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FAITH NO MORE Could Be Teasing 2027 Return To Live Stage

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 15:42:38 +0000

FAITH NO MORE is teasing a possible return to the live stage for next year. Earlier today (Tuesday, June 16), the California influential alt-metal act shared an image to its social media channels featuring the FAITH NO MORE eight-pointed star logo and "2027" super-imposed over a picture of a live crowd. Last October, FAITH NO MORE keyboardist Roddy Bottum was asked by Greg Prato of Alternative Nation if he would consider playing shows again with his bandmates. He responded: "I don't think so. No." Pressed for a reason for his reluctance to reunite with the rest of the band, which scrapped all of its previously announced fall 2021 performances more than four years ago, saying singer Mike Patton was unable to perform as hoped due to mental health issues, partially exacerbated by the pandemic, Roddy explained: "It's not just me. I don't think anyone's sort of up for it at this point. We had a bunch of shows that we were gonna play, and they got canceled, just for various reasons. But I don't think the course that we were on has fixed itself. I just don't see it happening again, honestly. I think we did a really good job. We played a bunch of reunion tours, and I think we did what we kind of set out to do. So I don't think anyone's upset about it or anything. But I mean, for sure, getting back together would mean a big paycheck, but I think all of us are pretty good with what we did, sort of just, like, artistically with the band and committing to ourselves and playing with each other. I think we're all pretty good with the decisions that we've made up to now, and I don't see what could really happen more getting back together and doing more shows." FAITH NO MORE, which hasn't played a concert since 2016, initially reunited for touring purposes in 2009, 12 years after issuing its previous studio set, "Album Of The Year", and followed that up with 2015's "Sol Invictus" album. Asked by Alternative Nation what he recalled about FAITH NO MORE's reunion shows, Bottum said: "When we did the first reunion tour, we had broken up for like… almost 15 years. And it was kind of, like, I used to have dreams when I was younger — I get to school and, 'Oh my God, I forgot to study for the test.' And then the test is right then, and I'm, like, 'Oh my God, I'm gonna fail.' At some point after FAITH NO MORE broke up, I kept having these dreams that I would show up, 'Oh my God. FAITH NO MORE was doing a reunion tour, and I forgot to learn the songs.' It became this thing that sort of replaced that dream scenario for me. So, I kept having these dreams. That was a nightmare I kept having. And then we structured a whole tour and learned the songs and played the songs and did the tour, and it's, like, I was able to address that nightmare in a real, actual physical sense. And I think it was key in moving forward in my life in some weird way. Plus, it was just really fun. Billy [Gould, FAITH NO MORE bassist] and I have been friends since we were, like — I don't know — nine or 10 years old. So, it was fun to sort of tap back into that friendship and just hang out." In April 2025, FAITH NO MORE drummer Mike Bordin addressed the band's status in an interview with the "Let There Be Talk" podcast with rock and roll comedian Dean Delray. He said at the time: "All I can say is, and I think I do want this to be on the record, actually — because we don't promote ourselves, we don't talk about ourselves, and that's, that's really been to our detriment. But we'd been rehearsing for six months for these dates [in September/October 2021]. We'd been rehearsing instrumentally and we incredibly sounded phenomenal. I mean, the bass player said, 'I've never heard us sound this good. This is how these songs sounded in my mind.' And we've never gotten that on album, on live, whatever. I mean, we were ready, we were prepared. And it came to pass that when the gear was in the truck, when it was rolling to Chicago, 36 hours before we were supposed to be on stage, and our guy [Mike Patton] doesn't show for the rehearsal, the one rehearsal that we're gonna do. And we go to go see him and see what's going on. 'What the hell's going on here? Our gear's rolling already to the gig.' And it was very clear that he was unable at that point to physically do it. We made the decision that, 'Look, we've gotta support our guy.' It's gonna be a shit storm canceling fucking 75 shows, but none of us wants to be the guy that breaks his back and forces him to do something that he's not in the position to be able to do. It wasn't even an argument. The only argument was, 'How the fuck did we logistically do this? Because we have to.' I mean, we did support him in our way, and whether that's perceived or not is beyond — I can't control it. So we pull these shows and just wait to see. Hopefully things are better, and try to find out what we can around the edges. But ultimately shows get started to get booked with another band," referencing Patton's sporadic appearances with his long-running avant-garde/thrash band MR. BUNGLE in the last four years, "and that's continued to this day. So it's my take, my position, my statement on it is that he's gone from being unable to do the shows to clearly being unwilling to do shows with us. And that's heavy. That's a big difference. That's a big difference. And we haven't really had much dialogue on it." Bordin continued: "It doesn't feel great to me. It honestly kind of hurts my feelings a little bit, but that's personal. That's a private thing. It's business. We were never gonna force somebody to do something that they weren't able to do. And now, as I say, it looks like it's more really about being willing to do it." Bordin clarified that he was "grateful for what [Patton has] given to us. I mean, we're blessed to have been blessed by such a gigantic, enormous talent," he said. "And the future? I don't know. Will he be willing to do stuff or not? It's not for me to say. "I tell my kids a lot of times, especially when they were young, it's, like, appreciate what you have and don't really trip on what you don't have," the drummer continued. "So I'm grateful for the time we had with [former FAITH NO MORE guitarist] Jim [Martin]. I'm grateful for the time we have with [former FAITH NO MORE singer] Chuck [Mosley]. I'm grateful for the time even we had with [former FAITH NO MORE member] Courtney [Love] 'cause we learned from all of it. And certainly am I grateful for the time with Mike Patton? Yeah, because my life would be very different without it. But I can't force him to do something that he, from where I'm sitting, doesn't seem to wanna do. That's all I can say. And I don't wanna be controversial. I'm not looking for a fucking headline — I'm really not. I'm just trying to tell you sort of what it looks like from here." In January 2025, Gould was asked by Chile's Radio Futuro what is going on with the band at the moment. He responded: "I don't know. I honestly don't know. And you don't have to believe me, but there's nothing… Right now we're in a really weird spot, a really strange spot, and I can't really tell you what's going on. I don't know myself. I get different information from people, and I'm in the band, so…" When the interviewer suggested that Gould "calls the shots" in FAITH NO MORE, Bill replied: "Uh, not really. If I did, probably we'd be playing in Chile next week. [Laughs]" In October 2024, Bottum said that FAITH NO MORE was on "semi-permanent hiatus". After FAITH NO MORE canceled its fall 2021 performances, the other members of the band issued a statement expressing their disappointment about the tour cancelation while also throwing their support behind Patton. In a 2022 interview with The Guardian, Patton revealed he developed agoraphobia and depression during lockdown, and started drinking heavily. "Because I was isolated so much, going outside was a hard thing to do," he said, "and that's a horrible thing. And the idea of doing more FAITH NO MORE shows — it was stressful. It affected me mentally. I don't know why, but the drinking just… happened." Patton didn't return to the stage until December 2022, when MR. BUNGLE played six shows in South America. In July 2022, Patton discussed the mental health issues which caused the cancelation of FAITH NO MORE and MR. BUNGLE's live appearances in an interview with Rolling Stone. At the time he said: "It's easy to blame it on the pandemic. But I'll be honest, man: At the beginning of the pandemic, I was like, 'This is fucking great. I can stay home and record.' I've got a home studio. So I was like, 'Yeah, what's the big deal?' And then something clicked, and I became completely isolated and almost antisocial [and] afraid of people. That sort of anxiety, or whatever you want to call it, led to other issues, which I choose not to discuss." Asked to elaborate on the "other issues" that led to the cancelations and whether that included "substances" and "alcohol", Patton said: "It was a little bit of everything. But mostly, in my experience, it was mostly mental. I saw some therapists and all that stuff, which is the first time I ever had to do that in my life. And they basically diagnosed me as having agoraphobia; like, I was afraid of people. I got freaked out by being around people. And maybe that was because I spent two years basically indoors during Covid. I don't know. Maybe it reinforced feelings that I already had. But just knowing about it, talking about it, really helped." Mike said that he realized he had a problem "right around the time that FAITH NO MORE was about to go back on the road. That's when I kind of lost it, and it was ugly and not cool," he said. "A few days before we were supposed to go on the road. I told the guys, 'Hey, man, I don't think I can do it.' Somehow my confidence was broken down. I didn't want to be in front of people, which is weird because I spent half of my life doing that. It was very hard to explain. And there were some broken feelings on both sides about it, but it's what I had to do. Because otherwise something really bad could have happened… It was right before our first rehearsal, and I just freaked out. I just said, 'I can't do it.' They had been rehearsing so [pauses] if I were them I'd be really pissed off at me. And they were. And they probably still are. But it's just about being true to yourself and knowing what your limits are. And I knew that if I kept pushing, it could have been some sort of disastrous result. It was just like, 'Goddamn it. Maybe I don't need to do this. Even though I agreed to do it, and it's gonna bum a lot of people out. I gotta take care of myself.' So I'm getting better at that." As for where things stood with FAITH NO MORE as of July 2022, Patton told Rolling Stone: "Radio silence. [Laughs]. I don't know. We may reschedule stuff; we may not. I'll just leave it at that. It's a little confusing and complicated. So if we do, we do. If we don't, that's cool, too." Photo credit: Jimmy Hubbard (courtesy of Speakeasy PR)

From Hell I Rise (Extended Deluxe Edition)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 15:31:35 +0000

First released two years ago, Kerry King's debut solo album arguably deserved more attention than it received. Vicious, aggressive and fully in keeping with the music that SLAYER made on their final few albums, it was exactly what most of us expected: in the best possible way. King's refusal to sit around and wait for his former bandmates to leap into action made perfect sense, and thanks to the backroom continuity of having Paul Bostaph on drums, "From Hell I Rise" was as close to an authentic follow-up to 2015's "Repentless" as we are ever likely to get. In truth, the songs on King's solo debut were significantly more exciting than anything SLAYER had been offering for some years, and while it is questionable whether there is a real need for this expanded, "deluxe" edition to exist, it does give latecomers a second opportunity to embrace King's new era. When it comes to evil riffs and bug-eyed hostility, KERRY KING wrote the rulebook. "From Hell I Rise" is a nails hard and gloriously gnarly metal record that has the guitarist's personality etched into its skin. Songs like "Where I Reign", "Idle Hands" and "Shrapnel" bring a grittiness and hardcore-like simplicity to the SLAYER formula, as an endless succession of killer riffs collides with the feral energy generated by a hand-picked lineup of badasses, ex-MACHINE HEAD guitarist Phil Demmel and ex-HELLYEAH bassist Kyle Sanders included. But the real star of the show is frontman Mark Osegueda. Always one of thrash metal's most dynamic vocalists, the DEATH ANGEL man's performance on "From Hell I Rise" is nothing short of revelatory. A monstrous display of power and personality, his scabrous tirades elevate these songs to a higher level of intensity. From the ominous "Trophies Of The Tyrant" to the psychotic outburst of "Everything I Hate About You", Osegueda's vocals are more than equal to King's imperious riffing, while also cementing the idea that this is a real band, and not just some indulgent sidestep. It may take some effort to persuade fans that "From Hell I Rise" is worth buying a second time, but there are at least a handful of intriguing bonus tracks here to soften the financial blow. This is a glimpse into King's creative process, demo versions of five of the album's songs are presented here, each with the man himself providing vocals. Not surprisingly, King is really good at shouting his head off and sounds brilliantly pissed off throughout. Whether alternative versions of "Crucifixation" and "From Hell I Rise" truly justify the price of another admission is open to debate, but if the prospect of Kerry King singing doesn't interest you, you should probably relinquish your heavy metal license. A solid stopgap to keep us entertained until King stops being distracted by SLAYER shows and makes another record, "From Hell I Rise" will still smash your face in, expanded or not.

VIVIAN CAMPBELL Records New SWEET SAVAGE Songs For First Time In Nearly 45 Years

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 15:25:42 +0000

DEF LEPPARD guitarist Vivian Campbell has reunited with his former bandmates in SWEET SAVAGE to record new music for the first time in almost 45 years, SWEET SAVAGE frontman Ray Haller revealed exclusively to Eonmusic's Eamon O'Neill. Speaking backstage at last weekend's Download festival, Haller confirmed that Campbell has recorded two brand new songs with the Belfast heavy metal pioneers, marking the guitarist's first studio contribution to SWEET SAVAGE since his departure in 1982. Campbell, who went on to achieve international success with DIO, WHITESNAKE and DEF LEPPARD, remains close friends with Haller and has become involved in an upcoming archival project celebrating the band's formative years. "Universal want to put out all the old stuff, so we're going to," Haller told Eonmusic. "We've gone through all these tapes and all these recordings from the '80s. Then Viv and I came up with the idea, 'Why don't we do two new ones?' So we recorded two new songs, and they're ready to rock and roll." The recordings will accompany a collection of previously unreleased and rare SWEET SAVAGE material from the band's classic era. According to Haller, the project will showcase the quality of the group's early songwriting and recordings, which helped establish them as one of the most respected bands of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal movement. While the new songs had initially been earmarked for release this year, scheduling commitments have pushed the project back. Campbell's touring obligations with DEF LEPPARD have left little room for promotion, prompting the band to target an early 2027 release instead. "We think it would be more advantageous to hold it until the start of next year," Haller explained. "The two new songs are absolutely amazing. It's Viv, and it's the Viv that we know." The announcement represents a remarkable full-circle moment for SWEET SAVAGE. Campbell co-founded the Belfast outfit alongside Haller as a teenager, helping to forge a sound that would later influence generations of metal musicians. Although his tenure with the band was brief, his guitar work on early recordings became a defining part of the group's legacy. SWEET SAVAGE's influence was further cemented when METALLICA recorded a cover of "Killing Time" as the B-side to 1991's "The Unforgiven" single. Haller has long credited that endorsement with introducing the band to a global audience and helping revive interest in SWEET SAVAGE years after their initial split. The guitarist's return comes as SWEET SAVAGE continues to enjoy a resurgence following the release of their acclaimed 2025 album "Bang", while also preparing a comprehensive retrospective of their early recordings. For fans of both SWEET SAVAGE and Campbell's celebrated career, the prospect of hearing the guitarist reconnect with the band where it all began is set to be one of the most intriguing metal releases of 2027. Read the interview at Eonmusic. METALLICA frontman James Hetfield joined SWEET SAVAGE on stage at an August 20, 2008 concert at Marlay Park in Dublin, Ireland (where SWEET SAVAGE supported METALLICA) to perform "Killing Time". Campbell was a member of SWEET SAVAGE from 1979 until 1982, when he joined DIO. Vivian joined SWEET SAVAGE on stage for the first time in 30 years when the band supported THIN LIZZY in February 2011 in Belfast and Dublin to perform the classic track "Killing Time". In a 2018 interview with Riccardo Ball of "The Metal Bar", Campbell stated about METALLICA covering "Killing Time" as the B-side to "The Unforgiven" single (the song was also included on METALLICA's "Garage Inc." covers album): "Yeah, that was incredibly flattering when that happened. I do think that there were very, very strong similarities between SWEET SAVAGE and METALLICA. I formed SWEET SAVAGE with a friend of mine who's, unfortunately, long since passed away — Trevor Fleming — back when I was 15. And we were in Belfast, Northern Ireland in the '70s, and it was a very tough environment, but we kind of put our heads down and got into music. And we sound a lot like METALLICA, so in a lot of ways, I'm really not that surprised. But it was tremendous for them to do that. It's funny when you're 15 or 16 years of age and you write a riff and you get together with your mates and it becomes a song, and then, 25 years later, you get a royalty check for it. It's funny how life works sometimes."

TOM MORELLO Fires Back At Critics Who Say Musicians Should Not Be Involved In Politics: 'Why Should You Give Away Your Free Speech Rights In The Job That You Do?'

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:36:42 +0000

In a new interview with Katrin Riedl of Germany's Metal Hammer magazine, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE guitarist and activist Tom Morello was asked to elaborate on his recent comment that "every act of art is an act of resistance." He explained (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah. Well, definitely. Especially in my country in these dangerous times, where there's so much suppression of ideas and censorship of books and of artists being canceled for their political opinions, that merely by speaking up... Courage is contagious, and by artists standing up for their beliefs against the... We have a president who will personally go after you and send the Department Of Justice after you if you stand up against his regime, and so that tends to cow a lot of people into not speaking their mind. But the second that you're silent is the second that authoritarianism wins, is the second that fascism rises a few more clicks. And so every act of art is an act of resistance. Every song sung is a beacon of light in the gathering darkness, and every truth spoken is hopefully like a bell that's rung for the people who are the ones who are gonna undo this madness." Asked what he would say to those people who insist that "metal should not be political", Morello responded: "Yeah, well, when people say that musicians should not be involved in politics, it means they are people that disagree with your politics. The second that you write a song that agrees with their politics, all of a sudden they're all for it. So, one, it's very hypocritical, but two, I also think that, why should you give away your free speech rights in the job that you do? Because it offends someone? I think the converse is what is actually true. I think that you do yourself and your times a disservice by censoring who you are in your work. Not just musicians. I think, one, it's sort of weirdly sort of selfish to kind of ghettoize musicians as, like, 'Oh, they shouldn't say anything.' I think in your work as a music journalist or in your work as a tour manager or as your work as a bus driver, whatever, you should not leave behind who you are and what you believe. And I think, like I said, there's an extra hot layer of hell for people in times of great injustice who censor themselves and remain quiet when they should have spoken out because they're afraid of some Internet troll." As for whether he thinks songs with a political message can change anything, Tom said: "It's a broader question, like can music have an impact? Can songs change the world? Well, I can only speak from personal experience. Music changed me. Music helped form the person I was, and every time I'm in a picket line or doing activist work, it's in part because of PUBLIC ENEMY and THE CLASH. And I saw that you can be a musician and… It's not, like, 'Oh, go vote for this particular candidate', or, 'Oh, stand up for this particular cause.' It just means that it's a beacon that you're not alone. You can have these feelings about that the world just doesn't feel right, it doesn't add up right, and maybe you're not tuning into The New York Times every day or whatever the news sources, but when I heard musicians like Chuck D and like Joe Strummer expressing opinions, they were from Staten Island and London — very, very different backgrounds than myself — but they saw that oppression was bad, standing up to oppression is good, and they did it with guitars and with turntables. And that made me think, 'Oh, you know what? I'm in this town where a lot of people have opinions that are very, very different than I do, but I am not alone.' And that's one of the reasons why I think, whether it's the music of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE or my solo work, or my work with Serj [Tankian, SYSTEM OF A DOWN singer] and [my son] Roman, I think it's important to just, one, not leave behind who you are in what you do, and two, know that that every song is like a beacon of hope for somebody." Tom, Serj and Roman recently released a collaborative single, "Adjourn It". Clips from the film "Salt Of The Earth" (1954) are woven throughout the "Adjourn It" video to reflect the song's theme of resistance in the face of prejudice and injustice. The film is based on a true story of Mexican-American miners fighting against labor exploitation, racism, and institutional oppression, and was made by three Hollywood executives blacklisted for their political beliefs. It stars real zinc miners and was one of the first ever truly independent films. "Salt Of The Earth" was a powerful act of defiance in its time and more than half a century later, its themes continue to echo through today's political climate. "Adjourn It" channels the defiant legacy of the film reinforcing the importance of solidarity in bringing people together against fear and division. Morello kicked off a summer 2026 European tour with festival appearances at Sweden Rock Festival on June 4, Rock Im Park on June 5 and Rock Am Ring on June 6. There were also stops at Nova Rock on June 11, Rock For People on June 12 and Download on June 14. Other stops include Graspop Metal Meeting on June 18, Hellfest on June 20 and Pinkpop on June 21. Morello's 2026 touring schedule wraps up with Newport Folk on July 26, Louder Than Life on September 19 and Power To The People on October 3. Morello has a long history of organizing activism-oriented events over three decades and continues to be a leading voice for social justice causes and human rights across the country and around the world. In addition to his solo work with THE NIGHTWATCHMAN and his role in RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and AUDIOSLAVE, Morello remains one of modern rock's most influential guitarists and outspoken activists. Grammy-winning, Harvard-educated, Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame- and Metal Hall Of Fame-inducted artist, songwriter, and activist Tom Morello is living proof of the transformative power of rock'n'roll. Known for his innovative guitar work and socially conscious songwriting, Morello rose to prominence as a founding member of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and AUDIOSLAVE — two groundbreaking bands responsible for multiple Grammy Awards and more than 30 million albums sold worldwide. Rolling Stone named him No. 18 on its "Greatest Guitar Players Of All Time" list, and his career has spanned music, activism, film, theater, graphic novels, radio, television, and philanthropy. Whether on stage, at rallies, or on picket lines, Morello continues to use music as a force for unity and change.

DAUGHTRY Announces '20 Years Unplugged' Intimate Fall 2026 U.S. Tour

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 14:03:31 +0000

Multi-Grammy Award-nominated, multi-platinum rock band DAUGHTRY has announced the "20 Years Unplugged" tour, a special fall run that will bring two decades of songs into intimate theaters and performance spaces across the U.S. The tour opens October 12 at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in Troy, New York and continues through November 14 at Majestic Theatre in Dallas, Texas, with stops in Beverly, Uncasville, Atlantic City, Huntington, Las Vegas, Anaheim, San Antonio and more. Support across all shows comes from Buffalo, New York singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Perdz. Artist presale and VIP packages begin Wednesday, June 17 at 10 a.m. local. Local presales, including promoter, venue and radio presales, run Thursday, June 18 from 10 a.m. local. Tickets go on general sale Friday, June 19 at 10 a.m. local. "20 Years Unplugged" gives fans the chance to experience DAUGHTRY's catalogue in a stripped-back acoustic setting, reframing the songs that have soundtracked arenas, rock radio milestones, and some of the most defining moments of the band's career. The tour will pull the band's music into a more raw and immediate space, where the weight of a lyric, the scrape of a guitar string, and the quiet before a chorus can hit as hard as the full-band impact. The announcement follows the release of "Shock To The System (Deluxe)", the complete edition of DAUGHTRY's two-part project via Big Machine Rock. The collection brings together "Shock To The System (Part One)" and "Shock To The System (Part Two)", along with additional live recordings that capture the force and connection of the band's latest era. Across tracks including "Artificial", "Pieces", "The Bottom" and "Antidote", DAUGHTRY continue to channel grief, change, confrontation, and self-reclamation into some of their heaviest and most emotionally direct work to date. For an artist whose songs have always lived at the intersection of power and vulnerability, "20 Years Unplugged" will see DAUGHTRY strip down some of their biggest and most meaningful tracks, distilling them to their purest form and bringing fans closer to the songs, the stories, and the unmistakable voice that have carried the band from one of the biggest rock debuts of the century through two decades of connection, evolution, and success. DAUGHTRY "20 Years Unplugged" tour dates with support from Ryan Perdz: October 12 - Troy, NY - Troy Savings Bank Music Hall October 13 - Beverly, MA - The Cabot October 15 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena October 16 - Waterloo, NY - The Vine Showroom at del Lago Resort & Casino October 17 - Atlantic City, NJ - Ovation Hall at Ocean Casino Resort October 20 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount October 21 - Englewood, NJ - Bergen Performing Arts Center October 23 - Danville, VA - The Pantheon at Caesars Virginia October 24 - Florence, KY - Turfway Park Event Center October 26 - Greensburg, PA - The Palace Theatre October 27 - Wheeling, WV - Capitol Theatre October 29 - Nashville, IN - Brown County Music Center October 31 - Omaha, NE - The Astro Theater November 1 - Des Moines, IA - Hoyt Sherman Place November 3 - Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater November 4 - Oklahoma City, OK - The Criterion November 7 - Las Vegas, NV - Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort November 8 - Napa, CA - Uptown Theatre Napa November 10 - Anaheim, CA - Grove of Anaheim November 11 - Tucson, AZ - Fox Tucson Theatre November 13 - San Antonio, TX - The Aztec Theatre November 14 - Dallas, TX - Majestic Theatre DAUGHTRY remain a force of nature in rock music and culture, standing as one of the best-selling rock bands of the 21st century. The history-making group have scored multiple platinum and gold certifications, notched two No. 1 debuts on the Billboard 200, packed venues worldwide, and sold north of 11 million albums and 25 million singles. Their self-titled debut was the top-selling album of 2007 and became the fastest-selling rock debut album in SoundScan history, earning four Grammy Award nominations and winning four American Music Awards alongside seven Billboard Music Awards, including "Album Of The Year". Across subsequent albums "Leave This Town", "Break The Spell", "Baptized", "Cage To Rattle" and "Dearly Beloved", DAUGHTRY have continued to build a catalogue rooted in anthemic songwriting, emotional honesty, and Chris Daughtry's unmistakable vocal power. Recent singles "World On Fire", "Heavy Is The Crown" and "Changes Are Coming" all cracked the Top 10 at Billboard Rock Airplay, while the band's 2023 cover of JOURNEY's "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)", featuring Lzzy Hale of HALESTORM, became another major moment in their ongoing evolution. In 2024, DAUGHTRY launched a heavier new era with "Shock To The System", which earned the band three Number One singles, "Artificial", "Pieces" and "The Bottom".

TESLA Shares New Original Song 'Never Alone' From Upcoming 'Homage' Album

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:40:13 +0000

Acclaimed American hard rockers TESLA have unveiled their new single, "Never Alone", taken from their upcoming album, "Homage", set for release on July 17, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl. Marking a full-circle moment in their storied career, the album finds the band returning to their roots with a collection of covers honoring some of rock's most timeless hits. On the creation of the new original track, TESLA bassist, keyboardist, pianist and backing vocalist Brian Wheat shares: "'Never Alone' is a new song that we wrote in the 11th hour of recording the album 'Homage'. It started out as a simple guitar riff. I was at my friends Rachael Ray and John Cusimano's house filming an episode for her TV show, I had some time to kill so I went into their studio in the house, picked up John's acoustic guitar and started strumming these chords to kill some time. When I listened back to it, it sounded like a TESLA song. I thought maybe it was gonna be a song for one of my other projects, but it sounded like TESLA. So I sent it to Jeff [Keith, TESLA singer] and he said it's definitely TESLA. Out of that he came up with the title 'Never Alone', we worked on it together writing the lyrics, the music, switching the chorus around a little bit and as a result, I think it turned out pretty good. I hope you enjoy it. This is our new song 'Never Alone' because we’re never alone." When "Homage" was first announced in April, TESLA shared its cover of CLIMAX BLUES BAND's iconic track "I Love You" (2026 version). The single arrived alongside an official video, available to view below. TESLA commented at the time: "'I Love You', like all the tracks on 'Homage', not only pays tribute to legends but gives us a chance to showcase our lead singer's diversity as well as the musical dynamics we learned as a band many years ago." In May, TESLA shared its cover of QUEEN's 1977 classic "Spread Your Wings". Wheat stated: "'Spread Your Wings' for me was the song I always wanted to record by QUEEN. I always felt it was the one song they had in their catalog that should've been a massive hit, but wasn't because it was overshadowed by 'We Are the Champions' and 'We Will Rock You' on the 'News Of The World' album. It was also a song written by John Deacon, who was the band's secret weapon and whom not many people talk about, the quiet one, shall we say." It is remarkable to reflect on the more than 40 years since TESLA began as a cover band performing in California nightclubs before going on to write and record original material and sell millions of albums. Much like their musical heroes — THE BEATLES and THE ROLLING STONES — artists who honed their craft by performing songs from those who came before them, TESLA followed a similar path in their early years and continues to embrace the tradition of paying tribute through cover songs today. "Homage" not only honors legendary artists but also provides an opportunity to showcase TESLA lead singer Jeff Keith's vocal diversity. The album stands as a thank-you expressed through music, an offering to the iconic voices and songs that shaped the band’s influences and, ultimately, their own songwriting. "Homage" is not about imitation, but acknowledgment, tracing the line from influence to identity, from listening to becoming. The project also arrives more than 20 years after the "Real To Reel" series, a release that helped inspire the creation of a new original TESLA song, "Never Alone". The selected songs on "Homage" were chosen for a variety of reasons, primarily representing some of the greatest vocalists of all time, including Elvis Presley, Freddie Mercury, Sam Cooke, David Ruffin, Etta James and James Brown. Additional selections reflect songs the band grew up hearing on the radio and on their turntables. On the upcoming album, TESLA shared: "Our new album 'Homage' is a thank-you note written in sound. An offering to the great singers and songs that shaped the music we grew up listening to, and the songs we would eventually write. We hope you all enjoy this as much as we did making it. Thank you for all the years — keep it real and keep on rockin'!" "Homage" track listing: 01. Never Alone (original song) 02. Bring It On Home (Sam Cooke cover) 03. Spread Your Wings (QUEEN cover) 04. I Wish It Would Rain (THE TEMPTATIONS cover) 05. Night Moves (Bob Seger cover) 06. If I Can Dream (Elvis Presley cover) 07. Come And Get It (BADFINGER cover) 08. I Got You (James Brown cover) 09. Give A Little Bit (SUPERTRAMP cover) 10. I Love You (2026 Version) (CLIMAX BLUES BAND cover) 11. The Ballad Of Curtis Loew (LYNYRD SKYNYRD cover) 12. Have You Ever Seen The Rain (CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL cover) 13. I'd Rather Go Blind (Etta James cover) 14. Mind Your Own Business (Hank Williams Sr. cover) TESLA will hit the road this summer on "The Return Of The Carnival Of Sins" tour with MÖTLEY CRÜE and EXTREME. The trek begins on July 17 in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, and winds its way through the United States before concluding on September 26 in Ridgefield, Washington. Last October, TESLA completed a five-song Las Vegas residency at the House Of Blues Las Vegas inside Mandalay Bay Resort And Casino. During this exclusive run of shows, TESLA touched all sides of its unique discography, including the heavier edge of electric songs like "Modern Day Cowboy", "Hang Tough" and "Edison's Medicine", as well as the band's acoustic-driven songs such as "Signs" and "Love Song" (two Top 10 Billboard-charting hits). TESLA previously held a residency at the House Of Blues in April 2024. TESLA's latest six-song EP, "All About Love", was released in November 2024. The EP included four versions of "All About Love" (acoustic, electric, hybrid, live); a live version of "Walk Away", a concert favorite from "Reel To Real, Vol. 1"; and another new song, "From The Heart", an instrumental track by Hannon. Some fans criticized TESLA for adopting a 1980s-style polished production for its latest album, 2019's "Shock". The follow-up to June 2014's "Simplicity" was helmed by DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen, whose own group is no stranger to slicked-up, glossy-sounding recordings. In September 2023, TESLA released the official music video for its cover of AEROSMITH's "S.O.S. (Too Bad)". The song was a bonus track on TESLA's live album, "Full Throttle Live!", which arrived in May 2023. The LP included the band's "Time To Rock!" single, plus other songs, all recorded in August 2022 at Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis, South Dakota. In September 2021, original TESLA drummer Troy Luccketta announced that he would "take a little time from the road" to spend with family and friends. He has since been replaced at TESLA's gigs and in the recording studio by Steve Brown, the younger brother of former DOKKEN drummer Mick Brown. TESLA's debut album, 1986's "Mechanical Resonance", went platinum on the strength of the hits "Modern Day Cowboy" and "Little Suzi". The 1989 follow-up album, "The Great Radio Controversy", produced five hits, including "Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)" and "Love Song", which hit the pop Top Ten. Press photo credit: Brandon Gullion

STEVE HACKETT And STEVE ROTHERY Announce Long-Awaited Collaborative Album 'The Roaring Waves'

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:21:23 +0000

Two titans of progressive music, Steve Hackett (GENESIS) and Steve Rothery (MARILLION), come together for the first time on "The Roaring Waves", featuring seven instrumental tracks that range from the dexterously ridiculous to the brilliantly sublime, though with one common theme: the profundity of the sea. The record has been much talked about over the years, and it will now finally see the light of day on August 28, 2026 via InsideOut Music. Rothery explains: "In winter you could hear the roaring of the of the waves during the stormy weather, Whitby was a very evocative place to live, a very poetic and powerful place to grow up." "The Roaring Waves" has been in the making for the best part of eight years, though the initial idea of the pair making an album together was first mooted around three years before that, but their respective day jobs and touring itineraries kept them from working together for months at a time. Though recording sessions at the Racket Club, and their respective home studios yielded a rich seam of creativity. "It was a bit old school, our approach, like the idea of mates getting together in the garage and playing and hanging out," Hackett says of how the material for "The Roaring Waves" came together. "The Roaring Waves" will be available to pre-order on June 26, and that date will also mark the first time fans will be able to hear and see what the album is all about, with a first single release. Hackett gained an international reputation as the guitarist in the classic GENESIS lineup between "Nursery Cryme" (1971) and "Wind And Wuthering" (1977) at a time when John Lennon praised GENESIS as "true sons of THE BEATLES". Recent tours have seen Hackett celebrate his time with GENESIS, together with some of the most-loved tracks from his solo career, including a spectacular 2018 tour in which Hackett realized a long-held ambition to perform the works of GENESIS live with his band and orchestra. A series of themed tours have since spotlighted many of the GENESIS albums upon which Hackett played such a key role, including a 50th-anniversary celebration of "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway". Rothery is the original guitarist and longest-serving member of the band MARILLION. Typically known for that band's progressive rock, Steve has also recorded albums as the duo THE WISHING TREE, and in September 2014 recorded and released his first solo album, "The Ghosts of Pripyat". MARILLION signed to EMI in 1982 and has, over its career, sold in excess of ten million records. They have toured the world constantly, and Steve's style has continued to evolve, with him being acknowledged as one of the most distinctive and emotive players around.

WOLFGANG VAN HALEN 'Would Love To' Tour With PERIPHERY

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:41:42 +0000

In a new interview with Rock Sound's James Wilson-Taylor conducted at last weekend's Download festival at Donington Park in Castle Donington, England, former VAN HALEN bassist and current MAMMOTH frontman Wolfgang Van Halen was asked to name a band that he hasn't toured with before that he would like to share the stage with one day. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Oh, PERIPHERY. I love PERIPHERY. Their new album is my favorite album of the year so far. I know we're a bit different, but I think we both share a sense of melody. So, I would love to play with them. Yeah, it'd be fun." Last October, Wolfgang was asked by Australia's Everblack podcast if he would consider launching a "heavy" side project in the future. He responded: "Maybe. If it was something like that, I would probably wanna just play drums or something, just be able to focus on one thing. But yeah, who knows? I think when it comes to where I am now, I feel like I haven't proven myself enough as my own sort of musician yet. So I think that's why I'm still sort of drilling with MAMMOTH and just enjoying that. But I could definitely see myself down the line being, like, 'Hey, let's take a break and do something crazy.' So who knows?" He continued: "I know whenever my guitar player who plays with us live, Jon [Jonathan Jourdan], he'll usually have his laptop on tour, and we were making these random MESHUGGAH-y demos just for fun to fill the time. We were trying to make these djenty rhythms where we were counting numbers out — random stuff that was just fun." In a January 2024 interview with Amoeba Music's "What's In My Bag?" segment, Wolfgang spoke about MESHUGGAH's latest album, "Immutable". He said at the time: "MESHUGGAH is my favorite. It's funny — there was a story that came out where it [quoted me as saying], like, 'MESHUGGAH puts me to sleep,' and that was taken out of context. I said I can fall asleep listening to MESHUGGAH, which is a compliment, because it relaxes me. It brings me peace. It brings me zen. "As a drummer first, I tend to intake music in a more rhythmic manner," he explained. "I'm all about rhythm, and MESHUGGAH is rhythm. It's like dinosaurs fighting." The former VAN HALEN bassist named 2002's "Nothing" as "probably my favorite MESHUGGAH album. It's where they really started getting sort of groovy and sludgy with their sound," he said. "A lot of people like the one before, [1998's] 'Chaosphere'. An amazing album too. It's more thrashy, but I really like their groovy sort of sludgy aspects, and this one ['Nothing'] is all sludge and groove." Van Halen also picked MESHUGGAH's 2012 LP "Koloss" and called it "just another great album." When Wolfgang, the 35-year-old son of VAN HALEN legend Eddie Van Halen, married his now-wife Andraia Allsop in October 2023 at their home in Los Angeles, the wedding playlist included MESHUGGAH. Wolfgang explained at the time: "They're very progressive metal, I think to anybody, to the non-informed crowd though, it would probably just sound like death metal. Anyone over 40 will be terrified. But you know what? It's my wedding and I'll do whatever I want." In July 2023, Wolfgang told Primordial Radio about his love for MESHUGGAH: "I could fall asleep listening to MESHUGGAH; it relaxes me so much. "If you're familiar with MESHUGGAH, you probably know the song 'Bleed'. "MESHUGGAH is just one of my favorite bands," he continued. "They are unbelievably heavy — there's nothing heavier than them — but you get lulled into their rhythm. As a drummer first, I just am in love with rhythmic music, and there's nothing more rhythmic than MESHUGGAH. "After hearing ['Bleed'], you probably couldn't fall asleep to that, but, man, I could, 'cause I love it," he added. In November 2022, Wolfgang told TellUs Rock that he listens to MESHUGGAH when he is not writing, recording and performing. "I love MESHUGGAH," he said. "I tend to listen to, at least recently, more heavier music. Like all the new stuff that's come out. ANIMALS AS LEADERS had a new album come out this year, and so did MESHUGGAH. But MESHUGGAH is one of my favorite bands. [They're] nothing like MAMMOTH." When the interviewer asked what kind of stuff he draws musical inspiration from for MAMMOTH, Wolfgang said: "On the next album, there actually is some MESHUGGAH-inspired songs — just through the lens of MAMMOTH, though. So it's not as super heavy." Back in 2021, Wolfgang told RockSverige that he was fans of bands like GOJIRA and MASTODON. He said: "Oh, yeah. I love GOJIRA. And I'm crazy about MESHUGGAH. PERIPHERY, I'm friends with those guys and they're a phenomenal band." Wolfgang, who played all instruments on the first three albums from his MAMMOTH project, was also asked if he can work out the MESHUGGAH song "Bleed" on drums. "Oh, yeah. I can play it," he said. "As a drummer, MESHUGGAH is just like my favorite because it's like a math problem, as a song. As a drummer, it's really fun to figure out the polyrhythmic stuff going on in each song. It's a treat, and I love it." Wolfgang attended MESHUGGAH's October 2022 concert at the Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California. The following day, he tweeted out a short video of the performance, and he captioned it simply: "MESHUGGAH is therapy". MAMMOTH (formerly MAMMOTH WVH) released its third album, "The End", last October via BMG. The 10-track effort clocks in at 39 minutes and showcases the evolution of Wolfgang and his songwriting since he launched his solo career in 2020. Recorded at the legendary 5150 studio, the album was produced by friend and collaborator Michael "Elvis" Baskette. MAMMOTH's touring lineup features Wolfgang on guitar and lead vocals, Frank Sidoris (SLASH FEATURING MYLES KENNEDY AND THE CONSPIRATORS) on guitar, Jon Jourdan on guitar and vocals, Garrett Whitlock (TREMONTI) on drums, and Ronnie Ficarro on bass.

KISS Announces Band Activities For 2026 'KISS Kruise: Land-Locked In Vegas'

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:07:55 +0000

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame legends KISS have revealed the band activities planned for the second "KISS Kruise: Land-Locked In Vegas", which will touch down in Vegas this November. The larger-than-life fan experience will return this year following the success of this past November's event, which drew KISS fans from all 50 states and 32 countries. "KISS Kruise: Land-Locked In Vegas" will take place November 13-15 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. This special fan experience is being created in conjunction with co-producers Pophouse, Vibee and Topeka. Not only will "KISS Kruise: Land-Locked In Vegas" feature the only live shows in the world with KISS for 2026, Kruisers will get a chance to get close to Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer. Among the "KISS Kruise" band activities planned for this year is "Gene Simmons's Private KISS Collection Show & Tell", featuring rare pieces and previously untold stories — a backstage pass into Gene's personal KISS world with "KISSbySienna" host Sienna Hernandez. There will also be "Paul Stanley's KISS Cook-Off", where Paul puts Kruisers to the test as he cooks one of his signature dishes while Kruisers, supported by Chef Colin, compete to recreate it and become the ultimate Cook-Off champion. "Tommy Thayer's KISS Army Live Band Karaoke" will see Kruisers take the stage and sing iconic KISS anthems live with Tommy on guitar backed by Ace Frehley's solo band. Hear stories of the riffs, the songs and find out who will be crowned the Kruise Karaoke winner. Singer will host "Eric Singer's KISS Kruiser Drum Off + Q&A", where Kruisers get to step behind the kit and into the KISS Kruiser Guest Drum Off Competition as Eric serves as judge and host sharing insider stories from the road in a Q&A with fans moderated by Modern Drummer's David Frangioni. Last year, fans came out in droves to enjoy a line-up of exclusive experiences, from Q&A panels with the band to performances from the KISS members themselves. Highlights from the extravaganza included special acoustic and electric sets from the band themselves, which marked their first live appearances together since retiring from touring in 2023. Attendees were also treated throughout the event to exclusive Q&A sessions with Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, as well as longtime manager Doc McGhee — all returning for this year's event. Other panelists included legendary KISS producers Bob Ezrin and Eddie Kramer, Lynn Goldsmith, famed KISS photographer and KISS Army founders Bill Starkey and Jay Evans. Building on these fan-favorite experiences, this year's event will introduce an expanded, immersive "KISSperience," featuring artist panels and Q&As, a KISS look-alike contest, KISS karaoke, "Ask Doc" sessions with McGhee, artist meet-and-greets, late night DJs, and special appearances including renowned KISS photographer Barry Levine, alongside interactive exhibits, a merch store, and a "Future Of KISS" panel. KISS will return this year with two unmasked shows, featuring Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer set to take the stage rarely seen in such an intimate setting. The weekend will showcase a powerhouse lineup of special guests and performers, including an Ace Frehley all-star tribute with sit-ins from members of KISS and other surprise guests, as well as NIGHT RANGER, former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick, SLAUGHTER, FASTER PUSSYCAT, KEEL and Chris Jericho's 1980s KISS cover band KUARANTINE. Appearances and performances will also include the ROCK AND ROLL OVER KISS tribute band, radio host Tommy London and School Of Rock. The celebration will kick off with an official pre-party on November 12, featuring ENUFF Z'NUFF, ACE FREHLEY BAND "Tribute To Ace" performing KISS's "Rock And Roll Over" album and BEASTO BLANCO, the band fronted by long time ALICE COOPER bassist Chuck Garric, setting the stage for a full weekend of music and fan experiences. This year's "KISS Kruise" celebrates 50 years since KISS's massively popular "Rock And Roll Over" album. Further programming will be revealed in weeks to come, and fans can expect another jam-packed weekend of exclusive activations, delivering the kind of unique fan-forward experience KISS is so widely recognized for. Fans can choose from a range of package options, all including access to shows, close-up theater seating, curated KISS gifts and more. A limited set of packages include photos with members of KISS. Tickets are set to go on sale on May 5. There will be a pre-sale specifically for KISS Army VIP members on Thursday, April 30. Those who are not already KISS Army VIP members have until 6 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, April 29 to sign up and gain access to the pre-sale Wednesday morning. Those who attended "KISS Kruise" 2025 and KISS Army members will also have access to tickets prior to the general on sale. For more information on ticketing and sign-up information, visit KISSKruiseVegas.com. Over the years, KISS had hosted 11 branded "kruises" that have departed from Los Angeles, Miami and New Orleans, but for the twelfth installment of the event, KISS announced that the "KISS Army Storms Vegas" event would "transform" into "KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas" and would be Sin City's Virgin Hotels complex last November. This special KISS Army fan event, co-produced by Pophouse, Topeka and Vibee, celebrated the band's five-decade career and the 50th anniversary of the KISS Army. In addition to KISS "unmasked" performances — the band's first live appearances in two years — the weekend included appearances from QUIET RIOT, Stephen Pearcy and Warren DeMartini performing the music of RATT, Bruce Kulick, Sebastian Bach, BLACK 'N BLUE, KUARANTINE, School Of Rock and more. Speaking to the audience at Indy KISS Fan Expo earlier this month, Stanley stated about "KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas": "So, the funny thing with the KISS Kruise — a couple of things. When we were first approached with the idea of doing a KISS cruise, when we first heard about it, I went, 'Who is gonna go on a KISS cruise?' And we've had people from 33 countries around the world for every time we went out. So it was amazing. But the crazy part about it is that over the years everybody started doing cruises, so we can't get a ship most of the time. So last year we decided, I said, 'Well, let's do a 'KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas'.' So we did that, and it was really fun. Having the band play was amazing and seeing everybody was great. And that was the first one. We'll do it again this coming year. We'll do it in November. And as good as that one was, this one's gonna be so much better, because we learn as we're going. And this next KISS Kruise in Vegas is gonna be awesome. I mean, we can't wait to play, and we can't wait to have the bands we're gonna have and be with you again. So, pack your bags." The legendary rockers kicked off the 2025 edition of the "KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas" with an outdoor unplugged performance on November 14, 2025 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. At the beginning of the concert, Stanley asked fans in the audience to lift the electric candles which were handed out to everyone prior to the gig in honor of founding KISS guitarist Ace Frehley, who died in October 2025 at the age of 74. Stanley, Gene Simmons, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer also played an electric "unmasked" show the same weekend, marking the first time KISS had performed together since retiring from touring in December 2023. 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." Ace co-founded KISS with Paul, Gene and Peter Criss in New York City in 1973. Frehley appeared on KISS's first nine albums, and returned for the band's 1998 reunion album, "Psycho Circus", only to leave again. He was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the rest of KISS's original lineup in 2014. Frehley first left KISS in 1982. He rejoined in 1996 and parted ways with the band once again in 2002 after the conclusion of KISS's first "farewell tour." Since his departure, guitarist Tommy Thayer had assumed the role of the Spaceman.

FRANCIS ROSSI: 'Songbook: Quo - Past, Present, Future' Tour Extended Into 2027

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 11:49:49 +0000

Francis Rossi's "Songbook: Quo - Past, Present, Future" tour has been extended into 2027, with a further 31 shows from one of Britain's most loved and influential musicians running March to May, in addition to the 30 already announced for winter 2026. These additional shows will go on sale on Friday, June 19, 2026 at 10 a.m. from www.aegpresents.co.uk. Fans can also register to gain access to the Francis Rossi AEG Presents presale on Thursday, June 18 at this location. The Francis Rossi "Songbook: Quo - Past, Present, Future" shows will include, of course, a hand-picked host of Francis's many evergreen STATUS QUO classics, some deep cuts; and he is also working up a new medley. This tour is the only place to hear Francis's own selections and interpretations from his incredible catalogue, plus the added bonus of some commentary and insight from the man himself. Available for the first time on this tour, the strictly limited VIP Soundcheck Experience ticket will include: Access to soundcheck and an exclusive performance of two songs not featured in the main show; a stage / tech rundown with Francis's sound engineer; and one of the best seats in the house for the main show. Additionally, VIP ticket holders will receive a limited-edition signed 7" single [available only with VIP access], and an exclusive tour lanyard. Francis Rossi said: "I am delighted to extend this run on from the thirty dates already announced for later this year. The pressure is on once more, as I have put together a really packed new show. I have really enjoyed taking the current show into Europe but can't wait to get back out on the road in the U.K. again with this one. I'll be keeping a whole lot of the hits in the set, of course, but also mixing it up with a couple of curveballs. These theatre shows are a great way to really connect with the audience, and try something a little bit different." Francis Rossi will once again be joined on this whole tour by guitarist Andy Brook, who co-produced the critically acclaimed 2026 album "The Accidental" with Francis, and appeared on the sold-out 2025 "Songbook" tour. The Francis Rossi "Songbook: Quo - Past, Present, Future" tour 2026-2027 is a great opportunity for fans to hear many all-time favorites from one of rock's greatest songwriters, as well as some unexpected gems, it's a journey through the incredible career of a true one-off artist. Francis Rossi "Songbook: Quo - Past, Present, Future" 2026 tour dates: Sep. 22 - Wimborne Tivoli Sep. 24 - Croydon Ashcroft Theatre Sep. 25 - Salisbury City Hall Sep. 27 - Chester Storyhouse Sep. 28 - Fareham Fareham Live Sep. 30 - Eastbourne Congress Theatre Oct. 1 - Basingstoke The Anvil Oct. 3 - Watford Colosseum Oct. 4 - Harrogate Royal Hall Oct. 6 - Whitley Bay Playhouse Oct. 8 - Hull City Hall Oct. 9 - Stoke Regent Theatre Oct. 11 - Woking New Victoria Oct. 12 - Stockport Plaza Oct. 14 - Leicester De Montfort Hall Oct. 15 - Scarborough Spa Grand Hall Oct. 17 - Skegness Embassy Theatre Oct. 18 - Southend Palace Theatre Oct. 24 - Folkestone Leas Cliff Hall Oct. 25 - Milton Keynes Theatre Oct. 27 - Buxton Opera House Oct. 29 - Aberdeen Music Hall Oct. 31 - Inverness Eden Court Nov. 1 - Edinburgh Queen's Hall Nov. 3 - Perth Concert Hall Nov. 4 - Glasgow Pavilion Theatre Nov. 6 - Llandudno Venue Cymru Nov. 7 - Coventry Warwick Arts Centre Nov. 9 - Torquay Princess Theatre Nov. 10 - Bexhill De La Warr Pavilion Newly added 2027 dates: March 17 - Wimborne Tivoli March 18 - Bridport Electric Palace March 20 - Bath Forum March 21 - Truro Hall For Cornwall March 23 - Newbury Corn Exchange March 24 - Chelmsford Chelmsford Theatre March 26 - York Barbican March 27 - Blackburn King George's Hall March 29 - Aylesbury Waterside March 30 - Guildford G-Live April 1 - Cardiff New Theatre April 2 - Newtown The Hafren April 4 - Derby Vaillant Live April 5 - Liverpool Philharmonic Hall April 13 - Brighton Theatre Royal April 14 - Richmond Richmond Theatre April 16 - Weymouth Pavillion April 17 - Tunbridge Wells Assembly Theatre April 19 - Bury St Edmunds Apex April 20 - Swansea Grand Theatre April 22 - Bristol Beacon April 23 - Cheltenham Town Hall April 25 - Dartford Orchard Theatre April 27 - Crewe Lyceum April 29 - Birmingham Town Hall April 30 - Shrewsbury Theatre Severn May 2 - Blackpool Grand Theatre May 3 - Leeds Grand Theatre May 5 - Northampton Derngate Concert Hall May 6 - Bridlington Spa May 8 - Lowestoft Marina Theatre

STEPHEN PEARCY: 'My Vocal Exercise Is Having A Coffee And A Smoke And Yelling And Laughing'

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 21:58:22 +0000

In a new interview with Scott Davidson of Chicago's Rebel Radio, RATT singer Stephen Pearcy was asked for the "secret" to keeping his voice in shape for his live performances more than five decades into his career. The 69-year-old musician responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I come from late '60s, '70s scene. So I just do what a [Robert] Plant or one of these guys [would do]... You just sing. I don't have any regimen. I don't bite a towel and yodel. My vocal exercise is having a coffee and a smoke and yelling and laughing and talking and yippity-yi. I'm too busy stretching and keeping myself limber out there." He continued: "But no, you know what? More so nowadays, I'm having a great time. It's just Ratt 'n' roll. It's right back to the beginning. You go to my shows now and it's like stepping back into the Sunset Strip 1983, '84. We don't give a shit. We're just having a party for you. And that's what I'm bringing back. We don't have tapes, this and that going. We don't rely on shit but just having a good time." Back in 2017, Pearcy told Icon Vs. Icon that he initially "didn't want to be a lead singer. In the early '70s, when I was introduced to the guitar, I just started writing my own songs right away," he explained. "Some of those songs ended up on the first RATT EP and even 'Out Of The Cellar' — songs like 'You Got It', 'Sweet Cheater', 'In Your Direction' and 'Never Use Love'. Those were songs I wrote in 1978 or 1979. I really stumbled into the singing thing. It really came down to someone saying, 'Can you sing?' And me saying, 'I guess.' The next thing you know I'm singing in front of bands. It was seeing bands like LED ZEPPELIN and AEROSMITH which had me saying, 'Oh, okay. This is what they do? All right, I'll give it a shot.' I started singing and then I started playing guitar and singing. It wasn't until late 1982, when Jake E. Lee was in the band, that I started singing with [the pre-RATT band] MICKEY RATT. I just went with a David Lee Roth, Steven Tyler, Robert Plant type of approach. How my voice is how my voice is. It's a mystery to me. I don't take vocal lessons or do anything but sing… or yell at people. [Laughs]" Pearcy's sixth solo album, "The Dogg Mob", is tentatively due this fall via Stephen's Top Fuel Records label. Pearcy's most recent solo LP, "View To A Thrill", came out in 2018 via Frontiers Music Srl. The follow-up to 2017's "Smash" was produced by Pearcy's bassist Matt Thorne and Stephen and was mixed and mastered by Pearcy's longtime guitarist Erik Ferentinos. This past April, Pearcy released "I Need U", the first single from "The Dogg Mob". The track features Pearcy on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Ferentinos on guitar, Thorne on bass, Blas Elias on drums and an undisclosed "special guest" on guitar. For the past year, Pearcy has been playing sporadic shows with guitarist extraordinaire Warren DeMartini — his longtime bandmate in RATT — under the PEARCY/DEMARTINI moniker. RATT hasn't released any new music since 2010's "Infestation" LP.

MOONSPELL Had To Do 'A Lot Of Soul Searching' Before Making 'Far From God' Album: 'I Didn't Feel I Had It In Me Anymore', Says FERNANDO RIBEIRO

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 20:30:10 +0000

In a new interview with Neeka Rogers of Metal Nation, vocalist Fernando Ribeiro of Portuguese dark metal pioneers MOONSPELL spoke about the band's upcoming album, "Far From God", which will be released on July 3 via Napalm Records. Regarding the lyrical and musical inspiration for the follow-up to 2021's "Hermitage", Fernando said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I think the great subjects and the great transformations find us. It's not 'seek and you shall find'. Sometimes we seek our whole life for inspiration, and that was a really key moment for MOONSPELL. "After 'Hermitage', to be honest, I didn't feel I had it in me anymore," he admitted." I even wanted to entertain writ[ing] more books here in Portugal. I have my own label, Alma Mater Books & Records, [which I use to] help the other bands. I even started a small music consulting business, which is a little bit more boring, but very necessary too. So I had to fall in love with these themes again, because for me, they are the essential themes. And that was easy somehow, but at the time also painstakingly it took a while. And things just start falling on my lap, really. One of the things was Robert Eggers's [movie] 'Nosferatu'. I think that for many years people have misunderstood what the original Bram Stoker book was about, and we start watching more Hollywood kind of vampires, teenage vampire series about vampires, et cetera. But everything was very glitter and very fun and games, but that tragedy of Dracula or Nosferatu wasn't simply there. And when I saw the movie, I was, like, 'Wow, the aesthetics, the soundtrack.' Eggers is a great director with 'The Northman', 'The Lighthouse', but I think this was his best movie. I'm very curious about 'Werwulf'." Fernando continued: "If you stand up as an artist, or a musician in my case, you really have to have your senses open to that kind of beauty, and that's how I understood it, and that's how I thought again. Finally, someone got it again that Dracula or Nosferatu are just a man and a woman. They could make a movie about a woman Dracula too — I think it would be awesome — that is just minding his or her own business, taking care of the kingdom, taking care of the household until something tragic happens, and they just robbed him or her of love, and then all hell breaks loose. And that's something not supernatural or monster-like. It's something very human. The need to get things straight, the need to sacrifice for love. So I was totally inspired by it, by some readings too that I've done. And also musically, I was getting very close again to this blend of gothic and metal because I think that will be the way. "There was a lot of soul searching for this album, because MOONSPELL has done so much apocalyptic, industrial rock, extreme," he added. "And we were, like, 'Well, where shall we go now?' And I think that's when we started writing, really picking it up, one and a half years ago or something. Then every day we found more and more of our path. It's like Margaret Atwood [Canadian novelist]. She says when she's writing, she's like driving a car with headlights at night, and she doesn't see the end of the road. But every time she makes a few meters, a few feet or a few miles, she gets more of it. And I think that was a nice metaphor to describe our process, too, for 'Far From God'." MOONSPELL has already released two singles so far from "Far From God": the title track and "Cross Your Heart". The first single and album title track was previously described in a press release as "a hymn to tragic vampiric love. The song revives the mystique and romantic darkness that once defined the genre, while layered keyboards subtly expand the atmosphere without softening its heaviness. Dense guitars, deep resonant vocals and dramatic dynamic shifts evoke a timeless gothic aesthetic, restoring danger and elegance to the narrative of the vampire." Ribeiro previously stated about how he wrote the "Far From God" title track: "I lost my faith and hope in vampires for quite a few years. They became the clowns of Hollywood, the cheap Halloween shop customs, the old and disgraceful princes from the East. Until the film director Robert Eggers brought us 'Nosferatu' in 2024 and I was immediately attracted back to that tragic, romantic character who Bram Stoker immortalized in his letters. I wrote 'Far From God' in just one breath and it's our first song about vampiric love in ages. I confess I felt the urge of, together with MOONSPELL, saving the face of gothic metal which became hostage of semi-tuned operatic female vocalists, simpleton and crunchy guitar riffs; and of lyrical content that would make Dracula impale himself with a stake in his bloodless heart. This song is the essence of this album, its title, its video, its soul. And you can even feel the fire of daylight burning into yours and your lover's skin." Photo credit: Chantik Photography by Sonja Schuringa

LZZY HALE Says SEBASTIAN BACH Supposedly Thought She Did An 'Awesome' Job Singing For SKID ROW

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 19:28:35 +0000

During the June 14 "unplugged" performance by HALESTORM's Lzzy Hale and Joe Hottinger at the Garage in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, Lzzy reflected on her experience fronting SKID ROW for four shows in May and June 2024 after the group's fourth frontman since Sebastian Bach's departure — "Swedish Idol" contestant Erik Grönwall — quit the band to focus on his health. Prior to Lzzy and Joe launching into a cover of SKID ROW's "I Remember You", she told the crowd about playing with SKID ROW (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It was awesome. It was so great. I got to live out my teenage fantasy. "I was a weird kid in the '90s. I was listening to SKID ROW and Alice Cooper and DIO," she continued. "Yeah, those other girls were not having it. My friends were, like, 'Alice Cooper, who is she?' But anyway, so the boys [in SKID ROW] asked me to join their band. They were having some in-between dates going on. And it was such a wonderful thing, 'cause we had all of these HALESTORM fans coming and they would bring in their dads. So it was like a dad-son, dad-daughter date happening, going on, and it was just awesome." Referencing the ongoing bad blood between Sebastian and some of the other members of the classic SKID ROW lineup, Lzzy said: "I know there's some stuff… I didn't get any of the real scoop between what's happening with the Sebastian versus the rest of the guys. I know Sebastian very well. He's always been sweet to me. And the best was, after it all went down, I got to talk to Dimebag Darrell's wife [Rita Haney]. And she's, like, 'Hey, we were up all night with Sebastian watching those SKID ROW videos of you singing with them.' I'm, like, 'Uh-oh. What'd he say?' And apparently, he looks at Rita and he's, like, 'Man, I hate those guys, but she's fucking awesome.' I'm, like, 'Okay, good.'" Circling back to performing with SKID ROW, Lzzy added: "No, it's fantastic. It's so weird to have watched all these music videos back when music videos were a thing… And then just to actually be up there and singing these songs. These songs were meant for singers. They're amazing. And we wanna do one of them for you right now." After completing the four SKID ROW shows more than two years ago, Hale — who has fronted her band HALESTORM for nearly three decades — took to social media to thank SKID ROW for the opportunity and express her hope to rejoin them at some point, but ruled out a full-time position in SKID ROW for the time being. Back in October 2012, Bach joined HALESTORM on stage at the Loud Park festival in Japan to perform a cover version of the SKID ROW classic "Slave To The Grind". Lzzy also joined Sebastian on stage during his set at the festival and performed a song with his band. HALESTORM recorded a cover version of "Slave To The Grind" for the band's "ReAniMate: The CoVeRs eP", which was released in March 2011 via all digital retailers. In March 2024, shortly after her appearances with SKID ROW were first announced, Lzzy took to her social media to share an admat for the gigs and she wrote in an accompanying message: "This is totally wild! I can't believe my VHS audition tape finally made it in the mail! (I kid, I kid) "I started listening SKID ROW when I was a teenager growing up on the east coast in central Pennsylvania. They were one of the only bands at that time that truly bridged the gap for my love of 80s big choruses and riffs, but had the same poignant dirt and grime that was seeping into the cracks of my mind during the 90s. By the early 00s HALESTORM was well coming into its own, inspired by these powerful songs that helped me unlock a door within myself as a young musician. I can say without a second thought that if it weren't for SKID ROW in my bones, I would not be the rocker I am today." Photo credit: Jimmy Fontaine

Medusa

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 19:16:07 +0000

STITCHED UP HEART have been rocking it in Los Angeles since 2010, and even though they've been together more than a decade, the band is still considered in many circles a fresh talent. Vocalist Alecia "Mixi" Demner heads up the outfit, and even though they can be played alongside bands such as IN THIS MOMENT, LACUNA COIL and BUTCHER BABIES and sound seemingly perfect with those groups, they have a sound all their own. Mixi switches between clean, soprano vocals and guttural, death metal growls on the band's new album, "Medusa". If you're looking for an album that's jam packed with radio-friendly hard rock tunes, this is it. That's a good thing. The set arrives on Judge & Jury Records, the label founded by producer Howard Benson and THREE DAYS GRACE drummer Neil Sanderson. "Medusa" kicks off with "Love & Death", which is a strong contender for a future radio single. The track, which features singer-songwriter Austin John Winkler, has the perfect mix of heavy and melodic with Mixi showing off both her pure vocal side and those growling vocals. On "Love & Death" and much of the album, choruses soar and Mixi locks in rhythm with her band, making for a wall of sound that's cohesive and polished. There are plenty of standouts on here. One is "Beast", featuring NONPOINT's Elias Soriano, includes a catchy, dance-happy beat with heavy guitars and Mixi and Soriano's dueling vocals. Another star-studded song is "Cannibal" with BUTCHER BABIES' Heidi Shepherd, featuring a breathy, sing-talk passage that crashes into a full-throttle metal anthem. "Sick Sick Sick" and "Beast" are two more songs that hit hard and really lock into that push-pull between clean singing and full-on screaming. There's a nice volatility to both tracks, like they're constantly deciding whether to float or fight, and usually choosing both at the same time. The hooks land, but they don't soften the edges, which keeps the energy feeling sharp rather than polished. "Ex-termination" closes out the album like a door being slammed at just the right moment. It's heavy and with zero interest in being polite. The guitars come in thick and relentless, and the death metal growls push everything into darker territory making sure the record ends on impact rather than resolution. STITCHED UP HEART really show their talent with "Medusa", and it's a delight to see this band grow and evolve. There's a confidence in the way they handle the dynamics, like they finally trust the space between the heavy moments and the melodic ones instead of rushing to fill every gap.

Ex-W.A.S.P. Guitarist CHRIS HOLMES Laments Political Polarization In America: 'The Division, It's Just Sickening'

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 19:31:10 +0000

In a new interview with Anthony Bryant of The Hair Metal Guru, former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes, who has lived in Cannes, France with his wife since 2014, spoke about how America has become so politically divided in recent decades, largely driven by misperceptions people have about ordinary partisans on the other side — the everyday people who happen to support the other political party. He said in part (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm not saying this to be mean or whatever towards… You could be a Trumper. I'm not saying it in mean. I'm not a Democrat, I'm not a Republican, but a lot of people trusted the president that they voted in, and look what's going on with the country now. Why is [the price of] gas so high? I thought he was gonna bring 'em [the prices] down, They trusted the wrong guy. I'm not saying I'm a Trumper or non-Trumper… Put it this way, I didn't vote, so I have no right in saying anything on it. But I am an American, but I didn't vote." Chris continued: "My mom was a Trumper, my dad was a Trumper, my sister, she is, my brother's not. We're all Americans. That's what we gotta realize in the first place. What I can't stand is 'it's us against them'. Fuck you. Fuck anybody that says 'it's us against them'. No — we're all Americans. Regardless. 'Us against them', that's not right. The division, it's just sickening." Back in November 2024, W.A.S.P. frontman Blackie Lawless defended his decision to praise Donald Trump during the band's concert in New York City, saying the then-U.S. president-elect was "a patriot" who was "willing to die" for what he believed in. W.A.S.P.'s performance of "Blind In Texas" in New York City featured Donald Trump banners flanking the stage while the image of the then-president-elect with his fist raised after the July 2024 assassination attempt near Butler, Pennsylvania was displayed behind the band. Holmes recently canceled a tour of the United Kingdom and Scandinavia, scheduled for May 2026, due to a "minor prostate issue" which required immediate attention. In February 2022, Holmes was diagnosed with throat and neck cancer, and he immediately postponed his touring commitments while he received treatment. He completed seven weeks of radiation therapy and five months later, he shared the good news with fans that his cancer was "gone". Holmes joined W.A.S.P. in 1982 and remained with the group until 1990. In 1996, the guitarist returned to W.A.S.P. and stayed with the band until 2001. Chris has not played with W.A.S.P. since.

'Rock For Ronnie' Concert In The Park Brings In Over $125,000 For RONNIE JAMES DIO 'Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund'

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 17:12:56 +0000

The annual "Rock For Ronnie" concert in the park, held on Sunday, May 31, 2026 at the Autry Museum of the American West in Griffith Park, brought in over $125,000 for the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund. Crowd favorite Lita Ford, popular tribute band LED ZEPAGAIN, the new lineup of DIO DISCIPLES, southern rock band JASON CHARLES MILLER, British hard rock band LEGS DIAMOND, the all-female AC/DC tribute WHOLE LOTTA ROSIES, Los Angeles-based up-and-comers SAINTS OF SINNERS and the signature all-star jam comprised the day of non-stop music. The event was hosted by radio and television personality Eddie Trunk, who is heard on SiriusXM's 103 Faction Talk channel. Cancer researchers Irene Choi and Neeti Swarup from Dr. David Wong's lab at the UCLA School of Dentistry accepted a check for $25,000 to advance their ongoing research to develop a simple, non-invasive saliva swab test for early cancer detection. Because cancer fingerprints are seven times more prevalent in saliva than in blood, this research is crucial to early cancer diagnoses, a major priority for the Dio Cancer Fund. Local newcomers SAINTS OF SINNERS, who number BLACK SABBATH's Geezer Butler and his wife and manager Gloria Butler among their supporters, kicked off the afternoon of music. They were followed by the all-female AC/DC tribute WHOLE LOTTA ROSIES and veteran British band LEGS DIAMOND, who delivered their brand of hard rock. Returning to "Rock For Ronnie" by popular demand for the fourth consecutive year was southern rocker Jason Charles Miller with his band, comprising Allie Kay and Gary Joseph Potter Jr. on guitars; Zach Andrews on bass and drummer Nick Mason. DIO DISCIPLES inaugurated most of its new lineup with singers Oni Logan and Robin McAuley alternating lead vocals, backed by Rowan Robertson on guitar, Scott Warren on keyboards and Bjorn Englen in bass. Veteran drummer Brian Tichy filled in for DISCIPLES' drummer Simon Wright, who is currently recovering from surgery. Popular ZEPPELIN tribute band LED ZEPAGAIN, who last year joined the all-star jam, returned to perform a full set to the packed crowd. A spirited live auction preceded Lita Ford's headline set in which signed one-of-a-kind guitars donated by George Thorogood, Geezer Butler and Lita herself were auctioned off. George Thorogood donated an Epiphone Les Paul while Geezer Butler donated a Lakland bass. Lita Ford once again asked PBS "Guitar Builder To The Stars" Jim Cara, who has designed custom guitars for her, to create a special one-of-a-kind guitar for the occasion, this one featuring the artwork from DIO's "Holy Diver" album. Following Lita's high-energy set, backed by her band comprising Patrick Kennison on guitar, Marten Andersson on bass and drummer Bobby Rock, Wendy Dio presented Lita with the Dio Cancer Fund's "Queen Of Rock 'N' Roll" award in honor of her continued commitment and support of the charity. Closing out the afternoon of music was the now-traditional all-star jam, this year featuring Vinny Appice (DIO, BLACK SABBATH), Robbie Crane (WARRANT, BLACK STAR RIDERS), Phil Demmel (KERRY KING, MACHINE HEAD), Mike Dupke (WEDNESDAY 13), Marc Ferrari (KEEL, COLD SWEAT), Shani Kamelman (THE IRON MAIDENS), Ari Kamen (STEVEN ADLER), Julia Lage (VIXEN), Mike Mangin (THE CULT), Chad McMurray (RIVETSKULL), Keith Nelson (BUCKCHERRY), Michael Nelson (RICKY WARWICK), Marty O'Brien (DAUGHTRY), Kirsten Rosenberg (THE IRON MAIDENS), Robert Sarzo (HURRICANE), Neil Turbin (DEATH STAR RIDERS, ANTHRAX), Ricky Warwick (THIN LIZZY, BLACK STAR RIDERS), Victor Wichmann (METALACHI) and musician and sponsor Bill McBride. "Rock For Ronnie"'s new location at the park adjacent to the Autry Museum offered a beautiful setting for an afternoon of exciting live music and fun for the whole family. Additionally, there were silent and live auctions, raffles, merchandise sales, food trucks, assorted vendor booths selling unusual crafts and other items plus artist meet and greets throughout the day. "Lemmy's Lounge", a branded area created by the Rainbow Bar & Grill to replicate their West Hollywood restaurant's popular tribute to the late MOTÖRHEAD singer, was a popular hangout to enjoy shots of Motörhead Whiskey or other beverages available from the nearby beverage tent. The specially created "Garden of Hope" provided the opportunity to make an "I Rock For..." dedication to someone who has battled, survived or succumbed to cancer. It was filled with tributes by the end of the afternoon. The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund was founded in memory of the late singer. A privately funded 501(c)(3) public charity, the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund has already raised over $2 million since its inception. Monies raised have been committed to the cancer research work of the T.J. Martell Foundation for cancer, AIDS and leukemia research, the gastric cancer research unit of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where Ronnie was treated for gastric cancer during the last six months of his life, and other cancer research projects. Since 2016, the Dio Cancer Fund has committed funds to support the research of Dr. David Wong and his team at the UCLA School of Dentistry in developing a simple, non-invasive saliva test for the early detection of cancer. 100% of the net proceeds from the "Rock For Ronnie" will go to the Dio Cancer Fund, which is now in its sixteenth year of raising awareness and much-needed funding for cancer prevention, education and research for a cure. The organization also hosts the annual "Bowl For Ronnie" celebrity bowling party, which will be held on November 12, 2026. Save the date for next year's "Rock For Ronnie": Sunday, May 23, 2027. Photo by Gene Kirkland

Alt-Rock Giants HOOBASTANK Release First Original Song In Nearly A Decade, 'How Do You Sleep?'

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:37:51 +0000

Alt-rock giants HOOBASTANK surprised fans with the release of their brand-new song, "How Do You Sleep?", their first original music in nearly a decade. The track debuted at Vans Warped Tour, the definitive summer festival for rock and alternative music, which kicked off this past weekend in Washington, D.C. After more than two decades since the release of their massive hit "The Reason", HOOBASTANK reunites with acclaimed producer Howard Benson for their powerful new single, "How Do You Sleep?" The collaboration marks a full-circle moment for the band, whose creative partnership with Benson helped define an entire generation and became one of the most memorable rock albums of the 2000s. Bringing that same chemistry into a new era, "How Do You Sleep?" blends the emotional honesty and soaring melodies fans have long connected with, while showcasing the band's continued evolution and renewed creative energy. "How Do You Sleep?" serves as a modern return to HOOBASTANK's roots, channeling the raw energy, driving riffs, and melodic urgency that defined the band's self-titled debut. "I feel good about releasing new music. It's kind of like a creative 'pressure valve' has been opened," HOOBASTANK vocalist Doug Robb shares, and continues, "Howard Benson's enthusiasm was a big part of opening it for us. He gave us direction but also a lot more freedom than he may have previously." Renowned producer and Judge & Jury Records co-founder Howard Benson adds: "It was a trip back in time, and a look to the future when the band arrived to play their new music for me. We have had stops and starts working together for years, but this time they brought not one or two songs, but a plethora of great material! I was so taken by the strength of vision and musicality I was hearing that I booked studio time as we were listening so as not to lose the momentum!" HOOBASTANK has had a resurgence back into the mainstream through TikTok and hit TV shows. The viral success of the #NotAPerfectPerson trend on TikTok brought new attention to the hit single, garnering user generated content of biggest fails. When Netflix's hit show "Beef" gained major popularity in 2023, the show featured HOOBASTANK's "The Reason", which resulted in the song re-entering the iTunes Rock charts and appearing on Shazam's US Top 200, the most Shazamed tracks in the United States. The single/band was also recently featured in hit shows "Building The Band" (Netflix), "The Boys" (Amazon), and more. HOOBASTANK also surprised fans this past summer, appearing on stage with the JONAS BROTHERS at their Hershey stop performing "The Reason" to a packed arena. With the mainstream attention and a newer generation of music fans finding the catalog of the band, they are clocking in at over 14 million monthly listeners. In addition to upcoming performances at Rock In Rio Lisboa, Vans Warped Tour, O Son do Camiño Festival, Summer Of '99 cruise and festival, HOOBASTANK will be hitting the road this fall as part of STAIND's "Break The Cycle" 25th-anniversary tour, alongside SEETHER and HINDER. Photo credit: Kevin Baldes

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's JESSE LEACH: 'I Can't Hate On METALLICA. They're The Forefathers Of All Of This Stuff.'

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:13:58 +0000

In a recent interview with Mike "Radioactive MikeZ" Zara, host of the 96.7 KCAL-FM program "Wired In The Empire", KILLSWITCH ENGAGE singer Jesse Leach reflected on the first time he heard METALLICA's multi-million-selling 1991 self-titled LP, also known as the "Black Album". He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, man, that's a huge record. I look back on it, it's got so many hits on it. For me, it was, obviously, such a radical change for that band. And I think at the time I didn't appreciate it as much as I do now. I think for me, I was one of those people who was, like, 'Ah, it's so different,' but the more you listen to that record, the more it grows on you. And it's still METALLICA, but it was very different. And now, obviously, the hits — it's ridiculous. 'Enter Sandman' was a big one for me. I still love that song. I can't hate on it. When I was younger, I kind of did, though, to be fair." Leach continued: "You gotta allow bands to do what they gotta do. And METALLICA's one of those bands, even if they went a little that way, they came back in. The last two records have been great. They're one of those bands — I can't hate on METALLICA. I can't. They're the forefathers of all of this stuff, and just those first four records alone — untouchable. Untouchable." Asked what METALLICA song off the "Black Album" he would like to cover if he got a chance, Jesse said: "I would do an acoustic version of 'Enter Sandman'. Mellow it way out with, like, 12 strings and make it sort of psychedelic. I think turning that song into sort of a psychedelic lullaby would be a cool way to go. Almost like a 'Planet Caravan' style. Something different. Flip it around." Earlier this month, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE kicked off a U.S. tour with support from MACHINE HEAD, IRON REAGAN and HAVOK. KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's latest album, "This Consequence", came out in February 2025 via Metal Blade. "This Consequence" was KILLSWITCH ENGAGE's ninth LP overall, and sixth with Leach, who rejoined the band in 2012. "This Consequence" arrived alongside a hugely successful winter/spring 2025 tour, yielded a Top 10 single with "I Believe" and landed the band on the covers of Revolver and Outburn. In the summer of 2025, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE completed the massive "Summer Of Loud" tour, co-headlining alongside BEARTOOTH, I PREVAIL and PARKWAY DRIVE. Fans got their first taste of "This Consequence" with pulverizing track "Forever Aligned", swiftly followed by "I Believe". More recently, the group shared videos for "Collusion" and "Aftermath".

SLEEPING WITH SIRENS Announces Fall 2026 North American Headlining Tour

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 15:15:35 +0000

Fresh off the release of its new LP "An Ending In Itself", iconic alternative rock band SLEEPING WITH SIRENS has announced a fall 2026 headlining tour across North America with support from RAIN CITY DRIVE and SHYEYE. Their trek will kick off after SLEEPING WITH SIRENS' appearance at Aftershock festival in Sacramento, California on October 3. They will be visiting cities across the U.S. and Canada before their final performance at Vans Warped Tour Orlando on November 14. Sirens Club members receive pre-sale access starting today at 12 p.m. local time. General on-sale will be this Thursday, June 18 at 10 a.m. local time. Tickets and VIP meet-and-greets will be available for purchase at sirensmusic.co/tour. Produced by Will Yip (TURNSTILE, CIRCA SURVIVE, MOVEMENTS), "An Ending In Itself" represents both a homecoming and a reckoning for the band as they revive the restless spirit of their classic sound with the nuanced experience of recent years. Since its release last Friday, it has received wide praise from outlets including Dork, Rock Sound, Knotfest, Lambgoat, Metal Injection and more. Kerrang! calls this record "expectation-defeating" stating the band has found the best versions of themselves, while CaliberTV calls it SLEEPING WITH SIRENS' "best album since 2011." SLEEPING WITH SIRENS vocalist Kellin Quinn describes "An Ending In Itself" as both a culmination and a continuation, completing the recent emotional and thematic arc of "How It Feels To Be Lost" and "Complete Collapse" while reconnecting with the spirit that first propelled the band forward. The new record includes standout songs including their title track "An Ending In Itself", the haunting song "Forever/Always" and SLEEPING WITH SIRENS' heaviest song to date, "Paralyzed". Exclusive colored vinyl with signed inserts, and a zine CD featuring 24 pages of behind-the-scenes photos and handwritten lyrics are available to order now. Driven by angst and gigantic melodies, this new album marks the first to be released with Rise Records since "Feel", which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. Earlier Rise releases include "With Ears To See And Eyes To Hear" and the gold-certified "Let's Cheers To This", which produced the platinum single "If You Can't Hang". After fifteen years, seven studio albums, one EP, one live album and thousands of shows, the band has built an undeniable connection with their audience consistently drawing devoted fans and delivering electrifying performances that showcase their distinctly unique path through modern alternative rock. They helped to define the early to mid-aughts Warped Tour era and are now experiencing a renewed surge with younger audiences discovering their catalog. The band — Kellin Quinn (vocals), Nick Martin (guitar), Justin Hills (bass), Matty Best (drums) and newest addition Tony Pizzuti (guitar) — continues to hone its signature sound while boldly exploring new creative frontiers. That future-forward perspective, coupled with a deep connection to their listeners, has established SLEEPING WITH SIRENS as a household name that's more relevant than ever. SLEEPING WITH SIRENS tour dates: July 11 - Las Vegas, NV - Fremont Street Experience July 18 - Mansfield, OH - Inkcarceration Festival* July 25 - Long Beach, CA - Vans Warped Tour* Sept. 18 - Louisville, KY - Louder Than Life* Oct. 3 - Sacramento, CA - Aftershock Festival* Oct. 6 - Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren Oct. 8 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Union Oct. 10 - Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium Oct. 12 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom Oct. 14 - Dallas, TX - Gilley’s Dallas Southside Ballroom Oct. 15 - Houston, TX - Bayou Music Center Oct. 16 - San Antonio, TX - Boeing Center at Tech Port Oct. 18 - Saint Louis, MO - The Pageant Oct. 20 - St. Paul, MN - Myth Oct. 21 - Madison, WI - The Sylvee Oct. 24 - Grand Rapids, MI - GLC Live at 20 Monroe Oct. 25 - Chicago, IL - The Salt Shed Oct. 27 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE Oct. 28 - Royal Oak, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre Oct. 30 - Montreal, QC - MTELUS Oct. 31 - Ottawa, ON - History Ottawa Nov. 1 - Toronto, ON - History Nov. 3 - Boston, MA - House of Blues Boston Music Hall Nov. 4 - Sayreville, NJ - Starland Ballroom Nov. 6 - Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore Philadelphia Nov. 7 - New York, NY - Manhattan Center Hammerstein Ballroom Nov. 8 - Baltimore, MD - Nevermore Hall Nov. 11 - Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore Charlotte Nov. 12 - Atlanta, GA - The Eastern Nov. 14 - Orlando, FL - Vans Warped Tour* * Festival dates

Symphonic Metal Band DOLIA Unveils Cinematic New Single And Video 'Duet'

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:51:04 +0000

Bosnian symphonic/progressive metal band DOLIA, led by powerful vocalist and young artist Sara Vojicic, returns with a new single and music video, "Duet" — the second chapter of a trilogy inspired by the ancient Slavic legend of the goddess Morana. Following the band's debut single "The Gift", "Duet" continues DOLIA's ambitious artistic narrative, exploring themes of identity, inner conflict, personal transformation and the struggle between authenticity and societal expectations. Known for her wide vocal range, emotional intensity and powerful high-register performances, Sara Vojicic — daughter of Bosnian rock legend Mladen Vojičić, better known by his nickname Tifa — brings a dramatic vocal expression that has drawn comparisons among listeners to the leading voices of the symphonic metal scene such as Floor Jansen, Sharon Den Adel and Amy Lee. Her experience in major musical theatre productions, including the Croatian productions of "Les Misérables" and "Six", further shaped her ability to combine vocal power with storytelling and theatrical expression. Through a fantasy-inspired storyline following the encounter between the main character and the Slavic goddess Morana, "Duet" explores the duality within every person — the conflict between the version of ourselves we show to the world and the instinctive, authentic part we often hide. "'Duet' is a song about the duality that exists within all of us and the constant battle between different sides of our personality. It speaks about the alter ego we often fear, but also about the most primal and instinctive part of ourselves — the part we are born with. That part is often misunderstood or judged by the world around us," says Sara Vojicic. The song raises a universal question: where does the version of ourselves created to fit society's expectations end, and where does our true identity begin? "For me, this song represents the closing of a very challenging chapter of my life — one that pushed me to become stronger, freer in my relationships with others, and more honest with myself. It is a story about letting go of the fear of judgment, rejection and the need to live according to someone else's expectations," Sara explains. Musically, "Duet" expands DOLIA's sonic identity, combining elements of symphonic and progressive metal with cinematic orchestration, layered vocal arrangements and dynamic musical storytelling. Rather than following traditional song structures, the composition develops alongside the emotional journey of the story, creating a dramatic and immersive listening experience. "Compared to our debut single 'The Gift', 'Duet' carries more strength, but also more vulnerability. It shows that these two qualities can exist together — not only in music, but within every person. That contrast is the reason behind the title and the essence of the song," says Vojicic. The music, lyrics and arrangement are created by the members of DOLIA, while orchestration and production are handled by Riad Music, whose approach brings a cinematic dimension and emotional depth to the band's sound. Mixing and mastering were completed by Slovenian producer Simon Jovanovic (Studio Evolution), whose experience in rock and metal production brings additional depth and clarity to DOLIA's sound (credits include work with Joe Lynn Turner, JELUSICK, ANIMAL DRIVE). The music video for "Duet" is directed by Tarik Hodzic, filmmaker best known internationally for the acclaimed documentary "Scream for Me Sarajevo", which tells the extraordinary story of Bruce Dickinson's historic 1994 concert in Sarajevo during the city's siege. The documentary captures one of the most remarkable moments in heavy metal history — a concert performed by the IRON MAIDEN vocalist and his band in a city surrounded by war, where music became a symbol of resistance, hope and human connection. For DOLIA, this collaboration continues the connection between music, storytelling and powerful visual narratives. Director's cinematic approach helped transform "Duet" into a visual world that follows the symbolism, mythology and emotional atmosphere of the song. "This is our second collaboration with Tarik, and I believe no one could have opened the door to the fantasy world we are creating better than him. Working with a film crew brings a completely different perspective — it is not only about performing a song, but about building a story, emotion, visual beauty and artistic expression," says Sara. DOLIA consists of Sara Vojicic, Riad Music and Erik Müller, alongside their collaborators. After completing the trilogy, the band will release additional singles leading towards their debut album, planned for release at the end of the year in both digital and physical formats. With their cinematic approach, fantasy-inspired storytelling and a powerful blend of symphonic and progressive metal, DOLIA are building a unique sound that connects the heritage of Slavic mythology with the emotional intensity of modern metal. Photo credit: Maja Topcagic

ANDY LA ROCQUE: 'Nobody Knows' When The Long-Awaited New KING DIAMOND Album 'Saint Lucifer's Hospital 1920' Will Arrive

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:12:18 +0000

In a new interview with Sakis Fragos of Rock Hard Greece, KING DIAMOND guitarist Andy La Rocque spoke about the status of the band's forthcoming horror trilogy, part one of which is titled "Saint Lucifer's Hospital 1920". Asked what is happening with "Saint Lucifer's Hospital 1920" now, Andy said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[Laughs] Yeah, what's happening with that? I can't really tell you too much about it because we have some songs. I wrote songs, like, four or five years ago that we will have, a few of them, for this upcoming album. And I already started with the right guitar tracks on it. I think Matt [Thompson, KING DIAMOND drummer] even played drums on one of my songs. And we've been playing that live too, actually, for a while, the 'Electro Therapy'. We played that live for a while. And we just need to put together some more songs before we can start recording. And, well, we actually have the songs, so I don't know. I can't really tell you how long it's gonna take to do that. Nobody knows. [Laughs] Nobody knows. We'll see. But all I can say is that we're working on it." Asked what it was like touring Europe extensively with KING DIAMOND again in 2025, Andy said: "Oh, that was great. We did a U.S. tour back in 2024, and that was a little tough, actually, because we had a lot of problems. We had a lot of new people. Everything was kind of new after the COVID situation. So everything was new. All the costs had gone up quite a bit, and a lot of things that happened on that tour. But on the European tour last summer, 2025, that was so much better in every way because then we'd done one tour with pretty much the same people. We just had a good time doing that. I think we did, like, around 30 shows, something like that, all over Europe, actually — U.K., Greece, Turkey, up in Finland. And we just had a great time doing that. We had a lot of fun, actually, doing it. That was great. That was really good." Last month, Andy was asked by Peter Kerr of Rock Daydream Nation if fans can expect "Saint Lucifer's Hospital 1920" to arrive anytime soon. Andy said: "That's a question [that should be put] to [KING DIAMOND's namesake frontman] King [Diamond]. As you probably heard, we've been working on that for ages. But my part of it is that back in 2022, I had a bunch of songs, pre-production with the right recording guitars, some keyboards from [early KING DIAMOND collaborator] Roberto Falcao, actually. I asked him to do a few things on my songs. So I had, like, eight songs that I sent off to all the members in the band — pretty much ready to start recording, with vocals and the real proper drums and bass from Pontus [Egberg, KING DIAMOND bassist] and stuff, even though I played some bass on it, and [I used a] drum machine [for the demos] and all that stuff, just like a guideline. And we talked about it, and King wanted to use, like, three of those songs. And so I guess now he's finishing up his part of it, which is gonna be, like, five or six songs on the album. So that's what we're waiting for." La Rocque previously discussed the status of the next KING DIAMOND album this past March in an interview with "Reckless" Rexx Ruger of the Pod Scum podcast. Asked if "Saint Lucifer's Hospital 1920" will still be released in 2026, Andy said: "I really hope so. That's our goal. We have most of the songs. I sent [King Diamond, KING DIAMOND's namesake frontman], I think, eight songs, like, four years ago, and we decided to use three of those. And we actually played one live from those songs. And as soon as he's done with this stuff — he's gotta write five songs, I believe, and he's got a lot of the stuff already written down, with the lyrics and everything. As soon as that's recorded and arranged from his side, we can put the right guitars on, the right drums, bass and everything. So I really hope it won't take very long before we can continue working on that. And if that's the case, we can start recording soon, and during the summer, [and] then we have a chance for it to be released at the very end of the year." Regarding how he approaches playing the new KING DIAMOND material from a guitarist perspective, Andy said: "It depends. Nowadays King has usually a request for me to play the song the way he would like it to be played. So I probably play my songs a little bit different than his songs, because I know, that, for example, he [doesn't] like when I play the rhythms with like a vibrato kind of thing at the end of a riff or whatever, because that might be interacting with his vocals that comes on later. But on my songs, I just do what I feel is right to do. I mean, if it's good for the song, it's probably good. And if it doesn't fit, when he puts the vocal on, I change it. But first of all, I just write what comes out of the heart. I don't really care what other people think about the style or whatever. I just write my stuff, and it's kind of based in the '80s. I mean, standard tuning — we don't tune down with KING DIAMOND, so it's standard tuning, pretty straightforward. And, melodies [are] super essential. I think it's so important to have melodies in the songs, and create space for melodies, too, for the vocals. That's really important." In June 2025, Andy told the Heavy Demons radio show about the KING DIAMOND songwriting process, Andy said: "[I] pretty much [come up with] a complete demo with a programmed drum track and some keyboards on and some rhythm guitars. And I try to make my demos as complete as possible with everything — except for the vocals, of course — but sometimes even with some solos that we can use on the album even, and the right guitar sounds, and hopefully the right keyboard sounds too. When it comes to King's stuff, he's a little more basic with a few of the things. For example, the guitars — he lets me re-record the guitars. And then I put solo on, and then Pontus, the bass player, puts the bass on and all that stuff. So it's a little bit different, but it's quite complete anyway, from his side. You totally understand what he wants with the feel and the atmosphere of the song. And once that's done and we're okay with the arrangement and stuff, we send that out to the other members in the band so they can start recording. For example, Matt [Thompson, KING DIAMOND drummer] has his own recording studio in Dallas, where he lives. So when he gets the demo from us, he just mutes the drums, put his drums on, and sends it to me so I can fix the drums and set up a good sound on everything. Same with the bass player and also with Mike [Wead], the other guitarist — kind of the same procedure. And once the drums are done and we're okay with everything, King is doing the vocals. So that's about it. And then, of course, we can go in and change a few things too. If something needs to be added or changed — a rhythm part on the guitar or solo; whatever needs to be changed — we can do that whenever. So it's a pretty creative procedure." Last year, La Rocque spoke to Finland's Chaoszine about the new KING DIAMOND songs "Electro Therapy" and "Spider Lilly" which were first performed during the band's fall 2024 U.S. tour. He said: "We were kind of done with these songs. That's why we decided to try to play them live and see how it works out. And that's what we did. So, for example, 'Spider Lilly' is gonna be on the album. And we play that live. And it's also released on video. So, yeah, that's how we do it. We don't have to wait for a whole album. We thought, 'We need to put out something now for the fans.'" During the same chat, La Rocque addressed his previous comment that he wanted the next KING DIAMOND album to have a more organic sound, similar to how it was on some of the band's early efforts. Asked if he and his bandmates will have to do a lot of "tweaking" in the studio to achieve this sound, Andy said: "Not really. That's what we don't do this time around. We don't do a lot of tweaks to it. It's organic also in the way of the playing is not like copied and pasted, stuff like that. It's more relaxed play. And there might be some things you hear that are like, 'Oh, yeah…' We're gonna keep that… Because that's what we had back in the '80s too when we recorded an album. Everything wasn't perfect — more organic, and not everything triggered and sound like everyone else. But we want a more acoustic, kind of more of the acoustic drums, and stuff like that, to make it a little bit more organic. It doesn't have to be perfect everywhere. It's good, but some things might not be a hundred percent, only 99.99, you know what I'm saying? But that's also to make everything like a more loose or organic feel to it. Of course it's gonna be good. We don't release anything that we're not happy with." In a separate interview with Fistful Of Metal magazine, King stated about the status of the long-awaited new KING DIAMOND album: "Well, for starters, the original name that we had picked was 'The Institute'. However, that has now changed to 'St Lucifer's Hospital 1920', since the start of the U.S. tour. There very well may be a track on the album called 'The Institute'… I just want to make sure that it's the best material I've ever released. Right now, we are gearing up to film the next video for the single 'Lobotomy'. Other songs that are completed are an intro track called 'Under The Surface', 'The Institute', 'The Nun', 'Faceless' and, of course, 'Spider Lilly'. There's another track, which I'm not sure is going to be on the album yet, called 'Deep In The Darkness 1920'. Andy has been working on at least five tracks, one of which has as monster chorus that we plan to record with a choir. The plan is that this album will be the first of a trilogy, and I already have all three album titles." In December 2024, KING DIAMOND released a studio version of "Spider Lilly". It was a first-time mixing collaboration with Arthur Rizk, who also mastered the track. The music and lyrics were written by King Diamond. The official music video for "Spider Lilly" was directed by My Good Eye Visuals. Part of the clip was filmed at the very haunted Pennhurst Asylum outside of Philadelphia on a travel day during the band's 2024 North American tour, two days before Halloween. It was only King himself and actress Jodi Cachia who could participate on that specific day, together with producer David Brodsky, Allie Woest and their crew. KING DIAMOND performed "Spider Lilly" live for the first time at the kick-off concert of the band's 2024 North American headlining tour. In October 2023, KING DIAMOND released a music video for the 2019 single "Masquerade Of Madness". The clip was directed by David Brodsky and Allison Woest of My Good Eye Visuals. A month after KING DIAMOND released "Masquerade Of Madness" in November 2019, La Rocque told The Metal Voice that he came up with the music for the track first before passing it off to King, who "needed to arrange a few things and change just a small few things for making it work with his vocals. And then, of course, he wrote the lyrics for it," the guitarist revealed. "So we [went] a little back and forth until he felt like, 'Okay, this is cool, man. This is the right key to sing in,' and all that." KING DIAMOND received a Grammy nomination in the "Best Metal Performance" category for the track "Never Ending Hill" off the band's last album, 2007's "Give Me Your Soul … Please". "Give Me Your Soul ... Please" sold 4,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 174 on The Billboard 200 chart. KING DIAMOND released a DVD/Blu-ray, "Songs For The Dead Live", in January 2019 via Metal Blade Records. The set captured 1987's seminal "Abigail" album in its entirety, twice, and in very different locales: Belgium's Graspop Metal Meeting in June 2016 and Philadelphia's Fillmore in November 2015. The performances featured KING DIAMOND's current band, comprising of guitarists La Rocque and Mike Wead, bassist Pontus Egberg and Matt Thompson. Photo by Jeremy Saffer

THE GATHERING's Reunited 'Mandylion' Lineup To Play Final Concert Of 30th-Anniversary Tour Next January In Amsterdam

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:01:54 +0000

The "Mandylion" lineup of Dutch rockers THE GATHERING — including singer Anneke Van Giersbergen — will play the final concert of its "Mandylion" 30th-anniversary tour on Saturday, January 16, 2027 at AFAS Live in Amsterdam. After 29 shows around the world with the original "Mandylion" lineup, this will be the final celebration of this special tour. THE GATHERING states: "During this evening, we will not only celebrate 'Mandylion', but also shine a spotlight on 'Nighttime Birds', which will likewise mark its 30th anniversary in 2027. With 'Nighttime Birds', we continued the musical journey that began with 'Mandylion'. The two albums are inextricably linked and together represent an important chapter in our creative evolution as a band. The songs on these records still hold a special meaning for us — and for many of you. "This will be a unique evening dedicated to both albums and the journey we have shared with you over the past 30 years. "Tickets go on sale Friday, June 19 at 10:00 AM. "Together, we will make it an unforgettable night!" The "Mandylion" lineup of Dutch rockers THE GATHERING played half a dozen shows last year to celebrate the classic album's 30th anniversary. The band is continuing the celebrations in 2026 with around 30 more shows in Europe, North America and South America, concluding with a headlining appearance on October 17 at Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile. THE GATHERING's third studio album, "Mandylion" was released in August 1995 via Century Media Records. It was the band's first LP to feature Van Giersbergen. Asked in a recent interview with Chile's iRock.cl what it was like to play with Anneke again after such a long time, THE GATHERING guitarist René Rutten said: "At the beginning, we just started with only the musicians, because it's a bit more difficult to figure out how the music works. And then Anneke came by, and then she was so impressed with hearing the old classic songs, but now with two guitars and really full force, amps on 11. So, yeah, that's absolutely fantastic to do again. And also on stage, the same kind of feeling, like how we did it exactly also 30 years ago." Regarding how the idea of the reunion and the celebration tour came about, René said: "We got the ['Mandylion'] gold album two years ago in the Netherlands. And we had a meeting, and we had a lunch. And during the lunch I asked Anneke, like, 'Let's do something special with being this album 30 years old. And so it happened. Yeah. And that's why I'm now here giving this interview to you. So, yeah." As for the setlist for THE GATHERING's 2026 shows, René said: "That's a big secret. No. Everybody knows, in a way, what we played in the Netherlands last year in August. So it will be similar to that. And maybe a few more other songs. We still have to make that decision. And we have to see. We didn't discuss about it yet." Asked if there are any plans for THE GATHERING's "Mandylion" lineup beyond the 2026 tour, René said: "No, we don't have any plans for the future. No. The last show will be in Chile, from this kind of 'Mandylion' 30th-anniversary shows. And after that I stay, of course, a little bit longer here in Chile, because I have my family here. And after that we will see — we will see what the future will bring. Anneke, of course, has her solo career and shows, and that's happening in '27. And we will see later what it'll bring and what it'll do." The THE GATHERING's "Mandylion" lineup played five reunion shows at Doornroosje in Nijmegen, The Netherlands last August. They also previously staged a kick-off "try-out" concert on June 29, 2025 at Dynamo in Eindhoven. In a 2025 interview with Femmetal - Goddesses Of Metal, which took place before the first b>THE GATHERING reunion show, Anneke spoke about THE GATHERING's concerts to celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Mandylion". She said: "Well, actually, I'm quite excited… This idea came kind of spontaneous. We were having conversations, we had just coffee and talking about life, other things, and then we talked about 'Mandylion' turning 30 and because time flies, we didn't really think about it. And then we said, 'Maybe we can do something nice with it,' because it's such an important album for us personally because we had a great time at the beginning of THE GATHERING career with me, of course. And we said, 'Well, if we do something, we have to do it now, because next year it's not such a good reason because now 'Mandylion' is 30 years old, and let's do something nice.' And so we made this plan, and we made these ideas for these shows. And then a lot of people wanted to come to the shows. I mean, I know THE GATHERING is still a popular band and I know it's alive — people really like THE GATHERING's music now and back then. But we didn't expect this many people to react on it and want [to buy] a ticket [to see us perform live again]. And so we are so happy. And we're gonna make a few beautiful shows and gonna have lots of fun playing together again, 'cause it's been a long time. It's been 10 years, I think." The lineup for the concerts consisted of the following musicians: * Anneke Van Giersbergen - vocals * Hugo Prinsen Geerligs - bass * Frank Boeijen - keyboards, backing vocals * Hans Rutten - drums * René Rutten - guitar * Jelmer Wiersma - guitar In November 2014, THE GATHERING celebrated its 25th anniversary with a one-time special show at Doornroosje in Nijmegen. All past and present members of THE GATHERING — from 1989 until 2014 — appeared on stage and performed in this unique show together. Van Giersbergen announced her departure from THE GATHERING in 2007. She has since released several albums on her own and with her AGUA DE ANNIQUE solo project. In 2005, Century Media celebrated the 10th anniversary of "Mandylion" by releasing a special deluxe edition of the album. The double-CD set featured new artwork, a 16-page booklet with song-by-song liner notes from the band and never-before-seen photos from the album's recording sessions. CD2 contained the first demo recordings THE GATHERING did with Van Giersbergen in June 1994 and early 1995. "Solar Glider" was a previously unreleased instrumental while "Third Chance" appeared two years later in a different version on the "Nighttime Birds" album. In a 2007 interview with PopMatters, Van Giersbergen stated about her decision to leave THE GATHERING and launch AGUA DE ANNIQUE: "I had been in THE GATHERING for 13 years, and I had never done anything for 13 years in my life. It's been my whole adult life, so to leave that, on one hand, was a very clear decision and a very strong feeling, and I was ready. In 13 years, things had changed in my personal and musical life. It was difficult as well, because the guys, they were like brothers, so to leave that and to change that relationship has been a long process and was probably one of the hardest things I did. "I told them at the beginning of March, and so we really took some time to assess the situation," she continued. "Also, the guys, they wanted to see what their plans would be next. Of course they were not happy with my decision, but they are respectful and they have good spirits to continue. Of course, I put a big stamp on the sound and the look of THE GATHERING, but on the other hand I'm not the only singer in the world, so it's going to change, but it's not going to stop." Regarding her reasons for leaving, Anneke said, "There were a lot of physical reasons, but they all came out of one big feeling in my heart that it was time to change. I was supposed to do this record besides THE GATHERING, and I was given time and it was all okay, but I like to do other small projects and work with other people a lot. I had some plans, and the feeling became stronger to develop that more seriously and also especially to be with my family a little bit more. Now, I can direct everything I do from this one agenda, and it feels very good to be the director of your own life. In a way THE GATHERING was officially a bigger band, and we were day and night constantly working with it, and it was quite intense, all the processes. So a lot of small things became one big feeling, like, 'Okay, I'm ready.'" In December 2025, Norwegian singer Silje Wergeland, who had been fronting THE GATHERING since early 2009, announced her departure from the band. She explained in a statement that "after 16 years of creating and playing great music with THE GATHERING" it was "time to move on to new ventures." Prior to joining THE GATHERING, Silje sang for the Norwegian band OCTAVIA SPERATI.

BRUCE DICKINSON Shares Behind-The-Scenes Footage From Making Of New Video For His Classic Solo Song 'Tears Of The Dragon'

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:34:14 +0000

In September 2025, after performing at The Town festival in São Paulo, Brazil, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson joined with directors Leo Liberti and Antoine de Montremy to shoot an epic new film to accompany his reworking of the classic track "Tears Of The Dragon", which is featured on last year's reworked version of his classic 1994 solo album "Balls To Picasso", now titled "More Balls To Picasso". Taking over a disused brewery in São Paulo with a full film crew, Bruce and his HOUSE BAND OF HELL were accompanied by the Almai orchestra, conducted by Antonio Teoli, to create a dramatic video for the beloved song. Teoli and the orchestra featured in the studio re-recording of the track, adding a whole new dimension to the atmospheric ballad. Their performance in the video, alongside Bruce and Brazilian ballet dancer Renata Bardazi, has created a striking and emotionally charged film that has already been shown at a number of film festivals around the world, resulting in prestigious nominations and awards. It has since been released and can be viewed below. Also available is behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the clip. Bruce comments: "When we reimagined the whole 'More Balls To Picasso' album, we always wanted to do an orchestral version of 'Tears Of The Dragon'. Antonio Teoli scored it and we recorded it, then we called up the filmmaker Leo Liberti who previously shot a load of live stuff for me in Brazil that was fabulous. We found this amazing location, an enormous old-school brewery that was almost like a renaissance building, and we made up the orchestra so they looked slightly zombified. All the HOUSE BAND OF HELL band members are in the video and I gave them all instruments to play. The whole thing was brilliant madness. Leo also came up with the idea of having a ballet dancer interpreting the song, and she was amazing, poetic, and that adds an incredible extra-emotional dimension to the video." The new video has already won "Best Music Video" at a host of international film festivals. They are: "Tears Of The Dragon" video 2026 awards: Los Angeles Film Festival IAF - Best Music Video Los Angeles Film Awards - Best Music Video New York International Film Awards - Best Music Video Eastern Europe Film Festival - Best Music Video Sweden Luleå International Film Festival - Best Music Video World Premiere Films Awards - Best Music Video / Best Editing Asian Independent Film Festival - Best Music Video Berlin Music Video Awards - Bronze 2026 Nominations: Cannes Film Awards Cannes World Film Festival International Sound & Film Festival Rome Prisma Film Awards Tokyo Lift-Off Film Festival Filmmaker Sessions New York Short Cinema Awards In an August 2025 interview with Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show, Bruce spoke about the reworked version of "Balls To Picasso". Newly enhanced and expanded, it was described by Dickinson as a "reimagined" version of the original LP, which charted at number 21 in the U.K. The collection includes a pair of previously unreleased live-in-the-studio bonus tracks, as well as the original album track listing — albeit with updated performances, production treatments, and mixing. Bruce told Full Metal Jackie about the decision to revisit "Balls To Picasso" more than three decades later: "Well, we always felt that the album was never as heavy as it should have been, as it was intended to be. And that was 'cause we had so many different producers have their hands on it and everybody had different opinions and things like that. And I think it just kind of got lost in the mix, really, quite literally. But when the [record] label now, the one that [released my latest solo album] 'The Mandrake Project' and everything, when they said, 'Look, we wanna basically do the catalog and do it in Dolby Atmos and everything,' I said, 'Well, maybe we could take the opportunity of doing a bit of an upgrade on 'Balls To Picasso' and make it sound like the record it should have sounded like when we first put it out.' And so Brendan Duffey, who's done all the Atmos mixes and has been doing that for all of my solo catalog, Brendan, who mixed 'The Mandrake Project', said, 'Well, what do you wanna do?' And I said, 'Well, we wanna put some more guitars on it to beef it up.' 'Hey, let's see what else we can do with various percussion bits.' And then we looked at the orchestra for [the song] 'Tears Of The Dragon' and also for 'Change Of Heart'. And then we just went, 'Well, let's just go for broke. Let's put a horn section on 'Shoot All The Clowns'.' So he called his buddies at Berklee College Of Music, his two professors, 'cause he was doing a PhD in music by correspondence whilst he was getting his five Grammys for doing something else. So, he said, 'Oh, they're really, really big fans, man. They really wanna do it.' One's a trombone guy, one's a trumpet guy, and they put this horn section together for 'Shoot All The Clowns', which, it's just devastating; it's fantastic. So it is really a — it's an eclectic record to begin with, but it's now a much deeper, darker and heavier eclectic record." In 1994, having left IRON MAIDEN for a time (he rejoined in 1999),Bruce released his second solo album, "Balls To Picasso". Named in honor of the cubist pioneer whose representations of spherical objects were as squares, and reflected on the cover in graffiti style on a tiled bathroom wall, the album belied its irreverent title by solidifying Dickinson's reputation as a serious solo artist. His first record with collaborator Roy "Z" Ramirez, and recorded with Z's band TRIBE OF GYPSIES, it went through various iterations before its release, produced by Shay Baby. The original album contained a number of classic tracks and live favorites from Dickinson, including the singles "Tears Of The Dragon" and "Shoot All The Clowns", alongside the much-loved epic "Laughing In The Hiding Bush", which was the original title for the album. Yet despite its positive reception at the time, it never quite captured Dickinson's original vision which was even more expansive in scope and ambition. However, with the ability to revisit his solo catalog — and following on from Dickinson's hugely acclaimed album "The Mandrake Project" in 2024 — the brand new part re-recorded, remixed and newly mastered version of the album, now titled "More Balls To Picasso", reimagines it as a fresh and contemporary release; a roaringly full-throttle and ambitious collection of supremely crafted and realized songs. Additionally, "More Balls To Picasso" includes two previously unreleased live-in-the-studio tracks, "Gods Of War" and "Shoot All The Clowns". It is available as a splatter vinyl double album and tri-panel digisleeve CD album.

Watch: GENE SIMMONS And His Solo Band Perform KISS Classics In Indio

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:19:27 +0000

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons and his solo band, GENE SIMMONS BAND, performed this past Saturday, June 13 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California. Fan-filmed video of the entire concert can be seen below (uploaded by Knucklebutt_FavBands on YouTube). GENE SIMMONS BAND consists of Gene on bass and vocals, Jason Walker on guitar and vocals, Brian Tichy on drums and vocals and Brent Woods on guitar. According to Setlist.fm, the setlist for the Indio concert was as follows: 01. Deuce (KISS song) 02. Shout It Out Loud (KISS song) 03. War Machine (KISS song) 04. Calling Dr. Love (KISS song) 05. Christine Sixteen (KISS song) 06. I (KISS song) 07. Spit (KISS song) 08. I Love It Loud (KISS song) 09. Domino (KISS song) 10. Charisma (KISS song) 11. Rocket Ride (KISS song) 12. Cold Gin (KISS song) 13. Parasite (KISS song) 14. Rock And Roll All Nite (KISS song) In a recent interview with Whittier Daily News, Gene stated about his solo band: "My side band, they're killers by the way. They're multi-instrumentalists, and all sing lead. It's really a terrific idea. We don't have a manager. There are no trucks, no nothing. We just set up and play. We have the flexibility of doing requests someone may yell out. Or if we're asked if we know 'Tush' by ZZ TOP, we'll look at each other, it's the key of G, let's go and boom, you're off to the races." He added: "We're going to do material KISS that has never done. We're going to do some stuff that maybe has never been recorded. The other thing we can do that KISS never did is pull fans up from the audience. Do you want to be a rock star? I may pull you up if you can play an instrument. Or, if it's a kid that looks like he can hold his own on stage, I'll pull him up. No rules." During an August 2024 appearance on the Steve-O's Wild Ride! podcast, Simmons stated about his performances with his solo band: "[We're] just having a lot of fun." He continued: "By the way, I designed a business model that is just semi-genius. I show up with my guitar pick. That's it. There's no manager, no roadies, no trucks, no equipment. Everything is provided by the promoter. The flights, the hotels, all the amplifiers, the drums, everything is rented locally. That's the promoter's cost, and whatever six-figure or more amount there is, I pocket. And I literally make more money per gig being Gene Simmons and the GENE SIMMONS BAND than I did in KISS — not counting the ancillaries and all that — because you don't have a 60-man crew, three double deckers, private jet that's on call seven days a week and 20 to 24 tractor trailers." Simmons was born Chaim Witz in August 1949, at Rambam Hospital in Haifa to Jewish immigrants from Hungary. He was the son of Holocaust survivor Flora Klein and a father, Feri Witz, who soon abandoned his family, leaving them penniless prior to emigrating to America in search of a better life.Simmons is a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, and media mogul. He has achieved success that reaches far beyond his music career, extending into television shows, films, publishing, merchandising, worldwide restaurants, consumer products, and more. Gene was inspired to become a rock star when he first saw a televised performance by THE BEATLES. He formed several bands and then met fellow KISS co-founder Paul Stanley in 1970 and they formed the group WICKED LESTER. In the winter of 1972, with a desire to create the "ultimate" rock band, not just "another" rock band, Simmons and Stanley formed KISS with original band members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley. Inspired by his love of comic books and horror films, Simmons conceived the concept of his face paint. The addition of elaborate costumes, frenetic stage performances and ostentatious concert effects, catapulted KISS to international stardom and a coveted position as one of the most recognized rock and roll bands in the world. Since their inception, KISS has developed millions of fans around the world, also known as the KISS Army. With over 100 million CDs and DVDs sold worldwide, KISS sold out stadiums and arenas around the world for five decades, breaking box-office records set by Elvis Presley and THE BEATLES. KISS was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2014 and in 1999 received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. Merchandising giant Simmons's keen business acumen has expanded the KISS brand beyond the stage. With more than 5,000 licensed/merchandised items, KISS has generated more money from merchandising and trademark deals than any other band in music history. More recently, Gene launched Gene Simmons MoneyBag soda — a new line of sodas made with all natural flavors, colors, and pure cane sugar, and packaged in painted bottles. Simmons is renowned and sought after worldwide as a notable and opinionated media commentator on a diverse range of topics from politics to business.

DON AIREY Confirms DEEP PURPLE Has No Plans To Stop: We 'Do What We Do Without Too Much Fanfare'

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:53:52 +0000

In a new interview with Dawn Osborne of TotalRock, DEEP PURPLE keyboardist Don Airey confirmed that there are no plans for him and his bandmates to stop anytime soon. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We did the farewell tour in 2017, and at the end of it, [DEEP PURPLE drummer] Ian Paice goes, 'Well, thank God that's over. We can just get back to being a normal band again.' And that's what we've been ever since — let's just make another record. Let's go out on tour. Let's do what we do without too much fanfare. Just let's be ourselves and see if we can keep the audience happy. We'll soon know if we don't." As for DEEP PURPLE's plans for the after the completion of the band's world tour in support of PURPLE's upcoming album, "Splat!", which will arrive on July 3 via earMUSIC, Airey said: "Well, the thing about PURPLE is that they don't seem to plan in the long term. It's just you plan in the short term to do the best thing you can. If we're gonna make an album, let's make a good one. When we do a show, let's make it a good show, not do a bad show. And that's what keeps you going." Don continued: "It's called the music business. It's half music and half business. And if you take care of the music, the business side of the business will take care of you, because they see they can make some money out of you. And that's how it works. It's simple, but that's why PURPLE, that's why we still record albums. You've got to keep yourself fresh, and you've got to keep yourself humble. And if you're working with someone like [legendary rock producer] Bob Ezrin [KISS, PINK FLOYD, Lou Reed, Alice Cooper] in the recording studio, you've gotta have a sense of proportion about who you are and what you're doing. I'm just a bloody keyboard player, and I've got a job to do, and it's well to keep that in your head rather than, 'Oh, I'm gonna travel the world, and I'm very important.' Because you're not. You're just in a band. And that's the best thing I know about being in a band." Airey also said that there are still plans for him to release an autobiography. "Well, I'm writing a book," he confirmed. "I'm always halfway through because the career keeps extending. But, yeah, it's taking shape. I didn't realize so many funny things had happened to me. When you sit down and you look back at all the... At the time it just seems like absolute chaos, but when you look back, you can see the thread that runs through everything." Produced once again by Ezrin, "Splat!" has been described in a press release as "the heaviest DEEP PURPLE album in many years". DEEP PURPLE has released two singles so far from "Splat!", "Diablo" and "Arrogant Boy". On "Diablo", DEEP PURPLE is joined by a special guest, global superstar and Grammy-winning guitarist, singer and songwriter Keith Urban on second guitar. "Splat!" has already received enthusiastic first fan and media reactions, with early press praising the album's DEEP PURPLE spirit. Uncut calls "Splat!" "distilled, high-octane PURPLE at its finest". Classic Rock praises the album for delivering "everything that makes DEEP PURPLE one of the greatest acts in hard rock." DEEP PURPLE recently kicked off a major run of European summer dates, starting in Finland, followed by shows in Norway, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland and Italy before the "Splat!" world tour heads to North America. The touring schedule includes 86 shows across 28 countries. "Splat!" is available for pre-order in multiple formats including CD, vinyl, and limited editions. Further exclusive fan items are only available on the official "Splat!" shop. With more than 120 million albums sold since forming in 1968, DEEP PURPLE have long secured their place in rock history. Rather than simply preserving their legacy, they continue to extend it, driven by the same spirit that defined their earliest work. At the heart of "Splat!" is an idea conceived by DEEP PURPLE singer Ian Gillan. Rather than treating the end as destruction, the album imagines it as transformation: "Splat!" explores the end of humanity not in any crude apocalyptic sense but as a metamorphosis beyond physical existence.

Watch: OVERKILL Performs At Poland's MYSTIC FESTIVAL 2026

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:16:13 +0000

Fan-filmed video of OVERKILL's entire June 4 performance at the Mystic Festival 2026 in Gdańsk, Poland can be seen below (recorded by MrTime2Travel on YouTube). As was the case with this past spring's "Thrash Of The Titans" U.S. tour with TESTAMENT and DESTRUCTION, OVERKILL is currently performing as a four-piece, with Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth on vocals, Christian Olde Wolbers (ex-FEAR FACTORY) on bass, Jeramie Kling on drums and Dave Linsk on guitar. Longtime OVERKILL guitarist Derek Tailer is sitting out the current tour for reasons that have not been disclosed. This past April, OVERKILL bassist D.D. Verni was asked by Drew Stone of The New York Hardcore Chronicles Live! why he isn't touring with the band right now. He responded: "Ah, well, there's a few different reasons for that, but I would say probably the main one at this point is that I just need to kind of rest this arm some… I had another surgery done a little while ago, and just at this point, for something like this, I'm, like, 'All right, maybe it's best I just sit this one out.' So our friend Christian is filling in. And it's just rolling on." Elaborating on the physical issues which are preventing him from performing live with OVERKILL at the moment, Verni said: "I had the surgery once, I did all the P.T. [physical therapy]. They told me I was good. I went out on the road, and I completely ripped it off again. And I came back and I had to do it all over again. [I had] rotator cuff and a bicep tear — on both shoulders. It's just old-guy shit. But now if I blow it off again, if it tears off again, it's shoulder replacement, and I'm really trying to avoid that. But you know what's fucked up, though? It's only playing bass. I can't play sitting down anymore at all. I can play standing up, but if I sit with my arm kind of locked like that, I can't play it. I can't even get through a single song. But I can on a guitar. I don't know. It's something about the way I hold the pick and the amount [of weight and pressure] I'm putting on a specific spot. But that's the way it goes right now. I gotta get strong and get it back to place so I don't have to fucking worry about that shit anymore." Verni went on to confirm that he is still a full-fledged member of OVERKILL. "Oh, yeah," he said. "I'm writing right now. I have most of the new OVERKILL record done, demoed up, for the most part ready to go. I just did a couple of new things yesterday. I thought it was ready to go. Then I had a couple other things that I wanted to add. So, for the most part it's all done. I gave it to Blitz, I guess, a while ago, and he's been noodling around with it. So over the next — I don't know — six months or so, probably we'll jump in the studio somewhere along the way. And I would think we're probably looking at a release early next year, February, March, something like that. We got a couple of calls about some tours and some things then. So we'll see." During a March 11 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", Ellsworth spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for OVERKILL's follow-up to the group's latest album, "Scorched", which came out in April 2023 via Nuclear Blast. He said: "I think we're always working on new music. That's been the motif since all the way back in the [early OVERKILL] days. You're always kind of in a writing mode. You're keeping your eyes open, you're in a writing mode, or at least my end of it. But we look to record it maybe at the end of [our U.S.] tour [with TESTAMENT and DESTRUCTION]. It's pretty much done musically. I have to add a few melody lines and a few harmonies and melodies and a few lyrics here and there. But we're looking at a '27 tour [and] maybe a late '26 release." Olde Wolbers previously filled in for Verni in the fall of 2024 when OVERKILL supported KING DIAMOND on a North American tour. For some of its European shows in September 2024, OVERKILL recruited ex-KREATOR bassist Christian "Speesy" Giesler as a temporary replacement for Verni. Verni also sat out OVERKILL's April 2024 Latin American tour while he was recovering from shoulder surgery. Filling in for him on the trek was former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson. Last October, Ellsworth told the Metal Mayhem ROC podcast that he and his OVERKILL bandmates had "demoed out" the material for the group's upcoming album. "Jeramie Kling's playing drums for us now," he said. "[Former OVERKILL drummer] Jason Bittner moved on to other things… So we're just moving along as if there is no issue with D.D.." In September 2025, Verni, who is the main songwriter in OVERKILL, told Jeff Gaudiosi of MisplacedStraws.com about OVERKILL's upcoming LP: "We are demoing stuff right now. We probably have maybe nine or 10 songs kind of scratched out that I gave to Blitz a little while ago. Usually the process is I'll demo everything up musically [and] then I'll give it to Blitz. He'll spend some time with it and kind of do his thing with them. Then we get everybody together, kind of that. So I gave it to Blitz maybe not too long ago." In August 2024, OVERKILL confirmed Kling as the group's new drummer. Kling joined the veteran New Jersey thrash metal outfit as the replacement for Bittner, who announced his exit from OVERKILL earlier that month. A founding member of THE ABSENCE, Kling appeared on VENOM INC.'s second album, 2022's "There's Only Black", and has played with such acts as FORE, RIBSPREADER, GOREGÄNG and NECROMANCING THE STONE. He was also briefly affiliated with the reunited Florida death metal band MASSACRE, which led to the formation of INHUMAN CONDITION, alongside Terry Butler (OBITUARY, ex-DEATH) and Taylor Nordberg (DEICIDE). In addition to being a drummer, Kling is a recording engineer, producer and live sound engineer. Bittner joined OVERKILL in 2017 and played drums on the band's last two studio albums, 2019's "The Wings Of War" and the aforementioned "Scorched". OVERKILL played its first concert with Kling on August 30, 2024 at the Posada Rock festival in Câmpulung Muscel, Romania.

MAX CAVALERA On Performing SEPULTURA's Entire 'Chaos A.D.' Album: 'There's A Whole New Generation Of Fans Who Never Got A Chance To See' Classic Lineup Playing It

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:00:54 +0000

In a new interview with Poland's Mystic Festival, former SEPULTURA guitarist/vocalist Max Cavalera was asked what it has been like to perform the band's landmark fifth album, 1993's "Chaos A.D.", with his brother, ex-SEPULTURA drummer Igor "Iggor" Cavalera, in its entirety on recent tours of Europe and North America. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " I think it's the best feeling because we love the material. We pay tribute to the era. There's a whole new generation of fans, they never got the chance to see the original [lineup] playing that. And the band is so killer because you have me and Igor being the older guys, and you have Travis [Stone on lead guitar] and my son, Igor [Amadeus Cavalera on bass], the young guns. They bring the youth, they bring the energy. When I look at my sides, they're going fucking nuts, because they love this record." Reflecting on the songwriting process for "Chaos A.D.", Max said: "It's quite different from the predecessor, [1991's] 'Arise'. And I remember a lot of people would question, 'Are they gonna do 'Arise Part II', or are they gonna try to do something different?' And we opted for the second [option]. I love 'Arise', but it's difficult to top that. Between the three of them — [1987's] 'Schizophrenia', [1989's] 'Beneath The Remains' and 'Arise' — it's a trilogy of nearly perfect death-thrash records. [It's] hard to top that. So we went on a different road; [we wanted to] slow everything down, strip down, and try to make more — I don't know — solid kind of songs. It's a strange record to me also, because there's a lot of semi-instrumentals-type song, like 'We Who Are Not As Others', 'Kaiowas'. We have a cover in the middle, a NEW MODEL ARMY cover, which is great. 'The Hunt' is a bit like — we love NEW MODEL ARMY, and we thought, 'Fuck it. Let's put it on the record.' It's the kind of thing that we did. No rules." SEPULTURA was founded in 1983 by the brothers Max and Igor with Wagner Lamounier and Jairo Guedes Braga (known professionally as Jairo Guedz). Paulo Xisto Pinto Jr. joined just a few short months later and in 1987, with the departure of Jairo and addition of guitarist Andreas Kisser, the solid lineup of SEPULTURA was final. The band quickly became an influential force in heavy metal music thanks to its dynamic studio recordings and intense live performances. The band was in the midst of a creative and commercial peak in 1993 when it released "Chaos A.D." with Max on vocals and guitar, Andreas on guitar, Paulo on bass, and Igor on drums. The record sonically sees the band transcend from their thrashing death metal aesthetic into a more eclectic output, showcasing groove-oriented paces, incorporating moody riffs, industrial soundscapes and even introducing hardcore punk elements throughout the record. With protest songs like "Refuse/ Resist" and the Jello Biafra-penned "Biotech Is Godzilla" spouting conspiracy theories, the politically charged lyrics aided in "Chaos A.D." becoming a breakthrough album for the band worldwide. Although SEPULTURA has maintained a diehard fanbase in all parts of the world throughout the band's four-decade history, "Roots" and "Chaos A.D." were by far SEPULTURA's most commercially successful, having both been certified gold in the U.S. for sales in excess of five hundred thousand copies. Regarding "Chaos A.D."'s visual representation, Max previously described its conception thusly: "'Chaos A.D.' was commissioned through Michael Whelan [whom] we already used on two albums before — 'Beneath The Remains' and 'Arise' — but 'Beneath The Remains' and 'Arise' were already existing paintings, and 'Chaos A.D.' was a brand new painting that was commissioned by us to Michael Whelan to create based on the name of the album. We gave it to him, and he came up with the body bag with the money upside down and all the electronic stuff going through the body bag and I think it was really cool." Image credit: Justin666Hatredslave

DARKTHRONE's TED 'NOCTURNO CULTO' SKJELLUM Says His New Band AVRAK Will Release Debut Album This Fall

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 18:44:27 +0000

In a new interview with Dev Gohil, DARKTHRONE's Ted "Nocturno Culto" Skjellum spoke about his emerging heavy rock project AVRAK in which he is joined by Anders Hegna of NØD, EL KAYENNE and SVIDD GREVLING. AVRAK made its live debut this past April in Norway, with the duo backed by the Kråbøl brothers, Terje Kråbøl (drums) and Stian Kråbøl (bass). Regarding how the idea for AVRAK came about, Skjellum said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Actually, I've known this guy [Anders] for — I don't know — 12 years or something. And I knew he was in other bands. And we talked about maybe we should do something once and try it out and see what it becomes. "We come from slightly different angles, when looking at music, but we have a lot in common. I listened to KREATOR up until '87 max, and he's likes [listening] to things from '88 and onwards. So I have a bit more old-school path. But it's fun. "When we decided [to play together for the first time], we locked ourselves into a cabin up in the mountains for, like, five days," he added. "We had a lot of equipment with us, and we had never played together before, and let's see how this works out. And it could be after the first night that we just [say], 'Okay, this doesn't work. We are going to sit here for five more days.' But we were on to something quite early. And it's a lot of coincidences on how this is working." On the topic of AVRAK's musical direction, Skjellum said: "On the album that we recorded in February, [Anders] has the kind of, let's say, a bit of a more rock guitar sound thing, and I have the more metal guitar sound thing, and they kind of blend together. The music is very... I mean, we play two different things almost all the time on this album, and it sounds really chaotic, but this is the hard part for us to be working with. To get this right, it takes a lot of time, and also our arrangements and small details." He continued: "I think the AVRAK album is coming out this autumn sometime. And we're looking forward to it. For us, it's like a milestone because all the hours we put into this project, and we also played actually a concert now in late April. So, the goal for AVRAK is to play more live. I mean, we have a great band together. So, we got that confirmed in April that, yes, sure we can play live. It's no problem." Asked how his songwriting approach for AVRAK is different from that for DARKTHRONE, Skjellum said: "Well, it's different, especially in the most obvious way, is that me and the other guitarist, we are making everything together. He doesn't live far away from me, so we have a rehearsing space down here, and we are working closely on all the details of this music. And the music itself definitely differs from DARKTHRONE because... It's a bit more classic heavy metal, hard rock. There could be some doom things there and maybe some black metal elements, but it's more of a classic — what should I say? — heavy, heavy metal kind of thing. And I think that that's kind of one of the things that makes it interesting for me because I'm a huge fan of the classic heavy metal from the '80s and stuff like that, the more optimistic decade somehow, something like that. I mean, heavy metal in the '80s was very different because the European heavy metal versus the American heavy metal was... It's very, very far away from each other because the Europeans, of course, have more history. And then their music [is] darker somehow. So the European heavy thing was — not like the party kind of thing, but it was a different thing. Yeah, I like it." DARKTHRONE's latest studio album, "Pre-Historic Metal", came out on May 8 via Peaceville Records. The LP was recorded at Chaka Khan Studios, Oslo, with production work conducted by Ole Øvstedal, Silje Høgevold and Mads Luis. Mastering was carried out by Jack Control at Enormous Door and Maor Appelbaum Mastering. Pioneers of a sound that changed the world. Lifelong disciples of suspense and mystery. An enigmatic duo like no other, hell-bent on haunting souls through the eternities. There are many things DARKTHRONE have been called since forming in 1986 and these are but a few, having drawn from a creative well so potent and powerful it turned them into one of Norway's biggest musical exports. Following from their debut album "Soulside Journey", the next three full-lengths, often referred to as "the unholy three", set the benchmark for black metal in the early 1990s, though in truth they've never been the kind to rest on such laurels — distilling elements of vintage punk, doom, thrash and death into their own sonic fingerprint and continuing to test that equation throughout the years. It's been quite the journey, having won cryptic pair Nocturno and Fenriz legions of loyal fans around the world. Photo credit: Peer Olav Kittilsen (courtesy of Peaceville / Secret Service Publicity)

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A PERFECT CIRCLE Has More New Music Coming: 'We're Working Toward Something'

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:17:00 +0000

In a new interview with Kevin Kellam of Minneapolis's 93Xradio station, A PERFECT CIRCLE guitarist Billy Howerdel was asked if there is a full-length album in the works following the release of the "Starless" single, which came out in late May. Billy said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "There's more [music] underway. And in the spirit of soft deadlines, I'm not gonna give you the date, but we're working toward something." Referencing the fact that A PERFECT CIRCLE launched a European tour in early June in London, Billy continued: "We're on tour. It's hard to get solid things done when you're out here. I sometimes optimistically think that's gonna happen, and, like today, we're six shows in, so we're about two weeks in, and this is the first day I really slept, even though I might not look like it. I just slept, went to the gym, ate a meal, got on with you, and it's not been like that. So to get real cracking on to the new album, it's gonna be... I need a couple more of these days to line up over the next tour." Howerdel also talked about his songwriting chemistry with A PERFECT CIRCLE vocalist Maynard James Keenan, who is also the iconic frontman for the progressive metal band TOOL and the mastermind behind the multimedia collective PUSCIFER. Billy said: "I feel more creative with him [than I do with other musicians]. I don't know. I mean, you'd have to ask Maynard, but I feel like when it's time to work, it's time to work for him. Or it's time to fuck around and just shoot the shit, then that's what we're gonna do then. But when it's time to work, we're kind of in it. And it's not super serious all the time, but it's focused. And he's got a great work ethic. I don't know anyone — I mean, he's at least in the top three hardest-working people I know that have real vision, conviction, a vision that he's gonna execute and be tenacious about it. And he's like that with music. Once the train starts rolling, it, it's rolling. Then that feels good. I don't anticipate it going like, 'Eh, I don't know. This is kind of softly not going the way we want it to be.' No, we're gonna figure it out. We're gonna set soft deadlines, which I guess they can be hard deadlines, but our soft deadlines are pretty intense. They're meant to be hit. Anything could happen, but when we're underway, it just feels, like, 'Okay, we're moving in the right direction.' Now, you can't force the greatest idea to come out, but you can get yourself motivated to go, 'If I don't hit this deadline, then bad shit's gonna happen.' So it's a fire lit under your ass." "Starless" was recorded at Howerdel's Lankershim Ranch Studio in Studio City, California, The song was written earlier this year, produced by Howerdel and mixed by Matty Green (U2, FLORENCE + THE MACHINE, TV ON THE RADIO) and features longtime collaborator Josh Freese on drums. A limited-edition "Starless" seven-inch single is also available now via Revolver. Featuring a custom etching of the band's famous crescent logo on the B-side and a custom seven-inch adapter, the vinyl release arrives on two variants: silver/black, and white with sea blue and black splatter. Formed in 1999 by Howerdel and Keenan, A PERFECT CIRCLE quickly established itself as a powerful new voice in alternative rock with the release of "Mer De Noms" (2000),which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and became the highest-charting debut rock album of its time. Featuring fan favorites "Judith", "3 Libras" and "The Hollow", the platinum-selling album remains a defining release. Their catalog has continued to resonate, from "Thirteenth Step" (2003) and "eMOTIVe" (2004),to 2018's "Eat The Elephant", which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. A PERFECT CIRCLE has headlined festivals worldwide, sold out iconic venues including the Hollywood Bowl, Madison Square Garden, and Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and appeared on late night television shows including "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and "The Tonight Show". Photo credit: Travis Shinn

RICHIE KOTZEN On 'Swagger' In EDDIE VAN HALEN's Guitar Playing: 'It Was Very Natural'

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 16:22:28 +0000

Richie Kotzen, acclaimed guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer known for his solo career, MR. BIG, POISON and THE WINERY DOGS, recently joined Tommy London and Tor of The Mighty VH Podcast for a fascinating conversation about the deeper musical roots of VAN HALEN. During the chat, which can be seen below, Richie reflected on meeting Eddie Van Halen for the first time and shared stories about his friendship with Eddie's longtime guitar technician Zeke Clark. Together, they explore what made Eddie such a singular creative force, not only as a revolutionary guitarist, but as a songwriter whose sense of melody, groove, and emotion helped define VAN HALEN's sound. The discussion also examined VAN HALEN's often-overlooked connection to soul music, with Richie explaining why the band's true power was never just technical ability, but feel. Speaking about the soul influence in Eddie's guitar playing, Richie said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think you touched on it a second ago when you talked about that R&B kind of feel and that thing. For me, it's a crazy thing to say, but any genre of music that doesn't have something of that in it kind of goes over my head. That's why certain genres, it doesn't even engage me if it doesn't have some sort of swing to it. And so that, I think, is the massive appeal about [Eddie's] guitar playing. Yeah, there's the innovation of the technical side and that creativity, but the feel of it is this kind of swagger and swing that you find, really, a lot of time in sax players. And I get a lot of that in my playing from that. But I think, as a rock guy, VAN HALEN influenced a lot of us, guys, like I said, that love the R&B sound but wanna play rock can gravitate towards the way Eddie played because he had that in his general feel. It was very natural." Kotzen also stressed the importance of finding his own style as a guitar player and not spending too much time trying to copy his guitar heroes. "When I was learning an Eddie lick, or if I listened to Yngwie [Malmsteen] and tried to learn an Yngwie lick, I would listen and get the gist of it, but I would never go down the rabbit hole far enough to really emulate it to the point where someone would say, 'Wow, that sounds just like so-and-so,'" he explained. "And I think for me personally, I think that's what gave me a creative direction and a creative voice — on the instrument, in the writing, in the singing — is the fact that, 'Okay, well, I'm gonna figure out the idea that someone's playing,' but for me, in my mind, it's a waste of time to try to emulate it perfectly. For what reason? Why would I do that? It already exists. It's already there by the person that created it. I'd like to know how they did it, but once I get an idea of how they did it, that's enough. I wanna do my own thing, and let me develop my own stuff. Maybe one day I'll do something, and someone'll wonder how did I do it, and try to figure it out. That, to me, is way more interesting." After one of the interviewers brought up Eddie Van Halen's skills as a songwriter and asked Richie whether he ever picked up on that from the VAN HALEN material, Kotzen said: "Oh, of course… You're listening to the song. "Today, it's a very bizarre situation," Richie continued. "It's strange. And I don't wanna say anything that's discrediting or it sounds like, 'Oh, Richie, you're just too old.' But back in the day when I was coming up, with VAN HALEN, you had [Eddie] being him and innovative and all that, in the context of great songwriting, which he was giving and doing. And there's others that are extraordinary musicians that write great songs. We can name them. Zakk Wylde [BLACK LABEL SOCIETY] is one. Nuno Bettencourt [EXTREME] is one. These are great, innovative guitar players that also can sing and can write great songs. So you have a complete picture — it's a complete musician, and there's artistic value there in the creativity. Where it has shifted into a kind of strange land is now you have gifted musicians that are actually executing at a level that's much more complex than the stuff that was happening when I was young growing up but it's completely stripped of the artistic creative value, as we would have defined it, which would be song, the craft of creating song — composition is the word that I'm searching for, that you can actually sit back and listen to the composition. 'Cause you can listen to someone improvise over changes or giant steps or whatever it is, and your mind can be blown with how quickly and efficiently and expressively one can weave through these changes. But what's missing to me with many of the folks is the stuff that was there with the names that I mentioned — Eddie and Zakk and Nuno and others. So that strikes me as very strange and unfortunate, if you're of mind of the art of making music. 'Cause if you're of mind of the art of making music, I find that very disheartening. I don't know the exact word, but I don't like it." Last month, Kotzen surprised fans with the digital release of his newly recorded song, "Catch A Star". Kotzen has performed on some of the biggest stages in the world since he first signed a deal with Shrapnel Records in 1988 as a guitar prodigy. He began releasing records both as a solo artist and in multi-platinum bands POISON, MR. BIG and THE WINERY DOGS. Now known also as a prolific songwriter and one half of acclaimed duo SMITH/KOTZEN with IRON MAIDEN's Adrian Smith, Richie's ever-growing back catalogue (including more than 20 solo albums) ensure that his fans around the world are constantly treated to his prodigious talent both recorded and live.