Author: Editorial Team

Muse have announced an extensive North American amphitheater tour in support of their forthcoming tenth studio album, The Wow! Signal. Promoted by Live Nation, the run kicks off 07/05 at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater in St. Louis, Missouri, and wraps 08/31 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Various pre-sales begin Tuesday, 03/31, at 12:00 p.m. local time; general on-sale opens Friday, 04/03, at 10:00 a.m. local time at this location.

The tour follows the band’s headlining slot at Milwaukee’s Summerfest on 07/02. From St. Louis, the run moves through cities across the United States — briefly crossing into Canada for dates including the Festival d’été de Québec — before closing out the summer on the West Coast. Bloc Party and Portugal. The Man will provide support on select dates, with The Temper Trap appearing on all shows.

The Wow! Signal was announced last week alongside lead single “Be With You”, backed by an official video directed by Nico Paolillo and starring Ella Balinska. “Be With You” debuted as the No. 1 Most Added at Alternative Radio, entering at No. 29 and trending toward the Top 20, with three million global streams in its first week.

The album’s title draws on one of the more enduring mysteries in the history of radio astronomy: a 72-second burst detected in 1977 originating from the constellation Sagittarius, with a bandwidth and intensity that pointed to a possible extraterrestrial source. The astronomer who identified it circled the signal’s now-famous sequence — “6EQUJ5” — and wrote “WOW!” in the margin of the printout, giving the signal its name.

Before the single, Muse released the With You docuseries on YouTube, gathering fan stories filmed during the Will of the People tour. The band also returned to the road in 2025 for a summer festival run that included stepping in for Kings of Leon at Madrid’s Mad Cool.

VIP packages are available via this location and include premium tickets, access to the pre-show Unravelling VIP Lounge, exclusive merchandise, and early venue entry, among other options depending on the package selected.

07/02 — Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest [^]
07/05 — St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater [][~]
07/07 — Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center [][~]
07/10 — Tinley Park, IL @ Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre [][~]
07/11 — Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center [][~]
07/13 — Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre [][~]
07/15 — Toronto, ON @ RBC Amphitheatre [][~]
07/17 — Québec, QC @ Festival d’été de Québec [^]
07/18 — Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center [][~]
07/22 — Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center [][~]
07/24 — Saratoga Springs, NY @ Albany Med Health System at SPAC [][~]
07/25 — Wantagh, NY @ Northwell at Jones Beach Theater [][~]
07/28 — Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion [][~]
07/29 — Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion [][~]
08/10 — Charlotte, NC @ Truliant Amphitheater [x][~]
08/12 — Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre [x][~]
08/14 — Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion [x][~]
08/15 — Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater [x][~]
08/18 — Greenwood Village, CO @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater [x][~][+]
08/20 — West Valley City, UT @ Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre [x][~]
08/22 — Ridgefield, WA @ Cascades Amphitheater [x][~]
08/23 — Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre [x][~]
08/26 — Wheatland, CA @ Toyota Amphitheatre [x][~]
08/27 — Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre [x][~]
08/29 — Chula Vista, CA @ North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre [x][~]
08/31 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl [x][~]

• [^] festival
• [*] support from Bloc Party
• [x] support from Portugal The Man
• [~] support from The Temper Trap
• [+] non-Live Nation date

The post MUSE To Bring The “Wow! Signal” Album To North America This Summer: “An Era-Spanning, Revolutionary Space-Tacular” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd is marking three decades of Ledbetter Heights the way it deserves: by going back in and recording the whole thing again.

The 30th anniversary re-recording of his 1995 debut arrives 05/08, and to mark the announcement Shepherd has released lead single “Deja Voodoo” across all streaming platforms. A national tour celebrating the milestone is already underway, with the band playing the album in full each night — something that, remarkably, never happened even during the original release cycle.

“This is the album that put me on the map, and I still enjoy listening to it because my goal has always been to make music I want to listen to,” Shepherd says. “Unfiltered and straight from the heart.”

The original Ledbetter Heights came out when Shepherd was 18, recorded while he was still splitting time between high school in Louisiana and sessions in Memphis. Signed by Irving Azoff at 16, he wrote or co-wrote the majority of the material — no small thing for a teenage blues guitarist at the time. The album was named in honour of a historic neighbourhood in his hometown of Shreveport, paying tribute to blues legend Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter.

It moved quickly. Ledbetter Heights went Gold within months and earned Platinum certification by early 1996, spending 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Blues Chart. Guitar World ranked Shepherd the third-best blues artist in the world at the time, behind only B.B. King and Eric Clapton.

The re-recording doesn’t attempt a reinvention. The 12-song sequence is intact, and Shepherd returned to his original 1995 rig for the sessions to keep the sonic foundation consistent. The differences are ones of craft rather than concept: arrangements are more considered, the guitar work more deliberate, and the performances shaped by three decades of playing these songs live.

“Before I could identify with the lyrics, I always could identify with the feeling of the blues,” he says. “When you pour your heart out, everyone can feel that.”

One notable change: “Riverside” has been significantly reworked, slowed down, and smokier than the original. Everything else keeps faith with what was there.

The biggest shift, and the one long-time fans have apparently been asking about for years, is the presence of Noah Hunt on lead vocals throughout. Hunt joined the band in time for sophomore album Trouble Is… and has appeared on every Kenny Wayne Shepherd record since — but not on Ledbetter Heights. This re-recording closes that gap.

“I have had a lot of fans over the years wonder what Ledbetter Heights would have sounded like if Noah had been the singer at that time,” Shepherd says. “Now they’ll get their chance to hear it.”

Also returning is drummer Chris “Whipper” Layton, a founding member of Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, who played on the original sessions. The album was co-produced with Jerry Harrison, whose work with Shepherd goes back to Trouble Is… and its own 25th anniversary re-recording.

“I met him when I was 15,” Shepherd says of Layton, “and every night when I turn around and lock eyes with him, I’m reminded of how incredible it is to be playing with him.”

The Ledbetter Heights 30th Anniversary Tour launched 02/19 in Dallas and runs through spring 2026, with Jimmie Vaughan joining in Austin and Nashville, and Eric Johnson appearing in Jacksonville and Fort Lauderdale. Each show runs two sets: the full album, then a second set drawing from Shepherd‘s wider catalogue.

Additional dates will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit here.

“Revisiting this album put me back in touch with the wonder and excitement of those days,” he says. “I didn’t know what lay ahead.”

The post KENNY WAYNE SHEPERD Announces 30th Anniversary Re-Recording Of His Landmark Album “Ledbetter Heights” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Not long ago, making professional-quality music meant booking expensive studio time, hiring session musicians, and navigating the gatekeepers of the traditional record industry. Today, a teenager with a laptop and a pair of headphones can produce a chart-worthy track from their bedroom, upload it overnight, and wake up to thousands of streams. The digital revolution has fundamentally rewritten the rules of music production, distribution, and discovery, and nowhere is that transformation more visible than in the explosive growth of online beat stores.

From the Studio to the Screen: A Brief History

The democratization of music production began quietly in the late 1990s and early 2000s when digital audio workstations (DAWs) like Pro Tools, FL Studio, and Ableton Live started becoming accessible to independent producers. Suddenly, the costly hardware racks and mixing consoles of traditional studios could be replaced, or at least supplemented, by software running on a home computer. Sample packs, MIDI loops, and virtual instruments began flooding the market, giving producers an ever-expanding palette of sounds at a fraction of the cost of live recording sessions.

As broadband internet became widespread, a natural next step emerged: producers began selling their beats online. What started as rudimentary personal websites and early forum marketplaces evolved into sophisticated e-commerce platforms where a producer could list hundreds of beats, set licensing tiers, accept instant payments, and deliver files automatically — all without leaving home. The concept of the online beat store was born, and it quickly became one of the most disruptive forces in the music industry.

The Online Beat Store Ecosystem Today

The modern online beat marketplace is a thriving, multi-million-dollar ecosystem. Independent producers, hip-hop beatmakers, trap artists, and lo-fi composers all coexist in a vast digital marketplace where artists from Lagos to Los Angeles can connect with vocalists, rappers, and songwriters from every corner of the globe. Platforms like BeatStars, Airbit, and Traktrain have become household names in producer circles, offering built-in storefronts, streaming previews, and instant licensing agreements. But beyond the major platforms, thousands of independent producers run their own dedicated stores, a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit the digital age has unlocked. One standout example is rbeatz, a platform that exemplifies what a focused, independent beat store can offer: a curated catalog, flexible licensing options, and a direct connection between producer and artist,  without the noise of a crowded marketplace.

Licensing Models and How Beats Are Sold

One of the most significant innovations that online beat stores introduced is the tiered licensing model. Rather than selling a beat outright in a single transaction, producers now offer multiple license types to accommodate different budgets and use cases. A basic non-exclusive lease might allow an artist to use a beat for a limited number of streams or copies, while premium licenses,  exclusive, trackout, or unlimited, grant broader rights at a higher price point.

This model benefits both sides of the transaction. Artists gain access to professional-quality instrumentals at accessible price points, often for as little as $20 to $50 while producers can sell the same beat multiple times under non-exclusive terms, generating recurring revenue from a single creative work. It is a business model uniquely enabled by the digital environment, one that simply would not have been viable in the pre-Internet era of music.

Social Media, Streaming, and the Discovery Revolution

The rise of online beat stores did not happen in isolation; it was turbocharged by the simultaneous growth of social media and streaming platforms. YouTube became the go-to platform for producers to showcase their work, with “type beat” searches (e.g., “Drake type beat” or “Travis Scott type beat”) evolving into a massive discovery engine. A producer releasing a well-optimized beat video could rack up hundreds of thousands of views, funneling potential buyers directly to their store.

TikTok has further accelerated this trend, with short-form beat previews and production clips going viral and introducing new audiences to independent producers. Instagram Reels and SoundCloud continue to play important roles as well, creating a diversified discovery funnel that producers can leverage to build a global fanbase without any traditional label support. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), streaming now accounts for over 67% of global recorded music revenue, a reality that has made digital-first distribution strategies not just viable, but essential.

The Producer As Entrepreneur

Perhaps the most remarkable cultural shift sparked by online beat stores is the transformation of the music producer from behind-the-scenes collaborator to independent entrepreneur. Today’s top independent producers think like brand builders. They cultivate social media followings, develop signature sounds that become recognizable across genres, and diversify income streams through beat sales, sample packs, mixing services, online courses, and mentorship programs.

This entrepreneurial turn has been supported by a wealth of educational resources. Platforms like Coursera and YouTube are full of tutorials on mixing, mastering, and music business fundamentals. Industry publications such as Billboard regularly cover the independent music economy, reflecting how seriously the broader industry now takes the self-released and self-distributed artist. The message is clear: you do not need a label to build a career in music anymore.

Challenges in the Digital Landscape

Of course, the democratization of music production comes with its own set of challenges. The sheer volume of content available online means competition is fiercer than ever. A producer today is not just competing with the artist in the next city, they are competing with millions of creators worldwide. Standing out requires not only exceptional music but also a strong personal brand, consistent content creation, and savvy marketing.

Intellectual property and copyright issues also remain a persistent concern. The ease with which sounds, samples, and beats can be shared online creates ongoing questions about ownership, attribution, and fair compensation. Beat stores have introduced licensing agreements precisely to address these issues, but educating artists about the importance of proper licensing is still an ongoing challenge across the industry.

The Future of Digital Music Production

Looking ahead, the trajectory of online beat stores and digital music production points toward even greater accessibility and innovation. Artificial intelligence is already making waves, with AI-assisted composition tools, stem separation technology, and automated mastering services becoming mainstream. NFT-based music ownership models are being explored as new ways for producers to monetize their catalogs and offer unique value to collectors and fans.

Despite these rapidly evolving technologies, one thing remains constant: the creative spirit of the independent producer. Whether it is a beatmaker crafting late-night loops in a home studio or a full-scale production house running a professional online storefront, the fundamental drive to make great music and connect it with the world, has never been more empowered than it is today. The online beat store is not just a marketplace; it is a symbol of what music creation looks like in the 21st century.

The digital music revolution is not coming — it is already here. And for producers, artists, and fans alike, the best may be yet to come.

The post The Rise Of Online Beat Stores & Digital Music Production: How The Internet Changed the Game appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Ross “The Boss” Friedman, founding guitarist of both Manowar and The Dictators, has died at the age of 72. His passing comes just over a month after he publicly revealed he had been diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

The news was confirmed on 03/27 via a statement posted to the social media accounts of the Metal Hall Of Fame, of which Friedman was an inductee and honorary Global Metal Ambassador.

“It is with deep sadness that we confirm the passing of legendary guitarist, our dear friend, and Metal Hall Of Fame inductee Ross ‘The Boss’ Friedman,” the statement read. “Ross was a pioneering force in both punk and heavy metal, best known as a founding member of The Dictators and Manowar. His powerful playing, unmistakable tone, and uncompromising spirit helped shape generations of musicians and fans around the world.

“Earlier this year, Ross publicly shared his diagnosis with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, facing it with the same courage and honesty that defined his life and career. Ross’s impact on music is immeasurable. From the raw energy of early punk to the epic scale of heavy metal, his work left a lasting mark on the genre and on everyone who experienced it. Beyond his achievements on stage and in the studio, Ross was deeply respected by his peers and beloved by fans across continents. His legacy will live on through his music, his influence, and the countless lives he touched.”

When the diagnosis was first announced in early February, his publicist stated that the condition had followed months of seemingly unrelated symptoms — weakness in his hands and legs — with a series of minor strokes initially suspected as the cause. Changes in diet, exercise, and physical therapy failed to slow the progression.

At the time, Friedman addressed fans directly: “It’s difficult to know what lies ahead, and it crushes me not to be able to play guitar, but the outpouring of love has been so, so strong. I’m absolutely blown away by the love and support from family, friends and fans. I love you all.”

Friedman recorded six albums with Manowar before departing after 1988’s Kings Of Metal, a run that included foundational records in the band’s catalogue — 1982’s Battle Hymns, 1983’s Into Glory Ride, and 1984’s Hail To England.

His legacy stretched back further still. The Dictators’ debut, 1975’s Go Girl Crazy!, predated the Ramones’ self-titled record by a full year, and arrived two years ahead of debuts from both The Clash and the Sex Pistols — a fact that places Friedman among the earliest architects of punk rock. That era also produced Manifest Destiny (1977) and Bloodbrothers (1978).

By the end of the ‘80s he had reconnected with former Dictators bandmates in Manitoba’s Wild Kingdom, a project that bridged his dual loves of punk and metal, documented on their 1990 debut …And You?

Later collaborations included stints with The Hellacopters and The Spinatras, a partnership with former Blue Öyster Cult drummer Albert Bouchard in Brain Surgeons, and the launch of two metal-focused projects — Death Dealer and his own solo outfit, Ross The Boss.

The post ROSS “THE BOSS” FRIEDMAN, Founding MANOWAR & DICTATORS Guitarist, Dies At 72: “His Powerful Playing And Uncompromising Spirit Helped Shape Generations” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Heavy psychedelic rock giants Elder have revealed the first single and title track from their eagerly awaited new album, Through Zero, out May 29th via Blues Funeral Recordings (North America), Stickman Records (Europe/UK), and Bird’s Robe (Australia). 

Commenting on the song, vocalist/guitarist Nick DiSalvo says, “In a diverse album, the title track of our new album sits in the middle of the spectrum and is a perfect first impression of what’s to come. Dreamy, heavy, raw, electronic, there’s a bit of everything that makes this album special to us. Through Zero is about impermanence, coming to terms with mortality, and the long struggle to not only make peace but to find a sort of solidarity with the dead. The more time passes, the more this theme returns to me, and always in a new light – much as our music always returns in a slightly changed state reflecting who we are becoming.”

Pre-order the album here.

Elder’s follow-up to 2022’s critically acclaimed Innate Passage was self-produced by the band and co-mixed with Richard Behrens. Across six expansive tracks, Elder continues their exploratory journey, blending their signature towering riffs and immersive atmospheres with influences drawn from beyond the traditional rock spectrum, further expanding their progressive vision.

Elder will take their new record on tour across Europe this summer, performing at festivals followed by US shows in the fall. Tickets are available for announced dates now at this location.

The post ELDER Revels First Single/Title Track From Upcoming Album “Through Zero” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

August Burns Red — Jake Luhrs (vocals); JB Brubaker (guitar); Brent Rambler (guitar); Dustin Davidson (bass); and Matt Grenier (drums) — need no introduction. For over two decades, the Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based act has crafted its own unique brand of metalcore, establishing ABR as one of the foremost acts in the genre. Their career milestones speak for themselves: Multiple placements in the top 10 on the Billboard Top 200; tours with everyone from Bullet For My Valentine to A Day To Remember; and an accumulation of 600 million streams.

However, the band — nominated for Best Metal Performance Grammys in 2016 for the song “Identity” and again for “Invisible Enemy” in 2018 — has never stopped pushing the limits of their sound. 

And that fact has never been more prevalent than on their forthcoming new album, Season of Surrender, which will arrive on June 5 via Fearless Records, the label to which they recently returned. ABR has also just shared the lyric video for their new single “The Nameless.” Watch it below.

Pre-order Season of Surrender here.

“The Nameless” accomplishes more in under three minutes than most heavy bands do over the course of an entire album. The track boasts the band’s signature complex rhythm section, alongside dark and moody guitars, with an unrelenting vocal assault. This song is ABR stripped down to the absolute core of their sound: Intricate, crushing, and ferocious.

“‘The Nameless’ is a hard-hitting, heavy bruiser that doesn’t let up for one moment,” states Davidson. “It combines classic ABR elements with dark, moody technical rhythms, and fast-paced vocals to keep the intensity up for the full three minutes of the track. To me, it showcases our roots of where we’ve come from, and the future path of where we’re heading.”

Luhrs follows, “Lyrically, ‘The Nameless’ is a song about not wasting your life away for the sake of acceptance and comfortability. Sometimes it takes detaching from what you’ve been told, or from the beliefs you are no longer aligned with, in order to face your own weaknesses. In doing so you can break free to live a life you are proud of.” 

Season of Surrender features guest appearances from The Devil Wears Prada‘s Mike Hranica, Polaris‘ Jamie Hails, and Make Them Suffer.

ABR will hit the road on a co-headline run with The Amity Affliction this Spring, kicking off on April 10 in Worcester. All dates for the Spring Horizons tour are below.

The post AUGUST BURNS RED Announce New Album “Season Of Surrender”, Share Lyric Video For First Single “The Nameless” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Four members of King Diamond‘s classic late-’80s lineup have resurfaced together in a new band. Lex Legion brings together guitarist Pete Blakk, bassist Hal Patino, guitarist and producer Andy La Rocque, and drummer Mikkey Dee (the latter best known for over two decades with Motörhead and a decade-long stint with Scorpions) alongside vocalist Nils K. Rue, who built his reputation across five acclaimed albums with Pagan’s Mind.

The band was formed by Dee and Blakk, with the rest of the lineup drawn from over 40 years of shared history. All four instrumentalists appeared together on King Diamond‘s Them and Conspiracy, and all had remained close in the years since, with everyone already knowing Rue through prior collaborative work. La Rocque, a constant presence in King Diamond since 1985 and a contributor to Death‘s landmark Individual Thought Patterns, is quick to draw a distinction between what Lex Legion is and what came before.

The self-titled debut Lex Legion arrives in June 2026 via MNRK Music Group, with the band citing Iron Maiden, Queensrÿche, and Accept as touchstones. Lead single “Sleep Eternally” is out 03/31.

“The song style is different from King Diamond but still from the same era,” he says from his studio in Varberg, Sweden. “The riffs are different, and the arrangements are a little less progressive and a little more straightforward.”

“There are elements of everything on the album,” says La Rocque. “The right tempo and the right kind of vocals, both starting like a fist in your face!”

“This is totally unique. No one is writing this kind of music, and there’s a big hole for us to fill,” states La Rocque. “The album is a journey, and every song is like the beat of a movie. I want listeners to travel back.”

The first single, “Sleep Eternally”, out March 31, sets the tone instantly. Rue‘s soaring pipes and ominous harmonies are framed by Dee‘s unmistakable powerhouse drumming, a clutch of imaginative leads from both guitarists, and shifts of pace and tempo that will satiate King Diamond fans.

Follow-up single “Gypsy Tears” seals the deal — eerie and rapturous, otherworldly and propulsive, evocative and a straight-up headbanger that leaves the listener in no doubt about the thunderous treasures within.

Dee puts it more simply: “Lex Legion is totally written the way we thought in the ’80s,” he says. “We wrote what we wanted, and if you liked it, that was a great bonus. If you didn’t like it, that was fine with us, too! “Enjoy it or fuck off!”

The post Four KING DIAMOND Alumni Team Up With PAGAN’S MIND Singer In New Band LEX LEGION: “No One Is Writing This Kind Of Music And There’s A Big Hole For Us To Fill” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Eight years after the release of their critically acclaimed album Eonian, Norwegian symphonic black metal titans Dimmu Borgir return with a towering new opus: Grand Serpent Rising. Set for release on May 22 via Nuclear Blast Records, the album delivers thirteen punishing yet remarkably diverse tracks that reaffirm the band’s status as one of the most formidable forces in extreme music.

Alongside the album announcement, the band unveils a cinematic video for the track ‘Ulvgjeld & Blodsodel’. Sung in Norwegian, the song stands as a punishing epic rooted in themes of heritage and bloodline – the passing of something essential from one generation to the next.

Pre-order Grand Serpent Rising here

Shagrath comments: “I truly feel we’ve outdone ourselves musically on this album. It’s been a long and demanding process, but seeing how it all came together makes it incredibly rewarding. Grand Serpent Rising reflects every era of Dimmu Borgir – This album carries echoes of every chapter of Dimmu Borgir’s legacy – I believe our fans will recognize that, and find something within it that truly resonates.”

Even the sheer weight of the album title speaks volumes.

“It fits perfectly,” guitarist Silenoz explains. “Dimmu Borgir is a leviathan of a band on a grand scale, and we are rising once again. While the serpent represents evil to some, for us it symbolizes something else: renewal, growth, knowledge, and liberation. Shedding our skin, so to speak. And let’s not forget that February 2026 marks the end of the Year of the Snake, roughly the same moment this album was completed.”

Grand Serpent Rising was recorded in Gothenburg with acclaimed producer Fredrik Nordström, whose legacy with the band includes landmark releases Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia and Death Cult Armageddon. The collaboration once again captures the band at their most expansive and ferocious, blending orchestral grandeur with unrelenting black metal intensity.

The album comes in the following formats:

• CD Jewelcase 
• 2LP + 1CD, 24-Page Mediabook, Transparent Green with Black + White Marble Vinyl 
• 2LP Gatefold Black Vinyl 
• 2LP Gatefold Dark Green Vinyl 
• 2LP Gatefold Gold Vinyl (Norway Exclusive)
• 2LP Gatefold Crystal Clear Vinyl (Sweden Rock Exclusive)
•  2LP Gatefold Pearl Flip Waterfall Vinyl 
• 2LP Gatefold Gold with Black Marble Vinyl (Revolver Exclusive)

The post DIMMU BORGIR Announce New Album “Grand Serpent Rising”, Share Music Video For New Single “Ulvgjeld & Blodsodel” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

There will be no Cavalera reunion at Sepultura‘s final show. Guitarist Andreas Kisser has confirmed that founding brothers Max and Iggor Cavalera were invited to take part in the band’s farewell concert in São Paulo later this year — and turned it down.

Speaking to Metal Hammer, Kisser says he personally called Iggor months ago, and that management-level contact was also made with the brothers’ representatives. The answer, ultimately, was no.

“We did invite the Cavalera brothers,” Kisser said. “I spoke to Iggor personally on a phone call a few months ago, and we started some communication. Even our managers went to talk to their management and stuff. But, they don’t want to be a part of it, and that’s OK. It’s a choice.”

Kisser made clear that the invitation came from a genuine place, not obligation. “It would make sense to have a celebration at the end, for the fans, and just to enjoy ourselves onstage,” he said. “[It could be] like it was on Roots, you know? Despite all the fucking crazy stuff around it, we managed to make that album and finish what we had to do, you know?”

Max and Iggor co-founded Sepultura in Belo Horizonte in 1984. Max departed at the end of 1996 following a management dispute involving his wife, Gloria; Iggor followed a decade later in 2006, subsequently reuniting with his brother in Cavalera Conspiracy. Kisser had been part of the lineup since 1987, joining ahead of the recording of Schizophrenia.

Max had previously floated the idea of a reunion himself. In June 2024, he said he’d be open to it, only to walk it back the following month, citing his commitment to what he and Iggor had built together under the Cavalera banner.

“You kind of have to realise if we end up doing a Sepultura reunion, it’s almost like we can’t go back to the Cavalera thing, you know?” Max told Metal Injection. “It won’t really make sense. People probably will be like, ‘I don’t want to go watch Cavalera if they’re doing a “real” reunion.’ To me, I don’t want to do that because I love what we have here in Cavalera now. It’s so badass.”

Sepultura — now featuring Derrick Green on vocals and Grayson Nekrutman on drums — announced their retirement in 2023, citing the grind of the album/tour cycle, the loss of Kisser‘s wife Patricia to cancer in 2022, and a reluctance to try to top Quadra (2020). Their final European show takes place at 3Arena in Dublin in August, ahead of the São Paulo farewell. A four-track farewell EP, The Cloud Of Unknowing, arrives on 04/24.

Joining Sepultura during their final lap in US stages are thrash metal legends Exodus, hardcore heavyweights Biohazard, and rising newcomers Tribal Gaze.

4/29 Montclair, NJ The Wellmont Theater
5/01 Montreal, QC MTELUS
5/02 London, ON London Music Hall
5/04 Detroit, MI Royal Oak Music Theatre
5/05 Louisville, KY Old Forester’s Paristown Hall
5/06 Nashville, TN Brooklyn Bowl
5/07 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade
5/08 New Orleans, LA The Civic Theatre
5/10 Daytona Beach, FL Welcome To Rockville
5/11 Charleston, SC Music Farm
5/12 Greensboro, NC Piedmont Hall
5/13 Reading, PA Reverb
5/15 Chicago, IL Ramova Theatre
5/16 Columbus, OH Sonic Temple
5/17 Milwaukee, WI The Rave
5/19 Des Moines, IA Val Air Ballroom
5/21 Denver, CO The Ogden Theatre
5/22 Salt Lake City, UT The Depot
5/23 Boise, ID Shrine Social Club
5/25 Las Vegas, NV House Of Blues
5/26 San Diego, CA The Observatory North Park
5/28 Berkeley, CA UC Theatre
5/29 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern

The post ANDREAS KISSER Says MAX & IGGOR CAVALERA Have Turned Down An Invitation To SEPULTURA’s Farewell Concert: “They Don’t Want To Be A Part Of It” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Mike Portnoy has a clear position on artificial intelligence in music, and it has nothing to do with fear of the technology. It’s about what Dream Theater is, and what it has always been.

In a recent conversation with Thailand’s Overdrive Live, the drummer addressed the A.I. question head-on, and connected it to something bigger: the band’s deliberate rejection of anything that removes the human from the performance.

“Oh, no, no,” he said when asked whether the band had incorporated A.I. into the writing of Parasomnia. “It’s all completely organic, and that’s very important to us. Jordan Rudess is very into the technology and A.I. experimentation, but on a personal level, it hasn’t come into the band. I don’t think it will ever come into the band. I think we’re all so serious enough as it is about our own instruments and our own writing and composition that that’s sacred to just being us and has to be fully organic.”

That philosophy runs all the way through to the live show. When asked about getting lost inside Dream Theater‘s more demanding material, Portnoy didn’t flinch. “Well, 7/8’s easy,” he said. “19/16 and 21/16, that’s when it starts to get a little more complicated. But, yeah, sometimes we get lost. It happens. We’re human beings, and I like the fact that we’re human beings. I’m not afraid to make a mistake. I think it shows that it’s not on tracks or it’s not playing to a click. For me, it’s very important not to play to a click.”

“That was something that I needed to establish when I came back to the band. ‘Cause I never used to do it, and I still don’t want to do it. The years that I was away, I know Dream Theater did. So one of the important things for me was to have the human element. I would rather make a mistake and be real than be perfect and boring and a machine. So it was important for me for us to be real. And every once in a while, somebody makes a mistake, and that’s okay. I think that’s what makes music real,” he added.

Scrapping the click track, Portnoy argues it actually makes recovery easier, not harder. “I think it’s easier without a click track,” he said. “In fact, I heard the guys talk about it, because they would say when they were playing with a click track with Mike Mangini, if there was ever a mistake, it was hard because you were tied to the [track]. You couldn’t fluctuate; you couldn’t make it work.”

As the band’s self-described conductor, Portnoy runs the whole production from behind the kit, with lights, lasers, video, and bandmates all tied to his cues via an electronic pad. The cowbell, of all things, is his emergency reset.

“At the end of the day, I’m the conductor — the drummer’s the conductor in the band — and I’m the one that’s setting the tempos and hitting the cues and playing the retards at the end of the songs,” he explained. “Everybody’s following me and watching me, including our lightman and our laser person and our video people; they’re all tied in with what I’m doing. I have an electronic pad behind the kit that I cue everybody. Only we can hear it in our ears. So I’ll cue everybody. And if ever anything falls off the track, as the drummer and the conductor, I have to get everybody’s attention with the cowbell and bring us back together. It doesn’t happen that often, but it’s a good little trick to have.”

Parasomnia, Dream Theater‘s 16th studio album, was released in February 2025 via InsideOut Music. Portnoy has also confirmed that the band’s 04/22 show at Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile, will be professionally recorded for a future Blu-ray release.

The post MIKE PORTNOY Says A.I. Will Never Enter The DREAM THEATER Songwriting Process: “It Has To Be Fully Organic. I Would Rather Make A Mistake And Be Real” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.