“Moloch” is the second single from BENTHIC’s Lifeforce Records debut album Sanguine, which is set to be released on February 28th (Vinyl LP March 15th).
Consisting of two guitars, bass, drums and a powerful singer, BENTHIC are playing a mixture of powerful post-hardcore and grooving metal with sustaining melodies. Dark guitar walls and angry roars are constantly being broken down to give room for emotions. An association with the elemental forces of maritime nature in all its beauty and brutality.
The band, featuring founding member Sebastian Formella of long-defunct German metalcore act DESTINY aka THE DESTINY PROGRAM and Siegmar Holzfuß of progressive rock act EDEN CIRCUS, was formed in Hamburg in 2012.
After a long period of writing, countless rehearsals and a few line-up changes, they finally joined as BENTHIC in 2014. Their debut EP called “THE MESS” was released in 2016.
After a long break, BENTHIC now has found a new label home at LIFEFORCE RECORDS and will be back in February with the first full-length “SANGUINE”
With this work, which has matured in complexity and arrangements, BENTHIC wants to create new horizons and is looking forward to future large and small stages of this world.
TRACK LIST:
Sanguine Moloch Murmur Pitch and Tar The Stranger The Living Torch All Is Vanity Faded Godot Sanguine Pt. II
Oulu (FI) – Get ready for some true, underground classic Finnish metal! Gates of Hell Records are proud to announce the forthcoming release of Caballero‘s self-titled debut album on March 7 in North America (Feb. 21 in Europe). The album will be available on cassette, vinyl, and digital formats.
Caballero’s triumphant debut blends old-school metal mastery with timeless power metal, reminiscent of early Jag Panzer, Judas Priest and Omen!
The origins of Finland’s Caballero trace back to 2009 when vocalist/guitarist Aguirre and drummer Pizarro teamed up to play metal in the vein of Brocas Helm, Manilla Roadand Cirith Ungol. However, their first iteration was short-lived. After writing a handful of songs and playing one gig, Caballero was placed in hibernation mode until Aguirre got the urge to resurrect his compositions and properly record them. Bassist Alvarado joined the fold, a full-length album was written and a deal with Gates of Hell Records was summoned. Now, in 2025, Caballero makes its proper entrance into the metal underground with their self-titled debut album.
Recorded in July 2024 at Soundmix Studios in Oulu, Finland and produced by Mika Pohjola, Caballero, with the exception of the majority of the vocals, was tracked during a single weekend. Furthermore, the songs were played live in the studio, except for solos and one additional track of rhythm guitars. Also adding to the album’s luster, the vocals and the mixing were done during a number of sessions that usually started around midnight and finished in the early morning hours, nearly causing some of the band members to die of sleep deprivation in the process. (No members of Caballero were harmed while making this album!)
Caballero does indeed feature songs that stretch back to 2009 and 2010, including “Caballero,” “The Moor-Slayer,” and roughly half of “Lightning Conquest.” Yet the bulk of the album features material from the current formation of Caballero composed from 2020 to 2023, which helps account for its dark, obscure brand of power metal that capably blends the likes of early Jag Panzer, Tyrant and Omen with the aforementioned trio of Brocas Helm, Manilla Road and Cirith Ungol.
The album’s seven cuts conceptually tie together the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, drawing from that exact point in history as well as Aztec mythology. Ultimately, though, the songs are about warfare, which can be seen as a divine calling and a route to immortality for the brutal warriors on both sides of the conflict. Engla Jansson created the artwork. The central figure is Mictlantecuhtli, the Aztec God of Death, looming over the two sides of the conflict, which captures an essential part of what the album is about.
Over 15 years in the making, Caballero instantly places themselves in league with fellow Finnish classic metal underground heroes Chevalier, Emissary and Lord Fist. If this description from Aguirre doesn’t whet your appetite, nothing will: this album sounds like a battlefield, smells of blood and sweat and torments you with terrors both physical and metaphysical.
Track Listing:
The Moor-Slayer
Caballero
Sorcery Above the Lake of the Water Dog
Lightning Conquest 5/ Mortally Wounded, Counting the Galaxies
Massachusetts’s AVERSED share more new music from their forthcoming album. Today, the group’s new digital single and music video “Lucid Decapitation” makes its way online, showcasing their intense, progressive, and blistering performance:
“In 1905, French physician Dr. Jacques Beaurieux performed an experiment on prisoners condemned to die by guillotine. Immediately after his subjects were decapitated, he called out their names seeking to determine to what extent and for how long consciousness remained in their detached skulls,” explains drummer Jeff Saltzman. “In ‘Lucid Decapitation,’ we explore the horrifying prospect of being subjected to such a test, and our world’s hunger for knowledge, regardless of the cost. What does it feel like to be a head, detached from your body? Can science ever be justified in performing such grisly experiments?”
Interesting themes for an interesting album that takes extreme, gothic and melodic death metal inspirations and builds them to create something uniquely AVERSED. “Lucid Decapitation” follows up “Cross To Bear” https://youtu.be/lUatQbOXUlU which weaved wondrous awe with righteous anger and left fans anxious for more new music.
Erasure of Color will be in stores and online March 21, 2025 and pre-orders are now available on CD, limited-edition (300) smoke colored vinyl and exclusive limited (100) cassette at https://lnk.to/aversed
Packaged with intriguing artwork from Adam Burke (Unto Others, Gatecreeper, Cloak) of Nightjar Illustration, and self-produced by guitarists Alden Marchand and Sungwoo Jeong with orchestrations composed/arranged by Vikram Shankar (Redemption, Silent Skies, Pain Of Salvation), the album is mixed by AJ Viana (Wormhole, Hath, Cognitive) and mastered by Brad Boatright (Code Orange, Obituary, 200 Stab Wounds) at Audiosiege.
AVERSED formed in Boston with guitarist Sungwoo Jeong and bassist Martin Epstein remaining the sole members from the early days. By 2016, with the additions of drummer Jeff Saltzman (now also of Allegaeon) and guitarist Alden Marchand, the band released their impactful EP, ‘Renewal,’ demonstrating their ambition and future promise. Their blend of extreme instrumentation and tender melodicism was highlighted with 2021’s full-length CD, ‘Impermanent,’ displaying further growth, musicianship and potential.
Now joined by Sarah Hartman on vocals, AVERSED are armed with a new album full of rage and yearning. Erasure of Color presents a glimpse of hope and beauty on a backdrop of raging, mournful Gothic Extreme Metal.
Photo Credit – Kat Dydyk L-R – Ahmed Saad (Drums), Stephen Reynolds (Bass, Vocals), Costa Skoulikas (Guitar), Chris Nascimben (Guitar)
Canadian thrashers MUTANK have their next headbanging video for fans to check out for their track “Abortron” from their latest album Think Before You Think released this past November from Boonsdale Records.
Band members comment about the track: Costa: “Elon Musk is jealous he didn’t invent this robot who sucks the lives out of your uterus!” Stephen: “The lyrics for Abortron are disgusting and no one should read them.”
After a short hiatus, MUTANK has exploded back on the thrash scene with their new albumThink Before You Think to followthehighly praised 2017 EPW.H.A.T.S.T.H.A.T also released on Boonsdale Records and was named by Metal Injection as “1 of 8 Hidden Gems in Canadian Metal You Need To Know” (Read here).This new full-length features a rampage of ten thrash happy tracks with fan favourites such as “Running Reds”, “Abortron”, and “Thrash Primordial”.
“We want this album to energize people and make them feel the way we do when we listen to some of our favourite artists. This album is the most material we have ever put out! 50 minutes of pure metal across 10 tracks. The songs really picked themselves as we kept writing tracks we really enjoyed playing. This is Thrash for Metalheads by Metalheads! We have evolved from crossover to a more refined thrash band with longer and more intricate songs, it can be a bit proggy… The level of seriousness in songwriting is evident on this new record.” adds the band.
With a passion for classic thrash and a desire to play radical riffs, MUTANK made a big impression on the Canadian metal scene in 2014 with their debut EP M.E.C.H METAL and being declared champions of the Wacken Metal Battle Canada to garner them a performance at Wacken Open Air (Live Video – https://youtu.be/yQrLaG8BPL4). By 2017, the band took their distinctive sound and hit the road to tour across Canada supporting ANNIHILATOR alongside Australia’s MASON.
Track Listing: 1. Illuminatus – 6:14 2. Payback – 5:24 3. All Against All – 4:43 4. Channel Change – 5:11 5. Bad Magnitude – 5:30 6. Abortron – 3:37 7. Groundbreaker – 2:08 8. Metalheads For Hire – 5:37 9. Running Reds – 6:27 10. Thrash Primordial – 4:40 Album Length: 49:38
Kicking off 2025, MUTANK plans to be a tour de force, hitting moshpits everywhere and anywhere in support ofThink Before You Think.
Recommended for fans of D.R.I., Suicidal Tendencies, Havok, Megadeth, Overkill, and Exodus, Think Before You Think is available at the following links:
March 07, 2025 will see French heavy rockers OVERDRIVERS release their much-awaited, third studio offering, entitled Glory Or Nothing, via ROAR (Grave Digger, Mystic Prophecy, Crematory a.o.). A music video to the band’s high-voltage, new single, “Meet the Monsters”, is now premiering below! To pre-order Glory Or Nothing, visit: https://overdrivers.rpm.link/glorypr
“Welcome to the dark side! ‘Meet the Monsters’ delivers heavy riffs and a sinister beat, born from our love of horror.” Comments the band on their latest single. Crank it up now on all digital streaming services at: https://overdrivers.rpm.link/monsterspr
Since 2015, OVERDRIVERS has been tearing through the Northern Lands like a runaway freight train. Born from nowhere and fueled by pure rock rebellion, these four hard-hitting rockers bring the kind of thunder only cranked-up Marshall amps can deliver. With their amps on blast, they claimed every stage in their path, quickly earning a reputation for leaving chaos and converted fans behind them.
OVERDRIVERS are: Adrien Desquirez – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar Anthony Clay – Lead guitar, backing vocals Florian Morgano – Drums, backing vocals Lion Das Neves – Bass
Once they’d conquered every inch of their homeland, the band set their sights on broader horizons, unleashing their electric storm on Spain and beyond. With relentless, high-voltage shows, Overdrivers brought their raw, headbanging energy to rock lovers everywhere, proving that in the face of their All-Powerful Rock’N’Roll, resistance is futile.
Glory Or Nothing – track listing: 01 – Kings of the Road 02 – Overdrivers 03 – Glory Or Nothing 04 – My Girlfriend Is a Pornstar 05 – Cobra Kai 06 – Guitar Playboy 07 – Bad Breath Girl 08 – Meet the Monsters 09 – Ready for the Rodeo 10 – We Are One 11 – Perfection Is My Name 12 – In Fear, Blood and Fire
Armed with three explosive releases, Rockin’ Hell (2016), She’s On Her Period (2018), and the Rock Out! EP, the band rallied thousands of followers and forged an unbreakable army of die-hard fans.
Now, OVERDRIVERS prepares to release their most powerful weapon yet: Glory Or Nothing. This new album is set to drop like a bombshell, reigniting their worldwide crusade and solidifying their place as a force in modern rock. Brace yourself and get ready to rock. OVERDRIVERS is coming. Louder, fiercer, and more unstoppable than ever!
“We could not be more excited for this show announcement! The 40th anniversary of our debut only happens once, and to fall on Paul Baloff’s birthday, on a Friday, we KNEW we had to crush the Bay Area. Bonded By Blood. Played in its entirety. Only Baloff era songs. Once in a lifetime moment for us. So killer that we added a second show in Southern California to show our appreciation to both regions. Joining us our some dear friends, especially Death Angel. Don’t miss this. Posers must die!”
Artist Presale: Thursday, January 23rd at 10am local – 10pm local (PW: BONDED) Local/promoter/venue presale: Thursday, January 23rd at 10am local – 10pm local Public Onsale: Friday, January 24 at 10am local
After terrorizing stages all over europe with Baest & Benighted, COFFIN FEEDER releases “Porkshop Express,” a brand-new single taken from the Big Trouble full length debut . The band features members of Aborted, Leng Tch’e, Fleddy Melculy honed their unique & energetic blend of death metal, grind, deathcore and hardcore, branded as a tribute to the great action movies of the 80’s & 90’s. It features Julien Truchan of Benighted as a featured guest .
This ode to John Carpenter‘s Big Trouble in Little China is a furious onslaught of deadly blasts and grooves produced by the infamous Dave Otero (Cattle Decapitation, Shadow of Intent, Archspire).
“Porkshop Express” is Out now on all platforms HERE – taken from COFFIN FEEDERBig Trouble debut album due for release on April 25, 2025.WATCH HERE
COFFIN FEEDER Big Trouble – tracklisting: 1) There will be Trouble 00:56 2) Porkchop Express 2:57 3) If it Bleeds 3:10 4) The Destroyer 3:02 5) Love at First Death 3:18 6) Plain Zero 3:29 7) OBEY 2:32 8) Get to the Party 3:25 9) Let Off some Steam 3:48 10) H.I.S.S. 1:44 11) A Good Day to Die 3:28 12) The Wrong Arm of the Law 3:22
BAND LINE UP: Sven De Caluwe: Vocals Bart Govers: Guitar/vocals Jeroen Camerlynck: Guitar/vocals Jan Halbert: Bass Siebe Hermans: Drums
DISCOGRAPHY: Plug It In Single 2022 Stereo Homicide EP 2022 Dead or Alive Single 2022 A Good Supply of Body Bags Single 2022 Over the Top EP 2022 Big Trouble 2025 (Listenable)
CAREER-SPANNING SETLIST TO FEATURE TRACKS FROM TO BE CRUEL
January 21, 2025, NEW YORK – Khanate play their first North American shows in 20 years this spring, with a trio of rare live dates, including headlining performances in Chicago and New York, as well as a featured spot at the Prepare The Ground festival in Toronto.
Khanate tour dates:
May 30 – Chicago, IL Thalia Hall (Jon Mueller opens) June 1 – Toronto, ON Prepare The Ground June 3 – New York, NY (Le) Poisson Rouge (Mick Barr opens)
Tickets are on-sale this Friday, Jan. 24, at 10 am CT/11 am ET via this link: https://bnds.us/lcb8ux.
Photo credit: Ebru Yildiz Khanate: Alan Dubin (vocals), Stephen O’Malley (guitar), James Plotkin (bass) and Tim Wyskida (drums).
In the lead up to the band’s Roadburn 2024 appearance, Khanate shared: “As a collective, Khanate has been silent during our dormancy, but now we will get loud; very loud. We’ll be returning to the stage to explore tension and the elasticity of time. Get dead.”
Reviews from the event noted the band’s “powerful doom intensity” (Louder), their “glacial riffs and unyielding venomous tide of deconstructed doom” (Metal Hammer), and their “immaculate” sound with “new highs and lows of sonic extremism” (Invisible Oranges).
To Be Cruel, the band’s fifth album and first in 14 years, arrived in 2023 via Sacred Bones Records. Stereogum praised the three-song, sixty-plus minute album as “just as uncompromising as their past work,” while SPIN declared the band “more relevant than ever.” In a sprawling Q&A with Decibel, the magazine reflected on the band’s sound: “Even calling them a doom band sells them short. The cramped corner of hell that Khanate takes the listener to, sonically and psychologically, is way beyond doom. It’s doom as a forgone conclusion…”
Above: Best of John Sykes -album cover – (2000) – Mercury Records Japan
Heavy Metal and Hard Rock guitarist, vocalist and songwriting legend John Sykes passed away on Monday, January 20th at the age of 65. Metal Odyssey expresses condolences to the family, friends. fans and all past bandmates of John Sykes; God Bless him and may he rest in peace.
John Sykes’ illustrious career included being a former member of 1980’s bands Tygers of Pan Tang, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake and his very own Blue Murder, along with being a successful solo artist. John Sykes also toured Europe in 1983 with the late Phil Lynotts’ solo (live only) band named The Three Musketeers.
Above: Thin Lizzy – Thunder and Lightning – album cover – (1983) – Warner Bros.
Above: Whitesnake S/T – album cover – (1987) – Geffen Records
Above: BLUE MURDER S/T – album cover – (1989) – Geffen Records
John Sykes was born in Reading, England on July 29, 1959.
“Gevoelsmens is a song about nostalgia and living in the past. It invokes the fear of being past one’s prime while at the same time maintaining some hopeful optimism,” explained the band.
“Gevoelsmens” will be available on all streaming services on 21 January 2025. Pre-save here.
The new album “Noctambulist II: De Droom” will be released on 7 February 2025 in CD, vinyl and digital formats via These Hands Melt. Recorded in Tilburg between February and April 2023 at Catacomben Studios, De Droom sees Noctambulist diving deeper into post-punk and shoegaze influences while retaining the fierceness of their debut record Elegiëen.
What sets De Droom apart from the first record is that the writing was done with the entire band on board whereas full song ideas used to be presented by a few members. The songs this time around are just that, songs.
While De Droom is not a concept album most songs reflect on the beauty of a mediocre co-habitual existence while also struggling with the seemingly impossible dream of home ownership. The album cover features a bedroom of a derelict villa, reflecting the themes of hope, failure and heartbreak present on the album.
Noctambulist are an atmospheric post-black metal outfit from Tilburg, the Netherlands. Formed in 2015 between housemates J.D. Kaye, Sam C.A. and Mitchell Scheerder, they set out to create a hard-hitting, melancholic style of black metal that draws inspiration from other genres such as post-rock, shoegaze, new wave and post-punk.
Noctambulist stand for contrasts. Serotonin summits and strung-out canyons. The empty and the grandiose. The beautiful and the appalling.
After defining their sound and completing the lineup with guitarists Tristan Tabbers and Stef Heesakkers they released their full-length debut Noctambulist I: Elegieën via Northern Silence Productions. Their second album Noctambulist II: De Droom will be released through These Hands Melt in February 2025.
The band previously released the singles “Lichteter” and “Aderlater” in support of their upcoming album.
Colorado melodic tech metal outfit ALLEGAEON will join Warbringer on a North American co-headlining run this Spring. The Vortex Of Violence Tour will commence on March 18th in San Diego, California and close on April 12th in Los Angeles, California. Support will be provided by Skeletal Remains and Summoning The Lich.
Comments the band, “We are thrilled to join forces with thrash titans Warbringer to bring you the Vortex Of Violence Tour! With Warbringer and ALLEGAEON leading the charge, and the amazing Skeletal Remains and Summoning The Lich kicking off the evening, this lineup promises a night to remember. So, get ready — stretch, drink plenty of liquids, and dust off your riot gear. We’ll see you in the pit.”
Tickets are on sale now! See all confirmed dates below.
ALLEGAEON w/ Warbringer, Skeletal Remains, Summoning The Lich: 3/18/2025 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA 3/19/2025 Last Exit Live – Phoenix, AZ 3/20/2025 Launchpad – Albuquerque, NM 3/21/2025 89th Street Collective – Oklahoma City, OK 3/22/2025 Haltom Theater – Haltom City, TX 3/23/2025 Come And Take it Live – Austin, TX 3/24/2025 House Of Rock – Corpus Christi, TX 3/26/2025 Conduit – Orlando, FL 3/27/2025 Hooligan’s – Jacksonville, NC 3/28/2025 Broken Goblet – Bensalem, PA 3/29/2025 Woodshop – Brooklyn, NY 3/30/2025 Foufounes Electriques – Montreal, QC 3/31/2025 The Garrison – Toronto, ON 4/01/2025 The Sanctuary – Detroit, MI 4/02/2025 Reggies – Chicago, IL 4/03/2025 The Bottleneck – Lawrence, KS 4/04/2025 Bourbon Theater – Lincoln, NE 4/05/2025 HQ – Denver, CO 4/06/2025 Metro Music Hall – Salt Lake City, UT 4/08/2025 El Corazon – Seattle, WA 4/09/2025 Rickshaw Theatre – Vancouver, BC 4/10/2025 Hawthorne Theater – Portland, OR 4/11/2025 DNA Lounge – San Francisco, CA 4/12/2025 Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA
ALLEGAEON will release their seventh full-length album, helmed by longtime producer Dave Otero (Flatline Audio), later this year. Stay tuned for further details to be unveiled in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, watch ALLEGAEON’s previously released video for stand-alone single “Iridescent” at THIS LOCATION.
ALLEGAEON: Greg Burgess – lead guitar Michael Stancel – lead guitar Jeff Saltzman – drums Ezra Haynes – vocals Brandon Michael – bass
Swiss hard rock legends GOTTHARD have kicked off the new year with the release of their second single, “Thunder & Lightning,” from their upcoming 12-track studio album Stereo Crush. As the world remains blanketed in snow, this new track spreads spring fever with its uplifting leads and emotionally charged storyline about love, quickly capturing the hearts of fans and heightening anticipation for the band’s eagerly awaited new album.
Today, alongside the worldwide launch of pre-orders, GOTTHARD are also excited to reveal the cover artwork for Stereo Crush, set to hit the shelves on March 21, 2025 via RPM. The artwork, designed by Thomas Ewerhard, who has previously collaborated with the band, perfectly encapsulates the album’s themes of honesty, rawness, and a broad spectrum of emotions.
Freddy [Scherer; guitars] came to my house with the musical idea for this song. We started there and came up with the structure and the vocal melodies together and recorded the demo there. I then spent quite some time figuring out lyrics. The sound of the chorus riff somehow sounded electric to me, and I was thinking of words like ‘lightning’ and thunder’ etc…and then I thought of the concept of how lightning never strikes twice but in this case it does, using this as a metaphor for love. Also in French, which I’m fluent in, you can say that ‘love at first sight’ is like getting hit by a bolt of lightning,” singer Nic Maeder sheds light on the track’s creation.
After releasing two singles, there’s no real doubt that GOTTHARD are more than ready for the future with Stereo Crush! Decorated with a powerful and contemporary production, the album delivers a series of big anthems but also a few surprises which help the Swiss icons to improve their DNA fresh and to spice up the essence of their trademark sound in an exciting way. It’s clear like Swiss glacier water: 2025 belongs to GOTTHARD!
Stereo Crush – Track Listing:
01. AI & I 02. Thunder & Lightning 03. Rusty Rose 04. Burning Bridges 05. Drive My Car 06. Boom Boom 07. Life 08. Liverpool 09. Shake Shake 10. Devil In The Moonlight 11. Dig A Little Deeper 12. These Are The Days
Photo credit: Manuel Schütz L-R: Freddy Scherer (guitars), Marc Lynn (bass), Nic Maeder (vocals), Flavio Mezzodi (drums), Leo Leoni (guitars)
Produced and mixed by long-time partner Charlie Bauerfeind, who’s known for his work with the likes of HELLOWEEN and BLIND GUARDIAN, alongside founding member Leo Leoni at Yellowhouse Studio, and mastered by Sascha “Busy” Bühren (TrueBusyness), with artwork once again provided by Thomas Ewerhard (AVANTASIA etc.), Stereo Crush promises to set new standards which will additionally come to shine on the band’s forthcoming touring cycle: GOTTHARD will be touring in May, accompanied by special guests Y&T, rounded off by select festival and headline dates during the course of the year. The band’s current live schedule and ticket info can be found below!
21.05.2025 DE Saarbücken – Garage (w/ ECLIPSE) NEW
Special Guests: Y&T Presented by Metal Hammer, Classic Rock, musix, Rock Antenne, powermetal.de & Bottom Row 23.05.2025 DE Bochum – RuhrCongress 24.05.2025 DE Geiselwind – Music Hall 25.05.2025 DE Frankfurt – Batschkapp 27.05.2025 DE Hamburg – Große Freiheit 36 29.05.2025 DE Munich – Circus Krone 30.05.2025 DE Filderstadt – FILharmonie 31.05.2025 AT Telfs – Rathaussaal
14.06.2025 ES Zamora – Z! Live Rock 27.06.2025 CH Basel – Summerstage (w/ KROKUS) 28.06.2025 DE Ehingen – Martkplatz (w/ KROKUS) NEW 20.07.2025 CH Locarno – Moon&Stars (“Steve Lee – The Show”) NEW 22.07.2025 DE Regensburg – Piazza im Gewerbepark 06.08.2025 CH Zofingen – Heitere (w/ Orchestra) NEW 10.08.2025 DE Tettnang – Schlossgarten (w/ KROKUS) NEW 19.12.2025 CH Bern – Festhalle (w/ KROKUS) 20.12.2025 CH Zurich – The Hall (w/ KROKUS)
Check it out! That’s my Ozzy Osbourne Funko POP! ROCKS mint-in-box! It’s also a Funko.com exclusive, whatever that means. Sounds important though. The date on the lower back cover is 2023. Thanks for visiting and looking, I appreciate it!
Back cover gives date at bottom, in teeny tiny type. Above: side panel
RIVERS OF NIHIL will return to North American stages this Spring on a month-long headlining tour! The Aggressive Progressive Tour runs from May 22nd in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania through June 22nd in Toronto, Ontario. Support will be provided by Holy Fawn, Inter Arma, and Glacial Tomb.
The band comments, “We are stoked to bring The Aggressive Progressive tour to North America. We are also honored to have Holy Fawn, Inter Arma, and Glacial Tomb along with us. Can’t wait to see you all.“
RIVERS OF NIHIL will release their fifth full-length album later this year. The record will feature two previously released songs – “The Sub-Orbital Blues” (2023) and “Criminals” (2024) – plus eight new tracks. Stay tuned for a new single to be unveiled in the coming weeks.
Tickets and VIP packages are available now at: ron.soundrink.com. See all confirmed dates below.
RIVERS OF NIHIL w/ Holy Fawn, Inter Arma, Glacial Tomb: 5/22/2025 Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA 5/23/2025 The Palladium (Upstairs) – Worcester, MA 5/24/2025 Rec Room – Buffalo, NY 5/25/2025 The King Of Clubs – Columbus, OH 5/27/2025 Pike Room @ Crofoot – Pontiac, MI 5/28/2025 Reggies – Chicago, IL 5/29/2025 The Cabooze – Minneapolis, MN 5/30/2025 Bourbon Theater – Lincoln, NE 5/31/2025 Bluebird Theater – Denver, CO 6/01/2025 Metro Music Hall – Salt Lake City, UT 6/03/2025 Rickshaw Theatre – Vancouver, BC 6/04/2025 El Corazon – Seattle, WA 6/05/2025 Dante’s – Portland, OR 6/06/2025 Goldfield Trading Post – Roseville, CA 6/07/2025 Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA 6/08/2025 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA 6/10/2025 Nile – Mesa, AZ 6/11/2025 Launchpad – Albuquerque, NM 6/12/2025 Jake’s – Lubbock, TX 6/13/2025 The Rail – Ft. Worth, TX 6/14/2025 Come And Take It Live – Austin, TX 6/15/2025 Scout Bar – Houston, TX 6/17/2025 Basement East – Nashville, TN 6/18/2025 Eulogy – Asheville, NC 6/19/2025 The Canal Club – Richmond, VA 6/20/2025 The Meadows – Brooklyn, NY 6/21/2025 Fairmount Theatre – Montreal, QC 6/22/2025 Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON
Legendary death metal ensemble DECAPITATED is set to embark on their eagerly anticipated North American “Nihility Tour,” starting February 4, 2025, in Tampa, Florida. Fans will experience the landmark album Nihility performed live in its entirety across a 23-date trek.
Joining DECAPITATED as direct support on this monumental tour are renowned acts INCANTATION and DARKEST HOUR, with EXMORTUS slated to open each show. This lineup promises to deliver an unforgettable series of performances, combining intense energy and musical prowess.
Tour Dates and Venues:
Feb. 04 – Tampa, FL – The Orpheum
Feb. 05 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
Feb. 06 – Greensboro, NC – Hangar 1819
Feb. 07 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage
Feb. 08 – Boston, MA – Middle East Downstairs
Feb. 10 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theater
Feb. 11 – Montreal, QC – Beanfield Theatre
Feb. 12 – Ottawa, ON – Overflow
Feb. 13 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre
Feb. 14 – Lakewood, OH – Mercury Music Lounge
Feb. 15 – Joliet, IL – The Forge
Feb. 16 – Minneapolis, MN – The Caboose
Feb. 18 – Denver, CO – Oriental Theater
Feb. 19 – Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall
Feb. 21 – Calgary, AB – Back Alley
Feb. 22 – Edmonton, AB – Starlite Room
Feb. 24 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre
Feb. 25 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon
Feb. 26 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
Feb. 27 – San Francisco, CA – DNA Lounge
Feb. 28 – Las Vegas, NV – House Of Blues
Mar. 01 – Los Angeles, CA – 1720
Mar. 02 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory
The tour announcement follows the recent addition of Eemeli Bodde, formerly of Finnish metallers MORS SUBITA, as DECAPITATED‘s new frontman. Bodde’s compelling debut at Damnation Festival’s “A Night Of Salvation” at BEC Arena in Manchester has set high expectations for his performance throughout the tour.
Tickets for all tour dates will go on sale this Friday, with special fan packages available. For more information, tour updates, and ticket sales, please visit Decapitated’s Official Website.
WHITECHAPEL will release their long-awaited new full-length, Hymns In Dissonance, on March 7th via Metal Blade Records.
“There is nothing nice about Hymns In Dissonance, from the riffs, to the lyrics, to the overall vibe of the album,” says guitarist Alex Wade of the band’s latest output. “We attempted to write our heaviest album to date. We wanted to put out something that was shockingly menacing and brutal.”
“The album follows the story of a cultist who is gathering worthy people to join his cult,” Wade further elaborates, “and there are moments in the storyline where the cult followers are singing an evil hymn to open a portal for the head cultist to enter.”
The band’s dynamic, brutal musicality serves as a soundtrack to the compelling lyrical story that vocalist Phil Bozeman vividly imagines. “Hymns In Dissonance is a mockery of the true nature of what hymns are,” Bozeman explains. “Hymns are melodious and harmonious. Dissonance is the opposite of melody and harmony. Dissonance represents evil. The tracks on the record are the hymns, which represent the seven deadly sins, beginning from track three to track ten. Tracks one and two are the introduction.”
The lineup’s timely and terrifying vision was first unveiled in the Fall of 2024 with the single “A Visceral Retch” inciting frenzied fans to call the song “a version of WHITECHAPEL we have never heard before. Can’t explain how absolutely goddamn brutal this song is. This is a total dream come true.” The title track is the LP’s second single.
WHITECHAPEL, who formed in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 2006, has seen the core lineup — vocalist Phil Bozeman, guitarists Ben Savage, Zach Householder, and Alex Wade, and bassist Gabe Crisp — intact since 2007, with the exception of drummer Brandon Zackey, who has been playing with the band since 2022. While Hymns In Dissonance follows 2021’s Kin chronologically, the new album is actually somewhat of a sequel to This Is Exile thematically, the three-word title Hymns In Dissonancerepresenting that correlation.
The band started composing the new album at Householder’s studio in June of 2023, following their headlining tour for The Valley. The collective stuck to a strict weekday schedule, the structure allowing for maximum creativity and minimum burnout. Householder produced Hymns In Dissonance, which allowed the musicians to seamlessly switch gears from preproduction to recording the full album without skipping a beat.
The guitarist shadowed producer Mark Lewis a lot over the last five WHITECHAPEL albums and bringing that influence inside the band is a full circle moment for Householder and WHITECHAPEL. “It’s cool that we can be self-sufficient and produce a record of this magnitude ourselves; not a lot of bands can say that.”
In advance of the release, today the band unleashes a video for the title track. Notes Bozeman, “It’s about [the storyline’s cultist] building his cult of followers: Only the most heinous and vile people on the planet showing their devotion to their lord, committing horrible acts, and the leader showcasing his power and his purpose to commit the seven cardinal sins to resurrect their lord, and to replace divinity with evil.”
Adds Wade, “Mostly written by Phil on guitar, ‘Hymns In Dissonance’ has a few riffs and tweaks thrown in by the rest of us. He can churn out some pummeling riffs and it’s one of the best songs on the album because he had a vision for the whole song with the riffs and vocals. It’s tuned to Drop G which we have been using since the self-titled LP, but the ending breakdown shifts down one whole step to Drop F, which we have never done before. Having the final breakdown shift lower than the rest of the song really helped the end have the crushing feeling it needed.”
Watch WHITECHAPEL’s video for “Hymns In Dissonance,” directed by My Good Eye Visuals, HERE.
Watch the band’s previously released video for “A Visceral Retch” HERE.
Hymns In Dissonance, which features cover art by European tattoo artist Rob Borbas (Grind Design), will be released on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:
Eviscerate – Orange/Yellow Marbled (US) Eternal Eclipse – Black + White Marbled (US) Mangled Innards – Red Smoke (US) Visceral Retch – Iridescent Green (US) Infested Soul – Neon Green Yellow Marble (US – Band Exclusive) Red w/ Black Smoke (Tour Exclusive) 180g Black (EU) Crimson Red w/ Black Swirls (EU) Beige Brown Marbled (EU – Ltd. 500) Golden Dawn Marbled (EU – Ltd. 500) Bone White Splatter (EU – Ltd. 500) Clear With Black, Red + Gold Splatter (EU – Ltd. 300) Scarlet Red w/ Cloudy Black Splatter (EU – Ltd. 200) Scarlet Red + Bone White “Melt” (UK – Ltd. 300)
Hymns In Dissonance Track Listing:
Prisoner 666
Hymns In Dissonance
Diabolic Slumber
A Visceral Retch
Ex Infernis
Hate Cult Ritual
The Abysmal Gospel
Bedlam
Mammoth God
Nothing Is Coming For Any Of Us
WHITECHAPEL will return to North American stages this Spring on a month-long headlining tour. The Hymns In Dissonance Tour runs from March 18th in Raleigh, North Carolina through April 19th in Atlanta, Georgia. Support will be provided by Brand Of Sacrifice, 200 Stab Wounds, and Alluvial. Tickets are on sale now. Find VIP upgrades at tix.soundrink.com/tours/whitechapel. See confirmed dates below.
WHITECHAPEL w/ Brand Of Sacrifice, 200 Stab Wounds, Alluvial: 3/18/2025 The Ritz – Raleigh, NC 3/19/2025 Baltimore Soundstage – Baltimore, MD 3/20/2025 Theatre Of Living Arts – Philadelphia, PA 3/21/2025 The Palladium – Worcester, MA 3/22/2025 Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ 3/24/2025 L’Olympia – Montreal, QC 3/25/2025 Danforth Music Hall – Toronto, ON 3/26/2025 Saint Andrew’s Hall – Detroit, MI 3/28/2025 House Of Blues – Chicago, IL 3/29/2025 Varsity Theater – Minneapolis, MN 3/30/2025 Bourbon Theatre – Lincoln, NE 4/01/2025 Summit – Denver, CO 4/02/2025 The Grand @ The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT 4/04/2025 The Palace Theatre – Calgary, AB 4/05/2025 Union Hall – Edmonton, AB 4/07/2025 The Pearl – Vancouver, BC 4/08/2025 Roseland Theater – Portland, OR 4/09/2025 The Showbox – Seattle, WA 4/11/2025 Ace Of Spades – Sacramento, CA 4/12/2025 The Observatory – Santa Ana, CA 4/13/2025 Nile Theater – Mesa, AZ 4/15/2025 The Studio @ The Factory – Dallas, TX 4/16/2025 Aztec Theatre – San Antonio, TX 4/18/2025 The Orpheum – Tampa, FL 4/19/2025 The Masquerade (Heaven) – Atlanta, GA
“EXODUS have parted ways with Steve “Zetro” Souza. We thank Steve for his years fronting the band and all the killer music we made during that time. We wish him only the best in the future and much success with anything he does.
And please help us welcome Rob Dukes back to EXODUS! We are beyond stoked to have Rob back ripping up the stage with us and he’s looking forward to crushing everything like only he can.
Next chapter begins, new record rolls along as planned and the beatings will continue.”
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions are set to release the new album from Tokyo Japan’s Grinding Death/Thrash guitarist Kosuke Hashida. Outrage is up now for pre-order and will be released February 14th on CD and Digital formats along with merch.
Hailing from Tokyo Japan, Kosuke Hashida previously played guitar for the Japanese band World End Man, as well as performing live guitar duties in Abysmal Dawn. Outragepresents 11 brutal tracks blending Death Metal, Thrash Metal and Grindcore, showcasing skillful extreme aggression and vicious calculated speed on this monstrous album of hatefilled anger and brutality.
For fans of Brutal Truth, Lock Up, Napalm Death, Nasum, No/Más, Pig Destroyer, Repulsion, Rotten Sound, Slayer, Terrorizer and Wormrot.
If you’re a band or musician and would like your music reviewed or be interviewed by Stone, please click the link under the “ALBUM REVIEWS ARCHIVES” section below!
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