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11 июл 2025
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11 июл 2025
FILTER To Release 'The Algorithm: Ultra Edition' In August
 Platinum-selling, post-industrial/alternative rock pioneers FILTER are set to release their remixed and remastered new album, "The Algorithm: Ultra Edition", on August 8 via the band's No Pulse Records. The album features re-imagined cuts from "The Algorithm" — the tight conceptual statement heralding career-best songwriting from FILTER mastermind Richard Patrick — with nine additional tracks.
On July 11, the new album's first single, the speaker-shattering "All The Good", will be released to radio and on all digital platforms. The epic track — featuring that classic FILTER sound with a modern sonic edge — is pure existential chaos, heavy psychotic riffs and a soaring, anthemic chorus. It's not so much a loud-quiet-loud dynamic as a loud-quiet-monstrously loud one. From out of the blocks, Patrick's vocals are pushed into the red, and from there… things only get heavier. Produced by Patrick and longtime collaborator Brian Virtue, "All The Good" was co-written by Zach Munowitz, the guitarist who co-wrote "For the Beaten", "Up Against The Wall" and "Say It Again".
"The Algorithm: Ultra Edition" also delivers four remixes of previously released tracks, including by former NINE INCH NAILS member Charlie Clouser, producer/mixer Sean Beaven (NINE INCH NAILS, MARILYN MANSON) and Patrick's mixes of "Obliteration" as well as Julian Gray's version of "Burn Out The Sun". There are also two covers; Patrick offers his take on U2's "A Sort Of Homecoming" and Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy".
"The Algorithm: Ultra Edition" will be available on all music streaming platforms August 8, with exclusive physical versions to be released in the future.
"The Algorithm: Ultra Edition" track listing:
01. All The Good
02. A Sort Of Homecoming (U2 Cover)
03. The Drowning (ultra edition)
04. Up Against The Wall (ultra edition)
05. For The Beaten (ultra edition)
06. Obliteration (ultra edition)
07. Say It Again (ultra edition)
08. Face Down (ultra edition)
09. Summer Child (ultra edition)
10. Threshing Floor (ultra edition)
11. Be Careful What You Wish For (ultra)
12. Burn Out The Sun (ultra edition)
13. Command Z (ultra edition)
14. Burn Out The Sun (Julian Gray remix)
15. Obliteration (Sean Beaven remix)
16. Obliteration (Charlie Clouser remix)
17. Obliteration (Richard Patrick remix)
18. 'Murica (ultra edition)
19. Thoughts And Prayers (ultra edition)
20. Bad Guy (Billie Eilish cover)
Patrick, the creative mastermind behind FILTER, has spent over 30 years pushing the boundaries of musical expression. His tenure as NINE INCH NAILS' touring guitarist and involvement in the band's iconic music videos cemented his place in rock history. Patrick left NINE INCH NAILS in 1993 to form FILTER. Their explosive debut album, "Short Bus", achieved platinum status, propelled by the breakout single "Hey Man Nice Shot". The success continued with their follow-up release, "Title Of Record", also going platinum, thanks to the crossover hit "Take A Picture".
Patrick formed the supergroup ARMY OF ANYONE in 2006 alongside Dean and Robert DeLeo of STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and Ray Luzier of KORN, before refocusing on FILTER's output of later lauded albums "Anthems For The Damned" (2008),"The Trouble With Angels" (2010),"The Sun Comes Out Tonight" (2013) and "Crazy Eyes" (2016). 20-plus years later, Patrick is more prolific than ever. Celebrating 30 years of FILTER, 2023 saw the much-anticipated release of a new FILTER album, "The Algorithm". Singles "Face Down", "For The Beaten" and "Obliteration" had innovative music videos which garnered attention from new and longtime fans alike.
FILTER will celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Short Bus" with a limited-edition colored vinyl reissue, out August 15 via Craft Recordings.
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11 июл 2025
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11 июл 2025
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11 июл 2025
THE OBSESSED Recruits MONSTER MAGNET Drummer BOB PANTELLA
 Iconic architects of American doom metal THE OBSESSED have announced a seismic shift behind the kit as drummer Brian Costantino steps away, passing the torch to none other than Bob Pantella — the powerhouse percussionist known for his crushing work with MONSTER MAGNET and THE ATOMIC BITCHWAX. The band will embark on an extensive European tour, including several festival appearances this fall.
As the band bids farewell to one brother in arms, they welcome heavy rock titan Pantella, whose explosive energy and veteran prowess promise to ignite THE OBSESSED's signature sound with fresh, primal fire.
THE OBSESSED frontman Scott "Wino" Weinrich comments: "After THE OBSESSED drummer Brian Costantino recently stepped away from the band due to personal reasons, we are very happy to welcome Bob Pantella into THE OBSESSED. I have known Bob for many years and have always admired his skills behind the drums, and after our initial jam together, we are inspired and ready to rock. You may already know him from his other excellent bands THE ATOMIC BITCHWAX, MONSTER MAGNET and RAGING SLAB. We are proud to welcome Bob into THE OBSESSED."
THE OBSESSED returned last year after a seven-year absence with their acclaimed new album "Gilded Sorrow" on independent Californian label Ripple Music. Lauded as a "must-listen for fans of the genre and a compelling entry point for newer voyagers into the world of doom" by Metal Hammer and "the best the band has ever sounded" by Ghost Cult magazine, "Gilded Sorrow" is a defiantly abrasive, crushing and straightforward album that has already left an indelible mark on the heavy music landscape. The newly forged lineup will storm Europe this fall to perform their 1994 cornerstone album "The Church Within" in its entirety, including appearances at Desertfest, Up In Smoke and Keep It Low festivals.
THE OBSESSED European tour 2025:
Oct. 01 - DE Wiesbaden - Schlachthof
Oct. 02 - DE Ulm - Roxy
Oct. 03 - DE Würzburg - Keep It True Festival
Oct. 04 - DE Karlsruhe - Stadtmitte
Oct. 05 - CH Pratteln - Up In Smoke Festival
Oct. 06 - IT Milano - Legend
Oct. 08 - AT Vienna - Arena
Oct. 09 - AT Innsbruck - P.M.K.
Oct. 10 - CRO Zagreb - Mochvara
Oct. 11 - DE Munich - Keep It Low Festival
Oct. 12 - DE Leipzig - Ut Connewitz
Oct. 13 - DE Berlin - Zukunft
Oct. 15 - DE Cologne - Volta
Oct. 16 - DE Bielefeld - Forum
Oct. 17 - BE Antwerpen - Desertfest Belgium
Oct. 18 - NL Deventer - Burgerweeshuis
Oct. 20 - UK Bradford - The Underground
Oct. 21 - UK Manchester - Star & Garter
Oct. 22 - UK Milton Keynes - The Craufurd Arms
Oct. 23 - UK London - The Dome
Oct. 24 - NL Rotterdam - Grounds
Oct. 25 - DE Hamburg - Lazy Bones Festival
Weinrich is a living legend. In a way, he is the American version of Lemmy and shares many traits with the late, much-beloved metal icon. He's always been a rebel, loner and an outsider in an outsider scene, pursuing his music without regard for popularity or acceptance. In the process, he came to be considered one of the early pioneers of American doom. All of this began when he founded THE OBSESSED back in the 1970s, then pursued through his many other outfits such as SAINT VITUS and SPIRIT CARAVAN. As a key part of the 1980s Washington/Maryland music scene, his music earned the respect of metal, punk and crossover fans alike while often being dubbed doom metal. Looking back, it was just gritty, street-wise American metal with a cynical bent and psychedelic flair, and this is what made him the unique and timeless heavy music icon he is today.
THE OBSESSED was formed in the late 1970s in Potomac, Maryland by Weinrich. The band spawned in the realm of musicians/artists such as BLACK SABBATH, Frank Zappa, THE DICTATORS and THE STOOGES. The earliest lineup consisted of Wino, bassist Mark Laue, guitarist John Reese and drummer Dave Flood. In 1983, Wino took over vocal duties and the band became a three-piece to record the "Sodden Jackal" EP. The band broke up in the late 80s after Wino moved to California to join SAINT VITUS. At that time, a German label, Hellhound Records, and the booking agency that had signed SAINT VITUS, released "The Obsessed", originally recorded in 1985, prompting Wino to reform THE OBSESSED. After multiple lineup changes, the band signed to Columbia Records in 1994 to release their third album, "The Church Within". Despite highly acclaimed reviews, they would break up following the release, seeing Wino forming SPIRIT CARAVAN (then SHINE) and other projects.
In September 2011, THE OBSESSED returned to the stage at Roadburn festival with "The Church Within"'s legendary lineup of Wino, Greg Rogers and Guy Pinhas. The band played a few more reunion shows over the next couple of years, including Hellfest in 2012 and Maryland Deathfest XI in May 2013 with bassist Reid Raley. Wino announced the full-time return of the band in March 2016 and the band's official signing to Relapse Records to record the follow-up to "The Church Within". The new lineup originally consisted of SPIRIT CARAVAN bassist Dave Sherman and Wino's longtime friend and former road crew member Brian Costantino (drums). On October 31st, 2016, Wino announced a new lineup change, including Bruce Falkinburg (bass) and Seraphim (guitar),making it the first time the band had been a four-piece in over thirty-five years.
In 2017, THE OBSESSED unleashed "Sacred", the band's first studio album in over twenty years, further pushing the band into the annals of heavy metal history. After a few years on the road, the lineup stabilized around Brian Costantino on drums, Chris Angleberger on bass, Jason Taylor on guitar and Scott "Wino" Weinrich at the helm. In the winter of 2024, the iconic foursome embraced the new decade in doom with the release of their fifth album "Gilded Sorrow" as part of their collaboration with Californian label Ripple Music and their return to the stage forefront through several North American and European tours and festival appearances. | +1 | |
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11 июл 2025
MIKE TRAMP Announces New Album 'Songs Of White Lion - Vol. III'; Shares 'Cherokee' Single
 Respected Danish vocalist and guitarist Mike Tramp will release a new album, "Songs Of White Lion - Vol. III", on September 19 via Frontiers Music Srl. As was the case with "Songs Of White Lion - Vol. I" and "Songs Of White Lion - Vol. II", the upcoming LP once again sees Tramp re-imagining select cuts from his former band WHITE LION.
To celebrate the announcement, the lead single "Cherokee" is out now, accompanied by a music video, available below.
Mike comments on the track: "Revisiting 'Cherokee', one of the first songs [founding WHITE LION guitarist] Vito Bratta and I wrote in 1983, was so amazing, I always loved that song, and the new version only confirms what a great song it still is."
Tramp, the unmistakable voice and principal songwriter of WHITE LION, concludes his heartfelt trilogy with "Songs Of White Lion - Vol. III", a powerful and deeply personal tribute to one of the most iconic bands of the 1980s melodic hard rock scene.
Tramp speaks on how this series of recordings came together: "For me, the point of re-recording the old classic WHITE LION songs was all about letting the audience know how the band would sound if they come to see us live. Bringing the sound up today and away from a world no more.
"When I started with 'Vol. I', I must admit, I never thought I'd do 'Vol. II' and now 'Vol. III'," he continues. "But having done it all now, makes all the more sense to me. If I have to be active playing WHITE LION in 2025 and onward, there's got to be a natural progression in every way. That is exactly what this trilogy is all about."
In this final installment, Tramp revisits and reimagines ten more essential songs from the WHITE LION catalog, bringing them back to life with the passion, perspective, and authenticity that only decades of experience can deliver.
Once again backed by his trusted bandmates — Marcus Nand (guitar),Claus Langeskov (bass) and Morten Hellborn (drums) — Tramp offers fresh but respectful renditions of these classic tracks, capturing their spirit while elevating them with a more refined, seasoned sound.
From the raw defiance of "Fight To Survive" to the cinematic power of "Warsong" and the infectious rhythm of "Radar Love", this album is both a celebration and a reawakening.
Standing as more than a simple re-recording project, "Songs Of White Lion - Vol. III" is the emotional conclusion of a trilogy — a journey through time, memory, and music that connects the past to the present with integrity and fire.
"Songs Of White Lion - Vol. III" track listing:
01. Dirty Woman
02. Warsong
03. Fight To Survive
04. She's Got Everything
05. In The City
06. If My Mind Is Evil
07. Cherokee
08. All Burn In Hell
09. Don't Say It's Over
10. Radar Love
In a January 2025 interview with Australia's Heavy, Tramp was asked how he has managed to keep his voice in shape after all these years. Tramp, who turned 64 earlier that month, said: "You know what? Obviously, you will recognize that it's the same singer, but it was very important for me that the growth of Mike Tramp through all the albums that I've done and the touring and the traveling became… Let's say, in reality, [WHITE LION] had not broken up. There would have been a natural progression. Vito Bratta and myself, which, of course, were the foundation of WHTIE LION, the songwriters, already knew that when we recording 'Mane Attraction', our fourth album, our last album. If you go back, you will already see that we were making the first step towards prog rock, where we wanted the band to go. We were going much more towards bands like JOURNEY, KANSAS or STYX and whatever bands would have come. We wanted the band to be a band of music and little by little, the hair would become less important. So, with my albums that have gone on, my voice has naturally just changed bit by bit a year. So when I reintroduced the WHITE LION songs, I definitely cannot sing them in the same key. So once we refurbished them and once we found the new key to the songs, I also went out there now with the knowledge of knowing that I wrote those songs 40 years ago. I wanted to sort of say, 'I'm gonna sing them a little different.'"
Asked why it was important for him to recreate those songs, Mike said: "Yeah, without any disrespect to myself and the band that I started, I personally cannot stand listening to the versions from that time. I was in a completely different place. So, for me to play these songs again, I had to find something that felt new and fresh, even though it was the same thing. So by singing these songs again and changing the keys of the songs, it's almost like they became fatter and fuller and not so gung-ho. We were so fast and singing so high and flying in the air. Now I'm going up to the mic stand and I'm fully in control. I used to run out on stage with WHITE LION and started screaming at the audience, and the band would look at me, 'He's gonna collapse in 10 seconds.' [Now I'm] going out fully confident and saying, 'We're gonna play these songs now for the sake of music.'"
When "Songs Of White Lion - Vol. II" was first announced last year, Tramp said in a statement: "Would Leonardo Da Vinci have re-painted 'Mona Lisa', if he had gotten a second chance? That we will never know, but I can say for sure, that I am beyond thrilled to have gotten a second chance to re-record and sing the songs I wrote between 1983 - 1990. Today I have such a better understanding of how I want to express the songs in my voice than I had when I was in my 20s, it's just a fact, and I've grabbed the chance. 'Songs Of White Lion' is a whole new chapter. [As a] matter of fact, it is current."
Tramp spent most of 2024 and the first half of 2025 touring the U.S. and Europe with his band MIKE TRAMP'S WHITE LION, which doesn't included any other members of the original WHITE LION group.
In 2023, Tramp was asked in an interview about the possibility of WHITE LION reforming for a tour. He said: "When we broke up in '91, we always knew we would never go back together. And a lot of people always talk about reunions. WHITE LION reuniting would not be a better WHITE LION than WHITE LION was, so I'm out there performing the songs, not trying to recreate WHITE LION."
Asked if he has ever thought of calling his solo band WHITE LION and touring with new members, Mike replied: "I can't call it WHITE LION." Pressed about whether he would call his band WHITE LION if he could, Mike said: "I tried, and it cost me money. [Laughs] I think that the audience now is understanding that I'm just keeping the songs alive, and I'm able to perform it in a different way. I'm able to show the image that I'm not coming out there and doing a show but I'm gonna take them through like a greatest hits. I like to tell stories about what the songs are. You can't always do that on a festival when you have one hour, but that is my goal, that I will keep the songs alive. And I think that all the fans and the music fans know who Mike Tramp is and it doesn't need to be called WHITE LION. But it's called 'Songs Of White Lion'."
Back in 2019, Tramp revealed in an interview that he had apologized to guitarist Vito Bratta for trying to resurrect his former band without his onetime songwriting partner and bandmate.
The Danish-born singer hasn't played with Bratta since WHITE LION performed its last concert in Boston in September 1991.
In the 34 years since WHITE LION broke up, Bratta's public profile has been virtually nonexistent, while Tramp has remained active, recording and touring as a solo artist and with the bands FREAK OF NATURE, THE ROCK 'N' ROLL CIRCUZ and, more recently, BAND OF BROTHERS. Tramp also attempted to revive WHITE LION with the 2008 album "Return Of The Pride", featuring new members. Two years later, Tramp ceded ownership of the name WHITE LION to Bratta in an out-of-court settlement.
Speaking to SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation", Tramp said that he and Vito are once again on speaking terms following his ill-fated attempt to bring back WHITE LION a decade and a half ago.
"I have, over the past couple of years, been the one out there basically both admitting and apologizing that the only thing that I never planned to do in my career and wanted to do was go back and rehash a version of WHITE LION that had nothing to do with WHITE LION, nothing to do with the guys that played in the band," Mike said. "Mike Tramp's heart was not in it. It was just a moment of weakness, not believing enough in my solo albums. [You listen to] some guys saying, 'Hey, if you put a new WHITE LION together, you can play festivals and get much more money.' And then you fall for that and you engage in it and you go out there, and then you realize it's not what you wanna do. And then, of course, Vito did not want the name WHITE LION to be used without him being in the band. And it actually took a couple of years for me to really understand how much it meant to Vito. And when Vito one day told me in one of these conversations… First of all, he told me, 'Mike, I'm not against you. I just don't wanna turn YouTube on and see the title 'WHITE LION live in so and so,' and somebody doing 'When The Children Cry' solo and it's not me. WHITE LION was you and me, it was our band, we wrote the songs. That is the memories I want for the rest of my life.' And when he told me that, I had tears in my eyes and I totally understood it, because I had also gotten to that point that when we closed WHITE LION, we felt that this is where we wanted to stop it. There was something, going into the '90s, that didn't agree with the things we were looking at, and we wanted to somehow end it on a higher level than something that would not represent us in the future. But it just took many years to really understand it."
Asked if he understands why Vito doesn't want to play music professionally anymore, Mike said: "Yes, I do, because there are actually times when I also don't feel like doing it anymore. When all the magic around us, the stuff that made us fall in love with rock and roll — first of all, our heroes, then the industry, then the touring stuff — when all of that was really exposed that it was a two-faced kind of thing, that the people we thought loved us — and I'm not talking about the fans; I'm talking about the people that made money from us, and stuff like that — turned their back on us and stabbed us in the back, it really ripped us apart. And maybe it's just that I came from a different background than Vito, that I maybe was a little bit stronger or just of a different nature that I just fought back, but Vito just said, 'I just don't wanna deal with this.' And I understand now — I understand it from every conversation that I have with him."
Tramp also once again closed the door on a possible WHITE LION reunion, saying: "I can't be Mike Tramp 1988. I can't sing like that, and I'm not going up on stage and doing a half-assed job, which most of the bands out there are doing."
Mainly active in the 1980s and early 1990s, WHITE LION released its debut album, "Fight To Survive", in 1985. The band had its breakthrough with the double-platinum-selling "Pride" album, which produced two Top 10 hits: "Wait" and "When The Children Cry". The band continued its success with the third album, "Big Game", which achieved gold status.
By the time WHITE LION released its final album, 1991's "Mane Attraction", alternative rock was in the ascendancy, leading to a swift decline of the so-called "hair metal" scene in terms of sales, popularity, radio play, and most importantly, relevance.
Mike released "Songs Of White Lion", in April 2023 via Frontiers Music Srl. "Songs Of White Lion - Vol. II" followed in August 2024.
Photo credit: Michael Anthony | 0 | |
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11 июл 2025
OZZY OSBOURNE's Final Memoir, 'Last Rites', To Arrive In October
 Ozzy Osbourne will release a new memoir, "Last Rites", on October 7 via Grand Central Publishing.
The final, fearlessly raw memoir from Ozzy, "Last Rites" is the shocking, bitterly hilarious, never-before-told story of Osbourne's descent into hell related to his health issues over the course of the last seven years. Along the way, he reflects on his extraordinary life and career — including his turbulent marriage to wife Sharon, his encounters with fellow hellraisers including Slash, Bon Scott, John Bonham and Keith Moon, the harrowing final moments he spent with MOTÖRHEAD's Lemmy Kilmister, all alongside his reflections on the triumphant "Back To The Beginning" concert, streamed around the world, where Ozzy reunited with his BLACK SABBATH bandmates for the final time and raised millions for charity.
Unflinching and surprisingly life-affirming, "Last Rites" demonstrates once again why Ozzy has transcended his status as "The Godfather Of Metal" and "The Prince Of Darkness" to become a modern-day folk hero and national treasure.
Ozzy said in a statement: "People say to me, if you could do it all again, knowing what you know now, would you change anything? I'm, like, fuck no. If I'd been clean and sober, I wouldn't be Ozzy. If I'd done normal, sensible things, I wouldn't be Ozzy. Look, if it ends tomorrow, I can't complain. I've been all around the world. Seen a lot of things. I've done good… and I've done bad. But right now, I'm not ready to go anywhere."
"Last Rites" will be Osbourne's second book, following his 2009 memoir "I Am Ozzy".
The cover of "Last Rites", courtesy of Grand Central Publishing, can be seen above.
According to The Guardian, Ozzy's last-ever live performance this past (Saturday, July 5) at the "Back To The Beginning" event at the Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom was livestreamed to more than five million fans worldwide.
Ozzy played a five-song set with his solo band — consisting of guitarist Zakk Wylde, bassist Mike Inez, keyboardist Adam Wakeman and drummer Tommy Clufetos — before being joined by fellow original BLACK SABBATH members Tony Iommi (guitar),Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums) for four classic SABBATH songs: "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "N.I.B." and "Paranoid".
Ozzy's solo set consisted of four songs from Osbourne's 1980 solo debut album "Blizzard Of Ozz" — "I Don't Know", "Mr. Crowley", "Suicide Solution" and "Crazy Train" — along with his 1991 "No More Tears" ballad "Mama, I'm Coming Home".
The 76-year-old heavy metal singer, who has Parkinson's disease, sang while seated on a black throne and appeared overcome with emotion at times. "You have no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart," he told the crowd.
At the end of SABBATH's set, Ozzy said: "It's the last song ever. Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle, thank you from the bottom of our hearts." Osbourne was then presented with a cake, while fireworks lit up the stadium from overhead.
A message on screen then read, "Thank you for everything, you guys are fucking amazing. Birmingham Forever," before the sky lit up with fireworks.
More than 40,000 fans attended the event, which also saw performances from METALLICA, SLAYER, PANTERA, LAMB OF GOD and ANTHRAX, among others. Profits from the show will be shared equally between the charities Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice.
There was also an online auction benefiting those charities. Items up for bid included two Gibson guitars signed by performers, a GUNS N' ROSES pinball machine, several gold record and CD displays including BLACK SABBATH's "Paranoid", LED ZEPPELIN's "Physical Graffiti" and METALLICA's "Master Of Puppets", plus more than a dozen travel packages.
A livestream of the daylong event was announced in June. While it was called a livestream, the video was delayed two hours from the in-arena start time.
Livestream tickets were priced $29.99, which got you live viewing and access to video for 48 hours. The livestream and T-shirt bundle was priced $64.98. It got you event viewing and a "Back To The Beginning" T-shirt.
"Back To The Beginning" was captured, produced and distributed by Mercury Studios ("One To One: John & Yoko", "American Symphony", "Metallica Saved My Life"). Mercury has partnered with Kiswe — the global D2C streaming partner behind the record-breaking BTS concert livestream — to deliver this moment of music history to fans across the globe.
The all-day event at Villa Park, produced by Live Nation, was hosted and compered by American actor Jason Momoa.
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11 июл 2025
TONY IOMMI On His Upcoming Solo Album: 'I've Got One Singer On It At The Moment'
 During an appearance on the July 8 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Tony Iommi spoke about some of his upcoming music-related projects, including a full-length collection of new material from the legendary BLACK SABBATH guitarist. Tony said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " Well, at the moment, well, I was doing my own album until [the 'Back To The Beginning' event] came up, and then, of course, I had to stop and concentrate on [preparing for] the SABBATH [performance]. But I'm continuing next week on trying to finish off what I started with this album. And then who knows what I'm gonna do then? It's great, really, 'cause if something pops up, I'll do it, if I want to do it. So it's a good thing."
Asked if his upcoming album is a Tony Iommi solo record with guests on it, like he has done before with 2000's "Iommi", the guitarist responded: "At the moment, no. I've got one singer on it at the moment, which I originally thought of different singers. But it started off as it's gonna be an instrumental album, and it's gone from I've got some instrumental stuff, but then I thought, 'Oh, I wanna try it with a singer.' And so that's what I've been doing."
Tony also spoke about his recent appearance on "Rocket", the first single from British pop star Robbie Williams's upcoming album "Britpop". The rock track, which was written by Robbie, Karl Brazil, Tony Iommi and Tom Longworth, features a signature guitar solo from the heavy metal pioneer.
"[Robbie] asked me if I'd play on this track, and I didn't realize he was gonna release it as a single," Iommi said. "And then he wanted to do a video with it. Oh my God. But it was great to do that. And I enjoyed doing that. And it's great now — I can do different stuff when I want, really, and I'm enjoying it."
Tony added: "I can't stop. I have to carry on. I enjoy what I do. And it's great being creative. And I love to create music. That's what started me off and that's what will finish me off, probably. But I love it. And there will be — yes — more from me. And I'm getting more involved in — we spread our wings with the [BLACK SABBATH] ballet and different things. And there's a lot more things to come. So I'm looking forward to that."
Last year, Iommi released an instrumental track, "Deified", to accompany the arrival of another new fragrance. The song saw Iommi reunite with longtime collaborator Mike Exeter, who played keyboards and handled production, with Laurence Cottle (who played on BLACK SABBATH's "Headless Cross" album) on bass. The recording lineup was rounded out by FEEDER and Robbie Williams drummer Karl Brazil, with Ben Andrews scoring the orchestrations.
Three years earlier, Iommi unveiled "Scent Of Dark" — his first new music in eight years at the time — alongside an accompanying cologne.
At the time of "Scent Of Dark"'s release, Iommi revealed that he had "four or five hundred" unused riffs on his phone, with plans to arrange and record some of them for his various projects.
"Scent Of Dark" and "Deified" were the product of a friendship struck up during the pandemic between Iommi and Sergio Momo, acclaimed perfumer, and designer for Xerjoff, well known for its unique and individual creations and collaborations in the fragrance world. Sergio is also an accomplished guitarist, and his fine fretwork can be heard on both songs.
Iommi previously spoke about his upcoming solo album during a June 2024 appearance on Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show. He said at the time: "I am writing stuff now for my own, for an album. So that's exciting too. And there's no pressure. I just do stuff when I feel like it, because, obviously, I've got a life to live and I like to do all the different stuff. But I've really enjoyed doing this stuff, as I did with Ozz [BLACK SABBATH singer Ozzy Osbourne] when I'd done a couple of tracks for his last [solo] album ['Patient Number 9'], which was good, to work with Ozz again. And I'm quite open for all that now. Whatever comes, and I like it, I do it."
Asked if he is going to release a "proper record" or if he will just make individual songs available whenever he feels like it, Iommi responded: "No, I'm gonna do a record. And I've got a lot of stuff. But now we're actually getting around to sort of putting it together, myself and the engineer. So it's been good fun, really. And as I say, there's no pressure. I can just do it — I don't have to do it by next week. And because of everything else [that has] been lurking around, I have to take my time in doing things. But it's been fun. And that's what it's all about, really. And I'm looking forward to actually doing it and an album coming out."
When and if Iommi's new solo album surfaces, it would be his third, after 2000's "Iommi" and 2005's "Fused".
Joining Iommi on "Fused" was ex-DEEP PURPLE bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes and drummer Kenny Aronoff, whose resume includes the "Iommi" album and a long run with John Mellencamp.
Nearly two decades ago, Iommi told Launch that he, Aronoff and Hughes had a great time making the "Fused" record. "It was like a load of nutters, quite honestly," he said. "We all let loose in the room. It was just like being kids, because Kenny, you know, [laughs] he was, like, he's so, like, up, and full of energy, and you've got Glenn [makes crazy sound] and Kenny [makes crazy sound] — bloody hell! It's almost too much, you know, but it worked."
SMASHING PUMPKINS frontman Billy Corgan and Dave Grohl of the FOO FIGHTERS are among the guests who were heard on "Iommi". The LP also featured guest appearances from Philip Anselmo of PANTERA, Henry Rollins and SYSTEM OF A DOWN's Serj Tankian as well as Skin of SKUNK ANANSIE, Peter Steele from TYPE O NEGATIVE, and THE CULT's Ian Astbury.
In February 2017, SABBATH finished "The End" tour in Birmingham, closing out the quartet's groundbreaking 49-year career.
"The End" was SABBATH's last tour because Iommi — who was diagnosed with lymphoma in late 2011 — can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.
Iommi revealed his cancer diagnosis in early 2012, shortly after SABBATH announced a reunion tour and album. He underwent treatment throughout the recording of the disc, titled "13", and the subsequent tour to promote it.
The BLACK SABBATH guitarist successfully underwent an operation in January 2017 to remove a noncancerous lump from his throat.
"13" was the first album in 35 years to feature Iommi, Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler all playing together.
Bill Ward was on board for the SABBATH reunion when it was first announced 11 years ago, but backed out soon after. The drummer later claimed that he sat out the recording and touring sessions because of unfair contractual terms, although the members of SABBATH have hinted in other interviews that he wasn't physically up to the task.
All four original members of SABBATH were present when the band announced its final reunion in late 2011. But Ward split from the group in 2012, citing an "unsignable" contract, and Osbourne, Iommi and Butler carried on with their Rick Rubin–produced "13" LP and extensive international touring without him.
Last Saturday's (July 5) "Back To The Beginning" event at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom marked the original BLACK SABBATH lineup's first performance since 2005 and the quartet's final live appearance.
Ozzy played a five-song set with his solo band before being joined by Iommi, Butler and Ward for four classic SABBATH tracks: "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "N.I.B." and "Paranoid".
Photo credit: Gibson
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11 июл 2025
CHILDREN OF BODOM's JANNE WIRMAN On ALEXI LAIHO's Death: We Were 'Watching Our Friend Commit A Slow Suicide'
 In a new interview with Chris Akin Presents, CHILDREN OF BODOM keyboardist Janne Wirman spoke about the December 2020 passing of the band's guitarist/vocalist Alexi Laiho. The 41-year-old died in his home in Helsinki, Finland after reportedly suffering from long-term health issues.
" In 2016, everything just went to hell with Alexi," Janne told Chris Akin Presents (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And the remaining timing in the band is you know that you're watching your friend commit a slow suicide. You know, with his addictions, that he shouldn't drink, he shouldn't do this and this, and he keeps doing it daily, and you're, like, 'Fuck! This is not gonna end well.' So that is not fun."
Asked if there are things now that he wishes he would have done differently that he thinks could have changed things or saved Alexi from his downward spiral, Janne said: "Yes and no, 'cause at the same time, what I then later on learned about addictions is that — 'cause he didn't want help; he refused our help. So, a grown man who's decided kind of to die by his addiction, you can't help a person like that. They've made up their mind. And I don't think he wanted to die, but that's what he was doing. So it's crazy. And you try to help. And also he said it to me, and he made it perfectly clear that he's not gonna get sober ever again, and he's just gonna whatever. So, yes and no," Janne repeated. "There's, of course, things that could have been handled differently, but in the end, if a grown man decides to die by their addictions, that's what they're gonna do. If they're gonna refuse all help and they've fucking made up their mind, that's what's gonna happen."
Asked what kept him in in the band after Alexi told him that he had no intention of getting sober, Janne said: "Well, yeah, this is now the very end in 2016 to 2019. When he said that to me, I started making other plans and removing myself from the band. And it got so confusing. There's a book coming out about BODOM that explains everything, by the way. But I announced that I'm gonna leave the band [around] 2018… So it got so fucking confusing with Alexi. And then there were better times. And it was just a fucking mess."
CHILDREN OF BODOM's official book will be published in August via the London, U.K.-based publisher Rocket 88.
The book tells the story of the Finnish melodic death metal pioneers as an oral history in which Wirman, bassist Henkka Seppälä, drummer Jaska Raatikainen and early guitarist Alexander Kuoppala plus other former members, their friends and colleagues recall the 30-plus-year history of their career.
For the first time, members of the band tell the story of CHILDREN OF BODOM in their own words. Henkka, Janne and Jaska recall the founding of the band with their lost brother, guitarist/vocalist and main songwriter Alexi Laiho and the struggles, adventures and triumphs they experienced in the more than 30 years that followed. Drawing on personal memories and new interviews with the band conducted by Finnish best-selling author and longtime friend of the band Timo Isoaho, the official CHILDREN OF BODOM book tells the whole story, warts and all, of the groundbreaking melodic death metal band.
The book is available in two deluxe editions; the Signature is signed by Henkka, Janne, Jaska and Alexander, and preordering gives you the chance to have a name printed in the book — only at childrenofbodombook.com.
When the book was first announced, Henkka, Janne, Jaska and Alexander said in a statement: "Since we stopped making music and suffered the tragic loss of our brother Alexi, we've been remembering so many great times that we had together, and you can now read about those times in this book. It tells the full history of CHILDREN OF BODOM in our own words."
In December 2023, Seppälä and Wirman hosted a listening party for CHILDREN OF BODOM's latest live album, "A Chapter Called... Children Of Bodom (Final Show In Helsinki Ice Hall 2019)", at the Bodom Bar & Sauna in Espoo, Finland. The LP, which was recorded at CHILDREN OF BODOM's final concert on December 15, 2019 at the Black Box in Helsinki Ice Hall in Helsinki, Finland, was made available via Spinefarm. During the question-and-answer portion of the event, Wirman and Seppälä discussed their mindset going into CHILDREN OF BODOM's final concert, which took place a year before Laiho passed away due to alcohol-induced degeneration of the liver and pancreas connective tissue. Furthermore, Laiho had a cocktail of painkillers, opioids and insomnia medication in his system. He had suffered from long-term health issues leading up to his death.
Janne said: "I felt a sense of relief onstage [at the final concert] 'cause I was very tired of Alexi's problems and constant problems with one guy. And then this guy who was our best friend and who wrote all the music, all of a sudden from 2016 on, just became someone I didn't recognize anymore. He was a different person, and he was so overcome with his disease and problems and it got to the point in 2019 we decided that this can't go on anymore. And then this was the last show. It was short notice, and we [originally] had so much better plans for how to say goodbye to all the international fans, how to do a proper farewell around-the-world tour [during 2020-2022] and whatever. But now, something we did not know, was [that] the pandemic [would happen], obviously, and that would have canceled all of those plans anyway."
Added Henkka: "So it was kind of, like, in a way we are lucky that we had this confrontation within the band that made us decide to drop [the group] earlier than we were supposed to and have this final show that was recorded. Because if you would have kept on the original plan with Alexi that let's do a farewell tour until 2022, I think it was, so then the pandemic would have ruined everything. And we probably would have never had this kind of last proper souvenir."
Asked if it ever entered their minds that they could take a long break away from each other and then maybe regroup at a later date, Henkka quipped: "That would have been like a mature way of dealing with it." Janne said: "Our manager at the time, Steve, did ask me that, at the eve of the last show, Steve asked me that, 'Are you ever gonna play with Alexi again?' And I said, 'I would only [play with him] if he would seek help and become fully sober.' And I knew that wasn't an option, that he had decided at that point, unfortunately, that he's just gonna die by his addictions, which is horrible. And it's very sad, but I knew him well enough that there was no way that he's gonna get better. And then that's why somehow it was also a relief for me at the last show. I realized that I need to let go."
Added Henkka: "The problems were pretty bad — I mean, within the band, all the relations. And I don't think anybody could see a future anymore. So [putting the band to rest] was the only option at the time. I'm sure that Steve, our manager, had some hopes of a reunion show within some years, of course, because he's a businessman [laughs], but it didn't even cross my mind at that time."
Continued Janne: "That's why I said that at the time I said that I will never play again with Alexi, 'cause I knew that he will not get sober, he will not get help for his problems. And then it would've been a totally different opinion. If somehow any of us would've felt that, 'Okay, Alexi is gonna get help. He's gonna get better,' all of us would've been, like, 'Okay, fine. Let's give him a couple of years and then let's get back together.' But that was not foreseeable at the time."
Added Henkka: "At the time it was, it was an impossible point."
Released with the blessing of Laiho's estate, the concert album completes the legendary band's career which began in Espoo, Finland in 1993 as INEARTHED. Over their career, CHILDREN OF BODOM released ten studio albums, two live albums, two EPs, two compilation albums and one DVD. The final lineup of the group upon their split in 2019 consisted of Laiho (lead guitar, lead vocals),Raatikainen (drums),Seppälä (bass),Wirman (keyboards) and Daniel Freyberg (rhythm guitar).
In a July 2023 interview with BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Wirman opened up about the string of events that led to the band's 2019 demise and the deterioration of Laiho's health.
"Alexi's downfall started in 2016," Janne said. "I don't know what caused him to do that. He told me but didn't tell anyone else in the band — he made sure no one else was in the room — and told me, 'Dude, from now on, I'm going to drink until I die.' I said, 'Fuck, man. You can't say that to me.' He said it another time in 2018. I knew that was what he was doing — he said he wouldn't take any help for his medical issues. He was going to keep drinking. That's what he did, which is fucking crazy."
Janne continued: "A lot of people who haven't had a family friend or work buddy or someone who is sick with alcoholism, a lot of people don't understand you cannot help the person who doesn't want help. He had decided he didn't want help and would keep drinking until he died. That's what he did."
Wirmen then detailed BODOM's final years, beset by infighting largely stemming from Laiho's substance abuse issues. "The last years were pretty bad," he said. "There was a lot of bullshit. It's so crazy because he was in such a good place a couple of years before. He was happy about being sober and on tour, and the shows were good. I don't know what happened to him. Something pushed him over the edge where he decided, 'Fuck it. I'm going to keep drinking.'"
Alexi's ashes were buried in December 2021 — nearly a year after his tragic passing. He was laid to rest at the Malmi Cemetery, a large cemetery located in the Malmi district in Helsinki, Finland.
Alexi and Jaska founded CHILDREN OF BODOM in 1993, and the band was one of the most internationally acclaimed metal acts in Finland up until their very last farewell concert. In 2020, Alexi put together BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT, which recorded three songs and shot one music video, all of which were released posthumously.
Besides CHILDREN OF BODOM, Laiho had played in such acts as WARMEN, SINERGY, KYLÄHULLUT and THE LOCAL BAND. Awarded with a Metal Hammer Golden God and several other international prizes, the guitarist was also the main star, leading a group of one hundred guitar players at the Helsinki Festival in 2015 in "100 Guitars From Hel" — a massive concert piece he composed.
In 2022, Wirman, Raatikainen and Seppälä discussed publicly for the first time the circumstances that led to the band's split and ultimately Laiho's death. In an interview with Finland's Helsingin Sanomat, the three surviving members of CHILDREN OF BODOM said the real reason for the band's breakup was not that they wanted to stop touring in order to spend more time with their families, which is how Laiho explained it to Helsingin Sanomat in November 2019. Instead, what caused the group to split was Laiho's substance abuse, and that is also what eventually killed him a year after they went their separate ways.
Laiho's addiction began to take a serious toll on CHILDREN OF BODOM in 2008, when the band was the support act on a SLIPKNOT tour. In the ensuing years, Laiho promised his bandmates that he would not drink on the road anymore. Although he kept his word for a few years, Alexi "went into a tailspin again in 2016," according to Wirman. Laiho, who had a substantial income as COB's main songwriter (all other income, from gigs to merchandise, was split equally),repeatedly complained that his income was declining and threatened to pull himself out of the limited liability company, AA & Sewira Consulting Oy, he and the other members formed in 2003.
After CHILDREN OF BODOM's manager brought up Laiho's substance abuse at a business meeting in New York in early 2019, Alexi refused to go into rehabilitation but did agree to see a doctor. He was diagnosed with diabetes, and he began taking medication to treat the condition.
In the summer of 2019, Laiho filed an application with the Finnish Patent And Registration Office to register the CHILDREN OF BODOM name to Laiho. This infuriated his bandmates who saw this as an attempt to hijack the name and brand that was controlled by the group's LLC.
During CHILDREN OF BODOM's tour of Russia in October 2019, Laiho "was hitting the bottle like back in 2008," his bandmates told Helsingin Sanomat.
"I told Alexi that you don't usually drink starting at breakfast before a gig, and now you don't even warm up with the guitar before going on stage like you always do," Raatikainen recalled.
Laiho later apologized and stopped drinking for the last concerts of the tour.
"His hands were shaking for two days, but the gigs in Moscow and St Petersburg went pretty well," Raatikainen said.
Raatikainen, Seppälä and Wirman decided to go with Alexi's wish from a few years back and buy him out of the LLC. Laiho retained the rights to his music and was paid royalties on performances and record sales as before, but sold his part of the LLC that owns the name of the band and the merchandising rights.
According to the trio, Alexi was sober for CHILDREN OF BODOM's entire final tour of Finland in December 2019 and he "exchanged cordial messages" with them even after the start of the pandemic.
Alexi's sister Anna Laiho told Helsingin Sanomat that the three surviving members of CHILDREN OF BODOM "have the full support of our family."
Anna, Alexi's Australian wife Kelli Wright-Laiho and a few close friends attempted to get him professional help in the fall of 2020, but he refused.
"At heart, he was a warm and caring person, always ready to help others. But he had his demons, and he wanted to fight those alone", Alexi's sister said. "He wanted to make his own choices. For better or worse."
Teaser: Janne and Antti Wirmen from Warman and formerly of Children of Bodom! Some real world discussion about what, if anything, they could have done to save Alexi Laiho.
Full interview out now to subscribers on Locals, Odysee, Substack and Rumble Premium. Everywhere on 8/13! pic.twitter.com/ceQSD5Wc44
— The CMS Network (@cmsrocks) July 8, 2025
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11 июл 2025
AARON STAINTHORPE On His Status With MY DYING BRIDE: 'I've Not Left The Band, And I Haven't Been Kicked Out'
 During an appearance on a recent episode of the Iblis Manifestations podcast, Aaron Stainthorpe was asked about his current status with MY DYING BRIDE, seven months after it was announced that the renowned English doom metal band had recruited SWALLOW THE SUN vocalist Mikko Kotamäki to front MY DYING BRIDE for its live appearances in 2025. Aaron, who co-founded MY DYING BRIDE in 1990 with guitarist Andrew Craighan, responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, in fact, the last thing I heard was they're writing new material as well now, which is interesting. I have not heard from Andrew for over a year. And as me and him are the only founder members left… And we never had a manager. Me and Andrew managed as best we could for years and years and years. There was only one stint when we nearly got a manager — Ronnie James Dio's ex-wife, funnily enough. That was a long, long time ago. So me and Andrew figured, 'Well, we could probably do it.' So we had a go of it, and then we had this big bust-up — I can't even remember when it was now, a year ago, a year and a half. And I thought, 'We'll let it die down a bit, and when we come to our senses, we'll get around the table, thrash out our differences and reignite the band.' And then I saw they were gigging without me. So I thought, obviously there's no communication then. So, what do I do? I'll just keep doing what I do until there is some communication. And there still hasn't been. So I'm getting on with my life. I'm not gonna sit there and stew and wait for things to happen. I'm gonna crack on and maintain a busy schedule. But I've no idea who they're gonna use in the studio, if they do a new album. I don't even know if there's a record deal anymore, 'cause everything's gone pear shaped at Nuclear Blast. I don't even know if Nuclear Blast is operating as a full record label anymore. I've heard all kinds of weird stories. And I know for a fact that the guy I used to chat with at Nuclear Blast, he's not there anymore. So over the last couple of years there's been massive, massive changes. So I don't even know if MY DYING BRIDE have a deal. And if they do, I don't know where that leaves me. I've not left the band, and I haven't been kicked out, so I don't understand where we're gonna go. I don't know what the future is. But having been a founder member and in the band for 35 years, I'm not leaving. If they wanna do things without me, well, good luck to 'em."
When Iblis Manifestations host Shayan noted that "it sounds like quite a complicated situation" in light of the fact that a legal MY DYING BRIDE partnership exists between Aaron and Andrew, Stainthorpe concurred. "Yeah. And it'll only get more complicated," he said. "I don't fully understand it. You would hope and imagine that as a founder member who hasn't left, I would have some authority somehow, but it seems not. So I don't really know. I'm probably gonna have to seek legal advice at some point. Obviously, I didn't want to, and I don't want to, but if a record comes out, a MY DYING BRIDE record comes out, and I'm not on it, but I'm still officially the singer, I don't know legally what I'm supposed to do. So at some point, unfortunately, it looks like I might have to seek legal advice, which in this country we have the musicians' union, so it's not a problem. They've got all the experts. And I do know some people quite high up in the business. So I've got people with their finger on the pulse so I can chat with them and just see what's what. But I don't want to. I would just rather keep singing MY DYING BRIDE songs. But maybe I don't have a choice with that."
Aaron also clarified that his involvement with his new band HIGH PARASITE, which released its debut album, "Forever We Burn", last September via Candlelight/Spinefarm, didn't create any issues with MY DYING BRIDE, despite fan speculation to the contrary. "Yeah, there was never gonna be a conflict," he explained. "MDB do about 15 gigs a year, and [there is] sometimes three or four years between albums. I could be in 10 bands and it wouldn't affect the scheduling of MY DYING BRIDE. I spoke to [HIGH PARASITE bassist/vocalist Danny] Tombs [Lambert] back in the day and I said, 'Here's some MY DYING BRIDE gigs. Make sure there's no HIGH PARASITE [gigs] clashing, any clashing of any gigs at all.' And he said, 'Absolutely fine. That will not happen.' And, well, it never even got that far, because we had a big bust-up before then, and the gigs got canceled anyway.
"You don't sacrifice the main band for your smaller band," Aaron continued. "That doesn't happen. Can you imagine Lars Ulrich saying to METALLICA, 'Do you know what, guys? Can we cancel those big gigs, 'cause me and my mates wanna mess around in this other band?' It doesn't work that way. It doesn't happen like that. And it would be ridiculous to even think that. 'Cause I know some people think, 'Oh, Aaron's concentrating more on HIGH PARASITE than MY DYING BRIDE. So he sacrificed MY DYING BRIDE for HIGH PARASITE.' You don't do things like that. It's utterly, utterly ridiculous. And why would I? MY DYING BRIDE has been an absolute delight for me for 30-odd years. I'm not gonna let that go. And I'm certainly not gonna let another, a smaller band batter it out the way. It doesn't work like that. Literally every musician I know is in more than one band. It's easy. Anyone can do it. It's not an issue."
Asked if he has been in touch with any other members of MY DYING BRIDE, Aaron said: "I see Neil [Blanchett, guitar] every once in a while for a beer in Halifax. But zero communication with the others. They've all got my details."
Pressed as to whether he has tried to reach out to the other members of MY DYING BRIDE since the "bust-up" happened that he mentioned earlier in the interview, Aaron said: "There's no point. There's no point because if they're not contacting me, they don't want to. So it's pointless me chasing them. They're doing what they wanna do and they clearly wanna do it without me."
Aaron went on to say that he is still holding out hope things could be ironed out between him and the other members of MY DYING BRIDE in the coming months.
"The reason why I'm not screaming and shouting is because I genuinely think it's not over," he said. "If I knew it was definitely over, then, yeah, I'd be heartbroken. But I try to remain optimistic that somehow we can work stuff out. I don't see why we can't. We're not kids. We're not a gang. We can surely work something out. Because normally when bands split up, there's normally some sort of financial irregularity, someone's run off with all the money, or there's some infidelity — 'You slept with my wife' or 'you slept with my wife.' Bands split up because of serious — something's gone really bad, really bad. We have none of that, which is why I think we can get back together. But let's see."
Asked what he would say to Andrew right now if the guitarist was listening to the interview, Aaron said: "Give us a ring. Give us a ring. It's not hard, is it?"
MY DYING BRIDE's latest album, "A Mortal Binding", came out in April 2024 via Nuclear Blast Records.
HIGH PARASITE's debut LP, the aforementioned "Forever We Burn" — with Stainthorpe and Lambert at the helm — was produced by Gregor Mackintosh of PARADISE LOST. According to a press release, the effort "blends metal, gothic rock, and dark synth-pop into a powerful and emotionally raw sound."
Asked in a separate interview with the Brutally Delicious podcast how difficult it was emotionally for him to step away from MY DYING BRIDE and do something new, Aaron said: "Well, it didn't happen like that. It sort of evolved over months, I guess. So I didn't wake up and suddenly go, 'Right, I'm doing this now.' It just sort of evolved, and when something evolves at a slower pace, you've got time to get used to it. It's not a big shock and you start to become that other person.
"I said it before I'll say it again: I feel 10 years younger," Aaron continued. "And so it must be good for my health. And weirdly — I don't know how this works — I'm eating better and I'm drinking less and I'm exercising more. So whatever I've decided to become or do is really beneficial on so many different levels."
Asked if MY DYING BRIDE fans are taking the journey with him and his new band or if he is reaching an entirely new audience, Aaron said: "Well, a bit of both. We always see MY DYING BRIDE shirts at the gigs, and people come over and I'm signing MY BYING BRIDE merch all the time. That will never stop, which is great. And a lot of them have come along for the ride. It won't be everybody's cup of tea, and that's fine. No one band is everyone's cup of tea. Some of them, they absolutely love it and they've bought everything, which is absolutely fantastic. So, yeah, the MDB fans are coming along for the ride and for the most part loving it."
Asked if it was difficult for him to switch gears and do something like this apart from what has pretty much been his legacy, Aaron said: "Yeah, I didn't really think about it, to be honest. I mean, MY DYING BRIDE did death metal and doom. Some of the death metal stuff was pretty rapid. It wasn't all doom. So, we knew how to nod our heads pretty rapidly back in the old days. And this is a bit more of that. The songs are obviously much, much shorter. They're super catchy. But it's weird having someone else singing on stage, because Tombs does some vocals and I do the vocals. And I'm thinking to myself, 'Well, when he's singing, what am I supposed to do?' I'm not gonna dance. I can't dance, I'm not gonna embarrass myself like that. But I'm not entirely sure what I'm supposed to do. My stage craft is still developing. I just try and walk around a bit. I bought a cordless microphone so I could get a bit more movement on stage without tripping everybody. So, it is weird when I'm not the only singer, because, of course, in MDB I was the only one doing [the singing]. So, that's a bit weird. But the music's just cool music. It's great to sing and it's great to move to.
"I said I feel 10 years younger because the energy that the music brings and the energy that the younger members of HIGH PARASITE give off, it just makes me feel great," Aaron added. "So on stage, I'm actually having fun. With MY DYING BRIDE, I never had — I wouldn't call it 'fun' on stage, because the songs are really emotional and they're super heavy. It was draining mentally for me with MY DYING BRIDE. With HIGH PARASITE, for the first time ever, I look forward to getting on stage, and I love being on stage with HIGH PARASITE. And I've never felt that.
"At this age in my life, you sort of think, well, you've done this thing for a long, long time, and that's all you're gonna do… And then suddenly something else comes along, and it flips the coin completely. And as I say, I feel 10 years younger, I'm full of energy and I can't wait for the next gig."
Regarding what it has been like to have successfully reinvented himself at this stage of his life, Aaron said: "Well, again, because I've never reinvented myself before, it's all very, very new. It's all super new to me. I don't what I'm doing half the times, but it just feels good. I've got a new lease of energy, and I'm doing things I've not done before. Which is good at this stage of my life, to be doing brand new things. It's great. And I've started reading my poetry at gigs as well now.
"In January this year, I did a show in a church in Belgium with DARKHER and SYLVAINE. It was brilliant," he revealed. "And I'm working on a few more of these sort of events. Something's coming up in October, I believe, where I'll be performing again with DARKHER and the DEAD SPACE CHAMBER MUSIC group, doing some poetry and some versions of MY DYING BRIDE songs that people would've heard before. So, again, things I've never done before. [And I'm] really enjoying [it]."
Asked if he feels like there is "a whole new creative spark going on", Aaron said: "Yeah, definitely. I still like writing the really heavy lyrics because that's really where my heart is — the deep, meaningful stuff. And while at the moment that's not lyrics for MY DYING BRIDE, it's poems which I'm able to perform live. So I'm still venting my emotions, but instead of singing them with MY DYING BRIDE, I'm speaking them to people who are bewildered sometimes, but for the most part, enjoying it. Because a lot of my poetry is very much like MY DYING BRIDE lyrics. It comes from the same heart, same soul. So, if you like MY DYING BRIDE lyrics, you're pretty much gonna like the poetry."
Photo credit: Matt Wells
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10 июл 2025
GRAND CADAVER Feat. Current/Former Members Of DARK TRANQUILLITY And KATATONIA: New Single 'Darkened Apathy' Released
 Swedish old-school death metal behemoth GRAND CADAVER, featuring current and former members of DARK TRANQUILLITY, THE HALO EFFECT, TIAMAT, NOVARUPTA and KATATONIA, return with their most explosive material yet: the new EP "The Rot Beneath", set to be released on August 15 via Majestic Mountain Records. The release will be available on vinyl, alongside a limited reissue of their acclaimed 2021 debut full-length "Into The Maw Of Death".
GRAND CADAVER has unveiled a brand new track, "Darkened Apathy", which has been described by No Clean Singing as: "GRAND CADAVER continue depressing their accelerator. The drums kick into a gallop; tremolo'd riffing creates a vicious sonic swarm that rabidly writhes as it desperately ascends and dismally descends; the vocals reach new fever pitches of serrated-edge ferocity; a lead guitar wails overhead."
GRAND CADAVER comments on "Darkened Apathy": "The world is burning, and the people set it alight with indifference and apathy. A death metal protest song, where the wise are silenced and the unconcerned are in control."
Featuring some of Sweden's most seasoned metal musicians, namely Mikael Stanne (DARK TRANQUILLITY, THE HALO EFFECT),Stefan Lagergren (ex-TREBLINKA/TIAMAT),Alex Stjernfeldt (NOVARUPTA, CHILD),Christian Jansson (PAGANDOM, DARK TRANQUILLITY) and Daniel Liljekvist (ex-KATATONIA, DISRUPTED),GRAND CADAVER have carved a reputation for delivering death metal with no gimmicks, no polish, just raw power.
From their debut EP "Madness Comes" (recorded in just three days and charting at No. 9 in Sweden),to their crushing LP "Into The Maw Of Death", and their doom-laced 2023 follow-up "Deities Of Deathlike Sleep", the band has continuously pushed their sound into darker and heavier territory.
GRAND CADAVER was formed in Gothenburg and Stockholm in the pandemic year of 2020.
Every member has been a part of the Swedish extreme metal scene since their youth and many were part of shaping the first wave of death metal in the late 1980s.
The debut EP "Madness Comes" was recorded over three days in August of 2020 and was released to critical acclaim by Majestic Mountain Records in February 2021, reaching ninth place on the Swedish album chart (physical copies). Shortly thereafter, the band returned to Welfare Sounds studio to record the debut album "Into The Maw Of Death", which was released on October 29 the same year.
When the restrictions of the pandemic were lifted, GRAND CADAVER made its live debut in Gothenburg, followed by a short tour in support of AT THE GATES.
With the increased activity of the members' other bands, GRAND CADAVER had to slow down the pace a tad, but entered the studio once again in the fall of 2022. The second album, "Deities Of Deathlike Sleep", was released on August 25, 2023.
Photo credit: Peter Trones
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10 июл 2025
THREE DAYS GRACE Lands 20th No. 1 Single With 'Apologies'
 Rock giants THREE DAYS GRACE have added another No. 1 single to their monster catalog as "Apologies" reaches No. 1 at Mediabase Active Rock radio chart. Produced by Zakk Cervini, Dan Lancaster and Howard Benson, the song served as a follow-up to the band's anthem "Mayday", marking the return of original vocalist Adam Gontier, the first single released from the upcoming full-length album "Alienation", due August 22 via RCA Records.
THREE DAYS GRACE comments: "We want to thank everyone at radio and especially all of our fans who have supported us through this unbelievable journey. Having 20 No. 1 records is a testament to them. They have stuck with us through every evolution, every riff, every scream. We don't take that lightly. The best is still to come."
THREE DAYS GRACE balances moments of extreme emotion on an axis of pummeling hard rock anthems and pensive balladry. Along the way, the multi-platinum record-breaking Ontario, Canada band have amassed billions of streams and millions of album sales, sold out arenas on multiple continents, and reached unprecedented heights, earning a now staggering 20 total No. 1 entries on the Mediabase Active Rock chart.
THREE DAYS GRACE recently entered the esteemed Spotify "Billions Club" as their rock anthem "I Hate Everything About You" crosses one billion streams on the digital streaming platform. Released in 2003, the single has since become embedded in rock history.
To date, their veritable arsenal of number one includes "Home", "Just Like You", "Pain", "Animal I Have Become", "Never Too Late", "Break", "Good Life", "World So Cold", "Misery Loves My Company", "The High Road", "Chalk Outline", "I Am Machine", "Painkiller", "The Mountain", "Infra-Red", "Right Left Wrong", "So Called Life", "Lifetime", "Mayday" and now the addition of "Apologies" to the ever-impressive list.
After THREE DAYS GRACE surprised fans with the return of the band's original singer Adam Gontier, the rock giants have announced their epic upcoming record, "Alienation". The twelve tracks on the record all play a pivotal role in defining this significantly new, but nostalgic, chapter of the band.
THREE DAYS GRACE continues to achieve new levels of success, performing at sold-out arena shows with DISTURBED, massive festival crowds, a sold-out co-headlining tour in Canada, and hitting the stage at some of the largest venues of their career in Europe.
THREE DAYS GRACE will return to the stage with BREAKING BENJAMIN this fall, with special guests RETURN TO DUST, before heading to Europe with support from BADFLOWER.
THREE DAYS GRACE is Adam Gontier (vocals),Matt Walst (vocals),Barry Stock (guitar),Brad Walst (bass, backing vocals) and Neil Sanderson (drums, keyboards, backing vocals).
Sanderson told HardDrive Radio about "Apologies": "It's a song that talks about feeling like you're too far gone to be saved, that you sometimes become a lost hope. Even though you have all these people around you that care about you and love you and demonstrate that, you're almost apologizing to those people, saying, 'Hey, I appreciate the love, I see the effort, but I just feel too far gone.' And I think it's something that people feel. They don't wanna let others down. And when you're in a moment of weakness, it's important to talk to people. But sometimes people are apprehensive 'cause they don't wanna let the people that they love down. And that song is a journey through that."
"Alienation" track listing:
01. Dominate
02. Apologies
03. Mayday
04. Kill Me Fast
05. In Waves
06. Alienation
07. Never Ordinary (ft. Lindsey Stirling)
08. Deathwish
09. Don't Wanna Go Home Tonight
10. In Cold Blood
11. The Power
12. Another Relapse
THREE DAYS GRACE played its first full show with Gontier in 12 years on February 25 as the support act for DISTURBED on the U.S. leg of "The Sickness 25th Anniversary Tour" at Ford Idaho Center Arena in Nampa, Idaho.
In 1992, Gontier, Brad Walst, Phil Crowe, Neil Sanderson and Joe Grant formed GROUNDSWELL while most of the members were still in high school. That band broke up in 1995, but two years later Gontier, Sanderson and Walst reformed as THREE DAYS GRACE. Gontier left the band in 2013 and was replaced by Matt, the vocalist from another Norwood band, MY DARKEST DAYS.
Gontier initially went into rehab in 2005 in Toronto after admitting an addiction to Oxycontin. The rehab stint influenced some material which would appear on THREE DAYS GRACE's "One-X" album, including the songs "Pain" and "Over And Over".
Gontier left THREE DAYS GRACE in the spring of 2013. At the time, the Canadian rockers cited unspecified "health issues" when his departure was announced. Adam later released a statement explaining he exited THREE DAYS GRACE to pursue new projects, and not to deal with addiction.
Gontier is currently a member of SAINT ASONIA, which also features STAIND guitarist/founding member Mike Mushok. The quartet is rounded out by Cale Gontier (bass) and Cody Watkins (drums).
Photo credit: Matt Barnes | +1 | |
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10 июл 2025
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10 июл 2025
K.K. DOWNING Was 'Nervous' For His 'Back To The Beginning' Performance: This Was 'The Most Important Show In Metal Ever'
 Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing, who performed PRIEST's "Breaking The Law" and BLACK SABBATH's "Snowblind" at last Saturday's (July 5) "Back To The Beginning" event at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom, alongside Billy Corgan (THE SMASHING PUMPKINS) on vocals, Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE) on guitar, Adam Jones (TOOL) on guitar, Rudy Sarzo (QUIET RIOT, OZZY OSBOURNE, WHITESNAKE) on bass, and Danny Carey (TOOL) on drums, took to his social media earlier today (Tuesday, July 8) to share a few photos from the concert, and he included the following message: "Incredible!!! That is the only word for what has just taken place!
"All throughout rehearsals and up to soundcheck I was thinking is this really at all possible? There were amplifiers, speakers, pedal boards, and miles and miles of cables everywhere, and hundreds of people all going in tons of different directions. I had to ask myself 'could I actually be a bit nervous?' Hell yeah! I was, this is going to be the most Important show in rock and metal ever!!! Then when I arrived on the day, the show was already under way, and when I got to my dressing room I was notified that the show was running 20 minutes ahead of schedule. This was truly in itself a very rare achievement.
"I cannot praise everyone enough that was involved with organizing this wonderful event. The curtain went up for me and my amazing bandmates and everything had come magically together, this event was truly in the hands of top professionals.
"I would like to thank the band — Adam Jones, Danny Carey, Rudy Sarzo, Billy Corgan, and last but not least the event's musical director Tom Morello, who really did dedicate himself to this show over so many months.
"I cannot end without saying a massive thank you to Sharon, Ozzy, Tony, Geezer, and Bill for making all of this possible, and for their great contribution to a very worthy charity.
"I think King Charles III of England should now prepare to award Sharon and the Mighty BLACK SABBATH each a very well-deserved knighthood."
When Downing's participation in "Back To The Beginning" was first announced in February, he said in a statement: "This will be an incredibly emotional and historic event! The final farewell to the ultimate gods of metal. BLACK SABBATH and Ozzy will return to their home in Aston, Birmingham, the very place where it all began, and I am deeply honored to be part of this momentous occasion, paying my respects and tribute.
"I vividly remember growing up in the suburbs of Birmingham, England, over 50 years ago and witnessing the emergence of this band that would pioneer a genre of music that had never been heard before. It was more than just music — it was the sound, the performance and the atmosphere that created a phenomenon that was irresistible to fans, and I was one of them. I know firsthand the immense impact BLACK SABBATH has had on the world.
"BLACK SABBATH has carried the flag and the mantle of our beloved music for a lifetime, for this I know we will always be sincerely grateful.
"This event will undoubtedly be one of the most significant and important moments in rock and metal history, and I look forward to standing alongside the fans and fellow musicians to honor the legacy of BLACK SABBATH in the city where it all began."
According to The Guardian, "Back To The Beginning" was livestreamed to more than five million fans worldwide (with peak audience of 5.8 million fans watching the livestream).
Ozzy played a five-song set with his solo band — consisting of guitarist Zakk Wylde, bassist Mike Inez, keyboardist Adam Wakeman and drummer Tommy Clufetos — before being joined by fellow original BLACK SABBATH members Tony Iommi (guitar),Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums) for four classic SABBATH songs: "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "N.I.B." and "Paranoid".
Ozzy's solo set consisted of four songs from Osbourne's 1980 solo debut album "Blizzard Of Ozz" — "I Don't Know", "Mr. Crowley", "Suicide Solution" and "Crazy Train" — along with his 1991 "No More Tears" ballad "Mama, I'm Coming Home".
The 76-year-old heavy metal singer, who has Parkinson's disease, sang while seated on a black throne and appeared overcome with emotion at times. "You have no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart," he told the crowd.
At the end of SABBATH's set, Ozzy said: "It's the last song ever. Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle, thank you from the bottom of our hearts." Osbourne was then presented with a cake, while fireworks lit up the stadium from overhead.
A message on screen then read, "Thank you for everything, you guys are fucking amazing. Birmingham Forever," before the sky lit up with fireworks.
More than 40,000 fans attended the event, which also saw performances from METALLICA, SLAYER, PANTERA, LAMB OF GOD and ANTHRAX, among others. Profits from the show will be shared equally between the charities Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice.
There was also an online auction benefiting those charities. Items up for bid included two Gibson guitars signed by performers, a GUNS N' ROSES pinball machine, several gold record and CD displays including BLACK SABBATH's "Paranoid", LED ZEPPELIN's "Physical Graffiti" and METALLICA's "Master Of Puppets", plus more than a dozen travel packages.
A livestream of the daylong event was announced in June. While it was called a livestream, the video was delayed two hours from the in-arena start time.
Livestream tickets were priced $29.99, which got you live viewing and access to video for 48 hours. The livestream and T-shirt bundle was priced $64.98. It got you event viewing and a "Back To The Beginning" T-shirt.
"Back To The Beginning" was captured, produced and distributed by Mercury Studios ("One To One: John & Yoko", "American Symphony", "Metallica Saved My Life"). Mercury has partnered with Kiswe — the global D2C streaming partner behind the record-breaking BTS concert livestream — to deliver this moment of music history to fans across the globe.
The all-day event at Villa Park, produced by Live Nation, was hosted and compered by American actor Jason Momoa.
⚡BACK TO THE BEGINNING⚡
Incredible!!! That is the only word for what has just taken place!
All throughout rehearsals...
Posted by KKsPriest on Tuesday, July 8, 2025
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10 июл 2025
KISS's 'KISS Army Storms Vegas' Event To 'Transform' Into 'KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas'
 Legendary rockers KISS have announced that their previously announced "KISS Army Storms Vegas" event will "transform" into "KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas".
Set to take place November 14-16, 2025 at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, this special fan experience is being created with co-producers Pophouse, creators of boutique music vacations Topeka and music-led destination experience company Vibee.
Newly included activities include a special acoustic KISS "kick-off" set on Friday, November 14, along with performances from former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick, Stephen Pearcy and Warren DeMartini performing the music of RATT, ex-SKID ROW singer Sebastian Bach, QUIET RIOT, BLACK 'N BLUE, Chris Jericho's KUARANTINE, KISS tribute bands MR. SPEED and KISS NATION, School Of Rock, comedian Craig Gass and DJ Noiz.
There will also be question-and-answer sessions with KISS co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, as well as longtime KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer manager Doc McGhee. Other panelists include KISS producer Bob Ezrin, KISS photographer Lynn Goldsmith and KISS Army founders Bill Starkey and Jay Evans.
The "everything KISS" paradise, which also includes support artist meet-and-greets, curated KISS gifts and so much more, will take place in celebration of KISS Army's 50th anniversary and the 30th anniversary of the first KISS fan convention. Since retiring from touring in December 2023, this will be the first time KISS has performed together and will be a one-of-a-kind moment for fans to experience KISS "unmasked" acoustic and electric shows featuring Simmons, Stanley and Thayer as special guests.
Official Experience Packages for "KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas" — offering the KISS Army a bucket list-worthy, rock ‘n’ roll-packed weekend adventure — are available exclusively through Vibee. All Vibee packages include a suite of enviable perks including a three-night stay at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, access to the KISS unmasked acoustic and electric live shows, question-and-answer sessions with members of KISS, all panels, artists sets on the lineup and activities, a curated "KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas" gift and event poster signed by members of the band, photos with KISS memorabilia, and a collectible laminate and lanyard.
For more information and to secure prime seating closest to the stage, book now at kisskruisevegas.com.
During the band's 50-year history, KISS was known for exceptional and first-of-its-kind fan events that always put the fans first. Events like the KISS Kruise were yearly fan get-togethers that created a community and connection to the band. With the band's final shows on the "End of The Road" world tour, KISS Army members have anxiously awaited news of continued exciting events.
Known for their trademark larger-than-life blistering performances, KISS has proven for decades why they are hands down the most iconic live show in rock n roll. The Rock And Roll Hall Of Famers who have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide have said this tour is devoted to the millions of KISS Army fans.
Last month, Stanley told Justin Richmond of the Broken Record podcast about the "KISS Army Storms Vegas" event: " It started off as something, honestly, that Gene and I kind of took a back seat in, and, honestly, we reached a point not too far in the past where we both said, 'You know what? This isn't the way we want it.' And it's going to go through some major changes to be what we think it should be.
"We spent 12 years nurturing a KISS Kruise and what that means and what goes into it and what you get to participate in and the social aspects between fans from 33 countries," Paul explained. "So, this virtually will become a KISS Kruise in Vegas. [It] doesn't need a ship. It will have all the familiar touchstones that people love about a KISS Kruise, whether it's bands playing, Q&As, contests, food available, good drinks, social aspects to it.
"So, it started in a way that we kind of took a step back to see what some other people might do. And then we recently found ourselves going, 'No. This isn't what we want to do or the way we wanna do it.' So there'll be some announcements forthcoming and a lot of stuff where people are gonna be very happy, as I am, that.
"A KISS Kruise — there was no ships available, but a KISS Kruise can take place anyway," Stanley added. "And to do it in Vegas at the Virgin Hotel, it's gonna be everything that people want and have been hoping for."
When Richmond noted that a KISS event in Vegas sounds just as good as, or better than, a cruise, Paul concurred. "It will be great, and it'll be a great, fantastic weekend of all the things that we've loved and that people loved," he said. "So whether you're KISS Army, Navy, cruiser, whatever you are, this is about to become much more. We're really excited. So I think people should just stay tuned."
Asked if he and Gene will perform at all at "KISS Army Storms Vegas", Paul said: "We're going to do a no-makeup set. We'll play 15 songs, whatever. And Tommy — we're all geared up to do it. We really look forward to it."
After Richmond asked if the performance will be "acoustic", Stanley clarified: "No. That'll be electric… So it's gonna be great. And the other bands that are gonna be announced, it's gonna be everything that everybody loves on the KISS Kruises. I think that was missing from what was being planned. And we needed to put our big hands into this and we needed to steer the ship."
In May, Stanley was asked by The 500 With Josh Adam Meyers podcast who created the KISS Army and when. Stanley responded: "The KISS Army, like the best armies, was volunteer. KISS Army started in Terre Haute, Indiana when Bill Starkey, a resident, and his friends weren't getting any KISS music on their radio station and they called the radio station as the KISS Army and said, 'If you don't start playing KISS music by a certain time, we'll surround the building.' And, of course, everybody chuckled, until they surrounded the building. So that was the start of the KISS Army. KISS Army started as not a calculated fan club, but as an uprising of the army."
Earlier in May, Simmons told Greg Schmitt of Noize In The Attic about "KISS Army Storms Vegas": "People misunderstand what that is. The Virgin event in November is really the fans, the KISS Army — they're taking over the hotel. This ain't a concert. No [makeup]. Certainly not. We promised we would never do that again. No touring. We'll get up and jam. In fact, I'm not even sure how many of us are gonna be there. I know Paul and I are gonna be there. I think Tommy's gonna come, but [former KISS guitarist] Bruce Kulick might pop in. It's very informal."
Asked if original KISS members Ace Frehley (guitar) and Peter Criss are "welcome" to appear at "KISS Army Storms Vegas", Gene said: "Of course."
After Schmitt noted that KISS is one of the last bands of his generation that have all living members and that "it'd be great if somebody could really utilize that still," Simmons said: "I like the way you think, but it's dreamland, my friend. That's not how life works. You can lead a horse to water, but that's all you can do. We invited — I personally invited Ace and Peter to jump up on stage with us at Madison Square Garden [for the final KISS concert]. 'Hey, why don't you invite him on the show?' I did, but they said no. 'I want this and I want that.' 'Well, you can't have that, but join us to celebrate the beginning.'"
Simmons previously discussed "KISS Army Storms Vegas" in a separate interview with the "Jim Kerr Rock & Roll Morning Show" on New York City's Q104.3 radio station. Simmons said at the time: "Well, this is not a KISS concert. We promised when we sold the IP [KISS intellectual property rights] to Pophouse, an amazing company — they're futurists — about a year and a half ago when we finished touring at Madison Square Garden. There's gonna be a film and there's a lot of stuff coming up. We promised we would never tour again, because, as you noticed, I'm stunning in real life and that's when you want it… While you're on top, get out of the ring. Don't wait for some chump to knock you out. We've all seen boxers and rockers and everything that stayed around too long. 50 years, half a century is plenty of time."
Simmons went on to say that he and his KISS bandmates still want to honor the group's fans. "So that's what we're doing," he explained. "We are showing up for a fan-run event. Three days in November at the Virgin Hotel. Be there or be square. And it's really for the fans. There'll be lots of questions — if they want a back rub or anything. But it's not a KISS concert. We will jump up [and] jam, but certainly we are not bringing the flying rigs and 60 people on the crew and the jets and all that stuff… Other bands will pop up on stage and stuff, but it's really a chance to be more intimate with the fans — actually, to be cornball about it, to our bosses. Because without the fans, I would surely have been asking the next person in line, 'Would you like some fries with that?'"
KISS had previously set a 12-show residency at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas in 2021 and 2022 but ultimately canceled all of the dates.
Simmons told Rolling Stone in a November 2023 interview that the second Madison Square Garden "End Of The Road" concert would mark "the final KISS-in-makeup appearance."
Kulick was a member of KISS from 1984 until 1996.
According to Billboard, Kulick is one of only two musicians to have not worn makeup while a member of KISS, the other being Mark St. John.
Kulick had performed with the band again at their Kiss Kruise events in 2018 and 2021.
Vibee builds unforgettable destination experiences for fans around the world. Founded by Live Nation, the world's leading live entertainment company, Vibee provides fans the opportunity to immerse themselves in the best music and entertainment events on land and at sea. From hotel takeovers and curated yacht weeks, to interactive experiences and bespoke festival packages, the company creates transformative moments in the most sought-after global destinations. Vibee's bucket list-worthy fan experiences — which include activations with U2, DEAD & COMPANY, THE EAGLES, Lionel Richie, Tiesto, EDC and more — have been recognized by both the Clio Music and Clio Entertainment Awards.
Topeka delivers engaging U.S.-based music vacation experiences amidst the backdrop of the beautiful white sand beaches of Miramar Beach in Northern Florida. Topeka's innovative approach offers a unique "worry-free / no-line" outdoor live music experience where guests enjoy their favorite days at the beach just a short walk from their beach condos, homes or villas to the intimate 5,500 guest open-air green space venue where they tune into their favorite artists and people each night. Inspired by a scene from the movie "Almost Famous", Topeka prioritizes forging real connections between bands and their fans by creating moments that become memories that last a lifetime through the power of community and live music. The Topeka team looks after every guest with a passion to set the stage for an unparalleled blend of hospitality, music, beach and connection. In addition to Topeka's Music Vacations At The Beach, the organization curates immersive experiences for fans and bands at other unique locations and formats such as resort takeovers in Las Vegas.
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is an integrated resort that delivers a vibrant and lively environment for travelers and locals alike. The off-Strip resort features 1,500 Chambers and suites across three towers, a 60,000-square-foot casino and sportsbook, and a five-acre desert pool oasis. The property boasts several dynamic spaces for live music and entertainment, including the 4,600-capacity theater operated by AEG Presents, the intimate 24 Oxford showroom, The Shag Room, a unique and sexy cocktail lounge, and the multi-functional Event Lawn. Touting an exceptional portfolio of 12 food and beverage venues, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is home to famed restaurants like the legendary Nobu, Michael and David Morton's ONE Steakhouse, Kassi Beach House and Beach Club experience, Pizza Forte and more. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton and has been consecutively awarded the AAA Four Diamond Award since its first year of operation.
After many months of hard work, we can proudly present the return of the KISS KRUISE brand! More than a name - it's a legacy in itself, a tradition so strong that it cannot simply be ignored. We've listened to all our loyal fans across the world, and it is finally time to make it… pic.twitter.com/yaxzRl891R
— KISS (@kiss) July 8, 2025 | +1 | |
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10 июл 2025
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10 июл 2025
MASTODON's BRANN DAILOR On 'Back To The Beginning': 'Such An Unbelievable Outpouring Of Love, Friendship And Gratitude'
 Three days after MASTODON performed at Ozzy Osbourne's "Back To The Beginning" farewell concert — where the Atlanta progressive metallers covered BLACK SABBATH's "Supernaut" — MASTODON drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor took to his social media to share a few photos from the event, and he included the following message: "Such an unbelievable outpouring of love, friendship and gratitude. We were so honored to be asked to perform.
"For months I've been trying to conjure up in my mind what it was going to be like, but it ended up being unlike anything I had ever experienced in my life, a new feeling. It was such a beautiful experience. From the stage, the side stage, the dressing room and out in the audience, the love was just pouring out of everyone for the last time that we will all be able to let [BLACK SABBATH] and [Ozzy Osbourne] know just how very much they mean to every one of our lives.
"All the performers gave their all trying to make Dad SABBATH proud! When Ozzy hit the stage, there wasn't a dry eye in the stadium. It stayed like that until the fireworks went off after SABBATH.
"What an incredibly emotional day for everyone. I'll be riding this high for a long time and I will cherish these memories for the rest of my life. I'm so very grateful for this life experience.
"Thank you BLACK SABBATH for giving us a space to be creative and the greatest genre of music there is, heavy metal. Ozzy Osbourne, I love you, thank you for everything!! You mean the world to me. Also a major thank you to Mario Duplantier [GOJIRA], Eloy Casagrande [SLIPKNOT] and Danny Carey [TOOL] for jamming with me during 'Supernaut', three of the best drummers in the world and some of the finest human beings, you made the day even more special, I love you. Thank you Bill Ward for showing us the way. You're my greatest inspiration!
"What a day! Music never felt so powerful. Going to carry this into our next recording coming up soon!"
According to The Guardian, "Back To The Beginning" was livestreamed to more than five million fans worldwide (with peak audience of 5.8 million fans watching the livestream).
Ozzy played a five-song set with his solo band — consisting of guitarist Zakk Wylde, bassist Mike Inez, keyboardist Adam Wakeman and drummer Tommy Clufetos — before being joined by fellow original BLACK SABBATH members Tony Iommi (guitar),Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums) for four classic SABBATH songs: "War Pigs", "Iron Man", "N.I.B." and "Paranoid".
Ozzy's solo set consisted of four songs from Osbourne's 1980 solo debut album "Blizzard Of Ozz" — "I Don't Know", "Mr. Crowley", "Suicide Solution" and "Crazy Train" — along with his 1991 "No More Tears" ballad "Mama, I'm Coming Home".
The 76-year-old heavy metal singer, who has Parkinson's disease, sang while seated on a black throne and appeared overcome with emotion at times. "You have no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart," he told the crowd.
At the end of SABBATH's set, Ozzy said: "It's the last song ever. Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle, thank you from the bottom of our hearts." Osbourne was then presented with a cake, while fireworks lit up the stadium from overhead.
A message on screen then read, "Thank you for everything, you guys are fucking amazing. Birmingham Forever," before the sky lit up with fireworks.
More than 40,000 fans attended the event, which also saw performances from METALLICA, SLAYER, PANTERA, LAMB OF GOD and ANTHRAX, among others. Profits from the show will be shared equally between the charities Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital and Acorn Children's Hospice.
There was also an online auction benefiting those charities. Items up for bid included two Gibson guitars signed by performers, a GUNS N' ROSES pinball machine, several gold record and CD displays including BLACK SABBATH's "Paranoid", LED ZEPPELIN's "Physical Graffiti" and METALLICA's "Master Of Puppets", plus more than a dozen travel packages.
A livestream of the daylong event was announced in June. While it was called a livestream, the video was delayed two hours from the in-arena start time.
Livestream tickets were priced $29.99, which got you live viewing and access to video for 48 hours. The livestream and T-shirt bundle was priced $64.98. It got you event viewing and a "Back To The Beginning" T-shirt.
"Back To The Beginning" was captured, produced and distributed by Mercury Studios ("One To One: John & Yoko", "American Symphony", "Metallica Saved My Life"). Mercury has partnered with Kiswe — the global D2C streaming partner behind the record-breaking BTS concert livestream — to deliver this moment of music history to fans across the globe.
The all-day event at Villa Park, produced by Live Nation, was hosted and compered by American actor Jason Momoa.
Curated by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist Tom Morello, the event featured arguably the greatest lineup of rock and metal bands ever assembled on one day.
Two hastily assembled supergroups — dubbed Supergroup A and Supergroup B — performed at the event, with EXTREME's Nuno Bettencourt taking part in a five-song set of covers, while ex-Ozzy guitarist Jake E. Lee made an appearance for covers of "The Ultimate Sin" and "Shot In The Dark". Former JUDAS PRIEST guitarist K.K. Downing joined Morello, Billy Corgan (SMASHING PUMPKINS) and Adam Jones (TOOL) for a rendition of PRIEST's "Breaking The Law", while LIVING COLOUR's Vernon Reid hopped onstage for a cover of Ozzy's "Bark At The Moon", with GHOST's Papa V Perpetua (a.k.a. Tobias Forge) handling lead vocals.
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10 июл 2025
MÖTLEY CRÜE And DOLLY PARTON Top Mediabase Classic Rock Chart With New Version Of 'Home Sweet Home'
 Rock legends MÖTLEY CRÜE and globally beloved superstar Dolly Parton have debuted at No. 1 on the Mediabase Classic Rock Songs chart with their heartfelt duet of the MÖTLEY CRÜE classic "Home Sweet Home", released in June via BMG. The reimagined duet version coincides with the 40th anniversary of the original 1985 release of "Home Sweet Home", featured on the band's third full-length album, "Theatre Of Pain", and marks the first No. 1 for the song.
To drive home the song's positive message of hope, a portion of the proceeds from the single will benefit Covenant House, an organization close to the hearts of the members of MÖTLEY CRÜE. Covenant House provides safe shelter, meals, hope and more to help youth experiencing homelessness.
The achievement represents the second time members of MÖTLEY CRÜE and Parton find themselves atop the chart together with a No. 1 debut. MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx and guitarist John 5 appeared as special guests on Parton's song "Bygones" off her No. 1 gold-selling "Rockstar" album, released last year via Butterfly Records/Big Machine Label Group. "Bygones" also featured JUDAS PRIEST's Rob Halford.
The reimagined version of "Home Sweet Home" featuring Parton is part of MÖTLEY CRÜE's forthcoming brand-new singles collection "From The Beginning", set to drop on September 12, 2025, the same day that the legendary rockers will kick off their highly anticipated 10-show residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The official video for the track, which pays homage to the classic original video for the song from 1985, surpassed one mllion views on YouTube.
Coinciding with the release of "Home Sweet Home" featuring Dolly Parton, a limited-edition Dölly Crüe merch collection is available now.
The members of MÖTLEY CRÜE shared in a joint statement: "'Home Sweet Home' was first released in 1985 as a single from our 'Theatre Of Pain' album. For an icon like Dolly Parton to sing on a song that has not only meant so much to us but to all the fans through the years, is a career high that means a lot to us. We couldn't be happier to celebrate the 40th anniversary of 'Home Sweet Home' in this special way, and we're excited to share this version of the song with all the Dolly and MÖTLEY fans around the world."
The members added: "That we were able to unite with Dolly to raise awareness for homeless youth and the amazing work of Covenant House, which provides them safe housing and care, makes it even more special. We hope you'll enjoy 'Home Sweet Home' featuring Dolly Parton as much as Dolly and we enjoyed creating it."
Dolly Parton offered: "It was an honor and a joy working in the studio on MÖTLEY CRÜE's 40th Anniversary re-release of 'Home Sweet Home'. I was so pleased that they would ask me to sing on such a classic."
"From The Beginning" will be made available on CD and vinyl via BMG. The collection spans four decades of CRÜE anthems, kicking off with their first global single and MTV video "Live Wire" and winding through the years to 2024's Top 5 Rock smash "Dogs Of War". In between are the hits and fan favorites that shaped the rock genre and a generation, including "Kickstart My Heart", "Dr. Feelgood", "Girls, Girls, Girls", "Shout At The Devil", "Smokin' In The Boys Room", "Wild Side" and many more.
The original studio albums that featured these tracks, including the decade-plus gold, platinum and multi-platinum run of classics "Too Fast For Love", "Shout At The Devil", "Theatre Of Pain", "Girls Girls Girls" and "Dr. Feelgood" combined have sold over 100 million albums globally, generated 10 billion streams, and dominated the charts around the world. MÖTLEY CRÜE's loyal fans have been there from the beginning, and their support remains as strong as ever. But with their music featured in video games, movie trailers, films, TV shows and sporting events daily, new fans continue to discover the band's amazing catalog.
MÖTLEY CRÜE's Las Vegas residency will run through October 3. These 10 shows at Park MGM will be the first and only chance for MÖTLEY CRÜE fans to see the band live in 2025.
The CD version of "From The Beginning" features 19 tracks, while the vinyl has been expanded to 21 songs, including "Afraid" and the title track of last year's "Cancelled" EP.
CD track listing:
01. Live Wire
02. Take Me To The Top
03. Shout At The Devil [remastered - 2021]
04. Looks That Kill [remastered - 2021]
05. Too Young To Fall In Love [remastered - 2021]
06. Smokin' In The Boys Room [remastered - 2021]
07. Home Sweet Home [remastered - 2021]
08. Girls, Girls, Girls
09. Wild Side
10. Dr. Feelgood
11. Without You
12. Kickstart My Heart
13. Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
14. Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)
15. Primal Scream
16. The Dirt (Est. 1981)
17. Saints of Los Angeles
18. Dogs Of War
19. Home Sweet Home (feat. Dolly Parton)
2LP track listing:
Side A
01. Live Wire
02. Take Me To The Top
03. Shout at the Devil [remastered -2021]
04. Looks That Kill [remastered - 2021]
05. Too Young To Fall In Love [remastered -2021]
06. Smokin' In The Boys Room [remastered -2021]
Side B
01. Home Sweet Home [remastered -2021]
02. Girls, Girls, Girls
03. Wild Side
04. Dr. Feelgood
05. Without You
Side C
01. Kickstart My Heart
02. Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
03. Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)
04. Primal Scream
05. Afraid *
Side D
01. Saints of Los Angeles
02. The Dirt (Est. 1981)
03. Dogs Of War
04. Cancelled *
05. Home Sweet Home (feat. Dolly Parton)
* LP-only tracks
John 5 joined MÖTLEY CRÜE in the fall of 2022 as the replacement for the band's co-founding guitarist Mick Mars. Mick announced his retirement from touring with MÖTLEY CRÜE in October 2022 as a result of worsening health issues.
Last October, MÖTLEY CRÜE released the "Cancelled" EP, featuring the title track, MÖTLEY CRÜE's cover version of the BEASTIE BOYS classic "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)" and "Dogs Of War". All three songs were recorded in April 2023 with longtime producer Bob Rock.
MÖTLEY CRÜE's deal with Big Machine sees the band and the label working together again after making the 2014 project "Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute To Mötley Crüe", which featured CRÜE tracks covered by country stars RASCAL FLATTS, FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE, Darius Rucker and more. Big Machine also partnered with John 5 for the release of his 2021 album "Sinner".
MÖTLEY CRÜE's last studio album was 2008's "Saints Of Los Angeles", which was followed by a 2009 "Greatest Hits" compilation.
In 2018, MÖTLEY CRÜE recorded four new songs for "The Dirt" movie, including the single "The Dirt (Est. 1981) (Feat. Machine Gun Kelly)", "Ride With The Devil", "Crash And Burn" and the band's own spin on Madonna's "Like A Virgin".
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10 июл 2025
OZZY OSBOURNE Goes Ape In New Collaboration With Chimpanzees
 Hot on the heels of Ozzy Osbourne's farewell show with BLACK SABBATH, the Prince Of Darkness himself has teamed up with a different group of artists: ex-lab chimps who enjoy creating abstract art.
Esteemed rock royalty and national treasure Ozzy Osbourne may have hung up on his microphone and retired from his rock 'n' roll antics, but he's still monkeying around with his latest collaboration.
A talented artist in his own right, Osbourne has turned his brush to an important and brilliant collaboration with a chimpanzee sanctuary.
"I paint because it gives me peace of mind, but I don't sell my paintings," says Ozzy. "I've made an exception with these collaborations as it raises money for Save The Chimps, a sanctuary for hundreds of apes rescued from labs, roadside zoos and wildlife traffickers."
Ozzy painted intricate, multi-colored acrylic basecoats on five 20"x20" canvases, then the ape artists at the sanctuary added their own brushstrokes. The signed artworks are named after Osbourne's own songs or albums.
Fans can now bid on the paintings exclusively at Omega Auctions, a top auction house for music memorabilia, which donated its services for the project. Bids start at one thousand pounds and the auction closes on July 17.
"Chimps are our closest relatives in the animal kingdom, and I'm really proud of Ozzy for helping look after them," says Sharon Osbourne. "These paintings will not only raise much-needed funds for the sanctuary, they'll help promote awareness to the public."
"Painting is just one of many enrichment activities we offer our residents," says Save The Chimps events director Dan Mathews, who previewed the paintings to the Osbournes in Birmingham just ahead of Osbourne's farewell performance. "Some really enjoy it, while others prefer food puzzles, foraging activities, or picture books."
Founded 25 years ago and situated on 150 acres in Fort Pierce, Florida, Save The Chimps is the largest privately funded chimpanzee sanctuary in the world. Supporters include Jane Goodall, Paul McCartney, Bryan Adams, Alan Cumming, Gillian Anderson, THE B-52S and the Arcus Foundation. Corporate sponsor FedEx provided free shipping of Ozzy's collection to and from the sanctuary.
Photo credit: Kamil Szkopik (courtesy of Aim Publicity)
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Parma Violence
