Author: Editorial Team

March 26, 2026, marks the 50th anniversary of Sad Wings of Destiny in the US (March 23rd in the UK) — the landmark 1976 album that helped define the sound and ambition of heavy metal. Widely regarded as one of the most influential records in the genre’s history, it continues to inspire generations of musicians and fans five decades after its release.

Originally issued in March 1976, Sad Wings of Destiny captured Judas Priest at a pivotal moment, showcasing a dramatic leap in songwriting, musicianship, and sonic identity. Featuring iconic tracks including “Victim of Changes,” “The Ripper,” “Tyrant,” and “Dreamer Deceiver,” the album set a new standard for blending progressive structure with pure metal intensity.

With its twin-guitar attack, soaring vocals, and ambitious compositions, Sad Wings of Destiny became a blueprint for heavy metal’s evolution and remains one of its most important recordings.

Exciter Records and its publishing affiliate Reach Music, in partnership with Judas Priest, have acquired the master rights to the album, returning control of this foundational work to the band and its creative partners.

To commemorate the golden anniversary, Exciter Records will release special editions of Sad Wings of Destiny currently in production to celebrate its enduring legacy. 

The special editions focus on creating truly definitive versions of Sad Wings of Destiny, returning to the original multitrack and master tapes. Developed in collaboration with Judas Priest, these editions deliver a new level of sonic depth, clarity, and fidelity. 

The project will include newly remixed and remastered editions, following the approach established with the 50th anniversary of Rocka Rolla, alongside audiophile-quality pressings of the original album.

Judas Priest said in a statement, “Sad Wings of Destiny was a defining moment for us as a band. It’s where we really began to shape the sound and identity that would carry through everything we’ve done since. To see it recognized 50 years on—and to have it presented in new editions—is incredibly meaningful.”

Exciter Records President Michael Closter added, “We’ve returned to the original master tapes for Sad Wings of Destiny — untouched for decades — and we’re excited and honored to bring these definitive editions to fans worldwide.”

Fifty years after its arrival, Sad Wings of Destiny remains a towering achievement that helped forge the sound and spirit of heavy metal itself. Further details about the upcoming anniversary releases will be announced in the coming months. For more information, visit Exciter Records.

The post JUDAS PRIEST’s “Sad Wings Of Destiny” To Be Released In 50th Anniversary Special Editions Sourced By Original Master Tapes appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

William Shatner is 95 years old and apparently still has something to prove. The actor-turned-recording-artist has enlisted Rob Halford — Judas Priest‘s Metal God — to appear on a reimagined version of “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’”, one of heavy metal’s most untouchable anthems. The pairing is as unlikely as it is genuinely intriguing: Shatner‘s trademark spoken-word delivery set against Halford‘s full-power vocal assault.

“I’ve always been drawn to the energy and storytelling of heavy metal,” Shatner said. “Working with Rob on this track brings that intensity to life in a way that feels both timeless and entirely new.”

Halford matched the energy in his own statement, leaning directly into the song’s lyrics to frame the collaboration: “One life I’m gonna live it up! William Shatner is boldly doing that more than ever, and I am honored to reinforce this message with him — ‘taking flight, I said I’ll never get enough!’”

The track is part of a full heavy metal album currently in production, with more guest appearances and a release date still to be announced. Cleopatra Records founder Brian Perera is on board as label head and has made clear where this project is headed: “I’m honored to be a part of another chapter in William Shatner‘s musical journey, and celebrating as he goes louder, harder, and heavier than ever.”

This isn’t Shatner‘s only foray into metal right now. He’s also set to appear on “Prophet Of Fall-Out”, the forthcoming single from former Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland‘s project Nuclear Messiah, which arrives ahead of their full-length Black Flame at the end of April.

Further details on Shatner‘s album — collaborators, title, release window — are expected soon.

William Shatner has cultivated a career spanning over 70 years as an award-winning actor, director, producer, writer, recording artist, and horseman. He is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable figures and a major philanthropist.

In 1966, Shatner originated the role of Captain James T. Kirk in the television series Star Trek. The series spawned a feature film franchise where Shatner returned as Captain Kirk in seven of the “Star Trek” movies, one of which he directed.

Shatner played the title role in the hit television series T.J. Hooker before hosting television’s first reality-based series, Rescue 911.

He won Emmys and his first Golden Globe for his portrayal of eccentric lawyer Denny Crane on both The Practice and Boston Legal. He received four more Emmy nominations as well as other Golden Globe and SAG Award nods.

The post At 95, WILLIAM SHATNER Calls In The Metal God: ROB HALFORD Joins Him For “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Exhorder drummer Sasha Horn has stepped away from the band after eight and a half years, and frontman Kyle Thomas has opened up about how it happened and why he’s fully at peace with it.

Speaking to Metal Horror Madman, Thomas was measured and warm in his assessment of Horn‘s situation, making clear this was no falling-out (transcribed by Blabbermouth). “It’s been coming for some time, but it finally came to a head, I think after this last tour,” he said. “I feel like Sasha‘s kind of just been in a state of flux for maybe even a couple of years now, trying to figure out who he is and what he’s doing.”

Thomas was quick to separate the personal from the professional. “I don’t wanna get too, too into the personal side of it for him, because that’s his story to tell, not mine. But what an amazing drummer he is. I swear, the only person maybe that I’ve seen hit [the drums] harder than him was Reed Mullin [late Corrosion Of Conformity drummer], and Reed Mullin was a lot bigger than Sasha.”

The decision, as Thomas sees it, comes down to life priorities, something he knows firsthand. “I think he’s come to the point where he’s ready to find himself and focus on his family. He’s got a daughter, and he’s got parents who are not getting any younger. He’s turning 50 this year, and I guess just saying, ‘Maybe I just need a relaunch of myself, just a kind of reset.’”

Thomas drew a direct parallel to his own past when he stepped away from touring while in Alabama Thunderpussy to raise his kids. “I came home broke from a five-week tour where I had strep throat almost the entire tour. And my kids were little. They were missing me. I couldn’t pay my bills. And I just took a look, and I said, ‘I can’t do this. I cannot tour like this anymore. I have to raise my children.’ And so I put all of that on pause for 10 years until my children were adults.”

He added, “Family comes first always. I’m 100% in support of that aspect of Sasha making his decision.”

And for anyone expecting the usual band-breakup drama: “This wasn’t a bad parting. We’ve had bad partings in this band, trust me. And this is not one of them.”

Horn himself confirmed the split in a statement: “After eight and a half years, two albums, and countless touring cycles, it is time for me to permanently step away from my position at Exhorder. All things have come to that split in the path. Best wishes to the guys moving forward. As for myself, I am in search of more time with family, continuing education, and a focus on my own personal creative endeavors. So much love to all of my fans. You mean the world to me. I shall see you again when I’m back out in it. This is not a farewell, this is a time-out.”

Stepping in on a touring basis is Corey Pierce of God Forbid — the only drummer that band ever had. Thomas explained why Pierce rose to the top of the list: “I think the thing that really sealed it for me with Corey, aside from the fact that he’s got a pedigree — he comes from the same background as our original drummer, Chris Nail. They’re both marching-band guys, drum corps, accomplished jazz-style players who read sheet music. Corey told me he was teaching drum corps at 14 years old.”

That background stands in contrast to Horn‘s more instinctive approach. “Sasha was more of a basher, punk-style drummer. Very skilled, could do the things that were required in this band, but he did not play in the kind of traditional style that our original drummer played. So, it was an adaptation, but it worked.” With Pierce, Thomas thinks the drum parts may return closer to their original form.

The early signs are good. “He’s funny. He’s a smart guy, and he’s basically been telling me he’s playing drums, like, three hours a day right now, getting the set prepared. That’s dedication. ‘Cause I’m not playing the guitar three hours a day, I can tell you that.”

Pierce will join Exhorder for “The Tour Of Unsound Minds” next month — the band’s first run through the eastern states in 2026. A permanent replacement for Horn has not yet been named, though the search is underway.

The band also confirmed that, with the two-year touring cycle behind Defectum Omnium now complete, work on their fifth album is set to begin. “Our canvas is clear, and we are excited about following up with our fifth album’s writing process,” the band stated.

Defectum Omnium was released in March 2024 via Nuclear Blast Records. Kyle Thomas is now the sole remaining founding member of Exhorder, a band that has been cited by many as the originator of the riff-heavy power-groove sound that Pantera would later popularise worldwide.

The post EXHORDER’s KYLE THOMAS Explains The Reasons Behind The Departure Of Longtime Drummer SASHA HORN appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

The Claypool Lennon Delirium have shared “Meat Machines,” the latest single from their upcoming album The Great Parrot-Ox and the Golden Egg of Empathy, out May 1st via ATO Records. Arriving alongside a new visualizer, the song finds Les Claypool and Sean Ono Lennon digging into some of the album’s biggest ideas – free will, technological control, and what remains essentially human in a world increasingly shaped by automation. The album is now available for pre-order here.

Driven by wiry psych-prog tension, ominous groove, and a creeping sense of unease, “Meat Machines” captures the Delirium at their most pointed and unsettling. Where earlier single “WAP (What a Predicament)” introduced the album with a warped meditation on A.I., morality, and what happens when empathy gets optimized out of existence, “Meat Machines” pushes further into the record’s central tension: whether human beings still have agency in a culture that seems increasingly ready to reduce life to function.

“Some people think humans are just biological machines,” shared singer / lyricist Lennon. “They think free will is a hallucination and we’re destined to be replaced by robots. Not only are they happy about this, but they’re actively trying to make it happen as fast as possible. Some of us think we still have a choice. We think there’s something special about living, breathing and feeling. We believe we can shape our own destiny, because we know we are more than just ‘Meat Machines.’”

The new visualizer also offers another glimpse into the album’s larger visual universe. Like the video for “The Golden Egg of Empathy (feat. Willow),” it draws from the richly illustrated companion comic created with longtime collaborator Rich Ragsdale, whose work has become a defining part of the project.

“Meat Machines” arrives from what is Delirium’s most fully realized project to date. Recorded at Claypool’s Rancho Relaxo studio in Sonoma County and Lennon’s studio The Farm in upstate New York, the album brings together expansive storytelling with the band’s signature mix of psychedelic-prog theatrics, absurdist humor, inventive musicianship, and off-center imagination.

As Lennon previously explained, the album is “a cautionary tale of what could be in store for humanity if we continue to favor machines over men.” Across the record, Claypool and Lennon build out a warped narrative world shaped by paperclip logic, spiritual collapse, and the struggle to hold onto feeling in the face of cold efficiency.

Available for pre-order on vinyl and CD, the physical edition expands the album’s mythology into a true companion piece: a 2-LP set in a tip-on gatefold jacket paired with a 24-page comic book, with each song mapped to its own illustrated chapter. What began as an idea for a feature-length animated film ultimately became a fully realized graphic narrative.

Following the album’s release, Claypool and Lennon will take this latest chapter on the road with Claypool Gold, a full-evening summer tour that brings together Primus, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, and Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade for one genre-bending night. The coast-to-coast run begins May 20th and finds the two collaborators sharing the stage in both the Delirium and Frog Brigade, giving audiences a chance to experience the new album while also seeing Sean and Les move through multiple corners of Claypool’s musical world in a single evening.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit here:

Claypool Gold 2026 Tour

Wednesday, May 20 – Reno Events Center – Reno, NV
Friday, May 22 – Hayden Homes Amphitheater – Bend, OR
Saturday, May 23 – Marymoor Live – Redmond, WA
Monday, May 25 – KettleHouse Amphitheater – Bonner, MT
Tuesday, May 26 – The Lot at the Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
Thursday, May 28 – Starlight Amphitheatre – Kansas City, MO
Saturday, May 30 – The Factory – St. Louis, MO
Sunday, May 31 – Meadow Brook Amphitheatre – Rochester Hills, MI
Tuesday, June 2 – Jacobs Pavilion – Cleveland, OH
Wednesday, June 3 – Salt Shed – Chicago, IL
Friday, June 5 – The Caverns Outdoor Amphitheater – Pelham, TN
Saturday, June 6 – KEMBA Live! Outdoor – Columbus, OH
Tuesday, June 9 – Thompson’s Point – Portland, ME
Wednesday, June 10 – Leader Bank Pavilion – Boston, MA
Friday, June 12 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, NY
Saturday, June 13 – Stone Pony Summerstage – Asbury Park, NJ [SOLD OUT]
Sunday, June 14 – All Good Now Festival – Columbia, MD
Tuesday, June 16 – The AMP Ballantyne – Charlotte, NC
Wednesday, June 17 – Firefly Distillery – North Charleston, SC
Friday, June 19 – St. Augustine Amphitheatre – St. Augustine, FL
Saturday, June 20 – Synovus Bank Amphitheater at Chastain Park – Atlanta, GA
Monday, June 22 – Walmart AMP – Rogers, AR
Tuesday, June 23 – ACL Live at Moody Theatre – Austin, TX
Thursday, June 25 – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory – Irving, TX
Saturday, June 27 – Dillon Amphitheater – Dillon, CO [SOLD OUT]
Sunday, June 28 – Dillon Amphitheater – Dillon, CO
Tuesday, June 30 – Arizona Financial Theatre – Phoenix, AZ
Wednesday, July 1 – Gallagher Square – San Diego, CA
Friday, July 3 – Long Beach Amphitheater – Long Beach, CA
Saturday, July 4 – Meritage Resort & Spa – Napa, CA

The post THE CLAYPOOL LENNON DELIRIUM Returns With “Meat Machines” A Psychedelic-Prog Warning on Free Will, A.I., and Human Consciousness appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Portuguese Gothic Metal pioneers Moonspell have released a music video for the first single and title track of their upcoming studio album Far From God, offering a first glimpse into what promises to be one of the band’s most defining offerings to date. Far From God will be released on July 3 via Napalm Records.

Born out of five years of creative searching, doubt, and ultimate rediscovery, the album marks a powerful return for the band. Far from playing it safe, Moonspell delivers a work that feels like a rebirth: Darker, sharper, and emotionally unfiltered.

Rather than bending to modern trends, the band doubles down on identity and substance, presenting a bold and beautiful statement of gothic metal in its purest form: Dark, romantic, dramatic, and unapologetically heavy!

The first single, “Far From God,” sets the tone with burning intensity. 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.

Fernando Ribeiro comments on the 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.”

Thematically, Far From God moves through Baudelairian love, existential guilt, and redemption, Christ-like resurrections and the quiet nobility of creatures of the night. Vampires, werewolves, and sacred symbolism are not escapism here, but vehicles for genuine dark emotion: Solemn, romantic, and unfiltered. The album rejects artificial gloss in favor of fantasy grounded in sincerity, rediscovering the heart of gothic metal in its most authentic form.

“To create Far From God, we had to wait for the muse,” Ribeiro admits. “Again, she didn’t fail us and revealed herself in the most mysterious and beautiful ways to us. It took us five long years of hit and miss, of despairing to the point of thinking we didn’t have it anymore, and why should we at all create new music? But I’m glad we persisted. Far From God is a true crusade against the decline of the style in the past few years, a darkly crafted statement that Moonspell is here to stay and to claim our throne. No politics, no socials, no intervention, just sickly romantic love, vampires, werewolves so we can all die of beauty, in peace and elegance. Goth bless you.”

Moonspell‘s forthcoming magnum opus — produced with Jaime Gomez Arellano (Paradise Lost, Sólstafir, Ghost, among many others) — shines like a black diamond, luminous yet shadowed in texture and color, both musically and sonically. It reconnects with the darker spirit of the band’s classic era while sounding powerful and contemporary. Far From God is a gothic metal hallelujah. It’s not only a powerful reminder that Moonspell remains a defining force in the genre they helped shape, but an album that will truly save Gothic Metal from boredom and predictability.

Far From God will be available in the following formats:

• 2CD 24p Mediabook (t. Bonus CD: Demo Versions)
• 1CD Jewel Case
• 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl Black (ft. Lyric Sheet & Printed Innersleeve)
• 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl Solid Viola (ft. Lyric Sheet & Printed Innersleeve)
• 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl S053 Splattered Creme Black (ft. 24p Booklet + Printed Innersleeve)
• Wooden Boxset (ft. Mediabook 2-CD + A5 Band Photo + Flag + Cross Pendant + Handnumbered Certificate of Authenticity)
• 2CD 24p Mediabook + Shirt Bundle
• 1-LP Gatefold WHITE LABEL (ft. 12” 24p Booklet, Certificate [dated hand-numbered], Covercard)
• Digital Album
• 1-LP Gatefold Vinyl CIRC002 (ft. Lyric Sheet + Printed Innersleeve + Vertical Poster A3 Cover + Band Photo Postcard) – Bandshop exclusive

Pre-Order Far From God here.

The post MOONSPELL Announces New Studio Album “Far From God” & Shares Music Video For Title Track appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Skid Row bassist Rachel Bolan is releasing his debut solo album. Gargoyle Of The Garden State — credited under the Bolan banner — arrives 06/12 via earMUSIC.

The record was produced by Nick Raskulinecz, who helmed Skid Row‘s 2022 record The Gang’s All Here, and it comes loaded with guests: Skid Row bandmates Dave “Snake” Sabo, Scotti Hill, and Rob Hammersmith all appear, alongside Corey Taylor (Slipknot, Stone Sour), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Danko Jones, Steve Conte (New York Dolls), and Damon Johnson (Brother Cane, Lynyrd Skynyrd).

Bolan is direct about what the record means to him. “‘Gargoyle Of The Garden State’ is not a project; it is every bit of my soul,” he says. “Like me, it knows when to be serious and also knows where the party is.”

The first single, “At War With Myself”, features Danko Jones and is out now alongside an official music video. Gargoyle Of The Garden State will be available on CD digipak, LP gatefold, digital, and download. Pre-order the album here.

The album is rooted in the New Jersey grit and storytelling attitude that defined his formative years, pairing punk energy with melodic hooks and a raw swagger that early listeners have already called quintessentially Garden State. Beyond the bass — his primary instrument for four decades — Bolan plays most of the instruments himself, shaping the record largely on his own terms.

Speaking on the Rockstrap podcast — hosted by comedian Don Jamieson and radio veteran Keith Roth — Bolan broke down exactly how the album came together: “It doesn’t sound like Skid Row. I’m doing most of the singing. I’ve got a few guests on there. Our buddy Steve Conte is singing a song. The first single Danko Jones is singing with me. And then there’s another song that Corey Taylor sang. So there’s that. Snake played a solo. Scotti played a solo. Damon Johnson played a bunch of solos. Nuno Bettencourt played a solo. Hammersmith played drums on the whole thing. It’s a whole bunch of buds on there, and it’s cool, man. I’m really happy with the way it turned out. Nick produced it. He produced the [last] Skid Row record, and every worth-a-shit Active Rock band that’s out there, he produced. He’s so great to work with because he is such a fan of music.”

Working one-on-one with Raskulinecz, rather than running everything through a full band, made the process notably different from a Skid Row session. “Stuff didn’t have to clear the committee’s vote and stuff and shit like that,” Bolan says. “So it was cool, man. And to see him excited about something that I wrote again, it was awesome, man. It was a really, really fun process.”

The album also features a cover, one that arrived almost by accident. Bolan heard an Oasis track on the radio, didn’t immediately clock who it was, and decided to make it his own. As he tells it: “I’m not gonna tell you [what it is]… I did it just for the hell of it because I heard it on the radio and I was, like, ‘Man, I didn’t know that was them.’ And so I was, like, ‘It’s a cool tune.’ And I was, like, ‘I’m gonna completely change this — not change the chord structure or lyrics or anything, but I’m gonna change the vibe of it.’ So I did it, expecting the band never to be heard from again, and then they were. And I’m, like, ‘Oh, okay.’”

That cover turns out to be “Rock And Roll Star”, a fitting choice for an album that treats music as both a lifelong vocation and a personal reckoning.

“It was incredible to work with so many of my talented friends,” Bolan adds. “An experience I wish everyone could have at least once.”

The post SKID ROW Bassist RACHEL BOLAN Announces Debut Solo Album “Gargoyle Of The Garden State”, Shares Music Video For First Single “At War With Myself” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

British metal powerhouse Sylosis are preparing to take their monumentally heavy, riff-fuelled live show across the Northern Hemisphere.

Next week, the band will be launching head-first into a collosal month-long trek across North America alongside Bleed From Within, Great American Ghost and Life Cycles.

To set the stage, Sylosis have released a break-neck live video for their track “All Glory, No Valour”, filmed during their career-defining performance last month at The Forum, London, a highlight of their biggest headline tour to-date.

Sylosis commented: “”All Glory, No Valour” is a collective favorite from The New Flesh. Since the early demos, the song always stood out as one of the most aggressive that the band has ever put together. Instead of a standard video, we agreed that releasing a live version of it at some point would be best so listeners could really connect with the energy of the track. Filmed at our biggest headline show to date at London’s O2 Forum in Kentish Town, this video really captures the essence of our live performance. Catch us live across North America over the next couple of months with Bleed From Within and across UK & Europe early next year with Whitechapel. We’ll see you soon.”

The post SYLOSIS Reveals “All Glory, No Valour” Live Video Ahead Of North American Tour Dates appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Corrosion Of Conformity are heading out for a West Coast run this July, lining up a two-week headlining tour with support from Whores and Crobot. The dates kick off July 6 in Houston, Texas, and wrap up July 22 in Lincoln, Nebraska, marking the second leg of their North American tour, which begins next month.

Tickets go on sale Friday, March 27 at 10:00 a.m. local time here.

The band will be on the road behind their upcoming double album, Good God / Baad Man, scheduled for release April 3 through Nuclear Blast.

Corrosion Of Conformity July 2026 dates with Whores and Crobot:

July 06 – Scout Bar – Houston, TX
July 07 – Granada Theater – Dallas, TX
July 08 – The Far Out Lounge – Austin, TX
July 10 – The Nile Theater – Mesa, AZ
July 11 – The Regent Theater – Los Angeles, CA
July 12 – The Glass House – Pomona, CA
July 13 – Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA
July 15 – Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR
July 16 – The Crocodile – Seattle, WA
July 17 – Rickshaw Theatre – Vancouver, BC
July 18 – Knitting Factory – Spokane, WA
July 19 – Shrine Social Club – Boise, ID
July 21 – Federal Theatre – Denver, CO
July 22 – Bourbon Theatre – Lincoln, NE

The post CORROSION OF CONFORMITY Reveals July 2026 North American Tour With WHORES And CROBOT appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Kerry King is wasting no time. The Slayer guitarist will enter the studio in April to begin recording the follow-up to his solo debut From Hell I Rise, with a supporting tour expected to launch in early 2027. The news comes alongside confirmation that talent agency Independent Artist Group has signed both Slayer and King‘s solo band for representation outside the U.S. and Canada.

The material is already in hand. In a 2025 interview with Reigning Phoenix Music‘s Reigning TV, King made clear the pipeline was moving (via Blabbermouth): “We have enough material for the next one already. I just started writing lyrics on it. I sent ’em to [singer Mark Osegueda]. He got the first song the other day. So, as long as I can get off my ass and get some lyrics happening, I would love to record before New Year’s and then just give it to the record company and say, ‘Whenever you want, there it is.’”

Osegueda — who fronts Death Angel in addition to his role in King‘s band — didn’t take long to weigh in on what landed in his inbox. “The lyrics to the new song are vicious,” he said.

As for the musical direction, King isn’t looking to reinvent the wheel. Asked by Rolling Stone Brasil in April 2025 whether he might push into different territory on album two, he was straightforward: “I think, overall, my thought would be just make an extension from what ‘From Hell I Rise’ is, just keep doing [things the same way], see what the next 10 or 12 [songs] sound like.” He acknowledged punk could surface again — it showed up on From Hell I Rise in tracks like “Everything I Hate About You” and “Two Fists” — but stopped short of committing to any specific direction.

The band behind him remains the same: Mark Osegueda (Death Angel) on vocals, Phil Demmel (Machine Head, Vio-Lence) on guitar, Kyle Sanders (Hellyeah) on bass, and Paul Bostaph (Slayer) on drums.

King is also hoping producer Josh Wilbur — who helmed From Hell I Rise — returns for round two. He spoke at length about what made the collaboration work: “A lot of musicians say he’s like the extra person in the band; he was like member number six. And he really was. His skill at the Pro Tools rig — he’s so fast. He would get on his computer, and I’m just sitting there with my guitar, trying to figure out how to play something better. And he’s just doing [something on] his computer, and he’s, like, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, bam. ‘How’s this?’ I’m, like, ‘I don’t even know where you are.’”

King was equally candid about Wilbur‘s willingness to push back, and his own willingness to occasionally listen. “He came in with suggestions before the last week of rehearsals, and [I] shot most of them down, but we kept one or two. It’s, like, I’m open to ideas — usually I’ve thought of ’em, but he had a couple that I didn’t. I’m, like, ‘I like that. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that.’”

Whether Osegueda takes a co-writing credit this time around remains open. King authored all the lyrics on From Hell I Rise largely by circumstance: the album was written before Osegueda had even been offered the gig. “That’s not to say he will or won’t write on record two,” King noted.

From Hell I Rise was released in May 2024 via Reigning Phoenix Music and recorded at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles. The solo project’s live campaign took King through European festivals including Rock Am Ring, Hellfest, Download, and Sweden Rock Festival, before a North American stint supporting Lamb Of God and Mastodon, and a headline run that wrapped in February 2025.

The post KERRY KING Confirms Second Solo Album Is Underway: “I Just Want To Keep The Train Rolling” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Less than a year after announcing they were stepping back, Angra are done resting. The Brazilian progressive power metal institution has confirmed the end of their hiatus and unveiled The Holy Land Tour — a second-half 2026 run built around the 30th anniversary of Holy Land, their landmark 1996 sophomore album.

When the band went quiet in August 2025 following the conclusion of their Temple of Shadows 20th anniversary tour, guitarist and de facto bandleader Rafael Bittencourt had put the expected timeline at two to three years. It lasted less than one. The band framed the break as a “sabbatical period” rather than an indefinite pause from the start, and apparently, the reset didn’t take long.

Their return statement sets the tone for what this tour is meant to be: “Some stories do not end. They simply wait for the right moment to continue being told. After a period of silence, reflection, reunions, reorganization, and reconnection with our own roots, Angra announces the end of its hiatus and its return to the stage in the second half of the year to celebrate a fundamental chapter in our history: the album Holy Land.”

“When Holy Land was born, in 1996, the idea was bold: to tell the story of the birth of Brazil through music. To blend heavy metal, orchestration, and Brazilian rhythms to speak about the meeting of cultures, identity, and discovery — not only of a territory, but of who we are. Nearly three decades later, we realize that this story is still alive. In the songs. On the stages. And above all, in the people who have walked with us throughout all these years.”

“Revisiting Holy Land now is not simply about performing a classic album. It is about returning to Angra’s roots. It is about reconnecting with the creative force that brought us here. And it is about celebrating with the fans who turned this music into part of their own lives. The end of the hiatus also marks a new beginning. We return with the same adventurous spirit that has guided us since the beginning: to explore, create, and connect worlds through music. This tour will be more than a celebration. It will be a journey. A celebration of our origins. And a reunion with everyone who helped build this story.

“The journey continues. See you on the road.”

The first confirmed dates are in Brazil: Bangers Open Air on 04/26, a side show at Espaço Unimed on 04/29 celebrating the 25th anniversary of Rebirth, and a further date on 05/22. The Bangers Open Air show brings Bittencourt and Andreoli back together with Rebirth-era vocalist Edu Falaschi, guitarist Kiko Loureiro, and drummer Aquiles Priester — a reunion that alone will send a significant portion of the fanbase into orbit. A September date in France is also confirmed, with wider tour announcements expected to follow.

The broader Holy Land tour dates are still to be announced in full.

The post ANGRA Are Back, Announcing “Holy Land 30th Anniversary” Tour: “The End of the Hiatus Also Marks A New Beginning” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.