to discuss the shit outta every subject that we had. And this is something you learn to treasure. And, yeah, I don't know how, but this could have been a friend for life, which was actually living more or less in the same world [as] I did but I never had a chance to really get to know him. Now I did. So I'm super happy. That's good friendship, and better late than ever, I say. I'm super happy with him. I think he's happy with me. And yeah. Unfortunately, we're not gay. [Laughs] That would've been the next step… I'm saying that would be the perfect relationship. But honestly, I am just disgusted by just thinking about it. So sexually, this is not gonna happen. [Laughs]"
"Giants & Monsters" will be released on August 29 via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). The follow-up to HELLOWEEN's self-titled record was mixed at the legendary Wisseloord Studios (IRON MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST, DEF LEPPARD) in Hilversum, Netherlands.
HELLOWEEN will celebrate four decades of metal mastery with a global 40th anniversary tour. The European leg begins in mid-October, with initial dates selling out quickly. Featuring an ultimate set list packed with surprises, the tour will showcase the band's unparalleled legacy and ongoing creative power.
"Giants & Monsters" pushes the boundaries of HELLOWEEN's sound, thanks to the instincts of producers Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, as well as the band's relentless pursuit of excellence. Per example, Löble recorded all tracks using three different drum kits to capture the perfect vibe for each song, a testament to their attention to detail and love of experimentation.
2021's "Helloween" was the first HELLOWEEN album to feature the band's expanded lineup, consisting of Kiske and Hansen along with Deris, Weikath, Gerstner, Grosskopf and Löble.
Upon its release in June 2021, "Helloween" landed in the Top 10 in more than 10 countries, including Germany, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria. The cover artwork for the LP was painted by artist Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with HATEBREED, SOULFLY, TESTAMENT, ICED EARTH and SODOM, among others.
Produced by Charlie Bauerfeind and Dennis Ward, the last HELLOWEEN LP was recorded in part at the H.O.M.E. Studios in Hamburg (where everything started in 1984). The same recording console used for such HELLOWEEN albums as "Master Of The Rings", "Time Of The Oath" and "Better Than Raw" was utilized to record the band's new material. The effort was mixed at the Valhalla Studios of Ronald Prent (IRON MAIDEN, DEF LEPPARD, RAMMSTEIN).
"Helloween" saw the legendary German power metallers going "back to the roots," with the band recording fully analog and Löble playing the drum kit previously used by HELLOWEEN's original drummer, the late Ingo Schwichtenberg, on the legendary "Keeper Of The Seven Keys" recordings.
HELLOWEEN released a new live album, "Live At Budokan", on December 13, 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). The colossal effort immortalized HELLOWEEN's September 16, 2023 performance at Tokyo's legendary Nippon Budokan.
"Live At Budokan" was made available in a plethora of formats: 2CD-digipak and 3LP vinyl in trifold with the first print run of both coming as "deluxe edition" including embossed cover artwork, as well as Blu-ray, DVD and digital. Each version is meticulously crafted to suit the metal community's diverse tastes, ensuring every fan can relive the raw, unfiltered energy of HELLOWEEN in their preferred medium.
This release celebrated the grand finale of HELLOWEEN's epic world tour from 2022 to 2023. Spanning over 30 countries on three continents, the tour was nothing short of a triumph, drawing massive crowds and showcasing the band's undying appeal, the sold-out concert in Tokyo is the crowning glory of the cycle.
HELLOWEEN is:
Michael Kiske - vocals
Andi Deris - vocals
Kai Hansen - guitars, vocals
Michael Weikath - guitars
Sascha Gerstner - guitars
Markus Grosskopf - bass
Daniel Löble - drums
Photo credit: Mathias Bothor
| +6 | |
| |
21 èþë 2025
HATEBREED Shares First New Song In Nearly Five Years, 'Make The Demons Obey'
 Connecticut hardcore/metal veterans HATEBREED have released their first new music in nearly five years, "Make The Demons Obey". The track, which can be streamed below, 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 will run through July 28 in Grand Rapids. Support for this year's run includes FUGITIVE, GRIDIRON, INCITE, ESCUELA GRIND and SNUFFED ON SIGHT on select dates.
Last month, HATEBREED guitarist Wayne Lozinak left the band's European tour following a brain tumor diagnosis. He will undergo a craniotomy — a surgical procedure that involves opening the skull to access the brain — on August 4.
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.
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.
This past May, HATEBREED frontman Jamey Jasta spoke to Into The Necrosphere about the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for the follow-up to "Weight Of The False Self" album. He said: "Yeah, I think creatively the ideas are all there, the lyrics are all there, the music's all there. I've been going around taking different meetings with labels."
He continued: "It was kind of funny and cool — I just mentioned in passing that we were free agents, and then that went kind of semi viral or something, because then we got hit up by every label under the sun. And that was really nice to see that there was interest there from all these labels. 'Cause I am one of those people that I really believe that your next biggest, best song is always in you. You just have to get to that point where you can channel it or you can grab it out of the ether. Anybody can do it. You just have to get there, and you have to figure out the path there. And now that 'Weight Of The False Self' is finding fans, I thought, 'Yeah, I could expand on a lot of these topics. But then there was also new topics that I had never touched on before that I had been writing about and riffing out about."
Jasta added: "The real sort of mother lode of riffs that I wrote that I got inspired was right after Milwaukee [Metal Fest], because you get this post-festival sort of slump where you're, like, 'Damn, now what am I gonna do?' And I had to go to Europe right away. But TESTAMENT had given me a guitar — they did a deal with Dean, and they gave me this beautiful guitar. And so I just started riffing out on that guitar as soon as I got back. And I don't know if it just had good energy from the festival in it or if it had a different feel of the neck, but I started messing around with different frets and different placements… But just having that experience and then listening back to 'Weight Of The False Self' and going, 'All right, yeah, I'm ready. I've got enough.' I had 24 topics kind of written on a vision board, and I thought, 'All right, I've gotta narrow those down to 14. Can I combine?' And then I kept going, kept going, and yeah, now it's… I mean, we'll probably have a single any day now, or maybe even two singles." | +3 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21 èþë 2025
Watch: SEPULTURA's ANDREAS KISSER And His 27-Year-Old Son Cover METALLICA, BLACK SABBATH, IRON MAIDEN In São Paulo, Brazil
 On July 15, KISSER CLAN, the project featuring SEPULTURA guitarist Andreas Kisser and his 27-year-old son Yohan Kisser, played an exclusive instrumental show at Teatro Anchieta at SESC Consolação in São Paulo, Brazil. The nearly 90-minute performance saw father and son exploring their musical passions in a repertoire that seamlessly transitioned between progressive rock, heavy metal, acoustic music and virtuosity. The KISSER CLAN celebrated iconic compositions by bands like METALLICA, IRON MAIDEN, BLACK SABBATH and LED ZEPPELIN, with classics like "Orion", "The Call Of Ktulu" and "Moby Dick", as well as acoustic and climactic moments with tracks like "Laguna Sunrise" and "Kaiowas". Professionally filmed video of the concert can be seen below (courtesy of Instrumental Sesc Brasil).
Band lineup:
Andreas Kisser - Guitar
Yohan Kisser - Guitar
Gustavo Giglio - Bass
Amilcar Christofáro - Drums
Renato Zanuto - Keyboards
Timestamps:
* Start: 0:00
* Introduction: 13:05
* In The Flesh (PINK FLOYD): 16:36
* Orion (METALLICA): 18:25
* The Call Of Ktulu (METALLICA): 25:58
* Coast To Coast (SCORPIONS): 35:40
* Moby Dick - Drum Solo (LED ZEPPELIN): 40:28
* The Clap (YES): 44:34
* Orchid (BLACK SABBATH): 49:29
* Laguna Sunrise (BLACK SABBATH): 50:47
* Jasco (SEPULTURA): 53:13
* Guardians Of Earth (SEPULTURA): 54:42
* Kaiowas (SEPULTURA): 57:57
* The Ides Of March (IRON MAIDEN): 1:01:56
* Transylvania (IRON MAIDEN): 1:03:38
* Surfing With The Alien (JOE SATRIANI): 1:08:03
* Switch 625 (DEF LEPPARD): 1:19:23
Final: 1:23:18
In a 2018 interview with Amnplify, Andreas stated about KISSER CLAN: "My son is studying music. He has his own band and he plays great guitar — acoustic guitar and classical guitar as well — so he's really going through the same steps. This band is a band that I created for him basically to be on stage, play in different places and for him to know how it works. It's all good to have long hair and to be on stage for the girls but there's a lot more going on.
"[With] KISSER CLAN, we play only metal covers and it's a great school for all of us. Especially for me, as I am the main vocalist. It's good to use my voice, to try different things and it's a lot of fun. It's great fun to play METALLICA, LED ZEPPELIN, SABBATH — whatever we are playing — and to be together with my son on stage is unbelievable."
Five years ago, Andreas told Dead Rhetoric about the radio show that he hosts with Yohan called "Pegadas De Andreas Kisser" (which translates to "The Footsteps Of Andreas Kisser") that he has been doing since 2013: It's amazing, man. It's such a privilege to have this show in São Paulo. My son started with me when he was with short hair, very young. Now he has long hair and he's playing the guitar better than me. [Laughs] He has his own band, and we have our own band together called KISSER CLAN, where we play covers. It's great to develop to this friendship with your son — to teach him and show him the albums, my vinyl collection, my guitars. He writes great, he studies music, all the theory. On the radio, we open most of our time for Brazilian bands, to show their music. It's very hard even today to find outlets for music, and metal in general. 80% of the stuff that we do is for Brazilian bands, I do interviews on the road. I know so many people in bands — Gary Holt [EXODUS], Bobby Blitz [OVERKILL] — and all those guys I interview. It's a lot of fun. Working on the radio is great. When I am in Brazil, I do it live every Sunday, but, of course, most of the time I'm on the road so I pre-record it. Some of the shows I send from the road. I learn a lot as well with the bands. It's fantastic."
Andreas's wife and Yohan's mother, Patricia Perissinoto Kisser, passed away on July 3, 2022 after a battle with colon cancer. She had just turned 52 years old one day earlier.
Andreas and the couple's three children, Giulia, Yohan and Enzo, announced Patricia's death in a social media post. They wrote: "It is with deep sadness that we have to share that Patricia Perissinoto Kisser passed away this morning. She will remain in our memories forever."
Andreas and Patricia had been together for 32 years after first getting together in 1990. They married in 1994. | +2 | |
| |
21 èþë 2025
Watch: GOJIRA Joined By MACHINE HEAD's ROBB FLYNN For 'Territory' Performance At Greece's RELEASE Festival
 French metallers GOJIRA were joined by MACHINE HEAD's Robb Flynn on stage last night (Saturday, July 19) at the Release festival in Athens, Greece for a performance of the SEPULTURA classic "Territory". Flynn, who was celebrating his 58th birthday, handled guitar duties and shared lead vocals on the song with GOJIRA frontman Joseph Duplantier. Fan-filmed video can be seen below.
Back in September 2022, Joseph was asked by Brazil's "Multishow" if he remembered the first time he heard the Brazilian metal band SEPULTURA and how much of an influence SEPULTURA had been on GOJIRA's early sound and style. Joseph said: "I do remember the first time I heard SEPULTURA, and it blew my mind literally — not literally [laughs], actually. But I was blown away. And we were in a time in our development as people, in our teenage years, where this sound fueled something in us and inspired us to start what we're doing today.'
He continued: "The first [SEPULTURA] album I discovered was the album 'Arise'; it was very death metal. And then what they did after that, the 'Chaos A.D.' and the 'Roots' album, redefined metal, really. So I think they are a very, very important band in the history of metal."
Four years ago, Joseph commented on the fact that some people have compared GOJIRA's song "Amazonia" to SEPULTURA's "Roots" album. Asked how much of an influence SEPULTURA had been on GOJIRA's sound, Joseph told Cuartel Del Metal: "How much? From one to 10? A solid seven, whatever that means. I could say 10 also, because I love them so much. But SEPULTURA is massive in the history of our band, for some reason. I discovered 'Arise' first, and I was pretty blown away — it was so dark and so fast and so technical. It was right after I discovered the band DEATH and MORBID ANGEL, and then SEPULTURA. And I was absolutely blown away by their craft. And then, I had a few bands in high school, and I started to get together with my brother. We were playing at home, sometimes after school, and then we decided to form our own band. We dropped our other bands, got together, and 'Chaos A.D.' came along. And we were absolutely blown away — absolutely blown away. And [it was] easy to play too — it's simple riffs. They stripped down everything to the core… I mean, oh my God. They said it all with this album."
As for what he thought when people compared "Amazonia" to SEPULTURA, Joseph said: "I go, 'Yup.' And it's a compliment, and there is no shame here. And we ripped them off, but we didn't do it on purpose. But we realized it right after. We were, like, 'Oh, that sounds like SEPULTURA. Ahhh, whatever.' It's a tribute to SEPULTURA — how about that? It's about Brazil. It's about the Amazon. It's tribal."
"Amazonia" is taken from GOJIRA's latest album, "Fortitude", which came out in April 2021 via Roadrunner Records. The follow-up to 2016's "Magma" was recorded and produced by Joseph Duplantier at Silver Cord Studio — GOJIRA's Ridgewood, Queens, New York headquarters — and mixed by Andy Wallace (NIRVANA, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE).
Proceeds from "Amazonia" are benefiting the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) who advocate for environmental and cultural rights of indigenous tribes in the Amazon who have suffered immensely — victims of deforestation, land loss, forced labor, violence, and harassment.
GOJIRA initially laid the foundation for "Fortitude" in 2020 with the surprise release of the single "Another World".
The artwork for "Fortitude" was created by Joseph Duplantier.
🔥Δες το πρόγραμμα της προτελευταίας ημέρας του Release Athens 2025 όπου Gojira, While She Sleeps & Lacuna Coil θα...
Posted by Release Athens Festival on Friday, July 18, 2025 | +1 | |
| |
21 èþë 2025
| +1 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21 èþë 2025
| 0 | |
| |
21 èþë 2025
| +1 | |
| |
21 èþë 2025
EVANESCENCE Is Working With Various Producers On New Album: 'We're Just Doing Whatever Feels Good', AMY LEE Says
 In a recent interview with Kevin Ryder and Megan Holiday of the KROQ radio station, EVANESCENCE's Amy Lee was asked what fans can expect from her and her bandmates in the coming months. She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "More of the goodness. We are just full speed ahead, making stuff, putting stuff out, doing stuff on the side. We're in a super just energized creatively mode this year."
Asked if there is a release date for EVANESCENCE's next album, the singer responded: "I don't have a date. I don't like to set a date until it's really done. So, we're recording now. We're writing now. We're doing this album kind of in a way that is very freeform. We have a few songs with one producer, we have a few songs with another one over here. We're just doing whatever feels good. No rules except what the song wants."
Earlier this month, EVANESCENCE and alt-rock visionary K.Flay released the video for their new song "Fight Like A Girl". The track plays over the end credits of "Ballerina", the latest film set in the world of "John Wick", now playing in theatres and available on PVOD. The clip was helmed by Chad Stahelski, director of the "John Wick" films and producer of "Ballerina".
EVANESCENCE will kick off a run of live shows later this year, including "My Chemical Romance: The Black Parade" tour and Louder Than Life festival before joining METALLICA on their "M72" world tour.
Co-written by Lee, K.Flay, Dylan Eiland and "Ballerina" film composer Tyler Bates, who also produced the track, "Fight Like A Girl" followed the release of Halsey and Lee's thunderous track "Hand That Feeds", the first original song recently revealed from the film in early May.
In 2003, when the rock charts were dominated by predominantly male nü-metal and post-grunge acts, a young female-fronted band from Arkansas stood out from the crowd, offering something entirely new. They were EVANESCENCE — and with their debut album, "Fallen", they transformed the rock landscape. Led by Lee, EVANESCENCE's cinematic blend of metal and symphonic, piano-driven melodies captured a generation, while "Fallen" set the band on a path to global superstardom, earning them multiple Grammys, and becoming one of the highest-selling albums of all time.
Released in the spring of 2003, "Fallen" resonated deeply with fans, selling more than 141,000 copies in its first week and peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, where it spent an astonishing 43 weeks in the Top 10. Within a month, "Fallen" was certified platinum by the RIAA, while it was a Top 10 hit in more than ten countries, reaching No. 1 in the U.K., Canada, Australia, and across Europe. Much of the album's initial success can be attributed to its stratospheric singles, including "Bring Me to Life", which broke the Top 10 in more than 15 countries and topped Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 and Alternative Airplay charts. "My Immortal" was a Top 10 hit in over ten countries, including the U.S., U.K. and Australia.
At the 2004 Grammys, EVANESCENCE received five nominations, including "Album Of The Year", "Best Rock Album", "Best Hard Rock Performance" for "Bring Me To Life", and "Best New Artist", taking home the latter two. The following year, "My Immortal" received a nod for "Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals".
Today, "Fallen" holds steady as the sixth best-selling album of the 21st century (ranking just behind Lady Gaga's "The Fame" and ahead of COLDPLAY's "A Rush Of Blood To The Head") and remains one of the best-selling albums of all time, with more than 17 million copies sold worldwide. In 2022, "Fallen" received a rare diamond certification from the RIAA, which recognizes 10 million units in U.S. album sales. As a testament to the album's enduring appeal, the video for "Bring Me To Life" surpassed 1.2 billion views on YouTube, making it one of the most-watched rock videos of all-time while "My Immortal" follows close behind.
To date, EVANESCENCE has released a total of five studio albums, including the multi-platinum "The Open Door" (2004) and "Evanescence" (2011),both of which topped the Billboard 200. In 2021, the band thrilled fans with their first album of new material in a decade, "The Bitter Truth". Now 20 years on, EVANESCENCE continues to scale new heights. Featuring a lineup of Amy Lee (vocals, keyboards),Tim McCord (guitar/bass),Will Hunt (drums),Troy McLawhorn (guitars) and Emma Anzai (bass, backing vocals),the band continues to travel the globe, staging some of the most successful shows of their career, including Allianz Parque, a soccer stadium in Sāo Paulo, Brasil, which was the biggest headline show of EVANESCENCE's career to date, drawing 40,000 fans. EVANESCENCE's most recent single, "Afterlife" from the Netflix series "Devil May Cry", has had great success, with over 20 million streams and over 10 million views on YouTube in just the first few weeks. "Afterlife" is the fastest-moving single of the band's career.
| +1 | |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
21 èþë 2025
Watch: QUEENSRŸCHE Performs Early Classics In El Cajon, California
 The Eclipse channel on YouTube has uploaded video of QUEENSRŸCHE's July 18 concert at Sycuan Casino Resort in El Cajon, California. Check out the clips in the YouTube playlist below. (Note: After each song, the YouTube player automatically jumps to the next song in the playlist.)
According to Setlist.fm, the setlist for the show was as follows:
01. Queen Of The Reich
02. Operation: Mindcrime
03. Walk In The Shadows
04. The Lady Wore Black
05. Breaking The Silence
06. I Don't Believe In Love
07. The Mission
08. Warning
09. Behind The Walls
10. Take Hold Of The Flame
11. Silent Lucidity
12. Jet City Woman
13. Screaming In Digital
Encore:
14. Empire
15. Eyes Of A Stranger
Earlier in the month, QUEENSRŸCHE announced that it will hit the road this fall on the "Volume And Vengeance Tour" alongside special guests ACCEPT. The trek will kick off on November 7 in Denver, Colorado at Summit and will conclude on December 20 in Temecula, California at Pechanga Theater Casino.
QUEENSRŸCHE vocalist Todd La Torre commented: "We are extremely excited to announce our upcoming 2025 U.S. fall tour with metal legends ACCEPT!
"For years and years both bands have discussed wanting to do a proper tour together, and the time has finally arrived. And while we both have our unique stylistic approaches, both bands continue to have a deep and revered history, shared by an amazing fanbase that is sure to enjoy this moment in time.
"So it is with great pleasure that we invite you to experience the 'Volume And Vengeance Tour' with QUEENSRŸCHE and ACCEPT, and be part of metal musical history with us! See you soon!!!"
In a recent interview with Sonoridades Inc., QUEENSRŸCHE guitarist Michael Wilton spoke about La Torre, who joined the group in 2012 as the replacement for QUEENSRŸCHE's original vocalist Geoff Tate. Michael said: "[Todd has] helped keep us relevant. He's a great songwriter, but he's not just a vocalist and a lyric writer. He's a drummer. He can play guitar. He can speak to you and communicate to you as a musician, not just a singer. I mean, he grew up in Florida in the metal era, and he's got a lot of that influence, but he's very melodic as well. And he's got a killer voice. So I think it's just something that in the evolution of post-QUEENSRŸCHE, it's, like, we are still doing it and kicking ass. And hopefully we'll have something new out in the future."
Regarding the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for the follow-up to 2022's "Digital Noise Alliance", Michael said: "Right now we're writing. We're doing so much touring right now, it's hard to figure out where we will have a block of time to make an album. But before we went to Europe, we brought Zeuss [Chris Harris], our producer, down to Florida, and we worked on some ideas. We just started writing. And that's where we're at right now."
Wilton also talked about QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Casey Grillo, who joined the band in 2017 as the replacement for the original QUEENSRŸCHE drummer Scott Rockenfield. He said: "[Casey is] an amazing player and he brings so much to QUEENSRŸCHE. He respects the songs, but he's such a dynamic player. He's very talented, and he helps in the writing process as well. So, yeah, he's been in the band over five years, six years, or whatever it is, seven, and, yeah, he's great."
In October 2021, Rockenfield filed a lawsuit against Wilton and bassist Eddie Jackson, alleging, among other things, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and wrongful discharge. A few months later, Wilton and Jackson filed a countersuit against Rockenfield, accusing him of abandoning his position as a member of the band and misappropriating the group's assets to his own personal benefit. That dispute has since been settled out of court.
This past April, La Torre was asked by Chile's iRock.cl how QUEENSRYCHE's sound has changed since he joined the group 13 years ago as the replacement for Tate. He responded: "I think that the band kind of got its sound back, more of the roots, the heavier kind of sound that QUEENSRYCHE was known for early on. There was a long period of time where the music got more adult contemporary and less hard rock and heavy metal and progressive and all of the different elements that QUEENSRŸCHE was kind of known for. So I think me being in the band — I mean, it could have been any other singer — has allowed these guys to completely write whatever they wanna write without it being turned down as being too heavy, for example, 'cause that had happened."
He continued: "I love the old classic stuff. We perform all the songs in the standard tunings like they were recorded, so there's nothing downtuned that changes the way they sound. I think that's helped contribute to kind of the resurgence of the band. But we just write songs, and sometimes I think, 'Oh, I wanna write a masterpiece of a song like 'Roads To Madness'' or a great song like 'Take Hold Of The Flame' or — I don't know — songs off of '[Operation:] Mindcrime', for example. But we all have a great time and the chemistry in the band is perfect. We all are super, super close. We all get along off the stage so well that it really kind of… I think that the contribution that I bring in is the jokes, the laughter, the creativity with music and art idea, artistic ideas with album covers and video concepts and that kind of thing. I don't know. That's the best way I could answer it, is I'm just one fifth of QUEENSRŸCHE. But the band is in a very healthy state."
Regarding how he sees the future of QUEENSRŸCHE, Todd said: "Oh, man. I kind of see the future as kind of what we're doing still. A lot of bands have retired, and we're still out there. There's nothing in the future that I see of the band retiring. I mean, we play about a hundred shows a year. So probably more of the same — just performing live shows, writing new songs and making new records and promoting our art that way. But, I mean, really it boils down to the live concert. That's really what we are now."
In a separate interview with Brazil's Monsters Of Rock, Todd was asked which "unexplored musical directions" he would like to see QUEENSRŸCHE go in on the band's upcoming follow-up to "Digital Noise Alliance". He said: "[We're] kind of [doing] the same thing as what we've been doing. I mean, we don't go in writing a record with a preconceived idea. We just get in a room and [go], 'Hey, show me your guitar parts. What do you have in your mind?' And we kind of all get together in a room and just see what happens in real time. So as far as unexplored musical directions… Personally, I'd love to hear more clean guitar on the next record, maybe some more spacious stuff, some more clean guitar. Orchestration is always fun to work with. It's very huge and cinematic sounding. So those are fun things to play with. Maybe some different percussion things would be interesting to play around with again.
"But, gosh, after 40-plus years, I think without completely changing the band, the band's style of music, I don't know that there's really any too much unexplored musical directions," he continued. "I mean, QUEENSRŸCHE's kind of done a lot within the large space that QUEENSRŸCHE has to run around in. I mean, if we were to do something — we wouldn't write a hip-hop song, we wouldn't write a death metal song. So within the confines of what QUEENSRŸCHE kind of is, as diverse as it as it is, I don't know what kind of unexplored musical directions there would be. On the next one, I mean, I would love to, like I say, play around with some other clean guitar sounds, maybe some more interesting percussion things — like the song 'I Am I' had some really neat percussion things going on."
Guitarist Mike Stone, who rejoined QUEENSRŸCHE in 2021, contributed guitar solos to the band's latest studio album.
Since late May 2021, Stone has been handling second-guitar duties in QUEENSRŸCHE, which announced in July 2021 that longtime guitarist Parker Lundgren was exiting the group to focus on "other business ventures."
Stone originally joined QUEENSRŸCHE for the 2003 album "Tribe" and stayed with the band for six years before leaving the group. | 0 | |
| |
21 èþë 2025
| +2 | |
| |
21 èþë 2025
OBITUARY Could Have New Album Out In 2026 Or 2027, Says TERRY BUTLER
 In a new interview with RichardMetalFan, OBITUARY bassist Terry Butler was asked about the possibility of a new studio album from the veteran Florida death metallers. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're just kind of talking about, hey, maybe by '26 or '27 we'll have another album out, possibly. We haven't set any kind of release date. There's really no songs even recorded yet or anything like that. It's just kind of just amongst ourselves kind of kicking ideas around. That's it."
OBITUARY recently celebrated the 35th anniversary of its second album, "Cause Of Death", on a North American tour. Support on the trek came from NAILS, TERROR, SPIRITWORLD and PEST CONTROL.
OBITUARY's latest studio album, "Dying Of Everything", came out in January 2023 via Relapse Records.
In 2022, Decibel Books released "Turned Inside Out: The Official Story Of Obituary", the fully authorized biography of OBITUARY. The book was written by David E. Gehlke, author of "Damn The Machine: The Story Of Noise Records" and "No Celebration: The Official Story Of Paradise Lost".
In a 2023 interview with Invisible Oranges, OBITUARY drummer Donald Tardy stated about the six-year gap between 2017’s self-titled album and "Dying Of Everything": "COVID had everything to do with it. We've been sitting on this album for two years; we started writing it five years ago. When we did the SLAYER tour in Europe, we were hell bound to get home and write an album. The plans were to obviously ride the coattails and get back to Europe on a headlining tour and talk about a new album. But then COVID took everything out. So we realized that we had a fucking awesome start to an album, so what are you gonna do when you realize you're gonna be home for more than just months? We were home, so we just really focused on the songs that we had; wrote some more songs and really focused on, how can you make them killer? And then the recording process… we really took our time because we knew that we were not going to put an album out when we’re sitting on our couches because of COVID. So a lot of bands released records when they were sitting at home."
He added: "I'm not 20 years old anymore, and there's not that many more albums coming out of OBITUARY. This was the 11th one; this was the one we knew was super important. And so we've been sitting on it for two years. It's been finished and in our back pockets waiting for the world to open up, especially Europe. Because Europe hadn't seen us since 2016."
Regarding OBITUARY's longevity, Donald said: "My brother [OBITUARY frontman John Tardy] says it a lot of interviews, and I don't often repeat him, but we're doing something that we're having a good time doing. And if we don't have a good time doing it, we'll find something else to do. I think that's a great way to put it.
"My brother and I moved to Tampa, Florida from Miami, Florida in 1980. Within minutes, I met Trevor [Peres, OBITUARY guitarist] and I was only a 10-year-old kid. And by the time we were 12 years old, we already had the bug and we knew what we wanted; we wanted to be a band. And we've been best friends for 40-something years. And the longevity of the career with this band is simply that we're all brothers, we kind of get along, beyond just bandmates. We're lifetime friends, and, genuinely, we have a good time together. We're fortunate that we found each other in life, and we're good friends. And that's the success plan that kept OBITUARY together now for going on 35 years."
That same year, Donald told Kerrang! magazine that the extended hiatus he and his OBITUARY bandmates went on in 1997 was a positive experience. "Hindsight is 20/20," he said. "At the time we didn't know if that break was going to be one year, two years, six years or whatever it was. But, looking back, it was fantastic for us to step away and recharge, to get away from the music industry and that scene at the age that we were. And we were gone for long enough that we were hungry again when we got back onstage. It's weird to look back at how long ago that was. Our 'second career' has lasted longer than a lot of bands' entire existences."
Photo credit: Tim Hubbard | +1 | |
| |
|
|
  |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Iskald
