Sowulo Chase the Dying Light on "Sōl ond Māni"

July 30, 2025

For the past 15 years, Faber Horbach has traced our connection with the sun through the music of Sowulo, but his upcoming concept album journeys into darkness. Written while grieving the loss of both his father and stepfather, the new single from NIHT is a mythopoetic lament. Looking to Norse cosmology, "Sōl ond Māni" explores the loss of both light and life by using a broken instrument to give death a voice.

Watch the video for "Sōl ond Māni" below.

NIHT comes out August 29 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order
https://orcd.co/sowuloniht

Pre-save on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/6MwgfM76MaUNqyFL8ImNAo

Sowulo will make their grand return to Castlefest this Friday, August 1.

"Sōl ond Māni" takes inspiration from Scandinavian mythology. Carried along over a slow pounding of drums by carnyx, tagelharpa and other ancestral instruments, grieving vocals tell the story of the Sun and the Moon being chased by two mythological wolves until the time of Ragnarök. Moving from whispered incantation to feral howl, the song descends into a place where myth, memory and mourning coalesce.

"The wolves will catch the sun and moon when that fated time comes and their light will spill like blood until there will be no light left", Horbach says. "This will leave the world in fimbulwinter, when only darkness and conflict remains".

Last year, Horbach lost both his father and stepfather. Their absence echoes throughout "Sōl ond Māni" through the sawing strings of a broken Nyckelharpa. This fiddle-like instrument accidentally fell onto the ground following one of Sowulo's live performances. "Writing this song became a way to give the death of this instrument a voice", Horbach continues. "To let it sing through its brokenness and turn that into something meaningful".

The music video for “Sōl ond Māni” was filmed and directed by Vincent de Fallois. Color grading was done by Micky Huijsmans

Sowulo is the evocative musical work of Faber Horbach, blending the spiritual philosophy of ancient Northern Europe with the continuous cycles of the universe.

Through the use of a wide array of historical instruments, melancholic melodies, and philosophical lyrics in Anglo-Saxon, Sowulo crafts an immersive sonic landscape that invites listeners to embark on an inner journey.

Weaving together the sounds of instruments like the Carnyx, Nyckelharpa, Celtic Harp, Shaman drums, Blow horns, Irish Bouzouki, Taglharpa, Lyre, Viola and various traditional vocal techniques, Sowulo shapes its distinctive sound.

The name "Sowulo," meaning "Sun" in Proto-Germanic, reflects the essence of the music. As we circle the sun, we feel the cyclical nature of life: day and night, the four seasons, birth and death, and the eternal dance between decay and renewal.

᛫ ᛇ ᚩ ᚹ ᚢ ᛚ ᚩ ᛫

Line-up:
Faber Horbach| Vocals, Throat singing, Nyckelharpa, Carnyx, Irish bouzouki, Percussion, Synths & VST
Micky Huijsmans| Vocals
Chloe Bakker| Celtic triplett harp
Maria Angeles Chaparro Fuentes| Viola
Rikke Linssen| Violin
Heleen de Jonge| Cello
Tessa van Genderen| Carnyx, Bukkehorn, Blowhorns
Bart van den Brink| Taglharpa
Tim Elfring| Small percussion

Production Credits:
Recorded at Lil’ Heaven Studios, Arnhem, The Netherlands
Produced by Faber Horbach
Recorded by Faber Horbach & Alain Kalender
Mixed by Fieke van den Hurk & Marie de Koning at DearWorld Studio and Studio MDK
Mastered by Erwin Maas at eMastering

Cover Art:
Album & artwork concept |Faber Horbach
Line artwork and graphic design development |Micky Huijsmans
Graphic design |Travis Smith

Photography:
Sannamari Sallmén
Aldwin Lehr

Pre-save on Spotify: https://orcd.co/sowuloniht

Follow Sowulo:
Official website:https://www.sowulo.nl/home
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sowulo.music
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Sowulo
Bandcamp:https://sowulo.bandcamp.com/
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/sowuloofficial
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/4BkdqpIEhl0tKZ5xpAo5pR
Songkick:https://www.songkick.com/artists/9118989-sowulo/calendar
DoomStar roster:https://doomstarbookings.com/artists/sowulo/

Beyond Creation Announce 15th Anniversary Tour

July 28, 2025

Before appearing out of the Canadian woodwork back in 2011, Beyond Creation had already undergone multiple permutations. But with the band's full-length debut, the Montréal four-piece quickly revealed themselves as the next evolution in technical death metal. With microscopic precision, The Aura splices together classic brutality and prog's insatiable curiosity with a refreshing knack for melody. The resulting triple helix has been encoded in the genre's DNA ever since.

As they prepare to return to the recording lab for the first time since being nominated for a JUNO Award, today, Beyond Creation are announcing a special tour to commemorate the 15th anniversary of The Aura. This tour marks the first time that the band will perform the entire album in full.

"15 years ago, The Aura marked the beginning of our sonic journey", says vocalist and guitarist Simon Girard. "We're beyond hyped to bring this album back to life on stage, in its entirety, for the very first time. It carved a lasting legacy into the heart of the technical death metal scene. We promise to bring every riff, every blast, every nuance roaring back to life at full intensity in celebration of where it all began and everything we've built together since. The Aura awakens. Join us!"

Dates and cities for this tour will be announced soon.

The Aura is now available on Season of Mist.

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

In 2026, Beyond Creation will celebrate The Aura with a special 15th anniversary tour.

Current 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:www.beyondcreationofficial.com
https://
Bandcamp:beyondcreation.bandcamp.com/
http://
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/3HBOxN9iagI9Ot1kTHpPX8
Apple Music:https://music.apple.com/us/artist/beyond-creation/431171265
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/BeyondCreationOfficial
Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/beyondcreationofficial/

Stoned Jesus Shine Mightily on "Shadowland"

July 23, 2025

Whether climbing to doomy peaks or bouldering through a radio-friendly banger, over the course of the past decade and a half, Stoned Jesus have left a mark on the world of rock as true trailblazers. "Five albums in, the band have grown well beyond their monolithic roots", wrote Doom Charts, who named their last album one of the 2023's best.

This year, following a successful showing at Hellfest and ahead of their long-awaited return to Latin America, Stoned Jesus are embarking on their most expansive journey yet. Songs to Sun is the first in an upcoming trilogy of albums that promises to take these heavy progressive rockers to the dark side of the moon and back. While well-marked by their mind-melting heaviness, the album's lead single is haunted by shadows of doubt. But on "Shadowland", frontman Igor Sydorenko and his new mates outrun their demons with fresh twists and the catchiest hooks of their career.

"This song is about finding solid ground amidst the instability of the past few years", Sydorenko says. "The opening hook screams Alice In Chains, while the pulsating verses evoke Mastodon at their poppiest. And the climax is something else entirely!"

Watch the high-speed video for "Shadowland" below.

Songs to Sun comes out September 19, 2025 on Season of Mist.

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

Pre-save on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/4CYNwXVJHZn9MMtOIvLApx?si=KvumqJJMQFuZhiPMEA5lBA

Fans of Stoned Jesus will catch nods to Seven Thunders Roar and The Harvest along the heavy path paved by Songs to Sun. Though the video opens with the band only coming into frame, "Shadowland" is clearly their vision. A grungy riff slithers over a mountainous bass line scooped out by newest member Andrew Rodin. Fellow newcomer Yurii Ciel snaps into a hi-hat strut, greasing the way for Sydorenko to slide into the band's catchiest guitar lick since "Here Come The Robots".

"Each album in our upcoming trilogy highlights a different phase to Stoned Jesus", Sydorenko says. "Songs to Sun shows off our heavier, more aggressive side".

Stoned Jesus' new single does ride to a mean, road-burning groove. But "Shadowland" has some new tricks tucked between its blinding hooks. "We love to take influences from other musical genres", says Sydorenko. "I like prog rock, while Andrew and Yurii like everything from black metal to hip-hop and folk". As the band wind their way back to the song's shout-aloud chorus, first, they must sift through a glowing mist cast by a gothic spell of keys.

An existential shadow hangs over Songs to Sun. The album reflects on the unstable ground that Sydorenko navigated after the band's previous lineup dissolved. Like the mysterious figures that creep and crawl around every corner of the video, insecurity looms over "Shadowland"."Ground under my feet is / Turning to quicksand", Sydorenko sings right before the compressed bridge cuts out. But even when shrouded by depression, Stoned Jesus are guided by the spirit of innovation. Right as their new lineup comes fully into focus at the end of the video, the song's closing sprint breaks toward the light with a high-powered fusion of pop melodies and headbanging prog.

"There's a constant sense of instability that seeps through the lyrics of Songs to Sun", Sydorenko says, "but experimenting with the music is what helps give our lives a solid foundation".

The video for "Shadowland" was produced by Pirate Shot (@pirateshotcreation)

Additional video credits
Directed and edited by Olivier Terrade
Camera work by Olivier Terrade and Onur Cinar
Special effects by Nicolas Stenger
Actor - Philip P. Coffey

Songs to Sun is the first album in a forthcoming trilogy that once complete, will stand as the pinnacle of what's been a decades-long trip for Stoned Jesus. While picking up where Father Light left off, Sydorenko and his new mates still nod to Seven Thunders Roar and The Harvest along the way. But by merging metal's fiery intensity with mind-melting grooves, vintage prog and their catchiest choruses yet, they bring the many distinct phases of Stoned Jesus to a bright, burning head.

Lineup
Igor Sydorenko - Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keyboards
Andrew Rodin - Bass, Backing Vocals
Yurii Ciel - Drums, Backing Vocals

Production Credits
Produced by Igor Sydorenko
Recorded by Ignancy Gruzecki
Mixed and Mastered by Karl Daniel Lidén at Studio Tri-Lamb, Sweden

Recording Studio
Monochrom Studio in Poland

Cover Art
Vadym "Karaska" Karasiov

Pre-order
https://orcd.co/stonedjesussongtosun

Pre-save on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/4CYNwXVJHZn9MMtOIvLApx?si=KvumqJJMQFuZhiPMEA5lBA

Available Formats
Digital Download
CD Digipack
12" Vinyl (Black)
12" Vinyl (Black and White Marbled)
12" Vinyl (Translucent Blue, Black and White Marbled)
12" Vinyl (Silver and Black Splatters)
12" Vinyl (Yellow with Blue Splatters)

Follow Stoned Jesus:
https://linktr.ee/stonedjesusband
https://music.apple.com/sg/artist/stoned-jesus/396799004
https://open.spotify.com/artist/23lyMLxYNPS15hpVvFNptR
instagram.com/stonedjesusband
http://facebook.com/stonedjesusband
twitter.com/stonedjesusband
https://www.tiktok.com/@stonedjesusband
youtube.com/c/StonedJesus
stonedjesus.bandcamp.com

Thy Catafalque Release Live Video Ahead of First Latin American Tour

July 21, 2025

Even when it was only thought of as a studio project, Thy Catafalquehad a vision that extends beyond borders and boundaries. Over the past two decades, Hungarian mastermind Tamás Kátai and his growing cast of collaborators have brought the deadly art of extreme metal into close conversation with the avant-garde.

"XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek is a feast for the ears", New Noise wrote in a 5 star review of Thy Catafalque's latest opus. "[it's] a celebration of the powers of music, bursting to express itself in whatever form it chooses to inhabit. An album to inexorably fall in love with".

Now, fresh off their debuts at Hellfest and Kilkim Žaibu, followed by a resounding return in front of their home crowd at Fishing on Orfű, Thy Catafalque are preparing to tour Latin America for the very first time. As the group prepare to ignite crowds from Mexico to Argentina, today, they are releasing a live video from last year's hometown performance of the most chilling epic off their dark and dreamy twelfth album.

"This is a massive step-up for Thy Catafalque", Kátai says. "We are very excited to play for our fans in places where we've never gone before".

Watch Thy Catafalque perform "Ködkirály" live at Dürer Kert Below

XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek (The Beautiful Dreams Are Yet to Come) is out now on Season of Mist.

Order & Stream

https://orcd.co/thycatafalquexiiagyonyorualmokezutanjonnek

Heading into Thy Catafalque's twelfth album, Tamás Kátai set out to make a straightforward metal record. But A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek wound up taking him on another surreal headtrip.

In English, "Ködkirály" translates to "King of Fog". The song unfolds somewhere between dreams and nightmares. Martina Veronika Horváth and Ivett Dudás rise amidst cosmic synths like fog beneath a sinking moon. Their chilling cleans left the sold-out crowd at the influential Hungarian underground venue completely mesmerized. With his deep rippling bass lines, Kátai only deepens the spell.

Of course, Thy Catafalque aren't ones to leave their fans in suspense. Halfway through "Ködkirály", a death metal riff comes thundering down from the blackened sky. When dueling guitarists Zoltán Vigh and Krisztián Varga unfurl a procession of gloomy tremolo picking, it's harrowingly clear that the king has come. "Hullj, nehéz eső / Fall, heavy rain", roars Gábor Dudás, commanding the group's many followers to bang their heads.

Get tickets to see Thy Catafalque: https://thy-catafalque.hu/live.html

The video for "Ködkirály" was recorded on November 23, 2024 at Dürer Kert, Budapest, Hungary.

Additional video credits
Audio mixed and mastered by Gábor Vári at Miracle Sound Szeged.
Live sound and recording by Péter Csobánczi.
Video recorded by Carbon Head Production.
Video edited and post-production by Péter Lerch / Carbon Head Production.

Martina Veronika Horváth - vocals
Ivett Dudás - vocals
Gábor Dudás - vocals
Bálint Bokodi - vocals
Krisztián Varga - guitar
Zoltán Vigh - guitar
Tamás Kátai - bass
Árpád Szenti - drums

Thy Catafalque's twelfth album looks back longingly at the past, but Tamás Kátai isn't stopping to smell the roses. With A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek, he shows that the beautiful dreams are yet to come. 2025 will see Thy Catafalque make their debut on the world's biggest stages - from Hellefest and Kilkim Žaibu to Rockstadt Extreme and Alcatraz Festival - before embarking on their first-ever tour of Latin America.

Recording Lineup
Tamás Kátai – guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards, programming

Guest musicians
Martina Veronika Horváth – vocals on Track 1, 6
Ivett Dudás – vocals on Track 8
Helga Kreiter – vocals on Track 4, 10
Gábor Dudás – vocals on Track 2, 5, 6, 10
Bálint Bokodi – vocals on Track 2, 4, 9
Gábor Veres – vocals on Track 3, 8
Attila Bakos – vocals on Track 1
Zoltán Kónya – vocals on Track 3
András Vörös – vocals on Track 4
Breno Machado – lead guitar on Track 2
Zoltán Vigh – lead guitar on Track 3
Krisztián Varga – lead guitar on Track 4
Daniele Belli – acoustic guitar on Track 2
Miguel Velasquez Matija – fretless bass on Track 2, 6
Edu Giró – oud, bouzouki, baglama on Track 2,7
Grigoris Mitropoulos – bouzouki, mpaglamas on Track 7
Sanja Smileska – violin on Track 3
Jo Quail – electric cello on Track 8
Issar Shulman – contrabass on Track 2
Cal Rustad – French horn on Track 2, 8
Manuel Domenech – cor anglais on Track 8
Khachatrian Lernik – clarinet on Track 2
Gergő Bille – flugelhorn, trumpet on Track 7
Joakim Toftgaard – trombone, trumpet on Track 7
Fabian Hernandez – saxophone on Track 5
Viktória Varga – narration on Track 3
Annamari Sánta – narration on Track 7, 8

Recording
Recorded in various countries: Hungary, United Kingdom, Romania, Ukraine, Italy, Spain, Greece, North Macedonia, Israel, U.S.A., Colombia, Brazil.

Producer & Sound Engineer
Tamás Kátai, Gábor Vári

Mixing & Mastering
Miracle Sound Szeged, Hungary. Mixed and mastered by Gábor Vári.

Artwork
Front cover by Dániel Szécsényi and Tamás Kátai
Illustrations by Orsolya Pintér.

Follow Thy Catafalque
https://thy-catafalque.hu
https://www.facebook.com/thycatafalque
https://www.instagram.com/thy_catafalque
https://www.youtube.com/user/kataitamas
https://thycatafalque.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4sgTqbA7htxYkRRJBPZIom
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/thy-catafalque/372164196

Mawiza Premiere Defiant New Album ÜL

July 17, 2025

Like smoke from a shaman's pipe, Mawiza have risen as a guiding force for indigenous metal. Integrating tribal rhythms and ancient instruments into groove metal has won these modern day Mapuche warriors respect from the Chilean Grammys and scene elders like Mercyful Fate, Mastodon, Slipknot and Gojira. Now, with their third album and first for Season of Mist, the band are summoning a towering defense of their ancestral land.

"Sung entirely in Mapudungun, it's as thematically enlightening as it is musically distinct", Metal Hammer UK writes about ÜL in an 8/10 review. "...these up-and-comers feel close to fully formed and vital to listen to".

"In a genre that too often forgets its own roots, Mawiza are digging deep into language, into legacy, into land and returning with something eternal", writes Metal Lair. "Not just a great Latin American metal record. One of the year's most important".

ÜL comes out tomorrow, Friday, July 18, but you can hear all nine defiant anthems today by listening to the full album stream below.

Pre-order & Pre-save

https://orcd.co/mawizaul

"ÜL is the voice of the land, the origin of feeling, the first call to connect with emotions", Mawiza says. "Our new album is the materialization of a part of the spirit that, for a few seconds, becomes one with the wind - a force we can hear, feel resonating, communicate with, and return to. It is our indigenous chant, and like smoke, it rises as a message to the skies".

Hear Mawiza perform ÜL during their ongoing European tour with fellow Chilean metalheads Ater.

Mawiza are a force of nature on ÜL. With sky-scraping riffs and earthshaking grooves, these nine chants call for the protection of Mapuche territory. Opening ceremony "Wingkawnoam" stomps to an industrial groove, but the song's bounding rhythm mirrors the way a deer dances while eluding its predators. "History is normally written by the colonizers", the band says. "We have to show the indigenous vision".

Mawiza have seen the Mapuche Nation endure tremendous hardships. With its storming leads and blood-pumping chants, "Ngulutu" echoes the ancient battles between the Spanish and Mapuche by channeling the strength of the Mapocho and Maipo rivers. Half of the video for “Mamüll Reke” was filmed on Mapuche territory in southern Chile, outside the city of Valdivia, that is now controlled by two timbre companies.

But the band are steeled by the resistance of not only their Mapuche ancestors but also their land. Soaring above the clouds with brightly piercing flute, "Mamüll Reke" draws its harmonious energy from a mournful Afafan war cry. "Mamüll reke / Lhalu witxan / Afafalen / Lhayaiñ ka (Just like the tree / that dies standing / chanting the war cry / we will die too)".

"The Mapuche are still standing", Mawiza's vocalist and guitarist Awka says. "You can cut us down, but if one falls, ten shall rise".

Lineup
Awka - Lead vocals & rhythm guitar
Karü - Lead guitar & backing vocals
Zewü - Bass & backing vocals
Txalkan - Drums & percussion

Guest musicians
Fabiola Hidalgo (Liquen) contributes vocals to "Wingkawnoam", "Pinhza Ñi pewma", "Ngulutu" and "Mamüll reke"

Joe Duplantier (Gojira) contributes vocals to "Ti Inan Paw-Pawkan"

Recording Studio
Estudio del Sur in Chile

Producer
Pancho Arenas

Sound & Mixing Engineer
Pancho Arenas

Mastering Studio
West West Side Music

Mastering Engineer
Alan Douches

Cover Art
Kata Ulloa

Booking information
Europe: juan@thatmusicagency.com
Rest of the World: unai@cowboymusic.agency

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

Follow Mawiza
Bandcamp: https://mawizakvlt.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mawizakvlt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mawizakvlt
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mawizakvlt
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4oJP24bXA2fbdVmNGNmCtt
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mawizakvlt
Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mawiza/1653435953

Follow Season Of Mist:
Online: http://www.season-of-mist.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/seasonofmistofficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seasonofmistofficial
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SeasonofMist

Der Weg Einer Freiheit Release Haunting New Single 'Eos'

July 16, 2025

German black metal visionaries Der Weg Einer Freiheit are unveiling “Eos” as the lead single from their upcoming sixth album Innern. The song is a visceral meditation on destruction and renewal; it adopts the voice of a fallen soldier, whose final hope is to become one with the earth, a vessel for life rather than a casualty of violence.

Watch the music video for “Eos” Below;

Innern comes out September 12th on Season of Mist.

Pre-order

https://orcd.co/derwegeinerfreiheitinnern

Pre-save on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/46CJu30XN9wGChOsoHEJCm

On Innern, Der Weg Einer Freiheit continue their evolution as one of the most emotionally resonant voices in modern black metal. Anchored in existential introspection and produced entirely by the band’s vocalist and guitarist Nikita Kamprad, the album presents six tracks that move from disintegration to reckoning and renewal.

“Eos” stands at the heart of the album’s journey. The song reminds us that from the grave of war, life returns rooted in sorrow, reaching toward light. Its journey begins in restraint, with guitars echoing in mournful dialogue. Then a pulse emerges beneath, a low-end rumble of bass accompanied by the drums’ ritualistic cadence. From this stillness, the track bursts into a maelstrom. Searing guitars and a punishing rhythm come together, presenting black metal at its most unrelenting. Kamprad’s anguished vocals tie the violence to its aftermath, rendering grief inseparable from transformation.

Within Innern, “Eos” functions as both accusation and elegy. The song reflects on nature’s quiet, uncompromising justice. Over time, life stirs in silence; the red, blood-soaked soil gives way to green. The Earth begins to dance once more. During the song’s final act, the war’s architect is overtaken by the same regenerative force, dragged down from his throne and absorbed into the soil.

The video for “Eos” was directed and produced by Paloosa Productions.

In light of their introspective new journey, Der Weg Einer Freiheit are embarking on a headlining tour of Europe this fall in support of Innern. Next year, the band will finally make their long-awaited return to the U.S. with their first-ever performance at Maryland Deathfest.

Der Weg Einer Freiheit stand now at the peak of a fifteen-year evolution.Their music is as concerned with silence as it is with sound, as shaped by introspection as by fury. As they prepare to bring Innern to European stages in autumn 2025, they do so not as provocateurs of extremity, but as artists navigating the fragile space between collapse and clarity. In a genre often defined by spectacle, Der Weg Einer Freiheit remain committed to vulnerability, transformation, and truth.

Lineup

Nikita Kamprad – Vocals, Guitars

Nicolas Rausch – Guitars

Alan Noruspur – Bass

Tobias Schuler – Drums

Production Credits
Recorded, mixed & mastered in Würzburg, Germany by Nikita Kamprad.
Drums recorded separately at Studio Weißmann, Würzburg, Germany.

Cover Art
Design & layout by Max Löffler (https://maxloeffler.com/)

Photography
Mario Schmitt

Pre-order & Pre-save

https://orcd.co/derwegeinerfreiheitinnern

Follow Der Weg Einer Freiheit:

Official Website: https://derwegeinerfreiheit.de/

Bandcamp: https://derwegeinerfreiheit.bandcamp.com/

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/derwegeinerfreiheit

Instagram: http://instagram.com/derwegeinerfreiheit

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/derwegeinerfreiheit

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7e823b0KQoVtLG86Ui5xGD

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/der-weg-einer-freiheit/363526020

Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/1386896

Tidal: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/4479035

Seth Cover Serge Gainsbourg

July 14, 2025

French black metal vanguard SETH are unveiling a radical reinterpretation of Serge Gainsbourg’s infamous 1968 ode to Brigitte Bardot. Originally steeped in orchestral melancholy and sensual decadence, Seth’s cover of “Initials B.B.” emerges as a ceremonial descent through the fractured heart of post-Christian France—a realm haunted by divine absence, erotic delirium and the relics of fallen gods.

Watch the music video for “Initials B.B.” below:

Seth’s latest album La France des Maudits is out now on Season of Mist.

Order & Stream

https://orcd.co/sethlafrancesdesmaudits

“Initials B.B.” emerges as a new chapter in Seth’s ongoing rite of desecration. Falling on Bastille Day and the first anniversary of the French black metal institution’s latest album, the song deepens the image that the band have been conjuring of a France scorched by desire and spiritual collapse. As the republic recalls its hour of uprising, the band conjure another insurrection: one of shadows and silhouettes, where sound and image bleed together in an unholy communion.

As with the iconoclastic cosmology of La France des Maudits, Seth reimagine Brigette Bardot. In their blackened visage, she is as a mythic seductress, a corrupted Marianne veiled in red, muse to apostasy and forbidden glamour. Where Gainsbourg once sighed, the band now roars, threading the actresses memory into the album’s scarlet lineage of insurgent saints, diabolical poets and cast-out lovers.

The video for “Initials B.B.” was created by Pierre Reynard (@pierrereynard)

Prepare to march beneath the banner unfurled by SETH, in the grand tradition of those unyielding souls who once stormed the Bastille and dared to dream of a world remade. La France des Maudits beckons - not to the gallows, but to glory.

Lineup:
Heimoth - Keyboards, Guitars (Sinsaenum)
Alsvid - Drums (ex-Enthroned, Ad Patres)
EsX - Bass (Arkhon Infaustus, ex-Merrimack)
Saint Vincent - Vocals (Black Lodge)
Pierre Le Pape - Keyboards (Melted Space)
Drakhian - Guitars (ex-Loudblast, Griffar)

Recording Studio:
Sainte Marthe Studio

Production Credits:
Mixed, produced & mastered by Francis Caste

Cover Art:
Andy Julia (Photography)

Order & Stream: https://orcd.co/sethlafrancesdesmaudits

Follow Seth:
Official Website: https://www.innomineseth.fr/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/innomineseth
Instagram: https://instagram.com/sethblackmetal
Bandcamp: http://innomineseth.bandcamp.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0mZohnzbCiVv54VIEA6Wb7
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/56150
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/seth/1643927366
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/InNomineSethOfficial
ReverbNation: https://www.reverbnation.com/innomineseth

Impureza Premiere New Album 'Alcázares'

July 10, 2025

Impureza first lit the torch for flamenco death metal more than a decade ago. But the band’s new album finds these conquistadors charging to the front line of extreme metal armed with crushing riffs, brutal growls, fiery acoustic flourishes and daring classical orchestra.

“These guys clearly know how to build upon each other’s strengths, and it has resulted in some spectacular music moments”, writes Kevy Metal, who named Alcázares their album of the week

Alcázares comes out tomorrow, Friday, July 11, but you can hear all 11 boundary-pushing tracks today by listening to the full album stream below.

Pre-order & Pre-save

https://orcd.co/impurezaalcazares

Conceptually rooted in the Spanish Reconquista, Alcázares unfolds as a fantastical and historic epic. The album channels the collapse of Islamic Iberia and the merciless rise of Christian dominion. Impureza fuse brutal death metal with flamenco guitar, orchestral arrangements and Spanish growls into a sonic Alcázar, where the sacred and savage co-exist.

Lead single “Pestilencia” zooms in on the Black Death’s march across Hispania. Riffing tremolos and hammer-blown blast beats lock horns with bulería-tinged acoustic guitar that flare upon castle stone. Amidst desert heat, “La Orden del Yelmo Negro” ignites in a blaze of riffs, flamenco flourishes and drum fill fury. Opener “Verdiales” pays a fleet-fingered tribute to the folk traditions of Málaga. Then with the draw of their axe blades, “Bajo las Tizonas de Toledo” sparks a blistering retelling of the legendary Spanish hero El Cid.

Recorded and mixed by Sébastien Camhi at Studio Artmusic and mastered by Jacob Hansen, Alcázares is elevated by guest contributions from Xavier Hamon (percussion) and Louis Viallet (orchestration).

With Alcázares, Impureza have carved their boldest statement to date: an ode to a violent past, where the sword and cross meet in a storm of steel and ash.

IMPUREZA is a Hispanic metal band formed in 2004 by guitarist Lionel Cano Muñoz from Orléans. Their music is distinguished by a unique fusion of extreme metal and Spanish sounds inspired by Andalusian culture and flamenco, creating an atypical style known as Hispanic Metal. IMPUREZA remains an innovative project in the international metal scene, making it a pioneer of the genre.

The entire concept of the band revolves around the voluptuousness of Latin atmospheres, the ferocity of metal, and Spanish culture and history, explored through a fictional and esoteric aspect. Their compositions feature both clean and guttural vocals sung in the language of Cervantes, flamenco guitar, acoustic fretless bass, extreme metal, and orchestral arrangements that evoke the colors of Spain. The very essence of their music lies in the duality between two seemingly opposed musical genres, which, through clever composition, give birth to a new and avant-garde style. Their fiery music is literally the union of traditional Hispanic folklore and extreme metal. These metal warriors brandish their Iberian sounds as weapons with pride. This ingenious alliance is matched only by the singular and unprecedented creative originality of its founder Lionel Cano Muñoz and his compañero Esteban Martín, both of Spanish nationality. IMPUREZA’s conquistadors draw inspiration from their strong identity, which defines the band's very essence. IMPUREZA's members are also influenced by many Spanish artists such as flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía and gypsy singer Camarón de la Isla, as well as bands like Behemoth, Morbid Angel, Krisiun, and Fleshgod Apocalypse, among others.

Let the conquistadors of IMPUREZA lead you into their realm and immerse you in Spanish culture with a groundbreaking musical concept — the one and only fierce guardians of Hispanic Metal!

SOMOS IMPUREZA!

Line-up:
Esteban Martín – All Vocals
Lionel Cano Muñoz – Rhythm, Lead & Spanish Guitars
Florian Saillard – Fretless Bass
Guilhem Auge – Drums

Follow Impureza:
Website: http://www.impureza.eu/
Bandcamp: https://impureza.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Impurezaconquista
Instagram: https://instagram.com/impurezaofficial
Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/ImpurezaBand
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLkOMYXI-_teRnaDCs1ho8A
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/1195314
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3YA9Uqs38ZD6Lg2q66PVw9
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/impureza/422671948

Cryptopsy Premiere Short Film

July 9, 2025

Additional video credits

Cryptopsy
Matt McGachy
Flo Mounier
Christian Donaldson
Oli Pinard

Actress
Lisa McCormack

Steadycam
Franz Stapelberg

Lighting
Giuseppe Calvinisti

Makeup
Ruby Pearls

Recording, Mixing & Mastering
Christian Donaldson

Assistant Mixing
Dominic Grimard

Extras
Stéphane Dèls
Philippe Langelier
Odin Langelier
Paul Zinay
Jean-Francois Boivin
Jeff Mott
Naenia Lavoie
Philippe Brousseau
Liz Imperiale
Mihaela Petrescu
Christophe Gagné
Jason Greenberg
Martin Gendreau
Nicolas Lauzon
Philippe McGinnis
Timothy Liam Gallaher-Maselli
Tina Gallaher
Caleb Purtell
Maxime St-Pierre
Guillaume N.
Charly
Pras
Andrew Paré
Pierre-François Bouchard

With Cryptopsy’s latest career renaissance showing no signs of slowing down, the recent accolades are only the beginning. An Insatiable Violence reaches a new peak in a career loaded with them.

Lineup
Flo Mounier - Drums
Matt McGachy - Vocals
Christian Donaldson - Guitar
Oli Pinard - Bass

Recording, Mixing & Mastering Studio
Christian Donaldson’s Studio

Production, Sound & Mixing Engineer
Christian Donaldson

Guest Musicians
Mike DiSalvo performs vocals on "Embrace the Nihility"

Cover Art
Martin Lacroix

Photography
Maciej Pieloch

Biography
Adrien Begrand

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

Booking agents
USA - Continental Touring

www.continentaltouring.us

Europe - Avocado Booking
http://www.avocadobooking.com/

Follow Cryptopsy
Bandcamp:https://cryptopsyofficial.bandcamp.com/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/cryptopsyofficial
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/cryptopsyofficial/
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/29PgYwTelpNl6370XLqFtN
Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/@CryptopsyDeathMetal
BandsInTown:https://www.bandsintown.com/a/2941-cryptopsy

While only a year removed from winning a JUNO Award, Cryptopsy are already outdoing themselves. The most vile band in death metal have graced the cover of Decibel and snatched Metal Injection's Artist of the Month, leading metal maniacs to quickly devour their latest offering. An Insatiable Violence has amassed more than one million streams while vaulting to #9 on the Billboard Current Hard Music Album chart in Canada. So of course, they still have another shocking treat hidden up their longsleeves.

Over the past four months, Cryptopsy have been revealing their new album's eerily prescient vision through a steady, albeit unsettling stream of cryptic video clips. "When we were thinking of a unique way to promote An Insatiable Violence, Flo came up with a killer concept of sharing one part from each song before the album came out", says the band's vocalist Matt McGachy. "We ended up expanding on that idea by using those pieces to create a short film".

Today, in honor of their latest malicious mutation, the band are premiering the full short film for An Insatiable Violence with their fellow Canadian horror fiends at Rue Morgue.

"The concept of the film for An Insatiable Violence is about a person that desperately wants to be a popular social media influencer", McGachy continues. "The scenes dance through the protagonist’s day-to-day relationship with content creation and how their audience reacts to it. It’s an insatiable violence and a truly saddening reality of humanity’s relationship with social media".

Watch the short film for An Insatiable Violence below.

An Insatiable Violence is out now on Season of Mist.

Order & Stream
https://orcd.co/cryptopsyaninsatiableviolence

The concept behind Cryptopsy's ninth album appeared to vocalist Matt McGachy in a dream. But An Insatiable Violence mirrors our all-too-real addiction to social media. The short film documents the blistering rise and brutal downfall of an influencer. As the band tear through a medley composed from the many headbanging grooves that highlight all eight new tracks, our heroine stomachs the rising cost of fame, only to end up paying the ultimate price.

"The life of content creators can be far more detrimental compared to day-to-day social media users" McGachy says. "The short film weaves between the audience worshiping the protagonist, losing interest, turning against her and eventually just ignoring her efforts. In a last ditch effort for attention the protagonist takes her own life in the search of eternal fame".

The short film for An Insatiable Violence was written and directed by Christopher Kells.

"Creating an 8-part mini series for Cryptopsy’s An Insatiable Violencewas no easy task", Kells says. "Matt and I cultivated stories based off of his lyrics and decided to give an awkward and uncomfortable view into a fictitious influencer's mind.

"The videos explore the grotesque and isolating effects of digital culture, influencer obsession and the decay of self-worth in a hyper-connected world. Actress Lisa McCormack dove right into the character development and gave it her all as our influencer. The fast-paced imagery and visuals mirror the psychological descent of an online persona from idolized content creator to digital burnout and eventual madness.

"Everyone involved — from the crew to the cast — brought an incredible level of focus and professionalism to the shoot. There was a shared understanding that we were there and focused to create something truly strange, visceral and creatively unhinged. That energy was essential to me not only as a director but as a fan of the band and it mirrored the chaotic intensity and experimental spirit of Cryptopsy’s music".

Green Carnation Announce New Album 'The Shores of Melancholia'

July 8, 2025

No matter how long or where the journey has taken them, Green Carnation have always sought to climb the highest mountains. While founded by Emperor's former bassist Tchort in the early '90s, the Norwegians quickly amassed a cult following while blazing their own trail through fields of symphonic doom, hard rock, acoustic plucking and progressive metal.

Had they never returned from hiatus during the mid-2000s, this band would've been remembered for completing one of the most ambitious individual epics in metal's vaunted archives. And yet, one mighty tale - or three, to be exact - continued to elude them. That is, until now. Two decades removed from its initial conception, Green Carnation have finally completed their masterpiece.

Today, the prog auters are announcing the first part of A Dark Poem, a grand and gloomy album trilogy that was inspired by Arthur Rimbaud's dreamy ode to Shakespeare's Ophelia. The Shores of Melancholiaremains grounded in the band's newfound heavy hooks, but though heavenly to the ears, lead single "In Your Paradise" is awash with doubt over our distorted view of the world.

"We are so excited to announce our long-awaited album trilogy", Green Carnation says. "A Dark Poem promises to take listeners to the highest tops as well as their darkest inner rooms. Its opening chapter begins in a melancholic place that we have long associated with our music".

Watch the video for "In Your Paradise" below:

A Dark Poem, Part I: The Shores of Melancholia comes out September 5, 2025.

Pre-order
https://orcd.co/greencarnationadarkpoem1

Pre-save on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/2o7sN7WqyIQDx96WvqtYUm?si=qoQVyW1ZR9e0cVH3FHPIIg

Green Carnation will premiere all of The Shores of Melancholia live for the first time later this year at ProgPower USA.

The video for "In Your Paradise" was directed and edited by Rikard Amodei.

Additional video credits
Tor Sellevold Solbakken - Camera and color grading
Walter Cortes - Camera
Alexander De Senger - Grip
Stian Urdalen Jonson - Grip
Devin Michael Jonson - Grip
Bjornar Eidet Skutlaberg - Lights
Joakim Stien - Lights
Ruben Lervåg - Set sound
Lars Gunnar Liestøl - Still photos

Green Carnation would like to especially thank Cultiva and Kilden Performing Arts Centre, along with Mike Moen and the crew at LX Design.

Current line-up
Kjetil Nordhus - Vocals
Tchort - Guitar
Bjørn Harstad - Guitar
Stein Roger Sordal - Bass
Endre Kirkesola - Keyboards
Jonathan Alejandro Perez – Drums

Recording line-up
Kjetil Nordhus - Vocals
Bjørn Harstad - Guitar, Effects
Stein Roger Sordal - Bass, Guitars, Keyboards
Endre Kirkesola - Keyboards, Synthesizers, Organs, Effects
Jonathan Alejandro Perez – Drums

Guest Musicians
Ingrid Ose - Flute on “In Your Paradise” & “Me My Enemy”.
Grutle Kjellson (Enslaved) – Harsh Vocals on “The Slave That You Are”.
Henning Seldal – Percussion on “Too Close to the Flame”.

Production Credits
Recorded at DUB Studio in Kristiansand, Norway
Produced by Endre Kirkesola, Stein Roger Sordal & Kjetil Nordhus.
Sound Engineering by Endre Kirkesola.
Mixed by Endre Kirkesola
Mastered by Lawrence Mackrory

Cover Art
Niklas Sundin (https://www.nsundin.com)

Photography
Lars Gunnar Liestøl

Bio
George Pacheco

Pre-order
https://orcd.co/greencarnationadarkpoem1

Pre-save on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/2o7sN7WqyIQDx96WvqtYUm?si=qoQVyW1ZR9e0cVH3FHPIIg

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

Impureza Release Fiery Salute on "Reconquistar Al-Ándalus"

July 8, 2025

Impureza first lit the torch for flamenco death metal more than a decade ago. But the latest single from the Hispanic metal band’s upcoming third album Alcázares fans all the way back to the fall of Granada and the bloodstained ascension of the cross over the Islamic Iberia.

Watch the lyric video for “Reconquistar Al-Ándalus” Below;

Alcázares comes out July 11 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order & Pre-save

https://orcd.co/impurezaalcazares

”Reconquistar Al-Ándalus” is a hymn of fire and faith, where the cross is used as a weapon of reckoning. Driven by relentless double-kick drums and tremolo-picked fury, the latest single from Alcázares evokes the spiritual violence of the Reconquista’s final hour. Flamenco-inflected passages and orchestral accents frame a scene of brutal redemption, as crusading forces advance on the last bastion of Al-Andalus. Guided by Impureza vocalist Esteban Martín, the listener is cast into the role of a Christian zealot who welcomes death and sets ablaze the very memory of the Caliphate—commanding submission, invoking annihilation and swearing dominion beneath the symbol of the cross.

Let the conquistadors of IMPUREZA lead you into their realm and immerse you in Spanish culture with a groundbreaking musical concept — the one and only fierce guardians of Hispanic Metal!

SOMOS IMPUREZA!

Line-up:
Esteban Martín – All Vocals
Lionel Cano Muñoz – Rhythm, Lead & Spanish Guitars
Florian Saillard – Fretless Bass
Guilhem Auge – Drums

Production Credits:
Recorded & mixed by Sébastien Camhi at Studio Artmusic, Les Arc-sur-Argens, France.
Mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios, Ribe, Denmark.

Guest Musicians:
Xavier Hamon – Percussion
Louis Viallet – Orchestration

Cover Art:
Johann Bodin & Xavier Ribeiro

Photography:
© Michel Canavaggia / Mr Cana Photography

Follow Impureza:
Website: http://www.impureza.eu/
Bandcamp: https://impureza.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Impurezaconquista
Instagram: https://instagram.com/impurezaofficial
Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/ImpurezaBand
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLkOMYXI-_teRnaDCs1ho8A
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/1195314
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3YA9Uqs38ZD6Lg2q66PVw9
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/impureza/422671948

Der Weg Einer Freiheit Announce Sixth Album

July 7, 2025

Since forming in 2009, Der Weg Einer Freiheit have carved out a singular place in modern black metal. While rooted in the genre’s foundations, the German band are constantly evolving. On their upcoming sixth album, they look inward with devastating clarity. Having mined the liminal space between wakefulness and dreams on their last critically-acclaimed album, on Innern, Der Weg Einer Freiheir are tunneling even further inward, into collapse, silence and ultimately, transformation.

Innern comes out September 12 on Season of Mist.

“Since writing the very first song in 2007, Der Weg einer Freiheit has been a journey defined by passion, intensity, and a deep commitment to exploring the fragile thresholds of the human psyche through music,” says the band’s frontman and principal songwriter Nikita Kamprad.

“Over the past years, we’ve grown, evolved, and created something we’re incredibly proud of — and now, we’re excited to share the next step with you. Innern, the new album's title, means ‘inward’ in German and perfectly captures the essence of this record: a meditation on suffering, transformation, and the intimate process of personal reckoning and renewal.”

Tethered by visceral aggression and atmospheric grandeur, Innernbalances Der Weg Einer Freiheit’s post-metal restraint with the rawness of black metal’s core. The album was composed and produced by Kamprad, who captured the band’s blistering live show while maintaining their brooding weight. Pulled between Kamprad’s guitar interplay with Nicolas Rausch, Alan Noruspur’s grounding bass presence and Tobias Schuler’s precision drumming, it is as much about restraint as it is about release. Traversing isolation, memory, and the fragile thresholds between dissolution and renewal, Innern urges listeners to confront what lies beneath.

With Innern, Der Weg Einer Freiheit move even deeper into the abyss. Produced, mixed, and mastered by Kamprad in his own studio, the album is an intensely focused work."Eos," the album’s lead single, contrasts war and renewal, imagining a post-human earth fertilized by sacrifice and reclaimed by nature."Marter" follows as a searing portrayal of inner torment and emotional release—suffering not only as a source of agony, but as a path toward transcendence. "Xibalba" then confronts the machinery of fear—media,propaganda, and spiritual fragmentation—urging a return to our collective essence through introspection and clarity. And with "Forlorn," the band delivers their most vulnerable statement yet: a delicate plea for emotional refuge, sung in English to underscore its universality. The album also marks the studio debut of bassist Alan Noruspur, whose presence brings anew emotional and personal depth to the band’s sound.

Musically, Innern leans into contrast and contradiction. Kamprad and Rausch’s guitar interplay oscillates between searing aggression and elegiac restraint. Noruspur’s basslines pulse with warmth and gravity, while Schuler’s drumming remains as meticulous as ever-bridging technicality with emotional nuance. The album's production captures a sense of immediacy and live energy, yet remains rich in detail and atmosphere. It is not merely a refinement of past styles, but are invention—one that places the listener in direct confrontation with the void.

Lineup:

Nikita Kamprad – Vocals, Guitars

Nicolas Rausch – Guitars

Alan Noruspur – Bass

Tobias Schuler – Drums

Production Credits:
Recorded, mixed & mastered in Würzburg, Germany by Nikita Kamprad.
Drums recorded separately at Studio Weißmann, Würzburg, Germany.

Cover Art:
Design & layout by Max Löffler (https://maxloeffler.com/)

Follow Der Weg Einer Freiheit:

Official Website: https://derwegeinerfreiheit.de/

Bandcamp: https://derwegeinerfreiheit.bandcamp.com/

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/derwegeinerfreiheit

Instagram: http://instagram.com/derwegeinerfreiheit

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/derwegeinerfreiheit

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7e823b0KQoVtLG86Ui5xGD

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/artist/der-weg-einer-freiheit/363526020

Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/artist/1386896

Tidal: https://tidal.com/browse/artist/4479035

Sowulo Embrace the Night on New Album 'NIHT'

June 24, 2025

For the past 15 years, Faber Horbach has traced our connection with the sun through the music of Sowulo, but his upcoming concept album, NIHT, journeys into darkness. Written while grieving the loss of both his father and stepfather, lead single "Āsteorfan" ("To Die") is a meditation that, while filled with sorrow, finds that death is not a final resting place, but a portal into spiritual awakening.

Watch the video for "Āsteorfan" Below:

NIHT comes out August 29 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order
https://orcd.co/sowuloniht

Pre-save on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/6MwgfM76MaUNqyFL8ImNAo

“Āsteorfan” marks a threshold in NIHT's conceptual journey through the subconscious, cycles of decay and spiritual teachings of the Moon. The song is grounded in ancient instrumentation and ritualistic textures. Nyckelharpa and carnyx merge with deep percussion and throat singing, creating a sonic terrain that feels both ancestral and sacred. The minimal yet immersive arrangement evokes the inner descent into silence and stillness, offering a moment of surrender that echoes far beyond the self.

The music video for “Āsteorfan” was filmed and directed by Jasper van Gheluwe. Color grading was done by Micky Huijsmans

Sowulo is the evocative musical work of Faber Horbach, blending the spiritual philosophy of ancient Northern Europe with the continuous cycles of the universe.

᛫ ᛇ ᚩ ᚹ ᚢ ᛚ ᚩ ᛫

Line-up:
Faber Horbach| Vocals, Throat singing, Nyckelharpa, Carnyx, Irish bouzouki, Percussion, Synths & VST
Micky Huijsmans| Vocals
Chloe Bakker| Celtic triplett harp
Maria Angeles Chaparro Fuentes| Viola
Rikke Linssen| Violin
Heleen de Jonge| Cello
Tessa van Genderen| Carnyx, Bukkehorn, Blowhorns
Bart van den Brink| Taglharpa
Tim Elfring| Small percussion

Production Credits:
Recorded at Lil’ Heaven Studios, Arnhem, The Netherlands
Produced by Faber Horbach
Recorded by Faver Horbach & Alain Kalender
Mixed by Fieke van den Hurk & Marie de Koning at DearWorld Studio and Studio MDK
Mastered by Erwin Maas at eMastering

Cover Art:
Album & artwork concept |Faber Horbach
Line artwork and graphic design development |Micky Huijsmans
Graphic design |Travis Smith

Photography:
Sannamari Sallmén
Aldwin Lehr

Pre-save & Pre-order: https://orcd.co/sowuloniht
Pre-save on Spotify: https://orcd.co/sowuloniht

Follow Sowulo:
Official website:https://www.sowulo.nl/home
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/sowulo.music
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/Sowulo
Bandcamp:https://sowulo.bandcamp.com/
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/sowuloofficial
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/4BkdqpIEhl0tKZ5xpAo5pR
Songkick:https://www.songkick.com/artists/9118989-sowulo/calendar
DoomStar roster:https://doomstarbookings.com/artists/sowulo/

Mawiza Release Unplugged Version of "Mamüll Reke"

June 23, 2025

Summoning thunderous tribal rhythms and indigenous instruments within the fields of modern metal has earned Mawiza recognition from the Chilean Grammys and respected elders like Mercyful Fate, Mastodon and Slipknot. But this band of modern day warriors are still a force of nature when paired down to their rawest form.

Today, Mawiza are releasing an unplugged version of the latest single off the band's upcoming third album ÜL. Though stripped bare, "Mamüll Reke" still stands in towering defense of their ancestral land.

"Like other songs from ÜL, 'Mamüll Reke' was written in a way that everything could be reduced to melody and kültxung, the Mapuche drum", says Mawiza's vocalist and guitarist Awka. "The melody and lyrics are strong enough to guide the song on their own".

Watch the video for the unplugged version of "Mamüll Reke" below:

ÜL comes out July 18 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order & Pre-save

https://orcd.co/mawizaul

Hear Mawiza perform "Mamüll Reke" and other defiant anthems from ÜLthis summer when they tour Europe this summer alongside fellow Chilean metalheads Ater.

Can't wait to chant along to ÜL? Hear the whole album a week before it comes out by RSVPing for the band's upcoming Bandcamp Listening Party

ÜL Bandcamp Listening Party
Thursday, July 10 @ 1 pm Eastern Time

RSVP
https://mawizakvlt.bandcamp.com/live/l-listening-party

Booking information
Europe: juan@thatmusicagency.com
Rest of the World: unai@cowboymusic.agency

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

Follow Mawiza
Bandcamp: https://mawizakvlt.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mawizakvlt
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mawizakvlt
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mawizakvlt
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4oJP24bXA2fbdVmNGNmCtt
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mawizakvlt
Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/mawiza/1653435953

Cryptopsy Release Filthy Bass Playthrough

June 16, 2025

Just one year after winning a Canadian Grammy, this week, Cryptopsyare officially back with their eerily prescient ninth album. As the most vile band in death metal prepare to tear into An Insatiable Violence, today, their filthy bass player Oli Pinard is releasing a sharp and shiny new playthrough for lead single "Until There's Nothing Left".

Armed with his trusty Spector 5-string, the fleet-fingered Pinard slaps, slides and smacks through the brutal groove of this delicious earworm from An Insatiable Violence. Feast your eyes on his deadly fretwork by peeping the playthrough over at Metal Injection, who recently named Cryptopsy their Artist of the Month.

"It's a tribute to my bass heroes: Steve Harris, Geddy Lee and Steve DiGiorgio", Pinard says about his playing on "Until There's Nothing Left". "I had the idea for the middle part of the song for a long time now. I wrote it during the pandemic without knowing if it would make the cut somewhere. But when I showed my ideas to the guys during one of our writing sessions out on the road, [Christian] Donaldson put his filter on my riffs and made the magic happen!"

The official bass playthrough for "Until There's Nothing Left" was filmed by Emmanuel Pronovost (@Neokosmos) with assistance from audio engineer Dominic Grimard.

Oli Pinard uses Spector Bass, EMG Pickups, Darkglass Electronics, Neural DSP and Ernie Ball strings.

An Insatiable Violence comes out this Friday, June 20 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order

https://orcd.co/cryptopsyaninsatiableviolence

Pre-save on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/68bFcUq3E7rilegbUCwexu?si=56ImYUobTLe2WyguJnMEFQ

Can't wait to devour Cryptopsy's new album? RSVP for this week's Bandcamp Listening Party and hear all eight brutally technical tracks before it comes out.

An Insatiable Violence Bandcamp Listening Party
Thursday, June 17 @ 1:30 pm ET

RSVP
https://cryptopsyofficial.bandcamp.com/merch/an-insatiable-violence-listening-party

In the wake of spreading bloodshed all over Europe with Decapitated, Cryptopsy are now fiending to feast on the new cuts from An Insatiable Violence with their ravenous fans across the U.S.

This fall, the band are joining brutal technical death metal pharaohs Nile on a 25-date tour of the East Coast, Midwest and Pacific Northwest. Joining them on this run are The Last Ten Seconds of Life and Cognitive.

"We are so excited to bring An Insatiable Violence to the United States. It's a pleasure to tour amongst friends and this lineup is incredibly stacked!", Cryptopsy says. "Our new album was written for a live setting. The songs are more brutal and grooving so that people can really latch on and bang their heads".

Cryptopsy's setlist for this tour will pull from the band's latest albums while mixing in revered classics.

The Underworld Awaits Tour USA 2025
September 12 - Raleigh, NC @ Chapel of Bones [TICKETS]
September 13 - Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts [TICKETS]
September 14 - Leesburg, VA @ Tally Ho [TICKETS]
September 16 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Monarch [TICKETS]
September 17 - Hampton, NH @ Wally's [TICKETS]
September 18 - Hartford, CT @ Webster Hall [TICKETS]
September 19 - Lititz, PA @ Mickey's Black Box [TICKETS]
September 20 - Clifton, NJ @ Dingbatz [TICKETS]
September 21 - Rochester, NY @ Montage Music Hall [TICKETS]
September 22 - Cleveland, OH @ Mercury [TICKETS]
September 24 - Detroit, MI @ Sanctuary [TICKETS]
September 25 - Hobart, IN @ Hobart Art Theatre [TICKETS]
September 26 - Madison, WI @ The Annex [TICKETS]
September 27 - Minneapolis, MN @ Studio B Skyway [TICKETS]
September 28 - Belvidere, IL @ Apollo Theater [TICKETS]
September 29 - Sioux Falls, SD @ Bigs Bar [TICKETS]
October 1 - Billings, MT @ Pub Station [TICKETS]
October 3 - Seattle, WA @ El Corazon [TICKETS]
October 4 - Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory [TICKETS]
October 5 - Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory [TICKETS]
October 6 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge [TICKETS]
October 7 - Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater [TICKETS]
October 9 - Des Moines, IA @ Wooly's* [TICKETS]
October 10 - Chicago, IL @ Reggie's* [TICKETS]
October 11 - Indianapolis, IN @ Hi-Fi Annex* [TICKETS]
*Nile, Cryptopsy and Cognitive only

Booking agents
USA - Continental Touring

www.continentaltouring.us

Impureza Pay Fierce Tribute to Reconquistador on New Two-Part Single

June 14, 2025

IMPUREZA are unveiling the latest slice of history off their upcoming third album Alcázares. Structured as a two-part composition, the Hispanic metal band’s new single opens with “Verdiales”, which pays a fleet-fingered tribute to the folk traditions of Málaga. Then with the draw of their axe blades, “Bajo las Tizonas de Toledo” charges into a blistering retelling of the legendary Spanish hero El Cid.

Watch the music video for “Verdiales & Bajo las Tizonas de Toledo” below:

Alcázares comes out July 11 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order & Pre-save

https://orcd.co/impurezaalcazares

Blending Andalusian melodies with the unrelenting force of brutal death metal, Impureza’s latest single serves as a sonic invocation of a legendary Reconquistador. El Cid emerges not just as a historical figure but as a spectral archetype of vengeance and valor, with his mythical sword Tizona at the heart of the song’s ferocity. Carried by flamenco-rooted guitar lines, guttural incantations in raw Castilian, and orchestral swells that frame the narrative with grandeur, the dueling songs set the tone for the album’s exploration of history, faith, and fatalism, where desecrated monasteries, spectral warriors and cursed steel haunt the blood-soaked landscapes of medieval Iberia.

Let the conquistadors of IMPUREZA lead you into their realm and immerse you in Spanish culture with a groundbreaking musical concept — the one and only fierce guardians of Hispanic Metal!

SOMOS IMPUREZA!

Eihwar Announces Tour with The Hu

June 13, 2025

This summer, Eihwar are joining forces with The Hu! The shamanic techno vikings will support the Mongolian rock giants on six electrifying dates across France and Germany. The duo will perform viral hits off their debut album Viking War Trance.

Get tickets

https://www.thehuofficial.com/tour-1

Eihwar have quickly carved out a worldwide reputation thanks to their viral debut and sold-out ritual appearances. Their performances fuse seiðr magic, trance-inducing machines and Nordic percussion into an ecstatic war cry against modern rigidity.

Viking War Trance is out now on Season of Mist

Order & Stream

https://orcd.co/eihwarvikingwartrance

Many bands have explored the Pagan & Norse worlds over the last 15 years seeking atmospheric, acoustic and ritual sounds with great seriousness. This is not the path EIHWAR chose.

Although the musicians of Eihwar are virtuosos in their acoustic traditional instruments, their goal is to bring some fun… and as much chaos as possible during their concerts, provoking the craziest trance on dancefloors. They bring a festive and furious neo-viking music whose primal force is based on technoid machines, mixed with trance vocals, shamanic drums and traditional Nordic sounds. Electronics are a ‘new steel’ for those modern warriors, cold and powerful. As the web already says, the duo is a kind of new ‘Viking Carpenter Brut’.

Thus, Eihwar named the single, the album but also their style of music ‘Viking War Trance’.

“We are heavy drops of rain announcing lightning.
We call for war:
A war waged against our judgments,
Our inner demons, our limits,
Our stiffness of body and mind.
We don’t want our best enemies to spare us
Nor to be spared by those we love.
We invoke a war for our thoughts,
A flamboyant chaos of fire & ice,
Cradle of creation.”

Lineup:

Asrunn: Vocals, Traditional Percussions
Mark - Vocals, Machines

Follow Eihwar:
Website: http://www.eihwar.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eihwar.music
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/eihwar.music
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@eihwar
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@eihwar

Savage Lands Partners with ESP Guitars

June 12, 2025

Just like the trees they're protecting, Savage Lands have roots that run deep. Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren and guitarist-turned-activist Sylvain Demercastel first joined forces in France during the late '90s before reuniting two decades later to form the world's first metal non-profit for biodiversity. Since 2022, their organization has protected more than 100 acres of endangered forest with help from environmentalists and metalheads.

As they prepare once again to bring the metal forest to Hellfest, today, Savage Lands is proud to announce its partnership with ESP Guitars. The two will work together to raise awareness about biodiversity and help fund the preservation projects that Savage Lands is directing in Costa Rica, Europe and Africa.

"Savage Lands is so happy to partner with a great guitar company in ESP. We are looking forward to preparing some nice events and artist collaborations together", Sylvain says. "I was endorsed by ESP when Dirk and I were playing in a band together back in the '90s. I always loved their guitars, so it feels natural for Savage Lands to connect with my instrumental roots!"

To ring in their new partnership, Savage Lands are giving away their very own custom ESP EC Series Guitar. Painted forest green and carved with the Army of the Trees logo, this guitar is the only one of its kind.

For a chance to win this exclusive merch item, purchase a ticket for HellRaffle 2025. Savage Lands will use 100% of the money collected from this raffle to finance another land acquisition like the one they recently purchased in Touraine, France.

Enter HellRaffle 2025
https://pages.gotombola.co/g/GTSQ249?locale=en_US

Other raffle prizes include a NOTOX surfboard and skateboard, drumsticks signed by Dirk Verbeuren and 2 full 4 day passes to Hellfest 2026.

Hellfest is donating one million Euro to Savage Lands after Sylvain and company performed on the main stage at last year's festival.

Savage Lands debut album is out now on Season of Mist. Army of the Trees features members of Arch Enemy, Obituary, Sepultura, Lord of the Lost, Heilung + more!

Order & Stream
https://orcd.co/savagelandsarmyofthetrees

Just listening to Army of the Trees helps support Savage Lands. 100% of the song’s royalties fund the organization's preservation efforts.

The CD Digisleeve for Army of the Trees is made from eco paper, while the LP is pressed on BioVinyl.

Learn more about Savage Lands
https://savagelands.org/

Donate
https://savagelands.org/donation/

Cryptopsy Release Eye-Popping New Single

June 11, 2025

After 30 years, Cryptopsy are no strangers to the spotlight. Since their ungentle exhumation from the Canadian underground in 1993, the Montreal natives have worn the horned crown as the most vile band in death metal. Their upcoming ninth album and first since winning a JUNO Award embodies the many malicious mutations that have defined their Hall of Fame discography. But while infectious, the latest single from An Insatiable Violence brutally illustrates that society's viral takeover isn't all it's cracked up to be.

"'Dead Eyes Replete' is one of the most brutal songs on our new album", vocalist Matt McGachy says. "It reaches into the depths of the sordid world of YouTube child stars and how parents rob them of their youth and innocence all in the name of greed".

Watch the lyric video for "Dead Eyes Replete" below:

An Insatiable Violence comes out June 20 on Season of Mist.

Pre-order

https://orcd.co/cryptopsyaninsatiableviolence

Pre-save on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/68bFcUq3E7rilegbUCwexu?si=56ImYUobTLe2WyguJnMEFQ

RSVP for the Bandcamp Listening Party and chat with Cryptopsy about their new album before it comes out.

An Insatiable Violence Bandcamp Listening Party
Thursday, June 17 @ 1:30 pm ET

RSVP
https://cryptopsyofficial.bandcamp.com/merch/an-insatiable-violence-listening-party

The concept for Cryptopsy's upcoming new album appeared to vocalist Matt McGachy in an eerily prescient dream. But the latest single from An Insatiable Violence was inspired by the real life horrors of kidfluencing. "Nurture the chosen one", McGachy barks, opening "Dead Eyes Replete" with his freshly groomed death growls.

"We've played at least 140 shows since our last album", he says, "and all those reps have helped me deepen and darken my false chord screams".

Just like a doe-eyed YouTuber is pounced upon by wolves waiting hungrily in the comment section, "Dead Eyes Replete" opens in unfiltered, all caps, attack mode. As Christian Donaldson bends his frets like a spotlight operator who's gone haywire, Flo Mounier rolls out carpet-bombing blasts beats with blinding precision. "Since our last album, I've developed new techniques that allow us to go even faster", says Mounier. His controlled chaos is still the force that binds Cryptopsy's bloodlust, though he managed to raise the eyebrows of their in-house producer. Blink and you may miss it, but lurking within the song's stuffed sockets is a trampling fill that resembles another powerhouse.

"I love John Bonham's playing", Mounier says. "I told Chris that we were leaving that part in there. It's the closest we're ever going to come to sounding like Led Zeppelin".

During death metal's initial spike in popularity, Cryptopsy quickly staked their claim as the scene's most brutal band of technicians. They never stop knifing between surgical tempo changes and filthy hooks, but An Insatiable Violence gouges deeper into the lascivious grooves that won them last year's Canadian Grammy for best Metal/Hard Music Album. "Beware the spotlight" McGachy flashes with his signature bat-like shriek just before bassist Oli Pinnard slams "Dead Eyes Replete" shut with a career-best breakdown.

The video for "Dead Eyes Replete" was created by B2crea.

Booking agents
USA - Continental Touring

www.continentaltouring.us

Vestige Release Heavy New Single Ahead of Hellfest Debut

June 10, 2025

Ahead of their first-ever performance at Hellfest, today, Vestige are releasing a heavy new single. “Envy” is shaped by the scars of childhood trauma. The way the song flips between haunting post-metal atmosphere and hard melodic edge captures the volatile state between fragility and fury.

Watch the blazing video for “Envy” below:

Stream

https://orcd.co/vestigeenvy

Vestige burst onto the modern metal landscape last year with their debut album Janis, but the band’s new single is rooted in deep psychological trauma. “Envy” finds vocalist and guitarist Théodore Rondeau returning to a cycle of domestic abuse, only to confront a parental figure’s jealous partner. “You never broke me / You tried”, he shouts, before pleading “Let me shine away from your controlling games”. Slowly and with deliberation, clean, sorrowful shoegaze gives way to eruptions of razor-sharp distortion and pummeling drums.

“Envy is always seen / It hides from your words”, Rondeau roars, naming and reclaiming what was almost lost.

Vestige will perform “Envy” as well as songs from Janis during their performance at Hellfest on Saturday, June 21.

Janis is now available on Season of Mist

Order & Stream

https://orcd.co/vestigejanis

The signing with Season of Mist brings the band’s first milestone, allowing VESTIGE to share their journey in the form of their debut album, Janis. Poised for release in late 2024, the album is a culmination of their collective efforts and a statement of the band’s arrival in the heavy music scene. Weaving through atmospheric shoegaze textures, melodic landscapes and intense, tormented moments that reflects the emotional spectrum of the human experience, the band established a foothold into the genre of modern metal.

Beyond the studio, VESTIGEis gearing up for a series of live performance in 2024, setting the stage for an introspective musical experience that brings raw and authentic energy. A cathartic release that pulls in the listener into the emotional depths the band has to bring.

Lineup:
Théo dore Rondeau - Vocals, Guitar

Thomas Petit - Guitar

Pierre-André Krauzer - Bass
Quentin Regnault - Drums

Photography & Video Production:
Mathieu Ezan

Stream & Order debut album ‘Janis’: https://orcd.co/vestigejanis

Follow Vestige:
https://linktr.ee/vestigemusic