"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:

Close Enemies Rock California and Florida in 2026! ​    

Close Enemies, a powerhouse band featuring legendary musicians Tom Hamilton, multiple Grammy winner, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, and bassist of the biggest-selling American rock band of all time, Aerosmith, is joined by legendary drummer Tony Brock (The Babys and Rod Stewart), touring veterans Peter Stroud (Sheryl Crow and Don Henley) and Trace Foster on guitar, and singer Chasen Hampton, who has been singing professionally since the age of 11, as a member and co-host of the famed 90s Mickey Mouse Club and pop group The Party, announced upcoming tour dates in California and Florida under the banner “An Evening with Close Enemies – Live in Concert.” Fans can expect an intimate experience showcasing the band’s undeniable chemistry with a setlist centered around their outstanding and critically acclaimed new songs, along with classic rockers from Aerosmith and The Babys.

 

The band will be releasing a full length album in March of 2026 through TLG|ROCK, distributed through Virgin Music Group.  A limited number of early production CD's of the forthcoming album are available with purchase of a VIP ticket.

 

"Close Enemies is getting ready to Rock California and Florida in January 2026, CANT WAIT! Looking forward to being back on my old stomping ground! I want to see some BABY'S fans out there!!" says Tony Brock.

 

Peter Stroud adds, "We are charged to play for our West Coast friends and fans in these legendary venues! And always fired up to play in hometown Atlanta. Of course, we know Florida always rocks."

 

WATCH the lyric video for "Sound of a Train":

Get the new album on CD before you can buy it with purchase of a

VIP ticket to January shows!

VIP Upgrade link -  

https://please.co/products/close-enemies-vip-upgrades

Tour Dates:

 

1/2  @ The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, CA

1/3 @ The Whisky A Go Go in Hollywood, CA

1/7 @ Tower Theatre in Fresno, CA

1/9 @ The Guild Theatre in Menlo Park, CA

1/10 @ Goldfield Trading Post in Roseville, CA

1/11 @ The Nile Theater in Bakersfield, CA

1/21 @ Smith's Olde Bar in Atlanta, GA

1/23 @ Central Park Performing Arts Center in Largo, FL

1/24 @ Culture Room in Ft. Lauderdale, FL

1/25  @ Encore Live in Sarasota, FL

1/29 @ MT. Dora Music Hall in Mt. Dora, FL

1/30 @  Ter-Tiniś in Fort Myers, FL

For More Information Please Visit:

Official Website

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Jagged City (feat. Defeater, ex-Explosions In The Sky) Reveal Debut Single + EP // Share "Imaginary Lines" Video

Post-rock trio Jagged City, featuring Jake Woodruff (Defeater) and Carlos Torres (former touring member of Explosions In The Sky) have unveiled their debut single "Imaginary Lines." They have also announced their debut EP, There Are More of Us, Always, to be released on January 30 via Pelagic Records.

Watch the "Imaginary Lines" video Below.

Stream the single here.

There Are More of Us, Always is a bold collection that moves between spacious, melodic guitar passages and raucous, swelling climbs. With heartfelt, melodious songwriting, a diverse range of eclectic touches buried within, and eruptions of dense, layered sound, this record delivers wonderfully balanced compositions through raw and personal production.

The project began as a cross-continental art experiment between Woodruff and Torres. What started as a simple exchange of ideas quickly found real shape through collaborative composition and thoughtful arrangement. Early sessions with David Haik helped refine the songs' structures and drum frameworks, setting the groundwork for what would become Jagged City's striking debut.

"We wrote with pure instinct, just tried to add something new to a genre that we love. As we traded ideas, we took some left turns and incorporated elements that may be unexpected," comments Woodruff.

When it came time to record, scheduling issues led to an inspired change of plans. Urian Hackney joined the project both behind the kit and behind the board, engineering and performing the drum parts that propel the record. In two intense days at The Box studio in Burlington, VT, Jake and Urian captured the core of the album with an immediacy and urgency that remain audible in every take. 

Carlos recorded bass in Los Angeles alongside longtime musical colleague Michael James (Explosions In The Sky), while Jake added further guitar textures from his home studio, creating layers that thread the compositions together.

This debut is both a statement of intent and an open invitation: Jagged City offer music that rewards close listening and communal experience—an instrumental journey shaped by collaboration and a fierce commitment to feeling. While still post-rock, There Are More of Us, Always utilizes a diverse range of influence, giving a freshness to each uniquely realized track.

"This record is a product of collaboration and love and creativity - we hope it inspires people to be connected and think collaboratively and creatively together. That's the only way forward." concludes Woodruff.

JAGGED CITY ARE: 
Jake Woodruff — guitar
Carlos Torres — bass
Urian Hackney — drums & production
Featuring Takaakira Goto as guest guitarist on "Deluge in a Paper Cup"

RAIBARD Unveils New Single “Still Your Name,” a Haunting Meditation on Reincarnation and Lost Memory

Progressive rock group RAIBARD announces the release of their new single “Still Your Name,” an evocative exploration of reincarnation, fragmented memory, and the quiet ache of something lost but not forgotten. The song centers on the experience of feeling a connection to a life once lived, even when the details have faded beyond reach.

“Still Your Name” asks a striking question: What if you cannot remember the specifics, but you remember the feeling? The lyrics speak from the edge of recollection, lingering in the emotional space where a previous life seems close enough to touch, yet impossible to name. Lines such as “I miss your face, are you still there somewhere?” and “Where are you now? I’ve missed me somehow”capture the sense of searching for someone, or even an earlier self, that exists only in memory’s periphery.

Musically, the track blends melancholy with a sense of mystery. Guest keyboardist Jeff Kolter adds atmospheric textures that shimmer through the arrangement, while a dual tracked ESP guitar routed through a twenty year old Soldano amplifier creates a layered harmonic richness. The production allows the song to feel at once intimate and expansive, mirroring the emotional themes at its core.

Arriving on March 6th, RAIBARD’s new album Postscript builds on the band’s progressive foundations with a wide range of stylistic influences. Despite this variety, the album remains cohesive. Each track shares a common musical DNA, rooted in melodically centered writing in which implied harmonies elevate even simple progressions and heighten their emotional impact.

The rhythmic identity of Postscript also reflects RAIBARD’s established sound. Melodies and harmonies routinely anticipate the downbeat, giving drummer Phil MacKay a dynamic canvas for inventive performance. On bass, Greg Dellaria provides a central layer of connective energy. His lines bridge harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic roles with subtle but unmistakable mastery.

Postscript was recorded across three locations. MacKay and Dellaria contributed their parts remotely, sending material to Daniel for editing, mixing, and mastering. Daniel’s own performances were captured in either his living room or an isolation booth, creating a blend of immediacy and precision that underscores the album’s emotional and musical depth.

RAIBARD is:
Daniel Gil – Guitar and vocals
Greg Dellaria – Bass
Phil MacKay – Drums and percussion

Connect with RAIBARD:
Website: https://raibard.com
Bandcamp: https://raibard.bandcamp.com
Store: https://raibard.com/collections/all
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raibard
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raibard
X (Twitter): https://x.com/raibardband
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@raibard8886

PERMAFROST RETURNS WITH SHOEGAZE - INSPIRED DARK POP Their new EP ‘ Tears & Bullets ’ will be released on 11th December 2025


More than a year after the release of their debut album ‘The Light Coming Through’,the Nordic-British post-punk quartet Permafrost returns with a new EP ‘Tears & Bullets’,on11th December. This 3-track release is the result of an intensive writing period where new sources of inspiration have widened the palette, and set a starting point for a new albumin 2026.Formed originally in Molde, Norway in 1982 by school friends Frode Heggdal Larsenand Kåre Steinsbu, Permafrost has undergone numerous transformations over the years.Fellow Norwegians Robert Heggdal and Trond Tornes joined in 2001 and Daryl Bamonte from the UK (who worked very closely with Depeche Mode and The Cure for several years), joined in 2016. Drummer Trond Tornes left the band in 2022 to pursue other projects.Spread across Trondheim, Oslo and Margate, Permafrost's creative process is a challenge which the band have had to overcome. During the pandemic, they held weekly video meetings to plan new songs and other band-related issues, leveraging improved long-distance collaboration technology to maintain momentum. The songwriting process typically begins with one member suggesting an idea, which bassist Robert (Bob Frost) then develops in Logic Pro, programming drums and other elements. Singer Kåre creates a melody to match, and lyrics are selected from a collective vault they have accumulated over the years. The song is refined through a collaborative process, passing back and forth between all four members until everyone is satisfied.Permafrost has built an impressive discography over the years. They debuted with the 'Godtment' EP in 1983, released on a limited edition of 50 numbered cassettes. In 2019, they followed up with the 'Permafrost 'EP on vinyl, later making it available digitally in 2021. From early 2021up until the release of the album, the band released a string of highly-acclaimed singles which all ranked highly in the Deutsche Alternative Chartsand the Indie Disko Top40, where 3 of those singles reached number one. They have also earned placements on influential playlistssuch asApple Music’s ‘New In Rock’. Continuing to refine their songwriting further and to embrace new influences, the band describes the new songs as “shoegaze-inspired dark pop”, showing once again their ability to fuse dark synth-infused post-punk, layered with pop melodies.The ‘Tears & Bullets’ EP will be released on 11th December, on the band’s own Fear of Music label


FOLLOW PERMAFROSTINSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | SPOTIFY|YOU TUBEBUY VINYL AND MERCHANDISEhttps://www.musicglue.com/permafrost

KARLY HARTZMAN AND MJ LENDERMAN LIVE AT THIRD MAN RECORDS OUT NOVEMBER 28th

Third Man Records is excited to announce “Karly Hartzman and MJ Lenderman – Live at Third Man Records”, a previously unreleased collection recorded direct-to-acetate during the duo’s 2024 performance at the Blue Room In Nashville, TN.

 

Limited to just 2,000 copies worldwide, the 12-song LP will be available on standard opaque blue vinyl at Third Man Records storefronts, select indie record stores, and the TMR online store on November 28 Black Friday 2025.

Melodic Death Metal CARRION VAEL Unleashes New Single, "19(fucking)78" and Announces Ferocious Fifth Album, "Slay Utterly"

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. Slay Utterly opens with its lead single, "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.

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. 

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.

Watch the video for "19(fucking)78" below:

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

NYC's LAPTOP unpacks '90s Fame & Failure on "Indie Hero" with epic video

Laptop, the cult NYC project led by Jesse Hartman (formerly with Island Records), continues their cinematic synth pop revival with “Indie Hero”, a wry and wistful love song to the myth of late 20th century cool, but also a hate song about hero worship gone hideously wrong. Anchored by Laptop’s signature mix of cinematic synths, dry wit, and bittersweet reflection, this track opens a new chapter for Hartman, now joined by his son Charlie as co-frontman in this multi-generational pop experiment, with equal parts satire and sincerity. The single previews their forthcoming album "On This Planet", slated for release in Spring 2026 via Hurricane Cove Records.

The details? Hartman isn’t at liberty to say. Well, maybe just a little: As a teenage guitarist, Hartman once toured overseas with one of his idols, watching the myth of cool dissolve in real time. "Indie Hero" captures the moment (during a fateful night in a Tokyo restaurant), when youthful ambition collided with middle-aged madness. The Hartmans sing: “I’ll dive across a table for you, my indie hero, I’m feeling so unstable for you, my indie hero” - half romantic, half tragic, all reckless. Together they go on a dangerous, adolescent journey, both literally and symbolically, repeating in the outro: “I want to go to Japan again.”  “Indie Hero” ultimately reflects on fame, failure, and the pursuit of artistic immortality.

Hartman shares, “This is a love letter to the ghosts of the ’90s and their obsession with the ghosts of the late ’70s. All the beautiful people who never quite went the distance. Including me. It’s about idol worship, but also about outgrowing it."


The video, directed by Jesse Hartman, reimagines that journey as a Japanese comic-book fever dream: a young musician chasing his dreams and heroes across neon cities and sake bars, only to discover that the real revelation isn’t fame—it’s self-discovery (and maybe a little heartbreak).

“When I was starting out in the ’90s, I met a lot of my punk and new wave heroes in New York’s East Village. They weren’t always as cool as I thought they’d be. It taught me that sometimes it’s best not to meet your heroes, and better to just become your own," Hartman recalls. “I think the video sketches that coming of age picture in comic-al way”.

Written years ago by Hartman and longtime musical collaborator Luke Wood (from Hartman’s first band Sammy), and recorded this past year between New York, Nevis and Valencia, “Indie Hero” layers drums and machines, horns and synths, shimmering guitars and the Hartmans’ sly vocals into something both nostalgic and immediate, like hearing your favorite 2001 record on a futuristic radio.

Laptop emerged in the early 2000s with three cult classic albums on Island Records, earning praise from NME and The Guardian, who dubbed Hartman the master of “insincere sincerity.” Having got his start as a teenage Voidoid with Richard Hell, Hartman then co-founded the indie rock band Sammy (with Luke Wood, later President of Beats by Dre), releasing albums via Fire Records and Geffen Records.


Since reviving the band, Laptop has released the surreal trilogy "Additional Animals", "I Don't Know", and “Weirder”, mixed by Grammy award-winning producer Mario McNulty (David Bowie, Prince, Nine Inch Nails, Julian Lennon), collectively drawing millions of views and reintroducing Laptop’s postmodern humor to a new generation.

Laptop has recently staged an epic return to live performance with a 14-piece band at New York's Sony Hall (their first hometown show in two decades) opening for UK legends Cast, and a headliner show at London's Waiting Room. These Stop Making Sense–like spectacles underscore the scale and ambition of Laptop’s reboot.

As of November 19, “Indie Hero” is available on major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. The full album "On This Planet" will be released in Spring 2026.

CREDITS

Written by Jesse Hartman and Luke Wood (BMI) 

Published by Exurbia Music, Inc. 

Released by Hurricane Cove Records

Jesse Hartman – vocals, guitars, keyboards, synths, piano, bass, percussion

Charlie Hartman – vocals

Lulu Hartman – vocals
Anna Heddad – vocals

Geddys “Ch4se” Ferguson – vocals
Arthur Lewis – keys, piano, vocals

Mike Desmarais – drums

Lluisen Capafons – drums, congas, additional percussion
Dima Faustov – Saxophone
Lev Borovskiy – trumpet and trombone

Santo Fazio – Harmonica
Oliver Freiberg – drum programming

Produced by Jesse Hartman

Recorded by Iñaki Ariste Aznar (Valencia), Edward Douglas (NYC), Jesse Hartman (NYC/Nevis)
Mixed by Jesse Hartman, Ray Aldaco, Edward Douglas (final mix by Jesse Hartman & Edward Douglas)

Mastered by Dave Trumfio

Recorded in Valencia, Spain. Additional sessions in Nevis. Final overdubs & edits in NYC
Video concept, direction, cinematography & editing by Jesse Hartman

Featuring Charlie Hartman, Jesse Hartman & the Laptop band: Santo Fazio, Flynn Mulcahy, Fergus Segrove, Aviv Tal, Odetta Hartman, Camellia Hartman, Denise Gordon, Alex Friedman, Richard Baskin, Brandon Volel & Sam Rowley
Shot at Tall Tree Court and Sony Hall (at a live Laptop show September 3, 2025)

Cover artwork by Jesse Hartman & Scott Ratner
Artist photos by Thomas Krause
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR

Ponte Del Diavolo Announce New Album 'De Venom Natura'

Last year, Ponte Del Diavolo made their mark by bridging the gap between several darkened corners of the underground on their fiery debut album. Fire Blades from the Tomb welds doom, black metal and post-punk into a towering, twisted, new wave of dark art that's as cruel and mesmerizing as their native Italy's infamous Devil's Bridge.

"...a bold, engrossing, fully formed debut from a talented new band", wrote Last Rites.

Today, the Italians are fanning the flames by announcing their new album. De Venom Natura pushes the band’s potent fusion even further behind their distinct, dueling bass guitars. Forged in the fires unearthed by their ritualistic performances, the album offers an intoxicating meditation on nature’s poisonous undercurrent. Charmed by Erba del Diavolo’s bewitching vocals, the lyrics slither and snake around the idea that every life form carries its own toxin that brings both rebirth and decay.  

“For this record, we wanted to push the boundaries of our music and further develop certain sounds that were only sketched in our previous works,” Ponte Del Diavolo says. “After two years of live shows, we set out to capture the atmosphere of our performances and put it on record. The core of bass, guitar, and drums was recorded live to recreate that feeling of being at one of our shows.”

De Venom Natura comes out February 13, 2026 on Season of Mist. More details will be announced soon.  

PONTE DEL DIAVOLO craft a focused blend of doom, black metal, post‐punk, and wave—an aesthetic they call “blackened post‐punk.” Wave‐tinged female vocals anchor the project’s flaming core, supported by an uncommon dual‐bass setup that grounds the rhythmic guitars and a raw, dynamic drum pulse.

The result is an immersive, tension‐driven sound. Following the initial release of three EPs, the band signed to Season of Mist and unveiled their first full-length album, Fire Blades from the Tomb.

After two years on the road - appearing at leading European festivals such as Roadburn and Inferno in support of their debut - Ponte del Diavolo return with “De Venom Natura,” a record that extends and refines their musical boundaries.

Line-up:
Erba del Diavolo — Vocals
Khrura Abro — Bass
Kratom — Bass
Nerium — Guitar
Segale Cornuta — Drums

Production Credits:
Recorded at The Deepest Sea, Turin, Italy.
Produced & Engineered by Danilo Battocchio.
Mixed by Danilo Battocchio at The Deepest Sea.
Mastered by Magnus Lindberg at Redmount Studios, Stockholm, Sweden.

Guest Musicians:
Francesco Bucci
Sergio Bertani
Vittorio Sabelli
Gionata Potenti

Cover Art:
Francesco Dossena (https://www.instagram.com/facciobruttefacce/)
Follow Ponte Del Diavolo:
Bandcamp: https://pontedeldiavolo666.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PontedelDiavolo/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pontedeldiavoloband/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@pontedeldiavolo3847
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4mAfr0B2wgIFbVBUAv9btD/
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/ponte-del-diavolo/1639072320
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/179497657
Tidal: https://tidal.com/artist/33773763

ACIDOSIS Releases New Single "They Live", Announces Upcoming Album Arrival

Miami-born and Los Angeles-based metal band ACIDOSIS drops "They Live", the first single from their upcoming full-length album Arrival, arriving March 27, 2026.

Originally written by Ben Katzman in high school and now re-recorded with the full force of the band’s current lineup, "They Live" blends punk urgency with crossover thrash precision. Lyrically inspired by the 1988 John Carpenter cult classic, the track takes aim at unchecked corporate power, media manipulation, and the illusion of free will. It’s loud, fast, and defiant.

Arrival is a full-length album nearly 20 years in the making. Originally drafted during Katzman’s teenage years, the songs have been brought back to life by a re-formed ACIDOSIS lineup featuring Katzman on bass and vocals, Diego Edsel, Deo Budnevich, and Jonathan Rusten on guitars, and Harry Schwarz on drums. The album was produced by Katzman and Ryan Haft, mixed by Haft, and mastered by Howie Weinberg. Art is by Juan Montoya (TORCHE) and layout by Perry Shall (GREEN DAY, BLACK KEYS).

With a driving intro, a rollercoaster verse, and a chorus built to shout, "They Live" serves as a powerful reintroduction to a band that never truly left. It’s protest music disguised as a pit starter.

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.

ATAVISTIA Unveil "The Atavistic Forest (Reforged)," Announce Album

Symphonic melodeath storytellers ATAVISTIA are set to return with The Winter Way (Reforged), a magnificent re-recording of their 2020 album, on December 12 via Blood Blast Distribution. Lead single “The Atavistic Forest (Reforged)” roars straight into the first verse, no intro needed. Charging riffs and ferocious vocals briefly give way to gorgeously atmospheric soundscapes, then ramp up the intensity as the sonic labyrinth whirls onward. Intended to be a powerful introduction to ATAVISTIA's new songwriting, performance, and production capabilities, "The Atavistic Forest (Reforged)" has been reworked more than any other song on the album. The band also revised the song's lyrics for clarity and thematic consistency, demonstrating an exacting attention to detail that showcases the care they put into each release. 

Sippola comments, "For the first time in my life, I’m happy with this album. It took quite the toll on my mental health releasing it when we did but there’s no reason to dwell anymore. It is the way it should’ve been!"

ATAVISTIA lineup:

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

About ATAVISTIA:

Formed in 2017 in Vancouver, Canada, ATAVISTIA takes their fans on a spellbinding journey though vast sonic landscapes of snow covered forests, desolate tundras, and permafrost-laden landscapes. Fans of WINTERSUN, ENSIFERUM, DIMMU BORGIR, and XANTHOCHROID will be enthralled by the elements of melodic death metal, black metal, and Scandinavian folk that is intricately woven together throughout their diverse soundscape.

Taking inspiration from the majestic natural landscapes of their homeland, earthly seasons, and ancient Norse culture, ATAVISTIA’s grandiose sound matches these lyrical themes in an impressive symphony of destruction. Their debut EP, One With The Sun (2017) introduced their unique blend of beauty and ferocity, which they followed up with a stormy full-length in 2020 through The Winter Way. The next two releases, the full-length Cosmic Warfare (2023) and the EP Inane Duncam (2024), saw the band spreading their wings and exploring a wider variety of influences. Through it all, ATAVISTIA balances graceful melodies with a brutal rhythmic cacophony, swirling elegance and fury together like a ferocious northern blizzard.

On stage, ATAVISTIA is a force of nature, like waves crashing against a rocky shore. Their music washes over audiences worldwide, leaving them gasping for more long after the last note has faded. They have toured Europe twice alongside notable acts such as SKÁLMÖLD, METSATÖLL, and SEVEN SPIRES, and have opened locally for MOONSPELL, ELEINE, and OCEANS OF SLUMBER. ATAVISTIA has firmly established its presence in a niche among a wide swath of metal genres.

Are you ready to lose yourself in the juxtaposition of lush and arid, the dichotomy of hope and despair, and welcome the inevitable and beautiful end?

BLACK SEA OF TREES Premiere "A Red Dawn"

Traversing a forlorn sense of powerlessness juxtaposed with a ferocious intensity, "A Red Dawn" offers a commentary on human behavior throughout history as well as a search one's sense of self. The Australian progressive metal quartet BLACK SEA OF TREES are beginning their journey to unleash the second album Cult of the Sun. Listen to the first single, "A Red Dawn" HERE. 

The band comments on "A Red Dawn": 

"The lyrics illustrate the protagonist’s stagnant situation before being confronted by the sun god’s providence. The protagonist makes a covenant with the sun god, offering themselves in return for power to destroy their enemies and the creation of a new kingdom. The song ends with the protagonist destroying the temples of the old gods and the slaughter of those that upheld that religion."

Listen Below.

About BLACK SEA OF TREES:
Based out of Melbourne and Victoria in Australia, the progressive metal ensemble composes their music around the narrative of their releases. BLACK SEA OF TREES formed in 2018. The debut album, The Spiritual Beast, materialized in the spring of 2023. The band's forthcoming sophomore full-length is an exploration of spirituality, folklore and philosophy, with death metal, folk and ambient elements incorporated into the soundscapes. "A Red Dawn" marks the beginning of this next chapter for BLACK SEA OF TREES, introducing this next album's concept: the protagonist is chosen by god to overthrow an old kingdom in a spiritual revolution. It's a narrative that is heavily influenced by the Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh, Akhenaten and his life’s journey.

BLACK SEA OF TREES bring to life their themes and concepts through dark atmospheric tones, strong full voiced melodies, falsetto and deep growls. With songs ranging from intense 8-minute long walls of sound to 3-minute atmospheric/acoustic passages, BLACK SEA OF TREES draw inspiration from the likes of OPETH, KATATONIA, CULT OF LUNA, RUSSIAN CIRCLES, and KARNIVOOL. A wide array of styles is entwined into the outfit's distinctive and compelling sound. 

BLACK SEA OF TREES is:
Samuel Exton - Vocals/Guitar
Jan Schotting - Drums
Francesco Adami - Bass
Chris Schwinghamer - Lead Guitar

Connect with BLACK SEA OF TREES:
Bandcamp: https://blackseaoftreesofficial.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackseaoftrees
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC24GQ_gVO_PPBR5TJqmdZpQ
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3zogtBHiOCIaGsOfy7y6oS
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/au/artist/black-sea-of-trees/946433249

NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS Disgorge First Single “No More Room In Hell”

Chicago’s horror-obsessed death metal crew NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS have returned with their first single, “No More Room In Hell,” taken from the forthcoming EP Zombie Blood Nightmare. The track arrives September 25th accompanied by a lyric video and delivers everything fans have come to expect from the band’s unique blend of 90s death metal stomp, 80s shred fireworks, and tongue-in-cheek B-movie gore.

“No More Room In Hell” is a suffocating, thrash-laden assault inspired by George A. Romero’s classic Dawn of the Dead. Clocking in at over five minutes, the track is an onslaught of feral riffs, frantic soloing, and guttural howls that summon visions of malls overrun by zombies and humanity fighting for survival. Equal parts homage and parody, it is NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS at their most brutal and unhinged.

The single offers a first glimpse at Zombie Blood Nightmare, which arrives February 20th, 2026. Produced, recorded, and mixed by Charlie Waymire at Ultimate Studios and mastered by Ernesto Homeyer, the EP features six tracks of shred-heavy, horror-drenched chaos, with guest solos from Jeff Young (MEGADETH), Matthew Mills, and James Norton.

ARSENIC KITCHEN To Unveil New EP 'Handbook For The Recently Deceased' on October 25 At Desert Grey Festival

The countdown to chaos has begun. ARSENIC KITCHEN have officially announced the release of

their highly anticipated NEW EP,

'Handbook for the Recently Deceased,'

set to drop on October 25th at none other than the

Desert Grey Festival in Mesa, Arizona. This event will double as a celebration of their release and they will be performing mainstage. The tickets can be purchased HERE

  • The first single for this EP, titled 'Devil's Advocate'releases September 26th and features a cinematic music video that was shot in Globe Arizona.

  • The EP will feature a short film that will be released alongside it. 

ARSENIC KITCHEN is a fusion of early 2000s Alternative and modern Post Hardcore that evokes feelings of nostalgia and heartbreak, anger and excitement, weaved into a theatrical stadium level performance no matter the setting.

From the deserts of Phoenix, Arizona the band stand out as uniquely high energy and meaningful musicians onstage & off. Through the musicality and lyrics of every song, ARSENIC KITCHEN is able to reach and connect with the deepest feelings and emotions of listeners. 

ALL HELL - Sunsetter

ALL HELL returns from the shadows with their fifth full-length album, Sunsetter, arriving October 10, 2025 on Terminus Hate City. From their origins in Asheville, North Carolina in 2013, the band has carved a singular path through the underground, blending elements of first wave black metal, deathrock, punk, and film score atmospheres into something entirely their own. Sunsetter is the culmination of years of evolution and hardship, a concept record that stretches from ancient myth to modern apocalypse, driven by fire, blood, and vision.

The band (Jacob Curwen on guitar and vocals, Erik Ballantyne on bass, and Elanti on drums) began work on Sunsetter after the release of 2019’s The Witch’s Grail. Progress was slow and plagued by constant disruption. The pandemic struck, personal tragedies followed, and devastating floods hit their home region. In the midst of all this, the band found themselves burned out and disillusioned with metal entirely. But after stepping back and rediscovering their creative hunger, they emerged with a record that is not only their most metal release to date, but also their most fully realized.

Sunsetter tells a sprawling, violent tale of exile, rebirth, and cosmic vengeance. The story begins in ancient times with the curse of Cain, the first murderer, cast into the land of Nod where he joins with Lilith, the exiled first wife of Adam. From their union comes a cursed bloodline. The album’s opening track, “Exiled into Nod,” skips any slow buildup and immediately drops the listener into the chaos of this mythic prayer. It is followed by “Dominus Sanguis, Domina Nox,” a dark hymn to the Lord of Blood and the Lady of Night, and then “The Violent Brood,” a classic ALL HELL track that portrays the frenzy of being hunted by Cain's spawn.

“The Bleeding” flips the perspective and explores the mind of a predator, with a guest solo from Nate Garnette of SKELETONWITCH adding another layer of menace. The title track, “Sunsetter,” takes a more triumphant tone, capturing the defiance and pride of the children of Cain as they reject the sun and claim dominion over the night. Its straightforward power made it the obvious choice for the album’s name.

Side two of the album begins with “The Flood and the Death,” a cinematic, spoken-word interlude that sets the stage for a shift in time. The next chapter takes place centuries later, where the bloodline of Cain has survived the flood and reemerges in the present. “Behold the Night” brings this rebirth to life with driving energy and shifting dynamics. “Path of Cain” offers a darkly anthemic reflection on lineage, sin, and survival.

The final act of the album accelerates toward doom. “Sacrifice to Shadow” portrays a cult's plea for the return of their ancient masters, while “The Ancients Rise” delivers on that prophecy with grinding riffs and ominous brass that call back to the album’s ancient beginnings. The closing track, “The Outer Night,” brings it all to an end. It begins with militaristic urgency, climbs to apocalyptic grandeur, and fades into the cold silence of a world overrun. Cain and Lilith return, and the sun sets for the last time.

The album was recorded, mixed, and engineered by Chris Adams at Hidden Audio, with mastering by Jacob Curwen. The visual aesthetic, including the album art, was also created by Curwen, preserving the band’s independent and uncompromising approach.

The sun fades. The night takes hold. The world belongs to ALL HELL.

About ALL HELL:

ALL HELL is a blackened metal trio from Asheville, North Carolina, known for their relentless fusion of first wave black metal, deathrock, punk, and horror-driven storytelling. Since forming in 2013, the band has carved out a distinct identity rooted in occult themes, razor-sharp riffs, and a fierce DIY ethos. Their sound is aggressive, stripped-down, and deeply atmospheric — a raw, unfiltered descent into myth, violence, and the supernatural.

With five full-length albums and an EP to their name, including 2025’s apocalyptic concept record Sunsetter, ALL HELL has evolved from a local cult favorite into a powerful underground force. Their live presence has taken them across the U.S., sharing stages with acts like RINGWORM, BLACK TUSK, PROFANATICA, and TURN COLD, and performing at festivals such as Decibel Metal and Beer Fest, Dark Lord Day, and RPM Fest.

The current lineup, Jacob Curwen (guitar and vocals), Erik Ballantyne (bass), and Elanti (drums), continues to push the band’s sound forward while staying true to its core. With each release, ALL HELL digs deeper into a unique mythos that spans history, horror, and apocalypse, embracing the dark, the ugly, and the eternal night.

ALL HELL is:

  • Jacob Curwen – Guitar and Vocals

  • Erik Ballantyne – Bass

  • Elanti – Drums


Connect with ALL HELL:

Bandcamp: https://allhell.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/allhellband
Instagram: https://instagram.com/allhellband
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5FVXnF7zGfuo8WF5qq4XHK
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/be/artist/all-hell/925520478

SUPREME MYSTIC - Kala Rupa

In the industrial belly of Detroit, where machine noise and rebellion pulse in equal measure, a new sound has emerged. It is raw and searing, but it carries something older than anger and louder than distortion. That sound is SUPREME MYSTIC, and their debut album Kala Rupa is a declaration of identity, purpose, and transformation.

The band is led by Chino Noir, the reborn moniker of Mike Couls, a name well-known to the hardcore underground. From playing clubs at thirteen to signing with a major label in his early twenties, Couls carved a path through chaos with a bass in his hands and the kind of presence that stages remember. He was part of some of the most notorious and revered bands in heavy music. He toured the world with COLD AS LIFE, SWORN ENEMY, MERAUDER, TERROR and the CRO-MAGS, sharing bills with legends and surviving battles on and off stage. But none of those bands carried his voice the way SUPREME MYSTIC does now.

Kala Rupa, meaning “the form of time” in Sanskrit, is more than a record. It is a mirror. It looks directly into life, death, karma, illusion, and the struggle for inner evolution. Each song is a piece of a larger journey, built on decades of lived experience. This is not a genre experiment or a side project. It is the first time Couls has stepped fully into the front, not just as a musician but as a messenger.

The album pulls from stoner rock, post-hardcore, sludge, grunge, and doom, but it defies categorization. It is heavy, often brutally so, but not just for the sake of power. Beneath the layers of distortion, the music is rooted in spiritual philosophy and ancient Vedic wisdom. These are songs of confrontation and transcendence, guided by hard-earned insight and a desire to rise above the trappings of material and emotional decay.

From the opening of “Stealing Beauty,” the record cuts with honesty and defiance. It speaks to betrayal and envy in a world that feeds on appearances and weakness. “Halo of Vultures” takes aim at those who circle with bad intentions, while “Colorblind” addresses the weaponization of ignorance and the spiritual sickness of a divided world. “Transmigration of the Soul” and the title track “Kala Rupa” lift the listener into the metaphysical, exploring the unseen journey of the self and the truth that time is not an enemy, but a teacher.

Couls is joined by a powerhouse of Detroit veterans and new energy. Drummer Jeff Shankin brings decades of heavy groove and thunder, having played in cornerstone Detroit acts like Universal Stomp and Earthmover. Alfredo Riojas, a Berklee-trained guitarist known across Detroit for his technical brilliance and soulful attack, adds a precise and expressive voice. Luis Ulloa, a young keyboardist from Honduras with a deep love for black metal and spiritual music, brings harmonic color and atmosphere. Together, they build a wall of sound that can level a room or lift an audience into something otherworldly.

What sets SUPREME MYSTC apart is intention. This band is not chasing nostalgia. It is not paying tribute to a scene. It is rooted in Krishna Consciousness, influenced by the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, and carries lyrics that often include Sanskrit mantras and direct references to sacred texts. This is not metal as fashion or outrage. This is music as inner weapon. The goal is not destruction, but liberation.

Still, nothing here is soft or sanitized. SUPREME MYSTIC comes from the grit of Detroit and carries the weight of its history. That includes the tragedies, the fights, and the resilience that shaped Couls’ path. The murder of his father in the infamous Rouge Rampage, the death of COLD AS LIFE’s original frontman, the wounds from the CRO-MAGS incident, and the long road of pain that led to healing are not erased in this new project. They are integrated. The past has not been forgotten. It has been transformed into fuel.

Even in its heaviest moments, Kala Rupa offers a sense of hope. It invites listeners not just to rage but to awaken. This is music for those who have seen the edge, survived, and returned changed. It is not about escaping pain. It is about turning toward it with clear eyes and an open heart This is music built on scars, faith, rhythm, and resolve.

About SUPREME MYSTIC:

SUPREME MYSTIC is a spiritually charged heavy rock band from Detroit, Michigan, fusing the grit of hardcore and metal with the depth of Vedic philosophy. Founded in 2023 by frontman and bassist Chino Noir (the evolved moniker of Mike Couls, known for his work with COLD AS LIFE, SWORN ENEMY, MERAUDER, and CRO-MAGS), the band draws from a lifetime of musical warfare and personal transformation. Their sound, described as Mo-Metal and DefRoc, merges elements of post-hardcore, stoner rock, grunge, doom, and groove metal with a message rooted in spiritual evolution, esoteric themes, and inner revolution.

Joined by drummer Jeff Shankin (UNIVERSAL STOMP, EARTHMOVER), guitarist Alfredo Riojas (a BERKLEE-trained shredder), and keyboardist Luis Ulloa (a young devotee of heavy music and mysticism), SUPREME MYSTIC creates music that is as punishing as it is purposeful. Their songs explore karma, mortality, illusion, and rebirth, often weaving in Sanskrit mantras and Eastern iconography with street-level truth and raw energy.

Equal parts intensity and intention, SUPREME MYSTIC is not just another heavy band. It is a movement of sound and spirit. Their debut full-length album Kala Rupa is set for release in Fall 2025.

SUPREME MYSTIC is:

  • Chino Noir – Vocals / Bass

  • Alfredo Riojas – Lead Guitar / Backup Vocals

  • Jeff Shankin – Drums

  • Luis Ulloa – Keyboards


Connect with SUPREME MYSTIC:

The Veer Union Are Back With a Vengeance In "Caught in the Crossfire" Video

Canadian alt-metal/rock band The Veer Union are back with a vengeance, unleashing their brand new track "Caught in the Crossfire" via Arising Empire. The hard-hitting single blends crushing riffs, soaring hooks, and the emotional intensity that has defined the band's career since breaking through with their 2008 hit "Seasons."
 

With over 290,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, more than 200 million global streams, and a track record of 12 Billboard Rock Radio Top 40 hits, The Veer Union continue to prove why they are an enduring presence in the rock world.
 

"Caught in the Crossfire" marks the latest chapter from the band's upcoming full-length album Reinvention, set for release on February 20, 2026.
 

With "Caught in the Crossfire" out now and Reinvention on the horizon, The Veer Union are showing no signs of slowing down — and this new anthem is proof they're ready for their next era.


Watch the "Caught in the Crossfire" video below and stream the single here.