Rotting Christ Announce Reissue of Sanctus Diavolos

ROTTING CHRIST are announcing the reissue of Sanctus Diavolos. Originally released through Century Media in September 2004, the Greek legends’ eighth full-length is the final pillar from their gothic period and one of the band’s most extreme and cohesive albums  

Season of Mist will reissue Sanctus Diavolos on black and colored vinyl on September 11, 2026.

Pre-order

https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/RCReissues

Sanctus Diavolos was the first album Rotting Christ frontman Sakis Tolis wrote after the departures of the band’s longtime guitarist Costas Vasilakopoulos and keyboardist Georgios Tolias. Sakis absorbed both roles himself, handling guitars, keys and vocals alongside his brother Themis Tolis on drums and Andreas Lagios on bass. Across ten songs, the album moves from the aggression of opener "Visions of a Blind Order" through mid-tempo, riff-driven black and gothic metal, pausing at the string-and-choir interlude "Sanctimonious," before closing on the sprawling, choir-drenched title track.

Thematically, Sanctus Diavolos frames its central figure as Lucifer the light-bearer, a seductive, welcoming presence. This distinction sets it apart from the band's earlier work and from most of the genre's stock devil-worship posturing. Symphonic and choral writing plays a larger role here than on any previous Rotting Christ album. “Visions of a Blind Order” features a guest solo from Gus G and choir arrangements by Christos Antoniou of Septicflesh, which were performed live by an eight-person choir.

Sanctus Diavolos was recorded at SCA Studios in Athens and mixed by Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman in Sweden.

Current Line-up:

Sakis Tolis — Vocals, Guitar

Themis Tolis — Drums

Kostis Foukarakis — Guitars

Kostas Cheliotis — Bass

Original Line-up:
Sakis Tolis — Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards
Themis Tolis — Drums
Andreas Lagios — Bass

Guest Musicians:
Gus G — Guest Solo on "Visions of a Blind Order"
Christos Antoniou — Choir Arrangement

Follow Rotting Christ:
Official Website: https://www.rotting-christ.com/en/

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

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/rottingchristofficial/

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/athanatoieste/

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

Bandcamp: https://rottingchristofficial.bandcamp.com/

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/rotting-christ/28441629/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7FhkwcO8Jd7BRWdllBpXBJ/

BLACK SITES Release New Full Length For Eternity With Full Album Visualizer

Chicago's heavy quartet BLACK SITES present their fifth studio album, For Eternity. Released today, the band deliver impactful catchy choruses and lyrical hooks alongside a powerful riff-driven sound across the track list. 

For Eternity also marks a new chapter for BLACK SITES as founder Mark Sugar is now joined by an updated line-up. The new full length offering showcases a development in BLACK SITES's sound and sees the new members' contributions enhance the music's sonic quality.

For Eternity was produced by Mark Sugar & Chris Black, recorded at I Can’t Believe It’s Not Mace Street Studios, with mixing and mastering by Dan Swano. Drums on For Eternity were recorded by Vladimir Ružičić at Kebac Recording Studio.

About BLACK SITES:
Based out of Chicago, IL, USA, BLACK SITES was founded in 2016, initially as a studio project, by vocalist and guitarist Mark Sugar. Sugar was later joined by members John Picillo (bass), Ryan Bruchert (guitar) and Chris Avgerin (drums). BLACK SITES combines old school metal with guitar harmonies, melodic/clean vocals and progressive elements, primarily drawing inspiration from the likes of VOIVOD, BLACK SABBATH, and KING’S X.

BLACK SITES released their debut In Monochrome in 2017 (Mascot/Provogue Records), followed by Exile in 2019. 2021 saw the release of Untrue that was produced by Sanford Parker and awarded Record Of the Year by Dr. A.N. Grier at AngryMetalGuy.com. BLACK SITES ventured to The Promised Land? with their 2024 full-length that featured Tom Draper. (Ex-CARCASS/SPIRIT ADRIFT) on the track "Chasing Eternity".

Now, in 2026, Mark Sugar is joined by new members Jose Salazar (bass), Lee Smith (guitar) and Chris Black (drums). The forthcoming album For Eternity is set to release independently on July 17, 2026.

BLACK SITES Is:
Mark Sugar (vocals, guitar)
Jose Salazar (bass)
Lee Smith (guitar)
Chris Black (drums)

Connect With BLACK SITES:
Bandcamp: https://blacksites.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blacksites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blacksitesmusic
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blacksitesmusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@blacksites
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0yY6r4UHQDv4BUOr5bKu1o

Emptiness Premiere Nowhere Speaks

On their new album, Nowhere Speaks, experimental metal band Emptiness unlock an unheard dimension that’s governed by their own awe-inspiring logic.  

Nowhere Speaks comes out tomorrow, Friday, July 17 on Season of Mist, but you can hear all ten absorbing songs today by listening to the full album stream below:

Pre-order & pre-save

https://orcd.co/emptinessnowherespeaks

Save for vocals, keyboards and additional effects, Emptiness performed Nowhere Speaks live in the studio, after four years of preparation, rehearsals and tests to ensure the music could be performed with the right weight and intention. This is not a production detail so much as a commitment to a specific kind of tension, the kind that does not survive being assembled in pieces. Emptiness’ previous album, Vide (2021), had no distortion, was sung entirely in French, and existed at the edge of silence; Nowhere Speaks moves in the opposite direction, and does so deliberately, opening exactly where Nothing But The Whole (2014) cut off mid-riff and closing by looping back to that album's opening riff.

From early in their career, EMPTINESS has worked this way: Jérémie Bézier handling production across all its dimensions, Olivier J.L.W. directing the visual work in its entirety. Sound and image conceived, shaped and finalized from within. Nowhere Speaks continues that closed circuit, as it always has been.

Nowhere Speaks is not a return. After the most introverted and isolated record of their career, the band opens outward into density and live intensity. The album, developed over an extended period of time, was composed by Jérémie Bézier and Olivier J.L.W., who oversee its production across both sonic and visual dimensions, bringing the work to completion as a unified whole, committed to tape live in the studio. The structural conceit of opening mid-riff from where Nothing But The Whole ended, and closing with that album's opening riff, is not nostalgia. It is the same logic that has always governed EMPTINESS: the cycle without a fixed point, beginning and ending inside each other, nothing and everything at the same time. The band has spent years demonstrating that they do not move in straight lines. Nowhere Speaks is a continuation from a point the listener was not meant to forget.

Line-up:
Jérémie Bezier — Vocals, Bass
Olivier J.L.W. — Guitars
Simon L. — Guitars
Dea Hydra — Synths
Laye Louhenapessy — Drums

Follow Emptiness:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Emptiness.be
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emptiness.official
Bandcamp: https://emptiness.bandcamp.com/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/Emptiness_band
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5AXPdt3zknCylvlnEi0JFO
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/emptiness/303855225
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/199828
Tidal: https://tidal.com/artist/4813509

TodoMal Premiere Grand and Gloomy New Album Graveyards of Joy

Graveyards of Joy is the third album and the closing chapter of a trilogy. Written in solitude following personal tragedy, it channels grief, anger and hard-won hope into nine tracks of slow-burning, widescreen doom. The music breathes: vast Hammond-driven passages give way to desolate folk, Morricone-like strings open onto dusty cinematic plains, and heavy riffs anchor songs that never lose sight of melody. A DIY record of striking emotional depth and modern, alternative edge.

Recording Line-up:
Wildman – Guitars and Vocals

Mile – Bass and Vocals

Javi – Guitars

Bud – Drums

Cecilia – Synths and Vocals

Production Credits:

Recording Studio: Trinitat-Montseny / 7th Middle Street / Moontower Studios

Producer: Javier Fernández Milla / Christopher B. Wildman; assisted by Javier Félez Rodríguez (drums recording and guitar engineering)

Mixing: Javier Fernández Milla at Trinitat Montseny

Mastering: Jaime López Arellano at Arda Recorders (Portugal)

Guest Musicians:
Cecilia Tallo (background vocals, tracks 4 and 6)

Teodora Gosheva (vocals)

Darío Garrido (acoustic guitars)

Manu Clavijo (live strings)

Cover Art:
Lluís Rigalt, Ruïnes (1865), Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya.

Photography:
Christopher B. Wildman

Follow TodoMal:
Bandcamp: https://todomalband.bandcamp.com/

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

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

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/todomal

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2grCvuOH8MibDqryxpW6jR

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/todomal/1587939438

Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/146831572

Tidal: https://tidal.com/artist/5655213

On their grand and gloomy new album, TodoMal channels grief, anger and hard-won hope through the slow-burning atmosphere of classic doom and dramatic rock.

Graveyards of Joy came out, Friday, July 3 on Season of Mist but you can hear all nine doomy and atmospheric songs today by listening to the full album stream below.

Graveyards of Joy is the closing chapter of a trilogy that TodoMal began with Ultracrepidarian (2021) and continued with A Greater Good (2023). Written in solitude following personal tragedy, the album draws on the landscapes and ghost towns of rural eastern Spain, a terrain the band describe as raw, honest and untamed. Vast Hammond organ-driven passages give way to desolate folk; strings with Morriconian openness sit alongside heavy, anchoring riffs. The duo draw on a wide range of reference points, from the orchestral sweep of Vangelis and the warmth of Deep Purple to the dramatic sensibility of Tindersticks and Nick Cave, without losing the solemnity that defines them.

TodoMal Graveyards of Joy 2026 European Tour

*with Evoken

4 July - Viveiro, ES @ Resurrection Fest

24 July - Tolmin, SI @ Tolminator Fest

30 July - Paris, FR @ Le Klub*
31 July - Rouen, FR @ Fury Defendu*
1 August - Diest, BE @ Club Hell*
2 August - Rotterdam, NL @ Baroeg*
3 August - Hamburg, DE @ MS Stubnitz*
5 August - Berlin, DE @ Neue Zukunft*
6 August - Schlotheim, DE @ Party.San Open Air*
7 August - Karlsruhe, DE @ Die Stadtmitte*
9 August - Dresden, DE @ Chemiefabrik*
10 August - Prague, CZ @ Subzero*

11 August - Bratislava, SK @ Pink Whale

18 September: Barcelona, ES @ Sala Boveda

25 September: Madrid, ES @ Dark Echoes Fest (w/ Draconian, Dødheimsgard)

26 September: Auzas, FR @ L'Homme Sauvage Festival

SWANWRITER Releases New Album melodies of despair With Full Visualizer

Through cinematic soundscapes and progressive arrangements SWANWRITER explores tales of horror, history, internal unease and grief in their second full-length, melodies of despair. The album arrives alongside a full length visualizer offering. 

Project founder Koda shares,
"The album is a collection of psychological horror and gothic horror stories. Musically, the songs are very moody and melancholy, mixing heavy moments with calmer acoustic instrumentation passages. The album was produced with a lot of care and love, so I hope it's able to touch the hearts of listeners."

SWANWRITER's exploration of gore and gloom draws from a wealth of thematic and musical influences, notably "the painted valley" inspired by historical a figure, Blood Countess Elizabeth Bathory, while the closing track "phobia" follows a personal journey in the aftermath of loss. 

Thunderous moments of heaviness reveal the extreme power of SWANWRITER's compositional style while haunting piano passages and ethereal orchestration intertwine across the track list. With emotion and atmosphere at the heart of melodies of despair, the album was designed to be experienced from beginning to end in a single sitting to allow its recurring moods and thematic connections to fully emerge.

SWANWRITER presents a thoroughly compelling display of light and shade through intricate, considered progressive instrumental arrangements. Across melodies of despair, SWANWRITER balances chaos and calm through explorations of dark and emotional narratives.  

melodies of despair was produced and mixed by Koda, mastered by Roland Rodas, and features cover artwork by 無た｡ / muta.

About SWANWRITER:
  SWANWRITER is a dark progressive metal project based in Vancouver, British Columbia, created and performed entirely by the anonymous multi-instrumentalist known as Koda. Formed in 2023, the project emerged from a desire to merge progressive metal songwriting with classical composition, atmospheric storytelling, and emotionally driven arrangements.

Having studied classical piano from an early age before later discovering extreme metal, Koda developed SWANWRITER as a space to explore long-form composition without stylistic limitation. The music draws influence from progressive and experimental metal alongside classical composers such as Bach, Beethoven, and Chopin, resulting in compositions that emphasize dynamics, texture, and narrative pacing.

SWANWRITER debuted with There is a darkness in June 2023, establishing a sound centered on extended song structures, melodic development, and cinematic atmosphere. Rather than focusing on technical exhibition, the project prioritizes mood, storytelling, and cohesion across full-length releases.

Themes throughout SWANWRITER’s work often intersect with psychological horror, melancholy, and introspection, shaped in part by inspiration from horror games, film soundtracks, and dark ambient music. Each release is approached as a complete artistic statement, with careful attention given to sequencing, emotional progression, and sonic detail.

Operating independently, SWANWRITER remains a studio-focused project, with future ambitions that include composing music for horror and narrative-driven media.

Connect with SWANWRITER:

Bandcamp: https://swanwriter.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swanwritermusic/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swanwritermusic/
X / Twitter: https://x.com/swanwritermusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@swanwriter
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6unE9CWOXt5c4UIiaHD5RR
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/swanwriter/1686779640
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@swanwritermusic

Defiled Premiere New Album 'Altered State'

Defiled aren’t relics or custodians for the old-school. While the Japanese legends have shared stages with Morbid Angel, Mayhem, Cannibal Corpse and Incantation since the early ‘90s, they’ve carved their own unmistakable path through death metal’s hallowed crypts. With their new album, founding member Yusuke Sumita and his band of technical masters continue to alter the genre in unthinkable ways. On Altered State, they deliver a dizzying blast of death metal straight from the future.  

Altered State comes out tomorrow, Friday, June 12 on Season of Mist, but you can hear all 14 mind-altering songs today by listening to the full album stream below.

“Like many other bands, our musical roots are heavily influenced by early ‘90s death metal and ‘80s thrash and hardcore, however, our interpretation is different and has branched off from the current scene”, Sumita says. “On Altered State, there are many catchy hooks, but tricky progressive rhythms and song structures can be found as well. The album may not be understandable after a few listens, but it taps into a blind spot that many bands have missed. We invite anyone to join us in exploring the outermost edges of the genre”.

Pre-order & Pre-save

https://orcd.co/defiledalteredstate

Hear Defiled perform songs from Altered State during the band’s current Japanese tour, as well as their upcoming shows with Brujeria.

Defiled 2026 Altered State Japanese Tour

June 11 - Fussa @ Chicken Shack

June 12 - Tokyo @ Earthdom

June 13 - Fukushima @ Sora

June 13 - Sendai @ Solfa

June 14 - Aizuwakamatsu @ Karando

June 14 - Niigata @ Rocka

June 15 - Nagano @ Rosebery Cafe

June 16 - Kofu @ Bodega

June 17 - Iida @ Space Tama

June 18 - Nagoya @ Studio 246

June 19 - Osaka @ Hokage

June 20 - Okayama @ Dogvult

June 20 - Hiroshima @ Agit

June 21 - Fukuoka @ Reflex

June 21 - Sasebo @ Distortion

June 22 - Mabi @ Branch

Defiled 2026 Japanese Dates with Brujeria

September 15 - Tokyo @ Cyclone

September 16 - Osaka @ Socore Factory

Altered State isn’t afraid to wind through the darkest and most mysterious corners of our collective consciousness. But listen closely to Defiled and all secrets will be revealed. “Receive the power”, the band command on the album’s title track with a chaos that only they can control.

Lineup
Shinichiro Hamada - Vocals, Guitar
Yusuke Sumita - Guitar
Takachika Nakajima - Bass
Keisuke Hamada - Drums

Production credits
Recorded at Studio Zot in Tokyo, Japan
Producer - Yusuke Sumita
Sound Engineers - Shinichiro Hamada and Keisuke Hamada
Mixing and Mastering Studio - Studio Nest in Chiba, Japan
Mixing and Mastering Engineer - Kenji Kikuchi

Songwriting credits

Music and lyrics by Yusuke Sumita

Cover art
Wes Benscoter

Booking contact
Yusuke Sumita - info@defiled.info

Pre-order & Pre-save
https://orcd.co/defiledalteredstate

Available formats
CD Digipack
12" Vinyl Gatefold (Black)
12" Vinyl Gatefold (Transparent Yellowish-Green)

Follow Defiled
Website : http://www.defiled.info/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/defiled
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/defiledjapan
Bandcamp : https://defiledjapan.bandcamp.com
Soundcloud : https://soundcloud.com/defiled
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@defiled
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6KDc0SB4ero6zAgrafjVrt
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/defiled/72867298
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/music/player/artists/B001GJ407S/defiled

Erdve Premiere Crushing New Album 'Epigrama'

Since emerging from Lithuania in 2016, Erdve have experimented with heavy music’s imposing framework. The expiermental metallic hardcore band’s debut established a heavy foundation, while their follow-up chiseled away with dramatic intensity. Now, they are pushing their vision to more crushing extremes on their new album Epigrama.

Epigrama comes out tomorrow, Friday, May 29, 2026 on Season of Mist but you can hear all eight devastating tracks today by listening to the full album stream below:

Pre-order & pre-save

https://orcd.co/erdveepigrama

Available Formats:
CD Digipak

Digital Download

12” Vinyl Gatefold — Black

12” Coloured Vinyl Gatefold — Silver, Black & White Marbled

Erdve have earned a reputation for unconventional experiments. The band have performed in Vilnius’ St. John’s Church and the historic Lukiškės Prison. Metal Injection hailed their debut Vaitojimas as an ”uncompromising patchwork of hardcore punk and sludge metal”. In reviewing follow-up Savigaila, Nine Circles marveled at how “all that harshness that is at once apparent settles out and mellows into something that is quite beautiful and begs repeated listens”.    

Now, with Epigrama, Erdve have redefined their hardened sludgy metallic experiment into their most conceptually focused and structurally deliberate album. The band confront grief, guilt and stagnation as structural forces rather than passing emotions. Every decision, or absence of decision, is treated as moral debt. From the suffocating grief of lead single “Nyra”, the all-consuming descent of “Ydos” to the madness of the title track and the irreversible acceptance of closer “Svertas,” the record unfolds as a journey from doubt to clarity through collapse. A moment isn’t captured. A process is endured.

Line-up:

Vaidotas Darulis — Vocals, Guitars

Adomas Varnelis — Guitar

Valdas Voveraitis — Drums

Karolis Urbanavičius — Bass

Production Credits:

Self-produced by Vaidotas Darulis & Adomas Varnelis.
Mixed Vaidotas Darulis & Adomas Varnelis.
Mastered by Vaidotas Darulis.

Cover Art:

Photography by Vaidotas Darulis.

Designed by Vaidotas Darulis,

Vainius Česnauskas (https://www.instagram.com/vainius.art/),

Marija Česnauskienė-Dvarionaitė (https://www.instagram.com/maryces.art/).

Pre-order & pre-save

https://orcd.co/erdveepigrama

Available Formats:
CD Digipak

Digital Download

12” Vinyl Gatefold — Black

12” Coloured Vinyl Gatefold — Silver, Black & White Marbled

Follow Erdve:
Bandcamp: https://erdvesom.bandcamp.com/album/

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

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

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

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7uctedT9WR5dzqjAOx3jKN

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/erdve/1299788970

Tidal: https://tidal.com/artist/9229661

Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/13602259

SERPENT LORD Streams New Album via Black Metal Promotion Ahead of Friday's Release

Solo pagan black metal project SERPENT LORD will be releasing its debut album, 'The Once Forgotten Ways of Old,' on May 29, 2026 via Eisenwald Records. The project is now streaming the offering in its entirety ahead of Friday's release via Black Metal Promotion, which can be found below.

SERPENT LORD first slithered into existence in 2003, emerging as a solitary pagan black metal vessel forged by Jake Superchi (UADA, Ceremonial Castings). Though the project's first true album was recorded in 2005, the work was abruptly shelved and lay dormant for twenty years. Now, in the Year of the Snake, the ancient offering has been reborn and reimagined as 'The Once Forgotten Ways of Old,' preserving every note of its primordial conception.

The album was re-recorded in the cold heart of the Pacific Northwest between 2022 and 2025, engineered and mixed by Jake Superchi, and mastered by Arthur Rizk. The release features new artwork and the original logo created by Kris Verwimp, along with photography by Peter Beste.

Pre-orders are now live via the Obsidian Spells Shop (North America), Eisenwald (EU/UK), and Bandcamp (Worldwide).

Originally formed over two decades ago, SERPENT LORD existed largely in the shadows, issuing only a handful of demos before entering an extended period of dormancy. Yet, the creative force behind the project never faded. Ideas, fragments, and compositions endured across the years, shelved for the right moment, only fully taking shape and being realized in the Year of the Snake, when the vision was finally forged into its definitive form.

Early demo material already hinted at what SERPENT LORD would become: a severe balance between melodic grandeur and unrestrained aggression, with transitions between atmosphere and brutality, produced to enhance rather than obscure its intensity.

Founded by Jake Superchi (known for its creative force in UADA and CEREMONIAL CASTINGS), SERPENT LORD channels the spirit of ’90s pagan black metal. The album stands as a triumphant and immersive work - melodic, fierce, and steeped in ritualistic energy. Expansive riffing, evocative passages, and a dynamic interplay between harsh and atmospheric elements, both timeless and fully awakened.

The album was recorded and mixed by Jake Superchi, and mastered by Arthur Rizk, achieving a sound that retains raw edge while delivering clarity and depth. The cover artwork, created by Kris Verwimp, along with photography by Peter Beste, further underscoring the album’s mythical and arcane atmosphere.

With 'The Once Forgotten Ways of Old,' SERPENT LORD emerges from decades of silence with a work that fulfills the promise of its early recordings; it's an album shaped by time, and driven by an uncompromising vision of black metal.

Lineup:

Jake Superchi - all instruments & vocals

Cover Art & Logo: Kris Verwimp

Mixing & Engineering: Jake Superchi

Mastering: Arthur Rizk

Pre-orders:

https://store.eisenton.de/ (EU/UK)

https://obsidianspells.bigcartel.com/ (North America)

https://serpentlordusa.bandcamp.com/album/the-once-forgotten-ways-of-old (Worldwide)

Impure Wilhelmina Premiere 'Le Sanglot'

IMPURE WILHELMINA are premiering the full album stream for their new album Le Sanglot. The veteran post-hardcore band’s ninth album arrives as their most radical transformation yet. While they continue to lean heavier on alt. rock melodies, for the first time in their 30-year history, all song are sung in French.

Le Sanglot comes out tomorrow, Friday, May 22 on Season of Mist, but you can hear all 10 vibrant songs today by listening to the full album stream below.

Pre-order & pre-save

https://orcd.co/iwlesanglot

Conceived as the sonic equivalent of weeping, Le sanglot surveys a fractured world with surgical coldness, yet never forecloses on the possibility of grace. Impure Wilhelmina moves between crushing weight and melodic restraint, from the cathartic surge of opening track "Électricité noire" to the fragile radiance of closer "À jamais radieuse," with the French language sharpening both the imagery and the emotional register throughout. The album introduces  the band’s new guitarist Edouard Nicod, whose arrangements broaden the band’s textural scope. It  features a collaboration with French artist Mütterlein on "Train mort" the album’s most abrasive song.

Line-up:

Michael Schindl — Vocals, Guitar

Mario Togni — Drums

Sébastien Dutruel — Bass

Edouard Nicod — Guitar

Marion Leclercq (Mütterlein) — Guest Vocals on “Train mort”

Press kit: https://presskit.season-of-mist.com/Impure_Wilhelmina/
Login: presskit
Password: Presskitofmist

Follow Impure Wilhelmina:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/impurewilhelmina/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impurewilhelmina/
Bandcamp: https://impurewilhelmina.bandcamp.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/29luUtCyre5DdAujrV8Pob
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/impure-wilhelmina/299336044

Available Formats:
CD Digipak
Digital Download
12” Vinyl Gatefold (Black)
12” Vinyl Gatefold (Transparent Violet)

The Ghoulstars Premiere The Dark Overlords of the Universe

Flying saucers, a pet werewolf, Ghostbustin’ proton streams,  joyrides in the Cadillac that once belonged to Children of Bodom vocalist and guitarist Alexi “Wildchild” Laiho. Meet The Ghoulstars, a fresh - and frightening blast from pop-culture’s past. Since beaming down onto their native haunt of Finland, these horror punks have tantalized crowds and captured the attention of CNN, Metal Hammer and other international press with their monstrously catchy mash-up of metal, punk and cult classics. Their blockbuster debut album, The Dark Overlords of the Universe, hits shelves tomorrow, Friday, May 15.

“It’s like a delicious kid’s cereal that has a shockingly healthy nutritional label and way more fiber than you remember: it’s good shit”, New Noise attests in an interview with The Ghoulstars guitarist Markus “Daddy Ghoul” Laakso.

Lucky ghouls can hear all of The Dark Overlords of the Universebefore the album comes out tomorrow by listening to the full album stream today on the Season of Mist YouTube channel.

“The Dark Overlords of the Universe is a love letter to our fifteen-year-old selves”, Laakso says. “It’s crammed with headbanging metal riffs, shout-along punk rock choruses, B-movie Easter eggs, ‘80s aesthetics, surprising curveballs and the sheer joy of all the pieces falling into the right places. Move over, Rover, and let the ghouls take over!”.

Listen to The Dark Overlords of the Universe Below:

Pre-order & Pre-save

https://orcd.co/theghoulstarsdarkoverlords

Despite their ghostly appearance, The Ghoulstars are a collection of real talent. Axeman Daddy Ghoul and goose-bumping drummer Toni “Ghoulio” Ronkainen shared a past life together in Kuolemanlaakso. Bassist Markus “Hella Ghoul” Makkonen formerly haunted the low end for Hooded Menace while moonhowler Arthur “LL Ghoul A” Thure croons for the stoner rockers Thermate.

While the initial inspiration for The Ghoulstars came after burning rubber to Venom, The Dark Overlords of the Universe is possessed by a love for everything that blew the band’s minds as kids. The title track crosses surf beats, heavy riffing and a hair-raising transition into a chorus that’s absolutely to die for. With Mötley Crüe’s pomp and the can’t-do attitude of Twisted Sister roaming its halls, lead single “Too Ghoul for School” is jam-packed with more fun-filled ‘80s antics than Saturday afternoon detention.  

“The record is unique, catchy and a really fun listen”, says Triptykon guitarist and vocalist V. Santura, who mixed and mastered The Dark Overlords of the Universe.

The Misfits, White Zombie and other cultishly beloved touchstones like The Wolfman jump out during the album’s crisp 34-minute runtime. “Graverobbers from Outer Space” pays homage to an Ed Wood B-horror classic with a headbanging chorus, though not many straight-up punk rippers are enlivened by a doomy C-part and güiro. The Ghoulstars also enter original plots into horror’s hallowed crypt. Set amidst the cruel unfeeling world of the Wild West, “The Dead in Purgatory” rides a galloping melody after Morricone’s heart into a sunset that’s colored by the fifty shades of Volbeat.

The Ghoulstars may be undead, but there’s nothing pale or lifeless about The Dark Overlords of the Universe. Thanks to the rapid anticipation around the album, the band have signed to Nem Agency, which is one of the largest music promoters in Finland. Keep your eyes peeled for more live dates coming soon!

Lineup
Markus "Daddy Ghoul" Laakso - Guitars
Toni "Ghoulio" Ronkainen - Drums
Arthur "LL Ghoul A" Thure - Vocals
Markus "Hella Ghoul" Makkonen - Bass

Guest musicians
Mathias "Vreth" Lillmåns (...and Oceans, Finntrol) - Backing Growls
Tommi "Tuple" Salmela (Tarot, Raskasta Joulua, Lazy Bones) - Backing Vocals on "The Dark Overlords of the Universe")

Production credits
Produced by Markus Laakso
Guitars recorded by Markus Laakso and Erkka Närhi
Vocals recorded by Markus Laakso and Mathias "Vreth" Lillmåns
Drums recorded by Erkka Närhi
Bass recorded by Samu Männikkö and Markus Laakso
Percussion recorded by Markus Laakso
Mixed & Mastered by V. Santura at Woodshed Studio in Germany

Cover art

Niko Anttila

Pre-order & Pre-save
https://orcd.co/theghoulstarsdarkoverlords

Booking info

Finland

Rowan Rafferty at Nem Agency - rowan@nem.fi

Rest of the world

info@theghoulstars.com

Follow The Ghoulstars
Official website: http://www.theghoulstars.com
Bandcamp: https://theghoulstars.bandcamp.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Pr3ThFZK0tnUDqDSlMuBX

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/the-ghoulstars/1872811142

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGhoulstars

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theghoulstars/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theghoulstars/

Crippled Black Phoenix Premiere New Album Sceaduhelm

More than 20 years removed from where they started, Crippled Black Phoenix are approaching a new threshold with their upcoming new album. Sceaduhelm is the UK macabre rockers’ most inward-looking and grave statement to date. It turns away from collective upheaval to face emotional erosion, fatigue and private collapse.

Sceaduhelm comes out tomorrow, Friday, April 17 on Season of Mist, but you can hear all 12 stark and striking songs today by listening to the full album stream below:

Pre-order

https://orcd.co/cbpsceaduhelm

Pre-save on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/6jvoEOyJQXUQmdI1WlVXrK

Where previous Crippled Black Phoenix records addressed historical violence and societal fracture, Sceaduhelm moves inward, listening to what accumulates in the aftermath: grief, complicity, damaged intimacy and the weight of endurance. The album unfolds as a unified psychological space rather than a traditional concept record, with slow builds, minimalist repetition, and unresolved tension carrying as much weight as melody. While stemming from founding member Justin Greaves (ex-Electric Wizard, ex-Iron Monkey), vocals are shared between Belinda Kordic (Killing Mood, Stabb), Ryan Patterson (Fotocrime, Coliseum, Mirrorless) and Justin Storms (Wailin Storms), each occupying a distinct but aligned emotional register across the album's twelve tracks.

Lyrically and thematically, Sceaduhelm is preoccupied with exhaustion as a condition rather than a moment, with time framed not as a healer but as an eroding force. Songs address burnout, grief, surveillance, institutional violence, and damaged intimacy, often blurring the line between the personal and the political. Musically, the album favours restraint over release, employing repetition, minimalism, and slow escalation to sustain tension without catharsis. Recorded across multiple locations and mixed with deliberate austerity, the record resists warmth, clarity serving discomfort rather than solace.

Within Crippled Black Phoenix’s wider catalogue, Sceaduhelm does not seek to resolve previous narratives or replicate past high points. Instead, it documents a moment of exposure and endurance, listening closely to what remains when spectacle fades and outrage exhausts itself. It stands as a severe, human record, concerned less with declaration than with persistence, and affirms once more the band’s refusal to stand still, soften its gaze, or offer easy answers.

Line-up:
Music - Greaves / Words — Patterson
Justin Greaves — Guitars, Drums, Samples
Ryan Patterson — Vocals
Belinda Kordic — Backing Vocals
Wes Wasley — Bass
Robin Tow — Percussion
Lucy Marshall — Synths

Apparently recorded at various times during 2023 to 2025 at:
Chapel Studios, Lincolnshire, UK
Engineered by Pieter Rietkerk

Additional sessions at:
Kapsylen Studio, Stockholm, Sweden
Engineered by Jörgen Jugglo Wall.
House Of Foto, Louisville, KY, USA
Engineered by Ryan Patterson
Mixed by Iver Sandøy at Solslottet Studio, Bergen, Norway.
Mastered by Magnus Lindberg, Stockholm, Sweden
Additional mixing by Pieter Rietkerk at Chapel Studios
Produced by Justin Greaves

Artwork by Erebus Art (Thanasis Stratidakis)

Thank to everyone who helped and supported this venture.

BIG thankye! to Kurt Ballou for his input and work on this album.

All CBP music published by Season Of Mist Publishing.

Lyrics for “No Epitaph, “The Precipice”, “Vampire Grave”, “Beautiful Destroyer”
Copyright 2026 Ryan Patterson (BMI)

Follow Crippled Black Phoenix:
Bandcamp: https://riseupandfight.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CBP444/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cbp_444/
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/crippled-black-phoenix/251718934
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6WEyPcf9ezhNLm1xOBjbwH
Tidal: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/3607159
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/391823

Beyond Creation Announce 15th Anniversary Reissue of The Aura

From the beginning, it was clear that Beyond Creation possessed a special aura. Back in 2011, the Montréal four-piece quickly proved they were the next progressive evolution in technical death metal with their very first album. Now, fifteen years later, the genre still basks in the enduring glow of The Aura.

“Laden with atmosphere, The Aura stands out from the crowded 2011 tech/death scene thanks to the prominent use of fretless bass, varying drum patterns, and experimentation with tempo”, wrote Metal Injection in a recent retrospective. “Combine that with a variety of searing vocal styles and classically-influenced, lightening-fast sweeps, The Aura is a decadent joy to the mechanically and sonically minded”.

As the Independence Music Award winners and Canadian Grammy nominees prepare to perform their landmark debut in full for the very first time on their upcoming Latin American tour, today, Beyond Creation are announcing a special anniversary reissue of The Aura. The new limited-edition colored vinyl variant is cut at 45 RPM for superior sound quality. It comes with a double-sided full color poster and an embroidered patch.  

“Fifteen years ago, The Aura marked the beginning of our sonic journey”, Beyond Creation lead vocalist and guitarist Simon Girard reflects. “Our celebration of its 15th anniversary officially begins with this special limited-edition reissue. Join us in the celebration during our upcoming tour of Latin America with our special guests Fallujah, where we will perform the album in its entirety for the first time ever, as well as our new single ‘Reverence’”.

The special 15th anniversary edition of The Aura comes out July 17, 2026 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order

https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/BeyondCreationAll

Available formats

2x12” Colored Vinyl Gatefold with full-color poster and embroidered patch

Listen to the full album stream below.

The Aura immediately stood out as a shining achievement for technical death metal. With microscopic precision, the band spliced together classic brutality and prog’s unbending curiosity with an unforeseen tact for melody. “Coexistence” opened eyes far and wide to a new realm of possibilities, where headbanging riffs don't collide but resolve amidst an extended instrumental passage that glistens like the cosmos. After more than 6 million views on YouTube, “Omnipresent Perception” is still blowing people’s minds. Its fretless bass solo, while impossible to follow, leads along the path to enlightenment.  

“Are we the chosen ones?”, Girard wonders during “The Deported”, the album's epic 11-minute closer. He’s questioning humanity's own presumed superiority, but when it comes to Beyond Creation and the universe of progressive technical death metal, the answer is still a resounding “yes”.  

Beyond Creation’s full discography is available now on Season of Mist

Order

https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/BeyondCreationAll

In 2026, Beyond Creation released “Reverence”, their first single in eight years, ahead of the 15th anniversary of The Aura. To celebrate 15 years since the release of their landmark debut, the band announced a special limited-edition reissue of the album through Season of Mist. They will perform the album in full for the first-time ever during their 2026 Latin American Tour with special guests Fallujah.

Line-up
Simon Girard: Vocals & Guitars
Kevin Chartré: Guitars & Back Vocals
Hugo Doyon-Karout: Bass
Philippe Boucher: Drums

Order
https://redirect.season-of-mist.com/BeyondCreationAll


Follow Beyond Creation
Official website: https://www.beyondcreationofficial.com
Bandcamp: https://beyondcreation.bandcamp.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3HBOxN9iagI9Ot1kTHpPX8
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/beyond-creation/431171265

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/BeyondCreationMetal
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BeyondCreationOfficial
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/beyondcreationofficial/

UADA Streams New Acoustic Album 'Interwoven' Ahead of Physical Release, Kicks Off North American Tour

As promised, enigmatic black metal horde UADA is now streaming its new acoustic album 'Interwoven' in its entirety below!

While the original April 10 release date is still being honored digitally, the physical copies will not be shipped until late May due to delays at the manufacturing plant. The album represents an acoustic journey tracing one song from each chapter of UADA's discography as well as various covers from the bands who've inspired them. 'Interwoven' will be released via Eisenwald and physical copies can be pre-ordered HERE.

In addition, UADA is now hitting the road! The band has joined forces with industrial metal artist MORTIIS for a very special co-headliner, featuring exclusive anniversary sets and supporting performances by Jerome Reuter’s ROME and WRAITH KNIGHT. UADA will be performing their seminal 2016 debut album 'Devoid of Light' in its entirety + a special CERMONIAL CASTINGS 30-year anniversary set featuring Wraith Knight. In addition, MORTIIS shall be performing songs from his groundbreaking 2001 full-length, 'The Smell Of Rain,' along with other volumes of dystopian despair. The tour kicks off tonight, April 10, in UADA's hometown of Portland, OR. The full itinerary can be found below while tickets are now available HERE.

UADA is also celebrating the 10 year anniversary of their debut album, 'Devoid of Light,' with a special reissue! Originally released in 2016, 'Devoid of Light' remains a remarkably focused debut - just five tracks, a little over thirty minutes - and yet a fully formed statement. The 'Devoid of Light (10th Anniversary Edition)' returns in an expanded form. Remastered by Arthur Rizk, who previously handled mixing and mastering for UADA's sophomore album 'Cult of a Dying Sun' and mastering for the acoustic album 'Interwoven,' the material gains depth without losing the character of the original recordings. This edition also includes previously unseen photography by Peter Beste, alongside rare archival material, expanded liner notes, and an exclusive bonus track. It will be released on July 17, 2026 via Eisenwald in CD format and 3 vinyl color variations; it is now available for pre-orders HERE.

Moreover, after much demand from fans, UADA will be returning to Milwaukee Metal Fest for the second time since leaving their mark during the 2024 edition. The festival will take place at The Rave/Eagle's Club from June 4 - 7, with UADA performing on the 7th. More info and tickets can be found HERE.

GET TICKETS HERE

THE WITCHES OF DYSTOPIA TOUR MMXXVI

(UADA + MORTIIS w/ Jerome Reuter’s ROME + WRAITH KNIGHT):

04/10/26: Portland, OR @ Dante's

04/11/26: Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw

04/13/26: Calgary, AB @ Dickens

04/14/26: Edmonton, AB @ Starlite

04/16/26: Winnipeg, MB @ Sidestage

04/17/26: Minneapolis, MN @ Skyway at Studio B

04/18/26: Madison, WI @ Annex

04/19/26: Chicago, IL @ Reggies

04/20/26: Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary

04/21/26: Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle

04/22/26: Covington, KY @ Madison Live

04/23/26: Pittsburgh, PA @ Preserving Underground

04/24/26: Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace

04/25/26: Montreal, QC @ Cafe Campus

04/26/26: Quebec City, QC @ La Source

04/27/26: Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall

04/28/26: Brooklyn, NY @ Meadows

04/29/26: Bensalem, PA @ Broken Goblet

04/30/26: Baltimore, MD @ Metro

05/01/26: Raleigh, NC @ Chapel Of Bones

05/02/26: Atlanta, GA @ 529 EAV

05/03/26: Orlando, FL @ Conduit

05/05/26: Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live

05/06/26: Austin, TX @ Come And Take It Live

05/07/26: Dallas, TX @ Club Dada

05/08/26: Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad

05/09/26: Denver, CO @ HQ

05/10/26: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge

05/11/26: Las Vegas, NV @ Swan Dive

05/12/26: San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick

05/13/26: Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo

05/14/26: San Jose, CA @ The Ritz

05/15/26: Eugene, OR @ John Henry's

05/16/26: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon

Additional UADA Tour Dates:

06/07: Milwaukee, WI @ Milwaukee Metal Fest

photographed by Peter Beste

Recording lineup: 

Jake Superchi - All Vocals, Guitars, and Percussion

Nate Verschoor - Bass

Special Guest:

C.E. Brown - Cello 

Cover Art: Peter Beste

Album Credits:

Engineered and mixed at Obsidian Spells between Summer 2023 and Spring 2024 by Jake Superchi 

Mastered by Arthur Rizk

Stream // Download: https://uada.lnk.to/interwoven

Formats:

Digital

Deluxe CD Artbook

Deluxe 180g Slipcase LP Shadow Black Vinyl

Deluxe 180g Slipcase LP Raven Smoke Vinyl

Deluxe 180g Slipcase LP Wolf's Blood Vinyl

Deluxe 180g Slipcase LP Elder Earth Vinyl

Follow/Stream UADA:

BANDCAMP

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

SPOTIFY

APPLE MUSIC

YOUTUBE

WEBSTORE

Paul Cauthen Delivers Unfiltered 13-Track Album BOOK OF PAUL

With four albums and 442 million streams to-date, country iconoclast Paul Cauthen propels into a new chapter with Book of Paul, out now on Velvet Rose Records/Thirty Tigers. Fusing classic country grit, gospel power and a rhinestone rock-and-roll edge, Cauthen delivers 13 tracks filled with a booming baritone and personal truth. 
 
Listen to Cauthen’s Book of Paul Below.

With a well-documented distaste for playing by anyone else’s rules, the singer-songwriter known as “Big Velvet” returns to his East Texas roots, writing his own creative code in permanent ink with Book of Paul.
 
“It’s just being who you are – unapologetically yourself – and that’s every one of my records,” Cauthen says. “Does it dance? Does it make you cry? Does it make you feel? As far as I’m concerned I’ve made it already. I can already do whatever I want musically. And when you get to this point you look back. I have built my whole career going against the grain, and that’s what this record is. The freaking trials and tribulations of Paul. It’s everything I wanted on an album.” 
 
Tapping the strengths of longtime family friend and chart-topping co-writer Ryan Tyndell, Steve Rusch (Jessie Murph, Koe Wetzel), Sam Martinez (Tyler Braden, Carrie Underwood), Fustin (Priscilla Block) plus Nate Ferraro (Beyoncé) for production, they captured Cauthen’s unruly essence with all the charm of a rattlesnake (and the vocal venom to match). 
 
Cauthen co-write 12 of the 13 tracks while also playing bass and drums on select tracks, making sure each song had the twisted backbone he craved. “It’s a nitty gritty, swampy, East-Texas-muddy-roots kind of feel,” Cauthen says with pride. “My claws are deep in it.”
 
Cauthen wastes no time getting to his point. Led by his burly, vibrato-laden baritone, “Book of Paul” opens the album on a minimalist mix of acoustic guitar and snare, as the troubadour confesses to his wild side, while wrestling with the sin. He spares no detail – and makes no compromise. 
 
“If you look at the Bible, there is no book of Paul,” he explains. “I just wanted to write something that embodies me, because I’m sick of hearing records catered to what’s hot and what’s working. Me, I’ve always been this country boy, East Texas guy. Roots, rock and roll, Texas gospel. If you look back at all my albums, I’m proud to say I meant everything I’ve said.” 

Tracks like “Texas Swagger,” which Cauthen will perform on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” today (check local listings HERE), serve as a mission statement, with its bronc-bucking beat, dark twang, and barely contained sense of danger. Cauthen started off with a frenetic guitar riff and some eerie “yee haw” background vocals, then added a strong dose of Big Velvet attitude.
 
Meanwhile, Cauthen puts his code to the test on “Dark Horse,” a cosmic-Western ballad fueled by epiphany he calls “a long ride on the back of a mule on a bunch of mushrooms.” The lonesome “Road Dog” recalls the bleak resignation of Johnny Cash’s “Hurt,” with coyote yips and an acoustic-industrial vibe. And with the warm, relaxing shimmer of ‘70s rock, “Cigarettes & Billy Graham” burns with an easy self acceptance – an anthem for those preachers of the open road. 
 
Elsewhere, Cauthen enters a kind of voluntary lockup with the hypnotic, outlaw-country romance of “Ain’t No Crime,” and taps a “Chattahoochee” groove for the hazy, summertime twang of “Tossin’ Back Time” (feat. Jake Worthington). 
 
Soul pop and gospel twang reach a slow-rolling confluence on the East Texas love story “Bayou By You,” and Cauthen teams with Delaney Ramsdell for the aching barstool ballad, “Chain Smoking.” “Breakaway” saunters into the sunset with a supremely casual indie-roots strut. And a colorful, character-driven country throwback unfolds on “Blue Denim & Black Gold” (the album’s only outside cut, written by Tyndell and Jeff Hyde). 
 
Meanwhile, “Texas Gravel Road” unleashes every weapon in Cauthen’s creative arsenal. Built off a slowed-down latin beat, it’s a bellowing tribute to the blood, sweat and tears behind the star’s pockmarked path – a grungy gutter rocker draped in distorted dark twang. And with the album ending on “The Voice Inside (Silence),” Cauthen enters a state of acoustic prayer. With that velvet vocal at its most raw, an anguished internal battle between dark and light unfolds. … Yet those voices may be something else entirely. Knowing them is the key to Cauthen’s code, and the driving force behind his country music. 
 
“That’s what God is. That’s the spirit. That’s you. The un-talked about. That’s the good shit,” he explains. “This record is the Book of Paul, but I would say everybody needs their own book, and the chapters in life create that. What I mean is, bet on your own. Everybody pointing fingers at you because you’re the black sheep, or because you have this trait or that, that’s what actually makes you different. So bet on that.” 
 
Cauthen was taught to sing by his grandfather in a Church of Christ, and Cauthen hit the scene with the duo Sons of Fathers in 2009, before My Gospel, Room 41, Country Coming Down and Black on Black unveiled a vulnerable, fire-and-brimstone songwriter with brazen attitude – craving deliverance, yet possessed by a “bird dog” instinct for theatrical rapture. Cauthen has toured the world, collaborating with Margo Price, Orville Peck, Cody Jinks and Lana Del Rey. Fan favorites include “Cocaine Country Dancing,” “Fuck You Money” and his GOLD-certified collab with Shaboozey,“Last Of My Kind.” 
 
With his nearly sold-out Tonkin’ ‘N Tejas Tour, Cauthen continues to hit the Texas touring scene while adding stops at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Sept. 11 and Denver’s The Mission Ballroom on Oct. 9. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit paulcauthenmusic.com.

Paul Cauthen Tour Dates:
April 3  |  Helotes, TX  |  Floore’s Country Store
April 18  |  Kalispell, MT  | Majestic Valley Arena
July 11 | Saint Paul, MN | Minnesota Country Club Festival
July 16  |  Jackson, WY  |  Snow King Mountain
Sept. 11  |  Nashville, TN  |  Ryman Auditorium
Sept. 19 | Pryor, OK | Born & Raised Festival
Oct. 9  |  Denver, CO  |  The Mission Ballroom

Dungeon Synth Entity WRAITH KNIGHT Streams New Album, 'Of Arcane Magic & Forbidden Knowledge: The Necromantical Passage' in Full

Enigmatic dungeon synth entity WRAITH KNIGHT is now releasing a haunting new full length, 'Of Arcane Magic & Forbidden Knowledge: The Necromantical Passage,' today, April 2, via Out Of Season (USA) and Neuropa Records (Belgium)! WRAITH KNIGHT is now streaming the offering in its entirety below.

The album can be ordered now in CD format via BANDCAMP or via OUT OF SEASON in the U.S. or via NEUROPA for EU. Cassette and vinyl orders will be available in April.

Additionally, WRAITH KNIGHT will be touring North America in support of MORTIIS + UADA along with Jerome Reuter’s ROME on the upcoming 'Witches of Dystopia' tour! MORTIIS. MORTIIS shall be performing songs from his groundbreaking 2001 full-length, 'The Smell Of Rain,' along with other volumes of dystopian despair, while UADA will be performing their seminal 2016 debut album 'Devoid of Light' in its entirety + a special CERMONIAL CASTINGS 30-year anniversary set featuring WRAITH KNIGHT.

GET TICKETS HERE

THE WITCHES OF DYSTOPIA TOUR MMXXVI

(UADA + MORTIIS w/ Jerome Reuter’s ROME + WRAITH KNIGHT):

04/10/26: Portland, OR @ Dante's

04/11/26: Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw

04/13/26: Calgary, AB @ Dickens

04/14/26: Edmonton, AB @ Starlite

04/16/26: Winnipeg, MB @ Sidestage

04/17/26: Minneapolis, MN @ Skyway at Studio B

04/18/26: Madison, WI @ Annex

04/19/26: Chicago, IL @ Reggies

04/20/26: Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary

04/21/26: Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle

04/22/26: Covington, KY @ Madison Live

04/23/26: Pittsburgh, PA @ Preserving Underground

04/24/26: Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace

04/25/26: Montreal, QC @ Cafe Campus

04/26/26: Quebec City, QC @ La Source

04/27/26: Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall

04/28/26: Brooklyn, NY @ Meadows

04/29/26: Bensalem, PA @ Broken Goblet

04/30/26: Baltimore, MD @ Metro

05/01/26: Raleigh, NC @ Chapel Of Bones

05/02/26: Atlanta, GA @ 529 EAV

05/03/26: Orlando, FL @ Conduit

05/05/26: Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live

05/06/26: Austin, TX @ Come And Take It Live

05/07/26: Dallas, TX @ Club Dada

05/08/26: Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad

05/09/26: Denver, CO @ HQ

05/10/26: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge

05/11/26: Las Vegas, NV @ Swan Dive

05/12/26: San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick

05/13/26: Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo

05/14/26: San Jose, CA @ The Ritz

05/15/26: Eugene, OR @ John Henry's

05/16/26: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon

WRAITH KNIGHT is an epic dungeon synth/ambient fantasy musical project that is masterminded by OldNick/Nick Superchi (Ceremonial Castings, Mysticism Black, The Great Sorcerer, etc.).

Formed in 2022 with the debut release 'Deep in the Dungeons of the Dragonlord,' Wraith Knight is known for a heroic, epic high fantasy style that is reminiscent of Frazetta, Tolkien & Robert E. Howard stories.

Lineup:

Nick "OldNick" Superchi

For fans of: Summoning, Mortiis, & Tangerine Dream

Cover Artist: Kris Verwimp

Mixed & Mastered by Nick Superchi

Links:

BANDCAMP

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

APPLE MUSIC

SPOTIFY

Green Carnation Premiere A Dark Poem, Part II: Sanguis

Had Green Carnation never returned from hiatus, the Norwegian prog bards would always be remembered for completing one of metal’s most ambitious individual epics. However, there was one tale - or three, to be exact - that eluded them for more than three decades, until last year. Now, after reaching crushing new highs on Part I of their forthcoming album trilogy, the band are descending into the deepest, darkest and most personal depths of their storied career with A Dark Poem, Part II: Sanguis.

A Dark Poem, Part II: Sanguis comes out tomorrow, Friday, April 3 on Season of Mist, but you can hear all six heart-wrenching songs today by listening to the full album stream, which premieres on the Season of Mist YouTube channel at Noon Eastern Time.

During the premiere, the band will chat with fans about the latest installment in their forthcoming album trilogy, as well as what the future might bring on Part III.  

A Dark Poem, Part II: Sanguis Full Album Stream Premiere Below.

“Sanguis invites listeners into our darkest inner rooms with some of the most raw and vulnerable songs that we’ve ever written”, Nordhus says.

“The lyrics are so personal that I had to go many rounds with myself over whether or not to tone them down”, says Sordal. “In the end, I chose to keep them as honest as possible”.  

Pre-order

https://orcd.co/greencarnationsanguis

Pre-save on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/7pUfKrzW4Q5vn0WAfPHCkS?si=uDZLcOH5Rh2-j8BcS956-g

“Part II deal with personal loss and sadness”, shares Nordhus, though as he’s quick to explain, Sanguis isn’t all gloom and doom. “Those feelings can be almost comforting, like stories you hear about the calm that people experience before they die”. Indeed, if A Dark Poem contains a silver lining, it’s in the creative partnership that’s helped Green Carnation endure for more than three decades. “It would be different if I had only known Stein Roger for two months”, Nordhus continues in explaining how he gives voice to the words of his dear friend. “It’s easy for me to understand and relate to all of his struggles, all of his pleasures and joys, because I’ve been a part of them as well”.  

Part II introduces more peaks and valleys into the overarching narrative of A Dark Poem, but nowhere does the album’s bleeding-heart core shine through more achingly than its closing ballad. Graced by Ingrid Ose’s soothing flute, “Lunar Tale” positively sparkles, even as it casts a rather grim beacon into the future. “The end justifies the means, you’ll see”, Nordhus sings with eerily quiet confidence. As the piano seeps beneath the moonlight, Sanguisleaves fans hanging in suspense over where this trilogy will end.  

Recording lineup
Kjetil Nordhus - Vocals
Stein Roger Sordal - Bass, Rhythm Guitars, Lead Guitars, Keyboards, Lead Vocals on "Loneliness Untold, Loneliness Unfold"
Bjørn Harstad - Lead Guitars, Effects
Endre Kirkesola - Keyboards, Synthesizers, Organs, Effects, Backing Vocals on "Lunar Tale"
Jonathan Alejandro Perez - Drums

Guest musicians
Ingrid Ose - Flute on "Lunar Tale"

Live lineup
Kjetil Nordhus - Vocals
Stein Roger Sordal - Bass
Tchort - Guitars
Bjørn Harstad - Guitars
Trond Breen - Guitars
Endre Kirkesola - Keyboards

Recording, Mixing & Mastering Studio
dUb Studio

Production Credits
Producers - Endre Kirkesola, Stein Roger Sordal, Kjetil Nordhus
Sound Engineers - Endre Kirkesola, Bjørn Harstad
Mixing engineer — Endre Kirkesola

Mixing assistant — Bjørn Harstad

Mastering Engineer — Lawrence Mackrory

Cover artist
Niklas Sundin

Pre-order & Pre-save
https://orcd.co/greencarnationsanguis

Available Formats
CD Digipack
12" Vinyl Gatefold (Black)
12" Vinyl Gatefold (Yellow and Red Marbled)
​12" Vinyl Gatefold (Orange and ​Coke Bottle Green)
12" Vinyl Gatefold (Gold Splatters)
12" Vinyl Gatefold (Silver, White and Black Marbled)
12" Vinyl Gatefold (Transparent Green and Purple Marbled)

Follow Green Carnation:
Bandcamp: https://greencarnationsom.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenCarnationNorway
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/green2carnation/
Twitter (X): https://x.com/Green2Carnation
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2vfEaTADayEniT7xbG-XCA
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ZaJhNBAhJ3HjPsWiB9sDc
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/green-carnation/72866964
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/8192
Tidal: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/23079

ONLY HUMAN Premiere Inventive Debut Album Planned Obsolescence

ONLY HUMAN are already on the brink of a major discovery with their debut album. On Planned Obsolescence, the Danish upstarts invent an existential form of prog metal that speaks to our not-too-distant dystopia.

Planned Obsolescence comes out tomorrow, Friday, March 27 on Season of Mist, but you can hear all eight inventive songs today by listening to the full album stream on the Season of Mist YouTube channel.

Listen Below:

“The album is supposed to wake people up to all the ways technocracy is encroaching on society”, Only Human vocalist Patrick Grønbæch Christensen says. “Tech companies often design their products to have an expiration date, so that we’re forced to replace them with the newest model. Through our social media and the adoption of influencer culture, we now live in a reality where humans are products to be consumed and disposed of”.

Pre-order & Pre-save

https://orcd.co/onlyhumanplannedobsolescence

Concept albums are standard issue for metal, especially in the prog space. But when the five members of Only Human first put their heads together in 2023, they decided to build the very human fabric of the band around one increasingly prescient idea.

“We like a lot of bands that just play rock music, but we wanted ONLY HUMAN to be about something”, Christensen says. “We’re interested in creating a musical universe that portrays a future on the brink of collapse”.  

Planned Obsolescence reckons with technology’s increasingly hostile takeover. “Techno Fascist” comes crashing down amidst a turbulent downstream of low-tuned chugs. The intrusion of beats, blips and synthetic swirls into the heavy mainframe of “Breach” mirrors not only how technology has seeped into our everyday lives but also the looming threat that it poses in rendering humans obsolete.  

While Planned Obsolescence is full of existential dread, that doesn’t mean the album leaves us no hope. There’s nothing broken or even outdated about Only Human. The band’s fusion of heavy polyrhythmic grooves, anthemic hard rock and haunting electronic soundscapes hits like a deep breath of fresh air. “Defy and learn to walk again”, commands blood-pumping lead single “Automata”.

“When the world is going badly, the reason is because people gave up”, Christensen concludes. “Things aren’t hopeless. We can absolutely fight back. Hopefully, this album gets people to think about valuing humanity over profit”.

On Planned Obsolescence, Only Human invent existential prog metal for our dystopian future.  

Catch ONLY HUMAN live and in the flesh during their upcoming record release show, as well as at Sweden Rock Festival and Naestved Metalfest.

ONLY HUMAN Live in 2026

May 2 - Copenhagen, DK @ Rust (Record Release Show)

June 3-6 - Sölvesborg, SE @ Sweden Rock Festival

August 27-29 - Næstved, DK @ Næstved Metalfest

September 5 - Grindsted, DK @ Metalbox Festival

November 7 - Hjortshoj, DK @ Viruphuset (with Cold Night for Alligators)

“When the world is going badly, the reason is because people gave up”, Christensen concludes. “Things aren’t hopeless. We can absolutely fight back. Hopefully, this album gets people to think about valuing humanity over profit”.

Lineup
Patrick Grønbæch Christensen- Vocals
Martin Hastrup - Guitars
JaCK Kijne - Guitars
Andreas Pröll - Drums
Guillaume Blanjean - Bass

Recording, Mixing and Mastering Studio
Only Human Studio

Production Credits
Producer & Sound Engineer - Patrick Grønbæch Christensen
Mixing Engineer - Patrick Grønbæch Christensen
Mastering Engineer - Patrick Grønbæch Christensen (Digital and CD), Brett Caldas-Lima (Vinyl)

Cover Art
Guillaume Blanjean

Pre-order & Pre-save

https://orcd.co/onlyhumanplannedobsolescence

Available Formats
CD Digipack
12" Vinyl Jacket (Black)
12" Colored Vinyl (Transparent red with black and white splatters)
12" Colored Vinyl (Transparent red and black marbled)

Follow Only Human
Official Website: https://onlyhuman.band/
Bandcamp: https://onlyhumandk.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onlyhumandk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OnlyHumanDK
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/dk/artist/only-human/1742337573
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/11Cl9Vdw4xGPUMtcurjgg1
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@onlyhumandk

Via Doloris Premiere Debut Album Guerre et Paix

Via Doloris is rooted in an inward journey rather than orthodoxy. Conceived in solitude and shaped by discipline, composer and multi-instrumentalist Gildas Le Pape (ex-Satyricon) traces a melodic, atmospheric and introspective path through black metal’s foundations. On debut album Guerre et Paix, he’s joined by Frost, the legendary drummer of Satyricon and 1349, who provides a sense of persistence, grounded and unyielding.  

Guerre et Paix comes out this Friday, March 20 on Season of Mist, but you can hear all seven piercing songs today by listening to the full album stream on Black Metal Promotion.

Listen to Guerre et Paix Below:

Pre-save & Pre-order

https://orcd.co/viadolorisguerreetpaix

Born in Brittany, France, and based in Oslo, Le Pape first gained attention as guitarist in Satyricon from 2007 to 2013, touring extensively and contributing to the band’s self-titled album. After stepping away to explore a broad range of musical directions, he returned to extreme music with a renewed creative vision and sharpened intent. Via Doloris represents the culmination of that journey: a project shaped by solitude, discipline and an uncompromising sense of craft.

Rooted in Nordic black metal tradition yet guided by melody, restraint and emotional depth, Via Doloris occupies a space distinct from genre convention. Le Pape writes all music and lyrics, performing guitars, bass and vocals. The compositions favor measured, expressive arcs over aggression or spectacle, with melody serving as the driving force rather than ornamentation. Folk and pagan influences surface throughout the arrangements, lending the album a timeless, almost ritualistic atmosphere. Lyrics shift between French, English and Norwegian, each language chosen deliberately for its emotional weight and texture.

Frost’s nuanced playing adds both weight and subtlety to the record. Guest vocals on "Omniprésents" are performed by the late Raido (Ferriterium, Heimsgard, Karne).

Based in Oslo, Gildas Le Pape first gained attention in 2007 when he joined the legendary Satyricon as a guitarist. Over the next six years, he toured the world and contributed to the band’s recorded legacy, before stepping away to explore a broad range of musical directions. In time, this path led him back to extreme music, this time with a renewed creative vision and sharpened intent. In 2023, he invited his long-time collaborator, Frost — arguably one of the most accomplished drummers in the genre — to join him in bringing the debut release to life.

Line-up:

Gildas le Pape — Lead Vocals, Choirs, Guitars, Bass

Frost — Session Drums

Production Credits:

Drums and vocals recorded at Red Room Studios, Norway.
Drums and vocals engineered by Mattis Elvestuen, guitars engineered by Gildas Le Pape & Mattis Elvestuen.

Produced by Gildas le Pape.

Mixed by Nicolai Codling & Gildas le Pape.

Mastered by Magnus Gulbrandsen at Jeløy Sound Mastering.

Guest Artist:
Raido (Ferriterium, Heimsgard, Karne) — Guest Vocals on Track 3.

Cover Art:

Artwork by Gildas le Pape.

Photography:

Cover artwork & press photography by Linnea Syversen.

Follow Via Doloris:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/viadolorisofficial/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/via.doloris/

Bandcamp: https://viadoloris.bandcamp.com/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2R3PxQ7zeA3BpPhpI1JlxF

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/via-doloris/1862267909

Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/362455292

Eihwar Premiere New Album 'Hugrheim'

Hot off a year of electrifying performances at Wacken Open Air, Midgardsblot and dates with The Hu, Eihwar are back to pull the world deeper into their Viking War Trance with hotly anticipated new album Hugrheim.

“Eihwar drags ancient, blood soaked combat directly into the heavy throb of the underground”, Folk N Rock writes in a track-by-track feature on Hugrheim. “They hammer voltage directly into iron battle axes, bringing sharpened steel to the dancefloor and burying war chants under some brutal weaponized distortion”.

Hugrheim comes out tomorrow, Friday, March 13 on Season of Mist, but you can hear all 10 pulse-pounding tracks today below.

Pre-order & pre-save

https://orcd.co/eihwarhugrheimalbum

With Hugrheim, Eihwar invite listeners into the hidden tenth world of Yggdrasil. The album is a thunderous trip, powered by war drums, pagan chants and questionable life choices.

Blending Nordic folk instrumentation with electro-industrial pulse and thunderous ritual percussion, Hugrheim captures the chaotic energy that has already rattled festival grounds from Wacken Open Air to Midgardsblot. Eihwar treat Norse mythology less like a museum piece and more like a very loud celebration. Ancient symbolism collides with trance languages, pounding rhythms and the kind of ritual enthusiasm that tends to make crowds forget they are supposed to stand still.

Across ten tracks, Hugrheim unfolds like a guided tour through the stranger corners of this unseen world. From the rune-bound trial of lead single “Nauðiz” and the invocation of “Freyja’s Calling” to the victorious chant of “Heill Óðinn,” each composition opens a new gateway into Hugrheim’s shifting landscapes, including the album’s eponymous track “Hugrheim”. There are battle rites, shadow realms and luminous gardens. There are also quite a lot of drums.

At the center of the story stand Mark and Asrunn, wandering spirits whose memories of Hugrheim slowly return while inhabiting human bodies on Midgard. Through chants, war drums and trance-driven rhythms, the duo translate that mythology into sound. The result is a concept album that moves easily between ritual atmosphere and outright pagan dancefloor energy.

There is something truly unique about Eihwar. In a way, the band relates to Vikings much like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles relate to turtles: wild, over-the-top superheroes who don’t take themselves too seriously. And yet, from their mischievous spirit and contagious joy emerges a deep and moving poetry. A kind of childlike wisdom.

Following the release of Hugrheim, Eihwar will carry the Tenth World across Europe on a headline run presented under the banner Pagan Folk Nights, joined by special guest Mira Ceti. After commanding major festival stages and igniting packed club shows, the duo now bring their ritual drums, trance chants and industrial folk pulse into an extended continental campaign.

Line-up:
Asrunn — Vocals, Shamanic Drums
Mark — Vocals, War Drums, Lute, Folk Guitar, Tagelharpa, Percussion & Programming

Production Credits:
Mark & Asrunn of Eihwar — All Production, Mixing & Mastering at Eihwar Studio.

Artwork & Photography:
© Eihwar

Follow Eihwar:
Website: https://www.eihwar.com/
Bandcamp: https://eihwar.bandcamp.com/
BandsInTown: https://www.bandsintown.com/a/15564238-eihwar
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@eihwar
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eihwar.music/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eihwar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eihwar.music
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/eihwar/1700795908
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2VFxoCJQPfQauZujESPjQK
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/224131655
Tidal: https://tidal.com/artist/41105436
Discord Invite: https://www.eihwar.com/

Booking Contacts:
Doomstar Bookings (Luc): luc@doomstarbookings.com
The Link Productions (Romain): romain@thelinkprod.fr

Available Formats:
CD Digipak
12" Vinyl Gatefold — Black
12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold — Blue, Black & White Marbled
12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold — Magenta, Crystal Clear, Pink & Blue Marbled
12" Coloured Vinyl Gatefold — Clear, Blue & Black Marbled
12" Feather Filled Vinyl Gatefold

Unverkalt Unveil Heavy and Hearfelt New Album Héréditaire

Unverkalt have always been drawn to the edge. Since emerging from Greece’s underground catacombs in 2017, the five-piece post-metal band have balanced boundless atmosphere with suffocating heaviness. But now, on their upcoming third album and first for Season of Mist, they are plunging into the darkness that’s always waited for them below. While wrestling with the weight of our accursed history, Héréditaire now stands as their heaviest and most heartfelt offering.

Héréditaire comes out tomorrow, Friday, February 27 on Season of Mist, but you can hear all nine foundation-shaking songs today by listening to the full album playlist on the Season of Mist YouTube channel.  

“Our aim has always been to blend softer, more romantic elements with extreme chaos. With Héréditaire that time has now come”, Unverkalt’s guitarist and chief composer Themis Ioannou says. “This album is a lament for what is far older than our very existence. It speaks of what seeps through generations, searching for an answer to one pervasive question: What do we carry that was never ours?”

Pre-order

https://orcd.co/unverkalthereditaire

Pre-save on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/5ndUNl3HyjsagbOuQCrakn?si=QESfESdPQwqHTC5MKNX4Jw

“This album is not meant to resolve”, the band says, “but to dissolve patterns from those who came before, faceless yet familiar. The colors have drained. What remains is veiled in black, not as a symbol, but as a truth that covers everything”.

On Héréditaire, Unverkalt lift the veil on our cursed existence with their heaviest and most heartfelt offering.

Recording Lineup:
Dimitra Kalavrezou — Vocals
Themis Ioannou — Guitars, Keys
Eli Mavrychev — Guitars, Vocals
Joscha Hoyer — Bass
Christian Eggers — Drums

Guest Musicians:
Sakis Tolis — Vocals on "I, The Deceit"

Songwriting Credits:
Comped by Themis Ioannou.
Lyrics by Dimitra Kalavrezou & Eli Mavrychev.
Lyrics for "I, The Deceit" by Dimitra Kalavrezou & Joscha Hoyer.

Recording Credits:
Recorded & Engineered by Unverkalt.
Drums Recorded & Engineered by Christian Eggers at Noir Surge Sound, Berlin, Germany.

Production Credits:
Produced by Themis Ioannou.
Vocals produced by Dimitra Kalavrezou & Eli Mavrychev.
Mixed by Joshua Barber.
Mastered by Lasse Lammert at LSD Studios, Lübeck, Germany.

Cover Art:
Themis Ioannou

Pre-order & Pre-save

https://orcd.co/unverkalthereditaire

Available Formats:
CD Digipak
2x12" Vinyl Gatefold — Black
2x12" ​Coloured Vinyl ​Gatefold ​— Black & Gold 'Sunburst'

Follower Unverkalt:
Bandcamp: https://unverkalt.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unverkalt/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@unverkalt/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Unverkalt/
Twitter: https://x.com/unverkalt/
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@unverkaltofficial/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/55vU7DZVwI4ks0NpfKDAvK/
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/unverkalt/1524174404/
Last FM: https://www.last.fm/music/Unverkalt/