Maltese death metallers BOUND TO PREVAIL have unveiled the title track from their upcoming debut full-length album, “Enthroned in Torment”, now available as a new single. The song offers a further insight into the band’s approach, built on compact, forceful riffing and a dynamic balance between aggression and structure. Enthroned in Torment is set for release on January 7th, 2026 via Lethal Scissor Records.
The record is a powerful rediscovery and reinterpretation of the early 2000s death metal vein, blending old-school brutality with a modern edge. Drawing on the technical ferocity of old masters like Suffocation and Monstrosity, as well as the more extreme, yet precise, pummeling approaches of Beheaded, Hour of Penance and Inveracity, the album delivers tracks that are simultaneously tense, technical and fluid, giving every riff room to breathe and strike with maximum impact.
Enthroned in Torment fuses the relentless aggression of classic death metal with contemporary clarity and production, creating a sound that honors the past while feeling undeniably current. Crushing drumming, thunderous bass, and razor-sharp guitars intertwine with menacing vocals to forge an unrelenting wall of sound. The album explores the morbid tension between malevolence and benevolence, set in a chaotic realm shaped by false beliefs and deceitful ambitions.
Track list:
01. The Nevergod 02. Into the Depths 03. Defier of Empires 04. Consecrated Perdition 05. Atone in Blasphemy 06. Dawn of Emptiness 07. Tomb of the Graveless 08. Enthroned in Torment
With this debut, BOUND TO PREVAIL stake their claim in European death metal, offering a masterful balance of old-school intensity and modern precision that will captivate fans of both eras.
Album line-up:
Keith Fenech – guitars Kevin Mifsud – bass Alan Briffa – vocals Jean Vella – guitars Mark Farrugia Sant’Angelo – drums
Current band line-up:
Keith Fenech – guitars Kevin Mifsud – bass Alan Briffa – vocals Mark Farrugia Sant’Angelo – drums
It took nearly 10 years since THE HOLEUM’s last album Sublime Emptiness and now the Spanish progressive post-doom band is back with their third album Ensis, which is set to be released on March 20th, 2026.
And to end the year right with some cosmic tunes, THE HOLEUM is known for, we present the first single The Fermi Paradox of the forthcoming new effort.
Baptized with a name derived from astrophysical theories about dark matter and black holes, THE HOLEUM was formed in 2014 in Alicante, Spain. Founded by former members of NahemaH, Demised, quantumXperience, Hela, Neptunian Sun, and Priest of Dawn, the quintet set out to push the boundaries of heavy music and to intensify the emotional impact of darkness in sound. Their concept is both cosmic and sonic: “THE HOLEUM is related to the dark matter that forms the black holes in the universe. THE HOLEUM is not a black hole, but black holes are formed by The Holeum. That is the idea from which we extract our concept – we are a sonic and cosmic vision of the sublime.”
With their third album Ensis (2025), the band continues its journey through experimental metal, death doom, melodic metal, and post-metal. This work is more than a continuation; it is a condensation and expansion of their previous soundscape. Ensis reveals itself as finely nuanced, challenging, yet at the same time profoundly sensitive and multifaceted. The songs unfold like cosmic landscapes where heaviness and melancholy meet subtle emotionality.
The intensity remains palpable, but it is complemented by a deeper sensitivity that draws the listener into a fragile balance between harshness and delicacy. Ensis is an album that demands and touches at once, a work that makes the complexity of human existence audible in the mirror of the universe.
Hungarian speed maniacs TÜRBÖWITCH have officially signed with Time To Kill Records for the release of their third full-length album, scheduled to see the light in the first half of 2026. The agreement marks a new and decisive step forward for the Budapest-based band, whose uncompromising attitude and relentless live energy have steadily earned them a strong reputation within the European underground.
The upcoming record promises to be a concentrated blast of massive riffs and instinctive urgency, pushing TÜRBÖWITCH’s sound to its most focused and ferocious form to date. Rooted in blackened speed-thrash, the album blends the raw savagery and punk-fueled aggression of acts like Midnight, the sharp thrash precision of The Crown, and the dark, melodic drive of Hellripper, while maintaining a clearly identifiable personality. Melodic accents punctuate the chaos, adding depth and character without dulling the band’s visceral impact.
Faithful to their no-compromise ethos, TÜRBÖWITCH channel the spirit of ’80s extreme metal through a modern sense of immediacy, delivering songs that are fast, filthy, and built for maximum impact. With Time To Kill Records now backing the release, the band are poised to bring their unholy speed assault to a broader audience, while remaining firmly rooted in the reckless intensity that has defined them since day one.
Biography:
TÜRBÖWITCH was born in 2016 in Budapest, founded by vocalist Zslöd and guitarist Kommandante Klit as a raw, no-frills tribute to the sonic fury and visual madness of ’80s extreme metal. What started as a fun side project between longtime friends quickly evolved into a far more focused and dedicated band, without ever losing its unfiltered energy and love for chaos.
Over time, TÜRBÖWITCH grew into a full-fledged live five-piece. Their discography began with a demo in 2016, followed by the debut full-length “Napalm to Posers” (2017), the EP “Beyond the Last Call” (2018), and their second album “Fullmoon Liquorthropy”, released in late 2022.
Their momentum reached a new peak in June 2024, when they won the Wacken Metal Battle Hungary finals, earning a coveted slot at the legendary Wacken Open Air in August 2024, where they unleashed their sonic assault on the world’s biggest metal festival stage.
In March 2025, TÜRBÖWITCH hit the road with Swedish heavy metal titans Enforcer, taking their explosive live energy to even wider European audiences.
Photo credit: Stone/Metal Odyssey – Napalm Death, Bogart’s in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 15, 2025
I want to thank each visitor and loyal follower to Metal Odyssey! You have all kept my Metal faith burning this past year, as usual! Metal Odyssey celebrated its 17th consecutive year in 2025 and I have so much gratitude for all of your support over the years! Thank you, from the bottom of my Metal heart!
On a personal note, 2025 started off like a big bowl of horse shit, without getting into details. Let’s just say my family is healthy and that’s what matters most. With that out of the way, this past year did get better with each passing month for me.
Living in Dayton, Ohio, the Summer of 2025 had consistent rain forest weather and we currently have a total of 12.9” of total snowfall since November. Yesterday it hit 67 degrees Fahrenheit and today the high temp is forecasted for 26 degrees F. WTF. Bizarre, I know.
Once again, my severe arthritis never gave me an inch this past year. My knees and legs prevent me from going to Metal festivals and any outdoor festivities where lots of walking is required. Regardless, I still did get to see The Melvins, Exhumed, D.R.I., The Soap Girls and lots of local bands! I’m grateful for what I can do and experience!
My #1 favorite album of 2025, across all genres, is the unbelievably grand Alice Cooper – The Revenge Of Alice Cooper. If you haven’t checked out this album yet, my god almighty please do! This is as complete of a Hard Rock album that I’ve ever listened to!
My favorite Metal album of 2025 is a tie. I honestly cannot choose one over the other. Testament. Dream Theater. Both albums are musically pristine in every way for me; with both of their albums diving into the paranormal subject matter is a ginormous plus!!
I did, of course, continue to buy CDs and vinyl, while listening to Spotify and going down its Metal rabbit hole. I’ve found that streaming and playing physical mediums can co-exist in my Metal world.
My favorite “new” band, (although not entirely new) is Wings Of Steel. Their new album, Winds Of Time, is a masterful performance of Traditional Metal that engulfs my Metal soul with Metal euphoria! Their incredible Metal anthem, We Rise, is easily one of the best Metal songs I’ve experienced in the last 30 years!
Icons Ozzy Osbourne, Brian Wilson and Ace Frehley left us during 2025, along with many other legendary artists including Ray Davies of Supertramp and Brent Hinds of Mastodon. God Bless them all. It’s not fun getting old. Still, the memories that their music and concerts has given us all is priceless.
I tried my hardest to not watch the mainstream network and cable news, during 2025. The news headlines were awful enough. My 2 favorite MLB teams, the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees both made the playoffs and were eventually both eliminated. My Cincinnati Bengals, meanwhile, have forgotten how to make it to the playoffs, 3 years running.
I wish everyone a 2026 filled with the best of health, happiness and hopefully fortune. Ignore the haters and filter the mainstream news. Live like your life depends on it, while helping your neighbors and being kind to our fellow human beings. Spread the love and continue to defend the Metal faith. Metal be thy name. – Stone
Australian-Finnish dark progressive gothic metal collective THE ETERNAL have announced their upcoming EP Celestial, set for release on January 16, 2026 via Reigning Phoenix Music, and have dropped the first video single, “It All Ends“.
Pre-save / pre-order the EP, available on all major digital platforms and as an extremely limited-edition eco-friendly recycled vinyl:https://theeternal.rpm.link/celestialPR
“It All Ends” marks the first preview of Celestial and sets the tone with a powerful mix of haunting atmosphere, melancholic weight, and progressive finesse. The track unfolds slowly and deliberately, pulling the listener into its storm of brooding riffs, somber melodies, and an emotional vocal performance that feels both intimate and colossal. The song’s dynamics build toward a towering, epic finale that showcases the band’s cinematic approach to heavy music.
Lyrically, “It All Ends” cuts deep. Vocalist and guitarist Mark Kelson, who also designed & edited the video, explains:
“The lyrics of “It All Ends” convey a stark meditation on betrayal, disillusionment, and the collapse of trust. Through the recurring imagery of “empty words” and “broken shards,” the song captures the futility of promises that have lost their meaning and the devastation left in their wake.”
“The repetition of the phrase “it all ends” underscores the inevitability and finality of this unraveling, while the storm imagery reflects the emotional turbulence beneath the surface. At its core, the song portrays the painful recognition that fractured communication and faithlessness lead to irreversible endings, leaving behind a lingering sense of loss that feels both suffocating and inescapable.”
“Celestial” Track Listing:
Absence Of Light
Celestial Veil
It All Ends
Bleeding Into Light
Casting Down Shadows
Everlasting MMXXVI
With Mark Kelson (vocals/guitars) and Richie Poate (guitars) in Melbourne, joined by Jan Rechberger (drums, Amorphis) and Niclas Etelävuori (bass, ex‑Amorphis/Flat Earth) in Helsinki, THE ETERNAL are proving themselves a genuinely international collaboration and with the forthcoming EP, fans and first-time listeners alike get a first taste of the band’s signature intensity and powerful new material.
Colombian blackened melodic death metal force ESHTADUR has released their latest single, “Fire Above Mountain Below“, off of their latest album, Symphonic Crows – Live at the Santiago Londoño’s Theater.
Grandiose symphonic elements provide a powerful backdrop for ominous riffs and snarling vocals. In signature ESHTADUR fashion, “Fire Above Mountain Below” balances crushing heaviness with a catchy, cinematic earworm of a chorus.
Vocalist and guitarist Jorg August comments: “The shapes that can be explored with a symphonic orchestra reminds me of why I enjoy music so much: the character and the intensity of 40 people giving the music their all. That’s very ritualistic and powerful. This new live album is something I wanted to do for so long.”
Icelandic metal collective POWER PALADIN returns with force, steel and fire as they present their brand-new single “Sword Vigor”, the first taste of their upcoming studio album Beyond The Reach Of Enchantment, due out on March 27, 2026 via ROAR – a division of Reigning Phoenix Music!
“Sword Vigor” delivers classic heavy metal spirit wrapped in epic power metal form, driven by galloping riffs, soaring melodies and a strong sense of heroism. The track continues the band’s fantasy-driven narrative universe and serves as the next chapter in an ongoing saga of trials, destiny and triumph. Fans of GLORYHAMMER, TWILIGHT FORCE, and DRAGONFORCE will feel right at home.
The band comments: “‘Sword Vigor’ is a roaring NWOBHM-inspired power metal anthem, the blazing sequel to the saga begun in Kraven the Hunter. When all hope seems lost for our hero, salvation descends from the heavens: a warrior who has mastered the ancient and furious art of Sword Vigor.”
Accompanying the single is an official music video that captures POWER PALADIN’s love for classic heavy metal, combining a tongue-in-cheek attitude with a straightforward, no-frills approach.
And if you’ve ever wondered how power metal bands come up with these epic lyrics, POWER PALADIN have the answer and it involves a healthy dose of humor. To find out what rhymes with fire – and where hobbits come into play check out the following video the band just posted on their Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSSEYXcjKVU/
With their new offering Beyond The Reach Of Enchantment, POWER PALADIN take the next step in their musical journey. The album features eight epic tracks, each unfolding like a chapter in a sweeping saga of power, mystery and adventure.
Beyond The Reach Of Enchantment Track-list: 1. Sword Vigor 2. Glade Lords Of Athel Loren 3. The Royal Road 4. The Arcane Tower 5. Aegis Of Eternity 6. Camelot Rock City 7. Keeper Of The Crimson Dungeon 8. Valediction
Building on the success of their debut With the Magic of Windfyre Steel, the band delivers a more mature and refined sound while fully retaining the energy and spirit that defined their early days. The album was mixed by Haukur Hannes (AUÐN, DYNFARI) and mastered by Frank de Jong (BLEEDING GODS), resulting in a production that is both powerful and crystal clear.
Once again, POWER PALADIN pay homage to their influences – IRON MAIDEN, DIO and HELLOWEEN – while confidently carving out their own place in the modern power metal landscape. The album artwork, created by James Child (Astral Clock Tower Studios), perfectly captures the adventurous and fantastical essence of the record.
POWER PALADIN: Atli Guðlaugsson (vocals) Bjarni Þór Jóhannsson (guitars) Ingi Þórisson (guitars) Einar Karl Júlíusson (drums) Bjarni Egill Ögmundsson (keyboards) Kristleifur Þorsteinsson (bass)
About POWER PALADIN: Formed in Iceland, POWER PALADIN emerged from a shared passion for classic heavy metal, soaring melodies and fantasy-driven storytelling. Since their inception, the band has blended the spirit of traditional power metal with the raw edge of NWOBHM influences, forging a sound that feels both nostalgic and fresh.
Their debut album With the Magic of Windfyre Steel quickly established POWER PALADIN as a rising force in the international power metal scene. With Beyond The Reach Of Enchantment, the band further expands their musical and lyrical universe, proving their dedication to epic songwriting, strong hooks and timeless metal values.
NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS erupt with ferocious precision on their latest single, “Hungry For Brains,” taken from the forthcoming EP Zombie Blood Nightmare, arriving February 20, 2026.
A thrashy, smashy, in-your-face assault, “Hungry For Brains” showcases the band at their most unapologetically feral. Built entirely upon the half/whole diminished scale, the track spirals through symmetrical chaos and delivers a sound as unhinged and ravenous as its subject matter.
Fans of technical metal will find plenty to chew on, especially when the track erupts into a blistering guitar solo performed by James Norton, former college roommate of guitarist Mike. His shredding adds an extra layer of necrotic flair.
Lyrically, the song dives headfirst into zombie carnage and grotesque undead imagery, continuing the band’s love for cinematic horror and high-energy gore. “Hungry For Brains” embraces the spirit of classic zombie mayhem and sets the tone for the terror-laced chaos awaiting listeners on Zombie Blood Nightmare.
Zombie Blood Nightmare – Track Listing:
Left To Die (4:39)
No More Room In Hell (5:19)
Chopped Up and Burned (7:00)
Lumbering, Blood Sucking Freaks (3:42)
Hungry For Brains (4:41)
Démoni (3:15)
Produced, recorded, and mixed by Charlie Waymire at Ultimate Studios and mastered by Ernesto Homeyer, Zombie Blood Nightmare features six tracks of shred-heavy, horror-drenched chaos. Zombie Blood Nightmare arrives February 20, 2026.
HELSOTT – American pagan metal band – announce their support slot to Russia’s ARKONA for a string of US shows in February on their North America Paganist Tour.
“We are excited to announce a return to the road with our friends Arkona as part of their Paganist USA conquest, says singer Eric Dow. “We are really looking forward to delivering our brand of Pagan Metal to some cities that we haven’t played since Covid put the breaks on our U.S. touring momentum. Get ready for a mix of old songs and some recent bangers from our latest release, ‘Will and the Witch’. Come out and party with us!”
While HELSOTT have made a few trips to Europe and Mexico playing festivals and cruises overseas, it’s been some time since HELSOTT played the states and the band is proud to introduce their new line-up to American audiences. Joining the core of singer Eric Dow and guitarist Peter Truax, HELSOTT is now joined by guitarist Zachary Simsay (Mythraeum, Fadrait), bassist Alonzo Larios (Mythraeum), and drummer Alex Simsay (Fadrait).
HELSOTT’s latest, 2022’s ‘Will and the Witch,’ is a concept album exploring a fictional story about how Billy The Kid became the fastest gunfighter in the wild west. The group released a few emphasis tracks and videos from the album including “I’ll Make Ya Famous”, “Independence Night,” featuring guest vocals from Tim “Ripper” Owens (formerly of Judas Priest, Iced Earth and Yngwie Malmsteen), “Babylon: Scarlett’s Saloon”and the title track, “Will and the Witch”.
HELSOTT returned to their musical roots on “Will and The Witch” with heavier thrash overtones and less orchestral work than their prior record, while catching listeners off-guard with new influences befitting of the album’s theme. Thrash metal, power metal, and death metal converged with acoustic campfire segments, Southern banjo and fiddle, and Native American-inspired hand drums and flutes. The end result was a record that is musically ambitious while remaining melodic, heavy, and true to the band’s underlying sound.
Mixed and mastered by J-F Dagenais (Kataklysm, Misery Index, Ex Deo) and featuring artwork by Felipe Machado Franco (Blind Guardian, Rhapsody, Gamma Ray), along with additional guests including wood wind player Vladimir Reshetnikov (Arkona, Imperial Age), guitarist/bassist Freddie Vidales (Ashes of Ares, Iced Earth), violinist Lethien (Elvenking), guitarist Kevin Storm (Heidevolk, Autumn, Fleetburner), bassist Bjorn Friedrichsen (Withered Moon, Sanguineus) and Whistlin’ Rick Storey.
Available on CD, a limited-edition gold double vinyl, and digital editions.
Order it or the band’s catalog now on: M-Theory Audio webstore or Bandcamp
Upcoming HELSOTT Live Performances:
2/4 Come and Take It Live – Austin, TX
2/6 Last Exit Live – Phoenix, AZ
2/7 Constellation Room – Santa Ana, CA
2/8 Whisky – W. Hollywood, CA
2/9 DNA Lounge – San Francisco, CA
2/11 Metro Music Hall – Salt Lake City, UT
2/12 The Federal – Denver, CO
2/15 – Reggie’s – Chicago w/ Ad Infinitum and Seven Spires
Marking fifteen years of the project’s existence, Wyatt Sharp returns with ‘Where Our Silence Comes To Die,’the first and final full length album under the Sidian moniker; a swan song to a body of work defined by intensity, introspection, and emotional dissection.
This release signals the beginning of the project’s final chapter, a farewell that refuses to be sentimental.
Sidian‘s debut album, ‘Where Our Silence Comes To Die,‘ sees its official release today, December 26, 2025 via Rebel Pyro Musick! The album will be available on all streaming platforms, and fans can grab a digital download or exclusive limited edition Digipak CD here: https://sidianmusic.bandcamp.com/album/where-our-silence-comes-to-die
Earlier this week, Sidian partnered with Decibel Magazine for the video visualizer premiere of the 2nd single, “Pendular | Amidst The Hysterics Of Gloom.” Check it out over at Decibel Magazine!!
The album’s first single premiere, “Elegiac, Absent Catharsis,” is currently featured on the ‘Pulse Of The Maggots (Knotfest)‘ Official Playlist, which you can check out at this location.
With their 2019 debut EP, ‘Carry My Bones,’ Sidian‘s soundscapes were immediately compared to early-era Between the Buried and Me, shades of early Rivers of Nihil, mid-to-late-era Job For A Cowboy, as well as light traces of Ulcerate. Strong comparisons for sure and well deserved, though you will find as you make your way through ‘Where Our Silence Comes To Die,’ that Sidian has definitely come into their own with establishing a unique brand of sonically scathing despondent devastation.
‘Where Our Silence Comes To Die’ Track-list: 1. Parasitic Icarus 2. Elegiac, Absent Catharsis 3. Where Our Silence Comes To Die 4. Stasis 5. Albatross 6. Manic. Crash. Flood. 7. Pendular | Amidst The Hysterics Of Gloom 8. Flickering Under A Delicate Thread 9. Finally, Home 10. Where The Sun Is Silent – Reforged
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.”
BURNING BLACK, flag bearers of Italian Heavy Metal since 2003 and known for albums such as Prisoners Of Steel, MechanicHell, Remission Of Sin and Resilience Of A Broken Heart, proudly announce the official addition of acclaimed bassist ALBERTO RIGONI to their lineup.
Rigoni, born in Montebelluna in 1981, boasts a remarkable international career. He was a member of the prog-rock band Twinspirits, currently plays with BAD AS, co-produced the first Vivaldi Metal Project and has taken part in many other projects. Since 2008 he has released 14 solo albums, collaborating with artists such as Jordan Rudess, Gavin Harrison, Marco Minnemann and Goran Edman. His latest work, Nemesis Call, is already available via Eclipse Music and RockShot Records. He is currently working on a new album together with legendary bassists Michael Manring and Stuart Hamm.
The band wishes to warmly thank Nikk Damian, bassist since 2017, for his artistic contribution, dedication and the years of shared journeys. His presence will always remain part of Burning Black’s history.
Known for a powerful and melodic sound that blends classic metal roots with modern influences, Burning Black are already writing their next album and planning new live dates to introduce the new lineup to fans and continue the promotion of their latest release.
“We only had a few rehearsals, and I immediately felt at home, both personally and musically. There’s an incredible atmosphere between us, and I’m honored to be part of this historic band! We’re ready to rock the stages!!” says Alberto Rigoni.
New singles, videos, and the official tour dates will be announced soon. Many thanks to all the fans for their constant support: a new legendary era is about to begin.
Italian melodic death metal force KARMIAN open a new and uncompromising chapter with the release of their first single, “Beastmaster of the Void”, taken from the forthcoming full-length Horror Vacui. The track arrives accompanied by an official visualizer published on the Rockshots Records YouTube channel.
“Beastmaster of the Void” stands among the album’s most direct and unrelenting compositions – a surge of sharp riffing, relentless pacing, and psychological intensity. Drawing from the real-life crimes tied to the Bestie di Satana case, the song transforms adolescent alienation, obsession, and spiritual distortion into a violent descent through the existential void that defines the entire record. Here, the band channels the chaos, confusion, and moral collapse at the heart of the narrative, turning true events into stark allegory.
The single also offers a first glimpse into the conceptual breadth of Horror Vacui: a collection of nine songs, each inspired by a different Italian murderer, revealing how psychological emptiness, social disintegration, and spiritual vacuum mutate into violence.
Rather than glorifying crime, the album examines the roots of human collapse – the internal abyss that corrodes empathy, identity, and meaning. Musically, it merges the ferocity of melodic death metal with narrative tension and introspective depth, confirming the band’s distinctive approach to extreme music.
Horror Vacui was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Luca Cocconi and Simone Sighinolfi at Audiocore Studio, with artwork and the new Karmian logo created by Sheila Franco. All songs were written by Andrea Baraldi and Nicholas Badiali, with lyrics by Andrea Bertolazzi and arranged collectively by Karmian.
Karmian Line-Up: Andrea Bertolazzi – Vocals Andrea Baraldi – Guitars Michele Perla – Guitars Luca Marmi – Bass Nicholas Badiali – Drums
With a career stretching from their early beginnings in 2005 to their present incarnation, Karmian have become one of the most distinctive voices of Italian melodic death metal, known for merging aggression, drama, and conceptual storytelling. Their upcoming full-length marks their most mature and introspective work to date, deepening the psychological and existential focus that has defined their evolution.
For fans of: The Haunted, Kataklysm, Heaven Shall Burn, At The Gates, early Dark Tranquillity, and early In Flames.
LOCUS NOIR “CemeteryYouth” is taken from Shadow Sun upcoming debut full lenght album out on Feb 27.
“Cemetery Youth” is the essence of Locus Noir: echoes of Type O Negative’s gloom and Paradise Lost’s epic melancholy, filtered through the stark pulse of old-school Post-Punk à la The Sisters of Mercy. Not to mention that the lead guitar and some of the backing vocals come courtesy of Ben Christo (The Sisters’ own guitarist).
Lyrically, it’s an explicit nod to the bands that shaped me during my formative years: a love letter to the darker side of 90’s rock music.
Available in Limited edition Marble vinyl & Limited Edition digipack with 2 bonus tracks.
LOCUS NOIR is the latest musical endeavor from Ben DMN, also known for his work as the frontman of Swiss Death Wave powerhouse SYBREED.
Conceived as a return to the music that shaped his formative years, the project draws its energy from late-night introspection, creative renewal, and a distinctly crepuscular sensibility. Initially conceived as a solo project, LOCUS NOIR is set to evolve into a fully-fledged band.
Musically, LOCUS NOIR blends Type O Negative gloom, The Fields of the Nephilim mysticism, and Paradise Lost melancholy, all infused with a post-punk edge. The result is a sound that feels both contemporary and timeless, a modern interpretation of what Gothic Metal can be.
On debut album ‘Shadow Sun’ , band main songwriter and vocalist Ben steps fully into a melodic, haunting vocal register, merging the theatrical delivery of Peter Murphy with subtle echoes of the late Peter Steele. The lyrics move between the esoteric and the intimate: love and death, desire and decay, nocturnal excess and the bitter aftertaste of parties stretching well past dawn.
Locus Noir‘s debut album Shadow Sun is due for release in 2026 on ListenableRecords.
Band Line up: Ben DMN – Vocals Claire Genoud – Guitar Ales – Bass Ben Marmier – Drums
Track-listing:
1. Walpurgisnacht 1996
2. Shadow Sun
3. Cemetery Youth (track featuring Ben Christo of The Sisters of Mercy )
07.03.26 DE Cologne – Gebäude 9 09.03.26 UK Bristol – Exchange 10.03.26 UK Manchester – The Star & Garter 11.03.26 UK London – Underworld 13.03.26 NL Hoofdoorp – Cpunt 15.03.26 CH Aarau – Kiff 16.03.26 DE Wiesbaden – Schlachthof 17.03.26 DE Munich – Backstage 18.03.26 DE Berlin – Cassiopeia 19.03.26 DE Hamburg – Betty 20.03.26 DK Copenhagen – Vega 21.03.26 NO Oslo – Sub Scene 22.03.26 SE Gothenburg – Monument 23.03.26 SE Stockholm – Debaser Nova
Australian grindcore maniacs KING PARROT will return to US stages this Spring supporting intergalactic shock rock legends GWAR on their Gor-Gor Strikes Back Tour!
The onstage bedlam begins on March 19th in Richmond, Virginia and rampages through April 29th in Charlotte, North Carolina. Additional support will be provided by Soulfly. The latest stretch of Stateside dates follow KING PARROT’s epic jaunt on The Heaviest Tour Of The Summer featuring Pantera and Amon Amarth.
Comments vocalist Matt Young, “When we got the call from the Gwar crew to head back to the US in 2026, it was an offer we couldn’t refuse and to be out there again with our brothers from Soulfly too, it’s really the perfect tour package for us! I think fans of extreme music are gonna love this tour as it really has something for everyone. After our massive tour in the US alongside Pantera and Amon Amarth in 2025, this is the best possible way we could get back and tour in support of our new album. We’ve just been touring all over Australia and have a few more shows left before we pack our bags and head Stateside once more! Can’t wait to see you all again real soon!”
Tickets are on sale now! See all confirmed dates below.
KING PARROT w/ GWAR, Soulfly: 3/19/2026 The National – Richmond, VA 3/20/2026 Reverb – Reading, PA 3/21/2026 Empire Live – Albany, NY 3/22/2026 The Paramount – Huntington, NY 3/24/2026 The Webster – Hartford, CT 3/25/2026 The Queen – Wilmington, DE 3/26/2026 Starland Ballroom – Sayreville, NJ 3/27/2026 House Of Blues – Boston, MA 3/28/2026 Town Ballroom – Buffalo, NY 3/29/2026 Newport Music Hall – Columbus, OH 3/31/2026 Mercury Ballroom – Louisville, KY 4/01/2026 The Pageant – St. Louis, MO 4/02/2026 Concord Music Hall – Chicago, IL 4/03/2026 Piere’s – Fort Wayne, IN 4/04/2026 The Vault – Saginaw, MI 4/05/2026 EPIC Events Center – Green Bay, WI 4/07/2026 First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN 4/08/2026 Val Air Ballroom – Des Moines, IA 4/09/2026 Cain’s Ballroom – Tulsa, OK 4/10/2026 The Granada – Lawrence, KS 4/12/2026 Mesa Theater – Grand Junction, CO 4/14/2026 Roseland Theater – Portland, OR 4/15/2026 Treefort Music Hall – Boise, ID 4/17/2026 Channel 24 – Sacramento, CA 4/18/2026 The Belasco – Los Angeles, CA 4/19/2026 House Of Blues – San Diego, CA 4/20/2026 Rialto Theater – Tucson, AZ 4/21/2026 Sunshine Theater – Albuquerque, NM 4/23/2026 Emo’s – Austin, TX 4/24/2026 Warehouse Live – Houston, TX 4/25/2026 Soul Kitchen Music Hall – Mobile, AL 4/27/2026 The Signal – Chattanooga, TN 4/28/2026 The Orange Peel – Asheville, NC 4/29/2026 The Fillmore – Charlotte, NC
KING PARROT continues to tour in support of their critically lauded A Young Person’s Guide To King Parrot full-length, released earlier this year on HousecoreRecords in North America.
Watch KING PARROT’s previously released videos for “Fuck You And The Horse You Rode In On” HERE, “Target Pig Elite” HERE, “Look Away I’m Hideous” HERE, and “Get What Ya Given” HERE.
A Young Person’s Guide To King Parrot is available on CD, LP, cassette, and digital formats.
Find physical orders at the Housecore Records webshop HERE, Bandcamp HERE, and all other digital services HERE.
A Young Person’s Guide To King Parrot marks the band’s first new output in five years. A hostile and abrasive slab of sensory destroying anthems, the record features ten thoroughly crafted blasts through the psyche of this crazed Aussie quintet. Recorded at Melbourne’s Dangertone studios with engineer Luke Walton, it’s the first full-length album since 2017’s Ugly Produce offering and their first new music since 2022’s Holed Up In The Lair EP.
Charming dark cabaret metal adepts TARDIGRADE INFERNO are set to release their third studio album, Hush.
The album is a compelling result of TARDIGRADE INFERNO’s evolving signature style and the sheer power of their live performance. What truly defines the band is the experience the listener gets at their live shows, the thoughtful songwriting, the ironic lyricism, and the striking, highly aesthetic visuals.
In June 2025, TARDIGRADE INFERNO released an atmospheric and emotional live album, Made In Hell, that captures their ferocious performance and their connection with the audience. Hush blends all of these strengths with an authentic sound delivered with studio precision.
Experience your first taste of Hush with the official music video for the album’s first single, “Hide ‘n’ Seek.” Watch now at: youtu.be/fscAHuASUoo?si=MUtH3v_zxPv413fE
Hush is due out March 5th, on CD, digital and four exclusive vinyl editions. Pre-order the album at https://tr.ee/TiHush
TARDIGRADE INFERNO: Darya Rorria – vocals Alexander Pavlovich – guitars, keys Maxim Belekhov – bass Andrew Drew – drums
Track-list:
1. The Final Show
2. Hide ‘n’ Seek
3. Deadly Fairytales
4. All In your Head
5. Dead Fish Smile
6. Subatomic Heist
7. I.C.D.
8. Goor
9. Hush
10. Hypograph
11. I Am Eternal
Hush naturally picks up where 2023’s Burn the Circus left off. At the beginning you hear the crackling of a circus burning down. A surviving radio plays a mournful melody that opens a grand show amid the ashes. Like a massive blazing phoenix, TARDIGRADE INFERNO opens its wings with elemental force. It sweeps away what remains and reclaiming its place at the center of attention.
The gorgeous Darya Rorria uses her flexible contralto to tell stories that are anything but cheerful. Her expressive vocals pulse with the music. They tease sharply, flow lyrically, spread in a soft velvet hush, and fade into a tragic whisper. They soar through tense passages and then glide back down into a low, intimate tone. The lyrics are charged to the point of electric crackling, just as one expects from the TARDIGRADE INFERNO.
Their trademark keyboards sound even more retro-futuristic, paying tribute to the classic horror movies of the past. The guitar acts like the wildest creature in the prairie with it’s fury clothed in the polished frock coat of a respectable gentleman. The bass has the “AWESOME” knob turned to 100%. The drums are emotional, dynamic, and alive. Altogether it creates a familiar yet more sincere and revealing sound. The music becomes almost visible, almost tangible.
TARDIGRADE INFERNO have always paid special attention to the visual side of their art; from stage costumes and characters to their album covers. The cover for Hush was created by artist Milena Kress in a dark-aesthetic style.
This is the band’s first experience with analog painting – the piece is oil on canvas. It conveys the anxiety and emotional intensity that mirror the album’s lyrics. It’s also the first time the band’s mascot, the Tardigrade, is absent from the cover. It symbolizes a kind of coming-of-age. The toys have been left behind in the nursery.
Mixing, mastering, and production were handled by Vladimir Lehtinen, who has been working with the band continuously since the release of The Worst of Me EP. Vladimir helped the band capture their live energy without losing the studio polish of their recordings.
In 2022 Sweden’s THE SONIC OVERLORDS unleashed a magnificent opus, Last Days of Babylon, that remains an underrated gem in our opinions. A combination of powerful doom riffs and epic, melodic majesty of late ’70s/early ’80s heavy rock. One of the songs on that album “Past The End of Time” is now available as a standalone single on all digital platforms or watch the video HERE: https://youtu.be/UFGuFs1sLMc?si=zKiZDJx1Oe8-ABZm.
What makes this exclusive variant version special is it’s a duet version between THE SONIC OVERLORDS vocalist Marcus Rubin and guest Tony Martin (Black Sabbath).
“A dream come true… to have Tony Martin guest on one of our songs. The first time I heard his voice on this track, I cried with happiness. The influence of his time in Black Sabbath is immense on both me and the band. And Tony is one of my top five vocalists of all time,” says guitarist Morgan Zocek.
Last Days of Babylon is still available on ltd vinyl (300), CD and across all digital platforms.
The album is timeless gem of dark and traditional metal with with classic influences from the likes of Dio/Martin-era Black Sabbath, Rainbow, early Candlemass, Yngwie J. Malmsteen/Rising Force, Scorpions and Michael Schenker Group. This feel and quality is heard on emphasis tracks “In My Darkest Room” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOk9v2ZwCUA“Utopia”https://youtu.be/75MzM8dGHA8 and “Eternal Heroes” https://youtu.be/upPbkn95pbw
In the meantime, “Past the End of Time” works as a bridge as THE SONIC OVERLORDS have begun work recording new material. So anticipate some new music in 2026.
THE SONIC OVERLORDS were founded in 2017 by Swedish rock guitarist Morgan Zocek. He began jamming with various musicians and writing songs inspired by classic hard rock of the late 1970s and early 1980s, but with a more modern approach to the production and sonics.
The full sound of THE SONIC OVERLORDS began to solidify with the addition in 2020 of vocalist Marcus Zachrisson Rubin, who had been playing with Zocek in an Ozzy Osbourne cover band for many years, and the rumbles of new bassist Daniel Ramírez.
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