CO-HEADLINING TOUR WITH NAPALM DEATH BEGINS APRIL 4
March 19, 2025, LOS ANGELES – Melvins 1983 – the lineup featuring Buzz Osborne and original drummer Mike Dillard, offer a second preview of Thunderball (out April 18, Ipecac Recordings) with today’s release of “King of Rome” (https://youtu.be/vmwNEPGw1QE).
The charging track once again features contributions from avant-electronic artists Void Manes and Ni Maîtres, with Osborne saying of the song “The ‘King of Rome!! Hot Cross Buns! This song is a hot little punk rock number. I hope all of you enjoy it and tell your friends.” The band previously released the near-10 minute long song “Victory of the Pyramids,” which Consequence declared a “minor epic.”
Album pre-orders are available now (https://themelvins.lnk.to/Thunderball), with Thunderball available on trio of vinyl variants including an indie exclusive “Smoke Is A Color” variant and an Ipecac webstore-only “Special Mustard Gas.” The album will also be available on CD and all digital formats.
The band kicks off a massive nine-week nationwide co-headlining tour with Napalm Death on April 4. Dubbed the “Savage Imperial Death March Part II,” the trek reunites the two iconic following the first “Savage Imperial Death March” tour of 2016. The Melvins’ current touring line-up features Osborne, Dale Crover, Steven McDonald, and Coady Willis. Tickets are available now at Ipecac.com/tours.
20 Buck Spin’s first release of 2025 arrives, as the harrowing eponymous debut LP from Austin, Texas-based death metal quartet CORPUS OFFAL is being prepared for release this Friday.
The unexpected demise of Cerebral Rot came swiftly after two renowned cult albums. Yet just as expediently, a malodorous new organism arose in its place, CORPUS OFFAL. Still featuring Cerebral Rot’s rancid core of guitarist/vocalist Ian Schwab (ex-Demoncy) and guitarist Clyle Lindstrom (Fetid, Caustic Wound), the CORPUS OFFAL rhythm section of bassist Jason Sachs (ex-Demoncy) and drummer Jesse Shreibman (Bell Witch) now summons intensely elevated waves of stomach-churning nausea.
photos by Chris Eaton
After last year’s demo defloration, CORPUS OFFAL presents its eponymous full-length, erupting like a festering corpse dragged from a midnight sewer; putrid, pulverizing and perversely invigorating.
A bludgeoning autopsy of death metal, gore, and deathgrind, the low-tuned grooves, discordant leads, and mid-tempo rumble of Cerebral Rot is evident in tracks like “Spinous Forms Of Mortal Abhorrence” and the title track while setting the bar for a melted transformation into more ghastly liquified forms.
The gargling slime vox of Schwab are dangerously radioactive, summoned straight from the sealed basement of a nuked morgue narrating a splatter-fest of morbid poetry, decomposing flesh, absurd experiments, and gruesome transgression. Each song plays out like a medical examiner’s case file crossed with the fevered ramblings of a psychopath, precise in its anatomical horror and repugnant in its bizarre depravity.
Consecrated with an impossibly heavy Billy Anderson production, by the time CORPUS OFFAL reaches its cataclysmic conclusion, you’re left drained, disoriented, and left wondering whether you’ve survived a masterpiece or witnessed the musical equivalent of a snuff film. So, enter the crematorium, inhale deeply and be filled with the corporeal intoxication of CORPUS OFFAL’s carnage. This is a sonic slaughterhouse and you’re the carcass. Fans of Cerebral Rot, Fetid, Disgorge, Cenotaph, Goatlord, Undergang, and Cianide should not miss this.
Corpus Offal was recorded at Jackpot! Recording Studio/Everything Hz, engineered by Billy Anderson (Melvins, Sleep, Bell Witch), mastered by Dan Lowndes Resonance Sound, and completed with art by Karina Monzon and layout by Dan Fried. The video for the LP’s title track was directed, filmed, and edited by Chris Eaton.
Stream CORPUS OFFAL’s eponymous debut early only on YouTube RIGHT HERE.
Corpus Offal wil be released this Friday, March 21st on LP, CD, and digital platforms. Preorders can be placed at the 20 Buck Spin webshop HERE and Bandcamp HERE, and if you missed it, watch the terrifying video the title track HERE.
CORPUS OFFAL will launch a widespread US incursion supporting the album. The band will tour across the country alongside Mephitic Corpse from April 26th through May 29th, including a set at the Maryland Deathfest XX official pre-fest on May 21st. See all confirmed dates below and watch for additional live dates to post.
CORPUS OFFAL w/ Mephitic Corpse: 4/26/2025 Black Magic Social Club – Houston, TX 4/29/2025 Nile Underground – Phoenix, AZ 4/30/2025 Knucklehead – Los Angeles, CA 5/01/2025 Eli’s Mile High – Oakland, CA 5/02/2025 High Water Mark – Portland, OR 5/03/2025 Belltown Yacht Club – Seattle, WA 5/04/2025 The Shredder – Boise, ID 5/06/2025 Aces High – Salt Lake City, UT 5/07/2025 Hi-Dive – Denver, CO 5/09/2025 X-Ray Arcade – Milwaukee, WI 5/10/2025 Cobra Lounge – Chicago, IL 5/11/2025 Black Circle – Indianapolis, IN 5/12/2025 TBA – Detroit, MI 5/13/2025 Ace Of Cups – Columbus, OH 5/14/2025 No Class – Cleveland, OH 5/15/2025 Smiling Moose – Pittsburgh, PA 5/16/2025 Cobra Cabana – Richmond, VA 5/17/2025 TV Eye – Queens, NY 5/18/2025 Atlas Brew Works – Washington, DC 5/20/2025 Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, PA 5/21/2025 Maryland Deathfest Pre-Fest @ Soundstage – Baltimore, MD 5/27/2025 Chapel Of Bone – Raleigh, NC 5/28/2025 529 – Atlanta, GA 5/29/2025 Holy Diver – New Orleans, LA 5/31/2025 Hotel Vegas – Austin, TX
The wait is over! Vallorch returned on March 14, 2025, with their highly anticipated album, The Circle, which is the band’s most ambitious and immersive work to date. Building upon their folk and symphonic metal roots, the band refines its signature sound into a dynamic fusion of powerful riffs, enchanted melodies, and cinematic orchestration.
Following the release of the anthemic “Circle Of The Moon” and the raucous folk metal celebration “Drink Some More!”, The Circle delivers an even broader spectrum of emotions and soundscapes. The album revolves around the theme of the night, capturing its dual nature, a time for reflection and solitude but also revelry and connection. From grandiose symphonic arrangements to festive folk elements, each track immerses the listener in a journey through legends, emotions, and the band’s signature sonic landscapes.
Compared to their previous works, Neverfade (2013) and Until Our Tale Is Told (2017), Vallorch has evolved their songwriting, crafting an album that is tightly composed and emotionally resonant. The folk influences remain, but with an even more polished and cinematic touch, elevating their sound to new heights.
Fans of Nightwish, Eluveitie, Alestorm, Epica, and Wind Rose will find themselves drawn into Vallorch’s world, where folk traditions and symphonic metal collide in an unforgettable experience. With myth-inspired lyrics, powerful storytelling, and an undeniable passion for their craft, Vallorch cements their place as one of the most exciting acts in modern folk metal.
March 14th marked a new era for Vallorch. The Circle isn’t just an album, it’s an invitation to journey through the night, to embrace the contrasts of light and dark, and to lose yourself in the magic of Vallorch’s sound. Prepare to step into The Circle!
Vallorch Line Up: Sara Tacchetto – vocals, choirs, tin whistle, bagpipe Leonardo Dalla Via – vocals, harsh vocals, choirs, bass, programming Marco Povolo – vocals, choirs, keyboards, bouzouki, programming Massimo Benetazzo – Drums Mattia Buggin – electric and acoustic guitars
Guests:
Serena Zucco (Adgarios) – violin Glorya Lyr (Eard) – Celtic harp in “Antermoia”
Directed, shot, and edited by Simone D’Addazio. Shooting assistance by Sara Vescia. MUA by Erica Pillon. Band attire designed and crafted by Verdiana Biffis.
In an explosive return to the music scene, the iconic yet notorious band COLD SLITHER has released their first single “Cold Slither,” off their much-anticipated album. This project marks a groundbreaking fusion of real-world music and fictional narrative, bringing to life the villainous charm of the Cobra organization from the classic 1980sG.I. JOEseries.
In a dynamic collaboration, Hasbro and Reigning PhoenixMusic have teamed up to release “Cold Slither.” This partnership breathes new life into COLD SLITHER, a band once crafted as part of a nefarious plot and now reborn with a sound that mixes nostalgia with cutting-edge rock prowess. Helmed by the mysterious Zartan and his band of Dreadnoks, (Torch, Ripper, and Buzzer), the single reintroduces their heavy metal ferocity combined with a sinister, anarchist energy that upends the conventional music scene.
Bringing COLD SLITHER to life through our partnership with RPM has been an absolute dream come true! As a child watching this fictional band on my TV screen, I never imagined I’d one day help transform them from animated rockstars into a tangible, sonic reality. From the meticulously crafted figures you can hold in your hand to the face-melting album we’ve created, G.I. JOE fans worldwide are about to experience something truly revolutionary this summer. This project bridges nostalgia with innovation in ways that will leave the community speechless—prepare for a musical assault that would make Cobra Commander proud!”Shares Ben”BMac” MacCrae — Associate Brand Manager, Global Brand Development & Marketing at Hasbro.
Reigning Phoenix Music General Manager and Co-founder Gerardo Martinez comments: “It is a dream come true to be able to work on this amazing collaboration with my favorite, and one that happens to be one of the most iconic brands in the world: G.I.JOE! It is also a pleasure to work on this amazing project alongside some of my friends from Hasbro and be able to bring Cold Slither into reality in the most Heavy Metal way! Many of us have waited 40 years for this to happen but the wait is finally over. And a special thanks to Michael Charles Hill for writing the original COLD SLITHER episode back in 1985.”
“It’s programs like these that make Hasbro’s goal of creating Magic Moments truly come to life! What started out as a cult-classic episode from the 1985 series G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero has culminated into a fan program for the ages – inclusive of toys, comics, and of course, music. It could not have been made possible without amazing licensees like Reigning Phoenix Music who put their passion, expertise, and fandom into everything they create. We’re extremely excited for everyone to rock out to this single and we plan to reveal even more as we move closer to San Diego Comic Con. So, as the single echos, we hope… “you’ll be joining us soon!””says Alyse D’Antuono — Hasbro’s VP of Global Franchise Strategy & Management for Action Brands.
“Cold Slither” features bone-crushing riffs and an anthemic chorus, perfectly capturing the rebellious spirit of the ’80s and leading the charge in COLD SLITHER‘s resurgence. The infamous track, which initially captivated audiences as part of Cobra’s mind-control plot, is now reimagined with a compelling melody and legendary backstory, showcased in a newly released lyric video, animated by the legendary Costin Chioreanu.
Cold Slither burst onto the scene with their now classic single, “Cold Slither”, setting the stage for an even darker campaign with their upcoming album, “Cold Slither.” Helmed by the enigmatic Zartan and supported by his ruthless Dreadnoks—Torch, Ripper, and Buzzer—this band blends heavy metal ferocity with a sinister, anarchistic energy that upends the conventional music scene. Their signature sound unleashes a torrent of guttural guitars, boisterous bass, venomous vocals, and thunderous percussion, casting shadows across the musical landscape.
Each concert is a spectacle of chaos and brute force, with Cold Slither captivating hearts and demolishing instruments worldwide. Their music transcends generational divides, championing a dark new world order with each pulse-pounding beat. This band doesn’t just chase gold and platinum records; they aim to capture the minds and souls of their audience.
Conceived by Cobra Commander, Zartan and his Dreadnoks were transformed into Cold Slither, a heavy metal behemoth designed to captivate and influence America’s youth. With their cunning lyrics and compelling stage presence, they harness their music as a powerful tool for mass destruction and control.
Anticipation for their forthcoming album “Cold Slither” is building, with fans eager for a new chapter of anthems that promise not just to challenge but to change the industry. Prepare for an auditory onslaught that will resonate long after the lights fade. With Cold Slither, the revolution is not just televised, it’s an all-encompassing, reverberating force. Brace yourself to join their ranks and be changed. Their music doesn’t merely entertain; it indoctrinates.
Line-up: Thomas Girardello – Vocals, Bass Mirko Marchesini – Guitars Francesco Tresca – drums
Italian death metallers SONUM are now premiering their new single, “In This Void We Dwell”. The track is taken from their upcoming second album, The Obscure Light Awaits, set for release on April 11th, 2025, via Dusktone. With this song, SONUM open the gates to a dark and relentless sonic journey, blending sharp riffs and oppressive atmospheres into an uncompromising assault.
Following the critical acclaim of their debut, Visceral Void Entropy (2022), SONUM delve deeper into the labyrinthine realms of dissonance and atmosphere. The Obscure Light Awaits is an ambitious work that simultaneously pushes boundaries and honours the roots of the genre.
The album eschews unnecessary complexity in favour of a tight focus on songwriting, weaving together intricate, sibylline passages with a raw, unrelenting power that shows the influence of the pioneering works of old and contemporary death metal legends such as Gorguts, Morbid Angel, Execration and Artificial Brain.
A true testament to SONUM’s evolution, The Obscure Light Awaits presents a sonic journey defined by dark, otherworldly textures and relentless energy. The band’s ability to merge atmospheric depth with crushing riffs showcases their commitment to creating music that is both immersive and uncompromising. It’s an exploration of contrasts, between the abstract and the visceral, the chaotic and the structured.
Fans of progressive and atmospheric death metal will find The Obscure Light Awaits to be a landmark release that stands tall amidst this year’s most formidable works.
Stay tuned for more singles and further announcements as we approach the release date.
Track-list:
01. Due To Inner Mess… 02. In This Void We Dwell 03. Famine 04. Trapped In The Labyrinth of Aberration 05. Ad Mortem (Iter Est) 06. Beyond The Gate… 07. The Obscure Light Awaits 08. Nobody Is Innocent 09. Messenger Of Cosmic Dread 10. Deliver Us (Final Trip)
All songs produced by SONUM and Mixed & Mastered by Luca Dal Lago.
If you’re a band or musician and would like your music reviewed or be interviewed by Stone, please click the link under the “ALBUM REVIEWS ARCHIVES” section below!
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