Given To Rock

FRANK JULIAN Release New Single & Playthrough Video 'Vecna' - a Tribute to Stranger Things!

2026-05-08T15:45:17.449+01:00

FRANK JULIAN Release New Single & Playthrough Video 'Vecna' - a Tribute to Stranger Things!

'Vecna' is the brand-new single by multi-instrumentalist FRANK JULIAN, available now on all digital platforms via Volcano Records & Promotion.

A versatile musician and composer with a rich and respected discography, Frank Julian blends progressive rock with visionary influences, earning a cult following within the international independent metal scene, alongside significant streaming numbers and a solid artistic career. Vecna marks his first release with the Italian label Volcano Records and fully showcases the strength of a prolific and imaginative creative mind capable of combining sophisticated compositional structures with a powerful emotional connection to listeners who seek high-quality music.

Entirely instrumental, Vecna does not renounce conveying a deep and intense message. Drawing inspiration from the now-iconic universe of Stranger Things, the track depicts an upside-down world where logic and common rules are overturned, and absurdity reigns supreme. Within this apocalyptic and dystopian landscape, Frank Julian delivers a multifaceted and dynamic composition that guides the listener through an immersive journey into the “Upside Down.”

Frank Julian handled the full composition and production of the track, which is also available on YouTube accompanied by a playthrough video:

Further info at
www.volcanopromotion.com
www.frankjulian.it

Social Distortion - Born To Kill (8 May 2026)

2026-05-07T16:04:00.000+01:00

SOCIAL DISTORTION

NEW ALBUM 'BORN TO KILL' OUT 8 MAY

EUROPEAN TOUR THIS SUMMER

INCLUDING DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL AND LONDON HEADLINE SHOW

Social Distortion will release their long-awaited eighth album, 'Born To Kill’ tomorrow, Friday 8th May, via Epitaph Records. It is their first record in 15 years.

'Born To Kill' is more than the conclusion to a 15-year wait between Social Distortion albums, it’s a revelation: 11 songs of pure, unadulterated rock fury, joy and catharsis, all imbued with the signature blend of defiance and world-weariness that has made Ness a poet and sage to the dispossessed for more than 40 years.

Hailed by ROLLING STONE as “still full of piss and vinegar," Born To Kill wastes no time letting the listener know where its heart is: its hard-charging title track — closing in on 3 million streams in the month since it dropped — paying respects to Lou Reed ("Rock ’n’ Roll Animal gonna come your way!”) and Iggy and the Stooges (“The agenda is yeah to Search and Destroy”) and lionizing David Bowie (“It’s a Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide”) on the newly released “Partners In Crime.” This is a man, a band, and a record that wear their influences proudly while creating timeless anthems and ballads that both chart Social Distortion’s path forward and celebrate its storied past: “Tonight” and “The Way Things Were” are emotionally charged reminiscences in the vein of classics like “Story of My Life” from the band’s eponymous 1990 breakthrough and “I Was Wrong” from 1996’s White Light, White Heat, White Trash, the latter containing a potent distillation of the Social D ethos: "I wrote a song with a stolen riff / If you ain’t got a song you ain’t got shit.”

The track listing for Born To Kill is:

1. Born To Kill

2. No Way Out

3. The Way Things Were

4. Tonight

5. Partners In Crime

6. Crazy Dreamer

7. Wicked Game

8. Walk Away (Don’t Look Back)

9. Never Goin’ Back Again

10. Don’t Keep Me Hanging On

11. Over You

WATCH 'THE ROAD TO BORN TO KILL' SHORT DOCUMENTARY HERE

Co-produced by Ness and Dave Sardy, and featuring guest appearances from Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Lucinda Williams and collaborative cover art by Ness and Shepard Fairey, 'Born To Kill' is the latest installment in a remarkable catalog that spans nearly three generations, including Mommy’s Little Monster (1983), Prison Bound (1988), the RIAA gold-certified Social Distortion (1990) and Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell (1992), White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996), Sex, Love and Rock ’n’ Roll (2004), and Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes (2011).

Social Distortion will support Born To Kill with an extensive European tour this Summer, including two UK dates at Download Festival and London's Koko. The tour will also cover Norway, Sweden, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, and Benelux.

03 June - Sentrum Scene - Oslo, Norway
04 June - Sweden Rock - Solvesborg, Sweden
06 June - Rock Im Park - Nürnberg, Germany
07 June - Rock Am Ring - Nurburg, Germany
09 June - Columbiahalle - Berlin, Germany
11 June - Rock For People - Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
12 June - Nova Rock Festival - Nickelsdorf, Austria
14 June - Download Festival - Donington, United Kingdom
16 June - Koko - London, United Kingdom
18 June - Hellfest - Clisson, France
20 June - Azkena Rock Festival - Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
23 June - Carroponte - Milan, Italy
24 June - Halle 622 - Zurich, Switzerland
26 June - Vainstream - Munster, Germany
27 June - Copenhell - Copenhagen, Denmark
29 June - Amsterdamse Bos Theatre - Amsterdam, Netherlands
30 June - Docks - Hamburg, Germany
02 July - Les Eurockéennes - Belfort, France
03 July - Rock Werchter - Werchter, Belgium
04 July - Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion - Dresden, Germany

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE

WATCH 'BORN TO KILL' VIDEO HERE

WATCH 'PARTNERS IN CRIME' LYRIC VIDEO HERE

WATCH 'THE WAY THINGS WERE’ LYRIC VIDEO HERE

PRE-ORDER/PRE-SAVE 'BORN TO KILL' HERE

DEVIN TOWNSEND announces METAMORPHOSIS Solo UK & European Tour 2026

2026-05-05T10:05:19.554+01:00

DEVIN TOWNSEND announces METAMORPHOSIS Solo UK & European Tour 2026

www.hevydevy.com

Forging a career over four decades in countless genres, Devin Townsend has reached cult status in the progressive-metal world for his polymathic talent and continual pushing of the envelope.

In 2025, after a career including iconic performances at Royal Albert Hall and multiple world tours, Townsend announced an indefinite hiatus from touring. Having then delivered the live debut in Groningen of ‘The Moth’, his most ambitious work to date, it was only natural to need a break. Townsend returned home to complete the studio album of ‘The Moth’ (out 29th May on InsideOut Music) and to rebuild himself in preparation for the next stage.

According to Townsend; “The Moth feels like the culmination of all my musical experiences and my journey in life so far. And as ‘The Moth’ spreads its wings, I’m also aware of how much I’ve changed, and consequently how much remains to be expressed.”

He continues “The making of this album took me on quite a journey of self-exploration. This opportunity to get out there, tell my story with this renewed clarity, celebrate my entire anthology of music across a variety of projects (and the stories behind them) offers an opportunity to connect with the audience who made this all happen and do what I love in the process: Play music. I’ve been told ‘The Moth’ seems like my life’s work and I would agree, though it was a life that no longer exists. Moving into this new life is the path now, and these events offer an introduction to that.”

This welcomed change of heart should likely appeal to a legion of loyal fans worldwide, who now have the opportunity to watch Devin Townsend perform a range of tracks from his 31-strong studio album discography across a range of different artist projects including Punky Brüster, Casualties of Cool, Devin Townsend Project and the genre-defining Strapping Young Lad.

The ‘Metamorphosis’ solo tour offers a rare unfiltered opportunity to see Devin Townsend back on stage, performing solo at 23 shows across 10 different countries in the UK and Europe. In typical Devin Townsend fashion, expect the unexpected with a varied set list that will doubtless change night by night, and of course a few (bizarre) surprises along the way.

To those fans who were hoping to see Devin Townsend perform ‘The Moth’ live complete with world-class band, orchestra and choir, he admits “If the audience at large desires this, I would love to, but let’s walk again before we fly =).” He admits “I’m just looking forward to seeing you all again, singing and playing the music from this vast catalogue and discussing the stories behind it all. Thank you and I so look forward to seeing you all again.”

Devin Townsend’s latest studio album ‘The Moth’ is out worldwide on 29th May courtesy of Inside Out Music (Sony Music). Pre-order now here: https://dvn.lnk.to/TheMoth

Devin Townsend ‘Metamorphosis’ Solo UK & European Tour 2026

General sale 8th May 10am BST.

Tickets & info: www.hevydevy.com

Tue 1 Sep - BIRMINGHAM - GLEE CLUB

Wed 2 Sept - BATH - KOMEDIA

Thu 3 Sep - SOUTHAMPTON - 1865

Fri 4 Sep - EXETER - PHOENIX

Sun 6 Sep - LONDON - UNION CHAPEL

Mon 7 Sep - OSLO - SENTRUM SCENE

Wed 9 Sep - GOTHENBURG - PUSTERVIK

Thu 10 Sep - STOCKHOLM - NYA CIRKUS

Sat 12 Sep - HELSINKI - FINLANDIA TALO

Tue 15 Sep - HAMBURG - MARKTHALLE

Wed 16 Sep - WARSAW - STODOLA

Fri 18 Sep - VIENNA - SIMM CITY

Sun 20 Sep - ZURICH - VOLKHAUS

Tue 22 Sep - PARIS - LE BATACLAN

Wed 23 Sep - MARSEILLE - LE SILO

Sat 26 Sep - MUNICH - WERK 7 THEATRE

Mon 28 Sep - COLOGNE - STADTHALLE

Tue 29 Sep - UTRECHT - TIVOLI GZ

Thu 1 Oct - BRIGHTON - OLD MARKET

Fri 2 Oct - CARDIFF - THE GATE

Sun 4 Oct - GLASGOW - ORAN MOR

Mon 5 Oct - MANCHESTER - RNCM

Tue 6 Oct - LEEDS - HOWARD ASSEMBLY ROOMS

DEVIN TOWNSEND online:

http://www.hevydevy.com

http://www.facebook.com/dvntownsend

http://www.omerch.com

https://www.patreon.com/cw/DevinTownsend

https://twitter.com/dvntownsend

https://www.instagram.com/dvntownsend/

www.tiktok.com/@dvntownsend

https://www.youtube.com/user/poopynuggeteer/featured

http://twitch.tv/devin_townsend

INSIDEOUTMUSIC online:

www.insideoutmusic.com

www.youtube.com/InsideOutMusicTV

www.facebook.com/InsideOutMusic

www.twitter.com/insideouteu

CITOVITZ AND THE FIREFLIES OF FEBRUARY Release New Album "For The Hawk"

2026-05-04T15:33:00.008+01:00

CITOVITZ AND THE FIREFLIES OF FEBRUARY Release New Album "For The Hawk" & Lyric Video 'I Don't Have To Hide' on Star Wars Day, May 4th!

Some albums are planned. Some are demanded — by grief, by love, by the kind of loss that leaves a silence so wide you have no choice but to fill it with the only thing you know.

“For The Hawk” is the new release from Citovitz and The Fireflies of February — the recording project of Polish-born guitarist, composer, and songwriter Andrzej Citowicz, based in Cairo, Egypt. It is available now on all major streaming platforms worldwide. And it arrives on a date that was never truly a coincidence. The official lyric video for 'I Don't Have To Hide' — released also today with the album premiere, May 4th — is available now on YouTube: https://youtu.be/id41xCN6u8Y?si=KxZJTsx1GD8yoU6l

May 4th. Star Wars Day. The day the world celebrates the Light Side of the Force.

He was always Light Side. Not once. Not ever, did he choose anything else.

THE HAWK
His name is not printed here. Those who knew him need no introduction. Those who didn't will understand everything they need to know from the music itself.

He was a friend. A mentor. A father figure to both Andrzej and his wife Shereen Shoukry Citowicz. He stood quietly in the background for years — never asking for recognition, never needing applause — and made everything around him better simply by being present. He was the kind of person who would die for the people he loved without hesitation, and never once mention it afterward. The kind of person the world produces rarely and loses too soon.

He was also a devoted Star Wars fan. A Light Side soul in every sense of that phrase — not as metaphor, but as lived practice. He chose good not because it was easy or rewarded or noticed, but because that was simply who he was.

"He stood in the background so we could stand at all. He never asked for anything. He gave everything. Love was not something he spoke about — it was something he did. Every single day." — Andrzej Citowicz

When he was gone, Andrzej and Shereen faced what so many have faced before them — the impossible task of responding to an absence that language cannot adequately address. They did what they have always done. They turned to music.

A BLESSING, A CURSE, AND THE WEIGHT OF FRIENDSHIP
For The Hawk did not begin as an album. It began as a song — Love Is All We Need — written in the spirit of Bon Jovi, warm and wide open and completely unapologetic in its belief that love is the hardest, strongest, most load-bearing thing a human being can carry. Shereen wrote the lyrics as a tribute. As his message, returned to the world in the only form she and Andrzej knew how to give it.

Then the grief kept arriving. And the songs kept coming with it.

This Is One's For the Hawk. We Are The Good Guys. I Don't Have To Hide. Love Is All We Need. Each track arrived from the same source — the specific, irreplaceable ache of losing someone who shaped you. Someone whose guidance you did not fully appreciate until the guidance was no longer there. Someone whose friendship was so present, so reliable, so quietly foundational, that you only began to understand its full weight when it was no longer something you could reach for.

"Music is all I can give back. If there is any paying back for his love, his friendship, his heart held out for both of us — for me and for Shereen — then this is it. Every note. Every lyric. Every song on this record." — Andrzej Citowicz

“For The Hawk” is not a grief project. It is a friendship project. It is a record about the people who stand in the background and hold everything together — unseen, unrewarded, irreplaceable. About the loyalty that does not announce itself. About the loss that does not diminish but deepens everything it touches.

Andrzej and Shereen have faced much in recent years. Loss upon loss. The kind of accumulation that would silence many artists. Instead, it has done the opposite — driving both of them deeper into the work, further into the honesty that has always defined Citovitz and The Fireflies of February at their best.

MAY THE 4TH BE WITH HIM
The choice of May 4th as the release date arrived with the particular logic of things that feel inevitable in retrospect. Star Wars Day. The day the galaxy celebrates the Light Side. The Jedi. The ones who chose good because it was right, not because it was easy — who stood in the fire and did not become it.

He was exactly that.

"I told myself it was coincidence. I know now that it was not. He was always Light Side. This was always his day." — Andrzej Citowicz

On the day of the album's premiere, a special official lyrics video was released for I Don't Have To Hide — one of the most intimate tracks on the record. A song about the freedom that comes from being fully known and fully accepted by another person. The kind of freedom H gave to everyone around him, simply by being who he was.

THE MUSIC: CITOWICZ WITH GUITAR IN HAND
Musically, For The Hawk is unmistakably Andrzej Citowicz. The guitar is first. It is always first. Modern technology surrounds it — the home studio in Cairo, the production, the arrangements — but the heart of every track beats with the same pulse it always has: a guitarist who grew up in Wałbrzych, Poland, absorbing Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Desmond Child, and the great power ballad tradition of the late 1980s and early 1990s as if his life depended on it.

Because in some ways, it did.

That DNA runs through every track on this album — the melodic hooks, the emotional guitar work, the cinematic arrangements that make vulnerability feel enormous rather than small. Phil Collen's harmonized leads. The Bon Jovi warmth that turns a love song into a declaration. The Def Leppard wall of sound that makes a chorus feel like the world opening up.

But For The Hawk is not nostalgia. It is a man with a guitar and fifty years of scars, writing songs for someone who mattered, in the only musical language that has ever felt completely honest to him.

"The guitar is always first. Modern technology helps me build what I hear. But what I hear — I have been hearing since the early 90s. That has never changed. And with this album, more than any before it, I did not want it to change." — Andrzej Citowicz

SHEREEN: THE LYRICAL SOUL
Shereen Shoukry Citowicz is not a supporting presence on this record. She is one of its two central voices. Her lyrics — on Love Is All We Need and throughout the album's emotional architecture — carry the particular honesty of someone who has processed grief not as a subject but as a lived experience, and found a way to transform it into something that reaches far beyond the personal.

After nearly 18 years of marriage, Andrzej and Shereen have built a creative partnership that continues to deepen and surprise. She gives him words he could not find alone. He gives her music that carries those words further than either of them could go separately. For The Hawk is their most unified and most personal collaboration to date.

"Without her — there would be nothing. Not the music. Not the courage to finish it. Not the reason to begin again every time the silence got too heavy. She is not just the person I come home to. She is the reason the guitar sounds the way it does." — Andrzej Citowicz

AVAILABLE NOW
For The Hawk is available now on all major streaming platforms worldwide. The official lyric video for 'I Don't Have To Hide' — released on the day of the album premiere, May 4th, 2026 — is available now on YouTube: https://youtu.be/id41xCN6u8Y?si=KxZJTsx1GD8yoU6l

This is independent music in the truest sense. No label. No industry machine. Just a home studio in Cairo, a guitar, a marriage built partly on music, and the memory of a man who deserved to be honoured in the only way Andrzej and Shereen know how.

"May the Force be with him. It always was. Light Side. Forever." — Andrzej Citowicz

TRACK CREDITS
Music & Guitars: Andrzej Citowicz
Lyrics: Andrzej Citowicz / Shereen Shoukry Citowicz
Recorded & Arranged: 2026
Premiere Lyrics Video: I Don't Have To Hide — May 4th, 2026
Artist: Citovitz and The Fireflies of February
Dedicated to: H — Light Side. Forever. 🦅

STREAM & WATCH
ARTIST CONTACTS & LINKS:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7aIeg5DyI7xwkYLsBgJNWf
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AndrzejCitowicz
Instagram: https://instagram.com/citovitz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/citovitz/

℗© 2026 Citovitz and The Fireflies of February / Andrzej Citowicz

NERVED - Kompromat

2026-04-29T15:16:00.002+01:00

“Kompromat” is an album built on reinvention. Earlier material is dismantled and rebuilt with artistic intent that reshapes the band’s entire work. The title itself is KGB slang for compromising material used to manipulate or rewrite narratives. Instead of preserving their past, NERVED has deconstructed it, asking what these songs could become once freed from their original constraints.

The roster of guest artists reflects the scale of that ambition. Leading Swedish metal voices like Jens Westin (Corroded), Zak Tell (Clawfinger) and Richard Sjunnesson (The Unguided) bring distinct vocal identities from across the heavy‑music spectrum, while guitarists such as Pontus Norberg (Hammerfall) and Thobbe Englund (Sabaton) add both precision and personality.

The album consists of 9 songs for 32 minutes of music. The first track Don't Lie opens with an Industrial mood and with a heavy riff (what a sound!). The vocals are punchy, energetic, and catchy at the same time. A great opener and a great start. Takin' Its Tall has a Punk Rock attitude with the usual quality on vocals, with a super catchy chorus. Great drumming and slower pace for Set Fire to The Rain, intense and epic with a fantastic chorus. This is probably my favourite song on the album, if I have to choose one.

Track number four, Disclosure, delivers head-banging energy, and the switch between vocals is fantastic (great guitar solo too), and I love the energy and the drumming on the following I Rise. After an intro, The Lid starts with a "Dance" vibe to go back to a heavy mood very soon, with a very interesting contrast between the heavy music and the melodic vocals, very inspired. Another intro brings us to the last track, Scars, with a heavy and full arrangement and with another fantastic chorus, amazingly performed and inspired. There is an unexpected rap part in the second half of the song, overall very interesting and catchy.

“Kompromat” is a quality album from every point of view: production, arrangement, performance and songwriting. With a lot of variety and with many important guests. I totally recommend a listen. Give it a go by clicking on the Spotify player below, and follow the band as well if you like what you hear.

Website
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook

Sweet Mess - Let's Just Go

2026-04-23T08:11:00.000+01:00

Sweet Mess is a Phoenix-based rock band that started in 2018 as a high‑energy tribute to the greatest female rock icons. Founded by drummer Michael Hayes and vocalist Sylvie, the band quickly became known for electrifying shows celebrating legends like Pat Benatar, Heart, Joan Jett, Blondie, The Cranberries, and more.

The lineup is Sylvie (vocals), Fer Lopez (guitar), Rob Watson (bass), and Michael Hayes (drums). They built a strong reputation across Arizona with their interactive, theatrical performances and crowd‑driven energy.

I love the mood of their new single called Just Let Go. The song is energetic, catchy, and old-style with powerful but melodic vocals and an infectious mood. The song features a fantastic guitar solo as well. Super recommended, give it a go on the Spotify player below.

Follow Sweet Mess

Website: sweetmessrocks.com
Facebook & Instagram: @sweetmessrocks
Spotify & YouTube: Sweet Mess

Finnish Heavy Metallers DEMONESSA Announce Debut Album "Wild 'N' Loud"

2026-04-14T07:02:00.005+01:00

DEMONESSA announce their long-awaited debut album, entitled "Wild 'N' Loud", coming out May 1st.

"Wild 'N' Loud" is a love letter to all the greatest hits from the ‘80s heavy metal scene with big, arena-shaking choruses, thundering drum beats and hard rocking guitar riffs that will inspire the next generation of rock ’n’ roll stars. The sound of the album is overall very reminiscent of that old school tone, but with a modern twist to it, so it doesn't sound like it actually came out 40 years ago.

The band stated on the album:
"A few standout tracks for the members themselves have to be the opener "Till Death Do Us Part", because it brings together everything we've learned to love about heavy metal music, "High Voltage Renegade", the follow-up song with its fast-paced, hard-rocking energy that perfectly kicks off the rest of the album, "I Stand Alone" which will surely top the charts in 20 years, like any good old power ballad did back in the days and "We Rule the Night" simply for how much fun it is to play live."

"The album was a long time coming, as we wanted to make sure everything was on point and everyone was fully behind the final result that would be the band's first real introduction to the listeners. The music for the album was written by the guitarist John Creweholm, but every band member had a chance to add their own twists and turns for each song as they saw fit, while the vast majority of lyrics and vocal melodies were the singer, Senja’s, territory. The songs were recorded mainly in the band's rehearsal room and mixed and mastered by the great Aleksis Pelli at Mix Studio 1101. One of our biggest challenges was getting the drums to sound just right, but with his magic touch they sound like cannons from hell with every beat, as they do live."

A couple of 'must-listen' songs that define the album:
- "Till Death Do Us Part" - The opening track, the bread and butter of the album, the song meant to hook listeners immediately. The song's message can be interpreted as either a love story gone horribly wrong the toxic way or an addiction that will take you to your grave.
- "I Stand Alone" - The token ballad of the album. A story about losing the people you love as time goes on and everyone starts going their own way, but you still have to stay strong, true to yourself and move on.
- "A Knife to a Gunfight" - An explosive ending for the album that takes the listener on the ride of a lifetime with the amazing vocals, cool riffs, and crazy solos. It's about falling in love with someone, when you're not ready yet, and it feels unfair.

More on Demonessa:
Demonessa is a heavy metal band from Tampere, Finland, carving its path with pure power and attitude. Formed in 2019, the band combines the explosive force of 80’s heavy metal with the spectacle of glam metal creating an experience that must be witnessed live.

Photo by Nadja Tonkoshkur

Line-up:
Senja - Vocals
John Creweholm - Guitars
Hugo M. Raze - Guitars
Peet von Rowanskerry - Bass
Jones “Pugnax Vehemens” Tervas - Drums

More information:
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Demonessa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/demonessaofficial
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1VE0mtJfuhaipbhSp71OVt
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/demonessa/1752566908
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9M-icwvJgadP22iKvgvuRQ
TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@demonessaofficial
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61587941337019
Bandcamp: https://demonessa.bandcamp.com/

PEACEVILLE ANNOUNCE NEWLY REMASTERED CD EDITIONS OF THREE ICONIC AT THE GATES ALBUMS

2026-04-10T10:51:00.003+01:00

PEACEVILLE ANNOUNCE NEWLY REMASTERED CD EDITIONS OF THREE ICONIC AT THE GATES ALBUMS SET FOR RELEASE ON 22^ND MAY

THE RED IN THE SKY IS OURS, WITH FEAR I KISS THE BURNING DARKNESS & TERMINAL SPIRIT DISEASE

ALL REMASTERED BY THE LEGENDARY DAN SWANÖ AT UNISOUND STUDIOS

Three landmark releases from Swedish melodic death metal pioneers At The Gates are set to return on 22nd May with newly remastered CD editions, bringing together a crucial era in the band’s groundbreaking early catalogue. Spanning their formative trilogy, these reissues capture the evolution of a band that helped define the Gothenburg sound and reshape extreme metal in the early 1990s.

This trio of reissues begins with their 1992 debut, ‘The Red in the Sky Is Ours’, a raw and innovative statement of intent originally released via Peaceville’s Deaf imprint. Emerging from the ashes of the band Grotesque, At The Gates introduced a uniquely intricate and brutal sound, elevated by unexpected elements such as violin arrangements. Widely regarded as a genre classic, the album’s intensity and originality - highlighted by standout tracks like ‘Kingdom Gone’ - set the blueprint for what would follow.

Their 1993 follow-up, ‘With Fear I Kiss the Burning Darkness’, marked a significant progression in both ambition and execution. Recorded at the legendary Sunlight Studios and produced by Tomas Skogsberg, the album expanded the band’s sonic palette with complex melodic structures, philosophical lyricism, and subtle black metal influences. A defining release for many longtime fans, it also features a guest appearance by Matti Kärki of Dismember.

Completing the set is 1994’s ‘Terminal Spirit Disease’, the band’s third album and a pivotal moment in their artistic development. Showcasing a more streamlined and immediate songwriting approach, the album balances aggression with accessibility, paving the way for the refined direction later heard on ‘Slaughter of the Soul’. Its dynamic and memorable compositions further cemented At The Gates’ status as leaders of the European death metal movement.

EACH OF THESE EDITIONS IS PRESENTED ON JEWEL CASE CD WITH BOOKLETS FAITHFUL TO THE ORIGINAL RELEASES, AND ALL FEATURE NEWLY REMASTERED, BAND-APPROVED AUDIO BY RENOWNED PRODUCER DAN SWANÖ AT UNISOUND STUDIOS. PRE-ORDER HERE.

Formed in Gothenburg in 1990, At The Gates quickly rose through the ranks of the burgeoning Scandinavian death metal scene, forging a style that fused technical precision, melodic complexity, and uncompromising aggression. Across four influential studio albums before their initial split in 1996, the band established a legacy that would continue long after their reformation in 2007, both on stage and in the studio, until the recent passing of iconic vocalist Tomas Lindberg.

MONO Announces 13th Studio Album ‘Snowdrop' / Expands World Tour

2026-04-08T16:50:13.908+01:00

MONO Announces 13th Studio Album ‘Snowdrop' / Expands World Tour

LISTEN TO: WINTER DAPHNE

Snowdrop is the band's first album made with Brad Wood (Touché Amore, The Smashing Pumpkins), following the passing of longtime collaborator and friend, Steve Albini. Snowdrop is out June 12, 2026 (Temporary Residence).

MONO's "Winter Daphne" Statement

"The language of flowers for the Winter Daphne is 'the final surge of life', 'glory' and 'eternity'.

In the looming moment of the final parting, life erupted with a sense of pride. Our shared memories surged back like a revolving lantern. Then, a stillness slowly arrived and you transformed into light, departing peacefully for heaven.”

PRE-ORDER: SNOWDROP

SNOWDROP TRAILER

"Without exception, everyone will eventually depart this world and face the parting from their loved ones. Through this album, we wished to express our "eternal gratitude" to those precious people who walked alongside us on the journey of life. We believe this sentiment is the only thing capable of filling the void left in our hearts and easing the profound sorrow and pain of loss.

Every flower carries its own unique language. For this album, we incorporated the messages imbued in flowers given to those who have passed into the titles of our songs.

Our hope is that this album serves as a source of light and hope for those who have lost someone dear." - MONO

When MONO recorded their previous album, OATH, with longtime production partner and friend, Steve Albini in 2023, they never fathomed that it would be the final studio album they made together. Albini tragically died the following year, and that loss left an incalculable void in the lives of not just everyone who ever knew Steve, but everyone with an attachment to any of the thousands of records he helped bring into world over the past four decades. He brought a clarity to the chaos, and a selfless sense of service to art and artists that was unrivaled. On both a personal and practical level, the loss left MONO faced with profound grief and uncertainty. Albini had become a fundamental part of MONO’s unmistakable sound, and the thought of replacing him was daunting, to say the least. Enter: Brad Wood (Touché Amoré, The Smashing Pumpkins).

Chosen for both his familiarity with MONO’s creative and technical working process – as well as his decades-long friendship with Steve Albini – Brad Wood entered Albini’s storied Electrical Audio studios in September 2025 to record what would become Snowdrop. Once again working with Chicago-based conductor and orchestral musical director, Chad McCullough, MONO enlisted a 10-piece orchestra as well as an 8-piece choir for the eight massive pieces that make up Snowdrop. With the band performing and Wood recording in the same hallowed space where most of MONO’s records had been made in their quarter-century history, the songs on Snowdrop carry an extra weight. Mixed by Wood at his Seagrass home studio in Los Angeles, the album is equally intimate and enveloping.

Where there could easily be a pall hanging over Snowdrop, there is instead an extraordinary air of gratitude. Rather than steep in heartache, there is a poignant appreciation for the resonance of life well-spent with a dear friend – and the yearning for what may come. Snowdrop is the sound of a band turning shock and sadness into hope and wonder – and finding renewed focus in the freedom of unknowing.

TRACK LISTING:

1. Snowdrop

2. Winter Daphne

3. Gerbera

4. Statice

5. Herdera

6. Shion

7. Bells of Ireland

8. Farewell to Spring

TOUR DATES

ASIA 2026

Jul 3, 2026 / JP Tokyo / Spotify O-East
Jul 5, 2026 / JP Osaka / Yogibo Holy Mountain
Jul 10, 2026 / KR Seoul / Sangsang Madang
Jul 11, 2026 / TW Taipei / Sub Live
Jul 12, 2026 / HK Hong Kong / TIDES
Jul 14, 2026 / SG Singapore / Annexe Studio

EUROPE 2027

Jan 30, 2027 / DE Berlin / Metropol
Jan 31, 2027 / DE Dresden / Beatpol
Feb 1, 2027 / DE Munich / Strom
Feb 3, 2027 / CH Bern / Dachstock
Feb 4, 2027 / FR Lyon / Marché Gare
Feb 6, 2027 / ES Barcelona / Sala Apolo
Feb 7, 2027 / ES Valencia / Sala Jerusalem
Feb 8, 2027 / ES Madrid / Sala But
Feb 10, 2027 / PT Lisbon / Lisboa ao Vivo
Feb 11, 2027 / PT Porto / Mouco
Feb 13, 2027 / ES San Sebastian / Dabadaba Club
Feb 14, 2027 / FR Mérignac / Le Krakatoa
Feb 15, 2027 / FR Nantes / Stereolux
Feb 16, 2027 / FR Paris / Cabaret Sauvage
Feb 17, 2027 / NL Utrecht / TivoliVredenburg
Feb 18, 2027 / BE Brussels / Le Botanique
Feb 20, 2027 / UK London / Electric Ballroom

AUSTRALIA 2027

Apr 22, 2027 / AU Brisbane / The Tivoli
Apr 23, 2027 / AU Sydney / Manning Bar
Apr 24, 2027 / AU Melbourne / Max Watts
Apr 25, 2027 / AU Adelaide / The Gov
Apr 27, 2027 / AU Perth / The Rechabite

https://www.monoofjapan.com

Bristol’s Progressive Sludge Quartet URZAH share new single 'Hunter in the Veil'

2026-04-07T14:42:00.001+01:00

Bristol’s Progressive Sludge Quartet URZAH share new single 'Hunter in the Veil'

Credit Naomi Jane Photography

Sophomore album ‘A Tranquil Void’ released 5th June 2026 on APF Records

Formed in 2020, just before the pandemic hit, Urzah’s intensely collaborative and productive writing process was immediately evident, leading to the quick release of self-titled EPs ‘I’ (2020) and ‘II’ (2022). These laid the foundation for Urzah’s unique brand of ‘progressive sludge’. Inviting comparisons to Neurosis, DVNE, Mastodon and Elder, their forward-looking sound combines the abrasive elements of punk and post-hardcore with atmospheric post-metal passages and soaring melodies.

Urzah’s vision of ‘Earthen Heaviness’, combining oppressive darkness with moments of transcendence and cosmic awe, was realised on their critically acclaimed debut LP ‘The Scorching Gaze’ (2024, APF Records). The band’s sonic world draws on both the intensely personal – rage, loss, grief and self-doubt – and a profound awe and vulnerability in the face of the celestial and natural worlds, framing visceral human struggle within vast cycles of death, decay and rebirth.

Since their debut, Urzah has refined their live shows across the UK, playing festivals and headline shows, and sharing stages with a diverse roster of heavy bands including Bongzilla, Tuskar, Mastiff, Greenleaf, OHHMS and Dopelord, as well as progressive atmospheric bands such as Hidden Mothers, Underdark and Nadja, demonstrating their strong cross-genre appeal.

The band recently announced that they are set to release new LP ‘A Tranquil Void on 5th June 2026 via APF Records. The record marks a defining moment for the band, following up their critically acclaimed debut ‘A Scorching Gaze’ (2024, APF) with an even more assured, mature and ambitious full-length. Conceptually, ‘The Scorching Gaze’ and ‘A Tranquil Void’ function as a visual, musical and thematic diptych; where their debut burned brightly with the rage and destruction of an erupting volcano, their new LP captures the cathartic, contemplative still that follows.

2nd single "Hunter in the Veil”, according to the band, "draws on mythic symbolism and elemental imagery to explore cycles of power, death, and renewal. A graceful but menacing feminine presence, the Wolfess evoked in the track exists between worlds as an archetypal force. Death and transformation are portrayed as sacred processes rather than endings, and the sombre outro expresses how our bodily ash returns to the soil and our memories feed rebirth.”

Listen now: https://lnkfi.re/fxvly4rj // https://youtu.be/mbtTWb9Yc_4

‘In the Mouth of the Wolf’ examines forgiveness and personal healing, while previous single ‘Infernal Star I’ reflects on the power of memory and connection to cast light in the darkness of a vast and uncharted universe. Other tracks grapple with overcoming grief (‘The Call Beneath’), rejecting apathy for aspiration (‘At the Mouth of the Cave’) and creating art and meaning in spite of adversity (‘Bark & Branches’).

Across 8 tracks, ‘A Tranquil Void’ pushes Urzah’s sound even further, combining brutal riffs, complicated meter and searing guitar tone with deeper explorations of space, dynamics and atmosphere, incorporating folk influences and drones built from cello and guitar. 13-minute album closer ‘Entwined, Twisted Roots of Chaos’ sees Urzah at their most ambitious; across multiple interlocking sections, enriched by guest vocals from friends in the Bristol scene, the song builds from a haunting whisper to a planet-obliterating roar.

‘A Tranquil Void’ Cover Art (Credit: Putra Satria Nugraha)

ALBUM TRACK LIST

1. At the Mouth of the Cave

2. The Call Beneath

3. Infernal Star I

4. Infernal Star II

5. Bark & Branches

6. In the Mouth of the Wolf

7. Hunter in the Veil [2^nd single]

8. Entwined, Twisted Roots of Chaos

Recorded at Stage 2 Studios, Bath, in November 2025, the LP was produced, mixed and mastered by Josh Gallop. Cello was provided by Luke Clemenger, with additional vocals from Dave Cook (Empire of Dust), Chris Wilson (Row of Ashes) and Victoria Bourne (The Spark’s Desire). The album artwork was created by Indonesian artist Putra Satria Nugraha.

ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY, EXCHANGE BRISTOL – 25th July 2026

To celebrate the release of their new album, Urzah are hosting a launch party at Exchange Bristol (main room) on Saturday 25th July with special guests HUNDRED YEAR OLD MAN, MOUNTAINSCAPE and DEAD SPACE CHAMBER MUSIC.

Urzah are proud to be part of Bristol’s thriving and diverse music scene, so this specially curated line-up is intended to showcase the best cutting-edge, genre-defying and progressive heavy music.

This immersive, atmospheric and crushingly heavy night will feature experimental gothic doom from Dead Space Chamber Music (Bristol), soaring cinematic post-metal from Mountainscape (Reading), crushing atmospheric post-metal from Hundred Year Old Man (Leeds), and brand-new material from Urzah’s long-awaited sophomore album ‘A Tranquil Void’.

LIMITED EDITION ‘SUPERNOVA’ VINYL VARIANT – https://apfrecords.co.uk/albums/a-tranquil-void

To celebrate Urzah’s new album, APF Records will be offering a limited-edition vinyl. The ‘Supernova’ variant features a blue and white burst, evoking the celestial vortex of the LP artwork.

URZAH LIVE:

Saturday 23rd May - Bristol, Loco Klub (Temple of Doom festival)

Friday 29th May - Bath, The Bell

Wednesday 10th June - Portsmouth, Edge of the Wedge

Thursday 11th June - Brighton, The Pipeline

Friday 12th June - Kent, Poco Loco, Chatham

Saturday 13th June - London, The Devonshire Arms, Camden

Friday June 26th - Newport, McCann's Rock N Ale Bar

Sunday June 28th - Torquay, Arena

Saturday 25th July - Bristol Album Launch Party, Exchange

Saturday 1st August - Chelmsford - Bay Days Festival

URZAH ARE:

Ed Fairman - Vocals / Guitar

Tom McElveen - Vocals / Guitar

Dan Bradley - Bass

James Brown – Drums

Listen to previous single: 'Infernal Star I’ - https://lnkfi.re/teVrV8bO

BAND INFO:

Urzah are a progressive sludge metal band from Bristol.

Genre: sludge, doom, post-metal, post-hardcore

FFO: Elder, DVNE, Russian Circles, Neurosis, Mastodon, Herod

Urzah website and socials

APF band profile

SHOOTING DAGGERS SHARE NEW SINGLE/VIDEO FOR ‘GLOW’ FEATURING REFUSED’S DENNIS LYXZÉN

2026-04-02T10:36:00.001+01:00

SHOOTING DAGGERS SHARE NEW SINGLE/VIDEO FOR ‘GLOW’ FEATURING REFUSED’S DENNIS LYXZÉN

NEW MINI-ALBUM ’THE REAL LIFE THING’ RELEASED 5TH JUNE (NEW HEAVY SOUNDS)

Shooting Daggers are a band that never seems to stop. Sal, Bea and Raquel are one of the hardest working outfits out there, constantly playing shows and lending their support to myriad causes all around the U.K. and Europe.

So, it’s always an exciting prospect when the band takes some time out from the maelstrom to write and record new material.

And two years on from the release of their acclaimed debut album ‘Love & Rage’ the band have been in Bear Bites Horse Studio with Wayne Adams (Big Lad, Green Lung) at the controls to come up with the goods once again.

‘The Real Life Thing’ is the latest hardcore sonic missive from one of London’s must-see bands, and it absolutely does not disappoint. Shooting Daggers are the real deal; the best, and most exciting and adventurous hardcore-inspired band in the country.

A ‘mini album‘. 7 songs and 20 minutes of driving rocket fuelled punk meets melody picking up from their debut to go further into their own space.

A selection of songs that are marked by a fierce energy, variety and cool musical nous, but always with a message firmly at its core. The band says …

"It's a crucial time to focus on what really matters. Be present, be aware of real things happening in the world, with integrity and love we can make a difference as a community. There is hope out there, and if we all start treating nature, people and animals with respect and empathy we will be able to become better humans and coexist.

In this mini album, we express the full range of our emotions through various sounds and genres. From cheerfulness to anger and hopefulness. From hardcore punk, to shoegaze, to post hardcore and riot grrrl.

We embrace our authentic self, with sensitivity in response to injustice, we act out, and all the while savouring every moment, being unapologetically yourself, empowering ourselves and each other"

With the help of some very special guests in the form of ‘The Menstrual Cramps' and Dennis Lyxzén from Refused, that message is driven home ‘big time’.

New single ‘Glow’ is the second collaboration; this one featuring Dennis Lyxzén from Refused on dual vocal duties. A no brainer it seems …The band comment,

"This track is about denouncing gender roles and respecting gender identity. Self-liberation, embracing femininity and fighting internal misogyny. Feminine isn't weak, and masculine doesn't have to be stereotypically strong.

It doesn't matter if you want to express strength in a more masculine or feminine way, anything is valid as long as you feel powerful from within. When we wrote this song we knew who we wanted to have a feature on it and we were just back from opening two shows for punk legends Refused and all of us were mesmerised by Dennis Lyxzén's stage presence.

Refused has been a band that never wanted to fit in in a specific sound, they are pioneers of experimental punk while still being rooted in hardcore. They believe in what we believe in, antifascism, veganism, social justice and Dennis on stage is anything but a generic hardcore singer. He jumps, he twirls, he dances, he dresses fancy and we knew from minute one he was the one. Of course, we had no certainty he would've said yes but we had to try. He accepted straight away and has been super supportive and collaborative of the coming of GLOW. We couldn't be more grateful.”

Dennis himself adds,

“We brought Shooting Daggers with us for a couple of shows last year on the final Refused tour. They were great of course. Radical and fun and they just seemed like great people. When they asked me if I wanted to sing on a track for their new album I did not hesitate for one second. It was a complete honor to be a part of this album and I am very much looking forward to seeing what Shooting Daggers does next. ”

The video for ‘Glow’ was filmed in a local gym in Deptford called “Comando Temple” who kindly provided the band with the space. The amazing Pride in Strength group allowed the band to film them during one of their workshops and four wrestlers from the queer wrestling company Fist Club also took time to come over and film some awesome scenes and even taught the band to wrestle. Watch the video for ’GLOW’ now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEAotpA5kws&feature=youtu.be

Listen to the track - https://cargo-independent.ffm.to/i8rz42l392

Director / Film / Edit: Corey Eyres

Dennis Lyxzén additional footage Filmed by Jakob Arevärn

This album and this band are anything but ‘generic’. They never stand still and continue to push the boundaries of what is ‘hardcore’ or ‘punk’ or whatever people think they are.

T.R.L.T. is a delight and a surprise from start to finish, refreshing, abrasive, melodic and with a true beating heart.

Embrace it.

The Real Life Thing will be released by New Heavy Sounds on limited edition shiny black vinyl and digital on June 5th.

Pre-order:

Physical: https://cargorecordsdirect.co.uk/products/shooting-daggers-the-real-life-thing

Digital: Shooting Daggers - The Real Life Thing

Bandcamp: https://shootingdaggers.bandcamp.com/album/the-real-life-thing

Upcoming shows:

April

Friday 3rd Brigthon w/Nothing works & tomar control (The Pipeline)

Saturday 4th London w/Nothing Works & Tomar control (The Blue Monk)

May

May 4th Punks For Palestine 2026 (New Cross Inn)

Follow online: https://linktr.ee/shootingdaggers

Ice of Neptune - Shots and Dollars (2026)

2026-04-01T07:45:00.002+01:00

Shots and Dollars is the second full-length release by Ice of Neptune, an independent alternative/progressive rock band formed between Italy and Greece.

Shots and Dollars is a concept album set in Chicago in 1929 and the years immediately following the Great Depression. The story opens with a boy shaped by poverty, defined by hunger, silence, and the cold that hardens his earliest ambitions. Over time, that ambition intensifies: first into determination, then into fixation.

We follow him into adulthood as he climbs through the criminal underworld, commits an impulsive murder during a robbery, and begins an unraveling that ultimately leads him back to prison, closing the tale in a tense, cyclical ending.

The album comprises 9 songs for 43 minutes of music. A dark and cinematic start (and fantastic drumming) with the opener Interrogation, a very versatile track in between many genres and perfect for a Broadway musical thanks to a great arrangement and versatile vocals. 1929, the following track, slows down the pace a bit with wind instruments in evidence but without losing the cinematic experience, with super catchy vocal lines. Another change in scenario for New Bright Star (almost a dance, I love the bass lines), and at this point in the album it's very clear that the performance/arrangement follows the mood of the story and we are going to be surprised song after song.

Electro pop vibes for The Script and Run (great backing vocals and arrangement on the first one). Despite not being my genre, I find them extremely interesting for the different solutions used. Another pleasant change of scenario with the title track, Shots and Dollars (almost western and with fantastic prog bits), probably my favourite song on the full-length, if I have to choose one. Dramatic and cinematic is Sins of Vanity, (fantastic vocals and drumming), while Fading light is a pure symphonic metal song (great riffs, solo and vocal "exchange"), while the last The curtain falls is melodic and with a captivating piano track, evolving in a uplifting tune full of lots of tasty details, change of atmospheres and the usual great vocal lines and quality arrangement. A fantastic closure for a quality album.

Shots and Dollars is a super eclectic album, amazingly written, performed and produced. It's not easy to switch between many genres while keeping the same identity. A quality work from every point of view, everything is in the right place.

Give it a go by clicking on the Spotify player below and follow Ice of Neptune as well.

Social media links
Instagram
Youtube

Progressive metal band Benthos announce UK headline shows alongside summer festival appearances

2026-03-30T15:50:20.265+01:00

Progressive metal band Benthos announce UK headline shows alongside summer festival appearances

Credit: Amalia Cicala

It has been quite a year for Italian progressive band Benthos: After releasing their sophomore album “From Nothing” last April with InsideOutMusic , the band did bring their newest record to the live stages across Europe on various festivals. Now, Benthos is ready for their UK debut: The band has announced their first UK shows for July and August this year. Additionally, the quintet is also confirmed for Midsummer Prog Festival, RADAR Festival and ArcTanGent Festival, happening in June and August. Fans and new listeners alike can expect a jazz-infused, dreamlike and powerful live stage.

Tickets for their UK shows are available under: https://ffm.live/benthos

Benthos LIVE

June 20 - Maastricht (NL) - Midsummer Prog Festival

Fri, July 31 – London (UK) – The Grace

Sat, Aug 1 – Nottingham (UK) – The Carousel

Sun, Aug 2 – Manchester (UK) – RADAR Festival

Thu, Aug 20 – Bristol (UK) – ArcTanGent Festival

The band shares about the announcement:

“We're thrilled to announce our first UK shows in London and Nottingham, alongside RADAR Festival in Manchester and ArcTanGent in Bristol. This will be our UK debut, and you really can't imagine how excited we are. British music has always been a major influence on us; we grew up on rock 'n' roll, and it's incredible to finally play where so many of our idols made – and are making – their mark.”

Benthos released their sophomore album “From Nothing” last year in April with InsideOutMusic, including the singles “As A Cordyceps”, “Pure”, “Fossil” and “Let Me Plunge”.

Stream & Order "From Nothing"

now HERE

About Benthos

From Milan, Italy, Benthos are an experimental progressive metal band blending modern prog, mathcore, and psychedelia. Defined by Metal Hammer as "The Italian prog metal merchants questioning the universe", their music twists between chaos and control, moving from delicate, jazz-tinged passages to raw, intense climaxes while exploring existential themes. Heavy yet fluid, dissonant yet melodic, Benthos thrive in contrast.

That intensity carries live. Benthos have established themselves as a compelling act in modern progressive music, pairing technical mastery with raw physical energy. Their 2025 European shows supporting Between The Buried And Me won over audiences night after night, culminating in a breakout performance at Euroblast Festival that cemented their reputation as a band to watch.

Their debut album II (Eclipse Records, 2021) introduced their adventurous and alluring blend of chaotic catharsis. With From Nothing (Inside Out Music, 2025), Benthos fully come into focus: more expansive and self-assured, the record refines their extremes into a cohesive, forward-thinking statement that won over audiences and critics alike, earning a spot in Loudwire’s Top 11 Prog Metal Albums of 2025 and placing them among the most innovative voices in modern progressive music.

+++

Benthos are

Gabriele Landillo - vocals

Gabriele Papagni - guitar

Enrico Tripodi - guitars

Alberto Fiorani – bass

Alessandro Tagliani - drums

+++

Benthos online

Website: https://benthos-band.com

Bandcamp: https://benthosmusic.bandcamp.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benthos_official/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@benthosband

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/benthosbandofficial

X: https://x.com/benthosband

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0A7v88d7h8uYeGaBhflb45?si=wDbHT4wNQOybC18JfaERAQ

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/benthos/1547293121

Ukrainian riot grrrl trio Death Pill provide update ahead of hometown show in Kyiv this week

2026-03-30T14:48:29.506+01:00

Ukrainian riot grrrl trio Death Pill provide update ahead of hometown show in Kyiv this week

Following on from their short Euro tour and appearance at the LOUD WOMEN fest in September 2025, Mariana, Natalia and Anastasiia once again went their separate ways to rest, regroup and plan. With so much going on in the world today it’s easy to forget that the war in Ukraine has now entered its fourth year, with no real end in sight.

For the band, and indeed any musicians in Ukraine the only thing to do is get on with life as much as is possible.

And such is the bond between these three women ‘getting on with it’ is always the driver, irrespective of the fact that they are in separate countries. When they told us of their latest plan to play a gig in Kyiv, we had to share it. The last time they managed that was a one-off show in 2023 prior to their first ever tour outside Ukraine, a part of which was captured in the video for ‘Monsters’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbvbiWHHB14

Plus, Dan Baskerville’s documentary film of the UK leg of that 2023 tour is available to view/stream over at Doc ‘N’ Roll TV.

https://www.docnrollfestival.com/docn-roll-tv/

Now, over to Death Pill for the latest.

“There’s been a long-standing idea within Death Pill — to bring the band back home to Kyiv. It’s something we’ve spoken about for years, trying to fit it between tours, schedules, and life in different countries. But it always felt complicated, like something that would need “the right moment.

After our UK/EU tour in 2025, we made a conscious decision to slow down — for the first time in a while, there was space to think about something more personal.

Around the same time, Nataliia planned her first trip home in three years, timing it around Easter to see family. Anastasiia also tries to return to Ukraine whenever she can, despite everything. Somehow, all of this aligned — and the idea of a Kyiv show stopped being abstract and became real.

Mariana, still based in Kyiv, has been carrying that connection to the city every day — and this show is something she’s been deeply, genuinely excited to finally make happen.

In the current reality of war, organising a gig is not just about logistics — it’s about intention. This show is not meant to be big or flashy, that didn’t feel right. Instead, we chose something closer to who we are.

The show will take place on 4th April at Теплий Ламповий (Tepliy Lampoviy — literally “Warm & Cozy”) a venue that carries its own history for the band. It’s where, about five years ago, Mariana and Anastasiia first asked Nataliia if she wanted to join Death Pill. Coming back to this space now feels like closing a circle.

When planning the show, we also knew we couldn’t approach it like a regular concert. In the current situation, trying to treat it as just another gig feels out of place — even painful. So, we decided to make it a charity show, with all proceeds going to the Front + Rear Foundation. It felt like the only honest way to do it — to keep the night meaningful not just for us, but for something bigger than us.

The lineup is just as personal: — Zombie Attack, our close friends

— Terrorscum, a band tied even closer to us

No distance, no hierarchy — just people who share the same scene, the same history.

For us, playing in Kyiv now is something deeply meaningful. It’s not just a concert — it’s a moment of return. Even briefly, it brings back a sense of life as it used to be. Seeing friends, being together, feeling present.

War changes your understanding of things. You realise how simple happiness actually is — having your health, your home, and your people nearby. That’s enough.

This show is also a chance to reconnect with family — to see loved ones who remain in Kyiv, including grandparents who have chosen to stay despite everything. It’s not an easy decision, but it’s theirs, and we understand it.

So, for us this gig is small but special. It doesn't matter how many gigs and tours you’ve made, you still belong to and are proud of your local scene.”

Tickets - https://toptickets.com.ua/events/death-pill

We only wish New Heavy Sounds could be there with them. However, Death Pill being the kind of hard working ‘pro’ outfit that they are, they’ve hatched a plan to provide a few extras. Something brand new … as Natalia says.

"It’s fabulous how 4-hour rehearsal can be helpful and productive - be ready we are dropping a single soon."

Plus, a video of that song/single captured live at the gig.

Hold on to your hats because one thing is for certain.

Nothing’s gonna keep Death Pill down.

Follow online:

https://www.facebook.com/deathpillband

https://www.instagram.com/deathpill_band/

https://deathpillgrrrlz.bandcamp.com

GODSTICKS’ NEW STUDIO ALBUM VOiD OUT TODAY

2026-03-27T12:44:00.002+00:00

GODSTICKS’ NEW STUDIO ALBUM VOiD OUT TODAY

WATCH THE NEW VIDEO FOR ‘CAN’T WITHSTAND’

The new studio album from UK heavy rock proggers Godsticks is out today. Titled VOiD, the album is the band’s heaviest, darkest and most uncompromising to date. Alongside the album release today, Godsticks have shared a new video for the single ‘Can’t Withstand’, produced by Gavin Bushell.

“Godsticks are clever, versatile bastards…hits harder and with greater intent than anything they have attempted before”

PROG MAGAZINE

“VOID is unwieldy, rhythmically extraordinarily complex, intricate”

CLASSIC ROCK DE

“Distinctive, unique, creative, clever, underrated, and passionate…44 minutes of music that works on every level”

METAL TALK UK

WATCH THE NEW VIDEO FOR CAN’T WITHSTAND

‘Can’t Withstand’ deals with learning to live with regret and the battles I have with myself to come to terms with decisions I’ve made that haven’t proved to be the right ones. Intellectually I don’t really believe in the concept of regret because it’s only possible to make choices or decisions based on the information you have at that specific time - you don’t know what the future holds and it’s difficult to predict. Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop me from constantly analysing decisions that haven’t worked out and ensuring that they meet these criteria. All this in the name of ‘Peace of mind’ which proves elusive for me as a rule.

Musically, this was easily the most fun song to both write and record. We all quickly fell in love with the disjointed guitar riff and from that point onward the song came together really quickly - a phenomenon we don’t often experience! That said, this has turned out to be by far the most difficult track to rehearse for the new live set – the guitar and vocal lines are rhythmically at war with one another and getting both in sync is so far proving an immense challenge. Come see the results for yourself next month – I will succeed! – Darran Charles

Both lyrically and musically, VOiD reflects a disillusionment with a world increasingly defined by division, ideological rigidity, and the loss of nuance. The album documents a conscious withdrawal from the noise - a retreat into a personal void.

GODSTICKS - VOiD

1. M.I.A. — 04:08

2. Hold Back — 04:41

3. Watch It Burn — 03:05

4. Master of a Plan — 04:47

5. Torn Again — 05:31

6. Can't Withstand — 05:07

7. Ruthless Coward — 04:28

8. Talking Through Walls Pt. 1 — 03:28

9. Talking Through Walls Pt. 2 — 04:30

10. Hope Is Burning — 04:55

VOiD IS OUT NOW ON PEARL SUNRISE VINYL LP, DIGIPACK CD WITH 12-PAGE PRINTED BOOKLET AND DIGITALLY -

PURCHASE VOiD (out now)

Drummer Tom Price and guitarist Gavin Bushell continue to play a vital role in the writing process, while the introduction of new bassist Francis George brings a subtle but important shift in the overall feel to the rhythm section.

“I cannot overstate the enormously positive impact Tom and Gavin have had on the writing process over the last few albums. Whilst the writing methods have rarely changed for me over the years, what has changed is that their contributions are indispensable and something I genuinely look forward to incorporating. I’ve lost count of the times on this album that they’ve provided or reinterpreted a part that has prevented the song from being binned because it wasn’t working. This is also the first time in 12 years that we’re working with a different bass player too (Francis George), and that itself has offered a fresh perspective on arrangements and influenced the overall feel to the rhythm section. It’s a little different this time around.” - Darran Charles

Having been holed up in the studio for the last 18 months, Godsticks are finally being released into the wild once more, ready for a run of UK shows and armed with new music from the new album. Guitarist and vocalist Darran Charles says it is “the toughest and most demanding record we've ever made, featuring music that has pushed us to the very extremes of what we can do as musicians.

These new shows will see a monumental release of tension and energy from this darker and angrier incarnation of Godsticks, so be prepared to be greeted with a ferocious sonic punch-in-the-face; it's one that you won’t want to miss.”

GODSTICKS UK TOUR DATES

April 17^th – London, Hope and Anchor TICKETS

April 18^th – Nottingham, The Old Sal TICKETS

April 23^rd – Manchester, Gullivers TICKETS

April 24^th – Birmingham, The Victoria TICKETS

April 25^th – Swansea, The Bunkhouse TICKETS

May 1^st – Hidden, Dundee TICKETS

May 2^nd – The Banshee Labyrinth, Edinburgh TICKETS

June 27^th – The Louisiana, Bristol TICKETS

June 28^th – The 1865, Southampton TICKETS

July 4^th – SOS Festival, Oldham TICKETS

GODSTICKS online

Website - https://kscopemusic.com/artists/godsticks/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/godsticks

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/godsticksmusic/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/godsticks

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/godsticksmusic

Zürich's FUELED BY FEAR Reinterpret A-HA's Classic Hit 'Take On Me' with Official Music Video!

2026-03-25T09:44:00.005+00:00

Zürich's FUELED BY FEAR have released their reinterpretation of A-HA's 1985 classic hit song 'Take On Me', unveiling another emotional layer hidden beneath the surface. The track is taken from the band's new EP "Ordinary Evil" (released on January 31st 2026), produced by Oscar Nilsson (The Halo Effect, The Haunted), bringing the characteristic Gothenburg metal sound to perfection at Bohus Studio. His extremely broad and uncompromisingly hard production gives Fueled By Fear their final edge – like the missing puzzle piece of their sound.

Watch the official video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwQoz6jjRzQ

Daniel Zopfi (Guitar) on 'Take On Me':
"We grew up with “Take On Me” by A-HA. it’s one of those songs that everyone knows, but we always felt there was another emotional layer hidden beneath the surface. With our version, we wanted to bring out the darker side of that feeling . the tension, the urgency, and the sense of stepping into the unknown. The video reflects that idea: being pulled between worlds, between safety and risk. It’s not just nostalgia. it’s about what that song feels like today, through our lens. We didn’t want to copy the original we wanted to reinterpret it in a way that feels honest to who we are as a band!"

Mauro Galasso (Drums) adds:
"The idea to cover “Take On Me” came up about four years ago, and at first, I honestly thought: what the hell? Turning an 80s pop classic into a metalcore / melodic death metal track just didn’t seem to make sense. At least not to me. That changed the moment I actually heard it. Once the arrangement came together, everything clicked. For the video, we leaned into that contrast. We embraced the 80s aesthetic, added a bit of parody, and mixed it with our heavier sound. It’s a tribute, but definitely not a traditional one. We shot the entire video in a single day in a small location, keeping things raw and simple, focusing on vibe over perfection. What started as a random idea turned into something we didn’t see coming. And probably not what you expect when you hear “Take On Me."

++++++

Stream, download and add to your playlists the "Ordinary Evil" EP: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1fI2HcU1Xn3qdXXiMGAu0g

Mauro Galasso (Drums) on "Ordinary Evil":
"The title Ordinary Evil is inspired by Hannah Arendt's book Eichmann in Jerusalem and her idea of the banality of evil. The realization that evil often doesn't appear as an obvious monster, but emerges through conformity, thoughtlessness, and the abdication of personal responsibility.
These thoughts feel disturbingly relevant today. Authoritarian tendencies, power figures, and oversimplification show how quickly history repeats itself when people stop thinking for themselves and find resistance too exhausting.
This confrontation also shaped our work on the EP. During the creative process, we completely questioned ourselves musically and personally. What defines us? Where do we want to go? It was a process that forced us to let go of the familiar and approach things differently. There were moments when it would have been easier to give up rather than face this confrontation. This is exactly where Ordinary Evil comes in: Don't give up. Keep going. Face the repetitions,
defend your own path, and don't let indifference win. It's worth staying committed. Creatively, humanly, defiantly. Ordinary Evil is our statement for that"

Manuel Elber (Guitar) continues:
"Imagine making a dough, only to discover that you don't like the texture. You put it back into the fridge. The next day you add a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and after processing, your dough still sucks, but not so much to scrap it. So you put it back in the fridge, thinking about what to change. Then you try to learn all the insights a baker learns in a crash course. You add your dangerous half-assed knowledge you gained and surprisingly it starts to feel better. You keep
going, learn, each time adding more to the dough and finally you have a bake-worthy consistency, so far from where you started, that it seems like magic.
For context: "Ordinary Evil" took about four years to come to life. Scrapped more times than I can count. Cost us blood, sweat and tears, caused literal breakdowns, frequent questioning of the reason why we do this. But it shaped us as musicians, as a family, as a team. The amount of things we learned, technical, recording-wise, in persistence, in constructive criticism, is something no one can take from us. And as for all endeavours this heap of maniacs is tackling: it's always evolving, always changing, following the heart with an open mind. This one, we're especially proud of!"

Daniel Zopfi (Guitar) adds:
"Ordinary Evil was written out of frustration, anger, and watching the same systems fail us over and over again. It's about how cruelty gets normalized, how power hides behind routine, and how people learn to live with injustice as long as it's quiet enough. This EP isn't subtle and it's not meant to be comfortable. It's confrontational by necessity. These songs come from a place of distrust toward empty promises, authority without accountability, and a world that keeps demanding silence and obedience. It's loud, raw, and uncompromising, fueled by everything we're done ignoring: the hypocrisy, the violence beneath the surface, and our own complicity in letting it happen. This is us calling it out, refusing to soften the message, and turning that anger into sound exactly as we feel it right now."

On the EP artwork Mauro Galasso shared:
"The cover of Ordinary Evil visually captures the central idea of the EP: Hannah Arendt's realization that evil often doesn't appear as an obvious monster, but hides behind an ordinary facade. The ancient bust, whose surface crumbles to reveal a demonic face, is deliberately chosen. Ancient busts are a core element of my visual language as an artist, but here an additional layer emerged: They represent history and human patterns that repeat themselves. The monumental
decays and releases what has been repressed.
We had various approaches that were either conceptually too complex or didn't properly convey the message. When I returned to my own visual language, it became clear: The rawness, the epic quality, and the bold impact of this visual language reflect exactly the musical identity we developed with this EP.
The series was planned from the beginning. With each release, the facade crumbles further until the true face is fully visible at the end. A visual evolution that runs parallel to the EP. That my own style represents the band best has confirmed me as a graphic designer and as the drummer of Fueled By Fear: We have taken the right creative path."

With their new EP, Fueled By Fear deliver their most mature and uncompromising work to date. The five tracks move between dark groove steamrollers and melodically dense anthems – harder, more powerful, and more forceful than all previous productions. The band has sharpened their sound: hardness meets groove, tempo meets aggression, while melodic passages merge with modern pressure. The result is songs with enormous chorus quality and real singalong potential – dark, but irresistibly catchy.

BIO:
FUELED BY FEAR from Zurich have been combining the intensity of metalcore with the melodic depth of melodic death metal since 2011. The band manages to merge melodic passages with grooving rhythms into a sound that can both strike brutally and touch emotionally. Support performances for In Flames, Sepultura, and even Pantera underscore their international relevance. Their debut "Two By Eight" reached #5 on the Swedish rock charts and #22 in Switzerland.
Fueled By Fear stands for authentic metal without filters!

For Fans Of: Heaven Shall Burn, In Flames, Caliban, Darkest Hour, At the Gates, The Haunted, Bleed From Within

Photo credit: Marcel Bruderer

Line-up:
Vocals: Marco Böhlen
Guitar: Manuel Elber
Guitar: Daniel Zopfi
Bass: Josh De Souza
Drums: Mauro Galasso

Social Media Links:
https://www.instagram.com/fueled_by_fear_official/
https://www.facebook.com/fueledbyfear/
https://www.youtube.com/@fueledbyfear2516
https://www.tiktok.com/@fueled_by_fear_official

Streaming Links:
https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/artist/6trMH3h5QEeV4RkGJUTKkH
https://music.apple.com/ch/artist/fueled-by-fear/1175459666
https://soundcloud.com/fueledbyfear
https://music.youtube.com/channel/UChy74syl4Mi2XG03J0qyWkw

THE ENDLESS HUM AND WRONG SPEED RECORDS ANNOUNCE: WRONG SPEED FEST NORTH

2026-03-24T15:41:00.002+00:00

THE ENDLESS HUM AND WRONG SPEED RECORDS ANNOUNCE: WRONG SPEED FEST NORTH

23RD MAY, KIRKGATE COMMUNITY CENTRE, SHIPLEY, BRADFORD

Wrong Speed Fest North is a collaboration between Bradford based promoters The Endless Hum and one of UK’s finest labels Wrong Speed Records, home to the likes of Hey Colossus, Irked, Enablers, Objections, Part Chimp and many more.

The line-up has been carefully selected by the label themselves and performances will take place at Kirkgate Community Centre, Shipley, Bradford on Saturday 23rd May.

The line-up:

Objections:

A ridiculously impressive trio featuring 2/3 of Bilge Pump and a Nape Neck. If you caught them live before, or listened to any of their recent radio sessions for all round good egg Marc Riley, you’ll know what to expect; noisy, rhythmically diverse yet danceable fun. Their debut album ‘Optimistic Sizing’ was one of the best records on 2024.

https://objections.bandcamp.com/album/optimistic-sizing

Irked:

Formed in 2022; IRKED quickly gained attention as veterans of the UK DIY scene. Scaring audiences into submission, IRKED are satisfying the demand for urgent, snarling, politically motivated punk – served up with a salty dose of humour and sass – think pissed off, but ready to party.

Lyrically covering personal politics, inner-circle politics, work politics, and class politics and set to the backdrop of thee finest Saints / Stiff Richards / Wipers-inspired rippers, IRKED’s debut album The Grievance is out on 1st May.

https://irked1.bandcamp.com/album/the-grievance

Blind Eye:

Raging HC from Nottingham. Ex and current members of Bloody Head, Heresy, Dead In The Woods, Wolves! Of Greece (one of the greatest bands of all time*), Army Of Flying Robots. Fronted by the urgent vocals of Anmarie Spaziano. New album “Mistrust Your Nation” due on on WSR soon this year.

https://blindeye-notts.bandcamp.com/album/decomposed

Science Fiction:

Brand new music from Nottingham/Ilkley/London/Shropshire. Featuring folks from Bob Tilton, Lords, Brown Owl, Wolves! Of Greece (still one of the greatest bands of all time*), Hey Colossus, Kogumaza. Triumphant, scratchy, weirdo (secretly goth) post-punk. Recorded music is on the way. Come hear it first at this show.

The Breedling:

The brain child of Chris Spalton; The Breedling takes an inquisitive, DIY approach and attitude to the way sounds are manipulated. His latest album on Wrong Speed Records takes primal noise music and mixes it with qualities of doom, drone and electronica.

https://thebreedling.bandcamp.com/album/irukandji

Tickets £15 (plus fees) - https://endlesshum.bigcartel.com/product/wrong-speed-fest-north-saturday-23rd-may-2026

The event will start from 6pm and will end by 11pm in time for those reliant on public transport.

Follow online:

https://www.facebook.com/WrongSpeedRecords

https://wrongspeedrecords.bandcamp.com

https://theendlesshum.com/

Solo 1981 - Interview

2026-03-23T11:56:00.000+00:00

– Hi and welcome to this interview. Tell us about your latest release.

It's my fifth album, very important for me because it represents a hard period of my life. i think it's more personal than the others, more emotional. it's quite dark, introspective but also angry and danceable. So it's very weird.

– How would you describe your sound?
between post-punk, punk, alternative rock, new wave, and electronic, but with my own style. I think it's emotional, poetic, rude and visionary too.

– What do you write about?
I write true albums. People can like them or not, but i put all of myself inside. they are a part of me.

– What do you listen to when you are home?
a lot of music. I like the new English/Irish post punk scene, very good things also from Italy. a lot of punk, grunge and metal too.

– your favourite live performance so far?
I have many. Recently, Nine Inch Nails in Milan and Korn in Florence last year, The Cure in Florence and Depeche Mode in Bologna. Sonic Youth at Arezzo Wave, Qotsa in Bologna in 2002, Foo Fighters in Milan in 2005, and Prodigy in Bologna in 2004. But there are so many more.

– Tell us a funny story that happened in studio or on stage

with my band, Acid Brains, we were in the airport in London. We were tired and quite drunk and we started inventing clumsy and stupid imaginary characters, like the lupollo, a half‑wolf, half‑chicken being. It was ridiculous.

– your favourite albums?
nirvana "in utero" and "unplugged", alice in chains "dirty" and "unplugged", sonic youth "washing machine", joy division "closer", the cure "pornography" and "seventeen seconds", depeche mode "violator", the sound "from the lion's mouth", smashing pumpkins "mellon collie", soundgarden "superunknown", qotsa "songs for the deaf", the beatles "sgt pepper's", prodigy "the fat of the land", black sabbath "paranoid", bad religion "generator", nofx "punk in drublic", offspring "smash", litfiba "17 re", verdena "requiem" and many more.

– a musician you would like to meet for a beer?
Robert Smith, Josh Homme, Paul McCartney, and maybe Dave Grohl. i can't meet my favourites anymore: Kurt Cobain, Layne Staley, Ian Curtis, and Jim Morrison.

– What would you ask for backstage, if you were the most important band on earth?
Wow, never thought about it. Anyway, I'd ask to have everything ready when I start to play, good hotels, good food, good wine and beers, good grass. but it's only a dream.

– What are your plans for the near future?
play as much as possible, increase my audience, then relax a little and start again with new music.

Emi - Paradisus (2026)

2026-03-20T07:50:00.003+00:00

Paradisus is Emi's debut album, created in collaboration with his good friend and vocalist røseji. This concept album is his personal retelling of the Garden of Eden, and it took two years to make.

The album spans a wide range of soundscapes and genres, shifting from heavy rock influenced by Alter Bridge and Evanescence to Opeth‑ and Dream Theater‑style ballads, high‑energy alt‑rock, and even 8‑string riff‑driven tracks. Emi draws inspiration from many corners of music, especially pieces that create immersive, atmospheric experiences, and aims to honour those influences while bringing a distinct personal voice to the project.

He chose to collaborate with røseji, an electronic dance‑pop artist who also draws from alternative music and culture. Emi wanted to fully embrace her vocal style and musicianship. As the album took shape, røseji crafted all vocal melodies and lyrics, with Emi providing the story and occasional guidance on harmonies or specific lines.

Paradisus comprises 7 songs for 45 minutes of music. Where the Water Gleams opens with a tasty bass riff followed by inspired drums. The track explodes with a high-gain guitar. I love the contrast between the calm vocals and the heavy music, very 90s, with a fantastic chorus. This is probably my favourite track on the album, if I have to choose one. Beautiful Stranger is more relaxed in his intro, before the electric guitar comes in. I can hear a Mark Tremonti influence on this one; the riffs could be coming from his guitar. Another very cool song.

So Divine is a ballad, and I find it difficult to put it in a box as it's got 90s vibes but also prog elements and pop vocals. A very interesting one, definitely. Speaking of prog bits, I love the drumming and the energy of the following Evermine (check out the break at 2.30, followed by a great solo).

Great chorus and classy arrangement on Born Again (In Bloom) before the two long songs at the end of the album. Carry Me, I surrender is 9 minutes long and the title track is almost 12! The first one has a slow start before a high-octane riff. The vocals are extremely captivating and I love the general atmosphere of the song, which connects with Paradisus, with a pure prog metal start. The song reminds me of Fates Warning, and it's got lots of tasty details and memorable moments (I love the chorus, and the solo is fantastic, to mention two of them).

Paradisus is a very interesting album, enjoyable from start to finish, and amazingly performed, arranged, and produced. If you are into alternative metal (with gentle vocals) and you like prog bits, this is the album for you. I really enjoyed the listening, give it a go and follow the two artists as well.

Emi's Instagram page
røseji's Instagram page

Woda Woda - Interview

2026-03-18T18:47:00.009+00:00

Hello and welcome to this interview. Tell us about your latest release.

Hi! On January 16, 2026, our latest work, “The Last Testament”, was released. It’s a concept album that tells a story divided into 9 tracks and an Intro. It’s a journey beyond the veil of darkness and conventional interpretations, a new… revolutionary perspective. A “Testament” that challenges everything we’ve ever believed; imagine a different kind of hell, not as a place of damnation, but as a complex reality, a realm of truth and purpose, where absolute evil doesn’t exist, only a balance that transcends the notions of good and evil.

⁃ How would you describe your sound?

Our sound is Hard Rock with touches of Heavy Metal, Blues, and Stoner, mostly sung in Italian, although the album includes track no. 9 (Lady Mazekeen) in English.

⁃ What do your lyrics talk about?

The lyrics on the latest album tell a story of pure imagination. They talk about a journey: Cain’s journey toward liberation from his curse, a journey into hell—or rather, into a different hell—where Lucifer no longer sits on the throne, having abandoned it to live on Earth among ordinary mortals.

⁃ What do you listen to at home?

Tons of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. Some of us also enjoy listening to Psychedelic Rock, New Wave, and Blues.

⁃ What has been your favorite live performance so far?

Definitely the “Release Party” at Area 51 in Vignole Borbera (AL) on January 10, 2026. We presented the album “The Last Testament” in front of a huge audience, and the evening was opened by our dear friends Ammo, a rock band from Bolzano with whom we often share the stage.

⁃ Tell us a funny anecdote from the studio or the stage.

Surely that time when our Samael wrote two new songs. I think it was in 2023. He sent the acoustic demos to our WhatsApp group, and we agreed to meet in the studio to arrange them electrically. That evening he didn’t come because he was sick, and the four of us rearranged the songs completely without telling him. Next time we played them for him, and the look on his face is something we’ll never forget. One of those songs later became Lady Mazekeen.

⁃ What are your favorite albums?

Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, Killer, and Powerslave by Iron Maiden, The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd, A Prayer for the Loud by D-A-D, War by U2, and Abbey Road by The Beatles.

⁃ Which musician would you like to have a beer with?

We’d definitely love a beer with Lemmy Kilmister, Paul Di’Anno, and Ozzy, but for that, we’d have to meet them in hell (which is impossible… for now). But a beer with Steve Harris, David Gilmour, Bono Vox, Paul McCartney, and Jesper Binzer from D-A-D? Absolutely.

⁃ If you were the most important band in the world, what would you ask for backstage?

How many pages does this interview have? You know one of our classic songs is called Sex & Wine… The rest I’ll leave up to you. Just make sure the first two things are there… everything else is complementary.

⁃ What are your projects for the near future?

We’re producing a new single and brainstorming ideas for a new album… and above all, we already have plenty of live dates scheduled to share “The Last Testament”. Live is our essence… our Rock.

Ophelia Moon - Drench Me

2026-03-17T08:43:00.002+00:00

Ophelia Moon is a Philadelphia-based musical collective led by Darren O. Moon, the principal songwriter and one of the group’s lead vocalists. Sharing both vocals and instrumental composition is Maya Mikity, whose artistry shapes much of the band’s unique sound. Their expanding catalog includes evocative tracks like "Magic and Daffodils," "Taste Your Rose," "Banter of Wolves," "Muse Maestro Melody Maker," and "Color Me Dead."

Their latest single, "Drench Me," is an engaging listen from start to finish, with infectious vocal lines and a polished arrangement. Well-written and skillfully performed, it’s a track worth hearing.

Check out the band and keep an ear out for more from Ophelia Moon.

FIRST TIME VINYL RELEASE OF LAURA NYRO’S STUNNING LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO, 28TH APRIL 1994

2026-03-16T13:10:04.897+00:00

FIRST TIME VINYL RELEASE OF LAURA NYRO’S STUNNING LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO, 28^TH APRIL 1994

LIMITED EDITION CLEAR VINYL 2LP SET FOR RELEASE ON 27^TH MARCH (MADFISH)

A rare and intimate live document from one of America’s most singular songwriting voices, Live In San Francisco, 28th April 1994 captures Laura Nyro in spellbinding form during a late-career performance at the New Orleans Room, Fairmont Hotel. Recorded just three years before her passing, this show finds Nyro revisiting her extraordinary catalogue with warmth and conviction, exuding her indelible soulful nature.

Pressed for the first time ever on vinyl, this limited edition clear 2LP presents a beautifully curated set spanning early classics, fan favourites, and deeply personal later works. Stripped back and heartfelt, Nyro’s piano-led performances are enhanced by subtle backing vocals, the power of her songwriting and voice shining through.

“She wrote songs that had no kind of fixed compass point. They remain as unique and absolutely spellbinding to this day as when I first heard them in the ‘60s.”

Elton John, 2024

PRE-ORDER LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO, 28^TH APRIL 1994

LIMITED EDITION CLEAR VINYL

Highlights include moving renditions of “Dedicated To The One I Love,” “Save The Country,” “And When I Die,” “Emmie,” and “It’s Gonna Take A Miracle,” alongside lesser-heard gems.

During the singer/songwriter movement in the late '60s and early '70s, Laura Nyro was one of the most celebrated tunesmiths of her day. Nyro was just 18 years old when she signed her first recording contract and wrote the songs for which she is likely to be best remembered. By the time she was 22, she had become one of the most successful composers in American popular music. She wrote wonderfully expressive and poetic songs that took the folky introspection of her peers and infused it with elements of soul, R&B, jazz, and gospel, giving them an emotional heat that set her apart.

This 2LP edition of Live In San Francisco, 28th April 1994 is available on vinyl for the first time and is pressed on limited edition clear vinyl.

Devin Townsend announces ambitious, orchestral metal opus ‘The Moth’

2026-03-11T14:19:23.625+00:00

Devin Townsend announces ambitious, orchestral metal opus ‘The Moth’; a project over a decade in the making

First single ‘Enter The City’ out now; pre-order the album here: https://dvn.lnk.to/TheMoth

“The Moth is about the journey—but it is also about arrival”

Canadian metal maverick Devin Townsend has built a career on distinct creative worlds—heavy records, atmospheric detours, character-driven releases—each with its own logic and weather system. His latest release, The Moth, is different. It arrives without a pre-existing template, not as a pivot for novelty’s sake, but as a culmination: a project conceived from the beginning as orchestral, choral, and theatrical in scope, with the scale required to underline the emotional transformation at the heart of the concept.

An album over a decade in the making, The Moth finally arrives on the 29^th May 2026 (InsideOutMusic). This 24-track record began as a vague vision more than a decade ago. It existed in the back of Devin Townsend’s mind as his “life’s work”. Then, about six years ago, after an acoustic show in Amsterdam, Townsend was approached by the head of the North Netherlands’ Orchestra and Choir with an offer: bring orchestral grandeur to Devin’s extensive discography.

Townsend’s response was immediate—and telling. If those forces were going to be assembled, he wanted to spend them on something new: this original work that had been circling him for years, waiting for a door to open. That was the moment The Moth stopped being an idea and began to become a reality.

Today, to coincide with the announcement, Devin is also pleased to reveal the first introduction to the world of The Moth, in the shape of the track ‘Enter The City’. The song is accompanied by a video created by Studio Sparks, which you can watch now here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih78rQZT8U4

As Devin explains, The Moth is “a loose story following someone who realises that old patterns of behaviour are no longer serving them. By digging in and sitting with themselves, an internal conflict is revealed, one they may have been resisting or unconsciously rationalizing for years”, and ‘Enter The City comes towards the beginning of that story arc.

The Moth constitutes 3 distinct parts across its release. In addition to the main album, The Moth – The Afterlife highlights the grandeur of the orchestra & choir, in what might be considered a more pure version of The Moth experience. The Moth – The War is a recording of the live musical debut that took place in March 2025 in The Netherlands, showcasing the raw emotion of performing The Moth for the very first time.

The Moth will be available on several formats including Ltd Deluxe 3CD+Blu-ray Artbook that includes the album on CD1, ‘The Moth – The Afterlife’ on CD2 & ‘The Moth – The War (Live)’ on CD3. The Blu-ray includes the full ‘The Moth – The War’ live film, as well as Dolby Atmos & High Resolution Stereo Mixes of the ‘The Moth’ and ‘The Moth – The Afterlife’. It will also be available as Limited 2CD Edition (including ‘The Moth-The Afterlife’ on CD2), Standard CD Jewelcase and as Gatefold Triple-Gatefold 180g 2LP & Fold-Out LP-booklet, as well as digitally. Pre-order now here: https://dvn.lnk.to/TheMoth

The full track-listing is as follows:

1. Semi-prologue

2. War Beyond Words

3. The Moth

4. Ode To My Eye

5. Enter The City

6. Covered By Causes

7. Lexin

8. Runaways

9. A Proxy For God

10. The Mothers

11. Orion

12. Stay There

13. Home At Night

14. Intermission

15. Lexin Returns

16. The Clergy

17. Prepare For War

18. The Big Snit

19. Silver Princess

20. A Life in Review

21. Metamorphosis

22. Stained Hearts

23. Let Go

24. We Don’t Deserve Dogs

If The Moth has a central gravitational theme, Townsend names it plainly: true self-acceptance. Something sturdier than slogans, closer to a practiced willingness to face what is uncomfortable without turning away. As Devin explains: “The most obvious metaphor for change within the concept of this project was a moth: from caterpillar to an entirely different creature—one so drawn to the light that it burns itself away. What remains is immutable—only the spirit.”

At the hardest moments, when abandoning the project might have seemed rational, Townsend points to the team as the decisive factor. A host of incredible musicians and contributors participated throughout the course of this process, as well as the North Netherlands Orchestra & Choir and orchestrators Joseph Stevenson & Niels Bye Nielsen. Long time band members Darby Todd, Mike Keneally, James Leach played a huge part, as well as guests including the Steve Vai, Anneke van Giersbergen, Lynn Wu (Ou), and artists Travis Smith & Eliran Kantor, plus key creative consultation from Mike St-Jean. The technical teams that worked tirelessly included co-mixer Chris Edrich, recording engineers Ben Searles & Jacob Hermann, Atmos mixer Ron Searles, Mastering engineer Troy Glessner, choirs in various countries throughout the world, and peripheral individuals that helped land this behemoth of a plane.

DEVIN TOWNSEND online:

http://www.hevydevy.com

http://www.facebook.com/dvntownsend

http://www.omerch.com

https://www.patreon.com/cw/DevinTownsend

https://twitter.com/dvntownsend

https://www.instagram.com/dvntownsend/

www.tiktok.com/@dvntownsend

https://www.youtube.com/user/poopynuggeteer/featured

http://twitch.tv/devin_townsend

INSIDEOUTMUSIC online:

www.insideoutmusic.com

www.youtube.com/InsideOutMusicTV

www.facebook.com/InsideOutMusic

www.twitter.com/insideouteu

THE MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP SHARE VIDEO FOR ‘ARMED AND READY (LIVE AT HAMMERSMITH)

2026-03-10T10:15:00.003+00:00

THE MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP SHARE VIDEO FOR ‘ARMED AND READY (LIVE AT HAMMERSMITH) / WATCH NOW

LIVE & READY: 1980 – 1984’ 6 DISC BOXSET RELEASED 3^RD APRIL 2026 (CHRYSALIS RECORDS)

"Armed And Ready” is taken from the Hammersmith Odeon show from 1983 - a seminal concert in MSG history which formed the, Rock Will Never Die live release. This show has been newly remastered and can be found as part of the Live & Ready: 1980 - 1984 box set out this April.

Listen to the track/watch the video: http://MSG.lnk.to/ArmedandReady

The Michael Schenker Group were founded in 1979 by one of rock’s greatest guitarists Michael Schenker,following his time in Scorpions and UFO. Their self-titled debut album, released in 1980 on Chrysalis Records, was hailed as a commercial and critical success.

‘Live & Ready: 1980 – 1984’, the recently announced 6 disc boxset, captures the live raw power and precision of the group in their formative years. “My whole life has been a journey of constantly developing as a guitar player”, Michael states and this box set is an essential part of that.

This boxset features four complete, career-defining shows across the years which, showcase the development and evolution of Michael Schenker’s performances. He adds,

“These shows and these recordings, they’re all part of what I did in my past, part of my development. It is what it is, part of my life and with good memories. And by the way, this box set, that’s what it’s all about too, that short period of time, ’80 to ’84. It was definitely a crazy and very fast-changing period of time. It’s hard to wrap my head around how fast we had to make changes based on circumstances, but that’s part of life.”

The live albums in the boxset are:

Manchester Apollo - 1980: The explosive debut tour featuring early classics, Nippon Budokan, Tokyo -1981: A legendary show captured at the height of MSG's powers, Hammersmith Odeon – 1983: Recorded at London’s Hammersmith Odeon with special guests including Rudolf Schenker and Klaus Meine of Scorpions, available in its entirety for the very first time. Seibu Stadium, Tokyo - 1984: A powerhouse festival set showcasing MSG’s melodic metal mastery, with an additional DVD including the full visual concerts of Hammersmith Odeon – 1983 and Seibu Stadium, Tokyo – 1984.

The set is accompanied by a booklet featuring extensive liner notes by acclaimed rock journalist Martin Popoff and a brand-new interview with Michael Schenker himself, offering personal insights into the era, the band, and these legendary performances. The booklet also includes previously unreleased photographs.

Housed in a premium two-part rigid box, this release is designed not only for fans of Michael Schenker and MSG, but also for serious collectors of classic rock and heavy metal history. Remastered at AIR Mastering and with its wealth of unreleased material and expertly curated content, this box set serves as both a stunning time capsule and an essential addition to any rock archive.

Pre-order now: https://msg.lnk.to/LiveReady

TRACKLISTING:

CD1: Manchester Apollo, Manchester, 30th September 1980

1. Armed & Ready / 2. Cry For The Nations / 3. Victim Of Illusion / 4. Natural Thing / 5. Feels Like A Good Thing / 6. Into The Arena / 7. Looking Out From Nowhere / 8. Rock Bottom / 9. Tales Of Mystery / 10. Lost Horizons / 11. Shoot Shoot / 12. Doctor Doctor / 13. Lights Out

CD2: Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, 12th August 1981

1. Introduction / 2. Armed And Ready / 3. Cry For The Nations / 4. Attack Of The Mad Axeman / 5. But I Want More / 6. Victim Of Illusion / 7. Into The Arena

CD3: Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, 12th August 1981

1. On And On / 9. Never Trust A Stranger / 10. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie / 11. Tales Of Mystery / 12. Cozy Powell Drum Solo / 13. Courvoisier Concerto / 14. Lost Horizons / 15. Doctor Doctor / 16. Are You Ready To Rock

CD4: Hammersmith Odeon, London, 22nd-23rd October 1983

1. Captain Nemo / 2. Rock My Nights Away / 3. Ready To Rock / 4. Cry For The Nations / 5. Rock You To The Ground / 6. Attack Of The Mad Axeman / 7. Into The Arena / 8. Courvoisier Concerto / 9. Rock Will Never Die / 10. Desert Song / 11. I'm Gonna Make You Mine / 12. Red Sky / 13. Looking For Love / 14. Armed And Ready / 15. Little Devil / 16. Doctor, Doctor / 17. Thank You

CD5: Seibu Stadium, Tokyo, 12th August 1984

1. Captain Nemo / 2. Rock My Nights Away / 3. Cry For The Nations / 4. On And On / 5. Lipstick Traces / 6. Bijou Pleasurette / 7. Into The Arena / 8. Courvoisier Concerto / 9. Lost Horizons / 10. I'm Gonna Make You Mine / 11. Armed And Ready / 12. Doctor, Doctor

DVD: Full Visual Concerts:

Hammersmith Odeon, London, 22nd-23rd October 1983

Seibu Stadium, Tokyo, 12th August 1984

Follow online:

https://michaelschenkerhimself.com

https://www.facebook.com/MichaelSchenkerRocks

https://chrysalis-records.com/

Port Noir release new single “Ebb and Flow” from their upcoming album “The Dark We Keep”

2026-03-04T15:42:12.782+00:00

Port Noir release new single “Ebb and Flow” from their upcoming album “The Dark We Keep”

Promo Picture Port Noir

New album to be released May 15^th 2026, via InsideOutMusic, available for pre-order NOW;

After announcing their 5^th album “The Dark We Keep” in January, the Swedish prog band Port Noir continue with “Ebb and Flow”, another single ahead of the record's release. The single offers a modern alt‑metal track exploring disconnection, decay, and the struggle to stay awake in a world on autopilot. “Ebb And Flow” speaks to fans of dark, atmospheric rock with progressive edges.

“Ebb and Flow” is the fourth single the band has released from their upcoming record and follows on “Complicated” , “Redshift”, and “Noir”. “The Dark We Keep” will be the 5^th full length album by Port Noir, to be released May 15^th, 2026, via InsideOutMusic.

“The Dark We Keep” is available for pre-order here.

Listen to “Ebb and Flow” here and watch the video here

The band comments on the new single:

“Sometimes we don’t write songs to arrive somewhere. We write them to move. Instead of verses and choruses, we let ideas drift, repeat, and change shape. The movement is the destination. This is a formula we explored and utilized on our earlier albums and something wewanted to tap back into while writing 'Ebb and Flow'.

Lyrically it portrays a world caught in endless cycles of numb repetition, where weslowly lose awareness, identity, and agency without resisting.There’s no collapse or climax, only quiet erosion. The Ebb and Flow keepseverything moving just enough to feel alive, while actually preventing change.”

Port Noir – The Dark We Keep

Tracklist:

1. Complicated

2. Redshift

3. Noir

4. Ebb and Flow

5. My Destroyer

6. Vargtimmen

7. Burst

8. Reverie

9. This View

10. Bloodlust

11. We Shall Die Together

The album will be available in the following formats:

· Ltd. CD Digipak

· Ltd. ultra clear LP

· Digital album

Port Noir – “The Dark We Keep” (Artwork)

Port Noir are:

Love Andersson - Vocals, Bass & Guitar

Andreas Hollstrand - Guitar, Keys & Backing vocals

AW Wiberg - Drums

Port Noir online

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/portnoirofficial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/portnoir

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6s6x6p9qZFaPfeALpVvcpR?si=wBG8dA-qQG-6dv4MvrvOZA

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/port-noir/654667307