New album from the multi-instrumentalist comes out April 11
Genre-bending one-man band SAMTAR is set to return with The Bog of Cosmic Delusions. The seventh full-length album by the multi-instrumentalist and songwriter comes fresh off the heels of the acoustic-centric A Second Chapter Made of Wood.
The Bog of Cosmic Delusions stands out as SAMTAR‘s heaviest album to date. With loud and crushing sounds, psychedelic influences, melodic guitars, and grand soaring vocals, this album is sure to satisfy rock and metal listeners alike.
SAMTAR has released three singles from the album. Stream “The Mire,” “Desert Creature” and “Refuse” on Spotify.
The Bog of Cosmic Delusions will be available on digital and limited-edition CD on April 11. Pre-order the album at samtarofficial.com
The Bog of Cosmic Delusions was written, performed, recorded, mixed, and mastered by SAMTAR.
Track-listing:
1. Desert Creature
2. Fickle Fortune
3. All You Ever Wanted
4. Speaker
5. Distant Voices
6. Refuse
7. Destiny is a Lie
8. The Whispers
9. Vicarious Voodoo
10. The Mire
11. Broken Sparrow
12. Drowning the Goddess
SAMTAR, a music-obsessed virtuoso, plies his craft with an unrepentant vigor and passion. Navigating the forests of genre, SAMTAR follows a path to sounds unknown by combining style and influence from all sources. SAMTAR chose to eschew chasing traditional mediums of promotion and instead focused on loving his life through creating music, exploring the outdoors, and translating the ethereal into song. The music SAMTAR creates is human and close, it has a momentum of its own and entreats the listener to be a traveler along the journey to their own peace.
SAMTAR grew up on System of a Down, Nine Inch Nails, The Black Dahlia Murder, Opeth, Sonata Arctica, Muse, Jimi Hendrix, Sublime, and Nirvana. Now he unites these divergent influences with driving bass lines, hook-heavy guitar melodies, powerful vocals, and a healthy dose of synthesizers. He notes some of his biggest vocal influences being from artists like Mike Patton (Mr. Bungle/Faith No More), and Tony Kakko (Sonata Arctica). He also takes inspiration from sci-fi/fantasy films and literature.
Aug. 28 – Louisville, KY @ Iroquois Amphitheater Aug. 30 – Eau Claire, WI @ The Sonnentag Sep. 01 – Paw Paw, MI @ Warner Vineyards Sep. 04 – Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre Sep. 05 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theater & Ballroom Sep. 06 – Rockford, IL @ Coronado Performing Arts Center Sep. 12 – Airway Heights, WA @ Spokane Live Sep. 13 – Idaho Falls, ID @ Mountain America Center Sep. 14 – Boise, ID @ Morrison Center Sep. 17 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Theater at Virgin Hotels Sep. 19 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre Sep. 20 – Phoenix, AZ @ Celebrity Theatre Sep. 21 – Albuquerque, NM @ Revel Entertainment Center Oct. 03 – Carteret, NJ @ Carteret PAC Oct. 04 – Stroudsburg, PA @ Sherman Theater
Vocals, guitars, drums, and bass: The basic elements of all things rock is what DANKO JONES, one of Canada’s most successful hard ‘n’ heavy exports, has represented consistently since their foundation in 1996. Constant radio airplay in leading rock countries around the world, the most dedicated fan bases any band could ever ask for, both at festivals and their jam-packed club shows plus several award considerations – incl. five Juno Award nominations (the Canadian “Grammy”) – throughout their career have cemented their leading role in the rock ‘n’ roll world over and over again.
DANKO JONES manages to unite not only rockers but also music lovers of genres far beyond hard rock and punk, with their rich catalogue consisting of eleven successfully electrifying studio albums so far. Their last nine (!) full-length albums even entered the official German and Swiss album chart (along with multiple other countries).
Now signed to PERCEPTION, a division of Reigning Phoenix Music, one of the fastest growing rock labels in the world, DANKO JONES’ yet-to-be-announced 12th offering was just finished under the watchful eyes of Juno and Grammy Award winning producer Eric Ratz (BILLY TALENT, BIG SUGAR, CANCER BATS etc.), and is tentatively due out in autumn 2025. It was also Ratz who was already involved in the creation process of one of the group’s very early offerings, the EP My Love Is Bold in 1999, as well as some of their most successful studio albums over the years.
Photo credit: Jon Usual | L-R: Rich Knox (drums), Danko Jones (vocals, guitars), John Calabrese (bass)
As mentioned earlier, DANKO JONES has also built a reputation as one of the greatest live bands around. Today, Danko Jones (vocals & guitar), bassist John Calabrese, and drummer Rich Knox are pleased to announce a European tour guiding them across the pond in late 2025, where fans will have a chance to see the first live performances of some of their brand-new songs complementing the band’s already hit-packed set list. All official dates can be found below. More to come.
DANKO comments: “We are excited to be on PERCEPTION. Counting down the days for everyone to listen to our 12th album, and to start playing the new tunes live. In the meantime, enjoy the first single – ‘What You Need’!”
Managing director Jochen Richert states: “Ever since the release of Born A Lion in 2001, DANKO JONES, his management and I have been on this journey together. Wow, nearly 25 years – almost half a lifetime. And yet, DANKO JONES still sounds as fresh and exciting as on day one. But this wild ride is far from being over, and therefore I’m incredibly proud to welcome DANKO JONES to PERCEPTION. I can say with the utmost conviction that the new songs are among the best this unique artist has ever written.”
Aptly titled “What You Need,” DANKO JONES’ PERCEPTION debut single will become available on all streaming platforms on April 4 – just in time for the outfit to kick-off their 2025 festival season at Paaspop (NL). The empowering track can be pre-saved here: https://dankojones.rpm.link/whatuneedPR
Vienna, Austria-based glam metal act Mädhouse has announced their brand new studio album, entitledPlead The Fifth, for a release on July 11, 2025 via ROAR! A music video for a first album harbinger, the band’s latest smashing single “Shotgun Rider”, is now premiering below.
“Plead The Fifth“will be available on CD, limited Vinyl (incl.signed photocard) and in Digital formats, the album pre-sale has just started at:
About their first single release “Shotgun Rider”, guitarist and songwriter Mikky Stixxsays: “There are friends. There are good friends. And there are friends who will stick with you through thick and thin. No matter what happens. Even if you end up in jail. – The devil may care, we run riot lock, stock and barrel!”
Mädhouse was formed in 2017 by Mikky Stixx. Their origins trace back to a spontaneous Hard N’ Heavy show, where 18 rock musicians gathered, leading to the band’s creation. Drawing inspiration from legendary acts like Mötley Crüe, Skid Row, and Ratt, Mädhouse blends the raw energy of classic glam metal with a modern hard rock edge. Their sound is unmistakable. Gritty riffs, anthemic choruses, and an unapologetic attitude that demand attention. Since their debut, the band has continuously evolved while staying true to their wild, rebellious spirit.
Their first album Money Talks Bullshit Walks (2019), introduced their high-energy style, followed by Bad Habits (2021), a more polished and aggressive follow-up. They further refined their sound with Down ‘N’ Dirty (2022), and now, their latest release, Plead The Fifth, slated for a release on July 11th through ROAR, pushes the boundaries even further with heavier riffs, bolder lyrics, and an electrifying presence!
Known for their explosive live performances and larger-than-life stage presence, Mädhouse continues to captivate audiences worldwide. The current line-up features Tommy Lovelace on vocals, Mikky Stixx and Thommy Black on guitars and backing vocals, Rickey Dee on bass, and Bobby B Bastard on drums. Together, they keep the spirit of glam metal alive, delivering high-octane rock that never backs down. With “Plead The Fifth”, they prove once again that glam metal is far from dead — it’s louder, bolder, and wilder than ever. Turn up the volume, join the madness, and let rock ‘n’ roll reign!
Plead The Fifth – Tracklist: 01 – Midnite Fever 02 – We Run Riot 03 – Bring On The Night 04 – Shotgun Rider 05 – Wicked Hearts 06 – Get A Grip 07 – Live And Tease 08 – It’s A Monster In My Head 09 – I’ll See You In My Dreams 10 – Mad To The Bone 11 – Loveplace 12 – I Die Alone 13 – You Got The Tail Down
Watch MISS LAVA’s lyric video for “Under A Black Sun” HERE.
Like distant moons spitting fire, Lisbon, Portugal-based rock unit MISSLAVA forged their new album Under A Black Sun. Carrying a darker and heavier emotional weight than their previous outings, the band’s fifth album is set to be released through Small Stone Recordings on April 25th, today unveiling the record’s first single and preorders.
“It’s a pretty intense record,” says singer Johnny Lee. “Our life experiences over the past years have made us delve into a darker matter. We explored new territories and had a blast creating this album.”
The release of Under A Black Sun will celebrate the band’s longevity, marking their 20th anniversary. It’s sonic flame with many cosmic swirls that urges to be unleashed live. “It has been a hell of a ride since we started rehearsing in a small studio in Lisbon back in 2005,” confirms guitarist K. Raffah. “Having this record come out twenty years later with a partner like Small Stone is the best thing we could wish for. Now we just need to get out there and play these songs live everywhere we can!”
This mystical rite of creation was the first record with drummer Pedro Gonçalves, bringing a heavier vibe to the band. Under A Black Sun was recorded and engineered once again with Miguel “Veg” Marques, who handled the band’s previous record, Doom Machine, produced by MISS LAVA and Marques, mixed by Steve Lehane, and mastered by Chris Goosman.
In advance of the record’s release, today the band unveils, Under A Black Sun’s title track. Comments Lee, “This song is about falling under a dark influence and the duality of this situation. For some, it’s total absence of light, but others manage to orbit around it.”
Watch MISS LAVA’s lyric video for “Under A Black Sun” HERE.
Under A Black Sun includes guest keys on “Blue Sky On Mars,” “Dark Tomb Nebula,” “Elara,” “Evil Eye Of The Witch,” and “Woe Warrior” by Miguel “Veg” Marques, guest vocals on “Elara” by Alexandra Quintas “Bebé,” and artwork by João Filipe.
The record will be released on CD and digital formats as well as limited vinyl. Find all preorders on the official Small Stone Recordings Bandcamp page HERE.
Under A Black Sun – Track Listing:
1. Dark Tomb Nebula
2. Neon Gods
3. Evil Eye Of A Witch
4. Chaos Strain
5. Woe Warrior
6. The Bends
7. Fear In Overdrive
8. I Drown
9. Blue Sky On Mars (Bonus Track – CD/Digi)
10. Elara
11. Under A Black Sun
MISS LAVA: Johnny Lee – vocals K. Raffah – guitars P. Gonçalves – drums Ricardo Ferreira – bass Hugo Jacinto – guitars
Over the years, the band has played live in clubs and festivals in the UK, Spain, Germany, and of course Portugal. MISS LAVA even made a one-off appearance at the legendary Whisky a Go-Go in Los Angeles. The band has shared stages with the likes Of Queens Of The Stone Age, Slash, Graveyard, Ufomammut, Greenleaf, Kyuss Lives!, Fu Manchu, Valient Thorr, Entombed, Truckfighters, and many more. The band, now a five-piece with two guitar players, has confirmed shows throughout the Spring and Summer months with more to be announced in the weeks to come.
MISS LAVA Live: 4/26/2025 Lav – Lisboa, PT w/ Graveyard 4/30/2025 A Cofradia – Vilanova De Arousa, ES 5/01/2025 Grc Amigos De Seixas – Seixas, PT 5/02/2025 Pub Transylvania – Vigo, ES 5/03/2025 O Bar Queiro – Mañón, ES 6/06/2025 Bafo De Baco – Loulé, PT 6/07/2025 TBA – Oliveira De Frades, PT 6/26/2025 Wurlitzer – Madrid, ES 6/28/2025 Chatnoir – Badajoz, ES 7/02/2025 Antwerp Music City – Antwerp, BE 7/03/2025 Pitchers – Düsseldorf, DE 7/04/2025 Rare Guitar – Münster, DE 7/05/2025 Ostpol – Dresden, DE 7/06/2025 Dirty & Dancing – Osnabrück, DE
Artwork • “The Predator“ Jimmy Lindbergh / Mother Misery
Swedish Melodic Heavy Rockers MOTHER MISERY release their brand new single” The Predator” today, March 7th!
The band informs about the new single “The Predator“: “‘The Predator’ was recorded in the same session as our last album ‘From Shadow To Ghost’. We felt the track had a different vibe to the rest of the songs and decided to keep it for a special release. When we invited David ‘DaKe’ Isberg, known for Blood Of Jupiter and as a founding member of Opeth, to add some of his deep growl to the song, it felt complete and even more special. The song has a driving riff, a mellow verse and a melodic chorus, along with a nice breakdown in the middle.”
LINE-UP: John Hermansen • Vocals, Guitar Emil Ström • Guitar, Lead-Guitar Stiff Hell • Bass Jimmy Lindbergh • Drums, Percussions
DISCOGRAPHY: 2004 • Grandiosity • Full-length 2006 • For The Crows • EP 2007 • All Eyes On You • Full-length 2010 • Standing Alone • Full-length 2015 • Deadication • EP 2018 • Megalodon • Full-length 2023 • From Shadow To Ghost • Full-length 2025 • The Predator • Single
Celebrating 15 Years of mountain moshing in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, Armstrong MetalFest unveils its conquering 2025 lineup with BORN OF OSIRIS, HAVOK, GLYPH, RIOT CITY, THE BROWNING, VIRVUM and lots more from across Canada and beyond.
All tickets provide general admission and grant access to the festival grounds, camping area, and arena from 9:00 AM on Friday, July 11, 2025, until 10:00 AM on Sunday, July 13, 2025. Free camping is included.
Tickets will be mailed starting after March 1st if you have chosen the “Ticket Mailed” option.
Hosted on July 11th and 12th in Armstrong, BC at the Hassen Arena, this year’s two days of moshing, headbanging, and camping is a very special one as festival council members comment:
“The band council worked hard on this year’s lineup. I am so excited to have the Browning back. They were amazing on stage. I have been wanting to see Born of Osiris play live for years. I love them, and now I get to see them in my own little town.” – Heather Valstar, Vice President of West Metal Entertainment Society
“I’m really excited about the diversity of this year’s line-up. The selection team has really put in the work. There’s sure to be something for everyone: a great mix of trusted favorites and new additions to your playlist for the rest of the year!” – Kate Kutzner, President of West Metal Entertainment Society
“This year’s festival is a work of art! I can’t believe we are on the 15th year already. Time flies when you’re setting up a festival full of crushing riffs, soaring vocals and down right nasty beats. Life rules, bring on the summer!” – Festival Co-Founder / General Manager – Jessie Valstar.
Headlining opening night, Friday, July 11th, Denver thrashers HAVOK are no strangers to the mosh pits, these veterans have unleashed five studio albums – Burn (2009), Time Is Up (2011), Unnatural Selection (2013), Conformicide (2017), V (2020) – and recently surprised fans this past November with the EP “New Eyes”. Music Video – Death Is An Illusion – https://youtu.be/hkUgz-DeFAo
Also supporting the Friday night stage, the Pacific Northwest’s Glyph (ft. members fromGatekeeper, Greyhawk, Hjelvik), which is not just a heavy metal band, they are a crew of intergalactic mercenaries escaping a dying planet in their spaceship, the VSS Dragonlord. Clearly, Glyph isn’t just writing songs, they’re building worlds and they bring it forth in their latest album “Honor, Power, Glory” released in March 2024. Lyric Video – March of the Northern Clan (feat. Nathan Harrison) – https://youtu.be/htSyUb25wD4
Another highlight for Friday is the screaming heavy metal from Calgary’s speed demons Riot City, who bring forth theirsteel, spikes and leather! A youthful band that represent the new face of Canadian metal. An amalgam of ripping and hot heavy metal, created in pure and youthful madness, they’re bullet belts feature two full lengths “Electric Elite” (2022), “Burn The Night” (2019) and their latest live album “Live in Newcastle” (2023). Album Stream – Electric Elite – https://youtu.be/j3hA1nrG7M0
Saturday, July 12th will be headlined by international tour de force, progressive deathcore titans, Chicago’s BORN OF OSIRIS. The group is signed to Sumerian Records and has released seven full lengths and two EPs. Their album, A Higher Place, reached number 73 on the Billboard 200. Their second full-length album, The Discovery, debuted at 87 on the Billboard 200. The band unveiled their latest single “In Desolation” this past August. Visualizer – In Desolation – https://youtu.be/9OyMRRAq9fI
Also featured on Saturday is AMF alumni Kansas City’s THE BROWNING who will be unleashing their unique eclectic blend of electronicore and deathcore. This past November, they released their sixth album “OMNI” that features 10 powerful tracks, including collaborations with Nik Nocturnal and the eponymous song with THE DEFECT. Music Video – OMNI (feat. THE DEFECT) – https://youtu.be/VhyuduP3MdY
Performing for the first time at AMF and adding to the nostalgia of Saturday night, VIRVUM, progressive / technical death metal all the way from Zürich, Switzerland that many in Canada have been waiting a long time to witness. There’s no better place to see them along with the backdrop of the Canadian Rockies than at AMF 2025. The Cypher Supreme – https://youtu.be/9W9Kp38I9yY
Other to be treasured highlights of this year’s fest not to miss is Montreal, QC up and coming thrashers DROWNING IN BLOOD, who are notorious pit mongrels and have made quite a name for themselves in Eastern Canada. Vancouver’s GRAVEMASS,they might be a new band, but they feature some serious experienced metalheads from Zimmers Hole, West of Hell, The Golers, Punch Drunk, 3 Inches of Blood and Revocation. Switzerland’s technical death/black metal Stortregn, they deliver a mix of charging riffs, blast beats and brutality that leaves the listener begging for more.
The Defect is an electronic rock/metal project created by husband and wife duo – Jonny McBee (The Browning) and Moon McBee. Their debut album “Death X Destiny” was recently released on Feb 7th, 2025 under record label FiXT. From the Salish lands of Spokane, WA, Hísemtuks Hími•n introduce their Indigenous melodic black metal of hard hitting riffs, fast paced drumming and a lot of melody. This project has strong roots in the Spokane Tribe/Nez Perce. Most songs are about Native American mythology, history, and folklore.
AMF 2025 Lineup: Havok (Denver, CO) Born of Osiris (Chicago, IL) Glyph (Seattle, WA) Riot City (Calgary, AB) The Browning (Kansas City, KS) Virvum (Zürich, Switzerland) Atavistia (Vancouver, BC) Drowning In Blood (Montreal, QC) Convictions (Fremont, OH) Scalding (Vancouver, BC) Syryn (Calgary, AB) Stortregn (Geneva, Switzerland) The Defect (Kansas City, KS) Gravemass (Vancouver, BC) Lover (Calgary, AB) Yegg (Vancouver Island, BC) Hísemtuks Hími•n (Spokane, WA) The Spruce Moose (Edmonton, AB) Volt (Fort McMurray, AB) Jisei (Vancouver, BC) Nomad (Okanagan Valley, BC) Planetkiller (Kelowna, BC) Shackled To The Throne (Edmonton, AB) The Cadavor Dog (High River, AB) Famous Strangers (Edmonton, AB) Valley of Despair (Edmonton, AB) Naitaka (Kelowna, BC) FloodGate (Kelowna, BC)
Partners: WCMFA AlumaPro Welding & Fabrication Ltd Vox and Hops Rancho Vignola Creative BC Province of BC Shepherds Hardware Askews Foods ACE Containers Asher Media Relations Staggs Head Sunbelt Rentals Bravewords V13 Metal-Rules Absolute Underground Mag Broken Neck Radio Ghost Cult Magazine This Day In Metal Valstar Electric Voets
Finland’s hard rocking Wishing Well have released new music for the first time after their Sin And Shame album, that came out in March 2023. “Boys Will Be Boys” is a simple good mood rocker, made seriously tongue-in-cheek and in good spirit to celebrate rock music and pure joy and camaraderie of playing in a band. This positive and cheerful song is a rare release from the band, who usually write more serious and complex songs. The song is released together with a music video, recorded at Magnusborg Studios in Porvoo, filmed and edited by Jussi Koskinen.
“Boys is an old song that goes way back but we wanted to release something in between albums and this song is perfect for that. First we thought it’s too simple and silly but when we worked on it and it took off like a rocket to the moon we decided to give it a go. Somebody then came up with the idea of asking previous Wishing Well vocalists to sing the gang vocals and when they agreed and even Graham Bonnet promised to join we knew it’ll work out great. We decided to shoot the video while in the studio and we had a great time. We’re pleased with the result and the song is also good fun to play live”, says Anssi Korkiakoski, guitar player and songwriter of the band.
“Things should not always be too serious, at the end of the day it’s all about doing what you love, together with your friends. We’re all old metalheads and hard rockers, we share the same thoughts and memories about music, from early years to ‘80s metal and beyond. It’s great that we can do our thing together and share it with each other and our audience as well. This song is a homage to all of us childlike rockers, music lovers and band musicians. There are many of us, naturally lots of girls and women too, despite the song title”, says Korkiakoski.
Composition & Lyrics by Anssi Korkiakoski
The song is released under Wishing Well & The Wheelers And Dealers, since the choir with its old school veterans plays an important role in the song.
At the moment the band is working on their fifth album, due to be released in the spring of 2026. Wishing Well will perform live at On The Rocks Club in Helsinki on the 27th of March. For more news updates visit their social media channels.
Wishing Well are: Pepe Tamminen – vocals Arto Teppo – Hammond-organ Matti Kotkavuori – bass Juha Kivikanto – drums Anssi Korkiakoski – guitar
Wheelers And Dealers choir are: Rick Becker Graham Bonnet Rafael Castillo Peter James Goodman
February 18, 2025, LOS ANGELES – Melvins 1983, the raw and unfiltered incarnation of the legendary band featuring Buzz Osborne and original Melvins drummer, Mike Dillard, return with Thunderball – their first full-length album in four years, out April 18 via Ipecac Recordings.
“Thunderball is the third Melvins 1983 record we’ve made together, and I wanted it to be bombastic – I think we achieved that,” says Osborne. “I also wanted to do something with electronic artists Void Manes and Ni Maîtres for a long time. Both of them are exceptional talents. Their out-of-the-box use of electronics pushed Thunderball beyond my expectations.”
A preview of the five-song, 34-minute album is out now, with today’s release of “Victory of the Pyramids.” Driven by Dillard’s unrelenting cadence, the song opens with an almost deceptively poppy feel before spiraling into the crushing, sludgy depths that have long defined the Melvins’ sound. As Dillard said, it’s “a lovely blend of beautiful noise and gut-busting grooves.” The album was recorded by Toshi Kasai at Sound of Sirens Studios.
Album pre-orders are available now (https://themelvins.lnk.to/Thunderball), with Thunderball available on trio of vinyl variants including an indie exclusive “Smoke Is A Color” variant and an Ipecac webstore-only “Special Mustard Gas.” The collection is also available on CD and all digital formats.
After a short run of California dates in March (“The Spring Break Tour”), the band will embark on a massive nine-week, nationwide co-headlining trek with Napalm Death. The Napalm Death/Melvins outing is the follow-up to the legendary bands’ 2016 joint outing, dubbed the “Savage Imperial Death March” tour. Both “The Spring Break Tour” and the co-headlining shows with Napalm Death will feature Osborne, Dale Crover, Steven McDonald and Coady Willis. Tickets are available now via Ipecac.com/tours.
Mastord is a Finnish progressively rocking project that has released two albums Trail Of Consequence (2019) and To Whom Bow Even The Trees (2021). Third album, Lemmon Lintu, is released today on February 14, 2025, exactly six years after the debut album.
A lot has changed since the last release. The singing language has changed from English to Finnish, the soundscape has become lighter and new people have brought their strong expertise to the music.
Guitarist and songwriterKari Syveläbackgrounds the new album: “When all is lost and life slowly dwindles away, a journey begins from which there is no return. “Raven” takes the listener to the depths of the soul, where loneliness, the longing for abandonment are the only companions and comfort. In this story, man steps into the enchanting shadow of the black bird and walks towards the edge of death, but not only towards the end, but towards a new way of being.
The journey is not just about letting go, it is also a journey of self-discovery – no longer in the human, but in a much larger and freer sense. Going ever deeper, grief and despair turn into understanding, and finally, somewhere in the darkest night, death is no longer an end but a transformation.
Lemmon Lintu is not only an album about death, but also about life after death. In this story, a man who has lost himself finds a new life – no longer as a man, but as a raven, doing his work as an altruistic, humble and most respectful escort to the afterlife. In the end, the raven’s song is no longer just a call to death, but the soothing sound of life and death merging together, telling us that even when we lose everything, we can still find something in ourselves that will never die.”
Markku Pihlaja – vocals and lyrics Jenni Roslakka – backing vocals Jarmo Pikka – drums Antti Huopainen – pianos, electric pianos and Hammonds Pasi Hakuli – bass frequencies Kari Syvelä – guitars and synthesizers
The Electric Highway Festival is excited to announce the full lineup for the 2025 edition of the Festival being held inCalgary, AB on April 4 & 5 at Dickens (1000 9 Ave SW).
Canadian veteran sludge metal band BISON headlines the whole festival while doom metal band CASTLE headlines Friday night. They will be joined by Southern California band FEVER DOG, and various Western Canadian bands including LA CHINGA, BUFFALO BUD BUSTER, THE GETMINES, 88 MILE TRIP, and more.
The Final Full Line Up by Day:
Friday, April 4, 2025 Castle (San Francisco/ Vancouver) Buffalo Bud Buster (Calgary) Blacksmith and Brewer (Vancouver)) CHÛNK (Vancouver) Hydracat (Edmonton) The Astral Prophets (Calgary) BUNS (Calgary) Doors 5pm – Show 6pm
Saturday, April 5, 2025 Bison (Vancouver) La Chinga (Vancouver) Fever Dog (Southern California) The Getmines (Vancouver) 88 Mile Trip (Vancouver) Lover (Calgary) GEOFF (Calgary) Doors 5pm – Show 6pm
Advance 2-day passes are available for $75. Advance single-day tickets are $40 for Friday and $45 for Saturday
The Electric Highway Festival hosts various genres that range from Desert Rock, Stoner Metal, Doom, Sludge, Trippy Psychedelic, Surf Rock, Acid Rock, Noise Rock, Fuzz Rock, Space Rock, Blues Rock, Heavy Psych, Heavy Blues, Southern Rock, Fuzzy Punk, Sludgy Hardcore bands and variations of any of the previously mentioned styles. The festival includes a vendor area with interesting goods for attendees to take home with them.
Previous editions of the festival featured one of the event’s past favorites Californian headliners Sasquatch, Juno Award-winning Canadian band ANCIIENTS, Vancouver’s La Chinga, Space Queen, Dead Quiet, and more, Gnarwhal from Yellowknife, NWT, Calgary’s Gone Cosmic, Hombre, Flashback among many more, and a whole host of other great bands.
Legendary rocker Jizzy Pearl is back! The unmistakable voice behind Blackout in the Red Room returns with Punk Rock Fiesta! on March 1, 2025, via Kenyon Records. This latest album from Jizzy Pearl’s Love/Hate is a raw, unfiltered blast of fiery rock ‘n’ roll energy, packed with high-voltage riffs, anthemic choruses, and relentless attitude.
A No-Holds-Barred Rock & Roll Experience
From the Sunset Strip to stages worldwide, Jizzy Pearl has made his mark on rock history, selling over 600,000 albums and sharing the stage with AC/DC, Ozzy Osbourne, Skid Row, and Dio. He currently sings for Quiet Riot and has recorded and toured with RATT and L.A. Guns. Now, he delivers a powerhouse collection of songs, capturing the fire and energy of no-frills rock ‘n’ roll and it’s Punk Rock Fiesta!
High-Energy Rock with a Fierce Edge
Punk Rock Fiesta! is a high-octane ride that leans into the rebellious spirit of classic, streetwise rock. Featuring blistering guitar solos and Jizzy’s signature vocals, equal parts grit and soul, the album is a relentless sonic assault.
The lead single, “You’re Gonna Burn,” is already creating a buzz, showcasing former Love/Hate member Darren Housholders’ electrifying guitar work alongside Jizzy’s commanding presence.
“Rock ‘n’ roll should be dangerous, unpredictable, and make you feel something,”saysJizzy Pearl. “We wanted to bring back that energy that made music exciting in the first place. This record is screaming, loud, and full of old-school rock ‘n’ roll soul!”
A Legacy of Rock, A New Chapter Begins
Since 1990, with Love/Hate’s debut Blackout in the Red Room, (namedBest Record of the Year by Kerrang! and Metal Hammer) Jizzy Pearl has remained a respected force in rock. Whether commanding the stage with multi-platinum bands or pushing his own creative limits, he continues to evolve while staying true to his hard rock roots.
PUNK ROCK FIESTA!
You’re Gonna Burn
Eye For An Eye
The Wrath Of Love
Over The Edge
Didya Think You Could Fall In Love?
Can’t Be Wrong
I’ll Be Your Shadow
Time To Take Your Pill
With his seventh solo album, Jizzy Pearl is ready to shake up the rock world once again.
Get ready for Punk Rock Fiesta!, the unfiltered, unapologetic sound of real rock ‘n’ roll. Out March 1, 2025!
LINE-UP: Jizzy Pearl: Vocals, Guitars, Bass Guitar Darren Housholder: Guitars Christian Kimmett: Bass Guitar Dave Moreno: Drums
CREDITS: All Songs Words and Music by Jizzy Pearl Produced by Jizzy Pearl Executive Producer: Brian Kenyon Mixed by Andy Haller & Jizzy Pearl at Android Audio, AZ Mastered by Maor Appelbaum Guitars recorded by Tim Hofstetter Drums recorded by Dave Moreno at Doom Room Studios, CA Additional guitars: Andy Haller Cover Art: Jordan Hursch Layout and design: Michael Wohlberg Album photos Christina Pearl
UK DATES: March 5th Edinburgh at Bannermans March 6th Newcastle at Trillians March 7th Buckley at Tivoli March 8th Wolverhampton at K.K.’s Steelmill Mark 9th Blackpool at Waterloo March 12th Bradford at Nightrain March 13th Camden at Underworld March14th Yarmouth at Hard Rock Hell March 15th Crumlin at Patriot March 16th Swansea at Hanger 18
US DATES: July 4th West Hollywood, CA at The Whisky July 5th Las Vegas, NV at Vamp’d
Ontario’s premiere doom/stoner rock gathering Rhüne Mountain Festival are pleased to announce ECSTATIC VISION, ACID MAMMOTH, THE DEATH WHEELERS and SONS OF OTIS are confirmed to play the festival.
Set to take place on June 26-28th in Stoney Creek Ontario, this year’s edition of Rhüne Mountain Festival is one for the history books with legendary bands DOPETHRONE, INDIAN HANDCRAFTS and SONS OF ARRAKIS previously confirmed to play.
Progressive metal supergroup ICEFISH is thrilled to announce the release of their highly anticipated cover of Rush’s classic track “Animate”. Recorded live in Chorzów, Poland, this stunning performance honors the legacy of Rush while delivering ICEFISH’s signature technical brilliance and modern progressive edge.
Featuring a lineup of world-class musicians, Andrea Casali (vocals and bass), Alex Argento (Virgil Donati, Corrado Rustici, Zucchero) – keyboards, Marco Sfogli (James LaBrie, PFM) – guitar, Virgil Donati (Planet X, Asia, Steve Vai) – drums, ICEFISH bring unparalleled precision and passion to this iconic song. Their rendition seamlessly blends the spirit of the original with their unique creative style, offering fans a fresh perspective on one of Rush’s most beloved tracks.
The live video, captured during the band’s powerful performance in Chorzów, Poland, premiered on YouTube, providing fans with a visual experience that showcases ICEFISH’s electrifying stage presence and exceptional musicianship.
“…this will be one of the best and most accomplished albums you’ll hear this year.” EVER-METAL.COM, Beth Morait – 10/10 (!) Points
“…the Swedish hard rock/heavy metal lords are back with an excellent full-length!”METAL-TEMPLE.COM, “Metal Mark” Garcia – 10/10 (!) Points
Highly praised by specified press around the globe, Swedish masters DAYS OF JUPITER’s much-awaited fifth album The World Was Never Enough has been released through RPM today. Fans can order/stream the album now, here: https://daysofjupiter.rpm.link/twwnePR
Besides delivering captivating hard rock/metal tunes over and over again, the group are also known for capturing the essence of their art in the form of well-crafted music videos, mostly directed by long-time partner Andreas Lundin (Litbox Productions) – and the visualisation of the record’s title track is no exception: kept in blue shades, “The World Was Never Enough” matches the thought-provoking atmosphere surrounding the whole album.
“Get ready to be captivated and energised by a powerful, heavy and tough hard rock/metal song with enchanting melodies and a catchy and haunting hook. Featuring lyrics which dive into a story with a spy and 007-like feeling to it, it’s a story about two people on the run who have a bond that is stronger and bigger than this world could ever offer,” lyricist Robert Hilli reveals.
01. Original Sin 02. The World Was Never Enough 03. Machine 04. Desolation 05. The Fix 06. Parazite 07. My Heaven My Hell 08. Denial 09. Ignite 10. Invincible
On The World Was Never Enough,DAYS OF JUPITER’s first album in almost seven years, pure energy blends with raw rock ‘n’ roll spirit, resulting in a soundtrack for rebels and outsiders. Also made to spread the word of DOJ in new territories, the album consists of 10 excitingly varied tracks.
It was recorded at Sweden’s Orange Monkey Studio, where the band locked themselves for quite a while, directed by mixing/mastering engineer Peo Hedin and Robert Hilli, who also took care of photography duties for the new campaign, to record the follow-up to Panoptical [2018]. Brilliantly summarising the essence of the record, the band hired Zark Metal Artwork to design the TWWNE cover which layout was fine worked by Jenny Pettersson.
DAYS OF JUPITER are: Janne Hilli – vocals Marcus Lindman – guitars Johnny Grenwald – guitars Janne Karlsson – bass Magnus Larsson – drums
About DAYS OF JUPITER
With over 20 million streams on Spotify and widespread critical acclaim across four studio albums, DAYS OF JUPITER’s journey began in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden in 2010. Their debut album, Secrets Brought To Life [2012], marked their entrance onto the global stage, followed by a performance at the prestigiousSweden Rock Festival. Their albums OnlyAshes Remain and New Awakening helped expand their reach, landing them more live performances, including international shows. The band eventually supported DISTURBED in front of 10,000 fans in Estonia following the release of their fourth album, Panoptical [2018].
Now, with a strong new partnership with Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM), DAYS OF JUPITER are back with their fifth album, aiming to please their loyal fanbase and attract new metal fans worldwide.
Icons of Metal come together to celebrate Ozzy Osbourne’s Final Performance July 5th at Villa Park
All Profits From The Show Will Be SHARED EQUALLY BETWEEN Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice
The original Black Sabbath – Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward – will play for the first time in 20 years. The band will take to the stage to headline BACK TO THE BEGINNING on July 5th at Villa Park.
The all-star event will celebrate the true creators of heavy metal and will see Ozzy Osbourne play his own short set before joining with Black Sabbath for his final bow.
“It’s my time to go Back to the Beginning… time for me to give back to the place where I was born,” Ozzy Osbourne said. “How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham Forever.”
Formed in Birmingham in 1968 and going on to become one of most successful metal bands of all time, Black Sabbath have sold over 75 million albums worldwide across their legendary career. Setting the blueprint for the many routes heavy metal took, Black Sabbath’s influence and importance is as vital today as it was in the early 1970s.
Music Director Tom Morello said: “This will be the greatest heavy metal show ever.”
BACK TO THE BEGINNING will feature sets from Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Anthrax and Mastodon
The all-day event will also feature a supergroup of musicians. Artists announced so far include Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins), David Draiman (Disturbed), Duff McKagan & Slash (Guns ‘n Roses), Frank Bello (Anthrax), Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), Jake E Lee, Jonathan Davis (Korn), KK Downing, Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Mike Bordin (Faith No More), Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (Anthrax), Sleep Token ii (Sleep Token), Papa V Perpetua (Ghost), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), Wolfgang Van Halen and Zakk Wylde.
More names will be announced shortly.
Tickets go on sale at 10am GMT on Friday 14th February 2025 at LiveNation.co.uk.
All profits will go to the following charities: Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorns Children’s Hospice, a Children’s Hospice supported by Aston Villa.
NORTH AMERICAN TREK CELEBRATES THE SEMINAL RED ALBUM AND BLUE RECORD
February 5, 2025 – Baroness recently surprised Philadelphia-area fans with two performances of the Red Album and Blue Record in their entirety, both of which sold-out within minutes. The band is now bringing “The Red & Blue Tour” to the Midwest and East Coast this Spring.
The trek kicks off on May 7, with Baroness revisiting the monumental tracks that established them as one of the most innovative bands of their generation. From the psychedelic-laden “Isak” to the ethereal melodies of “The Sweetest Curse,” the special evenings with the Savannah-born outfit promise to be one of the most captivating tours of the year.
Tickets are on sale this Friday, February 7 at 10 a.m. local time via YourBaroness.com. The tour will feature a variety of exclusive tour-only vinyl with newly crafted John Baizley artwork, as well as a selection of Red and Blue themed merchandise.
Photo credit: Ebru Yildiz
“In December, for our annual Philly pre-holiday show, we performed our first two full length albums: Red and Blue,” John Baizley shares. “It was a great experience, unearthing the deeper cuts from those records that had faded from our setlist and it offered a rare opportunity to play some of those songs for the first time ever outside the studio. While I’ve personally never been overly interested in the pure nostalgia of past records, we’ve always found it illuminating to bridge the gap between present and past Baroness by learning and updating/rearranging our earliest material. After the overwhelming and positive response from the Philadelphia shows (and while we’re busy writing our next record) we’re looking forward to taking Red and Blue on the road and sharing the experience with old and new friends alike.”
The Red Album (2007) and Blue Record (2009) laid the foundation for what was to come over Baroness’ 20-year-plus career. These two albums introduced the band’s distinctive style, combining crushing heaviness with melodic intricacy, and paved the way for the ambitious scope of Yellow & Green, the GRAMMY-nominated Purple, the grandeur of Gold & Grey, and the expansive creativity of STONE.
Following their highly-anticipated set at Levitation 2024, the legendary band has announced two additional dates, with more shows on the horizon: April 10 at the Granada Theater (Dallas) and April 11 at Paper Tiger (San Antonio). Tickets are on-sale this Friday, Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. local time.
Cronise, in conversation with Revolver: (https://www.revolvermag.com/feature/the-sword-return-inside-texas-stoner-metal-bands-comeback/) shared his thoughts on the band’s reunion, the 15th anniversary of Warp Riders, and more: We know each other, we’re comfortable. It’s just kind of like putting on a comfortable pair of sneakers. Levitation was a great show… it went really well.”
Kyle Shutt adds, “I can’t tell you what it means to see everyone’s positive reception. It feels so good to see people out there almost more enthusiastic about the band than ever – it’s something we’ll never take for granted.”
Warp Riders is the Austin-based band’s third full-length album, which arrived in the summer of 2010. The 10-song collection, described as a psychedelic space opera, features the galloping, fuzzed out “Tres Brujas” and the southern rock-infused “Lawless Lands.” Warp Riders was met with widespread praise upon its release. Premier Guitar praised the album’s “distinctly Texas-flavored sense of groove and swing,” while SPIN called it “badass” and “innovative.” Consequence went even further, declaring it a “classic.”
The Sword is JD Cronise (vocals, guitar), Bryan Richie (bass, keyboards), Kyle Shutt (guitar, vocals), and Santiago Vela (drums). Following their 2003 inception, The Sword quickly became one of the most revered names in heavy music. With a blend of crushing riffs, intricate storytelling, and a sound that bridges classic metal and modern rock, The Sword has released six albums: Age of Winters (2006), Gods of the Earth (2008), Warp Riders (2010), Apocryphon (2012), High Country (2015) and Used Future (2018).
NORTH AMERICAN I WANT BLOOD TOUR KICKS OFF TONIGHT
January 31, 2025 – Niagara Falls, Ontario – Jerry Cantrell kicks off his first North American tour in support of his recently released album, I Want Blood, tonight in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The tour launch coincides with the arrival of a deluxe version of the nine-track collection (listen here).
Featuring spoken word versions of each of the songs on I Want Blood, the Cantrell narrated pieces also feature their own unique score with contributions from producer Joe Barresi, engineer Maxwell Urasky, Greg Puciato (Better Lovers, The Black Queen), Roy Mayorga (Ministry), Gil Sharone (Stolen Babies, Team Sleep), Rani Sharone (Stolen Babies), George Adrian (The Maybirds), composer Vincent Jones, and producer Michael Rozon. An animated video series featuring graphics from Boy Tillekens can be viewed here.
“I wanted to do something special and I’ve never done a spoken word recitation of the lyrics, and I thought it might be kind of cool to have it on the B-side of ‘Vilified,’” Cantrellrecalls in a recent interview with Scott Lipps. “I thought maybe it needs some music or something, and I was sitting there with Maxwell Urasky, my demo partner. He’s a really talented musician, and he said ‘Let me mess around with it for a night.’ He came back the next day with that piece of music, and it sounded killer. I brought it in to Joe Barresi and he said, ‘Man, you should do this with all of them.’ I got this creative stew going of sending the lyrics out to people, having them come up with the music, and sending it back. We ended up with nine pieces of really interesting takes on the lyrics, but the music is done by creative partners of mine, and it has nothing to do with the real music, so it is truly a standalone piece.”
I Want Blood was recorded at Barresi’s JHOC Studio in Pasadena, Calif., and features contributions from Duff McKagan (Guns N’Roses), Mike Bordin (Faith No More), Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Greg Puciato (Better Lovers, ex-Dillinger Escape Plan), Gil Sharone (Team Sleep, Stolen Babies), and Lola Colette.
January 31 Niagara Falls, ON Fallsview Casino Resort February 1 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom February 2 Portland, ME Aura February 4 Boston, MA Citizens House of Blues Boston February 5 New York, NY Irving Plaza February 7 Silver Spring, MD The Fillmore – Silver Spring February 8 Bensalem, PA Parx Xcite Center February 11 Huntington, NY The Paramount February 12 Norfolk, VA The NorVa February 14 Raleigh, NC The Ritz February 15 Atlanta, GA Buckhead Theatre February 16 Louisville, KY Mercury Ballroom February 18 Columbus, OH The Bluestone February 19 Indianapolis, IN Murat Egyptian Room at Old National Centre February 22 St. Louis, MO The Hawthorn February 23 Chicago, IL The Vic Theatre February 25 Tulsa, OK Tulsa Theater February 26 Houston, TX House of Blues Houston February 27 San Antonio, TX The Aztec Theatre March 1 Mesa, AZ The Nile Theater March 2 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues Las Vegas March 4 Los Angeles, CA The Belasco March 5 Ventura, CA The Majestic Ventura Theater March 7 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory – Spokane March 8 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom March 9 Seattle, WA Moore Theatre
May 31 Padua, IT Hall June 1 Milan, IT Magazzini Generali June 4 Krakow, PL Mystic Festival June 6 Berlin, DE Columbia Theater June 7 Nüremberg, DE Rock im Park June 8 Nürnberg, DE Rock am Ring June 10 Zagreb, HR The Culture Factory June 12 Nickelsdorf, AT Nova Rock Festival June 13 Hradec Kralove, CZ Rock The People June 14 – 15 Donington Park, UK Download Festival June 17 London, UK O2 Forum Kentish Town June 19 Amsterdam, NL Melkweg June 20 Dessel, BE Graspop Metal Meeting June 22 Clisson, FR Hellfest Open Air Festival June 24 Paris, FR La Machine du Moulin Rouge June 25 Nijmegen, NL Doornroosje June 26 Hamburg, DE Gruenspan June 28 Oslo, NO Tons of Rock
Tickets are available now at jerrycantrell.com/tour. Filter opens on all North American dates.
Photo credit: Nick Fancher
Jerry Cantrell is an iconic American troubadour, celebrated for his distinctive guitar playing, soulful vocals and profound songwriting. Known for his work in both Alice In Chains and as a solo artist, the GRAMMY nominated musician has sold in excess of 30 million albums, has been named one of the greatest guitar players of all time by both Guitar World and Rolling Stone, and has been instrumental in shaping the sound of modern rock music.
Over his career, he has released six studio albums with Alice in Chains, three solo full-lengths, has had his music featured in films from Cameron Crowe, Judd Apatow and Ben Stiller and made cameos in “Deadwood” and “Jerry Maguire.”
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