Category: news

Look for it to begin in early September.

The post Elder Reveal Fall 2026 North American Tour With Blackwater Holylight & Bask appeared first on Theprp.com.

Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson made his position on AI-generated music clear in a new interview with Andres Violante of Rock En La Trinchera — and he’s not buying what it’s selling.

“To me, it’s just that — it’s artificial,” Ellefson said (transcribed by Blabbermouth). “And I don’t know how intelligent it really is. It’s just artificial.”

He drew a clear line between digital recording tools and AI generation proper. “Every record I make, if it’s using digital processing, it’s still our humans performing and me,” Ellefson explained. “It’s us playing. And that’s important, that it’s not just stuff taken from somewhere else, that what you’re hearing is real human performances. ‘Cause it’s the human performance that connects with the human listener.”

“That’s my problem with artificial intelligence, it’s not that intelligent, and it’s artificial,” Ellefson continued. “And that’s never gonna connect emotionally. You’ll never have an emotional connection. Humans connect emotionally, ’cause we’re animals. That’s why we connect with our cats and our dogs and our birds and our pets, because we have a beating heart, we have a pulse, there’s an emotional connection. And things that are created on a computer, they don’t have emotion to them. They may be smart, but they don’t have a heart. And it’s the heart that really connects.”

Since his exit from Megadeth in 2021, Ellefson has kept himself in near-constant motion across multiple fronts. He has continued touring and recording with Kings of Thrash, the group he formed alongside former Megadeth guitarist Jeff Young that performs early Megadeth material, and released To Hell and Back in June 2023 with death-thrash outfit Dieth.

In April 2024, he stepped in to cover for D.D. Verni during Overkill‘s Latin American tour while Verni recovered from shoulder surgery. He also launched the Ellefson-Soto project (which has two albums already released) and hosts his own podcast, The David Ellefson Show. Most recently, he joined classic heavy metal act Metal Church as their new permanent bassist in November 2025, performing on their fourteenth studio album Dead to Rights, released in April 2026.

The post DAVID ELLEFSON On AI-Generated Music: “My Problem With Artificial Intelligence, It’s Not That Intelligent, And It’s Artificial” appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

We named Caroline Rose an Artist To Watch way back in 2018, but their new single out today dates back even farther. Rose wrote the rowdy, poppy, psychobilly-infused “Yip Yip Yow” a decade ago and has been performing it in concert for years. Today they’ve finally put out a studio version in conjunction with the…

The post Caroline Rose – “Yip Yip Yow” appeared first on Stereogum.

Words and photos by: Joshua Stroud There are some albums that just become part of people’s lives and Opera Oblivia is absolutely one of them. Seeing Hellions bring this record back for a 10 year anniversary tour felt less like going to a gig and more like stepping back into a very specific time in […]

Nicko McBrain is putting his story on paper. Harper Nonfiction will publish Hello Boys And Girls!, the Iron Maiden drummer’s autobiography, on October 22, 2026, in hardback, ebook, and audio formats.

McBrain joined Iron Maiden in December 1982, replacing Clive Burr ahead of the Piece of Mind album and tour — a connection that had already been established when his former band Trust supported Maiden on the “Killers” U.K. leg in 1981. Where Burr had a punk-inflected, hard-hitting style, McBrain brought dexterity and flair, giving primary songwriter Steve Harris the rhythmic latitude to take the band into more adventurous territory. He wound up the third-longest-serving member behind Harris and guitarist Dave Murray.

Pre-order your copy today at this location.

“I’m very excited and honoured to be working with the wonderful Harper Nonfiction team on my very own book full of lots of fun stories, anecdotes, and of course my incredible experiences with some of the greatest musicians and performers from the ’70s, ’80s and beyond!” McBrain said. “I am blessed to be able to finally share my path to where I am today, in my own words, with the world.”

The 73-year-old British musician announced his retirement on December 7, 2024, with his final Maiden performance that same night at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil. His replacement, Simon Dawson, was a session drummer and longtime collaborator with Harris in British Lion. Health had been the defining factor in the decision: McBrain suffered a stroke in August 2023 that temporarily left him partially paralyzed, and had been diagnosed with stage 1 laryngeal cancer in 2018 — a diagnosis he kept largely quiet until 2021.

Speaking about his exit in a July 2025 interview, McBrain was candid about the toll: “I had my health issues, which were one of the primary reasons that I decided to hang it up with the guys. And I wasn’t doing the songs justice because of the handicap that I had. And it wasn’t fair to everybody else in the band either. They supported me 100 percent through the ‘The Future Past Tour’, and that was fantastic. I couldn’t have asked for a better bunch of brothers to support me through my darkest hour.”

He addressed the performance specifics head-on: “I actually got told off at rehearsals [in 2024] because I was playing the songs too fast, ’cause I’d been playing with [my Florida-based side project] Titanium Tart before I went off and did the rehearsals in Australia with Maiden.” The real issue, as he described it, was finesse rather than tempo — the drum fills he had executed for 42 years were no longer landing the way they needed to. The decision followed.

Hello Boys And Girls! promises backstage stories, tour tales, and the kind of unfiltered candor that tends to separate the good rock memoirs from the rest.

The post IRON MAIDEN’s NICKO MCBRAIN Announces Autobiography “Hello Boys And Girls!” Arriving This October appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

The singer completed the show despite telling the audience he felt dizzy from the experience. Continue reading…

When analyzing the evolution of heavy metal, the genre’s survival in the 1990s is credited to one specific movement: Groove Metal. By shifting away from the high-velocity “shred” of the 80s in favor of calculated, mid-tempo syncopation, bands like Pantera and Sepultura created a sonic bridge that saved metal from the grunge explosion. These 13 masterpieces represent the “Power Groove” at its absolute zenith, from the industrial precision of Fear Factory to the tribal earth-shaking heaviness of Sepultura’s Roots.

As we look toward the massive Pantera 2026 tour cycle, we are ranking the definitive records that forged the DNA of modern metalcore and hard rock. From the “Metal God” Rob Halford’s transition into Fight to the undisputed reign of Dimebag Darrell, this is the ultimate countdown of the riffs that redefined an era.

TL;DR:

Groove metal is the heavyweight champion of the 90s, characterized by calculated, mid-tempo syncopation that prioritized physical impact over BPM. While Pantera’s Vulgar Display of Power (1992) remains the undisputed #1, the genre was forged through the technical mastery of bands like Sepultura and Machine Head. This definitive ranking explores the 13 albums that saved metal during the grunge explosion, featuring legends like Rob Halford and Dave Lombardo.

Loaded Radio Recommends – Pantera Albums Ranked: Ranking Every Major-Label Masterpiece from Worst to Best

The Countdown: 13 Albums That Grooved the Hardest

13. Fight – War of Words (1993)

When Rob Halford exited Judas Priest in the early 90s, the metal community expected a continuation of high-speed shredding. Instead, Halford demonstrated his sharp musical instincts by embracing the gritty, mid-tempo shift occurring in the underground. Recruiting a young Scott Travis on drums, he formed Fight and released a debut that stripped away 80s theatricality for a leaner, contemporary sound. “Into the Pit” serves as a definitive mission statement for the era, proving that the “Metal God” could adapt to the burgeoning New Wave of American Heavy Metal without sacrificing his legendary vocal power.

Essential Grooves: “Into the Pit,” “Nailed to the Gun,” “War of Words”.

12. Grip Inc. – Power of Inner Strength (1995)

Dismissing Grip Inc. as a side project overlooks one of the most intelligent entries in the groove metal canon. Following his initial departure from Slayer, Dave Lombardo paired with surgical producer-guitarist Waldemar Sorychta to create a record that is both technically complex and primal. Lombardo’s drumming is the focal point, utilizing polyrhythmic, tribal textures that elevate tracks like “Hostage to Heaven” far beyond standard genre tropes. Sorychta’s riffs are a razor-sharp maze, resulting in a punishing sound that has aged significantly better than many of its 90s contemporaries.

Essential Grooves: “Ostracized,” “Hostage to Heaven,” “Toque de Muerto”.

11. White Zombie – La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One (1992)

In 1992, Rob Zombie combined B-movie horror aesthetics with industrial sleaze to create a multi-platinum masterpiece that stood apart from the dominant grunge movement. This entry is arguably the sleaziest in the rankings, fueled by J. Yuenger’s iconic, wah-drenched guitar tones and Sean Yseult’s driving bass lines. The record moves with a distinct grindhouse swagger, where anthems like “Thunder Kiss ’65” and “Black Sunshine” function as high-octane soundtracks for a desert drag race. It remains a heavy, weird, and impossibly catchy essential of the decade.

Essential Grooves: “Thunder Kiss ’65,” “Black Sunshine,” “Cosmic Monsters Inc.”.

10. Prong – Cleansing (1994)

Emerging from the New York hardcore scene, Prong delivered a cold, mechanical sound that served as a primary blueprint for industrial groove metal. Tommy Victor’s riffs are ruthlessly efficient, utilizing minimalist, staccato punches that leave no room for excess. Combined with Ted Parsons’ hypnotic, metronomic drumming on “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck,” the album achieved a factory-press precision that influenced a generation of industrial artists, ranging from Nine Inch Nails to Static-X.

Essential Grooves: “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck,” “Broken Peace,” “Whose Fist Is This Anyway?”.

9. Testament – Low (1994)

As many Bay Area thrash legends struggled to find their footing in 1994, Testament evolved by incorporating death metal elements into their established sound. Hiring guitar titan James Murphy and drummer John Tempesta, the band delivered a suffocatingly heavy performance on Low. Chuck Billy’s vocal work on “Dog Faced Gods” reached a new level of ferocity, embracing guttural growls that signaled the band’s transition into a heavier, darker beast. It was a critical moment that proved veteran thrash bands could not only survive but thrive in the 90s.

Essential Grooves: “Low,” “Legions (In Hiding),” “Dog Faced Gods”.

8. Exhorder – The Law (1992)

Straight from the New Orleans swamp, The Law represents the raw, unpolished side of the groove metal movement. While debate persists over whether Exhorder or Pantera first codified the sound, this record stands on its own as a frantic blend of high-speed thrash and soul-crushing “swing”. Kyle Thomas’s venomous vocal delivery adds a layer of hostility that is less polished than their Texas cousins but equally impactful. Tracks like “Unforgiven” demonstrate the band’s masterful grasp of the mid-tempo stomp that came to define the era.

Essential Grooves: “The Law,” “(Cadence of) the Dirge,” “Unforgiven”.

7. Fear Factory – Demanufacture (1995)

Demanufacture served as a sonic prophecy for a dystopian future, introducing a level of digital precision that changed the trajectory of heavy metal production. Dino Cazares’ machine-gun, palm-muted riffs are perfectly synchronized with Raymond Herrera’s triggered double-bass patterns, creating a cold, industrial atmosphere. Burton C. Bell’s pioneering use of the “clean/growl” vocal dynamic on “Replica” established a fundamental template for 21st-century metalcore. It remains a dangerous, factory-precision masterpiece of industrial groove.

Essential Grooves: “Demanufacture,” “Self Bias Resistor,” “Replica”.

6. Lamb of God – Ashes of the Wake (2004)

If the 90s pioneers laid the foundation, Lamb of God built a modern fortress upon it with Ashes of the Wake. Representing the peak of the “New Wave of American Heavy Metal,” this album showcases a band reaching their creative zenith. Mark Morton and Willie Adler provide a constant stream of Southern-fried grooves woven into a thrash framework. Randy Blythe’s iconic roar and Chris Adler’s polyrhythmic drumming on “Laid to Rest” solidified the band as the leaders of a new generation of aggression.

Essential Grooves: “Laid to Rest,” “Now You’ve Got Something to Die For,” “Hourglass”.

Check This Out – Lamb Of God Albums Ranked: The Definitive Legacy Guide

5. Sepultura – Roots (1996)

Following the success of Chaos A.D., Sepultura made the daring decision to record with the Xavante tribe in the Amazon, resulting in a primal and earthy masterpiece. Roots is tuned significantly lower than its predecessors, relying on tribal, percussive heaviness rather than traditional speed. While some fans debated its lean toward experimental nu-metal, the sheer gravity of “Roots Bloody Roots” remains undeniable. It is a soul-crushing, earth-vibrating achievement in percussive groove.

Essential Grooves: “Roots Bloody Roots,” “Ratamahatta,” “Attitude”.

4. Machine Head – Burn My Eyes (1994)

Robb Flynn took the street-level fury of Oakland and distilled it into a definitive statement of 90s rage with Burn My Eyes. The album features colossal riffs and a masterclass in power-groove drumming from Chris Kontos, creating the sound of true urban decay. The opening harmonic of “Davidian” functioned as a declaration of war, and Flynn’s lyrics captured a specific moment in metal culture that resonated globally. It remains a high-energy, Molotov cocktail of an album that continues to influence modern metal.

Essential Grooves: “Davidian,” “Old,” “A Thousand Lies”.

3. Pantera – Far Beyond Driven (1994)

Pantera followed their breakout success by becoming heavier and more dissonant, eventually making history as the most extreme album to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200. The grooves on Far Beyond Driven are buried under layers of chemical intensity and serrated riffs. Dimebag Darrell’s work on “5 Minutes Alone” and “I’m Broken” combines bluesy soul with brutal aggression, while Phil Anselmo’s vocals moved into a more tortured, inhuman territory. It captures a band at the absolute peak of their creative and hostile intensity.

Essential Grooves: “5 Minutes Alone,” “I’m Broken,” “Becoming”.

2. Sepultura – Chaos A.D. (1993)

This was the moment Sepultura changed the landscape of metal by fully embracing a mid-tempo stomp and their Brazilian heritage. Igor Cavalera’s drum hits on “Territory” and “Refuse/Resist” feel like cannon shots, while Andy Wallace’s legendary production gives the riffs a massive, room-filling presence. The album is a flawless fusion of hardcore attitude and metal precision, housing some of the most enduring riffs ever written in the genre.

Essential Grooves: “Territory,” “Refuse/Resist,” “Slave New World”.

1. Pantera – Vulgar Display of Power (1992)

While Cowboys from Hell was a transformation, Vulgar Display of Power is the definitive manifesto of groove metal. Every track serves as a masterclass in songwriting, attitude, and sonic violence, showcasing four musicians in perfect telepathic sync. Dimebag’s riffs are the gold standard—bluesy, brutal, and unforgettable—while the rhythm section of Vinnie Paul and Rex Brown provides a foundation of unmatched tightness. From “Walk” to “Mouth for War,” it set a high-water mark for the genre that has yet to be surpassed.

Essential Grooves: The entire album.

Get Your 2026 Pantera Tickets Here!

FAQ: The Groove Metal Definitive Guide

What is the #1 groove metal album of all time? In our definitive ranking, the #1 spot belongs to Pantera’s Vulgar Display of Power (1992), which codified the genre and established the blueprint for modern heavy music.

Who actually invented groove metal? While Exhorder provided a raw blueprint with Slaughter in the Vatican, Pantera refined the sound with “power” and commercial viability, bringing it to a global audience.

Is Lamb of God considered groove metal? Yes. Lamb of God is frequently cited as the modern torchbearer for the genre, evolving the sound pioneered by Pantera and Sepultura for the 21st century.

THE LOADED QUESTION: We know this list will start a war. Did we get the Top 3 right, or is Sepultura’s Chaos A.D. the “true” #1 over Pantera? Let us know in the comments—we’re reading every single one.

STAY LOUD: Catch the full breakdown of today’s stories on the Loaded Radio Daily Podcast, or crank the hard rock and metal 24/7 on our live digital stream at LoadedRadio.com.

The post GROOVE METAL’S GREATEST HITS: The 13 Albums That Defined the “Power Groove” Revolution appeared first on Loaded Radio.

A new version of Rainbow‘s “The Temple Of The King” — featuring Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse, Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain, drummer Simon Wright (ex-AC/DC, Dio), bassist Phil Soussan (ex-Ozzy Osbourne), guitarist Kevin James Morse, and Rainbow‘s own vocalist Ronnie Romero — is out now ahead of the June 19 release of Ride The Rainbow – The Ultimate Tribute To Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow via Cleopatra Records.

The tribute record is stacked six-deep with Rainbow alumni: Bob Daisley, Graham Bonnet, Don Airey, Joe Lynn Turner, Doogie White, and Romero all appear, joined by Candice Night (wife of Ritchie Blackmore and his Blackmore’s Night bandmate) and Morse, who succeeded Blackmore in Deep Purple. Rounding out the lineup are guest contributors from across rock and metal’s upper echelon, including Sebastian Bach, Marty Friedman, Derek Sherinian, Rick Wakeman, Vivian Campbell, Eric Gales, and more.

On recording “The Temple Of The King,” Romero said: “Being part of the Rainbow legacy, and having the opportunity to play this song with Ritchie himself on stage, to record this song it means the world to me. I would never be grateful enough for the chance of being part of this legendary band, so here is a humble way to pay tribute to one of my favorite songs and my all-time favorite band. Hope the people like it the same way I loved it recording it.”

Morse recalled first encountering Rainbow live: “I remember playing an outdoor festival show featuring Rainbow, with my previous band, The Dregs. I stayed and watched Rainbow and thought that every single song sounded really good! Ritchie had always worked with very good musicians, but his vision of heavy, but melodic, rock really impressed me.”

Cain brought some Ronnie James Dio-era warmth to his contribution: “When Cleopatra asked me to play on a Rainbow tribute project, I was excited to add my keyboards to it. Rainbow with Ronnie James Dio were one of the truly melodic and memorable metal bands. I got to party with him towards the end of his touring days after a Sweden Rock Festival. His soaring voice and melodies will be remembered for decades to come.”

Ride The Rainbow tracklist:

• “Long Live Rock ‘N’ Roll” — Bob Daisley, Graham Bonnet, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Carmine Appice, Don Airey
• “Man On The Silver Mountain” — Sebastian Bach, Doug Aldrich, Bob Daisley, Carmine Appice, Mick Box, Jonathan Cain
• “Stargazer” — Derek Sherinian, Marty Friedman, Vinny Appice, Jürgen Engler, Joe Bouchard, Ronnie Romero
• “Lady Of The Lake” — Angel
• “Rainbow Eyes” — Mike Tramp
• “Since You Been Gone” — Marty Friedman, Vinny Appice, Graham Bonnet, Jürgen Engler
• “Kill The King” — Rick Wakeman, Bob Daisley, Vinnie Moore, Marc Lopes, Chris Adler
• “The Temple Of The King” — Steve Morse, Phil Soussan, Ronnie Romero, Simon Wright, Jonathan Cain, Kevin James Morse
• “Jealous Lover” — George Lynch, Vinny Appice, Andrew Freeman, David Ellefson, Jonathan Cain
• “I Surrender” — Eric Gales, Tim “Ripper” Owens, Phil Soussan, Don Airey, Chris Adler
• “Catch The Rainbow” — Doogie White, Derek Sherinian, Chris Poland, Vinny Appice, Bob Daisley
• “Street Of Dreams” — Paul Shortino, Joel Hoekstra, Joe Bouchard, Fred Aching, Jonathan Cain
• “Stone Cold” — Vivian Campbell, Joe Lynn Turner
• “I Surrender” — Marcus Nand, Candice Night

The post RAINBOW Tribute Album “Ride The Rainbow” Is Arriving This June — Six Band Alumni Among Performers Including GRAHAM BONNET, BOB DAISLEY, STEVE MORSE, RONNIE ROMERO & More appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

Last week I went to see Case Oats, the Chicago indie folk-rock band where singer-songwriter Casey Gomez Walker joins forces with drummer Spencer Tweedy, who you’ve seen behind the kit with Waxahatchee, his dad Jeff, etc. I’d enjoyed last year’s debut album Last Missouri Exit, but Gomez Walker’s songs really came alive for me onstage.…

The post Max Subar Announces Debut Album <em>Anything Could Be</em>: Hear The Title Track appeared first on Stereogum.

Australian melodic rockers Sisters Doll have unveiled a brand new music video for their signature party anthem “Good Day To Be Alive” ahead of their highly anticipated UK and Ireland tour, which kicks off later this month. Documenting the triumph of their recent sold-out Australian run, the video captures life on the road for the … Continue reading Sisters Doll reveal video for “Good Day to Be Alive” ahead of UK tour