DRAGONFORCE Singer MARC HUDSON Is Stepping Back Due To An Ongoing Issue With Tinnitus; ALESSIO GARAVELLO Announced As Replacement
He is stepping back from recording and touring, including the forthcoming album and 2026/2027 tour plans, while staying involved with the band's management behind the scenes. Alessio Garavello, who filled in for him in 2016 and 2023, will handle the male vocals alongside frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz (ex-ARCH ENEMY), whose addition was announced in May. New songs start arriving next week.
AMANDA SOMERVILLE, Who Has Toured With EPICA And AVANTASIA, Diagnosed With A 'Malignant And Aggressive Brain Tumor'
The news was shared on September 19 by her husband, AFTER FOREVER co-founder Sander Gommans, via social media. Somerville is a singer and vocal coach who has worked with AVANTASIA, EPICA and KAMELOT, and fronts the TRILLIUM and KISKE SOMERVILLE projects.
MEGADETH Announce A Limited-Edition 40th Anniversary Box Set For 'Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?' On September 25
The band made the announcement via social media on September 19. The album was originally released by Capitol Records in 1986, peaked at No. 76 on the US Billboard 200 and is certified platinum in the US and Canada. The contents of the box have not been announced.
FORBIDDEN Bassist MATT CAMACHO And Drummer CHRIS KONTOS To Sit Out The Fall U.S. Tour; AVERY THURMAN And ELI LUCAS Step In
The pair are sitting out the U.S. tour with HEATHEN and VOID that begins on October 23 for "personal reasons". Both played on the band's first new album in 16 years and plan to be back in 2027.
FILTER Frontman RICHARD PATRICK's A PLACE TO KILL To Release Second EP 'APTK2' On November 13
The project with Jim Louvau (THERE IS NO US) will put the EP out through Patrick's own No Pulse Records. The first single, "Keep My Name Out Of Your Mouth", arrives on September 25 with a music video.
Danish Heavy Rock Act EMPATH, Featuring VOLBEAT's KASPAR BOYE LARSEN, To Release Debut Album 'Empath' On November 13
The eight-song, 38-minute album arrives through Indisciplinarian. It pairs former RISING members Morten Gronnegaard (vocals) and Jacob Krogholt (guitar) with bassist Kaspar Boye Larsen (VOLBEAT) and drummer Jeppe Munk Aakeson. The first single, "Lyca's Lost", is streaming now.
BLACK BLOOD STHLM, Featuring Former Members Of SKINTRADE And THERION, Release Their Debut EP
The Swedish hard rock band's self-titled EP is out digitally with four tracks — "In The Wind", "I Know You Believe", "Fallen Angel" and "Holy Man" — the ballad "Fallen Angel" serving as the focus track. Matti Alfonzetti handles vocals.
RAMMSTEIN Frontman TILL LINDEMANN To Release Live Album 'Live In Kraków' On September 25; Official Live Video For "Und Die Engel Singen" Out Now
The album captures the complete, uncensored concert recorded on December 1, 2025 at the Tauron Arena in Kraków, Poland as part of the Meine Welt Tour. It arrives in several formats, among them a fan box with a photo book, five vinyl variants, a CD and Blu-ray digipak, DVD, Blu-ray and a two-cassette edition.
EUROPE Keyboardist MIC MICHAELI On Playing North America Again: "We Really Wanna Come Back"
In an interview with Metal Mayhem ROC, Michaeli said the band is "definitely looking into trying to get over to North America and play", and revealed that a package tour with FOREIGNER and KANSAS had been discussed a few years ago but did not work out. The band's current set opens with newer songs before moving into the complete The Final Countdown album.