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DEE SNIDER Says 'Irreconcilable Differences' Are Reason For MARK MENDOZA's Absence From TWISTED SISTER Reunion
 During an appearance on today's (Wednesday, September 10) episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Dee Snider spoke about TWISTED SISTER's decision to reunite next year to celebrate the band's 50th anniversary. Regarding why he changed his mind about returning to the road, nine years after the completion of TWISTED SISTER's "40 And Fuck It!" farewell tour, Dee said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It really was a milestone thing. I turned 70 years old in March. And milestones, they are what they are, but at the same time, they're reflection times for people. And me reflecting, I realized, wow, next year is 50 years since I joined TWISTED SISTER, since we became — me, Eddie [Ojeda, TWISTED SISTER guitarist] and Jay Jay [French, TWISTED SISTER guitarist] — became a band. And that's significant. And the offers kept coming in and the interest is there to have us reunite. And I called the guys up and said, 'What do you think?' I mean, almost as a challenge to each of us to say, 'One more time. Can we do it one more time?' And certainly we've got people like [Paul] McCartney and [Mick] Jagger and Alice Cooper out there, and Ozzy — may he rest in peace — and how can you say, well, I'm 70. I'm too old. So, the guys said, 'Seriously?' I said, 'Seriously. One more time. Let's do it one more time.'"
Elaborating on his initial reluctance to step back on stage with TWISTED SISTER again, Dee told host Eddie Trunk: "Eddie, I go to quote you. I quoted you often… We talked about my performing style. We talked about the type of entertainer I am, and you said, 'Dee, you really did paint yourself in a corner. You created a stage persona, a stage energy that people come to expect,' and anything less will be disappointing, not just to the audience, but to me as well. So, yeah, I'm in shape and stuff like that, and you've seen me [in recent months guesting on stage] with Bret Michaels out there, but that's four songs, dude. It's not 18 songs. But you know what? I just said, 'We're still here, and let's do it. Let's challenge ourselves.' And we're doing it for all the right reasons. It's not about money. It's not about — none of those typical things. It's 'cause we want to do it one more time. And there's interest there all over the world, so, we're going for it, man. 2026."
Asked by Trunk if it's fair to say that he was the one who initiated the TWISTED SISTER reunion this time around, Dee said: "Yeah, and I'm not saying it like I'm the one who made [the decision to reunite]. I'm the one who was screaming from the top of my lungs, 'Never. Ever.' You know that. That was your introduction: 'He's been saying for a decade now, 'Uh-uh. Never gonna happen. We retired. That's it.' … So the guys didn't even bring it up to me. And Eddie, me and Jay Jay, we talk all the time, and we know offers are coming in, but it wasn't even a discussion because it was accepted, 'Dee's not gonna do it again.' And I stopped doing my solo stuff as well as a few years back. So, it was basically that I said, 'Hey, guys. I'm up for it if you're up for it.' And I've gotta say, they both — Jay and Eddie — had to think about it, 'cause they, too, were in a certain mindset, like, 'This is behind us now.' And then we had a group meeting on it and said, 'Let's go for it.'"
Snider also talked about his workout regimen and diet that will keep him in shape at 70 years old while on tour. He said: "If you've seen the web site, the [TWISTED SISTER reunion] announcement page, it's a flat line [laughs] and then the heartbeat slowly starts coming back in. That's not by accident.
"When TWISTED retired, I remember shows where we were doing our farewells around the world, and people were crying in the audience, because I'm saying, 'This is really it, guys. We're done,'" he continued. "And people were crying. I go, 'Listen, I want a pancake. Look at me. I'm ripped to shreds. I want a carb. I'm gonna re-record [TWISTED SISTER's classic song] 'I Wanna Rock' [as] 'I Want A Carb'.' I said, 'You know what it takes to look like this? It's painful. It sucks.' And I was 60 years old, and [people said], 'Wow. He is in ungodly shape.' Yeah. And I was miserable. So I'm not gonna tell you once that, once I was done with that… I've been enjoying life. I've been out… And COVID hit, and I was always very regimented with working out, and workouts, it was tough to go to a gym, unless you had your own gym. It was tough to go to a public gym. And all of a sudden I fell out of the pattern. So I'm being totally honest here. At 70, I said, 'This can't be it. I need to challenge myself to go out in a blaze of glory… I'm going, 'Okay, March [of 2025]. I called the guys. What do you say? Let's do it. We talked. All right, let's do it. When are we going out? Next late spring, summer. Good. I've got like a year to get in shape.' So I'm back in the gym... But still, there's a big difference between going out and doing four songs with Bret Michaels and holding the stage for 20 songs. So it's gonna be a challenge. But I sure don't wanna embarrass myself and the band doesn't wanna embarrass itself. So, people, you'll be impressed. I promise I will make some 20-year-olds feel really badly about themselves."
Dee also addressed the fact that TWISTED SISTER's 2026 reunion will not include longtime bassist Mark Mendoza. The tour will instead feature Russell Pzütto on bass. Pzütto has played with TWISTED SISTER in the past, and has also been part of the touring bands for Snider's solo projects.
"I can only simply say irreconcilable differences and leave it at that," Dee stated about Mark's absence from the TWISTED SISTER reunion. "I can't get into the weeds and I can't go down that path. And I won't. But irreconcilable differences. People change, and however it is, and I'm not saying he changed; maybe we changed whatever it is. So in deciding who to use on bass, my bass player on the last two Dee Snider albums, 'For The Love Of Metal' and 'Leave A Scar', was Russ Pzütto. And he was Mark Mendoza's bass tech, and a great bass player… So, he did an amazing job on those two albums. He was a great guy to tour with. The band all knew him from years of working with TWISTED, and again, he seemed like a likely choice. As a matter of fact, one time he was Mark's choice to fill in for him. And one gig, it was in Belgium at Graspop, and Mark couldn't make it, and Russ stepped in and played with TWISTED. So he actually has performed with TWISTED once before."
Asked if he thinks the door is open for Mark to play with TWISTED SISTER again at some point during the reunion tour, Dee said: "I can't imagine it right now. I can't imagine it right now. I mean — I plead the fifth. I can't go beyond that. But things have happened that I don't see being reconciled, hence the term 'irreconcilable differences.'"
French addressed Mendoza's departure in a statement to Rolling Stone, explaining: "Me, Dee and Eddie have performed as TWISTED SISTER for nearly 50 years with 10 different bass players and drummers. The band has never discussed internal realignment before and has no intention of doing it now. Suffice to say that almost all bands with a 50-year history have gone through realignment as a byproduct of time. We wish Mark well in his future endeavors."
Playing drums on TWISTED SISTER's 2026 reunion tour will be Joe Franco, who briefly played with the band in the mid-1980s and played on TWISTED SISTER's 1987 album "Love Is For Suckers". Mike Portnoy, who took over for longtime drummer A.J. Pero after he died near the end of TWISTED SISTER's 2016 run, is busy touring with DREAM THEATER and is unable to participate in the upcoming TWISTED SISTER live activities.
Two and a half years ago, TWISTED SISTER staged a one-off reunion at the Metal Hall Of Fame in Agoura Hills, California. On hand to be inducted into the Metal Hall Of Fame were Snider, French, Mendoza and Portnoy. Ojeda was absent from the event after contracting COVID-19; filling in for him was Keith Robert War. TWISTED SISTER played a highly charged three-song set consisting of the staples "You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll" and "Under The Blade", as well as the anthem "We're Not Gonna To Take It".
TWISTED SISTER's original run ended in the late '80s. After more than a decade, the band publicly reunited in November 2001 to top the bill of New York Steel, a hard-rock benefit concert to raise money for the New York Police And Fire Widows' And Children's Benefit Fund.
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DAVID ELLEFSON On MEGADETH's Farewell Tour Announcement: 'It Was A Little Shocking'
 During an appearance on the Rock 'N' Blues Experience podcast with host Tim Caple, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson spoke about his reaction to the band's announcement that MEGADETH's upcoming LP will be the band's last. The Dave Mustaine-led outfit will also embark on a farewell tour in 2026. Asked if it was a shock to him to hear that MEGADETH was calling it quits, Ellefson said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I knew about it. Obviously, I'm in the business, so I knew about it, which — it was a little shocking. I've known Dave as a workhorse. All things good, bad or indifferent about Dave, he's a pretty fucking tough mule, man. I mean, he's gotten out there and sang and played despite all the odds. And I will give him that. He definitely never backed down to a challenge."
Ellefson continued: "I remember there was a comment some years ago — we were playing a festival in Mexico, and his wife, Pam, had looked over at me, and with him sitting right next to me, [she] goes, 'The old horse is slowing down.' [Laughs] And that was a big gig. It was [with] JUDAS PRIEST and SCORPIONS… And I remember when she said it, it was kind of, like, we are getting up there a little bit, but then I look at the SCORPIONS, and fucking Rudolf Schenker, that guy comes up and hugs you like a Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot. You're, like, 'What the fuck did they put in the water in his house?' This guy's well into his 70s, and it's, like, 'Aargh.' Like, Jesus, man. The SCORPIONS are impenetrable; they're strong, like Iron Man."
David added: "I haven't talked to Dave now in four years, so I have no idea the reason or anything about it other than they made their announcement."
Asked what he thinks would happen if he just picked up the phone and called Mustaine, Ellefson said: "Well, even if I had his number — I don't know; he might have changed his number since I [last] talked [to him]. No, but I know what you mean.
"Look, he removed me from the group, so it's not my place to call him to go back," David continued. "I put it out there — I did something on my podcast, I floated it out there and said, hey, look, if it were to be, I'd be up for it. I think it'd be cool. Having just watched what happened in Birmingham [at the 'Back To The Beginning' event] where everybody got together —not only did we get to say goodbye to [BLACK SABBATH], they got to say goodbye to us. And I think that's just as important.
"Dave's closing up shop on MEGADETH, and he's doing it for him, obviously, for his reasons. I think in a perfect world there would be at least a moment where maybe some of, if not all of, the rest of us got a chance to say goodbye as well," Ellefson added. "I think that's a takeaway from Birmingham, is that there's a moment for everybody to just put everything aside and go, 'You know what? That was a fucking good run, man.' And take the final bow together on some level."
Ellefson's ELLEFSON-SOTO bandmate Jeff Scott Soto, who was also part of the interview, chimed in: "I'm sorry, I have to interject here. I absolutely agree with you, David, that it would be a lovely way for it to end or go out is to have the surviving members of this legendary band all together, at least for one more hurrah. But as far as I'm concerned, MEGADETH, you guys [Ellefson and Mustaine] are the Joe Perry and Steven Tyler of this band. And to end this whole legacy without one or the other, to me, is wrong. And I'll put it right here. You can clickbait and Blabbermouth it all you want, Dave Mustaine, you need to call David Ellefson and you need to put him as part of the end — if this is truly the end and you're calling it a wrap, you need to include David at some point, even if it's one show, one song, something like that. To me, that's the true closure. That's the real way to actually close the book on MEGADETH. They have to at least include David, to include Chris Poland and all the others, Jeff Young, all the others that have been involved. That, to me, would be the ultimate farewell, sayonara, all of the above. That needs to happen, as far as I'm concerned. You need to get the Lennon and McCartney, the Joe Perry and the Steven Tyler of this band together for one final hurrah. That's how I see it."
Ellefson previously discussed his reaction to MEGADETH's farewell tour last month in a special episode of his video podcast "The David Ellefson Show". Asked for his "thoughts" on MEGADETH "calling it quits", Ellefson said: "There's a lot, 'cause, of course, it brings up years and years of thoughts, feelings, emotions, some great, some not so great. I always say these gold records on the wall — which, the only reason I have 'em up is 'cause we have a podcast [laughs]; it just makes for a good backdrop — but I look at 'em, 'Countdown [To Extinction]', 'Peace Sells', 'Beavis And Butt-Head', 'Rust In Peace', they all have a story in 'em. And some of the stuff in the '90s were better stories — the band was cohesive, the management was consistent, the music, I think, was collaborative. We went to new heights, we explored new territory that you could only dream of doing, Grammy nominations, festivals, the world for touring was really opening up everywhere. So, really great stuff. In the middle of it, of course, and around it was addictions, rehabs, canceled tours, lost finances in the millions. And so for things to sort of flush out the way that they did with now me not being part of the final farewell of something I started, as one can imagine, [it's] probably not something I'm super happy about. And saying that while still being grateful for all that it was, because I think at some point you have to find a path through it because this is reality."
Referencing Mustaine's debilitating injury in 2002 that caused severe nerve damage to his left arm and hand, and rendered him unable to play the guitar for a while, Ellefson continued: "Look, I feel like Dave Mustaine ended our friendship in 2001, and that was it. And he ended it very loudly, very publicly. He personally signed his name to it. He said we would never play music together again. And that's it. That is it. So from there on, I, I moved on. And I learned from 2002, with the career-ending nerve damage to his arm, and then two years later there's a new album with a new band and new financial terms and I'm not part of it and lawsuits to settle business matters, and just all the things go, there's a whole story there of a lot of this stuff. I was out, then suddenly I was back, and it was great. And he and I tried to mend fences, as I think we did. He was generous to me. Things were good.
"Clearly MEGADETH is a Mustaine family-run business," Ellefson added. "And it started that way, I think, probably a little while after I came back to the band [in 2010]. 'Cause when I came back to the band, it was not — it was Dave. And I kind of became the good friend to Dave. I knew him and he knew me in a way that no one else could. Dave had his friends before me growing up in California, but I've certainly known him one of the longest of most anybody on the planet, at least from inner workings of a band kind of thing. So, as bands go though, there can be tensions, there are all those things. Certainly what was made clear to me in 2004 is, 'Hey, it's a new day. It's a new way. Dave's in charge. It's not gonna be what it was. It's not gonna be collaborative.' [Former MEGADETH drummer] Shawn Drover always used to remind me of that. He goes, 'Dude, those days when of us all getting in a room and writing a record, dude, those days are long gone.' In fact, I remember when I came back and we were doing the 'Th1rt3en' album after about a year on the road, Dave asked me, he said, 'Oh, I'd like to have you write.' I said, 'You know what? No. Why don't you write the songs? I'll play bass for you. Let's just keep it clean. Keep it simple. Let's not even blur the lines.' And that's why I did other musical things. I did the ELLEFSON solo records and various other things to just have a little… I [thought], 'Let me take my creative stuff over there.' I knew in no way was that ever gonna sort of trump the brand, if you will, be bigger than the MEGADETH brand, yet it was a way to have a little creative outlet on the side, kind of get my yayas without interfering with MEGADETH. 'Cause I knew — look, we got it back together. Let's keep it clean, let's keep it simple. Let's just do that. And I think every time we tried to write, it was always a sore spot. It was problematic. And I was, like, 'Oh, I wish we weren't even going down this road.' Now, of course, everybody wants their name on the record, everybody wants to feel some of the financial windfall. And how things are split financially doesn't always have to how they're split with the credits and stuff like that.
"There's a weird thing in bands that how things are financially split… If you're a founding member of a band, to some degree you should be entitled to a piece of every everything and all of it, basically, 'cause it wouldn't exist if you weren't there," David noted. "And that deal got changed in 2004. That immediately changed the landscape. It changed my feelings about it. It drew us into a legal dispute — rightfully so. And no one wins in lawsuits, to some degree, yet sometimes they have to happen because things need to be done the way they need to be done. And I guess the good news for me is financially it landed certainly much better for me, and getting paid directly for my sources rather than… 'Cause sometimes that's what happens, is money goes through the channels of the organization and sometimes people don't get paid. So that needed to happen, and I'm glad I went through the process. It's not a fun process — I didn't sleep for nine months because of it — but that's when I had my little band F5 and I was trying to at least kind of keep my nose creatively involved in some stuff.
"So, there's a lot of history here with this band. This band started with a resentment. It started with a 'fuck you', Dave's sort of revenge against [his former band] METALLICA. And it wasn't entirely that. I mean, that gets a little blown out of proportion. To some degree, Dave was his own artist away from METALLICA. He had 'Mechanix' and some songs before METALLICA, and he certainly wrote songs after. So I think that that's a little unfair to paint that entirely on Dave that MEGADETH was just this revenge toward METALLICA. It may have been often fueled by it, but how could it not be? He was not a founding member of METALLICA. He was there for, as I always call it, a year and a half in the life of METALLICA. And [he] certainly changed the course of what they did. But they went on and had their own successes.
"But, look, for Dave to call it quits or to retire, I should say… Farewell… I don't even know if he's retiring. He's just basically saying MEGADETH's over… Would I like to be a part of it? Yeah, of course. Who wouldn't?" he admitted. "I'm a founding member of it. I'm a 30-plus-year member of it. Is that gonna happen? Who knows? It's too early to tell. I don't know what they have planned. I have no idea what it is. They just made an announcement about it. Do I think there should be some sort of farewell that everybody gets to participate in? I mean, look, [the] 'Back To The Beginning' [concert in Birmingham] with BLACK SABBATH. Look, they made nice. They brought all four of BLACK SABBATH['s original members]. They brought everybody back. You had [former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist] Jake [E. Lee]. Now, was everybody there? No. There were some key people — Bob Daisley — some people that weren't there. But for the most part, they brought a lot of the people back. And just speaking of BLACK SABBATH, they brought the original, the core four back, and they said goodbye. Not only did they say goodbye, everybody got to say goodbye to them. And I think when you're doing a farewell, that's important, that you get to say goodbye and everybody gets to say goodbye to you. I think that that's an important part of it. But that's me. I'm not in the band anymore. I have no say in it. So that's just me. That's just one guy with an opinion, quite honestly."
After podcast co-host Joshua Toomey opined that "everyone that was ever in MEGADETH should also be able to say their farewell too" and be part of the celebrations in some way, Ellefson said: "Well, I strongly stand against the notion that MEGADETH was only Dave Mustaine, 'cause it wasn't. And everybody knows that. So, if Dave needs to retire, wants to retire, I get it. I understand. He's given a lot. It's taken a lot out of him. It's taken certainly a toll on him, as anyone can imagine. So, look, God bless you, brother. If you're done, this is it, you wanna go do something else with your life, spend time with your family, just not play guitar, I get it. I mean, dude, believe me, I'm 60. There's some days I just kind of go, 'God, really? Should I write another album, another song? Do I really wanna go on stage?' And the answer always comes back to yes, I do. So I do. So I can't speak for him, and I'm not gonna speak for him. But, look, again, I haven't talked to the guy now in four and a half years, so I have no idea what his reasoning is, what the thinking is behind it.
"Someone made a point, they said we're all fans of MEGADETH music, even if we're not maybe fans of a particular lineup of the band, or we're not fans of certain members of the band, we still all love MEGADETH music," he continued. "And I thought, okay, I'm down with that. I can get behind that."
Referencing Mustaine's decision to fire Ellefson in May 2021 after sexually tinged messages and explicit video footage involving the bassist were posted on Twitter, David said: "It's unfortunate that things landed between me and Dave where they did, because as I said right from the beginning, they didn't have to. And I made it very clear on the phone call when they were firing me that they didn't have to do that. It was unnecessary. Whatever those circumstances are were nothing to be feared. We can move on. But whatever. They made their decision, so let the chips fall where they may. I don't really even like going back to that period of time, because I felt like there was a lot leading up to that stuff behind the scenes, conversations that Dave and I were having about things that maybe we just weren't agreeing on. And that's okay. You can agree to disagree. You don't have to agree on everything.
"[OVERKILL singer] Bobby Blitz said something really good to me when I was touring with OVERKILL," Ellefson added. "'Cause he said he and D.D. [Verni, OVERKILL bassist], they're the boss. They run OVERKILL, they run the band. And he said, 'No matter how we go into the room with separate ideas, we come out as one voice.' And I thought, 'Man, that's a great way to put it.' And I always felt like Dave and I did that. No matter what we felt like when we got in the room, we leave this room as one voice. And Dave being the leader, Dave being the self-appointed voice of the group, let him have that voice. So I always felt like I stood behind that. I was unified with him. Whether I agreed with it or not, you get on board with it and that's what it is, and you go with that. And look, for the most part, Dave's way worked pretty good. I wasn't there to defy that."
Mustaine and the rest of MEGADETH have yet to reveal the final album's title, release date or the band's remaining tour dates.
In a press release announcing MEGADETH's final album and farewell tour, Mustaine thanked fans for their commitment and love while celebrating the band's impact on the music world.
"There's so many musicians that have come to the end of their career, whether accidental or intentional," Mustaine said. "Most of them don't get to go out on their own terms on top, and that's where I'm at in my life right now. I have traveled the world and have made millions upon millions of fans and the hardest part of all of this is saying goodbye to them."
He continued. "We can't wait for you to hear this album and see us on tour. If there was ever a perfect time for us to put out a new album, it's now. If there was ever a perfect time to tour the world, it's now. This is also a perfect time for us to tell you that it's our last studio album. We've made a lot of friends over the years and I hope to see all of you on our global farewell tour.
"Don't be mad, don't be sad, be happy for us all, come celebrate with me these next few years. We have done something together that's truly wonderful and will probably never happen again. We started a musical style, we started a revolution, we changed the guitar world and how it's played, and we changed the world. The bands I played in have influenced the world. I love you all for it. Thank you for everything."
The follow-up to 2022's "The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead!" will be released via Mustaine's Tradecraft imprint on Frontiers Label Group's new BLKIIBLK label, and is expected next year.
Fans can register for early access to exclusive information and offers surrounding the upcoming final album on MEGADETH's web site. Pre-orders for the LP will start on September 25. The initial run of farewell tour dates will also be announced later this year.
For its final album, MEGADETH is once again working with Chris Rakestraw, a producer, mixer and engineer who previously worked on MEGADETH's last two LPs, the aforementioned "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!" and 2016's "Dystopia".
Ellefson was in MEGADETH from the band's inception in 1983 to 2002, when the group briefly broke up because Mustaine suffered severe nerve damage that left him unable to play. After Mustaine reformed MEGADETH with an all-new lineup in 2004, Ellefson sued his former bandmate for $18.5 million, alleging that Mustaine still owed him substantial merchandise and publishing royalties. In January 2005, the case was dismissed in court, and five years later, Ellefson rejoined MEGADETH.
Back in October 2022, Mustaine once again said that he was the sole founding member of MEGADETH. The guitarist/vocalist made the comment in an interview with LifeMinute to promote "The Sick, The Dying... And The Dead!". While discussing the MEGADETH "sound", the now 63-year-old musician said: "There's a misnomer that there were two people that founded MEGADETH. I was the founder; I was the only one in the beginning. There was a bass player before who just was… who just left. So it's been my vision. When I got kicked out of METALLICA, I got kicked out of METALLICA; no one else was with me on the bus coming home."
Mustaine's comments came nearly seven years after he implied in an interview with the Cape Girardeau, Missouri radio station Real Rock 99.3 that Ellefson was not a founding member of the band because, he said, "MEGADETH was already in its formative phase long before I even knew David Ellefson." Ellefson later said that he was "technically" a founding member of MEGADETH because he was "in the room" the day MEGADETH decided to change its name from the previous working moniker of FALLEN ANGEL at the suggestion of the band's then-guitarist Greg Handevidt.
In February 2016, just a month after his original remarks were published on BLABBERMOUTH.NET, Mustaine was asked by Ticketmaster what it means to have a longtime collaborator like Ellefson back in the band after so many lineup changes. He responded: "David and I have been friends for a long time, even during the lawsuit. I had made it clear that I loved him, and I loved his family. I said that the truth would come out and that it was very unfortunate. The lawsuit was dismissed, I forgave him, and we got back in business again. It's been fun ever since."
He continued: "There's a couple web sites out there that don't like me and they're trying to twist some of my words around about David Ellefson being in the band or not being in the band, or being a founding member or not being a founding member. And that shit don't matter, because it's a gossip web site. The truth is, me and Dave are partners, we make good music together, he's in MEGADETH, we're going on tour. Hopefully people will know when they see him on stage and not think he's somebody else. [Laughs]"
In February 2016, Ellefson was asked by Cranked Up Live about Mustaine's comments to Real Rock 99.3 where the MEGADETH leader implied that Ellefson was not a founding member of the band. Ellefson said: "Well, it's interesting… Yeah, I did see [the article on BLABBERMOUTH.NET]. And it's interesting. The headline was very misleading and was obviously meant… It was very inflammatory. It was meant to be a hamburger bomb thrown over into the middle of our campaign. And I think I saw it as that. So, again, open the story, read it. They didn't even say that. They didn't even say what the headline says. That headline was misconstrued.
"Now, look, when Dave came home from METALLICA, he had another bass player, kind of a kid he was almost teaching how to play bass, and another guitar player he had been working with a little bit, and a singer, named Lor. And those were kind of the first people that, I think, in April and May of 1983 that Dave was just kicking some ideas around [with], seeing if he could get anything going. But the day me and my friend Greg Handevidt knocked on Dave's door and asked him where to buy some cigarettes and beer, that was the day that there was a unity that moved forward, because me, Greg, Dave, that singer Lor and our drummer Dijon Carruthers, who helped create a lot of the lyrics and the concept of 'Black Friday' on the 'Peace Sells' record, that was… we were the group that were rehearsing for a few weeks, working on these new songs Dave was writing. And one day we came back to… I think it was me and Greg's apartment… And it was Greg who suggested… We were talking about band names, and Greg suggested… There was a name kicking around, FALLEN ANGEL, that I think Dave… That was kind of working title that he had. But he had a song called 'Megadeth', which was later retitled to become 'Set The World Afire'. And it was my friend Greg who suggested, 'I think we should call the band MEGADETH.' And it was decided that day, so, I mean, technically, whoever was in the room that day was a founding member of MEGADETH. And, again, I don't know why there has to be so much importance on that. I know, I was there. And quickly, all those other members either scattered or were let go, and within a month or so, it was me and Dave standing next to each other — Dave and Dave of this new group called MEGADETH.
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12 ñåí 2025
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12 ñåí 2025
DEATH DEALER Sign Worldwide Deal With Massacre Records
 Massacre Records is proud to announce the worldwide signing of US-based heavy metal powerhouse, Death Dealer.
Known for their uncompromising blend of traditional heavy metal, speed, and power, Death Dealer have been setting stages ablaze around the globe since their inception. The band’s relentless energy, razor-sharp riffs, and soaring vocals have earned them a loyal following and cemented their place among the most exciting acts in today’s metal scene.
The upcoming studio album, titled Reign Of Steel, will be released in early 2026 via Massacre Records. Fans can expect a full-on assault of classic heavy metal fury, forged in steel and delivered with the trademark intensity that Death Dealer are known for.
The band comment: “Death Dealer is thrilled to have signed with Massacre Records as they have a long and storied career in high quality releases. We are very glad to have a new home for Reign Of Steel. The album signifies as strong and united front of our efforts – Power, some thrash and face melting heavy metal.”
“Reign Of Steel is a crushing piece of metal delivered by killer band,” adds Ross the Boss.
“We wrote this album while locked down in a covid- fueled dystopian reality. It allowed us hours of quality time to focus on writing and recording perhaps our finest achievement yet as a band,” states Sean Peck.
“We spent countless hours crafting this album and are very excited to get it to everyone out there. I think it might even contain the longest continuous high scream recorded…,” enthuses Stu Marshall.
Massacre Records’ CEO Thomas Hertler comments: “We are proud to welcome Death Dealer to the Massacre Records family! The band’s all-star lineup and undeniable passion for true heavy metal make them a perfect fit for our roster. Their upcoming album Reign Of Steel is a monster of a record that will thrill every fan of powerful, classic metal. The reign begins in 2026 — and it will be glorious!”
Formed in 2012 by vocalist Sean Peck (Cage, The Three Tremors), legendary guitarist Ross “The Boss” Friedman (ex-Manowar, Ross the Boss Band), and guitarist Stu Marshall (ex-Dungeon, Empires of Eden), Death Dealer quickly established themselves as a force of pure steel. With the addition of world-class musicians Mike LePond (Symphony X) on bass and Steve Bolognese (ex-Into Eternity) on drums, the lineup represents a true all-star cast of heavy metal.
The band debuted with the acclaimed album War Master (2013), followed by Hallowed Ground (2015) and Conquered Lands (2020). Each release further solidified their reputation for powerful, uncompromising metal rooted in tradition yet brimming with modern fire.
Now, with their upcoming fourth album Reign Of Steel, Death Dealer are ready to unleash their most ambitious and crushing work to date, flying the flag of true heavy metal worldwide.
More details about Reign Of Steel, including cover artwork, tracklist, and the first single, will be revealed soon. Stay tuned for updates and prepare for battle — the reign begins in 2026!
Death Dealer are:
Sean Peck – Vocals
Ross “The Boss” Friedman – Guitars
Stu Marshall – Guitars
Mike LePond – Bass
Steve Bolognese – Drums | 0 | |
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12 ñåí 2025
THE FIXER Premieres New Single “It Will End Tonight”
 Following the raw emotional power of their 2023 debut album Your Lie, released via Worm Hole Death Records, genre-defying metal outfit The Fixer returns with a new single, “It Will End Tonight”, as they gear up for a tour across five Canadian provinces with fellow Thunder Bay comrades Teknosis this coming October.
Performed live as a set closer, the single has already become a fan-favourite and now finally gets its official release. Written with live performance in mind, “It Will End Tonight” channels the band’s roots in hardcore, screamo, and punk, while weaving in their signature industrial and gothic textures. Drawing sonic inspiration from acts like Alexisonfire, Holly Springs Disaster, Rammstein, and Type O Negative, the single delivers a raw, melodic intensity that captures the cathartic energy of The Fixer’s live shows. Lyrically, the song explores the painful clarity of realizing a situation won’t change, no matter how tightly you hold on. It’s about the strength it takes to walk away when staying only causes more harm.
“We’ve always written from a heartfelt lens. This track is no exception. It’s about fighting through darkness with love, and we think fans who connect with our emotional honesty will resonate deeply with it,” says the band. The single’s artwork, created by Vicki Nerino, reflects this fiery emotional core, an elemental reinterpretation of The Fixer’s logo, inspired directly by the song’s intensity.
For fans of emotionally driven metal with theatrical flair, this tour is not to be missed. “It Will End Tonight” is just the beginning of what promises to be a transformative new chapter for The Fixer.
BraveWords is premiering the new single – listen now!
The Fixer hits the road with fellow Thunder Bay heavyweights Teknosis for the Ugly Knots Tour, a cross-Canada metal blitz that promises to be nothing short of explosive. Fans can expect new material, revived deep cuts, and the kind of emotionally charged performances that have become The Fixer’s trademark.
“Touring is something we all look forward to in The Fixer. The most rewarding part of being in a band is seeing people connect with something you’ve created, and our favourite way to do that is in the live setting. We will be heading out with fresh songs, as well as bringing a couple of songs back into the set that we haven’t played in some time. Similarly, we are excited to be playing some places we haven’t played before and some of the first places we ever played outside of our hometown,” says Vic Sin, Guitar – The Fixer
“We are incredibly pleased with our first EP, Return to Civilization. These 5 songs are the perfect introduction to the sound of Teknosis. Fans of all genres of metal will enjoy our hybrid of metal genres. We are now beyond thrilled to be bringing these songs and more on tour this October with The Fixer,” adds bassist Travis Doggett – Teknosis. | 0 | |
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12 ñåí 2025
SUPERTRAMP Founder, Lead Singer And Songwriter RICK DAVIES Dead At 81
 Classic rock legends, Supertramp, have shared the following tribute to founding, lead singer and songwriter, Rick Davies, who passed away on Saturday, September 6, 2025. Davies is responsible for writing some of the band’s biggest hits, including “Bloody Well Right,” and “Goodbye Stranger.”
Rick Davies, founder, lead singer and songwriter of Supertramp, passed away on Saturday, September 6th at the age of 81 after battling Multiple Myeloma for over 10 years.
Born in Swindon, England in 1944, Rick’s love of music began in his childhood listening to Gene Krupa’s “Drummin’ Man” which grew into a lifelong passion for jazz, blues and rock’n’roll. As co-writer, along with partner Roger Hodgson, he was the voice and pianist behind Supertramp’s most iconic songs, leaving an indelible mark on rock music history. His soulful vocals and unmistakable touch on the Wurlitzer became the heartbeat of the bands’ sound.
Beyond the stage, Rick was known for his warmth, resilience, and devotion to his wife Sue, with whom he shared over five decades. After facing serious health challenges, which kept him unable to continue touring as Supertramp, he enjoyed performing with his hometown buds as Ricky and the Rockets.
Rick’s music and legacy continue to inspire many and bears testament to the fact that great songs never die, they live on. | +1 | |
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12 ñåí 2025
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11 ñåí 2025
Watch: Ex-MEGADETH Bassist DAVID ELLEFSON Covers METALLICA's '(Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth'
 Silver Lining Music will release "No Life 'Til Leather - A Tribute To Metallica's Kill 'Em All" on November 14. The second single from the all-star compilation is former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson's monumental cover of METALLICA's instrumental epic "(Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth".
Ellefson comments: "It was a total honor to be asked to participate in this album, especially to record the iconic bass composition '(Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth' by the one and only Cliff Burton [late METALLICA bassist]. I was able to borrow one of Cliff's Aria Pro signature bass guitars and signature Morley fuzz/wah pedal for the session to replicate his sharp-yet-thunderous tone he created on the original recording. It is my hope that this homage will highlight Cliff's larger-than-life personality and that his music will always live on through this unique and iconic song he gave to the world."
Ellefson and Dave Mustaine formed MEGADETH in 1983, after Mustaine got kicked out of METALLICA. METALLICA recruited Kirk Hammett and went on to record its debut album, "Kill 'Em All", later that year, while Ellefson and Mustaine began work on MEGADETH's first LP, "Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good!"
During a 2019 ALTITUDES & ATTITUDE conversation with moderator Ryan J. Downey at the MI Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Ellefson was asked if Burton was an inspiration on his bass playing during MEGADETH's formative years. Ellefson responded: " I met Dave [Mustaine] in June of 1983. He had just left METALLICA literally not more than eight weeks before that, in April. So I didn't know anything about METALLICA, didn't know who Dave was, heard nothing about Cliff Burton — knew nothing about it, coming from the Midwest. And I didn't know anything about Cliff. And because the only recording Dave had of METALLICA was 'No Life 'Til Leather', and that had another bass player on it named Ron McGovney. So when we did a cover of 'Mechanix', I played Ron McGovney's basslines."
He continued: "Really, quite honestly, my METALLICA bass player was Ron, believe it or not, and I kind of modeled what we did off of that 'No Life 'Til Leather' demo. And I remember the day when 'Kill 'Em All' and we sat… There was complete silence in the room, and we sat and we listened to the album. And the differences — tempos were pulled back. And obviously the bass solo, 'Anesthesia'. That was really my first experience hearing Cliff. And at that point, we were two months into… MEGADETH was well on its way.
"So, long answer to your short question is I didn't really have an influence [from Cliff]… That was not where my influence came from. And quite honestly, growing up in a rural area of Minnesota, bass players in rock and roll were cool, but when I started hearing some jazz players… Those guys were more of my influence, along with Steve Harris [IRON MAIDEN] and Geddy Lee [RUSH] and Ian Hill [JUDAS PRIEST] and the metal guys. But, for me, I went more into the jazz world… But those were the things that I brought in, and I think that made, me and Dave, our participation together with the MEGADETH sound something that was… And even then with Gar Samuelson and Chris Poland — they were jazz-fusion musicians. We really had a very different sound — different even from ANTHRAX, from METALLICA, from SLAYER — a very different sound. And I think that probably is what sort of set us apart as our own pillar of the 'Big Four.'"
The first single from "No Life 'Til Leather - A Tribute To Metallica's Kill 'Em All" was THE ALMIGHTY's blistering, full-throttle cover of METALLICA's legendary "The Four Horsemen", THE ALMIGHTY's first recorded work with their founding lineup since 1991, chosen by the band as both a nod to their roots and a declaration of intent.
THE ALMIGHTY guitarist Ricky Warwick commented: "'The Four Horsemen' by METALLICA got us back into the studio with the original lineup for the first time since 1991… Unbelievable.
"When the opportunity presented itself, it was really a no-brainer. METALLICA has been a huge influence for us. It was a bit nerve-racking because we had not been in the studio for such a long time. We did the whole thing in a day and a half with as much power and passion as you would expect from THE ALMIGHTY. It is such a powerful track. I think it turned out great, make sure you turn it up really, really loud!"
Watch THE ALMIGHTY's video for the band's cover of "The Four Horsemen", edited by Freakshot Film, below.
"No Life 'Til Leather - A Tribute To Metallica's Kill 'Em All" is a colossal celebration of the most propulsive debut album in heavy metal history, reimagined by the legends who inspired it and the generations that came in its wake!
The veteran likes of SAXON, DIAMOND HEAD and MOTÖRHEAD — three of METALLICA's favorite bands — are joined by rising stars such as TAILGUNNER and Swedish prog metallers SOEN to create a who's who of heavy music, with each performer lending their unique sound to one classic track. Contributions from thrash giants TESTAMENT, ex-MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson and New Wave Of British Heavy Metal linchpins TYGERS OF PAN TANG show the label looking beyond their own artists to amass the greatest lineup possible. Joining the superstar lineup are the legendary RAVEN (closing with the thundering anthemic "Metal Militia") who were part of METALLICA's first-ever tour, 1983's famous "Kill 'Em All For One" venture.
"No Life 'Til Leather - A Tribute To Metallica's Kill 'Em All" is an ambitious achievement worthy of METALLICA's game-changing legacy. By the fans and for the fans, it reaffirms the Four Horsemen's ironclad status — and its stacked roster continues the band's mission to shove metal up your ass.
"No Life 'Til Leather - A Tribute To Metallica's Kill 'Em All" will be available on vinyl, CD, and digital formats.
"No Life 'Til Leather - A Tribute To Metallica's Kill 'Em All" track listing:
01. Hit The Lights - TAILGUNNER
02. The Four Horsemen - THE ALMIGHTY
03. Motorbreath - SOEN
04. Jump In The Fire - TYGERS OF PAN TANG
05. (Anesthesia - Pulling Teeth - DAVID ELLEFSON
06. Whiplash - MOTÖRHEAD
07. Phantom Lord - SAXON
08. No Remorse - DIAMOND HEAD
09. Seek & Destroy - TESTAMENT
10. Metal Militia - RAVEN
DIAMOND HEAD's version of METALLICA's "No Remorse" was originally included on a reimagined and re-recorded version of DIAMOND HEAD's "Lightning To The Nations" album, which was released in 2020 via Silver Lining Music.
"I wanted to cover a song from METALLICA's debut album, 'Kill 'Em All'," DIAMOND HEAD guitarist Brian Tatler explained, "partly because METALLICA covered songs from DIAMOND HEAD's debut album 'Lightning To The Nations' and it felt like things have come full circle to me. None of the band members knew how to play any of the songs from 'Kill 'Em All', and I eventually decided we should all learn 'No Remorse'. Then when we got into the rehearsal room, we played 'No Remorse' and immediately it just sounded great; it was very 'DIAMOND HEAD' and it really suited us as a band. Of the four covers we ended up doing, 'No Remorse' sounded the best straight away. I've seen METALLICA live over twenty times and they don't play 'No Remorse' very often, but it's always great when they do."
Back in December 2011, SAXON's Biff Byford joined METALLICA on stage for the first of four intimate shows at the 1,200-capacity Fillmore in San Francisco as part of the week-long celebration of its 30th anniversary as a band for fan club members only. The iconic metal vocalist performed the SAXON classic "Motorcycle Man" with METALLICA.
It wasn't the first time Biff and METALLICA had surprised their fans with a live rendition of the song: in 2009, Byford joined the San Francisco heavy metal giants in Paris, at Palais Omnisport de Bercy.
METALLICA's second-ever gig was opening for SAXON, and Biff has been a longtime friend of the California band; like many other seminal bands of the genre, METALLICA always recognized SAXON as one of their main influences.
When METALLICA played Sheffield Arena on February 28, 2009, they invited as VIP guests former SAXON members Graham Oliver and Steve Dawson.
There has always been a strong link between the pioneering MOTÖRHEAD and mighty METALLICA. A unique bond of friendship between the two has stood over the decades, with METALLICA even playing Lemmy's 50th birthday party in 1995. In turn, MOTÖRHEAD have paid homage to some of METALLICA's finest compositions, even winning a Grammy Award for their cover of "Whiplash" in 2004.
METALLICA paid tribute to MOTÖRHEAD frontman Lemmy on its 2016 album "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct", which came out less than a year after the iconic rocker's death.
Shortly after Lemmy's passing, METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich penned a lengthy tribute to the MOTÖRHEAD mainman in which looked back on the influence Lemmy had not just on METALLICA but also on him personally.
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11 ñåí 2025
METALLICA Shares Pro-Shot Video Of 'Master Of Puppets' Performance From Intimate Club Concert In Amagansett, New York
 On August 28, METALLICA performed an exclusive live show at Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, New York for SiriusXM to celebrate the launch of the band's new year-round channel Maximum Metallica.
The special concert featured the band performing fan favorites, including "Master Of Puppets", "Enter Sandman", "Fade To Black" and more. In the middle of the show, METALLICA's Robert Trujillo and Kirk Hammett honored Ozzy Osbourne by playing "Crazy Train".
Special VIPs in the audience included Howard and Beth Stern, Paul and Nancy McCartney, Andy Cohen, Colin Jost, Heidi Gardner, Michael J. Fox, Ed Burns, Chris Jericho, Maria Menounos, Sylvester Stallone, Chad Smith and more.
Professionally filmed video of the "Master Of Puppets" performance from the Amagansett concert can be seen below.
Maximum Metallica launched on August 29 on channel 42 and on the SiriusXM app, and is available for free in all SiriusXM-equipped vehicles through the month of September, giving non-subscribers a chance to experience the human-curated, premium service.
METALLICA's exclusive performance in celebration of the channel, recorded live at Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, New York, premiered on September 1. The one-of-a-kind show brought the intensity and power of METALLICA's stadium-filling "M72" world tour to one of the most intimate settings they have played in decades, for a lucky audience of SiriusXM subscribers.
METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich broke the news of the concert during an appearance on August 6 on SiriusXM's "The Howard Stern Show".
METALLICA at Stephen Talkhouse setlist:
01. Creeping Death
02. For Whom The Bell Tolls
03. Wherever I May Roam
04. Kirk And Rob Doodle (Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train")
05. Fuel
06. Fade To Black
07. Sad But True
08. The Unforgiven
09. Whiskey In The Jar
10. Nothing Else Matters
11. Seek & Destroy
12. One
13. Master Of Puppets
14. Enter Sandman
Formed in 1981 by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich and including guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo, METALLICA has become one of the most influential and successful rock bands in history, selling nearly 125 million albums worldwide and generating more than 17 billion streams while playing to millions of fans on all seven continents — more than 1.3 million of whom belong to the band's fiercely loyal and consistently growing Fifth Member fan club. METALLICA's catalog of multi-platinum studio albums includes "Kill 'Em All", "Ride The Lightning", "Master Of Puppets", "…And Justice For All", "Metallica" (commonly referred to as The Black Album),"Load", "Reload", "St. Anger", "Death Magnetic", "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" and most recently, the Grammy-winning "72 Seasons", released April 14, 2023, on the band's own Blackened Recordings label. METALLICA's awards and accolades include nine Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, multiple MTV Video Music Awards, a 2009 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and Sweden's Polar Music Prize.
In 2017, METALLICA established its foundation All Within My Hands, to give back to communities that have supported the band. Since its inception, All Within My Hands' collective efforts have raised more than $20 million. The foundation has provided $11.4 million in grants for workforce education, $7.4 million to fight hunger globally, and $5.2 million donated to critical local services worldwide.
SiriusXM is going full throttle with the addition of Maximum Metallica, a new full-time channel dedicated to one of the most celebrated rock bands of all time. "The Most Metallica Anywhere," the exclusive channel delivers continued access to METALLICA's expansive catalog — from mega hits and deep cuts to live shows and behind-the-scenes stories straight from the band. Additionally, fans can expect rare recordings, exclusive interviews, and surprises curated by the bandmembers themselves. Whether you're a lifelong fan or a recent addition to the METALLICA family, this is your front-row seat to all things METALLICA.
METALLICA's performance was the latest in a series of special concerts SiriusXM has presented at Stephen Talkhouse. Artists who have previously performed for SiriusXM listeners at the famed Hamptons music venue include Brandi Carlile, COLDPLAY, Dave Matthews, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll, THE KILLERS and MUMFORD & SONS. | +1 | |
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11 ñåí 2025
Watch: GODSMACK's SULLY ERNA Covers METALLICA, ALICE IN CHAINS, LED ZEPPELIN, THE BEATLES At Uncasville Concert
 On September 6, GODSMACK frontman Sully Erna played a solo concert with special guests as part of the Mohegan Sun "Sun Patio Concert Series" at Sun Patio at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Sully's setlist was as follows:
01. Asleep (GODSMACK song)
02. Time (PINK FLOYD cover)
03. Sinner's Prayer
04. No Quarter (LED ZEPPELIN cover)
05. Touché (GODSMACK song)
06. Don't Comfort Me
07. Nothing Else Matters (METALLICA cover)
08. Keep Away (GODSMACK song)
09. Serenity (GODSMACK song)
10. Under Your Scars (GODSMACK song)
11. Bulletproof (GODSMACK song)
12. Man In The Box (ALICE IN CHAINS cover)
13. Come Together (THE BEATLES cover)
14. Long Train Runnin' (THE DOOBIE BROTHERS cover)
Fan-filmed video of the entire concert can be seen in the YouTube playlist below. (Note: After each song, the YouTube player automatically jumps to the next song in the playlist.)
This past April, GODSMACK confirmed the departure of the band's longtime drummer Shannon Larkin and guitarist Tony Rombola. In a statement at the time, Erna said that Rombola and Larkin "decided to retire from the band permanently, on good terms, but for no other reason than to fulfill their desire to live a more simple and quiet life away from touring."
He added: "Their departure marks the end of an era, but it also opens the door for new and exciting possibilities. We want to assure you that Shannon and Tony will always be part of our family, and their contributions will forever echo in our music. We respect their decisions and support them wholeheartedly as they pursue their own individual paths.
"Robbie [Merrill, GODSMACK bassist] and I are also excited to explore new directions, and although we have not made any permanent decisions about who may replace Tony and Shannon, we will be continuing this journey together, and we look forward to sharing the decisions we make with all of you as they happen.
GODSMACK kicked off its 2025 European tour on March 22 at Arena 8888 in Sofia, Bulgaria.
The day before the Sofia concert, Erna told Elena Rozberg of Bulgaria's Z-Rock radio station that "personal things" were preventing Tony and Shannon from taking part in the trek and explained that "a couple of guest musicians" — drummer Will Hunt of EVANESCENCE and guitarist Sam Koltun of DOROTHY — were playing with GODSMACK while he and Merrill were " trying to figure out exactly what's happening".
In a since-deleted video shared on Facebook, Larkin addressed his absence from GODSMACK's tour, saying: "Well, there's been lots of speculation about [why Tony and I are not on the road].
"First of all, I just wanna thank everybody for the outpouring of texts, all my family and friends. I'm okay. Tony's okay. But we did quit the band last year, after lots of talking to Sully and Robbie. And they understood that we didn't wanna tour anymore — that's the reason — and we understood that they wanted to tour. And so we understood each other. And in the end, GODSMACK's out there touring and we are happily here living our lives.
"Tony turned 60. I'm 58. Look, it's not a physical thing. We wanna be home with everything that we love.
"[It's been] 40 years — think of that; 40 years I've been touring. 28 years for Rombola. And we're getting a little older, so we decided to quit it. And that's it.
"But thanks. And we love you all, the fans and everything.
"This wasn't a bad thing, and I know it looks like it, but I will talk more about it in the future. But it's all love. We're brothers for life with Sully and Robbie, and we wish Will and Sam the best. And all the fans, keep going [to the shows]. They're kicking fucking ass.
"As Sully said at the very end, all good things must come to an end. So GODSMACK didn't come to an end — it's just a new chapter for them — and it's certainly a new chapter for Tony and I. And we're already making music, and everybody's happy. So be happy, people."
Larkin joined GODSMACK in 2002 after cutting his teeth with WRATHCHILD (later WRATCHILD AMERICA and SOULS AT ZERO) before getting picked up by UGLY KID JOE in time for a taste of their zenith.
Tony had been the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for GODSMACK since the mid-1990s following the departure of Lee Richards.
GODSMACK's spring 2025 European tour featured support from P.O.D. and DROWNING POOL.
The 14-date trek ended on April 12 in Oberhausen, Germany.
GODSMACK's latest album, "Lighting Up The Sky", was released in February 2023 via BMG. The LP was co-produced by Erna and Andrew "Mudrock" Murdock (AVENGED SEVENFOLD, ALICE COOPER).
The first single from "Lighting Up The Sky", "Surrender", which arrived in September 2022, marked the first release from GODSMACK in four years, following their globally acclaimed and gold-certified 2018 album "When Legends Rise", which earned the Erna-fronted outfit a No. 1 spot across U.S. Hard Rock, Rock, and Alternative album charts.
The voice of Godsmack is returning to Mohegan Sun! Don't miss Sully Erna at the Sun Patio on September 6th.
🎫 Tickets on sale now at https://bit.ly/4izVbJ7
Posted by Mohegan Sun on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 | +1 | |
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11 ñåí 2025
DARKTRIBE To Release Power/Prog Album Forgotten Reveries In November
 Darktribe will release the new album Forgotten Reveries on November 21 through Scarlet Records.
The fourth studio album from the cult progressive power metal act, Forgotten Reveries embodies the sonic and lyrical essence of the very own Darktribe universe.
Join the French band in this whirlwind of catchy riffs and captivating rhythms, an essential call to arms for all fans of swirling, dynamic and melodic prog power metal. Forgotten Reveries explores themes such as fear, solitude, childhood, the journey of life, family, and the cultural heritage unique to each human being.
Powerful, modern and forward-thinking, this record will immerse you in a world where time makes you lose your mind and humanity is left to its own devices.
Mixed and mastered by Simone Mularoni at Domination Studios (Wind Rose, Vision Divine, Twilight Force), Forgotten Reveries will be released in the following formats:
– jewel case CD
– digital
Preorder here.
Cover art by Baptiste Araujo:
Tracklisting:
“Paradox”
“I Walk Alone”
“The Fallen World”
“Sicilian Danza”
“Ghost Memories”
“Eden And Eclipse”
“From Star To Dust”
“Reality”
“Kings In The Sand”
“Mornings Of Fear”
“Son Of Illusion”
Darktribe:
Anthony Agnello – vocals
Loïc Manuello – guitars, keyboards
Bruno Caprani – bass
Guillaume Morero – drums | 0 | |
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11 ñåí 2025
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA Releases New Single And Video 'So Low'
 THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA — Mike Hranica (vocals),Jeremy DePoyster (guitar, clean vocals),Kyle Sipress (guitar),Jonathan Gering (keys, synths, programming, percussion) and Giuseppe Capolupo (drums) — will unleash its ninth album, "Flowers", on November 14 via Solid State Records. Today, they share the video for new single "So Low". Watch it below.
The "So Low" clip is comprised of clips captured during THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA's recent headline tour of Latin America. It's a montage of footage, some of which was shot on Super8 film and giving the video a specific point of view and an almost "vintage" bird's eye view.
Regarding the song, Hranica explains: "To me, 'So Low' is almost fighting the mundane, when everything feels flat or meaningless. You just want to set it all on fire and blow it up to get a reaction. It's about chasing that rush, even if it leaves you feeling worse in the end. The song comes from that place of frustration, when you're desperate to feel alive no matter the cost."
As for the accompanying visual, he elaborates: "I love that we are able to capture Latin American cityscapes and habitation. It was a long time in the works to head back to places we hadn't been in a long time, and I think it adds something extra to the aesthetic of 'So Low'. Visuals that we've never incorporated, different than what's often seen stateside — all in all, it's a nod to our loyal listeners across Mexico and South America."
"Flowers" marks the start of an incredibly epic cycle and phase for THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA. The global touring scheduling finds the band playing some of the biggest shows of its career. They just wrapped the "Summer Of Loud" tour, which packed amphitheaters through the summer. Additionally, the single "For You" is the band's first-ever track to chart on both the Mediabase and Billboard Active Rock charts.
"Flowers" track listing:
01. That Same Place
02. Where The Flowers Never Grow
03. Everybody Knows
04. So Low
05. For You
06. All Out
07. Ritual
08. When You're Gone
09. The Sky Behind The Rain
10. The Silence
11. Eyes
12. Cure Me
13. Wave
14. My Paradise
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA has a slew of international tour dates on deck, including dates in Australia with BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE; headline shows in South Africa; and a trek across Europe with ICE NINE KILLS and CREEPER. The band will also appear at Warped Tour in Orlando on November 15-16. The band will embark on the Emo's Not Dead cruise in January as well.
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA have always explored life's extremes in their music. They've never shied away from staring down darkness, dealing with depression, making sense of confusion, soothing anxiety, or grappling with faith, existence, and death. At the same time, they've mirrored life's ups and downs by alternating between crushing heaviness and heart-wrenching melodies. After over two decades of making music, their union as bandmates — but more importantly as friends — is stronger than ever. All of this time and experience ultimately empowered the group to make a statement on their ninth full-length offering, "Flowers" (Solid State). Matching bold themes with equally bold songs, they process grief, weather struggle, and not only heal together, but creatively blossom like never before.
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA have always been there for audiences. Among a string of seminal releases, Revolver readers named "With Roots Above And Branches Below" (2009) one of the "Five Greatest Metalcore Albums", the "Zombie" EP (2010) and "Dead Throne" (2011) each debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, and 2021's "ZII" marked their sixth straight Top 5 entry on the Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums chart. They have also tallied nearly a half a billion streams — unprecedented for most acts this heavy. The group elevated to another stratosphere with "Color Decay" (2022),selling out their biggest shows worldwide and receiving some of the highest praise of its career.
During 2024, the musicians decamped to a VRBO in Rodgers, Arkansas for three weeks where they constructed the foundation for the LP, with Jonathan Gering (keys, synths, programming, percussion) again at the helm as producer. Following their time "in this heavenly corner of Arkansas," Jon, Jeremy and Mike Hranica (vocals) took a handful of trips to Los Angeles. Putting the finishing touches on recording, the guys collaborated with Tyler Smyth (I PREVAIL, FALLING IN REVERSE),Austin Coupe (LØ SPIRIT, MOODRING),Colin Brittain (LINKIN PARK, PAPA ROACH),FIT FOR A KING's Bobby Lynge, and Marshall Gallagher of TEENAGE WRIST. They also enlisted "Color Decay" collaborator Sam Guaiana as an engineer and tapped Zakk Cervini (BRING ME THE HORIZON, SPIRITBOX) for mixing and mastering.
Photo credit: Wyatt Clough | 0 | |
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11 ñåí 2025
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11 ñåí 2025
WARRIOR SOUL To Release New Album In January 2026; KORY CLARKE's Memoir Due Next Year
 In a new interview with Dawn Osborne of TotalRock, WARRIOR SOUL frontman Kory Clarke confirmed that he is working on the band's new album. The upcoming LP will be the follow-up to "Out On Bail", which arrived in March 2022 via Livewire/Cargo Records UK. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We have a new record coming out in January. It's gonna be called 'Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em'."
Regarding the lyrical inspiration for his new album, Kory said: "Well, there's a song about real estate. There's a song about A.I., there's a song about assholes. There's a song about various things. It's not your typical rock record, that's for sure."
Asked what is different about WARRIOR SOUL's upcoming LP, Kory said: "It just doesn't follow any genres. It's WARRIOR SOUL rock. Who knows what it's gonna sound like?"
Clarke also confirmed that he is working on a memoir. "I've been writing a book, because it seems like you've gotta do a book now," he said. "And some people have requested I do a book, so I'm doing a book which will incorporate my paintings and all that stuff. It'll be kind of my life story but done in vignettes of things that happened. It's gonna be funny, it'll be sad, it'll be whatever."
Asked when his book will be released, Kory said: "Please don't ask. Doing a book is brutal, man. Even doing a record is brutal. I'd rather be in my pool and chilling out. So that's what I like to do."
He added: "It'll come out next year. I wanna just — bang! — do it. It doesn't have to be really long. It could be sort of like Iggy Pop's first book, just short, like five stories, whatever, where he grew up and then a couple pictures. I don't know. But I wanna get it out next year, because we've got new booking agents in Europe. We're booking festivals next year in the summer. We're doing a really strong tour in Germany and Benelux in January to coincide with the new record, 'Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em'. And I need to have a book out. And then hopefully the idea is to sell it for a film."
WARRIOR SOUL currently consists of Clarke, guitarists Rille Lundell and Parker Barrow, bassist Christian Kimmett and drummer Iván Tambac.
Shortly before its arrival, "Out On Bail" was described in a press release as "a statement of considerable intent" from Clarke, who is "one of rock 'n' roll's most prolific, prophetic and controversial songwriters." The LP was produced by Clarke, with additional production by Dennis Post. It was mixed and mastered by Rune Buck.
WARRIOR SOUL released a trio of albums on the Geffen major label during the '90s, beginning with its classic 1990 debut, "Last Decade Dead Century".
Having initially split in 1995 following the release of "The Space Age Playboys", WARRIOR SOUL was resurrected in 2007 by Clarke, who has issued several albums since: "Destroy The War Machine" (2008),"Stiff Middle Finger" (2012),"Back On The Lash" (2017),"Rock 'N' Roll Disease" (2019),"Cocaine And Other Good Stuff" (2020) and "Out On Bail". | 0 | |
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Testament
