Crown of Flies is out April 3rd, on CD and digital formats.
Milwaukee (WI) – New Blackened Death Metal entity, RELIC, has launched a stream of “Iron Sacrament,” the second single from their forthcoming debut EP, Crown of Flies!
Delivering Death Metal’s dissonant punishing riffage with Black Metal’s relentless chaotic speed. RELIC builds a new monument on the foundation of those that came before. Comprised of seasoned Milwaukee metal scene veterans with a history of making tight and focused music.
Their debut EP, Crown Of Flies, is a blistering slab of Midwest 90s Blackend Death Metal worship. Delivered with malintent for its listeners. No frills, no scene drama, or gimmicks used by so many bands today. Pure underground Death Metal that is in your face and out for blood.
Vinyl Maxi-Single To Be Released May 1st On 20 Buck Spin + Decibel Magazine Tour Nears
Stream FULCI’s Risorsero Dalla Tomba E Fu… L’apocalisse!HERE.
Coming on the heels of the band’s most successful LP, 2024’s Duck Face Killings, FULCI return with a special 12” maxi-single serving as the soundtrack to the short film Risorsero dalla Tomba e Fu… L’Apocalisse! (“They Rose From the Tomb and It Was… The Apocalypse!”).
Created in collaboration with director Domenico Montixi, the 30-minute film merges paranormal horror with Spaghetti Western atmosphere, drawing direct inspiration from Lucio Fulci’s City Of The Living Dead and Four Of The Apocalypse. The film is set to begin its international festival run soon, with a trailer premiering at FULCICON 2 in Milan, the event organized by the band FULCI to celebrate Lucio Fulci and Italian genre cinema.
photo by Alec Basse
The maxi-single features a suite of new FULCI compositions that drift between eerie, cinematic soundscapes evoking the Lovecraftian aura of Fulci’s films, and the band’s signature gore-giallo death metal.
It also includes a special cover of Fabio Frizzi’s “Apoteosi Del Mistero” from City Of The Living Dead. Risorsero dalla Tomba e Fu… L’Apocalisse! further expands the band’s cinematic universe where extreme music and cult horror collide, serving as a uniquely atmospheric release bridging Duck Face Killings, the band’s relentless touring schedule, and the eventual arrival of their fifth full-length album.
Produced by FULCI, recorded at Spvn, mixed and mastered by Stefano Santi, and completed with cover art by Lucas Ruggieri, title card by Caterina Solinas, and layout/design by ascionemagro, the record features guest vocals on “Apoteosi Del Mistero” by Nate Garrett (Spirit Adrift, Neon Nightmare). This is a must-hear release for fans of Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, Merauder, Suffocation, Madball, Goblin, Fabio Frizzi, and Slayer.
FULCI’s Risorsero dalla Tomba e Fu… L’Apocalisse! is now streaming everywhere including YouTube HERE and Bandcamp HERE.
Risorsero dalla Tomba e Fu… L’Apocalisse! will be released as a one-sided 12” vinyl maxi-single on May 1st. Preorder options can be found at the 20 Buck Spin webshop HERE and Bandcamp HERE.
Risorsero Dalla Tomba E Fu… L’apocalisse! Track Listing:
Risorsero dDlla Tomba e Fu… L’apocalisse!
Paura che Uccide
Apoteosi Del Mistero
FULCI is also preparing to return to North America as part of this year’s Decibel Magazine Tour, joining Necrot, Blood Monolith, and headliners Cryptopsy performing their seminal None So Vile album in its entirety. The tour runs from April 30th to May 28th.
FULCI Live:
The Decibel Magazine Tour 2026 w/ Cryptopsy, Necrot, Blood Monolith [tickets/info]:
4/30/2026 Palladium Upstairs – Worcester, MA 5/01/2026 Brooklyn Monarch – Brooklyn, NY 5/02/2026 Baltimore Soundstage – Baltimore, MD 5/03/2026 Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest – Philadelphia, PA 5/05/2026 Masquerade (Hell) – Atlanta, GA 5/07/2026 White Oak Music Hall – Houston, TX 5/08/2026 The Studio – Dallas, TX 5/09/2026 Come And Take It Live – Austin, TX 5/12/2026 The Regent – Los Angeles, CA 5/13/2026 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA 5/14/2026 Cornerstone – Berkeley, CA 5/16/2026 Hawthorne Theater – Portland, OR 5/17/2026 El Corazon – Seattle, WA 5/20/2026 Oriental Theater – Denver, CO 5/22/2026 Fine Line Music Café – Minneapolis, MN 5/23/2026 Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL 5/24/2026 Crofoot Ballroom – Detroit, MI 5/25/2026 The Grog Shop – Cleveland, OH 5/26/2026 Preserving Underground – Pittsburgh, PA 5/27/2026 Lee’s Place – Toronto, ON 5/28/2026 Fairmount Theatre – Montreal, QC
FULCI: Jason Dahlke – vocals Fiore Stravino – vocals Klem Diglio – bass Edo Nicoloso – drums Dom Diego – lead guitar, synth Ando Ferraiuolo – acoustic and rhythm guitar
Celebrating eight years of showcasing some of the most debaucherous and brutal extreme metal to roll through the state of Florida, Tampa Death Fest returns for two nights of uncompromising extreme metal on September 5th and 6th, at the legendary Brass Mug in Tampa Bay, Florida.
The festival has announced it’s accepting band submissions to fill remaining slots for its 2026 lineup. Bands interested in performing at Tampa Death Fest are encouraged to submit their materials before the April 1st deadline. TDF welcomes extreme-metal acts of all styles and origins, with a commitment to curating a lineup that reflects the genre’s depth, diversity, and global reach.
Bands can apply their EPK at: tampabaymetalscene.booking@yahoo.com
Since launching in 2019, Tampa Death Fest has cemented itself as a cornerstone of the underground extreme‑metal community. Rooted in the city widely hailed as the Death Metal Capital of the World, TDF continues to unite bands, fans and local businesses under its guiding mantra: “Strength Through Unity, Unity Through Metal.”
Each year, TDF showcases a diverse roster of international, national, and regional acts, offering a platform for rising underground talent to share the stage with established legends. Past editions of TDF have hosted such notable acts as Satan, Venom, Inc, Ringworm, Diabolic, Leishmaniasis (Colombia), Repulsive Vision (UK), Massacre, Atheist, GraveHuffer, Blasphemation, Carpathian Funeral, Kill The Imposter, Sadistic Vision, Nibiru, Merciless Scum, Quiescent Mantis, MRSA, Pantheon, and more.
With an ever‑growing international presence, Tampa Death Fest continues to strengthen connections across Florida and beyond, fostering a spirit of collaboration and community engagement within the metal scene.
About Tampa Death Fest: Founded in 2019, Tampa Death Fest has grown into a premier event within the extreme metal world. The festival’s mission is to uplift artists, unite fans, and celebrate the culture of heavy music through a shared passion for brutality, creativity, and community.
New single “Apocalyptic Dawn” streaming everywhere now!
Intro
Apocalyptic Dawn
Cruel Face of War
Maniacal
Suffer in Silence
Radicalized
Blade of Betrayal
When the Elders Rise
Horrors Vile (featuring David Ingram of Benediction)
Legacy of the Damned
Rot Riffs
Hollow Husk
Dave Matrise (vocals, guitars) comments:
“Let’s start off by saying what an amazing accomplishment it is to hit 12 releases in my career. Never would I think I’d still be doing this 30+ years later. I guess be careful what you wish for. I’m very grateful to all of our fans that have supported us for so many years and for never giving up on us. To my bandmates for all of their hard work and dedication to me and JRot over all these years.
‘Cruel Face Of War’ will not disappoint. It’s full of crushing grooves and violent hooks that will surely break anyone’s neck.”
Tasmanian devils THE ABSOLUTION SEQUENCE have set an August 2026 release date for their highly-anticipated full-length album, Dread Cycle.
Following a string of EPs and singles, the album promises to be the band’s most incendiary work yet. Slated for release via Bleeding Art Collective, with distribution by Blood Blast Distribution, Dread Cycle is set to solidify the band’s position as a premier name in contemporary technical death metal.
THE ABSOLUTION SEQUENCE is prepping fans for what’s to come with the release of the official music video for the album’s first single, “Ghost Mantra.”
The band comments on the song’s lyrical concept: ‘“Ghost Mantra’ is all about being surrounded and taunted by the apparitions of our ancestors, and the sacrifice of the lowly in order to maintain the status quo. What comes with these haunting feelings is the overwhelming presence of guilt, as we watch the poor die horribly and step over their bodies to see out our goals. ‘Ghost Mantra’ is a solemn bow to those who have suffered. A showing of respect and gratitude.”
Track-listing: 1) Despotic Ruin (Diet of Worms) 2) Idols of Confraternity 3) Ghost Mantra 4) The Sordid Miasma 5) The Nightlight Sigil 6) Promethean Pilferage 7) A Mire Caked in Nativity 8) Grinding the Sphere 9) The Diary of the Emaciated
Dread Cycle was produced by Chris Themelco and mastered by the world-renowned Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios. The album was written by THE ABSOLUTION SEQUENCE.
Line-up:
Stephen Cusato – Rhythm Guitar/Backing Vocals Steven Mason – Rhythm Guitar Alastair Boon – Bass/Backing Vocals Luke Tucker – Lead Guitar Nick Machin – Drums Luke Sanderson – Drums Shawn Wells – Lead Vocals
BIO:
Emerging from the isolated, unforgiving wilderness of Tasmania, THE ABSOLUTION SEQUENCE has carved out a unique identity within the Australian extreme metal scene. Their sound is a direct reflection of their homeland’s “dark isle” reputation, a place defined by a sinister history and a cold, remote landscape that stands in stark contrast to the Australian mainland.
The band has developed a signature style of Technical Death Metal that balances high-velocity musical prowess with a deeply immersive, atmospheric undertone. The band has earned a wide array of mainland and international support slots from Nile, Archspire, Thy Art is Murder to Psycroptic, Northlane, Make them Suffer and others.
They also competed in the “GOOD THINGS 2022” Band Competition in Victoria. Their proven consistent success in the Tasmanian Metal scene has garnered them a reputation as a reliable and sought after headlining act.
All devotees to progressive, technical, and melodic death metal, tune in. Liminal Shrines, the second LP from Toronto-based quartet GUTVOID, is now streaming in its entirety, preceding its release on Profound Lore Records this Friday.
GUTVOID was formed by guitarist Daniel Bonofiglio and guitarist/vocalist Brendan Dean, followed shortly thereafter by bassist Justin Boehm and drummer D. W.Lee. Blending modern death and doom soundscapes with progressive rock and metal songwriting foundations, GUTVOID creates a monster seething with gut-wrenching riffs, cavernous vocals, and prog virtuosity. With the release of the Astral Bestiary EP in 2019, the debut album Durance Of Lightless Horizons in 2022, and the Breathing Obelisk EP in 2024, the band has continued to build on their sound, focusing on more elaborate yet intentional song structures while deepening the depth of their aggressiveness and technicality.
Now, GUTVOID delivers their incinerating second album, Liminal Shrines, which marks the first half of a two-part concept. Writhing with energy, the album showcases the band at their most intricate, aggressive, and creative thus far, further expanding and building on their cosmic horror infused atmospheres and origins through six immersive and devastating movements. Liminal Shrines was recorded at Boxcar Sound Recording, Mount Wexler Studio, and Dystonic Sounds, was mixed and mastered by Greg Dawson and BWC Studios, and features cover art by Kjell Åge Meland.
Immerse yourself in the world of GUTVOID and listen to the rapturous Liminal Shrines, now streaming at YouTube RIGHT HERE.
Liminal Shrines will be released on LP, CD, and digitally this Friday, March 20th. Preorders and presaves can be placed via Profound LoreHERE.
photos by Junaid Malik
GUTVOID will record the sister album to Liminal Shrines in the months ahead.
Debut festival edition expands to three stages as new ticket prices take effect
Szczecin, Poland; 19 March 2026: Hells Bells Festival continues its build-up toward 26-27 June 2026 with a dual band announcement and a major logistical expansion.
The festival has confirmed Northern Ireland thrashers Gama Bomb and Polish blackened punks Owls Woods Graves, while also revealing that the event will now span three distinct stages at the Plac Gryfitów site.
Gama Bomb are widely known for their speed, technicality, and fun-filled, high-octane live shows. Fans in Szczecin should prepare for a masterclass in headbanging as the band brings their signature “thrash metal bomb” to the Łasztownia waterfront. The band’s latest release is the EP “Necronomicon Automaton”.
The bill is further bolstered by Owls Woods Graves, a project conceived by The Fall & E.V.T. Their unique sound, self-described as “haunted woods hardcore”, blends black metal with raw punk energy and macabre storytelling inspired by witches and the Devil. The band is currently promoting their third album, “Strix”.
In a significant move for the festival’s scale, organisers have also confirmed that Hells Bells 2026 will now feature three stages. This expansion allows for a more diverse range of sounds and ensures that the performances are more spread out across the schedule, reducing time pressure and providing a better experience for both the artists and the audience.
Gama Bomb and Owls Woods Graves join an already stacked line-up that includes the likes of Dirkschneider, Grave Digger, Cockney Rejects, UK Subs, Vader, Possessed, Discharge, NunSlaughter, Furia, Dead Congregation, Last Resort, Dezerter, The Materia, Belzebong and Słoń.
As previously announced, the festival has entered its next pricing tier. This pool of tickets will be available only until 31 May 2026 (or until sold out): Full Weekend Pass (PLN 409), Friday Ticket (PLN 199), Saturday Ticket (PLN 229). The festival also continues to offer the discounted Youth Pass (ages 13-18) and Family Pass (adult with child under 13).
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”
Time To Kill Records is proud to announce the signing of Italian death metallers CHRONIC HATE, who will release their highly anticipated new album, Defeating The Oblivion Of Life, through the label.
Born from a band seasoned by over two decades of experience, the album clearly draws inspiration from the classic ‘90s death metal sound, with a nod to bands like Monstrosity and early Sinister, while updating these influences just enough to create a record that goes beyond mere homage. The songs are built around intricate, well-constructed riffs, impressive technical skill without descending into empty showmanship, and a subtle atmospheric layer that occasionally hints at blackened currents.
Defeating The Oblivion Of Life inaugurates a significant new chapter for CHRONIC HATE. The album thrusts listeners into the extreme spirals of death metal through a mature fusion of different influences and compositional approaches. Its sound is driven by a solid and devastating production, achieved in the tradition of the genre with 100% acoustic drums and real amplifiers.
Lyrically, the album is an act of rebellion against a world that seeks to condemn our lives to oblivion, submerging us in distractions and waste, reducing us to a dehumanized herd. The songs alternate between crude, direct verses and more intimate, lacerating, and personal passages, delivering undeniable emotional power and authenticity.
Formed in 2001 in Northeast Italy, CHRONIC HATE have built a strong presence in the European metal scene, performing alongside bands such as Obituary, Suffocation, Misery Index, Destruction, Hideous Divinity, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Pungent Stench, Disharmonic Orchestra, Severe Torture, Nero di Marte, Sadist, Impiety, Noctem, Tortharry, Doomas, and many more.
They have appeared at festivals including Tolminator Metalfest 2024 (Slovenia), Gothoom Fest 2023 (Slovakia), Morphing Fest 2023 (Czech Republic), Metaldays Fest 2015 (Slovenia), Eresia Metalfest 2019 (Italy), as well as several smaller events across Italy, Poland, Austria, Czech Republic and Slovenia.
Line-up:
Andrea – Vocals Daniele – Guitars / Backing Vocals Massimo – Guitars Marco – Bass Nicolas – Drums
WHITECHAPEL is pleased to announce their return to European shores in January 2027. They will be joined by Sylosis, labelmates 200 Stab Wounds, and Tribal Gaze.
Comments WHITECHAPEL’s guitarist Alex Wade: “We are excited to announce the Burn Forever European Tour 2027. This will mark a long overdue full European headlining run featuring some of the sickest names in modern metal. On the mainland Europe dates, we will be headlining while all of the UK dates we will be coheadlining with Sylosis with them closing. We look forward to seeing everyone out there, new fans and old, don’t miss it!”
Later this month, WHITECHAPEL will join Slaughter To Prevail for a month-long North American tour with several one-off headlining shows scattered throughout. In May, the band will appear at Welcome To Rockville and Sonic Temple festivals before playing a trio of headlining dates with support from labelmates Entheos as well as Tracheotomy, and Mauled. See all confirmed dates below.
WHITECHAPEL w/ Slaughter To Prevail, Attila: 3/21/2026 The Pinnacle – Nashville, TN 3/22/2026 The Pageant – St. Louis, MO 3/23/2026 The Midland Theatre – Kansas City, MO 3/25/2026 The Fillmore Auditorium – Denver, CO 3/27/2026 The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT 3/28/2026 Revolution Concert House – Boise, ID 3/29/2026 Paramount Theatre – Seattle, WA 3/30/2026 Roseland Theater – Portland, OR **Off-date w/ I Declare War, Misery Whip, Eartheater 4/01/2026 Channel 24 – Sacramento, CA 4/02/2026 Hollywood Palladium – Los Angeles, CA 4/03/2026 SOMA – San Diego, CA **Off-date w/ Carnifex, Rev3rent 4/04/2026 Brooklyn Bowl – Las Vegas, NV 4/06/2026 Tulsa Theater – Tulsa, OK 4/08/2026 The Coca Cola Roxy – Atlanta, GA 4/09/2026 The NorVa – Norfolk, VA **Off-date w/ Inter Arma, Üga Büga 4/10/2026 Franklin Music Hall – Philadelphia, PA 4/11/2026 The Fillmore – Silver Spring, MD 4/12/2026 Roxian Theatre – Pittsburgh, PA 4/14/2026 Hammerstein Ballroom – New York, NY 4/15/2026 The Palladium – Worcester, MA 4/16/2026 Wally’s – Hampton, NH **Off-date w/ Blood Tithe, Iron Gate 4/17/2026 L’Olympia – Montreal, QC 4/18/2026 HISTORY – Toronto, ON 4/20/2026 Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom – Chicago, IL 4/21/2026 Vibrant Music Hall – Waukee, IA 4/22/2026 Myth Live – Minneapolis, MN End Tour 5/10/2026 Welcome To Rockville – Daytona Beach, FL *festival date 5/14/2026 Sonic Temple – Columbus, OH *festival date w/ Entheos, Tracheotomy, Mauled: 5/11/2026 Club LA – Destin, FL 5/12/2026 2 Minglewood Hall – Memphis, TN 5/13/2026 Headliners Music Hall – Louisville, KY
WHITECHAPEL w/ Sylosis, 200 Stab Wounds, Tribal Gaze: 1/22/2027 Hellraiser – Leipzig, DE 1/23/2027 Batschkapp – Frankfurt am Main, DE 1/24/2027 Trix – Antwerp, BE 1/26/2027 The Academy – Dublin, IE * 1/28/2027 SWG3 Galvanizers – Glasgow, UK * 1/29/2027 Electric Ballroom – London, UK * 1/30/2027 Manchester Academy 2 – Manchester, UK * 1/31/2027 O2 Academy – Bristol, UK * 2/01/2027 XOYO – Birmingham, UK * 2/03/2027 Trabendo – Paris, FR 2/05/2027 Sala Lab/Wagon – Madrid, ES 2/06/2027 Razzmatazz 2 – Barcelona, ES 2/07/2027 Rayonne – Lyon, FR 2/09/2027 Magazzini Generali – Milan, IT 2/10/2027 Z7 Konzertfabrik – Pratteln, CH 2/12/2027 Live Music Hall – Cologne, DE 2/13/2027 Große Freiheit 36 – Hamburg, DE 2/14/2027 Tivoli Vredenburg – Ronda – Utrecht, NL 2/16/2027 Roxy – Prague, CZ 2/17/2027 Arena – Vienna, AT 2/19/2027 Backstage – Munich, DE 2/20/2027 Metropol – Berlin, DE 2/21/2027 Amager Bio – Copenhagen, DK 2/23/2027 Rockefeller – Oslo, NO 2/24/2027 Fallan – Stockholm, SE 2/26/2027 Tavara-asema – Tampere, FI 2/27/2027 Aeeniwalli – Helsinki, FI 2/28/2027 Helitehas – Tallinn, EE 3/01/2027 Spelet – Riga, LV 3/02/2027 Progresja – Warsaw, PL *Coheadlining with Sylosis
In conjunction with the European tour announcement, WHITECHAPEL unveils their new video for “Nothing Is Coming For Any Of Us,” from their critically lauded Hymns In Dissonance full-length.
Watch WHITECHAPEL’s “Nothing Is Coming For Any Of Us” video HERE.
WHITECHAPEL’s Hymns In Dissonance finds the band reinventing themselves, going darker, deeper, and heavier than ever before. The record earned the #2 position on Billboard’s Current Hard Rock Albums chart, #3 on Independent Label Current Albums chart, #4 on the Current Rock Albums chart and #7 on the Digital Albums chart upon its first week of release.
Hymns In Dissonance is available now on CD, vinyl, and digital formats.
Watch WHITECHAPEL’s previously release videos for “Prisoner 666” HERE, “Hymns In Dissonance”HERE, “A Visceral Retch”HERE, and “Hate Cult Ritual”HERE.
WHITECHAPEL: Phil Bozeman – vocals Ben Savage – lead guitar Alex Wade – rhythm guitar Zach Householder – guitar Gabe Crisp – bass Brandon Zackey – drums
American death metal pioneers SIX FEET UNDER will unleash their Next To Die full-length on April 24th through Metal Blade Records.
Next To Die marks a new creative high for SIX FEET UNDER, its dozen songs marking the band’s fifteenth album since 1995’s Haunted. “It started out as an album full of death metal songs with speed and aggression,” says guitarist Jack Owen. “Then [vocalist] Chris [Barnes] had the brilliant idea to keep half of those death metal songs and add some groovier songs in the vein of the early SIX FEET UNDER material. Chris emphasized tempo, so keeping with the beats per minute for early SFU classics, I wrote a side of tasty groove-laden music with Chris doing all the lyrics.”
The creative collaborative approach sees Next To Die essentially broken down into two different sides – Death and Groove – resulting in an aural masterwork that satisfies SIX FEET UNDER as artists, while also offering something for every fan.
The record was produced by Owen and Barnes and mixed and mastered by Mark Lewis of MRL Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, and follows 2024’s Killing For Revenge. It’s the third record that Barnes and Owen have created together since reuniting in 2017. “We don’t discuss lyrical themes, we each write what we’re feeling,” explains Barnes. “We each just write what we find interesting.”
SIX FEET UNDER was initially formed as a side project for Barnes during his final years with the band that he co-founded, Cannibal Corpse. It became the frontman’s sole focus in 1995, coinciding with the release of their debut, Haunted. The current lineup of Barnes, Owen, lead guitarist Ray Suhy, bassist Jeff Hughell, and drummer Marco Pitruzzella make for a devastating unit.
Watch SIX FEET UNDER’s lyric video/visualizer for “Unmistakable Smell Of Death” HERE.
That sonic devastation shines on lead single, “Unmistakable Smell Of Death,” which sees Owen owning his blast and fast riffs with dynamic pull-offs and stop sections. “This song began musically before I had any lyrical ideas in mind,” says Owen. “I dug through my riff archive for some blast and fast riffs and updated them with some pull-offs and stop sections. The middle section riffs were also from my riff archive. I do scratch leads on my demos, but Ray always does a much better job with the leads.”
“Lyrically, I’m writing from the perspective of a killer who toys with a victim and unties them, allowing them to fight. He underestimates their ability to fight, and they get the better of the killer, ultimately impaling and beheading him. The ‘Unmistakable Smell Of Death’ is now that of the killer!”
Next To Die comes swathed in the cover art of Sandy Rezalmi and will be released on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:
180g Black (US) Red w/ Black Smoke (US) Bone Brown Marbled (EU – Ltd. 500) Blue Grey Marbled (EU – Ltd. 300) Blood Splatter (EU – Ltd. 300) Bone White Green Splatter (EU – Ltd. 200)
SIX FEET UNDER will return to stages this Summer on a North American headlining tour. Set to begin on July 8th in Detroit and run through August 11th in Chicago, the tour features support from Kataklysm and Wormhole.
Comments Barnes, “July and August are gonna get ultra brutal on our headlining tour of North America in support of our new album Next To Die, with our old friends in Kataklysm, and special guests Wormhole. Very psyched to get back on the road in the States, and really, really looking forward to playing Canada on this tour. I think it’s our first time in Canada in decades… You do not want to miss these shows! See you all this Summer!”
The North American journey will follow the band’s previously announced European headlining tour this June, with support from Embryonic Autopsy.
Presales begin Thursday, March 12th password: GRAVE. General on sale date is Friday, March 13th. See all confirmed dates below.
SIX FEET UNDER w/ Kataklysm, Wormhole: 7/08/2026 Sanctuary – Detroit, MI 7/09/2026 Lee’s Palace – Toronto, ON ^ 7/10/2026 Fairmount – Montreal, QC ^ 7/11/2026 Overflow – Ottawa, ON ^ 7/12/2026 Palladium Upstairs – Worcester, MA 7/13/2026 Space Ballroom – Hamden, CT 7/14/2026 Gramercy Theatre – New York, NY 7/15/2026 Broken Goblet – Bensalem, PA 7/16/2026 Chapel of Bones – Raleigh, NC 7/17/2026 Albatross – Jacksonville, FL 7/18/2026 Culture Room – Fort Lauderdale, FL 7/19/2026 Conduit – Orlando, FL 7/21/2026 Scout Bar – Houston, TX 7/22/2026 Come and Take It Live – Austin, TX 7/23/2026 Jake’s – Lubbock, TX 7/24/2026 Lauter Haus – Farmington, NM 7/25/2026 Nile – Phoenix, AZ 7/26/2026 1720 – Los Angeles, CA 7/27/2026 Strummer’s – Fresno, CA 7/28/2026 Cornerstone – Berkeley, CA 7/29/2026 Goldfield – Roseville, CA 7/30/2026 Shredder – Boise, ID * 7/31/2026 Hawthorne Theatre – Portland, OR 8/01/2026 El Corazon – Seattle, WA 8/02/2026 Rickshaw – Vancouver, BC ^ 8/04/2026 Arrowhead – Calgary, AB ^ 8/05/2026 Starlite Room – Edmonton, AB ^ 8/06/2026 Black Cat – Saskatoon, SK ^ 8/07/2026 Park Theatre – Winnipeg, MB ^ 8/08/2026 Skyway Theatre – Minneapolis, MN 8/09/2026 The Annex – Madison, WI 8/10/2026 Madison Theater – Covington, KY 8/11/2026 Reggies – Chicago, IL
No Kataklysm ^ Kataklysm headlines
European Tour w/ Embryonic Autopsy: 6/03/2026 Mystic Festival – Gdańsk, PL 6/04/2026 Franz – Berlin, DE 6/05/2026 Pitfest – Maastricht, NL 6/06/2026 Gebäude 9 – Cologne, DE 6/07/2026 The Garage – Saarbrücken, DE 6/10/2026 Colosseum – Košice, SK 6/12/2026 Nova Rock- Nickelsdorf, AT 6/13/2026 A38 – Budapest, HU 6/14/2026 Orto – Bar Ljubljana, SI 6/16/2026 Kaminwerk – Memmingen, DE 6/17/2026 Backstage Halle – Munich, DE 6/19/2026 Colo-Saal – Aschaffenburg, DE 6/20/2026 Graspop Festival – Dessel, BE 6/21/2026 Hellfest – Clisson, FR 6/23/2026 Logo – Hamburg, DE 6/24/2026 Copenhell – Copenhagen, DK 6/26/2026 Basinfire Festival – Spálené Poříčí, CZ 6/27/2026 Abyss Festival – Hauteville, CH
SIX FEET UNDER: Chris Barnes – vocals Jack Owen – guitars Marco Pitruzzella – drums Jeff Hughell – bass Ray Suhy – guitars
Milwaukee (WI) – A new Blackened Death Metal entity has formed. Featuring veterans of the Milwaukee metal scene, RELIC is set to release their debut EP, Crown of Flies, April 3rd, on CD and digital formats.
Delivering Death Metal’s dissonant punishing riffage with Black Metal’s relentless chaotic speed, RELIC builds a new monument on the foundation of those that came before. Comprised of seasoned Milwaukee metal scene veterans with a history of making tight and focused music.
Their debut EP, Crown Of Flies, is a blistering slab of Midwest 90s Blackend Death Metal worship. Delivered with malintent for its listeners. No frills, no scene drama, or gimmicks used by so many bands today. Pure underground Death Metal that is in your face and out for blood.
Band Photo Credit: K Pro Creative
RELIC:
Kevin Forsythe (Jungle Rot, Emblazoned) – Guitar / Bass
Jeff Plewa (Micawber, Emblazoned) – Vocals
Alex “Pulverizer” Pulvermacher (Decrescent, Emblazoned) – Drums
Vinny Alvarez (A Night At The Chalet, Slam Pig) – Guitar
Credits:
Recorded at Belle City Sound in Racine WI, November 2025. Produced by Chris Wisco. Mixed and Mastered by Billy Diamond.
Italy’s FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE are preparing to shroud stages across North America in their haunting, symphonic-infused death metal and have unveiled a series of headline dates for this spring. This follows the announcement that the band will be joining AVATAR on their “Don’t Go in the Forest 2026” tour with guests FROZEN SOUL.
The band comments, “Could we come to North America and completely forget Dallas (TX), St. Louis (MO), Albany (NY), or let our Canadian friends in Montreal (QC) down? Of course we could not! That’s why we have added four exclusive headlining shows alongside the massive spring trek supporting Avatar this April and May. Expect a longer setlist, a bigger production, and some extra surprises! Our Texan friends FROZEN SOUL will be joining us for these dates, so you know exactly what to do. See you there folks!”
2026 Headline Dates: 4/21 – Dallas, TX – Granada* 4/27 – St. Louis, MO – Red Flag 5/17 – Albany, NY – Empire Live 5/18 – Montreal, QC – Beanfield Theatre
2026 Tour Dates with AVATAR and FROZEN SOUL: 4/16 Sacramento, CA Channel 24 4/17 Los Angeles, CA Novo 4/19 Tucson, AZ Rialto Theater 4/20 Albuquerque, NM Revel 4/22 San Antonio, TX Aztec 4/23 Oklahoma City, OK Criterion 4/25 Omaha, NE Steelhouse Omaha 4/26 Des Moines, IA Val Air 4/28 Lawrence, KS Liberty Hall 4/29 Moline, IL The Rust Belt 4/30 Grand Rapids, MI GLC Live at 20 Monroe 5/1 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Club Stage 5/2 Fort Wayne, IN The Clyde 5/4 Huntsville, AL VBC Mars Music Hall 5/5 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle 5/6 Knoxville, TN Mill & Mine 5/7 Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues 5/8 Daytona Beach, FL Welcome to Rockville 5/10 Raleigh, NC The Ritz 5/12 Richmond, VA The National 5/13 Philadelphia, PA Franklin Music Hall 5/14 Columbus, OH Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival 2026 5/15 New York, NY Palladium Times Square 5/16 Buffalo, NY Buffalo Riverworks 5/19 Wallingford, CT The Dome 5/20 Hampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach Casino
Opera Track – Listing: 1. Ode to Art (De’ Sepolcri) 2. I Can Never Die 3. Pendulum 4. Bloodclock 5. At War With My Soul 6. Morphine Waltz 7. Matricide 8.21 8. Per Aspera Ad Astra 9. Till Death Do Us Part 10. Opera
Pittsburgh-based three-piece wrecking ball STALEMATE OF WILLS is set to drop their debut full-length album, Existence Denied.
Following a string of singles, STALEMATE OF WILLS is ready to unleash an 8-track rager that embodies the American rust belt blight that surrounds them. True to the band’s mantra of “heavy riffs for a withering world,” Existence Denied is an amalgamation of doom metal, hardcore, New Orleans-style sludge metal, with flourishes of traditional 90s death metal.
Listeners can expect down-tuned, groove inflicted “meat and potatoes” riffing and drumming, that easily pivots into creepier and mellower territory. Lyrically, STALEMATE OF WILLS concentrates on the endless frustrations created by the hopelessness experienced throughout life, and the inability to change it but still survive.
Check out the album’s first single, “Two Worlds” at this location.
FFTC Records will release Existence Denied on April 26.
Track-list: 1) Visibility 2) Maximum Amounts of Woe 3) Existence Denied 4) Two Worlds 5) Let It Be Known 6) High Above 7) Unusual Character Profile 8) Light the Way
Stream more from STALEMATE OF WILLS on Bandcamp and Spotify.
Bio:
STALEMATE OF WILLS was formed in 2023 by guitarist/ vocalist Derek Kovacs as a one man studio project releasing the singles “Corrode” followed then by “Subside”, but it soon became clear that Stalemate of Wills needed to become a full band.
Not long after, scene veterans Jake Morris (Bass) and Bob McSherry (drums) were quickly recruited to fill the voids. STALEMATE OF WILLS embraces an ethos of self-reliance, releasing and recording their own music and began working on an 8-song full length entitled Existence Denied, to be released in Spring of 2026 on FFTC Records, an independent label run by Kovacs.
STALEMATE OF WILLS: Derek Kovcas – guitar / vocals Jake Morris – bass Bob McSherry – drums
The song is also available on the usual streaming platforms, including Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music.
Four LPs deep and a slew of EPs behind them, COGNIZANCE show no signs of restraining the pace of unrelenting inventive riffs and razor-sharp grooves. In Light, No Shape is a masterful Progressive Death Metal opus, rich in texture and atmospheric detail, delivering everything long-time listeners crave while channeling the mid-90s technical extremity of Death, Extol, and Meshuggah. This time, the band deliberately fractures the conventions of modern extreme production, opting instead for a more organic and visceral mix that sharpens the defining traits of their work.
In Light, No Shape marks the first lineup shift in a decade, as the band sharpen from a quintet to a quartet with founding guitarist Alex Baillie stepping forward as vocalist while retaining guitar duties, following the 2023 departure of founding vocalist Henry “Big Mac” Pryce.
Band Photo Credit: Nadine Geuter
Line-up:
Alex Baillie – Guitar/Vocals Apostolis Karydis – Guitar Chris Binns – Bass David Diepold – Drums
“This record is a defining milestone for us. Taking on vocals has pushed us to re-engineer how we experiment with the blend of elements in our sound, unlocking new creative pathways to compliment the core identity of the band. What you will hear are four dudes all adding their flavours to the melting pot to create a body of work that felt completely natural to us.”
Mix and Master by Ronnie Björnström (AEON, BLOOD RED THRONE). Artwork by Jef Whitehead (NAILS, LEVIATHAN). Produced by Alex Baillie and Apostolis Karydis. Photography by Nadine Geuter.
With just three months to go until their first-ever appearance at Maryland Deathfest, Kansas-based death metal horde UNMERCIFUL has announced a very special guest for this monumental performance.
Joining the band on vocals will be none other than James “Freight Train” Lee, widely recognized for his crushing performances on Origin’s landmark albums III, Echoes of Decimation, and Antithesis. Lee’s unmistakable intensity and legacy within extreme metal make this collaboration a historic moment for both the band and fans alike.
With Lee on stage, fans can expect a set of unmitigated ferocity and precision. One that won’t soon be forgotten.
In addition, drummer Andy Vincent (Morgue Defilement) will be stepping in behind the kit while UNMERCIFUL skin-basher Trynt Kelly continues to navigate health issues.
UNMERCIFUL is currently booking additional performances surrounding Maryland Deathfest. The band is slated to appear on MDF’s Marketplace & Power Plant Live stage on Sunday, May 24. More dates to be announced soon.
The band’s newest album, Devouring Darkness, marks a new era of relentless violence and sonic brutality! With ten tracks of scorching intensity and distorted vengeance, the album is filled with blistering blast beats, intricate kick drum patterns, and destructive riffing.
Devouring Darkness is out now on CD, digital, and vinyl formats on Willowtip Records.
Chicago (IL) – Progressive Tech-Death stalwarts, GIGAN, have announced the West Coast Sonic Invasion Tour 2026! The tour launches April 30 in San Diego and includes an appearance at Northwest Terror Fest on May 9.
Willowtip Records label mates, Barren Path, will perform on four dates.
Tour Dates are as follows:
April 30 – San Diego, CA (Banshee) with Barren Path/Cave Bastard/Genestealer/Cataract Stare
May 1 – Long Beach, CA (Que Sera) w/ Barren Path/Teeth/Morgue Breath
May 2 – Bakersfield, CA (Jerry’s Pizza) with Cave Bastard/tba
May 3 – Los Angeles, CA (Slipper Clutch) w/ Cave Bastard/tba
May 4 – Sacramento, CA (Cafe Colonial) w/ Barren Path/Oceans of Ash/tba
May 5 – Oakland, CA (Thee Stork Club) w/ Barren Path/Horse Butcher/tba
May 6 – Palmdale, CA (Transplants Brewing) w/ tba
May 9 – Seattle, WA (Northwest Terror Fest)
May 10 – Vancouver, Canada (Astoria) w/ tba
Anomalous Abstractigate Infinitessimus, GIGAN‘s first album in seven years, was released October 25, 2024 on CD, Ltd edition CD long box, vinyl, cassette, Ltd edition four-album cassette boxset, and digital formats via Willowtip Records.
Since 2005, GIGAN has been an unsung vanguard of abstract and creatively dissonant extreme metal. Pushing boundaries and never compromising the artistic vision throughout the debut EP and subsequent four full-length albums has led GIGAN to be considered an unwavering force of both innovation and extremity.
It has been almost seven years since GIGAN has released new music and the time spent away has only honed and sharpened the still-deadly blades of creativity for which GIGAN has always been known; while also infusing fresh elements not yet heard within the GIGAN Universe. The results of GIGAN’s current hard work is the new beast of an album entitled AnomalousAbstractigate Infinitessimus.
Australian death/thrash duo BATTLEGRAVE are set to return with their third and most devastating full-length release to date.
Enslavement delivers 10 tracks of unbridled and vitriolic, death-laden thrash metal. This relentless barrage of calculated venom, intense riffing, and punishing rhythmic precision further cements the band’s reputation for uncompromising extremity.
Lyrically tied to themes of violence and aggression, Enslavement weaves an interlocking narrative of a subterranean demon harvesting human souls to satiate its unending hunger. This conceptual core adds a sinister layer beneath the album’s sonic brutality.
Fans can experience a sample of what’s to come with the album’s first single, “Bonesaw.”
The band comments on the song: “Bonesaw’ delivers an aural assault on the listener, with all the power of a screwdriver plunged into the eardrum. Delving into the world of dismemberment, the track lyrically focuses on the evolution of medical tools in forensic pathology and features razor sharp riffage, a chaotic drum performance, two skin ripping solos and a vocal attack aimed directly for the jugular. Prepare to be taken apart piece by piece with the bonesaw.”
Watch the official music video for “Bonesaw” here.
The album was recorded by Clint Patzel of BATTLEGRAVE, mixed by Tim Shearman and mastered by Logan Mader. Session drums by Robin Stone.
Track-listing: 1) Soul Chasm
2) There Is Only Death
3) Bonesaw
4) Eyes Of Enslavement
5) Venom
6) The Grand Machine Of Despair
7) Asylum
8) Marked By Evil
9) Under The Banner We March
10) US Outpost 31
Line-up:
Rohan Buntine – Vocals, Lyrics
Clint Patzel – All Strings
BAND BIO:
BATTLEGRAVE are a two-piece death/thrash project from Melbourne, Australia, formed in 2017 following the release of their debut demo track, “Mortar Fire,” which quickly generated strong underground buzz.
The duo followed with the EP To Hellwith War (2017) and full-length albums Relics of a Dead Earth (2018) and Cavernous Depths (2022, via Bitter Loss Records), establishing a reputation for blending savage thrash intensity with punishing death metal weight. Their releases have received consistent acclaim across the global metal press and airplay on international radio platforms.
While primarily a studio-driven force, BATTLEGRAVE have also brought their music to the stage, recruiting respected musicians from Melbourne’s metal scene to deliver their blistering sound in a live setting.
Throughout their discography, the project has collaborated with world-class drummers including Kevin Talley, 66Samus, and most recently Robin Stone, further reinforcing the precision and power behind the band’s extreme sonic identity.
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
If you’re a band or musician and would like your music reviewed or be interviewed by Stone, please click the link under the “ALBUM REVIEWS ARCHIVES” section below!
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