Thirty years after its initial emergence from the Polish underground, Sacrilegium’s seminal debut, Wicher, is set for a reissue via Pagan Records. Originally released in 1996, Wicher is one of the most influential and atmospheric works of Polish black metal, a record that captured the freezing, pagan spirit of the era with a raw, melodic grandeur that few have since replicated.
In celebration of this 30th anniversary, Pagan Records is unearthing the album in its most authentic form to date. This reissue features the original, “lost” cover art, rediscovered after decades, and includes the full lyrics for the first time in years.
Set for release on 11 April 2026, the reissue will be available in multiple high-quality formats: jewelcase CD, double splatter vinyl, double blue vinyl, double white vinyl.
Released during the “golden age” of the Polish scene, Wicher stood apart for its ability to balance savage black metal aggression with an evocative, folk-tinted atmosphere. For many, it represents the pinnacle of the genre’s mid-90s evolution, blending cold, razor-sharp riffing with a distinctly Slavic sense of melancholy.
A shroud of sound and shadow is set to descend upon Europe this late spring, as ABIGAIL WILLIAMS (US) announce their long-awaited return to the continent for a series of live performances across May and June. Renowned for their evocative blend of black metal and cinematic intensity, the band will once again bring their immersive sonic landscapes to audiences across the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe.
Following years of refining their sound into something increasingly expansive and haunting, ABIGAIL WILLIAMS continue to stand as one of the most distinctive voices in the modern extreme metal landscape. This upcoming run of dates promises to channel that evolution into a live setting, offering audiences an experience that is as enveloping as it is unrelenting.
For the European mainland leg of the tour, the band will be joined by Dutch act SHAGOR (NL), whose raw and obscure take on black metal will provide a fitting counterpoint, deepening the atmosphere of each night. Together, the two bands will shape a sequence of performances steeped in darkness, tension and intensity.
Divided into two distinct chapters, the tour will first traverse the UK and Ireland with a select run of exclusive ABIGAIL WILLIAMSperformances, including an appearance at Fortress Festival. The journey will then continue across mainland Europe, where SHAGOR will join as main support for a series of carefully selected dates, culminating in a final gathering in the Netherlands.
The Itinerary of Ruin
UK & Ireland (Abigail Williams only) 31/05 • Fortress Fest, Scarborough, UK 03/06 • The Pavillion, Cork, IRL 04/06 • Sound House, Dublin, IRL 05/06 • Voodoo, Belfast, IRL 06/06 • Dolans Kasbah, Limerick, IRL
European Mainland (w/ Shagor) 08/06 • De Verlichte Geest, Kortrijk, BE 09/06 • Music House, Graz, AT 10/06 • Venster 99, Vienna, AT 12/06 • Zappenduster Festival, Münster, DE (Abigail Williams only) 13/06 • Hall of Fame, Tilburg, NL
Audiences are invited to step beyond the veil and gather in the gloom as The Great Darkness once again takes form. Tickets are available now through all standard outlets.
In a year marking the 40th anniversary of their initial formation, under the moniker Black Death, 2026 sees the return of the imperishable Norwegian duo and influential genre legends Fenriz and Nocturno Culto and their new studio album Pre-Historic Metal, set for release on May 8th via Peaceville Records.
Following swiftly on from the recently released The Fist in the Face of God boxset covering the band’s revered early Black Metal period, it is time for the Norwegian riff-meisters to emerge from their caves once more, for their new opus of high calibre old metal, under the banner of Pre-Historic Metal.
As Fenriz himself proclaims of the title’s symbolic origin, “Prehistoric is a loose term.I just figure it’s our VIBE, our take on things and it’s more a statement that we use old style to create something new”.
A continuation of 2024’s stellar ‘It Beckons Us All’, ‘Pre-Historic Metal’ is a ferocious slab of primal epics & gargantuan riffs with organic sound, graced with the ever-present permeating spirit of the 70s and 80s. This next chapter in Darkthrone’s unyielding saga presents a vast odyssey through the sonic landscapes of Thrash, Black, Heavy and Doom Metal and, adorned with a punishing and “in your face” guitar presence, Darkthrone stirs the cauldron of savage creativity with a nod to the writing methods which were indicative of their earlier works of the late 80s, but with a more refined craft.
Photo credit – Peer Olav Kittilsen
Summarizing what the album represents, Fenriz explains: “It means that we are metal. With very loud guitars. “Frightfully barbaric but not without finesse”, I call it. We collaborated in the studio more than ever, who’s playing what is still in a purple haze, but last but not least it was a sort of hardening of the arteries – we decided to tighten the tourniquet and do 8 effective songs brimming with riffs instead of the airy plodding we so much enjoy usually”.
Photo credit – Peer Olav Kittilsen
Pre-Historic Metal was recorded at Chaka Khan Studios, Oslo, with production work conducted by Ole Øvstedal, Silje Høgevold & Mads Luis. Mastering was carried out by Jack Control at Enormous Door, and Maor Appelbaum Mastering.
Pre-Historic Metal – Track listing: 1. They Found One Of My Graves (05:17) 2. Pre-Historic Metal (04:19) 3. Siberian Thaw (06:45) 4. Deeply Rooted (04:58) 5. The Dry Wells Of Hell (06:12) 6. So I Marched To The Sunken Empire (03:21) 7. Eat Eat Eat Your Pride (04:51) 8. Eon 4 (05:24)
It Echoes In The Wild, the bizarre and unhinged second album by Vancouver-based black/death metal entity EGREGORE, will be released this Friday, through the formidable roster of 20 Buck Spin, who today unveils the entire album for advance streaming.
Here we find ourselves, among the Canadian miscreants EGREGORE – uniting members of Mitochondrion, Reversed, Ruinous Power, formerly of Auroch, and more, whereupon they return from whence the wind howls like a damned choir and the Earth knows no master, to chart a broader sonic wilderness via It Echoes In The Wild. And much as sea-rogues and freebooters sought fortune upon blackened waters, so too does EGREGORE venture musically into diabolic and ungoverned lands.
Presenting something more expansive, elemental, and untamed on It Echoes In The Wild, the early occult black death metal lunacy of EGREGORE embraces atmospheric breadth equally alongside primitive force to delve deep into not only geographic wilds, but the psychological, esoteric and spiritual hinterlands at the edges of complete madness. Dark invocations and secret tongues draw forth echoes from forest and fen, cave and cliff, tempting the temporally tethered to receive the curse, all the while driven by a primal, unknowable sardonic menace.
Though the voyage be perilous, to succumb to It Echoes In The Wild is to become ensconced in a lawless dominion of the soul in service of a higher call. Mirroring nature’s unbridled forces and the hidden echoes that dwell within, EGREGORE’s second album takes the band’s mystical insanity and magical perversion to the edge of the abyss and plunges forward.
It Echoes In The Wild was engineered and recorded by Mariessa McLeod, mixed and mastered by Arthur Rizk (Blood Incantation, Dream Unending, Tomb Mold), and completed with cover art by Luciana Lupe Vasconcelos, illustration and layout by Dipayan Das, and logo by Karmazid. The result is an album prime for fans of Nocturnus, Morbid Angel, King Diamond, Samael, Superstition, Angelcorpse, Mortuary Drape, Necrophobic, Absu, and The Chasm.
From the EGREGORE cult: “There is no sight apart from the seen; no feeling beyond the felt; no independent capacity for knowledge outside of what is known.
“Self: a confluence of cause and condition. Consciousness: a triangulation of pre-requisite factors. When this is understood, there is no longer any boundary as to where you end and the infinite begins. Everything is connected. This is the word of the law, and it echoes in the wild.”
Sustain the malefic howl of EGREGORE’s It Echoes In The Wild early on YouTube RIGHT HERE, and view the videos for “Stair Into The Vortex” HERE and “Servants Of The Second Death” HERE.
20 Buck Spin will release It Echoes In The Wild on LP, CD, and digital platforms this Friday, March 20th. Preorders can be placed at the label webshop HERE and Bandcamp HERE.
Furthermore, effective immediately, EGREGORE is pleased to announce a partnership with Waste Management Bookings for all live engagements. Stand by for updates.
Album guests: Dylan Atkinson aka Exodus To Unukalhai – additional lead guitar Cuillen aka Axis i Arcana – vocals Lillian Liu aka Jaded Castigator of the Baleful Communion – lead synth Brayden Turenne aka Oracular Phantasm – electronics, ambient interludes Mashruk Huq aka Voice of the Dweller – spoken word on “Corsairs Of The Daath Gulf”
Polish Black Metal band VARMIA release the third single from their upcoming lauks album out later this month. The stirring and powerful song is available on all streaming/download platforms.
In Polish, the word “północ” means both “the north” and “midnight”, while “dzień” means “day,” explains singer/guitarist Lasota. “This is an anthem to our northern wilderness, to the land of wolf packs, ancient forests, and pure waters. This is the chant that resonates through every day spent here. The day of the North!”
Accompanied by a music video produced by VARMIA and featuring footage by Alan Krasuski and Lasota, it complements the song and the Polish black metal band’s aesthetic.
“dzień, pół nocy” follows previous single “der tot Adalbert” and “Zwykli Zmarli” which all preview the band’s anticipated new album ‘lauks’ out March 27th
“This album is the quintessence of our understanding of natural, raw intensity, teetering on the verge of chaos,” states Lasota. “As always, we recorded it live – this time among the ruins of one of the many castles still standing on our land. Within its empty, derelict halls, we discovered a new dimension of musical naturalism. The aura of the place is embedded into the sound, reverberating through the slower hits of the instruments. The title ‘lauks’ refers to the way our ancestors coexisted in groups of communes or settlements. In the context of this album, it signifies identity, territorial instinct, and the sharp line between us and them.“
‘lauks’ is a much more straight forward and intense VARMIA raging through a darkened journey of raw primal black metal that still clings to their Baltic roots abetted by adding in traditional instrumentation and percussion.
Available now for pre-order on limited-edition (300) “warm blood” colored vinyl (with insert and download code), jewelcase CD with 12-page booklet or digital.
VARMIA was formed in 2016 by composer Lasota with a mission of fusing black metal with musical influences that pay tribute to the ancient Baltic tribes of the historical Warmia region of northern Poland. Vocally, harsh growls shroud the band’s music and native Polish lyrics in a visceral aura, the only breaks occurring when using the traditional, ancient technique of “whitevoice” clean singing as utilized during ancient East-Central European rituals, rites of passage and festivals.
Meanwhile, the power of the band’s metal influences are enhanced by traditional ethnic instrumentation of the Baltic Rites via sounds of tagelharpa, goat horn, lyre (gęśle), tribal drums, wood tuba and krivula. The final result is a compelling mix of dark metallic sounds that channel the spirit of early Enslaved, Satyricon and Wolves in the Throne Room and folk elements that drive acts such as Wardruna and Heilung.
VARMIA have released four albums to date – 2017’s Z mar twych, 2018’s W ciele nie, 2021’s bal Lada, (their first collaborating with M-Theory Audio), and 2023’s Nie Nas Widze.
Baltimore Black Metallers, Nixil, and Portland Black/Death quartet, Drouth, will hit the road in May for the Toward Dead Temples West Coast Tour 2026.
The bands will be touring in support of their forthcoming split LP, Toward Dead Temples, which is set for an April 24th release on vinyl, cassette tape, and digital formats. Stay tuned, album details coming soon!
Tour dates are as follows:
May 7: Seattle, WA – Neumos (Northwest Terror Fest) May 8: Eugene, OR – John Henry’s May 9: Redding, CA – The Dip May 10: Sacramento, CA – Cafe Colonial May 12: Los Angeles, CA – The Moroccan Lounge May 13: San Diego, CA – Tower Bar May 14: Palmdale, CA – Transplants Brewing May 15: Santa Rosa, CA – Arlene Francis Center May 16: Eureka, CA – Savage Henry Comedy Club May 17: Portland, OR – The High Water Mark
With the release of “Scarlet Beast – Leviathan,” BELPHEGOR return at their most menacing and deliberate, delivering a track that moves with the force of an advancing colossus. Built upon lumbering, monolithic riffs and a suffocating sense of inevitability, the single embodies a towering presence, vast, unrelenting, and absolute.
“Scarlet Beast – Leviathan” does not chase speed; it commands submission. Favoring tension, density, and sheer authority over velocity, the song fuses ritualistic black metal atmosphere with the crushing weight of death metal. The result is a sonic behemoth, oppressive, deliberate, and unstoppable, advancing through scorched terrain with death trailing in its wake.
The single arrives as BELPHEGOR kick off their North American “Praise The Beast” tour, carrying this new chapter directly onto the stage. The track’s immense weight and deliberate pacing translate into a live experience built on tension and command, setting the tone for a run that promises ritual intensity across the continent.
Accompanying the single is a stark and uncompromising music video that captures the essence of true darkness. Gritty and raw in execution, the visual counterpart strips away artifice and embraces ritualistic imagery, shadow, and decay. It is not spectacle, but invocation.
With “Scarlet Beast – Leviathan,” BELPHEGOR once again prove their mastery of controlled devastation. The beast does not rush. It advances. And nothing stands in its path.
Praise The Beast North American Tour 2026:
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
New two-day black metal fest brought to you by Fortress Festival and Reaper Agency UK
First bands confirmed include Moonlight Sorcery, Inferno, Aristarchos and Cnoc An Tursa
Event in collaboration with Anarchy Brew Co. who will also launch a new “Fortress IPA” brew
Newcastle, UK – The team behind Fortress Festival and Reaper Agency UK has announced a brand-new event, Tynebound, set to take place in the North East of England. Following the success of the sold-out Fortress Festival editions in Scarborough, this new gathering brings a focused curation of raw and atmospheric black metal to Newcastle.
The event will be held across two days on 5-6 September at Anarchy Brew Co. To mark the first edition, Anarchy Brew Co. will release a curated range of limited brews, including a specially commissioned Fortress IPA.
The first four bands have been confirmed for the inaugural edition of Tynebound. Across two unforgiving days in early September, bands will summon everything from primitive raw black metal to bleak, expansive atmospheres, performed in close quarters and at full volume. This is music rooted in isolation, anger, and landscape – the kind that belongs in the North.
Finnish melodic black metal act Moonlight Sorcery will return to the UK for an exclusive performance as the Sunday headliner. This follows their appearance at Fortress Festival last year and marks a rare opportunity to see the band live.
Joining them are Czech black metal veterans Inferno, known for their shift from primitive roots to avant-garde, mind-altering compositions. The line-up also features the elusive Aristarchos, surfacing for a rare live appearance, and Scottish black metal group Cnoc An Tursa, who will perform material from their long-awaited new album, A Cry For The Slain, which blends black metal with evocative Gaelic melodies as tales of banshees, giants, dragons and ancient legends are brought roaring to life.
With a focus on providing an intense, close-quarters experience, capacity for Tynebound is strictly limited to 500 guests. Tickets are available now via the Reaper Agency UK BigCartel store.
Nameless Grave Records is proud to announce the signing of LIVIDUS, a project that stands at the crossroads of progressive black, death, and avant-garde metal. Anchored by the incredible vocal presence of Uta Plotkin (ex-Witch Mountain), the band will release their debut full-length, Scarabaeus, on April 17, 2026.
The album marks a significant return for Plotkin, showcasing her trademark seamless interplay between clean, emotive singing and punishing screams. Joining her in the current iteration of the band is an elite lineup of the Portland underground featuring Christy Cather (Ludicra), Rob Shaffer (Uada, Dark Castle), and Michael Thompson (ex-Silver Talon).
Produced, mixed, and mastered by Keith Merrow at Merrowsound Studios, Scarabaeus eschews modern trends for a weird approach reminiscent of the adventurous spirit found in Voivod, Hammers of Misfortune, and the progressive peaks of Death, Nevermore, and Emperor.
“LIVIDUS is the exploration of the unexpected,” the band states. “We wanted to bridge the gap between the melodic and the dissonant, using the viola and Uta’s vocal range to tell a story of endurance and the aftermath of trauma. This is heavy metal at its most eccentric.”
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
If you’re a band or musician and would like your music reviewed or be interviewed by Stone, please click the link under the “ALBUM REVIEWS ARCHIVES” section below!
Metal Odyssey's Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Hall of Fame! These Are The Rock And METAL Legends Wrongfully Ignored By "The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame"
You must be logged in to post a comment.