Metal & Hard Rock News – December 30, 2025: Scene Drama, Legacy Egos, and Reunions That Probably Should’ve Stayed Dead

If you thought the holidays were going to slow things down in the metal world, think again. The riffs never sleep, and neither does the drama. From legacy thrash beef boiling over in public, to glam-era eccentricity cranked to cartoonish levels, to another classic reunion story ending exactly how you’d expect — here’s the latest from the loud side of the internet.

Vio-Lence drama spills out in public as Sean Killian calls Phil Demmel “selfish.” What’s been simmering behind closed doors finally boiled over this week, and honestly, no one should be surprised. Vio-Lence has been stuck in a frustrating limbo for a while now — a band with momentum, goodwill, and a fanbase ready to rage, yet constantly hitting the brakes. Vocalist Sean Killian finally said the quiet part out loud, pointing the finger squarely at guitarist Phil Demmel and accusing him of putting personal priorities ahead of the band.

Killian didn’t mince words. The accusation of “selfishness” cuts deep in a genre built on loyalty and shared sacrifice, especially when fans have already been burned by false starts and half-commitments. Demmel’s post-Machine Head schedule has always been crowded, and while no one begrudges a musician staying busy, there’s a point where side projects turn into roadblocks. This isn’t just internal band politics — it’s another reminder that legacy thrash bands live or die on follow-through. You can’t tease the pit and then ghost it. Fans notice. And eventually, they stop waiting.

Vinnie Vincent doubles down on his $200–$300 CD single price tag. Yes, you read that right. One song. Hundreds of dollars. And no, Vinnie Vincent is not backing down. The former Kiss guitarist has doubled, tripled, and basically fire-bombed any criticism over the pricing of his new CD single “Ride The Serpent,” insisting that the track is worth more than most full albums released today. In typical Vincent fashion, the logic exists in its own universe.

Here’s the thing: if anyone was going to pull something like this, it was always going to be Vinnie. He’s never played by industry rules, and at this point, he’s not even pretending to acknowledge them. For hardcore collectors, diehards, and those who treat Vincent’s output like sacred artifacts, the price might not be a dealbreaker. For everyone else, it’s pure spectacle — rock star ego turned into a luxury product. Whether this is bold artistic valuation or pure delusion depends on how much nostalgia you’re willing to monetize. Either way, it’s peak Vinnie Vincent, and pretending otherwise would be dishonest.

Don Dokken reflects on the “disaster” 2016 reunion tour. If you’ve followed Dokken for more than five minutes, you already know how this story ends. Still, hearing Don Dokken describe the 2016 reunion tour as a “disaster” hits with a mix of honesty and exhaustion. The classic lineup reunion was supposed to be a victory lap — a chance to put old grudges aside and give fans what they’d been asking for since the ’80s. Instead, it became another cautionary tale about unresolved baggage and incompatible personalities.

According to Don, the problems weren’t just musical — they were personal, structural, and deeply ingrained. Decades-old resentment doesn’t magically disappear just because ticket sales look good on paper. He’s realistic about it now, admitting that another full reunion feels unlikely, and frankly, that might be the healthiest take anyone involved has had in years. Not every band is built to age gracefully. Some are meant to burn bright, implode, and leave behind records that outlive the drama. Dokken already earned its place in hard rock history. Forcing nostalgia to cooperate rarely ends well.

Metal never runs out of stories — it just changes the volume knob. Whether it’s thrash veterans clashing over commitment, glam icons turning scarcity into currency, or classic bands confronting the limits of reunion culture, the scene keeps reminding us why it’s never boring. Loud, flawed, opinionated, and occasionally ridiculous — just the way we like it.