UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 🇺🇸 We are coming for you next month together with Gloryhammer and Glyph! Where will we be seeing you? Get your tickets today at https://www.alestorm.net/
USA TOUR 2025: Sep 12 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Sep 13 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Sep 15 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw Sep 16 – Worcester, MA @ Palladium Sep 18 – Grand Rapids, MI @ Elevation Sep 19 – Louisville, KY @ Louder than Life Sep 20 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave II Sep 21 – Joliet, IL @ The Forge Sep 23 – Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Sep 24 – Lawrence, KS @ Granada Sep 26 – Denver, CO @ The Summit Sep 27 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex Sep 29 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox Downtown Sep 30 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Oct 01 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory Oct 03 – Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock Oct 04 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco Oct 05 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues Oct 06 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre Oct 08 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater Oct 10 – Birmingham, AL @ Iron City Oct 11 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade Oct 12 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Oct 14 – Pensacola, FL @ Vinyl Music Hall Oct 15 – Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
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.
Following previously-released, stand-alone singles, “As Fear Unfolds” and a killer cover version of Ghost’s “Ritual”, Swedish thrash metal force MEZZROW have finally revealed the first details of their forthcoming new studio album! Entitled Embrace The Awakening, the band’s third full-length rager will be released on November 14, 2025 via ROAR.
Available on 2-CD Digipak incl. the Keep It True – Live bonus album, 1-LP Vinyl in Bloodred Sky Marbled edition as well as in Digital formats, the album pre-sale has just started at: https://mezzrow.rpm.link/embracePR
Today, the thrash metal torchbearers are presenting a video clip for their first official single taken off Embrace The Awakening, the brutal-as-hell “Architects Of The Silent War”! Singer Uffe Pettersson comments:
“We’re really proud of this one and it has all the thrash metal elements you can demand! Lyrically inspired by the dark and sophisticated world of the constant cyber war, and cyber attacks globally, which affects us all the time without us knowing anything about it more or less.”
MEZZROW built themselves a name in the thrash metal scene during the late eighties with their critically acclaimed demo tapes, Frozen Soul and Cross of Tormention. In 1990, they released their classic debut album Then Came the Killing, through Active Records (Candlemass a.o.), a subsidiary of Music for Nations. The album is still today considered as one of the best, if not the best, thrash metal releases from Sweden and Scandinavia.
During 2021 MEZZROW rose from the ashes, when bass player Conny Welén (ex-Hexenhaus) and singer Uffe Pettersson (ex-Rosicrucian) decided to make a new mark in the thrash metal world of today, together with new guitarists Magnus Söderman (Nightrage) and Ronnie Björnström (ex-Defiatory, ex-Aeon), as well as drummer Alvaro “Alvis” Svanerö (Imperial Domain).
Following their comeback album Summon Thy Demons (2023, Fireflash Records) and the much-acclaimed Keep It True – Live record, MEZZROW started writing material for their third album.
Eight new songs were later on chosen to become Embrace The Awakening, a Bay Area Thrash Metal monster made in Sweden! Uffe Pettersson says: ”We wanted the new album to sound a bit more straight forward without stepping away too much from Summon Thy Demons. We feel that we’ve achieved that and at the same time kept our roots intact!”
The Double CD will include the Keep It True – Live bonus tracks: 09. King Of The Infinite Void 10. Then Came The Killing 11. Beneath The Sea Of Silence 12. The Cross Of Torment 13. Summon Thy Demons 14. Ancient Terror 15. Through The Eyes Of The Ancient Gods 16. Frozen Soul
MEZZROW: Ulf “Uffe” Pettersson – Vocals Conny Welén – Bass Magnus Söderman – Lead Guitar Ronnie Björnström – Guitar Alvaro “Alvis” Svanerö – Drums
West Coast crossover crew DEAD HEAT will release their crushing Process Of Elimination full-length October 10th, on their new label home of Metal Blade Records!
Process Of Elimination follows the band’s critically lauded 2023-released Endless Torment EP. The record serves as a continuation and progression musically, while thematically it often touches on DEAD HEAT’s disdain for the powers that be. “I feel like unconsciously the music has become more complex with the songwriting and how we play live as well. We all naturally wanted to become better musicians and it shows in our music and live presence,” elaborates guitarist Justin Ton. “Our music is a metal/hardcore twist, but I’d say we intentionally leaned more and more metal in our sound.”
Lead guitarist Ricky Garcia and Ton take guitar influences from Slayer and Sepultura, “but we also both add our own personal influences in the songs on Process… I drew a lot from Dark Angel and Demolition Hammer while also sticking to my hardcore tendencies with Leeway and Cro-Mags influences,” notes Ton. For his part, Garcia cites Kreator, Megadeth, and Pantera as influences, giving props to Marty Friedman and Chris Broderick for solos.
When DEAD HEAT test drove a few new tracks live on their tour supporting Cavalera Conspiracy, the as-yet-unreleased songs were met with moshing and circle pits. Understandably so. “Everything from the riffs to the song structures and even adding in more thought-out electronic interludes help break the pacing from the sonic assault of the guitars,” says Ton.
“Lyrically, I wanted to touch on a bit of everything, with every song about a different topic,” explains vocalist Chris Ramos. “I feel like I was able to articulate a better understanding of what I was trying to express previously.”
“We are against all racist bigotry in this country,” furthers Ton. “Most of the band is of immigrant descent. We also seek for the world to stop supporting these corporate/political monsters that only seek out personal gain and nothing else.”
First single, “Perpetual Punishment,” opens the record with gentle guitar before kicking into aggro/hardcore mode. “We chose this song to start Process… because when it hits, it’s hard, and has a great flow,” states Ramos. “The song is about not wasting your time in life because tomorrow simply isn’t promised. If there’s something you want to do with your life, do it now, don’t waste your existence thinking about all the things you could have done. It’s a key theme I always try to portray in lyrical form, or even in random stage banter. I feel like it’s what keeps me going every day.”
Process Of Elimination was produced by the band with Paul Fig (Deftones, Trivium, Jerry Cantrell) and will be available on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:
Blood Moon (Red / Black Marbled – US) Dusk (Orange / Red / Black Marbled – US) 180g Black (EU) Yellow / Brown Merged (EU – Ltd. 300) Swamp Green / Bone Merged (EU – Ltd. 200)
Finnish melodic death metal titans WOLFHEART return with Draconian Darkness II, an ambitious EP that deepens their frostbitten legacy. Lead single “Carnivore” sets the tone for the EP with menacing riffs and vicious growls, growing in power and grandeur as the track creeps along.
Vocalist Tuomas Saukkonen comments, “Carnivore continues where ‘Draconian Darkness’ ended. Clearly, the full-length was not enough to extinguish the flame of inspiration ignited by the darker side of humanity. Instead of seeking balance and harmony with nature and other species around us, we feed and feast on the world we live in. Consume more than is our share. Where nature brings harmony, we bring the fire and darkness. Also musically, “Carnivore” is heavily drawn into the darker and more majestic side of Wolfheart.”
This five-track release showcases every facet of WOLFHEART’s trademark sound: raw, poetic, and powerfully atmospheric. Featuring two new tracks (including orchestral and acoustic versions), plus a crushing live rendition from their latest album, Draconian Darkness II captures the band’s cold grandeur in both studio precision and on-stage intensity. Founder Tuomas Saukkonen continues to refine his vision with haunting melodies, relentless drumming, and evocative storytelling rooted in Northern landscapes. Draconian Darkness II is a journey through desolate beauty, bleak emotion, and thundering metal.
Draconian Darkness II is WOLFHEART at their best: melancholic, massive, and deeply melodic. With new songs, orchestral depth, and raw live energy, this EP is a cold flame burning bright in the dark.
WOLFHEART’s Draconian Darkness II EP arrives on September 19, 2025 via Reigning Phoenix Music! Two new tracks (plus orchestral & acoustic versions) and a live cut of crushing northern metal: cold, poetic, and unforgettable.
20.09. Koba Live, Abadiño, ES * 21.09. Revi Live, Madrid, ES * 22.09. Wolf, Barcelona, ES * 25.09. De Helling, Utrecht, NL 26.09. Kulturwerk, Herford, DE 27.09. Kubana, Siegburg, DE 29.09. Backstage By The Mill, Paris, FR 30.09. DVG Club, Kortrijk, BE 01.10. Logo, Hamburg, DE 02.10. Hellraiser, Leipzig, DE 03.10. Turock, Essen, DE 04.10. Café Central, Weinheim, DE 05.10. Analog Music Hall, Budapest, HU 06.10. Klub Zaścianek, Krakow, PL (new show!) 07.10. Collosseum, Košice, SK 08.10. Rock Café, Prague, CZ 09.10. Orto Bar, Ljubljana SI 10.10. Slaughter Club, Milan, IT 11.10. Chollerhalle, Zug, CH ^ 12.10. Club Vaudeville, Lindau, DE 13.10. Backstage, Munich, DE
Only Wolfheart & Before The Dawn ^ with Parasite Inc.
With “Dancing Shadow,” Finnish metal icons AMORPHIS are proud to present the final audiovisual appetiser of their new studio album Borderland(September 26, 2025 via Reigning Phoenix Music) before their stage comeback in just a few weeks. The song follows two superbly embraced singles, and is yet another hit out of the group’s sound forge as it’s blessed with all ingredients to get at least equally well-received by the worldwide music community.
Thoughtful verses remind of the uncertain times in everyone’s lives to make fans escape from this dejecting state of mind into the suffusing light of the moon which shines through the darkest of all woods. But to contrast the song’s depth, AMORPHIS successfully crossed the genre ‘borderland’ resulting in an irresistible track full of twisting moments. “Dancing Shadow” finally closes on its peak, before you just have to play it from the beginning over and over again.
“The working title for ‘Dancing Shadow’ was ‘Disco Tiger.’ Musically it represents catchiness and hooks that have been familiar elements within our music for a long time. Sound-wise it came out pretty fresh and even modern. I bet this song will shake your legs on the dance floor – in a METAL disco, of course,”states guitarist Esa Holopainen.
Drummer Jan Rechberger adds: “With ‘Dancing Shadow,’ we stepped into completely new territory. For a band with over three decades behind us, that kind of reinvention feels meaningful.”
Like its predecessor “Bones,” AMORPHIS’ latest single has also been visualised under the aegis of Patric Ullaeus, and takes fans of the band into a black-and-white dominated setting, highlighting the piece’s core message in a captivating way.
AMORPHIS are: Tomi Joutsen | vocals Esa Holopainen | guitars Tomi Koivusaari | guitars Olli-Pekka “Oppu” Laine | bass Santeri Kallio | keys Jan Rechberger | drums & percussion
Powerhouse Group FIRSTBORNE are made up of drummer Chris Adler (Lamb of God/Megadeth), soft-shred guitarist Myrone and Girish Pradhan (Girish and the Chronicles/The End Machine) strike with the release of their full-length album, Lucky, now in stores on CD, Vinyl and online via digital streaming and download platforms HERE: http://lnk.to/firstborne
To commemorate the album release and promo the album further the band have created another unique and entertaining music video for the latest emphasis track “Rescue Me.” WATCH HERE: https://youtu.be/Rht8ob6GyP4
“’Rescue Me’ was the first song we wrote in person after being penpals for four years,” explains guitarist Myrone. “For me it was this crazy feeling of anticipation as we had been working so hard to get into the same room and we finally did it, almost like a “dog catches car” moment. After we finished setting up Chris looked at me and was like “well what do you got?” and that opening riff is the first thing that fell out of me.”
The music video, directed/edited by Drew Kaufman with puppet design by Natalie Lewis, needs to be viewed to appreciate and follows previous clips – the also clever and entertaining “Wake Up” (also directed by Drew Kaufman) and the lyric video for “Again” a song which is currently enjoying quite a bit of radio airplay at commercial/active rock radio.
All three songs are taken from the full-length album Lucky which was produced by the recognized producer Machine (Clutch, King Crimson, Crobot). The album has been made available as a jewelcase CD and limited-edition (300) amber wave colored vinyl.
FIRSTBORNE features legendary drummer Chris Adler (Lamb of God, Megadeth), virtuoso guitarist Myrone (known by some as the originator of soft shred), and electrifying vocalist Girish Pradhan whose other band Girish and the Chronicles performed recently on America’s Got Talent https://www.facebook.com/reel/717507967417196
Formed in 2019, FIRSTBORNEblend high-energy riffs, soaring vocals, and thunderous rhythms to create a modern yet timeless sound rooted in classic metal, hard rock, and shred guitar. The band first gained attention through a series of independently released singles and EPs between 2020 and 2023, showcasing their signature fusion of melody, technical precision, and relentless groove.
Guitarist Myrone explains how the album came together: “When Chris, Girish, and I got connected in 2019 I said my number one goal in life was to get us all in the same room to jam. Four years later not only did we get in the same room, we went to Machine’s barn in Texas for a month to create 10 piping hot metal jams for the whole world to enjoy. I had written around 150 song ideas before stepping in the studio, and we ended up using none of them. What you hear on the record was entirely written and recorded in Texas.”
With Adler’s iconic drumming, Myrone’s signature guitar work, and Pradhan’s dynamic, powerhouse vocals, FIRSTBORNE are a force to be reckoned with in the hard rock and metal scene; delivering high-energy anthems that bridge the gap between old-school metal and modern intensity.
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.
If you’ve been following the journey of “Babylon”, the highly anticipated debut full-length album from DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG, you already know what kind of powerhouse material this band delivers. Now, with the release of their fifth single, “Dead Man’s Hand“, the stakes are raised yet again. And if this is your first taste of the project, sit back, hit play, and enjoy this high-energy video clip pulled straight from the band’s studio sessions.
“Dead Man’s Hand” has a unique backstory: originally composed by Manuela Bibert on piano, the early demo featured only vocals and keys. From there, it was transferred note for note to guitar and Hammond organ. The results are unique: A pounding guitar riff meets a distorted, snarling organ line to form the backbone of a song that’s both driving and infectious.
Udo Dirkschneider, the iconic frontman and heavy metal legend, brings a vocal performance which by his own admission are exceptional for him. But the surprises don’t stop there: both Peter Baltes and Manuela step up with unexpected vocal highlights, adding rich texture and dimension to the track. And then there’s the chorus, a hands-in-the-air, stadium-sized refrain that just begs you to shout or sing along with.
With a “good time” spirit that perfectly balances the song’s grit and groove, “Dead Man’s Hand” showcases everything that makes DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG a thrilling new chapter in classic metal history. Watch the official video now, straight from the studio floor!
Set for release on October 3, 2025 by Reigning Phoenix Music, Babylonis now available for pre-order in a variety of stunning formats:
Limited Red, Gold & Black Marbled Gatefold Double Vinyl
Limited Red Opaque & Black Marbled Gatefold Double Vinyl
Gold Opaque Double Vinyl
Deluxe Earbook Edition with CD and enhanced 36-page booklet
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.
Time To Kill Records presents Chronicles of Despair, the debut full-length release from Italian thrash metal crew SLYTHER, announcing the album for release October 10th and issuing its cover art, track listing, preorders and lead single, “Visions”.
With a solid foundation of live experience already under their belt, SLYTHER stand out for their ability to revisit thrash metal tradition with energy and freshness, blending the classic attitude of bands like Metallica and Overkill with the irreverent crossover edge of acts such as Municipal Waste.
Chronicles of Despair is a powerful and visceral concept album that explores, track by track, the darkest tensions of the human soul and contemporary society. In a world marked by war, corruption, media manipulation, and existential crisis, the album unfolds a journey that moves from despair to inner awakening, tackling pressing themes with raw, direct, and emotionally charged language.
The journey begins with “Flask N’ Bone”, an intense narrative of self-destruction and remorse, portraying a corrupt lawyer haunted by guilt; a symbol of a conscience that finds no peace. From there, the album expands into a collective dimension with “Madness”, a denunciation of nuclear war insanity, and “Shut The Fuck Up”, a rebellious track targeting disinformation and the dominance of media power.
“Violent Fist” gives voice to the blind rage that fuels conflict, while “Visions” pulls the listener into the haunting realm of sleep paralysis; a metaphor for the unconscious fears triggered by global tension. The inner journey turns more intimate with “Memories”, a melancholic instrumental that evokes childhood recollections and lost innocence.
“Awake-4” marks a turning point: a painful awakening from nostalgia, necessary to confront harsh reality. The final chapter, “The Sleepwalker”, closes the album with a powerful allegory of insecurity and illusion, culminating in a clear and resonant message
“Awake from the lies, pursue the good, and never surrender.”
Chronicles of Despair is a scream, a reflection, and a call for awareness. An emotional chronicle of the afflictions of our time, yet also an invitation to inner resistance.
Track-list:
1. Flask N’ Bone 2. Madness 3. Shut The Fuck Up 4. Violent Fist 5. Visions 6. Memories 7. Awake-4 8. The Sleepwalker
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
“Sarcophagi Of The Soul” is the latest single from technical death metal artisans REVOCATION. The track comes by way of the band’s ferocious new full-length New Gods, New Masters, set for release on September 26th via Metal Blade Records.
On REVOCATION’s fifth record for Metal Blade, the quartet – spearheaded by founder/vocalist/guitarist Dave Davidson, delivers nine potent and portentous songs of brutal lyrical and musical significance.
Comments Davidson on today’s single and accompanying video, “‘Sarcophagi Of The Soul’ is about our addiction to technology, primarily our phones. We use these devices to create idealized avatars to present to the world, when in reality nothing is ever as perfect as it seems. As we continue to feed our vanity the lines start to blur between our identities and the false narratives we create as these digital twins slowly begin to usurp our lives. The music video for this track features the incredible artwork of Tony Guarladi-Brown who created an entire graphic novel as an accompaniment to the new album. The artwork for this comic book is truly amazing so we wanted to give our fans a sneak peak before it gets released alongside the record.”
Watch REVOCATION’s striking lyric video for “Sarcophagi Of The Soul” HERE.
Watch the band’s previously released video for “Cronenberged” HERE.
New Gods, New Masters was produced by Davidson and mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren (The Haunted, Spiritbox) with artwork by Paolo Girardi (Bell Witch, Mother Of Graves, Black Breath, Cryptopsy). The record includes guest appearances by Jonny Davy of Job For A Cowboy, Travis Ryan of Cattle Decapitation, Luc Lemay of Gorguts, and jazz guitarist Gilad Hekselman.
New Gods, New Masters will be released on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:
All Seeing (Amber Marbled – US) Gemini Parasite (Green / Blue Marbled – US) Unending Night (Blue Smoke – US Tour Exclusive) 180g Black (EU) Twilight Blue Marbled (EU) Crimson Red Marbled (EU – Ltd. 500) Lilac w/ Black Dust (EU – Ltd. 300)
Confines Of Infinity (feat. Travis Ryan of Cattle Decapitation)
Dystopian Vermin
Despiritualized
The All Seeing (feat. Gilad Hekselman)
Data Corpse
Cronenberged (feat. Jonny Davy of Job For A Cowboy)
Buried Epoch (feat. Luc Lemay of Gorguts)
Following the release of New Gods, New Masters, REVOCATION will kick off a month-long North American headlining tour. The journey begins on October 16th in Leesburg, Virginia and runs through November 15th in Raleigh, North Carolina. Support will be provided by Judiciary, Inferi, and Vomit Forth (on select dates).
REVOCATION w/ Judiciary, Inferi, Vomit Forth: 10/16/2025 Tally Ho – Leesburg, VA 10/17/2025 Brooklyn Monarch – New York, NY 10/18/2025 Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA 10/19/2025 Foufones – Montreal, QC 10/20/2025 Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON 10/21/2025 Sanctuary – Detroit, MI 10/22/2025 Reggies – Chicago, IL * 10/24/2025 HQ – Denver, CO 10/25/2025 Ace’s High – Salt Lake City, UT 10/26/2025 The Shredder – Boise, ID 10/27/2025 El Corazon – Seattle, WA 10/28/2025 Rickshaw – Vancouver, BC 10/29/2025 Dante’s – Portland, OR 10/31/2025 Neck Of The Woods – San Francisco, CA 11/01/2025 Echoplex – Los Angeles, CA 11/02/2025 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA 11/04/2025 Rosetta Room – Mesa, AZ 11/05/2025 Launchpad – Albuquerque, NM * 11/07/2025 RBC – Dallas, TX * 11/08/2025 Come And Take It Live – Austin, TX 11/09/2025 Scout Bar – Houston, TX * 11/11/2025 Orpheum – Tampa, FL 11/12/2025 Respectable Street – West Palm Beach, FL 11/13/2025 Conduit – Orlando FL 11/14/2025 The Radio Room – Greenville, SC 11/15/2025 Chapel Of Bones – Raleigh, NC *No Vomit Forth
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.
Heavy rock all-stars ALPHA DESTROYER – featuring Martin Sweet (Crashdïet), Kelly LeMieux (Buckcherry), and Eric Sexton-Dorsett (Sleepless) – have shared the offical music video for “Straight into the Grind,” the second single off their upcoming debut album, Fast Lane.
The album’s opening and aptly-named track, “Straight into the Grind,” gives fans another offering of ALPHA DESTROYER‘s punk-tinged anthemic rock.
Fast Lane is due out this fall on Necromantic Press Records. Physical copies of Fast Lane, including limited-edition red splatter and standard black vinyl, will begin shipping on September 15. The album will be available on all streaming platforms on October 31. Pre-orders are available at this location.
ALPHA DESTROYER: Eric Sexton-Dorsett Martin Sweet Kelly Lemieux Ryan McPhaill Kevin Hahn
Alpha Destroyer was born in 2022, shortly after trad/thrash metal band Sleepless released its debut LP. Looking for a new creative outlet, Sleepless guitarist Eric Sexton-Dorsett began writing a series of dissonant, groove-heavy tracks; something that channeled the high-powered spirit of bands like Def Leppard while drawing on the chaos of Voivod and Morbid Angel.
After tracking initial guitar parts, Eric brought in drummer Ryan McPhaill to lay down drum tracks. The results exceeded expectations, every take locked in with the raw energy and precision the project demanded.
With a solid foundation in place, Eric filed the songs under the name Alpha Destroyer and started mapping out the next phase.
Soon after, on the Monsters of Rock Cruise, Eric met bassist Kelly LeMieux (Goldfinger, Buckcherry) through mutual friend Kevin Hahn (vocalist/lead guitarist for Sleepless) and now a guitarist for Alpha Destroyer. Late-night conversations on the cruise led to a strong creative connection. Back in Portland, Kelly heard the early tracks and immediately added his signature, larger-than-life basslines. The songs now three deep began to take shape.
In 2024, another key moment happened on the same cruise. Eric met Martin Sweet (Crashdïet), a longtime influence. After staying in touch, Eric sent him the developing tracks, initially just to contribute guitar, yet Martin offered something more: vocals. His performance on the first completed track, “Straight into the Grind,” helped define the band’s sound and opened the door to a deeper collaboration. What was meant to be a four-song EP quickly expanded as the ideas flowed naturally.
The result is Fast Lane, a 10-track debut album that rides the line between doom-laced introspection and high-octane rock. The title track and first single, “Fast Lane,” kicks things off with a punk-edged urgency and Martin’s heavy yet melodic take on personal struggle.
With new music already in the works and plans for live dates in 2026, Alpha Destroyer is just getting started.
“Home of the Waves: Conversations with Moonsorrow” by Grilo do Demo is an unparalleled and candid look at the Finnish pagan black metal band
Features exclusive, in-depth interviews with all band members, including a rare interview with Markus Eurén
To be released on 30th September via Cult Never Dies in a 388-page hardback with 20-page colour photo gallery and 150 images, most never before seen
Pre-orders available now!
Revered metal publishing house Cult Never Dies will release a brand new book about the Finnish black metal band Moonsorrow on 30 September 2025. Entitled “Home of the Waves: Conversations with Moonsorrow” and written by devoted Moonsorrow fanatic Grilo do Demo(the person behind the Unofficial Moonsorrow Biography, the Epic Heathen Podcast, and the Verisivut Moonsorrow Fanzine), this exhaustive hardback offers an unparalleled and candid look at one of the most respected and influential pagan metal bands.
The book covers the band’s history, from the founders’ childhood through their early demo period, gradual line-up additions, increasing touring activity, and their extensive discography. It is built around exclusive and in-depth interviews with all band members: Ville Sorvali, Henri Sorvali, Marko Tarvonen, Mitja Harvilahti, JannePerttilä, and what is believed to be the only interview with Markus Eurén. The book explores Moonsorrow’s history, lyrical and visual themes, composition process, ideological background, technical details, and much more.
“Home of the Waves: Conversations with Moonsorrow” is the culmination of a two-week immersive project where author Grilo do Demo and visual storyteller Leo Aragón, along with a dedicated team, interviewed the band daily, multiple times a day, across Finland. Originally intended for a documentary, this book utilises all 13 days of filmed interviews, providing behind-the-scenes narrations of the project’s execution, the team’s collaboration with Moonsorrow, and the significance of the locations visited.
The book’s author Grilo do Demo said: “I’m tremendously excited to finally see this material become public. The documentary will surely be amazing, but that will be, what? 2 hours long? Well, that’s why this book has a huge value on its own – we have 20+ hours of interview footage, and ALL of it is contained here, carefully transcribed from the first to the last word. This book offers a new look into how Moonsorrow’s music is created, from the initial concept to the final mastering, and even how colour codes are involved in their composition! You’ll discover how the band formed, the founders’ other early projects, and pivotal moments like the shift from Kivenkantaja to Verisäkeet. There are so many stories, from the tragicomedy behind the Kivenkantaja runestone to why they almost became a grindcore band (or at least they claimed so) – and even a glimpse into Mitja’s outdoor adventures. I can’t wait for it to be available for all Moonsorrow fans out there after all these years. Preorder it now, September is around the corner!”
Dayal Patterson, Cult Never Dies founder and longtime music journalist, said: “Moonsorrow are an exceptional band, and in many ways a unique and influential one, so we are more than proud to be releasing such an in-depth book about this Finnish institution. The author has done a great job of telling the band’s story, and the musicians featured are notably candid at times during the interviews.“
“Home of the Waves: Conversations with Moonsorrow” is a substantial 388-page hardback, featuring a 24-page colour photo gallery and a total of 150 images, most of which have never been seen before.
Metalcore Artist Returns with a Ferocious Sequel to Her Sonic Examination of Ego and Illusion
Durham, NC – Megg Jacobs dives even deeper into the brutal emotional terrain first explored in her previous single “ego” with the release of its companion track, “DEATH,” a volatile meditation on all-or-nothing thinking, illusion, and the chaos that follows the rejection of nuance. The new single is now available to stream on all platforms worldwide, with a striking visual set to drop via YouTube on August 15th, edited by Grammy and MTV VMA-nominated video editor Mark Mayr (Peaches, Justin Bieber).
“‘DEATH’ is about the fallout of denying that middle space,” Megg Jacobs shares. “It’s the exhaustion that comes from clinging to black-and-white thinking while everything around you demands complexity.” With her signature fusion of thunderous drums, guttural vocals, and emotionally layered lyrics, Jacobs crafts a deep atmosphere that is as aggressive as it is vulnerable.
She describes the track as being stuck in a loop, between glitter in the dirt and dirt in the glitter. One is rot masked by beauty, the other corruption masked by sparkle. “Neither is honest,” she explains. “Both are masks we wear to avoid nuance: the real discomfort of being human.” The new single builds on the themes of ego death and transformation first introduced in “ego,” capturing the psychological wear-and-tear that results from resisting the complicated truths of being alive.
The cinematic visual showcases the return of the symbolic worms of her branding, representing evolution through decay. They’re there to consume what no longer serves. Not the body, but the facade. The duality of both grotesque and necessary, a reminder that change requires rot, and that ego death doesn’t end in light, but in surrender. Produced by Spicehouse out of Sanford, NC, and presented with fierce emotional clarity, “DEATH” is a bold continuation of Jacobs’s visceral storytelling that is unflinching, dynamic, and uniquely human.
Megg Jacobs is a rising force in metalcore whose sound blends fierce vocal ranges with haunting theatricality. Raised in rural Maine, surrounded by “misty forests, long winters, and the eerie kind of silence that makes you creative… or a little crazy,” Jacobs’s imagination was shaped by her environment, something she now weaves into every track. Though classically trained, it wasn’t until she embraced a heavier vocal technique in 2022 that her distinct, razor-sharp sound truly emerged.
Now based in North Carolina, she channels polarity and contrast, both thematically and sonically, into music that explores illusion, identity, and inner reckoning. Her recent single “ego,” praised by Metal Sucks, ReGen Magazine, and Metal Odyssey, introduced her as a bold new voice in the genre, solidifying her place as one to watch.
Finland’s TRYPANON now unveil “Gnaw Out The Flesh To Free Yourself”, the next chapter in their descent toward spiritual annihilation.
Taken from the upcoming full-length Through the Portal of Flesh to Achieve Divinity, out September 5th, 2025 via Time To Kill Records – the track plunges even deeper into the band’s signature blend of blackened sludge, dissonant death metal and ritualistic atmospheres.
Dark, unrelenting and charged with a sense of deranged doom, “Gnaw Out The Flesh To Free Yourself” exemplifies TRYPANON’s commitment to crafting music that is both emotionally devastating and sonically transgressive.
1. Carriers Of The Chalice 2. Ruumis 3. Gnaw Out The Flesh To Free Yourself 4. Veiled In Shadows 5. Loss 6. Fire Pits 7. Cryptic Device
Hailing from the northern city of Oulu and featuring members of esteemed Finnish outfits such as Haapoja, Dart, and Renate/Cordate, TRYPANON have steadily emerged as one of the most compelling and unorthodox underground acts in recent memory. Their 2021 debutAmentia earned widespread acclaim for its suffocating intensity and bleak atmospheres, establishing the band as a vital force in the realms of extreme music.
Line-up:
Emil Aikio – Vocals Pekka Kivelä – Guitars Antti-Pekka Vähänen – Bass Jukka Pohjanvälke – Drums
With Through the Portal of Flesh to Achieve Divinity, TRYPANON push their vision even further into the void. The album is a nightmarish fusion of down-tuned sludge, chaotic death metal, and dissonant black metal, woven together with progressive flourishes and hypnotic melodic fragments. The result is a deeply immersive and punishing listening experience that recalls the extremity of bands like Lord Mantis, Coffinworm and Cobalt, while retaining a sonic and conceptual identity entirely its own.
WhereAmentia was a descent into psychological collapse, Through the Portal… drags the listener through a ritualistic transformation; an existential death trip that explores themes of corporeal transcendence, spiritual ruin and ecstatic suffering. The record was conceived not only as an artistic evolution, but as an act of purification through sound: hostile, enveloping and uncompromising.
This release marks a significant step forward for TRYPANON, both in scope and execution. Expect a record steeped in raw emotion and relentless aggression, but also rich in nuance and disturbing beauty.
Wacken 2026 – we’re coming back! Powerwolf will return to the holy ground for a full headlining metal mass. It’s going to be louder and wilder than ever before!
Finnish melodic death metal powerhouse BEFORE THE DAWN are pleased to unveil their newest single, “Shockwave.” The fierce track comes off the band’s new studio album, Cold Flare Eternal, set for release on September 5th, via Reaper Entertainment.
A crushing storm of groove, aggression, and raw power, “Shockwave” reveals a new, heavier facet of the band while still carrying their signature blend of melody and melancholy. Thundering riffs, pounding drums, and an explosive vocal performance mark this song as a future live favorite.
The band comments, “‘Shockwave’ is the heaviest single we have ever released with BEFORE THE DAWN and contains the fire of a thousand suns and the weight of a dying star. A grand embodiment of the energy inside the band! Can’t wait to get to play this banger on the Fall tour.”
Watch BEFORE THE DAWN’s “Shockwave” video HERE. Stream the track HERE.
Watch BEFORE THE DAWN’s previously released video for “Fatal Design” HERE, “As Above, So Below” HERE and “Stellar Effect” HERE.
Cold Flare Eternal features core art by Gogo Melone (Wolfheart, Insomnium, Xandria, Omnium Gatherum) and will be available on CD, LP, and digital formats.
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!
Metal Odyssey's Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Hall of Fame! These Are The Rock And METAL Legends Wrongfully Ignored By "The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame"
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
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