All devotees to progressive, technical, and melodic death metal, tune in. Liminal Shrines, the second LP from Toronto-based quartet GUTVOID, is now streaming in its entirety, preceding its release on Profound Lore Records this Friday.
GUTVOID was formed by guitarist Daniel Bonofiglio and guitarist/vocalist Brendan Dean, followed shortly thereafter by bassist Justin Boehm and drummer D. W.Lee. Blending modern death and doom soundscapes with progressive rock and metal songwriting foundations, GUTVOID creates a monster seething with gut-wrenching riffs, cavernous vocals, and prog virtuosity. With the release of the Astral Bestiary EP in 2019, the debut album Durance Of Lightless Horizons in 2022, and the Breathing Obelisk EP in 2024, the band has continued to build on their sound, focusing on more elaborate yet intentional song structures while deepening the depth of their aggressiveness and technicality.
Now, GUTVOID delivers their incinerating second album, Liminal Shrines, which marks the first half of a two-part concept. Writhing with energy, the album showcases the band at their most intricate, aggressive, and creative thus far, further expanding and building on their cosmic horror infused atmospheres and origins through six immersive and devastating movements. Liminal Shrines was recorded at Boxcar Sound Recording, Mount Wexler Studio, and Dystonic Sounds, was mixed and mastered by Greg Dawson and BWC Studios, and features cover art by Kjell Åge Meland.
Immerse yourself in the world of GUTVOID and listen to the rapturous Liminal Shrines, now streaming at YouTube RIGHT HERE.
Liminal Shrines will be released on LP, CD, and digitally this Friday, March 20th. Preorders and presaves can be placed via Profound LoreHERE.
photos by Junaid Malik
GUTVOID will record the sister album to Liminal Shrines in the months ahead.
Debut festival edition expands to three stages as new ticket prices take effect
Szczecin, Poland; 19 March 2026: Hells Bells Festival continues its build-up toward 26-27 June 2026 with a dual band announcement and a major logistical expansion.
The festival has confirmed Northern Ireland thrashers Gama Bomb and Polish blackened punks Owls Woods Graves, while also revealing that the event will now span three distinct stages at the Plac Gryfitów site.
Gama Bomb are widely known for their speed, technicality, and fun-filled, high-octane live shows. Fans in Szczecin should prepare for a masterclass in headbanging as the band brings their signature “thrash metal bomb” to the Łasztownia waterfront. The band’s latest release is the EP “Necronomicon Automaton”.
The bill is further bolstered by Owls Woods Graves, a project conceived by The Fall & E.V.T. Their unique sound, self-described as “haunted woods hardcore”, blends black metal with raw punk energy and macabre storytelling inspired by witches and the Devil. The band is currently promoting their third album, “Strix”.
In a significant move for the festival’s scale, organisers have also confirmed that Hells Bells 2026 will now feature three stages. This expansion allows for a more diverse range of sounds and ensures that the performances are more spread out across the schedule, reducing time pressure and providing a better experience for both the artists and the audience.
Gama Bomb and Owls Woods Graves join an already stacked line-up that includes the likes of Dirkschneider, Grave Digger, Cockney Rejects, UK Subs, Vader, Possessed, Discharge, NunSlaughter, Furia, Dead Congregation, Last Resort, Dezerter, The Materia, Belzebong and Słoń.
As previously announced, the festival has entered its next pricing tier. This pool of tickets will be available only until 31 May 2026 (or until sold out): Full Weekend Pass (PLN 409), Friday Ticket (PLN 199), Saturday Ticket (PLN 229). The festival also continues to offer the discounted Youth Pass (ages 13-18) and Family Pass (adult with child under 13).
It Echoes In The Wild, the bizarre and unhinged second album by Vancouver-based black/death metal entity EGREGORE, will be released this Friday, through the formidable roster of 20 Buck Spin, who today unveils the entire album for advance streaming.
Here we find ourselves, among the Canadian miscreants EGREGORE – uniting members of Mitochondrion, Reversed, Ruinous Power, formerly of Auroch, and more, whereupon they return from whence the wind howls like a damned choir and the Earth knows no master, to chart a broader sonic wilderness via It Echoes In The Wild. And much as sea-rogues and freebooters sought fortune upon blackened waters, so too does EGREGORE venture musically into diabolic and ungoverned lands.
Presenting something more expansive, elemental, and untamed on It Echoes In The Wild, the early occult black death metal lunacy of EGREGORE embraces atmospheric breadth equally alongside primitive force to delve deep into not only geographic wilds, but the psychological, esoteric and spiritual hinterlands at the edges of complete madness. Dark invocations and secret tongues draw forth echoes from forest and fen, cave and cliff, tempting the temporally tethered to receive the curse, all the while driven by a primal, unknowable sardonic menace.
Though the voyage be perilous, to succumb to It Echoes In The Wild is to become ensconced in a lawless dominion of the soul in service of a higher call. Mirroring nature’s unbridled forces and the hidden echoes that dwell within, EGREGORE’s second album takes the band’s mystical insanity and magical perversion to the edge of the abyss and plunges forward.
It Echoes In The Wild was engineered and recorded by Mariessa McLeod, mixed and mastered by Arthur Rizk (Blood Incantation, Dream Unending, Tomb Mold), and completed with cover art by Luciana Lupe Vasconcelos, illustration and layout by Dipayan Das, and logo by Karmazid. The result is an album prime for fans of Nocturnus, Morbid Angel, King Diamond, Samael, Superstition, Angelcorpse, Mortuary Drape, Necrophobic, Absu, and The Chasm.
From the EGREGORE cult: “There is no sight apart from the seen; no feeling beyond the felt; no independent capacity for knowledge outside of what is known.
“Self: a confluence of cause and condition. Consciousness: a triangulation of pre-requisite factors. When this is understood, there is no longer any boundary as to where you end and the infinite begins. Everything is connected. This is the word of the law, and it echoes in the wild.”
Sustain the malefic howl of EGREGORE’s It Echoes In The Wild early on YouTube RIGHT HERE, and view the videos for “Stair Into The Vortex” HERE and “Servants Of The Second Death” HERE.
20 Buck Spin will release It Echoes In The Wild on LP, CD, and digital platforms this Friday, March 20th. Preorders can be placed at the label webshop HERE and Bandcamp HERE.
Furthermore, effective immediately, EGREGORE is pleased to announce a partnership with Waste Management Bookings for all live engagements. Stand by for updates.
Album guests: Dylan Atkinson aka Exodus To Unukalhai – additional lead guitar Cuillen aka Axis i Arcana – vocals Lillian Liu aka Jaded Castigator of the Baleful Communion – lead synth Brayden Turenne aka Oracular Phantasm – electronics, ambient interludes Mashruk Huq aka Voice of the Dweller – spoken word on “Corsairs Of The Daath Gulf”
Time To Kill Records is proud to announce the signing of Italian death metallers CHRONIC HATE, who will release their highly anticipated new album, Defeating The Oblivion Of Life, through the label.
Born from a band seasoned by over two decades of experience, the album clearly draws inspiration from the classic ‘90s death metal sound, with a nod to bands like Monstrosity and early Sinister, while updating these influences just enough to create a record that goes beyond mere homage. The songs are built around intricate, well-constructed riffs, impressive technical skill without descending into empty showmanship, and a subtle atmospheric layer that occasionally hints at blackened currents.
Defeating The Oblivion Of Life inaugurates a significant new chapter for CHRONIC HATE. The album thrusts listeners into the extreme spirals of death metal through a mature fusion of different influences and compositional approaches. Its sound is driven by a solid and devastating production, achieved in the tradition of the genre with 100% acoustic drums and real amplifiers.
Lyrically, the album is an act of rebellion against a world that seeks to condemn our lives to oblivion, submerging us in distractions and waste, reducing us to a dehumanized herd. The songs alternate between crude, direct verses and more intimate, lacerating, and personal passages, delivering undeniable emotional power and authenticity.
Formed in 2001 in Northeast Italy, CHRONIC HATE have built a strong presence in the European metal scene, performing alongside bands such as Obituary, Suffocation, Misery Index, Destruction, Hideous Divinity, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Pungent Stench, Disharmonic Orchestra, Severe Torture, Nero di Marte, Sadist, Impiety, Noctem, Tortharry, Doomas, and many more.
They have appeared at festivals including Tolminator Metalfest 2024 (Slovenia), Gothoom Fest 2023 (Slovakia), Morphing Fest 2023 (Czech Republic), Metaldays Fest 2015 (Slovenia), Eresia Metalfest 2019 (Italy), as well as several smaller events across Italy, Poland, Austria, Czech Republic and Slovenia.
Line-up:
Andrea – Vocals Daniele – Guitars / Backing Vocals Massimo – Guitars Marco – Bass Nicolas – Drums
Technical death metal architects ALLEGAEON have unveiled a lyric video for “Imperial.” The track comes off the band’s latest full-length, The Ossuary Lens, out now on Metal Blade Records.
The video comes in advance of the band’s upcoming US tour supporting Obscura. The journey has already begun on Friday, March 13th in Los Angeles, California and runs through April 4th in San Jose, California. Additional support will be provided by Cryptosis and labelmates Cognitive. See all confirmed dates below.
ALLEGAEON w/ Obscura, Cognitive, Cryptosis:
3/13/2026 Whisky-A-Go-Go – Los Angeles, CA
3/14/2026 The Rock – Tucson, AZ
3/15/2026 Rockhouse Bar And Grill – El Paso, TX
3/16/2026 Come And Take It Live – Austin, OK
3/17/2026 89th Street Collecive – Oklahoma City, TX
3/18/2026 Haltom Theater – Haltom, TX
3/19/2026 House Of Rock – Corpus Christi, TX
3/21/2026 The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
3/22/2026 Chapel Of Bones – Raleigh, NC
3/23/2026 Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA
3/24/2026 The Meadows – Brooklyn, NY
3/25/2026 Space Ballroom – Hamden, CT
3/26/2026 Photo City Music Hall – Rochester, NY
3/27/2026 Mercury Music Lounge – Lakewood, OH
3/28/2026 The Sanctuary – Hamtramck, MI
3/29/2026 The Forge – Joliet, IL
3/30/2026 Warehouse On Broadway – Kansas City, MO
3/31/2026 Black Sheep – Colorado Springs, CO
4/01/2026 Aces High Saloon – Salt Lake City, UT
4/02/2026 Club Underground – Reno, NV
4/03/2026 Goldfield Trading Post – Roseville, CA
4/04/2026 The Ritz – San Jose, CA
TheOssuary Lens serves as ALLEGAEON’s seventh full-length overall, but it’s the first to feature the return of original vocalist Ezra Haynes since his 2015 departure following the Elements Of The Infinite album. The record was recorded with producer Dave Otero at Flatline Audio studio in Denver. It marks the sixth album recorded with Otero. It’s of no surprise then that the sound on The OssuaryLens pummels the listener, though the ferocity is balanced by the overt melodies. It’s the most triumphant and cohesive body of work that they’ve ever laid down.
DEICIDE – HEADLINING SHOWS & FESTIVALS w/ support from Rotting Christ & Immolation:
4/09 – Baton Rouge LA – Chelsea’s Live 4/10 – Houston TX – White Oak Music Hall 4/11 – San Antonio TX – Vibes Event Center 4/13 – Las Vegas NV – Fremont Country Club 5/01 – Reading PA – Club Reverb* 5/03 – Albany NY – Empire Live 5/07 – Daytona Beach FL – Welcome To Rockville # 5/14 – Columbus OH – Sonic Temple After-Party 5/22 – Tucson AZ – The Rialto #^ 5/23 – El Paso TX – Rockhouse Bar & Grill # 5/24 – Albuquerque NM – Sunshine Theater # 5/26 – Little Rock AR – The Hall #
WHITECHAPEL is pleased to announce their return to European shores in January 2027. They will be joined by Sylosis, labelmates 200 Stab Wounds, and Tribal Gaze.
Comments WHITECHAPEL’s guitarist Alex Wade: “We are excited to announce the Burn Forever European Tour 2027. This will mark a long overdue full European headlining run featuring some of the sickest names in modern metal. On the mainland Europe dates, we will be headlining while all of the UK dates we will be coheadlining with Sylosis with them closing. We look forward to seeing everyone out there, new fans and old, don’t miss it!”
Later this month, WHITECHAPEL will join Slaughter To Prevail for a month-long North American tour with several one-off headlining shows scattered throughout. In May, the band will appear at Welcome To Rockville and Sonic Temple festivals before playing a trio of headlining dates with support from labelmates Entheos as well as Tracheotomy, and Mauled. See all confirmed dates below.
WHITECHAPEL w/ Slaughter To Prevail, Attila: 3/21/2026 The Pinnacle – Nashville, TN 3/22/2026 The Pageant – St. Louis, MO 3/23/2026 The Midland Theatre – Kansas City, MO 3/25/2026 The Fillmore Auditorium – Denver, CO 3/27/2026 The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT 3/28/2026 Revolution Concert House – Boise, ID 3/29/2026 Paramount Theatre – Seattle, WA 3/30/2026 Roseland Theater – Portland, OR **Off-date w/ I Declare War, Misery Whip, Eartheater 4/01/2026 Channel 24 – Sacramento, CA 4/02/2026 Hollywood Palladium – Los Angeles, CA 4/03/2026 SOMA – San Diego, CA **Off-date w/ Carnifex, Rev3rent 4/04/2026 Brooklyn Bowl – Las Vegas, NV 4/06/2026 Tulsa Theater – Tulsa, OK 4/08/2026 The Coca Cola Roxy – Atlanta, GA 4/09/2026 The NorVa – Norfolk, VA **Off-date w/ Inter Arma, Üga Büga 4/10/2026 Franklin Music Hall – Philadelphia, PA 4/11/2026 The Fillmore – Silver Spring, MD 4/12/2026 Roxian Theatre – Pittsburgh, PA 4/14/2026 Hammerstein Ballroom – New York, NY 4/15/2026 The Palladium – Worcester, MA 4/16/2026 Wally’s – Hampton, NH **Off-date w/ Blood Tithe, Iron Gate 4/17/2026 L’Olympia – Montreal, QC 4/18/2026 HISTORY – Toronto, ON 4/20/2026 Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom – Chicago, IL 4/21/2026 Vibrant Music Hall – Waukee, IA 4/22/2026 Myth Live – Minneapolis, MN End Tour 5/10/2026 Welcome To Rockville – Daytona Beach, FL *festival date 5/14/2026 Sonic Temple – Columbus, OH *festival date w/ Entheos, Tracheotomy, Mauled: 5/11/2026 Club LA – Destin, FL 5/12/2026 2 Minglewood Hall – Memphis, TN 5/13/2026 Headliners Music Hall – Louisville, KY
WHITECHAPEL w/ Sylosis, 200 Stab Wounds, Tribal Gaze: 1/22/2027 Hellraiser – Leipzig, DE 1/23/2027 Batschkapp – Frankfurt am Main, DE 1/24/2027 Trix – Antwerp, BE 1/26/2027 The Academy – Dublin, IE * 1/28/2027 SWG3 Galvanizers – Glasgow, UK * 1/29/2027 Electric Ballroom – London, UK * 1/30/2027 Manchester Academy 2 – Manchester, UK * 1/31/2027 O2 Academy – Bristol, UK * 2/01/2027 XOYO – Birmingham, UK * 2/03/2027 Trabendo – Paris, FR 2/05/2027 Sala Lab/Wagon – Madrid, ES 2/06/2027 Razzmatazz 2 – Barcelona, ES 2/07/2027 Rayonne – Lyon, FR 2/09/2027 Magazzini Generali – Milan, IT 2/10/2027 Z7 Konzertfabrik – Pratteln, CH 2/12/2027 Live Music Hall – Cologne, DE 2/13/2027 Große Freiheit 36 – Hamburg, DE 2/14/2027 Tivoli Vredenburg – Ronda – Utrecht, NL 2/16/2027 Roxy – Prague, CZ 2/17/2027 Arena – Vienna, AT 2/19/2027 Backstage – Munich, DE 2/20/2027 Metropol – Berlin, DE 2/21/2027 Amager Bio – Copenhagen, DK 2/23/2027 Rockefeller – Oslo, NO 2/24/2027 Fallan – Stockholm, SE 2/26/2027 Tavara-asema – Tampere, FI 2/27/2027 Aeeniwalli – Helsinki, FI 2/28/2027 Helitehas – Tallinn, EE 3/01/2027 Spelet – Riga, LV 3/02/2027 Progresja – Warsaw, PL *Coheadlining with Sylosis
In conjunction with the European tour announcement, WHITECHAPEL unveils their new video for “Nothing Is Coming For Any Of Us,” from their critically lauded Hymns In Dissonance full-length.
Watch WHITECHAPEL’s “Nothing Is Coming For Any Of Us” video HERE.
WHITECHAPEL’s Hymns In Dissonance finds the band reinventing themselves, going darker, deeper, and heavier than ever before. The record earned the #2 position on Billboard’s Current Hard Rock Albums chart, #3 on Independent Label Current Albums chart, #4 on the Current Rock Albums chart and #7 on the Digital Albums chart upon its first week of release.
Hymns In Dissonance is available now on CD, vinyl, and digital formats.
Watch WHITECHAPEL’s previously release videos for “Prisoner 666” HERE, “Hymns In Dissonance”HERE, “A Visceral Retch”HERE, and “Hate Cult Ritual”HERE.
WHITECHAPEL: Phil Bozeman – vocals Ben Savage – lead guitar Alex Wade – rhythm guitar Zach Householder – guitar Gabe Crisp – bass Brandon Zackey – drums
American death metal pioneers SIX FEET UNDER will unleash their Next To Die full-length on April 24th through Metal Blade Records.
Next To Die marks a new creative high for SIX FEET UNDER, its dozen songs marking the band’s fifteenth album since 1995’s Haunted. “It started out as an album full of death metal songs with speed and aggression,” says guitarist Jack Owen. “Then [vocalist] Chris [Barnes] had the brilliant idea to keep half of those death metal songs and add some groovier songs in the vein of the early SIX FEET UNDER material. Chris emphasized tempo, so keeping with the beats per minute for early SFU classics, I wrote a side of tasty groove-laden music with Chris doing all the lyrics.”
The creative collaborative approach sees Next To Die essentially broken down into two different sides – Death and Groove – resulting in an aural masterwork that satisfies SIX FEET UNDER as artists, while also offering something for every fan.
The record was produced by Owen and Barnes and mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis of MRL Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, and follows 2024’s Killing For Revenge. It’s the third record that Barnes and Owen have created together since reuniting in 2017. “We don’t discuss lyrical themes, we each write what we’re feeling,” explains Barnes. “We each just write what we find interesting.”
SIX FEET UNDER was initially formed as a side project for Barnes during his final years with the band that he co-founded, Cannibal Corpse. It became the frontman’s sole focus in 1995, coinciding with the release of their debut, Haunted. The current lineup of Barnes, Owen, lead guitarist Ray Suhy, bassist Jeff Hughell, and drummer Marco Pitruzzella make for a devastating unit.
Watch SIX FEET UNDER’s lyric video/visualizer for “Unmistakable Smell Of Death” HERE.
That sonic devastation shines on lead single, “Unmistakable Smell Of Death,” which sees Owen owning his blast and fast riffs with dynamic pull-offs and stop sections. “This song began musically before I had any lyrical ideas in mind,” says Owen. “I dug through my riff archive for some blast and fast riffs and updated them with some pull-offs and stop sections. The middle section riffs were also from my riff archive. I do scratch leads on my demos, but Ray always does a much better job with the leads.”
“Lyrically, I’m writing from the perspective of a killer who toys with a victim and unties them, allowing them to fight. He underestimates their ability to fight, and they get the better of the killer, ultimately impaling and beheading him. The ‘Unmistakable Smell Of Death’ is now that of the killer!”
Next To Die comes swathed in the cover art of Sandy Rezalmi and will be released on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:
180g Black (US) Red w/ Black Smoke (US) Bone Brown Marbled (EU – Ltd. 500) Blue Grey Marbled (EU – Ltd. 300) Blood Splatter (EU – Ltd. 300) Bone White Green Splatter (EU – Ltd. 200)
SIX FEET UNDER will return to stages this Summer on a North American headlining tour. Set to begin on July 8th in Detroit and run through August 11th in Chicago, the tour features support from Kataklysm and Wormhole.
Comments Barnes, “July and August are gonna get ultra brutal on our headlining tour of North America in support of our new album Next To Die, with our old friends in Kataklysm, and special guests Wormhole. Very psyched to get back on the road in the States, and really, really looking forward to playing Canada on this tour. I think it’s our first time in Canada in decades… You do not want to miss these shows! See you all this Summer!”
The North American journey will follow the band’s previously announced European headlining tour this June, with support from Embryonic Autopsy.
Presales begin Thursday, March 12th password: GRAVE. General on sale date is Friday, March 13th. See all confirmed dates below.
SIX FEET UNDER w/ Kataklysm, Wormhole: 7/08/2026 Sanctuary – Detroit, MI 7/09/2026 Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON ^ 7/10/2026 Fairmount – Montreal, QC ^ 7/11/2026 Overflow – Ottawa, ON ^ 7/12/2026 Palladium Upstairs – Worcester, MA 7/13/2026 Space Ballroom – Hamden, CT 7/14/2026 Gramercy Theatre – New York, NY 7/15/2026 Broken Goblet – Bensalem, PA 7/16/2026 Chapel of Bones – Raleigh, NC 7/17/2026 Albatross – Jacksonville, FL 7/18/2026 Culture Room – Fort Lauderdale, FL 7/19/2026 Conduit – Orlando, FL 7/21/2026 Scout Bar – Houston, TX 7/22/2026 Come and Take It Live – Austin, TX 7/23/2026 Jake’s – Lubbock, TX 7/24/2026 Lauter Haus – Farmington, NM 7/25/2026 Nile – Phoenix, AZ 7/26/2026 1720 – Los Angeles, CA 7/27/2026 Strummer’s – Fresno, CA 7/28/2026 Cornerstone – Berkeley, CA 7/29/2026 Goldfield – Roseville, CA 7/30/2026 Shredder – Boise, ID * 7/31/2026 Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR 8/01/2026 El Corazon – Seattle, WA 8/02/2026 Rickshaw – Vancouver, BC ^ 8/04/2026 Arrowhead – Calgary, AB ^ 8/05/2026 Starlite Room – Edmonton, AB ^ 8/06/2026 Black Cat – Saskatoon, SK ^ 8/07/2026 Park Theatre – Winnipeg, MB ^ 8/08/2026 Skyway Theatre – Minneapolis, MN 8/09/2026 The Annex – Madison, WI 8/10/2026 Madison Theater – Covington, KY 8/11/2026 Reggies – Chicago, IL
No Kataklysm ^ Kataklysm headlines
European Tour w/ Embryonic Autopsy: 6/03/2026 Mystic Festival – Gdańsk, PL 6/04/2026 Franz – Berlin, DE 6/05/2026 Pitfest – Maastricht, NL 6/06/2026 Gebäude 9 – Cologne, DE 6/07/2026 The Garage – Saarbrücken, DE 6/10/2026 Colosseum – Košice, SK 6/12/2026 Nova Rock- Nickelsdorf, AT 6/13/2026 A38 – Budapest, HU 6/14/2026 Orto – Bar Ljubljana, SI 6/16/2026 Kaminwerk – Memmingen, DE 6/17/2026 Backstage Halle – Munich, DE 6/19/2026 Colo-Saal – Aschaffenburg, DE 6/20/2026 Graspop Festival – Dessel, BE 6/21/2026 Hellfest – Clisson, FR 6/23/2026 Logo – Hamburg, DE 6/24/2026 Copenhell – Copenhagen, DK 6/26/2026 Basinfire Festival – Spálené Poříčí, CZ 6/27/2026 Abyss Festival – Hauteville, CH
SIX FEET UNDER: Chris Barnes – vocals Jack Owen – guitars Marco Pitruzzella – drums Jeff Hughell – bass Ray Suhy – guitars
Milwaukee (WI) – A new Blackened Death Metal entity has formed. Featuring veterans of the Milwaukee metal scene, RELIC is set to release their debut EP, Crown of Flies, April 3rd, on CD and digital formats.
Delivering Death Metal’s dissonant punishing riffage with Black Metal’s relentless chaotic speed, RELIC builds a new monument on the foundation of those that came before. Comprised of seasoned Milwaukee metal scene veterans with a history of making tight and focused music.
Their debut EP, Crown Of Flies, is a blistering slab of Midwest 90s Blackend Death Metal worship. Delivered with malintent for its listeners. No frills, no scene drama, or gimmicks used by so many bands today. Pure underground Death Metal that is in your face and out for blood.
Band Photo Credit: K Pro Creative
RELIC:
Kevin Forsythe (Jungle Rot, Emblazoned) – Guitar / Bass
Jeff Plewa (Micawber, Emblazoned) – Vocals
Alex “Pulverizer” Pulvermacher (Decrescent, Emblazoned) – Drums
Vinny Alvarez (A Night At The Chalet, Slam Pig) – Guitar
Credits:
Recorded at Belle City Sound in Racine WI, November 2025. Produced by Chris Wisco. Mixed and Mastered by Billy Diamond.
Italy’s FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE are preparing to shroud stages across North America in their haunting, symphonic-infused death metal and have unveiled a series of headline dates for this spring. This follows the announcement that the band will be joining AVATAR on their “Don’t Go in the Forest 2026” tour with guests FROZEN SOUL.
The band comments, “Could we come to North America and completely forget Dallas (TX), St. Louis (MO), Albany (NY), or let our Canadian friends in Montreal (QC) down? Of course we could not! That’s why we have added four exclusive headlining shows alongside the massive spring trek supporting Avatar this April and May. Expect a longer setlist, a bigger production, and some extra surprises! Our Texan friends FROZEN SOUL will be joining us for these dates, so you know exactly what to do. See you there folks!”
2026 Headline Dates: 4/21 – Dallas, TX – Granada* 4/27 – St. Louis, MO – Red Flag 5/17 – Albany, NY – Empire Live 5/18 – Montreal, QC – Beanfield Theatre
2026 Tour Dates with AVATAR and FROZEN SOUL: 4/16 Sacramento, CA Channel 24 4/17 Los Angeles, CA Novo 4/19 Tucson, AZ Rialto Theater 4/20 Albuquerque, NM Revel 4/22 San Antonio, TX Aztec 4/23 Oklahoma City, OK Criterion 4/25 Omaha, NE Steelhouse Omaha 4/26 Des Moines, IA Val Air 4/28 Lawrence, KS Liberty Hall 4/29 Moline, IL The Rust Belt 4/30 Grand Rapids, MI GLC Live at 20 Monroe 5/1 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Club Stage 5/2 Fort Wayne, IN The Clyde 5/4 Huntsville, AL VBC Mars Music Hall 5/5 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle 5/6 Knoxville, TN Mill & Mine 5/7 Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues 5/8 Daytona Beach, FL Welcome to Rockville 5/10 Raleigh, NC The Ritz 5/12 Richmond, VA The National 5/13 Philadelphia, PA Franklin Music Hall 5/14 Columbus, OH Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival 2026 5/15 New York, NY Palladium Times Square 5/16 Buffalo, NY Buffalo Riverworks 5/19 Wallingford, CT The Dome 5/20 Hampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach Casino
Opera Track – Listing: 1. Ode to Art (De’ Sepolcri) 2. I Can Never Die 3. Pendulum 4. Bloodclock 5. At War With My Soul 6. Morphine Waltz 7. Matricide 8.21 8. Per Aspera Ad Astra 9. Till Death Do Us Part 10. Opera
The song is also available on the usual streaming platforms, including Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music.
Four LPs deep and a slew of EPs behind them, COGNIZANCE show no signs of restraining the pace of unrelenting inventive riffs and razor-sharp grooves. In Light, No Shape is a masterful Progressive Death Metal opus, rich in texture and atmospheric detail, delivering everything long-time listeners crave while channeling the mid-90s technical extremity of Death, Extol, and Meshuggah. This time, the band deliberately fractures the conventions of modern extreme production, opting instead for a more organic and visceral mix that sharpens the defining traits of their work.
In Light, No Shape marks the first lineup shift in a decade, as the band sharpen from a quintet to a quartet with founding guitarist Alex Baillie stepping forward as vocalist while retaining guitar duties, following the 2023 departure of founding vocalist Henry “Big Mac” Pryce.
Band Photo Credit: Nadine Geuter
Line-up:
Alex Baillie – Guitar/Vocals Apostolis Karydis – Guitar Chris Binns – Bass David Diepold – Drums
“This record is a defining milestone for us. Taking on vocals has pushed us to re-engineer how we experiment with the blend of elements in our sound, unlocking new creative pathways to compliment the core identity of the band. What you will hear are four dudes all adding their flavours to the melting pot to create a body of work that felt completely natural to us.”
Mix and Master by Ronnie Björnström (AEON, BLOOD RED THRONE). Artwork by Jef Whitehead (NAILS, LEVIATHAN). Produced by Alex Baillie and Apostolis Karydis. Photography by Nadine Geuter.
Inspired by classic Japanese monster films and Lovecraftian mythology, DISSENTIENCE are left to fend for themselves and escape a destructive, nameless beast in their latest release Kaiju. Based out of Bethlehem, PA, the progressive death-thrash unit unleash a devastatingly brutal onslaught accompanied with their humorous take on a B-movie video style, available HERE.
“While we take the music side of DISSENTIENCE very seriously, the Kaiju video was a great excuse to have some fun with the whole concept.” The band shares. “The last thing the world needs is another ‘band in a warehouse’ or ‘live on stage’ music video, so we wanted to do things a little differently. Keeping the monster off-screen, we leaned into the B-Movie aspect of our inspiration as it seemingly picks us off one by one. Running around on a freezing day in northeast PA was absolutely brutal, but Sarah from Novro Studios absolutely nailed the edit and made all the frostbite worth it!”
“Kaiju” is the title track and narrative climax of their newly released four-track concept EP. The song’s lyrics describe grotesque scenes of bloodshed and helplessness, as the unseen terror rips through the last remnants of resistance. Sonically, brutal gutturals, riffs and rhythmic fury build with intensity throughout as the sense of urgency and impending doom escalates.
Kaiju was produced by the band alongside Corey Pierce, the record was engineered by Matt Menafro at Peach Pie Sound, mixed by Zeuss, and mastered by Alan Douches. The music video for “Kaiju” was shot and edited by Sarah Novroski & Novro Studios. The full EP is released independently and available on digital and CD formats.
Kaiju – Track-list:
Obsidian Tomb
Chaos Absolute
Kaiju
Death Shroud
About DISSENTIENCE:
Formed in 2013 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, DISSENTIENCE is a progressive death-thrash metal band that combines the technical precision of death metal with the relentless energy of thrash.
The lineup features Connor Valentin on guitar and vocals, James Vitale on guitar, Sean Langer on bass, and Nick Scherden on drums. Known for their intense live performances and refusal to be confined to a single subgenre, the band continuously pushes their sound in new directions. Their music balances chaos and melody while exploring dark themes through a modern lens.
After releasing their debut EP Mask of Pretense in 2018 and their full-length album Empire Anatomy in 2022, DISSENTIENCE returned with the concept EP Kaiju in 2026.
With just three months to go until their first-ever appearance at Maryland Deathfest, Kansas-based death metal horde UNMERCIFUL has announced a very special guest for this monumental performance.
Joining the band on vocals will be none other than James “Freight Train” Lee, widely recognized for his crushing performances on Origin’s landmark albums III, Echoes of Decimation, and Antithesis. Lee’s unmistakable intensity and legacy within extreme metal make this collaboration a historic moment for both the band and fans alike.
With Lee on stage, fans can expect a set of unmitigated ferocity and precision. One that won’t soon be forgotten.
In addition, drummer Andy Vincent (Morgue Defilement) will be stepping in behind the kit while UNMERCIFUL skin-basher Trynt Kelly continues to navigate health issues.
UNMERCIFUL is currently booking additional performances surrounding Maryland Deathfest. The band is slated to appear on MDF’s Marketplace & Power Plant Live stage on Sunday, May 24. More dates to be announced soon.
The band’s newest album, Devouring Darkness, marks a new era of relentless violence and sonic brutality! With ten tracks of scorching intensity and distorted vengeance, the album is filled with blistering blast beats, intricate kick drum patterns, and destructive riffing.
Devouring Darkness is out now on CD, digital, and vinyl formats on Willowtip Records.
Chicago (IL) – Progressive Tech-Death stalwarts, GIGAN, have announced the West Coast Sonic Invasion Tour 2026! The tour launches April 30 in San Diego and includes an appearance at Northwest Terror Fest on May 9.
Willowtip Records label mates, Barren Path, will perform on four dates.
Tour Dates are as follows:
April 30 – San Diego, CA (Banshee) with Barren Path/Cave Bastard/Genestealer/Cataract Stare
May 1 – Long Beach, CA (Que Sera) w/ Barren Path/Teeth/Morgue Breath
May 2 – Bakersfield, CA (Jerry’s Pizza) with Cave Bastard/tba
May 3 – Los Angeles, CA (Slipper Clutch) w/ Cave Bastard/tba
May 4 – Sacramento, CA (Cafe Colonial) w/ Barren Path/Oceans of Ash/tba
May 5 – Oakland, CA (Thee Stork Club) w/ Barren Path/Horse Butcher/tba
May 6 – Palmdale, CA (Transplants Brewing) w/ tba
May 9 – Seattle, WA (Northwest Terror Fest)
May 10 – Vancouver, Canada (Astoria) w/ tba
Anomalous Abstractigate Infinitessimus, GIGAN‘s first album in seven years, was released October 25, 2024 on CD, Ltd edition CD long box, vinyl, cassette, Ltd edition four-album cassette boxset, and digital formats via Willowtip Records.
Since 2005, GIGAN has been an unsung vanguard of abstract and creatively dissonant extreme metal. Pushing boundaries and never compromising the artistic vision throughout the debut EP and subsequent four full-length albums has led GIGAN to be considered an unwavering force of both innovation and extremity.
It has been almost seven years since GIGAN has released new music and the time spent away has only honed and sharpened the still-deadly blades of creativity for which GIGAN has always been known; while also infusing fresh elements not yet heard within the GIGAN Universe. The results of GIGAN’s current hard work is the new beast of an album entitled AnomalousAbstractigate Infinitessimus.
Australian death/thrash duo BATTLEGRAVE are set to return with their third and most devastating full-length release to date.
Enslavement delivers 10 tracks of unbridled and vitriolic, death-laden thrash metal. This relentless barrage of calculated venom, intense riffing, and punishing rhythmic precision further cements the band’s reputation for uncompromising extremity.
Lyrically tied to themes of violence and aggression, Enslavement weaves an interlocking narrative of a subterranean demon harvesting human souls to satiate its unending hunger. This conceptual core adds a sinister layer beneath the album’s sonic brutality.
Fans can experience a sample of what’s to come with the album’s first single, “Bonesaw.”
The band comments on the song: “Bonesaw’ delivers an aural assault on the listener, with all the power of a screwdriver plunged into the eardrum. Delving into the world of dismemberment, the track lyrically focuses on the evolution of medical tools in forensic pathology and features razor sharp riffage, a chaotic drum performance, two skin ripping solos and a vocal attack aimed directly for the jugular. Prepare to be taken apart piece by piece with the bonesaw.”
Watch the official music video for “Bonesaw” here.
The album was recorded by Clint Patzel of BATTLEGRAVE, mixed by Tim Shearman and mastered by Logan Mader. Session drums by Robin Stone.
Track-listing: 1) Soul Chasm
2) There Is Only Death
3) Bonesaw
4) Eyes Of Enslavement
5) Venom
6) The Grand Machine Of Despair
7) Asylum
8) Marked By Evil
9) Under The Banner We March
10) US Outpost 31
Line-up:
Rohan Buntine – Vocals, Lyrics
Clint Patzel – All Strings
BAND BIO:
BATTLEGRAVE are a two-piece death/thrash project from Melbourne, Australia, formed in 2017 following the release of their debut demo track, “Mortar Fire,” which quickly generated strong underground buzz.
The duo followed with the EP To Hellwith War (2017) and full-length albums Relics of a Dead Earth (2018) and Cavernous Depths (2022, via Bitter Loss Records), establishing a reputation for blending savage thrash intensity with punishing death metal weight. Their releases have received consistent acclaim across the global metal press and airplay on international radio platforms.
While primarily a studio-driven force, BATTLEGRAVE have also brought their music to the stage, recruiting respected musicians from Melbourne’s metal scene to deliver their blistering sound in a live setting.
Throughout their discography, the project has collaborated with world-class drummers including Kevin Talley, 66Samus, and most recently Robin Stone, further reinforcing the precision and power behind the band’s extreme sonic identity.
Baltimore Black Metallers, Nixil, and Portland Black/Death quartet, Drouth, will hit the road in May for the Toward Dead Temples West Coast Tour 2026.
The bands will be touring in support of their forthcoming split LP, Toward Dead Temples, which is set for an April 24th release on vinyl, cassette tape, and digital formats. Stay tuned, album details coming soon!
Tour dates are as follows:
May 7: Seattle, WA – Neumos (Northwest Terror Fest) May 8: Eugene, OR – John Henry’s May 9: Redding, CA – The Dip May 10: Sacramento, CA – Cafe Colonial May 12: Los Angeles, CA – The Moroccan Lounge May 13: San Diego, CA – Tower Bar May 14: Palmdale, CA – Transplants Brewing May 15: Santa Rosa, CA – Arlene Francis Center May 16: Eureka, CA – Savage Henry Comedy Club May 17: Portland, OR – The High Water Mark
April 30 – Worcester, MA • Palladium Upstairs May 1 – Brooklyn, NY • Brooklyn Monarch May 2 – Baltimore, MD • Baltimore Soundstage May 3 – Philadelphia, PA • Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest – Philly 2026 May 5 – Atlanta, GA • Masquerade (Hell) May 7 – Houston, TX • White Oak Music Hall May 8 – Dallas, TX • The Studio May 9 – Austin, TX • Come and Take It Live May 12 – Los Angeles, CA • The Regent May 13 – San Diego, CA • Brick By Brick May 14 – Berkeley, CA • Cornerstone May 16 – Portland, OR • Hawthorne Theater May 17 – Seattle, WA • El Corazon May 20 – Denver, CO • Oriental Theater May 22 – Minneapolis, MN • Fine Line Music Cafe May 23 – Chicago, IL • Bottom Lounge May 24 – Detroit, MI • Crofoot Ballroom May 25 – Cleveland, OH • The Grog Shop May 26 – Pittsburgh, PA • Preserving Underground May 27 – Toronto, ON • Lee’s May 28 – Montreal, QC • Fairmount Theatre
Nameless Grave Records is proud to announce the signing of LIVIDUS, a project that stands at the crossroads of progressive black, death, and avant-garde metal. Anchored by the incredible vocal presence of Uta Plotkin (ex-Witch Mountain), the band will release their debut full-length, Scarabaeus, on April 17, 2026.
The album marks a significant return for Plotkin, showcasing her trademark seamless interplay between clean, emotive singing and punishing screams. Joining her in the current iteration of the band is an elite lineup of the Portland underground featuring Christy Cather (Ludicra), Rob Shaffer (Uada, Dark Castle), and Michael Thompson (ex-Silver Talon).
Produced, mixed, and mastered by Keith Merrow at Merrowsound Studios, Scarabaeus eschews modern trends for a weird approach reminiscent of the adventurous spirit found in Voivod, Hammers of Misfortune, and the progressive peaks of Death, Nevermore, and Emperor.
“LIVIDUS is the exploration of the unexpected,” the band states. “We wanted to bridge the gap between the melodic and the dissonant, using the viola and Uta’s vocal range to tell a story of endurance and the aftermath of trauma. This is heavy metal at its most eccentric.”
“We are stoked to be hitting the road in March to celebrate the 10th Year Anniversary of our album Evolution Of Evil. Join us and catch a special set list of old and unreleased tracks. We will have special VIP upgrades available for this tour!”
Grab advanced tix and VIP upgrades now!!
3.17 – Lincoln, NE at Witches Brew 3.20 – Reno, NV at Club Underground 3.21 – Las Vegas, NV at Vegas UnAlive Festival w/ Decrepit Birth 3.22 – Salt Lake City, UT at Aces High Saloon 3.24 – Denver, CO at The Roxy 3.26 – Cedar Rapids, IA at Black Hole 3.27 – Kansas City, MO at SK8 Bar 3.28 – Sioux Falls, SD at Club David
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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