Your patience will be rewarded. Chile’s RIPPER returns with their first full-length since 2016’s Experiment of Existence.
The last decade has seen RIPPER refine their attack into a lethal blend of old-school death metal and thrash-or-be-thrashed aggression. The band has undeniably earned a reputation as one of South America’s premiere extreme metal exports.
Witness the band’s triumphant return with the first single offTowards Rebirth, “The Source Exterminator.” Stream the track at: youtu.be/J_QqGRoVQ2Q?si=BafNTXKHy5hO3jOz
Towards Rebirth contains the band’s most violent work to date. Razor sharp guitar work, intense drumming and well-crafted songs are still there…only more concise, more vicious.
Dark Descent Records will release Towards Rebirth on July 24th on CD, vinyl and digital formats.
Technical death metal juggernauts PSYCROPTIC present their new single, “No Blade Of Grass.” The track comes off the band’s impending new full-length, and first for Metal Blade Records, The Pulse Of Annihilation, set for release on July 17th.
“This one has a good blend of old-school PSYCROPTIC-style riffage and slightly sludge filled, loosey-goosey sections straight outta the classic death metal era,” remarks guitaristJoe Haley. “The whole thing is brought together with the choral/orchestral chorus. Something for everyone! Going to be a fun one to rip live!”
Bassist Todd Stern agrees, “It’s an unbelievably catchy tune! The main verse is one of my favorite bits on the whole record. Classic riffage, steam rolling the whole song forward with solid momentum all along. Badass.”
Adds vocalist Jason Peppiatt, “I had so much fun with this song as it was the first song that [vocalist Jason] Keyser had written for the band and it was awesome to have someone bring different ideas to the table than what I normally would. Vocally it’s nice and fast and has a real sick flow and groove to vocal parts.”
Watch PSYCROPTIC’s “No Blade Of Grass” video HERE.
Watch PSYCROPTIC’s previously released video for first single, “Gathering A Venomous Herd,”HERE.
Across The Pulse of Annihilation, PSYCROPTIC sounds focused, disciplined, and fully aware of their trajectory. Complexity remains foundational, but it is now guided by compositional restraint and veteran confidence. With this release, the band reaffirm their status not merely as technical death metal stalwarts, but as architects actively shaping its future, proving that mastery, sharpened by time, only grows more lethal.
The Pulse Of Annihilation features cover art by Belial Necroarts (Gaerea, In Aeternum) and will be available on digipak CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:
World Ablaze (Tiger’s Eye) – (US) Sleepy Hollow (Radioactive Dust) – (US) 180g Black – (EU – Ltd. 500) Barren Waste (Swamp Green Gold Melt) – (EU – Ltd. 250) Fires Of Time (Gold Black Splatter) – (EU – Ltd. 250)
PSYCROPTIC will join labelmates Rivers Of Nihil for a short run of Australian dates this August with support provided by Growth and Slaughtercult. From there, PSYCROPTIC and Rivers Of Nihil will unite with The Zenith Passage (also on Metal Blade) for four shows in Japan. See all confirmed dates below and stay tuned for additional live dates to be announced in the weeks to come.
PSYCROPTIC w/ Rivers Of Nihil, Growth, Slaughtercult: 8/13/2026 Magnet House – Perth, AU 8/14/2026 Lion Arts – Adelaide, AU 8/15/2026 Max Watts – Melbourne, AU 8/21/2026 Manning Bar – Sydney, AU 8/22/2026 Necrosonic Festival – Brisbane, AU
w/ Rivers Of Nihil, The Zenith Passage: 8/24/2026 Socore Factory – Osaka, JP 8/25/2026 3Star Imaike – Nagoya, JP 8/26/2026 Space Odd – Tokyo, JP 8/27/2026 Space Odd – Tokyo, JP
For over two decades, PSYCROPTIC has operated at the vanguard of technical death metal, defined by instrumental precision, structural intelligence and an uncompromising creative ethic. From their Tasmanian origins to commanding stages worldwide, the band have built a reputation on rhythmic complexity, exacting musicianship, and a refusal to plateau.
At the core of this next phase is guitarist and principal songwriter Joe Haley. Over time, Haley’s compositional voice has evolved from pure technical density into something more architecturally deliberate. On The Pulse Of Annihilation, riff construction feels sharper, transitions more fluid, and thematic motifs more intentional. Haley’s writing demonstrates a seasoned understanding of pacing—knowing when to constrict, when to expand, and how to weaponize silence and space within otherwise relentless arrangements. Experience has not diminished intensity; it has refined its delivery.
The record features the dual-vocal assault of Jason Peppiatt and Jason Keyser (Origin), a partnership that debuted on PSYCROPTIC’s previous full-length, Divine Council. Peppiatt’s commanding growl intertwines with Keyser’s razor-edged articulation, creating a dynamic vocal interplay that adds dimension and contrast to the band’s dense instrumentation. This twofold approach heightens the record’s impact, featuring layered, confrontational elements that remain tightly synced with the band’s intricate foundation.
PSYCROPTIC: David Haley – drums Joe Haley – guitars Todd Stern – bass Jason Peppiatt – vocals Jason Keyser – vocals
Italian death metal act GORGE announce the release of their debut full-length album Deeds of Horror, set to arrive on August 27, 2026 via Time To Kill Records. The band also unveils the first single taken from the record, “Visions Before Dying”, now available on all digital platforms.
“Visions Before Dying” is a relentless death metal assault, driven by blistering speed and suffocating intensity reminiscent of the classic brutality associated with bands like Suffocation and Dying Fetus. The song moves between ferocious blastdriven passages and crushing, cavernous grooves, creating a violent dynamic that feels both chaotic and oppressive.
Lyrically, the track explores the mysterious threshold between life and death. Inspired by psychological and metaphysical films such as Altered States and Jacob’s Ladder, the song dives into the unsettling visions and dreamlike experiences that might occur in the final moments before the body gives out.
“Visions Before Dying” imagines the mind drifting through fragments of memories, distorted realities, and unknown dimensions, where dreams, hallucinations, and subconscious fears merge into a final sequence of surreal revelations, a descent into the last visions the brain may conjure as consciousness slowly fades into darkness.
Track-list:
1. Sacred Misconception 2. Visions Before Dying 3. Mortal Decimation (Deeds Of Horror) 4. Interlude 5. Unhinged Punishment (ft. Angel Ochoa) 6. Without Inheritance 7. Fear Of Losing Another Vital Limb 8. Repetition Of The Kill
Formed in 2025 by Edoardo Nicoloso (Fulci, Jorelia, TV-Crimes) and Roberto Sava (Jorelia), GORGE were created with the intent of exploring death metal in its most direct and uncompromising form, drawing inspiration from the raw energy of the genre’s foundational years while developing a personal and dynamic approach.
The band’s approach is rooted in a direct, riff-driven philosophy that draws heavily from the foundational era of Suffocation, Dying Fetus, Gorguts and Malevolent Creation, updated with just the right amount of modern weight without compromising its original identity.
GORGE blends death metal with a gritty hardcore sensibility, resulting in a groovy yet ferocious sound that avoids overused slam dynamics in favour of tighter songwriting and internal rhythmic variation. At the centre of everything lies the riff, treated as the primary narrative force across all compositions, supported by a constant attention to structural tension and release.
Seattle (WA) – Combining Groove, Thrash, and Death Metal, Tormenta has released their debut single, “Jungle Dead”! The song is taken from the band’s forthcoming debut album (details coming soon).
Tormenta brings a cyclonic storm from the mountains of Seattle, Washington! The trio blends chaotic, intense energy with catchy choruses and groovy riffs.
L-R – Shawn Hillman (Fretless bass) | Miguel Marcheterre-Pina (Guitar) | André Dubien (Vocals) | Photo Credit – Jade Weeles & Miguel Marcheterre-Pina
Debut Album Theasterion Out July 2026
Montréal’s rising technical death‑metal force Volubilis announces the release of their second single, “Le Flamboiement Stellaire,” the follow‑up to their first single “Ashes & Embers” and the latest preview of their upcoming debut conceptual full‑lengthTheasterion, arriving July 10th, 2026.
Founded in 2020 by Afro‑Canadian multi‑instrumentalist and world‑builder Miguel Marcheterre‑Pina, Volubilis has evolved from a pandemic‑era bedroom project into one of Canada’s most promising new progressive and technical metal acts. Joined by André Dubien (vocals), Jacob Collins(drums), Alexis Rioux (guitar), and Shawn Hillman (fretless bass), the band has quickly gained recognition for its intricate musicianship, ambitious storytelling, and immersive sci‑fi universe.
“Le Flamboiement Stellaire” serves as the album’s opening chapter, both musically and narratively. Written with the intention of becoming a tech‑death anthem, the track explodes with prestissimo riffing, melodious solos, and relentless blast beats. It is also the only song on the album written in French, grounding the band’s conceptual universe in Québec’s metal identity.
“Le Flamboiement Stellaire was written to purposefully become a metal hit. With prestissimo, intricate riffs, melodious solos and blasting drums, the song is an homage to tech‑death’s best acts. We insisted on writing lyrics in French to make it a veritable testimony of Québec’s vernacular metal,”says Miguel Marcheterre‑Pina
Lyrically, the single introduces the prophecy at the heart ofTheasterion, the foretelling of a catastrophic supernova, the political fracture it creates within a human colony, and the mercenaries who flee to the hostile planet Theasterion in search of survival.
Listen to “Le Flamboiement Stellaire” at the following links:
Track Listing: 1. Le Flamboiement Stellaire (5:16) 2. Theasterion (6:30) 3. Homo Cumulus (5:48) 4. Ashes & Embers (4:50) 5. The Prism (4:01) 6. Unukhalai Supernova (6:24) Total Album Length: 33min
A sweeping sci‑fi epic told through six tracks,Theasterion blends technical death metal, progressive structures, neoclassical flourishes, and cinematic world‑building. The album explores humanity’s collapse, interplanetary survival, and the enigmatic Homo Cumulus, an anthropoid species native to Theasterion.
Musically, the record pushes Volubilis’ songwriting into more complex, immersive territory, with influences ranging from Beyond Creation, Vale of Pnath, and Obscura to Ne Obliviscaris and neoclassical composition.
Album pre-order/pre-save available at the following links:
Album Band Line-up: Miguel Marcheterre-Pina – Rhythm, lead and acoustic guitars, composition, concept art, lyrics. Shawn Hilman – Fretless Bass, Contrabass André Dubien – Vocals, lyrics on songs 03 & 06. Jacob Collins – Drums Alexis Rioux – Guest solos on songs 01, 02, and 03. Michelle Gao: Violin, viola on song 06
Live Band Line-up: Miguel Marcheterre-Pina – Guitar, backing vocals Shawn Hilman – Fretless Bass André Dubien – Vocals Jacob Collins – Drums Alexis Rioux – Guitar
Blackened death machine COMPLEXANT has arrived. These Australian extremists are poised to unleash their first-ever full-length album, Apex.
The album boasts 10 tracks of brilliantly violent riffing fueled by percussive intensity and unearthly vocals. Following a collection of critically-acclaimed singles and 2023’s A Rite of Passage EP, COMPLEXANT is set to cement their status in the global metal community with Apex.
The band has launched the video for the album’s first single, “No Angels Weep.”
“A tale of vengeance, revenge and killing the false friends who scheme against you, when paranoia turns into reality,” says vocalist Dan Greigsy about the song. “Murdered one by one with an old gardening tool, then buried in the backyard. You have freed yourself from your living burden, but you are now haunted by a rotting garden sprouting from your sins”
Vocals on Apex were tracked by Joey Marsh at Beyond the Marsh Studios, with guitars and bass tracked by Shannon Zivkovic. The album was mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson (Cryptopsy, Suffocation, Shadow of Intent, Ingested). Cover art created by Matt Priso.
Line-up:
Shannon Zivkovic – Guitar Gavin Bradley – Guitar Dan Greigsy – Vocals Chris Tuckley – Bass Seb Su – Drums
BIO: COMPLEXANT bring together members from across Australia to deliver a vicious blend of Death Metal and Black Metal.
Drawing influence from bands such as Behemoth, Suffocation, Emperor and Nile, they have been touring nationally since 2022 while steadily building their catalogue with a string of singles and an EP. Since the bands inception they have shared the stage with international titans Cryptopsy, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Signs Of The Swarm, Within Destruction, and Disentomb.
Horror Pain Gore Death Productions are set to release the new album from New Jersey’s old school Death Metal veterans GrimLegion. Harbingers Of Death is up now for pre-order and will be released July 10th on CD and Digital formats along with merch. Grim Legion features members of Evoken and Condition Critical.
Following up on the acclaimed 2014 album Unholy Resurrection, New Jersey’s GrimLegion (formed back in 1988) return from the grave once again to unleash more vicious old school Death Metal insanity. Harbingers Of Death showcases 10 punishing tracks of sheer brutality and crushing torment for real ones only! The current Grim Legion lineup consists of John Paradiso (Evoken), Randy Cavanaugh (Evoken), Ryan Donato (Condition Critical), Markus Misery (Fatal Array) and Devlin Bane (Godzero, Nucleus, Fatal Array).
Tech Hell Cyber Thrash, the incinerating debut from Texas and Alaska-based thrash metal trio SCATTER, is out now and can be streamed in its shredding entirety.
Born out of pandemic hacker movie marathons and late nights soldering together guitar pedal clones, SCATTER is the brainchild of Spenser Hodge and a love letter to 90s cyberpunk and hacker culture. Spenser enlisted Texas guitar wizard Ruben Cantu and longtime Alaskan collaborator Justin Rodda to help realize this vision.
The first material born of this collaboration now arrives with SCATTER’s debut EP, Tech Hell Cyber Thrash, a ripping and diverse collection of songs that run the gamut from classic death metal brutality to throwback speed metal harmonized leads, wrapped up in a paranoid, bloodsoaked thrash metal treatise on the interconnected hell world we call Earth. Deploying five incinerating tracks in under nineteen minutes, Tech Hell Cyber Thrash was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Greg Wilkinson at Earhammer Studios in Oakland, California (Autopsy, Vastum, Necrot) and completed with artwork by Matt Stikker (Metallica, Power Trip, Billy Strings).
Tech Hell Cyber Thrash is out now digitally through SCATTER and on cassette via Immortal Jaw Recordings limited to 50 copies. Unleash hell HERE.
Black Death Metal force BELPHEGOR will unleash their magickal processions across Europe in autumn 2026 with the “Praise The Beast” European Tour 2026.
The trek kicks off on September 29th at Turock in Essen, Germany, and will storm through Belgium, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Central Europe, Poland, and the UK before reaching its final ritual on October 18th at The Underworld in London.
Joining BELPHEGOR as special guests are Death Metal legends KRISIUN and Black Metal coven ASAGRAUM. A fourth band will be announced soon. Stay tuned.
BELPHEGOR “Praise The Beast” European Tour 2026:
29.09. – GER – Essen, Turock 30.09. – BEL – Kortrijk, DVG 01.10. – NLD – Dordrecht, Bibelot 02.10. – NLD – Hengelo, Metropool 03.10. – TBA 04.10. – SWE – Gothenburg, Monument 06.10. – FIN – Helsinki, On The Rocks 07.10. – SWE – Stockholm, Kollektivet Livet 08.10. – SWE – Malmö, Plan B 09.10. – GER – Berlin, Musikbrauerei 10.10. – CZE – Uherske Hradiste, Klub Mir 11.10. – CZE – Plzen, Serikovka 13.10. – POL – Krakow, Hype Park 14.10. – POL – Gdańsk, Drizzly Grizzly 15.10. – GER – Osnabrück, Bastard Club 16.10. – UK – Sheffield, Corporation 17.10. – UK – Torquay, Arena 18.10. – UK – London, The Underworld
Tickets and additional information will be available through local venues and promoters.
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.
From the raw intensity of early releases like The Last Supper (1995), Blutsabbath (1997), and Necrodaemon Terrorsathan (2000), to the increasingly sophisticated compositions found on albums such as Lucifer Incestus, Bondage Goat Zombie, Pestapokalypse VI, and Totenritual, BELPHEGOR have continually pushed the boundaries of extreme musick. Each release marks a further descent into forbidden territory.
The band’s thematic focus with ritual magick, religious inversion, and arcane symbolism is matched by their technical mastery, multilingual lyrics, and sonic experimentation.
With their twelfth studio album The Devils (2022), BELPHEGOR delivered one of their most punishing and ambitious records to date.
Italian death-doom newcomers ETERNAL MOURN have signed with Terror From Hell Records for the release of their debut EP, Winds of Sorrow, scheduled for July 20th, 2026.
Born from the collaboration between drummer Debla and guitarist/vocalist Gabriel (Black Oath, The Rite, Extirpation), and later completed by guitarist Eros (Extirpation, Funest) and bassist/vocalist Santo (Araphel, Demonomancy), ETERNAL MOURN emerged from a shared desire to channel feelings of melancholy, frustration, inner decay and loss into music steeped in darkness and emotion.
Drawing heavily from the great death-doom tradition of the 1990s, the band pays homage to genre-defining acts such as Paradise Lost, Katatonia and Cemetary while avoiding mere nostalgia. Instead, ETERNAL MOURN reinterpret those influences with remarkable confidence and authenticity, crafting songs that feel complete, memorable and emotionally resonant, without sacrificing the raw and rugged edge that lies at the heart of classic doom/death metal.
Recorded at Spvn Studio in Guanzate, Italy, Winds of Sorrow consists of three carefully crafted tracks that capture the essence of the band’s vision: mournful melodies, somber atmospheres and a pervasive sense of desolation intertwined with powerful riffs and heartfelt performances. The result is a debut that balances melancholy and heaviness with natural ease, establishing ETERNAL MOURN as a promising new name within the contemporary death-doom scene.
Hailing from Groningen, The Netherlands, SAVAGE continue their march through the death metal underground with the announcement of their upcoming EP Septic Tomb, set for release on July 6th, 2026.
Born from the ashes of Dutch death metal outfit Entrapment, SAVAGE have quickly carved out a distinct identity rooted in the genre’s formative years. Drawing inspiration from legendary acts such as Nihilist, Master and Repulsion, the band delivers death metal that remains faithful to the old-school spirit while standing out through strong songwriting, memorable riffs and carefully constructed arrangements. Their songs strike immediately, combining directness and authenticity with a level of craftsmanship that rewards repeated listens.
Following the release of their well-received three-song demo in 2023 through Dawnbreed Records, SAVAGE entered Germany’s Soundlodge Studios in May 2025 to record four new tracks under the guidance of renowned producer Jörg Uken. The resulting material captures the band’s raw and uncompromising approach while showcasing their ability to write memorable death metal without sacrificing intensity or atmosphere.
The vinyl edition of Septic Tomb to be released by MilkCow Records, will include both the four new songs and the band’s 2023 demo, offering a complete snapshot of SAVAGE‘s work to date. The CD version will be released simultaneously through Dawnbreed Records and Necrolatry Records.
The band is already looking beyond this release. At the end of December 2026, SAVAGE will return to Soundlodge Studios to record five additional tracks for a future release, further cementing their commitment to carrying the torch of classic death metal.
To further mark this new chapter, SAVAGE will make their live debut at the legendary Kill-Town Death Fest in Copenhagen this September, bringing their raw and ugly sound to one of the most respected stages in the international death metal underground.
On Cranial Devastation, DEAD VOID returns not with reinvention, but refinement of their singular, suffocating vision. Where the band’s debut Volatile Forms introduces a band steeped in cavernous atmosphere and psychological unease, their newest outing showcases something more deliberate, violent and far less forgiving.
Across five sprawling tracks, DEAD VOID invoke a form of doom-laden death metal that shuns clarity in favor of chaos. The album collapses inward under its own weight, lurching between glacial crawl and frantic rupture, with unearthly vocals screaming out like transmissions from beneath layers of sediment. The end result is controlled descent – oppressive, disorienting and relentless.
Recorded mostly live by Marcus Ferreira Larsen at No Master’s Voice, Cranial Devastation faithfully preserves DEAD VOID’s raw presence without sacrificing their dynamic range. The approach lends a sense of instability that permeates throughout the entire record. The album ends with a crushing Adrian Borland and The Sound cover.
Track list: 1. Regurgitation of Ancient Manifestations 2. Isolation’s Hold 3. Phantosmial Stench of Decay 4. Cranial Devastation 5. Jeg Kan Ikke Flygte Fra Mig Selv
Mastered by James Plotkin at Plotkinworks and featuring the artwork of French symbolist Odilion Redon, the album’s presentation mirrors its sound: surreal, decaying and steeped in tension.
All songs by Dead Void, except track 5 originally by Adrian Borland and The Sound. Track 5 lyrics translated by S. Boesen and K.
DEAD VOID: A.: drums, bass, vocals K.: guitars, bass, vocals
Brutal death metallers Gorge also join July line-up
Manchester, UK – 5 June 2026: Offal Fest has confirmed that Italian horror-infused death metal titans Fulci have been added to the line-up as Sunday co-headliners. They replace Lividity, who have had to cancel their appearance at the 2026 festival due to unavoidable personal reasons. To maintain a packed final day, organisers have also added slamming death metal group Gorge to the Sunday roster.
While Lividity expressed deep regret over missing the July gathering, they intend to make it up to their British fanbase with a future UK visit. Their replacement, Fulci, arrives fresh from a highly successful tour alongside Sanguisugabogg earlier this year, and the trio will close out Sunday night in their signature horrific fashion. Joining them on the upgraded stage is Gorge, whose groove-heavy brutal death metal style earned significant praise during a Manchester appearance this past April alongside Disgracing.
Rancid Offal Promotions, the organisers behind Offal Fest and Goremageddon, have also announced a schedule and lineup alteration for Heat 2 of the Battle of the Slams tournament, which now takes place thisSunday, 7 June 2026, at Junior Jackson’s in Manchester with free entry.
The adjustment to the Battle of the Slams schedule became necessary following an external venue double booking. Moving Heat 2 back by one day resulted in a revised performance roster for the showcase. This Sunday, the bands Asbestosis, Cerebral Autophagy, World War Three, and Gutspill will perform to secure a spot at Offal Fest. This round is decided completely by audience votes on the night, with only two acts progressing to the final. The organisers have urged the local music community to attend the free gig and support the underground scene.
Dedicated to the most extreme facets of gore, grind, slam, and brutal death metal, Offal Fest has solidified its status as a vital fixture in the international metal calendar following its sold-out 2025 edition. The 2026 festival, scheduled for 24-26 July at its new Manchester home, Boundary, is headlined by two major UK-exclusive performances from genre pioneers Devourment and Ohio powerhouse Regurgitation. The latter making their debut appearance on UK soil.
Now, Fulci join Regurgitation as Sunday co-headliner. The comprehensive lineup features a global roster including New York legends Immortal Suffering, Japan’s Butcher ABC, and Korea’s Fecundation, alongside a formidable domestic contingent headlined by the “wobble-box” specialists Crepitation and the official reunion of Infected Disarray. Bolstered by further international talent such as Guttural Slug, Unbirth and Darkall Slaves, Offal Fest 2026 aims to build upon the momentum of previous years, which saw exclusive sets from acts such as Skinless and Wormed, to provide a definitive weekend of brutality for the extreme music community.
Offal Fest is taking place on 24-26 July 2026 at Boundary (part of The Union) in Manchester. Purchase tickets here: https://offal-fest.com/tickets
Sunday 26 July Regurgitation (UK Exclusive / First UK Show) Fulci Embryectomy Guttural Slug Twitch of the Death Nerve Fecundation Darkall Slaves (UK Exclusive) Laceration Gorge Repulsed Lymphoeadema
Chilean death metallers ROTTEN TOMB are now streaming their entire new album Vestiges of Tortured Souls in an exclusive premiere hosted by Death Metal Promotion, ahead of its official release on June 6th, 2026 via Nuclear Winter Records.
With Vestiges of Tortured Souls, ROTTEN TOMB take a significant step forward in their artistic development, delivering what is arguably their most accomplished and cohesive work to date. While remaining firmly rooted in the raw intensity and dark atmosphere that have characterized the band since its inception, the album reveals a more confident and deliberate songwriting approach, built around memorable structures and a stronger sense of identity.
Across its tracklist, each composition stands out through its own distinct character, allowing the record to maintain a compelling sense of variety without sacrificing cohesion. From relentless death metal aggression to darker and more atmospheric passages, Vestiges of Tortured Souls unfolds as a carefully crafted journey that highlights the band’s growing maturity as songwriters. The result is a powerful and distinctive statement that further solidifies ROTTEN TOMB’s position within the contemporary underground death metal scene.
Line-up:
Deathbringer – Guitar, vocals C. – Guitar A. Prophaner – Drums Utukku – Bass
Formed in 2016 in Iquique, ROTTEN TOMB have steadily risen as one of the most compelling acts within the South American extreme metal scene, blending death metal with doom-laden atmospheres and occult undertones. Following the strong impact of Visions of a Dismal Fate (2022) and the equally praised The Relief of Death (2024), the band now returns with their most ambitious and fully realized work to date.
Vestiges of Tortured Souls stands as one of the most anticipated death metal releases of the year. On this new record, ROTTEN TOMB refine their sonic identity without sacrificing intensity or authenticity. The riffs are sharper and more cohesive, while the melodies take on a more prominent role, painting soundscapes that feel more sorrowful and evocative than ever before.
Without losing any of the crushing heaviness and sense of decay that defined their earlier material, the band now delivers songs with an immediate and lasting impact. Each track strikes a balance between overwhelming force and carefully crafted lead guitar work, resulting in compositions that are both memorable and devastating.
Track-list:
01. Horror Manifestations 02. Condemned Reality 03. Lost Memories 04. Waiting, Dying 05. Mortified 06. Mind of Chaos 07. Here Lies Death 08. Ancestral Preservation 09. Human Pyre
The album channels the oppressive weight of the genre’s darkest pioneers alongside a deeply mournful and introspective atmosphere, while still maintaining a distinct and personal voice. This duality allows ROTTEN TOMB to push their sound forward, achieving a level of songwriting maturity that marks a clear evolution from their previous efforts.
Vestiges of Tortured Souls represents a major step forward for ROTTEN TOMB, solidifying their position at the forefront of Chile’s increasingly renowned extreme metal scene and extending their reach far beyond national borders.
For fans of: Incantation, early Paradise Lost, Krypts, Sonne Adam
Invictus Productions is proud to announce July 31, 2026, as the official release date for Crucificial Imprecations, the second full-length album from Miami death metal tyrants HEXORCIST.
Formed in 2019, Hexorcist immediately established themselves as a “total death” entity, channeling the spirit of the early 90s Florida scene with surgical precision. Crucified Imprecations continues this descent into the abyss, offering ten tracks of relentless, blasphemous intensity that eschews modern trends for total sonic warfare.
To coincide with the new album, Invictus will also reissue the band’s long sold-out debut, Evil Reaping Death. This definitive version features exclusive bonus demo material, providing a complete look at the band’s early path of destruction.
Italian death metal act GORGE has officially signed with Time To Kill Records for the release of their forthcoming debut full-length album, marking a decisive step forward for one of the most exciting new names to emerge from the Italian underground.
Formed in 2025, GORGE was born from an idea by Edoardo Nicoloso (Fulci, Jorelia, TV-Crimes) and Roberto Sava (Jorelia), with a clear intent to strip death metal down to its most essential and violent form. The project pays tribute to raw two-piece acts such as Retch, Mortician and Christ Denied, as well as solo assaults in the vein of Putrid Pile, while channeling the spirit of ’90s American death metal.
The band’s approach is rooted in a direct, riff-driven philosophy that draws heavily from the foundational era of Suffocation, Dying Fetus, Gorguts and Malevolent Creation, updated with just the right amount of modern weight without compromising its original identity.
GORGE blends death metal with a gritty hardcore sensibility, resulting in a groovy yet ferocious sound that avoids overused slam dynamics in favour of tighter songwriting and internal rhythmic variation. At the centre of everything lies the riff, treated as the primary narrative force across all compositions, supported by a constant attention to structural tension and release.
Further details regarding the album, tracklist and first single will be revealed in the coming months as GORGE prepare to fully introduce their debut statement.
LEFT TO DIE has signed to Relapse Records and today announce their debut full-length, Initium Mortis, set for release on July 17th!
Death alumni Rick Rozz and Terry Butler joined forces with gore metal pioneer Matt Harvey and Gruesome drummer Gus Rios to form LEFT TO DIE. Their new album, Initium Mortis, pays homage to the brutal beginnings of Death.
Initium Mortis sees the supergroup – including original Death members Terry Butler (Obituary) and Rick Rozz (Massacre) – joining Harvey (Exhumed, Gruesome) and Gus Rios (Gruesome) to capture the morbid depths of Death‘s early catalog.
Members of LEFT TO DIE comment on the new album:
Matt Harvey: “After Gus and I performed Spiritual Healing in its entirety with Terry and James [Murphy], Rick wondered if people might want to hear something similar, but with him joining the three of us to perform Leprosy. Of course, I leapt at the chance to do it, and we quickly threw together a tour which surpassed everyone’s expectations, especially in terms of how much fun we were having playing together.”
“As we continued to tour throughout the US, Europe, Latin America, Australia, and Asia, people kept asking if we were going to record or write anything. After going back and forth on the topic, we felt that (ahem) exhuming some of these old tracks made the most sense for us, after all, we’re not gonna top Leprosy.”
“I gleefully combed through the myriad Death/Mantas demos and rehearsals looking for stuff that would make sense for a record, and we ended up going with tunes that we felt would make the most cohesive album, hence why ‘Skill To Kill’ and ‘Back From The Dead’ sadly didn’t make the cut. I look at Initium Mortis as a kind of ‘alternate-universe’ version of the Scream Bloody Gore track list, as so many of these tunes were circling around the many Death lineups and rehearsals from ’83-’87.”
“In fact, Chuck [Schuldiner] and Chris [Reifert] recorded a version of ‘Legion Of Doom’ for Scream Bloody Gore that never got completed. In revisiting these songs, it was crystal-clear to me that Rick’s fingerprints are all over the Mantas stuff and tunes like ‘Slaughterhouse,’ so with that connection, the songs where his style really shone through immediately made sense to include on Initium Mortis.”
Terry Butler: “Left To Die went from a thought to doing a full US tour in about three months! Pretty remarkable. We wanted to play the early material for the fans that couldn’t see the first albums in a live setting. There are many young fans at our shows that are hearing the foundation that Death stands on to this day live for the first time! With Matt channeling the best Chuck Schuldiner out there and Gus playing the material perfectly and respectfully, we hit the road and haven’t looked back!”
“For Initium Mortis, we wanted Death fans who never heard these demo songs to hear them with good production. Most of these early demos were recorded on a boom box, so by the time someone got their demo through tape trading it was almost inaudible!”
“We think these tracks are a good representation of the birth of Mantas/Death. This is ground zero, where it all started: three 15-year-old kids creating Death Metal history, and even within these choice cuts from the demo days you can hear the evolution of the music. ‘Archangel’ is a great way to introduce this album. It’s controlled chaos at its finest, catchy and riffy with a killer evil-sounding middle section!”
Rick Rozz: “First, I would like to thank Gus, Matt, and Terry for making LEFT TO DIE happen. It’s been an honor and pleasure working with them for the past few years and beyond. It’s really cool to be able to hear these tunes from 1984 properly! The old school Death fans are going to dig this release.”
Gus Rios: “The band started simply because Rick called me and asked if I’d be into it… Which I very promptly replied by referencing bears, shit, and woods. I then called Matt and Terry and the rest is history. Death’s Leprosy record is my favorite death metal album, let alone Death album. To be given this unbelievable opportunity to play those songs with Rick and Terry across the globe is an honor and a blessing I find hard to put in words. Matt and I are living our 14-year-old selves’ death metal fantasy!”
“And now, to make an album with the guys, is flat out surreal. I’m a pretty solid Death fan if I do say so myself, and yet these songs were all new to me. I never really gave the Mantas stuff much of a listen because I’m just not a ‘demo’ production fan. To hear these songs with clean and solid, yet classic analog style production for me is like getting new Death songs… Which rules!”
Featuring tracks like “Archangel,” “Witch Of Hell,” and “Legion Of Doom” expertly executed in the now, Initium Mortis is a must-have for Death fans and collectors alike. Ultimately, LEFT TO DIE celebrates a seminal band and the camaraderie of the genre’s most extreme corner of music.
Initium Mortis will be released on CD, LP, cassette, and digital formats. Find preorders at Relapse.com HERE.
Initium Mortis – Track Listing:
1. Legion Of Doom
2. Archangel
3. Power Of Darkness
4. Zombie
5. Witch Of Hell
6. Rise Of Satan
7. Summoned To Die
8. Mantas
9. Slaughterhouse
10. Death By Metal
See LEFT TO DIE live throughout Europe this August and Latin America in September! A full list of confirmed dates is available below. Stay tuned for more tour announcements in the weeks to come.
LEFT TO DIE w/ Livlos: 7/31/2026 Rockstadt Extreme Festival – Brasov, RO 8/02/2026 Colosseum – Kosice, SK 8/03/2026 Drizzly Grizzly – Gdansk, PL 8/04/2026 Hype Park – Krakow, PL 8/05/2026 Zescianek – Berlin, DE 8/06/2026 Alcatraz Festival – Kortrijk, BE 8/07/2026 Bastard Club – Osnabrück, DE 8/08/2026 Brutal Assault Festival – Jaromer, CZ 8/09/2026 Backstage Halle (Free & Easy) – Munich, DE 8/10/2026 Colos-Saal – Aschaffenburg, DE 8/11/2026 Turock – Essen, DE 8/12/2026 Bahnhof Paul – Hamburg, DE 8/13/2026 Dynamo Metalfest Pre-Party– Eindhoven, NL End Tour 9/02/2026 São Luis, BR 9/03/2026 Teresina, BR 9/04/2026 Fortaleza, BR 9/05/2026 João Pessoa, BR 9/06/2026 Recife, BR 9/09/2026 São Paulo, BR 9/11/2026 Puerto Montt, CL 9/12/2026 Santiago, CL 9/13/2026 Concepción, CL 9/15/2026 Montevideo, UY 9/17/2026 Rosário, AR 9/18/2026 Buenos Aires, AR 9/20/2026 Córdoba, AR 9/22/2026 Lima, PE 9/24/2026 Medellín, CO 9/25/2026 Pereira, CO 9/26/2026 Bogotá, CO 9/27/2026 Cali, CO 9/29/2026 San Salvador, SV 9/30/2026 Ciudad de México, MX
Chilean death metallers ROTTEN TOMB present today their new single “Here Lies Death”, with the exclusive premiere hosted by Mystification Zine. The track offers a new glimpse into the band’s upcoming third full-length album Vestiges of Tortured Souls, due for release on June 6th, 2026 via Nuclear Winter Records, available on LP, CD and cassette.
“Here Lies Death” showcases a more refined and focused evolution of the band’s sound, while preserving the raw intensity and underground conviction that have defined their identity. The single highlights a clearer songwriting approach and a sharpened sonic vision, pointing toward what is described as the band’s most mature and complete statement to date.
Formed in 2016 in Iquique, ROTTEN TOMB have steadily risen as one of the most compelling acts within the South American extreme metal scene, blending death metal with doom-laden atmospheres and occult undertones. Following the strong impact of Visions of a Dismal Fate (2022) and the equally praised The Relief of Death (2024), the band now returns with their most ambitious and fully realized work to date.
Vestiges of Tortured Souls stands as one of the most anticipated death metal releases of the year. On this new record, ROTTEN TOMB refine their sonic identity without sacrificing intensity or authenticity. The riffs are sharper and more cohesive, while the melodies take on a more prominent role, painting soundscapes that feel more sorrowful and evocative than ever before.
Without losing any of the crushing heaviness and sense of decay that defined their earlier material, the band now delivers songs with an immediate and lasting impact. Each track strikes a balance between overwhelming force and carefully crafted lead guitar work, resulting in compositions that are both memorable and devastating.
The album channels the oppressive weight of the genre’s darkest pioneers alongside a deeply mournful and introspective atmosphere, while still maintaining a distinct and personal voice. This duality allows ROTTEN TOMB to push their sound forward, achieving a level of songwriting maturity that marks a clear evolution from their previous efforts.
Vestiges of Tortured Souls represents a major step forward for ROTTEN TOMB, solidifying their position at the forefront of Chile’s increasingly renowned extreme metal scene and extending their reach far beyond national borders.
For fans of: Incantation, early Paradise Lost, Krypts, Sonne Adam.
Track-list:
Horror Manifestations
Condemned Reality
Lost Memories
Waiting, Dying
Mortified
Mind of Chaos
Here Lies Death
Ancestral Preservation
Human Pyre
Line-up:
Deathbringer – Guitar, vocals C. – Guitar A. Prophaner – Drums Utukku – Bass
USDM veterans, LECHEROUS NOCTURNE are back with a vengeance. The band has just unleashed their first new track since 2018’s Occultaclysmic.
“Fission” obliterates LECHEROUS NOCTURNE’s eight-year hiatus with extreme force, delivering one of the most aggressive assaults in the band’s nearly 30 years of existence. Marking the beginning of a new chapter for the band, the song showcases a reinvigorated form of their trademark technical death metal chaos, further intensified with the addition of new vocalist Zach Jeter (Nile) to the fold.
“Once again Lecherous Nocturne has been inspired to release a series of songs representative of life’s horrors,”saysguitaristKreishloff Lofgren.“The music is proud, ferocious, fun to play, and focused. I’m personally very happy with the end result and look forward to the albums release.”
Zach Jeter offers his thoughts on the band’s new chapter. “Alongside my brothers in Lecherous Nocturne, we’ve compiled an uncompromisingly brutal slab of music that’s finally ready to unleash. I’m stoked and honored to be a part of it. The first single takes no prisoners and wastes no time kicking you in the teeth from the start. Still just a taste of whats to come.”
LECHEROUS NOCTURNE has tapped Metal Injection for the exclusive world premiere of the lyric video for “Fission.” Watch now at this location.
2026 promises to be the comeback year for LECHEROUS NOCTURNE, one that includes a spot at the Milwaukee Metal Fest, with additional live dates in the works. LECHEROUS NOCTURNE is slated to perform on Day 3 on the fest (June 7) alongside Ministry, John Bush, Napalm Death and more.
After years of silence, LECHEROUS NOCTURNE emerge sharper, heavier and more dangerous than ever. Be warned. The war machine has re-entered the battlefield.
LECHEROUS NOCTURNE;
Zach Jeter – Vocals Kreishloff Lofgren – Guitar James O’Neal – Bass Ethan Lane – Guitar Alex Lancia – Drums
Washington, DC death metal outfit GOETIA will release their debut full-length, Mortuary Cult, on June 12th via Carbonized Records.
GOETIA was forged in the Fall of 2022 by bassist/vocalist Matt Scott, guitarist Demir Soyer, and drummer Nadia Tydings-Lynch. Soyer and Scott previously played together in the DC death metal band Perpetuated, with Tydings-Lynch filling in on drums for their last show. Embracing the chemistry of this lineup led to the immediate founding of GOETIA following the performance.
Influenced by the likes of Morbid Angel, Terrorizer, and Kreator, GOETIA self-released their first EP in May of 2023 which was re-released on Persistent Vision Records followed by regular touring throughout the year.
The band’s second EP, Tomb Essence, dropped in 2024 via Heavy & Fast Records, and finally a 7” in 2025 on Voice Of The Cielago (run by Scott). These three EPs form a loose trilogy centered on occult themes, all recorded and mastered by Matt Michel (Viva Studio) and Will Killingsworth (Dead Air Studios) respectively.
This year’s Mortuary Cult LP was written and recorded during these years by the same team, amidst tours alongside Altars, Vastum, Healing Magic, and others. The debut full-length is more conceptually driven, featuring ten tracks inspired by experiences in an old cemetery in the Washington, DC suburbs. Musically the aim is the same; fast paced death metal with an abundance of guitar solos and blast beats.
In advance of the record’s release, today the band unleashes the title track and first single. Scott elaborates, “‘Mortuary Cult,’ along with all the tracks on this album, was inspired by a local cemetery I used to visit frequently. Cemeteries are very peaceful places but also have a strange feeling of being liminal spaces. People come to them for a variety of reasons, so each song on the album is meant to represent the feeling of a particular trip. For this track, I was exploring the idea of people visiting for a sinister purpose, the worship of the dead through ritual. This was one of the first tracks written for the album, and the speed and structure helped define the tone of the entire record.”
Mortuary Cult was recorded by Matt Michel at Viva Studio and mixed by Will Killingsworth at Dead Air Studios with cover artwork by Chris Taylor and logo by Matt Scott.
Mortuary Cult will be released on CD, LP, cassette, and digital formats.
Find North American preorders HERE, European preorders HERE, all other international orders HERE and digital orders HERE.
Mortuary Cult – Track Listing:
1. At Eternity’s Gate
2. Lanterns Of The Dead
3. Posthumous Execution
4. Mortuary Cult
5. Corpse Candle
6. Earth Inferno
7. Bestial Tomb
8. Excarnation
9. Tortures In Time
10. Eternal Samhain
GOETIA Live: 6/19/2026 Rock Room – Pittsburgh, PA 6/20/2026 The Baby G – Toronto, ON 6/21/2026 TBA – Quebec City, QC 6/22/2026 Geno’s – Portland, ME 6/23/2026 Ralph’s Rock Diner – Worcester, MA 6/24/2026 Nikki Lopez – Philadelphia, PA 6/25/2026 Fuzzy Cactus – Richmond, VA 6/26/2026 Static Age – Asheville, NC 6/27/2026 Bogg’s – Atlanta, GA 6/28/2026 Mad Malt’s – Huntsville, AL 6/29/2026 DRKMTTR – Nashville, TN 6/30/2026 Hi Tone – Memphis, TN 7/01/2026 Fubar – St. Louis, MO 7/02/2026 Reggie’s – Chicago, IL 7/03/2026 Black Circle – Indianapolis, IN 7/04/2026 Gazebo Park – Huntington, WV 7/10/2026 DC9 – Washington, DC * Record Release Show *
GOETIA: Matt Scott – bass, vocals Demir Soyer – guitars Nadia Tydings-Lynch – drums
If you’re a band or musician and would like your music reviewed or be interviewed by Stone, please click the link under the “ALBUM REVIEWS ARCHIVES” section below!
Metal Odyssey's Rock, Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Hall of Fame! These Are The Rock And METAL Legends Wrongfully Ignored By "The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame"
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
You must be logged in to post a comment.