Weekly Music News 20.07.25
Updated: 9 hours ago
We still cannot believe we are writing this and opening "Weekly News" with this news, but this week the "Prince of Darkness", Ozzy Osbourne, died at the age of 76. It happened just two weeks after the monumental farewell show "Back To The Beginning", which was meant to close Ozzy's live career. The biggest metal show in music history. A magnificent tribute to the man who started it all, the legendary heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne. Every artist and band on that stage now understands the scale of the event even more, because after Ozzy's death the show takes on an entirely different meaning!!! The timing is simply unimaginable, as if Ozzy had written himself the biggest, most bombastic closing scene anyone could imagine. The metal world and the entire music world are in shock, and the list of artists and public figures paying tribute to Ozzy is endless. Some examples follow:
The members of "Black Sabbath" - Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward - called Ozzy their brother and said, "There will never be another like him." They posted a touching joint message: "Ozzy Forever."
Elton John on Instagram: "So sad to hear the news... a dear friend and a huge trailblazer... I will miss him dearly. To Sharon and the family, I send my condolences and love."
Ronnie Wood (The Rolling Stones): "What a lovely goodbye concert he had at Back To The Beginning in Birmingham."
"Iron Maiden": "Everyone connected with Iron Maiden sends their heartfelt condolences... He helped shape heavy metal as we know it... Rest in peace, Ozzy Osbourne."
Metallica, Deep Purple, Judas Priest, Anthrax, Faith No More, Def Leppard, Geddy Lee, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, System of a Down, Saxon, Tom Morello, David Coverdale, Glenn Hughes, Dee Snider, Jack White, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Phil Collins and many, many more also shared moving tributes.
Gene Simmons honored Ozzy with a touching statement on BBC Breakfast.
Guitarist Jake E. Lee, who was unexpectedly added to the grand show at the last minute, revealed his moving final exchange with Ozzy, showing what an amazing and sensitive person he was:
"‘Hi Jake, I’m so sorry I couldn’t spend more time with you on the weekend but it was really chaotic. I would really like to see you when I eventually get back to LA just to shoot the s**t—it’s been so long since we saw each other. Where are you living these days? The last thing I heard was you were living in Las Vegas. How did the gig go for you on Saturday? I really hope you had fun. Anyway, I will text you when I eventually get back to LA and we must hook up. Much love and respect, OZZY.'”
Yungblud released his cover of "Changes", performed at the "Back To The Beginning" tribute show, as a single, with all proceeds going toward finding a cure for Parkinson's disease, which Ozzy had.
Even "Coldplay" dedicated "Changes" to Ozzy at their Nashville show.
"Machine Head" learned that Ozzy had died 20 minutes before taking the stage on the opening night of their European tour. Sad and shocked, they decided to abandon their usual setlist. After "Diary of a Madman" ("which we have opened every show with for the last 30-plus years"), they played "Black Sabbath", "War Pigs" and "Children of the Grave", and there was not a dry eye in the room.
Tributes to Ozzy spread throughout the United Kingdom, crossing boundaries and social classes. The sporting world also paid its respects, from "Aston Villa", his hometown football club, to the "New England Patriots".
There is no doubt!!! Ozzy Osbourne's death closes a defining chapter in heavy metal history. The legacy is sealed!
The band "Oceans On Orion" has a new single, "What Hurts The Most", the first from an upcoming album that should have arrived long ago but almost never happened because of the war. When war broke out and Lev, like so many others, returned to the army, everything stopped: the music, the plans, the momentum. The planned album almost disappeared. But after effort, struggle and some guilt about even thinking of music, we got a new single this week. The first song the band finished writing and recording is a farewell song, but not in the usual sense. It is about realizing that, even after all the pain, silence and distance, you might still say "yes" to the person who broke you, something harder to face than the heartbreak itself.
Do not say we did not warn you!
Last tickets for "NU GENERATION" by "Walkways", the band we love so much, this coming Wednesday!
A huge tribute to the giants of the genre: SLIPKNOT, LINKIN PARK, KORN, SOAD, DEFTONES, PAPA ROACH and many more!
Wednesday, July 30, 2025 | Gagarin, Tel Aviv | All ages welcome
Last tickets here: https://www.walkwaysband.com/event-details/nu-generation
The band "I Prevail" announces its fourth studio album, "Violent Nature", due September 19. The announcement also comes with the third single, "Rain".
For those who do not remember, I Prevail revealed in mid-May that it had parted ways with longtime clean vocalist Brian Burkheiser, leaving Eric Vanlerberghe to handle both growls and clean vocals, with help from guitarist Dylan Bowman. The band also released the title track of its new album, "Violent Nature", but the heavier song did not go far beyond what Vanlerberghe had already done with the band. The first real test came with the next single, "Into Hell", on which he sang more clean vocals than growls. Now comes "Rain", which starts heavy and moves into more hypnotic, calmer passages before building again with a powerful chorus.
Guitarist Daron Malakian of "System of a Down" has released, together with his band "Scars on Broadway", the album "Addicted to the Violence", the band's third, following its 2008 self-titled album and 2018's "Dictator". Released on Malakian's 50th birthday, it arrived with the single and video "Destroy the Power".
Listen to the album: Spotify
Members of "Alice In Chains", "Mastodon" and others release a charity cover of "Rusty Cage" by "Soundgarden", also the debut song from the new tribute project to Chris Cornell, "King Ultramega". William DuVall of Alice In Chains, Bill Kelliher of Mastodon, Mark Menghi of Metal Allegiance and Charlie Benante of Anthrax/Pantera joined forces to raise money for MusiCares in Chris's name. The song was unveiled alongside Soundgarden's 2025 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The tribute band's lineup will change with every new song, with covers of Audioslave, Temple Of The Dog, Chris's solo work and, of course, Soundgarden expected.
Surprise!!!! Hayley Williams has released "Mirtazapine", her first new solo song in four years, but you cannot hear it on music apps. Instead, it was delivered the old-fashioned way, as a physical copy to Nashville public radio station WNXP.
Hayley probably chose WNXP to air the song because the station is seeking donations after the US Congress passed a bill cutting funding for public media. Hayley added a heartwarming message on the disc itself:
“Thanks for keeping me company.. Long live public radio.”
The message suggests that a B-side called "Glum" is also on the way...
It is a good song, so follow this link and listen through an Instagram post here:
A new single, "Everybody's Song", from an upcoming album by Robert Plant. Wow, what a beautiful song, and how beautifully it blends in Middle Eastern elements. This is a cover of a song by "Low", set to appear on "Saving Grace", due September 26! Plant has a new backing band, also called Saving Grace, featuring singer Suzi Dian, Tony Kelsey on guitar/banjo, string players Matt Worley and Barney Morse-Brown, and drummer Oli Jefferson.
A new album from Alice Cooper bears the weighty title "The Revenge of Alice Cooper". This is the band's first collaboration since 1973's "Muscle of Love". It is Alice Cooper's 30th studio album overall, including 22 solo albums, and the eighth with the band. In 2021, the surviving members of the original Alice Cooper band reunited for "Detroit Stories", setting the stage for this album. On April 19, 2025, it was announced that Alice Cooper had reunited with former bandmates Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway and Neal Smith for the first time in 51 years. Guitarists Gyasi Heus and Rick Tedesco fill in for original guitarist Glen Buxton, who died in 1997, although Buxton's material is also included.
Listen on: Spotify
Singer Bruce Dickinson releases "More Balls To Picasso", a new version of 1994's "Balls To Picasso". The original contained several beloved Dickinson classics, including the singles "Tears Of The Dragon" and "Shoot All The Clowns", alongside the epic "Laughing In The Hiding Bush", the album's original title. Despite positive reviews at the time, it never matched Dickinson's original vision of a broader, more ambitious album. The entirely new version, re-recorded, remixed and remastered, lets Dickinson realize that original vision with a fresh, contemporary edition:
Listen on: Spotify
Guitarist Joe Bonamassa releases his 17th solo album, "Breakthrough", probably his most musically varied yet. Created across several continents and filled with global inspiration, it was produced by longtime creative partner Kevin Shirley (Iron Maiden, The Black Crowes, Journey) in sessions in Greece, Egypt, Nashville and Los Angeles. The result moves effortlessly from blues, funk and Texas swing to acoustic ballads and hard rock.
Listen on: Spotify
The band "Styx" releases its 18th album, "Circling from Above". On March 20, 2024, Styx announced on social media that Ricky Phillips would leave to spend more time with his family. Two days later, Lawrence Gowan's younger brother Terry debuted as the band's new bassist at its Wallingford, Connecticut show, and on May 17 he was announced as an official member. This is therefore the first album featuring Will Evankovich and Terry Gowan as full-time members. The 13-track album was produced by Evankovich, with writing contributions from all seven current members. The lead single, "Build and Destroy", arrived with an AI-generated video.
Listen on: Spotify
"Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog
Comments