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Kurdt Vanderhoof chose to place Metal Church on hiatus, bringing a pause to the band’s long-running journey. After some time away, he revisited the project, ultimately reviving Metal Church with a refreshed lineup of new musicians and a renewed direction.

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ON THIS EPISODE:

- The “Ugly” End of the Last Lineup
- The Rebirth with a New Lineup
- Handling Disgruntled Singers and Social Media Poison
- The Reality of Touring as an “Old Guy”

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There’s something refreshing about a veteran metal band that still sounds hungry instead of coasting on nostalgia. That’s exactly why FLOTSAM AND JETSAM continue to earn respect while so many legacy acts settle into autopilot. With the announcement of Rats In The Temple, the Arizona thrash veterans aren’t acting like survivors — they’re acting like contenders again.

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Here’s the reality: FLOTSAM AND JETSAM never got the mainstream glory many lesser bands stumbled into, but metal fans who actually pay attention know this band has remained remarkably consistent. While countless thrash groups faded into parody versions of themselves, FLOTSAM kept writing sharp, aggressive, no-BS metal that still carries weight.

And now Rats In The Temple feels like another reminder that they’re nowhere near done.

The title alone sounds vicious. It has grit. It has attitude. It sounds like a band that still understands what heavy metal is supposed to feel like — dangerous, loud, and completely unapologetic.

What makes this announcement genuinely exciting is that FLOTSAM AND JETSAM have quietly been on one of the strongest late-career runs in modern thrash. Albums like The End Of Chaos and Blood In The Water didn’t feel like legacy cash grabs. They felt energized. Focused. Mean in the best possible way.

That matters.

Fans are tired of recycled “farewell tours,” watered-down records, and bands pretending passion still exists when everybody can hear it doesn’t. FLOTSAM AND JETSAM have avoided that trap by continuing to sound like they actually care.

And Eric A.K. remains one of the most underrated voices in metal history. Period.

The guy still sounds commanding, still sounds unique, and still delivers the kind of conviction younger bands spend entire careers trying to fake. That voice gives FLOTSAM an identity most thrash bands would kill for.

The bigger story here is that traditional thrash metal is suddenly feeling alive again. Not trendy. Not sanitized for algorithms. Alive.

Bands that built their reputations in sweat-soaked clubs are proving they can still release music with urgency while newer acts often chase aesthetics more than substance. FLOTSAM AND JETSAM represent the kind of authenticity metal desperately needs right now.

That’s why this album announcement is landing differently with longtime fans.

People aren’t just politely excited.

They’re genuinely expecting this thing to rip.

And honestly? They should.

If the recent material is any indication, Rats In The Temple could end up being one of those records that reminds everybody why FLOTSAM AND JETSAM deserved far more recognition all along.

The hunger is still there.

The aggression is still there.

The songwriting is still there.

Most importantly, the band still sounds like they have something to prove — and that mindset is exactly what keeps heavy metal alive.

What happens next is going to be interesting because expectations are suddenly getting very real for this record. If FLOTSAM delivers another high-level thrash release, the conversation around modern legacy bands is going to shift again.

Because some bands survive.

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM still attack.

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POLL

Is FLOTSAM AND JETSAM one of the most criminally underrated thrash bands of all time?

• Absolutely — they should’ve been as huge as the Big Four
• No — they’re respected exactly where they belong
• They’re better NOW than most classic thrash bands still touring

KISS supposedly rode off into the sunset after the “final” farewell tour, yet here we are again: Gene Simmons confirming the band is back in the studio recording a brand-new Paul Stanley-written song. And honestly? At this point, longtime fans have every right to roll their eyes before getting excited.

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According to Simmons, KISS is currently recording music tied to the band’s upcoming avatar-driven future. And that’s where the skepticism immediately kicks in. Because this doesn’t feel like a band creatively reborn. It feels like a brand refusing to unplug the cash register.

Here’s the reality: KISS has spent decades mastering the art of turning nostalgia into an industry. Lunchboxes, cruises, coffins, comics, casino events, farewell tours that somehow never fully end — nobody monetizes legacy better than Gene Simmons. Nobody.

So now we’re expected to believe there’s suddenly an urgent creative spark happening in 2026?

Maybe. But fans have heard variations of this story before.

The last true KISS studio album, Monster, dropped all the way back in 2012. Since then, the band’s public focus has overwhelmingly centered on branding, touring, merchandising, and now digital avatars. That’s why this latest “new song” announcement immediately feels less like an artistic comeback and more like soundtrack content for a corporate expansion plan.

And let’s be honest — that distinction matters.

Because classic KISS records worked when there was hunger, danger, and chemistry. Whether you loved the sleazy swagger of the ‘70s material or the heavier punch of tracks like Unholy, those songs carried personality. Fans connected because the band felt larger than life and unpredictable.

Now? Everything feels meticulously calculated.

That doesn’t automatically mean the song will be bad. Paul Stanley still knows how to write arena-ready hooks when he wants to. But the bigger question is this:

Who exactly is this music for?

The old-school fans who wanted one final clean goodbye?
The hardcore collectors who buy every deluxe package no matter what?
Or the avatar project that now seems to be the actual future of KISS?

Because that’s the uncomfortable elephant in the room nobody wants to say out loud. KISS may no longer function primarily as a traditional band. It increasingly feels like an entertainment property wearing the skin of a legendary rock group.

And fans are noticing.

Midway through all of this, there’s another issue KISS can’t escape: expectations. Every time the band teases “new music,” people mentally compare it to the classics. That’s a brutal standard. You’re not competing against modern rock bands. You’re competing against decades of mythology.

That’s why skepticism is exploding online already.

Some fans are excited simply because new KISS material exists at all. Others think this is exactly what happens when a band can’t fully let go of the spotlight. And honestly, both sides have valid arguments.

Because KISS has become something few bands ever survive long enough to become: a permanent franchise.

Not a moment.
Not a movement.
A franchise.

And franchises rarely retire voluntarily.

What happens next is what makes this fascinating. If the song actually lands — if it sounds energized, dangerous, and inspired — KISS could surprise everybody. Stranger things have happened in rock history.

But if this turns into polished, safe, algorithm-friendly “content” built to support the avatar rollout? Fans are going to smell it instantly.

That’s the gamble.

KISS built its empire by understanding spectacle better than almost anyone in rock history. But spectacle without genuine fire eventually starts feeling hollow. The band now has to prove this isn’t just another branding exercise disguised as a comeback.

And frankly, that’s a much harder sell than Gene Simmons probably realizes.

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Poll

Is This New KISS Song Actually About Music… Or Just Business?

1. KISS still has something real left creatively
2. This is obviously promotion for the avatar machine
3. The band should’ve stayed retired and protected the legacy