Author: Editorial Team

The Ballad Of Judas Priest, the official documentary chronicling the 50-plus-year history of the metal legends, received its North American premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival in Toronto on April 26. Following the screening, co-director Sam Dunn spoke to Now Toronto about one of the film’s most fraught negotiations: securing the participation of former Judas Priest guitarist Kenneth “K.K.” Downing. Dunn said, “The big one for Tom [Morello] was getting K.K. Downing involved. It was tricky at first attempt, because, obviously, he’s not in the band [anymore]. There’s still some animosity there, and, genuinely, it took some work to get K.K. on board. Frankly, I don’t know if Morello, if he hadn’t been there, it might have been a much, much bigger challenge. Tom Morello‘s a massive fan of the band, a big fan of K.K.‘s playing, so he really connected with K.K. and got him over the line. So, that’s a whole other story that wasn’t in the film.”

Dunn explained the limits on what Downing could address on camera: “There are still outstanding legal issues with K.K. and the band. This is the honest answer. And, so there’s a lot of caution exercised on both sides around what got said. We had to move through it without digging into all the details because it’s still fresh, still raw.”

On the decision not to include former Judas Priest singer Tim “Ripper” Owens — who fronted the band between 1996 and 2003 while Rob Halford pursued a solo career — Dunn said: “No. Controversial response, Judas Priest fans. Again, so much story. We wanted to obviously reference Tim, but it’s tricky. Not to get in the weeds, but in a story of this scale, when you’re into the second, third, or third quarter of the story, it’s like what to [include] and what not to [include] become big questions.”

In February 2026, Halford told Germany’s Metal Hammer that including Downing in the documentary was essential: “I think that the love and respect that we still have for each other is still there. And the fact that he’s as important to Judas Priest now as he was then in telling the story, it had to be that way — because he was there at the very beginning, before I even personally joined the band. The fact that we still play a lot of songs that K.K. wrote with me and with Glenn [Tipton] — it’s really important and vital. And I think it sends a message out to the fans that even though there is a separation, that respect for each other is important.”

Pressed on the possibility of a reunion, Halford said: “When you go to work with music, you really have to wanna get on that stage. You can’t hold anything back. You have to be there for the right reasons. If you’re not up there for the right reasons, then you don’t really have the right to be on that stage — you can’t just be going through the motions. And if you’re not feeling that, then you do what K.K. did.”

The Ballad Of Judas Priest received its world premiere at the 76th Berlinale International Film Festival in February. The film is a Banger Films production co-directed by Dunn and Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave, Prophets Of Rage), produced by Scot McFadyen and Dunn, and presented and distributed by Sony Music Vision.

Downing left Judas Priest in 2011 amid claims of internal conflict and was replaced by Richie Faulkner. In his 2018 autobiography Heavy Duty: Days And Nights In Judas Priest, Downing described sending two resignation letters — one measured, one furious — and later acknowledged the angrier letter as likely the reason he was never invited to return. He told Classic Rock magazine that the frustration behind it stemmed from guitarist Glenn Tipton‘s close relationship with manager Jayne Andrews, which he had resented since 1985.

Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease more than 15 years ago and announced in early 2018 that he would sit out touring in support of Firepower. He has been replaced on the road by producer and guitarist Andy Sneap — also known for his work with NWOBHM revivalists Hell and cult thrashers Sabbat. Judas Priest‘s current touring lineup is Halford, bassist Ian Hill, Faulkner, Sneap, and drummer Scott Travis. The band received the Musical Excellence Award at the 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony; the inductees included Downing, Hill, Halford, Tipton, Travis, and late drummers Les Binks and Dave Holland.

The post “The Ballad Of JUDAS PRIEST” Co-Director SAM DUNN On Getting K.K. DOWNING Involved: “It Was Tricky — There Are Still Outstanding Legal Issues” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

The track pairs Kings Of Thrash vocalist Chaz Leon with Gabriel Connor, frontman of Los Angeles theatrical rock outfit Red Devil Vortex, in a dual vocal performance. Former Exodus singer Steve “Zetro” Souza also appears as a guest. Mixing duties were handled by Grammy-winning producer Cameron Webb, whose credits include Motörhead, Danzig, and Godsmack.

Young has spoken about the song’s origins, tracing it back to drum recordings made by the late Megadeth drummer Nick Menza during the production of a documentary about his life (transcribed by Blabbermouth). “During the making of the Nick Menza film, I acquired several demo recordings of Nick playing various drum progressions,” Young said. “In essence, the introduction, verses, and chorus of ‘Bullets Ready’ came from playing along to one of Nick‘s energetic grooves.

“During Megadeth‘s ‘So Far, So Good…So What!’ tour, it was often David, Nick, and me that would conduct the soundchecks,” Young continued. “It was a surreal and nostalgic feeling to be playing along and writing riffs with my long-lost friend. Nick’s playing inspired so much of this song, and his spirit is forever encapsulated inside this recording.”

The accompanying music video was shot in Hollywood and directed by Kings Of Thrash drummer Fred Aching. Additional footage was captured at the Nelson Valley Ghost Town in El Dorado Valley, Arizona — the same location used in the film 3000 Miles To Graceland.

Kings Of Thrash formed in April 2022 following a joint appearance by Ellefson and Young at an Ultimate Jam Night at the Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, where the two performed classic Megadeth material alongside Leon. The band was built around Ellefson‘s vision of a live show devoted to early Megadeth albums and seldom-played deep cuts from that era — a concept dubbed “The MEGA Years.”

In November 2022, the group played four proof-of-concept dates in San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Hollywood. The Whisky A Go Go show was captured on camera and later released as The Best Of The West – Live At The Whisky A Go Go, a double live album and DVD issued by Cleopatra Records in spring 2023 on digital and vinyl. In 2025, the band released its first original track, the thrash/punk-leaning “Lockdown,” with a music video also directed by Aching.

The band is currently on a global tour with upcoming dates in Canada, the U.S., Norway, Ireland, and the U.K.

The post KINGS OF THRASH (Featuring DAVID ELLEFSON & JEFF YOUNG) Taps STEVE “ZETRO” SOUSA For New Single/ Music Video “Bullets Ready” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Wendy Dio, widow and longtime manager of the late Ronnie James Dio, confirmed during an April 29 appearance on SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk” that Metal Blade has extended an offer to release the long-awaited reissue of Hear ‘N Aid — the 1985 metal all-star charity project spearheaded by Ronnie James Dio.

She said (transcribed by Blabbermouth): “We have been working on that. We’ve had a couple of little things that have happened. But Metal Blade has offered us a deal for this. And hopefully it could come out, yes, soon. And we’re working on a book as well, a Hear ‘N Aid book of photos, because we have so many photos from that time. So, yeah, there’s a lot of Hear ‘N Aid stuff in the works right now. As I said, we have an offer from Metal Blade, and we’ve been working on getting that together. It’s just a lot of stuff, red-tape stuff that has to be done before you can put something out.”

On plans to also record a new version of “Stars” with current artists, Wendy Dio said: “Not at the moment, but I would still like to do that. At the moment, we’re trying to get out the Hear ‘N Aid, the original one, on vinyl and on CD. So we’ve been trying to work with that at the moment, and that is what we will put out. In the future. I would like to do that. Yes, I definitely would.”

On what else the reissue package will contain, Wendy Dio said: “With the book that we’re working on, we are getting people to write, [some of the artists] that were [there], like [Judas Priest‘s] Rob Halford. And [prominent U.K. music writer, journalist, and industry executive] Dante Bonutto, who actually wrote the foreword for the original record, is going to write something for us. So, yeah, we’ve been working on that. It’s been a very long, hard road to get it out, but we will get it out. We never give up.”

On May 20 and 21, 1985, 40 artists from the metal community gathered at A&M Records Studios in Hollywood, California, to record “Stars” under the Hear ‘N Aid banner, raising money for famine relief in Africa and around the world. Participants included members of Mötley Crüe, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Quiet Riot, Twisted Sister, Blue Öyster Cult, and Spinal Tap. Contractual disputes with labels pushed the release to New Year’s Day, 1986 — on vinyl and cassette only, never on CD or digital.

Former Dio guitarist and current Def Leppard member Vivian Campbell told Guitar Interactive magazine in 2023 about the project’s origins. “When we did that, we were at Rumbo Recorders in L.A. recording the [Dio] Sacred Heart album,” Campbell said. “And it was a really dark time for Ronnie and for the band. I mean, nobody wanted to be around Ronnie.”

Campbell and late Dio bassist Jimmy Bain hatched the idea after doing a radio interview on KLOS in Los Angeles. “The DJ asked us, he said, ‘How come nobody from the hard rock world was invited to participate in that?’ And we thought, ‘You know, you’re absolutely right.’” Bain coined the name on the spot, and Campbell spent weeks cold-calling musicians — going through his publicist’s Rolodex, dialing up names like Jon Bon Jovi and Neal Schon — to assemble the roster.

Campbell recalled the day of the recording: “I remember the day we were doing it at A&M, with a film crew in there, and the guys from Spinal Tap even showed up. And that made it great because that brought a little much-needed humor to the whole situation. And all these great guitar players — we had Yngwie [Malmsteen] there and George Lynch and Neal Schon, guys who were blazing guitar [players]. And I just remember I was so busy making sure that everyone had a limo ride, had a flight, had a hotel room, had something to eat. And then, at the end of the day, it’s, like, ‘Okay, now you’ve gotta play guitar.’ It’s, like, ‘What?’”

The post WENDY DIO Confirms METAL BLADE Offer For HEAR ‘N AID Reissue: “We’ve Been Working On Getting That Together — We Will Get It Out” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Type O Negative drummer Johnny Kelly has uncovered an unreleased song from the October Rust recording sessions while going through a collection of old cassettes. In a new interview with Scott Penfold of Loaded Radio, Kelly said (transcribed by Blabbermouth): “I dug up a whole bunch of cassettes recently, and I found a lot of stuff — demos. I actually found a song that we never used.”

The cassette originated from writing sessions Kelly attended at keyboardist Josh Silver‘s home. “I would go to [Type O Negative keyboardist] Josh‘s [Silver] house when we were working on the records. I would always go home, say, after the day we were working on a song. This was back when cassettes [laughs] were being used. CDs really weren’t standard yet, as far as in the studio for refs and stuff like that. So I have a bunch of ref[erence] cassettes from demos that we did and stuff. And then I was just listening to them, and I came across the song. Part of it wound up getting cannibalized. Parts of the song wound up on other songs, on Life Is Killing Me and stuff like that. But it’s a complete song.”

Kelly said the track was cut from October Rust for not being strong enough, but could work as archival material three decades later: “At the time, the song wasn’t strong enough to be on October Rust. And if we were releasing October Rust today, it still wouldn’t make the record… But 30 years later, to release it as a bonus track on something, it’s worth it — it’s worth it for that. Now, if we can get a good transfer from a cassette and actually get a good mastering out of it and make it sound good…”

On the timing relative to a previously announced live album, Kelly said: “This year is the 30th anniversary of October Rust, but I don’t know if it’s good policy to have the [previously announced Type O Negative] live record coming out this year and a box set for October Rust. Maybe. I don’t know. We’ll have to see. But right now I’m just going through the cassettes and seeing what I have.”

Kelly confirmed the live album is likely heading to Nuclear Blast: “We were gonna put it out with one label, and now I believe we’re doing it with Nuclear Blast.” A release is tentatively planned for late 2026 or early 2027.

Type O Negative formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 1990 around frontman Peter Steele (born Petrus T. Ratajczyk on Jan. 4, 1962), alongside Silver, guitarist Kenny Hickey, and drummer Sal Abruscato, who was later replaced by Kelly. The band built their catalog through albums including Bloody Kisses (1993) — featuring “Black No. 1” — October Rust (1996), World Coming Down (1999), Life Is Killing Me (2003), and Dead Again (2007). Steele died in April 2010 of heart failure at 48, effectively ending the band.

The post JOHNNY KELLY Found An Unreleased TYPE O NEGATIVE Song From “October Rust” Sessions: “It’s A Complete Song, Worth Putting It Out As A Bonus Track” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

To celebrate their sold-out European arena tour, Def Leppard has released a limited-edition, newly mastered Greatest Hits vinyl set in two formats: standard black vinyl and a special blood red marbled edition with exclusive 2026 tour artwork, available only at tour venues.

The 10-track collection spans the band’s core catalog. Side one features “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” “Hysteria,” “Photograph,” “Love Bites,” and “Animal.” Side two collects “Rock Of Ages,” “When Love And Hate Collide,” “Bringin’ On The Heartbreak,” “Foolin’,” and “Armageddon It.”

To pre-order, click here.

In January, Def Leppard released a new single, “Rejoice,” ahead of their Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace, which ran from Feb. 3 through Feb. 28. In January 2025, the band released a cover of Ben E. King‘s 1961 classic “Stand By Me” as a benefit for FireAid, with all proceeds going to those affected by the Los Angeles fires. The cover also appears in the Netflix film Bank Of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger.

In June 2024, Def Leppard released “Just Like 73,” featuring a guest guitar solo from Rage Against The Machine‘s Tom Morello. Their 12th studio album, Diamond Star Halos, came out in 2022, followed in 2023 by Drastic Symphonies — a reimagining of classic material with London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra recorded at Abbey Road. That album spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Current Classical chart.

Guitarist Vivian Campbell, who joined Def Leppard in 1992 after earlier work with Dio and Whitesnake, underwent a bone marrow transplant in late 2024 as part of his ongoing treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a condition he disclosed publicly in June 2013. In June 2025, Campbell confirmed he is “completely in remission.” Def Leppard was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2019.

The post DEF LEPPARD Releases Limited Tour Edition Of “Greatest Hits” On Vinyl — Blood Red Marbled Version Is Sold-Out European Arena Tour Exclusive appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

London fragrance house Czech & Speake has released a limited-edition tribute batch of its No.88 cologne honoring the late Ozzy Osbourne, who wore the scent for 30 years. The batch, announced on Wednesday (April 29), sold out almost immediately. Each bottle is priced at $370 and presented in a black sleeve with purple foil, along with a note from Sharon Osbourne. Twenty percent of sales goes to Cure Parkinson’s.

Sharon‘s note recalls the moment she introduced Osbourne to the fragrance: “I don’t know exactly how long Ozzy wore No.88, but I’m sure it was at least 30 years. As soon as he smelled it, he said to me, ‘I’d like to smell like this for the rest of my life!’ And he did!”

Czech & Speake said in a statement: “Ozzy Osbourne was the most loyal fan of No.88, our signature and most unique perfume, for over 30 years. At Czech & Speake, we are proud to be working with the Osbourne family to honour The Prince of Darkness with this limited tribute edition.” The company describes the scent as having “a fresh, woody top note of reviving bergamot, the richness and warmth of geranium, rose otto, cassie and exotic frangipani, combined with dry base notes of vetiver and sandalwood.”

Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary Black Sabbath frontman, died July 22, 2025, at 76. His death certificate listed the cause as a heart attack, with coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease also noted. A private funeral was held July 31, 2025, at the Osbourne family’s Buckinghamshire estate, with 110 attendees including Osbourne‘s Black Sabbath bandmates, Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Rob Zombie, Zakk Wylde, Marilyn Manson, and Corey Taylor (Slipknot). The day prior, thousands of fans gathered in Birmingham for a public tribute, joined by Sharon and their children Aimée, Kelly, and Jack.

Osbourne‘s final performance came at the “Back To The Beginning” charity concert in Birmingham — a reunion of the original Black Sabbath lineup with guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward. He performed a five-song solo set with Wylde, Mike Inez, Adam Wakeman, and Tommy Clufetos, then joined his Sabbath bandmates for “War Pigs,” “Iron Man,” “N.I.B.,” and “Paranoid.” Seated on a throne throughout, he told the crowd: “You have no idea how I feel. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

The post OZZY OSBOURNE’s 30-Year Signature Cologne Tribute Sells Out Almost Instantly — 20% Of Sales Benefit The Cure Parkinson’s Charity appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Dimmu Borgir guitarist Sven “Silenoz” Kopperud spoke with KillerTube about the band’s upcoming album Grand Serpent Rising, due May 22 via Nuclear Blast Records — eight years after 2018’s Eonian. Asked whether the serpent imagery of shedding skin and renewal reflects what Dimmu Borgir went through over that stretch, Silenoz said (transcribed by Blabbermouth): “We’ve had to shed quite a lot, as usual, maybe more than previously. But it’s all a good thing. I feel like great things shouldn’t be easily achieved. It should include a lot of sacrifice, and that’s what we feel like we have done with this record. And it just sucks that it took us eight years to have it out. But there you go. I’d rather have quality over quantity any day. So, whenever we feel ready to release it upon the world, that’s when we do it.”

On the challenge of cutting material from the album, Silenoz said: “It can be challenging. It’s like if you have worked on a musical part for like weeks and months, and it doesn’t find its way into a song for whatever reason, and it’s still a great piece of music that doesn’t make it to the album — it happens more than once. And it’s part of being an artist. You have to write for what’s best for the songs. You cannot force things in there just to have a piece of the pie extra. That doesn’t work for the overall picture.”

“I think we’ve gotten a lot better at doing it the way we do it on this album, the last few times, because, yeah, it just feels the flow is there a bit more, I think, and we try not to analyze it to death. I think that’s also very important, that you do spontaneous things and you take things as they come,” he added.

On whether external expectations shaped the songwriting process, Silenoz elaborated, “If you do something and you don’t expect a reward for it, that’s usually when the great things come. If you try to force things to you, then that’s just going to go further away from you. Obviously, we don’t mind the ‘thumbs up’ and people coming to our shows — this is what we do for a living — but we would still do it at whatever level we are at, ’cause it’s part of you. And if we did it for other reasons, we would have an album out every year.”

Grand Serpent Rising was recorded in Gothenburg with producer Fredrik Nordström, who also worked with the band on Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia and Death Cult Armageddon.

When Grand Serpent Rising was first announced in late March, Silenoz commented on the eight-year gap: “No question: quality must always trump quantity. We eventually set deadlines, but in the early stages of a new album, there are no schedules at all. Rushing means nothing to us. The most powerful blackened art simply can’t be forced without losing its essence.”

“It can easily become an endless process. Whatever you create, you constantly feel it could be improved — that’s the artist’s curse, and that’s why you eventually move on to make another album. But with every record, a point finally comes when everything feels exactly right. And that’s when it’s time to let it go.”

On the album title: “It fits perfectly. 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 is a full-band effort featuring Daray (drums), Victor Brandt (bass), Gerlioz (keyboards), and Damage (guitars). Thematically, the record traces a spiritual arc — transformation, ego dissolution, and awakening — drawing on esoteric traditions and alchemical self-transformation.

“Within every human being lie dormant divine centers, the chakras, whose awakening may take countless lifetimes through natural evolution,” Silenoz explained. “Yet once the soul reaches sufficient maturity, this process can be accelerated. Through disciplined self-training and deep meditation, the sacred force may rise within a single lifetime, activating each center in turn.”

Dimmu Borgir will tour North America in August with Hypocrisy and Suffocation.

The post DIMMU BORGIR’s SILENOZ Explains 8-Year Wait For Band’s New Album: “I Feel Like Great Things Shouldn’t Be Easily Achieved” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Dave Mustaine received the title of Guest of Honor from the City of Buenos Aires on Wednesday, April 29, at a ceremony held at the legislature of Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. The honor is the highest the city can bestow on foreign nationals, reserved for those who have distinguished themselves in culture, science, politics, sports, or through significant contributions to humanity. The ceremony took place the day before Megadeth‘s April 30 concert at the Tecnópolis venue. 

Megadeth issued a statement following the ceremony: “We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the City of Buenos Aires for this distinction, naming Dave Mustaine as a Guest of Honor. It is an honor that reflects not only his legacy but also the deep connection between his music and the Argentine audience. “We are truly thankful for this recognition.”

The band’s self-titled final studio album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, moving 73,000 equivalent album units in its first week — 69,000 of those through pure sales. Released via Mustaine‘s Tradecraft imprint on Frontiers Label Group‘s BLKIIBLK label, the record also topped charts in Australia and Austria, with top-five placings in Finland, Sweden, Belgium, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and New Zealand.

By comparison, the previous record, The Sick, The Dying… And The Dead! earned 48,000 equivalent units in its debut week, landing at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 — Megadeth‘s eighth top-10 album at the time. Both records were produced and mixed by Chris Rakestraw. 

Last August, Mustaine announced via social media that Megadeth would be calling it a career. He explained his reasoning: “There are so many musicians that have come to the end of their career, whether accidental or intentional. Most of them don’t get to go out on their own terms on top, and that’s where I’m at in my life right now.”

He has since clarified that the farewell run could extend “for another three to five years.” Megadeth was founded in 1983 following Mustaine‘s exit from Metallica, and released their debut record, Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good!, in 1985.

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Nestor are set to present their thrilling live energy on record for the first time with their new album, Live at Gothenburg Film Studios, out August 14 via Napalm Records.

Originally formed back in 1989, the band took the international rock scene by storm with its comeback and first music releases in 2021, unleashing the debut album Kids In A Ghost Town (earning a Swedish Hard Rock/Metal Grammis nomination!). The following studio album, Teenage Rebel (2024), entered several charts internationally (incl. #12 on the Official German Album Charts and #19 in Sweden), and the band has gathered millions of streams on several of their hits. 

On Live at Gothenburg Film Studios, Nestor showcase their nostalgic, ’80s-inspired melodic anthems in a new light — infused with their signature, radiant live presence. The band has won over live audiences around the world, from huge European festivals to the Monsters Of Rock Cruise in the U.S. and headline shows in Japan, and shared stages with legends like Kiss and Europe. Now, the band is gearing up to release its first-ever live album. Make sure to pre-order your physical copy, and stay tuned for the first single!

Vocalist Tobias Gustavsson comments: “When I listen to Live at Gothenburg Film Studios, it becomes clear to me that it shows everything that Nestor was about, from the beginning. A live performance with all the little quirks and mistakes that make it human, a thing that I have learned to love even more in an era of AI-generated music. Live at Gothenburg Film Studios is less clinical and more of a human experience in comparison to our studio albums and shows a different side of Nestor. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we did recording it on stage.”

Pre-order your copy of Live at Gothenburg Film Studios now.

Live at Gothenburg Film Studios treats fans old and new to a hefty selection of live versions of future classics from Nestor‘s celebrated catalogue. The band brings the heat with a new rendition of the track “Firesign” (originally from Kids in a Ghost Town, 2021) – catchy riffs and rhythms carry the heavily 80s-inspired, authentic sound that is topped with impressive rock vocals.

The nostalgia-drenched following track “Teenage Rebel” (title track of the latest studio album, 2024) gets audiences singing along without fail with its irresistible chorus that is accompanied by emotion-loaded melodies and massive riffs. Further highlights of this extensive, 16-track offering include a live rendition of one of the biggest Nestor hits to date, “On The Run” (also from the praised debut Kids in a Ghost Town, 2021), featuring epic, AOR-inspired keys and guitars, and another one of the band’s possibly catchiest singalong-choruses so far. 

This comprehensive live album, available even as a DVD, draws from Nestor‘s impressive repertoire of arena-worthy anthems and rock ballads, polished with the very best AOR and classic 80s rock influences. Without a doubt, Nestor continues their steady mission to restore the glory of rock!

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ShipRocked is back for its 17th year. The rock music cruise vacation returns January 24-30, 2027, sailing out of Miami, Florida, aboard the Carnival Horizon with close to 30 bands and over 4,000 guests. The ship heads to Mahogany Bay in Roatan, Honduras — a first-time port of call for the event — and Cozumel on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.

Producer ASK4 Entertainment has confirmed Papa Roach, Ice Nine Kills, Nothing More, Highly Suspect, Badflower, Set It Off, and Magnolia Park as the lead acts for ShipRocked 2027. Rounding out the current bill are Aurorawave, The Barbarians Of California, Buffalo_Farm, Caskets, The Dark.FM, Des Rocs, Ekoh, Fury In Few, Good Terms, Kami Kehoe, Muttlee, Nate Bergman, Scarhaven, Sludge Mother, TX2, Upon A Burning Body, VANA, Wargasm, and Waxed. More acts are still to be announced, as is the guest lineup for fan-favorite all-star ship band The Stowaways.

Several of the confirmed artists have already weighed in on the upcoming sailing.

Papa Roach‘s Jacoby Shaddix said, “We’ve had some unforgettable moments on ShipRocked, and the 2027 edition will bring even more. We’ll see you ShipRockers out on the high seas!”

Ice Nine Kills‘ Spencer Charnas added: “I’m positively buoyant about stepping back aboard and rocking the boat together. ShipRocked is always a (killer) whale of a time!”

Highly Suspect‘s Johnny Stevens kept it casual: “Honestly, I just want to eat pizza on the back of the boat with strangers and watch y’all sing karaoke. Honored to be invited back to ShipRocked. Rock music? Cruise ship? That’s wetness overload. Stoked. See y’all soon.”

Magnolia Park said, “We’re super stoked to be a part of ShipRocked this year. We’ve gotten a lot of requests from people to be a part of it, so we’re pretty grateful that we got asked. And we can’t wait to rock out with everyone soon.”

Staterooms are limited. Last year’s sailing sold out at 4,100 guests — the largest ShipRocked to date — so anyone interested in booking should move quickly and head over here.

The 2027 edition goes under a “ShipRocked Samurai” theme and returns fan-favorite cruise director Cookie as host. The Carnival Horizon brings the full package: comfortable staterooms, a spa, multiple bars and dining options, a water park, and an IMAX theater.

Guests can also get the party started early at the free ShipRocked pre-party and concert on January 23 at The Hangar at Regatta Harbour, just south of downtown Miami. Bands for that event will be announced in the coming months.

Beyond the music, the cruise offers photo meet & greets, artist-hosted events and activities, theme nights, an onboard tattoo parlor, The Music Experience lounge, tropical port visits, and a rock-and-metal spin on classic cruise activities — ShipRocked Beach Wars, a blackjack tournament, dodgeball, live band karaoke, game shows, singles mixers, trivia, and heavy metal morning yoga, among others.

The event has also built a strong charitable track record. The ShipRocked Cancer Sucks! onboard charity auction raised a record $200,000 during the 2026 cruise, pushing the all-time total to over $1.2 million raised for cancer research.

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