WINTERSUN S/T – released back in 2004, via Nuclear Blast. Cover art by Kristian Wåhlin aka Necrolord.
Tobias Sammet’s AVANTASIA The Mystery Of Time – released back in 2013, via Nuclear Blast. Album cover art by Rodney Matthews.
Cinderella Long Cold Winter – released back in 1988, via Mercury Records. Yes, it’s surely been a long cold Winter.
SONATA ARCTICA Talviyö – released back in 2019, via Nuclear Blast. Cover photograph and editing by Finnish photographer Onni Wiljami. Layout by Janne Pitkänen.
Immortal At The Heart Of Winter – released back in 1999, via Osmose Productions. Cover artist: Jean Pascal Fournier. Graphic design by Grafik Sarl.
Thank you for visiting and checking out these album covers that scream Winter. I applaud all the artists that created the above album art! Stay safe out there and be kind to your fellow humans. – Stone
Ukrainian black metal stalwarts LUCIFUGUM return with Adanom, a new gatefold 7” EP that stands as one of the most significant chapters in the band’s 31-year journey along the Damned Path. Released on January 31st, 2026 via Aesthetic Death, Adanom is a defiant statement of Satanic Black Metal Authentism: underground, uncompromising and forged in the harshest of circumstances.
The release marks the powerful return of Stabaath to vocal duties, following a serious throat injury, bringing renewed venom and intensity to the Coven’s sound. Created, recorded, and mixed under the shadow of missile and drone attacks in the Ukrainian cities of Mykolaiv and Kharkiv, Adanom carries a raw, unfiltered urgency that reflects both resilience and unwavering conviction.
Track-list:
Side A
AB(∞)RH(ВОЛЯ) – 00:57
Смола у крові нашій – 05:46 (Dedicated to all defenders of Ukraine, to everyone who keeps his/her own front line.)
SideB
Lucispear – 05:09 (Dedicated to the first Rebel, the first torch of Truth. To the One who is an example of Fortitude and Purposefulness.)
AN EPIC 9-LP DELUXE COLLECTOR’S BOXSET MARKING 40 YEARS OF THE NORWEGIAN BLACK METAL LEGENDS, WITH FRESH AUDIO MASTERS. INCLUDING 48-PAGE BOOK & DVD WITH EXCLUSIVE NEWLY RECORDED CAREER INTERVIEW.
Initially forming under the moniker of Black Death, back in 1986, the star of Darkthrone has ascended with reverence and a degree of infamy over the course of four decades, to become one of the most notable metal bands to have emerged from Norway. Highly inspirational to a whole generation of bands, and also uncompromisingly steadfast throughout their now extensive catalogue, the long-standing duo of Fenriz & Nocturno Culto have remained dedicated to the art of the riff and forging their own path, relentlessly steering the band against the tide of trend.
DARKTHRONE – THE FIST IN THE FACE OF GOD ALBUM ARTWORK (FRONT COVER)
From the death/doom technicality of 1991’s debut masterpiece Soulside Journey, through the spearheading of the notorious “second wave of black metal” period of the earlier 1990s, and the integration of punk & heavy doom elements along the way, the Nordic titans have undoubtedly carved an exquisite & eclectic legacy.
DARKTHRONE – THE FIST IN THE FACE OF GOD (BACK COVER)
To celebrate these four decades of existence, Peaceville will release this limited deluxe mammoth 10 disc boxset – The Fist In The Face Of God on March 6th 2026.
“This box celebrates 40 years through forests and over heath and includes a filmed interview with us which is as rare as chicken teeth” – Fenriz
The set focuses on the purer black metal period of the band. Featuring nine classic albums in this collection, from the “unholy trinity” of Peaceville albums spanning 1992’s genre-defining A Blaze In The Northern Sky up until 1994’s Transilvanian Hunger opus, the set concludes with Darkthrone’s 2004 swansong for then label, Moonfog Productions, in the form of Sardonic Wrath.
Darkthrone circa 2001 – photo by Sebastian Ludvigsen
With each album having received a freshly updated master, courtesy of Patrick Engel at Temple of Disharmony, to ensure they remain in line with the originals, each title is also supplied with their original covers & sleeve designs & presented on heavyweight vinyl.
Furthermore, included in the set is a 48-page book written by longtime friend of the band, Harald Fossberg, detailing the career of Darkthrone through this essential period for the band’s development and output, and contains rare images from the period.
Accompanying this is a DVD with an exclusive new interview, recorded in 2025, with both Fenriz & NocturnoCulto, also conducted by Harald Fossberg, covering the full history of the band, plus bonus features in the form of a trilogy of interviews from 2003, plus the band’s rare 1996 live show in Oslo.
Finally, the set includes a selection of posters and art prints containing artwork and classic band photography.
Rising Blackened Symphonic Death Metal force Eternios return with their monumental new single “Requiem of the North,” the title track from their highly anticipated sophomore album due out in late 2026. The single marks the next evolution of the project originally founded by multi‑instrumentalist and composer Colin Ryley (Hyperia, Bayonet Dismemberment), who launched Eternios as a studio‑only creative outlet before expanding it into a full live band.
Following the acclaimed 2025 debut Mysterium, praised for its fusion of aggressive black metal and sweeping orchestral arrangements, Eternios now sharpen their vision with a colder, more expansive sound rooted deeply in the landscapes that inspired it.
“Requiem of the North” is both a musical and emotional centerpiece for the upcoming album.
“This single and the album in general are my love letter to the northern wilderness of Canada. I’ve spent countless hours roaming the forests and mountains of Western Canada. That cold, melancholic silence you feel surrounded by snow and frost is something I wanted to channel directly into the music,”says Colin.
The track erupts with blast beats, tremolo‑picked harmonies, and sweeping orchestral layers before shifting into a massive, melodic chorus. A neo‑classical C‑section and a soaring dual‑guitar outro push the composition into cinematic territory, blending extreme aggression with haunting beauty.
Colin describes Eternios’ sonic identity in five words: Melodic, Aggressive, Melancholic, Intricate, Fast.
“Requiem of the North”embodies all of these traits while offering a polished and expanded version of the sound established on Mysterium. With the transition toward live performance, vocalist Marlee Ryley (Hyperia) now fronts the band, allowing Colin to focus fully on guitar and orchestrations.
“I’m very proud of how the single turned out. I think it’s a great representation of what’s coming on the full‑length. I hope fans of extreme black metal and extreme melodic metal both find something to connect with,” adds Colin.
The single’s artwork, created by renowned artist Mike Hrubovcak (Visual Darkness), is a chilling preview of the full album’s visual world.
“It’s very winter‑heavy. Icy blues, whites, and music notation swirling out of a polar blizzard. Mike’s work with Imperial Crystalline Entombment is some of my favourite black metal artwork ever, so collaborating with him was incredible,” says Colin.
Eternios remains a deeply personal project at its core. Colin explains further:
“All the songs were written by me, usually locked away for hours piecing together structures and symphonic arrangements until I’m satisfied. The music almost always comes first. The lyrics are shaped by the imagery the music creates.”
While the debut album was entirely written, performed, and produced by Colin Ryley, the new era of Eternios will see more collaboration as the full lineup solidifies. “Requiem for the North,” the album, will feature nine original tracks and one cover, delivering a sweeping journey through frostbitten atmospheres, melodic aggression, and symphonic grandeur. The album is expected in Spring 2026, with more singles to follow.
“This album contains all the darkness, harmony, and aggression that define Eternios. The songs have been flowing naturally, and I expect many more albums to come,”adds Colin.
Stream COSCRADH’s “Caesar’s Revelation (Hibernia L. VI V. XIV ad XVI et XXIV)” HERE.
Like a black wind rising off peatlands long left to silence, Ireland’s COSCRADH unearths their second album, Carving The Causeway To The Otherworld, wrenching up the bog-roads of the dead through dread sorcery.
An invocation of deep-rooted heritage and ancient mysticism, the album resurrects the three-thousand-year-old oaken pathways raised by warring tribes under the cold eye of the druid, toward the realm beyond life, and conjuring these vanished labors with the memory of violence itself.
Channeling the druid as both astronomer and war-seer, COSCRADH invokes Mars as the god whose red light demands sacrifice, revealing Gaelic warriors hollowing themselves into vessels and letting the fury of Goac enter and devour them for battle. Guitars flare and burn like meteors knifing the horizon, unfurling riffs rusted with ancestral power.
The blistering percussive onslaught crashes like hooves on dead earth as the band’s savage ferocity erupts like a war-cry cast into the heavens, crowned in ruinous splendor. COSCRADH fully inhabits this domain between worlds, breathing into their work the fury and spiritual force of a people who carved truths into land, sky, and grave.
photos by Dylan Ownes
A communion of druidic science and blood, ritual aggression, and linguistic resurrection, Carving The Causeway To The Otherworld compels a celestial reckoning where fate itself is flung upon the altar. Like gods that ride the firmament, COSCRADH’s cold, cruel radiance falls upon all who hear it.
The record is a cosmic execution, binding together the bygone causeways, war gods, stone idols, and star-born forces that the druids sought to harness. A vision of the night sky as a living battlement of omens, for those who would hark to the old wrathful spirits.
Stream COSCRADH’s “Caesar’s Revelation (Hibernia L. VI V. XIV ad XVI et XXIV)” on YouTube HERE and Bandcamp HERE.
Carving The Causeway To The Otherworld was created in 2025 at Sun Studios, and Studio One Temple Bar, Átha Cliath, recorded and mixed by Shauny Cads at Last Light Recordings, and mastered by Dan Lowndes at Resonance Sound Studios. The cover art was handled by Stefan Todorović of Khaos Diktator Design, the layout handled by Chimère Noire Design, and photography was handled by Dylan Ownes Photography. Additionally, guest Michał “The Fall” Stępień provided ambient samples on several tracks.
COSCRADH’s savage and mystical black death metal is prime listening for fans of Teitanblood, Angelcorpse, Immortal, Absu, Black Curse, Mayhem, Beherit, Katharsis, and Cultes Des Ghoules.
With the lead single from the album, “Caesar’s Revelation (Hibernia L. VI V. XIV ad XVI et XXIV),” the band declares, “No civilisation, no Roman decorum, they’re the emperors of nothing! Hibernia.”
20 Buck Spin’s first release of 2026, Carving The Causeway To The Otherworld will be released February 20th on LP, CD, MC, and digital formats.
Preorders are live at the label webshop HERE and Bandcamp HERE.
Carving The Causeway To The Otherworld Track Listing:
1. Five Fifths Awaken
2. Carving The Causeway To The Otherworld
3. Adhradh Dé Ghoac
4. Caesar’s Revelation (Hibernia L. VI V. XIV ad XVI et XXIV)
5. The Calling
6. Scythe Of Saturn
7. Badhah’s Shadows
8. Opening The Gates To Styx, Nix, Kerberos And Hydra
COSCRADH: Ciarán Ó Críodáin – guitars, vocals, lyrics Hick Ó Aodha – bass, vocals, noise Jason Keane – guitars, lead, synth Boban Burger – drums
Having toured in Europe, and across the Western US with labelmates Ascended Dead, COSCRADH is plotting new tour dates in support of the album.
W.E.B.’s music has earned high praise for its “drama, extremity, and bloodthirst in equal parts… energetic and unhinged.” The formidable symphonic extreme metal lineup is best experienced at one of their many crushing live gigs. Enter Darkness Alive, their first-ever live album, recorded in the band’s hometown of Athens on September 22nd, 2024.
“We shared the stage that night with Dark Funeral, and since we were making changes within the band, that had us excited. We made the decision to mark this day with a special release, hence our first official live album,” says vocalist/guitaristSakis Prekas.
Choosing the nine songs for Darkness Alive was simple. “We can tell almost immediately which songs work for a concert and we always keep the audience in mind,” Prekas explains. “We want the people who come to see W.E.B. perform to have a good time, to get our message, to grasp them and make a damn memorable metal show, as it should be.”
Darkness Alive truly captures the band at the top of their game. Standout tracks include “Dragona,” blasting black metal with an epic finale that forever will be a staple in W.E.B.’s live setlist, “Into Hell Fire We Burn,” which Prekas describes as a, “thunderous marriage of black and heavy metal with a chorus that literally orders you to sing along,” and today’s single, “Dark Web,” an intense melodic death and modern metal onslaught off their 2021 Colosseum LP. “Dark Web” spits out the way people with power and money treat others: in the most brutal manner.
Darkness Alive will be released digitally on February 20th, 2026. Find preorders at: metalblade.com/web
Darkness Alive – Track Listing:
Crimson Dawn (Live)
Pentalpha (Live)
Dark Web (Live)
Into Hell Fire We Burn (Live)
Murder Of Crows (Live)
Necrology (Live)
Morphine for Saints (Live)
Dragona (Live)
Eligos (Live)
W.E.B. is currently composing material for their next full-length album that will see them hitting the road once again. “It is by far the best material we’ve ever had on a record. I intend to keep the promise to myself regarding W.E.B. that all new material must be better material, otherwise there is no reason to release it,” Prekas concludes. “Stay Dark.”
Extreme metal duo Gravewitch have released their brand-new music video “Mistress Hate,” a blistering visual companion to their self-titled album, which dropped this past June via Rock Sun Records. The release marks a defining moment for the band, showcasing their evolution from raw beginnings to a fully realised professional sound.
Formed in 2013 by childhood friends Chris Fleming (guitar/vocals) and Andrew Ingraham (drums), Gravewitchwas born out of a shared passion for heavy music and a desire to carve their own path in the underground scene.
“We’ve been best friends since childhood and decided to create Gravewitch when we were sophomores in high school. This band has always been about pushing ourselves creatively and staying true to our vision,” says Fleming.
Fusing elements of Black Metal, Thrash, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, and Cascadian Black Metal into a sound that is both punishing and atmospheric, Gravewitch is relentless, melodic, heavy, intriguing, and old-school.
Gravewitch’s self-titled album takes listeners on a dark and diverse journey through ten tracks, each with its own distinct theme and musical identity. From the haunting portrayal of early 1900s insane asylums in Damnable Evil to the personal nightmare of sleep paralysis in Phantasm, the band blends thrash, black, and melodic elements with precision.
Track Listing: 1. Damnable Evil (4:24) 2. Phantasm (4:21) 3. Mistress of Hate (4:13) 4. Ritual Reanimation (4:35) 5. Atmospheric Alterations (4:31) 6. White City Devil (4:00) 7. Woodland Trance (5:09) 8. Systematic Fallout (4:21) 9. Operation Overlord (5:27) 10. The Once Sacred Gift of Life (3:32) Album Length: 44:38
Mistress of Hate revisits the brutality of witch trials, while Ritual Reanimation summons undead armies through thrash-driven intensity. Nature and atmosphere dominate Atmospheric Alterations, contrasting with the chilling true-crime narrative of White City Devilabout serial killer H.H. Holmes.
Woodland Trance evokes haunted forests with cascadian black metal textures, and Systematic Falloutdelivers pure thrash chaos alongside the band’s first-ever guitar solo. War themes emerge in Operation Overlord, immersing listeners in the chaos of D-Day, while The Once Sacred Gift of Lifecloses the album with grief, mortality, and the origins of Gravewitch’s sound. Together, the record showcases the duo’s ability to fuse extreme metal subgenres into a cohesive yet varied listening experience.
“Written during the chaos of 2020, our self-titled album reflects the uncertainty of the times. We had no idea if these songs were ever going to see the light of day. The chaotic energy of the world matched the diversity of the music, so we embraced different lyrical topics that had nothing to do with each other,” adds Fleming.
The new video “Mistress Hate”captures the raw energy and occult-inspired aesthetic that defines Gravewitch. Filmed in South Wales, United Kingdom by Ritual Video, the clip features the same actress who played “The Witch” in the band’s debut video “Circle of Power” from their first album The Summoning.
Recommended for fans of Gravewitch‘s self-titled album, released on June 18, 2025, via Rock Sun Records, is available on all digital platforms and CD.
Album Credits: All songs performed by: Chris Fleming & Andrew Ingraham All songs written by: Chris Fleming & Andrew Ingraham Produced by: Johnny Davis Mixed by: Johnny Davis Mastered by: Jay Maas Artwork by: Agustinsane Iryanto
In League With Satan – Europe 2026 BEHEMOTH/DIMMU BORGIR Support: Dark Funeral
Tickets on sale December 3 – 10:00 AM (CET)
09.10.26 Zurich – Halle 622, CH 10.10.26 Zwickau – Sparkassen-Arena Zwickau, DE 11.10.26 Esch sur Alzette – Rockhal, LU 13.10.26 Milan – Alcatraz, IT 14.10.26 Munich – Zenith, DE 16.10.26 Paris – Zenith, FR 18.10.26 Den Bosch – Mainstage, NL 20.10.26 Cologne – Palladium, DE 22.10.26 Hamburg – Inselpark Arena, DE 23.10.26 Berlin – Columbiahalle, DE 24.10.26 Brno – Hala Vodova, CZ 27.10.26 Helsinki – Ice Hall, FI 29.10.26 Stockholm – B-K, SE 30.10.26 Copenhagen – K.B. Hallen, DK
Black death metal force, BELPHEGOR, will unleash their magickal procession across North America this February and March with the Praise the Beast Tour 2026.
These diabolical gatherings mark the band’s return to North America after recently inking a pact with one of the fastest-rising forces in metal – Reigning Phoenix Music.
The tour’s carnage will begin on February 19th in Brooklyn, NY, and proceed to devastate the United States and Canada before finally ending in Anaheim, CA, on March 10th.
Helmuth states: “Always a great experience and a pleasure to celebrate extreme Musick in North America. Which procession will you attend?”
Special guests on this trek are death metallers INCANTATION, plus HATE & NARCOTIC WASTELAND.
02/19 – Brooklyn, NY, Brooklyn Monarch 02/20 – Lowell, MA, Taffeta Music Hall 02/21 – Montreal, QC, Le Studio TD 02/22 – Toronto, ON, Lee’s Palace 02/23 – Lakewood, OH, Mercury Music Hall 02/24 – Joliet, IL, The Forge 02/26 – Denver, CO, HQ 02/27 – Albuquerque, NM, Launchpad 02/28 – Haltom City, TX, Haltom Theater 03/01 – Houston, TX, Scout Bar 03/02 – San Antonio, TX, Paper Tiger 03/05 – Mesa, AZ, The Rosetta Room 03/06 – San Diego, CA, Brick by Brick 03/07 – San Francisco, CA, DNA Lounge 03/08 – Roseville, CA, Goldfield Trading Post 03/09 – Los Angeles, CA, 1720 03/10 – Anaheim, CA, The Observatory
Since their formation in 1993 in Austria, BELPHEGOR have stood as one of the most brutal and transgressive forces in black death metal. Founded by vocalist and guitarist Helmuth Lehner, the band has spent over three decades refining a sound forged in fire and sacrilege, merging the violent precision of death metal with the ritualistic darkness of black metal. Their musick is an invocation of infernal power, a soundwall of relentless blasphemy.
Independent black metal band PROFANE ELEGY has released their newest single, “And Then We Are Gone,” a haunting and doom-oriented meditation on the fleeting nature of human existence. The track represents a notable shift for the band, featuring predominantly clean singing and a somber, crushing atmosphere.
“This song was a fun switch up for us in that it is mostly clean singing and very doom oriented,” the band explains. “It’s essentially a comment on how we’re here one minute and gone the next and the world keeps turning. All we do and build in life snuffed out in a second without warning or meaning, the tragedy of existence.”
“And Then We Are Gone” is the latest preview of the upcoming album Herezjarcha, set for release on January 30, 2026. Like their previous work, the album was created through a fully remote writing and recording process that has become central to the band’s identity.
Herezjarcha Track Listing:
“Exeunt Omnes” – 4:57
“Haunted” – 3:31
“The Accuser” – 5:23
“As My Heart Turns to Ash” – 5:24
“I AM” – 3:49
“Immutable” – 4:13
“And Then We Are Gone” – 4:02
“Herezjarcha” – 5:57
PROFANE ELEGY began as a two-man recording project before expanding into a full four-piece and debuting live in late 2023. With members located across Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the band relies on extensive file sharing and constant group communication to craft their music. This approach played a crucial role in bringing Herezjarcha to life.
With “And Then We Are Gone,” PROFANE ELEGY continues to refine their blend of bleak atmospheres, introspective themes, and evolving sonic textures, solidifying their place as a rising force in American black metal.
About PROFANE ELEGY
PROFANE ELEGY is a black metal band from Bangor, Pennsylvania, formed in late 2021 by guitarist J Gulick and vocalist Mikael L. Originally conceived as a two-man studio project, the band quickly evolved into a full lineup with the addition of bassist David G and drummer Sean M in 2023. What sets PROFANE ELEGY apart is their refusal to remain confined within genre boundaries, while rooted firmly in black metal, their sound incorporates elements of death, doom, and progressive metal, often enhanced by orchestral arrangements and clean vocals.
The band’s debut album When All Is Nothing (2023) was released independently and drew attention for its blend of atmospheric aggression and emotional vulnerability. The release earned praise for its ability to move fluidly between blistering speed and melancholic melody, with Doom Heart calling it “a massive Doom delight.” Following the album’s release, PROFANE ELEGY made their live debut and began performing across the northeastern United States, including a notable support slot for Dark Funeral in late 2024.
Lyrically, the band explores themes of nihilism, mortality, philosophy, and religious symbolism, often invoking figures like Satan not as dogmatic statements, but as metaphors in a broader spiritual and existential dialogue. Their work is poetic, introspective, and often challenges the listener to confront uncomfortable truths about life, death, and belief.
Their upcoming full-length album Herezjarcha, set for release in January 2026, represents the band’s most ambitious and expansive work to date. With a more dynamic sound, deeper orchestration, and a clear conceptual throughline, the record pushes their sonic and thematic boundaries further than ever before.
The album title, the Polish translation of the English word heresiarch (meaning arch-heretic), encapsulates the spirit of the band: rebellious, introspective, and unafraid to question the sacred.
Tickets for all shows in Canada and USA go on sale tomorrow, Friday November 21, 10am local time.
2026 North American Tour Dates:
March 27, 2026 – Toronto, ON – The Concert Hall March 28, 2026 – Montreal, QC – M Telus March 29, 2026 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium March 31, 2026 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Roxian April 1, 2026 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore April 3, 2026 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore April 4, 2026 – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom April 5, 2026 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant April 7, 2026 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theater April 8, 2026 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl April 10, 2026 – Austin, TX – Radio East April 12, 2026 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
Full-length out November 21 on Bindrune Recordings
The wait for the full-length follow-up to the promising debut EP from England’s NEMOROUS is nearly over! Four years after the debut EP, the band has finally returned with a six-track atmospheric black metal experience titled What Remains When Hope Has Failed.
Bindrune Records will release What Remains When Hope Has Failed on CD, vinyl and digital formats on November 21.
Track-list: 1) The Wyrm at World’s End 2) This Rotten Bough 3) Sky Avalanche 4) Quiescence 5) Bereft Part 2 6) What Remains When Hope Has Failed
Formed from the ashes of Wodensthrone, NEMOROUS carry the torch of atmospheric English black influenced metal proudly, but it’s not the main driving force behind them. The vision is far more expansive and eclectic. With their debut self-titled EP, they have proven that the twisting melodies and fog-like aura they create with their sound indeed harkens back to their past musical conquests, yet progression is a core tenet as it walks hand in hand with rich melodies and a fierce sense of aggressive tradition.
NEMOROUS: Phil Heckles – Bass Ian Finley – Drums Michael Blenkarn – Guitars Alexandra Durning – Keyboards Rob Hindmarsh – Guitars Nick Craggs – Vocals
What Remains When Hope Has Failed is four years in the making and finds the band emerging victorious from a line-up change, where Chris Walsh (Vocals/Guitars) was replaced by Nick Craggs (Vocals – Vacivus/Neolithic) and Rob Hindmarsh on second guitar. Now as sextet, the band dove into the music for their first full-length reinvigorated, and it shows in the album’s composition.
What Remains When Hope Has Failed is a dynamic and emotional journey where quiet musical passages draw the listener in with vulnerability and beautiful, clean guitar arrangements that feel like Fields of the Nephilim at their most post-apocalyptic, only to build with reflective, melancholic mids, before exploding with blasting ferocity.
From subtle, yet expansive synth textures, complex drum work that never loses grasp on a powerful feel/swing, it all strengthens the overall impact of this album with colorful dynamics and a songwriting characteristic which can certainly be traced back to the early days of Wodensthrone.
“The Hunter & The Prey” finds Thron venturing into uncharted sonic territory. Anchored in their signature blackened metal, the track bursts open with unexpected textures of haunting saxophone passages and the spectral glow of vintage 70s synthesizers. The result is a dark, cinematic journey that blurs the line between primal aggression and otherworldly atmosphere, marking one of the band’s boldest and most evocative statements to date.
In March 2023, THRON unleashed their fourth full-length Dust; a sonic testament to their relentless evolution and creative hunger. Hailed by fans and critics alike, ‘Dust’ carved its mark into the underground and beyond, paving the way forward. From the hallowed grounds of Hellfest in Clisson to the thunderous stages of Summer Breeze and Baden In Blut, THRON proved themselves a formidable live force.
Sharing stages with titans such as Amon Amarth, Necrophobic, Pestilence, Carcass, Endstille and more. Embarking on an European tour, the band cemented their reputation as one of the most compelling acts in the modern blackened metal sphere.
Vurias – Track-listing:
01 – The Serpent’s Path 02 – Astral Materia 03 – Hubris’ Crown 04 – A Paradox 05 – Ungemach (Stilles Ende) 06 – One Truth, One Light 07 – Griefbearer 08 – The Hunter And The Prey 09 – The Metamorph’s Curse * *( Exclusive bonus track )
Drawing from the raw bloodlines of blues, rockabilly, goth rock, and American country, Florida’s dark torchbearers THENOCTAMBULANT open the gates to the abyss with their new single “Bring The Sorrow.”
With this release, the band channels the haunted spirits of the South, where gospel hymns curdle into laments and salvation tastes of rust and whiskey. “Bring The Sorrow” is the first true blast of sound from a forthcoming chapter in THENOCTAMBULANT’s evolution, a forceful wake-up call from the shadows of the American heartland.
The track begins with the metaphorical crack of a Bible slamming shut on a pulpit, signaling the end of blind faith and the beginning of reckoning. Its lyrics twist the familiar words of Psalm 91, a passage once meant to promise protection and peace, into something deeply corrupted.
In the world of “Bring The Sorrow,” faith offers no refuge, only torment. The song reimagines the sacred as profane, echoing through the backwoods of Appalachia and the swamps below, where every prayer is answered with silence.
“Bring The Sorrow” captures THENOCTAMBULANT’s signature fusion of dark Americana and gothic metal, where howling guitars and funeral dirges collide. It is both a sermon and a curse, a lament for a world where redemption has lost its meaning.
About THE NOCTAMBULANT: In 2013, THE NOCTAMBULANT formed in Jacksonville, Florida, with a mission to spread the culture of Southern Appalachia through their unique interpretation of black metal. Merging the genre’s primal aggression with the crushing weight of blackened death metal and the haunting atmospherics of Southern Gothic, they sought to honor the myths, spirits, and eerie folklore of the region.
Founded by E. Helvete (Guitars, Vocals) and D. Franseth (Drums) following the breakup of their psychobilly band, THE NOCTAMBULANT emerged as they delved into the darker realms of black metal. With the addition of Lars Goerschafft (Bass) and later Rev Beaumont (Guitar), the band fully embraced a sound that merges relentless intensity with ghostly Appalachian storytelling, crafting an auditory spell of sorrow, brutality, and mysticism.
Their music weaves a sonic tapestry of feral blackened riffs, ominous melodies, and immersive soundscapes steeped in spectral Appalachian lore. Drawing inspiration from metal legends such as VENOM, CELTIC FROST, BATHORY, and DARK FUNERAL, THE NOCTAMBULANT channels both ferocity and haunting atmosphere, merging the unrelenting force of extreme metal with the ghostly echoes of ancient myths and the desolation of the Southern Gothic landscape. Their next album is set to emerge in 2026.
Austrian atmospheric black metal band ELLENDE has revealed their highly anticipated 6th studio album, Zerfall, will be released on January 2nd via AOP Records.
Commenting on the thematic elements of the record, the band says,”Zerfall is about the transformation of ruin into strength.”
Zerfall, which translates to being shattered, slowly and painfully rebuilding oneself, follows the band’s critically praised 2024 record Todbringerin and is another step forward for the band as they venture further into the realms of bleak and beautiful heavy music. The album artwork features an oil painting made by founding member and songwriter L.G.
Today, ELLENDE has debuted the record’s first single and title track “Zerfall” with the accompanying video below.
ELLENDE will celebrate the release of Zerfall with a European tour with FIRTAN and KARG that kicks off in Munich, DE on release day, January 2nd and will conclude in Vienna, AT on January 18th. Tickets are on sale now at: https://linktr.ee/zerfalltour2026.
Zerfall Track-list:
1. Nur 2. Wahrheit Teil I 3. Wahrheit Teil II 4. Zerfall 5. Übertritt 6. Ode ans Licht 7. Zeitenwende Teil I (feat. Norikum) 8. Zeitenwende Teil II (feat. Firtan) 9. Reise 10. Secunda (Jeremy Soule cover)* 11. Verborgenes inneres Leiden*
*Bonus Tracks
ELLENDE Tour Dates:
Jan 2 – Munich, DE – Backstage Jan 3 – Heidelberg, DE – Halle02 Jan 4 – Dresden, DE – Chemiefabrik Jan 5 – Copenhagen, DK – Stengade Jan 6 – Hamburg, DE – Logo Jan 7 – Leeuwarden, NL – Neushoom Jan 8 – Nijmegen, NL – Doornroosje Jan 9 – Wurzburg, DE – Posthalle Jan 10 – Zurich, CH – Meh Suff Winter Fest Jan 11 – Paderno Dugnano, IT – Slaughter Jan 12 – Ljubljana, SI – Orto Bar Jan 13 – Cham, DE – L.A. Jan 14 – Warsaw, PL – Hydrozagadka Jan 15 – Krakow, PL – Zascianek Jan 16 – Erfurt, DE – From Hell Jan 17 – Prague, CZ – Modra Vopice Jan 18 – Vienna, AT – Szene
AboutELLENDE: Ellende, founded multi-instrumentalist L.G. in Graz, Austria, began its journey with the debut EP Rückzug in die Innerlichkeit thirteen years ago. Originally conceived as an introverted, misanthropic, and anonymous project, Ellende has since grown into an internationally recognized live act with session musicians, firmly rooted in the atmospheric black metal genre.
While grounded in black metal, Ellendeʼs sound incorporates classical instrumentation such as strings and grand piano, often pushing beyond the boundaries of what is considered traditional within the style.
Over the years, Ellende has released six full-length albums and three EPs. They achieved four official chart positions (Austria: #14, #21; Germany: #31, #37) with recent full-lengths, while the band has performed more than 120 international shows and reached over two million Spotify streams in the past year.
The lyrical themes have evolved alongside the music. From early reflections on misanthropy, nature, and isolation to later explorations of human nature, social criticism, war, loss, despair, and dementia. The upcoming full-length album Zerfall portrays the state of being shattered into fragments and the slow, painful process of rebuilding oneself: a confrontation with the void and ultimately a triumph over it. Shaped also by a tragic event in the life of its mastermind, Ellendeʼs work continues to fuse raw intensity with profound emotional depth.
Symphonic black metal project VESSELES announces the release of its sophomore full-length album Home, arriving January 16th, alongside the unveiling of the record’s seventh track, “Scriptures Etched Into the Mind’s Pillars.”
“Scriptures Etched Into the Mind’s Pillars” is an ode to the grand tradition of classic symphonic black metal. It is a vehement composition that grapples with the inner fortresses we build to protect ourselves, only to find them transformed into prisons. As relentless as it is majestic, the song marks a lyrical turning point: moving away from searching for solace in one’s origins toward confronting the distress of internal struggle and the elusive quest for peace.
Founded as a personal vessel for Valira, a demon entity navigating existence within the human world, VESSELES fuses cinematic scale with blackened ferocity. Home expands upon the project’s identity-driven narrative, weaving a mythos of belonging, alienation, and ultimate reclamation of power. The album is as much about survival as it is about transcendence, an unflinching exploration of self through sound.
“Home is the sound of returning to a place you’ve never truly known,” says Valira.
With its blend of sweeping orchestration, blistering aggression, and emotional weight, Home establishes VESSELES as one of the most uncompromising voices in contemporary symphonic black metal.
About VESSELES: Founded in 2023, VESSELES is the sonic vessel through which Valira speaks the language of her origins. As composer, orchestrator, and architect, she crafts bleak, incantatory soundscapes that fuse serrated guitars with haunted symphonic textures. Her voice, at once seething and spectral, now rises with increasing clarity, layered across both backing and lead roles in studio and on stage.
This is not performance. It is possession. Through sound, she casts off the human shell and steps fully into her true form: demon, exile, survivor. VESSELES unveiled the debut EP I Am A Demon in 2024, a liturgy of identity dysphoria, rage, and revelation. “Eternally Within Us” follows the recently released 2025 single, “Flesh Throne”.
VESSELES Is: Valira Pietrangelo – guitar and backing vocals J Burial (Joel Ferry) – vocals Ron Graves – bass Nick Brown – drums
Credits: Composed by Valira Pietrangelo. Performed by VESSELES.
Black Sites In Lower Chambersshowcases WILD BEYOND‘s signature speed and frenzied riffs that evoke the frosty atmosphere of first and second waves of black metal. There is more to the band’s sound as WILD BEYOND‘s edges are sharpened with a chaotic, yet melodic, thrash attack. Vocalist/guitarist Edward Gonet spews venom-coated lyrics that explore the intersection of the occult with the military industrial complex, and other esoteric ephemera.
WILD BEYOND’s Black Sites In Lower Chambers is a predominantly self-recorded EP. The tracks were recorded in abyssal basements and smoky rehearsal rooms in order to capture the intensity of the band’s live performance on the EP.
The EP also concludes with a cover of DIMMU BORGIR’s “Spellbound (By The Devil),” with its pummeling drums and meticulous keyboards faithfully recreated by drummer Evan Madden and bassist Jimmy Viola.
Black Sites In Lower Chambers is set to be unveiled onOctober 17, 2025, via Fiadh Productions.
Black Sites In Lower Chambers – Track Listing:
Dream State Abductions (instrumental)
Slaughtering The Lion
Thy Entrance, Night
Visions Before The Seizure
Spellbound (By The Devil)
About WILD BEYOND: Philadelphia’s black metal trio WILD BEYOND explore vast atmospheres through black metal with the enhanced ferocity of thrash influences. WILD BEYOND‘s story begins with an impulse purchase of a Randy Rhoads Flying V guitar by Gonet (DEAVA, ex-INFERNAL STRONGHOLD), that kicked off a creative compulsion of songwriting in this dark, yet intense style.
Introduced a year later to Jimmy Viola and Evan Madden (ex-WOE and WOODS OF YPRES), the trio soon embarked on bringing Gonet’s demos to life. The result, was the 2023 debut album Wild Beyond, released via Cruz Del Sur/Gates Of Hell records. Black Sites In Lower Chambers follows the full-length in a blaze of ominous eccentricity.
WILD BEYOND: Edward Gonet III: Vocals, guitars, lyrics Evan Madden: Drums Jimmy Viola: Bass, keyboards, additional guitars
Credits: Mixed and mastered by Ryan Mulvanerty. Cover art photo by Elizabeth D’Ambrosio, logo and layout by Chanda Gonet. Band photo by Matthew Decker. Drums recorded by Ryan Mulvanerty at Granny’s Lodge in Philadelphia. Guitars, bass, keyboards and vocals recorded by Jimmy Viola at Red Planet Room 10 and House Riot, Philadelphia.
Debut album The Fate Of All Life – a monument to the reality of the human condition, exploring themes of cyclical suffering and death – out on 17 October via These Hands Melt
Australian darkwave/industrial black metal act IRREPARABLE have unveiled their new single, “Forever Remain”. It is a powerful and intense piece from their upcoming debut album, The Fate Of All Life, and features a guest appearance by acclaimed violinist Hayley Anderson (Aquilus, Suldusk).
The band commented: “When Death finally frees you from the pain of suffering, what worse Hell to awake to than a rebirth into the same cycle? This is the idea behind the content of ‘Forever Remain’. A track that well defines the concept of the new album ‘The Fate Of All Life’. One of the last tracks written for the album, it is particularly intense and features an outro of an incredibly mournful violin section that was written and performed by Hayley Anderson from Aquilus and Suldusk. The video was filmed in Lithuania by an amazing team that truly brought to life (and death) the vision.”
The new single is also now available to listen to via all major streaming services.
“Forever Remain” follows the release of the single “Failure to Thrive” and is the second single from the band’s upcoming debut album set for release on 17 October via These Hands Melt.
The Fate Of All Life sees the band weave together industrial black metal, goth and darkwave to create a sound that is both haunting and cathartic. The album is a monument to the reality of the human condition, exploring themes of cyclical suffering and death. IRREPARABLE has expertly laid the foundations of a personal apocalypse, which is reflected in their poignant quote: “We rise to the sky from the sea, only to come pouring down”.
The band will celebrate the release of The Fate Of All Life at The Leadbeater, Richmond, VIC (Australia) with Burden Man, The Nihilistic Front and Nighteyes on November 29th.
Olesin joins Devoted Art Propaganda with the release of their self-titled demo. It’s set for a 31 October 2025 as a cassette. To mark the announcement, the band has premiered an advance track from the release, now available to stream on their Bandcamp page and YouTube.
Olesin is a forest in eastern Poland, a place of ruined palaces with lions, libations, fights, suicides, drownings, mysterious candles, and the birthplace of figures who changed the course of history. A place of hunting returns. Just like home. Their music is a raw, chaotic and Bergmansk form of black metal, channeling the turbulent and haunted essence of their origins.
To hear the advance track and for more information, visit the band’s Bandcamp page: https://olesin.bandcamp.com/
The mystic Canadians Finnr’sCane returns with their self-titled fourth album, a haunting and introspective journey through the frozen landscapes of the mind. Released in the US on September 26th, the album marks their debut with renowned label Nordvis Produktion, and is a powerful continuation of their unique blend of atmospheric black metal, doom, and ambient music.
(Please note: these orders are now processed and shipped from the US.)
Hailing from the icy expanse of Sudbury, Ontario, Finnr’sCane has always operated on the fringes, letting their music speak for itself. The band has forged a distinctive sound by forgoing a traditional bass in favor of the melancholic, resonant tones of a cello. This unconventional instrumentation, combined with an improvisational songwriting approach, creates an organic, almost ritualistic quality to their music.
Their new album, arriving just in time for the end of summer and rise of the autumn, delves deep into themes of nature, introspection, and the spiritual connection to the land. It is an album that unfolds slowly, building from somber acoustic passages to powerful, distorted crescendos. The cello remains a central pillar, providing a deep, mournful resonance that sets their sound apart.
For fans of Agalloch, Wolves in the Throne Room, and Fen, this record is a compelling exploration of liminal spaces and the sacred elements of the wilderness.
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