DIRKSCHNEIDER & THE OLD GANG have released their third single and video, “Hellbreaker” – a thunderous, full-throttle anthem that delivers another fiery preview of their upcoming full-length album, Babylon, due out in October 2025 via Reigning Phoenix Music.
With “Hellbreaker” the band pulls no punches, catapulting us straight into true heavy metal! Brutal guitar riffs, bold melodies and a driving power chorus complete the picture. “Udo growls and screams like there’s no tomorrow, while Manuela’s solo vocals put the icing on the cake towards the end of the song. Mathias’ unorthodox solo guitar work is a real treat for all guitar freaks and in no way inferior to the other highlights,”states the band.
Backed by a cinematic music video, “Hellbreaker” doesn’t just build anticipation, it kicks the doors wide open for what is shaping up to be one of the most exciting releases of the year.
Death metal legends CANNIBAL CORPSE are pleased to welcome Full Of Hell to their previously announced US headlining tour this Fall. The trek begins on September 15th in Nashville, Tennessee and makes its way through over two dozen cities, the tour drawing to a close on October 22nd in Charlotte, North Carolina. Additional support will be provided by Municipal Waste and Fulci.
Tickets are on sale now at cannibalcorpse.net. See all confirmed dates below.
CANNIBAL CORPSE w/ Municipal Waste, Full Of Hell, Fulci: 9/15/2025 Marathon Music Works – Nashville, TN 9/17/2025 The Mill & Mine – Knoxville, TN 9/18/2025 Louder Than Life – Louisville, KY 9/19/2025 Roxian Theatre – Pittsburgh, PA 9/20/2025 NE Metal and Hardcore Fest – Worcester, MA 9/22/2025 Buffalo RiverWorks – Buffalo, NY 9/23/2025 Agora Theater – Cleveland, OH 9/24/2025 The Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI 9/26/2025 The Rave – Milwaukee, WI 9/27/2025 Epic Event Center – Green Bay, WI 9/28/2025 First Ave – Minneapolis, MN 9/29/2025 The Truman – Kansas City, MO 9/30/2025 Diamond Ballroom – Oklahoma City, OK 10/02/2025 Van Buren – Phoenix, AZ 10/03/2025 Ventura Theater – Ventura, CA 10/04/2025 House Of Blues – Anaheim, CA 10/05/2025 Soma – San Diego, CA 10/07/2025 Rialto Theater – Tucson, AZ 10/09/2025 The Aztec Theatre – San Antonio, TX 10/10/2025 House Of Blues – Houston, TX 10/11/2025 The Hall – Little Rock, AR 10/12/2025 Mars Music Hall – Huntsville, AL 10/14/2025 The Ritz – Raleigh, NC 10/15/2025 The National – Richmond, VA 10/17/2025 The Paramount – Huntington, NY 10/18/2025 Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ 10/19/2025 The Fillmore – Silver Spring, MD 10/21/2025 The Norva – Norfolk, VA 10/22/2025 The Fillmore – Charlotte, NC
Chaos Horrific slaughtered Billboard charts upon its first week of release, earning the #7 position on the Billboard Album Sales chart, #2 on the Hard Music Albums chart, #3 on the Rock Albums chart, #5 on the Independent Label Albums chart, and more!
The record is available on digipak CD, cassette, and digital formats as well as vinyl in multiple limited color variants.
Swedish 2025 Grammy winners OPETH are pleased to unveil a full-on band performance video for “§1.” The track is taken from their current success album The Last Will And Testament(released on November 22, 2024 through Moderbolaget / Reigning Phoenix Music), which was highly praised by press and fans alike and saw frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt return to growling vocal territory for the first time in 16 years. Their new material has additionally been warmly welcomed during their ongoing world tour, which is why the video arrives right in time as their touring cycle commences at the legendary Sweden Rock Festival.
Åkerfeldt states: “So here’s a video (of sorts) for your enjoyment. We had requests left, right & centre to do one of them measly ‘lyric videos’ or ‘visualizers’ for content. Now, right there are three words I despise! I’ve made it clear in our circle of trust that we shouldn’t use the word ‘content’ even if that’s exactly what we’re working on. We’re not some goddamn influencers, now are we? So can we please settle on the old-fashioned word ‘video’ without meddling with modern online lingo? And a video is what it really is. A performance video, no less. We figured it’s a bit more happening to look at (should you decide to do so) than a lyric video. ‘§1’ is the opener on “The Last Will And Testament.” A good song. I like it! The video looks good. As good as it can look when involving 5 middle-aged, slightly hungover geezers miming along to something. We shot it in some industrial area in Birmingham (UK) on the latest Euro tour. Everyone (well, the band and crew) were quite eager to get out of there as we had dinner planned at a fancy curry house locally. Much thanks to Ash Pears and ASH TV, who were really professional (ie: quick!) and made the whole experience rather easy on us. Hope you dig it, people!”
Creator-Destructor Records presents Initium Mors, the monstrous debut LP from Oakland, California death metal crew BARBAROUS.
Influenced by the likes of Cannibal Corpse, Skeletal Remains, Necrot, and Gatecreeper, BARBAROUS hit the ground running since coming onto the scene in April 2024, having played shows live alongside the likes of Laceration and others across the Bay Area throughout last Summer. In September, the band released their two-song Coup De Grâce demo to widespread underground acclaim, just a foretaste of the lurking savagery the band was preparing to unload.
BARBAROUS’ merciless full-length debut, Initium Mors, arrives as one of the most devastating records to be delivered so far this year. The band’s classic death metal influences are exemplified though a modern edge of relentless Bay Area energetic destruction, coalescing into eight earthmoving tracks that devastate everything in earshot.
Initium Mors was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Cody Fuentes in February/March 2025 at Rapture Studios (Spite, Wolf King, Lionheart), and completed with harrowing art by death metal luminary Dan Seagrave (Dismember, Hypocrisy, Morbid Angel).
With the first preview of Initium Mors, “Tools Of The Trade,” Vocalist Travis Laberge states, “‘Tools Of The Trade’ is a song about an evil executioner carrying out his mission. It’s pretty on the nose. I just wanted to write a song that fit both the death metal and medieval vibes of the band. We all felt this was the song to choose as the first single because it sums up the band lyrically and instrumentally as well. I’m a huge fan of Carcass so yeah, the title is a homage to them.”
BARBAROUS’ InitiumMors single “Tools Of The Trade” is now streaming on YouTube HERE and Bandcamp HERE.
Initium Mors will be released on LP, CD, and digital platforms on August 1st. Preorders are now live at the Creator-Destructor webshop HEREand Bandcamp HERE.
Be on the lookout for additional harbingers of the album to arrive over the bleak weeks ahead alongside live announcements and more.
Montreal death metal juggernaut KATAKLYSM is proud to announce their co-headlining slot alongside Polish death metal pioneers VADER on the Carnival of Death 2025 North American tour. The tour brings with it a no-holds-barred lineup featuring the legendary MALEVOLENT CREATION and rising death thrashers SKELETAL REMAINS, guaranteeing a night of relentless brutality in every city. Get your tickets HERE.
The 26-date carnage kicks off October 1st in Bensalem, PA, and storms through major cities across the U.S. and Canada, including stops in Atlanta, Tampa, Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago, and Brooklyn. Canadian fans will witness KATAKLYSM close out each show from Toronto through Montreal, ensuring a fitting home soil finale for the band.
🗓️ Oct 1 – Bensalem, PA – Broken Goblet 🗓️ Oct 2 – Greensboro, NC – Hangar 1819 🗓️ Oct 3 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade (Heaven) 🗓️ Oct 4 – Tampa, FL – The Orpheum 🗓️ Oct 6 – Ft. Worth, TX – Tulips 🗓️ Oct 7 – Austin, TX – Come and Take It Live 🗓️ Oct 8 – El Paso, TX – Rockhouse Bar & Grill 🗓️ Oct 9 – Mesa, AZ – Nile Theater 🗓️ Oct 10 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick 🗓️ Oct 11 – West Hollywood, CA – Whisky-A-Go-Go 🗓️ Oct 12 – San Francisco, CA – DNA Lounge 🗓️ Oct 13 – Roseville, CA – Goldfield Trading Post 🗓️ Oct 14 – Las Vegas, NV – Backstage Bar 🗓️ Oct 16 – Denver, CO – The Oriental Theater 🗓️ Oct 17 – Kansas City, MO – Warehouse on Broadway 🗓️ Oct 18 – Minneapolis, MN – Skyway Theater – Studio B 🗓️ Oct 19 – Chicago, IL – Reggie’s 🗓️ Oct 20 – Lakewood, OH – Mercury Music Lounge 🗓️ Oct 21 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace* 🗓️ Oct 22 – Ottawa, ON – Overflow* 🗓️ Oct 23 – Quebec City, QC – Salle Montaigne* 🗓️ Oct 24 – Montreal, QC – Fairmount Theatre* 🗓️ Oct 25 – Syracuse, NY – The Lost Horizon 🗓️ Oct 26 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Monarch *Kataklysm headlines all Canadian dates.
Tickets are on sale now. Don’t miss your chance to witness this once-in-a-generation tour of death metal dominance.
Powerhouse Group Features Chris Adler, Myrone and Girish Pradhan
Today hard rock and heavy metal powerhouse FIRSTBORNE return with “Again” – the second single from the group’s awaited album. There’s an accompanying lyric video for the track viewable HERE:
“It’s an inner battle… choosing between sinking to their level or rising above the noise. When someone insults you without knowing who you are, it hurts. But the real strength lies in rising above the pettiness and channeling that energy into something greater… growth, purpose, and peace,” explains singer Girish Pradhan.
“Again” will be serviced to commercial/active rock radio and is the first cut off FIRSTBORNE’s new album, Lucky. It follows “Wake Up” which was a welcome introduction to the group’s penchant for infectious hard rock with a humorous and relatable twist, found especially entertaining by the first music video HERE: https://youtu.be/-vgQE4NKgds
The full-length, produced by the renown producer Machine (Clutch, King Crimson, Crobot) will be released on M-Theory Audio on August 8th. It will be available from all digital outlets, as well as on CD and limited-edition (300) amber wave colored vinyl. Pre-order now HERE: https://lnk.to/firstborne
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 who just performed last night on America’s Got Talent with his other band Girish and the Chronicles: https://www.facebook.com/reel/717507967417196
Formed in 2019, FIRSTBORNE blend 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’sdynamic, 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.
Sept 12 – Raleigh, NC @ Chapel of Bones Sept 13 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts Sept 14 – Leesburg, VA @ Tally Ho Sept 16 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Monarch Sept 17 – Hampton, NH @ Wally’s Sept 18 – Hartford, CT @ Webster Hall Sept 19 – Lititz, PA @ Mickey’s Black Box Sept 20 – Clifton, NJ @ Dingbatz Sept 21 – Rochester, NY @ Montage Music Hall Sept 22 – Cleveland, OH @ Mercury Sept 24 – Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary Sept 25 – Hobart, IN @ Hobart Art Theatre Sept 26 – Madison, WI @ The Annex Sept 27 – Minneapolis, MN @ Studio B Skyway Sept 28 – Belvidere, IL @ Apollo Theater Sept 29 – Sioux Falls, SD @ Bigs Bar Oct 1 – Billings, MT @ Pub Station Oct 3 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon Oct 4 – Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Oct 5 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory Oct 6 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge Oct 7 – Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater Oct 9 – Des Moines, IA @ Wooly’s* Oct 10 – Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s* Oct 11 – Indianapolis, IN @ Hi-Fi Annex* *Nile, Cryptopsy and Cognitive only
One band to rule them all! The final four bands from this year’s 2025 battles for Wacken Metal Battle Canada gathered in Vancouver, BC, forthe national final on May 31st at the Rickshaw Theatre. Only one unsigned Canadian band can walk away and be crowned champion to move on to perform at one of the world’s most prestigious and largest already sold-out metal festivals, Wacken Open Air (July 30th – August 2nd) (Attendance of over 80,000 people in Wacken, Germany for over 30 years).
Crowning this year’s 2025 winner is Hamilton, ON’s KILLOTINE (Ontario Winner), who, after their performance, a panel of industry judges voted as Canada’s top band to play at the International Wacken Battle at Wacken Open Air. They performed alongside SOULTHIEF (Ottawa, ON – Eastern Canada Winner), BEYOND SUFFERING (Calgary, Alberta Winner), and YEGG (Nanaimo, British Columbia Winner). The special guest headliner was 2024 BC final winner, Vancouver’sArrow In The Quiver.
“What a finals we’ve just had in Vancouver. It’s so nice to see the level of the bands and the great performances from all of them. The result is that we’ve got something special this year: Killotine is the chosen one. This band has a career waiting for them, and the real beginning of that journey will be at Wacken Open Air. This really enforces what the Metal Battle is all about and how we are nurturing the next generation, the future of metal,” commentsCanadian Organizer of Wacken Metal Battle Canada, JJ Tartaglia.
This year’s panel of national final judges consisted of BRITTNEY SLAYES (Unleash The Archers), JJ TARTAGLIA (Canadian Organizer of Wacken Metal Battle Canada), JJ CAITHCART (Founder of SCRAPE Records and Host of Different Stages Radio), KRIS SCHULZ (Founder of Empower Through Music and Owner of Horizon School of Music), ABELARDO MAYORAL (Founder, Owner, and Operator of The Invisible Orange and OrangeTickets), STAN SCHINNERS (Owner of Broken Neck Radio), JUSTIN DOBBIN (Owner and President of Main Stage Rehearsal Studios).
Hamilton, ON’s KILLOTINE is the hammer that falls without warning: relentless, unforgiving, and all-consuming. Their riffs shred through the air like jagged steel, solos burn with a fury that can’t be tamed, and blasts hit like an explosion in your chest. They don’t care about trends or softening the blow. Every note is a direct attack, every show a brutal assault. Headbanging is inevitable, the adrenaline is relentless, and the chaos is total.
This is metal in its rawest, most savage form. With their “take everything, leave only metal” mentality, Killotine isn’t here to play nice. They deliver exactly what the maniacs demand: pure, unfiltered aggression. No filler, no fake. Just a full-throttle, all-out assault that doesn’t let up, leaving you wrecked and addicted to the chaos. KILLOTINE IS COMING. STAY OUT OF THE WAY OR GET DESTROYED.
We are so excited to announce the Welcome to Forever Tour of the UK and select EU cities! Come celebrate The Father of Make Believe with us as we play songs from the Vaxis stories as well as classics from before.
Haken will be our special guest on all UK dates (We will be announcing EU support very soon). We will be bringing production where space permits! Mage and Prise packages available for those on our mailing list or in the know. General on sale, Friday 10am. http://www.coheedandcambria.com
October 07 Madrid, ES – Wagon 08 Barcelona, ES – Apolo 10 Paris, FR – Alhambra 11 Cologne, DE – Stollwerck 13 Berlin, DE – Festsaal Kreuzberg 14 Hamburg, DE – Gruenspan 15 Nijmegen, NL – Doomroosje 17 Birmingham, UK – o2 Academy 18 Cardiff, UK – University Great Hall 20 Manchester, UK – Academy 21 London, UK – o2 Academy Brixton 22 Nottingham, UK – Rock City
Death Before Dishonor have announced their BHC Road Trip tour leading all the way up to Hardcore Fest and back. They’ll be going all across the country from August 7 through 16, accompanied by BHC band Street Power. If DBD is coming to your city, be sure to keep an eye out for tickets, you won’t want to miss this.
Above: newly released studio album Nowhere Bound (via Bridge Nine).
Death Before Dishonor:
Bryan Harris – Vocals • Ben Kelly – Guitar • Greg Chihoski – Bass • Ben Hilton – Drums • Justin Viera – Guitar
5RAND have officially signed with Art Gates Records for the release of their upcoming third album. This new alliance marks a significant step forward in the band’s evolution, as they continue to refine their signature blend of modern heaviness and cinematic atmosphere.
To celebrate the signing, the band has unveiled a brand-new single,“The Nihilist”, featuring Milofrom Fear Factory. The track delivers a fierce mix of punishing riffs, industrial undertones, and emotionally raw vocals, accompanied by a powerful music video that explores themes of identity loss and psychological inversion. “The Nihilist” offers a first glimpse into the darker, more introspective sound of their forthcoming record, due out in November 2025.
Hailing from Rome, Italy, 5RAND builds on a punishing modern metal foundation, layered with the cinematic depth of melodic death metal, creating an intense and emotionally immersive soundscape. Fronted by the dynamic dual vocals of Julia Elenoir, shifting seamlessly from visceral growls to haunting clean melodies, the band has carved out a distinctive place in the modern metal scene.
Founded by Pierluigi Carocci (guitar), Acey Guns (bass), Andrea De Carolis (drums), and Elenoir (vocals), 5RAND first made waves with their debut Sacred/Scared, followed by the critically acclaimed Dark Mother. The band has since toured extensively across Europe, sharing the stage with iconic acts such as Dark Tranquillity, Vader, Butcher Babies, Infected Rain, and many others.
In 2025, 5RAND will unveil their most ambitious work to date, a bold new album mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, featuring a powerful guest appearance by the new Fear Factory vocalist, Milo Silvestro. This upcoming release signals a sonic evolution: darker, more introspective, and conceptually daring.
The band’s name, drawn from a chance encounter with a shaman and a South African 5 Rand coin, symbolizes unexpected paths and transformative experiences. Their music explores themes of identity, emotional detachment, philosophy, and human resilience, all woven together through a multidisciplinary artistic vision that spans both sound and visuals.
Line-up:
Julia Elenoir – Voice Pierluigi Carocci – Guitar Acey Guns – Bass Andrea De Carolis – Drums
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions are set to release the new album from Colombia’s crushing Death/Black Metal devastators KING. K is up now for pre-order and will be released June 27th on CD and Digital formats along with merch.
Originally formed in 2005 and created in Medellín, Colombia, KING performs unrelenting and crushing Death/Black Metal. After four years of anticipation, K continues the band’s legacy of total devastation and sonic aggression, while also showcasing a musical maturity that reflects both their evolution and the spiritual depth of its members.
KING unleashes 11 tracks on K, perfectly blending darkness and power, with a musical approach that explores new sonic dimensions without losing the brutality they are known for, inviting the listener on a deep journey through the chaos and reflection that define its creators.
For fans of Abigor, Belphegor, Dark Funeral, Dead Congregation, Deicide, Emperor, Hate, Infestdead, Krisiun, Marduk, Morbid Angel, Necrophobic, Vital Remains and Watain.
CROWBAR will join their comrades in Eyehategod for a US co-headlining tour this Summer! The journey, which will commence on August 8th in Tampa, Florida and close on August 30th in their home city of New Orleans, Louisiana, includes a performance on the Rocks Off Concert Cruise in New York City.
Tickets are on sale now. See all confirmed dates below.
CROWBAR w/ Eyehategod: 8/08/2025 Brass Mug – Tampa, FL 8/09/2025 Respectable Street – West Palm Beach, FL 8/10/2025 Trolley Pub – Summerville, SC 8/11/2025 529 – Atlanta, GA 8/12/2025 Ground Zero – Spartanburg, SC 8/13/2025 Cobra Cabana – Richmond, VA 8/14/2025 Rocks Off Concert Cruise – New York City, NY [info] 8/15/2025 Phantom Power – Millersville, PA 8/16/2025 Geno’s – Portland, ME 8/17/2025 Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA 8/18/2025 Space Ballroom – Hamden, CT 8/19/2025 Lost Horizon – Syracuse, NY 8/20/2025 Preserving Underground – New Kensington, PA 8/21/2025 Black Circle – Indianapolis, IN 8/22/2025 Ace Of Cups – Columbus, OH 8/23/2025 Reggie’s – Chicago, IL 8/24/2025 Sanctuary – Detroit, MI 8/25/2025 Red Flag – St. Louis, MO 8/26/2025 89th Street – Oklahoma City, OK 8/27/2025 Club Dada – Dallas, TX 8/28/2025 House Of Rock – Corpus Christi, TX 8/29/2025 Come And Take It Live – Austin, TX 8/30/2025 Southport Hall – New Orleans, LA
CROWBAR’s most recent studio offering, the critically acclaimed Zero And Below, was released in April 2022 via MNRK Heavy. Led by riff lord and vocalist Kirk Windstein, with guitarist Matt Brunson, bassist Shane Wesley, and drummer Tommy Buckley, songs like “Chemical Godz,” “It’s Always Worth The Gain,” and “Bleeding From Every Hole” are unapologetic emotional outpourings, with a bare-knuckle resolve alongside its soul-searching vulnerability, reliably delivered with crushing heaviness.
Produced, mixed, and mastered by Duane Simoneaux at OCD Recording And Production in Metairie, Louisiana, Zero And Below is the band’s most unforgivably doom-driven record since their 1998 landmark effort, Odd Fellows Rest.
Rising from the oppressive crypts of Central America, MORTUAL is ready to deliver their most unrelenting statement of intent yet. Following a trilogy of celebrated EPs, the Costa Rican death metal cult will release their long-awaited debut full-length, Altar of Brutality, on LP, CD and MC format on July 4th, 2025 through Nuclear Winter Records.
The first single “Necromancy Ritual” is now streaming HERE.
Spawned in the black rain and pestilent winds of San José, Altar of Brutality is a declaration of total spiritual negation: eight impure hymns steeped in decay, fanatic violence and the iconoclastic hunger to desecrate all that is sacred. Carrying forward the cursed legacy of their previous EP Evil Incarnation, MORTUAL now reach deeper into the void, channeling a darker, more oppressive sound, dripping with heretical intent and sharpened through years of relentless underground devotion.
This is not a reinvention, but a declaration, a brutal affirmation of death metal’s primal force. WithAltar of Brutality, MORTUAL summon a vision of spiritual ruin and corporeal decay, wrapped in chains of riffs, blasts and unwavering intensity.
Line-up:
Juan Salas – Guitar, Vocals Justin Sánchez – Guitar, Vocals Chalo – Drums
For fans of: Deicide, Mortem, Sadistic Intent, early Monstrosity
Track-list:
01. Mortuary Rites 02. Necromancy Ritual 03. Divine Monstrosity 04. Dominion of Eternal Blasphemy 05. Fiendish Visions 06. Skeletal Vortex 07. Altar of Brutality 08. Ecstasy of Death
Mixed and mastered by Dan Lowndes at Resonance Sound Studio.
Gorgatron, Casket Robbery, and Frontal Assault are thrilled to announce ‘The Northern Destruction Tour’ starting on July 24th. The tour will be hitting multiple cities across the US and Canada.
The full list of tour dates is as follows:
7/24 Minneapolis, MN @ Zhora Darling
7/25 Milwaukee, WI @ X Ray Arcade
7/26 Menomonie, WI @ Zymurgy Brewing
7/27 West Chicago, IL @ WC Social Club
7/28 Toronto, ON @ The Cave
7/30 Thunder Bay, ON @ Black Pirates Pub
7/31 Winnipeg, MB @ Sidestage
8/1 Saskatoon, SK @ Black Cat Tavern
8/2 Drumheller, AB @ Loud As Hell Fest
8/4 Missoula, MT @ The Show Room at the ZACC
8/5 Salt Lake City, UT @ Aces High Saloon
8/6 Denver, CO @ HQ
8/7 Rapid City, SD @ Abys
8/8 Sioux Falls, SD @ Downtown Sioux Falls @ Four Winds Music and Art Fest
8/9 Cedar Rapids, IA @ Iowa Metal Underground Fest
Lexington, KY’s heaviest export, CROP, has announced the release of their highly anticipated sophomore album S.S.R.I, due out August 22, 2025 via Third House Communications. Alongside the announcement, the band has dropped the album’s first single, “Alone” – a soul-crushing breakup song that cuts deeper than heartbreak and settles into the kind of emotional void that never really closes.
“Alone” is a brutal meditation on what it means to lose someone twice; once in the relationship, and again in the realization that their presence offered no real solace.
Backed by thunderous guitars, unrelenting drums, and vocals that walk the line between raw power and quiet devastation, “Alone” captures the emotional core of S.S.R.I; an album steeped in grief, clarity, and the jagged edge of survival. Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Jason Groves, S.S.R.I builds on the massive sound CROP introduced with their self-titled 2021 debut, and dives even further into the chaos of identity, loss, and mental disintegration.
The seven-track record features emotionally heavy tracks like “Formaldehyde,” “10-56,” and “Break,” and pairs crushing riffs with deeply introspective lyrics, reflecting the band’s evolution from local underground staple to national force.
Known for their blistering live shows and rising reputation in the doom and heavy grunge scenes, CROP has performed at Maryland Doom Fest, RPM Fest, and shared stages with WEEDEATER, CONAN, REZN, BONGZILLA and more. With S.S.R.I, the band delivers not just an album, but a fully immersive psychological and sonic experience.
S.S.R.I – Track Listing:
“Flatline” – 1:00
“Formaldehyde” – 5:57
“Goddamn” – 6:37
“10-56” – 6:22
“Alone” – 7:02
“Breath” – 1:06
“Break” – 6:24
CROP:
Marc Phillips – Vocals
Zach Hunter – Guitar
Braun Dabney – Bass
Andrew Beauvier – Drums
For CROP, the music is a confrontation, a refusal to look away from the darkest corners of life, and an insistence that even pain deserves to be heard at full volume.
WHITECHAPEL will return to US stages this Fall on the Rituals Of Hate headlining tour. The journey makes its way through over two dozen cities from November 12th through December 14th and will see the band perform their critically adored new full-length Hymns In Dissonance in its devastating entirety alongside some old favorites. Support will be provided by Bodysnatcher, Angelmaker, and Disembodied Tyrant.
Comments the band, “After the overwhelming responses from the Hymns In Dissonance release, we decided it would be great to close out the year by giving this album to the fans live front to back. The tour will be ending with our 10th annual hometown Christmas benefit show in Knoxville, Tennessee. Do not wait and grab your tickets/VIP now for this special tour!”
Presales begins Wednesday, May 28th at 10:00am local time. General on sale date is Friday, May 30th at 10:00am local time. VIP upgrades will be available at: whitechapel.soundrink.com and include:
– 1 GA Ticket
– Meet & Greet w/ WHITECHAPEL
– Photo Op w/ WHITECHAPEL
– Exclusive VIP Wall Flag
– Exclusive Signed Poster
– Exclusive VIP Enamel Pin
– Exclusive VIP Laminate w/ Lanyard
– Early Entry + Early Access To Merch
See confirmed dates below.
WHITECHAPEL w/ Bodysnatcher, Angelmaker, Disembodied Tyrant: 11/12/2025 The Norva – Norfolk, VA 11/14/2025 Reverb – Harrisburg, PA 11/15/2025 Irving Plaza – New York, NY 11/16/2025 Toad’s – New Haven, CT 11/17/2025 Empire – Albany, NY 11/19/2025 Anthology – Rochester, NY 11/20/2025 Mr. Smalls Theatre – Pittsburgh, PA 11/21/2025 Globe Iron – Cleveland, OH 11/22/2025 The Vogue Theatre – Indianapolis, IN 11/23/2025 The Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI 11/25/2025 The Rave – Milwaukee, WI 11/26/2025 Wooly’s – Des Moines, IA 11/28/2025 Delmar Hall – St. Louis, MO 11/29/2025 The Truman – Kansas City, MO 11/30/2025 Diamond Ballroom – Oklahoma City, OK 12/02/2025 The Hall – Little Rock, AR 12/03/2025 Iron City – Birmingham, AL 12/04/2025 Vinyl Music Hall – Pensacola, FL 12/05/2025 FIVE – Jacksonville, FL 12/06/2025 House Of Blues – Orlando, FL 12/08/2025 The National – Richmond, VA 12/09/2025 Brooklyn Bowl – Nashville, TN 12/10/2025 The Signal – Chattanooga, TN 12/12/2025 House Of Blues – Myrtle Beach, SC 12/13/2025 The Orange Peel – Asheville, NC 12/14/2025 Mill & Mine – Knoxville, TN
Released earlier this Spring on Metal Blade Records, WHITECHAPEL’s Hymns In Dissonance earned the #2 position on Billboard’s Current Hard Rock Albums chart, #3 on Independent Label Current Albums chart, #4 on the Current Rock Albums chart, and #7 on the Digital Albums chart upon its first week of release.
The record finds the band reinventing themselves, going darker, deeper, and heavier than ever before. “We attempted to write our heaviest album to date,” says guitarist Alex Wade. “We wanted to put out something that was shockingly menacing and brutal.”
WHITECHAPEL: Phil Bozeman – vocals Ben Savage – lead guitar Alex Wade – rhythm guitar Zach Householder – guitar Gabe Crisp – bass Brandon Zackey – drums
Hymns In Dissonance is available now on CD, vinyl, and digital formats.
Photo credit: Sam Jamsen L-R: Esa Holopainen (guitars), Olli-Pekka “Oppu” Laine (bass), Tomi Joutsen (vocals), Santeri Kallio (keys), TomiKoivusaari (guitars), JanRechberger (drums & percussion)
AMORPHIS are back: After taking a brief creative hiatus from the scene, the iconic Finnish metal titans return with the announcement of their 15th studio album, Borderland, arriving on September 26, 2025 via Reigning Phoenix Music!
Guitarist Esa Holopainen shares the band’s excitement about the forthcoming album: “Borderland is the first AMORPHIS album produced in collaboration with Danish producer Jacob Hansen. Before that, we had made three amazing records at Jens Bogren’s studio. During the planning phase of the project, we strongly felt that it was time to explore something new and see what working with a different producer might bring to the table!”
As a first introduction to Borderland, the band is thrilled to reveal that a brand new single ‘Light And Shadow’ will be released on June 6, 2025. More details to follow shortly!
Borderland will be released in time for a massive headline tour in their home country as well as a trip as part of an arena-filling package with ARCH ENEMY, ELUVEITIE and GATECREEPER. All dates & ticket info can be found below!
European “Blood Dynasty” 2025 Tour w/ ARCH ENEMY, ELUVEITIE, GATECREEPER: 10.10.2025 DE Stuttgart – Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle 11.10.2025 DE Frankfurt – Jahrhunderthalle 12.10.2025 DE Munich – Zenith 14.10.2025 HU Budapest – Barba Negra 15.10.2025 AT Vienna – Gasometer 17.10.2025 DE Berlin – Columbiahalle 18.10.2025 CZ Prague – Sportovní hala Fortuna 19.10.2025 PL Gliwice – PreZero Arena 21.10.2025 CH Zurich – The Hall 22.10.2025 IT Milan – Alcatraz 23.10.2025 FR Lyon – Radiant-Bellevue 25.10.2025 ES Madrid – Palacio Vistalegre 27.10.2025 FR Paris – Zénith 28.10.2025 NL Amsterdam – AFAS Live 30.10.2025 UK Wolverhampton – Civic Hall 31.10.2025 UK Manchester – O2 Apollo 01.11.2025 UK London – eventim Apollo 03.11.2025 LU Esch-sur-Alzette – Rockhal 04.11.2025 BE Brussels – Ancienne Belgique 05.11.2025 DE Leipzig – Haus Auensee 07.11.2025 SE Gothenburg – Partille Arena 08.11.2025 SE Stockholm – Annexet 10.11.2025 FI Helsinki – Helsingin Jäähalli 12.11.2025 NO Oslo – Sentrum Scene 13.11.2025 DK Copenhagen – Poolen 14.11.2025 DE Hanover – Swiss Life Hall 15.11.2025 DE Dusseldorf – Mitsubishi Electric Halle
Borderland Tour 2025 Presented by Grey Beard Concerts & Management: 05.12.2025 FI Ikaalinen – Spa & Resort 06.12.2025 FI Kempele – Zemppi Areena 12.12.2025 FI Rauha – Saimaan Areena 13.12.2025 FI Kajaani – Kajaanihalli 18.12.2025 FI Tampere – Tavara-asema 19.12.2025 FI Seinäjoki – Rytmikorjaamo 20.12.2025 FI Turku – Logomo 27.12.2025 FI Lahti – Möysän Musaklubi 31.12.2025 FI Lohja – Spa & Resort
Legendary debut album Melancholia originally released by Cold Meat Industry in 1996, to receive new CD & Vinyl treatment after nearly 30 years
Melancholia Redux to feature re-recorded music, and rewritten English lyrics
Norwegian darkwave pioneers Penitent have released a new video for their track, “Beyond the Whispering Echoes“, as the band prepares for the anticipated release of Melancholia Redux, a profound re-imagining of their 1996 Cold Meat Industry debut, Melancholia.
“Beyond the Whispering Echoes” is now also streaming via all digital platforms, along with the single and video for “The Path of the Shadows” (YouTube)
Set for release on 30 May 2025 via The CircleMusic, Melancholia Redux is far more than a simple re-recording. Almost every element has been transformed, featuring entirely re-recorded music and rewritten English lyrics, offering fans a fresh and intense perspective on this seminal work.
Regarding the new video, Karsten Hamrecommented, “Creating the visual counterpart for ‘Beyond the Whispering Echoes’ allowed us to delve deeper into the atmosphere of Melancholia Redux. The video aims to reflect the introspective and melancholic journey of the track, bringing the re-imagined lyrics and music to life in a new dimension.”
Melancholia Redux will be available in a variety of exclusive formats, designed to appeal to collectors and audiophiles:
Digi CD with 12-page booklet: (Limited to 500 copies)
Clear & Black Splatter LP with Printed Inner Sleeve: (Limited to 250 copies)
Red & Turquoise Splatter LP with Printed Inner Sleeve: (Limited to 150 copies)
Luxurious LP/CD Box with Magnet Embossed in Gold: (Limited to 100 copies)
As previously announced, the release of Melancholia Redux marks the beginning of Penitent’s collaboration with The Circle Music. Plans are already in motion for further “Redux” versions of their extensive back catalogue, including The Beauty of Pain, As Life Fades Away, and Roses by ChaosSpawned, alongside exciting new, never-before-released material.
For over three decades, Karsten Hamre, the heart and soul of Penitent, has consistently crafted dark and eerie melodies to accompany his introspective poetry. His unique personal journey has fueled a creative output that feels revitalized, like a complete restart.
Penitent has been a significant name in dark music since the early 1990s, exploring themes of loss, pain, and melancholy through their distinctive musical art. Founded by Karsten Hamre in 1994 to combine his “mad poetry” with music, the band released their debut album Melancholia in 1996 on Cold Meat Industry, quickly establishing their unique sound of sad and somber synth music with spoken word. Over the years, Penitent has evolved, incorporating elements of neo-classical, martial industrial, and more, always driven by Hamre’s artistic vision.
Gothic sludge night stalker, BLOOD VULTURE, created by Jordan Olds (2 Minutes To Late Night), has revealed the 2nd single, “Grey Mourning” (Featuring Jade Puget of AFI), from the upcoming debut album, Die Close, that will be release June 27th via Pure Noise Records.
Commenting on the song, Olds states:
“When I was in middle school, AFI was my gateway to punk, hardcore, and goth. Jade Puget specifically was probably the biggest influence on my guitar playing and songwriting in that very formative time in my life. He’s such a melodic and unique player, and “Grey Mourning” is just a barrage of chromatic death metal riffs, so I thought it would be a really fun juxtaposition to set him loose in that kind of space and see what he came up with. I was honored that he agreed to do it, and his solo is so cool and unpredictable. It was exactly what I wanted.
In my freshman year of highschool, I snagged a black Les Paul studio because I saw him playing one in the Leaving Song Pt. II video and that’s actually the same guitar that I used to mimic his solo for the video. So this whole thing has been a wild full circle moment for me. Oh yeah, and the song is about vampires.“
The the impending debut Die Close, BLOOD VULTURE lures listeners in with a mesmerizing melding of gothic romanticism, lush metallic vibes and brutal reckoning. The record features luminary guests Jade Puget (AFI), Kristin Hayter (Lingua Ignota) and Brian Fair (Shadows Fall).
1. Die Close – Overature 2. An Embrace In The Flood 3. A Dream About Starving To Death 4. Grey Mourning (Feat. Jade Puget) 5. Entwined (Feat. Kristin Hayter) 6. Die Close – Interlude 7. Burn For It (Feat. Brian Fair) 8. The Silence of God 9. Abomination 10. Die Close – Finale
BLOOD VULTURE will perform in Brooklyn, NY on June 1st at The Meadows with Pallbearer and Cinder Well.
AboutBLOOD VULTURE:
This is the story of a vampire known as “The Blood Vulture.” A once-insatiable bloodthirsty abomination of a creature, he is now a recluse long locked away as he grapples with what it means to live forever in a world of impermanence. His tales of regret and grief and terror will be told from hereon through songs that meld the emotive vocal stylings of grunge’s golden era with death metal, goth rock, and doom metal.
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