metal: Last News

Linkin Park have shared a ferocious new single called ‘Up From The Bottom’. Check it out below.Available now via Warner, the new song is one of the first new releases from the band since they dropped their huge comeback album ‘From Zero’ last year.That record marked the first since the tragic death of frontman Chester Bennington, and saw Dead Sara’s Emily Armstrong join the band as the new singer.

Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson has announced a new graphic novel printed with soil from William Blake’s grave.Alongside Z2 Comics, the singer has now unveiled The Mandrake Project: Year One, a graphic novel that compiles the first four issues of his Mandrake Project comic book series, which were first released last year alongside his solo album of the same name.As well as featuring the four issues, the new deluxe edition will include a series of interviews and essays that chronicle Dickinson and his creative team’s journey to making the project, as well as an introduction by Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter and four “exclusive foil collectors cards” and the “cast metal Mandrake Project medallion” that featured in the comic and music videos, per a press release.It will also feature a homage to the legendary English poet and artist William Blake, who inspired the project. Soil from his grave was collected and mixed with ink to print the deluxe editions.“William Blake has given me so much over the years and I want to repay the debt by helping to restore the Cottage,” explained Dickinson, who became a member of the William Blake Cottage Trust, which oversees his only surviving house, in 2024.

Ghost‘s Tobias Forge has opened up about the “tremendous influence” Black Sabbath have had on him throughout his life.The frontman of the Swedish occult metal band is slated to play at Ozzy Osbourne and co’s final concert at Villa Park in the latter’s hometown of Birmingham on Saturday July 5 as Papa Perpetua. The upcoming show will see Black Sabbath’s most iconic line-up – comprising Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward – play live together for the first time in two decades.The stacked line-up also includes the likes of Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Lamb Of God, Mastodon, Alice In Chains, Halestorm, recent Grammy-winners Gojira, Guns ‘N’ Roses, Tool, Jason Momoa and Rival Sons.While appearing as the latest guest on NME‘s In Conversation series, Forge discussed how Black Sabbath impacted his life. He explained that they “have been a tremendous influence on me.

Download Festival has shared details about the 2025 edition of ‘District X’ – with appearances from Vengaboys, Justin Hawkins and Funeral For A Friend.The instalment is described as a “festival within a festival” and will take place alongside the main bulk of Download, which is going to be held this June at the usual Donington Park site.Now, with less than three months until this year’s edition kicks off, organisers have shared details about what fans can expect from the ‘District X’ site, including an unexpected appearance from the Dutch Eurodance music group Vengaboys.While not the traditional artist set to ignite the stage at the metal festival, the group are set to take to the stage at the ‘District X’ area thanks to fan demand and expected to bring their usual high-energy performance to the stage.A number of DJ sets are also planned for the area, including one from Cradle of Filth frontman Dani Filth, who is predicted to bring “a nightmarish mix of gothic anthems and metal classics”, one from Aled Phillips from Kids In Glass Houses, and one from Liam Cormier of Cancer Bats.Elsewhere, it has been confirmed that Welsh post-hardcore icons Funeral For A Friend will be breaking out a specially-curated acoustic set for the ‘District X’ site.

Primus frontman/bassist Les Claypool is selling his “beloved” tour bus on eBay for $152,000 (£117,423).The 1998 Prevost Marathon XL 45-foot Tall Boy nicknamed ‘Large Marge’ can sleep up to six people and features wood floors, twin sofas, smart TVs and what is being described as a “very unique rich ‘regal’ interior.”According to the listing, the vehicle has done over 300,000 miles over the years.The auction comes after the band recently announced the identity of their new drummer, after they issued a global open call for auditions.In October, the band revealed the “complete shock” departure of their longtime drummer Tim Alexander, writing on social media: “We are currently taking submissions from all points in the universe for the position of Primus drummer/percussionist.”The successful applicant John Hoffman, a drummer from Shreveport, Louisiana who has a significant following on YouTube, was announced last month.A post shared by Les Claypool (@lesclaypool)After landing the job, Hoffman wrote: “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. I came and did my thing the way I do it.

Ghost’s Tobias Forge has hinted that he may get more involved in film making.The metal frontman was speaking to NME in a new interview ahead of the band’s highly anticipated sixth studio album ‘Skeletá’, which is due to be released on April 25.Forge has inhabited a series of different characters during his time fronting the Swedish occult band, and over the years the band’s imagery has been heavily influenced by film.When asked if he considered getting more involved in the film industry, Forge said: “Absolutely. I have always been almost equally interested in film as I’ve been in music.

Metallica’s Kirk Hammett has revealed he is working on his first solo album, which will be “a fusion of all sorts of styles”.The metal guitarist was speaking to Rolling Stone to promote the release of his new coffee table cook The Collection: Kirk Hammett, in which he explores his extensive guitar collection and reflects on his life in music.One revelation from the interview was that he is in the process of “getting ideas together” for his debut solo record. “I guess the best way to describe it is it’s gonna be a fusion of all sorts of styles,” he said.“All of a sudden I’m writing classical progressions, and all of a sudden I’m writing more heavy stuff and all of a sudden I’m writing like a funk thing,” he added.

Metallica album, and thinks the record might see them “go back to the ‘90s again”.The lead guitarist for the metal icons opened up about the band’s follow up to 2023’s ‘72 Seasons’ in a new interview with Rolling Stone, indicating that they will not start working on their next album “for at least another year”.“I have 767 new ones for the next album,” he said, referring to the riffs he has already written for new material. “It is such a nightmare going through this stuff, too. And I’m the one responsible for all of it and I can’t do it….

Ozzy Osbourne‘s longtime collaborator and guitarist Zakk Wylde has teased that the frontman could be in a “throne that flies over the stadium” for Black Sabbath‘s final gig.Earlier this year, the legendary metal band announce details of what will be their last-ever live show, taking place in Birmingham’s Villa Park on July 5.As well as containing the original line-up – Ozzy, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward – the band will also be joined by a star-studded list of opening acts and special guests, including Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Lamb Of God, Tool, Mastodon, Alice In Chains, Guns N’ Roses, Halestorm, Gojira and more.Speaking to Riff X’s Metal XS recently, Wylde said the magnitude of the gig is going to be “pretty mind-blowing”, and shared some insight as to how Ozzy could navigate the mammoth concert.“The game plan is, let’s hope this is what happen, you always gotta stay on the bright side of life, because Oz was singing at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame thing,” he said (via Billboard).“Ozzy was just sitting at the chair and he was singing ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home’, and it sounded great. So hopefully we’ll just do this, and then Oz will go, ‘Let’s just fire up the machine again and we’ll do another tour.’A post shared by NME (@nmemagazine)“With Oz and his throne that just flies over the stadium or whatever, [where he] shoots out buckets of water and does everything like that.

Ghost’s Tobias Forge has told NME that the band’s signature lore may be coming to an end in the near future.The metal frontman was speaking ahead of the band’s highly anticipated sixth studio album ‘Skeletá’, which is due to be released on April 25. It has been previewed with its anthemic lead single ‘Satanized’, and it is the first to feature Forge’s new persona Papa Perpetua.Forge has inhabited a series of different characters during his time fronting the Swedish occult band, taking on a different incarnation for every new touring cycle.

Ghost’s Tobias Forge has told NME that the band are “living proof” that the concept that “rock is dead” is not true.The metal frontman was speaking ahead of the band’s highly anticipated sixth studio album ‘Skeletá’, which is due to be released on April 25. It has been previewed with its anthemic lead single ‘Satanized’, and it is the first to feature Forge’s new persona Papa Perpetua.During the interview, he was asked what goals remain on his radar, and it was the lazy cliche that heavy guitar music is incapable of producing new ideas that he turned his attention to.“For the last decade or so, there’s been this ongoing chatter in the music business – especially in the rock business – of ‘rock is dead’ or ‘no new bands can become big’,” he said.

Metallica‘s Kirk Hammett is set to release a new coffee table book exploring his guitar collection and life in music.The 400-page book, The Collection: Kirk Hammett, will delve into the guitarist’s life, charting the years through his extensive guitar collection, which includes his 1979 Flying V and “Greeny” – the 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard previously owned by Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green and Thin Lizzy’s Gary Moore.It comes with interviews conducted by Chris Vinnicombe and Mark Agnesi, as well as photography shot on location in Hawaii and Los Angeles by rock photographer Ross Halfin, as well as some rarer images from his archives.“I’ve worked diligently on this curated collection of vintage and modern guitars for the book,” Hammett said of the book in a statement. “I feel the book captures the rich history and artistry behind each of these unique and rare instruments.

Disturbed have revealed that they already “have a lot of stuff recorded” for their next album, and given fans an insight into what inspired the material.The band have been hinting at new music for a while now, and dropped the lead single ‘I Will Not Break’ via their own Mother Culture record label at the end of last month. It marked their first new music since they shared their 2022 studio album ‘Divisive’.Now, in a new interview as part of The Mistress Carrie Podcast, guitarist Dan Donegan has shared an update on when fans can expect to see a full album.

Poppy has announced a global livestream of one of the gigs from her ‘They’re All Around Us’ tour. Check out the details below.The metal singer took to her official Instagram account to share that those who were not able to attend or snag tickets to the tour should fret not as the stream will be available for all of her fans.“Can’t make it to the “They’re All Around Us” Tour? Livestream my Chicago show from House of Blues Chicago on March 21 – get your exclusive access on @veeps,” read the caption of her post.

BABYMETAL have announced a 2025 North American tour – you can find all the details below.Marking the ‘RATATATA’ band’s biggest North American tour yet, their 24-date run is set to bring their high-energy signature sound across various cities, kicking off on June 13 in Houston.With support coming from Black Veil Brides, Jinjer and Bloodywood across select dates, they’ll hit cities including Atlanta, New York, Philadelphia, Toronto, Chicago, and San Francisco before wrapping up in Phoenix on July 23.Tickets and exclusive VIP packages will be available starting with an artist presale today (March 18) at 1 PM ET (5pm GMT), and you can find information on how to sign up here.Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale, which begins Friday, March 21 at 10am local time. You can find your tickets here.A post shared by BABYMETAL (@babymetal_official)JUNE13 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall^=14 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory^=17 – Tampa, FL – Yuengling Center^=18 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy^=20 – Charlotte, NC – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre^=21 – Baltimore, MD – Pier Six Pavilion^=24 – New York, NY – The Theater at Madison Square Garden^=25 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway^=27 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena^=28 – Philadelphia, PA – TD Pavilion at The Mann Center^=30 – Laval, QC – Place Bell^=JULY2 – Toronto, ON – Coca-Cola Coliseum^=3 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre^=5 – Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest*6 – St. Louis, MO – Saint Louis Music Park+=8 – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom+=9 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory+=11 – Denver, CO – The JunkYard+=14 – Vancouver, BC – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Center+=15 – Kent, WA – accesso

Deftones‘ Chino Moreno has told autograph hunters he’s “not signing shit no more” after signing multiple albums per person while out and about recently.Per Consequence, frontman Moreno was the Dallas date of Deftones’ current North American last Saturday (March 15), when he was bombarded by a number of people wanting autographs.The ‘Cherry Waves’ musician dutifully signed them and appeared to get irritated that people had bought along multiple records to be signed, likely to be sold later. Reports suggest one person had upwards of 10 Deftones albums, and Moreno politely signed them all.A video shows him telling the crowd of autograph hounds to “go ahead and tell your friends I’m not doing this shit no more”.“You guys go online in your little groups and shit, tell people I’m not signing shit no more,” he added.

Alice Cooper said he wanted Iron Maiden to be inducted next.Cooper shouted out the British heavy metal legends – who are set to head out on the road this summer with their ‘Run For Your Lives’ tour of the UK and Europe – during a Q&A session on last month’s Rock Legends Cruise.The band have been eligible to join the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame since 2004, although they’ve only been nominated twice, in 2021 and 2023. Cooper, meanwhile, Cooper was inducted by Rob Zombie in a 2011 ceremony.When the ‘Poison’ singer was asked which artists he’d like to see inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, Cooper mentioned Maiden, saying: “I mean, come on – Iron Maiden. How can you diss Iron Maiden? They have their own army out there.”The band’s frontman Bruce Dickinson touched on interactions with their army of fans recently, relating it back to wanting to “bow out with dignity” rather than succumb to backing tracks and becoming “Disneyland Maiden“.“Only recently this guy, a big fan, said to me, ‘It’s so great to see Maiden still doing it,’” he explained.

Julien Baker has performed a cover of a System Of A Down classic with Jasmine.4.t at SXSW 2025 – check out footage of the performance below.On Friday (March 14), Jasmine.4.t was joined by acclaimed singer-songwriter and Boygenius member Julien Baker to perform a cover of System Of A Down’s ‘Toxicity’. The cover opened Jasmine.4.t’s set, which was then followed up by a performance of ‘Skin On Skin’, also with Baker.For the cover, Baker performed guitar and backing vocals, while Jasmine.4.t also played guitar and sang lead.

Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson has said he would rather quit playing live than become a “Disneyland Maiden” by using backing tracks.The British heavy metal legends are heading out on the road in 2025 with their ‘Run For Your Lives’ tour of the UK and Europe. The tour marks their 50th anniversary as a band and will see them playing setlist made up exclusively of songs from their first nine studio albums.The tour kicks off in May in Budapest, with dates in Birmingham, Manchester, Dublin, London and Glasgow in late June. You can find any remaining tickets for the shows here.In an interview with Classic Rock, Dickinson spoke about the growing trend of bands relying on backing tracks to boost their live sound, and made it perfectly clear that Maiden would never go down that path.A post shared by Iron Maiden (@ironmaiden)He said he would rather “bow out with dignity” than succumb to backing tracks.

Disturbed concert have damaged six of The Chicago Bulls’ NBA championship banners.In a statement released on Friday (March 14), the United Center confirmed that the banners – which were earned during Michael Jordan’s reign in the 1990s – had sustained “minor damage”.The damage was sustained during a March 8 performance featuring Disturbed, Three Days Grace and Sevendust, with concert-goers later taking to social media to share clips of flames blowing near the banners.“[The] United Center is currently working with the Bulls to explore options to repair these banners,” a United Center spokesperson wrote in a statement, per Associated Press. “While the banners will not be in place for the remainder of this season, we do anticipate them being back in place next season.”DISTURBED's Pyrotechnics Damaged All Six Of The Chicago Bulls' NBA Title Banners From The Michael Jordan Era.

Iron Maiden are set to release a new documentary film which includes the final interview from former frontman Paul Di’Anno. Find out the details below.The new film is made in collaboration with Universal Pictures Content Group, and is set to arrive later this year to mark 50 years since the iconic metal band first formed.According to a new description, the feature-length documentary is set to be an emotive journey through the band’s history.