ADRIAN VANDENBERG: 'I'm Completely Healed' After Contracting Bacterial Infection
In a video message released on September 13, the Dutch guitarist said: "I'm completely healed. No damage to my organs or body parts or whatever." His management and U.S. agency Paramour Group are moving the "My Whitesnake Years" American tour, pulled in July, to next year — most likely around May and connected to a West Coast run. Before that, he says, come a festival in Malta next month, a festival in Japan after that, and a short South American tour in December.
SICK OF IT ALL's PETE KOLLER: LOU KOLLER 'Wanted Us To Keep The Band Going' After His Death
Lou Koller, the New York hardcore band's vocalist and Pete's brother, died in July at the age of 59 after a long battle with an esophageal tumor. In a video message released on September 13, guitarist Pete Koller said: "He wanted us to keep the band going, and I'm not sure how we're gonna do that, but we're working on it." He also thanked everyone who donated to or played the benefit shows, and said the band has "some things in the works."
MEGADETH's DAVE MUSTAINE Names Bands That He Thinks Would Be Included In New 'Big Four' Of Thrash Metal
Asked by Czech Republic's Óčko which bands he would pick for a new young-generation "Big Four", Mustaine said: "Well, it wouldn't be a young generation, but I do believe that there are ways to do a new 'Big Four'." He named TESTAMENT, OVERKILL and EXODUS, and added TRIVIUM with a caveat: "TRIVIUM's not really a thrash metal band, so I'd have to think about that." He cited OVERKILL's importance to the East Coast metal scene, his long friendship with EXODUS guitarist Gary Holt, and the playing of TESTAMENT's Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick.
ProgPower USA XXVI takes place September 9-11, 2027 in Atlanta, Georgia. LYNCH MOB will play a set celebrating the 40th anniversary of DOKKEN's "Back For The Attack". Also confirmed are ELUVEITIE, H.E.A.T, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, WIND ROSE, EINAR SOLBERG, VISION DIVINE, POWER PALADIN, SILENT SKIES, ADVENT HORIZON, ROYAL SORROW and IHLO, with two Friday slots still to be announced. Tickets go on sale October 17 through Ticketmaster.
BUCKCHERRY's STEVIE D. Opens Up About Deadly South Carolina Crash Involving Band's Tour Bus
Speaking to Laughing Monkey With Shawn Ratches, guitarist Stevie Dacanay gave his first detailed account of the multi-vehicle accident on Interstate 26 in Spartanburg County, South Carolina in the early hours of August 21. The band's bus was left undrivable and the highway stayed closed until around 8 a.m. BUCKCHERRY said at the time that all members of the band and touring crew were safe and unharmed, and offered condolences to the family and friends of the person who died. Stevie also said some outlets had spun the band's involvement as bigger than it was.
PRIMUS's LES CLAYPOOL On New Drummer JOHN HOFFMAN: 'He's Just An Incredibly Nice, Positive Human Being'
Speaking to Neil Jones of U.K.'s TotalRock, Claypool said the band's global "Interstellar Drum Derby" audition drew more than 6,100 submissions, which were sorted into one- to four-star folders before 12 drummers were auditioned. "The one thing you just can't substitute, no matter how technical somebody is, how proficient they are, is chemistry," he said. John "Hoffer" Hoffman, who joined in 2025, is PRIMUS's ninth drummer and the fourth to record with the band.
WOWOW Announces Broadcast And Streaming Lineup For 'SUMMER SONIC 2026'; BABYMETAL, BAND-MAID And Zilqy On DAY-3
The highlights programme "SUMMER SONIC 2026 HIGHLIGHTS" airs from noon on Sunday, September 27, followed by DAY-1 at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 24, DAY-2 at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 25, and DAY-3 at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 31. BABYMETAL, BAND-MAID and Zilqy are all listed on DAY-3.
AMORPHIS Announce Temporary Change In Bassists; Japanese Dates From September 15 Affected
Bassist Olli-Pekka Laine said on September 13: "Due to personal reasons, I will be stepping aside from touring duties for the remainder of the year." Pyry Hanski steps in for the upcoming dates, and Laine says he will rejoin early next year. The run covers the band's "Borderland Japan Tour 2026" — Shibuya Club Quattro on September 15 and 16 and Umeda Club Quattro on September 17 — followed by shows in China and Australia.
MEMORIAM To Release Final Album 'Endgame' On January 29, 2027, With MEGADETH's DIRK VERBEUREN On Drums
The British death metal band will issue their sixth and final studio album through Reaper Entertainment, with Megadeth's Dirk Verbeuren on drums. Russ Russell produced the record and Dan Seagrave painted the cover art. After ten years, the band say they are "bringing their remarkable studio journey to a close on their own terms".
ROY KHAN Performs A KAMELOT-Era Set At 'ProgPower USA 2026'
Conception and ex-Kamelot singer Roy Khan appeared at Center Stage Theater in Atlanta on September 12 and played a set drawn entirely from his 1998-2011 run with Kamelot, ten songs including "When The Lights Are Down", "Karma", "Ghost Opera" and "March Of Mephisto". Khan also continues work on the debut solo album he first revealed in late 2024, produced by Sascha Paeth, who shaped Kamelot's "The Fourth Legacy", "Karma" and "Epica".
NIGHT IN GALES Launch Pre-Order For 10th Album 'Bitter Harvest', Out November 13
The German melodic death metal band announced the record with no advance warning and opened pre-orders. Fredrik Nordström mixed and mastered it at Studio Fredman and Paolo Girardi painted the cover. The band say they "took everything you loved about 'Shadowreaper' and 'The Black Stream', dialed up the intensity, and injected the raw, rock-infused late '90s spirit" of early records "Towards The Twilight" and "Thunderbeast". The album holds nine tracks.
Ex-FEAR FACTORY Singer BURTON C. BELL Is Putting Finishing Touches On Debut Solo Album: 'It's 10 Completely New Songs'
Speaking to Pierre Gutiérrez of Rock Talks, Bell said he is finishing the recording in Los Angeles: "We have 11 songs, brand new songs. I got one more song to record — well, two more songs to finish — and then I'm gonna start shopping." None of the four solo singles he has issued since 2023 — a cover of Rammstein's "Du Hast", "Anti-Droid", "Technical Exorcism" and "Savages" — will appear, though he would like "Savages" as a bonus track. He wants label distribution and has not set a release date.