"Sounds of Ardul" by Chronicler of Ardul

Sounds of Ardul is a sweeping orchestral journey into the dark fantasy realm of Ardul, composed by David Williams of CHRONICLER OF ARDUL. Instead of relying on metal elements, the album embraces cinematic storytelling through rich symphonic textures, intimate folk tunes, and atmospheric worldbuilding. Each track feels like a moment from a larger adventure, guiding listeners through taverns, shadowed forests, ancient mists, and violent clashes. With recurring motifs, emotional character themes, and evocative arrangements, Sounds of Ardul invites audiences to step directly into the world itself, experiencing its wonder, danger, and humanity firsthand.

“Watch Over Me (feat. EXILED HOPE)” opens the album as a bardic folk song carried by clean guitar, violin, hand percussion, and the expressive voice of Sofia Frasz, following a lost traveler yearning for home while navigating the perilous roads of Ardul. “Watch Over Me (Village Version)” shifts to a smaller, more comforting space, portraying the safety and simplicity found within village walls through a short instrumental loop of guitar and violin. “You’re Gone (feat. SYYN)” brings the emotional weight of loss to the forefront, with Aaron Johnson III delivering a somber tavern ballad about love, its fleeting beauty, and the devastating revelation of death that reshapes the meaning of each chorus.

The album’s worldbuilding takes a lively turn with “Oh Me Oh My,” a rowdy late-night tavern song featuring vocals by David Williams, built from stomps, claps, bottle taps, and a catchy refrain meant for drunken patrons. “Woodlands” ventures outside into the dark beauty of Ardul’s forests using strings, harp, clarinet, piano, and choir to evoke mystery and deceptive warmth. Its variations expand that setting: “Woodlands (Alternate Version)” isolates the listener with cello, piano, and harp, while “Woodlands (Battle Theme)” heightens the danger with brass, percussion, and rhythmic urgency as hidden threats reveal themselves.

“In the Mists of the Myrewood (Remastered)” returns to the foundational themes of the larger Ardul mythos. A solo piano piece born early in the project’s history, it whispers with darkness and elegance, building into the thick, treacherous fog that defines the Myrewood. “Veiled Truth” explores moral ambiguity through shifting strings, piano, choir, and guitar, reflecting the uneasy question of whether familiar faces can be trusted. “Unwelcomed Guests” continues the rising tension with timpani heartbeats, clacking percussion, unsettling strings, and a divided choir as an unwelcome figure approaches with unclear intentions.

“To Arms! (String Quintet)” marks the snapping point where conflict erupts, delivering an intimate yet fierce battle theme reminiscent of classic RPG duels. “Temporary Respite” pulls the listener back into calm with soft piano and choir, offering a resting place after turmoil. “Moments From Disaster” churns with heavy drums, tense strings, rumbling voices, and pounding piano, capturing the split second before catastrophe when every instinct screams to act.

“Underground” descends into the cold, winding depths beneath Ardul where dissonant strings, heavy drums, male drones, and brooding piano create deliberate disorientation. “Underground (Alternate Version)” tightens the space to a quieter but more claustrophobic passage lit by a single torch. “To Arms!” unleashes the full symphonic battle, a large-scale conflict with expanded orchestration and dramatic intensity.

The album’s final bard song, “Zarek the Bloody,” introduces a legendary figure whose reputation is both heroic and ominous. With accordion, bass, percussion, and vocals by David Williams, the piece hints at Zarek’s deeds, the cursed blade he wields, and his place in the greater Ardul narrative.

Sounds of Ardul also includes extended ten-minute looping versions of twelve tracks, crafted for worldbuilders, tabletop players, writers, and listeners who want to immerse themselves even further. As the third pillar of CHRONICLER OF ARDUL’s overarching project, this album expands the world’s scope while maintaining musical motifs that connect past works to future stories. 

About CHRONICLER OF ARDUL:

CHRONICLER OF ARDUL is the cinematic dark fantasy project created by composer and multi-instrumentalist David Williams, blending orchestral storytelling with the atmosphere and intensity of extreme music. Formed in 2023, the project explores the mythic world of Ardul through three creative pillars: metal, orchestral composition, and written narrative. Every release expands the lore, using recurring motifs, character themes, and emotional worldbuilding to connect albums, stories, and songs into one cohesive universe. Influenced by SHADOW OF INTENT, MENTAL CRUELTY, Nobuo Uematsu, and Yasunori Nishiki, CHRONICLER OF ARDUL approaches concept music with the depth of a novel and the drama of a film score.

The project began as an idea in 2015 and has since grown into a multi-medium saga, starting with the Myrewood EP in 2023 and continuing with Sword of Virné and accompanying short stories. Williams handles all writing, recording, mixing, and artwork, giving the project a distinct voice anchored in emotional honesty and narrative purpose. Every melody is intentional and often foreshadows future events in the overarching story, creating a world that rewards close listening. CHRONICLER OF ARDUL stands as a unique fusion of fantasy, composition, and immersive storytelling, inviting listeners not only to hear the music but to live within the world it creates.

Connect with CHRONICLER OF ARDUL:

Official Website: chroniclerofardul.com
Bandcamp: https://chroniclerofardul.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Chronicler-of-Ardul-100063489851273
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chronicler_of_ardul
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ChroniclerOfArdul
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5h3LfVFyzZA7Tl0eBhQxKg
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/chronicler-of-ardul/1678862672
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chronicler_of_ardul

"Slay Utterly"" by Carrion Vale

Melodic death metal force of nature CARRION VAEL returns with a vengeance on their fifth album, Slay Utterly, to be released through Unique Leader Records on January 16, 2026. Though raw and ferocious at their core, the band weaves intricate technical nuances throughout the album. Punchy riffs and rhythms drive the intensity home, while memorable lead guitar lines and powerful vocal performances leave a lasting impact. Lyrically, Slay Utterly goes above and beyond to immerse the listener in CARRION VAEL's fascination for history and true crime.

CARRION VAEL's technical prowess may take the spotlight on this album, but they are storytellers at their core. Each song on Slay Utterly explores the story of a different serial killer. The perspective jumps between the killer themselves, and the experiences of the victims. On the whole, the album presents a collection of stories delving into the psyches of famous axe murderers, slashers, and other uniquely violent killers throughout history. 

Slay Utterly opens with "19(fucking)78", which instantly sets the tone for the album's intensity and nuance. Featuring layers of technical guitar parts, slam riffs, and clean vocals, the band leaves no skill in their toolbox unused. Lyrically, the song is set in 1970s California; a particularly violent time in history, given the presence of the Hillside Stranglers. The lyrics contemplate issues of nature versus nurture, as well as an obsession with control by any means possible.

Opening with ominous Spanish guitar arpeggios, "Truth or Consequences" tells the story of David Parker Ray, best-known as the Toy Box Killer. Living in the remote deserts of New Mexico, Ray built a soundproof bunker on his land, where he would kidnap women who were passing through. His number of kills remains unknown, though estimates are high. 

"1912" then presents itself as one of the more theatrical and progressive songs on the album. The lyrics tell of an unsolved axe murder that shook the small town of Villisca, Iowa on a hot June night in 1912. To this day, no one knows who really committed the strange and horrific murders of two adults and six children, but speculations abound. The lyrics explore each speculation, varying from train-hopping sociopaths, scorned business associates, or even evangelical madmen.

Fast, heavy, and catchy, "30 on 9" is a quintessential CARRION VAEL track. It delves into various aspects of the mystery of Jack the Ripper, ranging from his true identity, his victims, and the bloody details of his murders. He was believed to have murdered Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes on September 30th, with this date lending the song its title. 

Guitarist Ryan Kuder shines on "40 Echoes Upon the Parlor", with rapid-fire riffs and blazing lead sections throughout. Clean vocals make a notable appearance in the choruses, wailing spectrally above a mass of blast beats and growls. The lyrics tell of numerous smaller axe murder cases, referencing Lizzie Borden most prominently.

"Lord of 74" opens almost innocently and uncharacteristically for the band, with delicate piano notes and the sound of water dripping in the background. Low, mournful clean vocals build an atmosphere of remorse and anguish until the song explodes into the fury that defines CARRION VAEL. The song tells the story of Joseph Kallinger, a schizophrenic shoe cobbler from Philadelphia who believed that God had sent him to murder every person on Earth... and that with the help of his children, he could complete this task.

"Bisection 47" embodies unrelenting rage from the first note to the last. The song explores the 1947 murder of Elizabeth Short, better known as the Black Dahlia. She was found cut in half (bisected) from the waist, and the identity of her killer remains unknown. The murder has left its mark on history as one of the biggest true crime mysteries to date. 

The final track, "Black Chariot", was originally recorded for CARRION VAEL's album God Killer (2020). As a fan favorite, the band decided to update the song and re-record it for Slay Utterly. Despite the fact that it was recorded for a different album, "Black Chariot" picks up right where "Bisection 47" left off, with layers of vicious snarls and stunning lead guitar work.

About CARRION VALE:
In 2017, brutal melodic death metal storytellers CARRION VAEL set out on a mission to understand disturbing events that may baffle the sane. Each album and each song explores an aspect of true crime history, often focusing on the stories of individual serial killers and their victims. Though this conceptual focus underpins CARRION VAEL's songwriting, they seek to fully utilize all of their skills and talents to ensure that each song develops the sound it needs to tell its story. The band released their first album, Resurrection of the Doomed, independently in 2017, then signed with HPGD Records and released their 2020 follow-up, God Killer. Subsequently, the band signed with Unique Leader Records and released Abhorrent Obsessions (2022) and Cannibals Anonymous (2024). 

With their fifth album, Slay Utterly, on the horizon, CARRION VAEL are set to continue this journey into the monstrous side of the human psyche. Vicious, but surprisingly poignant in just the right dose, Slay Utterly presents an anthology of serial killer stories from significant points in history. The album is certain to enthrall fans of horror, history, and true crime with its vivid portrayals of the minds of both murderers and victims. 

CARRION VALE is:
Travis Lawson Purcell - Vocals
Alex Arford - Bass
Trenton Limburg - Guitar
Ryan Kurder - Guitar
Matt Behner - Drums

Anti-Sapien At The Mercy Of The Merciless

ANTI-SAPIEN return with At the Mercy of the Merciless, a 22 minute blast of sewer-filthy death crust that captures the band in a moment of evolution and escalation. Written on the road and recorded at Growl House Studios for a January 16, 2026 release on Terminus Hate City, the record feels like the point where a pandemic side project that started as a joke has hardened into a focused, relentless, politically furious machine. The songs are still fun, still catchy, still gross and sweaty, but the riffing has become more intricate and the sense of purpose sharper, with the band leaning into real world themes, personal damage, and systemic rot without sacrificing the primal thrill of heavy music.

Opening track “Old Drugs” works as a statement of intent, musically and lyrically. A clipped sample sets the mood, then the song detonates into blasts, double bass breakdowns, and scorching solos that touch on everything the band does best. The lyrics follow someone who cannot stop themselves from using whatever they find at the bottom of the couch or on the street, chasing a high all the way to the edge of death while society judges and discards them. It is fast, ugly, and surprisingly empathetic, and it establishes one of the record’s recurring threads, that loss of control can be internal as much as imposed from above. “Eater of Ghosts” picks up that thread and runs with it at breakneck speed, all tight triplet riffs and hyperactive drumming, tracing late night misadventures in motel parking lots through the eyes of a person who lets alcohol and drugs invite in whatever ghosts want to possess them. The tone is equal parts revelry and horror, a celebration of the dark side that ANTI-SAPIEN clearly sweat bullets to pull off live.

The title track, “At the Mercy of the Merciless”, shifts the record into a mid tempo, knuckle dragging stomp built on a huge drum groove that practically forces a headbang. Here the focus zooms out from individual vices to societal collapse. The lyrics take aim at algorithmic isolation, confirmation bias, and the way people have been divided into echo chambers that make collective resistance almost impossible. The song points a finger at the one percent who profit from this division, but it is just as critical of our own complicity and comfort. As the center of the record it anchors both the sound and the message, tying together the album’s fixation on being trapped, whether by addiction, systems, or our own refusal to act.

“D.E.A.D.” flips the script again, foregrounding the punk and crust influences that run through ANTI-SAPIEN’s sound. A moshy intro and d beat verse, higher register vocals, and a disgusting slam breakdown with 808 bass drops turn the song into a live set highlight. The title stands for “Do Everything All Day”, a phrase handed down from an old friend that the band reshapes into a manifesto against wasted time and hollow, hate filled lives. It is about honoring dead friends by actually living, squeezing meaning and joy out of a world that constantly nudges people toward stagnation. The track also acts as the effective opener to the second half of the EP, written with a side A and side B mentality in mind, and it sets up the flow into the more anthemic “Grinding the System”.

“Grinding the System” is a stadium sized d beat song that leans into a Discharge inspired backbeat, with classic metal dual guitar solos hinting at subconscious Judas Priest or Iron Maiden worship before dropping into a breakdown that is a little cleaner and more melodic than ANTI-SAPIEN’s usual ugliness. Lyrically it is one of the clearest articulations of the album’s political focus, describing workers who keep the machine running for their masters even as hope erodes and debt follows them into the grave. A sound clip about people without hope being easy to control sets the tone before the band tears into lines about false shortages, crisis profiteering, and a species that seems to thrive on self destruction. It is a circle pit anthem with a deep sense of despair underneath, and it gives the record a brief tempo reprieve before the closing track.

“George Washington’s Teeth” ends the EP in a blaze of death metal that nods to bands like Vomitory, Nominon, and Father Befouled, full of tremolo picking, pinch harmonics, and straight ahead violence. The song uses the true story of Washington’s teeth being taken from slaves as an entry point into a broader indictment of American myth making and the way brutality is smoothed over for public consumption. Coins seeping through the eyes, sewer economies, people choking on the suffering they helped enable, it is a grotesque collage that pulls together the record’s concerns with historical lies, present day inequity, and a social body gnawing on itself. Sound clips about Wall Street and government waste inject a darkly comic edge, and a shouted “BITE IT YOU SCUM” courtesy of Roger from No/Más drives the song into a final barrage that feels like a bookend to the whole EP.

Across At the Mercy of the Merciless, ANTI-SAPIEN keep returning to the same tension. On one hand, they are trying to write riffs that feel like comfort and catharsis, something to sweat out to in a packed room. On the other hand, they are unflinching in their critiques of fascism, systemic abuse, exploitation, and the everyday ways people give up their power. The result is a record that is catchy and immediate, but also openly confrontational and political, from the first sound clip about the war on drugs being a war on people to the last reference to being chewed apart by the teeth of empire.

Minimal studio trickery and mostly full vocal and instrumental takes give the EP a live, human feel. Notes bend more with passion than perfection at times, and ANTI-SAPIEN lean into that choice rather than hide it. The band has already proven themselves on the road in the United States and abroad, and here they bottle that momentum into a short, filthy, and surprisingly thoughtful collection that runs from personal self sabotage to global systems of control. For listeners who live somewhere between death metal, crust punk, and hardcore, At the Mercy of the Merciless plays like a fast, furious wake up call, one that invites you to stage dive, circle pit, and then actually think about what you are angry at when the feedback fades.

About ANTI-SAPIEN:

ANTI-SAPIEN formed in Brooklyn in 2021 and grew quickly from a loose pandemic experiment into a touring force known for filthy death crust riffs, sweat soaked shows, and a message that cuts through the noise. The band began as a way for friends to blow off steam and write ugly, fun songs that blended their love of D beat punk, death metal, grind, and the classic New York slam tradition. What surprised them was how quickly audiences connected to not only the heaviness but the honesty. Kids responded to the riffs but also to the moments between songs where the band spoke openly about inequality, exploitation, and the systems that grind people down. That connection pushed ANTI-SAPIEN to take the project further, tighten their sound, and hit the road hard across the United States and eventually through Australia, Korea, and Japan.

Over time the band’s lineup shifted into the current form of Blake Charlton, Alex Fewell, Ryan Murphy, and Nathan Rand, all seasoned musicians with long histories in heavy music. Their combined backgrounds in bands like Ramming Speed, Black Mass, Soul Remnants, and others helped shape the sound into something both raw and disciplined, equal parts crust punk grit and death metal precision. They have played festivals like NEDM Funtime Bonanza and the NYDM International Fest, building a reputation for fast sets, filthy tones, and a refusal to shy away from uncomfortable truths.

ANTI-SAPIEN operate with a clear sense of purpose. They are proudly anti fascist, openly political, and committed to calling out abuses of power while keeping their shows rooted in community and catharsis. The band writes music that is catchy and disgusting, equal parts sewer filth and adrenaline, and they deliver it with the conviction of people who believe heavy music can be fun while still saying something worth hearing. Audiences continue to grow each tour, fueled by the band’s willingness to merge riffs, rage, humor, and a perspective shaped by lived experience.

ANTI-SAPIEN is:

Blake Charlton – Guitar and Lead Vocals
Alex Fewell – Drums
Ryan Murphy – Bass and Backup Vocals
Nathan Rand – Lead Guitar

Connect with ANTI-SAPIEN:

Website: terminushatecity.com
Bandcamp:https://anti-sapien.bandcamp.com/music
E Shop:https://anti-sapien.bandcamp.com/merch
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/AntiSapienBand/
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/antisapienband/
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@antisapienband
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/4qq4lPjBPdNmudoOk1CfRZ
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/anti-sapien/1679779909

AGENBITE MISERY - Remorse of Conscience

AGENBITE MISERY is a New Hampshire-based trio whose debut album Remorse of Conscience is one of the most ambitious concept records to emerge from the modern extreme metal underground. Formed in late 2022 by guitarist Sam Graff, bassist Cam Netland, and drummer Adam Richards, the band began with a deceptively simple idea: to adapt James Joyce’s Ulysses into an experimental metal album. What emerged from that idea is a 55-minute odyssey of layered sonic aggression and literary depth, an album that blends blackened sludge, dissonant death metal, post-punk, ambient drone, and more into a singular, genre-defying statement of purpose.

The name AGENBITE MISERY is itself a reflection of the band’s literary roots, pulled from a line in Ulysses that references the 14th-century English devotional text Agenbite of Inwit. The phrase, literally “again-bite of inner wit,” or modernized as “remorse of conscience," became the perfect thematic and philosophical framework for an album steeped in grief, alienation, and the search for meaning in modern life. The band’s name was chosen because it reflects the deep, biting sorrow that pervades the novel and their music. Though the original pronunciation might have been “ah-jehn-bite,” the band opts for a harder, contemporary “ae-ghen-bite” as a nod to their mission of dragging ancient texts into the present.

Remorse of Conscience was written over the course of 2023 and recorded in 2024, entirely self-produced by the band, with mixing by Eric Sauter and mastering by Brad Boatright. The recording sessions were a direct extension of the trio’s collaborative ethos: a commitment to honesty, maximalism, and transformation. Each of the album’s eight songs adapts a chapter from Ulysses, using lyrics pulled directly from Joyce’s prose and reshaping them into brutal, beautiful sonic forms. The band sees each track not merely as a song but as a new translation, an attempt to convert stream-of-consciousness literature into aural energy.

The album opens with "Telemachean Echoes," a short, grinding burst of power violence and hardcore chaos that adapts the novel’s opening scene: Stephen Daedalus waking from a bitter dream of guilt and loss. The lyrics, shouted and whispered, move from internal shame to furious defiance: “Hyperborean scrotum tightening mother killer” to the repeated cry of “Let me be and let me live, Agenbite of Inwit.” It’s a blistering introduction to the world AGENBITE MISERY has constructed.

From there, the album spirals into "Cascara Sagrada," a disorienting piece of blackened death metal that explores the quiet horror of Leopold Bloom’s morning routine. Built on warped time signatures, sliding guitars, and sections that move from Slint-inspired indie to full-blown noise assault, the song captures the mundane terror at the heart of Bloom’s lonely life. Lyrics range from meditations on defecation to biblical hallucinations: “Captivity to captivity, multiplying dying being born everywhere, the grey sunken cunt of the world.”

The centerpiece of the album’s first half is the 13-minute "A Charitable View of Temporary Insanity," a devastating doom-sludge epic based on Bloom’s experience at a funeral. Lurching between minimal ambient textures and towering funeral doom riffs, the song reflects on loss, failure, and the strange bureaucracy of death. The vocals echo with grief: “If little Rudy lived, if I had seen him grown, my son, me and his eyes,” while the final line offers a glimmer of hope: “The blood sinking in gives earth new life.”

At the edge of genre, "Whatness of Allhorse" reimagines post-punk and industrial through a metal lens. With deadpan vocals, massive drum machines, horror-synth textures, and a blackgaze-style climax, the track adapts a scene where Stephen Daedalus debates Shakespearean theory with literary elites. The chaotic freedom of that conversation translates into a song full of bold choices and layered absurdity. “He left her, and gained the world of man,” we hear before the song explodes into shimmering tremolo guitars and a final scream: “But I’ll survive.”

"Bellwether and Swine" brings the record back to pure metal, a pummeling, riff-driven anthem inspired by Bloom’s argument with a xenophobic Irish nationalist. The song weaponizes the tropes of epic metal to mock toxic patriotism, stacking sludgy power chords over blast beats, while spoken word passages echo Old Testament imagery. The narrator’s bile is palpable: “Begob, he got as far as the door. Begob, always some bloody clown or other.”

With "Circe," the band returns to black metal, this time with a psychedelic bent. The chapter in Ulysses this track adapts is a hallucinatory descent into Dublin’s red-light district. The song mimics this spiral with hypnotic guitar lines, overlapping time signatures, and an atmosphere of dread. At the climax, we’re given one of the novel’s most haunting images: “A white lambkin peeps out of his waistcoat pocket.” It’s a fever dream of guilt and memory.

"The Twice-Charred Paths of Musing Disciples" offers a brief, contemplative interlude. Inspired by the penultimate chapter of Ulysses, the piece uses dungeon synth textures and ambient layering to conjure the quiet moment when Bloom invites Stephen to stay the night, and is turned down. The central melodic motif is taken from actual sheet music printed in the text, adapted into a modern drone setting.

The record closes with the monolithic "Mnesterophonia," a sprawling, droning epic that mirrors the novel’s final chapter, told from Molly Bloom’s perspective. Drawing on indie rock, doom, and freeform noise, the track builds from intimate to immense. The lyrics pull from Molly’s internal monologue as she drifts into sleep: “When I put the rose in my hair and how he kissed me and I thought well as well him as another…” The final lines of both book and album, “Yes, I will, Yes”, are screamed over a wall of sound, sealing the record with one of the most powerful emotional moments in modernist literature.

Though Remorse of Conscience is steeped in literary references, its emotional core is universal. At every turn, AGENBITE MISERY seeks to translate not just words but the raw human experience: grief, desire, disconnection, hope. In doing so, they’ve created something greater than a concept album, it’s a reinvention of what metal can do.

There is no other band like AGENBITE MISERY, and no album like Remorse of Conscience. This is a project that refuses to compromise, refuses to simplify, and refuses to be easily categorized. Instead, it dares to ask the same question Ulysses once did: can we still find truth, beauty, or meaning in the wreckage of the modern world? And their answer, it seems, is a resounding Yes. Yes, we will. Yes.

AGENBITE MISERY is a New Hampshire-based trio that fuses literary ambition with the visceral force of experimental metal. Formed in 2022 by guitarist Sam Graff, bassist Cam Netland, and drummer Adam Richards, the band emerged from a shared academic background in literature and a mutual devotion to the most extreme and boundary-pushing corners of heavy music.

At its core, AGENBITE MISERY is a project rooted in transformation. Their work doesn’t merely incorporate influences, it dismantles them, reshapes them, and recontextualizes them within a vision that is as cerebral as it is punishing. Their sound weaves together elements of black metal, sludge, death metal, post-punk, ambient, and noise rock, unified not by style but by intent: to confront, to immerse, and to challenge.

Individually, the members bring a history of musical experimentation: Sam Graff and Adam Richards were longtime collaborators in the avant-garde project UNDER GREEN SUNS and the Boston metalcore outfit VICARIUM, while Cam Netland previously fronted the Connecticut stoner/black metal band COAGULATE. Together, they’ve forged something entirely distinct, a collective voice that draws from their diverse histories but refuses to be defined by any one genre or scene.

AGENBITE MISERY exists at the edge of metal and the margins of modern art, translating abstract ideas into concrete sound with unrelenting force. Whether performing live or recording in isolation, their ethos remains constant: dig deeper, aim higher, and never repeat what has already been done.

AGENBITE MISERY is:

Sam Graff – Guitars / Vocals / Synth
Cam Netland – Bass / Vocals
Adam Richards – Drums / Vocals

Connect with AGENBITE MISERY:

"Arrival" by Acidosis

When ACIDOSIS first tore through Miami’s underground, they were teenagers armed with cheap gear and unshakable conviction. Years later, Arrival revives those early songs not as a nostalgia act, but as a reclamation of origin. Frontperson Ben Katzman, after stints with GUERILLA TOSS, COLLEEN GREEN, and MANNEQUIN PUSSY, dug up the band’s high school material while searching for a spark and found a raw map back to the core. Together with guitarist DIEGO EDSEL, protégé-turned-ripper DEO BUDNEVICH, JONATHAN RUSTEN, and drummer HARRY SCHWARZ, ACIDOSIS re-recorded the set with sharpened intent, producer Ryan Haft at the console, and mastering by Howie Weinberg. The result is 26 minutes that feel like ignition.

“Arrival” opens with a galloping statement of purpose, the sound of a door kicking open. “They Live!” channels protest energy into speed and release, a punk-fueled surge that treats the pit as a place of solidarity. “Hostile Negotiations” turns internal conflict into a whiplash sprint, riff after riff challenging the voice that says stand still. Between the shocks, “Interlude I” offers a moonlit breath, a reflective guitar-and-bass vignette co-written by Katzman and Budnevich that frames the record’s stakes.

“Tied To The Tracks” is the catalyst, born from teenage betrayal and redirected into forward motion. It remains a Florida-cult favorite for a reason, a chorus built to be shouted back. “Mankind” hammers like machinery, a critique of profit over people with a rhythmic heft that nods to METALLICA while staying firmly ACIDOSIS. “Interlude II” primes the descent into “Deadly Fits,” a Sabbath-by-way-of-ANTHRAX rocker about self-worth and refusing desperation. Closer “Where I Stand” starts with acoustic introspection, then ascends into harmonized leads that salute CACOPHONY and the precision grind of MEGADETH, wrestling with confusion and conviction before landing on resolve.

At the heart of Arrival is a mentor and a student becoming bandmates. Katzman met Budnevich when he was 14, taught him the language of the riff, and then brought him on tour. That Ozzy and Randy dynamic powers the record’s spirit, a passing of the torch that never dims the original flame. Visuals by Juan Montoya of TORCHE and layout by Perry Shall lock the aesthetic to the music’s lineage, bright Miami strangeness meeting steel-edged classicism.

Arrival plays like a single arc. Hooks on guitars, bass, and vocals sync into a series of decisive moments, each song advancing the same narrative of pressure, reflection, and release. Fans of METALLICA, ANTHRAX, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, MUNICIPAL WASTE, KING DIAMOND, RAMONES, HELLOWEEN, POWER TRIP, KREATOR, D.R.I., NEGATIVE APPROACH, MISFITS, and TORCHE will hear a throughline of devotion to craft and impact. The point is not retro worship. The point is remembering why this started and proving that it still matters. ACIDOSIS arrives again with Arrival, a concise, kinetic reminder that will to rock is not a phase, it is a compass.

“Tied To The Tracks” is the catalyst, born from teenage betrayal and redirected into forward motion. It remains a Florida-cult favorite for a reason, a chorus built to be shouted back. “Mankind” hammers like machinery, a critique of profit over people with a rhythmic heft that nods to METALLICA while staying firmly ACIDOSIS. “Interlude II” primes the descent into “Deadly Fits,” a Sabbath-by-way-of-ANTHRAX rocker about self-worth and refusing desperation. Closer “Where I Stand” starts with acoustic introspection, then ascends into harmonized leads that salute CACOPHONY and the precision grind of MEGADETH, wrestling with confusion and conviction before landing on resolve.

At the heart of Arrival is a mentor and a student becoming bandmates. Katzman met Budnevich when he was 14, taught him the language of the riff, and then brought him on tour. That Ozzy and Randy dynamic powers the record’s spirit, a passing of the torch that never dims the original flame. Visuals by Juan Montoya of TORCHE and layout by Perry Shall lock the aesthetic to the music’s lineage, bright Miami strangeness meeting steel-edged classicism.

Arrival plays like a single arc. Hooks on guitars, bass, and vocals sync into a series of decisive moments, each song advancing the same narrative of pressure, reflection, and release. Fans of METALLICA, ANTHRAX, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, MUNICIPAL WASTE, KING DIAMOND, RAMONES, HELLOWEEN, POWER TRIP, KREATOR, D.R.I., NEGATIVE APPROACH, MISFITS, and TORCHE will hear a throughline of devotion to craft and impact. The point is not retro worship. The point is remembering why this started and proving that it still matters. ACIDOSIS arrives again with Arrival, a concise, kinetic reminder that will to rock is not a phase, it is a compass.

About ACIDOSIS

ACIDOSIS is a heavy metal band originally formed in Miami by Ben Katzman and Diego Edsel during high school. Rooted in thrash, punk, and traditional metal, the band channels the spirit of teenage rebellion through sharpened musicianship and a love of riffs that hit hard and stay stuck in your head. Now based in Los Angeles, ACIDOSIS has evolved into a multigenerational lineup that includes Katzman’s former guitar student Deo Budnevich, who began touring with the band at 14 and now shreds alongside his mentor.

Known for chaotic live shows, politically-charged lyrics, and hook-driven songwriting, ACIDOSIS has shared the stage with acts like D.R.I., NEGATIVE APPROACH, and the JERRY ONLY MISFITS. After years of hiatus and other musical ventures, Katzman resurrected the band with renewed fire, recording the long-overdue debut Arrival, a collection of songs originally written in high school and reimagined with full force.

ACIDOSIS blends the power of early METALLICA and ANTHRAX with the urgency of MUNICIPAL WASTE and the melodic sensibilities of classic IRON MAIDEN. With art by JUAN MONTOYA (TORCHE) and design by PERRY SHALL (GREEN DAY, BLACK KEYS), the project is a full-circle realization of the band's past, present, and future.

This is riff worship without irony. Punk speed without slop. Metal hooks without ego. ACIDOSIS is built to shred, sweat, and scream until the tape runs out.

ACIDOSIS is:

  • Ben Katzman – Bass / Vocals

  • Diego Edsel – Guitar

  • Deo Budnevich – Guitar

  • Jonathan Rusten – Guitar

  • Harry Schwarz – Drums

Craig Morgan to perform “God Bless America” at the NFC West Title game as the Seattle Seahawks face the San Francisco 49ers on January 3 on ABC and ESPN

Country music hitmaker and Army Reserve soldier Craig Morgan will perform “God Bless America” in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary at the NFL’s NFC West Title game as the Seattle Seahawks face the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, home of Super Bowl LX, on Saturday, January 3. The performance will take place in a key game as the winner will hold the NFC West title and the NFC's #1 playoff seed, airing live on ABC/ESPN on Saturday at 5:00 pm PT.

Singer, author, actor, and soldier Craig Morgan has made a name for himself as a country music hitmaker who has amassed nearly 2.5 billion career streams and charted over 25 songs on Billboard. With signature hits including “Redneck Yacht Club,” “Almost Home,” “International Harvester,” “Soldier,” “That's What I Love About Sunday,” and his faith-filled tribute, “The Father, My Son and the Holy Ghost,” the multi-faceted entertainer’s music has formed the soundtrack to our lives for over two decades. His new music, American Soundtrack (BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville), is no exception, with each of the EP’s six songs infused with Craig’s faith and patriotism.

Craig received one of country music's highest honors when he was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2008. Prior to becoming a country music star and TV sensation, Craig spent seventeen years serving our country in the Army and Army Reserve and in 2023 enlisted again in the Army Reserve, continuing his military career as a Warrant Officer. He remains an avid supporter of America's military personnel and has made more than sixteen overseas trips to perform for our troops. Craig is a member of the U.S. Field Artillery Hall of Fame and recipient of the USO Merit Award. In 2018, he was awarded the Army’s Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, one of the highest awards the Department of the Army can bestow upon a civilian, in recognition of his significant dedication to our military men and women around the world. He remains committed to supporting active duty and veteran members of our military through work with Operation Finally Home, the USO and more.  

His emotional and inspiring memoir - God, Family, Country – is available now. In the book, Craig details all aspects from his inspiring life, revealing never-before-heard stories including the impetus behind his recent enlistment in the Army Reserve, how he worked alongside the CIA as a soldier in Panama, fought sex traffickers as an undercover agent in Thailand, forged his own path to country music stardom, and lives his life by the deepest values: God, family, country.  

Learn more at craigmorgan.com and engage with Craig on Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok.

Brutal Planet Records Announce the Remastered Releases of SIX FEET UNDER Albums “Unburied” and “Bringer Of Blood” on CD and Vinyl

Brutal Planet Records drags Six Feet Under Unburied and Bringer of Blood from obscurity with their first fully distributed vinyl editions. Unburied is pressed on Opaque Turquoise Vinyl and on CD. These nine unreleased tracks—grim outtakes from the Undead, Unborn, and Torment sessions—capture Six Feet Under in their most visceral and unrefined state. As Chris Barnes noted: “I always felt like these tracks were excellent Six Feet Under material. Real raw and in their earliest form.” 

Previously available only as a flimsy, low-quality cardboard-sleeve promo that barely surfaced in the collector world, Unburied has long been considered nearly impossible to obtain. This Brutal Planet Records edition finally gives these unearthed horrors a proper home in a jewel case with a 12-page lyric booklet, remastered by Rob Colwell and officially welcomed into the Metal Icon Series.

Brutal Planet Records resurrects the album with its first worldwide retail vinyl release, pressed on Opaque Turquoise Vinyl and mastered for vinyl by Rob Colwell. Housed in a traditional jacket with a 12x12 lyric insert, this edition finally gives Unburied the high-quality physical treatment fans have been waiting for. Only 500 LPs are being pressed. When they're gone, they’re gone.

The only previous vinyl pressing appeared briefly in Italy as a magazine kiosk bonus. It sold out instantly, was never placed into retail distribution, and is now almost impossible to locate. This Brutal Planet Records edition finally gives Unburied a proper physical home with upgraded sound mastered for vinyl by Rob Colwell, a traditional jacket, and a 12x12 lyric insert.

Brutal Planet Records also brings Bringer of Blood back from the underground, resurrecting one of Six Feet Under’s most savage chapters with its first-ever U.S. vinyl release. Originally unleashed in 2003 and recorded at Morrisound Studios, this album captures the band at peak ferocity—thick, pulsing riffs, grisly atmosphere, and Chris Barnes’ unmistakable guttural roar carving through each track like a bone saw.

SIX FEET UNDER – UNBURIED (Jewel Case CD)

Release Date: Out Now

For years, Unburied was the ghost in the Six Feet Under catalog — originally released digitally in 2018, with only a tiny number of flimsy cardboard-sleeve promo CDs that almost nobody ever found. The nine tracks on this album were pulled from the Undead, Unborn, and Torment sessions, and as Chris Barnes himself has said: “I always felt like these tracks were excellent Six Feet Under material. Real raw and in their earliest form.”

Key Features & Collector Details

  • First-ever real CD distribution of Unburied

  • Jewel case CD with 12-page lyrics insert booklet

  • Nine previously unreleased tracks

  • Material sourced from the Undead, Unborn, and Torment sessions

  • Remastered by Rob Colwell

  • Part of the elite Metal Icon Series on Brutal Planet Records

  • Original cardboard-sleeve CD was extremely limited and poorly distributed

  • Licensed from Metal Blade Records

  • Limited to 1,000 copies worldwide


SIX FEET UNDER – UNBURIED (Opaque Turquoise Vinyl)
Release Date: February 15, 2026

One of the rarest items in the SFU universe is the old Italian kiosk-only vinyl pressing of Unburied. It was never distributed, vanished instantly, and has been almost impossible to locate since the day it appeared.

Key Features & Collector Details

  • First-ever worldwide retail vinyl release of Unburied

  • Nine previously unreleased tracks

  • Traditional jacket with 12x12 lyrics insert

  • Pressed on Opaque Turquoise Vinyl

  • Material sourced from the Undead, Unborn, and Torment sessions

  • Mastered for Vinyl by Rob Colwell

  • Part of the elite Metal Icon Series on Brutal Planet Records

  • Licensed from Metal Blade Records

  • Original Italian kiosk-only vinyl pressing was extremely limited to 444 copies

  • Limited to 500 copies worldwide

ALCATRAZZ Respond to Graham Bonnet’s Recent Remarks Regarding the Band’s Current Lineup

Graham, thank you for the free PR... the Alcatrazz name has been trending quite nicely over the holidays. In a recent interview you seem to have had your say, so now we will have ours:

You claim our current line-up contains, in your opinion… a lack of musical merit, or that the musicians in our current line-up have no connection to, nor the right to perform or record as Alcatrazz... let’s look under the hood a bit to your reasoning as to why...

Despite the fact that we have two original founding members (whom you have willingly, and certainly when it suited you happily worked with more than once at numerous stages in your musical career), one of whom named the band “Alcatrazz” -- plus a guitarist that you yourself claimed in interviews at the time was “perfect for the Alcatrazz band”… someone that you yourself “fully endorsed” back in 2019 to record and co-write our “Born Innocent” album, when you were still in the band.

Perhaps you could check in with your apparent new friend Bruce Dickinson… as Bruce's own keyboard player Maestro Mistheria is currently in a band with our guitarist… Mr. Joe Stump… that band is called Tower Of Babel… small world isn't it?...we are sure Bruce likely has better things to do though.

The balance of your comments are also all a bit hypocritical, as aside from yourself not one member of your current solo band has any connection to these songs (nor to the songs of Rainbow or M.S.G. which you perform).

In fact many of the songs that you are known by: “Since You Been Gone” “All Night Long” “Night Games” “Warm Ride” “It’s All Over Now Baby Blue” “Only One Woman” (to name a few) you didn’t write a single part of any of them yourself… yet you continue to trade off this material whenever you perform live, on recent re-recordings, live albums and compilations of your work… How many more versions of Russ Ballard’s “Since You Been Gone” are you going to re-record?... as many as you like we assume, but your apparent faulty logic of  >writers being the only ones who have a right to perform a song<  doesn't compute.

Again; we have two original founding members in our line-up and a guitarist who has been in the band longer than any other guitarist previous.

The version of Rainbow that you were in bore little resemblance in sound or image of the original Rainbow band, yet in our opinion was no less valid... so by your logic as you didn't write anything with Rainbow, should you be dismissed in equal measure as some kind of imposter Rainbow member when you are out performing those songs? ...  You do seem to have a habit of shifting the rules around depending on what suits you best.

You have claimed that you have seen videos of our live show and deem us to be "terrible"... you have also made recent comments in the press that you also cannot listen to yourself on similar such videos as they also sound "terrible"... so we suppose, in your estimation, that there isn't much hope for any of us... God-Damned Video!

You also seem a bit “put-out” that Jimmy recently spoke to the press regarding your lip-synching and running of pre-recorded vocal tracks to cover for your vocal issues live (an absolute truth during Jimmy’s tenure both in your solo band and in Alcatrazz)...

Would you care to take a lie detector test to settle this once and for all? — as we would be happy to also do so... are you up for the challenge?... anytime!

There was of course no mention by you of the fact that you had no problem (for years) stating numerous falsehoods publicly about Jimmy Waldo… not least of all your ridiculous claim that he had “stolen” the main theme from the Alcatrazz song “Island In The Sun” directly from Van Halen’s “Jump” (?)… But wait!, we have a slight timeline problem there, as Jimmy wrote that piece while a member of New England in 1981… it was released in 1983, still some months prior to the release of the Van Halen song (the two songs have nothing in common by the way).

In reality it was Jimmy who would pitch correct your vocals on the records, prepare the pre-recorded live tracks for you to lip-synch to, and basically save your arse night after night — so it shouldn't come as a surprise that once you decided to take shots at our band and at Jimmy, that we decided (after THREE years of saying nothing about you at all) that enough was enough and he gave it back to you with both barrels fully loaded!.

Jimmy Waldo; as a member of New England, A-Z, Warlord and someone who has performed numerous sessions for the likes of Quiet Riot, Pretty Maids, WASP, and many more, doesn't need to make up stories about Graham Bonnet to get attention.

You make no mention of the fact that three international trademark courts dismissed your claim to the “Alcatrazz” trademark, for the simple fact that you quit-the-band (!) back in 2020 and that the band contractually was never ever your solo project… a narrative that you are still trying to push, proving once and for all that your ego is still your worst enemy.

Now conveniently enough you say that the Alcatrazz name is an embarrassment to you and you have no desire to be known by it any longer.

You didn't like Alcatrazz when the great Doogie White (ex Rainbow, Michael Schenker, Malmsteen) was singing for us, nor do you like it now that Giles Lavery (Warlord, Jack Starr, Dragonsclaw) is singing for us. Actually you told us you didn't like the music of Alcatrazz when YOU were a member either.
Which is fair enough... we quite liked your last solo album by the way... apart from that song "David's Mom" ... which was crap!... We all have opinions, so let’s let the fans make up their own minds.

You seem to make a big deal of the fact that our singer (Giles Lavery) is also our manager and was at one time your manager…a man of many talents indeed (but not in the kitchen!)... you make this comment in some kind of attempt to diminish his work as a vocalist (as mentioned above he also sings quite successfully as member of, and for: Warlord, Jack Starr’s band and Dragonsclaw).

Again, your hypocrisy is palpable — Your own bass player is your current manager, of course she is also your girlfriend (and driver, nurse and landlady)… and speaking of musical merit, she herself did not actually play the bass on the Graham Bonnet Band albums (you can ask your guitarist Conrado more about that!) ...Oh…did someone just say “Spinal Tap”…?

We continue to record and tour internationally quite successfully without you… so you do your thing and we will do ours.

Alcatrazz (with two Z's)

BraveWords Records releases PRIOR CONVICTIONS, the new album by Alcatrazz. PRIOR CONVICTIONS contains newly re-recorded versions of nine 1980s era Alcatrazz songs, all featuring new vocalist Giles Lavery. Plus two brand new band compositions “Transylvanian Requiem” and “Stand And Wait Your Turn”.

Brand new Alcatrazz song "Stand And Wait Your Turn" video: https://youtu.be/x1mJnQwPvw0

 

Stream or Purchase Alcatrazz "Prior Convictions": https://smarturl.it/PriorConvictions

Credits:

Produced Giles Lavery and Jimmy Waldo

Mixed & Mastered by Andy Haller

All songs recorded 2025

 

Giles Lavery - Vocals

Joe Stump - Guitars

Jimmy Waldo - Keyboards

Gary Shea - Bass

Mark Benquechea - Drums

https://www.alcatrazzofficial.com/

https://www.facebook.com/alcatrazzband/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnLCCQe68LpSPWIwm-Dx14w

https://twitter.com/AlcatrazzReal

https://www.instagram.com/alcatrazz_official/

https://www.bandsintown.com/a/57544-alcatrazz

SISTER KILL CYCLE Unleashes A Dark, Industrial Reckoning of CCR's Classic “BAD MOON RISING”

SISTER KILL CYCLE is back—and this time, they’re staring straight into the storm as they take the iconic Creedence Clearwater Revival classic song and is reborn as a crushing anthem for uncertain times.

The industrial rock provocateurs have released a ferocious new cover of “Bad Moon Rising,” transforming the legendary CCR anthem into a menacing, modern-day prophecy drenched in distortion, grit, and raw intensity. Where the original warned of trouble on the horizon, SISTER KILL CYCLE turns that warning into a full-scale sonic uprising.

From the first pulse to the final note,

“Bad Moon Rising” is reimagined through the band’s signature blend of industrial aggression, dark atmospheres, and unrelenting rhythm.

Grinding guitars collide with pounding electronics, while the vocals deliver the song’s ominous message with a snarling urgency that feels eerily relevant in today’s fractured world.

SISTER KILL CYCLE has long been known for pushing boundaries and refusing to play it safe, and this release is no exception. By taking a timeless rock classic and injecting it with industrial firepower, the band bridges generations—connecting the paranoia and unrest of the past with the volatile energy

of now.

Perfect for fans of hard-hitting industrial rock, dark alternative, and fearless reinterpretations, “Bad Moon Rising” stands as both a tribute and a warning: the moon is rising, the tension is building, and SISTER KILL CYCLE is here to soundtrack the fallout.

APPLE MUSIC

YOUTUBE

WISHER Unveils “AQUA DE VIDA” — A Bold, Immersive New Chapter That Flows Between Power, Emotion and Atmosphere

WISHER return with “Aqua De Vida,” a striking new single that surges with intensity, texture, and emotional weight—marking a powerful evolution for a band unafraid to let their sound expand, collide, and breathe. Translating loosely to “Water of Life,” the track lives up to its name, flowing between moments of restraint and release, calm and chaos, introspection and catharsis.

From its opening notes, “Aqua De Vida” pulls the listener under the surface. Shimmering atmospheres and hypnotic rhythms give way to crushing dynamics, layered guitars, and vocals that feel both urgent and vulnerable. WISHERblends heaviness with melody, crafting a song that feels cinematic in scope while remaining deeply human at its core.

About Aqua De Vida: 

Inspired by the quest for the Fountain of Youth in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, this track channels admiration for the characters Syrena & Phillip.

We wrote it for the Disney fans who love the world of Pirates of the Caribbean and metal listeners who enjoy strong riffs and a solid rhythm section.

Promotional photo by Jessica Van Hoose 

WISHER BIO: 

WISHER is inspired by the epic orchestral grandeur of Hans Zimmer, the twin-guitar influence of Avenged Sevenfold, and the vocal majesty of singers like Ronnie James Dio, Christina Aguilera, Ozzy Osborne and a vast variety of different music while the presence of classic heavy metal is always in us.

Our online merch store HERE

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

Moodring Share "Cannibal" Visualizer

Founded in Florida yet now based in Atlanta, Georgia, Moodring is a nu-metal x alt-rock project led by dynamic frontman Hunter Young.

The band's 2022 debut Stargazer captured attention from the tastemaker crowd, including a 4 out of 5 star review from Kerrang! The band recently signed to SharpTone Records. Today, Moodring have shared the visualizer for the new single "Cannibal." The track has a very late '90s and early '00s hard rock energy, with chunky riffs, kinetic synths, and the expected dark subject matter the Moodring are known for.

Watch it below.

"'Cannibal' was one of the last songs added to record, sonically focused on combining nu metal, alt rock, and industrial dance music," Young says. "The song takes the life and mating cycles of black widow spiders to compare and contrast intimate relationships of our own and how they can be 'cannibalistic,' nihilistic, and ultimately end in demise."

The song is also being used to in the trailer for the new season of the Crunchyroll series Clevatess. Watch it here.

Earlier this year, Moodring shared the video for "Half-Life." Watch it here.

RED SANDS Unleash “The Hunt”

Independent melodic metal band RED SANDS announces the release of their new single “The Hunt,”. The track appears on the band’s highly anticipated EP Evocations, set for worldwide release on January 30, 2026.

“The Hunt” serves as an energetic and subconscious tribute to one of RED SANDS’ favorite metal acts, Iced Earth. Written by Eric Novelo (bass), with arrangements and lyrics by Daniel Novelo, the song blends galloping riffs, urgent pacing, and a sharp melodic edge. Although it is the most traditional track on the EP, it stands out as one of the most vibrant due to its direct songwriting and fast, unrelenting momentum.

Lyrically, “The Hunt” immerses listeners in the brutality and fervor of medieval warfare. While its themes resonate with nearly any era of armed conflict, the song draws particular inspiration from the Battle of Hattin in 1187, where Saladin’s forces defeated the Crusaders and reclaimed Jerusalem. Arabesque guitar solos, atmospheric backing vocals, and intricate sound effects depicting clashing swords and firing trebuchets create a vivid, cinematic portrayal of chaos on the battlefield.

Evocations features six tracks that explore themes of mortality, memory, and transformation. From the ominous opening “Mors Vincit Omnia” to the commanding presence of “The Coven,” the aggression of “The Hunt,” and the introspective melancholy of “My Beloved Ghost,” the EP traces a cycle of creation and decay. At its center is “System,” a new song that confronts modern corruption with sharp lyrical intent and complex musicianship. The artwork, created by vocalist and visual artist Jonathan Corral, reflects the record’s themes through surreal imagery featuring a being made from memories and relics carrying a dying bird on a blank musical score, symbolizing both unfinished creation and impermanence.

RED SANDS is:
 

  • Jonathan “Jona” Corral – Vocals

  • Daniel Novelo – Rhythm & Lead Guitar

  • Eric Novelo – Bass

  • Juan Carlos “CJ” León – Piano & Keyboards

  • Ángel Asiain – Drums


Connect with RED SANDS:
 

GORE. Go Back in Time With GOT-Inspired "Wrath" Video

Texas metal quartet GORE. — vocalist Haley Roughton, guitarist Alex Reyes, bassist Devin Birchfield, and drummer Wills Weller — dropped their latest EP, titled IF YOU DO NOT FEAR ME... earlier this year. Get it here.

The band has also shared the video for "Wrath." Watch it below. 

You will transported to a medieval moment in time, as singer Haley Roughton does battle with an archer and beyond in this gripping cinematic footage. It's giving Game of Thrones vibes.

"The 'Wrath' video is fully leaning into the 'Disney Princess Metal' vibe that the song brings," says Roughton. "I get to be a damsel in distress that gives her soul to a man that was supposed to save her, but ends up stealing her soul away for corruption. I haunt his every waking move afterwards, and eventually cause him to go mad and kill his comrades. This is by far one of the coolest music videos I've ever seen and I'm so grateful that it happens to be ours!"

"'Wrath' is the culmination of resentment, cynicism and fear that was made from the experiences in A Bud That Never Blooms," the band has said about the song. "Between the societal turmoil of 'Doomsday,' the death of romance in 'Babylon,' and the familial heartbreak in 'Heaven Is Above Me,' the human condition can wreak havoc on what was supposed to be stability and peace."

The new EP follows GORE.'s Spinefarm debut, the A Bud That Never Blooms EP (2024), which saw the band tipped as a "Band You Need To Know" by Revolverand described as "cutting-edge modern metal at its most vulnerable" by NME in their 2025 Essential Emerging Artists list.

ABOUT GORE.:
Haley Roughton leads the charge in Gore., a band that brings a distinctly feminine perspective to the heavy music scene. Debuted in 2023 with guitarist Alex Reyes, bassist Devin Birchfield, and now drummer Wills Weller, the Texas-based trio quickly made waves with their emotionally raw and unapologetically vulnerable sound. Their signing to Spinefarm solidifies their place in the industry. Gore.'s A Bud That Never Blooms EP serves as a deeply personal exploration of the complexities of femininity. Tracks like "Babylon" confront the painful realities of womanhood, while "Doomsday" reflects on the desensitization to violence and suffering in today's world. With plans for more music in 2025, Gore. are poised to continue challenging norms and expressing the full spectrum of feminine experience through their powerful sound.

Defeated Sanity Announce U.S. Headline Tour

Fresh from the aftermath of wrecking the road with Sanguisugabogg, Despised Icon and Corpse Pile, Defeated Sanity are announcing their first U.S. headline tour in support of Chronicles of Lunacy. The brutal innovators of technical death metal will perform their latest Billboard-crushing album in full on top of pit-slamming favorites from their early classics. 

"From the first blast-beat barrage, the tempo was merciless, the riffs jagged and precise, the breakdowns heavy enough to register physically", New Noise wrote about Defeated Sanity's recent stop in Chicago. "What stood out was how they balanced their signature technical flair, unexpected time changes and bursts of jazzy dissonance with sheer raw impact". 

Supporting Defeated Sanity for all 27 dates on next year's headlining coast-to-coast run of the U.S. are South African heavies Vulvodynia and New Zealand death metal slammers Organectomy. Excresence, Scasm and Horrific Vision will join on select dates.

"We can't wait to play all of our new album Chronicles of Lunacy to our U.S. fans", Defeated Sanity says. "Be sure to join us as we return to brutalize the U.S. once again". 

Get tickets for Defeated Sanity's 2026 U.S. Headlining Tour

https://defeatedsanity.com/

Defeated Sanity 2026 U.S. Tour Dates
with Vulvodynia and Organectomy + Excrescence, Scasm and Horrific Vision on select dates

April 16 - Anaheim, CA @ Parish (HOB)*
April 17 - Fresno, CA @ Fulton 55*
April 18 - Santa Rosa, CA @ The California*
April 19 - Sacramento, CA @ Starlet*
April 21 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon*
April 22 - Portland, OR @ Dante's*
April 23 - Boise, ID @ Shredder*
April 24 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Ace's High Saloon*
April 25 - Denver, CO @ HQ*
April 27 - Milwaukee, WI @ X-Ray Arcade*
April 28 - West Chicago, IL @ Social Club+
April 29 - Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle+
April 30 - Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop+
May 1 - Rochester, NY @ Montage Music Hall+
May 2 - Clifton, NJ @ Dingbatz+
May 3 - Baltimore, MD @ Metro+
May 4 - Raleigh, NC @ Chapel of Bones+
May 5 - Jacksonville, FL @ The Albatross+
May 6 - Tampa, FL @ Orpheum+
May 7 - Orlando, FL @ Conduit+
May 8 - Pensacola, FL @ Handlebar^
May 9 - Houston, TX @ Pub 529^
May 11 - Dallas, TX @ Three Links^
May 12 - Austin, TX @ Come and Take It Live^
May 13 - Lubbock, TX @ Jakes^
May 15 - Phoenix, AZ @ Nile Underground^
May 16 - Las Vegas, NV @ Backstage Bar^
* Excrescence 
+ Scasm
^ Horrific Visions

Chronicles of Lunacy is out now on Season of Mist.

Order the new limited-edition gold with black splatters vinyl variant.

https://orcd.co/defeatedsanitythecroniclesoflunacy

The Artery Foundation Signs Code:Words

THE ARTERY FOUNDATION WELCOMES CODE:WORDS TO THE ROSTER

BAND TO RELEASE NEW SINGLE "LIMERENCE" ON JANUARY 9

THE ARTERY FOUNDATION is pleased to announce that it has signed CODE:WORDS to its roster.

On January 9, the band will debut its new single "Limerence." Pre-save it hereand stay tuned for more.

When CODE:WORDS formed in Los Angeles in 2023, they did not arrive quietly. The band showed up with urgency and a sound that already felt lived in — like it had a past behind it, like they'd been a touring act for years before anyone was paying attention.

They first gained attention with "Wash the Blood," a debut that spread without a rollout or a manufactured moment. People found it on their own and kept passing it along. In just over a year, the band's catalog pushed toward two million streams — not on manufactured hype, but on repeat listens and slow-built loyalty.

Fronted by John Dillon, with Garrett Lowery and Max Codeco, CODE:WORDS write from uncomfortable places: Obsession. Shame. Control. Emotional exhaustion. Nothing is exaggerated. Nothing is softened. The music is meant to make you feel something raw, and it leaves you uneasy in the best way.

The band's sound was shaped alongside producer Hiram Hernandez (PINKNOISE, Magnolia Park, Dark Divine). The approach is deliberate. Clear, and concise with one objective; Give you everything until, you feel it all.

"We're beyond excited to be signing with the legends at Artery Foundation," the band says. "It feels like the right home for the band and a massive step forward for everything we've been building. This new chapter starts with our upcoming single 'Limerence,' which might just be our best song yet. We've poured so much of ourselves into shaping this next era and we can't wait for everyone to share this experience with us."

Eric Rushing, President of The Artery Foundation, echoed the sentiments, saying, "CODE:WORDS is one of those rare bands that arrived fully-formed, unapologetic, and already resonating with listeners in a way you can’t manufacture. Artery is excited to stand behind a band that is scratching the surface of something great."

"Limerence" is only just the beginning of what's on tap with Code:Words.

New Miserable Experience (Feat. Members of Rivers of Nihil, ex-Revocation, Rosetta) Share "The Devil We Know" Video —

New Miserable Experience, featuring an all-star cast with members of Rivers of Nihil, Rosetta, ex-Revocation, and Model Prisoner, have revealed their new single "The Devil We Know."

"The Devil We Know" is taken from the band's new album Gild The Lily, due January 23 via Pelagic Records.

Pre-order Gild The Lily and stream "The Devil We Know" here.

Watch the new video below:

New Miserable Experience are a Philadelphia-rooted collective that reshapes heavy-music rigor into expansive, melody-forward songs through alternative synth-rock. What started as a file-trading collaboration between vocalist/bassist David Grossman (ex-Rosetta) and multi-instrumentalist Joshua Mahesh Kost (Model Prisoner) expanded into a full band that now includes Rosetta drummer Bruce "B.J." McMurtrie Jr., technical-metal bassist Brett Bamberger (ex-Revocation), and guitarist Brody Uttley (Rivers of Nihil). 
  
Each member of New Miserable Experience contributes a distinctive sonic fingerprint. The vocals act as the emotional center, delivering lines that feel confessional and immediate; synths and guitars are constructed with shimmering arpeggios and decisive motifs; percussion and production choices blend groove and tension within electronic nuance; and bass work often functions as a countermelody, lifting refrains and anchoring transitions. Together the five players emphasize careful craft over spectacle, shaping a song that rewards patient listening.

Across the twelve tightly arranged tracks of third album Gild The Lily, the band pares its palette to essential elements: clear melodies, precise dynamics, and richly textured production. The album trades overt bombast for craft, building emotional weight through small gestures and patient arrangements rather than moments of spectacle.

Elements of Gild the Lily combine alternative synth rock with chorus-tinted guitars, and a rhythm section that alternates between taut propulsion and roomy, reverb-soaked space. Elements of artists as lauded and disparate as Crosses, Ulver, The Black Queen, and more combine to irresistible effect.

NEW MISERABLE EXPERIENCE ARE: 
Josh Kost — Multi-Instrumentalist
Brody Uttley — Guitar
Brett Bamberger —Bass
David Grossman —Vocals
BJ McMurtrie — Drums

Sound Fury Magazine Unleashes Vol. 3 – Winter 2025 Featuring Des Rocs on the Cover

Winter 2025

SOUND FURY MAGAZINE returns louder, bolder, and more defiant than ever with the release of Volume 3: Winter 2025, featuring rock firebrand Des Rocs on the cover. Packed with raw storytelling, fearless artists, and the pulse of today’s rock and metal underground, this issue cements Sound Fury Magazines mission to champion authenticity in a genre that thrives

on rebellion.

Des Rocs stands at the center of this explosive new issue—a symbol of rock and roll’s rebirth. In an in-depth, no-holds-barred cover interview, Des Rocs opens up about the evolution of his sound, the pressure of redefining modern rock, and the unrelenting drive that fuels his rise. It’s an unfiltered look at an artist who refuses to play it safe and continues to push the genre forward on his own terms.

Vol. 3 – Winter 2025 delivers more than just a cover story. The issue is loaded with exclusive interviews, artist features, scene spotlights, and editorial deep dives spanning rock, metal, alternative, and underground music. From rising independent voices to established acts carving new paths, Sound Fury Magazine once again proves it’s not chasing trends—it’s

documenting movements.

“We created Sound Fury Magazine to be a voice for artists who live and breathe their craft,” says founder Evan J. Thomas. “Putting

Des Rocs on the cover felt inevitable. He represents everything this magazine stands for—fearless creativity, grit, and the future

of rock music.”

This winter issue also reflects Sound Fury Magazines expanding influence as more than a magazine. Backed by TAG Publicity, Sound Fury Magazine continues to blur the lines between media, advocacy, and artist development—building a platform that supports musicians beyond the page.

Sound Fury Magazine – Vol. 3 Winter 2025 is available now in both physical and digital formats, with subscription options for fans who want year-round access to the underground

and beyond.

For those craving substance over hype, passion over polish, and music that still hits with purpose—this issue is required reading.

Also in this issue...

Mudvayne, Paul McCartney, Sevendust, Billy Corgan, From Ashes To New, Reddstar, Crobot along with music reviews, Top 5 Lists and more!


ABOUT SOUND FURY MAGAZINE

Sound Fury Magazine is a quarterly rock and metal publication dedicated to amplifying authentic voices, spotlighting fearless artists, and celebrating the culture that fuels heavy music. With a DIY spirit and industry insight, Sound Fury Magazine connects fans and artists through powerful storytelling, bold visuals, and uncompromising editorial vision.

MILWAUKEE METAL FESTIVAL 2026 Adds Special AGALLOCH Double Sets, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES + More Bands; Announces Day Splits

Milwaukee Metal Festival 2026 has announced day splits for its highly anticipated return to The Rave/Eagles Club, taking place June 5–7, 2026. In addition to previously announced headliners Acid Bath (Friday), Killswitch Engage (Saturday), and Ministry (Sunday), the festival has added Suicidal Tendencies and a wave of additional artists spanning the full spectrum of heavy music. The current day splits can be found below with more bands still TBA!

Milwaukee Metal Fest 2026 will once again showcase a wide range of metal styles, including death metal, doom, hardcore, metalcore, thrash, industrial, and underground extremity, with performances spread across multiple stages throughout the venue. In addition to live music, the festival will feature a dedicated floor for merchandise and collectibles, giving fans access to exclusive band merch, vinyl, rare items, and more throughout the weekend.

The Metal Fest Pre-Party kicks off the weekend on Thursday, June 4, hosted by Jamey Jasta and friends + special guests TBA. Pre-Party tickets are free with the purchase of a three-day pass.

Three-day passes, two-day passes, single-day tickets, and a limited number of reserved seats are on sale now. For the full lineup, ticket options, and festival updates can be found at THIS LOCATION.

The current day splits are as follows with more TBA:

Friday, June 5:

Acid Bath

Obituary

Agalloch (Retrospective Set)

Iron Reagan

Pallbearer

Hirax

NunSlaughter

Master

Weekend Nachos

Morta Skuld

Polkadot Cadaver

Dusk

Jeffrey Nothing

Thanatotic Desire

Eyes of the Living

Misery

+more TBA

 

Saturday, June 6:

Killswitch Engage

Suicidal Tendencies

Power Trip

Agalloch ('Ashes Against the Grain' Set)

After the Burial

NAILS

Havok

Prong

Internal Bleeding

Macabre

Belushi Speed Ball

Sworn Enemy

Casket Robbery

Human Artifacts

Brick by Brick

Threnody

Striking 13

+ more TBA

 

Sunday, June 7:

Ministry

All Shall Perish

Integrity

UADA

Cyco Miko

Deadguy

Incite

Dead by Wednesday

Texas Toast Chainsaw Massacre

Trip to the Morgue

Dark Horse Prophet

+ more TBA

Stay tuned for the next wave of bands - you don't wanna miss this!

ABOUT MILWAUKEE METAL FEST

Founded in 1987, Milwaukee Metal Fest is one of the longest-running and most influential metal festivals in the United States, with a rich history of showcasing groundbreaking artists across the heavy music spectrum. After establishing itself as a cornerstone of American metal through the late 1980s and 1990s, the festival was revived in 2023 under the direction of Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta, ushering in a new era while honoring its legacy. Today, Milwaukee Metal Fest continues to unite fans and artists for an uncompromising celebration of metal across the iconic stages of The Rave/Eagles Club.

Follow Milwaukee Metal Fest:

Website

Facebook

Instagram

X

Windswept Resurrect Historic Witch Trials on 'The Devil's Vertep'

In 2017, Roman Sayenko of Drudkh started a new band built on raw black metal. Now, Windswept are casting a cold spell over a dark moment in Ukrainian history with their upcoming third album The Devil’s Vertep.

The Devil’s Vertep come out Friday, December 12, 2026 on Season of Mist Underground Activists, but you can hear all six blazing tracks by listening to the full album stream at Black Metal Promotion.

Listen Below:

Pre-order & Pre-save

https://orcd.co/windsweptthedevilsvertep

Available Formats
CD Digipak
12” Vinyl Gatefold — Black
12” Colored Vinyl Gatefold — Red & Black

Across The Devil’s Vertep, Windswept retrace the witch trials that took place in Western Ukraine between 1753 and 1754. The album blisteringly unfolds across six acts: the grim discovery narrated in “Infanticide,” the escalating procedures of “Investigation” and “Torture & Confession,” the witchdoctor’s craft in “The Potion,” the broader networks of sorcery in “Nest of the Witches,” and the judicial reckoning in “Verdicts.” With a cold hard gaze, Windswept transform archival records into unflinching black-metal.

While The Devil’s Vertep marks Windswept’s first venture into Ukrainian demonology and witchcraft, these themes trace back much earlier in Roman Sayenko’s creative path. In the autumn of 1996, Sayenko began developing an unfinished project titled KOZLONOGYI (Goat-Footed):  a concept rooted in the same folkloric and mythological territory that would later resurface within The Devil’s Vertep. Although KOZLONOGYI never moved beyond a few rehearsals, its sketches and early riffs became the foundation for Windswept’s latest work. By reviving and re-working these ideas nearly three decades later, Sayenko bridges eras of black metal evolution, imbuing The Devil’s Vertep with a distinctly 1990s sensibility and reverence for the early traditions that shaped his artistic identity.

Recorded, mixed, and mastered at Viter Music with production handled internally, The Devil’s Vertep balances immediacy with conceptual cohesion. Its stark presentation reflects the gravity of the source material, while the cover art by Obsidian Bone situates the work in a visual landscape as unsettling as the music itself. By channelling the voices of the past, Windswept expand their raw black metal vision into a work of historical remembrance, turning archival fragments into a haunting artistic statement.

Line-up:
R. — Vocals & Guitars
T. — Bass
V. — Drums

Production Credits:
Recorded at Viter Music. Produced & engineered by R. & V. Mixed & Mastered by V. at Viter Music.

Cover Art:
Obsidian Bone

Edenbridge Release Lyric Video for "Set The Dark On Fire"

Austrian symphonic metal act Edenbridge have released a new digital single and lyric video.

It's the title track — "Set The Dark On Fire" — from the upcoming album out January 16.

Watch the lyric video below. 

With the title track, Edenbridge present one of their fastest songs ever. The band continues to convey confidence without denying dark themes. The songs are earthier and more emotional than ever before, and in many cases, even more aggressive — but never destructive. The transformative power of fire runs like a thread through the entire album, literally making the listener feel the sparks.

Sabine Edelsbacher says, "As a bridge-building force in the musical universe, we stand for transformation rather than escalation. We see ourselves as observers of external events and dedicate ourselves to the underlying issues — inner development and our own effectiveness."

In the gentle passages, the band members are concerned with inner peace and finding insights. These are then presented with full expressiveness.

"When chaos reigns outside, don't get entangled, but go to the zero point, the center," Edelsbacher continues. "The fiery power of the sun immediately rises within you as insight and inspiration. Connected to your inner sun, you rise like a phoenix from the ashes."

Set The Dark On Fire will be released on January 16 through Steamhammer as CD digipak, 2LP gatefold version and digital and can be pre-ordered here.