APOSTLE Release New Single and Video "Distortions of Light"

"Distortions of Light" is the new single and video to arrive from ATLANTA, GA metal trio APOSTLE. With a sound designed to encourage emotional connection and catharsis, APOSTLE entwine elements from grindcore and hardcore, post-black metal, shoegaze and post-rock. The band's upcoming full-length album A Splinter in the Infinite Noumenon, is set for release on June 5, 2026 via Terminus Hate City. 

"Distortions of Light" begins with a recording of E.E. Cummings offering advice to students and aspiring writers. As he states,  “…but the moment you feel, you are nobody but yourself”, it is here that APOSTLE's sonic expression takes charge. 

The musical arrangement is intended to evoke a sense of unease, "the listener is cast without reason into a world of darkness and confusion, the song lurches forward through a barren wasteland of murky and ominous melodies" the band explain. Melodies "beckon the listener like a will-o’-the-wisp to follow down some unseen path to discover what lies beyond the distortions of light."

The imagery and metaphor of the narrative, as envisioned by APOSTLE, is rooted in the concept of reality being represented by a giant diamond suspended in the sky. Upon breaking, and the splinters falling to earth, it is a distorted version of reality that is revealed in the fragments on the ground. 

The album title references Carl Jung’s description of humanity as a “splinter in the infinite deity,” framing the record as an exploration of spiritual duality, grief, and self-examination. Across six tracks and 27 minutes, the band move through themes of loss, mortality, internal conflict, and eventual healing. The record serves as both a meditation on the human condition and a deeply personal tribute shaped by grief and remembrance.

Produced, engineered, and mixed by Connor Ray at Sobek Sound and mastered by Erol Ulug at Bright Lights, A Splinter in the Infinite Noumenon presents APOSTLE in their most refined and expansive form.

Pre-order A Splinter in the Infinite Noumenon here: https://www.terminushatecity.com/product-page/preorder-apostle-a-splinter-in-the-infinite-noumenon-lp

Their latest album, A Splinter in the Infinite Noumenon, represents the band’s most fully realized work to date. Drawing from existential philosophy and deeply personal experiences with grief and remembrance, the record explores humanity’s connection to something greater while acknowledging the struggle inherent in being human. Across its runtime, APOSTLE seek connection through shared emotional experience, transforming personal suffering into collective release.

APOSTLE is:

Murice White – vocals, guitar
Michael Thomas – bass, vocals
Evan Price – drums

Connect with APOSTLE:

Bandcamp: https://apostlesucks.bandcamp.com
Store: https://www.terminushatecity.com
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/apostlesucks
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/apostlesux
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/67cjLOrbhdb2gFmS9OJKfS
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@terminushatecity

ATAVISTIA Present New Single “Seeker of Time", Ahead of The Upcoming Album Old Gods Awaken

ATAVISTIA embrace an adventurous spirit in the magical new single "Seeker of Time". Accompanied with a lyric video this is the latest offering to land ahead of the forthcoming album Old Gods Awaken, set for release on May 15th, 2026 via Blood Blast Distribution.

Leaning further into folk metal realms, ATAVISTIA's new compositions delve into an array of folk tales and fantasy-led themes. “'Seeker of Time' is our first song to not be written in the 1st person perspective". The band reveal. "It tells the story of a sorcerer’s pursuit of time."

Musically, this track delivers a shorter and sharper impact driven primarily by a riff-focused structure. It's powerful and explosive while remaining characterful as ATAVISTIA seamlessly blend folk metal with a blackened edge. The narrative behind "Seeker of Time" is aptly portrayed through the instrumental arrangements, along with the wider themes of Old Gods Awaken, to ensure the effect is one that is fully immersive. 

"Seeker of Time" follows the celebratory mood of their first single "Mystic Tavern", presenting fans with a further glimpse into the alluring world of Old Gods Awaken.

Due out May 15th, 2026, Old Gods Awaken runs 43 minutes and 21 seconds and represents the uplifting first chapter of a two album concept. Incorporating Swedish and Finnish lyrics for the first time in the band’s catalog, the album draws from Nordic heritage and mythic atmosphere while delivering some of ATAVISTIA’s most memorable hooks to date. From tavern revelry to forest mysticism and epic progressive climaxes, the record marks a confident evolution in their sound.

With “Mystic Tavern” and "Seeker of Time" now unleashed, ATAVISTIA invite listeners to step inside, raise a horn, and prepare for the awakening.

ATAVISTIA lineup:

Mattias Sippola - Guitar, Vocals, Composition, Production
Max Sepulveda - Drums, Engineering
Elia Baghbaniyan - Guitar
Spencer Budworth - Bass, Vocals

CELESTIAL DEATH Unleash New Single “Seed Corrupted"

Rooted in dystopian themes and extreme, yet melodic black metal ferocity, “Seed Corrupted” introduces listeners to the opening chapter of CELESTIAL DEATH’s larger conceptual narrative that explores corruption, power, and the cyclical nature of destruction and rebirth.

Musically, “Seed Corrupted” merges modern melodic black metal with dark, post-metal atmosphere. A distorted lead melody establishes a dissonant tone before erupting into thunderous percussion and obliterating vocal delivery. The arrangement shifts between relentless high-speed aggression and slower, oppressive passages, creating a dynamic soundscape that mirrors the tension within the song’s narrative.

While the track stands on its own as a powerful single, it also serves as an entry point into a much larger conceptual story that CELESTIAL DEATH’s founding guitarist and vocalist, Forrest Jessup, has been developing for years. At its core, “Seed Corrupted” presents a conversation between two figures navigating morality, power, and survival in a corrupted world.

Part of the narrative draws inspiration from the mythology surrounding Al Capone, who famously spent time imprisoned in the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary - located only two miles from where Jessup grew up. Within the story, Capone appears as a mentor figure speaking to an unnamed protégé about the realities of power, violence, and the moral compromises required to survive within ruthless systems.

The title “Seed Corrupted” acts as a metaphor for how corruption rarely begins with a single act of evil, but instead grows from the environments people are forced to navigate. In harsh societal conditions - particularly in impoverished urban environments shaped by systemic oppression - organized crime often becomes less a matter of choice and more a mechanism of survival. Within the narrative, the mentor figure reflects on his rise to power while acknowledging both the brutality and the intoxicating nature of chaos itself.

One of the song’s central lines captures this duality:

“We planted this seed, corrupted this society, enchanted by our anarchy.”

While figures like Capone are condemned by society, they are also mythologized and romanticized in cultural memory - often framed through outlaw folklore that blurs the line between villain and antihero.

Growing up in Atlanta heavily influenced the themes behind the track. The city’s cultural identity - built on resilience, struggle, and an uncompromising survival mentality - shaped Jessup’s perspective and writing. Atlanta has long been a place where artists and communities have fought to build something from nothing, embodying a spirit often summarized as “got it out the mud.” That mindset of relentless survival and self-determination echoes throughout the worldview of the characters within CELESTIAL DEATH’s unfolding story.

The artwork for “Seed Corrupted,” created by Jim Bob Cooter Jr. (who did the band’s debut single, "Anti-Preacher"), visually reinforces these themes. The illustration depicts a decaying urban skyline and fractured cityscape amidst a bleak natural environment, in the center of which is a body of water, and dying tree of life… Above the surface lies the decay, symbolizing a society already consumed by corruption. The inverted reflection in the pool, however, reveals a thriving city of prosperity and abundant tree of life. The imagery suggests that corruption has already taken root in the present world, while the reflection represents either a forgotten past or a possible future that humanity has lost - or may one day reclaim.

“Seed Corrupted” serves as the first glimpse into the broader conceptual world of CELESTIAL DEATH - a narrative built around cycles of corruption, collapse, and rebirth. Much like the ancient symbol of the ouroboros, the story exists within a continuous loop where endings become beginnings and fallen systems inevitably reform themselves. This philosophy also mirrors the band’s deeper artistic identity and the ethos behind Terminus Hate City itself: the understanding that decay and creation are inseparable forces. Like the phoenix rising from ash, destruction becomes the catalyst for transformation, and new life inevitably grows from the ruins of the old.

CELESTIAL DEATH is:
Forrest Jessup - Guitar, vocals
Jason Schwartzwalder - Lead guitar
Matthew Carmichael - Drums
Robbie Marsh - Bassist

Social Links:

A.A. WILLIAMS Announces New Album Solstice And Releases New Single And Video "Hold It Together"

After wrapping up a successful UK and European tour, musician, singer, and songwriter A.A. WILLIAMS, known for her atmospheric, emotionally charged music, returns with her new single "Hold It Together" taken from her newly announced forthcoming album Solstice, due for release on 5th June via RPM. Pre-orders for the album open on April 22nd.

"Hold It Together" explores the fragile tension between resilience and internal collapse. With her characteristic blend of haunting atmosphere, immersive sound and emotional intensity, the London-based artist captures the experience of carrying deep feeling while presenting calm on the surface.

Speaking about the song, A.A. WILLIAMS explains:

“Silence exists where you long for answers, a bleak fragility that you daren’t disturb. Where beauty stood only the faintest glow remains, afraid of smothering it you shrink into a mould of your own making. Your edges dulled, your features disappearing, you put on that brave face not knowing whether you do it to protect others or yourself. You smile, you carry on, feeling everything, showing nothing.”

The track unfolds with quiet intensity, balancing vulnerability and restraint while drawing listeners into its immersive and emotionally rich soundscape.

Watch the video Below: 

Solstice finds A.A. WILLIAMS standing at the threshold between shadow and renewal, shaping songs that feel carved from storms and starlight. Known for her haunting vocals, cinematic dynamics and emotional clarity, Williams expands her sonic world with music that moves like a ritual through shifting seasons. Moments of stark intimacy open into surging crescendos as guitars swell and crash like gathering weather, anchored by a formidable sense of weight and scale. Strings glow with fragile warmth before giving way to waves of heavy distortion and all-encompassing catharsis, while her voice rises from quiet confession to commanding intensity. Drawn from years of global touring, acclaimed collaborations and boundary-pushing reinterpretations, Solstice captures an artist in full command of her craft. The album is intimate yet immense, delicate yet thunderous — guiding listeners through darkness with both vulnerability and force toward a distant, resolute dawn.

About A.A. Williams

Having made her debut live appearance at the prestigious Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands off the back of a self-titled EP, A.A. WILLIAMS has since toured across the globe with the likes of CULT OF LUNA, EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY, RUSSIAN CIRCLES, SLEEP TOKEN and THE SISTERS OF MERCY, as well as establishing herself as a headline artist - including a show at the iconic Queen Elizabeth Hall inside London's Southbank Centre.

Standout festival appearances have dovetailed with two album releases - 2020's "Forever Blue" and 2022's "As The Moon Rests" - both of which received widespread critical acclaim and placed A.A. WILLIAMS at the forefront of a wave of artists taking textured, epic and folk-rooted heavy music into new and progressive directions. A BBC session at the legendary Maida Vale Studios only bolstered her credentials.

Never one to rest on her laurels, she has also released a series of "companion pieces": a collaborative single with Japanese post-rock titans MONO ("Exit In Darkness"); a solo covers collection recorded during 2020's pandemic lockdown - Songs From Isolation - that drew praise from THE CURE's Robert Smith and SMASHING PUMPKINS' Billy Corgan; and perhaps most impressively, 2021's arco, in which the multi-instrumentalist completely reworked her debut EP from rock instrumentation to string ensemble, drawing on her classical training to stunning effect.

Now signed to Reigning Phoenix Music, the singles "Just A Shadow" and "Wolves" - the first taste of forthcoming album Solstice, due 5th June 2026 - have already turned heads, with Rock Sound calling her "one of the most vital voices in modern alternative culture" and Kerrang! declaring her work "typically spell-binding." 

Find A.A. WILLIAMS online:

Website
Spotify
Apple Music
Bandcamp
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
TikTok

LUNGBURNER Unleash New Single "Adamu" From Upcoming Album Dogma, Out April 17

Atlanta-based metal collective LUNGBURNER have announced the release of their new single "Adamu", the opening track from their forthcoming third full-length album Dogma, due out April 17. The single serves as the first glimpse into the band’s most expansive and conceptually driven work to date.

Listen to the track below:

Based out of Atlanta, GA, LUNGBURNER present their third release in the form of Dogma. Heavily schooled in the southern sludge methodology and intermixing industrial atmospheres with progressive melodic sensibility, Dogma sees the band stretch their creative legs as they slowly evolve into their own unique footprint within the metal and underground scenes. Dripping with spiritual, social, and human context, Dogma is LUNGBURNER’s thesis on the modern trappings of entrenched thinking, and the horror blind obedience lays upon mankind.

Opening the album, "Adamu" begins with a haunting invocation to the Fallen Angel Lucifer layered over tribal drum samples, immediately establishing the ritualistic tone of the record. The track quickly unfolds into a melodic statement before landing in a driving rhythmic pulse that propels the song forward. Anchored by the thunderous low end of Joshua on bass and Jens’ aggressive vocal delivery, the rest of LUNGBURNER drives the song relentlessly forward, claiming the sonic moment as their own.

Notably, "Adamu" was the first song LUNGBURNER wrote for Dogma following the addition of bassist Joshua in early 2025, marking the beginning of a new creative chapter for the band and setting the tone for the album’s thematic and sonic direction.

With Dogma, LUNGBURNER push deeper into their blend of southern sludge weight, industrial atmosphere, and progressive melody, delivering a record that is as philosophically provocative as it is sonically punishing.

"Adamu" is available now, with Dogma arriving in full on April 17.

Outside of music, all members work professionally in various engineering fields, and none of them originally came from traditional doom or stoner rock backgrounds. Their approach to the genre grew organically from a shared appreciation for heavy music and experimentation, which continues to shape the band's evolving sound as they move toward a more progressive direction while maintaining their doom foundation.

LUNGBURNER is:

Jens Anderberg — guitar, lead vocals
Joseph Mills — guitar, backup vocals
Joshua Broughton — bass

CONNECT WITH LUNGBURNER:

Bandcamp: https://lungburner.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lungburneratl
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lungburneratl
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@lungburneratl
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0WRBgLDbYMfLSrbb3tjNzK
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/ca/artist/lungburner/1724598173

PALE HORSE RITUAL Unleash New Music Video For “Bloody Demon” From Debut Album Diabolic Formation

PALE HORSE RITUAL have released the official music video for “Bloody Demon,” a single taken from their debut full-length album Diabolic Formation, available now via Black Throne Productions.

Watch and purchase the album here: https://blackthroneproductions.com/products/pale-horse-ritual-enchantress-copy 

Directed by Chris Babalis of Chris’ Witchy Stuff, the “Bloody Demon” video captures the band’s heavy sound and dark philosophical themes through a raw visual approach. Featuring footage shot by Ryan Hilton, Jeff Burbridge, Dave Machado, and Chris Lazaar, the video serves as a visual companion to one of the album’s most personal tracks.

“Bloody Demon” explores themes of self-acceptance and rebellion against societal expectations, embracing personal flaws, controversial viewpoints, and the isolation that can come with rejecting conformity. Told through the perspective of a godless man dealing with heartbreak and devotion to a dangerously intoxicating love, the song confronts loneliness, emotional ruin, and attachment to destructive relationships.

Diabolic Formation is the debut full-length release from PALE HORSE RITUAL, officially formed in 2024 by lifelong musical collaborators Paco (bass and vocals) and Jonah Santa-Barbara (drums). The duo joined forces with CANNABUS frontman and lead guitarist James Matheson, forming a creative partnership rooted in heavy rock, doom influence, and direct emotional expression.

Later that year, the band entered the studio with producer and musician Will Adams to record Diabolic Formation. Adams later joined PALE HORSE RITUAL during the album’s creation, contributing rhythm guitar and backing vocals and helping shape the band’s evolving sound.

About PALE HORSE RITUAL
Steeped in mysticism, PALE HORSE RITUAL create an spellcasting blend of doom, occult rock and vintage metal. Based out of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, the band formed in 2024 and their sound is driven by gritty vocals, sludgy riffs, and pounding rhythms that channel the spirit of 1970s heavy music with a modern, gothic edge. Following their alluring 2024 EP titled Enchantress, the quartet are preparing to unveil the full-length, Diabolic Formation on November 28, via Black Throne Productions. 

Line Up: 
Paco (Bass/Vocals)
James Matheson (Lead Guitar)
Will Adams (Rhythm Guitar/Backing Vocals)
Jonah Santa-Barbara (Drums)

Album Credits:
Producer: Will Adams
Recording Studio: Green Mountain Ranch
Engineer: Will Adams at Tell Me About It… Records
Mastering: Zack Hollow at Z Hollow Studios
Mixing: Will Adams

Guest Musicians:
Dom Valela- Keys, Vocals
Doom Valhalla- Italian Preacher

Links:
Bandcamp: https://palehorseritual.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palehorseritual/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaleHorseRitualBand
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pale.horse.ritual

ØVI Release New Video For “Absolve” From EP Hedera Helix, Out Today

ØVI unveil “Absolve,” the closing track from their new EP Hedera Helix, available today on all streaming platforms. Serving as the final statement of the four-track release, “Absolve” channels confrontation into clarity, presenting metal as a force of transformation rather than collapse.

Named after the ivy plant Hedera helix, a species known for relentless expansion and endurance, the EP reflects themes of growth through pressure and renewal through destruction. Across the record, ØVI examine toxic relationships, parasitic dynamics, and the reclamation of personal will. The music moves with intention, tracing the moment when survival becomes self-definition.

“Absolve” stands as the EP’s culmination. Anger becomes a refining element, burning away stagnation and sharpening purpose. The track mirrors ivy’s persistence. Structures that no longer sustain life are dismantled so growth can take hold. The recurring refrain, “Absolve, Rectify, Solidify,” functions as ritual language, a mantra aimed at severing attachment to decay and reinforcing forward motion.

The song closes Hedera Helix with momentum and resolve. Rather than yielding to exhaustion, ØVI push toward transcendence, choosing action, renewal, and evolution. The record ends in motion, advancing with deliberate force and unbroken focus.

Hedera Helix is out now.

About ØVI:

Influenced by NEOBLIVISCARIS, GOJIRA, DIMMU BORGIR, and NINE INCH NAILS, ØVI builds a sound that blends cinematic heaviness with electronic elements, evolving harmonic layers, and dynamic rhythmic structures. The result is an immersive, modern metal experience that balances aggression with emotion, density with clarity.

At its core, ØVI approaches metal as a narrative medium, using sound to explore power, guilt, and identity. Hedera Helix stands as both confrontation and metamorphosis, music that refuses to fade quietly, instead clawing toward self-definition and growth.

Connect With OVI:

Official Website: https://www.oviorder.com/
Bandcamp: https://oviorder.bandcamp.com/track/crucifixation
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554332926141
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oviorder/?hl=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OVIORDER
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5RjQGeAtl7pxJUmiEe7Qbe?si=HmcoaTnKTeGeXpEnRbmn3g
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/%C3%B8vi/1742286528
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@oviorder

OVI is:

  • Michael Nolasco - Vocals/Guitar

  • Zed Amarin - Drums

  • Kevin McCombs - Bass

  • Brendan Collins - Guitar

Out Today - Necronomicon Ex Mortis - Zombie Blood Nightmare

Chicago horror-death fiends NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS return with their most ferocious and unhinged release to date, the aptly titled Zombie Blood Nightmare. Out Now, this six-song EP is a whirlwind of 90s death metal stomp, 80s shred obsession, and tongue-in-cheek B-movie gore that cements the band’s identity as both serious riff-worshippers and gleeful purveyors of horror camp.

From the opening grind of “Left To Die,” listeners are thrown into a pit of decay and despair, guided by a colossal guest solo from none other than Jeff Young of MEGADETH. The song lurches like a doomed soul chained in a gore pit, every riff dripping with rot, until Young’s guitar screams carve through the gloom. Without pause, the band erupts into “No More Room In Hell,” a SUFFOCATION-inspired riff frenzy that pays homage to Dawn of the Dead. It’s a brutal sprint of tremolo riffs, spiraling solos, and lyrical nods to malls under siege and the endless march of the undead.

If excess is a virtue, “Chopped Up and Burned” is a cathedral. Seven minutes of gratuitous death-thrash chaos, the track features blistering guest solos from Matthew Mills and Jeff Young, and pays blood-soaked tribute to The Evil Dead. The band thrives in the chaos, with riffs piled high on top of each other until the track collapses under its own madness. By contrast, “Lumbering, Blood Sucking Freaks” staggers like its namesake: a mid-tempo, oozing collection of riffs that shouldn’t work together, yet somehow lock into an eerie, zombified groove.

The bloodthirst only intensifies with “Hungry For Brains,” a thrash assault structured around symmetrical diminished scales and spiked by a guest solo from James Norton, a personal connection from guitarist Michael Nystrom Bala’s college days. Lyrically blunt and musically savage, it’s a zombie anthem that gnashes at the listener until there’s nothing left but bone. The EP closes with “Démoni,” the most technically demanding of the set, inspired by the 1985 Italian horror film Demons. Featuring time-signature shifts, Suffocation-style brutality, and a grotesque slam section in 5/4, it’s also the only track without a Bala solo, but instead, Manuel Barbara takes command, shredding with reckless abandon as the song spirals into total madness.

Zombie Blood Nightmare is NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS at their most chaotic and gleefully grotesque, but also their most ambitious. Produced, recorded, and mixed by Charlie Waymire at Ultimate Studios, and mastered by Ernesto Homeyer, the EP boasts a sound as sharp and punishing as its subject matter. Genoicide Artworks provides the cover art, completing a package that is equal parts brutal, absurd, and lovingly steeped in the traditions of horror metal.

Over the past three years, the band has released a steady stream of EPs (Necronomicon Ex Mortis, Silver Bullet, The Mother of Death) and splits (You’ve Got Red On You with BLOODFEAST RITUAL), carving out a niche with their technical fury and horror-inspired narratives. They’ve drawn praise from No Clean Singing (“a band to watch”), Metal Noise (“there is so much depth and texture”), and Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life (“thrilling heaviness”), while even catching the attention of Christian Muenzner (ex-OBSCURA).

With Zombie Blood Nightmare, NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS deliver not just another step forward, but a gory leap through the gateway to hell. It’s a record that pays homage to their death metal forebears while shamelessly indulging in horror schlock and fretboard excess. It may open new doors, or as the band prefers to put it, “new gateways to hell.”

About NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS:

Formed in Chicago in 2023, NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS have quickly carved out their place in the metal underground with a sound that is equal parts 90s death metal stomp, 80s shred worship, and campy B-horror storytelling. Guitarist and songwriter Michael Nystrom Bala, guitarist and orchestrator Manuel Barbara, bassist Yusuf Rashid, drummer Joey Ferretti, and vocalist John Sawicki bring a mix of technical ferocity and tongue in cheek horror fun that is as brutal as it is entertaining.

Since their debut EPs Necronomicon Ex Mortis and Silver Bullet in 2023, the band has unleashed a steady stream of releases including You and Your Friends Are Dead: Game Over in 2024, The Mother of Death in 2024, and the split You’ve Got Red On Youwith BLOODFEAST RITUAL in 2025. Their relentless creativity culminated in the 2025 compilation From the Void…THEY CAME, which further established their reputation as prolific riff mongers with a love for the grotesque and absurd.

With recognition from outlets such as No Clean Singing, Metal Noise, and Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life, and praise from Christian Muenzner of OBSCURA, NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS are being hailed as a band to watch. Their music fuses thrashy death metal brutality with dizzying solos while embracing the bloody theatrics of cult cinema. Equal parts homage and parody, their songs invite listeners to bang their heads, laugh at the gore, and revel in the chaos.

At their core, NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS are here to shred, to bleed, and to drag metal deeper into the crypt, one zombie, demon, and undead riff at a time.

NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS is:

  • Michael Nystrom Bala — Guitars / Songwriting

  • Manuel Barbara — Guitars / Orchestration

  • Yusuf Rashid — Bass

  • Joey Ferretti — Drums

  • John Sawicki — Vocals


Connect with NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS:

Official Website: https://www.necronomiconexmortisband.com/
Bandcamp: https://necronomiconexmortis.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090172921055
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/necronomiconexmortisband/?hl=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@necronomiconexmortisofficial
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5mwhqFK69UHCSeS9YtzSer
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/necronomicon-ex-mortis/1671465776

CELESTIAL DEATH Release New Single “Death of an Empire”

Atlanta, Georgia blackened death metal band CELESTIAL DEATH have released their new single, “Death of an Empire.” The track marks a defining step forward for the band and solidifies their identity within the modern extreme metal underground. 

“Death of an Empire” delivers a fierce combination of tremolo-picked triplet arpeggios, relentless blast beats, and groove-driven black metal melody. The song opens with waltz-like tremolo phrasing before erupting into rapid-fire percussion and layered death metal riffing. From its first moments through its closing passages, the track moves with cinematic intensity and calculated aggression, showcasing the band’s fully realized sound.

Lyrically, “Death of an Empire” explores the collapse of powerful systems through the perspective of a lone survivor walking through the ruins of a devastated city. The imagery is vivid and confrontational, focusing on urban decay, environmental destruction, and the consequences of unchecked power. Opening lines such as, “The ruins of this city speak to me, in a language only I can understand,” set the tone for a narrative steeped in post-apocalyptic reflection.

The single addresses themes of ecological strain, corporate manipulation, warfare, and societal division. Jessup emphasizes collective responsibility and awareness, urging listeners to consider the long-term consequences of exploitation and polarization. The track functions as both a reflection and a warning.

About CELESTIAL DEATH:

Rising from the Atlanta metal underground, CELESTIAL DEATH was forged in 2023 by guitarist and vocalist Forrest Jessup and drummer Matthew Carmichael. The band began under the name IMPERII with a different lineup but underwent a rebirth when Matt took over on drums. This marked a turning point where Forrest decided to rename, rebrand, and reimagine the project as CELESTIAL DEATH, channeling a darker and more atmospheric vision. Soon after, guitarist Jason Schwartzwalder joined the fold, bringing with him years of experience from acts such as MOTHER’S TOMB, KHAOTIKA, and BRUTALITY. The band rounded off their lineup with the addition of new bassist Robbie Marsh in early 2026. 

CELESTIAL DEATH craft a sound that merges the bleak ferocity of black metal with a melodic and cinematic atmosphere. Drawing influence from bands like WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, CATTLE DECAPITATIONS, FALLUJAH, and SKELETONWITCH, the group shapes a sonic landscape that is at once suffocatingly heavy and hauntingly vast. The music is raw in execution yet deliberate in its storytelling, each track serving as a descent into themes of cosmic horror, existential collapse, and apocalyptic rebirth.

The band’s debut single “Anti-Preacher,” released December 13, 2024, marked the first official offering under the CELESTIAL DEATH name. It set the tone for the project’s sound, combining blackened chaos with melodic undertones, and hinted at the larger creative arc the band continues to develop. Their most recent single “Aeons,” written during Forrest’s most turbulent years, explore Lovecraftian imagery and catastrophic narratives that have become central to the band’s identity.

CELESTIAL DEATH’s music is built on foundations of atmosphere and intent, stripped to core instrumentation of guitars, drums, bass, and venomous vocals while retaining a cinematic scope. Their songs unfold like parables, grim yet reflective, destructive yet transformative. This ethos reflects Forrest’s own journey, from personal darkness and addiction to sobriety and clarity, with CELESTIAL DEATH becoming both a vessel for catharsis and a statement of purpose.

With a steadily growing presence in Atlanta’s extreme metal scene, CELESTIAL DEATH stand poised to carve their name into the modern blackened metal pantheon. The band represents not just heaviness but vision, not just destruction but creation. For those who seek music that feels apocalyptic in scale and deeply human in spirit, CELESTIAL DEATH is a name to remember.


CELESTIAL DEATH is:
Jay Crash - Guitar, vocals
Jason Schwartzwalder - Lead guitar
Matthew Carmichael - Drums

Social Links:

MALEFIC Unleash Debut Album Impermanence Today via Terminus Hate City; Premiere Video for “In Darkest Dreams (The Reaping)”

Atlanta blackened thrash visionaries MALEFIC have officially released their long-awaited debut full-length, Impermanence, out today via Terminus Hate City. Marking the culmination of a journey that began in 2018, the album stands as a testament to perseverance, creative defiance, and an unrelenting devotion to extreme metal in all its forms.

In conjunction with the album’s release, MALEFIC have unveiled a new music video for “In Darkest Dreams (The Reaping),” a harrowing visual companion to one of the record’s most dynamic tracks. The video plunges viewers into a nightmarish landscape where fantasy and mortality collide, echoing the song’s tale of a deathly reaper figure stalking the shadows of the subconscious.

Blending black, death, and thrash metal into a volatile and cohesive statement, Impermanence explores themes of political decay, addiction, existential dread, perseverance, and the irreversible consequences of human choices. The album refuses to be confined by genre boundaries, drawing from progressive rock structures, melodic black metal atmospheres, and punishing death metal intensity.

The record erupts with opener “Blood Of The Throne,” a blistering assault of precision riffing, furious drumming, and venomous vocals that confronts oppressive economic systems head-on. “In Darkest Dreams (The Reaping)” follows with a progressive-leaning structure and one of the album’s rare defined choruses, merging death metal brutality with blackened thrash undertones. The album can be ordered HERE. 

“Of Gods And Man” shifts into melodic black metal territory, weaving intricate picking patterns and dueling solos beneath vocalist Aaron Baumoel’s existential reflections on greed and humanity’s relationship with a creator. The dynamic “Idiocracy” introduces a black-n-roll swagger, pairing memorable triplet riffs with sharp social commentary.

“Deserter” reintroduces crushing death metal grooves and call-and-response harsh vocals that channel themes of abandonment and despair. “Disembodiment” offers a haunting acoustic opening before ascending into the album’s emotional apex, confronting narcissism and manipulation with both musical beauty and lyrical darkness.

The sprawling centerpiece “Obsidian Earth” serves as Impermanence’s magnum opus: grandiose, melodic, and unrelentingly aggressive, culminating in a searing solo by Jason Davila while lamenting humanity’s self-inflicted extinction. “Echoes Of Silence” ventures further into progressive territory, chronicling addiction’s dual nature through chaotic black metal passages and cathartic melodic release.

Closing track “It Haunts” descends into a blackened abyss of charging riffs and spectral acoustics, sealing the album with an ominous sense of supernatural finality.

Forged through years of personal and professional trials, the album captures MALEFIC at their most focused and fearless, delivering a work that is as intellectually provocative as it is sonically devastating.

About MALEFIC:
MALEFIC roared onto the Atlanta metal scene in 2007 with ambitions to modernize the black metal genre. With their tight riffs, tasty leads, and relatable lyricism, MALEFIC abandons cliches and defies traditional genre boundaries. Their special blend of black metal, drawing from thrash and death metal influences, appeals to metalheads across subgenres. They count OLD MAN'S CHILD, CARCASS, TESTAMENT, DISSECTION, and OPETH among their most prominent influences, offering a fresh, modern take on metal that is unrivaled in the United States.

Though they are set to release their very first full-length album, Impermanence, in 2025, MALEFIC boasts an impressive live performance history, having played shows with notable bands such as 1349, CRYPTA, and PROFANATICA. After a hiatus in 2009, the band eagerly picked back up where they left off and reformed with a new lineup. MALEFIC initially began work on Impermanence in 2018, taking their time to ensure that every detail accurately reflected their vision for their album. The band's hard work and dedication has culminated in a powerful debut, lovingly crafted by fans of nuanced, boundary-pushing music. 

MALEFIC lineup:
Jason Davila - Guitar
Aaron Baumoel - Drums, Vocals
Sam Williams - Guitar
Andy McGraw - Bass

Corinne Westbrook Announces First Horror Novel 'The Hollow One'

No stranger to the dark and macabre, The Hollow One is the debut novel from writer and horror-devotee Corinne Westbrook. With a combined interest in the shadowy side of art, music and literature, Westbrook has written for metal music outlets, notably Metal Injection and Knotfest, and is well acquainted with strange and uncanny storytelling.

Set for publication on May 26th, 2026, via Permuted Press, The Hollow One is a truly bloodcurdling psychological horror. Following the days of a young girl named Ellie, amidst the struggles of an absent mother, a baby brother and poverty, something more sinister soon takes hold of her life. When one evening her estranged father knocks on her bedroom window, what seems like a comforting dream begins to turn sour as this familial figure is perhaps not so familiar after all.

Told through the eyes of a child trying to make sense of a world that’s forgotten her, The Hollow One is a literary horror story about longing, memory, and the quiet danger of being unseen. Atmospheric, intimate, and deeply unsettling, this is a ghost story where the scariest things are not what lurk in the dark, but what’s already inside the house.

Pre Order The Hollow One:
Author signed copy: https://corinnewestbrook.com/product/the-hollow-one-corinne-westbrook-autographed-copy-pre-order/
Pre-order from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hollow-One-Corinne-Westbrook/dp/B0FWZZ3LB3/
Pre-order from Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-hollow-one-corinne-westbrook/1148560675
 
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Out Today! - 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.

BURIAL PATH Unveil New Single “Between Soil and Sun,” Introducing Vocalist Maya Pobst

Entering a new era of sound and identity, BURIAL PATH, one of the most electrifying voices in the deathcore underground, has released their latest single, “Between Soil and Sun.” The track marks a pivotal new chapter for the band and serves as the first release to feature new vocalist Maya Pobst.

A meditation on transmutation, grief, and the violence of becoming, "Between Soil and Sun" explores the tension between decay and rebirth, where identity is stripped down, interrogated, and reforged. Crushing instrumentation collides with visceral lyricism, capturing the turmoil of confronting conformity, internalized stigma, and the cost of self-realization.

Accompanied by a stark lyric video, "Between Soil and Sun" traces the threshold between burial and rebirth, where flesh remembers the earth and the spirit strains toward light. Written in the aftermath of fracture, the song confronts abandonment, decay, and the slow alchemy of self-reclamation.

What is buried does not remain silent.
What reaches for the sun is forever changed.

With this release, BURIAL PATH sharpen their focus and commit fully to a vision rooted in authenticity, resistance, and transformation.

About BURIAL PATH:

Formed in 2023, BURIAL PATH consists of Maya Pobst (vocals) and Christian Caringer (bassist) from Missouri, and Nebraskan Matthew McClure (guitar).  Their sound is a refined evolution of Deathcore, leveraging modern production to craft an atmosphere that is both entrancing and resonant, designed to evoke deep emotions and provoke thoughtful introspection through their music.

Connect with BURIAL PATH:

  • Bandcamp

  • Facebook

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • Spotify

  • Apple Music

  • TikTok

PROFANE ELEGY Unveil Video for "Herezjarcha", Title Track From Their New Album Out Now

Independent black metal band PROFANE ELEGY have released the official video for "Herezjarcha", the towering title track from their newly released full-length album of the same name. The song stands as the conceptual and emotional core of the record, a sweeping descent into vision, madness, and spiritual rebellion.

"Herezjarcha" tells the story of a man who experiences a transformative vision and emerges as the patriarch of a new heresy. Through deliberate immersion in darkness, he becomes one with it, his mind opening to hidden and forbidden truths. The track unfolds like a ritual in motion, blending cinematic orchestration, shifting musical movements, and whispered incantations into a narrative that feels both intimate and apocalyptic.

The newly released video brings that transformation to life, visually capturing the protagonist’s psychological unraveling and spiritual metamorphosis. Stark imagery, shadow-soaked environments, and symbolic storytelling mirror the song’s themes of revelation through corruption and enlightenment through descent.

Released independently , Herezjarcha marks a bold evolution for PROFANE ELEGY following their 2023 debut When All Is Nothing, which drew praise for fusing blackened aggression with doom-heavy atmosphere. On this new record, the band expands their sound in every direction, heavier, more dynamic, more refined, and deeply introspective.

The album is built on stark contrasts between cosmic vastness and personal collapse, defiance and decay, melody and obliteration.

It opens with "Exeunt Omnes", a theatrically orchestrated meditation on fate and mortality, before plunging into the existential storm of "Haunted". The defiant "I AM" transforms a biblical declaration into an anthem of human rebellion, while "As My Heart Turns to Ash" slows into a doom-laden lament of emotional collapse and introduces haunting clean vocal passages.

Mid-album, "Immutable" confronts inherited darkness and the inescapable aspects of identity, and "And Then We Are Gone" strips everything down to a funeral-paced meditation on impermanence. The journey culminates in the conceptual centerpiece "Herezjarcha" before closing with "The Accuser", a searing finale that reimagines judgment itself as hypocrisy worthy of condemnation.

Produced by J Gulick and mixed and mastered by Kevin Antreassian at Backroom Studios, Herezjarcha rejects genre boundaries in favor of vision. Atmospheric black metal collides with doom weight, death metal precision, orchestration, and clean vocal textures, all in service of lyrically rich, philosophical, and spiritually confrontational themes.

POWERPLAY Announce New Single "Liberosis," Signs To Terminus Hate CIty

Miami hardcore band POWERPLAY enter a new chapter with the release of their latest single, "Liberosis," marking the band’s first release since signing with Terminus Hate City. The track features a guest appearance from Andrew Neufeld of COMEBACK KID, adding another surge of energy and connection to the song’s message.

“Like many newer bands, we were born out of the pandemic,” says vocalist Adam Hussler. “We had all been writing and playing music with various other projects for many years. PowerPlay was actually never supposed to be a touring entity or anything it has become, but just a musical outlet. Like all things, it evolved, and we just rode the wave, so to speak.”

That growth and perspective are at the heart of "Liberosis." The track confronts mental health struggles and the long standing emotional battles many people face every day. Built as an anthemic rally cry, the song centers on the realization that while life can feel overwhelming, no one has to face it alone.

"Liberosis" delivers a message of acceptance and solidarity. It reflects the understanding that we can only control certain aspects of our lives while drawing strength from friends, family, and community. 

About POWERPLAY:

POWERPLAY is a hardcore band from Miami, Florida, formed in 2021 during a time when the world had slowed down but emotions were running high. What started as a creative outlet between longtime friends quickly gained momentum, turning into a full force band built on honesty, intensity, and connection.

Made up of Adam Hussler on vocals, Julius Lopez on drums, Andrew Herrero on bass, and Oscar Rodriguez on guitar, POWERPLAY bring together years of experience from various projects across the South Florida scene. Their sound draws influence from SICK OF IT ALL, BLOOD FOR BLOOD, WHERE FEAR AND WEAPONS MEET, and BURIED ALIVE, blending classic hardcore urgency with deeply personal themes.

Lyrically, POWERPLAY focus on real life struggles, mental health, personal responsibility, and the everyday weight of being human. Songs like "Liberosis" channel those themes into anthemic, shout along moments built for both personal reflection and packed rooms.

Since forming, POWERPLAY have built their name through relentless touring and high energy live performances. They have shared stages with bands across the hardcore scene and appeared at numerous festivals and tours throughout the United States and Central America. Their 2024 EP Sealed Envelopes helped establish their presence, while continued touring and new releases have pushed the band into a new phase, including their recent signing to Terminus Hate City.

At their core, POWERPLAY are driven by authenticity. They write music that reflects their own lives, struggles, and perspectives, creating songs that connect through shared experience, unity, and the strength found in community.


POWERPLAY is:

  • Adam Hussler – Vocals

  • Julius Lopez – Drums

  • Andrew Herrero – Bass

  • Oscar Rodriguez – Guitar

THE JOTUNN announce new single “The Departure” from physical release of Summoner

Melodic deathcore band THE JOTUNN have released their newest single, “The Departure,” the final track on the upcoming physical edition of their album Summoner, out this Friday. The song serves as both a closing statement for this chapter of the band and a powerful step toward what comes next.

Originally introduced as a three-song release, Summoner Part I established the foundation of the band’s current era. The physical edition expands the album with Part II, which includes “Blood Flower,” the band’s cover of “Suicide Nation,” and now the intense and cinematic closer, “The Departure.”

The track was recorded in Michigan with producer Josh Wickman, known for his work with WITHIN THE RUINS, KING 810 and WAKING THE CADAVER. The result is a sharpened and fully realized version of THE JOTUNN’s sound, combining punishing heaviness with dark melody and atmosphere. The song highlights a band that has refined its identity and emerged stronger than ever.

An official video for “The Departure” was filmed by Tom Stumpf, who also worked on the band’s previous two records. The visual continues THE JOTUNN’s tradition of pairing their music with unsettling and cinematic imagery that deepens the emotional impact of their work.

Lyrically, “The Departure” explores the disturbed mind of Ed Gein, focusing on psychological horror and mental unraveling rather than glorification. The band uses the story as a narrative lens to examine darkness, instability, and inner torment, matching the song’s intense and oppressive atmosphere.

With this release, THE JOTUNN bring the Summoner era to a powerful close while signaling a new beginning. “The Departure” represents the band at its most focused and evolved, offering a glimpse of an even heavier and more ambitious future.

About THE JOTUNN:
Based out of Cleveland and Columbus Ohio, THE JOTUNN formed in 2021 after guitarist and songwriter Shawn Kahan presented a number of demos to Paul Kahan. Soon producer Cole Martinez (ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, WHITECHAPEL, ABORTED) was on board taking up the role of bassist and producer of their music. Nick Amato (ATOMIC WITCH) performed drums on the band's debut album Graveworshipper (2022), prior to Adam Biats joining the line-up. The outfit was awarded the Columbus Artist Grant in 2023, and subsequently in 2025. THE JOTUNN's EP Summoner arrived in 2024, and is set to be followed in 2025 by two cover releases and a new original track. Cole left the band in June 2025 on good terms, leading to the arrival of Leo Debevc on guitar and Londyn Hager on bass. 

THE JOTUNN is:
Paul Kahan - Vocals
Shawn Kahan - Guitar
Leo Debevc - Guitar
Londyn Snow - Bass
Adam Biats - Drums

Links:
Streaming links: www.thejotunn.com
Bandcamp: https://jotunn.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheJotunnBand/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejotunnband/

Credits: 
Recording Studio: Dreadcore Productions
Produced, Engineered, Mixed and Mastered: Josh Wickman
Drum Pre-Production: Nick Hawkins
Lyrics, Song and Performance by The Jötunn

AGENBITE MISERY Release New Single “Circe” from Forthcoming Album Remorse of Conscience

New Hampshire experimental extreme-metal trio AGENBITE MISERY have unveiled “Circe,” the latest single from their forthcoming debut album Remorse of Conscience, due out February 6, 2026.

A more direct black metal track filtered through a psychedelic, exploratory lens, “Circe” adapts the fifteenth chapter of James Joyce’s Ulysses, the infamous “Nighttown” episode, into sound. In the novel, Leopold Bloom and Stephen Dedalus drift drunkenly through Dublin’s red-light district as the chapter dissolves into a feverish hallucination filled with nightmares, guilt, satire, and fleeting grace. AGENBITE MISERY translate this dream logic into music built from hypnotic, undulating riffs that blur structure and sensation, leaving the listener suspended in a disorienting haze.

Rhythmically, the song is deliberately unstable, simultaneously implying both 4 and 6 feels as guitar, bass, and drums suggest conflicting patterns. Arpeggiated chords float over exotic drum figures before collapsing into tremolo-picked, unresolved progressions that nod toward acts like Deathspell Omega. The trance fractures at key moments. Ascending organ lines usher in a shout-along, almost hardcore-tinged chorus driven by skank beats and pick scrapes, while two contrasting guitar solos, one sinister and galloping, the other melodic and angular with an Opeth-inspired edge, cut through the fog. The track ultimately returns to its central riff in a subdued, atmospheric form, mirroring the emotional comedown after a long night of intoxication.

Lyrically, “Circe” draws directly from Joyce’s text, favoring vivid imagery and dark humor over linear narrative. Lines evoke Dublin’s nocturnal landscape dissolving into pastoral hallucinations, robed figures speaking in many tongues, Bloom’s self-lacerating fantasies, and Stephen’s haunted psyche. The song closes on one of the novel’s most poignant moments, Bloom’s vision of the ghostly son he never had, a fragile reminder of humanity and perseverance amid the chaos.

Remorse of Conscience adapts Ulysses into eight aggressive, atmospheric compositions that merge blackened sludge, dissonant death metal, post-punk, and ambient drone. Written in 2023 and recorded in 2024, the album was self-produced by the band, mixed by Eric Sauter, and mastered by Brad Boatright. While steeped in dense literary reference, the record ultimately reaches beyond academia toward the raw human experience at its core, confronting the question of whether meaning can still be found amid modern ruin. AGENBITE MISERY’s answer is unambiguous. Yes.

In support of the album, AGENBITE MISERY will embark on a four-date Northeastern tour this February:

  • February 5 – Blue, Portland ME (with ERGI, INGRATE, BÜZEM)

  • February 6 – Riverhill Grange, Concord NH (with IMIPOLEX, BENEATH PURGATORY, PERFECT SUFFERING)

  • February 7 – AS220, Providence RI (with RHIZARIA, CAREGIVER, SATAN WEED)

  • February 8 – O’Brien’s, Allston MA (with NORTH STAR THE WANDERER, GLOOMLURKER, HEXROT)

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:
Bandcamp: https://agenbitemisery.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574211514876#
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agenbitemisery/?hl=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwjOZilhkqTRkZHpJJwlbhw
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6dYQgCtNvpvNWwfQ06LQQZ
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/agenbite-misery/1716987132
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@agenbite.misery
Ampwall: https://agenbitemisery.ampwall.com/

Out Now - 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.

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

ØVI Releases New Single “Prometheon,” A Confrontation of Willpower and Envy

ØVI returns with “Prometheon,” a blistering new single that confronts the burden, and defiance, of personal will. Drawing inspiration from the myth of Prometheus, the bringer of fire, "Prometheon" stands as both a declaration of self-mastery and a provocation toward those who resent it.

The track celebrates the awakening of one’s own will: the discipline required to overcome internal battles and transmute adversity into strength. At the same time, it confronts those who diminish, judge, or dismiss another’s dreams and aspirations. Lyrics such as “self-righteous apostle, throw them to the fire, they will burn / dissolving divination, consuming for creation, solve et coagula” capture the act of reclaiming judgment itself, repurposing it as fuel for growth, power, and creation.

Sonically unrelenting and emotionally confrontational, "Prometheon" channels fury into focus, reframing anger not as a weakness, but as a catalyst. ØVI presents willpower as fire: dangerous, illuminating, and impossible to contain once claimed.

"Prometheon" is the latest release from ØVI’s forthcoming EP Hedera Helix, a four-track project named after the ivy plant, a species defined by relentless growth and tenacity. Like its namesake, the EP sprawls, consumes, and leaves a lasting mark. Across its tracks, Hedera Helix explores toxic relationships, parasitic dynamics, and the reclamation of personal will, not through despair, but through transformation.

With "Prometheon", ØVI asserts the core thesis of the project: survival is not passive, and intensity, when wielded with intent, becomes power.

About ØVI:

Influenced by NEOBLIVISCARIS, GOJIRA, DIMMU BORGIR, and NINE INCH NAILS, ØVI builds a sound that blends cinematic heaviness with electronic elements, evolving harmonic layers, and dynamic rhythmic structures. The result is an immersive, modern metal experience that balances aggression with emotion, density with clarity.

At its core, ØVI approaches metal as a narrative medium, using sound to explore power, guilt, and identity. Hedera Helix stands as both confrontation and metamorphosis, music that refuses to fade quietly, instead clawing toward self-definition and growth.

Connect With OVI:

Official Website: https://www.oviorder.com/
Bandcamp: https://oviorder.bandcamp.com/track/crucifixation
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554332926141
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oviorder/?hl=en
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OVIORDER
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5RjQGeAtl7pxJUmiEe7Qbe?si=HmcoaTnKTeGeXpEnRbmn3g
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/%C3%B8vi/1742286528
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@oviorder

OVI is:

  • Michael Nolasco - Vocals/Guitar

  • Zed Amarin - Drums

  • Kevin McCombs - Bass

  • Brendan Collins - Guitar

Out Now From Redivider - Sounds Of Malice

REDIVIDER, a death metal band from Louisville, Kentucky, presents their debut full-length album Sounds of Malice, a concentrated expression of aggression, narrative depth, and old school brutality fused with modern execution. Formed in early 2021 by Jacob Spencer and Paul Nunavath, REDIVIDER was built with a singular intent: to write crushing death metal rooted in the atmosphere of the 1990s Florida scene while expanding on those foundations with contemporary precision and weight. Joined by Jake Atha and Alexander Farrington, the band forged their identity through live performance and focused songwriting, culminating in an album that reflects both their influences and their evolution.

Sounds of Malice opens with "Quartered and Devoured", a violent and immediate introduction to the record. The track pulls from Dungeons & Dragons mythology, portraying a ritualistic execution of a savage race by divine decree. The music is relentless and hook-laden, prioritizing tension, groove, and a sense of fury that refuses to let up. This track was chosen to lead the album for its visceral energy and capacity to immediately strike the listener.

The title track "Sounds of Malice" follows, drawing from a character created by Spencer for a campaign he never got to play. Told from the perspective of an evil wizard addicted to a substance called Liquid Pain, the song balances morbid fantasy with deeply structured guitar work. The dual solos from Nunavath are a highlight, combining melodic phrasing with unhinged dissonance. It is both personal and grotesque, a reflection of the band’s creative range.

"Shackled to Existence" is the album’s longest and most introspective piece. Originating from an idea by original drummer Tyler Lewis, it deals with the inevitability of death and the emptiness of existence. The track journeys through dynamic shifts, intricate harmonies, and a guitar solo that mirrors the emotional despair embedded in the lyrics. It showcases the band's ability to slow the pace without sacrificing impact.

In "Apocalyptic Waste", REDIVIDER offers their take on global ruin, inspired by the Book of Elder Evils from D&D lore. The song is structured to depict an unfolding disaster, beginning with chaos and closing in desolation. The drumming and riffing here lean into the modern death metal playbook while staying grounded in groove, reflecting both destruction and aftermath.

"Fratricide" continues the mythological thread, drawing inspiration from the Elder Scrolls universe. It recounts a cosmic battle between divine brothers over a goddess, resulting in the violent birth of existence itself. The music reflects that chaos through shifting rhythms and dissonant layers while still delivering heavy, crushing sections that ground the narrative in sonic weight.

"Bask in the Rot" moves into monster territory, a tribute to the Gelatinous Cube reimagined as a sentient mass of sewage and death. The band wrote the instrumental parts around Spencer’s vocal rhythm, resulting in a track that drags and smothers, matching the grotesque nature of the subject matter. Influenced by "Where the Slime Lives", it is slow, grinding, and impossible to ignore.

The album concludes with "Left to Rot", a hymn of devotion from the undead to Orcus, Lord of the Undead. One of the earliest songs written by the band, it encapsulates the themes present throughout the record. The arrangement grows from a heavy groove into a dramatic finale that resolves the tension built across the album. It is an appropriate end for a record that began with violent resistance to the gods and closes with a prayer for apocalyptic release.

Recorded at Round Table Recording Company and Michael Kent O’Bryan Studio, mixed by guitarist Paul Nunavath and mastered by Dan Swano at Unisound, Sounds of Malice captures REDIVIDER's live energy and commitment to authentic performance. The band wrote these songs with the stage in mind, crafting moments of impact, tension, and catharsis. Every song exists to be felt physically, with riffs meant to be remembered and choruses meant to incite chaos.

Though Sounds of Malice does not follow a strict concept, its cohesion comes from atmosphere and intention. From the first note to the last, REDIVIDER seeks to overwhelm the listener with stories of death, decay, addiction, ritual, and myth. The band channels their influences, from CANNIBAL CORPSE and MORBID ANGEL to DEATH and GORGUTS, not as a template, but as a foundation to build upon. This album is not a tribute. It is a statement of purpose. REDIVIDER has crafted a debut that is punishing, articulate, and unflinchingly true to the spirit of death metal.

About REDIVIDER:

REDIVIDER is a death metal band from Louisville, Kentucky, formed in 2021 by vocalist Jacob Spencer and guitarist Paul Nunavath. Joined by guitarist Jake Atha and bassist Alexander Farrington, the band draws influence from the early Florida death metal scene and bands like CANNIBAL CORPSE, MORBID ANGEL, DEATH, and GORGUTS. With a sound rooted in old school brutality and layered with modern aggression, REDIVIDER combines guttural vocals, dissonant riffs, and relentless groove to create music that is both violent and immersive.

The band made their live debut in 2022 and quickly gained recognition in the underground scene, sharing stages with acts such as CREEPING DEATH, CRYPTA, MASACRE, COGNITIVE, and SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY. Their debut album Sounds of Malice is a conceptually rich, sonically punishing record that blends fantasy-driven storytelling with crushing heaviness. Written with live performance in mind, REDIVIDER’s music thrives on tension, rhythm, and unapologetic intensity, death metal built to be felt as much as heard.

REDIVIDER Lineup:

  • Jacob Spencer – Vocals

  • Paul Nunavath – Guitar

  • Jake Atha – Guitar

  • Alexander Farrington – Bass

  • Mike Hargrave – Drums (live)


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