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The Les Claypool universe is currently in a state of total supernova. Primus has officially surprise-dropped A Handful Of Nuggs, a high-velocity new EP that delivers a twisted studio cover of Dio’s heavy metal masterpiece “Holy Diver”—featuring the haunting operatic vocals of 7-foot singing clown Puddles Pity Party. This release marks the first studio recordings with “Interstellar Drum Derby” winner John Hoffman and serves as the final fuse for the massive “Claypool Gold Tour” launching next week. If you’ve ever wanted to hear the most eccentric bassist in rock tackle Ronnie James Dio, your moment has arrived.

The Hoffman Era Begins: “The Ol’ Grizz”

Leading the A Handful Of Nuggs collection is “The Ol’ Grizz,” a track that signals the official arrival of Shreveport native John Hoffman behind the kit. Hoffman, who secured the seat after beating out 6,100 applicants in 2025’s global audition process, locks into a backbreaking technical proficiency with Claypool and guitarist Larry LaLonde. The track is a masterclass in Primus’ signature “scutter-funk,” blending high-speed bass runs with a raw, psychedelic edge that defines the band’s 2026 chapter.

Puddles Pity Party Meets Dio: The “Holy Diver” Experiment

While “The Ol’ Grizz” provides the technical foundation, the undeniable viral centerpiece is the band’s reimagining of “Holy Diver.” Originally the 1983 lead single from Dio’s debut, the track is stripped of its traditional metal trappings and infused with Primus’ warped rhythmic chemistry. Puddles Pity Party—the singing clown persona of Michael Geier—delivers a performance that bridges the gap between metal icon Ronnie James Dio and surreal theatricality.

The EP also features “Little Lord Fentanyl,” a collaborative dark fantasy featuring Maynard James Keenan (Tool/Puscifer), and a sprawling live version of “Duchess (And The Proverbial Mind Spread),” captured during the band’s recent Philadelphia performance.

Check This Out – Low-End Lords: The 13 Bass Titans Who Rebuilt the Architecture of Heavy Metal

 

A Triple-Threat Convergence: The Claypool Gold Tour

The release of the EP completes a trifecta of new music ahead of the “Claypool Gold Tour,” a coast-to-coast 2026 run where all three of Les Claypool’s active projects will perform in a single evening:

• The Claypool Lennon Delirium: Celebrating today’s CD release of The Great Parrot-Ox And The Golden Egg Of Empathy, their 14-song concept album featuring Sean Ono Lennon.
• Fearless Flying Frog Brigade: Gearing up for the May 22 release of Return Of The Live Frogs: Volume 1.
• Primus: Anchoring the night with the A Handful Of Nuggs material.

The tour kicks off on May 20 in Reno, Nevada, and will feature animated visual collaborations with Matt Berry (What We Do In The Shadows) and longtime visual architect Rich Ragsdale.

‘A Handful Of Nuggs’ Official Track Listing

1. The Ol’ Grizz (New Studio Track)
2. Holy Diver (feat. Puddles Pity Party)
3. Little Lord Fentanyl (feat. Maynard James Keenan)
4. Duchess (And The Proverbial Mind Spread) (Live in Philadelphia)

FAQ: Primus ‘A Handful Of Nuggs’ EP Release

When can I buy Primus ‘A Handful Of Nuggs’ on vinyl? The digital EP is out now. A limited special-edition 12-inch vinyl release is set for July 22, 2026, with “Gold Splatter” variants available for pre-order via ATO Records.

Who is the new drummer for Primus? John Hoffman is the official drummer for Primus as of 2025. He was selected after a worldwide audition called the “Interstellar Drum Derby.”

Is Maynard James Keenan on the new Primus EP? Yes. Maynard James Keenan is featured on the track “Little Lord Fentanyl,” which originally debuted in a shorter form during the Sessanta sessions.

Also Recommended: 13 Perfect Metal Albums With Zero Skips

Band Bio: Primus

Formed in the mid-1980s, Primus is the definitive alternative-funk-metal trio of the modern era. Led by virtuoso bassist Les Claypool alongside guitarist Larry “Ler” LaLonde and new drummer John Hoffman, the band has earned multiple Grammy nominations and a global cult following for their eccentric, high-technical-ability approach to rock music.

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TL;DR:

Primus has released a new EP A Handful Of Nuggs featuring a “Holy Diver” cover with Puddles Pity Party and the first studio track with new drummer John Hoffman.

Is Puddles Pity Party the only person eccentric enough to front Primus for a Dio cover, or is this the weirdest collaboration of 2026? Let us know in the comments.

The post Primus Takes on Dio: The ‘Handful Of Nuggs’ EP Delivers a Surreal “Holy Diver” Cover You Really Need to Hear appeared first on Loaded Radio.

 Swedish death metal maniacs REVOLTING return spewing forth their second advance single taken from their crushing tenth studio album, “Supernatural Anthems”. If the first preview already made it clear that the band was still operating like a perfectly oiled demolition machine, this new assault only reinforces it with even more filth, aggression, and viciousness.      The album […]

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The Finnish symphonic melodic death metal band Inthraced released their long-awaited debut album ‘Constellation Zero’ on May 15th 2026 via Inverse Records.  Constellation Zero features seven tracks — each revealing a different shade of Inthraced. It’s a journey through speed, crushing riffs, and guttural growls, driven by lightning-fast guitar solos and relentless blast beats. All of this […]

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As performed alongside the Quebec Symphony Orchestra.

The post Voivod Premiere Live Orchestral Version Of “The End Of Dormancy” appeared first on Theprp.com.

Legatum Mortuorum, the crushing new full-length from blackened doom metal trio DESICCATION, is streaming in its entirety! The premiere comes on the eve of the record’s release, Friday, May 15th through Carbonized Records. Legatum Mortuorum blends wholly non-dual elements: blasting drums and tremolo-picked guitars give way to spacious, slow riffs, and sprawling synths. Lyrically, themes of loss and […]

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Album Guests Fabio Lione (Rhapsody, Angra) and Kristin Starkey (Twilight Force, Temperance) Colorado power metal storytellers Siege Perilous have released the brand‑new lyric video for “Shattered Mirage,” the latest single from their debut full‑length concept album “Becoming the Dragon,” which was released this past March 2026. The track marks one of the album’s darkest and most atmospheric chapters, plunging listeners into […]

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On May 15th internationally, Caligari Records will release Mangled Recrement‘s highly anticipated debut demo on cassette tape format. And today, the Death Metal Promotion YouTube channel streams the demo in its entirety. Hear Mangled Recrement‘s debut demo in its entirety exclusively HERE. Hailing from Poland, Mangled Recrement have been reeking in Lublin basements since 2024, including members from the likes of Leucotome and Toughness. A […]

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Copenhagen grinders MELTIFICATION have arrived with their blistering, self-titled debut album. Reminiscent of the late 80s/early 90s era of Earache Records bands, MELTIFICATION unleash a fast and aggressive breed of grindcore with shares of hardcore punk and thrash metal. Meltification delivers 18 rapid-fire anthems of obliteration aimed right at the throats of old-school fans of extreme metal and grindcore. […]

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In a year in music that is looking more and more like one for the ages, the impending arrival of a new Radio Days album is yet another cause for much excitement. We are now five years removed from the last Radio Days long player, so Off The Record (due out in September) is very high on my list of 2026 albums I’m looking forward to. In advance of the album, the band has treated us to a couple teasers. The latest is digital single “Flying High,” an upbeat, silky-smooth pop song with a big chorus and lots of amazing lead guitar. This tune finds Radio Days in vintage form, embracing melody on top of melody. Dario’s vocals go down easier than lemonade on a hot day in July, and the song could not be any catchier. It’s just a joy to hear one of the best bands to ever do this kind of music, uh, do this kind of music! It’s always a good sign when you get to the end of the song and think, “That went way too fast!” 

When I first heard Automatic Lovers, my instant reaction was, “Hell yeah — we need more bands like this in today’s scene!” The Madrid foursome dropped an absolute smasher of a debut single last year — warming my heart with its raw and aggressive vintage 1977 punk rock sound. The band’s next challenge was to sustain the same quality and energy over a full album, which is something that’s not necessarily easy to do. Sometimes punk rock bands fare better in the short format where they can hit you hard and fast and leave you wanting more. But on their self-titled debut long player (out on Wap Shoo Wap Records and Folc Records), Automatic Lovers prove themselves to be 100% the real deal. 

Over the course of 11 tracks, Automatic Lovers let it rip with force and ferocity — unleashing a heat-seeking missile of a punk rock album. Of course the inspiration for this sound is obvious. The band follows the blueprint of Slaughter and the Dogs, The Vibrators, Eater, The Users, Dead Boys, Menace, Stooges, Pagans, early Damned, etc. with the utmost enthusiasm. But while any band can emulate a style, Automatic Lovers truly have the spirit and power of this classic music coursing through their veins. They tear through these songs with reckless abandon. The drummer sounds like he’s trying to pound his kit into submission. The lead guitars rip wildly. The singer spits fire and fury. You might hear a track like “Wasting Time” and surmise that the band can’t possibly sustain that level of intensity for a full album. But you’d be wrong! And the tunes (complemented by a couple of ace covers) are legit good. This is a killer punk rock album in any year. You hear a record like this and remember the heart-pounding excitement of hearing punk music for the first time — when suddenly everything else in your record collection seemed super-lame by comparison. What a thrill it is to hear such a young band take up this old school punk rock sound and pull it off this brilliantly. If I had heard a band like this in the later ’90s when I was obsessively collecting ’70s punk records, I would have flipped my shit! Wap Shoo Wap Records is quickly becoming one of those labels whose releases you never want to miss.