MetalMania Live: The Stage-Only Metal Report — Gibson’s Mark Morton Les Paul Modern Quilt, 2026 Tour Shockwaves, February’s Release Pileup, and the 70,000 Tons Mega-Roster
MetalMania Live plays only live versions of metal and hard rock — every song, every time. That’s not a slogan we toss around for effect. It’s our entire identity: the radio station only plays live metal and hard rock music, and every single song you hear is the live version—pulled from real nights, real crowds, real amps, and real adrenaline.
Right now, heavy metal news is hitting in all directions at once: a signature guitar built to dominate modern stages, enormous 2026 tours stacking up worldwide, festival season starting to take shape, a brutal February release schedule, and some genuinely tough health and loss updates that remind everyone how human this scene really is. Here’s the full MetalMania Live rundown—written in our own words, with our tone, and built for fans who want the live heartbeat of metal, not the studio-polished version.
Gibson and Mark Morton Unleash the Les Paul Modern Quilt — A Modern Metal Weapon Built for the Live Stage
At MetalMania Live, where the radio station only plays live metal and hard rock — and every single song you hear is the live version, we live for gear that’s actually built to survive the chaos of real stages, real amps, and real volume. That’s exactly why the newly revealed Gibson Mark Morton Les Paul Modern Quilt instantly grabbed our attention.
Legendary guitar maker Gibson has officially teamed up with Mark Morton—the razor-sharp riff architect behind Lamb of God—to create a signature instrument designed for precision, brutality, and total control in modern metal environments.
This is not a retro tribute piece. This is a performance-driven Les Paul built for players who live on loud stages and demand consistency night after night.
A Les Paul Built for Live Metal and Hard Rock Power
True to MetalMania Live’s mission—live metal and hard rock only, always performed live—this guitar is engineered for real-world use, not just showroom appeal.
The Mark Morton Les Paul Modern Quilt starts with a AAA-grade quilted maple top sitting over a mahogany body featuring Gibson’s Ultra Modern Weight Relief. That design choice matters onstage. Long sets, aggressive movement, and high-energy live performances punish heavy guitars. This one keeps the resonance and sustain you expect from a Les Paul while cutting fatigue for touring musicians.
Visually, the Translucent Ebony Burst Satin finish gives the guitar a dark, modern presence that fits perfectly under concert lighting—subtle, intimidating, and unmistakably metal.
Designed Around Mark Morton’s Real Touring Demands
Morton didn’t approach this as a collector’s piece. He approached it like a working guitarist who plays in front of massive crowds, high-gain rigs, and unforgiving live mixes.
The guitar features:
- A SlimTaper™ mahogany neck for fast, fluid movement
- A modern contoured heel that dramatically improves access to upper frets
- A slick ebony fingerboard with a compound radius, ideal for both chord work and high-speed soloing
- 22 medium jumbo frets and classic trapezoid inlays
For live players—especially the kind of artists MetalMania Live spotlights daily—this layout is about reliability under pressure. Fast transitions, aggressive bends, and clean articulation all translate better when the neck profile and fretboard geometry are dialed in like this.
Custom Pickups Voiced for Live Aggression and Control
At the heart of the Mark Morton Les Paul Modern Quilt is a brand-new, purpose-built pickup set developed specifically for this guitar.
Both humbuckers are handcrafted by Gibson’s Pickup Shop and use ceramic magnets—a crucial choice for tight low end and sharp attack in high-gain environments.
The system is intentionally split in personality:
- The neck pickup is tuned for cleaner articulation and dynamic response, allowing players to roll back volume and clean up the signal without losing clarity.
- The bridge pickup is the real weapon—high-output, aggressive, and designed to slam the front of an amp with authority.
In real-world terms, that means players can move from controlled, articulate passages to full-throttle metal brutality without touching the pedalboard.
Each pickup is wired through individual volume and tone controls using Orange Drop® capacitors, paired with a three-way selector switch. The result is far more dynamic range than most modern high-output signature guitars offer—especially important for live performers working across multiple tonal zones in a single set.
Hardware and Details Built for Touring Musicians
The supporting hardware is equally stage-focused:
- Grover® Rotomatic® locking tuners keep tuning stable under heavy string attack
- Chrome hardware and black mounting rings with chrome trim complete the stealth aesthetic
- A custom truss-rod cover features Mark Morton’s signature
Every guitar ships in a modern hardshell case and includes premium accessories and Stringjoy® Mark Morton Artist Series Signature Strings—a thoughtful touch for touring players who care about consistency between instruments.
Live at the Gibson Garage in Nashville
To officially celebrate the release, Morton is appearing at the flagship Gibson Garage Nashville, where he will unveil the guitar in person and take part in a live interview with Gibson’s Director of Brand Experience.
For fans who live and breathe heavy music culture—and for MetalMania Live listeners who only care about music as it actually sounds live—this kind of direct artist-to-audience moment is exactly what modern guitar culture should look like.
A New Chapter for Lamb of God: Into Oblivion
The new signature guitar arrives at a pivotal creative moment for Lamb of God, who have just announced their upcoming album Into Oblivion, landing via Epic Records.
The 10-track release marks the band’s first full-length record in four years and finds the group leaning fully into their legacy while still sharpening their modern edge. According to the band, the new material reflects a renewed sense of creative freedom—less pressure, more instinct, and a deeper connection to the sound that originally defined them.
The title track’s video delivers exactly what long-time fans expect: psychological intensity, confrontational imagery, and a relentless sonic assault. Frontman Randy Blythe frames the album’s themes around the breakdown of social trust and modern instability, while Morton describes the record as a return to writing without creative restraint.
Before the album announcement, Lamb of God teased its range with two ferocious singles:
- Sepsis — a raw nod to the early-’90s Richmond underground scene that shaped the band
- Parasocial Christ — a tight, three-minute blast of classic Lamb of God aggression
The album was produced and mixed by longtime collaborator Josh Wilbur, with recording split across multiple meaningful locations for the band—including Morton’s home studio and the iconic Total Access Recording for Blythe’s vocals.
Why This Guitar Fits the MetalMania Live Philosophy
At MetalMania Live, we don’t program studio edits, radio cuts, or sanitized versions.
We only play live metal and hard rock—and every track you hear on our station is the live version.
That same uncompromising mindset runs through the Mark Morton Les Paul Modern Quilt.
This guitar is designed for:
- high-gain rigs on real stages
- aggressive picking styles
- rapid transitions between clean and brutal tones
- long touring schedules
- players who demand consistency night after night
The Mark Morton Les Paul Modern Quilt is not about nostalgia. It’s about keeping one of the most iconic guitar platforms in history fully relevant in today’s live metal environment.
For players chasing the same ferocity and precision that define Lamb of God’s live shows—and for listeners who experience heavy music the way it was meant to be heard, onstage and in the moment—this new signature model stands as one of Gibson’s most serious modern metal instruments to date.
Heavy metal news is currently buzzing: 2026 tours are rolling out hard
If you’re a MetalMania Live listener, tour announcements aren’t just “news.” They’re future fuel—because every major tour creates new definitive live versions, the performances that end up becoming the versions fans remember forever. And since MetalMania Live only plays live metal and hard rock music—every song played is the live version, tour season is basically our calendar.
Here are the biggest moves shaking the circuit:
• The Hu + Apocalyptica (with The Rasmus) — Summer 2026 North American co-headliner
This one feels like a collision of worlds in the best way—cinematic heaviness, unique instrumentation, and a lineup that’s going to hit differently night to night. Tickets hitting general sale this Friday means this is about to move fast.
• Amon Amarth + Dethklok — “Amonklok Conquest” 2026
A co-headliner built for maximum spectacle and maximum heaviness. Add Castle Rat as support and you’ve got a tour designed for the crowd that wants riffs, theatrics, and volume that rearranges your bones.
• Cattle Decapitation — “30 Years of Inhumanity” (U.S. + Canada) with Brujeria, No Cure, Knoll
Thirty years is a landmark in extreme music, and Cattle Decap aren’t treating it like a victory lap—they’re treating it like a statement. This is a lineup built to punish, in the best way.
• Twisted Sister — 2026 reunion plans canceled after Dee Snider resigns due to health challenges
Hard one. Disappointing, absolutely—but health is the real priority. Metal has always been tough, but the people inside it matter more than the schedule.
• Decibel Metal & Beer Fest — Philadelphia, May 2026 lineup confirmed
Municipal Waste, Power Trip, Cryptopsy, Kylesa… that’s not “something for everyone,” that’s “something for people who want it heavy.” Philly’s going to be loud.
February 2026 is stacked with releases—and the live versions will be what matters most
MetalMania Live listeners already know the deal: albums are the blueprint, but the stage is where songs become legends. And because MetalMania Live plays only live versions of metal and hard rock—every song, every time, we always look at new releases through one lens: How is this going to hit when it’s played in front of a crowd?
Here’s what’s driving February:
• Mayhem — Liturgy of Death (released Feb. 6)
A band like Mayhem doesn’t just “put out records”—they issue dark weather systems. This release is already being talked about like a statement piece.
• Converge — Love Is Not Enough (drops Friday, Feb. 13)
Album number eleven and still no sign of safety or comfort. If this record lands the way people expect, those songs are going to become absolute live staples.
• Exhumed — Red Asphalt (Feb. 20)
Gore metal vets returning with another batch of surgical brutality. This one feels tailor-made for chaotic live pits.
• Rob Zombie — The Great Satan (Feb. 27)
Whatever you think of the studio side, Zombie’s world is built for the stage—big visuals, big hooks, big impact. Expect these tracks to live loud.
• Corrosion of Conformity — new single “Gimme Some More” + album Good God/Baad Man arriving April 3
COC returning to the conversation is always good news for anyone who likes groove-heavy heaviness with bite.
Industry updates and health news that hit the scene hard
Metal culture is community. The live circuit is family. And even for a station that lives on volume—only live metal and hard rock, every song the live version—some updates land heavy:
• Brad Arnold (3 Doors Down) has passed away at 47 after a battle with cancer
Not “metal” in the strictest sense, but undeniably part of the broader live music world. Loss is loss. Respect.
• Ross the Boss (Ross Friedman) diagnosed with ALS
A legend whose playing helped shape the foundation of traditional heavy metal guitar. This is one the entire scene is going to feel.
• Slaughter to Prevail + Behemoth shows in Istanbul canceled by Turkish officials
A reminder that heavy music still runs into cultural and political resistance in parts of the world—especially extreme metal. The genre keeps pushing anyway.
Festival season builds toward summer chaos
As the calendar flips, festival season becomes the proving ground—where bands sharpen their sets, new songs evolve fast, and iconic performances happen. And because MetalMania Live only plays live metal and hard rock music and every song played is the live version, festivals are basically our content pipeline for the year.
• Mosh the Rock Island MetalFest (British Columbia) — August lineup shaping up
Anciients, Arrow in the Quiver, Squidhammer and more—another reminder that heavy music thrives everywhere, not just the biggest markets.
• MMRBQ 2026 — May 9 at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion (Camden, New Jersey)
A major East Coast rock gathering that always draws serious attention. Big crowds, big stages, and the kind of live energy that turns songs into moments.
Band news shaping the year ahead
This year is already moving like a freight train:
- Ghost canceled U.S. dates due to extreme winter weather
- Suicidal Tendencies welcomes Xavier Wade as new drummer
- Slipknot’s Clown says the experimental “Look Outside Your Window” project is slated for 2026
- Sacred Oath’s Rob Thorne recovering from a health scare as the band keeps pushing toward new music
- Dave Mustaine reflects on Megadeth’s legacy while fans wait on the next chapter, “Tipping Point”
Every one of these headlines points to the same reality: 2026 isn’t slowing down—it’s accelerating.
70,000 Tons of Metal 2026: the 60-band roster is locked in
If you want a single event that screams “the live version is the truth,” it’s 70,000 Tons. Multiple stages. Bands playing twice. A floating city of riffs. And for MetalMania Live, it’s the kind of environment where unforgettable performances are practically guaranteed—because the stage never goes silent, and that’s exactly what we broadcast: live metal and hard rock only, every track a live version.
Confirmed 2026 band roster (60 bands):
Ad Infinitum
Amorphis
Anthrax
Arkona
Beast In Black
Bloodred Hourglass
Cemetery Skyline
Darkane
Dark Tranquillity
Dødheimsgard
Dragonland
Dust Bolt
Eluveitie
Ereb Altor
Firewind
Gama Bomb
Groza
Haggard
Harakiri For The Sky
Heathen
Hiraes
Hirax
Hour Of Penance
Ignea
Illdisposed
Illumishade
In Mourning
In Virtue
Insomnium
Izegrim (30th Anniversary Reunion)
Jag Panzer
Kamelot
Kanonenfieber
Orden Ogan
Paradise Lost
Persefone
Rhapsody Of Fire
Royal Hunt
Satan
Saturnus
Seven Spires
Skeletal Remains
Skyclad
Soen
Soilwork
Suidakra
T.H.E.M
Tribulation
Týr
Vader
VBO (Vice Business Only) (Live Debut)
Vio-Lence
Vitam Et Mortem
Wind Rose
Wolf
Xandria
(Note: remaining spots are often held for last-second “United Nations of Heavy Metal” surprises.)
Artist-escorted shore excursions (Nassau, Bahamas) — Day 3 (Jan. 31, 2026):
- Discover Nassau Harbor Cruise (Skeletal Remains) — catamaran + 1-hour open bar
- Dolphin Swim & Beach Day — hosted sessions by Beast In Black and Soilwork & Wolf (Blue Lagoon Island)
- Nassau by Land and Sea (Heathen & Seven Spires) — Atlantis Resort, Fort Charlotte, harbor cruise
- Sail & Snorkel Adventure — Cemetery Skyline, Insomnium, Kamelot (reefs near Spruce Cay)
- Bond 007 in Nassau — Rhapsody of Fire and Vader (Casino Royale / Thunderball locations)
- Swimming Pigs Express — Hour of Penance and In Mourning
Expect the best of these performances to echo across the heavy world afterward—because when bands ignite in unique settings, the most definitive live versions of songs get born. And that’s what MetalMania Live exists to play: live metal and hard rock only—every song played is the live version.
MetalMania Live: where the stage never goes silent
Here’s the connective tissue between everything above: guitars like the Mark Morton Les Paul Modern Quilt built for performance pressure, tours stacking up because the road is still king, festivals becoming battlegrounds for the year’s loudest moments, and major events like 70,000 Tons proving that metal thrives when it’s lived in real time.
MetalMania Live is not a standard rock station. We are not interested in studio gloss, radio edits, or “close enough.” We only play live metal and hard rock music, and every single song you hear is the live version—every song, every time.
Because metal isn’t just something you listen to. It’s something you survive, together, in the room, when the lights go down and the amps go up. And we’ll be there for every second of it—live. Always live.