CHVRCHES played their first show in nearly three years at the Royal Albert Hall as support for My Bloody Valentine over the weekend, and made it a really special occasion with the debut of a new track.
Titled ‘Conman’, it finds the band in suitably ferocious form. A mashing together of deep bass, intoxicating refrains, and pattering synths, it’s a devilishly savage offering from a band that continues to push whatever boundaries they come across.
Before the song kicks into life, vocalist Lauren Mayberry, stated, “We haven’t played a show together, all of us here, for two and a half years, almost three years. I promised I’m not inside watching telly all the time, we have been making a record, and because this is a special night, we thought we would play something off that record.”
What a way to announce that something like this is coming, and what a way to set up what to expect from it.
The band released their last full-length album, ‘Screen Violence,’ back in 2021. Here is ‘How Not To Drown’ with the legendary Robert Smith of The Cure.
For now, members Martin Doherty and Jonny Scott are releasing a new album under their moniker The Leaving. Titled ‘Ultimate Buzz’, it will be released on April 24 via Avenue A / Futures ✦ / Virgin Records.
The run of Black Sabbath box-set brilliance draws to a close with the release of Breaking Out Of Heaven 2007–2009. Centred around Heaven & Hell and The Devil You Know, the final studio album with Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Vinny Appice, this release is poignant, as we know that, had the universe dictated otherwise and Ronnie had not passed in 2010, there would have been at least one more album to follow.
The Devil You Know would close this chapter of Black Sabbath. It is such a wonderful album, and it is prime Sabbath. “I think it was really sad,” Tony Iommi told MetalTalk on the red carpet at the world premiere of the DIO: Dreamers Never Die film. “We were really on a roll with The Devil You Know. We were touring, and we were really enjoying it. I remember talking to Ronnie when we were in Japan.”
Tony and Ronnie went for dinner one night. “We said, look, we’re not going to say we’re going to go for five years,” Tony says, “we will just try it and see where it goes. We were done with the tour, and we loved it. We enjoyed it. We were in this restaurant, and I said to Ronnie, ‘Do you fancy doing anything more?’”
Ronnie enthusiastically said yes. “We’ve got to do another album,” Ronnie told Tony.
“That was the plan,” Tony says. “That’s what we were going to do. Of course, you know, Ronnie didn’t make it. But it was going so well, and we had a great time being together. We loved working together. I loved working with Ronnie, go on the stage, and you know what he is going to do. He loved his audience and loved his fans, you know. Real genuine.”
From the opening drums of Appice, Atom And Evil delivers the slower doom sound that littered The Devil You Know. Dio’s layered vocals are powerful and pour out of the speakers with beautiful menace. Iommi is in riff heaven, and Butler and Appice underpin the song with the flair that know and love.
It is the opening to Bible Black that gives a lump in the throat. Dio’s emotion over the acoustic guitar is so definitive of the pairing, and when the band kicks in, the power from Ronnie is so tellingly unique.
The boxset has two Heaven & Hell live shows. The 2007 show from Radio City Music Hall has The Devil Cried and Shadow Of The Wind from The Devil You Know. It is the studio version of the former track, which is a massive standout.
Killer riffing from Tony Iommi seeps across the track, with Geezer’s unique bass style throbbing underneath, and Appice delivers the punch behind pace.
Listening back now, there is almost a Born Again album style to the guitar as the track powers to its close. There are no Lazy Sunday Afternoon vibes here. The music and lyrics are bleak in the style that Black Sabbath/Heaven & Hell do, but it still, to this day, brings a smile to my face.
The Radio City show is awesome. After All (The Dead) menaces after the standard E5150 intro, before blasting into The Mob Rules. Ronnie’s voice was still amazingly powerful after all those years, and there is something of a celebration of the era in my ears as the launch into The Mob Rules.
The way Geezer’s bass rolls through the solo, Vinny Appice filling the drum patterns as Tony Iommi delivers a blistering solo, thrills in a way that few can match.
Throw in the live versions of Children Of The Sea and especially Lady Evil, and those ’80s memories return. The ’90s get a visit too, with Computer God sounding great. Now that was a great album and fantastic tour.
Radio City closes on Lonely Is The Word and Neon Nights. I can still remember the excitement back then, when I realised that the Heaven And Hell album closer was in the set. You had to go back to 1980 to hear that live.
Neon Nights, complete with Heaven And Hell refrain, completes the 2007 show and the closing applause, over two and a half minutes of it, and it has to be faded, reminds you that this was such a massive show.
The Devil You Know tracks Bible Black, Fear and Follow Tears make the Heaven & Hell set at Wacken Open Air Festival in 2009. Opening with The Mob Rules, the band were in great form, and Ronnie James Dio looked stylish with that wonderful wide-cuffed shirt.
Top of their game is an often-used phrase, but this set shows just how awesome the band were. This is certainly a wish I was there moment, as the 11-track set is a thing of audio beauty.
That both the Wacken and Radio City shows are included in the box set as a DVD is the icing on the cake. The bonus content, 30th Anniversary interviews and particularly the tribute to Ronnie James Dio, is emotional as it would only be a matter of months before his passing.
As with all the Sabbath boxsets, the accompanying reading material is impressive. The illustrated book with new liner notes by Hugh Gilmour, along with a replica tour book and poster, is fit for poring over with a glass of wine.
Breaking Out Of Heaven 2007–2009 matches the quality of all the Sabbath boxset reissues. It is a testament to the enduring legacy that Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice left.
That it was not planned to be their final hurrah does leave a certain sadness.
Does Tony think Ronnie is the greatest Heavy Metal vocalist of all time?
“I do,” Tony told MetalTalk. “He was great, and a lot of other Metal vocalists will say that as well. It was just so powerful. When I first heard him, I couldn’t believe that voice coming out. It was such an incredible voice.”
Breaking Out Of Heaven 2007–2009 is out now via BMG. The Heaven & Hell retrospective celebrates Dio’s third act with members of Black Sabbath over 4CD/Blu-ray and 7LP boxed sets. Each can be ordered via heavenandhell.lnk.to/breakingoutPR.
While joking about branding marital aids, Zakk Wylde reveals that his long-running marriage served as a big muse for the 'Engines of Demolition' album. Continue reading…
As I celebrate my 60th birthday, I felt compelled to share a project that I hope inspires others to consider embarking on using their own artistic skills, whether it be through music, writing, drawing, painting, photo or video compilation, recording of a verbal narrative, or any other creative means to create a lasting tribute to their own life.
I’d like to start with a quote oft attributed to Mark Twain, “reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” While this blog is a self-penned tribute of my life, I, at least at the time of this writing, am far from dead. And I not only felt compelled to share it while I am still here among my family and friends, I wanted it to hopefully serve as an inspiration for others to document their story and share their talents and gifts with those you love before they leave this planet. It could be through music, as it is for me, but for others could mean artwork, song, poetry, prose, writing, or recording what had significant meaning while walking this journey we call life.
Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another – Ernest Hemingway
The idea for its genesis came a few years ago when creating my mom’s 80th birthday tribute blog and playlist. In celebration of her birthday, I wanted to share stories, memories, photos, and music of importance over her lifetime. And it was great to share while she was (and is) still alive, so not only could she reminisce and be aware of how much she has meant to so many, but also so she could share memories and stories herself. So I thought who better to create a tribute for someone than by that very someone, perhaps similar to people who pen their own obituaries, though this is most commonly done by those suffering a terminal illness.
So why not create such a tribute and legacy while alive and well, as we are on the back 9 of our lives? Beyond the sorrow of the loss of a loved one, it is also sad to have a family member or friend pass and not having a record of some of the history and stories of their life. Again, this is best captured while they are still alive, alert, and in control of their cognitive faculties.
As those who know me are aware, to quote Einstein, “I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.” Thus it is no surprise as I contemplate my time on earth and my own mortality, I embarked upon the creation of two playlists near and dear to my heart.
The first playlist In My Life is more or less the soundtrack of my life, the songs that circle round and round in my head and on my turntable, cassette deck (no 8-tracks), radio, CD player, iTunes, and Spotify streaming. To paraphrase the introduction to the Days of Our Lives, “like songs through the speakers, so is the music of our lives.”
The second playlist titled Set Me Free chronicles the story of my life and eventual death (and no, not yet, but perhaps in non-morbid anticipation). it starts with spiritual songs of great importance to me that helped me find meaning, purpose, and comfort in this time I spend on this planet. It continues with songs chronicling my life journey from childhood to where I am now. The playlist concludes with songs hopefully of comfort to those I will ultimately leave behind.
My blog won’t be a static document, nor are the playlists immutable. It can all be adjusted and expanded upon as future happenings contribute to my life journey. This initial narrative related to these playlists is in celebration of my 60th year on this planet. But I am over time working on a more detailed chronical to accompany the playlists as a personal remembrance of more specific memories of my life journey, ultimately for my family and friends I will leave behind, though such reminiscing is more than I feel appropriate to share at this point in my life.
Starting with the first playlist, In My Life is a compilation of my favorite artists and songs, with my very favorite artists getting greater attention. Reflecting my perspective on music in my life are the first two songs – “In My Life” and “Remember When The Music”:
There are places I remember All my life, though some have changed Some forever, not for better Some have gone and some remain
All these places had their moments With lovers and friends, I still can recall Some are dead and some are living In my life, I’ve loved them all
In My Life – The Beatles
Remember when the music Came from wooden boxes strung with silver wire And as we sang the words it would set our minds on fire For we believed in things, and so we’d sing
Remember when the music Brought us all together to sand inside the rain And as we joined our hands we’d meet in the refrain For we had dreams to live, and we had hopes to give
Don’t you remember when the music Was the best of what we dreamed of for our children’s time? And as we sang we worked, for we knew time was just a line A gift we saved, a gift the future gave
Remember When The Music – Harry Chapin
It then moves to some of my earliest memories of music. I sang “Puff the Magic Dragon” in preschool at 3 or 4 years old. Joy To The World,” “American Pie,” “Copacabana” and “Jesus Christ Superstar” were among the first songs I remember singing along with on the radio – “Jermiah was a bullfrog…”, “A long long time ago…”, “Her name was Lola…”, “Jesus Christ Superstar…” Though it’s a somewhat interesting image of a 5 year old wandering around belting out about some “mighty fine wine” and “whiskey and rye!” A few songs are from our “Columbia Cassette Club” include the Carpenters, John Denver, and the Grease Soundtrack.
Next are songs from among the first albums I ever bought, including Pat Benetar’s Crimes of Passion, Kenny Rogers’ The Gambler, Vangelis’ Chariots of Fire, and Billy Joel’s Turnstiles – actually my 3rd or 4th Billy Joel album, as I was searching for his song “Prelude/Angry Young Man” that he played at my very first concert, but I didn’t know the title of the song nor that album from which it came. There was no Google, Shazam, or Spotify back then.
Continuing with some of my favorite artists, Billy Joel, Elton John, Van Morrison, Genesis/Phil Collins/Peter Gabriel, Steely Dan, Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood including their various iterations, Dire Straits/Mark Knopfler, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Santana, Led Zeppelin, Rush, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, along with many others who shared my musical attention. There are even some instrumental, jazz, and classical selections dear to my heart.
The playlist ends with songs about music and me (which provided the inspiration for an entire previous more detailed playlist), the titles could be the story of my life: “Music And Me,” “Music,” “Listen to the Music”(providing my blog name), “Let the Music Play,” “Don’t Stop The Music,” “Play That Funky Music,” “Dance To The Music,” “Thank You For The Music,” “When The Music’s Over” – Though if Heaven is all it’s meant to be, there must be music there. Why else do angels have harps?!? And to close, one of my very favorite songs, “A Song For You.”
I love you in a place where there’s no space or time I love you for my life, ’cause you’re a friend of mine And when my life is over, remember when we were together We were alone, and I was singing my song for you
A Song For You – Leon Russell
In contemplating our own mortality, when our life is over, we consider the effects of losing those around us, sometimes seeming before their time, as when my dad died suddenly at 49, and by brother Bob at just 19. I have always maintained that such trials and tribulations of life are difficult enough to navigate with having Faith – I can’t imagine trying to make it through our life journey without Faith.
For those who doubt the existence of God or are angry at God due to the age-old conundrum of why bad things happen to good people, I offer one of my favorite scenes from the Netflix Marvel streaming series “Daredevil.”
God’s plan is like a beautiful tapestry, and the tragedy of being human is that we only get to see it from the back, with all the ragged threads and muddy colors. We only get a hint of the true beauty that would be revealed if we could see the whole pattern on the other side as God does
Matt Murdoch to Sister Maggie in Netflix/Disney Daredevil
And in this backdrop of a greater purpose beyond this life, the second playlist starts with a focus on faith, with songs by Christian artists I have enjoyed, many of whom I have seen, mostly through my involvement in youth ministry and annual attendance for many years at SoulFest (a multi-day, multi-stage Christian music festival in New Hampshire). These songs have given me great strength, comfort, and peace over the years.
In the morning, when I rise Give me Jesus… You can have all this world Just give me Jesus
Give Me Jesus – Jeremy Camp
To everyone who’s lost someone they love Long before it was their time You feel like the days you had were not enough When you said goodbye
And to all of the people with burdens and pains Keeping you back from your life You believe that there’s nothing and there is no one Who can make it right
There is hope for the helpless Rest for the weary And love for the broken heart And there is grace and forgiveness Mercy and healing He’ll meet you wherever you are Cry out to Jesus
Cry Out To Jesus – Third Day
I’m forgiven because You were forsaken I’m accepted, You were condemned I’m alive and well, Your Spirit is within me Because You died and rose again
Amazing love, how can it be That You, my King, should die for me? Amazing love, I know it’s true And it’s my joy to honor You In all I do, to honor You
You Are My King (Amazing Love) – Newsboys
And I feel compelled by the challange to serve others, not only treating other as we wish to be treated, but to care for those less fortunate. Mission work in Mexico, Guatemala, and Haiti, as well as to the underserved in the US through Christian work camps with my church in New Hampshire have been eye opening, rewarding, and inspiring.
Carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the helpless, deceived and poor Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world
Go Light Your World – Kathy Troccoli
God’s word and presence has calmed and comforted me when I’ve been sad or afraid, I feel he is always with me, guiding me, protecting me, helping me. Upon the unexpected death of my father at the age of 49, the loss of my brother at the age of just 19, and subsequently enduring the loss of our first pregnancy, God was instrumental in getting me through such trials and tribulations. Looking back, I have truly felt there was no challenge I couldn’t tackle or obstacle I couldn’t overcome with His guidance and help.
When I feel afraid Think I’ve lost my way Still you’re there right beside me And nothing will I fear As long as you are near Please be near me to the end
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
Thy Word – Amy Grant
I have tried to make my life, my relationships, my role as a son, husband, and father, my jobs, all a prayer to God. I tried to shine His light to all those around me through my attitude, my care, concern, and service. While I can’t say I have always been successful, it has definitely been my intention and effort, and luckily my God is patient and forgiving.
Make my life a prayer to You I want to do what You want me to No empty words and no white lies No token prayers no compromise.
I want to shine the light You gave Through your Son You sent to save us From ourselves and our despair It comforts me to know you’re really there.
Well I want to thank You know For being patient with me Oh it’s so hard to see When my eyes are on me I guess I’ll have to trust And just believe what You say Oh You’re coming again Coming to take me away.
I want to die and let You give Your life to me so I might live And share the hope You gave me The love that set me free.
I want to tell the world out there You’re not some fable or fairy tale That I’ve made up inside my head You’re God the Son You’ve risen from the dead.
Make My Life A Prayer To You – Keith Green
And some comfort and consolation when considering our passing, with a belief that our live beyond this world will be most extraordinary.
Whatever happens, whatever you see Whatever your eyes tell you has, become of me This is not, is not the end I am making, all things new again
New Again – Brad Paisley, Sara Evans
Right now all I can taste are bitter tears And right now all I can see are clouds of sorrow But from the other side of all this pain Is that you I hear, laughing loud and calling out to me?
Saying “See, it’s everything you said that it would be, And even better than you would believe. And I’m counting down the days until you’re here with me, And finally, you’ll see.”
But right now, all I can say is “Lord, how long Before you come and take away this aching?” This night of weeping seems to have no end. But when the morning light breaks through, We’ll open up our eyes and we will see
It’s everything that He said that it would be And even better than we would believe And he’s counting down the days ’til He says “Come with me.” And finally he’ll wipe every tear from our eyes And make everything new, just like he promised Wait and see, just wait and see, wait and see
See – Steven Curtis Chapman
The next portion of the playlist chronicles the various places and happenings in my life of significance. I truly have been blessed with so many wonderful places I’ve been and amazing experiences in my life. I couldn’t ask for better places to live, schools to attend, sports to play, events to experience, locales to travel, and family and friends to spend it all with.
It starts with my childhood in Connecticut, family, vacations, including amusement parks, vacations at the beach, baseball, wrestling, school, friends, memories of many wonderful Christmases, then college at Dartmouth, traveling to Europe, becoming a doctor, meeting my wife, the love of my life, with many a love song in tribute to the significance of that most important heppening in my life, living in Virginia, moving to New Hampshire, having a family, vacations, involvement in youth ministry, musicals, moving to South Carolina, and traveling as empty nesters.
The playlist then shifts to songs encouraging to not take life for granted, as well as songs of comfort and condolence, in hopes of, someday, when I am no longer here, easing the loss of a spouse and father. The playlist ends with a wink and a smile
While these playlists are very long, the beauty of digital media is the ability to skip around as needed, and to listen to them over time. I feel if my kids feel they are missing me, they can listen to part of the playlist and feel a little bit closer.
A year or so ago my aunt, my dad’s sister, gave me a very special gift of a pair of my dad’s sunglasses I believe from the ’60s. He had a similar pair even in the ’50s when he was stationed at Aviano Air Force Base in northern Italy. I have a photo of hip wearing them when skiing in Cortina, but I can’t quite believe these are one in the same.
I recently had lenses made with my prescription in his frames, and when I wear them I definitely feel closer to my dad, like a bit of him is with me, even though he has been gone for over 40 years.
Thus the intention of these playlists and blog. I don’t want my kids to feel a need to visit me in some hole in the ground. I’d prefer they could snuggle up on the couch, in a more warm, comfortable, intimate fashion and listen to a song or two or read a story or two and remember their dad and the many wonderful times spent together. I challenge all my family, friends, listeners and readers to find a creative, intimate way to do the same.
So as I look back on these first 6 decades of life, I realize how truly blessed I have been over those years with great love and strength from God and well as the gift of family and friends who have brought me joy on the journey and helped me to be who I am and to get where I am today. My wife just suprised me with a weekend of celebration with my children, family, and friends, looking back with those I’ve shared fond memories in the past and foward to creating more memories with my connections in this most wonderful world.
There have been so many who have touched my life in some way, some just for a little while, and others for much longer. We each have a role to play in lives of so many, sometimes just in the first act or two, other times as companions on much of the journey.
What a friend we have in time Gives us children, makes us wine Tells us what to take or leave behind And the gifts of growing old Are the stories to be told Of the feelings more precious than gold
Friends I will remember you, think of you Pray for you And when another day is through I’ll still be friends with you
Friends With You – John Denver
Many of you reading this, if you look and listen closely, will see yourself in my music, in my life. I thank you for having that special place in my life and in my heart and look forward to more moments and memories as I head toward my second act. No, I’m not retired yet, but someday… but not to dwell on that day, as it’s always better to focus on today, to live in the moment (which has been part of my traditional blog sign-off – see below).
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift, that is why it is called the present. – Master Oogway, Kung Fu Panda
Remember then, there is only one time that is important – Now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power. – Leo Tolstoy
Happiness not in another place, but in this place… not for another hour, but this hour. – Walt Whitman
A happy man is too satisfied with the present to dwell too much on the future. – Albert Einstein
Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year – Ralph Waldo Emerson
We spend precious hours fearing the inevitable. It would be wise to use that time adoring our families, cherishing our friends, and living our lives. – Maya Angelou
I never think of the future. It comes soon enough. – Albert Einstein
So listen closely, and you’ll find yourself woven into the tapestry of my life:
Live in the moment. Enjoy the moment. Love the moment. Listen to the music!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TAZER Unleashes Debut Album “Taze Is The Rule” — A High-Voltage Electro-Industrial Assault
Release Date: April 30, 2026 Genre: Electro-Industrial For Fans Of: Combichrist , Rammstein , Rob Zombie Label: Hellektrokution Records
Emerging from the shadows of Norway with a sound built to shock the system, TAZER is set to detonate the electro-industrial scene with their debut full-length album, “Taze Is The Rule” , arriving digitally on April 30, 2026 via Hellektrokution Records .
Cold, aggressive, and unapologetically intense, “Taze Is The Rule” delivers a crushing fusion of mechanical beats, searing riffs, and relentless energy. Spearheaded by the title track released March 9, the album stands as both a mission statement and a warning shot: this is discipline through sound, impact through voltage.
The album opens with “Your Sins Will Taze You Out,” deceptively pulling listeners into a moment of calm before unleashing a sonic assault that sets the tone for what follows. From there, the title track “Taze Is The Rule” establishes the band’s manifesto: direct, punishing, and absolute.
Tracks like “You Stabbed (Until He Was Dead)” explore the darker edges of human nature, weaving narratives of violence and consequence, while “Tazer Erazer” pushes toward transformation, wiping the slate clean with razor-sharp industrial force. “Raise the Voltage” cranks the intensity to dangerous levels, urging listeners to live at full throttle, while “Rest in Beatz” injects groove into the chaos without losing its crushing backbone.
“The Tazer Way” and “Taze Your God” double down on the band’s uncompromising ethos, rejecting authority and redefining belief systems under the TAZER doctrine. Closing tracks “Taze Like Me” and “Hellektroshot” drag listeners deeper into the experience, ending the album on a hypnotic, almost addictive high that lingers long after the final note.
Formed in 2024, TAZER has quickly carved out a distinct identity within the electro-industrial underground. Their debut single, “A Razor Can Slit, A Tazer Can Kill,” introduced audiences to their brutal, precision-driven sound. This was followed by their self-released EP “9001 Volts” , which expanded their reach and showcased their ability to blend electronic aggression with metal intensity.
Their breakout single “Striptazers” continues to gain momentum across streaming platforms, pulling in new listeners and building anticipation for this debut album.
TAZER’s lineup consists of: Calico InHell – guitar & programming Drumnibal – drums & vocals Oni X01 – vocals & programming
Driven by a strict philosophy of impact, tension, and execution, TAZER isn’t just making music, they’re building a movement. And with “Taze Is The Rule” , that movement hits critical mass.
Connect:
https://linktr.ee/Tazeistherule
Contact: Oni X01 – tazeistherule@gmail.com Salem – management@hellektrokution.com
The band has also unveiled the official music video for the closing track, ‘Ozzy’s Song,’ Zakk’s deeply personal and standout moment on the record via YouTube. The track has already generated significant anticipation among fans and serves as a fitting and emotional finale to the album.
Zakk Wylde will tell you that everything Black Label Society begins and ends with the riff.
For more than 25 years, Black Label Society has stood as one of heavy music’s most unshakeable pillars, delivering album after album of blues-soaked grooves, hard-hitting riffs, and soul-baring ballads. “Engines of Demolition” makes no exception to the steady rule of unrelenting commitment to pure, uncompromising, hard rock.
In 2022, Wylde was invited to honor his fallen brothers, the late great Dimebag Darrell Abbott and his brother Vinnie Paul, as part of the Pantera Celebration. Writing and recording with Black Label Society over these last four years is when Engines of Demolition was born.
Engines of Demolition follows the release of four singles, ‘The Gallows’ (2024), ‘Lord Humungus’ (2025), ‘Broken and Blind’ (2025) and ‘Name In Blood’ (2026) and marks the first full-length album release since DOOM CREW INC. (2021).
Black Label Society is the pure expression of the paradox of Zakk Wylde’s darkest, loudest riffs and softest soul-crushing ballads. BLS is a relentless, heavy, bluesy, unhinged hard-rock-metal circus quartet summoning caffeine-fueled cacophony on records and the stage. BLS songs are odes to celebration and mourning from the darkest depths to the highest of highs.
A charismatic hard rock and metal marauder recognized as a living legend and guitar icon, Wylde rose to prominence when Ozzy Osbourne chose him as his loyal axe man. Multi-platinum albums, countless guitar magazine covers, World-wide sold-out tours, his own guitar and coffee brands add to Wylde’s ever-growing legacy. He gets as much joy from fronting his Black Label Society as he did playing on stage with his hero, Ozzy Osbourne, in his Black Sabbath cover band, Zakk Sabbath.
“Less is more with everything, “Except the guitar solos and coffee!”
When it comes to tours that I have been excited about this one was on top of my list. I have been chomping at the bit to see Anthrax with Joey Belladonna. It was a bucket list show. The last two studio albums have been nothing but perfection for me. “Worship Music” and “For All Kings” are essential staples in my music diet even now. I love all eras of the band but the maturity and slight change in style of those later records hit me differently.
Knowing that there is new music sitting waiting to be unleashed has created a painful sense of anticipation today and the chance that we might get a taste of what is to come is also more than I could risk missing.
I chatted with Scott Ian in the weeks leading up to this tour and in his own words he promised the most energetic, minimum ninety minutes of metal you’ve ever seen from any band. How can you not go and check it out and see if the man is of his word? More to the point, was he a man of his word? I will reveal all shortly….
Alien Weaponry
Alien Weaponry have such a big reputation, and they have released a couple of killer albums, and their latest offering ‘Te Ra’ is simply a beast. Live, I have never seen them but have heard legend of their shows. This was all about to change. Alien Weaponry’s set begins with a full-blown Haka led by drummer Henry who is soon joined by bassist Turanga and finally guitarist/lead singer Lewis. This must be one of the most engaging introductions to a band I have ever seen. Powerful and intentional. Perfect.
Alien Weaponry
Their set was simply next level, seeing this trio blast their way through the forty-five-minute set was incredible. Punishing old school trash with a modern twist and that made you move. Lewis amidst his dreadlock windmills threw down some huge riffs and the grooves that Henry and Turanga simply detonated made this such a tight set.
Alien Weaponry
Looking into the crowd it was obvious why everyone was here though. The sea of battle jackets and vintage shirts told you that exactly everyone was here to see. Having said that the crowd reacted perfectly, banging heads, throwing horns and creating some good movement in the mosh pit. Everything I had been told about Alien Weaponry’s intensity, ability and power was true. These three Kiwis are certainly huge torch carriers for the spirit of trash metal.
As the stage was cleared and the massive Anthrax logo was projected onto the black drop that covered the stage. banner was dropped in front of the stage we were treated to another fine selection of tunes being pushed from the PA The Eagles, Doobie Brothers, tunes you wouldn’t expect to hear at a thrash metal show, but it hit the major demographic as it should. This would all be until Iron Maiden’s Number Of The Beast blasted through the PA firing up the crowd.
This front drop would go on to serve as screen that showed an Anthrax animated movie that took us through Anthrax’s history from the eyes of the band’s mascot Not man. It was an absolute trip, and I hope that this mini movie makes it onto the internet at some stage, it was an absolute blast.
The front banner drops to the band ripping into A.I.R. the noise from the crowd is almost louder than the band. Inspiring nothing but goosebumps. The energy coming the stage is incredible. Frank Bello is in full flight, Scott Ian stomps through the track and Joey Belladonna, he looks like the happiest man on the planet right now, pointing at fans, stealing picks from the guitar stands and flicking them out to the crowd. There is just so much to take in, and this just adds to the energy. John Donais is right at home too, leaning into everything, his playing is so effortless but so damn good. Donais too looks so happy taking it all in and Charlie Benante is just a drumming machine, effortless and so damn powerful.
If that intro wasn’t enough, we were then treated to Got The Time and everything again seems to step up energy wise on the stage. Short sharp and to the point we end up at Caught In A Mosh and by this stage there certainly was one happening, fans singing louder than before and just immersing themselves in this show. Anthrax in 2026 show absolutely no signs of slowing down, their run through Canada before Australia tour certainly ensured they were in top form. Metal Thrashing Mad continues to frenzy the crowd and ensures that we all get drawn into the energy. This must be one of the most fun and intense first fifteen to twenty minutes of a show I have ever experienced and the smile on my face reflected that I’m sure.
When Scott Ian promised an incredible show, he wasn’t kidding, but could they hold this pace and energy? We enter a more recent Anthrax era as we get ‘Fight Em’ Till You Cant the old school comes into new, Fight Em’ Till You Can’t has that old school feel with the incredible new energy and didn’t the crowd just love it. Chanting the chorus loud and proud, clapping on command of Belladona, his energy is simply brilliant.
Possibly my favourite song from the new era of Anthrax would have to be Breathing Lightning it’s anthemic chant roars through Festival Hall as Belladona asks for more from the crowd and they gave it. Hands clapping in the air. Watching the band react to the crowd’s response was amazing. In The End from “Worship Music” is so damn good too. The reunited Anthrax that we see today is simply magic. They truly have come back with a vengeance and are making what I think is some of the best music they ever have.
The band leaves the stage for a moment and return with what Scott Ian called a brain fart before he tells us all what we all wanted to know. We have been working on a record for about fourteen years and it’s finally finished. If you were all paying attention after the Not man movie, that thing we opened with, well that was a bit of a new song, now we are going to play a bit of another new song, so pay attention. We get twenty-seven seconds of a new song and that’s it. You will hear the rest in a few months claim Ian as the band launches into the stadium anthem Be All, End All which once again has Festival Hall in full voice chanting. It’s just incredible to be in the thick of this and feeling it at full force.
From the new back to the beginning, we go again as fan favourites Medusa and Indians take us on a thrashing good time. Medusa continues the crowd participation chants and Indians is nothing short of a heavy metal war cry. Both classic cuts are so great to hear. The dual guitar riff of Indians just solidifies Ian and Donais and one of the greatest twin guitar attacks in thrash history. From a rhythmical sense these two are just so in sync and truly does show how solid the band is today. It is the cry of war dance that sends the pit into a moshing frenzy, I cannot tell you how good the energy in the room is right now.
The band leaves the stage, and you just know that they aren’t done yet, Melbourne won’t let them be done as the floor is stomped and the chant of more begins. The band takes to the stage and Ian takes to the microphone stating We have been coming here since nineteen fucking ninety, that like shit you learn about in history class: way back in nineteen ninety it’s been that long. It’s a privilege to come here in twenty-twenty-six. For a bunch of American’s, it feels really good to be seven thousand miles away. I don’t know if there is a word in the English language invented yet to describe it. #unt is a good one, but not nearly strong enough. Event #unt with a K isn’t strong enough. But before we get into that bullshit, and who the fuck wants to talk about that at the metal show. I’m just saying it’s a breath of fresh air for us to be here. Thank you for having us.
The Beladonna takes Benante’s place for a quick run into I’m The Man which has always been a blast. We get taken home with the last two songs of the encore I Am The Law and Antisocial both demand the crowd to give it their all and that is exactly what we do.
I’m smiling, I’m exhausted and I wouldn’t have it any other way. That was ninety minutes of sheer energy. Joey Belladona is in such fine voice and a man that truly loves being on stage, Scott Ian is menacing and energetic, Frank Bello is one hell of a performer and player, he is just such a massive ball of energy, Charlie Benante is a powerhouse ( how I would have loved to have watched a couple of songs behind the kit because he is just a workhorse and John Donais is the bands secret weapon, his playing is incredible, watching him watch the crowd and then giving back what he is being given by the audience is great to watch. Anthrax are five guys who truly want to be on stage playing music together, the magic and chemistry between the band is incredible. This by no means was a phoned in performance. While the songs covered the entire Belladonna eras it didn’t feel like nostalgia at all. It was fresh and fierce. The sound tonight was the best I have heard in Festival Hall and the lighting was superb. This is how you do it after forty plus years people. Ian true to his word backed it all up and then gave us something extra.
Tonight made it so damn obvious that Anthrax deserves their place in the Big 4 of thrash and my guess is that they may be the last men standing too. With new music coming hopefully it won’t be too long before we see them again here in Australia. A bucket list show for me turned into a show I won’t forget anytime soon.
Setlist : A.I.R., Got The Time, Caught In A Mosh, Metal Thrashing Mad, Fight ‘Em Till You Can’t, Breathing Lightning, In The End, New Song Snippet, Be All End All, Medusa, Indians.
and a smile 
