Iceland's Sátan Metal Festival 2025 Announces Conference Schedule

June 5, 2025

Sátan, an emerging metal festival in Iceland, is now revealing the industry conference schedule, which will take place in Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula from June 5-7, 2025! Three-day passes and daily tickets can be found at THIS LOCATION.

The conference schedule and details are as follows:

Thursday, June 5:

Building a sustainable artist career: What does it take?

Thursday, 5 June from 14:00 - 14.45 @ Fosshotel

When it comes to building a successful career as an artist, one of the challenges is finding career sustainability and longevity, especially in 2025 when digital media dictates the trends and programs consumers at the whimsy of algorithms and “likes.” This panel of experts will explore traditional and modern methods that can help both established and emerging artists withstand the test of time rather than become a “one-hit-wonder.”

Moderator:

Laetitia Abbenes (Northstar Media)

Panelists:

Aðalbjorn Tryggvason (Solstafir)

Martin Kvam (Karisma & Dark Essence Records)

Mélanie Duperrex (AISAmusic)

Katy Irizarry (Suspiria PR)

Live Podcast Interview w/ Sororicide and Wyatt Turner

Thursday, 5 June from 15.00 - 16.00 @ Fosshotel

It's a seminal year for Icelandic death metal stalwarts Sororicide. The band is not only reuniting this year for the first time since 2010 to conquer the stage at Sátan Festival to celebrate their 35th anniversary, but it will also be their final show ever. In honor of this milestone, Sororicide founding member Gísli Sigmundsson will sit down with Wyatt Turner of Wyatt's Metal channel on YouTube for an in-depth live interview to pay tribute to the band's legacy.

Ft. Gísli Sigmundsson (Sororicide) and Wyatt Turner (Wyatt's Metal)

Friday, June 6:

Guitar Clinic w/ Þráinn Árni Baldvinsson

Friday, 6 June from 12:00 - 13:00 @ Fosshotel

Þráinn Árni Baldvinsson (Bastarður, Skálmöld) welcomes fans and shredders alike to join this guitar clinic. From beginner basics to advanced concepts, this clinic aims to expand your musical vocabulary and improve your understanding of the fretboard.

Runes in Continuum: Icelandic runic traditions and use of runic magick in modern music

Friday, 6 June from 13.00 - 13.45 @ Fosshotel

Runes were used as a writing form in the Germanic and Scandinavian area before the arrival of Latin alphabet systems. Runes were used in Iceland for around 1000 years, arriving with the settlers and remaining in use until the mid 19th century.

Runes, however, were rarely used for written texts, rather their usage was isolated to grave stones, monuments, possessional and farm markings and then to magic.

The runic tradition has been making a comeback lately and is widely used by modern metal and folk musicians.

Teresa Dröfn Freysdóttir Njarðvík, author and medieval philologist, will give a keynote lecture on the Icelandic runic tradition. She holds an M.A. in Medieval Studies and is completing a Doctorate in Icelandic philology, has written books on runes, published text editions of sagas and is currently a researcher at Árnastofnun The presentation will be followed by a panel discussion on how runes and magical rituals are being implemented today through music.

Keynote Speaker:

Teresa Njarðvík (author and medieval philologist)

Moderator:

Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen (Morgunblaðið)

Panelists:

Mélanie Duperrex (AISAmusic)

Snæbjörn Ragnarsson (Skálmöld)

Teresa Njarðvík (author and medieval philologist)

Live Broadcast w/ Vintage Caravan and Stokkið í eldinnt

Friday, 6 June from 13:00 - 15:00 @ Narfeyrarstofa

Psych rock trio The Vintage Caravan will join Birkir and Smári of Stokkið í eldinnt for a live broadcast to discuss their storied career as one of Iceland’s premier classic rock bands!

Ft. Alexander Örn Númason (Vintage Caravan) w/ Birkir Fjalar and Smári Tarfur (Stokkið í eldinnt)

Getting out of Iceland: Tips & tricks on how to break out of Iceland

Friday, 6 June from 14.00 - 14.45 @ Fosshotel

Iceland is a fertile breeding ground for dark, extreme, and esoteric music. While the scene in Iceland is thriving and unique, its remote and desolate location can prove challenging for artists who are looking to break out into new territories. This panel aims to provide insights on how Icelandic artists can reach a global audience, tour new countries, and gain a broader fanbase.

Moderator:

Wyatt Turner (Wyatt's Metal)

Panelists:

Árni Hjörvar (Iceland Music)

Þorsteinn Kolbeinsson (Wacken Metal Battle Iceland)

Einar Guðmundsson (Fortid)

Gunnar Sauermann (Metal Hammer DE)

In Defense of Valhalla Part II: Defending Asgard, Independence and Human Rights, The Use of History in Music & Pop Culture

Friday, 6 June from 15:00 - 16:00 @ Fosshotel

During the 2025 edition of the Inferno Music Conference, former Icelandic president Guðni Th. Jóhannesson revisited a lecture he presented at University of Warsaw, March 4. 2020 entitled "Defending Asgard, Independence and Human Rights. The Use of History in Current Affairs." Due to the tremendous success of the first iteration of this panel, we are giving attendees at Sátan a chance to witness a powerful and thought-provoking talk on how hate groups are claiming old Norse symbolism for their causes and using it as beacons of hate as well as positive ways that this symbolism has been implemented in music and pop culture today.

Keynote Speaker:

Guðni Th. Jóhannesson (Former Icelandic President)

Moderator:

Gunnar Sauermann (Metal Hammer Germany)

Panelists:

Snæbjörn Ragnarsson (Skálmöld)

Guðni Th. Jóhannesson (Former Icelandic President)

Saturday, June 7:

Icelandic Festival Presentation

Saturday, 7 June from 13:00 - 13:45 @ Fosshotel

Shaping the metal landscape through the work of four key festivals: Reykjadoom, Andkristni, Reykjavik Deathfest, and Wacken Metal Battle Iceland. Each organiser offers a short presentation on how their event began, what keeps it going, and how it contributes to the ongoing growth of the scene.

Presenters:

Reykjadoom

Andkristni

Reykjavik Deathfest

Wacken Metal Battle Iceland

Bass Clinic w/ Magnús Halldór Pálsson

Saturday, 7 June from 14:00 - 14:45 @ Fosshotel A veteran of the Icelandic scene Magnús Halldór Pálsson, Helvítis Maddi, gives us a glimpse into the low end spectrum of metal music through personal stories, practical techniques, and battle-scarred wisdom from 30+ years in the metal underground.

Maddi has been active in Iceland's metal scene since the early 1990s, involving himself in several notable bands across different metal subgenres. He is a founding member of one of Iceland's earliest black metal bands, Ámsvartnir, but is best known for his work with grindcore band Forgarður Helvítis, progressive rock supergroup Dark Harvest, black metal band Vetur, and death/thrash metal band Changer. In 2017 he joined Beneath, one of the most prominent death metal bands from Iceland. To keep himself in form between projects, he plays in the Icelandic Iron Maiden cover band Maideniced and is also a member of a local jazz ensemble in Reykjavík.

With a passion for playing fast, he has developed routines for practicing and building the strength needed to succeed as a metal bassist.

Hemúllinn Performance

Saturday, 7 June from 15:00 - 15:45 @ Fosshotel

Hemúllinn is a one-man electro-punk band that has been active in the Icelandic music scene for over a decade, performing at dirty venues, small and large music festivals and countless political protests. The soundscape fuses raw punk, hard-hitting lyrics, and cheery 8-bit music. The themes largely revolve around politics, religion, feminism and hatred of the Body Mass Index. Come have a raucous good time for this very intimate and special performance at the Sátan Music Conference!

Sátan is a three day metal festival happening in Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. The festival focuses on offering a variety of Iceland’s best metalbands as well as a carefully curated selection of international bands.

The organization behind Sátan consists of metalheads and musicians that have been active in the Icelandic scene for up to 30 years and have extensive experience of organizing music festivals and concerts as well as general band related activities.

Everyone is welcome at Sátan regardless of origin, skincolor, religion, gender or sexual orientation and there is only one goal: that everyone, staff, bands and guests, go home smiling after a great festival!

Sátan is committed to zero tolerance against violence and violence of any kind invalidates your ticket!

Links:

Facebook

Instagram

Official Website

George A. Romero's 1985 Film 'DAY OF THE DEAD' Returns to Theatres and Drive-Ins for 40th Anniversary

June 2, 2025

George A. Romero’s 'DAY OF THE DEAD,' the apocalyptic final chapter of the ultimate zombie trilogy, returns to theatres & drive-ins for its 40th Anniversary! Since the film was first released in July 1985 and rolled out nationwide over the following months, it will be celebrating this seminal anniversary with shows across the country starting July 1, 2025, and running through October, 31st 2025 - HALLOWEEN! Find a screening near you at DAY40TH.com

The official trailer for the theatrical re-release can now be found via Bloody Disgusting or below.

Whole generations of horror lovers had never had the pleasure of viewing Romero’s zombie classics on the big screen, but in November 2021, Red Band Releasing started helping book the original DAWN OF THE DEAD into venues across U.S. and Canada, eventually getting it shown in both 2-D and 3-D on over 500 screens!

Now, in 2025, Red Band is thrilled for the opportunity to help fellow George A. Romero fans celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the original 'DAY OF THE DEAD' by seeing it as the legendary director intended - ON THE BIG SCREEN!

To find a screening near you check Red Band Releasing’s Blog at DAY40TH.COM for a list of dates and theatres that will be updated every few days starting in mid-June.

In addition, Red Band Releasing will be in attendance at the Living Dead Weekend at the Monroeville Mall starting Friday and will have the new 'DAY OF THE DEAD' and all the 'DAWN OF THE DEAD' posters available for purchase. The posters can be seen below:

If you don’t see a nearby screening listed at the site, we urge you to contact your local independent theatres or drive-ins and tell them you want to see 'DAY OF THE DEAD' on the big screen for it’s 40th anniversary by contacting us at RedBandReleasing@gmail.com for booking info. This grass-root campaigning for shows actually works! Last year we booked over 20 of the 100+ theatres spurred on by horror fans contacting their local venues!

DO NOT MISS this rare chance to experience the shocks of THE DARKEST DAY OF HORROR THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN - ON THE BIG SCREEN!

When first released in 1985, many horror fans weren’t ready for the bleaker, more nihilistic and grisly horrors of DAY, particularly not after the lighter, at times comedic, action/adventure of its predecessor DAWN OF THE DEAD. Some fans didn’t understands or appreciate the change of direction, but there were several who saw what George was doing under the surface, and over the years it has been re-watched, re-experienced and re-evaluated to the point where DAY OF THE DEAD is now seen by many as one of the greatest horror movies ever made!

THE HAUNTED Launches Official Music Video for "Death to the Crown," New Album Out TODAY

May 30, 2025

Swedish thrash pioneers and purveyors THE HAUNTED are now releasing their tenth studio album, 'Songs of Last Resort,' today, May 30, 2025 via longtime partners Century Media Records. To celebrate, the band is now unleashing another scorching new music video for the song "Death to the Crown," which can be found below.

THE HAUNTED guitarist Ola Englund comments about the new single “'Death to the Crown’ is one of those songs that just came out of pure frustration. It’s about that feeling when you’re watching politicians or leaders treat real people like pawns in some kind of game. It’s not about any one person or country – it’s about the bigger pattern. Power going to people’s heads, egos growing out of control, and the rest of us left dealing with the mess. It’s heavy. It’s aggressive. It’s THE HAUNTED.”.

With music recorded by Oscar Nilsson at Studio Bohus, main vocals recorded by Björn Strid at The Cellar Studio, 'Songs of Last Resort' was then mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios (Kreator, Arch Enemy, Sepultura, etc). Artwork was once again provided by longtime visual collaborator Andreas “Diaz” Pettersson. Pre-orders are now live HERE.

Lineup:

Ola Englund – rhythm & lead guitar

Jonas Björler – bass, backing vocals

Marco Aro – lead vocals

Adrian Erlandsson – drums

Jensen – rhythm guitar

Cover Artwork: Andreas “Diaz” Pettersson

Music recorded by Oscar Nilsson at Studio Bohus

Main vocals recorded by Björn Strid at The Cellar Studio

Mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios

'Songs of Last Resort' will be available as Ltd. CD Mediabook & Poster (Incl. the bonus track “Feeding the Furnace” (02:32)), as Standard CD Jewelcase, as Digital Album and as 180g. LP & Poster in the following variants:

- Black LP & Poster (Unlimited)

- Ltd. transp. red LP & Poster (500x copies, available from www.cmdistro.de & various other retailers)

- Ltd. transp. petrol green LP & Poster (300x copies, available from various retailers in Europe)

Follow/Stream:

OBSIDIAN TONGUE Streams New Album 'Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn' Ahead of Release

May 29, 2025

Progressive black metal duo OBSIDIAN TONGUE is now streaming their latest full-length, 'Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn,' in its entirety ahead of tomorrow's release! The album can be heard below.

'Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn' is due tomorrow, May 30, via Profound Lore Records and be ordered HERE.

In addition, OBSIDIAN TONGUE has recently announced FRAILTY & SCORN, eight performances of black metal intensity this June alongside WOE. The trek will kick off on June 6 in Long Island City, NY and will make its way throughout the East Coast until the final stop on June 13 in Providence, RI. The tour will not only celebrate the release of OBSIDIAN TONGUE's upcoming studio album, but also will bring both bands back to many cities they have not visited in nearly a decade. Show pre-orders will begin soon as well as local support announcements. The full itinerary can be found below!

Comprised of multi-instrumentalist Brendan Hayter (Thrawsunblat/Obsequiae live) and drummer Raymond Capizzo (Falls Of Rauros/Panopticon live), OBSIDIAN TONGUE returned to the all-analog Mystic Valley Studio, where their first two records were made, to print their Covid-era home sessions onto two-inch tape. Mixed and mastered in the analog domain as well by Alex Garcia-Rivera, 'Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn' boasts a unique and unmistakable sonic force amidst the modern digital landscape; created with a total absence of click tracks, quantization, or sound replacement of any kind.

OBSIDIAN TONGUE Tour Dates (Co-headlining w/ WOE):

06/06: Long Island City, NY @ El Bunker del Diablo

06/07: Milton, DE @ Brimming Horn Meadery // Party Like It's 793 Fest

06/08: Baltimore, MD @ The Depot

06/09: Richmond, VA @ Cobra Cabana

06/10: Raleigh, NC @ The Pour House

06/11: Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie

06/12: Syracuse, NY @ The Jugg on Teal

06/13: Providence, RI @ Fete Music Hall

In the summer of 2024, Obsidian Tongue, comprised of vocalist/guitarist/bassist Brendan Hayter (Thrawsunblat/Obsequiae live) and drummer Raymond Capizzo (Falls Of Rauros/Panopticon live) returned to the all-analog Mystic Valley Studio, where their first two records were made, to print their Covid-era home sessions onto two-inch tape. Mixed and mastered in the analog domain as well by Alex Garcia-Rivera, 'Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn' boasts a unique and unmistakable sonic force amidst the modern digital landscape; created with a total absence of click tracks, quantization, or sound replacement of any kind.

The progressive black metal journey that is 'Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn' takes off immediately with the wrathful sounds of “Orphaned Spiritual Warrior” and “Snakeskin Tunnel Colony,” easily the band’s two heaviest tracks to date. These flow directly into the apocalyptic title track, and onto the vulnerable and surreal sounds of “To Forgive Oneself” leading into the acoustic instrumental “…And Still They Dream.” This dream ends with the triumphant “Theater of Smoke & Wind,” a true psychedelic black metal classic that still evokes some of the original feeling found on the band’s 'Subradiant Architecture' debut.

Sixteen years into the band’s existence, Obsidian Tongue clearly show no signs of running out of new ways to alter their sound - song by song, album by album.

Lineup:

Brendan Hayter - Guitar, Vocals, Bass, Synth

Raymond Capizzo - Drums

Recorded @ Mystic Valley Studio

Mixed & Mastered by Alex Garcia-Rivera

Pre-Orders: https://linktr.ee/obsidiantongue

Links:

DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT Announces North American Tour w/ Support from MIZMOR

May 23, 2025

Extreme metal enigma DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT will be embarking on a North American tour with support from MIZMOR on all dates and additional support from GLASSING (05/27 - 06/02), MINSK (06/03 - 06/06), CHAINED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN (06/07 - 06/10), and RABBIT (06/11 - 06/14). The trek will kick off with the band's appearance at Maryland Death Fest on May 24 and will conclude on June 14 in Providence, RI.

This will be the band's first tour in North America since 2016! The full itinerary can be found below while tickets can be found HERE.

DRAGGED INTO SUNLIGHT North American Tour Dates (w/ MIZMOR):

05/24: Baltimore, MD @ Maryland Death Fest

05/25: Minneapolis, MN @ The Lyric At Skyway Theatre

05/27: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon *

05/28: Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre*

05/29: Portland, OR @ Star Theatre *

05/30: Oakland, CA @ New Parish *

05/31: Los Angeles, CA @ Regent Theatre*

06/02: Salt Lake City, UT @ Aces High Saloon *

06/03: Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre ^

06/04: Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge ^

06/05: Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village ^

06/06: Indianapolis, IN @ Black Circle ^

06/07: Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary +

06/08: Grand Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme +

06/09: Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Place +

06/10: Montreal, QC @ Foufounes Electriques +

06/11: New York NY @ Le Poisson Rouge #

06/12: Brattleboro, VT @ The Stone Church #

06/13: Philadelphia, PA @ Concourse #

06/14: Providence, RI @ Alchemy #

*w/ Glassing

^w/ Minsk

+Chained To The Bottom Of The Ocean

#w/ Rabbit

In a world where everyone knows everything, Dragged Into Sunlight evoke intrigue and mystery.

Since 2006, Dragged Into Sunlight have built a reputation for their dark, atmospheric, and often disturbing sound, combining heavy, pulverising riffs with raw, abrasive vocals and intricate arrangements. The collective explore themes of violence, despair, and the macabre, blending the extremity of black metal's dissonance with the weighty, oppressive spirit of doom. Their compositions are best characterised by a relentless, chaotic atmosphere, often eschewing traditional death metal song structures in favour of long, immersive tracks that defy genre standards.

Dragged Into Sunlight’s sonic warfare is accompanied by an equally obscure and mystifying live performance, delivering striking, minimalist visual aesthetics in the cover of darkness. The band’s enigmatic and ritualistic approach to their stage presence further enhances their dynamic sound.

Lineup:

Anonymous

Links:

BLACKBRAID Unleashes New Song + Music Video, "Wardrums at Dawn on the Day of my Death"

May 22, 2025

Solo black metal project BLACKBRAID is now pleased to reveal the highly-anticipated first single from his third studio album, 'Blackbraid III.' "Wardrums at Dawn on the Day of my Death" is now streaming along with a music video! The video was created by Moshmallows and captures the haunting and primal nature of Blackbraid's live shows. Watch the clip below.

'Blackbraid III' will be released on August 8, 2025 independently! Pre-sale info is to be revealed while the album details can be found below.

BLACKBRAID will also be embarking on a North American headliner later this year with support from Lamp of Murmuur and Dödsrit, with Gudsforladt replacing LoM as support for two Canadian dates. The trek will kick off on September 19 in San Diego, CA and will make its way around the U.S. + Canada until the final stop on October 11 in Los Angeles, CA. The full itinerary can be found below while tickets are available HERE.

In addition, BLACKBRAID has partnered with Fire in the Mountains Festival to curate a special pre-release event where festival attendees will get to hear 'Blackbraid III' ahead of its August 8 release date! During the event, there will also be a special live Q&A that will take place during the listening session with Metal Injection's Frank Godla.

Fire in the Mountains will take place in Montana from July 25-27, 2025 at the Red Eagle Campground on the Blackfeet Nation Reserve. BLACKBRAID joins an esteemed lineup of artists including Wardruna, Old Man's Child, Chelsea Wolfe, Converge, Blood Incantation, and more! Tickets are available HERE while the full lineup and all pertinent festival information can be found HERE.

Blackbraid is a solo indigenous black metal project from from the depths of the Adirondack wilderness creating music as raw and powerful as the mountains from whence it came…

The captivating album artwork for 'Blackbraid III,' was created in collaboration with Adam Burke, who handled the painting, and mainstay Blackbraid album artist Adrian Baxter, who did the illustration. The artwork can be found below along with the tracklist!

TICKETS

BLACKBRAID North American Tour w/ Lamp of Murmuur + Dödsrit,:

09/18: San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick

09/19: Phoenix, AZ @ Last Exit Live

09/20: Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad

09/22: Dallas, TX @ Trees

09/24: Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade (Purgatory)

09/25: Greensboro, NC @ Hangar 1819

09/26: Baltimore, MD @ Metro Gallery

09/27: Brooklyn, NY @ The Meadows

09/28: Albany, NY @ Empire Live

09/30: Boston, MA @ Middle East (Downstairs)

10/01: Montreal, QC @ Café Campus *

10/02: Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground *

10/03: Lakewood, OH @ Mercury Music Lounge

10/04: Chicago, IL @ Reggies

10/05: St. Paul, MN @ The Turf Club

10/07: Denver, CO @ HQ

10/08: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge

10/10: Oakland, CA @ Thee Stork Club

10/11: Los Angeles, CA @ 1720

*w/ Gudsforladt, no LoM

BLACKBRAID Upcoming Festivals:

07/27: Red Eagle Campground, MT @ Fire in the Mountains Fest

08/23: Eisfeld (DE) @ Wolfszeit Festival

12/19: Leipzig (DE) @ Black Hole Fest Germania III - Frost Edition

04/05/26: Munich (DE) @ Dark Easter Metal Meeting

Photo by Wolf Mountain Productions

Creator of Blackbraid: Sgah’gahsowáh

'Blackbraid III' Album Credits:

Composed & performed by Sgah'gahsowáh

Drums, recording, mixing & mastering by Neil Schneider

Guitar solo in “God of Black Blood" performed by Randy Moore

“Fleshbound" originally composed by Lord Belial

Painting by Adam Burke

Illustration by Adrian Baxter

Visual development & graphic design by Wolf Mountain Productions

Follow // Listen:

Shop/Pre-order:

Official Merch Store (USA)

Official Merch Store (EU)

Blackbraid is an independent artist and is not contracted to or owned by any music label.

JOHN GARCIA (ex-KYUSS) Announces North American Tour w/ TELEKINETIC YETI

May 10, 2025

American desert rock pioneer and former KYUSS frontman JOHN GARCIA will be embarking on a North American tour, in which he will be supported by psychedelic rock duo TELEKINETC YETI! Garcia will be performing music from his his celebrated projects, including KYUSS, SLO BURN, HERMANO + more! The trek will run through the West Coast and parts of the midwest from June 26 throughout July 13. Garcia will also perform an additional headliner on July 19 in Pioneertown, CA. The full itinerary can be found below while the tickets can be found HERE.

JOHN GARCIA North American Tour Dates

(w/ Telekinetic Yeti):

06/26: San Diego, CA @ The Casbah

06/27: Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theatre

06/29: Sacramento, CA @ Ace Of Spades

06/30: San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall

07/01: Portland, OR @ Dantes

07/02: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon

07/03: Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre

07/05: Calgary, AB @ Dickens

07/06: Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room

07/08: Winnipeg, MB @ Park Theatre

07/09: St Paul, MN @ Turf Club

07/10: Milwaukee, WI @ Club Garibaldi

07/11: Omaha, NE @ Slowdown

07/12: Denver, CO @ Marquis

07/13: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge

07/19: Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet's#

#No Telekinetic Yeti

Kyuss, Slo Burn, Unida, Hermano, Vista Chino - whatever John Garcia had a hand in turned immediately to success. The frontman understood to create his own style within those bands and established himself as the most distinctive voice of the entire Desert / Stoner Rock scene.

John Garcia has delivered a multi-faceted and extremely intense solo album that will stir up more dust than a sandstorm in the California desert.

Live lineup: John Garcia - Vocals

John Bennet - Guitar

Billy Cordell - Bass

Greg Saenz - Drums

May 8, 2025

BLACKBRAID has partnered with Fire in the Mountains Festival to curate a special pre-release event where festival attendees will get to hear 'Blackbraid III' ahead of its August 8 release date! In addition, BLACKBRAID is now pleased to announce a special live Q&A that will take place during the listening session with Metal Injection's Frank Godla!

Blackbraid previously commented on the appearance, "I am very pleased to announce that I have partnered with Fire in the Mountains to curate an exclusive pre-release event for my forthcoming full length 'Blackbraid III.' Festival goers will have the opportunity to hear the album in its entirety ahead of its release.

"I am extremely proud of this album and absolutely cannot wait to share it with you, and I couldn't think of a more perfect place to debut it than this beautiful festival deep in the heart of Blackfeet Nation territory. Very grateful to be a part of Fire In The Mountains, see you there!"

More details on 'Blackbraid III' will be revealed soon while album details can be found below!

The captivating album artwork was created in collaboration with Adam Burke, who handled the painting, and mainstay Blackbraid album artist Adrian Baxter, who did the illustration. It can be found below along with the tracklist!

'Blackbraid II' can now be streamed everywhere or ordered via Bandcamp or the official merch stores in USA and EU.

Blackbraid is a solo indigenous black metal project from from the depths of the Adirondack wilderness creating music as raw and powerful as the mountains from whence it came…

Creator of Blackbraid: Sgah’gahsowáh

'Blackbraid III' Album Credits:

Composed & performed by Sgah'gahsowáh

Drums, recording, mixing & mastering by Neil Schneider

Guitar solo in “God of Black Blood" performed by Randy Moore

“Fleshbound" originally composed by Lord Belial

Painting by Adam Burke

Illustration by Adrian Baxter

Visual development & graphic design by Wolf Mountain Productions

Follow // Listen:

Shop/Pre-order:

Official Merch Store (USA)

Official Merch Store (EU)

Blackbraid is an independent artist and is not contracted to or owned by any music label.

SARCATOR Shreds with Two New Guitar Play-Throughs, Kicks Off EU Tour + Festival Run This Week

May 7, 2025

Swedish trash metal newcomers SARCATOR are now unleashing two freshly recorded guitar playthroughs for “The Deep Ends” as well as “Burning Choir," which are both taken from the band's recently released third studio album, 'Swarming Angels and Flies.' Both played by guitarist Mateo Tervonen and recorded at Studio-MT in Sweden, the playthroughs showcase the guitarist’s strong technicality and the band’s talent for both shredding and songwriting.

The playthrough for “The Deep Ends” can be found Below.

Watch the playthrough for “Burning Choir” HERE.

'Swarming Angels & Flies' was released in January 2025 via Century Media Records and can be streamed, ordered, and downloaded HERE.

In addition, SARCATOR will be conquering Europe on an extensive run of live performances starting tomorrow, May 8, where they will first support 1349 on their “The Wolf & The King Eastern European Tour," alongside The Ruins Of Beverast and label-mates Vitriol. Additionally, the thrashers have various festivals lined up for 2025 across Europe, starting in June. The quartet will also be supporting Yoth Iria during their shows in Germany and Poland. The full itinerary can be found below while tickets can be found HERE.

More shows TBA soon... stay tuned!

At a juvenile age of 14-20, Sarcator released their first demo tape, “Visions of Purgatory”, via the American label Redefining Darkness Records in 2019. Just two years later the quadrumvirate got nominated for best rock/metal album for the Swedish music award P3 Guld with their 2020’s self-titled debut release for the same label. After releasing their 2nd album, “Alkahest”, via Black Lion Records in 2022, Sarcator finally got a proper chance to play live, captivating crowds with their intense, blackened live shows.

With their current line-up fully committed to the band despite their young age (all members are between 19 and 25) it was time for them to record their third album, which still features previous guitarist Emil Eriksson. Shortly after signing a new worldwide deal with Century Media Records and heading out on a debut European tour supporting Hellripper and Cloak, Sarcator will be releasing 'Swarming Angels & Flies' on January 17, 2025.

This album marks the most intense, brutal and rawest creation yet for the band. It is a remarkably mature and sophisticated piece of work, from mercurial musicians who are only in their early 20’s, and still at the beginning of their creative journey. Across eight, grotesque and utterly venomous tracks, Sarcator have deftly blended the wide-eyed extremity of their debut album with the inspirational musicality of their second record “Alkahest”, while playing everything with more intensity than ever before. Both deliriously melodic and mercilessly brutal: “Swarming Angels & Flies” is the most dangerously potent record the Swedens have made to date.

Sarcator explains about the record and its creation process, “We wanted to highlight the most aggressive and extreme parts of us, but we still wanted to work with dynamics, so you still have elements of classic rock and post-punk, which we started experimenting with on the last record. There is no question that it’s our most intense, brutal, and rawest creation yet - It's not really a genre album and we like to keep it that way."

With plenty of live activity in support of the upcoming album, Sarcator are already at the forefront of an emergent, highly determined new generation of Scandinavian extreme metal bands and ready to take the rest of the world by storm soon too.

Lineup:

Mateo Tervonen – Vocals, Guitar

Felix Lindkvist – Bass

Leo Buchalle – Guitar

Jesper Rosén – Drums

Formats:

CD Jewelcase (in O-Card) w/ 11 tracks

Ltd. Purple LP (300x copies!) w/ 8 tracks & 2-page LP insert

Black LP w/ 8 tracks & 2-page LP insert

CD Jewelcase (US Version) w/ 8 tracks

Links:

TRIBULATION Kicks Off North American Headlining Tour, Co-headlining w/ UNTO OTHERS for First Leg

May 2, 2025

Swedish gothic metal maestros TRIBULATION will be casting their spell on North America this spring! The band will embark on a full tour of the continent, for which they will first co-headline from tomorrow, May 1 through May 12 with UNTO OTHERS. Then, TRIBULATION will headline the second leg from May 14 until the final stop on May 25, in which they will be joined by EARLY MOODS as support.FINAL GASP + UNREQVITED will support the entire run.

The full itinerary can be found below while tickets are available at THIS LOCATION.

ICYMI: TRIBULATION recently unveiled a cinematic music video for the haunting single, "Murder in Red," which pays homage to vintage Italian horror cinema. The video was created by Brandon McGowan with additional footage from Damón Zurawski and can be found below.

The track is taken from TRIBULATION's latest full-length, 'Sub Rosa in Æternum,' which was released on November 1, 2024 via Century Media Records, which was named among the best records of 2024 by Decibel Magazine (#5), A&P Reacts (#4), Invisible Oranges (#3), Heavy Music HQ (#23) + more!

The offering follows up the band's award-winning 2021 album, 'Where the Gloom Becomes Sound.' On 'Sub Rosa in Æternum,' Tribulation conjure new beast: Part psychological horror of Italian cinema, part gaunt British goth, and part Art Deco opulence, 'Sub Rosa In Æternum' is a blazing torch upon a cloudy, skeleton sky. Orders can be found HERE.

TRIBULATION North American Tour Dates:

Co-headlining with UNTO OTHERS, with support from FINAL GASP + UNREQVITED):

05/01: Chicago, IL @ Reggies

05/02: Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar

05/03: Denver, CO @ Bluebird

05/04: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge

05/06: Seattle, WA @ El Corazon

05/07: Portland, OR @ Star Theater

05/09: San Francisco, CA @ DNA Lounge

05/10: Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent

05/11: San Diego, CA @ Brick By Brick

05/12: Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge

Headlining w/ direct support from EARLY MODS + FINAL GASP, support from UNREQVITED)

05/14: Austin, TX @ Come and Take It Live

05/15: Ft. Worth, TX @ The Rail^

05/16: New Orleans, LA @ Southport Hall^

05/17: Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade (Hell)^

05/18: Raleigh, NC @ Chapel of Bones^

05/20: Gastonia, NC @ The Rooster^

05/21: Baltimore, MD @ Maryland Deathfest

05/22: Pittsburgh, PA @ Preserving

05/23: Brooklyn, NY @ Meadows

05/24: Montreal, QC @ Foufounes

05/25: Toronto, ON @ Lees Palace

Tribulation is known for their unique blend of gothic and death metal. Formed in 2005, the band consists of Johannes Andersson (Vocals/Bass), Adam Zaars (Guitar), Joseph Tholl (Guitar) and Oscar Leander (Drums). They have released several captivating albums during their career and are renowned for their theatrical live performances. 'Sub Rosa in Æternum' marks the first release of the band after their 2023 EP 'Hamartia,' which has achieved critical acclaim after Tribulation’s award-winning last studio album, 'Where the Gloom Becomes Sound' in 2021.

Lineup:

Johannes Andersson (Vocals/Bass)

Adam Zaars (Guitar)

Joseph Tholl (Guitar)

Oscar Leander (Drums)

Links:

Pre-Orders: https://tribulation.lnk.to/SubRosaInAeternum

Formats:

CD Jewelcase w/ 9 tracks

Ltd. CD Mediabook w/ 10 tracks

Black LP w/ 9 tracks + 2-page LP insert

Ltd. Gatefold ultra clear LP w/ 10 tracks + extensive 16-page LP-Booklet

Ltd. Gatefold Sparkle Starlight LP w/ 10 tracks + extensive 16-page LP-Booklet

Ltd. Gatefold Side A/B split (red+black) LP w/ 10 tracks + extensive 16-page LP Booklet

Ltd. Gatefold transp. red LP w/ 10 tracks + extensive 16-page LP-Booklet

Ltd. Red Ecomix LP (US version) w/ 10 tracks + extensive 16-page LP-Booklet

Digital album

THE HAUNTED Launches Official Music Video for New Song, "In Fire Reborn"

April 30, 2025

Swedish thrash pioneers and purveyors THE HAUNTED continue to scorch the earth with their upcoming tenth studio album, 'Songs of Last Resort,' to be released worldwide on May 30, 2025 via longtime partners Century Media Records. The band is now unleashing the blistering new single, “In Fire Reborn," along with a music video, which was directed by Patric Ullaeus / (In Flames, Arch Enemy, Dimmu Borgir, etc.). The clip can be found below.

THE HAUNTED vocalist Marco Aro comments about the track, “This is the second single off the album 'Songs of Last Resort.' The song is called 'In Fire Reborn' and it’s a more classic THE HAUNTED sounding song with the aggression turned up to 11…just in case you missed the memo on our previous single!”

Guitarist Jensen adds, "A classic THE HAUNTED 6/8 beat song. I wrote the start, verses and ending of the song, but it wasn't until Jonas wrote the chorus when 'In Fire Reborn' really bloomed out. I believe this could also easily become a fan favorite, just like it has become one of the band's favorite songs on the album. The lyrics are, just like with 'Warhead,'' also along the topic of war, but this time from a soldier's perspective."

The previously released video for the album’s opening track, “Warhead,” can still be seen HERE.

The album artwork for 'Songs of Last Resort' was created by Andreas “Diaz” Pettersson and can be found below along with the tracklisting.

Lineup:

Ola Englund – rhythm & lead guitar

Jonas Björler – bass, backing vocals

Marco Aro – lead vocals

Adrian Erlandsson – drums

Jensen – rhythm guitar

Cover Artwork: Andreas “Diaz” Pettersson

Music recorded by Oscar Nilsson at Studio Bohus

Main vocals recorded by Björn Strid at The Cellar Studio

Mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios

- Black LP & Poster (Unlimited)

- Ltd. transp. red LP & Poster (500x copies, available from www.cmdistro.de & various other retailers)

- Ltd. transp. petrol green LP & Poster (300x copies, available from various retailers in Europe)

Follow/Stream:

Iceland's Sátan Metal Festival 2025 Reveals Daily Lineups

April 29, 2025

GET PASSES HERE

Sátan, an emerging metal festival in Iceland, is now revealing the daily lineups for the 2025 edition, which will take place in Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula from June 5-7, 2025! Three-day passes and daily tickets can be found at THIS LOCATION.

The stacked lineup features a series of special performances, including Icelandic death metal icons SORORICIDE, who will be celebrating 35 years with their first live appearance since 2010! This will also commemorate the band's final performance, making it a very unique event for those in attendance. In addition, Polish death dealers VADER will be performing their seminal record, 'Litany,' in its entirety while artists BENEATH and MOMENTUM will each be hitting the stage for the first time in six years!

The daily lineups are as follows:

Thursday, June 5:

Sororicide (35 year anniversary show // Final Show Ever)

Brain Police

Vader (Special 'Litany' Show)

Momentum (First show in 6 years)

Celestial Scourge

Bastarður

Miðnótt

**Wacken Battle of the Bands Iceland Winner 2025 - TBD!**

Friday, June 6:

The Vintage Caravan

Carcass

Sinmara

High Parasite

Fortíð

Dys

Altari

Duft

Saturday, June 7:

Skálmöld

Taake

Discharge

Beneath (First show in 6 years!)

Forgarður Helvítis

Vafurlogi

World Narcosis

Forsmán

Sátan is committed to zero tolerance against violence and violence of any kind invalidates your ticket!

Links:

Facebook

Instagram

Official Website

BLACKBRAID Reveals Details for Upcoming Full-Length, 'Blackbraid III'

April 23, 2025

Since the explosive release of the critically acclaimed record, 'Blackbraid II,' indigenous black metal master BLACKBRAID has been diligently creating his next opus deep within the heart of the desolate Adirondack Mountains. Today, BLACKBRAID is pleased to now reveal the details of 'Blackbraid III,' which will be released on August 8, 2025 independently.

New music will be revealed very soon. Stay tuned...

In addition, BLACKBRAID has partnered with Fire in the Mountains Festival to curate a special pre-release event where festival attendees will get to hear the record ahead of street date, which will be revealed along with additional details soon! Fire in the Mountains will take place in Montana from July 25-27, 2025 at the Red Eagle Campground on the Blackfeet Nation Reserve. Artists who have already been confirmed to perform include Blackbraid, Wardruna, Old Man's Child, Blood Incantation, and more, with additional bands TBA! Tickets are available HERE while the full lineup and all pertinent festival information can be found HERE.

'Blackbraid II' can now be streamed everywhere or ordered via Bandcamp or the official merch stores in USA and EU.

Blackbraid is a solo indigenous black metal project from from the depths of the Adirondack wilderness creating music as raw and powerful as the mountains from whence it came…

Creator of Blackbraid: Sgah’gahsowáh

'Blackbraid III' Album Credits:

Composed & performed by Sgah'gahsowáh

Drums, recording, mixing & mastering by Neil Schneider

Guitar solo in “God of Black Blood" performed by Randy Moore

“Fleshbound" originally composed by Lord Belial

Painting by Adam Burke

Illustration by Adrian Baxter

Visual development & graphic design by Wolf Mountain Productions

Follow // Listen:

Shop/Pre-order:

Official Merch Store (USA)

Official Merch Store (EU)

Blackbraid is an independent artist and is not contracted to or owned by any music label.

HEAVEN'S GATE (ft. Members of MUNICIPAL WASTE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, etc.) Releases New Album, 'Tales From a Blistering Paradise'

April 18, 2025

Hardcore punk outfit HEAVEN'S GATE is now releasing its brand new full-length, 'Tales From a Blistering Paradise,' today, April 18! The album is now available worldwide digitally as well as vinyl via Beach Impediment and CD and cassette via To Live A Lie. Listen and order HERE.

The cover artwork was created by Steak Mountain aka/Christopher Norris and can be found below along with the tracklisting.

When most people think of Florida, they might picture retirement villages with seniors playing pickleball, luxurious Lamborghinis cruising to the beach, or leather-skinned swamp folks with a passion for NASCAR. However, Florida is also home to some of the fiercest punk bands imaginable. HEAVEN'S GATE is one such band. Instead of exuding the raw grime of ASSÜCK, HEAVEN'S GATE channels their rage into a powerful, concise, blast-beating behemoth. With members of bands that will wow you, the band really wants their music to speak for itself, so we won’t mention that they have the ranks of CANNIBAL CORPSE, MUNICIPAL WASTE, REVERSAL OF MAN, or WARTHOG members aboard. Their riffs are infectious in the way that bands like BIB and BLOODKROW BUTCHER haunt you but more in a way if you spit-shined the sound and added a good measure of blast beats to put a smile on the face of those who worship at the altar of SPAZZ, INFEST, Dystopia or DRI. This album fills so many wants in an album while not being derivative or really being a copy of any related bands. Without boring you more with a description, do yourself a favor and check out HEAVEN’S GATE and you won’t be disappointed.

Lineup: Vocals: Tony Foresta

Guitar: Mike Goo

Bass: Jeff Howe

Drums: Paul Mazurkiewicz

Album credits:

Recorded by Ryan Boesch at Candor Studios

Additional Tracking by Eric Payne

Mixed by Will Killingsworth

Mastered by Joel Grind

Cover Artwork: Steak Mountain aka/Christopher Norris

BAEST Announces New Album, Unleashes Video for New Single, “Misfortunate Son (feat. ORM)”

April 11, 2025

Danish death metal commando BAEST will be unleashing its fourth studio album, 'Colossal,' on August 15, 2025 via Century Media Records! To celebrate the upcoming offering, the band is now sharing the crushing new single, “Misfortunate Son (feat. ORM)," which can be found along with an official music video created by Moshmallows below.

Produced by Tue Madsen at Antfarm Studio (Heaven Shall Burn, The Black Dahlia Murder, The Haunted, etc.), the album contains nine tracks across 42 minutes, including the already released singles "Colossus" and "Imp Of The Perverse," as well as an upcoming single with guest vocal features by Jesper Binzer of D-A-D on “King Of The Sun."

Pre-orders are now live HERE.

BAEST explains about the “Colossal” album and the band’s current activities as follows: “Paying homage to the heavy metal roots of our music, we wanted to incorporate fast, classic and rocking riffs. This album showcases our passion for melody and a new direction for our death metal. Keeping the energy of former releases and adding new flavours to the inferno, ‘Colossal’ stands out as an honest, original and exciting release. Recording it over the course of 2 years at Antfarm Studio with Tue Madsen has been a different but exciting process, leaving a lot of space in between material released off the album, with the two first singles ‘Colossus’ and ‘Imp Of The Perverse’ being almost a year old by now. We found that giving songs more time to grow felt right, and we also had to reinvent our own style and sound in that process, which leads to our satisfaction with ‘Colossal’ - it’s a broad album sound wise, and we feel this is the essence of BAEST. Playing some of the new tracks live on our recent tour with Danish rock legends D-A-D was helpful in cementing the appeal of the new tracks and helped us finish the album recordings between those shows. Next up, we embark on our first ever U.S./North America run supporting Arch Enemy, and we are following this tour up with a ton of European festivals. This will be the perfect platform to show the new material and get feedback from the fans - see you on the road!”

Adds BAEST about the new song: "'Misfortunate Son’ is the newest single release from our upcoming 4th album ‘Colossal.’ Recorded at Antfarm Studio with Tue Madsen (The Haunted, Heaven Shall Burn, Meshuggah), it brings forth a blend of melody and brutality. The song showcases our passion for classic heavy metal riffing while incorporating the signature catchiness we always strive for with BAEST! We brought our Danish heroes ORM to add some eerie vocals, contributing a darker mood to the track…”

In addition, BAEST will be laying waste to North America next week for the first time ever as they embark on the "Blood Dynasty" tour in support of Arch Enemy w/ Fit For An Autopsy and Thrown Into Exile! The band will launch their destruction in San Diego, CA next week, on April 15, and will batter audiences across the continent through May 10 in Stroudsburg, PA. The full itinerary can be found below while tickets can be found HERE.

The album’s artwork was created by Solomacello

GET TICKETS HERE

BAEST North American Tour Dates

(supporting Arch Enemy w/ Fit For An Autopsy + Thrown Into Exile):

04/14: San Diego, CA @ Observatory Northpark

04/15: Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern

04/16: San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom

04/18: Portland, OR @ Roseland Ballroom

04/19: Seattle, WA @ Showbox

04/20: Vancouver, BC @ The Pearl

04/22: Edmonton, AB @ Union Hall

04/23: Calgary, AB @ The MacEwan Hall

04/25: Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex

04/26: Denver, CO @ Summit

04/28: Minneapolis, MN @ The Fillmore

04/29: Chicago, IL @ The Vic Theater

04/30: Detroit, MI @ Royal Oak Music Hall

05/02: New York, NY @ Palladium Times Square

05/03: Worcester, MA @ The Palladium

05/05: Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of The Living Art

05/06: Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore

05/08: Montreal, QC @ L’Olympia

05/09: Toronto, ON @ Queen Elizabeth Theater

05/10: Stroudsburg, PA @ The Sherman Theater

Are you ready to rock? Something colossal is coming…

Baest are back, with a new sound and a badass attitude. Over the last decade, the Danish quintet have become one of the most celebrated and respected death metal bands in Europe. Their reign of terror began with debut album Danse Macabre, which emerged to great acclaim in 2019. Since then, the Danes have been relentless. Subsequent albums Venenum (2019) and Necro Sapiens (2021) cemented their reputation as extreme metal mavericks with an ear for lethal hooks, while their passionate dedication to playing live enabled them to spread the word at shows and festivals around the world.

But things are slightly changing with album number 4: Colossal. Pieced together in the aftermath of Covid lockdowns, and fine-tuned over the last couple of years, the new Baest album is an absolute monster. The new songs are still rooted in the belligerent death metal that informed previous records, but Colossal represents a wholesale transformation. Inspired by and infused with old school, classic metal riffs and a giant helping of rock ‘n’ roll bombast, Baest have written an album that delights in the glory of heavy metal and the fine art of rocking out. Bursting at the seams with catchy riffs and classy melodies, with stylistic salutes to everyone from Ozzy Osbourne and Dokken, through to Iron Maiden and Whitesnake, this is the magnificent rock ‘n’ roll rebirth of Baest.

“We went on tour with the Krisiun guys a couple of years back, and every soundcheck they were playing ZZ Top songs,” says Baest guitarist Svend Karlsson. “Everyone in the venue was rocking out, you know? So let’s rock! As a band, you have to mature a little and figure out that you have to write songs for yourself, and that way of thinking has brought the best out of us. When we talked to Tue about it, we called it ‘Ozzy death metal’. It’s really exciting to see what people think. We’re looking forward to people hearing this album. We released two singles last year that were in a different direction, but the fans haven’t heard the Dokken stuff yet! [Laughs]”

From the explosive assault of the opening Stormbringer, the new Baest album is an electrifying dose of the good stuff. Produced by the legendary Tue Madsen at Antfarm Studio in Denmark, Colossal never bends to current trends. Instead, this is a thrilling celebration of heavy metal, played with extreme metal intensity. Vocalist Simon Olsen has evolved into a truly formidable frontman, with a vastly expanded array of shouts and growls, and his band mates – Karlsson, guitarist Lasse Revsbech, bassist Mattias Melchiorsen and drummer Sebastian Abildsten – have grown in power and stature. As Karlsson explains, this change of direction was simply about Baest being true to themselves.

“We began the process during Covid, and we found out that we needed to do something that everyone thought was fun,” he states. “Then we tried to zoom in on what makes different songs fun. On the first EP, before we signed to Century Media, there is a lot of melodic rock ‘n’ roll stuff. I think it’s there because we hadn’t learned yet to do more death metal riffs, so those were the riffs that Lasse and I had from our upbringing. This time, we turned back to all of those kinds of riffs, being influenced by Zakk Wylde and Jake E. Lee, Accept, Metallica and all that kind of stuff. We figured that if it’s fun and we enjoy playing it, then it’s going to fit! We finally had the guts to try it, and not to worry about what the death metal fans are going to think.”

Although they may anticipate a backlash from death metal purists, Baest are confident that their evolution will be well received. With songs ranging from the anthemic ‘80s metal fury of the title track, and the brutal rock squall of King Of The Sun (featuring a cameo from D-A-D’s Jesper Binzer), to the progressive, true metal avalanche of epic closer Depraved World, Colossal takes Baest back to the essence of their craft.

“When we wrote Depraved World, that’s a riff from when Lasse was 14 years old,” says Karlsson. “He said, ‘I’ve got this riff!’ and we were like, ‘Let’s do an Iron Maiden death metal song!’ [Laughs] It’s so much fun, because it’s long and so different. The headline for the whole album is that it’s different, it’s catchy, and it’s rock ‘n’ roll. Rock ‘n’ roll vibes, but in the aggressive form of extreme metal. This is our first time working with Tue Madsen, and he’s a no-bullshit kind of guy. He’s been in the industry for so many records and with so many different bands, so he’s like, ‘Fuck what people think! Let’s do what seems fun and what sounds catchy!’”

2024 saw the release of two singles from Colossal: the viciously catchy Imp Of The Perverse, and the aforementioned Colossus. Both were rapturously received, and generated a lot of excitement about Baest’s next move. Now that they have the new music in the can, Svend Karlsson and his comrades are brimming with confidence and commitment to the heavy metal cause. Armed with songs that are guaranteed to send metal crowds into a joyous frenzy, Denmark’s smartest death metal band are perfectly placed to conquer the entire world.

“I think we needed to figure out that we were okay with being a heavy metal band,” Karlsson shrugs. “There are also a lot of progressive elements to the record, that we started developing on the Justitia EP. That’s when we realised that it works live, and people really like the Ozzy riffs! So let’s do some more! We played a new, unreleased song on the last tour. Nobody had heard it before, but instantly everyone started clapping along and jumping and having fun. Everybody wants to party, right?”

BAEST line-up:

Svend Karlsson - Rhythm/Lead Guitar

Simon Olsen - Vocals

Lasse Revsbech - Rhythm/Lead Guitar

Sebastian Abildsten - Drums & Percussion

Mattias ‘Muddi’ Melchiorsen - Bass

Album Artwork:

Solomacello

Production:

Tue Madsen at Antfarm Studio

Special Guests:

Jesper Binzer of D-A-D on "King Of The Sun"

ORM on "Misfortunate Son"

Formats (U.S.): Ltd. CD Digipak / LP / Digital Album

BAEST online:

STREAM // DOWNLOAD

Century Media online:

NECROPHOBIC Unleashes Official Video for “Nordanvind,” Announces Digital-EP

April 8, 2025

Swedish blackened death metal masters NECROPHOBIC are now unveiling the official music video for the song "Nordanvind," which is taken from the band's 2024 full-length album, 'In the Twilight Grey." The video was created by Jens Rydén and can be found below.

”Nordanvind is a hymn to the north. A tribute to our home and our ancestors," says NECROPHOBIC. “The song captures the sound of the cold north wind and the melodies and secrets that lay hidden within it. It’s a song about once again reuniting and being one with the soil we were once made of!"

In addition, the band is now revealing their new 'Nordanvind' digital EP, which includes two additional songs: ”Blackened the Horizon” and a cover of W.A.S.P.’s ”The Torture Never Stops."

“W.A.S.P. is a band that we were very inspired by when it comes to their live shows, appearance

and imagery, especially around the time of 1984-1985," the band explains.

While “Nordanvind” is a taken from the band's tenth studio album, ”Blackened the Horizon” and “The Torture Never Stops” are rarities and a part of 'In the Twilight Grey's' Ltd. Deluxe Gatefold combat green 2LP, LP-Booklet, Poster and Ltd. CD mediabook.

To celebrate this release, NECROPHOBIC is now sharing a brand new music video for the single "Mirrors of a Thousand Lakes." The footage was taken from one of the band's rare club shows at M.A.U. Club in Germany back in January 2024 by Paloosa Productions. The performance had such a positive impact on the band that they decided to preserve it and turn it into a “road video” that happened in the magic of the moment that evening. Watch it at THIS LOCATION.

'In the Twilight Grey' is now available HERE and can be found in the following formats:

Ltd. Deluxe Gatefold combat green 2LP & LP-Booklet & Poster incl. 2 bonus tracks (1.000x)

Gatefold black LP

Gatefold dark green LP (300x)

Ltd. CD Mediabook (comes with a special, extended booklet and 2 bonus tracks)

Standard CD Jewelcase

Digital album

Enigmatically titled 'In the Twilight Grey,' NECROPHOBIC’s tenth studio album immediately asserts its separation from everything that has gone before. Colder and more biting than recent efforts, the album is full of brutish metal songs, hewn from unnamed obsidian horrors.

NECROPHOBIC has always been a dynamic and daring band. 'In the Twilight Grey' hammers the Swedish blackened death metal masters' boldness home via some of the most hard-hitting and direct songs they have ever recorded. Equally, the new album is home to several songs that push NECROPHOBIC’s music down strange, new avenues. Fueled by the dark side, lead guitarist Sebastian Ramstedt understands the importance of retaining the essence of the band’s early days, even as the means of expression continues to evolve.

Yet again 'In the Twilight Grey' was produced, mixed and mastered by Fredrik Folkare (of death metal icons Unleashed) at Chrome Studios, Stockholm and engineered in close collaboration by Folkare and the band themselves. For the artwork they teamed up with Jens Rydén, another likeminded and highly regarded institution from the Swedish metal scene.

With over thirty years of active, nefarious service under their spikes and bulletbelts, NECROPHOBIC are undisputed legends of the death and black metal scene. Formed in 1989 by drummer Joakim Sterner, the Stockholm blackhearts propagated a singular and fearless vision from the very start.

Eschewing the self-conscious amateurism and primitive sonics that many of their peers held dear, NECROPHOBIC established a bold and vivid identity of their own, conjuring a densely melodic, but endlessly wicked take on macabre extreme metal that countless lesser bands have since emulated.

You can take a deep dive into their history via the rereleases of their entire back catalogue that Century Media Records made available in 2022 HERE.

Line-Up:

Johan Bergebäck - Rhythm guitar

Joakim Sterner - Drums

Sebastian Ramstedt - Lead guitar

Anders Strokirk - Vocals

Tobias Cristiansson - Bass

Cover Artist + Photos: Jens Rydén

Production, Mixing, Mastering: Fredrik Folkare @ Chrome Studios

Engineering: Fredrik Folkare + Necrophobic

Links:

OBSIDIAN TONGUE Announces Co-Headlining U.S. Tour with WOE

April 3, 2025

Progressive black metal duo OBSIDIAN TONGUE are now announcing FRAILTY & SCORN, eight performances of black metal intensity this June alongside WOE. The trek will kick off on June 6 in Long Island City, NY and will make its way throughout the East Coast until the final stop on June 13 in Providence, RI. The tour will not only celebrate the release of OBSIDIAN TONGUE's forthcoming opus, 'Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn,' due on May 30, 2025 via Profound Lore Records, but also will bring both bands back to many cities they have not visited in nearly a decade. Show pre-orders will begin soon as well as local support announcements. The full itinerary can be found below!

To celebrate the recent announcement of their fourth studio album, OBSIDIAN TONGUE has recently unveiled the devastating new single, "Orphaned Spiritual Warrior," which can be heard at THIS LOCATION.

Hayter previously commented on the single, "The first track we arranged for 'Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn' practically named itself - 'Orphaned Spiritual Warrior.' It was clearly an album opener, as complex and chaotic as it is.

"It felt like being dropped into a new world you knew you didn’t belong in - and everyone and everything around you knows it too. You vaguely remember that you came from somewhere else, that you had a dignified purpose there, and that there were people way beyond this place that understood you…but the worst part is you don’t know if they’re looking for you, if they’re trying to get you back. All you know is a sense of abandon and mortal danger…every step is heavy with some sort of impostor syndrome and every movement feels uncoordinated, jagged, and bound for disaster. You once could fight, but in this place it feels like trying to fight off an attacker in a dream and you can’t make contact or move your arm fast enough no matter how hard you try. All there’s left to do is find some sort of shelter, try to find your center, try to unlock the memories, and fight off the strife. 'Set ablaze this world to pass onto the next.'"

'Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn' can now be pre-ordered HERE.

OBSIDIAN TONGUE Tour Dates (Co-headlining w/ WOE):

06/06: Long Island City, NY @ El Bunker del Diablo

06/07: Milton, DE @ Brimming Horn Meadery // Party Like It's 793 Fest

06/08: Baltimore, MD @ The Depot

06/09: Richmond, VA @ Cobra Cabana

06/10: Raleigh, NC @ The Pour House

06/11: Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie

06/12: Syracuse, NY @ The Jugg on Teal

06/13: Providence, RI @ Fete Music Hall

Sixteen years into the band’s existence, Obsidian Tongue clearly show no signs of running out of new ways to alter their sound - song by song, album by album.

Lineup:

Brendan Hayter - Guitar, Vocals, Bass, Synth

Raymond Capizzo - Drums

Recorded @ Mystic Valley Studio

Mixed & Mastered by Alex Garcia-Rivera

Photos by: Stephanie Sintra

Pre-Orders: https://linktr.ee/obsidiantongue

Recommended for Fans Of: Agalloch, Blut Aus Nord, Dødheimsgard, Wolves in the Throne Room

Links:

OBSIDIAN TONGUE Announces New Full-Length, Shares First Single, ”Orphaned Spiritual Warrior”

April 2, 2025

Progressive black metal duo OBSIDIAN TONGUE will be releasing their fourth full-length album, 'Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn,' on May 30, 2025 via Profound Lore Records! To celebrate the forthcoming opus, the band is now sharing the devastating new single, "Orphaned Spiritual Warrior," which can be heard below.

Hayter comments on the single, "The first track we arranged for 'Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn' practically named itself - 'Orphaned Spiritual Warrior.' It was clearly an album opener, as complex and chaotic as it is.

'Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn' can now be pre-ordered HERE.

Lauded as USBM’s best kept secret, Obsidian Tongue has been on a steadfast artistic journey since their formation in 2009. They’ve never failed to retain the original mission of playing raw and cathartic melodic black metal as they journeyed further into psychedelic and progressive territories with each release following 2012’s self-released debut 'Subradiant Architecture.' While their debut won a passionate following for its perfect union of the grimy and the epic sides of black metal, it was 2013’s 'A Nest of Ravens in the Throat of Time' (Hypnotic Dirge Records) and its psychedelic dark metal that established their name more into the scene and showcased their ambitious nature even more.

2015’s 15-minute single 'The Lakeside Redemption,' with its progressive, haunting, dreamlike and triumphant elements, set the groundwork for their third full length, which took several years of tireless effort to complete. Released in Jan of 2020, 'Volume III' (Bindrune Recordings) was clearly the band’s magnum opus but all plans to support the album on the road became thwarted due to the pandemic. So all there was left to do was write even more music. This gradually led to a creation of not one, but three works: the first being 2024’s much-delayed self-released digital EP 'The Stone Heart' and the second being their fourth full-length album 'Eclipsing Worlds of Scorn' to be released via Profound Lore Records on May 30, 2025.

Sixteen years into the band’s existence, Obsidian Tongue clearly show no signs of running out of new ways to alter their sound - song by song, album by album.

Lineup:

Brendan Hayter - Guitar, Vocals, Bass, Synth

Raymond Capizzo - Drums

Recorded @ Mystic Valley Studio

Mixed & Mastered by Alex Garcia-Rivera

Photos by: Stephanie Sintra

Pre-Orders: https://linktr.ee/obsidiantongue

Recommended for Fans Of: Agalloch, Blut Aus Nord, Dødheimsgard, Wolves in the Throne Room

Links:

OPETH Wins Best Hard Rock & Metal Award at Swedish Grammis for ‘The Last Will & Testament’

March 28, 2025

Acclaimed progressive metal legends OPETH have been honored with the prestigious Best Hard Rock & Metal award at this year’s Swedish Grammis. This achievement marks yet another milestone in the band’s illustrious career, further cementing their legacy as one of Sweden’s most influential and celebrated musical acts.

The award follows the release of ‘The Last Will & Testament,' the band’s fourteenth studio album, which was officially released on November 22 via Reigning Phoenix Music / Moderbolaget.

Order ‘The Last Will & Testament’: HERE

Opeth's fourteenth album was written by Åkerfeldt, with lyrics conferred with Klara Rönnqvist Fors (The Heard, ex-Crucified Barbara). ‘The Last Will & Testament’ was co-produced by Åkerfeldt and Stefan Boman (Ghost, The Hellacopters), engineered by Boman, Joe Jones (Killing Joke, Robert Plant), and Opeth, with Boman, Åkerfeldt, and the rest of Opeth mixing at Atlantis and Hammerthorpe Studios in Stockholm. The strings on ‘The Last Will & Testament’ were arranged by Åkerfeldt and returning prog friend Dave Stewart (Egg, Khan) and conducted by Stewart at Angel Studios in London. Not one to miss a beat, visual artist Travis Smith returns to the fold, crafting his 11th cover, a haunting "photograph" reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's infamous "Overlook Hotel" photograph. Miles Showell (ABBA, Queen) also revisits mastering and vinyl lacquer cutting at Abbey Road Studios in London.

Åkerfeldt rolls out the red carpet for storied flautist and Jethro Tull main man Ian Anderson. Not only do Anderson's signature notes fly on "§4" and "§7", he narrates on "§1", "§2", "§4", and "§7". Joining Anderson, Europe's Joey Tempest lends a backing vocal hand on "§2”, while Åkerfeldt's youngest daughter, Mirjam Åkerfeldt, is the disembodied voice in "§1".

‘The Last Will & Testament ‘is gripping from start to finish, jaw-dropping inside and out, representing some of Opeth's finest material to date. Just as Opeth welcomed many into its distressed arms over the years, the Swedes again deliver on the promise that great music always tells a compelling story—this time with growls.

After three decades of dazzling the world, Opeth have made their most daring creative leap yet. The Last Will & Testament is a progressive and dramatic triumph, and yet more proof that expecting the unexpected is the only way forward for fans of Sweden’s finest.

“It’s a restless record for me,” concludes Åkerfeldt. “It’s an explosion of ideas, which I like. It’s a bit shorter and snappier. But I definitely didn’t want to rehash anything. The only thing that has come back is some of those death metal screams, but the mindset is still much more forward looking. In typical Opeth fashion, it’s not a direct record that you understand and that you love or hate right away. It takes time and if you put that time into it, you might like it… or hate it! It feels like it was written on a whim. Which it was, in a way! I hear things on this album and think, where the fuck did that come from?”

Lineup:

Mikael Åkerfeldt – Vocals, guitars

Fredrik Åkesson – Guitars, backing vocals

Martin Mendez – Bass guitar

Waltteri Väyrynen – Drums and percussion

Joakim Svalberg – Keyboards, backing vocals

Special Guests:

Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) - spoken word (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7) // flute (tracks 4, 7)

Joey Tempest (Europe) - backing vocals (track 2)

Mirjam Åkerfeldt - spoken word (track 1)

All Music and Lyrics written by Mikael Åkerfeldt

Lyrical concept by Mikael Åkerfeldt, dramatic consultation by Klara Rönnqvist Fors

Produced by Mikael Åkerfeldt

Co-produced by Opeth and Stefan Boman

Engineered by Stefan Boman, Joe Jones and Opeth

Mixing by Stefan Boman and Mikael Åkerfeldt and Opeth at Atlantis and Hammerthorpe, Stockholm, Sweden

Mastering and vinyl lacquer cut by Miles Showell at Abbey Road studios, London, UK

Strings conducted by Dave Stewart at Angel Studios, London, UK

Strings arrangement by Mikael Åkerfeldt and Dave Stewart

Drum technicalities by Kit Cunningham

Artwork by Travis Smith with directions from Mikael Åkerfeldt

Biography by Dom Lawson

THE HAUNTED Announces New Full-Length, Launches Video for New Single, "Warhead"

March 24, 2025

Swedish deadly thrash metal purveyors THE HAUNTED are back with a bang! Following eight long years since the release of 2017's much acclaimed studio album, 'Strength in Numbers,' THE HAUNTED is now pleased to announce its 10th studio album, 'Songs of Last Resort,' which will be released worldwide on May 30, 2025 via longtime partners Century Media Records.

To celebrate the release, the band is now unleashing the pummeling first single, "Warhead," along with a video, which was directed by Patric Ullaeus (In Flames, Arch Enemy, Dimmu Borgir, etc.). The clip can be found below.

Vocalist Marco Aro comments on the song, “This is the first single of our new album, 'Songs of Last Resort.' The song is called 'Warhead' and it’s an aggressive statement about the absolute horrors of the world we now have to live in!"

Guitarist Jensen adds, “When writing this song, I knew that we were on to writing a good album. The main riff came to me at work, and I had to take the afternoon off that day to immediately get it recorded and worked on while the inspiration from this one riff was still creating goosebumps. Lyrics are about various people in charge being 'warheads,' thriving in one way or another off of waging war. The intro sound FX were created together with Örjan Örnkloo (ex-Misery Loves Company, who also performs on ‘To Bleed Out’ and the title track ‘Letters of Last Resort’). I think it’s not a stretch to say that this song stand a real chance of becoming a fixture of our live set for many years to come…”

Lineup:

Ola Englund – rhythm & lead guitar

Jonas Björler – bass, backing vocals

Marco Aro – lead vocals

Adrian Erlandsson – drums

Jensen – rhythm guitar

Cover Artwork: Andreas “Diaz” Pettersson

Music recorded by Oscar Nilsson at Studio Bohus

Main vocals recorded by Björn Strid at The Cellar Studio

Mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios

- Black LP & Poster (Unlimited)

- Ltd. transp. red LP & Poster (500x copies, available from www.cmdistro.de & various other retailers)

- Ltd. transp. petrol green LP & Poster (300x copies, available from various retailers in Europe)

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