Iron Fortress Records presents the inaugural IRON FORTRESS DEATH FEST 2025, a full day of death metal depravity featuring a sample of the Iron Fortress label roster that is taking place in October.
The IRON FORTRESS DEATH FEST is a label showcase that highlights the supreme debauchery of what Iron Fortress Records has to offer and includes sets by Decedent, Chorus Of Demons, Hamarr, Swampgrave, Dysmorphia, 1 Body 6 Graves, Scab Hag, Ripped Open, Pissrot, Cell Intruder, Ectospire, and Cryptual.
IRON FORTRESS DEATH FEST will take place Saturday, October 18th at The Black Circle in Indianapolis, Indiana, beginning at 2:00pm. Tickets will be $30 day-of the event, but can be acquired for $20 in advance.
Ben DePaoli, sole owner and operator of Iron Fortress Records and this event, states, “It’s time to gather into the inner sanctum of the Iron Fortress and explore its stench ridden corridors! IRON FORTRESS DEATH FEST was put together to showcase the Iron Fortress Records label roster, which is chock full of young and underground death metal bands eager for bloodshed. I can’t wait to gather all these incredible bands into one cavernous day of death metal. Come hang out, watch some brutality, mingle with the bands and I, throw back some demon juice, and headbang until you need a pain pill for your newly formed spinal injury!”
View the full IRON FORTRESS DEATH FEST lineup below. Tickets are available now at THIS LOCATION.
IRON FORTRESS DEATH FEST Lineup: October 18th, 2025: Decedent Chorus Of Demons Hamarr Swampgrave Dysmorphia 1 Body 6 Graves Scab Hag Ripped Open Pissrot Cell Intruder Ectospire Cryptual
The neoclassical melodic death force known as BURNED IN EFFIGY is set to unleash their newest razor-edged assault.
Rising from the heart of the Midwest metal scene, this Chicago-based quintet has announced a fall release for their much-anticipated second full-length, Tyrannus Aeternum. Following the 2022 release of their debut album, Rex Mortem, BURNED IN EFFIGY has sharpened their sound to a lethal edge. The result is an 11-track onslaught that blends the band’s skillful musicianship and technicality with volcanic brutality.
An early glimpse into the conceptual and sonic intensity of Tyrannus Aeternum comes with the album’s first single, “Befouled Benefaction.”
Tyrannus Aeternum is set for release on October 31. Pre-orders are coming soon.
Track-list:
1) Befouled Benefaction
2) Retribution
3) Masquerade
4) Procession
5) Wage of Exile
6) Sacrificial Seance
7) Monstrosity Reborn
8) Gallows Hymn
9) The Racking
10) Crown Crusher
11) Citadel
Tyrannus Aeternum was recorded at Beal Audio and Bricktop Recording, with production, engineering and mixing by Jordan Beal. Orchestration and keyboards on the album were provided by Graham Southern. Album artwork by Timon Kokott.
Line-up:
Mark “Smedy” Smedbron – Vocals Steve Bacakos – Guitar Mike Hisson – Guitar Matt Watkins – Bass Eddie Dec – Drums
Band Bio:
BURNED IN EFFIGY’s roots date back to 2017. In January 2022, the band independently released its debut album Rex Mortem, which was highly acclaimed by leading heavy music media and led to the band sharing the stage with iconic acts such as ORBIT CULTURE, OBSCURA, and REVOCATION.
A must for listeners of acts such as THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER and INFERI, with the band’s attention to virtuosity and intensity in equal measure, the effort and accomplishment of the band’s debut led to being talent scouted. With work on the band’s sophomore album complete, BURNED IN EFFIGY aims to take its signature melodic death metal sound across the US, and in time, the world. The search for total conquest continues.
Finland’s I, Cursed, who combine angry and furious death metal and grindcore, will release a new Heretical Onslaught EP on September 11th 2025. The EP will be released in cooperation with Finnish record labels Inverse Records & Meara Music which is also an agency and event producer based in Ulvila.
The band comments: “Nothing From The Ruins is, as its name suggests, Brevity is the Soul of Wit. Nothing From The Ruins clocks in at barely a minute, being the EP’s most instant chaos in all its brutality.”
Music & lyrics composed & written by Ville-Veikko Laaksonen
Produced & arranged by I, Cursed
Engineered by Ville-Veikko Laaksonen, Nico Brander & Jesse Simola
Recorded at Firefield Avenue & Soft Neon Audiovisual Studio Mixed & mastered by Jerkka Perälä
EP cover by Jerkka Perälä
I, CURSED – Heretical Onslaught (EP 2025)
Track list:
Malignant
Impure
Nothing From The Ruins
Disfigurement
Funerary
Loss
Swarm
Death Pays It All
BIOGRAPHY: Combining angry and furious death metal and grindcore, I, Cursed, from the Pori / Ulvila area, is a brutal dredging of Ville-Veikko Laaksonen and Eero Haula, known from Atlases, Marto and Oceanwake, among others, which is fed to the Finnish metal scene in an atonal coldness.
I, Cursed’s music is a mix of something old and familiar, the HM-2 sound of Swedish grind, and somewhat more modern and crushing production. The line-up of the band in July 2024 was completed by guitarist Nico Brander from Marto and drummer Arttu Leppänen from Atlases and Marto. FFO Coldworker, Gadget, Nasum & Rotten Sound.
Ireland’s MALTHUSIAN unearths their deathly opus, The Summoning Bell, today via Relapse Records!
On The Summoning Bell, MALTHUSIAN‘s fetid hallmarks are ever present: truly unforgiving, unrelenting death metal. Swirling chords and ominous cymbal swells give way to the band’s opener “Red, Waiting.” What follows is a flurry of murk and madness – blastbeats pummel against churns of distortion. The sonic atmosphere cultivated by MALTHUSIAN‘s palpable fury is suffocating; each riff carefully crafted to push and pull on the momentum behind their music. The Summoning Bell is undeniably a pitch-black take on the genre.
The Summoning Bell is a lighting of the pyre – each of the album’s tracks explore themes of true nothingness, condemnations of superstition, and a profound descent into darkness and time. The end result is a record that seemingly reconciles with a dimming internal and external, a true end of everything.
CEMETERY • 2025 Photo credit: Matthias Heilmeier [ All visual copyrights belong to the respective owners ] Logo credit: Cemetery
Great album by the 1990 founded band
Tragic abysmal, brute charismatic songs
A timeless old school gem of the genre
LINE-UP: Dani Zizek • Guitars, Vocals Markus Heilmeier • Guitars Stefan Hendel • Bass Tobias Kasper • Drums
“Thoughts On Life… And Death” by German OLD SCHOOL DEATH METAL grail keepers CEMETERY is a 50-minute concept album about the rise of a totalitarian regime and the downfall of the individual.
Front manDani Zizekreveals: “‘Grief, Anger And Despair‘ is probably the most aggressive track on the album. I wrote it during a time when I was reflecting on state power, injustice, and the loss of control. What happens when justice no longer serves the truth, but political interests? When people who resist simply disappear? I wanted to put that helplessness into sound. Musically, it’s four and a half minutes of pure rage – frantic drumming, razor-sharp riffs, no breathing space. The video, created by Matthias Heilmeier, captures that exact atmosphere. He managed to translate the bleak and oppressive mood of the song into raw and powerful images, intense, dark, and absolutely uncompromising.”
The band says: “We have put everything we have into it. Our whole heart, our experience, our knowledge and our skills. But it’s not just about us. From the stunning artwork by Silvio Fiorese (acrylic on canvas… no AI!) to the lush, heavy but transparent production created by Sergej Dukart at Walzwerk recording studio. This is our ‘opus magnum’! The biggest and best of CEMETERY you’ve ever heard!”
It begins with “Thoughts On Life”. A no-frills, short and fast opener in which Jim briefly shares his thoughts and fears with us.
“Among The Dead”, a classic old school Death Metal tune in which Jim perceives a creeping change in society.
“Grief, Anger and Despair”: The judicial system judges according to political guidelines. Despair spreads. Accompanied by crazy drumming and string work at the highest level. In the band’s opinion, the most aggressive song on the album.
“Physical Fear”. Do you know the feeling of feeling fear as “materialized”? Jim finds out when he is arrested with many others in a deadly street revolt. Musically packed in a sluggish stomper at the beginning, with a sprawling instrumental part in the middle.
“Nothingness” introduces the second part of the album as a short, classically tinged intermezzo. From here it becomes “different”. More willing to experiment.
“Lock The Doors To Your Mind”: Jim, now imprisoned, doubts his sanity and what has happened. This song contains all the styles that distinguish CEMETERY and is considered the band’s new calling card, so to speak.
It continues with “Believe”. Here, Jim is kindly but firmly told in an interrogation that it is time for him to give up his individualism and subordinate himself to the official “truth”. Musically ultra fast at the beginning, the piece transitions into a very quiet part to take a breath for what follows.
This is followed by “Truth A”. The official, only valid truth. Jim sits alone in a bare, cold interrogation room. A voice from a croaking loudspeaker mounted to the wall announces the verdict on him. The later court hearing is to take place only as a show trial. The number is mainly an instrumental which becomes more and more oppressive towards the end, leaving the paths of classic Death Metal far behind.
Now we reach the “grande finale” of the album. You have maybe 11 minutes to give yourself oppressive, psyche-gnawing Doom Death? The song never gets fast and explodes in desperate beauty in the second part. Jim has now undergone several brutal torture interrogations and is left to die in a dark, windowless dungeon. He escapes into his thoughts and longs for a little human warmth, but knows that he will die alone. What remains for him is his dignity, which he desperately clings to until his last breath. The song is called “Thoughts On Death”.
Artwork by Silvio Fiorese | CD + Digital Release: Aug. 08, 2025
TRACKS: 01. Thoughts On Life 02:54 02. Among The Dead 04:24 03. Grief, Anger And Despair 04:23 04. Physical Fear 06:01 05. Nothingness 02:16 06. Lock The Doors To Your Mind 06:00 07. Believe 05:56 08. Truth “A” 06:34 09. Thoughts On Death 11:13
total: 49:41 min.
DISCOGRAPHY: 1991 • Cemetery • Demo 1993 • Enter The Gate • Demo 2014 • Enter The Gate (Discography 1991-1993) • Compilation 2019 • The Last Day On Earth • Full-length 2019 • Enter The Gate (Re-release) • Full-length 🆕 2025 • Thoughts On Life… And Death • Full-length
The unrelenting force of diabolical Black Death Metal, BELPHEGOR, returns with a blazing new single: “Sanctus Diaboli Confidimus.” Forged in chaos and crowned in blasphemy, the track marks a savage invocation of what is yet to come.
This release marks BELPHEGOR’s first under their freshly inked deal with Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM), setting the stage for a powerful alliance between one of extreme metal’s most revered entities and one of the scene’s most ambitious new labels.
Helmuth, the band’s co-founder and guiding force, shares: “It’s great to be working with Gerardo Martinez once again. He believed in Belphegor early on and was the one who brought us to North America in 2006. I look forward to a powerful new chapter with RPM.”
Gerardo Martinez, co-founder of RPM, echoes the sentiment: “Helmuth, Belphegor and I go back to 2006 and I’m extremely thrilled to be able to continue working with one of the best proponents of Black Death Metal art. Welcome to RPM! Here’s to many more years of great music!”
On “Sanctus Diaboli Confidimus,” Helmuth describes: “A symbiosis of diabolical Black Death Metal. A glorification of the Devil. A hypnotic anthem of passion, fire and iron discipline. It stands for the absolute freedom to walk your own path, to reign within your own realm.”
More ominous creations are on the horizon, with this single serving as a harbinger of the full-length devastation yet to be revealed.
“Satan’s Sword (I Have Become)” Visualizer Now Playing + Preorders Available
Polish extreme metal legends BEHEMOTH will reissue their stunning Pandemonic Incantations full-length this September.
Originally released in 1998, Pandemonic Incantations marked a crucial turning point in BEHEMOTH’s evolution from their early black metal roots into the more complex, aggressive fusion of black and death metal that would define their later work. With this third full-length, the Polish horde expanded both sonically and thematically, offering a darker, more layered sound while continuing to sharpen their lyrical focus on occultism, anti-dogma, and self-deification.
Now, over twenty-five years later, Metal Blade Records proudly presents a definitive reissue of Pandemonic Incantations, available September 12th. The expanded edition features seven bonus tracks, including the Bewitching The Pomerania EP and rare rough mixes.
A twenty-page booklet dives deep into the album’s legacy with archival photos, liner notes, and brand-new interviews reflecting on the record’s lasting impact. The reissue also features new cover art by Eliran Kantor, paying tribute to the original artwork while reimagining it through a contemporary lens.
Offers band founder Nergal, “Pandemonic Incantations marked a significant leap forward in our evolution. It was a milestone made possible by overhauling the lineup and bringing Inferno into the band, it was a game changer. We recorded the best album we could at that point. To this day, I often hear from fans who say it’s their favorite BEHEMOTH record. Even the sonic imperfections don’t overshadow the mature arrangements and solid song writing. I’m still very proud of it.”
This reissue is not just a nod to BEHEMOTH’s past — it is a vital piece of extreme metal history, reborn for longtime fans and new listeners alike.
Watch the band’s “Satan’s Sword (I Have Become)” visualizer HERE.
BEHEMOTH’s Pandemonic Incantations reissue will be released as a 2xCD digibook and digitally as well as 2xLP in the following color variants:
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions are set to unleash the new release from Philadelphia’s disgusting Death Metal devastators Caesarean. Wretched Decrepitude is up now for pre-order and will be released September 12th on CD and Digital formats, along with merch.
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions proudly welcomes Caesarean to the roster with their debut EP Wretched Decrepitude! Formed in Philadelphia in 2024, Caesarean plays Death Metal with influences ranging from 80’s Teutonic Thrash to 90’s Deathgrind. Wretched Decrepitude projectile vomits 6 tracks of brutal riffs, technical drums, thunderous bass, and a disgusting tri-vocal attack. Mastering for Wretched Decrepitude handled by Impaled’s Leon Del Muerte.
Stream TITHE’s “The Fruits Of Spiritual Apartheid” HERE.
Portland, Oregon-based TITHE will deliver their demoralizing third LP, Communion In Anguish, this September through Profound Lore Records, today unveiling the album’s details including its lead single, “The Fruits Of Spiritual Apartheid.”
TITHE draws influence from many dimensions of ominous, extreme music and themes to manifest their distinctive, hypnotic, grinding, death metal. Comprised of vocalist/guitarist Matt Eiseman, vocalist/bassist Alex Huddleston, and drummer Kevin Swartz, the trio converges to create an arrangement even larger than the sum of its parts.
photo by Christy Cather
Expanding upon their acclaimed 2023 released Inverse Rapture LP, with Communion In Anguish, TITHE amps up the aggression and doubles down on the unrelenting atmosphere of its predecessor. The new addition of Alex Huddleston’s lower register growls combines with Eiseman’s distressed wails and Swartz’ driving rhythms to push the band into new sonic territory. Featuring artwork by Mitchell Nolte and produced/engineered by Keith Merrow at Merrowsound Studios, Communion In Anguish is the culmination of TITHE’s previous work, and it delivers with a honed and lethal sound.
With the harrowing first preview of Communion In Anguish, “The Fruits Of Spiritual Apartheid,” the band states, “‘The Fruits Of Spiritual Apartheid’ tells the timeless story of mankind embracing idealistic beliefs to justify genocide and endless wars. Religious dogma and blatant racism conveniently dehumanize perceived enemies and diminish their suffering. Murder them all and steal their land. Build your temples and homes on the blood-soaked shallow graves of the innocent.”
TITHE’s harrowing “The Fruits Of Spiritual Apartheid” can now be streamed on all platforms found HERE.
Communion In Anguish will be released on LP, CD, MC, and digitally on September 19th. Find links to all preorders and presaves via Profound Lore Records HERE.
Additional previews of the album are to be expected shortly.
Communion In Anguish – Track Listing:
Nostrum
At The Altar Of Starving Children
Ostiary
The Fruits Of Spiritual Apartheid
Infected Blood
Shallow Grave Of Karmic Retribution
Burn The Throne Of God
TITHE is busy booking West Coast tour dates in support of the album, including a hometown show on September 18th with Conan and Mares Of Thrace, with much more to be announced shortly.
With the release of their new album on the horizon, CASTRATOR has launched a stream of “Fragments of Defiance,” the second single off of Coronation of the Grotesque.
Three years after their crushing debut Defiled in Oblivion, CASTRATOR returns with Coronation of the Grotesque, an album that not only exceeds all expectations but leaves them shattered in its wake, firmly cementing the band among the North American death metal elite.
Lyrically, Coronation of the Grotesque explores a range of historical and societal themes that reflect on injustice, victimization, and human suffering. Among the topics confronted are the tragic killing of Mahsa Amini, the ancient Sumerian practice of eunuchization, and seething condemnation of predator Naasón Joaquín García. Clarissa Badini’s exceptional vocals elevate the lyrics, delivering a powerful and precise expression of the album’s themes.
Dark Descent Records will release Coronation of the Grotesque August 15 on CD, vinyl, cassette, and digital formats. Pre-orders are now live at:
Watch the official music video for the album’s first single, “Covenant of Deciept,” (filmed by Immolation’s Bob Vigna) at youtu.be/dfih-aAsgVs?si=qoDDubtMnIaBE3Po
Photos credit: Ashley Taylor
CASTRATOR: Robin Mazen – Bass Carolina Perez – Drums Clarissa Badini – Vocals Sara Loerlein – Guitars
In December, the band will join the likes of Acid Bath, Blood Incantation, and more at the Decibel Magazine Metaland Beer Fest. The fest runs December 5 – 6 at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, CO, with the pre-fest set for December 4 at Ratio Beerworks. CASTRATOR will perform on December 5. Get the full lineup and tickets at this location.
Coronation of the Grotesque was recorded across multiple studios with key figures in the US death metal scene. Bass recording was engineered by John Tardy (Obituary) at Redneck Studios, guitars and vocals by Jordan Milner at Obsidian Audio, additional guitars by Taylor Nordberg (Deicide) at Smoke and Mirrors Productions, and drums by Noah Buchanan (Nunslaughter) at Mercinary Studios, where Buchanan also handled mixing and mastering. Cover art by John Zig.
Touring with the likes of Immolation, Exhumed, and Cattle Decapitation has cemented CASTRATOR’s reputation as a commanding live force, and concert announcements in support of Coronation of the Grotesque are imminent.
UK death metal architects INGESTED are pleased to welcome deathcore behemoths Distant and Crucifiction to their previously announced North American headlining tour this Fall! Evisceratour 2025 runs from November 6th in Fresno, California through December 6th in Pomona, California. Additional support will be provided by Ov Sulfur and Cell.
Drummer Lyn Jeffs comments,“Bringing Distant and Crucifiction on board rounds out a lineup we’re genuinely excited about. Alongside Ov Sulfur and Cell, this tour represents some of the most crushing and forward-thinking heavy bands out there right now. We can’t wait to get back out to North America and deliver these shows.”
Tickets are on sale now at ingested.co.uk. See all confirmed dates below.
INGESTED w/ Distant, Ov Sulfur, Cell, Crucifiction: 11/06/2025 Full Circle Brewing Co. – Fresno, CA 11/07/2025 Goldfield – Roseville, CA 11/08/2025 Dante’s – Portland, OR 11/09/2025 El Corazon – Seattle, WA 11/11/2025 Rickshaw Theatre – Vancouver, BC 11/13/2025 Dickens – Calgary, AB 11/14/2025 Starlite Room – Edmonton, AB 11/15/2025 Black Cat – Saskatoon, SK 11/16/2025 Park Theatre – Winnipeg, MB 11/18/2025 Skyway Theatre (Studio B) – Minneapolis, MN 11/19/2025 X-Ray Arcade – Cudahy, WI 11/20/2025 The Stache – Grand Rapids, MI 11/21/2025 The Hub – Kitchener, ON 11/22/2025 27 Club – Ottawa, ON 11/23/2025 La Source de la Martinière – Quebec City, QC 11/25/2025 The King of Clubs – Columbus, OH 11/26/2025 Preserving Underground – Pittsburgh, PA * No Ov Sulfur 11/28/2025 Black Circle – Indianapolis, IN 11/29/2025 The End – Nashville, TN 11/30/2025 Red Flag – St. Louis, MO 12/02/2025 Wave – Wichita, KS 12/03/2025 Beer City Music Hall – Oklahoma City, OK 12/04/2025 Launchpad – Albuquerque, NM 12/05/2025 The Rosetta Room – Mesa, AZ 12/06/2025 The Glass House – Pomona, CA
Earlier this year, INGESTED introduced their reinvigorated lineup with a savage standalone single, “Altar Of Flesh.” Watch the video HERE.
Additionally, the band recently released a live studio session playthrough. Filmed in December 2024 at The Arch Recording Studio in Southport, UK, the session features two crushing tracks from the INGESTED back catalog — “Impending Dominance” (from Where Only Gods May Tread, 2020) and “Invidious” (from The Level Above Human, 2018). Watch the video HERE.
A longer live session will be available soon via the Metal Blade Records YouTube channel. Stay tuned.
INGESTED: Josh Davies – vocals Sean Hynes – guitars, backing vocals Lyn Jeffs – drums Andrew Virrueta – guitars, backing vocals Thomas O’Malley – bass
Death metal juggernauts CASKET ROBBERY and GORGATRON have officially kicked off their co-headlining Northern Destruction tour. To mark the occasion, they’ve teamed up with metal-friendly eateries in select cities to unleash exclusive culinary creations that match the intensity of their live shows.
Toronto, ON – “The Northern Destruction Sandwich” at Slayer Burger
A beast of a bite: BBQ brisket, black and white sesame bun, pickled hot peppers, beet chutney, crispy shallots, and a fierce house-made destruction sauce. Available at Slayer Burger.
Denver, CO – “Casket Ro-Birria” at Brutal Poodle
This birria grilled cheese is a molten tribute to the pit: rich, spicy, and unapologetically heavy. Grab it while it lasts before CASKET ROBBERY and GORGATRON annihilate the stage at HQ.
These exclusive eats are part of the Northern Destruction experience, bringing brutal flavor to an already crushing lineup featuring special guests FRONTAL ASSAULT.
The full list of tour dates is as follows:
7/24 Minneapolis, MN @ Zhora Darling
7/25 Milwaukee, WI @ X Ray Arcade
7/26 Menomonie, WI @ Zymurgy Brewing
7/27 West Chicago, IL @ WC Social Club
7/28 Toronto, ON @ The Cave
7/30 Thunder Bay, ON @ Black Pirates Pub
7/31 Winnipeg, MB @ Sidestage
8/1 Saskatoon, SK @ Black Cat Tavern
8/2 Drumheller, AB @ Loud As Hell Fest
8/4 Missoula, MT @ The Show Room at the ZACC
8/5 Salt Lake City, UT @ Aces High Saloon
8/6 Denver, CO @ HQ
8/7 Rapid City, SD @ Abys
8/8 Sioux Falls, SD @ Downtown Sioux Falls @ Four Winds Music and Art Fest
8/9 Cedar Rapids, IA @ Iowa Metal Underground Fest
Obey the sickness within the flesh and witness the carnage yourself…
Finnish death metal force MALFORMED have unleashed debut full-length album, Confinement of Flesh, on U.S. label Dark Descent Records and European label Extremely Rotten Productions. The album is available on LP, CD, cassette, and digital formats.
Confinement of Flesh is a violent blend of classic American death metal, characterized by the brutality and musicianship of the genre’s originators; mixed with the gloominess of their Finnish contemporaries. MALFORMED draws influence from the eerie atmosphere that early Finnish death metal bands established and made a hallmark of the national scene.
From heavy grooves to frenzied blast beats, Confinement of Flesh pushes their sound even further. It’s a more refined and mature continuation of their earlier work, sure to satisfy existing fans and attract new ones. The album was recorded by MALFORMED, produced and engineered by Felix Pennanen (Disguised Malignance), and mastered to perfection by Lasse at Ballade Studios.
MALFORMED: Eetu Hyvönen – Lead Vocals & Guitars Akseli Lindroos – Guitar Pauli Niemi – Bass & Vocals Jani Seppi – Drums
Confinement of Flesh features an ominous cover painting by Icelandic artist Skadvaldur, offering a perfect visual representation of the darkness found within the album’s sound. This highly anticipated debut cements MALFORMED as one of the most promising bands in today’s death metal scene.
Formed in 2022 in the Finnish capital of Helsinki, MALFORMED released their debut demo Uncontrollable Malformity, digitally that same year. It was later picked up for physical release by U.S. record label Rotted Life and distributed worldwide.
The demo also led to a record deal and a follow-up EP with Danish underground death metal label Extremely Rotten Productions. The Gathering of Souls, released in 2023, further expanded the band’s international reach and led to several shows outside of Finland.
Plus some special headline shows and dates with Dying Fetus
We’re coming back to Europe and the UK in August for appearances at a handful of festivals, including Bloodstock and Summer Breeze! We’re also playing a few headline shows and a couple of dates with our old friends in Dying Fetus.
Our new self-titled album is, of course, out now. Order your copy, pick up new merch, and watch our latest videos at https://www.riversofnihil.com. Get ready to hear a bunch of these tunes live next month.
For those of you in the US and Canada, we’ll have a special announcement for you soon as well!
August 02 Rasnov, ROM – Rockstadt Extreme Fest August 04 Belgrade, SER – Basta KST-A (with Dying Fetus) August 05 Kosice, SLO – Collosseum (with Dying Fetus) August 06 Jaromer, CZE – Brutal Assault August 07 Leipzig, GER – Naumanns (headline show) August 09 Kortrijk, BEL – Alcatraz August 10 Catton Park, UK – Bloodstock August 11 London, UK – The Black Heart (headline show) August 13 Saarbrucken, GER – Garage (headline show) August 14 Dinkelsbuhl, GER – Summer Breeze August 15 Sulingen, GER – Reload August 16 Cudrefin, SWI – Rock The Lakes August 17 Eindhoven, NET – Dynamo Metalfest
Canadian death metal stalwarts LAST RETCH return with their most explosive material yet: the second full-length album Abject Cruelty, set to be released on September 26th 2025 via Time To Kill Records.
Hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, LAST RETCH have been hard at work crafting a new chapter that promises to command the attention of underground death metal fans worldwide. Blending the bulldozer-like march of war masters Bolt Thrower with the bone-crushing stomp of Cannibal Corpse at their most muscular, the band has forged a sound that’s primed for the chaos of the pit and the raw aggression of the genre’s most punishing traditions.
Abject Cruelty stands as a testament to LAST RETCH’s dedication to relentless riffing and unflinching heaviness.
The first single “In the Polder They Reek” is available now:
Finlay Blakelock – Vocals Matt Fyke – Bass Spencer Robson – Drums Derek Brzozowski – Guitar John Russell – Guitar
The band commented:
“The track is about a swamp-dwelling murderer who constructs a polder in his bog to conceal the bodies of his victims. Over time, the corpses rot and break down, emitting a disgustingly potent gas that envelopes his abode. As the years pass, he begins to feel remorse for his many atrocities. Over time, guilt for his crimes begins to consume him and he turns to inhaling the putrid fumes as a means of escape. In his intoxicated state, the urge to kill resurfaces, trapping him in an endless cycle murdering for the high, again and again”.
Album Artwork: Fernando Rojas B. (Abismo Black Arts).
German/Swedish Blackened Death Metal band, Shadows, present the official video for “Delivered From Sin,” the third single from forthcoming debut album, Miseria. Get your fix at: youtu.be/Y0pmCPSXAxQ
Shadows will unleash Hell with Miseria on August 29! Featuring former members of such notable acts as Visceral Bleeding, The Berzerker, Enshrined, and Ominous, the quartet now proudly presents nine songs of unrelenting misanthropy.
“Miseria aims to explore the vast uncaring nothingness and explore the dread of our futile existence. If you are looking for release or redemption you won’t find them here.The album is unmistakably rooted in the Scandinavian black and death metal but delivers it with its own signature. It is crushing and suffocating but also melodic and solemn.”
Dejan Milenkovits – Vocals & Guitars Martin Bermheden – Guitars Andreas Holm – Bass Joél Cirera – Drums
Album Credits:
Recorded by Dejan Milenkovits & Filip Gäddnäs. Mixed and produced by Dejan Milenkovits & Mathias Lodmalm. Mastered by Dejan Milenkovits & Mathias Lodmalm. Session drums by Filip Gäddnäs. Additional vocals by Mathias Lodmalm. Guest solo on “Lamia” by Robert Ahrling. Guest solo on “Delivered From Sin” by Andreas Hedberg.
Dublin-based death metallers MALTHUSIAN are pleased to share their “Eroded Into Superstition” single. The track is taken from their impending deathly opus, The Summoning Bell, set for release August 8th via Relapse Records.
On their highly anticipated new album, MALTHUSIAN‘s fetid hallmarks are ever present: truly unforgiving, unrelenting death metal. Swirling chords and ominous cymbal swells give way to the band’s opener “Red, Waiting.” What follows is a flurry of murk and madness – blastbeats pummel against churns of distortion.
The sonic atmosphere cultivated by MALTHUSIAN‘s palpable fury is suffocating; each riff carefully crafted to push and pull on the momentum behind their music. The Summoning Bell is undeniably a pitch-black take on the genre.
The Summoning Bell is a lighting of the pyre – each of the album’s tracks explore themes of true nothingness, condemnations of superstition, and a profound descent into darkness and time. The end result is a record that seemingly reconciles with a dimming – internal and external, a true end of everything.
Listen to “Eroded Into Superstition” on YouTube HERE or all streaming services HERE.
Watch MALTHUSIAN’s previously released video for “The Summoning Bell,” directed by Ray K Media, HERE.
The Summoning Bell will be released on 2xLP, CD, and digital formats. Find preorders at Relapse.com HERE.
PUSTULANT FLESH is about to make the sewer seem scenic with their first major release – Gurgling Pustulence. This raw and rotten debut drops August 8th, via Extremely Rotten Productions.
Formed in 2022 and strengthened with an additional guitarist in 2024, this Copenhagen-based death grind outfit delivers a sickening and uncompromising sound live. Raw, rotten, and relentlessly filthy, Gurgling Pustulence is an auditory dissection with clear roots in classic grind and death metal, ranging from Blood Duster to Exhumed and Carcass.
The band has unleashed the first single off of Gurgling Pustulence, a ravenous cadaver march titled “March of the Ravenous Dead.” Stream this brutal procession of blast beats, flesh-eating riffs, and cemetery atmosphere now at: pustulant-flesh.bandcamp.com/album/gurgling-pustulence
Track-listing: 1) Beyond Lobotomy 2) Cadaver Creation 3) March of the Ravenous Dead 4) Dødsangst 5) A Single Muscle Twitches as I Wrest my Blade from your Gut to your Throat and Leave you Dying, Helpless and Alone 6) Carrion Offspring 7) Gurgling Pustulence
The EP was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Benjamin “Polle” Radtleff at Radtleff Recordings, who captured the band’s raw and putrid expression with sharp precision and maximum foulness.
PUSTULANT FLESH: Mike Dalsgaard – guitar & vocals Daniel Bror Ditlevsen – guitar Peter Jacobsen – bass & vocals Filip Dursun – drums
Gurgling Pustulence will be released on cassette, CD, and vinyl in three different color variants, marking a putrid new chapter in Danish death metal.
This is not just a debut, it’s a declaration. A vile, slimy, and violent introduction to PUSTULANT FLESH and the decay they bring with them.
Frances’ uncompromising Death Metal vets are releasing a brand new single ‘Born of the Storm’ on all platforms on July 10th, it is also available as a limited edition 7 inch ep of 500 copies worldwide in transparent red vinyl with a scorching rendition of Slayer’s ‘Evil has no boundaries’ on side B.
By all accounts, a 40 year career for a music artist is quite of an achievement, notably for an extreme metal band travelling through all the evolutions as regards to music consumption and business in general, and who still sound undeniably as fierce, powerful and more ferocious than ever!
LOUDBLAST recently celebrated such 40th anniversary by playing 4 legendary sold out shows in their native town Lille, in the north of France.
How many bands out there had been playing death metal for that long? How many have helped kick-start a whole movement and are still around to tell the tale? How many have put out such universally-praised albums in the 90s like Disincarnate or Sublime Dementia and are still active these days? You do the math. But while you’re at it, LOUDBLAST and their undisputable leader Stéphane Buriez are keeping themselves busy moving forward, as ever. And their ninth full-length Altering Fates And Destinies issued in November 2024 saw them reaching another level of sophistication, while at the same time, returning more than ever at the very roots of their craft.
The limited edition ‘Born of the Storm’ 7inch in transparent red vinyl is available HERE (comes with a free patch)
Discography: 2024 – Altered Fates and Destinies* 2020 – Manifesto. * 2017 – III Decade Live Ceremony (CD/DVD) * 2014 – Burial Ground * 2011 – Frozen Moments between life and Death * 2009 – Loud, Live & Heavy (DVD) 2009 – Original Album Classics 2004 – Planet Pandemonium 2000 – Legacy Video Live 2000 – A Taste Of Death 1999 – Live Submission Tour 1997 – Fragments 1995 – The Time Keeper 1993 – Sublime Dementia * 1993 – Cross The Threshold * 1991 – Disincarnate * 1989 – Sensorial Treatment * 1987 – Licensed To Thrash *
Seattle-based power-infused death-thrash futurists XOTH rise to proclaim the Exogalactic Actuality Tour, with support from Cleveland’s cosmic death dealers, INOCULATION! This marks XOTH’s first full-scale incursion into the uncharted territories of the Midwest and East Coast.
The conquest begins September 17th in the frostbitten lands of Fargo, ND, and culminates October 5th in the mile high stronghold of Denver, CO.
Armed with the otherworldly arsenal of their acclaimed opus, Exogalactic, a record hailed for its labyrinthine precision and galactic vision, XOTH beckons all mortals to bear witness as the veil between realms is torn asunder.
Full itinerary:
Wed 9/17 – Fargo, ND – The Aquarium Thu 9/18 – Minneapolis, MN – Underground Music Venue Fri 9/19 – Portage, WI – Studio 301 Sat 9/20 – Chicago, IL – Reggies Sun 9/21 – Detroit, MI – Sanctuary Mon 9/22 – Youngstown, OH – Westside Bowl Tue 9/23 – Pittsburgh, PA – Green Beacon Gallery Wed 9/24 – Washington D.C. – Pie Shop Thu 9/25 – Brooklyn, NY – The Wood Shop Fri 9/26 – Cambridge, MA – Middle East Sat 9/27 – Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie Sun 9/28 – Harrisonburg, VA – Golden Pony Mon 9/29 – Charlotte, NC – The Milestong Tue 9/30 – Atlanta, GA – Boggs Social & Supply Wed 10/1 – Nashville, TN – Cobra Nashville Thu 10/2 – Indianapolis, IN – Black Circle Fri 10/3 – St. Louis, MO – Moshmellow Sat 10/4 – Kansas City, MO – Minibar Sun 10/5 – Denver, CO – Hi-Dive
For ticketing information, updates, and additional live dates, visit beholdxoth.com.
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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