The Finnish atmospheric black metal band Beyond Seventh Dimension are set to release the debut album Tähtien ikuinen suru on September 4th 2026 via Inverse Records. The new single ‘Eternal Love For The Unreachable‘ is unleashed now and it’s available on all essential streaming services: https://push.fm/fl/b7thd-eternal-love
The band comments: “This song is for all those who have lost someone you can never stop loving.
It tells what it’s like when you can’t touch anymore, but you can’t let go either.”
BIOGRAPHY:
Beyond Seventh Dimension is an atmospheric metal project from Finland that started as a one-man instrumental project in 2025 and quickly escalated. Vocals were added to the concept right after the first song, and suddenly there was talk of an EP or a full-length album. Now there is an album, and there has also been talk of making a proper band out of this at some point, but time will tell.
Colombian melodic black/death metal band ESHTADUR announce their new full-length album, In Darkness All Shadows Gone, due for release on October 2nd, 2026 through Rockshots Records.
The announcement is accompanied by “Into The Woods”, the first single and official video introducing the musical and conceptual journey behind the record.
Developed over four years, In Darkness All Shadows Gone consists of twelve compositions combining melodic black and death metal, symphonic arrangements, layered vocals, Tuvan throat singing and atmospheric passages. Recorded with the Caldas Symphonic Orchestra, the album expands the band’s established sound while maintaining the combination of heavy riffing, dark melodies and orchestral textures that has shaped its identity.
The album follows a conceptual journey through mysticism, transformation and inner transmutation. At the centre of the narrative stands The Crow, a shamanic figure moving between existence, death, emptiness and the unknown. Acting as both master and apprentice, The Crow guides the listener through a process of isolation, self-discovery and spiritual awakening, where darkness becomes not only an oppressive force but also a path towards understanding the self.
Across the record, ESHTADUR explore the relationship between darkness and the light contained within each individual. The songs draw upon occult symbolism, cosmic philosophy, ancestral knowledge and human emotion, forming a continuous narrative rather than a collection of disconnected tracks. Musically, black and death metal alternate as leading forces throughout the album, supported by melodic writing, cinematic orchestration and folk-rooted elements.
Jorg August comments on the creation of the album:
“We worked on this material for four years. It is a long album with twelve tracks, symphonic arrangements, a real orchestra, many vocal layers and Tuvan voices. At times, it felt like a giant puzzle, but everything finally came together. We are proud of the result and grateful to everyone who helped us build it. A crow is calling.”
The first single, “Into The Woods,” represents the call to initiation and the first step into the album’s inner world. The listener is invited to leave behind external noise and enter the forest alone, confronting silence, memory, and self-delusion. Inspired by contemplative philosophies and the idea of returning to nature as a means of self-discovery, the song presents the forest as both a physical place and a metaphorical descent into consciousness.
Musically, “Into The Woods” combines fast melodic and aggressive guitar riffs, alternate-picked passages, dark orchestration, dissonant elements, ancestral chants and forceful vocals. The track establishes the balance between aggression, melody and atmosphere that continues throughout the album, while its lyrics address inner turmoil, past trauma and the need to confront fear before transformation can begin.
The accompanying official video focuses on frontman Jorg August, who is guided by the symbolic Crow into the forest and towards the first dimension of the album’s narrative. The visual interpretation reinforces the song’s themes of solitude, initiation and departure, presenting the journey as an individual mission in search of a deeper understanding of the self.
Track Listing: 1. Age of Antumbra – 2:00 2. Into The Woods – 4:41 3. Umbra – 6:22 4. August’s Burdens – 4:59 5. Fire Above Mountain Below – 5:08 6. Old Shaman Blind – 5:08 7. Thunderground – 3:40 8. Ruler of the Lake – 5:14 9. A Black Winged Waltz – 9:23 10. Nebulae (Virgo) – 5:09 11. Omen of Millennia – 3:56 12. Soy Real – 5:11
In Darkness All Shadows Gone will be available from October 2nd, 2026 through Rockshots Records. The album can be pre-ordered now from the Rockshots Records store at: https://rockshots.eu/cuhb5ys9ncs1ndx
ESHTADUR are: Jorg August – Vocals, guitars Camilo Barbosa – Lead guitars Andres Gonzalez – Bass David Lopez – Drums
The album was produced by Jorg August, who also wrote the music, lyrics, compositions, and orchestral arrangements. The recordings took place at RockStar Studios Colombia, while the orchestra was recorded at Batuta’s Theater in Manizales, Colombia. The album was mixed and mastered by Tomasz “Zed” Zalewski, with additional mixing and mastering by Chris Clancy on “Fire Above Mountain Below” and “Umbra.” The cover artwork was created by Valesia Obscura.
For fans of: Septicflesh, Dissection, At The Gates.
A warning, a spell, and an act of devotion – the second single from Verbolgen arrives as a short film steeped in folk horror
Dark black metal duo HULDER have released “In Blood and In Earth,” the second single from their forthcoming album Verbolgen, set for release on August 7th, 2026 via 20 Buck Spin (North America) and Season of Mist (Europe). The track is accompanied by an official music video directed by Newfoundland filmmaker Justin Oakey, arriving as the final preview before the full record drops.
Running just over seven minutes, “In Blood and In Earth” is an act of communal rite set in motion by the landscape itself. The track builds from foreboding restraint into sweeping, storm-gathered momentum, as Hulder’s vocals call out an incantation before the full weight of the arrangement bears down. The song frames endurance and bloodshed not as tragedy but as covenant: a pact between flesh and earth that the living inherit from the ancient dead. The band describe it plainly: “This second offering from the forthcoming album stands as a warning and a spell. Speak these words as the land below bellows forewarning… Shall you fall upon your knees?“
Recorded between Elektric City Recording in Portland, Oregon and at various locations by the band, themselves, the album was mixed by Ahti Kortelainen at Tico Tico Studios in Kemi, Finland and mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki. It marks Hulder’s third full-length and the first to formally welcome Necreon as co-leader of the project: a status the duo’s creative process has long reflected in practice.
Verbolgen was produced by Hulder, with both drum performances engineered in Portland, Oregon and Norway. Guitars, bass, and vocals were engineered by Necreon, with additional instrumentation engineered by Keld and Hulder. The album was mixed by Ahti Kortelainen at Tico Tico Studios (Kemi, Finland) and mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox Studios (Helsinki, Finland). Cover artwork was painted by Morrigan, with logo design by Jannicke Wiese Hansen and photography by Liana Rakijian.
The music video for “In Blood and In Earth” was directed by Justin Oakey and produced by Black River Pictures. Of the project, Oakey says: “I am beyond honoured Hulder trusted me with putting together something for the new album. Inspired by folk horror, it follows a family clinging to an inhospitable landscape and slowly reveals a dark, sinister atmosphere. The colourist of the video Clinton Homuth introduced me to Hulder in 2019 with some of the early demos. The balance between the bucolic and raw sounds felt incredibly original while staying true to the roots. I reached out and we stayed in touch, finding ways to collaborate. It’s inspiring to see the new, creative directions Hulder and Necreon take with each release.“
Verbolgen Track-list:
Drie Raven (Intro) (2:18)
The Crowning (6:28)
Thy Binding Oath (5:38)
Verbolgen (4:01)
…And We Shall Sing (6:01)
In Blood and In Earth (7:09)
Den Nacht Zijn Lied (6:45)
View From Nemeton (5:23)
The Glow of Dawn (4:48)
Full runtime: 48:33
In support of the forthcoming release, HULDER will embark on a North American tour in August with DIMMU BORGIR, HYPOCRISY and SUFFOCATION. Tickets are available at: https://hulder-official.com/pages/shows.
HULDER North American Tour Dates:
Aug 7 – New York, NY @ Palladium Times Square Aug 8 – Worcester, PA @ The Palladium Aug 10 – Toronto, ON @ History Aug 11 – Montreal, QC @ MTELUS Aug 13 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theater Aug 14 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre Aug 15 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore Aug 18 – Denver, CO @ The Mission Ballroom Aug 21 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield Aug 23 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Novo
Germanic black metal wargods MYSTIC CIRCLE are preparing to tour LATAM this October in support of MALEVOLENT CREATION marking their first live shows in two decades. Both MYSTIC CIRCLE and MALEVOLENT CREATION will be joining SIX FEET UNDER in Zapote, Costa Rica, on October 17.
Led by Beelzebub and A. Blackwar, MYSTIC CIRCLE craft their own distinctive brand of old-school death and black metal infused with traditional metal elements and influenced by the soundtracks of horror. Dark legends and tales of witchtrials of their native homeland bleed through the tracks on the latest album Hexenbrand 1486 first released on October 31, 2025, via ROAR – A Division of Reigning Phoenix Music.
A. Blackwar and Beelzebub will be joined by an array of talented guest musicians to bring their inescapable sound to life in an unforgettable live ritual.
LATAM Tour 2026 Dates:
Oct 16 – Ciudad de México, Mexico – Hendrix Circus Bar Oct 17 – Zapote, Costa Rica – Pepper’s Club* Oct 18 – Bogota, Columbia – TBT Oct 20 – Lima, Peru – Yield Rock Oct 22 – Santiago, Chile – Teatro Cariola Oct 23 – Buenos Aires, Argentina – El Teatrito Oct 24 – Sao Paulo, Brazil – Hangar 110
*Supporting SIX FEET UNDER
About MYSTIC CIRCLE: MYSTIC CIRCLE‘s first ritual began in the early 90s. Following a period of hiatus, 2022 saw the return of the band anew with the self-titled Mystic Circle album that was rewarded with a sensational #78 place in the German album charts. This was continued the following year with Erzdämon and now completed with Hexenbrand 1486 released via ROAR – A Division of Reigning Phoenix Music, in 2025.
MYSTIC CIRCLE sound unmistakable, their trademarks are manifold and their hunger seems almost insatiable. What the duo has created in recent years is unparalleled and continues the legacy that the band created in the nineties with their classics Drachenblut (1998) and Infernal Satanic Verses (1999). MYSTIC CIRCLE themselves describe their style as extreme metal, their very own mix of old-school death and black metal, traditional heavy metal of the eighties and horror soundtracks.
With their latest full length, Hexenbrand 1486,MYSTIC CIRCLE also achieved a notable milestone as the album contains the band’s 100th song. Across 2026 the band are turning their focus to the live stage, preparing to unleash the shadows upon audiences across Latin America.
MYSTIC CIRCLE Is: Beelzebub – Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Keyboards A. Blackwar – Vocals, Drums, Guitars, Keyboards
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions are set to release the new EP from Västmanland Sweden’s Black Metal beasts Gast. Förbannelser is up now for pre-order and will be released July 31st on CD and Digital formats along with merch.
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions welcome Gast to the roster with the new EP Förbannelser! Gast channel the dark and cold essence of the northern landscapes through intense Black Metal. Their music combines raw intensity with haunting melodies, while their lyrics explore themes of evil, madness and folklore.
Förbannelser (which translates to Curses) explores death, decay, greed, nightmares and the end of humanity. Curses lie at the core, driving the downfall of both individuals and the world itself, taking shape as despair, insatiable greed, spreading plague and the final collapse. Gast deliver a wave of northern darkness, crafted for those who crave intensity, atmosphere and the presence of something ancient and malevolent rising beneath the surface.
For fans of Marduk, Grá, Necrophobic, Hate, Black Curse, Profanatica, Stormruler and Cloak.
Finnish black metallers BLOODMOTHER will release their debut album Militant Black Magic on September 25th, 2026, via Time To Kill Records.
A sharp and uncompromising record, it refuses shortcuts and avoids hiding behind pretentious structures or overly foggy atmospheric detours. Instead, it focuses on pure impact and precision, built entirely on riffs that cut deep and leave no room for distraction.
The album stands as a severe statement of intent, stripping everything back to its essential violence and clarity, delivering a sound that is direct, punishing and relentlessly focused on damage rather than ornament.
The first single“Liturgical Decay” is available now:
“Liturgical decay, the meaningless ritualization of dead flesh. When Death calls and the pious decompose, the futility of their faith becomes evident. This is what Bloodmother is all about, a sonic war machine rolling over your graves in celebration of the end of life”.
Formed in 2021 by Kuolontuoja, BLOODMOTHER was conceived with a clear and uncompromising purpose: to channel the spirit of true Finnish black metal through a sound stripped of excess and focused entirely on aggression. Building upon the foundations laid by the demo Death to All and the EP Soul Crusher, the band has refined a style based on razor-sharp riffs, hostile atmospheres and a direct, no-frills approach. Yet beneath its relentless surface lies a constant rhythmic variety that prevents the music from falling into predictability, maintaining tension and momentum throughout.
With Militant Black Magic, BLOODMOTHER push their vision further, delivering a work rooted in themes of faith, war, death and Satanic defiance. The album stands as the band’s most complete statement to date and a concentrated display of the ferocity that has defined their mission from the very beginning.
“A Beast To Praise” contains DARK FUNERAL’s annihilating live-set for their latest studio album release We Are The Apocalypse and will be available in the USA as a Jewelcase CD, gatefold 2LP on 140g vinyl and as a digital album.
Track-list:
1. Unchain My Soul 2. The Arrival Of Satan’s Empire 3. My Funeral 4. Leviathan 5. We Are The Apocalypse 6. Open The Gates 7. When I’m Gone 8. Goddess Of Sodomy 9. Vobiscum Satanas 10. Nail Them To The Cross 11. Let The Devil In 12. The Secrets Of The Black Arts 13. Where Shadows Forever Reign
Japanese metal pioneers Sigh are back today with news of their new album ‘Goh-ka’; a new highlight of atmosphere, technical mastery, and meticulously arranged epics of metallic grandeur. Main-man Mirai Kawashima notes this as being as equally personal an album as ‘Shiki’, both musically and lyrically.
From a musical perspective, if you were to place the main ingredients of Celtic Frost, Voivod, Black Sabbath, horror movies and Japan into a cauldron and stir it, you will get ‘Goh-ka’. Numerous additional spices such as psychedelic rock, prog rock and classical music are also evident over the album’s close to one-hour duration.
The album title ‘Goh-ka’ has a triple meaning, being: 業火 infernal fire scorching sinners, 劫火 a huge fire that burns down the world at the end of time, and 業果 karma. The primary theme permeating the album is Kuso-zu; a series of Buddhist paintings or illustrations depicting the nine stages of a human body’s decomposition after death, created to encourage meditation on the impermanence of life, the inevitability of death, and the detachment from physical beauty and worldly attachment.
It openly shows the harsh reality that no matter how beautiful you are, you’ll be dead and rot sooner or later. And Kuso-shi is a poem based on these paintings. The artworks on the cover and in the booklet of ‘Goh-ka’ are therefore Kuso-zu themselves.
Joining Mirai Kawashima and Dr Mikannibal along with guitarist Nozomu Wakai, are Frédéric Leclercq (Kreator) on bass, plus renowned US drummer Mike Heller.
Among the additional contributors to the album, Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth notably delivers a special guest guitar solo on the track, ‘Unputenpu’.
‘Goh-ka’ was recorded across multiple studios, and once again mixed and mastered by Lasse Lammert at LSD studios in Germany.
PRE-ORDERS OF THE ALBUM FROM THE PEACEVILLE STORE AND BAND STORE WILL COME WITH THE FREE ‘LEGACY OF HORRORS’ 10-TRACK SIGH SAMPLER.
Japanese metal pioneers Sigh formed in 1989/1990. Their genre-classic Black Metal debut ‘Scorn Defeat’ arrived in 1993, and with a subsequent journey through the strange and the psychedelic, incorporating a whole eclectic mix of genre styles & ideas throughout their career, Sigh has remained a vital creative force in the avantgarde field whilst maintaining their old school roots, as witnessed on the 2022 album (and first for Peaceville Records), ‘Shiki’.
This was followed by the remaking of their ‘Hangman’s Hymn’ album as part of the band’s 35th anniversary celebrations, in the shape of ‘I Saw the World’s End: Hangman’s Hymn MMXXV’ (2025).
SIGH TOUR DATES:
EUROPE OLD-SCHOOL SET (AS A TRIO) 07/09 DE Torgau In Flammen Open Air (Scorn Defeat Set) 07/10 DK Fredericia Metal Magic (Special Old School Set) 07/11 UK London Downstairs at the Dome (Special Old School Set)
US 07/26 Fire In The Mountains 07/28 Seattle WA El Corazon 07/29 Portland OR Star Theater 07/30 Sacramento CA Cafe Colonial 07/31 Berkeley CA Cornerstone 08/01 Los Angeles CA 1720
EUROPE 09/03 PL Aleksandrow Lodzki Summer Dying Loud 09/04 PL Cracow Zaścianek 09/05 CZ Ostrava Metal III 09/07 DE Munich Hansa 39 @ Feierwerk 09/08 DE Leipzig Moritzbastei 09/09 DE Berlin Badehaus 09/10 DK Copenhagen Beta @ Amager Bio 09/11 DE Hamburg Betty 09/12 DE Oberhausen Death & Damnation Fest 09/13 NL Leeuwarden Neushoorn 09/14 NL Utrecht DB’s 09/15 FR Paris Backstage By The Mill
FORTRESS FESTIVAL 2027 29-30 May 2027 Scarborough Spa North Yorkshire, UK
New additions include worldwide live debut from Gris, worldwide exclusives from Gràb and Dungeontroll, full “Confusion Gate” album set from Yellow Eyes, UK exclusives from Slagmaur and Havukruunu, and a special UK exclusive set from Forteresse
Miserere Luminis, Tardigrada, Mourir, Trha and Sinmara also added to the line-up
Scarborough, UK; 3 July 2026: Following the monumental reveal of Emperor as the first 2027 headliner, Fortress Festival has unleashed a first wave of band confirmations. Set to take place at the iconic Scarborough Spa in North Yorkshire, UK and true to the event’s growing reputation, this latest announcement is packed with worldwide live debuts and exclusives, UK debuts and exclusives, as well as special sets.
Canadian atmospheric black metal project Gris will make their worldwide live debut at Fortress Festival in 2027. The band has been an elusive studio entity for years, making this an unprecedented event for their followers:
“We have been hesitant for years to bring the music of Gris to the stage,” Gris said. “The idea has been undulating in our minds for more than a decade now, swaying from doubt to possibility, and to doubt again. We knew that it would require us to adapt the music we’ve done with great respect and care, and it seemed daunting at times. But seeing the dedication of Fortress Festival to make their event unique and of high quality, it felt like a perfect context for us to embrace the challenge of making Gris alive for the first time.”
Joining them is Bavarian black metal outfit Gràb, performing a 2027 worldwide exclusive show. “Last year I announced to step back from doing music due to health issues,” said Grànt. “However, things changed for the better. Like it or not, I decided to return. For years, Gary of Fortress Festival showed heavy interest in booking GRÀB. We, as a band, decided that the fantastic venue of Fortress is the right place to do a 2027 exclusive GRÀB concert. This marks our first concert outside Germany and Austria. We will bring Bavarian Black Metal to UK soil for the first time ever. Be there!“
Yellow Eyes will perform their acclaimed album “Confusion Gate” in full for a UK exclusive. The band shared their excitement, stating, “Eight years after our last UK performance, Yellow Eyes will finally return to England. We’re honoured to make our exclusive UK appearance of 2027 at the legendary Fortress Festival. It is rare that we make it to England, and we don’t know when we’ll be back again. If you’ve ever wanted to see us in the UK, we hope you’ll join us in Scarborough. This will be something special.”
Quebecois black metal pioneers Forteresse will return to Fortress Festival in 2027 and deliver a special UK exclusive set. Promising an unforgettable performance, the band declared, “The ghosts of epic death and rebellion are returning to England once again to storm the shores of Scarborough. This time, a special set will be curated especially for this event that shall remain secret until the time draws near.”
Fantasy synth artist Dungeontroll will deliver a worldwide exclusive set created purely for Fortress. “Join Dungeontroll for a one-of-a-kind ritual at Fortress Festival MMXXVII,” said Dungeontroll. “Tales of adventure and woe will be woven, calling forth the ancient spirits of the woods. These songs will be written and performed exclusively for Fortress; there are no plans to record or perform them again after this night.”
The barrage of UK debuts and exclusives is made even more powerful by the melancholic brilliance of Miserere Luminis, the crushing sound of Switzerland’s Tardigrada, and the chaotic intensity of France’s Mourir, all performing in the UK for the very first time. Another awaited UK debut comes in the form of the mysterious Trha.
Rounding out this monumental announcement are UK exclusive performances by the Norwegian avant-garde horror show Slagmaur, Finnish pagan black metal masters Havukruunu, and the dissonant Icelandic force of Sinmara.
Following their recent signing to Terminus Hate City, THE NOCTAMBULANT reveal the next few pages of this Southern Gothic chapter. Steeped in the traditions of Blues, Rockabilly, Goth rock and American Country, THE NOCTAMBULANT embrace this aesthetic and sonic niche while maintaining their signature black metal sound.
THE NOCTAMBULANT will release their forthcoming full length album Revivalon September 18, via Terminus Hate City.
On the new single “Skeleton Key” THE NOCTAMBULANT share: “this track captures the desire to achieve salvation and transcendence by any means necessary. It tells the story of using one body to reach immortality in another. The weakness of the flesh must be overcome in the pursuit of something greater.”
“Skeleton Key” unleashes a dire savagery through a blackened haze. Its foreboding onslaught marches steadily onward as weighted rhythmic strikes soon erupt into a fury of high-speed intensity. As the darkness consumes, the inevitable end is inescapable.
Revival – Track Listing:
1. Repent and Be Saved 2. Bring the Sorrow 3. Apokalypsis 4. Dark Dawn 5. Macabre 6. Interlude 7. Skeleton Key 8. Killing Tree 9. Hell Ride 10. San Martino 11. Red Right Hand
Recorded at Tri-Rush Studios, Revivalwas engineered and produced by E. Helvete and D. Franseth. The album was mixed and mastered by Daniel Thabet at Liquid Studios, with the cover art designed by Dream Creatures.
THE NOCTAMBULANT:
E. Helvete – Guitars/Vocals D. Franseth – Drums Lars G – Bass Rev. Beaumont – Lead Guitar
New album “Desolate Echoes of Turmoil” to be released via These Hands Melt
Kråkstad, Norway & Rome, Italy; 22 June 2026: Norwegian symphonic black metal group Profane Burial has unveiled a new single, “Triumph Of Dreadful Aftermath,” as an introduction to the upcoming full-length, Desolate Echoes of Turmoil, to be released later this year via These Hands Melt.
According to the band, “Triumph Of Dreadful Aftermath” tells the tale of how chronic insomnia and spontaneous panic tear apart the fabric of normality, dragging the human psyche into a nightmare dimension of disintegration and fear. With its ferocious style of expression, “Triumph Of Dreadful Aftermath” sets a whole new tone of aggressiveness for Profane Burial, with music that is dark and orchestral in its intensity.
Their upcoming album “Desolate Echoes of Turmoil” is considered the most elaborate and dynamic album produced by the band yet. While the new material deliberately maintains the core foundation of their established style, relying heavily on grandiose arrangements, bleak atmospheric textures, and sharp black metal execution, it also moves significantly further into progressive territory. Complex arrangements, changing structure, and unexpected timing make the band move into the modern, very emotional sphere without losing its characteristic dark and cinematic sound.
Track-list:
Den Fortaptes Krønike
Prognostic Augural Obsolescence
Triumph of Dreadful Aftermath
Channeling Epiphany
Horror Code pt. 2
Malicious Discomfort
To bring this specific vision to life, the band worked with notable names in the studio. The entire album was mixed and mastered by Børge Finstad at Toproom Studio, whereas the drum tracks were recorded independently at StrandStudio. Visually, the release is tied together by a striking, Rorschach-inspired cover artwork painted by Ella Kunst, a piece designed to mirror the existential and psychological tension found throughout the music.
Profane Burial originally formed in 2013, starting out as an ambitious studio project between Kjetil Ytterhus, known for his work with Haimad, Khôra, and Babels Tårn, and André Aaslie, who has performed with Funeral, Images At Twilight, Omnia Moritur, and Vitam Aeternam.
The project quickly grew into a proper live group, bringing in a highly capable lineup of musicians associated with prominent acts like Borknagar, Trollfest and Cadaver. After building early momentum with their 2018 debut album, The Rosewater Park Legend, the band switched into a trio format after 2020. This transition put Aaslie on guitar duties and positioned Ytterhus as the main vocalist, a creative shift that resulted in their 2024 album, My Plateau.
The album will be available across several formats via These Hands Melt. The release options include a standard digital album, a CD Digipack strictly limited to 200 copies, and a classic vinyl LP pressed in two separate color variants.
Québec City-based Bulgarian folk and black metal band TSAR STANGRA will release their new full-length album, Химните на разрушените светове (Hymns of the Broken Worlds), on July 1, 2026 via GLOBMETAL PROMOTIONS.
Created over the course of nearly a decade, Химните на разрушените светове is the band’s most ambitious work to date. The album explores Bulgarian history, folklore, pagan ritual, exile, language, and cultural memory through a collision of black metal aggression, Balkan melody, ceremonial atmosphere, tambura, orchestration, and lyrics written in Bulgarian.
Founded by vocalist Stanislav Stefanovski, TSAR STANGRA was built around the mission of preserving Bulgarian heritage through extreme metal. On Химните на разрушените светове, that mission expands into a larger meditation on identity, displacement, and the meeting of worlds.
Written largely in Québec by musicians from different cultural and musical backgrounds, the record carries a natural tension between Bulgarian folk tradition and Western black metal, between pagan symbolism and literary sources shaped by Christian Bulgarian poets, between ancestral memory and life far from the homeland.
The album opens with “Тракийци – Черни химни за изгубените” (“Thracians – Black Hymns for the Lost Ones”), an epic invocation of Thracian memory and Bulgarian ancestry. “Хан Аспарух” (“Khan Asparuh”) follows with a martial black metal tribute to the founder of the First Bulgarian Empire, while “Черна песен” (“Black Song”) turns inward through the poetry of Dimcho Debelyanov.
The record later moves through the exile and longing of “Тъга за Юг” (“Longing for the South”), the Kukeri ritual force of “Земни стражи” (“Guardians of the Earth”), and the uncompromising pagan invocation of “Завръщането на родния бог” (“The Return of the Native God”), before closing with “Българският език” (“Bulgarian Language”), a tribute to the survival of Bulgarian language and identity.
The artwork, created by Paolo Girardi, reflects the album’s central theme of cultural collision. Kukeri, ancient masked figures from Bulgarian pagan tradition, stand before the burning Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, one of Québec’s most recognizable Christian landmarks. The image captures the album’s vision of old ritual, new geography, ancestral memory and transformation.
Химните на разрушените светове follows TSAR STANGRA’s debut full-length Небесният ковач(Celestial Forger), the 2023 single “Черна песен” (“Black Song”), and the 2024 live album Битката за Фиорда – На живо в Сагене (The Battle of the Fjord – Live in Saguenay).
Track-list:
“Тракийци – Черни химни за изгубените” (“Thracians – Black Hymns for the Lost Ones”) – 6:45
“Хан Аспарух” (“Khan Asparuh”) – 6:35
“Черна песен” (“Black Song”) – 4:41
“Последният поход” (“The Final March”) – 3:03
“Тъга за Юг” (“Longing for the South”) – 4:49
“Земни стражи” (“Guardians of the Earth”) – 6:42
“Завръщането на родния бог” (“The Return of the Native God”) – 3:11
“Българският език” (“Bulgarian Language”) – 5:43
For fans of ROTTING CHRIST, NEGURA BUNGET, DRUDKH, MELECHESH, BATHORY, and IMMORTAL, the new album offers a deeply cultural and ritualistic take on pagan black metal.
Blackened death machine COMPLEXANT has arrived. These Australian extremists are poised to unleash their first-ever full-length album, Apex.
The album boasts 10 tracks of brilliantly violent riffing fueled by percussive intensity and unearthly vocals. Following a collection of critically-acclaimed singles and 2023’s A Rite of Passage EP, COMPLEXANT is set to cement their status in the global metal community with Apex.
The band has launched the video for the album’s first single, “No Angels Weep.”
“A tale of vengeance, revenge and killing the false friends who scheme against you, when paranoia turns into reality,” says vocalist Dan Greigsy about the song. “Murdered one by one with an old gardening tool, then buried in the backyard. You have freed yourself from your living burden, but you are now haunted by a rotting garden sprouting from your sins”
Vocals on Apex were tracked by Joey Marsh at Beyond the Marsh Studios, with guitars and bass tracked by Shannon Zivkovic. The album was mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson (Cryptopsy, Suffocation, Shadow of Intent, Ingested). Cover art created by Matt Priso.
Line-up:
Shannon Zivkovic – Guitar Gavin Bradley – Guitar Dan Greigsy – Vocals Chris Tuckley – Bass Seb Su – Drums
BIO: COMPLEXANT bring together members from across Australia to deliver a vicious blend of Death Metal and Black Metal.
Drawing influence from bands such as Behemoth, Suffocation, Emperor and Nile, they have been touring nationally since 2022 while steadily building their catalogue with a string of singles and an EP. Since the bands inception they have shared the stage with international titans Cryptopsy, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Signs Of The Swarm, Within Destruction, and Disentomb.
Dark black metal project HULDER has released “View From Nemeton,” the lead single and accompanying music video from their forthcoming album Verbolgen, due August 7th, via 20 Buck Spin (North America) and Season of Mist (World ex-North America). The single opens the album’s campaign and marks the first visual statement from what stands as the project’s most fully realized work to date.
“Captured on analog mediums in the forests of the Pacific Northwestern landscape and woven together by Liana Rakijian and Hulder, ‘View From Nemeton’ serves as a glimpse from the eye of the otherworld,” the band states.
“View From Nemeton” moves through the ceremonial and the spectral, its lyrics evoking a sacred site in the realm of the otherworld where the living and the dead converge: “In realm of the otherworld where undead and living shall meet / View from Nemeton as veil of soma is thinned.” The track builds on a foundation of layered riffing and atmospheric density, anchored by the recurring incantation “Bone to Bone / Limb to Limb / Blood to Blood,” before opening into sequences of hurdy-gurdy and keys that widen the piece’s ceremonial register.
Emerging from the Pacific Northwest, HULDER built a devoted following across a series of releases marked by their commitment to ancient craft, uncompromising production, and a sound rooted in the Northern European black metal tradition.
Verbolgen sees the project expand its instrumental palette: drawing in hurdy-gurdy from KELD (Majesties, Obsequiae, Celestiial) and split drum contributions from VAPULA and VROLOK (Aeternus, Gorgoroth), while sharpening the dual creative core that has defined its most compelling work.
Verbolgen Track-list:
Drie Raven (Intro) (2:18)
The Crowning (6:28)
Thy Binding Oath (5:38)
Verbolgen (4:01)
…And We Shall Sing (6:01)
In Blood and In Earth (7:09)
Den Nacht Zijn Lied (6:45)
View From Nemeton (5:23)
The Glow of Dawn (4:48)
Full runtime: 48:33
In support of the forthcoming release, HULDER will embark on a North American tour in August with DIMMU BORGIR, HYPOCRISY and SUFFOCATION. Tickets are available at: https://hulder-official.com/pages/shows.
HULDER North American Tour Dates:
Aug 7 – New York, NY @ Palladium Times Square Aug 8 – Worcester, PA @ The Palladium Aug 10 – Toronto, ON @ History Aug 11 – Montreal, QC @ MTELUS Aug 13 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theater Aug 14 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theatre Aug 15 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore Aug 18 – Denver, CO @ The Mission Ballroom Aug 21 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield Aug 23 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Novo
Echa Krwi available to pre-order via Pagan Records
Polish black metallers Azels Mountain have released a new video, created by Zaćma Visual Studio, ahead of the release of their third full-length album, Echa Krwi, scheduled to arrive on 26th June via Pagan Records.
On this new album, Azels Mountain continues its descent into darker and more reflective territories, channelling themes of memory, blood, sacrifice and transcendence through a colder, more expansive musical expression shaped by both mystic reflection and the lingering shadows of more recent historical experience.
Compared to previous releases, Echa Krwi is a more mature and culturally rooted vision. Beyond the foundations of underground black metal, the album draws inspiration from classical Polish music, literature and the spiritual atmosphere woven through the nation’s artistic heritage.
Echoes of melancholy, longing, pride, and existential struggle permeate the compositions, giving the record a distinctly Polish character. The result is an album that channels the spirit of forgotten landscapes, ancestral memory, and the restless soul embedded within Polish culture itself, transforming Echa Krwi into something both deeply personal and timeless.
Sirkis completed the artwork for the new album, while Zaćma Visual Studio handled photography. Renowned designer Christophe Szpajdel crafted the band’s refreshed logo. On the production front, the material was recorded at M23 Studio, with mixing and mastering duties executed by Satanic Audio.
Track-list: 1. Intro 2. Wschód 3. Bezdroża Jałowe 4. Ku Szczytom i Cieniom 5. Pieśń Wrony 6. Pomrok Czasów 7. Rytuał Zapomniany 8. Sen o Polach Bezkresnych 9. Nikt Nie Woła 10. Pustka
Formed in 2013, Azels Mountain emerged from the shadows of the Polish underground with a vision rooted in spiritual symbolism and the raw essence of black metal. Drawing inspiration from Slavic heritage, mysticism, death, and anti-religious contemplation, the band crafts music steeped in cold atmosphere, hypnotic melodies, and fierce aggression.
Their sound balances the spirit of classic black metal with hypnotic, ritualistic compositions and mystic atmosphere. Across releases such as Góra milczenia (2016) and Wieczny sen (2019), Azels Mountain established a distinct identity built on melancholic depth, grim intensity and uncompromising style.
Azels Mountain will perform at Gothoom Festival in Slovakia, 24-25 July 2026.
Black Death Metal force BELPHEGOR will unleash their magickal processions across Europe in autumn 2026 with the “Praise The Beast” European Tour 2026.
The trek kicks off on September 29th at Turock in Essen, Germany, and will storm through Belgium, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Central Europe, Poland, and the UK before reaching its final ritual on October 18th at The Underworld in London.
Joining BELPHEGOR as special guests are Death Metal legends KRISIUN and Black Metal coven ASAGRAUM. A fourth band will be announced soon. Stay tuned.
BELPHEGOR “Praise The Beast” European Tour 2026:
29.09. – GER – Essen, Turock 30.09. – BEL – Kortrijk, DVG 01.10. – NLD – Dordrecht, Bibelot 02.10. – NLD – Hengelo, Metropool 03.10. – TBA 04.10. – SWE – Gothenburg, Monument 06.10. – FIN – Helsinki, On The Rocks 07.10. – SWE – Stockholm, Kollektivet Livet 08.10. – SWE – Malmö, Plan B 09.10. – GER – Berlin, Musikbrauerei 10.10. – CZE – Uherske Hradiste, Klub Mir 11.10. – CZE – Plzen, Serikovka 13.10. – POL – Krakow, Hype Park 14.10. – POL – Gdańsk, Drizzly Grizzly 15.10. – GER – Osnabrück, Bastard Club 16.10. – UK – Sheffield, Corporation 17.10. – UK – Torquay, Arena 18.10. – UK – London, The Underworld
Tickets and additional information will be available through local venues and promoters.
Since their formation in 1993 in Austria, BELPHEGOR have stood as one of the most brutal and transgressive forces in black death metal. Founded by vocalist and guitarist Helmuth Lehner, the band has spent over three decades refining a sound forged in fire and sacrilege, merging the violent precision of death metal with the ritualistic darkness of black metal.
Their musick is an invocation of infernal power, a soundwall of relentless blasphemy.
From the raw intensity of early releases like The Last Supper (1995), Blutsabbath (1997), and Necrodaemon Terrorsathan (2000), to the increasingly sophisticated compositions found on albums such as Lucifer Incestus, Bondage Goat Zombie, Pestapokalypse VI, and Totenritual, BELPHEGOR have continually pushed the boundaries of extreme musick. Each release marks a further descent into forbidden territory.
The band’s thematic focus with ritual magick, religious inversion, and arcane symbolism is matched by their technical mastery, multilingual lyrics, and sonic experimentation.
With their twelfth studio album The Devils (2022), BELPHEGOR delivered one of their most punishing and ambitious records to date.
Scarborough, UK, June 2026: Norwegian black metal pioneers Emperor have been confirmed as the first headlining act for the fifth anniversary of Fortress Festival set to take place on 29-30 May 2027 at the Scarborough Spa in North Yorkshire.
This will be Emperor’s only and exclusive UK performance in 2027.
Gary Stephenson, Fortress Festival founder, said: “It’s our fifth anniversary of Fortress in 2027 and we’re pulling no punches this time. Emperor, one of the biggest names in black metal, will close the festival with a headlining performance to show why this band is still such a phenomenon 20 years after their last studio album. We’ve sold out every edition of Fortress so far, and we expect no less to happen in 2027. So secure those tickets, and we will drop another dozen or so worldwide live debuts, UK exclusives and eye-watering bookings very soon for you all.”
Formed in 1991, Emperor are one of the most important and influential black metal bands. They are known for blending traditional black metal with atmospheric and symphonic elements. Landmark releases such as “In the Nightside Eclipse” and “Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk” introduced complex song structures and orchestral keyboards to the genre. Following an initial dissolution in 2001, the group’s live appearances became incredibly scarce. Their later reunion has been strictly limited to select festival slots and rare special engagements, making this upcoming Fortress Festival performance a highly anticipated UK event.
The news follows the sold-out fourth edition of the festival this weekend, which boasted a stacked line-up of exclusive and rare performances, including Old Man’s Child, Gallowbraid, Dødheimsgard, Akercocke, Whoredom Rife, Abigail Williams, Vinterland and many more.
Given the festival’s established track record of completely selling out every previous iteration, demand for the 2027 weekend tickets is anticipated to be very high.
Dark black metal duo Hulder and Necreon return with their most expansive work to date, a nine-track album steeped in ancient language, pagan mythology, and the weight of the land
“[…] one of the most talked-about names in contemporary black metal.” — Portland Mercury
HULDER, the dark black metal outfit from the USA, will release their new album Verbolgen on August 7th, 2026, in a co-release with 20 Buck Spin, who will handle North America exclusively, while Season of Mist will cover the World ex-North America territories. Spanning nine tracks and just over forty-eight minutes, Verbolgen is HULDER’s most fully realised statement to date, drawing on themes of ancestral memory, natural sovereignty, and ancient ritual across lyrics written in English, Flemish, and Proto-Germanic.
Rooted in the traditions of Scandinavian black metal while reaching toward something more atmospheric and ceremonial, Verbolgen moves between driving, riff-driven passages and slower, more meditative stretches, with acoustic instrumentation and hurdy gurdy woven into the fabric of the record.
The multilingual approach to the lyrics is not merely ornamental; it reflects the album’s sustained engagement with the mythological and folkloric traditions of the pre-Christian world, from the Germanic lowlands to the Celtic fringes of northwestern Europe.
The album marks a significant shift in the band’s structure. Long positioned as the solo project of HULDER, Verbolgen formally brings Necreon into the fold as a full creative partner, following several releases in which he contributed as a session musician.
The record also features contributions from Keld (Majesties, Obsequiae, Celestiial) on hurdy gurdy, electric guitars, and keys, as well as drum performances split between Vapula, the band’s touring drummer, and Vrolok (Aeternus, Gorgoroth). Session flute is performed by Ianuaria.
Verbolgen Track-list:
1. Drie Raven (Intro) (2:18) 2. The Crowning (6:28) 3. Thy Binding Oath (5:38) 4. Verbolgen (4:01) 5. …And We Shall Sing (6:01) 6. In Blood and In Earth (7:09) 7. Den Nacht Zijn Lied (6:45) 8. View From Nemeton (5:23) 9. The Glow of Dawn (4:48)
Full runtime: 48:33
In support of the forthcoming release, HULDER will embark on an extensive European summer tour, taking in headline shows and major festival appearances across Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Austria, Spain, Portugal and beyond. The run includes stops at Graspop Metal Meeting, Hellfest, Resurrection Fest and more. Full dates below.
HULDER – Europe Summer 2026 Dates:
05 June: Mulfingen, DE @ Boarstream Open Air 06 June: Gdansk, PL @ Mystic Festival 08 June: Berlin, DE @ Mikropol 09 June: Munich, DE @ Backstage Club 11 June: Wiesbaden, DE @ Kesselhaus 12 June: Munster, DE @ Zappenduster Fest 13 June: Nijmegen, NL @ Waalhalla 14 June: Neunkirchen, DE @ Gebläsehalle 17 June: Tilburg, NL @ Lucky Devil 18 June: Haarlem, NL @ Patronaat* 19 June: Dessel, BE @ Graspop Metal Meeting 20 June: Clisson, FR @ Hellfest 21 June: Aarau, CH @ Kiff** 22 June: Milan, IT @ Legend Club** 23 June: Salzburg, AT @ Rockhouse** 24 June: Vienna, AT @ Viper Room** 25 June: Kosice, SK @ Collosseum 26 June: Mártély, HU @ Lowland Festival 27 June: Spalene Porici, CZ @ BasinFireFest 29 June: Chambery, FR @ BrindeZinc 30 June: Marseille, FR @ Le Molotov 03 July: Galicia, ES @ Ressurection Fest 04 July: Lisbon, PT @ RCA Club 08 July: Stuttgart, DE @ JuHa West 09 July: Torgau, DE @ In Flammen Open Air
THE SECOND STUDIO ALBUM FROM THE NORWEGIAN EXTREME METAL PIONEERS, COMPRISING MEMBERS OF ARCTURUS, THORNS, MAYHEM & 1349
Mortem return with a new ode to the dark: Mørketid. Combining brooding, mid-paced monumental riffs with bursts of hyperspeed black metal, the album is set for release via Peaceville on July 3rd, marking a clear progression from their 2019 debut, Ravnsart. Across eight tracks of savage, eerie, and often epic black metal, the band is joined by the indomitable keyboard textures of Sverd, Hellhammer’s unmistakable percussive prowess, and the vicious returning snarls of vocalist Marius Vold.
Mørketid [06:04] The Mighty Odious [04:43] Skyggeånd [07:34] Blodvassen grunn [05:44] Aftermath [04:09] Den sanne Gud [05:22] Mørkets Ormebol [05:52] Ditt ødes ære [05:10]
LIMITED OXBLOOD RED VINYL EDITION + CLASSIC BLACK VINYL EDITION
Mortem was originally known as the Norwegian cult band which preceded Arcturus. Formed by Marius Vold & Steinar Sverd Johnsen in 1989, Mortem was one of the first black metal bands to crawl out of the woodwork in Norway, releasing the highly coveted and brutal ‘Slow Death’ demo, with Euronymous & Dead of Mayhem acting as producer and cover artist respectively (whilst also featuring Hellhammer on session drums).
After the release of ‘Slow Death’, the band was laid to rest, with members going on to form and feature in acclaimed titans such as Arcturus and Thorns, both of which would become mainstays in the black metal scene and beyond.
Above: Ravnsvart album cover
It wasn’t until 2019, when Mortem’s studio debut ‘Ravnsvart’ was released, and the magic of old undoubtedly returned with that same spirit and brutality of the original incarnation, whilst injecting new elements to form an opus of ferocious yet atmospheric horror. This was followed soon after by the fully re-recorded and re-worked ‘Slow Death’ tracks.
Mørketid was recorded at Toproom Studio in Norway, by Børge Finnstad & Kevin Kleiven.
FORSMÁN, one of the most promising new names to emerge from Iceland’s black metal underground, today release their new song “Drottinn Fyrirgefur Allt.” The track serves as the opener on the band’s debut album, Brenndar Rústir & Fuðrandi Fjörur, set for release on June 26th via Vesperian through Metal Blade Records worldwide.
“Drottinn Fyrirgefur Allt” opens the album with severity and intent. Vicious, cold, and extreme, the song still reveals a strong sense of detail: intricate riffing, shifting dynamics, and a dense atmosphere give FORSMÁN’s black metal a demanding, fully formed character. Rooted in Iceland’s contemporary tradition, the band already appear less like followers than a new voice within it.
Stream “Drottinn Fyrirgefur Allt” HERE. Watch the visualizer HERE.
The album’s cover artwork was created by Paolo Girardi, known for his work with Power Trip, Revocation, Sulphur Aeon, and many others.
FORSMÁN is a black metal band from Kópavogur, Iceland. After their debut EP Dönsum í logans ljóma, the members, all only in their early twenties, have been working intensively on new material. FORSMÁN (pronounced “fors-mown”) stands in the line of modern Icelandic black metal associated with Svartidauði, Sinmara, and Misþyrming, combining a dense atmosphere with focused, forward-driving songwriting.
FORSMÁN: V. – bass, vocals H. – guitar O. – guitar, vocals M. – drums
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