Author: Editorial Team

Airborne have announced their new self-titled album in a truly original manner. See below the band’s heartfelt letter to Lemmy, sharing their journey through the making of this album and paying homage to their mentor and friend.

The announcement is accompanied by the album’s first single, “Alive After Death (Last Plane Out).” The track’s new music video is also out now. Check it out below.

Pre-order the album here.

Dear Lemmy,

Well, mate, it’s been a long time since we’ve said “g’day” or shared a stage together. We’ve never forgotten one of the things you said to us, which was: “No matter what, stay true to yourselves. Don’t worry about all the other bullshit in the music industry. Make music that your roadies will like. Because they’ve heard your shit more than anyone else, if they like it, everyone will love it.”

Mate, we did it.

Six years ago, we shut the roller doors to everyone and got to work writing songs for this record, spending many, many hours, many, many days, weeks, months, and years writing and writing, throwing things out, starting again, and always sifting for gold. After about five years of this, we felt that we had a solid bunch of Rock’ n’Roll songs happening. Then, Mutt Lange and Bryan Adams brought in their big guns, and a couple of those songs we wrote with them have made the record. We wrote a lot with Bryan, and he was incredibly inspiring, and we learned a lot from him – a true rock ‘n’ roll gentleman. At that point, a long-time mate of ours, Vick Wright, flew out to Australia, and we wrote and wrote and wrote some more with him. He’s a rock ‘n’ roll street poet, and he taught us a lot as well. We ended up with some really good rockers with him.

We sent everything to Brian Howes, and he said we have a solid record now, and he was pumped to work his magic. Dante from Spinefarm, who has been a real champion all along the way on this record, gave us the green light to make Airbourne.

We shipped out a ton of gear from our Manchester compound and from all over the world, loaded it into a semi-tonne truck, and drove it up the Eastern guts of Australia from Melbourne to Music Farm Studios, hidden in a jungle on the surf coast of Australia. This place is surrounded by snakes, Sydney funnel-web spiders, rats, and cane toads—plenty of stuff that can kill ya. We know you would have loved it there because that which doesn’t kill you only makes you louder!

We coped with hurricane weather, flash flooding rains, and palm trees that were torn out of the ground. One of them almost killed Streety, our bass player. That was a very near miss. The tape machine was a fucker. It wouldn’t stop blowing up, but she sounded great, so she was worth dealing with and waiting on.

Every day we would wake up, jump over a brown snake or python, feed the pigs, say “g’day” to the goats, watch the one male rooster with a harem of hens swooning around him whilst he’s strutting around the place like he was King Dick. Who knew that fowl could be so inspiring?

We’d make our way down the hill to the studio, jumping over “old mate,” the resident snake that lived at the front doors of the studio. When we entered the studio, we’d make some heart-starting coffees, put some pies in the pie warmer, VB’s on ice, then Brian Howes, Mike Fraser, and Karl Dicaire would show up. A few cigarettes, laughs, and caffeine later, we’d talk some bullshit, and then we’d get rocking. For about 12-16 hours, we would go. Time ceased to exist for us, and it was the best fun we’ve ever had making an album.

The last batch of songs we wrote with Brian around the Studio Kitchen table, often whilst hurricanes had killed the power. While they were smashing the Studio together, we brought this album home. The main console was the original Neve desk from Albert Studios 1 here in Australia (AC/DC, Rose Tattoo, The Angels, Billy Thorpe, and more). There’s an unmistakable raw Oz rock tone in this desk, and you’d love it.

We didn’t finish the record in time, as we had to go back out on tour, which actually worked out really well because lyrics that weren’t written in that studio needed to come from being on the road, and that’s exactly what happened with the song “Alive After Death.” We came back after the tour to our Melbourne studio home, down in St Kilda, the famous Hothouse Studios, where we recorded our first EP. We’ve always had a love affair with Hothouse—it has the Neve console from Albert’s Studio 2, so it was gutsy to go back there and finish this record off.

Craig Harnath, who we’ve been mates with forever, joined the team, and after another tour, another few months, and trips down to Hothouse, we finally finished the record. Zakk Cervini joined the team and mixed up a Rock’ n’ Roll storm of a record. He’s a real weapon! Ted Jensen—aka “the great one”— gave Zakk’s atomic mixes a real supercharged spit and polish and brought it all home with his classic trademark Sterling master print that only he can do.

So, we finally ripped off the Band-Aid and mustered up the balls to play it to the roadies…. And guess what? They love this one! Thank fuck! Only took us 20 years! Thanks again for all of your words back then, mate. We’ve never forgotten them, and we wouldn’t be here without ya. We’ll always keep you “Alive After Death.”

Rock on, Lem.

Much Love,

Joel O’Keeffe

The post Hard Rockers AIRBOURNE Announce New Self Titled Album, Stream First Single “Alive After Death (Last Plane Out)” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Mariusz Duda has officially announced his departure from Riverside after 25 years with the Polish progressive metal band. In a personal statement, the vocalist and bassist cited a creative dead end and a toxic internal dynamic as his reasons for walking away.

“I am proud of everything this band has achieved over the years,” Duda wrote. “But most of all, I am proud of the incredible and extraordinarily loyal fans we have gathered around us. Thank you for everything.”

The core of his frustration was the inability to create: “The current situation within the band no longer allows me to pursue my main passion there, the passion to create new music. And that has always been my primary life goal and priority. On top of that, I am tired of pretending and forcing a smiling band image which, in recent years, has had nothing to do with reality.”

Duda then revealed that his latest Lunatic Soul record, The World Under Unsun, was less about that project’s mythology and more about his deteriorating situation inside Riverside. “In truth, it is not about the end of the story of Lunatic Soul. And the act of leaving a toxic relationship does not concern ‘romantic relationships.’ The main inspiration was the situation within the band, and the track ‘The New End’ was written primarily as a farewell to Riverside fans. The emotions in that song, which were difficult to control, speak for themselves.”

“I am glad that I can finally say this out loud,” he added.

While he says he remains on good terms with most of the band’s members, Duda is clear-eyed about Riverside‘s future. “I do not see any possibility of the band continuing in its current line-up. And restarting it with a different one would be extremely complicated.”

Going forward, Lunatic Soul becomes his primary focus — both in the studio and on the live front. “I am shifting my creative energy to Lunatic Soul, which will soon enter a new phase and become my main studio and live project.”

He closed with a broader reflection: “I see nothing wrong with, at a certain point in life, simply starting to put your own needs first and no longer allowing yourself to be taken advantage of. In a world where everyone pretends to be someone else, it is worth finally being yourself and surrounding yourself with people who truly care about you.”

Read his full statement here.

The post MARIUSZ DUDA Leaves RIVERSIDE After 25 Years: “I Am Tired Of Pretending And Forcing A Smiling Band Image” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Triumph guitarist and singer Rik Emmett sat down with Mike DiGiorgio of Rochester’s 13WHAM to talk about the band’s first tour in over 30 years — what fans should expect, who’s filling out the lineup, and how he’s thinking about performing at 72.

The 2026 Triumph tour features original members Emmett and Gil Moore (drums, vocals), joined by guitarist Phil X, drummer/keyboardist Brent Fitz, and bassist Todd Kerns — all three of whom bring serious résumés. Phil X is a Bon Jovi guitarist and a former Triumph member himself; Fitz and Kerns both play in Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators. Original bassist Mike Levine is sitting out most of the dates due to a hand problem that limits his playing.

When asked whether the crowds buying tickets are mostly longtime fans or people experiencing Triumph for the first time, Emmett said (transcribed by Blabbermouth): “It’s a little bit of both. I think that there are people who — I think there are grandfathers that wanna bring their grandsons and their grandchildren. We’re literally sort of three generations in. And honestly, I think it’s a question of the music being — the songs are the things that are dragging us all out. So I think that’s the biggest thing that I feel, that people are kind of going, like, ‘Oh, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen Triumph do “Magic Power” or “Fight The Good Fight” or “Lay It On The Line” live.’”

He continued, addressing what fans expecting a time capsule performance are in for: “But the pressure from fans is an interesting thing because, of course, I can’t do what I did when I was in my thirties, which is what most people remember. And so if they think they’re gonna get to relive this guy in his red spandex pants or his jumpsuit or something, that’s just not gonna happen. But I do feel like the resurrection of the band as a concert touring act is because there are these songs, and I really look forward to the chance of getting to play with different musicians and in a different kind of circumstance. I mean, it’s gonna be a big show. So there’s gonna be a crowd that has lots and lots of different people with lots and lots of different expectations in every market. But I don’t know.”

“Back to your question, I think that there’s probably gonna be much more repeat customers than there are people experiencing it for the very first time. But, as I said, if they’re dragging along the next generation or two, then there will be new fans. And so — I don’t know. In some ways, I guess I’ll have to mind my Ps and Qs a little bit.”

On why the band brought in Phil X, Fitz, and Kerns, Emmett explained: “Well, first of all, we felt like we had to build a bit of a safety net for ourselves. There are certain notes that I just can’t hit, but there’s this guy, Todd Kerns, a good Canadian boy from Saskatchewan, and he’s been out with Slash and Alice Cooper. And he’s a tremendous musician — guitar, bass, singer. And then Brent Fitz on drums, just because there are some songs where Gil goes, ‘Well, I wanna come down front and sing.’ So Gil Moore is from the original lineup. But there are gonna be double drummers. We’re gonna be like the Allman Brothers and the Doobie Brothers, and I’m sure that more than half of your audience doesn’t even know who I’m talking about. But we’ll have that for some stuff.”

“And then Gil‘s gonna come down and sing a couple of things. And Brent is amazing. He can play keyboards as well, so we kind of get a double-threat kind of guy there. Oh, and he can sing harmony too, so a triple threat. And then Phil X, who replaced me in Triumph when I left. And Phil, he goes out with Bon Jovi and plays all kinds of different things. And he’s a tremendous guitar player with this absolutely unbridled enthusiasm for rock. So that’s really good for me. It’s kind of like, I get this Phil X cattle project; it keeps giving me bursts of energy.”

On Levine‘s situation, Emmett kept it open-ended: “Mike Levine, his health has been up and down, in and out. I’m not sure he’s gonna be able to join us for a lot of shows. The invitation is open, and there’s a place for him whenever he feels like he might wanna do it, even if he just came and sat at a keyboard for a bit.”

Emmett also weighed in on the ongoing debate around legacy bands touring with partial or rebuilt lineups — pointing to Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, and Def Leppard as acts whose catalogs carry them regardless.

“There are bands that are out there — Journey, Styx, REO [Speedwagon], Def Leppard — and they have a catalog that is so strong that it becomes this compelling thing. So it’s kind of like jukebox rock, if you’re being cynical or skeptical. But what’s wrong with a really great jukebox, if the songs are done with respect and they remain true to the spirit of the original? But I will deviate from that, because I feel like I’m a musician and a writer before I’m anything else. So a performer is part of it, and people wanna, ‘Hey, I’d love to see [former Journey singer] Steve Perry be able to sing “Don’t Stop Believin’” in the original key and hit all the high notes.’ But life is the way that it is. You don’t get any younger. And so, from my perspective, I go, yeah, but these songs — I get a chance to reinvent them as I reinvent myself, given my circumstances. I’m 72 years old.

“The management company we work with, they also handle Peter Frampton, and Frampton went, ‘Okay, I’m gonna go out and I’m gonna do just a farewell tour.’ And he got out there, and he told them, ‘That 90 minutes I get on stage is the best part of my day. As long as I can keep doing it, please keep booking me. I wanna go back out.’ And I feel like I’m already sensing that when I’m in rehearsals. I mean, I tire more easily than I did. I’m working hard to have the same level of chops. I practice now more than I’ve ever practiced in my life. It’s kind of, like, the veteran hockey player goes to the camp, and he’s gotta work way harder than the rookies just to be able to compete. And I feel that.

“But I also feel like, how lucky am I, at 72 years of age, that I’m getting to chase this thing? How many other people my age get this opportunity? A friend of my wife said, they were talking on the phone, and she said, ‘Most people when they retire,’ and I retired about four or five years ago, but she said, ‘Most people, when they retire, their lives get smaller. They kind of intentionally, they kind of shrink their lives to make it simpler and easier when they’re retired.’ She goes, ‘Look at Rik. He’s trying to make his life bigger.’ And I think that’s an easy way to say it, that that’s the most fun of all, that I’m kind of going, ‘Yeah. I’m gonna see if I can keep up with the 60-year-olds.’”

Triumph kicked off the 2026 tour on 04/10 in Orlando, Florida, donating 100% of net proceeds from that show to Make-A-Wish. The concert at Hard Rock Live Universal Orlando was part of the 23rd annual Celebration Exotic Car Festival.

The North American run celebrates Triumph‘s 50th anniversary, with support from April Wine throughout. The Canadian leg runs from 04/22 in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, through 05/08 in Calgary, Alberta. The U.S. leg begins 05/13 in Rosemont, Illinois, and wraps 06/06 in Boston — 10 Canadian and 17 American cities in total.

Formed in Mississauga in 1975, Triumph built their name the hard way — from high school auditoriums and bar stages to sold-out arenas like Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens and Dallas’s Reunion Arena. The band has shifted over 15 million albums worldwide, with a catalog anchored by “Lay It On The Line,” “Magic Power,” and “Fight The Good Fight,” and a live reputation built on pyro, lasers, and high-production showmanship. A highlight of that era: a 1983 US Festival performance in front of half a million people.

The post TRIUMPH’s RIK EMMETT Talks Touring At 72: “I Can’t Do What I Did When I Was In My Thirties, But I Get The Chance To Reinvent These Songs As I Reinvent Myself” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted is taking The Chophouse Band on the road this summer for their first-ever North American headlining run — 18 dates across the South, Midwest, and East Coast, kicking off 07/01 in Northampton, Massachusetts, and wrapping up with two nights at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on 07/24 and 07/25.

Eight of those dates are headlining shows; the remaining ten see Newsted and company supporting Atlanta country rock outfit Blackberry Smoke through July. Tickets go on sale Friday, 04/24 at 10 a.m. local time. Get them here.

The 2026 Jason Newsted & The Chophouse Band lineup features Jesse Farnsworth (guitar, vocals), Jimbo Hart (bass, vocals), Humberto Perez (guitar), and Robert John-Tucker (drums, vocals).

Newsted had this to say about the run: “We’re fired up to finally take this to the people, and it’s an honor to head out on the road with the Blackberry crew for our first proper run. Blackberry Smoke has built a loyal following that knows and enjoys good music.”

“We’ll be performing The Chophouse Band originals and selections from a few of our heroes. Even at places like the Ryman, we will play some acoustic-based tunes, but throughout the set, it is guaranteed to get heavy!,” he added.

The Chophouse Band plays a rough-edged brand of Americana with roots stretching into bluegrass, folk, soul, rock, and heavy metal — and Newsted‘s lyrics lean personal, threading his own stories through the music.

He elaborated on the band’s direction: “I’ve realized that this is where I can place my energy effectively now. The Chophouse is the continuation of my ambassadorship of American music. The Chophouse Band plays everything from bluegrass to fucking slabs of metal. We’re covering a lot of ground. There could be country flavor to a song, but it’ll still have sharp teeth. We are looking forward to an exciting summer!”

The band takes its name from Newsted‘s four recording studio facilities around the U.S. It got its start in 1992 when Newsted founded The Chophouse Records Studio in San Francisco, with The Chophouse Band performing periodically at benefit shows supporting veterans’ relief, animal rehabilitation, and youth music and arts education programs ever since.

The post Former METALLICA Bassist JASON NEWSTED And His THE CHOPHOUSE BAND Are Heading Out On Their First-Ever North American Headlining Tour appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Slayer has announced two U.S. headlining dates tied to the 40th anniversary of Reign In Blood, with the album played front-to-back at both shows. One of them marks the band’s first Los Angeles appearance in seven years.

• 09/04 — Shakopee, MN @ Mystic Lake Amphitheater
• 11/13 — Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum

A limited number of VIP experiences and curated Travel Packages for those journeying to see a show will also be available. The pre-sale details are as follows:

• Citi Presale: Tuesday, 4/21 at 12 pm Local Time
• Artist Presale: Wednesday, 4/22 at 10 am Local Time (PW: RIB2026)
• On Sale: Friday, 4/24 at 10 am Local Time

These are the only U.S. headline shows where Slayer will perform Reign In Blood in its entirety. Festival sets throughout the year will be different. Down, Suicidal Tendencies, and Hatebreed will support in Shakopee; Cannibal Corpse, Cavalera, and Crowbar will open the Los Angeles show.

Slayer‘s current lineup is the same one that closed out the band’s farewell run in 2019: guitarists Kerry King and Gary Holt, bassist/vocalist Tom Araya, and drummer Paul Bostaph. Their recent activity has included major festival appearances in the U.K. and Canada, an East Coast U.S. show at Hersheypark Stadium, and a six-song set at Black Sabbath‘s final concert, “Back To The Beginning,” on 07/05/2025 at Villa Park in Birmingham, England.

Reign In Blood came out on October 7, 1986, through Def Jam Recordings — the band’s first record with producer Rick Rubin. Kerrang! called it “the heaviest album of all time,” and it remains a defining record in the history of thrash and speed metal.

The album’s release was held up due to concerns over its artwork and lyrics. Opening track “Angel Of Death” — which documents the atrocities carried out by Nazi physician Josef Mengele at Auschwitz — drew accusations of Nazism, which the band consistently denied.

Former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo shared his perspective on the album in a 2021 interview with Metal Injection: “I look at that album as a masterpiece. And it’s one of those albums that will stand the test of time. It’s brilliant. The fire, the energy that that album has. I don’t hear that in other records. I don’t know if it’s because I’m listening to a band that I was part of, but I have this perspective that’s objective.”

“But you know, it’s brilliant, and I’m very appreciative… I think that album will forever be like the epitome of thrash music and part of a historic time in music history… Slayer had a certain energy that’s unlike anything else. And so that definitely is for me one of the greatest metal records ever made,” he added.

The post SLAYER Will Play “Reign In Blood” Album In Full At Two Special Anniversary Shows appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Melodic rockers Frontline have unveiled a new single, “After You’re Gone”, along with an official video, ahead of the release of their new studio album, Rebirth, out on May 15, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl.

The band stated: “The song shows a more emotional and reflective side of Rebirth. It’s about that moment when the pain begins to clear, when silence replaces the noise, and you finally see things for what they are. There are both sadness and strength in it, relief, and a sense of moving forward. For us, it’s a song about letting go without losing what was real, wrapped in the kind of melody and atmosphere that has always been part of Frontline’s identity.”

With Rebirth, German melodic rock pioneers Frontline return with a powerful and emotional statement, opening a new chapter in a career that has helped define European AOR since the late 1980s.

The band commented on the record, by saying: “Rebirth truly reflects what this album stands for. After more than 20 years of silence, it’s our resurrection as a band. We wanted to honor our legacy and, most importantly, the fans who kept Frontline alive all these years, while bringing our signature melodies, hooks, and emotions into the present. This album opens a new chapter without forgetting where we come from”.

Founded in Nuremberg in 1989, Frontline quickly established themselves as one of the genre’s leading acts, built around the unmistakable voice of Stephan Kämmerer and a songwriting approach rooted in strong melodies, big hooks and album-oriented vision.

Over the years, Frontline released a string of acclaimed albums including the genre-defining debut The State Of Rock (1994), followed by Two Faced, Heroes, Right Attitude, Against The World, The Seventh Sign, and Circles, earning an international reputation as one of Germany’s most respected AOR exports. Their sound blends soaring vocals, melodic guitar work and polished production, inspired by the golden era of late ’80s and early ’90s hard rock, with a distinct European character.

Following the passing of guitarist and songwriter Robby Böbel in 2022, Rebirth represents both a tribute to the band’s legacy and a step forward into new creative territory. The album features the original singer Stephan Kämmerer alongside new guitarist and producer Christian Mühlroth, whose fresh energy and musical vision play a key role in shaping this new era of Frontline.

Comprised of 14 brand new AOR tracks, Rebirth delivers a direct, no frills melodic rock approach, driven by anthemic, uplifting and sparkling choruses, emotional performances and confident songwriting. The singles “Two Tickets To The Afterglow”, “Burning Horizon” and “After You’re Gone” highlight the band’s ability to balance classic AOR values with renewed intensity and focus.

Rebirth is more than a comeback – it is a reaffirmation of Frontline’s identity and a celebration of melody, emotion and the timeless spirit of AOR, reborn for today and ready for the future.

Pre-order Rebirth here.

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Dutch-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kristoffer Gildenlöw returns with a new solo record, Humanised, due May 29 via New Joke Music on LP, CD, and all major streaming platforms.

To mark the announcement, the video for the first single “The Almosts” has been released.

The track is presented as a focused, stripped-down rock piece, both musically and visually. The video features Lilo on bass, Dirk Bruinenberg on drums, and Kristoffer Gildenlöw on guitar and vocals. On the studio recording, drums are handled by Leo Margarit, while Gildenlöw performs all other instruments.

A straight-forward rock track built on only two chords, “The Almosts” relies on gradual dynamics and layered arrangements rather than complexity for its impact. The lyrical theme centers on people who exist outside conventional systems and expectations.

“The lyrics empower outcasts, minorities, and others who tend to fall slightly outside the strict structures of the modern system; people who don’t fit through the square hole. People who are looked down on, frowned upon, or simply ignored and left to the waves. But in the darkness below the surface, beneath the concrete, roots are growing, and an undertow is becoming a rip current of change.”

The song closes with a direct dedication: “The Almosts – Dedicated to everyone who failed or succeeded in being themselves,” framing it as a statement about identity and acceptance rather than distance or separation.

Best known as the original bassist in Pain Of Salvation, Kristoffer Gildenlöw has also collaborated with Neal Morse, Damian Wilson, and Lana Lane, among others, building a career that moves between progressive rock and heavier solo material.

Since his 2012 debut Rust, followed by The Rain (2016), Homebound (2020), Let Me Be A Ghost (2021), and Empty (2024), he has kept a consistent approach to songwriting that blends personal themes with a recognizable production style and vocal tone.

With Humanised, Gildenlöw shifts into heavier territory again: “Everything has its time and place and now was the time to write a heavier album. Some of the songs have been with me for many years, just waiting to be recorded and released… and now I was ready for it.” – Kristoffer Gildenlöw

The album brings back elements tied to his progressive metal background, including seven-string guitar work, heavier riffing, and shifting time signatures. Alongside that, it pulls in influences from sleaze rock, art rock, prog, and doom, built into a cohesive flow rather than separated styles.

Instead of following a strict narrative concept, Gildenlöw structures his albums around broader themes. Each track captures a different angle on human behavior, forming a collection of snapshots rather than a linear story.

Humanised is described as a reflection of modern behavior and culture, examining excess, consumption, and contradiction in contemporary life.

Fans can access exclusive LP and CD editions ahead of release through US Webshop here and World Wide Webshop here.

The post KRISTOFFER GILDENLÖW Shares Music Video For “The Almosts” From Upcoming Album “Humanised” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

After back-to-back weekends at Coachella, California hardcore punk outfit Ceremony have dropped a new track titled “Other Hells”, marking their first new material in more than five years.

Running just over two minutes, “Other Hells” moves fast and hits hard. The track leans into the band’s hardcore roots, with driving drums and chaotic guitars pushing the pace from start to finish.

Frontman Ross Farrar explained the ideas behind the song: “‘Other Hells’ started as a meditation on the dualistic arts and the interplay of opposing forces in our lives: awake/asleep, physical/ spiritual, inhale/ exhale,” says vocalist Ross Farrar.

He continued: “This is a constant theme in the work of Ceremony; beauty juxtaposed with the intensity of aggressive music, seeking to create a single, cohesive work through audible, visual, and structural elements. Amid the ongoing rise in politics that lean on tribalism and polarizing rhetoric in an attempt to divide, the song responds by aiming to unify, using punk’s great liberatory force: the slam.”

Earlier this year, Ceremony also released their first live album, Live At The Hollywood Palladium, through Relapse Records. The record arrived two years after their 2024 performance celebrating Rohnert Park, one of the band’s defining releases.

Live At The Hollywood Palladium captures a full set along with an encore, pulling from across the band’s catalog and reflecting their evolution within hardcore and punk. The album was mixed by Taylor Young and mastered by Brad Boatright, keeping the focus on the band’s raw live sound.

With “Other Hells”, Ceremony tap back into their aggressive side while continuing to build on the themes that have shaped their music from the start.

The post CEREMONY Returns With New Single “Other Hells” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Bay Area thrash veterans Testament have released an official mini-documentary capturing the opening night of the U.S. leg of their Thrash Of The Titans world tour. The run, which kicked off in March, brought together Testament, Overkill, and Destruction, forming a lineup that leaned heavily into classic thrash roots while delivering a high-energy live experience.

The tour launched on March 14 in Portland, Oregon, and wrapped up on April 10 in Berkeley, California, with Testament closing out every night as headliners.

The band continues to tour in support of their latest record, Para Bellum, released in October 2025 through Nuclear Blast. The album was tracked with producer Juan Urteaga, while Jens Bogren handled mixing duties for the first time on a Testament release. Artwork once again came from Eliran Kantor, maintaining a visual style longtime fans will recognize.

When Para Bellum was first announced in August 2025, the band introduced it with the single “Infanticide A.I.”, paired with a music video directed by Joey Durango.

One of the key shifts on Para Bellum is behind the kit. Drummer Chris Dovas brought a different level of precision and speed, adding a sharper edge to the material. His involvement went beyond performance, as he worked closely with guitarist Eric Peterson during the writing phase, helping refine arrangements and push the overall pace of the sessions.

Dovas joined Testament in 2023, stepping in after Dave Lombardo (Slayer), and has since become a central part of the band’s current direction.

With the Thrash Of The Titans tour and the release of Para Bellum, Testament continue to reinforce their place in the thrash scene while adjusting their sound with a lineup that keeps evolving.

The post TESTAMENT Releases Mini-Documentary From Opening Night Of “Thrash Of The Titans” World Tour appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Guitarist Joel Hoekstra is set to join Stephen Pearcy on the road for the singer’s Undercover 2026 tour, adding another experienced player to a lineup already rooted in classic hard rock and metal.

Pearcy, best known as the voice of Ratt, is currently marking 40 years of Dancing Undercover, the band’s third album released in 1986. The tour leans heavily on that era, with a set packed with recognizable ’80s material.

The current touring lineup includes drummer Blas Elias (Slaughter, Trans-Siberian Orchestra), bassist Matt Thorne (Rough Cutt, Ratt), and guitarist Erik Ferentinos. With Hoekstra stepping in, the band gains a player known for both technical ability and a long list of high-profile gigs.

Joel Hoekstra will make his first appearance with Pearcy on May 9 at the Adventist Health Amphitheatre in Tulare, California.

Based in New York, Hoekstra is currently part of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and has built a career working across multiple major acts. His résumé includes Whitesnake, Night Ranger, and Cher, along with time spent in the Broadway production Rock Of Ages. He has also filled in with Foreigner and Accept, appeared regularly on the Monsters Of Rock cruise, and contributed to projects like Revolution Saints and Iconic.

Outside of touring, Hoekstra has been involved in a range of collaborations, including online performances with Dino Jelusick, Arnel Pineda, Mike Portnoy, and Billy Sheehan, as well as acoustic shows alongside Brandon Gibbs.

With Dancing Undercover at the center of the setlist and Hoekstra now in the mix, Stephen Pearcy’s 2026 run continues to lean into the legacy of Ratt while bringing in players with deep ties to the genre.

Check for current Dancing Undercover tour dates here.

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